BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
251 
The life of the Heron is not the dull, prosy, slavish one which many 
writers have pictured, as it is always attended with a certain amount of 
excitement whicli gives spice and zest thereto. The abundance of reptilian 
and other life to be found in places which these birds visit, and the com- 
parative ease with which it is seemingly obtained, render existence a 
pleasure rather than a burden. They are not the over-anxious, indigent 
race of beings which their general appearance would lead us to suspect. 
Living in the midst of plenty, although unsurrouuded by green bowers 
and luscious viands, such as lure their apparently better favored brethren 
— the rich, gifted oscines — they are pleased with their lot, and doubtless 
would scorn to exchange it for others. Their lean, lank natures, as com- 
monly supposed, have nothing whatever to do with the character of their 
surroundings, but are a wise and fitting illustration of the law of design 
which is everywhere to be seen in Nature. 
Of all our Herons, this species displays the least shyness. When 
disturbed, it mounts upward with a hollow, guttural cry, but soon alights, 
cranes its neck, and if danger is not threatening, settles back into its usual 
quiescent state. Either while walking or standing, on such occasions, it is 
noticed to jet the tail, a habit which it indulges in at somewhat regular 
periods. In addition to the ordinary scream, other notes are emitted, 
which resemble the syllables ’k’w, ’k’w, ’k’w. These succeed the others so 
closely that they may be considered a part of the same call-note of alarm. 
Many birds usher in the dawn of the matrimonial jreriod with music. 
But such is not the case with the present species. To be sure there may 
be heard the same cries with which it is wont to greet intruding footsteps. 
The principal indications of its return may be noticed in the preference 
which the sexes have for each other, and in their endearing behavior. 
They no longer seek to dwell apart. A week at most is thus spent, when 
the friendship formed invariably ripens into the stionger feeling of love. 
This ordinarily happens from the twentieth of April to about the tenth of 
May. Having mated, the party start off in search of a swampy woods, 
where, among the branches of some tree, they place their rude domicile. 
