NIGHT HERON. 
39 
SUBGENUS II. — BOTAURUS. 
206 . ARDEA NYCTICORAX, LINNAEUS AND WILSON. 
NIGHT HERON, OR QUA BIRD. 
WILSON, PLATE LXI. FIG. II. ADULT. FIG. III. YOUNG. 
EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 
This species, though 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 purpose, 
an accurate detail is given 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 the 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 their inhabitants, who disperse 
about the marshes, and along the ditches and river 
shore, in quest of food. Some of these breeding places 
have been occupied every spring and summer for time 
immemorial, by from eighty to one hundred pair of 
qua birds. In places where the cedars have been cut 
down for sale, the birds have merely removed to another 
quarter of the swamp ; but when personally attacked, 
long teased, and plundered, they have been known to 
remove from an ancient breeding place, in a body, no 
one knew where. Such was the case with one on the 
