BARTSCHJ HERONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA I I I 



swallows find an abundant food supply on the marsh and an open 

 field to train their wings for the long journey soon to be undertaken. 

 This arm of the Potomac is at this season almost completely covered 

 by wild rice and aquatic vegetation. The first covers completely the 

 low mud flats and furnishes the thousands of sparrows, reed-birds, 

 redwings, and ortolans with grain, while the latter forms a. dense 

 mat over all the water except the very narrow portion marking the 

 channel. This green water-carpet is a favorite resort of the herons, 

 and there may be seen the American Egret (Herodias egretta), that 

 large white heron second in size only to the Great Blue {Ardea 

 herodias) which is also present; the Little Blue {Florida ccerulea), 

 and an occasional Snowy Heron (Egretta candidissima) , all busily 

 engaged in finding their daily food. 



The most abundant of these is the Little Blue (plate xxxvii, i, 3, 

 4), although few would recognize him as such, for at the season re- 

 ferred to there may be at least fifty white birds (a color phase of this 

 species) to one of dark color. Their food consists almost exclusively 

 of crayfish, which at this season have the habit of flipping from the 

 bottom of the shallow water to the surface of the floating vegetation 

 where they lie quiet for some time and fall an easy prey to the hun- 

 gry heron. The Little Blue, like the Green Heron, seems to prefer 

 walking to wading, though he is much more active than the latter 

 species, flying up and down the marsh from one favorable feeding 

 place to another. They are sociable birds, always fond of company. 



The American Egret (plate xxxvii, 6) and the Great Blue (plate 

 XXXVII, 2) occur in about equal numbers. The former has been 

 known to nest at Arlington Cemetery. Both are fishers, fond of wad- 

 ing, the Great Blue even more so than the Egret. The latter fre- 

 quently joins the Little Blues, when he appears as a giant of the same 

 race. Among the host of white Little Blues there appears occasionally 

 a bird, much more trim and graceful, whose yellow feet distinguish 

 him at a glance from the other species. This is the Snowy Heron 

 {Egretta candidissima), shown in plate xxxviii, which is un- 

 doubtedly the most beautiful of all our waders, although it is quite 

 rare in the District of Columbia. 



As evening advances, the few Night Herons which remain go to 

 the Anacostia marsh, while the diurnal members rise one after 

 another and fly up the stream. I followed them one evening and 

 found a secluded place on the bank where the tops of several dead 

 trees were fairly well surrounded and hidden by green vegetation. 

 Here the herons had assembled in numbers and were preening their 

 beautiful dresses, preparing for the night which was fast approach- 

 ing (plate XXXVII, 5). 



