bled from the nest to the ground below, 

 their feet and wings becoming out- 

 stretched to assist in breaking their fall. 

 The parent bird then leads them to the 

 water. The latter explanation seems the 

 more plausible to me, for I have known 

 of instances where both the females and 

 the drake have been observed leading 

 their very youthful progeny, overland 

 through the timber, on what seemed to 

 be their first journey to the water. 



Wood Ducks thrive in captivity and 

 multiply rapidly. But why should we 

 kill this splendid bird for food? There 



is enough food for man without its 

 death ! Is it not better to say with Mr. 

 Shields, "The Wood Duck is far too 

 beautiful a bird to be killed for food. Its 

 economic value is too small to be worth 

 a moment's consideration. I would as 

 soon think of killing and eating a Balti- 

 more oriole or a scarlet tanager as a 

 Wood Duck, and I hope to see the day 

 when the latter will be protected all the 

 year round by the laws of all the states in 

 the Union and of all the provinces of 

 Canada." 



Gerard Alan Abbott. 



THE GREAT BLUE HERON, 



SILHOUETTES. 



I. 

 I saw him first across the leaden west 

 Slow flap his way, poise high the wings of slate, 

 The trailing feet upon an oak's dead crest 

 To anchor drop, a migrant ship of state. 



II. 



I saw him next among his bayous bleak, 



Slim, sombre, mute, and grim, with listless wing ; 



With yet a fierce reserve of eye, a beak 



The shafted lightning, egret crowned, a king. 



II-I. 



I saw him last where palms their plumes upreared, 

 The mystic ibis of my lady's bower, 

 An alien, stark, majestic still, a weird 

 Gray ghost of decorative grace and power. 



— J. Vallance Brown. 



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