File:Reptiles and birds - a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting (1883) (14565927567).jpg

Identifier: reptilesbirds00figu (find matches)
Title: Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Figuier, Louis, 1819-1894 Gillmore, Parker
Subjects: Reptiles Birds
Publisher: London : Cassell & Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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reputation, if only from La Fontaines verse :— Heron with the long bill, fit handle of a longer neck. Its height is about forty inches, and it is found in nearly all parts ofthe globe. It is the most numerous species in France, and is theonly one which builds, lays, and rears their young in company.The place selected for this community is generally a clump of loftytrees in the neighbourhood of a lake or river; on the summits ofv/hich, or in the angles formed by the branches, the Herons buildtheir nests, which are of very simple construction—a few boughsinterwoven together with smaller twigs, and without any such luxu-rious additions as smaller birds love to add. In these nests thefemales lay three or four eggs, and the males share with tliem the MIGRATION OF THE HERON. 335 cares of incubation ; after the eggs are hatched, he also assists inproviding for the young. When the young Herons are able to fly, they leave the nest andcease to have their wants provided for by their parents.
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Common Heron and Esrret. About the beginning of August the time for migration has arrived,the colony, possibly then amounting to 500 or 600 individuals,prepare themselves to quit the heronry. The following year theyreturn, and their arrival, like their departure, takes place with greatregularity of date. It is remarked that the number of couples isalways nearly the same as that of the nests, so that each pair readilyfind a resting-place; the new generation must therefore leave their progenitors to found a fresh colony. 33^ REPTILES AND BIRDS. Heronries are becoming more and more rare. M. Toussenet states that he has met with only one in all France, that at Ecury(Marne), between Epernay and Chalons. They are not uncommon in England, where many ancient families connect them with theirancestral grandeur. Lord Warwicks heronry, on the classic Avon,still maintains seventy or eighty pairs of the noble birds. The Heron has enemies in the Eagle, the Falcon, and the Crow.The latter combine to ste

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