Heron Baron

A Siege of Herons

"The Egerton Manuscript lists together A Sege of Betowrys [bitterns], A Sege of Hayrynnys, a Sege vnto a Castelle, to which Hodkins adds, 'Just as a commander lays siege to a 'castelle'...so does the patient heron stand at the waterside, waiting for the unwary fish to pass by'"[...] — James Lipton, An Exaltation of Larks

A Clowder of Cats

"The second Harley MS lists a clowdyr of carlys, as do the Robert of Gloucester and Digby Manuscripts, since, in the north of England, tom-cats were called carl-cats. In 1450, under a Cloudyr of Cattys, The Egerton Manuscript warned sternly 'non dicitur a clouster' (One doesn't say 'a cluster')" — Ibid.