206 THE HERON. 



lined with wool; and, in building, herons flock together. 

 Sometimes they choose a solitary glen, by the side of 

 a loch or moimtain stream ; and sometimes, it is said, 

 though not avouched, they will breed upon the ground. 

 Their laziness, produced by their habits of overgorging, 

 is so excessive, that they will not be at the trouble of 

 building a uest, if they happen to find one ready made 

 for their purpose. These birds inhabit Great Britain 

 and Ireland. They are said to be plentiful in Orkney 

 and Shetland ; indeed, they are generally spread over 

 our islands. Where this bird is presented in a 

 heronry, it has been known to do incalculable mis- 

 chief to the freshly-stocked fish-ponds of domains. 

 Willoughby thus quaintly describes a method for 

 ensnaiing them: — "Having first discovered the 

 haunt of the heron, get three or four small roach, or 

 dace ; and having provided a strong hook, with a wire 

 to it, this is drawn just within-side the skin of the 

 fish, begimiing without-side the gills, and running it 

 to the tail ; by which the fish will not be killed, but 

 continue for four or five days alive. Then, having a 

 strong line, made of silk and wire, about two yards 

 and a-half long, it is tied to a stone at one end, the 

 fish with the hook being suffered to swim about at 

 the other. Tliis being properly disposed in shallow 

 water, the heron will seize upon the fish, to its own 

 destruction." We cannot but here close our notices 

 with an extract from Christopher North s sublimi- 

 ties. His love of sport is expressed too enthusiasti- 

 cally not to interest the young, that are addicted to 



