256 Birds Every Child Should Know 



interesting shy creatures that dwell in what 

 Thoreau called "Nature's sanctuary." 



The clapper's cousin, the sora, or Carolina 

 rail, so well known to gunners, alas ! if not to 

 " every child, " delights to live wherever wild 

 rice grows along inland lakes and rivers or 

 along the coast. Its sweetly whistled spring 

 song ker-wee, ker-wee, and "rolling whinny'* 

 give place in autumn to the 'kttk, kuk, 'k-k-k- 

 'kuk imitated by alleged sportsmen in search 

 of a mere trifle of flesh that they fill with shot. 

 As Mrs. Wright says of the bobolinks (neigh- 

 bours of the soras in the rice fields) so may it 

 be written of them ; they only serve " to length- 

 en some weary dinner where a collection of 

 animal and vegetable bric-a-brac takes the 

 place of satisfactory nourishment." 



GREAT BLUE HERON 



Standing motionless as the sphinx, with his 

 neck drawn in until his crested head rests 

 between his angular shoulders, the big, long- 

 legged, bluish-gray heron depends upon his 

 stillness and protective colouring to escape the 

 notice of his prey, and of his human foes (for 

 he has no others). In spite of his size — and he 

 stands four feet high without stocldngs — it takes 

 the sharpest eyes to detect him as he waits in 



