lands of Scotland young birds may be found by the middle of
April. Incubation lasts about twenty-eight days ; and it is
stated that about a fortnight later a second clutch of eggs is
laid and hatched off with the young birds in the nest (Stevenson,
B. Norfolk, ii. p. 139).
When the young are hatched, both parents assist in providing
them with food until they are able to fly, and have
learned to supply themselves. Previous to this time, when
the heronry is visited by strangers, the old birds leave their
nests, and, circling high above the trees, betray great anxiety
till the intruders have retired. The heronries are occupied
from spring till August; and during winter a few birds are
to be seen, as though they -were paying occasional visits to
maintain the right of occupation. Both Bewick and Hey-
sham refer to the annual battles which took place at Dalham
Tower in Westmoreland, between the Herons and the Rooks
for the possession of particular trees; Hunt, in his ‘ British
Ornithology,’ mentions similar contests at Acle, in Norfolk;
and at Malin Hall, co. Donegal, the Editor observed that
the two species never retired to roost without a skirmish, in
which the Rooks were the aggressors.
In the former Editions of this work the Author gave
a catalogue, in alphabetical order of English and Welsh
counties, of the heronries then known to him ; and subsequently
Mr. J. E. Harting, in ‘ The Field,’ and in ‘The
Zoologist’ for 1872 (p. 3261), published an amended list.
The following, based upon the latter, and brought down
to date, with the assistance of Mr. Harting, Mr. J. H.
Gurney, jun., the Hon. A. N. Curzon, and others, who have
kindly contributed, is believed to be tolerably correct; but
considering the wandering nature of the birds, and their
resentment of interference, it is impossible to hope for more
than approximate accuracy. It must also be stated that
many of the large colonies of former days no longer exist,
or are considerably reduced ; and even some of those now
enumerated contain but few pairs.
Berkshire.—Two in Windsor Great Park; one in Coley
Park, Reading.
Breconshire.—Scattered pairs breed all over the county,
sometimes, as at Senny Bridge, to the number of half a
dozen; but there is no large heronry (Zool. 1882, p. 216).
Caermarthenshire.—Neuadd-fawr, Cilcwm, near Llandovery
: about 100 birds (Zool. 1882, p. 217).
Cambridgeshire.—Chippenham Park.
Cardiganshire.—Gogerddan.
Cheshire.—Aston Hall, near Frodsham ; Tabley Park ;
Hooton-on-the-Mersey; Eaton Hall, near Chester; and a
small one at Burton Hall.
Cornwall.—One on the river Lamorran, near Truro; one
near Fowey; one on old oak-trees in Trenant Wood.
Cumberland.—Greystoke ; Wythrop Woods, near Bassen-
thwaite ; Gobay Park, and Edenhall, near Penrith ; Eamont
River, below Ulleswater ; Muncaster Castle.
Denbighshire.—Yorlas Hall.
Derbyshire.—Kedleston, near Derby, about 20 nests in
the tallest sycamores; Eaton Wood, near Uttoxeter ; Sutton
Scarsdale, near Chesterfield, about a dozen nests in April
1884.
Devonshire.—Powderham Castle, near Exeter; Sharpham,
on the Dart; Warleigh, on the Tamar; Believer, Dartmoor ;
Fremington, near Barnstaple; Shute Park, near Axminster;
Pixton Park, near Dulverton.
Dorsetshire.—Brownsea Island, near Poole ; Upton, near
Wimborne; Bryanstone Park; Admiston Hall, Kingston
Lacy; Sherborne Park.
Durham.—Ravensworth Castle; Sands, near Sedgefield ;
Gainford ; Wycliffe.
Essex.—Wanstead Park; Sir John Tyrrell’s, near Chelmsford
; Chest Wood, Layer de la Haye: nearly 100 nests in
1877; St. Osyth Priory.
Flintshire.—Bodryddan, by St. Asaph : a large colony on
old elm-trees close to the house.
Glamorganshire.—Hensol Castle, a large heronry in ash
and maple trees ; others at Margam Abbey and Penrice
Castle, in oak-trees.
Hampshire.—Heron Court; Vinney Ridge, New Forest;