Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-11-08
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1vo 1aneA Here's % Ene11neus 49,
tasos anA RropotsaoAato YIueR.
Much food ~ required 20 forward
Che rapid growth Of the young hefons;
. portion. either through clumsinees
or safety. being allowed 20 fail to the
ground. where it soon develops an odox
very characteristic Of herOnries in gen
eral. es7s
once secured. after . prolonged
and far from scathless scramble Rm0ng
the thorny branches OF . wild plum
thicket, a pair Of these unpromising
infants, as yet in their eallow immatu-
rity. At first they seemed intractabie.
but q sufaciency OF good food and i'm
munity from further injury soon gained
their confidence. and they grew. in
course OF time. excessively tame. even
invading the sacred precincts Of the
farmhouse kitchen. Their appetites
we're enormous, and appeared 20 in
crease with time, so that it became q
formidable matter to supply the nee.
essary prOvender. Snakes. fish, grubs.
grasshoppers, and odd scraps of tsn-
cooked meat disappeared. with perfect
impartiality, into their vOracious
maws. A heron's throat is very dill
table. and they can swallow substances
that appear enormous in comparison
with that organ. When one under
takes the injection of ia large, fat
fish, the neck, expanding 20 accommo-
date its form, presents most curious
appearance. Should the object be
very long, as a snake or eel. the heron
cOOliy puts it down as far as it will
go. and complacently waits. with out
stretched neck. until the part first
swallowed digests away. when another
section Is engulfed. The action Of the
gastric juice in the stomAchs OF fish.
eating birds is SO rapid that il takes
them but a trifiing time TO dispose Of .
large mass Of food.
My herons. tom" and Peggy"
were plucky in the extreme. and,
though peaceable enough when not
imposed upon, resented fercely any
domineering from the barnyard in.
habitants. Their combined forces
were always more than sufficient 70
rout the enemy. Once only we wit
messed an instance Of their partial dis
comfiture. Tom had accepted the
challenge Of bullying young rooster.
and at the first pass was placed hors
du combat. with spur through his
throat. Before the cock had time to
sound his clarion OF victory. Peggy"
with a savage cry. came darling
through the air. and although full on
his back. by fierce stroke Of her
spear-like bill. deprived him Of an eye.
So vigorously did she follow up her
advantage. that most energetic inter.
ference was required 70 save the fowl
from complete destruction.
Toms" wound was SO severe that q
considerable portion OF his internal
anatomy was exposed; nevertheless he
recovered rapidly. A contraction Of the
gullet followed, which afterward often
caused him great establishment by re-
fusing to pass such large articles as
formerly. Occasionally he would at
tempt to swallow dried sunfsh or
other spiny object. which. sticking
fast. could be neither cast up nor
down. A little water, with some
careful manipu1ations, always relieved
him from his unpleasant predicament;
but to the last experience did not
render him wiser on this point Their
exceeding tameness exposed them TO
great danger when they CHANGED to
wander from their adopted home, and
their fate at last was that Of being
stoned to death -Anaeric0n Magazine.