142 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
the Snowy Heron north of Milwaukee, Madison, and LaCrosse” (Birds 
of Wisconsin, p. 35). 
This bird is said to migrate by day as well as by night, and it usually 
travels in compact flocks, often of fifty or even one hundred individuals. 
In Florida, where it formerly nested in abundance in low trees, it laid 
three or four eggs, which are similar in color to those of the other herons, 
but possibly a little greener. The eggs average 1.68 by 1.34 inches. 
The history of the persecution of this bird in the Gulf states is very sad 
reading. Formerly one of the most abundant of water birds it has been 
followed from place to place and driven from the more accessible nesting 
places into the most impenetrable swamps, until at present it is with 
difficulty that an undisturbed heronry of this species can be found. While 
the plume hunter is directly responsible for this, the demands of fashion 
stand back of it all, and the lax legislation which has permitted the slaughter 
must of course bear its share of the blame. The “‘aigrettes” or plumes 
so much sought after are found in perfection only during the nesting 
season, and in order to obtain them the parent birds are shot and their 
backs skinned at their nesting places, leaving the young to perish miserably 
from starvation. Anyone wishing to learn the extent and details of this 
abominable business should read Educational Leaflet No. 7 of the National 
Committee of Audubon Societies, and the annual reports of Mr. William 
Dutcher, the Chairman of this National Committee. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult in breeding plumage: Entirely white; a train of aigrette plumes growing from 
the middle of the back (interscapulars), their recurved tips extending about even with 
the tip of the tail, sometimes a little beyond; legs black, feet bright yellow in strong con- 
trast; bill black, more or less yellow about the base. After the breeding season the long 
plumes are shed, but there is no other change. The young resemble the adults except 
in the long plumes. Length 20 to 27.25 inches; wing 8.20 to 10.50; culmen 2.08 to 3.75; 
tarsus 3.15 to 4.50. 
74. Little Blue Heron. Florida cerulea Linn. (200) 
Synonyms: Blue Egret.—Ardea caerulea, Linn., 1758, Wils., Nutt., Aud.—Florida 
caerulea, Baird, 1858, and most recent authors. 
Recognizable always by the size and peculiar coloration; often the young 
are mostly white, but the tips of the primaries are always slaty blue, and 
the legs and feet greenish yellow in the young, so that they could hardly 
be confused with the Lesser Egret, which they resemble closely in size and 
proportions. 
Distribution.—Kastern United States, from New Jersey, Illinois and 
Kansas, southward through Central America and the West Indies to Guiana 
a Colombia; casually north on the Atlantic cost to Massachusetts and 
aine. 
This must be considered merely a straggler in Michigan and we have 
only a single unquestionable record, that of a full plumaged bird in the 
dark phase killed near Detroit May 2, 1882, by Mr. William 8S. Smith, 140 
Grand River Ave., who has the mounted specimen in his possession still.* 
Dr. Gibbs states (MS. notes) that Dr. Atkins took a specimen in Ingham 
* Auk XXVI, 1909, 83. 
