COMMON HERON. 447 



in considerable estimation as an article of food. Heronries 

 are occupied by the birds from spring till August : during 

 winter a few stragglers only are to be seen, as though they 

 were left, or paid occasional visits, to maintain the right of 

 occupation. The late Dr. Heysham, in his Catalogue of 

 Cumberland Animals, attached to Hutchinson's history of 

 that county, refers to the annual battles which took place at 

 Dalham Tower in Westmoreland, between two Hocks of He- 

 rons and Rooks for the possession of particular trees. 



Some portion of Ornithological interest being attached to 

 Heronries, I have added a brief catalogue of those I have 

 been able to ascertain, collected from various sources, arrang- 

 ed in alphabetical order of English counties. 



Berkshire. — Windsor Great Park. 



Cheshire.— D\m[\Wi\ Massey, the seat of the Earl of Stam- 

 ford ; Combermere Abbey, belonging to Lord Combermere ; 

 Hooton, on the Mersey, the seat of Sir T. M. Stanley, Bart. ; 

 Ardley Hall, the residence of R. E. Warburton, Esq. ; and 

 at Oulton Park, the seat of Sir Philip Grey Egerton, Bart. 



Cumberland. — Gowbarrow Park, near Ulswater Lake ; and 

 at Graystock, or Graystoke. 



Devonshire. — Powdcrham Castle ; another at Sharpham 

 on the Dart, and a third at Warleigh on the Tamar, the seat 

 of the Rev. W. RadclilF. 



Dorsetshire. — Brownsea Island, near Poole. 



Durham. — Ravensworth Castle, the seat of Lord Ravens- 

 worth. 



Essex. — Wanstead Flats. 



Kent. — Cobham Hall, the seat of Earl Darnley ; and at 

 Penshurst Park. 



Lincolnshire. — Formerly at Cressy Hall, near Spalding, — 

 a very large one, now destroyed, but two others established 

 in the neighbourhood. Downington. ]\Lanby, near Brigg, 

 belonging to Lord Yarborough ; another at Skillingthorpe 

 Wood, near Lincoln. 



