By FRANK M. CHAPMAN, Associate Curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology in the American Museum of Natural History. BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA, with introductory Chapters on the Outfit and Methods of the Bird Photographer. Illustrated with over 100 Photographs from Nature by the Author. I2mo. Cloth, $1.75. HANDBOOK OP BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. With Keys to the Species, Descriptions of their Plumages, Nests, etc., and their Distribution and Migrations. "With over 200 Illustrations. tamo. LIBRARY EDITION, $3.00. POCKET EDITION, flexible covers, $3.50. BIRD-LIFE. A Guide to the Study of Our Common Birds. POPULAR EDITION in colors, $2.00 net ; post- age 1 8 cents additional. THE WARBLERS OF NORTH AMERICA. \Yith Contributions from other Ornithologists and 24 full-page Colored Plates illustrating every Species, from Drawings by L. A. Fuertes and B. Horsfall, and Half-tones of Nests and Eggs. 8vo. Cloth, $3.00 net ; postage 20 cents additional. D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK. BOB-WHITE. HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA WITH KEYS TO THE SPECIES AND DESCRIPTIONS <>F I HI-IK I't.rMAGf-s. NESTS, AHO EGGS IHI-.IK mslKIIH 'I ION AND Mlt.KA I AND A SRIKF AO.ol'NT OK THHK HAUNTS AND HABITS Wllll INTRODUCTORY CHAI'll-Ks ON 1HK STUDY OF ORNITHOLOGY. HOW To IDHVIII-Y AND HOW TO CoilH I ASI) CKI si K\ I HIKDS TMKIR NESTS. AND I nv p .f FRANK M^fHAPMAN ASSISTANT CURATOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALOGY AND ORNITHOLOGY IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NEW YORK MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS* UNION, ETC. MY/7/ Ffl.l.-r.\C.E n.ATKS f\ rv'/.r>A-.V AND BLACK AND WHITE AND r/'HV/AV c/ c.VA //r.V/>A'AV> AND FIHY < /.v /•///; . SI VI Mil I 1)1 lie. S NEW YORK D. APPLKTON AND COM PA 1907 PREFACE. Ir this book had l«en written in the last century it might hare been entitled "Ornithology made Simple, or How to Identify Hirds with Ease, Certainty, and Dispatch." It may be unworthy so eon- preheii>ive a title, nevertheless I have made an honest endeavor to write a book on birds so free from technicalities that it wmld be in- telligible without reference to a glossary, and I have tried t<> ti«> 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 tmth had he written "One touch of nature makes the whole world kiml." In the succeeding pages I have attempted to express my appreciation of the assistance which natural- ist friends and associates have generously given me, hut 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. CUAPMAB. AMERICAN MCHCCM or NATURAL HIKTOBY, NEW YOKE CITY, January, 1896. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER I.— TII K STII>Y OK ORsmioixxiv 1 Systematic Ornithology 2 Philosophic Ornithology 3 Economic Ornithology 6 Sentiment of Ornithology b CHAPTER II. — THE STUDY OK BIRDS OUT-OF-DOORS ... 10 How to Identify Birds 10 How to Find Birds 11 When to Find Birds 12 Tables of Migration IS The Nesting Season 1!» Note-books and Journals 20 CHAPTER III.— <'<>I.I.K. TIXO BIRDS, TIIKIR NKSTS, ASD Kmis Collecting Birds 23 Making Birdskins 24 Sexing Birds 27 Cataloguing and Labeling 28 Care of a Collection 29 Collecting and Preserving Nests and I-'^i^» .... 29 PLAN or THE WORK 33 Nomenclature adopted 88 Definition of Trrms 88 The Key to Families 88 The Keys to Species 84 Measurements 87 Range 87 Biographies 88 Illustrations 89 Color Chart 89 LIST or ABBREVIATIONS 40 rii viii CONTENTS. PACK THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA EAST OF THE NINE- TIETH MERIDIAN 41 KEY TO ORDERS AND FAMILIES 41 I. ORDER PYGOPODES : Diving Birds 56 1. Family Podicipidae : Grebes 56 2. Family Urinatoridae : Loons 58 3. Family Alcidae : Auks, Murres, and Puffins . . 60 II. ORDER LONGIPENNES: LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS . . 65 4. Family Stercorariidas : Skuas and Jaegers . . .65 5. Family Laridae : Gulls and Terns . . . .67 6. Rynchopidse: Skimmers 85 III. ORDER TUBINARES: TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS . . 86 7. Family DiomedeidaB : Albatrosses . . . .86 8. Procellariidae : Petrels, Fulmars, and Shearwaters . 86 IV. ORDER STEGANOPODES : TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS . . 91 9. Family Phaethontidas : Tropic Birds . . . .91 10. Family Sulidae : Gannets 92 11. Family Anhingidae : Darters 93 12. Family Phalacrocoracidae : Cormorants . . .94 13. Family Pelecanidae : Pelicans 95 14. Family Fregatidae : Man-o'-War Birds . . .97 V. ORDER ANSERES : LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS . . 97 15. Family Anatidae: Ducks, Geese, and Swans . . 97 VI. ORDER ODONTOGLOSS^E : LAMELLIROSTRAL GRALLATORES . 125 16. Family Phcenicopteridae : Flamingoes . . . 125 VII. ORDER HERODIONES : HERONS, STORKS, IBISES, ETC. . . 125 17. Family Plataleidas: Spoonbills 125 18. Family Ibididae : Ibises 126 19. Family Ciconiidse : Storks and Wood Ibises . . 127 20. Family Ardeidse: Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns . 128 VIII. ORDER PALUDICOL^E : CRANES, RAILS, ETC. . . . 137 21. Family Gruidae: Cranes 137 22. Family Aramidae : Courlans 138 23. Family Rallidac: Rails, Gallinulcs, and Coots . . 139 IX. ORDER LIMICOI^B: SHORE BIRDS 147 24. Family Phalaropodidre : Phalaropes .... 147 25. Family Recurvirostridse : Stilts and Avocets . . 149 26. Family Scolopacidaa : Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. . . 150 ix MM Family Charadriidr : Plovers 171 881 Family A [>hri/.idn-: Tnrn.itones.etc 178 89. Family Hjvmat"|>: Horned Owl>, Hoot Owls . . 'Ji:( XIII. OKI M-I : PARROTS, MACAWS, PAROQUETS, ETC. . 888 37. Family Psittacidie : Parrots and Paroquet* . . 888 XIV. OKHKK COCCYGES: CUCKOOS, KINGFISHERS, ETC. . . 224 88. Family Cuculida? : Cuckoos 224 89. Family Akrdinida- : Kingfishers . . . .886 XV. ORDER PICI: WOODPECKERS, WRY > . . . 227 40. Family Picida- : \N"dpecker8 .... XVI. OHDKR MACROCOIRES : GOATSUCKERS, Ik MM IXG BIRDS, SWIFTS, ETV 228 41. Family Capriraulgidao : Nighthawks, Whip-poor- wills, etc 236 42. Family Micropodidos: Swifts 880 43. Family Trochilida? : Hummingbirds. . . . 240 XVII. OKHKK I1 iiMi BIRDS 2-T2 44. Family Tyranni'l;r: Flycatchers . . . .848 Family Alaudid*: Larks 232 46. Family ('< TV ida- : t 'rows and Jays . . . .888 47. Family Sturnidw: Sterlings 859 48. Family Ictfridic: Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. . . 860 49. Family Fringillidtc : Finches, Sparrows, etc. . . 'J71 50. Family Taiiu^ri. la-: Tanagers 816 51. Family HinmdinidiD: Swallows .... 318 52. Family . \mpdida-: Waxwing* 328 Family Laniida-: Shrikes 885 54. Family Vin,,i, 327 55. Family Mniotiltide: Wood Warbler* . . .888 x CONTENTS. PAGE 56. Family Motacillidse : Wagtails and Pipits . . 375 57. Family Troglodytidze : Thrashers, Wrens, etc. . . 376 58. Family Certhiidae : Creepers 385 59. Family Paridae : Nuthatches and Titmice. . . 386 60. Family Sylviidae : Kinglets and Gnatcatchers . . 391 61. Family Turdidaa : Thrushes, Bluebirds, etc. . . 394 APPENDIX : A Field Key to our Commoner Eastern Land Birds . 404 LIST OF PRINCIPAL WORKS REFERRED TO 411 INDEX . • 415 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. rULL-PAUK PLATES, TO FAT* PAOB BOB- WHITE Front i»pifce. COLOR CHART :J9 PIED-BILLED GREBE AND YOUNO 57 HEADS OP DUCKS 97 LITTLE BLUE HERONS 185 CLAPPER RAIL 140 WOODCOCK AND YOUNO 158 SPOTTED SANDPIPER AND Yorxo 109 RUFPED GROUSE AND YOUNO 181 SPARROW HAWK AND YOUNO 'Jll HAIRY WOODPECKER; YELLOW-BELLIED SAPMTKKK . . . 899 WHIP-POOR-WILL 23? LEAST FLYCATCHER; I'IKKHE 245 BOBOLINK 203 MEADOWI.ARK 265 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW; WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW . . 800 SONO SPARROW; SWAMP SPARROW 308 YELLOW-THROATED VIREO; WARBLING VIREO .... 880 LOUISIANA WATER-THRUSH JMW WOOD THRUSH; WILSON'S THRUSH W> FIGURES IX THK TKXT. norax >« ' 1. A completed l>inl-kiti 98 2. Topography of a binl 88 3. (a) Spotted, (b) streaked, (r) barred, (. Head of Least Sandpiper ........ 1GO a. Head of Red-backed Samlpi|H-r ...... 161 64. Wing of Solitary Sandpiper ....... 166 65. Head of Semipalmated Plover ...... 66. Head of Wilson's Plover ........ 17rt 67. Tail of Sharp-shinned Hawk ...... 68. Tail of Coojwr's Hawk ........ 1W 69. Primaries of Rcd-shoiil.l«>rcd Hawk ..... 70. Primaries of Broad-winged Hawk ...... 904 71. Foot of Golden Ragle ........ 906 72. Foot of Bald Eagle ......... 907 . ill-feathers of Yellow-billed Cuc-koo ..... 99S ' 74. Tail-feathers of Black-billed Cuckoo ..... 996 TV I lead of Crested Flycatcher ....... 24'» :•'•. I lead of Prairie Horned Lark ....... '.'Vl 77. Head of Cowbird ......... 2&J xiv LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS. FIGURE PAGE 78. Head of Orchard Oriole 267 79. Head of Purple Finch 281 80. Head of Redpoll . . 285 81. Hind-toe of Lapland Longspur 289 82. Tail-feathers of Vesper Sparrow 290 83. Tail of Grasshopper Sparrow 293 84. Head of Seaside Sparrow 297 85. Head of Lark Sparrow 299 86. Head of Chipping Sparrow 302 87. Head of Fox Sparrow 309 88. Head of Dickcissel 315 89. Barn, Cliff, Tree, and Bank Swallows 318 90. Section of primary of Hough-winged Swallow . . . 323 91. Head of Red-eyed Vireo 328 92. Wing of Warbling Vireo 329 93. Head of Black and White Warbler 351 94. Head of Worm-eating Warbler :ni 95. Head of Blue-winged Warbler 351 96. Head of Golden-winged Warbler 351 97. Head of Parula Warbler 351 98. Head of Myrtle Warbler 351 99. Head of Magnolia Warbler ....... 351 100. Head of Chestnut-sided Warbler 351 101. Black-throated Blue Warbler 354 102. Head of Black-poll Warbler 366 103. Head of Prairie Warbler 366 104. Head of Oven-bird 366 105. Head of Kentucky Warbler 366 106. Head of Maryland Yellow-throat 366 107. Head of Wilson's Warbler 366 108. Head of Hooded Warbler 366 109. Head of Canadian Warbler 366 110. Head of Yellow-breasted Chat 372 111. Head of Short-billed Marsh Wren . . . . . . .383 112. Head of Long-billed Marsh Wren "384 113. Head of Red-breasted Nuthatch 888 114. Head of Tufted Titmouse 389 115. Head of Golden-crowned Kinglet 392 A HANDBOOK OF Till: UIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA INTRODUCTION. ril.MTKK I. THE STl'l>Y <>F OUSITHOLOGY. BIROS, because of their U-auty. the charm of their songs, and the ease with which they may be observed, are doubtless the forms of animal life which first attract the vomit: naturalist's attention. Hi* interest in them gives evidence of an inlx>rn love of Nature. Too often this priceless gift is ln-t -imply through lack of encouragement and instruction. Pnt|>erly developed it should proven never-failing source of pleasure and inspiration, if indeed its influence does not become the most potent factor in our lives. Let us hope that the day is not distant when the im|>ortance of in- troducing natural-history studies into our schools will be generally recognized. The young student of Nature will then be hrl|*>«l orer the repelling technicalities which render so difficult the fir»t || a knowledge of his chosen subject. Without a guide he now either loses his way completely or travels under disadvantages which handi- cap him for the whole journey. The uninstructed beginner in ornithology usually ex[x-nds his en* ergies in forming a collection, and he knows no better way of pursuing his study of birds than to kill and stuff them ! Collecting specimens isastepin the scientific study of birds, but ornithol,,-y would hare small claim to our consideration if its possibilities ended here. Prop- erly considered, it includes what may be termed the science of orni- v and the sentiment of ornithology. A* a science it treat* of is the exponents of natural laws and ^-cks to determii place in the scale of life. In the sentiment of i-rni(l .re ap- peals to us through the most interesting and beautiful of her animate lanoa, a i 2 SYSTEMATIC ORNITHOLOGY. Tlie Science of Ornithology. — The science of ornithology may be divided into three branches — systematic, philosophic, and economic. The systematist aims to classify birds according to what are appar- ently their true relationships. He is the ornithological storekeeper, and having taken an account of stock it is his duty to keep the books of the firm in order. The philosophic ornithologist accepts as a fact the statement of affairs given him by his fellow-worker the systemat- ist, and tries to explain the wherefore and why. He is a seeker of causes. The economist is of a more practical turn of mind. He is impressed by the incalculable influence which birds exert over our agricultural interests, and the necessity for learning with exactness whether this influence is for good or evil. But let us describe these three departments of scientific ornithology more fully. Systematic Ornithology. — The first step in the scientific study of any group of animals is to name and classify them. Orders, families, genera, species, and subspecies are to be described and arranged in what appears to be the most natural manner. Thus all the Perching Birds, for example, are placed in the order Passeres, and this order is divided into numerous families — for instance, the Thrushes or family Turdidce. But how are we to know which are Perching Birds and which of the Perching Birds are Thrushes* The systematist answers, by studying a bird's structure. Generally speaking, orders and fami- lies are based on skeletal, muscular, and visceral characters which may be termed internal characters. Genera are based on the form of bill, feet, wings, and tail, or on external characters, while species and sub- species are based mainly on color and size. Thus all the members of a family or order agree more or less in their principal internal charac- ters: those of a genus agree in external characters, and the individ- uals of a species or subspecies resemble one another in color and size. The object of classification is to aid us in understanding not alone the relationships of one bird to another bird, or of one family or order of birds to another family or order, or even of living to extinct birds, but also to assist us in explaining the relationships of all the classes of the animal and vegetable kingdoms — mammals, birds, rep- tiles, fishes — and thus down the scale to the lowest forms of life. This systematic study of the relationships of birds has taught us that they have been evolved from reptilian ancestors. There is much evidence in support of this fact, but the most conclusive is furnished by the discovery in the lithographic slate of Solenhofen, Bavaria, of several specimens of a remarkable fossil, a reptilelike bird, which has been named Archwopteryx lithographica. It is the earliest known direct progenitor of the great class Aves. PHILOSOPHIC "KM III..; I The importance of systematic classified ion ualso shown in the ne- cessity of naming object* before we can study them tn ml vantage. As the alphabet is the foundation of a written language, so this great aeries of scientific names, which appears so formidable to the student. i- tin- u'roimdwork for till ornilhologjeal research. /'A i /«.ccimens shows their relation-hip- through -tructurv, bat iy of the living l.ird in its haunts may tell us the emut of structure. In classifying birds we have taken n.-t,- of their f..rm and coloration ; our object now is to determine how these characters were acquired. As Prof. K. S. Morse has said, " There is no group of animals which exceed- birds in varied and suggestive material for the erolu- ti.mist." Compare a Hummingbird with an ()>trich, a Swallow with -ruin, and the enormous variation in the structure and ha' birds is brought very forcibly to our minds. When w«- remember that these widely divcr^-nt type- dc-eended from a reptilian m we are impressed anew with the truth of Prof. Morse'-, remark. A brief revii-w of the more important branches of philo-ophic ornithology will show how rich a field is open t.. tin- -tud. nt of bird*.. Thi-y are: (1) Tho origin of birds and their place in Nature;* cji their distribution iu time and space, and the influent** whieh determine their present ranges; f (3) the migration of birds, its origin. object, ei- tent. and manner; % (4) the nesting of bin!-, including a study of the significance of sexual differences in form, color, and voice, the location and construction of the nest, the number and color of the eggs, together with the habits of birds during the entire nesting season; (5) the effect • See Newton's Dictionary of Birdu (London : Adam and Charlrc Black. IflH); arti.-l.-s. • Anatomy ..f Mini* " and - Fosiiil Birds" ; Oouea'i K Bint*. t Read The Geographical PiNtribiition of North American Mammals, by J. A. All. -n. Hull Am Mil* N.it ll:-r jr. JHB8, pp. IWoMI : four mapn. To* O«o- graphical Origin and I>i-tri>>u>i«n <>f N..rth Airi.-rienii Birds, cunsidrnnl In Rrl» lion to Fauna! ArraH of North America, by J. A. Allrn. The Auk. z. MM, pp. B7-1SO ; two map* Tin- i ;.- v-rnphii- DiHtrihution of I .if.- in N«nh America with S|H-.-iftl K.-f.-n-iic-.- t.. tli.- M.nnm.ilM. l.\ C ll.irt M.tn.i'. \! [• IT . f U.n Biologi AoMhiiik'ton. vii, IHm. pp. 1 ftl ; <>IM> map Laws of Tempera- ture Control, by Dr. C. Hart Mrrrtani. Nat. U«o«. Mas;.. »l, IBM, pp. fl»-«« ; thnt- maps. t On this subject read articles by the following authors : J. A. Allen, Berth- ner's MaRazlne. xxil. iwi. ,.,, io-j «...> : Dull Nuttall <>rn. Club. T. IM>. pp. 151- 1M ; 8c- •• ,,,, g7-IOO : Brewnter. Memoirs Nnttall Ora. (Tub (Cam- bridge, Mam.). No I. pp. 0; Cooke and Merrtam. Bird Mlcratfosi in UM Mississippi Valley iWa«hlnct«>n. IftW) : Chapman. Auk. T. IMR. pp. K-9: d. MM, pp. 18-17: Ix-on.is. Auk. Ix. 1HM. pp. 8H- » ; xl. 1«M. pp. » ». f4-lt7; Btooe, Birds of E r.-nn and N J.. Bird Migration, pp. li «*. 4 GEOGRAPHICAL RACES. of climate upon the color and size of birds;* (6) the relation of a bird's color to its haunts and habits, f Besides these general subjects which enter into our study of the life-history of every bird, we have the special instances of intelligent adaptation to changed conditions of life, and, most interesting of all, the relation between structure and habits, or the part played by a bird's habits in determining the form of its bill, feet, wings, and tail. Thus the Crook-billed Plover of New Zealand turns over or probes under stones and shells in search of food, not because its crooked bill makes an excellent lever or probe, but it has acquired a crooked bill through this habit. Again, the Gallinules of certain islands in southern seas are flightless, not because their wings are too small to support them, but because after having flown to these islands they had no further use for wings, which in time, through dis- use, became so small that the birds have lost the power of flight. In other words, it is not because their wings are small that they do not fly, but because they do not fly their wings are small. But to enlarge upon these problems which confront the philo- sophic ornithologist would require a volume. It is important, how- ever, that the student should have in the beginning at least a general idea of the effect of climate on the size and color of birds and the migration of birds. The first is well illustrated by our Bob-white or Quail. In New England, at the northern limit of its range, it is a fine, large bird with a light-brown back and a white breast narrowly barred with black. As we proceed southward it becomes smaller, the brown is of a deeper shade, the black bars of greater extent. Finally, when we have reached the humid region of southern Florida, the minimum in size is attained, the back is dark, rich chestnut barred with black, and the breast is almost wholly black. No one who compared this small, dark Florida Quail with the large, pale Quail of New England would consider them the same species. But on examining a series of Quails from all the Atlantic States one sees how gradually this change in color and decrease in size occurs, and that nowhere would it be possible to draw a line separating the two extremes. They are species in process of formation still connected by a chain of natural links. Ornithology presents many similar cases. They illustrate two laws in the evolution of animals — decrease in size southward and greater * Read Part III of Dr. J. A. Allen's Mammals and Winter Birds of East Florida, Bull. Mus. Comp. ZoOl., vol. ii, No. 3. Cambridge, 1871. t Consult Poulton's Colors of Animals (D. Appleton & Co., 1890); Bed- dard's Animal Coloration (Macmillan & Co.) : Keeler's Evolution of the Colors of North American Land-birds (Occasional Papers of California Academy of Sciences, iii, 1893) ; also reviews of last two works in The Auk, x, 1893, pp. 189- 199,373-880. MH.KATIoN «.!-• IUIJI»S. 5 intensity of color in regions of £rcatc«t rainfall. They an- thus eri- deuces of an evolution so wont t hat we can assign its cause. In nomenclature the-e partly formed species are termed Mil«|x-cirs or races. Under the trinomial system they are distinguished by a third name : thus Colinus virginiantu floridnnut is a Mihspecies or race of Colin it* virgin tan u*. Hut if thmugh any change in tin- earth's sur- face the regions occupied by the largo, light (juail and the small, dark one should be separated, the intermediates v.-ould disappear and in- stead of a race or subspecies we would have a full species — Colt nun floridanu*. The Migration of Birds. — Certain insects, fishes, and mammals migrate, but no animals compare with birds in the extent <>f tli.-ir migrations. Some birds nest within the Arctic Circle and winter in the southern parts of the southern hemisphere, performing thi- jour- ney of thousands of miles year after year and returning to ih.-ir sum mer or winter haunts with marvelous certainty and regularity. •nly is the migration of l.inls an interesting subject in itself, but the almost constant changes it causes in the bird-life of the same region gives an interest to the study of ornithology which is ever re- newed with the changing seasons. Indeed, to the lover of Nature birds are a living calendar. " What was that sound that came on the softened airt It was the warble of the Bluebird from the scraggy orchard yonder. When this is heard, then lias spring arrived." A discussion of the origin of bird migration will be found in the books and papers on this subject to which reference has been given. ;t is possible only to outline its principal feature- a- Mi- to-day. Generally speaking, birds migrate at the approach of winter, h of food. The reason why they leave a land of plenty in the tropic* and follow the footsteps of retreating winter to nest in the comparatively barren north is as yet not satisfactorily explained. As a rule, the extent of a bird's migration de|x>iuU ii|>on the nature >f it- food. Insect-eating liird- are forced to extend their migrations much farther than it •'-r-. many of which are permanent residents at their place of birth. The land-birds of the \\ winter in M A fow cross the Isthmus of Tehuantcpcr into Central America, but practically no species cross the Isthmus of Panama. Our Kastern birds have a longer and more perilous journey to jK-rform. They leave the mainland by way of Florida, and some find congenial winter haunts in tin- We-t Indies or Central Arneriea. while others go as far south as the Argentine Republic. Hirds nf-troiii: flight, like Swallows, can easily escape from bird- killing Hawks, and so migrate boldly by day. Hut the shy. retiring inhabitants of woods and thickets await the coming of dark new, and 6 ECONOMIC ORNITHOLOGY. then, mounting high in the air, pursue their journey under cover of the night. Birds direct their flight by coast lines and river valleys which are easily distinguishable in clear weather. On favorable nights these natural highways of migration are thronged by a continuous stream of aerial voyagers passing from dusk until dawn. Looking through a telescope at the mocn, one may see numbers of birds cross its glowing surface. From such observations it is com- puted that migrating birds fly at a height of from one to three miles. The eyesight of birds is so far superior to ours that we do not realize its value to them while migrating. The height at which they fly gives them command of a wide range of country, and on clear nights they can undoubtedly distinguish its prominent features with ease. But when fogs or clouds obscure these landmarks, they lose their way. It is then that lighthouses prove beacons luring them to destruction. The Bartholdi Statue, at the mouth of the Hudson River, is directly in the path of the great streams of migrants which flow up and down this natural highway of migration, and for this reason is particularly destructive to birds which travel at night. On one occasion after a storm no less than fourteen hundred birds were picked up at its base, having been killed by striking the statue or pedestal upon which it rests. But while sight is of the first importance to the older and more experienced birds who know the way, young birds, who are making the journey for the first time, doubtless rely on their hearing to guide them. Birds' ears are exceedingly acute. They readily detect sounds which to us would be inaudible. Almost invariably they respond to an imitation of their notes, and, when under way, frequently chirp and call. When we consider their power of hearing and their abundance in routes of migration, it seems probable that at no time during the night is a bird beyond the hearing of his fellow-travelers. The line of flight once established, therefore, by the older birds, who leave first, it becomes a comparatively easy matter for the younger birds to join the throng. Economic Ornithology. — This branch of the study of ornithology treats of the relationships of bird to man from the standpoint of dollars and cents. Civilized man is Nature's worst enemy, lie is a disturbing element whose presence is a constant menace to the balance of life. It is of the utmost importance, therefore, that we should acquaint ourselves with the conditions which make a true equilibrium and endeavor to sustain them when it proves to our advantap' t<- do so. The disastrous results which have followed man's introduction of the English or House Sparrow in America, the mongoose in the West B ONOMK ORNIT1IOLOG 7 Indies, and the ral>l >it in Australia, dearly chow that <>tir attcmpU to improve upon Nature mu-t U ilin-< •t«-«|. nut l»y haphazard niftb'*!