^igoiP 11 ] Wayne, South Carolina Birds. 57 



visited Yemassee, and spent eight months collecting in that locality, 

 and although I frequently saw many Bitterns from March until 

 October, I was unable to obtain a nest with eggs. 



Hydranassa tricolor ruficollis. Louisiana Heron. — This 

 heron still breeds abundantly, and both young and adults winter 

 numerously in sheltered ponds on the coast islands. 



Florida caerulea. Little Blue Heron. — Breeds in enormous 

 numbers in the fresh- water 'reserves,' and both phases winter 

 abundantly on the coast islands. 



Butorides virescens. Green Heron. — Resident. This spe- 

 cies winters in small numbers on the coast islands. 



Nycticorax nycticorax nsevius. Black-crowned Night Her- 

 on. — - Breeds sparingly, and winters numerously on the coast 

 islands. While at Capers's Island, S. C, on Feb. 6, 1905, I saw 

 in a large pond of brackish water, all congregated together, and 

 seemingly in perfect harmony, the following species: — Ardea, 

 hcrodias, Hydranassa tricolor ruficollis, Florida ccerulea, and 

 Butorides virescens. 



Nyctanassa violacea. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. — 

 On April 20, 1896, I secured a nest and three eggs. The nest 

 was built in a short-leaf pine, 40 feet from the ground, on the 

 high land and half a mile from water. 



This fine species breeds in the cypress swamps; generally in 

 isolated pairs, and is as much a diurnal species as Ardea herodias. 

 On April 15, 1905, I counted sixteen individuals in a radius of 

 ten rods. The food of violacea, in the breeding season, is chiefly 

 cray-fish. After the breeding season, these birds resort to the 

 salt marshes, and feed chiefly upon 'fiddlers' and fish. 



Himantopus mexicanus. Black-necked Stilt. — ■ About the 

 middle of May, 1881, I observed at least two pairs of these 

 birds in a freshwater pond, with a growth of reeds, tussocks of 

 grass, and small myrtle bushes, on the extreme eastern end of 

 Sullivan's Island, S. C. These birds were very noisy, and their 

 antics so peculiar that I watched them closely for a long while. 

 In those days my knowledge of ornithology was very limited as 

 regards the distribution of species, and I was not aware of the 

 importance of my discovery. The day upon which these stilts 

 were observed, I was in quest of eggs of Sterna antillarum, Rynchops 



