CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 26 1 



company in varying numbers on high trees ; some- 

 times, however, on precipitous sea cHffs, or crags 

 covered with ivy and shrubs." This lastnamed position 

 exactly describes the position of the one I saw on the 

 coast of Mull ; all the others that 1 have come across 

 have been usually in high trees. The Heron's capacity 

 for food is enormous ; often and often have I watched 

 these birds feeding ; taking up a position they think 

 most favourable to the incoming tide there they 

 stick, up to their knees in water, swallowing fish 

 after fish, small and large, for anything they can 

 manage to get down their throat is all right, and their 

 swallowing capabilities must certainly be wonderful, 

 for I have seen them strucro-Hnu- to o-et down a Qood 

 sized fish of maybe half a pound, till I have almost 

 thought that on this particular occasion they weren't 

 ofoino- to manaofe it, but, down it went ! after a lot 

 of determination and perseverance. 



The Heron may be said to be wary, and yet owing 

 to his want of brains in putting himself into defence- 

 less positions which can easily be approached, there 

 is no difficulty in surprising and getting a shot at 

 him. 



The specimen in the case was obtained when I 

 was staying at the Glenbeigh Hotel in the winter. 

 I had gone for a day's expedition by train to a place 

 called Castlemaine, to follow the course of a tidal 

 river called the Maine, my object being to try and 

 get some Ducks. 



In walking along by the banks of the river, on 

 coming round one of the bends, I surprised the 



