eo2 GREAT AMERICAN EGRET.
more southern parts two broods m-e ofton raised m a seasbii, but in the
J"rS°-VS tM' f e is' 1 ''«"eve, never more than one. While travelling
uarly:m spring, between SavWiah in Georgia and Charleston in South'
^ r 0 l U , ! l ' 1 8w;mjtay. of these Egrets on tho large rice plantation«/
v i d f e l t some sunrise at finding them much wilier at that period of
their migrations than after they have settled in some locality foi i M
purpose of breeding. I have supposed this to be-cwued l,y the ehangfe'
of their i ^ t a ' C n such occasions, and am of opinion that birds of all
kinds become more careless of themselves. As the strength of their
attachment toward their mates or progeny increases through the process:,:
gf tune, as is,the ease with the better part of our own species
lovers Hind parents performing acts of.heroism, which individuate l l j
ving „„ such attachment to each other would neve, dare to contemplate
In those birds the impulse i,f afibobU'u ¿0 great, that when they
have.young they allow themselves t o be approached, so as often to fait
victims to the rapacity of num, who, boasting ¡,5f- reason and bo,Wv<*
leneei ought at such, a time to respect their devotion: ..;
The American Egrets are much attached to their roosting places, to
which they remove from their fee'ding grounds regularly about a,, hour
before the las. glimpse of day; and 1 . . ¿ m o t help ox,,roS!ii,,g my disbelief,,,
the vulgar notion of birds of this lk.uly usually feeding by
night, as I have never observed them so doing even in countries where
they were most abundant. Ikfore-feet the Egrets and other'Herons
(excepting perhaps the Hitter«* and Night IIero„s)-l,>ave their feeding
grounds in small flocks, often composed! of only a singlfami ly, and
proceed. .«, wing in the most direct course, at a moderate height to
some-secure retreat more "or distant, according »6 the danger tiey
may have fa) guard against. Flock; after flock may be'sfen: repairing from
all quarters to these place's of repifee, which one may readily discover
by observing their Course.
. Approach and watch them; / Some' hundred* have reached the
well-known rendezvous. Aft® a.f<nv gratulations yo,, see them lower
.then: bodies <fethe stems of the trees or'.bushes 01, which they have
.alighted, fold their necks, place; their heads beneath the scapular feat i -
ers> a u d adi u i ' t rt'cmselves for repose. Daylight returns,: and they are
all in motion.. The arrangement of their attire is-not morfe neglected by
then, thanby the most fashionable fop,, .but they-spend less time 0:
t o i l .ot- TKeir .rough notes are uttered more loudly than in ft««.
GREAT AMERICAN EGRET. 603
ihgj and after, a very short lapse of time they spread their snowy pinions,,
and moye; in different directions, to search for fiddlers, fish, insects;
of all sorts, small quadrupeds, or birds, snails, and reptiles, all of
which form the food of this species.
i, The nest of the Great White Egret, whether placed in a cypress one
hundred and thirty feet.l^gh, or on a, mangrove, not six feet above the
water* whether in one of those dismal swajnps swarming with loathsome,
.reptiles, or J>y the margin of the clear blue waters that bathe the
Keys of Florida, is large, fiat, and composed of sticks, often so loosely
putvtpgether aS:to_make you ponder how it can hold, besides itself, the
three, young ones whiph this,, species and all the larger Herons have at
81 few instanpes,only have I found it compactly builVit
lnu.iig the first nest formed by its owners, It almost always overhangs
the water, and; is res,orted to: and repaired year after, year by the same
pair, The eggs,, wliic.h are never more than three, measure two inches
and a, quarter in length, an, inch ^d,,fiveTgighths in breadth, and when
newly laid are smooth, and .of a pale, blue colour, but afterwards become
roughish and faded. AVhon tlu; nest, is. placed on a tall tree, the
young remain in it, o£ on,jtsl,borders.j! flitil they are able to, fly; but
when on a tree or bush, they, leave it much sppner, being capable
of moving, alpng the branches, without fea£ being injured, by falling,
and, knowing that should they slip into the wat»r. they can -easily extricate
tljemgelves by striking with, their,legs until.tb,ey, reach either the
«hore or the nearest bush, ¡by clinging to the stem, of which they soon
«smid.-to.the top. .. .
. phis JEgret is shy and vigilant at all times, seldom allowing a
person to conic near unless during the, breeding ,season. If i n a ricefielfl
of some, extent,, and at, some, distance from its margins, where
cover «1,1 be obtained, you need, npt,,attempt to approach it ; but if
you are intent on procuring it, make for some, tree, and desire your
friend to, s t a r t l e birjii ^ If you are well concealed, you may almost
depepd on obtaining .^jaj . jafew minutes,for the. Egrets will perhaps
alight within twenty yards or loss.of you! Once, when I was very desirous
pf making a new drawing of this bird, my friend JOHN BACHMAN
followed this method, and between us we carried home several
superb specimens.
The long plumes of this bird being in request for ornamental purposes,
ttey are shot in great numbers while sitting on their eggs, or