THE GREAT WHITE HERON. 
543 
assiduous), and with, their legs stretched out before them in the same manner as the young 
when two or three weeks old. The latter, of which I saw several from ten days to a month 
old, were pure white, slightly tinged with cream color, and had no indications of a crest. 
Those which I carried to Charleston, and which were kept for more than a year, exhibited 
nothing of the kind. I am unable to say how long it is before they attain their full plumage. 
“These Herons are sedate, quiet, and perhaps even less animated than the A. Jierodias. 
They walk majestically, with firmness and great elegance. Unlike the species first named, 
they flock at their feeding-grounds, sometimes a hundred or more being seen together ; and 
what is still more remarkable is, that they betake themselves to the mud-fiats or sand-bars at a 
distance from the Keys, on which they roost and breed. They seem, in so far as I could judge, 
to be diurnal, an opinion corroborated by the testimony of Mr. Egan, a person of great judg- 
ment, sagacity, and integrity. While on these banks they stand motionless, rarely moving 
towards their prey, but waiting until it comes near, when they strike it and swallow it alive, 
or when large, beat it on the water, or shake it violently, biting it severely all the while. They 
never leave their feeding-grounds until driven off by the tide, remaining until the water reaches 
their body. So wary are they that, although they may return to roost on the same Keys, 
they rarely alight on trees to which they have resorted before, and if repeatedly disturbed 
they do not return, for many weeks at least. When roosting, they generally stand on one 
foot, the other being drawn up, and, unlike the Ibises, are never seen lying flat on trees, where, 
however, they draw in their long necks, and place their heads under their wings. 
“ I was often surprised to see that while a flock was resting by day in the position just 
described, one or more stood with outstretched necks, keenly eyeing all around, now and then 
suddenly starting at the sight of a porpoise or shark in chase of some fish. The appearance 
of a man or a boat seemed to distract them ; and yet I was told that nobody ever goes in pur- 
suit of them. If surprised, they leave their perch with a rough croaking sound, and fly 
directly to a great distance, but never inland. 
“ The flight of the Great White Heron is firm, regular, and greatly protracted. They 
propel themselves by regular, slow flaps, the head being drawn in after they have proceeded a 
few yards, and their legs extended behind, as is the case with all the other Herons. They also, 
now and then, rise high in the air, where they sail in wide circles, and they never alight with- 
out performing this circling flight, unless when going to feeding-grounds on which other 
individuals have already settled. It is truly surprising that a bird of so powerful a flight 
never visits G-eorgia or the Carolinas, nor goes to the mainland. When you see them about 
the middle of the day on their feeding-grounds, they £ loom ’ to about double their size, and 
present a singular appearance. It is difficult to kill them unless with buck-shot, which we 
found ourselves obliged to use. 
“When I left Key West, on our return towards Charleston, I took with me two young 
birds that had been consigned to the care of my friend, Dr. B. Strobel, who assured me that 
they devoured more than their weight of food per day. I had also two young birds of the 
Ardea Jierodias alive. After bringing them on board, I placed them all together in a very 
large coop ; but was soon obliged to separate the two species, for the white birds would not 
be reconciled to the blue, which they would have killed. While the former had the privilege 
of the deck for a few minutes, they struck at the smaller species, such as the young of Ardea 
rufescens and A. ludomeiana , some of which they instantly killed and swallowed entire, 
although they were abundantly fed on the flesh of green turtles. None of the sailors suc- 
ceeded in making friends with them. 
“ On reaching Indian Key, I found those which had been left with Mrs. Egan in excellent 
health, and much increased in size ; but, to my surprise, observed that their bills were much 
broken, which she assured me had been caused by the great force with which they struck at 
the fishes thrown to them on the rocks of their inclosure, — a statement which I found con- 
firmed by my own observation in the course of the day. It was almost as difficult to catch 
them in the yard as if they had never seen a man before, and we were obliged to tie their bills 
fast, to avoid being wounded by them while carrying them on board. They thrived well, and 
