AEDEA C.V:N-DIDISSIMA, LITTLE ^VHITE EGRET. 521 



another interpretation of La Fontaine's crowned rats. The gradation 

 in size among Herons calls up one other point. Such species as the 

 Great Blue and the Great White are certainly to be considered of dig- 

 nified bearing, and their motions have something of grace and beauty as 

 ■well. But, though the Green, and the Least, and others have almost 

 exactly the tame form and the same attitudes and movements, they 

 would never be called diguifled or elegant birds. Analyzing this ditfer- 

 ence in the way the birds -impress us, I cannot see that anything but 

 si:e is in question. This is the real secret; the large Blue Heron is dig- 

 nified by its size alone ; the little Green Heron, that copies every 

 posture and action of the other, only succeeds in being grotesque, if not 

 actually ridiculous — the more so from the very fact of its imitation. 

 The iiarallel that may be drawn is a broad and long one. 



The White Egret is rather a delicate bird, preferring warm weather, 

 and consequently restricted in geographical distribution. In Xew En- 

 gland it is only a rare visitor, and is' not known to breed. 1 may here 

 observe that a certain northicard migration of some southei'ly birds at 

 this' season is nowhere more noticeable than among the Herons and their 

 allies, the migrants consisting chiefly of birds hatched that year, wliich 

 unaccountably stray in what seems to us the wrong direction. Massa- 

 chusetts is the northernmost record of the species in S^ew England. Tt 

 is rather decidedly a maritime bird, like its smaller relative (Arclea 

 candidissima), and seldom penetrates any distance inland except along 

 our largest rivers — tbe Mississippi, Eio Grande, and Colorado. 1 never 

 saw it in the interior of the Caroliuas, along the coasts of which I found 

 it very abundant, and throughout the low, flat, marshy or swampy dis- 

 tricts. On the Pacific coast it is not recorded uorth'of (?alifornia. I 

 met with it frequently in Southern California near the coast, and on 

 a few occasions on the 3Iojave Eiver, not far from Soda Lake, perhaps 

 rather an exceptional inland locality, as the desert environing on all 

 sides but one mast be a great barrier. The Arizonian birds are gathered 

 chiefly along the Colorado, particularly its lower portions. 



^ 



^* AEDEA CAXDIDISSLMA, Gm. 

 little White Egret; Snowy Heron. 



Ardea nirea. J.vCQ., Beitr. 1TS4.— Lath.. Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 696 (j)artim).—LicWF., Verz. 

 ISiS, Xo. 795. (Name preoccupied.) 



Egreita mrea. Cab. (nee auct). (Bp.) 



Ardea candidissima, G.M.. Svst. Xat. i, 17SS. 633. — WlM.. Am. Oru. vii. Irl3. 100 p] 62 

 f. 4,— Bp., Obs. Wils. 1S2.5, Xo. 174 : Svn. ISis, 30.".— Xutt., Man. ii, 1^34. 49.—' 

 AuD., Om. Biog. iii, 1635, 317 ; v. 1839, 606 ; pi. 24-2 : Svn. 1<39. 267 ; B. Am. vi, 

 1643. 163, pi. 374.— Gii:., B. L. 1, 1644. 2.-3.— Woodh. . Sitgr. Rep. 1633, 97 (Indian 

 Territory and Texas).— PuTX., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1656. 216 (Jlassachusetts, very 

 rare).— Heer.m., P. R. E. Rep. x, 1659, pt. vi, 63 (California).- Pelz., Orn. Bras. 

 300 (resident).— Coves. Key, 267.— ScL. .t SAI.^^. P. Z. S. 1^73. 305 (E. Peru). 



Egretta candidissima, Bp., List> 163~.'47.— GosSE, B. Jam. 1.--47, 336. 



Eerodias candidissima. Gray. Gen. of B. iii, 1649.— Gdxdl., J. f. O. iv, 1656. 342. 



Gavzctta candidissima, Bp., Consp. At. ii, 1855, 119.— Bd., B. X. A. 1656, 665. — Cass., Pr. 

 Phila. Acad. 1680, 196 (Cartbagena, Darien).— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. 16r.O, 

 N^o. 183 (very rare).— Coras & Prent., Smiths. Rep. 1661. 415 (not uncom- 

 mon).— Allex, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1>64. 66 (Massachusetts, accidental). — Coues. 

 ibid. T, 1666. 290.— Dress., Ibis, 1666, 31 (Texas).— Sex. & Sal^.. P. Z. S. l-iio, 

 199 (Eastern Pern).— Coves, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866. 95 (Colorado River, abun- 

 dant) ; 1871, 31 (North Carolin.T ).— Coves, Pr. Bos't. Soc. xii, 1666. 123 (South 

 Carolina).— Lawr., Ann. Lye. X. Y. viii, 1866, 292 (Xew York): ix, 1666, 142 

 (Costa Eica); 210 (Yucatan).- Joxes, Ti-. Nova Scotia lust, ii, 1666. 72 (X^^ova 

 Scotia).— Atxen, Am. Xat. iii. 1=70, 637 (Massachusetts) ; Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1671, 

 356 (Florida).— TuRXB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 27 (not uncommon).- JLivx., Guide, 

 1870, 143 (Massachusetts).— Sxow, B. Kans. 1673, 9.— Rtogw., Ann. Lye. X. Y. 

 X, 1674, 366 (Illinois). 



