LOUISIANA HERON. 
157 
impression on the sand, and with its keen eye it views every object around 
with the most perfect accuracy. See, it has spied a small fly lurking on a 
blade of grass, it silently runs a few steps, and with the sharp point of its 
bill it has already secured the prey. The minnow just escaped from the 
pursuit of some larger fish has almost rushed upon the beach for safety ; but 
the quick eye of the Heron has observed its motions, and in an instant it is 
sw.allowed alive. Among the herbage yet dripping with dew the beautiful 
bird picks its stops. Not a snail can escape its keen search, and as it moves 
around the muddy pool, it secures each water lizard that occurs. Now the 
sun’s rays have dried up the dews, the flowers begin to droop, the woodland 
choristers have ended their morning concert, and like them, the Heron, 
fatigued with its exertions, seeks a place of repose under the boughs of the 
nearest bush, where it may in safety await the coolness of the evening. 
Then for a short while it again searches for food. Little difficulty does^it 
experience in this ; and at length, with the last glimpse of day, it opens its 
wings, and flies off towards its well-known roosting place, where it spends 
the night contented and happy. 
This species, which is a constant resident in the southern parts of the 
peninsula of the Floridas, seldom rambles far from its haunts during the 
winter season, being rarely seen at that period beyond Savannah in Georgia 
to the eastward. To the west it extends to the broad sedgy flats bordering 
the mouths of the Mississippi, along the whole Gulf of Mexico and perhaps 
much farther south. In the beginning of spring, it is found abundantly in 
the Carolinas, and sometimes as far east as Maryland, or up the Mississippi 
as high as Natchez. You never find it far inland : perhaps forty miles would 
be a considerable distance at any time of the year. It is at all seasons a 
social bird, moving about in company with the Blue Heron or the White 
Egret. It also frequently associates with the larger species, and breeds in 
the same places, along with the White Heron, the Yellow-crowned Heron, 
and the Night Heron ; but more generally it resorts to particular spots for 
this purpose, keeping by itself, and assembling in great numbers. Those 
which visit the Carolinas, or the country of the Mississippi, make their 
appearance there about the first of April, or when the Egrets and other 
species of Heron seek the same parts, returning to the Floridas or farther 
south about the middle of September, although I have known some to 
remain there during mild winters. When this is the case, all the other 
species may be met with in the same places, as the Louisiana Heron is the 
most delicate in constitution of all. Whilst at St. Augustine in Florida, in 
the month of January, I found this species extremely abundant there ; but 
after a hard frost of a few days, they all disappeared, leaving the other 
Herons, none of which seemed to be affected by the cold, and returned 
