HERONS, EGRETS, BITTERNS 77 



Nest. — On branches of trees and bushes near water ; loosely made of 

 sticks and lined with leafy twigs. Egys : 8 to 0, light bluish green. 



The green heron, with other mainly nocturnal herons, lives in 

 woody swamps, bogs, or sedgy marshes, and often hunts along 

 streams and ponds. When startled it flies up with a ' hollow gut- 

 tural scream,' but soon lights on a stump or tree, looking around 

 with craned neck. It lives largely on small fish, frogs, larva.', and 

 grasshoppers, together with a variety of insects. 



201b. A. V. anthonyi Meams. Anthony Green Heron. 



Similar to virescens, but decidedly lighter colored ; sides of neck bright 

 yellowish chestnut. Length : 19.10, wing- ^.20, bill 2.35. 



Distribution. — Arid i-egion of the southwestern United States, and 

 south through Mexico ; north to Yreka, California. 



Anthonyi is a pale desert form of cirescem, with only local modi- 

 fications of habit. 



GENUS NYCTICORAX. 



General Characters. — Bill comparatively short and stout ; head crested, 

 and, in breeding- plumag^e, with a few long- white cord-like plumes from 

 back of crown. 



key to species. 



1. Crown black, cheeks and chin creamy white . . . naevius, p. 77. 

 1'. Crown creamy white, cheeks and chin black . . violaceus, p. "S. 



Subgenus Nycticorax. 



202. Nycticorax nycticorax naevius (BodJ.). Hla( k- 

 CKOWNED Night Heron. 



Bill about as long- as tarsus, ^idu/ts : crown and l)ack black : wings 

 and tail ashy g-ray ; forehead and throat creamy wliite. sliadini; into lii^ht 

 gray of sides and mider parts. Young: crown blackish, streaked with 

 buff; back dusky gray, spotted and striped, and (piills tipped with buff; 

 neck and under parts coarsely striped with buff and duskv. lutngth : 'S.)- 

 20, wing 11.00-12.80, bill 2.S0-8.10, tarsus :',.10-:}.40. 



Distribution. — Most of South Americ:i and north to southeni Canada ; 

 breeding throughout its range and wintering from the 8t)uthern United 

 States southward. 



Nest. — Roughly made of reeds, rushes, or sticks placed on the uround 

 among reeds, or on bushes or trees. Eggs : '•'» to •>. <lull Mui.sli. 



The black-crowned is out- of the commonest and most wi(h ly ilis 

 tributed of our herons. Pairs or small Hocks pass hurriedly over 

 head morning and evening, uttering now and then the liarsh gut 

 tural ' squawk' whicli gives them their commonest name. During 

 the day you frighten them from their naps among tiu- tides or n'eds 

 or from the leafy branches of the eottonwoc^ls that overling the 

 streams; and whether one or a do/<'ti are aroused, each loudly re- 



