THE HERON. 
151 
much thicker than their neeks. If much teased they would disgorge 
the fish. 
The following notes, by Robert Warren, jun., Esq., refer to a heron 
taken from a nest in 1847, and kept at Castle Warren, co. Cork: — • 
“ The favourite food of this bird is eels ; but any other fish will do as 
well. It frequently swallows four or five large herrings at a meal. 
Flesh-meat, the entrails of fowls, &c. suffice as food. After feeding, it 
is very fond of basking in the heat of the sun, and will stand for hours 
with its wings expanded enjoying the genial warmth. The bird is much 
attached to me, as I always feed it, runs towards me shaking its wings, 
and keeping up a cry evidently of pleasure. It evinces much gentle- 
ness of disposition, and frequently stands caressing me with its bill. 
But to strangers its manners are very different, as it attacks them with 
the greatest fury, and although repeatedly driven baek wiU continue to 
return to the charge. It shows great antipathy to dogs, and if one 
comes too near he is received with a stroke of its bill, which sends him 
yelping away. I have often seen it fighting, although only on the 
defensive, with a domestic cock. It was never wounded by that bird’s 
spurs ; for when attacked the heron stands quite steady in the attitude 
in which it waits for prey, always faeing, and closely watehing every 
movement of its adversary, and striking him with its bill whenever he 
comes within reach of its long neck. When the cock flew upwards he 
was always driven back by a stroke of the heron’s bill. The coek, in 
general, retreated on finding that he could make no impression on his 
watchful foe. The heron beats the cock by wearing out his patience, 
as it will remain for any length of time in an attitude of defence. The 
patience of a score of cocks would be worn out by this bird. During 
two months that I was absent from home, about the end of 1848, the 
heron would not become familiar with any one, not even with the per- 
son who fed it ; in faet it never was friendly with any one l)ut myself. 
On my return after the absence alluded to, it recognised me instantly, 
and testified its joy by screaming and flapping its wings. It never, 
indeed, uttered a sound at the presence of any other person.” 
Another interesting aeeount of a heron has been communicated by 
Dr. J. D. Marshall of Belfast, who states : — “ In the summer of 1848 
I received a heron about a week old. It was then partially covered 
with down, particularly on the head, where a crest was placed at least 
an inch and half in length. The eye was very striking— the iris being 
