File:The birds of America - from drawings made in the United States and their territories (1840) (14565307487).jpg

Identifier: birdsofamericafr06audu (find matches)
Title: The birds of America : from drawings made in the United States and their territories
Year: 1840 (1840s)
Authors: Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 Bowen, John T., ca. 1801-1856?, lithographer
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: New York : Published by J.J. Audubon Philadelphia : J.B. Chevalier
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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s; slowlydoes he raise his head from his shoulders, and now, what a sudden start! hisformidable bill has transfixed a perch, which he beats to death on the ground.See with what difficulty he gulps it down his capacious throat! and now hisbroad wings open, and away he slowly flies to another station, or perhaps toavoid his unwelcome observers. The Blue Crane (by which name this species is generally known inthe United States) is met with in every part of the Union. Although moreabundant in the low lands of our Atlantic coast, it is not uncommon in thecountries west of the Alleghany Mountains. I have found it in every Statein which I have travelled, as well as in all our Territories. It is wellknown from Louisiana to Maine, but seldom occurs farther east than PrinceEdwards Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and not a Heron of any kinddid I see or hear of in Newfoundland or Labrador. Westward, I believe,it reaches to the very bases of the Rocky Mountains. It is a hardy bird, X°?i P1.36S
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(6 // - ; 9 ^/v^/ t)r,/irn from Ab/urt 6fJ.J.dnc/ufon /•JtSJ-L._ . 1/uA ZUfi.Tnntut <Vc;/r/,r,/ TJ3c THE GREAT BLUE HERON. 123 and bears the extremes of temperature surprisingly, being in its tribe whatthe Passenger Pigeon is in the family of Doves. During the coldest part ofwinter the Blue Heron is observed in the State of Massachusetts and inMaine, spending its time in search of prey about the warm springs andponds which occur there in certain districts. They are not rare in theMiddle States, but more plentiful to the west and south of Pennsylvania,which perhaps arises from the incessant war waged against them. Extremely suspicious and shy, this bird is ever on the look-out. Its sightis as acute as that of any Falcon, and it can hear at a considerable distance,so that it is enabled to mark with precision the different objects it sees, andto judge with accuracy of the sounds which it hears. Unless under veryfavourable circumstances, it is almost hopeless to attempt to approach i

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