ClafsII. COMMON HERON. 341 



frogs, cannot be readily got at all times. It commits 

 great devaluation in our ponds ; but being unprovided 

 with webs to fwim, nature has furnifhed it with very 

 Jong legs to wade after its prey. It perches and builds 

 in trees, and fometimes in high cliffs over the fea, 

 commonly in company with many others, like rocks. 

 It makes its neft of flicks, lines it with wool ; and lays 

 four large eggs of a pale green color. It was former- 

 ly in this country a bird of game, heron-hawking be- 

 ing fo favorite a diverfion of our ancefrors, that laws 

 were enacted for the prefervation of the fpecies, and 

 the perfon who deftroyed their eggs was liable to a 

 penalty of twenty-fhillings, for each offence. Noc 

 to know the Hawk from the Heron/haw was an old 

 proverb *, taken originally from this diverfion ; but 

 in courfe of time ferved to exprefs great ignorance in 

 any fcience. This bird was formerly much efteemed 

 as a food ; and made a favorite difh at great tables. 

 It is faid to be very long lived ; by Mr. Keyjler's ac- 

 count it may exceed fixty years -f : and by a recent 

 inflance of one that was taken in Holland by a hawk 

 belonging to the fladtholder, its longevity is again 

 confirmed^ the bird having a filver plate fattened to 

 one leg, with an infcription, importing it had been 

 before flruck by the elector of Cologne's hawks in 



ins- 



This differs from the preceding in thefe particulars: 

 it is lefs ; the head is grey ; it wants the long creft ; 

 having a much fhorter pendent plume of dufky fea- 



* Afterwards this proverb was abfurdly corrupted to, he does 

 not know a baivk from a hand/aw* 

 •J- Keyjlcrs travel}, i. 70. 



thers : 



