112 
THE GREAT WHITE HERON. 
conveyed to Indian Key, and placed along with its kinsfolk. On seeing it, 
the latter immediately ran towards it with open bills, and greeted it with a 
most friendly welcome, passing their heads over and under its own in the 
most curious and indeed ludicrous manner. A bucketful of fish was thrown 
to them, which they swallowed in a few minutes. After a few days, they 
also ate pieces of pork-rind, cheese, and other substances. 
While sailing along the numerous islands that occur between Indian Key 
and Key West, I saw many birds of this species, some in pairs, some single, 
and others in flocks ; but on no occasion did I succeed in getting within shot 
of one. Mr. Egan consoled me by saying that he knew some places beyond 
Key West where I certainly should obtain several, were we to spend a day 
and a night there for the purpose. Dr. Benjamin Stiiobel afterwards 
gave me a similar assurance. In the course of a week after reaching Key 
West, I in fact procured more than a dozen birds of different ages, as well 
as nests and eggs, and their habits were carefully examined by several of 
my party. 
At three o’clock one morning, you might have seen Mr. Egan and 
myself, about eight miles from our harbour, paddling as silently as possible 
over some narrow and tortuous inlets, formed by the tides through a large 
flat and partially submersed key. There we expected to find many White 
Herons ; but our labour was for a long time almost hopeless, for, although 
other birds occurred, we had determined to shoot nothing but the Great 
White Heron, and none of that species came near us. At length, after six 
or seven hours of hard labour, a Heron flew right over our heads, and to 
make sure of it, we both fired at once. The bird came down dead. It 
proved to be a female, which had either been sitting on her eggs or had 
lately hatched her young, her belly being bare, and her plumage considerably 
worn. We now rested awhile, and breakfasted on some biscuit soaked in 
molasses and water, reposing under the shade of the mangroves, where the 
mosquitoes had a good opportunity of breaking their fast also. We went 
about from one key to another, saw a great number of White Herons, and' 
at length, towards night, reached the Marion, rather exhausted, and having 
a solitary bird. Mr. Egan and I had been most of the time devising 
schemes for procuring others with less trouble, a task which might easily 
have been accomplished a month before, when, as he said, the birds were 
“ sitting hard.” He asked if I would return that night at twelve o’clock to 
the last key which we had visited. I mentioned the proposal to our worthy 
Captain, who, ever willing to do all in his power to oblige me, when the 
service did not require constant attendance on board, said that if I would go, 
he would accompany us in the gig. Our guns were soon cleaned, provisions 
