114 THE GREAT WHITE HERON. 



lowest end of the key, where it was separated from another by a channel. I 

 soon had the pleasure of observing all the Herons take to wing, one after 

 another, in quick succession. I then heard my companions' guns, but no 

 signal of success. Obtaining a good chance as I thought, I fired at a 

 remarkably large bird, and distinctly heard the shot strike it. The Heron 

 merely croaked, and pursued its course. Not another bird came near 

 enough to be shot at, although many had alighted on the neighbouring key, 

 and stood perched like so many newly finished statues of the purest 

 alabaster, forming a fine contrast to the deep blue sky. The boats joined us. 

 Mr. Egan had one bird, the Captain another, and both looked at me with 

 surprise. We now started for the next key, where we expected to see more. 

 When we had advanced several hundred yards along its low banks, we found 

 the bird at which I had shot lying with extended wings in the agonies of 

 death. It was from this specimen that the drawing was made. I was 

 satisfied with the fruits of this day's excursion. On other occasions I 

 procured fifteen more birds, and judging that number sufficient, I left the 

 Herons to their occupations. 



This species is extremely shy. Sometimes they would rise when at the 

 distance of half a mile from us, and fly quite out of sight. If pursued, they 

 would return to the very keys or mud-flats from which they had risen, and 

 it was almost impossible to approach one while perched or standing in the 

 water. Indeed, I have no doubt that half a dozen specimens of Ardea 

 Herodias could be procured for one of the present, in the same time and 

 under similar circumstances. 



The Great White Heron is a constant resident on the Florida Keys, 

 where it is found more abundant during the breeding season than anywhere 

 else. They rarely go as far eastward as Cape Florida, and are not seen on 

 the Tortugas, probably because these islands are destitute of mangroves. 

 They begin to pair early in March, but many do not lay their eggs until the 

 middle of April. Their courtships were represented to me as similar to 

 those of the Great Blue Heron. Their nests are at times met with at 

 considerable distances from each other, and although many are found on the 

 same keys, they are placed farther apart than those of the species just 

 mentioned. They are seldom more than a few feet above high water-mark, 

 which in the Floridas is so low, that they look as if only a yard or two 

 above the roots of the trees. From twenty to thirty nests which I examined 

 were thus placed. They were large, about three feet in diameter, formed of 

 sticks of different sizes, but without any appearance of lining, and quite flat, 

 being several inches thick. The eggs are always three, measure two inches 

 and three quarters in length, one' inch and eight-twelfths in breadth, and 

 have a rather thick shell, of a uniform plain light bluish-green colour. Mr. 



