256 Birds Every Child Should Know 
interesting shy creatures that dwell in what 
Thoreau called “Nature’s sanctuary.” 
The clapper’s cousin, the sora, or Carolina 
rail, so well known to gunners, alas ! if not to 
“ every child, ” delights to live wherever wild 
rice grows along inland lakes and rivers or 
along the coast. Its sweetly whistled spring 
song ker-wee, ker-wee, and “rolling whinny” 
give place in autumn to the 'kuk, kuk, ’k-’k-’k- 
'kuk imitated by alleged sportsmen in search 
of a mere trifle of flesh that they fill with shot. 
As Mrs. Wright says of the bobolinks (neigh- 
bours of the soras in the rice fields) so may it 
be written of them ; they only serve “ to length- 
en some weary dinner where a collection of 
animal and vegetable bric-a-brac takes the 
place of satisfactory nourishment.” 
GREAT BLUE HERON 
Standing motionless as the sphinx, with his 
neck drawn in until his crested head rests 
between his angular shoulders, the big, long- 
legged, bluish-gray heron depends upon his 
stillness and protective colouring to escape the 
notice of his prey, and of his human foes (for 
he has no others). In spite of his size — and he 
stands four feet high without stockings — ^it takes 
the sharpest eyes to detect him as he waits in 
