SNOWY HERON. 
23 
The young birds of the first year are destitute of the purple 
plumage on the head and neck. 
SNOWY HERON — ARDEA CANDIDISSIMA. 
Plate LXII. Fig. 4. 
Lath. Sup. i. p. 230. — No. 374b. 
EGRETTA Bonaparte.* 
Ardea candidissiraa, Bonap. Synop. p. 305 Monog. del gruppo Egretta. Osserv. 
Sulla. 2d edit, del Reg. Anim. Cuv. p. 101 Wagl. Syst. av. i. No. 11. 
This elegant species inhabits the sea-coast of North Ame- 
rica, from the Isthmus of Darien to the Gulf of St Lawrence, 
and is, in the United States, a bird of passage ; arriving from 
the south early in April, and leaving the middle states again 
in October. Its general appearance, resembling so much that 
of the little egret of Europe, has, I doubt not, imposed on 
some of the naturalists of that country, as I confess it did on 
me.f From a more careful comparison, however, of both birds, 
I am satisfied that they are two entirely different and distinct 
species. These dijfferences consist in the large flowing crest, 
* This species has, like the others, been also confounded with a near ally ; 
Wagler has unravelled the confusion in his Systema, and the Prince of Musig- 
nano in his Monograph on this group, as quoted above. To make the matter still 
clearer, I transcribe the Prince’s observations on the Nomenclature of Wilson. 
Two closely allied species of small white crested herons have much puzzled 
naturalists, who seem to have rivalled each other in confounding them, some by 
considering them as identical, others by making several nominal species, thus 
rendering their synonymy almost inextricable. The species are the A. garzetta 
of Europe, and the subject of the present remarks. The latter does not inhabit 
Eui’ope, hut is said to be found in Asia (which we are inclined to doubt), as 
frequently as on this continent, where it is widely extended. Wilson is free 
from all the above-mentioned errors, having, as usual, admirably established the 
species. He was, moreover, judicious in his selection of the English and Latin 
names ; and it was, doubtless, after a careful investigation, that he selected the 
name of candidissima, which Mr Ord has changed to A. Carolinensis.^' — Ed. 
f “ On the American continent the little egret is met with at New York and 
Long Island.” — Latham, vol. iii. p. 90. 
