126 COMMON HERON. 



eaten, and Dr. Neil has recorded their qualities 

 as rat killers. We have also known several instan- 

 ces of this propensity in Herons kept in a garden, 

 and where also it was nearly impossible to preserve 

 any smaller tame birds in company. In a state 

 of nature, the prey seems generally to be trans- 

 fixed by a dart or blow of the bill. The great 

 proportion of trouts, eels, &c., which we have 

 observed as supplied to the young, being all pierced 

 through as if struck in the manner we have stated. 



The Heron is generally, though nowhere very 

 abundantly, distributed over Europe ; in Britain, 

 extending to Orkney and Shetland, where they 

 are said to be plentiful. In these islands we have 

 no notice of any breeding places, and it would be 

 interesting to know how they are situate, or if the 

 birds migrate to the mainland for the purpose of 

 incubation. In the very north of Europe the Heron 

 is migratory. Its extra European range is con- 

 fined to the Old World, Northern Africa, and 

 Madeira, India,* Java,j* perhaps some others of the 

 eastern islands, and Japan. J In the New World, 

 we have it represented by the A. herodias, a large 

 species resembling it in colours and habits. 



The entire length of an adult bird will exceed 

 three feet, of which the bill to the rictus will 

 measure six inches and a-half. The back, scapu- 

 lars, and tail, are pale blackish-grey, tinted some- 

 times with brown, and, in the breeding season, 

 having the ends of the dorsal feathers length- 



* Yarrell. f Horsfield. Temininck. 



