td oo \Garece: eeatitit yeresegtaeat ale pansies yeas saaeusiieth Brae 533 at BERS GRE BRERA ; Hier whee} = LM GL (or 1a, £96 A Ras. be =. ee 1 hy) aX rr) | Papeete BOB-WHITE HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA With KEYS lO) DHE sSPEGIES “AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR PLUMAGES, NESTS, AND EGGS THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATIONS AND A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THEIR HAUNTS AND HABITS WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS ON THE STUDY OF ORNITHOLOGY, HOW TO IDENTIFY BIRDS AND HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE BIRDS THEIR NESTS, AND EGGS BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN ASSISTANT CURATOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALOGY AND ORNITHOLOGY IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NEW YORK CITY ; MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION, ETC. WITH FULL-PAGE PLATES IN COLORS AND BLACK AND WHITE AND UPWARD OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY CUTS OSCE TI 5 TP II ID Gd bs THIRD EDITION RG ta NEW YORK D-cAPPLETON -AND COMPANY . 1896 CopyRIGHT, 1895, By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. TO MY MOTHER WHO HAS EVER ENCOURAGED HER SON IN HIS NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED SAD UE RY A b * al ee Se Se a Ei Pempe » | Ey Pity EB Ah. Ir this book had been written in the last century it might have been entitled “Ornithology made Simple, or How to Identify Birds with Ease, Certainty, and Dispatch.” It may be unworthy so com- prehensive a title, nevertheless I have made an honest endeavor to write a book on birds so free from technicalities that it would be in- telligible without reference to a glossary, and I have tried to do this in a volume which could be taken afield in the pocket. I have not addressed an imaginary audience, nor have I given my prospective readers what, theoretically, I thought they ought to have, but what personal experience with students of birds has led me to believe would meet their wants. The preparation of this work has firmly convinced me that the poet would have been nearer the truth had he written “One touch of nature makes the whole world kind.” In the succeeding pages I have attempted to express my appreciation of the assistance which natural- ist friends and associates have generously given me, but here I desire to especially thank Miss Florence A. Merriam, Dr. J. A. Allen, and Mr. Ernest E. Thompson for much valuable criticism and advice. Frank M. CHAPMAN. AMERICAN MusEuM oF NATURAL HISTORY, New YorE City, January, 1895, mae e = me, ‘ ce Se CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION CHaprer I.—THE STUDY OF ORNITHOLOGY . Systematic Ornithology . Philosophie Ornithology Economic Ornithology . Sentiment of Ornithology Cuapter I].—Tue Strupy or Birps Out-oF-Doors . How to Identify Birds . How to Find Birds When to Find Birds Tables of Migration The Nesting Season Note-books and Journals Cuaprer IJI.—Coutectine Birps, THEIR NESTS, AND Eaes Collecting Birds Making Birdskins. Sexing Birds . Cataloguing and aborite Care of a Collection Collecting and Preserving Nests and Mees PLAN OF THE WORK. Nomenclature adopted . Definition of Terms The Key to Families The Keys to Species Measurements Range Biographies Illustrations Color Chart List oF ABBREVIATIONS . vii vill | CONTENTS. PAGE THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA EAST OF THE NINE- TIETH MERIDIAN . : : ; : : ; a Key TO ORDERS AND FAMILIES . : : : 5 : . Ad I, ORDER PyGopopEs: Diving Birds. ; ; : see 1. Family Podicipide : Grebes ; : : : ot 2. Family Urinatoride: Loons ‘ : ee? Js) 3. Family Alcide: Auks, Murres, and Puffins : . 60 II. OrDER LONGIPENNES: LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS. . 65 4, Family Stercorariide : Skuas and Jaegers . : «0 5. Family Laride: Gulls and Terns : : : Mie 6. Rynchopide: Skimmers. : : 3 : Mento III. ORDER TUBINARES: TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS . : . 86 7. Family Diomedeide: Albatrosses : . 86 8. Procellariidze: Petrels, Fulmars, and Sheng ara . 30 IV. ORDER STEGANOPODES: TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. ea: | 9. Family Phaéthontide: Tropic Birds. 5 : Rae)! 10. Family Sulide: Gannets . : : : ; - 92 11. Family Anhingide: Darters . , ; : . 93 12. Family Phalacrocoracide: Cormorants . : . 94 13. Family Pelecanide: Pelicans . : ia iPS cance 14. Family Fregatide: Man-o’-War Birds _. : 2 ue V. ORDER ANSERES: LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS : et) 15. Family Anatide: Ducks, Geese, and Swans . “ee VI. OrpER OponToGLoss#: LAMELLIROSTRAL GRALLATORES . 120 16. Family Pheenicopteride: Flamingoes . : . 125 VII. OrpER HERoprones: Herons, Storks, IBISES, ETC. . . 125 17. Family Plataleide: Spoonbills . : ‘ ; . 125 18. Family Ibidide: Ibises_ . : . 126 19. Family Ciconiide: Storks and Wood Tees : aD Wt 20. Family Ardeide: Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns . 128 VIII. OnpeR PaLupicoLa: CRANES, RaILs, ETC. : ; . 137 21. Family Gruide: Cranes . : ‘ ‘ : . 137 22. Family Aramide: Courlans . ; . 188 23. Family Rallide: Rails, Gallinules, ara asks . 139 IX. OrpeR LimicoLa: SHorE Birps . : : . 147 24. Family Phalaropodide : PRainiomee : : . 147 25. Family Recurvirostride: Stilts and Avocets . . 149 26. Family Scolopacide: Snipes, Sandpipers, ete. . . 150 XII. GIDE XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. CONTENTS. 27, Family Charadriide: Plovers 28. Family Aphrizide: Turnstones, ete. . 29. Family Hematopodide: Oyster-catchers . . ORDER GALLIN2Z: GALLINACEOUS Brirps . 30. Family Tetraonide: Grouse, Bob-whites, ete. . 31. Family Phasianide : Pheasants, ete. . . ORDER COLUMB2: PIGEONS AND DOVES 32. Family Columbide: Pigeons and Doves . ORDER RaApToRES: Birps or Prey . ; 33. Family Cathartide: American Vultures .. 34. Family Falconide: Falcons, Hawks, Eagles, ete. 35. Family Strigide : Barn Owls ? : 36. Family Bubonide: Horned Owls, Hoot Owls : OrvDER Psitrract: Parrots, Macaws, PAROQUETS, ETC. 37. Family Psittacide: Parrots and Paroquets ORDER CoccyGEs: Guckoos, KINGFISHERS, ETC, 38. Family Cuculide : Cuckoos 39. Family Alcedinide: Kingfishers ORDER Pict: WooDPECKERS, WRYNECKS, ETC. 40. Family Picide: Woodpeckers . ORDER MAcROCHIRES: GOATSUCKERS, HUMMINGBIRDs, SwIFTs, ETC. 41, Family Caprimulgide: Nighthawks, Whip-poor- wills, ete. 42, Family Miieripedids aaite 43. Family Trochilide: Hummingbirds. ORDER PassERES: PercHine Birps . 44, Family Tyrannide: Flycatchers 45. Family Alaudide: Larks . 46. Family Corvide: Crows and Jays 47. Family Sturnide: Starlings : 48. Family Icteride: Blackbirds, Orioles, ae 49. Family Fringillide: Finches, Sparrows, etc. 50. Family Tanagride: Tanagers . : 51. Family Hirundinide: Swallows 52. Family Ampelide: Waxwings . 53. Family Laniide: Shrikes . 54. Family Vireonide: Vireos . : 55. Family Mniotiltide: Wood earblecs 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. APPENDIX: A Field Key to our Commoner Eastern Land Birds . CONTENTS. Family Motacillide: Wagtails and Pipits Family Troglodytidez: Thrashers, Wrens, ete. . Family Certhiide: Creepers : Family Paride: Nuthatches and Titmice. Family Sylviide: Kinglets and Gnatcatchers . Family Turdide: Thrushes, Bluebirds, ete. List oF PRINCIPAL WORKS REFERRED TO INDEX LiST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Waorrt-rtanest2 S=szpow: War-ceows2> S=s2R0w S 8 Sowse Seszzow: Swame Seazeow . : ; 2 - a Yauiow-trszastz> Vieso: Wazzims Vir=o : a é 4 Lovmaasa Warre-Taerss= . s _ 2 : se : : Wow Taerss: Wusoxs Teers=. : : = é . E FIGCEES IN THE YExXyY. FiSceeE 1 A completed berdsime—Ciaki (i‘ ‘ iC‘ ;tll lll 2 Toeraphy clatbrd - lt; 7 S. (a) Spotted, @) streaked, (<) barred, () marpined feathers - 4 Eale showimz Inch=amdientb=—- : é : & Feet of (0) Pied -Lilled Grebe, @) Loo, ( Warblers.iss.s2 ues. Soin September 20-30. Small-billed Water Thrush........... Sept. 25-Oct. 5. Olive-sided. Flycatcher ...002i050e00 60 September 10-20. Bennessce Warblet.c.<< ious ees seen oee Sept. 25-Oct. 5. Nashwilleqw arbler 1 cecon ecenes-s Sept. 25-Oct. 5. ARENA WitGONEE - oO vitae eos 2 Bee aes October 15-25. Gape. May: Warbler .,22...30230 2 FAte: Sept. 25-Oct. 5. Black-throated Green Warbler........ October 15-25. Black-throated Blue Warbler......... October 15-25. Maonolias Warbler si/./202 2 -ust.atte ds October 10-20, Blackburnian. Warbler-2....0. 02.. 0.2. September 20-30. Walson’s) Warblers .4...24 i. aeee ee es September 20-30, Cartan Wath Ave +45). 't as Sol oo rx» November 1-30. Red-headed Woodpecker ............. November 1-30. Binckpoll Warbler. P22. 2.255 Fy see October 15-25. Connecticut Warblet.. 05: 22... 30.2 September 20-30. Blue-headed Vireds.4.0.' 23 ies os os ". October 15-25. Philadetphita: VireG.nt 0 acess tees o September 20-30. Ghive-backed-“Phrish. ©, . 22 foce see bs October 1-10. Bicknell’s Phrushe ss ¢cn,iicds Pon vie ses October 1-10. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker........... October 20-30. SUNCOM teat sito 82 te52 ele hee See April 10-May 10. White-throated Sparrow.............. May 1-25. Miya ter Warklets> x4 222. 2 ac6 fhe sod eas May 5-20. Wellow- PalowW arbleF 2.22.04 3). Sess. 3: October 15-30. irom Creeper? oot: see oe oa os Jo ae oh ee April 1-30. Golden-crowned Kinglet.............+ April 1-20. Ruby-crowned Kinglet.............45 October 20-30. Wanter WHO : = x: 2i2s26tboiate cece. April 1-30. Gray-cheeked: Thrush »/ 2.5 50.2404 f. 6: October 15-25. Brouncd -Grackless e223 0255720 Ul so Sees December 1-30. hasiy Black bind 34.7753 0055. 4527 ee December 1-30. PRCTICREOE LOIb 2. 6s a a0 Fs ve ove ote cer Oct. 25-Nov. 5. 18 THE FALL MIGRATION. Date of arrival. Date of departure. Oct. 1-10. Hermit Thrush yuki Gea ce ee eee November 1-30. October 10-20. POMS Palrow . 2004.22. fe cpiek eee HORE Nov. 25-Dee. 5. October 20-81. Pine Paine ixsicx +6 nqt ng ae Re SeM GREE May 1-81. AUKES: SPATLOW .. 3s2he ose endo ee CR ERE April 1-80. Northern Shruke:. .. Jaina bee March 1-81. SUMMER RESIDENTS LEAVING FOR THE SOUTH. Date of departure. September 1-10. Acadian Flycatcher.................+ Oxnchard ‘OniGle. Woe aa herman cee Rough-winged Swallow.............6. Wiorm-eating Warbler... + ibeucosnene Blue-winged, Warblers cs. ss ceeceee September 10-20. Baltimore Oriole.................000 Purple Martinis 5c: ais o ccrcia me ie omictets Lellow AVarwlersc::. S20, oes eases : Deptember 20-90... “Hummingbird... .. sv.u..scnkssancsles de SIMO DUG cae oad oS ER EN wees came Great-crested Flycatcher.............. Wogd WPewee.css 5 spcth chet ass Yellow-throated Vireo............... WMarbline Vireo. es. Spucceeers tear ees Hooded “W atlersciade.-aoe ace eee October 1-10. Wellow- pulled (@nckoonmmaececnnecnee CIMMNGY AS Witt. <:.ak canis ctoe hee teee Beast. Plycateler «./.,.cpcid sac niric amcnsien Bobolink... cvjas <5 cpus steseneeitite Yellow-winged Sparrow.............. Indise VB imMiineo.. seamem cosh em Gest Scarlet Tanacernics Senieeeeantaws tae Barn (Swallow. so ceee treet s oes arcornse White-eyed ‘Vired.c cs se¢ dase\c sn we tal Black and White Warbler............ cdstath;.... cas suite tae Slab ea cee eee October 10-20. Whip=poor-will isc .s.c5:a diswaiepeaneeame Nighthaywie:..:. «5. <5, «cartes see eee Red-gyed’ Vireo....2. .sitebiesiea ene ° Maryland Yellow-throat............ afk THE NESTING SEASON. Date of departure. Oct. 10-20. October 20-81. November 1-30.* Long-billed Marsh Wren... Short-billed Marsh Wren... 19 ereeereeses ee ee eee eee ee eee eee ee ee oes eseeee Mournine DOVven.. << , After reading the characters assigned to each of these, we have no hesitation in deciding that those under d4 apply to our bird, and we prove our identification by turning to the description of Passer domesticus. I have purposely taken a comparatively complicated case. If I have made it clear, you will have no further difficulty in using the keys, so far as their construction goes. It might be supposed, from this somewhat lengthy description, that the process required much time; but as you become familiar with the use of the keys it should never take you more than five minutes to identify a bird with them. Descriptions of Plumage.—The descriptions, with quoted excep- tions, are from specimens in the American Museum of Natural His- tory, and my thanks are due the authorities of that institution for permission to use its valuable collections. I have tried to make them as concise and simple and, at the same time, as detailed as seemed necessary for the purpose of identification. MEASUREMENTS—RANGE. Measurements.—All the measurements given are in English inches and hundredths. Those of birds are average measurements, taken for the most part from specimens in the American Museum of Natural His- tory. Ihave also, with the author’s permission, made use of the excellent series of measurements in Dr. EK. A. Mearns’s Birds of the Hudson Highlands. Cs Ss ro SSS ae — Ss S SOS So, o> Fie. 17. b. Tarsus generally longer than the middle toe, without nail; scales on its front rounded. . . . Subfamily Anserinw: GEESE, p. 119. 4S. Lores bare... . Subfamily Cygnine: Swans, p. 124. KEY TO FAMILIKS. 45 Order VI. Odontoglossz.—FLAMINGOES. Large red or reddish birds; bill with toothlike ridges as in some Ducks, the end half bent down- ward ; tarsus 12°00 or more in length... . Family Phenicopteride: Fua- MINGOES, p. 120. Order VII. Herodiones.— Herons, Srorks, [sisks, ete. Toes four, all on the same level, slightly or not at all webbed; lores bare; legs and neck generally much lengthened. Fie. 19. Hie. 21. A, Bill straight and sharply pointed; inner border of the middle toe- nail with a comblike edge... . Family Ardeide: Herons, Earets, and Brrrerns (Fig. 19), p. 128. B. Bill rounded, more or less curved downward ; no comb on the mid- dle toe-nail. a. Size large, tarsus over 5:00. ... Family Ciconiidew: Srorxs and Woop Isisgs, p. 127. 6. Size smaller, tarsus under 5:00... . Family /bidide: Intsss (Fig. 20), p. 126. C. Bill flattened and much broadened at the end... . Family Plata- leide : SpoonBIt1s (Fig. 21), p. 126. KEY TO FAMILIES, eS _ ner SNL aS: Fig. 22. Order VIII. Paludicolee.—Cranzs, Ralts, ete. Toes four; middle toe without a comb, generally not webbed; hind toe generally small, higher than the front ones, or, if on the same level (Gal- linules and. Coots only), the bill is then comparatively short and stout and the forehead has a b are shield; lores feathered, or (Cranes) with hairlike bristles. A. Smaller, bill under 3:00. . and Coors (Fig. 22), p. 139. £B. Larger, bill over 3-00. .. Family Rallide: Rats, GALLINULEs, a. Tarsus over 6:00... . Family Gruidw: Cranes (Fig. 23), p. 187. 6. Tarsus under 6:00. . .. Family Aramide: Covrtans (Fig. 24), p. 188. KEY TO FAMILIES. AT Fig. 25. Order IX. Limicolze.—PxHatarorss, Snipes, PLovers, ete. Toes four, or (Plovers) three; the hind toe, when present, less than half the length of the inner one, and always elevated above the others; legs generally long and slender, the lower half of the tibize bare; bill, except in the Plovers, generally long, slender, and soft, the nostrils opening through slits or grooves; wings long and pointed, the first primary gen- erally the longest. : NCTA =a ann)ppupvomBDPRDIEID a) WDPDD) DDD DDD) Pa ~\~ BE AARIIABAR, DDD) BBD! ini sPDBIn SS I) ie Fic. 26. I. Tarsus over 3°50. . . . Family Recurvirostride: Stitts and Avocets, p. 149. II. Tarsus under 3°50. . A. Sides of the toes with lobes or webs. . . . Family Phalaropodide : PuHaaropes (Fig. 26, a), p.147. | &. Sides of the toes without lobed webs, a. Toes four (except in the Sanderling); front of the tarsus with transverse, more or less square, scales. . . . Family Scolopacide: Snipes, SANDPIPERS, etc. (Fig. 25, a, b; Fig. 26, b, ¢), p. 150. 6. Whole lower back white, a black band across the rump... . Family Aphrizide: Turnstonss, ete., p. 176. c. Toes three (except in the Black-bellied Plover): front of the tarsus with small, rounded seales. ec, Bill under 2:00. . . . Family Charadriidw: Piovers (Fig. 25, c, d; Fig. 26, d, e), p. 171. c2, Bill over 2°00.... Family Hematopodide: OysTER-CATCHERS, p. 177. 48 KEY TO FAMILIKS. THE LAND BIRDS. Order X. Gallinz.— Turkeys, Grovusr, Bos-wnirss, ete. Toes four, the hind one small and elevated above the front ones ; bill generally short, stout, hard, and horny ; wings rather short, the outer primaries curved and much stiffened. A. Size very large... . Subfamily Medeag- rine: TURKEYS, p. 186. ZB. Size smalier. . . . Family Teétraonida: GrovsE, Bos-wuirEs, etc. (Fig. 27), p. 178. Order XI. Columbz.—Picxrons and Doves. Toes four, all on the same level, the hind one about as long as the shortest front one; bill rather slender, deeply grooved, the nostrils open- ing in a soft, fleshy membrane or skin. ... Family Columbide: Picrons and Doves (Fig. 28), p. 187. Fig. 29. Order XII. Raptores.— Vt tures, Hawks, and Owts. Toes four, three in front, the hind one, except in the Vultures, generally as long as or longer than the shortest front one; all the toes armed with strong, sharp, curved nails or talons; bill with a cere, or covering of skin, at its base, through which the nostrils open, very stout and strong, the tip of the upper mandible with a sharply pointed hook. > Qs Fia. 30. Fia. 31. A. Eyes set in a striking facial disk ; tarsus generally feathered ; plum age soft and fluffy. KEY TO FAMILIES. 49 a. Middle toe-nail with a comblike edge... . Family Strigidw: Barn Ow ts (Fig. 30), p. 218. 6. Middle toe-nail without a comblike edge. . . . Family Bubonida: Hornep Ow ns, Hoot Ow ts (Fig. 29, a), p. 218. B. Eyes not set in a striking facial disk; tarsus mostly bare, plumage firm and close. a. Plumage, in our species, black ; hind toe small, claws blunt; bill not sharply hooked; head generally bare. . . . Family Cathartide: AMERICAN VuLtTuREs (Fig. 32), p. 191. 6. Hind toe generally as long as or longer than the shortest front one ; toes armed with sharp, curved nails or talons; bill with a sharp hook, head not bare... . Family Falconide: Fatcons, Kirss, Hawks, Eacuss (Figs. 29, b, 33), ete., p. 193. Order XIII. Psittaci. — Parrots, PARoQueEts, ete. Toes four, two in front and two behind; bill with a cere. ... Family Psittacide: Par- rots and ParoquEts (Fig. 34), p- 222. Fig. 35. Order XIV. Coccyges.—Cvuckoos and KINGFISHERS. Toes four, the middle and outer ones joined for half their length (Kingfishers), or two in front and two behind (Cuckoos) ; bill without a cere; tail-feathers not stiff Fia. 36. and pointed. * 50 KEY TO FAMILIES. A. Middle and outer toes joined for half their length. . . . Family 4/- cedinide: Kina¥IsHERs (Fig. 35), p. 226. £. Two toes in front and two behind. . . . Family Cuculide: Cucxoos (Fig. 36), p. 224. Fig. 37. Order XV. Pici.—Woopprckers. Toes four, two in front and two behind, or toes three, two in front and one behind; bill strong; tail-feathers stiff and pointed; nostrils more or less concealed by bristles. . . . Family Picide: WooprecKeErs (Fig. 37), p. 227. Fie. 38. Fie. 40. Order XVI. Macrochires.—Goarsvckers, Swirts, and Hummers. Feet very small and weak; bill short and small and mouth large, or bill long and exceedingly slender and mouth small; wings generally long and pointed. A. Size comparatively large; plumage variegated, black and brown; middle toe-nail with a comblike edge. ... Family Caprimulgide: Nigutuawks, WuIp-poor-wILts, ete. (Fig. 38), p. 236. &. Size medium; plumage sooty black; no comb on the middle toe- nail; tips of the tail-feathers with spines. . . . Family Micropodide: Swirts (Fig. 39), p. 239. C. Size very small; upper parts shining green; bill long and slender. ... Family 7rochilide: Hummin csirps (Fig. 40), p. 240. “eed KEY TO FAMILIES. 51 Order XVII. Passeres.—Perching Birds: Frycatcn- ERS, BLACKBIRDS, JAys, ORIOLES, SPARROWS, FINCHEs, Swa.tows, Vrreos, WarBLERS, WRENS, THRUSHES, ete. Toes four, without webs, all on the same level; hind toe as large as the middle one, its nail generally longer than that of the middle one; tail of twelve feathers. [The following synoptical table of the characters of the eighteen families which we have in this order seems more satis- factory than an artificial key.] Family 1. 7yrannide.—F Lycatcuers (Fig. 42). Bill wider than high at the base, slightly hooked at the tip; base with conspicuous bristles; wings longer than the tail, the second to fourth primaries longest, the first but little shorter and generally equal to the fifth or sixth; back of tarsus rounded, like the front ; plumage generally olive-green or grayish ; tail, except in the King- bird, without white spots, p. 242. Fic. 42. Family 2. Alaudidw.—Larxs (Fig. 43). Bill rather stout and rounded ; nos- trils with bristly tufts; nail of hind toe much lengthened, as long as the middle toe without nail; back of the tarsus rounded like the front, p- 202. Family 3. Corvide.—Crows and Jays (Fig. 44). Large birds, over 10:00 in length; bill stout, the nostrils concealed by tufts of bristly feathers ; fourth to fifth primary the longest, the first about half as long; outer tail-feathers shortest ; feet and legs stout, p. 253. 59, KEY TO FAMILIKS, Family 4. Sturnide.—Srar- LinGs (Fig. 45). Bill flattened, wider than high at the base; tail short and square; wings long and pointed, second pri- mary longest, the first very small, less than half an inch in length, p. 259. ee ree . Lh. ZO) ) Sen AAR! ; Fia. 46. =e Family 5. /cteride.—Buacxpirps, ORIOLES, ete. (Fig. 46). Length 7:00-17:00; base of the bill, between the nostrils, extending back- ward and dividing the feathers of the forehead; nostrils not concealed by bristles; first three primaries of about equal length; outer tail-feathers generally shortest, p. 260. Family 6. Fringillide.—Spar- rows, Frycues, Gros- BEAKS, ete. (Fig. 47). Length 4°75-9°00, generally under 8:00; bill short, stout, and conical, admirably fit- ted to crush seeds; third and fourth primaries gen- erally about the same length, the first never more than half an inch shorter than Fia. 47. the longest, p. 271 Family 7. Tanagride.—Tanacers (Fig. 48). Length about 7:00; the males of our species mostly red; bill finchlike, but less conical, somewhat swollen, the outline of the upper mandible curved, its sides with a slight but generally evident “tooth” near the middle; tail-feathers of equal length, p. 316. KEY TO FAMILIES. 53 Family 8. Hirundinide.—Swariows (Fig. 49). Bill short and flattened, much wider than high at the base; no bristles at the base of the bill; wings long and pointed, tips, when closed, generally reaching beyond the end of the tail; first primary the longest; outer tail- feathers longest; feet small, tarsus short, round in front, narrower and sharper in the back, p. 318. Family 10. Zaniide.—Surixkss (Fig. 51). Grayish birds, 8:00-9:00 in length, most of the tail-feathers tipped with white; bill hooked and hawklike, p. 325. Family 9. Ampelide.—W axwineas (Fig. 50). Plumage generally soft, brownish gray or grayish brown; a black band across the forehead and through the eyes; tail tipped with yellow; bill short, notched at the tip; head conspicuously erested, p. 323. Family 11. Vireontdw.—Vireos (Fig. 52). AY . Ny, \e poy Fig. 52. Small birds, 5:00- 7°00 in length, with generally olive- green backs; tail- feathers without white spots; bill rather stout, higher than broad at the base, the tip of the upper mandible notched and hooked, bristles at the base of the bill barely evident; tarsi sealed, round in front, narrower and sharper behind; toes united at the base, p. 327. Family 12. Mndotiltide.—Woov W ar- BLERS (Fig. 53). Small birds, length generally under 6:00, but in four species 6°50-7°50, with, as a rule, brightly colored a KEY TO FAMILIES. plumage, olive-green or yellow being the most frequent; bill various, never notched at the tip, usually slender and sharply pointed, without conspicuous bristles, but sometimes flattened and broader than high at the base, when the bristles are evident (thus resembling the bill of a true Flycatcher, but the back of the tarsus is always thin and narrow, and never rounded as in front); rarely the bill is heavier, more thrushlike or finchlike; second or third primary longest, the first little if any shorter; tail generally square, sometimes rounded, the outer feathers frequently blotched with white, p- 333. Family 13. Motacillide.—W aetaiLs and Piprrrs (Fig. 54). No bristles over the nostrils; bill slender, much as in the preceding ; hind toe-nail much lengthened, as long as or longer than the toe ; first three primaries of equal length, p. 375. Family 14. Troglodytide. — Turasu- ERS, WRENS, ete. (Fig. 55). Subfamily imine. — 'THRASHERS, Mocxinesirps, and CarTsirps. Length 8:00-12°00; tarsus scaled; tail rounded, the outer feathers at least half an inch shorter than the middle ones, third to fifth primary longest, the first about half as long, p. 376. Subfamily Troglodytinw.— WRENS. Length 4:00-6:00; bill moderate, the upper mandible slightly curved, no bristles at its base; third to fourth primary longest, first about half as long; tail short and round- ed; brown or brownish birds with indistinctly barred wings and tail, p. 376. —— = Family 15. Certhiide—CreErers (Fig. So 56). Bill slender and much curved; tail- feathers pointed and slightly stiffened, p. 380. . vi : ar sinnial KEY TO FAMILIES. ne Family 16. Paride.—Nvruatcues and Tirmice (Fig. 57). Subfamily Sittinw.—N vurHatcuEs. Bill rather long and slender, the end of the lower mandible slanting slightly upward; wings long and pointed, the third or fourth primary the longest, the first very small, not an inch in length; tail short and square, the outer feathers with white, p. 386. Subfamily Parinw.—TirMice. Length 4°50-6:50; bill short, stout, and rounded, less than half an inch in length ; fourth or fifth primary longest, first very short, not more than one third as long; tail rather long, dull ashy gray without white blotches, p. 389. Family 18. Turdide. — TurusHEs, BLUEBIRDS, ete. (Fig. 59). Length over 5:50; bill mod- erate, the tip of the upper mandible notched; tarsus smooth, the scales, if any, fused and indistinct; tail square: wings long and pointed, 3°75 or over, third primary the longest, the first very short, less than one inch in length, p. 394. blotched Family 17. Sylviide.— Kinevets and GNATCATCHERS (Fig. 58). Length 3°50-5:00; bill slender, re- sembling that of some Warblers, but the first primary is very short, only about one third as long as the longest, p. 391. 56 GREBES. ORDER PYGOPODES. DIVING BIRDS. FAMILY PODICIPIDEZ. GREBES. The Grebes, or lobe-footed divers, number about thirty species, distributed throughout the world. Six species are found in North America. Grebes are eminently aquatic birds, and rarely if ever ven- ture upon land, where they are almost helpless. The marvelous rapid- ity with which Grebes dive, and the ease with which this power for- merly enabled them to,escape the shot of the fowler, have won for them their various popular names of “ Hell-diver,” “ Water-witch,” etc. The cartridges of the modern breech-loader do not give the warning of the discarded flint-lock or percussion cap, and “to dive at the flash” is an expression which now has lost half its meaning. Grebes possess the power of swimming with only the tip of the bill above water, a habit which accounts for many mysterious disappearances. They feed largely on fish, which they pursue and catch under water, progressing by aid of the feet alone. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Depth of bill at nostril over 35. Ga Wine OVer-G°00-0. 6 ow we ck ts Us oe ep ee OR EE ae Gaur b. Wing under6°00 . ... - « «Js “6 Prep-pintep (GREek B. Depth of bill at nostril less hen ‘35. 2 ee es «| Oo ALOR MD a rue 2. Colymbus holbeellii (Reinh.). Horseri’s Greer. Ad. in sum- mer.—Top of the head, small crest, and back of the neck, glossy black; back blackish ; throat and sides of the head silvery white; front and sides of the neck rufous, changing gradually over the breast into the silvery white belly ; sides tinged with rufous. Ad. in winter.—Upper parts blackish brown; throat and under parts whitish ; front and sides of the neck pale rufous. Jim. —Upper parts blackish; throat and under parts silvery white; neck and sides grayish. L., 19°00; W., 7°50; Tar., 2:20; B., 1:90. fange——Breeds in the interior of North America, from northern Minne- sota northward ; in winter migrates southward as far as South Carolina and Nebraska. Washington, uncommon W. V., Sept. 30 to Mch. or Apl. Long Island irregular W. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. to Dec. Cam- bridge, casual. Nest, amass of water-soaked, decaying vegetation floating among rushes in a slough, generally attached to its surroundings. ggs, two to five, dull white, more or less soiled, 2°25 x 1:35. “Tn common with others of the family, this Grebe is an expert diver. Often it will sink into the water without any apparent effort, though more generally it jumps forward, throwing the head into the aN + ani ie Pit BILLED GREBE AND YOUNG, PIED GREBES. 57 water and the body into the air. It is an expert and rapid swimmer also, and all its movements on the water are exceedingly graceful, When pursued, these birds invariably endeavor to escape by diving, though when on the wing they fly rapidly, their necks and feet stretched at full length ” (Chamberlain). 3. Colymbus auritus Zinn. Hornep Grese. Ad. in summer.— Top of the head, hind neck, and throat, glossy blackish; lores pale chestnut ; stripe, and plumes behind the eye, butfy ochraceous, deeper posteriorly ; back and wings blackish; secondaries white; foreneck, upper breast, and sides chestnut; lower breast and belly white. Ad. in winter and Im.—Upper parts grayish black; under parts silvery white, sometimes washed with grayish on the throat and breast. L., 13°50; W., 5°40; Tar., 1°75; B., 90. Range.—Breeds from northern United States (northern Illinois, St. Clair Flats) northward ; winters southward to the Gulf States. ; Washington, common W. V., fall to Apl. 25. Long Island, abundant T. V., rare W. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Oct. to Dec.; Mch. Cambridge, casual. Vest, amass of water-soaked, decaying vegetation, floating among rushes in a slough, generally attached to its surroundings. yys, two to seven, dull white, more or less soiled, 1°74 x 1:15. This species and the next are probably frequently mistaken for each other in life, and the same common names are in some instances applicable to both. Mr. Ernest E. Thompson writes of a captive in- dividual: “ When ordinarily swimming, the feet strike out alternately, and the progression is steady ; but sometimes both feet struck together, and then the movement was by great bounds, and was evidently cal- culated to force the bird over an expanse of very weedy water, or through any tangle of weeds or rushes in which it might have found itself. When lifted out of the water, the feet worked so fast as to be lost to the eye in a mere haze of many shadowy feet with one attach- ment. When placed on the ground, it was perfectly helpless” (Birds of Manitoba, p. 466). 6. Podilymbus podiceps (Zinn.). Pirp-sittep Gress; Dascuicr; Dieparrer; HELt-piver; WatTer-witcu. (See Fig.5,a.) Ad. in swummer.— Upper parts glossy, brownish black; throat black; upper breast, front and sides of the neck, and sides of the body, washed with brownish and indis- tinctly mottled with blackish; lower breast and belly white; a black band across the bill. Ad. in winter and Im.—Much like the above, but throat white and no black band on the bill. L. 13°50; W., 5-10; Tar.. 1-45; B., 85. Range—Argentine Republic northward through Mexico and the West In- dies to Hudson Bay and Great Slave Lake, breeding locally throughout its range; winters from New Jersey southward. Washington, common W. V., Aug. 25 to Apl. or May. Long Island, un- common T. V., Sept. to Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 6 to Apl. 20; 58 LOONS. Sept. 3 to Oct. 28; a few summer. Cambridge, T. V. in Apl.; very common Sept. to Nov.; breeds in one locality. Nest, a mass of water-soaked, decaying vegetation, sometimes built up from the bottom in shallow water, sometimes floating among rushes in a slough, when it is generally attached to its surroundings. Zyqs, four to eight, dull white, more or less soiled or stained, 1°74 x 1:19. This is probably the best known of our Grebes, and is the one which most frequently tempts the shot of would-be sportsmen. Its common names may stand as an expression of its aquatic powers. It dives head foremost, or sinks slowly beneath the water. Jike other Grebes, it can swim easily and for an indefinite period with only its bill above the water, and its sometimes mysterious and apparently complete dis- appearance is explained by this habit. FAMILY URINATORIDZ. LOONS. A family containing only five species, inhabiting the northern half of the northern hemisphere. The Loons are scarcely less aquatic than the Grebes, and are their equals as divers and swimmers. They visit the land only to nest, when their clumsy progress is assisted by the use of bill and wings. Their food consists of fish, which they procure by diving, progressing when under water by aid of the feet alone. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Throat black. Gbbend olneke Sp G75 5 sy) save aa ap etyohe ck fen al me eee Rea Or Head- ashy css. eS es ae ok SLACK TRO APE iieome B. Throat gray, foreneck chestnut . . . . . 11. Rep-rHroatep Loon. C. Throat white or whitish; back fuscous, margined with grayish. a. Wing over 13:00; base of bill to anterior end of nostril °75 or over. 7. Loon (Im.). b. Wing under 13:00; base of bill to anterior end of nostril less than °75. 9. BLuack-THRoATED Loon (Im.). D. Throat white or whitish; back fuscous, spotted with white. 11. Rep-THroatep Loon (Im.). 47. Urinator imber (Gunn.). Loon. (See Fig. 5,b.) Ad. in summer. —Upper parts, wings, tail, and neck black with bluish or greenish reflections ; spaces on the throat and sides of the neck streaked with white ; back- and wings spotted and barred with white; breast and belly white; sides and a band at the base of the under tail-coverts black spotted with white. -Ad. in winter and Im.—Upper parts, wings, and tail blackish margined with grayish not spotted with white; under parts white; throat sometimes washed with grayish. L., 32:00; W., 14.00; Tar., 3°40; B., 2°80. Range.—Breeds from northern Ilinois, Minnesota, and northern New Eng- land to the Arctic Circle; winters from the southern limit of its breeding range to the Gulf of Mexico. LOONS. 59 Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. 25. Long Island, abundant T. V., common W. V., Sept. to June. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch, and Oct. Cambridge, not common T. V., Apl. to early May ; Sept. to Nov. yest, a slight depression in the ground within a few feet of the water. Eggs, two, grayish olive-brown, thinly spotted with blackish, 3°50 x 2°20. This wild inhabitant of our northern lakes and ponds possesses all the characteristic traits of the Divers. Its remarkable notes are thus described by Mr. J. H. Langille: “ Beginning on the fifth note of the scale, the voice slides through the eighth to the third of the scale above in loud, clear, sonorous tones, which on a dismal evening before a thunderstorm, the lightning already playing along the inky sky, are anything but musical. He has also another rather soft and pleasing utterance, sounding like who-who- who-who, the syllables being so rapidly pronounced as to sound almost like a shake of the voice—a sort of weird laughter.” Loons may be seen migrating by day singly or in small companies, generally at a considerable height. Their flight is strong, rapid, and direct. 9. Urinator arcticus (/inn.). Buack-rHroatep Loon. Ad. in summer.—Throat, foreneck, back, wings, and tail black, with purplish and bluish reflections; a band of white streaks on the throat; sides of the neck, back, and wings streaked, barred, or spotted with white; top of head and nape gray; breast and belly white; a blackish band at the base of the under tail-coverts. Ad. in winter and Jm.—Similar in color to U. imber, not spotted above with white. L., 27°00; W., 11:00; Tar., 2°60; B., 2:00. Kemarks.—Immature and winter birds may be distinguished from the cor- responding stage of cmber by their small size; from /umme by grayish mar- gins instead of white spots, bars, or margins on the upper parts. FRange.—Breeds in the northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in North America migrates southward in winter to the northern United States, casually to Ohio and Long Island. Long Island, A. V., one record. ; West, a slight depression in the ground within a few feet of the water. £9q8, two, grayish olive-brown, spotted or scrawled with blackish, 3-20 x 2°10. This species is a very rare winter visitant to the northern border of the United States. The most southern record of its occurrence is Long Island (Dutcher, Auk, x, 1893, p. 265), 11. Urinator lumme (Gwin.). Rep-rHroatep Loon. Ad. in swm- mer.—Back, wings, and tail fuscous, more or less spotted with white; head and neck ashy gray ; foreneck chestnut ; back of the neck black, streaked with white; breast and belly white; longer under tail-coverts and band at the base of shorter ones fuscous. Ad. in winter and Im.—Similar to U. imber, but back spotted with white. L., 25:00; W., 11:00; T’ar., 2°60; B., 2-00. ftange.—F ound throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere, 60 AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS. breeding in North America from New Brunswick and Manitoba northward, and migrating irregularly southward as far as South Carolina. Washington, rare W. V. Long Island, common T. V., rare W. V., to May. Sing Sing, casual T. V. Gariindee one instance, fe Vest, a slight depression in the ground within a few feet of the water. Eggs, two, grayish olive-brown, sometimes tinged with green and spotted with blackish, 2°80 x 1°75. This is a more northern species than Urinator imber, which it doubt- less closely resembles in habits. FamMity ALCIDA. AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS. This family contains about thirty species, confined entirely to the northern parts of the northern hemisphere. Nearly all of these are found in North America, most of them, however, on only our Pacific coast. Without exception they are maritime birds, passing the greater part of their lives on the open sea. They nest in colonies, sometimes in enormous numbers, generally upon rocky, precipitous shores, Their progress on land is slow and awkward; but they are, as a rule, strong fliers, and accomplished swimmers and divers. Unlike the Grebes and Loons they use their wings in diving. Their food consists of fish, crustacea, and other forms of sea life. KEY TO THE SPECIES. ae Beilisunder 75:< 6985, Sy Eo eo ee ena II. Bill over -75. 1. Depth of bill at nostril over -60. a. Bill yellowish, depth at nostril over 1:00. 13. Purrrn. 18a. LARGE-BILLED PUFFIN. 6. Bill black, depth at nostril under 1:00 . . 32. Razor-BILLED AUK. 2. Depth of bill at nostril under -60. A. Wing-coverts white or tipped with white. a. Greater wing-coverts entirely white . 28. Manpt’s GuILLEMoT. b. Basal half of greater wing-coverts black. 27. Buack GUILLEMOT. B. No white on wing-coverts. @) 2Bill ower D60% eel a Svan os cere ores et ee b. Billiunder 1°60: ., ..%'.) 4.) -4s 0% SLEBRUNNIOGHIS Mig 13. Fratercula arctica (Zinn.). Purr; Sra Parrot (see Fig. 5, ¢). Ad.—Upper parts, wings, tail, and foreneck blackish, browner on the head and foreneck ; nape with a narrow grayish collar; sides of the head and throat white, sometimes washed with grayish; breast and belly white. (Breeding birds have the bill larger and brighter, and a horny spine over the eye.) L., 13:00; W., 6:10; Tar., 1:05; B., 1:85; depth of B. at base (in winter), 1°50. Range.—* Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic, breeding on the North American coast from the Bay of Fundy northward” (A. O. U.). Migrates southward in winter, rarely to Long Island. AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS. 61 Long Island, A. V. in winter. Nest in a burrow in the ground or in crevices among rocks. gg, one, dull white, sometimes with obscure markings, 2°49 x 1°68. Mr. Brewstef, in describing his experience with this species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, writes: “The first report of our guns brought dozens tumbling from their nests. Their manner of descending from the higher portions of the cliff was peculiar. Launching into the air with heads depressed and wings held stiffly at a sharp angle above their backs, they would shoot down like meteors, checking their speed by an upward turn just before reaching the water. In a few minutes scores had collected about us. They were perfectly silent and very tame, passing and repassing over and by us, often coming within ten or fif- teen yards. On such occasions their flight has a curious resemblance to that of a Woodcock, but when coming in from the fishing grounds they skim close to the waves, and the wings are moved more in the manner of a Duck” (Proce. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xxii, 1883, p. 407). 13a. F. a. glacialis (7emm.). Larcr-sirtep Purrin.—Similar to the preceding, but larger. W., 6°80-7:40; B., 2:00-2°30 (B., B., and R.). fange.— Coast and islands of the Arctic Ocean from Spitzbergen to Baffin’s Bay” (A. O. U.). The Turrep Purrin (12. Lunda cirrhata) inhabits the North Pacific from California to Alaska. The specimen figured by Audubon was said by him to have been procured at the mouth of the Kennebec River, Maine. There is no other record of its occurrence on the Atlantic coast. 27. Cepphus grylle (Zinn.). Buack Guittemor; Sra Pieron. Ad. im summer.—sSooty black, lighter below and with slight greenish reflections above; lesser wing-coverts and terminal half of the greater wing-coverts white, the basal half of the greater coverts black ; linings of the wings white. Ad. in winter.—Upper parts gray or black, the feathers all more or less tipped with white; wings as in summer; under parts white /m.—Upper parts as in winter adults; under parts white, mottled with black ; wing-coverts tipped wiunsplick. 1L., 13:00) W., 6:25: ‘Far,, 1°25: B., 1°20. Range.—Breeds in North America from the Bay of Fundy (Grand Menan) northward, and migrates southward regularly to Cape Cod, and rarely to Con- necticut and Long Island; accidental in Pennsylvania. Long Island, A. V. in winter. est, in the crevices and fissures of cliffs and rocky places. Eggs, two to three, dull white, sometimes with a greenish tinge, more or less heavily spotted with clear and obscure dark chocolate markings, more numerous and sometimes confluent at the larger end. 2°18 x 1:40. “They were wary and alert, but allowed me to paddle within easy shooting distance without displaying much alarm. When they finally concluded I was an unsafe neighbor, they lost no time in getting out of sight, diving with surprising suddenness, They usually swam a 62 AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS. long distance under water with great rapidity, using their wings as well as their feet, and coming to the surface far beyond gunshot range. “The Sea Pigeons are met usually in small flocks of half a dozen or more, and generally feed in the open sea at the base of bold cliffs. When on the wing they proceed rapidly and in a straight line, and rarely more than a few feet from the surface of the water. On ap- proaching their nesting-site they rise rather abruptly, and fly directly to their nests” (Chamberlain). 28. Cepphus mandtii (Zicit.). Manpr’s Guittemot.—Resembles the preceding, but the bases of the greater wing-coverts are white instead of black. Range. Arctic regions of both continents” (A. O. U.); in America breeding from Labrador and Hudson Bay northward, migrating southward as far as Massachusetts. Vest, in crevices and fissures of cliffs and rocky places. Zgqs, two to three, not distinguishable trom those of C. grylle, 2°34 x 1:15. A more northern species than the preceding, which it doubtless re- sembles in habits. 30. Uria troile (linn.). Murre. Ad. in summer.—uUpper parts, wings, tail, and neck all around, dark sooty brown, blacker on the back, wings, and tail; tips of secondaries, breast, and belly white, the sides more or less streaked with blackish. Ad. in winter and Im.—Upper parts, wings, and tail much as in summer; under parts white, the throat more or less washed with sooty brown, the flanks sometimes streaked with brownish, and the feathers of the belly more or less lightly margined with blackish. L., 16:00; W., 8:00; Tar., 1:40; B., 1°75; depth of B. at nostril, -50. Remarks.—Some specimens have a white ring around the eye and a white stripe behind it. They have been named J. ringvia (Brinn.), but it is un- certain as to whether the species is a distinct one or is based on a mere varia- tion of plumage. Range.—* Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic” (A. O.U.). In North America, breeding from Nova Scotia northward, and migrating southward as far as Massachusetts. Nests in communities, side by side on the bare ledges of rocky cliffs. *Zgq, one, pyriform, varying from pale blue or greenish blue to whitish or buffy, singularly spotted, scrawled, or streaked with shades of chocolate, rarely un- marked, 3°25 x 2°00. “These birds begin to assemble on their customary cliffs in Eng- land early in May, and crowd together in such numbers that it is not uncommon to see hundreds sitting upon their eggs on the ledge of a rock, all in a line, and nearly touching each other” (Nuttall). “The bird usually sits facing the cliff, holding the egg between her legs, with its point outward; if robbed, she will lay at least one more, = yn wevicadzh —— AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS. 63 similar in character. . . . Considerable force is exercised in diving, and the wings are used for propulsion under water ” (Saunders). 81. Uria lomvia (Zinn.). Brinnicn’s Murre. Ad. in summer.— Upper parts, wings, and tail sooty black, foreneck somewhat browner; tips of secondaries, breast, and belly white; base of the upper mandible greenish, rounded outward beyond the edge of the lower mandible. L., 16°50; W., 8°40; Tar., 1:30; B., 1:25; depth of B. at nostril, -47. Remarks.— Adults are to be distinguished from adults of 7 troile by the darker color of the head, which in /omvia is darker than the throat, by the ‘size of the bill and thickening of its cutting edge at the base. Winter and immature birds can be distinguished from those of U7. troile only by the size of the bill, which, as the measurements show, is longer in that species. Range.—‘ Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and eastern Arctic Oceans” (A. O. U.). Breeds from the Magdalen Islands northward; in win- ter migrates as far south as New Jersey. Long Island, irregular W. V. Sing Sing, A. V. Nests in communities, side by side on the bare ledges of rocky clitts. Lyg, one, not distinguishable from that of U. trodle. “During the winter it lives on the open sea, and in the breeding season assembles in large flocks on bold cliffs and rocky headlands. It is an expert diver, using wings and feet to get under water and to swim through it” (Chamberlain). 32. Alea torda Linn. Razor-sittep Auk; TinKER. Ad. in sum- mer.—U pper parts, wings, and tail sooty black; foreneck somewhat browner ; tips of the secondaries, a line from the eye to the bill, breast, and belly white ; bill black, crossed by a white band. Ad. in winter.—Similar to ad. in the summer, but with the sides and front of the neck white. /m.—Similar to ad. in winter, but with the bill smaller and without the white bar. L., 16°50; oe o0 Lars, 1-352 B.,.1-25: Range.—* Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic” (A. O. U.). Breeds from the Magdalen Islands northward; in winter migrates southward regu- larly to Long Island and rarely to Virginia and North Carolina. Long Island, irregular W. V. Vest, in the crevices and fissures of cliffs and rocky places. Zgqs, one to two, pale bluish white or buffy, thickly spotted and speckled with chocolate markings most numerous and sometimes confluent at the larger end, 3:00 x 1:90. “When brooding, it crouches along, not across, the egg, its mate often standing near; and both sexes incubate, though the male may be seen bringing food to the sitting female. ... The young flutter from the rocks to the sea, or are taken by the neck and carried down by the parents. They are at first very loath to follow the old bird in diving, and remain crying plaintively on the surface of the water. The food consists of small fish, which are carried diagonally in the bill —not at right angles, as by the Puffin—and crustaceans. The Razor- 64. AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS. bill utters a peculiar grunting or groaning, especially when sitting. On the water it may be distinguished from the Guillemot, at a dis- tance, by its upturned tail” (Saunders). 33. Plautus impennis (Zinn.). Great Aux.—Upper parts fuscous black, a large white spot before the eye; secondaries tipped with white; sides of the neck and throat seal-brown, rest of the under parts silvery white. L., 28'00-30°00 ; W., 5°75; B., 3:15-3°50; greatest depth of B., 1-50 (Ridgw.). Range.— Formerly the coasts and islands of the North Atlantic, from Massachusetts and Ireland northward nearly to the Arctic Circle” (A. O. U.). Now extinct. Egg, pyriform-ovate, pale olive buffy, variously marked with brown and black, 4°67 x 2°91 (Ridgw.). The Great Auk was flightless. Like other birds of this family, it frequented certain localities in large numbers each year to breed. Early voyagers and fishermen visited its nesting grounds, killing the helpless birds in enormous numbers for their flesh, feathers, and oil. The result was extinction, and no living Great Auk has been observed since 1842. About seventy specimens are known to be preserved in collections. (See Lucas, Rep. Smith. Inst., 1891, pp. 638-641.) 34. Alle alle (Zinn.). Dovexie; Sea Dove. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts, wings, and tail sooty black; sides and front of the neck and upper breast somewhat browner; secondaries tipped and scapulars streaked with white; lower breast and belly white. Ad. in winter and /m.—Similar to the above, but throat whiter or washed with dusky, and sometimes a gray collar on the nape. L., 8:00; W., 4:50; Tar., "70; B., °50. Range.— Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and eastern Arctic Oceans” (A. O. U.). Breeds from latitude 69° northward ; in winter migrates southward, rarely to Long Island and New Jersey ; accidental in Pennsylva- nia and Virginia. Long Island, irregular W. V. Sing Sing, A. V. Nest, on the ledges and in the crevices of rocky cliffs. gg, one, pale bluish white, 1°85 x 1:27. “ On the approach of a vessel this bird has a peculiar way of splash- ing along the surface of the water, as if unable to fly, and then diving through the crest of an advancing wave; it swims rather deep and very much ‘by the stern.’ . . .” (Saunders). “Tts wings are small, but they are moved almost as rapidly as a Hummingbird’s, and propel the bird through the air with great rapid- ity. This bird is an expert diver too, and, though awkward on land, swims with ease and grace. . . .” (Chamberlain). JAEGERS AND SKUAS. 65 ORDER LONGIPENNES. LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS. FAMILY STERCORARIIDE. JAEGERS AND SKUAS. Two of the six known members of this family are found in the antarctic regions, while the remaining four inhabit the northern parts of the northern hemisphere. Except during the nesting season, the Jaegers are as a rule pelagic, though they sometimes visit large bodies of water inland. They generally obtain their food by robbing Gulls and Terns, and have been well named the Hawks of the sea. Their greater power of flight enables them to successfully pursue these birds and force them to disgorge their recently captured prey. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Bill over 1°35; tarsus over 1°70; middle tail-feathers never pointed. RP OMER A OO s Aira age e 8 aN ee aa. wid cael side ROO ORG Pounder: 9006'S F< a Fee. Pace as 36. PoMARINE JAEGER. BZ. Bill under 1°35; tarsus under 1°70; addi tail-feathers generally pointed. a. Sealy shield on the bill longer than the distance zs om its end to the tip or the bill... Seat) onite . Parasitic JAEGER. b. Sealy shield on the bill pierce fa the distance ne its end to the tip ienltetigllle ere itr ef Sista te!) of frau ort. 188; LON G=Panmen. Agnes 35. Megalestris skua (Lriinn.). Sxvua. Ad.—Upper parts, tail, and wings dark, dirty brown; shafts of the wing and tail-feathers white, except at the tip; outer wing-feathers with inner vanes white at the base ; under parts somewhat lighter; neck more or less streaked with whitish. Jm—* Similar to adult, but more distinctly streaked with yellowish, especially on the head and neck.” L., 22:00; W., 15:91; Tar.~2-63; B., 2:06 (Ridgw.). ftange.—‘ Coast and islands of the North Atlantic, chiefly northward. South to Spain and Massachusetts. Apparently rare off the coast of North America” (A. O. U.). Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest, on rocky olifis. Eggs, two, pale olive-brown or greenish gray spot- ted with chocolate, 2°80 x 1:90. 36. Stercorarius pomarinus (7¢mm.). Pomarine JAEGER. Ad., light phase.—Very similar in color to corresponding phase of S. parasiticus, but with the upper parts darker, nearly black. _Ad., dark phase and Im.— ee in color to corresponding stages of S. parasiticus. L.,, 22005 W.. 3°50; T., Ad., 8-00, Im., 5-40; Tar., 2:00; B., 1°55. aries _This species is to be Geineished from the two following by its larger size and the rounded ends of its central tail-feathers. Range.— Resident during the summer in high northern latitudes, chiefly within the Arctic Circle, and extending from Siberia in eastern Asia entirely around the zone” (B., B., and R.). Migrates southward along the Atlantic 6 66 JAEGERS AND SKUAS. coast, and more rarely through the Great Lakes, and winters from Long Island southward. Long Island, regular from June 15 to Oct. 30. Sing Sing, A. V. Nest, on the ground. Zygs, two to three, deep olive-drab sparingly spot- ted with slate color, and light and dark raw-umber markings and black dots, chiefly at the larger end, where they become confluent, 2°25 x 1:70 (Brewer). 37. Stercorarius parasiticus (Linn.). Parasimic JAEGER (see Fig. 6, a). 35). 69 ORSTER Ss Tate: £. Bill mostly or sane seleriae. reais brownish, or orange. a. Under parts tinged with grayish; outer web of outer tail-feather gray ; inner web white. a. Bill broadly tipped with blackish ; tarsus generally over °70. 70. Common TERN. a?. Bill without a distinct black tip; tarsus generally under -70. 71. Arctic TERN. 6. Under parts pure white; inner web of outer tail-feather gray ; outer Web white. (27.7%. ics oe «69, Forsren ey been: 2. Forehead white; lores ios: ; crown ee -black. A, Wing under 8:00; back pearl-gray. . . ooo, (4 LRastiarn: Bb. Wing over 8:00; pack grayish brown or Bice x. Back grayish aceon a white stripe from the forehead over the eye. 76. BrrpLep TERN. 6. Back blackish; white of forehead not reaching over the eye. 75. Soory Trrn. 8. Forehead or crown white or grayish, sometimes speckled with black ; lores not entirely black. A. Wing pearl-gray, over 9-00. a. Outer tail-feather entirely pure white. a, Bill over 1°75, tipped with yellowish . . . 67. Canor’s TERN. a%, Bill under 1°75, without a yellow tip . 72. Rosratr Tern (Im.). 6. Outer tail-feather not pure white. 6. Inner web of outer tail-feather darker than outer web; outer web "8 TERNS. mostly or entirely white; a black space generally on the side of the head inclosing the eye. . . . . 69. ForsteR’s Tern (Im.). 62, Outer web of outer tail-feather darker than inner web; tarsus OVER TO! [oi on Wa abies ie) kop ete We GO MauIOy L ERay (ee 53, Outer web of outer tail-feather darker than inner web:. tarsus ’ muider {O28 0 ve ee A ha ae, Vn a een cee . Wing blackish, over 9:00. q. Under parts. blackish... .o2 0.2". 2. Je. soeey Ll wem (iy: 0. Under parts:white .-. 0. 27. as Su 1 BeweEsl EEN Cimee 4, Crown silvery gray; lores black; rest of plumage sooty black. 79. Noppy. II. Wing over 13-00. A. Wing 15:00 or over; outer primary mostly gray. 64. Caspran TERN. 4. Wing under 15:00; inner half of inner web of first primary white. 