GREY HERON. 449 



ever, it assumes more activity, and wanders among the stones 

 and in the shallows in quest of small fishes, crabs, and 

 shrimps. It also feeds by moonlight, and is said to be in 

 best condition when the moon is full. Although it is seldom 

 plump, it is remarkable for its voracity and the rapidity of 

 its digestion. Its food consists of fishes, frogs, newts, Crus- 

 tacea, insects, occasionally young birds and small mammalia, 

 which it kills by striking them with its bill, and generally 

 swallows entire. In performing this latter operation it 

 ssmetimes finds great difficulty — in the case of an eel, for 

 instance, which often slips from it. This circumstance has 

 given rise to the popular belief of the eel's repeatedly passing 

 through the intestine of the Heron, which, however, is a feat 

 impracticable, the alimentary tube being in a great part of 

 its length not thicker than the quill of a goose. Mr. Scott 

 MoncriefF informed me that a Heron with an eel twisted 

 round its neck was found dead in the Duke of Buccleuch's 

 park at Dalkeith Palace, it having been unable to swallow 

 or cast off its victim. 



The Heron is generally shy and vigilant, so as to be 

 almost inaccessible to the sportsman in open countries. 

 Unless in the breeding season, it is unsocial, seldom appearing 

 in company even with those of its own kind ; and if it 

 occasionally mingles with Curlews or Gulls, keeps them at 

 a respectful distance. The sound which it utters is a grating 

 scream, which, at night especially, comes harsh on the ear. 

 In rising from the ground, it first spreads out its large 

 wings, flaps them, then retracts its neck, and gradually 

 stretches its legs out behind. Its flight is sedate and 

 buoyant, but seems heavy, on account of its slowness. In 

 moving to a distance it usually flies high, sailing at inter- 

 vals with motionless wings, and, on account of its great size, 

 forms an interesting object in the landscape. 



" In the midland counties," Mr. Harley writes to me, 

 " we have only three heronries, and they are not very 

 large. At Lord Warwick's, I believe about eighty pairs 

 nestle annually, and their young go away after they are 

 fledged. The other breeding-places are at Colwick, near to 

 Nottingham, and at Harringworth, near to Oundle, in 



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