518 AKDEA IIEEODIAS, GREAT BLUE HERON. 



Am. vi, 184:^, 12-2. pi. :!H9.— Cii;., 15. L. I. 1^44, 270.— DAinv., Voy. VH\\<r^v. 128 

 (Galapagos). — Woouii., Silgi-. Rep. 1"^53, 97 (Arkaiisa.s, Texas, and New Mex- 

 ico). — PuTN., Pr. Ess. Inst. i. 1856, 218 (Massaclinsctts, suiniiier). — GuNDL., J, 

 f. 0. iv, 185G. 340 (Cuba, brcetls).— Newjj., P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857,97 (Calilbriiia, 

 coninion).— P>iJ.,B. N. A. 1858, GG8.— Sci.., Ibis, i, 18.51), 2v;0 (Giiateinala).— Nkwt., 

 md. 263 (Santa Cm/.). -Buy., Pr. Bost. Soc. 1851) (Balianins).— IIkekm., ]'. R. 

 R. Re)). X, 18.59, pt. vi, 63 (California).— Cooi'. & Sick., N. II. Wash. Ter. 1.<6U, 

 228 (Pnget Sound).— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 173.— Wheat., Oliio Agiic. Rep. 18()0, 

 No. 185.— Ca.ss., Pr. Pliila. Acad. 1860, 196 (Atrato).— Coi'K.s & Pj{i:nt., Smiths. 

 Rep. 2861, 415 (Washington, summer). -ScL., P. Z. S. 1861, 81 (Ji.maiea).— 

 BoAiJDM., Pr. I>ost. Soc. ix, 1862, 128 (Maine, breeds, connnon). — Vkkr., Pr. Ess. 

 Inst, iii, 1862, 153 (Maine, breeds). — Allen, ifciY?. iv. 1864,76 (Massachusetts, 

 breeding).— McIlwk., ibid. 1866, 91 (Canada West).— Coues, ibid, v, 1868, 289.— 

 Lawr., Ann.Lyc.N. Y. viii, 1863 (Panama); viii, 1864, 99 (Sombrero); ix, 1868, 

 152 (Costa Rica) ; 210 (Yucatan) ; viii, 1866, 292.— Coues. Pr. Bo.st. Soc. xii, 1868, 

 123 (South Carolina, resident.)— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 95 (Arizona, 

 breeding) ; 1871, 33 (North Carolina).— SUxXd., OtV. Vet. Ak. Forh. 1869, 589 (St. 

 Bartholomew). — Allen, Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1865, 501 (Iowa). — Dall & Bann., 

 Tr.Chic. Acad. 1869, 283 (Sitka, Alaska).— Turxb., B. E. Pa. 1869, 29 (sum- 

 mer).— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 358 (Florida); iii, 1872, 182 (Kansas and 

 ' Utah).— Mayn., Guide. 1870, 143 (Massachusetts) ; Pr. Bost. Soc. 1871 (New 

 Hampshire).— Trippe, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv, 1872, 240 (Iowa).— Coues, Key, 1872, 

 267.- Snow, B. Kaus. 1873, 9.— Ridgw., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 1874, 386 (Illinois). 

 Ardca hudsonias, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 338 (EDW.,pl. 135; Brlss., v, 407). — Gm., Syst. 

 Nat. i, 1788, 631.— Latil, I. O. ii, 1790, 693 ( Arct. Zool. ii. No. 342 ; Geu. Syu. v, 86). 



Hab. — North America, to Hudson's Bay and Sitka. South to Guatemala and Gala- 

 pa;^os. West Indies. Breeds throughout its range, and winters in the South. 

 Lieuienant Warrenh Expedition. — .5454, near Big Sioux River. 

 Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' Expedition, uor by the later ones. 



jSTo species of Heron has a wider distiibutiou in North America, and 

 only the Bittern equals it in the extent of its dispersion. It appears to 

 be more common, however, in the United States than further north, and 

 is resident south of the Middle districts. Herons, as a group, are rather 

 southern birds; only these two just named proceed bej^ond the United 

 States, and most, if not all, are more abundant in the southern ]iortions 

 of the Union. They are particularly numerous in the South Atlantic 

 and Gulf States, where they breed by thousands, and in which districts 

 several species occur that are not found in corresponding latitudes in 

 the West. On the Pacific side we have no peculiar species, all that 

 occur there being of wide distribution. 



The breeding places of the Great Blue Heron on the Colorado Eiver 

 ofi'er no su<;h scenes as those of the same bird do in Florida, for in- 

 stance. There may, indeed, be places along this river overgrown with 

 low, dense woods, simulating a cypress swamp, where the birds may 

 resort to breed, along with the Wood Ibises ; but, for the most part, the 

 Herons that wend their way along the Colorado are only screened by low, 

 straggling mezquite, that scarcely hides them, or patches of arrow-wood 

 {Tessaria borealis), that they can overlook. Where the river flows deep- 

 est and swiftest, cutting its way through bold canons that rise frowning 

 on either hand like the battlements of giant castles — where the fervid 

 rays of the sun heat the rocks till they almost crack, and the sand 

 blisters the feet — there the Herons fix their nests, overhanging the ele- 

 ment whence they draw subsistence. The face of the cliffs in many 

 places is covered with singular nests of the Eave Swallow, breeding by 

 thousands; while on the flat projecting shelves of rock we find, here and 

 there, the bulky platiorms of twigs and sticks, and i)erhaps see the 

 sedate bird herself, setting motionless on the nest, hopefully biding her 

 time, cheered during her long waiting by the joyous troops of the Swal- 

 lows that flutter incessantly around. 



Wherever placed, on tree, bush, or rock, the nest of the Heron is a 

 large bed of twigs, more or less matted together with grasses and weeds, 



