54 



ALTRICIAL (;I{ALLAT(>1;KS — IIKIMDIUNES. 



11: 



i i 



it'tiu'ii ill the early spriiij;, in titicks of fiom twenty to litty. 'riicir nii<,'iations are 

 inadi' at ni^lit; in tin- fall, lio' ver. tlicy Hy siii.i;ly. or in .small Hocks. In the 

 aulmrhs of ('liarlcston. and in the ni'ii,'lil)o!lioo(l of other Sontliern cities, this llerou 

 is known to Ituihl its nest close to houses, and even to raise its brood on the trees of 

 a garden. 



Mr. .Moore continns the stuteiiient of .Mr. .Viuliiiion, that a few of this s])ecu'S 

 roinain in Florida diiriiij;' the winter. On the Sarasota some were seen throughout 

 nu)st of tlie winter; and as this s|iecies always fre([uents close and tangled woods, 

 if the spot is supiilieil with water and affords ahiindant food, it may e.\ist in eou- 

 siderahle numiiers. and yet esciipe noti<'e. 



This Heron has its own iieculiiir iniinncr of searching for its food, which in sonic 

 respects differs from that of ;il! tlie other kinds. It li.shes from the shore or from a 

 log, root, snag, or shelving rock, preferring not to wade into tiie water or to stantl in 

 it; still, on seeing a tempting morsel, it will ([iiit its point of ohscrvation and walk 

 into the water towarils it. Its approach ;it siudi times is peculiar; though the Louis- 

 iana Heron seems occasionally to cojiy its style, e.\ce]it that the latter is constantly 

 in the water at the time cd' tishing. The (ireeii Heron. Iiowever. on seeiiig a tisli, 

 crouches low on its legs, draws i)ack its head, crooks its neck, creejis slyly along, 

 laying its tarsi almost down on the rock or tlie groinid. carries the iiill levid with the 

 toj) of the hiick. and when nc.ir enough darts the iiill forward towards it. .sometimes 

 with suidi foi'ce ;is to toi)|)le forward a step or two. It scddom immerses its head in 

 iishing. is always dis])osed to steal upon its prey in a sly, cat-like. crou(diing : laniier, 

 remaining quite motionless for a long time, and often advancing so slowly and 

 stealthily that even ii keen-eyed oliservcr would iiardly perceive the motion. Its 

 antipathy to and jcalon.sy of its own species at tiie feeding-grounds is decided. Its 

 eggs are found from the l.Sth of April to the 1st of .Fune ; there :ire rarely more than 

 four in a nest. 



Two eggs of this species, from Lake Koskonong. Wisconsin, in my collection 

 (No. 1J)()5) nu'asure. one. 1.4."» hy l.L'O inclies; the other. Lid hy Llli inches. They 

 are of oval form, slightly rounded, aiul e(piid at cither end. Their color is like th;\t 

 of the Heron family — a light wiish vi' I'russian iilne .strongly tinged with green, 

 rather brighter than iu other kind.s, and of a lighter shade. 



Gkxis NYCTICORAX, Stki'iikn-s. 



Xycticoraj; SrF.riiKNs. .Sli.iw's (liti. 'Ai»A. W. xi. ISlii. (iOS (tyi>c, .Inliu nycticorax, LiNN.). 

 Ki/fHiirdcK, .Swains. Classit'. B. ii. ls;(7, :!5t (siiiiii> type). 



Oen. Char. Mcdium-siziMl licniiis of very .'*li(irt tliick luiild, large, thick hofids, and .xliort 

 tai-si. Tiie phuiinge cxoeoiliiigly (lilfciciu in the adult ami yeuiig. but thu sexes similiir. Adults 

 with two or tliree ex< ('nliii|,'ly long tlircml-likc, white oriipilal ]ihuiu's. 



Hill very .xtoul, tlie depth tliionnii the liase lieing more than one fourth the eulinen ; tiie latter 

 nearly straight for the hm\\ two tliirds, tlieii gently eiirved to the tij) ; lower edge of the iiian- 

 djlmlar rami nearly slniight ; gnnys nearly str.iiuht. very sligiitly aseending ; ina.\il]ary toinium 

 decidedly eoneave, with a very convex outline just foiwanl of the rictus. Mental apex reaching 

 more than iialf way from tlie centre of the eye to llie point of the hill, and to heyond the anterior 

 end of the nostril ; malar ajiex failing a liMh' slio,t of the frontal apex. Tarsi a little longer tlian 

 tiie middle toe, its naitdh- h<:ntijo)i ■' h> fmnl : lateral toes neatly ei|ual, hut the outer tiie iong'T ; 

 Imlluxless tliuii half tlie middle t. e; l.aiv jioitioii of iil)iii shorti^r tliuii the haliiix. inner wehs 

 of two outer immaries distinctly eniarginatetl near thu end. Tail of twelve broad, moderately 

 hanl featiiers, as in tiie typical Herons. 



