LOUISIANA HERON— SNOWY EGRET 35 



most other members of this family, though it some- 

 times builds in heronries. The nests are roughly 

 made, usually placed in branches of trees, or in bushes, 

 and the eggs vary from three to six in number. The 

 young are covered with hair-like feathers, and are 

 helpless for some time. 



The Louisiana Heron is a common form in Florida, 

 and is very beautiful in plumage, being a delicate 

 bluish-grey on the back and yellowish-brown on the 

 breast. 



There are two species of Night Herons in Amdrica, 

 the Black-crowned and the Yellow-crowned. These 

 birds are entirely nocturnal in habits, and are com- 

 monly known as "Quawks," from the cry they utter 

 when sailing through the air. When fully adult, the 

 male Black-crowned Heron is very beautiful in colour. 

 The head and back are greenish-black, the wings and 

 tail greyish-black, and two long white plumes depend 

 from the back of the head, except just after the breed- 

 ing season, when they are shed. The eye is very 

 large, and of a deep blood-red. Large colonies of 

 these birds nest in the swamps of Florida, sitting si- 

 lent by day, brooding in quiet spots among the trees, 

 but at night they rouse and fly forth, uttering their 

 peculiar cry, to their feeding grounds in neighbouring 

 streams. 



Among the Heron tribe are certain species which 

 possess in a remarkable degree the "fatal gift of 

 beauty." These are known as Egrets, chief among 

 them being the Great White Egret, found in many 

 parts of Europe and Asia, and the Snowy Egret and 

 Little Egret of America. The Snowy Egret is pure 



