78 BIRDS OF THE HUDSON HIGHLANDS ; 



lined with loose green leaves, plucked from a neighboring tree. Four 

 or five is the usual complement of eggs ; but six were taken from one 

 nest, on May 23, 1877. In flight, the Heron's neck is retracted so 

 that its head nestles upon its shoulders, and its legs extend straight 

 behind, looking like a couple of long, central tail-feathers. Sticks, 

 for building, are carried crosswise in its beak. Oviposition begins 

 early in May; but (as I have also observed in young birds of other 

 species) the immature Herons breed somewhat later than do the 

 patriarchs of the settlement, and these newly-wedded birds may be 

 found having fresh eggs late in the month. 



As one enters the swamp, the sitting Herons leave their nests with 

 heavy wing-strokes, and loud quawk-qnawk, which, as they alight in 

 distant pine-trees, are followed by a series of guttural, and barking 

 sounds. When shot they usually clutch the first branch they strike, 

 and cling to it as long as life remains. One that I shot as it flew 

 overhead lodged in a tree-top, holding on to a branch with its feet, 

 with body hanging down; soon, however, it managed to hook its bill 

 over the limb, and finally got upon the branch, and sat erect, but 

 suddenly fell oft' its perch quite dead. On the ground, they attempt 

 to escape by running swiftly through the patches of tall ferns, brakes 

 and bushes, which grow so abundantly in the swamp. One of my 

 shots broke the wing of a flying Heron. It fell to the ground, and 

 ran through some beds of high ferns, croaking so fearfully that I 

 soon had the entire Heronry "squawking" over my head, as I pursued 

 my wounded bird. At length it squatted, but as its white plumage 

 could not readily be concealed, I caught it, and ended its existence, 

 after no tame struggle on the Heron's part; meanwhile its cries were 

 deafening. 



Night Herons breed while still in immature plumage. A male in 

 the dress of the second season was shot while carrying a stick to its 

 nest, on May 23, 1877. It sailed into a distant tree, where I dis- 

 covered it sitting upright, with neck drawn in. Soon it grew weak, 

 swayed from side to side, at last drooping, as life became extinct, but 

 still clinging to the branch, although I found it quite dead on climbing 

 up to dislodge it. In this stage, its eyes are light red. In still 

 younger birds, during the first autumn, the iris is sfraw-color ; but, as 

 I have previously stated, the nestlings have very light red irides. 

 While I sat in the tree-top examining my prize, a fine old bird 

 alighted close beside me, standing erect, with crest alternately raised 

 and depressed the only expression of a fear so intense as to par- 

 alyze every muscle. It sat erect, with neck extended. I noted es- 

 pecially the beauty and brilliancy of its eye, and that the long 

 occipital feathers fitted together so as to present the appearance of a 

 single long plume, hanging over the back and down by its side. At 



