214 POPULAR SCRIPTURE ZOOLOGY.

The Night Heron (Nycticoraz griseus) is also widely dis-
persed over Europe and Asia, as well as America.

The Purple-crested Heron (Ardea purpurea) is also found
commonly in the west of Asia and north of Europe, but
Ardea cinerea is probably the species referred to in the
Scriptures.

The flesh of the heron was, according to our translation
(Leviticus xi.), interdicted to the Hebrews; but it was
formerly held in high estimation in England. The hawk-
ing of herons was also a great amusement of kings and
nobles, on which account great care was taken to preserve
the species: a fine of twenty shillings (a very heavy one in
those days) was exacted for each egg destroyed.

Mr. Edwards, in his very interesting narrative of a ‘ Voy-
age up the Amazon,’ mentions, among other large birds,
various species of herons, meeting the eye of the traveller
in every direction. “Upon the trees,” he says, “were
perched birds of every variety, which flew before our ad-
vance at short distances, in constantly increasing numbers,
or curving, passed ‘directly over us. Upon some topmost
limb, the great blue heron, elsewhere shyest. of the shy, sat
curiously gazing at our approach. Near him, but lower
down, herons, white as driven snow, some tall and majestic