THE AMERICAN EGRET. 471 
No. 211. 
AMERICAN EGRET. 
A. O. U. No. 196. Herodias egretta (Gmel.). 
Synonyms.—GreAt WHItr Ecret; Wuite Heron; “WHITE CRANE.” 
Description——Adult im oreeding plumage: Entire plumage pure white; 
from the interscapular region originates a train of from forty to fifty elongated 
feathers, “aigrettes,” with enlarged and stiffened shafts, and decomposed fila- 
mentous webs, which reach from eight to twelve inches beyond the tail; lores 
orange; bill yellow; legs and feet black. Adults after the breeding season and 
immature: Without elongated plumes on the back. Length (not counting 
plumes) 36.00-42.00 (914.4-1066.8) ; wing 15.00 (381.); tail 6.75 (171.5); bill 
4.70 (119.4) ; tarsus 6.00 (152.4) ; middle toe and claw 5.40 ) 137.2). 
Recognition Marks.—Ilagle size; pure white plumage; black legs and feet; 
Heron habits; “‘aigrette” train. 
Nesting.—Not certainly known to have bred in Ohio. Nest, a mere platform 
of sticks in bushes near or over water. Eggs, 3-5, dull blue. Av. size, 2.28 x 1.60 
(57-9 X 40.6). 
General Range.—Temperate and tropical America, from New Jersey, Minne- 
sota and Oregon south to Patagonia ; casually on the Atlantic coast to Nova Scotia. 
Range in Ohio.—Formerly not uncommon summer visitor; now very rare. 
NEVER was the diabolism of fashion more clearly illustrated than in 
the case of the E'grets. The women of America have coveted the wedding 
garments of these great, innocent, white birds, and their coveting has not 
been in vain. In the Southern States, where birds of this and the succeeding 
species used to breed by countless thousands, there are now only a few scat- 
tering pairs or small colonies in the depths of the dismal forests and im- 
penetrable everglades. And these few, instead of being allowed to spread 
their beauties before the admiring gaze of nature lovers, flee at man’s ap- 
proach as before a pestilence. 
The peculiar cruelty of this war of extermination lies in the fact that 
in order to secure the “aigrettes,’ which are to nod and dance upon some 
lady’s bonnet, the bird which owns them must be shot during the nesting 
season. The magnificent train of feathers is provided only at this time 
of year, as a bride is granted her best robes for the wedding day and the 
honeymoon; and if the butchers whom the “feather merchants” hire were 
to wait until the young birds were raised, the wedding garments of the 
parents would be worn threadbare or cast away. Therefore, since it must 
be done, the only way is to visit a colony during the breeding season, shoot 
all the old birds (who will not of course desert their young), snatch out 
their nuptial plumes, and leave their carcases to putrify, while the starving 
children call down from the tree-tops to the ears that hear not. Thus a 
