48 WADING BIRDS. 



lection for swamps, rice fields, and the low marshy shores of 

 rivers and laofoons, where from its size and color it becomes 

 conspicuous at a distance, yet from its vigilance and timid- 

 ity rarely allows of an approach within gun-shot. It is 

 known to breed in several of the great cedar swamps, in the 

 lower maritime parts of New Jersey. Like most of their 

 tribe, they associate in numbers at their eyries, and the 

 structure and materials of the nest is entirely similar to 

 those of the Snowy Heron. The eggs about 4, are of a 

 pale blue color. In July and August, the young are seen 

 abroad in the neighboring meadows and marshes, in flocks 

 of twenty or thirty together. They are particularly frequent 

 in the large and deep tide ditches in the vicinity of Phila- 

 delphia. Their food, as usual, consists of frogs, small fish, 

 lizards, mice, and moles, insects, small water snakes, and, 

 at times, the seeds of the pond lilies. 



This species is 3 feet 6 inches from the tip of the bill to the end of 

 the tail ; and 5 feet in alar extent. The train, which extends 7 or 8 

 inches beyond the tail, is composed of a great number of long, thick, 

 tapering shafts, arising from the lower part of the shoulders, and 

 thinlv furnished on each side with fine flowing, hair-like threads, 

 several inches in length, covering the lower part of the back, and 

 falling gracefully over the tail, which it entirely conceals. The 

 whole plumage pure white, except the train, which is slightly 

 tinged with yellow. The bill orange, tipt with black. Irids paler. 

 The span of the foot upwards of G inches, with the inner edge of the 

 middle claw pectinated. 



