18 ALTRICIAL GllALLATUKES — HERODIONES. 



of the beach. In its habits it is diurnal as ^vell as nocturnal. It may be observed 

 by day wading out on the shoals, collecting crabs and various species of shell-fish, 

 and at other times standing in the water up to its knees, with its bill poised ready to 

 strike its prey. It is then especially shy, intently observing everything that is pass- 

 ing within a wide circle. Yet even this bird, vigilant as it is, may be enticed by 

 decoys within gunshot ; and by many its flesh is very highly esteemetL 



It will venture even more fearlessly forth at night in quest of food, always stand- 

 ing in the same motionless posture, with bill ready poised for the coming of its prey. 

 While in this position its plumage is parted, exposing a portion of the breast, which 

 is said to be furnished with a downy substance emitting a phosphorescent light. By 

 some this is called the bird's lantern, and is said to be serviceable to it while fishing, 

 both by attracting its prey, and by showing it Avhere to strike. Even in dead speci- 

 mens this luminous substance is said to give out a pale glow, not unlike that produced 

 by decaying wood. 



This Heron was met with by Mr. J. A. Allen in September, in the Valley of 

 Great Salt Lake, where it was (piite common. Mr. Ridgway also found it an abun- 

 dant species in the wooded valley of the Truckee River, and breeding in numbers on 

 all the rocky islands in Pyramid Lake. Several of its nests, containing from three to 

 four young each, were found on the large island. These were very bulky, but well 

 made, composed of sticks, and placed on the tops of the greasewood bushes (Obione), 

 about five feet from the ground. Those on the " Pyramid " were placed among the 

 rocks, at varying heights above the water. Among the marshes around Great Salt 

 Lake, and in the tide lagoons near Sacramento, he also found it abundant. 



Wilson found this Heron breeding in the gloomy solitudes of the tallest cedar- 

 swamps in the lower parts of New Jersey, where, if undisturbed, it continues many 

 years in succession. The young are hatched about the middle of May, and are unable 

 to fly until they are as large as their parents. It breeds but once in a season. The 

 noise which this Heron makes when disturbed in its breeding-place is said sometimes 

 to resemble the honking of a goose ; at other times it is a hoarse, hollow grunting 

 sound, like that of a hog, bvit louder. 



Like the common Heron of Europe, which it closely resembles in many other 

 respects, this bird is of solitary habit, excepting during the breeding season, going in 

 pairs only from March to August ; the rest of the year leading a solitary life. Fu- 

 rious battles are said to take place between the males at the beginning of the 

 pairing season. 



Mr. ]Sr. B. Moore has supplied some very interesting observations upon the habits 

 of this species, tracing the history of a pair from the first labor of making a nest, 

 through the periods of egg-laying, incubation, and rearing their young. They were 

 observed at the nest with a field-glass, and were first seen Feb. 5. One was carrying 

 sticks to a certain willow growing in a pond. The other was standing in a part of 

 the tree near the top, or fifteen feet from the mud below. This was the female, and 

 a few sticks were placed near her. The sticks, broken from the blasted willow-tops, 

 were brought by the male. He generally alighted with them a little higher than 

 she. The latter reached up her bill, took them, and placed them on the pile, each in 

 its proper place. The work was so carried on to its completion — the male acting as 

 procurer of materials, his mate as architect. During tliese labors, the female seems 

 by far the more impatient to advance the business. She takes the stick from him and 

 lays it in its place ; and if he stops, and seems loath to leave her side, she motions him 

 to leave, though no sound is heard, and away he goes for another stick. The sticks 

 were carried, not across the ])ill, but pointing out before it, in aline with it. Neither 



