NORTH AMEEICAN MARSH BIRDS 127 



zona (Fort Verde) ; Utah (St. George) ; and occasionally to northern 

 Idaho (Meridian, Neeley, and St. Joseph River). 



Spring migration . — Early dates of arrival are: Colorado, El Paso 

 Count}', April 2, Salida, March 19, Littleton, March 24, Denver, 

 March 30, and Boulder, March 20; Wyoming, Cheyenne, April 3, 

 Sheridan, April 13, and Yellowstone Park, May 3; Montana, Bill- 

 ings, April 11, and Terry, May 2. 



Fall migration. — -Late dates of departure are: Montana, Terry, 

 September 24, Missoula, September 28; Wyoming, Yellowstone Park, 

 October 5; Colorado, Greeley, October 15, Boulder, October 16, Den- 

 ver, October 3, Littleton, November 3, and Teller County, November 

 27; west in migration to California, Sacramento Valley. 



Egg dates. — Utah, Nevada, California and Arizona: 24 records, 

 March 30 to May 30; 12 records, April 17 to May 9. 



ARDEA HEKODIAS HYPERONCA Oberholser 

 CALIFORNIA HERON 



HABITS 



The great blue heron of California and Oregon has been separated 

 as a distinct subspecies under the above name. It closely resembles 

 in color our bird of the Northeastern States, but it is said to be 

 decidedly larger. Its habits are similar. 



CourtsJdp. — Mr. J. B. Smith (1894) has published an interesting 

 account of the courtship of this heron, which I quote, as follows: 



Just before mating time in the spring, the birds hie them to some secluded 

 spot far from the madding crowd and there give themselves up to social ameni- 

 ties, at which times the male birds "show off" before the lady birds with a 

 vanity almost human. On these occasions the birds form a circle, and when 

 each has taken its position one of the older of the feathered frauds jumps into 

 the ring and proceeds with the showing off act. This consists of a series of skips 

 with wing-flapping accompaniment and curving of the neck. After any excep- 

 tionally striking display of agility the performer pauses and looks around with a 

 most ludicrous "How's that for high?" expression; and, just like girls say, " O, 

 ain't he sweet? " the lady herons sweetly k-r-a-a-k approval in the tones of the 

 basso profundo bullfrog, while the envious male birds chip in dissonant remarks 

 that rasp the atmosphere like the output of the horse fiddle. The performer 

 having exhausted his repertory retires to the ranks and is succeeded by another; 

 and thus the circus goes on until every male bird has made full display of his 

 callsthenic accomplishments and the seance closes. The birds then shake the 

 Vving for home. 



Nesting. — William L. Finley (1906) during the summer of 1904, 

 made several visits to a large heronry in a swampy region not very 

 far distant from San Francisco. He says: 



This heronry was in the center of a narrow wooded belt reaching out into the 

 swamp for about a mile. When we approached this thicket we saw the trees 

 were well loaded with nests. We skirted the edge of the belt looking for an 

 entrance, but to our surprise each place we tried to enter was barred with a 



