2o8 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



out the continent, and extends its nesting area west- 

 wards to the Cape Verd Islands. 



Breeding habits : The Little Egret is a migrant 

 to Europe, reaching its breeding grounds between the 

 end of March and the beginning of May. It is grega- 

 rious and social, breeding not only in company with its 

 own kind, but in that of various other species. Of its 

 pairing habits I find nothing definite recorded, but it 

 is possible that this and all other Herons pair for life, 

 returning as they do to the old nesting places every 

 year. The favourite breeding haunts of the Little Egret 

 in Europe are the flooded willow and alder thickets in 

 river valleys which are annually flooded, and in similar 

 trees on the banks of lakes, or on bent down reeds, and 

 in swamps. The nest, which is slight and shallow, is 

 made of twigs, and these are arranged, as remarked by 

 Mr. Seebohm, like spokes of a wdieel from a common 

 centre. He also observed that many of the twigs were 

 green, and on some of them leaves still remained. The 

 nests made in swamps are composed of dead reeds and 

 other aquatic vegetation. This Egret becomes very 

 noisy when disturbed at the nest, and rises wdieeling 

 into the air to join the crowds of other Herons that are 

 flying about in alarm at the intrusion. 



Range OF egg colouration and measurement: 

 The eggs of the Little Egret are from three to six in 

 number. They are chalky m texture, unpolished, and 

 bluish-green in colour. Average measurement, 175 

 inch in length, by r3 inch in breadth. The duration 

 of the period of incubation is unknown, as is also the 

 sex that performs the duty. 



Diagnostic characters : There is no constant 

 character by which the eggs of the Little Egret can be 

 distinguished from those of the Night Heron ; all that 

 can be said is that on an average they are smaller. 



