THE COMMON HERON. 141 



only on one foot,) with their heads diavvn in by the 

 folding of their long- necks upon the breast, quietly 

 watching the approach of their prey. It has been 

 remarked, not merely by the vulgar, but by observers 

 deserving of impHcit confidence, that the fish generally 

 swarm around them in sufficient number to afford them 

 a plentiful supply ; and this has been commonly ac- 

 counted for on the supposition that their legs commu- 

 nicate a peculiar odour to the water which entices the 

 fish to their destruction. But M. Bechstein, who 

 vouches for the fact as one which he had seen innu- 

 merable times, suspects that the source of attraction is 

 in the excrements of the bird, which it lets fall into the 

 water, and which the fish, as is proved by experiment, 

 devour with the utmost avidity. The time of fishing is 

 usually before sunrise or after sunset. They generally 

 swallow then" prey entire, and many stories are current 

 of eels escaping alive through their intestines, and 

 being a second time devoured by the voracious birds. 

 Besides fishes, frogs form a considerable portion of 

 their food, and in winter they are frequently compelled 

 to content themselves with snails and worms, or, ac- 

 cording to M. de Salerne, even with the duck-weed 

 that floats upon the stagnant waters. At such times 

 they occasionally become so emaciated as to appear to 

 consist of little else than feathers and bones. 



Herons are taken in various ways. Sometimes they 

 are shot while fishing, or sweeping leisurely along the 

 banks ,• but they are so shy that the sportsman can 

 rarely get within gunshot of them. Occasionally a 

 living fish is attached to a hook at the end of a line, 

 and left to swim in the waters which they are known 

 to frequent ; and they are thus caught as it were by 

 angling. When falconry was in fashion, hawking at 

 the Heron was regarded as the most noble of its 



