114 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



On the east coast, it is found breeding as far north as Long^ 

 Island, and in the interior it occurs in Oregon, but the true home of 

 these little herons is farther south. In all suitable places through- 

 out South and Central America, the West Indies and Mexico, the}' 

 breed in colonies in immense numbers, though I grieve to say that of 

 late years they have been almost exterminated by ])lume hunters. 



Subgenus BUT0RIDE8 Blvth. 

 ARDEA VIRESCEN8 Linn. 



76. Green Heron. (201) 



Adult: — In the breeding season with the croM'n, long soft occipital crest, 

 and lengthened narrow feathers of the back, lustrous dark green, sometimes 

 with a bronzy iridescence, and crfi the back often with a glaucous cast ; wing 

 coverts, gi'een, with conspicuous tawny edgings; neck, purplish-chestnut, the 

 throat-lme variegated with dusky or whitisli ; under parts, mostly dark brown- 

 ish-ash, bellj^ variegated with white ; quills and tail, greenish-dusky, with a 

 glaucous shade, edge of the wing white; some of the quills, usuallj- white- 

 tipped; bill, greenish-black, much of the under mandible, yellow; lores and iris, 

 yellow; legs, greenish-\-ellow ; lower neck, with lengthened feathers in front, a 

 bare space behind. Yomuj: — With the head less crested, the back without 

 long plumes, but glossy greenish ; neck, merely reddish-brown, and whole un<ler 

 parts, white, variegated with tawny and dark brown. Length, 16-18; wing, 

 about, 7; bill, 2{j ; tarsus, 2; mi<ldle toe and claw, about the same; tibia, bare, 

 1 or less. 



Hab. — Canada and Oregon, southward to aoithern South America and West 

 Indies ; rare or absent in the Middle Provinces. 



Nest, composed of twigs, placed in a bush or low tree in a swamp or by the 

 bank of a stream. 



Eggs, three to six, pale greenish-l)lue. 



This handsome little Heron finds its nortlicin liinit jiloiig the^ 

 southern border of Ontario. According to Dr. Macalluni, it bieeds 

 regularly on the banks of tlie Grand Ri\er, near Dunnville, and has 

 also been observed, occasionally, near Hamilton ami at the St. Clair 

 Flats. Like the others of its class, the Green Heron feeds mostly at 

 night, and is seldom seen abroad by day, except by those who ha\e 

 occasion to invade its marshy haunts. On this account it may be 

 more numerous than it is sup|X)«ed to be. It arrives about the end 

 of April, and leaves for the south again in Septemljer. 



In the North-West it has been taken in the Assiniboinc, and is 

 said to breed in the sloughs around Turtle Mountain, liut is nowhcit^ 

 common. 



