Democratic messenger., 1894-12-15
WISCONSIN HERONS.
The Nests For Their Young and Methods
of Housekeeping.

On the way over we had noticed
scattering flight of hcrons centcring still
farther up the forks. and from the hard
wood ridge we could discern, now and
then, u number coming and going from
the North Fork and its branches. The
two lines apparently met over half
section of tall pine timber about two
miles to the south of east of our camp
but as il was now dusk and showery
we prepared supper and turned in for
the night.
Four o'clock next morning found us
up, breakfast cooked and ready for the
voyage of discovery. and voyage it
proved to be, with mud at times ankle
deep. and every leaf supporting great
drops of water, drenching us to the skin
in few moments.
Instead of keeping around to the
right. where the herons seemed to fly
we made a short cut through the great
pines, whose tops lowered full 100 feet
above our heads. with but little under
brush beneath. AS we rested among
these grand columns no wonder we all
echoed the doctors sentiment when he
remarked, IF We're n squirrel, this is
just the place would live. and would
like To stay here 4 month anyway"
Gradually working our way toward
the south edge of the pines. all at once
harsh. Hrunting, croaking sound
greeted our ears. and we stopped to lis
ten. Then louder combination still
nearer, another off to the left, then half
"a dozen. which from Il distance seemed
not unlike a great many hogs fighting,
grunting and squealing. confirmed our
surmisc that the rocst was at hand.
We soon discovered that every pine
for distance Of perhaps two acres con-
tanned a large stick nest, not fiat and
spread out like the nests i'll the trees in
Florida. but n huge round affair, large
and deep on the outside as u bushel bas
ket, not on the fiat surfaces of spread
ing branches, but right i'll the very top
where the tree separates into many parts
In one case where u tree formed into
two great forks 30 feet from the ground
the top OF each contained nest. while
third nest was placed lower down on
the side shoot. This tree and one other
which spread out irto a broad, fiat top,
We're the only ones containing three
nests, although quite number had two
There were usually three young to a
nest, and they stood upright ON the nest
or OH branches level with il near by.
and upon the arrival of the parent would
all scramble into the nest, setting up,
meanwhile. u great squawking, grunt-
s,.., Il, ta,-s 90 hs.
expected from three birds.
The old bird usually alighted on the
smaller branches near the nest, proceed
ing Immediately to it. thrusting her
bill well into the outstretched throat of
the nearest, the heads and necks of both
birds weaving back and forth during the
process, the other two keeping up an in
fcrnal squalling all the while. AS soon
rs the bill was withdrawn another bird
was served i'll the same manner, while
the third made vain effort to get his
bill down the throat of the one just fed,
which would indicate that such thefts
might be successfully made.
The old birds We're constantly coming
and going, and therefore the combina-
tions of noises were almost constant
from one part or other of the heronry,
the noise coming only from nests where
birds We're being fed In the tree with
three nests, the birds in the nest being
fed made the usual outcry. but those i'll
the remaining nests, not ten feet away.
paid no attention to il.
The young birds We're nearly full
fledged and about ready to leave the
nests. and when standing upon the
branches were hardly distinguishable
from the old birds. except by close ex-
animation of the feathers of the breast,
which did not have the dashes of as
deep black as the old birds
We attempted TO secure Il set of young
10 mount for the local high school mu-
scum, but when shot they invariably
fiuttered and scrambled about. finally
landing ON the nest. - Forest and
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