The Snowy Egret 



hundred appear in South Carolina, gladdening the eyes of some eager 

 bird-watcher; now a thousand in some great Louisiana rookery confirm 

 the good news that the glory of the Southland is to return. 



Of the Snowy Heron in California, little is to be said, but much is 

 to be hoped. Early observers either overlooked it or took it as a matter of 

 course. Heermann 1 simply says "abundant," while Newberry says 

 nothing. Dr. Brewer, writing in 1884, says: 2 "Dr. Cooper speaks of it as 

 common at all seasons along the southern coast of California. In the 

 summer it migrates to the summit of the Sierra Nevada [!], to Lake 



Taken in Merced County 



SNOWY HEIRS 



Photo by the Author 



Tahoe, and probably throughout California and Oregon. He has always 

 found it very shy, more so than the larger one [Casmerodias egretta). 

 About the end of April it migrates to some extent from the southern parts 

 of the State in large flocks, but he has met with it in July near San Pedro, 

 where he supposed that it was nesting in the mountains, or some other 

 retired places in the vicinity." 



There being no breeding record forthcoming, it was later supposed 

 that all written records were of wanderers, it being well known that Amer- 



1 Pac. R. R. Survey, Vol. 10, p. 63. 



- Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Water Birds, Vol. I., p. 30. 



I904 



