3^ Oneida Historical Society. 



August 8, 1910. He was watched for some time through a 

 strong field glass, but at long distance. The next day, August 

 9, he appeared again and I was able to approach him in a boat. 

 He was not very shy, although he would not allow approach 

 withiii gun shot. I observed him at leisure at a distance of 

 one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards feeding on the 

 open beach. When I approached nearer it would only fly 

 about two hundred yards and alight again. He kept a careful 

 watch, however, keeping his long neck elevated often. There 

 could be no possible doubt of the identification. On August 

 13 I saw the bird again at the same place but in company with 

 five Blue'flerons. This gave a fine opportunity of comparison 

 as to size. He was no more shy, perhaps not so much so, as 

 the great blue birds. August 16 a lady neighbor reported that 

 she saw three Egrets together. Though not an ornithologist, 

 she is perfectly reliable and I fail to see how she could mistake 

 these birds. On August 17 my daughter and I were fishing, 

 anchored on a bar in South Bay, perhaps half a mile from 

 shore, when an Egret flew over us so close as to enable us to 

 see distinctly its shiny black legs and its lemon-yellow bill. 

 August 18 my daughter and myself saw two Egrets together 

 near Lewis Point. Another neighbor reported seeing three 

 together. August 22 I saw a single Egret in Messinger's Bay. 

 After this date, though out every day, I saw no more of these 

 interesting visitors, nor were they again reported. 



52. Florida caerulea. 



LITTLE BLUE HERON. 



The Rev. Francis C. Smith writes under date of October 23, 

 1908, that on September 24 he saw a Little Blue Heron on 

 the bank of the Black River Canal between Boonville and Port 

 Leyden. He was quite close and positively identified the 

 species. In reply to a letter he wrote again describing the 

 identification: "Dark reddish head and neck, bluish plumage, 

 of correct size and without egret plumes. As positive an 

 identification as is possible with a field glass." 



