THIRD WEEK IN. APRIL 37 
the trees, the head is kept as erect as 
possible, the neck being straight, in an atti- 
tude of keen attention, when the bird looks 
very noble. Observed at close quarters, 
the eye is seen to be piercing (and it is cer- 
tainly far seeing), reminding me of that of the 
bittern, one of which birds I came upon one 
day suddenly whilst shooting in Guernsey, 
in which island it was a winter visitor. I was 
so struck by that beautiful pair of eyes, that 
transfixed me, the bird being quite as aston- 
ished as I was, that I forbore from firing at 
it, though I was a young and keen sportsman 
then. I have always been thankful that I did 
so. The fight of the heron has been described 
as majestic—rather a strong word [| think. 
It is slow, 1f this can be called majestic ; in- 
deed rapidity of movement of the wings is not 
a necessity for it, as a fully matured bird does 
not weigh more than 34 lbs., and the expanse 
of wing is quite four feet. But at the same time 
they get through the air at a good rate.. The 
slowness in the movement of the great pinions 
is deceptive to the eye, the mind thereby deduc- 
