The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



many tall trees and a great number of young 

 trees. A great many big ferns grew there and 

 were splendid to hide under. Peter always did 

 like that swamp. 



He had stopped to rest in a clump of ferns when 

 he was startled by seeing a great bird alight in a 

 tree just a little way from him. His first thought 

 was that it was a Hawk, so you can imagine how 

 surprised and pleased he was to discover that it 

 was Mrs. Longlegs. Somehow Peter had always 

 thought of Longlegs the Blue Heron as never 

 alighting anywhere except on the ground. But 

 here was Mrs. Longlegs in a tree. Having noth- 

 ing to fear, Peter crept out from his hiding place 

 that he might see better. 



i In the tree in which Mrs. Longlegs was perched 

 and just below her he saw a little platform of 

 sticks. He didn't suspect that it was a nest, 

 because it looked too rough and loosely put to- 

 gether to be a nest. Probably he wouldn't have 

 thought about it at all had not Mrs. Longlegs 

 settled herself on it right while Peter was watch- 

 ing. It didn't seem big enough or strong enough 

 to hold her, but it did. 



"As I live," thought Peter, "I've found the 



nest of Longlegs ! He and Mrs. Longlegs may 



be good fishmen but they certainly are mighty 



poor nest-builders. I don't see how under the 



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