BIRDS FOUND IN BAYOUS AND MARSHES 93 
94. GREAT BLUE HERON, OR BLUE CRANE, — 
Ardea herodias. 
Famity: The Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns. 
Length: 45.50. 
Adults: Crown and throat white ; sides and back of head white ; feath- 
ers lengthened to form a crest ; upper parts bluish gray ; under parts 
broadly striped black and white ; legs and feet black. 
Young: Top of head sooty slate ; throat white ; neck ashy, washed with 
light brown ; under parts streaked buff, slate, and white, with some 
black. 
Geographical Distribution: North America from arctic regions south- 
ward to the northern parts of South America. 
Breeding Range; Breeds locally in colonies wherever found. 
Breeding Season: April and May. 
Nest: A platform of coarse sticks ; placed high up in the tree ; always in 
colonies. 
Eggs: 3 to 4; pale bluish gray. Size 2.50 X 1.50. 
THe Great Blue Heron is a common species through- 
out California, and nests in almost every locality where 
it is found. At Muir Station, California, there is a large 
heronry in sycamore trees on the property of Mr. John 
Muir, and the noise of the young birds at feeding time 
can be heard half a mile away. The birds return to 
their heronry in February, and the young are hatched 
in April, though fresh eggs have been found as late as 
June 1. The young are fed by regurgitation, which in this 
case is a more than usually ludicrous performance. So 
violent is the shaking which each young heron undergoes 
in the process of receiving his food that he seems in 
imminent danger of being jerked out of the nest and 
hurled to the ground fifty feet below. 
These herons fly miles to obtain fish for food, and one 
or the other parent is en route during all the daylight 
