326 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



it is not overwhelming, but such as it is, in the 

 case of the Heron at least, it is sufficiently con- 

 vincing. An American sportsman writes : — 



"One evening, the moon having gone down, 

 leaving me in the dark, I was making my way 

 to my boat, when suddenly I perceived on the 

 sands several dim lights, and when almost upon 

 them, there came a flapping of wings, while above 

 I saw indistinctly the forms of several large cranes 

 (a name given to the Large Blue Heron of America, 

 Ardea herodias). The light disappeared with them, 

 and my opinion is that what I saw was phos- 

 phorescent light on the breast of the birds." 



Mr C. F. Holder, who mentions this incident 

 in his book on phosphorescent animals and plants,^ 

 adds the following comment : — 



" I have been told by several sportsmen that 

 they have heard of such an occurrence, and I have 

 always been impressed with the belief that the 

 greasy, oily, powder-down patches might become 

 luminous under certain conditions, but never until 

 the present year have I been able to find reliable 

 personal testimony." 



He then proceeds to give at some length the 

 evidence referred to, which may be shortly stated 

 as follows: Mr J. W. Worrall, of Philadelphia, 

 being out wildfowling in Kansas on a clear, dark 

 night, saw four lights, one of which he approached. 

 He could see it plainly at the distance of 50 yards ; 

 it reminded him of phosphorescent wood, and was 



1 Living Lights: A Popular Account of Phosphorescent Animals 

 and Vegetables. 8vo. London, 1887. 



