ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 199 



see of it, in a semi-putrid condition, I would call it a young Little 

 Blue in the white phase" (Berry). Mills — Pottawattamie — "rare 

 summer resident. Seen during summer, but no record of breed- 

 ing (no nests seen)" (Trostler). Van Buren — "about fifteen years 

 ago two were seen, and eight years ago one was seen in our local- 

 ity — Hillsboro. They were dark (adults). Afterwards a farmer 

 of reliability and some knowledge of birds told me he saw four 

 little Cranes, three dark blue ones and one white with some blue 

 feathers." (W. G. Savage). Webster — "rare; one killed in Aug., 

 1898, and one seen later in same month, about Aug. 27"(Somes). 



Genus Butorides Blythe. 



74. (201). Butorides virescens (Linn.). Green Heron. 



The Green Heron is the commonest and best known of all the 

 Heron family found in the state. It is a solitary species, fre- 

 quenting the shores of wooded streams and ponds, where it may 

 often be seen dozing, with neck drawn back, on a dead limb or 

 stub overhanging the water, or standing on one foot upon a mud- 

 bank. When surprised it starts up with an alarming squawk, 

 flying up-stream for a short distance, where it alights and gazes 

 about with outstretched neck. It is generally common from 

 about the middle of April until the last of September. 



The Green Herons frequently nest in small colonies. Keyes 

 and Williams say that they "usually nest in small colonies among 

 the willows in swampy localities. Often a single pair is found 

 nesting a mile or two from water, and, occasionally, also in ever- 

 greens" (Bds. of Iowa, 120). C. F. Henning tells of a heronry in 

 a grove of maples in Boone county which the birds have used 

 since 1888 (O. & O., xviii, 1893, 123). In Winnebago and Han- 

 cock I have only found the nests singly, and in wild crab-apple 

 and plum thickets near streams; eggs laid about the last of May 

 or first week of June. Practically every observer who reported 

 gave the Green Heron as a common or abundant summer resident 

 in Iowa. 



Genus Nycticorax Stephens. 

 Subgenus Nycticorax Stephens. 



75. (202). Nycticorax nycticorax ncEvhis {^odi.^.). Black-crowned 



Night Heron. 

 The Black-crowned Night Heron is reported by most observers 



