GREAT AMERICAN- WHITE EGRET. 
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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, Ardea 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 
Ardea Herodias and A. nfcscens, 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 when 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 Ardea Herodias, A. Nycticorax, and A. 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 o'f 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 