65. Royat TERN. pS SSS SS SS SS SS SSS SSS ee Zz Z, = — = 5 — = ee To LEEZEZ- SEE Wy yyy ry, eee ———— = L., 15:00: W.,10°25: 'F.,.5°50; Tar., -75;. B., 1°40. Remarks.—The Common Tern is closely related to Forster’s Tern and also to the Aretic Tern. From the former it is to be distinguished by the color of the long outer tail-feathers. In the Common Tern the outer web of these feathers is always darker than the inner web; in Forster’s Tern the inner web is always darker than the outer one. Adult Common Terns have the breast and belly washed with pearl-gray, while in Forster’s Tern these parts are pure white. The Common Tern differs from the Arctic Tern in having the bill tipped 7 82 TERNS. with black instead of being entirely red; in having longer tarsi, and in the color of the primaries. Range.—* Greater part of the northern hemisphere and Africa; in North America chiefly confined to the eastern province” (A. O. U.). Breeds locally both on the coast and in the interior from the Gulf States to the Barren Grounds and Greenland. Washington, irregular T. V., sometimes common. Long Island, common S. R., May through Sept. Sine Sing, casual in late summer. Cambridge, casual in Sept. Eggs, three to four, not distinguishable with certainty from those ot the preceding, but averaging paler and greener, and less heavily marked, 1:60 x 1°20. It is five years since I visited the breeding grounds of the colony of Common Terns on Gull Island, L. I, but I can close my eyes and still feel the air vibrate with the harsh, half-threatening, half-pleading chorus of nearly two thousand excited voices. There is a dull, heavy, hopeless monotone, broken only by the scream of some half-maddened bird who fearlessly darts downward to protect its nest at my feet. A shot is fired; there is a moment of awe-struck silence, then, with re- newed violence, the screaming is resumed. Pandemonium reigns: tearr, terrrr, swish / the air is full of darting, diving, crying Terns. It was useless to attempt to secrete myself. At no time during my stay did the outcry cease or hovering flock disperse. This little, barren, uninhabited, sandy island—only a few acres in extent—and Muskeget Island, off the Massachusetts coast, are the only localities, from New Jersey to Maine, where the once abundant Common Tern, or Sea Swallow, can be found in any numbers. What an illus- tration of the results of man’s greed and woman’s thoughtlessness ! The fickle fashion which indorsed the poor Tern’s spotless plumage has long since found new favorites, and the sadly mangled pearl-gray feathers have gone to graves in the ash-heap. Now it is the Kgret’s turn. Even the protection afforded by an insular home was not sufficient. Feather hunters, egg robbers, and self-styled ologists came in boats to drive the Sea Swallows from their last resort; but the law inter- fered, and both Gull and Muskeget Islands now have a pag keeper whose duty it is to protect the Terns. 71. Sterna paradiszea Brinn. Arcric Tern.—Very similar in color to the Common Tern, from which it differs in having less gray on the shaft part of the inner web of the outer primaries (Fig. 61, @); in having the tail somewhat longer, the tarsi and bill shorter, while the latter, in the adult, is generally without a black tip. L., 15°50; W., 10°25; T., 7°50; Tar., -65; B., 1:30. Range.—* Northern hemisphere ; in North America, breeding from Massa- w ia > alle TERNS. 83 chusetts to the arctic regions, and wintering southward to Virginia and Cali- fornia.” (A. O.-U.): Long Island, rare in summer. Eggs, three to four, not distinguishable with certainty from those of the preceding, 1°62 x 1:15. Comparing the notes of this bird with those of the Common Tern, Mr. Brewster writes: ‘Their notes are similar, but several of them can be distinguished. The usual ery of S. macrura [= paradisea] cor- responds to the fearr of S. hirundo, but is shriller, ending in a rising inflection, and sounding very like the squeal of a pig. The bird also has a short, harsh note similar to that of Forster’s Tern. At any dis- tance within fair gun-range I could usually separate it from Wilson’s [= Common] Tern by its longer tail, and by the uniform and deeper color of the bill. In flight and habits the two seemed to me identical” (Birds Observed on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xxii, 1883, p. 402). 72. Sterna dougalli Montag. Rosratn Tern. Ad. in summer— Whole top of the head black; back and wings pearl-gray; outer web of pri- maries and shaft part of the inner web slaty black (Fig. 61,¢); under parts white, generally delicately tinted with pinkish; tail pure white, bill black, the base reddish; feet red. Ad. in winter.—Similar to the above, but front of the head white, more or less streaked or spotted with black; under parts pure white. Jm., first plumage.‘ Pileum and nape pale buffy grayish, finely mottled or sprinkled with darker, and streaked, especially on the crown, with dusky ; orbital and auricular regions dusky blackish ; remainder of the head, extreme lower part of the nape, and entire lower parts white, the nape, and sometimes the breast, finely mottled with butfy gray ; back, seapulars, wing- coverts, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail pale pearl-blue, the back and seapu- lars overlaid with pale buff irregularly mottled with dusky, each feather with a submarginal dusky V-shaped mark ; primary coverts and primaries dark bluish-gray edged with paler, the inner webs of the latter broadly edged with white; tail-feathers marked near their ends much like the longer scapulars, their outer webs rather dark grayish; bill brownish dusky ; feet dusky.” L., NOU Wey 900 5h, 7750 + B., 1°50 (B., B., and, R:): Range.—Temperate and tropical regions; in America apparently confined to the Atlantic coast, breeding from Florida northward to Maine; compara- tively rare north of southern New Jersey ; winters south of the United States. Long Island, uncommon but regular S. R., May through Sept. L£qs, three, not distinguishable with certainty from those of 8. forsteri or S. hirundo, but averaging paler and less heavily marked, 1°65 x 1:20. This species is found associated with colonies of Common Terns, apparently making its nest among theirs. It is a less excitable, wilder bird than hirwndo, and its single harsh note, cack, may be distinctly heard above the uproar of Common Terns, as it hovers somewhat in 84. TERNS. the background. Its white breast and long outer tail-feathers also aid in distinguishing it. 74. Sterna antillarum (JZess.). Least Tern. Ad. in summer.— Forehead white, Zoves and crown black; back, tail, and wings pearl-gray > outer web of outer primaries and shaft part of the inner web slaty black ; under parts white; bill yellow, generally tipped with black; feet orange. Ad. in winter.—Top of head white, more or less spotted with black ; back of head black; bill blackish. Jm.—Upper parts and tail at the end mottled with blackish and buffy, primaries as in the adult, under parts white, bill blackish. L., 9°00; W., 6:90; T., 3:50; B., 1°10. Range.—Northern South America northward to California, Dakota, and Massachusetts, rarely to Labrador; breeds locally throughout its range, and winters south of the United States. Washington, casual T. V. Long Island, rare in summer. Eggs, three to four, buffy white, speckled or spotted with chocolate, 25 x: 390. This, the smallest of our Terns, resembles its congeners in habits, though it is said to add insects to its usual fare of fish. Its voice is described as “a sharp squeak, much like the cry of a very young pig following its mother.” 75. Sterna fuliginosa Gme/. Sooty Tern. Ad.—Forehead and a line reaching to the eye white, lores and rest of the head black; nape, back, and wings brownish black, nearly as dark as the head; outer tail-feathers white, brownish on the end half of the inner web; rest of tail-feathers of the same color as the back; under parts white; bill and feet black. Jm., first plumage.—Sooty slate-color; linings of the wings and under tail-coverts whitish ; wing-coverts, secapulars, upper tail-coverts, and tail-feathers more or less tipped with white. L., 17-00; W., 11:50; T., 7-25; B., 1°75. Range.—Tropical and subtropical regions; in North America breeds rarely as far north as North Carolina; occasionally wanders northward to Maine; winters south of the United States. Long Island, A. V. in summer. Eggs, one to three, whitish or buff, speckled or spotted with chocolate, 2°00 x 1-45. j A regular summer visitant to our southern coasts and occasionally wandering northward. It breeds in colonies in little-frequented islands in the West Indies, and may be seen fishing in flocks, which hover low over the water. | The Bripiep Tern (76. Sterna anethetus), a tropical species, has been taken once in Florida, but may prove to be a regular summer visitant to some of the Florida keys. 7¢. Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis ((me/.). Buack TERN. Ad. in summer.—Whole head and under parts, except under tail-coverts, black ; back, wings, and tail slate-color; bill and feet black. Ad. in winter. SKIMMERS. 85 —Forehead, nape, and under parts white; back of the head black mixed with white; back, wings, and tail deep pearl-gray. /m.—Similar to the pre- ceding, but upper parts more or less washed and tipped with brownish ; sides washed with ‘grayish. L., 10:00; W., 8:30; T., 3:30; B., 1:00. Range.—Temperate and tropical Ameriea; breeds in the interior from Kansas and Illinois to Alaska; not known tv breed on the Atlantic coast, where it is found from Prince Edward’s Island southward as an irregular migrant, occurring at times in considerable numbers. Washington, irregular T. V., Sept. Long Island, irregular T. V. in vary- ing numbers, Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, A. V., Sept. Nest, of reeds, grasses, ete., rather closely woven, in grassy marshes or vegetation floating in a slough. ygs, two to three, grayish olive-brown, rarely whitish, heavily spotted and blotched with chocolate markings, fre- quently confluent about the larger end, 1:35 x -98. This is an abundant species at favorable localities in the interior. “Tt seems not to subsist on fish at all, but chiefly on dragon flies and various aquatic insects. It finds both its home and its food in the marshes usually, but its powers of flight are so great that it may also be seen far out on the dry open plains, scouring the country for food at a distance of miles from its nesting ground... . “The bird may frequently be seen dashing about in a zigzag man- ner so swiftly, the eye can offer no explanation of its motive until, on the resumption of its ordinary flight, a large dragon fly is seen hang- ing from its bill. . . .” (Thompson). The Wurre-wincep Brack Tern (78. Hydrochelidon leucoptera), an Old World species, has been taken once in Wisconsin, and is recorded as “ seen” on a lake near Winnipeg. 79. Anous stolidus (Zinn.). Noppy. Ad.—Top of the head silvery: whitish, lores black; rest of the plumage dark sooty brown; tail rounded, the central tail-feathers longest. Jm.—Similar, but the top of the head is like the rest of the plumage and the silvery whitish appears as a line from the bill to above the eye. L., 15:00; W., 10°25; T., 5-90; B., 1-70. Range.—* Tropical and subtropical regions; in America, from Brazil and Chili north to the Gulf and South Atlantic States” (A. O. U.). Nest, of sticks, grasses, etc., on a mangrove bush, in a tree, sometimes on the beach or in crevices of rocks. Egg, pale butfy white, sparingly marked with rufous, 2°05 x 1°35. This is a summer visitant to our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and nests on some of the Florida keys. FAMILY RYNCHOPIDA. SKIMMERS, The three closely allied species constituting this small but distinct family are found in the warmer parts of the earth. Only one species 86 ALBATROSSES. inhabits the western hemisphere. Skimmers are unique both in the form of the bill and in their manner of feeding. Opening the mouth, the bladelike lower mandible is dropped just beneath the surface of the water ; then, flying rapidly, they may be said to literally ‘ plow the main” in search of their food of small aquatic animals. 80. Rynchops nigra Jinn. Btack Sximmer; Scissor-BrLi (see Fig. 8). Ad.—Forehead, sides of the head, under parts, and tips of the sec- ondaries white; upper parts and wings black; outer tail-feathers white, inner ones more or less brownish. L., 18°00; W., 14°50; T., 475; B., 2°60. Range.—Coasts of the warmer parts of America, breeding regularly as far north as southern New Jersey, and, after the breeding season, occasionally wandering northward as far as the Bay of Fundy. Washington, A. V. Long Island, occasional in summer. Nest, a slight depression in the sand or shells of a beach. gags, three to four, white or buffy white, heavily blotched with chocolate, 1°80 x 1°35. A not uncommon species on our southern coasts, resembling other members of this family in habits. ORDER TUBINARES. TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS. FAMILY DIOMEDEID®. ALBATROSSES. The Albatrosses, numbering eight or ten species, are confined chiefly to the seas of the southern hemisphere. They are eminently pelagic birds, possessed of untiring powers of flight. Four species visit our Pacific coast, but on the Atlantic coast of North America Albatrosses are almost unknown, and there are but few records of their occurrence. The Wanperine ALBatross (80'1. Diomedea exulans), the largest of all sea birds, with an expanse of wing which measures from twelve to fourteen feet, inhabits antarctic seas, but sometimes wanders northward, and is said to have been seen in Tampa Bay, Florida. The YELLOW-NosED ALBATROSS (83. Thalassogeron culminatus) is also a southern species which is said to have been taken once in Quebee (Chamber- lain, Nuttall’s Manual, 2d ed., ii, p. 277). IAMILY PROCELLARIIDA. SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS. The seventy known species of Petrels are distributed over the seas of the world. Some thirty species have been found in North America, of which seven occur regularly on our Atlantic coast. Like their large relatives, the Albatrosses, they are strictly pelagic, and visit the land only to nest. The strong, swift flight of Shearwaters, and the gracefui movements of the smaller “ Mother Carey’s Chickens,” are familiar sights to those who go “down to the sea in ships.” SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS. 87 KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing over 10°50. An Under partsdusky “5 .». 95... . « .. 94 Soory SHEARWATER, ZB. Under parts white. Peat wnGer a0 os Soo ow ees 98, BuACK-CAPPED, PrrrEm 6. Bill over 1°50. 61. Under tail-coverts white. .. . . . . 88. Cory’s SHEARWATER. 62. Under tail-coverts grayish brown . . 89, GREATER SHEARWATER. Il. Wing under 10°50. A, Wing over 7°25. a. Depth of bill at base over ‘50. . 86. Futmar. 86a. Lesser Futmar. 6. Depth of bill at base under °50. O Upper parts bluish gray =. 5.0. 2. 6. s 99), ScALEp PEernun. 623, Upper parts sooty black . . . . . 92. AupuUBoN’s SHEARWATER. B. Wing under 7°25. a. Upper tail-coverts more or iess white. Gi MaihiOneed: (ar) wey) ede x ee ee Tes, DOG LEACH sham 61, Tail square. 62, Webs of feet marked with yellow; upper tail-coverts not tipped WGN RCKE eo ea oul Satay eh ay ue ee adoot te” LOGss WiLESONDS Emap rane 63, Webs of feet without yellow; tail-coverts tipped with black. 104. Stormy PETReEL. 6. Upper tail-coverts grayish or brownish. 61. Entire under parts brownish .. . . . 101. Butwer’s Perret. (> Breastierayish. 2. .. ... . 9. . » 110! Warre-BEetiiep Pere 68, Entire under parts-white . . . . . 111. Wairn-rAcep PETREL. 86. Fulmarus glacialis (Zinn.). Furmar; Noppy (see Fig. 9, 5). Light phase—Head, neck, and under parts white or whitish; back, wings, and tail slaty gray. Dark phase—Entire plumage nearly uniform dark, slaty gray. L., 19:00; W., 13:04; B., 1:50; depth of B. at base, ‘75 (Ridgw.). Range.—North Atlantic; south in winter on the American coast to Massa- chusetts ; accidental in northern New Jersey. Vest, on the ledges of rocky cliffs. Zygg, one, dull white, 2°85 x 2°01. “The Fulmar is a constant attendant on whalers, sealers, ete.—who know it as the ‘ Mollimoke ’—in order to obtain fatty substances and animal offal; but I never saw it take any while on the wing, and it always settles on the water to feed, like an Albatross. The pinions are often flapped slowly in an owl-like manner, but in scudding they are held very straight—a peculiarity by which it may easily be distin- guished from a Gull at a distance ” (Saunders). 86a. F. g. minor Ajaer). Lesser Furmar; Noppy. “Similar in color to F. glacialis, but much smaller. W., 11:80-12:00; B., 1:30-1:38; depth of B. at base, :60-"70.” Range.— North Atlantic, south on American side to coast of New Eng- land” (Ridgw.). 88 SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS. 88. Puffinus borealis (ory. Cory’s Surarwarer. Ad.—Upper parts ashy fuscous, wings and tail darker; sides of head and neck slightly lighter; under parts white, sometimes washed with grayish on the breast; under wing-coverts and wnder tail-coverts white, the latter more or less mot- tled with grayish ; bill yellowish. L., 21:00; W., 14:00; Tar., 2-20; B., 2:10. Range.—Known as yet only off the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Long Island. Long Island, uncommon from Aug. to Oct. Nest and eygs unknown. Cory’s Shearwater has been found as a not uncommon summer visitant off the coast of Massachusetts, but its range is unknown. 89. Puffinus major /aber. Greater SHEARWATER; Hacpon. Ad. —Upper parts fuscous, wings and tail slightly darker; longer upper tail- coverts tipped with whitish ; under parts white; belly more or less ashy gray ; under tail-coverts ashy gray ; bill blackish. L., 20:00; W., 12°25; Tar., 2°20; Bs, 1°86: Range—* Atlantic Ocean, south to Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope” (A. O. U.); north to Greenland. Long Island, uncommon in summer. Nest and eggs unknown. “The long, narrow wings are set stiffly at right angles with the body, and the bird frequently glides half a mile at a time without moving them perceptibly. It usually follows a direct course, and in- variably skims close over the waves. I know of no other sea bird whose movements are as easy and graceful. Indeed, at times, espe- cially during a gale, its evolutions will compare in grace and spirit with those of the Mississippi or Swallow-tailed Kites” (Brewster). Mawnx’s SHEARWATER (90. Pufiinus vuffinus) resembles the next in color, but is larger. W., 8:50-9:25; B., 1:35-1:40; depth of B. through base, 40-45 ; Tar., 1:70-1:80” (B., B., and R.). 1t is a European species of exceedingly rare or accidental occurrence on the North Atlantic coast. 92. Puffinus auduboni /insch. Avupvuson’s SHEARWATER. Ad.—- Upper parts, wings, and tail dark, sooty, brownish black ; under parts white; sides of the breast grayish ; a patch on the flanks and under tail-coverts sooty brownish black; inner side of tarsi yellowish, outer brownish; bill blackish. ne P00! W.28:00s. Tar, 1°60: B., 1:20. Range.—W armer parts of the Atlantic, north rarely to Long Island; breeds in the Antilles and Bahamas, but not, so far as known, on our coasts. Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest, of a few bits of sticks in a hole in the rocks. Zyg, one, chalky white, 2°05 x 1:40. An abundant West Indian species which breeds in the Bahamas ind Antilles, and is doubtless not uncommon off our southern coasts. SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS. 89 Its flight, low over the water, is strong and swift, five or six rapid wing-beats being followed by a short sail. 94. Puffinus stricklandi 2idgw. Soory Surarwater; Brack Hagpon. Ad.—Upper parts, wings, and tail dark, sooty, brownish black ; under parts somewhat grayer; bill blackish. L., 17-00; W.,12°00; Tar., 2:10; B., 1°65. Range.—As far as known, North Atlantic; south on the American coast to South Carolina. Long Island, uncommon in summer. Nest and eggs unknown. “Tts flight and habits seem to be identical with those of major, but its uniform dark coloring gives it a very different appearance. At a distance it looks as black as.a Crow” (Brewster). The Biack-cappep PETREL (98. dstrelata hasitata) is a southern species, which has been found on Long Island, in Florida, West Virginia, and Ver- mont. It bears a general resemblance to Pufinus major, but is much smaller and has the upper and under tail-coverts white. The Scatep Perret (99. dstrelata scalaris) is known from one individual which had wandered to western New York. Its true home has not been dis- covered, but is doubtless in the Antarctic Ocean. Butwer’s Perret (101. Bulweria bulweri) inhabits the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the coasts of Europe and Africa, and is of accidental occur- rence in Greenland. 104. Procellaria pelagica Zinn. Srormy Petrer. dAd.—Upper parts, wings, and tail sooty black ; under parts slightly browner ; upper tail- coverts white, the longer ones broadly tipped with black ; under tail-coverts mixed with whitish ; bill and feet black. L., 5:50; W., 4:80; T., 2°50; B., °45. Range.—‘ Atlantic Ocean, south on the American side to the Newfound- land Banks, west coast of Africa and coast of Europe” (A. O. U.). Nest, of a few bits of sticks and grasses in a burrow in the ground or be- neath a rock. yg, one, dull white, sometimes with a wreath of minute or obscure markings at the larger end, 1:10 x °80. This is the common Stormy Petrel of the east side of the Atlantic. It nests in numbers on the small islands along the coast of Great Britain, but is only’a transient visitant in our waters. It resembles the two following species in habits. 106. Oceanodroma leucorhoa ( Viei//.).. Leacn’s Perrer. Ad. —Upper parts, wings, and tail sooty brown; under parts slightly browner ; wing-coverts grayish brown; longer upper tail-coverts white, shorter ones mixed with sooty brownish ; tail forked, outer feathers more than ‘50 longer than middle pair; bill and feet black. L., 8:00; W., 6:20; T., 3°50; B., °62. fange.—* North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans; south on the coast of the United States to Virginia and California; breeds from Maine and the Hebrides northward on the coasts of the Atlantic” (A. O. U.). 90 SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS, Washington, A. V., several records. Long Island, uncommon T. V., May and June. Cambridge, A. V., one instance, Oct. Nest, of a few bits of sticks and grasses in a burrow in the ground, or be- neath arock. gg, one, creamy white, sometimes with a wreath of minute or obscure markings at the larger end, 1°34 x 1:00. “This is a bird of the northern hemisphere, being as common on the Pacific Ocean as on the Atlantic. Its chief breeding station on our shores is among the islands at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy; but the open ocean is the bird’s true home. “ Leach’s Petrels are seldom seen about their nesting site during the day, though in the evening they assemble there; and when flut- tering through the twilight or under the moon’s guidance they have the appearance of a foraging squad of bats, though the birds’ wild, plaintive notes betray their race. The Petrels are not strictly noc- turnal, however, for while one of a pair sits close on the nest all day—— and this one has been generally the male, in my experience—the mate is out at sea. “ When handled, these birds emit from mouth and nostrils a small quantity of oil-like fluid of a reddish color and pungent, musklike odor. The air at the nesting site is strongly impregnated with this odor, and it guides a searcher to the nest ” (Chamberlain). 109. Oceanites oceanicus (wh/). Wuitson’s Perret. .4d.—Up- per parts, wings, and tail sooty black; under parts somewhat lighter; under tail-coverts mixed with whitish, longer upper tail-coverts white, shorter ones marked with sooty black; wing-coverts grayish, margined with whitish ; bill and feet black, the webs of the latter mostly yellow. L., 7:00; W., 590; T., 2°80; B., °50. Range.—Atlantic Ocean ; breeds in southern seas (Kerguelen Island) and migrates northward, spending the summer off our coasts. Washington, A. V., one record. Long Island, common from May to Sept. Vest, in the crevices of rocks. gq, one, white. It is generally known that some birds which nest in the northern parts of our continent, in the winter migrate as far south as Patago- nia; but comparatively few are aware that during the summer we receive several visitors from the southern parts of the southern hemi- sphere. They are all included in the family Procellariide, and Wil- son’s Petrel is doubtless the most common. It breeds in the islands of the South Atlantic in February, and after the cares of the breeding season are over migrates northward to pass its winter off our coasts. At this season its home is the sea, and its occurrence on land is gener- ally due to storms. For this reason, and because of its long migra- tion, it is the Petrel most frequently observed in western Atlantic waters during the summer. es ae? TROPIC BIRDS. 91 Under the name of “Stormy Petrel,” or “* Mother Carey's Chicken,” they are familiar to most people who have made sea voyages. On tireless wing they follow in the track of a ship, coursing ceaselessly back and forth, now beneath the stern, now hovering over the foam- flecked wake, reminding one of white-rumped Martins in their easy, graceful flight. If food be thrown overboard, they are at once attracted to it, and soon are left far behind, a little group of black, fluttering forms on the surface of the ocean. The meal disposed of, a few rapid wing-beats bring them to us, and again they resume their patient beat- ing to and fro. The Wnhire-BeLuiep Perret (110. Cymodroma grallaria) is a tropical species which has been taken once in North America—at St. Marks, Florida. The Wuire-Facep Perren (111. Pelagodroma marina) inhabits the South Atlantic and southern seas. It is of casual occurrence off the coast of Massa- chusetts. It may be distinguished from any of our small Petrels by its white under parts. ORDER STEGANOPODES. TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. FAMILY PHAETHONTIDZA. TROPIC BIRDS. The three species composing this small but distinct family are found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are littoral rather than pelagic, but make long journeys across the open sea. Their flight when migrating is strong, rapid, and direct. In feeding, they course over the water, beating back and forth at a height of about forty feet. Their long, willowy tail-feathers add greatly to the grace and beauty of their appearance when on the wing. 112. Phaéthon flavirostris Brandt. Yertiow-ziritep Trorre Biro (see Fig. 11). Ad.—White; a mark before and through the eye; outer web of primaries, lesser wing-coverts, and tertials black ; flanks streaked with slate ; bill yellow; tail tinged with salmon, shafts of the feathers black. W., 10°75; T., 19:00; B., 2:00. Range.—Tropical coasts; Atlantic coasts of tropical America, West Indies, Bahamas, Bermudas ; casual in Florida and accidental in western New York and Nova Scotia. This species breeds abundantly in the limestone cliffs of the Ber- mudas, but is of rare and probably accidental occurrence on our coasts. The Rep-pitLtEp Tropic Brrp (113. Phaéthon ethereus) resembles the preceding species, but has the bill red and the upper parts finely barred with black. Its range in the Atlantic is more southern than that of the Yellow- billed Tropic Bird, and in eastern North America it is accidental. The only record of its occurrence is off the Newfoundland Banks. 99 GANNETS. FaMILy SULIDZ. GANNETS. The Gannets number about eight species, of which one is northern while the remaining seven are distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical coasts of the world. They are strictly maritime, but, ex- cept when migrating, do not venture far from land. Their flight is strong and rapid, the vigorous strokes of the wing being interrupted at intervals by a short sail. They obtain their food of fish by plung- ing for it from the air. The northern species is migatory; the others are roving, but all return with regularity to their nesting places, gen- erally on some inaccessible islet, where, during the breeding season, they may be found associated in large numbers, 115. Sula sula (Zinn). Boosy. (See Fig. 12.) Ad—Breast and belly white, sometimes washed with grayish; rest of the plumage brownish fuscous ; head and neck sometimes streaked with grayish brown and white; bill and feet yellowish. J/m.—Entire plumage brownish fuscous, lighter be- low; bill blackish, feet yellow. L., 30:00; W., 15°50: T., 8-00; B., 3°80. Range.—* Coasts of tropical and subtropical America, north to Georgia.” Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest, on the shore of a barren islet. Zyggs, two, chalky white, 2°30 x 1°55. This inhabitant of barren shores and lonely islets is a summer visitant to the Florida keys. It is a strong flier, and when on the wing reminds one of both a Cormorant and a Gull. The Biur-Facep Boosy (114. Sula cyanops) is found in the “South Pa- cific, West Indies, and northward to Florida,” but there are no recent records of its occurrence in the last-named locality. ‘ The Rep-rootep Boosy (116. Sula piscator) inhabits the coasts and islands of tropical and subtropical seas, north to western Mexico, and is said to occur in Florida, but, like S. eyanops, it is of accidental occurrence within our limits. 117. Sula bassana (Linn.). Ganner. Ad.—White, head and neck tinged with pale straw-yellow; primaries fuscous. /m.—Throat and upper parts, including wing-coverts, dark grayish brown, each feather with a small white wedge-shaped spot; breast and belly white, margined with grayish brown. L., 35:00; W., 19°00; T., 9°50; B., 4:00. Range.—* Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter to the Gulf of Mexico and Africa; breeds from Nova Scotia and the British Islands north- ward.” Long Island, T. V., May; Oct. and Nov.; a few winter. Nest, on rocky cliffs. gg, one, pale bluish white, overlaid by a chalky deposit, more or less soiled and stained, 3°20 x 1:90. “The birds are usually associated in small, straggling flocks, and with outstretched necks, and eyes ever on the lookout for fish, they fly at a height of from seventy-five to a hundred feet above the water, or DARTERS. 93 occasionally somewhat more. The height at which the Gannet flies above the water is proportioned to the depth at which the fish are swimming beneath, and Captain Collins tells me that when fish are swimming near the surface the Gannet flies very low and darts ob- liquely instead of vertically upon his prey. Should any finny game be seen within range, down goes the Gannet headlong, the nearly closed wings being used to guide the living arrow in its downward flight. Just above the surface the wings are firmly closed, and a small splash of spray shows where the winged fisher cleaves the water to transfix his prey. Disappearing for a few seconds, the bird reappears, rests for a moment on the water, long enough to swallow his-catch, and then rises in pursuit of other game” (Lucas, Rep. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1891, p. 712). FAMILY ANHINGIDZ. DARTERS. There are four species of Darters or Snakebirds, one each in Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and tropical and subtropical America. They are silent birds, generally living in pairs on bodies of fresh water with wooded shores. They select a perch over the water, and when alarmed sometimes drop into the element below and disappear beneath its sur- face, or fly upward to a considerable height and circle about like sail- ing Hawks. They swim well, and when approached too closely quietly sink backward, frequently leaving the long, thin neck and narrow, pointed head above the surface, when one at once observes the origin of the name “Snakebird.” They obtain their food by pursuing it under water, and their finely serrated bill assists them in retaining their hold upon it. 118. Anhinga anhinga (Linn.). Anuinea; Snaxesrrp; WATER Turkey. (See Fig. 18.) Ad. 6 in summer.—General plumage glossy black with greenish reflections; back of the head and neck with scattered grayish plumes; upper back with numerous elongated silvery white spots, which on the scapulars become streaks; lesser wing-coverts spotted like the back; ex- posed portion of median and greater coverts silvery gray; tail tipped with whitish, the outer webs of the middle pair of feathers with transverse flutings. Ad. & in winter.—Similar, but without the grayish plumes on the head and neck. dd. ¢.—Similar to ¢, but with the whole head, neck, and breast brownish, darker above. /m.—Similar to ?, but with the black parts of the plumage brownish. L., 34:00; W., 13°50; T., 10°50; B., 3°25. Range.—Tropical and subtropical America; breeds as far north as south- ern Illinois and South Carolina; winters from the Gulf States southward. Nest, of sticks lined with moss, rootlets, ete., over the water in a bush or tree. Lyqs, two to four, bluish white with a chalky deposit, 2°15 x 1°35. This singular bird is common in the Gulf States. It has the habits of other members of this small family. 94 CORMORANTS. FAMILY PHALACROCORACIDA. CORMORANTS. Cormorants are found in all parts of the world. Ten of the thirty known species inhabit North America. As a rule they are maritime, but they also frequent bodies of fresh water far from the seacoast. They are gregarious at all times of the year and breed in large colo- nies. Their flight is strong and ducklike, but, except when migrat- ing, is generally not far above the surface of the water. They secure their food of fish by pursuing it under water, their hooked bill assist- ing them in its capture. Unlike the Gannets, they do not dive from the air, but from the water or a lew perch. 119. Phalacrocorax carbo (Zinz.). Cormorant; Suac. (See Fig. 10.) Ad. in breeding plumage.—Region about the base of the lower man- dible white or whitish; head, upper neck, and throat glossy black, thickly sprinkled with white; rest of the neck, under parts, and rump glossy black ; a white patch on the flanks; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts light olive-brown, each feather bordered by glossy black; tail black, composed of Jourteen feathers. Ad. in winter.—Similar, but without white on the head. Im.—Top of the head and hind neck brownish black ; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts grayish brown, the feathers bordered by blackish ; rump glossy black; throat and breast grayish brown, changing to white on the belly ; sides and under tail-coverts glossy black. L., 36:00; W., 14:00; T., 7:00; B., 3:00. Range.—* Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter on the coast of the United States casually to the Carolinas” (A. O. U.). Breeds from the Bay of Fundy to northern Greenland. Long Island, regular T. V. in limited numbers. Nest, of sticks and seaweed, in colonies generally on the ledges of rocky cliffs. Hgqs, four to six, pale bluish white, more or less overlaid with a chalky deposit, 2°50 x 1°50. This northern species is of uncommon occurrence on our coast south of its breeding range. 120. Phalacrocorax dilophus (Sw. and Rich.). DovsiE-crestED Cormorant. Ad. in breeding plumage.—Head, neck, rump, and under parts glossy black; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts light grayish brown, each feather margined with glossy black ; tail black, composed of twelve feath- ers; a tuft of black feathers on either side of the head. Ad. in winter— Similar, but without tufts on the head. J/m.—Top of the head and back of the neck blackish brown; upper back, seapulars, and wing-coverts brownish gray, each feather margined with black; rump glossy black; sides of the head and fore neck grayish white, whiter on the breast and changing gradu- ally to black on the lower belly. L., 30:00; W., 12°50; T., 6°20; B., 2°80. Range.—Eastern North America, breeding from Dakota, and the Bay of Fundy northward ; winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward. Washington, casual, several records. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. | aq ‘ : , ! j . PELICANS. 95 and May; Aug. to Nov, Sing Sing, A. V., June. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Sept. Nest, of sticks, seaweed, etc., on the ledges of cliffs, low bushes, bushy trees, or on the ground. ys, two to four, similar in color to those of the preceding, 2°40 x 1°40. This is the common Cormorant of the middle Eastern States. We see it chiefly as migrant when in flocks of varying size it passes far overhead, or pauses to rest on our shores. In migrating the flock is formed in a long line, comparatively few birds deep. On the wing they bear a general resemblance to large Ducks. 120a. P. d. floridanus (4uwd.). FLorma Cormorant. Resembles the preceding species in color, but is smaller. W., 12:00; T., 5°50; B., 2°10. This is an abundant bird on the Florida coast and westward along the shores of the Gulf. Almost every buoy in the harbors of Florida is capped by a Cormorant. They are shy birds, but may easily be se- cured by placing traps on the buoys or snags, to which they regularly return to roost. The. Mextcan Cormorant (121. Phalacrocorax mexicanus)—a species found on the west Gulf coast and southward—sometimes wanders up the Mis- sissippi as far as [1linois. FAMILY PELECANIDA®. PELICANS. The twelve known species of Pelicans are distributed throughout the warmer parts of the world. Three species are North American, of which two are exclusively maritime, while the third is found both on the coast and in the interior. Pelicans are gregarious and nest in large colonies. Their flight is strong but leisurely, six or seven wing- strokes being followed by a short sail, all the members of a flock flap- ping and sailing in unison. They feed on fish, for which some species plunge from the air, while others capture small fry with their scoop- like pouches while swimming. 125. Pelecanus erythrorhynchus (Gme]. American Wuire Pevican. Ad. in breeding plumage.—White, primaries black, whitish at the base; an occipital crest and a horny prominence on the bill. Ad. in winter.—Similar, but without the crest or horny prominence. /m.—Similar, but top of the head brownish gray. L., 60-00; W., 22°00; Tar., 4:50; B., 14:00. Range.—North America, now rare or accidental on the Atlantic coast; breeds from southern Minnesota northward ; winters along the Gulf coast. Washington, casual, four records. Long Island, A. V. Nest, of small sticks, on the ground. £ygs, two to four, creamy or bluish white with a chalky deposit, more or less stained, 3°45 x 2°30. 96 PELICANS. The White Pelican winters in numbers on the Gulf coast of Florida and westward, but rarely occurs on the Atlantic coast. Its snc wy white plumage renders it conspicuous at a great distance, and a far- away Pelican on the water is sometimes mistaken for a distant sail. The White Pelican catches his food while swimming. A flock of Pelicans will sometimes surround a school of small fry and with beat- ing wings drive them toward the shore, all the time eagerly scooping the unfortunate fish into their great pouches. At the conclusion of a successful “drive” they go ashore or rest quietly on the water and devour their prey at leisure. They migrate by day—and perhaps by night also—fiying at a great height, and sometimes pausing to sail in wide circles far up in the sky. 126. Pelecanus fuscus Zinn. Brown Petican. Ad. in breed- ing plumage.—Top of the head and a spot on the upper breast straw-yellow ; line down either side of the breast white ; hind head, neck, and a spot on the fore neck seal-brown; sides and back silvery gray bordered by brownish black ; scapulars, wing-coverts, secondaries, and tail silvery gray; primaries black ; under parts dark blackish brown narrowly streaked with white. Ad. after the breeding season.—Similar, but with the hind head and whole neck white, more or less tinged with straw-yellow. JZm.—Similar to the preceding, but the head and neck grayish and rest of the plumage duller. L., 50-00; W., 19°50; Tar., 2°65; B., 11-00. Range.—Atlantic coast of tropical and subtropical America; breeds abun- dantly along the Gulf coast and northward to South Carolina; occasionally strays to Illinois and Massachusetts. Long Island, A. V. Nest, of sticks, in mangrove bushes or on the ground. Zgqs, two to five, similar in color to those of the preceding species, 3°00 x 1°95. Brown Pelicans are abundant residents on the Florida and Gulf coast. They are generally seen in flocks of four to eight birds flying one after the other. The leader beats time, as it were, and they all flap in unison for a certain number of wing-beats, then sail for a short distance, and then flap again. The coast line is their favorite high- way to and from their roosts or nesting grounds. They fly low over the water just outside the breakers, following the trough of the sea— now disappearing behind the advancing wall of water, now reappear- ing as the wave breaks on the shore.. Unlike the White Pelican, this species secures his prey by diving. Singly, in pairs, or in small flocks, they beat back and forth, generally about twenty feet above the water, and when opportunity offers plunge downward with such force that the spray dashes high about them, and the resulting splash may be heard a half a mile.. They sometimes catch fish twelve to fifteen inches in length, but as a rule feed on smaller ones. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Baldpate. 6 Green-winged Teal. 7 Blue-winged Teal. 8. Shoveler. 9 Pintail. 10 . Wood Duck. . Redhead. Canvasback. . Am. Seaup Duck. . Am. Golden-eye. talh 12. 13. 14. 15. Bufflehead. Old Squaw. Greenland Eider. White-winged Scoter. Ruddy Duck. MAN-O’-WAR BIRDS. oy FAMILY FREGATIDA. MAN-0O'-WAR BIRDS. Man-o’-war Birds, or Frigate Birds, are found throughout inter- tropical seas. One of the two known species occurs in America. They are strictly maritime, and, while sometimes observed at great distances from the land, are met with in numbers only near the coasts. They have a greater expanse of wing in proportion to the weight of their body than any other bird, and in power of flight are unsurpassed. They rarely alight upon the water, but, facing the wind, pass hours resting motionless on outstretched wings, sometimes ascending to great heights and calmly soaring far above storms. It is when feed- ing that their marvelous aérial powers are displayed to the best advan- tage. By swift, indescribably graceful darts they secure fish which are near the surface or capture those which have leaped from the water to escape some enemy below. They also pursue Gulls and Terns, and, forcing them to disgorge their prey, catch it in midair. As a rule they are gregarious at all seasons, and nest and roost on bushes near the shore. — 128. Fregata aquila (Zinn.). Mavy-o’-war Birp; Frigate Bren. (See Fig. 15.) Ad. 6.—Entire plumage black, more glossy above. 9? .—Simi- lar, but browner; lesser wing-coverts grayish brown; breast and upper belly white. Jm.—Similar to the ¢, but whole head and neck white. L., 40:00; W., 25°00; T., 17-00; B., 4°50. Range.—Tropical and subtropical coasts generally ; in America north to Florida, Texas, and California, and casually to Kansas, Ohio, and Nova Scotia. Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest, of sticks, in colonies, on bushes or rocks. gg, one, chalky white, 2°65 x 1°75. This species is not uncommon on the coasts of southern Florida, but does not, so far as I know, nest there. It resembles other mem- bers of the family in habits. ORDER ANSERES. LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS. FAMILY ANATIDAZ. DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. The two hundred species included in this family are placed in the five subfamilies, Merginw or Mergansers, Anatinw or River Ducks, Fuliguline or Sea Ducks, Anserine or Geese, and Cygninw or Swans. The characters given in the Key to Families should enable one to easily refer a specimen to its proper group. These subfamilies are so well defined that it seems advisable to treat of each one separately. 8 98 MERGANSERS. Aside from the general remarks at the head of each subfamily I ean add little which will aid in the identification of the species in the field. Ducks are shy creatures, and familiarity with their habits is gained only by long experience. Subfamily Mergine. Mergansers. The Shelldrakes or Sawbills are fish-eating Ducks. They pursue and capture their prey under water, and their serrate bills seem espe- cially adapted to this mode of feeding. The flesh of adult Sheldrakes is rank and fishy; but the Hooded Merganser is an excellent table Duck. KEY TO SPECIES. A, Bill under 1°75, wing 8°00 or under . . . . 1381. Hoopep MErcGanseEr. B. Bill over 1°75, wing over 8:00. a. Head and throat black. a. Breast and belly white, tinged with salmon. 129. Am. MERGANSER ( ¢ ad.). a?, Breast brownish, thickly streaked and spotted with black. 130. Rep-BREASTED MERGANSER ( ¢ ad.). b. Head and sides of the neck rich rufous-brown; distance from nostril to end of bill less than 1°50. . . . 129, Am. MEeRGANSER ( ? and im.). e. Crown grayish brown, more or less washed with cinnamon-rufous ; sides of the neck cinnamon-rufous; distance from nostril to end of bill over 150 ..... . . . 180, Rep-BrEasTeD MERGANSER ( ? and im.). 129. Merganser americanus ((ass.). AmERICAN MERGANSER ; GOOSANDER; SHELLDRAKE. (See Fig. 16.) Ad. 6.—Whaole head and upper neck glossy greenish black; hind neck, secondaries, lesser wing-coverts, and ends of greater ones white; back black, rump and tail ashy gray; breast and belly white, delicately tinged with salmon. Ad. ? and Jm.—Chin and upper throat white; lower throat and entire top of the head rufous-brown; rest of upper parts and tail ashy gray; speculum* white; breast and belly white. da, 25°00 W., 10°50: ‘Tar., 1:85. B. from IN: 1-50. Range.—North America generally ; breeds from Minnesota and southern New Brunswick northward; winters from Kansas, Illinois, and Maine south- ward to South Carolina. Washington, rare W. V. Long Island, uncommon W. V., Nov. to Mch. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., Jan. 1 to Mch. 8. Cambridge, formerly common T. V., Oct. to Dee. est, of leaves, grasses, and moss, lined with down, in a hole in a tree or cliff. LZyqgs, six to ten, creamy buff, 2°65 x 1°75. “This bird is fond of plunging beneath rushing currents for its food, and should it encounter a raft of floating rubbish or an ice-cake * A patch in the wing formed by the end half of the secondaries, which in Ducks are generally of a different color from the rest of the wing-feathers. MERGANSERS. 99 it will readily pass underneath it. It swims so deeply as to afford the gunner but a small mark, and dives so quickly at the snap or flash of his gun that he stands but a small chance of killing it. - “On being surprised the Goosander may rise directly out of the water, but more commonly pats the surface with his feet for some yards and then rises to windward. A whole flock thus rising from some foaming current affords a spirited scene. Once on the wing, the flight is straight, strong, and rapid ” (Langille), 130. Merganser serrator (linn.). Rep-BreasteD MERGANSER; SHELLDRAKE. Ad. 6.—Whole head and throat black, more greenish above; a white ring around the neck; a broad cinnamon-rufous band with black streaks on the upper breast and sides of the lower neck; lesser wing-coverts, tips of greater ones, secondaries, breast, and belly white; rump and sides finely barred with black and white. Ad. 9 and Im.—Top and back of head grayish brown washed with cinnamon-rufous; sides of the head and throat cinnamon-rufous, paler on the throat; rest of under parts white; back and tail ashy gray; speculum white. L., 22°00; W., 9:00; Tar., 1:70; B. from NS, es 0: Remarks.—Adults of this and the preceding species may always be dis- tinguished by the color of the breast; females and young, by the differently colored heads, while the position of the nostril is always diagnostic. Range.—Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in America breeds from northern Illinois and New Brunswick northward to the arctic regions; winters from near the southern limits of its breeding range southward to Cuba. Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., Mch. 1 to May 1; Oct. 15 to Dee. 1,a few winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Dec. to Apl. 30. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. Nest, of leaves, grasses, mosses, ete., lined with down, on the ground near water, among rocks or scrubby bushes. Zgqs, six to twelve, creamy buff, ab x Lf: This is a more common species than the preceding, which it resem- bles in habits. Its note is described as a “ croak.” 131. Lophodytes cucullatus (Zinn.). Hoopep Mercanser. Ad. 8. —Front part of large circular crest black ; remaining part white, bordered by black ; rest of head, the neck, and back black; breast and belly white; sides cinnamon-rufous, finely barred with black. Ad. ?.—Upper throat white ; head, neck, and upper breast grayish brown, more or less tinged with cinnamon, especially on the small crest; lower breast and belly white; sides grayish brown; back fuscous. Jm.—Similar, but with no crest. L., 17°50; W., 7°50; ar, Pls. 45; Range.—North America generally, south in winter to Cuba and Mexico; breeds locally throughout its North American range. _ Washington, uncommon W.V. Long Island, uncommon 'T. V., rare W. V., Nov. to May. Sing Sing, rare T. V.,Mch. Cambridge, formerly common T, V., Oct. to Dec. 100 RIVER DUCKS. Nest, of grasses, leaves, moss, ete., lined with down, in a hollow tree or stump near water. Zags, eight to ten, buffy white, 2°10 x 1°75. According to Ernest E. Thompson, both the preceding species fre- quent chiefly “living ” or running water, while this bird prefers “ dead ” waters, or quiet ponds and Jakes. In Florida it lives in small ponds in the hummocks, where one expects to find Wood Ducks, and feeds on roots, seeds, etc. It visits also the lakes frequented by Black Ducks, Mallards, and other Anatinw. The male is a striking bird in life, and can not be mistaken for any other species. Subfamily Anatine. River and Pond Ducks. The Ducks of this subfamily are distinguished by the absence of a lobe on the hind toe. They are, for the most part, northern breeding birds, and appear on our waters chiefly as migrants. At this time they differ but little in habits, and as a rule frequent sluggish streams, shallow ponds, arms of bays, and marshes. In comparison with the deep-water Fuliguline they might be called “ dabblers” or “ tip-ups,” - and any one who has seen them dabbling along the shore, or with up- turned tail and head immersed probing the bottom in shallow water, like a flock of animated tenpins, will recognize the appropriateness of these terms. ‘They feed upon mollusks, crustaceans, insects and their larvee, seeds and roots of aquatic plants. The “gutters” on the sides of the bill act as strainers, and, after probing the bottom, the mere act of closing the bill forces out the mud and water taken in with the food. As arule, they feed more commonly by night than by day. They do not gather in such large flocks as the Sea Ducks, and in our waters are generally found in groups of less than fifty. They spring from the water at a bound, and on whistling wing are soon beyond the fowler’s reach. Their speed is variously estimated for different species at a hundred to a hundred and sixty miles an hour. Doubtless the first-named distance is nearer the truth. Their ‘nest is composed of twigs, rootlets, grasses, leaves, moss, feathers, ete., lined with down from the breast of the incubating bird. All our species, except the Wood Duck, place their nest on the ground, generally in grassy sloughs or marshes, but sometimes in dry places some distance from the water. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing under 8°50. a. Lesser wing-coverts gray. 139. GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 188. European TEAL. b. Lesser wing-coverts blue. 6, Cheeks slate-color, a broad white mark near the front of the face. 140. Bruz-wincep Trat ( ¢ ad.). 2. 7 oe . # RIVER DUCKS. 101, #2. Cheeks and under parts chestnut-rufous. 141. Cinnamon TEAL ( 6 ad.). «1, Cheeks finely streaked with blackish. c3, Under parts whitish, sometimes washed with brownish, streaked or spotted with blackish. . . . . . . 140. BuuE-winerp TEAL 9. c®. Under parts heavily washed with chestnut-rutous and mottled with blac end ation a treats The Peon +. og ha” 14 CINNAMON Tag a. II Wing over 8°50. A. Belly white or grayish white, not conspicuously streaked or spotted. a. Whole head shining dark green . . . . . 132. Maxuarp ( 6 ad.). 6. Center of head white or whitish, a large streak behind the eye. ‘ 137. BALDPATE ( 64 ad.). c. Throat white, crown green or grayish green, tips of primaries greenish. 144. Woop Ducx. d. Throat blackish, center of crown buffy, rest of head rufous. 136. WipGEon ( 6 ad.). e. Throat and sides of head olive-brown, darker on the crown. 143. Pinrait ( @ ad.). J. Throat, crown, and sides of head more or less finely streaked with blackish. J}. Wing-coverts with more or less chestnut . . . . 185, GADWALL. g}. No chestnut in wing-coverts. g?. Axillars* and sides barred with black . . . . 143. Pinrarn @. g. Axillars white or speckled with black, sides plain brownish. 137. BALDPATE ?. g*. Axillars white, sides thickly spotted or barred with black. 135. GADWALL @. B. Under parts conspicuously mottled; spotted, or streaked, or feathers margined with chestnut-rufous. a. With white in wing-coverts. a1, Lesser wing-coverts ashy blue. . . . . . . 142. SHOVELER 9. b1, Lesser wing-coverts brownish gray, bordered with white or tipped with black. he speewlum + purples #00. 5 hee oe are 2189, Me 6%, Speculum gray and white~. ... . . . . |. 185. Gapwaim 9. b. No white in wing-coverts. a. Throat fulvous or buffy without streaks. .. . 134. Frorma Duck. 6. Throat finely streaked with black . . . . . . 183. Buack Duck. © Ce Dell yrehesiittie sores nls). ie) vere! 4 era os. 249) SHOVRUEMRT Se - 132. Anas boschas Linn. Matziarp (see Fig. 17, a). Ad. 6.— Whole head and throat glossy greenish or bluish black; a white ring around the neck ; breast rich chestnut; belly grayish white, finely marked with wavy black lines; under tail-coverts black ; upper back dark grayish brown; rump and upper tail-coverts black; longer upper tail-coverts recurved; speculum rich purple, bordered at the base and tip by narrow bands of black and white. Ad. ?.—Top and sides of head streaked with fuscous and butfy ; back fuscous, * See Fig. 64. + A colored patch in the wing. 102 RIVER DUCKS. the feathers with internal rings or loops and sometimes borders of pale ochra- eeous buffy ; speculum as in the preceding ; breast and belly ochraceous buffy, mottled with dusky grayish brown. L., 23-00; W., 11:00; Tar., 1-75; B., 2°25. Range.—Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in America breeds in the interior from Indiana and Iowa, and on the Atlantic coast rarely south of Labrador, northward to the arctic regions; winters from southern Kansas and Delaware southward to Central America and the island of Granada. Washington, common W. V. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Sept. to Apl. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct., Mch. Eggs, six to ten, pale grecnish or bluish white, 2°30 x 1°70. The Mallard is far more common in the interior than on the coasts. Its loud, sonorous quack is not distinguishable from that of its domes- ticated descendants. 133. Anas obscura (Gmc. Buiack Duck; Dusky Duck. Ad.— Top of the head rich fuscous, slightly streaked with pale buffy; sides of the head and throat pale buffy, thickly streaked with blackish ; rest of under parts fuscous brown, the feathers all bordered by ochraceous-buff; back slightly darker and narrowly margined with buffy; speculum rich purple, bordered by black. “L., 22°00; W., 11-00; ‘Tar. 1°75; ‘B., 2°20. Remarks.—Always to be distinguished from the Mallard by the lack of white in the wing. Range.