242 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



woods by the Swope Park rifle range attracts its occasional mi- 

 grating Bittern. On October 26, 1916, one was flushed from 

 the bare prairie south of the Country Club region. This is 

 characteristic of this species as they migrate broadcast over the 

 country and do not follow the streams as do others of their 

 kind. 



IXOBRYCHUS EXILIS (Gmelin). Least Bittern. 



Fairly common migrant and not uncommon summer resident. 



The Least Bittern arrives early in May and leaves in Sep- 

 tember. It has been known to breed in the marshy places about 

 Lake City and would no doubt be found nesting commonly in 

 the county if more suitable localities were to be found. Sev- 

 eral pair were found breeding at Sugar Lake, Platte County, 

 in 1916. 



It is a shy bird and active only in the evening in the places 

 where it nests. 



Subfamily Ardeinae. Herons and Egrets. 



ARDEA HERODIAS HERODIAS Linn. Great Blue Heron. 

 Common migrant and occasional summer resident. 



Great numbers of these large herons migrate up and down 

 the Missouri River and resort to sloughs, backwater and shal- 

 lows around sand-bars to feed. 



The earliest birds arrive around March 18th and all have 

 left by the last week in November. They have been found 

 nesting in the tall trees by the old Hiffner Lake near Atherton. 

 A few are met with regularly every summer during the entire 

 season in favorable feeding places in the Missouri Valley. These 

 birds may nest close by or a dozen miles away as they fly long 

 distances to feed. A pair observed during the summer of 1906 

 at the mouth of the Blue were believed to have a nest in the 

 timber on the Clay County side but it could not be located. 



HERODIAS EGRETTA (Gmelin). Egret. 



Formerly a summer visitant and possible summer resident. 



The Egret has not been seen in this vicinity for twenty years. 

 It was observed on the Blue River above Dodson in 1895. Tt 

 has been observed on the river lakes in Platte and Buchanan 

 Counties in former years. 



