Birds. 925 



which bobbed its head, and awaited not a second trial of skill. This 

 is the only instance known to me of the occurrence of the turnstone. 



The Oyster-catcher is not at all common. I have seen one that 

 was shot at Freshwater; and another in Sandown Bay. A pair pass- 

 ed occasionally during May, 1844; and was seen on the rocks at 

 Luccombe several times. And on October 5, 1844, the boatman ran 

 up to tell me there was a curious bird settled on the pier at Bon- 

 church. It proved to be an oyster-catcher ; and had been seen in the 

 neighbourhood some days previously. 



The Common Heron frequents the whole extent of marsh-land from 

 Newchurch to Brading-harbour. Indeed I seldom visit the neigh- 

 bourhood without seeing one or two, sometimes three or four. A pair 

 of herons built a nest, and eggs were laid and taken, some years back, 

 at Grove, in the parish of Brading ; but I do not think the heron has 

 bred in the island of late years. I should hardly have expected that 

 this bird was the natural quarry of the peregrine falcon ; yet what was 

 observed on two occasions, and related to me by credible witnesses, 

 would seem to decide that it is so. On the one occasion, a pair of 

 peregrines was observed to attack a heron, much in the same manner 

 as is described in books on hawking. One bird rose and struck at 

 the heron, which, in its endeavour to avoid the blow, exposed itself 

 to the stroke of the other falcon from beneath. The second instance 

 of a combat between a peregrine and a heron, has a touch of the ludi- 

 crous in it. It was witnessed by a carpenter, of the name of Young, 

 and occurred not half a mile from the village of Bonchurch. The 

 said Mr. Young was busy tarring some rails at no great distance from 

 the river, when he observed a peregrine make repeated swoops to the 

 river's brink. With a very laudable curiosity he proceeded, tar-brush 

 in hand, at his best pace, to satisfy himself as to the cause of this 

 phenomenon. On his reaching the river, he discovered poor " Jack," 

 for so is the heron familiarly designated, crouched down under wa- 

 ter, his head only protruding. Supposing the bird to be disabled, he 

 thought to make a capture of him ; and, with such intent, endeavour- 

 ed to catch Jack's head with his long-handled tar-brush. Our sapi- 

 ent carpenter had, however, reckoned without his host : for the heron 

 had evidently submerged himself only to avoid the blows of the fal- 

 con ; and before the brush could be passed over his head, to the as- 

 tonishment of Mr. Young, he emerged and took wing. Scarcely, 

 however, had he risen, when down came the falcon ; whence, sur- 

 passed the conceptions of our hero, for he thought that the heron and 

 he were now the only actors in the drama ; and, to adopt his own ex- 



