NATURAL HISTORY. 343 



prey with him. The fixed patience that the Heron displays 

 has caused it to be chosen as the emblem of Solitude. 



The plumes of the Heron were formerly considered as 

 ornaments only to be worn by the noble. It is not an 

 uncommon sight to see this splendid bird slowly winnowing 

 his way through the air, when suddenly a magpie, or a crow, 

 gives the alarm, and the poor bird is instantly beset by its 

 annoying enemies, especially the crows, who resent the Heron's 

 approach to their own residence, and frequently drive him away. 



The nest of the Heron is a flat mass of sticks, laid on the 

 highest branches of a tree, and contains five bluish green 

 eggs. The length of the bird is about three feet. 



An old name of this bird was the Herne, or Hernshaw, 

 from which was derived the saying, " He does not know 

 a Hawk from a Hernshaw." The last word has been cor- 

 rupted into " handsaw," and of course renders the proverb 

 most unmeaning. 



THE BITTERK 



The beautiful BITTERN has been almost banished from this 

 country, although formerly common. It frequents morasses, 

 and dense beds of reeds, where it lies concealed until the 

 evening, when it leaves its rushy bed and soars to a vast 

 height, continually uttering its sepulchral booming cry. This 

 singular sound is not unlike the deep bellowing of a bull, and 

 is most startling in its efTect. It was one of the birds chiefly 

 sought after in falconry, as the stout defence it makes against 

 its enemies, by darting its sharp and powerful beak at them, 

 and beating violently with its feet, renders it by no means an 

 easy prey. For this reason the falconer's first care, on reach- 

 ing the Bittern when brought to the ground by his falcon, 

 was to secure its head, and by fixing its bill deep in the earth, 

 to save his eyes from the rapid and well-aimed blows of the 

 wounded bird. The falcon also was in danger of being trans- 

 fixed by the sharp beak of his victim. 



The plumage of this beautiful bird is a rich reddish-yellow 

 ground, boldly variegated with various black marks, which are 

 most conspicuous in the loose, long feathers that decorate 



