LETTER XIII. 



101 



The Heron (Ardea cinerea) is very abundant in winter. 

 They are very picturesque birds and form a great addition to a 

 landscape. They roost, when the tide is full, upon some unfre- 

 quented rocks, where I have sometimes caught them napping. 

 They have a very grotesque appearance then ; a muffled up ball 

 of feathers stuck upon the end of a single long stick ; the head, one 



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leg, and the bill all put almost entirely out of sight, the bare 

 extremity of the latter alone protruding from among the long 

 breast feathers. 



Last spring I happened to meet with a Heron among the 

 rocks at low-water, which had apparently received some hurt, as 

 he flew off with difficulty and alighted again at a short distance. 

 When I followed him I saw him gradually sink down into a 



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