LOUISIANA HERON. 159 



unless an accident should happen. The eggs of the Louisiana Heron mea- 

 sure one inch and six and a half twelfths in length, an inch and a quarter in 

 breadth; they are nearly elliptical, of a beautiful pale blue colour inclining 

 to green, smooth, and with a very thin shell. The period of incubation is 

 twenty-one days. Like all other species of the genus, this raises only one 

 brood in the season. The little island of which I have spoken lies exposed 

 to the sea, and has an extent of only a few acres. The trees or bushes with 

 which it was covered seemed to have been stunted by the effect produced by 

 their having been for years the receptacles of the Herons' nests. 



On the 19th of May, in the same year, I found another breeding place of 

 this species not far from Key West. The young birds, which stood on all 

 the branches of the trees and bushes on the southern side of the place, were 

 about the size of our Little Partridge. Their notes, by which we had been 

 attracted to the spot, were extremely plaintive, and resembled the syllables 

 wiee, iviee, iviee. When we went up to them, the old birds all flew to 

 another key, as if intent on drawing us there; but in vain, for we took with 

 us a good number of their young. It was surprising to see the little fellows 

 moving about among the branches, clinging to them in all sorts of curious 

 positions, and persevering in forcing their way toward the water, when over 

 which they at once dropped, and swam off from us with great vigour and 

 speed. When seized with the hand, they defended themselves to the utmost. 

 At this early period, they plainly shewed the sprouting feathers of the crest. 

 Many Crow Blackbirds had nests on the same mangroves, and a Fish-Hawk 

 also had formed its nest there at a height of not more than five feet from the 

 water. On the 24th of May, these Herons were fully fledged, and able to 

 fly to a short distance. . In this state we, with some difficulty, procured one 

 alive. Its legs and feet were green, the bill black, but its eyes, like those of 

 an adult bird, were of a beautiful red hue. Many were caught afterwards 

 and taken as passengers on board the Marion. They fed on any garbage 

 thrown to them by the sailors; but whenever another species came near 

 them, they leaped towards its bill, caught hold of it as if it had been a fish, 

 and hung to it until shaken off by their stronger associates. On several 

 occasions, however, the Ardea occidentalis shook them off violently, and 

 after beating them on the deck, swallowed them before they could be 

 rescued ! 



The place farthest up on the Mississippi where I have found this species 

 breeding was on Buffalo creek, about forty miles below Natchez, and ten 

 miles in a direct line from the great river. To the eastward I have found 

 them breeding in company with the Green Heron and the Night Heron, 

 within a few miles of Charleston. 



During summer and autumn, after the old birds have left their young, both 



