io6 



THE MUSEUM. 



which do not leave the nest or grove 

 until they become good flyers, and to 

 follow the parent birds some distance, 

 after which they go to their feeding 

 grounds about sun-set, and travel 

 backwards and forwards all night, of- 

 ten going a long distance. Their pe- 

 culiar 'quack' can frequently be heard 

 as they pass over; from which they 

 obtain their name — Squack or yua- 

 bird — the latter being the Indian. 



I^ike all the true Herons, they have 

 a straight, stout bill with cutting edg- 

 ges and three long white filamen- 

 tous plumes, drooping from the 

 glossy blusish-green crown, about 7 in. 

 in length, upon the back of the neck; 

 tibia naked, Ijasal web between outer 

 and middle toes, the latter of which is 

 pectinated on the outer side, hind toe 

 longest, and most curved, powder- 

 tracts in pairs on breast and thighs, 

 containing an acid oily substance, the 

 use of which has not yet been discov- 

 ered; possibly, it may be a provision 

 of nature to aid them in fishing; either 

 to attract the fish or color the water, 

 by the exudation of an oily substance, 

 drop by drop being squized out by 

 muscular contraction at will, upon the 

 surface of the water. 



Nesting places are not commonly 

 observed, although the birds may be 

 seen and heard flying over; they may 

 consist of five or six nests to a col- 

 ony of thirty or more, built in groves 

 of maple or walnut. Jack oak or cy- 

 press swamps; but usually near some 

 marsh, slough or pond. The nest is a 

 clumsy affair, built of sticks, lined 

 with hair or a few feathers, usually 

 one in a tree, but two to four are not 

 uncommon; they return year after 

 year, if the trees on the nesting ground 

 are not disturbed and water still re- 

 mains, stay until the young are able 

 to fly some distance, then leave their 

 nesting grounds for some other quiet 

 resort, usually going northwards; and 

 return in the Fall through the month 

 of October, during the dark of the 

 moon. 



I have had the pleasure of knowing, 



and frequently visiting a colony, for a 

 period of over twenty years. It con- 

 tains about 18 to 20 nests situated in 

 a walnut and maple grove, ] of a mile 

 from a farm house, distant about ^ 

 miles from a pond in one direction, 

 and a creek upon the other, within a 

 radius of i.\ miles from a small town. 

 They feed in both the creek and pond, 

 on frogs, tadpoles, fish, etc. ; and al- 

 though shot at, even in the roosting^ 

 and nesting grounds, do not desert the 

 place. Should a stranger appear in 

 their midst or a gun be fired, they will 

 take flight, and sentinels post them- 

 selves upon trees on the outskirts of 

 the grove, in size about 20 rods wide 

 by 40 in length. After a lapse of lO- 

 or 1 5 minutes, scouts will pass over, 

 and occasionally alight in the grove; 

 they 'quack' as they alight in the 

 dense foliage of the trees, revealing 

 their presence. 



I have never heard them call or ut- 

 ter any sound while feeding, for they 

 are silent birds; and like the Great 

 Blue Heron, will stand motionless in 

 one place for a long time. 



The measurements of an adult taken 

 from many specimens averages: length, 

 26 to 27 inches; wing, 14 inches; tar- 

 sus, 5 inches; bill and middle toe, 3 

 inches. 



The eggs are of a pale greenish-blue 

 color, four to five in number. 



Canada. 



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