slightly smaller. On the other hand, the
green heron is only about 20 inches (51
centimeters) long.
Most herons feed during the day. However,
the types called night herons are
active mainly at night. Most kinds of
heron stand still like a statue in the
The great blue heron is one of the bestknown
types of heron. It has a wingspan of
6 feet (1.8 meters) or more.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Heron 47
water while looking for food. When
they spot a fish, frog, or other small
water animal, they jab their spearlike
bills into the prey.
#More to explore
Bird • Flamingo • Ibis • Stork
Hestia
In ancient Greek mythology Hestia was
the goddess of the home. She was also
the goddess of architecture. Hestia was
one of the 12 main gods believed to live
onMount Olympus. Unlike other Greek
gods and goddesses, she was admired
more for her virtues than her adventures.
She was kind, generous, peaceful, and,
above all, welcoming to visitors.
Hestia was the eldest daughter of Cronus
and Rhea, who were Titans. The
Titans were giants who once ruled the
world. When Hestia became a young
woman, the gods Apollo and Poseidon
both wanted to marry her. Hestia
refused their offers and swore to remain
unmarried forever. She lived on Mount
Olympus and dedicated herself to making
others feel welcome and comfortable.
She tended the eternal flame that
burned on Mount Olympus.
In the center of every ancient Greek
home, the hearth (or fireplace) was dedicated
to Hestia. Most ancient cities also
dedicated hearths to Hestia in town
halls. When a family moved to a new
home, a woman brought fire from her
mother’s hearth to light her own. Likewise,
new communities brought torches
from their former cities to light their
new hearths. This tradition still survives
today in a popular symbol—the Olympic
torch.
#More to explore
Mythology
Vesta was the
ancient Roman
goddess who
was the most
like Hestia.
Hestia was the goddess of the home.
48 Hestia BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Hiawatha
Hiawatha was a legendary Native American
leader. He helped five warring
Indian nations—the Cayuga, the
Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onondaga,
and the Seneca—join together in peace.
Their alliance was called the Iroquois
Confederacy.
Little is known for sure about Hiawatha’s
life. He probably lived in the
late 1500s, but some scholars think that
he lived during the 1400s. Hiawatha
may have been a member of either the
Onondaga or the Mohawk tribe. Both
tribes lived in what is now the northeastern
United States.
The times were violent and dangerous
for Hiawatha’s people.Wars with other
Native Americans and fighting between
families caused much death and suffering.
According to legend, a Huron
prophet named Dekanawidah visited
Hiawatha and inspired him to work for
peace. Hiawatha asked the leaders of the
warring nations to form an alliance.
They accepted Hiawatha’s plan and
formed a peaceful union.
Although historians disagree about Hiawatha’s
exact role in the Iroquois Confederacy,
the five nations did join
together during the 1400s or 1500s. The
strong alliance protected all the nations
from attacks by outsiders. The Iroquois
Confederacy stayed together until the
American Revolution (1775–83) split it
apart. Iroquois people today still respect
Hiawatha as an important early leader.
#More to explore
Iroquois • Native Americans
Hibernation
Hibernation is a way that some animals
deal with the harshness of winter. They
curl up in a safe place and stay there
until winter ends. Hibernating animals
seem almost dead. They barely breathe,
and their body temperature is near the
freezing mark. In warmer weather they
return to their regular activities.
Animals that hibernate are called hibernators.
They include bats, hedgehogs,
ground squirrels, groundhogs, and marmots.
Some animals are inactive in the
winter but are not true hibernators.
How Animals Hibernate
Hibernators like dark, quiet winter
homes. Some go underground or into
Legend says
that Hiawatha
was a powerful
magician
who taught his
people how to
practice medicine
and to
write using
pictures.
A statue of Hiawatha stands in Ironwood,
Michigan.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Hibernation 49
caves. They may line their hibernation
place with leaves, grass, hair, and other
materials.
Hibernators prepare for winter with
extra eating. They store fat to keep them
alive during the months when they do
not eat. The animal’s body breaks down
the fat when it needs energy. Some
hibernators collect and store food before
hibernating. At times during hibernation,
these animals arise to eat.
A hibernator’s body responds to weather
conditions. If the weather becomes too
cold, the animal needs to move around
to raise its body temperatures. An animal
that does not do this may die.
Warmer temperatures tell an animal to
come out of hibernation.
How Hibernation
Differs from Sleep
Many animals save energy in the winter
by sleeping more, but these animals are
not truly hibernating. When an animal
just sleeps, its body temperature does not
drop much. In addition, noise can wake
a sleeping animal but not a hibernator.
Bears are an example of animals that
change their activities in the winter but
