600 THE REDDISH EGRET. 



candidissima), which has a rather more southerly habitat than 

 the former, and is some 23.75 long and 38.00 in extent. The 

 loose filamentous plumes of the head, back and breast are 

 gracefully recurved; its entire plumage of dazzling white- 

 ness is set off by the orange-yellow of the iris, lores and legs, 

 and its bill tipped with black. In form, it seems almost 

 ethereal; in color, pure as the glittering snow; in carriage 

 and flight, graceful as the floating down or the fleecy cloud. 

 Breeding in quite large communities, placing its rather 

 small and slightly hollowed nest, which is loosely built of 

 sticks, on trees and bushes which stand in and near the 

 water, this species lays 2-4 eggs, 1.82X1.22, elliptical or 

 oval, and of a pale greenish-blue. 



Next in the commonly received order of classification is 

 the Louisiana Heron or Egret (Ardea ludovidana) . Some 

 25.50 long and 35.39 in extent, the form is particularly slen- 

 der and graceful, and the plumes on the back and breast 

 are long and filamentous; it is ashy-blue above, the neck 

 tinged with deep chestnut; the plumes on the back of the 

 head, and the line down the neck, are reddish and white; 

 the throat is creamy, and the under parts are white. The 

 nidification is after the manner of its tribe, the eggs being 

 about 1. 78 XI. 35 



THE REDDISH EGRET. 



A most interesting bird of this class is the Reddish Egret 

 (Ardea rufa), the young of which, according to the prepon- 

 derance of authority, is white, and requires several years to 

 reach its mature color, while some individuals remain white 

 always. Some 30 inches in length, and 40 or more in 

 extent, the mature bird is grayish-blue, lighter beneath; 

 the head and neck being reddish-brown, tinged with lilac or 

 violet; iris, white; base of bill and naked space, light purple; 



