446 ARDEID.E, 



able to fly, and have learned to supply tlicmselves. Previous 

 to this time, when tlie lieronry is visited by strangers, the old 

 bird's leave their nests, and skimming in circles, high above 

 the trees, betray great anxiety till the party have retired. 

 The food of the Heron consists of fish, reptiles, and small 

 mammalia. When the Heron has only himself to provide 

 for, he usually fishes late in the evening, and very early in 

 the morning, sitting the whole day perched on the branch of 

 a large tree. 



When fishing, the Heron stands motionless in shallow 

 water, with the head drawn back towards the shoulders, ready 

 to strike or seize with his sharp beak whatever may happen to 

 come within his reach. If an eel chance to be the object 

 caught, the Heron has been seen to quit the water to make 

 the more sure of his prey, by beating it against the ground 

 till it is disabled. Mr. Dunn has observed " in Orkney and 

 Shetland, where Herons are very plentiful, that this bird, let 

 the wind be high or low, invariably selects the lee side of the 

 island or rock on which the wind may be setting." 



A pair of Herons, kept by Dr. Neill in his garden at 

 Canonmills, near Edinburgh, produced two sets of eggs ; 

 during incubation the male frequently took his place on the 

 nest when the female went oflf* to feed, but unfortunately both 

 the female and the eggs were destroyed by accident.* Dr. 

 Neill adds, " a large old willow tree had fallen down into the 

 pond, and at the extremity, which is partly sunk in the 

 sludge, and continues to vegetate. Water Hens breed. The 

 old cock Heron swims out to the nest, and takes the young 

 if he can. He has to swim ten or twelve feet, where the 

 water is between two and three feet deep. His motion 

 through the water is slow, but his carriage stately. I have 

 seen him fell a rat at one blow on the back of the head, when 

 the rat Avas munching at his dish of fish." 



The Heron is said to be very long lived, and was formerly 



* Mr. Selb^/'s British Ornithology, vol. ii. p. 13. 



