Bendire.] 142 [March 21, 



«> 

 even when coming out of one nest. These are excellent eating, and 

 very large for the size of the bird, average about 2.60 X 1*74. By 

 the first of August they have all left, congregating in large flocks 

 before migrating. Their principal food here seems to be crickets. 



143. Ibis Ordi (Bonap.), Glossy Ibis. 



I have not actually taken this species in Oregon, but as it has been 

 found breeding near Quinn River Crossing, Nev. , twenty miles from 

 the State line, it is to be presumed that it ranges into this State. Lt. 

 Wood, U. S. A., shot a specimen July 15, 1875, at the above men- 

 tioned locality, where he saw some forty of these birds with young 

 still unable to fly. 



144. Ardea herodias (Linn.). Great Blue Heron. 



A very common summer resident throughout the lower Harney 

 Valley. It breeds in large numbers on one of the small islands in 

 Malheur Lake, in company with Peleeanus trachyrhynchus and Gracu- 

 lus dilophus. Its nests there are placed in greasewood bushes 

 from two to four feet from the ground, and nearly every bush con- 

 tained a nest. These are flat structures, built out of such material 

 as is readily found close at hand, consisting here for the most part 

 of dry greasewood sticks and a few pieces of dry tule and a little 

 swamp grass for an inner lining. The usual number of eggs in all 

 the nests containing their full complement was five. The largest egg 

 in a great number measures 2.73 X 1.96, another in the same set 

 only 2.40 X 1-82 of an inch. They average about 2-65 X 1-80. 

 Their color varies from a very bright uniform light green to 

 a pale greenish white, the shell in the latter variety presenting 

 a mottled appearance. One or two eggs in each set are always 

 paler than the others, which probably were laid first. They com- 

 mence laying here about April 20. The young for the first two 

 weeks are almost destitute of feathers, and emit a hissing noise 

 when disturbed. They sit close together on their nests forming a 

 circle, with the heads all turned inward. The old birds do not 

 appear to be much concerned if one of their colonies is disturbed 

 and make off out of sight at once. Another large colony of these 

 birds breeds on the lower Sylvies River on willow bushes, in company 

 with other species of herons, but on the islands no other herons are 

 found breeding with this species. 



145. Herodias egretta var. californica (Baird). Great 

 White Egret. 



A moderately common summer resident, breeding in the thick wil- 



