4 
188 THE HERON. 
the feathers, by coming in contact with the outer 
materials of which the nest is formed, would be 
forced into a direction quite opposite to that which 
they have received from the hand of nature. Hence 
we may safely conclude that neither the herons, nor 
any other birds of the creation, ever perform their 
incubation with their legs on the outside of the 
nest. 
In the daytime this bird seldom exhibits any 
very extraordinary activity. Although it will fly 
from place to place at intervals, still it seems to pass 
the greater part of the time betwixt sunrise and 
sunset quietly on the bank of a stream, or on the 
branch of a tree, often with one leg drawn up under 
the body in a most picturesque manner. But, as soon 
as the shades of night set in, the heron becomes as 
anxious and impatient as a London alderman half 
an hour before the Lord Mayor's festive dinner. 
It walks up and down the bank, or moves from 
branch to branch with extraordinary activity, every 
now and then stretching out its wings, and giving 
us to understand, by various gesticulations, that it 
is about to commence its nocturnal peregrinations 
in quest of food. One loud and harsh cry^ often 
repeated, now informs you that the heron is on wing, 
wending its way to some distant river, swamp, or 
creek. I suspect that this cry is never uttered but 
when the bird is flying. 
Formerly we had a range of fishponds here, one 
above the other, covering a space of about three 
acres of ground. Close by them ran a brook, from 
