ARDEA EGKETTA, GREAT WHITE EGRET. 519 



some two feet in diameter and about one-third as bi^li. Two or three 

 eggs are laid, probably never more ; they measure about 2.50 by 1,50, 

 and are rather narrowly elliptical, with both ends of about the same 

 shape ; the color is a pale, dull, greenish-blue, varying in shade in dif- 

 ferent specimens, but always uniform over the same egg. 



I have not observed the breeding of the Heron in the Missouri region, 

 but have noticed the bird high up the river as late as the end of October. 



AEDEA EGRETTA, (Gm.) Gray. 



Great White Egret; White Keroii* 



Jrdea egretta, GM.,Svst. Nat. i, 1788, 629.— Lath., Ind. Oru. ii, 1790, G94.— WiL.s , Am. 

 Orn. vii, 1813, 100, pi. (U, f. 4.— Nutt., Mau. ii, 1834, 47.— Aud., Oru. Biog. iv, 

 1838,600, pi. 386; Syu. 1839, 26.'); B. Am. vi, 1843, 132, pi. 370.— Wuodh., Sitgr. 

 Rep. 1853, 97 (Texas and Indian Territory).— Putn., Pr. Ess. lust, i, 1856, 218 

 (Massachusetts, very rare). — Tuiinb., B. E. Pa. 1869, 27 (rather rare). — COUES, 

 Key, 1872, 267. 



Eerodias etjnita, Gi:.vv, Gen. of B. iii, 1849.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 666.— AViieat., Ohio 

 Agric. Rep. 1H60, No. 184 (not very uucommou).— Coi'ES & Pp.ent., Smiths. 

 Rep. 1861, 415 (Washington, occaBioual).— Aeeen, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 86 

 (Boston). — CouES, Und. v, 1868,290 (New England, to Massachusetts). — McIlwe., 

 ibid. V. 1866,91 (Hamilton, C. W. ; rare).— Dkess., Ibis, 1836, 31 (Texas).— Lawr., 

 Aun. Lye. N. Y. viii, 18ii6, 292 (New York).— Coues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 123 

 (South Carolina, summer, common). — Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 95 (Colo- 

 rado River, common) ; ihld. 1871, 33 (North Carolina, common). — Mayn., Guide, 

 1870, 143 (Massachusetts, casual). — Jones, Trans. Nova Scotia Inst, ii, 1868,72 

 (Nova Scotia). — Allen, km. Nat. iii, 1870, 637 (Massachusetts). — Allen, Bull. 

 M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 358 (Florida, abundant, breeding).- Snow, B. Kaus. 1873, 9 

 (Kansas, one instance). — Hatch, Bull. Minnesota Acad, i, 1874, 62 (Minnesota). 



Herod'ias alba var. eyretta, Ridgway, Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 1874, 386 (Illinois). 



Eerodias egretta var. califurnica, Baiud, B. N. A. 1856, 667 (larger). 



Ardea leitcc, Illiger. — Lichtensti;in, Verz. 1823, No. 793. 



Egretta Icnce, Bonaparte, List, 1838, 47 ; Consp. ii, 1855, 114. 



Eerodias Iciiee, Brehm. Hand-buch, 1831, 585. 



Ardea alba, Bonaparte, Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 189; Syn. 1828, 304 (not of Linno'us). 



Ardea ^' oeeideiitalis," Newr., P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857, 27 (California). (Not of Aitdubon). 



ExtralimitaJ quotations. — GrM>L., J. f. O. iv, 1856, 341 (Cuba).— Bry., Pr. Bost. Soc. 

 vii, 1859 (Bahamas).— ScL., 1'. Z. S. 1861,80 (Jamaica).— ScL., P. Z. S. 18()0, 253 (Ori- 

 zaba); 290 (Ecmidor).— ScL. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1866, 199 (Peru); 1867, 334 (Chili); 1869, 

 156 (Peru); 1873, 305 (Peru).— Scl., Ibis, 1859, 226 (Central America).— T.vylor, Ibis, 

 1860, 312 (Tigre Island, Honduras).— L.vwi;., Ann. Lye. viii, 63 (Panama) ; ix, 142 (Costa 

 Rica).— Pelz., Orn. Bras. 300 (resident). — Phil., Cat. 33 (Chili). — Darw., Voy. Beagle, 

 128 (Mahlonado and Patagonia). 



//«/>.— United States, southerly, straggling northward to Nova Scotia (./ojffs), Massa- 

 chusetts, Canada West, and Minnesota. West Indies; Mexico; Central and S. Anuirica. 

 Not obtained bj- any of the Expeditions. 



The only instance of the occurrence of this species in the Mis.souri 

 region which has come to my knowledge is that of a specimen taken at 

 Lawrence, Kansas, August 15, 1872, as stated by Prof. Snow. It must 

 be, however, of at least occasional occurrence on the Lower i"\Ii.ssouri. 



This (ine bird nuiy be immediately recognized by its color — pure white 

 at all .season.s, with yellow bill and black legs, witli its large size — about 

 three feet in length. The head is not adorned with a crest, but in the 

 breeding sea.son the back has a magnificent train drooping beyond the 

 tail. The Little White lOgref is much smaller, only about two feet long, 

 and has a recurved ci-est, lengthened breasL-leathers, and a recurvecl 

 train, in the breeding season. An erroneous impression prevails that 

 an " I']gret " is soniethiiig dilTerent from a Heron; but all Egrets are 

 Herons, althougli all Herons are not lOgrets. It is a term applied to 

 certain Herons, especially white ones, that have long jilumes {(dijirftcn); 

 but the distinctiou is entirely arbitrary. The liedilish Egret, for iu- 



