But at present it is very different in that part of the world; and the flamingo is not only one of the scarcest, but one of the shyest birds in the world, and the most difficult of approach. They chiefly keep near the most deserted and inhospitable shores; near salt water lakes and swampy islands. When seen by mariners in the day, they always appear drawn up in a long close line, of two or three hundred together; and present, at the distance of half a mile, the exact representation of a long brick wall. This line, however, is broken when they seek for food; but they always appoint one of the number as a watch, whose only employment is to observe and give notice of danger while the rest are feeding. As soon as this trusty sentinel perceives the remotest appearance of danger, he gives a loud scream, with a voice as shrill as a trumpet, and instantly the whole cohort are upon the wing. Their time of breeding is according to the climate in which they reside: in North America, they breed in summer; on the other side of the line, they take the most favorable season of the year. They build their nests in extensive marshes, and where they are in no danger of a surprise. _Herons._――The _Great Egret Heron_ is often seen in summer in our low marshes and inundated meadows; yet on account of its extreme vigilance, it is very difficult to be procured. It is found in Guiana, and probably beyond the line, to New York. It enters the territories of the United States late in February. The high inland parts of the country it rarely or never visits. Its favorite haunts are vast inundated swamps, rice fields, the low marshy shores of rivers, and such like places; where from its size and color it is very conspicuous even at a distance. The plumage of this elegant bird is of a snowy whiteness; the bill of a rich orange yellow; and the legs black. The _Great Heron_ is a constant inhabitant of the Atlantic coast from New York to Florida. They breed in the Carolinas and New Jersey, in the gloomy solitudes of the cedar swamps. Their nests are constructed of sticks and placed on the tallest trees. The _Louisiana Heron_ is a rare and delicately formed species, occasionally found on the swampy river shores of South Carolina, but more frequently along the borders of the Mississippi, particularly below New Orleans. In each of these places it is migratory, and in the latter builds its nests on trees amidst the inundated woods. Among the species of this tribe, are the _Green Heron_, _Blue Heron_, _Night Heron_, _Yellow-crowned Heron_, the _Bittern_, and several others. Illustration: Night Heron.