/S cassell's book of birds. 



have been seen perched upon the backs of cattle, and feeding upon the larvaa that infest their hides. 

 The nest of the Herons, which is usually erected on lofty trees, on elevated buildings, or among the 

 tall reeds and river-banks, is constructed of sticks, lined with small twigs, and so loosely put together 

 as to form a large flat expanse. 



THE COMMON HERON. 



The Common Heron (Ardca cinerca) represents a group possessing a thin body, long neck, long 

 powerful beak, and plumage of more or less sombre appearance. In the adult birds the crown and 

 brow are white, the neck greyish white, the back ash-grey, varied by the white of its long feathers ; 

 the sides of the lower parts are black ; a stripe from the eye to the nape, three long crest-feathers, a 

 threefold row of spots on the front of the neck, and the large quills, are all black ; and the upper 

 secondaries and tail-feathers grey. The eyes are golden yellow, the bare patches on the face greenish 

 yellow, the beak is straw-colour, and the foot brownish black. This species is forty-two inches long 

 and seventy-five broad, the wing nineteen and the tail seven inches. The young are greyer than the 

 adults, and have no crest. 



Owing to the large size of their wings, these Herons are enabled to support themselves in the air 

 with but little exertion, and can mount without fatigue to a great height when pursued by their natural 

 enemies the Falcons. This Heron is a successful fisher, and might be taken as a very picture of 

 patience as it stands, motionless as a statue, up to its knees in water, with neck slightly extended and 

 eye steadily fixed, but fully awake to the slightest movement. Suddenly its head is darted forward with 

 unerring aim, a small fish is captured and instantly swallowed, head foremost. An eel of some size is 

 brought to land and beaten to death on the bank, and a large fish impaled on the bill, if worth the 

 labour, is carried to a safe retreat and devoured at leisure. A frog is swallowed whole, and a water-rat 

 is usually killed by having its skull split open. The Heron devours shrimps, small crabs, newts, and 

 a variety of water-beetles, in large quantities. Should the fishing at a selected spot be unsuccessful, 

 the bird rises a few feet into the air and slowly flaps its way to a little distance, where, standing on 

 one leg, with its head thrown back, it awaits better fortune. Whilst on the watch it is silent, but as 

 it flies off utters its harsh grating scream. A great portion of the day is passed on the branches of 

 lofty trees, whither these birds often repair with a booty too large to be disposed of at once. During 

 the winter Herons live solitarily, but in the month of March begin to congregate and soon after repair 

 to their breeding-places, called heronries. These are generally situated in stately clumps of trees or 

 groves, and were formerly so favoured that a fine of twenty shillings or three months' imprisonment, 

 or the suretyship of two persons, bound in twenty pounds each, was the penalty for killing one of their 

 feathered occupants. No Herons were allowed to be taken (out of a man's own premises) except by 

 hawking or shooting with the long-bow. For taking the young out of the nest a fine of six shillings 

 was imposed, and for taking or destroying the eggs from the 31st of March to the 30th of June a 

 man was subjected to imprisonment for a year, besides having to pay eightpence for every egg. 



Pennant counted more than eighty nests upon one oak at Cressy Hall, near Spalding, Lin- 

 colnshire, an estate then belonging to the Heron family, one of the most ancient in this county. 

 Sometimes Herons build on steep rocks near the coast. Although the favour bestowed upon these 

 birds in former times has ceased, there still exist many heronries in different parts of England, and 

 aiso of Scotland. On the eastern coast they may be met with in great numbers after the breeding 

 season is over ; and an observer in the neighbourhood of Stonehaven, writing to Mr. Macgillivray, 

 says : — " In autumn, when they appear to be most numerous, I have seen one hundred or one 

 hundred and twenty or more together, their numbers being made up probably in a great measure 

 from young birds of the year. When disturbed they betake themselves round some corner of the 

 rocks to a neighbouring bay, flying heavily along, generally within gunshot of the water's surface. 