*, 1'iit by knowledge gained through a careful -tn.lv of Nature's laws. Few persons realize the value of birds to man. They are the natural check upon the increase of insect life. r«.n-i.l«-r the incal- culable number of insects destroyed by the birds which |NUM the greater part of each day hunting through our lawns, orchards, fi.-l.l-. and woods for the pest* that destroy vegetation. Of almost equal im- portance are the birds of prey whose food consists largely of the small rodents which an> amoii^ th>- farmer's worst enemies. Indeed, it is not too much to say that without birds the earth would not long be habitable, As yet we are on the threshold of an exact knowledge of the value of birds to man; but let us cite one easily demonstrable case where ignorance of birds' habits resulted in direct |H>ciiniury loss. (Quoting from the report for 1886 of Dr. ('. Mart Mcrriam, Ornithologist and Mammalogist of the United States Department of Agriculture: "On the 23d of June, 1885, the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed an act known as the 'scalp act,' ostensibly 'for the benefit of agriculture,' which provides a bounty of fifty cents each on hawks, owls, weasels, and minks killed within the limits of the State, and a fee of twenty cents to the notary or justice taking the affidavit. " By virtue of this act about $90,000 has been paid in boi; during the year ami a half that has elapsed since the law went into effect. This represents the destruction of at least 128,571 of the above-mentioned animals, most of which wen- hawks ami owls. "Granting that 5,000 chickens are killed annually in IVnn-ylvania by hawks and owls, and that they are worth twenty-five cents each (a liberal estimate in view of the fact that a large proportion of them are killed when very young), the total loss would he 1.2"»0. ami the poultry killed in a year and a half would be worth $1,875. Hence it appears that during the past eighteen months the State of Pennsylvania has • xpcmled $90,000 to save its fanners a loss of $1,875. But this esti- mate by no means represents the actual loss to the farmer ami the tax- payer of the State. It is within bounds to say that in the course of a year every hawk and owl destroys at least a thousand mice or their equivalent in insects, and that each mouse or its equivalent so de- stroyed would cause the farmer a loss of two cents per annum. There- fore, omitting all reference to the enormous increase in the numbers of these noxious animals when Nature's mean-* «.f hoMing them in check has been removed, the lowest possible estimate of the value to the farmer of each hawk, owl, and weasel would be $20 a year, or $80 in a year and a half. 8 SENTIMENT OF ORNITHOLOGY. "Hence, -in addition to the $90,000 actually expended by the State in destroying 128,571 of its benefactors, it has incurred a loss to its agricultural interests of at least $8,857.130, or a total loss of $3,947,130 in a year and a half, which is at the rate of 2,631,420 per annum. In other words, the State has thrown away $2,105 for every dollar saved ! And even this does not represent fairly the full loss, for the slaughter of such a vast number of predaceous birds and mammals is almost certain to be followed by a correspondingly enormous increase in the numbers of mice and insects formerly held in check by them, and it will take many years to restore the balance thus blindly destroyed through ignorance of the economic relations of our common birds and mammals." To their credit be it said, the legislators of Pennsylvania were not slow to recognize the error which a lack of proper information had caused them to make. A State ornithologist was appointed, and through his efforts this ruinous and absurd law was repealed. In 1893 the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the Department of Agriculture issued a report upon the food of the Hawks and Owls of the United States based upon the examination of the contents of 2,690 stomachs. It proves conclusively the value of most of these misjudged birds to the agriculturist. It is need- less to draw a comparison between legislation based upon information derived from such reports and that based solely on ignorant preju- dices. The Sentiment of Ornithology.— We may accept as true Prof. Morse's estimate of the value of birds to the scientist; we need not question their importance in the economics of Nature, but we are still far from recognizing the possibilities of their influence upon our lives. An inherent love of birds is an undeniable psychological fact which finds its most frequent expression in the general fondness for cage- liirds. If we can learn to regard the birds of the woods and fields with all the affection we lavish on our poor captives in their gilded homes, what an inexhaustible store of enjoyment is ours ! It is not alone the beauty, power of song, or intelligence of birds which attract us, it is their human attributes. Man exhibits hardly a trait which he will not find reflected in the life of a bird. Love, hate; courage, fear; anger, pleasure; vanity, modesty; virtue, vice; constancy, fickleness ; generosity, selfishness; wit, curiosity, memory, reason — we may find thorn nil exhibited in the lives of birds. Birds have thus heroine symbolic of c-crtfiin human characteristics, and the more common species are so interwoven in our art and literature that by name at least they are known to all of us. Shakespeare makes over six hundred references to birds or bird-life. If wo should rob -IN 1 !MI NT OK "KMTllnl.iH.V 9 of tlu-ir bird-, how sadly mutilated what re- maim (1 would be ! Itut why li a\<> a knowledge of birds to |M>ets and naturalists t Uo .f to tin- t'lflil ninl Irani tlint birds don, iy in book*. but arc concrete, sentient l-vmi;*, whotie acquaintance may bring you m»re unalloyed (lappings than the wealth i>f the Indies. .John Bur- roughs understands this when In- writes of the ft inly "f liinN : "There is a fasfiiiati-ni al«>ut it ijuitr iivi-rpowrrini;. It fits so well with other -with li>hiti);. hunting, fanning, walking, camping out — with all that taki-s nni- to tin- fu-liU and «.»,,U. (>n,- may go a blackljerry- ing anil inaki- soini- ran- ili-fn\. ry : or while driving his cow to pa»- tun-, hfar a m-w .-oii^'. or maki- a ni-w oliMTviitimi. Stt-rets lurk on all Tlirn- is in-ws in I'vriy \<\i>\\. What no man «-vi-r saw U-fc.r*« may tin- m-xt moment IK- revealed to you. What a new interest the have! How you long to explore every nook and corner of them!" Human friends may JMIS- In-yorid our ken. but our li^t of acquaint- ance- in the bird world increases to the end and shows no vacancies. The marsh the Blackbirds loved may become thositeof a factory, but :il on the < alendar is more certain than that in due time and place we shall hear the tinkling chorus of the epauleted minstrels rising and falling on the crisp morning air. " . . . . Time may conit- when never iimre The wilderness shall hear the li"ii roar; But, lon>r a* wok »hnll or»w from )inuM-lu>l arc o|n-n to \mi. Hither \..u may shoot them, <>r study i In-ill through a tirlil- or »|>era-glass, A " binl in the har . ilrtinitf object whoso structure ami color can U- studied to Mich ad- vantage that in most cases you will afterward recognize it at sight. After learning tin- mini. -.- "f its parts its identity i- simply a question uf keys and descriptions. If you would "name the liinls without a gun," by all means first visit a museum, and, with tr\t-l/<>"k in hand, study those species which you have previously found arc to bo looked for near \oiir home. This preliminary introduction will serve to rii>en your acquaintance in the field. A g'KMl field- or opera-glass is ahsoluti-ly indisjieiisable. A xtronjj opera-glass with a large eye-piece is most u-eful m the woods, while a field-glass is more serviceable in ol.-i rving watvr-binls. Study your bird as closely as circumstances will permit, and write on the spot a comparative description of its size, the shape of its bill, tail, etc., and a detailed description of its colors. In describing form take a Kobin, Chipping S|>arrow, or any bird you know, which U-st serves the pur- pose, as a basis for comparison. A bird's bill is generally its most diagnostic external character. A sketch of it in your note-book will frequently -jive you a good clew to its owner's family. It is of the utmost importance that this description should U> written in the field. Not only do our memories sometimes deceive us. but we really see nothing with exactness until we attempt to descriU- it. Haunt-, ac- tioii-. ami notes should also lx> carefully recorded. This act-omit is your •• bird in the hand," and while you can not hojn- to identify it as easily as you could a s|>ccimen, you will rarely fail to learn its name, and experience will render each attempt less difficult than the pre- ceding. ///;(/• to Find Hinla. — The best times of the day in which to look for birds are early morning and late afternoon. After a night of fasting ami re-ting, bird- are active and hungry. When their appe- -fn-d they n -t quietly until afternoon, hunger again send- ing them forth in search of food. Clmptenioi>O«Ojrrapliii-nl I>istribution and Migration, prppami under eh« Wr*o- ti..n -f the Delaware Valley Ornithological riu>>. l>y Winner Stone. Oomenrator OriiitJiolojflcal Section Aca.l.-my of Natural Srienrwt of Itilladelphi*. 9*0, pp. 186, two diagrams, two map«, M8 upecieft. Price, f 1. I Aiin-.tni.-l List ,.f tl..- Binln known to oc»-ur within Fifty MIIr« of NPW York City, by Frank M. Chapman. Published by the American Muaeum of Natu- ral Id v.irk city, a* a guide to It* collection of local blrda. 8ro. pp. 100, 36 cute, 4 full page platea, 348 specks. For sale at the Museum. Price, IS cenU. 12 WHEN TO FIND BIRDS. Experience will soon show you the places where birds are most abundant. The more varied the nature of the country the greater number of species you may expect to find inhabiting it. An ideal locality would be a bit of tree-dotted meadow with a reed-bordered pond or stream, surrounded by woods, rolling uplands, and orchards. Common sense will tell you how to act in the field. Birds are gen- erally shy creatures and must be approached with caution. You must not, therefore, go observing or collecting dressed in flaming red, but in some inconspicuous garb and as quietly as a cat. Furthermore, go alone and keep the sun at your back — two apparently unrelated but equally important bits of advice. The collector generally has the instincts of a hunter, and practice will develop them. The "squeak" is one of his most valuable aids. It is made by placing the lips to the back of the hand or finger and kissing vigorously. The sound produced bears some resemblance to the cries of a wounded or young bird. In the nesting season its utter- ance frequently creates much excitement in the bird world, and at all times it is useful as a means of drawing bush- or reed-haunting species from their retreats. One may enter an apparently deserted thicket, and, after a few minutes' squeaking, find himself surrounded by an anxious or curious group of its feathered inhabitants. The observer of birds will find that by far the best way to study their habits is to take a sheltered seat in some favored locality and become a part of the background. Your passage through the woods is generally attended by sufficient noise to warn birds of your coming long before you see them. They are then suspicious and ill at ease. But secrete yourself near some spot loved by birds, and it may be your privilege to learn the secrets of the forest. When to Find Birds. — During the year the bird-life of temperate and boreal regions fluctuates with the changing seasons. Birds may thus be classed in the following groups according to the manner of their occurrence : Permanent residents are birds found in one locality throughout the year. Summer residents come from the south in the spring, rear their young, and leave in the fall. Winter visitants come from the north in the fall, pass the winter, and leave in the spring. Transient visitants pass through a given place in migrating to and from their summer homes north of it. Accidental visitants are birds which have lost their way. They are generally young and inexperi- enced, and are usually found in the fall. The best time of the year to begin studying birds is in the winter, when the bird population of temperate regions is at the minimum. Tho problem of identification is thus reduced to its simplest terms, and should be mastered before spring introduces new elements. T11K nUMTIInl.iMili-Al. \ KAIL 13 The commoner i-ermancnt residents of the middle Eastern States are the following : Bob-whit.-. Hairy W.»N!|H Ruffed Grouse, Flicker, Red-shouldered Hawk, Hlue Jay, Red-tailed Hiiwk, Crow, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Meadowlark, Barred Owl, American Goldfinch, Long-eared Dwl, 1'urplu Finch, • •ech Owl, Song SJMHTOW, Great Horned Owl, Whi to-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Chickadee, and occasionally the Waxwing, Bluebird, and Robin |tass the wint.-r. To these should be added tin- following more or lc», common winter visitant land-bird* : Saw-whet Owl, Tree Sparrow, Horned Lark, Junco, Snowflake, Northern Shrike, Lapland Longspur, Winter Wren, Redpoll, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Crossbill, u Creeper. White-throated Sparrow, Let us now begin with the opening of t he spring migration and briefly review the ornithological year. In the vicinity of New York city the first birds arrive from the south late in February or early in March. There is much variation in the coming of these early birds. Later, when the weather is more settled, migrants arrive, within a few days of a given date. In April most of our winter visitants leave for the north. The current of migration grows steadily stronger until about May 12, when high-water mark U readied. Then it rapidly subsides and the spring migration is practically over by June 1. The winter visitants have gone, the great army of transients has passed us, and our bird population is now composed of |>ermanent residents with the addition of about ninety summer residents. Nesting-time has arrived, and birds which for nearly a year have been free to go and come as inclination directed, now have homes where, day after day, they may be found in tireless attendance uj>on the nest and its treasures. Courtship, the construction of a dwelling, the task of incubation, and care of the yoiin^. all tend to stimulate the characteristic traits of the bird, and at. m> other time ran its habits be studied to better advantage. But resident birds begin building long before the migration is con- 14 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL YEAR. eluded. The Great Horned Owl lays in 1'Yliruary, other birds in March and April ; still, the height of the breeding season is not reached until June 1. Another period in the avian year closely connected with the spring migration and nesting-time is the song season. Near New York city it is inaugurated late in February by the Song Sparrow. Voice after voice is added to the choir, and in June our woods and fields ring with the chorus so dear to lovers of Nature. By the middle of July it is on the wane, and early in August it is practically over. Some birds have a brief second song season in the fall, but as a rule it lasts only a few days — it is a farewell to their summer homes.* August is a most discouraging month to the student of birds. Birds leave their accustomed haunts and retire to secluded places to renew their worn plumages. They are silent and inactive, and there- fore difficult to find. Late in the month they reappear clad in travel- ing costumes and ready for their southern journey. One by one they leave us, and there are days late in August and early in September when the woods are almost deserted of birds. Later the fall migia- tion becomes continuous, and each night brings a host of new arrivals. The spring migration is scarcely concluded before the fall migra- tion begins. July 1, Tree Swallows, which rarely nest near New York city, appear in numbers from the north and gather in immense flocks in our marshes. Later in the month they are joined by Bobolinks. Early in August the careful observer will detect occasional small flights of Warblers passing southward, and by September 10 the great southern march of the birds is well under way ; it reaches its height between the 20th and last of the month, when most of the win- ter residents arrive, and from this time our bird-life rapidly decreases. Some of the seed- and berry-eaters remain until driven southward by the cold weather in December. When they have gone our bird popu- lation is again reduced to the ever-present permanent residents and hardy winter visitants. The appended tables graphically illustrate the rise and fall of the migrations and of the nesting season. The first is based on my own observations at Englewood, N. J., kindly revised and supplemented by Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell from extended observations at Riverdale, on the opposite side of the Hudson River. The second was compiled from data accompanying the collections of the American Museum of Natural History. * See a series of papers by Mr. E. P. Bicknell entitled " A Study of the Sing- ing of our Birds." The Auk, i, 1884, pp. 60-71, 120-140, 209-218, 322-332 ; ii, 1885, pp. 144-154, 249-2C2. TIM-: >l'UINt; MKiKATI'.N. SI'KINU MIUltATION. PaUi oT arrival D»te of drpartur* Kob. 15- Mar. 10. Purple Greek le N»vemU-r 1-80. Ku»ty Bl.okl.ml vingwd Blackbird November 1-30. K"bii> N '..Url-80. Blu«-J.irl.. November 1-80. March 10-90. Woodcock November 1-80. Pb-i-be < Mober 20-80. Meadowlark November 1-80. ird Ni.v.-mU-r 1-80. -(•arrow April 1 I.'.. March 20-81. WiUon'* Snipe May 1-10. Kingfisher November 1-80. Mourning Dove November 1-80. Swamp Sparrow Novemlwr 1-80. Field Sparrow November 1-80. April 1-10. Great Blue H.-r-.n November 1-«0. 1'urple Fiin-h Vwper Sparrow November 1-80. Savanna Sparrow May 1 1 '•. Chipping Sparrow November 1-30. Tree Swallow May 15-81. Myrtle WarJ.ler May 10-». American I'ipit April 15-86. Hi-rihit Thnwh April 25- May 10. April 10-20. Y.-lli>w-JH-lli.tl Woodpecker April •-'«»-80. Barn Swallow October l-lo. Yellow Palm Warbler April 25-May 10. Pine Warbler May 1-10. Louisiana Water Thnwh September 20-80. Ruby -crowned Kinglet May 1-15. April 20-30. OreenHeron October 10-20. Spotted Sandpiper September 20-80. Whip-poor-will < K-tobcr 10-20. Chimney Swill < K-tober 1-10. Least Flycatcher < M-.U-r 1-10. Towhee." October 20-80. headed Vireo May 10-20. Purple Martin September 80-80. < Tiff Swallow I Motor 1-10. Bank Swallow <-ber 1-10. Rough-winged Swallow September 1-10. Black and Whito Warbler October 1-10. Black -throated Green Warbler May 15-25. (ism-bird lloiue Wren « k-t.-b.-r 10-20, Brown Thraaher .. October 10-W. 16 THE SPRING MIGRATION. Date of arrival. Date of departure April 20-30. Catbird October 10-20. Wood Thrush October 1-10. May 1-10. Solitary Sandpiper May 15-25. Yellow-billed Cuckoo October 1-10. Black-billed Cuckoo October 1-10. Nighthawk October 10-20. Baby-throated Hummingbird September 20-30. Crested Flycatcher September 20-30. Kingbird September 20-30. Baltimore Oriole September 10-20. Orchard Oriole September 1-10. Bobolink October 1-10. Yellow-winged Sparrow October 1-10. Indigo Bunting October 1-10.* Rose-breasted Grosbeak September 20-30. Scarlet Tanager October 1-10. Red-eyed Vireo October 10-20. Warbling Vireo September 20-30. Yellow-throated Vireo September 20-30. White-eyed Vireo October 1-10. Nashville Warbler May 20-30. Blue-winged Warbler September 1-10. Parula Warbler May 20-30. Yellow Warbler September 10-20. Black-throated Blue Warbler May 15-30. Magnolia Warbler May 15-30. Chestnut-sided Warbler May 20-30. Prairie Warbler May 20-30. Maryland Yellow-throat October 10-20. Small-billed Water Thrush May 15-30. Hooded Warbler September >2" :',u. Yellow-breasted Chat September 10-20. Redstart. . October 1-10. Wilson's Thrush September L'I>-:;I>. May 10-20. Wood Pewee September' Acadian Flycatcher September 1-10. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher May 20-30. White-crowned Sparrow May 15-25. Golden-winged Warbler May 15-25. Tennessee Warbler May 15-25. Worm-eating Warbler September 1-10. Cape May Warbler May 15-25. Blackburnian Warbler May Bay-breaMed Warbler May '_'0-30. Blackpoll Warbler Ma\ ' _"• .lime 5. Wilson'.., Warbler May 20-30. Canadian Warbler May 25-June 5. TIIK I-'AI.I. .Ml'.U \TlnN. II Date of arrival. I>»t«- of departure. May 1» ». Sh-irt -liillisl Marsh Wr.n 0 •••U-r lo-W. oli\. ru-li May SO-June 1. Uruy -«-hi-«-kr.l Tlirui.li May £» June &. V Trail May 80-June 5. Bi.-kiu'll's Thrush FALL MI<.K\M"N Mli. KANT;* AKKIVI.NO FKoM TIIK .NORTH. D»t* of arrival. Date of depart urr. August 1 1.'.. Yclliiw-bfllirtl Fly.-utrluT Ni-|.t«iulM-r aO-80. (i<>l.l< n win/i.l Wurlilrr Si-pti-inlKT 1-H». nut M.lcil Wurliii-r Si-jit. :y»-n Cuiiuiliiin NVurMiT S«-|>tfiiilH.T XO-M. Siniill-l'illr-l \Vut4T Tliriwli S.-|.- August 15-31. < >livi- M.li.l Fly.-ati'lu-r Si-j.t.-iiiU-r 10- ao. T, IIIH-S^-C \Vurl»U-r vilU- \Vurlili-r S,-pt. -J.'. (K-t. 5. 1'urulu NVarKU-r <».•!. .U-r 1 Muy Wurl-li-r - Black-tliruutcti (in-i-n NVurl.li-r < >. t»U r 15-tt. Hla.-k-tlin>iitfK-r (vt..»H-r 10-80. Itlui-klmrniuii WurKU-r St-ptriiiU-r M-M. Wili-.nV \Vurlilt-r SI-|IU-II»IKT 20-80. < 'aiiailiiiii Ntltliatcli N'>vt-ii)U-r 1-80. •«T 1 1". H.--1 licaildl \VinM||N-i-kiT Niivfintirr 1-30. ,|-.ll Wurl.lrr «M.,U-r 1.V86. < '.'inu-oticiit WurtiU-r Si-ptnnUT 80-30. .!KT 10 -.XL iilui- h«-a.U-.l Vir... <»,-t'iU-r II 1'liiliuK-lpliia Vir.-.. S.-jitcmU-r 20-80. -30. Y«-ll«>w-Mli«'.l W.HNl|,.-.-k.T «M-.UT JO-30. Jiiiim \pril 1" May 10. \VJiit.-tliroat.-.l Sli;irr..s> May 1 -'-\ rM,-r May .V80. V.-ll-.w I'alin WarMiT < >.-t..U-r 1.V30. Brown Cn-.-|.,T \pril 1-30. •i .T..WIK-.I Kiiix'l«-t ^|Til !-*>. Kul.y .-n.« n.-.l Kitiifl.-t ' •••(.. U-r -.i>-tO. \\int.-rWr.ii.. \l-rill-30. k.-.l Thrush < K-tober l(^M. October 1-10. Hr..i./..l t.ra, ki December 1-30. Kunty Btu.kl.ir.1.... December 1-30. Amvricuii I'ipit I 18 THE FALL MIGRATION. Date of arrival. Date of departure. Oct. 1-10. Hermit Thrush November 1-30. October 10-20. Fox Sparrow Nov. 25-Dec. 5. October 20-31. Pine Finch May 1-31. Tree Sparrow April 1-30. Northern Shrike Msych 1-31. SUMMER RESIDENTS LEAVING FOR THE SOUTH. Date of departure. September 1-10. Acadian Flycatcher Orchard Oriole Rough-winged Swallow Worm-eating Warbler Blue-winged Warbler September 10-20. Baltimore Oriole Purple Martin Yellow Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat September 20-30. Hummingbird Kingbird Great-crested Flycatcher Wood Pewee Rose-breasted Grosbeak Yellow-throated Virco Warbling Vireo Hooded Warbler Louisiana Water Thrush Wilson's Thrush October 1-10. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Black-billed Cuckoo Chimney Swift Least Flycatcher Bobolink Yellow-winged Sparrow Indigo Bunting Scarlet Tanager Barn Swallow Cliff Swallow Bank Swallow White-eyed Vireo Black and White Warbler Kc< Istart < >vrii-bird Wood Thrush October 10-20. Whip-poor-will Niirhthawk Rt-d-i-ytMl Vireo Maryland Yellow-throat TIN-: NK si: Date of depart 11 r.- Sliurt-l.ill.-l Mar-l. Wr.n. HOU.HU Wrrii Hrown Thrmtlirr CalKird. October 90-31. I'll Aht-i- TITO Swulli.w nU-r 1 3".* U i "-k . Kin Red-win-,.1 Blackbird Purple Gracklo » I'inl VeujK-r Sparrow Fit-Id Sjiurrow <'lii|>|>ii>ir Sj.urn>w uiii> Sparrow DATES AT WHICH IUKDS UK(!IS To M.U YORK Feb. 28. Great H.-rm-d »>wl. May Mar. 1-J. Hum. I <•«!. 28. Carolina Wren. 80. Duck Hawk. April 1. WtmdciH'k. 8. Red-.shouldcivd Hawk. 8. Screech <>wl. 6. Red-tailed Hawk. 9. American Crow. 9. Long-eared Out. 10. Bluebird. 17. White- breasted Nuthatch. P.rtwd- winged Hawk. 20. Robin. 25. Mourning I > 25. PurpK- Grackle. 28. Pliu U-. 29. Sonjr Sparrow. May 1. Black -crowned Ni^l.1 1. Cooper9* Hawk. 1. NEST IN TIIK Viri.MTY OF rev. 8. Cardinal. •wbird. [In Song Spar- row's nostj 6. Wood Duck. 6. Green Heron. 7. Flicker. 8. Bam Swallow. 10. Clapper Kail. 10. Killdi-i-r. 10. Ruffed Grouse. 10. Sparrow Hawk. 10. Savanna Sparrow. 10. Veaper Sparrow. 11. LouUiana Wat<-r-Thru»h. !•_'. Ruby-Uiroated Hummititrbird. 18. Red-hfadttl Wmnl|nvki-r. 14. Acadian Flycatcher. 14. Blue Jay. 14. Chipping Sparrow. 14. Towbee. • Should the aeaaon be an excepUooally mild one, many of tbeae bird* may remain until late in Decvmt»T. t Baaed on data accompanying the oolofical coUecUoM of the American Muaeum, and oa the obaenrationa of Prof. Maraton T. BuKvrt. Dr. J. Dwfeht, Jr . in M. Evana, Mr. w >• i..-mm..n. and tlw author. Tbedatea flveo are tbow on which, with wine excepttona, full aeta of rjcg» have been taken. 20 THE NESTING SEASON. May 15. King Rail. May 25. Maryland Yellow-throat. 15. Virginia Kail. 26. Bob-white. 15. Meadowlurk. 26. Marsh Hawk. 15. Field Sparrow. 28. Grasshopper Sparrow. 15. Swamp Sparrow. 28. Red-eyed Vireo. 