AIWF.A EGPETTA. 



141 



vory shy, it being often quite impossible to sro within hall .'i mile of them. A few days 

 after securing the two young, I was standing on a little islet \v!:ieh was so entirely sur- 

 rounded with mud flats, that we were obliged to anchor our yaclvt a nuh :'.v.-;:y. This small 

 key was completely covered with nests of tlie Great White Heron, some of which were 

 empty, jind some contained young nearly fledged, while then? were eggs in one or two. 

 When we cast anchor, a cloud of old birds rose up irom the place, and flew slowly away, 

 quite out of sight. They were all snowy white, not a colored specimen of any species, be- 

 ing among them; nor were there any among the young, left behind, for T carefully exam- 

 ined every nest, as they were all built low, some not over five feet from the ground. The 

 young were scattered about on the branches, but when approached, retreated to their large 

 nests, and there lay perfectly flat. I waited here for three hours, trusting that the old 

 birds would return, but none came, so taking one of the largest young, which was about 

 two thirds grown, away with me, I left the spot. This was the only breeding place I ever 

 •saw, devoted exclusively to the Great White Herons. I had found a few breeding on high 

 mangroves, a short time previous, in company with the Great Blue and Florida Herons, 

 and had secured one or two eggs, but this being about the first of May, was much ton late, 

 for they evidently begin to lay as early as February. The Great Whites are, beyond all 

 doubt, the shyest of the Herons; but in spite of this, their numbers are rapidly decreasing, 

 for they were evidently raucK more abundant when the species was discovtu-ed by Audu- 

 bon, some forty-five years ago; and the total extermination of this prince of Waders, 

 on the Florida Keys, is a mere matter of time. These majestic Herons ma}' be recognized 

 when flying at a distance, by the regular, prolonged flappings of the wings. Tt:e young 

 bird which I had captured, proved so untamable and savage, striking at everything that 

 came near, that I soon gave it its liberty. 



AEDEA BGRETTA. 



White Heron. 



Ardea eyrelta Um., Syst. Nat., I; 1788, f>29. 



DESCKIPTION. 



Si>. Cii. Form, robust. Size, medium. Tongue, very long, thin, and gradually tapering toward tip which is point- 

 ed. Back, furnished with long, filamentous plumes. Lower half of tibia, naked. 



Color. AduU. Pure, snowy white throughout. Legs, Itlaek. Iiis, bill, and naked space about hea<l, bright yel- 

 low. Youn<j. Similar to the adult, but lacks the plumes. 



OBSERVATTOXS. 

 Readily kuown by the me<lium size, pure white color, yellow bQl, and black legs. Distributed, in summer, from New 

 Jersey, southward. Stragglers are occasionally found as far north as New Brunswick. Winters from the C:iroli::;us, south. 



DLMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of speciiiK'iis from Florida. Length, 38'25;stretch, 5500; wing, 1425; tail, 5-25; bill,3-85; tar- 

 sus, 5-25. Longest specimen, 41-50; greatest extent of wing, 58-50; longest wing, 15-50: tail. 6-50; bill, 4-CO; btrsus, 6-5(>. 

 Shortest specimen, 34-75; smallest extent of wing, 5053; siiortest wing, 13-00; tail, 400; bill, 3-15: tai-sus, 4-00. 



DESCRIPTION OV NESTS AND KGCiS. 

 N€sls, pl-.iced in trees or bushes, composed of sticks locsely arranged. R/ys, from two to four in number, varying from 

 elliptical to oval in form, pale bluish-greon in c d ir, unsp )tted. Dimensions f;-oni r40x2-2') to TOJ m23.". 



HABITS. 



One of the most abundant Herons in Florida, are (he White, and they are constantly 

 resident throughout the State, not only in the interior, but also on the coast; though I 



52 



