114 THE GREAT HEBOV. 



The Great Heron is said to be fat at the fiill moon, and leal 

 at its decrease ; this might be accounted for by the fact of 

 their fishing regularly by moonlight through the greate? 

 part of the night, as well as during the day ; but the obser- 

 vation is not universal, for at such times I have found some 

 lean, as well as others fat. The young are said to be excel- 

 lent for the table, and even the old birds, when in good 

 order, and properly cooked, are esteemed by many. 



The principal food of the Great Heron is fish, for which 

 he watches with the most unwearied patience, and seizea 

 them with surprising dexterity. At the edge of the river, 

 pond, or sea-shore, he stands fixed and motionless, some- 

 times for hours together. But his stroke is quick as though^ 

 and sure as fate, to the first luckless fish that approaches 

 within his reach ; these he sometimes beats to death, and 

 always swallows head foremost, such being their uniform 

 position in the stomach. He is also an excellent mouser, 

 and of great service to our meadows, in destroying the short- 

 tailed or meadow mouse, so injurious to the banks. He also 

 feeds eagerly on grasshoppers, various winged insects, par- 

 ticularly dragon flies, which he is very expert at striking, 

 and also eats the seeds of that species of nymphae usually 

 called spatterdocks, so abundant along our fresh-water ponda 

 and rivers. 



The Keron has great powers of wing, flying sometimeg 

 ▼erj high, and to a great distance ; his neck doubled, his 

 head drawn in, and his long legs stretched oat in a right 