15. Hooded Warbler. 28. Yellow-throated Vireo. 16. Blue-winged Warbler. 29. Black-billed Cuckoo. 16. Brown Thrasher. 29. Kingbird. 17. Fish Crow. 29. Bobolink. 17. Redstart 29. Indigo Bunting. 17. Catbird. 29. Chestnut-sided Warbler. 17. Wood Thrush. SO. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 18. Red-winged Blackbird. 30. Orchard Oriole. 18. Black and White Warbler. 30. Seaside Sparrow. 18. House Wren. 30. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 19. Tree Swallow. 30., Rough-winged Swallow, 19. Bank Swallow. 30. Clifl' Swallow. 19. Chickadee. 30. Warbling Vireo. 20. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 30. Prairie Warbler. 20. Worm-eating Warbler. 31. Long-billed Marsh Wren. 20. Oven-bird. 31. Least Bittern. 20. Veery. June 1. Bartramian Sandpiper. 21. Sharp-shinned Hawk. 1. Piping Plover. 21. Downy Woodpecker. 1. Nighthawk. 21. Least Flycatcher. 1. Kentucky Warbler. 22. Parula Warbler. 3. Whip-poor-will. 23. Hairy Woodpecker. 3. Great-crested Flycatcher. 23. Chat. 3. Scarlet Tanager. 24. Purple Finch. 5. Wood Pewee. 24. Spotted Sandpiper. 7. Short-billed Marsh Wren. 25. Chimney Swift 8. Laughing Gull. 25. Baltimore Oriole. 12. Common Tern. 25. Purple Martin. 19. Cedar Waxwing. 25. White-eyed Vireo. 20. American Goldfinch. Hints on keeping Note-Books and Journals. — The necessity of a well-kept journal can not be too strongly urged. Specimens may be duplicated, but no one can ever see with your eyes. Do not attempt to trust to your memory — a willing servant of the mind too frequently imposed upon. It may receive and retain one impression clearly, but as others are added the earlier ones lose their distinctness or become entirely effaced. The system adopted for recording notes should be simple to keep and easy of reference. The one here recommended has stood the test of ten years' experience. After returning from the field I enter in my "roll-book," at once, a record of the weather, temperature, direction and force of the wind, locality visited, time of starting and returning, \"TI IKXAL& 21 and iin-hlftital ob^-rviitions mi the blooming of flowers, appearance of certain inaectn, calling of frogs, etr. 'I'li.-ri follows a statement of the IUUI.UTS of every specie* of birds seen, with various remarks concern- ing them. One mi^di >u|>|>ose tlwt iuu< -h tim<- would be required to make a ill-tailed rv<-<>nl <>f id:- kind, luit. mi the contrary, it seldom take* five minutes. Almost anystatimiiTcati supply you with H " roll-" or •• litm-liook n having a space at the left .side of tin- left-hand pHjje for tin- entry of names, and the r<--\ <>f l»>th pages ruled in squares. The Itcst plan is to have sheets of IMIJHT ruled in this way. These sheetM should have holes punched in their mnr^m* for l>indin^ in cnvi-rs, when new nbaotl can In- iiiM-rted a- desired. Svrne idea of their appearance may be gathered from the appended part of a left-hand page: Date Weather Temperature Wind Jjocalit v Start Return Bluebird Robin. 22 NOTE-BOOKS AND JOURNALS. After filling in the preliminary data I write after the name of each bird either the exact or approximate number of individuals seen, or else the letters " A.," " C.," or " T. C.," meaning abundant, common, or tol- erably common. This is accompanied by an " s " if the bird is in song, or "calls " if it is simply heard calling. The possibilities of abbrevia- tion are unlimited, but use no abbreviation which is not fully explained. If you wish to make a record of some length concerning a certain species, place a cross or asterisk in its square. This refers to your journal of the same date. Read from left to right, the roll-book gives in a graphic, condensed form the standing of a species during the period of observation. Read from the top to the bottom of the page, it gives in an easily comparable way the complete record of each day, and at the same time it becomes an index to the bird-notes in your journal. To prevent needlessly multiplying your roll-books the series of birds' names should be made to last at least during an entire season. To this end do not completely fill the right-hand page, but when you have used all of it but a space equal in width to the space occupied by the column of birds' names, cut this part of the page — the ex- treme right — off ; the part remaining will, when turned over to the left, just meet the column of names, and the lines of this column and the new page will thus run continuously. As before remarked, the roll-book should be attended to immediately on returning from the field, while your impressions are fresh. The journal may wait, when a reference to the roll-book will aid in recalling the day's experiences. In addition to these two books, both of which should be quarto size, you need a small, leather-covered, pocket note-book for use in jotting memoranda in the field. CHAPTKK FII. COLLECTING BIRDS. THEIR JfESTS, AXD EOOft. CnHteting Jiirecies they represent, u-e the gun only to add to your list of acquaintances. If you wish to make a detailed, critical study of changes in the plumage of species due to age, sex, or season, or to compare some apparently abnormal specimen, vi-it the nearest museum, the collections of which should be accessible t earnest student. Our eastern birds have been measured and descried, their varia- tions noted and recorded, and there is little left to learn in study- ing their skins from a local standpoint. What we want now is knowl- edge of the living, not the dead. bird. A thoroughly exhaustive account of the habits of any one of our commonest )>irds is still to be written. Remember, then, that collections are a means, not the end, of ornithological research. When armed and ready for the field, you should have a canvas hunting-coat, a pair of field- or opera-glasses, a fisherman's basket or "creel," a discarded octavo pamphlet or catalogue of rather heavy paper, cotton, a small bottle of corn-meal, and a 16- bore shot-gun with a 0*32 auxiliary barrel, and the necessary complement of shells. The auxiliary barrel can be purchased of dealers in natural hi-tory supplies; it should not exceed ten inches in length. The shells for it should be of brass, center-fire, and strong enough to stand reloading many times. Load them with a fine-grained jxiwdcr and N . 13 shot — about three fifths powder and two fifths ..hot. For killing birds from the size of a Blue Jay downward they will IK> effective at a dis- tance of twenty to twenty-five yimU. In other words, fully three fourths of your shooting will be done with them. Of Id-bore shells 24 MAKING BIKDSKINS. carry some loaded with two and a half drachms of powder and three fourths of an ounce of No. 10 shot, and a few others loaded with the same charge of powder and an ounce of No. 6 shot. On killing a bird, pick it up by the bill or feet, and at once sprinkle meal or dry earth on any blood which may be visible. When this is saturated, scrape it off with a knife-blade and repeat the operation until all the blood is absorbed. Sprinkle some ineal at the base of the feathers about the shot-holes from which the blood appears, or, if necessary, plug these holes with bits of cotton. Place a large plug of cotton in the mouth and force it well down the throat to prevent bleeding at the mouth from an internal wound. In some cases it is necessary to also plug the nostrils. Now make a cornucopia from a leaf of the pamphlet, drop the bird in it head foremost, taking care that the bill is not turned forward on to the throat, and, if the bird is not too large, fold in the edges of the cornucopia and place the specimen in your basket. In the case of very large specimens — Hawks, Owls, etc. — it is advisable to skin out the body in the field, when they can be packed in much smaller space. Making Birdskins. — If you have fully decided to make a collection of birds, the very best and cheapest way to begin it is to get some one to give you two or three lessons in the art of preparing birdskins. With proper instruction it is not difficult to learn to skin birds. I have known beginners who had closely watched experts at work, make fair skins at their first attempt — better skins, indeed, than the person who learns only from written directions may ever make. I am speak- ing from experience. Only too clearly do I remember my own first attempts at skinning birds and their hopelessly wretched results. In despair I at last sought the assistance of a distant ornithological friend. In one lesson he made the process so clear to me that I was at once enabled to make skins twice as quickly and twice as well. However, we unfortunately are not all blessed with ornithological friends to whom we can turn for advice, and I therefore append the following directions for making birdskins : First procure a scalpel with a well-rounded end, a pair of sharp- pointed scissors with rather long handles, a pair of blunt-ended, rather strong scissors, and a pair of flat-ended forceps. These may be pur- chased of any dealer in naturalists' supplies or at a surgical inst ni incut maker's. Procure also a quart or so of fine corn-meal to use as an ab- sorbent, a pound or two of powdered arsenic and alum mixed in equal part-, and an abundance of the best cotton batting money will buy. Now we are ready to begin with a bird. say. the si/e of a Robin : 1. Plug the bird's throat and nostrils tightly with fresh cotton. If the eyeball is ruptured, pull it out with the forceps and fill the cavity MAKINU IUKI»SKIN>. 35 with meal. -'. Lay t lie I. ml U-fnri- y«m mi its bark, its bill pointing to tho left; place your OJH-II left liatnl Icngthwi*.- on it. no that the base of your fir-i and *••<•. >ml lingers rest* on tin- mid. II.- ,,i ih.- breast- :!-• these fingers iiinl tin- handle of the sral|>e| t» separate the feather* fr.mi near tin- end •>( iln- bn-a*tb.>ne to the vent, and when the |»arting is made use the same tinkers to holil tin- feathers aside. :!. With the sculpd make an inci*ic.n in tin- -kin from just in front of tin- ctnl "f thr brra*ib..ne. or at tin- base «.f the V fornuil by the spread fingers, to tin- vent, luting can-fill not t«>riil through into the abdomen. 4. Sprinkle a pinch of meal along the cut. :>. Lift the skin at (he front einl of the cut and insert the did of the scal|x-l handle ii it nnil the l>re:i>tl*>iic. If yon try to do this lower down on the cut, over the Ix-lly, you will find it difUcult to sepanile the skin on which the feather* i;r«>w from the immediately underlying skin whirh cover* the a>Mloineti. S-parate the >kin fn>m the |MK!V the whole length of the cut and a* far down toward the backbone as p- \|x.>in^ the bare knee. 0. Take hold of the foot and pu*h the knee farther up into view, then take the l»lunt-cnded *- i**..r* and, on the in*ide of the skin, c-lip the lejj entirely in two. 7. Repeat opera- "• and 6 on the other side of the body. s. Press away the skin as much as possible on either side of the rump, and place the thumb at the left side deft, seen from above) of the l»as«- of the tail or " pope's nose," with the fir-t finder on the other sid.- lUith in.*ide the skin) and the second tinker behind (above) on the rump; now with the blunt scissors cut through the flesh between the thumb and first finger toward the second finger, which serve* tin- pur|»ose of a guard to pre- vent you from cutting through the skin. ». Stand the bird on its breastbone, the belly toward you. and with l>oth thumbs press the tail and skin o| the rump over and down off the *tump from which you have just cut it. 10. When the stump is free from the *kin, take hold of it with the right hand and with the fingers of the left gently press the >k in from the body, keeping it constantly turned in-ide out and u*ing an abundance of meal. 11. Soon the wing-bones (humerus) will appear. Clip them off at either side close to the body, and re- sume *kinning as before. 1'J. The skin will slip easily over the m-< k. and you will then meet with an obstruction in the head. 13. Work ii carefully over the head, using the tip* of the tiiM two fingers of either hand, placing the thumbs as a brace farther forward over the eyes.* 14. Pull the ears carefully from their sockets. 15. The eyes • In large beaded binU. like Duck* and Woodpecker*, thto to UnpoMlble. and tt is Decenary to silt the skin down the back of the Deck and puma the skull through the opening. 20 MAKING A BIRDSKIN. will now appear; carefully cut the membrane joining the skin and eyeball, making the incision as far back as possible, in order to avoid cutting the skin, which should be pulled forward until it is entirely free of th? eyeball. 10. Remove the eyes with the forceps. 17. With the sharp-pointed scissors make an incision directly across the roof of tne mouth, inside the branches of the lower mandible, just back of the skin, and below the eye-sockets. 18. With the sharp-pointed scissors make incisions from either end of this cut back along the branches of the lower mandible through the base of the skull on either side of the neck at its junction with the skull. 19. Connect these cuts by a fourth, which passes through the base of the skull just above the neck, and pull the body and neck from the skull. 20. Scoop out what brains remain with the handle of the scalpel. 21. Pull the end of the wing- bone (huraerus) inward, skinning the feathers off the bones of the fore- arm (radius and ulna), and remove the flesh. 22. Do the same thing for the legs, but, after cleaning, do not in either case pull the bones back. 23. Remove as much flesh as possible from the base of the tail, including the oil-gland at the base of the tail above. 24. Hold the skin over the arsenic and alum box, and with a bit of fluffy cotton at the end of a stick, or held in the forceps, dust it thoroughly with the poison, giving an extra allowance to the base of the tail and bones of the skull, wings, and legs. 25. Pull the legs back into place. 26. Place a fluff of cotton on the end of a wire and roll it into a firm, smooth ball, placing one in each eye-socket. 27. Coax the skin back over the head, using the first two fingers of each hand and placing the thumbs at the base of the skull. When the tip of the bill appears through the feathers, use the fingers outside, on the feathers, pressing the skin back over the head, and keeping the thumbs in the same position. When the bill is free, take it with the right hand, and use the fingers of the left to urge the skin over the skull, being careful to get it in its former place so that the feathers of the head will lie smoothly. 28. Dress the feathers of the head, particularly those about the eye. 29. Take hold of the tip of the bill and shake the skin gently but vigorously to aid in settling the plumage. 30. Lay the skin on its back, the bill pointing from you, and turn back the feathers about the opening on the belly. 31. See that the wing-bones lie flat on the back of the skin, with their ends touching each other.* 32. * The most difficult part in making a birdskin is to induce the wings to as- sume anything like their natural position when closed. This is because the arti- ficial, cotton body is apt to force them outward on to the sides rather than on the back, where they belong. In the bird in the flesh the wings are held in place by being attached to the body ; in the skin they are loose and hanging. To remedy this, after drawing Take a bit <>f flulTy cotton, press it H;/htly together, and draw out Mil-- i-iul t«i form a neck. When n-lea-ed fr»m ji.ur grn>p thi- body should be but little larger than tin- l»..|\ \..n h.i\.- r-ni-. \.--l fn.in I.M- tin- end «.f tin- in-rk with tin- forceps HIM! in-.-rt it into tin- in-c-k of tho skin, working the skin down <>n to il in (.nl.-r t" avoid stretching tin- neck, until the point* of the fon-ep* ap- pear in tin- month, thru hold thi-mtton thi-n- and withdraw tin- for- ceps. H4. Carefully fit the cotton l,,,.ly into tin- skin. 35. I'm nn.- or .-In-- in tin- incision on the belly. 30. Ascertain the sex of the bird (see beyond*. . and at thi> point of intersection attach a label (see beyond). 88. Squeeze the wing-bones together until yon feel tin- lips of your fingers im-i-t ovi-r the l)ird's back. '.'>'< pare a sheet of i-otton about five inches square and as thin as you can make ii ; lay tht- bird on this on its right side, the bill pointing to your right hand. 40. 1'ut the left wing in placi- and dress the feat hers about it. 41. Take hold of the shift of cotton, and turn the bird over in it in order that you may dress the right wing. 42. Roll the bird on to its U-lly. holding the wings in position with the thumb and first finger of the left hand, and with the right hand bring the tips of the wing- feathers into their proper place over the back. 4:{. Roll the bird back on to its bai-k. the bill pointing to your right hand; take the end of the >hcet of cotton farthest from yon and draw it lightly over tin- bird to the side nearest you. 41. Draw the end nearest you in the •• dire.-tion. 45. See that the feet. tail, and tips of the wings are in their proper position, and place your specimen out of harm's way to dry. It will doubtless take you from half an hour to an hour to make your first birdskin. It will probably be a sorry-looking object. |*T- haps minus a head or tail or half its feathers; but d<> not let this dis- courage you. An expert can make ten bird>kins an hour, and you need only practice to approach this. There are endless variations of tin- method here described. It is not possible to go into further details here, and if you have taxider- mic ambitions I would advise you to procure a copy of Mr. W. T. Hornaday's excellent Taxidermy and Zoological Collecting (Scribner, cimen without a sex mark on its label in of com- paratively little value. The sex in many birds can of course be dis- the winy-bone* In to retnore the fl«*h from them, thrr nhould he pu*h«d back only far enoutch to fiuthle one to net* plainly t !..• i-li»w or b«*nd of th»- wing out- •Me of the akin. This pr.-v.-iim the wing* from hanging, and. to further keep them in place, It will be well at Orat to tie the ends of the bone* (burner!) to- f-ll.T 28 CATALOGUING AND LABELING. tinguished by their color, but the young male frequently resembles the female, while in some instances the female has been known to as- sume the plumage of the male. Dissection, therefore, is the only safe way to determine sex. Upon reaching stage 36, in the operation of making a birdskin, cut through the left side of the body from the rent to the neck, taking care not to disturb the internal organs. Force the edges of the opening apart, and, pressing the intestines gently to Fia. 1.— A completed birdskin. (Reduced). one side, look for the sexual organs, which will be found on the walls of the small of the back very near to the backbone. The male organs (testes), two in number, are usually dull-white, elongate bodies lying side by side. The female organs (ovaries) are composed of numerous round bodies lying in a mass or cluster. In the breeding season the sexual organs of birds become much enlarged, and at this season the testes of a male Chipping Sparrow are about the size of a pea, while the ovaries of the female have been likened to a bunch of grapes, the largest being the size of the yolk of the egg of this species. After the breeding season the sexual organs decrease in size, and in adults in the winter and young birds are sometimes difficult to find. The testes of a male Chipping Sparrow at that season are about as large as a small pinhead. while a hand-lens is required to plainly distinguish the ova- ries of the female. The arrow of Mars ( 6 ) is used to indicate the male sex ; the mirror of Venus ( $ ) the female sex. Cataloguing and Labeling. — Before skinning your birds you should catalogue them. The catalogue should have columns giving (1) the date, (2) your serial collection number, (3) name of the bird, (4) sex, (5) place of capture, (6) name of collector, and (7) remarks. In the last column enter any notes on the color of the eyes, or parts which will change color when drying, contents of the stomach, and other notes. In addition to this "day-book" or "blotter" some ornithologists open a ledger account with their collection, and devote a folio to each spe- cies where are posted the entries made in the collection register. Labels should be <>f strong ln.nd paper, two inches and a half long and half an inch wide. They are attached to the crossed legs of the bird by linen thread strung through their left end. The face of the label bears the name and sex of the_bird, place and date of capture, CAB "U.KCTI- .j., name of collector, and serial collection numl>rr. The label »hown in is Mimll. but will illustrate the appearance and manner of at- tin hrm-iit. Tin- name of the owner «>f tin- c.illectii.n i* printed mi the back of the label, preceded by tin- word- •• Collection of." Many coi|,-cti>i-> prefer to am as a field lalx-1 a small jeweler's tag u|N>u which thr collection number, sex, and date are written. Tin- large label is added after the >[«•< nm-n i> dry. I of a Collection. — The U-st ruses in which to keep a ooll. of hirdskins are known as "Cambridge . ,i;,~." They are made of tin with rovers which fit into grooves lined with rublter tubing, and are practically air-tight. The smaller si/.es COM from live dollars to seven dollars and a half each, and can U- obtained of Muller and Wood, 781 Seventh Avenue, New York city. A wooden cabinet with tight-fitting drawers and door is less ex- pensive, and with ordinary care will preserve specimens for a prac- tically indefinite period. The drawers should !»• thirty inches long by sixteen inches in width. For birds the >i/e of u Robin a depth of one inch and three quarters is sufficient, while drawers f.mr inches deep will take the largest Hawks or Owls. These drawers will hold about thirty birds the size of a Robin, eighty the si/e of u Chickadee, and eight to ten Hawks and Owls. Well cleaned and thoroughly poisoned specimen^ »( >mall birds are not likely to be attacked by the moth (Tinea) or l»eetlcs (Dernuttt* and AiUhrenut) which so often infest poorly prepared or nonpoisoned skins. Naphthaline crystals or camphor gum should l»e placed in each drawer of the cabinet, the door of which should n»t >*> left open needlessly. If a specimen falls a victim t<> in-.-.-r~. the I..-M.T plan U to discard it at once. If, however, it is rare, it may IM- taken out-of- doort and placed in an air-tight box with a few tal.>..p....nfuls of bisulphuret of carbon. Cullectituj and Preserving Xests and Eggs. — No one, I think, will venture to dispute the assertion that Captain Charles Bemlirc. lli.n- orar)' Curator of the Department of or.ln^y in the I'nited States Na- tional Museum, is our leading authority on the study of birds' eggs. The following quotation, therefore, from Captain Hendire's I n-t ruc- tions for Collecting. Preparing, and Preserving Minis' Kggsand Nests* may be taken as the opinion ,,f one who knows whereof he speaks: " Unless the would-be collector intends to make an espedal study of oology and has a higher aim than the mere desire to tnke and accu- mulate as large a numl«-r »t .--^s as possible regardless of their proper identification, he had better not begin at all, but leave the nests and • Part D, Bull. U 8. Nat. Mua,, No. », JWI. pp. 9-10. 30 COLLECTING NESTS AND EGGS. eggs of our birds alone and undisturbed. They have too many ene- mies to contend with, without adding the average egg collector to the number. The mere accumulation of specimens is the least important object of the true oOlogist. His principal aim should be to make care- ful observations on the habits, call notes, song, the character of the food, mode and length of incubation, and the actions of the species generally, from the beginning of the mating season to the time the young are able to leave the nest. This period comprises the most in- teresting and instructive part of the life-history of our birds." Very heartily do I indorse every word of this, and to the concluding sen- tence I would add : and there can be no better way to avoid increasing our knowledge of a bird's domestic life than to rob it of its eggs, and destroy its home and our own opportunities at the same time. Studied from a local standpoint, I confess I can see only two points of interest in a bird's egg — one is what the egg is in, the other is what is in the egg- Nevertheless, I can understand the pleasure attending the legiti- mate formation of what Captain Bendire calls '• a small, thoroughly identified, well-prepared, and neatly cared for collection," which, as the same author adds, " is worth far more scientifically and in every other way than a more extensive one gained by exchange or purchase." An egg-collector's outfit consists of seveml drills, an embryo-hook, a blowpipe, forceps, and scissors. A fresh egg should be blown through a hole slightly larger than the tip of the blowpipe. Drill the hole in the side of the egg, and, after inserting the blowpipe about one sixteenth of an inch, blow gently and steadily until the contents have been removed. Then rinse the egg thoroughly with water and lay it hole downward on corn-meal to drain. In eggs containing embryos it is necessary to make a hole large enough to permit of the use of the embryo-hook, scissors, or forceps, as the case may be. Each egg should be marked with the number of the species in the Check List of the American Ornithologists' Union, the number of the set in your collection, and the number of eggs in the set. Thus, if I were going to label my second set of four eggs of the Bluebird, I should write with a lead pencil on each egg, near the hole, 766J. There are many ways of displaying collections of eggs. Some col- lectors place their eggs in little boxes or partitions filled with sawdust or cotton ; Captain Bendire uses small pasteboard trays lined, bottom and sides, with cotton wadding, and divided into partitions for each «-gg by strips of cotton wadding set on edge. It is, however, very largely a matter of taste, and collectors generally have their own ideas on these matters. OOLLB riNQ NESTS AM- r.doa 31 A collection of bird*' nesU i* a telling object lesson in the study of ornithology. Familiar as I am with them. I never HOC the ne*t» of some binls without feeling tin- most, intense admiration t«r tin- rnur- velmis skill which has aided tin-in in forming u Mrueiurc man would flnil it ilitlii-nlt. if nut impossible. t<> duplicate. A I •ml'- nest in its original site is a concrete expre»ioii of tin- intelligence of it.