bartsch] 



HERONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 



107 



similar, only louder and more vociferous, if such be possible. All 

 sorts of notes are heard, from the weak " pip, pip, pip, pip " of the 

 tiny baby to the loud clucking of the parents, the latter reminding 

 ^one strongly of the ejaculations of a sitting hen which has been sud- 

 denly dipped into a barrel of cold water and then released. 



Fish seem to form the chief article of the heron's diet, and the little 

 yellow perch appears to contribute the largest share ; at least this was 

 the conclusion reached from an examination of the contributions and 

 accidentally dropped material. I also noted several small eels, one 

 small garter-snake, and parts of frog skeletons, but no crayfish. 

 The young are fed by regurgitation. 



On June i, 1902, I made a systematic survey of a colony of herons, 

 the results of which are tabulated as follows : 



Colony I (June ist, 1902)^ 



Total nests examined 6i 



" eggs 4 



" young birds (40 in nests, 28 on branches), 68. 



Note. — Nests numbered 62 to 'j^ were not examined, but if the same average 

 number of young to the fourteen nests be allowed, this colony should have 

 produced 88 young in 1902. 



^ In the above tables «== young in nests, &^ young in branches, c = nest 

 well chalked but empty, .' = empty without positive signs of having been 

 occupied this season. 



