THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 101 



Callender).^ Mr. Holmes states that it is a summer resident at Sum- 

 mit, but he has found no nests.^ Alexander Wilson stated that it 

 bred sparingly on the Delaware, and of recent years its nests have 

 been found rather frequently at Camden (Wilde-), Pensauken (Miller^ 

 and Hunt^), and at Pt. Richmond.^ Mr. W. B. Crispin tells me that 

 it is a regular breeder about Salem, and I have found it breeding 

 rather commonly along the bay shore at Cape May. About Princeton 

 Mr. Babson says it breeds commonly, and he found six nests during 

 the first week of June, 1900. 



When overtaken in the marshes the Least Bittern frequently re- 

 mains perfectly still, grasping the stems of the reeds, and with neck 

 extended and bill pointed skyward, sways back and forth with the 

 reeds, so closely resembling them that he is easily passed by, and is 

 not forced to expose himself by flight. When the danger is past he 

 drops to the muddy ground and goes skulking away. 



194 Ardea herodias Linngeus. 

 Great Blue Heron. 



PLATE 12. 



Adults. — Length, 42-50. Wing, 18-19.50. Above, blue-gray, the narrow 

 scapulars largely white ; primaries, shoulders, sides of crown and occipital 

 feathers, greenish-black ; sides of neck, rich vinaceous, white in front streaked 

 with black ; throat, sides of face and middle of crown, white ; long breast 

 plumes, gray and white ; belly, greenish-black ; thighs and edge of wings, light 

 chestnut ; crissum, white. 



Young in first autumn. — Similar, but duller, and without plumes on back or 

 breast ; crown, black ; under parts streaked with black, white and buff. 



Nest. — A large bulky affair of sticks, usually in a tall tree in retired wood- 

 land ; eggs, four or five ; pale greenish-blue, 2.50 x 1.50. 



Rather common transient throughout the State; most common 

 during April and from August 1st to November. Occasional in 

 winter, according to Turnbull, and one was seen December 9th at 

 Audubon, N. J., by S. N. Rhoads. 



In the southwestern counties the Great Blue Heron nests regularly. 

 One heronry near Pennsgrove, Salem county, that I visited some years 



' Also Abbott, Auk, 1907, p. 1. 



'Wilson, Bulletin, 1905, p. 9. 



'Fowler, Cassinia, 1903, p. 50. ■^^/'©^' "^ 



* Cassinia, 1907, p. 48. /^ A '^^•'^^ ■*' \ 



'^(library 





