80 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



Food habits. — Audubon states that the food of this species 

 consists of small fry, water insects, worms, slugs, snails, 

 leeches, tadpoles, and aquatic lizards.J Three stomachs from 

 birds taken on Petit Bois Island contained remains of min- 

 nows (Fundvlug), with a few small shrimps and two dragon- 

 flies. 



LITTLE BLUE HB410N: Florida caerulea caerulea 

 (Linnaeus). 



State records. — In former years the little blue heson prob- 

 ably nested in suitable localities over most of the State. Now 

 it is moderately common in the southern part and doubtless 

 breeds in a number of localities. Avery mentions it as a 

 "common summer resident;" his note books record its arrival 

 on April 18, 1891, specimens collected August 16, 1889, and' 

 July 19, 1890, and 25 or 30 seen September 3, 1892. Brown 

 records it common at Coosada during the last two weeks of 

 April, 1878.* McCormack has taken it at Leighton but once, 

 July 27, 1893, but Holt reports a flock of 25 or more, July 4, 

 1913, roosting regularly in a small woodland near that place. 

 Mrs. B. R. Samuel has a specimen taken near Guntersville, 

 where also I saw two individuals, June 15, 1913. 



This species breeds near Autaugaville, as indicated by a 

 female bird in laying condition which I collected from a bunch 

 of five in blue plumage May 26, 1913. Peters caught a young 

 individual in a trap at Hayneville, August 4, 1915. Outsell 

 found the species common at Bayou Labatre in summer and 

 reports it probably nesting on Petit Bois Island. I saw one 

 there July 4, and two, July 6, 1913, on Dauphin Island, where 

 they probably breed. In Chuckvee Bay, above Mobile, May 

 12, 1911, I collected an adult male in the white phase, and at 

 the same place, July 11, 1913, saw about 10 white birds. 

 July 14, I saw a flock of about 20 white ones flying up from 

 the lower Bay toward Mobile. At Castleberry, June 1, 1911, 

 I collected an adult and at Dothan, June 5, saw another, both 

 being in the blue phase. At Stiggins Lake, May 26-27, 1914, 

 the species was common and was reported to be breeding in 



tAudubon, J. J., Ornith. Biog., vol. 3, pp. 139-140, 1836. 

 •Brown, N. C, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club., vol. 4, p. 13, 1879. 



