118 



NESTS AND EGGS OF 



199. liOXTISIAITA HEB.ON. Ardea tricolor rwfieollis (Grosse.) Geog. Dist.— 

 Gulf States, Mexico, Central America and West Indies; casually northward to New 

 Jersey. 



In summer the Louisiana Heron is distributed from the Carolinas southward. 

 It is very abundant all along the Gulf States, into Mexico and Central America, and 

 is found in the West Indies. Known as "Lady of the Waters." It has an occipital 

 crest of several long feathers and a splendid train of decomposed, fringe-like feathers 

 extending beyond the tail. Mr. Stuart states that it is very abundant on the man- 

 grove islands along the gulf coast of Florida, where it breeds in communities, plac- 

 ing the nests on the mangrove bushes; in the interior it is found nesting in the wil- 

 low swamps, and usually in company with the Little Blue and Snowy Herons. Four 

 or five eggs are deposited. Fresh eggs may be found in May and June. In Texas, 

 Mr. Rachford says, this species nests similarly to the Snowy Heron, but its breeding 

 leason commences a little earlier than that of the latter — about the first of April. 

 The eggs are from two to four, sometimes five, in number, bluish-green, and measure 

 from 1.75 to 1.80 long by 1.30 to 1.40 broad. 



200. LITTLE BLUE HERON. Ardea coerulea Linn. Geog. Dist.— New Jersey, 

 Illinois and Kansas, southward through Central America, West Indies, Guiana and 

 New Grenada; casually north on the Atlantic coast to Massachusetts and Maine. 



This beautiful little Heron is abundant in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. 

 It has been found breeding in all favorable localities intermediate between Florida 

 and New Jersey, on the coast, and specimens have wandered into the interior. It is 

 found throughout Mexico, Central America and the northern portion of Soutn 

 America. The breeding habits are like those of the Snowy and Louisiana Herons, 

 nesting with them in trees and bushes, often in large communities in deep swamps. 

 The eggs are bluish-green, two to four in number, generally more oval than other 

 Herons' eggs are. The sizes vary from 1.60 to 1.82 in length by 1.25 to 1.35 In 

 breadth. The young of this Heron are pure white, and should not be confounded with 

 immature specimens of A, candidissima, Snowy Heron, which is of the same size and 

 similar form. 



*+s 201. GREEN HEBON". 



201. Green Heron. 



Ardea virescens Linn. Geog. Dist. — Canada and 

 Oregon, southward to northern South America 

 and the West Indies. 



Throughout the United States in all 

 favorable localities this is a well-known 

 and an abundant bird, breeding in suitable 

 places anywhere in its range. It has a number 

 of common names, among which "Fly-up-the- 

 Creek" is probably the most refined. It is resi- 

 dent in the West Indies and in Central America, 

 and is found in the northern regions of South 

 America. The bird frequents the borders of 

 ponds and swamps, or it may be found along 

 running streams whose banks are fringed with 

 trees or thick shrubbery. While on the wing it 

 frequently utters its familiar guttural cry or 

 squawk. Its food consists of insects and aquatic 

 larvae, Crustacea and small fishes, for which it 

 usually searches in the twilight. During the 

 day it is sluggish, and may be found quietly rest- 

 ing. The nest of this Heron is made of twigs, 

 very loosely put together; it is placed in the 

 branches of trees or bushes on the border of a 

 stream or swamp; sometimes in an orchard tree 

 at considerable distance from water. The eggs 

 are light greenish-blue, elliptical in shai>e and 

 are from three to six in number, four being 

 the usual nest complement. Average measure- 

 ment Is 1.60x1.14. 



