LOUISIANA EGRET-YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON— BRANT GOOSE. 



127 



England, and winters in the South. He is found in Mexico, 

 Central and South America, and the West Indies. He seldom 

 advances very far inland from the marshy coasts where he breeds. 

 These breeding places are usually occupied for many years, and 

 are only abandoned under the most relentless persecutions. They 

 are located in low, wet, and, as far as man is concerned, almost 

 inaccessible swamps, surrounded by stagnant waters. The nest 

 is built sometimes near the ground, sometimes in the top of some 

 tall evergreen, a hundred feet in the air. It is large, flatish, 

 formed of sticks carelessly laid together, and so loosely arranged 

 as to frequently need repair. This nest is built out on the branches 

 or against the trunk of the tree, as is most convenient ; and hun- 

 dreds of them will be found in a single heronry, frequently three 

 or four on a single tree. The eggs vary in number, running all 

 the way from three to seven. They are thin-shelled, and in color 

 are plain light seagreen. The young are soft and downy, and at 

 first are very helpless, but they soon gain in strength, and climb 

 to the upper branches, where, hanging by their bill and claws, 

 they are fed by the parent bird. Two broods are raised every 

 season, and the first brood is frequently seen gathered around the 

 nest in which their younger brothers and sisters rest, waiting with 

 them to be fed. They are omnivorous eaters, and must tax the 

 industry of their parents to the utmost. There are few things in 

 nature more repelling than one of these heronries. The treach- 

 erous, water-sogged surface of the swamp will be white with the 

 excrements of the birds, the air hot, close, and insufferable with 

 its penetrating odor, and fine particles of these excrements floating 

 in the air will cause the perspiring body of the intruder to smart 

 wherever they touch. Decaying fish are everywhere, slowly rot- 

 ting, and intensifying the intolerable stench ; while, at the ap- 

 proach of the intruder, the air is filled with a clamor like the 

 breaking out of Pandemonium. The flight of the Night Heron is 

 slow, steady, and greatly protracted. With head and shoulders 

 drawn in, with the legs and tail stretched out behind, they propel 

 themselves by regular and measured flapping of the wings. They 

 migrate at night, when their passage is indicated by the hoarse 

 croakings, which resemble q-u-a-w-k. His food consists of fish, 

 shrimps, tadpoles, frogs, leeches, and mice; and when he has 

 dined to his heart's content, he will retire to some high tree, and 

 there, resting upon one leg, will doze motionless for hours. Before 

 he attains his perfect state, he undergoes three annual plumages. 

 According to Dr. Abbott, they winter near Trenton, N. J., in 

 small numbers. He arrives in his northern breeding grounds 

 early in April, and remains until very late in the autumn. 



Louisiana Egret — Louisiana Heron. (Ardea leucogastra> var. leuco- 

 prymna.) 



Fig. 3- 



This beautiful Heron is confined mostly to the Southern Atlantic 

 and Gulf States. He is a constant resident of the southern penin- 

 sula of Florida, and is found along the whole Gulf of Mexico, 

 extending up the Mississippi as far as Natchez. He is a sociable 

 bird, and is found in company with the White Egret and the Blue 

 Heron. His nest is built close to the sea shore, on low bushes, 

 and in close proximity to those of his kind. It is formed of small 

 dry sticks, laid across each other in various ways, is nearly flat, 

 and has but little lining. The eggs are usually but three in num- 

 ber, very thin-shelled, nearly elliptical, smooth, of a beautiful pale 

 blue color inclining to green, and measure 1.56 by 1.25 inches. 

 Incubation continues but three weeks, and but one brood is raised 

 during the season. The young do not obtain their full plumage 

 until the second year, while they increase in size for some time 

 after. The flesh of the young is fairly prized for eating ; his own 

 food consisting of worms, slugs, snails, tadpoles, aquatic lizards, 

 and insects. The Louisiana Heron is very graceful in all his 

 movements, and extorted from Audubon the name of "Lady of 



the Waters." We quote from the latter's somewhat florid diction : 

 "Watch its motions," he says, " as it leisurely walks over the pure 

 sand beaches of the coast of Florida, arrayed in the full beauty 

 of its spring plumage. Its pendent crest exhibits its glossy tints, 

 its train falls gracefully over a well-defined tail, and the tempered 

 hues of its back and wings contrast with those of its lower parts. 

 Its measured steps are so light that they leave no impression on 

 the sand, and with its keen eye it views every object around with 

 the most perfect accuracy. See, it has spied a small fly lurking 

 on a blade of grass ; it silently runs a few steps, and with the 

 sharp point of its bill it has already secured its prey. The min- 

 now just escaped from the pursuit of some larger fish, has almost 

 rushed upon the beach for safety ; but the quick eye of the Heron 

 has observed its motion, and in an instant it is swallowed alive." 



Yellow-crowned Night Heron. (Nyctherodius vtolaceus.) 



Fig. 4- 



The range of this Heron is confined to the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf States, and to South America. He breeds in bayous and 

 low thickets. He is alike diurnal and nocturnal in his habits, and 

 subsists on aquatic and terrestial animals, eating young birds, 

 snakes, small quadrupeds, leeches, lizards, crabs, snails, and fish. 

 His nest is determined by the abundance of food, and is placed 

 high or low as circumstances may require, sometimes in the very 

 top of the loftiest cypress, and again in low bushes. This nest is 

 very like that of other Herons, being formed of dry sticks very 

 loosely put together, mixed with a few weeds, and sometimes 

 scantily lined with fibrous grasses. The eggs are rarely more 

 than three, very fragile, pale blue, inclining to green in color, and 

 measuring about 2. 00 by 1.25 inches. The young leave the nest 

 before they are able to fly. The difference in latitude determines 

 the time at which the young are hatched ; the further north the latei 

 the period of incubation. The beautiful slender plumes on the 

 head and back usually fall oft' after the period of courtship, when 

 the female commences her task of warming her eggs to life. The 

 young birds, when just ready to fly, are much prized for food, the 

 older ones being tough and unsavory. The flight of this bird is 

 rather slow and not nearly so long protracted as that of the Night 

 Heron. When surprised, he rises almost perpendicularly for thirty 

 or forty yards, and then sails slowly away. When on the ground 

 he lacks the delicacy and grace of many of his compeers, picking 

 up his food after the manner of the barn-yard fowl. His migratory 

 movements are usually performed at night, and his sight at such 

 times is remarkably keen. When wounded, he defends himself 

 vigorously, inflicting severe wounds with his bill and claws. 



PLATE LXXXIII. 



Brant Goose— Black Brant— Brant or Brent. (Bernicla brenta.) 



Fig. x. 



The Brant is found all along the Atlantic coast of North America 

 and Europe. He breeds in the Arctic regions, and spends his 

 winters in the south. His southern migrations extend throughout 

 the fall months even into December, and his return is made during 

 the month of April. These migrations are made in great numbers, 

 collected together in one body, and at a great height in the air. 

 They are invariably over the waters of the ocean, sometimes far 

 seaward, and long detours are frequently made to avoid some pro- 

 jecting point of land. The Brant spends his nights at sea, cradled 

 by the billows, and at early dawn repairs to muddy flats, sand- 

 banks and low bars where he feeds. His food consists entirely of 