—North America; breeds from Illinois and New Jersey to Hudson Bay and Labrador; winters southward to the Greater Antilles. Washington, common W. V. Long Island, abundant W. V., Sept. to May ; afew breed. Sing Sing, tolerably common 8. R., Mch. 6 to Nov. 13. Cam- bridge, very common T. Y., Mch. and Apl; late Aug. to Nov.; a few breed. Eggs, eight to twelve, pale greenish or bluish white, or creamy buff, 2°43 x 1°75. This species resembles the Mallard in general habits, and the voices of the two are indistinguishable. The Black Duck, however, is com- moner near the seacoasts, and when molested will sometimes pass the day at sea, returning at night to feed in the marshes and ponds near the shore. 134. Anas fulvigula Ridgw. Fuorma Duck. Ad—Top of head streaked with black and buffy; sides of the head and entire throat buffy, without streaks ; rest of under parts rich butfy ochraceous, widely streaked with black; back black, the feathers broadly margined and sometimes inter- nally striped with ochraceous-buff; speculum rich purple bordered by black ; bill olive-yellow, its nail black. L., 20:00; W., 10°50; Tar., 1°65; B., 2°05. Remarks.—Easily distinguished from A. obscura by the absence of streaks on the throat. Range.—F lorida and Gulf coast to Louisiana. Faqs, eight to ten, pale dull buff or pale grayish buff, 2°15 x 1:61 (Ridgw.). This is a common resident species in Florida. Its habits and voice are practically the same as those of the Black Duck. HLA a ae ip th rape beter) Beg) eg) Onan) on RIVER DUCKS. 103 135. Anas strepera Jinn. Gapvwatt; Gray Duck. Ad. ¢.— Top of the head streaked with rufous-brown and black; sides of the head and neck pale butfy, thickly streaked or spotted with black; breast and neck all around black, each feather with a border and an internal ring of white, giving the plumage a beautifully scaled appearance; belly white or grayish; rump, upper and under tail-coverts black; lesser wing-coverts chestnut. Ad. 9 .— Head and throat as in the male; back fuscous margined with buffy; breast and s¢des ochraceous butty, thickly spotted with blackish; belly and under tail-coverts white, more or less thickly spotted with blackish; little or no chestnut on wing-coverts ; speculum ashy gray and white; axillars and under wing-coverts pure white. L., 19°50; W., 10°40; Tar., 1:55; B., 1-70. ftange.—Northern hemisphere; in America, breeds in the interior locally from Kansas northward to the arctic regions ; known to breed on the Atlantic coast only at Anticosti; winters from Virginia to Florida and Texas. Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, A. V. £98, eight to twelve, pale butf or butfy white, 2°09 x 1:57 (Ridgw.). This species is common in the interior and in Florida, but is rather rare in the other Atlantic States. Its call-note is said to resemble that of the Mallard, “but is rather more shrill, and frequently repeated.” 136. Anas penelope Zinn. Evrorran Wincron. Ad. &.—Crown ereamy buff; throat blackish, rest of head and neck rufous-brown ; upper breast vinaceous, lower breast and belly white; s¢des and back finely marked with wavy black and white lines. Ad. 9.—Head and throat deep ochraceous- buff, finely streaked and barred with black, darker above; upper breast and sides much the same color, but without black markings; lower breast and belly white; back grayish brown, the feathers with small ochraceous buffy bars; tertials fuscous, bordered by deep ochraceous buffy ; greater wing-coy- erts brownish gray, usually whiter on the outer webs and tipped with black. W., 10°50; B., 1:40. Remarks.—The females of the European and American Widgeons bear a general resemblance to one another. Their distinguishing characters are mainly in the color of the head and throat, which are brown in the European species, and in the color of the greater wing-coverts, which are whiter in the American bird. I have seen a caged male insthe summer in a plumage closely resembling that of the female. Probably a similar change of plumage occurs in our A. americana. Range.—Northern parts of the Old World; in North America breeds in the Aleutian Islands, and occurs occasionally in the eastern United States. Washington, A. V., two records. Long Island, A. V. Lyqs, five to eight, buffy white, 2°23 x 1°53. “The call-note of the male is a shrill, whistling whéé-you, whence the local names ‘ Whew Duck’ and ‘ Whewer’; but the female utters a low purr-ing growl. Both sexes, however, rise in silence” (Saunders). 187. Anas americana (mel. BatppaTre; AMERICAN WIDGEON. Ad. §.—Middle of the crown white or buffy ; sides of the crown, from the eye 104 RIVER DUCKS. to the nape, glossy green, more or less sprinkled with black; lores, cheeks, and throat buffy, finely barred with black; upper breast and s¢des vinaceous, the latter more or less finely barred with wavy black lines; lower breast and belly white; back grayish brown, more or less tinged with vinaceous and finely barred with black. Ad. ¢.—Head and throat white or pale, creamy buff, finely streaked and barred with black, darker above; upper breast and sides pale vinaceous washed with grayish ; lower breast and belly white; back grayish brown, the feathers with small creamy buff bars; tertials fuscous, bor- dered with whitish or creamy butf; greater wing-coverts brownish gray, their outer webs mostly or entirely eite, their ends black, sometimes tipped with white, dz., 1900; W.;10:50¢i Tar, 1°50 5) 5.5 140. Range.—North America; breeds in the interior regularly from Minnesota northward, and casually as far south as Texas; not known to breed on the Atlantic coast; winters from open water south to Central America and north- ern South America. Washington, common W. R., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 11 to Apl. 12; Oct. 4 to Oct. 28. Eggs, seven to twelve, butfy white, 2°05 x 1°50. Colonel N.S. Goss writes that, as a rule, Widgeons are “not shy, and their note, a sort of whew, whew, whew, uttered while feeding and swimming, enables the hunter to locate them in the thickest growth of water plants: and when in the air the whistling noise made by their wings heralds their approach.” They are fond of wild celery, which they procure by robbing the Canvasback and other diving Ducks, “snatching their catch from their bills the moment their heads appear above the water.” 139. Anas carolinensis Gme/. GrEEN-wincep TraL. Ad. @. —Chin black, sides of the head from the eye to the nape shining green, rest of the head and neck rufous-chestnut; breast washed with vinaceous and spotted with black; belly white; sides finely marked with wavy black and white lines ; middle under tail-coverts black, lateral ones creamy buff; upper back like the sides, lower back grayish fuscous ; a white bar in front of the bend of the wing ; wing-coverts brownish gray, tipped with ochraceous buffy. Ad. 2 .—Top of the head brownish fuscous, margined with cinnamon ; throat and sides of the neck white, finely spotted with black; breast and sides washed with cinnamon and spotted or barred with black; belly and under tail-coverts white, sometimes spotted with black; back fuscous, the feathers with crescent-shaped marks of ochraceous buffy, and bordered with grayish ; Wings ag in the male. L., 14:50; W., 7:00; Tar., 1:10: B., 1°35. Range.—North America; breeds from Minnesota and New Brunswick northward ; winters from Kansas and Virginia southward to the West Indies and Central America. f Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, uncommon T. V. and W. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl.; Sept. 11 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, uncommon T. V., Apl.; Sept. to Nov. Eggs, six to twelve, buffy white or creamy buff, 1°80 x 1°25. A Nites cage gap ad ade ”..—— —e- RIVER DUCKS. 105 “Tn autumn the males usually keep in separate flocks from the females and young. Their notes are faint and piping, and their wings make a loud whistling during flight. . . .” (B., B., and R.). The European TrEat (138. Anas crecca) is of casual occurrence in North America. The adult male resembles that of A. carolinensis, but the white bar in front of the wing is lacking, and the inner scapulars are creamy buff, with a sharply defined black mark on their outer webs. The female can not be distinguished from that of A. carolinensis. 140. Anas discors Linn. Bute-wincep Treat. Ad. 6.—Crown fuscous, chin and sides of the base of the bill black; a broad white band across the front of the head, its hinder margin bordered by black ; rest of the head and throat dark ashy with purplish reflections ; breast and belly cinna- mon-rufous, thickly spotted with black ; back fuscous, the feathers with cres- cents of ochraceous-butf; lesser and median wing-coverts grayish blue, end half of the greater ones white; speculum green. Ad. 2 and 4 in summer.— Crown fuscous, lightly margined with grayish ; sides of the head and the neck whitish, finely spotted with blackish, except on the throat; breast and belly with less cinnamon wash than in the preceding ; back and wings quite similar to the preceding, but ochraceous bars sometimes wanting; speculum darker and greater coverts with less white. L., 16:00; W., 7-25; Tar., 1:20; B., 1:60. Range.—Chiefly eastern North America; breeds from Kansas, northern Ohio, and New Brunswick northward; winters from Virginia and the Lower Mississippi Valley to northern South America. Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V. in Sept., rare T. V.in spring. Sing Sing, common T. V. in fall, Sept. 24 to Oct. 17. Cambridge, rare in spring; very common (at least formerly) Aug. to Oct. Eggs, six to twelve, buffy white or creamy buff, 1:85 x 1°30. This generally silent species flies in densely massed, small flocks, which move as one bird. The white face-mark can be discerned at some distance, and, in connection with the bird’s small size, is a good field-mark. The Crynamon TEAL (141. Anas cyanoptera), a species of western North America, sometimes occurs east of the Mississippi. It has been recorded from Illinois and Florida. The male has the under parts deep cinnamon; the female closely resembles the same sex of our Anas discors. 142. Spatula clypeata (Zinn.). SHoverer. Ad. 4.—Head and neck fuscous, glossed with bluish green; back and a broken line down the back of the lower neck fuscous; rest of the lower neck and breast white ; lower breast and belly rufous-chestnut; upper and under tail-coverts dark greenish ; lesser wing-coverts grayish blue, greater ones brownish gray tipped with white; speculum green. Ad. 9.—Throat buffy white; head and neck streaked with buffy and black; rest of under parts more or less washed with 106 RIVER DUCKS. buffy ochraceous, every where indistinctly spotted with fuscous except on the middle of the belly; back fuscous, the feathers with margins and internal crescents of whitish and buffy ; wing-coverts and speculum much as in the male. J/m.—The im. 4 is intermediate between the ad. é and 9; the im. % resemble the ad. ¢, but the wing-coverts are slaty gray, the speculum with little or no green. L., 20:00; W., 9°50; B., 2°50; greatest width of B., 1-20. Range.—Northern hemisphere ; in America, more common in the interior; breeds regularly from Minnesota northward and locally as far south as Texas; not known to breed in the Atlantic States; winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward to northern South America. Washington, not uncommon W. V. Long Island, rare T. V. Sing Sing, A. V., Oct. Eggs, six to ten, pale buffy white or bluish white, 2°10 x 1°50. The Shoveler, like most of the members of this subfamily, is more common in the Mississippi Valley than on the coast. It is generally a silent bird, but its note in the breeding season is said to be “ took, took.” It feeds largely by tipping in shallow water. 143. Dafila acuta (Linn.). Prytart; Sprierar. Ad. 6.—Head and throat olive-brown ; back of the neck blackish, bordered by white stripes, which pass to the breast; breast and belly white; the abdomen faintly and the sides strongly marked with wavy lines of black and white; back some- what darker than the sides; scapulars black, bordered or streaked with buffy white; wing-coverts brownish gray, the greater ones tipped with rufous ; speculum green ; central tail-feathers glossed with green and much elongated. Ad. ?.—Throat white or whitish, crown and sides of the head streaked with blackish and buffy ochraceous, darker above; breast washed with buffy ochraceous and spotted with blackish; belly white; abdomen more or less indistinctly mottled with blackish ; sides with bars and lengthened black and white crescents; under wing-coverts fuscous, bordered with whitish ; axillars barred or mottled with black ; back fuscous, the feathers with borders, bars, or crescents of white or buffy; speculum grayish brown bordered with white. 4 in breeding plumage.—* Similar to ad. ¢, but wings as in spring or winter plumage” (Ridgw.). 'Zm.—The im. é is variously intermediate between the ad. 6 and ¢; the im. ? resembles the ad. ¢, but the under parts are more heavily streaked or spotted. L., 6, 28:00, 9, 22:00; W., 10°00; T., 8, 7°50, 2, 3°60; B., 2:00. Remarks.—The female of this species is a rather obscure-looking bird, but may always be known by its broad, sharply pointed central tail-feathers and dusky under wing-coverts. . Range.—Northern hemisphere ; in America, breeds from Iowa and Illinois to the Arctic Ocean ; not known to breed on the Atlantic coast ; winters from Virginia southward to the Greater Antilles and Central America. Washington, W. V., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, very common T. V., Sept. 15 to Apl. 15; afew winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 16 to Apl. 10; Sept. 26 to Dee. 4. Cambridge, casual T. V., Apl.; Sept. and Oct. Eggs, eight to twelve, buffy white or pale bluish white, 2°20 x 1°50. SEA DUCKS. 107 The Pintail is frequently found associated with the Black Duck and Widgeon. Asa rule it is voiceless, but is said to utter “a low- toned quack at night.” The long neck and tail of the male make its identification easy even at a distance. 144. Aix sponsa (Linn.). Woop Duck. Ad. ¢—A ‘line from the bill over the eye, a similar line at the base of the side of the crest, and some of the elongated crest-feathers white ; throat, a band from it up the side of the head, and a wider one to the nape, white; rest of the cheeks and crown green with purplish reflections; a white band in front of the wings; breast and a spot at either side of the base of the tail purplish chestnut, the former spotted with white ; belly white; sides buffy ochraceous, finely barred with black, the longer flank feathers tipped with wider bars of black and white ; back greenish brown; scapulars blacker; speculum steel-blue; primaries tipped with greenish blue—Ad. 9° .—Throat and a stripe from the eye back- ward white; crown purplish brown; sides of the head ashy brown; breast and sides grayish brown streaked with butty; belly white; back olive-brown glossed with greenish ; inner primaries tipped with greenish blue. /m.—The im. ¢ resembles the ¢. L., 1850; W., 9:00; Tar., 1:35; B., 1:30. Range.—North America; breeds from Florida to Hudson Bay, and winters southward to southern Mexico, Cuba, and Jamaica. Washington, uncommon P. R. Long Island, uncommon T. V. and W. V., Sept. to Apl.; rare 8. R. Sing Sing, tolerably common 8. R. Cambridge, common T. V., Mch. and Apl.; Aug. to Nov.; a few breed. Nest, of grasses, leaves, twigs, etc.,in a hole in a tree or stump. Zgqs, eight to fourteen, pale buffy white, 2°05 x 1:50. Woodland ponds and forest-bordered streams make a proper setting for the grace and beauty of these richly attired birds. Several times it has been my fortune to see them-in the unconscious enjoyment of their secluded homes, and I know of no sight in the bird world which so fully satisfies the eye. Alarm them, and with a frightened, plaintive whistle, *‘ oo-eek,” they spring from the water and make off through the woods. At other times they will swim ahead of one’s canoe, and, rounding a bend in the stream,’go ashore and walk rapidly away. The young are brought from the nest to the ground in the bill of the parent. Subfamily Fuliguline. Bay and Sea Ducks. The members of this subfamily are to be distinguished from those of the preceding by the presence of a lobe or web on the hind toe. They are open-water Ducks, frequenting our large lakes, bays, and sea- coasts. Their food consists chiefly of mollusks, crustaceans, and the seeds and roots of aquatic plants. They obtain it principally by div- ing, sometimes descending one hundred and fifty feet or more. The 108 SEA DUCKS. bill, as in the Anatina, acts as a sieve or strainer. As a rule they feed by day and pass the night at a distance from the shore or at sea. Some of the species occur in our waters in large flocks—indeed, our most abundant Ducks are members of this subfamily. With one exception they are northern breeding birds, seldom nesting south of our north- ern tier of States. Their nest is composed of twigs, leaves, grasses, stems of aquatic plants, seaweed, etc., lined with down from the breast of the incubat- ing bird. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Feathers at the base of the bill not reaching ‘50 forward along its sides. A, Wing over 7:00; axillars and most if not all the linings of the wings white. a. Head and neck black, with greenish or purplish reflections. @, Back black; bill with a bluish band near its tip. 150. Rineg-NEcKED Duck 4. b1. Back finely barred with black and white. 62. Back of head generally with purplish reflections ; wing generally under 8°25; nail of bill generally under °25 in width. 149. Lesser Scaup Duck ¢. 63. Back of head generally with greenish reflections; wing gener- ally over 8°25; nail of bill over -25 in width. 148. Am. Scaup Duck ¢. 6. Head and neck rufous or rufous-brown, sharply defined from the black breast. 61, Head and upper neck rich ere bill 2:00 or under; flanks finely barred, like the back. . . .. . sa ss «146; REeDEEADr ae 62, Head and neck rufous-brown ; crown lence bill over 2:00; flanks yery slichtly if at allybarred....... ... 2._J4i% Cae 3. ec. Head and neck brownish or grayish. cl, A white patch in the wing. c?. Feathers at base of bill white; wing generally under 8°25; nail of bill generally under -25 in width. . 149. Lesser Scaup Duck 9°. c8, Feathers at base of bill white; wing generally over 8°25; nail of bill generally over °25in width . . . 148. Am. Scaup Duck 9. d!, No white in wing. d?, An indistinct bluish band near the tip of bill; bill under 2-00. ad’, Wing under 8:00. . . . . . . 150. Rina-neckEep Duck 9. ds, Wing over 800) 20.) a -S os) wd... 16 cee é2,. No band on bill; bill over 2:00 . . . . . 147. CANVASBAOK 9. B. Wing over 7:00; axillars and most if not all the under wing-coverts blackish. a. Head and throat dark steel-blue or steel-green. @,. Head and throat steel-blue; white patch at base of bill 1:00 or more in heiadit + sis" las . . . . 152. Barrow’s GOLDEN-EYE ¢. a4, Head and throat stele oe eet- white patch at base of bill less than 1:00 in height... 2 5-3 6%. aos 3 4)» ADL BAe OR nNE Ss SEA DUCKS. ~ 109 6. Whole head and throat brown, sharply defined from the gray or white neck ; a white patch (speculum) in the wing. é1, Nostril nearer the tip than the base of the bill. 151. Am. GOLDEN-EYE 9. 62, Nostril in the middle of the bill . 152. BArrow’s GoLpEN-EYE 9°. é. Whole head and neck black. . . 7. «s+ £68. cAM. Soorer 4) d. A white Ae on the top of the head and another on the back of the neck ~.. . ; > «) .,.- 166: Surr Scormr ¢. e. Middle of crown Blnake wonders ie Sivestatat front half of the face white. -s- 2°". ous s « “100. HARtEQquIn Dirok 2. J. Head and neck ons sists or brownish ; no white in the wing. Ji. Bill over 1:25. J*. Feathers on culmen reaching much farther forward than those at the sides ofthe bill . ... «vl. “. 166. Sure Scormr 9: J®. Feathers on culmen reaching little if any beyond those at the sides Otegie Dilley eat oe ae a be Ane Scommne oe g}. Bill under 1:25. g?. Central tail-feathers longest, sharply pointed, under tail-coverts walii@eee ee roe so 6 oF liye Oni Senin. g3. Central tail- feathers AGt ishiwoly: pamea: under tail-coverts gray- ISHMDOROWNE eeu olen 0 cols Geen ene ae oon ELAR ENOUINE DITOR. C. Wing under 7:00. a. Tail-feathers stiff and narrow ; upper tail-coverts very short. a, Upper parts mostly rich chestnut-rufous. qe Cheeksewniten ee oe Ne Taree, i. C16. Rupp DtoKIG: a3, Cheeks black . . . . 2.4) . 168) Masten Duck 3: 41. Upper parts grayish or bewe ae with sometimes rufous markings. 62, Lining of wing blackish ; under parts grayish. 168. Maskep Duck 9. 63, Lining of wing whitish ; under parts grayish. 167. Ruppy Duck 9°. b. Tail-feathers normal; upper tail-coverts about half as long as tail. 153. BUFFLEHEAD. II. Feathers at sides or top of bill extending forward generally as far as nostril. A. Feathers on sides of bill not reaching nostril. a. Nostril narrow, elongate; feathers on culmen extending forward in a narrow line, a V-shaped mark on throat . . . . 162. Kine Erper. b. Nostril large, rounded ; feathers on culmen not extending forward in a narrow line... . . . « 165. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER. ZB. Feathers on sides of bill Saenger as far as nostril. a. Bare base of bill on top narrow, ending posteriorly in a sharp point. 159. GREENLAND EIDER. b. Bare base of bill on top broad, the posterior end rounded. 160. Am. E1pEr. The Rurovs-cresteD Duck (145. Netta rufina) is an Old-World species which has been taken once in America. The record is based on an immature male found in Fulton Market, New York city, which was supposed to have been shot on Long Island. 110 SEA DUCKS. 146. Aythya americana (/yt.). Repneap. Ad. §.—Head and throat bright rufous; lower neck, breast, back of the neck, and upper back black ; rest of the back and scapulars finely barred with wavy black and white lines of equal width ; wing-coverts brownish gray ; upper tail-coverts black ; ~ belly white, the lower belly more or less finely barred with black ; under tail- coverts black ; sides /éke the back. Ad. 9.—Upper parts dark grayish brown, darker on the rump, the feathers more or less margined with buffy or ashy; sides of the head lighter; upper throat white; neck buffy ochraceous; breast and sides grayish brown, more or less washed or margined with buffy or buffy ochraceous; belly white; lower belly and under tail-coverts tinged with ochraceous ; an indistinct bluish-gray band across the end of the bill. L., 19:002 W., 8°90: °Tar., 1:55; B., 1-85. Remarks.—This species is frequently confused with the Canvasback, from which it may be distinguished by the characters given under that species. The female Redhead is much like the female Ring-neck in coloration ; the latter is generally browner, but they can be distinguished with certainty only by the difference in their size. Range.—North America; breeds from California and Minnesota north- ward to the fur countries; rare on the North Atlantic coast, where it has been found breeding only once (Calais, Me.); winters from Virginia southward to Cuba and Jamaica. Washington, common W. V. Long Island, T. V. in irregular numbers, Oct. 1 to Apl. 15, few W. V.. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 1 to Apl. 24; Oct. 12 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, casual; one instance, Oct. Nest, on the ground in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. gqs, six to twelve, buffy white, 2°40 x 1°70. The Ducks of the genus Aythya possess to some extent the habits of both the River Ducks and true Sea Ducks. They are divers in deep water, but along the shores or in shallow water they are also “ dab- blers.” On our coasts the Redhead is a Bay Duck, and feeds in salt and brackish water. 147. Aythya vallisneria (JWils.). | Canvaspacrk. Ad. 6.—Head and neck rufous-brown, the chin and crown generally béackish ; breast and upper back black; rest of the back and generally wing-coverts finely barred with wavy lines of black and white, the white lines the wider; belly white; lower belly more or less finely barred with black; upper and under tail-cov- erts black; sides white, much less lightly barred with wavy black lines than the back, or even entirely without bars. Ad. ?.—Head, neck, upper breast, and upper back cinnamon, the throat lighter, and, with the front parts of the head, more or less washed with rufous; back grayish brown, the feathers more or less barred with eavy white lines; belly white or grayish white; sides the same or grayish brown, generally marked like the back. L., 21:00; W., 9°00; Tar., 1°60 ; B., 2°40. Remarks.—This species is sometimes mistaken for the Redhead, to which it bears a general resemblance. The males of the two species may be distin- guished (1) by the color of the head and neck, which is rufous in the Red- SEA DUCKS. 111 head and rufous-brown in the Canvasback; (2) by the generally blackish chin and crown of the Canvasback, these parts in the Redhead being colored like the rest of the head; (3) by the difference in the markings of the back, wing-coverts, and sides; and (4) by the difference in the size and shape of the bill, as shown by the accompanying measurements. ‘The females of the two species may be at once distinguished by the color of the back, which in the Canvasback is finely barred with wavy white lines, markings which do not appear on the back of the female Redhead. Range.—North America; breeds only in the interior, from Minnesota to the Arctic Circle ; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Delaw oe winters from the Chesapeake ae to the Greater Antilles. Washington, rare W. V. Long Island, rare T. V. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. Vest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. qs, six to ten, buffy white with a bluish tinge, 2°40 x 1-70. There’s much in aname. The reputation of the Canvasback, among gourmands, is too firmly established to be questioned; but, given the same chef, and half a dozen of our Ducks can be made to do duty for this favorite of epicures. In some parts of the west, where folks have a way of thinking for themselves, the Canvasback is frankly placed second to his cousin the Redhead. The Canvasback is at its best when the bird has been for some time feeding on wild celery—a diet which equally improves the flesh of other species. 148. Aythya marila nearctica Stejn. Am. Scavp Duck; GreaTER Scaup Duck; Broapsitt; Buivesi1t; Buackurap. Ad. 6.—Head, neck, breast, and upper back black, the top and sides of the head with generally greenish reflections; back and scapulars with wavy black and white bars; speculum white; upper and under tail-coverts black; belly white; lower belly strongly and sides faintly marked with wavy black bars. Ad. 9 .— Region around the base of the bill white ; head, neck, breast, and upper back ’ umber, margined with ochraceous on the breast; back and scapulars fuscous- brown; sides dark grayish brown, both generally marked with fine, wavy bars of white; speculum and belly white. & L., 1850; W., 8°75; Tar., 1:40; B., 1-65; greatest width of B., 1:00. ¢ L., 17°50; W., 825; Tar., 1:36; B., 1:65; greatest width of B., 1:00. Range.—North America; breeds in the interior rarely from Minnesota and regularly from Manitoba northward to Alaska; reported on the Atlan- tic from as far north as Greenland, but not known to breed and not common north of Massachusetts ; winters from Long Island to northern South America. Washington, rather common W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., Sept. 25 to May 1,some winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 22 to Apl. 13; Oct. 4 to Dec. 3.* * The presence or absence of Ducks in the winter depends upon whether the river is frozen or open. 112 SEA DUCKS. Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Zyqs, six to ten, pale olive-buff, 2°54 x 1°71. This is one of our most common Bay Ducks. While with us it seems to prefer salt and brackish water. It feeds largely on mollusks, which it obtains by diving. Its note is said to be a discordant scaup. 149. Aythya affinis (/yt.). Lesser Scavp Duox; Lirrrz Brack- HEAD; LirrLe BLuEBILL; CREEK Broapsity. Ad. 6.—Similar to the pre- ceding species but smaller, the head, as a rule, glossed with purplish instead of greenish, and the flanks strongly instead of faintly marked with wavy black bars. Ad. ?.—Similar to the ? of the preceding species, but smaller. é L., 16°50; W., 8:00; Tar., 1°35; B., 1°60; greatest width of B., -95. 9 L., 16°50; W., 7°60; Tar., 1°30; B., 1:55; greatest width of B., -90. Remarks—The Seaup Ducks resemble each other so closely that it is sometimes impossible to tell them apart, but they may generally be distin- guished by the characters given above. Range.—North America; breeds only in the interior, rarely from Iowa and commonly from Manitoba northward; not common on the Atlantic coast north of Massachusetts; winters from Virginia to the Greater Antilles. Washington, not uncommon W. R., Oct.to Apl. Long Island, common T. V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Jan. 28 to Apl. 12; Aug. 31 to Nov. Cam- bridge, common in Oct. and Nov.; rare in spring. Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs and marshy lake sides. Zygs, six to ten, similar in color to those of the preceding, 2°25 x 1°58. This species has much the same habits as the preceding, but is more often found in fresh water, and I think is more southern in its distri- bution during the winter. It is by far the most abundant Duck in Florida waters at that season, where it occurs in enormous flocks in the rivers and bays along the coasts. 150. Aythya collaris (Donov.). Rine-nEcKED Duck. Ad. 6.— Chin white ; head, neck, breast, and upper back black, the head with bluish reflections, the neck with a not sharply defined chestnut collar; back and scapulars black, speculum gray; upper and under tail-coverts black, belly white, lower belly and sides finely barred with wavy black lines; bill black, the base and a band across the end blwish gray. -Ad. ?.—Upper parts fus- cous brown, more or less margined with ochraceous; speculum gray , sides of the head and neck mixed grayish brown and white; breast, sides, and lower belly grayish brown, more or less margined with ochraceous; upper belly white or whitish ; bill blackish, an indistinct band of bluish gray across its end. i1., 16°50: W%, "72502 "Dan, 1205 86571'80. Remarks.—The male Ring-neck may be known from any of its allies by its chestnut collar and other excellent characters; the female resembles the female Redhead, but is smaller and generally browner. Range.—North America, breeding only in the interior from Iowa north- ward ; not common on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. Cd , SEA DUCKS. deals? Washington, not rare, W. V. Long Island, A. V. Sing Sing, A. V., Apl. Cambridge, casual ; one instance, Nov. Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs, six to twelve, similar in color to those of the two preceding species, 2°28 x 1°63, This is more of a fresh-water bird than either of the preceding. It is not common in the Atlantic States north of Florida, where during the winter it is abundant on fresh-water lakes. — 151. Glaucionetta clangula americana (2oncp.). American GoLDEN-EYE; WuistLerR. Ad. 6.—Head and throat dark, glossy green, a circular white patch at the base of the bill measuring, along the bill, less than half an inch in height; neck all around, breast, belly, exposed part of wing-coverts, speculum, and most of the scapulars white; rest of plumage black. Ad. ¢.—Head and throat cinnamon-brown, fore neck white; upper breast, back, and sides ashy gray bordered with grayish ; wing-coverts tipped with white ; speculum, lower breast, and belly white. L., 20:00; W., 9:00; B. from anterior margin of white patch to anterior margin of nostril, 1:00; from anterior margin of nostril to tip, *75. Range.—North America, breeding from Manitoba and Maine northward, and wintering trom the southern limit of its breeding range to Cuba. Washington, not rare, W. V. Long Island, common T. V. and W. V., Nov. 15 to Apl. 15. Sing Sing, common T. V. and W. V., Nov. to May. Cambridge, rather common, Oct. and Nov. Nest, in a stump or hollow tree. Zygs, six to ten, pale bluish, 2°35 x 1:75, The rapidly moving wings of most Ducks make a whistling sound, but this species excels in wing music. Asa diver it can also claim high rank. 152. Glaucionetta islandica (Gmel.). Barrow’s GoLpEN-EYE. Ad. 6 .—Head and throat dark, glossy, purplish blue, an irregular, somewhat spread-wing-shaped white patch at the base of the bill measuring, along the bill, about one cnch in height; neck all around, breast, belly, speculum, lesser wing-coverts, ends of greater ones, and the shaft part of the scapulars white ; rest of the plumage black. Ad. 9.—Resembles the 9 of the preceding species in color; there is some difference in the size and proportions of the bill, but the two birds can not always be distinguished with certainty. W., 9:25; B. from anterior margin of white patch to anterior margin of nostril, ‘80; from anterior margin of nostril to tip, -66. ftemarks.—The males of this and the preceding species may always be distinguished by the difference in the color of the head and size and shape of the white spot at the base of the bill. Fange.—Breeds in the far north—Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska—an@d southward in the Rocky Mountains; winters as far south as Illinois and Vir- ginia. Washington, A. V.. one record. Long Island, A. V. Vest, in a stump or hollow tree. £ygs, six to ten, pale bluish, 2°40 x 1:70. £14 SEA DUCKS. A more northern species than the preceding, which it resembles in habits. 153. Charitonetta albeola (Zinn.). BurrLeHEAp; BuTTER-BALL; Spirit Duck. Ad. 6.—A broad white band passes around the back of the head from eye to eye; rest of the head, upper neck, and throat beautifully glossed with purple, greenish, and bluish ; lower neck all around, breast, belly, wing-coverts, speculum, and outer scapulars white; back black; upper tail- coverts and tail ashy-grayish. Ad. ¢.—A white patch on either side of the head, throat, and entire upper parts fuscous-brown ; speculum, breast, and belly white. L., 14°75; W., 6°50; Tar., 1:25; B., 1:05. Range.—North America; breeds from Iowa and Maine northward; win- ters from near the southern limit of its breeding range to the West Indies and Mexico. Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V. and W. V., Oct.1 to Apl. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. Cambridge, common in Oct. and Nov. Nest, in a stump or hollow tree. “Zggs, six to twelve, dull light buff, 1:98 x 1:46 (Ridgw.). This small Duck has won deserved distinction through its powers asa diver. Like the Grebes, it “dives at the flash,” though this well- worn expression has lost half its meaning since flintlocks and percus- sion caps have become things of the past. The Bufflehead feeds to some extent on small fish, which it pursues and catches under water. — 154. Clangula hyemalis (Zinn.). Orp Squaw; Op Wire; Sourn Soutnerty. Ad. 4 in winter.—Sides of the front of the head washed with grayish brown; sides of the back of the head and sides of the upper neck black, more or less margined with ochraceous; rest of the head, neck all around, upper back, scapulars, and lower belly white; back, breast, and upper belly black; tail pointed, the middle feathers very long and narrow ; band across the end of the bill yellowish orange. Ad. 6 in summer.—Sides of the front of the head white; crest of the head, neck, throat, breast, and upper belly black; back and scapulars black, the latter margined with dark buffy ochraceous; lower belly white; tail and bill as in the preceding. ¢? in winter.—Upper parts black or fuscous; scapulars and upper back more or less margined with grayish er grayish brown; sides of the head and neck and sometimes the back of the neck white or whitish; breast grayish; belly white; tail pointed, but without the long feathers of the male; under wing- coverts dark. Ad. 2? in summer.—Generally similar to the above, but the sides of the head and throat mostly blackish, and the feathers of the upper parts more or less margined with ochraceous. L., 6, 21:00, 2, 16°00; W., 8°60; T., 4, 8:00, 9, 2°50; B., 1°05. Remarks.—The male Old Squaw is too distinct to be confused with any other species, its long tail-feathers being its most striking character; the female bears some resemblance to the female of the Harlequin Duck, but has the belly pure white instead of grayish dusky. SEA DUCKS. 115 Range.—Northern hemisphere; breeds in the far north, and, in America, winters as far south as the upper Mississippi Valley and Virginia. Washington, rare W. V., Nov. to Apl. Long Island, abundant W. V., Nov. 1 to Apl. 15. Sing Sing, tolerably common W. V., Dec. 4 to Apl. 6. - Cambridge, rather common in Oct. and Noy. Nest, on the ground near water, under low bushes or tall grasses. Zgqs, six to twelve, pale bluish tinged with olive, 2°05 x 1:49. In The Auk for 1892, pp. 830-337, Mr. George H. Mackay gives a capital account of the habits of this species in our waters. He speaks of them as the swiftest flying as well as the noisiest (in the spring) of all the sea fowl which tarry with us, and gives their curious scolding or talking notes as 0-onc-o-ouc-ough, egh-ough-egh. Their flight is gen- erally near the water, and when shot at while flying they sometimes dive from the wing. He also mentions their habit of towering, *‘ usually in the afternoon, collecting in mild weather in large flocks if undis- turbed, and going up in cireles so high as to be scarcely discernible, often coming down with a rush and great velocity, a portion of the flock scattering and coming down in a zigzag course similar to the Scoters when whistled down.” 155. Histrionicus histrionicus (Zinn.). Hariequin Duck. Ad.é. —Center of the crown black, margined by white and rufous: front of the sides of the head, a spot on the ear, a stripe back of it, and a collar around the back and sides of the neck white; rest of the head and throat rich slaty blue; a band in front of the wing white, margined with black ; inner scapulars white ; back and breast bluish slate ; belly fuscous; sides rufous-chestnut. Ad. ¢.— Front of the head whitish; a white spot on the ears; upper parts brownish fuscous ; throat, breast, and sides lighter; belly grayish brown, margined with whitish. L., 17:00; W., 7°80; Tar., 150; B., 1:05. Range.—* Northern North America, breeding from Newfoundland, the northern Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada, northward; south in winter to the Middle States and California” (A. O. U.). Long Island, rare W. V. Nest, on the ground or in hollow stumps near water. Eggs, six to eight, yellowish buff or greenish yellow, 2°30 x 1°62 (Davie). Unlike other members of this subfamily, this species passes the breeding season on rapid dashing streams, but during the winter it occurs as a Sea Duck off our more northern coasts. 156. Camptolaimus labradorius ((mc/.). Lanrapor Duck; Prep Duck. Ad. 4.—Center of crown black ; rest of head, throat, and upper neck white; a black band around the lower neck connected behind with the black back; primaries fuscous, rest of wing white ; front and sides of the upper breast white, lower breast and belly black. Ad. ¢.—Brownish gray, the speculum white. Jm. 6.—Like the 9, but with the throat and ends of the greater wing-coverts white. L., 20:00; W., 8°40; Par 150s. Baloo, 116 SEA DUCKS. Range.—¥ormerly, North Atlantic coast, breeding from Labrador north- ward, and in winter migrating southward to Long Island; doubtless now extinct. In a recent paper* on this species Mr. William Dutcher quotes the late Mr. George N. Lawrence, as follows: “I recollect that about forty or more years ago it was not unusual to see them in Fulton Market, and without doubt killed on Long Island; at one time I remember seeing six fine males, which hung in the market until spoiled for want of a purchaser; they were not considered de- sirable for the table, and collectors had a sufficient number, at that time a pair being considered enough to represent a species in a col- lection.” The cause of this Duck’s extinction is unknown. The last speci- men, so far as known, was taken at Grand Menan in 1871.¢ Forty-two ~ specimens have been recorded as existing in collections. STELLER’s Duck (157. Eniconetta stelleri), an arctic species, was observed by Kumlien in Greenland. 159. Somateria mollissima borealis (Jreim). GRrEEnLanp Erver. Ad. &.—Top of the head black, a greenish white line on the crown; rest of the head, throat, neck, upper breast, back, scapulars, and lesser wing- coverts white, tinged with greenish on the sides and back of the head, and with vinaceous on the breast’; middle of the rump, upper and under tail- coverts, lower breast, and belly black. Ad. 9 .—Head, throat, and neck buffy ochraceous, darker above and streaked with black; back black, the feathers all widely margined and sometimes partly barred with buffy ochraceous ; breast buffy ochraceous, barred with black; belly grayish brown or olive- brown, indistinctly margined or barred. with buffy. /m.—Similar, but dis- tinctly marked with buffy. L., 23°00; W., 11:00; Tar., 1:80; B., 2°10. Range.—Breeds from Labrador northward ; winters southward to Maine. Nest, on the ground, amid coarse herbage and rocks. £gqs, five to eight, pale bluish or greenish, tinged with olive, 2°95 x 2°00. This is the American representative of the Eider Duck of north- ern Europe, from which it differs only slightly. The highly prized Hider down is taken from the nest of this bird and its allies. As in- cubation progresses the sitting bird plucks the down from her breast to serve as a nest lining. In Iceland, according to Saunders, the aver- age yield from each nest is about one sixth of a pound. When the females begin to sit the males leave them and, gathering in small flocks, live at sea. 160. Somateria dresseri Sharpe. American Erper. Resembles the preceding in color, but differs in the feathering of the base of the cul- * The Auk, vol. viii, 1891, pp. 201-216. + Ibid., vol. xi, 1894, pp. 4-12. SEA DUCKS. 117 men. In both species the culmen is divided by a wedge of feathers reaching forward from the forehead. Looked at from the tip of the bill, the base of the culmen is thus V-shaped. In dresseri the arms of the V are very broad and rounded at the ends, while in borealis they are much narrower and gen- erally pointed at the ends. I., 23:00; W., 11°30; Tar., 1°70; B., 2°10. Kange.—Breeds from the Bay of Fundy to Labrador ; winters southward to Delaware ; occasional in winter on the Great Lakes. Long Island, rare W. V. Sing Sing, A. V., Dec. West, on the ground, generally sheltered by rocks. ggs, five to eight, pale bluish or greenish, tinged with olive, 3-00 x 2-00. This species is of more southern distribution than the preceding, which it resembles in habits. During their visits to the coasts of the United States the Hiders are true Sea Ducks, living some distance off shore, generally over a bed of mussels, which they secure by diving, and which constitute their chief food. 162. Somateria spectabilis (/inn.). Kine Emer. Ad. 6.— Region about the base of the upper mandible and a large V-shaped mark on the throat black; top of the head bluish gray; cheeks greenish ; neck all around white; front and sides of the breast creamy buff; upper back, sides of the rump, and wing-coverts white; rest of the plumage black. Ad. ?.— Head and throat butfy ochraceous, the former streaked with black; back black, the feathers widely margined with ochraceous or rufous ; under parts varying from brownish gray to fuscous, more or less washed, especially on the breast, with ochraceous or rufous. m.—Paler and with less ochraceous. L.., 23-00; W., 10:80; Tar., 1:80; B., 1:30. Remarks.—The adult male of this species may at once be known by its bluish-gray head and the V-shaped mark on its throat. Females and young birds resemble those of the two preceding species, but are to be distinguished by the generally unstreaked throat and the feathering of the side of the base of the bill, which in this species does not, as in the two preceding, reach to the nostril. Range.—Breeds from Gulf of St. Lawrence northward, and winters south- ward more or less regularly to Long Island and the Great Lakes ; casually as far as Virginia, and on one occasion Georgia. Long Island, regular W. V. Nest, on the ground, among rocks or herbage. Zyqs, six to ten, light olive- gray to grayish green, 3:12 x 1:92 (Davie). While in our waters this species does not differ from the preceding in habits. — 163. Oidemia americana Sw. and Rich. American Scorer; Brack Coot. Ad. 6.—Entire plumage black, feathers on the side of the bill extending little if any forward beyond the corner of the mouth; bill black; upper mandible orange or yellowish at the base. L., 19°00; W., 9:00; Tar., 170; B. along culmen, 1°75; B. along side, 1°85. Range.—Coasts and larger Jakes of northern North America; breeds in 118 SEA DUCKS. Labrador and the northern interior; south in winter to Virginia, the Great Lakes, and California. Washington, casual W. V. Long Island, common W. V., Oct. through Apl. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. Cambridge, occasional in fall. Nest, on the ground, near water. ygs, “six to ten, pale dull buff or pale brownish buff, 2°55 x 1:80” (Ridgw.). All three species of Surf Scoters, or “ Coots,” are abundant winter residents off the coasts of the New England and northern Middle States. At this time their habits are practically alike—indeed, they are often found associated. As a rule, they frequent only the sea - and its estuaries, where they live over beds of mussels, clams, or scallops, which they obtain by diving; but they are sometimes found in ponds near the coast, where food of this nature is abundant. In The Auk for 1891, pp. 279-290, Mr. George H. Mackay gives the results of a long-continued study of Scoters on the Massachusetts coast. The Vetiver Scorer (164. Oidemia fusca) is an Old-World species which has been recorded from Greenland. — 165. Cidemia deglandi 2onap. Wiire-wineEp Scorer; Wuire- WINGED Coot. Ad. 6.—A spot below the eye and the speculum white, rest of the plumage black; bill orange-black at the base, the feathers on it reach- ing forward far beyond the corners of the mouth. Jm. ¢.—Grayish or fus- cous-brown, lighter below ; speculum white, feathers at the base of the upper bill and a spot on the ears whitish. Ad. in winter and Im. 9 .—Similar to the preceding, but generally without whitish spots on the head. L., 22:00; W., 11:00; Tar., 2°00; B. along culmen, 1°50; B. along side, 1°55. Remarks.—The white speculum and feathering of the bill will always serve to distinguish this species from its allies. Range.—Northern North America, breeding in Labrador and the fur countries ; south in winter to Virginia, southern Illinois, and California. ° Washington, casual W. V., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, abundant W. V., Sept. 15 to May 15.. Sing Sing, tolerably common 'T. V. Cambridge, occa- sional in fall. Nest, on the ground, beneath bushes, frequently some distance from water. Eggs, “six to ten, pale dull buff, varying to cream-color, 2°68 x 1:83” (Ridgw.). — 166. Oidemia perspicillata (Linn.). Surr Scorer; Sza Coor. Ad. 6.—A square mark on the crown and a triangular one on the nape white, rest of the plumage black ; bill orange-yellow, a large circular black spot on its side at the base ; feathers on the culmen extending nearly to a level with the nostril, feathers on the side of the bill not extending forward. Ad. ° and Im.—A whitish spot at the base of the bill and on the ears; upper parts fuscous brown; throat, breast, sides, and lower belly grayer, belly white. L., 20:00; W., 9:30; Tar., 1:60; B. along culmen, 1°55; B. along side, 2°30. Remarks.—The forward extension of the feathers on the culmen will <_.) 2s Hi iectis o» GEESE. 149 always distinguish this species from 0. americana, while it may be known from deglandi by the absence of white in the wings. Range.—Breeds from the Gulf of St. Lawrence northward ; winters south- ward to the Great Lakes and Virginia, and casually to Florida. Washington, casual W. V. Long Island, common W. V., Oct. through Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Oct. 7 to Oct. 22, Cambridge, occasional in fall. Vest, in tall grasses near water. Lggs, “five to eight, pale buff or pale creamy buff, 2°47 x 170 ” (hidgw.). 167. Erismatura rubida (Wils.). Ruppy Duck. Ad. .—Top ot the head black, cheeks and chin white, throat and back rufous-chestnut, lower back blackish ; breast and belly silvery white; upper tail-coverts very short, tail-feathers stif* and pointed. Ad. and /m.—Upper parts dark gray- ish brown, the feathers marked with fine wavy bars of butty; sides of the head and upper throat whitish, lower throat grayish, rest of the under parts silvery white. L., 15°00; W., 5°90; Tar., 1:15; B., 1°55. Remarks.—The short upper tail-coverts and stitf, pointed tail-feathers will always serve to identify this species. Range.—Of general distribution from northern South America to the fur countries, breeding largely northward, but locally throughout its range (Granada, Wells ; Guatemala, Salvin; Cuba, Gundlach ; Cape Cod, Miller). Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, irregular T. V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 14 to Apl. 6; Oct. 5 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, very common in Oct. and Nov. JVest, in a slough or marshy place, generally on a mass of floating vegeta- tion. gs, six to ten, creamy or butty white, 2°50 x 1°80. “ When rising from the water, it runs on the surface for some dis tance, and generally against the wind. If it can not command a fair ,open space for flight, it will dive, using its tail either as a rudder or as a paddle in a vertical motion, and will hide itself away among the grass and sedges. When on the wing, it flies low along the surface of the water, with a rapid beat of its broad wings, making a short, plump figure quite uncommon for a Duck; and it generally flies quite a dis- tance before alighting ” (Langille). In swimming, the tail is sometimes held erect at right angles to the body. The Maskep Duck (168. Nomonyx dominicus) is a tropical species of rare occurrence in North America. Single specimens have been taken in Wisconsin, New York, and near Cambridge, Mass. Subfamily Anserine. Geese. Geese are vegetarians. When on the water, they feed largely by tipping, as with head and neck immersed and tail pointing skyward they search for the roots or seeds of aquatic plants. They are far more terrestrial than Ducks, and visit the land to nip the herbage, 120 GEESE. young corn, or cereals. When wounded, they dive readily and, with their body just below the surface of the water and only the bill ex- posed, head for the shore, where they attempt to hide in the vegetation. In migrating, the flock is formed in a V-shaped wedge, the lead, it is said, being taken by an old gander. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Whole head or forehead white. A. Bill yellowish. a. Forehead and feathers at the base of bill white. 171a. Am. WHITE-FRONTED Goose (Ad.). 6. Head and neck white or grayish, sometimes tinged with rusty. 61. Primaries black, rest of plumage white. 169. Lesser Snow Goose. 169a. GREATER Snow Goose. 62. Back grayish brown, rump and belly whitish, wing-coverts and tertials widely margined with white. . . . 169. Lesser Snow Goosk (Im.). 169a. GREATER SNow Goose (Im.). é8. Back grayish brown, rump, belly, and wing-coverts gray, the lat- ter not conspicuously margined with white. 169.1. BLuE Gooss (Ad.). &. Bill black, throat and sides of the head white, lores black. 175. Barnacle Goose. II. Head and neck brown, bill yellow or yellowish. A. Nail of bill black, rump fuscous. 17la. Am. WuitE-FRonTED Goosk (Im.). B. Nail of bill yellow, rump gray. . . . . 169.1. BLuE Goose (Im.). III. Head black or brownish black, bill black. A. Throat white . . . 172. Canapa Goose. 172a. Hurcutns’s Goose. £. Throat black or brownish black, neck speckled with white. emoe lly WNT pop.“ eet een eke te 5 coat alee ae ¥Belly brownish pray... << . 3 <%... %, 074 Bidor Brann 169. Chen hyperborea (/uil.). Lesser Snow Goosr. Ad—En- tire plumage, except the primaries with their coverts, white ; primaries black, their bases and coverts ashy. Jm.— Head, neck, and upper parts pale gray- ish, the feathers of the latter with whitish edges and (especially wing-coverts and tertials) striped medially with darker; rump, upper tail-coverts, tail, and lower parts plain white. L., 23-00-28-00; W., 14°50-17:00; B., 1:95-2:30; Tar., 2°80-3'25 ” (Ridgw.). Range.—Western North America, breeding in Alaska and migrating south- ward to the Gulf; rarely found east of the Mississippi. £9gs, uniform dirty, chalky white, 3-40 x 2:20 (B., B., and R.). 169a. C. h. nivalis (/orst.). Greater Snow Goosr—Resembles the preceding in color, but is larger. L., 30-00-38-00; W., 17°35-17°50; B., 2°55- 2°70; Tar., 3°15-3°50 (Ridgw.). ange.—Eastern North America, breeding in the far north (exact breed- ing range unknown); winters from Chesapeake Bay to Cuba; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. GEESE. ResoT Long Island, irregular from Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, A. V., Apl. Nest and eggs unknown. The Snow Goose does not appear to be a common bird on any part of the Atlantic coast. It migrates both by night and day, and when on the wing its white plumage and black-tipped primaries render it easily identifiable. It is a noisier bird than the Canada Goose, and its voice is higher and more cackling. 169.1. Chen czxrulescens (Zinn.). Briur Goose. Ad.—Head and upper neck white ; middle of the hind neck sometimes blackish, lower neck all around fuscous, rest of under parts brownish gray edged with buffy ; the lower belly generally paler, sometimes white; upper back and scapulars like the breast ; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts gray ; tail fuscous gray edged with whitish; wing-coverts like the rump or slightly darker, with little or no whitish margins; wing-quills and tertials fuscous, the latter more or less margined with whitish. /m.——‘ Similar to adult, but head and neck uniform deep grayish brown, only the chin being white. L., 26°50-30-00 ; W., 15:00- 17-00; B., 2°10-2°30; Tar., 3-00-3°30” (Ridgw.). Range.—North America; breeds in the Hudson Bay region and migrates southward, chiefly through the interior, to Texas. Long Island, A. V. Nest and eggs unknown. The Blue Goose is apparently nowhere a common bird, and on the Atlantic coast it is even less common than in the interior. It was at one time supposed to be the young of the Snow Goose, which it doubt- less resembles in habits. 17%la. Anser albifrons gambeli (//urt/.). American Wuire- FRONTED Goose. Ad.—Forehead and region bordering the base of the bill white; upper parts and foreneck grayish brown, more or less margined on the back with lighter; longer and lateral upper tail-coverts white; breast somewhat lighter than the throat, more or less irregularly marked with black, and fading gradually into pure white on the lower belly ; sides like the back. /m.—Similar, but no white at the base of the bill or black marks on the breast; nail of the bill black. “L., 27-00-30-00; W., 14:25-17°50; B., 1°80-2°35 ; depth of mandible at base, :90-1-20 ; width, °85-1:05 ; Tar., 2:60-8:20” (Ridgw.). Range.—' North America, breeding far northward; in winter south to Mexico and Cuba” (A. O. U.); rare on the Atlantic coast. Long Island, A. V. Nest, on the ground, of grasses lined with down. £yqs, six to seven, dull greenish yellow with obscure darker tints, 3°10 x 2:07 (Davie). “These birds are rarely met with on the Atlantic coast, but are quite common in the Mississippi Valley and abundant on the Pacific slope. They prefer low, wet grounds in the vicinity of timber, or where the prairie is dotted here and there with bushes; and, while they occasionally forage off the wheat fields and other grains on the 122 GEESE. bottom lands, they seldom visit the high, dry prairies like the Snow and Canada Geese ” (Goss). The EvropEAN WHITE-FRONTED Goose (171. Anser albifrons) resembles its American representative in color, but averages smaller. It is American only as it occurs in Greenland, where gambeli is apparently unknown. 172. Branta canadensis (Zinn.). Canapa Goosr. W., 4°30: Tar., 1-30. B:. -80. Range.