I70 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



severe storm, was clear, and abounded in all kinds 

 of fish, as well as in oysters, other kinds of shell- 

 fish, and marine Crustacea. This environment 

 produced, of course, a somewhat specialized bird 

 fauna, different from that we had just left. The 

 region was chiefly remarkable for the abundance 

 of such birds as herons, represented by a number 

 of species and a multitude of individuals. Great 

 throngs of cormorants and pelicans were also pres- 

 ent, while the shore-birds congregated chiefly just 

 at the mouths of the passes. This was also true 

 of gulls and terns. 



A bird of particular interest was the reddish 

 egret. It was common, but only to be found 

 in the vicinity of salt water. This habit alone 

 would distinguish it from Ward's, the little 

 blue, the Louisiana heron, and the two white 

 egrets. All these later birds frequented both salt 

 and fresh water with impartiality. The double 

 color phase of the reddish egret is also note- 

 worthy. While the dark phase prevailed, pure 

 white individuals were not rare, and several adult 

 pied birds were obtained. Both phases of color 

 were represented in the breeding colonies, and 

 Mr. Devereux obtained young from the same 

 nest, two of which were immaculately white, the 

 other fledgling a t3qDical dark bird. This egret in 

 white plumage, which does not correlate with age, 

 sex, or season, has been described and was for a 



