A FROG IN HIS THROAT 



CHAPTER XII 



The Blue Heron: Ardea Herodias 



IN THE GREAT LAKE REGIONS 



I saw this Blue Heron for myself, hunted him to his favorite 

 feeding-grounds alone, and secured these studies of him, which 

 may be the reason I am so especially fond of them. I was located 

 at a small boarding-house on the Inland Route, and with my boat 

 had access to a half-dozen lakes and rivers which make up this 

 chain. The little river nearest us opened shortly into a large lake. 

 From my room Blue Herons could be seen sweeping the water 

 morning after morning and settling in one spot, which seemed 

 easy to locate. The Deacon probably had good reason to be ner- 

 vous about my entering those swamps and forests alone. But 

 one day he was away trout-fishing; Molly-cotton was trying, 

 under the instruction of the landlady, to prepare a pair of deer 



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