—Breeds from Kansas, Illinois, and Long Island northward to Hudson Bay; winters from South Carolina to northern South America. Washington, common T. V., Mch.; July to Nov. Long Island, com- mon T. V., Apl. and May; Aug. to Oct.; rare 8. R. Sing Sing, common T. V., May; Aug. 19 to Oct. 24. Cambridge, very common S. R., Apl. 20 to Oct. 20. aVest, of grasses, on the ground in marshes. gags, eight to fifteen, buffy white or ochraceous-buff, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1°24 x *90. The Soras’ summer home is in fresh-water marshes, where, if it were not for their notes, the reeds and grasses would long keep the secret of their presence. But knowing their calls, you have only to pass a May or June evening near a marsh to learn whether they in- habit it. If there, they will greet you late in the afternoon with a clear whistled ker-wee, which soon comes from dozens of invisible birds about you, and long after night has fallen it continues hke a springtime chorus of piping hylas. Now and again it is interrupted by a high-voiced, rolling whinny which, like a call of alarm, is taken up and repeated by different birds all over the marsh. They seem so absorbed by their musical devotions that even when calling continuously it requires endless patience and keen eyes to see the dull-colored, motionless forms in places where one would not sup- pose there was sufficient growth to conceal them. Floating silently near the shore on my back in a canoe, I have seen them venture out to feed. With tails erect they step gingerly along, evidently aware of their exposed position, for on the least alarm they dart back to cover. Sometimes they cross small streams by swim- ming, and they are expert divers. In the fall they gather in the wild-rice or wild-oat (Zizania aquat- tca) marshes, and a well-directed stone or unusual noise may bring a series of protesting interrogative kuks or peeps from the apparently deserted reeds. At this season “gunners” in small flat-bottomed boats are poled through the flooded meadows, and the Soras, waiting until the last moment, rise on feeble wing—a mark which few can ‘miss. Numerous puffs of smoke float over the tall grasses, and the dull reports come booming across the marsh with fateful frequency. 144 . RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. The Srorren Crake (213. Porzana porzana)—an Old World representa- tive of our Sora—is recorded as “ occasional in Greenland.” 215. Porzana noveboracensis ((mel.). YrELLow Rar. (See Fig. 22,b.) -Ad.—Upper parts black, the feathers bordered with ochraceous-butt and with from one to three narrow white bars; breast ochraceous-butf; mid- dle of the belly white ; sides and lower belly black or brownish, barred with white. L., 7-00; W., 3°40; Tar.,-95; B., 52. Range-— Eastern North America from Nova Scotia and Hudson Bay west to Utah and Nevada; no extralimital record except Cuba and the Ber- mudas” (A. O. U.). Washington, rare T. V., Mch. and Oct. Long Island, uncommon T. V. Cambridge, rare T. V., Apl. and May ; Oct. and Nov. Nest, on the ground in grassy marshes. /ygs, six or more, creamy buff, densely sprinkled and speckled on larger end with rusty brown, 112 x ‘83 (Ridgw.). This little Rail inhabits marshes with others of its family. With them it seems to know that it can escape its enemies much more easily by hiding in the tangled grasses of its home than by taking wing, and it flies only to avoid actual capture. It can be hunted successfully, therefore, only with dogs. Nuttall describes its notes as “an abrupt and cackling ery, ’krék, krek, krek, ’krek, ’kuk, ’k’kh,” and compares them to the croaking of the tree frog. 216. Porzana jamaicensis ((mel.). Lirrte Brack Ratt. Ad.— Head, breast, and upper belly slate-color; lower belly, back, and wings brownish black, barred or spotted with white; nape dark reddish brown. Ts, F002 W.., 2°80; Lar,; *80;, Bs “60, Range.—* Temperate North America, north to Massachusetts, northern Illinois, and Oregon; south to West Indies and in western South America to Chili” (A. O. U.). Probably breeds throughout its North America range. Washington, rare T. V., several in Sept. Long Island, rare T. V. Nest, of grasses, on the ground in marshes £ggs, ten, white, thinly sprin- kled with reddish brown dots, more numerous at the larger end, 1°00 x 80 (Nelson, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, i, 1876, p. 43). This bird is about as difficult to observe as a field mouse. It is said to prefer grassy meadows, where, like others of its family, it never flies when it can escape by running or hiding. It is apparently not common. The only description of its notes I know of is given by Mr. March, of Jamaica, who, as quoted by Dr. Brewer, writes its call as “ chi-chi-cro-croo-croo, several times repeated in sharp, high-toned notes, so as to be audible to a considerable distance.” The Corn CRAKE (217. Crex crew), a bird of Europe and northern Asia, is casual in Greenland, Bermudas, and eastern North America. It is about the size of a Clapper Rail, but has a bill no larger than that of the Sora. The RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 145 general color of the upper parts is between ochraceous-buff and cream-buff, the feathers with black centers; the wing-coverts and most of the quills are pale rufous; the breast is pale ochraceous-buff ; the sides are the same, barred ’ with white; the middle of the belly is white. —.» 218. Ionornis martinica (Zinn.). PureLte Gatuinute. Ad.—Front of the crown with a bare bluish plumbeous plate; rest of the head and under parts rich dark purplish blue: under tail-coverts white; back shining olive- green; wings light blue, tinged with greenish ; bill carmine, tipped with pale greenish (in skins, reddish orange, tipped with yellowish); legs yellow. Jm. —Upper parts more or less washed with brownish ; under parts more or less mottled with white; plate on the head smaller; bill without orange-red. Downy young.—Glossy black, head with numerous white, hairlike feathers; base of the bill yellowish, end black. L., 18°00; W., 7°10; Tar., 2°40; B. from posterior margin of nostril, °80. Range.—Tropical America; breeds as far north as southern Illinois and South Carolina, and rarely strays northward to Wisconsin and Maine; win- ters from southern Florida southward. Long Island, A. V. Nest, a platform of reed stalks built in rushes over the water or in grassy marshes. /ygs, eight to ten, buffy white, finely speckled with rufous-brown, d505< 1-10; This is a common bird in the Southern States. It winters from ‘ southern Florida southward and migrates northward in April. It is * generally found associated with the Florida Gallinule, which it resem- ~ bles in habits, but its much brighter color is apparent at a distance. 219. Gallinula galeata (Zicht.). Frormpa Gatiinute. (See Fig. 22,d.) Ad.—Dark bluish slate-color; back and seapulars washed with olive- brown; belly whitish; flanks with a few conspicuous white streaks ; under tail-coverts white; crown with a bare, bright-red plate; bill the same color tipped with yellowish; legs greenish, reddish at the tibie. /m.—Similar, but under parts grayish white; crown plate much smaller and with the bill brownish; no red on the legs. Downy young.—* Glossy black, the lower parts sooty along the median line; throat and cheeks interspersed with sil- very white hairs” (Ridgw.). L., 13°50; W., 7:00; Tar., 2:15; B. from poste- rior margin of nostril, *80. Range.—Temperate and tropical America; breeds locally as far north as Minnesota and southern Maine; winters from the Gulf States southward. Washington, rare T. V., Apl.; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, uncommon T. V., May; Sept. and Oct. Sing Sing, rare 8. R., June 5 to Nov. 5. Cam- bridge, uncommon 8. R., May 10 to Oct. 1. Nest, of rushes on a bed of rushes or similar slight elevation in marshes, lagoons, or swampy lake sides. gqs, eight to thirteen, buffy white or ochra- ceous-buff, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1°80 x 1°26. There is something about the appearance and habits of Gallinules which always suggests to me the thought that they are chickens who 11 146 RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. for unknown reasons have been forced to adopt the ways of both Coots and Rails. Indeed, now I think of it, the names Water-hen and Moor- hen are applied to near relatives of our bird. They frequent marshy, reed- or bush-grown shores of ponds and lakes, walking gracefully through the tangled vegetation. Their flight is short and, like a Rail, with dangling legs they drop awkwardly to the ground. They swim readily, and when on the water resemble a Coot, though they are by no means so aquatic. Their notes are loud and varied, and during the nesting season they are unusually noisy. Their common note is a loud, explosive chuck ; other calls are suggestive of - the barnyard, and remind one of the protest of a disturbed brooding hen or even the squawking of a struggling fowl. In The Auk, vol. vill, pages 1-7, Mr. Brewster gives a detailed account of his study of a pair of Gallinules. 221. Fulica americana (mel. American Coot; Mup-HEN; Crow Duck; Buus Peter. (Nee Fig. 22,¢.) -4d.—Head and neck blackish ; rest of the plumage dark, bluish slate-color, paler below; edge of the wing, tips of the secondaries, and under tail-coverts white; bill whitish, two spots near its tip and crown plate brownish; legs and feet greenish ; toes with scalloped flaps. Jm.—Similar, but much whiter below, a slight brownish wash above ; crown plate much smaller. Downy young.—Blackish, white below ; throat and upper parts with numerous bright orange hairlike feathers; lores red ; bill red, tipped with black. L., 15:00; W., 7-50; Tar., 2°25; B. from posterior margin of nostril, *80. Remarks.—The Coot bears a general resemblance to the Florida Gallinule, but, aside from the differences in color, the scalloped webbed feet of the Coot will always serve to distinguish them. Range.—North America as far north as Alaska and New Brunswick, and casually Greenland ; breeds locally throughout its range; rather rare on the Atlantic coast during the nesting season. Washington, common T. V., Mch. to May; Sept. to Oct. 15. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Apl.; not uncommon, Sept. to Nov. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 28 to May 16; Sept. 22 to Nov. 13. Cambridge, T. V., rare in Apl.; common Sept. to Nov. Nest, of reeds, grasses, ete., among reeds in fresh-water marshes. Lgqs, eight to fifteen, pale, buffy white, finely and uniformly speckled with choco- late or black, 1°85 x 1°25. As one might imagine after seeing their lobed feet, Coots are more aquatic than either of the Gallinules. In the Middle States they are found in creeks and rivers with marshy and reed-grown shores, while in Florida they resort in enormous numbers to lakes covered with the yellow lilies locally known as “bonnets” (Nuphar); and in some of the large, shallow rivers, like Indian River, they may be found in myriads, associated with Lesser Scaup Ducks. In my experience they are as a rule quite shy; but near the long ~—=q PHALAROPES. 147 railway pier at Titusville, Florida, where shooting is prohibited, they are as tame as domestic Ducks. ‘They evidently know the boundary line between safety and danger, however, and when beyond the pro- tected limits show their usual caution. Coots swim easily, with a peculiar bobbing motion of the head and neck. When alarmed they patter over the water, using their feet as much as their wings. The sound produced is a characteristic one. They are noisy birds, and when alarmed break out into a great chorus of high, cackling notes which I have heard at a distance of half a mile. Their ivory-white bill is an excellent field mark, and readily serves to distinguish Coots from Gallinules. The European Coot (220. Fulica atra) inhabits the northern parts of the Old World, and sometimes occurs in Greenland. It closely resembles the American Coot, but lacks the white markings on the edge of the wing and under tail-coverts. ORDER LIMICOLZ. SHORE BIRDS. FAMILY PHALAROPODID®. PHALAROPES. There are three known members of this family: one is confined to the interior of North America, the other two may be called Sea Snipe, and are found in the northern parts of the northern hemisphere. The webbed feet of these pelagic species enable them to swim with ease, and during their migrations they may be found in flocks resting upon the sea far from land. Their presence on our shores is largely de- pendent upon the weather, and during severe storms many are some- times found upon our coasts. Contrary to the usual rule, the female in this family is the larger and more brightly colored—indeed, in the domestic economy of the Phalarope household the female is male, ex- cept in the prime essentials of sex. She does the wooing, takes the lead in selecting the nesting site, and, although she lays the eggs, the duties of incubation fall upon the male. KEY TO THE SPECIES. Par Oven a Om ta ete ts he cee 2 2 224 Witson’s' PRAT AROER B. Bill under 1°10. a. Bill very slender; wing under 475. . . 223. NortHErRN PHALAROPE. Bull stout; wing over 475... . .). . .). 222) Rep PHALAROpE. 222. Crymophilus fulicarius (Zinn.). Rep PHararopr; Gray Puararope. (See Fig. 26, a.) Ad. in summer.—Crown and chin fuscous; cheeks white; back black, the feathers bordered with cream-buff; wings gray ; some of the secondaries and tips of greater coverts white; upper tail- 148 PHALAROPES. coverts rufous ; under parts dull, reddish brown. Ad. in winter.—Top of the head and under parts white; region about the eye and back of the neck fus- cous; back and scapulars dark pearl-gray ; wings grayish fuscous, the coverts and secondaries tipped with white; rump and tail fuscous. /m.— Top of the head, hind neck, back, and seapulars dull black, the feathers edged with ochra- ceous; wing-coverts, rump, and upper tail-coverts plumbeous, the middle coverts bordered with pale buff, the tail-coverts with ochraceous; head and neck (except as described above) and lower parts white, the throat and chest tinged with brownish buff. L., 8:12; W., 5°37; _B., 87; Tar., 82” (Ridgw.). Range—* Northern parts of northern hemisphere, breeding in the arctic regions and migrating south in winter: in the United States, south to the Middle States, Ohio Valley, and Cape St. Lucas; chiefly maritime” (A. O. U.). Washington, casual, one record, Oct. Long Island, not uncommon T. V., May; Aug. to Nov. . Nest, a slight hollow in the ground lined with a few bits of moss and grasses. Lyys, three to four, similar to those of the following species, 1:25 x -90. This pelagic species is found in numbers some distance off our coasts; it occurs on land rarely, and generally only after storms. 223. Phalaropus lobatus (Zinn.). Nortnern Puararope. Ad. 9 in summer.—Upper parts slaty gray ; back and scapulars edged with ochraceous- butt; sides and front of the neck rufous, more or less mixed with slaty gray ; rest of under parts white. Ad. 6 in summer.—Similar, but upper parts black, and with more ochraceous; sides and front of the neck mixed with fusecous. Ads. in winter—Upper parts grayish, more or less mixed with white ; tips of greater wing-coverts and sometimes part of the secondaries white, occasion- ally with traces of rufous on the sides of the neck; under parts white, more or less mottled with grayish on the breast. Jm.—Upper parts black, edged with straw-color; forehead white; under parts white, breast sometimes lightly washed with buffy. L., 7°75; W., 4:50; Tar., 80; B., °85. Range.—* Northern portions of the northern hemisphere, breeding in arctic latitudes; south in winter to the tropics” (A. O. U.). Washington, casual, one record, Sept. Long Island, common T. V., Aug. to Nov.; May. Nest, a slight hollow in the ground lined with grass and mosses. Ligqs, three to four, pale olive-gray heavily blotched with deep chocolate, 1:18 x *83. During its presence off our coasts this species resembles the pre- ceding in habits. It is, however, more common, and under proper conditions sometimes occurs in larger flights. I have seen it in great numbers about one hundred miles off Barnegat, New Jersey, in May. For several hours the steamer passed through flocks of these Sea Snipe, which were swimming on the ocean. They arose in a body at our approach, and in close rank whirled away to the right or left in search of new feeding grounds. 224. Phalaropus tricolor (Vicil/.). Witsoy’s Puararore. Ad. 9 in summer—Top of the head and middle of the back pearl-gray, nape AVOCETS AND STILTS. 149 white; a black streak passes through the eye to the side of the neck and, changing to rufous-chestnut, continues down the sides of the back and on the scapulars ; neck and upper breast washed with pale, brownish rufous ; rest of the under parts and upper tail-coverts white. Ad. 6 im swmmer.—Upper parts fuscous-brown, bordered with grayish brown; upper tail-coverts, nape, and a line over the eye white or whitish ; sides of the neck and breast washed with rufous; rest of the under parts white. Ads. im winter.—Upper parts gray, margined with white; upper tail-coverts white; wings fuscous, their coverts margined with butfy; under parts white. J/m.—‘ Top of head, back, and scapulars dusky blackish, the feathers distinctly bordered with buff; wing- coverts also bordered with pale buff or whitish ; upper tail-coverts, superciliary stripe, and lower parts white, the neck tinged with buff” (Ridgw.). 6 L., Sac aot bar, W202 Bo le20i" O° Ib 950s We, O20 5. Lar. 1430 "Be eee. Range.—* Temperate North America, chiefly in the interior, breeding from northern Illinois and Utah northward to the Saskatchewan region; south in winter to Brazil and Patagonia” (A. O. U.). Long Island, casual, Aug., Sept., and Oct. Vest, a shallow depression in soft earth lined with a thin layer of frag- ments of grass. Lygs, three to four, cream-buff or buffy white, heavily blotched with deep chocolate, 1:28 x -94. (See Nelson, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, ii, 1879, pp. 38-43.) “These birds are rare in the Eastern States, abundant in the Mis- sissippi Valley, and quite common westward within their range. They inhabit the marshes, swales, and edges of shallow ponds, feeding upon minute snails and other small forms of life that abound in their aquatic haunts, procuring the same chiefly by running over the moist ground or wading in the short growths of water grasses. They swim buoy- antly, but seldom long at a time or far from the shore, and I never saw one dive or make an attempt to do so, but, when frightened, pre- fer to escape by flight, which is strong, but at such times in a zigzag and wavy manner, dropping back as soon as out of danger. Asa rule they are not timid, and are easily approached. Their motions, whether upon the land or water, are easy and pleasing, gracefully nodding the head or picking from side to side as they go” (Goss). FAMILY RECURVIROSTRIDA. AVOCETS AND STILTS. The eleven species comprising this family are distributed through- out the warmer parts of the world. They are generally found in flocks, and may be called Wading Snipe. They feed in shallow water, wading to their heels, and when necessary swimming with ease. — 225. Recurvirostra americana ('mc/.. American Avocet. Ad. in summer.—Head and neck cinnamon-rutfous, back and tail white, scapulars and primaries black ; middle coverts, tips of the greater ones, and part of sec- ondaries white; belly white, bill turned upward. Ad. in winter and Im.— 150 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. Generally similar, but head and neck white or pearl-gray. L., 16:50; W., 9-00; Tar., 3°75; B., 3°75. Range.—Temperate North America; rare or accidental on the Atlantic coast; breeds from Ilinois, and rarely Texas, ngrthward to the Saskatche- wan; winters along the Gulf coast and southward. Long Island, A. V. Nest, a slight depression in the ground in marshy places. Zygs, three to four, pale olive or buffy clay-color, thickly spotted with chocolate, 1:95 x 1-36. Avocets are common birds in parts of the interior, but are rare on the Atlantic coast. They frequent shores and shallow pools, and in | searching for shells, crustaceans, etc., their peculiar recurved bill is used in a most interesting manner. Dropping it beneath the surface of the water until its convexity touches the bottom, they move rap- idly forward, and with every step swing their bill from side to side, as a mower does his scythe. In this way they secure food which the muddy water would prevent them from seeing. 226. Himantopus mexicanus (J/i//.). | Buack-NEcKED STILT. Al. 6.—A white spot above and another below the eye; front of the head, front of the neck, lower back, rump, and under parts white; tail grayish ; rest of the plumage glossy, greenish black. Ad. ¢.—Similar, but with the back fuscous-brown. /m.—Similar to the preceding, but head and neck more or less marked with white; back and scapulars bordered with white or whitish. Pls 00 W:, 9:00; Lars, 415% B.,'2°00. Range.—Tropical America, breeding northward to the Gulf coast and “locally and rarely” up the Mississippi Valley as far as Minnesota; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Florida, but straying sometimes as far as Maine. Long Island, A. V. Nest, a slight depression in the ground lined with grasses. Zygqs, three to fovr, olive or buffy clay-color, thickly spotted with chocolate, 1°70 x 1:25. Stilts are fond of wading in shallow ponds in salt marshes, and are graceful and alert in their movements. During the nesting season they become very noisy, and at nightfall I have heard them utter their froglike croak as they darted erratically about over the marshes. FAMILY SCOLOPACIDA. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. About one hundred species are considered as belonging to this family. They are distributed throughout the world, but during the breeding season are mostly confined to the northern parts of the north- ern hemisphere. Some forty-five species are found in North America. With the Plovers they constitute the great group known as Shore Birds or Bay Birds, and with few exceptions they are rarely found far from the vicinity of water. Generally speaking, they are more abun- dant on the coast than in the interior, but many species are quite as numerous inland as they are near the sea. As a rule, they migrate SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 151 and pass the winter in flocks, but they are not gregarious during the _ nesting season. Their long bills serve the purpose of both probes and forceps. Most of the species probe the soft mud for food, while some are known to have the power of moving the upper mandible independently of the lower one, curving it at the tip as one would a finger. Snipes are not supposed to be song birds, but during the breeding season many species are highly and peculiarly musical, and at other times of the year they utter characteristic whistles. These are sus- ceptible of imitation, and the birds are quick to respond to an imita- tion of their notes. The sportsman concealed in his “ blind,” there- fore, calls to passing birds, and with the aid of wooden decoys easily draws them within gunshot. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Bill 2:00 or over. A, Axillars* barred with black. a. Bill curved downward. a, Bill over 3:00, under 450. . . . . . 265. Hupsontan CcRLEWw. mbilpnaderns 00"... s 2 tll. ss es 806: Eskimo Corunw, ase billeovern 4:50...) . 7. . . 264. Lonc-siniep CurtEw. 6. Bill straight or curved slightly upward. 61. Tail-feathers with numerous black bars. 62, Wing over 7:00, primaries black or fuscous. 254. GREATER YELLOW-LEGS. 68. Wing over 7:00, inner web of primaries buff or rufous. 249. MarBLep Gopwir. 64, Wing under 7-00, bill widened and pitted at the tip. 231. DowircnEeR. 232. Lone-BrLtLED DowirTcHER. @. Tail black with a broad rufous tip or marked with rufous. c?, Outer web of primary with rufous bars. 227. EvropEAN Woopcock. @, Primaries not barred...-; . =... ».. 230. Wiuson’s Swipe: &. Axillars not barred. a. Axillars rufous or ochraceous-buff. a, Bill over 5:00, much curved downward. 264. Lone-BILLED CURLEW. a?, Bill nearly straight, between 3°50 and 5:00. 249. MarBLED GopwiIrT, a8. Bill straight, under 3°50 . . . . . 228. AmEertcan Woopcock. 6. Axillars black. 61. Under parts chestnut-rufous, barred with black. 251. Hupsontan Gopwit. 62, Under parts white, with or without blackish bars. 258. WILLET. 258a. WESTERN WILLET. * See Fig. 64. 152 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. II. Bill under 2°00. A. Tail with cross-bars. a. Wing over 5:75. a, Outer tail-feathers white, more or less barred; outer primary with- Cub DANS: 6) a Ue eR ink ko, ate be oo ee BO. SALE Oe eee a2, Outer primary with numerous black bars. 261. BARTRAMIAN SANDPIPER. b. Wing under 5:75. 61. Under parts white, with numerous round blackish spots ; upper parts brownish gray, barred with blackish . . 263. Sporrep SANDPIPER. 62. Under parts white, breast streaked with blackish ; upper parts fus- cous, spotted with white . . . . . . 256. Soxirary SANDPIPER. 68. Under parts tinged with buffy, inner web of outer primary speckled with blackish. . . . . . . .: 262. Burr-BrEasTepD SANDPIPER. 64, Under parts white, breast washed with grayish, inner primaries and secondaries with a concealed white patch. 263. SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Im.), ZL. Tail without cross-bars, toes 4. a. Bill over 1:10. a1, Middle upper tail-coverts with cross-bars or streaks. a7. Tarsus over 1°50. (4.9: 6% +s +. (291238) Stier SANDEIPEE a3, Tarsus under 1°50, wing under 6°00. . 244. CuRLEW SANDPIPER. a‘, Tarsus under 1°50, wing over 6°00 . . . .. . . 284, Kwor. 61. Middle upper tail-coverts black or fuscous, without bars; bill straight. 62. ‘Tarsus under 1°50; upper parts blackish, more or less margined with'pray . 3... 6. 4 a OS be 280: eReen Sayermee 63. Tarsus under 1:50; upper parts more or less margined with rufous. 239, PrecToRAL SANDPIPER. Ba Tarsus Over 1:50) 27 a es Yh i Ee eee is ee et cl, Middle upper tail-coverts grayish, bill curved slightly downward. 243a. RED-BACKED SANDPIPER. 4, Bill under 1°10. 61, Wing under 4:00. b2. Toes partly webbed. 246. SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 247. WESTERN SANDPIPER. 68. Toes not webbed . . . . . . . . ~~ 242. Least SANDPIPER. c, Wing over 4:00, inner webs of primaries plain. c, Breast white or whitish, streaked or spotted with blackish ; mid- dle upper tail-coverts white . . 240. WuirE-RuMPED SANDPIPER. 3, Breast buffy, heavily spotted or streaked with blackish ; middle upper tail-coverts black, slightly margined with rufous. 239. PEcTORAL SANDPIPER. ct. Breast buffy lightly spotted or streaked with black ; middle upper tail-coverts fuscous, lightly margined with buffy. 241. Barrp’s SANDPIPER. di, Wing over 4:00, inner webs of primaries speckled. 262. BuFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. C. Tail without cross-bars, toes8 . . .. . . . .. 248. SANDERLING. Woopcock AND YOUNG, — ' SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 153 228. Philohela minor ((mel.).. American Woopcocx. Ad.—Front of the crown slaty, washed with buff, an indistinct blackish line in its center, and another from the eye to the bill; back of the head black, with two or three bars of ochraceous-buff; rest of the upper parts black, margined with slaty and barred and mottled with rufous or ochraceous-buff; tip of the tail ashy gray above, silvery beneath ; under parts between ochraceous-butf and rufous; three outer primaries very narrow and much stiffened. L., 11:00; NW. 0340> “Tar. 1°25; B.,.2°90. Range.—Eastern North America north to" Labrador and Manitoba, breed- ing nearly throughout its range, but not commonly in the southern part of it; winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward. Washington, rather common from Feb. to Nov.; a few winter. Long Island, common S8. R.; a few winter. Sing Sing, common S. R., Feb. 19 to Dec. 2. Cambridge, 8. R., formerly common, fast becoming rare; Mch. to Nov. Nest, of a few dry leaves, on the ground in the woods. “Zygs, four, butty, distinctly and obscurely spotted with shades of rufous, 1°60 x 1°23, During the spring and early summer tffis Owl among Snipe haunts low, wooded bottom-lands; in August, while molting, it resorts to corn- fields near woods, and in the fall migrating birds frequent wooded up- lands. But at all times it requires a soft, moist earth in which it may easily probe with its long bill for its fare of earthworms. The holes it makes are known as “borings.” They are generally found in little groups, and are, of course, certain evidence of the presence of Wood- cock. It has recently been discovered by Mr. Gurdon Trumbull that the Woodcock can move the tip of its upper mandible independently of the lower one, and this organ is made to act as a finger to assist the bird in drawing its food from the ground. The flight of the Woodcock is sometimes accompanied by a high, whistling sound produced by its narrow, stiffened primaries in beating the air. When flushed near its nest or young, the parent bird gen- erally feigns lameness or a broken wing, and leads the intruder some distance from its treasures before taking wing. The cloak of night always lends a certain mystery to the doings of nocturnal birds, and more often than not their habits justify our un- usual interest in them. How many evenings have I tempted the ma- laria germs of Jersey lowlands to watch the Woodcock perform his strange sky dance! He begins on the ground with a formal, periodic peent, peent, an incongruous preparation for the wild rush that follows. It is repeated several times before he springs from the ground and on whistling wings sweeps out on the first loop of a spiral which may take him 300 feet from the ground. Faster and faster he goes, louder and shriller sounds his wing-song; then, after a moment’s pause, with darting, headlong flight, he pitches in zigzags to the earth, uttering as he falls a clear, twittering whistle. He generally returns to near the 154 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. place from which he arose, and the peent is at once resumed as a pre- liminary to another round in the sky. The Evrorean Woopcock (227. Scolopax rusticola) bears a general re- semblance to our Woodcock, but is much larger; the under parts are barred with black, the wings are barred with rufous, and the outer primaries are not emarginate. It is of accidental occurrence in eastern North America. 230. Gallinago delicata (Ord). Witson’s Syirz; EnGLIsH SNIPE. Ad.—Upper parts black, barred, bordered, and mottled with ditferent shades of cream-butf; wings fuscous; outer edge of outer primary and tips of greater eoverts white; throat white; neck and breast ochraceous-buff, indistinctly streaked with blackish; belly white, sides barred with black; under tail- coverts buffy, barred with black ; outer tail-feathers barred with black and white, inner ones black, barred with rufous at their ends and tipped with whitish. du., 11°25; W.,'5:00; Tar., 1°20: B., 2°50. Range.—North America, breeding from southern Minnesota, northern I]li- nois, northwestern Pennsylvania, and Connecticut northward to Hudson Bay and Labrador, and wintering from southern Illinois and South Carolina to northern South America. Washington, common T. V., Mch. to May 5; fall; occasional in winter. Long Island, common T. V., Mch. and Apl.; Aug. to Oct. Sing Sing, tol- erably common T. V., Mch. 20 to May 6; Oct. 6 to Nov. 20. Cambridge, com- mon T. V., Apl. 5 to May 5; Sept. and Oct. Eggs, three to four, olive, clay-color, or brownish ashy, heavily marked with chocolate, principally at the larger end, 1°60 x 1:17. Wilson’s Snipe frequents fresh-water meadows and swamps, and in spring is often found in low-lying swales in meadows or mowing fields, but, excepting in very dry seasons, it seldom alights on salt marshes. At times, especially in winter or early spring, when the meadows are covered with snow or ice, it resorts to springy runs wooded with alders, birches, and maples, but as a rule it prefers open places. Two things are essential to its requirements—ground so thoroughly water-soaked as to afford slight resistance to its long and highly sensitive bill when probing, and such concealment as tussocks, hillocks, or long grass afford, for, unlike the Sandpipers, the Snipe rarely ventures out on bare mud flats, save under cover of darkness. Although less strictly nocturnal than the Woodcock, it feeds and mi- grates chiefly by night or in “thick” weather. Its migratory move- ments are notoriously erratic, and meadows which one day are alive with birds may be quite deserted the next, or the reverse. Dear to our sportsmen is Wilson’s Snipe, partly because of the ex- cellence of its flesh, but chiefly from the fact that it furnishes a mark which taxes their skill to the utmost, and which no mere novice need hope to hit, unless by accident ; for the bird's flight is swift and tortu- ous, and it springs from the grass as if thrown by a catapult, uttering A So SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 155 a succession of hoarse, rasping scatpes which have a peculiarly start- ling effect on inexperienced nerves, In the springtime—and occasionally in autumn also—Wilson’s Snipe mounts to a considerable height above his favorite meadows and darts downward with great velocity, making at each descent a low yet penetrating, tremulous sound which suggests the winnowing of a domes- tie Pigeon’s wings, or, if heard at a distance, the bleating of a goat, and which is thought to be produced by the rushing of the air through the wings of the Snipe. This performance may be sometimes witnessed in broad daylight when the weather is stormy, but ordinarily it is re- served for the morning and evening twilight and for moonlight nights, when it is often kept up for hours in succession. Besides this “drumming” or “ bleating,” as it is called, the Snipe, while mating, sometimes makes another peculiar sound, a hitk-kitk- kik-kik-kitp, evidently vocal and occasionally accompanying a slow, labored, and perfectly direct flight, at the end of which the bird alights on a tree or fence post for a few moments.—WILLIAM BRewstTER. The European Snree (229. Gallinago gallinago) inhabits the northern parts of the Old World, is of frequent occurrence in Greenland, and accidental in the Bermudas. 231. Macrorhamphus griseus ((me¢l.). Dowircurr. (See Figs. 25,a,26,¢.) Ad. in summer.—U pper parts, tertials, and wing-coverts black, the feathers edged or barred with ochraceous-buff or rufous; rump, upper tail- coverts, and tail barred with black and more or less ochraceous-buff; prima- ries fuscous; under parts dull, pale rufous, whitish on the belly, more or less spotted and barred with black. Ad. in winter.—Upper parts brownish gray ; rump and tail barred with black and white; throat and breast washed with ashy, belly white, sides and under tail-coverts barred with black. m.—Upper parts black, the feathers edged with rufous; rump and tail barred with black and white, and sometimes washed with rufous ; secondaries widely edged with white; under parts more or less washed with ochraceous-butf and obscurely spotted with blackish. L., 10°50; W., 5-75; Tar., 1:30; B., 2:05-2°50. Remarks.—The barred tail and tail-coverts, with the peculiar flattened, pitted tip of the bill, are characteristic of this and the next species. Range.—Eastern North America, breeding within the Arctic Circle, and wintering from Florida to South America. Washington, casual, one specimen, Sept. Long Island, common T. V., May; July to Sept. 15. Eggs, four, light buffy olive, distinctly spotted and speckled, especially about the larger end, with deep brown, 1°65 x 1:13 (Ridgw.). The Dowitchers are among our best-known Bay Birds. They migrate in compact flocks which are easily attracted to decoys by an imitation of their call. Mud-flats and bars exposed by the falling tide are their chosen feeding grounds. On the Gulf coast of Florida I have 156 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. seen several hundred gathered in such close rank that they entirely concealed the sandbar on which they were resting. 232. Macrorhamphus scolopaceus (Say). Lone-sittep Dow- ITCHER; WeEsTERN DowrrcuEerR. Ad. in summer.—NSimilar to the preceding, but averaging larger; the bill especially is longer, the under parts are more uniformly rufous, and the sides are more heavily barred with black. Ad. i winter and Im.—To be distinguished from the corresponding stages of JL gri- seus only by their larger size. W., 6:00; Tar., 1:50; B., 2°10-2°90. Range.—* Mississippi Valley and western province of North America from Mexico to Alaska; less common, but of regular occurrence along the Atlantic coast of the United States” (A. O. U.). Washington, casual, seven shot in Apl. Long Island, casual, July to Oct. Eggs, four, not distinguishable from those of the preceding species. This is a bird of the interior and Western States, and occurs on our coasts as a rare but regular late fall migrant. It resembles the pre- ceding species in habits, but the baymen who “gun” for Snipe say they can recognize it by its somewhat different notes. Like the Wood- cock, Wilson’s Snipe, and its near ally, J. griseus, the male utters a flight song in the nesting season. It is well described by Mr. E. W. Nelson in his Report on Collections made in Alaska, p. 101. 233. Micropalama himantopus (Jovap.). SvILT SANDPIPER. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts black, bordered with grayish and buffy; ear- coverts and an indistinct line around the back of the head rufous ; second- aries grayish, edged with white; primaries fuscous; rump ashy: upper tail- coverts barred with black and white; outer tail-feathers with broken dusky bars, inner ones with central streaks or margins of brownish gray or white ; under parts white, heavily barred with fuscous. Ad. in winter.—Upper parts brownish gray ; upper tail-coverts white ; tail white, margined with brownish gray; under parts white; the throat, neck, and sides indistinctly streaked or washed with grayish. Jm.—NSimilar to the preceding, but the upper parts black- ish, margined with ochraceous-buff. L., 8°25; W., 5°00; Tar., 1°60; B., 1°55. Remarks.—The distinguishing characters of this species are the flattened, pitted tip of the bill, in connection with the very long tarsi. Range.—Eastern North America, breeding within the Arctic Circle, and wintering as far south as South America. Washington, casual, one record. Long Island, not uncommon T. V., May ; July to Oct. 10. Eygqs, three to four, pale grayish buff, or grayish buffy white, boldly spotted with gich vandyke-brown and purplish gray, 1:42 x 1:00 (Ridgw.). Colonel N.S. Goss, in his admirable Birds of Kansas, writes that he has observed this species along the edges of old channels of rivers or muddy pools of water, in which it wades while feeding; immersing the head and feeling with its sensitive bill in the thin mud for food. It moves about rather slowly as compared with the true Sandpipers, and at times will try and avoid detection by squatting close to the « + ws SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. LDF ground, flying only as a last resort, and then darting swiftly away with a sharp tweet, tweet. + 234. Tringa canutus Linn. Knor; Rozin Syipz; Gray Syipez. (See Figs. 25, b, 26,6.) Ad. in summer.—Upper parts barred and streaked with black and white and rufous; tail ashy gray, narrowly margined with whitish ; under parts dull rufous; lower belly white or whitish, sides sometimes with black bars. (According to George H. Mackay, it requires about four years for birds to acquire this plumage. See Auk, x, 1893, p. 25.) /m.—Upper parts plain brownish gray; upper tail-coverts barred with black and white, tail brownish gray ; breast and sides barred with black, belly white. Young.— Upper parts pale brownish gray; head streaked with blackish ; back, wing- coverts, and scapulars with distinct black and white borders; upper tail-cov- erts barred with blackish; tail ashy gray, narrowly margined with white ; under parts white; breast finely streaked or spotted with blackish ; flanks barred or streaked with blackish. L., 10°50; W., 6°75;_'Tar., 1:20; B., 1:30. Range.—Northern hemisphere, breeding within the Arctic Circle, and in America wintering from Florida to South America. Long Island, not uncommon T. V., May 15 to June 10; July 15 to Noy. Eggs, known trom only one specimen collected in the vicinity of Fort Conger by General Greely, and described as “ light pea-green, closely spotted with brown in small specks about the size of a pinhead,” 1/10 x 1:00 (see Merriam, Auk, ii, 1885, p. 313). Knots feed along the beaches on the small crustaceans and mol- lusca brought in by the waves, and they also frequent muddy places, where, like the true Snipe, they probe the ground for food. They decoy with ease, “ bunching” so closely as they wheel into the stools that the entire flock is sometimes killed by a single discharge. Mr. George H. Mackay, in one of his careful and detailed studies of our Shore Birds, describes their notes as a soft wah-quoit and a little honk. The first is particularly noticeable when flocks are coming to the de- coys (see Auk, x, 1893, pp. 25-35). 235. Tringa maritima Brinn. PurrLe Sanpprrer. Ad. in swim- mer.—Upper parts black, margined with ochraceous-buff and cream-buff; wings fuscous-gray, greater coverts margined with white and some seconda- ries-entirely white; upper tail-coverts fuscows, outer tail-feathers ashy gray, inner ones fuscous; throat and breast brownish gray, streaked with black ; belly white, sides and under tail-coverts streaked with brownish gray. Win- ter plumage.—Head, neck, breast, and sides ashy, the two latter margined with white; back fuscous, margined with ashy; wings fuscous, the coverts, secondaries, and tertials distinctly bordered with white; upper tail-coverts and middle tail-feathers black or fuscous, outer tail-feathers ashy ; belly and linings of the wings white. L., 9°00; W., 5:00; Tar., 9:00; B., 1:40. Remarks.—The brownish gray or ashy breast of this species is a good distinguishing character. Fange.— Northern portions of the northern hemisphere; in North Amer- 158 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. ica chiefly in the northeastern portion, breeding in the high north,” south in winter to the Great Lakes and Long Island, and casually to Florida. Long Island, uncommon W. V., Nov. 1 to Mch. 1. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. Lgys, three to four, olive clay-color or brownish ashy, heavily marked with rufous-brown, 1°45 x 1-08. This bird might.be called Winter Snipe or Rock Snipe. Indeed, I find the latter name has been applied to it from its habit of frequent- ing rocky coasts, where it secures its food in the algw attached to rocks exposed by the falling tide. 239. Tringa maculata Vicil/. Precrorat Sanppirer; KRIEKER. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts black, the feathers all heavily bordered with pale ochraceous-butf; rump and upper tail-coverts black, lightly tipped with ochraceous-buff; middle tail-feathers longest, pointed and margined with butty ; outer tail-feathers brownish gray, narrowly margined with white ; throat white, neck and breast heavily streaked with black and buffy; rest of under parts white. Winter plumage.—Similar, but ochraceous-buff of upper parts replaced by rufous, and breast heavily washed with buffy. L., 9.00; W., OA0e Pars 1 Oe iia 115, femarks.—This bird somewhat resembles both 7. fuscicollis and T. bairdii, but it differs from them in its larger size, black instead of white or fuscous upper tail-coverts, and longer, more pointed middle tail-feathers. Range.—North America; breeds in the arctic regions and winters in the West Indies and South America. Washington, common T. V., Apl.; Aug. to Nov. Long Island, T. V., rare in spring, common from July 15 to Nov. 1. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept, 10 to Oct. 16. Cambridge, irregular and uncommon in Sept. and Oct. ‘ Eggs, four, drab, sometimes with a greenish tinge, blotched with clear amber-brown markings, more numerous at the larger end, 1°50 x 1:09 (Mur- doch). The names Grass Snipe and Krieker describe with equal truth and conciseness the haunts and notes of this Snipe. It frequents wet, grassy meadows rather than beaches, and, although it flies in flocks, the birds scatter while feeding and take wing one or more at a time. They thus remind one of Wilson’s Snipe. Their note is a squeaky, grating whistle. They will respond to an imitation of it, but do not decoy so readily as the larger Bay Birds. Mr. E. W. Nelson writes * that during the breeding season the male inflates its breast and throat until they are double their normal size, and utters a deep, hollow, reso- nant note. 240. Tringa fuscicollis Viei//. Write-rumprp Sanppirer. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts black, edged with rufous; rump grayish fuscous, margined with ashy ; longer upper tail-coverts white, with sometimes brownish- * Rep. on Nat. Hist. Colls. made in Alaska, p. 108. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 159 gray markings; central tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones brownish gray ; upper throat white; neck, breast, and sédes distinctly streaked and spotted with black and more or less washed with ochraceous-butt. Winter plumage.— “Upper parts plain brownish gray, with indistinct, narrowed, mesial streaks of dusky; otherwise as in summer, but streaks on chest, etc., less distinct” (Ridgw.). Jm.—Similar to summer examples, but the feathers of the upper parts with rownded whitish or ochraceous-buff tips, breast less distinctly aorenked.. lh., 7-503 W., 4°90; Tar., 90; .B., 95. Remarks.—Vhe white upper tail-coverts distinguish this species. Range.—Eastern North America, breeding in the arctic regions and win- tering as far sonth as the Falkland Islands. Long Island, not uncommon T. V., July 20 to Oct 10. Sing Sing, casual T. V., Sept. Eggs, three to four, light olive, or olive brownish, spotted (usually rather finely) with deep brown and duil, purplish gray, 1°37 x -94 (Ridgw.). “They frequent the sandy beach as well as the marshy shores upon the coast, but inland seem to prefer the edges of pools of water upon the uplands. They move in small flocks, are very social, often associating with other waders, are not as a rule shy or timid, and, when startled, usually fly but a short distance, drop back, and run about in an unconcerned and heedless manner, picking up the minute forms of life that usually abound in such places, occasionally uttering a rather sharp, piping weet, weet. Their flight is swift and well sustained ” (Goss). ~ 241. Tringa bairdii (Cowes). Barrp’s Sanppiper. Ad. in summer.— Upper parts fuscous; feathers of the crown and nape margined laterally with pale buffy; back and scapulars tipped with pale buffy or brownish gray ; middle upper tail-coverts fuscous, sometimes tipped with buffy ; central tail- feathers fuscous, margined with whitish, outer ones pale brownish gray ; throat white; breast washed with buffy and dight/y spotted or streaked with fuscous ; sides and belly white. /m.—Similar, but the back, scapulars, and wing-cov- erts with rounded white tips. (In the winter these tips are more or less worn Oar yo. 1740 5 WW. 4:90;5) Tar.,"90:5: B., °85. Remarks.—This bird most closely resembles 7. fuscicollis. In any plum- age it may be known from that species by the fuscous instead of white middle upper tail-coverts. In summer it differs also in the absence of rufous above, the less heavily spotted throat, and the white instead of spotted sides. In winter the chief distinguishing marks of the two species, aside from the dif- ferently colored upper tail-coverts, are the butfy breast and generally paler upper parts of bairdii. Range.—Interior of North America, breeding in the arctic regions and migrating southward to South America; rare on the Atlantic coast. Washington, casual, one record. Long Island, casual, Aug. Eggs, three to four, light, creamy buff, sometimes tinged with rusty, thickly speckled and spotted with deep reddish brown or chestnut, 1°30 x *93 (Ridgw.). 160 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. “In habits they are similar to the White-rumped (which they so closely resemble), but are more inclined to wander from the water’s edge. I have flushed the birds on high prairie lands, at least a mile from the water” (Goss). . 242. Tringa minutilla Viei//. Least Sanppirer; Meapow OxeyE; Perr. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts black or fuscous, edged and tipped with buffy or rufous; rump and middle upper tail-coverts plain black or fus- cous ; central tail-feathers black or fuscous, outer ones ashy gray ; upper throat white; neck and breast white or buffy, streaked with fuscous ; belly and sides the back with rownded rufous or bufty tips; breast not distinctly streaked. Winter plumage.—U pper parts brown- ish gray, sometimes with more or less black in the centers of the feathers; breast white or ashy, not distinctly streaked. L., 6:00; W., 3°50; Tar., Oe Tae. FO Remarks.—This is the smallest of our Sandpipers, and can be confused only with Lreunetes pusillus, from which, however, it may always be distin- guished by the absence of webs between the bases of the toes. Range.—North America, breeding in the arctic regions and wintering from the Gulf States to South America. Washington, uncommon T. V., May; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, abun- dant T. V., Apl. 25 through May; July through Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably _ common T. V., May 9 to May 22; Oct. 3. Cambridge, very common T. V., May 25 to May 31; July 20 to Aug. 31. : Lggs, three to four, pale, grayish buffy, varying to pale brownish, thickly spotted, speckled, or sprinkled with deep chestnut and dull, purplish gray, 115 x *83 (Ridgw.). Fic. 62.—Least Sandpiper. (Natural size.) This, the smallest of our Sandpipers, is frequently associated with its larger cousin the Semipalmated Sandpiper on the shores and beaches, but it also visits the grassy meadows, and for this reason is known by baymen as the “ Meadow Oxeye.” 243a. Tringa alpina pacifica (Cowes). Rep-sackep SANDPIPER; Leapsack. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts broadly margined with rufous, the centers of the feathers black, wings brownish gray; breast whitish, lightly streaked with blackish; middle of the belly with a large black patch, lower belly white. Jm.—Upper parts blackish, the feathers with rounded tips of rufous or buffy; breast washed with buffy and indistinctly streaked with blackish ; belly spotted with black. Winter plumage—Upper parts brown- ish gray; middle upper tail-coverts fuscous; wing-coverts brownish gray margined with buffy; throat white; breast ashy, indistinctly streaked; belly white. /m.—Similar, but feathers of ¢ i (i. ; SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 161 white, the sides sometimes spotted with black. L., 8:00; W., 4:75; Tar., 1:00; B., 1°50. Remarks.—There is, of course, every degree of intergradation between summer and winter plumage, but the species may always be known by its slightly curved bill. Range.—North America, breeding in the arctic regions and wintering from Florida southward ; rare in the interior. Washington, rare T. V., Apl.; Oct. Long Island, T. V., uncommon in Fig. 63.—Red-backed Sandpiper. (Natural size.) spring, Apl. 1 to May 15; common in fall, Aug. 31 through Oct. Sing Sing, toierably common T. V. in fall, Oct. 3 to Oct. 24. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. Eggs, three to four, varying from pale, bluish white to ochraceous-buff, heavily marked with chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1:43 x 1-01. Generally speaking, this is a shore or beach bird, though it also visits grassy marshes. It flies and feeds in flocks, and is an unsus- picious, rather stupid little Snipe, less active than most members of this family. The gray-plumaged fall birds are known as ‘“ Leadbacks,” while in the spring they go by the names “ Blackbreast ” or ‘‘ Redback.” The Dunturn (243. Tringa alpina) is the Old- World representative of our Red-backed Sandpiper, from which it differs only in being less brightly colored and somewhat smaller. L., about 7°40; W., 4:12-4:50; Tar., ‘78-90; B., 1:05-1:25. It is of easual oecurrence in North America. The CurLew Sanpprper (244. Tringa ferruginea) inhabits the eastern hemisphere, and occurs casually in eastern North America. It has been re- corded from Ontario, Nova Scotia, Maine, Massachusetts, and Long Island. 246. Ereunetes pusillus (Zinn.). Sewipatmatep Sanprirer ; SAND OxryE; Prep. Ad. in swmmer.—uUpper parts black or fuscous, margined with brownish gray and a small amount of rufous; rump grayish brown; upper tail-coverts blackish ; tail-feathers brownish gray, central ones darkest ; breast streaked or spotted with blackish. /m.—Similar, but upper parts and wing- coverts blackish, with rounded rufous or buffy tips to the feathers ; breast un- 12 162 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. streaked, tinted with buffy. Wénter plumage—Upper parts brownish gray, with darker shaft streaks ; upper tail-coverts darker; under parts white, some- times with faint streaks on the breast. L., 6°30; W., 8°75; Tar., ‘75; B., °65—80. Remarks.—The small size of this and the next species prevents their be- ing confused with any other except Zringa minutilia, from which they may always be known by their partially webbed toes. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds in the arctic regions, and winters from the Gulf States southward through Brazil. Washington, rare T. V., May; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, abundant T. V., May; July through Sept. Sing Sing, common T. V. in fall, Aug. 14 to Oct. 20. Cambridge, very common in Aug. and Sept. Eggs, three to four, pale, dull grayish buff, sprinkled, speckled, or spotted with dark brown and purplish gray, 1:21 x 85 (Ridgw.). The thought of these little Sandpipers always creates a mental pic- ture of a long stretch of dazzling beach with its ever-changing surf- line. I hear the oft-repeated booming of the rolling, tumbling break- ers, and in the distance see a group of tiny forms hurrying to and fro over the sand smoothed by the frothy waves. With what nimble grace- fulness they follow the receding waves, searching for treasures cast up by the sea! What contentment and good-fellowship are expressed by their cheery, conversational twitterings! Up and down the beach they run, now advancing, now retreating, sometimes, in their eagerness, ven- turing too far, when the waters threaten to ingulf them, and in momen- tary confusion they take wing and hover back to a place of safety. Suddenly, as though at a signal, they are off; a compact flock moving as one bird, twisting and turning to right and left, now gleaming white as the sun strikes their snowy bodies, now dark again like a wisp of sunless cloud flying before the wind. + 2497. Ereunetes occidentalis Zawr. Western SremrPaLMATED SanppipER.—This bird closely resembles the preceding, from which, in sum- mer plumage, it differs in having the upper parts conspicuously margined with rufous and the breast more heavily streaked. In fall and winter plum- age the differences in coloration are not so apparent, but the birds are to be distinguished at any season by the size of the bill, which in the western spe- cies always averages longer. W., 3°80; Tar., 80; B., °85-1:20. Range.— Western North America; breeds in the arctic regions, and win- ters from the Gulf States to South America; occasional on the Atlantic coast. Long Island, uncommon T. V., occurring with 2. pusillus. Eggs, three to four, deep cinnamon buffy, sprinkled, speckled, or thickly spotted with bright rusty brown or chestnut, the general aspect decidedly rusty, 1:24 x °87 (Ridgw.). This western representative of the preceding species is sometimes found on our coasts associated with its eastern relative. In Florida, particularly on the Gulf coast, it occurs in numbers during the winter. ’ — SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 163 248. Calidris arenaria (Zinn.). Sanpertine; Surr Snipz. Ad. in summer.—Feathers of the upper parts with generally black centers, bor- dered and sometimes barred with pale rufous and tipped with ashy white ; wings fuscous, the basal half of the outer web of the inner primaries white ; wing-coverts grayish fuscous, the greater one broadly tipped with white; tail brownish gray, narrowly margined with white; throat and upper breast washed with pale rufous and spotted with blackish ; rest of the under parts pure white. Jm. in fall.