The Audubon Societies 



261 



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REDDISH EGRETS NESTING ON 'SECOND CHAIN-OF-ISLANDS,' TEXAS 



On other islands many nests were found 

 of the Black Skimmer and Laughing Gull. 

 As we were wading along the shore one 

 night, fishing for flounders, we came upon 

 a young Oyster-catcher which was not old 

 enough to fly and yet had sufficient strength 

 to run with astonishing rapidity. One day, 

 a Western Willet arose crying from its nest 

 that held four eggs, hidden in the grass. 

 Nests of the Mourning Dove and Night- 

 hawk also were found on these low-lying 

 islands of sand and shells. Hidden under 

 a cluster of dead mesquite bushes and girt 



about by groups of prickly pear cactus, 

 two young Black Vultures were discovered 

 that proved to be interesting subjects for 

 the moving-picture camera. 



On the Second Chain-of-Islands, situ- 

 ated between Mesquite and San Antonio 

 Bays, we visited a colony of Herons which 

 I had found in 1918. Last year the islands 

 were washed by heavy seas and much of 

 their vegetation destroyed. Also, they 

 had been greatly reduced in size. On six of 

 them birds were breeding. Nests and young 

 of the Ward's Heron, Louisiana Heron, 



YOUNG REDDISH EGRETS, IN BLUE AND WHITE PHASES OF PLUMAGE 



