282 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



toward me, shaking its wings, and keeping np 

 a cry evidently of pleasure. It evinces much 

 gentleness of disposition, and frequently stands 

 caressing me with its bill. But to strangers its 

 manners are very different, as it attacks them 

 with the greatest fury, and although repeatedly 

 driven back, will continue to return to the 

 charge. It shows great hatred of dogs, and if 

 one comes too near, he is greeted with a stroke 

 of its bill, which sends him yelping away. I 

 have seen it fighting, although only on the 

 defensive, with a domestic cock. It was never 

 wounded by that bird's spurs ; for when at- 

 tacked, the heron stands quite steady in the 

 attitude in which it waits for prey, always 

 facing, and closely watching every movement 

 of its adversary, and striking him with its bill 

 whenever he comes within reach of its long 

 neck. When the cock flew upward, he was 

 always driven back by a stroke of the heron's 

 bill. The cock, in general, retreated on find- 

 ing that he could make no impression on his 

 watchful foe. The heron beats the cock by 

 wearing out his patience, as it will remain for 

 any length of time in an attitude of defence. 

 The patience of a score of cocks would be worn 

 out by this bird. During two months that I 

 was absent from home, about the end of 1848, 



