34 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



of Parham have assured me that their shrill cry 

 may be heard at all hours of the night, during the 

 summer season, as they fly to and fro overhead, on 

 their passage between the heronry and the open 

 country. 



The history or genealogy of the progenitors of 

 this colony is remarkable. They were originally 

 brought from Coity Castle, in Wales, by Lord 

 Leicester's steward, in James the First's time, 

 to Penshurst, in Kent, the seat of Lord De Lisle, 

 where their descendants continued for more than 

 two hundred years ; from thence they migrated to 

 Michelgrove, about seventy miles from Penshurst, 

 and eight from Parham; here they remained for 

 nearly twenty years, until the proprietor of the 

 estate disposed of it to the late Duke of Norfolk, 

 who, having purchased it, not as a residence, but 

 with the view of increasing the local property in 

 the neighbourhood of Arundel, pulled down the 

 house, and felled one or two of the trees on 

 which the herons had constructed their nests. 

 The migration commenced immediately, but ap- 

 pears to have been gradual; for three seasons 

 elapsed before all the members of the heronry had 

 found their way over the Downs to their new 

 quarters in the fir- woods of Parham. This oc- 

 curred about seventeen years ago. 



The number of the nests now appears to be 



