A Little Blue Heron Rookery 165 



Almost as SDon as wc left tlu' place, the old birds returned and settled down 

 as though nothing had occurred. 



On May 9 we again visited the rooker\- and found nearly all of the eggs 

 hatched, and many of the young large enough to climb u]) the bushes, and this 

 they do by the use of their bills as well as their feet. Another visit on May 15 

 found many of the young birds sitting up on top of the bushes.. 



In the vicinity surrounding the rookery, is an excellent place for marsh- 

 loving birds, and among its tenants were Red-winged Blackbirds, Least Bit- 

 terns, Purple Gallinules, Florida GaUinules, and a pair of Wood Ducks. Two 

 or three species of Swallows were flying about. A Cormorant and several Anhin- 

 gas flew over that part of the lake while we were there. We found several nests 

 of the Red-winged Blackbird, some containing eggs and some young. A Least 

 Bittern's nest was also found in the bushes, and a nest of the Southern Parula 

 Warbler in the long 'moss' (Tillandsia) on a cypress tree. 



The Herons approach their nests by flying as much as possible over water. 

 They come in flying rapidly, and alight near their nests, — then with a few 

 peculiar squawks they approach the nest and feed their young, and then fly 

 away in search of food again. After a great deal of watching, we failed to see 

 the adult Herons feeding in the lake. This, we thought, was strange because 

 to us the immediate vicinity seemed to afford good feeding grounds. We heard 

 lots of frogs, and saw bream, or sunfish, swimming in the shallower parts of 

 the lake. 



The young Herons have one habit in comnKjn with the vultures, — although 

 not so well developed, — and that is, when handled or disturbed too much they 

 sometimes eject the contents of their stomachs. On account of this habit, we 

 learned that their food consisted of frogs, fish, and crayfish. 



There are two birds which cause the Herons a great deal of annoyance. 

 One is the Kingbird which will pursue a Heron every time one comes close 

 to his perch, and he gives him quite a chase, the Heron squawking and doing 

 his best to get away. Another tormenter is the Red-winged Blackbird which 

 will angrily chase a Heron if it gets near his nest, and this the Herons can hardly 

 avoid doing in going from and coming to the rookery. 



These Herons are not nearly so plentiful at this place as they were tliree 

 years ago. Either some have changed their nesting places, or they are decreasing 

 in numbers, — probably the latter. 



