122 THE BIRDS OF N0RTHA3IPT0NSHIRE 



young birds ; but a report reached me that another bird 

 closely resembling my victim was more than once seen 

 shortly after the event above recorded, on the shallows 

 below Tichmarsh Mill about sunset. I did not again 

 hear of a Night Heron's having been seen in North- 

 amptonshire till July loth, 1886, when my friend 

 Lieut. 'Col. Irby, who was then living at Wadenhoe, 

 and had been calling at Lilford in the afternoon, sent 

 word to me that on reaching home he was informed 

 by Mrs. Irby (who had been boating on the river) 

 that she had seen a curious bird, which flew for 

 short distances from tree to tree by the riverside as 

 the boat approached it. Colonel Irby immediately 

 went in search, and soon discovered that the strange 

 fowl was an adult Night Heron. This bird was first 

 seen at a very short distance from the spot where I 

 slew the specimen above alluded to, but I did my best 

 to atone for my former misdeed by issuing strict 

 orders to prevent the destruction or molestation of 

 this one, which remained in the neighbourhood of 

 Wadenhoe till the first week of September, and when 

 last reported to me by the manager of Wadenhoe 

 Mill, who had frequently seen the bird hunting the 

 shallows of the mill "tail," was said to have had a 

 companion of its own species. In this connection I 

 must add that Sir Rainald Knightley, wTiting to me 

 from Fawsley on November 6, 188G, stated: — "Last 

 year we had a Night Heron — at least it was exactly 

 like the picture of that bird in Gould's work ; it 

 remained here nearly all the autumn, some two or 

 three months, but left us when the frost and snow 

 came. But, to my surprise, on my return from 

 Scotland a few days ago, I found it (or another bird 

 exactly like it) here again. I do not know how long 

 it has been here, as I have been away from home for 

 about five weeks." 



