THE HERON. Ill 



after the trees are cut down ; and a case is mentioned 

 by Dr. Hey sham, in which, when their own habitations 

 had been destroyed, they made an attempt to possess 

 themselves of those of their neighbours. A heronry 

 and rookery had been for many years near each other, 

 and the one party had never offered to give the other 

 the least disturbance. At length, however, the trees 

 which had been the habitations of the herons were cut 

 down, while those that belonged to the rooks were 

 spared. When the pairing time came, the herons made 

 a general attack upon the habitations of their swarthy 

 neighbours ; and after a considerable time spent in 

 fighting, and a number of killed and wounded on 

 both sides, the herons remained in possession of the 

 trees. Next year, however, the rooks renewed the 

 contest with the same determination as before ; but 

 they were again worsted, and the herons were again in 

 possession. After the second brood had been hatched, 

 there was not a suspension merely, but a termination 

 of hostilites ; and afterwards the two societies occupied 

 the same trees, and lived in harmony together. The 

 labour which the herons take in fishing for their broods, 

 as well as the success with which that labour is at- 

 tended, is very considerable ; so much so that the 

 spaces between the trees on which the nests are con- 

 structed, are often strewed with fish ; even eels of large 

 size have been brought in this way, from a distance of 

 several miles. 



The heron has fallen off very much in estimation, 

 both as an article of food and as a means of sport. 

 In former times it was accounted a suitable dish for 

 kings ; and so highly was the hunting of it with hawks 



