210 



THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



etc. It has been known to seize a wounded snipe 

 which had fallen near it, and to swim out for several 

 yards to seize the newly-hatched young from the 

 water-hens' nests. 



Although, as a general rule, the heron is a 

 solitary feeder, it has gregarious breeding habits, 

 O nesting together in large companies like rooks. 

 There are several heronries in England, but they 

 are scattered far and wide ; and the heron flies 

 long distances night and morning in quest of food. 

 It builds on the extreme tops of the tallest trees, 

 and as near the end of the branch as possible, for 

 the size of the bird makes it inconvenient for it 

 to penetrate far amid the branches of the tree. 

 It lays its eggs, which are of a light bluish-green 

 colour, early in the spring. It is said that if it 

 accidentally drops the food it is carrying to its 

 young to the ground, it does not take the trouble 

 to pick it up again, but flies off for more. This 

 may arise from the difficulty it has in rising from 

 the ground in a confined space. 



Some years ago there appeared in one of the 

 illustrated papers a birdseye view of a heronry 

 from above. The enterprising artist had climbed 

 to the summit of a tall tree overlooking the 

 heronry, and from thence made his sketch. It 

 was a very novel and interesting sight. The 

 herons were flying about in dire alarm, or swaying 

 uncomfortably on the pliant branches. Many of 

 the nests which were not tenanted by the herons 



