34 WILD LIFE IN CHINA. 



Nobody thinks of shooting herons in China, except an 

 occasional specimen for scientific purposes or stuffing. I 

 experimented on one once for the table, and found it, as I 

 have found other fish-eating birds, quite palatable when cur- 

 ried after a sufficiently long hanging. Should any sportsman 

 bring down a winged heron, he would be well advised to be 

 careful in his approach to it. The heron's beak is a weapon 

 to be respected. Even a game cock is no match for its owner, 

 and as it has a peculiar propensity for making lightning darts 

 at the eyes, it should be carefully watched. 



As a rule the heron likes a high nesting-place, but in- 

 stances have been known of heron's nests on piles of floating 

 rushes, and even on the'ground. Agood many years ago I came 

 upon a heronry in China during the breeding seaon. I have 

 used the word " heronry" though as a matter of fact there 

 were only egrets in it. There were perhaps a hundred nests 

 all told, and I took advantage of the opportunity to examine 

 a little into the domestic arrangements of the egret tribe. 

 The nests are mere platforms of sticks, bigger and clumsier 

 than those of the rook, and not very much hollowed. The 

 eggs have a very pure tinge of green, and at the time I was 

 there, there were as yet no young hatched out. The leafy 

 cover was thick, and after climbing well up and getting well 

 under it there was a good opportunity for looking down into 

 several nests, Mrs. Ardea Garzetta, with her pure bridal 

 white, not being at home. By and by she returned with her 

 lord and master, he who is possessed of those so-called 

 " osprey plumes" for which he is so persecuted. At first they 

 did not see me, and I had an excellent opportunity of watch- 

 ing them at close quarters. There were others also, of 

 the yellow plumed variety, no less beautiful. When at 

 last they detected the intruder there was a terrible commo- 

 tion. Whatever stands in egret tongue for "Fire, murder, 

 stop thief, police!" and the like was instantly clamoured forth 

 and repeated by every member of the community within 

 hearing. Great was the commotion. Nor did it cease till I 

 had descended and left the wood. It gave me an excellent 

 opportunity, however, for noting habits and peculiarities. 



What was most striking about it all was the immaculate 

 purity of the plumage both of males and females. The male, 

 of course, is the only one to wear the plumes, and he only 

 during the breeding season, and it was impossible to refrain 

 from a consideration of the penalty which should be inflicted 

 on all those who for fashion's sake do these beautiful 

 creatures to death when Nature most wishes them to live. 

 Women know the truth of the matter. It has been published 

 again and again till ignorance can no longer be a plea. For 

 such as encourage the destruction of these birds, therefore, 



