22 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



shall I be persuaded to dispense with its services 

 until I become endowed with such a telescopic vi- 

 sion as is attributed to the bushmen of southern 

 Africa. It is true that I had but little scope for 

 its use at this moment the nests and their occu- 

 pants being situated among the thick branches of 

 the evergreen firs but by its aid I could perceive 

 that the heron which had attracted my attention 

 was a very old bird, as indicated by the long crest 

 and the pure white plumage of the breast and 

 neck, with which the rows of jet black spots on the 

 sides of the latter contrasted beautifully. 



Being anxious to examine the young birds, I 

 selected one of the spruce firs, on the summit of 

 which was a heron's nest, and which appeared to 

 command a view over many other lower trees im- 

 mediately adjoining, which were similarly occu- 

 pied. The only danger if such it could be 

 called was in preserving a firm footing on the 

 brittle branches near the nest, nor can I say that I 

 experienced a pleasing sensation when the tall 

 and narrow stem, already well loaded with the 

 enormous, wide-spreading fabric at the top, began 

 to sway to and fro from my additional weight, as I 

 endeavoured, by walking out on one of the boughs 

 immediately underneath, to outflank it so far as to 

 enable me to reach the edge, and while support- 

 ing myself with one hand, partially explore its 



