136 



TWENTIETH CEIs^TURY CLASSICS 



of sticks, and lined with twigs in leaf. Eggs four or five ; 

 average dimensions of three sets, two of four and one of 

 -^ve, 1.52x1.10; light greenish blue; in form, oval to 

 elliptical oval. 



XLVII.— GKEAT BLUE HEKOK 



Ardea herodias (Lill.). 



Summer resident; quite common along the streams. 

 Arrive early in March; begin laying the last of March. 



Habitat. IsTorth America, from the Arctic regions 

 southward into northern South America, Bermudas, West 

 Indies and Galapagos. 



These birds are quite common in suitable localities, and 

 breed nearly throughout their range; a hardy species, 

 that only leave their northern resorts as the ice closes their 

 natural feeding grounds. They are solitary and silent 

 except during the breeding season, and even then are not 

 social, though often nesting in communities and with others 

 of the family; they seem to have no interest in common, 

 only coming together because the location suits them, and 

 at such times fight fiercely for a favorite branch or place 

 for a nest; while mated, however, the pairs are true to 

 each other, and share alike in the duties of nest building, 

 hatching and rearing the young. The latter is a laborious 

 work, and requires constant labor during the day and way 

 into the night, even where food is abundant, for their 

 growth is rapid and digestive organs great ; but when they 

 have only their own appetites to satisfy they generally 

 feed at morn and eve, resting during the day in swampy 

 lands and treetops skirting the waters. 



Their food consists chiefly of fishes, which they usually 



