THE MARSHES OF MALHEUR 101 



As we approached, she spread her wings, and left 

 without a sound. Ill-omened creature brooding 

 eggs and bones! 



"Standing here high above the valley, with 

 my field-glass I picked out the very spot of this 

 great bird-massacre that we had visited. 



" ' I hope we find no more like that,' said my 

 companion as he tightened the camera-straps 

 about his shoulders, and started off down the trail 

 toward the lake. 



" We were both confident that somewhere down 

 in that distant sea of green tules, we could find 

 at least one place where white herons were nest- 

 ing. 



"We outfitted for a week's trip, and set out 

 down the spring branch. This time we kept a 

 straight course to the north until we reached the 

 main body of the lake. All day long we hunted 

 and watched the birds, lining them with our field- 

 glasses as they flew back and forth over the lake. 

 We saw no signs of white herons. 



" That day we found a colony where the great 

 blue heron nested. White herons were formerly 

 common here, both species nesting together. Not 

 a single white bird left ! 



