A Season's Field Work 



259 



ceeded to South Carolina, being joined by Mr. J. D. Figgins of the Museum's 

 department of preparation, and by Bruce Horsfall, the artist, who has so success- 

 cessfully painted many of the backgrounds of the groups already completed. 



It has long been our desire to include the White Egret in the series of ' Habitat 

 Groups, ' but plume hunters have brought this bird so near the verge of extermi- 

 nation that our efforts to find a ' rookery ' in which suitable studies might be made 

 had been fruitless. However, in February, 1907, information was received of 

 the existence of a colony of Egrets on a large game preserve in South Carolina, 

 where the Museum was readily granted permission to make the necessary studies 

 and collections. On our arrival, every facility in the way of transportation, 

 guides, etc., was accorded us. 



When the ground in which the rookery is situated was acquired by the club 

 now owning it, plume hunters had nearly exterminated the aigrette-bearing 

 Herons which formerly inhabited it in large numbers. A few had escaped, and, 

 after seven years of protection, they have formed one of the largest colonies of this 

 much persecuted bird now existing in the United States. Six other species of 

 Herons were found nesting with the White Egrets, the whole making a rookery 

 such as existed commonly in the days of Audubon, but which in the United States 

 are now almost unknown. 



A former ' plumer, ' now chief warden in charge of the preserve, stated that 

 both the little White or Snowy Egret and the Roseate Spoonbill were once found 

 in the region, but their complete annihilation left no stock which, under pro- 



WHITE EGRET AND YOUNG 



Made from the blind shown in the preceding picture 



