ARDEIDAE—HERONS.
183
At present they occupy some tall elms growing upon an island in the largest
sheet of water in the Park. In 1869 there were about thirty pairs ; in 1883,
about twenty-five ; in March, 1884, forty-three nests were counted (47. 94) ; and
in April, 1887, about thirty-eight. There have since been a few more added.
Mr. Fitch says (50. ii. 179) : " It is satisfactory to learn that the free admission
of visitors to the Park, except that the path by the lake is closed in May and
June during nidification, has not apparently resulted in any injury to the Heronry."
An interesting account
of a visit to this Heronry,
was given by Mr. Hart-
ing in Science Gossip for
April, 1869, and also in
his Sketches of Bird Life
(1883, p. 266) ; while a
small sketch of it (here
reproduced) appears in
Mr. Buxton's Epping
Forest (47. 94) ; and a
larger one by C. Whym-
per in Seebohm's Brit-
ish Birds (ii.' p. 472).
Through the kindness
of Mr. E. A. Fitch, I am
enabled to introduce as
the frontispiece of this
work, a lithographic re-
production of another
drawing of this Heronry,
made by Mr. C. Whym-
per in 1885. The orig-
inal is in Mr. Harting's
possession.
The next Essex He-
ronry deserving notice is that in the park surrounding Boreham House, the
residence of Lieut. J. L. Tufnell-Tyrell. Mr. Fitch writes (50. ii. 174) :—
" This Heronry is not now in its old position. The birds used to build where
the Rooks do now. immediately behind Boreham House ; but about seven
years ago this colony became reduced to a single nest, and the old bird was shot
whilst sitting. In 1884, the Herons first nested in West Mead Grove, a small
grove planted as an apple orchard in 1842, and subsequently with oak, spruce
firs, and a few miscellaneous trees, including some Scotch pines. The grove
being only about 400 yards from the river, and on about the same level, the soil is
very wet, like all the grass-land of the Chelmer Valley, and consequently the
apple trees soon cankered and died out, although one or two still remain, and
the growth of the firs has been very slow. In company with the Rooks, the
Herons have taken possession of these last-named trees. In 1886, there were nine
nests, but thirty young Herons were destroyed in one day, and several more on
other occasions. In 1887 the position was about the same, and although the
persecution was continued, there appears to be the same number of nests this pre-
sent year." In 1889, there were six nests, from which ten eggs were taken.
Of the Brightlingsea (St. Osyth) Heronry, Mr. Fitch says :—
" In Yarrell's British Birds and other works, mention is made of a Heronry
at St. Osyth, but this appears to have been a mistake. The only Heronry in the