176 ESSEX HERONRIES.
not be protected, we returned to the only occupied nest, and brought
down the other two eggs, which proved to have been longer incu-
bated than the first three we had taken. The nest was a most sub-
stantial structure, and before descending after his third climb into it,
Mr. Christy sat comfortably therein, while he lit his pipe, and took a
last survey of the neighbouring tree tops. This nest was exactly four
feet in diameter, and was composed of a great number of elder and
thorn branches and twigs, with a few fir boughs; it was rather neatly
lined with dock straw and spruce twigs, with more of the coarse
grass and green twigs that we had found in other nests. Herons have
been known to forcibly occupy rooks' nests, and battles royal have
ensued in consequence; but when the colonies are once established
rooks and herons appear to live peaceably together, although the
egg-stealing propensities of the rooks have been known to introduce
an element of discord.3
The Birch Heronry.—On April 16th of this year (1888) Mr.
Miller Christy and myself visited the Birch Heronry. We were met
at Kelvedon by Mr. C. H. Hills who drove us part of the way to
Birch, and accompanied us to the spot. Thanks to Mr. William
Smith, steward to Mrs. Round, every facility was given to us in
examining this large and strictly protected heronry.
It was a charming summer-like day; a great change from the late
wintry weather. Several hybernated butterflies were quite common.
Many of the sallow-bushes in Pod's Wood were in bloom, affording
a fine feast for the hungry bees; the pretty flowers of the wood
sorrel were abundant in Conyfield Wood, Messing, and the wood-
anemone was just coming out in the Birch Woods. When at Prested
Hall, Mr. J. H. Hills told us that he had just seen a cuckoo, and we
saw our first two swallows of the season flying in Feering churchyard.
The Birch Heronry is in the middle of an oak wood of about
eighteen acres known as Calves Pasture, and it was indeed a most
interesting sight. There was little or nothing to indicate the presence
of the herons until we got well under the trees they occupied ; then
we saw them sitting upon the nests, and on the tops of the trees, or
flying leisurely around in all directions. The birds appeared to be
particularly tame, and were in no wise disconcerted at our presence;
several were still building, and there were certainly no young, nor,
3 See Dr. Heysham's account of such a battle at Dallam Tower, Westmoreland, in Bewick's
"History of British Birds" (Ed. 1826, vol. ii., p. 11, note).