148 
ARDEIDiE. 
even in tlie same tree, a fine old asli, althougli other aged trees 
were adjacent, and a rookery and heronry were only two fields distant. 
When the herons would fly off the tree the rooks pursued and even 
struck them on the back until they screamed ; but when these birds 
alighted on their nest, the rooks dared not go near them. The progeny 
of both species escaped from this tree in safety.* 
The following mode of flight is sometimes witnessed at the heronry 
as well as elsewhere. To use the words of Mr. Poole, “^The ap- 
pearance of the heron, ascending by repeated gyrations in the air for 
the purpose of attaining a sufficient elevation, is exceedingly beautiful. 
The circle described in this manoeuvre is small — perhaps not more than 
thirty yards in diameter — yet continued exertions quickly elevate the 
bird to an immense height, sometimes almost beyond the reach of vision. 
The flight at such times resembles that of the eagle — the king of birds 
— as he climbs the sky.” To this may be added, that the heron’s 
manner of descending from a great elevation in the atmosphere, by 
rapid and almost perpendicular swoops, is only less interesting than his 
ascent. 
A heronry is most graphically introduced by Hugh Miller in his 
eloquent description of a scene in Morayshire. f — (“ Old Red Sand- 
stone,” p. 217, 1st edit, and p. 254, 2nd edit.) 
The Heron’s Cowardice^ ^c . — The persecution of a heron (sup- 
posed to have young at the time) by a sparrowhawk^ wiU be found 
noticed under the latter species (vol. i. p. 67). The poor heron 
is also sometimes assailed when flying innocently above the nests 
of other birds. One flying closely over the rookery at Belvoir 
Park in my presence^ brought a bevy of rooks against him ; but 
they ah soon returned^ except one which followed the heron for 
some way. Against this bird he showed no fight ; but presented 
a most cowardly appearance^ when doing ah in Iris power to avoid 
being struck by his assailant. J Goldsmith, in liis ‘’Animated 
* Mr. Robert Warren, jun. 
t An excellent account of a visit to a heronry has been recently published by 
Mr. Knox, in his “ Ornithological Rambles in Sussex,” p. 20 — 35. 
1 The result of a pair of herons building in a rookery will be found in vol. i, 
p. M9, under Rook. 
