File:Birds and nature (1902) (14752200615).jpg

Identifier: birdsnature111902chic (find matches)
Title: Birds and nature
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Birds Natural history
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Mumford, Publisher
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ity, but, ac-cording to Ridgway, it sometimes nestsin colonies. For the remainder of the summer thisis a>social bird, at least to the extent thatthe whole family remain together, wad-ing the water, stalking along the banksor perching on trees, bushes and logs.At this time it displays some curiositywhen a person comes warily into itshaunts. Its long neck is stretched toits limit as the bird endeavors to keepan eye on the intruder, and at the slight-est suspicious movement on the part ofthe latter, its long wings are raised inreadiness for flight. Remain perfectlyquiet, however, and it again resumes itsoccupation, apparently unconcerned; butlet a sudden movement be made, andthen it awkwardly but quickly flies away,uttering meanwhile a discordant squawk. It is quite interesting to see one ofthese herons feeding. It will wade alongthe edge of a pond or stream, veryslowly lifting its feet out of the waterand carefully putting them down again.Its neck is folded so that it almost dis- 194
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FROM COL. CHI. ACAO SCIENCES. 489 GREEN HERON.(Ardea virescens.)About 3^ Life-size. BV 4. W. MUMFOBO. CHICAfaO appears, the head being drawn backagainst the shoulders. At last it seesan unwary minnow swimming lazilyalong. Slowly and carefully it leans itsbody forward and downward toward thewater, the long legs looking and actingalmost like stilts; still more slowly thehead with its long, stout beak movescautiously toward the water surface, verymuch like a young turkey seeks to cap-ture a grasshopper. Then suddenly, asif a spring had been set free in its neck,the head is thrust downward until thebeak, or more, disappears beneath thesurface, but only to reappear immedi-ately with the struggling minnow or sun-fish between its mandibles. The prey secured, the bird now walksto an open spot on the bank several feet away, if possible, from the water so thatthe fish cannot flop back into its nativeelement. With a blow or two from thebirds bill the fish is stunned and in an-other moment has st

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