164 ARDEID.E. 



lands of Scotland young birds may be found by tlie middle of 

 April. Incubation lasts about twenty-eigbt days ; and it is 

 stated that about a fortnight later a second clutch of eggs is 

 laid and hatched off with the young birds in the nest (Steven- 

 son, B. Norfolk, ii. p. 139). 



When the young are hatched, both parents assist in pro- 

 \dding them with food until they are able to fly, and have 

 learned to supply themselves. Previous to this time, when 

 the heronry is visited by strangers, the old birds leave their 

 nests, and, circling high above the trees, betray great anxiety 

 till the intruders have retired. The heronries are occupied 

 from spring till August ; and during winter a few birds are 

 to be seen, as though they were paying occasional visits to 

 maintain the right of occupation. Both Bewick and Hey- 

 sham refer to the annual battles which took place at Dalham 

 Tower in Westmoreland, between the Herons and the Books 

 for the possession of particular trees ; Hunt, in his ' British 

 Ornithology,' mentions similar contests at Acle, in Norfolk ; 

 and at Malin Hall, co. Donegal, the Editor observed that 

 the two species never retired to roost without a skirmish, in 

 which the Rooks were the aggressors. 



In the former Editions of this work the Author gave 

 a catalogue, in alphabetical order of English and Welsh 

 counties, of the heronries then known to him ; and subse- 

 quently Mr. J. E. Harting, in 'The Field,' and in 'The 

 Zoologist' for 1872 (p. 3261), published an amended list. 

 The following, based upon the latter, and brought down 

 to date, with the assistance of Mr. Harting, Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney, jun., the Hon. A. N. Curzon, and others, who have 

 kindly contributed, is believed to be tolerably correct ; but 

 considering the wandering nature of the birds, and their 

 resentment of interference, it is impossible to hope for more 

 than approximate accuracy. It must also be stated that 

 many of the large colonies of former days no longer exist, 

 or are considerably reduced ; and even some of those now 

 enumerated contain but few pairs. 



Berkshire. — Two in Windsor Great Park ; one in Coley 

 Park, Reading. 