- maker; for tin- fun-i^'ht displayed in the choice of u Mtuation. and the ingo- nuity shown in the construction nf the not. even if largely instinctive now, originated in the intelligence of a line of ancestnr>. Nests may be collected before they have been UM-I!. when tin- binls will generally build again ; or you may wait and take them after the lunl- have left them, labeling each nest with what you have !• of the hi.-tnry of its owners. For example: Time required for it- r..n- st ruction ; whether made by one or both sexr< ; imti-s on the laying ol the eggs; j>eriiMl of incubatinn; whether both x-xe- u»i>trd in incu- bation; can* of tlte young; number of days they were in the neM. etc. Some nests, for example the |M-ndent "Imskets" of Vireos or such as are placed in crotches. >hoiild U> taken with the crotch or branch to which they are attached. With others it is obviously impossible to do this. They should therefore be placed in a frame of wire and wrap|»ed atout with fine wire thread. To make this frame. t»vNt two pieces of annealed wire, painted brown, into the !>ha|M- of a letter X. About midway from tin- point of intersection and the end of the arm, bend the win-- upward at right angles. Now take the fine hair or thread wire and wind it about the four horizontal arms of the frame until its bottom looks like a spider's web; place the nest in this half-formed Ixasket, U-nd the upright wires inward or outward as the case requires, and continue winding until th.- m-M is bound firmly. The size of the frame and the wire used in its construction may be varied to >uit the nest. PLAN OF THE WORK. Nomenclature. — The nomenclature of the American Ornithologists Union's * Check-List of North American Birds has been adopted. The number preceding the name of each species is its permanent number in the Union's " Check-List." Definition of Terms. — The accompanying figure with its named parts will explain the meaning of the terms used in the following de- scriptions of birds. The words, upper parts and under parts, men- tioned so frequently, refer respectively to the whole upper or under surfaces of the body of the bird from the base of the bill to the root cf the tail, but are not applied to either wings or tail. There are infinite variations in the markings of feathers, and those figured present only the patterns most frequently met with. The shaft of the feather is the midrib, to either side of which the vanes or webs are attached. The Keys. — It is of the utmost importance to thoroughly under- stand the use of the keys. At first sight they will, no doubt, appear confusing, but in reality they are exceedingly simple. The system upon which they are arranged may be mastered in a few minutes, and you will then be surprised at the ease and rapidity with which, even in large families, you can " run a bird down." The Key to Families.— Strictly speaking this is not one key but a series of keys, one under each order. The orders are placed in a natural sequence — that is, we begin with the oldest or lowest forms of birds, Loons, Grebes, etc., and end with * The American Ornithologists' Union is the leading society of its kind in this country. Its membership includes the foremost ornithologists of the world, and is divided into four classes : 1. Honorary members, limited to 25 in number. 2. Active members, limited to 50 in number, who must be residents of North America. 3. Corresponding members, limited to 100 in number ; and 4. Asso- ciate members, who must be residents of North America, and are not limited as to number. The total membership of the Union in December, 1894, was (>!<>. Annual meetings are held, usually in Washington. New York, or Cambridge. The Auk, the official organ of the Union, is :i quarterly journal under tl cii'or- •hip of Dr. J. A. Allen, at the American Museum of Natural History. 32 OF THK KKY& S3 the roost highly developed ones, Thrushes, Bluebirds, Mr. Two main us are given: first, Water Mirds; second, Land Birds. In no case will it )K> difficult to decide in which of these groups a bird be- longs. Now glance over tin- illu>t rations and select the om- whirh you think most nearly resembles the bird you are identifying. At 4 34 USE OP THE KEYS. each step test your decision by reading the brief diagnoses of orders and families. In this way you may readily place your bird in its proper family. The Keys to Species. — If a bird always wore the same plumage it would be a comparatively easy matter to place it in a certain section Fio. 3.— Spotted (a), streaked (b), barred (c), and margined (d) feathers. of a key and keep it there. But, unfortunately, not only are the males and females of the same species frequently quite unlike, and the young different from either, but their plumages may vary with the season. Thus, you see, a bird's color is a most uncertain quantity. An individ- ual of a given species may not only wear two very different costumes, but, in doffing one for another, he does it gradually, and in the mean- time appears in changing or transition plumage. For this reason it has been customary to base keys on only adult males. Such keys do very well in the nesting season, when birds are in song, and when males constitute probably nine tenths of the birds one sees. But at other times of the year young birds outnumber the old ones, and the adults themselves may lose their breeding plumage and wear quite a different one. I have, therefore, attempted to make keys which will identify a bird in any plumage. To do this it was necessary to use many more specimens than there were species. For example, the key to our some 40 species of Warblers is based on 110 specimens representing as many phases of plumage. With identification as the sole end in view I have, in the keys, abandoned all attempts to follow the current system of classification, and. taking color as the most langililc character, have to a great extent arranged the species on this character alone. The result, from the sys- tematist's standpoint, is most unnatural. Species of different genera TIN: KKY9. 35 are brought into the same subsections, and the more variable specie* may be placed in several widely separated sections. The maker of keys, however, .should not try to serve two maulers. If the keys will identify, they will have accon>|>li-h>-. resort ivrly. Kven should the first section describe your bird, it is well to read the sections which are contrasted with it. As a model to show how the keys are used, let us identify, first, a male adult Red-winged Blackbird — a black bird with a red and buff shoulder-patch. Turning to the key to the family Ideridcf, or Black- birds, Orioles, etc., we read : " I. With yellow or orange in the under parts. " II. Under parts black, with or without metallic reflections. "III. Under parts grayish, slate color, chestnut, or buffy. •• IV. 1'nder parts black and white, or black tipped and margined with rusty." Our bird has the under parts entirely black, so it evidently belongs in Section II. Under this section we read: "A. Outer tail-feather 0*75 or more shorter than middle ones; bill 1-00 or more in length." Our bird has all the tail-feathers of nearly equal length, the bill less than an inch long. It can not therefore belong in A, so we go to B and Outer tail-feather little if any shorter than middle ones; bill less than 1*00 in length." There is no other section, and we con- clude that our bird belongs here. Now we find n, b, r, d, each one placed directly beneath the other, and each one leading to the name of a species*. This means that the statement following the-* letters refers to some mark or character by which one of these species may be known from the other, ami that we should read them all. First comes "•I. Entire plumage bluish Mark." That will not do. Second, "b. A red and buff shoulder-patch." Kvidently this refers to our bird, but we confirm our Ix-lief l.y glancing at e and d, neither of which can apply to our -p. •••imen : w deride, therefore, that it is a Red-winged Blackbird, and turning to the • • script ion of Agtlaiut nirrus verify our identification. 36 USE OP THE KEYS. Now let us take a somewhat less simple case — a male English Spar- row. This bird, you will doubtless remember, has a black patch on the throat and breast, a slate-colored crown, chestnut marks on the sides of the head, and a streaked back. Turning to the key to the family Fringillida, or Finches, Sparrows, etc., we read first the head- ings to the main divisions which, in the larger families, are placed at the beginning of the key in order that they may be more readily com- pared. " I. Under parts with red. " II. Under parts with no red, and without distinct streaks ; throat or breast sometimes with a patch or spot. " III. Under parts without red, and with numerous streaks." Our bird undoubtedly belongs in Section II. Under this section we read first : " 1. Tail with white spots, bars, or patches." Our bird has no white in the tail, so we go to '; 2 " and read : '• Without large white spots or patches in the tail." There is no number 3, so we have no hesitation in placing our bird in Section " 2." The first subsection here is "A. Back without distinct streaks." Our bird is unquestion- ably streaked, and we therefore go to " B. Back distinctly streaked." There is no Section (?, and it follows that our bird belongs in " B." Under B we have " a. Bend of the wing yellow " and " b. Bend of the wing not yellow." Our bird has no yellow on the wing, and we therefore place it in subsection b. This subsection is subdivided into '• b1. Crown bright reddish brown," etc., " c1. Crown streaked or spotted," etc., and "d1. Crown mixed grayish brown and rufous, ashy, or slate-color, without black streaks." Evidently our bird belongs in the group headed dl, which we find includes four species, d*, d3, d4, and d*. 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 Parser domesticw. 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 exi-rp- 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. MKASrilKMKNTO i:\SGE. 37 Measurement*.— All the measurements given AIT in ii iiieht-s ami hundredth*. Those of birds arc average measurements, taken f»r the im»t purl fr<>tu specimens in the AnuTn-an Mu-eum of Natural His- tory. I have also, with the author's permission, made uae of the excellent series of measurements in I>t Mwrns's Birds of the Hud».n Highlands. A variation of about ten per cent front the figures given mar be expected. The total length (= L.) of a bird is found by gently >!ivi,-hing the specimen, laying it on its back, and measuring the distance from the end of its bill to the tip of its longest tail-feather. The length of the wing (= W.) is the distance from the "bend of the wing" to tin- end of the longest primary. The length of the tail (= T.) is the distance from the base, or insertion of the middle feather, to the end of the longest feather. The length of the tarsus (= Tar.) is the distance from the base, or insertion of the toes, to the end of the tibia, or what in reality is the heek The "tarsus" is therefore the true foot of the bird, while the part to which this name is generally applied consists only of the toes. Tin- length of the bill (= B.), or "culmen," is the dis- tance from the anterior base of the feathers on the forehead to the tip of the upper mandible. With the exception of total length these measurements are gen- erally taken with a pair of dividers. /(•(//iV.— The paragraphs under this heading have prepared with social reference to the bird's dis- tribution in eastern North America. They are sup- plemented by a concise statement of the bird's manner of occurrence and the tutual times of migration of the nonresident sjM-cies at three or four localitier This information is the IMM it is |>ossil>le to obtain, and has not been previously published. Kit eh locality U treated by a nvx'm/.ed authority on its bird-life from notes based on observations extending over many years. The data from Washington. I). C., were supplied 1-y Mr. C. W. Hichmond, of the Smithsonian Institution. \->t only has Mr. Richmond given years to field work in the District of Columbia, but he has had access to the notes of the numeroi^ ornithologist* who hare observed in the same region. • K < I U I 0 J q u I', in,, UMMIIKS IU.I>TK\T1' ;;;, In preparmi; ihe-4- biographical -kit- hes I have aimed to tin- U-st material |>os>ible. lining my own note* only when I felt they liasotl on adequate ob>crvati<>n>. Nut only ha\e I carefully ex- amined the literature relating to the habits of our birds, .- •!• what seemed to l» the most trustworthy accounts ,,f their ap|>ciirancc in lifo. but through the generous co-ojieration of frllow-Minlrnt- "f living 1-inls 1 am able to present t-huracter sketches of tmine of <.nr bird-. written 1.;. who arc everywhere known for their -ym- pathy with liinls out-of-doors. Thus I have to thank Mrs. Miller, Miss Merriam, Mr. itickncll, Mr. Brewster, Dr. Dwight, Mr. Thom|»- »on, ami Mr. Torrey for IHTI pictures of birds with which tin-van- illy familiar, each "ketch l>ein^r Mfjneil by its author. JlluMtrtttiiHtM. — The coloretl frontispiece is by Mr. Ernest E. Thomp- son, whom I hare to thank for assistance in preparing the color chart and Key to Families. The scheme of this key, which is founded on natural arrangement and on drawings of anatomical iletuils, is original with him. ami that here presented is a slight modification of the <>ne he completed and contributed at a time when he was expected ' joint author of this work. The numerous |n-n-and-ink drawings, whii 1» add so largely to the value of the work, were made by Mr. Tap[.an Adney from specimens in the American Museum of Natural History. Some of the full-page half-tone plates are from photographs of groups in the American Museum of Natural History ; the larger numlxT, how- ever, were esjHJcially designed for this work, with the assistance of Mr. J. Rowley, Jr. The Color Chart. — It must not be supposed for a moment that the colors on the Plate II. represent the colors of all the birds of eastern North America. It does not do so any more than an artist's palette shows all the colors of his picture — in fact, I have called this plate my mental palette, and have frequently used two and even three terms to describe a given shade or tint. It should be clearly understood, therefore, that when grayi.-h brown, for example, is mentioned, it <\«v* not follow that the feathers to which the term is applied are of exactly the same color a> the plate, but that they are nearer t<> this color than to any other in the plate. Used ev.-n in this general way. the plate will prove a far more definite l»a-U f"r description than if every one were left to form his own idea of the colors named. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. Ad. Adult; a fully matured bird. A. V. Accidental visitant (see page 12). B. Bill. B. from N. Bill from nostril. $ The sign employed to designate female sex (see page 27). Im. Immature; the term is generally applied to birds less than a year old, or to those which have not acquired the plumage of the adult. L. Total length. $ The sign employed to designate male sex (see page 27). P. R. Permanent resident (sec page 12). S. R. Summer resident (see page 12). T. Tail. Tar. Tarsus. T. V. Transient visitant (see page 12). W. Wing. W. V. Winter visitant (see page 12). 40 Tin; r,n;i» OF N"UTI! AMKKH A BAST "\ Till-; MNKTIKTIl MKIMDI AY KEY TO ORDERS AND FAMILIES. TIIK WATKK HIKD8. ; tail very short Fm. 5. Order I. Py^opodes. GKEBES, Looxs, and AUKS. I)ii«-klikc hird.s with ^cm-rally sharply |x>intfd I'ill* ; frrt \vi-l. U-<1, placed tar l>a<-k n<-ar the tuil ; tarsus much thitinu-.l ; hind \.«v. ulu-n prenent, with * II>!H- i.r llap; hill without t.«ithlikc and •»"ii'i-tiiiii-s ;i|.|>;ir. nilv wanting. A. Tocti four, tipit-d with a hnmd nail. a, Toca with lohatv welw. . , . Family (iirKiiKs . Kit'. •"•, •/', p. 56. 4. Toes wi'hliril. . . . Family l'riinit<>ri>l«»K- Order U. Longipennaa. — JAEGER*, .•id TERNS. liinU with sharply pi>iriti-<-« t ii one irciii. •• fn>nt ones webbed ; wings long and pointed. 41 Ki,» 0. 42 KEY TO FAMILIES. A. Tip of the upper inaudible more or less swollen, rounded, and sharply pointed ; upper parts, including wings, and sometimes the entire plumage, dark sooty blackish, sometimes irregularly barred ; tail always dark, the middle feathers longest. . . . Family ISterco- rariidiK: SKUAS and JAEGERS (Fig. 6, a), p. 65. B. Upper mandible curved but not swollen at the end ; tail generally white, sometimes tipped with black ; the tail-feathers usually of about equal length. . . . Subfamily Larince : GULLS (Fig. 6, b), p. 67. Fia. 7. FIG. 8. C. Bill straight, not hooked and sharply pointed ; outer tail-feathers generally longer than the middle ones. Subfamily Sternince, : TERNS (Fig. 7), p. 76. D. Bill thin and bladelike, the lower mandible much longer than the upper one. . . . Family Rynchopidw : SKIMMERS (Fig. 8), p. 85. Fio. 9. Order 111. Tubinares. — ALBATROSSES, PETRELS, and FULMARS. Bill hawklike, the tip of the upper mandible generally much enlarged; nostrils opening through tubes; hind toe reduced to a mere nail, and sometimes entirely wanting. A. Size very large, nostrils separated and on either side of the bill. . . . Family Diomedeidae : ALBATROSSES (Fig. 9, a), p. 86. B. Size smaller, nostrils joined and placed on top of the bill. . . . Family I*rvcellariidai : PETRELS, FULMARS, and SHEARWATERS (Fig. 9, 6), p. 86. KKV T«. FAMII.IIX Fio. 11. Fro. 14. Fio. 10. Fio. 15. Order IV. Steganopodes.— GANWETS, CORMORANTS, PELICANS (Fig. All the toes, including the bind one, connected by webs. A. Bill generally sharply pointed, without a hawklike hook at iu tip. a. Chin, or space between the forks of the lower matidiblc, ft-ath ered. . . . Fnmily Phasthontidx: TROPIC BIROS (Fig. 11), p. 91. ft. Chin bare. r.ill-ttout and idichtly curved at the tip; middle tail-feathers without "fluting". . . . Family S»liJn • the end half bent down- ward; tar»u» 12-00 or more In length. . . . Family : FLA- — FLAMINGOES. MIXOOU, p. 125. Fio. 18. Order VTL Herodioneo.— HERONS, STORKS, IBISES, etc. Toes four, all on the same level, slightly or not at all webbed ; lore* ban; legs and neck generally much lengthi-m-d. Fio. SO. Fio. 21. A. Bill straight and sharply pointed ; imi.-r \»T-\< r of the middle toe- nail with a oornblike edjfe. . . . Family .tnlfiiLr: HEROXS, EURET*, and UITTKKN.I (Fig. 19), p. 188. //. Hill munded, more or leas curved downward ; no comb on the mid- dle toe-nail. a. Size large, Umn over 5-00. . . . Family (Ytwii /•/•»: ST«KE* and WOOD IBIKKK, p. 127. A. Sire smaller, tawiw under 5-00. . . . Family IbidiJ*: IBIUM (Fif. SO), p. 126. T. Hill flattened and much broadened at the end. . . . Family Plat*- : SrooMBiLLa (Fig. 21), p. 125. KEY TO FAMILIES. FIG. 22. Order VHI. Paludicolse.— CRANES, RAILS, etc. 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 bare shield; lores feathered, or (Cranes) with hairlike bristles. Fm. 24. A. Smaller, bill under 3-00. . . . Family Rallidce : RAILS, GALLINULKS, and COOTS (Fig. 22), p. 139. B. Larger, bill over 3-00. a. Tarsus over 6-00. . . . Family GruidoE : CRANES (Fig. 23), p. 137. b. Tarsus under 6'00. . . . Family Aramidte: COURI.ANS (Fig. 24), p. 138. TO FA.MIUKS. a 47 Order IX. UmicoUe, I'M M AROPES, SNIPE*, PLOVERS, etc. Tow four. or i I'lover* » three; tin- hind toe, when present, less than half the length of the inner one, and always elevated above the others; leg* generally long and Blender, the lower half of the tibia bare ; bill, except in the Plovers, generally long, slender, and soft, tin- noatrils opening through slit* or groove*; wings long and pointed, the first primary gen- erally the longest. Fio. 90. Family Ktcurrirottrida: STILTS and Avocrra, L Tarsus over 8-50. p. 149. II. Tarsus under 8-50. A. Sides of the toes with lobes or webs. . . I'M \LAROPES (Fig. 28, a), p. 147. B. Sides of the toes without lobed webs. a. Toes four (except in the Sandcrlim;>; transverse, more or less square, scale*. > •>, SAMH-IPKRK, etc. i. Fig. 2.1, a, b\ b. Whole lower back white, a black band acroM the rump. Family Apkrixida: TI-RX*T«IXES, etc., p. 174. e. Toes three (except in the Black- bellied tarsus with small, rounded scales. c«. Bill uuder2iM>. . . . Family / •Aanj./n'i'./.r : PLOVERS (Fig. 25, . Fik'. -."-.../. ...p. 171. <*. Bill over •."<.» VvM\\\ylI*matopodid*i p. 1 Fiimily front of the tarsus with . . Family StolopatMa: Fig. 26, A, c). p. 150. front of the KEY TO FAMILIES. THE LAND BIRDS. Order X. Gallinse. - TURKEYS, Gijorsr., HOIS-WHITES, etc. 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 Melcag- rina: TURKEYS, p. 186. ^ B. Size smaller. . . . Family Tttraonidce: GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, etc. (Fig. 27), p. 178. FIG. 27. Order XI. Columbae. - PIGEONS and DOVKS. Toes four, all on the same level, th.e 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 ColumbldcK; PIGEONS and DOVES (Fig. ), p. 187. FIG. 28. FIG. 29. Order XII. Raptores. — Yri/n i:i.>. HAWKS, and OWLS. 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 upon, very stout and strong, the tip of the upper mandible with a sharply pointed hook. FIG. 30. A. Eyes set in a striking facial disk ; tarsus generally feathered ; plum age soft and fluffy. KKV To KAMI! a. Middle toe-nail with a cumblike edge. . . . OwL*(Fiff. 80), p. 818. .<• t-x- nail without a • •••mMike edge. HoH.skn i'» i.-, H....I i '« i - I 40 : BARK . Family />*. K\.* m>t -. t in ti Mrikin^ facial dink; tannin mostly dan-, plumage firm iiiiil • • a. I'lumatfr, in «ur »|*-«-u-*, l-hu-k ; hind Uv Mimll. .-luw- t.lntit ; dill H"t »hari»ly lio<>k«.-»l ; ln-uarv. . . . Family t'tit/t'irtida: AMEKH-AN Vi ITI UK- > F'ur. .".-j . p. I'.'l. 6. Hind tnutrfncrally n« lonjr «« <>r Imi^iTtliun tin- ^ll•lrt^->t front one; toea aniifr tal»n- : hill with a nharp hook, lu-ud ncit l«urr. . . . Family /'-//."/ut<-r onea joined for lialf thi-ir Iniirth i Kini/H-1 or twci in fmnt and two U-hind . rin-kocw); bill without a cere; tail-ft-atlu-n* not utitf and pointed. 5 tm I 50 KEY TO FAMILIES. A. Middle and outer toes joined for half their length. . . . Family Al- ceJiniikt : KINGFISHERS (Fig. 35), p. 226. B. Two toes in front and two behind. . . . Family Cuculidas: CUCKOOS (Fig. 36), p. '-"J4. Fio. 37. Order XV. Pici.— WOODPECKERS. 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 Picidae: WOODPECKERS (Fig. 37): p. 227. Fia. 39. Fm. Fio. 40. Order XVI. Macrochires.— GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS, and HUMMINGBIRDS. 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 Capriinii>.>«. TIIKI .UK*, etc. TOO* four, without Wei*, all nil the Millie level; hind tiK- as large as the mid.li- ! gem-rail* l»ngi-r tlmn that of the middle one; tuil of twelve leathern. [The follow in;; »*M<>|'tical tal'le of the charu> ' of tin- eighteen fan. whii-h we have in this order svciii!* i: • r\ than an artificial ^- F,o. 41. Family 1. TyrannuUt.— FLV< AT. IIKK^ (Fig. 42). Bill wider than high at the base, ulightly hooked at the tip ; base with e<>n.-i>ieuoun bristliti; wingi longer than the tail, the second to fourth primaries longest, the first but little fthorter and generally equal to the fifth or aixth ; back of tan-iis rotindtd, lite tht front ; plumage generally olive-green or grayish; tail, except in the King- bird, without white s[«>ts, p. 244. Family 2. AJnudi.l.r. T.ARKS (Fig. 43). Bill rather stout and rounded ; nos- trils with bristly tufU; nail of hind toe much lengthened, as loin; as the middle toe without nail; back of the tarsus rounded like the front, p. 252. II Family 8. Corvittae.— CROWM and JATH Large birds, over lo-O) in length ; bill »t»ut, the nostrila concealed by tufts •tli t<> tilth primary the longest, the first about half as long ; ..iu,-r tuil tVuthi-n shortest ; feet and legs stout, p. 8M. 52 KEY TO FAMILIES. Fio. 45. Family 4. Sturnida. — STAR- 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. Family 5. Icterida. — BLACKBIRDS, ORIO;-ES, etc. (Fig. 46). Length 7-00-17-00 ; base of the bill, bef ween 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. Frintjill iut, and conical, admirably fit- ted to crush seeds; third and fourtli primaries gen- erally about the same length, the first never mure than half an inch shorter than the longest, p. 271. Fio. 47. Family 7. Tanagridar.