64 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
FAMILY ARDEID2E.—THE HEROINS AND BITTERNS. 
Ten species of this family have been found in our district. Of 
these the green, night and great blue herons are the most gen¬ 
erally distributed, the first two breeding throughout southern New 
Jersey, the third being more local in the nesting season. The least, 
bittern is less common but also breeds, while the common bittern 
is a transient. The white egret, snowy and little blue herons 
formerly bred in southern New Jersey, but are now only stragglers 
during migrations, while the yellow-crowned and Louisiana herons 
are very rare. 
American Bittern ; Stake-driver; Marsh Hen; Bog-bull 
(Botaurus leniiginosus ). 
A very common, large, solitary, retiring, grassy-marsli-living, stout-billed, 
buffy and brown, mottled, heron-like bird, with many elongated, loose feathers 
on the crown and lower neck. There is a velvety black streak on the side of 
the neck. This bird makes a note which sounds like driving a stake with a 
mallet or at other times like the working of an old wooden pump. 
Breeds from temperate and tropical North America to Guatemala. Winters 
mostly south'of the Middle States. Tolerably common transient along the coast. 
Least Bittern —(Ardetta exilis ). 
A bird formed similarly to the last and with similar habits, but much 
smaller. It is a buffy and chestnut-colored bittern, with the crested crown, 
back and tail, glossy black and a patch on the side of the breast blackish. 
Breeds in temperate and tropical America. Winters in southern United 
States, southward. Rather common summer resident at various points along 
the New Jersey coast. 
Great Blue Heron; Blue “Crane ”—(Ardea herodias). 
An exceedingly large, common, generally bluish or slate-colored, crested 
heron, with many black, white and yellowish streaks on head, neck and belly, 
and chestnut on the bend 1 of the wing. The tibia feathers are brown, the 
center of the crown and throat white and the sides of the crown black. 
Breeds on Hudson bay to northern South America. Winters mostly south 
of the Middle States. 
American Egret —(Ardea ecjreUa). 
A very large, pure white heron, with about fifty straight “aigrette" plumes 
on the back. Rather rare, seen mostly during August and September, when 
they seem to straggle northward from their breeding grounds. They are most 
frequently seen at this time along the const. 
Breeds in warmer parts of North America, northward to New Jersey. Win¬ 
ters in Florida, southward. 
