WATER BIRDS. 147 



about Walnut Lake, Oakland county, during the early summer of 1906, 

 but no evidence of nesting was obtained. 



We have no record of its breeding in the state. Boies states that "it 

 is reported as breeding on islands in St. Mary's River, but I did not see 

 one during my three seasons on the river" (Birds of Neebish Island). The 

 report to which Major Boies refers is probably that given in Cook's Birds 

 of Michigan by Hon. Chase S. Osborn of Sault Ste. Marie, but further 

 inquiry has shown that the heronry on Espanore Island is tenanted only 

 by the Great Blue Heron, and we have no reason to suppose that any colony 

 of the Night Heron will be found so far north. It is rather remarkable 

 that no colonies have been located in the state, but such appears to be the 

 fact. 



The species breeds ordinarily in large communities, often as many as 

 500 or 600 pairs nesting within the compass of a few acres. Usually 

 it places its nests in low trees, but in Wisconsin it has been found nesting 

 more than once on or near the ground in marshes. Nelson states that 

 under such circumstances the nests are placed among the wild rice, but 

 Kumlien and Hollister (Birds of Wisconsin, p. 86) state that they have 

 always found the nest placed among the cane (Phragmites). When 

 placed in trees the nest is composed almost entirely of sticks and twigs. 

 The eggs are commonly three or four, clear blue, unspotted, and average 

 2.01 by 1.47 inches. 



The species feeds singly, and mostly at night, and its food does not seem 

 to differ materially from that of other herons. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult: Forehead pure white, entire top of head, including the occiput, dark bottle 

 green, almost black; entire back and scapulars of the same color, perhaps a little greener, 

 the upper surface of wings and tail uniform pearl-gray in strong contrast. From the 

 long feathers of the occiput arises a slender, tliread-like plume less than one-eighth of an 

 inch wide and six inches or more in length, made of two or three pure white feathers laid 

 one within the other; chin, throat, and entire under parts pure white; sides and back of 

 neck shaded with ashy gray, as are also tlie sides of the breast and body. Bill mostly 

 black; iris bright red; legs and feet yellow or greenish-yelk)W. Sexes alike. Young of 

 the year entirely different; above, light grayish or buffy-brown, each feather with a tri- 

 angular streak or spot of whitish; below jjrctty evenly streaked with liglit brown and white 

 in nearly equal amounts, the chin and ui)j)cr throat mainly white with few streaks. Iris 

 yellow; bill and feet nearly as in adult. Length 23 to 26 inclies; wing 11 to 12.80; culmen 

 2.80 to 3.10; tarsus 3.10 to 3.40. 



