Jan., 1922 THE REDDISH EGRETS OF CAMERON COUNTY, TEXAS 5) 
About seven o’clock Merced told me that Green Island was now visible and 
when he pointed it out to me I saw it, too, but it was a mere discoloration on 
the horizon. As we skimmed along in the fast little boat the discoloration 
changed into the island and we were finally near enough to see detail. It ap- 
peared to be a turret-shaped island of about thirty acres, and quite covered with 
thick brush. Surrounding it was a wide beach, on parts of which grew salt 
grass. Herons were standing in the water, resting on the tops of the brush, and 
flying leisurely about, but even as we landed none flew out to meet us. No birds 
other than herons could be seen and ! 
was disappointed, for I had been expect- 
ing to find here the breeding grounds 
for all the terns, gulls, skimmers, peli- 
cans, cormorants and others. However, 
the herons made up in numbers for the 
lack of those species. 
We made a camp on the sheltered 
side of the island and I started for a 
walk to encircle it. As I walked, the 
birds watched me casually and flew 
from their perches or from the shallow 
water surrounding the island as I ap- 
proached too closely. In a few minutes 
I saw that Reddish Egrets (Dichroma- 
nassa rufescens) formed the major 
part of the avian inhabitants of the 
place. They were on all sides of me 
all the time. Some standing on tops 
of bushes peered at me, some peered 
from the shallow water, while some 
squawked at me from the air. Louisi- 
ana Herons (Hydranassa tricolor ruft- 
collis), by far the neatest in appearance 
and most active, were next in abund- 
ance. They mixed quite informally with 
the Egrets excepting when fishing, and 
then they kept to themselves. Black- 
erowned Night Herons (Nycticorax nyc- 
ticorax naevius) in full breeding plum- 
Fig. 2. THe ReppisH EGRETS HAD A age, extremely wary, left their perches 
LOT OF BALANCING TO DO WHEN abruptly as they caught sight of me, 
pee Ee ON EE Dae eines HO ang tlew ito the interior of the island. 
TENE EEE AE ININYSLEESSS  “NWWard Herons (Ardea herodias wardt), 
appearing unduly large in size, were few in number and seen as individuals 
only, usually on the wing high in air. A fair number of pure white herons as- 
sociated with the Reddish Egrets and were afterwards found to be Egrets in 
the white phase. ; 
After a complete circuit of the island I essayed to enter the brush and get 
a more intimate acquaintance with these birds. Here I got a severe surprise 
for it practically could not be done. The brush consisted of straggling mes- 
