liI,UE JJ 1CKO.V.
ARDEA ca:RCi.F.A, LINN.
•PLATE ^xiém'MS asi) Y'SRSjT*
Ai.oxg with a íow-othor Herons, thi£ is, comparatively speaking,
confined within narrow limits along" our southern -coast in winter. It
occurs, however, in must parts of the Floridas, where it ts a constant
resident, and whence, at. the approach of. summer, vast multitudes are
.seen proceeding northward, in search of suitable places- in which
they may rear their young-in security. >lany;ohowever, go. .southward,
!)oyond-the limits of the United States, and proceed coastwise
to Texas and Mexico to spend the* winter, especially -the: younger
birds, when -still in that singular whìtéplumage which, differs so.iiiuch
I'rom that of the -young of «very other known species of-this genus,
except .that- of the Reddish Kgcct (A.-rufesons). At New Orleans,
where-it aaxivesrat the same period, both from-¡Mexico and the Floridas,
its first appearand!' in spring is about.the beginning- of March ;
at which time also miiltitmle«»l(«ive the: Floridas oit^théir way eastward,
età settle in -Georgia, the"<Sarolina.s, and -o'tiicr Stales farther
oast, as farms Long Islimd'in that of New-York- Beyond this, I
bolio-ve, no birds of-the species have been met -with. They rarely, if
over, proceed .far -inland, or leave thè shores of our large - rivers and
estuaries. On the Mississippi, the swamps and lakes on the borders
of which are m well adapted to the: habits of those birds,«low individuals
are over seen above Natchez. About the boghming-.»Of September,
by which ti'mi? the young are able to shift for themselves, they
return southward.
W h é f f i » tiré'-floridas, during winter, ^observed that the. »Blue
Herons associated ijvith other species, particularly the White Heron,
Ardea alba, and the Louisiana Heron, Ardea Ludoviciama, all of which
were in the habit- of roosting together, in the thick evergreen low
bushes that cover the central parts of the island!'along the -coast.
Their passage to and from -.their feeding places, is as regular as the
rising and setting of the sun, and, unless frequently disturbed, they
BLUE HERON. 59
JWtsfeS themselves every night to the same locality, and almost to the
saime spot. In the morning, they rise with one accord from the roosts
on which they have T>&en standing all night on one .leg, the- other
drawn up anion» th^feathers of the abdomen, their neck retracted,
and their head and bill buried beneath their scapulars. On emerging
from Smir retreats, th|y««i -o.!)«' proceed to some distant -place in
search of food, and spend the day principally» the head waters of
the rivers,- and the«egh-water lakes-of the interior, giving a deeded
preference to the soft-mud banks, where, small, crabs or fiddlers are
abundant, 0» which they.fee.d igrce-Jily, -when the inland ponds -have
been -dried up,f^^eonsequen%«D ilonger supply them with such
fishes as they are wont to feed upon.
There, and at this- season, Reader, you mag - see this graceful Heron,
quietly and in silence - walking along the .margins of .the .water, with an
-elegance-and grace which cannever fail to-please,* ou. Kach regularlytimed
step is liglitlwmieasured, while the keen .eye of the bird seeks
for mid watches the equally cautious nioveni.ents.of the object* towards
which it advances, with all imaginable-care, When at a proper distance,
it darts forth its bill with asumishing-celcrity, to pierce and/securetits
prcy:<;.-and-.this it; doxis .with so.much precision,. that,.while
watching some at- a distance with ».glass, I rarely»observed an instance
of.feilurc. If fish is plentiful, on the.shallows near the shore,, »hen it
has,..caught one,' it immediately.swallows it, ami irons briskly-through
the water, striking there and there, .and thus capturing several in succession.
.Two or three .dashes.ofi this sort,, aftbrd sufficient nourishinent
tor several hours, and when tiio bird has obtained enough it retires
;to some quiet place, and remains there, in an attitude of. repose
until its.hunger returns. During- this period of rest, however, it,is as
watchful as ¡ever, and on hearing the least noi.se, or perceiving the slight-
• csiiappoiirariee of danger, spreads its wings,-¡uid tlies off to some other
place;.sometimes to a very distant one. About an hour before sunset,
they arc again seenlanxiou^tSaacchingior food. When at length satisfied,
they-rise simultaneously from all parts of the marsh, or .shore,
arrange, themselves into loose bodies, and ascending to the. height of
fifty-or sixty yards in the air, fly in - ».straight course-towards .their
roosting place. I saw aery few of. these; Jjirds .during -the winter, on
or near the -river St John in-iElorida; but on several, occasions met