546 GREAT WHITE HERON. 



taining a good chance as I thought, I fired at a remarkably large bird, 

 and distinctly heard the shot strike it. The Heron merely croaked, and 

 pursued its course. Not another bird came near enough to be shot at, 

 although many had alighted on the neighbouring key, and stood perched 

 like so many newly finished statues of the purest alabaster, forming a fine 

 contrast to the deep blue sky. The boats joined us. Mr Egan had one 

 bird, the Captain another, and both looked at me with surprise. We 

 now started for the next key, where we expected to see more. When we 

 had advanced several hundred yards along its low banks, we found the 

 bird at which I had shot lying with extended wings in the agonies of 

 death. It was from this specimen that the drawing was made. I was 

 satisfied with the fruits of this day's excursion. On other occasions I 

 procured fifteen more birds, and judging that number sufficient, I left the 

 Herons to their occupations. 



This species is extremely shy. Sometimes they would rise when at the 

 distance of half a mile from us, and fly quite out of sight. If pursued, 

 they would return to the very keys or mud-flats from which they had 

 risen, and it was almost impossible to approach one while perched or 

 standing in the water. Indeed, T have no doubt that half a dozen speci- 

 mens of Ardea Herodias could be procured for one of the present, in the 

 same time and under similar circumstances. 



The Great White Heron is a constant resident on the Florida Keys, 

 where it is found more abundant during the breeding season than any- 

 where else. They rarely go. as far eastward as Cape Florida, and are not 

 seen on the Tortugas, probably because these islands are destitute of man- 

 oToves. They begin to pair early in March, but many do not lay their 

 ego-s until the middle of April. Their courtships were represented to me 

 as similar to those of the Great Blue Heron. Their nests are at times 

 met with at considerable distances from each other, and although many 

 are found on the same keys, they are placed farther apart than those of 

 the species just mentioned. They are seldom more than a few feet above 

 high water-mark, which in the Floridas is so low, that they look as if only 

 a yard or two above the roots of the trees. From twenty to thirty nests 

 which I examined were thus placed. They were large, about three feet 

 in diameter, formed of sticks of different sizes, but without any appear- 

 ance of lining, and quite flat, being several inches thick. The eggs are 

 always three, measure two inches and three quarters in length, one inch 

 and eight-twelfths in breadth, and have a rather thick shell, of a uniform 



