50 ON THE 11EACH AT DAYTON A. 



approach, but were at once on the wing for a 

 long flight up or down the coast, looking like 

 a flock of snow-white birds as they turned 

 their under parts to the sun in rising above 

 the breakers. Their manner of feeding, with 

 the head pitched forward, and a quick, eager 

 movement, as if they had eaten nothing for 

 days, and were fearful that their present bit 

 of good fortune would not last, is strongly 

 characteristic, so that they can be recognized 

 a long way off. As I have said, they were 

 the only true beach birds ; but I rarely failed 

 to see one or two great blue herons playing 

 that role. The first one filled me with sur- 

 prise. I had never thought of finding him 

 in such a place ; but there he stood, and be- 

 fore I was done with Florida beaches I had 

 come to look upon him as one of their most 

 constant habitues. In truth, this largest 

 of the herons is well-nigh omnipresent in 

 Florida. Wherever there is water, fresh or 

 salt, he is certain to be met with sooner or 

 later; and even in the driest place, if you 

 stay there long enough, you will be likely 

 to see him passing overhead, on his way 

 to the water, which is nowhere far off. On 

 the beach, as everywhere else, he is a model 