— TANAOERS (Fig. 48). Length about T'OO; the males of our species mostly red ; bill tinchlike, 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. Fio. 48. KI.V TO I-1 A Ml I. IKS. 53 Family S. Ilirundiniiltt. — SWALLOWS (Fig. 49). Bill short aii-1 rtuttriu-'l, enii'-li wi.l. r than high at tlio ha*c ; no bristles at tlio l>aito of the t>ill ; » ings l"iitf •» n.l • •! tlio tail; first primary tho longest ; outer tail- tViitlnTH 'ft mnall, taraiM nhort, routul in -front, narrower and aharpor in tho back, p. 818. Family 9. Amptlida,— WAXWIHOS • 50). Pluina.'i ifi in rally w>ft, hrowniith gray or grayish l>mwn ; a black band aennw th«- t'on-ln-ml and through the eyt-i* ; tail tip|««-«l with yellow; bill *li<.rt, notched at the tip; hc-ad coni>picuounljr crested, p. 323. Fio. SO. Family 10. I.nniif tho tail-feathers tipped with white; bill hooked and hawklike, p. 325. Family 11. I VIREOS (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 tho upp-r mandible notched and hooked, bristles at tho DM6 of the bill barely evident ; tarsi scaled, round in front, narrower and •harper l--liiii.l; toes united at tho base, p. 327. Family IS. Jrt»*>fi//../.r.-\VooD WA»- BI.ERS (Fig. Ml. Small birds, length generally under 6-00, but in four specie* 6'50-7'50, with, as a rule, brightly colored Km. :>1 54 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 arc 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 ortinehlike; seconder 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. Motacillidix.—'WA.aTAiLa and PIPITS (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, Fio. 54. Family 14. Troglodytiilw. — THRASH- ERS, WRENS, etc. (Fig. 55). Subfamily Mimince. — THRASHERS, MOCKINGBIRDS, and CATBIRDS. 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 Troglodytinoe. — 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. p. 375. \ Fio. 55. Family 15. CerthiidcK. — CREEPERS (Fig. 56). Bill slender and much curved ; tail- feathers pointed and slightly BtiU'cned, p. 385. Fia. 56. TO F.\ MI LI KS. family 1«. /bcW.r.-N< i"*" M" "'"1 T.TIU. « (Fig. 6T). Subfamily .s'.V/««.r. N Hill rather \oiig and *l.-i..Vr, tin- m-l ••( tho lower mandit slightly upward; win*" l"»tf »ml pointed, tho th'ml «-r fourth primary the longest, tho flrwt very small, not an iiu-h m K-inrth ; Uil i»h..t LIL! iMjiurc, the outer frftlhcra bl with *!iiti', J>. 3««. gubfaiiiily /brim*.— TITMICE. _'th 4-50-6-ftO ; bill »hoit, stout, an«, etc. (Fig. 59). Length over 5-50 ; bill mod- erate, the tip of tho upper mandible notched; Ursus smooth, the scales, if any, fused and indistinct: tail square : wing* long and pointed, 8-75 or over, third primary the longest, tho first venr short, lew than QUO Inch in length, p. 894. Fio. 50. 56 GREBES. ORDER PYGOPODES. DIVING BIRDS. FAMILY PODICIPIDJE. 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 easc*with which this powerTor- merly enabled mem to escape the shot of the fowler, have won for tjiom tlicir 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. a. Wing over 6-00 2. HOLBCELI/S GREBE. b. Wing under 6-00 6. PIED-BILLED GREBE. B. Depth of bill at nostril less than -35 3. HORNED GREBE. 2. Coiymbus holboellil /.'./////.). HOLBCELL'S GREBE. 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. //«. — 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. Range. — 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., Get to Apl. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct to Dec. Cam- bridge, casual. .AW, a mass of water-soaked, decaying vegetation floating among rushes in a slough, generally attached to its surroundings. Eygs, two to five, dull white, more or less soiled, 2-25 x 1-35. "In 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 PIED-BILLED GREBE AND YOUNG. ORI: 57 water and the lx>dy into tin- air. It is an expert and rapid swimmer also, and all its movements <>n tin- water are exceedingly graceful. When pursued, these birds invariably nnli-ii\i>r to escape by diving, though when <>n the wing they fly rapidly, their neck* and feet hed at full length " (OmmU-rluin). 3. Colymbuo auritUS /.././.. H<>I:NM> (.I:»:HK. .I/, in rumnttr.— !'.•[• <>!' tin- In .til, !.:•;. 1 iieek, iiiiil thront, L-l..»\ hlueki*h ; lore* pale «•) i-ohiiul tin- eye, bully oehnn-< "ii-. .!••- -\« r \~-i< riorly ; back aiul winga black i.-h ; .-.eeiiM-lan.* white; t'.r.iieek, upper breast, ulnl M.|«T* ,t ; lower breast and brlly whitf. .1laok ; uiiili-r jmrt.t .«il\i-ry white, MHIH tinn-.-* wu»lirn llu- thnmt an.l Ln-UMt. I... ! \" ; Tar. 17:.; 15., 90. it. — Breeds fnnn nurtlu-rn I'nitiil Stut«-s (imrtlu-ni IlliiK-i.*, St. ('lair FUt») northward; wint.-r> *>iithwar A pi. 25. Lon^ IMand, abundant T. V.. r ' Vt. t.. Apl. Siii^ Sin.;, i-oiiiliion 1 Cambridge, casual. '. a inatw of wuUT-tM)ukc it.-* nurroundin^it. /.';/;/*, two to scvui, .lull white, more or l«*s itoilcd, 1*74 x ri.V 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. Krncst K. Thompson writes of a captive in- dividual : " When ordinarily swimming, the feet strikeout alternately, and the pp>i:ri'--ion is»teady: l>ut sometimes both feet struck together, ainl 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 wenU or ru-hes 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 M.mitolka, p. 400). 6. Podilymbus podicepc ' /.'<•'-.>. I'in.-r.ii i M.CKKBK; PARC-HICK; PIEOAMT.R; HKI.I. i>i\ KI: ; WATKK-W IT< n. i See Fiir. •*'. "• ' A>l. in mintmtr. — I'l'lu-r i«rta jflowy, Imtwnisli hluek ; thn>ut Mm-k ; upjH-r hreiw-t, fn>nt and aide* of the ncek. and fiili- »f the l.n.|\ . w:i>h<-il with I>n>wni4li an.l ituli*- :m>ttle.l with K!a.-ki-li : l»wer t>reii*t and Kelly white; a black band •lie bill. A I. in irint.r nn-l Int. — Mueh like tlie above, but throat white and no black band «n the bill. I. l. Head ashy 9. BLACK-THROATED LOON. B. Throat gray, foreneck chestnut 11. RED-THROATED LOON. C. Throat white or whitish; hack 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. BLACK-THROATED LOON (Im.). D. Throat white or whitish; back fuscous, spotted with white. 11. RED-THROATED LOON (Im.). 7. TJrinator imber (Gunn.). LOON. (See Fig. 5, b.) Ad. in summer. — l~pp< T 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-coverte black spotted with white. Ad. in iri/it'r and Im. — Upper parts, wings, and tail blackish margined with grayish uot spotted with white; under parts white ; throat sometimes washed with grayish. L.. 32-00; W., 14.00; Tar., 3-40; B., 2-80. Kanye. — Breeds from northern Illinois, Minnesota, and northern New Eng- land to the Arctic Circle; winters from the southern limit of its breeding range to the Gulf of Mexico. ;,-.• Washington, common W. V., s, pi. to A |>1. 2-V Lontf lidand. «t'U».l»nt T. . \\ \ , >r|>t. t«« .li.ii.-. >:!i.' Siii>f, >-.>iniii..|i T. V., Mell. u Caiuhrid*;!-, ii"i common T. V., Apl. i» early May ; > u xli^ht dcprcjwion in th<- irp.un.1 within u !'. » feet of the water. two, gray iith olive- brown, thinly .-[-.tt.d with blackiah, 3-50 x 2-20. This wild iiiluiliitnnt of mir northern lakes and |".nd- [K»gfleBBC< all the characteristic traits (.f the Divers. Its "remarkable notes are thus described by Mr. J. II. Langille: " Beginning on the fifth note of the scale, the voice slides through the eighth to the third uf the scale al>ovv in loud, clear, sonorous tones, which <>n u dismal evening before a thunderstorm, the lightning already playing along the inky sky, are am tiling luit musical. He has also another rather soft and pleasing utterance, sounding like who-vho- who-tehu, 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 arcticua < f.ir,n.}. HI.A< K-TIIROATED LOOM. Ad. in tvtmmer.— Throat, forcncck, Imck, win.'*, uixl tail lilock, with j.iirpli.-h and bluuth n-tlfi-tioii^ ; a l>an«i <>f white streaks mi the throat; sidca of Uie neck, back, and wings etreaked, barred, or t«p<>tt<>d with white; top of head and nape gray ; brvant and bi-lly wtiite ; a blackish )>utid at the Kit-.' <>f the under tail-coverti*. Ainls may )*• diMtiiiu'm'xlied from the cor- responding *tage of imbtr by their nmull nize; tn>m luntmc by yrayith mar- t'in.- instead of wkitt wpoU, burs, or martrins on the iij.j«-r purbt. Range.— Breed* in the imrtheni purt»» of the northern hemisphcn ; in North Amer'u-u migrate* southward in winter to the northern United Statea. cai>ually to Ohio and Long Inland. ,' I.-lun.l, A. V.. »ne record. . a Might depression in Uie ground within a few feet of the water. fyy*, two, gray i»h «'li ve-brown, 8]>otted or m- raw led with blackiith, 3-20 x 2-10. This species is a very rare winter vi>itant to the northern border of the I'nited States. The most southern record of its occurrence is Long Island (Ihitcher, Auk, x, 1803, p. 265). 11. Urlnator lumme (tlunii). KEU-TIIKOATEU LOOM. Ain.l Int. Similar JO U. imbtr, but back apottcd with white. L., 2.V«Ni ; \V., ll-op; Tar., «-60; B., frOO. Rangt.— Found throughout the northern part* 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., Oct. to May. Sing Sing, casual T. V. Cambridge, one instance, Oct. A'est, 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. FAMILY ALCID^. 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. I. Bill under -75 34. DOVEKIE. II. Bill over -75. 1. Depth of bill at nostril over -60. a. Bill yellowish, depth at nostril over 1-00. 13. PUFFIN. 13a. LARGE-BILLED PUFFIN. J. 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. MANDT'S GUILLEMOT. ft. Basal half of greater wing-coverts black. 27. BLACK GUILLEMOT. B. No white on wing-coverts. a. Bill over 1-60 30. MURRE. b. Bill under 1-60 31. BRONNICH'S MCRRE. 13. Fratercula arctica ( Linn.). PI-FFIN ; SEA PARROT (see Fig. 5, c). 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. ACKS, MUItm >. AM* i-iTi : 61 Long Uland, A. V. in winter. A*«f in a burrow in the ground or in crevice* among rock*. Egg> one, dull <>meUme« with obscure marking*, 8*49 x 1-68. Mr. Brewster, in describing his ex|H-riciice with this species in the (lulf of St. Ijawrence, writes: "The first report of our gun* brought doiens tumbling from their nests. Their manner of descending from the higher jMirtions of the cliff was peculiar, launching into the air with heads depressed ami wings held stiflly ut a sharp angle above their backs, they would shoot down like meteors, checking their speed by an upward turn just U-fore reaching the water. In a few minutes scores had collected about us. They were perfectly silent and very lame, passing and repassing over and by us, often coining within ten or fif- teen yards. *>i\ such occasions their flight has a curious resemblance to that of a Woodcock, but when coining in from the fl.-hing grounds they skim close to the waves, and the wings are moved more in the manner of a Duck" (Proc. Bost. SK-. Nut. lli>t., xxii, 1883, p. I 13*. F. a. glacial!* ( TVmm.). LARGE-BILLED I'rrri*. - -Similar to the preceding, but larger. W., 6-8O-7-4" ; H.. -."IN) •_••:{.• , ]{.. K, aj Kanyt, — " Coast and inland* of Uio Arctic . BI.A> K CMI.I K\MT; St \ I'IUEOX. A-l. in mmmtr. — Sooty black, li^'hu-r t>i-low und with slight v'rci-ni^h n-rtivti..ns above; leaner wing-coverU an«l terminal half of the ^rcut<-r wiin;-i-\«-r parto gray or Mack, the feathers all more or l«w tipin-d with white; win^s as in summer; under jmrb* wliite 1m. t'j'jH-r part* as In winter adults ; under parts white, mottled with black ; wiujj-coveru* tip|x-d with black, lu, 13-00; W., 6-2:.; Tar, 1-j:.; H., 1-20. Kangt.— Breeds in North Amurica fr-'iu tin- Hav of Fun.lv i(Jrand M.-nani nonh ward, and migrate* southward reiruliirly to C'aj>e ('.»!, und rarely • it and I.-'iig Inland; accidental in rennnylvatiia. Long Island, A. V. in winter. in the crevices and fissures of cliffs and rocky places. Eygt^ two to three, dull white, sometimes with a greenish tinirc, more or lens 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). 23. Cepphus mandtii (Lirht.). MANDT'S GUILLEMOT. — 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 aud Hudson Bay northward, migrating southward as far as Massachusetts. Nest, in crevices and fissures of clitf's and rocky places. Eyys, two to three, not distinguishable from 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. — Upper parts, wings, tail, and neck all around, dark sooty brown, blacker on the back, wings, and tail; tips of secondaries, breast, and ln-lly 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 U. rinyvia (Briinn.), but it is un- certain as to whether the species is a distinct one or is based on a mere varia- tion of plumage. Jtange. — u Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic" (A. 0. 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 elilTs. Knwner; ti|* ol awoodariw, breast, anil belly white; base of tho UJ»|MT mandible grecni»h, r-'un.led <>utwart° it* i-uttinir edge at the base. Winter and iiniuature bird* can be distinguished from those of f. tr«U, only by the aixe of the bill, which, an the measurements nhow, in longer in that sjMJciea. h'anyt. — " Coasts and inlands of tho North Atlantic and eastern Arctic Ocean* " (A. O. U.). Broods from the Magdalen Island* northward ; in win- ter migrates as far south as New Jersey. Long Island, irregular W. V. Sing Sing, A. V. fftttt in communities, side by side on the bare ledges of rocky cliffs, fjyy, one, not distinguishable, from thut of ('. troiU. " During tho 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. KAZOR-BILLED Am; TINKER. Ad. in tvm- nur.— Upper parts, wings, and tail sooty black; forcneck somewhat brown.-r; tips of the secondaries, a lino from the eye to tho bill, breast, and belly white ; bill black, crossed by a white band. Ad. in winter. — Similar to ad. in tin- summer, but with the sides and front of the neck white. ///*. — Similar to ad. in winter, but with the bill smaller and without the white bar. L., 16-50; W.,7'90; Tar., 1-36; B., 1 •-•:>. Ka*y«.— « Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic " (A. O. I*.). Breeds from the Magdalen Islands northward ; in winter migrates southward regu- Ijirly to Long Mand and rarely to Virginia and North Carolina. Long Island, irregular W. V. Nat, in the crevices and fissures of cliffs and rocky places. F.ggi, one to two, pale bluish white or huffy, thickly s]>otted and speckled with chocolate markings most numerous and sometimes confluent at the larger end, 3-00 x 1-90. "When bpHMlinjj. it crouches along, not across, the egg, its mate often Banding near; and both sexes incubate, though the male may be seen bringing food to the sitting female. . . . The young flutter from the rocks t<> the sea, or are taken by the ne<-k and carried down by the parents. They are at fir-t very loath to follow the old bird in diving, and remain crying plaintively on the surface of the water. The fo,.d consists of Mimll fl-h. 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 (Linn.}. GREAT AUK.— 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. 0. 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 (Linn.). DOVEKIE; 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 Im. — 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. 0. 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. Egg, 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). " Its 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). AN1» >Kl AS. 05 ORDER LONOIPENNES. LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS. FAMILY STERCORARIID.«. JAEGERS AND SKUAS. Two of the six kn»\vii incinl>ers of this family an* found in the antaifti. n ^I..IIN while the remaining four inhaliit the tiorthcrti jmrts of the northern hemisphere. Kxrept during the noting sea*m. the Jaegers are as a rule pelagic, though they >«>m.-t inn-, vi-n large Indies of watei inland. They generally obtain their fy robbing (iulls and Term, and have been well named the Hawks of the sen. Their greater power of flight enables them to successfully pnr>ue tlu-v birds and force them to disgorge their recently captured prey. EET TO TIIK SPECIES. A. Bill over 1-85; tarsus over 1-70; middlu tail-feathers never |«>inted. a. BUI over 1-90 » *. Bill under 1-90 36. I'OMARIXK JAKOKR. A Bill under 1-35; tarsus under 1-70; middle tail-feathers generally jN,iiite JAKOKR. 35. Me^&lestria skua . I'.mnn.}. SKI-A. Ad.— Upper \>HT\*. tail, and wings dark, dirty brown; ahafU uf the wing and uil-tVutliers white, except at the tip ; outer wing-feathers with inner vanes white- at the base ; under parU •omen bat lighter; neck more or lots streaked with whitish. Im.— "Similar to adult, but more distinctly streaked with yellowish, especially on the head and neck." L., SfrOO ; W^ 15-91 ; Tar., 2-63 ; B., 2- (Kidgw.). Rang*.—* Coast and islands of the North Atlantic, chiefly northward. South to Spain and Massachusetts. Apparently rare off the coast of North America "(A. 0. U.). Long Island, A. V., one record. Jfn$e> on rocky cliff*. Egg^ two, pale olive-brown or greenish gray spot- ted with chocolate, 2-80 x 1-90. 36. Stercorariu* ponutrinos ( TVmm.V POMARIXK JAKOKR. AtL, liykt p\ • ••rresponding phase of .V. parasitism, but with the up|*r parts darker, nearly black. Alint.-.l. i No dark phaae • >oa haa been »>-riU>n-K.-i<>n in the ground, aomctiineft Hcantily lined with giaaaua. Eyy*, two to thn-c, Minilar in color to thoae of the preceding, 8-10 x 1-50. FAMILY LARIDJE. GULLS AND TERNS. Ttii- family coiitains aimut one humlrcd sjiccics divided equally IM-IWITII tlit- Miltfuinily Lnriim- ((Jullsjand subfamily Sfmiiiuf (Tenis). Tlu-y an- diMrilnili-d tlirou^lmut the world. Some forty spet-ics in- habit North America. \Vitli few except ions Ihcyapree in |>..«>,-^inU' the markeil characters of their respective siilifamilics, under which they may be more conveniently treated. Subfamily Larintf. Gull*. Generally sinking. Gulls are maritime and pelagic, though some species are* found inland. As compared with Terns, Gulls are less graceful and active on the wing. In flight the bill points forward in the plane of the body, not downward toward the earth, as in the Terns. They procure their food largely by picking it from the surface of the water or land with their strongly hooked bills, not by plunging or darting, as do the Terns. Some of the species are true birds of prey, and fe»-d on small mammals and the eggs and young of other birds. Gulls are letter swimmers than Terns, and pass much time resting on the water. They n. -t in colonies, generally on the ground, sometimes on rocky ledges, and rarely in trees. EXT TO THE SPECIE*. I. Wirur ovrr l.VOO. A. Back dark slaty black 47. BLACK-BACKED Gtn- B. Back pearl -gray. a. Outer primaries marked with black. 51o, Au. HEKKINO GILL. 51. HEKRIXO Gt LL, b. No black on primarica. 6». Bill un.l.-r I 4«. Primaries li^ht pearl-gray, fading gradually into white at their tipa 43. l< ELAKP GPU. 68 GULLS. 6». Primaries pearl-gray, tipped with white, and with well-defined gray spaces on the outer webs of the two outer primaries and on both webs of the third and fourth primaries. 45. KUMLIEN'S GULL. c1. Bill over 2-00 42. GLAUCOUS Gn.u C. Back grayish, whitish, or brownish, or mottled or spotted with gray- ish or brownish. a. Tail black or blackish, with or without irregular white markings. a1. Wing over 17'50; depth of bill at nostril over '70. 47. BLACK-BACKED GULL (Im.). as. Wing under 17'50 ; depth of bill at nostril under -70. 51a. AM. HERRING GULL (Im.). 51. HERRING GULL (Im.). b. Tail white or whitish or grayish brown, with or without black markings. bl. Bill under 2-00 43. ICELAND GULL (Im.). IP. Bill over 2-00 42. GLAUCOUS GULL (1m.). II. Wing under 15-00. 1. Tail pure white. A. Head and throat slaty black. a. Outer primary black or mostly black. a1. Outer primary entirely black .... 58. LAUGHING GULL. a*. Inner half of inner webs of first primary white. 62. SABINE'S GULL. b. Outer primary mostly white. A1. Tip of first primary white 59. FRANKLIN'S GULL. i". Tip of first primary black 60. BONAPARTE'S GILL. B. Head white, sometimes washed with pearl-gray. o. Wings white 39. IVORY GULL. b. Primaries with more or less black. 6". Wing over 11 00. ia. Hind toe very small, without a nail ... 40. KITTIWAKE. 6s. Hind toe normal, with a nail ... 54. KINO-BILLED GILL. c». Wing under 11-00 61. Ross's GULL. 2. Tail marked with black. A. Wing over 13-25. a. Primaries mostly white 39. IVORY Gru. (ImA b. Primaries black or mostly black . 54. KINO-BILLED GULL (Im.). Ji. Wing under 13-25. a. Hind toe very small, without a nail . . . 40. KITTIWAKK (Im.). b. Hind toe normal, with a nail. />'. Tarsus 1-50 or over 58. LAUGHING GULL (Im.). c1. Tarsus under 1-50. <*. Secondaries pearl >-nl«r. tail square. 60. BONAPARTE'S GULL (Im.). c*. Secondaries mostly white, tail rounded. 61. Ross's GULL (Im.). 39. Gavia alba «!n mi.). IVOKY GM.I.. .(n the Atlntitie COM* of N»rth .1 to Lal-ruil-.r uM.l New r.-mi-lluiul, runuully t-> N't-w HrutknM i.-k, *iiil »n »» | A. « >. I .• I-l:in.i, A. V^one nx-«'r.l. .lul 1'i-ullii-rs mi nn-ky Hit!-. A';/;/*, li^lit y< ! .li\. . iiuirkiti with Htnull MotohcM of l>ruwn and luiyrr >-l»iinr 1<> SJMMH! in<»t of tin- time ainiil tin- |(ack- ioe, often at a long distance from land FiO. flO.-Flnrt prim»ri** of n.lnlf OulK wn-n from h^low : «rt.i pun- wliii<-. t.;i.-k uixl winip* pcarl-irni> web of first primary and 3 w of the end* of ftr»t and Bccvod primaries black ; 70 GULLS. third to fifth primaries black at the ends and with white tips ; hind toe very small, a mere knob without a nail ; bill yellowish, feet black. Ad. in winter. — Similar to above, but the top of the head and back of the neck washed with pearl-gray, and a dark spot about the eye. Im. — Similar to winter adults, but with the back of the neck, lesser wing-coverts, and part of the tertials black ; tail, except outer pair of feathers, with a black band at its tip ; four outer primaries black, except the inner half or more of their inner webs ; fifth and sixth tipped with black and white ; bill black, feet yellowish. L., 16-00; W., 12-00; T., 4-50; B., 1-30. Remarks. — This species can always be distinguished by the small size of the hind toe. Range. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in America, breed- ing commonly from the Magdalen Islands northward, and wintering as far south as the Great Lakes in the interior, and, on the coast, commonly to Long Island, and rarely to Virginia. Long Island, common T. V., a few v/inter, Nov. to Mch. Neat, of grass, moss, and seaweed on the ledges of rocky cliffs. Eygs, three to four, varying from shades of buffy to grayish brown, distinctly and obscurely marked with chocolate, 2-25 x 1-60. " Our bird differs but little in its habits from other oceanic Gulls. Feeding chiefly on fish, but accepting any diet that drifts within range of its keen sight ; drinking salt water in preference to fresh ; breasting a gale with ease and grace — soaring in midair, skimming close above the crested waves, or swooping into the trough for a coveted morsel ; resting upon the rolling billows, and sleeping serenely as they roll, with head tucked snugly under a wing; wandering in loose flocks, and making comrades of other wanderers ; devoted to mate and young, and attached to all its kin — wherever seen or however employed, the Kittiwake is revealed as a typical gleaner of the sea. " The name is derived from the bird's singular cry, which resembles the syllables Mtti-aa, kitti-aa " (Chamberlain). 42. Lams glaucus Brunn. GLAUCOUS GULL; BURGOMASTER. .! to 1-00; Tar., 2-60. Range.— Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in North America breeding commonly from southern Labrador northward and migrating south- ward to the Great Lakes and Long Island. GULLS. 71 Long laland, irregular W. V. AM*, of graMea, mow, etc., on the ground. Kggt^ two to three, varying from pale olive-brown to grayi.-h whit.-. »j-.rt. .1 ..r upeckled with •hade* of chocolate, 3-10 x a 20. Mr. Chamberlain remarks that this s|>ocii-s combines " with tome gull-liko traits many of the coarse characteristics of both Falcon and Vulture." "Some observers have reported that flocks are at times very ii"i-y. particularly when settling for the ni^ht ; but those I have met with in winter have been rather silent. Tlu-ir cry is harsh and at tiroes very l"ii'l; it sounds something like the syllables kuk-lnk. 1 have Men it written cut-lrrk." 43. Larus leucopteru* f'tfxr. I. MAM. (it 1.1.. Resembles the preceding specie* in color, but generally is much smaller; specimen* occur, however, which api»ear to be intermediate. W., 15-40-16-50; B., 1-65-1-90; depth of B. at j.p-jivti"ii on the lower mandible, -60-70 ; Tar., 2-O.V2-20 ( B., B., uii.l K ). tinny*. — Arctic regions; in North America mi grated south in winter, rarely to Long Inland. Long Island, A. V. in winter. AM*, of greases, moss, cte., on the ground. Er but lightly t intet I with irray, are murk- .1 with sharply defined spacei> of ashy irrny. The first primary is tipju-d with white and marken both wet*. W_, 15-50- 17-OO ; B., l-W-1'88; depth of B. at projection on the lower mandible, -60--M; Tar., 2-10-8-M (Brewst. /tony*.— North Atlantic coast of North America; south in winter to Mamachusetto. '. on "the shelving rocks of high dirt"-." "Mr. Kumlion found this bird breetling in considerable numbers near the head of Cumberland triilf." but. owing to the difficulty of ili^tin^iii«hing inunatiire s|«-cinieii> fnun tln>>c of L. InirnptrrtiA, its status on our coast in winter is not clearly determined. 47. Larus nutrinus Linn, liunr Hi AC K-BA. KII- liiii : SU>I>LB- BACK. Ad. in ivmmtr.— Back and wiog» »laty black; wiog-f«alhera tipped 72 GULLS. with white; rest of plumage white; tail sometimes mottled with dusky. Ad. in winttr. — Similar to the above, but with the head and neck streaked with grayish. Im. — Head and nape whitish, streaked with grayish ; back and wings, except primaries, brownish, the feathers margined and irregularly marked with pale buft'y ; primaries dark brownish black, the inner ones with small white tips ; tail mottled with black and white ; under parts whitish, more or less streaked or barred with grayish. L., 29-00; W., 18-50; T., 8-00; B., 2-50. A'anye. — North Atlantic ; breeds in North America from the Bay of Fundy northward ; migrates southward in winter regularly to the Great Lakes and Virginia, and less frequently to South Carolina. Long Island, common W. V., Sept to Apl. -Y-*<, of grasses, seaweed, etc., on the ground. Eygs, two to three, clay- color, brownish ashy or butty, rather evenly spotted with chocolate, 3-00 x 2-15. A more northern species than the Herring Gull. Mr. Brewster, who observed it in numbers in the island of Anticosti in July, writes : " The Black-backs are exceedingly noisy birds, especially when their young are in danger, as well as toward evening. ... I identified four distinct cries: a braying ha-hn-hn, a deep keou; keow, a short barking note, and a long-drawn groan, very loud and decidedly impressive. . . . At all times of the year, during the breeding season as well as in win- ter, it is by far the wariest bird that I have ever met." The SIBERIAN GULL (50. Lnrvt affinis) — a large Gull inhabiting north- ern Asia — is sometimes found in Greenland. 51a. Lams argentatus smithsoniamis '',,//,*-. AMERICAN HER- I:IM. <>ru.. .I-/, in summer. — Back and wings deep pearl-gray; first primary tipped with white, then crossed by a small black mark, then a much larger white one ; this is followed by a black space ; the black runs down the outer web of the feather to near it* base and the shaft part of the inner web nearly as far, leaving the inner two thirds of the web below the black mark white (Fig. 60, a) ; the second primary is similar, but the second white mark is a round spot on the inner web and the black occupies a irrcater space near the tip, but docs not continue so far down on the feather; the third to sixth primaries are tipped with white, which is succeeded by a gradually dimin- ishing black band which extends farther down on the outer web of the feather than on the inner; the rest of the plumage is pure white. Ad. in winter. — Similar to the above, but with the head and neck streaked or spotted with grayish. Im. — Upper parts ashy fuscous; head an A |.l. A'ttt^ of gniMea, moat, ncawoed, etc., on the ground. i.ut. wlit>re the bird* have been j*TM.-t< nth P.M.. .1. it i» iii'.r. compactly built un|><>< i.< is l,\ far the most abundant winter Gull along the of tin- Miiltllf ami Snitln-rn Stairs, t'nliki- the more pelagic specie*, it frrijiiriit.- mir rivt-r> ami harlx>r>. fniliiij; alK>ut piers and wharvw, ami near the cities .-Imwin^ riiin|uinitively little fear i»f man. S»tnetiines ,,n(. may see tliein •• In-ilileil " iii fl(M-ks on the water, where they alight to re-t. It i^ generally this species which fi>llows in the wake of our coastwise vessels, sailing astern, when the wind is from ahead, without the slightest percept ilile movement of the wings. (For an interesting life-history of the Herring Gull see Mackay, Auk, ix, 1892, p p. '2-2 1 -238.) The ErnopKAX HKKRIXO (it i.i. (.'•!. I.aru* anjfntatu*) differn from our •pecict« in IM iiiir slightly smaller aiul in having tin- two white space* at the tip of the first primary joined, the block spot, therefore, In-ing broken or entirely alwciit. It is of rare occurrence on the Atlantic coast of North America. 54. Lama delawarensis <>r.l. RINO-RILLEI>
