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68 



ALTRICIAL GRALLATOUES — HEUODIONES. 



in all the inundated lands, in company with the other kinds of Heron, and its food is 

 tlie same. During the day it perclies in the mangrove trees, waiting for tlie sun to 

 set before it goes in quest of its prey. In .laniaiea, aeeording to Gosse, thougli com- 

 mon, it is mucli more frequently lunird than seen; and its loud and hoarse ipio/,; heard 

 in tlie dark solitudes, is often a souree of great alarm to the superstiticms negro. In 

 floating down the larger streams, especially those nuirgined by overhanging man- 

 groves, it may be frequently seen, seated on some high briinch whieh comnumds a 

 wide prospect ; but no sooner does a canoe api)roach, than, spreading its wings, it sails 

 heavily off, with its customary outcry. It is vigilant and suspicious, and by no means 

 easily shot. "It is," adds Mr. Gosse, "a noble bird. Its commanding lieight, erect 

 attitude, stout-built frame, fiery eye, powerful beak, hanging crest, and handsonuf 

 plumage, give it an imposing aspect.'' Crabs and other crustaceii, form its principal 

 diet. If wlien wounded it falls into water, it can swim well and rai)idly, with head 

 erect, and its body not more immersed than that of a duck. The young Night Heron 

 in its spotted plumage is known in Jamaica as the Guinea-hen Quok. It is a common 

 fall and winter visitant of Bermuda. 



Mr. Kidgway found it quite common in the vicinity of Sacramento City, as well as 

 on the banks of the Carson and Truckee rivers, and in the neighborhood of Great Salt 

 Lake. Mr. J. A. Allen met with it near Fort Hays, in "Western Kansas ; fvnd in 

 Sejjtember he found it tolerably connnon in the valley of Great Salt Lake. Accord- 

 ing to Mr. Gosse, it breeds in large communities in Southern Wisconsin, on islands in 

 the lakes ; the nest is usually on low trees a few feet from the ground. Mv, Nelson 

 also found this species breeding in the almost impeiu'trable wild rice swamps of Lake 

 Michigan, in apparently improbable locations. He saw in Grass Lake — a widening of 

 Fox Kiver — over fifty nests placed in the midst of particularly dense bunches of ri(;e, 

 the stiff last-year's stalks of whicli, converging near the roots, formed a convenient 

 base for their sujjport. Tlie nests were all well-built structures, composed of small 

 pieces of dead rice-stalks from two to ten inches in length. They averaged from 

 twelve to fifteen inches in diameter ; and so firmly were they built, that he could 

 stand on them without doing them any perceptible injury. 



Dr. J. G. Cooper states that the Night Heron is common in California throughout 

 the year, migrating in the summer at least as far to the north as the Columbia. It 

 is found chiefly in the freshwater marshes. He saw one of its breeding-places at 

 Santa Cruz, in a small grove of negundo trees, surrounded by cultivated iields and 

 near a house. The nests were about the size of those of the Crow, and built in the 

 usual loose manner ; about the 1st of June they were observed to contain young. 

 A number of Crows and Owls were on the watch for any luckless young bird they 

 could manage to steal away in the absence of its parents. The old birds were very 

 watchful during his visit, and flew around overhead. 



This species appears to be pretty universally distributed over the United States, 

 occurring in isolated colonies in situations where food is abundant. It was found in 

 numbers throughout Texas by Mr. Dresser ; and Mr. I'oardmaii informs us that its 

 heronries are met with on the coast and in the interior of Maine, although the species 

 is not abundant in the neighborhood of Calais. According to Giraud, it visits Long 

 Island in the early part of April, and remains there until quite late in the autumn ; 

 ajul that writer was informed that it hius been occasionally met with in the depth of 

 winter. It inhabits the overgrown margins of watercourses and prnds, seldom ven- 

 tures abroad by daylight, and at such times is rarely seen, unless, met with by acci- 

 dent. At twilight it is seen flying over the marshes and following the streams, 

 reconnoitring for food, which consists of fisheSj frogs, mice, and lizards. AN'hen 



