GREEN HERON. 107 



the branches, clinging to them with their feet, so as not to be easily 

 drawn off. 



After the spring migration is over, the flight of this species is rather 

 feeble, and when they are passing from one spot to another, they frequently 

 use a stronger flap of their wings at intervals. On such occasions, they 

 scarcely contract their neck; but when travelling to a considerable distance, 

 they draw it in like all other species of the tribe, and advance with regular 

 and firm movements of their wings. When alighting to rest, they come 

 down with such force, that their passage causes a rustling sound like that 

 produced by birds of prey when pouncing on their quarry, and on perching 

 they stretch up their neck and jerk their tail repeatedly for some time, as 

 they are also wont to do on any other occasion when alarmed. 



The Green Herons feed all day long, but, as I think, rarely at night. 

 Their food consists of frogs, fishes, snails, tadpoles, water-lizards, crabs, and 

 small quadrupeds, all of which they procure without much exertion, they 

 being abundant in the places to which they usually resort. Their gait is light, 

 but firm. During the love-season they exhibit many curious gestures, 

 erecting all the feathers of their neck, swelling their throat, and uttering a 

 rough guttural note like qua, qua, several times repeated by the male as he 

 struts before the female. This note is also usually emitted when they are 

 started, but when fairly on wing they proceed in silence. The flesh of this 

 species affords tolerable eating, and Green Herons are not unfrequently seen 

 in the markets of our southern cities, especially of New Orleans. 



The young attain their full beauty in the second spring, but continue to 

 grow for at least another year. The changes which they exhibit, although 

 by no means so remarkable as those of Ardea rufescens and Jl. coerulea, 

 have proved sufficient to cause mistakes among authors who had nothing but 

 skins on which to found their decisions. I have given figures of an adult in 

 full plumage, and of an immature bird, to enable you to judge how carefully 

 Nature ought to be studied to enable you to keep free of mistakes. 



Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. viii. p. 97. 



Ardea virescens, Bonap. Syn., p. 307. 



Green Heron, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 63. 



Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 274. 



Male, 17f, 27. Female, 17, 25. 



Resident in the Floridas and along the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. In 

 spring and summer disperses over the whole country as far as Maine, and 

 up the Missouri. Returns southward at the approach of winter. Very 

 common. 



