A Colony of Herons 
smaller game, both inland and on the coast, 
comes, I believe, from pure and unadulterated 
depravity, the seeds of which the world seems 
to be everywhere full of. 
This bird, which on some occasions presents 
a very noble and poetic aspect, is two feet long, 
and, when flying, shows a breadth of almost four 
feet, from tip to tip of the wings, rivalling the 
majestic size of the largest hawks. Although 
he is called the ‘‘ black-crowned,”’ it is rather a 
dark glossy green upon the top of the head and 
covering a portion of the back, while the re- 
mainder of the upper side is a soft bluish gray, 
with a lilac tint. The under side, and the two 
or three very long and slender plumes, reach- 
ing from the hind-head down over the back, 
are a lilac-tinted white. More prominent bits 
of color are found in the large black bill, the 
red eyes, and the long yellow legs dangling 
backward as he flies. The immature speci- 
mens, which are numerous in the fall, have a 
very different plumage of motley brown, and 
quite resemble the rather ignoble bittern. 
It is not at all to be wondered at that those 
whose hearts are not aglow with ornithology 
should seek to rid themselves of such clamorous 
neighbors as the night herons are; for, in 
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