ARDEA EG RETT A. 
409 
very shy, it being often quite impossible to go within half a mile of them. A few (lays 
after securing the two young, I was standing on a little islet which was so entirely sur¬ 
rounded with mud flats, that we were obliged to anchor our yacht a mile away. This small 
key was completely covered with nests of the Great White Heron, some of which were 
empty, and some contained young nearly fledged, while there were eggs in one or two. 
When we cast anchor, a cloud of old birds rose up from the place, and flew slowly away, 
quite out of sight. They were all snowy white, not a colored specimen of any species, be¬ 
ing among them; nor were there any among the young, left behind, for I carefully exam¬ 
ined every nest, as they were all built low, some not over five feet from the ground. The 
young were scattered about on the branches, but when approached, retreated to their large 
nests, and there lay perfectly flat. I waited here for three hours, trusting that the old 
birds would return, but none came, so taking one of the largest young, which was about 
two thirds grown, away with me, I left the spot. This was the only breeding place I ever 
saw, devoted exclusively to the Great White Herons. I had found a few breeding on high 
mangroves, a short time previous, in company with the Great Blue and Florida Herons, 
and had secured one or two eggs, but this being about the first of May, was much too late, 
for they evidently begin to lay as early as February. The Great Whites are, beyond all 
doubt, the shyest of the Herons; but in spite of this, their numbers are rapidly decreasing, 
for they were evidently much more abundant when the species was discovered by Audu¬ 
bon, some forty-five years ago; and the total extermination of this prince of Waders, 
on the Florida Keys, is a mere matter of time. These majestic Herons may be recognized 
when flying at a distance, by the regular, prolonged flappings of the wings. The young 
bird which I had captured, proved so untamable and savage, striking at everything that 
came near, that I soon gave it its liberty. 
ARDEA EGRETTA. 
White Heron. 
Ardea egretta Gm., Syst. Nat., I; 1788, 029. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, medium. Tongue, very long, thin, and gradually tapering toward tip which is point¬ 
ed. Back, furnished with long, filamentous plumes. Lower half of tibia, naked. 
Color. Adult. Pure, snowy white throughout. Legs, black. Iris, bill, and naked space about head, bright yel¬ 
low. Young. Similar to the adult, but lacks the plumes. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Readily known by the medium size, pure white color, yellow bill, and black legs. Distributed, in summer, from New 
Jersey, southward. Stragglers are occasionally found as far north as New Brunswick. Winters from the Carolinas, south. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 38-25; stretch, 55‘00; wing, 14'25; tail, 5-25; bill, 3*85; tar¬ 
sus, 5'25. Longest specimen, 41'50; greatest extent of wing, 58-50; longest wing, 15'50; tail, 6’50; bill, 4 - 60; tarsus, 6-50. 
Shortest specimen, 34'75; smallest extent of wing, 50 - 50; shortest wing, 13 - 00; tail, 4-00; bill, 3’ 15; tarsus, 4 - 00. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed in trees or bushes, composed of sticks loosely arranged. Eggs, from two to four in number, varying from 
elliptical to oval in form, pale bluish-green in color, unspotted. Dimensions from 1-40x2-20 to 1"65 x 2'35. 
HABITS. 
One of the most abundant Herons in Florida, are (he White, and they are constantly 
resident throughout the State, not only in the interior, but also on the coast; though I 
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