132 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



but, of late years, the reclamation effected by artificial 

 drainage would account, independently of our numerous 

 gunners, for the abandonment by the herons of their 

 older haunts. Mr. Lubbock refers to these marsh- 

 breeders, and I have conversed with many residents in 

 the " Broad " district, who remember their nesting at 

 Kanworfch, Horsey, Irstead, and other places ; and even 

 the Didlington heronry is said to have been established, 

 some sixty years ago, by a considerable colony,* which 

 formerly had their nests on low sallow-bushes, or 

 amongst the sedges on the borders of the Feltwell and 

 Hock wold fens. 



Through the kindness of several correspondents, and 

 especially of Mr. Thomas Southwell, I have lately 

 ascertained the existence of several small heronries in 

 different parts of the county, which were unknown to 

 me when writing the introduction to my first volume 

 (p. Ixiii.) Most of these are, however, offshoots from 

 the older and better known colonies, and, from the 

 changeable habits of this species, may in a few years 

 be again abandoned. 



First in importance, of course, both from its extent 

 and association with the history of falconry in this 

 county, is the Didlington heronry before mentioned. 

 Near this colony, at High Ash, the late Lord Berners 

 (when Colonel Wilson) kept heron-hawks for many 

 years, and special reference is made to this fact by the 

 authors of " Falconry in the British Isles." These 

 hawks, as stated in my notice of the peregrine, were 

 subsequently supported by subscription, but were finally 

 given up in 1836 ; and though Mr. Newcome, of 



* Mr. Alfred Newton was thus informed in 1853, by William 

 Spencer, of Feltwell, who had been thoroughly well acquainted 

 from his boyhood with the birds of the " Fen." He was unable to 

 say when the herons ceased to breed there, but " it was before 

 his time," his age being then fifty-three. 



