ARDEA WURDEMANNl. 
407 
breeding near. In the North, where the birds breed in May, the nests are usually placed 
in-high trees, but in the heronry of which I have been speaking, the birds often built in 
low bushes, and I have even seen the nests on the ground. The cry of the Great Blue 
Heron is loud and harsh, and is more often repeated at night than at any other time, for 
this species is partly nocturnal and often fishes during the hours of darkness. These Her¬ 
ons are migratory, passing southward in autumn, and although none winter as far north 
as New England, they often remain here until late in November. 
ARDEA WTJEDEMANNI. 
Florida Heron. 
Ardea Wurdemanni Baird, Birds N. A.; 1858, 669. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, very iong, slender, and narrowing gradually to tip which is pointed. 
Head, neck, and breast, provided with long, lanceolate plumes. Lower half of tibia, naked. 
Color. Adult. Above, bluish-ash, becoming lighter on neck and scapularies, and darkest on primaries. Throat, 
white, centrally streaked with black and rufous. Top of head, white, edged on the forehead with black. White beneath, 
streaked on sides with black. Tibia and edge of wing, ashy-chestnut. Naked space about head, greenish-brown. Iris and 
bill, yellow. Feet, brown. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known from the preceding species by the naked tibia, white top to head, black forehead, and white under parts, and 
from all others, by the large size and colors as described. Constantly resident on the Florida Keys. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 49*50; stretch, 74*50; wing, 20*50; tail, 7*75; bill, 6*50; 
tarsus, 8*25. Longest specimen, 50*00; greatest extent of wing, 75*00; longest wing, 21*00;.tail, 8*00; bill, 7*00; tarsus, 
8'50. Shortest specimen, 48'00; smallest extent of wing, 74*00; shortest wing, 20*00; tail, 7*50; bill, 5*95; tarsus, 7*95. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on trees and composed of sticks, somewhat loosely arranged. Eggs, two or three in number, varying 
from elliptical to oval in form, pale bluish-green in color, unspotted. Dimensions from 1*80 x 2*60 to 1*85 x*2*90. 
HABITS. 
The Florida Herons have long been a puzzle to ornithologists, but that such a species 
exists, is now proved beyond a doubt; though they are far from being common and are, I 
believe, restricted to the Florida Keys, or at best, are mere stragglers on the mainland; 
and I do not think that a well authenticated specimen has ever been taken there, those 
which are considered this species, being merely Great Blue Herons, with dark streaks on 
the forehead; for, at least, two instances of this kind have come under my notice. Some 
writers on the subject are inclined to dispose of the Florida Herons, by considering them 
merely a plumage of the Great White, but I greatly fear that such conclusions rest too 
much upon purely theoretical grounds. It is true, that it has been alleged, that birds 
of both species have been found in one nest, and without doubt, this is a fact; yet it proves 
nothing, unless, indeed, the nestlings were too small to go about much; for any one who is 
familiar with Florida heronries, knows that the young birds leave the nest almost as soon 
as fledged, and walk over the branches; and if suddenly surprised, will squat in the near¬ 
est nest. I was once on an island, during the last week in April, which was covered with 
a dense growth of high mangroves and buttonwood, on which Great Blue Herons, Florida, 
and Great White were breeding; but I did not find the young mixed at all, simply because 
they were then too small to move about, but this might not have been the case two weeks 