  • i. in »um- m*r. — Back mill wiris.'> |«-;irl-i;ray ; first primary black, with a white sjiot near Uie tip, the l>as« of the iniu-r hull' <«f the inm-r wel« ]K-url gray . Fig. 60,6); primary black, tin- basal half of the inner web jx'url-gnn ; on the third to sixth primaries the black decreases rapidly. iin«l each «nie i.« tipjx-d w ith w hite ; re.-t of the plumage pure white ; bill greenish yellow with a black band in front of the nostril. .!•/. in trintsr.- Similar to Uio ahove, but the head and nape streaked with grayish. Im. l"p|K-r parts varying from ashy fuacoun. the tcatliers margined with whitish, to j>earl-grny. the feathen more or ICM iii'-ttli.l. -!••.•••. 1. or, on the head and neck, t-tn-akcd with ashy t'us- coun; outer pnm.iries black, tail varying from |>earl-gray, inon- «r le>s m»ttle nd M Waithington. \< ry ,-..M,m«.n T. V., Feb. to A pi. A; • ».-t. t" Nov.; rare in winter. Long Nlati-l. common W. V.. Aug. t'> Apl. Sing Sing, casual T. V. ' of frraum*. etc.. on the ground. Aj/?/». two to three, clay -color, buffy, or whitish, rather evenly spotted with chocolate, 2-90 x !•«. 74: GULLS. The coast-inhabiting individuals of this species resemble the Her- ring Gull in habits, and are not easily identifiable from that species unless the two be seen together, when the smaller size of the Ring-bill is noticeable. In the interior, where the species is locally common, it feeds on insects, which it catches both on the ground and in the air. The MEW GCLL (56. Larus canus) — a European species — has been found once in Labrador.- 58. Larus atricilla Linn. LAUGHING GULL; BLACK-HEADED GULL. (See Fig. 6, b.) Ad. in summer. — Back and wings dark pearl-gray ; primaries black, the inner ones with small white tips (Fig. 60, c) ; whole head and throat deep slate-color; rest of the plumage, including the nape, pure white, the breast sometimes suffused by a delicate peach-blossom tint; bill dark red- dish, brighter at the tip. Ad. in winter. — Resembles the above, but has the head and throat white, the crown and sides of the head and sometimes the nape spotted or streaked with grayish. Im. — Upper parts light ashy fuscous, the feathers margined with whitish ; primaries black ; forehead and under parts white, sometimes washed in places with dusky ; tail dark pearl-gray, broadly tipped with black. L., 16-50 ; W., 12-50 ; T., 4-90 ; B., 1-65. Ranqe. — Breeds from Texas and Florida to Maine; rare in the interior; winters from South Carolina to northern South America. Washington, irregular in fall. Long Island, rare S. K., irregular T. V., A pi. to Sept. Sest, of grasses, seaweed, etc., on the ground in grassy marshes. Eggs, three to five, varying from grayish olive-brown to greenish gray, spotted, blotched, and scrawled with chocolate, 2-15 x 1-55. " From the hoarse clatter of the Terns one could distinguish its long-drawn, clear note on a high key, sounding not unlike the more excited call-note of the Domestic Goose ; and every now and then it would give its prolonged, weird laughter, which has given rise to its common name. To one who has heard it, it might be imitated by the syllables hah-ha-ha-ha-ha, hah-hah-hah, all of which are uttered on a high, clear tone, the last three or four syllables, and especially the last one, being drawn out with peculiar and prolonged effect, the whole sounding like the odd and excited laughter of an Indian squaw, and giving marked propriety to the name of the bird " (Langille). 59. Larus franklin! Sir. and Rich.. FRANKLIN'S GULL. Ad. in svm- TMT. — Whole head and throat sooty black, nape, sides of the neck, and under parts, except throat, white, generally suffused (in fresh specimens) with an exquisite peach-blossom tint; tail white; back and wings pearl-gray; first primary white, the outer web black, except at the tip, the shaft part of the inner web grayish on the basal half (Fig. 60, d) ; second primary white, with a black mark on the inner web and a black stripe on the outer web near the tip, the rest of the outer web and shaft part of the inner web pearl-gray ; third em 75 U> sixth primaries tipped with white, tin n bunded with gradually diiiiif)i»hing bw of black, whirh are succeeded by a whitinh spocr, while the n -I of th« feather is pearl-gray ; hill dark coral-red. .(•/. • !nr. but )n*ad nnd in •< -k w hitv, tin- occiput, w it h orbital and auricular region*, grayish dusky ; bill »tul lift dusky, tin- former tip|-rd with orange rcddUh." )>»iny,Jtr*t filnin I tlir hrllil (except fi>rclicud Utnl l»r- •« . I'll, k lifl'l scapulars grayish br»wn, the longer scapulars bordered t. rmiimlly with pale grayish bull'; win/ c»\i rt.-> 1-luUh /rav tinged with urrti\ i.-h l>n>wn; seconda- ries duitky, edged with pale ifntyiith l>lm> utnl )>r<>urti<>n nt' the rump uniform liirht Mui-li urra\ ; lateral urnl ] l>irti»!i> of the rump, up|K-r \M\'. • it ire lower part*, t'l-n-hea'l, lore*, and white. Hill hroM-ni.ili, ilu.tky termitiully ; teet l-mwn .in >kiin." W., ; th through no.-tr I!., ai.,1 K. ,. i'.iv.-.i> tri'in Miutherii Miiities»tn anakotu northwanl ; win- t< r> in the Southern States, and migrate* principally we.-«t <>f the Mi.-*'i!«iippi ..• nrnl Merriiini). Not found on the Atlantic eoMt '.of (fnwco, etc.. iii reedy or Muah-grown marshc*. AV///«, one to three, varj'ing from dark ehoenlate to creamy l-rown and slotehe» of umt.cr, and with ul«*olete lilac •hell marking^, 2-12 x 1-40 (Preston). Tliis inland species reaches our western limits. An excellent ac- count of its habits, by J. W. Preston, will be found in the Ornitholo- gist and ( )ulogist, xi, pp. 54, 55. 60. Larus Philadelphia "/-./). I!-.\ \PM:U.'-<;I 1 1.. A<1. in *»mmtr. — \Vhoh- head ami tlm-at dark, sty j-late-color; nape and side* of the neck, under part*, except throat, and tail white; back and wings pcarl-grny ; ftn*t primary, wen fnun above, white, the outer web and tip block second and third primaries white, tipped with black; third to -i\t!, primaricM w ith small whitUh tips, then large black spaces, the rest of the feather white or jx-arl gray ; bill l-lack. .I//, in irii,t>r. Similar to the preceding, but head and throat white, the back and sides of the head washed w ith gra* i.-h. 1m. T..J. of the head and nape and a i*]x>t on the auriculara more or less washed with grayich; baek varying from brownUh gray to pearl-gray; lesser wing- irrayinh bn>wn, Mvoiularies mostly pearl-gray ; first primary with the outer web. tip, and imwt of the shaft part of the inner web black; inner mar- gin of the inner web at the end of the feather narrowly I -ordered with black ; second and third primaries much the same, but with slightly more black at Is; tail white, banded with black and narrowly tipi*-d with while; under parts white. I... U-«N.; \V.. lo-.TO; T., 4'OO ; R. \-\\ •I*.— Breeds from Manitoba northward; apparently no record of its . the Atlantic coast; winters southward to the (lull •iiinoii T. V., Mch. to May 5; <>.-t. and Nov. Long Island, common T. V., a few winter, Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, rather rare T. V and 0 A«rf, of Kick* lined with grasses, etc., on stump*, in bushes or trees four 76 TERNS. to twenty feet from the ground. £ffys, three to four, grayish olive with a greenish tint and small clove-brown spots, chiefly about the larger end, 1'97 x 1-40 (B., B., and R.). " The flight is easy and graceful, each stroke of the long, pointed wings throwing the body up a little, while the bird peers this way and that in quest of its small prey. If it fly toward one, the white front of its wings, added to its white breast and neck, gives it the appear- ance of a white bird with a black head. It often has a noticeable way of turning partly around or cutting backward as it drops in securing some object detected on or near the surface of the water, thus making it api>ear decidedly lithe and agile on the wing " (Langille). The LITTLE GTLL (60-1. Larus minutus), a European species, has been taken only once in America — on Long Island, in September, 1887 (Butcher, Auk, v, 1888, p. 171). Ross's GULL (61. Rhodostethia rosea), an arctic species, is known from Point Barrow, Alaska; Melville Peninsula; England, Faroes, and Heligoland ; but has been found in numbers only at the first-mentioned locality. (See Murdoch, Rep. of the Exp. to Point Barrow, p. 123.) 62. Xema sabinii (,S'oA.). SABINE'S GULL. Ad. in summfr.—Vfhole head and throat slate-color, bordered posteriorly by black ; back and sides of the neck, under parts, except throat, and slit/ fitly forked tail pure white ; back and wings dark pearl-gray ; secondaries tipped with white ; first primary black, the inner half of the inner web, except at the end, white; second to fourth primaries similar, but tipped with white; bill black, the end yellow. Ad. in icinttr.—" Similar to the summer plumage, but the head and neck white, except occiput, nape, and auricular region, which are dull, dusky plumbeous" (B., B., and R.). Im. — Forehead and lores white, rest of the upper parts ashy brown, the feathers slightly tipped with whitish ; tail white, broadly tipped with blackish; under parts white. L., 14-00; W., 10-50; T., 4-50; B., 95. Range. — Arctic regions, in winter migrating only a short distance south- ward and rarely reaching the t'nited States. Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest, of grasses, etc., on the ground. Egg*, two to five, deep olive (vary- ing in intensity, however), rather indistinctly spotted or blotched with brown. 1-78 x 1-26 (Ridgw.). This boreal species is of rare occurrence in the northern United States in the winter. Subfamily Sternince. Terns. Terns are littoral ; never, I believe, pelagic. They inhabit the shores of bodies of both fresh and salt water, but are more abundant on the seacoast than in the interior. Their principal characters, as compared with the Gulls, are mentioned under the subfamily Larince. Their TIM: 77 power of flight has deservedly wmi l»r them the name of Sea Swal- lows. They capture their prey <>f -mall li-h \>\ plunging into the water, frequently ilisHp|r (Hobbles of a Ix-ach, or in the n.-ar-by seaweed, moss, or grasses. Sometimes it is scantily lined with bits of grass, seaweed, moss, etc., but these are frequently wanting. KEY TO THE SPECIES. Mg un.lt-r 13-00. 1. Kntire top of the head jct-hlaek. .1. Hill black, or in.wtly l>hi.-k. a. Feet black or blackish. a*. Under parts black or blackish 77. BLACK TERN. o». Under part* white; bill black .... 63. GILL-BILLED TERM. a1. Under part* white; bill black, broadly tipped with yellow. ABOT'S T*RN. b. Ki-et yellii wish or orange. i». Outer tail-feathers jmn- wliite; ouu-r web of first primary black. 7-.1. I:»«EATE TEEX. t*. Inner web of outer tail-feather gray ; outer web of flr»t primary gray 69. FOKCTER'B TERN. B. Bill mostly or entirely yellowish, reddish, bniuui.-li, or orange. a. Under partu tinged witli grayish ; outer web of outer Uiil-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 ; tursus generally under -7". 71. ARCTIC TERN. b. Under part* pure white ; inner web of outer Uil-feather gray ; outer web white tu*. F..RHTER'« TERN. 2. Forehead white; lore* black; crown jet-black. A. Wing under 8-00; back pearl -gray 74. LEAKT TERN. //. Wing over 8-00; back grayish l>r<>wn ..r blaek'mh. a. Back grayish brown ; a white 8trij)e from the forehead over the eye. 76. BRIDLED TERN. A. Back blackish ; white of forehead not reaching oner the eye. 75. BOOTY TERN. 8. Forehead or crown white or gray'wh, sometimes xpevkled with black ; lore* not entirely black. A. Wing pearl-gray, over 9-00. a. Outer tail-feather eiitinh pun- white. o«. Bill over 1-75. tip|H-d with yellow'u.h ... 67. CABOT'* TERN. A Bill under l-7'«, witlmut • \ .•!!..« tip . 72. KOCEATE TERN b. Outer tail-feather not pure white. A». Inner web of outer Uil-feather darker than outer web ; outer web 78 TERNS. mostly or entirely white ; a black space generally on the side of the head inclosing the eye 69. FORSTER'S TERN (Im.). Ift. Outer web of outer tail-feather darker than inner web ; tarsus over -70 70. COMMON TERN (Im.). b*. Outer web of outer tail-feather darker than inner web; tarsus under -70 71. ARCTIC TERN (Im.). R Wing blackish, over 9-00. a. Under parts blackish 75. SOOTY TERN (Im.). b. Under parts white 76. BRIDLED TERN (Im.). 4. Crown silvery gray ; lores black; rest of plumage sooty . 79. NODDY. C. Wing under 9-00 77. BLACK TERN (Im.). II. Wing over 13-00. A. Wing 15-00 or over ; outer primary mostly gray. 64. CASPIAN TERN. R Wing under 15-00 ; inner half of inner web of first primary white. 65. KOYAL TERN. Fio. 61.— First primaries of adult Terns, seen from below, (a) Caspian Tern ; (6) Royal Tern ; (c) Common Tern ; (d) Arctic Tern ; (e) Roseate Tern. 63. Gelochelidon nilotica llassdq. GULL-BILLED TERN; MAUSII TERN. Ad. in summer. — Top of the head and nape black; back and \\hiirs pale pearl-gray; outer web of outer primaries silvery; tip and shaft part of the inner web darker; inner part of the inner web, except for a narrow mar- TERNS. 79 fin at the end of the feather, white ; tail white, •lightly forked, the middle feather* grayish; under part* white; bill and feet black, the former rather abort and stout. .!•/. in ici*triu burty white, with numerous distinct and obocure chocolate markings, 1*80 x 1-30. This is a common species on the coast of our Southern States. It is said to prefer insects, which it catches on the wing, to fish. Its voice is harsh and easily distinguishable from that of other Tern.", while its heavy black bill will also serve to identify it. 64. Sterna tschegrava Lfpech. CAPIMAN TERX. Ad. in tpriny. —Top and back of the head shining black, the feathers K -ngtlu m- form a erect; back of the neck, under parts, and tuil white; back and wings pearl- gray; primaries dark slaty, silvery <«n the outer web i Fiif. 61, n) ; I. ill coral- red, darker near the tip ; feet black. Ad. after the breeding tetunn and in trinUr.— Similar to. the above, but top of the head streaked with black. 1m. — Top of head streaked with black and white; back of neck and under part* white ; back, wing-coverts, and tcrtials pearl-gray, spotted or burred with brownish black; primaries dark slaty, silvery on the outer web; tuil pearl- gray, more or loss barred with brownish black ; bill orange-red ; feet black- ish brown. L., 21-00; W., 16-20; T., 6-00; B., 2-80. Kange. — A cosmopolitan species of irregular distribution ; in North Amer- ica, breeds locally from Texas to Great Slave Lake ; migrates through the in- terior and on the coast, and apparently does not winter within our limits. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Aug. and Sept Egg*, two to three, grayish white or butty white, with rather small, dis- tinct, and obscure chocolate markings, 2-70 x 1-88. This large Tern of local distribution is to be known by its size and red bill. Unless the two were seen together, however, I do not believe it could with certainty be distinguished in life from the Itoyal Tern. 66. Sterna "•TV**"** Rodd, ROTAL TERX. Ad. in ipring.— Top and back of the head shining block, the feathers lengthened to form a crest ; back of the neck, under parts, and tail white ; back and wings pearl-gray ; inner web of primaries, except at the tip, white ; tip, outer web, and shad part of inner web dark, silvery slate-color (Fig. 61, At. .W. a/ttr tkt br*di*g teaton and in winter.— Similar to the above, but top of the head streaked with black and white, Im.— Resembling the young of 8. tocbfr***, bat smaller and with the inner half of the inner web of the primaries white. I*, W., 14-00 ; T., 7-00 ; B., 2-60. Kangt,— Breeding in North America along the Gulf coast from Texas to 80 TERNS. Florida, and on the Atlantic coast to Virginia ; occasionally wanders north- ward to the Great Lakes and Massachusetts. Long Island, A. V. in summer. Eggs, one to four, more pointed than those of the preceding, grayish white, with rather small, distinct, and obscure chocolate markings, 2-65 x 175. A common species on our southern coasts. During the winter it is about the only Tern one sees in Florida waters. It is a strong, active bird on the wing, and a reckless, dashing diver, frequently dis- appearing beneath the surface in catching its prey. The slow-flying Pelicans are at its mercy, and it often deftly robs them of their well- earned gains. Both this species and the preceding, and indeed all the Terns, are to be known from the Gulls by the very different manner in which they hold their bills. A Tern points its bill directly downward, and looks, as Coues says, like a big mosquito, while a Gull's bill points for- ward in the plane of its body. 67. Sterna sandvicensis acuflavida (Cabot). CABOT'S TERN; SANDWICH TERN. Ad. in spring. — Whole top of the head and crest black ; back and wings light pearl-gray ; primaries silvery gray ; the shaft part of the inner web white except at the tip; rest of the plumage white ; feet and bill black, the latter with a conspicuous yellowish tip. Ad. after the breeding season and in winter. — Similar to the above, but crown white, sometimes spotted with black; back of the head and crest more or less streaked with white. 1m. — Similar to the preceding, but back spotted with blackish ; tail slaty gray and much shorter; bill slightly if at all tipped with yellow. L., 16-00 ; W., 10-50 ; T., 5-50 ; B., 2-05. Range. — Tropical America, breeding on the Gulf coast from Texas to Florida, and on the Atlantic coast to South Carolina; accidental in Mntri,r tlmn the «uU-r; lull dull orange, the eud thinl blueki-h; t«t orange. Ad. in tctnttr. Similar to the above, hut head white, rn.-re <>r IWM wanhed with jfruyi-h or »|».tt«d with black, a large black »p"t <>I) tin- -i.lr • •! tin- hcitil in. i..-.ti_- tlir . \r; hill inivtly black; .»in-h. /;». Similar to the preoedini;, hut the ha«-k and winga more Or lOM Ilioltled or w it-lied with liu'lit Lr> •« ln-h. ulid the tail liiuoh fhorter. I... I.V.H.; \\., 1 . II., 1 ;,... Of BON Or !•• general distribution throughout North Aiuerii-a, breeding in the eaal ItH'ully tnun Tr\a« iionlnvunl thn-u^li tin- .Mi-i.-iiwij.pi V alloy to St. Clair Flat* uml Miuiit<>l>a -r«»it n«>rth ..!' N'ir^iniu, t.ut watnlcriiijf ly to Mmwu-humjtto. irt"!!. run- and irnx'ulur T V. I.<.iiL' Inland, rare T. V. in fall. ««f, of seaweed, tlu^'-. ••!• «.-. .is on a Mi^ht i-l<-\uti..n in ^ru.^y tnarabee. three, very variable, oli\e-gray, or olive bniwni^li u>h\, mom rarely whitish or bulf, hfuvily murki-d with i-hiK-oluU-. 1 >o x 1-30. I>r. Hn-wcr, writing of Mr. Riil^wuvV fX|KTii-iici- \\itli this species on ('olil)'s I-liind, N'ir^'iiiia, whtTt- it was fountl Im-cding in nuinU-r>. says: "It was only Irss ahundant than the Amjlicn [= nilnfirn], and (juii.- as numerous as tin- Inrnndo. fr.-.|iu-iiiiiii: <'-i><'cially grassy marshes, in which it nc-sts. Ho found it prt'-finitieiitly a marsh Tern. It nested in company with, or in close proximity to, rolniiirs of the Black-headed Gull. It could be readily distinguished from the Com- mon Tern, which it closely rescmhles when on the wing, hy its grating monotonous note, which very closely n-semolcs one frequently uttered by the Loggerhead Shrike" (B. B., and K.). 70. Sterna hirundo /./"". C..VM..V TH:N : \\n -••>.'- Tn:x; SEA SWALLOW (nee Fitf. 7). A<1. in *inn>n/r. - \\\i»\t' top "f tin- houd hln«-k and \\injp* pearl -jrniy ; inner iMmh-r of inner \vel. of outer priinanes whitr, it the tij> I thnmt white; l,r.»//y i»\h /»earl-irra> ; )>ill nil at the bane, the end thinl Mack ; feet onmire-reil. .(./. in n-int.r. similar to the above, but front part of tho head and under part* white: hill m.^tly black. 7m.— Similar to the preceding, hut the hu.-k more or I.»MU;. mottled with liijht bn)wni*h ; lower winir -I'overts slaty irray, ami tail much shorter. I . : 0 ; \V.. 1<> -j.v T.. :>:<0\ Tar.. '7:. ; I'... 1 • »". • 'onmion Tern i* clom-ly related to Kop«terV Tern und alno to the An-tie Tern. Fnin the f..nner it i« to be.liMiinruishe.1 l.y tin ..... lor of the lonj; outer tail-feathep*. In the Common Tern the outer web of thaw feathers ia alwa.VH darker than the inner weh; in Fon»ter'» T«MII the inner always darker than the outer one. Adult Common Term have the breeit and belly waahed with ptarl-yray, while in Footer'* T« rn tl>en« perte are pure u • The Cuiiunon Ttni ditfen from tho Aretii- Teni in havitiir Uic bill tipped 7 82 TERNS. with block 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. Sing 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 Egret's turn. Even the protection afforded by an insular home was not sufficient. Feather hunters, egg robbers, and self-styled oOlogists 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 paid keeper whose duty it is to protect the Terns. 71. Sterna, paradisoea J>runn. ARCTIC 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, d) ; 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 Mass*- 83 chiuctu to the arctic region*, and wintering aoulhward to Virginia and Cali- f-ruin"! A. «>. I .ti.l. run* in MIIIIHI.T. Jfff*, thrc« to four, not distinguishable with certainty from thone of the preceding, 1*49 x 1-l.V Comparing the notes of this Itinl with those of the Common Tern Mr. Brewstcr writes: "Their notes arc similar, hut several of them Can be dist inguishcd. The usual cry of .V. murruru [ = jxiradtMKi] cor- responds to the trarr of S. hintndn, l.ut is shriller, ending in a n>m^ inllt-.-tioii, and soiiitdini,' very like the squeal of a pig. The bird als«> has a short, harsh note Minilar to that of r'orstcrV. 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 hill. In flight and habits the two seemed to me identical " (Birds nliM-r\ed on the (Julf of St. Lawrence, Proc. Bust. S>» Ili.-t., xxii, 1883, p. 402). 72. Sterna dougalli Montay. ROSEATE TERN. Ad. in ntmmer.— Top of head black; back and wings pearl-gray; outer web of outer pri- maries and idiaft part of the inner web slaty black (Fig. 61, <); under part* white, generally delicately tinted with pinkish; tail pure vhiU ; bill black, the base reddish : feet red. Ad. in irinttr. Similar to the above, but front of the head white, morv or l».s streaked or .-iH.tt( .1 with black ; under j»art* pure white. /;/*.. rir*t i>'umage. — " Pileurn and najK- pule burly trrayi>h. finely mottled or sprinkled with darker, and Mtreaked. t->|n-cially on the crown, with • lii^ky ; «rl>ital and auricular regions dusky blaekisli ; remainder of the head, extreme lower part of tho na]>e, and entire lower parts white, the nape, and (uuiietitiiea Uie breast, finely mottled with butty gray; back, ncapular*, wing- rump. up|M-r tail-eoverta, and tail pale jK-arl-hlue, the back and acapu- huw overlaid with pale butt* irregularly mottled with dunky, each feather with a Kubmarginal dusky V-shajK-d mark; primary covert* and primaries dark 1.1 uWi -gray edged with paler, the inner weh, of the latter broadly edged with white; tail-feather* marked near their en.N mu.