Todd: The Birds of the Isle of Pines. 179 



13. Herodias egretta (Gmelin). Egret. 



Ardea egretta Cory, Cat. W. Indian Birds, 1892, 89 (I. of Pines, in geog. distr.). 



Herodias egretta Gundlach, Orn. Cubana, 1895, 181 (I. of Pines). — Bangs & 

 Zappey, Am. Nat., XXXIX, 1905, 186 (I. of Pines, inland and coastwise; Nueva 

 Gerona, fide Palmer & Riley; La Vega; formerly abundant). — Read, Oologist, 

 XXVIII, 1911, II, and XXX, 1913, 132 (I. of Pines). — Read, I. of Pines 

 News, VI, Dec. 27, 1913 (I. of Pines, rare; descr.). 



"American Egret" Read, Forest and Stream, LXXIII, 1909, 452 (I. of Pines) 

 — Read, Oologist, XXVI, 1909, 124, and XXX, 1913, 131 (I. of Pines). 



Three specimens: Pasadita. 



Only one of these (No. 41,405, May 28) is in (worn) breeding dress. 

 The other two, shot on May 23, may also be adults, but they show no 

 signs of dorsal plumes. 



On the Isle of Pines, as elsewhere throughout its range, the Egret 

 has suffered sadly from the persecution of the plume-hunters, until its 

 numbers are now but a fraction of what they formerly were. The 

 few birds which remain, although protected by law, are shot at by the 

 natives surreptitiously at every opportunity, until they have become 

 so shy that it is now only by chance that they can be approached at 

 all. As many as seven together were seen on one occasion at a lagoon 

 east of the mouth of the Nuevas River, but they easily eluded the 

 efforts of four gunners to get within range. It is not known precisely 

 where the local breeding-grounds of this species are at the present time. 

 Mr. Zappey speaks of seeing Egrets on the coast as well as inland, but 

 Mr. Link did not observe any except about fresh water. 



14. Dichromanassa rufescens (Gmelin). Reddish Egret. 



Ardea rufescens Poey, Mem. Hist. Nat. Cuba, 1854, 427 (Nueva Gerona, fide 

 Gundlach). 



A single individual of this species was identified by Mr. Link in a 

 salt-water marsh at Los Indies on October 7, but eluded capture. 

 Poey's record above quoted seems to be the only other known instance 

 of its occurrence on the island. 



15. Florida caerulea (Linnaeus). Little Blue Heron. 



Ardea cariilea Poey, Mem. Hist. Nat. Cuba, 1854, 427 (Nueva Gerona, ^<fe Gund- 

 lach). — Cory, Cat. W. Indian Birds, 1892, 90 (I. of Pines, in geog. distr.). 



Florida ccerulea Gundlach, Orn. Cubana, 1895, 186 (I. of Pines). 



"Little Blue Heron" Read, Forest and Stream, LXXIII, 1909, 452 (I. of Pines). 

 — Read, Oologist, XXVI, 1909, 75, and XXX, 1913, 130 (I. of Pines, common); 



XXVII, 1910, 5, and XXVIII, 1911, 6, 10, and XXX, 1913, 123 (Nuevas River); 



XXVIII, 1911, 113 (West McKinley), 146 (Bibijagua); XXX, 1913. 125, 127 

 (Santa Barbara). 



