The Heron. 271 



great account, for it was a lordly sport to hunt the 

 heron with the falcon, as Mary Queen of Scots knew 

 well ; and not seldom the hunted was the victor, for 

 the heron, with its instinct, would make a dart at the 

 falcon's eyes and blind it. 



Like the crow, in always making at the eyes of an 

 enemy, the heron also resembles the crow in its keen 

 eye for a gun. It knows the difference between a stick 

 or anything else held in the hand and a breechloader. 

 The shine on the barrel from afar is enough, and the 

 heron is off before the sportsman can get aim. The 

 heron has some other claims to notice. He is at once 

 swimmer, wader, and percher. You may see him 

 taking his flight from the lonely pool and making 

 his way on that easy wing of his to the distant fir 

 trees, where, owing to the fine instinct and the great 

 knack he has in choosing his post, he will perch so 

 that, large though he be, you will hardly detect him as 

 he rests quietly after his long and patient labours at 

 pool or stream side. 



