COMMON HERON. 261 



CAPERCAILLIE. 



TETRAO UROGALLUS. 



Genus Tetrao. 



A bird which appears to have inhabited Britain in 

 early times, and been exterminated. Being re-intro- 

 duced in the present century, it still exists in and 

 around Perthshire and Forfarshire, but in other parts 

 the attempt has been unsuccessful. In the New Forest, 

 for instance, the attempt was made but has not suc- 

 ceeded. It is much larger than any other of our 

 game birds. The eggs are pale reddish buff, spotted 

 finely with orange and reddish brown. 



COMMON HERON. 



ARDEA CINEREA. 



Family Pelargid^. Genus Ardea. 



Hern — Hernshavv — Heronseugh — Crested Heron. 



A bird which is now locally distributed throughout 

 the British Islands, and which owing to incessant 

 persecution is greatly thinned in numbers. Formerly, 

 when falconry was the ruling sport, these birds were 

 very strictly preserved, being considered the peculiar 

 game of royalty and nobility, and very stringent 

 penalties were passed upon any one interfering with 

 them. In those days they were common birds. As 

 the greater part of the Heron's food consists of fish, 

 the bird is usually found in the vicinity of water. It 

 may frequently be seen standing in the shallows of 

 a lake or river, some distance from the shore, waiting 

 still and motionless until some passing fish gives it 



