230 THE BIRDS OF ION A AND MULL. 



THE HERON. 



Except during the breeding season this great bird is an accessory 

 to our coast scenery, forming a conspicuous feature in every rocky 

 bay and lonely sand flat, when the tide has begun to recede, standing 

 immovable, watching for their prey. A slight motion of the head and 

 neck, a levelling of the beak for aim, and a moment's suspense, usually 

 precedes the lightning dart of head and bill under water, which emerges 

 grasping some small writhing object which is quickly swallowed down, 

 and followed by a shake of the head and bill, a comfortable shrug, and 

 then a few steps deeper into the water, following the ebbing tide. 

 When feeding in the pools among the rocks they are exceedingly wary 

 against surprise, but on open sandy shores they are less shy, and will 

 often allow a moderately near approach, and a party of seven or 

 eight may be watched in such situations following their avocation of 

 fishing. Though so numerous in winter, none remain to breed for 

 want of trees. The nearest heronry I know is at Sir John Orde's seat 

 at Lochgilphead, Kilmory Castle ; but they build on the ivy-clad rocks 

 at Ardnamurchan Point, and the gamekeeper at Inverlussa, Isle of 

 Jura, assured me that they made their nests on the ground on the 

 top of a steep high bank near the house, as St John mentions their 

 also doing on an island of a loch in Sutherland. In both these 

 places they no doubt feel themselves safe against human enemies ; and 

 as to rats and vermin, no doubt they know too much of the heron's 

 sharp eye and sharper bill to venture near her nursery. Having no 

 trees, when residing with us the herons roost on secluded, rocky 

 islets, on certain of which, if visited by boat at high-water and 

 approached noiselessly, a party of near a dozen or so may be surprised 

 dozing together in the shelter of a high rock. Standing on one long 

 stiff leg, their feathers all fluffed up in a great ball, with only the 

 tip of the bill protruding, they look like a circle of great grey mops 

 stuck in the ground. At the sight of a visitor among them, 'away 

 they go, flapping and floundering, with every mark of consternation, 

 but in perfect silence, till, having got some little distance and fairly 

 on the wing, they come wheeling round to examine the cause of all 

 their terror, and then scold him with braying screams for having 

 given such a shock to their nerves. When winged, a heron will walk 

 away among the rocks, cowering down and trying to conceal his tall 



