436 Wheelock, Nesting Habits of the Green Heron. [oc^ 



at all and, as this seemed more or less cruel as well as troublesome, 

 we gave up trying to record their weight. 



It was also interesting to note that, when first hatched, the herons 

 stretched up to a height of three and one fourth inches and when 

 seven days old eleven inches. The legs and feet, at first pinkish, 

 were, at seven days old, a yellowish green, and at fourteen days had 

 become a pale bluish green. The legs also had lengthened from 

 one inch to four inches. The same change in color occurred in the 

 skin about the end of the bill and around the eyes, it gradually 

 assuming a brilliant pale green in place of the pinkish yellow of the 

 newly hatched chick. The bill, one third of an inch long and of a 

 soft yellow, at hatching, at fourteen days was nearly two inches in 

 length and beautifully streaked longitudinally with brilliant pale 

 green. As is characteristic in all young herons, the lower man- 

 dible was longer than the upper. 



Another most remarkable change had taken place in feather 

 development, the close white down that had enveloped them 

 like swansdown having separated with the stretching of the skin 

 into long waving hair like filaments, among which the feather 

 quills protruded like spines on a hedgehog. Although bill, neck 

 and legs were remarkably strong there seemed to be no power in 

 the wing muscles as yet and the wings hung down at the sides in a 

 loose-jointed fashion most distressing to the photographer. 



Although always described as uttering a 'squawk' when disturbed 

 the adult herons were silent on every occasion when we were about 

 the heronry, leaving and returning to their nests without any audible 

 protest against our intrusion. 



We at first supposed that this species, being solitary, would not 

 indulge in the 'dances' so characteristic of herons in general and 

 were delightfully surprised just at nightfall in June to see one of 

 these lone fishermen indulging in a 'hornpipe.' It was evidently 

 for his own amusement, although possibly his mate may have been 

 an unseen witness. Backward and forward, with queer little hops, 

 he pranced first on one foot and then on the other. Although a less 

 elaborate performance than similar ones I have watched by the 

 Mademoiselle Herons, and particularly by the Black-crowned 

 Night Herons, yet it was evidently prompted by the same exuber- 

 ance of spirit, like a small boy who must turn a somersault or burst. 

 The effect is as ludicrous as though a long-legged, dignified D. D. 

 were to pause in his learned discourse and execute a double shuffle. 



