OF EDUCATION 8 1 



a green gloss. The wings are of a delicate gray 

 color, and the throat and neck are white, also the 

 breast. The crest is of the same color as the back, 

 and there is a streak of black running from the crest 

 across the neck to the back. There is a plume con- 

 sisting of three small ones twisted together, reaching 

 from the crest to the back. The bill is black, and 

 the upper mandible projects out a little farther than 

 the lower. The upper mandible curves downward, 

 and the point is very sharp. The tail is rather short, 

 and is made up of twelve white feathers. The legs 

 are covered with feathers down to the first joint, and 

 they are quite large. The feet are made up of four 

 claws, three at the front and one at the back. 



" The Night Heron feeds upon the frogs, lizards, 

 insects, fishes, and mice, which he swallows whole. 

 There are four eggs, and they are of a delicate sea- 

 green color, and are about two inches long and one 

 and one-half in thickness. They are found at or 

 near the mouths of the Colorado, Brazos, Trinity, 

 and Sabine rivers in Texas, the Mississippi and 

 Pearl rivers in Louisiana, the Appalachicola and St. 

 Johns rivers in Florida, the Mobile River in Ala- 

 bama, and all the southern rivers up as far as the 

 Roanoke River, in North Carolina. These are their 

 winter homes, but in summer they go as far north as 

 the Penobscot River in Maine, and no farther. They 

 live in the marshes and all wet places." 



