1 
on fome favourite fpot for many hours together, continually 
turning its head backward and forward, and gazing with a 
vacant flare. 
It is remarkably voracious, feeds chiefiy on fifh, to procure 
which, it ftands in the water knee-deep quite motionlefs, the 
fifh, whether impelled by curiofity or attraded perhaps by the 
fmell of the bird, will frequently approach in fhoals, and when 
arrived within its reach, it ftrikes at them with unerring aim, the 
edges of the bill being ferrated enables it to keep fecure hoM 
of the moft flippery fifh ; it commits great depredations in our 
fifh-ponds, as its digeftive powers being unufually ftrong, it 
is continually feeding ; the inteftinal canal being very fhort and 
ftraight, it is not a little curious to obferve it when attempting 
to devour an eel, which will repeatedly pafs through it alive, 
the bird when difturbed immediately after fwallowing will take 
wing, the eel ftill ftruggling for releafe, frequently falls from 
the bird during its flight, on which the Heron alights and 
attacks it again ; one eel has been noticed to have paffed 
through in this way fix times : on the failure of fifh, it devours 
frogs, mice, water-newts, and the roots of aquatic plants, 
alfo the flowers of the Sparganium, or Bur Reed. 
" Anciently they were held in great eftimation as food, and 
formed one of the moft favourite diflies at the tables of our 
nobles, it was then valued at the fame rate as the peacock 
or pheafant. 
