FOREST TITHES 
he will perch, and sit there for twenty minutes, and 
more, at a time. A few days ago I watched one do 
this from a place of ambush, which was, like most of 
those suitable for the purpose, anything but a pleasant 
one, being a large clump of blackthorns and brambles, 
in the midst of which I lay hidden. He was not, 
however, allowed to enjoy his elevated point of survey 
in peace, for missel-thrushes, blackbirds, and song 
thrushes, aided by finches, dashed at him, until the 
long neck and bill went darting and striking out like 
a silvery snake in all directions as the birds flew at 
him. Then he was left unmolested, and away they 
flew to cover, screaming and chirping their loudest. 
From my lowly position I had examined some firs 
that were close to the edge of the stream, thinking 
herons might be in them, but had failed to discover 
any. They were there, however, and directly I rose to 
my feet, almost over my head floated two of these 
birds, coming out of the very trees I had watched 
closely, glasses in hand. The heron's positions fall in 
with chance projections and broken limbs so well he 
perches in fir trees by preference that it is impossible 
to detect him before he has caught sight of oneself. I 
put one up recently, and directly in front of me : the 
bird was standing close to the edge of water over- 
shadowed by some large alders, the grey mud below 
