NORTH AMERICA. 



105 



It inhabits the lower parts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana, in the summer season ; 

 reposing during the day among low swampy woods, and ieeding only in the night. It builds in 

 societies, making its nest with sticks among the branches of low trees, and lays four blue eggs. 



The J^iglit Heron, or Qua Bird [Jl. nycticnrax) , breeds usually in the most sohtary and 

 deeply shaded parts of a cedar swamp. The males regularly direct their course every evening 

 at twilight towards the marshes, uttering, in a hoarse and hollow tone, the sound Qua. At 

 this hour, also, all the nurseries in the swamps are emptied of their inhabitants, who disperse in 

 quest of food. On entering one of these swamps, the noise of the old and young would almost 

 lead one to suppose that two or three hundred Indians were choking each other. The instant 

 an intruder is discovered, the whole rise in the air in silence, and remove to the tops of the 

 trees, in another part of the woods ; while parties of from eight to ten make occasional circuits 

 over the spot, to see what is going on. 



The Great Egret Heron {Jl. egretta) is often seen in summer in our low marshes and 



inundated meadows ; yet on account of its ex- 

 treme vigilance it is very diflicult to be pro 

 cured. It is found from Guiana, and probably 

 beyond the line, to New York. Its favorite 

 haunts are vast inundated swamps, rice fields, 

 the low marshy shores of rivers, and such like 

 places ; where, from its size and color, it is 

 very conspicuous even at a distance. Their 

 food consists of frogs, lizards, small fish, in- 

 sects, and small water snakes, &c. They 

 will also devour mice and moles. The plu- 

 mage of this elegant bird is of a snowy white- 

 ness ; the bill of a rich orange yellow ; and 

 the legs black. 



The Great Heron (Jl. herodias) is a con- 

 stant inhabitant of the Atlantic coast, from 

 New York to Florida. They breed in the 

 Carolinas and New Jersey, in the gloomy 

 solitudes of cedar swamps, where, if unmo- 

 years. Their nests are constructed on the tallest 

 trees. These are large, formed of sticks ; each 

 occupies the top of a single tree. The principal 

 food of this bird is fish, for which he watches with 

 unwearied patience, and seizes them with surprising 

 dexterity. 



The heron has great powers of wing, flying some- 

 times very high, and to a great distance ; his neck 

 doubled, his head drawn in, and his long legs stretch- 

 ed out in a line behind him, appearing like a tail, and 

 probably serving the same rudder-like office. The 

 Blue Heron (Jl. cccrnlea) is frequently found on the 

 muddy shoi'es of the Mississippi, where it wades 

 about in search of tadpoles, lizards, frogs, &c. It 

 is often found in company with the Little White 



Herons 



lested, they will annually breed for many 



Heron. 



The Flamingo 

 extraordinary bird 

 rica, and is very 

 Southern Slates. 



Flaminrro. 



14 



(Phcenicoptervs ruber). This 

 is now chiefly found in Ame- 

 numerous in Florida and the 

 It was once known on all the 

 coasts of Europe, but its beauty, size, and peculiar 

 delicacy of flesh, have been such temptations to de- 

 stroy or take it, that it has long since deserted the 

 shores frequented by man, and taken refuge in coun- 

 tries that are as yet but thinly peopled. When the 

 Europeans first came to America, they found the 



