THE NIGHT-HERON. 
103 
The old birds are so wary, and their sense 
of hearing is so acute, that it is no easy matter 
to get near enough to shoot them. They 
seem to know the exact distance at which a 
shot can reach them ; they watch all the 
movements of the sportsman, and, giving him 
the slip, fly off delighted at his disappoint- 
ment. If he should happen to wound one, the 
bird tries to hide itself by squatting amongst 
the bushes ; but if there is no shelter for it, it 
raises its crest, opens its bill, and prepares to 
defend itself. It will fight with its bill and 
claws ; but its claws are so sharp and strong, 
that they are the most effectual weapon of the 
two ; — and when fairly caught, it wiU utter 
a loud harsh cry ; and if he does not take 
care, it will even then elude his grasp, and 
make its escape. 
The cedar swamp, where the herons rear 
their young, is as much broken and battered 
by them as the beech woods are by the 
pigeons. The ground is completely covered 
with feathers, old nests, and fishes, that they 
have dropped by accident and forgotten to 
pick up. If you were to go near one of these 
places, you would be almost deafened by the 
