HERON. 
197 
Single nests, or small colonies not worthy the name of 
heronries, are frequently discovered in many parts of the 
county. Some ten years ago we knew of one or two pairs 
nesting near Marchwood, and one pair at Stanswood 
Common, near Fawley, both in the New Forest; in 1889 
a few pairs nested between Cranbury and Chandlersford, 
so the late Mr. F. Warner informed us ; at Alresford Pond 
also some pairs occasionally nest, and, in the neighbour- 
hood of Longparish, Munn has frequently found pairs 
nesting — nests with eggs in 1898, and April, 1900; and 
again in April, 1 901, he was shown three nests built close 
together in small oaks, one nest containing eggs, and the 
other two having large young ones. 
In the Isle of Wight. 
Bury writes ' that a pair built their nest and laid eggs, 
" some years back," at Grove, in the parish of Brading. 
He also relates that a pair of peregrines were observed to 
attack a heron, and mentions an instance of one being 
attacked first by a peregrine, and then by a carpenter, 
armed with a tar-brush, from both of which enemies it 
contrived to escape. 
There is, however, no heronry in the island ; but Mr. 
Thomas Gulliver, who was formerly a ranger in Parkhurst 
Forest, informs us that some years ago there were usually 
three or four nests there, built in tall Scotch firs, and an 
old bird and two young were obtained from a nest there 
about 1888, which were stuffed, and are now in the 
possession of his son. 
We note that the eggs of the heron are protected in 
the county, but not the bird itself ; it is one of our largest 
^ Zoologist." 1845. 
Q 
