THE HERON. 105 



chutes. This formation of the wings also enables it to 

 alight in such a way as not to disturb the water, or in 

 any manner alarm its prey. By exerting the parachute 

 power, it not only prevents that accelerated motion in 

 descent, which makes the stoop of the eagle so terrible, 

 but it gradually softens the motion, and alights so 

 gently as not to occasion a rustle in the grass, or a 

 ripple of the water. 



This structure of the wings is of great use to the 

 heron in one of its modes of feeding. Its usual mode 

 is to wade and wait for the prey; but it sometimes 

 fishes upon the wing. It seldom does that, however, 

 except in shallow water, the depth of which does not 

 exceed the length of its neck or legs ; and its vision must 

 be very acute, to enable it at once to see the fish and 

 estimate the depth of the water. It comes to the 

 surface with a gradually diminished motion ; and then, 

 suspended by the hollow wings, whose action does 

 not in the least ruffle the surface, it plunges its bill, 

 grapples the fish to the bottom, and, after perhaps 

 a minute spent in making its hold sure, rises with a 

 fish struggling in its bill. The prey is sometimes 

 borne to the land and there swallowed, and sometimes 

 it is swallowed in the air. Eels are generally carried 

 to the land, because their coiling and wriggling do not 

 admit of their being easily swallowed when the bird 

 is on the wing ; but other fishes, especially when small, 

 are swallowed almost instantly, and the fishing as 

 speedily resumed. We once had an opportunity of 

 seeing four or five small trout caught in this way in 

 about as many minutes ; and we know not how long 

 the fishing might have been continued, as the bird did 



