^ ^^<^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^' // // ' ^"J^ ^ 4^ 1.0 11.25 l^|2£ 125 US 12.2 in u 14.0 Hiotographic ^Sdebces Carporation 33 WBT MAIN STIHT WIUTn,N.Y. M5M (716)I72-4S03 ^ A ^ V CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVl/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Inatituta for Historical IMicroraproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductiona hiatorlquaa Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notaa tachniquaa et bibliographiquas The inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibllographlcally unlqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may algnlficantly change the uaual method of filming, are checlced below. D D D D D Coloured covera/ Couverture de couleur I I Covera damaged/ Couverture endommagte Covera reatored and/or laminated/ Couverture reataurto et/ou pellicula I I Cover title miaaing/ La titre de couverture manque □ Coloured mapa/ Cartea g^ographiquas en couleur Coloured Ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I I Coloured plataa and/or llluatrationa/ Planchaa et/ou illuatrationa en couleur Bound with other material/ RallA avac d'autrea documanta □ Tight binding may cauae ahadowa or diatortlon along Interior margin/ La re liure aerrie peut cauaar de I'ombre ou de la diatortlon la long de la marge IntArleure Blank leavaa added during reatoration may appear within the text. Whenever poMlble, theae have been omitted from filming/ II ae peut que certalnea |>agaa blanchea ajoutiea lora d'une reatauration apparalaaant dana la taxte, ifiaia, loraqua cela Atait poaaibia, cea pagea n'ont jaa *t4 filmiaa. L'inatltut a microfilm* la mellleur exemplaire qu'il lui a At* poaaibia de ae procurer. Lea dAtalla de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniquea du point de vue bibliographlque, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dana la m6thoda normale de fllmage aont Indiqute ci-deaaoua. I I Coloured pagea/ D Pagea de couleur Pagea damaged/ Pagea endommagtea □ Pagea reatored and/or laminated/ Pagea reataurAea et/ou w'alllculiea E Pagea diacoloured. atained or foxed/ Pagea dAcoloriaa, tachattea ou piquAea 0 Pagea detached/ Pagea dAtachtes 0Showthrough/ Tranaparence □ Quality of print variaa/ Quality iniigala de I'impreac^on □ Includea auppiamentary material/ Comprend du material aupplAmentaire □ Only edition available/ Seule MItlon diaponible Pagea wholly or partially obacured by errata alipa, tiaauaa, etc., have been refilmed to enaura the beat poai their thickness, prevents the admission of moisture to their bodies. These glands are less conspicuous in land birds, — unless, like the fishing Eagles, their habits be to plunge in the water in pursuit of their prey. The general structure of feathers seems purposely adapted both for warmth of clothing and security of flight. In the wings of all birds which fly, the webs composing the vanes, or plumy sides of the feather, mutually interlock by means of reg- ular rows of slender, hair-like teeth, so that the feather, except at and towards its base, serves as a complete and close screen from the weather on the one hand, and as an impermeable oar on the other, when situated in the wing, and required to catch and retain the impulse of the air. In the birds which do not fly, and inhabit warm climates, the feathers are few and thin, and their lateral webs are usually separate, as in the Ostrich, Cassowary, Emu, and extinct Dodo. In some cases feathers seem to pass into the hairs, which ordinarily clothe the quadru- peds, as in the Cassowary, and others ; and the base of the bill in many birds is usually surrounded with these capillary plumes. The greater number of birds cast their feathers annually, and appear to suffer much more from it than the quadrupeds do INTRODUCTION. XXVll from a similar change. The best-fed fowl ceases at this time to lay. The season of moulting is generally the end of summer or autumn, and their feathers are not completely restored till the spring. The male sometimes undergoes, as we have already remarked, an additional moult towards the close o'*" summer ; and among many of the waders and web-footed tribes, as Sand- pipers, Plovers, and Gulls, both sexes experience a nioult twice in the year, so that their summer and winter livery appears whollv different. The stratagems and contrivances instinctively employed by birds for their support and protection are peculiarly remark- able j in this way those which are weak are enabled to elude the pursuit of the strong and rapacious. Some are even screened from the attacks of their enemies by an arrangement of colors assimilated to the places which they most frequent for subsistence and repose : thus the Wryneck is scarcely to be distinguished from the tree on which it seeks its food ; or the Snipe from the soft and springy ground which it frequents. The Great Plover finds its chief security in stony places, to which its colors are so nicely adapted that the most exact observer may be deceived. The same resort is taken advantage of by the Night Hawk, Partridge, Plover, and the American Quail, the young brood of which squat on the ground, instinc- tively conscious of being neavly invisible, from their close resemblance to the broken ground on which they lie, and trust to this natural concealment. The same kind of deceptive and protecting artifice is often employed by birds to conceal or render the appearance of their nests ambiguous. Thus the European Wren forms its nest externally of hay, if against a hayrick; cover'id with lichens, if the tree chosen is sj clad ; or made of green moss, when the decayed trunk in which it is built, is thus covered ; and then, wholly closing it above, leaves only a concealed entry in the side. Our Humming- bird, by external patches of lichen, gives her nest the appear- ance of a moss-grown knot. A similar artifice is employed by our Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, or Vireo, and others. The XXVlll INTRODUCTION. ■ r Golden-crowned Thrush (Seiurus aurocapillus) makes a nest like an oven, erecting an arch over it so perfectly resem- bling the tussuck in which it is concealed that it is only dis- coverable by the emotion of the female when startled from its covert. The Butcher-bird is said to draw around him his feathered victims by treacherously imitating their notes. The Kingfisher of Europe is believed to allure his prey by displaying the brilliancy of his colors as he sits near some sequestered place on the margin of a rivulet ; the fish, attracted by the splen- dor of his fluttering and expanded wings, are detained while the wily fisher takes an unerring aim.* The Erne, and our Bald Eagle, gain a great part of their subsistence by watching the success of the Fish Hawk, and robbing him of his finny prey as soon as it is caught. In the same way also the rapacious Burgomaster, or Glaucous Gull {Larus giaucus), of the North levies his tribute of food from all the smaller species of his race, who, knowing his strength and ferocity, are seldom inclines to dispute his piratical claims. Several species of Cuckoo, and the Cow Troopial of America, habitually deposit their eggs in the nests of other small birds, to whose deceived affection are committed the preservation and rearing of the parasitic and vagrant brood. The instinctive arts of birds are numerous ; but treachery, like that which obtains in these parasitic species, is among the rarest expedients of nature in the feathered tribes, though not uncommon among some insect families. The art displayed by birds in the construction of their tem- porary habitations, or nests, is also deserving of passing attention. Among the Gallinaceous tribe, including our land domestic species, as well as the aquatic and wading kinds, scarcely any attempt at a nest is made. The birds which swarm along the sea-coast often deposit their eggs on the bare ground, sand, or slight depressions in shelving rocks ; governed alone by grosser wants, their mutual attachment is feeble or nugatory, and neither art nor instinct prompts attention to the construc- 1 The bright feathers of this bird enter often successfully, with others, into the composition of the most attractive artificial flies employed by anglers. INTRODUCTION. XXIX tion of a nest, — the less necessary, indeed, as the young run or take to the water as soon as hatched, and early release them- selves from parental dependence. The habits of the other aqua- tic birds are not very dissimilar to these ; yet it is singular to remark that while our common Geese and Ducks, like domestic Fowls, have no permansnt selective attachment for their mates, the Canadian Wild Goose, the Eider Duck, and some others, are constantly and faithfully paired through the season; so that this neglect of accommodation for the young in the fabri- cation of an artificial nest, common to these with the rest of their tribe, has less connection with the requisition of Tiutual aid than with the hardy and precocious habits of these unmusi- cal, coarse, and retiring birds. It is true that some of them show considerable address, if little of art, in providing security for their young ; in this way some of the Razor-bills (including the Common Puffin) do not trust the exposure of their eggs, like the Gulls, who rather rely on the solitude of their retreat, than art in its defence ; but with considerable labor some of the Alcas form a deep burrow for the security of their brood. Birds of the same genus differ much in their modes of nidi- fication. Thus the Martin makes a nest within a rough-cast rampart of mud, and enters by a flat opening in the upper edge. The Cliff Swallow of Bonaparte conceals its warm and feathered nest in a receptacle of agglutinated mud resembling a narrow-necked purse or retort. Another species, in the Indian seas, forms a small receptacle for its young entirely of interlaced gelatinous fibres, provided by the mouth and stomach ; these nests, stuck in clusters against the rocks, are collected by the Chinese, and boiled and ec*ten in soups as the rarest delicacy. The Bank Martin, like the Kingfisher, burrows deep into the friable banks of rivers to secure a de- pository for its scantily feathered nest. The Chimney Swallow, originally an inhabitant of hollow trees, builds in empty chim- neys a bare nest of agglutinated twigs. The Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Titmouse, and our rural Bluebird, secure their young in hollow trees ; and the first often gouge and dig through the solid wood with the success and industry of car- XXX INTRODUCTION. penters, and without the aid of any other chisel than their wedged bills. But the most consummate ingenuity of ornithal architecture is displayed by the smaller and more social tribes of birds, who, in proportion to their natural enemies, foreseen by Nature, are provided with the means of instinctive defence. In this labor both sexes generally unite, and are sometimes occupied a week or more in completing this temporary habitation for their young. We can only glance at a few examples, chiefly domes- tic ; since to give anything like a general view of this subject of the architecture employed by birds would far exceed the narrow limits we prescribe. And here we may remark that, after migration, there is no more certain display of the reveries of instinct than what presides over this interesting and neces- sary labor of the species. And yet so nice are the gradations betwixt this innate propensity and the dawnings of reason that it is not always easy to decide upon the characteristics of one as distinct from the other. Pure and undeviating in- stincts aie perhaps wholly confined to the invertebral class of animals. In respect to the habits of birds, we well know that, like quadrupeds, they possess, though in a lower degree, the capa- city for a certain measure of what may be termed education, or the power of adding to their stock of invariable habits the additional traits of an inferior degree of reason. Thus in those birds who have discovered (like the faithful dog, that humble companion of man) the advantages to be derived from asso- ciating round his premises, the regularity of their instinctive habits gives way, in a measure, to improvable conceptions. In this manner our Golden Robin {Icterus Baltimore), or Fiery Hang Bird, originally only a native of the wilderness and the forest, is now a constant summer resident in the vicinity of villages and dwellings. From the depending boughs of our towering elms, and other spreading trees, like the Oriole of Europe, and the Cassican of tropical America, he weaves his pendulous and purse-like nest of the most tenacious and dur- able materials he can collect. These" naturally consist of the .JteV INTRODUCTION. XXXI Indian hemp, flax of the silk-weed {Asciepias species), and other tough and fibrous substances ; but w'th a ready ingenuity he discovers that real flax and hemp, as well as thread, cotton, yarn, and even hanks of silk, or small strings, and horse and cow hair, are excellent substitutes for his original domestic ma- terials; and in order to be convenient to these accidental resources, — a matter of some importance in so tedious a labor, — he has left the wild woods of his ancestry, and conscious of the security of his lofty and nearly inaccessible mansion, has taken up his welcome abode in the precincts of our habitations. The same motives of convenience and comfort have had their apparent influence on many more of our almost domestic feathered tribes ; the Bluebirds, Wrens, and Swallows, original inhabitants of the woods, are now no less familiar, than our Pigeons. The Catbird often leaves his native solitary thickets for the convenience and refuge of the garden, and watch- ing, occasionally, the motions of the tenant, answers to hir, whistle with complacent mimicry, or in petulant anger scolds ^: his intrusion. The Common Robin, who never varies his simple and coarse architecture, tormented by the parasitic Cuckoo or the noisy Jay, who seek at times to rob him of his progeny, for protection has been known fearlessly to build his nest within a few yards of the blacksmith's anvil, or on the stem timbers of an unfinished vessel, where the carpenters were still employed in their noisy labors. That sagacity obtains its influ- ence over unvarying instinct in these and many other familiar birds, may readily be conceived when we observe that this venturous association with man vanishes with the occasion which required it ; for no sooner have the Oriole and Robin reared their young than their natural suspicion and shyness again return. Deserts and solitudes are avoided by most kinds of birds. In an extensive country of unvarying surface, or possessing but little variety of natural productions, and particularly where streams and waters are scarce, few of the feathered tribes are to be found. The extensive prairies of the West, and the gloomy and almost interminable forests of the North, as well as XXXll INTRODUCTION. the umbrageous, wild, and unpeopled banks of the Mississippi, and other of the larger rivers, no less than the vast pine-bar- rens of the Southern States, are nearly without birds as perma- nent residents. In crossing the desolate piny glades of the South, with the exception of Creepers, Nuthatches, Wood- peckers, Pine Warblers, and flocks of flitting Larks {Sturnelld), scarcely any birds are to be seen till we approach the mean- ders of some stream, or the precincts of a plantation. The food of birds being extremely various, they consequently con- gregate only where sustenance is to be obtained ; watery situa- tions and a diversified vegetation are necessary for their support, and convenient for their residence ; the fruits of the garden and orchard, the swarms of insects which follow the progress of agriculture, the grain which we cultivate, — in short, everything which contributes to our luxuries and wants, in the way of subsistence, no less than the recondite and tiny enemies which lessen or attack these various resources, all conduce to the support of the feathered race, which consequently seek out and frequent our settlements as humble and useful dependents. The most ingenious and labored nest of all the North Amer- ican birds is that of the Orchard Oriole, or Troopial. It is suspended, or pensile, like that of the Baltimore Bird, but, with the exception of hair, constantly constructed of native mate- rials, the principal of which is a kind of tough grass. The blades are formed into a sort of platted purse but little inferior to a coarse straw bonnet ; the artificial labor bestowed is so apparent that Wilson humorously adds, on his showing it to a matron of his acquaintance, bet\vixt joke and earnest, she asked " if he thought it could not be taught to darn stock- ings." Every one has heard of the Tailor Bird of India (Sylvia sutorid) ; this little architect, by way of saving labor and gain- ing security for its tiny fabric, sometimes actually, as a seam- stress, sews together the edges of two leaves of a tree, in which her nest, at the extremity of the branch, is then secured for the period of incubation. Among the Sylvias, or Warblers, there is a species, inhabiting Florida and the West Indies, the Sylvia pensilis, which forms its woven, covered nest to rock in r I INTRODUCTION. XXXlll the air at the end of two suspending strings, rather than trust it to the wily enemies by which it is surrounded ; the entrance, for security, is also from below, and through a winding vestibule. Our little cheerful and almost domestic Wren ( Troglodytes fulvus), which so often disputes with the Martin and the Blue- bird the possession of the box set up for their accommodation in the garden or near the house, in his native resort of a hollow tree, or the shed of some neglected out-house, begins his fabric by forming a barricade of crooked interlacing twigs, — a kind of chevaux-de-friscy — for the defence of his internal habitation, leaving merely a very small entrance at the upper edge. The industry of this little bird, and his affection for his mate, are somewhat remarkable, as he frequently completes his habita- tion without aid, and then searches out a female on whom to bestow it ; but not being always successful, or the premises not satisfactory to his mistress, his labor remains sometimes with- out reward, and he continues to warble out his lay in solitude. The same gallant habit prevails also with our recluse Wren of the marshes. Wilson's Marsh Wren ( Troglodytes palustris) , instead of courting the advantages of a proximity to our dwel- lings, lives wholly among the reed-fens, suspending his mud- plastered and circularly covered nest usually to the stalks of the plant he so much affects. Another marsh species inhabits the low and swampy meadows of our vicinity ( Troglodytes bre- virostris), and with ready address constructs its globular nest wholly of the intertwined sedge-grass of the tussock on which it is built ; these two species never leave their subaquatic retreats but for the purpose of distant migration, and avoid and deprecate in angry twitterings every sort of society but their own. Among the most extraordinary habitations of birds, illustra- tive of their instinctive invention, may be mentioned that of the Bengal Grosbeak, whose pensile nest, suspended from the lofty boughs of the Indian fig-tree, is fabricated of grass, like cloth, in the form of a large bottle, with the entrance down- wards ; it consists also of two or three chambers, supposed to be occasionally illuminated by the fire- flies, which, however, VOL. I. — c i 1 XXXIV INTRODUCTION. only constitute a part of the food it probably conveys for the support of its young. But the most extraordinary instinct of this kind known, is exhibited by the Sociable, or Republican Grosbeak {Ploceus socius, Cuvier), of the Cape of Good Hope. In one tree, according to Mr. Patei^on, there could not be fewer than from eight hundred to one thousand of these nests, covered by one general roof, resembling that of a thatched house, and projecting over the entrance of the nest. Their common industry almost resembles that of bees. Beneath this roof there are many entrances, each of which forms, as it were, a regular street, with nests on either side, about two inches dis- tant from each other. The material which they employ in this building is a kind of fine grass, whose seed, also, at the same time serves them for food. That birds, besides their predilection for the resorts of men, are also capable of appreciating consequences to themselves and young, scarcely admits the shadow of a doubt ; they are capable of communicating their fears and nicely calculating the probability of danger or the immunities of favor. We talk of the cunning of the Fox and the watchfulness of the Weasel ; but the Eagle, Hawk, Raven, Crow, Pye, and Blackbird pos- sess those traits of shrewdness and caution which would seem to arise from reflection and prudence. They well know the powerful weapons and wiles of civilized man. Without being able to smell powder^ — a vulgar idea, — the Crow and Blackbird at once suspect the character of the fatal gun ; they will alight on the backs of cattle without any show of apprehension, and the Pye even hops upon them with insulting and garrulous playful- ness ; but he flies instantly from his human enemy, and seems, by his deprecating airs, aware of the proscription that affects his existence. A man on horseback or in a carriage is much less an object of suspicion to those wily birds than when alone ; and I have been frequently both amused and surprised, in the Southern States, by the sagacity of the Common Blackbirds in starting from the ploughing field, with looks of alarm, at the sight of a white man, as distinct from and more dangerous than the black slave, whose furrow they closely and familiarly fol- INTRODUCTION. XXXV lowed, for the insect food it afforded them, without betraying any appearance of distrust. Need we any further proof of the capacity for change of disposition than that which has so long operated upon our domestic poultry? — "those victims," as Buffon slightingly remarks, "which are multiplied without trouble, and sacrificed without regret." How different the hab- its of our Goose and Duck in their wild and tame condition ! Instead of that excessive and timid cautiousness, so peculiar to their savage nature, they keep company with the domestic cattle, and hardly shuffle out of our path. Nay, the Gander is a very ban-dog, — noisy, gabbling, and vociferous, he gives notice of the stranger's approach, is often the terror of the meddling school-boy, in defence of his fostered brood ; and it is reported of antiquity, that by their usual garrulity and watch- fulness they once saved the Roman capitol. Not only is the disposition of these birds changed by domestication, but even their strong instinct to migration, or wandering longings, are wholly annihilated. Instead of joining the airy phalanx which wing their way to distant regions, they grovel contented in the perpetual abundance attendant on their willing slavery. If instinct can thus be destroyed or merged in artificial circum- stances, need we wonder that this protecting and innate intelli- gence is capable also of another change by improve, ..ent, adapted to new habits and unnatural restraints ? Even without undergoing the slavery of domestication, many birds become fully sensible of immunities and protection ; and in the same aquatic and rude family of birds already mentioned we may quote the tame habits of the Eider Ducks. In Iceland and other countries, where they breed in such numbers as to render their valuable down an object of commerce, they are forbidden to be killed under legal penalty ; and as if aware of this legisla- tive security, they sit on their eggs undisturbed at the approach of man, and are entirely as familiar, during this season of breeding, as our tamed Ducks. Nor are thev apparently aware of the cheat habitually practised upon them of abstracting the down with which they line their nests, chough it is usually repeated until they make the third attempt at incubation. If, XXXVI TNTRODUCTIOxN. , II however, the last nest, with its eggs and down, to the lini.ig of which the male is now obliged to contribute, be taken away, they sagaciously leave the premises, without return. The pious Storks, in Holland, protected by law for their usefulness, build their nests on the tops of houses and churches, often in the midst of cities, in boxes prepared for them, like those for our Martins ; and, walking about the streets and gardens without apprehension of danger, perform the usual office of domestic scavengers. That birds, like our more sedentary and domestic quadru- peds, are capable of exhibiting attachment to those who feed and attend them, is undeniable. Deprived of other society, some of our more intelligent species, particularly the Thrushes, soon learn to seek out the company of their friends or protec- tors of the human species. The Brown Thrush and Mocking Bird become in thib way extremely familiar, cheerful, and capriciously playful ; the former, in particular, courts the atten- tion of his master, follows his steps, complains when neglected, flies to him when suffered to be at large, and sings and reposts gratefully perched on his hand, — in short, by all his actions he appears capable of real and affectionate attachment, and is jealous of every rival, particularly rny other bird, which he persecutes from his presence with unceasing hatred. His pet- ulant dislike to particular objects of less moment is also dis- played by various tones and gestures, which sooi^ become sufficiently intelligible to those who are near him, £.s well as his notes of gratulation and satisfaction. His language of fear and surprise could never be mistaken, and an imitation of his guttural low tsher*-, tsherr, on these occasions, answers as a premonitory warning when any danger awaits him from the sly approach of cat or squirrel. As I have now descended, as I may say, to the actual biography of one of these birds, which I raised and kept uncaged for some time, I mcy also add, that besides a playful turn for mischief and interniption, in which he would sometimes snatch off the paper on which I was writ- ing, he had a good degree of curiosity, and was much surprised one day by a large springing beetle or Elater (E. ocellatjis)^ INTRODUCTION. XXXVII which I had caught and placed in a tumbler. On all such occasions his looks of capricious surprise were very amusing ; he cautiously approached the glass with fanning and closing wings, and in an under-tone confessed his surprise at the address and jumping motion of the huge msect. At length he became bolder, and perceiving it had a relation to his ordinary prey of beetles, he, with some hesitation, ventured to snatch at the prisoner between temerity and playfulness. But when really alarmed or offended, he instantly flew to his loftiest perch, for- bid all friendly approaches, and for some time kept uj) his low and angry tsherr. My late friend, the venerable William Bar- tram, was also much amused by the intelligence displayed by this bird, and relates that one which he kept, being fond of hard bread-crumbs, found, when they grated his throat, a very rational remedy in softening them, by soaking in his vessel of water ; he likewise, by experience, discovered that the painful piick of the wasps on which he fed, could be obviated by ex- tracting their stings. But it would be too tedious and minute to follow out these glimmerings of intelligence, which exist as well in birds as in our most sagacious quadrupeds. The remarkable talent of the Parrot for imitating the tones of the human voice has long been familiar. The most extraordinary and well -authenticated account of the actions of one of the common ash-colored species is that of a bird which Colonel O' Kelly bought for a hundred guineas at Bristol. This indi- vidual not only repeated a great number of sentences, but answered many questions, and was able to whistle a variety of tunes. While thus engaged it beat time with all the appear- ance of science, and possessed a judgment, or ear so accurate, that if by chance it mistook a note, it would revert to the bar where the mistake was made, correct itself, and still beating regular time, go again through the whole with perfect exact- ness. So celebrated was this surprising bird that an obituary notice of its death appeared in the " General Evening Post " for the 9th of October, t8o2. In this account it is added, that besides her great musical faculties, she could express her wants articulately, and give her orders in a manner approaching to xxxvin INTRODUCTION. rationality. She was, at the time of her decease, supposed tu be more than thirty years of age. The colonel was repeat- edly offered five hundred guineas a year for the bird, by persons who wished to make a public exhibition of her ; but out of tenderness to his favorite he constantly refused the offer. The story related by Goldsmith of a parrot belonging to King Henry the Seventh, is very amusing, and possibly true. It was kept in a room in the Palace of Westminster, overlooking the Thames, and had naturally enough learned a store of boat- men's phrases ; one day, sporting somewhat incautiously, Poll fell into the river, but had rationality enough, it appears, to make a profitable use of the words she had learned, and ac- cordingly vociferated, " A boat ! twenty pounds for a boat ! " This welcome sound reaching the ears of a waterman, soon brought assistance to the Parrot, who delivered it to the king, with a request to be paid the round sum so readily prom- ised by the bird ; but his Majesty, dissatisfied with the exor- bitant demand, agreed, at any rate, to give him what the bird should now award ; in answer to which reference, Poll shrewdly cried, " Give the knave a groat 1 " The story given by Locke, in his " Essay on the Human Understanding," though approaching closely to rationality, and apparently improbable, may not be a greater effort than could have been accomplished by Colonel O' Kelly's bird. This Parrot had attracted the attention of Prince Maurice, then governor of Brazil, , '.j had a curiosity to witness its powers. The bird was introduced into the room, where sat the prince in company with several Dutchmen. On viewing them, the Parrot exclaimed, in Portuguese, ** What a company of white men are here ! " Pointing to the prince, they asked, " Who is that man?" to which the Parrot replies, " Some general or other." The prince now asked, " From what place do you come?" The answer was, "From Marignan." "To whom do you belong?" It answered, " To a Portuguese." "What do you do there ? " To which the Parrot replied, " I look after chickens ! " The prince, now laughing, exclaimed, " You look , supposed tu 1 was repeat- the bird, by of her ; but ^ refused the belonging to ibly true. It , overlooking store of boat- autiously, Poll it appears, to rned, and ac- for a boat ! " Herman, soon ed it to the readily prom- 'ith the exor- im what the eference, Poll 1 the Human ationality, and ►rt than could > bird. This Maurice, then sss its powers, sat the prince ing them, the pany of white ked, " Who is le general or place do you "To whom ;se." " What " I look after :d, " You look INTRODUCTION. XXXIX after chickens ! " To which Poll pertinently answered, " Yes, /, — and I know well enough how to do it;" clucking at the same instant in the manner of a calling brood-hen. The docility of birds in catching and expressing sounds depends, of course, upon the perfection of their voice and hearing, — assisted also by no inconsiderable power of memory. The imitative actions and passiveness of some small birds, such as Goldfinches, Linnets, and Canaries, are, however, quite as curious as their expression of sounds. A Sieur Roman exhib- ited in England some of these birds, one of which simulated death, and was held up by the tail or claw without showing any active signs of life. A second balanced itself on the head, with its claws in the air. A third imitated a milkmaid going to market, with pails on its shoulders. A fourth mimicked a Venetian girl looking out at a window. A fifth acted the soldier, and mounted guard as a sentinel. The sixth was a cannonier, with a cap on its head, a firelock on its shoulder, and with a match in its claw discharged a small cannon. The same bird also acted as if v/ounded, was wheeled in a little barrow, as it were to the hospital ; after which it flew away before the company. The seventh turned a kind of windmill ; and the last bird stood amidst a discharge of small fireworks, without showing any sign of fear. A similar exhibition, in which twenty- four Canary birds were the actors, was also shown in London in 1820, by a F"2nchman named Dujon ; one of these suffered itself to be shot at, and falling down, as if dead, was put into a little wheelbarrow and conveyed away by one of its comrades. The docility of the Canary and Goldfinch is thus, by dint of severe education, put in fair competition with that of the dog ; and we cannot deny to the feathered creation a share of that kind of rational intelligence exhibited by some of our sagacious quadrupeds, — an incipient knowledge of cause and effect far removed from the unimprovable and unchangeable destinies of instinct. Nature probably delights less in producing such animated machines than we are apt to suppose ; and amidst the mutability of circumstances by which almost every animated xl INTRODUCTION. being is su'TOunded, there seems to be a frequent demand for that relieving invention denied to those animals which are solely governed b> inflexible instinct. The velocity witii which birds are able to travel in their aerial element has no parallel among terrestrial animals ; and this powerful capacity for progressive motion is bestowed in aid of their peculiar wants and instinctive habits. The swiftest horse may perhaps proceed a mile in something less than two minutes ; but such exertion is unnatural, and quickly fatal. An Eagle, whose Stretch of wing exceeds seven feet, with ease and majesty, and without any extraordinary effort, rises out of sight in less than three minutes, and therefore must fly more than three thousand five hundred yards in a minute, or at the rate of sixty miles in an hour. At this speed a bird would easily per- form a journey of six hundred miles in a day, since ten hours only would be required, which would allow frequent halts, and the whole of the night for repose. Swallows and other migra- tory birds might therefore pass from northern Europe to the equator in seven or eight days. In fact, Adanson saw, on the coast of Senegal, Swallows that had arrived there on the pih of October, or eight or nine days after their departure from the colder continent. A Canary Falcon, sent to the Duke of Lerma, returned in sixteen hours from Andalusia to the island of Tene- riffe, — a distance of seven hundred and fifty miles. The Gulls of Barbadoes, according to Sir Hans Sloane, make excursions in flocks to the distance of more than two hundred miles after their food, and then return the same day to their rocky roosts. If we allow that any natural powers come in aid of the instinct to migration, so po>verful and uniform in birds, besides their vast capacity for motion, it must be in the perfection and delicacy of their vision, of which we have such striking ex- amples in the rapacious tribes. It is possible that it times they may be directed principally by atmospheric phenomena alone ; and hence we find that their appearance is frequently a concomitant of the approaching season, and the wild Petrel of the ocean is not the only harbinger of storm and coming change. The currents of the air, in those which make exten- INTRODUCTION. Xli demand for which are vel in their nimals ; and bestowed in The swiftest ess than two ly fatal. An ith ease and out of sight y more than r at the rate Id easily per- ce ten hours It halts, and other migra- Lirope to the I saw, on the >n the 9th of ire from the ke ofLerma, ind of Tene- The Gulls excursions in I miles after rocky roosts. aid of the )irds, besides jrfection and striking ex- lat It times phenomena is frequently s wild Petrel and coming make exten- sive voyages, are seduloucly employed ; and hence, at certain seasons, when they are usually in motion, we find their arrival or departure accelerated by a favorable direction of the winds. That birds also should be able to derive advantage in their journeys from the acuteness of their vision, is not more wonder- ful than the capacity of a dog to discover the path of his master, for many miles in succession, by the mere scent of his steps. It is said, indeed, in corroboration of this conjecture, that the Passenger, or Carrying Pigeon, is not certain to return to tlie place from whence it is brought, unless it be conveyed in an open wicker basket admitting a view of the passing scenery. Many of our birds, however, follow instinctively the great valleys and river- courses, which tend towards their southern or warmer destination ; thus the great valleys of the Connecticut, the Hudson, the Delaware, the Susquehanna, the Santee, and more particularly the vast Mississippi, are often, in part, the leading routes of our migrating birds. But, in fact, mysterious as is the voyage and departure of our birds, like those of all other countries where they remove at all, the des- tination of many is rendered certain, as soon as we visit the southern parts of the Union, or the adjoining countries of Mex- ico, to which they have retired for the winter ; for now, where they were nearly or wholly unknown in summer, they throng by thousands, and flit before our path like the showering leaves of autumn. It is curious to observe the pertinacity of this adventurous instinct in those more truly and exxlusively insec- tivorous species which wholly leave us for the mild and genial regions of the tropics. Many penetrate to their destination through Mexico overland j to these the whole journey is merely an amusing and varied feast. But to a much smaller number, who keep too far toward the sea-coast, and enter the ocean-bound peninsula of Florida, a more arduous aerial voy- age 13 presented ; the wide ocean must be crossed, by the young and inexperienced as well as the old and venturous, before they arrive either at the tropical continent or its scat- tered islands. When the wind proves propitious, however, our little voyagers wing their unerring way like prosperous xlii INTRODUCTION. I fairies ; but baffled by storms and contrary gales, they often suffer from want, and at times, like the Quails, become victims to the devouring waves. On such unfortunate occasions (as Mr. Bullock ^ witnessed in a voyage near to Vera Cruz late in autumn), the famished travellers familiarly crowd the decks of the vessel, in the hope of obtaining rest and a scanty meal preparatory to the conclusion of their unpropitious flight. Superficial observers, substituting their own ideas for facts, are ready to conclude, and frequently assert, that the old and young, before leaving, assemble together for mutual departure ; this may be true in many instances, but in as many more a different arrangement obtains. The young, often instinctively vagrant, herd together in separate flocks previous to their departure, and guided alone by the innate monition of Nature, seek neither the aid nor the company of the old ; consequently in some countries flocks of young of particular species are alone observed, and in others, far distant, we recognize the old. From parental aid the juvenile company have obtained all that Nature intended to bestow, — existence and education ; and they are now thrown upon the world among their numerous companions, with no other necessary guide than self-preserving instinct. In Europe it appears that these bands of the young always affect even a warmer climate than the old ; the aeration of their blood not being yet complete, they are more sensible to the rigors of cold. The season of the year has also its effect on the movements of birds ; thus certam species proceed to their northern destination moie to the eastward in the spring, and return from it to the south-westward in autumn. The habitudes and extent of the migrations of birds admit of considerable variety. Some only fly before the inundating storms of winter, and return with the first dawn of spring ; these do not leave the continent, and only migrate in quest of food when it actually begins to fail. Among these may be named our common Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Blue- bird, Robin, Pewee, Cedar Bird, Blackbird, Meadow Lark, and many more. Others pass into warmer climates in the autumn, 1 Travels in Mexico. INTRODUCTION. xliii after rearing their young. Some are so given to wandering that their choice of a country is only regulated by the resources which it offers for subsistence ; such are the Pigeons, Herons of several kinds, Snipes, wild Geese and Ducks, the wandering Albatros, and Waxen Chatterer. The greater number of birds travel in the night ; some species, however, proceed only by day, as the diurnal birds of prey, — Crows, Pies, Wrens, Creepers, Crdss-bills, Larks, Blue- birds, Swallows, and some others. Those which travel wholly in the night are the Owls, Butcher Birds, Kingfishers, Thrushes, Flycatchers, Night Hawks, Whip-poor-wills, and also a great number of aquatic birds, whose motions are also principally nocturnal, except in the cold and desolate northern regions, where they usually retire to breed. Other birds are so pow- erfully impelled by this governing motive to migration that they stop neither day nor night ; such are the Herons, Mota- cillas. Plovers, Swans, Cranes, Wild Geese, Storks, etc. When untoward circumstances render haste necessary, certain kinds of birds, which ordinarily travel only in the night, continue their route during the day, and scarcely allow themselves time to eat ; yet the singing-birds, properly so called, never migrate by day, whatever may happen to them. And it may here be inquired, with astonishment, how these feeble but enthusiastic animals are able to pass the time, thus engaged, without the aid of recruiting sleep ? But so powerful is this necessity for travel that its incentive breaks out equally in those which are detained in captivity, — so much so that although during the day they are no more alert than usual, and only occupied in taking nourishment, at the approach of night, far from seek- ing repose, as usual, they manifest great agitation, sing without cea>.ing in the cage, whether the apartment is lighted or not ; and when the moon shines, they appear still more restless, as it is their custom, at liberty, to seek the advantage of its light for facilitating their route. Some birds, while engaged in their journey, still find means to live without halting, — the Swallow, while traversing the sea, pursues its insect prey ; those who can subsist on fish without any serious effort, feed as they pass '? .■fT xliv INTRODUCTION. 1- 1 or graze the surface of the deep. If the Wren, the ' weeper, and the Titmouse rest for an instant on a tree to snatch a hasty morsel, in the next they are on the wing, to fulfil their destina- tion. However abundant may be the nourishment which presents itself to supply their wants, in general, birds of passage rarely remain more than two days together in a place. The cries of many birds, while engaged in their aerial voy- age, are such as are only heard on this important occasion, and appear necessary for the direction of those which fly in assem- bled ranks. During these migrations it has been observed that birds fly ordinarily in the higher regions of the air, except when fogs force them to seek a lower elevation. This habit is particularly prevalent with Wild Geese, Storks, Cranes, and Herons, which often pass at such a height as to be scarcely distinguishable. We shall not here enter into any detailed description of the manner in which each species conducts its migration, but shall content ourselves with citing the single remarkable exam- ple of the motions of Ihe Cranes. Of all migrating birds, these appear to be endowed with the greatest share of foresight. They never undertake the journey alone ; throughout a circle of several miles they appear to communicate the intention of commencing their route. Several days previous to their tl^parture they call upon each other by a peculiar cry, as if giving warning to assemble at a central point ; the favorable moment being at length arrived, they betake themselves to flight, and, in military style, fall into two lines, which, uniting at the summit, form an extended angle with two equal sides. At the central point of the phalanx, ihe chief takes his station, to whom the whole troop, by their subordination, appear to have pledged their obedience. The commander has not only the painful task of breaking the path through the air, but he has also the charge of watching for the common safety ; to avoid the attacks of birds of prey ; to range the two lines in a circle at the approach of a tempest, in order to resist with more effect the squalls which menace the dispersion of the INTRODUCTION. xlv linear ranks ; and, lastly, it is to their leader that the fatigued company look up to appoint the most convenient places for nourishment and repose. Still, important as is the station and function of the aerial director, its existence is but momentary. As soon as he feels sensible of fatigue, he cedes his place to the next in the file, and retires himself to its extremity. Dur- ing the night their flight is attended with considerable noise ; the loud cries which we hear, seem to be the marching orders of the chief, answered by the ranks who follow his commands. Wild Geese and several kinds of Ducks also make their aerial voyage nearly in the same manner as the Cranes. The loud call of the passing Geese, as they soar securely through the higher regions of the air, is familiar to all ; but as an additional proof of their sagacity and caution, we may remark that when fogs in the atmosphere render their flight necessarily low, they steal along in silence, as if aware of the danger to which their lower path now exposes them. The direction of the winds is of great importance to the migration of birds, not only as an assistance when favorable, but to be avoided when contrary, as the most disastrous of accidents, when they are traversing the ocean. If the breeze suddenly change, the aerial voyagers tack to meet it, and di- verging from their original course, seek the asylum of some land or island, as is the case very frequently with the Quails, who consequently, in their passage across the Mediterranean, at variable times, make a descent in immense numbers on the islands of the Archipelago, where they wait, sometimes for weeks, the arrival of a propitious gale to terminate their jour- ney. And hence we perceive the object of migrating birds, when they alight upon a vessel at sea : it has fallen in their course while seeking refuge from a baffling breeze or over- whelming storm, and after a few hours of rest they wing their way to their previous destination. That Nature has provided ample means to fulfil the wonderful instinct of these feeble but cautious wanderers, appears in every pait of their economy. As the period approaches for their general departure, and the chills of autumn are felt, their bodies begin to be loaded with xlvi INTRODUCTION. cellular matter, and at no season of the year are the true birds of passage so fat as at the approach of their migration. The Gulls, Cranes, and Herons, almost proverbially macilent, are at this season loaded with this reservoir of nutriment, which is intended to administer to their support through their arduous and hazardous voyage. With this natural provision, dormant animals also commence their long and dreary sleep through the winter, — a nutritious resource no less necessary in birds while engaged in fulfilling the powerful and waking reveries of instmct. But if the act of migration surprise us when performed by birds of active power of wing, it is still more remarkable when undertaken by those of short and laborious flight, like the Coots and Rails, who, in fact, perform a part of their route on foot The Great Penguin {Aka impennis), the Guillemot, and the Divers, even make their voyage chiefly by dint of swim- ming. Tb young Loons {^Colymbus glacialis), bred in inland ponds, though proverbially lame (and hence the name of Lom, or Loon), without recourse to their wings, which are at this time inefficient, continue their route from pond to pond, floundering ove the intervening land by night, until at length they gain some creek of the sea, and finally complete their necessary migration by water. Birds of passage, both in the old and new continents, are observed generally to migrate southwest in autumn, and to pass to the northeast in spring. Parry, however, it seems, ob- served the birds of Greenland proceed to the southeast. This apparent aberration from the usual course may be accounted for by considering the habits of these aquatic birds. Intent on food and shelter, a part, bending their course over the cold regions of Norway and Russia, seek the shores of Europe ; while another division, equally considerable, proceeding south- west, spread themselves over the interior of the United States and the coast and kingdom of Mexico. This propensity to change their climate, induced by what- ever cause, is not confined to the birds of temperate regions ; it likewise exists among many of those who inhabit the tiopics. INTRODUCTION. xlvii i true birds Ltion. The ilent, are at It, which is leir arduous n, dormant ;ep through try in birds 5 reveries of :rformed by rkable when ht, hke the eir route on illemot, and nt of swim- ed in inland mie of Lom, I are at this d to pond, til at length mplete their itinents, are mn, and to seems, ob- least. This e accounted Intent on ^er the cold of Europe ; eding south- nited States ed by what- ate regions ; the tiopics. Aquatic birds of several kinds, according to Humboldt, cross the line on either side about the time of the periodical rise of the rivers. Waterton, likewise, who spent much time in Dem- erara and the neighboring countries, observed that the visits of many of the tropical birds were periodical. Thus the wonder- ful Campanero, whose solemn voice is heard at intervals tolling like the convent- bell, was rare to Waterton, but frequent in Brazil, where it most probably retires to breed. The failure of particular food at any season, in the mildest climate, would be a sufficient incentive to a partial and overland migration with any species of the feathered race. The longevity of birds is various, and, different from the case of man and quadrupeds, seems to bear but little propor- tion to the age at which they acquire maturity of character. A few months seems sufficient to bring the bird into full posses- sion of all its native powers ; and there are some, as our Marsh Titmouse or Chickadee, which, in fact, as soon as fledged, nre no longer to be distinguished from their parents. Land ani- rials generally live six or seven times as long as the period required to attain maturity ; but in birds the rate is tea times greater. In proportion to their size, they are also far more vivacious and long-lived than other animals of the superior class. Our knowledge of the longevity of birds is, however, necessarily limited to the few examples of domesticated species which we have been able to support through life : the result of these examples is, that our domestic Fowls have lived twenty years ; Pigeons have exceeded that period ; Parrots have at- tained more than thirty years. Geese live probably more than half a century ; a Pelican has lived to eighty years ; and Swans, Ravens, and Eagles have exceeded a centuiy. Even Linnets, in the unnatural restraints of the cage, have survived for four- teen or fifteen years, and Canaries twenty-five. To account for this remarkable tenacity of life, nothing very satisfactory has been offered ; though BufTon is of opinion that the 3oft and porous nature of their bones ontributes to this end, as the general ossification and rigidity of the system perpetually tends to abridge the boundaries of life. xlviii INTRODUCTION. In a general way it may be considered as essential for the bird to fly as it is for the fish to swim or the quadruped to walk ; yet in all these tribes there are exceptions to the general habits. Thus among quadrupeds the bats fly, the seals swim, and the beaver and otter swim better than they can walk. So also among birds, the Ostrich, Cassowary, and some others, incapable of flying, are obliged to walk ; others, as the Dippers, fly and swim but never walk. Some, like the Swallows and Humming Birds, pass their time chiefly on the wing. A far greater number of birds live on the water than of quadrupeds, for of the latter there are not more than five or six kinds fur- nished with webbed or oar-like feet, whereas of birds with this structure there are several hundred. The lightness of their feathers and bones, as well as the boat- like form of their bodies, contributes greatly to facilitate their buoyancy and progress in the water, and their feet serve as oars to propel them. Thus in whatever way we view the feathered tribes which surround us, we shall find much both to amuse and instruct. We hearken to their songs with renewed delight, as the harbin- gers and associates of the season they accompany. Their return, after a long absence, is hailed with gratitude to the Author of all existence; and the cheerless solitude of inani- mate Nature is, by their presence, attuned to life and harmony. Nor do they alone administer to the amusement and luxury of life ; faithful aids as well as messengers of the seasons, they associate round our tenements, and defend the various produc- tions of the earth, on which we so much rely for subsistence, from the destructive depredations of myriads of insects, which, but for timely riddance by unnumbered birds, would be fol- lowed by a general failure and famine. Public economy and utility, then, no less than humanity, plead for the protection of the feathered race ; and the wanton destruction of birds, so useful, beautiful, and amusing, if not treated as such by law, ought to be considered as a crime by every moral, feeling, and reflecting mind. itial for the uadruped to > the general seals swim, n walk. So ome others, the Dippers, (vallows and ring. A far quadrupeds, X kinds fur- rds with this less of their their bodies, progress in ;m. tribes which md instruct. 3 the harbin- ►any. Their tude to the de of inani- nd harmony, nd luxury of seasons, they ious produc- subsistence, sects, which, ould be fol- conoray and protection of of birds, so sUch by law, feeling, and ORNITHOLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. ■ 1 ' 11 ': 1 J ii if TURKEY VULTURE. TURKEY BUZZARD. Cathartes aura. Char. Brownish black; head bare of feathers and bright red; bill white ; length about 2 feet. Nest. In a stump, or cavity among rocks, without additional material. Eggs^ 2 ; white, or with a tinge of green or yellow, spotted with brown and purple; 2.75 X 1.90. This common Turkey-lilce Vulture is found abundantly in both North and South America, but seems wholly to avoid the Northeastern or New England States, a straggler being seldom seen as far as the latitude of 41°. Whether this limit arises from some local antipathy, their dislike of the cold eastern storms which prevail in the spring till the time they usually VOL. I. — I i rrr fit ,|:i-i 2 BIRDS OF PREY. breed, or some other cause, it is not easily assignable ; and the fact is still more remarkable, as they have been observed in the interior by Mr. Say as far as Pembino, in the 49th degree of north latitude, by Lewis and Clarke near the Falls of the Oregon, and they are not uncommon throughout that territory. They are, however, much more abundant in the warmer than in the colder regions, and are found beyond the equator, even as far or flirther than the La Plata. All the West India islands are inhabited by them, as well as the tropical continent, where, as in the Southern States of the Union, they are commonly protected for their services as scavengers of carrion, which would prove highly deleterious in those warm and humid cli- mates. In the winter they generally seek out warmth and shelter, hovering often like grim and boding spectres in the suburbs, and on the roofs and chimneys of the houses, around the cities of the Southern States. A few brave the winters of Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey, but the greater part migrate south at the approach of cold weather. The Turkey Buzzard has not been known to breed north of New Jersey in any of the Atlantic States. Here they seek out the swampy solitudes, and, without forming any nest, deposit two eggs in the stump of a hollow tree or log, on the mere fragments of rotten wood with which it is ordinarily strewed. Occasionally, in the Southern States, they have been known to make choice of the ruined chimney of a deserted house for this purpose. The eggs are larger than those of a Turkey, of a yellowish white, irregularly blotched with dark brown and blackish spots, chiefly at the larger end. The male often at- tends while the female is sitting; and if not materially dis- turbed, they will continue to occupy the same place for several years in succession. The young are covered with a whitish down, and, in common with the habit of the old birds, will often eject, upon those who happen to molest them, the filthy contents of their stomachs. In the cities of the South they appear to be somewhat grega- rious, and as if aware of the protection afforded them, pre- sent themselves often in the streets, and particularly near the 1 e ; and the rved in the 9th degree ^alls of the at territory, t'armer than luator, even ndia islands nent, where, ; commonly rrion, which d humid cli- warmth and jctres in the luses, arovmd le winters of greater part reed north of they seek out nest, deposit on the mere rily strewed. :en known to led house for a Turkey, of brown and lale often at- laterially dis- ;e for several J, in common j)on those who |r stomachs, lewhat grega- Id them, pre- llarly near the TURKEY VULTURE. 3 shambles. They also watch the emptying of the scavengers' carts in the suburbs, where, in company with the still more domestic Hlack Vultures, they search out their favorite morsels amidst dust, filth, and rubbish of all descriptions. Bits of cheese, of meat, fibh, or anything sufficiently foetid, and easy of digestion, is greedily sought after, and eagerly eyed. When the opportunity offers they eat with gluttonous voracity, and fill themselves in such a manner as to be sometimes incapa- ble of rising from the ground. They are accused at times of attacking young pigs and lambs, beginning their assault by picking out the eyes. Mr. Waterton, however, while at Dem- erara watched them for hours together amidst reptiles of all descriptions, but they never made any attack upon them. He even killed lizards and frogs and put them in their way, but they did not appear to notice them until they attained the putrid scent. So that a more harmless animal, living at all upon flesh, is not in existence, than the Turkey Vulture. At night they roost in the neighboring trees, but, I believe, seldom in flocks like the Black kind. In winter they some- times pass the night in numbers on the roofs of the houses in the suburbs of the Southern cities, and appear particularly desirous of taking advantage of the warmth which they dis- cover to issue from the chimneys. Here, when the sun shines, they and their black relatives, though no wise social, may be observed perched in these conspicuous places basking in the feeble rays, and stretching out their dark wings to admit the warmth directly to their chilled bodies. And when not en- gaged in acts of necessity, they amuse themselves on fine clear days, even at the coolest season of the year, by soaring, in companies, slowly and majestically into the higher regions of the atmosphere ; rising gently, but rapidly, in vast spiral circles, they sometimes disappear beyond the thinnest clouds. They practise this lofty flight particularly before the commencement of thunder-storms, when, elevated above the war of elements, they float at ease in the ethereal space with outstretched wings, making no other apparent effort than the light balloon, only now and then steadying their sailing pinions as they spread i^ BIRDS OF PREY. I them to the fanning breeze, and become abandoned to its accidental sports. In South America, according to Humbcldt, they soar even in company with the Condor in his highest flights, rising above the summits of the tropical Andes. Examples of this species still wander occasionally to New Eng- lanf^ and to Grand Menan, and in 1887 Mi. Philip Cox reported the capture of two near the mouth of the Miramichi River, on the Gulf of St. Law ence, in latitude 47°. It occurs regularly on the St. Clair Flats, in Ontario. The Vultures are not classed as the first of birds by the syste- matists of the present day. Now the singing-birds — the Oscines — arc considered the most highly developed, and of these the Thrush family is given highest rank. The Vultures are classed as the Ir west of the birds of prey ; and this entire order has been moved d'.wn below the Swifts and the Woodpeckers. I % BLACK VULTURE. CARRION CROW. Catharista ATRATA. TjiAR. T)ull black ; head dusky and partially covered above with feathers. -_,ength about 2 feet. N H. On the gruund screened by bushes, or in a stump. (No attempt is mads to build a nest or even to lay a cushion for the «-ggs.) Eggs. 1-3 (usually 2) ; bluish white, marked with several shades of brown; 3.10 x 2.05. This smaller, black, and truly gregarious species of Vulture in the United States appears to be generally confined to the Southern States, and seems to be most numerous and familiar in the large maritime towns of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and i lorida. They are also met with in several of the Western States, and as far up the Ohio as Cincinnati. In the tropical regions of America they are also very common, and extend at least as far as Chili. Like the former species, with which they associate only at meal-times, they are tacitly allowed a public protection for the service they render in rid- ding the earth of carrion and other kinds of filth. They are 11 i :<■ BLACK VULTURE. nuch more familiar in the towns than the preceding, deUght- ing, during winter, to remain on the roofs of houses, catching the feebie rays of the sun, and stretching out their wings to ad- mit the warm air over their foetid bodies. When the weather becomes unusually chilly, or in the mornings, they may be seen basking upon the chimneys in the warm smoke, which, as well as the soot itself, can add no additional darkness or impurity to such filthy and melancholy spectres. Here, or on the limbs of some of the larger trees, they remain in listless indolence till aroused by the calls of hunger. Their flight is neither so easy nor so graceful as that of the Turkey Buzzard. They flap their wings and then soar hori- zontally, renewing the motion of their pinions at short inter- vals. At times, however, they rise to considerable elevations. In the cities of Charleston and Savannah they are to be seen in numbers walking the streets with all the familiarity of domestic Fowls, examining the channels and accumulations of filth in order to glean up the ofial or animal matter of ;.ny kind which may happen to be thrown out. They appeared to be very regular in their attendance around the shambles, and some of them become known by sight. This was particularly the case with an old veteran who hopped upon one foot (having by some accident lost the other), and had regularly appeared round the shambles to claim the bounty of the butchers for about twenty years. In the country, where I have surprised them feeding in the woods, they appeared rather shy and timorous, watching my movements alertly like Hawks ; and every now and then one or two of them, as they sat in the high boughs of a neighboring oak, communicated to the rest, as I slowly approached, a low bark of alarm, or wau^hy something like the suppressed growl of a puppy, at which the whole flock by degrees deserted the dead hog upon which they happened to be feeding. Sometimes they will collect together about one carcase to the number of two hundred and upwards ; and the object, whatever it may be, is soon robed in living mourning, scarcely anything being visible but a dense mass of these sable scavengers, who may often be ,irr 6 BIRDS OF PREY. seen jealously contending with each other, both in and out of the carcase, defiled with blood and filth, holding on with their feet, hissing and clawing each other, or tearing off morsels so as to fill their throats nearly to choking, and occasionally joined by growling dogs, — the whole presenting one of the most savage and disgusting scenes in nature, and truly worthy the infernal bird of Prometheus. This species is very rarely seen north of the Carolinas, though a few examples have been taken in New England and at Grand Menan. i! !{!. k; y AUDUBON'S CARACARA. CARACARA EAGLE. KING BUZZARD. POIA^HORUS CHERIWAV. rH\R. General color brownish black; fore part of back and breast barred with white ; tail white, with bars of black. Length 2oh to 25 inches. A^t'st. On a low tree or bush ; made of sticks and leaves. /\{X^. 2-4 (usually 2) ; brownish white or pale brown, blotched with deeper brown ; 2.30 X 1.75. This \'ery remarkable and fine bird was first met with by Mr. Audubon near St. Augustine, in East Florida. He afterwards also found it on Galveston Island, in Texas. From its general habits and graceful, sweeping flight, it was for some time mis- taken for a Hawk. Though common in many parts of South America, it is within the limits of the United States merely an accidental visitor. It is said, however, to breed in Florida, in the highest branches of tall trees in the pine-barrens, making a rough nest of sticks like a Hawk. In Texas it breeds, accord- ing to Audubon, irt the tops of bushes. Since Nuttall wrote, the Caracara has been found in numbers in parts of F'lorida, and it is not uncommon in Texas, southern Arizona, and Lower California. WHITE GYRFALCON. Falco islaxdus. Char. Prevailing color white, often immaculate, but usually with dark markings. Legs partially feathered. A sharp tooth near point of upper mandible ; the end of under mandible notched. Length 21 to 24 inches. AVjA Usually on a cliff ; roughly made of sticks, — large dry twigs. ^S.