30 
ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 
including the West India Islands, Mexico, and Central America. It is also found 
distributed through the interior as far north as Oregon and the Great Lakes. Mr. 
Salvin found it quite common on the Atlantic coast of Central America, and states 
that it also occasionally visited the Lake of Duenas in the interior. When observed 
it was usually in companies. On the coast of Honduras he visited one of the breed- 
ing places of this species, but the nests were mostly deserted, as all the young birds 
of those still inhabited were able to run along the branches and make their escape. 
The nests were composed entirely of sticks, and placed near the end of a horizontal 
bough. He also found this species abundant on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. It 
occasionally visits Bermuda, both in the spring and in the fall. Leotaud speaks of 
it as a very common, and once a very abundant, bird in Trinidad, where it frequents 
the borders of the sea and the vicinity of streams and marshes affected by the influ- 
ences of the tides. Its habits are said to be very similar to those of the larger 
egretta. Its numbers were rapidly diminishing, and it promised soon to become an 
extinct species in that island. It is given by Dr. Gundlacli as an abundant species 
in Cuba, where it is resident, and breeds in large communities. In Jamaica, accord- 
ing to Gosse, it is not so common, and occurs chiefly as a visitant in midwinter. Mr. 
March mentions it as of frequent occurrence. Mr. C. W. Wyatt found it in Colom- 
bia, S. A., on the borders of Lake Paturia. Dr. Burmeister found it throughout the 
region of the La Plata even more numerous than the Herodias egretta, especially in 
the more westerly portions. 
This species is found in the summer months as far to the northeast as Calais, Me., 
and a few straggle up the Bay of Bundy, even to the extreme eastern arm of that 
bay at Windsor, N. S. J. Matthew Jones states that it has been recently (1868) 
captured on the sea-coast of that province, near Halifax. A specimen was taken at 
Windsor, N. S., in the summer of 1872. 
On Long Island, according to Giraud, it occurs during the summer months, but is 
not abundant. Yet it is by no means uncommon, and is well known to most of the 
gunners. It is said to frequent the salt marshes in small parties, and may be seen 
wading about over the mud-flats and sand-bars, or in the shallow water, in search of 
small crabs, lizards, and worms, which, with several species of aquatic plants, con- 
stitute its principal food. The Snowy Heron always feeds by day ; and when wading 
about in search of its favorite food, or while making short excursions, it is rendered 
so conspicuous by the snowy whiteness of its plumage, that it seldom passes unob- 
served by the gunners. It visits Long Island late in the spring, and may be seen on 
the salt marshes until late in the autumn, though it usually migrates southwards in 
the last of September. It is not positively known to breed on any part of Long 
Island. 
In August, 1863, Mr. Dresser saw large flocks of this Heron visiting the lagoons 
near Matamoras, in such large numbers that on one occasion he killed thirteen at one 
discharge. In the spring of 1864 he noticed several near San Antonio, and found a 
few breeding on Galveston Island in June, and received one from Fort Stockton. 
Dr. Cooper speaks of it as common, at all seasons, along the southern coast of Cali- 
fornia. In summer it migrates to the summits of the Sierra Nevada, to Lake Tahoe, 
and probably throughout California and Oregon. He has always found it very shy, 
more so even than the larger white one. About the end of April it migrates to some 
extent from the southern parts of the State in large flocks, but he has met with it in 
July near San Pedro, when he supposed that it was nesting in the mountains, or 
some other retired places, in the vicinity. 
About the middle of May, Wilson visited an extensive breeding place of this Heron 
