307 



period of the summer's day, selecting: usually suoli shallow 

 inlets as the ebbing tide leaves bare or accessible to his 

 watchful and patient mode of prowling; here, wading to the 

 knees, he stands motionless amidst the timorous fry, till some 

 victim coming within the com'pass of his wily range is as in- 

 stantly seized by the powerful bill of the Heron » * * * 

 If large, the fish is beaten to death, and commonly swallowed 

 with the head descending, as if to avoid any obstacle arising 

 from the reversion of the fins or any hard external processes. 

 On land our Heron also has his fare, as he is no. less a suc- 

 cessful angler than a mouser, and renders an important ser- 

 vice to the farmer in the destruction he makes among most 

 of the reptiles and meadow mice. Grasshoppers, other large 

 insects, and particularly dragon-flies, he is very expert in 

 striking, and occasionally feeds upon the seeds of pond lilies, 

 contiguous to his usual haunts. Our species, in all probabilityi 

 as well as the European Heron, at times preys upon the young 

 Ijirds which may be accidentally straggling near their solitary 

 retreats." 



In the niontiis of M;ii-ch and April, 1885, I exaniiiu'd 

 (lie .sliMiiarhs of I wciil \ -tlu-f*e of the.se birds wliieh had 

 ticcu kilh'd In- ]iluiii('-liiiiiter.s in Orange and Volusia 

 founties, Floiida. Twclv.. l)ir(is liad fed ciidrelv on 

 fish; throe Iiad la]<( ii lisli and <i:i\ lisli; I wo, sniali 

 «nai<es: onc.fro.^s and lish: oii,.,(isli and a lew tVallnTs: 

 "lie, Inires of hc'llcs: lluv,. l.irds Wciv drslihil,. .if all 

 food nialerials. 