<^- 3~4 J ^"ff o"" brownish, marked with reddish brown; 2.25 X 1.25. GRAY GYRFALCON. Fai.co ru.sticolus. Char. Prevailing color dull gray, with whitish and slaty-blue bands and spots; sometimes white prevails ; thighs usually barred "i i!' 8 BIRDS OF PREY. GYRFALCON. Falco rusticolus gyrfalco. Char. Upper parts dull brownish (dusky), with bars of bluish gray; lower parts white, or mostly white marked with dusky ; thighs heavily barred. BLACK GYRFALCON. Falco rusticolus obsoletus. Char. Prevailing color brownish black; usually barred with lighter tints, but sometimes the ba s are indistinct. This elegant and celebrated Falcon is abo . two feet in length ; the female two or three inches longer. They particu- larly abound in Iceland, and are found also throughout Siberia, and the North of Europe as far as Greenland ; Mr. Hutchins, according to Pennant, saw them commonly about Fort Albany, at Hudson's Bay. Occasionally a pair is also seen in this vicinity in the depth of winter. They brave the coldest cli- mates, for which they have such a predilection as seldom to leave the Arctic regions ; the younger birds are commonly seen in the North of Germany, but very rarely the old, which are readily distinguished by the superior whiteness of their plumage, which augments with age, and by the increasing narrowness of the transverse stripes that ornament the upper parts of the body. The finest of these Falcons were caught in Iceland by means of baited nets. The bait was commonly a Ptarmigan, Pigeon, or common Fowl; and such was the velocity and power of his pounce that he commonly severed the head from the baited bird as nicely as if it had been done by a razor. These birds were reserved for the kings of Denmark, and from thence they were formerly transported into Ger- many, and even Turkey and Persia. The taste for the amuse- ment of falconry was once very prevalent throughout Europe, and continued for several centuries ; but at this time it has almost wholly subsided. The Tartars, and Asiatics gener- ally, were also equally addicted to this amusement. A Sir DUCK HAWK. 9 Thomas Monson, no later than the reign of James the Fiist, is said tc have given a thousa.id pournis for a cast of Hawks. Next to the Eagle, this bird is the most formidable, active, and int'^pid, and was held in the highest esteem for falconry. It boldly attacks the largest of birds ; the Swan, Goose, Stork, Heron, and Crane are to it easy victims. In its native regions it lives much on the hare and Ptarmigan ; upon these it darts with astonishing velocity, and often seizes its prey by pouncing upon it almost perpendicularly. It breeds in the cold and desert regions where '* usually dwells, fixing its nests amidst the most lofty and inaccessible rocks. Nuttall treated the four forms as one, while I fellow the A. O. U. in separating them; though I do not think that the present classifi- cation will be retained. The accessible material is very limited, but it appears to indicate that there is but one species with iwo, or possibly three, geographical races. The nests and eggs and the habits are similar, the difference being entirely that of plu- mage,— the prevalence of the dark or white color. The White breeds chiefly in North Greenland and along the bor- ders of the Arctic Ocean ; the Gray breeds in South Greenland ; the Black is restricted to Labrador; and the hah'itat oi^r/alco is given as "interior of Arctic America from Hudson's Bay to Alaska." Specimens of Jl four have been taken south of latitude 45°, and a few of the Black have been taken, in '.vinter, as far south as southern New England and New York. Note. — A few examples of the Prairie Falcon {Falro mexi- canus) have accidentally wandered to the prairie districts of Illinois. DUCK HAWK. PEREGRINE FALCON. GREAT- FOOTED HAWK. Falco PEREGRINUS ANATUM. Char. Above, bluish ash or brownish black, tlie edges of the feathers paler ; below, ashy or dull tawny, with bar", or streaks of brownish ■ a lilack paich on the cheeks. VAX of bluish color, and toothed and notched, as in all true Falcons; cere yellow. Wing long, thin, and pointed. Length 17 to 19 inches. 10 BIRDS OF PREY. Nest. On tree or cliff; a loosely arranged platform of dry sticks, sometimes partially lined with grass, leaves., or moss. Eggs. 2-4 ; reddish brown — sometimes of bright tint — marked with dull red and rich brown ; 2.lo X 1.60. The celebrated, powerful, and princely Falcon is common both to the continent of Europe and America. In the former they are chiefly found in mountainous regions, and make their nests in the most inaccessible clefts of rock ;, and very rarely in trees, laying 3 or 4 eggs of a reddish-yellow, with brown spots. In Europe they seldom descend to the plains, and avoid marshy countries. The period of incubation lasts but rt short time, and commences in winter, or very early in the spring, so that the young acquire their full growth by the middle of May. They are supposed to breed in the tall trees of the desolate cedar swamps in New Jersey. Audubon, how- ever, found them nesting on shelving rocks on the shores of Labrador and Newfoundland, laying from 2 to 5 eggs of a rusty yellowish brown, spotted and blotched with darker tints of the same color. They also breed on shelving rocks in the Rocky Mountains, where Mr. Townsend obtained a specimen on Hig Sandy River of the Colorado of the West in the month of July. When the young have attainea their growth, the parents drive thern from their haunts, with incessant and piercing screams and complaints, — an unnatural propensity which nothing but dire necessity, the difficulty of acquiring sustenance, can palliate. In strength and temerity the Falcon is not exceeded by any bird of its size. He soars with easy and graceful motions amidst the clouds or clear azure of the sky ; from this lofty elevation he selects his victim from among the larger birds, — Grouse, Pheasants, Pigeons, Ducks, or Geese. Without being perceived, he swiftly descends, as if falling from the clouds in a perpendicular line, and carries terror and destruction into the timid ranks of his prey. Instead of flying before their relentless enemy, the Partridge and Pheasant run and closely hide in the grass, the Pigeons glance aside to avoid the fatal blow which is but too sure in its aim, and the Water Fowls seek PIGEON HAWK. II a more certain refuge in diving beneath their yielding element. If the prey be not too large, the Falcon mounts into the air, bearing it off in his talons, and then alights to gorge himself with his booty at leisure. Sometimes he attacks the Kite, another fellow- plunderer, either in wanton insult, or more probably to rob him of his quarry. The Peregrine is very generally distributed throughout America, but excepting on the Atlantic coast of Labrador, and possibly on Newfoundland, it is nowhere common in this faunal province. It is a winter visitor chiefly in Ohio and southern Ontario, but it is known to breed on isolated cliffs in the Maritime Provinces and the New England States, and it is said that nests have been found in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The report of its building in a swamp in New Jersey has not been confirmed. PIGEON HAWK. FaLCO COLUMBARIUS. Char. Generally the prevailing color, above, is blackish brown, though the older birds assume a dull tint apjiroaching bluish gray ; wings, back, and tail streaked and barred with huffy or reddish brown. Tail tipped with white ; the middle tail-feathers in male with four bands of blackish, and in female about six pale bands. Below, dull, pale reddish brown, lighter on breast and throat. Length 1 1 to 13 inches. Nest. Usually on branches of trees, though found .'.^metimes in cavi- ties of dead trees and on cliffs ; loosely built of twigs, and lined with grass and leaves. Eggs. 3-6 ; buffy or pale reddish-brown ground color, blotched with dull red and brown ; 1.30 x 1.55. This species is a little larger than the following, but by no means so abundant; though met with in latitude* forty-eight degrees by long's Northwestern Expedition, and occasion- ally extending its migrations from Texas to Hudson's Bay, and rearing its young in the interior of Canada. Its nest was also observed by Audubon in Labrador in the low fir-trees, and con- tained five eggs, laid about the ist of June. It is shy, skulk- ing, and watchful, seldom venturing beyond the unreclaimed forest, and flies rapidly, but, I believe, seldom soars or hovers. 12 BIRDS OF PREY. Small birds and mice constitute its principal food ; and ac- cording to Wilson, it follows often in the rear of the gregarious birds, such as the Blackbirds and Reedbirds, as well as after the flitting flocks of Pigeons and Robins, picking up the strag- glers, the weak and unguarded, as its legitimate prey. Some- times, when shot at without effect, it will fly in circles around the gunner and utter impatient shrieks, — probably in appre- hension for the safety of the mate, oi to communicate a cry of alarm. The Pigeon Hawk is not a common bird in Massachusetts, though a few pairs breed in the State ; and it has been found in summer in Connecticut, as well as in Illinois and Ohio, though Mcllwraith considers it a migrant only in southern Ontario. It breeds spar- ingly in the northern portions of New England, the Maritime Prov- inces of Canada and north to the lower fur countries, and in winter ranges to the Southern States. Note. — One example of the European Merlin {Falco regulus) has been captured off the coast of Greenland. I I > ! AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. Falco sparverius. Char. Adult male : head bluish ash, with reddish patch on crown, and black patch on sides and nape ; back rufous ; wings bluish and black in bars ; tail tawny, with black band, and tipped with white ; below, buffish or tawny. Female : rufous and black, more streaked than the male ; the tail tawny, with several blackish bars. Length lo to ii inches. Nest. Usually in cavities of trees, often in Woodpecker's holes, some- times in deserted nest of a Crow. Eggs. 5-7 ; buffish, occasionally white, blotched with dull red and browr; 1.33 X 1.12. This beautiful and singularly marked bird appears to reside principally in the warmer parts of the United States. They are particularly abundant in the winter throughout South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, whither they assemble from the remote interior of the Northern States, wandering in sum- mer as far as the Rocky Mountains, and were even seen by Dr. Richardson in the remote latitude of 53° ; these appear, however, to be only stragglers, nor do they seem at all to visit M 14 BIRDS Ol'" I'REV. the maritime districts of New England. As they were seen in St. Domingo, by Veillot, abundantly in April and May, the breeding-season, we may naturally conclude that this species has a much greater predilection for the warm than the cold climates. On the south side of the equator, even in Cayenne and Paraguay, they are still found, in all of which countries they probably breed. According to the habits of this tribe of rapacious birds it appears that the nest is built in a hollow, shattered, or decayed tree at a considerable elevation. Its motions appear somewhat capricious ; it occasionally hovers with beating wings, reconnoitring for prey, and soon impatiently darts off to a distance to renew the same ma- noeuvre. In the winter, however, it is most commonly seen perched on some dead branch, or on a pole or stalk in the fields, often at a little distance from the ground, keeping up a frequent jerking of the tail, and attentively watching for some such humble game as mice, grasshoppers, or lizards. At this time it is likewise so familiar as to enter the garden, orchard, or premises near to the house, and shows but little alarm on being approached. It is, however, by no means deficient in courage, and, like the larger Falcons, often makes a fatal and rapid sweep upon Sparrows or those small birds which are its accustomed prey. Instead of being a mere straggler outside the warmer portions of the United States, as Nuttall appears to have considered this Fal- con, it is quite common throughout most of the continent, and not only breeds in New England, but winters there. It breeds also throughout Canada, north to the lower fur countries, and retires to the Southern States during the cold weather. Note. — The Cuban Sparrow Hawk {Falco sparverioides) has been found in Florida; and two examples of the Kestrel {Fnlcfl tiunncnlus) have been captured on this side of the Atlantic, — one off the coast of Greenland, and the other at Nantasket, Mass., in 1S87. GOLDEN EAGLE. AqUILA CHRYSAEl'OS. Char. Dark brown, head and neck tawny brown ; legs feathered to the toes ; in the young, tail whitish, with broad terminal band of black. Nest. On a tree, sometimes on a high cliff; loosely built of dry sticks, lined with twigs, grass, moss, leaves, and feathers. Egi^s. 2-3 (usually 2); dull white or pale buff, spotted and blotched more or less thickly with reddish brown and lavender ; 3.00 X 2.30. This ancient monarch of the birds is found in all the cold and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, taking up his abode by choice in the great forests and pliuns, and in wild, desert, and mountainous regions. His eyry, commonly formed of an extensive set of layers of large sticks, is nearly horizontal, and occasionally extended between some rock and adjoining 1 i i6 lllKDS OF PREV. 1 1 tree, as was the one described by Willughby in the Peak of Derbyshire. About thirty miles inland from the Mandan Fort on the Miiisouri I once had occasion to observe the eyry of this noble bird, which here consisted of but a slender lining of sticks conveyed into a rocky chasm on the face of a lofty hill rising out of the grassy, open plain. It contained one young bird, nearly fledged, and almost of the color of the Gyrfalcon. Near their rocky nests they are seen usually in pairs, at times majestically soaring to a vast height and gazing on the sun, towards which they ascend until they disappear from view. From this sublime elevation they often select their devoted prey, — sometimes a kid or a lamb from the sporting flock, or the timid rabbit or hare crouched in the furrow or sheltered in some bush. The largest birds are also frequently their victims ; and in extreme want they will not refuse to join with the alarmed Vulture in his cadaverous repast. After this gorging meal the Eagle can, if necessary, fast for several days. The precarious nature of his subsistence and the violence by which it is constantly obtained seem to produce a moral effect on the disposition of this rapacious bird : though in pairs, they are never seen associated with their young; their offspring are driven forth to lead the same unsocial, wandering life as their unfeeling progenitors. This harsh and tyrannical disposition is strongly displayed even when they lead a life of restraint and confinement. The weaker bird is never willingly suffered to eat a single morsel ; and though he may cower and quail under the blow with the most abject submission, the same savage deportment continues towards him as long as he exists. Those which I have seen in confinement frequently uttered hoarse and stridulous cries, sometimes almost barkings, accompanied by vaporous breathings, strongly expressive of their ardent, unquenchable, and savage appetites. Their fire-darting eyes, lowering brows, flat foreheads, restless disposition, and terrific plaints, together with their powerful natural weapons, seem to assimilate them to the tiger rather than the timorous bird. Yet it would appear that they may be rendered docile, as the Tar- tars (according to Marco Polo in 1269) were said to train GOLDEN EAGLE. 17 this species to the chase of hares, foxes, wolves, antelopes, and other kinds of large game, in which it displayed all the docility of the Falcon. The longevity of the Eagle is as remarkable as its strength ; it is believed to subsist for a century, and is about three years in gaining its complete growth and fixed j)lumage. This bii.l was held in high estimation by the ancients on ac- count of its extraordinary magnitude, courage, and sanguinary habits. The Romans chose it as an emblem for their imperial standard ; and from its aspiring flight and majestic soaring it was fabled to hold communication with heaven and to be the fiivorite messenger of Jove. The Tartars have a particular esteem for the feathers of the tail, with which they supersti- tiously think to plume invincible arrows. It is no less the venerated IVar-Ea^^h' of our Northern and Western aborigines; and the caudal feathers are extremely valued for talismanic head-dresses and as sacred decorations for the Pipe of Peace. The Eagle appears to be more abundant around Hudson's Bay than in the United States ; but they are not unfrequent in the great plains of the Mississippi and Missouri, as appears from the frequent use of the feathers by the natives. The wilderness seems their favorite resort, and they neither crave nor obtain any advantage from the society of man. Attached to the mountains in which they are bred, it is a rare occurrence to see the Eagle in this vicinity ; and, as with some other birds, it would appear that the young only are found ni the United States, while the old remain in Labrador and the northern regions. The lofty mountains of New Hampshire afford suit- able situations for the eyry of the Eagle, over whose snow-clad summits he is seen majestically soaring in solitude and gran- deur. A young bird from this region, which I have seen in a state of domestication, showed considerable docility. He had, however, been brought up from the nest, in which he was found in the month of August ; he appeared even playful, turning his head about in a very antic manner, as if desirous to attract attention, — still, his glance was quick and fiery. When birds were given to him, he plumed them very clean before he began his meal, and picked the subject to a perfect skeleton. VOL. L — 2 i8 BIRDS OF PREY. 1 «: The ferocious and savage nature of the Eagle, in an unre- claimed state, is sometimes displayed in a remarkable manner. A peasant attempted to rob an eyry of this bird situated at the Lake of Killarney : for this purpose he stripped and swam over to the spot in the absence of the old birds ; but on his return, while yet up to the chin in water, the parents arrived, and missing their young, instantly fell on the unfortunate plunderer and killed him on the spot. There are several well-authenticated instances of their carry- ing off children to their nesih, Tn 1737, in the parish of Norderhougs, in Norway, a boy over two years old, on his way from the cottage to his parents, at work in the fields at no great distance, fell into the pounce of an Eagle, who flew off with the child in their sight, and was seen no more. Anderson, in his history of Iceland, says that 'n that island children of four or five years of age have occasionally been borne away by Eagles ; and Ray relates that in one of the Orkneys a child of a year old was seized in the talons of this ferocious bird and carried about four miles to its nest, but the mother, knowing the place of the eyry, followed the bird, and recovered her child yet unhurt. The Common, or Ring-tailed Eagle, is now found to be the young of the Golden Eagle. These progressive changes have been observed by Temminck on two living subjects which he kept for several years. The Golden Eag^e is generally considered to be a rare bird in New England and Canada, and, indeed, throughout the settled dis- tricts everywhere ; though examples have been taken the continent over, from Greenland to Mexico, and west to the Pacific. in an iinre- ble manner, uated at the 1 swam over n his return, arrived, and te plunderer nd to be the hanges have cts which he a rare bird in le settled dis- the continent ific. BALD EAGLE WASHINGTON EAGLE. /"' x Halleetus leucocephalus. Char. Adult : blackish brown, paler on margin of feathers ; head and tail white after third year; bill and feet yellow; legs bare of feathers. Young: darker than the adult; no white on head or tail (or concealed by contour feathers); bill and feet brownish. Length 30 to 40 inches. (The young are larger than the adult birds, and are very similar to the young of the Golden Eagle, though the latter are easily distinguished by their feathered legs.) A'est. On a high tree, usually in a crotch, seldom on a dead tree, some- times on a clif ; made of dry sticks loosely arranged, and occasionally weed-stems and coarse grass are added ; but there is rarely any attempt at a lining. A^y-f^" 2-3 ; white or pale buff ; 2.90 X n.i^. 20 BIRDS OF PREY. ■Ml 1 1 I The Washington Eagle. — It is to the indefatigable Audu- bon that we owe the distinct note and description of this noble Eagle, which first drew his attention while voyaging far up the Mississippi, in the month of February, 1814 At length he had the satisfaction of discovering its eyry, in the high cliffs of Green River, in Kentucky, near to its junction with the Ohio : two young were discovered loudly hissing from a fissure in the rocks, on the approach of the male, from whom they received a fish. The female now also came, and with solicitous alarm for the safety of her young, gave a loud scream, dropped the food she had brought, and hovering over the molesting party, kept up a growling and threatening cry by way of intimidation ; and in fact, as our disappointed naturalist soon discovered, she from this time forsook the spot, and foimd means to convey away her young. The discoverer considers the species as rare, — indeed, its principal residence appears to be in the northern parts of the continent, particularly the rocky solitudes around the Great Northwestern Lakes, where it can at all times col- lect its finny prey and rear its young without the dread of man. In the winter season, about January and February, as well as at a later period of the spring, these birds are occasionally seen in this vicinity (Cambridge, Mass.), — rendered perhaps bolder and more familiar by want, as the prevalence of the ice and cold at this season drives them to the necessity of wandering far- ther than usual in search of food. At this early period Audubon observed indications of the approach of the breeding-season. They are sometimes seen contending in the air, so that one of the antagonists will suddenly drop many feet downwards, as if wounded or alarmed. My friend Dr. Hayward, of Boston, had in his possession one of these fine, docile Eagles for a consid- erable time ; but desirous of devoting it to the then Linnaean Museum, he attempted to poison it by corrosive sublimate of mercury : several times, however, doses even of two drams were given to it, concealed in fish, without producing any inju- rious effect on its health. The Washington Eagle, bold and vigorous, disdains the piratical habits of the Bald Eagle, and invariably obtains his BALD EAGLE. 21 own sustenance without molesting the Osprey. The circles he describes in his flight are wider than those of the White- headed Eagle ; he also flies nearer to the land or the surface of the water ; and when about to dive for his prey, he descends in circuitous, spiral rounds, as if to check the retreat of the fish, on which he darts only when within the distance of a few yards. When his prey is obtained, he flies out at a low eleva- tion to a considerable distance to enjoy his repast at leisure. The quantity of food consumed by this enormous bird is very great, according to the account of those who have had them in confinement. Mr. Audubon's male bird weighed fourteen and one half pounds avoirdupois. One in a small museum in Philadelphia (according to the account of my friend Mr. C. Pickering), also a male, weighed much more, — by which dif- ference it would appear that they are capable of becoming exceedingly fat ; for the length of this bird was about the same as that of Audubon, — three feet six or seven inches. The widch, however, was only about seven feet, — agreeing pretty nearly with a specimen now in the New England Museum. The male of the Golden Eagle, the largest hitherto known, is seldom more than three feet long. That this bird is not the White-tailed Eagle {Faico albi- ciiia)y or its young, the Sea Eagle (^F. ossi/ragus) , is obvi- ous from the difference in size alone, the male of that bird being little over two feet four inches in length, or a little less even than the Bald Eagle. The female of the Washing- ton Eagle must, of course, be six or eight inches longer, — which will give a bird of unparalleled magnitude amongst the whole Eagle race. This measurement of the Sea Eagle is obtained from Temminck's " Manual of Ornithology," who has examined more than fifty individuals. At the same time I have a suspicion that the Washington Eagle, notwithstanding this, exists also in Europe ; as the great Sea Eagle of Brisson is described by this author as being three feet six inches in length from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, and the stretch of the wings about seven feet ! These measurements also are adopted by Buffon ; but the individuals were evidently in young 5 h 22 BIRDS OF PREY. [ 11 !.l t, f I if $ plumage, in which state, as described by Brisson, they again approach the present species. Nor need it be considered as surprising if two different species be confounded in the Sea Kagle of I'Airope, ns the recently established Imperial Eagle had ever been confounded with the Golden. Another distin- guishing trait of the Washington Kagle is in the length of the tail, which is one and one half inches longer than the folded wings. In the White-tailed species this part never extends beyond the wings. T/tc IVhitc-htaded or Bald Eai^/c. — This noble and daring Eagle is found along the sea-coasts, lakes, and rivers through- out the northern regions, being met with in Asia, Europe, and America, where they extend to the shores of the Pacific, and as far as the confines of California. In Behring's Isle, Mack- enzie's River, and (ireenUuid, they are not uncommon. But while they are confined in the Old World to this cheerless re- gion so constantly that only hao instances are known of their appearance in the centre of Europe, in the United States they are most abundant in the milder latitudes, residmg, breeding, and rearing their young in all the intermediate space from Nova Scotia or Labrador to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The rocky coast of this part of New England (Massachusetts) is, however, seldom tenanted by this species, though they are occasionally seen in the spring and about the commencement of winter. In the United States it is certain that they show a decided predilection for the milder climates. It is probable that in Pairope they are deterred in their migrations by the tyrannical persecution of the White-tailed Eagle (/^ a/Mci/ia), which abounds in that country, living also principally on fish, and therefore selecting the same maritime situations as our Eagle. In the United States he sways almost without control the whole coast of the Atlantic, and has rendered the rival Osprey his humble tributary, proscribing, in his turn, the ap- pearance of the Sea Eagle, which, if it exist at all with us, is equally as rare as the present species ai:)pears to be in Europe. Though on Behring's Isle the Bald Eagle is said to nest on BALD EAGLE. 23 cliffs, as the only secure situation that probably offers, in the United States he usually selectf?^ near the sea-coast, some lofty pine or cypress tree for his eyry ; this is built of large sticks, several feet in length, forming a floor, within and over which are laid sods of earth, hay, moss, dry reeds, sedge-grass, pine- tops, and other coarse materials, piled after several incubations to the height of 5 or 6 feet, and 4 or 5 feet in breadth. On this almost level bed the female early in February deposits two dull white eggs, one of which is said sometimes to be laid after an interval so considerable that the young are hatched at dif- ferent periods. Lawson, however, says that they breed so often as to commence laying again under their callow young, whose warmth assists the ii«,tching of the eggs. This eyry or breeding-place continues to be perpetually occupied and re- paired as long as the tree endures, — indeed their attachment to particular places is so strong that after their habitation has been demolished, by the destruction of the tree that supported it, they have very contentedly taken possession of an adjoin- ing one. Nor is the period of incubation the only time spent in the nest by this species ; it is a shelter and common habi- tation at all times and seasons, being a home like the hut to the savage, or the cottage to the peasant. The helpless young, as might be supposed, are fed with great attention, and supplied with such a superfluity of fish and other matters that they often lie scattered around the tree, producing the most putrid and noisome effluvia. The young are at first clothed with a whitish down ; they gradually become gray, and continue of a brownish gray until the third year, when the characteristic white of the head and tail be- comes perfectly developed. As their food is abundant, the young are not forcibly driven from the nest, but fed for some time after they have left it. They are by no means shy or timorous, will often permit a near approach, and sometimes even bristle up their feathers in an attitude of daring de- fence. '1 heir cry is sonorous and lamentable, like that of the (ireat Eagle, and when asleep they are said to make a very audible snoring sound. ) u 4,' -I i i i 24 BIRDS OF PREY. The principal food of the liald Ivigle is fish ; and though he possesses every requisite of alertness and keenness of vision for securing his prey, it is seldom that he obtains it by any other means than stratagem and rapine. For this habitual daring purpose he is often seen i)erching upon the naked limb of some lofty tree which commands an extensive view of the ocean. In this attitude of expectation he heedlessly sur- veys the active employment of the feathered throng, which course along the wavy strand, or explore the watery deep with beating wing, until from afar he attentively scans the motions of his i)rovider, the ample-winged and hovering Osprey. At length the watery ])rey is espied, and the feathered fisher de- scends like a fiilling rock ; cleaving the wave, he now bears his struggling victim from the deep, and mounting in the air, utters an exulting scream. At this signal the Eagle pirate gives chase to the fortunate fisher, and soaring above him, by threatening attitudes obliges him to relinquish his prey ; the Eagle, now poising for a surer aim, descends like an arrow, and snatching his booty before it arrives at the water, retires to the woods to consume it at leisure. These perpetual dep- redations on the industrious Osprey sometimes arouse him to seek for vengeance, and several occasionally unite to banish their tyrannical invader. When greatly pressed by hunger, the Bald Eagle has sometimes been observed to attack the Vul- ture in the air, obliging him to disgorge the carrion in his craw, which he snatches up before it reaches the ground. He is sometimes seen also to drive away the Vultures, and feed voraciously on their carrion. Besides fish, he preys upon Ducks, (leese. Gulls, and other sea-fowl ; and when the re- sources of the ocean diminish, or fail from any cause, par- ticularly on the southern migravion of the Osprey, his inland depredations are soon notorious, young lambs, pigs, fawns, and even deer often becoming his prey. So indiscriminate in- deed is the fierce appetite of this bold bird that instances are credibly related of their carrying away infants. An attempt of this kind, according to Wilson, was made upon a child lying by its mother as she was v*reeding a garden at Great Egg- RAT.l) EAr,T,E. 25 Harbor, in New Jersey ; but the garment seized iii)on by tiie Kagle giving way at the instant of the attempt, the Ufe of the child was spared. I have heard of another instance, said to liave hapi)ened at I'ctersburgh, in (leorgia, near the Savannah River, where an infant, sleeping in the shade near the house, was seizetl and carried to the eyry near the edge of a swamp five miles distant, and when found, almost immediately, the child was dead. The story of the Kagle and child, in " T'^c History of the House of Stanley," the origin of the crest of that family, shows the credibility of the exploit, as supposed to have been effected by the White-tailed Eagle, so nearly related to the piesent. Indeed, about the year 1 745 some Scotch reapers, accompanied by the wife of one of them with an infant, repaired to an island in Loch Lomond ; the mother laid down her child in the shade at no great distance from her, and while she was busily engaged in labor, an Eagle of this kind sudlenly darted upon the infant and immediately bore it away CO its rocky eyry on the summit of IJen Lomond. The alarm of this shocking event was soon sjiread ; and a considerable party, hurrying to the rescue, fortunately succeeded in recover- ing the child alive. The Bald Kagle, like most of the large species, takes wide circuits in its flight, and soars at great heights. In these sub- lime attitudes he may often be seen hovering over waterfalls and lofty cataracts, particularly that of the famous Niagara, where he watches for the fate of those unfortunate fish and other animals that are destroyed in the descent of the tumul- tuous waters. All ornithologists of the present day agree in the opinion th..i Audubon's " Bird of Washington " was an immature Bald Kagle, — the difference in size and coloration accounting for the error. Nuttall, following Audubon, wrote of the two phases as of dis- tinct species ; for it was not until about 1870 that washitii^toni was dropped from the lists. I have given the two biographies as they appeared in the original work, for together they form a good his- tory of the bird's distinctive habits. The difference in habits noted is not due to difference of age, as might be supposed, but to the different conditions under which the birds chanced to be observed. nw ti-'\', 26 BIRDS OF PREY. I will take this opportunity of protesting against the perpetua- tion of an idea, still current, which originated with the older writers, concerning the "nobility" of the Falconidce, uxidtr which family name are grouped the Eagles, Falcons, Kites, and Hawks. They were until quite recently classed among the first of the feathered race ; but the systematists now place them below the Woodpeckers, . and next above the Grouse and Pigeons. The majority of the Falconidce have an attractive physique and superior strength, as well as a haughty bearing. They are hand- s me, st?.iwari ruffians, but they are nothing more. They are ni,.ii'»ev tht most intelligent nor most enterprising of birds, nor the biuv: !. ^hey are not even the swiftest, or most dexterous on the winy an J ..i bearing, proudly as they carry themselves, are not supreme. It is now considered probable that the tales of Eagles c?rrying oii children are myths. i I % 11 GRAY SEA EAGLE. WHITE-TAILED EAGLE. Hali/eetus ALBICILLA. Char. General color, grayisli-brown (paler on margin of feathers); head and neck gray, — paler in old birds ; tail white ; legs bare. Length : male, 33 inches ; femaks 38 inches. A'est. In a tree or on a rock, sometimes on the ground ; made of dry sticks loosely arranged and often piled to considerable height. Eggs. 1-3 (usually 2); dull white; 2.85 X 2.25. Mr. Hagerup reports that this European bird breeds in so\ithern Greenland and is quite common there. It feeds principally on fish, but will eat any kind of meat or carrion, being particularly partial to water fowl, and is much more enterprising than is its congener, the Bald Eagle. ill ll AMERICAN OSPREY. FISH HAWK. PaNDION HALIAETUS CAROLlNENSiS '^i^-cv. / ^:)^ Char. Above, dark brown; head and neck white, with dark stripe on side of the head ; tail grayish, with several narrow dark bars, and tipped with white; under-parts white or bufifish, sometimes (in female) streaked with brown. Feet and claws large and strong. Hook of the bill long. Length 21 to 25 inches. A'c'sf. Of loosely arranged sticks on top of high tree, — generally a dead tree is selected; usually near water. £,^^^s. 2 to 4 ; variable in shape, color, size, and markings ; ground color generally whitish, with yellow or red tint, blotched with reddish brown of various shades. Size about 2.50 X 1.75. This large and well-known species, allied to the Eagles, is found near fresh and salt water in almost every country in the :■:<% 28 BIRDS OF PREY. world. In summer it wanders into the Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and America ; it is also equally prevalent in the milder parts of both continents, as in Greece and Egypt. In America it is found in the summer from Labrador, and the interior around Hudson's Bay, to Florida ; and according to Buffon, it extends its residence to the tropical regions of Cayenne. Its food being almost uniformly fish, it readily acquires sub- sistence as long as the waters remain unfrozen ; but at the commencement of cool weather, even as early as the close of September, or at farthest the middle of October, these birds leave New York and New Jersey and go farther south. This early period of departure is, in all probability, like their arrival towards the close of March, wholly regulated by the coming and going of the shoals of fish on which they are accustomed to feed. Towards the close of March or beginning of April they arrive in the vicinity of Boston with the first shoal of alewives or herrings ; but yet are seldom known to breed along the coast of Massachusetts. Their arrival in the spring is wel- comed by the fisherman as the sure indication of the approach of those shoals of shad, herring, and other kinds of fish which now begin to throng the bays, inlets, and rivers near the ocean ; and the abundance with which the waters teem affords ample sustenance for both the aerial and terrestrial fishers, as each pursues in peace his favorite and necessary employment. In short, the harmless industry of the Osprey, the familiarity with which he rears his young around the farm, his unexpected neutrality towards all the domestic animals near him, his sub- limely picturesque flight and remarkable employment, with the strong affection displayed towards his constant mate and long helpless young, and the wrongs he hourly suffers from the pirate Eagle, are circumstances sufficiently calculated, without the aid of ready superstition, to ensure the public favor and tolerance towards this welcome visitor. Driven to no harsh necessities, like his superiors the Eagles, he leads a compar- atively harmless life ; and though unjustly doomed to servitude, his address and industry raise him greatly above his oppressor, so that he supplies himself and his young with a plentiful AMERICAN OSrUEV. 29 sustenance. His docility and adroitness in catching fish have also sometimes been employed by man for his advantage. Intent on exploring the sea for his food, he leaves the nest and proceeds tlirectly to the scene of action, sailing round in easy and wide circles, and turning at times as on a |)ivot, ap- parently without exertion, while his long and curving wings seem scarcely in motion. At the height of from one hundred to two hundred feet he continues to survey the bosom of the deep. Suddenly he checks his course and hovers in the air with beating pinions ; he then descends with rapidity, but the wily victim has escaped. Now he courses near the surface, and by a dodging descent, scarcely wetting his feet, he seizes a fish, which he sometimes drops, or yiekls to the greedy Eagle ; but, not discouraged, he again ascends in spiral sweeps to regain the higher regions of the air and renew his survey of the watery expanse. His prey again espied, he descends perpendicularly like a falling plummet, plunging into the sea with a loud, rush- ing noise and with an unerring aim. In an instant he emerges with the struggling prey in his talons, shakes off the water from his feathers, and now directs his laborious course to land, beating in the wind with all the skill of a practised seaman. The fish which he thus carries may be sometimes from six to eight pounds ; and so firm sometimes is the penetrating grasp of his talons that when by mistake he engages with one which is too large, he is dragged beneath the waves, and at length both fish and bird perish. From the nature of its food, the flesh, and even the eggs, are rendered exceedingly rank and nauseous. Though its prey is generally taken in the bold and spirited manner described, an Osprey sometimes sits on a tree over a pond for an hour at a time, quietly waiting its expected approach. Unlike other rapacious birds, these may be almost con- sidered gregarious, breeding so near each other that, accord- ing to Mr. G.u diner, there were on the small island on which he resided, near to the eastern extremity of Long Island (New York), no less than three hundred nests with young. Wilson observed twenty of their nests within half a mile. I have seen them nearly as thick about Rehoboth Bay in Dela- "f U ii J !,' ; i '• \ ill 30 BIRDS OF PREY, ware. Here they live together at least as peaceably as rooks ; and so harmless are they considered by other birds that, ac- cording to Wilson, the Crow Blackbirds, or Grakles, are some- times allowed refuge by the Ospreys, and construct their nests in the very interstices of their eyry. It would appear some- times that, as with Swallows, a general assistance is given in the constructing of a new nest ; for previous to this event, a flock have been seen to assemble in the same tree, squealing as is their custom when anything materially agitates thtin. At times they are also seen engaged in social gambols high in the air, making loud vociferations, suddenly darting down, and then sailing in circles; and these innocent recreations, like many other unmeaning things, are construed into prognostications of stormy or changing weather. Their common friendly call is a lind of shrill whistle, 'phew, 'phew, 'phew, repeated five or six times, and somewhat similar to the tone of a fife. Though social, they are sometimes seen to combat in the air, instigated probably more by jealousy than a love of rapine,, as their food is always obtained from an unfailing source. Early in May the Osprey commences laying, and has from two to four eggs. They are a little larger than those of the Common Fowl, and are from a reddish or yellowish cream -color to nearly white, marked with large blotches and points of reddish brown. During the period of incubation the male frequently supplies his mate with food, and she leaves her eggs for very short intervals. The young appear about the last of June, and are most assiduously attended and supplied. On the approach of any person towards the nest, the parent utters a peculiar plaintive, whistling note, which increases as it takes to wing, sailing round, and at times making a quick descent, as if aiming at the intruder, but sweeping past at a short distance. On the nest being invaded, either while containing eggs or young, the male displays great courage and makes a violent and dangerous opposition. The young remain a long time in the nest, so that the old are sometimes obliged to thrust them out and encourage them to fly ; but they still, for a period, con- tinue to feed them in the air. AMERICAN GOSHAWK. BLUE HEN HAWK. ACCIPITER ATRICAPILLUS. Char. Above, dark bluish gray ; lop of head black, the feathers be- neath the surface white ; white stripe over the eye : tail with four dark bands ; below, white barred and streaked with narrow dark lines. Young very different ; above, brown, edges of feathers huffish ; tail lighter, tipped with white and crossed by four or five dark bands; below, buiiish, streaked with brown. Length 22 to 24 inches. Nest. In a tree ; made of twigs. A^.TJ- 3-4 ; bluish white, with buff or reddish brown markings ; 2.30 X 1.75- The foreign representative of this elegant and spirited spe- cies of Hawk appears to be common in France, Germany, the northern parts of Great Britain, Russia, and Siberia, and ex- tend- into Chinese Tartary. Our species, so nearly related to the European bird, is very rare, migrating to the South ap- parently at the approach of winter. On the 26 th of October, 1830, I received one of these birds from the proprietor of Wi 32 BIRDS OF PREY. n. , St Fresh Pond Hotel, in the moult, having the stomach crammed with moles and mice, and it was shot in the act of devouring a Pigeon. Th^ Goshawk was held in considerable esteem for falconry, raid, according to Bell, was employed for this amusement by the e nperor of China, who moved sometimes to these excur- sions in great slate, often bearing a Hawk on his hand, to let fiy at any game that might be raised, which was usually Pheas- ants, Partridges, Quails, or Cranes. In 1269 Marco Polo witnessed this diversion of the emperor, which probably had existed for many ages previous. The falconers distinguished these birds of sport into two classes, — namely, those of falconry properly so called, and those of hawking ; and in this second and inferior class were included the Goshawk, the Sparrow Hawk, Buzzard, and Harpy. This species does not soar so high as the longer-winged Hawks, and darts upon its quarry by a side glance, not by a direct descent, like the true Falcon. These birds were caught in nets baited with live Pigeons, and reduced to obedience by the same system of privation and discipline as the Falcon. A pair of Goshawks were kept for a long time in a cage by Buflfun ; he remarks that the female was at least a third larger than the male, and the wings, when closed, did not reach within six inches of the end of the tail. The male, though smaller, was much more fierce and untamable. They often fought with their claws, but seldom used the bill for any other purpose than tearing their food. If this consisted of birds, they were plucked as neatly as by the hand of the poulterer ; but mice were swallowed whole, and the hair and skin, and other indigestible parts, after the manner of the genus, were discharged from the mouth rolled up in little balls. Its cry was raucous, and terminated by sharp, reiterated, piercing notes, the more disagreeable the oftener they were repeated ; and the cage could never be approached without exciting violent gestures and screams. Though of different sexes, and confined to the same cage, they contracted no friendship for each other which might soothe their imprisonment, and finally. GOSHAWK. 33 to end the dismal picture, the female, in a fit of indiscriminate rage and violence, murdered her mate in the silence of the night, when all the other feathered race were wrapped in repose. Indeed, their dispositions are so furious that a (los- hawk, left with any other Falcons, soon eflects the destniction of the whole. Their ordinary food is young rabbits, S(iuirrels, mice, moles, young Geese, Pigeons, and small birils, and, with a cannibal appetite, they sometimes even prey upon the young of their own species. The Goshawk is not so rare in America as the older naturalists supposed ; indeed, it is quite a common bird in the maritime Prov- inces of Canada and in northern New England, where it is found durinj; the entire year. It occurs also west to Maniiol)a (tiiough apparently rare in the Lake Superior region), and ranges, in winter, south to Maryland, Kentucky, and Ohio. Its usual breeding area is from about latitude 45° to the fur countries; though a few pairs probably build every year in southern New England. So few, comparatively, of th.e older and full-plu- maged birds are seen that the species is not well known, the younger brown birds being almost indistinguisliable from the young of several other Hawks. There are several species that receive the name of " Hen Hawk " from the farmer; but none is so miicli dreaded as the •• Hliie Hawk." — and for good reason. With a boKhiess, strengtii, and dexterity of flight that is rivalled only by the Peregrine, the (loshawk com- bines a spirit of enterprise worthy of the Osprey, and a ferocity and cunning that are unmatched by any of the tribe. I have seen one swoop into a farmyard whih' the fowls were being fed, and carry off a half-grown cliick without any perceptible pause in the flight. VOL. I. — -l ll I I It I tints iT'-"^.'";'' '''^ ■-• -v»n./^...-' COOPER'S HAWK. ACCIPITER COOPERI. Char. Adult bluish gray or almost bluish ash, head darker ; below, whitish, breast and belly thickly streaked with reddish brown, sides with a bluish tinge; wings and tail barred with dark brown, tail tippec' vith white. Length about i6 inches (female 2 to 3 inches longer). Nest. In a tree, near the trunk ; made of twigs, lined with gias: ^^yj. 3-4; bluish white spotted with reddish brown (sometimes im- maculate) ; 1.90 X 1.50. Thi? Hne species of Hawk is found in considerable numbers in the Middle States, particularly New York and New Jersey, in the autumn and at the approach of winter. It is also seen in the Oregon territory to the shores of the Pacific. Its food appears principally to be birds of various kinds ; from the Sparrow to the Ruffed Grouse, all contribute to its rapa- cious appetite. I have also seen this species as far south as the capital of Alabama, and, in common with the preceding, its depredations among the domestic fowls are very destructive. Mr. Cooper informs me that the plumage of the adult male bears the same analogy to the adult of F. fiiscus as the young of that species does to the present, excepting that the rufous SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. 35 etimes im- tints are paler. The difference in size between the two is as 2, or even 3, to i. Cooper's Hawk is generally distributed throughout North Amer- ica from the fur countries to Mexico (in winter), though most abundant in the southern portions of New England and in tlie Middle States. It is called " Chicken Hawk " by the Northern farmers. SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. ACCII'ITER VELOX. Char. The adult may be best described as a small edition of Cooper's Hawk, which it resembles in almost everything but size. The top of the head is bluish, and the cheeks have a reddish tinge. Length of male about 11 inches ; female some 2 inches longer. Nest. In a tree; made of twigs, and lined with leaves and grass. E'Ki^s. 3-5 ; bluish white or greenish white blotched with brown ; 1.45 X MS- This bold and daring species possesses all the courageous habits and temerity of the true Falcon ; and if the princely amusement to which these birds were devoted was now in fashion, few species of the genus would be found more san- guinary and pugnacious than the present. The young bird is described by Pennant under the name of the Dubious Falcv^n, and he remarks its affinity to the European Sparrow Hawk. It is, however, somewhat less, differently marked on the head, and much more broadly and faintly barred below. The nest of our species, according to Audubon, is made in a tree, and the eggs are four or five, grayish white, blotched with dark brown ; they lay about the beginning to the middle of Marcn. The true Sparrow Hawk shows considerable docility, is easily trained to hunt Partridges and Quails, and makes great destruction among Pigeons, yoimg poultry, and small birds of all kinds. In the winter they migrate from Europe into Barbary and Greece, and are seen in great numbers out at sea, making such havoc among the birds of passage they happen to meet in their way that the sailors in the Mediterranean call them Corsairs. Wilson observeil the female of our species descend **•:,,' i '.' K ) 36 BIRDS OF PREV. upon its prey with great velocity in a so- ot /igsa^^ pounce, after the manner of the Goshawk. I )escending furiously and blindly upon its quarry, a young Hawk of this species broke through the glass of the greenhouse at the Cambridge Botanic Garden, and fearlessly passing through a second gl; ss parti- tion, he was only brought up by the third, and caught, though little stunned by the effort. His wing-feathers were much torn by the glass, and his flight in this way so impeded as to allow of his being approached. This species feeds principally upon mice, lizards, small birds, and sometimes even squirrels. In the thinh' settled States of Georgia and Alabama this Hawk seems to aoound, and proves extremely destructive to young chickens, a single bird having been known regularly to come every day until he had carried away between twenty and thirty. At noon-day, while I was conversing with a planter, one of these Hawks came down, and without any ceremony, or heeding the loud cries of the housewife, who most reluctantly witnessed the robbery, snatched away a chicken directly before us. At an- other time, near Tuscaloosa, in Alabama, i observed a pair of these birds furiously attr ' the large Reci-lailed Hawk, squall- ing very loudly, and striking him on the head until they had entirely chased him out of sight. This enmity appeared to arise from a suspicion that the Buzzard was prowling round the farm-house for th'^ noultry, which these Hawks seemed to claim as their exch. m ;, perquisite. As this was, however, the 13th of P'ebruary, tht'^ie insulting marauders might possibly be already preparing to breed, and thus be incited to drive away every suspicious intruder approaching their nest. In fine weather I have observed this species soar to a great elevation, and ascend above the clouds. In this exercise, as usual, the wings seem but little exercised, the ascent being made in a sort of swimming gyration ; though while near the surface of the earth the motion of the wings in this bird is rapid and continuous. The Sharp-shinned is the commonest Mawk throughout New England and the settled portions of Canada. In winter it ranges south t'l Panama. MISSISSIPPI KITE. BLUE KITE. ICTINA MlSSISSIPPIEXSIS, Char. General color biuish-gmy, lighter oa the head and secom :» ries, darker on primaries and tiiil. Length, 13 to I5V^ inches. A^ist. On a tree , of small sticks, lined with moss ami leaves. Es^rirj. 2-3; bluish white; size variable, averaging 1.65 X 1.35. This remarkably long-winged and beautiful Hawk does nal appear to extend its migrations far within the United States. Wilson observed it rather plentiful about and below Natciu^ in the summer season, sailing in easy circles, sometimes at a great elevation, so as to keep company with the 'I'urkcy Buzzards in the most elevated regions of the air ; at other times they were seen among the lofty forest trees, like Swallows sweeping along, and collecting the locusts {Ciait/u') which swarmed at this season. My friend Mr. Say observed this species pretty far up the Mississii)iM, at one of Major Long's cantonments. But except on the banks of this great river, it is rarely seen eve in the most southern States. Its food, 38 BIRDS OF PREY. no doubt, abounds more along the imn^ense valley of the Mis- sissippi than in the interior regions, and, besides large in- sects, probably often consists of small birds, li/ards, snakes, and other reptiles, which swarm in these their favorite resorts. On the failure of food these birds migrate by degrees into the Mexican and South American provinces, and were observed by D'Azara in Guiana, about the latitude of 7®. According to Audubon, this Kite breeds in the Southern States as well as in Texas, selecting the tail magnolias and white-oaks. From the narrow limits within which this bird inhabits in the United States, it is more than probable that the principal part of the 3l)ecies are constant residents in the warmer parts of the Ameri- can continent. They begin to migrate early in August. The range of this species is given as "southern United States southward from South Carolina, and Wisconsin and Iowa to Mt*xico." WHITE-TAILED KITE. BLACK-SnOULDEKED KITE. P2LAXUS LF.UCURUS. ( HAR. General color bluish gray fading to white on head and tail ; a large patch of black on shoulder ; lower parts white. Length 15 to 16^ inches. AVjA In a tree, loosely built of sticks and leaves. £i,''gs. 2-4; dull white, heavily blotched with brown, 1.60 x 1.25. This beautiful Hawk, scarcely distinguishable from a second A^Mcan species of this section, chiefly inhabits the continent of .^nuth America as far as Paraguay. In the United States it • ■ 0 :.y seen occasionally in the peninsula of East Florida, con- fniing its visits almost to the southern extremity of the Union. It appears to be very shy and difficult of approach ; flying in easy circles at a moderate elevation, or at times seated on the deadened branches of the majestic live-oak, it attentively watches the borders of the salt-marshes and water)' situations —j^i SWALLOW-TAILED KITL. 39 for the field-mice of that country, or unwary Sparrows, that approach its perch. The bird of Africa and India is said to utter a sharp and piercing try, which is often repeated while the bird moves in the air. It builds, m the forks of trees, a broad and shallow nest, lined internally with moss ami feathers. A pair have been known to breed on the Santee River in the month of March, according to Audubon. This Kite occurs regularly in the Southern States, north to South Carolina, and Mr. Ridgway has met witli it in southern Illinois. It extends its range westward to California. SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. FORK-TAILED KITE. El.ANOII)KS FORFICATU.S. Char. Head, neck, rump, and lower jiarts white, other parts black ; tail deeply forked. Length 19 '2 to 25^ inches. AVjA In a tree , of sticks and moss, lined with grass and leaves. i^^i.r^'-j. 2-3 ; white, w ith buff or green tinge, spotted with various shades of brown ; 1.85 X 1.50 This beautiful Kite breeds and passes the summer in the warmer parts of the United States, and is also probably resi- dent in all tropical and temperate America, migrating into the southern as well as the northern hemisphere. In the former, according to Viellot, it is found in Peru and as far as Buenos .\yres ; and though it is extremely rare to meet with this species as far as the latitude of 40° in the Atlantic States, yet, tempted by the abundance of the fruitful valley of the Mississippi, individuals have been seen along that river as far as the Falls of St. Anthony, in the 44th degree of north latitude. Indeed, according to Fleming two stragglers have even found their devious way to the strange climate of Great Britain. These Kites ai)])ear in the United States about the clo.ie of Aj^ril or beginning of May, and are very numerous in the Mis- M •1 ' ' if I -n n 41 I 40 BIRDS OF TREY. 11 sissippi territory, twenty or thirty being sometimes \isil)le at the same time; often collecting locusts and other large insects, which they are said to feed on from their claws while flying, at times also seizing ujjon the nests of locusts and wasps, and, like the Honey iluzzard, devouring both the insects and their larvai. vSnakes and lizards are their common fo.xl in all parts of America. In the month of (October they begin to retire to the South, at wliich season Mr. Hartram obser^^ed them in great numbers assembled in Floriila, soaring steadily at great elevations for several days in succession, and slowly passing tovvards their winter ([uarters along the dulf of Mexico. I'Vom the other States they migrate early in September. This species is most abundant in the western (livision of the Gulf States, hut is irregularly distributed over the Southern, VVcstern, and Middle States. It has occasionally visited New Kngland, and examples have been seen in Manitoba and near London and Ottawa in Ontario. EVERGLADE KITE. BLACK KITE. HOOK-BILL KITE. SN.ML H.WVK. R( ISTRHAML'S SOClAinLI.S. Chak. Prevailing color dull bluish ash, darker on tail, wings, and an- terior portion of head ; rump white, wiUi terminal bar of light brown ; bill l)lack ; feet orange. Length i6 to iS inches. A\-sf. A platform with a slight depression, composed of sticks or dried grass, built in a low bush or amid tal! grass. Ei;,i,'s. 2-3; brownish while blotched with various shades o*" brown ; 1.70 X I 45- This is a tropical species that occurs in Florida. Mr. W. E. D. Scott reports finding it abundant at Panasofkcc Lake, and says ; " Their food at this poitit apparently consists of a kind of large fresh-water snail which is very abundant. . . . They fish over the shallow water, reminding one of gulls in their motions; and having secured a snail by diving, they immediately carrv it to the nearest available perch, when the animal is dexterously taken from the shell, without injury to the latter." •^?. AMERICAN ROUGH-LEGGKD HAWK. BLACK HAWK. ArCHIP.UTF.O LAG(JPUS sancti-johaxxls. Char. General color variable, — dark or light brown, or brownish gray, somclimes black ; all the feathers edged w^th lighter color, i)rodiiciiig an ai)i)carancc of streaks. The absence of these streaks on the belly forms a dark band. Tail with dark and light bars, and wliitish at its base. Easily distinguished from any other Hawk by the feathered shank. Length 19)^ to 22 inches. AV.f/ In a large tree, or on rocks ; of sticks lined with grass, dry moss, and feathers. It'^'^'s. 2-3; white or cream\ , more or less spotted with brown; 190 X i.ss- This remarkal)le species of Buzzard appears to take up its residence chiefly in the northern and western wilds of .