626 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS OF GRENADA. 



set amougst their liaunts, but are diflBcult to keep in captivity except 

 when takeu youug from the nest. 1 have kept several w hich were taken 

 full grown, and after being in the cage for more than a year thej^ would 

 continue to flutter and batter their heads on the approach of any one. 

 The nest (which is generally placed on a stump or fallen tree, about 

 3 to 4 feet from the ground, and sometimes in a tuft of " razor-grass") 

 is merely a platform of dry leaves and a few sticks on which a slight 

 depression is made by the bird sitting on it (both male and female 

 take part alternately in the process of incubation) In this it lays two 

 buff-colored eggs, immaculate, and it is remarkable that one of the 

 eggs in each nest is invariably much darker than the other. They 

 measure 1.04 inches by .84 inch and l.OG inches by .80 inch. 



Family ARDEIDiE. 



47. Ardea herodias Linn. Large Crabier. 



3 Length, 61^ inches; expanse, 71 inches; wing, 19^ inches. 

 Migrant; not numerous; frequents swamps, mouths of rivers, and 

 occasionally follows the streams up to the mountains. 



48. Ardea candidissima Gin. White Gaulin. 



Though a specimen of this bird was obtained here by Mr. Ober, I 

 have not been able to discover one. White gaulins are seen everywhere, 

 but they are the young of F. ccernlea. There is no record of a White 

 GaulirCs nest ever having been found. 



49. Ardea coenilea Linn. Blue Gaulin. • 



9 Length, 21 inches ; expanse, 36 inches ; wing, 10 inches. 



$ Length, 21^ inches ; expanse, 35^ inches ; wing, 10 inches. 



A very common bird ; may be found wherever there is water. They 

 breed on the small islands, several nests on the same tree. The nest is 

 but a flat platform of dry sticks. The eggs can be seen through the 

 nest. They lay two eggs, and orten three or four, of a beautiful bluish 

 green, measuring 1.66 by 1.32, 1.68 by 1.30. The young are pure white, 

 and grow to their full size before the change of feathers takes place. 

 Then they may be observed in all stages, from a few specks of blue to a 

 few specks -of white, until the pure blue of the adult is reached. 



50. Ardea virescens Linn. Kyallie. 



A very common bird on our streams and along the sea-shore ; f§ed on 

 small crabs and fish ; breed among the mangroves and trees overhang- 

 ing the water. Found a nest in an orange tree at Balthazar, near to the 

 dwelling-house which is not far from the great river. The nest is but a 

 few dry sticks laid across each other. The eggs are two and occasion- 

 ally three, of a uniform bluish green. They measure 1.42 inches by 

 1.10 inches and 1.32 inches by 1.02 inches. 



