NED BARTLAM. 37 



of the very finest Scotch fir-trees to be found in 

 England. One of them had a girth of twelve feet ; 

 and from the ground to the first branch there was 

 a space of thirty feet at least. What, however, 

 gave me the greatest pleasure, was the sight of a 

 magnificent heronry, which might have excited the 

 envy of any crowned head in Europe. At the 

 time I saw it, the parent birds were busily employed 

 in bringing food to their young ; and I could never 

 feel tired in watching their slow and methodical 

 flight to the high trees in which their nests were 

 placed, and the silent, and I may call it beautiful 

 manner, with which the birds alighted on them. 

 On seeing us, some of them would soar in circles 

 round the trees for a while, as if suspicious of us, 

 and would then settle on their nests. The food 

 was received in silence ; and the delivering of it to 

 the young seemed to occupy a considerable length 

 of time. Probably the old birds were fatigued 

 with their lengthened flight, and required rest, or 

 their young ones warmth ; or what is more likely, 

 they only feed them morning and evening, so great 

 is the distance to the place where they procure their 

 food. I know few things more royal than a fine 

 heronry on trees of which the proprietor may 

 justly feel proud. These trees, certainly are of a 

 most magnificent description; and what I think 

 adds to their grandeur, is the circumstance of their 

 being placed on a good turf, without any envious 



