Herons of the United States 



3°7 



these interesting birds on the Second Chain-of-Islands, lying between Mesquite 

 Bay and San Antonio Bay, Texas. This was at a spot about twenty miles 

 north and east of Rockford. These islands were at that time twelve in 

 number and all small, the largest being not over two acres in extent. 

 Typical of all the islands along that coast, they were composed of mud, 

 sand, and oyster shells. They were covered more or less with stunted 

 mesquite, yucca, and prickly pear cactus. Nearly all were occupied 

 by breeding birds. 



Nests of the Reddish Egrets and various other Herons were scattered 

 everywhere among the cactus and other bushes, at heights varying from 



>T 





REDDISH EGRETS IN THE ROOKERY ON SECOND CHAIN-OF-ISLANDS, GULF COAST OF 



TEXAS. YOUNG LOUISIANA HERONS ON NEST IN LOWER LEFT-HAND CORNER 



Photographed by William L. and Irene Finley 



eight inches to seven feet from the ground. Of the Reddish Egrets, it was 

 estimated there were 1,250 pairs in the colony. Many nests contained four 

 or five blue eggs, and numerous young were running about in the bushes or 

 along the narrow beaches. 



Two years later, on June 21, 1920, I again visited this group of islands, this 

 time in company with Mr. and Mrs. William L. Finley. The heavy growth of 

 cactus and thorny bushes had largely disappeared, leaving only a few dead 

 mesquites. Most of the nests, therefore, were built on the ground or on drift 

 matter carried in by the sea. On one island many were built on wild sunflower 

 plants at heights varying from one to three feet from the ground. The island 

 had also been greatly reduced in size by the ravages of storm-tides. Only 

 six of the islands were this year occupied as nesting places by the various 

 Herons. I estimated the Reddish Egrets to be present to the extent of about 

 500 pairs. Among the hundreds of young climbing about the nests or running 



