GREEN HERON. 
105 
length ; gall-bladder 8 twelfths long, 24 twelfths in breadth. Intestine 2 
feet 94 inches long, 3 twelfth wide in the duodenal portion, gradually 
diminishing to i twelfth ; coecum a small knob neaidy 1 twelfth long, and 
of the same breadth ; rectum 2J inches long, and 2 twelfths in width ; 
cloaca globular, 4 inch in diameter. It forms 20 folds. 
Trachea 6 inches long, 1 twelfth in breadth; its rings 170, and 4 dimidiate. 
Bronchi very wide, of 12 rings. 
GREEN HERON. 
Ardea virescens, Linn. 
PLATE CCCLXYII.— Hale and Young. 
This species is more generally known than any of our Herons, it being 
very extensively dispersed in spring, summer, and early autumn. It ranges 
along our many rivers to great distances from the sea, being common on the 
Missouri and its branches, from which it spreads to all such localities as are 
favourable to its habits. To the north of the United States, however, it is 
very seldom seen, it being of rare occurrence even in Nova Scotia. At the 
approach of winter it retires to the Floridas and Lower Louisiana, where 
individuals, however, reside all the year, and many remove southward 
beyond the limits of our country. I have observed their return in early 
spring, when arriving in flocks of from twenty to fifty individuals. They 
would plunge downwards from their elevated line of march, cutting various 
zigzags, until they would all simultaneously alight on the tops of the trees 
or bushes of some swampy place, or on the borders of miry ponds. These 
halts took place pretty regularly about an hour after sun-rise. The day was 
occupied by them, as well as by some other species, especially the Blue, the 
Yellow-crowned, and Night Herons, all of which at this period travelled 
eastward, in resting, cleansing their bodies, and searching for food. When 
the sun approached the western horizon, they would at once ascend in the 
air, arrange their lines, and commence their flight, which, I have no doubt, 
continued all night. You may therefore, good reader, conclude that Herons 
are not only diurnal birds when feeding, but also able to travel at night when 
Yol. YI. 15 
