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 manoeuvres 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 a few weeks previous to the love season, continues to 

 grow and increase in beauty, imtil 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. molacea, are subject to the same rule ; and it is cmious 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 1st of August. On the 

 Mule Keys off" the coast of Florida, I have found the young well grown 

 by the 8tli 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 



