Nycteardea nivaea? 
1890 Mass * 
July 19 Martha* s Vineyard? * Very abundant at Great South Pond 
(freshj where they collected in flocks of from 10 or 12 to 30 or 
40 at certain favorite fishing grounds, usually" the heads of 
little bays or coves or sand spits where the water was shallov/ 
on both sides? In sailing a distance of about 2 miles on this 
pond yesterday afternoon I saw fully 200 of these Herons*’ In one 
place a number were sitting in a row on the top of a rail fence 
which ran along the water*s edge*" Several were also perched 
on the top.of an embankment of earth thrown out by steam shovels 
in digging the herring ditch across the plains near Katsman 
On the pond their numbers increased after sunset when they were 
continually coming from the distant oak woods in small flocks 
and pitching down among; their fellows* I camped at the head of 
a little bay whence two or three dozens started just before I 
landed* They soon returned and alighted on all sides of me but 
it had become so dark that I could see them ohly when passing 
overhead against the sky* They were very noisy indulging , at 
frequent intervals, in a general outcry of loud squawks and 
occasionally making a prolonged series of choking sounds resemb- 
ling those produced by gargling but much louder* The latter 
cries, I think, uttered while two or more birds were fighting or 
struggling over a fish for they were often accompanied by the 
sound of flapping wingsand plashing of water* 
