7O BIRDS OF P. E. ISLAND.

(;l\’ ICAT “LC 1’, ”1'1 RON.

(A mica Izcroa’z‘as)

This is the largest of our wading birds, and one of the most common. The tall, gaunt form of the “crane” standing at low water in the weedy shallows is everywhere a picturesque feature of our summer coast. A solitary bird or two comes in April, while snow and ice are plenty. Then it may be seen standing on the ice and patiently watching at a hole for a precarious meal. It is

the first of June before “cranes become coin- mon. Then they attend to their nesting, which is conducted in great colonies, called heronries. There is a noted heronry in an old spruce forest at the head of Howell's Brook. The birds from this_ encampment frequent the bays many miles away on both sides of the Island. They are at their fishing before break of day, and the late glimpse of twilight at eveningr sees the great broad wings slowly coursing over the darkened hills, as the faithful fisher returns with the late burden to its young. Awkward as the. “crane"

looks, it is very successful in capturing game.