DESTROYED FOR THEIR PLUMES 149 



straight, and the fish is seized between the mandibles. The 

 fish is not stabbed through and through, as is generally sup- 

 posed. In swallowing a fish, it is, of course, taken head first. 



Herons, egrets and ibises are gregarious, or sociable, in 

 their nesting habits. In other words, they are fond of nest- 

 ing together; and a place of many nesting birds is called either 

 a "heronry," or a "rookery." The nesting sites are chosen 

 with due regard to seclusion and food supplies. Usually the 

 heronry is located in low trees that stand on a small island, 

 or else grow up out of a swamp or bayou, so that without a 

 boat they are almost inaccessible. 



Thirty years ago the greatest and most numerous heron- 

 ries in the United States were in Florida, on the headwaters 

 of the St. Johns, on the edge of the Everglades, the Big Cypress 

 Swamp and the small rivers and creeks that run down to the 

 sea. To-day it is difficult to find in Florida a heronry worthy 

 of the name, or one which belongs to a large assemblage of 

 birds; but there are a few, carefully protected by wardens. 

 Herons, egrets and ibises have been so persistently destroyed 

 for their "plumes" that not more than one-fiftieth of the 

 original number remains. 



As will be seen by the following table, the Order Hero- 

 diones contains quite a number of important water-birds 

 which are not herons: 



ORDER HERODIONES 



FAMILIES. EXAMPLES. 



HERON Ar-de'i-dae Herons, Egrets and Bitterns. 



STORK Cic-o-ni'i-dae Wood Ibis. 



IBIS I-bid'i-dae White Ibis and Scarlet Ibis. 



SPOONBILL Plat-a-le'i-dae Roseate Spoonbill. 



