228 THE BIRDS ABOUT Us. 



as far north as New Jersey, and are more common 

 along the coast than inland. 



The American Egret and the Snowy Heron, to 

 the casual observer, might be thought to be the same 

 birds as the preceding two, but white instead of blue. 

 When the four species are together, as I have seen 

 them, feeding in flooded meadows, they have a very 

 marked similarity in all their movements. They walk 

 gracefully, carry themselves in a stately manner, and 

 when flying are the embodiment of grace. They 

 float easily rather than laboriously fly. 



" Unfortunately, and to man's or woman's discredit, 

 very few of these birds are now to be seen : they 

 have been slaughtered for their plumes." This, writ- 

 ten of one species, is applicable to all. This is the 

 sad state of affairs in Florida, and in the Middle 

 States it is even worse. Practically, all our heronries 

 are deserted. It was the habit of these birds to build 

 in colonies, and in the space of an acre of woodland 

 would be a great number of nests. Now, when the 

 herons breed the nest is in some most solitary place, 

 and there will not be another pair of birds within 

 several miles. In many respects the herons are no 

 longer interesting. A single bird or a single pair 

 have become a matter of curiosity, but the " troops" 

 that added so much to the landscape years ago have 

 gone from us forever. 



It may not be long before we are reduced to the 

 little " Fly-up-the-Creek" as the sole representative 

 of the herons, and even these little fellows are in 

 some danger, as I have heard of their being eaten. 

 This bird, which is the Green Heron, and nicknamed 



