BREEDING COLONIES. 
345 
nest uninterrupted cries of ‘ tzik-tzik-tzik, tzek-tzek-tzek, 
tzge-tzge-tzge,’ and ‘ gett-gett-gett,’ are the order of the 
day. This amusement is varied by the nestlings climb¬ 
ing out among the branches till they reach the top of the 
tree, whence they have a good look out, and can see the 
old birds returning home from a long distance, though in 
many cases they are often mistaken as to their identity. 
“ The consternation we occasioned by shooting several 
Herons from off the trees was great in the extreme; 
every bird able to fly immediately sought safety on the 
wing. Nevertheless, despite the fright we gave them 
the love they bore to their young would assert itself; and 
before long we saw the Common and Night Herons 
circling over their nesting-places, peering down through 
the branches at the enemy beneath, and in a quarter of an 
hour they all returned to their avocations as before. The 
Egrets were more cautious by far, not settling again for 
over an hour; that they acted thus is not surprising, for 
the great beauty of their feathers subjects these birds to 
such constant persecution in Hungary, and especially on 
that island, as to give them good cause to keep a sharp 
look out. The bailiff of the island assured us that this 
extreme shyness only dated from the period when they 
were no longer preserved. 
“ After we had procured such specimens as we wanted 
of the three species of Herons, and had, on passing a 
swamp, watched the manoeuvres of one or two Purple 
Herons, we determined to visit the Cormorants, which 
were breeding near by, in single pairs and also in 
large colonies, in company with Herons. The same 
sickening scene which we had observed at the first 
heronry was about to be repeated here : dung, broken 
egg-shells, putrid fish and birds, gave off the same 
3a 
