CHAP. xii. THE BEAUTIFUL HERON. 233 



of a ramble, extending over several days, in the hill 

 districts near N"oth and Kirknie. It is not necessary 

 to transcribe the whole paper ; but we may select the 

 following passages as showing the keen observation 

 as well as the character of the man. Edward had 

 entered a narrow glen, at the bottom of which runs 

 the burn called Ness Bogie. He was listening to the 

 voice of the cuckoo, and the dap-dap of the ring 

 pigeons, which rose in great numbers, when an abrupt 

 turn of the road brought him, suddenly and unex- 

 pectedly, within a few yards of a beautiful heron : 

 " I immediately stood still," he says ; " the upright 

 and motionless attitude of the bird indicated plainly 

 that he had been taken by surprise ; and for the 

 moment he seemed, as it were, stunned, and incapable 

 of flight. There he remained, as if fastened to the 

 spot, his bright yellow eye staring me full in the 

 face, and with an expression that seemed to inquire 

 what right I had to intrude into solitudes where the 

 human form is so rarely seen. As we were thus 

 gazing at each other, in mutual surprise at having 

 met in such a place, I observed his long slender neck 

 quietly and gradually doubling down upon his breast. 

 His dark and lengthened plumes were at the same time 

 slightly shaken. I knew by this that he was about to 

 rise ; another moment, and he was up. Stretching 

 his long legs behind him, he uttered a scream so 

 dismal, wild, and loud, that the very glen and hills 

 re-echoed the sound, and the whole scene was in- 



