The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-01

alive, its sober grays and yelloWish
greens harmonizing we'll with the
misty air and the wan and withered
reeds. AS the shoals Of perch drew
near-the line of their advance being
marked by the inceSsant f1oppings of
the smaller and more adventurous fry
the head is drawn slowly back, bring
ing the point of the bill into lire for its
sudden and unerring lunge. Then
comes a moment of suspense as all
easy prey is singled out, followed by a
lightning like stroke; and the fis1
Vanishes at gulp down the SIM
uous, capacious throat. have known
a heron which l was watching to dis
appear from view as completely as
though it had been spirited away
simply through the merging of it's hues
and outlines in it's surroundings, the
task of re-diseovering taking me at
least minute, though had previously
been careful to align 1t with certain
objects on the further bank; SO entirely
Goes it harmonic with the environ
ment in which it lives
Rowing we'll In toward shore at the
northern end Of the lake, I disturb the
slumber Of some percher in the bushes,
and the bird utters a series of low
pitched questioning cheeps. A few
rods higher up a stream energies from
the willows and winds itself about the
fiat. AS I approach this point some
bird utterS a frightened screech and
ahandons its feeding ground incontin-
emily. There is nothing in the note by
which L can judge Of its identity, and
as I am unable to distinguish its form
through the mist sufficiently to make
sure, [ refer it broadly to the group Of
shareholders. Not improbably 1t is
woodeock, this bird being frequently
met with in the willow bed beyond. it's
evening flight lines leading from this
70 n4x,+e- ~
oozy Stub. The cry is promptly an
swered by an owl and by the startled
tapping Of grouse, deep somewhere in
the neighboring woods. More than
once l hear grouse fly from point to
point among the heml0cks.
While passing the mouth Of the inlet
1 disturb a second shore bird, which
rises from the mud with a startled pro-
testing cry and circles about in the
mist. AS it wheels toward the water
1t is visible for a moment, appearing
about the size of a wOodcOck and fly
ing with Snipe-like twisting flight
1t goes up the stream to the margin of
the woods and then back again in a
Vagrant uncertain way, keeping UP It's
anxious protesting cry, but unwilling
apparently to forsake it's feeding
ground. In spite Of the regularity with
which it's sweeping curves bring it
into view, it is not easy through the
mist to make certain of it's species, and
from the note 1 might infer it to be
Virginia rail- but both its size and it's
peculiar tcrtuous flight preclude its
identification with this bird, and L refer
it to Wilson'S snipe, the fiat on the
eastern side being covered with the
tufted grass which forms it's natural
feeding ground, almost to the waters
edge. What strikes me as little singu-
lar is that, in spite Of the apprehen-
sion betrayed by its note, the bird
should continue to follow the boat
along the shore for at least 100 yards
after the spot from which it rose is
left behind I take it as an instance
of the power of curiosity to overcome
the natural sense Of danger, of which
so many of our birds betray a trace
Coming down the western side, the
| dip Of the oars disturbs a least sand
/ piper, or peep, from among the stones,
/ and the bird flies low for several rods
before alighting, at the very margin
Of the lake. The little creature is in
! open light, where no mist obScures the
| view, and is as sharply defined against
the background of dry stones as it
| would be in the day. Like nearly all
our shore birds. this diminutive sand
! piper finds it convenient to supple
ment its daily diet with an occasional
nocturnal feed and 1t was perhaps
| while indulging In this propensity that
the boat disturbed its movements -
At about 1880 several herons pass
down the lake In company on their
way to the ponds below, keeping up a
desultory self-satisfed colloquy as thew
flap unsuspiciously along a few rods
! from the boat, this group being the
/ last to Gross. .downwards through the
| night Indeed, save for the occasional