THE GREAT BLUE HERON. 123 



and bears the extremes of temperature surprisingly, being in its tribe what 

 the Passenger Pigeon is in the family of Doves. During the coldest part of 

 winter the Blue Heron is observed in the State of Massachusetts and in 

 Maine, spending its time in search of prey about the warm springs and 

 ponds which occur there in certain districts. They are not rare in the 

 Middle States, but more plentiful to the west and south of Pennsylvania, 

 which perhaps arises from the incessant war waged against them. 



Extremely suspicious and shy, this bird is ever on the look-out. Its sight 

 is as acute as that of any Falcon, and it can hear at a considerable distance, 

 so that it is enabled to mark with precision the different objects it sees, and 

 to judge with accuracy of the sounds which it hears. Unless under very 

 favourable circumstances, it is almost hopeless to attempt to approach it. 

 You may now and then surprise one feeding under the bank of a deep creek 

 or bayou, or obtain a shot as he passes unawares over you on wing; but to 

 walk up towards one would be a fruitless adventure. I have seen many so 

 wary, that, on seeing a man at any distance within half a mile, they would 

 take to wing; and the report of a gun forces one off his grounds from a dis- 

 tance at which you would think he could not be alarmed. When in close 

 woods, however, and perched on a tree, they can be approached with a good 

 chance of success. 



The Blue Heron feeds at all hours of the day, as well as in the dark and 

 dawn, and even under night, when the weather is clear, his appetite alone 

 determining his actions in this respect; but I am certain that when disturbed 

 during dark nights it feels bewildered, and alights as soon as possible. When 

 passing from one part of the country to another at a distance, the case is 

 different, and on such occasions they fly under night at a considerable height 

 above the trees, continuing their movements in a regular manner. 



The commencement of the breeding season varies, according to the lati- 

 tude, from the beginning of March to the middle of June. In the Floridas 

 it takes place about the first of these periods, in the Middle Districts about 

 the 15th of May, and in Maine a month later. It is at the approach of this 

 period only that these birds associate in pairs, they being generally quite 

 solitary at all other times; nay, excepting during the breeding season, each 

 individual seems to secure for itself a certain district as a feeding ground, 

 giving chase to every intruder of its own species. At such times they also 

 repose singly, for the most part roosting on trees, although sometimes taking 

 their station on the ground, in the midst of a wide marsh, so that they may 

 be secure from the approach of man. This unsocial temper probably arises 

 from the desire of securing a certain abundance of food, of which each indi- 

 vidual in fact requires a large quantity. 



The manners of this Heron are exceedingly interesting at the approach 



