The Heron's Enemies A battle (of which details are reported
in the excellent Bird Notes and News of the R.S.P.B.) has been proceeding over the heron, the biggest and most pictorial of all British birds ; and a census of its nests has been taken. Fishermen both in Westmorland and Yorkshire urge the County Councils to take the bird off the protected list. Such withdrawal would be a retrograde step. Years ago a letter that I very much treasured reached me from a preserver of fish and a great fisherman in Westmorland. The gist of it was that he preserved his otters partly because they were the fisher- man's friend. They killed diseased fish, and reduced the number of the trout's enemies. The otter, like the heron, may do harm ; but in the large they are of service, not least in the destruction of eels ; and in any case there is room for both. It is certainly more important that we should have our herons than that a fisherman or two should exterminate a friend or enemy, whichever the bird be. Pigeon racers are demanding the destruction of the peregrine falcon with as little excuse as the fisherman ; and happily the County
Councils are proving firm in their policy of preservation. • W. BEACH TII031A2.
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