COMMON HERON. 469 
in North Africa durmg November and December. In Eastern Europe, in 
consequence of the severer winters, they arrive somewhat later and 
depart somewhat earlier, passing through Greece in March and again in 
August. 
The Heron is found wherever there is water, and may be seen standing 
in it, not only on the sea-shore and the banks of rivers and lakes, but also 
in small brooks, ponds, marshes, and flooded fields. It has been so much 
persecuted in the British Islands that heronries have become comparatively 
rare, but it is still occasionally seen even at a long distance from its breeding- 
colonies. It is specially partial to swamps, but is rarely seen on the high 
lands. So conspicuous a bird has naturally become very wary, and soon 
takes flight on the approach of danger. If not molested it may often be 
seen standing in the water at some distance from the shore, remaining 
almost motionless watching for its food, its neck bent, and its head almost 
between its shoulders, ready at a moment’s notice to dart its bill like an 
arrow into the water to secure a fish or a frog. Occasionally it may be 
seen walking with stately step on the mud, or resting with one leg drawn 
up to its body. Not unfrequently it may be observed standing on the flat 
branch of a pine tree, where it looks very singular and out of its element, 
but not perhaps so much so as on the slender branches of a pollard willow 
in the neighbourhood of its nest. The flight of the Heron is slow and 
steady, with deliberate and regular beats of the long wings, and in the 
evening several birds may sometimes be seen flying home to roost, steadily 
and at a considerable height, like Rooks. Although the flight appears to 
be so laboured, it is really very rapid, and the bird frequently wanders 
great distances to feed. When flying, its long legs are carried straight out 
behind, and serve to balance and guide it in its course, whilst the head is 
drawn almost up to the shoulders. 
The Heron can scarcely be regarded as a gregarious bird, although it 
breeds in colonies. Except at the nests it is seldom that more than four 
or five are seen together, and in winter solitary Herons, mostly immature 
birds, wander far from their birthplace, and take up their residence on the 
banks of a suitable stream or creek. The Heron prefers running streams 
to still water, and on the sea-coast frequents for the most part the mouths 
of rivers. It is seldom or never seen to swim, except when winged ; but 
Waterton records that at Walton Hall the Herons occasionally alighted 
on the deep water in hot weather, and swam just like Waterhens ; he also 
observed them hovering above shoals of fish like a Tern. The Heron is 
most active late in the evening and early in the morning. It may be 
seen standing for some time in a large field a long way from water, and 
is often disturbed from the horse-pond in a secluded corner; it is fre- 
quently seen walking about amongst feeding cattle, but it never relaxes its 
great wariness. 
