YOUNG HERONS IN TRAINING 121 



leaping behind them towards the lake, was killed 

 and eaten by the parent bird. 



Out in the shallows of the lake, however, the 

 heron's methods of training were somewhat 

 different. There, though she stalked the trout 

 and the minnows with unfailing patience, she 

 for some time chose herself to catch the fish, 

 which she killed by sharp blows against a stone, 

 and dropped at her feet, that the young might 

 learn how to mark and find their food beneath 

 the surface of the water. Renoult observed that, 

 in comparison with the rest of the brood, one of 

 the herons was small, and weak, and unintelli- 

 gent. This young bird had been the last to 

 alight by the lake, had taken the least important 

 part in the dances, and had often by its com- 

 panions been bullied out of the possession of 

 food. But, with all-enduring patience, the 

 mother shielded her weakling, satisfied its hunger 

 with the daintiest scraps that she could find, and 

 never concluded her lesson till her backward 

 pupil had attained proficiency. 



The boy's warm, unspoiled heart went out 

 towards the patient mother and the weakling 

 of her brood. Had he carried his long-bow and 

 his favourite arrow he probably wouEJ have 

 hazarded a shot at the bullies when they pecked 

 and chased the timorous weakling. Much of 

 what actually happened during the education 



