q across ne seas. | | | 
a It was early April and nests were in all stages of con- 
struction, when she found these strange town dwellers. 
_ There was no difficulty in finding them, for even amid the 
city noises, the confusion, which attended the erection of 
_ their towers of Babel, could be heard. There was reason 
_ for the torrent of bird language which filled the air, for a 
_ watchman had to stand beside each chosen site to protect 
the big sticks, which were laid carelessly about, from being 
_ stolen by other herons. 
: It was comical to see one » of the huge creatures sidle 
cautiously along a smooth branch, if the watchman was off 
guard, and snatch what his bill would hold, hurriedly placing 
it on his own platform. Then it posed as innocently as any 
_ mischievous boy might do, only, a heron “frozen” is a 
_ beautiful picture for all who may see him in his act. No 
_ bronze stork in a curio store was ever more lifeless or 
artistic: the level bill and perpendicular legs brought out the _ 
_ beautiful curves of the big body, which stood out in bold 
_ relief on the bare branches of the tree. When the mate 
returned, weighted down by its load of clubs, all pose was 
_ forgotten and the wicked bird fairly chuckled with glee, 
dancing a skirt dance on his high perch, as he told in strident — 
- tones of his own unmoral act. 
The mate had troubles of its own, however, as Handing a 
ona slippery limb in midair, with dangling legs bothered by 
a loaded bill, was a delicate matter. When the process was _ 
made more difficult by the temper of self and other loaded ~ 
birds, remarks were apt to be made that were not sweet and | 
4 -mannerly, and the watching woman, for once, did not long 
3 to add to her vocabulary. Toe-nails helped in the struggle 
_ when, after circling the grove, picking out its own tree and 
its particular nest, the bird dropped its extended legs and 
_ attempted to anchor its feet upon a smooth, leafless branch. 
Tilting forward and then backward the big heron doubled 
F up likea jackknife, balancing with a few flaps of the ssh 
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