BIRDS OF THE GRAND PRf; REGION. — TUFTS. 163 



summer resident. Common on the Grand Pr6 

 in fall from middle of August to middle of 

 October. Nests in May. Anj^ sluggish stream or 

 pond hole with reedy margin is a likely place to 

 find these strange looking birds. 

 194. Ardea herodias herodias Linn. Great Blue Heron; 

 "Crane." — Summer resident, occurring from about 

 April 10 to latter part of October. Most common 

 during the fall, about the extensive mud flats which 

 are bare at low tide — also commonly seen during 

 the spring and summer about the inland fresh-water 

 lakes and streams. On May 22nd, 1913, I had 

 the rather rare privilege of visiting a heron colony in 

 the Cloud Lake region near the Kings-Annapolis 

 line. Securing information from a trapper as to the 

 approximate location of this colony, I started 

 with a guide through heavily wooded country. 

 Our ob.iective was a ridge of land, ten miles distant, 

 which separated two small lakes. Arrived there, 

 we found it covered with a magnificent growth of 

 giant, shaggy trunked, yellow birches. After much 

 ranging back and forth we reached the vicinity 

 of the nests, and soon the birds, attracted by the 

 noise we made, were flying overhead uttering 

 their raucous cries. A few minutes later we found 

 ourselves in the midst of the heronry — and a noisy 

 place it was. A few big spruces and hemlocks were 

 interspersed among the birches, and the top of 

 each one served as a perch for an old heron, which 

 by 'the aid of toes and flapping wings, was able to 

 hold on after a fashion. Over 50 nests ciould be 

 seen, but of these only about 20 were new. Two 

 trees contained three nests; several had two, but 

 in most cases there was but one nest to a tree. 

 They were fastened among the topmost twigs, 



