236 The Naturalist in Siluria. 



HAWK AND heron; 



To shoot or otherwise kill a Heron should, in my 

 opinion, be made punishable by a fine heavier than any 

 imposed upon poaching. Otherwise this bird will ere 

 long disappear from our islands, as has its beautiful con- 

 gener, the great white egret. Yet a Heron winging its 

 way through the high heavens, or on a moonlight night 

 standing contemplative by stream or tarn, is a most 

 interesting sight. Alas ! one is every day becoming 

 rarer from the bird being popped at by every creature 

 who carries a gun. 



In the days of falconry the Heron was accounted noblest 

 of quarry ; the species of Hawk usually flown at it being 

 the peregrine falcon — a fine bird also getting fast exter- 

 minated by the misdirected zeal of the gamekeeper. 

 Rarely was a single peregrine engaged in the chase, but 

 a pair, or cast ; as otherwise the would-be victor would 

 often be vanquished. Even when the two assailed it 

 they did not always come oflF unscathed, the Heron trans- 

 fixing one or other on its long bayonet-like beak. This 

 would occur when the quarry was brought back to 

 ground; and the first thought of the falconer, after 

 sounding his " whoop ! " of triumph, was to whistle oflF 

 his Hawks, to save them from such impalement. But 

 sometimes, also, in the air has the Heron proved itself 

 the better bird, when the fight was a fair one, and with 

 only a single antagonist. A poetical description of a 

 combat so terminating is appended, with a moral I can 

 recommend : — 



SIO SEMPER TTRA.NNIS. 

 A Heron flew out of the forest, from the top of a withered pine. 

 And floated away, like a shadowy cloud, to the west, in a s!autiug 

 line ; 



