THE HERONRY IN RICHMOND PARK 117 



sequel to this beautiful instance of maternal affection, 

 we hurried back to the little marsh where the duck- 

 lings were probably hidden, and, sheltered under a 

 rhododendron-bush, awaited the return of the herons to 

 their nests and of the wild-duck to her brood. In a 

 few minutes she reappeared, flying swiftly in circles 

 among the trees, and after satisfying herself that the 

 danger was past, she alighted among some wild-currant 

 bushes about thirty yards from the marsh. There she 

 stood for a moment, still and listening, with head erect ; 

 and, seeing nothing to alarm her, ran bustling down to 

 the drain. After realizing that no harm had overtaken 

 her brood on the spot where they had been surprised, 

 she climbed the bank and tripped lightly into the 

 marsh, where, in answer to her low quack, we soon 

 heard the piping voices of the ducklings, which till 

 then had remained motionless and invisible in the few 

 yards of grass and rushes near. In a few seconds the 

 whole family were united, and we had the pleasure of 

 seeing the old bird swim past at the head of an active 

 fleet of eleven black-and-yellow ducklings, making for 

 the centre of the marsh. The herons also recovered 

 from their alarm, the hen-birds returning one by one 

 to the nests, and, after some slight endearments, settling 

 down to brood their young, while the cocks resumed 

 their motionless poise on the surrounding oaks, to 

 "dream of supper and the distant pool." 



