BRITISH BIRDS. 
39 
the long feathers which hang over the breaft of 
the male, and her whole plumage is more uniform- 
ly dull and obfcure. In the breeding feafon they 
congregate in large focieties, and, like the Rooks, 
build their neft on trees, with flicks, lined with dri- 
ed grafs, wool, and other warm materials. The fe- 
male lays from four to fix eggs, of a pale greenilh 
blue colour. * 
«< A remarkable circumftance, with refpe6l to thefc birds, 
occurred not long ago, at Dallam Tower, in Weftmorland, the 
feat of Daniel Wilfoii, Efq : — 
‘‘ There were two groves adjoining to the park: one of 
which, for many years, had been reforted to by a number of 
Herons, which there built and bred ; the other was one of the 
largeft rookeries in the country. The two tribes lived together 
for a long time without any difputes. At length the trees occu- 
pied by the Herons, confiding of fome very fine old oaks, were 
cut down in the fpring of 1775, and the young brood perifiied 
by the fall of the timber. The parent birds immediately fet 
about preparing new habitations, in order to breed again ; but, 
as the trees in the neighbourhood of their old nefts were only of 
a late growth, and not fufficiently high to fecure them from the 
depredations of boys, they determined to effedf a fettlement in 
the rookery. The Rooks made an obftinate refiflance ; but, 
after a very violent conteft, in the courfe of which many of the 
Rooks, and fome of their antagonifts, loft their lives, the He- 
rons at laft fucceeded in their attempt, built their nefts, and 
brought out their young. 
“ The next feafon the fame contefts took place, which termi- 
nated like the former, by the vidfory of the Herons. Since that . 
time peace feems to have been agreed upon between them : the 
