264 The Green Heron 



human neighbors. Green Herons sometimes come to ponds where fish 

 are being propagated, and cause the owners annoyance by eating many 

 of the young that have been hatched and are being raised with so much 

 care. This very naturally causes the fish-breeder to become worried, and 

 sometimes he gets his gun and shoots the birds. From the data which 

 have been carefully gathered we now believe that Green Herons, as a 

 whole, do comparatively little damage, but that, on the other hand, they 

 may render mankind a distinct service. Quite apart from seeking revenge 

 from any real injury they may do about fish-ponds, many men shoot 

 them whenever they get the opportunity for the mere pleasure of seeing 

 whether they can hit them ; and thoughtless and ill-trained boys have been 

 known to kill these trusting birds with little rifles, all of which is wrong. 



Another influence which has tended to decrease their 

 Birds'-nesting numbers has been the craze among boys for collecting 



birds' eggs. They have taken a peculiar pleasure in 

 this pursuit ; and so extensively has the practice been carried on that Green 

 Herons, as well as other birds of certain regions, have been largely 

 depleted in numbers. Collecting eggs should never be indulged in 

 except by persons whose knowledge and real scientific purpose warrant 

 the State authorities in granting them a license for the purpose. Even 

 then, the collecting should not be carried on to an extent which will be 

 appreciably injurious to the well-being of the birds. 



In most of the States in the Union it is now against the law to kill 

 Green Herons except under permits granted by the State authorities, 

 and all right-minded persons should unite in giving these statutes their 

 most hearty support. 



Classification and Distribution 



The Green Heron is classified as belonging to the Order Herodiones, the 

 Suborder Herodii, Family Ardeida-, and the Subfamily Ardeince. It is found in 

 suitable localities from Oregon and Ontario southward to the West Indies and 

 Venezuela. Besides the eastern form, to which this leaflet especially refers, two 

 geographical races or subspecies are recognized by ornithologists : viz., Frazar's 

 Green Heron (B. v. frasari), a slightly larger, darker form in Lower California, 

 and Anthony's Green Heron (B. v. anthonyi), a pale desert-race in northern Cali- 

 fornia and southward through arid Mexico. 



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