. Stories about birds, with pictures to match . ury, and although repeatedlydriven back, will continue to return to thecharge. It shows great hatred of dogs, and ifone comes too near, he is greeted with a strokeof its bill, which sends him yelping away. Ihave seen it fighting, although only on thedefensive, with a domestic cock. It was neverwounded by that birds spurs; for when at-tacked, the heron stands quite steady in theattitude in which it waits for prey, alwaysfacing, and closely watching every movementof its adversary, and striking him with its billwhenever he comes within reach of its
. Stories about birds, with pictures to match . ury, and although repeatedlydriven back, will continue to return to thecharge. It shows great hatred of dogs, and ifone comes too near, he is greeted with a strokeof its bill, which sends him yelping away. Ihave seen it fighting, although only on thedefensive, with a domestic cock. It was neverwounded by that birds spurs; for when at-tacked, the heron stands quite steady in theattitude in which it waits for prey, alwaysfacing, and closely watching every movementof its adversary, and striking him with its billwhenever he comes within reach of its longneck. When the cock flew upward, he wasalways driven back by a stroke of the heronsbill. The cock, in general, retreated on find-ing that he could make no impression on hiswatchful foe. The heron beats the cock bywearing out his patience, as it will remain forany length of time in an attitude of patience of a score of cocks would be wornout by this bird. During two months that Iwas absent from home, about the end of 1848, ■m-. STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 285 the heron would not become familiar with anyone, not even the person who fed it; in fact, itnever was friendly with any one but my return after the absence alluded to, itrecognized me instantly, and testified its joy byscreaming and flapping its wings. It never,indeed, uttered a sound at the presence of anyother person. I must make the heron play his part in afable, I guess. I am not sure but I can teachhim to use his long bill to advantage, in help-ing to pick out some of the faults which oneoccasionally meets with among mankind. Imean to try him, at any rate. So here comesthe fable of THE HERONS AND THE HERRINGS. A Heron came down from his home in the sky,To the court of his cousins the fishes, With despatches so heavy he scarcely could his bosom brimful of good wishes. n. That he was unfriendly to Herrings, he said,He hoped there would be no suspicion; His government wished to convert them in
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1851
