1887.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 115 



and without doubt this is a fact; yet it proves nothing, unless, indeed, 

 the nestlings were too small to go about much, for any one who is 

 familiar with Florida heronries knows that the young birds leave the 

 nest almost as soon as fledged, and walk over the branches, and if sud- 

 denly surprised will squat in the nearest nest. I was once ujion an 

 island, during the last week in April, which was covered with a dense 

 growth of high mangroves and buttonwood, on which Great Blue 

 Herons, Florida and Great White were breeding ; but I did not find the 

 young mixed at all, simply because they were too small to move about, 

 but this might not have been the case two weeks later. The flight 

 of this fine Heron resembles that of the Great Blue, being regular with* 

 each flapi^ing of the wings, greatly prolonged. They breed on the Keys 

 and, I think, always prefer high trees." 



Mr. Maynard apparently collected several specimens, since he gives 

 average and extreme measurements, as quoted below; but what be- 

 came of them I do not know. He also found nests and eggs, which he 

 describes as follows : 



^^Nests placed on trees and composed of sticks, somewhat loosely 

 arranged. Uggs^ two or three in number, varying from ellii^tical to oval 

 in form, pale bluish green in color, unspotted. Dimensions from 1.80 

 by 2.60 to 1.85 by 2.90." 



He gives measurements as follows : 



"Average measurements of specimens from Florida: Length, 49.50; 

 stretch, 74.50 ; wing, 20.50 ; tail, 7.75 ; bill, 6.50 ; tarsus, 8.25. Longest 

 specimen, 50.00; greatest extent of wing, 75.00; longest wing, 21.00; 

 tail, 8.00 ; bill, 7.00 ; tarsus, 8.25. Shortest specimen, 48.00 ; smallest 

 extent of wing, 74.00 ; shortest wing, 20.00 ; tail, 7.50 ; bill, 5.95 ; tar- 

 sus, 7.95." 



In the same work (page 409) he says that A. occidentalis was found 

 by him on the Florida Keys in great abundance, one small key being 

 " comi>letely covered with their nests." Yet " they were all snowy white, 

 not a colored specimen of any species being among them ; nor were 

 there any among the young left behind, for I carefully examined every 

 nest, as they were all built low." 



Measurements of the specimens examined, including the type, are as 

 follows : 



Mu- 

 seum 

 No. 



8690* 

 110210 

 110211 

 8009 

 8010 

 8011 

 8012 



Collection. 



Nat. Mus 

 ....dc... 

 ...do .... 



C.B.C... 

 ....do .... 



...do .... 

 ....do .... 



R.C.S... 



Sex 

 and 



Locality. 



cfaa. 

 d-ad. 

 $ad. 

 rfad. 

 ?ad. 

 rfad. 

 9 ad. 

 ad. 



"South Florida" 

 Near Cape Sable. 



do 



....do 



....do 



...do 



....do 



....do 



Date. Wing. 



Dec. — , 

 Dec. — , 

 Dec. — 

 Dec. — 

 Dec. — , 

 Dec. — , 

 Dec. 



21.00 

 19.00 

 19.00 

 19.00 



18. 75 

 20.00 



19. 00 

 20.00 



Average ; 19. 47 



" Type. 



Mid- 

 dle 

 toe. 



4.80 

 4.50 

 4.80 

 4.60 

 4.30 

 5.20 

 4.20 

 4.95 



4.79 



