CSC ABDEIDiE. BIRDS. Akdeid.e. 
GLOSSY IBIS (Ibis falcinellus). — 'I’liis species has 
about tlie same range as the preceding, being com- 
mon in the South Atlantic and Gulf States, and 
occasionally straggling as far north as Massachu- 
setts. Audubon found it in flocks in 'Texas. Bona- 
parte first described it as an United States bird — as 
I. ordii — from the fact that Mr. Ord first captured it in 
New Jersey. 'The egg is i-ougher and more granular 
than those of the Herons. 
Family — AKDBID^. 
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias). — This is 
a very familiar bird in the Eastern States, and is 
common to the whole continent, south to Guatemala 
and the West Indies. It breeds in all these regions, 
and winters in the south. It is only equalled, in its 
wide distribution throughout the continent, by the 
Bittern. 'The Great Blue Heron is one of the most 
beautiful and striking members of the feathered race 
known to our land, its graceful form tall and com- 
manding, crowned with delicate plumes, and bearing 
in other parts the richest forms of light and airy 
plumage. 'J’hey breed in Carolina, near the sea ; and 
in New Jersey, according to Wilson, they “ build in 
the gloomy solitudes of the tallest cedar swamps, 
where, if unmolested, they continue to breed for 
many years successively.” 
FLORIDA HERON (Ardea wurdemanni). — 'This is 
a new species, discovered by Mr. Wurdemann, in 
Southern Florida. 
GREAT WHITE HERON (A. occide7italis}.— This is 
a fine, large bird, pure white in plumage, and meas- 
uring over three feet in length. It is confined to the 
warmer portions of America, but has been seen as 
far north as New York. It is nearly allied to the 
A. alba of Europe. 
GREAT WHITE EGRET (Ardea egretta) — Plate 
24, fig. 93. — Called also the White Heron. Is a 
southern species, although found at times as far 
north as Nova Scotia, and west to Minnesota. It 
winters in the West Indies and Central America. 
'I’his is a very strikingly beautiful bird, always read- 
ily known by its pure white plumage, yellow bill and 
black legs. It is about three feet in length, distin- 
guished from the Uittle White Egret by its greater 
size. 'This Egret, Wilson says, breeds in the great 
cedar swamps of Southern New Jersey. 'Their nests 
are built on trees, in societies, the eggs being usually 
four, of a pale blue color. We have seen great 
numbers of these birds standing on the flats near 
Cedar Keys, in Florida, when they have very much 
the appearance, at a distance, of a long white picket 
fence. In the everglades and in the mangrove 
thickets of the backwaters of the Florida Reef, 
they are particularly abundant. When seen stand- 
ing listlessly in the shoal-water beneath the dense 
foliage of the mangroves, they afford a beautiful 
picture. 
LITTLE WHITE EGRET (Ardea candidissima ). — 
— Called also the Snowy Hj^ron. 'J’liis is confined 
mostly to the Southern United States, although it 
is sometimes seen as far north as Massachusetts. 
It ranges through Mexico, the Antilles, and south to 
Peru. It breeds throughout its range. 'This bird so 
resembles the European species — the Little Egret — 
that it was frequently considered the same. It has, 
however, a larger crest, yellow feet and curled plumes 
on the back^ — all different from the European — and is 
also very much larger. It is partial to salt marshes, 
and seldom goes far inland — like, in this respect, the 
others of this tribe. 'The length of this species is 
two feet one inch; extent of wing, three feet two 
inches; the bill is four inches and a quarter long. 
'The female is quite like the male ; the ornaments of 
plumage not quite so long and flowing. 'They breed, 
like others, in trees, and in societies. 
LOUISIANA EGRET (A. leucogastra) .—Described 
by Wilson and Audubon as A. ludoviciana. Dr. 
Coues records it as a variety leucoprymna. It is 
native to the tropical portions of America, but 
occasionally reaches as high as the CaroTmas. 
REDDISH EGRET (A. rw/a). — This is another 
strictly tropical species, found in Florida and the 
Gulf States. It has been variously named— Demi- 
egretta rufa, by Baird ; Ardea rufescens, by Audu- 
bon ; A. pealei, by Bonaparte and others. 
LITTLE BLUE HERON (A. carulea). — 'I'liough a 
southern species, this bird is sometimes seen as far 
north as New England, in summer. It is abundant 
in the Gulf States. 
GREEN HERON (Ardea rirescens). — Called also 
Poke. Lives in the United States generally, breed- 
ing throughout, and wintering in the south. It 
ranges through Mexico, the Antilles, to South Amer- 
ica. Wilson says of it: “It fares best where civili- 
zation is least known or attended to, its favorite res- 
idence being the watery solitudes of swamps, pools 
and morasses, where millions of frogs and lizards 
tune their nocturnal notes in full chorus, undisturbed 
by the lords of creation. When on the lookout for 
fish, he stands motionless in the water, his neck 
drawn in over his breast, ready for action. 'The in- 
stant a fry or minnow comes within range of his bill, 
by a stroke quick and sure as that of the rattlesnake, 
he seizes his prey, and swallows it in an instant.” 
When alarmed, this Heron rises with a hollow, guttu- 
ral scream ; does not fly far, but usually alights on 
some old stump, and looks about with extended 
neck. As it walks along, it has the habit of jet- 
ting the tail. It is found in the interior, in every 
marsh or pond-hole. 'The nest is fixed among the 
branches of the trees, is constructed wholly of small 
sticks, lined with finer twigs, and is of considerable 
size, though loosely put together. It is eighteen 
inches long; alar extent twenty-five inches. 'The 
bill is black, lighter below and yellow at base. 
AMERICAN NIGHT HERON (Nyctiardea grisea).— 
'This beautiful bird is common in all parts of the 
United States and the British Provinces, breeding in 
great abundance in New Phigland, and wintering in 
the south. It is seen in a portion of the West In- 
dies, Mexico, Central and South America. In some 
sections it is called Qua-bird and Quock, from its 
peculiar cry, which it utters when flying. We have 
heard this bird uttering its peculiar cry in the even- 
