Mar., 1908 



SOME NOTES ON THE GREAT BLUE HERON 



81 



stantly walking about the colony, occasionally walking about in the water as one 

 photo shows. It is interesting to imagine how such apparently restless birds could 

 ever stay within the limits of a nest in the top of a tall tree. 



One very interesting feature of the young birds were the differences in the sizes 

 of one brood. In one nest there were four young, the smallest about the size of a 

 quail, while the largest would have outweighed a Canvasback. In some nests a 

 dead bird could be seen beneath the feet of its brothers, and many nests were seen 

 with only two half -grown birds in it and with the rotting remains of the other two 

 birds beside the nest. 



After collecting several sets of eggs we left the heronry and took our long tire- 

 some row back home, swearing to come "via launch" next time. But on May 

 12th we again visited the colony by rowing out, and found everything much the 

 same as it was a month before. Young in all stages of growth were present, also 

 fresh eggs. 





THE NOISY AND COMBATIVE STAGE 



Allowing three weeks for eggs to hatch, and four, tho five is probably more 

 correct, for the birds to be reared, our observations tend to show that the colony 

 was in active operation from March 1st to July 1st. 



Several Japanese oyster men were seen on our second trip and they told us that 

 no one ever went near the colony. It is thus evident that the herons have now 

 an isolated and safe place to rear their young, and also are in the center of their 

 fishing ground which is quite an item considering that at their old colony food had 

 to be carried six or seven miles to their young. 



The eggs are of the usual pale greenish blue color, and sets number 2, 3 and 4, 

 with three and four about equal in occurrence. The eggs vary somewhat in size 

 from a short fat variety to a long sharply pointed size. The average of 8 sets at 

 hand is 2.48 x 1.80 inches. This shows them to be .30 inches wider than most 

 zoological works give them to be. 



Stanfo}'d University, California. 



