H /lDarsb*lanb Unctbent 



momently. As it neared the ground I 

 could scarcely follow its movement with 

 my eyes ; but I saw that it was not swoop- 

 ing upon the heron. What it did strike 

 was a meadow-lark, a hundred yards 

 farther away from me, which it bore off 

 to the woods. 



As for the heron, it lay quite motionless 

 for a long time, evidently in a very trance 

 of terror. I observed it closely with my 

 glass, and do not think a single feather on 

 it stirred. Indeed, the bird lay there as if 

 dead, save that its cruel red eyes burned 

 like live coals. After a while I tried a 

 shot at it. The arrow fell about a foot 

 short, but flung mud all over the sheeny 

 plumage of the heron's back and neck. 

 That was too much ; the trance was 

 broken, and away flew the beautiful 

 thing far across the marsh. 



When I went to recover my shaft, some 

 snipe flashed swiftly out of the grass, with 

 their rasping cry : ''Scaipe! scaipe!" I 

 marked them down and followed; but 

 they would not lie until I got near 

 enough for a shot; so I returned to the 

 156 