\merica. My friend Mr. Townsend found its nest on the banks of Hear River, west of the Rocky Mountains. The nest, formed of large sticks, was in a thick willow bush r.bout ten feet from the ground, and contained two young almost fledf^'ed. It is ■ 42 lUKDS OV TREY. snitl to lay four i'};gs, < loiulcd with reddish. It is common also to the north of Europe, if not to Africa. The usual station of these birds is on the outskirts of woods, in the neighlxjrhood of marshes, — situations suited for supplying them with their usual humble prey of frogs, mice, n-ptiles, and straggling birds, for which they patientl) watch for hours together, from daybreak to late twilight. When i)rey is jjerceived, the bird takes a )untries which are less severe. .According to \\'ilson, nt) less than from twenty to thirty young individuals of this species continued regularly to take up their winter quarters in the low meadows below Philadelphia. They are never observed to soar, ami when disturbed, utter a loud, squealing note, ami only pass from one neighbor ing tree to another. The great variation in the plumage of this Hawk has been the cause of consideralilo controversy. Wilson wrote of the black and the brown phases as of two species, giving them distinct habits. Nuttall. following Audubon, considered the changes from light to dark due only to age. Spencer Haird (in 1S58), Cassin, and Dr. Brewer agreed with Wilson. Later authorities, however, with more material to aid them, have pronounced both views incorrect, and have decided that Miere is but one species, — that the black is but a melanistic phase. Our systematists now separate the Ameri- can from the European form, giving to the former varietal rank, as its •• trinomial appellation " denotes. Nuttall does not mention the occurrence of this bird in Massa- chusetts, tiiough Dr. Brewer states that at one time it was abun- dant near Boston, and within more recent years numbers have been captured by .Mr. K. O. Damon on the Holyoke HilKs, near Spring- field. It occurs within the United States principally as a winter visitor, its chief breeding-ground lying in the Labrador and Hudson Bay district. m ( \ f^ 4^. J-' RED-SHOULDKRi:!) HAWK. WINTER HAWK. BUTF.O LINKAIL'S. Char. Adult : general color dark reddish brown ; head and neck ru- fous : below, lighter, with dark streaks and light bars , wings and tail black with white bars ; lesser wing-coverts chestnut. Voung, with little of the rufous tinge . below, buffy with dark streaks, Length 19 to 22 inches. yVt'-f/. In a tree ; of loo.scly arranged twigs, lined with grass and feathers. £i,[!;s. 2-4 ; bluish white or buffy blotched with brown ; 2.20 X 1.70. This very elegant Hawk does not migrate or inhabit very far to the north. It is never seen in Massachusetts, nor per- haps much farther than the State of Pennsylvania. In the Southern States, during winter, these birds are very common in swampy situations, where their quailing cry of mutual recogni- tion may be heard from the depths of the dark forest almost <*! i- i-,1 \ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fe o^--*** ^ 1.0 ^1^ 1^ Itt IM 122 E Hi "■ S 1& 12.0 1.1 ScMices CarpOTEition '^^ <<^ as WBT MAIN STMOT WMSTIt,N.Y. 14SM (71*)t7a-4S03 b A ^^ «<^^ ^ -nv^ V ^f 44 BIRDS OF PREY. every morning of the season. This plaintive echoing note resembles somewhat tlic garrulous complaint of the Jay, kee-oo, kee-oo, kee-oo, continued with but little intermission sometimes for near twenty minutes. At length it becomes loud and im- patient ; but on being distantly answered by the mate, the sound softens and becomes plaintive like kee-oo. This morn- ing call is uttered most loudly and incessantly by the male, inquiring for his adventurous mate, whom the uncertain result of the chase has perhaps separated from him for the night. As this species is noways shy, and very easily approached, I have had the opportunity of studying it closely. At length, but in no haste, I observed the female approach and take her station on the same lofty, decayed limb with her companion, who, grateful for this attention, plumed the feathers of his mate with all the assiduous fondness of a Dove. Intent upon her meal, however, she soon flew off to a distance, while the male still remained on his perch, dressing up his beautiful feathers for near half an hour, often shaking his tail, like some of the lesser birds, and occasionally taking an indifferent sur- vey of the hosts of small chirping birds which surrounded him, who followed without alarm their occupation of gleaning seeds and berries for subsistence. I have occasionally observed them perched on low bushes and stakes in the rice-fields, re- maining thus for half an hour at a time, and then darting after their prey as it comes in sight. I saw one descend upon a Plover, as I thought, and Wilson remarks their living on these birds, Larks, and Sandpipers. The ^nme pair that I watched also hung on the rear of a flock of cow-buntings which were feeding and scratching around thei... They sometimes attack squirrels, as I have been informed, and Wilson charges them with preying also upon Ducks. I never observed them to soar, at least in winter, their time being passed very much in indolence and in watching for their game. Their flight is almost as easy and noiseless as that of the Owl. In the early part of the month of March they were breeding in West Florida, and seemed to choose the densest thickets and not to build at any great height from RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 45 the ground. On approaching these places, the kee-oo became very loud and angry. Winter Hawk. — This large American Buzzard is not un- common in this vicinity, as well as in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, where Wilson met with it along the marshes and meadows, feeding almost wholly upon frogs. It is abundant toward winter. It appears to have very much the manners of the European Buzzard, remaining inactive for hours to- gether on the edges of wet meadows, perched upon the larger limbs of trees, and at times keeping up a regular quailing and rather hoarse keigh-oo^ keigh-oo, which at intervals is answered by the mate. When approached, it commonly steals off to some other tree at no great distance from the first ; but if the pursuit be ^r*"*inued, it flies out and hovers at a consider- able height. , IS also an inhabitant of Hudson's Bay and Newfoundland. Nuttall regarded the old and young as distinct species, giving to them not only distinctive names, but a different distribution. Taken together, his two biographies telJ about all that is yet known of the habits and range of the speciefi. it is found throughout this faunal province, from the Gulf States to the southern border of the fur countries, has been taken at York Factory on Hudson's Bay, and is common in Manitoba. Note. — The Florida Red-Shouldered Hawk {Buteo linea- tus alleni) is a Southern form restricted to Florida and Texas. It differs from true lineatus in having the rufous tinge on the head and neck replaced by brownish gray. i 11 46 BIRDS OF PREY. HARRIS'S HAWK. PaRABUIEO UNICINCTUS HARRISI. Char. Prevailing color black, sometimes chocolate brown, tinged with chestnut on the rump ; shoulders and lining of wings chestnut ; tail-coverts, base of tail, and terminal band, white. Length about 20 inches. Nest. On a cliff or in a tree, — usually the latter; a mere platform of twigs and roots, lined with grass. E};^iis. 2-5 (usually 3) ; white, tinged with yellow, sometimes marked with brown or lavender, or both , 2.15 X 1.65. Harris's Hawk is abundant in parts of Texas and in Mexico, and occurs in .small numbers in th* southern part of Mississippi. It is usually represented as a rather sluggish bird, associating with the Vultures and joining in their feasts of carrion, but sometimes preying upon the small reptiles that infest the banks 6f streams ard pools. Mr. Sennett, however, describes those he saw along the lower Rio Grande as more active, feeding chiefly on birds, mice, and gophers. RED-TAILEr HAW] BUIEO DOREALIS. Char. Above, dull brown streaked with rufous and grayish ; below, whitish or tawny streaked with brown ; tail chestnut above and gray beneath, with a band of black near the end and tipped with white. In the young the tail is grayish brown crossed by some nine dark bars, and the underparts are white with brown streaks. Length 19^ to 23 inches. N^est. In a high tree; of sticks, lined with grass, sometimes with feathers. Egs^s. 2-4 ; whitish or bluish white, usually heavily spotted or blotched with reddish brown; 2 30 X 1.80. This beautiful Buzzard inhabits most parts of the United States, being observed from Canada to Florida; also, far westward up the Missouri, and even on the coasts of the northern Pacific Ocean, by Lewis and Clarke. Wilson found the young to be fully grown in the month of May, about latitude 31° on the banks of the Mississippi; at this period they were very noisy and clamorous, keeping up an inces- sant squealing. It also occasionally nests and breeds in large nged with ,il-coverts, latform of :s marked Mexico, ssissippi. iting with ometimes f streams aw along on birds, ^ h o3 h ; below, and gray white. In dark bars, 19}4 to 23 imes with tr blotched e United also, far ;s of the on found ly, about is period an inces- s in large RED-TAILED HAWK. 47 trees in the secluded forests of this part of Massachusetts. The young birds soon become very submissive, and allow them- selves to be handled with impunity by those who feed them. The older birds sometimes contest with each other in the air about their prey, and nearly or wholly descend to the earth grappled in each other's talons. Though this species has the general aspect of the Buzzard, its manners are very similar to those of the Goshawk ; it is equally fierce and predatory, prowling around the farm often when straitened for food, and seizing, now and then, a hen or chicken, which it snatches by making a lateral approach : it sweeps along near the sur- face of the ground, and grasping its prey in its talons, bears it away to devour in some place of security. These depredations on the farm-yard happen, however, only in the winter ; at all other seasons this is one of the shyest and most difficult birds to approach. It will at times pounce upon rabbits and considerable-sized birds, particularly Larks, and has been observed in the Southern States perseveringly to pursue squirrels from bough to bough until they are overtaken and seized in the talons. It is frequently seen near wet meadows where mice, moles, and frogs are prevalent, and also feeds upon lizards, — appearing, indeed, often content with the most humble game. They usually associate in pairs, and seem much attached to each other ; yet they often find it convenient and profitable to separate in hunting their prey, about which they would readily quarrel if brought into contact. Though a gcod deal of their time passes in indolence, while perched in some tall and dead- ened tree, yet at others they may be seen beating the ground as they fly over it in all directions in quest of game. On some occasions they amuse themselves by ascending to a vast eleva- tion, like the aspiring Eagle. On a fine evening, about the middle of January, in South Carolina, I observed one of these birds leave its withered perch, and soaring aloft over the wild landscape, in a mood of contemplation, begin to ascend towards the thin skirting of elevated clouds above him. At length he passed this sublime boundary, and was now per- ,i i ■ \ i 48 BIRDS OF PREY. ceived and soon followed by his ambitions mate, and in a little time, by circular ascending gyrations, they both disappeared in the clear azure of the heavens ; and though I waited for their re-appearance half an hour, they still continued to be wholly invisible. This amusement, or predilection for the cooler regions of the atmosphere, seems more or less common to all the rapacious birds. In numerous instances this exercise must be wholly independent of the inclination for surveying their prey, as few of them besides the Falcon descend direct upon their quarry. Many, as well as the present species, when on the prowl fly near to the surface of the ground, and often wait and watch so as to steal upon their victims before they can take the alarm. Indeed the Condor frequents and nests upon the summit of the Andes, above which they are seen to soar in the boundless ocean of space, enjoying the invigorating and rarefied atmosphere, and only descending to the plains when impelled by the cravings of hunger. The Eastern variety of the Red-tail is a common bird through- out eastern North America north to about latitude 49°, and was taken by Dr. Bell at Fort Churchill, on Hudson's Bay. It ranges westward to the Great Plains, where it is replaced by the sub- species krideri. From the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific it is represented by calunis, and examples of this latter variety have been taken, occasionally, as far east as Illinois. The Red-tail is a summer resident only of the Maritime Provinces, but a few are found in winter in southern Ontario and New England. Note. — Mr. Ridgway now considers Harlan's Hawk to be a variety of the Red-tail, and he proposes to name it Buteo borealis harlani. Its usual habitat is along the lower Mississippi ; but exam pies have been taken in Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Two examples of Swainson's Hawk [Buteo swainsoni)^ a Western species, have been taken in Massachusetts, — one at VVayland in 1876, and the other near Salem in 1878. a little iired in jr their wholly cooler n to all se must ig their ct upon ,rhen on ten wait hey can sts upon 1 to soar ting and ns when through- and was It ranges the sub- ific it is ^ety have tail is a few are |wK to be borealis )ut exam- iGeorgia. \isoni\ a one at BROAD-WINGED HAWK. BUTEO LATISSIMUS. Char. Above, dull brown, the feathers with paler edges ; tail brown with four light bars and tipped with white ; below, huffish or tawny, barred and streaked with rufous ; wings short and broad. Length 13^ to 15 inches. Nes:. In a tree ; loosely built of twigs, and lined with leaves and feathers. Eggs. 2-4 ; huffish, blotched with reddish brown of various shades ; 1.90 X 1.55. This species was obtained by Wilson, in the vicinity of Philadelphia, in the act of feeding on a meadow-mouse. On being approached, it uttered a whining whistle and flew to another tree, where it was shot. Its great breadth of wing, as well as of the head and body, compared with its length, ap- pears remarkably characteristic. The following day the mate was observed sailing in wide circles, the wings scarcely moving, and presenting almost a semi-circular outline. These two in- dividuals appear to be all that were known to Wilson of this VOL. I. — 4 ii I ! 'si t-J' 50 BIRDS OF PREY. species. Audubon considers it by no means a rare species in Virginia, Maryland, and all the States to the eastward of these. Its usual prey is small birds, very youn^' poultry, small quadrupeds, and insects. The Broad-wing occurs throughout this eastern faunal province, but is .somewhat local in distribution. In portions of the Maritime Provinces it is abundant, though in general it is rather uncommon. Mr. John Neilson considers it common near the city of Quebec, but Mr. Ernest Wintle reports it rare at Montreal, while Mr. William L. Scott thinks it the commonest Hawk in the Ottawa valley. Mr. Thomas Mcllwraith gives it as a "casual visitor" to the southern portions of Ontario, and Mr. Ernest Thompson found it abundant in the Muskoka district. Thompson also reports it common in Manitoba. In the more northern portions of New England it is a fairly common summer visitor, while it is found in Massachusetts and Connecticut throughout the year, but is rather rare. It occurs also in more or less abundance in all the Middle, Western, and Southern States. My observations in New Brunswick have led me to form a dif- i'ereut opinion of the characteristics of this Hawk from those expressed by several writers. The examples I met with were not peculiarly void of eUher boldness or vigor in pursuit of their prey, nor peculiarly spiridess when wounded. They did, of course, like others of the tribe, pursue weak prey, and displayed little true bravery; but bravery is not a charge'. iristic of the Hawks. A wounded Broad-wing, however, acts jurt as does the boldest of them, — he turns on his back and l.its Jut: with claws, beak and wings ; and the g^unner who thinks he has a meek or spiritles > bird to handle may regret the thought. SHORT-TAILED HAWK. BUTEO BRACHVURUS. Char. Above, b/ownish black or blackish brown ; forehead and cheeks white ; tail brownish gray barred with black and tipped with white ; beneath, pure white, a patch of rufous on side of chest. Length 16 inches. Nt'st. In a tall tree; made of dry twigs, lined with fresh <:wigs <■'' cypress. Eg^srs. 1-3 ; dull white, spotted on large end with reddish brown. MARSH HAWK. 51 The black and brown phases of plumage worn by this bird have caused the scientific ornithologists no little perplexity, and been the subject of some controversy; so a brief summary of the various opinions held may serve as an illustration of the evolution of many scientific names. The species was first described from a specimen m brown plu- mage and given the name it now bears ; then a young bird came into the handj of another systematist, and supposing it to be a new species, he named it B. oxypterus; and afterwards an example in black was taken by still another, who supposed it to be something new, so he wrote it down B. fuliginostis. These two last-men- tioned were disposed of by other writers as synonyms of swain- soni, oxypterus being considered the young plur age, and fuligi- nosus a melanistic phase, while in several more lecent works the latter, as the Little Black Hawk, was restored to specific rank. These opinions have recently been abandoned for that which has been held for a long time by the few, — that both fuliginosus and oxypterus are synonyms of the present species. It cannot, however, be said that the matter is finally adjusted, for the Mr.ck color still presents this problem : Is it individual or sex- ual, — a melanistic phase, or the normal color of the alult male ? The bird is entirely tropical m its range, and is four.d vithin the United States only in the tropic?.! portions of Florida. It was sup- posed formerly to occur there merely as a casual or accidental straggler ; but recent observations have proved it to be a regular though uncommon visitor, and breeding there. MAi?SH HAWK. marsh harrier. blue hawk. Circus hudsonius. Char. Adult male : aoove, bluish gray ; tail with dark bands ; rump white ; beneath white. Adult female and young : above, dark btovm streaked with rufcu:' ; tail with dark bands ; rump white ; beneath, tawny with dark streaks, i^ength 19 to 24 inches. Nest, Oa the ground, in damp meadow or cedar swamp; a loosely arranged platform of dried grass some four to six inches high, with little depression, occasionally lined with softer material. ^SS^' 3-8 ; bluish white, sometimes spotted with huffish or brown ; 1.80 X i.^'.o. ii s 52 BIRDS OF PREY. This species is common to the northern and temperate, as well as the warmer parts of the old and new continents, being met with in Europe, Africa, South America, and the West Indies. In the winter season it extends its peregrinations from Hudson's Bay to the Oregon territory and the southern parts of the United States, frequenting chiefly open, low, and marshy situations, over which it sweeps or skims along, at a little distance usually from the ground, in quest of mice, small birds, frogs, lizards, and other reptiles, which it often selects by twilight as well as in the open day ; and at times, pressed by hunger, it is said to join the Owls and seek out its prey even by moonlight. Instances have been known in England in which this bird has carried its temerity so far as to pursue the same game with the armed fowler, and even snatch it from his grasp after calmly waiting for it to be shot, and without even betraying timidity at the report of the gun. The nest of this species is made on the ground, in swampy woods or among rushes, occasionally also under the protection of rocky precipices, and is said to be formed of sticki;, reeds, leaves, straw, and similar materials heaped together, and finished with a lining of feathers, hair, or other soft substances. In the F. cineraceuSy so nearly related to this species, the eggs are of a pure white. When their young are approached, the parents, hovering round the intruder and uttering a sort of uncouth syllable, like geg geg gag, or ge ge ne ge ge, seem full of afright and anxiety. The Crows, however, are their greatest enemies, and they often succeed in demolishing the nests. The young are easily tamed, and feed a Imost immediately without exhib- iting any signs of fear. Nuttall has told about all that more modern observers have to tell of this species. The authorities differ chiefly in descriptions of the structure of the nest and the markings on the eggs. The nests that I have examined have been composed entirely of coarse grass, without lining, though the softest of the grass was laid on top. The eggs were unspotted. ;rate, as s, being le West inations outhern ow, and ing, at a ;e, small I selects pressed its prey England 3 pursue 1 it from without e nest of 'oods or of rocky 3, leaves, lied with In the gs are of parents, uncouth f afright enemies, le young It exhib- s have to ptions of The nests rse grass, i on top. HAWK OWL. SURNU ULULA CAPAROCH. Char. Above, dull blackish brown, spotted with white ; crown without spots; dark patch on the cheeks; face white, the feathers with dark margins; tail and wing with white bars; below, white with dark bars. Length 14^ to 17^^ inches. JVesf. On a tree ; of twigs lined with feathers. £gg;s. 2-7 ; dull white ; 1.55 X 1-25. This remarkable species, forming a connecting link with the preceding genus of the Hawks, is nearly confined to the Arctic wilds of both continents, being frequent in Siberia and the fur countries from Hudson's Bay to the Pacific. A few stragglers, now and then, at distant intervals and in the depths of winter, penetrate on the one side into the northern parts of the United States, and on the other they occasionally appear in Germany, and more rarely in France. At Hudson's Bay they are observed by day flying high and preying on the White Grouse and other birds, sometimes even attending the hunter like a Falcon, and boldly taking up the wounded game as it 54 HIRDS OF PREY. 111 I flutters on the ground. They are also said to feed on mice and insects, and (according to Meyer) they nest upon trees, laying two white eggs. They are said to be constant atten- dants on the Ptarmigans in their spring migrations towards the North, and are observed to hover round the camp-fires of the natives, in quest probably of any offal or rejected game. In Massachusetts and the more southern portions of New Eng- land the Ha-vk Owl is only an occasional winter visitor ; but in northern New England and the Maritime Provinces it occurs regu- larly, though of varying abundance, in some seasons being quite rare. It is fairly common near Montreal, and rare in Ontario and in Ohio. Thompson reports it abundant in Manitoba, but only one example has been taken in Illinois (^Ridgway). It breeds in Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands, and north to sub-arctic regions. SNOWY OWL. Nyctea nyctEa. Char. General color pure white, with markings of dull brown or brownish black, the abundance and shade of the spots varying with age. A large, stout bird. Length 23 to 27 inches. Nest. On the ground, of twigs and grass, lined with feathers. Eggi. 5 to 10; white; 2.55 X 190. This very large and often snow-white species of Owl is almost an exclusive inhabitant of the Arctic regions of both continents, being common in Iceland, the Shetland Islands, Kamtschatka, Lapland, and Hudson's Bay. In these dreary wilds, surrounded by an almost perpetual winter, he dwells, breeds, and obtains his subsistence. His white robe renders .''1 r.' Ml %m 1 1 56 BIRDS OF PREY. him scarcely discernible from the overwhelming snows, where he reigns, like the boreal spirit of the storm. His loud, hol- low, barking growl, ^whowh, ^whowh, ^whowh hah, hah, hah, hdh^ and other more dismal cries, sound like the unearthly ban of Cerberus ; and heard amidst a region of cheerless soli- tude, his lonely and terrific voice augments rather than relieves the horrors of the scene. Clothed with a dense coating of feathers, which hide even the nostrils, and leave only the talons exposed, he ventures abroad boldly at all seasons, and, like the Hawks, seeks his prey by daylight as well as dark, skimming aloft and reconnoi- tring h ; prey, which is commonly the White Grouse or some other birds of the same gem'.s, as well as hares. On these he darts from above, and rapidly seizes them in his resistless talons. .\t times he watches for fish, and condescends also to prey upon rats, mice, and even carrion. These birds appear to have a natural aversion to settled countries ; for which reason, perhaps, and the severity of the climate of Arctic America, they are frequently known to wander in the winter south through the thinly settled intf^rior of the United States. They migrate probably by pairs ; and accord- ing to Wilson, two of these birds were so stupid, or dazzled, as to alight on the roof of the court-house in the large town of Cincinnati. In South Carolina Dr. Garden saw them occa- sionally, and they were, in this mild region, observed to hide themselves during the day in the palmetto-groves of the sea- coast, and only sallied out towards night in quest of their prey. Their habits, therefore, seem to vary considerably, according to circumstances and climate. This species is a regular winter visitor to the Northern and Middle States, and during some seasons has been quite abundant. A few pairs have been seen in summer in northern Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia; but the usual breeding-ground is from about latitude 50^ to the Arctic regions. While in their more southern resorts they are rarely found far from ihe forest districts. ^ These latter syllables with the usual quivering sound of the Owl. SCREECH OWL. mottled owl. red owl. Megascops asio. Char. Above, varying greatly from brownish gray to brownish red, spotted (mottled) with darker shades of the same tint and with blackish; below, dull whitish or with a rufous tint and heavily marked with dull brown or blackish. In highly colored red examples the spots are less frequent. Large ear tufts ; wings and tail barred with the light and dark colors ; legs feathered and toes bristled. Length 7 to 10 inches. Nest. In a hollow tree or stump ; the b:;ttom of the hole slightly lined with leaves or feathers. EgS^- 4-8; white, nearly round ; 1.35 X 1.20. Mottled Owl. — This common, small, and handsome species, known as the Little Screech Owl, is probably resident in every part of the United States, and, in fact, inhabits from Greenland to Florida, and westward to the Oregon. It appears more abundant in autumn and winter, as at those seasons, food fail- :; 58 BIRDS OF PREY. ing, it is obliged to approach habitations and bams, in which the mice it chiefly preys on now assemble ; it also lies in wait for small birds, and feeds on beetles, crickets, and other in- sects. The nest is usually in the hollow of an old orchard tree, about the months of May or June ; it is lined carelessly with a little hay, leaves, and feathers, and the eggs are commonly four to six, white, and nearly round. Aldrovandus remarks that the Great Horned Owl provides so plentifully for its young that a person might obtain some dainties from the nest, and yet leave a sufficiency for the Owlets besides. The same remark may also apply to this species, as in the hollow stump of an apple-tree, which contained a brood of these young Owls, were found several Bluebirds, Blackbirds, and Song Sparrows, intended as a supply of food. During the day these birds retire into hollow trees and un- frequented bams, or hide in the thickest evergreens. At times thty are seen abroad by day, and in cloudy weather they wake up from their diurnal slumbers a considerable time before dark. In the day they are always drowsy, or, as if dozing, closing, or scarcely half opening their heavy eyes, presenting the very picture of sloth and rightly dissipation. When per- ceived by the smaller birds, they are at once recognized as their insidious enemies ; and the rareness of their appearance, before the usual roosting-time of other birds, augments the suspicion they entertain of these feline hunters. From com- plaints and cries of alarm, the Thmsh sometimes threatens blows; and though evening has perhaps set in, the smaller birds and cackling Robins re-echo their shrill chirpings and complaints throughout an extensive wood, until the noctumal monster has to seek safety in a distant flight. Their notes are most frequent in the latter end of summer and autumn, crying in a sort of wailing quiver, not very unlike the whining of a puppy dog, ho, ho ho ho ho ho hb, proceeding from high and clear to a low guttural shake or trill. These notes, at little in- tervals, are answered by some companion, and appear to be chiefly a call of recognition from young of the same brood, or pairs who wish to discover each other after having been sepa- RED OWL. 59 rated while dozing in the day. On moonlight evenings this slender wailing is kept up nearly until midnight. Red Owl. — From the very satisfactory and careful observa- tions of Dr. Ezra Michener, of New Garden, Chester County, Pennsylvania, published in the eighth volume of the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, it appears certain that the Red and Gray " Screech Owls " of the United States are specifically distinct ; he has observed that the Red Owls rear young of the same color, and that the Gray Owls of the preceding species have also young which are gray and mottled from the very nest. Still different as they are in plumage, the habits of the species are nearly alike. The present inhabits and breeds in most parts of the United States. In Pennsylvania they are hatched by the latter end of May, breeding in hollow trees. The eggs are about four. I have had an opportunity of verifying all that Wilson re- lates of the manners of this species in a Red or young Owl, taken out of a hollow apple-tree, which I kept for some months. A dark closet was his favorite retreat during the day. In the evening he became very lively and restless, glid- ing across the room in which he was confined, with a side- long, noiseless flight, as if wafted by the air alone. At times he clung to the wainscot, and, unable to turn, he brought his head round to his back, so as to present, by the aid of his brilliant eyes, a most spectral and unearthly appearance. As the eyes of all the Owls, according to Wilson, are fixed im- movably in the socket by means of a many cleft capsular liga- ment, this provision for the free versatile motion of the head appears necessary. \Vhen approached towards evening, he appeared strongly engaged in reconnoitring the object, blow- ing with a hissing noise (shay, sha}\ shay) , common to other species, and stretching out his neck with a waving, lateral motion, in a threatening attitude, and, on a nearer approach, made a snapping with the bill, produced by striking together both mandibles, as they are equally movable. He was a very expert mouse-catcher, swallowed his prey whole, and then, after some time, ejected from the bill the bones, skin, and t If i I I pi ! 6o BIRDS OF PREY. hair, in pellets. He also devoured large flies, which at this time came into the room in great numbers ; and even the dry parts of these were also ejected from the stomach without di- gestion. A pet of this species, which Dr. Michener had, drank frequently, and was accustomed to wash every day in a basin of cold water during the heat of summer. Nuttall, following Wilson and Audubon, treated the gray and red phases of this bird as two distinct species, and wrote separate biographies, which I insert in full. Some ornithologists have sup- posed that the gray specimens were the young birds; but it has been proved beyond question that the two phases are simply indi- vidual variations of the same species. Gray and red birds have been found in one nest, with both parents gray, or both red, or with one of each color. Note. — A smaller and darker race is found in South Carolina, Georgia, and Fl nda. It is named Florida Screech Owl {M. asto Jloridanus). In this race the reddish feathers wear a richer rufous tint, and the gray are more deeply tinged with brown. ■ l^V:-^.:^^-'---- 1.- ■ . * - -• -- '^ it*'' »' GREAT HORNED OWL. CAT OWL. Bubo virginianus. Char. Plumage very variable, of mottled black, light and dark brown, buff, and tawny. A white band on the throat, and a white stripe down the breast, — the latter sometimes obscure. Ear-tufts large and conspicuous; legs and toes feathered. Length i8 to 25 inches. JVesf. Sometimes within a hollow tree, but usually on an upper limb. A deserted nest of Crow or Hawk is often used, and then it is a clumsy, bulky affair of sticks, lined with feathers. Egg^s. 2-3; white and nearly spherical ; 2 20 X 1.80. This species, so nearly related to the Great Eared Owl of Europe, is met with occasionally from Hudson's Bay to I ^ « Mii U 62 BIRDS OF PREY. m I Florida, and in Oregon ; it exists even beyond the Ironies, being very probably the same bird described by Marcgrave as inhabiting the forests of Brazil. All climates are alike to tiiis Eagle of the night, the king of the nocturnal tribe of American, birds. The aboriginal inhabitants of the country dread his boding howl, dedicating his effigies to their solemnities, and, as if he were their sacred bird of Minerva, forbid the mockeiy of his ominous, dismal, and almost supernatural cries. His favor- ite resort, in the dark and impenetrable swampy forests, wlitre he dwells in chosen solitude secure from the approach of every enemy, agrees with the melancholy and sinister traits of his character. To the surrounding feathered race he is the Pluto of the gloomy wilderness, and would scarcely be known out of the dismal shades where he hides, 'but to his victims, were he as silent as he is solitary. Among the choking, loud, guttural sounds which he sometimes utters in the dead of night, and with a suddenness which always alarms, because of his noiseless approach, is the 'waug/i ho ! ^waugh ho ! which, Wilson re- marks, was often uttered at the instant of sweeping down around his camp-fire. Many kinds of Owls are similarly daz- zled and attracted by fire-lights, and occasionally finding, no doubt, some offal or flesh thrown out by those who encamp in the wilderness, they come round the nocturnal blaze with other motives than barely those of curiosity. The solitary travellers in these wilds, apparently scanning the sinister motive of his visits, pretend to interpret his address into "'Jf7w ^ cooks for you all!'''' and with a strong guttural pronunciation of the final syllable, to all those who have heard this his common cry, the resemblance of sound is well hit, and instantly recalls the ghastly serenade of his nocturnal majesty in a manner which is not easily forgotten. The shorter cry which we have mentioned makes no inconsiderable approach to that uttered by the European brother of our species, as given by Buffon, namely, ^he-hoo, ^hoo-hoo, boo-hoo, etc. I'he Greeks called this transatlantic species Byas, either from its note or from the resemblance this bore to the bellowing of the ox. The Latin name Bubo has also reference to the same note of this noc- GREAT HORNED OWL. 63 tumal bird. According to Frisch, who kept one of these birds alive, its cries varied according to circumstances ; when hungry it had a muHng cry Uke Puhu. I have remarked the young, probably, of our species utter the same low, quailing cry, while yet daylight, as it sat on the low branch of a tree ; the sound of both is, at times, also not unlike that made by the Hawks or diurnal birds of prey. Indeed, in gloomy weather I have seen our species on the alert, flying about many hours before dark, and uttering his call of 'ko ko, ko kb ho. Their usual prey is young rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice. Quails, and small birds of various kinds ; and when these resources fail or diminish, they occasionally prowl pretty boldly around the farm-yard in quest of Chickens, which they seize on the roost. Indeed the Euro- pean Horned Owl frequently contends with the Buzzard for its prey, and generally comes off conqueror ; blind and infuriate with hunger, one of these has been known to dart even upon a man, as if for conflict, and was killed in the encounter. My friend Dr. Boykin, of Milledgeville, in Georgia, assured me that one of our own daring nocturnal adventurers, prowling round his premises, saw a cat dozing on the roof of a smoke-house, and supposing grimalkin a more harmless, rabbit-like animal than appeared in the sequel, blindly snatched her up in his talons ; but f.nding he had caught a Tartar, it was not long be- fore he allowed puss once more to tread the ground. In England the same error was committed by an Eagle, who, after a severe conflict with a cat he had carried into the air, was at length brought to the ground before he could disengage himself from the feline grasp. An Owl of this species, which I have observed in a cage, appeared very brisk late in the morning, hissed and blew when approached with a stick, and dashed at it very heedlessly with his bill ; he now and then uttered a ^ko-koh, and was pretty loud in his call at an earlier hour. When approached, he cir- cularly contracted the iris of the ^yes to obtain a clearer view of the threatened object ; he also listened with great quickness to any sound which occurred near his prison, and eyed the flying Pigeons, which passed by at some distance, with a scruti- • 64 BIRDS OF PREY. nizing and eager glance. When fed he often had the habit of hiding away his superfluous provision. As far as I have been able to observe the retiring manners of this recluse, he slumbers out the day chiefly in the dark tops of lofty trees. In these, according to Wilson, he generally be- gins to build in the month of May, though probably earlier in the Southern States. The nest is usually placed in the foik of a tree, made of a considerable pile of sticks, and lined with dry leaves and some feathers ; and, as a saving of labor, some- times they select a hollow tree for the purpose. This Owl is usually found in woods of rather large growth ; but Nuttall slightly exaggerated in naming the " dark and impenetrable bwampy forest " as its " favorite resort." Throughout the Mari- time Provinces it is found on the outskirts of settlements, as well as in the wilderness. An interesting account of the habits of this species in captivity, from the note-book of Mr. James W. Banks, of St. John, N. B., appeared in "The Auk " for April, 1884. Note. — There are two geographical races of this species that should be named here. The Dusky Horned Owl {B. viri>i- niantis saturatus),-3iXi extremely dark form, occurs in J^abrador, and is found also on the coast of the Northwest. The Western Horned Owl {B. virginianus subanticus), a light-gray form, is usually restricted to the middle faunal province, but has been taken in Illinois and Wisconsin. GREAT GRAY OWL. Ulula cinerea. Char. Above, sooty brown mottled with irregular bars of dull gray ; below, paler tints of same colors in wavy stripes. No ear-tufts. The largest o£ the Owls. Length, 23 to 30 inches. Nest. In a tree. £SS^- 2-3; white; 2.15 X 1.70. This is the largest American species known, and if the S. lapponica, common also to the Arctic circle, and seldom leav- ing it, being only accidental about Lake Superior, and occa- GREAT GRAY OWL. 65 sionally seen in Massachusetts in the depth of severe winters. One was caught perched on a wood-pile, in a state of listless inac;..vity, in the morning after daylight, at Marblehead, in February, 1831. This individual survived for several months, and showed a great partiality for fish and birds. At times he uttered a tremulous cry or ho ho ho ho hoo, not very dissimilar to that of the Mottled Owl. At Hudson's Bay and Labrador these Owls reside the whole year, and were found in the Ore- gon territory by Mr. Townsend. They associate in pairs, fly very low, and feed on mice and hares, which they seize with such muscular vig .• as sometimes to sink into the snow after them a foot deep. With ease they are able to carry off the alpine hare alive in their talons. In Europe the species ap- pears wholly confined to the desert regions of Lapland, two or three stragglers being all that have been obtained out of that country by naturalists. Dr. Richardson says that it is by no means a rare bird in the fur countries, being an inhabitant of all the woody districts lying between Lake Superior and latitudes 67° or 68° and between Hudson's Bay and the Pacific. It is common on the borders of Great Bear Lake ; and there, and in the higher parallels of latitude, it must pursue its prey, during the sunmier months, by daylight. It keeps, however, within the woods, and does not frequent the barren grounds, like the Snowy Owl, nor is it so often met with in broad daylight as the Hawk Owl, but hunts principally when the sun is low, — indeed, it is only at such times, when the recesses of the woods are deeply shadowed, that the American hare and the marine animals on which the Cinereous Owl chiefly preys, come forth to feed. On the 23d of May I discovered a nest of this Owl, built on the top of a lofty balsam poplar, of sticks, and lined with feathers. It con- tained three young, which were covered with a whitish down. The capture in New England of several examples of this species has been recorded. During the winter of 1889-90, a number were seen along the northern border of these States and in the southern portions of Canada. Mr. Mcllwraith reported that a large number had been taken near Hamilton. VOL. I. — 5 LONG-EARED OWL. ASIO WILSONIANUS. Char. Above, finely mottled with dark brown, dull buff, and gray ; breast similar, but of reddish tint ; belly paler, with dark markings. Ear- tufts large; toes feathered. Length 15 inches. Nest. Usually in a tree; of twigs, lined with grass and feathers. Sometinies a deserted Crow's or Hawk's nest is used. ^S.^^- 3~6; white and oval ; 1.65 X 1.30. This species, like several others of the genus, appears to be almost a denizen of the world, being found from Hudson's Bay to the West Indies and Brazil, throughout Europe, in Africa, northern Asia, and probably China, in all which countries it appears to be resident, bat seems more abundant in certain places in winter, following rats and mice to their retreats in or near houses and barns. It also preys upon small birds, and in summer destroys beetles. It commonly lodges in ruined buildings, the caverns of rocks, or in hollow trees. It defends LONG-EARED OWL. 67 itself with great spirit from the attacks of larger birds, making a ready use of its bill and talons, and when wounded is dan- gerous and resolute. The Long- Eared Owl seldom, if ever, takes the trouble to construct a nest of its own ; it seeks shelter amidst ruins and in the accidental hollows of trees, and rests content with the dilapidated nursery of the Crow, the Magpie, that of the Wild Pigeon, of the Buzzard, or even the tufted retreat of the squirrel. True to these habits, Wilson found one of these Owls sitting on her eggs in the deserted nest of the Qua Bird, on the 25th of April, six or seven miles below Philadelphia, in the midst of the gloomy enswamped forest which formed the usual resort of these solitary Herons. So well satisfied was she in fact with her company, and so peaceable, that one of the Quas had a nest in the same tree with the Owl. The young, until nearly fully grown, are grayish white, and roost close together on a large branch during the day, sheltered and hid amidst the thickest foliage ; they acquire their natural color in about fifteen days. Besides mice and rats, this species also preys on field- mice, moles, and beetles. The plaintive cry or hollow moan- ing made by this bird, " ci^ cloudy' incessantly repeated during the night, so as to be troublesome where they frequent, is very attractive to the larger birds, who out of curiosity and for persecution assemble around this species when employed as a decoy, and are thus shot or caught by limed twigs. This Owl occurs throughout temperate North America, and is a common resident everywhere excepting along the northern limit of its range, where it is less abundant, and appears in summer only. SHORT-EARED OWL. ASIO ACCIPITRINUS. Char. Above, mottled with dark brown, tawny, and buffish white j below, paler ; feet feathered ; ear-tufts inconspicuous. Some examples are much paler, as if the colors had faded. Length about 1 5 inches. Nest. On the ground amid tall grass, and composed of a few twigs and a few feathers. ^SS^' 3"6 ; white and oval ; 1.60 X 1.20. This is another of those nocturnal wanderers which now and then arrive amongst us from the northern regions, where they usually breed. It comes to Hudson's Bay from the South about May, where it makes a nest of dry grass on the ground, and, as usual, has white eggs. After rearing its brood it de- parts for the South in September, and in its migrations has been met with as far as New Jersey, near Philadelphia, where, according to Wilson, it arrives in November and departs in April. Pennant remarks that it has been met with in the i 1 SHORT-EARED OWL. 69 southern continent of America at the Falkland Islands. It is likewise spread through every part of Europe, anil is common in all the forests of Siberia ; it also visits the Orkney Islands and Iceland, and we have observed it at Atooi, one of the Sandwich Islands, in the Pacific, as well as in the territory of Oregon. In England it appears and disappears with the mi- grations of the Woodcock. Its food is almost exclusively mice, for which it watches, seated on a stump, with all the vigilance of a cat, listening attentively to the low squeak of its prey, to which it is so much alive as to be sometimes brought in sight by imitating the sound. It is readily attracted by the blaze of nocturnal fires, and on such occasions has sometimes had the blind temerity to attack men, and come so close to combat as to be knocked down with sticks. When wounded it also displays the same courageous ferocity, so as to be dangerous to approach. In dark and cloudy weather it some- times ventures abroad by daylight, takes short flights, and when sitting and looking sharply round, it erects the short, ear- like tufts of feathers -on the head which are at other times scarcely visible. Like all other migrating birds, roving indif- ferently over the country in quest of food alone, these Owls have sometimes been seen in considerable numbers together ; Bewick even remarks that 28 of them had been counted at once in a turnip-field in England. They are also numerous in Holland in the months of September and October, and in all countries are serviceable for the destruction they make among house and field mice, their principal food. Although they usually breed in high ground, they have also been observed in Europe to nest in marshes, in the middle of the high herbage, — a situation chosen both for safety and solitude. This is one of the commonest of the New England Owls, and breeds in all the suitable marsh land along the coast. It ranges north to the fur countries, south to the Gulf States and beyond, and west to the Pacific. BARRED OWL. HOOT OWL. Syrnium nebulxdsum. Char. Above, brown barred, spotted, and stiiped with dull gray or tawny ; below, similar colors of paler tints ; face, gray stripes ; tail barred ; iris brownish black ; bill yellow. Length 19^ to 24 inches. Easily distinguished from all other species by its dark eyes. A^est. Usually in a hollow tree, but often a deserted nest of Crow or Hawk is re-lined and used. Eggs. 2-4; white and nearly spherical ; 1.95 X 1.65. This species inhabits the northern regions of both the old and new continent, but with this difference, as in the Bald Eagle, that in the ancient continent it seldom wanders be- yond the Arctic circle, being found no farther to the south than Sweden and Nor^vay ; while in America it dwells and breeds at least in all the intermediate region from Hudson's Bay to Florida, being considerably more numerous even than other species throughout the swamps and dark forests of .the South- BARRED OWL. 71 em States. Its food is principally rabbits, squirrels, Grouse, Quails, rats, mice, and frogs. From necessity, as well as choice, these birds not unfrequently appear around the farm-house and garden in quest of the poultry, particularly young chickens. At th^se times they prowl abroad towards evening, and fly low and steadily about, as if beating for their prey. In Alaoama, Georgia, West Florida, and Louisiana, where they abound, they are often to be seen abroad by day, particularly in cloudy weather, and at times even soar and fly with all the address of diurnal birds of prey. Their loud guttural call of ^koh ^koh ^ko ko, ho, or ^whah ^whah ^whah ^whah-aa, may be heard occasion- ally both by day and night, and as a note of recognition, is readily answered when mimicked, so as to decoy the original towards the sound. One which I received, in the month of December (1830), was hovering over a covey of Quails in the day-time ; and though the sportsman had the same aim, the Owl also joined the chase, and was alone deterred from his sinister purpose by receiving the contents of the gun intended only for the more favorite game. When the young leave the nest they still keep together for mutual warmth and safety in the high, shaded branches of the trees where they have prob- ably been hatched. On being approached by the parents, they utter a hissing call audible for some distance. According to Audubon, when kept in captivity they prove very useful in catching mice. Their flesh is also eaten by the Creoles of Louisiana, and considered as palatable. An interesting article, containing the most valuable information regarding the habits of this Owl that has yet been published, ap- peared in " The Auk " for April, 1890. The writer, Mr. Frank Belles, kept a pair for several years ; and one of these, having broken its wing, was reduced to such subjection that Mr. BoUes was enabled to make use of it in hunting for other birds, and thus gained an insight into the bird's methods that no other naturalist has equalled. Note. — The Florida Barred Owl {S. nebnlosutn allcni), a somewhat darker variety, is restricted to the Gulf States and Florida. 72 BIRDS OF PREY. SAW-WHET OWL. ACADIAN OWL. Nyctala ACADICA. Char. Above, dark grayish brown spotted with white ; below, white, spotted with reddish brown ; tail short, with three narrow bands of white spots. Young almost solid brown of reddish tint, and face with white markings. Length 7}{ to 8}4 inches. A^at. A hole in a tree (often in a hole that has been deserted by Wood- peckers), lined with feathers. ^S'ff^- 3"6 (usually 4) ; white; 1.20 X i.oo. This very small species is believed to be an inhabitant of the northern regions of both continents, from which in Europe it seldom wanders, being even very rare in the North of Germany. In the United States it is not uncommon as far to the south as Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where it is resident, having ap- parently a predilection for the sea-coast, living and nesting in the pine-trees or in the clefts of rocks, and laying 4 or 5 white eggs. It is generally nocturnal ; and if accidentally abroad by day, it flies quickly to some shelter from the light. It is very solitary in its habits, living wholly in the evergreen forests, and coming out only towards night or early in the morning in search of mice, beetles, moths, and grasshoppers. The note of this species is very different from that of the Strix passerina, or Little Owl, to which it is nearly related. This latter kind has a reiterated cry, when flying, like poopoo poopoo. Another note, which it utters sitting, appears so much like the human voice calling out aime, heme, edme, that accord- ing to Buffon, it deceived one of his servants, who lodged in one of the old turrets of the castle of Montbard ; and waking him up at three o'clock in the morning, with this singular cry, he opened the window and called out, " Who V there below ? My name is not Eume, but Peter ! " The Saw-whet — called so from its note, which resembles the filing of a saw — breeds from the Middle States northward to about latitude 50°, but is not an abundant bird anywhere. RICHARDSON'S OWL. SPARROW OWL. Nyctala TENGMALMI RICHARDSONI. Char. Above, dark brown spotted with white ; beneath, white streaked with brown; legs and feet buffy, sometimes spotted. Similar to the Saw- whet, but with more white on head and neck. Length 9 to 12 inches. Nest. In a tree ; of grass and leaves. Eggs. 2-4; white; 1.35 X i.iS- This is a small and nocturnal species, and so much so that when it accidentally wanders abroad by day it is so much daz- zled by the light as to be rendered unable to make its escape when surprised, and may then be readily caught by the hand. Its nocturnal cry consists of a single melancholy note repeated at the long intervals of a minute or two : and it is one of the superstitious practices of the Indians to whistle when they hear it ; and if the bird remains silent after this interrogatory chal- lenge, the speedy death of the inquirer is augured ; and hence among the Crees it has acquired the omnious appellation of the Bird of Death ( Chcepomes'ees) . According to M. Hutch- ins, it builds a nest of grass half way up a pine-tree, and lays 74 BIRDS OF PREY. 2 eggs in the month of May. It feeds on mice and beetles. It probably inhabits all the foiests of the fur countries from Great Slave Lake to the United States. On the banks of the Saskatchewan it is so common that its voice is heard almost every night by the traveller wherever he may select his camp. It inhabits the woods along the streams of the Rocky Moun- tains down to the Oregon, and betrays but little suspicion when approached. Richardson's Owl is usually a rare winter visitor to the Maritime Provinces ; but Mr. C B. Cory found it common and breeding on the Magdalene Islands, and a few examples have been taken in New Brunswick in summer. It is common on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, though rare near the city of Quebec ; it occurs sparingly in winter along the northern border of New England and in southern Onta- rio, and occasionally straggles to Massachusetts and Connecticut. Thompson reports it common in Manitoba. '4%%'. MWif'^^'' BARN OWL. Strix pratincola. Char. Colors extremely variable. Above, usually yellowish tawny or orange brown, clouded with darker tints and spotted w'.th white ; beneath, buffish with dark spots; face white, tinged with tawny; bill whitish. Some examples have but little marking on the back, and the face and lower parts are pure white. Easily distinguished from other Owls by peculiar facial disc. Length 15 to 21 inches. JVest. In barn or church tower or hollow tree, — usually the last. The eggs are laid upon a mat of loosely laid twigs and weed-stems or grass. ££^^- 3-"; white; 1.75 X 1.30. There is scarcely any part of the world in which this com- mon species is not found ; extending even to both sides of the equator, it is met with in New Holland, India, and Brazil. It is perhaps nowhere more rare than in this part of the United States, and is only met with in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in cold and severe winters. Nor is it ever so familiar as in Europe, frequenting almost uniformly the hollows of trees. "■^ 4^« 7^ BIRDS OF PREY. In the old continent it is almost domestic, inhabiting even pop- ulous tov/ns, and is particularly attached to towers, belfries, the roofs of churches, and other lofty buildings, which afford it a retreat during the day. The elegant, graphic lines of Gray, describing its romantic haunt, are in the recollection of every one, — " From yonder ivy-mantled tower The moping Owl does to the moon complain Of such as, wandering near her secret bower, Molest her ancient solitary reign." Superstition laid aside, these Owls render essential service to the farmer by destroying mice, rats, and shrews, which infest houses and bams ; they also catch bats and beetles. They likewise clear churches of such vermin^ and now and then, pressed by hunger, they have been known to sip, or rather eat, the oil from the lamps when congealed by cold. A still more extraordinary appetite, attributed to them, is that of catch- ing fish, on which they fed their voracious young. In autumn also they have been known to pay a nightly visit to the places where springes were laid for Woodcocks and Thrushes. The former they killed and ate on the spot ; but sometimes carried off the Thrushes and smaller birds, which, like mice, they either swallowed entire, rejecting the indigestible parts by the bill, or if too large, they plucked off the feathers and then bolted them whole, or only took them down piecemeal. In fine weather they venture out into the neighboring woods at night, returning to their usual retreat at the approach of morning. When they first sally from their holes, their eyes hardly well opened, they fly tumbling along almost to the ground, and usually proceed side-ways in their course. In severe seasons, 5 or 6, probably a family brood, are discov- ered in the same retreat, or concealed in the fodder of the bam, where they find shelter, warmth, and food. The Bam Owl drops her eggs in the bare holes of walls, in the joists of houses, or in the hollows of decayed trees, and spreads no lining to receive them ; they are 3 to 5 in number, of a whitish color, and rather long than round. BARN OWL. 77 When out abroad by day, like most of the other species, they are nuiierously attended by the little goe wiping and insult- ing birds of the neighborhood ; and to add to their distraction, it is not an uncommon practice, in the North of England, for boys to set up a shout and follow the Owl, who becomes so deafened and stunned as at times nearly to fall down, and thus become an easy prey to his persecutors. And the prob- ability of such an effect will not be surprising when we con- sider the delicacy and magnitude of the auditory apparatus of this bird, the use of which is probably necessary to discover the otherwise silent retreats of their tiny prey. When taken captive, according to Buffon, they do not long survive the loss of liberty, and pertinaciously refuse to eat, — a habit very differ- ent from that of the young Red Owl, who allowed himself to feed from my hand, and tugged greedily and tamely at the morsel held out to him until he got it in his possession ; small birds also he would instantly grasp in his talons, and hiss and shaU, shaie, when any attempt was made to deprive him of his booty. The young of this species, when they have just attained their growth, are, in France, considered good food, as they are then fat and plump. When first hatched they are so white and downy as almost entirely to resemble a powder puff. At Hudson's Bay a large Owl, resembling the cinereous, is like- wise eaten, and esteemed a delicacy, according to Pennant. The Barn Owl occurs regularly from the Middle States south- ward, though it is not abundant north of South Carolina. A few examples have been taken in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and Mr. Mcllwraith reports that four have been taken in Ontario. FLORIDA BURROWING OWL. Speoi-yto cunicularia floridana. Char. Above, grayish brown spotted and barred with white ; below, pale huffish barred with brown ; a patch of white on the breast ; legs long and slender, and covered with huffish bristles. Length about lo inches. Nest. At the end of a burrow in the ground, lined with grass and feathers. Eggs. 4-10; white, varying in shape, usually nearly round; 1.25 X 1. 00. This variety, which is found in Florida only, is smaller and lighter- colored than is the well-known bird of the prairies. In habits the two differ little, the Florida birds living in communities, — sometimes several pairs in one burrow, — and feeding on mice and small birds. The tales related of Burrowing Owls and rattlesnakes occupying the same burrow are " hunter's tales," and lack confirmation. Note. — The Western form of the Burrowing Owl {S. cuni- cularia hypogcea, has been taken in Massachusetts ; but its occur- rence to the eastward of the Great Plains is accidental. I'll > ■■]', % MEADOW LARK. FIELD LARK. Sturnella magna. Char. Above, grayish brown barred with black ; crown with medial stripe of buff; lateral tail-feathers white; below yellow, sides darker and spotted with brown; black crescent on the breast. Length about 10 inches. JVesf. Made of dry grass and placed amid a tuft of long grass in a meadow ; often covered, and the opening placed at the side. Eggs. 4-6; white, thickly spotted with reddish brown and lilac; 1.15 X .80. This w^ell-known harmless inhabitant of meadows and o/t^ fields is not only found in every part of the United States, but appears to be a resident in all the intermediate region, from the frigid latitude of 53° and the territory of Oregon, to the mild table-land of Mexico and the savannahs of Guiana. In the winter these birds abound in Alabama and Western 9 I i.r !■ ! \- 80 SINGING BIRDS. Florida ; so that in some degree, like the Jays and the legiti- mate Starlings, they partially migrate in quest of food during the severity of the weather in the colder States. It is not, how- ever, improbable but that most of the migrating families of these birds, which we find at this season, have merely travelled east- ward from the cold Western plains that are annually covered with snow. They are now seen in considerable numbers in and round the salt-marshes, roving about in flocks of ten to thirty or more, seeking the shelter of the sea-coast, though not in such dense flocks as the true Starlings ; these, in the manner of our common Blackbirds, assemble in winter Uke dark clouds, moving as one body, and when about to descend, perform pro- gressive circular evolutions in the air like a phalanx in the order of battle ; and when settled, blacken the earth with their numbers, as well as stun the ears with their chatter. Like Crows also, they seek the shelter of reed- marshes to pass the night, and in the day take the benefit of every sunny and shel- tered covert. Our Starling, like the American Quail, is sociable, and some- what gregarious; and though many, no doubt, wander some distance after food, yet a few, in Pennsylvania as well as in this rigorous climate, may be seen in the market after the ground is covered -ith snow. Wilson even observed them in i^e month of February, during a deep snow, among tl.e heights of the AUeghanies, gleaning their scanty pittance on the road, in company with the small Snow Birds. The flesh of our bird is white, and for size and delicacy it is considered little inferior to the Partridge ; but that of the Euro- pean species is black and bitter. The flight of these Larks is laborious and steady, like that of the Quail, with the action of the wings renewed at short in- tervals. They often alight on trees, and select usually the main branches or topmost twigs on which to perch, though their food is commonly collected from the ground. At various times of the day, and nearly through the winter, in the milder States, their very peculiar lisping, long, and rather melancholy note is heard at short intervals ; and without the variations, which are MEADOW LARK. 8l not inconsiderable, bears some resemblance lo the slender sing- ing and affected pronunciation of ct se dee ah, and psi-dee c/stliOy or tai sediito in a slow, wiry, shrill tone, and sometimes differ- ently varied and shortened. The same simple ditty is repeated in the spring, when they associate in pairs ; the female also, as she rises or descends, at this time frequently gives a reiterated guttural chirp, or hurried twitter, like that of the female Red- winged Blackbird. I have likewise at times heard them utter notes much more musical and vigorous, not very unlike the fine tones of the Sky Lark ; but I can by no means compare our lisping songster with that blithe "harbinger of day." There is a monotonous affectation in the song of our Lark which appears indeed somewhat allied to the jingling, though not unpleasant, tune of the Starling. The Stare, moreover, had the faculty of imitating human speech (which ours has not, as far as we yet know), and could indifferently speak even French, English, German, Latin, and Greek, or any other language within nib hearing, and repeat short phrases ; so that " ' / can't get outf I can't get out,' says the Starling," which accidentally afforded Sterne such a beautiful and pathetic subject for his graphic pen, was probably no fiction. At the time of pairing, our Lark exhibits a little of the jealous disposition of his tribe ; and having settled the dispute which decides his future condition, he retires from his fra- ternity, and, assisted by his mate, selects a thick tuft for the reception of his nest, which is pretty compact, made of dry, wiry grass, and lined with finer blades of the same. It is usually formed with a covered entrance in the surrounding withered grass, through which a hidden and almost winding path is made, and generally so well concealed that the nest is only to be found when the bird is flushed. The eggs afe four or five, white, with a very faint tint of blue, almost round, and rather large, for the size of the bird, marked with numerous small reddish-brown spots, more nu- merous at the greater end, blended with other lighter and darker points and small spots of the same. They probably often raise two broods in Ihe season. About the time of VOL. I. — 6 i 82 SINGING BIRDS. pairing, in the latter end of the month of April, they have a call, like Ushipy twee, the latter syllable in a fine and slender tone, — something again allied to the occasional notes of the Ked-winged Blackbird, to which genus {Icterus) our Sturnella is not very remotely allied. Towards the close of June little else is heard from the species but the noisy twitter of the female, preceded by a hoarse and sonorous '/imp or y '//, ac- companied by an impatient raising and lowering of the wings, and, in short, all the unpleasant and petulant actions of a brood-hen, as she is now assiduously engaged in fostering and supporting her helpless and dependent offspring. Their food consists of the larvae of various insects, as well as worms, beetles, and grass-seeds, to assist the digestion of which they swallow a considerable portion of gravel. It does not appear that these birds add berries or fruits of any kind to their fare, like the Starling, but usually remain the whole summer in moist meadows, and in winter retire to the open grassy woods, having no inclination to rob the orchard or gar- den, and, except in winter, are of a shy, timid, and retiring disposition. In the East the Meadow Lark seldom ranges north of latitude 45°. I met with but one example in New Brunswick, and learn that it is rare near Montreal. It is common around Ottawa and throughout southern Ontario. Note. — A larger and paler form, named the Western Mead- ow Lark {S. magna neglectu -occurs in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa; and Mr. W. E. D. Scott has lately announced that the birds found in southwestern Florida should be referred to mexicauay the Mexican Meadow Lark, which is the smallest of the three. A stray Starling {Sturnus vulgaris) is said to have wandered from Europe to Greenland; and a Trovpial {/c/erus z'cUrus), a. South American bird, was taken by Audubon near Charleston, S. C. ^ ey have slender ;s of the turnella ne Httle of the //, ac- e wings, ns of a bstering s well as istion of It does iny kind le whole the open i or gar- retiring itude 45^ that it is iroughout N Mead- nois, and the birds next'caua, le three, ivandered ■cterus), a larleston, BALTIMORE ORIOLE. GOLDEN ROBIN. HANG-NEST. FIRE BIRD. Icterus galbula. Ckar. Male : head, neck, throat, back, wings, and greater part of tail black ; wing-coverts and secondaries tipped with white ; other parts orange. Bill and feet blue black. Female : smaller and paler, some- times the black replaced by olive or grayish. Young similar to female. Length 7 to 8 inches. Nest. Pensile and purse-shaped, 6 to 8 inches deep, suspended from extremity of branch 10 to 50 feet from the ground, composed of yarn, string, horsehair, grass, etc, woven into a compact texture. Eggs. 4-6 ; dull white, blotched irregularly with dark brown ; .go X .60. 84 RINGING BIRDS. :^ These gay, li\cly, and brilliant strangers, leaving their hi- bernal retreat in South America, appear in New England about the first week in May, and more than a month earlier in Loui- siana, according to the ol servations of Audubon. They were not seen, however, in West Florida by the middle of March, although vegetation had then so far advanced that the oaks were in leaf, and the white flowering cornel was in full blossom. It is here that they pass the most interesting period of their lives ; and their arrival is hailed as the sure harbinger of approaching summer. Full of life and activity, these fiery sylphs are now seen vaulting and darting incessantly through the lofty boughs of our tallest trees ; appearing and vanishing with restless inquietude, and flashing at quick intervals into sight from amidst the tender waving foliage, they seem like living gems intended to decorate the verdant garment of the new-clad forest. But the gay Baltimore is neither idle nor capricious ; the beautiful small beetles and other active-winged insects on which he now principally feeds are in constant mo- tion, and require perpetual address in their capture. At first the males only arrive, but without appearing in flocks ; their mates are yet behind, and their social delight is incomplete. They appear to feel this temporary bereavement, and in shrill and loud notes they fife out their tender plaints in quick suc- cession, as they pry and spring through the shady boughs for their tiny and eluding prey. They also now spend much time in the apple-trees, often sipping honey from the white blossoms, over which they wander with peculiar delight, continually roving amidst the sweet and flowery profusion. The mellow whistled notes which they are heard to trumpet from the high branches of our tallest trees and gigantic elms resemble, at times, Ushippc-tshayia too too, and sometimes Ushippee Usliipiec (lispingly), too too (with the two last syllables loud and full). These notes are also varied by some birds so as to resemble */f/i Ush Usheetshoo tshoo tshoo^ also 'tsh ^tshcefd 'tshee/d 'tsheefd 1 The first three of these notes are derived from the Summer Yellow Bird, though not its most usual tones. sings, BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 85 their hi- nd about in Loui- hey were March, the oaks in full i of their )inger of ese fiery ' through vanishing vals into leem like nt of the idle nor e- winged tant mo- At first ks ; their ;omplete, . in shrill uick suc- 3ughs for luch time blossoms, lly roving whistled branches It times, Ushipise md full), resemble a Usheefd ellow Bird, tshflo and ^k'iuf a t^f a tuf a tea kerry ; ' another bird I have occasionally heard to call for hours, with some little variation, tu teo teo tea teo too, in a loud, querulous, and yet almost lu- dicrously merry strain. At other intervals the sensations of solitude seem to stimulate sometimes a loud and interrog- atory note, echoed forth at intervals, as k'rry kerry ? and terminating plaintively k^rry k'rry k'rry, tu; the voice falling off very slenderly in the last long syllable, which is apparently an imitation from the Cardinal Grosbeak, and the rest is de- rived fron the Crested Titmouse, whom they have already heard in concert as they passed through the warmer States. Another interrogatory strain which I heard here in the spring of 1830 was precisely, ^yip k'rry, ^yip, 'yip k'rry, very loud and oft repeated. Another male went in his ordinary key, tsherry tsherry, uhlpee tsherry, — notes copied from the exhaustless stock of the Carolina Wren (also heard on his passage), but modu- lated to suit the fancy of our vocalist. The female likewise sings, but less agreeably than the male. One which I had abundant opportunity of observing, while busied in the toil of weaving her complicated nest, every now and then, as a relief from the drudgery in which she was solely engaged, sung, in a sort of quemlous and rather plaintive strain, the strange, un- couth syllables, 'ka ''ked koicd, keka keka, the final tones loud and vaulting, which I have little doubt were an imitation of the discordant notes of some South American bird. For many days she continued this tune at intervals without any variation. The male, also while seeking his food in the same tree with his mate, or while they are both attending on their unfledged brood, calls frequently in a low, friendly whisper, 'ttvait, tia'it. Indeed, all the individuals of either sex appear pertinaciously to adhere for weeks to the same quaint syllables which they have accidentally collected. This bird then, like the Starling, appears to have a taste for mimicry, or rather for sober imitaiiOn. A Cardinal Grosbeak happening, very unusually, to pay us a visit, his harmonious ' The List phrase loud and ascending, the tea plaintive, and the last syllable tender and echoing. 