106 
NIGHT HERON, OR QUA-BIRD. 
JlRDEJl NYCTICORJIX. 
[Plate LXI. — Fig. 2. — Fig. 3, Young] 
ArcU Zool. No. 356. — Le Bxhoreau^ Buff. VII, 435, 439, tab. 22; DEtoile^ Id. 428, PL 
Enl 758, 759, 939.— Lath. Syn, v. %p. 52, No. 13 ; p. 53, Young, called there the Fe- 
male; p. 70, Ah. 31 ; p. 71, No. 32; p. 73, No. 37; p. 70, No. 30, var. B.^Ind. Om. 
nycticorax, p. 678, No. 13 ; Gardeni, p. 685, No. 32 ; badia, p. 686, Ah. 37.— Temm. 
d^Orn. p. 577, — Le Butortachete d^Amerique, Briss. 5, p. 464. — Brown Bittern, Cates- 
B Y, I, pi. 78, Young . — Pe ale’s Museum, No. 3728 ; Young, No. 3729. 
THIS species, tho common to both continents, and known 
in Europe for many centuries, has been so erroneously described 
by all the European naturalists whose works I have examined, as 
to require more than common notice in this place. For this pur- 
pose, an accurate figure of the male is given, and also another of 
what has till now been universally considered the female ; with a 
detail of so much of their history as I am personally acquainted 
with. 
The Night Heron arrives in Pennsylvania early in April, and 
immediately takes possession of his former breeding place, which 
is usually the most solitary and deeply shaded part of a cedar 
swamp. Groves of swamp-oak, in retired and inundated places, 
are also sometimes chosen ; and the males not unfrequently select 
tall woods, on the banks of a river, to roost in during the day. 
These last regularly direct their course, about the beginning of 
evening twilight, towards the marshes, uttering in a hoarse and 
hollow tone the sound Qua, which by some has been compared to 
that produced by the retchings of a person attempting to vomit. 
At this hour also all the nurseries in the swamps are emptied of 
