68 ABDEID^ HEBODIAS 



The decomposed nuptial plumes of this and other species of 

 White Egrets have always been much sought after as ornaments, 

 not only among the semi-barbarous nations of the east but also in 

 Europe, where the fashion of wearing " ospreys" as they are called 

 in the plume-trade, has of late years assumed alarming proportions 

 and has been the cause of great destruction to these beautiful and 

 graceful birds, especially during the breeding season, just before 

 which the ornamental plumes are assumed. 



So far as I am aware, the export of feathers and plumes from 

 South Africa is not very great, but from India and from America 

 the trade is considerable, so that many protests have been made 

 against it by naturalists and others. 



591. Herodias garzetta. Little Egret. 



Ardea garzetta, Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. i, p. 237 (1766) ; Grill, K. Vet. 

 Akad. Handl. Stocleh. ii, no. 10, p. 55 (1858) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. 

 p. 308 (1867); Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 210; Dresser B. Eur. vi, p. 

 239, pi. 399 (1880). 



Herodias garzetta, Gurney, Ibis, 1860, p. 221, 1868, p. 468 ; Gurney, in 

 Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 290 (1872) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 86 ; 

 Ayres, Ibis, 1874, p. 104, 1877, p. 349, 1880, p. 269 ; Butler, Feilden 

 fr Eeid, Zool. 1882, p. 344 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard 's B. S. Afr. p. 716 

 (1884) ; Fleck, Journ. Ornith. 1894, p. 387 ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 157 

 (1896) ; Woodward Bros., Natal B. p. 194 (1899) ; Marshall, Ibis, 

 1900, p. 266 ; Alexander, ibid. p. 440 ; Reichenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 387 

 (1901) ; Hellmayr, Journ. Ornith. 1902 p. 235 [Zwartkop] . 



Garzetta garzetta, Sharpe, Cat, B. M. xxvi, p. 118 (1898). 



Description. Adult Male in Breeding Plumage. Plumage white 

 throughout ; a pair of elongated narrow plumes depending from the 

 nape reaching a length of nearly 6 inches ; a bunch of similar but 

 shorter plumes and decomposed feathers at the base of the foreneck; 

 dorsal plumes elongated and decomposed reaching a little beyond 

 the tail and slightly re- curved at their tips. 



Iris pale yellow, skin at the base of the bill whitish fulvescent : 

 bill black, shanks and tarsus black ; feet greenish-yellow, joints 

 darker. 



Length about 27 ; wing 12-0; tail 4-0 ; culmen 3-55 ; tarsus 4-40; 

 middle toe 3-12. 



The female resembles the male, but the ornamental plumes are 

 as a rule not so well developed ; both sexes in the non-breeding 



