ON A NORFOLK HERONRY. 303 



ancient and fish-like smell " in the air that tickled the nostrils 

 somewhat, but not offensively, although the bailiff assured me 

 " there was something in it " after a heavy shower of rain. 



Kestrels were here in plenty, and the keen-eyed hawks dashed 

 into the open with emphatic and shrilly cries of "kee, kee, kee!" 

 at our approach. " Yor don't kill the Kestrels?" I asked of 

 Pearson. " No, I do not," he replied ; " they are far too useful.' 

 A remark that spoke much for his forbearance and common sense. 



Wood-Pigeons, too, " flip-flapped " away from their slovenly 

 nests, leaving their low-built, loosely-stacked bundles of faggots 

 in hot haste ; in one instance I saw the greater part of an egg 

 showing between the foundations. 



In a few moments we came under the Herons' nests, which 

 needed no pointing out, for such huge constructions, although by 

 no means carelessly built, and with several occasionally adorning 

 a single tree, stood out boldly between my binoculars and the 

 sky ; and in the few open spaces between the topmost boughs 

 old birds might be seen wheeling around on light strong wing, in 

 a manner by no means ungraceful, and altogether different from 

 that heavy lumbering flight one notices as fishing birds move 

 from one Breydon " drain " to another, or when lazily winging 

 their way over the marsh ditches. The familiar "frank!" was 

 repeatedly uttered, and an occasional deeper bass "trouk!" be- 

 trayed anxiety and a note of warning. Some nest had probably 

 and unwittingly been bereft of a younger tenant ; while presently 

 we found our surmise correct, for we came across a young Heron, 

 full -feathered but unable to fly, who at our approach, scared and 

 excited, played a clumsy game of leap-frog with the bracken he 

 as often blundered through. We let him go ; his parents would 

 have found it awkward to drop through the tangled branches to 

 come and console him, but there can be no doubt he will find 

 enough food thrown down to him, perhaps unintentionally, to 

 keep him going until he dares venture out to the neighbouring 

 ditches to hunt for himself. 



Only a few young Herons remained in their nests ; the 

 majority of these, indeed, sat or stood just outside them. We 

 noted that they were well-feathered, and all but ready to follow 

 their elders to their daily war upon the Frogs and Voles and 

 fishes 



