OF VIRGINIA oe, 
of wing and slow wing beats, neck stretched ont to about 
half its Icugth, and long legs stuck straight out behind, 
reaching well beyond the tail. They follow one behind 
the other, separating and sailing in as they near the tree 
in which their nest is lovated, and as they are about to 
alight, the long, ungainly legs are drawn. forward and 
downward, the feet often missing the branch on which 
they intended to alight, when after another most awkward 
attempt they generally succeed. They seldom land directly 
on their nest, alighting nearhy and walking up and on to 
it. This practice during the time the young are on the 
nest is a most unsatisfactory method for the vomme; each 
trving to reach the old bird first, they start to climb fram 
the nest awkwardly toward the parent, often resulting in 
their being precipitated to the ground below, where thev 
are devoured hy crows, buzzards, racoons, or oposstens, all 
of which are attracted and make their habitat near a 
rookery. Large rookeries of these birds formerly were 
found on some of the islands off the coast, but the eutting 
of the live timber and destruction of the old dead trees 
by fire and the elements, as well as gunners disturbing 
them during the srrine migration of beach birds, has 
driven them to the mainland to safer retreats. The nests 
are quite large, bulky platforms of dead sticks and twigs. 
placed as high up as possible and often near the extremity 
of the limb when live trees are used. The eges number 
from three to five, greenish-blue. Size, 2.45x1.45. On 
account of their nests being robhed by crows. and vonng 
destroyed hy various causes, fresh eges may be found in 
rookeries from Arril 20th until June 15th. Their food 
consists of small fish and minnows, shrimp, soft crahs, 
eels,-ard other marine life. 
