■■ THE HEEON. 301 



Fowl, also that it has short wings, and rests its four toes firmly 

 on the ground, we shall then have a pretty exact portrait of our 

 subject. This bird inhabits the savannahs of Central America, 

 and occasionally the southern portion of the United States, fre- 

 quenting the banks of rivers, where it feeds on fish, moUusks, 

 and sometimes crabs. It makes its nest in the thick under- 

 brush. 



The Herons {Ardea), which form a genus of birds of the order 

 of Cultrirostres, have the bill long, pointed, opening widely, and 

 very strong ; their legs are in part bare of feathers ; toes long, and 

 furnished with sharp claws, not excepting the back toe, the whole 

 length of which rests upon the ground ; the neck is long and 

 slender. Further, the back of the head is adorned with a tuft 

 of long feathers, which fall over its shoulders like a plume, whilst 

 those in front, which are narrow and pendent, resemble a kind 

 of beard at the bottom of the neck. 



These birds lead a semi-nocturnal life, and frequent the margins 

 of lakes, marshes, and rivers, where they feed on reptiles, frogs, 

 and fish. They are generally of a shy nature, and live in solitude 

 in the most unfrequented portions of extensive woodlands. When 

 they want to seek their prey, they go into the water until it 

 reaches half-way up their legs, and with the neck doubled down 

 over the breast, and the head buried between the shoulders, 

 they sometimes remain for hours together immovable as statues. 

 If any fish glides along within reach of them, they suddenly 

 stretch out their necks, as if impelled by a spring, and, with a 

 sharp movement of the bill, impale the unfortunate victim. When 

 their fishing is not very productive they dig into the mud with 

 their feet, to turn out the frogs aijd other reptiles that are con- 

 cealed in it. If compelled by hunger, they will attack rats, wood 

 and field mice, and if further pressed they show no repugnance 

 to carrion. They can, however, endure abstinence for a con- 

 siderable time. 



Most of the Herons are endowed with great powers of flight. 

 When compelled by unusually severe weather, they occasionally 

 migrate, the young and the old travelling separately. Nevertheless, 

 as they can accommodate themselves to almost any temperature. 



