166 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



with its fellow birds in an undulating manner, 

 in long lines, rather widely separated. 



The night heron as well as the snowy heron 

 closely resemble in their habits the rest of the 

 species, the blue heron emulating that of Louis- 

 iana, in the ease and grace of its motions. 



Frequenting the Floridas, abounding more 

 towards the south, are the brown pelicans, the 

 most interesting of their species. Hovering over 

 the waters, diving for prey, or slumbering midst 

 the mangrove's branches, these birds there exist 

 in multitudes. Despite their weighty proportions, 

 they possess great powers of flight, being able 

 not only to remain many hours on wing, but to 

 rise high in the air, where they perform the 

 most beautiful evolutions. In genial weather, 

 congegrating in groups, as though for social en- 

 joyment, they rise, flock after flock, in broad 

 circles, till they reach, pSrhaps, the height of a 

 mile, when with their wings constantly extended, 

 they float gracefully, coursing each other, as if 

 in an aerial labyrinth, for an hour or more at a 

 time. Suddenly with wonderful velocity they 

 dart downwards and settle on the waters, where 

 they ride like a dusky fleet along the billows. 

 Or sometimes alighting among their favourite 

 mangroves, they spread their wings to the breeze. 

 When about to repose, they rest upon the sand, 

 or remain standing, when they draw their head 



