210 BOULDER REVERIES. 



poke," or "fly-up-the-creek," whichever suits 

 your fancy. Just at present the last name is 

 most suitable, for that is exactly what he is 

 endeavoring to do. He is within a rod of me 

 before he clearly makes me out. Like light- 

 ning he veers to a right angle and is away over 

 the low hills to my left. From a thicket of 

 thorns farther down the stream his mate an- 

 swers. There, perchance, they have their nest, 

 a rude platform of ehort sticks, or now, more 

 likely, their family. In the course of each half 

 mile along such a stream as this, two or three 

 pairs of these herons nest each season, feeding 

 upon frogs, minnows and such other aquatic 

 and semi-aquatic forms as suit their fancy. 

 Their slender bodies, ungainly flight, and queer 

 sounding quawks, add a variety to the life of 

 this sylvan valley which to the naturalist is 

 ever welcome. 



VIII. 



July 20, '02. The mid-tide of summer is 

 with us; not a summer as of past years, hot, 

 dry, dust-ridden; but a summer of seasonable 

 rainfall, of cool, refreshing nights, of dark 



