GKALLATORES. 897 



The GREAT BLUE HERON, A. Herodias, is a species allied to 

 the Common Heron of Europe, and met with in every part of the 

 United States. It is over four feet in length, and six feet in the ex- 

 panse of its wings. The bill is seven or eight inches long and 

 very sharp pointed. This bird is partly nocturnal in its habits ; 

 a portion of its breast is covered with a down which is said to be 

 phosphorescent ; it is to be found from Texas to South Carolina ; 

 feeds on crabs, eels, and various other fish. 



The GREENISH BLUE HERON, A. virescens, (Lat. verging to 

 green,) is more generally known than most other American spe- 

 cies, being widely spread in spring, summer, and autumn. It 

 has the popular names of Chalk-line, Polk, Fly -up-the- Creek, 

 &c. The length is about seventeen inches. 



The BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON, A. discors, (Lat. dis- 

 cordant,) is from twenty-six to twenty-eight inches in length. In 

 many respects it resembles the Common Heron in its habits, 

 breeding like that bird, in company with others, on the topmost 

 branches of trees. During the day it roosts in the recesses of 

 woods in the vicinity of swamps and rivers, which it visits at 

 night in quest of prey. It feeds on fish, aquatic reptiles, sea- 

 lettuce, (ulva latissima,) grasshoppers, and other large insects. 

 The popular name of Quawk, or Qua-Bird, is given to it on ac- 

 count of its deep guttural cry. It closely resembles the A. nyc- 

 ticorax, (Gr. raven of the night.) the Night-Raven of Europe. 



The GREAT AMERICAN WHITE EGRET, A. leuce, (white ;) A. 

 egrelta, (Wilson, Aud. and Bonaparte,) is forty inches in length ; 

 of a snowy white plumage, sometimes tinged with yellow. Its 

 food consists of frogs, salamanders, mice, moles, &c. This 

 bird is found from the Equator to 43o N. L. It is closely allied 

 to A. alba, or Herodias alba, the White Heron of Europe. 



BITTERNS. 



These are represented in the genus Botaurus, (Lat boo, to cry 

 out ; taunts, a bull.) They are widely diffused and solitary 

 birds, haunting woody swamps and marshes ; hid all day and 

 feeding at night. As might be conjectured from their haunts, 

 they feed mostly upon aquatic animals. They spread over both 

 hemispheres, but are not found in Australia. Everywhere they 

 are noted for their voracity. The names Mire-Drum and Bull 

 of the Bog are sometimes given to these birds on account of the 

 drumming or bellowing noise for which they are famous. The 

 English name Bittern was formerly spelled Bittour, and like the 