—Similar, but upper parts without rufous, glossy black, the feathers sometimes bordered with white, but generally with two white spots at their tips separated by the black of the central part of the feather; napé grayish white, lightly streaked with blackish; under parts pure white, with occasionally a few spots on the breast. Winter plumage.— Upper parts pale brownish gray, wings as in the preceding ; under parts pure white. L.,800; W., 5:00; Tar., 1:00; B., 1:00. Remarks.—The Sanderling is the only one of our Snipes or Sandpipers having three toes, and it may always be known by this character in combi- nation with its booted or trausversely scaled tarsi. frange.—* Nearly cosmopolitan, breeding in arctic and subarctic regions; migrating, in America, south to Chili and Patagonia” (A. O. U.). Washington, casual T. V.,two records. Long Island, common T. V., Mch. 15 through May; Aug. 1 through Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., to June 5; Sept. 9 to Oct. 5. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Sept. Eggs, three to four, light olive-brown, finely spotted or speckled with darker, the markings larger and more blended on the larger end, 1-41 x -91 (Ridgw.). This is a true beach bird, and is usually found on shores washed by the sea. It frequently associates with the Semipalmated Sandpiper or Oxeye, which it resembles in habits, but its larger size and lighter colors distinguish it from that species. 249. Limosa fedoa (Zinn.). Marsiep Gopwir; Brown Martin. Ad.—Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked with buffy, the back barred or the feathers spotted on the sides and sometimes tipped with buffy or ochraceous-buff; inner web of the outer primaries and both webs of the inner ones ochraccous-buff or pale buffy, speckled with black ; tail ochraceous- buff barred with black ; throat white, rest of the under parts pale buffy, spotted or barred with black; bill curved slightly upward, yellowish at the base, black atthe end. Zm.—Similar, but the under parts with few or no bars except on the flanks and under tail-coverts. L., 18:00; W.,8°75; Tar., 2°75; B., 4:00. Range.—North America, breeding chiefly in the interior, from western Minnesota, and rarely Iowa and Nebraska, northward, and migrating south- ward to Central America and Cuba; rare on the Atlantic coast. Long Island, rare 'T. V., Aug. and Sept. Lggs, three to four, clay-color or brownish ashy, blotched, spotted, and serawled with grayish brown, 2°15 x 1:60. Colonel Goss writes that this species “inhabits the salt- and fresh- water shores, marshes, and moist ground upon the prairies. It feeds 164 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. upon crustacea, insects, worms, larve, etc., moving about in a horizontal position, picking and probing as it goes. Its flight is easy and well sustained, though not very rapid; in alighting, raises the wings over the back as it touches the ground. These birds as a rule are shy, and keep well out of reach... .” 251. Limosa hzemastica (Linn.). Hunsontan Gopwit; Rine- TAILED Maritin. -Ad.—Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked and the back spotted or barred with ochraceous-buff ; primaries black or fuscous ; upper tail-coverts white, the lateral ones tipped or barred with black; tail black, with a broad base and a narrow tip of white ; throat buffy, streaked with blackish ; under parts chestnut-rufous, barred with black and sometimes tipped with whitish ; axillars black. L., 15°00; W., 8:25; Tar., 2°25; B., 3°20. Range.—Kastern North America; breeds in the arctic regions and mi- grates southward, chiefly through the interior, as far as Patagonia. Long Island, rare T. V., Aug. and Sept. Eggs, three to four, deep olive, hair-brown, or broccoli-brown (sometimes paler), usually more or less spotted with darker brown, but sometimes nearly uniform, 2°20 x 1:42 (Ridgw.). This bird resembles the preceding in habits, and like it is rare on _the Atlantic coast. The Briack-TaILeD Gopwit (252. Limosa limosa) inhabits the northern parts of the Old-World and is of accidental occurrence in Greenland. — 254. Totanus melanoleucus ((mel.). Greater YELLOW-LEGs. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked and the back spotted or barred with white or ashy; upper tail-coverts white, more or less barred with black: tail white or ashy, barred with black; breast heavily spotted with black; sides barred with black; middle of the belly white. Winter plumage.—Similar, but upper parts brownish gray, edged with whit- ish; sides of the scapulars, tertials, and wing-coverts with blackish and whitish spots; breast only lightly streaked with blackish, and sides slightly barred. L., 14:00; W., 7°70; Tar., 2°40; B., 2°20. Range—North America ; breeds from Minnesota and rarely northern IIli- nois and Anticosti northward ; winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Washington, rather common T. V., Apl. and May; July 25 to Nov. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. 10 through May; July 15 through Oct. Sing Sing, common T. V., to June 5 ;—to Oct. 28. Cambridge, common TVG 15 to May 25; Sept. and Oct. Eggs, three to four, brownish buffy, distinctly but very irregularly spotted with rich vandyke- or madder-brown, 1°43 x 1:20 (Ridgw.). It needs only the musical notes of the Yellow-leg to recall memo- ries of many days passed along the shore and in the marshes. Half reclining in my blind, I see in fancy the staring decoys, pointing like weathercocks with the wind, and hear the dull booming of surf be- hind the brown sand dunes. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 165 Few birds are flying; lulled by the Jap, lap of the water, I have almost fallen asleep, when from far*up in the gray sky comes a soft, flutelike whistle, wheu, wheu-wheu-wheu-wheu, wheu, wheu-wheu. I re- spond quickly, and, lying on my back, look eagerly upward. Not a bird can be seen, but the questioning call grows stronger and is re- peated more frequently. Finally I distinguish five or six black points sailing in narrow circles so high that I can scarcely believe they are the birds I hear. But no bar or shoal breaks the sound waves. The birds grown larger and on widening circles sweep earthward. Their soft whistle has a plaintive tone; their long bills turn inquiringly from side to side. The stolid decoys give no response, they repel rather than encourage, but the whistling continues, and with. murmured notes of interrogation the deluded birds wheel over them, to find too late that they have blundered. — 255. Totanus flavipes ((mel.). YELLow-Lecs; Summer YELLow- LEGS. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts generally brownish gray, the head and neck streaked with black and white, the back, scapulars, and wing-coverts with sometimes black centers, spotted or tipped with whitish or brownish gray ; upper tail-coverts white, more or less barred with black, tail varying from white to brownish gray, with numerous black or blackish cross-bars ; breast heavily spotted or streaked and sides barred with black; belly white, legs yellow. Winter plumage.—Similar, but upper parts brownish gray, the sides of the feathers with whitish spots; tail-bars grayish; breast lightly streaked with ashy. L., 10°75; W., 6°40; Tar., 2:05; B., 1-40. ftemarks.—This bird closely resembles the Greater Yellow-legs in color, but may always be distinguished by its smaller size. fiange.—North America, breeding chiefly in the interior from Minnesota, northern Illinois, Ontario County, N. Y., northward to the arctic regions; winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Washington, rather common T. V., Apl. to May 15; Aug. to Nov. Long Island, T. V., very rare in spring, abundant in fall; July 15 to Oct.1. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. in fall; Aug. 25 to Oct. 5. Cambridge, rare in May ; sometimes common in Aug. and early, Sept. Fggs, three to four, buffy (variable as to shade), distinctly (sometimes broadly) spotted or blotched with dark madder- or vandyke-brown and _ pur- plish gray, 1°69 x 1:15 (Ridgw.). This species closely resembles the preceding in notes, habits, and choice of haunts. It decoys, however, more easily, and, generally speaking, is more common. The GREEN-sHANK (2538. Totanus nebularius) is an Old-World species, of which three specimens were taken by Audubon, May 28, 1832, near Cape Sable, Florida. It resembles our Greater Yellow-legs, but differs chiefly in having the lower back and rump white. The GREEN SanpPIPER (257. Totanus ochropus) is an Old-Worid species which has been recorded once from Nova Scotia. It resembles our Solitary a 166 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. Sandpiper, but is larger (W., 5°75), and has the upper tail-coverts pure white. 256. Totanus solitarius (JWi/s.). Sotirary Sanpprrer. Ad. in summer.—Upper parts olive-fuscous, with a slight greenish tinge, the head and neck streaked and the back spotted with white; upper tail-coverts fus- cous, with fine whitish spots on their sides, the lateral ones sometimes barred ; central pair of tail-feathers fuscous, the others white, barred with black; = S = — Fic. 64.—Inner view of wing of Solitary Sandpiper, showing barred axillars. breast streaked, and sides sometimes barred with black; belly white; axillars barred with black and white; legs greenish fuscous. Winter plumage—Simi- lar, but upper parts grayish brown; head and neck generally unstreaked, and the back only lightly spotted with butfy white; breast streaked with brown- ishteray. J, 640; W., 5°25; Tar. 1-20: B., 11. é Range.—Eastern North America; breeds locally and rarely from northern Illinois, western Pennsylvania, and Maine northward; winters in South America. Washington, common T. V., Apl. to May 25; July 25 to Nov. Long Island, common T. V., May; July 15 to Oct.1. Sing Sing, common T. V., May 3 to 30; Aug. 27 to Oct 2. Cambridge, common T. V., May 15 to 25; July 20 to Oct. Eggs, known from only one example taken by Jenness Richardson, near Lake Bombazine, Vermont, May 28, 1878, and described by Dr. Brewer as light drab, with small, rounded, brown markings, some quite dark, nowhere confluent, and at the larger end a few faint purplish shell-marks, 1:39 x -95. This is a wood Sandpiper. It is rarely found on the beaches or salt marshes: near the sea, but frequents fresh-water ponds, or lakes and woodland streams, both in the lowlands and mountains. It is gener- erally observed during the migrations, and although it occasionally breeds in the Middle States its skill in concealing its nest has defied the search of odlogists. It is a quieter, more dignified bird than the Spotted Sandpiper, and as a rule only utters its “low, whistling notes” when flushed. 258. Symphemia semipalmata (@mel.). Witter. Ad. in sum- mer.—Upper parts brownish gray, the head and neck streaked, and the back barred with black, and sometimes buffy, the centers of the feathers being oc- casionally wholly black; basal half of the primaries and greater part of sec- ondaries white; upper tail-coverts white with a few blackish bars; central tail-feathers ashy, indistinctly barre! with blackish ; outer ones whitish, lightly L-))- SNIPHS, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 167 mottled with grayish; foreneck heavily streaked; breast and sides heavily barred with dark brownish gray and more or less washed with buffy; belly generally white, with sometimes a few bars. Winter plumage.—Upper parts brownish gray, unmarked ; tail without bars; ramp and wings as in the adult; breast washed with grayish ; belly white; axillars black. L., 15:00; W., 8:00; WVar., 2°30; B., 2°15. Range.—Kastern North America, breeding from Florida to southern New Jersey, and locally and rarely to Maine. Washington, rare T. V., Aug. Long Island, T. V., rare in May; uncom- mon in Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. ygs, three to four, clay-color or buffy, thickly spotted with chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 2°10 x 1°55. Willets frequent both fresh- and salt-water marshes, shores, and beaches. If you visit their haunts during the nesting season, on flut- tering wings they will hover above your head or fly low over the marsh to draw you away from their home, uttering, with scarce a mo- ment’s cessation, their loudly whistled call of pilly-will-willet, pully- will-willet. All day long, and even at night, I have heard them repeat these notes until, wearied by their persistence, one is thankful to leave them in undisturbed possession of the ground. 258a. S. s. inornata Jrewst. Western WILLET.— Slightly larger than the preceding, and, in summer plumage, the upper parts are paler and less heavily marked with black; the breast is less heavily streaked and more suffused with buffy, and the middle tail-feathers are without black bars. In winter plumage the two forms can be distinguished only by the slight and inconstant character of size. W., 8°50; Tar., 2°50; B., 2°40, Range.— Western United Sie breeds fiat Texas to Manitoba; win- ters on the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. The Rurr (260. Pavoncella pugnax) is an Old-World species which ocea- sionally wanders to eastern North America. It has been taken in Maine, Massachusetts, Ontario, Ohio, Long Island, and New Jersey. The adult male may be known by its enlarged ruff, which varies in color from black, chest- nut, and rufous to buffy and whitish. The female is without a ruff, and is otherwise very different from the male. The upper parts are grayish brown, the back, scapulars, and tertials are broadly barred with black, the outer tail-feathers are ashy, the inner ones are barred with buffy and black, the breast is ashy, with concealed black bars, the belly is white. In winter the upper parts are light grayish brown with few or no bars. 6 L., 12°50; W., 7°50; Tar., 1:90; B., 150. ¢ L., 10-00; W., 6°00; Tar., 1:40; B., 1-15. 261. Bartramia longicauda (Zecist.). Barrramtan Sanpriper; Uptanp Prover; Fretp Prover. Ad.—Head and neck streaked with black and ochraceous-buff; back and wing-coverts ochraceous-buff, barred with black ; tertials olive, barred with black and margined with ochraceous-buff; primaries fuseous, the outer one barred with white ; inner tail-feathers brown- ish gray, outer ones varying from ochraceous-butf to white, all more or less 168 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. barred with black; breast and sides washed with buffy and streaked or barred with black; belly white or whitish. Jm,.—Similar, but the ochraceous-buff is deeper. L., 11°50; W., 6°50; Tar., 1:90; B., 1:15. Remarks.—The white bars on the outer primary will always serve to iden- tify this species. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds locally from Kansas and Vir- ginia to Alaska and Nova Scotia; winters over most of South America. Washington, common T. V., Apl.; Aug. to Sept. Long Island, uncommon S. R., Apl. to Sept. Cambridge, not common T. V., Apl. 25 to May 5; July 30 to Sept. 16. Eggs, four to tive, creamy buff or white, spotted with reddish brown or chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1°80 x 1°80. The Upland “Plover” is at home on grassy plains and pastures. It is usually a shy bird, and can rarely be successfully approached on foot. It shows no fear, however, of a man who is riding or driving, and when on horseback I have passed within a few yards of birds which regarded me with some interest but no alarm. They so closely resemble dried grass in color that it is sometimes exceedingly diffi- cult to distinguish them from their surroundings. One may ride over a prairie upon which, at first glance, not a Plover is visible, and find, after careful scrutiny, that dozens of birds are scattered about him feeding. . In alighting they stretch their wings to the utmost, high over their backs, as if to get the wrinkles out before gently folding them, When flushed they utter a soft, bubbling whistle. During their migra- tions one may clearly hear these sweet notes from birds traveling be- yond the limits of human vision. Mr. Langille describes their alarm note as a spirited and rapidly uttered quip-ip-ip-tp, quip-ip-ip-tp, and their song, given from the ground, a fence, or even a tree, as chr-r-7-r-7- ee-e-e-e-e-€-00-0-0-0-0-00._ He remarks: “ This prolonged, mournful, mel- low whistle, more like the whistling of wind than a bird’s voice, may be heard even in the night, and is one of the most weird and never-to- be-forgotten sounds in Nature.” 262. Tryngites subruficollis (J‘ecill.). Burr-preasrep Sanp- PIPER. Ad.—Upper parts pale grayish brown, the feathers with olive cen- ters ; primaries fuscous, the inner half of their inner webs speckled with black ; longer inner wing-coverts conspicuously marked and tipped with black, then white; central tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones becoming buffy, irregularly marked and tipped with black and buffy; under parts pale ochraceous -buff, tipped with whitish, and with generally concealed black markings. Jm.— Similar, but the upper parts and breast paler. L., 8°50; W., 5°25; B., °80. Remarks.—In any plumage this bird may be known by the peculiar speck- ling on the inner webs of add the primaries, and also the markings of the under wing-coverts. Range.—* North America, especially in the interior; breeds in the Yukon = oe oe i q “‘DSNNOA AGNV UAdIdANVS qa LLodg SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 169 district and interior of British America; northward to the arctic coast; South America in winter; of frequent occurrence in Europe” (A. O. U.). Long Island, rare T. V., Aug. and Sept. Fggs, three to four, buffy grayish white, varying to pale olive-buff, boldly spotted longitudinally (and somewhat spirally) with dark vandyke- or mad- der-brown and purplish gray, 1:53 x 1:04 (Ridgw.). This isa rare species on the Atlantic coast. Dr. Hatch writes of it as observed by him in Minnesota: ‘They are an extremely active species when on the wing, and essentially ploverine in all respects, seeking sandy, barren prairies, where they live upon grasshoppers, crickets, and insects generally, and ants and their eggs specially. I have found them repasting upon minute mollusks on the sandy shores of small and shallow ponds, where they were apparently little more suspicious than the Solitary Sandpipers are notably. The flight is in rather compact form, dipping and rising alternately, and with a dis- position to return again to the neighborhood of their former feeding places.” 2638. Actitis macularia (Zinn.). Sporrep Sanprirer. Ad. in sum- mer.—Upper parts brownish gray with a faint greenish luster, the head and neck more or less streaked, and the back barred or spotted with black ; inner tail-feathers like the back, outer ones with blackish bars; under parts white, everywhere spotted with black. Jm.—Upper parts brownish gray, with a greenish tinge, the back faintly and wing-coverts conspicuously barred with black and buffy ; under parts pure white, unspotted, but slightly washed with grayish on the breast. Winter plumage.—Similar, but back browner and without bars. Ls %-50: W., 4:20; “Tar.,.-90; B., +95. Range.—North America north to Hudson Bay; breeds throughout its range; winters southward to Brazil. Washington, common T. V., not common 8. R., Apl. 5 to Sept. 30. Long Island, abundant 8. R., Apl. 25 to Oct. Sing Sing, common 8. R., Apl. 29 to Oct. 23. Cambridge, common 8. R., Apl. 26 to Sept. Eggqs, four, creamy buff or white, thickly spotted.and speckled with choco- late, chiefly at the larger end, 1°25 x -95. Few Shore Birds are more generally known than this widely dis- tributed little Sandpiper. It frequents the margins of bodies of both fresh and salt water, but is more common inland on the shores of our rivers, ponds, and lakes. During the summer it is practically our only fresh-water Sandpiper, and is familiar to most of us under its common names. It runs rapidly along the beach, then pausing bobs, bows, and “teters” in a most energetic manner. When flushed it takes wing with a sharp weet-weet weet-weet, and after a few wing-strokes scales over the water to the beach beyond. It apparently dislikes to go be- yond certain limits, and after several flights makes a wide circle and returns to the starting point. 170 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 264. Numenius longirostris Wils. Lone-xittep CurRLEw ; SickLE-BILL. 4d.—Head and neck streaked, and back barred with buffy and black ; wing-coverts, inner webs of primaries, secondaries, and tail vary- ing from buffy to pale rufous, barred or mottled with blackish; under parts ochraceous-buff, breast more or less streaked and sides sometimes barred with black; axillars rufous, generally unbarred. L., 24:00; W., 10°50; Tar., 3:10; B., 6:00. Range.—Uuited States, breeding in the interior as far north as Manitoba and on the Atlantic coast to North Carolina; casual northward to New Eng- land; winters from Florida and Texas southward to the West Indies. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, casual from July to Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. Eggs, three to four, olive clay-color or brownish ashy, spotted or blotched with chocolate, 2°58 x 1:85. “These birds, as a rule, inhabit the muddy shores and moist grassy flats and plains, but often frequent and breed upon the uplands re- mote from water. Their food consists of worms, crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, small snails, crabs, and crawfish; the latter they reach for with their long bills and pull them out of their holes; and I have seen them probe for and unearth the larve of the beetles and other forms of life that in the spring come to or near the surface prepara- tory to transformation. While feeding they move about with an easy carriage. “Their flight is not rapid but well sustained, with regular strokes of the wings, and when going a distance usually high and in a trian- gular form, uttering now and then their loud, prolonged whistling note, so often heard during the breeding season; before alighting, sud- denly drop nearly to the ground, then gather, and with a rising sweep gracefully alight ” (Goss). — 265. Numenius hudsonicus Zath. Hvpsontan Curtew; Jack Curtew. Ad.—Upper parts grayish brown, the sides of the feathers with whitish spots; ramp and tail barred with butty and blackish ; inner web of outer primaries and both webs of inner ones barred with buffy or whitish and black ; under parts butfy or whitish, the neck and breast streaked and the sides and under wing-coverts barred with black. L., 17-00; W., 9:00.) Dar. 230 = B., 3° 1D: Range.—Breeds in the arctic regions and winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Long Island, T. V., rare trom May 20 to 30; common from July to Oct. 1. Eggs, three to four, pale olive, spotted with dull brown, OOF xX 137 (Ridgw.). This is a much commoner bird on our coasts than the preceding, which it resembles in habits but not in notes. 266. Numenius borealis (/vrst.). Eskimo Curtew; Furr; Doveu-sirp. .Ad.—Upper parts black, margined and tipped with buffy or PLOVERS. Pat whitish ; upper tail-coverts barred with buffy and black ; tail brownish gray, edged with buffy and barred with black; primaries fuscous without bars ; under parts buffy or whitish, the breast streaked, the sides and under wing- coverts barred with black L., 13°50; W., 8°40; Tar., 1°75; B., 2°40. Range.—Breeds in the arctic regions and migrates southward, chiefly through the interior, to Patagonia, Long Island, rare T. V., Sept. Eggs, three to four, pale olive-greenish, olive, or olive-brownish, dis- tinctly spotted, chiefly on the larger end, with deep or dark brown, 2°04 x 1:43 (Ridgw.). This Curlew is far more common in the interior than on the At- lantic coast. It is more of a field bird than either of the two pre- ceding species, and frequents the dry uplands to feed on seeds and insects. Mr. G. H. Mackay, in his biography of this species,* writes: “Most of their habits closely resemble those of the Golden Plover. In migration they fly in much the same manner, with extended and broadside and triangular lines and clusters similar to those of Ducks and Geese at such times. They usually fly low after landing, sweeping slowly over the ground, apparently looking it over, generally standing motionless for quite a while after alighting, which, owing to their general color approximating so closely to the withered grass, renders it difficult at times to perceive them. . .. The only note I ever heard them make is a kind of squeak, very much like one of the cries of Wilson’s Tern (Sterna hirundo), only finer in tone.” The Wurmesre. (267. Numenius pheopus), an Old-World species, is of accidental occurrence in Greenland. FAMILY CHARADRIIDZX. PLOVERS. The one hundred species contained in this family are, as a whole, of less boreal distribution than the Snipes, and during the nesting season are distributed throughout the world. Only eight species are found in North America, Their habits in a general way resemble those of the true Snipes, but their much shorter, stouter bills are not fitted for probing, and they obtain their food from the surface. Probably for this reason several species are as frequently found on the uplands as near the shores. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Toes three. A. Back spotted or streaked with black and white, rufous, or golden yellow. 272. AM. GOLDEN PLOVER. B. Back ashy, gray, brown, or brownish gray. PMU TULOUS staaye We eee er yee ad he ew 8, TOs RIBRORE RY 6. Rump not rufous. * The Auk, vol. ix, 1892, pp. 16-21. i793 PLOVERS. 61, Bill over ‘50. 62, A black or brownish band on the breast. 280. Witson’s PLovenr. | 68. No band on the breast ; back grayish brown, margined with rufous. 281. Mountain PLoveEr. ce. Bill under °50. c2. A black line from the eye to the bill. 274. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. <3, No line from the eye to the bill. 277. Pipine Piover. 277a. BELTED Preine PLOVER. It; Toes four. 22 os ck a ce a Re ee BS STO. (BLACK-FEL TIE OpmoRe The Lapwine (269. Vanellus vanellus) is an Old-World species of acci- dental occurrence in America. The only record for eastern North America south of Greenland is based on a specimen shot at Merrick, L. I, in Decem- ber, 1883 (Dutcher, Auk, iii, 1886, p. 438). + 270. Charadrius squatarola (linn.). Buack-BeLiiep Piover; BererLe-HEap. (See Fig. 25, c, 26, d.) Ad. in summer.—Upper parts black, bordered with white; tail white, barred with black; basal half of the inner web of the primaries white; sides of the head and neck and entire under parts, except the white lower belly and under tail-coverts, black. Jm.—Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked, the back spotted with buffy yellow; tail and wings as in the adult; under parts white, the breast and sides streaked with brownish gray. Winter plumage.—Similar to the preceding, but upper parts brownish gray, lightly margined with whitish. L., 11:00; W., 7°50; ar, 190: B., 1710. Remarks.—The rounded scales on the front of the tarsus and the presence of a fourth, although very small, toe distinguish this bird. Range.—Nearly cosmopolitan; breeds in the arctic regions, and in Amer- ica winters from Florida to Brazil. Long Island, common T. V., May 5 to June 5; Aug. 1 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, A. V. Eggs, three to four, light buffy olive, spotted and speckled with dark brown and brownish black or deep black, 2°04 x 1:48 (Ridgw.). The following notes are abridged from Mr. Mackay’s extended ac-— count of the habits of this species (Auk, ix, 1892, pp. 143-152). They are in a great degree ¢ide birds, and seek a large part of their food on sand-flats left by the receding water. As the tide rises they resort to adjoining marshes or uplands, beaches, or the exposed crests of sand- bars. In migrating they fly in lines and also in ranks, like Ducks and Geese. When on the ground they usually run very fast for four or five yards, then stop, elevate the head, and look around. They strike at the object they are going to pick up and eat with a very quick motion. They have two calls: one of several notes, with the accent on the sec- ond one, is mellow, clear, and far reaching; the other is low, and is uttered when they are at ease and contented. tae PLOVERS. 173 272. Charadrius dominicus Mi/l. American GotpEn PLover; GREENBACK. Ad. in swmmer.—Upper parts black, spotted and margined with golden yellow; tail brownish gray, indistinctly barred with whitish ; sides of the breast white; rest of the under parts, including sides of the head, black; under wing-coverts ashy. Wénter plumage—vUpper parts and tail fuscous, spotted or barred with whitish or yellow; under parts whitish, more or less streaked or barred with brownish gray. L., 10°50; W., 7-00; Tar., 1:60; B., 90. Remarks.—Immature birds are sometimes confused with those of the Black- bellied Plover, but, aside from differences of size and color, the absence of the fourth toe in the present species will always distinguish it. Hange.—Breeds in the arctic regions; winters from Florida to Patagonia. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, T. V., very rare in May ; common from Aug. 15 to Nov. 10. Eggs, three to four, ochraceous-buft or buffy white, heavily marked with chocolate, 1°85 x 1:28. Golden Plovers frequent marshes, sandy hills, old fields, sand-flats exposed by the falling tide, plowed fields, and burned tracts which are free of trees and bushes. When on the ground they run rapidly and gracefully, and after alighting soon scatter. All their movements are quick, and after running a few yards they suddenly stop, hold their head erect, and look about them. In feeding they seem to strike at an object with a motion that reminds one of a Loon or Grebe begin- ning to dive. When a flock is approaching decoys, every bird seems to be whis- tling, uttering a note like coodle, coodle, coodle. Unlike the Black- bellied Plover, the young birds are wary and more difficult to decoy than the old ones. When driven from a favorite resting or feeding ground they generally return in a short time. (Abridged from Mr. George H. Mackay’s account of the habits of this species in The Auk, vili, 1891, pp. 17-24.) The European GoipeN Puover (271. Charadrius apricarius) oceurs in eastern Greenland. It resembles our species, but has the under wing-coverts white instead of gray. 273. /igialitis vocifera (Zinn.). Kituperr. Ad.—Forchead, a spot behind the eye, throat, and a ring around the neck, a band on the breast, lower breast, and belly white; front of the crown, lores, a ring around the neck, and a band on the breast black; crown and back grayish brown tipped with rufous; rump and upper tail-coverts rufous; inner tail-feathers grayish brown, outer ones becoming rufous and white, all tipped with black and white. L., 10°50; W., 6°50; Tar., 1°35; B., °75. Range.—North America north to Newfoundland and Manitoba, breeding throughout its range; winters from the lower Mississippi Valley and Vir- ginia to northern South America. 74 - PLOVERS. Washington, P. R., most abundant in migrations. Long Island, not com- mon T.. V., recorded in every month but Jan. Sing Sing, rare T. V. in fall; Sept. 28 to Oct. 25. Cambridge, A. V., two instances, Sept. Eggs, three to four, buffy white, spotted and scrawled with chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1°50 x 1:10. In localities where this bird is common it is difficult to get beyond the reach of its notes. Lakesides, meadows, pastures, and cultivated fields all attract it, but it is more numerous in the vicinity of water. It is a noisy, restless bird, running rapidly when on the ground, and when on the wing flying swiftly and sometimes pursuing a most irregular course. As a rule it is found in flocks, which scatter when feeding but unite when taking wing. At the first sign of danger it utters its half-plaintive, half-petulant Avdi-dee, kill-dee, and when thor- oughly alarmed its outcry increases until, beside itself with fear, it reaches the limit of its vocal powers. Although by no means shy, the Killdeer never seems to gain confidence in man, and at his approach always gives voice to its fear. Even at night I have heard it ery out at some real or fancied danger. 274. Zgialitis semipalmata Lonap. Semiratmatep Piover; Rine- NECK. (See Fig. 25, d, 26, ¢.) Ad. in summer.—Feathers at the base of the upper mandible, front of the crown, sides of the head be- low the eye, and a band on the breast, which gener- ally encireles the neck all around, black ; rest of under parts and a ring around the neck white; back of head and back brownish gray ; inner tail-feathers brownish gray, outer ones becoming gradually white; toes webbed at the base. Winter plum- age.—Similar, but the black replaced by brownish gray. f L., ‘6755 Wi :80e) Varese Fie. 65.—Semipalmated Plover. (Natural size.) B., *50. Range.—Breeds from Lab- rador to the shores of the Arctic Sea; winters from the Gulf States to Brazil. Washington, casual, three specimens, May; Aug. Long Island, common T. V., May; Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, common T. V. in fall; Aug. 23 to Sept. 20. Cambridge, rare in spring; sometimes common in Aug, and Sept. Eggs, three to four, buffy white or creamy buff, spotted with chocolate, WED) $< ASKUE C —— ey — PLOVERS. V5 This species frequents sandy beaches, mud-flats, and marshes. It is found generally in small flocks of five or ten individuals, which, unlike the Sand Oxeyes, do not feed in a compact body, but run rap- idly about, independently of one another. When they take wing, however, they close ranks at once and move as though governed by one desire. Their simple, sweet, plaintive call is one of the most characteristic notes heard on our shores. At noonday, when the heat waves are dancing over the marshes and even the twittering Oxeyes are silent, one may hear the cool, pure notes of this little Plover. They may be written [ —-—}——, A third, shorter note is sometimes added. Even a whistled imitation of them takes me to the beaches. The Rina Puover (275. digialitis hiaticula), an Old-World species, is found in Greenland. It is similar to the preceding but slightly larger, the black band on the breast is wider, and there is no web between the inner and middle toes. + 277. gialitis meloda (0rd). Pirtye Prover. Ad. in summer. —Upper parts pale whitish ashy; forehead, under parts, and a ring around the neck white; front of the crown and a band on either side of the breast black ; inner tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones becoming white. Winter plum- age.—Similar, but the black replaced by brownish gray. L., 7:00; W., 4°75; dar, 85° B.,°50. Range.—Eastern North America, breeding from Virginia to Newfound- land; winters from Florida southward. Long Island, not uncommon 8. R., Mch. through Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. Eggs, three to four, creamy white, finely spotted or speckled with choco- late, 1°24 x °95. The Piping Plover resembles the Ring-neck in habits but not in notes. Mr. J. H. Langille writes that it ‘can not be called a ‘ whistler,’ nor even a ‘piper,’ in an ordinary sense. Its tone has a particularly striking and musical quality. Quweep, queep, queep-o, or peep, peep, peep-lo, each syllable being uttered with a separate, distinct, and some- what long-drawn enunciation, may imitate its peculiar melody, the tone of which is round, full, and sweet, reminding one of a high key on an Italian hand organ or the hautboy in a church organ. It is always pleasing to the lover of Nature’s melodies, and in the still air of the evening it is very impressive.” 27a. 4. m. circumcincta Ridgw. Beiteo Pirine PLover.— Closely resembles the preceding, from which it differs in having the bands on either side of the breast joined, forming a continuous breastband. , Range.—Breeds from “northern Illinois and Nebraska northward to Lake 176 PLOVERS. Winnepeg,” and eastward to the Magdalen and Sable Islands; winters from the Gulf southward. Casual on the Atlantic coast during the migrations. Long Island, A. V. in summer. 280. Zigialitis wilsonia (Ord). Wuson’s Prover. Ad. ¢.— Lores, front of crown, and a band on the breast black; rest of under parts, . forehead, and an indistinct ring on the nape white; sides of the head and nape sometimes with rufous markings; cheeks, erown, and back brownish gray ; inner tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones becoming white. Ad. ?.—Similar, but black replaced by brownish gray. /im.—Similar to . 2, but upper parts margined with grayish. L., 750; W., 4:50; Tar., 1:10; B., 80. Range.—America, breeding from Virginia to Central America; win- ters southward to Brazil; casual northward to Nova Scotia. Long Island, .A. V., in sum- Fia. 66.—Wilson’s Plover. (Natural size.) .™€T- Eqs, three, creamy white, even- ly and rather finely spotted and speckled with chocolate, 1.42 x 1-03. This is a more strictly maritime species than the other representa- tives of this genus. Sandy beaches are its favorite resorts, but it is also found on mud-flats exposed by the falling tide. Dr. Coues de- scribes its note as half a whistle, half a chirp; quite different from that of the preceding species. It is a gentle, unsuspicious bird, and when its nest is approached it runs about the intruder and begs as plainly as a bird can that he will not disturb its treasures. The Mountarn Prover (281. 4igialitis montana), a western species, is of accidental occurrence in Florida. The upper parts are grayish brown margined with rufous, the under parts are white tinged with buffy on the breast; in adults the front of the crown and lores are black. L., about 8°75; W., 5°75; Wars -1°50. S. -863e Brerp Secenow d3, Wing 3:00; center of crown grayish brown, bordered by Feet tutous back grayish brown, eeoeted with olive- DIGWIAL Touts =. . . . . 554. WuHrrE-cRowNED SpaRRow. d4, Crown slate- colors a chestnut patch behind the eye; throat ucla ase teres . . . . P. 282. EnatisH Sparrow 6. ds, Crown entirely Bull brown; lesser wing-coverts broadly tipped with buffy. . . . . P. 282. Enerisn Sparrow 9°. III. Under parts without red and with numerous streaks. 1. Tail-feathers without white or yellow spots or patches, the owter ones little if any shorter than the middle pair. A. Head of about the same color as the back; no yellow over the eye, or on the bend of the wing, or under wing-coverts. a. Rump yellowish or yellowish green ; mandibles crossed. a. Wing-coverts tipped with white. 522. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL 9. a2, Wing-coverts not tipped with white . . 521. Am. CrosspiILL 9. b. Mandibles not crossed; rump brown or brownish or sandy like the back ; wing under 3°25. 61, Back pale brownish ashy, streaked with brownish; a whitish streak over the eye; legs flesh-color; first primary as long or longer than-the seconds). erie,» . . . . 541. Ipswich Sparrow. 62, Back and most of under fave streaked with black and reddish brown ; upper and under tail-coverts streaked ; first primary shorter than second; outer tail-feathers shorter than middle ones. 581. Sone Sparrow. 63, Back distinctly streaked ; a cream-buff band across the breast. 583. Lincoun’s Fincn. 64. Back grayish brown, the feathers with or without distinct streaks; first primaries nearly as long or longer than second; outer tail-feathers longer than middle pair; legs and feet black- ish ; with bristly feathers over the nostrils. 517. Purrite Finca @. 65. Back without streaks; no bristly feathers over the nostrils. 598. Inpigo BunTIne ¢. c. Mandibles not crossed; upper tail-feathers and tail bright reddish - brown, without black streaks; rump brighter; wing about 3°50. 585. Fox Sparrow. B. Head of about the same color as the back; a yellow mark before the eye, or on the bend of the wing, or under wing-coverts. a. Wing about 4:00; under wing-coverts deep yellow. 595, RosE-BREASTED GROSBEAK @. o 276 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. b. Wing generally under 2°90; feathers of the crown black, bordered by chestnut-brown; a buffy line through the center of crown. 542a. SavanNA SPARROW. c. Wing generally over 2:90; feathers of crown with small black cen- ters bordered with cinnamon-brown and pale brownish gray. 541. Ipswich SpaRRow. d. Wing about 3°00; breast washed with yellow . . 604 DicxcIssEL. e. Wing about 3:00; sides brownish ; throat white, quite different from the grayish breast . . . . . . 558. WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Cc. A bright red crown-cap; no yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing. a. Rump and flanks always heavily streaked with blackish. 528. Repro. and races. b. Rump white, generally without streaks; flanks lightly streaked ; more or less white in the feathers of the back. 527. GREENLAND Reppoiy. 527a. Hoary REepPott. 2. Tail-feathers without white or yellow patches, narrow and generally sharply pointed, the outer feathers always much shorter than the middle pair. A. Crown of a different color from the back, or a buffy line over the eye. a. Center of crown with a more or less distinct brownish or buffy line. @, Nape dull, pale olive-green, of the same color as the line over the eye, but finely streaked with black; back rufous-brown, streaked Wibhlaeks: 92%. 9% . . . . 547. HensLtow’s SPaRRow. a2, Nape bright tice Hoan: the feathers bordered by gray; the feathers of the back black, bordered by buffy whitish. 548. LeconTe’s Sparrow. b. Center of crown ae a more or less distinct stripe of ashy blue. b1, Breast and sides distinctly streaked with black or blackish. 549. SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. b2, Breast and sides buffy or brownish, the former generally without distinct black streaks . 549a. NELson’s SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. 549). AcapIAN SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. B. Crown of the same color as the back ; no buffy line over the eye. a. A yellow spot before the eye and on the bend of wing. a}, Upper parts very dark brown or black; the feathers edged with olive-gray or ashy, breast generally with black streaks. (Florida.) 550a. Scort’s SEASIDE SPARROW. 551. Dusky SEASIDE SPARROW. ° a*, Back olive-gray ; breast with grayish brown streaks. 550. SEASIDE SPARROW. b. No yellow before the eye; bend of the wing yellow. 575. Prng-woops Sparrow. 575a. BAcHMAN’s SPARROW. c. No yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing. cl, A broad cream-buff band across the breast. 583. Lincotn’s SPARROW. c1, No cream-buff band on the breast; streaks on the breast tending to form aspotinits middle. . ... . . 581. Sone Sparrow. 8. Tail with white patches or base of tail yellow. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC, onT A, Base of the tail yellow. . . . : wlth ood. INE NISKING J. Outer tail-feathers with white GneoHGs. a. Hind toe-nail shorter than the bill from the nostril. a, Lesser wing-coverts rufous; breast streaked with black. 540. Vesper Sparrow. a*, Sides of crown and ear-coverts chestnut; a black spot on the cen- terot the breast.» 2... - . . . 552. Lark Sparrow. b. ind toe-nail longer than bill fiom nostril. 61. Under parts cream-buff; two outer tail-feathers mostly white. 537. Smiry’s Lonespur. o?, Under parts whitish; breast streaked or spotted with black or entirely black; second outer tail-feather with but little white. 536. LapLanp Lonespur. A FIrevp KEY TO THE ADULT MALE FINCHES AND SPARROWS OF THE MIDDLE STATES (VIRGINIA TO MASSACHUSETTS) IN BREEDING PLUMAGE. I. Breast with more or less yellow. Il. Breast blue. Ill. Breast or throat red. IV. Breast without either yellow, blue, or red. I. Breast with more or less yellow. A. Chin white, throat black; haunts grassy fields; song an unmusical effort of six or seven notes delivered with great earnestness from a low perch (rare east of the Alleghanies). . . . . 604. DicxKorssEL. £4. Under parts and breast pure yellow, crown and wings black; song a sweet canarylike warble; flight undulating, frequently accompanied by the notes chic-o-ree, per-chic-o-ree. . . . . . 529. GoLpFINcH. II. Breast blue. A. Length over 6:00; plumage deep blue, a chestnut bar across the wings (not found north of Virginia). . . . . . . 597. BLur Grosprax. J. Length under 6-00; plumage indigo-blue; haunts woody fields, serub or second growth; song clear and musical, generally delivered from a tree-top. . wheel verse, da O98. INDIGO BUmrinG: III. Breast or throat red. A. Length 8:00; throat and region about the base of the bill black, rest of the plumage bright vermilion-red ; head with a conspicuous crest ; song a rich, musical whistle; call-note an insignificant cheep ; haunts thickets and bushy woodland (rare north of New York city). 593. CARDINAL. BL. Length 7:50; breast rose-red ; belly, tip of the tail, rump, and a band in the wings white ; rest of the plumage black; haunts wooded growths ; song loud, clear, and highly musical; call-note a metallic peek. 595, RosE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. C. Length under 6°50; plumage more or less heavily washed with dull 978 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. reddish ; haunts orchards and wooded growths; song a liquid warble; call-note a metallic chink, frequently uttered while on the wing. 517. Purpie Fincu. D. Length about 6:00; plumage dull blood-red ; mandibles crossed at the tips; generally found in small flocks in coniferous woods; utters a clicking or whistled note when on the wing (rarely found south of New England after. May,1), .. 2. .... +. +... 521. Rep CRossBILL. E. Breast white, tinged with brown; region about the bill red, a yellow band in the wings (rare except in the vicinity of New York city). European GOLDFINCH. IV. Breast without either yellow, red, or blue. 1. Under parts distinctly streaked or spotted. A. Outer tail-feathers white, showing conspicuously when the bird flies; haunts dry fields and roadsides ; song loud and musical. 540. VESPER SPARROW. ZB. Outer tail-feathers not white. a. Song loud and musical; an abundant and familiar bird of gen- eral distribution ; spots on the breast tending to form one larger spot in the center; crown umber, a whitish line over the eye. 581. Sone Sparrow. b. Song not loud and musical; short and generally unattractive ; haunts wet meadows or marshes; passes most of the time on the ground, rarely perching far from it, and when flushed generally returning to it. 1. A buffy line over the eye and at the side of the throat, breast generally washed with buffy ; haunts only salt marshes (rarely found far from the vicinity of the seashore.) 549. SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. b2. No buff on the sides of the head or breast; upper parts black- ish; song tsip-tsip-tsip’sé-e-e-s’r-r-r ; rarely breeds south of New York city ; haunts both salt- and fresh-water marshes. 542a. Savanna SPARROW. 63. Back reddish, head and neck buffy olive; haunts generally wet pastures; song an inconspicuous see-wick (rather rare, liv- ing in small colonies of local distribution). 547. HensLow’s Sparrow. 2. Under parts not distinctly streaked or spotted. A. Throat pure white, sharply defined from the grayish breast, a yellow spot over the eye; crown black, with a central stripe of white; haunts thickets or bushy woodlands; song a high, clear, musical whistle; call-note a sharp chink. 558. WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. B. Throat and breast black. a. Sides of the throat and belly white, crown ash, sides of the head chestnut . . . . . P. 282. Housz Sparrow. 6. Length 8:00; sides of the iad light rufous, outer tail-feathers tipped with white; haunts thickets and bushy woodlands; call- note a vigorous towhee or chee-wink . . . . . 587. TowHEE. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 279 C. Throat and breast slate-color, like the back; belly and outer tail- feathers white ; bill flesh-color (nests in the Middle States only on the higher parts of the Alleghanies) . . Ginnie ole ye OOK. A UNCOE D. Under parts white or whitish, practically all one color. a. Haunts wet marshes. @, Haunts always salt marshes, generally near the sea; back OTAVINE CS oP ire - . . . 680. SEAsIDE SPARROW. a2, Haunts both salt- bad one water marshes; back brown, streaked with black; cap and wings Fines ana: song a loud, sharp, rapidly repeated weet-weet-weet, ete. 584. Swamp SPARROW. 6. Haunts dry fields, pastures, roadsides, lawns, thickets, ete. 61. Outer tail-feathers white, middle of the breast with a small black spot (not found east of the Alleghanies). 552. Lark Finca. ci, Outer tail-feathers not white. c2, Upper parts reddish-brown, bill pinkish flesh-color; haunts bushy fields and pastures; song a musical, plaintive cher- wee, cher-wee, cher-wee, cheeo-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee. 563. FIeLp Sparrow. c8, Bill dark brown, a buffy line through the center of the ground ; song an insect-like pit-twh, .2ee-zee-zee-zee-zee. 546, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. ct, Back streaked with black, cap chestnut, a white line over the eye, bill black ; song a monotonous chippy-chippy- Chippy, be, .. ... . . 560. Curppine SPARROW. c5, Larger, length “bout 7:00; crown black, with a white central stripe; throat not noticeably different from the breast; no yellow over the eye (rare; nests north of New England). . . . . . 554. WuHITE-cRowNnED SpaRRow. 514. Cocothraustes vespertinus ((o0p.). Evrentne Grospeax. Ad. §.—Forehead yellow, crown black; sides of the head olive-brown, chang- ing to dull yellow on the rump; belly and seapulars, wings and tail black ; end half of the secondaries and their coverts white. 4d. ¢.—Brownish gray, lighter on the under parts, more or less tinged with yellow, especially on the nape; wings black, inner primaries white at the base, secondaries edged with white; tail black, the feathers tipped with white on the inner web; upper tail-coverts black tipped with white. L., 8:00; W., 4:50; T., 3°50; B., 72. Range.—Interior of North America, from Manitoba northward ; southeast- ward in winter to the upper Mississippi Valley and casually to the northern Atlantic States. Cambridge, known to have occurred only in winter of 1889-90, Nest, known but from few specimens, composed of small twigs lined with bark, hair, or rootlets, placed within twenty feet of the ground. Eggs, three to four, greenish, blotched with pale brown (see Davie). This distinguished inhabitant of the far northwest is a common winter visitant in Manitoba and the contiguous parts of the bordering 980 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. States. At irregular intervals it invades the northern Mississippi Valley in numbers, while still more rarely it extends its wanderings to the north Atlantic States. It travels in flocks of from six or eight to sixty individuals which by their tameness show their ignorance of man and his ways. They feed largely on the buds or seeds of trees— maple, elder, and box elder. Their notes are described by different observers as a shrill “ cheepy-teet,” and a “ frog-like peep,” while one writer remarks that “the males have a single metallic cry like the note of a trumpet, and the females a loud chattering like the large Cherry Birds (Ampelis garrulus).” Their song is given as a wander- ing, jerky warble, beginning low, suddenly increasing in power, and as suddenly ceasing, as though the singer were out of breath. During the winter and early spring of 1890 there was a phenom- enal incursion of Evening Grosbeaks into the Northern States, ac- counts of which, by Amos W. Butler, will be found in The Auk, ix, 1892, pp. 238-247; x, 1893, pp. 195-157. 515. Pinicola enucleator (Zinn.). Pine Grospeax. Ad. 6.— Slaty gray, more or less strongly washed with rose-red, strongest on the crown, rump, upper tail-coverts, and breast; wings fuscous, their coverts edged with white; tail fuscous. Ad. 9.—Slaty gray, crown, upper tail-cov- erts, and breast more or less strongly washed with olive-yellow; wings and tail as in the 6. Jm.—Resembles the ¢. L., 9°08; W., 4°36; T., 3°67; B.,°54. Range.—* Northern portions of the northern hemisphere, breeding far north ; in winter south, in North America, irregularly to the northern United States.” Washington, casual in winter.. Sing Sing, irregular W. V., Dee. 18 to Apl, 12. Cambridge, irregular W. V., frequently common, sometimes abun- dant, Nov. to Mch. Nest, of twigs and rootlets lined with finer materials, in coniferous trees a few feet up. Eygs,“ pale greenish blue, spotted and blotched with dark brown surface markings and lilae shell -spots, 1°05 x °74.” The Pine Grosbeak, like the Spruce Partridge and Canada Jay, may be said to find its true home in the coniferous forest or Canadian belt, which crosses the continent diagonally from Maine to Alaska. Like many of its congeners in this inhospitable region, it nests so early in the springtime that the winter’s frost and snow are still dominant among the evergreens when the eggs come to claim the at- tention of the pair. Its habits at this season are but little known, as very few natural- ists have had the opportunity of seeing it in its native pine wood. But in midwinter, when it comes southward in search of food, it is a well-known frequenter, in flocks, of plantations of mountain-ash trees, or groups of sumach bushes, whose unfallen berries provide it with a bountiful supply of nourishing diet. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. RSE It is said to make an admirable cage-bird, as it readily takes to confinement, and during the springtime has a prolonged and melo- dious song. Its form has a general resemblance to that of the common Robin, but its very short, thick beak and its forked tail are striking differ- ences. It is rather slow and inactive when in a tree, and when on the wing it has a loud whistle which is very characteristic; at all times its colors, as above described, should distinguish the bird at a very considerable distance. Ernest E. Toompson. + 517. Carpodacus purpureus ((mel.). Purpie Fincn. . Ad. ¢. —Entire body suttused with rose-red, strongest on the head, rump, and breast, more brownish on the back; whiter, gen- erally white, on*the belly ; wings and tail brownish fuscous, the outer webs of the feathers finely edged with rose-red; a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils; outer tail-feathers longest. Ad. 9 .—Very different, sparrowlike in appearance; upper parts dark grayish brown, finely streaked with black ; wings and tail dark grayish brown; under parts white, streaked, or with wedge- shaped spots of fuscous. L., 6°22; W., 3°24: T., 2:29: B., 45. ae Females bear a decided os ee ee Cahanal resemblance to some Sparrows, but the rounded bill, tufts of feathers over the nostrils, and forked tail are distin- guishing characters. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from northern Minnesota and Long Island northward; winters from the northern States to the Gulf. Washington, common W. V., Sept. 15 to May 15, largely a migrant. Sing Sing, rare P. R., common T. V. Cambridge, P. R., very common from Mch. to Oct.; irregular, but sometimes abundant, in winter. Nest, of twigs, grasses, and rootlets, thickly lined with long hairs, in conif- erous trees, five to thirty feet up. “Zygs, four to six, blue, spotted about the larger end with fuscous, ‘79 x °56. During the nesting season the Purple Finch frequently takes up its abode in private grounds, even becoming a familiar garden bird, while others of its race find a congenial home in wild mountain forests, far away from the society of man. The rosy plumage of the males makes it attractively noticeable as a garden bird; but a serious offense must be charged against it—it has far too ready a taste for the blos- soms of fruit trees, and is perhaps the most confirmed bud-eater of all our birds. It has naturally a roving disposition, and, in the autumn especially, seems ever to be impelled by some restless impulse. At this 282 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. season it may often be seen descending with airy, sweeping flight into some leafless treetop, as if from a far atrial journey, its identity made known by its very characteristic utterance, a short, rather dull-sound- ing note, scarcely metallic—the metal pressed the instant the bell is struck. Although the Purple Finch often essays to sing in the autumn and earliest spring, its full powers of voice belong alone to the nuptial season. Then it easily takes its place among our noteworthy song birds. Its full song is a sweet-toned, carelessly flowing warble—not too brief to miss definite character as a song, and positive enough in modulation and delivery to find ready place in the memory. At times, indeed, its singing is of a character not to be easily forgotten. The song bursts forth as if from some uncontrollable stress of gladness, and is repeated uninterruptedly over and over again, while the ecstatic bird rises high into the air, and, still singing, descends into the trees. EuGeEne P. BicKNELL. Passer domesticus (Zinn.). Housr Sparrow; ENGLIsH Sparrow. Ad. 6.