104 
THE NIGIIT-HERON. 
noise ; and might very well think that a body 
of Indians were strangling each other. 
Like other night birds, the night-herons do 
not see very clearly in the day-time ; but their 
ears are as quick as those of the owl, and it is 
impossible to approach them without being 
discovered. 
All day they are liable to the visits of the 
hawk, and other birds of prey, who are on the 
look-out to pounce upon their young ones; 
and even the eagle himself may be seen sailing 
about, taking a survey for the same purpose. 
At night, the racoons, and many other ani- 
mals, prey upon them without mercy ; so that 
they need all their caution and sagacity to 
escape. 
Twilight is the time for the heron to pro- 
cure his food ; and no sooner has the dusk hour 
come than the heronry is emptied of its inha- 
bitants, and they disperse themselves into the 
ponds and creeks in search of fish. Besides 
fish, they will eat frogs, and mice, and all 
manner of water insects, and nothing comes 
amiss to them. 
The heron wades into the water, and stands 
watching for his food. When an unlucky fish 
