C. II. Merriani — Birds of Ccnnecticut. 1 1 1 



213. Ardea egretta (Gmelin) Gray. Great White Egret. 



A rare visitor from the South. Several specimens have been taken 

 in Massachusetts, and I have myself seen it at the " Ox Boav" on the 

 Connecticut. A specimen was shot near Middletown, Conn., some 

 years ago, and is now in tlie ^luseum of Wesleyan University. Mr. 

 Grinnell has seen it on tlio marshes near Milford, Conn., in Septem- 

 ber. Dr. Wood tells me that, several years ago, one spent a week 

 on a marsh near East Windsor Hill, Conn. Mr. Fred. Siimner 

 Smith tells me that he saw a pair of these birds at Lake Saltonstall 

 (near New Haven), Conn., during the latter part of July, 1876, and 

 two weeks later, at the same place, saw no less than seven individu- 

 als feeding together. They were exceedingly shy and he could not 

 approach within gunshot. 



214. Ardea Candidissima (Jaoqnin) Gmelin. Little White Egret. 



A rare accidental visitor from the South. Seen at Stratford, Conn., 

 by Linsley. Also taken in Massachusetts, and one straggler even 

 reached Nova Scotia ('■Jones"). Dr. Crary says that he has taken 

 it near Hartford, Conn. 



215. Ardea CSerulea Linue. Little Blue Herou. 



A very rare accidental visitoi- from the South. Linsley took it at 

 Stratford, Conn. Has been taken in Massachusetts. Mr. Dayan saw 

 a small Heron on Lake Whitney, early in April, 18*77, which he sup- 

 poses to have been this species. In the Cabinet of Mr. Coe, of Port- 

 land, Conn., is a beautiful specimen of this species which he shot in 

 that vicinity early in July, 1875. It was a young bird and is inire 

 white all over, excepting the tips of the jn'imaries, which show a lit- 

 tle slate-blue color. There were two of them together, but the other 

 escaped. Mr. Erwin I. Shores, of Suffield, Conn., writes me that one 

 was shot there about the middle of May by Mr. Chas. Newton. Mr. 

 Shores did not see the s})ecimen, but says: " Dr. Newton described 

 it to me as ' a small Heron blue all over,' and I have no doubt but 

 that it was this s{)ecies." 



216. Ardea Virescens Linne. Green Heron. 



A common summer resident. Breeds in several places near New 

 Haven — notably in "Pine Swamp." Arrives late in A]>ril or early 

 in Mav (^Fav -5), remaining into October, ('apt. IJrooks infoi-ms me 



