246 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



being drawn closely up underneath its body, while the head is 

 sunk between the shoulders. 



When a fish is captured by a heron, it is usually swallowed 

 immediately. An eel, however, wriggles and twists about so much 

 that the bird is obliged to take it out of the water, and to beat 

 it upon the ground until it is dead. Frogs, toads, and newts are 

 also devoured in great numbers by these birds, which have even 

 been known to swallow water-rats, after first killing them by a 

 sharp squeeze across the head or neck. 



Even to larger animals a heron is a formidable antagonist, for 

 its beak is both long and exceedingly sharp, and is directed with 

 wonderful accuracy of aim. The bird always seems to strike first 

 at the eye of its adversary, apparently knowing that when it is 

 blinded it can be much more easily despatched. 



Herons have been known to unite together in order to attack 

 a foe. A very remarkable battle of this kind was once witnessed 

 near London. A pair of swans were swimming on an artificial 

 lake, when seven herons flew down and began to attack them. 

 For some little time it seemed that the fierce blows which 

 the assailants delivered with their long beaks would ensure for 

 them the victory; but the swans defended themselves gallantly 

 with their wings, until the herons were wearied out and flew 

 away. 



Herons nest in company, as a rule, selecting for the purpose 

 a copse of very tall trees. They are by no means accomplished 

 builders, for all that they attempt to do is to make a platform of 

 sticks about a yard across, with just sufficient depression in the 

 middle to prevent the eggs from rolling out when the trees are 

 swayed by the wind. The same nests are used year after }-ear, 

 any necessary repairs being made in the early spring just before 

 the eggs are laid. 



The eggs are four or five in number, and are pale-green in hue, 

 like those of a duck. It is sometimes thought that, when the bird 

 is sitting upon them, its long legs must hang down upon either 

 side of the nest. This, however, is not the case. When a heron 

 sits it draws its legs under its body, by bending them at the joint 

 which we wrongly term the "knee", and which is, in reality, the 



