344 
BIRD-LIFE. 
maggots, is perfectly sickening; though the contemplation 
of life and movement in this immense heronry is a 
matter of interest to the true ornithologist. 
“ The tops of the highest trees are usually occupied by 
the nests of the Common Heron; a little lower down is 
the habitation of the shy and beautiful Great Egret 
(Egretta alba ); while among the forks of the lowest 
branches the Night Heron takes up her abode. All these 
species build in one and the same tree, the nests number¬ 
ing not unfrequently as many as fifteen in a single tree, 
and yet peace invariably reigns between all these 
varieties. 
“ High over the trees appears the Common Heron, 
laden with booty, announcing his arrival with a hoarse 
‘ craaich,’ when, changing his note to a Goose-like 
‘ da-da-da-da,’ he either jerks the provender down the 
throats of his ever-hungry youngsters or throws it up 
before them, when the fish are greedily swallowed amid 
a desperate accompaniment of ‘gohe-e-e-e, gohe-e-e-e,’ a 
sound much resembling the frantic call of a calf which is 
being lifted into a farmer’s market-cart. The conduct of 
the more cautious Egret is very different: circling far above 
the nest she first satisfies herself that no foe is hidden 
below before she alights amongst her family, which are 
much quieter and less hasty than their cousins. The Night 
Herons, on the contrary, approach their nests from all 
sides, high and low, their crops filled with frogs, fish, 
and insects. A deep ‘quak’ or ‘gowek’ announces the 
arrival of the old bird already from some distance, to 
which the young answer while feeding with a note 
resembling 4 queht, queht,’ or ‘ quehaoaheh, quehoehah.’ 
As soon as the parents have taken their departure the 
youngsters recommence their concert, and from every 
