BIRDS OF ONTARIO 23 



Genus HERODIAS. 



(*) (196J American Egret. 

 (Herodias egretta.J 

 A wanderer from the south. About half a dozen speqirnens have 

 been taken at various points in the Province. 



ft 



Genus EGRETTA. 



{*) (197) Snowy Heron. 



(Egretta candidissima.) 

 An accidental \isitor to our southern border. 



Genus BUTORIDES. 



{201) Green Heron. 



(Butorides virescens.) 

 A regular, though never a common summer resident of Ontario. It 

 appears to be generally distributed, but is more frequently found breed- 

 ing in the swamps near Lake Erie than elsewhere. 



Genus NYCTICORAX. 



(202) Black-crowned Night Heron. 



(Xycticorax nycticorax naevius.) 



A regular and in places a common summer resident. They breed in 

 the interior of the Province in communities. 



As they are quite nocturnal in their habits, they are not often ob- 

 served even where they are common. 



Genus NYCTANASSA. 



(203) Yellow=crowned Night Heron. 



(Nyctanassa violacea.) 

 One taken at Toronto by Mr. John Maughan. 



Order PALUDICOL^. (Cranes, Rails, etc.) 



Wading birds. The head rather compressed than globose. Bill 

 hard and not sensitive, not adapted for probing in the mud. The hind 

 toe little elevated. Omnivorous feeders. 



Family GRUID.^^. (The Cranes.) 



Very large birds, with the legs and neck extremely long. Wings 

 large, rather short. Tail short. Head more or less naked, with scattered 

 hairlike feathers. Pkm^age compact without downv tracts. Bill as long rr 



