28 
ARDEA IIERODIAS. 
any spots. The young- are produced about the middh 
of May, and remain on the trees until they are full » 
heavy as the old ones, being extremely fat, before the/ 
fo fl.y- They breed hut once in the season 
If disturbed in their breeding place, the old birds 11} 
occasionally over the spot, sometimes honking like * 
goose, soractimes uttering a coar.se hollow g^rnutiuj 
noise, like that of a hog, but much louder. 
The great heron is said to be fat at the full moo» 
and lean at its decrease ; this might he accounted fW 
by the fact of their fishing regularly by moouligh* 
through the greater part of the night, as well as durTnS 
the day; hut the observation is not universal, for a' 
such times 1 have found some lean, as well as otheif 
fixt. The young are said to be excellent for the tabl« 
and even the old birds, n hen in good order, and properlj 
cooked, are esteemed by many. 
The princijial food of the great heron is fish, fo* 
which he watches with the most unwearied patienefi 
and seizes them with surprising de.vteritv. At tW 
edge of the river, pond, or sea shore, he stands fixeii 
and motionless, sometimes for hours together. But hi< 
stroke is as quick as thought, and sure as fate, to tli* 
first luckless fish that approaches within his reaclil 
these he sometimes heats to death, and alwavs swallow'* 
head foremost, ^sneh being their uniform position in th* 
stomach. He is also an excellent inoiiser, and of great 
service to our meadows, in destroying the short-tailc*^ 
or meadow mouse, so injurious to the banks. He alsO 
feeds eagerly on grasshoppers, various winged insect* 
particularly dr.agon flies, which he is verv expert a* 
striking, and .also eats the seeds of that" species 
nympluB usually called sphitterdocks, so ahundant aloo? 
our rresli water ponds and rivers. 
The heron has great powei-s of wing, ilying sometime* 
very high, and to a great distance; his neck double^’ 
liis head drai\ n in, and his long legs stretched oi*^ 
in a right lino behind him, appearing like a tail, au^ 
probably, serving the same rudder-like oiiice. AVheH 
he leaves the sea coastj and traces, on wing, the course* 
