The Snowy Egret 



Of the present breeding of the Egret within our limits, we have 

 little exact information. William L. Finley reported 1 a small colony at 

 Clear Lake, a government reservation, and Dr. H. C. Bryant gives a 

 brief account 2 of a nesting colony located near Crows Landing, in Stan- 

 islaus County. Nests in this colony, which was visited on the 3rd of 

 August, 1915, were found in the tops of large oak trees lining a small 

 creek tributary to the San Joaquin River. Only a few birds lingered 

 at the time of the visit, but a neighboring farmer estimated the normal 

 population at from fifty to seventy-five, and said that a much larger 

 number had nested in the same vicinity two years before. 



The largest colony in the West formerly nested at Malheur Lake in 

 central-eastern Oregon, but the plume-hunters reduced this from count- 

 less thousands to a pitiful remnant of six or eight pairs, which the Federal 

 authorities are carefully nursing back into life. By their success in 

 this regard we shall be able to measure the degree of culture which western 

 civilization has finally attained. 



No. 384 



Snowy Egret 



A. 0. U. No. 197. Egretta thula thula (Molina). 



Synonyms. — Little White Egret. Snowy Heron. Lesser Egret. 



Description. — Adult in breeding plumage: Entire plumage pure white; a 

 bunch of 40 or 50 "aigrettes" originates on middle of back and reaches to or beyond 

 tail; character of plumes as in Casmerodias egretta, but delicately recurved toward tip; 

 a lengthened occipital crest of decomposed feathers; feathers on side of neck below 

 somewhat similar to those on back, not recurved; lores, eyes, and toes yellow; bill 

 black, yellow at base; legs mainly black. Adult after breeding season and immature: 

 Without dorsal plumes. Length 508-635 (20.00-25.00); wing 254 (10.00); bill 82.55 

 (3.25); tarsus 105.4 (4-I5)- 



Recognition Marks. — Gull size; pure white plumage distinctive for all save 

 Casmerodias egretta; much smaller, and bill chiefly black. 



Nesting. — Nest: A sturdy platform of rushes lashed midway of tules, or else 

 sticks placed in bushes. Eggs: 3 to 5; ovate to elliptical ovate; light bluish green, 

 pale glaucous green. Av. size 42.9 x 32.5 (1.69 x 1.28). Season: May. 



Range of Egretta thula. — Temperate and tropical America. Formerly bred from 

 New Jersey, Indiana, Nebraska, and Oregon, south to Chile and Argentina; now 

 breeds locally from North Carolina to Florida and Louisiana, in Utah near Salt Lake, 

 and casually (?) in central California. Winters from the Colorado River delta and 

 Florida southward. Has wandered after the close of the breeding season casually to 

 Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. 



1 Bird Lore. Vol. XIII., Nov.-Dec, 191 1, p. 347. 



2 Calif. Fish and Game, Vol. I., No. 5, P- 238. 



ipo/ 



