16 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



In its habits generally, the Little Egret differs very little from other species 

 of the genus. It is eminently gregarious, and not only breeds in colonies often 

 in association with Night Herons, Cattle- Herons, Spoonbills, and Ibises but is 

 usually to be seen, in the non-breeding seasons of the year, in larger and smaller 

 flocks. Compared with its allies, it is not a shy bird, and may be stalked, Mr. Dresser 

 says, with comparative ease, unless it has been subjected to much persecution, 

 when, as may be supposed, it becomes wary, and frequents such places as cannot 

 easily be approached. It is essentially a marsh bird, preferring swampy localities, 

 well overgrown with aquatic vegetation, to any others ; and its nesting haunts are 

 often situated in almost inaccessible swamps. Its food consists chiefly of fish, but 

 frogs, insects, and water plants, also form a large part of its diet. 



The heronries of this species are carefully concealed, being built among dense 

 bushes or thick trees, in or near a swamp ; in some of its retreats, unless one is 

 well acquainted with the district, one may travel far, and search long, before 

 discovering the birds' actual breeding places. For a graphic account by Mr. 

 Seebohm of the difficulties encountered in his attempts, during a visit to the Lower 

 Danube, by boat and wading, patient hewing and clearing his way, and pushing and 

 squeezing his body through the dense branches, to reach a heronry he was bent 

 on inspecting, situated in a forest of pollard willows, we refer our readers to his 

 " British Birds." The nest is composed of a few sticks and reeds, in which the 

 bird lays greenish-blue eggs up to half a dozen in number. 



The male of this species in nuptial plumage is pure white all over, and it 

 has no crest ; but gracefully curving down from the back of its head, are two 

 long narrow plumes, and from the chest and lower part of its throat, a cluster of 

 long, narrow, pointed feathers ; while a profuse and beautiful train of elongated, 

 and slightly recurved filamentous feathers, which the bird can elevate when 

 excited, adorns the lower back, forming the coveted "Aigrette" of the plumassiers. 

 The bare skin round the eye is whitish, the legs are black, and the feet yellowish 

 green; the long and slender bill is also black. The female is similar to the 

 male, but her plumes are less developed than her lord's. During the autumn and 

 winter months both sexes lose the adornments of the love season. 



This Heron, which is constantly kept in confinement by the Sinde fishermen, 

 in India, has also been kept in this country by Lord Lilford. He found it, 

 however, he says, delicate in confinement, but very tame and careless of observa- 

 tion, yet spiteful in disposition. It is a much more noisy bird than the Great 

 White Heron. 



The pure white species of this section of the genus are among those birds 

 whose beautiful plumes have proved their most fatal dower. The White Herons 



