ARDEID.K — THE HERONS — GAllZKTTA. 31 



iiinong the red cedars of Summer's Beach, on the coast of Cape May. The place was 

 sheltered from the Atlantic by a range of sand-hills, and on its land side was a fresh- 

 water niarsli. The cedars were not high, but were so closely crowded together as 

 to render it difficult to penetrate througli them. Some trees contained three, others 

 four nests, built wholl}' of sticks. The eggs, usually three in number, measured 

 If inches l)y 1]. The birds rose, without clamor, in vast numbers, and alighted on 

 the tops of the trees around. Wilson adds that this Heron was seen at all times 

 during the summer among the salt marshes, searching for food, or passing in flocks 

 from one part of the bay to the other. It often made excursions up the rivers and 

 inlets, but returned regularly in the evening to the cedars to roost. He also found 

 the same species early in June on the Mississippi as far u\) as Fort Adams, among 

 the creeks and inundated woods. 



According to Audubon, it is a resident throughout the year in Florida and in 

 Louisiana. It is very sensitive to cold, and does not remain in severe weather 

 near Charleston, nor return there in the spring before the 18th of March. It 

 reaches New Jerse\- the first week in May. In its migrations it flies, botli by night 

 and by day, in loose flocks of from twenty to a hundred, sometimes in lines, but 

 usually in a straggling manner. It is silent, and flies at a height rarely more than 

 a hundred yards. Its flight seems undetermined, yet is well sustained. In the 

 breeding season it has been observed to exhibit the most singular movements, now 

 and then tumbling over and over, in the manner of the Tiimbler Pigeon. It breeds 

 in large communities, is very social, and does not disturb such birds as seek to breed 

 in its neighborhood. Several nests are sometimes built in the same tree, and occa- 

 sionally so low that a person can easily see into them. Where it has been disturbed 

 it breeds in taller trees, but very rarely in high ones. The nest is usually over water. 

 Tlie structure is ratlier small, is l)uilt of dry sticks, and has a shallow cavity. The 

 eggs are usually tliree, measure 1-j-jV inches in length, and 1;^ in breadth, and are 

 broadly elliptical in form. Audidion states that while in the (.'arolinas, in the month 

 of April, this bird resorts to tlie borders of the salt-water marshes, and feeds prin- 

 cipally on shrimps. At the time the shrimps are ascending the Mississippi Eiver 

 this Heron is frequently seen standing on floating logs busily engaged in picking 

 them U13. At later jjeriods it feeds on small fry, crabs, snails, aquatic insects, small 

 lizards, and young frogs. 



This Heron, more than any other kind, is what Mr. jST. B. Moore designates as a 

 scraper, or raker, because it uses its legs and claws to start from their hiding-places 

 such animals as it wishes to seize for food — namely, crawfish, tadjioles, suckers, 

 aquatic insects, etc. In this movement it far surpasses all other species, and man- 

 ages its legs with greater adroitness and rapidity. On Feb. 18, 1873, he watched a 

 flock of seventy making their meal, being himself concealed within a few steps. In 

 the same pond were a number of the egretta, and a few of other kinds. Scarcely one 

 of tliis species obtained any food without raking for it, numbers being thus engaged 

 at the same time. The use of the foot was so rapid as to cause the whole body to 

 quiver. The scrapers will thus work sometimes iii water so deep as to reach their 

 bellies, and at times in water only an inch or two deep. Each species has its own 

 peculiar mode of managing its feet. 



On Apiril 27, 1867, Mr. Moore visited a heronry in Louisiana, where this species 

 and the Little Blue Heron were breeding in close proximity. He climbed to a tree- 

 top, where he could look down upon many nests. In seventy belonging to this species 

 he found, in ten five eggs in each, in a large majority four eggs in each, while some 

 had oidy one egg. 



