NORTH AMERICAN MARSH BIRDS 113 



The greater portion of its food is secured from the salt marshes and the banks 

 and shallows of the numerous creeks that wind their way through them. It is 

 often seen in company of the smaller herons, particularly the little blue species. 

 At such times it is the first to take wing at the approach of danger, and usually is 

 far away before the intruder has arrived within 100 yards of the spot where it 

 stood. Upon stationing itself in a shallow creek to secure passing fish, if the 

 latter are scarce the bird will remain motionless in one spot for a long period of 

 time, apparenth' sluggish, and in an indifferent attitude; but when the fish are 

 plentiful it becomes very active, spearing them right and left in rapid succession. 



At sundown, or a little before, numbers of these stately birds can be seen 

 slowly winging their way toward the forested portions of the islands, there to 

 spend the night. They become much attached to these roosting places and will 

 not desert them as long as their aspect remains unchanged and the birds are not 

 greatly persecuted. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Breeding range. — Eastern United States and southern Canada. 

 East to Nova Scotia (Halifax) ; New Jersey (New Providence and Cape 

 May) ; Virginia (formerly Cobbs Island, Smith's Island and Cape 

 Charles) ; North Carolina (Fort Macon and Brunswick County) ; 

 and South Carolina (Waverly Mills and near McClellanville) . South 

 to South Carolina (near Charleston) ; eastern Tennessee (Athens) ; 

 Indiana (near Indianapolis) ; Illinois (Peoria and Bernadotte) ; north- 

 ern Iowa (Grinnell and Jefferson) ; and northeastern Nebraska 

 (Omaha). West to South Dakota; North Dakota; and soutlieast- 

 ern, probably British Columbia. North to northern Alberta (Edmon- 

 ton, Belvedere and probably Birch Lake) ; southern Saskatchewan 

 (Osier and Crane Lake) ; central Manitoba (Duck Mountain and 

 Shoal Lake) ; northern Ontario (Moose Factory and Rat Portage) ; 

 central Quebec (Lake Terr^iskaraing) ; northeastern Quebec (Anticosti 

 Island and Godbout) : and New Brunswick (Woodstock and Chat- 

 ham). 



Winter range. — East to Massachusetts (Onset and Boston) ; Rhode 

 Island (Point Judith) ; New York (Springs); New Jersey (Pine Bar- 

 rens) ; Virginia (Capo Charles) ; Bermuda (probably) ; North Caro- 

 lina (Raleigh) ; South Carolina (Charleston) ; Georgia (St. Marys) ; 

 and Florida (Orlando and Micco). South to Florida (Micco); Ala- 

 bama (Castleberry) ; Louisiana, probably; Texas, probably; and 

 north-eastern Mexico (Camargo, Tamaulipas). West to Tamauli- 

 pas, Mexico (Camargo). North to eastern Pennsylvania (Philadel- 

 phia) ; and Massachusetts (Onset). 



Spring migration. — Earl}^ dates of arrival arc Nova Scotia, YarnKuith, 

 March 31; Halifax, April 17, and Pictou, April 13; New Brunswick, 

 Grand Manan, April 3, St. John, April 10, and Scotch Lake, March 

 30; Illinois, opposite St. Louis, February 13, and Chicago, February 

 28; Wisconsin, Milwaukee, March 20, Elroy, April 1, Winneconne, 