86 SINGING BIRDS. l:! Ill and bold whistle struck upon the ear of a Baltimore with great delight ; and from that moment his ordinary notes were laid aside for '7uoit, 'wait, teu, and other phrases previously foreign to him lOr that season. I have likewise heard another individ- ual exactly imitating the soft and somewhat plaintive int yu, v"it yiu of the same bird, and in the next breath the pait, or call of Wilson's Thrush ; also at times the earnest song of the Robin. Indeed his variations and imitations have sometimes led me to believe that I heard several new and melodious birds, and I was only undeceived when I beheld his brilliant livery. So various, in fact, are the individual phrases chanted by this restless and lively bird that it is scarcely possible to fix on any characteristic notes by which he may be recognized ; his singular, loud, and almost plaintive tone, and a fondness for harping long on the same string, are perhaps more peculiar than any particular syllables which he may be heard to utter. When alarrr.ed or offended at being too closely watched or approached, both male and female utter an angry, rattling tshcr tshW, or hiss, tsh^ tsJi' tsh^ Ush. The beautifid Baltimore bird is only one of the tribe of true Icteri, which, except the present and two following species, remain within the tropical regions, or only migrate to short distances in the rainy season. Ours wing their way even into Canada as far as the 55 th degree, and breed in every intermediate region to the table-land of Mexico. A yellow Brazilian species of the section of this genun, called cassicus, according to Waterton inhabits also Demerara, where, like our bird, he familiarly weaves his pendulous nest near the planter's house, suspending it from the drooping branches of trees, and so low that it may be readily looked into even by the incu- rious. Omnivorous like the Starling, he feeds equally on insects, fruits, and seeds. He is called the Mocking Bird, and for hours together, in gratitude as it were for protection, he serenades the inhabitants with his imitative notes. His own song, though short, is sweet and melodious. But hearing perhaps the yelp- ing of the Toucan, he drops his native strain to imitate it, or place it in ridicule by contrast. Again, he gives the cackling BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 8; th great 'ere laid foreign individ- pait, or g of the metimes elodious brilliant chanted •le to fix •gnized ; bndness pecuhar to utter. :hed or ng tshcr i of true species, to short ly even n every . yellow assicusy like our •lanter's :es, and e incu- insects, r hours •enades though e yelp- e it, or welding cries of the Woodpecker, the bleating of the sheep ; an inter- val of his own melody, then probably a puppy dog or a Guinea- fowl receives his usual attention : and the whole of this mim- icry is accompanied by antic gestures indicative of the sport and company which :hese vagaries afford him. Hence we see that the mimicking talent of the Stare is inherent in this branch of the gregarious family, and our own Baltimore, in a humbler style, is no less delighted with the notes of his feathered neighbors. There is nothing more remarkable in the whole instinct of our Golden Robin than the ingenuity displayed in the fabrica- tion of its nest, which is, in fact, a pendulous cylindric pouch of five to seven inches in depth, usually suspended from near the extremities of the high, drooping branches of trees (such as the elm, the pear or apple tree, wild-cherry, weeping-willow, tulip-tree, or buttonwood). It is begun by firmly fastening natural strings of the flax of the silk-weed, or swamp- holy hock, or stout artificial threads, round two or more forked twigs, corresponding to the intended width and depth of the nest. VV^ith the same materials, willow down, or any accidental ravel- lings, strings, thread, sewing-silk, tow, or wool, that may be lying near the neighboring houses, or round the grafts of trees, ii interweaves and fabricates a sort of coarse cloth into the form intended, towards the bottom of which is placed the real nest, made chiefly of lint, wiry grass, horse and cow hair, sometimes, in defect of hair, lining the interior with a mixture of slender strips of smooth vine- bark, and rarely with a few feathers, the whole being of a considerable thickness, and more or less attached to the external pouch. Over the top, the leaves, as they grow out, form a verdant and agreeable canoy, defending the young from the sun and rain. There is sometimes a considerable difference in the manufacture of these nests, as well as in the materials which enter into their composition. Both sexes seem to be equally adepts at this sort of labor, and I have seen the female alone perform the whole without any assistance, and the male also complete this laborious task nearly without the aid of his consort, — who, how- 88 SINGING BIRDS. ever, in general, is the principal worker. I have observed a nest made almost wholly of tow, which was laid out for the convenience of a male bird, who with this aid completed his labor in a very short time, and frequently sang in a very ludi- crous manner while his mouth was loaded with a mass larger than his head. So eager are these birds to obtain fibrous ma- terials that they will readily tug at and even untie hard knots made of tow. In Audubon's magnificent plates a nest is rep- resented as formed outwardly of the long-moss , where this abounds, of course, the labor of obtaining materials must be greatly abridged. The author likewise remarks that the whole fabric consists almost entirely of this material, loosely inter- woven, without any warm lining, — a labor which our ingenious artist seems aware would be superfluous in the warm forests of the lower Mississippi. A female, which I observed attentively, carried off to her nest a piece of lamp-wick ten or twelve feet long. This long string, and many other shorter ones, were left hanging out for about a week before both the ends were wat- tled into the sides of the nest. Some other little birds, making use of similar materials, at times twitched these flowing ends, and generally brought out the busy Baltimore from her occupa- tion in great anger. The haste and eagerness of one of these airy architects, which I "^ . 'dentally observed on the banks of the Susque- hanna, appeared likely to prove fatal to a busy female who, in weaving, got a loop round her neck ; and no sooner was she disc; gaged from this snare than it was slipped round her feet, and thus held her fast beyond the power of escape ! The male came frequently to the scene, now changed from that of joy and hope into despair, but seemed wholly incapable of com- prehending or relieving the distress of his mate. In a second instance I have been told that a female has been observed dead in the like predicament. The eggs of this species are usually four or five, white, with a faint, indistinct tint of bluish, and marked, chiefly at the greater end, though sometimes scatteringly, with straggling, serpentine, dark-brown lines and spots, and fointer hair streaks, BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 89 looking sometimes almost like real hair, and occasionally lined only, and without the spots. The period of incubation is four- teen days. In Louisiana, according to Audubon, they fre- quently raise two broods in the season, arriving in that country with the opening of the early spring. Here they raise but a single brood, whose long and tedious support in their lofty cradle absorbs their whole attention ; and at this interesting period they seem, as it were, to live only to protect, cherish, and educate their young. The first and general cry which the infant brood utter while yet in the nest, and nearly able to take wing, as well as for some days after, is a kind of te-did tc- did, te-did, kai-te- te-did, or 'te Ue'te 'ie Tt ^t-did, which becomes clamorous as the parents approach them with food. They soon also acquire the scolding rattle and short notes which they probably hear around them, such as pect-tveet, the cry of the spotted Sandpiper, and others, and long continue to be assidu- ously fed and guarded by their very affectionate and devoted parents. Unfortunately, this contrivance of instinct to secure the airy nest from the depredations of rapacious monkeys, and other animals which frequent trees in warm or mild climates, is also occasionally attended with serious accidents, when the young escape before obtaining the perfect use of their wings. They cling, however, with great tenacity either to the nest or neighboring twigs ; yet sometimes they fall to the ground, and, if not killed on the spot, soon become a prey to numerous enemies. On such occasions it is painful to hear the plaints and wailing cries of the parents. And when real danger offers, the generous and brilliant male, though much the less queru- lous of the two, steps in to save his brood at every hazard ; and I have known one so bold in this hopeless defence as to suffer himself to be killed, by a near approach with a stick, rather than desert his offspring. Sometimes, after this misfortune, or when the fell cat has devoured the helpless brood, day after day the disconsolate parents continue to bewail their loss. They almost forget to eat amidst their distress, and after leav- ing the unhappy neighborhood of their bereavement, they still come, at intervals, to visit and lament over the fatal spot, as if III I 1 i •\\ go SINGING BIRDS. spell-bound by despair. If the season be not too far advanced, the loss of their eggs is generally soon repaired by constructing a second nest, in which, however, the eggs are fewer. The true Oriole (O. galbula), which migrates into Africa, and passes the breeding season in the centre of Europe, also makes a pendulous nest, and displays great courage in the de- fence of its young, being so attached to its progeny that the female has been taken and conveyed to a cage on her eggs, on which, with resolute and fatal instinct, she remained faithfully sitting until she expired. The Baltimore bird, though naturally shy and suspicious, probably for greater security from more dangerous enemies, generally chooses for the nest the largest and tallest spreading trees near farm-houses, and along frequented lanes and roads ; and trusting to the inaccessibleness of its ingenious mansion, it works fearlessly and scarcely studies concealment. But as soon as the yo .g are hatched, here, towards the close of June, the whole family begin to leave the immediate neighbor- hood of their cares, flit through the woods, — a shy, roving, and nearly silent train ; and when ready for the distant journey be- fore them, about the e id of August or beginning of September, the whole at once disappear, and probably arrive, as with us, amidst the forests of South America in a scattered flock, and continue, like Starlings, to pass the winter in celibacy, wholly engaged in gleaning a quiet subsistence until the return of spring. Then, incited by instinct to prepare for a more pow- erful passion, they again wing thf:ir way to the regions of the north, where, but for this wonderful instinct of migration, the whole race would perish in a single season. As the sexes usually arrive in different flocks, it is evident that the conjugal tie ceases at the period of migration, and the choice of mates is renewed with the season ; during which the males, and sometimes also the females, carry on their jealous disputes with much obstinacy. Th3t our Oriole is not familiar with us, independent of the all-powerful natural impulse which he obeys, is sufficiently obvious when he nests in the woods. Two of these solitary : fW BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 91 and retiring pairs had this summer, contrary to their usual habits, taken up their abode in the lofty branches of a gigantic Buttonwood in the forest. As soon as we appeared they took the alarm, and remained uneasy and irritable until we were wholly out of sight. Others, again, visit the heart of the popu- lous city, and pour forth their wild and plaintive songs from the trees which decorate the streets and gardens, amid the din of the passing crowd and the tumult of incessant and noisy occu- pations. Audubon remarks that their migrations are performed singly and during the day, and that they proceed high, and fly straight and continuous. The food of the Baltimore appears to be small caterpillars, — sometimes those of the apple-trees, — some uncommon kinds of beetles, cimices, and small flies, like a species of cynips. Occasionally I have seen an individual collecting Cicindeli by the sides of sandy and gravelly roads. They feed their young usually with soft caterpillars, which they swallow, and disgorge on arriving at the nest ; and in this necessary toil both sexes £ iSiduously unite. They seldom molest any of the fruits of our gardens, except a few cherries and mulberries, and are the most harmless, useful, beautiful, and common birds of the country. They are, however, accused of sometimes accom- panying their young to the garden peas, which they devour while small and green ; and being now partly gregarious, the damage they commit is at times rendered visible. Occasionally they are seen in cages, being chiefly fed on soaked bread, or meal and water; they appear also fond of cherries, straw- berries, currants, raisins, and figs, so that we may justly consider them, like the Cassicans and Starlings, as omnivorous, though in a less degree. They sing and appear lively in con- finement or domestication, and become very docile, playful, and frien .ly, even going in and out of the house, and some- times alighting at a whistle on the hand of their protector. The young for a while require to be fed on animal food alone, and the most suitable appears to be fresh minced meat, soaked in new milk. In this way they may be easily raised almost from the first hatching ; but at this time vegetable substances 92 SINGING BIRDS. i appear to afford them no kind of nutrition, and at all times they will thrive better if indulged with a little animal food or insects, as well as hard-boiled eggs. The summer range of this beautiful bird in the fur countries extends to the 55 th degree of latitude, arriving on the plains of the Saskatchewan, according to Richardson, about the i oth of May, or nearly as early as their arrival in Massachusetts. Those which thus visit the wilds of Canada in all probability proceed at once from Mexico, or ascend the great valley of the Mississippi and Missouri. I have had a male bird in a state of domestication raised from the nest very readily on fresh minced meat soaked in milk. When established, his principal food was scalded Indian corn- meal, on which he fed contentedly, but was also fond of sweet cakes, insects of all descriptions, and nearly every kind of fruit. In short, he ale everything he would in a state of nature, and did not refuse to taste and eat of everything but the condi- ments which enter into the multifarious diet of the human species : he was literally omnivorous. No bird could become more tame, allowing himself to be handled with patient indifference, and sometimes with play- fulness. The singular mechanical application of his bill was remarkable, and explains at once the ingenious art employed by the species in weaving their nest. If the folded hand was presented to our familiar Oriole, he endeavored to open it by inserting his pointed and straight bill betwixt the closed fingers, and then by pressing open the bill with great muscular force, in the manner of an opening pair of compasses, he contrived, if the force was not great, to open the hand and examine its contents. If brought to the face he did the same with the mouth, and would try hard to open the closed teeth. In this way, by pressing open any yielding interstice, he could readily insert the threads of his nest, and pass them through an infinity of openings, so as to form the ingenious net- work or basis of his suspensory and procreant cradle. This is a familiar bird throughout the greater part of this faunal province north to the southern portions of Ontario and Quebec, ; ?'! ^3 ORCHARD ORIOLE. 93 and it occurs sparingly in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It winters southward to Panama. Note. - ■ A single example of Bullock's Oriole {Icterus bullocki), which was shot near Bangor, Maine, in 1889, gives this species a right to be mentioned here. The usual ha'^tat of this species is between the eastern base of the Rockies and the Tacilic coast. ORCHARD ORIOLE. Icterus spurius. Char. Male : head, neck, back, wings, and tail black ; other parts chestnut, deepest on breast. Female : yellowish olive inclining to brown ; wings dusky brown with 2 white bands ; beneath, olive yellow. Voung similar to female. Length 6 to 7^ inches. N'est. A handsome basket-like structure, about 4 inches in depth, composed of grasses woven into a smooth firm fabric, and lined with feathers or other soft material. It is sometimes partly supported in the forks of small twigs, and often entirely pendent. Usually about 10 feet from the ground and near the end of the branch. E^K^- 3~6 (generally 4) ; white with blue or green tint, irregularly marked with lilac and brown ; .80 X .60. This smaller and plainer species has many of the habits of the Baltimore bird, and arrives in Pennsylvania about a week later. They enter the southern boundary of the United States early in March, and remain there until October. They do not however, I believe, often migrate farther north and east than the State of Connecticut. I have never seen or heard of them in Massachusetts, any more than my scientific friend, and close observer, Mr. C. Pickering. Their stay in the United States, it appears from Wilson, is little more than four months, as they retire to South America early in September, or at least do not winter in the Southern States. According to my friend Mr. Ware, they breed at Augusta, in Georgia ; and Mr. Say ob- served the Orchard Oriole at Major Long's winter quarters on the banks of the Missouri. Audubon has also observe! the species towards the sources of the Mississippi, as well as in the State o*' Maine. The same author likewise remarks that their 1! 'I ! ilM I 94 SINGING BIRDS. northern migrations, like those of the Haltimore bird, are jier- formecl by day, and that the males arrive a week or ten days sooner than their mates. They appear to affect the elevated and airy regions of the Alleghany mountains, where they are much more numerous than the IJaltimore. The Orchard Oriole is an exceedingly active, sprightly, and restless bird ; in the same instant almost, he is on the ground after some fallen insect, fluttering amidst the foliage of the trees, prying and springing after his lurking prey, or flying and tuning his lively notes in a manner so hurried, rapitl, and seemingly confused that the ear is scarce able to thread out the shrill and lively tones of his agitated ditty, lietween these hiiTied attempts he also gives others, which are distinct and agreeable, and not unlike the sweet warble of the Red-Breasted Grosbeak, though more brief and less varied. In choosing the situation of his nest he is equally familiar with the Baltimore Oriole, and seems to enjoy the general society of his species, suspending his most ingenious and pensile fabric from the bending twig of the apple-tree, which, like the nest of the other, is constructed in the form of a pouch from three to five inches in depth, according to the strength or flexibility of the tree on which he labors ; so that in a weeping- willow, according to Wilson, the nest is one or two inches deeper than if in an apple-tree, to obviate the danger of throwing out the eggs and young by the sweep of the long, pendulous branches. It is likewise slighter, as the crowding leaves of that tree afford a natural shelter of considerable thickness. That economy of this kind should be studied by the Orchard Oriole will scarcely surprise so much as the laborious ingenuity and beautiful tissue of its nest. It is made exteriorly of a fine woven mat of long, tough, and flexible grass, as if darned with a needle. The form is hemispherical, and the inside is lined with downy subptances, — sometimes the wool of the seeds of the Button- wood, — forming thus a commodious and soft bed for the young. This precaution of a warm lining, as in the preceding species, is, according to Audubon, dispensed with in the warm climate of Louisiana. The eggs are 4 or 5, of a very pale bluish ORCHARD 0RK)M:. 95 tint, with a few points of brown, and spots of dark pi:rplc, chiefly disposed at the greater end. The female sits about 14 days, and the young continue in the nest 10 days before they become (luaUfied to flit along with their parents ; but they are generally seen abroad about the middle of June. Previously to their departure, the young, leaving the care of their parents, become gregarious, and assemble sometimes in flocks of separate sexes, from 30 to 40 or upwards, — in the South frequenting the savannahs, feeding much on crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders ; and at this season their flesh is much esteemed by the inhabitants. Wilson found them easy to raise from the nest, but does not say on what they were fed, though they probably retjuire the same treatment as the liaitimore Oriole. According to .Audubon, they sing with great liveliness in cages, being fed on rice and dry fruits when fresh cannot be procured. Their ordinary diet, it appears, is caterpillars and insects, of which they destroy great (juantities. In the course of the season they likewise feed on various kinds of juicy fruits and berries ; but their depredations on the fmits of the orchard are very unimportant. This is a summer visitor throughout the Eastern States, though not common north of the Connecticut valley. It occurs regularly in -Massachusetts and southern Ontario, and has been taken in Maine and New Brunswick. • RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. Agelaius phceniceus. Char. Male.- black; lesser wing-coverts vermilion, bordered with buff. Female ; above, blackish brown streaked with paler and grayish ; lower parts dusky white streaked with reddish brown ; sometimes wing- coverts have a reddish tinge. Young like female, but colors deeper. Length 7^ to 10 inches. A^cst. In a tuft of grass or on a bush; composed of grass, leaves, and mud, lined with soft grass. Egs^s. 3-5 ; color varies from bluish white to greenish blue, blotched, streaked, and spotted with lilac and dark brown ; size variable, average about 1. 00 X .90. The Red- Winged Troopial in summer inhabits the whole of North America from Nova Scotia to Mexico, and is found in the interior from the 53d degree across the whole continent to the shores of the Pacific and along the coast as far as Cali fornia. They are migratory north of Maryland, but pass the winter and summer in great numbers in all the Southern States, frequenting chiefly the settlements and rice and corn fields ; towards the sea- coast, where they move about like blackening clouds, rising suddenly at times with a noise like thunder, and exhibiting amidst the broad shadows of their funereal plumage the bright flashing of the vermilion with which their wings are so singularly decorated. After whirling and waving a little distance like the Starling, they descend as a torrent, and, dark- RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 97 ening the branches of the trees by their numbers, they com- mence a general concert that may be heard for more th;m two miles. This music seems to be something betwixt chattering and warbling,— jingling Hquid notes like those of the Ilobolink, with their peculiar kong-quer-ree and hob a h\ o-bob a Ice ; then complaining chirps, jars, and sounds like saw-filing, or the motion of a sign-board on its rusty hinge ; the whole constitu- ting a novel and sometimes grand chorus of discord and harmony, in which the performers seem in good earnest, and bristle up their feathers as if inclined at least to make up in quantity what their show of music may lack in quality. When their food begins to fail in the fields, they assemble with the Purple Grakles very familiarly around the corn-cribs and in the barn-yards, greedily and dexterously gleaning up everything within their reach. In the month of March Mr. Bullock found them very numerous and bold near the city of Mexico, where they followed the mules to steal a tithe of their barley. From the beginning of March to April, according to the nature of the season, they begin to visit the Northern States in scattered parties, flying chiefly in the morning. As they wing their way they seem to relieve their mutual toil by friendly chatter, and being the harbingers of spring, their faults are forgot in the instant, and we cannot help greeting them as old acquaintances in spite of their predatory propensities. Selec- ting their accustomed resort, they make the low meadows resound again with their notes, particularly in the morning and evening before retiring to or leaving the roost; previous to settling themselves for the night, and before parting in the day, they seem all to join in a general chonis of liquid warb- ling tones, which would be very agreeable but for the inter- ruption of the plaints and jarring sounds with which it is blended. They continue to feed in small parties in swamps and by slow streams and ponds till the middle or close of April, when they begin to separate in pairs. Sometimes, how- ever, they appear to be partly polygamous, like their cousins the Cow Troopials ; as amidst a number of females engaged in VOL. 1. — 7 ■i'l ;i: ! 98 SINGING BIRDS. I incubation, but few of the other sex appear associated with them ; and as among the Bobolinks, sometimes two or three of the males may be seen in chase of an individual of the other sex, but without making any contest or show of jealous feud with each other, as a concubinage rather than any regular mating seems to prevail among the species. Assembled again in their native marshes, the male perched, upon the summit of some bush surrounded by water, in com- pany with his mates, now sings out, at short intervals, his guttural kong-qiier-ree, sharply calls ftshiah, or when disturbed, plaintively utters 'ttshay ; to which his companions, not insen- sible to these odd attentions, now and then return a gratulatory caclle or reiterated chirp, like that of the native Meadow Lark. As a pleasant and no' el, though not unusual, accompa- nimerit, perhaps the great bull-frog elevates his green head and brassy eyes from the stagnant pool, and calls out in a loud and echoing bellow, Hv'rroo, ^warroo, ^worrorroo, ^bodroo, which is again answered, or, as it were, merely varied by the creaking or cackling voice of his feathered neighbors. This curious concert, uttered as it were from the still and sable waters of tho Styx, is at once both ludicrous and solemn. /ibviut the *?nd of April or early in May, in the middle and north^^ni parts of the Union, the Red-Winged Blackbirds com- mence constructing, their nests. The situation made choice of is generally iii some marsh, swamp, or wet meadow, abounding with alder {Alnus) or button-bushes ( Cephaianfhns) ; in these, commonly at the height of five to seven feet from the ground, or sometimes in a detached bush or tussock of rank grass in the meadow, the nest is formed. Outwardly it is composed of a considerable quantity of the long dry leaves of sedge-grass (Girex), or other hinds collected in wet situations, and occa- sionally the slender leaves of the flag (Iris) carried round all the adjoining twigs of the bush by way of support or suspen- sion, and sometimes blended with strips of the lint of the swamp Asckpias, or silk- weed {Asckpias incarnata). The whole of this exterior structure is also twisted in and out, and carried in loops from one side of the nest to the other, pretty RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 99 much in the manner of the Orioles, but made of less flexible and handsome materials. The large interstices that remain, as well as the bottom, are then filled in with rotten wood, marsh- grass roots, fibrous peat, or mud, so as to form, when dry, a stout and substantial, though concealed shell, the whole very well lined with fine dry stalks of grass or with slender rushes {Sctrpt). When the nest is in a tussock, it is also tied to the adjoining stalks of herbage ; but when on the ground this pre- caution of fixity is laid aside. The eggs are from 3 to 5, white, tinged with blue, marked with faint streaks of light pur- ple, and long, straggling, serpentine lines and dashes of very dark brown ; the markings not very numerous, and disposed almost wholly at the greater end. They raise two broods com- monly in the season. If the nest is approached while the female is sitting, or when the young are hatched, loud cries of alanri are made by both parties, but more particularly by the restless male, who flies to meet the intruder, and generally brings together the whole sympathizing company of his fcilovvs, whose nests sometimes are within a few yards of each other. The female cries ^quedh, ^piiecih, and at length, when the mis- chief they dreaded is accomplished, the louder notes give way to others which are more still, slow, and mournful ; one of which resembles fai, faiy or tea and ftsheiih. When the young are taken or destroyed, the pair continue restless and dejected for several days ; but from the force of their gregarious habit they again commence building, usually soon after, in the same meadow or swamp with their neighbors. In the latter i)art of July and August the young birds, now resembling the female, begin to fly in flocks and release themselves partly from depen- dence on their parents, whose cares up ^o this time are faithful and unremitting ; a few males only seem inclined to stay and direct their motions. About the beginning of September these flocks, by their formidable numbers, do great damage to the unripe corn» which is now a favorite repast ; and they are sometimes seen whirling and driving over the devoted cornfields and meadows so as to darken the air with their numbers. The destruction ■If- ' N lOO SINGING BIRDS. at this time made among them by the gun and the Hawks pro- duces but little effect upon the remainder, who continue fear- lessly, and in spite of all opposition, from morning to night to ravage the cornfields while* anything almost remains to be eaten. The farms near the sea-coast, or alluvial situations, however, are their favorite haunts; and towards the close of September, the corn becoming hard, it is at length rejected for the seeds of the wild rice {Zizania aquaHca) and other aquatic plants, which now begin to ripen, and afford a more harmless and cheap repast to these dauntless marauders. At this time, also, they begin to roost in the reeds, whither they repair in large flocks every evening from all the neighboring quarters of the country ; upon these they perch or cling, so as to obtain a support above the surrounding waters of the marsh. When the reeds become dry, advantage is taken of the circumstance to destroy these unfortunate gormandizers by fire ; and those who might escape the flames are shot down in vast numbers as they hover and scream around the spreading conflagration. Early in November they generally leave the Northern and colder States, with the exception of straggling parties, who still continue to glean subsistence, in the shelter of the sea- coast, in Delaware, Maryland, and even in the cold climate of the State of Massachusetts.* To those who seem inclined to extirpate these erratic depre- dators, Wilson justly remarks, as a balance against the damage they commit, the service they perform in the spring season, by the immense number of insects and their larvae which they destroy, as their principal food, and which are of kinds most injurious to the husbandman. Indeed, Kalm remarked that after a great destruction made among these and the common Blackbirds for the legal reward of 3 pence a dozen, the Northern States, in 1 749, experienced a complete loss of the grass and grain crops, which were now devoured by insects. Like the Troopial {Oriolus icterus, Lath.), the Redwing shows attachment and docility in confinement, becoming, like 1 My friend Mr. S. Green, of Boston, assures me that he has seen these bird* near Newton, in a cedar-swamp, in January. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. lOI the Starling, familiar with those who feed him, and repaying the attention he receives, by singing his monotonous ditty pretty freely, consisting, as we have already remarked, of vari- ous odd, grating, shrill, guttural, and sometimes warbling tones, which become at length somewhat agreeable to the ear; and instances are said to have occurred of their acquiring the power of articulating several words pretty distinctly. The flesh of this bird is but little esteemed except when young, being dark and tough like that of the Starling ; yet in some of the markets of the United States they are at times exposed for sale. The Red-wing is a common summer visitor to the Eastern States and Canada, breeding as far north as latitude 50°. In the West it ranges through the Saskatchewan valley to Great Slave Lake. It winters south to Mexico ; but a few individuals have been known to brave a New England winter. During the winter of 1889-90, a male was seen about the Fresh Pond marshes by several members of the Nuttall Club of Cambridge. Note. — The Bahaman Red-wing (A. phcemcus bryanii), a smaller, darker race, is found on the Bahama Islands and in south- ern Florida. III 11 ^''W^l^'»^^^^\-- YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Char. Male : head, neck, and breast yellow ; large patch on wing white ; other parts black. Female and young : general color blackish brown ; wings without the white spot ; throat and breast dull yellow. Length g to ii inches. JVest. — Of dried grass, Crmly woven and fastened to twigs of a bush or stalks of rushes, in a marsh or swampy meadow. i^^^'j. — 2-6 ; grayish white, sometimes with a green tint, irregularly marked with brown; 1.05 X 0.70. The Yellow-headed Troopial, though long known as an inhabitant of South America, was only recently added to the fauna of the United States by Major Long's expedition. It was seen in great numbers near the banks of the River Platte, around the villages of the Pawnees, about the middle of May ; and the different sexes were sometimes observed associated in separate flocks, as the breeding season had not yet probably commenced. The range of this fine species is, apparently, from Cayenne, in tropical America, to the banks of the River Missouri, where Mr. Townsend and myself observed examples not far from the settled line of Missouri State. It has been seen by Dr. Richardson, in summer, as far as the 58th par- allel. Its visits in the United States are yet wholly confined to YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. 103 the west side of the Mississippi, beyond which, not even a straggler has been seen. These birds assemble in flocks, and in all their movements, aerial evolutions, and predatory char- acter, appear as the counterpart of their Red-winged relatives. They are also seen to frequent the ground in search of food, in the manner of the Cow-Bunting, or Troopial. In the spring season they wage war upon the insect tribes and their larvae, like the Red-wings, but in autumn they principally depend on the seeds of vegetables. At Demerara, Waterton observed them in flocks, and, as might have been suspected from their habits, they were very greedy after Indian com. On the 2d of May, in our western tour across the continent, around the Kansa Indian Agency, we now saw abundance of the Yellow-headed Troopial, associated with the Cowbird. They kept wholly on the ground in companies, the males, at this time, by themselves. In loose soil they dig into the earth with their bills in quest of insects and larvae, are very active, straddle about with a quaint gait, and now and then, in the manner of the Cowbird, whistle out with great effort a chuck- ling note sounding like ko-kukkle-^dity often varying into a straining squeak, as if using their utmost endeavor to make some kind of noise in token of sociability. Their music is, however, even inferior to the harsh note of tht: Cowbird. In the month of June, by the edge of a grass) marsh, in the open plain of the Platte, several hundred miles inland, Mr. Townsend found the nest of this species built under a tussock formed of fine grasses and canopied over like that of the Sturnella, or Meadow Lark. While essentially a bird of the prairie, this species occurs reg- ularly and in abundance in Wisconsin and Illinois. It has been observed occasionally in southern Ontario, and examples have been taken at Point des Monts, on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Florida. 104 SINGING BIRDS. ! COWBIRD. cow BLACKBIRD. MOLOTHRUS ATER. Char. Male; head and neck dull brown; other parts glossy black. Female and young •. brownish gray, paler below, with dark streaks. Length 7 to 8 inches. Nesi. Does not build any, but lays its eggs in nests of other species, usu.iily if smaller birds, such as the Yellow Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, or one of the Vireos. Ef;;^:. .' (number unknown, probably 4) ; dull white, so.netimes with green or buff tint, irregularly marked with various shades of brown ; o 85 X 0.65. The Cow-pen Bird, perpetually gregarious and flitting, is observed to enter the Middle and Northern States in the latter end of March or the beginning of April. They make their mi- gration now chiefly under cover of the night, or early dawn ; and as the season becomes milder they pass on to Canada, and perhaps follow the Warblers and other small birds into the farthest regions of the north, for they are seen no more after the middle of June until the return of autumn, when, with the colds of October, they again reappear in numerous and aug- mented flocks, usually associated with their kindred Red-wings, to whom they bear a sensible likeness, as well as a similarity in notes and manners. They pass the winter in the warmer parts of America as well as in the Southern States, where I have observed them in the ploughed fields, gleaning along with the Red-wings and the common Blackbirds. They are also very familiar around the cattle, picking up insects which they happen to disturb, or that exist in their ordure. When on the ground, they scratch up the soil and appear very intent after their food. Sometimes even, infringing on the rights of the Plover, individuals, in the winter, frequent the margins of ponds in quest of aquatic insects and small shell-fish ; and they may be seen industriously occupied in turning over the leaves of the water-plants to which they adhere. They also frequent 11 COWBIRD. 105 occasionally the rice and corn fields, as well as their more notorious associates, but are more inclined to native food and insects at all times, so that they are more independent and less injurious to the farmer. As they exist in Mexico and California, it is probable that they are also bred in the higher table-lands, as well as in the regions of the north. In Loui- siana, however, according to Audubon, they are rare visitors at any season, seeming more inclined to follow their route through the maritime districts. Over these countries, high in the air, in the month of October, they are seen by day winging their way to the remoter regions of the south. We have observed that the Red-wings separate in parties, and pass a considerable part of the summer in the necessary duties of incubation. But the Cow-pen Birds release them- selves from all hindrance to their wanderings. The volatile disposition and instinct which prompt birds to migrate, as the seasons change and as their food begins to fail, have only a periodical influence ; and for a while they remain domestic, passing a portion of their time in the cares and enjoyments of the conjugal state. But with our bird, like the European Cuckoo, this season never arrives ; the flocks live together without ever pairing. A general concubinage prevails among them, scarcely exciting any jealousy, and unaccompanied by any durable affection. From the commencement of their race they have been bred as foundlings in the nests of other birds, and fed by foster-parents under the perpetual influence of delusion and deception, and by the sacrifice of the concurrent progeny of the nursing birds. Amongst all the feathered tribes hitherto known, this and the European Cuckoo, with a few other species indigenous to the old continent, are the only kinds who never make a nest or hatch their young. That this character is not a vice of habit, but a perpetual instinct of nature, appears from various circumstances, and from none more evidently than from this, that the eggs of the Cow Troopial are earlier hatched than those of the foster- parent, — a singular and critical provision, on which perhaps the existence of the species depends ; for did the natural brood of the deceived parent come first into exis- io6 SINGING BIRDS. I tence, the strange egg on which they sat would generally be destroyed. When the female is disposed to lay, she appears restless and dejected, and separates from the unregarding flock. Stealing through the woods and thickets, she pries into the bushes and brambles for the nest that suits her, into which she darts in the absence of its owner, and in a few minutes is seen to rise on the wing, cheerful, and relieved from the anxiety that oppressed her, and proceeds back to the flock she had so reluctantly forsaken. If the egg be deposited in the nest alone, it is uniformly forsaken ; but if the nursing parent have any of her own, she immediately begins to sit. The Red-eyed Flycatcher, in whose beautiful basket-like nests I have observed these eggs, proves a very affectionate and assiduous nurse to the uncouth foundling. In one of these I found an egg of each bird, and thf, hen already sitting. I took her own egg and left the strange one ; she soon returned, and as if sensible of what had happened, looked with steadfast attention, and shifted the egg about, then sat upon it, but soon moved off", again renewed her observation, and it was a considerable time before she seemed willing to take her seat ; but at length I left her on the nest. Two or three days after, I found that she had relin- quished her attention to the strange egg and forsaken the nest. Another of these birds, however, forsook the nest on taking out the Cowbird's egg, although she had still two of her own left. The only example, perhaps, to the contrary of de- serting the nest when solely occupied by the stray egg, is in the Bluebird, who, attached strongly to the breeding-places in which it often continues for several years, has been known to lay, though with apparent reluctance, after the deposition of the Cowbird's egg. My friend Mr. C. Pickering found two nests of the Summer-yellow Bird, in which had been deposited an egg of the Cowbird previously to any of their own ; and unable to eject it, they had buried it in the bottom of the nest and built over it an additional story ! I also saw, in the sum- mer of 1830, a similar circumstance with the same bird, in which the Cowbird's egg, though incarcerated, was still visible COWBIRD. 107 on the upper edge, but could never have been hatched. At times I think it probable that they lay in the nests of larger birds, who throw out the egg, or that they drop their eggs on the ground without obtaining a deposit, as I have found an egg of this kind thus exposed and broken. On placing an t*,jg of this bird in the Catbird's nest it was almost instantly ejected ; and this would probably be the usual fate of the strange egg if the diminutive nurses, thus wisely chosen, were capable of removing it. The most usual nurse of this bird appears to be the Red- eyed Vireo, who commences sitting as soon as the Cowbird's - egg is deposited. On these occasions I have known the Vireo to begin her incubation with only an egg of each kind, and in other nests I have observed as many as 3 of her own, with that of the intruder. From the largeness of the strange egg, probably the nest immediately feels filled, so as to induce the nurse directly to sit. This larger egg, brought nearer to the body than her own, is consequently better warmed and sooner hatched ; and the young of the (^lowbird, I believe, appears about the 12th or 13th day of sitting. The foundling is very faithfully nursed by the affectionate Vireo, along with her own brood, who make their appearance about a day later than the Troopial. From the great size of the parasite, the legitimate young are soon stifled, and, when dead, are conveyed, as usual, by the duped parent to a distance before being dropped ; but they are never found immediately beneath the nest, as would invariably happen if they were ejected by the young Troopial. In the summer of 1839 I actually saw a Chipping Sparrow car- ry!ijg out to a distance one of its dead young thus stifled ; and a second nest of the same species in which 3 of its own brood were hatched soon after the Cow Troopial : these survived 2 or 3 days, and as they perished were carried away by the parent bird. As far as I have had opportunity of observing, the foundling shows no hostility to the natural brood of his nurses, but he nearly absorbs their whole attention, and early displays his characteristic cunning and self-possession. When fully fledged, they quickly desert their foster- parent, and skulk !!■ 0 ^_ 1 t ■"■■ 1 i Hb i 1 mi % a|i io8 SINGING BIRDS. i about in the woods until, at length, they instinctively join com- pany with those oi the same feather, and now becoming more bold, are seen in parties of 5 or 6, in the fields and lanes, gleaning their accustomed subsistence. They still, however, appear shy and watchful, and seem *oo selfish to study any- thing more than their own security and advantage. The song of the Cowbird is guttural and unmusical, uttered with an air of affectation, and accompanied by a bristling of the feathers and a swelling of the body in the manner of the Turkey. These are also all the notes of the species in the season of their attachment ; so that their musical talent rater* lower than that of any other bird perhaps in the genus. Some- times the tones of the male resemble the liquid clinking of the Bobolink and Red-winged Blackbird. Sitting on the summit of a lofty branch, he amuses himself perhaps for an hour with an occasional 'k/uck '/see, the latter syllable uttered in a drawl- ing hiss like that of the Red-wing. Accompanied by his mates, he also endeavors to amuse them by his complaisant chatter ; and watching attentively for their safety, they flit together at the instant he utters the loud tone of alarm ; and they are always shy and suspicious of the designs of every observer. On a fine spring morning, however, perched towards the sum- mit of some tree in the forest where they seek rest after their twilight wanderings, small and select parties may be seen grate- fully basking in the mild beams of the sunshine. The male on such occasions seems as proud of his uncouth jargon, and as eager to please his favorite companions, as the tuneful Night- ingale with his pathetic and varied lay. The Cowbird is a commor! summer resident of New England, though of rather local distribution. Dr. Wheaton reported it as abundant in Ohio during the summer months, and Mr. Mcllwraith made a similar report for Ontario. It is rather uncommon in the Maritime Provinces, but ranges as far northward as the 50th par- allel. In January, 1883, two specimens were taken near Cambridge, Mass., by Mr. VVilliam Brewster and Mr. Henry M. Spellman. BOBOLINK. RICE BIRD. SKUNK BLACKBIRD. MEADOW-WINK. DOLICHONYX ORYZIVORUS. Char. Male in summer : black ; back of head and hind-neck buff ; scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts ashy white. Male in winter, female, and young : above, yellowish brown, beneath paler, more buffy ; light stripe on crown. Length 6}4 to 7^ inches. jVcsI. In a meadow ; made of dried grass. J^X"'^- 4~6; white with green or buff tint, irregularly marked with lilac and brown; 0.85 X o-6o. The whole continent of America, from Labrador to Mexico, and the Great Antilles, are the occasional residence of this truly migratory species. About the middle of March or beginning of April the cheerful Bobolink makes his appearance in the southern extremity of the United States, becoming gradually arrayed in his nuptial livery, and accompanied by troops of his companions, who often precede the arrival of their more tardy no SINGING BIRDS. 1 mates. According to Richardson it is the beginning of June rhen they arrive at their farthest boreal station in the 54th degree. VVe observed them in the great western plains to the base of the Rocky Mountains, but not in Oregon. Their win- tering resort appears to be rather the West Indies than the tropical continent, as their migrations are observed to take place generally to the east of Louisiana, where their visits are rare and irregular. At this season also they make their ap- proaches chiefly by night, obeying, as it were, more distinctly, the mandates of an overruling instinct, which prompts them to seek out their natal regions ; while in autumn, their progress, by day only, is alone instigated by the natural quest of food. About the ist of May the meadows of Massachusetts begin to re-echo their lively ditty. At this season, in wet places, and by newly ploughed fields, they destroy many insects and their larvae. According to their success in obtaining food, parties often delay their final northern movement as late as the mid- dle of May, so that they appear to be in no haste to arrive at their destination at any exact period. The principal business of their lives, however, the rearing of their young, does not take place until they have left the parallel of the 40th degree. In the savannahs of Ohio and Michigan, and the cool grassy meadows of New York, Canada, and New England, they fix their abode, and obtain a sufficiency of food throughout the summer without molesting the harvest of the farmer, until the ripening of the la\:est crops of oats and barley, when, in their autumnal and changed dress, hardly now known as the same species, they sometimes show their taste for plunder, and flock together like the greedy and predatory Blackbirds. Although they devour various kinds of insects and worms on their first arrival, I have found that their frequent visits among the grassy meadows were often also for the seeds they contain ; and they are particularly fond of those of the dock and dandelion, the latter of which is sweet and oily. Later in the season, and pre- viously to leaving their native regions, they feed principally on various kinds of grass-seeds, particularly those of the Panicums, which are aUied to millet. They also devour crickets and grass- hoppers, as well as beetles and spiders. Their nest is fixed on !»'!f iiODOLINK. I II •jllfii the ground in a slight depression, usually in a field of meadow grass, either in a dry or moist situation, and consists merely of a loose bedding of withered grass, so inartificial as scarcely to be distinguishable from the rest of the ground around it. The eggs are 5 or 6, of a dull white, inclining to olive, scattered all over wi h small spots and touches of lilac brown, with some irregular blotches of dark rufous brown, chiefly disposed to- wards the larger end. The males, arriving a little earlier than the other sex, now appear very vigorous, lively, and familiar. Many quarrels occur before the mating is settled ; and the females seem at first very coy and retiring. Emulation fires the Bobolink at this period, and rival songsters pour out their incessant strains of enlivening music from every fence and orchard tree, 'i'he quiet females keep much on the ground ; but as soon as they appear, they are pursued by the ardent candidates for their affection, and if either seems to be favored, the rejected suitor is chased off the ground, as soon as he appears, by his more fortunate rival. The song of the male continues with little in- terruption as long as the female is sitting, and his chant, at all times very similar, is both singular and pleasant. Often, like the Skylark, mounted, and hovering on the wing, at a small height above the field, as he passes along from one tree-top or weed to another, he utters such a jingling medley of short, variable notes, so confused, rapid, and continuous, that it appears almost like the blending song of several different birds. Many of these tones are very agreeable ; but they are delivered with such rapidity that the ear can scarcely separate them. The general effect, however, like all the simple efforts of Nature, is good, and when several are chanting forth in the same meadow, the concert is very cheerful, though monotonous, and somewhat quaint. Among the few phrases that can be distinguished, the liquid sound of bob-o-lee bob-o-link bob-o-linkc, is very distinct. To give an idea of the variable extent of song, and even an imitation, in some measure, of the chromatic period and air of this familiar and rather favorite resident, the boys of this part of New England make him spout, among others, the following 112 SINGING BIRDS. I i ludicrous dunning phrase, as he rises and hovers on the wing near his n)Z.\.t,'''Bdh-d-link, 'Bob-b-link, 'Tom Denny 'Tom Denny. — ' Come pay me the tivo and six pence you 've owed more than a year and a half ago! — 'tshe 'tshe 'tshe, 'tsh 'tsh 'tshe,'" modestly diving at the same instant down into the grass as if to avoid altercation. However puerile this odd phrase may appear, it \z quite amusing to find how near it approaches to the time and expression of the notes, when pronounced in a hurried manner. It would be unwise in the naturalist to hold in contempt anything, however trifling, which might tend to elucidate the simple truth of nature ; I therefore give the thing as I find it. This relish for song and merriment, con- fined wholly to the male, diminishes as the period of incubation advances ; and when the brood begin to flutter around their parents and protectors, the song bee mes less frequent, the cares of the parents more urgent, and any approach to the secret recess of their helpless family is deplored with urgent and incessant cries as they hover fearfully around the inten- tional or accidental intruder. They appear sometimes inclined to have a second brood, for which preparation is made while they are yet engaged in rearing the first ; but the male gen- erally loses his musical talent about the end of the first week in July, from which time his nuptial or pied dress begins gradually to be laid aside for the humble garb of the female. The whole, both young and old, then appear nearly in the same songless livery, uttering only a chink of alarm when sur- l^rised in feeding on tht grass seeds, or the crops of grain which still remain abroad. When the voice of the Bobolink begins to fail, with the progress of the exhausting moult, he flits over the fields in a restless manner, and merely utters a broken '/>dl>'iee, '/>df>'lee, or witli his songless mate, at length, a 'weef 'weet, b'lret b'leet^ and a noisy and disagreeable cackling chirp. At the early dawn of day, while the tuneful talent of the species is yet unabated, the effect of their awakening and faltering voices from a wide expanse of meadows, is singular and grand. The sounds mingle like the noise of a distant torrent, which alternately subsides and rises on the breeze as BOBOLINK. 113 the performers awake or relapse into rest ; it finally becomes more distinct and tumultuovis, till with the opening day it as- sumes the intelligible character of their ordinary song. The young males, towards the close of July, having nearly acquired their perfect character, utter also in the morning, from the trees which border their favorite marshy meadows, a very agreeable and continuous low warble, more like that of the Yellow Bird than the usual song of the species ; in fact, they appear now in every respect as Finches, and only become jingling musicians when robed in their pied dress as Icteri. About the middle of August, in congregating numbers, di- vested already of all selective attachment, vast foraging parlies enter New York and Pennsylvania, on their way to the South. Here, along the shores of the large rivers, lined with floating fields of the wild rice, they find an abundant means of sub- sistence during their short stay ; and as their flesh, now fat, is little inferior to that of the P^uropean Ort(jlan, the Reed or Rice Birds, as they are then called in their Sparrow- dress, form a favorite sport for gunners of all descriptions, who turn out on the occasion and commit prodigious havoc among the almost silent and greedy roosting throng. The markets are then filled with this delicious game, and the pursuit, both for success and amusement, along the picturescjue and reedy shores of the Del- aware and other rivers is second to none but that of Rail- shooting. As soon as the cool nights of October commence, and as the wild rice crops begin to fail, the Reed Birds take their departure from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in their farther progress through the Southern States they swarm in the rice fields ; and before the crop is gathered they have already made their appearance in the islands of Cuba and Jamaica, where they also feed on the seeds of the (luinea grass, become so fat as to deserve the name of " Butter-birds," and are in high esteem for the table. Near the Atlantic coast the Bobolink is not common north of the 45th parallel ; but in the West it ranges to much higher latitudes. A few examples have been observed on the New Brunswick shore of the (ailf of St. Lawrence, vol.. I. — 8 I' ! 114 SINGING BIRDS. BOAT-TAILED CRACKLE. JACKDAW. QUISCALUS MAJOR. Char. Extremely long, wedge-shaped tail, less conspicuous in female. Male : black, with metallic tints of green, blue, and purple. Length 15 to 17^ inches. Female : above, brown ; beneath, grayish brown, changing to reddish and buffy on breast and throat. Length, ii>^ to 13 inches. Nest. A bulky structure of dried grass and strips of bark, cemented with mud and lined with fine grass ; placed in a tree in swamp or near a marsh, sometimes fastened to rushes. Eggs. 3-5; grayish drab with tints of green or blue, marked with black and brown blotches and lines; 1.25 X 0.90. This large and Crow-like species, sometimes called the Jack- daw, inhabits the southern maritime parts of the Union only, particularly the States of Georgia and Florida, where they are seen as early as the close of January or beginning of February, but do not begin to pair before March, previously to which season the sexes are seen in separate flocks. But about the latter end of November they quit even the mild climate of Florida, generally, and seek winter-quarters probably in the West Indies, where they are known to be numerous, as well as in Mexico, Louisiana, and Texas ; but they do not ever extend their northern migrations as far as the Middle States. Previ- ous to their departure, at the approach of winter, they are seen to assemble in large flocks, and every morning flights of them, at a great height, are seen moving away to the south. Like most gregarious birds, they are of a very sociable disposition, and are frequently observed to mingle with the common Crow Blackbirds. They assemble in great numbers among the sea islands, and neighboring marshes on the main- land, where they feed at low water on the oyster-beds and sand- flats. Like Crows, they are omnivorous, their food consisting of insects, small shell-fish, corn, and small grain, so that by turns they may be viewed as the friend or plunderer of the planter. i PURPLE CRACKLE. 115 The note of this species is louder than that of the common kind, according to Audubon resembling a loud, shrill whistle, often accompanied by a cry like crick crick cree, and in the breeding- season changing almost into a warble. They are only heard to sing in the spring, and their concert, though inclining to sadness, is not altogether disagreeable. Their nests are built in company, on reeds and bushes, in the neighborhood of salt-marshes and ponds. They begin to lay about the beginning of April ; soon after which the males leave their mates, not only with the care of incubation, but with the rear- ing of the young, moving about in separate flocks like the Cowbirds, without taking any interest in the fate of their progeny. This species is rarely found north of Virginia. Several instances of its occurrence in New England have been reported ; but the correctness of these reports has been challenged, and Mr. Allen omitted the species from his list of Massachusetts birds issued in i«86. PURPLE CRACKLE. CROW BLACKBIRD. QUISCALUS QUISCULA. Char. Black, with rich metallic tints of steel blue and purple, the female somewhat duller. Length, 11 to 13 j4 inches. Nest. On the branch of a tree or in a hollow stub ; large and roughly made of coarse grass and twigs, and lined with finer grass, sometimes cemented with mud. Et^^s. 4-6 ; extremely variable in shape, color, and size ; ground color greenish white to reddish brown, with irregular markings of dark brown ; 1.25 X 0.90. This very common bird is an occasional or constant resident in every part of America, from Hudson's Bay and the northern interior to the Great Antilles, within the tropic. In most parts of this wide region they also breed, at least from Nova Scotia to Louisiana, and probably farther south. Into the States north of Virginia they begin to migrate from the beginning of March 1:1 i.^ 1 1 M I ii6 SINGING BIRDS. to May, leaving those countries again in numerous troops about the middle of November. Thus assembled from the North and West in increasing numbers, they wholly overrun, at times, the warmer maritime regions, where they assemble to pass the winter in the company of their well-known cousins the Red- winged Trooi)ials or Blackbirds; for both, impelled by the same predatory appetite, and love of comfortable winter quarters, are often thus accidentally associated in the plun- dering and gleaning of the plantations. The amazing numbers in which the present species associate are almost incredible. Wilson relates that on the 20th of January, a fcw miles from the banks of the Roanoke in Virginia, he met with one of those prodigious armies of Blackbirds, which, as he ap- proached, rose from the surrounding fields with a noise like thunder, and descending on the stretch of road before him, covered it and the fences completely with black ; rising again, after a few evolutions, they descended on the skirt of a leafless wood, so thick as to give the whole forest, for a considerable extent, the appearance of being shrouded in mourning, the numbers amounting probably to many hundreds of thousands. Their notes and screams resembled the distant sound of a mighty cataract, but strangely attuned into a musical cadence, which rose and fell with the fluctuation of the breeze, like the magic harp of /Eolus. Their depredations on the maize crop or Indian com com- mence almost with the planting. The infant blades no sooner appear than they are hailed by the greedy Blackbird as th' signal for a feast ; and without hesitation, they descend on the fields, and regale themselves with the sweet and sprouted seed, rejecting and scattering the blades around as an ev'dence of their mischief and audacity. Again, about the beginning of August, while the grain is in the milky state, their attacks are renewed with the most destnictive effect, as they now assemble as it were in clouds, and pillage the fields to such a degree that in some low and sheltered situations, in the vicinity of rivers, where they delight to roam, one fourth of the crop is devoured by these vexatious visitors. The gun, also, notwith- PURPLE GRACKLE. 