THE HERON. 109 



means of defence against their enemies, as when they 

 are assailed by eagles and hawks, their first means of 

 escape is usually ascent; and if they can sufficiently 

 attain that, they are understood to be safe. 



In cases of extremity, they can shake off their 

 natural timidity, and show both courage and skill. 

 When a hawk gets higher on the wing than a heron, 

 (the whole of that tribe can kill their prey only by 

 stooping upon it when it is below them,) the heron is 

 said though it is very difficult to verify the saying by 

 actual observation to assume rather an ingenious 

 system of tactics. The neck of the heron is the part 

 usually struck at, as when that is successfully hit, he 

 is finished without harm to the assailant. To prevent 

 this, he is said to double the neck backward under the 

 wing, and turn the bill upward like a spear or bayonet, 

 over the centre of his body. This bill is, as has been, 

 mentioned, six inches in length, so that, if it be well 

 aimed, and the heron can avoid the stroke of the wing, 

 the enemy is sure to be transfixed before the talons can 

 take effect. We have heard of instances in which not 

 hawks merely, but eagles (not the golden eagle, but 

 the sea-eagle, falco albicilla, or the osprey) have been 

 thus transfixed by the heron, and have fallen to the 

 ground pierced through the vitals, while their intended 

 prey has soared untouched, and made the air shiver 

 with its scream of victory. As these contests must 

 take place at a considerable height above the earth, it 

 is not easy to know the details of them ; and indeed 

 the habitual vigilance which the heron observes upon 

 all occasions, necessarily renders the encounters not 

 very frequent. Still, though we have not seen it, the 

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