HER 
HER 
long before night to his lodging in fome wdbd, 
which he quits early the enfuing morning, in or- 
der to purfue his ufual occupation. 
But though the Heron generally finds a plenti- 
ful fupply of food in open and favourable wea- 
ther, in cold and ftormy feafons his prey is no 
longer within reach, the fifh then abiding in the 
deep as their warmeft fituation : frogs and lizards 
alfo feldom venturing from their retreats during 
the continuance of fuch weather, the Heron is 
obliged to praftife abftinence, and to feed on fuch 
weeds as the margin of the lake affords. Under 
fuch circumftances, he contrails a confumptive 
difpofition, which fucceeding plenty is incapable 
of removing; fo that the meagre glutton divides 
his time between want and riot, alternately feel- 
ing the extremes of each : hence, notwithftanding 
the labour with which he catches his prey, and the 
amazing quantity he devours, he is always lean 
and emaciated. 
As the Heron is deftruftive to newly-itocked 
ponds almoft beyond credibility, various modes 
of retaliation have been adopted. Willughby 
gives the fubfequent receipt for catching him. 
• Having found his haunt, get three or four fmall 
roach or dace; and having provided a ftrong hook 
with a wire to it, this is drawn jufl; within the fkin 
of the fifh, beginning without-fide the gills, and 
running it to the tail, by which the fifli will not be 
killed, but continue alive for five or fix days. 
Then having a ftrong line made of filk and wire, 
about two yards and a half long, it is tied to a 
ftone at one end, the fifh with the hook being fuf- 
fered to fwim about at the other: this being pro- 
perly dilpofed in fliallow water, the Heron will 
feize on the filli to it's own deftruction. From 
this method we may learn, that the fifli mufl be 
Jilive, otherwife the Heron will not touch it ; and 
that this bird, as well as all thofe that feed on fifli, 
muft be their own caterers; for they will not prey 
on fuch fiili as die naturally, or are killed by 
others.' 
Though the Heron lives chiefly in the vicinity 
of pools and marfhes, it fometimes builds it's neft 
on the tops of the highefl: trees, and on cliffs im- 
pending the fea, compofed of fticks, lined with 
wool; and the female lays four large eggs of a 
pale green colour. Such, however, is the natural 
indolence of this bird, that it never is at the pains 
of building a neft for itfelf, if it can procure one 
deferted either by the owl or the crow: indeed, 
it ufually enlarges it, and lines it internally ; and, 
fliould the original poflfelTor happen to renew his 
claim, the ufurper never fails to aflTume courage 
fuflicient to repel the attack. 
The French feem to have availed themfelves of 
the indolence of thefe birds in fabricating their 
nefts; and they adtually provide places fitted with 
proper materials for their neftling, which they term 
heronries. In France Herons are deemeci proper 
for the table, and the flefh of the young ones in 
particular is held in very high eftimation. In or- 
der to obtain it, the natives eredl high fheds along 
fome ftream abounding with fifh; and having fur- 
niflied them with fit fubftances for the Herons 
to neftle, thefe birds build and breed there in 
great abundance. As foon as the young are fup- 
pofed to be of a proper fize, the owner of the he- 
ronry carries oft" fuch of them as he thinks pro- 
per, and fells them to the neighbouring gentry at 
a pretty high price. 
The fieih of Herons was anciently a favourite 
difh in England, and was even thought a delicacy 
fit for a monarch ; but as modern times have va- 
ried taftes as well as rnanncrs. Herons in general 
now remain unmolefted either by the fowler or the 
epicure. Their nefts are often found in great 
numbers in the midft of extenfive forefts and 
groves, where they have long been acciiflomed to 
find proteilion. They feem fond of fociety; and, 
like rooks, build their nefts contiguous to thole of 
fowls of their kind. 
No fooner are rhe yoiing Herons excluded, than 
they become voracious and imporiunate : the old 
ones are perpetually on the wing to fupply them 
with abundance of food ; and the quantity, as well 
as the fize of the fifh they take on fuch occafions, 
are equally furprizing. By a cruel artifice of few- 
ing up the vents of young Herons, (which in- 
creafes their fcreamings, while it renders them in- 
capable of partaking of the prey fo liberally pro- 
vided for them) fome perfons have found means to 
procure a confiderabie quantity of fifh for leveral 
days together, by plundering their nefts ; till the 
old ones, tired out with an importunity which 
they could not gratify, have deferted their young, 
and left them to their fate. 
The Heron is faid to be a very long-lived bird : 
according to Keyfler's account, it may fometimes 
exceed the age of fixty years ; and, by a recent in- 
ftance of one caught in Holland, it's longevity is 
again confirmed, the bird having a filver plate faf- 
tened to one leg, importing, that it had been ftruck 
for the eieftor of Cologne's hav^/ks thirty-five years 
before. 
Heron, Great White. The length of this 
bird, from the tip of tlie bill to the end of the claws,, 
is four feet and a half, and to the end of the tail 
three feet and a quarter; the expanfion of the 
wings is nearly five feet and a half ; and the weight 
is about two pounds and a half. This bird being 
entirely white, may thereby be diftinguifhed from 
the common Heron; it may alio be known by it's 
inferior fize, the length of it's tail, and it's being 
deftitute of a creft. It is feldom feen in England. 
There is another variety, called the leller white 
Heron, which only differs from the preceding in 
fize, and in being adorned with a creft. A third 
variety is ftill fmaller: the top of the head and the 
neck are of a faffron colour, as well as part of the 
breaft; but the reft of the body is white. 
Heron, Little White, of Catesby. The 
body of this fpecies is entirely white; the bill is red, 
and a little crooked ; the irides are yellow^ and the 
feet are green. 
Heron, Red-Legged. This bird is generally 
fuppofed to be the leaft of the kind. The neck is 
fhort; the body is entirely of a faffron colour, in- 
clining to chefhut, deeper underneath, and fainter 
above; the tail is fo very Imall, as to be fcareely 
perceptible; the bill is of a blueifli green hue near 
the head, but black towards the extremity; and the 
legs and feet are a deep red. 
Heron, Ash-Coloured, North American, 
This fpecies, which is fomewhat larger than the 
common Heron, differs from it in having a brown 
back, in wanting the white feathers on the fore- 
head, and the black fpots on the fides below the 
bottom of the neck. The bill is ftraight, fharp- 
pointed, fix inches long, and ferrated both above 
and below towards the extremity ; the upper chap 
is channelled and black; and the noftrils are placed 
pretty near the head. Between the noftrils and 
the eyes the fl^in is naked, and of a greenifli yellow 
hucj 
