A TROPIC GARDEN 247 
these radii, and each would represent a distinct 
line, if only a heron’s width apart. 
At the height of the evening’s flight there were 
sometimes fifty herons in sight at once, beating 
steadily onward until almost overhead, when they 
put on brakes and dropped. Some, as the little 
egrets, were rather awkward; while the tricolors 
were the most skilful, sometimes nose-diving, 
with a sudden flattening out just in time to reach 
out and grasp a branch. Once or twice, when a 
fitful breeze blew at sunset, I had a magnificent 
\exhibition of aeronautics. The birds came up- 
wind slowly, beating their way obliquely but 
steadily, long legs stretched out far behind the 
tail and swinging pendulum-like whenever a shift 
of ballast was needed. ‘They apparently did not 
realize the unevenness of the wind, for when they 
backed air, ready to descend, a sudden gust 
would often undercut them and over they would 
go, legs, wings, and neck sprawling in mid-air. 
After one or two somersaults or a short, swift 
dive, they would right themselves, feathers on 
end, and frantically grasp at the first leaf or twig 
within reach. Panting, they looked helplessly 
around, reorientation coming gradually. 
At each arrival, a hoarse chorus went up from 
