54 ALTRICIAL ailALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



return in the early spring, in flocks of from twenty to fifty. Their migrations are 

 made at night ; in tlio fall, however, they fly singly, or in small flocks. In the 

 suburbs of Charleston, and in the neighborhood of other Southern cities, this Heron 

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

 a garden. 



Mr. Moore conlii'ms the statement of JMr. Audubon, that a few of this species 

 remain in Florida during the winter. On the Sarasota some were seen throughout 

 most of the winter ; and as this species always frequents close and tangled woods, 

 if the spot is supplied with water and affords abundant food, it may exist in con- 

 siderable numbers, and yet escape notice. 



This Heron has its own peculiar manner of searching for its food, which in some 

 respects differs from that (.)f all the other kinds. It tishes from the shore or from a 

 log, root, snag, or shelving rock, preferring not to wade into the water or to stand in 

 it; still, on seeing a tempting morsel, it will quit its point of observation and walk 

 into the water towards it. Its api)roach at such times is peculiar ; though the Louis- 

 iana Heron seems occasionally to copy its style, except that the latter is constantly 

 in the water at the time of fishing. The Green Heron, however, on seeing a fish, 

 crouches low on its legs, draws back its head, crooks its neck, creeps slyly along, 

 laying its tarsi almost down on the rock or the ground, carries the bill level with the 

 top of the back, and when near enough darts the bill forward towards it, sometimes 

 with such force as to topjjle forward a step or two. It seldom immerses its head in 

 fishing, is always disposed to steal upon its prey in a sly, cat-like, crouching manner, 

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

 stealthily that even a keen-eyed observer would hardly perceive the motion. Its 

 antipathy to and jealousy of its own species at the feeding-grounds is decided. Its 

 eggs are found from the 18th of April to the 1st of June ; there are rarely more than 

 four in a neSt. 



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

 (No. 1963) measure, one, 1.15 l)y 1.20 inches; the other, 1.10 by 1.12 inches. They 

 are of oval form, slightly nninded, and equal at either end. Their color is like that 

 of the Heron family — ;i, light wash of Prussian blue strongly tinged with green, 

 rather brighter than in other kinds, and of a lighter shade. 



Genus NYCTICORAX, Stephens. 



Nydicnrax, STEniEN.s, Shaw's Gcii. Zool. XI. xi. 1S19, 608 (type, Ardcanyctkorax, Linn.). 

 Nydiardca, SwAlxs. Classif. B. ii. 1837, 354 (same type). 



Gen. Ch.\r. Medium-aizecl herons of very short thick luiiW, large, thick heads, and short 

 tarsi. The plumage exceedingly different in the adult and ymniL;-, but the se.xes .similar. Adults 

 with two or three e.xceedingly long thread-like, white occipital plumes. 



Bill very stout, the depth through the base being more than one fourth the cuhnen ; the latter 

 nearly straight for the basal two thirds, then gently curved to the tip ; lower edge of the man- 

 dibular rami nearly straight ; gonys nearly straight, very slightly ascending ; maxillary tomiuni 

 decidedly concave, with a very convex outline just forward of the rictus. Mental apex reaching 

 more than half way from the centre of the eye to the point of the hill, and to beyond the anterior 

 end of the nostril ; malar apex falling a little short of the frontal apex. . Tarsi a little longer than 

 the middle toe, its sattelke hexagonal in front ; lateral toes nearly equal, hut the outer the longer ; 

 hallux less than half the middle toe; bare portion of tibia shorter than the hallux. Inner webs 

 of two outer primaries distinctly enflirginated near the end. Tail of twelve broad, moderately 

 hard feathers, as in the ty]iiial Hei'ons. 



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