roots and feeds of aquatic plants. While they have young 

 they feeni quite devoid of fear, the fportfman nor his dog 

 are not able to make them quit their charge, Sl but if wounded, 

 eye them with keen undaunted looks," and when clofely 

 prefled, defend themfelves with the greateft vigour to the Ian: 

 extremity, often inflicting fevere wounds .with their bill ; they 

 aim particularly at the eyes, and if approached fufficiently 

 near without their being too much difabled, frequently make 

 the conqueft dearly purchafed. 



As the whole of this tribe make the eye the principal object 

 of aim when wounded, the following melancholy circumftance 

 may ferve to put perfons on their guard, while engaged in the 

 purfuit of any of this genus : in the month of January 1811, 

 a farmer's man, on going to work in the farm-yard, through 

 which ran a fmall ftream, obferved a common Heron Handing 

 on the fide of the water-courfe, furprifed at the unufual tame- 

 nefs of the bird, which did not attempt to fly at his approach, 

 and, not thinking of the caufe that detained it, (there having 

 been a very fevere froft that morning) he threw a large flick 

 at it, which ftruck the legs immediately above the ice and broke 

 them mort off : overjoyed at his eafy conqueft, he haftened to 

 take poffeffion of his prize, the bird on his near approach drew 

 back its head, and when the man (looped to take it up, darted 

 its bill quite through the eye, which it completely deftroyed ; 

 the man lingered in the moil excruciating torture but a few 

 days, and fell a victim to his own imprudence. 



In the fpring the Bittern may be difcovered by its note at a 

 great diftance, which it has erroneoufly been fuppofed to make 



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