HERONS 133 



slate colored ; legs, feet and lores yellowish. Wing 9.00 to 10.50 ; culmen 

 2.80 to 3.40 ; tarsus 3.45. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern United States, breeding north to Illinois and Virginia 

 and southward through Central America to Columbia ; casual in spring and 

 fall north to Maine. 



County Records. — Cumberland ; one was taken at Scarborough in Septem- 

 ber, 1881, (Brown, B. N. O. C. 7, p. 123). Knox ; a fine male in the light phase 

 was taken at Carver's pond, Vinalhaven, April 1, 1902, by H, A. Arey, (Nor- 

 ton, Auk 1902, p. 285). Sagadahoc; I took a female whose ovaries were 

 much enlarged, at Popham Beach, May 19, 1901, (Spinney). Washington; 

 one was killed about two miles from Whitneyville on the Machias River, 

 August 16, 1906, by E. H. Smith, and is now in the collection of Manly Hardy 

 of Brewer (record of capture from Mr. Smith and identification from Mr. 

 Hardy). 



A few individuals casually straggle into Maine, but do not 

 breed here. In the south they nest in large colonies, often 

 associated with other species, in swamps and marshes. Three 

 to five dull blue eggs are laid. A nest found at Avery's Island, 

 Louisiana, May 4, 1895, was said by the collector to be a very 

 flat structure of sticks which was placed in a mimosa tree which 

 was growing on floating turf in a big swamp. The five eggs 

 from this nest measure 1.72 x 1.30, 1.71 x 1.30, 1.68 x 1.38, 

 1.70 X 1.29, 1.64 X 1.32. 



V 

 Genus BUTORIDES Blyth. 



201. Butorides virescens (Linn.). Green Heron; Little 

 Green Heron; S — t-poke. 



Plumage of adults : top of head dark greenish black ; throat and line down 

 front of neck to breast pale buff, mixed with dark on neck ; head and neck 

 otherwise chestnut with a cinnamon tinge ; interscapulars lengthened and 

 green ; back and wing coverts green, the former often with a bluish gray 

 wash, the latter bordered with light buff ; below grayish, often buffy washed. 

 Immature plumage : no lengthened interscapulars or bluish color on back ; 

 lower parts whitish with dark streakings. Wing 7.00 to 8.00 ; culmen 2.40 ; 

 tarsus 1.95. 



Geog. Dist. — Temperate North America, breeding north to Oregon, Ontario 

 and Maine ; winters from Florida to northern South America. 



County Records. — Androscoggin; raresummer resident, (Johnson). Cum- 

 berland ; uncommon summer resident near Portland, (Brown, C. B. P. p. 24); 



