AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 113 



seized and swallowed, head foremost if the devourer 

 is at his ease, but anyhow rather than relinquished. 

 A young Heron was caught, apparently unable to fly, 

 in a church-yard near Lilford some years ago, and 

 taken by its caj)tor to the Rector, who, being a 

 merciful man, examined the captive and discovered 

 that it was choking from a large lump of organic 

 matter sticking in his throat : with the aid, I believe, 

 of a corkscrew he succeeded in extracting the sub- 

 stance, which proved to be a mole ; he then liberated 

 his patient, who, in recognition, I suppose, of service 

 rendered, remained in his immediate neighbourhood 

 for a considerable time without any call upon him 

 for further surgical treatment. It appears that in 

 former days young Herons were highly valued as 

 articles of diet, at Althorp at all events — the nests 

 were regularly robbed, and the birds fattened up in 

 sheds upon liver, and (as Lord Spencer assures me) 

 also upon oatmeal ! In the extracts from the House- 

 hold Books above-mentioned, I find amongst others 

 the following entries relating to our birds : — 



" April 12, 1623. Hearnes rec^ from Newbottle 27, 

 from Wicken 9." 



"/r/. 19, 1623. To Creaton for clyming 9 heron's 

 nestes. 00. 03. 00." 



" May 3, 1623. Hearnes sent to Wormleighton 14." 



"November 1, 1623. To Phipp 2 dales theshing 

 heron houses. 00. 01. 02." 



" April 24, 1634. To Tarlington 1 day ffishing long 

 ditch and climbing 13 Hearnes neastes. 00. 05 06." 



"June 18-26, 1634. 25 Heron's nests climbed 

 within the week." 



I also find in these entries mention of an official 



VOL. II. I 



