260 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



gaff an individual which is difficult to dispose of. 

 It is related that a heron was seen one evening 

 going off to a piece of water to feed; the spot was 

 visited next morning, when it was discovered that 

 the bird had struck its beak through the head of an 

 eel, and the eel thus held had coiled itself so tightly 

 round the neck of the heron as to stop the bird's 

 respiration, and both were found dead. An authori- 

 tative statement has been made to the effect that the 

 heron's service in destroying pike, coarse fish, rats 

 and water-beetles may be set off against its de- 

 predations in trout streams; but from this I must 

 dissent. 



