AN ESSAY ON BIRD-MIND iii 



forced to admit it as a regular occurrence in their 

 lives. The long necks are so flexible that they can 

 and do make a complete single turn round each other 

 — a real true-lover's-knot ! This once accomplished, 

 each bird then — most wonderful of all — runs its beak 

 quickly and amorously through the just raised aigrettes 

 of the other, again and again, nibbling and clappering 

 them from base to tip. Of this I can only say that it 

 seemed to bring such a pitch of emotion that I could 

 have wished to be a Heron that I might experience it. 

 This over, they would untwist their necks and subside 

 once more into their usual quieter sentimentality. 



This, alas ! I never saw with the less common little 

 White Egrets, but with the Louisiana Heron (which 

 should, strictly speaking, be called an egret too) ; 

 but since every other action of the two species is (in 

 all save a few minor details) the same, I assume that 

 the flashing white, as well as the slate and vinous and 

 grey birds, behave thus. 



The greeting ceremony when one bird of the pair, 

 after having been away at the feeding grounds, rejoins 

 its mate is also beautiful. Some little time before 

 the human watcher notes the other's approach, the 

 waiting bird rises on its branch, arches and spreads its 

 wings, lifts its aigrettes into a fan and its head-plumes 

 into a crown, bristles up the feathers of its neck, and 

 emits again and again a hoarse cry. The other 

 approaches, settles in the branches near by, puts itself 

 into a similar position, and advances towards its mate ; 



