AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 115 



Falcons required prompt human succour to protect 

 them not only from this formidable weapon, but also 

 from the feet of the Herons, who generally trusted 

 to their powers of wing for escape, or, if hard pressed, 

 would plunge into the nearest water or thickly 

 overgrown marsh, where the Falcons, if they ventured 

 upon attack, would, of course, be at very serious 

 disadvantage. Our Herons are very fair swimmers, 

 and I have been assured on excellent authority of 

 birds of this species having on several occasions been 

 observed to make a plunge, or semi-dive, into deep 

 water and emerge with small fishes. 1 once saw an 

 old pinioned Heron attempt this feat, which in this 

 instance resulted in discomfiture and a ludicrous 

 scramble to regain the steep-sided causeway from 

 which the plunge was made. 



The note of the Heron when alarmed is well 

 expressed in Yarrell by the w^ords " frank, frank " ; 

 and the bird in certain parts of Essex, and 1 believe 

 of Kent, is generally called " Frank " or " Frank 

 Heron." Though these birds nest in large congre- 

 gations, their temper is eminently unsociable, and 

 even when replete and apparently dozing they will 

 strike viciously at each other or any other bird that 

 ventures to approach them. A Heron that I kept in 

 the court-yard at Lilford caught many rats, mice, and 

 Sparrows that incautiously came near him as he 

 stood on one leg in the same enclosure with a pair 

 of Emeus, several Gulls, and other birds. 



The subject of this article is known as a resident 

 or migrant throughout Europe, I might almost say 

 throughout the Old World ; and is recorded in 

 Yarrell (4th edition) to have occurred in Java and 

 Australia. 



As this species generally nests in colonies, it is 



i2 



