1878.] The Night Herons, and their Exodus. 27 
varying quicksands, and then came to rest. Further on ran the 
other springs which also poured their waters in the creek flowing 
from the first one. On the left bank of this creek stood an old 
adobe enclosure, rectangular in shape, built by the Mormons some 
years before. . 
Two or three large sotana trees shaded the creek near the 
quadrangle. Here the bed of the stream was broken into a series 
of little rapids or falls, none exceeding four feet in height, arer 
by rocks of calcareous tufa. 
At the foot of these miniature waterfalls was a quiet pool, 
about five feet deep and ten feet in diameter, used in former 
times by the Mormons as a baptismal font. The land along 
the banks of the creek had been cultivated, and at this time 
were seen the remains of irrigating ditches, which attest the in- 
dustry and enterprise of this strange, and to our minds, deluded 
people. These fields are now overgrown with mesquite and this- 
tles, the latter attract numberless goldfinches, humming birds and 
humble bees. 
In the springs above enumerated, the reader has a sketch of 
a few of those in Southern Nevada. The springs of this inhos- 
pitable region are so few, that at one time or another, each one 
becomes, as it were, the polar star of the desert traveler, towards 
which he turns his face with inflexible determination. 
0; 
THE NIGHT HERONS, AND THEIR EXODUS. 
BY REV. SAMUEL LOCKWOOD, PH.D. 
MONG our showy birds, although far from graceful in many of 
its movements, is the night heron (Vyctiardea gardeni Baird). 
If fine feathers make a fine bird, then assuredly our Wyctiardea de- 
serves consideration. The bird when adult is fully two feet long. 
It has a deep guttural cry, consisting of one syllable, slowly | 
repeated. This circumstance afforded the old name given it by 
Nuttall, Ardea discors, as also its popular names of qua-bird, or 
quawk. It is also known as the black-crowned night heron, 
the crown of the head, and considerable of the back being a very 
_ dark green, almost approaching black. In the nuptial months, the 
bird flourishes from the hinder part of the head, flowing backwards, 
_ like so many natural “accidentals,” three very delicate white 
