Great Blue Heron 257 



some shallow pool among the sedges along the 

 creek or river side, silently, solemnly, hour after 

 hour, for a little fish, frog, lizard, snake, or 

 some large insect to come within striking dis- 

 tance. With a sudden stroke of his long, strong, 

 sharp bill, he either snaps up his victim, or runs 

 it through. A fish will be tossed in the air 

 before being swallowed, head downward, that 

 the fins may not scratch his very long, slender 

 throat. When you are eating ice cream, don't 

 you wish your throat were as long as this 

 heron's ? 



A gunner, who wantonly shoots at any living 

 target, will usually try to excuse himself for 

 striking down this stately, picturesque bird 

 into a useless mass of flesh and feathers, by 

 saying that herons help themselves to too many 

 fish. (He forgets about all the mice and 

 reptiles they destroy.) But perhaps birds, as 

 well as men, are entitled to a fair share of the 

 good things of the Creator. Some people 

 would prefer the sight of this majestic bird to 

 the small, worthless fish he eats. What do you 

 think about protecting him by law? Any one 

 may shoot him now. The broad side of a barn 

 would be about as good a test of a marksman's 

 skill. 



\The evil that birds do surely lives after them ; 

 the good they do for us is far too little ap- 

 preciated. Almost the last snowy heron and 



