ON BIKDS. 35 



I do not know whether any of you have seen 

 the fishing eagle. It is sometimes found in this 

 country, and it feeds upon fish when it can get 

 any. It is a noble bird, but not so fine a one as 

 the golden eagle, for which it is sometimes mis- 

 taken. A lady told me that a flock of wild swans, 

 perfectly white, flew past her drawing-room 

 window in Ireland, pursued by two eagles. It 

 must have been a fine sight. As the swan is a 

 much larger bird than the eagle, it shows the 

 boldness and power of the latter in attacking 

 such a prey. 



The heron is a bird you have probably seen, 

 and a most patient one it is, standing, with its 

 long legs, in the shallow water of some pond or 

 stream, for hours together, waiting to catch an 

 eel, or some other fish, or a frog or water-rat. 

 It will also feed on snakes. In frosty weather 

 they go to the marshes, as well as to the sea- shore, 

 in search of food. They build on the highest 

 trees ; and, notwithstanding the great length of 

 their wings, they quit the trees and alight on 

 them again with the most perfect silence. In the 

 fine heronry in Windsor Great Park and it is 

 a royal one I once saw an interesting sight. 

 A pair of ravens wanted to take possession of a 



