AMERICAN EGRET. 
8S 
This Egret does not occur regularly near the Atlantic coast north 
of New Jersey, but it is a rather common visitor to Ohio, and 
a small number of the birds are seen every year in the southern 
portions of Ontario and Illinois. Stragglers are found occasionally 
in New England, and a few have been met with on the Bay of 
Fundy and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
The food of this bird consists chiefly of small fish, frogs, lizards, 
and such ; but it refuses nothing eatable that comes within its reach, 
and is expert at catching mice and insects. Although shy when in 
a wild state, it is easily reconciled to captivity, says Dr. Brewer ; 
and its elegant plumage and graceful carriage combine to make it 
an attractive ornament to courtyard or garden. 
Unfortunately, and to man’s, or woman’s, discredit, very few of 
these birds are now to be seen, — they have been slaughtered for 
their plumes. Mr. W. E. D. Scott, who is familiar with the 
heronries of Florida, tells us of one of these breeding-grounds, 
where “thousands” were nesting .six years before, but he found 
It entirely deserted in 1887. He saw only two or three fright- 
ened birds ; the “ thousands ” had been exterminated by the 
plume-hunters. 
