540 



When fishing, the Heron stands motionless in shallow 

 water, with the head drawn back towards the shoulders, 

 ready to strike or seize with his sharp beak whatever may 

 happen to come within his reach. If an eel chance to be 

 the object caught, the Heron has been seen to quit the 

 water to make the more sure of his prey, by beating it 

 against the ground till it is disabled. Mr. Dunn has 

 observed " in Orkney and Shetland, where Herons are 

 very plentiful, that this bird, let the wind be high or low, 

 invariably selects the lee side of the island or rock on 

 which the wind may be setting." 



A pair of Herons, kept by Dr. Neill in his garden at 

 Canonmills, near Edinburgh, produced two sets of eggs ; 

 during incubation the male frequently took his place on the 

 nest when the female went off to feed, but unfortunately 

 both the female and the eggs were destroyed by accident.* 

 Dr. Neill adds, " A large old willow tree had fallen down 

 into the pond, and at the extremity, which is partly sunk 

 in the sludge, and continues to vegetate, Water Hens 

 breed. The old cock Heron swims out to the nest, and 

 takes the young if he can. He has to swim ten or twelve 

 feet, where the water is between two and three feet deep. 

 His motion through the water is slow, but his carriage 

 stately. I have seen him fell a rat at one blow on the 

 back of the head, when the rat was munching at his dish 

 of fish." 



The Heron is said to be very long lived, and was 

 formerly in considerable estimation as an article of food. 

 Heronries are occupied by the birds from spring till 

 August: during winter a few stragglers only are to be 

 seen, as though they were left, or paid occasional visits, to 

 maintain the right of occupation. The late Dr. Heysham, 



* Mr. Selby's British Ornithology, vol. ii. p. 13. 



