124 WILD LIFE IN THE TREE TOPS 



the stuffed specimens which were once so popular in village inns. Her plumage 

 too is of a uniform greyish colour — ^very different from the splendid greys, 

 whites and blacks of the male. 



But at least she provides a most interesting entertainment, so we must 

 not be too critical. 



Having gone through the usual throat-working and beak-stroking pre- 

 liminaries, she lowers her head for the last time, and to the joyful shrieks of her 

 family, disgorges an enormous eel partially digested at the head end, which 

 falls a shiny, inert mass on to the nest. 



On this the youngsters fall like a little pack of wolves, pecking off and 

 swallowing small pieces from the most convenient parts : each one working 

 his hardest to secure the lion's share before it is too late. Ultimately one of 

 them seizes the body of the eel in his beak, and by a series of rapid forward 

 jerks of his head, attempts to work it down his throat — but the eel is altogether 

 too bulky, and the young heron, in despair, drops it again on to the nest, whence 

 it is immediately snatched up by another young heron who, in turn, tries his 

 utmost to dispose of it. 



Not yet willing to give in, and yet thoroughly exhausted by his efforts, 

 this young heron is forced to rest, or to have a ' breather ' at least ; and over- 

 balanced by the weight of the eel, he does so whilst propped up by the tip of 

 his beak, which is pressed on to the nest ! 



However, none of them are able to manage the eel, so the patient mother 

 (one imagines with a sigh of resignation) once more picks it up, swallows it, 

 and retires to some tree near by, where time may have an opportunity of 

 doing the work of partial digestion. After about an hour she once more 

 returns to the nest, is greeted in the same fashion as before, and produces the 

 same eel (considerably smaller this time), and seems much relieved when one 

 of the youngsters, after a good deal of effort, manages to swallow it. 



In the meantime the foiu- large young herons on the nest nearest to our 

 observation post, have spent their time in preening themselves, exercising their 

 wings, and watching the goings on in other nests, but have never become in 

 the least excited, and seemingly take no notice of the herons overhead. 



Suddenly, however, a change comes over them. With wide-open eyes, raised 

 crests and beaks pointing skywards, they gaze above them. Slowly their 

 beaks move sideways, and again upwards, obviously following the flight of an 

 approaching Heron. 



It seems incredible that they can be able to distinguish their parents from 

 the scores of herons which daily pass above them, and yet on this occasion 

 they have certainly made no mistake, for within a few seconds, welcomed 

 by the squawkings and curtsyings of the family, a beautiful female Heron 

 alights beside them. 



Now it is interesting to note how very much more vigorously these almost 



