motes of tbe Uttgbt 



At irregular intervals one and sometimes both 

 would thrust their heads into the water, and I 

 could see the silvery -tipped ripples on the surface 

 when they withdrew. At times, miniature clouds 

 rose up and, floating by, obscured the birds wholly 

 or in part, and then, as the white mist disappeared, 

 the herons would raise their wings as if to fly, and 

 look thrice their real size. It was as if they shook 

 the moisture from them ; but I doubt if this were 

 true. Then, as I too had an errand, not at but 

 over the ditch, I walked leisurely forward, and the 

 birds again rose, but high in air, and after circling 

 over me for some time, flew toward the woods. 

 I trust they had had their suppers before I last 

 disturbed them. I hoped while near this spot to 

 hear the bittern boom, but it was too late in the 

 season, and the birds have been gone for some 

 time. During the early summer a single bird took 

 up its quarters much nearer my home, and I could 

 not only see it often, but was daily entertained by 

 its strange utterances. Why the bird had no 

 mate was a constant source of wondering, but none 

 came hither, and not until late in summer did my 

 bachelor bittern vacate his lonely quarters. I 

 saw no other herons this night, but it must not 

 be supposed that only the true night-herons are 

 likely to be met with after dark. The whole col- 

 ony that nested in a sink-hole in an upland field 

 were often very late in leaving the meadows for 

 the last time, even when there was no moon. 

 40 



