310 
AliDEIDiE. 
ORA LLA TORES. 
A RDElDsF. 
HERON. 
Ardea cinerea. 
PLATE LXXXII. FIO. IT. 
I have often been surprised by observing the Heron, 
during the time of the breeding-season, passing over 
those parts of the country which I knew to be very 
far distant from any heronry, especially when I have 
noticed its heavy flight and slow progress homeward. 
It is wonderful to what long distances they will pa¬ 
tiently wing their way in their excursions in search 
of fish. 
Nothing can be more ornamental to a gentleman's 
grounds than the presence of these elegant and grace¬ 
ful birds. Mr. Yarrell has given a list of the chief 
heronries in this country. 
Like the rooks, the Herons breed together, sometimes 
in large communities, building their nests in clusters at 
the tops of the highest trees: they are known, also, to 
breed upon the cliffs of the sea-coast near Holyhead, and 
at Great Orme's Head; and, in a few instances, their 
nests have been met with, like that of the crane, upon 
the ground. They are large, and composed of a quan¬ 
tity of sticks lined with dry grass, wool, and other soft 
materials, and contain four or five eggs. 
Thieneman, in his work on the eggs of European Birds, 