-h like the longer scapular*, their outer web* rather dark grayish ; bill l>rowni.-h dusky ; feet duaky." I~, 15-50; W., 9-50; T., 7'50; B., 1-50 (B., B., and R.). Ka*gt.— Tem|KT.ite anil tmjiieal n-iri"iis ; in Amerien apparently confined t-> the Atlantic coant, breeding from Florida northward to Maine; compara- tively rare north of southern New Jersey ; winters south of the L'nited State*. Uland, uiieiiinmiin but regular S. H., May through Sept . three, not distiniruishnble with certainty fn>m Uiooe of S.fortUti or S. fiirunj.; tun averaging paler and less heavily marked, 1-95 x 1-20. This species is found associated with colonies of Common T apparently making it- n.-t amonu their*. It N H lt-. BLACK TERN. Ad. in t>ii.-ii/nr.— Whole head and under parts, except under tail-coverts, black; back, wings, and tail slate-color; bill and feet black. Ad. in winter. SKP — Forehead, nape, an. I under IHUI* white: >>•< k ••!' (In head hlack with white; hack, wing*. »n>l (nil deep |nr IIIIN wnxhol nii|x-r»»iii-.' with irrmywh. 1... 1 . :i:n>; B.. . *.— Temperate »n.l tropical America; l.n-«-.l» in tin- inti rior from Kaiwaa and Illinois t<>. \lnnkm; n»t known t<> l>n-<-i| mi tin- Atlantic oowt, whore it U found from Prince KdwurdV Ulaml southward an an irrrgulai migrant, occiii-riiii; at time* in connidcrahlc numU-r*. Washington, inviriilur T. V.. S. |.t. I...IHT l.-hm.l. irncular T. V. in \*ry- \ng numbers \\tg. ami S«-pt. sint' S'u |.t. of reeda, graMen, etc., ruthcr diwly w<>v<-n, in nru**y mar- fln«ting in a nlmi^h. /,;/;/". tw« t«. ihr.-v. nrn\i».li ulivr -hmwn. rarvly whitinh, heavily i>])ottod an>l Ll-.trlu-.l with chiM-nUto markings fre- quently confluent alxmt the- larger i-n.l, l-a.'i • This is an abundant species at favorable lix-alitics in tin- interior. " It seems not to subsist on fish at all, tint chiefly on dragon flies and various aquatic in.-rrts. It finds lx>th its homt» 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, M-mirim; the country for food at a distance of miles from its nesting ground. . . . "The bird may frequently be seen dashing iil*>iit 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 WHITE- wixoEt) BLACK TKKN (?>'. //y./r«.7i. //.//. /i /. «.•'•/•/» rai. an ol.l WorM s|H'i-ic*. lini IWI-M taken once in WiwuiiMii, uiul is r«-<«r«lud a»"«e«nt1 on a lake near Winnipeg. 79. Anoua stolidus / < " '< N"imv. .!•/. -T«>p "t'tlic hf»il nilvery whiti.th, lon-rt hlnck ; n-st «.f the pluiiiai'e ,,f tin- h.-u.l !.-« like the rest of the plumage and the silvery \vhiti*h ii|'[H-nrx a« a line from the bill to above th. , -ye. I... l.v<»': W.. l ••-:.: T...v«jrt: B., l-7«-. Range. — "Tropical and nuhtr^pieul reirions; in America, from Brazil and Chili no'rth to the Gulf uri.l South Atlantic States" (A. 0. 1 Airf, of utick*. graKHCft, etc.. on a maiik'rove luish. in a tree, nomrtimfl* on the beach «T in crevice* of rocks. Kyy, pale hufly white, npnriiiu'ly 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 RYNCHOPIDJE. SKIMMERS. The throe closdy willed s|«-«'ies constitutini: this .small but di-tinct family are found in the warmer parts of the earth. Duly 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 I. inn. BLACK SKIMMER; SCISSOR-BILL (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., 4 75 ; B., 2-60. Kanqe. — 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. Eggs, 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 TT7BINARES. TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS. FAMILY DIOMEDEIDJE. 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 WANDERING ALBATROSS (80- 1. Di&medea 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. Thalaimogtron ctilminatu*) is also a southern species which is said to have been taken once in Quebec (Chamber- lain, Nuttall's Manual, 2d ed., ii, p. 277). FAMILY PROCELLARIID.E. 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 arc strictly pelagic, and visit the land only to nest. The strong, swift flight of Shearwaters, and tho graivfui movements of the smaller " Mother Carey's Chickens," are familiar sights to those who go " down to the sea in ships." BBBAEWATIRfl ANN n-TKKLSL 87 KIT T" TUB I. Wing over 10-50. .< I nder put* duaky .......... 94. SOOTY BHEABWATSB. II I iultT part* white. a. Bill muter 1 •,'*> .......... Kv KI.A< I-CAWCD PETBBL. b. Kill over 1-50. A». Under tail-coverto white ....... s««. <',.RY'« SHEARWATER. 6*. Under tail-coverts gnyuh brown . . 89. GREATER SHEABWATEB. 1! \Viritfimder 10-60. .1 \s . !..:•••.. r7-aa. a. Depth of bill at baso over -50. . 86. FULMAR. 86a. LEMER FI-LMAR. b. Dej>th of bill at bane under -50. *«. Upper part* bluish gray ........ 1*0. S.-ALED PETREL. A». Upper parU sooty black ..... 92. AUDI-RON'S SHEARWATER. B. Wing under . a. UpjHT tail -coverts more or less white. a». Tail forked ............ 10«. LEAC-H'H PETBEU b*. Tail square. b*. Weba of feet marked with yellow ; upper tail-covert* not tipped with black ............ 109. WIUON'S PETBEL. 6*. WeU of feet without yellow ; tail-covert* tipped with black. 104. STORMY PETBEL. b. Upper tail-coverts grayitth or brownwb. &>. Entire under part* brownish ..... 101. BI-LWER'H PETREL. 6*. Breaxt grayiith ......... 110. WHITE-BELLIED PETREL. A*. Entire un.K-r parts wliite ...... 111. WniTE-fACEO PETREL. 86. Fulmarus pLiciall* (/.inn.). FI-LMAR; NODDY (sec Fig. 9, 6). I.iyht phone. — Head, neck, and under parts white or whitish ; back, wings, and tail slaty gray. Dark phatt. — Entire plumage nearly uniform dark, slaty gray. L., 19-00; W., 18-04; B., V50; d«-pth ..t B. at base, -75 (Ridgw.). fianyt. — North Atlantic; south in winter on the American coast to HRMR- chifwtts; accidental in northern New Jersey. Nttt, on the lodges of rocky cliffs, fyy, one, dull white, 2-85 x 2-01. " The Fulmar is a constant attendant on whalers, sealers, etc. — 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 th<>r are held very straight — a peculiarity by which it nip.y easily be distin- guished from a Gull at a distance " (Saunders). 860. F. g. minor Kjasrb. LESSER FII.MAR; NODDY. u Similar in color f. /'. yta<-ialit, but rnin-h small, r. W , 11 fKMfrOO; B., I'SO-l'SB; di-pthofB. at b«w, -60--70." Kanyt.—" North Atlantic, south on American side to coast of New Eng- land " (Kidgw.). 88 SHKARWATKliS AND J'M'KKLS. 88. Puffinus borealis <'»ry. COBY'S SHEARWATER. 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 uinUr tail-coverts white, the latter more or less mot- tled with grayish ; hill yellowish. L., 21-00; W., 14-00; Tar., 2-20; B., 2-10. fin //;/<.— Known as yet only off the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Long Island. Long Island, uncommon from Aug. to Oct. ' Nest and eggs 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 Faber. GREATER SHEARWATER ; HAGDON. Ad. — Upper parts fuscous, wings and tail slightly darker ; longer upper tail- coverte 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; B., 1-85. Range. — "Atlantic Ocean, south to Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope" (A. O. U.) ; north to Greenland. Long Island, uncommon in summer. .\ •-.-•£ 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). MANX'S SHEARWATER (90. Puffinus pvjfinus) 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.). It is a European species of exceedingly rare or accidental occurrence on the North Atlantic coast. 92. Puffinus auduboni Finsch. AVPUBON'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. L., 12-00; W., 8-00; Tar., 1-60; B., 1-20. Range. — Warmer 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. Egg, one, chalky white, 2-05 x 1-40. An abundant West Indian species which breeds in the Bahamas wid Antilles, and is doubtless not uncommon off our southern coasts. SIIKAUU \ n-:i:> AM» I-I.TKI s«j lt» flight, low over the water, in strong and swift, five or fix. rapid wing-beat* In-ing followed by a abort sail. 94. Pufllnua Strickland! /.V/././. S....TV SHEARWATER; BLACK I-IKT purrs, wingw, and Uil il»rk, sooty, brownish black ; uii.liT parta somewhat grayer; bill blackish. 1.., 17 .-•, U . U.H.; Tar.,* 10; H , 11J5. /fan?*.— As far as known, North Atlantic ; south on the American coaat t<> South Carolina. l.i >iik' Island, uncommon in .summer. ' ami ';/:/•• unknown. "Its flight anil habits set-in to IK- identical with those of major, but its uniform dark coloring LJIVC- it a very different appearance. At A distance it looks as black as a Crow " (Brewster). The BLACK-CAPPED PETREL (98. .ibtrtlata hatitata) in a southern specie*, which has U-i-n found on l.omr Uluiul, in Florida, Wc«t Virginia, aint V, r mont It \>eAn a (jfiicnil n''i-iiil.l:in.T to I'lijKnu* major, hut iit much smaller and has the UJ«|HT un>l uinl<:r tuil-co\-erte white. The - :tt •ealarit) in known from one individual which had wandered to wesU-rn New York. It* true home has not been dis- covered, but i* (lountlcsi* in tlic Antarctic Ocean. Iti I.WEK'* rKTithi. i/"/. /liilirtrin tmltnri) inlml.iu the eastern Atlantic Ocean, includintf the cooaU of Europe and Africa, and is of accidental occur- rence in (irrmlund. 1O4. Procellaria pelagica Linn. STORMY PETRKL. Ad.— Upper parts, win^s, ami tail sooty black ; under part« slightly hr»\\ncr; upper tail - white, the longer ones broadly tipped tritk black; under tail-coverto mix.-.l with whitish ; lull and Art black. L., 5'50; W.,4'80; T., 8-60; B., -45. Uamjt. — •'Atlantic Ocean, south on the American side to the Newfound- laii'l Banks, weat coast of Africa :m-l co^t »f KurojM- " ( A. <>. I*.). Xttt, of a few bits of sticks and grasses in a burrow in the ^n>tind or be- neath a rock. /.;/;/. one, -lull white, H»m< times with a wreath of minute or obocuru marking at the larger en. I, 1-1" x -80. This i> tin- common Stormy IVtrrl of the east side of the Atlantic. It nests in numbers on tin- 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. Icucorhoa I /•///.). I.KA. nV I'KTREU Ad. - parts, wini;s, ainl tail sooty l>r<>wn; under parts Klightly browner; • -\erts grayish bmwn; longer upjx-r tail-coverbi white, shorter onea mixe«l with sooty Imiwni-h : t-iil f-ri,.l. outer feathers more than -SO longer than middle pair; bill and feet black. L.. s-oi»; W., «-20; T., 3-50; B^ •««. Jinny*.—" North Atlantic and N->rth I 'neiflc Oceans; south on th« coart of the t'niu-d States to Virginia and California; brvt-d* from Maine and the tea northward on the cuanla uf 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. A'est) of a few bite of sticks and grasses in a burrow in the ground, or be- neath a rock. Egg, one, creamy white, sometimes with a wreath of minute or obscure markings at the larger end, T34 x I'OO. "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. Oceanltes oceanicus (Kuhl). WILSON'S PETREL. Ad.— 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., 5'90 ; T., 2-80 ; B., -50. Range. — Atlantic Ocean ; breeds in southern seas (Kerguclen Island) and migrates northward, spending the summer off our coasts. Washington, A. V., one record. Long Island, common from May to Sept. Nest, in the crevices of rocks. Egg, 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 Procellariidce, 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. 'IMC JUKI'S. .(I Under the name ..f "Stormy IYtn-1," ..r " M-.t tier Carey's Chi' • they are familiar to moot people wh<> have made sc* voyages. On tireless wing they follow in the track of a ship, coursing ceaselessly back and forth, now beneath the stern, now horering over the foam- Banding one of white-rumjted Martins in Un-ir easy, il flight. If fixxl IH- thrown overlNitird, they are at once attracted t« it, ami soon are left far behind, a little group of Mn< k, llutii-rmi: forma on the surface of the ocean. Tin- rural
  • |M.*-atient U-at- ing to and fro. The WIIITE-BEI.I.IKH I'KTKKI. (llf). f'ymodroma yrallariat in a tropical specie* whieh ha* Wen taken mice in N'f.rth America— at St. Murks. Florid*. Tin- Wiimc-rACEU I'ETHKI. ( ///. rt'uur Miiull 1'i-tnU Ky iu white uii.U r part*. ORDER STEOANOPODES. TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. FAMILY PHAETHONTID^:. 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. Phaethon flavirostria Hran,lt. VELLOW-BILIJCO Taoric BIRD (»tt! Fitf. 11). .!-BII.I.I:I> TROPK- BIRD (//.*. Pkattko* living arrow in it* downward flight. .JuM alx.ve the Mirfact the wings are firmly closed, and a small »plash of spray allows where the winded ti-li.-r cleaves the water to tr:in-!i\ his prey. I>isap|H-aring for u few second*., the bird reappears, rests for a moment on the water, long enough t«i -.wallow hi*- catch, and then rises in pursuit of other game" (Lucas, K- -p. 1 . & N it. Miu-., 1891, p. 712). FAMILY A MHV .n > i . DARTERS. There are four *\»-< •!<•> ->f Darters or Snakel-irds. one each in Africa, southern A>ia. Australia, and tropical and subtropical America. They are silent birds, generally living in pairs on Ixxlics of fresh water with wooded shores. They select a |)erch over the water, and when alarmed sometimes drop into the element helow and disappear t>cneath its >ur- face, or fly upward to a consideralile height and circle aUmt like sail- ing Hawks. They swim well, and when approached too closely quietlj sink backward, frequently leaving the long, thin neck and narrow, pointed head above the surface, when one at once oWno the origin of the name "Snakcnird." They olitain their food l.y pursuing it under water, and their finely serrated hill assists them in retaining their hold upon it. 118. Anhinga anhinga (/./»/>.>. AMIIM.A; s\.\KEniRi>; WATER TfRKKY. (Sec Fitf. 13.) Ai>r. (ienerul I'luuiu'.'i* iflowy black with greenuih reHectionn ; haek of the heml and m*ek with wattered irra\ Uh plumes; upper back wi^h numepiii.*. elongateil HI! very white »]M>t><. \\hi«-h »n the ncapulara become utrcakit; lewer wimr-envert*. »|><>ttcd like the hack: ex- pOMd portion of median and |?reater coverU silvery jrrny ; tnil tipjxtl •* ith whitinh, the outer webs of tin* middle pair .'Heathers with trnnsverw rtutinjf*. Ad. 6 in winter. — Similar, but without the jrr«\ i>h plumes on the head and neck. Ad. 9 .—Similar to • , but with the whole head, neek, and hrva*t brownuh, darker above. /•». — Similar to 9 , hut with the Muck parts of the plumage brownish. L., 84-00; W., l.T.'rfi; T.. 10-60; B., 8-«6. Kain/t. — Tropical and -subtropical Ameri-a: I -reeds an far north a* south- ern Illinois and South ('aml'ma; winter* t'r-nu the (lull' States southward. A'ttt, of sticks lined with moss, rootlet*, ote.. over tlie water in a bu-»h or tree. £yy*, two to four, bluish white with a chalky deposit, 2-15 x 1-S5. This singular bird is common in the (iulf States. It has the habits of other members of this small family. 94 CORMORANTS. FAMILY PHALACROCORACID^E. 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 low perch. 119. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.). CORMORANT; SHAO. (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 ot 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 fourteen 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, soutli 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. Rest, of sticks and seaweed, in colonies generally on the ledges of rocky cliffs. Eggs, 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 (Sir. and Itich.). DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. Ad. in breeding jilnmaye. — Head, neck, rum]), and under parts glossy black ; upper back, sea] ulars, and wing-coverts light grayish brown, each feather margined with glossy black ; tail bliu-k, composed of fir, Ire feath- ers ; a tuft of black feathers on either side of the head. Ad. in irint/r. - Similar, but without tufts on the head. Im. — Top of the head and back of the neck blackish brown ; upper back, scapulars, 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 grudu ally to black on the lower belly. L., 30-00; W., 12-50; T., 6-20; B., • Ranyt . Kastcrn North America, breeding from I lakota. :md the May of Fundy northward ; winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward. Washington, casual, several records. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. PKUCANS. 95 and May ; Aug. to Nov. Sing Sing, A. V., June. Cambridge, casual, OM instance, Sept .\t*t, of sticks, seaweed, etc., on Uie ledges of i-linV, low t>u»h<», bushy tree*, or on the ground. /.. P. d. floridanua ( AuJ.). FLORIDA CORMORANT. Resembles the preceding »|H-oi.-» in .••.l..r, but U amuller. W., 12-00; T., 5'50; B., 8-10. 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 MEXICAN CORMORANT (121. Pkalacrocorax rm-sicaniu)—* specie* found on the west Gulf count and southward — sometime* wanders up the Mis- sissippi as far as Illinois. FAMILY PELECANID^E. 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 l*>th 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 erythrorhync.hu* Gmtl. AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN. Ad. in brttdimj plumaye. — White, primaries black, whitish at the bate; an occipital crest and a horny i-nuiiim-in-i- on the bill. .(•/. in WIN/IT. — Similar, but without the crest or horny prominence. Int.— Similar, but top of the head brownish gray. L., 60-00; W., 22-00; Tar., 4-50; B., 14-00. Ra*g«,— North America, now rare or accidental on the Atlantic coast; breed* from southern Minnesota northward ; winters along the Gulf coast. Washington, casual, four records. Long Inland, A. V. ffut, of small sticks, on the frmund. /.';/:/». 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 Fi-'rida and westward, but rarely occurs on the Atlantic coast. Its snowy 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 — flying at a great height, and sometimes pausing to sail in wide circles far up in the sky. 126. Pelecanus fuscus Linn. BKOWN PELICAN. 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 ttw breeding season. — Similar, but with the hind head and whole lurk white, more or less tinged with straw-yellow. //».— 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. Eggs, 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. Bald pate. •j. Qraen-winged T>-ul. :; Him' winded Teal. 1. Slmveler. :. I'intail. r>. Wood Duck. 7. Redhead. 8. Cunvasback. '.i Am. Sciiup Duck. 10. Am. (Jolden-eye. 11. Bufflehend. 1C. old Siiuaw. 13. Greenland Kider. 14. Wliilc-win^cd Snili 15. Ruddy Duck. .MA.N-n- \V.\R IJIHDS. 97 FAMILY FRKOATIDJE. MAN-O'-WAR BIRDS. Man-o'-war Bird>, or Frigate Bin!-, an- found throughout itit.-r- il seas. One of the two known specie* occurs in America. They are strictly maritime, anil, while sometimes ob»<*rvrd at great di-lan; FKIUATK Bn»D. .. 1-V) All. X . Knt ire |>liuiiu!;e l>lm-k, mnrr ^ lousy aln»ve. 9. Siini- Inr, l>ut lirowMrr; IWUHT win).'- .;. i.-h brown ; l»rea>t iitul uj«|««-r Iwlly white, tin. Similar t<> the ? , but whole head and neek white. I.., 4; W^ 85-00; T., 17-00; B. Kamjt. — Tropical and Hubtropioal coasts generally; in Ameriea north to Florida, Texas*, and California, and casually to Kansas, Ohio, and Nova Scotia, Long Inland. A. V.. one record. JV \HIIIS so deeply a* to afford the gunner Imt a small mark, and dives ><• it.\KK. .((/. S.- Whole head and tlirout black, more irreeiiiidi at»>ve; • white r'uiir around the- neck; a ItnHtil cinnamon-ru/uui btmd in/A black ttrtatt on the up|«T breast an and milai finely luirn.l with l-liiek and white. Ad. 9 and //».-- T and back of head jjrayiwh brown washed with einiiaiin>n -rufoun ; sides <>f the head and tlm>at cinnamon -rufous, puler on the thmat; rest of under part-* white; back and tail aAliy gray; »i»wuluiii white. L., '."J-00; W^ JKM); Tar^ Ko; B. from M). K-inark*. A-lults of this ami the nrei-eilin^ .-[.e.-i. - may always U- di»- tin^uisheil by the color of the ImaM ; female* and youiij;, by the ditlerently 1 lieuds, while the jtodition of the n»stril is always diuuii Kanye. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in Ameriea breed* fniin imrtheni Illinois ami New liriuiswiek northward to the aret'n- r«-iri"ii«; winters fnnii near the southern limits of its breeding' rniiL''- southwiinl ti« <'ul>a. Washiinrton, uncommon \V. V. I .on,; Nland, abundant T. V.. Meh. 1 to May 1 ; Oct. 15 to Dec. 1, a few winter. Sinir Simr. <-'>mmon T. V., Dec. to Apl. SO. Cambridge, casual, one instanee. Oct. Xttt, of leave*, granea, momes, ete., lined with down, on the Around near water, among rocks or acruhby bushes. Unn** six to twt-he, creamy buff, 4-66 x 1-7.'.. This is a more common species than tho preceding, which it resem- bles iti habits. Il- m>te is described as a "croak." 131. Lophodytescucullata>(/./')n.). IIo.niEn Mr.no AXHER. Ad. i. Front part of lar^c eireular erest black ; remaining,' part white, Ordered by Mack; rent of head, the neck, and back black ; breast and Wily white; -i.l,-> cinnamon-rufous, rtnely bnrre.l with black, .til.'}. l'p|>cr thmat whit. neck, and up|>er breant grayisli bmwn. more or less tinired w ith oinnamon, es|H-ei»lly on the small cr.-t ; lower breast and belly white; sides grayifth brown; back fiwcoiw. 1m.— Similar, but with nocrv.it. I... }'•:*>; W., 7-50; Tar., 1 . •-.-North America generally, nouth in winter to Cuba and Mexico; breed* locally thpuii;bout its North Americuti > Wanhinirton. nnc..mmon \V. V. I.otiir Island. um-..rnmon T. V.. rnn- \V. V , Nov. to May. Sin^ Sing, rare T. V'., Meh. Cambridge, formerly common T. V., Oct. to Deo. 100 RIVER DUCKS. Ntst, of grasses, leaves, moss, etc., lined with down, in a hollow tree, or stump near water. Eygs, 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 lakes. 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 Anatince. The male is a striking bird in life, and can not be mistaken for any other species. Subfamily Anatince. 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 Fwligulince 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 larvae, 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 a rule, 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, etc., 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. 138. EUROPEAN TEAL. b. Lesser wing-coverts blue. 6». Cheeks slate-color, a broad white mark near the front of the face. 140. BLUE-WINGED TEAL ( 6 ad.). lilVKU Dr. KS. 4*. Cheek»and under part* ehcittnut-ruf.. a- HI. CIXXAM-H* TEAL( A ad.). <*. Cheek* finely streaked with Mu.-ki.-li. A Under parts « Inti-h, Honu-tiinm washed with brownish, streaked or •pottvd with hlackixh 140. BLI K-WINOED TKAL 9. <*. Under parts hi-avily washed with chestnut-rufous and mottled with black 141. CINNAMON TEAL 9 . 11 \Vi»>;over8-50. A. Belly white or grayish white, not conspicuously streaked or •potted. a. Whole head shining dark k'r. , n 132. MAI. LAUD ( & ad.) 6. Center of head white <>r whitish, a large streak U-hind the eye. UAI.I.I-ATE i ! ad.). f. Throat white, crown green or grayish green, tips of primaries greeniah. U». W.M.I, Di, K. d Throat Mackiah, center of crown huffy, rtwt of head rufous. 186. WIIMIKON ( 4 ad.). «. Throat and Hides of head olive-brown, darker <>n tin- i-r»wn. 148. PINTAIL i 9 ad.). /. Throat, crown, and Mdca of head more or leas finely atruaked with black i.-h. y*. Wing-coverts with more or less chestnut .... 135. GAUWALL. gl. No chestnut in wing-coverts. ?•. Axillars* and sides barred with Mack .... 143. PIXTAIL V . g*. Axil law white or speckled with black, widen plain brownixli. 137. BALDPATK 9. g*. Axillar* white, sides thickly spotted or barred with black. 135. GAOWALL 9. B. Under parts conspicuously muttU-d, spotted, or streaked, or feathers margined with chextnut-rufous. a. With white in wing-coverts. a1. Lesser wing-coverts ashy blue 14.' SH..VI.I.EB 9. A«. Lesser wing-coverts brownish gray, Wdcrr.l with white or tip|««-d with black. /.». S|^,-uluni+ piirjilo l.T_>. MALLARD 9. ff. S|Hviiluiii gray and white 1.1.V G \HWALI. 9. whit»- in wiiix' «-..V.TI>. a. Throat fiilx-mi* ..r l.iitly without Mn-aks. . . 1.".4. KI...KII.A Di. i> b. Thn>at nn.-ly streaked with black l.'W. Hi v K l»i . K C. Belly ohestikut 1 rj. Sn..\ EI.EH S . 132. Anas boschaa Linn. MAI.IAIIK («. Fi^. 17. i>. t t. • Whi.lt- IM-UI! mul thp»ut | 'lish or bluish black; a whit*- ruur around ^ ; bn-ibtt rii'h chi^tnut ; bt-lly grat i;«h whito. rtm-ly iiuirkcnc«T upp«-r tail -.•••vi-rt.- n-«-nrviil ; n|H'.-ulum rii-b (•iirj-lr. l...r.lm-».•«• ami tip by narrow bands n( blaek and tckitf. Ad. 9 .—Top and side* of head streaked with fuscous nnd butTy ; back fuacoua, • 8e« Fig. ft*. t A eolorad patch in UM wing. 102 RIVER DUCKS. the feathers with internal rings or loops and sometimes borders of pale ochra- ceous buffy ; speculum as in the preceding ; breast and belly ochraceous buffy, mottled with dusky grayish brown. I.., 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. £g. 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 ; a few breed. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. K., Mch. 6 to Nov. 13. Cam- bridge, very common T. V., Mch. and Apl ; late Aug. to Nov.; a few breed. fyrcarancc ; U-lly white or grayish; rump, upju-r «iul un-liT lull coverts black; leaser wing -co\rrts rfmtnvt. Ad. 9. — Head and throat as in tin- male; back fuscous margined with buffy; breast and tide* oehraceous bully, thickly sjx>ttcd with blackish ; belly and under Uil covt-rts white, more or lew thickly spotted with black iidi ; little or no .• <>n w ing co\ rrt.- ; i>|xvuluin ashy gray and white ; axillan and under wink'-covert*/»i«r« wkitt. L., 18-60; W., 10-40; Tar., 1-66; B., 170. Ka*yt.— Nurtlu-rn hrtnis].h< n- , in America, breed* in the interior locally fn-in Kun.-a.-* northward to the uivtii- rei;ii>na ; known to breed on the Atlantic ooaiit only at Aniir'-ti ; winters from Vir^iniu t<> Fl<>riI-KAN \VIIM.K»N. All. s. — Crown creamy bull'; throat Mm'kUli, rrst of head and neck rufou»-brown ; upper breant vinu.