196 BOULDER KEVERIES. 



but in vain the branches of a nearby oak. Again 

 the sound was uttered, and noting that it came 

 from the lowland along the stream, I slipped to 

 the brow of the hill, and from behind the bole 

 of a maple, peered down into the valley. Soon 

 I saw beneath a thorn tree a large bird bobbing 

 its head up and down, and judged that it or 

 something near was making the scolding noise. 

 Thinking it a hawk jowling at a snake, I walked 

 swiftly toward it, when it flew, arising but a 

 few feet from the ground and carrying a large 

 bird in its talons. It was a red-shouldered 

 hawk, which I at first thought had caught a half 

 grown chicken, but just then a green heron arose 

 from the grass and moved in lumbering flight 

 across the stream. Investigation showed that 

 the heron had a nest in the thorn. The young 

 were large enough to move about in the tree, 

 which was partially covered with a wild grape 

 vine, but were not strong enough to fly. The 

 hawk had evidently swooped down upon one of 

 them, but had found its prey too heavy to easily 

 carry. The old heron had attacked it, and the 



