624 THE GREAT ULUE HERON. 



proportions; thighs cinnamon rufnus; lower tail-covfrts while; above nearly uni- 

 form slat}' blue; the scapulars lanceolate, sometimes varied with bluish white; 

 black shoulder tufts of plumulaceous feathers arching over benil of folded wing, 

 and continuous with black on sides of the breast ; wing-quills, lining of tlu' wings, 

 and sides bright plumbeous; lores blue; upper mandible yellowish-olive, blacken- 

 ing on ridge ; lower mandible yellow ; feet and legs black. The occipital crest of 

 the male contains two much elongated, filamentous, deciduous feathers during 

 the breeding season, liiunatiirc: Similar, Ijut top of head entirely black; with- 

 out specially colored or lengthened feathers on neck, sides of breast or scapulars; 

 upperparts inclined to fuscous; underparts with slaty and ochraceous in addition 

 to black and white; feathers on bend of wing and thighs lighter, or vinaceous- 

 rufous. Youuij ill first pliiiiiagc: Brownish-fuscous above, streaked and ^potted 

 with buft'y and whitish, narrowly on head and neck; below white, streaked with 

 fuscous and biiffy. Juvenile ])lumages vary interminably within these general 

 limits, but the bird is unmistakable. Length 42.00-50.00 ( 1066.8- 1270) ; extent 

 about 70.00 (1930.4) ; wing 18.00-20.00 (437.2-508) ; tail 8.25 (209.6) ; bill 5.00- 

 6.00 (127-152.4) ; tarsus about 7.00 ( 177.8) ; middle toe and claw 5.00 (127). 



Recognition Marks. — Eagle size; great size and bluish cast of plumage 

 unmist.'ikable. 



Nesting. — Nest, a Inmch or platf(.irm of sticks ])laced high in trees or, rarely, 

 on cliffs, liiji/s, 3 or 4, jiale blue. ,\v. size 2.50 x 1.50 ( 63.5 .x 38.1 ). Season: 

 April (West-side), May (East-side); one brood. 



General Range. — North .America from the .\rctic regions southward to the 

 West Indies and northern South America. Iiermudas ; Galapagos. 



Range in Wasliington. — Common resident on Puget Sound and its estuaries, 

 possibly less numerous in winter; not common summer resident and migrant east 

 of the Cascades. 



Authorities. — |Eewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Iliddle : Cones, \'ol. 

 H.. iS<). I Newberry, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. VI., Pt. I\'., 1857, p. 97. T. C&S. 

 L'. Rh. Kb. Kk. J. 



Specimens.— (U. of W.) l^rov. P. C. BN. E. 



.\S a ])icttiresque feature of the laiKlsca|)e. or oftener, the water- 

 scape, the Heron has no ri\al. Whether standing motionless upon the 

 fiats, with bills elex'atetl or depressed acciu'diiig as men or fish are the 

 objects iif ciu'rent moment, or wliether tlap]iing slowly across the scene, 

 they lend just that touch of sedate life which the artistic eye requires. 

 The Japanese have nowhere shown clearer credentials of authority in 

 art tlian in their handling of the heron motif in decorati\-e woi-k. \\'hen 

 the birds descend, it is as tho Heax'en had responded to the nnite incense 

 of Fujivama and gave gifts to men. \\'hen the birds tl\-, it is l)ecause 

 the follv of men has provoked the gods, and Jimnni Tenno frowns fn>m 

 the clouds. .And wdien the birds stand placid by ;i ])lacid jxiol, what 

 more fitting s\nibol of the ancient Nii)pon where tomorrow was like 

 }-esterday. 



The Great Blue Heron is, with lis, the largest of its kiiul ; ami while 