117 Standing the havoc it produces, has Httle more effect than tc chase them from One part of the field to the other. In the Southern States, in winter, they hover round the corn-cribs in swarms, and boldly peck the hard grain from the cob through the air openings of the magazine. In consequence of these reiterated depredations, they are detested by the farmer as a pest to his industry ; though on their arrival their food for a long time consists wholly of those insects which are calculated to do the most essential injury to the crops. They at this season freciuent swamps and meadows, and familiarly following the fur- rows of the plough, sweep up all the gnib- worms and other noxious animals as soon as they appear, even scratching up the loose soil, that nothing of tuis kind may escape them. Up to the time of harvest I have uniformly, on dissection, fouml their food to consist of these larvae, caterjjillars, moths, and beetles, of which they devour such numbers that but for this providtrntial economy the whole crop of grain, in many places, would prob- ably be destroyed by the time it began to germinate. In winter they collect the mast of the beech and (xik for food, and may be seen assembled in large bodies in the woods for this purpose. In the spring season the Blackbirds roost in the cedars and pine-trees, to which in the evening they retire with friendly and mutual chatter. On the tallest cf these trees, as well as in bushes, they generally build their nests, — which work, like all their movements, is commonly performed in society, so that 10 or 15 of them are often seen in the same tree; and sometimes they have been known to thrust their nests into the interstices of the Fish Hawk's eyry, as if for safety and protection. Occasionally they breed in tall poplars near to habitations, and if not molested, continue to resort to the same place for several years in succession. The nest is composed of mud, mixed with stalks and knotty roots of grass, and lined with fine dry grass and horse-hair. According to Audubon, the same 'pecies in the Southern States nests in the hollows of decayed trees, after the manner of the Woodpecker, lining the cavity with grass and mud. They seldom produce more than a single brood in the season. In the autumn, and at the a[ proach ii8 SINGING BIRDS. of winter, numerous flocks, after foraging through the day, return from considerable distances to their general roosts among the reeds. On approaching their station, each detachment, as it arrives, in straggling groups like crows, sweeps round the marsh in waving flight, forming circles ; amidst these bodies, the note of the old reconnoitring leader may be heard, and no sooner has he fixed upon the intended spot than they all descend and take their stations in an instant. At this time they are also frequently accompanied by the P'erruginous species, with which they associate in a friendly manner. The Blackbird is easily tamed, sings in confinement, and may be taught to articulate some few words pretty distinctly. Among the variety of its natural notes, the peculiarly affected sibilation of the Starling is heard in the uwttitshee, wotiitshee, and whistle, which often accompanies this note. In Nuttall's day variety making had not come in fashion, and the systematists were content to treat the Crow Hlackbirds of east- ern North America as of one form. Now we have three forms, with three "distinctive scientific appellations." It is somewhat difficult to distinguish these forms, except in extreme phases of plumage, for many specimens of the Northern variety have the diagnostic characters of the Southern birds. The present race is said to occur only on " the Atlantic coast of the United States, north to Massachusetts and west to eastern Tennessee." The Bronze Guackle {Q. quiscula aneus) lacks the purple metallic tint on the body, that being replaced by a tint of bronze ; the purple and blue tints are restricted to the head and neck. The wings and tail are purple. This form is abundant throughout the New England States and Canada, and ranges north to Hudson's Bay and west to the Great IMains. I have seen nests of these birds placed on the beams of barns in New Brunswick. The farmers along the St. John and Kenebecasis rivers erect barns op the marshy islands and •' intervales" to store their hay until it can b carried to the mainland on the ice; and these barnrs, being un- used during the breeding season, offer excellent building sites for colonies of Crow Blackbirds and Swallows. The nests are fastened to the beams with mud in much the same method as that adopted by Robins. A smaller race with a larijertail is restricted to southern Florida. It is named the Florida Gracki.e {Q. quiscula at^lceus). RUSTY BLACKBIRD. 119 RUSTY BLACKBIRD. SCOLECOPHAGUS CAROLINUS. Char. Male in summer . glossy black, generally more or less feathers edged with reddish brown. Male in winter: the brown more conspic- uous, the lower parts marked with buffy. Female and young : dull ru.sty brown above, rusty and ashy beneath. Length 8X to 9^ inches. N'est. In a spruce-tree or alder ; a large but solid structure of twigs and vines, sometimes cemented with mud, lined with grass and leaves. Ei^gs. 4-7 ; grayish green to pale green, thickly blotched with light and dark brown and purple ; i .00 X 0.76. This species, less frequent than the preceding, is often associated with it or with the Red-winged Troopial or the Cowpen Bird ; and according to the season, they are found throughout America, from Hudson's Bay to Florida, and west- ward to the Pacific Ocean. Early in April, according to Wilson, they pass hastily through Pennsylvania, on their return to the North to breed. In the month of March he observed them on the banks of the Ohio, near Kentucky River, during a snow-storm. They arrive in the vicinity of Hudson's Bay about the beginning of May, and feed much in the manner of the common Crow Blackbird on insects which they find on or near the ground. Dr. Richardson saw them in the winter as far as the latitude of 53°, and in summer they range to the 68th parallel or to the extremity of the wooded region. They sing in the pairing season, but become nearly silent while rearing their young ; though when their brood release them from care, they again resume their lay, and may occasionally be heard until the approach of winter. Their song is quite as agreeable and musical as that of the Starling, and greatly sur- passes that of any of the other species. I have heard them singing until the middle of October. They are said to build in trees and bushes at no great dis- tance from the ground, making a nest similar to the other species, and lay five eggs, of a pale blue spotted with black. The young and old, now assembling in large troops, retire from the northern regions in September. From the beginning of If 120 SINGING BIRDS. Oct(^bcr to the middle of November, they are seen in flocks thr(nigh the Eastern States. During their stay in this vicinity they assemble towards night to roost in or round the reed- marshes of Fresh Pond, near Cambridge. Sometimes they select the willows by the water for their lodging, in preference to the reeds, which they give up to their companions the Crow Blackbirds. Early in October they feed chiefly on grasshoppers and berries, and at a later period pay a transient visit to the corn-fields. They pass the winter in the Southern States, rnd, like their darker relatives, make familiar visits to the ban < ir i and corn-cribs. Wilson remarks that they are easily dc . . >iic • d, and in a few days become quite familiar, being reco. . 'led i'> ^ny quarters while supplied with plenty of food. The Rusty Blackbird breeds from about the 4sth parallel to the lower fur countries. It is fairly common near the Atlantic, but is more abundant in the interior, and Mr. Thompson reports it com- monly abundant in Manitoba. In this region it does noi always select an alder swamp for a nesting site, as some authors have stated. A nest discovered by my friend Banks was amid the upper branches of a good sized spruce on a dry hillside in Mr. William Jack's park, near St. John. NORTHERN RAVEN. CORVUS CORAX PRINCIPALIS. Char. Black with bluish purple gloss. Length 22 to 26^ inches. Nat. On a cliff or in a tree ; made of sticks carefully and compactly arranged, lined with grass or wool, — repaired year after year, and thus increased to considerable bulk. Eg^i^s. 2-7 ; pale olive, marked with olive-brown blotches and streaks ; 2.00 X 1.40. The sable Raven has been observed and described from the earliest times, and is a resident of almost every country in the world ; but is more particularly abundant in the western than the eastern parts of the United States, where it extends along the Oregon to the shores of the Pacific. This ominous bird NORTHERN RAVEN. 121 has been generally despised and feared by the superstitious even more than the nocturnal Owl, th( igh he prowls abroad in open day. He may be considered as holding a relation to the birds of prey, feeding not only on carrion, but occasionally seizing on weakly lambs, young hares or rabbits, and seems indeed to give a preference to animal food ; but at the same time, he is able to live on all kinds of fruits and grain, as well as insects, earth-worms, even dead fish, and in addition to all, is particularly fond of eggs, so that no animal seems more truly omnivorous than the Raven. If we take into consideration his indiscriminating voracity, sombre livery, discordant, croaking cry, with his ignc^ble, wild, and iimereal aspect, we need not be surprised that in times of ignorance and error he should have been so generally regarded as an object of disgust and fear. He stood pre minent in the list of sinister birds, or those whose only premoni" in was the announcing of misfortunes ; and, strange to tel the.e are many people yet in Europe, even in this enlightened age, who trem- ble and become uneasy at the sound of his hai .iless croaking. According to Adair, the Southern aborigi *s also invoke the Raven for those who are sick, mimicking nis voice ; and the natives of the Missouri, assuming black as their emblem of war, decorate themselves on those occasions with the plumes of this dark bird. But all the knowledge of the future, or in- terest in destiny, possessed by the Raven, like that of other inhabitants of the air, is bounded by an instinctive feeling of the changes which are about to happen in the atmosphere, and which he has the faculty of announcing by certain cries and actions produced by these external impressions. In the south- ern provinces of Sweden, as Linnaeus remarks, when the sky is serene the Raven flies very high and utters a hollow sound, like the word clong, which is heard to a great distance. Some- times he has been seen in the midst of a thunder-storm with the electric fire streaming from the extremity of his bill, — a natural though extraordinary phenomenon, sufficient to terrify the superstitious and to stamp the harmless subject of it with the imaginary traits and attributes of a demon. 1 % 1 w 122 SINGING BIRDS. In ancient times, when divination made a part of religion, the Raven, though a bad prophet, was yet a very interesting bird ; for the passion for prying into future events, even the most dark anti sorrowful, is an original propensity of human nature. Accordingly, all the actions of this sombre bird, all the circumstances of its flight, and all the different intonations of its discordant voice, of which no less than sixty- four were remarked, had each of them an appropriate signification ; and there were never wanting impostors to procure this pretended intelligence, nor people simple enough to credit it. Some even went so far as to impose upon themselves, by devouring the heart and entrails of the disgusting Raven, in the strange ho[)e of thus appropriating its supposed gift of prophecy. The Raven indeed not only possesses a great many natural inflections of voice corresponding to its various feelings, but it has also a talent for imitating the cries of other animals, and even mimicking language. According to Buffon, colas is a word which he pronounces with peculiar facility. Connecting circumstances with his wants, Scaliger heard one, which when hungry, learnt very distinctly to call upon Conrad the cook. The first of these words bears a great resemblance to one of the ordinary cries of this species, kowallah^ koiuai/ah. Besides possessing in some measure the faculty of imitating human speech, they are at times capable of manifesting a durable attachment to their keeper, and become familiar about the house. The sense of smell, or rather that of sight, is very acute in the Raven, so that he discerns the carrion, on which he often feeds, at a great distance. Thucydides even attributes to him the sagacity of avoiding to feed on animals which had died of the plague. Pliny relates a singular piece of ingenuity em- ployed by this bird to quench his thirst : he had observed water near the bottom of a narrow-necked vase, to obtain which, he is said to have thrown in pebbles, one at a time, until the pile elevated the water within his reach. Nor does this trait, singular as it is, appear to be much more sagacious than that of carrying up nuts and shell-fish into the air, and NORTHERN RAVEN. 123 on, ing the dropping them on rocks, for the purpose of breaking them to obtain their contents, otherwise beyond his reach, — facts observed by men of credit, and recorded as an instinct of the Raven by Pennant and Latham. It is, however, seldom that these birds, any more than the rai)acious kimls, feel an inclina- tion for drinking, as their thirst is usually quenched by the blood and juices of their prey. The Ravens are also more social than the birds of prey, — which arises from the promis- cuous nature and consequent abundance of their food, which allows a greater number to subsist together in the same place, without being urged to the stern necessity of solitude or fam- ine, — a condition to which the true rapacious birds are always driven. The habits of these birds are much more generally harmless than is usually imagined ; they are useful to the farmer in the destruction they make of moles and mice, and are often very well contented with insects and earth-worms. Though spread over the whole worki, they are rarely ever birds of passage, enduring the winters even of the Arctic circle, or the warmth of Mexico, St. Domingo, and Madagascar. They are particularly attached to the rocky eyries where they have been bred and paired. Throughout the year they are observed together in nearly equal numbers, and they never entirely abandon this adopted home. If they descend into the plain, it is to collect subsistence ; but they resort to the low grounds more in winter than summer, as they avoid the heat and dislike to wander from their cool retreats. They never roost in the woods, like Crows, and have sufficient sagacity to choose in their rocky retreats a situation defended from the winds of the north, — commonly under the natural vault formed by an extending ledge or cavity of the rock. Here they retire during the night in companies of 15 to 20. They perch upon the bushes which grow straggling in the clefts of the rocks ; but they form their nests in the rocky crevices, or in the holes of the mouldering walls, at the summits of ruined towers ; and sometimes upon the high branches of large and solitary trees. After they have paired, their fidelity appears to continue through life. The male expresses his attachment by a particu- 124 SINGING BIRDS. lar strain of croaking, and both sexes are observed caressing, by approaciiing their bills, with as much semblance of affection as the truest turtle-doves. In temperate climates the Raven be- gins to lay in the months of February or March. The eggs are 5 or 6, of a pale, muddy bluish green, marked with numerous spots and lines of dark olive brown. She sits about 20 days, and during this time the male takes care to provide her with abundance of nourishment. Indeed, from the quantity of grain, nuts, and fruits which have been found at this time in the envi- rons of the nest, this supply would appear to be a store laid up for future occasions. Whatever may be their forethought re- garding food, they have a well-known propensity to hide things which come within their reach, though useless to themselves, and appear to give a preference to pieces of metal, or any- thing which has a brilliant appearance. At F2rfurt, one of these birds had the patience to carry and hide, one by one, unde- a stone in the garden, a quantity of small pieces of money, which amounted, when discovered, to 5 or 6 florins ; and there are few countries which cannot afford similar instan- ces of their domestic thefts. Of the perseverance of the Raven in the act of incubation, Mr. White has related the following remarkable anecdote : In the centre of a grove near Selborne there stood a tall and shapeless oak which bulged out into a large excrescence near the middle of the stem. On this tree a pair of Ravens had fixed their residence for such a series of years that the oak was distinguished by the title of " The Raven Tree." Many were the attempts of the neighboring youths to get at this nest. The difficulty whetted their inclinations, and each was ambi- tious of accomplishing the arduous task ; but when they arrived at the swelling, it jutted out so in their way, and was so far beyond their grasp, that the boldest lads were deterred, and acknowledged the undertaking to be too hazardous. Thus the Ravens continued to build, and rear their young in security, until the fatal day on which the wood was to be levelled. This was in the month of Febniary, when these birds usually begin to sit. The saw was applied to the trunk, the wedges NORTHERN RAVEN. 125 were driven, the woods echoed to the heavy blows of the beetle or mallet, and the tree nodded to its fall ; but still the devoted Raven sat on. At last, when it gave way, she was Hung from her ancient eyry ; and a victim to parental affection, was whipped down by the twigs, and brought lifeless to the ground. The young, at first more white than black, are fed by food previously prepared in the craw of the mother and then dis- gorged by the bill, nearly in the manner of pigeons. 'The male at this time, doubly vigilant and industrious, not only i)rovides for, but defends his family vigorously from every hostile attack, and shows a particular enmity to the Kite when he apj^ears in his neighborhood, pouncing upon him and striking with his bill until sometimes both antagonists descend to the ground. The young are long and affectionately fed by the parents ; and though they soon leave the nest, they remain perching on the neighboring rocks, yet unable to make any extensive flight, and pass the time in continual complaining cries till the approach of the parent with food, when their note changes into crmci, craw, craw. Now and then as they gam strength they make efforts to fly, and then return to their rocky roost. About 15 days after leaving the nest, they become so well prepared for flight as to accompany the parents out on their excursions from morning to night ; and it is amusing to watch the progress of this affectionate association, the young continuing the whole summer to go out with the old in the morning, and as regularly return with them again in the evening, so that however we may despise the appetite of the Raven, we cannot but admire the instinctive morality of his nature. Like birds of prey, the Ravens reject from the stomach, by the bill, the hard and indigestible parts of their food, as the stones of fruit and the bones of small fish which they some- times eat. Th^- Northern Raven has been separated lately from the " Mexi- can " race (for which latter the name of sinuatus has been retained) ; but the iimits of their distribution have not been determined. The northern form occurs throughout Canada north to the Arctic Ocean 126 SINGING BIRDS. and west to the Pacific; but to which form the birds found in the Eastern States are to be referred, has not been settled by the authorities. Of late years the Raven has almost forsaken the New England shofes, though it is still numerous around the Bay of Fundy, and occurs locil'v in small numbers along the entire coast of the Atlantic, and throughout this faunal province. It is more abundant to the westv aid of the Mississippi. I CROW, CORVUS AMKRICANUS. Char. Black, with gloss of purple tinge. Length 17 to 21 inches. Nest. In a tree ; made of sticks and twigs, lined with grass and leaves Eg};s, 4-6 ; sea-green to dull olive, blotched with brown ; 1.70 X 1.20. The Crow, like the Raven, which it greatly resembles, is a denizen of nearly the whole world. It is found even in New Koliund and the Philippine Islands, but is rare in Sweden, where the Raven abounds. It is also common in Siberia, and plentiful in the Arctic deserts beyond the Lena. The native Crow is a constant and troublesomely abundant resident In most of the settled districts of North America, as well as an inhabitant of the Western wilds throughout the Rocky Mountains, to the banks of the Oregon and the shores of the Pacific. These birds only retire into the forests in the breeding season, v/hich lasts from March to May. At this time they are dis]^ersed through the woods in pairs, and roost in the neighlwrhood of the spot which they have selected for their nest ; and the conjugal union, once formed, continues for life. They are now very noisy, and vigilant against any intnision on their purpose, and at times appear influenced bv mutual jealousy, but never proceed to any violence. The tree they select is generally lofty, and preference seems often given to some dnrk and concealing evergreen. The nest is formed externally of small twigs coarsely interlaced together, plastered and matted with earth, moss, and long horse -nair, CROW. 127 and thickly and carefully lined with large quantities of the last material, wool, or the finest fibres of roots, so as to form a very comfortable bed for the helpless and naked young. The male at this season is extremely watchful, reconnoitring the neighborhood, and giving an alarm as any person haijpens to approach towards their nest, when both retire to a distance till the intruder disappears ; and in order the better to conceal their brood, they remain uncommonly silent until these are in a situation to follow them on the wing. The male also carries food to his mate while confined to her eggs, and at times relieves her by sitting in her absence. In Europe, when the Raven, the Buzzard, or the Kestrel makes his appearance, the pair join instantly in the attack, and sometimes, by dint of furi- ous blows, destroy their enemy ; yet the Butcher Bird, more alert and courageous, not only resists, but often vanciuishes the Crows and carries off their young. Like the Ra\ens, endue(i with an unrestrained and natural affection, they con- tinue the whole succeeding summer to succor and accompany their offspring in all their undertakings and excuisions. The Crow is equally omnivorous with the Raven ; insects, worms, carrion, fish, grain, fruits, and in short everything digestible by any or all the birds in existence, being alike acceptable to this gormandizing animal. Its destruction of bird-eggs is also very considerable. In Munjiic ( rows are often detected feeding their voracious young with the precious eggs of the Partridge, which they very sagaciously convey by care- fully piercing and sticking them expertly on the bill. They also know how to break nuts and shtll-fish by dropping tlum from a great height upon the rocks l)'.'low. They visit even the snares and devour the birds ^vhich they find caught, attacking the weak and wounded game. They also sometimes seize on young chickens and 1 )ucks, and have even been observed to pounce upon Pigeons in the manner of Hawks, and with almost equal success. So familiar and audacious are they in some parts of the Levant that they will frequent the courts of houses, and, like Harpies, alight bolly occurs occasionally alonj; the Connecticut shore, and may straggl', into Massachusetts ; though Mr. Allen has omitted it from iiis list. On the Pacific coast it is replaced by C. caurinus. All Crows are more or less fish-eaters, and in some localities fish forms their staple diet. On the shores of Cape Breton, near the coal districts, the fisli-oating Crows are separated by the natives from the ( ommon sort. It is said that the flight and voice of these birds ca.i be readily distinu;uishcd. Some miners working at Lepreaux, in New Brunswick, who were familiar with the fish- eating Crows of Cape Breton, drew my attention to a flock of appare".ly small and peeuliar-voiced Crows gleaning along the shoi " - : but though easily trapped by a fish bait, they proved to bo nothing more than rather small common Crows. Norii:. - The American Magpie {Pica pica hudsonica) is a vVesterr anr' Northwestern bird, and occurs as a straggler only cast ot til" Mississippi. It has been taken in Michij^an, northern IlUn<:is, and western Onurio ; also at Chambly, near Montreal. 's-ir-i "im BLUE JAY. CYAN(K^mA CRISTATA. Char. Above, purplish blue; below, pale purplish urav, lighter on throat and tail-coverts : wings and tail bright blue barred with black ; wing coverts, secondaries, and must of tail-feathers bmadlv tipped with white Head conspicuously crested ; tail wedge-shaped. Length ii to 12}^ inches AWA In a small conifer, about 20 feet from the grotmd, situated in deep forest or near a settlement ; roughly but firmly constructed of twigs and roots, and lined with fine roots. i'Ti.ri.'-.r. 4-5; pale olive or buff, spotted with yellowish brown; i 10 X 0.85. This elegant and common species is met with in the interior, from the remote northwestern regions near Peace River, in the 54th to the 56th degree, Lake Winnipeg in the 49th degree, the eastern steppes of the Rocky Moimtains, and southwest ward to the banks of the .Arkansas ; also along the Atlantic regions from the confines of Newfoundland to the peninsula of Florida and the shores of the (iulf of Mexico. ■— 134 SINGING BIRDS. The Blue Jay is a constant inhabitant both of the wooded wilderness and the vicinity of the settled farm, though more familiar at the approach of winter and early in spring than at any other season. These wanderings or limited migrations are induced by necessity alone ; his hoards of grain, nuts, and acorns either have foiled or are forgotten : for, like other misers, he is more assiduous to amass than to expend or en- joy his stores, and the fruits of his labors very frequently either devolve to the rats or squirrels, or accidentally assist in the replanting of the forest. His visits at this time are not un- frequent in the garden and orchard, and his usual petulant address of djdy, Jay, j'dy, and other harsh and trumpeting articulations, soon make his retreat known to all in his neigh- borhood. So habitual is this sentinel cry of alarm, and so ex- pressive, that all the birds within call, as well as other wild animals, are instantly on the alert, so that the fowler and hunter become generally disajipointed of their game by this his garrulous and noisy propensity ; he is therefore, for his petulance, frequently killed without pity or profit, as his flesh, though eaten, has but little to recommend it. His more com- plaisant notes, when undisturbed, though guttural and echoing, are by no means unpleasant, and fall in harmoniously with the cadence of the feathered choristers around him, so as to form a finishing part to the general music of the grove. His ac- cents of blandishment, when influenced by the softer passions, are low and musical, so as to be scarcely heard beyond the thick branches where he sits concealed ; but as soon as dis- covered he bursts out into notes of rage and reproach, accom- panying his voice by jerks and actions of temerity and defiance. Indeed the Jay of luiroj)e, with whom our beau agrees entirely in habits, is so irascible and violent in his movements as some- times to strangle himself in the narrow fork of a branch from which he has been found suspended. Like the European spe- cies, he also exhibits a great antipathy to the Owl, and by his loud and savage vociferation soon brings together a noisy troop of all the busy birds in the neighborhood. To this garnilous attack the night wanderer has no reply but a threatening stare BLUE JAY. 135 of indifference ; and as soon as opportunity offers, he quietly slips from his slandering company. Advantage in some coun- tries is taken of this dislike for the purpose of catching birds ; thus the ( )\vl, bfing let out of a box, sometimes makes a hoot, which instantly assembles a motley group, who are then caught by liming the neighboring twigs on which they perch. In this gossip the Jay and Crow are always sure to take part if within sight or hearing of the call, and are thus caught or destroyed at will. The common Jay is even fond of imitating the harsh voice of the Owl and the noisy Kestrel. 1 have also heard the Blue Jay mock with a taunting accent the ke no, ir 00, or quail- ing, of the Red-shouldered Hawk. Wilson likewise hearil him take singular satisfaction in teasing and mocking the little American Sparrow Hawk, and imposing upon him by the pre- tended plaints of a wounded bird ; in which frolic several would appear to join, until their sport sometimes ended in sudden consternation, by the Hawk, justly enough, pouncing on one of them as his legitimate and devoted prey. His talent for mimicry when domesticated is likewise so far capable of improvement as to enable him to imitate human sj^eech, articulating words with some distinctness ; and on hearing voices, like a Parrot, he would endeavor to contribute his important share to the tumult. Bewick remarks of the common Jay of Europe that he heard one so exactly counter- feit the action of a saw that, though on a Sunday, he could scarcely be persuaded but that some carpenter was at work. Another, unfortunately, rendered himself a serious nuisance by learning to hound a cur dog upon the domestic cattle, whistling and calling him by name, so that at length a serious accident occurring in consequence, the poor Jay was proscribed. One which I have seen in a state of domestication behaved with all the quietness and modest humility of Wilson's caged bird with a petulant companion. He seldom used his voice, came in to lodge in the house at night in any corner where he was little observed, but unfortunately perished by an accident before the completion of his education. The favorite food of this species is chestnuts, accns, and \ J U- if « i 'i 136 SINGING BIRDS. Indian corn or maize, the latter of which he breaks before swallowing. He also feeds occasionally on the larger insects and caterpillars, as well as orchard fruits, particularly cherries, and does not even refuse the humble fare of potatoes. In times of scarcity he falls upon carrion, and has been knou n to venture into the barn, through accidental openings ; when, as if sensible of the danger of purloining, he is active and silent, and if surprised, postponing his garrulity, he retreats with noiseless precipitation and with all the cowardice of a thief. The worst trait of his appetit*-, however, is his relish for the eggs of other birds, in quest of which he may frequently be seen prowling ; and with a savage cruelty he sometimes also devours the callow young, spreading the plaint of sorrow and alarm wherever he flits. The whole neighboring community of little birds, assembled at the cry of distress, sometimes, how- ever, succeed m driving off the ruthless plunderer, who, not always content with the young, has been seen to attack the old, though with dubious success ; but to the gallant and quarrel- some King Hird he submits like a coward, and driven to seek shelter, even on the ground, from the repeated blows of his antagonist, sneaks off well contented to save his life. Although a few of these birds are seen with us nearly through the winter, numbers, no doubt, make predatory excursions to milder regions, so that they appear somewhat abundant at this season in the South jm States ; yet they are known to rear their young from Canada to South Carolina, so that their migrations may be nothing more than journeys from the highlands towards the warmer and more productive sea-coast, or eastern frontier. East of the, Mississippi the Blue Jay has been rarely seen north of the 50th parallel. Note. — A smaller race, which differs also from true cristata in having less white on the tips of the secondaries and tail-feathers,' has been named the Florida Blue Jay (C cristata Jiorincola). It is found in Florida only. FLORIDA JAV. 1 37 FLORIDA JAV. Aphkukoma floridana. Char. Above, dull azure blue; back with patch of brownish gray ; throat and chest grayish white streaked with ashy ; l)elly, brownish gray. No crest , tail longer than wing. Length lo,^ to 12^ inches. Ntit. In low tree or thicket of bushes ; made of twigs and roots, lined with fine roots and moss. Eggs. 4-5 ; pale green or bluish gray, spotted with rufous and black ; I 10 X o 80. This elegant species is, as far as yet known, almost wholly confined to the interior of the mild peninsula of Kast Florida. In a tour through the lower parts of Cieorgia and West Florida, protracted to the middle of March, I saw none of these birds ; and at the approach of winter they even retire to the south of St. Augustine, as Mr. Ord did not meet with them until about the middle of February ; from that time, however, they were seen daily, flying low and hopping through the luxuriant thickets, or peeping from the dark branches of the live-oaks which adorn the outlet of the St. Juan. These birds appear to possess the usual propensities of their tribe, being quarrel- some, active, and garmlous. Their voice is less harsh than that of the common Blue Jay, and they have a variety of notes, some of which, probably imitations, are said to have a resem- blance to the song of the Thrush and the call of the common Jay. Only a single brood is r:iised in the season. Its food is very similar to that of the other species ; namely, berries, fruits, mast, and insects. It likewise collects snails from the marshy grounds, feeds largely on the seeds of the sword-palmetto ; and, in the manner of the Titmouse, it secures its food be- tween its feet, and breaks it into pieces previous to swallowing. Like other species of the genus, it destroys the eggs and young of small birds, despatching the latter by repeated blows on the head. It is also easily reconciled to the cage, and feeds on fresh or dried fruits and various kinds of nuts. Its attempts at mimicry in this state are very imperfect. .1 I ii m \ !:? m. A% •^ ^-^%<0^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I !f:iM IIM I ^ Ilia li: i& 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 |l.6 ■• 6" — ► '/ <^ 7] 4 inches. JVesi. In a tree ; large and loosely made of twigs and grass, lined with grass, hair, or feathers. ££g's. 3-5 ; bluish white spotted with lilac and brown ; 0.85 X 0.60. This common native wanderer, which in summer extends its migrations to the remotest unpeopled regions of Canada, is also found throughout the American continent to Mexico, and parties even roam to the tropical forests of Cayenne. In all this extensive geographical range, where great elevation or latitude tempers the climate so as to be favorable to the production of juicy fruits, the Cedar Bird will probably be found either almost wholly to reside, or to pass the season of reproduction. Like its European representative (the Waxen Chatterer), it is capable of braving a consider.ble degree of cold ; for in Penn- sylvania and New Jersey somt of these birds are seen through- cut the winter, where, as well as in the early part of the summer and fall, they are killed and brought to market, gen- erally fat, and much esteemed as food. Silky softness of plumage, gentleness of disposition, innocence of character, extreme sociability, and an innate, inextinguishable love of freedom, accompanied by a constant desire of wandering, are characteristic traits in the physical and moral portrait of the second as well as the preceding species of this peculiar and extraordinary genus. Leaving the northern part of the continent, situated beyond the 40th degree, at the approach of winter, they assemble in companies of twenty to a hundred, and wander through the Southern States and Mexico to the confines of the equator, in all of whi dant. As and often in flocks As the m food, they the begin fruits, the pay the g they fail i mies whic various ir at a time worms wl casions, i dressing 1 the numb ment api and caret which, h( Raven, t different demonsti would ki bird scar they are incubati( of sexua an eye-1 these bii it to his it to the has pro priated. sociabil tion wi cause 1 CEDAR WAXWING. 155 all of which countries they are now either common or abun- dant. As observed by Audubon, their flight is easy, continued, and often performed at a considerable height ; and they move in flocks or companies, making several turns before they alight. As the mildness of spring returns, and with it their favorite food, they reappear in the Northern and Eastern States about the beginning of April, before the ripening of their favorite fruits, the cherries and mulberries. But at this season, to re- pay the gardener for the tithe of his crop, their natural due, they fail not to assist in ridding his trees of more deadly ene- mies which infest them, and the small caterpillars, beetles, and various insects now constitute their only food ; and for hours at a time they may be seen feeding on the all-despoiling canker- worms which infest our apple-trees and elms. On these oc- casions, silent and sedate, after plentifully feeding, they sit dressing their feathers in near contact on the same branch to the number of 5 or 6 ; and as the season of selective attach- ment approaches, they may be observed nluming each other, and caressing with the most gentle fondness, — a playfulness in which, however, they are even surpassed by the contemned Raven, to which social and friendly family our Cedar Bird, different as he looks, has many traits of alliance. But these demonstrations of attachment, which in a more vigorous kind would kindle the feud of jealousy, apparently produce in this bird scarcely any diminution of the general social tie ; and as they are gregarious to so late a period of the inviting season of incubation, this affection has been supposed to be independent of sexual distinction. This friendly trait is carried so far that an eye-witness assures me he has seen one among a row of these birds seated upon a branch dart after an insect, and offer it to his associate when caught, who very disinterestedly passed it to the next, and each delicately declining the offer, the morsel has proceeded backwards and forwards before it was appro- priated. Whatever may be the fact, as it regards this peculiar sociability, it frequently facilitates the means of their destruc- tion with the thoughtless and rapacious sportsman, who, be- cause many of these unfortunate birds can be killed in an ^r MnnMn* 156 SINGING BIRDS. instant, sitting in the same range, thinks the exercise of the gun must be credited only by the havoc which it produces against a friendly, useful, and innocent visitor. Towards the close of May or beginning of June the Cherry Birds, now paired, commence forming the cradle of their young ; yet still so sociable are they that several nesis may be observed in the same vicinity. The materials and trees chosen for their labors are various, as well as the general markings of their eggs. Two nests, in the Botanic Garden at Cambridge, were formed in small hemlock-trees, at the distance of 1 6 or 1 8 feet from the ground, in the forks of the main branches. One of these was composed of dry, coarse grass, interwoven r>vjghly with a considerable quantity of dead hemlock sprigs, further con- nected by a small quantity of silk-weed lint, and lined with a few strips of thin grape-vine bark, and dry leaves of the silver fir. In the second nest the lining was merely fine root- fibres. On the 4th of June this nest contained 2 eggs, — the whole number is generally about 4 or 5 ; these are of the usual form (not remarkable for any disproportion of the two ends), of a pale clay white, inclining to olive, with a few well-defined black or deep umber spots at the great end, and with others seen, as it were, beneath the surface of the shell. Two or three other nests were made in the apple-trees of an adjoining orchard, one in a place of difficult access, the othei on a de- pending branch easily reached by the hand. These were securely fixed horizontally among the ascending twigs, and were formed externally of a mass of dry, wiry weeds, the materials being firmly held together by a large quantity of cudweed down, in some places softened v/ith glutinous saliva so as to be formed into coarse, connecting shreds. The round edge of the nest was made of coils of the wiry stolons of a common Cinquefoil then lined with exceedingly fine root-fibres; over the whole, to give elasticity, were laid fine stalks of a slender Juncus, or minute rush. In these nests the eggs were, as de- scribed by Wilson (except as to form), marked with smaller and more numerous spots than the preceding. From the late- ness of the autumn, at which period incubation is still going on, it v/o have at 1 of Septe The peri young ar the parei those wh still, they result, an pears, caterpilla like the such as ries, etc. hemlock, some me; however, and was 1 cherries ; mate in t his natuK feathers ^ ages, sho^ or sex; i during th impatient self to tl often fed. and the 0 I now su( descend e food ; bu and appe came sek of tze tze i When yoi and te-dii CEDAR W.\XWING. 157 on, it v/ould appear that this species is very prolific, and must have at least two hatches in the season ; for as late as the 7th of September a brood, in this vicinity, were yet in the nest. The period of sitting is about 15 or 16 days; and while the young are still helpless, it is surprising to witness the silence of the parents, uttering no cries, nor making any approaches to those who may endanger or jeopard the safety of their brood ; still, they are flying round, and silently watching the dreaded result, and approach the nest the moment the intruder disap- pears. They feed the young, at t.rst, with insects and smooth caterpillars ; but at the end of the 3d or 4th day they are fed, like the old ones, almost exclusively on sweet and juicy fruits, such as whortle and service berries, wild and cultivated cher- ries, etc. A young bird from one of the nests described, in the hemlock, was thrown upon my protection, having been by some means ejected from his cradle. In this critical situation, however, he had been well fed, or rather gorged, with berries, and was merely scratched by the fall he had received. Fed on cherries and mulberries, he was soon well fledged, while his mate in the nest was suffered to perish by the forgetfulness of his natural protectors. Coeval with the growth of his wing- feathers were already seen the remarkable red waxen append- ages, showing that their appearance indicates no particular age or sex; many birds, in fact, being without these ornaments during their whole lives. I soon found my interesting protege impatient of the cage and extremely voracious, gorging him- self to the very mouth with the soft fmits on which he was often fed. The throat, in fact, like a craw, admits of distention, and the contents are only gradually passed off* into the stomach. I now suffered the bird to fly at large, and for several days he descended from the trees, in which he perched, to my arm for food ; but the moment he was satisfied, he avoided the cage, and appeared unable to sui-vive the loss of liberty. He new came seldomer to me, and finally joined the lisping muster-cry of tze tze tze, and was enticed away by more attractive associates. When young, nature provided i im with a loud, impatient voice, and te-didf U-did, kai-tcdtd (often also the clamorous cry of 158 SINGIN'; BIRDS. the young Baltimore), was his deafening and almost incessant call for food. Another young bird of the first brood, probably neglected, cried so loud and plaintively to a male Baltimore Bird in the same tree that he coL^m;-nced feeding it. Mr. Winship, of Brighton, informs me that one of the young Cedar Birds, who frequented the front of his house in quest of honey- suckle berries, at length, on receiving food (probably also abandoned by his roving parents), threw himself wholly on his protection. At large day and night, he still regularly attended the dessert of the dinner-table for his portion of fruit, and re- mained steadfast in his attachment to Mr. W. till killed hy an accident, being unfortunately trodden under foot. Though harmless, exceedingly gentle and artless, they make some show of defence when attacked ; as a second bird which I brought up, destitute of the red appendages on the wings, when threatened elevated his crest, looked angry, and repeat- edly snapped with his bill. Almost all kinds of sweet berries are sought for food by the American Waxen-wing. In search of whortle-berries, they retire in Pennsylvania to the western mountain-chains of the Alleghany range ; and in autumn, until the approach of winter, they are equally attached to the berries of the Virginia juniper, as well as those of the sour-gum tree and the wax-myrtle. They also feed late in the season on ripe persimmons, small winter-grapes, bird-cherries, the fruit of the pride of China, and other fruits. The kernels and seeds of these, uninjured by the action of the stomach, are strewed about, and thus acci- dentally planted in abundance wherever these birds frequent. Like their prototype, the preceding species, the migrations, and time and place of breeding, are influenced by their supply of food. In the spring of 183 1 they arrived in this vicinity as usual ; but in consequence of the failure of cherries, scarcely any were bred, and very few were either to be heard or seen in the vicinity. In parts of New England this bird is known by the name of the Canada Robin ; and by the French Cana- dians it is fancifully called Recoliet, from the color of its crest resembling that of the hood of this religious order. Char. A1 fine wavy lin tail black ti] white. Len{ Nest. In grass, lined \ 1.05 X 0.75- This littj this part 0 few remain their wand and are n( March the summer ab England, fork of a si externally ( feathers. NORTHERN SHRIKE. BUTCHER BIRD. Lanius borealis. Char. Above, bluish ash, paler on rump ; under parts dull white, with fine wavy lines of brownish gray ; bar on side of head black ; wings and tail bla;:k tipped with white; white patch on wing; outer tail feathers white. Length g}4 to lo^ inches. JVesf. In a tree or low bush ; large and roughly made of sticks and grass, lined with leaves or feathers. JS^^s. 4-6 ; dull gray with green tint, spotted with lilac and brown ; I -OS X 0.75. This little ;vary Northern hunter is most commonly seen in this part of the continent at the commencement of winter, a few remaining with us throughout that season. They extend their wanderings, according to Audubon, as far as Natchez, and are not uncommon in Kentucky in severe winters. In March they retire to the North, though some take up their summer abode in the thickest forests in Pennsylvania and New England. The nest is said to be large and ccmpact, in the fork of a small tree, and sometimes in an apple-tree, composed externally of dried grass, with whitish moss, and well lined with feathers. The eggs are about 6, of a pale cinereous white, i6o SINGING BIRDS. thickly marked at the greater end with spots and streaks of rufous. The period of sitting is about 15 days. The young appear early in June or the latter end of May. The principal food of this species is large insects, such as grasshoppers, crickets, and spiders. With the surplv e former, as well as small birds, he disposes in a very suigular manner, by impaling them upon thorns, as if thus providing securely for a future supply of provision. In the abundance, however, which surrounds him in the ample store-house of Nature, he soon loses sight of this needless and sportive econ- omy, and, like the thievish Pie and Jay, he suffers his forgotten store to remain drying and bleaching in the elements till no longer palatable or digestible. As this little Butcher, like his more common European representative, preys upon birds, these impaled grasshoppers were imagined to be lures to attract his victims ; but his courage and rapacity render such snares both useless and improbable, as he has been known, with the temerity of a Falcon, to follow a bird into an open cage sooner than lose his quarry. Mr. J. Brown, of Cambridge, informs me that one of these birds had the boldness to attack two Canaries in a cage, suspended one fine winter's day at the window. The poor songsters in their fears fluttered to the side of the cage, and one of them thrust his head through the bars of his prison ; at this instant the wily Butcher tore off his head, and left the body dead in the cage. The cause of the accident seemed wholly mysterious, till on the following day the bold hunter was found to have entered the room, through the open window, with a view to despatch the remaining victim ; and but for timely interference it would have instantly shared the fate of its companion. On another occasion, while a Mr. Lock in this vicinity was engaged in fowling, he wounded a Robin, who flew to a little distance and descended to the ground ; he soon heard the disabled bird uttering unusual cries, and on approach- ing found him in the grasp of the Shrike. He snatched up the bird from its devourer; but having tasted blood, it still fol- lowed, as if determined not to relinquish its proposed prey, and only desisted from the quest on receiving a mortal wound. The prop practised ( afterwards From h in Canada called a A ing specie: hinge ; an( quacking ( decoy fow informed rather cha view to en their prey however b So corr Mocking 1 that it is heard one warble res season, an Catbird, also moun his decept them with and his gr The par their subsi male boldl fence, and The But grating in Dr. Arth a female si quite a mir VOL. I. NORTHERN SHRIKE. i6i The propensity for thus singularly securing its prey is also practised on birds, which it impales in the same manner, and afterwards tears them to pieces at leisure. From his attempts to imitate the notes of other small birds, in Canada and some parts of New England he is sometimes called a Mocking Bint His usual note, like that of the follow- ing species, resembles the discordant creaking of a sign-board hinge ; and my friend Mr. IJrown has heard one mimicking the quacking of his Ducks, so that they answered to him as to a decoy fowl. They also imitate other birds, and I have been informed that they sing pretty well themselves at times, or rather chatter, and mimic the songs of other birds, as if with a view to entice them into sight, for the purpose of making them their prey. This fondness for imitation, as in the Pies, may however be merely the result of caprice. So complete at times is the resemblance between the Mocking Bird {Mimus pollyglottus) and this species of Lanius, that it is difficult to distinguish them apart. I have lately heard one (November loth, 1833), employed in a low and soft warble resembling that of the Song Sparrow at the present season, and immediately after his note changed to that of the Catbird. Like that pre-eminent minstrel, the Orpheus, he also mounts to the topmost spray of some lofty tree to display his deceptive talent and mislead the small birds so as to bring them within his reach. His attitudes are also light and airy, and his graceful, flowing tail is kept in fantastic motion. The parents and their brood move in company in quest of their subsistence, and remain together the whole season. The male boldly attacks even the Hawk or the Eagle in their de- fence, and with such fury that they generally decline the onset. The Butcher Bird breeds from 'about latitude 50° northward, mi- grating in winter south to the Potomac and Ohio valleys. Dr. Arthur Chadbourne, of Cambridge, reports that he has heard a female sing, and describes her as " an unusually fine singer and quite a mimic." VOL. I. II ! ■ 1 62 SINGING BIRDS. l<^ LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. LaMUS l.UDOVICIANUS. Char. Above, bluish ash, generally not much paler on rump ; under parts pure white, rarely any lines of gray; flanks tinged with gray; forehead and side of head black ; wings and tail black tipped with white ; white patch on wings ; outer tail feathers white. Length 8>i to g}^ inches. Distinguished from jorea/is by smaller size and by the black forehead and white under-parts. M-st. In a tree ; roughly made of twigs and grass, lined with leaves and feathers. £i;xs. 4-6 ; dull gray with green tint spotted with lilac and brown ; 0.95 X 0.70. This species principally inhabits the warmer parts of the United States, residing and breeding from North Carolina to Florida, where I have observed it likewise in winter. It was also seen in the table- land of Mexico by that enterprising natu- ralist and collector, Mr. Bullo< k, and my friend Mr. T. Town- send found it in the Rocky Mountain range and in the territory of Oregon. According to Audubon it 'effects the low countries, being seldom met with in the mountainous districts. Its habits are shy and retiring, and it renders itself useful, and claims protection by destroying mice around the planta- tion, for which it sits and watches near the rice-stacks for hours together, seldom failing of its prey as soon as it appears. Like most of the genus, it is also well satisfied with large in- sects, crickets, and grasshoppers, which like the preceding species it often impales. In the breeding-season, according to Dr. Bachman, it has a song which bears some resemblance to that of the young Brown Thrush ; and though very irregular, the notes are not unpleasing. At other times its discordant call may almost be compared to the creaking of a sign-board in windy weather; it probably has also the usual talent for mimicry. The pairs mate about March, at which time the male frequently feeds the female, and shows great courage in defending his nest from the intrusion of other birds. The nest LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. »63 is, according to Dr. Bachman, usually made in the outer limbs of a tree such as the live-oak or sweet-gum, and often on a cedar 15 to 30 feet from the ground. It is coarsely made of dry crooked twigs, and lined with root-fibres and slender grass. The eggs, 3 to 5, are greenish white. Incubation is per- formed by both sexes in turn, but each bird procures its own food in the intervals. They rear two broods in the season. Its manners resemble those of a Hawk; it sits silent and watchful until it espies its prey on the ground, when it pounces upon it, and strikes first with the bill, in the manner of small birds, seizing the object immediately after in its claws ; but it seldom attacks birds except when previously wounded. The Loggerhead is now said to be restricted to the southern portion of the Eastern States north to Ohio and southern Illinois; but birds have been found breeding in Vermont, Maine, and New Brunswick that resembled true ludovicianus more than excubito- rides^ to which variety some authorities have referred them. Note. — The White-rumped Shrike (Z. ludovicianus excu- bitorides) is a pale form, usually restricted to the Western plains, but ranging occasionally through the region of the Great Lakes, east to northern New England and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. ti \\ ,0^ REDSTART. SETt>PHAr.A RUTICILL.4. Char. Male: lustrous bUie-black ; belly white; patch on sides of bioast, basal half of wing-quills and of tail, "orange red. Female: the black of the male replaced by olive brown, the red replaced by dull yellow. Young males like female, but gradually changing to full plumage. i?ill and feet black. Length 5 to 5^^ inches. AV.f/ An exceedinjily graceful and compact structure saddled on a branch, or supi)orted by forked twigs of a sapling, from 5 to 20 feet from the ground. It is comi)oscd of a variety of materials, in this region most commonly of grass and vegetable fibres lined with fine grass or horse- hair. /r;3,'J. 4-s ; dull white, spotted chiefly around the larger end with brown and lilac ; 0.65 X 0.50 This beautiful and curious bird takes up its summer resi- dence in almost every part of the North American continent, being found in Canada, in the remote interior near Red River in the latitude of 49 degrees, throughout Louisiana, Arkansas, and the maritime parts of Mexico ; in nil of which vast coun- tries it familiarly breeds and resides during the mild season, withdrawing early in September to tropical America, where, in. the perpetual spring and summer of the larger West India islands, the species again find mtans of support. At length, instigated by more powerful feelings than those of ordinary want, the male, now clad in his beautiful nuptial livery, and accompanied by his mate, seeks anew the friendly but far distant natal regions of his race. In no haste, the playful REDSTART. 165 Redstart does not appear in Pennsylvania until late in April. The month of May, about the close of the first week, ushers his arrival into the States of New lOngland ; but in Louisiana he is seen as early as the beginning of March. He is no i)en- sioner upon the bounty of man. Though sometimes seen, on his first arrival, in the darkest part of the orchard or garden, or by the meandering brook, he seeks to elude observation, and now, the great object of his migrations having arrivetlj he retires with his mate to the thickest of the sylvan shade. Like his relative Sylvias, he is full of life and in perpetual motion. He does not, like the loitering Pewee, wait the accidental ap- proach of his insect prey, but carrying the war amongst them, he is seen flitting from bough to bough, or at times pursuing the flying troop of winged insects fn^m the top of the tallest tree in a zig-zag, hawk- like, descending flight, to the ground, while the clicking of ihe bill declares distinctly both his object and success. Then alighting on some atljoining branch, in- tently watching with his head extended, he runs along upon it for an instant or two, flirting like a fan his expanded, brilliant tail from side to side, and again suddenly shoots off like an arrow in a new direction, after the fresh g une he has discov- ered in the distance, and for which he ajjpeared to be recon- noitring. At first the males are seen engaged in active strife, pursuing each other in wide circles through the forest. The female seeks out her prey with less action and flirting, and in her manners resembles the ordinary Sylvias. The notes of the male, though not possessed of great com- pass, are highly musical, and at times sweet and agreeably varied like those of the Warblers. Many of these tones, as they are mere trills of harmony, cannot be recalled by any words. Their song on their first arrival is however nearly uiiiform, and greatly resembles the 'tsh 'tsh tsh tshee, fshd, tshe^ ts/ic tshea, or 'tsh Ush ^tsh 'tshitshee of the summer Yellow Bird {Sylvia a-stiva), uttered in a piercing and rather slender tone ; now and then also agreeably varied with a somewhat plaintive flowing 'tshe tshi' tshdj or a more agreeable 7j///V Vj/'/V a 'tshee, given almost in the tones of the common Yellow Bird {Frini^lla fristis). I 166 SINGING BIRDS. have likewise heard individuals warble out a variety of sweet and tender, trilling, rather loud and shrill notes, so superior to the ordinary lay of incubation that the performer would scarcely be supposed the same bird. On some occasions the male also, when angry or alarmed, utters a loud and snapping chirp. The nest of this elegant Sylvan Flycatcher is very neat and substantial, fixed occasionally near the forks of a slender hickory or beech sapling, but more generally fastened or agglu- tinated to the depending branches or twigs of the former; sometimes securely seated amidst the stout footstalks of the waving foliage in the more usual manner of the delicate cradle of the Indian Tailor Bird, but in the deep and cool shade of the forest, instead of the blooming bower. Both parents, but par- ticularly the male, exhibit great concern for the safety of their nest, whether containing eggs only or young, and on its being approached, the male will flit about within a few feet of the invader, regardless of his personal safety, and exhibiting unequi- vocal marks of distress. The parents also, in their solicitude and fear, keep up an incessant */s/iip when their infant brood are even distantly approached. Nuttall classed the Redstart with the Flycatchers, as some of its habits — such as darting from a perch, and capturing insects while on the wing — are typical of that family ; but the more mod- ern systematists class it with the Wood Warblers, dant summer resident of this eastern province, It is an abun- breeding from about the valley of the Potomac to southern Labrador. HOODED WARBLER. Sylvania mitrata. Char. Male : above, yellow olive ; beneath, rich yellow ; sides shaded with pale olive ; head and neck black, enclosing a wide band o£ yellow across forehead nd through eyes; tail with patch of white on two or three outer tail-feahers. Bill black, feet flesh-color. Female: similar to male, but sometimes lacking the black, in which specimens the crown is olive and the throat yellow. Nest. In a low bush ; nude of leaves and vegetable fibre, lined with grass or horse-hair. Eggs. 4-5 ; creamy white, spotted chiefly around the larger end with brown and lilac; 0.70 x 0.53. This beautiful and singularly marked summer species, com- mon in the South, is rarely seen to the north of the State of Maryland. It retires to Mexico or the West Indies proba- bly to pass the winter. At Savannah, in Georgia, it arrives from the South about the 20th of March, according to Wilson. It is partial to low and shady situations darkened with under- wood, is frequent among the cane-brakes of Tennessee and Mississippi, and is exceedingly active, and almost perpetually engaged in the pursuit of winged insects. While thus em- ployed, it now and then utters three loud, and not unmusical, very lively notes, resembling the words, twee twee 'twtttshe. In its simple song and general habits it therefore much resem- bles the summer Yellow Bird. Its neat and compact nest is generally fixed in the fork of a small bush, formed outwardly of moss and flax, lined with hair, and sometimes feathers ; the ! 1 68 SINGING BIRDS. eggs, about 5, are grayish white, with reddish spots towards the great end. The Hooded Warbler is a Southern species, but is a regular summer resident of the Connecticut valley, and has been found breeding near Cleveland, Ohio, and in southern Michigan. It is said to be more abundant in South Carolina than elsewhere. Note. — The Small-headed Flycatcher {Wilsonia minuta and Sylvia minuta of Wilson anc Audubon) was given a place in the "Manual" by Nuttall, who alleged to have seen the species. Not having been found by any of the more modern observers, it has been omitted from many recent works. It was placed on the " hypo- thetical list " by the A. O. A. committee, but has been ag..in brought forward by Ridgeway, in his "Manual." Wilson stated that he saw it in New Jersey; Audubon said he shot one in Kentucky; and Nuttall's examples were in Massachusetts. As the birds were seen by Nuttall only " at the approach of winter," it is probable they were the young of the year of some of the more northern breed- ing species. WILSON'S WARBLER. WILSON'S BLACK CAP. Sylvania PUSILLA. Char. Above, olive ; crown black ; forehead, cheeks, and entire under parts yellow. Female and young duller, and black cap often obscure, sometimes lacking. Length, 4^ to 5 inches. Nest. On the ground, in a bushy swamp, or on branch of low bush ; of twigs and vegetable fibre lined with moss or fine grass. Eggs. 4-6; white spotted with brown and lavender; 0.60 X 0.50. This remarkable species of sylvan Flycatcher was first ob- served by Wilson in New Jersey and Delaware as a transitory bird of passage. Audubon has noticed it in Labrador and Newfoundland, where it was breeding, and it is not uncommon in the State of Maine. He also saw it in his way to Texas early in April. It begins to migrate from Newfoundland about the middle of August, and is seen in Maine in October. Mr. Townsend and myself had the pleasure of observing the WILSON'S WARBLER. 