206 NATURE AND WOODCRAFT. 



Individual skirmishing had occurred annually, 

 but never had possession of the groves become 

 a party question until now. A crisis had come, 

 and every bird stood to its colour — slaty-blue 

 or black. And this was how it came about. 



In a grove of fine old oaks the Herons had 

 lived and bred — their right, possession time out 

 of mind. The oaks were felled in the spring 

 •of 1775. Great was their fall; for they were 

 hoary and heavy, and at this time they con- 

 tained the nests and eggs of scores of Herons. 



The birds were disconsolate for a time, but 

 soon sought to found a new settlement. The 

 time of second nests was at hand. Near their 

 old habitation only young firs grew, and these 

 were not substantial enough to contain their 

 bulky nests. At this the Herons, determined to 

 effect a standing, invaded the haunts of their 

 neighbours. They met with an organized and 

 stubborn resistance ; but, although their sable 

 neighbours greatly outnumbered them, they 

 were so far successful as to found their colony. 



It is with the fight in which the herons came 

 off successful, however, that the interest of the 

 Hernwood episode attaches. This, as before 

 remarked, lasted three whole days, and upon 



