THE HERON. 133 



There is a very extraordinary light, said to be 

 visible on the breast of a species of the American 

 Bittern; and most, if not all the birds of the Heron 

 genus, especially our common Heron, have on their 

 breasts a considerable space void of feathers, filled 

 up by tufts of down, to which adheres a sort of 

 clammy oily substance. It is not therefore unlikely 

 that this oily matter may, either by smoothing the 

 water or in some other way, enable the bird to attract, 

 or, when attracted, to strike its prey with greater 

 certainty. This idea is strengthened by a generally 

 prevailing opinion respecting the Fish-Hawk of 

 North America, which, when hovering over the 

 water, is supposed to have some attractive power 

 over its prey, upon which, when collected within 

 reach, it pounces. The charm is believed to be an 

 oil contained in a small bag in the body, as baits 

 touched with a drop of it are considered to be an 

 irresistible lure for all sorts of fish. 



The Heron's feathers are also occasionally found 

 loaded with a blue powder, which may possibly 

 serve its purpose in some way not hitherto dis- 

 covered. Their appetite is in proportion to their 

 powers of digestion. A Heron was once seen to dart 

 upon a large eel, and after killing it by repeatedly 

 dashing it against the ground, gulp it all down. 

 We have known another to consume no less than 

 five moderate- sized eels at a single meal, which the 

 glutton seemed quite ready to repeat within a very 

 short time after. 



Storks and Cranes are not, like the Heron, sta- 

 tionary, but even in the countries to which they are 

 most attached, are regular birds of passage; but so 



