. Outing. t as an arrow strikesits roving prey. Then, throwing asidehis mask of secrecy, hedashes after the fleetingschool. Often have Iseen him thus in fever-ish pursuit, rushing onhis stiltlike legs through the shallowwater, now this way, now that, with allthe animation of an eager boy pursuinga dodging butterfly. Vainly do they flee,for with impetuous strides he keepsamong them, nor does he cease till he hasexacted sufficient toll. All in all, the herons are an exceed-ingly interesting tribe to become ac-quainted with in their chosen very difficulties in the way makethe pursuit fa
. Outing. t as an arrow strikesits roving prey. Then, throwing asidehis mask of secrecy, hedashes after the fleetingschool. Often have Iseen him thus in fever-ish pursuit, rushing onhis stiltlike legs through the shallowwater, now this way, now that, with allthe animation of an eager boy pursuinga dodging butterfly. Vainly do they flee,for with impetuous strides he keepsamong them, nor does he cease till he hasexacted sufficient toll. All in all, the herons are an exceed-ingly interesting tribe to become ac-quainted with in their chosen very difficulties in the way makethe pursuit fascinating, and whoevercomes to know the wary heron inti-mately can feel that he has fully earnedthe privilege. It was some thirty yearsago, when a small boy, that I becameimbued with this ambition. The heronsdid not really want me, but finally,overcome by my persistence, they seemedto tolerate me. Although in our extreme SouthernStates the heron family is representedby a considerable number of species, 457. AMERICAN BITTERN ON NEST. TO TAKE THIS PHOTOGRAPH THE REEDS OBSCURINGTHE NEST WERE MOVED ASIDE WITH A LEG OF THE CAMERA TRIPOD. there are but five which are widelyknown over most of the country andup into Canada. It is of these fivecommon herons of practically nationalinterest that I shall treat in this article,telling some of my experiences withthem and marshaling some of my tro-phies of conquest with the harmless buteffective camera. First of them all is the great blueheron. This is the tall, imposing, blue-gray creature, exceedingly wary withal,which we see on the margin of the pondor out in the meadow, with long neckoutstretched, wTatching us from afar. Itsees us first and takes no chance of ourhaving a gun, for away it goes, withslow, measured beats of its broad wings,neck drawn in, the long legs trailingbehind. Sometimes we can approachnearer by driving, if the bird thinks itis not noticed. One October day I wasdriving past a bog at the head of a pond,when, as my gaze
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