14 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



that \ve \vere on Count Zichy's ground and on the island 

 of Adony. Count Johann Zichy, with two other keepers, 

 followed him a few minutes later. The Count had but just 

 heard of our arrival, and had hastened to receive us in 

 the very kindest manner, and to show us round the island 

 himself. 



We stole about the heronry in all directions, our shots rang 

 merrily through the wood, and were duly responded to by 

 the renewed screams of its terrified inhabitants. 



At first it was easy work, for the birds hardly understood 

 what was going on, but when some had been already killed 

 the others got sliver and shyer, and were very cautious in 

 coming back to the trees from their aerial heights, so, after 

 shooting some Grey ones, I turned my whole attention to the 

 Night-Herons. 



1 had never come across this bird before, and according to 

 my pre-conceived ideas would never have looked for it among 

 the lofty " au " woods, for I had imagined that low willows 

 standing among pools of water, thick reeds, and high sedge 

 would be its true breeding-places. I was therefore much 

 astonished at seeing the Night-Herons perched on the tallest 

 silver poplars, evidently still busy building their nests. 

 Whenever I tried to get near them, both pairs of birds were 

 always on the same trees, and when frightened off invariably 

 made short circuits round the same places ; but when I dis- 

 covered these spots, which were some distance from the bank, 

 the whole colony was in such commotion that it was 

 impossible to exactly determine which of the many nests 

 belonged to the Night-Herons. 



After having been separated for about an hour, which 

 time we had all spent in diligent search, we chanced to find 

 ourselves on a footpath which ran through the entire length 

 of the island. Here I first met Leopold, who was making 

 vain attempts to shoot down a dead heron that was hanging 



