184 
AKDEID^E. 
as twenty or thirty individuals, are often met with near the 
sea ; sandy hays being preferred, especially such as are sheltered 
from the wind. Low tides frequently tempt these birds to seek 
their food among the rocks, though the slipperiness of the latter 
seems to render their footing somewhat insecure. It is amusing 
to see a Heron, in running over such rocks, suddenly fall flat 
upon its side, a mishap that I have witnessed more than once, 
but without on any occasion seeing the bird make the slightest 
exertion to save itself by means of its wings. In every speci- 
men which has fallen into my hands, the claws, and especially 
the hind ones, have always been much worn and blunted, as 
though they had been ground down upon a coarse stone ; in 
some the claws are reduced to mere stumps. 
For several years past, seven Herons have regularly appeared 
in the little island of Hunie about the eud of July, remaining 
there until the following spring. They are nearly always to 
be found together among the high rocks, to which they resort 
partly for shelter, but mainly, I suppose, for the purpose of feed- 
ing among the shallow pools left by the falling tide. When 
disturbed they rise high, and fly off to a considerable distance, 
and wiU then perhaps remain in some undisturbed spot for 
the remainder of the day, but they invariably return to the 
rocks in Hunie as night approaches. That Herons, finding 
one particular locality peculiarly suited to their habits, should 
therefore take up their abode there during a certain portion of 
the year, is not very remarkable ; but the annual appearance 
of the exact number of seven compels us to the conclusion that 
a pair go regularly southward to breed, and return at the close 
of each season, with five young ones, to the spot which they 
have proved to be secure from danger and abounding with 
food. 
Notwithstanding the wariness of the Heron, I have often 
surprised it while standing beneath a low cliff. A friend of 
mine also, hurrying home over the heath one night, jumped 
over a low turf wall into a flock of about a dozen, to his own 
utter dismay as well as to tlieirs. 