169 arrival of the little cheerful songsters in the wilds of Oregon about the first week of May, where these birds commonly take up their summer residence, and seem almost the counterpart of our brilliant and cheerful Yellow Birds {Sylvia cestiva)^ tuning their lay to the same brief and lively ditty, like Ush 'tsh 'tsh tshea, or something similar ; their call, however, is more brief and less loud. They were rather familiar and unsuspicious, kept in bushes more than trees, particularly in the thickets which bordered the Columbia, busily engaged collecting their insect fare, and only varying their employment by an occasional and earnest warble. By the 1 2 th of May they were already feed- ing their full-fledged young, though I also found a nest on the 1 6th of the same month, containing 4 eggs, and just commen- cing incubation. The nest was in the branch of a small service bush, laid very adroitly as to concealment upon an accidental mass of old moss {Usnea) that had fallen from a tree above. It was made chiefly of ground moss {Hypniini) , with a thick lining of dry, wiry, slender grass. The female, when ap- proached, went off" slyly, running along the ground like a mouse. The eggs are very similar to those of the summer Yellow Bird, sprinkled with spots of pale olive brown, inclined to be disposed in a ring at the greater end, as observed by Mr. Audubon in a nest which he found in Labrador made in a dwarf fir, also made of moss and slender fir-twigs. Wilson's Black Cap is a regular, though not common, summer resident of northern New England, breeding chiefly north of the United States. It is not uncommon in the Maritime Provinces, and fairly common as a migrant about Montreal, but is rarely seen in Ontario, though abundant in Ohio. ^ i; r 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. POLIOPTILA C^RULEA. Char. Male: above, bluish gray, darker on head, paler on rump; forehead and line over the eye black ; beneath, pale bluish white ; wings dusky; tail longer than the body, the outer feathers partly white. Fe- male : similar to the male, but lacking the black on head. Length 4}i to 5 inches. A^est. A graceful, cup-shaped structijre, saddled on limb of a tree 15 or 20 feet from the ground ; composed of felted plant fibre ornamented externally with lichens and lined with feathers. E,ii,'-gs. 3-5; bluish white, speckled with bright brown; 0.55 X 0.45. But for the length of the tail, this would rank among the most diminutive of birds. It is a very dexterous, lively insect- hunter, and keeps commonly in the tops of tall trees; its motions are rapid and incessant, appearing always in quest of its prey, darting from bough to bough with hanging wings and elevated tail, uttering only at limes a feeble song of /ses /see tsee, scarcely louder than the squeak of a mouse. It arrives in the State of Pennsylvania from the South about the middle of April, and seldom passes to the north of the States of New York and Ohio, though others, following the course of the large rivers, pen- etrate into Kentucky, Indiana, and Arkansas. Its first visits are paid to the blooming willows along the borders of water- courses, and besides other small insects it now preys on the troublesome mosquitoes. About the beginning of May it forms its nest, which is usually fixed among twigs, at the height of 10, or sometimes even 50, feet from the ground, near the summit \ BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 171 of a forest tree. It is formed of slij^ht materials; such as the scales of buds, stems and parts of fallen leaves, withered blos- soms, fern down, and the silky fibres of various plants, lined with a few horsehairs, and coated externally with lichens. In this frail nest the Cow Troopial sometimes deposits her egg, and leaves her offspring to the care of these affectionate and pigmy nurses. In this case, as with the Cuckoo in the nest of the Yellow Wren and that of the Red-tailed Warbler, the egg is probably conveyed by the parent, and placed in this small and slender cradle, which would not be able to sustain the weight or receive the body of the intruder. Though classed with the Flycatchers by Nuttall and other writers of his day, this species is now ranked as one of the highest types of the Oscines, or Singing Birds, and a sub-family has been made for this and the two Western forms. Mr. William Saunders finds the present species fairly common near London, Ontario, but it is only casual in Massachusetts, and is rarely seen north of latitude 42°. It winters in the Gulf States and southward. I 0 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. ICTERIA VIRENS. Char. Above, olive ; lores black ; throat and breast rich yellow ; belly white. Length 7 to 8 inches. Nest. In a thicket 2 or 3 feet from the ground ; of dried leaves, strips of bark, or grass lined with fine grass or fibres. Eggs. 3-4; white, with pink tint, spotted with brown and lilac ; 0.90 X 0.70. This remarkable bird is another summer resident of the United States which passes the winter in tropical America, being found in Guiana and Brazil, so that its migrations prob- ably extend indifferently into the milder regions of both hemispheres. Even the birds essentially tropical are still known to migrate to different distances on either side the equator, so essential and necessary is this wandering habit to almost all the feathered race. The Icteria arrives in Pennsylvania about the first week in May, and does not usually appear to proceed farther north and east than the States of New \ork or Connecticut. To the west it is found in Kentucky, and ascends the Ohio to the borders of Lake Erie. In the distant interior, however, near the Rocky Mountains, towards the sources of the Arkansas, this bird was observed by Mr. Say, and Mr. Townsend saw it YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. 173 at Walla-Walla, on the Columbia, breeding in the month of June. It retires to the south about the middle of August, or as soon as the only brood it raises are fitted to undertake their distant journey. The males, as in many other migrating birds, who are not continually paired, arrive several days before the females. As soon as our bird has chosen his retreat, which is commonly in some thorny or viny thicket where he can obtain concealment, he becomes jealous of his assumed rights and resents the least intrusion, scolding all who approach in a variety of odd and uncouth tones very difficult to describe or imitate, except by a whistling, in which case the bird may be made to approach, but seldom within sight. His responses on such occasions are constant and rapid, expressive of anger and anxiety ; and still unseen, his voice shifts from place to place amidst the thicket. Some of these notes resemble the whistling of the wings of a flying duck, at first loud and rapid, then sinking till they seem to end in single notes. A succession of other tones are now heard, some like the barking of young puppies, with a variety of hollow, guttural, uncommon sounds frequently repeated, and terminated occasionally by something like the mewing of a cat, but hoarser, — a tone to which all our Vireos, particularly the young, have frequent recurrence. All these notes are uttered with vehemence, and v.'th such strange and various modulations as to appear near or distant, like the manoeuvres of ventriloquism. In mild weather also, when the moon shines, this exuberant gabbling is heard nearly throughout the night, as if the performer was disputing with the echoes of his own voice. Soon after their arrival, or about the middle of May, the Icterias begin to build, fixing the nest commonly in a bramble- bush, in an interlaced thicket, a vine, or small cedar, 4 or 5 feet from the ground. The young are hatched in the short period of 1 2 days, and leave the nest about the second week in June. While the female is sitting, the cries of the male are still more loud and incessant. He now braves concealment, and at times mounts into the air almost perpendicularly 30 174 SINGING BIRDS. or 40 feet, with his legs hanging down, and descending as he rose, by repeated jerks, he seems to be in a paroxysm of fear and anger. The usual mode of flying is not, however, different from fhat of other birds. Th(; food of the Icteria consists of beetles and other shelly insects; and as the summer advances, they feed on various kinds of berries, like the Flycatchers, and seem particularly fond of whortleberries. They are frequent through the Middle States, in hedges, thickets, and near rivulets and watery situations. This Chat is now found regularly in Connecticut and northern Ohio, and sparingly in Massachusetts. A few examples have been taken in New Hampshire and southern Ontario. YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. ViREO FLAVIFRONS. Char. Above, rich olive, shading to ashy gray on the rump; line across the forehead and around the eyes yellow ; throat and breast rich yellow ; belly white, sides shaded with pale olive ; wings dusky with two white bars; tail dusky, the feathers edged with white. Length 5 to 6 inches. JVesf. In woods or orchard ; suspended from fork of branch 5 to 30 feet from the ground (usually about 10 feet) ; a graceful and compact structure of grass and strips of bark covered with lichens a.^u lined with grass or pine needles. Eg'gs. 3-5 ; white with roseate tint, thickly spotted around the large end with shades of brown ; 0.80 X 0.60. This species of Vireo, or Warbling Flycatcher, visits the Middle and Northern States of the Union about the beginning of May or as soon as his insect food allows him a means of subsistence. He resides chiefly in the forests, where he hunts his tiny prey among the high branches ; and as he shifts from twig to twig in restless pursuit, he often relieves his toil with a somewhat sad and indolent note, which he repeats, with some variation, at short intervals. This song appears like 'preea ^preed, etc., and it sometimes finishes with a complaining call VELLOW-THROATED VIREO. 175 ' ^ of recognition, *prreaigh ^prrSaigh. These syllables rise and fall in different tones as they are repeated, but though usually sweet and impressive, are delivered too slow and solemn to be generally pleasing. In other respects they considerably resem- ble the song of the Red- Eyed Warbling Flycatcher, in whose company it is often heard, blending its deep but languid warble with the loud, energetic notes of the latter ; and their united music, uttered during summer, even at noonday, is rendered peculiarly agreeable, as nearly all the songsters of the grove are now seeking a silent shelter from the sultry heat. In the warmest weather the lay of this bird is indeed peculiarly strong and lively ; and his usually long-drawn, almost plaintive notes, are now delivered in fine succession, with a peculiar echoing and impressive musical cadence, appearing like a romantic and tender revery of delight. The song, now almost incessant, heard from this roving sylvan minstrel is varied in bars nearly as follows : pred prcd preoiy preait preoit f rriweet preeai, pewai praiou, preeai prcco praoit, preeo prcdwit preeoo. When irritated, he utters z very loud and hoarse mewing pra'igh pra'tgh. As soon, however, as the warm weather begins to decline, and the business of incubation is finished, about the beginning of August, this sad and slow but interesting musician nearly ceases his song, a few feeble farewell notes only being heard to the first week in September. This species, like the rest of the genus, constructs a very beautiful pendulous nest about 3 inches deep and 2)^ in diameter. One, which I now more particularly describe, is suspended from the forked twig of an oak in the near neigh- borhood of a dwelling-house in the country. It is attached firmly all round the curving twigs by which it is supported ; the stoutest external materials or skeleton of the fabric is formed of interlaced folds of thin strips of red cedar bark, connected very intimately by coarse threads and small masses of the silk of spiders' nests and of the cocoons of large moths. These threads are moistened by the glutinous saliva of the bird. Among these external materials are also blended fine blades of dry grass. The inside is thickly u.-dded with this t J: 176 SINGING BIRDS. last material and fine root- fibres ; but the finishing layer, as if to preserve elasticity, is of rather coarse grass-stalks. Exter- nally the nest is coated over with green lichen, attached very artfully by slender strings of caterpillars' silk, and the whole afterwards tied over by almost invisible threads of the same, so as to appear as if glued on ; and the entire fabric now resem- bles an accidental knot of the tree grown over with moss. The food of this species during the summer is insects, but towards autumn they and their young feed also on various small berries. About the middle of September the whole move off and leave the United States, probably to winter in tropical America. Nuttall followed the older authors in naming the forest as the favorite haunt of this species. Later observers consider that it frequents orchards and fields quite as much as the woods, and it is reported as common in the gardens near Boston. It occurs throughout the New England and Middle States as far west as Iowa, and in Manitoba, where it is common. It has not been found in the Maritime Provinces, but is common near Montreal and in Ontario. BLUE-HEADED VIREO. SOLITARY VIREO. ViREO SOLITARRJS. Char. Above, bright olive; line from nostril to and around the eyes whitish ; crown and sides of head bluish ash ; beneath, white, sides and flanks shaded with olive and yellow; wings dusky with two bars of yellowish white ; tail dusky, feathers edged with white. Length ^.06 inches. A'est. Suspended from fork of branch of low tree or bush ; composed of grass or vegetable fibre, ornamented with moss or lichens, lined with grass and plant down. Eisgs. Creamy white, spotted, in wreath around larger end, with bright brown ; 0.80 X 0.50. This is one of the rarest species of the genus, and from Georgia to Pennsylvania seems only as a straggler or acci- dental visitor. BLUE-HEADED VIREO. 177 ■ It possesses all the unsuspicious habits of the genus, allow- ing a ne.r approach without alarm. It seldom rises beyond the tops of the canes or low bushes amidst which it is com- monly seen hopping in quest of its subsistence, which consists of insects and berries. Its flight is generally tremulous and agitated. According to Dr. Bachman, " it is every year be- coming more abundant in South Carolina, where it remains from about the middle of February to that of March, keeping to the woods. It has a sweet and loud song of half a dozen notes, heard at a considerable distance." About the beginning of May, in the oaks already almost wholly in leaf, on the banks of the Columbia, we heard around us the plaintive deliberate warble of this species, first noticed by Wilson. Its song seems to be intermediate between that of the Red-eyed and Yellow-breasted species, having the />reat\ preaiy etc., of the latter, and the fine variety of the former ia its tones. It darted about in the tops of the trees, incessantly- engaged in quest of food, now and then disputing with some rival. The nest of this bird is made much in the same manner as that of the Vireo olivaceiis. One which I examined was suspended from the forked twig of the wild crab- tree, at about ten feet from the ground. The chief materials were dead and whitened grass leaves, with some cobwebs agglutinated together, externally scattered with a few shreds of moss {Hypnum), to resemble the branch on which it was hung; here and there were also a few of the white paper- like cap- sules of the spider's nest, and it was lined with fine blades of grass and slender root ribres. The situation, as usual, was open but shady. This is a fairly common summer resident of northern New England, and it breeds sparingly south to the Middle States, and north to Hudson's Bay. It is a rare bird in the Maritime Prov- inces and in Quebec, though common in parts of Ontario. Note. — The Mountain Solitary Vireo ( V. solitarius alti- cola), lately discovered by Mr. William Brewster in western North Carolina, is described as " nearly uniform blackish plumbeous, with only a faint tinge of green on the back." VOL. I. — 12 WKITE-EYED VIREO. ViREO NOVEBORACENSIS. Char. Above, olive, shading to ash on hind neck and lump; line from nostril to and around eyes, yellow ; beneath, white, duller on throat and breast; sides shaded with yellow ; wings and tail dusky; wing-bars yellow. Length about 5 inches. A'es;". Suspended from forked twig of low bush in a thicket, some- times on edge of swamp; composed of various muierials, — grass, twigs, etc.. — ornamented with mubs and lichens, and lined with grass, etc. Eggs. 3-5 ; white, spotted around larger end with brown ; 0.75 X 0.55. This interesting little bird appears to be a constant resident within the limits of the United States ; as, on the 1 2th of Jan- uary, I saw them in great numbers near Charleston, S. C, feeding on the wax- myrtle berries, in company with the Yellow- Rumped Sylvias. At this season they were silent, but very familiar, descending from the bushes when whis.led too, and peeping cautiously, came down close to me, looking about with complacent curiosity, as if unconscious of any danger. In the last week of February, Wilson already heard them singing in the southern parts of Georgia, and throughout that month to March, I saw them in the swampy thickets nearly every day, so that they undoubtedly reside and pass the winter in the maritime parts of the Southern States. The arrival of this little unsuspicious warbler in Pennsylvania and New England is usually about the middle of April or earlier. On the 1 2th of March I first heard his voice in the low thickets of West Florida. His ditty was now simply ss^t (with a whistle) wd witte 7v1if ,ve-7vd (the first part very quick). As late as in the first weel. in May I observed a few stragglers in this vicinity WHITE-EYED VIREO. 179 peeping through the bushes ; and in the latter end of the month a pair had taken up their abode in the thickets of Fresh Pond, so that those which first arrive leave us and pro- ceed farther to the north. On the 2 2d of June I heard the male in full song, near his nest in our neighborhood, where in- cubation was going on. His warble was very pleasing, though somewhat monotonous and whimsical. This affectionate note, often repeated near to his faithful mate while confined to her nest, was like ^ tsh'ippewee-wd-say, tsHippewee-wee-was-say, sweetly whistled, and with a greater compass of voice and loudness than might have been expected from the size of the little vocalist. The song is sometimes changed two or three times in the course of twenty minutes ; and 1 have heard the following phrases : \itt tshippewat 'wurr, tshippewat ^wurr ; at another time, Ushipeway Ushe o et Usherr. On another visit the little performer had changed his song to ^pip te wa'tgh a tshewa, with a guttural trill, as usual, at the last syllable. He soon, however, varied his lay to ^wh'tp te wot wee, the last sylla- ble but one considerably lengthened and clearly whistled. Such were the captious variations of this httle quaint and peculiarly earnest musician, whose notes are probably almost continually varied. On the 6th wf October I still heard one of these wan- dering little minstrels, who at intervals had for several weeks visited the garden, probably in quest of berries. His short, quaint, and more guttural song was now atshce-vdit (probably the attempt of a young bird). As late as the 30th of October the White- Eyed Vireo still lingered around Cambridge, and on the margin of a pond, surrounded by weeds and willows, he was actively employed in gleaning up insects and their larvae ; and now, with a feebler tone of voice, warbled with uncommon sweetness wholly different from his usual strain, sounding some- thing like the sweet whisperings of the Song Sparrow at the present season, and was perhaps an attempt at mimickry. Ocv asionally, also, he blended in his harsher, scolding, or querulous mewing call. This species, like the reF:, build commonly a pensile nest suspended by the upper edge of the two sides on the circular 1 80 SINGING BIRDS. bend, often of the smilax or green briar vine. In the Middle States they often raise 2 broods in the season, generally make choice of thorny thickets for their nest, and show much con- cern when it is approached, descending within a few feet of the intruder, looking down and hoarsely mewing and scolding with great earnestness. This petulant display of irritability is also continued when the brood are approached, though as large and as active as their vigilant and vociferous parents. In the Middle States this is a common species, but in Massachusetts rather rare. Its food, like the rest of the Vireos, is insects and various kinds of berries, for the former of which it hunts with great agility, attention, and industry. " Eastern United States, west to the Rockies, south in winter to Guatemala," is usually given as the habitat of this species. It has been seen rarely north of southern New England, and only one example has been taken in New Brunswick, though Mr. J. M. Jones considers it fairly common in portions of Nova Scotia. There is no authentic report of its occurrence in Ontario, but Mr. Mcllwraith thinks it may yet be found there. Note. — Mr. William Brewster has lately described the Key West Vikko ( K noveboracensis maynardi) as a larger bird than the type and of duller color, the yellow paler. Bei.l's Vireo ( Vireo bellii), a bird of much the same appearance and habits as the White-eyed, is found in the prairie districts of Illinois and Iowa. It ranges thence to the eastern base of the Rockies. WARBLING VIREO. Vireo gilvus. Char. Above, grayish olive brighter on the rump, shading to ashy on the head ; beneath, huffy white, flanks and sides tinged with olive yellow. Length 5 to 5H inches. Nest. In open pasture or shaded street, suspended from fork of a high branch ; composed of grass and vegetable fibre, and lined with fine grass. ^f:gs. 3-4; white, spotted, chiefly about the larger end, with brown; 075 X O.sr. \> ♦ WARBLING VIREO. I8l This sweetest and most constant warbler of the forest, ex- tending his northern migrations to the confines of Canada and along the coast of the Pacific to the Oregon, arrives from trop- ical America in Pennsylvania about the middle of April, and reaches this part of New England early in May. His livery, like that of the Nightingale, is plain and unadorned ; but the sweet melody of his voice, — surpassing, as far as Nature usually surpasses art, the tenderest airs of the flute, — poured out often from the rising dawn of day to the approach of evening, and vigorous even during the sultry heat of noon, when most other birds are still, gives additional interest to this litde vocalist. While chanting forth his easy, flowing, tender airs, apparently without effort, so contrasted with the interrupted emphaticai song of the Red-Eye, he is gliding along the thick and leafy branches of our majestic elms and tallest trees busied in quest of his restless insect prey. With us, as in Pennsylvania, the species is almost wholly confined to our villages, and even cities. It is rarely ever observed in the woods ; but from the tall trees which decorate the streets and lanes, the almost in- visible musician, secured from the enemies of the forest, is heard to cheer the house and cottage with his untiring song. As late as the 2d of October I still distinguished his tuneful voice from amidst the yellow fading leaves of the linden, near which he had passed away the summer. The approaching dissolu- tion of those delightful connections which had been cemented by affection and the cheerless stillness of autumn, still called up a feeble and p'aintive revery. Some days after this late period, warmed by the mild rays of the morning sun, I heard, as it were, faintly warbled, a parting whisper ; and about the middle of this month our vocal woods and fields were once more left in dreary silence. \Vhen offended or irritated, our bird utters an angry 'fshay Usha}\ like the Catbird a*.d the other Vireos, and sometimes makes a loud snapping with his bill. The nest of the Warbling Vireo is generally pendulous, and ambitiously and securely sus- pended at great elevations. In our elms I have seen one of these airy cradles at the very summit of one of the most gigan- 1 82 SINGING BIRDS. tic, more than lOO feet from the ground. At other times they are not more tha*" 50 to 70 feet high. The only nest I have been able to examine was made externally of flat and dry sedge-grass blades, for which, as I have observed, are occa- sionally substituted strings of bass. These dry blades and strips are confined and tied into the usual circular form by caterpillars' silk, blended with bits of wool, silk-weed lint, and an accidental and sparing mixture of vernal grass tops and old apple-blossoms. It was then very neatly lined with the small flat blades of the meadow grass called Poa compressa. This species is rather uncommon in the Maritime Provinces excepting near the Maine border in New Brunswick, and in the more southern portions of Nova Scotia. It is fairly common in southern Quebec, and abundant in Ontario. In the New England and Middle States it is an abundant summer resident. At the West it ranges north to the fur countries. RED-EYED VIREO. ViREO OLIVACEOUS. Char. Above, bright olive, crown ashy ; beneath, white faintly tinged with dull olive on sides ; wings and tail dusky. Length 5)4 to dYz inches. Nest. In an open pasture or along mar;jin of field ; suspended from fork of an upper branch; composed of grass and vegetable fibre, and lined with fine grass, etc. Eggs- 3-5 ; white (sometimes with a faint i>i,..: .mt) spotted sparingly, around larger end, with dull brown ; 0.80 X 0.55. These common and indefatigabK songsters appear to inhabit every part of the American continent, from Labrador to the large tropical islands of Jamaica and St. Domingo ; they are likewise resident in the mild tableland of Mexico. Those individuals who pass the summer with us, however, migrate to the warmer regions at the commencement of winter, as none are found at that season within the limits of the United States. The Red- Eyed Vireo arrives in Pennsylvania late in April, and in New England about the beginning of May. It inhabits the RED-EYED VIREO. 183 shady forests or tall trees near gardens and the suburbs of villages, where its loud, lively, and energetic song is often con- tinued, with little intermission, for several hours at a time, as it darts and pries among the thick foliage in quest of insects and small caterpillars. From its first arrival until August it is the most distinguished warbler of the forest, and when almost all the other birds have become mute, its notes are yet heard with unabated vigor. Even to the 5 th of October, still enliv- ened by the feeble rays of the sun, the male faintly recalls his song, and plaintively tunes a farewell to his native woods. His summer notes are uttered in short, emphatical bars of 2 or 3 syllables, and have something in them like the simple lay of the Thrush or American Robin when he first earnestly and slowly commences his song. He often makes use, in fact, of the same expressions ; but his tones are more monotonous as well as mellow and melodious, like the rest of the Vireos. In moist and dark summer weather his voice seems to be one continued, untiring warble of exquisite sweetness ; and in the most populous and noisy streets of Boston his shrill and tender lay is commonly heard from the tall elms ; and as the bustle of carts and carriages attempts to drown his voice, he elevates his pipe with more vigor and earnestness, as if determined to be heard ip spite of every discord. The call of " Whip-Tom- kell\\^^ attributed to this species by Sloane and even Wilson, I have never heard ; and common as the species is throughout the Union, the most lively or accidental fit of imagination never yet in this country conceived of such an association of sounds. I have already remarked, indeed, that this singular call is, in fact, sometimes uttered by the Tufted Titmouse. When our Vireo sings slow enough to be distinctly heard, the following sweetly warbled phrases, variously transposed and tuned, may often be caught by the attentive listener : ^tshooe pewee peedi musik ^du ^du ^du, Ushoove ^here ^here, hear h'ere^ ^k'ing ^ritshatd, ^p'shegru Ushevu, Usheevoo Ushuvee peedit ^phrdiy — the whole delivered almost without any sensible interval, with earnest animation, in a pathetic, tender, and pleasing strain, well calculated to produce calm and thoughtful reflection in \ «,„.— l.^ 184 SINGING BIRDS. the sensitive mind.^ Yet while this heavenly revery strikes on the human ear with such pecuUar effect, the humble musician himself seems but little concerned ; for all the while, perhaps, that this flowing chorus enchants the hearer, he is casually hopping from spray to spray in quest of his active or crawling prey, and if a cessation occurs in his almost untiring lay, it is occasioned by the caterpillar or fly he has just fortunately cap- tured. So unaffected are these delightful efforts of instinct, and so unconscious is the performer, apparently, of this pleas- ing faculty bestowed upon him by Nature, that he may truly be considered as a messenger of harmony to man alone. Wan- tonly to destroy these delightful aids to sentimental happiness ought therefore to be viewed, not only as an act of barbarity, but almost as a sacrilege. The Red-Eyed Vireo is one of the most favorite of all the adopted nurses of the Cowbird ; and the remarkable gentle- ness of its disposition and watchful affection for the safety of its young, or of the foundling confided to its care, amply justi- fies this selection of a foster-parent. The nale, indeed, de- fends his nest while his mate is sitting, wii.i as much spirit as ihe King Bird, driving away every intruder and complaining in a hoarse mewing tone when approached by any inquisitive observer. By accident the eggs were destroyed in a nest of this species in the Botanic Garden, in a sugar-maple about 20 feet from the ground. At this time no complaints were heard, and the male sang all day as cheerful as before. In a few days, unwilling to leave the neighborhood, they had made a second nest in a beech at the opposite side of the same prem- ises ; but now the male drove away every intruder with the greatest temerity. The young of this species are often hatched in about 13 days, or 24 hours later than the parasitic Troopial ; but for want of room the smaller young are usually stifled or neglected. I have, however, seen in one nest a surviving bird of each kind in a fair way for being reared ; yet by a singular infatuation the supposititious bird appeared by far the most assiduously attended, and in this case the real young of the species seemed to be treated as puny foundlings. RED-EYED VIREO. 185 I In the month of August the young fed greedily on the small berries of the bitter cornel and astringent I'ibunium ih'ntatum, as well as other kinds. One of these inexperienced birds hopped close round me in an adjoining bush, without any fear- ful apprehension; and as late as the 26th of October two young birds of the Red-Eye were still lingering in this vicinity, and busily engaged in gleaning subsistence. Eager after flies, about the 25th of August a young bird with hazel instead of red eyes entered a chamber in the neighborhood and became my inmate. 1 clipped his wing and left him at large in a room; he soon became very gentle, took grasshoppers and flics out of my hand, eat Viburnum berries with a good appe- tite, and in short seemed pleased with his quarters. A fly could not stir but it was instantly caught ; his only difficulty was with a lame King Bird who occupied the same apartment. The King appeared very jealous of this little harmless com- panion ; snapped his bill at him when he approached, and be- grudged him subsistence when he perceived that he fed on the same food with himself. At length he would come to me for provision and for protection from his tyrannical associate. But the career of my interesting and lively companion was soon terminated by deain, occasioned, in all probability, by a diar- rhoea produced in consequence of swallowing a small lock of hair with his food, which was found in his stomach. This bird, very different from a Sylvia autuinnalis which I afterwards had in my possession, regurgitated by the bill, like the King Bird, pellets of the indigestible parts of his food, such as the legs and wings of grasshoppers and flies, and the skins and seeds of berries. Unlike the King Bird in one particular, however, he folded his head under his wing when at rest, and reposed with great soundness ; whereas for eight months I was never able to detect the former asleep. if 1 86 SINGING BIRDS. PHILADELPHIA VIREO. ViREO PHILADELPHICUS. Char. Above, grayish olive, brighter on rump, shading to ashy on crown; beneath, very pale yellow, whiter on throat and belly; sides shaded with olive. Length about 4^ inches. Nest. In a grove ; suspended from forked twigs of low branch ; com- posed of grass and birch bark. ^SS^- 4-2 ; white, spotted with brown ; ? This species was first described by Mr. Cassin, in 1851, from a specimen shot by him near Philadelphia in 1842. The bird's habits remain almost unknown. The only nest yet discovered was found by Mr. Ernest E. Thompson in Manitoba. Of the bird's range very little is known. A fev/ examples have been taken in New England, and in 1882 our party secured several at Edmundston, in New Brunswick, near the Quebec border. Dr. Wheaton considered it a regular spring and fall migrant through Ohio, but very few have been observed in Ontario, Note. — Mr Comeau has taken at Godbout, on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, one example of the Yellow-green ViREO {V. flavovirides), a bird of Mexico and Jentral America. MOCKING BIRD. MiMUS POLYGLOTTUS. Char. Above, ashy gray, darker on wings and tail ; wings with two white bars ; outer tail-feathers white ; beneath, white, tinged with gray on the breast ; bill and feet black. Length 9 to 1 1 inches. Nest. In a thicket or bunch of low bushes ; composed of twigs, roots, grass, etc. ^Sff^- 4~6 > greenish blue to pale buff, marked with reddish brown ; 0-95 X 0.70. This unrivalled Orpheus of the forest and natural wonder of America inhabits the whole continent, from the State of Rhode Island to the larger isles of the West Indies ; and continuing through the equatorial regions, is found in the southern hemi- sphere as far as Brazil. Nor is it at all confined to the Eastern or Atlantic States. It also exists in the wild territory of Ar- kansas more than a thousand miles from the mouth of Red River ; and I have since seen it in the scanty forests of Upper California. It breeds at the distant western sources of the Platte, near the base of the Rocky Mountains, as well as in Texas ; and Mr. Bullock saw it in the table-land of Mexico. The Mocking Bird rears its young, and consequently displays its wonderful powers, in all the intermediate regions of its residence in the United States to the peninsula of Florida. It appears, in short, permanently to inhabit the milder regions of 1 88 SINGING BIRDS. the western world in either hemisphere ; and the individuals bred north of the Delaware, on this side the equator, are all that ever migrate from their summer residence. A still more parti rii migration takes place also, probably, from west to east, in quest of the food and shelter which the maritime districts afford. Though now so uncommon in that vicinity, 50 or 60 yars ago, according to Bartram, it even wintered near Phila- delphia, and made a temporary abode in the mantling ivy of his venerable mansion. In summer a few proceed as far as Rhode Island, following the mild temperature of the sea-coast ; but farther north these birds are, I believe, nearly unknown, except rarely and occasionally in Massachusetts near the sea. With the advance of the season, also, in the country which it inhabits, varies the time of incubation. Early in April the nests are begun in the maritime paits of Georgia, but not before the middle of May in Pennsylvania. In the winter these birds chiefly subsist on berries, partic- ularly those of the Virginia juniper (called red cedar), wax- myrtle, holly, smilax, sumach, sour-gum, and a variety of others, which furnish them and many other birds with a plen- tiful repast. Insects, worms, grasshoppers, and larvae are the food on which they principally subsist when so eminently vocal and engaged in the task of rearing their young. In the South- ern States, where they are seldom molested, with ready saga- city they seem to court the society of man and fearlessly hop around the roof of the house or fly before the planter's door. When a dwelling is first settled in the wilderness, this bird is not seen sometimes in ihe vicinity for the first year ; but at length he pays his welcome visit to the new-comer, gratified with the little advantages he discovers around him, and seek- ing out also the favor and fortuitous protection of human society. He becomes henceforth familiar, and only quarrels with the cat and dog, whose approach he instinctively dreads near his nest, and never ceases his complaints and attacks until they retreat from his sight. None of the domestic animals, or man himself, but partic- ularly the cat and dog, can approach during the period of incubation, without receiving an attack from these affectionate MOCKING BIRD. 189 " guardians of their brood. Their most insidious and deadly enemies, however, are reptiles, particularly the black snake, who spares neither the eggs nor young. As soon as his fatal approach is discovered by the male, he darts upon him without hesitation, eludes his bite, and striking him about the head, and particularly the eyes, where most vulnerable, he soon suc- ceeds in causing him to retreat, and by redoubling his blows, in spite of all pretended fascination, the wily monster often falls a victim to his temerity ; and the heroic bird, leaving his enemy dead on the field he provoked, mounts on the bush above his affectionate mate and brood, and in token of victory celebrates with his loudest song. The Mocking Bird, like the Nightingale, is destitute of bril- liant plumage ; but his form is beautiful, delicate, and symmet- rical in its proportions. His motions are easy, rapid, and graceful, perpetually animated with a playful caprice and a look that appears full of shrewdness and intelligence. He listens with silent attention to each passing sound, treasures up lessons from everything vocal, and is capable of imitating with exactness, both in measure and accent, the notes of all the feathered race. And however wild and discordant the tones and calls may be, he contrives, with an Orphean talent pecu- liarly his own, to infuse into them that sweetness of expression and harmonious modulation which characterize this inimi- table and wonderful composer. With the dawn of morning, while yet the sun lingers below the blushing horizon, our sub- lime songster, in his native wilds, mounted on the topmost branch of a tall bush or tree in the forest, pours out his admi- rable song, which, amidst the multitude of notes from all the warbling host, still rises pre-eminent, so that his solo is heard alone, and all the rest of the musical choir appear employed in mere accompaniments to this grand actor in the sublime opera of Nature. Nor is his talent confined to imitation ; his native notes are also bold, full, and perpetually varied, consisting of short expressions of a few variable syllables, interspersed with imitations and uttered with great emphasis and volubility, sometimes for half an hour at a time, with undiminished ardor. These native strains bear a considerable resemblance to those 'I lt'r-i-«^ o*-^ CATBIRD. 195 CATBIRD. Galeoscoptes carolinensis. Char. General color dark slate, paler beneath ; top of head and tail black ; under tail-coverts chestnut. Length 8 to g% inches. A'ifst. In thicket or orchard ; bulky, and rudely constructed of twigs, leaves, and grass, lined with grass or fine roots. £^'S's. 4-6 ; deep bluish green ; 0.95 X 0.70. This quaint and familiar songster passes the winter in the southern extremities of the United States and along the coast of Mexico, whence as early as February it arrives in Geor- gia. About the middle of April it is first seen in Penn- sylvania, and at length leisurely approaches this part of New England by the close of the first or beginning of the second week in May. These birds continue their migration also to Canada, where they proceed into the fur-countries as far as the 45 th parallel, arriving on the banks of the Saskatchewan about the close of May. Throughout this extent and to the territory of the Mississippi they likewise pass the period of in- cubation and rearing their young. They remain in New Eng- land till about the middle of October, at which time the young feed principally upon wild berries. The Catbird often tunes his cheerful song before the break of day, hopping from bush to bush with great agility after his insect prey, while yet scarcely distinguishable amidst the dusky shadows of the da\\ n. The notes of different individuals vary considerably, so ti it sometimes his song in sweetness and compass is scarcely at all inferior to that of the Ferniginous Thrush. A quaintness, however, prevails in all his efforts, and his song is frequently made up of short and blended imitations of other birds, — given, however, with great emphasis, melody, and variety of tone, and, like the Nightingale, invading the hours of repose. In the late twilight of a summer's evening, when scarce another note is heard but the hum of the drowsy beetle, his music attains its full effect, and often rises and falls with all the swell and studied cadence of finished harmony. 1 196 SINGING BIRDS. During the heat of the (iay, or late in the morning, the variety of his song decHnes, or he pursues his employment in silence iind retirement. About the 25th of May one of these familiar birds came into the liotanic Clarden and took up his summer abode with us. Soon after his arrival he called u[) in low whisi)erings the notes of the Whip-poor-will the Redbird, ihii pefo peto of the Tufted Titmouse, and other imitations of Southern birds which he had collected on his leisurely route from the South. He also soon mocked the '/s/tf-yd/i ' /s/u'-vd/i of the little Acadian l-'Iycatch- ers, with which the neighborhood now aboumLd. He fre- quently answered to my whistle in the garden, was very silent during the period of incubation, and ex])ressed great anxiety and complaint on my approaching the young after their leaving the nest. One of the most remarkable propensities of the Catbird, and to which it owes its name, is the unpleasant, loud, and grating cat-like wK, ^ I ^lO f LA-V^ Ci>-n.vjWM-,4- vi WOOD THRUSH. TURDUS MUSTELINUS. Char. Above, tawny, brightest on head, shading to oli\-e on rump and tail ; beneath, whit2 to 7>2 in.hes. A\-st. On the ground, loosely made of leaves, grass, and moss. £&'^- 3-5; greenish blue ; 0.85 X 065. This species, so much hke the Nightingale in color, is scarce inferior to that celebrated bird in its powers of song, and greatly exceeds the Wood Thrush in the melody and sweetness of its lay. It inhabits the United States from the lofty alpine mountains of New Hampshire to P'lorida. It is also met with on thvj tableland of Mexico and in the warmer climate of the Antilles. In Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New I'^ngland, at the close of autumn, it appears to migrate eastward to the sea- coast in quest of the winter berries on which it now feeds ; in spring and summer it lives chiefly on insects and their larvre, and also collects the surviving berries of the Mikhella rcpcns. Like the preceding species, it appears to court solitude, and lives wholly in the woods. In the Southern States, where it inhabits the whole year, it frequents the dark and desolate shades of the cane swamps. In these almost Stygian regions, which, besides being cool, abound probably with its favorite insect food, we are nearly sure to meet our sweetly vocal hermit flitting through the settled gloom, which the brightest rays of noon scarcely illumine with more than twilight. In one of such swamps, in the Choctaw nation, Wilson examined a nest of this species which was fixed on the horizontal branch of a tree, formed with great neatness and without using any plastering of mud. The outside was made of a layer of coarse grass, having the roots attached, and intermixed with horse- hair ; the lining consisted of green filiform blades of dry grass very neatly wound about the interior. In the Middle States these birds are only seen for a few 206 SINGING BIRDS. weeks in the spring and fall. They arrive in this part of New England about the loth of April, and disperse to pass the summer in the seclusion of the forest. They are often seen on the ground in quest of their food, and frequent low and thick copses, into which they commonly fly for concealment when too attentively observed ; though when in small companies, in the spring season, they do rot appear very shy, but restless from the unsettled state of their circumstances. When dis- persed, they utter a low, chirping call, and for some time continue to frequent the same secluded part of the forest in society. At times, like the Wagtail, they keep this part of their body in a slow, vertical motion. In manners they strongly resemble the following species, but their song seems to be unusually lively and varied. The Hermit is a common bird in the Maritime Provinces and Quebec, and nests from about latitude 44° northward. It is com- mon on Anticosti and along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and has been taken at Lake Mistassini. In Ontario it occurs chiefly as a migrant, though breeding in the Muskoka district. In New England also it is principally known as a migrant, breeding in numbers only along the northern border and on the higher hills of Connecticut and Massachusetts. The nest has been taken in Ohio and in southern Michigan. The opinions expressed by Nuttall that the Hermit Thrush is a peculiarly shy and solitary bird, and that its favorite resorts are amid the deep forests, are, I think, somewhat misleading; at least my observations in New Hrunrwick led me to form quite different opinions. I did find these birds courting retirement and appar- ently destitute of either vanity or curiosity; but they always dis- played a calm sjlf-possession that is inconsistent with shyness. Nor were they peculiarly solitary, for though it was unusual to see a number of them in close companionship, it was not unusual to meet with half a dozen in as many minutes, or to find as many nests within a small area. Like all woodland birds, they prefer the groves to the open fields, and they enjoy a cool shade in a moist valley ; but they build their nests near the settlements, and rarely go into the denser for- ests. This is their habit in New Brunswick, though of course when farther north they must resort to the timber districts; there are few settlements to attract them. Ch crean tawn^ Ne. tuft 0 Eg. Tl New rang Sout than ,y^^-^^^f ^ to 7|^ inches. Nest. On the ground or near it, usually at the base of small tree or in tuft of old grass ; of leaves and grass, lined with fine roots. Eggs. 3-5; pale greenish bint ; 0.85 X 0.65. This common Northern species arrives in Pennsylvania and New England about the beginning of May, and its northern range extends as far as Labrador. It appears to retire to the South early in October, and is more decidedly insectivorous than any other native pecies. According to Wilson, many of 208 SINGING BIRDS. these birds winter in the myrtle-swamps of South Carolina. I have not, however, seen them in the Southern States at that season, and most part of the species pass on probably as far as the coast of the Mexican Gulf. They do not, according to Wilson, breed in the lower parts of Pennsylvania, though un- doubtedly they do in the mountainous districts, where they are seen as late as the 20th of May. They propagate and are very common in Massachusetts. In its retiring habits and love of concealment this Thrush resembles the preceding. It frequents the dark and shady borders of small brooks and woods, and sometimes the bushy and retired parts of the garden ; from whence, without being often seen, in the morning and particularly the evening to the very approach of night, we often hear the singular, quaint, and musical note of this querulous species at short inter\als, as one perches upon some low branch of a tree or bush. This curious whistling note sounds like 'vehu 'v'rehu ^'c'rchu 'v'nhu, and sometimes 'z'm ved \^rchd ^vrehd vehu, running up the notes till they become shrill and quick at the close, in the first phrase, but from high to low, and terminating slender and slow, in the latter ; another expression seems to be, 'vc 'ved vehurr, ascending like a whistle. The song of another indi- vidual was expressed in the following manner : 've hnllill 'viirill 'tulli'ill 'titllul It was then repeated with variation, \^e viUillil viimivillVl; then vimilill vimilill, tail Hill tuiniill ; the whole agreeably and singuhirly delivered in a shrill, hollow voice, almost like the sound of liquor passing through a tunnel into a bottle. I have also heard several of these sounds, sometimes occasionally prefaced by a mewing or chirping warble. These sounds, though monotoiious, are possessed of greater variety than is at first imagined, the terminating tone or key changing through several repetitions, so as to constitute a harmony and melody in some degree approaching the song of the more musical Wood Thnish. From this habit of serenading into the night, the species is sometimes here dignified with the nickname of the Nightingale. Occasionally he utters an angry, rather plaintive mew, like the Catbird, or a quivering bleat nnwi > WILSON'S THRUSH. 209 almost similar to that of a lamb ; and when approached, watches and follows the intruder with an angry or petulant quedh guedh ; at other times a sort of mewing, melancholy, or com- plaining feow 'feow is heard, and then, perhaps, a hasty and irsx^2ii\tn\. petit peui follows. The food of this species, at least during the early part of summer, appears to be shelly insects of various kinds, particularly Chrysomeias, or lady-bugs, and those many legged hard worms of the genus luhis. A good while after the commencement of the period of in- cubation I have observed the males engaged in obstinate quar- rels. On the 4th of June, 1830, I observed two of these petulant Thrushes thus fiercely and jealously contending ; one of them used a plaintive and angry tone as he chased his antagonist up and down the tree. At length, however, a cousin Catbird, to which this species has some affinity, stepped in be- twixt the combatants, and they soon parted. One of these birds had a nest -^.nd mate in the gooseberry bush of a neigh- boring garden ; the second bird was thus a dissatisfied hermit, and spent many weeks in the Botanic Garden, where, though at times sad and solitary, yet he constantly amused us with his forlorn song, and seemed at last, as it were, acquainted with those who whistled for him, peeping out of the bushes with a sort of complaisant curiosity, and from his almost nocturnal habits became a great persecutor of the assassin Owl whenever he dared to make his appearance. The nest of Wilson's Thrush (commenced about the close of the first week in May) is usually in a low and thorny bush in the darkest part of the forest, at no great distance from the ground (i to 3 feet), sometimes indeed on the earth, but raised by a bed of leaves, and greatly resembles that of the Catbird. This species seems, indeed, for security artfully to depend on the resemblance of itself and its leafy nest with the bosom of the forest on which it rests, and when approached it sits so close as nearly to admit of being taken up by the hand. The nest sometimes appears without any shelter but shade and association of colors with the place on which it rests. I have seen one placed on a mass of prostrated dead brambles, on a VOL. I. — 14 ■ I , i =1 2IO SINGING BIRDS. fallen heap of lilac twigs in a ravine, and also in a small withered branch of red oak which had fallen into a bush ; be- low it was also bedded with exactly similar leaves, so as easily to deceive the eye. But with all these precautions they appear to lose many eggs and young by squirrels and other animals. The nest is usually bottomed with dry oak or beech leaves, coarse stalks of grass and weeds, and lined very generally with naturally dissected foliage, its stalks, some fine grass, and at other times a mixture of root-fibres ; but no earth is employed in the fabric. The eggs, 4 or 5, are of an emerald green with- out spots, and differ from those of the Catbird only in being a little smaller and more inclined to blue. So shy is the species that though I feigned a violent chirping near the nest contain- ing their young, which brought Sparrows and a neighboring Baltimore to the rescue, the parents, peeping at a distance, did not venture to approach or even express any marked concern, though they prove very watchfui guardians when their brood are fledged and with them in the woods. They have com- monly two broods in the season ; the second being raised about the middle of July, after which their musical notes are but seldom heard. I afterwards by an r xident obtained a young fledged bird, which retained in the cage the unsocial and silent timidity peculiar to the species. Wilson's Thrush breeds farther to the southward than the Her- mit, but does not range quite so far north. It is common in the Maritime Provinces and near the city of Quebec, but has not been taken recently on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It breeds abundantly in Ontario and in northern Ohio. In New Brunswick I have found the nest as frequently in an open pasture as in more obscure places. ^ ta^iij^M^. , 7- GRAY-CHEEKED TIiRUSH. 211 OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH. TURDUS US-rULATUS SWAINSONII. Char. Above, olive ; beneath, white, shaded with olive on the sides ; sides of head, neck, and breast tinged with buff; throat and breast spotted with olive ; yellowish ring around the eye. Length 6}i to yyi inches. AVj/. In a low tree or bush ; of twigs, leaves, grass, etc. •^^ST-f- 3~4i' greenish blue speckled with brown ; 0.90 X 0.65. This species was omitted by Nuttall, though given by Wilson. It has much the same range and similar habits as the Hermit, though differing in its song and the location of its nest. The tone of its voice is richer and rounder — more flute-like and less metallic — than that of any other of the small Thrushes ; but the song lacks that spiritual quality so conspicuous in the hymn-.;Ke melody of the Hermit. The Olive-backed is found thro"ghout the temperate region of eastern North America, and westward to the eastern base of the Rockies. It breeds in northern New England and northward, and in the elevated portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as in northern New York and Michigan, and winters in the Gulf States and southwird to Panama. It is common ir che Maritime Provinces, but is reported rather rare between Montreal and Lake Huron, though it being an abun- dant migrant through Ohio, I should expect to find it plentiful in portions of Ontario. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH. ALICE'S THRUSH. TURUUS ALICLE. Char. Above, olive ; cheeks grayish ; beneath, white ; sides tinged with olive ; throat and breast tinged with buff and marked with large dark spots. Length 7 to 7;^^ inches. A^fst. In a low bush or on the ground ; of grass and leaves, etc., lined with fine grass. •^A'S'-''' 3*4 » greenish blue spotted with brown ; 0.90 X 0.70. After much contention as to the v lidity of Alice's Thrush as a variety of the Olive-backed, the systematists have decided to give it jLi rill ■ ■ 212 SINGING BIRDS. specific rank. In appearance it differs from swainsonii chiefly in lacking the yellow around the eye, and in having gray instead of buff cheeks. Alicia is also a trifle the larger of the two. The distribution of the present species has not yet been thor- oughly worked out, for only a few years have passed since its discovery ; but it is known to occur in the United States and the settled portions of Canada as a migrant only, breeding north to the Arctic, and wintering south to Costa Rica. BICKNELL'S THRUSH. TURDUS \UC\m BICKNELLI. Char. Above, olive, varying from a grayish to a russet tint; wings and tail slightly browner than back ; distinct ring of pale buff around the eyes; cheeks huffish; beneath, white, tinged with olive on the sides; throat and breast tinged with buff and marked with large dark spots. Length 7 to lYz inches. Alest. On the ground, in a thicket ; composed of twigs, grass, and moss, lined with grass. ^SS^- 3~4 ; pale blueish green speckled with brown ; 0.85 X 0.65. This variety of the Gray-cheeked Thrush was discovered by Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell amid the Catskill Mountains in 1885. It has been found on all the higher ranges of Eastern America and in Illinois, and Mr. Langille claims to have discovered the nest on an island off the southern coast of Nova Scotia. WATER THRUSH. WATER WAGTAIL. Seiurus NOVEBORACENSIS. Char. Above, deep olive brown ; line over the eye whitish ; beneath, white tinged with bright yellow, and shotted with olive. Length t^z to 6 inches. Nest. On the ground, in border of swamp or stream; bulky, and loosely made of moss, leaves, and grass, lined with roots. Sometimes deeply imbedded in moss, or covered with it. Et:^s. 4-6 ; white, spotted, most heavily near the larger end, with brown and lilac; 0.75 X o 55. WATER THRUSH. 213 This shy and retiring sylvan species extends its suramer migrations throughout the United States, breeding rarely in Pennsylvania, proceeding principally to the western and northern regions at the period of incubation. Mr. Townsend and myself observed this bird in Oregon, as well as in Missouri, where it was, no doubt, breeding, and sung in a very lively manner, keeping in a shady wood which bordered a small stream, often descending to the ground after aquatic insects or larvae, and with the tail in a constant balancing motion, re- minding u • strongly of ihe Wagtail or Motacilla of Europe. The Aquatic Thrush has, indeed, a particular partiality for the vicinity of waters, wading in the shallow streams in search of insects, moving its tail as it leisurely follows its pursuit, and chattering as it flies. During its transient migrating visits it is very timid, and darts into the thickets as soon as approached, uttering a sharp and rather plaintive tship' of alarm. About the beginning of May, these birds appear in Pennsylvania from the South, and stay around dark and solitary streams for ten or twelve days, and then disappear until about the middle of August, when, on their way to their tropical winter quarters, they leave the swamps and mountains of their summer retreat, and, after again gleaning a transient subsistence for a few days towards the sea-coast, depart for the season. In Massachu- setts they are scarcely ever seen except in the autumn, and continue in shady gardens, probably feeding on small wild berries till nearly the close of September. It appears, according to Wilson, that the favorite resort of this species is in the cane-brakes, swamps, river shores, and watery solitudes of Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Here it is abundant, and is eminently distinguished by the loudness, sweetness, and expressive vivacity of its notes, which, beginning h.'gh and clear, flew and descend in a cadence so delicate as to terminate in sounds that are scarcely audible. At such times the singer sits perched on some branch which stretches impending over the flowing stream, and pours out his charming melody with such elTect as to be heard at the dis- tance of nearly half a mile, giving a peculiar charm to the dark 214 SINGING BIRDS. and solitary wilds he inhabits. The silence of night is also, at times, relieved by the incessant warble of this Western Philo- mel, whose voice, breaking upon the ear of the lonely traveller in the wilderness, seems like the dulcet lay of something super- natural. His song is also heard in the winter when the weather proves mild. In this habit he appears considerably allied to the Ree 1 Thrush or River Nightingale of Europe, which night and day almost ceaselessly sings, and soothes his sitting mate, among the reeds and marshes of his favorite resorts. Since Nutt Ts day the Water Thrui ■ hrs been separated from the true Thrushes and classed with the 'j1 . The birds seen by Wilson and Audubon in Louisiana, 1. lesset ?nd Mississippi were doubtless referable to motacilla, for tnough i' • present spe- cies is found throughout this Eastern Province, west to Illinois and Manitoba, it seldom has been discovered breed! n;: south of 45°. It is a rather common spring and autumn visitor to Massachusetts. On the plains the type is replaced by the variety named notabilis^ — Grinnell's Water Thrush, — which is larger and darker. Notabilis occurs occasionally in Illinois and Indiana. LOUISIANA WATER THRUSH. Seiurus motacilla. Char. Similar to nmehoracensis, but larger, and bill longer and stouter. Under parts tinged with huff, but never with bright yellow ; throat free from spots. Length 5^ to 6»^ inches. N'est. On the ground, hidden amid roots of fallen tree, or on a mossy bank ; composed of leaves, grass, and moss, lined with grass and hair. E,zsfs. 4-('); white, sometimes with creamy tint, speckled with brown and lilac; 075 X060. The range of this species extends from southern New England and the Great Lakes (in summer) to the Gulf States and Central America (in winter). A few pairs are seen every season in southern Ontario. Its habits do not differ from those of its congener. fmnBmiTTinHTfvtB' . MjaaateM^aMj- Ji ^$ OVEN BIRD. goldex-crowned thrush. Seiurus aurocapillus. Char. Above, olive ; crown orange-brown, bordered with black stripes, white ring around the eyes ; beneath, white, spotted with olive. Length SK to 0^2 inches. A^est. On iiie ground, nt the foot of a tree or in the moss on a decayed log ; rather loosely made of twigs, grass, leaves, and moss, lined with fine grass and hair. The top is often completely roofed, sometimes .arched or domed ; the entrance vsr. the side. ■^^^■^- 4~6 ; creamy white, spotted with brown and lilac ; o.So X o. 55. This rather common bird, so nearly allied to the tnie Thrushes, is found throughout the forests of the United States, Canada, and in the i;erritory of Oregon during the summer, arriving in the Mi'ldle and Northern States about the beginning of May or close of April, and departing for tropical America, Mexico, and the larger West India islands early in September. The Golden-crowned Thrush, shy and retiring, is never seen out of the shade of the woods, and sits and runs along the ground often like the Lark; it also frequents the branches of trees, and sometimes moves its tail in the manner of the ^V'ag- tails. It has few pretensions to song, and while perched in the deep and shady part of the forest, it utters, at interwils, a simple, long, reiterated note of 7j7/V ^s/i^ tshe tshe tshe, rising from low to high and shrill, so as to give but little idea of the distance or place from whence the sound proceeds, and often appearing, from the loudness of the closing cadence, to be much i 't ' f 2l6 SINGING BIRDS. nearer than it really is. As soon as discovered, like the Wood Thrush, it darts at once timidly into the depths of its sylvan retreat. During the period of incubation, the deliberate lay of the male, from some horizontal branch of the forest tree, where it often sits usually still, is a */she te tshe te tshe te tshee, gradually rising and growing louder. Towards dusk in the evening, however, it now and then utters a sudden burst of notes with a short, agreeable warble, which terminates com- monly in thr usual Ushe te tshe. Its curious oven-shaped nest is known to all the sportsmen who traverse the solitary wilds which it inhabits. This ingenious fabric is sunk a little into the ground, and generally situated on some dry and mossy bank contiguous to bushes, or on an uncleared surface ; it is formed, with great neatness, of dry blades of grass, and lined with the same ; it is then surmounted by a thick inclined roof of simi- lar materials, the surface scattered with leaves and twigs so as to match the rest of the ground, and an entrance is left at the side. Near Milton hills, in this vicinity, the situation chosen was among low whortleberry bushes, in a stunted cedar and oak grove. When surprised, the bird escapes, or nms from the nest with the silence and celerity of a mouse. If an attempt be made to discover the nest from which she is flushed, she stops, flutters, and pretends lameness, and watching the success of the manoeuvre, at length, when the decoy seems complete, she takes to wing and disappears. The Oven Bird is another of the foster-parents sometimes chosen by the Cow Troopial ; and she rears the foundling with her accustomed care and affection, and keeps up an incessant tship when her unfledged brood are even distantly approached. These birds have often two broods in a season in the Middle States. Their food is wholly insects and their larvae, particularly small coleopterous kinds and ants, chiefly collected on the ground. The Oven Bird, like the Water Thrush, has been removed by modern authorities from classification with the Thrush family and placed with the Warblers. It is now known to breed from Virginia and the Ohio valley to Labrador and Hudson Bay. It is abund- ant in Massachusetts and the Maritime Provinces, and common over its entire range. MYRTLE WARBLER. 217 MYRTLE WARBLER. VELLOW-RUMP WARBLER. YELLOW-CROWNED WARBLER. Dendroica CORONATA. Char. Male : above, bluish gray streaked with black ; sides of head black ; breast and sides mostly black ; patches of yellow on crown and rump and sides of breast ; throat and belly white ; wing-bars and patches on tail white. Female, young, and male in winter: similar, but the back with a tint of brown in place of blue, and all colors duller, and markings less distinct. Length £ to 6 inches. A'est. In a coniferous tree 5 to 10 feet from the ground, in a pasture or open grove of woodland; composed of twigs and grass, lined with fine grass, sometimes with feathers. Ei^^i^s. 4-5 ; dull white or creamy white, spotted chiefly around the larger end with brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.50. The history of this rather common Warbler remains very imperfect. In the Middle and Northern States it is a bird of passage, arriving from the South about the close of April or beginning of May, and proceeding north as far as Canada and Labrador to pass the summer season in the cares of breeding and rearing the young! As early as the 30th of August, or after an absence of little more than three months, these birds again appear ; and being hardy, passing parties continue with us in gardens and woods till about the close of November, feeding now almost exclusively on the myrtle-wax berries i^Myrica ccri- fera), or on those of the Virginian juniper. These, other late and persisting berries, and occasional insects, constitute their winter food in the Southern States, where, in considerable num- bers, in the swamps and sheltered groves of the sea-coast, they pass the cold season. In fine weather, in the early part of Oc- tober, they may be seen, at times, collecting grasshoppers and moths from the meadows and pastures, and, like the Blue Bird, they often watch for the appearance of their prey from a neigh- boring stake, low bough, or fence-rail and at this time are so familiar and unsuspicious, particularly the young, as fearlessly to approach almost within the reach of the silent spectator. At 2l8 SINGING BIRDS. the period of migraiion, they appear in an altered and less brilliant dress. 