50 THE BIRDS 
GENUS NYCTICORAX. 
1202]. Nycticorax nycticorax nevius (Boddaert). 
Black-crowned Night Heron. 
[Night Crane. Night Squawk]. 
Raner.—North and South America. Breeds from 
northern Oregon, southern Wyoming, southern Manitoba, 
northern Quebec, and Nova Scotia south to Patagonia; 
winters from northern California and Gulf States soutb- 
ward; casual in winter north to Massachusetts and 
southern I]linois. 
This bird breeds on the mainland of the Eastern Shore 
(Cape Charles Peninsula), and in the Chickahominy 
swamps, also in the swamps bordering Back Bay. Resi- 
dents of the country bordering water are familiar with 
them by their loud “squawk,” as they pass overhead about 
twilight, bound from one feeding ground to another. 
They nest in quite large colonies as do the other herons 
found within our limits, sometimes as many as a dozen 
nests being found in one tree. By the time the young are 
full grown the rookery takes on a whitish appearance from 
the excrement found on every limb, bush and shrub, while 
the ground is likewise covered and gives forth a sickly 
odor from the dead young, rotten eggs, etc., scattered all 
over. Should one climb a tree in which happened to be 
nests with young, he is soon beating a hasty retreat from 
the rapid fire of unsavory smelling fish disgorged by the 
young. This practice is resorted to for protection by the 
other species of herons as well. The nest is a well made 
