132 THE HERON. 



which are thrown up in pellets; but in the Heron's 

 stomach, they are readily dissolved. So rapid in- 

 deed is their digestion, that ignorant people have 

 exaggerated facts, and given marvellous accounts of 

 the feeding habits of this bird. For instance, the 

 people of the Ferroe Islands, have a notion of the 

 internal economy of the Heron's stomach Jwhich 

 truth will not quite warrant, though the principle 

 on which it is founded, is correct. They imagine 

 that it has only one large gut, white as silver, which 

 proceeds through its whole body, and that as soon 

 as it catches and swallows a fish, " it is under the 

 necessity of placing its rump against a hillock or 

 stone, to prevent the fish from getting out again; 

 and that it stands in that position until it has been 

 digested*." They have also such respect for its 

 fishing powers, that they believe a Heron's foot, 

 carried in the pocket, will ensure success. 



But this opinion is not confined to the ignorant 

 people of the Ferroe Islands: the idea was once, 

 and very possibly, still may be, current in some 

 parts of England, that the feet and legs of a Heron 

 had something in them very attractive to fish, and 

 particularly to eels, which enabled the bird, when 

 standing in water, to bring his prey about him, and 

 thus take it with greater facility. Accordingly, 

 Herons were in great request with fishermen, on 

 account of their feet and legs, which were supposed 

 to contain on oil, which, if rubbed over a worm, 

 rendered it a sure bait for eels. Possibly, however, 

 and indeed probably, Herons may really be gifted 

 with some peculiar power of attracting fish. 

 * Landt's Travels, p. 244. 