—Crown gray, bordered from the eye backward and on the nape by chestnut; lesser wing-coverts chestnut, middle coverts tipped with white ; back streaked with black and chestnut; rump ashy; middle of the throat and breast black; sides of the throat white; belly whitish. Ad. ¢.—Head and rump grayish brown; back streaked with black and deep ochraceous-buff; under parts dirty whitish, the breast and sides washed with pale grayish brown, 1L:,.6°338; W., 3°01; T., 2°30;: B..-48. Range.—* Nearly the whole of Europe, but replaced in Italy by P. ztalia, extending eastward to Persia and Central Asia, India, and Ceylon” (Sharpe). Introduced and naturalized in America, Australia, New Zealand, ete. Nest, of any available material in any available place. Zygs, varying from plain white to almost uniform olive-brown, generally white, finely and evenly marked with olive, 1°86 x °62. We learn from Bulletin No. 1 of the Division of Economie Orni- thology and Mammalogy of the United States Department of Agri- culture * that this pest was first introduced into the United States at Brooklyn, New York, in 1851 and 1852. -As late as 1870 it was largely confined to the cities of the Atlantic States, but since that date, partly through man’s agency and partly through the bird’s rapid increase in numbers and adaptability, it has spread over most of the United States and Canada east of the great plains, and isolated colonies are estab- lished throughout the west. * The English Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in North America, especially in its Relations to Agriculture. Prepared under the Direction of Dr. C. Hart Mer- riam, Ornithologist, by Walter B. Barrows, Assistant Ornithologist, Washington, 1889. ~ FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 983 This report shows that in ten years the progeny of a single pair of Sparrows might amount to 275,716,988,698! It also states that during the year 1886 the Sparrow added approximately 516,500 square miles to the territory occupied by it. The day is evidently near at hand, therefore, when the English Sparrow will be in complete possession of the country. The European TREE Sparrow (Passer montanus) has become naturalized in and about St. Louis, Missouri. ~ J es es se fins + 521. Loxia curvirostra minor (Sreim). AMERICAN CROSSBILL ; Rep Crosspitt. Ad. 6.—Tips of the mandibles crossed ; body dull red, brighter on the rump, browner on the back; wings and tail fuscous. Ad. 9. Dull olive-green, yellower on the rump, indistinctly mottled with blackish on the head and back, mixed with whitish on the under parts. /m. é.—Similar to the ¢, or mixed red and green. L., 6°19; W., 3:40; T., 2°13; B., °66. Range.—Breeds from the Northern States northward, and, in the Allegha- nies, southward to the Carolinas; in winter wanders irregularly southward, sometimes reaching the Gulf States. Washington, irregular W. V., sometimes abundant. Sing Sing, irregu- lar; noted in almost every month. Cambridge, of irregular occurrence at all seasons. Nest, of twigs and grasses, lined with bits of moss and rootlets, in conifer- ous trees, fifteen to thirty feet up. Zygs, three to four, “ pale greenish, spotted and dotted about the larger end with various shades of brown and lavender shell-markings, 1°75 x °57.” These parrotlike Finches are famous for their erratic wanderings. They seem to have no regard for the laws of migration which regu- late the journeys of most birds, and, having no home ties, may linger in regions which offer them abundant fare without much regard to season. ‘They nest early in the spring, sometimes when they are far south of their breeding range, but they seem quite unconcerned by their unusual surroundings, and their young are born and raised in a foreign land. Coniferous forests form their natural surroundings, and their bills are especially adapted to aid them in forcing off the scales from the cones of these trees to obtain the seed within. They live in flocks, and when in the trees climb about like Parrots, sometimes exhibiting as little fear of man as Polly on her pedestal. When feeding, they have a short, whistled call-note; they take wing in a body, and their undulating flight is accompanied by a sharp click- ing or whistled note. Their song is described as “varied and pleas- ing, but not powerful or in any respect remarkable.” 522. Loxia leucoptera (mei. Wuire-wincep CrossBitt. Ad. 6. —Tips of the mandibles crossed ; body dull pink, brighter on the ramp, more 984 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. or less marked with black on the back; belly whitish; wings and tail black, the greater and middle wing-coverts, and sometimes tertials, tipped with white. Ad. 9.—Dull olive-green, yellow on the rump, grayer on the under parts, mottled with blackish on the head and back; wings and tail as in the 6. Jm. 6.—Similar to ?, but passes through a party-colored plumage while becoming mature, and, as in the preceding species, is subject to much Variation. , 1.605; W.,.3:27 3 T., 241s. 62: Range.—Breeds from the Northern States northward; in winter wanders irregularly southward, sometimes reaching Illinois and Virginia. Washington, casual. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. 29 to Dec. 6. Cambridge, irregular W. V. Nest, of twigs and strips of birch bark, covered exteriorly with moss (Usnea), and lined with soft moss and hair, on the fork of an evergreen in deep torests. Zgqs, three (?), pale blue, spotted and streaked near larger end with reddish brown and lilac, ‘80 x °55 (Chamberlain). Colonel Goss writes that in general habits these birds resemble the American Crossbill. Their flight is swift and undulating. While feeding and moving about they are quite noisy, almost constantly uttering a plaintive wheep or cheeping note. Their song is low, soft, and sweet, much like that of the American Goldfinch. 527. Acanthis hornemannii (//0/).).. Greentanp ReppoLi.—Simi- lar to the next, but “larger (length about 5:50-6:50), with proportionally thicker and less acute bill. 6 W., 3°37; T., 2°75; exposed culmen, °35; depth of B. at base, -31.” Range.—* Northern Greenland (breeding from 69°-73° N. latitude) and eastern arctic America, south to Labrador in winter” (Ridgw.). 52a. A. h. exilipes (Cowes). Hoary Reppoty. Ad. é.—Bill very sharply pointed, a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils; crown-cap bright red ; back dark grayish brown, the feathers more or less margined with white; rump white, generally unstreaked, and tinged with pink; wings and tail brownish fuscous, the feathers all more or less edged with white; middle of the throat blackish, breast tinged with pink, belly white, a few streaks on the side. Ad. ?.—Similar, but with no pink on the rump or breast. /m.— Similar to the ¢, but without the red crown-cap. L., 5-00; W., 3:00; T., 230° \15., "30. Remarks.—This species is to be distinguished from Acanthis linaria and its races by the greater amount of white in its plumage, its unstreaked rump, and comparatively unstreaked under parts. Range.—Aretie regions; south in winter rarely to the northern United States. Cambridge, casual W. V. Nest, of grass and twigs lined with feathers, in a low tree or on the ground. Zggs, three to five, white, tinged with blue or green, spotted with reddish brown, 65 x 50 (Chamberlain). 528. Acanthis linaria (Jinn.). Reprott. Ad. §.—Bill very sharply pointed, a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils; crown-cap FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 285 bright red; back fuseous grayish brown, the feathers margined with ochra- ceous-buff; rump tinged with pink ; wings and tail fuscous, the feathers more or less edged with whitish ; middle of the throat blackish, breast suffused with pink, belly white, sides streaked with fuscous. Ad. °.—Similar, but without pink on the rump or breast, the sides more heavily streaked. Jm. —Similar to the ¢, but without a red crown- eap. L., 5:32; W., 2°80; T., 2°32; B.,°36; depth of B. at base, °22. Range.—Breeds in the northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in winter migrates irregularly southward, in America, to Illinois and Virginia. Washington, very rare and irregular W. V. Sing Sing, irregular W. V., Nov. 25 to Mch. 26. Cambridge, irregular W. V., often very abundant, Oct. 25 to Apl. 10. est, of dry grass and moss lined with hair, feathers, or plant down, in a low tree or tuft of grass. gs, four to six, white, tinged with green or blue, spotted with reddish brown, °65 x °50 (Chamberlain). Fie. 80.—Redpoll. (Natural size.) The little Redpoll is one of those birds that are best known as win- ter visitors. Sometimes it comes from the north in flocks when driven from home by the annual failure of the food supply, and speedily at- tracts attention by frequenting the gardens and orchards, even when these are within the limits of a town. In general habits it resembles a Goldfinch, and while with us it finds its wants supplied chiefly by the various grasses and herbs which project through the snow and still retain their seed in spite of wind and weather. It is noted for its affectionate and confiding disposition, and although it is not known to breed in captivity it has always proved an easily tamed and inter- esting pet. Ernest E. THompson. 528a. A. 1. holbecellii (2rekm). Hotseryw’s Reppoty.—Similar to A. linaria, but larger, the bill longer. W., 3:20; 'I’., 2°35; B., -38; depth of B. at base, °22. , fange.—* Northern coasts of Europe and Asia (Norway to Japan), and portions of Alaska”; casual in eastern North America. This is an intermediate between A. linaria and A. J. rostrata, most closely approaching the former, from which it sometimes can with difficulty be distinguished. It is an exceedingly rare bird in eastern North America, where there are but two records of its occurrence: Quebec (Ridgway) and Massachusetts (Brewster). 528b. A. 1. rostrata (Cowes). Greater Reppoit.—Similar to A. linaria, but larger, the margin to the feathers of the upper parts averaging darker, the bill shorter and stouter. L., 5°50; W., 3°20; T., 2°55; B., °35; depth of B. at base, -28. 286 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Range.—* Southern Greenland in summer, migrating south, in winter, through Labrador to (sparingly) the northern border of the United States (New England, lower Hudson Valley, northern Illinois, ete.), and west to Manitoba” (Ridgw.). Sing Sing, A. V. Cambridge, irregular W. V., Nov. to Feb. “The Greater Redpoll is often rather common, and in February, 1883, it occurred along the seacoast near Boston in positive abundance. On the 19th of this month Mr. Spelman and I took thirteen specimens at Revere Beach in about two hours; and on the 22d, at Nantasket Beach, two young collectors, by a few random shots into an excep- tionally large, mixed flock of Redpolls, secured forty specimens, of which six proved to be A. linarva and thirty-four rostrata. “ As one sees them in winter in New England, the forms just men- tioned, with A. hornemannii exilipes, do not differ appreciably in notes, habits, or general appearance. It is true that A. l. rostrata may be often recognized by its superior size, but the birds as a rule are so nervous and restless, and when in large flocks so constantly in motion and so likely to depart altogether at any moment, that a free use of the gun is ordinarily indispensable to positive identification ” (Brewster, Minot’s Land Birds and Game Birds, 2d ed., App., p. 472). 529. Spinus tristis (Zinn.). American Go.pFincn; YELLOW- BIRD; THISTLE-BIRD. Ad. 6.—Crown-cap black; back and under parts bright yellow; wings black, the coverts and secondaries tipped with white ; tail black, the feathers with white on their inner webs. Ad. ¢.—Upper parts grayish brown with an olive tinge; wings and tail as in the 4, but somewhat more dusky and the white markings less distinct; under parts whitish, washed with buffy brown and more or less tinged with yellow, espe- cially on the throat. Ad. 6 in winter—Similar to the ad. ¢, but with the wings and tail asin summer. L., 5°10; W., 2°82; T., 1:95; B., °40. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from South Carolina:to southern Labrador; winters from the northern United States to the Gulf. Washington, common P. R. Sing Sing, common P. R. Cambridge, very common P. R. Nest, externally of fine grasses, strips of hark, and moss, thickly lined with thistle down, in trees or bushes, five to thirty feet up. Zygs, three to six, pale bluish white, 65 x °48. Except when nesting, Goldfinches are generally found in small flocks. Few birds seem to enjoy life more than these merry rovers. Every month brings them a change of fare, and in pursuit of fresh dainties the nesting-time is delayed almost until summer begins to wane. Seed-bearing plants, whether in field or garden, form their larder; the old sunflowers rattle before their vigorous attack; the thistles spring into sudden blossom of black and gold as they swing from the nodding heads. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 287 Their flight is expressive of their joyous nature, and as they bound through the air they hum a gay Their love song is delivered with an ecstasy and abandon which car- ries them off their feet, and they circle over the. fields sowing the air with music. The song has a canarylike character, and while it is less varied it possesses a wild, ringing quality wanting in the cage-bound bird’s best efforts. The BLAck-HEADED GOLDFINCH (532. Spinus notatus), a Mexican species, is recorded by Audubon from Kentucky, where its occurrence is, of course, purely accidental. 533. Spinus pinus (Wi/s.). Prove Siskin; Prne Fiycn. Ad.—Bill sharply pointed, a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils; upper parts streaked with black, the feathers margined with buffy ; wings fuscous, most of the feathers margined with yellow, and yellow at the base ,; tail fuscous, all but the middle feathers yellow at the base ; under parts white, tinged with buffy and heavily streaked with black. L., 5:00; W., 2°76; T., 1:90; B., -40. Remarks.—The yellow markings in the wings and tail of this species will always serve to distinguish it. Range.—North America generally; breeds mostly north of the United States; winters as far south as the Gulf. Washington, irregularly abundant W. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, irregu- lar P. R. Cambridge, irregular W. V., Sept. to May; sometimes very abun- dant. Nest, of twigs and rootlets, lined with plant down and long hairs, in conif- erous trees. gs, four, pale bluish white, thinly spotted with reddish brown, "67 x 46. Like the American Crossbill, this bird is rather erratic in its move- ments, and its presence or absence at any season can never be predicted with certainty. It resembles the American Goldfinch in habits, but is more often found about coniferous trees, and its notes and song are less musical. It has been found nesting in May at Sing Sing, N. Y. (Fisher), and at Cornwall-on-Hudson (Allen). Carduelis carduelis (Zinn.). Europran Goiprincn. Ad.—Region about the base of the bill bright red; crown, and a stripe extending from it on to the sides of the neck, black; back cinnamon-brown; wings black, crossed by a broad yellow band; tail black, the inner webs of the feathers tipped with white; under parts white, the sides tinged with the color of the baek, i) 5:50; Ws 3°00: Ty, 2°95: B., :50. 288 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Range.—* Europe generally, except extreme northern part” (Sharpe). In- troduced near New York city and Boston. West, externally, of grasses and plant down, lined with plant down, in coniferous trees. Zygs, four to five, white, with purplish spots, ‘72 x -50. This European species was introduced into this country at Ho- boken, N. J., in 1878. The following year it appeared in Central Park, New York city. It has since spread over the northern parts of the city, and in favorable places is a not uncommon permanent resident. It has also been introduced in the vicinity of Boston, Mass., where it is to be found in small numbers. In general habits it resem- bles its American cousin, with which it sometimes associates. 534. Plectrophenax nivalis (Linn.). Snowriake; Snow Bunr- Inc. Ad. $ in summer.—Whole head and neck, rump, and under parts white ; back and scapulars black; wings white, the end half of the primaries and inner secondaries black; outer tail-feathers white, inner ones black. Ad. 9 in summer.—Similar, but entire upper parts streaked with black; primaries all fuscous; secondaries more or less tipped with fuscous. 6 du winter.— Upper parts a kind of rusty brown, almost umber on the center of the crown ; back streaked with black, caused by the black bases of the feathers showing through their rusty tips; wings and tail much as in summer, but more or less edged with rusty; under parts white, the breast and sides washed with rusty. 9 in winter.—Similar to 4, but the primaries all fuscous. L., 6°88; W., 407; Ys, 2°70" B., *42. Range.—‘ Northern parts of the northern hemisphere, breeding in the arctic regions; in North America, south in winter into the northern United States, irregularly to Georgia, southern Ilinois, and Kansas.” Washington, W. V., casual, one instance. Sing Sing, irregular W. V., Oct. 25 to Mch. 22. Cambridge, common W. V., Oct. 25 to Mch. 25; abundant in migrations. Nest, of grasses, rootlets, and moss, lined with finer grasses and feathers, on the ground. £ggs, four to seven, pale bluish white, thinly marked with umber or heavily spotted or washed with rufous-brown, °85 x ‘64. The Snowflake may readily be known by the fact that it is the only one of our sparrowlike birds that has white predominating on its wings and tail, as well as on its body. It feeds exclusively on seeds, and is so much like the Shorelark in habits that the two species occa- sionally associate. The Snowflake is also strictly a ground bird, never perching on a tree, though it often does so on a house or fence. It always progresses by walking, not by hopping. Throughout Canada and the northern tier of States this is the familiar little white bird of winter. AS soon as the chill season comes on in icy rigors, the merry Snowflakes appear in great flocks, and come foraging about the barnyards when there is no bare ground left in the adjacent fields. Apparently they get but little to eat, but in reality they always find enough to keep them in health and spirits, and are as FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 289 fat as butter balls. In midwinter, in the far north, when the ther- mometer showed thirty degrees below zero, and the chill blizzard was blowing on the plains, I have seen this brave little bird gleefully chasing his fellows, and pouring out as he flew his sweet, voluble song with as much spirit as ever Skylark has in the sunniest days of June. As long as the snow lasts the Snowflake stays, and as soon as the ground grows bare and there is promise of better days, this bird of winter betakes himself again to the north, as far as ever human foot has been, and there builds his nest. Ernest E. THoMPson. 536. Calcarius lapponicus (Zinn.). Lartanp Lonespur. Ad. 8 in summer.—lHind toe-nail as long as or longer than toe; head, neck, throat, and breast black; a buffy line behind the eye; nape rufous; back streaked with black and ochraceous- and cream-buff; tail fuscous, the two outer feathers with more or less white; belly white; sides streaked with black. Ad. 9 in summer.—Upper parts streaked with black, rufous, ochraceous- and cream-buff; nape ochraceous-buff, the color sometimes concealed by the tips of the feathers; tail fuscous, the outer one or two feathers marked with white; under parts white, the breast and pies streaked with Wie, St _“Hinditoo oe Tae black and ochraceous-buff. 6 tn winter.—Simi- land Longspur. lar to 9 in summer, but upper parts blacker, nape more rufous, breast more heavily marked with black, most of the feathers black at the base. 9 im winter.—Similar to 9 in summer, but upper parts duller, nape with little or ho ochraceous. L., 6°25; W., 3°75; T., 2°55; B., -40. Remarks.—In some plumages this bird bears a general resemblance to cer- tain Sparrows, but differs from them in having the hind toe-nail as long as or longer than the toe. Range.‘ Northern portions of the northern hemisphere, breeding far north; in North America, south in winter to the northern United States, irregularly to the Middle States, accidentally to South Carolina.” Washington, W. V., casual, one instance, Dec. Sing Sing, W. V., casual. Nest, of grasses and moss lined with grasses, on the ground. gqs, four to six, bluish white, almost obscured by a uniform grayish brown, ‘82 x °60. In the east Lapland Longspurs are generally found among flocks of Shorelarks or Snowflakes, but on the western plains they occur in great numbers. “ High in the air they fly in long, straggling flocks, all singing together; a thousand voices, a tornado of whistling... . When in the fields they have a curious habit of squatting just behind some clod, and, as their colors are nearly matched to the soil, they are not easily observed, nor will they move until you are within a few feet; they then run a few feet and squat again. . . .” (Thompson). 537. Calcarius pictus (Swains.). Sitn’s Lonespur. Ad. in sum- mer.—Top and sides of the head black, a line over the eye and the ear-coverts 20 290 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. white; back and rump streaked with black and ochraceous-buff; lesser wing- coverts black, broadly tipped with white; tail fuscous, the two outer feathers mostiy white; nape and under parts ochraceous-buff. Ad. 2 im summer.— Upper parts black, the feathers margined and tipped with pale cream-buff ; two outer tail-feathers mostly white; under parts pale cream-buff; breast and sides sometimes lightly streaked with blackish. 6 mw winter.—Similar to 9 in summer, but with the lesser wing-coverts black, tipped with white. L., Go0e W375 1 ., 2°50» B., °42. Range.—Interior of arctic America (chiefly Mackenzie River Valley) in summer, breeding north to the arctic coast and upper Yukon Valley; south, in winter, over the Great Plains and prairies to Illinois, Texas, etc. Nesting, similar to that of the preceding. “Their habits are quite similar to those of P. lapponicus while upon the ground. ... When flushed they invariably uttered a sharp clicking note, rapidly repeated several times. When driven from their feeding place by my approach they would rise in a loose flock, and, after wheeling about a few times, start off in a direct line, gradually rising higher until they disappeared. After a short time their pecul- iar note would be heard, and, darting down from a considerable height, they would alight near the place from which they were driven” (Nelson). The CHESTNUT-COLLARED Lonespur (538. Calcarius ornatus), a species of the Great Plains, has been recorded from Massachusetts and Long Island. McCown’s Lonespur (539. Rhynchoohanes mecownii), a species of the Great Plains of the interior, is of casual occurrence in [linois. 540. Poocetes gramineus ((mcl.). Vesper Sparrow; Bay- wiInGED Buntine; Grass Fincn. Ad.—Upper parts brownish gray, streaked with black and a little ochraceous-buff; wings fuscous, greater and middle eoverts tipped with white, lesser coverts bright rufous ; tail fuscous, the outer feather mostly white, the next one with much less white ; under parts white; the breast and sides streaked with black and ochraceous-buff. L., 612; W., 3-06: T., 2°38; B., 41. kemarks.—The white tail- feathers and rufous lesser wing-coverts will always distinguish this species from any of our Sparrows. Range.—North America; breeds from southern Illinois and Virginia northward to New Banas and Manitoba; winters on the Atlantic coast from Virginia southward. Washington, P. R., very common in migrations, less so in summer and Fic. 82.—Tail-feathers of Vesper Sparrow. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 291 winter. Sing Sing, tolerably common 8. R., Apl. 2 to Nov. 4. Cambridge, very common §. k., Apl. 5 to Oct. 15. Nest, of rather coarse grass, lined with finer grasses, rootlets, and long hairs, on the ground. Zygs, four to five, bluish white or pinkish white, speckled and spotted with rufous-brown or umber, 1°83 x *61. In walking through dry upland fields or along dusty roadsides a rather pale, streaked Sparrow will sometimes run rapidly ahead of you, wait for you to catch up, then run ahead again. It is best to be content with what measure of his confidence and society he voluntarily grants you, for, if you quicken your steps and try to overtake him, he will rise and bound on before you or swing off to one side, showing, as he flies, the white feathers on either side of his tail. Frequently he will alight on a fence rail or even the higher branch of a tree, for, although a field Sparrow, he is by no means a purely ter- restrial one. When singing, he generally selects an elevated perch and gives himself entirely to his musical devotions. Early morning and late afternoon are his favorite hours, but he can be heard at other times. His song, which is loud, clear, and ringing, may be heard at a distance of several hundred yards. It resembles that of the Song Sparrow, but is sweeter and more plaintive. When heard in the even- ing it is a truly inspired and inspiring melody. 541. Ammodramus princeps (Jayn.).. Ipswich Sparrow. Ad.— Generally with a spot of sulphur-yellow before the eye and on the bend of the wing; upper parts pale brownish ashy, streaked on the head, back, and upper tail-coverts with black and cinnamon-brown; the nape and rump with few or no streaks; a white line over the eye; wings grayish brown, outer webs of greater coverts and tertials margined with pale ochraceous-buff; tail grayish brown, the outer webs of the feathers margined with brownish ashy ; under parts white; breast and sides lightly streaked with blackish and ochraceous-buff. L., 6°25; W., 3°00; T., 2:25; B., -40. Range.—Breeds on Sable Island; winters southward along the coast regu- larly to Virginia and rarely to Georgia. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. Those who care to visit in winter the bleak, wind-swept sand hillocks of our Atlantic coast will find this bird much less rare than it was once supposed to be. It never strays far from the waving tufts of coarse beach-grass that scantily cover the sand drifts, and single in- dividuals may be found skulking among such surroundings. They seldom allow a near approach, but fly wildly away to considerable dis- tances, and on alighting run off so rapidly that they are difficult to find a second time. The flight is rapid and irregular, and the birds may easily be mistaken for Savanna Sparrows, with which, during the migrations, they are sometimes associated. On rare occasions a sharp chirp is heard, but as a rule they are silent. 292 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. It is an interesting species, discovered in 1868, and at first mistaken for Baird’s Sparrow of the far west, a species, by the way, that it re- sembles very little. For many years nothing was known of its breed- ing range. In 1884 some large eggs from Sable Island, Nova Scotia, supposed to be of the Savanna Sparrow, were unearthed at the National Museum, Washington, and later a summer specimen of the Ipswich Sparrow was obtained from this island. Ten years later I had the pleasure of visiting Sable Island and solving all the conjectures that had become current regarding the Ipswich Sparrow’s summer home. The bird proved to much resemble the Savanna Sparrow in breeding habits, song, nest, and eggs. J. Dwicut, JR. 542a. Ammodramus sandwichensis savanna (JWils.). Sa- VANNA Sparrow. Ad.—A pale yellow mark over or before the eye and on the bend of the wing; general tone of the upper parts brownish black, the centers of the feathers black, margined first by rufous or ochraceous-buff, then by ashy; wings fuscous, the outer webs of the feathers margined with ochra- ceous-bulf; tail fuscous, the outer web of the feathers margined with whit- ish; under parts white, heavily streaked with blackish and rufous, the breast feathers tipped with wedge-shaped marks. L., 5-68; W.,2°62; T.,2:09; B.,-40. Remarks.—Fall specimens are more or less suffused with ochraceous. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from Missouri and northern New Jersey north to Labrador and Hudson Bay ; and winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward to Cuba and Mexico. Washington, abundant T. V., Mch. 20 to May 5; Oct. 14 to Nov. 15; a few winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 3 to May 18; Aug. 28 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, abundant T. V., Apl.; Oct.; breeds sparingly. Nest, of grasses and sometimes “moss, lined with finer grasses or hair, on the ground. Zygqs, four to five, bluish white, thickly marked, sometimes heavily washed, with reddish brown or cinnamon, ‘78 x °56. This is essentially a bird of the fields and one of the most abun- dant species of the Maritime Provinces of Canada—in fact, character- istic of them. The roadsides abound with the birds bobbing up and down on the fence posts and chipping vigorously at every passer- by. Their boldness is tempered with a certain timidity that becomes apparent when they are followed, for, dropping into the grass, they will slip away with surprising rapidity. They have a startling way. some- times, of springing up with a whirr of wings almost from under your very feet as you cross the fields where they have been feeding. At the southern limits of their breeding range they gather into irregularly distributed, isolated colonies frequenting wet, boggy meadows, and ex- hibit a shyness that is not shared by their northern brethren. In the fall, young and old gather into bands and, joining with other species, form an important part of the large flocks of migrating Sparrows that fill the fields and hedgerows. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 293 The song is insignificant—a weak, musical little trill following a grasshopperlike introduction is of such small volume that it can be heard but a few rods. It usually resembles tsip-tsip-tsip’ sé’ é-é-s'r-r-r. More singing is heard toward sunset, when of a quiet evening the trills are audible at greater distances. Each male seems to havea number of favorite perches, weeds or fence posts, which are visited as inclination dictates, but he is of too restless a disposition to remain long on any of them. The most familiar note is a sharp ¢stp of alarm or expostulation heard during migration, but so constantly employed by both sexes in the breeding season, even on slight provocation, that one gets to think of them as veritable scolds. They are more likely to be mistaken for the Vesper Sparrow, which they resemble even in flight, than for any other except perhaps the Ipswich and Sharp-tailed Sparrows. J. Dwicut, JR. 546. Ammodramus savannarum passerinus ( W7/s.). Grass- HOPPER SPARROW; YELLOW-WINGED Sparrow. Ad.—Upper parts mixed black, rufous-brown, ashy, and cream-butff; crown blackish, a cream-buff line through its center ; nape rufous-brown, each feather with a small black central spot and bordered by ashy; back black, the feathers bordered by cream-buff and with a small central tip of rufous-brown; rump rufous-brown and ashy; an orange mark before the eye; bend of the wing yellow, lesser wing-coverts yellowish olive- green; greater coverts tipped with whit- ish; tail-feathers pointed, of about equal length, dark grayish brown, the centers of the feathers darker, the end half of the outer feather generally dusky whitish ; under parts generally not streaked ; breast and sides buffy; belly white. Young in first plumage have the breast spotted with blackish. L., 5°38; W., 2°38; T., 1°79; B., -48. Remarks.—The yellow on the wing, unstreaked under parts, even, pointed tail, and grayish mark on the outer tail-feather are the principal characters of this species. Range.—Kastern North America; breeds from the Gulf States northward to Massachusetts and Minnesota; winters from North Carolina to Cuba. Washington, very common §. R., Apl. 15 to Oct. 25. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 27 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, rare 8. R., May 15 to (¢). Nest, of grasses, sometimes lined with hairs, on the ground. Zygs, four to five, white, distinctly spotted and speckled with rufous, °73 x -54. ¥ic. 83.—Tail of Grasshopper Sparrow. Few common birds may be more easily overlooked than the Yellow- winged Sparrow. Its terrestrial habits and weak notes place it among the birds that you are not likely to find unless you know how and - where to look for them. I remember once introducing this bird and its song to a visiting ornithological friend. On returning to his home, 294 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. greatly to his surprise, he found it a common resident of the fields about his house, where, owing to his unfamiliarity with its notes and habits, its presence had been before unsuspected. In the north you will generally find it in old, dry daisy or sorrel fields; in the south it inhabits the broom sedge. It will not take wing until almost stepped upon; then, if bushes are near, it takes refuge in or under them, but out in the open field it flies rapidly some distance and drops to the ground. Its usual perch, when singing, is a fence rail; and it does not often seek a more elevated position. Its fine, insectlike notes give it the name of Grasshopper Sparrow. They may be written prt-tuck, zee-e-e-e7e-e-e-e-e. Under favorable circumstances they can be heard by an attentive listener at a distance of two hundred and fifty feet, but the casual observer would pass within ten feet of a singing bird and be none the wiser. + 547. Ammodramus henslowii (4wd.). Henstow’s Sparrow. Ad. —Top and sides of the head and the nape dull, pale olive-green, more butty in the fall; side of the crown black; nape finely streaked with black; back rufous-prown, the feathers with narrow, central, wedge-shaped black streaks, and narrow ashy margins; bend of the wing pale yellow; wing-coverts much like the back; tail-feathers very narrow and sharply pointed; middle feath- ers rufous-brown: the outer ones much the shortest; under parts white, more or less washed with buffy and streaked with black on the breast and sides. Young in first plumage have no spots on the breast. L., 5-00; W., 2°20; T., 2:00; B., °42. Remarks.—The peculiar olivaceous color of the head and nape, and the bright rufous-brown color of the back, wing-coverts, and middle tail-feathers are the best distinguishing marks of this species. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds locally from Missouri and Vir- ginia northward to New Hampshire and southern Ontario; winters from about the southern limit of its breeding range to the Gulf. Washington, common 8. R., Apl. 12 to Oct. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. 5 to Oct. 10. Cambridge, very rare 8. R. Nest, of grasses, sometimes lined with hairs, on the ground. gqs, four to five, grayish white, thickly and evenly speckled with pale rufous-brown, (ie at During the summer this species seems to prefer wet meadows, but in the winter it inhabits the dry “old fields” grown with broom sedge, which are so common in the south. It has the secretive habits of the Grasshopper and Leconte’s Sparrows, and takes wing only when forced to. Mr. P. L. Jouy writes of its song: “ Besides the characteristic notes of tee-wick, they have quite a song which may be fairly represented by the syllables sis-r-r-rit-srit-srit, with the accent on the first and last FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 295 parts. This song is often uttered while the bird takes a short flight upward ; it then drops down again into the tangled weeds and grasses, where it is almost impossible to follow it” (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, vi, 1881, p. 57). 548. Ammodramus lecontei (4wd.).. Leconrr’s Sparrow. Ad.— No yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing ; a broad ochraceous- buff line over the eye, and a cream-buff line through the center of the blackish crown; nape rufous-brown, each feather with a small black central spot and an ashy border; back black, the feathers margined first by rufous, then cream- buff and whitish; tail grayish brown, with a slight rufous tinge, darker along the shaft; the feathers narrow and sharply pointed, the owter ones much the shortest; breast and sides tinged with butfy, and more or less streaked with black ; belly white. L., 5:00; W., 2:00; T., 2°05; B., °35. Range.— Great Plains and more western prairies, breeding from Dakota, Minnesota, ete., to Manitoba, migrating southward and eastward, in winter, through Illinois, lowa, Kansas, etc., to South Carolina, and Gulf States from Florida to Texas” (Ridgw.). Nest, of fine grasses, on the ground. ygs, three, delicate pink, lightly spotted with brownish and biack near the larger end, ‘75 x ‘50 (Thompson). My experience on the coast of Texas with this elusive little Spar- row conforms with that of most observers, and the few specimens I found were in wet marshes. Mr. L. M. Loomis, however, tells us that at Chester, South Carolina, where Leconte’s Sparrow is a locally com- mon winter visitant, it shows a marked preference for dry “ old fields” of broom sedge (Auk, ii, 1885, p. 190). Few birds are more difficult to flush. It exhibits a rail-like disin- clination to take wing, and, flying low and feebly, makes for the nearest cover. Ernest EK. Thompson records it as an abundant summer resi- dent in the willow sloughs and grassy flats of Manitoba, and describes its call-notes as a thin, sharp, ventriloquial ¢weet, and a single, long- drawn bizz; while its song, which is delivered from some low perch a little above the grass, is a tiny, husky, double-noted reese reese, ‘so thin a sound and so creaky, that I believe it is usually attributed to a grasshopper.” -+ 549. Ammodramus caudacutus ((me/.). SHarp-TaILED Spar- row. Ad.—General color of the upper parts a brownish olive-green; crown olive-brown, with a blue-gray line through its center; gray ear-coverts, in- closed by ochraceous-buff lines, one of which passes over the eye and one down the side of the throat; feathers of the back margined with grayish and sometimes whitish; bend of the wing yellow; tail-feathers narrow and sharply pointed, the outer feathers much the shortest; breast and sides washed with buffy, paler in summer, and distinctly streaked with black ; middle of the throat and belly white or whitish. “L.,5°85; W., 2°30; T., 1:90; B., 50” (Dwight). 296 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. femarks.—The chief points of difference between this and the two fol- lowing birds are found in the markings of the breast and sides. In the pres- ent species these parts are pale ochraceous-buff, distinctly streaked with blackish ; in nelsoni they are deep ochraceous-buff, lightly if at all streaked ; in subvirgatus they are cream-buff, indistinctly streaked with grayish. . frange.—Atlantic coast; breeds from South Carolina to New Hampshire, and winters from North Carolina to Florida. Cambridge, common 8. R., May to Sept. Nest, of grasses and seaweed, lined with fine grasses, on the ground. Zgqs, three to four, white or grayish white, finely speckled with cinnamon-brown, especially at the larger end, ‘78 x °57. This species is confined exclusively to the salt-water marshes of our coast, where it may be found in large numbers. It runs about among the reeds and grasses with the celerity of a mouse, and is not apt to take wing unless closely pressed. Mixed flocks of the several varieties of the Sharp-tail, together with the Seaside Sparrow, gather in the fall among the sedges, and may be observed hiding in the grass or cling- ing to the tall stalks of the cat-tails. In the breeding season it is usually associated with the Seaside Sparrow on the same marsh, but it prefers the drier parts, and builds its nest in the tussocks on the bank of a ditch or in the drift left by the tide, rather than in the grassier sites chosen by its neighbor. From some bit of driftwood or a convenient stake its infrequent song may be heard morning and evening. It is short and gasping, and only less husky than the somewhat similar performance of the Seaside Sparrow. J. Dwieut, JR. 549a. A. c. nelsoni 4/len. Nrtson’s SHARP-TAILED SPARROW.—Sim- ilar to 4A. caudacutus, but smaller, the upper parts darker, the feathers of the back more olive-brown and more broadly margined with whitish ; the throat, breast, and sides deeper ochraceous-buff, very slightly if at all streaked with blackish. “L., 5°50; W., 2°25; T., 1:90; B., -43” (Dwight). Range—Breeds in the marshes of the interior from northern Mlinois northward to Dakota and Manitoba; occurs as a migrant on the Atlantic coast, and winters from South Carolina to Texas. Washington, rare T. V., two instances, Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably com- mon T. V., Sept. 28 to Oct. 17. This interior representative of the Sharp-tailed Sparrow occurs on our coasts only as a migrant and winter visitant. It associates with the Sharp-tailed and Acadian Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 549b. A. c. subvirgatus Dwight. Acapian Suarp-TalLep Spar- Row.—Similar to A. cawdacutus, but with the throat, breast, and sides washed with cream-buff and indistinctly streaked with ashy. “ L., 555; W., 2°30; T., 2°00; B., 46” (Dwight). Range.—* Marshes of southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, — FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 297 and probably Nova Scotia, and southward in migration along the Atlantic coast ” (Dwight). Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept. 29 to Oct. 16. Cambridge, very common T. V., May; Sept. and Oct. Since this race was. separated by me in 1887 few new facts have been developed regarding it, except that, as I anticipated, it has been found in other parts of the Maritime Provinces, and never far from salt water. While frequenting brackish or fresh-water marshes, where the grasses grow more luxuriantly than in the haunts of its southern relative, it prefers the more open spots or those where damp ditches make high- ways of escape for it afoot. It is locally abundant, particularly in the great marshes that border the Bay of Fundy, but so retiring that, save for its little song, its presence might be easily overlooked. Swaying on a tall stalk of meadow rue or squatting on a convenient fence, the males may be found at all hours of the day repeating their song a few times and then flying to some new perch or burying themselves in the grass. Occasionally toward nightfall one will mount into the air and with set wings float down, fairly gushing with song, a habit shared by the ordinary Sharp-tail and by the Seaside Sparrow as well. With these birds they associate in autumn, and may be flushed one or two at a time from the strips of grass or reeds that are left on the salt marshes along the ditches after the hay has been cut. The song is a htsky, gasping effort, not very loud, and executed with a nod of the head. It is sung in less than a second, and resem- bles ksh-sh-sh-d0lp, the last syllable occupying one fifth of the time and rather musical compared with the harsh lisp that precedes it. They a!so have a tchép of alarm, but it is the exception for them to show much anxiety about their nests or young. The nest has never been taken. J. DWIGHT, JR. 550. Ammodramus maritimus (JWi/s.). Srasipe Sparrow. Ad. —A yellow line before the eye and on the bend of the wing; upper parts grayish olive-green; tail grayish brown, the outer webs of the feathers mar-- gined with olive-greenish; a dusky line from the base of the lower mandi- ble passes down the sides of the throat; breast more or less suffused with buffy (wanting in summer specimens), and indistinctly streaked with grayish; throat and middle of the belly white; sides grayish. L., 6:00; W., 2:50; T., Fie. Rete a wee ae (Natural 2:20; B., °60. fange.— Atlantic coast; breeds from Georgia to Massachusetts, and win- ters from Virginia to Georgia, Sing Sing, A. V. 298 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Nest, of coarse grasses and reed stalks, lined with grasses, on the ground, Eggs, three to four, white or bluish white, clouded or finely speckled with cinnamon-brown, especially at the larger end, ‘80 x 63. Like most marsh-loving birds, Seaside Sparrows are so consistent in their choice of a home that it would be quite useless to look for them anywhere but in a marsh, and that a salt one, generally within sound or at least sight of the sea. The baymen call them “ Meadow Chippies,” and often when Snipe and Plover shooting | have drawn numbers to me by simply squeaking. They tipped all the reeds about my blind, chirping excitedly at the peculiar sound which aroused their curiosity. They pass much of their time on the ground among the reeds and grasses, but mount a stalk to sing their short, unattract- ive song of four or five notes. Sometimes they flutter into the air a few feet above the reeds and deliver their song while on the wing. The absence of distinct streaks on the breast and lack of rufous in their olivaceous or grayish plumage will distinguish them from the Sharp-tailed, Swamp, Savanna, or Song Sparrows, the only ones which are likely to be found in their haunts. 550a. A. m. peninsulz dllen. Scorr’s Srasipe Sparrow.—Similar to the preceding, but much darker ; prevailing color of the upper parts brown- ish black, the feathers margined with grayish olive-green; under parts more heavily streaked, the breast and sides streaked with black or blackish. W., 2°30; T., 2:00; B., 52. Range.—Atlantie coast from northern Florida to South Carolina; Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. A common southern representative of the Seaside Sparrow. 551. Ammodramus nigrescens fidgw. Dusky Srasmr Sparrow. Ad.—Upper parts black, narrowly margined with grayish and grayish olive- green; under parts sharply streaked with black and white in about equal proportions. “L., 5:95; W., 2:25-2:40; T., 2:10-2:50; B., 50-60” (Ridgw.). Remarks.—This species is very distinct, and can be at once distinguished from A. m. peninsule, its nearest known ally, by its much darker upper parts and conspicuously streaked under parts. | Range.—Marshes at the northern end of Indian River, Florida. Nest and eggs unknown. Mr. C. J. Maynard, the only collector who has ever met with this species, found a single individual, March 17, 1872, at Salt Lake, near Titusville, while in April it was ‘quite common on the marshes of Indian River just below Dummett’s Grove,” and “ very abundant on the upper end of Merritt’s Island.” I have searched for it most care- fully, but without success, during February and March in the marshes of the east peninsula of Indian River opposite Micco, and for a species which is not rare, the Dusky Seaside Sparrow apparently has a more FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 299 restricted range than any other North American bird. Mr. Maynard considers it migratory, and states that it is not found in Florida during the winter. In flight as well as in habits, he says, it resembles the Sharp-tailed rather than the Seaside Sparrow (A. maritimus). Its song of low, sputtering notes is given while the bird hovers in the air, after which it drops quickly into the grass, 552. Chondestes grammacus (Say). Lark Sparrow; Lark Fincu. Ad.—Sides of the crown and ear-coverts chestnut, a whitish line over the eye and through the center of the crown; a black streak on the sides of the throat; upper parts brownish ash; back streaked with blackish ; tail fuscous or black, the outer feathers tipped with white; under parts white, a small black spot in the middle of the breast. Goo. Wo 00s 1. 27 os. B., 4b: Hange.—Interior of North America, eastward to Illinois; breeds from Texas to Manitoba; accidental on the Atlantic coast (Massachusetts, Long Island, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Florida). Washington, A. V., July, Aug., two captures. Nest, of grasses, lined with rootlets, fine grasses, and long hairs, on the ground or in low trees or bushes. Zygs, three to five, white or pinkish white, spotted, blotched, or scrawled with pur- plish or black, chiefly at the larger end, -78 x °60. This is an exceedingly common bird in the west. It frequents localities of much the same nature as those selected by the Grass Finch, and in its general habits and song reminds one of that species. Fie. 85.—Lark Sparrow. (Natural size.) 554. Zonotrichia leucophrys (/o0rst.)..| Wuirr-crownep Spar- row. Ad.—No yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing; center of the crown with a white stripe bordered on either side by black stripes, add of about equal width; no white before the eye; a white line from over the eye passes backward along the side of the head; nape gray; back dark grayish brown, margined with gray; rump dark brownish ash; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with white; tail fuscous; under parts grayish white on the belly, flanks and under tail-coverts cream-butf. /m.—Generally similar, but sides of the crown rufous-brown, center of the crown pale grayish brown; nape brownish ash; back margined with the same color. L., 6°88; W., 3-03; T., 2°88; B., -43. Range.—‘ Breeding from higher mountain ranges of western United States, Sierra Nevada, Rocky Mountains, and eastward. north of the Great Lakes, to Labrador; in winter, over whole of United States, and south into Mexico” (Ridgw.). Washington, irregularly common W. V. and T. V., Apl. 15 to May 15; Oct. 15 to Nov. 30. Sing Sing, rare T. V., May 9 to 26; Oct. 3 to 30. Cam- bridge, uncommon T. V., May 12 to 22; Oct. 1 to 20. 300 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Nest, of grasses, on the ground or in bushes. £ygs, four to five, pale green- ish blue, speckled and spotted with bay, especially at the larger end, ‘90 x °62_ (Davie). This is one of the aristocrats of the family. Its size and its hand- some markings at once distinguish it from its congeners, and are sure to attract attention. Though its season of love and music is spent in the far north, it often favors us with selections of its melodies as it rests in thickets and hedgerows while slowly passing through our country on its northward pilgrimage. Its usual song is like the latter half of the White-throat’s familiar refrain, repeated a number of times with a peculiar sad cadence and in a clear, soft whistle that is charac- teristic of the group. It resembles its relatives also in singing its sweetest songs in the woods, sometimes during the darkest hours of the night. Ernest E. THompson. + 558. Zonotrichia albicollis (@mel.).. Wuire-THROATED SPARROW ; Preaspopy-Birp. Ad.—A yellow line before the eye; bend of the wing yellow; center of the crown with a white stripe bounded on either side by much wider black stripes; a white stripe from the eye passes backward along the side of the head; back rufous or rufous-brown, streaked with black and slightly margined with whitish ; rump grayish brown; greater and middle wing-coy- erts tipped with white; tail grayish brown; under parts grayish, more so on the breast; throat with a square white patch; belly whitish; flanks and under tail-coverts tinged with grayish brown. /m.—Yellow before the eye, and on the bend of the wing duller; crown streaks brownish ashy and mixed chestnut and black, instead of white and black; throat patch less sharply defined. L., 6°74; W., 2°89; T., 2°86; B., -44. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from northern Michigan, and occasionally Massachusetts, northward to Labrador; winters from Massachu- setts to Florida. Washington, very common W. V., Sept. 28 to May 20. Sing Sing, com- mon T. V., Apl. 10 to May 21; Sept. 20 to Oct. 30; a few winter. Cambridge, very common T. V., Apl. 25 to May 15; Oct. 1 to Nov. 10; a few winter. est, of coarse grasses, rootlets, moss, strips of bark, ete., lined with finer grasses, on the ground or in bushes. gqs, four to five, bluish white, finely and evenly speckled or heavily and irregularly blotched with pale rufous- brown, °82 x 60. In September, when the hedgerows and woodland undergrowths begin to rustle with Sparrows, Juncos, and Towhees, I watch eagerly for the arrival of these welcome fall songsters. There is little in their modest appearance to tell one, as they feed on the ground near their haunts, of their vocal powers, and one might be pardoned for believing that a feeble ¢seep was their only note. I whistle a bar or two of greeting in their own language. They are evi- dently puzzied, but make no reply, for it has apparently been agreed among themselves that singing shall not begin for at least a week after - WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 201 their arrival. Then there are a few sweet, tremulous trials before the plaintive, sympathetic whistle brings cheer to the browning woods: ———————— eee _____@____@_# @_@ #8 6 0 @ 9 SS ——. ——@—_— 9-0-0—9 @-@—#-0-9— ——— Few birds are more sociable than the White-throats. At this season they are always in little companies, and they frequently roost together in large numbers in the depths of dense thickets or clumps of ever- greens. After they have retired one may hear the sharp chink of their “quarrier” chorus, and when darkness comes, with low, brooding notes of cozy companionship they are hushed for the night. —+ 559. Spizella monticola ((mel.). Tree Sparrow; WInTER Cuppy. Ad.—No black on the forehead; an indistinct black spot on the center of the breast ; top of the head rufous-brown, sometimes edged with ashy; a grayish line over the eye and a rufous-brown line behind it; back streaked with rufous-brown, black, and pale ochraceous-buff; rump pale grayish brown; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with white; outer web of the outer tail-feather whitish; breast grayish white; middle of the belly white; sides tinged with pale grayish brown; upper mandible black, lower, yellow at the base, the tip black. L., 6°36; W., 2°99; T., 2°82; B., °41. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds in Labrador and the region about Hudson Bay; south in winter, through eastern United States; west to the edge of the Great Plains. Washington, abundant W. V., Nov. 1 to Apl. 5. Sing Sing, common W. V., Oct. 10 to Apl. 27. Cambridge, common W. V., abundant T. V., Oct. 25 to Nov. 25; Mch. 20 to Apl. 20. Nest, of grasses, rootlets, and hair, on or near the ground. “ Faqs, four to five. pale green or greenish blue, spotted with reddish brown, °75 x ‘60” (Chamberlain). Tree Sparrows wear a small black dot on the center of their other- wise unmarked breasts, a badge which will aid in their identification. They come in flocks when the fields are beginning to look brown and dreary, but seem contented with the surroundings from which other birds have fled. They feed on the seeds of weeds and grasses, and even when the snow is deepest always find an abundance of food. I like to see them feasting on the seed stalks above the crust, and to hear their chorus of merry, tinkling notes, like sparkling frost crystals turned to music. Winter Chippies they are sometimes called, but at this season there 3802 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. is little of the Chippy’s nature about them. In February or March they begin to sing a song which has been compared to that of a Ca- nary, but is “finer, sweeter, and not so loud.” + 560. Spizella socialis ( W7/s.).. Cuippinc Sparrow; Curpry. Ad. —Forehead black, a short grayish line in its middle; top of the head rufous: the nape generally with a few black streaks; a grayish line over the eye and a black line behind it; back of the neck grayish, separating the rufous crown from the back; back streaked with black, a little rufous, and more pale buffy ochraceous ; rump slaty gray ; wing-bars not conspicuous ; under parts grayish white, whiter on thethroat and belly; bill Fic. 86.