602 THE GREEN HERON. 



its kind. Outraged by a most vulgar and distasteful name, 

 it is nevertheless an elegant bird. About 1.50 long and 

 24.00 in extent, the crested crown and upper parts, a glossy- 

 dark green, sometimes iridescent with bronze; the lanceo- 

 late feathers of the back, glaucous; wing feathers, edged 

 with reddish or white; neck, chestnut-red; throat and stripe 

 down the front of the neck, white, spotted and streaked with 

 dusky; beneath, ashy-gray, streaked with white and tinged 

 with reddish; iris and feet, yellow; naked space in front of 

 the eye and bill, brown and yellow. The young are similar, 

 lacking the plumes, the upper parts being more tinged with 

 reddish, and the neck streaked. 



Wandering through an orchard near a stream, early in 

 June, I was startled by a spatting, rushing sound, in the top 

 of an apple-tree near by. Failing to see the cause of the 

 noise, I climbed into the tree, and discovered what was 

 then to me a very strange-looking nest. Flat, and loosely 

 built of small, clean twigs, it contained five pale-green eggs, 

 some 1.15X1.55, and about fresh. Sitting down under a 

 tree near by, I soon saw the bird return to the nest; and 

 shooting it, found it to be the Green Heron. Never shall I 

 forget how odd it looked, flying about the trees with out- 

 stretched neck, its long legs dangling out behind. Often 

 since I have seen it gracefully stepping about shallow pools, 

 and among the grass along the banks of streams and 

 ponds, searching for small fishes, snails, tadpoles and 

 leeches. Again I have seen it light on the tops of bushes 

 in the swamps with all the ease and firmness of a regular 

 perching bird ; and have heard its low-toned quak^ quak. 



The summer habitat of this bird extends but little be- 

 yond the United States; and in the south, where it winters, 

 it often breeds in community. Many spend the winter 

 south of the Union, and return in large flocks in early 

 spring, migrating, for the most part, by night. 



