104 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



197 Egretta candidissima (Gmelin). 

 Snowy Egret, Snowy Heron. 



Adults. Length, 20-27. Wing, 8.25-10.50. White throughout; "aigrette" 

 plumes upturned at the end ; legs, black ; feet, yellow ; bill, black, yellowish 

 at the base. 



Young and non-breeding adults lack the plumes. 



Nest as in the last ; eggs, 1.80 x 1.25. 



Formerly a regular summer resident along the southern coast,, at 

 least. For many years, however, it has not been seen in the State, 

 'even as a straggler. 



Wilson (1812) says: "On the 19th of May I visited an extensive 

 breeding place of the Snowy Heron among the red cedars of Sommer's 

 Beach, on the coast of Cape May," and describes the heronry in some 

 detail. 



Turnbull (1869) regards it as not uncommon along the salt 

 marshes of the sea coast from the beginning of April to October. In 

 1872 Mr. W. H. Werner states that he found them nesting in numbers 

 where Ocean City is now located, eight to ten nests to a tree. 1 This 

 was apparently the same rookery that Wilson referred to. 



In 1886 Mr. H. G-. Parker 2 reports that the colony on Seven Mile 

 Beach still existed, the birds mingling with the Night Herons. In 

 1888 3 he records one pair nesting at this spot, saying: "They 

 have been almost exterminated, though formerly very abundant, one 

 ornithologist having recently shot seventy-three birds in one day." 



This ends the record of the species, except for one mentioned by 

 Thurber shot at New Vernon, Morris county, about 1881, by John 

 Tunis. Many alleged Snowy Herons prove to be young Little Blue 

 Herons in the white plumage. 4 



1 Cassinia, 1902, p. 21. 



2 O. and O., 1886, p. 140. 



3 O. and O., 1889, p. 2. 



4 C. C. Abbott, Amer. Nat. 1876, pp. 473-476, evidently refers to A. caerulea, 

 although he records the species as A. candidissima. The record of a bird seen 

 by R. F. Miller in July, 1904, and not published until 1907 (Auk, p. 436), is by 

 no means conclusive. 



