8 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



with the sides and hinder part of the head on each side deep black, ending on 

 the occiput in two long plumes of the same colour. The throat, neck, and sides 

 of the head, as likewise the under surface of the body, under tail-coverts, and 

 thighs are white, with a creamy pink shade on the sides of the neck and chest. 

 The fore neck is marked with prominent lines of black; on the lower neck are 

 displayed elongated drooping plumes of narrow pointed white feathers. The area 

 over the chest, and a line along each side of the abdomen are purplish black. 

 The general colour of the back and sides of the body is light ashy grey ; the 

 primaries are black, the edge of the wings white, and the secondaries ashy grey. 

 The tail is pearl grey; the bill and legs yellow; and the space round the eyes 

 green, which is the colour also of the feet. 



The female resembles the male, but is slightly smaller, the black plumes on 

 the head are shorter, and the black streaks on the neck less pronounced. 



The note of the Heron is short and harsh, but, according to Seebohm, it 

 deepens to a hoarse croak when the bird is alarmed. It is, however, generally a 

 silent bird ; and even when the nest is approached, the old birds rise in the air 

 and hover anxiously round, but make little or no outcry. 



The Heron is a very wary bird, and one by no means easy to approach ; and 

 it frequents, as a rule, for stalking and feeding, places whence a clear outlook can 

 be obtained free from surprises. It is ever keenly on the alert for danger, and its 

 safety is due to its own sagacity. 



It may be seen standing immoveable, for hours, in a pond or by a stream, 

 often at a considerable distance from the shore, watching for its food, "with its 

 neck bent," as Mr. Seebohm describes, " and its head almost between its shoulders 

 ready at a moment's notice to dart its bill into the water to secure a fish or a 

 frog." It feeds also at night, especially in bright moonlight. The Heron is a 

 voracious eater, and few things come amiss to it. One was recently brought to 

 one of us dead, with the head and shoulders of a large rat tightly fixed in its 

 gullet. The rodent, being fat and its stomach enormously distended with grain, 

 had proved too large to pass down or apparently to be ejected, and each was fatal 

 to the other. Many young birds fall a prey to the voracity of the Heron. 



It is said by some to attract fish to the surface of deep pools by the device 

 of scattering shreds of fibres, small leaves, and bits of vegetation as a bait, or even 

 to shake its body scales over the water. 



Mr. De V. Kane has recently given an interesting account of an experiment 

 he made on a Heron, in order to test the statement frequentl}- made that this 

 bird when fishing for eels or frogs, becomes paralysed if surprised by a person 

 suddenly appearing on the bank above it and shouting violently. On noise- 



