THE HOME-LIFE OF THE 

 PURPLE HERON. 



" Well, I always did say as how you were fond to spend 

 your time rolled up like a handled hairy-worm in one of 

 them tents, but to go hundreds of miles to picture a 

 red-hurin beats all," such and much else was elicited 

 from an old keeper friend by a chance remark on our 

 return from the Low Countries, regarding the Rood- 

 reiger, or Red Heron, of the Dutch. There was but 

 one " red-hurin " to him then, and though now he is 

 fully acquainted with its double significance, he never 

 fails to tell the story at our expense, and with its piscine 

 meaning. 



Of course the Roodreiger is one and the same as our 

 Purple Heron {Ardea purpurea), but here it must be 

 admitted that they on the Continent have named the 

 bird much more accurately than have we. See him 

 standing on the top of a willow bush in the full sunshine, 

 and you will not wonder that a people with an eye for 

 colour, called him the Red Heron. 



It seems to be generally believed that the species does 

 not nest in trees, but only on marshy ground or among 

 reeds, and, further, that it does not breed in large 

 colonies, not more than six or seven pairs nesting together. 

 This may hold true in respect to some localities, but 

 certainly neither rule has obtained where we have met 

 the bird. It may be that where the ground or reed- 

 beds is the chosen site, they do not congregate closely in 

 greater numbers than a few pairs, scattering themselves 

 in twos and threes over a large area, and this would be 

 consistent with those we have seen so building, and that it 

 is ordy when departing from such lowly sites, and selecting 

 trees or bushes, that they form large colonies. Be this as it 