'I'he bright yellow spot on the crown is now ed^cd with brownish olive, so that the prevailing color of this beautiful mark is only seen on shedding the feathers with the hand ; a brownish tint is also added to the whole plumage. But Wilson's figure of lliis supposed autumnal change only repre- sents the young bird. The old is, in fact, but little less brilliant than in summer, and I have a well-founded suspicion that the wearing of the edges of the feathers, or some other secondary cause, alone produces this change in the livery of spring, par- ticularly as it is not any sexual distinction. While feeding they are very active, in the manner of Fly- catchers, hovering among the cedars and myrtles with hanging wings, and only rest when satisfied with gleaning food. In spring they are still more timid, busy, and restless. According to Audubon, the nest and eggs are scarcely to be distinguished from those of Sylvia (estiva ; one which he examined from Nova Scotia was made in the extremity of the branch of a low fir-tree, about five feet from the ground. When approached, or while feeding, they only utter a feeble, plaintive tship of alarm. This beautiful species arrives here about the 7th or 8th of May, and now chiefly frequents the orchards, uttering at short intervals, in the morning, a sweet and varied, rather I iaintive warble, resembling in part the song of the Summer Yellow Bird, but much more the farewell, solitary autumnal notes of the Robin Redbreast of Europe. The tones at times are also so ventriloquial and variable in elevation that it is not always easy to ascertain the spot whence they proceed. While thus engaged in quest of small caterpillars, the Myrtle seems almost insensible to obtrusion, and familiarly searches for its prey, however near we may approach. The " Yellow-rump " — by which name this species is best known — breeds regularly in Vermont and New Hampshire, and north- ward to southern Labrador. It is an abundant summer resident of the Maritime Provinces, but elsewhere, in the settled portions of Canada, occurs as a mijtjrant only. It winters regularly in Massa- chusetts and central Ohio, and thence southward as far as Central America. H ^ I t i; . i YELLOW PALM VVAKBLER. 219 t ^ YELLOW PALM WARBLER. VELLUW REU-l'OLL VVAKliLEK. DeNDROICA I'ALAUKL'iM HYPOCHRVSEA. C HAR. Above, brownish olive ; rump yellowish, dusky streaks on the back ; crown chestnut ; line over eye and under parts rich yellow ; hie.ist and sides streaked with brown; no white wing bars; square patches of white on two pairs ot outer tail-leathers. Length 5 to 5^4 inches Aest. Un the ground on border ot swamp; loosely made of grass, weeds, and moss fastened with caterpillar's silk, lined with roots, hair, pine-needles, or feathers. AcC-*' 4-5 ; trcamy white, sometimes with roseate tinge, marked on larger end with fine spots of brown and lilac ; 0.C3 X 0.50. The Yellow Re • 225 banks of the Saskatchewan^ where it is a.-, familiar as chc coni- inon Summer Yellow Bird {S. tesiua), which it also resembles cloiiely in its manners and in its breeding station, but is gifted with a more varied and agreeable song. It frec^uents the thickets of young spruce-trees and willows, flitting from branch to branch, at no great distance from the ground, actively en- gaged in the capture of winged insects, which now constitute its principal fare. The Magnolia is not so rare a bird as Nuttall supposed, — indeed, it is common everywhere between the Atlantic and the eastern base of the Rockies, breeding in northern New Kn<^land and in the northern portions of New York, Ohio, and Michigan, and thence to Labrador and Great Slave Lake. In Massachusetts it is chiefly a spring and autumn visitor, though Mr. William Hrewstcr found a few pairs nesting in the Berkshire Hills. It winters in Central America, Cuba, and the Bahamas. In its habits this bird combines the Creeper and the Klycatciicr in true Warbler fashion, picking insects and larva; from the cran- nies of the bark and from the leaves, and capturing on the wing the flying mites. Tlie favorite nesting site is the border of a wood or an open pasture, though I have found nests in the deep forest, usually on the margin of an open glade. The .song is Warbler-like in its simplicity, yet is an attractive melody, the tones sweet and musical. Nuttall's idea that the autumn route of migration taken by more northern breeding birds lies somewhere to the westward of New England, is not consistent with more recent ob.servation ; for while it is true that large numbers follow the valley of the Mississippi, — som.e of them crossing to the Atlantic when south of the Alleuha- nies, — it has also been ascertained that immense flights of birds tliat breed in the interior go southward along the coast-line. Many species that are not seen in New England during the spring migra- tion are abundant in the autumn. VOL. I. •5 226 SINGING BIRDS. CAPE MAY WARBLER. DhNDROICA TIGRINA. Char. Male : back yellowish olive, with darker spots ; crown blackish; ear-patch chestnut ; line from bill around the eyes black ; rump yellow, wing-bars white and fused into one large patch ; white blotches on three pairs oi" tail-feathers ; beneath, yellow tinged wi»h orange on chin and throat, spotted with black on breast and sides. Female : similar, but back grayish, and lacking distinctive marking on head ; under parts paler ; spots on wings and tail smaller or obscure. i\V.i/. In a pasture or open woodland, on low branch of snu.ll tree; a neat, cup-shaped structure, partially pensile, composed of twigs and grass fastened with spider's webbing, lined with horsehair. E^i;^^s. 3-4 ; dull white or buffy, slightly specked, and wreathed around larger end with spots of brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.50. This very rare \\'arbler has only been seen near the swamps of Cape May hy Edward Harris, Esq. ; near Moorestown, in New Jersey ; and in tht vicinity of Philadelphia, about the middle of May, — probably as a straggler on its way to some Northern breeding-place. It.> notes and further history are yet unknown. Since Nuttall wrote, we have leai led a little more of the life his- tory of this fc-athcix'i'l beauty, 'hough our knowledge of the i.ird'.s habits is still very limited. So rave is the bird that examples adorn but few collections ; yet it has been .seen occasionally throughout the Eastern States, and is reported by Thompson as "plentiful" along the Red River, in Manitoba. It has been traced north to Hudson Bay, and south (in winter) to the West Indies. The southern limit of its breeding area is probably about I'le 45th parallel. The nest has beeih found by Mr. H. B. Bailey at Umbagog Lake, in Maine, and by Mr. James W. lUnks near St. John, N. B. Banks's nest, which T bad the privilege of examining, was com- pletely hidden amid the dense foliage of a clump of cedars, growing on an open hill-side, and quite close to a much-used thoroughfare. When nr.st discovered it wa-s unfinished, and the female was at work upon it. The male n vor appt.iar -d, nor was he iioard in the vicinity, though the spot wa;-, viiiired frequently. After four eggs had been laid, female, nest, and eggs ver-! 'gathered." The species had not been observed bef >i ,; near St. John, though Mr. Boardman had reported takin- examples at St. Stephen'.s, and I had seen several at Edmundston, i.car the Quebec border. JIU-A CANADIAN WARBLER. 227 The Edmundston birds were seen in early June, and those secured proved to be males. As they sang with great frequency, they were easily discovered, and were invariably found amid the top branches of high spruce and fir trees on the crest of a hill. We were anxious to obtain a nest, and of course hunted through these high branches, little thinking that this coterie of Benedicts were making holiday while their industrious but neglected spouses were attending to housekeeping affairs down yonder in the valley. We learned the song, however, and discovered that its theme resembled somewhat the simple lay of the Nashville, though the voice is neither so full nor so sweet, recalling rather the thin, wiry tones of the Black and White Creeper. C.\NADIAN WARBLER. bVLVANU CANADENSIS. Char. Above, bluish ash; crown marked with black; line from l)ill around the eyes, yellow ; line from beneath the eyes to sides of breast black; under parts yellow spotted with black, the spots forming a line or crescent .icrossthe breast ; throat unspotted. Length 5 to 5%^ inches. Nest. On the ground, sometimes near border of a stream or by a moist meadow, placed on side of mound or among upturned roots of a tree ; com- posed of grass and stems, lined with hair. P'S,^^- 4-5 ; white or creamy, spotted, chiefly around the larger end, with brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.50. This is a rare summer species in the Atlantic States, appear- ing singly, and for a few days only, on the passage north or south in the spring or autumn. These birds breed in Canada and Labrador, and are more abundant in mountainous interior, — the route by which they principally migrate. They winter in the tropical regions, are then silent, and, like the rest of their tribe, very active in darting through the branches after insects. .\udubon found this species breeding in the Great Pine Poorest of the Pokono in Pennsylvania, as well as in Maine, the British Provinces, and Labrador. They have a short, unattrac- tive note in the spring, and in the mountains where they dwell they have a predilection for the shady borders of streams where laurels grow. 228 SINGING BIRDS. The Canadian Warbler is common during the migrations, from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, and though breeding chicHy north of 43°, some pairs nest in Massachusetts, New York, southern Ontario, and Illinois. It has been taken in Labrador and is common in Manitoba. It winters in Central America. >l^^7 YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. DeNDROICA DOMINICA. Char. Above, grayish ash; forehead and sides of head, black; line from nostril to hind neck, yellow; wing-bars white; beneath, yellowish white ; chin and throat rich yellow ; sides of breast streaked with black. Length 4,^4^ to ^^-4 inches. AVj/. In an open grove or the edge of heavy woods, on top of horizontal branch or at the forks of a limb, or " concealed in pendant moss," 20 to go feet from the ground ; made of grass-weed stems, strips of bark, and moss, lined with vegetable fibre, horse-hair, or feathers. Ei^^i^'s. 3-5 ; white, tinged with green, spotted around the larger end •vith brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.50. These elegant and remarkable birds reside in the West Indies, and also migrate in considerable numbers into the southern parts of the United States, particularly Louisiana and Georgia, whence indeed they only absent themselves in the two inclement months of December and January. They are seen in February in ('eorgia, but very rarely venture as far north as Pennsylvania. The song is pretty loud and agreeable, according to Latham and VV'ilson, resembling somewhat the notes of the Indigo Bird. In the tropical countries they inhabit, this delicate music is continued nearly throughout the year, and participated also by the female, though possessed of in- ferior vocal powers. The bird appears to have many of the habits of the Creeping Warbler (S. varia), running spirally around the trunks of the pine-trees, on which it alights, and ascending or descending in the active search of its insect fare. The sagacity displayed by this bird in the construction and situation of its nest is very remarkable. This curious fabric is YELLOW-TMROATED WARBLER. 229 suspended to a kind of rope which hangs from tree to tree, usually depending from branches that bend over rivers or ravines. 'Ihe nest itself is made of dry blades of grass, the ribs of leaves, and slender root-fibres, the whole interwoven together with great art ; it is also fastened to, or rather worked into, the pendant strings made of the tough silky fibres of some species of Echitcs, or other plant of that family. It is, in fact, a small circular bed, so thick and compact as to exclude the rain, left to rock in the wind without sustaining or being ac- cessible to any injury. The more securely to defend this precious habitation from the attacks of numerous enemies, the opening, or entrance, is neither made on the top nor the side, but at the bottom ; nor is the access direct, for after passing the vestibule, it is necessary to go over a kind of parti lion, and through another aperture, before it descends into the guarded abode of its eggs and young. This interior lodgment is round and soft, being lined with a kind of lichen, or the silky down of plants. This species is confined chiefly to the South Atlantic States, though occasionally a few wander to New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Note. — The Sycamore Warbler (Z>. dominica alhilord) differs from the type in being smaller (length 4^''^ to 1)2 inches) and in having the line over the eyes white, instead of yellow. It occurs along the Mississippi valley and ea.stward to Ohio, where it is common. It has been taken also in South Carolina and Florida. 1 i i BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. Dendroica virens. Char. Male in spring: above, bright olive; line on sides of head rich yellow ; wings and tail duskj- ; wing-bars and outer tail-feathers white ; beneath, white tinged with yellow; throat and chest rich black. Male in autumn, female, and young ; similar, but black of throat mixed with yellow, sometimes obscured. yV!?j/. On the border of heavy woods, in fork of coniferous tree 30 to 50 feet from the ground; of twigs, grass, etc., lined.with hair and down. J^.^ii's. 3-4; white or creamy white wreathed around larger end with spots of brown and lilac ; 0.65 X 0.50. This rather rare species arrives from its tropical winter- quarters in Pennsylvania towards the close of April or begin- ning of May. About the 12th of the latter month it is seen in this part of Massachusetts ; but never more than a single pair are seen together. At this season a silent individual may be occasionally obser\'ed, for an hour at a time, carefully and ac- i .. ; t: I i I w> rich hite ; le in low, 30 to kvn. with iter- gin- n in pair y be ac- BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. 231 tively searching for small caterpillars and winged inserts amidst the white blossoms of the shady apple-tree ; and so inoffensive and unsuspicious is the little warbler that he pursues without alarm his busy occupation, as the spectator within a few feet of him watches at the foot of the tree. Early in October these birds are seen in small numbers roving restlessly through the forest, preparatory to tl ir departure for the South. Though the greater part of the species probably proceed farther north to rear their young, a few spend the summer in the Middle , id Northern States ; but from their timorous and retiring habits it is not easy to trace out their retreats at the period of breeding. In the summer of 1830, however, on the 8th of June, I was so fortunate as to find a nest of this species in a perfectly solitary situation on the Blue Hills of Milton. The female was now sitting, and about to hatch. The nest was in a low, thick, and stunted Virginia juniper. When I ap- proached near to the nest the female stood motionless on its edge and peeped down in such a manner that I imagined her to be a young bird. She then darted directly to the earth and ran ; but when, deceived, I sought her on the ground, she had very expertly disappeared, and I now found the nest to con- tain 4 roundish °^gs, white, inclining to flesh-color, variegated, more particularly at the great end, with pale, purplish points of various sizes, interspersed with other large spots of brown and blackish. The nest was formed of circularly entwined fine strips of the inner bark of the juniper and the tough white fibrous bark of some other plant, then bedded with soft feath- ers of the Robin, and lined with a few horse-hairs and some slender tops of bent-grass {At^rostis) . The male was singing his simple chant at the distance of a quarter of a mile from the nest, and was now nearly in the same dark wood of tall oaks and white pines in which I had first heard him a fortnight be- fore. This simple, rather drawling, and somewhat plaintive song, uttered at short intervals, resembled the syllables 7^ (/e teri/scd, sometimes te derisca, pronounced pretty loud and slow, and the tones proceeded from high to low. In the inter- vals he was perpetually busied in catching small cynips and \ ^ ^^. ^ \r 1^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) ^o 1.0 1.1 11.25 us m u 14.0 Fhotographic .Sciences Corporalion 21 Wni MAIN STMIT WliiTK,N.Y. MSM (71«)S7a-4S03 rO^ Jv V <^ V ;\ > <^ ft. 232 SINGING BIRDS. Other kinds of flies, keeping up a smart snapping of his bill, almost similar to the noise made by knocking pebbles together. This quaint and indolent ditty I have often heard before in the dark and solitary woods of west Pennsylvania ; and here, as there, it affords an agreeable relief in the dreary silence and gloom of the thick forest. This note is very much like the call of the Chicadee, and at times both are heard amidst the reigning silence of the summer noon. In the whole dis- trict of this extensive hill or mountain, in Milton, there ap- peared to exist no other pair of these lonely Warblers but the present. Another pair, however, had probably a nest in the vicinity of the woods of Mount Auburn in Cambridge, and in the spring of the present year (1831) several pairs of these birds were seen for a transient period. Nuttall was not the only one of the older writers who expressed the opinion that this and other species of the family were less abundant than more modern observers have found them. Wilson and Audubon made similar statements. This Warbler is now known to be a common bird throughout these Eastern States, and may be found, in summer, in any coni- ferous forest in Massachusetts, and thence northward to the fur- countries and westward to the plains. It breeds also, sparingly, in southern New England, northern Ohio, Illinois, etc., and winters in the West Indies and Central America. BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. DeNDROICA BLACKBURNI.E. Char. Male : above, black, back streaked with whitish ; sides of head black; crown patch, line over eye, and entire throat and bieust rich orange or flame color ; belly yellowish white ; sides streaked with black ; large white patches on wings ; outer tail-feathers nearly all white. Female : similar, but black replaced by grayish brown, and orange by dull yellow ; two white wing-bars. Length sj^ to 5 ^ inches. Nest. Usually in coniferous woods, saddled on horizontal limb of pine or hemlock, 20 to 40 feet from the ground ; composed of twigs, roots, and shreds of bark mixed with vegetable down, lined with feathers, hair, and down. E<^i::s. 4 ; white, often tinged with green, sjottid, chiefly around larger end, with brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.50. t V BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. 233 The Blackbumian Warbler is one of the rarest and most beautiful species of the genus, which from the ist to the 15 th of May, or sometimes later, pays a transient visit to the Middle and Northern States, on its way to its remote boreal place of retirement for the breeding season. It is still more rarely seen in the autumn, about the month of September, in its passage to tropical America, where it winters, as may be presumed, from its occurrence late in autumn about Vera Cruz, according to Mr. Bullock. It is an exceedingly nimble insect-hunter, keep- ing towards the tops of trees, scarcely uttering even an audible chirp, and at this season no song as far as is yet known. On the Magdalene Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in June, Audubon remarks that he heard the song of this beauti- ful warbler, consisting of five or six loud notes, which it uttered from the branches of a fir-tree while engaged in quest of its prey. The nest found ' )va Scotia was made externally of coarse materials and lined with silky fibres and delicate strips of bark, over which lay a thick bed of feathers and horse- hair. It was found in a small fork of a tree, 5 or 6 feet from the ground, near a brook. Dr. Brewer also found a nest of this species in Massachusetts. ) ., T The very rare adult of the Hemlock Warbler was found by Wilson in the Great Pine Swamp in Pennsylvania, and ap- peared to take up its residence in the dark hemlock-trees of that desolate region. It was very lively and active, climbing among the branches and hanging from the twigs like a Tit- mouse. It darted after flies to a considerable distance, and beginning with the lower branches, hunted with regularity up- wards to the summit of the tree, and in this way it proceeded very industriously to forage through the forest till satisfied. At intervals it stopped an instant to warble out a few low and sweet notes, probably for the recognition or company of its mate, which the discoverer, however, did not see. The nest of this species, according to Audubon, who discov- ered it in the Great Pine Swamp, was made in a hemlock or 234 SINGING BIRDS. spruce tree at a considerable elevation. Lichens, dry leaves of the hemlock, and slender twigs formed the exterior; it was then lined with hair or fur and the feathers of the Ruffed Grouse. He afterwards met with this species in Maine and Newfoundland. Nothing is more remarkable in the history of this species than the rarity of the adult and the abundance of the young birds ; these last, which we have long known as the Autumnal Warbler, appear in gregarious flocks in the larger solitary for- ests of Massachusetts as early as the 20th of July, assembled from the neighboring districts probably, in which they have been reared. They remain there usually until the middle of October, at which time they are also seen in the Middle States. They feed on small insects and berries. Late in the season, on a fine autumnal morning, troops of them may be seen in the fields and lanes, sometimes descending to the ground, and busily employed in taming over the new fallen leaves, or perambulating and searching the chinks of the bark of the trees, or the holes in the posts of the fence, in qr'^st of lurking moths and spiders ; and while thus eagerly engaged, they are occasionally molested or driven away by the more legitimate Creepers or Nuthatches, whose jealousy they thus arouse by their invasion. Earlier in the season they prey on cynips, flies, and more active game, in pursuit of which they may be seen fluttering and darting through the verdant boughs of the forest trees. One of these little visitors, which I ob- tained by its flying inadvertently into an open chamber, soon became reconciled to confinement, flew vigorously after house- flies, and fed greedily on grasshoppers and ivy berries ( Cissus hederaced) ; at length it became so sociable as to court my acquaintance and eat from my hand. Before I restored it to liberty, its occasional tweet attracted several of its companions to the windows of its prison. At this time the bird is desti- tute of song, and only utters a plaintive call of recognition. Nuttall followed Wilson and Audubon in considering the young Blackburnians a different species, naming it the " Hemiock War- bler." I have given above Nuttall's ace ,unt of the two. I ^ CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. 235 The Blackburnian is rather common in the Atlantic States and westward to the Plains, breeding chiefly noi th of 45°, and sparingly in Massachusetts and Connecticut. It winters from the Bahamas and eastern Mexico southward. Many Canadian observers have considered this Warbler rather rare, but the opinion has probably arisen from the secluded habits of the bird while in its summer home. It shows a preference for the higher branches, and its favorite haunts are amid the deeper forests where the pine and hemlock flourish. A CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. Dendroica pensylvanica. Char. Back black, streaked with olive of grayish or yellowish tint ; crown yellow ; sides of head white, enclosing a patch of black ; sides of neck and entire under parts white ; sides streaked with chestnut, which extends from neck to flanks ; wing-bars and blotches on tail white. Length AH to S/4 inches. JVcst. On the edge of an open woodland or the margin of a moist meadow, in low tree or bush ; composed of grass and strips of bark fas- tened with insect silk, and lined with grass or leaves or hair. £gg-s. 4-5 ; white or creamy, spotted, chiefly around the larger end, which is sometimes wreathed, with reddish brown and lilac ; 0.68 X 0.50. This rare and beautiful Sylvia, which probably winten. in tropical America, appears in the Middle and Northern States early in May on its way north to breed ; it is also seen in the spring in Canada and around Hudson's Bay. A few pairs re- main, no doubt, to rear their young in secluded mountainous situations in the Northern States, as on the 2 2d of May, 1830, a pair appeared to have fixed their summer abode near the summit of the Blue Hills of Milton. The note of the male was very similar to that of the Summer Yellow Bird, being only a little louder, and less whistling ; it resembles Ws/i '/s/i *fsh Ushyia, given at about an interval of half a minute, and answered by his mate at some distance, near which, it is proba- ble, there was a nest. He appeared to be no way suspicious of our approach ; his restlessness was subdued, and he quietly sat near the same low bushes, amusing himself and his consort, for an hour at a time, with the display of his lively and simple M 236 SINGING BIRDS. ditty. On their first arrival, previous to pairing, these birds are like the rest of the genus, restless, and intently engaged in the chase of insects amidst the blossoms and tender leaves ; they likewise pursue common and green bottle flies with avidity and success. On the z7th of June, 1831, I observed a pair selecting food for their young, with their usual address and activity, by the margin of a bushy and secluded swamp on the west side of Fresh Pond, in this vicinity ; but I had not the good fortune to discover the nest. I have, however, since, I believe, discovered the nest of this bird, in a hazel copse in a wood in Acton, in this State. It is fixed in the forked twigs of a hazel about breast high. The fabric is rather light and airy, being made externally of a few coarse blades and stalks of dea ass, then filled in with finer blades of the same, the whole matted and tied with caterpillar's silk, and lined with very slender strips of brown bark and similar white-pine leaves. It appeared to have been forsaken before its completion, and the eggs I have never seen. In the woods around Farranville, on the Susquehanna, within the range of the Alleghany chain, in the month of May, 1830, I saw and heard several males in full song, in the shady forest trees by a small stream, and have no doubt of their breeding in that situation, though I was not fortunate enough to find a nest. This species is now a common summer resident of New England and the settled portions of Canada, and occurs westward to the Plains. It breeds in numbers as far south as the fortieth parallel, and regularly, though spar'ngly, on the elevated lands southward to Georgia, and I have found the nest in New Brunswick nortli of latitude 47°. It winters southward to the Bahamas and Central America. BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. 23/ >e birds ;ngaged leaves ; 1 avidity i a pair ess and ) on the not the since, I pse in a twigs of ind airy, italks of me, the ed with 2 leaves, ion, and lehanna, of May, in the oubt of brtunate ilngland d to the parallel, )uthward north of Central BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. Dendroica castanea. Char. Male : back grayish olive, streaked with black ; forehead and sides of head black ; sides of neck buffy ; throat, breast, and sides chest- nut ; remainder of under parts bufifish ; wing-bars and patches on tail white. Female : above, olive streaked with black ; beneath, buffy, sides and breast tinged with dull rufous. Length 5^ to 6 i.^ches. Nest. In an open woodland, on horizontal branch of coniferous tree 10 to 20 feet from the ground ; of twigs, shreds of bark, grass roots, and moss, lined with fine roots, moss, or pine-needles. Eggs- 3-6 (usually 4) ; white, with blue tint, or bluish green, spotted with reddish brown ; 0.70 X 0.50. This is a still rarer and more transient visitor than the last. It arrives in Pennsylvania from the South some time in April or about the beginning of May, and towards the 12 th or 15 th of the same month it visits Massachusetts, but seldom stays more than a week or ten days, and is very rarely seen on its return in the autumn. Audubon once obsen^ed several in Louisiana late in June, so that it probably sometimes breeds in very secluded places without regularly proceeding to the northern regions. It is an active insect-hunter, and keeps much towards the tops of the highest trees, where it darts about with great activity, and hangs from the twigs with fluttering wings. One of these birds, which was wounded in the wing, soon became reconciled to confinement, and greedily caught and devoured the flies which I offered him ; but from the extent of the injury, he did not long survive. In habits and manners, as well as markings, this species greatly resembles the preceding. This Warbler is exceptional in being more abundant in New England in spring than in autumn. Mr. Mcllwraith reports that the same rule obtains in Ontario, but Dr. Wheaton considered that in Ohio the birds were more numerous during the autumn ; and these apparently conflicting statements suggest an interesting phase in the question of migration routes. The bird is common as a summer resident in the northern por- tions of New England, New York, and Michigan, though rather rare 238 SINGING BIRDS. in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. The most southern point at which it has been found breeding is Chicarua, N. II., in lati- tude 44°, where Mr. Frank BoUes obtained a nest in 1890. The spe- cies ranges north to Hudson Bay, and south to Central America. BLACK-I'OLL WARBLER. Dendroica striata. Char. Above, grayish olive thickly streaked with black; top of head black ; cheeks and entire under parts white ; sides streaked with black ; wing-bars and tail-patches white. Length 5/4 to 5^ inches. Nest. In an evergreen forest on low branch (sometimes on the ground) ; of grass, roots, twigs, and lichens; lined with grass covered with white feathers. Eggs. 4-5 ; white, with various tints (usually pale pink or creamy), more or less spotted with reddish brown and lilac, — often dark brown and olive gray ; 0.75 X 0.55. This rather common and well-marked species is observed to arrive in Pennsylvania from the South about the 20th of April, but ii-* Massachusetts hardly before the middle of May ; it re- turns early in September, and appears to feed wholly on insects. In the Middle States it is confined chieily to the woods, where, in the summits of the tallest trees, it is seen in busy pursuit of its favorite prey. On its first arrival it keeps usually in the tops of the maples, darting about amidst the blosson s. As the woods become clothed with leaves, it may be found protty generally as a summer resident ; it often also seeks the banks of creeks and swamps, in which situations it probably passes the breeding season. In this vicinity the Black-poll is a familiar visitor in *;he lowest orchard-trees, where it feeds on canker- worms and other small caterpillars, as well as flies of different kinds, etc. At this time, towards the month of June, it is no longer a restless wanderer, but having flxed upon its station for the summer, it now begins, in a humble way, to display its musical talents in the cherished and constant company of its faithful mate. This note, uttered at interwils of half a minute, is like the sound of tsh' tsh tsh tshe tshe, from low to high, but PINE WARBLER. 239 4 I altogether so shrill and slender as to sound almost like the faint i: ing of a saw. This species extends its migrations to Newfoundland, according to Pennant. In the month of June, Audubon found the nest in Labrador placed about 3 feet frv/m the ground, in the fork of a small branch, close to the main stem of a fir-tree. It was formed of green and white moss and -ichens, intermixed with coarse dried grass; within this was a layer of bent-grass, the lining, of dark-colored dry moss, looked like horse-hair, and was arranged in a circu- lar direction with great care ; lastly was a thick bed of large soft feathers, — some of them were from Ducks, but most of them from the Willow Grouse. It contained 4 eggs. The Black-poll breeds sparingly in northern New England, New Brunswick, and northern Michigan, building chiefly beyond the Laurentian hills, in Quebec and Ontario; though Dr. L. B. Bishop found it breeding in numbers on the Magdalen Islands, and Mr. J. P. Norris took a number of nests on Grand Menan. It ranges northward to the Barren Grounds and to Alaska, and winters in northern South America. PINE WARBLER. Dendroica vtgorsii. ^-m Char. Above, olive ; beneath, yellow, paler (or white) on belly ; wing- bars and blotches on outer tail-feathers, white. Length 5^ to 5^ inches. A'est Usually in evergreen woods, on horizontal bough of pine or cedar 30 or 40 feet from the ground ; of weed stems, shreds of bark, and leaves fastened with insect silk, lined with hair and feathers. -^iST-^' 4-Si dull white or gray, spotted with brown and lilac; 0.70 X 0.50. This common species, to the commencement of winter, in- habits all parts of ihe United States, and probably extends its northern miTrs lions to the forests of Newfoundland. It arrives in Pennsylvania at the close of March and beginning of April, and soon after is seen in all parts of New England, amidst the pine and juniper forests, in which it principally -""-TH!"— r>«r»w>»j««IP«n« 240 SINGING BIRDS. resides. Both the old and young remain with us till nearly the close of October; stragglers have even been seen in mid-win- ter in the latitude of 43°. In winter they rove through the pine forests and barrens of the Southern States in companies of 20 to 50 or more, alighting at times on the trunks of the trees, and attentively searching them for lurking larvae, but are most frequently employed in capturing the small insects which infest the opening buds of the pine, around which they may be seen perpetually hovering, springing, or creeping, with restless activity ; in this way they proceed, from time to time, foraging through the forest; occasionally, also, they alight on the ground in quest of worms and grubs of various kinds, or dart irregularly after hovering flies, almost in the manner of the Fly- catchers. In these states they are by far the most numerous of all the Warblers, In the month of March they already began to show indications for pairing, and jealous contests ensued perpetually among the males. The principal body of the spe- cies probably remain the year round in the Southern forests, where I saw them throughout the winter ; great numbers are also bred in the Northern States. In summer their food is the eggs and larvae of various insects, as well as flies or cynips, caterpillars, coleoptera, and ants. In autumn, the young fre- quent the gardens, groves, and orchards, feeding likewise on berries of various kinds, as on those of the cornel, wild grape, and five-leaved ivy ; at this season they are very fat, and fly and forage in families. They now only utter a shrill and plaintive chip. I have had a male Pine Warbler, domesticated for a short time ; he fed gratefully, from the instant he was caught, upon flies, small earthworms, and minced flesh, and was so tame and artless as to sit contented on every hand, and scarcely shift himself securely from my feet. On offering him drink he walked directly into the vessel, withrut using the slightest precaution or exhibiting any trace of fear. His tship and manner in all respects were those of the Autumnal Warbler. The song of the Pine Warbler, though agreeable, amidst the dreary solitude of the boundless forests which he frequents, has PINE WARBLER. 241 but little compass or variety ; sometimes it approaches the sim- plest trill of the Canary, but it is commonly a reverberating, gently rising, or murmuring sound, like cr V '/' V W ^rdh ; or, in the spring, ^twe ^twe ^tw 'tiv 'tw ^tw 'tw, and sometimes like 'A// ^tsh '/sh 'tw ^tw 'tw ^tw 'tiv ; when barkened to some time, there is a variation in the cadence, which, though rather feeble at a distance, is not unpleasant, as the little minstrel tunes his pipe during the heat of the summer day, while he flits gently and innocently fearless through the shady boughs of the pine or cedar in perpetual quest of his untiring prey. This song is commonly heard at a considerable distance from his mate and nest, from whom he often widely strays, according to the suc- cess of his precarious pursuit. As the sound of the warble varies from slender to high or low, it is often difficult to dis- cover the retreat of the little busy musician, which appears far or near with the modulation of his almost ventriloquous note. The female likewise tunes, at timv s, her more slender lay in a wiry tone, almost like that of the S. varia, in early spring. About the 7th of June, 1830, I discovered a nest of this species in a Virginian juniper, near Mount Auburn, in this vicin- ity, at the height of about 40 feet from the ground. It was firmly fixed in the upright twigs of a close branch. The nest was thin, but very neat ; the principal material was the vf'ny old stems of the slender knot-weed {Polygonum tenue), circularly interlaced, and connected externally with rough linty fibres of some species of Asclepias, and blended with caterpillar's webs. The lining was made of a few hog's bristles, slender root-fibres, a mat of the down of fern-stalks, and one or two feathers of the Robin's breast, — a curious medley, but all answering the pose of warmth and shelter for the expected brood. I saw several of these nests, which had at different times been thrown to the ground, and in all, the wiry grass and general material were the same as in the one now described ; and this, of course, is entirely different from that given by Wilson on the authority of Mr. Abbot. The nest there mentioned is nothing more than the usual pendulous fabric of the Red-eyed Warbling Flycatcher. The eggs in ours were 4, and, advanced towards VOL. I. — 16 242 SINGING BIRDS. : hatching, they were white, with a slight tinge of green, very full of small pale brown spots, somewhat more numerous towards the larger end, where they appear connected or aggre- gated around a purplish ground. The female made some little complaint, but almost immediately resumed her seat, though 2 of the eggs were taken away ; the male made off immediately, and was but seldom seen near the place. The Pine Warbler is a commoh summer resident of New Eng- land, but I seldom saw it in New Brunswick, and can find no evi. dence of its occurrence in Nova Scotia. Mr. Neilson thinks it uncommon, and only a migrant in the vicinity of Quebec city, and Mr. Mcllwraith makes a similar report for Ontario, It winters in the Southern States. PRAIRIE WARBLER. Dendroica discolor. Char. Above, olive; back with patch of red spots; forehead, line over the eyes, wing-bars, and entire under parts rich yellow ; black streak on sides of head ; sides spotted with black ; 3 outer tail-feathers with broad patches of white. Length ^Yz to 5 inches. N'est. In open woodland or old meadow, on small tree or bush ; neatly and compactly made of grass and vegetable fibre lined with hair or feathers. Eggs. 4-5 ; white, spotted around larger end with brown ; 0.63 X 047. These birds, ra^e in the Atlantic States, appear to be some- what more common in the solitary barrens of Kentucky and the open woods of the Choctaw country. Here they prefer the open plains thinly covered with trees ; and without betraying alarm at the visits of a spectator, leisurely pursue their search for caterpillars and small flies, examining among the leaves or hopping among the branches, and at times descending pretty near, and familiarly examining the observer, with a confidence and curiosity seldom witnessed in these shy and retiring species. Such was the conduct of a male bird in this vicinity, on the 4th of June, whom I discovered by his slender filing notes, which were uttered every half minute, and like those of PIUIRIE WARBLER. 243 en, very iimerous .r aggre- me little lough 2 ediately, few Eng- no evi. thinks it city, and irinters in :head, line ack streak .thers with ish ; neatly th hair or rn ; 0.63 X be some- ucky and prefer the betraying eir search leaves or ng pretty onfidence i retiring is vicinity, ider filing e those of the Black-poll Warbler resembled the suppressed syllables */s/i '/s/i '/s/i */s/u'a', beginning low, and gradually growing louder, having nearly the same slender whistle as that species, though somewhat stronger. T||||pair were busily engaged collecting flies and larvae from a clump of young locust-trees in the woods of Mount Auburn, and occasionally they flitt'ed among the Virginian junipers ; the familiar visit of the male appeared for the purpose of discovering my intentions near the nest, about which he was naturally solicitous, though he made his ap- proaches with the appearance of accident. The female was more timid ; yet while I was still engaged in viewing this little interesting and secluded pair, she, without any precaution or concealment, went directly to the nest in the forks of a low barberry bush near by, and when there, she sat and looked at me some time before she removed. She made, however, no pretences to draw me away from the spot, where she was sit- ting on 4 eggs, of which I took away 2 ; her approaches to the nest were now more cautious, and she came escorted and en- couraged by the presence of her mate. Two eggs were again soon added, and the young brood, I believe, reared without any accident. The nest was scarcely distinguishable from that of the Sum- mer Yellow Bird, and quite different from the nests described by Wilson and Audubon. My opportunity for examination, so long continued, seemed to preclude the possibility of error in the investigation ; neither can I compare the slender note of this species to any whirring sound, which would more nearly approach to the song of the Pine Warbler. The Prairie Warbler visits Cambridge about the first or second week in May, and according to the observations of my friend Mr. Cooper, is seen probably about the same time in the vicinity of New York in small numbers and in pairs, and retires to winter in the West Indies about the middle of September. This species is now considered common in Massachusetts, though it has not been taken farther northward. It occurs in Ohio and in Michigan, but not in Ontario. It winters in south- em Florida and the West Indies. >H^ li i 1 ^ "--^^i to 3 PARUTA WARBLER. BLUE-YELLOW-BACKED WARBLEFi. COMPSOl HLYPIS AMERICANA. Char. Male; above, bright ashy blue, an olive patch on the back; throat and breast yellow, a patch of rich brown on the breast ; belly white ; wings with 2 broad white bj'-e ; white patches on inner web of outer tail-feathers. Female : similar, but colors duller and the patches on back and breast obscure or absent. Length \yt to 4^ inches. Nest. In moist woodland or on border of swamp ; usually in a bunch of " beard-moss " {usfiea) hanging from the trunk or branch of a tree 10 to 40 feet from the ground, and composed of threads of the moss and fine grass or hair compactly woven ; sometimes lined with pine-needles or hair. ^^^^- 3~7 (usually 4) ; white or creamy, thickly spotted with sever-al shades of reddish brown ; 0.65 X 0.45. This remarkable species visits the Middle and Northern States about the ist to the 15 th of May, and is seen again early in October on its way to the West Indies (St. Domingo and Porto Rico), whither it retires at the approach of winter. A few, according; to Catesby, pass the whole year in South Car- olina. It is very abundant in the summer in the woods of Kentucky, is active and restless on its first arrival, and fre- quents the summits of the highest trees, being particularly fond of the small caterpillars and flies of various kinds which are, in ihe early part of spring, attracted to the open blossoms dnd tender shoots. It also possesses in some degree the creeping and prying habits of the Titmouse, to whic'^ genus it it was referred by Linnaeus and Pennant. Entering the south- II the back ; reast ; belly liner web of ! patches on It 1 in a bunch of a tree lo OSS and fine s-needles or with several Northern seen again Domingo I of winter. South Car- woods of and fre- particularly ands which ;n blossoms degree the Ic^ genus it ' the south- t BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. 245 em extremity of the Union by the first approach of spring, it is now seen searching for its insect food on shrubs and plants in moist places, by the borders of lakes and streams. In this vicinity it is not common ; but as it was singing as late as the 2 2d of May in the woody solitu<' of the Blue Hills of Milton, it must undoubtedly breed there. The notes of this species resemble those of the Prairie Warbler in some respects, though sufficiently different; the tones, rising from low to high, are rather weak and insignificant. In Nuttall's day this dainty bird was named "Party-colored War- bler " and " Finch Creeper." it is now considered a rather com- mon summer resident in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and breeds northward to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The nests have been found also in northern Ohio and southern Illinois, and in winter the birds range through southern Florida and among the more northern West Indies The Parula is associated in my mind with secluded woods on cool and shaded hill-sides bordering a stream, and the song comes to me from amid the top branches of tall trees, — birch and poplar. It is an attractive song, though it has little theme, — merely a rapid trill of some twenty sibilant notes delivered with a rising in- flection ; but the tones are sweet, and the effect is pleasing. The song is clearly an outburst of joyous emotion. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. DeNDROICA Ci^RULESCENS. Char. Male : above, dull blue, back sometimes streaked with black ; sides of head, throat, and chest rich black ; remainder of under parts white; white spot on wing; tail with large white blotches. Female: above, dull olive; beneath, dull greenish yellow; white spot on wing. Length 5 to 5J4 inches. Nest. In deep woods amid thick underbrush or on high branch ; of grass, twigs, vines, and lichens, fastened with insect silk, lined with roots and hair. ^AT-''' 3-5 ; white, with green or buff tint, often, when fresh, tinged with rosy, marked with large spots of reddish brown ; 0.70 X 0.50. Of this uncommon species we know very little. It appears only as a transient visitor in the month of April, in the Middle 1 h ' '" " - ■" cw • M^ 1 1 1 1 1 i i 246 SINGING BIRDS. States, and after staying to feed for a week or ten days, it proceeds to its northern breeding-place in the wilds of Canada, of which we are wholly ignorant. In November I have ob- served a few on their return to the South, and according to Vieillot, they winter in St. Domingo and other of the larger West India islands. Near Farranville, on che Susquehanna, within the range of the Alleghany Mountains, in the month of May, I saw and heard several pairs of this rare species in the shady hemlock- trees. The males were uttering their slender, wiry, and very peculiar notes, while busily engaged in foraging for insects, and seemed, by being paired, to prepare for incubation. The Pine Swamp Warbler {Sylvia sphagnosa) is now consid- ered only as the young of this species, of which, however, I think there yet remains some doubt. The history of this species need no longer remain a mystery, for while not abundant, its nesting habits may be studied in any suita- ble locality in New England or northern New York, or along the higher altitudes of the Alleghanies as far down as Georgia ; though the major portion of the flocks pass on to the Canadian faunal area before stopping to build. I did not meet with many examples in New Brunswick, and Mr, Neilson thinks it rare near Quebec city; but Mr. Wintle calls it common near Montreal, and the Ontario observers also regard it as common. It winters in Florida as well as in the West Indies. KENTUCKY WARBLER. GeOTHLVPIS FORMOSA. Char. Above, olive ; crown and sides of head and neck, black ; line from nostril to and around the eye yellow; beneath, yellow, the sides shaded with olive. Length ^Vz to 5^ inches. Nest. On the ground, in rather thick woods ; a bulky affair of loosely laid leaves and grass, lined with vegetable down, roots, or hair. Eggs. 4-6 ; white or creamy, spotted with lilac and several shades of brown; 0.73 X 056. This beautiful species, first described by Wilson, frequents the dark forests of the southwestern parts of the Union, being CERULEAN WARBLER. 247 days, it Canada, tiave ob- >rding to le larger range of saw and [lemlock- and very ■ insectS;, in. iv consid- awever, I ^stery, for any suita- along the a ; though aunal area [, and Mr, calls it regard it Indies. particularly abundant in Louisiana, and not uncommon in Ken- tucky and Tennessee, and from thence inhabiting throughout the country to the estuaries of the Mississippi. It frequents low, damp woods and the desolate borders of the lagoons, cane-brakes, and swamps near the banks of the great rivers. It arrives in Kentucky about the middle of April, but enters the southern extremity of the Union from Mexico by the same time in March, and by the middle of September retires south of the United States. The males are very pugnacious in the pairing season of spring, and utter some loud notes, in threes, resembling the sound of ^twccdle iweedle iweedle. The nest is often attached to stems of stout weeds, or placed in a tuft of grass. It is made of the dry bark of herbaceous plants, mixed with downy substances, and lined with the cotton of the seed of the wild poplar. The species is scarcely known to the east of North Carolina. In the A. O. U. check-list the habitat of this species is given as " Eastern United States, west to the Plains, and north to southern New England and southern Michigan. In winter. West Indies and Central America." It is most abundant along the Mississippi valley, and has been seen but rarely east of the Alleghanies. There is only one record of its occurrence in New England, — a pair taken in 1876, at Suffield, Conn. Mr. John Neilson reports that a pair were frequently seen by him near the city of Quebec during the early part of July, 1879. Those '/ho have heard the song pronounce it an attractive melody, the tones being loud and clear and the theme pleasing. Mr. Wm. Brewster ranks it among the best of the Sylvicoline per- formances. black ; line the sides of loosely shades of frequents on, being I CERULEAN WARBLER. BLUE WARBLER. DENDROICA CiERULEA. Char. Above, bright azure blue ; back streaked with black ; line of dusky blue through the eyes ; wings with two white bars ; all tail- feathers but inner pair spotted with white ; beneath, white ; breast and sides streaked v.ith dusky bhie. Length i,% to 5 inches. Nest. In open woodland, on horizontal bough 30 to 50 feet from the VI 248 SINGING BIRDS. ground ; of grass and lichens fastened with insect silk, lined with fine grass. Eg^ifs, 4 ; white with green or blue tint, spotted chiefly around the larger end with reddish brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.53. This very delicately colored species is among the rarest summer residents of the Atlantic States, and does not probably migrate or rather stray farther north than the State of New York. In the Southwestern States, particularly Tennessee and West Florida, it is one of the most abundant species ; it is also found in the western wilderness beyond the Mississippi. It is only in the summer that it ventures into the Middle States, from which it retires almost before the first chills of autumn, or by the middle of August. It frequents the borders of streams and marshes, and possesses many of the habits of the Fly- catchers, warbling also at times in a lively manner, and though its song be short, it is at the same time sweet and mellow. The principal range of this daintily dressed songster is through the southwestern division of this Eastern Province, between the valley of the Mississippi and the Alleghanian hills, north to Ohio (where it is abundant), southern Ontario, Indiana, and Illinois. It occasionally wanders eastward to central New York, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. t I I *> MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT. Geothlypis trichas. Char. Above, olive, duller on the head, brighter on rump; fore- head and broad band on side of head black, with whitish border ; beneath rich yellow, paler on the belly- Length 4%' to ^% inches. iV^j/. Hidden by tuft of grass, or amid thicket of briers, usually in a moist woodland or on border of swamp ; composed exteriorly of loosely laid grass, twigs, etc., lined with fine grass compactly woven. JS^^s. 4-6 ; white, sometimes creamy, spotted around larger end with brown and lilac ; often a few black spots and lines ; 0.70 X 0.52. This common and familiar species extends its summer mi- grations from Florida to Nova Scotia, arriving in Pennsylvania towards the middle of April, and in this part of New England about the first week in May. The majority return to the South in September ; a few stragglers of the young, however, may be seen to the first week in October, and though some may re- main and winter in the Southern States, it is more probable that the main body retire at this season into the interior of tropical America, as they were seen late in autumn around Vera Cruz by the naturalist and traveller Mr. Bullock. Early in the month of March, however, I heard this species singing in the forests of West Florida. The Maryland Yellow-Throat, with cheerful devotedness to the great object of his summer migration, — the attachments and cares of his species, — passes his time near some shady rill of water, amidst briers, brambles, alders, and such other shrubbery as grows in low and watery situations. Unambitious to be seen, 250 SINGING BIRDS. he seldom ascends above the tops of the underwood, where he dwells, busily employed in collecting the insects on which he feeds. After these, like the Wren, he darts into the deepest thicket, and threads his devious way through every opening ; he searches around the stems, examines beneath the leaves, and raising himself on his peculiarly pale and slender legs, peeps into each crevice in order to seize by surprise his tiny lurking prey. While thus engaged, his affection to his neigh- boring mate is not forgotten, and with a simplicity, agreeable and characteristic, he twitters forth at short intervals his ^whifitetee ^whititetee ^whititetee, but his more common song is 'whitfitshee ^whitittshee, or ^wetitshee luetUshee wee ; and some- times I have heard hiy note like, ^wetitshee wetitshee, ^wifyu we. On this last syllable a plaintive sinking of the voice ren- ders the lively, earnest ditty of the active minstrel peculiarly agreeable. Copying apparently from the Cardinal Bird, the song was, in one instance, which came to my notice, ^vit'iyu ^vifiyu ^vifiyu. The whole is likewise often varied and lowered into a slender whisper, or tender revery of vocal instinct. Sometimes he calls out, teeishoo, teetshoo, and sexnaidedit sewaidedit sewaidttsewee, or sewaididit sewaiditsiwee, as he busily darts through the blooming and odor-breathing shrubs of the grove or garden, which he examines with minute atten- tion, and sometimes springs perpendicularly after his retreating and discovered prey. He appears by no means shy or sus- picious, as long as his nest is unapproached ; but for the safety of that precious treasure he scolds, laments, and entreats with great anxiety. The species generally nest in the recluse thickets of the forest, or the low bushy meadow ; but sometimes they take up their abode in the garden, or the field contiguous to the house, and if undisturbed, show a predilection for the place which has afforded security to themselves and their young. They commence their labor of building about the middle of May, fixing the nest on or near the ground, among dry leaves, withered grass, or brush, and choose often for security the most intricate thicket of briers, so that the nest is often sheltered MOURNING WARBLER. 251 and concealed by projecting weeds and gr;.ss. Sometimes a mere tussuck of grass or accidental pile of brush is chosen. It is made of dry sedge-grass ( Carex) , and a few leaves loosely wound together and supported by the weeds or twigs where it rests; the lining consists entirely of fine bent-grass {Agrostis). The young leave the nest, here, about the middle of June, and a second brood is sometimes raised in the course of the season. The parents and young now rove about in restless prying troops, and take to the most secluded bushy marshes, where they pass their time in comparative security till the arrival of that period of scarcity which warns them to depart. As early as the close of July, the lively song of the male ceases to be heard, and the whole party now forage in silence. This species is common throughout the settled portions of Can- ada, from the Atlantic to Lake Huron. Note. — The Western form has lately been separated from true trichas and given varietal rank with the name G. trichas occidentalis. Its habitat is from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific. It is some- what larger and more brightly colored than is the eastern race. Another geographical race, the Florida Yellow-throat {G. trichas ignota), — lately described by Mr. Frank M. Chapman from specimens taken in Florida and Georgia, — differs from typical trichas in having the yellow of under parts of deeper shade and greater extent; the facial mask is wider ?1so. MOURNING WARBLER. GeOTHLYPIS PHILADELPHIA. Char. Above, olive ; head, neck, and breast ashy ; breast mottled with black ; remainder of under parts yellow. Length t,% to 5_j4 inches. A\'st. In open woodland or pasture, on the ground or in low tree or busli ; of vegetable fibre, lined with hair. E^gs. 3-5 ; white or creamy, with brown and lilac spots wreathed around the larger endj 0.70 X 0.54. Wilson, the discoverer of this curious species, never met with more than a single individual, which in its habits of frequent- 252 SINGING BIRDS. ing marshy ground, and flitting through low bushes in quest of insects, appears very simila* to the Maryland Yellow-throat. The discoverer, however, also distinguished it more importantly by the novelty of its sprightly and pleasant warble j we may therefore perhaps consider it as a solitary straggler from the main body in the western regions of this vast continent. It was shot in the early part of June near Philadelphia. On the 20th of May, 1831, I saw, as I believe, the male of this species in the dark shrubbery of the Botanic Garden (Cambridge). It possessed all the manners of the common species, was equally busy in search of insects in the low bushes, and at little intervals warbled out some very pleasant notes, which though they resembled the lively chant of the Maryland Yellow-throat, even to the wetitshee^ yet they were more agree- ably varied, so as to approach in some degree the song of the Summer Yellow Bird {Sylvia astiva). This remarkable note, indeed, set me in quest of the bird, which I followed for some time ; but at last, perceiving himself watched, he left the gar- den. As far as I was able to observe this individual, he was above of a dark olive-green, very cinereous on the fore part of the head, with a band of black through the eyes, which de- scended from the side of the neck, where at length it joined with a crescent of dusky or black spots upon the breast ; the throat was yellow and the under parts paler. Mr. Townsend saw a specime. on the shady borders of the Schuylkill in the month of May last, and a second individual has been obtained by Mr. De Rham in the vicinity of New York. Two or three other specimens have also been obtained in the vicinity of Philadelphia and in New Jersey. It is, however, still a very rare species, and its proper habitation is yet to be discovered. This is still a rare bird in many localities, and it is among the desiderata of most collectors ; yet within the limits of its favorite breeding areas, — at the higher altitudes of the Alleghanies ; on the Berkshire Hills; along the northern borders of Vermont and New Hampshire; in portions of New York; and elsewhere between the Atlantic coast and the Plains where suitable conditions of environ ^ t V': CONNECTICUT WARBLER. 253 ment are obtainable, — the Mourning Warbler is not at all rare, and in the West — in Minnesota, Dakota, and Manitoba — it is decidedly abundant. Evidently it has no special liking for the Maritime Provinces nor for any portion of Canada east of Lake Winnipeg, for Canadian observers in general report it rare or uncommon. Yet one of the few nests that have been discovered was secured by Mr. Kells, near Listovvel, in Ontario. This nest was in a cedar swamp and placed on the horizontal branch of a small tree quite close to the ground. The examples I saw in New Brunswick were in small flocks, and were a very busy and very merry company, — busy in searching for their food, moving in most sprightly and vivacious manner, and making merry with sweet voices. The song consists of a few simple notes, though sometimes, when hovering while on the wing, it is more elaborate. CONNECTICUT WARBLER. GKAV-HEADED WARBLER. CtEOTHLYPIS AGILIS. Char. Above, olive ; head, neck, and breast ashy, darkest on breast and crown ; white ring around the eyes ; chest and belly yellow, sides shaded with olive. Length ^}i to 6 inches. M'sf. Hidden on a tuft of weeds, or sunk in mossy mound, in swampy woods ; composed of dried grass. £i,%'s. 4- .'' ; creamy, spotted, chiefly around the larger end, with black, brown, and lilac; 0.75 + 0.55. This rare species, discovered by Wilson in Connecticut and afterwards in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, appears to frequent low thickets, and is exceedingly active in pursuit of its prey, scarcely remaining a moment in the same place. Wilson afterwards shot two specimens of a bird which in every particular agreed with the above, except in having the throat dull buff instead of pale ash. These were both females, as he supposed, of the present species. The history of this bird is still interestingly obscure, so much has yet to be learned ; but gleaning from records made by obser- vers in various parts of the country, I am enabled to add a little to Nuttall's account. V ) 254 SINGING BIRDS. 1 The bird has been taken throughout the greater part of this Eastern Province ; Ijut its distribution appears, from the evidence so far gathered, to be somewhat peculiar. It winters in Mexico and southward, and in the spring nii-;rcites wholly along the Missis- sippi valley, where it is more or less abundant north to Manitoba, though it is rarely seen at that season to the eastward of Ilhnois. It breeds in Minnesota, Dakota, and Manitoba, and i^- ''^ au- tumn part of the Horks go south along the Mississippi, others pass eastward along the shores of the Great Lakes, and thence to Mass:achusetts, the most northern limit of the bird's range on the Atlantic side, where it is common during the first half of September, after which the flocks continue on a gradual movement southward. Dr. Wheaton considered the species very rare in Ohio, and it was thought to be rare in Ontario until 1884, when my friend Wil- liam Saunders found it common in the vicinity of London. The only nest yet taken was discovered by another friend and fellow- worker Ernest Thompson. It was found near Carberry, Manitoba, in 1883, sunk amid a mossy mound in a tamarack swamp, — "a dark, gray waste." In the West, during the spring migrations, these birds are exceed- ingly active and very shy, moving incessantly among the branches in quest of insects, and when approached darting into the thickest covers ; but those I saw on the Fresh Pond marsh at Cambridge fed chiefly on the ground, among the leaves, and when disturbed flew generally but a short distance to a low branch, and sat as com- posedly as a Thrush. Thompson describes the song as similar to the Golden-crowned Thrush, and says it may be suggested by the syllables beecher- beecher-beecher-beecher-beccher-beecher, sung at the same pitch throughout. WORM-EATING WARBLER. Helmitherus vermivorus. Char. Above, olive ; head buff, with four stripes of black ; beneath, buff, paler on belly. Length s>i to 5^ inches. Nest. On the ground, often covered by a bush, or beside a fallen log; of leaves, moss, and grass, lined with moss, fine grass, or hair. /iV^-^j. 3-6 (usually 5) ; variable in shape and color; white, sometimes with buff or pink tint, marked with fine spots of reddish brown and lilac; 0.70 X 0.55. These birds arrive in Pennsylvania about the middle of May, and migrate to the South towards the close of Septem- ber ; they were seen feeding their young in that State about the 25th of June by Wilson, so that some pairs stay and breed there. They are very active and indefatigable insect-hunters, and have the note and many of the manners of the Marsh Titmouse or Chickadee. About the 4th of October I have seen a pair of these birds roving through the branches of trees with restless agility, hanging on the twigs and examining the trunks, in quest probably of spiders and other lurking and dormant insects and their larvae. One of them likewise kept up a con- stant complaining call, like the sound of tshc de de. According to Richardson this species visits the fur coun- tries, where a single specimen was procu'ed at Cumberland House, on the banks of the Saskatchewan. It is found also in Maine and the British Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Dr. Bachman says that it breeds sparingly in the 256 SINGING BIRDS. swamps of Carolina, as he observed a pair followed by three or four young ones nearly fledged, all of which already exhibi- ted the markings on the head. Richardson led Nuttall into a mistake regarding the distribution of this species. It is a Southern bird, breeding cliiefly south of lati- tude 40^, and occurs but rarely along the northern limit of its range, — southern New England, the southern shores of Lake Erie, and northern Illinois. It has not been taken in the Provinces. Usually these birds feed on the ground among the dead leaves, but sometimes rise amid the branches, as described by Nuttall. They are not "shy" birds, for they will remain on the nest until fairly driven off, and when feeding are apparently indifferent about, being watched. SWAINSON'S WARBLER. Helinaia svvainsonii. Char. Above, dull olive, head and wings tinged with reddish brown; dark streak through the eyes ; line over eyes and under parts white with yellow tint ; sides tinged with olive. Length 51^ to 6 inches. Nest. In a swamp, or near stagnant pool, or on dry upland ; in cane- stalk or on bush, 4 to 10 feet from the ground ; a bulky and inartistic affair of dead leaves, lined with r*. )ts anf* pine-needles. E^i;gs. 3-4 ; white with blue tint, unmarked ; 0.75 X o 60. Dr. Bachman, who discovered this species near the banks of the Edisto River, in South Carolina, remarks : " I was first attracted by the novelty of its notes, four or five in number, repeated at intervals of five or six minutes apart. These notes were loud, clear, and more like a whistle than a song. They resembled the sound of some extraordinary ventriloquist in such a degree that I supposed the bird much farther off than it really was ; for after some trouble caused by these fictitious notes, I observed it near me, and soon shot it." These birds appear to have a predilection for swampy, muddy places, usu- ally more or less covered with water. They feed on coleop - terous insects and the larvae which infest the pond-lily. They usually keep in low bushes, and retire southward at the close of summer. They breed, it appears, in South Carolina, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. 