184 BULLETIN 135, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



journeys, which may be caused by overcrowding on their breeding 

 grounds resulting in a desire to find new fields in which to search for 

 food. The little blue herons are much more often reported from north- 

 ern localities than the egrets, and during some seasons they are really 

 quite common in New England. Throughout the southern portion 

 of its range this species is a constant resident or, at least, always pres- 

 ent; but it withdraws in winter from all but the southern tier of 

 States. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — South America, Central America, Islands of the Caribbean 

 Sea and southern and eastern North America. 



Breeding range. — -North to Tepic (San Bias, Las Penas Islands, 

 and the Acaponeta River) ; Texas (Kerrville, Waco, and Houston) ; 

 Arkansas ( Arkadelphia, Osceola, and probably Wilmot) ; Missouri 

 (southeastern part); Kentucky (Bowling Green); North Carolina 

 (Craven and Hyde Counties); Virginia (Hog Island); and formerly 

 New Jersey (Cape May). East to formerly New Jersey (Cape May) ; 

 Virginia (Hog Island) ; North Carolina (Hyde and Craven Counties) ; 

 South Carolina (Washoe Reserve on the Santee River, Mount Pleas- 

 ant and Frogmore) ; Georgia (Savannah, Darien, Blackbeard Island, 

 and St. Marys) ; Florida (St. Augustine, Mosquito Inlet, Micco, and 

 Miami) ; the Bahama Islands (Andros and New Providence) ; San 

 Domingo; Porto Rico (San Juan and Vieques Island); Carriacou 

 Island; Tobago Island; Trinidad; British Guiana (Georgetown) ; Brazil 

 (Counani River, Bahia, Sao Paulo and Iguape) ; and Argentina (Mer- 

 cedes). South to Brazil (Iguape) ; Argentina (Mercedes) ; and Peru 

 (Tumbez). West to Peru (Tumbez) ; Ecuador (Vinces) ; Colombia 

 (Lake Paturia and Cienega) ; Panama (Castillo and Remedios) ; Costa 

 Rica (Punta Arenas) ; Nicaragua (Escondido River and San Juan del 

 Sur) ; Guatemala (San Jose and Chiapam) ; and Tepic (Las Penas 

 Islands and the Acaponeta River) . 



Winter range. — North to Sinaloa (Mazatlan) ; Texas (probably Tom 

 Green and Concho Counties, Brownsville, Refugio County, and prob- 

 ably Lee County) ; Louisiana (west side of Vermillion Bay, Marsh 

 Island, and the State game preserve) ; South Carolina (probably 

 Frogmore, Charleston, and probably the Washoe Reserve on the 

 Santee River); and North CaroUna (Currituck Sound). East to 

 North Carolina (Currituck Sound) ; South Carolina (probably the 

 Washoe Reserve, Charleson, and probably Frogmore) ; Georgia (St, 

 Maryi^) ; Florida (Alachua County, Fruitland, Micanopy, Mosquito 

 Inlet, Lake Harvey, Titusville, Kissimmee, Miami, and Upper Mate- 

 cumbo Key); the Bahama Islands; Haiti; Porto Rico; Cuba; an 

 southwards through the breeding range where it is resident. West 

 to Jalisco (Ocatlan); and Sinaloa (Mazatlan). 



