THE HERONS. 



Ardea egretta Gmel. 



THE AMERICAN EGEET. 



Popular synomyms. Great White Egret; White "Crane;" Garza blanca grande (Mexico). 



La Grande Aigrette d'A merique BUFF. PI. Enl. 1770-86, pi. 925. 



Great White Heron LATH. Synop. iii.1785, 91. 



Great Egret LATH. t. e. 89 (based on PI. Enl. 925). 



Ardea egretta GMEL. S. N. i, 1788, 029, No. 31 (based on PI. Enl. 925, and Lath. t. c.). WILS 



Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 106, pi. 61, fig. 4. NUTT. Man. ii, 1834. 47. AUD. Orn. Bios, iv, 



1838, 600, pt. 386; Synop. 1839, 2G3; B. Am. vi, 1843, 132, pi. 370. COUES, Key, 1872, 207; 



Check List. 1873, No. 452; Birds N. W. 1874,519. A. 0. U. Check List, 188G, No. 190. 



RIDGW. Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 130. 

 Herodias egretta GHAT, Gen. B. iii, 1849. BAIRD, B. N. Am. 1S58. 666; Cat. N. Am. B. 185!), 



No. 486. RIDGW. Oru. 40th par. 1877, . B. B. & 11. Water B. N. Am. i, 1881, 23. 



COUES. Check List, ed. 2, 18S2, No. 658. 



Herodias alba,var. egretta, RIDGW. Ann. Lye. N. Y. Jan. 1874,386. 

 Herodias alba egretta RIDGW. Bull. Essex Inst. Oct. 1874, 171; Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 489. 

 Herodias egrelta, var. californica BAIKD, B. N. Am. 1858, t'G7; Cat. N. Am. B. 185'.), No. -!8G a. 

 Ardea leuce "!LLIGEK," LIGHT. Verz. Doubl. 1823, No. 793. 

 Ardea alba, subspec. galatea, REICHENOW, J. f. O. 1877, 272. 



HAB. The whole of temperate and tropical America, from Nova Scotia, Ontario, 

 Minnesota, and Oregon, to Patagonia; throughout the West Indies. 



SP. CHAR. Length, about 37.00-39.00; extent, about 55.00-57.00; wi,ng, 14.10-16.80; tail, 

 5.60-7.30; culmen, 4.20-4.90; depth of bill, .70-.SO; tarsus, 5.50-6.80; middle toe, 3.50-4.30; naked 

 portion of tibia, 3.50-4.50; weight, about 2J4 Ibs. Color entirely pure white at all seasons 

 and at all ages. Bill and lores rich chrome-yellow (the latter sometimes tinged with light 

 green), the culmen usually black near the tip, sometime^ nearly the entire maxilla black; 

 iris naples-yellow; legs and feet entirely deep black. 



Having specimens before us from all parts of its range, we 

 are unable to detect in this species any variations of a geograph- 

 ical nature. The chief difference between individuals consists in 

 the amount of black on the maxilla, this being sometimes al- 

 most nil, while agaiu the maxilla may be entirely black. That 

 this variation has no relation to season is shown by the fact 

 that in a considerable series shot from one "rookery" in Florida, 

 and all bearing the nuptial train, the extremes are presented b}' 

 different individuals, others being variously intermediate. 



The Great White Egret is either a summer resident or visitant 

 in almost every portion of the State. While no doubt breeding 

 in many localities it usually occurs as a visitor late in summer, 

 in August and September, when it may be seen, either singly or 

 in small groups, sometimes in large numbers, wading about in 

 shoal places in the rivers or ponds. Professor Forbes informs 

 me that it is abundant all summer on the Illinois River as far 

 north as Peoria; but he does not state whether it is known to 

 breed there. 



D. 



