268 SKETCHES OF BIRD LIFE. 



matter to get them down safely ; but at length we 

 succeeded in getting them into our handkerchief, 

 and, holding the ends together in our mouth, brought 

 them down without a crack. They were consider- 

 ably incubated, showing that they had probably 

 been laid about the end of the third week in March. 

 The Heron, indeed, is one of the earliest birds to 

 breed. The young, when first hatched, present a 

 very remarkable appearance, and are fed by their 

 parents for a long time before they can shift for 

 themselves. 



A friend once kept a Heron on his lawn, and a 

 very amusing bird he was. When first captured, 

 he was very sulky, and refused all food. Fearing 

 he would starve, the owner forced some fish down 

 the bird's throat, but the next moment saw it re- 

 turned upon the grass. The process was repeated 

 with the same result, and a third time my friend 

 endeavoured ineffectually to overcome the obstinacy 

 of his captive. At length, reflecting how the Chinese 

 treat their trained Cormorants, by fastening a strap 

 round the neck to prevent the fish from going down, 

 he tied a piece of tape round the Heron's neck, to 

 prevent the fish, in this case, from coming up. The 



