Page:The birds of America, Volume 6.djvu/194

144 tion, the one group running into the other in an almost imperceptible grada- tion. Hoping that an account of the extent of the migrations of the species of Heron that occur in the United States, and whose habits I have studied for many years under the most favourable circumstances, may prove accept- able, I now lay one before you, arranging the species according to size, without regard to the rank they hold in systematic works. 1. The Great White Heron. Jirdea Occident alls. A constant resident on the southern keys of Florida; entirely maritime; never goes farther east- ward than Cape Florida, though in winter the younger birds migrate south- ward, and perhaps pass beyond the extremities of the Gulf of Mexico. 2. The Great Blue Heron. Jirdea Herodias. A constant resident in the Floridas; migrates throughout the Union, and as far along the Atlantic coast as the southernmost islands of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in summer; breeds in all the districts, and at the approach of winter returns to the Southern States.

3. The White Heron. Jirdea Egretta. Resident in the Floridas; mi- grates to the eastward sometimes as far as Massachusetts, and up the Missis- sippi as far as the city of Natchez; never seen far inland.

4. The Reddish Egret. Jirdea rufescens. Resident on the Florida Keys; entirely maritime; never seen farther eastward than Cape Florida; the young sometimes remove southward in winter.

5. The American Bittern. Jirdea lentiginosa. A winter resident in the Floridas; many migrate over the greater part of the Union and beyond its northern limits; never seen in Kentucky; return before winter to the Southern States. 6. The Night Heron. Jirdea Nycticorax. Resident in the Floridas; migrates eastward as far as Maine, up the Mississippi as high as Memphis; none seen in Kentucky; returns to the Southern States at the approach of winter, and occurs at the distance of a hundred miles inland.

7. The Yellow-crowned Heron. Jirdea violacea. A few spend the winter in the Floridas; it rarely migrates farther eastward than New Jersey; proceeds up the Mississippi to Natchez; never goes far inland; the greatest number winter beyond the southern limits of the United States.

S. The Blue Heron. Jirdea ccerulea. Resident in the Floridas; migrates eastward as far as Long Island; proceeds up the Mississippi about a hundred miles above Natchez; never goes far inland.

9. The Louisiana Heron. Jirdea Ludoviciana. Resident in the Floridas; rarely seen as far east as New Jersey; seldom passes Natchez on the Mis- sissippi; never goes far inland.

10. The White Egret. Jirdea candidissima. Resident in the Floridas; migrates eastward as far as New York, up the Mississippi as far as Memphis;.