|-j^ NIGHT HERON. 



to Key West. They wade about the shallows, in search of fishes or frof;s, and when dis- 

 turbed, will rise with a shrill cry, which they repeat several times as they fly along the 

 water, to alight on some favorite tree, from which point of observation, tlicy will anxiously 

 scan the intruder, with out-stretched necks. In the North, where they arrive early in 

 May, they build their nests in some secluded thicket, in the neighborhood of ponds or 

 streams, depositing their eggs about the first of June. Here the birds are rather solitary 

 (luring the breeding season; but in Florida, where they lay in March and April, they often 

 assemble in small heronries, and I have taken as many as fifteen nests, from one small is- 

 land which was only a few yards in diameter. Among the Keys, they often phice their 

 domiciles on the roots of the mangroves, frequently not over six inches above high water 

 mark. 



The Little Green Herons are not very shy birds, when not persecuted, find in Florida, 

 they are, very tame, allowing one to walk wilhin a few yards of them. They make inter- 

 esting pets and [ once kept three which I had captured Avhen quite young, all one summer. 

 Tliese birds which were allowed to go and come as they chose, always spent the night in 

 a barrel which was laid on its side in a lot't, the Herons gaining access to it, by passing 

 through a partly opened window. These birds would always come to me when called, and 

 remained about the place until autumn, when they departed, evidently migrating with oth- 

 ers of the same species. 



GENUS IT. NYCTIARDEA. THJ: NKillT HERONS. 



Gen. Cii. Bill, quite slwrt and ihkk. Leys, not very lony. Tail J'val Iters, twelve, stiffened. Head or bach, provided 

 with lenthcai-d plnme-liksfeatliers. 



Meml)ernof tlu.>< ffenu=i are con^'picuous oQ account of their nocturnal habits, tlieir eyes being remarkably large. There 

 are two species witliin our limits. 



NYCTIARDEA GRISEA. 

 Night Heron. 



Nyrtinrdeagrisen Sw., Classif. Birds, II; 1S37, 354. 

 DESCR[PTION. 



Sp. Cii Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, long, slender, and tipering gradually to tip v.iioh is pointed, llead,- 

 provided with three or four long, slender plumes. Lower fourth of tibia, naked. 



Coi.oii.- Adult. Top of head and hack, black, glossed with green; remainder of upper .surface, yellowis!i-ash. Fore- 

 head and under surface, creamy-white. Naked sjiace about liead, greenish. Bill, black, yellow at base i.f lower mandi- 

 ble. Iris, deep carmine. Legs, yellow. 



Youny. Similar to the adult, but the hlack above i.s replaced by yellowish-rufous; the wings are strongly tinged wiih 

 rufous, and the plumes are lacking. 



Youny of the year. Dark-brown tlirimghout, with the feathers streaked witli yellowish-ruf )us and the wings a re tipped 

 with white. Asliy Ixdow, streaked with dusky. Iris, yellow, and feet, greenish. This plumage is retained until tlic fol- 

 lowing sj>ring. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is a singular form of tliiss|iecies which occurs both North and South, in which theyoung become mueh bleached, 

 being, in fact, pale brown, strciked with white. xVll stages of plumages occur between the youug and adult. Known bv 

 the peculiar form, long jdumes, and C(]Iovs as described. Distributed, in summer, from Canada southwar'l; wintering 

 from jMawachusetts to Florida. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 24"75; stretch, 44-60: wing, 12'i5; tail, 

 1 3.5; hill, 2 91); tarsus, S'lo. Longest specimen, 25-50; greatest extent of wing, 45-00; longest wing, 12 50; tail, 4 43, hill, 

 3-15; tarsus, 3-35. Shortest s|)eeimen, 24-00; smallest extent of wing, 43-00; shortest wing, 12-00; tail, 420; liill, 2-/5; tai- 

 i-u-^, 3-00. 



