BRITISH BIRDS. 105 



mixed with white; this is the general colour; the long, 

 strong legs and feet are green. The female is exactly 

 similar to the male. 



The food of the heron and of the bittern consists of fish, 

 reptiles, snails, and insects, especially such as have an 

 aquatic origin; and there is no doubt if the}^ existed in 

 large numbers they would do a good deal of mischief by 

 devouring both the spawn and fry of useful fish. 



They are very shy and timid, and the bittern is noc- 

 turnal in its habits, hiding during the day in the reeds of 

 the marshes it frequents and whin. When it does 

 breed in Britain, it makes its nest on the ground, heaping 

 together sticks, reeds, and other rough materials for the 

 purpose. The eggs, from three to four in number, are 

 elliptical in figure, and pale brown, without spot or mark of 

 a,ny kind. 



The heron, on the other hand, builds a nest not unlike 

 that of a rook among the topmost branches of high trees, 

 and as it always nests in companies, the assemblage is 

 called a " heronry," which is generally protected by the pro- 

 prietor on whose ground it is placed. The eggs are three 

 or four, of a greenish ground colour, sometimes blotched 

 with patches of a darker or lighter shade of the same, but 

 usually plain. Incubation lasts about three weeks, and in 

 five or six more the young are able to fly. The ground 

 under a large heronry exhales during the breeding season an 

 odour resembling nothing so much as that of a fish-uianure 

 manufactory, and can scarcely be described as ambrosial. 



There are two broods in the season. 



At one time the heron was much use I for hawking 

 purposes, but since that " sport " has gone out of fashion 

 they have diminished. 



The attitude of repose conveys the idea of dejection, but 

 the heron is rather a lively bird than otherwise. 



