82 
and most common in Florida and along the Gulf coast. It winters in the 
Southern States, and occasionally, in mild winters, a few stay in south- 
ern Illinois. In the winter of 1883~'84, there was no record north of lat- 
itude 35°, Three were seen at Caddo, Ind. Ter., February 11, flying 
south, but probably were not winter residents, as a reliable hunter tells 
me that in eight years of residence there he has only once or twice 
known it to occur in winter, and then in the mildest seasons. The win- 
ter of 188384 wasanything but mild. In the spring of 1884 theregular 
‘firsts’ were seen at Caddo March 18, about the same time that they 
began to appear at stations near the Mississippi. On March 12 they 
came to Alton, Ill.; three days later they were noticed at Burlington, 
Jowa; March 21 a report came from Ferry, Iowa; they were seen at La- 
suite City, Iowa, March 24; at Heron Lake, Minn. , April 3; and on April 
6, they reached Lake City, Minn., and Green Bay, Wis.; ‘Anril 20, they 
were reported in the west at Ellis, Kans., and Alda, Nebr. 
In the spring of 1885 the notes on the Great Bing Heron were much 
more irregular than in 1884. It was noted March 4, at Paris, Ill., and 
March 7 at Shawneetown. Both of these must have been very early 
migrants, for, with the exception of March 17 at Richmond, Kans., no 
others were recorded until the last two days in March. During the 
week from March 30 to April 5, they were noted without any irregu- 
larity from Saint Louis, Mo. ; Fayette, Mo.; Sioux City, Iowa; Heron 
Lake, Minn.; Elk River, Minn. ; Peoria, Il.; Aledo, Ill. ; Hennepin, Il; 
Rockford, Ill.; and Durand, Wisconsin. April 15 they reached Huron, 
Dak. 
In the fall of 1885 the first migrants appeared at Fernwood, II1., July 
26; Emporia, Kans., August 2; Mount Carmel, Mo., October 1; and 
Bonham, Tex., July 12. None were seen at Fernwood after July 28; 
or at Grinnell, Iowa, after September 28. At Mount Carmel, Mo., they 
were common October 3, and disappeared October 20. The last left 
Saint Louis, Mo., October 6. August 21 was the date of the last seen at 
Bonham, Tex. Mr. Lloyd states that the species is a resident in Tom 
Green and Concho counties, Tex. 
196. Ardea egretta Gmelin. [489.] Great White Egret. 
A more southern species than the Great Blue Heron; breeds abun- 
dantly near the Gulf in swamps and prairie ponds. The few which leave 
the vicinity of the sea-coast straggle up the Mississippi, even to Minne- 
sota. The greatest wanderers are the young, which in the fall often 
stray northward into regions where the species is not known to breed. 
Professor Lantz has seen them at Manhattan, Kans., and there are 
other records for the State, but they are not known to breed within its 
limits. There is one record from southeastern Nebraska. In southern 
Illinois it is known to breed. 
In 1885 two of these Egrets were killed, out of a flock of six, at Chi- 
cago, Ill., July 27. One was seen at Bonham, Tex., July 12, and eleven 
