Manners. 



84 HERON. 



- the feathers of the lower part of the neck before are alfo of the 

 fame texture, and hang loofe over the breaft: on each fide, under 

 the wing, a bed of black feathers : breaft and under parts white : 

 legs dirty green : inner edge of the middle claw ferrated. 

 Female. Xhe Female has little or no creft : the head grey: feathers 



over the breaft ftiort : fcapulars of not fo loofe a texture as in. 

 the Male ; but in other things much refembles that fex. 

 Place and This fpecies is very common in thefe kingdoms; and frequently 



found, except in breeding-time, difperfed throughout the marfhy 

 places, and edges of ftreams, where it may be feen motionlefs 

 for hours together, waiting the paffing of zjifo*, which it may 

 fnap up for food; in this interval the head is crouched between 

 the fhoulders, and the body frequently refting on one leg. Befides 

 fjh, it will eat frogs, and at times feed on vegetables. In flying 

 it draws in the head between the flioulders, the legs hanging 

 down. In breeding-time unite together in large focieties, and 

 build in the higheft trees f; making a neft of fticks, lined with a 

 few rufhes and wool, or feathers. The eggs are pale greenifh 

 blue, four or five in number. It may be brought up tame, if 

 taken young, but when old birds are captured, they fhortly pine 

 away, and will refufe nourifhment. Sometimes make the neft 

 in high cliffs over the fea. 



Heron-haivking was formerly a favourite" diverfion, and a pe- 



* They are gre.it dellroyers offijb. We remember to have feen a fijh of ten 

 inches long, taken out of the ftomach of one. Others are mentioned to have 

 Seventeen Carps at once found within them ; and a tame one has been known 

 to eat fifty fmall Roaches and Dace, one day with another. — Gent. Recreate 

 Svo. p. 32. 



t So many as eighty in one tree. — Br. Zooh 



8 nalty 



