114 
THE GREAT WHITE HERON 
lowest end of tlie key, where it was separated from another by a channel. 1 
soon had the pleasure of observing all the Herons take to wing, one after 
another, in quick succession. I then heard my companions’ guns, but no 
signal of success. Obtaining a good chance, as I thought, I fired at a 
remarkably large bird, and distinctly heard the shot strike it. The Heron 
merely croaked, and pursued its course. Not another bird came near 
enough to be shot at, although many had alighted on the neighbouring key, 
and stood perched like so many newly finished statues of the purest 
alabaster, forming a fine contrast to the deep blue sky. The boats joined us. 
Mr. Egan had one bird, the Captain another, and both looked at me with 
surprise. We now started for the next key, where we expected to see more. 
When we had advanced several hundred yards along its low banks, we found 
the bird at which I had shot lying with extended wings in the agonies of 
death. It was from this specimen that the drawing was made. I was 
satisfied with the fruits of this day’s excursion. On other occasions I 
procured fifteen more birds, and judging that number sufficient, I left the 
Herons to their occupations. 
This species is extremely shy. Sometimes they would rise when at the 
distance of half a mile from us, and fly quite out of sight. If pursued, they 
would return to the very keys or mud-flats from which they had risen, and 
it was almost impossible to approach one while perched or standing in the 
water. Indeed, I have no doubt that half a dozen specimens of Ardea 
Herodias could be procured for one of the present, in the same time and 
under similar circumstances. 
The Great White Heron is a constant resident on the Florida Keys, 
where it is found more abundant during the breeding season than anywhere 
else. They rarely go as far eastward as Cape Florida, and are not seen on 
the Tortugas, probably because these islands are destitute of mangroves. 
They begin to pair early in March, but many do not lay their eggs until the 
middle of April. Their courtships were represented to me as similar to 
those of the Great Blue Heron. Their nests are at times met with at 
considerable distances from each other, and although many are found on the 
same keys, they are placed farther apart than those of the species just 
mentioned. They are seldom more than a few feet above high water-mark, 
which in the Floridas is so low, that they look as if only a yard or two 
above the roots of the trees. From twenty to thirty nests which I examined 
were thus placed. They were large, about three feet in diameter, formed of 
sticks of different sizes, but without any appearance of lining, and quite flat, 
being several inches thick. The eggs are always three, measure two inches 
and three quarters 'in length, one inch and eight-twelfths in breadth, and 
have a rather thick shell, of a uniform plain light bluish-green colour. Mr. 
