138 Order VI 



distribution is rather peculiar, for in Europe it only 

 breeds from Scandinavia and Russia in the north to 

 France, central Italy, and the Danube; but in Asia 

 it is found as far south as Ceylon, and in Africa to 

 the Cape. It nests on lofty trees, cliffs, bushes and 

 reeds, or even on the ground, colonies being much 

 more usual than isolated pairs. These heronries are 

 decidedly local in England, but are mostly larger than 

 those in Scotland and Ireland ; in Scotland they are 

 both on the mainland and certain islands, while all round 

 the Borders the country is found particularly suitable 

 by the bird. A fine sight is this soUtary fisherman 

 as it stalks solemnly through the water, stands for 

 long periods patiently watching for its prey, or makes 

 quick downward darts on the fish with its long sharp 

 bill. Reptiles, frogs, and small mammals form part of 

 the diet, nor are moUusks, worms, crustaceans and 

 insects rejected. The voice is harsh and croaking, 

 with a shorter and sharper alarm-note ; the fiight is 

 slow but easy, with many a fiap of the huge wings, 

 and is often high in the air; the nest is 'a great flat 

 mass of sticks fined with grass and contains four blue 

 eggs, laid between February and April, but generally 

 early. The Heron was of old a well-known quarry for 

 Falcons, while the young were considered a delicacy 

 for the table. 



The Purple Heron {A. purpurea) is an irregular 

 migrant to Britain, but breeds not uncommonly in 

 Holland, whence it ranges over west and central 

 Europe and Asia to south Africa. The breast is 

 maroon, the neck rufous with a black stripe on each 

 side. This species is comparatively seldom observed 

 on the wing and has a hoarser note than its congener ; 



