NIGHT HERON. 279 



latter part of the following winter, when they seem to attain their extreme 

 length in a few weeks. 



The flight of the Night Heron is steady, rather slow,'and often greatly 

 protracted. They propel themselves by regular flappings of the wings, 

 and, hke the true Herons, draw in their head on the shoulders, while 

 their legs stretch out behind, and with the tail form a kind of rudder. 

 When alarmed they at times rise high in the air, and sail about for a 

 Avhile. They sail in the same manner before alighting on their feeding 

 grounds, which they rarely do without having previously attended to 

 their security by alighting on the neighbouring trees and looking about 

 them. Their migrations are performed under night, when their passage 

 is indicated by their loud hoarse notes resembling the syllable qua, uttered 

 at pretty regular intervals. On these occasions they appear to fly faster 

 than usual. 



On the ground, this bird exhibits none of the grace observed in all 

 the true Herons ; it walks in a stooping posture, the neck much retracted, 

 until it sees its prey, when, with a sudden movement, it stretches it out 

 and secures its food. It is never seen standing motionless, waiting for its 

 prey, like the true Herons, but is constantly moving about in search oi 

 it. Its feeding places are the sides of ditches, meadows, the shady banks 

 of creeks, bayous, and ponds or rivers, as well as the extensive salt-marshes 

 and mud-bars left exposed at low water ; and I have observed it to alight 

 in the ponds in the suburbs of Charleston towards evening, and feed there. 

 In all such situations, excepting the last, this bird may often be seen by 

 day, but more especially in the evening or morning twihght, wading up 

 to its ankles, or, as Ave commonly say, its knee-joints. Its food consists of 

 fishes, shrimps, tadpoles, frogs, water-lizards, and leeches, small Crustacea 

 of all kinds, water insects, moths, and even mice, which seem not less wel- 

 come to it than its more ordinary articles of food. When satisfied, 

 it retires to some high tree on the banks of a stream or in the interior of 

 a swamp, and there it stands, usually on one leg, for hours at a time, ap- 

 parently dosing, though seldom sound asleep. 



When wounded, this bird first tries to make its escape by hiding 

 among the grass or bushes, squatting the moment it finds what it deems 

 a secure place ; but if no chance of a safe retreat occurs, it raises its 

 crest, ruffles its feathers, and, opening its bill, prepares to defend itself. 

 It can bite pretty severely, but the injury inflicted by its bill is not to 

 be compared with that produced by its claws, which on such occasioUj^ 



