130 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 
coast, and from their large size were, no doubt, remarked 
almost as soon as they had effected a landing on our 
shores. 
ARDEA CINEREA, Linnwus. 
COMMON HERON. 
Whether certain members of the feathered race are 
possessed of so nice a sense of honour as to prefer being 
petted and preserved for a time, only to suffer death at 
the hands of legitimate sportsmen; or would rather 
forego such distinguished patronage and take their 
chance of existence with less noble forms, is just one 
of those points which, for want of any means of 
lingual communication, must for ever remain an open 
question. So far as concerns the Heron, once the 
noblest “‘quarry” of the Falconer, and the greatest 
delicacy at all “ principall feestes,”’ I cannot but think, 
though no longer protected by the pains and penalties 
of the law,* that it is a gainer rather than not by the 
ereat changes effected in the sports and pastimes of the 
age. The “hawk and the harnsey”’} have alike fallen 
* According to Folkard “The statute 19 Hen. VIL. cap. 11, 
prohibited the taking of herons in this country, except by hawking 
or with the long-bow, upon pain of forfeiture of 6s. 8d. for every 
bird taken contrary to that statute. It also restrained the taking 
of young herons out of their nests, on land belonging to other 
persons (except with the license of the owner of such land) under a 
penalty of 10s. for every bird so taken.” All the statutes, how- 
ever, affecting these birds, their young, and eggs are repealed 
under the Game Act of George IV. 
+ Harnsey, heronsewe, hornseu, and hernshaw, are amongst 
the various terms formerly applied to this species. In a note to 
Dr. Cunningham’s paper on “the solan goose or gannet” (“ Ibis,” 
1866, p. 13), the editor remarks, “‘hanser’ or ‘hernser,’ (with the 
still further corruption, as in the old proverb of ‘handsaw’) is 