257 Until recently, naturalists knew nothing more of this species than Nuttall put inlo the above few lines ; and for that information he was indebted to Audubon. Only three examples were taken between Audubon's time and 1873, when Nathan C. Brown captured three more in Alabama; and eleven years afterwards, in 1884, William Brewster collected fifty specimens in the vicinity of Charleston, and publishea in " The Auk " for January, 1885, an interesting account of the bird's habits. He reports that he met with this bird in dry, scrubby woods or open orange-groves, though it prefers the ranker growth of the swamps, to which it appears to be confined during the breeding season. Its song is said to be "very loud, very rich, very beau- tiful, while it has an indescribable tender quality that thrills the senses after the sound has ceased." The distribution of the species has not yet been very satisfac- torily determined, but it probably occurs in all the South Atlantic and Gulf States, and along the Mississippi valley north to Illinois and Indiana. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. Protonotaria citrea. Char. Head, neck, and under parts golden yellow ; back bright olive ; wings, tail, and rurnp, bluish ash ; inner webs of tail-feathers white. Length about 5/^ inches. Nest. On the margin of a stream or pond or in a swamp ; a cavity in dead tree, often a deserted nest of Woodpecker or Chickadee, generally • near the ground ; lined with leaves and moss. F^^g^- 4-7 (usually 6); white, or with buff tint, thickly spotted with brownish red ; 0.70 X 0.55. This beautiful species inhabits the Southern States commonly in summer, being plentiful in the low, dark, and swampy forests of the Mississippi near New Orleans, as well as in Louisiana and the wilds of Florida. In these solitary retreats individuals are seen nimbly flitting in search of insects, caterpillars, larvae, and small land shells, every now and then uttering a few creak- ing notes scarcely deserving the name of song. They some- times, though very rarely, proceed as far north as Pennsylvania. They appear to affect watery places in swamps which abound with lagoons, and are seldom seen in the woods. According to VOL. I. 17 258 SINGING BIRDS. Dr. Bachman, these birds breed in South Carolina, as he saw a pair and their young near Charleston. Thio species is common in the Gulf States, and ranges along the Mississippi valley, being peculiarly abundant in southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana, but near the Adantic is rarely seen north of Georgia. A few stragglers have been encountered in New England, while one has been taken at St. Stephen, New Brunswick, by Mr. George A. Boardman, and another near Hamil- ton, Ontario, by H. C. Mcllwraith. It is said to be more deliberate and thrushlike in its movements than are its sprightly congeners, the Dsndroicce. The song most frequently heard is described as a simple but pleasing whistle, like that of the solitary Sandpiper, though when the singer is near at hand, almost startling in its intensity. Mr. Brewster mentions hearing another song delivered on tlie wing, and intended for the ear of the mate alone. It is generally heard only after incubation has commenced, and is low, but very sweet, and resembles some- what the song of a Canary, delivered in an undertone. BLUE-WINGED WARBLER. Helminthophila pinus. Char. Above, bri^'Iit olive ; wings and tail dull blue ; wings with two white bars ; tail with several white blotches; black line through the eye ; crown and under parts yellow. Length about 5 inches. Nest. In a tuft of grass amid thicket of underbrush or along margin of woods; bulky, and loosely made of dried leaves and vegetable fibre, lined with fine grass. ^Sg^' 4-S; white, fa ntly speckled with brown ; 0.60 X 0.50. About the beginning of May this species enters Pennsylvania from the South, and frequents thickets and shrubberies in quest of the usual insect food of its tribe. At the approach of win- ter, very different from the Pine Warbler, with which it has sometimes been confounded, it retires to pass the winter in tropical America, having been seen around Vera Cruz in autumn by Mr. Bullock. On its arrival it frequents gardens, orchards, and willow trees, gleaning among the blossoms, but at length withdraws into the silent woods remote, from the BLUE-WINGED WARBLER. 259 '■ haunts of men, to pass the period of breeding and rearing its young in more security. The apparent distribution of this species, judged by the records of recent observations, is somewhat peculiar. It seems to be abundant in the southwestern portion of this Eastern Province, and rarely ranges east of the Alleghanian hills until north of 40°, when it spreads off to the shores of the Atlantic, though seldom going beyond latitude 42°. A few examples only have been taken in Massachusetts, and though common in Ohio it has not been seen in Ontario. Farther west it is found north to the southern por- tions of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. It winters south to eastern Mexico and Guatemala. The nests that have been discovered in recent years are not fashioned like that described by Wilson, for instead of being funnel-shaped, they have the ordinary cup-like form. Opinions differ regarding the song, but I am inclined to believe that it is a rapid trill of strong, sweet tones, limited m compass and executed with little art, — a merry whistle rather than an artistic melody. 26o SINGING BIRDS. 1j GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. HeLMINTHOPHILA CHRYSOFIERA. Char. Above, bluish gray; crown yellow; side of head yellowish •vhite, with broad patch of black from bill through eyes ; two wing-bars, yellow ; blotches on tail white ; beneath, white tinged with yellow ; throat black ; sides tinged with gray. Length about 5 inches. Nest. Amid a tuft of long grass, in moist meadow or damp margin of woods ; constructed of shreds of bark, roots, etc., lined with fine grass. Eggs. 4-6; white spotted with brown and lilac; 0.65 X 0.50. This scarce species appears only a few days in Pennsylvania about the last of April or beginning of May. It darts actively through the leafy branches, and like the Titmouse examines the stems for insects, and often walks with the head downwards ; its notes and actions are also a good deal similar, in common with the Worm-eating Warbler. I have never yet seen it in Massachusetts, and if it really does proceed north to breed, it must follow a western route. The Golden-wing still remains a somewhat " scarce " bird, but it occurs regularly in Connecticut and southern Massachusetts, and in some few localities is often quite numerous. Its general breeding area lies north of latitude 40°, though nests have been found among the hills of Georgia and North Carolina. To the westward it breeds in Ohio, southern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and in the vicinity of London, Ontario, where Saunders reports it quite com- mon. It winters south to Central America. m TENNESSEE WARBLER. 261 BACHMAN'S WARBLER. Helminthophila bachmani. Char. Above, olive ; head dull ashy ; black band across crown ; fore- head and underparts yellow, with large patch of black on the breast ; yellow band on wing. Length 4^ inches. jVest. In a low tree. £^g's. 4 ; dull white, heavily wreathed around larger end with dark brown and spotted with lilac ; 0.74 X 0.60. This species was first obtained a few miles from Charles- ton, S. C, in July 1833, by Dr. Bachman, after whom it is named. It appears to be a lively, active species, frequenting thick bushes, through which it glides after insects, or occasion- ally, mounting on wing, it seizes them in the air. Several individuals were seen in the same neighborhood. Nothing more was heard of this interesting bird than the little told by Audubon and Nuttall, until 1883, when Mr. H. B. Bailey descri' ed the nest and eggs from examples collected in Georgia, by Dr. S. W. Wilson, somewhere between 1853 and 1865. The male and female secured by Dr. Bachman were the only specimens taken until u3d, when a third was .shot by Charles S. Galbraith, in Louisian:^., and announced by Mr. George N. Lawrence in " The Auk " of January, 1887. A fourth, taken in Florida in March, 1887, was announced by Dr. Merriam, and during that year others were reported. Since then the bird has been discovered to be fairly common in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. It is described as an active, quarrelsome bird, wary and difficult to approach. When searching for food, its manner is suggestive of the Parula. It frequents both shrubbery and high trees, but shows a preference for the latter and for a rather thick growth. TENNESSEE WARBLER. Hkt-minthophila peregrina. Char. Above, olive, brightest on rump, shading to ashy on head ; wings and tail dusky ; beneath, white, with faint tint of yellow ; sides tinged with gray. Length 4^4 to 4:'4 inches A'rsf. On a low bu.sh in open woodland ; made of grass, moss, and vegetable fibre, lined with hair. warn 262 SINGING BIRDS. £^^(^s. 0-0 (probably 4 or 5) ; white, wreathed around larger end with brown and purplish spots : 0.65 X 0.50 (?). This rare and plain species was discovered by Wilson on the banks of Cumberland River, in the State of Tennessee. It was hunting with great agility among the opening leaves in spring, and like the rest of the section to which it appertains, possesses a good deal of the habits of the Titmouse. Its notes were few and weak, and its food, a^ usual, smooth caterpillars and winged insects. It is still so rare that Audubon never saw more than three individuals, — two in Louisiana, and one at Key West in East Florida, all of which were males. Ornithologists of the present day do not consider this Warbler quite so rare as did Nuttall and his contemporaries, though it is somewhat local in its d:stnbution, and is only met with occasionally at many places within its range. In the Eastern States it is rather rare, excepting on the northern border of New York and New Eng- land, where it breeds ; but it is more numerous in the Mississippi valley, and Dr. Coues found it migrating in abundance along the Red River, through Minnesota and Dakota, while Thompson reports it as " a common summer resident " in parts of Manitoba. Dr. Wheaton considered it rare in Ohio, but Saunders reports it " common at times " in the southern peninsula of Ontario, while Mcllwraith has seen it but twice near Hamilton. It is rare in the Ottawa valley and near the city of Quebec, while common near Montreal. Comeau says it breeds ui numbers near Point de Monts, on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Macoun reports it common around Lake Misstissini. It is not uncommon in some few localities in New Brunswick, where it remains all sum- mer. Mr. Walter Faxon reports seeing an example on Graylock and another on the White Mountains. Very few nests have been discovered, and one of these was taken near Springfield, Mass. It is an active bird and very wary, always on the alert, — darting rapidly from branch to branch. The song is a sweet-toned, cheery whistle, — somewhat similar to that of the Nashville. ■' i: NASHVILLE WARBLER. 263 ^ Char. Above, olive, brighter on rump ; head ashy gray, with con- ^.^ NASHVILLE WARBLER. HeLMINTHOPHILA RUFICAPILLA. cealed patch of reddish brown ; yellow ring around the eyes ; beneath, bright yellow, paler on the belly ; sides shaded with olive. Length 4>^ to 5 inches. Nest. Amid a tuft of weeds in pasture or open woodland ; composed of leaves and vegetable fibre, lined with grass, pine-needles, or hair. E'.^S'^- 3-5 (usually 4) ; white or creamy, marked with fine spots of reddish brown and lilac ; 0.60 X 0.50. This rare species was discovered by Wilson in the vicinity of Nashville in Tennessee j it also exists in the neighboring States in summer, and occasionally proceeds as far north as Philadel- phia, and even the neighborhood of Salem in this State [Mas- sachusetts]. Its discoverer was first attracted to it by the singular noise which it made, resembling the breaking of small dry twigs, or the striking together of pebbles, for six or seven times in succession, and loud enough to be heard at the dis- tance of thirty or forty yards. A similar sound, produced, no doubt, by the smart snapping of the bill, is given by the Stone- chat of Europe, — which hence, in fact, derives its name. Au- dubon says, the male, while standing in a still and erect posture, utters a few low, eagerly repeated, creaking notes. This spe- cies has all the active habits of the family to which it more particularly belongs. Audubon says that these birds are not in fact rare, as he saw them in considerable numbers in the month of April, towards Texas, on their way eastward ; he also saw them in Maine and the Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A few proceed to Labrador, and Dr. Richardson mentions the occurrence of a straggler in the fur countries. However rare the Nashville may have been when Nuttall lived in Cambridge, it is not a rare bird here to-day. It is, indeed, a common summer resident throughout New England and the Mari- tine Provinces, and occurs in more or less abundance westward to Manitoba. It winters south to Mexico and Guatemala. On the arrival of these birds in the spring they frequent the sub- ^« ■^ 264 SINGING BIRDS. urban gardens and orchards, but soon retire to a more secluded place to build ; and hidden away amid the thicker bushes of their favorite haunts, are often overlooked by the collector, — the or- nithological reporter, — and thus the species has acquired a repu- tation of being " uncommon." The song is a typical Warbler-like performance, — a short trill of sweet notes, whistled with little variation in tone, and little effort at artistic execution ; but I have not heard any of the " harsh " and "creaking" effects noted by some writers. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. Helminthophila cfxata. Char. Above, olive, brightest on the rump ; crown with concealed patch of brownish orange ; line over and around the eyes, pale yellow; iieneath, pale greenish yellow ; sides shaded with olive. Length 4>^ to 5^ inches. Nest. On the ground among clumps of bushes ; made of grass, moss, and plant stems, lined with hair. Eggs. 4-6 ; white or creamy, marked, chiefly around the larger end, with spots of reddish brown and purplish slate ; 0.65 X 0.50. This species, first discovered, early in May, on the banks of the Missouri by my friend Mr. T. Say, appeared to be on its passage farther north. It is not uncommon in winter in the orange-groves of West Florida, where it proceeds to pass the season, around St. Augustine ; and its note is described as a mere chirp and faint squeak, scarcely louder than that of a mouse. According to Audubon, these birds breed in the eastern part of Maine and in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In the month of May we saw them abundant in the forests of the Oregon, where no doubt they breed. The song is weak, some- what resembling that of most of the Sylvicolas. Audubon must have gathered in all the New Brunswick Orange Crowns, for none have been seen there since his visit, nor can I learn of any having been observed elsewhere in eastern Canada, excepting the few discovered by Mcllwraith and Saunders in i-'' f \ I L'^ / KIRTLAND'S WARBLER. 265 southern Ontario, and one taken by Ernest D. Wintle near Mon- treal in 1890. Accidental stragglers have been taken in New England, but it is chiefly a Western bird, breeding in the far North, though it wiuters in the Southern and Gulf States. KIRTLAND'S WARBLER. Dendroica kirtlandi. Char. Above, slate bhie, the feathers of head and back streaked with black ; line across forehead and through the eyes, black; beneath, yellow, breast and sides spotted with black ; two white wing-bars ; white blotches on tail. Length 5J4 to 6 inches. Nest zx\^ Eggs, Unknown. Only a few specimens of this bird, discovered by Dr. Kirtland, near Cleveland, in 1851, have as yet been seen, and these few were captured in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri during the spring migrations. Mr. Charles B. Cory secured one in the Baha- mas in winter. The habits of the bird are unknown, but Mr. Chubb, who shot a male and female near Cleveland in 1880, says : " I am inclined to think they are rather terrestrial in their habits, frequenting bushy fields near woods." Note. — The Carbonated Warbler {Dendroica carbonata), mentioned by Nuttall on the authority of Audubon, who killed two specimens in Kentucky, has been placed on the " Hypothetical List " by the A. O. U. Committee, as has also the Blue Mountain Warbler {Dendroica montana) and the Small-headed War- bler {Sylvania microcephala), mentioned by Wilson and Audu- bon. No specimens of either have been taken in recent years. On this same list has been placed the Cincinnati Warbler {Hel- miiithophila cincinnaiiensis)^ which is probably a hybrid of H. pinus and G.formosa; also Lawrence's Warbler {H. lawrenci) and Brewster's Warbler {H. leucobroiuhialis), both supposed to be hybrids of H. pinus and H. chrysoptera. Mr. F. M. Chapman states that he saw a typical leucobronchialis in New Jersey in May, 1890. Townsend's Warbler {Dendroica tcwnsendi), described by Nuttall and named in honor of its discoverer, is a rare bird of the Far West, and its claim to mention here rests on the accidental occurrence of one example near Philadelphia in 1868. HOUSE WREN. wood wren. Troglodytes aedon. Char. Above, reddish brown (sometimes with dark bars), darker on the head; below, brownish white, marked irregularly with dark lines; wings and tail with fine waved lines. Length about 5 inches. A'est. On the eaves of houses or in a barn or hollow tree, etc. ; made of grass, twigs, etc. ; the hole generally filled with rubbish and lined with feathers. Et;.?^- 7-9; white tinted with pink, densely marked with reddish brown; 0.65 X 0.50. This lively, cheerful, capricious, and well-known little min- strel is only a summer resident in the United States. Its northern migrations extend to Labrador, but it resides and rears its young principally in the Middle States. My friend Mr. Say also observed this species near Pembino, beyond the sources of the Mississippi, in the Western wilderness of the 49th degree of latitude. It is likewise said to be an inhabitant of Surinam, within the tropics, where its delightful melody has gained it the nickname of the Nightingale. This region, or the intermediate country of Mexico, is probably the winter quarters of our domestic favorite. In Louisiana it is unknown even as a transient visitor, migrating apparently to the east of HOUSE WREN. 267 the Mississippi, and sedulously avoiding the region generally inhabited by the Carolina Wren. It is a matter of surprise how this, and some other species, with wings so short and a flight so fluttering, are ever capable of arriving and returning from such distant countries. At any rate, come from where it may, it makes its appearance in the Middle States about the 1 2 th or 15 th of April, and is seen in New England in the latter end of that month or by the beginning of May. It takes its departure for the South towards the close of September or early in October, and is not known to winter within the limits of the Union. Some time in the early part of May our little social visitor enters actively into the cares as well as pleasures which preside instinctively over the fiat of propagation. His nest, from pref- erence, near the house, is placed beneath the eaves, in some remote corner imder a shed, out-house, barn, or in a hollow orchard tree ; also in the deserted cell of the Woodpecker, and when provided with the convenience, in a wooden box along with the Martins and Bluebirds. He will make his nest even in an old hat, nailed up, and perforated with a hole for en- trance, or the skull of an ox stuck upon a pole ; and Audubon saw one deposited in the pocket of a broken-down carriage. So pertinacious is the House Wren in thus claiming the con- venience and protection of human society that, according to Wilson, an instance once occurred where a nest was made in the sleeve of a mower's coat, which, in the month of June, was hung up accidentally for two or three days in a shed near a barn. The nest of this species, though less curious than that of some other kinds, is still constructed with considerable appearance of contrivance. The external approach is bar- ricaded with a strong outwork of sticks, interlaced with much labor and ingenuity. When the nest, therefore, is placed beneath the eaves, or in some other situation contig- uous to the roof of the building, the access to the inner fabric is so nearly closed by this formidable mass of twigs, that a mere portion of the edge is alone left open for the female. 268 SINGING BIRDS. II J * : i just sufficient for her to creep in and out. Within this judi- cious fort is placed the proper nest, of the usual hemispherical figure, formed of layers of dried stalks of grass, and lined with feathers. The eggs, from 6 to 9, are of a reddish flesh-color, sprinkled all over with innumerable fine grains of a somewhat deeper tint. They generally rear two broods in the season: the first take to flight about the beginning of June, and the second in July or August. The young are early capable of providing for their own subsistence and twittering forth their petulant cry of alarm. It is both pleasant and amusing to observe the sociability and activity of these recent nurslings, who seem to move in a body, throwing themselves into antic attitudes, often crowding together into the old nests of other birds, and for some time roosting near their former cradle, under the affectionate eye of their busy parents, who have perhaps already begun to prepare the same nest for a new progeny. Indeed, so prospective and busy is the male that he frequently amuses himself with erecting another mansion even while his mate is still sitting on her eggs ; and this curi- ous habit of superfluous labor seems to be more or less common to the whole genus. One of these Wrens, according to Wilson, happened to lose his mate by the sly and ravenous approaches of a cat, — an ani- mal which they justly hold in abhorrence. The f • y after this important loss, our little widower had succeeded in introducing to his desolate mansion a second partner, whose welcome appeared by the ecstatic song which the bridegroom now uttered; after this they remained together, and reared their brood. In the summer of 1830 I found a female Wren who had expired on the nest in the abortive act of laying her first egg. I therefore took away the nest from under the edge of the shed in which it was built. The male, however, continued round the place as before, and still cheerfully uttered his accustomed song. Unwilling to leave the premises, he now went to work and made, unaided, another dwelling, and after a time brought a new mate to take possession ; but less faith- ful than Wilson's bird, or suspecting some lurking danger, she I I HOUSE WREN. 269 n- forsook the nest after entering, and never laid in it. But still the happy warbler continued his uninterrupted lay, apparently in solitude. The song of our familiar Wren is loud, sprightly, and tremu- lous, uttered with peculiar animation, and rapidly repeated ; at first the voice seems ventriloquial and distant, and then bursts forth by efforts into a mellow and echoing warble. The trill- ing, hurried notes seem to reverberate from the leafy branches in which the musician sits obscured, or are heard from the low roof of the vine-mantled cottage like the shrill and unwearied pip3 of some sylvan elf. The strain is continued even during the sultry noon of the summer's day, when most of the feath- ered songsters seek repose and shelter from the heat. His lively and querulous ditty is, however, still accompanied by the slower-measured, pathetic chant of the Red-eyed Fly- catcher, the meandering, tender warble of the Musical Vireo, or the occasional loud mimicry of the Catbird ; the whole forming an aerial, almo!?t celestial concert, which never tires the ear. Though the general performance of our Wren bears no inconsiderable resemblance to that of the European species, yet his voice is louder, and his execution much more varied and delightful. He is rather a bold and insolent intruder upon those birds who reside near him or claim the same accommodation. He frequently causes the mild Bluebird or the Martin to relin- quish their hereditary claims to the garden box, and has been accused also of sucking their eggs. Nor is he any better con- tented with neighbors of his own fraternity who settle near him, keeping up frequent squabbles, like other little busybodies, who are never happy but in mischief; so that upon the whole, though we may justly admire the fine talents of this petulant domestic, he is, like many other actors, merely a good per- former. He is still upon the whole a real friend to the farmer and horticulturist, by the number of injurious insects and their destructive larvae on which both he and his numerous family subsist. Bold and fearless, seeking out every advantageous association, and making up in activity what he may lack in Strength, he does not confine his visits to the cottage or the 270 SINGING BIRDS. country, but may often be heard on the tops of houses even in the midst of the city, warbhng with his usual energy. The House Wren is a common summer resident of I\r;issachu- setts, but is rarely seen north of this State. The only instance of its occurrence in New Brunswick is that of a pair seen at Grand Falls by Mr. C. F. Batchelder. It is fairly common near Montreal and through southern Ontario, and is abundant in Manitoba. It winters in the Middle States and southward. I. !) HI Note — A Western form — distinguished from true a'cdon by the prevalence of gray on its upper parts and its more distinct bars on the back — occurs from Illinois and Manitoba westward. This is Parkmax's Wren {T. acdon parkmanii). The Wood Wren (T'. amen'canus), mentioned by Nuttall on the authority of Audubon, should have been referred to T. acdon. WINTER WREN. Troglodytes hiemalis. Char. Above, reddish brown, brightest on the rump, marked with dark waved lines ; wings dusky, wuh dark bars and white spots ; under parts paler brown, belly and under tail-coverts with dark bars. Length about 4 inches. JVest At the foot of a moss-covered stump, or under a fallen tree, or amid a pile of brush; composed of twigs and moss, lined with feathers. E^i^gs. 4-6 ; white, spotted, chiefly near the larger end, with reddish brown and purple ; 0.7c X 0.50. This little winter visitor, which approaches the Middle Suues in the month of October, seems scarcely in any way distin- guishable from the Common Wren of F^urope. It sometimes passes the winter in Pennsylvania, and according to Audubon even breeds in the Great Pine Swamp in that State, as well as in New York. Early in the spring it is seen on its returning route to the Northwest. Mr. Say observed it in summer near the base of the Rocky Mountains; it was also seen, at the same season, on the White Mountains of New Hampshire by the scientific exploring party of Dr. Bigelow, Messrs. Boott WINTER WREN. 271 and Gray, so that it must retire to the Western or mountainous solitudes .0 pass the period of incubation. Mr. Townsend obtained specimens of this bird in the forests of the Colum- bia. During its residence in the Middle States it frequents the broken banks of rivulets, old roots, and decayed logs near watery places in quest of its insect food. As in Europe, it also approaches the farm-house, examines the wood-pile, erecting its tail, and creeping into the interstices like a mouse. It frequently mounts on some projecting object and sings with great animation. In the gardens and outhouses of the city it appears equally familiar as the more common House Wren. The Wren has a pleasing warble, and much louder than might be expected from its diminutive size. Its song likewise continues more or less throughout the year, — even during the prevalence of a snowstorm it has been heard as cheerful as ever ; it likewise continues its note till very late in the evening, though not after dark. This species is common throughout the Eastern States, breeding in northern New England and north to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and westward through northern Ohio and Ontario to Manitoba. During the summer it occurs also, sparingly, on the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts. It winters from about 40° southward. Had Nuttall ever met with the Winter Wren in its summer haunts ; had he heard its wild melody break the stillness of the bird's forest home, or known of the power controlled by that tiny throstle and of its capacity for brilliant execution ; had he but once listened to its sweet and impassioned tones, and the suggestive joyousness of its rapid tr!ws; had Nuttall, in short, ever heard the bird sing, — he could not, surely, have damned it with such faint praise. The song of this Wren is not well known, for the bird seldom sings beyond the nesting period, and then is rarely heard away from the woodland groves. But once heard, the song is not soon forgotten ; it is so wild and sweet a lay, and is flung upon the woodland quiet with such energy, such hilarious abandon, that it commands attention. Its merits entitle it to rank among the best of our sylvan melodies. •■HBPSWi •^. CAROLINA WREN. mocking wren. Thrvoihorus ludovicianus. Char. Above, reddish brown, with fine black bars ; below, tawny buff ; long line over the eye white or buff ; wings and tail with dark bars. Length 5^ to 6 inches. iVt-st. In any available hole, often in hollow tree, sometimes in brush heap, usually in the woods ; composed of grass, leaves, etc., sometimes fastened with corn-silk, lined with feathers, grass, or horse-hair. A^S'"'^' 3-6 ; white, with pink or buff tint, thickly speckled around larger end with reddish brown ; 0.75 X 0.60. This remarkable mimicking and Musical Wren is a constant resident in the Southern States from Virginia to Florida, but is rarely seen at any season north of the line of Maryland or Delaware, though, attrnrted by the great river-courses, it is abundant from Pittsburg to New Orleans. A few individuals stray, in the course of the spring, as far as the line of New York, and appear in New Jersey and the vicinity of Philadel- phia early in the month of May. On the i yfh of April, re- turning <"om a Southern tour of great extent, I again recognized my old and pleasing acquaintance, by his usual note, near Chester, on the Delaware, where, I have little doubt, a few remain and pass the simimer. retiring to the South only CAROLINA WREN. 273 as the weather becomes inclement. On the banks of the Patapsco, near Baltimore, their song is still heard to the close of November. Our bird has all the petulance, courage, industry, and famili- arity of his particular tribe. He delights to survey the mean- ders of peaceful streams, and dwell amidst the shady trees which adorn their banks. His choice seems to convey a taste for the picturesque and beautiful in Nature, himself, in the foreground, forming one of the most pleasing attractions of the scene. Approaching the waterfall, he associates with its murmurs the presence of the Kingfisher, and modulating the hoarse rattle of his original into a low, varied, desponding note, he sits on some depending bough by the stream, and calls, at intervals, in a slow voice, tee-yUrrh tee-yurrh, or chr'r'r'r'rh. In the tall trees by the silent stream, he recollects the lively, common note of the Tufted Titmouse, and repeats the peto pcto peto pcct, or his peevish katctcdid^ kateti'did, katedid. While gleaning low, amidst fiillen leaves and brushwood, for hiding and dormant insects and worms, he perhaps brings up the note of his industrious neighbor, the Ground Robin, and sets to his own sweet and liquids tones the simple towcet towcct towecf. The tremulous trill of the Pine Warbler is then recollected, and tr' r' r' r' r' r' rh is whistled. In the next breath comes his imitation of the large Woodpecker, woify woi'/y woify and ivotchy wotchy 7votchy, or tshove^ tshovec tshof, and tshooddee tshooddce tshooadeet, then varied to tshuvai tshuvai tshiivat, and toovaiiah toovaiuih toovai'iatoo. Next comes perhaps his more musical and pleasing version of the Blackbird's short song, loottiixhee loottitshce wottitshce. To the same smart tune is now set a chosen part of the drawling song of the Meadow \ :xx\ prccedo prccedo prcccct, then varied, recede reeltdo receet and tecedo tecedo tcceet ; or changing to a bnss key, he tunes sooteei sooteet soot. Once, I heard this indefatigable mimic attempt delightfully the warble of the Bluebird in the month of February. The bold whistle of the Cardinal Bird is another of the sounds he delights to imitate and repeat in his own quaint manner ; such as vit-yu vit-yu vit-yu, and vishnu vishnu VOT,. I. — iS 'I 274 SINGING BIRDS. vishnUy then his woitee woitec woiiee and wiltee wiltee wiltee. Soon after I first heard the note of the White-eyed Vireo in March, the Carolina Wren immediately mimicked the note of tecah ivewd wittee weewd. Some of these notes would appear to be recollections of the past season, as imitations of the Maryland Yellow-Throat {wittisee zuittisee wittisee wit, and slicwaidit shcwaidit shewaidit) , not yet heard or arrived within the boundary of the United States. So also his tsherry tshcrry tshcrry tshup is one of the notes of the Baltimore Bird, yet in South America. While at Tuscaloosa, about the 20th of February, one of these Wrens, on the borders of a garden, sat and repeated for some time tslic-whickcc cuhiskee whiskec, then soolait soolait soohiit ; another of his phrases is tshukadce tshukddce tsJiukd- dcetshoo and chjibway chj^ibway chj^ihway, uttered quick j the first of these expressions is in imitation of one of the notes of the Scarlet Tanager. Amidst these imitations and variations, which seem almost endless, and lead the stranger to imagine himself, even in the depth of winter, surrounded by all the quaint choristers of the summer, there is still, with our capri- cious and tuneful mimic, a favorite theme more constantly and regularly repeated than the rest. This was also the first sound that I heard from him, delivered with great spirit, though in the dreary month of January. This sweet and melodious ditty, tsee-toot tsee-toot tsee-toof, and sometimes tsce-toot tsee- toot sect, was usually uttered in a somewhat plaintive or tender strain, varied at each repetition with the most delightful and delicate tones, of which no conception can be formed without experience. That this song has a sentimental air may be con- ceived from its interpretation by the youths of the country, who pretend to hear it say sweet- heart sweet-heart siveet ! Nor is the illusion more than the natural truth ; for, usually, this affectionate ditty is answered by its mate, sometimes in the same note, at others, in a different call. In most cases it will be remarked that the phrases of our songster are uttered in 3's ; by this means it will generally be i)racticable to distinguish its performance from that of other birds, and particularly from CAROLINA WREN. 275 the Cardinal Grosbeak, whose expressions it often closely imi- tates both in power and delivery. I shall never, I believe, forget the soothing satisfaction and amusement I derived from this little constant and unwearied minstrel, my sole vocal com- panion through many weary miles of a vast, desolate, and otherwise cheerless wilderness. Yet with all his readiness to amuse by his Protean song, the epitome of all he had ever heard or recollected, he was still studious of concealment, keeping busily engaged near the ground, or in low thickets, in quest of his food ; and when he mounted a log or brush pile, which he had just examined, his color, so similar to the fallen leaves and wintry livery of Nature, often prevented me from gaining a glimpse of this wonderful and interesting mimic. Like the preceding species, he has restless activity and a love for prying into the darkest corners after his prey, and is particularly attached to the vicinity of rivers and wet places, when not surrounded by gloomy shade. His quick and capri- cious motions, antic jerks, and elevated tail resemble the actions of the House Wren. Eager and lively in his contracted flight, before shifting he quickly throws himself forward, so as nearly to touch his perch previous to springing from his legs. In Tuscaloosa and other towns in Alabama he appeared frequently upon the tops of the barns and out-houscs, delivering with energy his varied and desultory lay. At Tallahassee, in West Florida, I observed one of these birds chanting near the door of a cottage, and occasionally imitating, in his way, the squall- ing of the crying child within, so that, like the Mocking Bird, all sounds, if novel, contribute to his amusement. This species is common in the Southern States and north to 40°, being extremely abundant in southern Illinois, and it occasionally wanders to northern Ohio and to Massachusetts. Note. - The Florida Wren ( T. ludovicianus tniainensis) is a larger, darker torm, which is restricted to southeastern Florida. 2^6 SINGING BIRDS. BEWICK'S WREN. LONG-TAILED HOUSE WREN. ThRVOTHORUS BEWlCKII. Char. Above, chestnut brown ; wings and tail with dark bars ; buff stripe over eye ; below, dull white ; flanks brown. Length 5 to 5J4 inches. Nest. Almost anywhere. In settled districts it is usually built in a crevice of a house or barn ; but in the woods a hollow tree or stump is selected, or a clump of bushes. Composed of a mass of leaves, grass, etc., roughly put together. Ei:;gs. 4-7 ; white or with pink tint, thickly marked with fine spots of reddish brown and purple ; 0.65 X 0.50. For the discovery of this beautiful species of Wren, appar- ently allied to the preceding, with which it seems nearly to agree in size, we are indebted to the indefatigable Audubon, in whose splendid work it is for the first time figured. It was observed by its discoverer, towards the approach of winter, in the lower part of Louisiana. Its manners are very similar to those of other species, but instead of a song, at this season it only uttered a low twitter. Dr. Bachman found this species to be the most \ .evalent of any other in the mountains of Virginia, particularly about the Salt Sulphur Springs, where they breed and pass the season. The notes bear some resemblance to those of the Winter Wren, being scarcely louder or more connectv-i From their habit of prying into holes and hollow logs they are supposed to breed in such situations. Mr. Trudeau believes that they breed in Loui- siana. In the marshy meadows of the Wnhlamet Mr. Townsend and myself frequently saw this species, accompanied by the young, as early as the month of >.Tay. At this time they have much the habit and manners of the Marsh Wren, and probably nest in the tussocks of rank grass in which we so frequently saw them gleaning their prey. They were now shy, and rarely seen in the vicinity of our camp. Bewick's Wren is abundant along the Mississippi valley, but 's rarely seen cast of the Allcglianies or north of latitude 40°. I_. SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN. 277 SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN. CiSTOTHORUS STELLARIS. Char. Above, brown, very dark on crown and back, and streaked everywhere with white ; wings and tail with dark bars ; below, buffy white, paler on throat and belly ; breast and sides shaded with brown. Length 4^^ inches. iVest. On the ground, amid a tuft of high grass, in fresh-water marsh or swampy meadow ; composed of grass, lined with vegetable down. Usu- ally the tops of surrounding grass are weaved above the nest, leaving an entrance at the side. Eggs. 6-8; white; 0.65 X 0.50. This amusing and not unmusical little species inhabits the lowest marshy meadows, but does not frequent the reed- flats. It never visits cultivated grounds, and is at all times shy, timid, and suspicious. It arrives in this part of Massachusetts about the close of the first week in May, and retires to the South by the middle of September at farthest, probably by night, as it is never seen in progress, so that its northern residence is only prolonged about four months. In winter this bird is seen from South Carolina to Texas. His presence is announced by his lively and quaint song of ^tsh ^tship, a day day day day, delivered in haste and earnest at short intervals, either when he is mounted on a tuft of sedge, or while perching on some low bush near the skirt of the marsh. The 'fsh Uship is uttered with a strong aspiration, and the remainder with a guttural echo. While thus engaged, his head and tail are alternately depressed and elevated, as if the little odd performer were fixed on a pivot. Sometimes the note varies to 'tship Uship Ushia, dh' dh' dh' dh\ the latter part being a pleasant trill. When approached too closely, — which not often happened, as he never permitted me to come within two or three feet of his station, — his song became harsh and more hurried, like Uship da da da, and de dc dc de d' (f dhy or tshc de de de de, rising into an angry, petulant cry, sometimes also a low, hoarse, and scolding daia^Ii dai^^/i ; then again on invading the nest the sound sank to a plaintive 'fsh 2/8 SINGING BIRDS. tship^ 'tsh ^^hip. In the early part of the breeding season the male is very lively and musical, and in his best humor he tunes up a ^tship Uship tship a dec, with a pleasantly warbled and reiterated dc. At a later period another male uttered little else than a hoarse and guttural daigh, hardly louder than the croak- ing of a frog. When approached, these birds repeatedly descend into the grass, where they spend much of their time in quest of insects, chiefly crustaceous, which with moths, constitute their principal food ; here, unseen, they still sedulously utter their quaint warbling, and tship tship a day day day day may for about a month from their arrival be heard pleasantly echoing on a fine morning from the borders of every low marsh and wet meadow provided with tussocks of sedge-grass, in which they indispensably dwell, for a time engaged in the cares and grati- fication of raising and providing for their young. The nest of the Short-billed Marsh Wren is made wholly of dry or partly green sedge, bent usually from the top of the grassy tuft in which the fabric is situated. '' ith much inge- nuity and labor these simple materials are loosely entwined together into a spherical form, with a small and rather obscure entrance left in the side ; a thin lining is sometimes added to the whole, of the linty fibres of the silk-weed cr some other similar material. The eggs, pure white and destitute of spots, are probably from 6 to 8. In a nest containing 7 eggs there were 3 of them larger than the rest and perfectly fresh, while the 4 smaller were far advanced towards hatching ; from this circumstance we may fairly infer that two different individuals had laid in the same nest, — a circumstance more common among wild birds than is generally imagined. This is also the moie remarkable as the male of this species, like many other Wrens, is much employed in making nests, of which not more than one in three or four are ever occupied by the females. The summer limits of this species, confounded with the ordinary Marsh-Wren, are yet unascertained ; and it is singu- lar to remark how near it approaches to another species in- habiting the temperate parts of ihe southern hemisphere in America, namely, the Sylina platcnsis, figured and indicated by LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN. 279 ^ Bufifon. The time of arrival and departure in this species, agreeing exactly with the appearance of the Marsh Wren of Wilson, appears to prove that it also exists in Pennsylvania with the following, whose migration, according to Audubon, is more than a month earlier and later than that of our bird. Mr. Cooper, however, has not been able to meet with it in the vicinity of New York, but Dr. Trudeau found its nest in the marshes of the Delaware. This Wren occurs throughout the Eastern Province north to Massachusetts on the Atlantic, and in the west to Manitoba, breed- ing generally north of 40°, and wintering in the Gulf States. It is found in eastern Canada only on the marshes near Lake St. Clair. LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN. CiSTOTHORUS PALUSTRIS. Char. Above, dull reddish brown, darker on crown ; back black, streaked with white ; white line over eyes ; wings and tail with dark bars ; below, buffy white, shaded on sides with brown. Length 5 inches. At'j/. In a salt marsh t r reedy swamp of interior, fastened to reeds or cat-tails or a small bush ; composed of grass and reeds, sometimes plastered with mud, lined with fine grass or feathers. It is bulky and spherical in form, the entrance at the side. £^i;'^s. 6-10 ; generally so thickly covered with dark-brown spots as to appear uniform chocolate with darker spots; 0.65 X 0.50. This retiring inhabitant of marshes and the wet and sedgy borders of rivers arrives in the Middle States of the Union early in April, and retires to the South about the middle of October. It is scarcely found to the north of the State of New York, its place in New England being usually occupied by the preceding species, though a few individuals are known to breed in the marshes near Cambridge and Boston. It is a remarkably active ?' d quaint little bird, skipping and diving about with great activity after its insect food and their larvse among the rank grass and rushes, nepr ponds and the low banks of rivers, where alone it affects to d' -ell, laying no claims to the immunities of the habitable circle of man, but content with its favorite marshes ; neglected and seldom 28o SINGING BIRDS. seen, it rea/s its young in security. The song, according to the observations of a friend, is very similar to that of the preced- ing,— a sort of short, tremulous, and hurried warble. Its notes were even yet heard in an island of the Delaware, oppo- site to Philadelphia, as late as the month of September, where they were still in plenty in this sechided asylum. Towards the close of the breeding season the song often falls off into a low, guttural, bubbling sound, which appears almost like an effort of ventriloquism. The nest, according to Wilson, is generally suspended among the reeds and securely tied to them at a sufificient height above the access of the highest tides. It is formed of wet rushes well intertwisted together, mixed with mud, and fashioned into the form of a cocoa-nut, having a small orifice left in the side for entrance. The principal material of this nest, as in the preceding species, is, however, according to Audubon, the leaves of the sedge-grass, on a tussock of which it also occasionally rests. The young quit the nest about the 2oth of June, and they generally have a second brood in the course of the season. From the number of empty nests found in the vicinity of the residence of the Marsh Wren, it is pretty evident that it is also much employed in the usual superfluous or capricious labor of the genus. The pugnacious character of the males, indeed, forbids the possibility of so many nests being amicably occupied in the near neighborhood in which they are commonly found. This Wren is common in suitable localities in Massachusetts, but has not been found farther northward. It occurs westward to the Pacific, and south (in winter) to the Gulf States. It appears on Canadian territory only in southern Ontario and Manitoba. Note. — Mr. W. E. D. Scott uiscovered at Tarpon Springs, Flor- ida, in 1888, a Wren that resembles /ra/us/n's, but differs in having bars on the upper and under tail-coverts ; also the brown color has a more decided tinge of olive than of rufous. Mr. Scott has named the bird, in honor of his wife, Marian's Marsh Wren {Cisto- thorux viariana). It is common along the southwestern coast of Florida. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. 281 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. Regulus calendula. Char. Above, olive, brighter on rump; crown with a concealed patch of rich scarlet, white at the base, — wanting in female and young ; white ring around the eyes ; wings and tail dusky, the feathers edged with dull buff; wings with two white bars, below, dull white tinged with buff. Length about 4^ inches. A^est. In woodland, usually partially pensile, suspended from extrem- ity of branch, — often placed on top of branch, sometimes against the trunk, — on coniferous tree, 10 to 30 feet from the ground ; neatly and compactly made of shreds of bark, grass, and moss, lined with feathers or hair. Eggs. 6-9 ; dull white or buff, spotted, chiefly around larger end, with bright reddish brown; 0.55 X 0.43. These beautiful little birds pass the summer and breeding season in the colder parts of the North American continent, penetrating even to the dreary coasts of Greenland, where, as well as around Hudson's Bay and Labrador, they rear their young in solitude, and obtain abundance of the diminutive flying insects, gnats, and cynips, on which with small cater- pillars they and their young delight to feed. In the months of October and November the approach of winter in their natal regions stimulates them to migrate towards the South, when they arrive in the Eastern and Middle States, and frequent in a familiar and unsuspicious manner the gardens and orchards ; how far they proceed to the South is uncertain. On the 12th of January I observed them near Charleston, South Carolina, with companies of Sylvias busily darting through the ever- greens in swampy situations in quest of food, probably minute lar\ce. About the first week in March I again observed them m West Florida in great numbers, busily employed for hours together in the tallest trees, some of which were already un- folding their blossoms, such as the maples and oaks. About the beginning of April they are seen in Pennsylvania on their way to the dreary limits of the continent, where they only arrive towards the close of May, so that in the extremity of their range they do not stay more than three months. Wilson, 282 SINGING BIRDS. it would appear, sometimes met with them in Pennsylvania even in summer ; but as far as 1 can learn, they are never ob- served in Massachusetts at that season, and with their nest and habits of incubation we are unacquainted. In the fall they seek society apparently with the Titmouse and Golden-Crested King'et, with whom they are intimately related in habits, man- ners, and diet ; the whole forming a busy, silent, roving com- pany, with no object in view but that of incessantly gleaning their now scanty and retiring prey. So eagerly, indeed, are they engaged at this time that scarcely feeling sympathy for each other, or willing to die any death but that of famine, • they continue almost uninterruptedly to hunt through the same tree from which their unfortunate companions have just fallen by the destructive gun. They only make at this time, occa- sionally, a feeble chirp, and take scarcely any alarm, however near they are observed. Audubon met with this species breed- ing in Labrador, but did not discover the nest ; its song, he remarks, is fully as sonorous as that of the Canary, — as pow- erful and clear, and even more varied. This species probably breeds from about latitude 45° to the lower fur countries, and on the higher mountains to the southward. Few nests have been discovered. Rev. Frank Ritchie found one near Lennoxville, Quebec, and Harry Austen has taken another near Halifax, in which he found 1 1 eggs. The full song is much more elaborate and more beautiful than the bird has usually been credited with, for it has been described by writers who have heard only the thin, weak notes more gener- ally uttered. Those who have compared it to the Skylark and the Canary have not grossly exaggerated. Note. — Cuvier's Kinglet (/?^<^;//wj cuvicri) was placed on the "Hypothetical List" by the A. O. U. Committee. The single bird shot by Audubon in Pennsylvania is the only specimen that has been obtained. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. Regulus satrapa. Char. Above, olive, brightest on the rump; crown with patch of orange reel and yellow, bordered by black (female and young lacking the red) ; forehead and line over eyes and patch beneath, dull white ; wings and tail dusky, the feathers edged with dull buff; two white bars on wings; below, dull white with buff tint. Length 4 inches Nest, In damp coniferous woods, often wholly or partially pendent from small twigs near end of branch (sometimes saddled upon the branch) 10 to 50 feet from the ground; usually made of green moss and lichens, lined at bottom with shreds of soft bark and roots, and often with feathers fastened to inside of edge, and so arranged that the tips droop over and conceal the eggs ; sometimes the nest is a spherical mass of moss and lichens, lined with vegetable down and wool ; the entrance at the side. Eggs. 6-10; usually creamy or pale buff, sometimes white, unmarked, or dotted with pale reddish brown and lavender over entire surface, often merely a wreath, more or less distinct around larger end; 0.55 X 045- These diminutive birds are found, according to the season, not only throughout North America, but even in the West Indies. They appear to be associated only in pairs, and are seen on their southern route, in this part of Massachusetts, a few days in October, and about the middle of the month, or a little earlier or later according to the setting in of the season, as they appear to fly before the desolating storms of the north- ern regions, whither they retire about May to breed. Some few remain in Pennsylvania until December or January, pro- ceeding probably but little farther south during the winter. They are not known to reside in any part of New England, retiring to the same remote and desolate limits of the farthest North with the preceding species, of which they have most of 284 SINGING BIRDS. the habits. They are actively engaged during their transient visits to the South in gleaning up insects and their lurking larvoe, for which they perambulate the branches of trees of various kinds, frequenting gardens anil orchards, and skipping and vaulting from the twigs, sometimes head downwards like the Chickadee, with whom they often keep company, making only now and then a feeble chirp. They ai)pear at this time to search chiefly after spiders and dormant concealed coleop- terous or shelly insects ; they are also said to feed on small berries and some kinds of seeds, which they break open by pecking with the bill in the manner of the Titmouse. They likewise frequent the sheltered cedar and pine woods, in which they probably take up their roost at night. Early in April they are seen on their return to the North in Pennsylvania ; at this time they dart among the blossoms of the maple and elm in company with the preceding species, and appear more vola- tile and actively engaged in seizing small flies on the wing, and collecting minute, lurking caterpillars from the opening leaves. On the 2ist of May, 1835, I observed this species feeding its full-fledged young in a tall pine-tree on the banks of the Columbia River. The range of this species is now set down as " Eastern North America west to the Rockies, breeding from the northern border of the United States northward, wintering in the Eastern States and south to Gautemala." Until quite recently it was supposed to be a migrant through Massachusetts, wintering in small numbers, but has been discovered breeding in both Berkshire and Worcester counties. Nests have been taken also on the Catskills. It is a resident of the settled portion of Canada, though not common west of the Georgian Bay, and rarely breeding south of latitude 45°. The song is a rather simple " twittered warble," shrill and high- pitched. BLUEBIRD. SlALIA SIALIS. Char. Male : above, azure blue, duller on cheeks; throat, breast, and sides reddish brown ; belly and under tail-coverts white ; shafts of feathers in wing and tail, black. Female : duller, blue of back mixed with grayish brown ; breast with less of rufous tint. Length about 6}^ inches. A^esf. In a hollow tree, deserted Woodpecker's hole, or other excava- tion or crevice, or in a bird-box ; meagrely lined with grass or feathers. Ei''gs. 4-6 ; usually pale blue, sometim s almost white ; 0.85 X 0.65. These well-known and familiar fovorites inhabit almost the whole eastern side of the continent of America, from the 48th parallel to the very line of the tropics. Some appear to mi- grate in winter to the Bermudas and Bahama islands, though most of those which pass the summer in the North only retire to the Southern States or the tableland of Mexico. In South Carolina and Georgia they were abundant in January and Feb- ruary, and even on the 12th and 28th of the former month, the weather being mild, a few of these wanderers warbled out their simple notes from the naked limbs of the long-leaved pines. Sometimes they even pass the winter in Pennsylvania, or at least make their appearance with almost every relenting of the severity of the winter or warm gleam of thawing sunshine. From this circumstance of their roving about in quest of their scanty food, like the hard-pressed and hungry Robin Redbreast, who by degrees gains such courage from necessity as to enter the cottage for his allowed crumbs, it has, without foundation, 286 SINGING BIRDS. been supposed that our Bluebird, in the intervals of his absence, passes the tedious and stormy time in a state of dormancy ; but it is more probable that he flies to some sheltered glade, some warm and more hospitable situation, to glean his frugal fare from the berries of the cedar or the wintry fruits which still remain ungathered in the swamps. Defended from the severity of the cold, he now also, in all probability, roosts in the hollows of decayed trees, — a situation which he generally chooses for the site of his nest. In the South, at this cheer- less season, Bluebirds are seen to feed on the glutincas berries of the mistletoe, the green-brier, and the sumach. Content with their various fare, and little affected by the extremes of heat and cold, they breed and spend the summer fiom Labrador to Natches, if not to Mexico, where great elevation produces the most temperate and mild of climates. They are also abundant, at this season, to the west of the Mitsissippi, in the territories of the Missouri and Arkansas. In the Middle and Northern States the return of the Blue- bird to his old haunts round the barn and the orchard is hailed as the first agreeable presage of returning spring, and he is no less a messenger of grateful tidings to the former, than an agreeable, familiar, and useful con^'prnion to all. Though sometimes he makes a still earlier il.ttinjj visit, from the 3d to the middle of March he comes hither a: a p. ananent resident, and is now accom] inied by his mate, who immediate'y visits the box in the garden, or the hollow in the dec lyed orchard tree, which has served as the cradle of preceding generations of his kindred. Affection and jealousy, as in the contending and re- lated Thrushes, have considerable influence over the Bluebird. He seeks perpetually the company of his mate, caresses and soothes her with his amorous song, to which she faintly replies ; and, like the faithful Rook, seeks occasion to show his gallan- try by feeding her with some favorite insect. If a rival make his appearance, the attack is instantaneous, the intruder is driven with angry chattering from the precincts he has chosen, and he now returns to warble out his notes of triumph by the side of his cherished consort. The business of preparing and BLUEBIRD. 287 cleaning out the old nest or box now commences ; and even in October, before they bid farewell to their favorite mansion, on fine days, influenced by the anticipation of the season, they are often observed to go in and out of the box, as if examining and planning out theirfuture domicile. Little pains, however, are requisite for the protection of the hardy young, and a sub- stantial lining of hay, and now and then a few feathers, is all that is prepared for the brood beyond the natural shelter of the chosen situation. As the Martin and House Wren seek out the favor and convenience of the box, contests are not unfrequent with the parties for exclusive possession ; and the latter, in various clandestine ways, exhibits his envy and hos- tility to the favored Bluebird. As our birds are very prolific, and constantly paired, they often raise 2 and sometimes prob- ably 3 broods in the season ; the male taking the youngest under his affectionate charge, while the female is engaged in the act of mcubation. Their principal food cc isists of insects, particularly beetles and other shelly kinds ; they are also fond of spiders and grasshoppers, for which they often, in company with their young, in autumn, descend to the earth, in open pasture fields or waste grounds. Like our Thrushes, they, early in spring, also collect the common wire -worm, or lulus, for food, as well as other kinds of insects, which they commonly watch for, while perched on the fences or low boughs of trees, and dart after them to the ground as soon as perceived. They are not, however, flycatchers, like the Sylvicolas and Muscicapas, but are rather industrious searchers for subsistence, like the Thrushes, whose habits they wholly resemble in their mode of feeding. In the autumn they regale themselves on various kinds of berries, as those of the sour-gum, wild-cherry, and others ; and later in the season, as winter approaches, they frequent the red cedars and several species of sumach for their berries, eat persimmons in the Middle States, and many other kinds of fruits, and even seeds, — the last never enter- ing into the diet of the proper Flycatchers. They have also, occasionally, in a state of confinement, been reared and fed 288 SINGING BIRDS. on soaked bread and vegetable diet, on which they thrive as well as does the Robin. The song of the Bluebird, which continues almost uninter- ruptedly from March to October, is a soft, rather feeble, but delicate and pleasing warble, often repeated at various times of the day, but most frequently in early spring when the sky is serene and the temperature mild and cheering. At this season, before the earnest Robin pours out his more energetic lay from the orchard tree or fence-rail, the simple song of this almost domestic favorite is heard nearly alone ; and if at length he be rivalled, at the dawn of day, by superior and bolder songsters, he still relieves the silence of later hours by his unwearied and affectionate attempts to please and accom- pany his devoted mate. All his energy is poured out into this simple ditty, and with an ecstatic feeling of delight he often raises and quivers his wings like the Mocking Orpheus, and amidst his striving rivals in song, exerts his utmost powers to introduce variety into his unborrowed and simple strain. On hearkening some time to his notes, an evident similarity to the song of the Thrush is observable ; but the accents are more weak, faltering, and inclining to the plaintive. As in many other instances, it is nearly impossible to give any approxi- mating idea of the expression of warbled sounds by words ; yet their resemblance to some quaint expressions, in part, may not be useless, as an attempt to recall to memory these pleasing associations with native harmony : so the Bluebird often at the commencement of his song seems tenderly to call in a whistled tone 'hear — hiar biity, buty ? or merely //.j seA?»>a the ixiales are very pugnacious, fighting often en M'ii ,3. and the conquering rival, repairing to the nearest buih. uuies his Hvely pipe in token of success. The Lark Finch it, common along the Mississippi valley north to Iowa and southeia Michigan. It has been taken occasionally in Manitoba and in Ontario, and a few examples have appeared in New England. It is said to be the finest songtier of the North American Sparrows. WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. PEABODV BIRD. OLD-TOM-FP:.\Bl. /. ZONUTRICHLV ALBICOI.I.IS. Char. Back straked, reddish brown , black and dull buff; sides of head, breast, and rump ashy; crown with median stripe of white bordered by stripes of black; stripes of yellow from bill to eyes; stri;)es of white over eyes ; stripes of black through eyes ; throat white, bordered by black; belly white, the sides shaded with brown; wings with two white bars. Length 6/4 to 7 inches. At'j/. In an old meadow or open woodland, or on the edge of a grove ; placed on the ground upon a cushion of moss; composed of grass, ste v, ro