HABITS OF THE HERON. 245 



hatched, and that as the nest is so small when the 

 eggs are laid, if this were not done the broods 

 would fall out, as they remain in the nest a long 

 time after their first appearance." 



A Heron when seeking food stands like a statue ; 

 his long legs enable him to wade out from the bank, 

 where the water is shallow, into a good position for 

 obtaining fish. When he moves along the shore 

 from one place to another, he lifts his legs with the 

 utmost silence and hesitation, poising each foot in 

 the air ere placing it down, as if he were a slider 

 feeling his way on thin ice, or a pointer drawing up 

 to partridges in turnips. 



The feet of a Heron are so soft and limber that 

 he can stand anywhere on anything ; his toes bend 

 round a stone or amongst sticks as a starfish clings 

 to a rough rock. On seizing his prey, if a fair-sized 

 eel or fish, he rarely bolts it at once, as will a sea- 

 gull, but solemnly stalks to the shore, and laying it 

 down, regards it for a few seconds ; if struggling, he 

 beats it against the ground, then takes it head first. 

 A Heron will prey upon birds and small animals. 

 I have known them pick both young Ducks and 

 Waterhens out of the nest, the parents helpless to 

 defend their progeny against the sedate plunderer. 

 A Heron is a slow mover, and could never follow a 

 mouse or bird, but stands so still and looks so inani- 

 mate, that they often come within his reach. He 

 then never misses, and calculates the range of his 

 stroke to an inch. He seizes with the very point 

 of the bill ; then slides the fish up his beak by rais- 

 ing the head, runs it down again, after one vicelike 

 squeeze, to the ground, or, if small, turn its head to- 