—Chipping Spar- entirely black. Jm.—Similar, but no rufous crown- row. (Natural size.) cap or black on the forehead; top of the head streaked like the back; bill brownish. Young in jirst plumage have the breast streaked with black. L., 5°37; W., 2°74; T., 2:29: B., °36. Remarks.—In adults the rufous crown, black forehead, gray rump, and black bill are characteristic; in the young the gray rump is a good distin- guishing mark. Range.—“astern North America; breeds from the Gulf States to New- foundland and Great Slave Lake; winters in the Gulf States and Mexico. Washington, common 8. R., abundant T. V., Mch. 15 to Nov. 1, occasion- ally winters. Sing Sing, common §. R., Apl. 9 to Nov. 7. Cambridge, abun- dant S. R., Apl. 15 to Oct. 26. Nest, of grasses, fine twigs, or rootlets, thickly lined with long hairs, in trees or bushes, five to twenty feet up. qs, four to five, blue or greenish blue, with cinnamon-brown or blackish markings, chiefly at the larger end, Ke OL. The Chippy is among Sparrows what the Phoebe is among Fly- catchers—the humblest, most unassuming member of its family. Both show trustfulness, which, in spite of their unattractive appearance and far from pleasing voices, wins our affection. Chippy makes his nest in the vines on our piazza, and feeds on the crumbs at our doorstep, quite as though he were a member of the family; and he needs only a little encouragement to give evidence of his entire confidence in our good will by feeding from our hands. His song is a monotonous chippy-chippy-chippy-chippy, rather high and wiry and frequently running into an insectlike trill—by no means a musical performance. In the fall Chippy changes his dress, dons a streaked cap for the one of bright bay, and, with others of his kind, goes to.the fields to feast on the year’s harvest of seeds. He is generally found near trees and hedgerows, into which, when alarmed, he flies with his com- panions. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. sae 561. Spizella pallida (Swains.). Ciay-cotorep Sparrow. Ad.— With a general resemblance to immature S. socialis, but less rufous above, whiter below, the line over the eye white, and the rump pale grayish brown instead of slaty gray. W., 240; T., 2°35; B., 34. Range.—Interior of North America; breeds from northern Nebraska, cen- tral Iowa, and northern Illinois northward; winters from southern Texas southward; accidental in North Carolina. Vest, of grasses, lined with hairs, on the ground or in bushes. £ggs, three to five, similar to those of S. soctalis. “This pale Sparrow of the plains is very similar in actions to the Chipping Sparrow, but less familiar and confiding in habits” (Goss). Brewer’s Sparrow (562. Spizella brewerd), a western species, has been recorded once from Massachusetts. — 563. Spizella pusilla (Wils.). Fretp Sparrow. Ad.—Bill reddish brown ; top of the head rufous, a gray line over the eye; nape slightly gray ; back like the crown, but finely streaked with black and narrowly edged with brownish ashy; rump brownish ashy; middle and greater wing-coverts tipped with white; under parts white, tinged with ochraceous - buff on the breast and sides. /m.—Similar, but the colors duller, the crown edged with grayish and sometimes a faint grayish line through its center. Young in first plumage have the breast streaked with black. L., 5°68; W., 2°50; T., 2°55; B., °36. Remarks.—This bird may be known by its brightly colored back, buffy breast, and especially by its reddish bill. Range.—Kastern North America; breeds from southern I]linois and South Carolina to Quebee and Manitoba; winters from Illinois and Virginia south- ward. Washington, very common P. Rk. Sing Sing, common S.R., Apl. 2 to Nov. 7. Cambridge, common S. R., Apl. 15 to Nov. 1. Nest, of rather coarse grasses, weed stalks, rootlets, ete., lined with fine grasses and long hairs, on the ground or in low bushes. Eggs, three to five, white or bluish white, with numerous rufous markings, chiefly about the larger end, °70 x *52. Its bright rufous color, the absence of Spots on its breast, and espe- cially its flesh-colored bill, are the best field-marks of this misnamed Sparrow. He is not a true Field Sparrow, but prefers old pastures dotted with clumps of bushes or young cedars. There is something winning in his appearance; he seems such a gentle, innocent, dove- like little bird. His song is in keeping with his character, being an unusually clear, plaintive whistle, sweeter to the lover of birds’ songs than the voice of the most gifted songstress. It is subject to much ‘variation. Not only do the same individuals sing several different songs, but two individuals in the same locality rarely sing alike. There is also much variation in the songs of birds from different regions. I*or this reason it is quite impossible to give a description 304 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. of the song which will apply throughout the bird’s range. However, an average song consists of the syllables chér-wéé, chér-wéé, chér-wée, chér-wée, chéé-o, de-de-de-de-de, the last notes joined in a trill. This gives, of course, no idea of the quality of the Field Sparrow's song, but to be convinced of its rare beauty one need only hear it as the sun goes down and the hush of early evening is quieting the earth. The WestTERN FrieLp Sparrow (563a. Spizella pusilla arenacea) has been recorded from the vicinity of New Orleans. —~ 567. Junco hyemalis (Zinn.). Junco; Syowsirp. Ad. 6.—Upper parts, throat, and breast grayish slate-color; upper parts more or less washed with grayish brown; belly white, sides grayish ; no wing-bars; tail fuscous, the two outer feathers and part of the third white; bill flesh-color. Ad. ¢.— Similar, but the upper parts browner, throat and breast paler. Young in jirst plumage resemble the adults, but have the upper parts, throat, and breast streaked with black. L., 6:27; W., 3°03; T., 2°71; B., °41. Range.—North America; breeds from northern Minnesota and northern New York northward and southward along the summits of the Alleghanies to Virginia; winters southward to the Gulf States. Washington, abundant W. V., Oct. 5 to Apl. 25. Sing Sing, common W. V., Sept. 19 to May 4. Cambridge, rather common W. V., abundant T. V., Sept. 20 to Nov. 25; Mch. 20 to Apl. 20. Nest, of grasses, moss, and rootlets, lined with fine grasses and long hairs, on or near the ground. ggs, four to five, white or bluish white, finely and evenly speckled or spotted, sometimes heavily blotched, at the larger end with rufous-brown, °76 x °58. When the snow begins to flyxyou will look out some gray morning to find a flock of small, plump, slate-colored birds hopping about the dooryard, picking up what they can find, or sitting in the bushes with an air of contentment that it is pleasant to see. Coming, as they do, when most of the home birds have left for the south, they bring their own welcome, and soon seem like old friends. But if you would really know your gentle winter visitors, you must go back into the woods when summer comes and find them in their own homes. Look for them ina tangle of fallen tree-tops, logs, and upturned roots. A pair I once surprised in such a place at first sat and chirped at me—with bills full of food—but soon they were flying freely back and forth to the upturned root where they had hidden their nest. I noticed with surprise that their gray plumage toned in so well with the dark earth that they were hard to see. The sharp horizontal line across the breast where the gray turns abruptly to white added to the disguise, the straight line breaking the round form of the bird. The ’tsip of the Junco is unmistakable and more often heard than FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 305 his song, but he has both a trill and a low, sweet song as unpreten- tious and cheery as the friendly bird himself. FLoREeNcE A. MERRIAM. 567e. J. h. carolinensis Brewst. Caroiina Junco.—NSimilar to the preceding species, but slightly larger, the upper parts, throat, and breast uni- form grayish slate-color without a brownish wash, bill horn-color. W.,3-26: T., 2:85; B., -43. Range.—Mountains of Virginia, North and South Carolina. This is a common and apparently permanent resident species in the higher parts of the southern Alleghanies, Suuretpr’s Junco (567). Junco hyemalis shufeldti),a western species, has been recorded from Illinois, District of Columbia, Maryland, and Massachu- setts. It resembles J. hyemalis, but has the back browner and the sides brownish vinaceous. i 575. Peucza estivalis (licht.). Pine-woops Sparrow. Ad.— Upper parts light chestnut, more or less streaked with black and margined with gray ; a grayish line over the eye; bend of the wing yellow; tail- feathers narrow, grayish fuscous, the outer ones much the shortest; breast and sides washed with pale brownish ash; breast sometimes with a few black spots; middle of the belly white. L., 5°80; W., 2°50; T., 2.50; B., -45. Range.—F lorida and southern Georgia. Nest, of fine grasses, on the ground, beneath scrub palmetto. Lygs, three to four, pure white, ‘72 x °61. This is a common bird in Florida. It winters in the southern part of the State and migrates northward in March. It is found only in pine woods having an undergrowth of scrub palmetto. Here it passes most of its time on the ground, and is difficult to flush. When singing, it seeks an elevated perch. In my opinion its song is more beautiful than that of any other of our Sparrows. It is very simple, but it possesses all the exquisite tenderness and pathos of the melody of the Hermit Thrush; indeed, in purity of tone and in execu- tion I should consider the Sparrow the superior songster. It sings most freely very early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when the world is hushed and the pine trees breathe a soft accompaniment to its divine music. 575a. P. x2. bachmanii (47d.). BacuMan’s Sparrow.—Similar to the preceding species, but the upper parts rufous, black streaks generally confined to the back, or absent; line over the eye buffy; breast and sides brownish cream-buff without streaks. Range.—Lower Mississippi Valley north to southern Indiana and southern Mllinois ; west to northern 'Lexas ; east to Georgia, South and North Carolina; south in winter, in the Atlantic States, to southern Florida. Nest, of grasses, domed and cylindrical, on the ground. £yqs, three to four, pure white, ‘74 x *60 (Bendire, Auk, v, 1888, p. 356). 21 306 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. In Florida, where this bird is not uncommon during the winter, I have found it in pine woods undergrown with turkey oaks, and not in localities frequented by P. estivalis. Mr. Ridgway writes that in Illinois this is ‘emphatically a bird of open oak woods, where large white and post oaks prevail, with grass land immediately adjoining, or where the intervals between the trees consist of sward rather than undergrowth; but neglected fields, grown up to weeds, and in which dead trees are left standing, are also its favorite haunts.” He speaks of its song as reminding one somewhat of the plaintive chant of the Field Sparrow, but as far sweeter and louder; “the modu- lation, as nearly as can be expressed in words, resembling the syllables thééééééé-thut, lut, lut, lut, the first being a rich silvery trill, pitched in a high musical key, the other syllables also metallic, but abrupt, and lower in tone.” i 581. Melospiza fasciata (@mel.). Sone Sparrow. Ad.—Crown -rufous-brown, with a grayish line through its center; a grayish line over the eye; arufous-brown line from behind the eye to the nape; feathers of the back streaked with black and margined with rufous-brown and grayish ; greater wing-coverts with black spots at their tips; no white wing-bars or yellow on the wing; tail rufous grayish brown, the middle. feathers darker along their shafts; outer feathers shortest; sides of the throat with black or blackish streaks; breast with wedge-shaped streaks of black and rufous- brown which tend to form one larger blotch on the center; sides washed with brownish and streaked with black and rufous-brown ; middle of the belly white.. L., 6°30; W., 2°52; T., 2°62; B., -49. Range.—“Eastern North America; breeds from northern Illinois and Vir- ginia north to Quebec and Manitoba; winters from southern Hlinois and Massachusetts to the Gulf States. Washington, common P. R., abundant T. V., Mch. and,.Oct. Sing Sing, common P. R. Cambridge, very abundant 8. R., Mch. 10 to Nov. 1; locally common W. V. Nest, of coarse grasses, rootlets, dead leaves, strips of bark, ete., lined with finer grasses and sometimes long hairs, on the ground, sometimes in bushes. Eggs, four to five, white or bluish white, with numerous rufous-brown mark- ings which sometimes nearly conceal the ground color, ‘76 x °60. The Song Sparrow’s vast range in a dozen varying climates, its readiness to adapt itself to the different conditions in each of the re- gions it inhabits, its numerical abundance and steady increase while some of its family are dying out, its freedom from disease and vermin, and its perennial good spirits evidenced by its never-failing music— all proclaim that it is indeed one of Nature’s successes. Its irrepressible vivacity and good spirits in spite of all cireum- stances are aptly illustrated by the fact that its song may be heard in every month of the year and in all weathers; also by night as well as by day—for nothing is more common in the darkest nights than to SonG SPARROW. SwAMP SPARROW, FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 307 hear its sweet chant in half-conscious answer to the hooting of the Owl or even the report of a gun. It is never seen far from water, and when it is alarmed it flies downward or along—never upward—into some low thicket, pumping its tail as it flies. Its alarm note is a simple metallic chip, which is very distinctive when once learned. But its merry chant—which has won for it the name of “Song Sparrow ’”’—is its best-known note. It is a voluble and uninterrupted but short refrain, and is perhaps the sweetest of the familiar voices of the meadow lands. The song that it occasion- ally utters while on the wing is of quite a different character, being more prolonged and varied. Though so abundant, it can not be styled a sociable species. Even during the migrations it is never seen in compact flocks like the Red- poll or Snowflake ; at most it will be found forming a part of a long, scattered migrating train that usually includes a number of different but nearly related species. Ernest E. Tuompson. 583. Melospiza lincolmi (4ud.). Lincoin’s Sparrow. Ad.—. Upper parts streaked with black, brownish gray, and grayish brown; tail- feathers narrow and rather pointed, the outer ones shortest; under parts white, rather finely streaked with black, a broad cream-buff band across the breast, a cream-buff stripe on either side of the throat; sides tinged with . eream-buft. L.,5°75; W., 2°50; T., 2°40: B., :41. Remarks.—The cream - buff band on the breast is distinctive of this species. Range.—Kastern North America; breeds from northern Tinois and north- ern New York northward; winters from southern Illinois to Mexico; rare east of the Alleghanies. Washington, rare T. V., several records, May and Oct. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept. 29 to Oct. 16. Cambridge, uncommon T. V., May 15 to May 25; Sept. 15 to Oct. 5. Nest, generally similar to that of MZ, fasciata, on the ground. “ #gqs, four to five, pale green or buftish, sometimes almost white, thickly spotted and blotched with reddish brown and lilac, ‘80 x 60° (Chamberlain). The most striking characteristic about the Lincoln’s Sparrow is its shyness, whether migrating in the lavish abundance of the west, stray- ing casually through the States of the Atlantic seaboard, or settled for the summer in a chosen spot of the northern evergreen woods. Scampering like a mouse along some tumble-down stone wall half buried in poison ivy, sumach, and all the tangled growth that goes to make up an old hedgerow, or peering out from a clump of low- spreading bushes, this little bird may sometimes be detected; but as he hurries northward late in the migration, when all the woods and fields are ringing with bird music, our attention is seldom directed 308 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. toward the silent straggler, while in the autumn he is lost in the waves of Sparrows that flood the country. : If we follow him northward, we find him irregularly distributed in small colonies or single pairs in damp clearings, perhaps along brooks or ponds, but avoiding almost entirely the wetter, more open localities, where the Swamp Sparrow is at home. Attracted by a sharp chirp which, at times reduplicated, resembles that of a young Chipping Sparrow, we may succeed in catching a glimpse of him as he lurks beneath a little spruce perhaps no bigger than an umbrella. Sometimes venturing timidly to the outer boughs of a spruce, he surprises the hearer with a most unsparrowlike song. It is not loud, and suggests the bubbling, guttural notes of the House Wren, com- bined with the sweet rippling music of the Purple Finch, and when you think the song is done there is an unexpected aftermath. The birds sing very little and at long intervals, and are seldom heard dur- ing the later hours of the day, ceasing at once if anybody approaches. J. Dwicaut, JR. = 584. Melospiza georgiana (lath.). Swamp Sparrow. Ad. in summer.—Crown chestnut-rufous; forehead black; a grayish line over the eye; a blackish line behind the eye; nape slaty gray with a few black streaks; feathers of the back broadly streaked with black and margined with rufous and eream-buff or ashy buff; wing-coverts rufous, the greater ones with black spots at their tips; rump rufous grayish brown, sometimes streaked with black; tail rufous grayish brown, the middle feathers darker along their shafts; throat and middle of the belly white, breast grayish, sides washed with pale grayish brown. Ad. in winter and Jm.—Similar, but the top of the head streaked with black, rufous-brown, and grayish ; nape less gray ; breast washed with brownish. L., 5°89; W., 2°34; T., 2°32; B., 46. Range.—Eastern North America , breeds from northern Ilinois and Penn- sylvania northward to Labrador; winters from southern Illinois and Massa- chusetts to the Gulf. Washington, very common T. V., Apl. to May 15; Sept. 25 to Oct. 30; a few winter. Sing Sing, tolerably common §&. k., Apl. 4 to Dec. 2; a few winter, Cambridge, abundant S. R., Apl. 12 to Nov. 10; a few winter. Nest, generally similar to that of Jf fasczata, on the ground. gqs, four to tive, similar in color to those of IZ fasciata, but the markings are generally more confluent, ‘76 x 57. While wintering in the south, Swamp Sparrows frequently belie their name, and I have often found numbers of them in dry “old fields” of broom sedge; but at the north they are more consistent, and one rarely sees them beyond the confines of a wet meadow, or, more preferably, a large grassy marsh with reed-bordered streams. Swamp Sparrows may be distinguished from their cousins, the Song Sparrows, by their unstreaked breasts and totally different notes, Their FINC HES, SPARROWS, ETC. 309 usual call-note is a sharp cheep, not unlike that of the White-throated Sparrow, and quite different from the rather nasal chna of the Song Sparrow. Their song is a simple, sweet, but somewhat monotonous tweet-tweet-tweet, repeated many times, all on one note, and sometimes running into a trill. 585. Passerella iliaca (Merr.). Fox Sparrow. Ad.—Upper parts rufous-brown, the feathers margined by cinnamon-brown ; upper tail-coverts and tail bright rufous ; wings mar- gined with rufous; under parts heavi- ly streaked and spotted with rufous- brown and blackish; middle of the belly white; lower mandible yellow- See le e205 W..- 3392-1. 2°85: By, "50. Range.—Breeds from the Magda- len Islands and Manitoba to Alaska; winters from Virginia southward. Washington, very abundant T. V., Feb. to Apl. 5; Oct. 25 to Nov.; afew Fic. 87.—Fox Sparrow. (Natural size.) winter. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., Mch. 4 to Apl. 20; Oct. 14 to Nov. 28. Cambridge, abundant T. V., Mch. 15 to Apl. 20; Oct. 20 to Nov. 15. Nest, of coarse grasses, lined with finer grasses, hair, moss, and feathers, on the ground, and in low trees and bushes. 'gqs, four to five, pale bluish, evenly speckled or heavily blotched with umber or vinaceous-brown, *80 x °63 (see Bendire, Auk, vi,:1889, p. 108). In the early spring the Fox Sparrow is seen mostly about damp thickets and roadside shrubbery; later it takes more to woodsides, foraging on leaf-strewn slopes where there is little or no undergrowth, often associated with small parties of Juneos. On its return in the autumn it again becomes a common denizen of hedgerows and thickets, and also invades the weedy grainfields, rarely, however, straying far from some thickety cover. Sometimes large numbers congregate among withered growths of tall weeds, whence they emerge with a loud whirring of wings as their retreat is invaded, and hie away in tawny clouds, flock after flock. It is a great scratcher among dead leaves, and can make the wood rubbish fly in a way which, in propor- tion to its size, a barnyard fowl could scarcely excel. The usual note of the Fox Sparrow is a feeble tseep. A note of excitement is louder and sharper in tone. Its song is not surpassed by that of any of our Sparrows. It is a revelation to hear it at sun- down on some vernally softened evening of early springtime; little swarms of gnats hover in the balmy air; from the twilight meadows comes the welcome, half-doubtful piping of the first hylas—no other 310 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. sound. Then perhaps from some dusky thicket a bird’s song! An emotional outburst rising full-toned and clear, and passing ail too quickly to a closing cadence, which seems to linger in the silent air. It is the song of the Fox Sparrow with that fuller power and richness of tone which come into it, or seem to, at the sunset hour. It breaks forth as if inspired from pure joy in the awakened season, though with some vague undertone, scarcely of sadness, rather of some lower tone of joy. EuGENE P. BICKNELL. 587. Pipilo erythrophthalmus (/inn.). Townrr; Cunwink; JoreE. Ad. 6.—Upper parts black, sometimes margined with rufous; throat and breast black, belly white, sides rufous; outer web of primaries mostly white; tail black, the three outer feathers tipped with white; outer web of the outer feather entirely white; ¢ris red. Ad. 9 —Upper parts, wings, throat, and breast bright grayish brown; tail fuscous, the three outer feathers tipped with white; sides rufous, middle of the belly white. Young in first plum- age have the back and under parts streaked with black. L., 8:35; W., 3°34; T., 3:68; B., ‘55. Range.—Fastern North America; breeds from the lower Mississippi Val- ley and Georgia northward to Maine, Ontario, and Manitoba; winters from Virginia to Florida. Washington, common 8. R., very common T. V., Apl. 15 to May 15; Sept. to Oct. 15; a few winter. Sing Sing, common 8. R., Apl. 21 to Oct. 31. Cambridge, common 8. k., Apl. 25 to Oct. 15. Nest, externally of dead leaves and strips of bark, lined with fine grasses, on or near the ground. qs, four to five, white, finely and evenly speckled with shades of rufous, sometimes blotched at the larger end, -96 x ‘71. There is a vigorousness about the Towhee’s notes and actions which suggests both a bustling, energetic disposition and a good constitu- tion. He entirely dominates the thicket or bushy undergrowth in which he makes his home. The dead leaves fly before his attack; his white-tipped tail-feathers flash in the gloom of his haunts. He greets all passers with a brisk, inquirmg chewink, towhee, and if you pause to reply, with a fluff-fluf of his short, rounded wings he flies to a near- by limb to better inspect you. : It is only when singing that the Towhee is fully at rest. Then a change comes over him; he is in love, and, mounting a low branch, he gives voice to his passion in song. I have long tried to express the Towhee’s song in words, but never succeeded as well as Ernest Thompson when he wrote it chuck-burr, pill-a-will-a-will-a, — 58%a. P.e. alleni Cowes. Wuitr-ryep Towner ; Jorrr.—Similar to the preceding, but with less white on the wings and tail; only ¢wo outer tail- feathers tipped with white; iris yellowish or white. L., 8:00; W., 3:20; T., 3°60; B., 52. Range.—Forida; northward along the coast to southern South Carolina. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. pong (a This southern race of the Towhee does not associate with the northern bird, which is abundant in the south in the winter. The latter selects haunts of much the same nature as those in which it passes the summer, while the southern bird lives in heavy growths of scrub palmetto. The notes of alleni differ from those of erythrophthalmus ; its towhee is much higher, and its song, as Dr. Allen pointed out years ago, is shorter. It is also a shyer bird than its northern cousin. + 593. Cardinalis cardinalis (Zinn.). Carpvinat. Ad. .—Throat and region about the base of the bill black; rest of the plumage bright rosy red, the upper parts tipped with grayish; a conspicuous crest; bill red. _Ad. ¢.—Throat and region about the base of bill grayish black; crest, wings, and tail dull red ; upper parts olive brownish ash; under parts buffy ochra- ceous, lighter on the belly, and sometimes tinged with red on the breast. L., 8-25; W., 3°75; T., 4:00; B., -64. Range.—Kastern United States; breeds from Florida to Iowa and south- ern New York; resident throughout its range. Washington, common P. R.; less common than formerly. Sing Sing, A.V. Cambridge, casual, two instances. 3; West, of twigs, rootlets, and strips of bark, lined with grasses and rootlets, in bushes.’ £ygs, three to four, white or bluish white, speckled or spotted with grayish brown, cinnamon-brown, cr umber, 1:00 x -70. One’s first impression of the Cardinal Grosbeak will usually be that he is rather a clumsy fellow. His body appears to be stiff, as if it were made of wood, different in every way from the pliant, lithe body of the Catbird, for example. He hops about on the ground with tail held well up out of harm’s way, and comes heavily down upon his feet, as if his body were really very solid. In fact, he is not at alla graceful bird. He is a famous singer, his song being a loud, clear whistle, into which usually enters quite frequently the sound of g/ q/q/ anda peculiar long-drawn-out e-é / sometimes syllabled as “three chéérs!” He isa favorite cage-bird. The female @ardinal is herself a charming singer, more pleasing to many than her mate, her music being softer in tone and otherwise different from his. The common call-note of both is a sharp, abrupt ¢stp/ easily recognized after being once heard. As the head of a family the Cardinal is admirable, not only in his attentions to his lovely dove-colored mate, but in singing to her by the hour, and in protecting her from intrusion or danger. To the young in the nest he is an untiring provider of worms and grubs, and thus most useful in a garden. Nothing can be more comical than his behavior when he first conducts his young family out into the world while his mate is engaged with her second sitting. He is as fussy as any young 319 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. mother, hopping about in great excitement, and appearing to think the whole world thirsting for the life of his pretty little ones. The Cardinal mother shows the restless manners and anxious spirit of her mate, taking one’s intrusion upon her domestic affairs greatly to heart, and being so much disturbed that there is more pain than pleasure in making acquaintance with her nestlings. OuiveE THORNE MILLER. =e ' ~~ 595. Habia ludoviciana (Zinn.). Rosk-preastep GrosBEAK. Ad. é6.—Head, throat, aud back black; breast and under wing-coverts bright rose-red, this color sometimes extending down the center of the white belly; rump white, tipped with black; wings black; primaries white at the base; tail black, the outer feathers tipped with white on the inner web. Ad. ?.— Upper parts grayish brown, margined with cream-buff and pale grayish brown; a buffy line through the center of the crown, and a conspicuous whitish line over the eye; wings and tail dark grayish brown; wing-coverts tipped with white; under wing-coverts orange ; under parts buffy, streaked with dark grayish brown. Jm. 6.—Resembles the ?, but has the under wing-coverts rose-red. L., 8:12; W., 4:02; T., 2°99; B., 69. ftange—Kastern North America; breeds from eastern Kansas and the higher altitudes of Virginia and North Carolina northward to Maine and Manitoba; winters in Central and South America. Washington, rather common T. V., May 1 to 20; Aug. 25 to Oct. 1. Sing Sing, tolerably common 8. R., Muay 38 to Oct. 1. Cambridge, common &. R., May 10 to Sept. 10. Nast, of fine twigs, weed stalks, and rootlets, in bashes or trees, five to twenty feet up. yqs, four to five, pale blue, with numerous olive-brown or rufous-brown markings, ‘90 x 69. Sometimes in passing through young second growths, and more rarely densely undergrown woodland, I hear a singular kind of ques- tioning call-note, not loud, but distinct—a steely peek, peek. It is a signal to me to pause and look for its author; even a glimpse of him is worth several minutes’ waiting and watching. There is no mistak- ing his black, white, and rose costume; but the identity of his more modestly attired mate may long remain an open question. So little does she resemble him that she might pass for an overgrown Sparrow with a rather conspicuous whitish stripe over her eye. The song of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is generally compared to that of the Robin, and musical annotation would doubtless show that the comparison is not misleading. But the similarity is largely one of form; in expression there is no more resemblance in their voices than there is between the birds themselves. There is an exquisite purity in the joyous carol of the Grosbeak ; his song tells of all the gladness of a May morning; I have heard few happier strains of bird music. With those who are deaf to its message of good cheer I can only sym- FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. ole pathize, pitying the man whose heart does not leap with enthusiasm at the sight of rival males dashing through the woods like winged meteors, leaving in their wake a train of sparkling notes. The Biack-HEADED GROSBEAK (596. Habia melanocephala), a western species, has been recorded from Michigan. "a 597. Guiraca cerulea (Zinn.). Briur Grospran. Ad. §.—Deep blue; lores and chin black; back blackish; wings and tail black, slightly edged with blue; middle wing-coverts widely, and greater coverts narrowly tipped with chestnut-rufous. Ad. ¢.—Upper parts grayish brown; in some specimens more or less blue about the head and rump and lesser wing-cov- erts; rump inclined to ashy; wings fuscous, the greater and middle coverts tipped with ochraceous-buff; tail fuscous, slightly margined with bluish gray ; under parts brownish cream-butf, the feathers of the breast sometimes blue at the base. Jm. &.—Resembles the ¢. L., 7:00; W., 3°50; T., 2°75; B., -65. Range.—United States; breeds from about latitude 38° southward into Mexico; winters south of our limits. Washington, very uncommon S. R., May 1 to Sept. 30. Cambridge, A. V., one instance, May. West, of grasses, in bushes or high weedy growths. Zygqgs, three to four, pale bluish white, °84 x °65. “Unless seen under the most favorable circumstances the adult male does not appear to be blue, but of an ill-defined, dusky color, and may easily be mistaken for a Cow Blackbird (JMolothrus ater), unless most carefully watched; besides, they usually sit motionless, in a watchful attitude, for a considerable length of time, and thus easily escape observation. “The Blue Grosbeak frequents much the same localities as those selected by the Indigo Bird and Field Sparrow—viz., the thickets of shrubs, briers, and tall weeds lining a stream flowing across a meadow or bordering a field, or the similar growth which has sprung up in an old clearing. The usual note is a strong, harsh ptchick, and the song of the male is a very beautiful though rather feeble warble, somewhat like that of the Purple Finch, but bearing a slight resemblance also to that of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak ” (Ridgway). +f 598. Passerina cyanea (Zinn.). Inpico Buntine ; INprGo-Brrp. Ad. 6 .—Rich blue, deeper on the head, brighter on the back ; lores blackish ; wings and tail black, margined with blue. 4d. ¢.—Upper parts uniform grayish brown without streaks; wings and tail fuscous, sometimes lightly margined with bluish; wing-coverts margined with grayish brown; under parts whitish, washed with grayish brown and indistinctly streaked with darker; belly whiter. Jm.—Resembles the ?, but is darker. Ad. 8 in win- ter.—Resembles the ¢, but has more or less blue in the plumage. L., 5°59; W., 2°58; T., 211; B., -41. a14 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Remarks.—The female of this species is rather a puzzling bird, and may be mistaken for a Sparrow. Its unstreaked back and the slight tinge of blue generally present on the outer web of the wing- and tail-feathers should serve to distinguish it. Range.—“Kastern United States; breeds as far north as Minnesota and Nova Scotia; winters in Central America. Washington, common 8. R., Apl. 28 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, common 8. R., May 4 to Oct. 17. Cambridge, rather common 8. R., May 15 to Sept. 25. Vest, of grasses, bits of dead leaves, and strips of bark, lined with fine grasses, rootlets, and long hairs, generally in the crotch of a bush near the ground. Zgqs, three to four, pale bluish white, *73 x *57. In walking among clumps of bushes in clearings or old pastures. look sharp if a small brown bird flies before you, especially if she calls cheep and twitches her tail nervously from side to side. Though she be a sparrowy-looking bird, look well to her shoulders and tail. If you discover a glint of blue and her cries call her mate, you will ever after be a more trustworthy observer—for his brilliant coat is unmistakable. Having made sure of your birds, watch them to their nest—a com- pactly made cup—too cleverly hidden in the dense green thicket to be easily discovered. The color of the eggs will again test your accuracy of observation; in varying lights they look green, blue, and white. The female Indigo is so suspicious that it is hard not to be vexed with her, but the primary virtues of an observer are conscientiousness and patience ; so take your hard cases as a means of grace. However distrustful the poor mother bird is, her mate’s cheery song makes up for it all. After most birds have stopped singing for the year, his merry voice still gladdens the long August days. ~ I well remember watching one Indigo-bird who, day after day, used to fly to the lowest limb of a high tree and sing his way up from branch to branch, bursting into jubilant song when he reached tho topmost bough. I watched him climb as high into the air as he could, when, against a background of blue sky and rolling white clouds, the blessed little songster broke out into the blithest round that ever bub- bled up from a glad heart. FLORENCE A. MERRIAM. The Vartep Buntine (600. Passerina versicolor), a species of our Mexican border, has been once recorded from Michigan. ~. 601. Passerina ciris (inn.). Partep Buntine; Nonpareit. Ad. &.—Head and sides of the neck indigo-blue; back golden green; rump dull red; under parts bright red; wings and tail tinged with dull red; greater wing-coverts green. Ad. 9.—Upper parts bright olive-green; under parts white, washed with greenish yellow; wings and tail fuscous, margined with olive-green. L., 5°25; W., 2°70; T., 2°15; B., -42. Range.—Breeds from the Gulf States northward to Kansas, southern Ili- nois, and North Carolina; winters in the tropics. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 315 Nest, similar to that ot P. cyanea, in bushes or low trees. £ygs, three to four, white or bluish white, with numerous chestnut or rufous-brown mark- ings, “78 x *56. Mr. Maynard found this species in southern Florida in January, but it does not migrate northward until about May 1. He writes that it ‘is always shy and retiring, seldom appearing in the open, but remain- ing in the dense, thorny undergrowth which covers all waste places in Florida, especially if the soil has been cultivated. Whenever the birds perceive an intruder they retire into the depths of these fastnesses, and it requires considerable beating to drive them out, when they at once dart into the nearest cover. The adult males are especially shy, and seldom show themselves. Even while singing they remained concealed, and, although we were thus furnished with a clew to their whereabouts, it was with the utmost difficulty that we caught sight of the authors of the harmonious strains which nearly always greeted our ears when we were in the vicinity of their homes” (Birds of Eastern North _ America.) “'Their notes very much resemble those of the Indigo-bird, but lack their energy and are more feeble and concise” (B., B., and R.). The Grassquit (603. Euetheia bicolor) and the MELoprovs GRAssqQuitT (608.1. EF. canora), West Indian species, have each been recorded once from the Florida Keys. 604. Spiza americana ((me.). Dickcisse,; BLack-THROATED Buntine. Ad. 6.—Head and sides of the neck ashy gray; forehead tinged with yellow; a yellow line over the eye and one on the side of the throat; a black patch on the throat ; chin white; breast yellow, spread- ing down on to the white belly; back streaked with black and pale grayish brown; rump_ brownish ash; lesser wing-coverts rufous ; wings and tail fuscous. Ad. ¢.— Similar, but the head grayish brown, streaked with blackish, and — Fyg. 88 —-Dickcissel. (Natural size.) with no black patch on the throat and less yellow on the breast, which is sometimes lightly streaked with black. Ad. in fall.—Much brighter, and with some rufous in the back. L., 6:00; W., 3:20; T., 2:35; B., -55. fange.—Eastern United States, mostly in the Mississippi Valley ; breeds from Texas to Minnesota; winters in Central and South America; breeds east of the Alleghanies now only rarely and locally. Washington, very rare 8. R., a few seen each year; formerly “ very abun- dant.” Cambridge, casual, found nesting at Medford, June 9, 1877, where 316 ; TANAGERS. several birds were observed ; not uncommon in 1833-84 (see Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, ili, 1878, pp. 45, 190). West, bulky, of coarse grasses and leaves, lined with finer grasses and sometimes long hairs, on the ground or in low trees or bushes. Zygs, four to five, pale blue, *80 x °60. Thirty to forty years ago these birds were more or less common in the middle Atlantic States, but they are now of rare occurrence east of the Alleghanies. In Texas I have seen them migrating in closely massed flocks of several hundred individuals, all silent, except for an occasional cack. They alight on the prairie to feed ; birds in the rear are constantly arising and passing to the front; there is ceaseless mo- tion. In the summer Dickcissel makes his home in grassy fields and pastures, and from a weed stalk or bordering fence, with uplifted head, he announces his presence as though life itself depended on his vocal exertions. It is a poor song from a musical standpoint, but pleasing The Lark Buntine (605. Calamospiza melanocorys), a western species, has been recorded from Massachusetts, Long Island, and South Carolina. FAMILY TANAGRIDZ. 'TANAGERS. The Tanagers form a distinctively American family, and are most abundant in the tropics. About three hundred and fifty species are known, of which only five reach the United States. They are re- markable, as a whole, for the brilliancy of their plumage, and our Scarlet Tanager is therefore no exception to the rule. They are arboreal and for the most part forest-inhabiting, feeding on flowers, fruit,and insects. The tropical species are of a roving dis- position, and wander through the forests in search of certain trees bearing ripe fruit, near which they may always be found in num- bers. As a rule they are not musical. A few species have more or less pleasing songs, but the voices of the majority are weak and squeaky. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. With red in the plumage. a. Wings and tail black. . . . .. . . . 608. Scartur TANAGER 6. b. Wings and tail like the body. . . . . . 610. Summer TAnaGER ¢. “B. Without red in the plumage. a. Under parts, including under wing-coverts, dull buffy yellow. 610. SumMER TANAGER ?. 6. Under parts greenish yellow, under wing-coverts white. 608. ScARLET TANAGER °. TANAGERS. 317 608. Piranga erythromelas Viei//. Scarter Tanacer. (See Fig. 48.) Ad. ¢.—Bright scarlet, wings and tail black, under wing-coverts white. Ad. 9.—Upper parts light olive-green ; wings and tail fuscous, lightly margined with olive-green; under parts greenish yellow. Jm. 6 and Ad. 6 in winter.—Similar to the ?, but wings and tail black. L., 7-25; W., 3°75; T., 2:09; B. from N., °46. Range.—Kastern North America; breeds from southern Illinois and Vir- ginia to Manitoba and New Brunswick; winters in Central and northern South America. Washington, common T. V., rare 8. R., Apl. 28 to Oct.7. Sing Sing, com- mon 8. R., May 4 to Oct. 9. Cambridge, rather common S. R., May 12 to Oct. 1. Nest, of fine twigs and weed stalks, lined with vine tendrils and blossom stems, generally near the end of a horizontal limb, seven to twenty feet up. £ygs, three to four, pale bluish white or greenish blue, with numerous rufous or rufous-brown markings, ‘88 x °68. In watching birds, there are certain sights and sounds that make a day memorable much as a beautiful sunset does. I say to myself, “JT have seen a Scarlet Tanager to-day!” or, “I have listened to a Hermit Thrush this evening.” : High among the tree tops of the cool green woods the Tanager sings through the summer days. Hidden by the network of leaves above us, we often pass him by; but once discovered he seems to illuminate the forest. We marvel at his color. He is like a Bird of Paradise in our northern landscape. We are first guided to him by his cali and song. They are pecul- iar, and both have a rare woods flavor. The call is a distinctly uttered chip-chirr. The song is a loud, cheery, rhythmical carol, suggesting the song of the Robin. Inside the green woods the Tanager spends the summer, flying down to visit his nest in the fresh young undergrowth or to bathe in the still forest pools, and hunting and singing in the tree tops high overhead. FLORENCE A. MERRIAM. 610. Piranga rubra (Zinn.). Sumer Tanager. Ad. 6 .—Rose- red, brighter below ; wings fuscous, margined with rose-red. Ad. 9 .—Upper parts orange olive-green ; under parts yellowish orange. Jm. é.—Resembles tesco iy. T0s W.. 3" Too L.. 2°90): 5. from. N., °55. Range.—Kastern United States; breeds from Florida to southern New Jersey, wandering casually to Nova Scotia; winters in Central and South America. Washington, uncommon §. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. 15. Nest, of leaves, strips of bark, ete., generally near the extremity of a limb, about twenty feet up. ys, three to four, bluish white or greenish blue, with numerous cinnamon- or olive-brown markings, °96 x 68. This is acommon summer resident of our Southern States, arriving in Florida early in April. It frequents open, rather than dense woods, 318 SWALLOWS. and is particularly numerous in pineries having an undergrowth of oaks. It may be easily identified, not alone by its color but by its unique call-note—a clearly enunciated chicky-tucky-tuck. Its song bears a general resemblance to that of the Scarlet Tanager, but to my ear is much sweeter and less forced. ; The Lourstana Tanacer (607. Piranga ludoviciana), a species of our Western States, has been recorded from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. FAMILY HIRUNDINIDA. SWALLOWS. About eighty species of Swallows are known. They are distributed throughout the world. In their long, powerful wings and small, weak feet Swallows present an excellent illustration of the effects of use and disuse. The greater part of their day is passed on the wing, and in alighting they select a perch which they can grasp with ease. Fic. 89.—Barn Swallow. Cliff Swallow. Tree Swallow. Bank Swallow. Swallows live almost exclusively upon insects, which they capture on the wing, their large mouths, as in the case of the Swifts and Goat- suckers, being especially adapted to this mode of feeding. They nest both in pairs and colonies, and during their migrations associate in countless numbers at regularly frequented roosting places or migration stations, which are sometimes in trees, but more often in marshes, and to which they regularly return each night. They mi- grate, as far as known, entirely by day, their wonderful power of flight enabling them to escape the dangers which beset less rapid fliers. —_ SWALLOWS. 319 KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Upper parts with metallic reflections. a. Under parts steel-blue. a, Feathers on the belly fuscous at the base . 611. PurpLe Martin 6. a2, Feathers on the belly white at the base. . 611.1. CuBan Martin 6. 6. Throat chestnut, rufous, or brownish. 61. Upper tail-coverts the same as the back ; tail with white spots. 613. Barn SwaLiow. 62. Upper tail-coverts rufous or buffy ; no white in the tail. 612. CLIFF SWALLOW. c. Throat gray or white. ch Entire wider parts white... 2 '.°.-.° . 7. . 614. Trem Swanrow, c2, Throat and breast brownish gray . . . . 611. PurPLE Martin 9. c3, Throat, breast, and sides sooty brownish gray. 611.1. Cupanw MarTINn 9. B. Upper parts without metallic reflections. a. Under parts:entirely white. 1 wo. '. 3. 4°. 6145 Tren Swartow. bo. Throat and breast brownish gray . . 617. RougH-wincEpD SwALtiow. ce. Throat and belly white; a brownish gray band across the breast. 616. Bank SwaLLow. 611. Progne subis (linn.). Purrre Martin. Ad. 6.—Shining blue-black ; wings and tail duller. Ad. ¢.—Upper parts glossy bluish black, duller than in the 6; wings and tail black ; throat, breast, and sides brownish gray, more or less tipped with white; belly white. m.—Resembles the ¢. ies OOe Wi. o80e- l., .2°90)s B. from N., °32; Range.—North America, north to Newfoundland and the Saskatchewan ; breeds throughout its range; winters in Central and South America. Washington, rather common 8. R., Ap]. 12 to Sept. 5. Sing Sing, tolerably common §. R., Apl. 27 to Sept. 11. Cambridge, locally common 8. R., Apl. 20 to Aug. 25. Nest, of straws, twigs, ete.,in houses or gourds erected for the purpose. L£qqs, four to five, white, 1:00 x °73. The Purple Martin is very common throughout the south, and breeds wherever gourds or boxes are erected for its occupation. In the Northern States it is a comparatively rare bird of local distribu- tion, and is apparently decreasing in numbers each year. In Forest and Stream, vol. xxii, 1884, p. 484, Mr. Otto Widmann, of Old Orchard, Missouri, presents an interesting table showing how often young Martins are fed. He watched a colony of sixteen pairs of birds from 4 A.M. to 8 p.m., during which time the parents visited their offspring 3,277 times, or an average of 205 times for each pair. The males made 1,454, the females 1,823 visits. 611.1. Progne cryptoleuca Jaird. Cusan Martin. Ad. 6 .— “Similar to P. swbis, but feathers of ventral region marked beneath surface, r 5 with a broad spot or bar of white.” dd. 9 and im. 6.—Similar to those of 390) SWALLOWS. P. subis, but “ whole under portion and sides of head and neck, chest, sides, and flunks uniform sooty grayish brown, in marked contrast with pure white of belly, anal region, and under tail-coverts. L., 7:60; W., 550; T., 3:10” ( Ridgw.). ; Range.—Southern Florida south to Cuba and probably Central America. Nesting similar to that of P. sudis. A common summer resident in Florida from Pasco County south- ward, arriving in March. It resembles P. swbis in habits. — 612. Petrochelidon lunifrons (Say). Curr Swattow; Eave Swatitow. Ad.—Forehead whitish, crown steel-blue, throat and sides of the head chestnut; a brownish gray ring around the neck; breast brownish gray, tinged with rufous and with a steel-blue patch in its center; belly white; back steel-blue, lightly streaked with white; shorter upper tail- coverts pale rufous ; tail fuscous, the feathers of nearly equal length. /m.— Similar, but upper parts duller; throat black, sometimes mottled with white. L., 6°01; W., 4°34; T., 2°01; B. from N., -20. . Remarks.—The Cliff Swallow may be known from our other Swallows by its rufous upper tail-coverts. i Range.—North America, north to Labrador, and, in the interior, to the Arctic Ocean; breeds throughout its range; winters in the tropics. Washington, rare 8. R., Apl. to Sept. Sing Sing, common 8S. R., May 1 to Sept. 12. Cambridge, 8. R., much less common than formerly, Apl. 28 to Sept. 1. . Nest, of mud, generally retort- or pocket-shaped, beneath cliffs or the eaves of a barn or other building. Zyqs, four to five, white, with numerous spots of cinnamon-, olive-, or rufous-brown, °81 x *55. During the nesting season these Swallows are of very local distri- bution. They will return year after year to their rows of mud tene- ments beneath the eaves of some barn or outbuilding, and, although familiar birds to residents of the immediate vicinity, they may be entire strangers to those who have never had a colony of these birds settled near them. f Like Barn Swallows, they are masons, and they may be seen on muddy shores rolling the little pellets of clay which enter into the construction of their nest. In the fall they are found in flocks with other Swallows, but at all times they may be readily identified by their pale rufous upper tail- coverts, which make a conspicuous field-mark. The Cusan Crirr Swatiow (612.1. Petrochelidon fulva) has heen once recorded from the Dry Tortugas, Florida (Scott, Auk, vii, 1890, p. 265). 613. Chelidon erythrogaster (odd.). Barn Swattow. Ad.— Forehead, throat, and upper breast chestnut-rufous; rest of the under parts washed with the same color; upper parts steel-blue; tail deeply forked, all but the middle feathers with white spots on their inner webs. /m.—Upper SWALLOWS. 391 parts mixed with dusky, forehead and throat paler; outer tail-feathers shorter. L., 6°95; W., 4:67; T., 3°30; B. from N., 24. Range.—North America, north to Greenland and Alaska; breeds through- out the greater part of its range; winters as far south as southern Brazil. Washington, common 8. R., more abundant T. V., Mch. 28 to Sept. Sing Sing, common 8. R., Apl. 15 to Sept. 22. Cambridge, common 8. R., but fast decreasing, Apl. 20 to Sept. 10. Nest, of mud and grasses, lined with grasses and feathers, generally on ihe rafter of a barn or other building. Zygs, four to six, white, with numerous spots of cinnamon-, olive-, or rufous-brown, generally smaller than the eggs ot P. lunifrons, ‘TT x °54. Barn Swallows nest both in pairs and colonies, and during the breeding season are more generally distributed than any of our Swal- lows. Almost every old-fashioned barn with its great doors hospita- bly opened is cheered by their sweet call-notes and happy twittering song as they dart in and out on their errands of love. Barn Swallows take first rank among a family of birds famous for their power of flight. While their relatives are circling about feeding on insects in the air above, they capture their prey nearer the ground, skimming low over the fields, turning quickly to right or left, up or down, and pursuing their erratic course with marvelous ease and grace. ~— 614. Tachycineta bicolor (JViei/l.). Tree Swarrow; Wuite- BELLIED SwaLLow. -4d.—Upper parts steel-blue or steel-green; under parts pure white ; outer tail-feathers somewhat longer than the middle ones. Jn. —Upper parts brownish gray; under parts pure white. L., 5-90; W., 4°70; 27305. b- trom, N,,.-22. Range.—North America, north to Labrador and Alaska; breeds locally throughout its range; winters from South Carolina southward. Washington, common T. V., Apl. 1 to May 25; July 10 to Sept. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 4 to May 26; Aug. 4 to Oct. 16. Cambridge, 8. R., formerly common, now common only as a migrant, Apl. 5 to Oct. 12. Nest, of coarse grasses and feathers, in a hollow tree or bird-box. L£ggs, four to seven, white, °74 x 55. While our eastern Barn and Eave Swallows have abandoned their primitive methods of nesting in caves or beneath cliffs, and the Bank Swallows still adhere to the customs of their ancestors, Tree Swallows are passing through a transition period in their history. Some accept the houses or boxes erected by man as substitutes for the holes in trees or stumps which others still use. Near New York city they are the first birds to flock after the nest- ing season, and they begin to gather in our marshes as early as July 1. Their numbers rapidly increase, and the maximum of abundance is reached about August 15, when they outnumber all other Swallows together by at least three to one. They return to their roosts in the 22 399 SWALLOWS. reeds with great regularity every night, and early in the morning fly out over the country to feed. Their flight in the evening is com- paratively low, at an average height of thirty to forty feet. They sail about in circles more than other Swallows, and many pause to rest on telegraph wires, where their pure white breasts easily distinguish them from the Swallows which may be associated with them. In the morning their flight is much higher and more direct. They migrate by day, leaving their roosting ground in flocks, which sometimes con- tain myriads, and, after attaining a great height, pursue their journey to the south. When migrating along the coast they sometimes collect in large numbers in bayberry bushes (Myrica cervfera) and feed on their fruit. The Banama Swattow (615.1. Callichelidon cyaneoviridis) has been once recorded from the Dry ‘Tortugas, Florida, and may occur more or less regularly in the keys off southeastern Florida (Scott, Auk, vii, 1890, p. 265). + 616. Clivicola riparia (Zinn.). Bank Swatiow. Ad.—Upper parts brownish gray; throat white; a brownish gray band on the breast; outer vane of first primary without recurved hooklets; a small tuft of feathers above the hind toe. L., 5°20; W., 3:95; T., 2:00; B. from N., °18. eange.—North America, north to Labrador and Alaska; breeds locally throughout its range; winters as far south as Brazil. Washington, common 8. R., more common T. V., Apl. 15 to Sept. 25. Sing Sing, common 8. R., Apl. 18 to Oct. 1. Cambridge, common 8. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. 1. Nest, of grasses and feathers, in a hole in a sand bank, two to three feet from the entrance. Zyqs,four to six, white, °68 x °48. This is a locally distributed species breeding in colonies only where sand banks offer it a favorable nesting site. Probably for the reason that such banks are more frequently found bordering streams than inland, the birds are more numerous in the vicinity of water. Bank Swallows may be readily known from other Swallows, except- ing the Rough-winged, by their nesting habits, small size, and absence of metallic coloring. From the Rough-wing they differ in having the under parts white, with a conspicuous band across the breast, and in their somewhat quicker movements. 6117. Stelzidopteryx serripennis (47/.). Rovgu-wincEp SwaL- Low. Ad.— Upper parts brownish gray; throat and breast pale brownish gray; belly white; outer web of first primary with a series of recurved hooklets ; no tuft of feathers above the hind toe. /m.—Similar, but without recurved hooklets on the first primary ; throat and breast more or less washed and wing-coverts edged with rufous. L., 5°75; W., 435; T., 2°10: B. from N74 9. WAXWINGS. 393 Range.