THE EGRET IN BRITAIN. 383 



unusually high price of eighteenpence (Phipson, 'Animal Lore 

 in Shakespeare's Time '). We know that from century to 

 century the bird population of these islands fluctuated very 

 much, and this high price may not always have been attached 

 to the species. 



In again leaving the subject I may summarize our know- 

 ledge as follows : — At the middle of the sixteenth century 

 England was the home of an Egret that was highly esteemed 

 for the table. It nested with us, and was protected by law; and 

 the same, or an allied species, inhabited an adjacent part of 

 the Continent, and was brought to this country alive for food. 

 Probably the bird was not altogether white, but exhibited two 

 distinct phases of colour, thus differing from any existing 

 European Egrets or Herons, and resembling species now found 

 in America. 



The position is still rather tantalizing, but I am sanguine 

 that in time the whole matter will be cleared up. The reckless 

 destruction of British wildfowl has for centuries been a matter 

 of common protest, both in Scotland and England (cf. parti- 

 cularly Jac. ii. c. 31 (1457) ; Mary (1551) c. 2, c. 15 ; Jac. vi. 

 (1600) c. 34 ; Jac. vii. (1685) c. 24). By certain Scots laws 

 the penalties for illegally killing wild birds were astonishingly 

 heavy — because of the " slaknes of the execution of former 

 acts." " Heronis . . . thair nestis eggis or birdis " were men- 

 tioned repeatedly, but I can find no evidence for the existence 

 of an Egret north of the Border. The Scot was just as eager 

 as the Englishman to get rid of his " crawys and other foulys 

 of rief." 



