28 BIRDS OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS 



191. L<east Bittern Ixobrychus exilis (Gmelin). 

 Rare and local S. R., chiefly near coast, Several records 

 for Essex Co. April 15 - Sept. 1. Fresh marshes and 

 swamps. Nest among rushes or in bushes. Eggs, June 

 1-29. 



194. Great Blue Heron ; " Crane" Ardea hero- 

 dias herodias Linne*. Common M. ; rare in sum mer and 

 winter. Formerly bred. Mar. 15 - June 4; (summer); 

 July 30- Dec. 20 (winter). Borders of streams and ponds. 



196. Egret ; American Egret Herodias egretta 

 (Gmelin). Occasional summer and fall V. from South. 

 April - Nov. 22. A notable flight occurred in 1911. Sev- 

 eral additional records for Essex Co. C. W. T. Eastham, 

 Plymouth, Marshfield. H. C. Farwell reports pair seen at 

 Newbury July 25 and 28; later, Aug. 1, one seen in company 

 with Blue Herons, and Aug. 27, one caused great commotion 

 in colony of Black-crowned Night Herons in Rowley, be- 

 ing probably one of pair first seen, deprived of its mate, and 

 seeking to fraternize with relatives. 



*197. Snowy Egret ; Snowy Heron Egretta can- 

 didissima candidissima (Gmelin). Accidental from South. 

 Swamps and lowlands. 



200. Little Blue Tier on Florida ccerulea (Linne*). 

 Very rare wanderer from South. April 14 - Aug. 



201. Green Heron ; Little Green Heron Bu- 

 torides virescens virescens (Linne). Common S. R. April 

 9) 26 -Oct. 16. Edges of freshwater streams and ponds. 

 Nest in small tree. Eggs, May 10 - June 2. 



202. Black-crowned Night Heron; Quawk 

 Nycticorax nycticorax ncevius (Boddaert). Common M. and 

 local 8. R.; rare W. R. near coast. Mar. 27 - Nov. 1 (win- 

 ter). Swamps, marshes, meadows. Nest of twigs in tree, 

 in colonies. Eggs, May 2 - June 13. At least one colony 

 of considerable size in Essex Co. 



203. Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctandssa 

 violdcea (Linne*). Accidental from South [April, Me., R. I.] 

 July - Oct. Swamps and marshes. 



GRUID^E. CRANES. 



*2O4. Whooping Crane Grus americdna (Linne*). 

 Extirpated. Probably a migrant in colonial times. Fresh- 

 water marshes and open lowlands. 



*2O6. Sandhill Crane Grus mexicdna (Miiller). 

 Extirpated. Formerly a Migrant. 



