THE GREEN HERON. 



475 



whitish; the primaries dusky slate, with glaucous and greenish reflec- 

 tions ; the inner primaries and secondaries narrowly tipped with white ; under 

 parts slaty or brownish gray, with buffy or ochraceous washing, and irregularly 

 outcropping white ; bill dark green above, yellow below ; iris and lores yellow ; 

 feet and legs greenish yellow. Immature: Occipital crest not so long; crown 

 streaked with cinnamon ; chestnut of neck not so deep, reduced in extent ; back 

 feathers unmodified, plain, glossy greenish ; wing-coverts broadly margined with 

 ochraceous, some of the feathers, with the outer scapulars, having wedge-shaped 

 tips of buffy or whitish ; under parts whitish, striped with greenish- and reddish- 

 dusky, most heavily on sides of breast and neck. Length 16.00-22.00 (406.4- 

 558.8); wing 7.25 (184.2); tail 2.70 (68.6); bill 2.47 (62.7); tarsus 2.05 

 (52.1) ; middle toe and claw 2.00 (50.8). 



Recognition Marks. — Crow size; chestnut and greenish coloration above. 



Nest, a platform of sticks placed at moderate heights in bushes of swamp or 

 trees of neighboring orchards, etc. Eggs, 3-6, pale greenish blue. Av. size, 1.50 x 

 1. 14 (38.1 x 29.). 



General Range. — Temperate North America from Ontario and Oregon, 

 southward to Colombia, Venezuela, and the West Indies ; Bermuda. 



Range in Ohio. — Abundant summer resident. 



THE Green Heron is the commonest and best distributed bird of this 

 group and is almost solitary in its habits. Arriving about the middle of 

 April the bird soon seeks out the best fishing holes along the streams, or 

 else retires to the forest glades to take in the spring concert season of the 



frogs. When __ — surprised at his 



work, the frog- -i_fjr.ffl8g|%y§& ^i______ catcner either rises 



with a fright- ^SfS&t^k "&v?*"'- : ^!f____i_S__. enef ' •"/ ""'^ 



nd _•_£__£&;„ „___£___- :_9la__. 



HERON WAITS 



