56 NETHER LOCHABER. 



religious fanaticism at his shortcomings, must have been a man of 

 largest heart and widest sympathies; and, properly understood, 

 there is much truth, and no irreverence, in his own finding, 

 that even 



" The light which led astray 

 Was light from heaven." 



We were much amused the other day at seeing a heron, a long- 

 necked, long-legged bird, doubtless familiar to the reader, for once 

 in a " fix." We say " for once," for it is a most sagacious bird 

 and thoroughly master of its own particular role, which, it is 

 needless to say, is principally fish-catching. We were amusing, 

 ourselves on the seashore during low-water, watching the habits 

 of periwinkles, hermit-crabs, star-fish, &c., when we observed a 

 heron at some hundred yards distance, leaping about, wriggling its 

 body, and performing other strange and unheron-like antics, as if 

 it had suddenly gone mad. Knowing the staid and sober habits 

 of the bird in general, we at once came to the conclusion that 

 something extraordinary " was up," and determined, if possible, 

 to discover what it was. Making a slight detour to avoid alarming 

 him for it was a he, a very handsome, full-crested male we 

 easily managed to creep within fifty yards or so of him, and the 

 cause of his excitement and unwonted posturings became at once 

 apparent. He had caught an eel (a great dainty with the heron 

 family) of about two feet in length, and of girth like a stout 

 walking-stick, notwithstanding which, however, Mr. Heron would 

 soon have satisfactorily dined upon it, had he not made a slight 

 mistake in the mode of striking his prey. The eel was held in 

 the heron's bill at a point only some three or four inches from 

 the extremity of its tail, the greater part of its body and its 

 head being thus left at liberty to twist, and wriggle, and wallop 

 about ad libitum. To swallow the eel in this position the 

 heron knew was impossible, and to let it go, even for an 



