74 BULLETIN 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Resident; fairly common, mainly in coastal region. 



The West Indian great blue heron is found locally, mainly in 

 extensive lagoons and marshes near the coast. The species is seem- 

 ingly resident though no nesting sites have j^et been recorded. 



Cherrie saw these birds frequently in 1895 along the Rio Ozama 

 near Santo Domingo City, and Peters observed several along the 

 Rio Yaqui del Norte near Monte Cristi on February 6, 1916, and a 

 few others at widely scattered localities between Gaspar Hernandez 

 and the Rio San Juan early in March. Dr. W. L. Abbott observed 

 this bird on Lake Enriquillo near Duverge, and Bond found it in 

 1928 on this same large lake. Danforth records it at Monte Cristi 

 July 24 to 27 and August 5, 1927. Poole and Perrygo in 1929 in work 

 in the small islands of the Seven Brothers group off the north coast of 

 Haiti recorded one on Tercero Island on January 30, and one on 

 Ratas Island February 4. In both cases the birds flew across to 

 Monte Grande Island. Ciferri obtained two specimens near San- 

 tiago, D. R., January 1, 1928. 



An adult male taken by Abbott near Sanchez, February 12, 1919, 

 agrees with the diagnosis for the subspecies adoxa in being paler 

 above than Ardea herodias herodias of the United States. It has the 

 following measurements : Wing 467 mm., tail 180 mm., culmen from 

 base 149.8 mm., tarsus 178 mm. Very little material in this species 

 has been collected in the West Indies. 



There is comparatively little known of the occurrence of this 

 heron in Haiti. Dr. Paul Bartsch observed it on the Etang Saumatre 

 near Glore on April 3, 1917, and at Trou Caiman the following day. 

 In crossing the coastal lagoons and mudflats between Gonaives and 

 Desdunes by airplane on April 28, 1927, with Capt. R. A. Pressley, 

 United States Marine Corps, Wetmore observed about thirty of 

 these birds. The majority were in the delta of Riviere de 1' Estere, 

 south of Gonaives. On the same trip several were noted in the 

 coastal lagoons near Port-au-Prince. 



It was a curious experience to look down on these great birds and 

 the multitude of other herons from an airplane, and to observe the 

 confusion spread among them as the great vehicle approached and 

 passed. There would seem to be a rookery somewhere near Gonaives. 

 The birds usually nest in trees but where these are not suitable they 

 may select low bushes or may even make nests on the ground amonc 

 rushes. Danforth found them at Aquin July 23, Les Salines July 30, 

 and on Gonave Island July 16, 1927. Beebe reports a bird in im- 

 mature dress taken near Port-au-Prince and two others seen, one at 

 Source Matelas March 21, 1927- Bond saw them near Port-au-Prince 

 and Port-de-Paix, and says that they are rare. Poole and Perrygo 

 recorded one at Fort Liberte February 6, and three at Anse a Galets 

 on Gonave Island February 28. 



