I I I GREAT BLUE HERON. 



OiLciR. AJiilt. Above, and on sides, flanks, and under wing-, liluisli-asli. darl;er;t (in winjis. and pult^-t on scapura- 

 nvs. T'p "f 'i".id. whit-^. vrith opeiput. and sides below this, bisck. .\ofk i-T Idi-^V-.-sh.iiiealc!"' ill thf I'Knte:- with black 

 and vvhitf. Central poriion- iielow. Wack strealced on middle of belly vviiii w'u-e. i.lnder tail c.ivert-, white. Tibia and 

 edge of wiug, rdie.-^;nut. Iris acd bill, yellow. Leg-, biown. Nakid .space about hsad, browiii.sh-ytll.-.w. 



Y(iu/i(j. Similar to tlie adtilt l)ut paler and tinned wicii reddis'.u top nf h -ad lael<s t'le winte. throat, wliite, neek, ashy; 

 and there are no plumes. Iris, feet, and bill, la'own, the latter yellow at base. 



OBSEKVATIUNS. 

 Florida specimens have tiie neck much lighter than mc;re nortiie: n hird.s, the upjier portion of it being frequently quite 

 white, licadily known by the largo size and colors as descriiied fcej f ucef eding species lor further comparison. Dis- 

 tributed, in summer, from Ilud^ou's Bay to Key West; wintering in the S aith. 



D1]MENSI()N.S. 

 Average measurements ofspeeiincns from Eu>t.rn North America. Length. 40'2.'j, stretch, 73()<l; vriiig, 1^) .'id; lail, 

 7'50; 1)111, 5'iO; tar.sus, 7'~.3. Longest specimen, 48'00: greatest extent of wing, T5'G:l; longest wing, :J0 (K); tail, HOD; bill, 

 G'OO; tarsus, ToO. Shortest spoeiir.on, <M''JO; smallest extent of wing, 70- oO; shortest wing, 1900; tail, 7O0; bill, 4 S,"!; tar- 

 sus, 7-00. 



DLSCKIl'TlOX UF NESTS AND EG(JS. 

 Nrs'.i, nli'.ced in trees (jr bushe.s, eomposed of sti 'ks, loosely avrangod. Fj/h^, two to four in nui;d>er, varying from 

 elliptical to o\:'.l in firm, greenish-blue in Color, unspotted. Dini.nsioas from I f'OA'J .">(! 1 1 I S).\2 S.i. 



H.ViMTS. 



There tire few liirds Avhieh umierstaiid liow to take cnre ol' ilieiiiselves, better thtui the 

 Gretit Blue Herons, for there is scarcely tin imliyiduiil tuaoiig tlieiii, which doe.s nut know, 

 to iin inch, the range of ;i shot gau. They ;ire very s'ly, even in Fhiriihi, where they are 

 extremely iibuudiuit, iinil where they spend their time, mncli its (hey do in the North, in 

 wandering singly, or in twos or threes, ;d)oat the beticlies tind on the muil ll;i(s. They feed 

 upon fish, iind a single blow from llieir powerful betdc, is sullifieut to kill a good sized 

 member of the finny tribes. When one of these birds is wouu(U'd tuid placed in ;i situti- 

 tion where it ctuinot use its long legs, it e;in wield this same weiipon so dexterously, Ihtit 

 it will often cause a dog to retreat in discomfiture, and even :i m;in is oftciriit ;i loss to 

 capture one living. These Herons tire ixirticularly pugnacious ;ind one that I kept in con- 

 finement in Florida, was tdv.'tiys retidy for, a (pmrrel, not only with me and my friemls, but 

 was tilso constantly trying to get at .some betiutiful White Herons, which I tillowed to go 

 at large, in order thtit he might strike them. This bird would occtisiontilly esctipe from 

 the inclosure in which he wtis kept, tmd would wander out to the neighboring betich, in 

 setirch of food. When I perceived that he wtis out, I would go in search of him, provided 

 with a long, slender stick. The Heron would carefully wtitch my approach, with head 

 drtiwn iu, until I got (juite near, when I would exchiim, "Go btick! Go btick!" tuid .shake 

 the stick at him; then the bird would suddenly startup, and with wings Italf extended, run 

 nipidly to his ctige, enter it, tiiul cree[i into a b.irrel which I kept kid on its side for him to 

 rest iu tit nigiit. This bird mtiutiged, tifter ti lime, to kill one out of three of my Whiie 

 Herons, when I gtive him his liberty. He lingered about the camp for a short time, but 

 iinally disappeared. 



I foiuid the Great Blue Herons breeding on tin ishuid in Soulli Lake, in the interior 

 of Florida, Lite in Fehrutiry. The nests contiuned both fresh eggs and ludf-growu you!^g, 

 with all sttiges between. Even at this early age, the more ;idv:iiu;e!l young exhibited the 

 peculiar characteristics of which I htive spoken, for they would h ;ive the nesis, wttlk over 

 the tree-tops, tuid endetivor to kill the helpless young of s)me White Herons thtit wc 



