384 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



lapse of two or three minutes it rose and flew out beyond 

 the rocks, where it continued its fishing as before. 



A story is related at Flamborough of a narrow escape 

 the late Thomas Leng, a well-known seabird shooter, had 

 from serious injury, if not death itself. While off at sea he 

 shot a Gannet, and, without lowering his gun, turned to fire 

 the second barrel at another bird. The first one was already 

 falling, and its pointed beak pierced the brim of Leng's " sou- 

 wester," knocking him down into the bottom of the boat. 

 Leng used to say this was the "closest shave" he ever had. 



The local names are Solan Goose, Gant, and Mackerel Gant. 



COMMON HERON. 

 Ardea cinerea (Z.). 



Resident ; common but local. An influx of migrants from the 

 Continent in autumn and winter. 



The earliest allusion to this species in Yorkshire appears 

 to be in the Selby Abbey accounts for 1431-32, where an 

 entry runs to this effect : " Paid to . . . . ; to a certain 

 servant at Fryston bringing two Herons to the lord abbot, 

 2od. ..." (Morrell's " Selby," 1867, p. 101.) 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote as follows : 



Ardea cinerea. The Common Heron Not infrequently seen, 

 wanderers from the Heronries in the county, for a list of which see 

 Yarrell's " British Birds " ; to which list Scarthingwell may be added, 

 on the authority of my friend H. Denny. Arthur Strickland observes 

 " Few countries have undergone greater change in their ornithological 

 features than the East Riding, the drainage of the Carrs in the low 

 grounds and enclosing the Wolds in the chalk districts have of late 

 years made great alterations, and in the low countries the total disuse 

 of decoys, and the Herons no longer resorting to the ancient Heronries, 

 mark this change. The most important and best known Heronry, 

 and the largest resorted to was Scorborough, near Beverley, but that 

 has for many years ceased to be the breeding place of any of them, 

 and I believe no Heronry now exists in the East Riding. Since the 

 disuse of the ancient Heronries a few pairs have occasionally bred 

 on some trees on one of the islands of Hornsea Mere, but I believe 



