GREAT AMERICAN WHITE EGRET. 133 



throats, as Cormorants do at times, emitted gurgling sounds, and raising their 

 long plumes almost erect, paced majestically before the fair ones of their 

 choice. Although these snowy beaux were a good deal irritated by jealousy, 

 and conflicts now and then took place, the whole time I remained, much less 

 fighting was exhibited than I had expected from what I had already seen in 

 the case of the Great Blue Heron, Jirdea Herodias. These meetings took 

 place about ten o'clock in the morning, or after they had all enjoyed a good 

 breakfast, and continued until nearly three in the afternoon, when, separating 

 into flocks of eight or ten individuals, they flew off to search for food. These 

 manoeuvres were continued nearly a week, and I could with ease, from a 

 considerable distance, mark the spot, which was a clear sand-bar, by the 

 descent of the separate small flocks previous to their alighting there. 



The flight of this species is in strength intermediate between that of 

 jirdea Herodias and «/2. rufescens, and is well sustained. On foot its move- 

 ments are as graceful as those of the Louisiana Heron, its steps measured, 

 its long neck gracefully retracted and curved, and its silky train reminded 

 one of the flowing robes of the noble ladies of Europe. The train of this 

 Egret, like that of other species, makes its appearance a few weeks previous 

 to the love season, continues to grow and increase in beauty, until incubation 

 has commenced, after which period it deteriorates, and at length disappears 

 about the time w T hen the young birds leave the nest, when, were it not for 

 the difference in size, it would be difficult to distinguish them from their 

 parents. Should you, however, closely examine the upper plumage of an 

 old bird of either sex, for both possess the train, you will discover that its 

 feathers still exist, although shortened and deprived of most of their fila- 

 ments. Similar feathers are seen in all other Herons that have a largely 

 developed train in the breeding season. Even the few plumes hanging from 

 the hind part of the Jirdea Herodias, <fl. Nycticorax, and Ji. violacea, are 

 subject to the same rule; and it is curious to see these ornaments becoming 

 more or less apparent, according to the latitude in which these birds breed, 

 their growth being completed in the southern part of Florida two months 

 sooner than in our Middle Districts. 



The American Egrets leave the Floridas almost simultaneously about the 

 1st of March, and soon afterwards reach Georgia and South Carolina, but 

 rarely the State of New Jersey, before the middle of May. In these parts 

 the young are able to fly by the 1st of August. On the Mule Keys off the 

 coast of Florida, I have found the young well grown by the 8th of May; 

 but in South Carolina they are rarely hatched until toward the end of that 

 month or the beginning of June. In these more southern parts two broods 

 are often raised in a season, but in the Jerseys there is, I believe, never more 

 than one. While travelling, early in spring, between Savannah in Georgia 



