VANISHING NIGHT HERONS 



the barn, whence she was not known 

 to emerge for a space of twenty-four 

 hours. 



There was something so solemn, so 

 " pokerish," so preternaturally dignified 

 about these creatures that they seemed to 

 be out of another, eerier, world. If we 

 ever get so advanced as to travel from 

 planet to planet I shall expect to find 

 things like them peering round corners 

 at me on some of the out-of-the-way satel- 

 lites, the moons of Neptune, for instance. 



Most young birds will eat what you 

 bring them and clamor for more until they 

 are full. These young herons yawned at 

 my approach as solemnly as if they were 

 made of wood and worked by the pulling 

 of a string. Never a sound did I know 

 them to make during their brief stay with 

 me, but they would stand motionless and 



silent and gape unwinkingly till a piece 

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