—North America; breeds as far north as British Columbia, Minne- sota, and Connecticut ; winters in the tropics. Washington, common 8, R., Apl. 5 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 17 to Aug. 12. Nest, of coarse grasses and feathers, under bridges, in stone walls, or a hole ina bank. £gqs, four to eight, white, ‘72 x °51. Rough-winged Swallows resemble Bank Swallows both in habits and appearance. They do not, however, always nest in holes in banks, but are sometimes found nesting about bridges, railway trestles and their abut- ments. With the Bank Swallow this bird dif- fers from our other Swallows in the ab- Fie. 90.—Section of outer pri- ‘ : mary of adult Rough-winged sence of metallic eclors, while from the Swallow. (Enlarged.) Bank Swallow it is to be distinguished by its plain, pale brownish gray, uniformly colored throat and breast, and somewhat slower, less erratic flight. FamiIty AMPELIDA. WAXWINGS. This small family contains the two known species of Waxwings, with which some ornithologists class several peculiar American tropical species whose exact relationships are not thoroughly understood. y 618. Ampelis garrulus (linn.). Bonemran Waxwine. Ad.— Forehead, chin, and line through the eye velvety black; a conspicuous crest ; front of crown chestnut-rufous; upper parts rich grayish brown; upper tail- coverts, wings, and tail grayish; primary coverts and secondaries tipped with white, the latter with small, red, seed-shaped sealing-wax-like tips; all but the outer primaries tipped with yellow or white on the outer web; end of tail with a yellow band; breast like the back, grayer on the belly ; under tail- coverts chestnut-rufous. L., 8:00; W., 4:60; T., 2°60: B. from N., 29. Range.—Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in North America south in winter, irregularly, to the northern United States; recorded from as far south as Kansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Nest, of twigs, roots, moss, ete., in trees. Hyqgs, similar in color to those of A. cedrorum, *92 x *65. The distribution of this bird in the United States is not unlike that of the Evening Grosbeak. It is exceedingly rare and irregular in the Atlantic States, but occurs with some frequency in the northern Mis- sissippi Valley. In notes and habits it is said to resemble its small cousin, the Cedar Waxwing. ot . 619: Ampelis cedrorum ( Ji¢i//.).. Cepar Waxwine; CEDAR-BIRD ; CuERRY-BIRD. (See Fig. 50.) dd.—Forehead, chin, and a line through the eye velvety black ; a conspicuous crest ; upper parts rich grayish brown ; upper 394 WAXWINGS. tail-coverts, wings, and tail gray ; secondaries, and sometimes tail, with small, red, seed-shaped, sealing-wax-like tips; tail with a yellow band at its end; breast like the back, changing gradually into yellowish on the belly; under tail-coverts white. L., 7:19; W., 3°70; T., 2°37; B. from N., 26. Range—North America; breeds from Virginia and the highlands of South Carolina north to Labrador; winters from the northern United States - to Central America. Washington, very common P. R., less so in winter. Sing Sing, common P. R. Cambridge, not common P. R., common 8. R., abundant I’. V. in spring, Feb. 1 to Apl. 25. Nest, bulky, of strips of bark, leaves, grasses, twigs, rootlets, moss, and sometimes mud, lined with finer materials of the same nature, in fruit or shade trees, five to twenty feet up. Zygs, three to five, pale bluish gray or putty color, distinctly and obscurely spotted with black or umber, *88 x °62. When the spring migration is over and the home birds have gone to nest-building, small flocks of Goldfinches and Waxwings—two peculiarly gentle, attractive birds—may still be seen wandering about the country. The squads of Cedar-birds fly evenly, on a level with the tree tops, in close ranks, often of five, seven, or nine. Frequently, when under full headway, they suddenly wheel and dive down to an apple tree for a meal of canker worms. In following the beautiful Waxwings about one listens in vain for a song, but soon comes to relish their two peculiar calls—a hushed whistle and the subdued call Thoreau describes as their ** beady note,” a succession of short notes strung together—for they both seem to harmonize with the quiet reserve of the delicately tinted birds. In July, when the wandering flocks are no longer seen, a walk through the neighboring orchards may show where both tardy build- ers have at last gone to nesting, and few bird homes afford pictures of such human tenderness and devotion. If there is an evergreen in the vicinity, the Cedar-bird mounts guard upon its tip, but occasionally relieves the monotony of his watch by flying up in the air for light luncheons of passing insects, The strong individuality of the Waxwings make them interesting birds to the field student. The use of their crests in expressing emo- tion, and the protective attitudes they assume when watched at their nests, throw much light upon bird psychology. To the bird-lover, however, the Cedar-birds have their own attrac- tion; their proverbially gentle, refined ways make them seem superior creatures of the air to whom he can but yield his affection. I shall never forget a pair that I once found by a clear mountain lake. They were perched upon two evergreen spires that guarded a silent bay, whose dark water was gilded by the lingering light of the setting sun. Fiorence A. MERRIAM. SHRIKES. 395 FAMILY LANDA. SHRIKES. The Shrikes, numbering about two hundred species, are largely confined to the Old World. Only two species are found in America, both members of the subfamily Zandine or true Shrikes. Their char- acteristic habits are described under their respective names. 621. Lanius borealis Veil]. Norruern Surixke; Burcuer-pirp, Ad.—Upper parts gray; wings and tail black; primaries white at the base, secondaries tipped with white or grayish; outer, sometimes all, the tail- feathers tipped with white, the outer feather mostly white ; forehead whitish ; lores grayish black; ear-coverts black ; under parts white, generally finely barred with black; bill hooked and hawklike. Jm.—Similar, but entire plumage more or less heavily barred or washed with grayish brown. L., 10°32; W., 455; T., 4:00; B. from N., -55. vangé.—Breeds in the interior in the far north (Fort Anderson, MacFar- lane), and migrates southward in winter as far as Kansas and Virginia. Washington, rare and irregular W. V.; Nov. to Feb. Sing Sing, tolerably common W. V., Oct. 26 to Apl. 17. Cambridge, common W. V., Nov. 1 to Apple 1: ~ Nest, of twigs, grasses, ete., in low trees or bushes. £'ggs, similar in color to those of LZ. ludovicianus, 1:05 x “76. This bird may be known at once by his ecolors—gray, black, and white—by the consternation his appearance causes among the Spar- rows, and by his peculiar flight, which is steady and straightforward, with much flapping, and close to the ground till he nears his in- tended perch, which is reached at the last moment by a sudden up- ward turn. He is so well known as a bird of hawklike, sanguinary character that most students are astonished when they find out that toward springtime he develops into a vocalist of no mean powers. Often in the warm days of March he may be heard singing on the top of some tail tree, a song that would do credit to a Catbird—indeed, it recalls - strongly that loquacious songster. He is, I think, a better singer than his southern cousin, but resembles him in habitually impaling his prey on a thorn, a fence barb, or a forked twig. His food consists chiefly of mice, noxious insects, and the equally noxious English Spar- row, so that the Shrike is a bird worthy of all protection. Ernest EK. THompson. sy 622. Lanius ludovicianus Jinn. Locerrneap Surixe. (See Fig. 51.) -dd.—Upper parts gray, wings and tail black, primaries white at the base, secondaries tipped with white; outer, sometimes all, the tail- feathers tipped with white; the outer feather mostly white; lores ddack, connected by a narrow black line on the forehead at the base of the bill; ear-coverts black ; under parts white, sometimes tinged with gray. L., 9:00; 396 SHRIKES. W., 3°82; 'I’., 3:87; B. from N., -48; depth of B. at N., -85 (average of nine Florida specimens). | Reemarks.—Specimens from the Mississippi Valley, western Pennsylvania, New York, and northern New England average lighter in color and have, as a rule, smaller bills than specimens from the south Atlantic States. They are thus intermediate between Judovicianus and excubitorides, but the differ- ences between them are too slight and inconstant to warrant me in including excubitorides on the basis of specimens which are quite as near ludovicianus as they are to typical examples of the western form. Range.—FKastern North America west to the edge of the plains; breeds, east of the Alleghanies, as far north as Virginia; west of the Alleghanies breeds northward to the Great Lakes and eastward through central New York to Vermont and Maine. Washington, rare W. V., Aug. 11 to Apl. 6. Sing Sing, A. V. Cam- bridge, rare in fall and winter. Nest, of strips of bark, small twigs, and vegetable fibers, lined with grasses, in thorny hedges or low trees, about seven feet up. Zygs, three to five, dull white or creamy white, thickly marked with cinnamon-brown and lavender, ‘98 x ‘78. Like some of the Hawks and Flycatchers, the Loggerhead does not search for his prey, but waits for it to come within striking dis- tance. It is of importance, therefore, that his perch should command an uninterrupted view of his surroundings. For this reason one rarely or never sees a Shrike 7m a tree, but always on its outermost or highest branches. He will fly directly toward its center, but just as he reaches it swing up and light on its top. He also selects telegraph wires, peaks of houses, and especially the apex of a lightning rod or weather vane. From his point of vantage he maintains a constant outlook for any unsuspecting grasshopper, small snake, or lizard which may appear below. ‘The distance at which he can detect these gives evidence of his power of sight. I have seen Shrikes fly fifty yards with the evi- dent object of capturing a grasshopper which they undoubtedly saw before starting. Like the Butcher-bird, the Loggerhead frequently impales its prey on a convenient thorn or spike. Doubtless this habit aids him in dis- secting his food, but I do not think that he does it for this reason alone. The bird’s vigilance, like that of the waiting Hawk, is probably at- tended by varying results. One hour may yield excellent returns, the next may be fruitless. But under any circumstances he can not resist taking advantage of an opportunity to secure food. Sometimes the opportunities exceed the demands of his stomach, and then, after cap- turing his unfortunate victim, he simply impales and leaves it. If perseverance deserved success, the Loggerhead would take high rank as a songster. But his notes are harsh and unmusical. They VIREOS. 997 consist of aseries of guttural gurgles, squeaky whistles, and shrill pipes, some of which might be attributed to the creaking weather vanes he so often chooses as a perch. FAMILY VIREONIDA. VIREOS. The Virecs, numbering about fifty species, are peculiar to America, most of them being confined to Central and South America. Some fifteen species, all belonging to the genus Vireo, reach the United States. Vireos are for the most part arboreal, though several species haunt the lower, rather than the higher growth. For small, insect-eating birds they are rather slow in their movements. We do not see them darting out after insects as do the Flycatchers, nor do they flit through the foliage after the manner of many Warblers, but patiently glean their food from the under surfaces of leaves, crevices in the bark, ete. They are more musical than the small Warblers; all our species have pleasing songs, and some of them are especially gifted. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A, With distinct white or yellowish white wing-bars. a, Eye-ring, or line from eye to bill, yellow. a, Throat and breast bright yellow ; rump gray. 628. YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. a?. Under parts white or whitish; sides and sometimes breast washed with greenish yellow; rump olive-green. 631. WuirE-EYED VirEo. 63la. Key West Vireo. 6. Eye-ring and line from eye to bill white. 61. Head lead-blue; wing over 2°50. 629. BLUE-HEADED VirEo. 629a. MounTaIn ViREo. 63, Head grayish, nearly like back; wing under 2°50. 633. BEx’s Vireo (Illinois). BL. Without white wing-bars. a. Under parts yellowish; first primary as long as fifth. 626. PHILADELPHIA VIREO. 6. Under parts white; sides washed with yellowish; first primary -75 long. 627. WarBLinG VIREO. ce. Under parts white, with little if any yellowish on sides; head with a lead-gray cap, bordered by narrow black lines over the eye. 624, ReED-EYED VIREO. 623. BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO. 623. Vireo calidris barbatulus ((Cu).). Buack-wuiskerED Vireo, Ad.—Similar to the next species, but somewhat duller above and with a fuscous streak on either side of the throat. fange.—Cuba, Bahamas, and southern Florida; southward to Central America in winter. a Nest, pensile, of dry grasses, shreds of bark, cotton, lichens, and spiders’ web, lined with soft, cottonlike fibers, suspended from a forked branch, five 328 VIREOS. to twenty feet up. Lygs, three to four, white, with a pinkish hue, speckled and spotted, chiefly at the larger end, with reddish brown, ‘78 x °55. This is a not uncommon summer resident in southern Florida, ar- riving from its winter home in Central America early in May. Its song resembles that’ of the Red-eyed Vireo, but is somewhat more hesi- tating and emphatic. + 624. Vireo olivaceus (/inn.). Rep-ryep Virro. Ad.—Crown ~ slaty gray, bordered on either side by blackish ; a conspicuous white line over the eye; rest of the upper parts, wings, and tail light olive-green; no wing- bars ; under parts pure white. L., 6°23 ; W., 3205 I. °2:20> B: from. N.-40. ftemarks.—The well-defined slaty- gray cap, bordered by narrow black lines, are the best distinguishing marks of this species. fange.—Kastern North America ; westward to British Columbia; breeds from the Gulf States to Labrador and 4 ; Manitoba; winters in Central and Fic. 91.—Red-eyed Vireo. (Natural . im size.) South America. Washington, very common S. R., Apl. 25 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 29 to Oct. 19. Cambridge, abundant S. R., May 10 to Sept. 10. Nest, pensile, of strips of bark, bits of dead wood, paper, and plant down, firmly and smoothly interwoven, lined with finer strips of bark and vine ten- drils, suspended from a forked branch, five to forty feet up. Eggs, three to four, white, with a few black or umber specks or spots about the larger end, *85 x °55. This, the most common and generally distributed of our Vireos, is found alike in the shade trees of our lawns, in orchards, or woodlands. The conspicuous white line over the eye, with its black border, and the bird’s red eye, are good characters by which to distinguish it from its relatives. Wilson Flagg’s description of the Red-eye to my mind exactly re- flects the character of the bird and its song: “The Preacher is more generally known by his note, because he is incessant in his song, and particularly vocal during the heat of our long summer days, when only a few birds are singing. His style of preaching is not declamation. Though constantly talking, he takes the part of a deliberative orator, who explains his subject in a few words and then makes a pause for his hearers to reflect upon it. We might suppose him to be repeating moderately, with a pause between each sentence, ‘You see it—you know it—do you heer me?—do you believe it?’ All these strains are delivered with a rising inflection at the close, and with a pause, as if waiting for an answer.” VIREOS. 399 The YELLOW-GREEN ViREO (625. V. flavoviridis), a Mexican and Central American species, has been once recorded from Godbout, Province of Quebec. 626. Vireo philadelphicus ((ass.).. PuHitapetpnra Vireo. Ad.— Upper parts hight olive-green; the crown sometimes grayish; a whitish line over the eye; wings and tail edged with olive-green; no wing-bars; first primary nearly as long as second; entire under parts nearly uniform pale, greenish yellow. 1, 4°75; W., 2°60; T., 1:95; B. from N., -26. Remarks.—Vhe pale, greenish-yellow color spread almost uniformly over the entire under parts distinguishes this bird from our other Vireos. Reange.—Eastern North America; breeds in Manitoba, Maine, and proba- bly north to Labrador; and winters in the tropics. Washington, very rare T. V., May 17. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept. 20 to Oct. 20. Cambridge, very rare T. V. in Sept. . Vest, pensile, of fine grass and birch bark, suspended from a forked branch about eight feet from the ground. Zggs, four, similar in color to those of V. olvvaceus (‘Thompson). This species resembles the Red-eyed Vireo in habits, and Mr. Brew- ster writes that its song is so nearly identical with the song of that spe- cies “that the most critical ear will, in many cases, find great difficulty in distinguishing between the two. The notes of philadelphicus are generally pitched a little higher in the scale, while many of the utter- ances are feebler and the whole strain is a trifle more disconnected. But these differences are of a very subtile character, and, like most comparative ones, they are not to be depended upon unless the two species can be heard together. The Philadelphia Vireo has, however, one note which seems to be peculiarly its own, a very abrupt, double- syllabled utterance with a rising inflection, which comes in with the general song at irregular but not infrequent intervals. I have also on one or two occasions heard the male when in pursuit of his mate utter a soft pseuo, similar to that sometimes used by Vireo olivaceus, and both sexes when excited or angry have a harsh, petulant note exactly like that of V. gilvus” (Bull. Nutt. Orn. @lub, v, 1881, p. 5). 627. Vireo gilvus (Jieil].). Warsiine Vireo. Ad.—Upper parts ashy olive-green; no wing-bars; wings and tail edged with the color of the back; first primary very short, not more than 100 Se in length; under parts (et Se white slightly washed SS with yellowish. L., 5°80; 4 W.., 2°85; T., 2°14; B. from 7 N., -30. Fig. 92.—Wing of Warbling Vireo, to show short first rimary. Range.—North Amer- B A ica; breeds as far north as the Hudson Bay region; winters in the tropics. Washington, rather common 8, R., Apl. 28 to Sept. 10, Sing Sing, tolera- 291) VIREOS. bly common S. R., May 3 to Sept. 18. Cambridge, common S. R., May 10 to Sept. 25. Nest, pensile, of grasses and plant fibers, firmly and smoothly interwoven, lined with fine grasses, suspended from a forked branch eight to forty feet up. ggs, three to four, white, with a few specks or spots of black, umber, or rufous-brown, chiefly about the larger end, ‘76 x *65. Unlike its cousin, the Preacher, the Warbling Vireo is not gen- erally distributed, but shows a decided preference for rows of shade trees, particularly rows of elms. It passes the greater part of its time in the upper branches, and is more often heard than seen. Although resembling the Red-eye in general appearance, its song is so different that singing birds need never be mistaken for that spe- cies. Instead of the Red-eye’s broken, rambling recitative, the song of the Warbling Vireo is a firm, rich, continuous warble with a singu- lar alto undertone. + 628. Vireo flavifrons Viei/l. YxrLiow-rnroatep Vireo. Ad.— Upper parts bright olive-green, changing to gray on the rump and upper tail- coverts ; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with white, forming two distinct wing-bars; outer web of inner secondaries white; eye-ring, throat, and breast bright yellow; belly white. L., 5°95; W., 3°05; T., 2°10; B. from N., °36. Range.—FKastern North America; breeds from Florida to Newfoundland and Manitoba; winters in the tropics. Washington, common S. R., Apl. 20 to Sept. 15. Sing Sing, tolerably common 8. R., Apl. 30 to Sept. 7. Cambridge, common 8. R., May 8 to Sept. 1. Nest, pensile, of strips of bark, plant fibers, etc., interwoven, lined with fine grasses and covered externally with lichens, suspended from a forked branch ten to thirty feet up. Zygs, three to four, white, with a few specks or spots of black, umber, or rufous-brown, chiefly about the larger ends, *80 x °60. The Yellow-throated Vireo is a dweller in tree tops, and whether in woodland, orchard, or lawn, he seldom comes below the upper story of his home. But even at a distance his bright yellow breast is a con- spicuous mark, at once distinguishing him from other members of his family. If the Red-eyed Vireo is a soprano, the Yellow-throat is a con- tralto. He sings much the same tune, but his notes are deeper and richer, while they are uttered more deliberately and with greater ex- pression than those of his somewhat too voluble cousin. ‘ See me; I’m here; where are you?” he calls, and at intervals repeats his ques- tion in varying forms. Sometimes he astonishes us by an intricate liquid trill which suggests the wonderful song of the Ruby Kinglet, but which unfortunately is sometimes marred by the scolding notes that precede or follow it. YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, VIREOS. 93] ¥ 4 629. Vireo solitarius (Wi/s.). Buur-neapep Vireo. (Sce Fig. 52.) Ad.—Top and sides of the head bluish gray ; eye-ring and lores white ; back olive-green; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with white, forming two orice wing-bars; outer web of inner secondaries white; under parts white; sides washed mah greenish yellow. L., 5°61; W., 2-96: P2155 B. from N., :28. Réemarks.—This species may be known by its white lores and eye-ring, and bluish-gray cheeks and crown. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from Connecticut (and south- ward along the crest of the Alleghanies) northward to New Brunswick and Manitoba; winters from Florida southward. Washington, common T. V., Api. 10 to May 10; Sept. to Oct. 26. Sing Sing, tolerably common 'T. V., Apl. 23 to May 14; Sept. 8 to Oct. 20. Cam- bridge, common T. V., rather rare 8. R., Apl. 25 to Oct. 5. Nest, pensile, of pine needles, plant down, etc., firmly interwoven, sus- pended from a forked branch five to ten feet up. Zygs, three to four, white, with a few specks or spots of biack, umber, or rufous-brown, chietly at the larger end, *80 x °53. This large and handsome Vireo—a bird of the woods—is the first of its family to reach the Northern States in the spring and the last to depart in the autumn. Like its congeners, but unlike birds in gen- eral, it sings at its work. In form its music resembles the Red-eye’s, the Philadelphia’s, and the Yellow-throat’s; but to me it is more varied and beautiful than any of these, though some listeners may prefer the Yellow-throat for the richness and fullness of its “organ tone.” The. Solitary’s song is matchless for the tenderness of its cadence, while in peculiarly happy moments the bird indulges in a continuous warble that is really enchanting. It has, too, in common with the Yellow- throat, a musical chatter—suggestive of the Baltimore Oriole’s—and a pretty trilled whistle. Its most winning trait is its tameness. Wood bird as it is, it will sometimes permit the greatest familiarities. ‘Two birds I have seen which allowed themselves to be stroked in the freest manner while sitting on the eggs, and which ate from my hand as readily as any pet canary; but I have seen others that complained loudly whenever I approached their tree. Perhaps they had had sad experiences, BRADFORD TORREY. A single specimen of the PLumBEovs Vireo (629). V. s. plumbeus), a west- ern species, has been taken at Peterboro, N. Y. (Miller, Auk, xi, 1894, p. 79). 629c. V. s. alticola Prewst. Mountatn Sorirary Vireo.—Similar to the preceding, but with a much larger bill, and the back generally with more or less slaty blue. W., 3°15; T., 2:25; B. from N., °35; depth of B. at IN. -20. Range.—lligher portions of the Alleghanies in North and South Carolina ; southward in winter to Florida. 302 VIREOS. This race of the Blue-headed Vireo is a common summer resident in the southern Alleghanies (see Loomis, Auk, viii, 1891, p. 329). 631. Vireo noveboracensis ((mel.). Wuire-Eyep Vireo. Ad.— Upper parts, including upper taz/-coverts, bright olive-green, more or less washed with grayish; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with yellowish white, forming two distinct wing-bars ; outer web of inner secondaries whitish ; lores and eye-ring yellow; throat white or whitish ; belly white; breast and sides washed with greenish yellow; iris white, hazel in the young. L., 5-27; Weare... 1°95; B. trom N,,-29. Range.—Eastern United States; breeds from Florida to New Hampshire and Minnesota; winters from Florida southward. Washington, common 8. R., Ap]. 20 to Oct. 7. Sing Sing, common S$. R., Apl. 29 to Oct. 8. Cambridge, rather rare 8. R., May 8 to Sept. 20; formerly common, Nest, generally similar to that of V. olivaceus, suspended from a forked branch in thickets. Zygs, three to four, white, with a few specks of black, umber, or rufous-brown at the larger end, “75 x °55. If birds are ever impertinent, I believe this term might with truth be applied to that most original, independent dweller in thickety un- dergrowths, the White-eyed Vireo. Both his voice and manner say that he doesn’t in the least care what you think of him; and, if attracted by his peculiar notes or actions, you pause near his haunts, he jerks out an abrupt “ Who are you, eh?” in a way which plainly indicates that your presence can be dispensed with. If this hint is insufficient, he follows it by a harsh scolding, and one can fancy that in his singular white eye there is an unmistakable gleam of disap- proval. I have always regretted that the manners of this Vireo have been a bar to our better acquaintance, for he is a bird of marked character and with unusual vocal talents. He is a capital mimic, and in the retirement of his home sometimes amuses himself by combining the songs of other birds in an intricate potpourri. 631la. V. n. maynardi Brewst. Key West Vireo.—Scarcely dis- tinguishable in color from the preceding, but averaging somewhat paler and less yellow below, and with a larger bill. L., 512; W., 240; T., 2:12; B. from N., °35. Range.—Southern Florida. This closely related race of the White-eyed Vireo is a common per- manent resident in southern Florida. 633. Vireo belli Avd. Bett’s Vireo. Ad.—Crown ashy gray, changing to olive-green on the rump; greater and middle wing-coverts nar- rowly tipped with white; lores and eye-ring whitish; under parts white, breast and sides washed with greenish yellow. L., 4°75; W., 2:20; T., 1°80; B. from N., :28. “ WOOD WARBLERS. 333 Range.—Interior of North America, from Texas north to Minnesota, east to Illinois. Nest, pensile, of strips of bark and plant fibers firmly and smoothly inter- woven, lined with finer grasses, etc., in bushes or low trees. ygs, four to six, white, with a few specks of black, umber, or rufous-brown at the larger end, °66 x *50. This is a common bird in its range, and is locally not uncommon as far east as Illinois. “In their food, habits, and actions they are very similar to the White-eyed. Their call- and alarm-notes are not quite so harsh, and their song is delivered in a less emphatic manner ; an indescribable sputtering, that does not rank it high in the musical scale ” (Goss). The Banama Honey CREEPER (635. Carcba bahamensis) was found by Dr. Wiirdemann in January, 1858, on Indian Key, southeastern Florida, but has not, to my knowledge, been taken by subsequent observers. The upper -parts are sooty black, the rump and middle of the under parts yellow, and a line over the eye, the throat, and the lower belly are white or whitish; length about 4°50. FAMILY MNIOTILTIDA. WooD WARBLERS. The Wood Warblers are found only in America, and are most numer- ously represented in eastern North America. About one hundred spe- cies are known, of which seventy visit the United States, while the remaining thirty are tropical. With three or four exceptions they are inhabitants of woodland, but during their migrations may be found in the trees of lawns or orchards. They feed almost exclusively upon insects, and are thus highly migratory, thousands of miles frequently separating their sum- mer and winter homes. The majority are among the last of the spring arrivals; their com- ing caps the climax of the migration, and the first severe frost leaves but few with us. They migrate by night, and are chief among the victims of lighthouses and electric-light towers. When migrating, they are generally found in straggling companies composed of a num- ber of species, which during the day travel slowly through the woods from tree to tree. They capture their insect food in a variety of ways. Some species flit actively from branch to branch, taking their prey from the more exposed parts of the twigs and leaves; others are gleaners, and care- fully explore the under surfaces of leaves or crevices in the bark; while several, like Flycatchers, capture a large part of their food on the wing. As a rule, they are arboreal, but many are thicket-haunt- ing. and some are terrestrial. 334 WOOD WARBLERS. — Several species have remarkable vocal ability, but, generally speak- ing, they have rather weak voices, and take low rank as songsters. Warblers are at once the delight and the despair of field students. To the uninitiated their existence is unknown, and when search reveals the before unsuspected fact that our woods are thronged with birds as exquisitely colored as the daintiest tropical forms, we feel as though a new world were opened to us. Absent to-day, present to-morrow, the Warblers come and go under cover of the night, and we may give a lifetime to their study, and then know we have not mastered the laws which govern their movements. Entering an apparently deserted bit of woods, we hear faint voices, lisping tseeps, and soon discover that the tree tops are animated with flitting forms. What limitless possibilities there are in a flock of Warblers! Who can say what rare species may be among them ?—per- haps the bird we have long vainly looked for; perhaps a stranger from another clime! KEY TO THE SPECIES. First Group.—Throat yellow, yellowish, or orange. I. Under parts wzthout streaks or spots. Il. With black or brown streaks on the breast or sides, or (in one species) a blackish brown band across the throat, or (in one species) a black patch on the breast. Second Group.—Throat black, gray, ashy, white, whitish, brown, or buffy. I. Throat and upper breast one color, black, gray, ashy, or brown, very dif- ferent from the white or yellow belly. II. Throat white or whitish, with or without streaks or spots; rest of under parts streaked or spotted with black, bluish, chestnut, or yellow. Ill. Under parts white, whitish, or buffy, wthout streaks, spots, or patches. First Group. I. Under parts without streaks or spots. 1. Tail with conspicuous white spots or patches. A, Wings with white wing-bars. a. Under parts entirely pure yellow. a1, Forehead yellow; a black line through the eye; rump same as back Vos (2 Showa. es 64 BLE wine Ware a2, Crown ashy; rump yellow . 657. Maenor1a WarBLER (Im.). b. Throat bright yellow; belly white or whitish. 61. Back olive-greenish. . . ~ ai» 671, Prive WaARELEE- 62, Back bluish, with a yellow aK patch in the middle. 648. ParuLA WARBLER (Im.). ce. Under parts pale yellowish white or buffy ; throat not brighter than belly. cl, Back olive-green, slightly streaked with black. c2, Under parts pale cream-buff, stronger on the flanks. 660. BAy-BREASTED WARBLER (Im.). WOOD WARBLERS. B00 c8. Under parts pale yellowish white. 661. BLack-poLL WARBLER (Im.). d@}, Back olive-green, without streaks. . 671. Pink WARBLER 9. e’. Back with a bluish tinge and without streaks. 658. CERULEAN WARBLER (Im.). B. Without white wing-bars. a. Under parts bright orange or orange-yellow; wings, tail-coverts, and tail bluish gray. . . . . . 637. ProrHonoTary WARBLER. b. Under parts pure yellow; wings, rump, and tail greenish; head sometimes blackish; inner web of outer tail-feathers white. 684. HoopED WARBLER (¢ and im.). ce. Under parts pale yellowish; head ashy ; rump olive-green; small white tail-spots, not reaching to ends of feathers. 640. BAcHMAN’s WARBLER (? and im.). d. Under parts pale yellowish; entire upper parts olive-green; a white spot at the base of the primaries. 654. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER 9°. 2. Tail without white spots or patches; wings without white wing-bars. A. Cap, or forehead, or cheeks black or blackish. a. Cap black ; forehead and cheeks yellow. 685. Witson’s WARBLER. 6. Band on the forehead and cheeks black or blackish ; no yellow line over the eye. . . . . 681. MaryLanp YELLOW-THROAT ¢. 6816. FLoripA YELLOW-THROAT @. ce. Forehead or crown and cheeks black or blackish; a clear yellow, line over the eye—-. -- See cee oe Oe: aie cxy WARBLER. B. No black on forehead; crown ashy, of a very different color from ° the olive-green back, or with the bases of the crown feathers rufous- brown or chocolate. a. Crown plain ashy; under tail-coverts white. 640. BacuMAN’s WARBLER. 6. Crown ashy; bases of feathers chestnut ; eye-ring distinctly white ; most of under parts and under tail-coverts bright yellow. 645. NasHvriLLE WARBLER. ce. Crown of nearly the same color as the back; the feathers with rufous-brown bases; under parts dull greenish yellow. 646. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. C. Crown of the same color as the back ; forehead the same, or yellow- ish, or brownish. a. Under parts bright yellow. a, Upper parts bright olive-green; forehead yellowish; short bristles at base of bill; tail greenish brown. 685. Witson’s WARBLER (Im.), a2, Upper parts bright greenish yellow; inner web of tail-feathers yellows in) iota 3 658s) Yarrow. WARBLER® 9's a8, Upper parts ae Seale eye-ring white. 645. NasHvILtLE WARBLER (Im.). 6. Throat and breast yellow; belly white or whitish. 336 ~ WOOD WARBLERS. b1. A black spot before the eye and a white line over it; wing 3°00. 683. YELLOW-BREASTED CuHat. 62. Legs flesh-color; outer tail-feathers shortest; forehead some- times brownish . . . . 681. MaryLanp YELLOW-THROAT 9°. 6815. FLoripA YELLOW-THROAT ?. 63. Legs blackish; tail-feathers even; wing under 3-00. 645. NasHvILLE WARBLER (Im.). c. Under parts uniform yellow or yellowish. co. Under parts dull greenish yellow, obscurely streaked with dusky ; back ashy greenish. 646. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (Im.). c?. Under parts yellowish or buffy yellowish; outer tail-feathers decidedly shortest; legs flesh-color. 681. MaryLanp YELLOW-THROAT 9. 6816. FLrortpA YELLOW-THROAT 9; c3, Breast somewhat yellower than rest of under parts; flanks brownish ; legs blackish; tail-feathers of same length. 645. NasHv1LL—E WARBLER (1m.). c+. Inner margins of tail-feathers yellow. 652. YELLow WARBLER 2. ©, Back bright olive-green; under tail-coverts white. 647. TENNESSEE WARBLER (Im.). c6. A small white spot at the base of the primaries. 654. BLAcK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER 9. JI. With black or brown streaks on the breast or sides, or (in one species) a blackish brown band across the throat, or (in one species) a black patch on the breast. 1. Under parts streaked with rufous-brown. A, Crown chestnut. a. Entire under parts rich yellow . 672a. YELLow Patm WARBLER. b. Throat and breast bright yellow; belly yellowish white. 672. Patm WARBLER. B. No chestnut crown-cap. a. Under parts yellowish white ; eye-ring yellowish. 672. Patm WARBLER (Im.). b. Under parts yellow, washed with brownish ; eye-ring yellowish. 672a. YELLow Patm WARBLER (Im.). c. Under parts bright yellow ; forehead yellow; inner webs of tail- feathers yellow. . . . . . . 652. YELLOW WARBLER (Ad.). 2. Under parts streaked or spotted with black. A. Back unspotted, the same as the head, olive-green or olive-brown. a. Under parts pale sulphur-yellow, streaked with black ; no wing- bars; wing 3°00 or over. 675. Water TurusH. 675a. GRINNELL’s WaTER THRUSH. 6. Under parts bright eek no black streaks on the flanks; wing nearly. 3:00. . . . RE ree a ge yop 8 c. Under parts bright pallens sides streaked with black; wing about 200. . « « « » « « « « 673, PRAIRIE WARBLER ( GC onncisam), WOOD WARBLERS. aot d. Throat pale yellow, indistinctly spotted or streaked; belly whitish; cheeks bright yellow; outer web of outer tail-feather white at the base. 667. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Im.). . Throat and breast yellow, distinctly spotted ; median wing-coverts ne easee . . . . 650. Cape May WarsLer (9? and im.). B. Back streaked or Aroied with black, or center of crown orange. a. Under parts pale yellow; black spots confined to sides; no white wing-bars . . = « = 6FO) KigTiaNnn’s Weer 6. Under parts nae ee acer streaked with blackish ; two white or whitish wing-bars. 661. Buack-poLtt WARBLER (Im.). c. Throat orange or yellow, without streaks; ear-coverts gray or black ; center of crown yellowish or orange. 662. BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. d. Under parts streaked with black ; ear-coverts rufous ; cap black. 650. CapE May WaRBLER. e. Head bluish gray or ashy; rump bright, yellow; eye-ring white; white tail-spots not reaching to ends of feathers. 657. Macnoti1a WARBLER. C. Back ashy gray. a. Throat yellow; belly white; wing-bars and tail-spots white. a!, A yellow line from the bill to the eye. 663. YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. a2, A white line from the bill to and over the eye. 663a. SycAMORE WARBLER. b. Entire under parts yellow; breast with a necklace of black spots ; no wing-bars or tail-spots . . . . . 686. CANADIAN WARBLER. D. Center of back ares under parts yellow ; sides streaked with Inlackee \ te ~ « . . 673, PRarRiE WARBLER. 3. Throat yellow; tees he a pane of copper or blackish chestnut; upper parts pie center of back greenish yellow. 648. PARULA WARBLER. 4. Throat and forehead yellow; breast and crown-cap black. 640. BacuMAn’s WARBLER. Second Group. I. Throat and upper breast one color, black, gray, ashy, or brown, very different from the white or yellow belly. A. Belly white or whitish. a. Back gray or greenish gray, crown yellow, cheeks black or gray, wing-bars yellow ... . . . 642. GoLDEN-wINGED WARBLER. 6. Back and crown bright olive-green, cheeks yellow, wing-bars white. ... .. . . 667. BLAcK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. c. Back and crown dark blue, a white spot at the base of the primaries. 654. BLAcK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER ¢. fav) 9 Vv 338 WOOD WARBLERS. | d. Back streaked with gray and black ; cap, throat, and sides chestnut. 660. BAy-BREASTED WARBLER 6. e. Back streaked with black and white, a white line through the cen- ter ofthe crown. . . . . 636. Brack anp WuitTE WaRBLER 6. jf. Back black; sides, center of wings, and base of tail salmon-red. 687. RepsTarT 6. B. Belly yellow. a. Throat black. aw. Cheeks bright yellow, black crown-cap connected with black throat by a black line, end half of inner web of outer tail-feathers wihite, .° at ss . . ... 684. HoopEpD WaRBLER. a?, Cheeks dull aneciiel ane black crown-cap not connected with black throat, white tail-spots not reaching to the ends of feathers . . . . . . 640. BacnMan’s WARBLER. a3, A black streak mone sive eye, wing-bars white. 641 + 642. LAwRENCE’s WARBLER. b. Throat bluish gray, ashy, or brownish. bt. A white eye-ring . . . . . . 678. Connecticut WARBLER. 62. No white eye-ring. . » . . « 679. MourninGc WARBLER. Il. Throat white or whitish, with or without streaks or spots; rest of the under parts spotted or streaked with black, bluish, chestnut, or yellow. A. Back streaked with black. a. With chestnut streaks on the sides, under tail-coverts white. a, Wing over 2°50, head with chestnut or black streaks or spots, wing-bars white . . .. . 660. BAY-BREASTED WARBLER @. a2. Wing under 2°50, head and wing-bars yellow or yellowish. 659. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. }. With black or bluish streaks on the sides or entire under parts. bi, Cap solid black . . . . . . 661, Buack-poLt WARBLER 6. 22, Crown, rump, and sides of the breast with a yellow patch or spot. 655. MyrtLe WaRBLER. b3, Cap black, with a white streak through the center. 636. Brack AND WHITE WARBLER 9°. b4, Crown olive-green, with small black streaks. 661. BLAcK-PpoLL WARBLER 9. 5, Crown blue, a bluish-black band across the breast. 658. CERULEAN WARBLER 6. 38, Crown brownish, under tail-coverts yellow. 672. Patm Wars LER (Im.). B. Back without streaks or spots. a. With white or yellow spots in the tail. a, Wing-bars white, cheeks yellow, back greenish. 667. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Im.). a2. Wing-bars, cheeks, and back grayish, under tail-coverts white. 650. Cape May Wars Ler (@ and im.). a. Back brownish, under tail-coverts yellow. 672. Patm WaRBLER (Im.). WOOD WARBLERS. 309 a4, Sides of breast, band in wings, and base of tail yellow. 687. Repsrarr( ? and im.), 6. Without white or yellow spots in the tail. 61. A pale rufous streak bordered by black through the center of the crown ... : aPoe ie se Oke OVENE BIRD. 62, A white line over the eye, feces generally without spots, wing over 3°00, bill over 50. . . . 676. Lovuistana Warter-Turusu. 63. A buffy line over the eye, throat with small black spots, wing under 3°00, billunder‘50. .. .. . . 675. Warer-Turusu. 675a. GRINNELL’S WaTER-THRUSH. III. Under parts white, whitish, or buffy, without streaks, spots, or patches. A, Tail with white or yellow spots or patcshes. a. Wing-bars white or grayish. a1, Under parts pure white, back greenish yellow, cheeks gray, wing under 2°50. . . . 659. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (Im.). a?, Under parts tinged with buffy, back and cheeks olive-green, with generally distinct black streaks, wing over 2°50. 660. Bay-BREASTED WARBLER (Im.). a8. Under parts soiled whitish, back brownish or grayish green, eye- ring white, wing-bars grayish, wing over 2°50. 671. Pine WaRBLER (9 and im.). a4, Under parts white, back streaked with pure black and white. 636. BLack anD WHITE WARBLER ?. b. Wing-bars yellowish, greenish, or absent. 61. Back and head bright greenish yellow, cheeks gray, under parts pure white. . . . 659. CHESTNUT-sIDED WARBLER (Im.). 63. Back, head, and cheeks yellowish green, under parts yellowish, inner margins of tail-feathers yellow. 652. YELLOw WARBLER (Im.). 63. Back gray or grayish, a black line through the eye. 641 + 642. Brewsrer’s WARBLER. 64. Back and head ape wings and base of tail with a yellow DRT Cie igloo ae tee « ge (687. Repsrarr (¢ and im.): 65. Back bright green, feu and cheeks grayish, a,small black spot in frontoftheeye . .. . . . 647. TENNESSEE WARBLER 8. B. Tail without white or yellow spots or patches. a. Under tail-coverts yellow. @, Back olive-green, outer tail-feathers shortest, legs flesh-color. 681. MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT (9 and im.). 6816. FLroripA YELLOW-THROAT. a. Back grayish olive-green, tail-feathers of equal length, legs blagkishivcs 10.9". . . . 646. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. 6. Under tail-coverts tae or whitish. . 41, Head plain brown, a whitish line from the bill over the eye. 638. Swarnson’s WARBLER. 62, Center of crown and line from the bill over the eye buffy, bor- dered by black stripes . . . . 639. Worm-EaTiInG WarBLER. 340 WOOD WARBLERS. 63,.Crown greenish, a small white spot at the base of the primaries almost concealed by wing-coverts. 654. BLACK-THROATED BiuE WaRrBLER (@ and im.). b4. Crown grayish, bend of the wing yellow. 640. BacuMan’s WARBLER 9. A FIELD KEY TO THE ADULT MALE WARBLERS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA IN SPRING AND SUMMER PLUMAGE. I. Throat yellow, white, or whitish; under parts without streaks or patches. II. Throat black, brown, or slate-color. Ill. Throat yellow or orange, under parts with streaks. (In one species a blackish-brown band across the breast.) IV. Throat white or whitish, wt streaks or spots on the under parts. (In two species a yellow patch on the sides of the breast.) I. Throat yellow, white, or whitish; under parts without streaks or patches. 1. Throat yellow. A. Length over 6:00, the largest of the Warblers; haunts dense thick- ets in second growth; song, a peculiar mixture of whistles, chucks, and crow-calls, delivered from the undergrowth, from the trees above, or on the wing, when the bird resembles a bunch of falling leaves ¢-. 6 2 2 2 2 Nog . Y 683;) YELLOw-BREASTED CHAT: B. Length under 6:00. a. Head and neck bright golden yellow like the breast; tail-feath- ers white, except at the tip; haunts near the water, especially low bushes and willows hanging over streams and ponds; call, a sharp peek ; range, from Virginia southward. 637. ProrHonoTaRY WARBLER. 6. Forehead and cheeks black, a yellow line over the eye; song, a low whistled call of five to seven notes; haunts near the ground ; range@from lower Hudson Valley southward. 677. Kentucky WaRrBLER. c. Forehead and cheeks black, bordered by grayish; no line over the eye; haunts undergrowth; call, a frequently repeated chack ; song, a loud, rapid J beseech you, I beseech you, I beseech you, or witch-e-wec-o, witch-e-wec-0, witch-e-wec-o ; movements restless ; abundant ...-,» .» » . . . 681. Maryrann YELLow-THroaT. 6816. FLoripaA YELLOw-THROAT (Fla.). d. Head and back olive-green; wings with two white bars; outer tail-feathers white; haunts pine woods; song, a musical trill. 671. Prn—E WaRsBLER. e. Crown bluish ash, eye-ring white; call-note sometimes like the sound produced by striking two pebbles together. 645. NASHVILLE WARBLER. WOOD WARBLERS. 341 J. Forehead yellow, a small black mark in front of the eye; wings with two white bars; outer tail-feathers white; song, swéé-chee, the first note higher, and also wéé, chi-chi-chi-chi, chir, ché-chiur. 641. BLUE-wInGED WARBLER. g. Forehead yellow ; crown-cap black; cheeks yellow; wings and tail unmarked; ratherrare . . . . 685. WiLson’s WaRBLER. 2. Throat white or whitish. A. Length 5:00; crown brown or with blackish and buffy stripes. a. A conspicuous whitish line through the center of the crown, bor- dered by black lines; not common. 639. WorM-EATING WARBLER. 6. Crown plain brown; range, North Carolina and southward. 638. Swarnson’s WARBLER. B. Length 450; crown ashy or forehead yellow. a. Forehead yellow. a1. Breast white, with a barely perceptible tinge of yellow; wing- bars white or yellow, a black mark in front of the eye; rare. 641 + 642. BREwsTER’s WARBLER. b. Forehead not yellow. 61, Breast white, crown plain bluish ashy, clearly defined from the bright olive-green back. . . 647. TENNESSEE WARBLER. 62, Breast whitish, tinged with yellow and indistinctly streaked with dusky ; crown dull ashy, not clearly defined from the back and with a partly concealed patch of rufous-brown; very rare in the Atlantic States north of South Carolina. 646. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. II. Throat black, brown, or slate-color. 1. Belly white. a. Back blue, a white spot near the outer edge of the wing; common. 654, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. 6. Back green, cheeks yellow; song, a buzzlike zee repeated five or six times, the next to last note the highest; common. 667. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. ec. Back grayish, forehead yellow, a black mark through the eye and a white line below it; a large patch of yéllow on the wings; song, zee-zee-zee-zee, all on the same note: not common, 642. GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. d. Back black; sides of the breast, middle of the wing, and base of the tail-feathers reddish orange ; movements active, tail frequently spread, the reddish color showing conspicuously ; abundant. 687. REepsTaRrt. e. Back streaked with black and white; song fine and wiry ; move- ments like those of a Creeper; common, . 636. BLAcK AND WuitTE WARBLER. J. Back streaked with buffy and black; forehead and cheeks black; crown-cap, throat, upper part of the breast, and sides chestnut; Father Tare. so 2 «. # . « «+ “860; Bay-BREASTED WARBLER. 342 WOOD WARBLERS. 2. Belly yellow. A. Throat slate-color; haunts near the ground. a. Breast showing traces of black, no white eye-ring: rare in most DIACEK «ate ges plea” ete Tie! he, SMOG: Mournine WARBLER. b. Breast with no traces of black, a white eye-ring; call a sharp peek ; very rare in the spring . . 678. Connecticut WARBLER. B. Throat black. a. Forehead and crown yellow, wings with white bars, a black line through the eye; very rare. 641 + 642. LAwWRENCE’s WARBLER. b. Forehead and cheeks yellow, rest of the head and sides of the neck black ; outer tail-feathers almost entirely white; haunts near the ground, generally in wet woods; movements active, the white tail-feathers showing conspicuously in flight; lower Hudson Val- ley southward; common. . . . . . 684, HoopED WARBLER. c. Forehead yellow, asmall black patch on the crown, white patches on the tail not reaching to the ends of the feathers; range, South Carolina southward .. . . . . 640. Bacuman’s WARBLER. IIL. Throat yellow or orange, under parts with streaks. (In one species a blackish brown band across the breast. ) 1. Belly white, with or without black streaks. a. Throat rich orange; back, black streaked with white; tolerably common... . . . 662. BLacKkBURNIAN WARBLER. 6. Throat bright Pelee able grayish; range, Virginia southward ; abundant .... . . . . 663. YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. 663a. SycAMORE WARBLER. c. Throat yellow, with a blackish band crossing the upper part of the breast; abundant ... . - ws » 648. -PaRuLA WaRsrnE 2. Belly yellow, with streaks or ae on the breast or sides. A. With black streaks or spots on the under parts. a. Back grayish, unstreaked ; a necklace of black spots on the breast ; no streaks on the sides or white on the wings or tail; common. 686. CANADIAN WARBLER. b. Back black, crown grayish, a black stripe through the eye; breast and sides streaked with black; end of tail black, a white band across its middle; common . . . . 657. Macnot1a WARBLER. c. Back streaked with white, center of the crown and line over the CVG Orange So. to . . . . 662. BuackBuRNIAN WARBLER. d. Back greenish, s sreeatted with black ; crown black, a rufous ear- patch, a white patch on the wings, rump yellow; rare. 650. Cape May Warster. e. Back greenish, with a patch of rufous-brown; haunts second growths and old bush-grown pastures ; common in some places. 673. Prarriz WARBLER. J. Back grayish, streaked with black ; crown bluish ; no conspicuous white marking on the wings; very rare in the United States. G70. KirtTLANbD’s WARBLER. WOOD WARBLERS. O48 B. Under parts with rufous-brown streaks. a. Crown yellow, back greenish, inner border of tail-feathers yel- low; general appearance that of a yellow bird; haunts lawns, orchards, and second growths; rarely seen in deep woods; abun- CUTER E ented ou Wastin te a let ok. GOs! VELEOW WARBDER: 6. Crown chestnut, back brownish, outer tail-feathers tipped with white; haunts near the ground, frequently seen along roadsides and in old fields; movements leisurely, constantly wags its tail; common . 672. Patm WARBLER. 672a. YELLow Patm WARBLER. IV. Throat white or whitish, with streaks or spots on the under parts. (In two species a yellow patch on the sides of the breast.) 1. A patch of yellow on the sides of the breast. a. Back grayish, streaked with black; rump and a partly concealed crown-patch yellow; note, a loud ¢chip, generally uttered during fight aburdant-.2 > |<‘. wf. 4) bod. eNiy REE Wincor. 6. Back (aor. breast more or es spotted with black; a yellow band across the middle of wings and tail; movements active, tail fre- quently spread, the yellow band showing conspicuously ; abundant. 687. Kepsrarr (Im.). 2. No yellow patch on the sides of the breast. A. With wing-bars; back streaked with black ; haunts in trees. a. Back bright blue; very rare near the Atlantic coast. 658. CERULEAN WARBLER. b. Back grayish, crown black; movements slow; abundant. 661. BLAcK-POLL WARBLER. ce. Back greenish yellow, crown bright yellow, sides chestnut; com- PAOny £.- ha . . . . . 659. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. ZB. Without wing- oe back not streaked; haunts on or near the ground ; walkers, not pone. a. Crown pale rufous, bordered by black streaks ; song,a loud teacher, repeated eight or nine times and increasing in volume ; common. 674. OVENBIRD. b. Crown like the back, breast with a tinge of sulphur-yellow, an inconspicuous buffy line over the eye; bill less than ‘50 in length ; Common =... - . ., 675. Water Truss, c. Crown like the hiele ireent ae particularly flanks tinged with buffy, a conspicuous ne line over the eye; bill nearly -75 in length ; a far shyer bird than the preceding; song loud and ring- ing; notcommon ... . . 676. Louistana Water ‘l'HRusu. 636. Mniotilta varia (Zinn.). Buack anp Wuite Warser; Biack AND Wuire Creeper. (Fig. 93.) Ad. 6.—No yellow anywhere; upper parts streaked with black and white; ear-coverts black; inner webs of outer tail- feathers with white patches; wing-coverts black, tipped with white; throat and upper breast black or black and white; sides streaked with black and white; middle of the belly white. Ad. ¢.—Similar, but the under parts with fewer black streaks; sides washed with brownish. Jm. 6.—Similar to B44 WOOD WARBLERS. the ¢, but with more streaks on the under parts. L., 5°30; W., 2°73; T., 2:02; B.tromN.,°37. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from the Southern States north to Fort Simpson; winters from Florida southward. Washington, abundant T. V., less common 8. R., Apl. 12 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, common 8. R., Apl. 18 to Oct. 1. Cambridge, very common §. R., Apl. 25 to Sept. 5. Nest, of strips of bark, grasses, etc., lined with rootlets or long hairs, on the ground at the base of a stump, log, or rock. £ggs, four to five, white, spotted and speckled with cinnamon-brown to umber, chiefly in a wreath at the larger end, *68 x ‘54. None of our Warblers can be more readily identified than this con- spicuously marked creeper. It is generally distributed throughout woodland, and climbs with even more agility than a true Creeper, hanging from the under surface of branches and twigs, and flitting actively from tree to tree after apparently the most superficial exami- nation. It is a generally silent bird, intent on food-getting, and its thin, wiry notes, séé-see-see-see, are not frequently uttered. + 63%. Protonotaria citrea (Zodd.). ProtnonoTtary WaRrBLER. Ad. 6.—Whole head, neck, and under parts rich orange, lighter on the belly ; back greenish yellow, changing to bluish gray on the rump; wings and tail ashy ; inner webs of all but the middle tail-feathers white, except at the tip; no wing-bars. Ad. ?.—Similar, but the yellow is paler, the belly with more white, 550: W.,. 2°90" T., 1:5; 1B. froma, 42. fange.—FEastern United States; breeds from the Gulf States to southern Illinois and Virginia; wanders casually to Maine; winters in the tropics. Washington, of irregular occurrence in summer. West, of rootlets, fine twigs, and moss, plant down or feathers, in a hole in a stub or stump, generally of a willow tree. Zyggs, four to six, white, thickly and rather coarsely marked distinctly and obscurely with cinnamon-brown, chestnut, or rufous-brown, °69 x *d6. This exquisite Warbler frequents bushes and low trees—particu- larly willow trees—hanging over the water. Its call-note so closely resembles that of a Water Thrush (Secvwrus), I have sometimes mis- taken it for that species. Its usual song, as Mr. Brewster remarks in his admirable biography* of this species, “sounds at a distance like the call of the Solitary Sandpiper, with a syllable or two added—a simple peet, tweet, tweet, tweet, given on the same key throughout... . Nearer at hand, however, the resemblance is lost, and a ringing, pene- trating quality becomes apparent in the Warbler’s song.” To thoreughly appreciate the Prothonotary’s radiant beauty, one * Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iii, 1878, pp. 153-162. } WOOD WARBLERS. 345 should float quietly in a canoe past its haunts. Its color shows to best advantage against the dark background of its home, and its every movement is a delight to the eye. ~ 688. Helinaia swainsonii Aud. Swartnson’s Warsier.