GREAT HERON. 
59 
lined with smaller twigs, each occupies the top of a single tree. 
The eggs are generally four, of an oblong pointed form, larger 
than those of a hen, and of a light greenish blue without any 
spots. The young are produced about the middle of May, 
and remain on the trees until they are full as heavy as the old 
ones, being extremely fat, before they are able to fly. They 
breed but once in the season. If disturbed in their breeding 
place, the old birds fly occasionally over the spot, sometimes 
honking like a Goose, sometimes uttering a coarse hollow grunt- 
ing noise like that of a hog, but much louder. 
The Great Heron is said to be fat at the full moon, and lean 
at its decrease; this might be accounted for by the fact of their 
fishing regularly by moonlight through the greater part of the 
night, as well as during the day; but the observation is not uni- 
versal, for at such times I have found some lean as well as 
others fat. The young are said to be excellent for the table, and 
even the old birds, when in good order, and properly cooked, 
are esteemed by many. 
The principal food of the Great .Heron is fish, for which he 
watches with the most unwearied patience, and seizes them 
with surprising dexterity. At the edge of the river, pond or 
seashore he stands fixed and motionless, sometimes for hours 
together. But his stroke is quick as thought, and sure as fate to 
the first luckless fish that approaches within his reach; these he 
sometimes beats to death, and always swallows head foremost, 
such being their uniform position in the stomach. He is also an 
excellent mouser, and of great service to our mendows in de- 
stroying the short- tailed or meadow mouse, so injurious to the 
banks. He also feeds eagerly on grasshoppers, various winged 
insects, particularly dragon flies, which he is very expert at 
striking, and also eats the seeds of that species of nymphae usu- 
ally called splatter docks, so abundant along our fresh water 
ponds and rivers. 
The Heron has great powers of wing, flying sometimes very 
high, and to a great distance; his neck doubled, his head drawn 
in, and his long legs stretched out in a right line behind him. 
