340 THE HERON. 



But this opinion is not confined to the ignorant people 

 of the Ferroe Islands: the idea was once, and very pos- 

 sibly, still may be, current in some parts of England, 

 that the feet and legs of a Heron had something in them 

 very attractive to fish, and particularly to eels, which 

 enabled the bird, when standing in water, to bring his 

 prey about him, and thus take it with greater facility. 

 Accordingly, Herons were in great request with fisher- 

 men, on account of their feet and legs, which were sup- 

 posed to contain an oil, which, if rubbed over a worm, 

 rendered it a sure bait for eels. Possibly, however, 

 and indeed probably, Herons may really be gifted with 

 some peculiar power of attracting fish. 



There is a very extraordinary light, said to be visible 

 on the breast of a species of the American Bittern; 

 and most, if not all the birds of the Heron genus, espe- 

 cially our common Heron, have on their breasts a consi- 

 derable space void of feathers, 

 filled up by tufts of down, to 

 which adheres a sort of clammy 

 oily substance. It is not 

 therefore unlikely that this 

 oily matter may, either by 

 smoothing the water or in 

 some other way, enable the 

 bird to attract, or when at- 

 tracted, to strike its prey 

 with greater certainty. This 

 idea is strengthened by a 

 generally prevailing opinion respecting the Fish Hawk of 

 North America, which, when hovering over the water, is 

 supposed to have some attractive power over its prey, 

 upon which, when collected within reach, it pounces. 

 The charm is believed to be an oil contained in a small 

 bag in the body, as baits touched with a drop of it 

 are considered to be an irresistible lure for all sorts of 

 fish. 



The Heron's feathers are also occasionally found loaded 



