BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA 
57 
Birds ): “In some places as many as a dozen or twenty pairs breed 
along* the grassy shores of a small lake or pond. Like the last, it in¬ 
habits reedy swamps and marshes where the quagmire abounds with a 
luxuriant growth of rushes, which is also the home of the rails. The 
nest is placed on the ground or in the midst of the rankest grass, or in 
a bush. It is often placed on floating bog, and is simply a platform of 
dead rushes. The bird has many odd habits. When standing on the 
edge of a stream, with its neck drawn in, it is often taken for a wood¬ 
cock, the long bill giving it this appearance. It appears so stupid at 
times that it may be caught with the hand. The bird is mostly seen 
just before or after sunset. In many of the southern states this species 
rears two broods in a season, fresh eggs having been obtained in May 
and August. In Texas, Mr. Rachford says, it nests along the edges of 
the water courses in May, bending down the tops of water grass and 
platting it into a snug little nest, about two or three feet above the 
water. * * * * The eggs of the Least Bittern are from three to 
five, usually four, in number, pale bluish or greenish-white, elliptical in 
shape. The average size is 1.20 by .93.” 
According to Nuttall, this species subsists chiefly on small fish and 
aquatic insects. Audubon states that “ the food of this bird consists of 
snails, slugs, tadpoles, or young frogs and water-lizards. In several 
instances, however, I have found small shrews and field-mice in their 
stomachs.” The food materials of six of these birds examined by me 
are given, with date of collection, and locality where taken, in the fol¬ 
lowing table: 
No. 
Date. 
Locality. . 
Food-Materials. 
1 
April 29. 1879. 
Lancaster county. Pa. 
Hair of small mammal. 
2 
Sept. —. 1880. 
Delaware county. Pa. 
Beetles. 
3 
Sept. —. 1880. 
Delaware county. Pa. 
Insects and remains of fish. 
4 
Sept. 20. 1881. 
Philadelphia Market, Pa. 
Portion of a small snake and insects. 
5 
Aug. 25, 1883. 
Delaware county. Pa. 
Beetles and “worms.” 
6 
May 20, 1884. 
Chester county, Pa. 
Vegetable-matter. 
Subfamily ARDEINAE Herons and Egrets. 
Genus ARDEA Linnaeus. 
Ardea herodias Linn. 
Great Blue Heron ; “Big Crane.” 
Description {Plate 69). 
Adult .—Bill about six inches long, chiefly yellow, dusky on culmen ; eyes yellow; 
legs and feet blackish, yellowish about toes ; lores greenish-yellow or bluish. The 
color of bill, legs and lores vary greatly not only with age and season but also with 
individuals. The male, larger than female, is about 4 feet long and about six feet 
from tip to tip. Forehead and central portion of crown white, surrounded on sides 
and behind with black ; long occipital feathers black ; neck chiefly brownish-gray : 
feathers on middle (in front) of lower two-thirds of neck, with a showy streak of 
