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THE HEUONS AND BITTERNS. 



The family Ardeidae contains, it is said, about seventy-five 

 species which are very generally dispersed throughout all parts 

 of the globe. A few species wander to cold countries but the 

 great majority of these waders inhabit the lower temperate and 

 tropical countries. In different localities throughout the United 

 States about eighteen species and varieties (local or geograph- 

 ical races) are recorded by modern writers: and of these 

 nine species have been taken during recent years in Pennsyl- 

 vania. Some species occur with us as regular summer resi- 

 dents, while others are observed here only as transitory visi- 

 tors in the spring and fall migrations. 



These birds frequent muddy banks of rivers, creeks, lakes 

 and ponds; they are also found about swampy meadows and 

 marshy places, particularly if the latter are well supplied with 

 pools of shallow water, protected by trees or bushes. Birds of 

 this family often remain quiet or inactive in daytime, but as 

 evening approaches, or in the night, they go out, like the Owls, 

 in quest of food, which they secure by rapid and dexterous 

 thrusts of their long, spear-like bills. 



Birds of this family subsist chiefly on various kinds of fishes, 

 frogs, snakes; and they also eat other kinds of animal food, 

 such as large insects, field mice, lizards, toads, cray-fish, 

 leeches, etc., and some of the birds of this group eat rats as 

 well as the young of birds of other species which breed about 

 their favorite feeding resorts. The Great Blue Heron, the 

 Night Heron and the Great Bittern all, it is asserted, have been 

 observed to catch ducklings of both wild and domesticated 

 species. Last year a farmer near Harrisburg shot a Great 

 Blue Heron which he said had killed several young chickens 

 which were about a carp pond near his spring house. 



The damage which Herons or Bitterns do to wild birds or 

 domesticated fowls is very insignificant; indeed, it is very sel- 

 dom that a Heron or Bittern attempts to capture the yoimg- 

 of any feathered animals. 



