58 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA 
black, white and rusty ; chin and upper part of neck in front white. Tibiae and edge 
of wing reddish-brown ; upper parts and tail light bluish-slate color ; long scapular 
feathers and long loose feathers on lower neck ; crissum white ; under parts chiefly 
black, streaked with white. The young are different in many respects from the 
above, but can always be known by their large size and a general resemblance to 
the adult. 
Habitat .—North America, from the Arctic regions southward to the West Indies 
and northern South America. 
This bird, the largest of our herons, is a summer resident in various 
localities in this state. During the last few years, however, several 
favorite breeding resorts in eastern Pennsylvania, which were annually 
visited by this and other species, have been broken up by boys and men 
who destroyed the birds, old and young, simply because their feathers 
would bring a few dollars, and, as they remarked, “ there's no law to 
stop it." 
I have no doubt that the time will soon come when this beautiful 
heron will be known in this commonwealth only as a rare straggling 
visitant. The nest is made of large sticks and twigs, and placed on the 
larger limbs of trees, generally near the water. The eggs vary in num¬ 
ber from three to five, are light-blue in color, and about the size of those 
of our common domestic fowl. This bird, and the same is true of other 
herons, when wounded and unable to escape, is one which cannot be 
handled with too much caution, as it frequently, with its sharp and 
powerful bill, inflicts severe, dangerous, and, it is said, sometimes fatal 
wounds. In Florida I met a hunter who had an eye destroyed by one 
of these birds which he had winged and carelessly attempted to pick up. 
By some, particularly residents of certain of the southern states, the 
flesh of the Great Blue Heron is considered quite a delicious morsel. 
Some few winters ago, when camping in the cypress swamps of Florida, 
I, more from necessity than choice, eat the breast meat of this heron 
and also that of the Water Turkey {Anhinga anhinga), a bird which 
preys exclusively on fish, and although I did not especially relish the 
dish, I must admit that to a hungry man it was in no way disagreeable. 
The following interesting observations on the food-habits are given by 
Nuttall: “ Fish is the principal food of the Great Heron, and for this 
purpose, like an experienced angler, he often waits for that condition of 
the tide which best suits his experience and instinct. At such times 
they are seen slowly sailing out from their inland breeding haunts, dur¬ 
ing the most silent and cool period of the summer’s day, selecting 
usually such shallow inlets as the ebbing tide leaves bare or accessible 
to his watchful and patient mode of prowling; here wading to the knees 
he stands motionless amidst the timorous fry, till some victim coming 
within the compass of his wily range is as instantly seized by the pow¬ 
erful bill of the heron. * * * If large the fish is beaten to 
death, and commonly swallowed with the head descending, as if to avoid 
any obstacle arising from the reversion of the fins or any hard external 
