CATALOGUE OF VERTEBRATES. 607 



color grayish blue; dusky below and black ou sides of head; 

 white on crowu and white stripes below ; back of head crested in 

 breeding season. Length, 48 inches; tail, 7 inches; bill, 5| 

 inches ; tarsus, 6| inches ; female much smaller. 



"Are first seen in April, but never appear to be as numerous as 

 in August and September. They are equally abundant through- 

 out the State, unless it be in the northernmost counties. Breed 

 in swamps, but few in number, in the central portion of the State, 

 and more frequently in Cape May county. During early spring 

 and nidification remain inland the greater part of the time, but 

 congregate about rivers and larger creeks in August. . They feed 

 on fish and reptilia, and are strictly inoffensive. The three last- 

 mentioned species were formerly very abundant^ 



A. egretta, Gmel. [Herodias, Gr.) American Egret. White Heron. 

 Great White Egret. 



Pure white ; head without lengthened feathers ; a long train 

 on back in breeding season. Length, 40 inches; bill, 5 inches; 

 tarsus, 6 inches. 



"Arrive a little earlier generally than the preceding, and are 

 at all times more common, but never abundant. Frequent mea- 

 dow lands and the skirts of, swamps rather than the river shore, 

 and are less shy. Build in trees, at considerable elevation, but 

 so slightly is the nest put together that the young generally 

 destroy it when but a few days old, and are compelled to sit upon 

 branches, if they have been lucky enough not to have fallen to 

 the ground. Their food is fish and frogs principally. Strictly 

 inoffensive. This and the above species are semi-nocturnal in 

 their habits." 



A. ccerulea, L. {Florida, Bd.) Little Blue Heron. 



Legs blackish or bluish ; plumage slaty blue ; young white ; 

 no dorsal plumes, but head with elongated feathers. Length, 

 24 inches; bill, 3 inches; tarsus, 4 inches. 



" Occasionally are found as early as March 15th, if the weather 

 be at all moderate. Vary very greatly in a series of years as to 

 their abundance in the State. During the summer of 1860 they 

 were very abundant along the Delaware, as high up as Belvi- 

 dere, and very many bred along Crosswicks and Watson's Creeks, 

 tributaries of the Delaware, in Mercer county. They were 

 quarrelsome with allied species, and drove off" the night-herons, 



