Page:The birds of America, Volume 6.djvu/181

Rh 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, Jirdea 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 jirdea Herodias and «/2. rufescens, 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 w T hen 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 Jirdea Herodias, <fl. Nycticorax, and Ji. 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 of 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