124 COMMON HERON. 



pose.* The Heron, during the greater part of the 

 year, is a wading or terrestrial bird, and here all 

 his motions and attitudes are easy and graceful. 

 Whether sitting at rest on some stump, or large 

 stone at the edge of the stream, or stalking erectly 

 by the side of the water, and surveying it for his 

 active prey ; or with outstretched neck, and de- 

 pressed crest, the whole aspect displaying anxiety, 

 before the fatal stroke is made, he appears uncon- 

 strained. But when these habits are exchanged for 

 the forest, the lengthened legs and ample wings 

 are used without freedom, and they appear to be 

 accommodating themselves to a temporary sojourn, 

 among the branches and foliage proper to another 

 great tribe of birds. Nevertheless, a heronry is a 

 much to be coveted ornament among the furnish- 

 ings of an extensive park, and the whole process 

 of incubation is most interesting to witness. The 

 localities selected generally abound in old wood, 

 and they are very frequently near some mansion, 

 where there is a constant thoroughfare, which can 

 only be accounted for from the greater proportion 

 of old timber to be found in such situations, for a 

 bird naturally so shy would scarcely, were choice 

 allowed, select one so public. We, at the same 

 time, know of a few breeding stations in most 

 retired places, a wild and pastoral glen, or the 



* " And some affirm, that any bait anointed with the 

 marrow of the thigh-bone of an Heron, is a great temptation 

 to any fish. The scent from his legs was considered attracting 

 to them, when he waded in the water." 



