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GREAT AMERICAN EGRET;
ABDBA EBRBTTA, GMEL.
P U A T K (.wr.xxxvr. MAIB.
IN tiie third volume.of this work, I have, already-intimated that the
truly idegant Heron, which now comes to fee, described, is a constant
resident HI tl«! Florida.«, that it migrates easWard sometimes as fe as
the State of • Massachusetts, an,) up-the, Mississippi to-tbo city of
and, lastly, tha* it is never seen iar inland, by which I.mean
that xts rambles into the interior seldom extend to more than fifty miles
from the sea-shore, unlc* along the course of- our great rivers. I have
B<nv to- add that on my way to the ' IW, in the spring „(-.1837,1 found
ft».birds in several, places along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico
ami on several of the, Mauds scattered around that nam<«l-Galvesto>C
where, as well as.in the Floridas, I was told « a t .hey spend the winter.
. . T h ^ G , ^ American Egret breeds along t i e shores of the Gulf of
Mexico, andfijyr, Atlantic States, from Galveston Island in the Tesasto
the borders of the State of'Nevv Vorfc, l,ey«nd which,although stragglers
v e »-«»e, in so far-a, I can ascertain, have been known to
feed,. In all low district« that tee -marshy and. covered with large
trees, on the margins of ponds or lakes, the sides of bayous, or
gloomy swamps, covered with water, am the places to which it generally.
resorts during thfl period rf reproduction j although I have in a
few instances, met with their nests o„ low trees, and on sandy islands
at a short distance from the mainland. As early as December X have observed
vast numbers congregated, as if for the purpose of making choice
pf partners, when the addresses of the males were paid in a very curio^
apd to me interesting manner. Near the plantation of JOHN lkj.ow,
ESCJ. in East Florida, I had the pleasure of witnessing,this sort of tournal
nient or dress-bull from a place of concealment not more, than a hundred
yards distant. The males, in strutting round the females, swelled
their throats, as Cormorants do at . times, emitted gurgling sounds
and raising iheir long plumes almosl erect, paced majestically before
thefair ones of their choice, Although these snowy beaux were a good
deal irritated lygWousy, and conflicts now and then took place, the
G R E A T AMERICAN EGRET. 601
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
Hferon, Ardea Herodiàs. 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 sandbar,
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 Ardm //erodios and A. rvfaeens, and is well sustained. On
foot its movements aré as graceful as those of the Louisiana Heron,
its steps measured, its long neek 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 tiro -nes't, when, were it not for the differ
renee in sizes it would be difficult to distinguish tihem from their parents.
Should you however closely examine the upper pitiinage of an
Bid bird of either sex, for both possess the train, you will discover that
its feathers still exist, sltbosgh shortened and deprived of most of their
filaments. 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 Árdea Heròdias, A. Nyetìcwràx, and
A . -cwfaaia, 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 south-
Sift 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 yoiing are able to fly by the 1st of August. On thè
Mule Keys soffi the coast of Florida, I have found the young well grown
• by the Sth of May'» but in South Carolina they are rarely hatched until
toward the end of that month or the beginning of June. In these