GREAT AMERICAN EGRET. 601 
whole time I remained, much less fighting was exhibited than I had 
expected from what I had already seen in the case of the Great Blue 
Heron, Ardea Herodias. These meetings took place about ten o’clock 
in the morning, or after they had all enjoyed a good breakfast, and 
continued until nearly three in the afternoon, when, separating into 
flocks of eight or ten individuals, they flew off to search for food. 
These manceuvres were continued nearly a week, and I could with ease, 
from a considerable distance mark the spot, which was a clear sand- 
bar, by the descent of the separate small flocks previous to their alight- 
ing there. 
The flight of this species is in strength intermediate between 
that of Ardea Herodias and A. rufescens, and is well sustained. On 
foot its movements are as graceful as those of the Louisiana Heron, 
its steps measured, its long neck gracefully retracted and curved, and 
its silky train reminded one of the flowing robes of the noble ladies of 
Europe. The train of this Egret, like that of other species, makes 
its appearance afew weeks previous to the love season, continues to 
grow and increase in beauty, until incubation has commenced, after 
which period it deteriorates, and at length disappears about the time 
when the young birds leave the nest, when, were it not for the diffe- 
rence in size, it would be difficult to distinguish them from their pa- 
rents. Should you however closely examine the upper plumage of an 
old bird of either sex, for both possess the train, you will discover that 
its feathers still exist, although shortened and deprived of most of their 
filaments. Similar feathers are seen in all other Herons that have a 
largely developed train in the breeding season. Even the few plumes 
hanging from the hind part of the Ardea Herodias, A. Nycticorax, and 
A. violacea, are subject to the same rule ; and it is curious to see these 
ornaments becoming more or less apparent, according to the latitude 
in which these birds breed, their growth being completed in the south- 
ern part of Florida two months sooner than in our Middle Districts. 
The American Egrets leave the Floridas almost simultaneously about 
the 1st of March, and soon afterwards reach Georgia and South Caro- 
lina, but rarely the State of New Jersey, before the middle of May. 
In these parts the young are able to fly by the Ist of August. On the 
Mule Keys off the coast of Florida, I have found the young well grown 
by the 8th of May ; but in South Carolina they are rarely hatched un- 
til toward the end of that month or the beginning of June. In these 
