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Div. II. WATER FOWLS. 
SECTION L 
II. 
S E C T I 
genus I. 
SPECIES I. The 
Common heron, or heronlhaw. 
Wil. orn. 277. 
Rail fyn. av. 98. ^ 
Ardea cinerea. Lin. Jyfi • 1 44 * 
T H I S bird is remarkably light in pro¬ 
portion to its bulk, lcarce weighing 
three pounds and a half: the length is 
three feet two inches ; the breadth five feet four 
inches. The body is very fmall, and always lean; 
and the Ikin fcarce thicker than what is called 
gold-beater’s (kin. It muft be capable of bearing 
a long abftinence, as its food, which is fifti and 
frogs, cannot be readily got at all times. It com¬ 
mits great devaluation in our ponds; out being 
unprovided with webs to fwim, nature has iur- 
nilhed it with very long legs to wade alter its 
prey. It perches and builds in trees, and fome- 
times in high cliffs over the fea. It was formerly 
With Cloven Feet. 
With Webbed Feet. j; 
♦ 
ONI. 
HERONS. 
HERON. Plate 8. 
Ardea criftata. Brijfon av. V. 396. 
! Tab . 35 . 
Ardea Pella, five cinerea. Gejner 
av. 211 . 
in this country a bird of game, heron-hawking 
being fo favorite a diverfion of our anceftors, that 
laws were enabled for the prefervation of the 
fpecies, and the perfon who deftroyed their eggs 
was liable to a penalty of twenty {hillings, for 
each offence. Not to know the Hawk from the 
Heronjhaw was an old proverb, * taken originally 
from this diverfion ; but in courfe of time' ferved 
to exprefs great ignorance in any fcience. This 
bird was formerly much efteemed as a food; and 
made a favorite dilh at great tables. It is laid to 
be very long lived ; by Mr. Keyfler's account it 
may exceed fixty years. ** 
* Afterwards this proverb was abfurdly corrupted to. He does not 
know a Hawk from a Hand-Jaw. 
** Keyjlers travels. Vol. 1. p. 70. 
SPECIES 
