x 
10 THE CONDOR ' Vol. XXIV 
other parts of the island. We agreed that 3000 would be the minimum number 
that could be placed on the Egrets. 
During the middle of the day great flocks of Egrets stood in the shallow 
water at the north end of the island. Mr, Camp counted 1200 there next day. 
If these were all mates of sitting birds, double the number of Egrets must be 
present. At the other end of the island at the same time there was a large flock 
which was estimated to have 500 birds in it. These figures would allow an esti- 
mate of 3400 birds for the Reddish Egret population. We three agreed that 
many more might be present and we settled on a figure of 4000. We estimated 
the Louisiana Heron population at 2000, the Black-crowned Night Heron at 
about 100, and the Ward Heron at 50. Mr. Camp saw one Great White Heron 
(Ardea occidentalis). 
The next day we were up early and commenced a careful examination of 
fond 
Fig. 7. 
THIS REDDISH HKGRET HAS JUST FINISHED THE NUPTIAL DISPLAY. THE SUPPOSED FE- 
MALE IS DIRECTLY BEHIND HIM AND THE HEAD AND NECK OF A RIVAL MALE APPEAR TO THE 
RIGHT. 
the nesting habits of the herons. We found the Egret nests to contain from 
one to four eggs, with three the normal complete set. About half the nests con- 
tained two eggs and very few contained four. Nearly all the nests were on top 
of either the bisbirinda or the Spanish dagger. The mesquites had very few, 
although some of the stunted and more robust carried nests. The Louisiana 
Heron built its nest usually on the side or midway up in the bushes, and rarely 
on top of anything. Many bushes had several nests in them and usually of both 
species. Three eggs constituted a full clutch. Although a few nests were found 
containing four eggs, the shape of the eggs in some of these made us think that 
two females had layed in the nest. Ward Heron nests contained from two to 
three eggs, and incubation had progressed farther with this species than with 