-c.ni.->, lo»«-r lir>!i>t nni>ean and Aiiier'n-an XVidjreons l>ear a general re»emblanee to one another. Their .lixtirijfuishinjf eharacten 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 in the summer in a plumage closely ing that of the female. 1'robably a similar change of plumage occurs in »ur .1. nmtrieana. '-.- Northern parts of tin- old World; in North America breed* in utiari Isla:. ;r» occasionally 'n tnc extern United States, Washington. A. V., two r..-..pU. Long Island, A. V. t butly white, 2-28 x 1-58. "The cnll-noto of the male is a shrill, whistling vhit-you, whence Whew Duck ' and ' Whcwcr ' : but the female utters It»th sexes, howerer, rise in silence" (Saunder»>. 137. Anaa amerlcana (imtl. HALLPATF. ; AMEKK v> \\II.OIOK. Ad. 3 .—Middle of the crown white or butty ; side* of th« crown, from the eye 104 RIVER DUCKS. to the nape, glossy green, more or less sprinkled with black ; lores, checks, and throat buffy, finely barred with black ; upper bmist and *ii/>ti vinaeeous, the latter more or less finely barred with wavy black lines; lower breast and belly white ; back grayish brown, more or less tinged with viuaceous and finely barred with black. Ad. 9 . — Head and throat white or pale, creamy butf, 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 white, their ends black, sometimes tipped with white. L., 19-00; W., 10-50; Tar., 1-50 ; B., 1-40. 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. K., 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, bult'y 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 Gmel. GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 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 whita lines ; middle under tail-coverts black, lateral ones creamy buff; upper back like the sides, lower back grayish fuscous ; a wh!tf har in front of the bend of the wing; wing-coverts brownish gray, tipped with ochraceous buffy. Ad. 9. — 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; hack fuscous, the feathers with crescent-shaped marks of ochraeeous buffy, and bordered with grayish ; wings as 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. Washington, common W. V.. Sept. to Apl. Long Island, uncommon T. V. ainl W. V., Oct. to Apl. Siiiir Sim:, 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. KIVKU l»n "In iiiiiiiinii flu- umlrs usually k.-cp in separate flock* from the female* anf the uiti,* is luckin.:. and tin- inner scapular* are creamy buff. with a sharply defined Muck murk <>u their outer wdw. The female can not :r'>m thai i>f A. ctrulititmit. 140. Ana* discors Linn. Ili.i K-WIM.I.K Tt.M.. .1-1. s.— Crown fuacou*, chin uii«l si-li-s <>(' the l>u.-e <>f the l>ill black ; a broad white band aeroasthe front <>f tin- head, it* hinder margin Imrdere.l by black ; r»-«t of the head and throat dark a»hy with purplish n-tlci-tioii*; lip^-t uiul U-lly .-111118- inon-rufuux, thickly .-p«'ttvd with l-lm-k ; Imck fu>.---u«. tin- ti-uthvnt with crea- oenta of ochraccoiu-butT; lt**er anil median H-in-j i-»r*rt* yniyiik blue, end half of the |1 - white; Mpvculuiu i:n< n. .!•/. . -//../ » I'M *umm*r. — «'ro\\n tU-H-oun, lightly uiaru'iucd with ^ruyinh ; si.le.s of the heinl aiitti-.l with l>luekisli, except <>n the thnmt ; l>rca*t and U-lly with lc.-u« cinnamon wu-.li than in the preccilin»; ; )>ack an>l win^H quite similar to the prcccdimr. t>ut \\antint;. xjK-euluin darker and greater covert* with leas white. L., MINI; \\ .r., !•»; H.. 1 ••:•'. •it.— Chiefly eastern North America; tpre«-ri. coiniiiipii \V. V.. Sept. t" Apl. I."iiir I-lan.l. common T. V. in Sept., rare T. V. in sprint?. Situ; Siiiif. e..rimi"ti T. V. in full. Sept. 24 to Oct. 17. Cambridge, rare in spriiiir; very common < at lea^t fonnerly) Aug. to Oat KKfii n?con.le".. SH»\KIKK .1,1. 6.— Heail and neck taeoaa, gknatd with l-lui-h ^reen ; back and a broken line down the back of the lower neck fu-<-o;i> ; re-t of the lower neck and br»a»t white; lower breast and belly rufotw-chcotnut ; upi-er and undor tail-covert* dark greenwh ; ]earcrwing-covert» ^ruyish blue, (rreater ones brownUh irray tipped with white; speculum pi i .—Throat buffy white; head and neck streaked with buffy and black ; rent of under parts more or leas washed with 106 RIVER DUCKS. buffy ochraceous, everywhere 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. Im. — The im. $ is intermediate between the ad. & and 9 ; the im. 9 resemble the ad. t : 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 ; a few winter. Sing Sinir. common T. V., Mch. 15 to Apl. 10; Sept. 26 to Dec. 4. Cambridge, casual T. V.. Apl. : Sept. and Oct. Eggt, eight to twelve, buffy white or pale bluish white, 2-20 x 1-50. SKA DUCKa 107 The Pintail is frequently found associated with thn Blark I>uck atui Widgeon. As a rule it i* vmri'I,--., l>nt i* *n\<\ t<« utter "a low- t-mf'l quark at nitfht." The long n.-.-k and tail of tho male make its identification easy even at a distance. 144. Alx sponsa, 1. •>,».. \\ ••••-.- IM. K i /. 4 .—A line from the bill over the eye, a similar lino at tho bam) of tin- •.!•!.• <>(' the cr«-»t, and BOOM of the elongated crewl- feathers white ; throut, A hand I'n.tn it ii[> the *kle of the head, and a wider »in- t» the nape, whit«; rout of the che«ks and crown green with purplish reflections; a white band in front «f the wing* ; breast and a spot at either -i.l.- of the base of tho tail purplish ••ln-tiiut, Uie former •pottod with white; bully white; aide* butty ochruccuiis, tim-ly barred with black, the longer flank feathers tipped with wider bars of black and white ; back greenish brown; scapular* blacker; »|«-.-iiluni stcd l.lui- ; primaries tipped with greenish blue. — Ad. 9.— Throat and a Htri|»e (nun the eye back- ward white ; crown purplish brown ; sides of the head ashy brown ; breast anlue. 1m. — The mi. 4 reaeinble* the 9 . L., 18-50 ; W., IHM ; Tar., 1-35 ; B., 1-30. Ka*gt.— North America; breeds l'n>m Florida to Hudson Bay, and winters southward to southern Mexico, Cuba, and Jamaica. Washington, uncommon I*. K. Long Island, uncommon T. V. and W. V., Sept to Apl. ; rare S. K. Sinif *ing, tolerably common S. K. Cambridge, common T. V., Mch. and Apl.; Aug. to Nov.; a few breed. A«4, of grasses, leaves, twigs, etc., in a hole in a tree or stump. Eyy*, eight to fourteen, pale huffy 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 timrs 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 whi'-h so fully satisfies the eye. Alarm them, and with a frightened, plaintive whistle, "mi-nk" they spring from tho 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 •way. The young are brought from the nest to the ground in the bill of the parent. Subfamily FuligiUinn. Bay and Sra Duck.''. 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 loe. They are open-water Ducks, frequenting our large lakes, bays, and sea- coasts. Their food consists chiefly of mollusks, crustaceans, and tho seeds and roots of aquatic plants. They obtain it prin<-i|>ally by div- ing, sometimes descending one hundred and fifty feet or more. The 108 SEA DUCKS. bill, as in the Anatitm, 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. a1. Back black ; bill with a bluish band near its tip. 150. RING-NECKED DUCK $. bl. Back finely barred with black and white. 4*. Back of head generally with purplish reflections ; wing generally under 8'25; nail of bill generally under -25 in width. 149. LESSER SCAUP DUCK $ . b*. Back of head generally with greenish reflections ; wing gener ally over 8'25 ; nail of bill over -25 in width. 148. AM. SCAUP DUCK $. b. Head and neck rufous or rufous-brown, sharply defined from the black breast. b1. Head and upper neck rich rufous ; bill 2'00 or under ; flanks finely barred, like the back 146. REDHEAD $ . by. Head and neck rufous-brown ; crown blackish ; bill over 2-00 ; flanks very slightly if at all barred 147. CANVASBACK $ . c. Head find 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 • c*. Feathers at base of bill white; wing generally over 8'25; nail of bill generally over -25 in width . . . 148. AM. SCAUP DUCK 9 - dl. No white in wing. d*. An indistinct bluish band near the tip of bill ; bill under 2'00. I.I>KN-KY i J, o». Head and throat steel-green ; white patch at base of bill less than 1-00 in height 151. AM. GOLDEN-EVE $ . SEA Dl • !„,, *. Whole head and throat brown, nharply defined from the gray or white neck ; a white patch (speculum) in the wing. >'". Nostril nearer the tip tlmn tin- l>ase of thu hill. 161. AM. of the bill 16«. Si nr S. <»TER 9. /*. FeatlHTsi.n eulineii n-m-hing little if any beyond th«»te at the sides of the bill 1. IKB 9. ?«. Bill under 1 ••_•:.. y». Central tail-feathers longest, sharply |«>inted, un.ler tail-<-i.v I> 'i>. Cheeka black lt>H. MAHKKD DK-K 4. A». Up|>er parto grayUh or brownish, with soinvtiiueti rufous uiarkingii. 6*. Lining of wing blackish ; under part* grayish. 168. HASKKD DITK 9. t*. Lining of wing whitish ; under part* grayi.-h. 167. Rrimv DICK 9. A. Tail-feathere normal ; upper tail -covert* about half as long as tail. 158. Brrri.EiiEAi>. II. Feathers at aides or top of bill extending forward generally as far an nostril. .1. Feathen on sides of bill not reaching nostril. a. Nostril narrow, elongate ; fcathere on culnu-n exten.litu; forward in a narrow line, a V-nhaped mark on throat .... K.-'. KIN.. KIUBR. b. Nostril large, rounded; feathers on eulmeii not e\t.-n.linK' forward in a narrow line 1«5. WHITB-WIKOED SCOTBB. B, Feathers on sides of bill extending as far an nostril. a. Bare base of bill on top narrow, ending posteriorly in a sharp point. 159. GREENLAND EIDER. 6. Bare base of bill on top broad, the posterior end nun. 160. AM. EIDER. The Rcroi's-cRBSTBD Dt-cs ( 14S. Xttto nyfua) is an old- World speciea 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. HO SEA DUCKS. 146. Aythya americana (Eyt.). REDHEAD. 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 burred with black ; under tail- coverts black ; sides tike the back. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts dark grayish brown, darker on the rump, the feathers more or less margined with butfy or ashy ; sides of the head lighter; upper throat white; neck buft'y ochraceous; breast and sides grayish brown, more or less washed or margined with butty or butfy ochraceous; belly white; lower belly and under tail-coverts tinged with ochraceous ; an indistinct bluish-gray band across the end of the bill. L., 19-00; W., 8-90; Tar., 1-55; B., 1-85. Remarks. — This species is frequently confused with the Canvasback, from which i| 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. Nett, on the ground in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs, 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 ( Wile.). CANVASBACK. Ad. $. — Head and neck rufous-brown, the chin and crown generally blackish ; 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 liui's than the back, or even entirely without bars. Ad. 9 . — 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 irirvy white lint*; 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 M HI head and rufou»-brown in tin- j Ui« generally blaekUh chin and «-pi»n '•' the • 'nnvai«dack, thcue part* in the Kef the back, wing-covert*, and - -.ln-.liH.-m. /.«• ami *hape of the bill, a* uhown by the aoc"ii.p.inv in^ im-asurvmentit. The female* of the two species may be «t once diMiinrui-I.ed by the color of the back, which in th« Canvasback U niu-ly burred with «u\y white line*, marking which do not ap|>ear on • •!.«• female K..ili.a.l. Ka*yt.— North Am.n.-u; breed* only in tin- interior, from Minne*ota to the Arvtic Circle ; rare on the Atluntk- coast north of I>cluwarc ; * intent from '.esapeake Bay to tin- Greater Antilles. Washington, rare W. V. l^ng Island, rare T. V. Sing Sing, rare T. V., '. on the ground, in grawy nlou«hi« or marshy lake Mtdea. /.i/y<, six to t. ii. t'Utl'y white with a blui»h tinge, 8*40 x 1'T". There's much in a name. The reputation of the Canvasback, among gourmands, is too firmly established to be questioned; but, given the MUD.- chff, and half a duzm of our Ducks can be made to do duty for thi> 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 . ..UMII the Redhead. The Oinviisback is at its l>r-t when the bird has been for sometime feeding on wild celery — a diet which equally improves the flesh of other species. 148. Aythya marila, nearctica >' AM s, M i-I>t < K: GRKATM l'i. K; HKOAHHU.I. ; HI.IKIIII.I. ; HI.AI KIIEAD. Ad, 8 . — Head, neck, breatt, and u|>p«r back black, the top and nidea of the head with generally ffrt»nuk r.-rt.-.-ti'iii.s; back and ncapulan* with wavy black and white bare; itpeculum white; u|>|x-r nn.l under Uil-coverta black; belly white; lower belly strongly and aide* faintly marked with wavy black ban. Ad. 9 . — Region around the base of the bill irhitt ; head, neck, breast, and upper back umber, margined with m I.«ng Inland to northern South America. Washington, rather comini.n W. V. Lung lslun.1, abundant T. V., Sept 25 to May l,some winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 24 to Apl. 13; Oct. 4 to Dec. S.* • The presence or absence of Ducks In the winter depends upon whether thr riM-r i.s fi < i/i-ii ..r • >|» n SEA DUi'KS. Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs, 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 sea up. 149. Aythya affinis (Eyt.). LESSER SCAUP DUCK; LITTLE BLACK- HEAD; LITTLE BLUEBILL; CREEK BROADBILL. Ad. $. — 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. 9 . — Similar to the 9 of the preceding species, but smaller. 6 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. Remark*. — The Scaup 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. Eggs, 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.}. RINK-NECKED DTCK. Ad. $. — Chin white ; head, neck, breast, and upper back black, the head with bluish reflections, the neck with a not sharply defined cht-ftunt 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 bin lab n the ground, HI unuwy slough* or marshy lake sides. Kyyi, »ix to twelve, similar in color to those of tin- two preceding specie*, 8*28 x 1-63. Thi> i-i more of n fresh-water liinl than either of tin- preceding. It is not common in (In* Atlantic States north of Florida, where during the winter il i* nl>iindnnt <>n fresh-water lake*. 151. Glaucionetta clangula. amcricana I'- •>. • //•. . AMERICA* ••KM.; Win-.Tt.KK. A-l. ' . llnid ami throat dark, glossy yrttn, a circular white patch ut tin* base <>t° the bill measurim:, along tlu- bill, IttM than half an i'»<-A in hi-'n.'ht ; invk ull uroun.l, l>r<-ii>t, U-lly, • xj-wl part of wing-covert*, Hprculum, and ni<»t of tin- m-upulan* white; rw»t of plumage Mack. .4- iu-«-k white; upper bnwt, back, and nidus ashy gray IxinK-rcd with k.rni\ i-h ; w in/-.-..vcrt.^ ti|.|^.l with whit«-; ^|M•^•ululll, lower bn-ost. und bvlly whit.-. I... -JO-IHI; \V., »HW; B. from anterior inaiyin «>f white patch t«> anterior margin of nontril, I'OO; from anterior margin of nostril t« tip, -~:>. Range.— North Amcric:i. bn-i-din^ from Manitoba and Maine northward, an.i wintering from the southern limit <>f it.s breeding range to Cuba. Washington, not rare, \V. V. I.nng Wand, 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. JVJMtf, in a dump or hollow tree. Eyg*, 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. As a diver it can also claim high rank. 158. Glaucionetta islandica ffm* HARROW'* GOLDEK-ITE. Ail, i.— Head and throat dark, glossy, />urf,i;*h hint, an irremilar, immewhat ^pr«rf-«ffi«^-i*hu|H-d white patch at the base of the bill measuring, alonir the bill, about one inch in height; neck all around, hrcost. Iwlly. si>eculuni, lewwr wing-coverts, ends of greater ones, and the shaft part of the scapulars white; rest of the plumage l.lack. A,l. •, . K.-s.-mblei. the ? of the pn,TdinL- in color; there, is some diU'en-nce in the si/.i- mid pro|H,rti..ns of the bill, but the two birds can not always be distiinrui-di.d with certainty. W.. from anterior margin of white patch to anterior margin "f nostril, -80; from anterior margin ofnrwtril to tip, -66. Jtemartt.—Jhe males of this and the preceding »|M-eiti« 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. Rangt.— Breeds in the far north— Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska— and southward in the Rocky Mountains; winters as far south as Illinois and Vir- ginia. Washington, A. V., one record. Lorn; Island. A V. A**, in a stump or hollow tree. Eyyt, six to ten, pale bluish, 8-40 x KO. 9 SEA DUCKS. A more northern species than the preceding, which it resembles in habits. 153. Charitonetta albeola /.<«.. Hi KKLF.IIEAD; BCTTER-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. 9 . — A white putch 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. A7e«t, in a stump or hollow tree. Eggs, six to twelve, dull light bufi', 1-98 x 1-46 (Ridgw.). This small Duck has won deserved distinction through its powers as a 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 (Linn.}. OLD SQUAW ; OLD WIFE; SOUTH SOUTHERLY. Ad. $ 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. $ in xnmmer. — 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. 9 in winter. — Upper parts black or fuscous; scapulars and upper back more or less margined with grayish or grayish brown ; sides of the head and neck and sometimes the back of the neck white or whitish ; breast grayish ; holly white ; tail pointed, but without the long feathers of the male ; under wing- coverts dark. Ad. 9 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 maririned with ochraceous. L., t , 21-00, 9 , 16-00 ; W., 8-60; T., a, 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. i.i • , l:> t.— North,-™ h,-iiii^.h,T. ; Lr. ,-«i* in th« f«r north, an.!, in America, wint. r» ait far Mouth a* tin- uj.|H-r Mi^iMi|-|,i V«l|Py an-l Virginia. Wanhiiiirton, rare W \j !. I...|lir |,lm,,|, tthim.lanl tt \ N..V. 1 to Aj.l. 1 .•, tol.-rubly .•..tuiiion \V \ . |,. . 4 ,,, A|,| ,; <'umbriilirc, riith.-r . -..111111. >n in <>,-t. mi. I A«rf, on tlio grouiul near watt-r, under low bunhes or Ull graMea. Kitot, •ix to twelve, jwlc bluixh t instil with "liv,-, -jn;, x 1-49, I.. The Auk for IHU-J, pp. 330-JW7, Mr. George II. Mac kay give* a capital account (,f ttu- hal.ils ,.f this ^perio in (>l,r water-. II. * peaks of them as the swift, ->t flying us wdl as ili«- n,.i>i,-t (in th«- -(.ring) of all the sea fowl which tarry with us, ami -jives tlh-ir.M.rious s<-..l,iingor talking notes as o-onr-<>-<»n--oiigh, tijh-outjh-ftjh. Tlu-ir flight is g,-n- erally near thr wal,-r. ami whrn shut at while flying they sometimes dive from the wing. He also mentions their habit of towering, •• usually in thr afternoon, collect ing in niil.l weather in large fl.«-ks if umlis'- t urlied, and going up in cin-l.-s s<, high as to be scarcely discernible, often coming down with a rush and great velo< ily. a portion of the flock scattering ami reining f the Bides of the hea.1. n sjv.t ..n the ear, u stri|K- t.aek of it, iin.l a c.-llur uroim.l the back and Hide* of the neck white; rest of the liea.l ami throat rich .nluty blue; a band in front of the win* white, margined with black ; inner mpdm white; back and bn-ost bluish i»latc ; U-lly fuseous; r.i.le.« rufous chestnut. A>l. 9. — Front of the heml whitish ; awhile n|>ot on the earn; u|«|x-r |.art« brownish Attcoiu; throat, bn-n>t, uri.l .->i.les lighter; belly L'niyisli brown, nmrgineil with whitish. I... 17 •>*•: W., 7-*0; Tar., 1-W; B., 1-05. •..—"Northern North America, breeding fn-m Nt-ufoundland, the northern Rooky Mountains, ami the Sierra Nevada, northward; south in winter to the Mi.l.lle Smt.s an.l raliforn'm" A. <>. U.). .' Islun.l. rap- W. V. "n the jrmuml or in hollow «tum]>s near water, f'yyt, *\x to ei^ht, yellowinh buff or grevn'mti yellow, 8-30 x 1 ••»•_' I'nlike other members of this subfamily, tliis s|>ecies passes the breeding season on rapid dashing streams, but during the winter it occurs tot a Sea Duck off our more northern coasts. 166. Camptolaimns labradorius '"/.•' I.OIKAIM.K Hi.»: PimltMK I/. ^. < 'enter "f crown black : rest of hea.l, thn>at. ami uj>|^-r n.. -k white: a Muck band an>unrininrie« fumim*. n->«t of win»r white; fmnt an.l i»i«l« of the upj-cr bn-ai«t white, lower breast an.l belly black. .{•!. 9.— Browninh jrrajr, the K()o<-ulum white. Im. t, . Like the 9 , but with the throat and t-ivl Uie greater wing-c«>vcrt)» white. I... •_•»•. \\ Tar., 1'50; B., 1'58. SEA DUCKS. Range. — Formerly, 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. f Forty-two specimens have been recorded as existing in collections. STELLER'S DUCK (757. Eniconetta stelleri), an arctic species, was observed by Kumlien in Greenland. 159. Somateria mollissima borealis ( Brehm). GREENLAND EIDER. 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. ? . — 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 butty. Im. — Similar, but dis- tinctly marked with buffy. L., 23-00 ; W., 11-00 ; Tar., 1-80 ; B., 2-10. Hninje. — Breeds from Labrador northward ; winters southward to Maine. Nest, on the ground, amid coarse herbage and rocks. Eggs, 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 Eider 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 Slmrpe. AMERICAN EIDER. Kesembles the preceding in color, but Jitters in the feathering of the buse of the cul * The Auk, vol. viii, 1891, pp. 201-216. t Ibid., vol. xi, 1894, pp. 4-1S. DOCKa M7 men. In both specie* the culmen in di\ided l>\ m wedgr nf feathers rraohing forward tp-m id.- t°<>n-lirurr>ili* tin \ an- nun-li nnrr-.«.-r and gen- erally pointed at tin- .-n.lv I.., J.-I-H. ; \V., 11 -so; Tar.. l-7»; H.. -J 1". y*.— Breeds fnun ilu- Hoy ..(" Fun.ly to Lahradur; winter* aouth ward to Delaware; occasional in winter <>n the (.n-ut Lakes. Long Island, rare W. \ tag -Mug, A. Y.. I .on the ground, generally oli.lt.n.l l.y rocks. //yjM, five to eight, pale bluish ur greenish, tinged » ith olive, 3-00 x sKK). This species is of more southern distribution than the preceding, which it resembles in habits. During their \i>its tc» the coasts of the United States tin- Kitlt-r* arc true Sni Dtu-ks. living some ilistanc*e off ohore, generally over a bed of mussels, which they secure by diving, and which cuii.stitutc their chief food. 162. Somatcria spectabilis <• ilistiniruishcd by the generally unstreakcil throat arxl tin- feathering of the side of the base of the hill, which in this species does not, as in the two preceding, reach to the nostril. Ranyt.— Breeds from Gulf of St. Ijiwrt-nco north wartl, an; Tar., 1*70; B. along culmen. 17.'. ; H. along xide, 1-85. .— Coftstt and larger lakes of northern North America; breed* to 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. E(jgs, " six to ten, pale dull huff' or pale brownish butt', 2-55 x 1-80" (Kidgw.). 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 II. Mackay gives the results of a long-continued study of Scoters on the Massachusetts coast. The VELVET SCOTER (164. Oidemia fusca) is an Old- World species which has been recorded from Greenland. 165. Oidemia deglandi lionap. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER; WHITE- WINGED COOT. Ad. $ . — A spot below the eye and the speculum ichitt, 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. Im. $ . — 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. iii tri/ittr 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 allirs. 7fan<7«.— 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. NtM, on the ground, beneath bushes. fre«|Uently 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.'). SI-UK SI-OTKIS ; SEA COOT. 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 ctilmen extending nearly to a level with the nostril, feathers on the side of the bill not extending forward. .(•/. ? and Jm.—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 whit.-. L., 20-00; W., 9-80; Tar., 1'60; B. along culmen, 1-55; B. along side, 2-30. Hemarkt.— The forward extension of the feathers on the culmen will alwnj> thin apcou* from O. •m«rftmi«t while it may be known from i/r,// Florida. Washington, casual \' .- Island, common \V. V., Oct through Apl. Sing Sin/, common T. V.'i.i. 7 • ..... •. ...... Cambridge, ooeajlonal in fall. »V«<, in tall grawe* near water. /.j/»Y Ih . K. Ad. 6 .—Top 01 the head black, .-hreks and chin white, throat and back rufoiu-chestnut, lower back bla.-ki.-li; bn-ju-t and In-lly silvery white; upper tail covvrto M»y short, tail-featlivni tt(f nn>l /mint"/. A<1. .' •!«•/ ///». — t'pper part* dark (fray- i»h bn>wn, tlie feathers marked with tine wavy born of buffy ; nidus of the head and upj>»T throat whitish, lower throat grayish, re.-t of the under part* ailvvry white. I.., l.ViK); W., 5-90 ; Tar., 1 i:.; H.t 1-55. Rtmorkt.— The short II|>[XT tail -eovert* un.l .-nil', pointed tail-featliere will always serve to identify this -peeies. .. <>f general distribution from northern South Anierii-a to the fur countrius breeding largely northward, but lot-ally throughout it* range (Granada, Wells ; (iuatetnala, Sal v in ; Cuba, Gundlueh ; Cape Cod, Miller'. Waxhington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, irregular T. V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Meh. 14 to Apl. f, ; Oct. 5 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, very common in «M. and Nov. in a >l<>u<_'h or marshy place, generally on a maw of floating vegeta- tion. /.;/;/«, nix to ten, creamy or bully \\ liite, ii'60 x 1-80. " When rising from the water, it runs on the surface for some dia tance. and generally against the wind. If it am not command a fair open space for flight, it will dive, usin^ its tail either as a rudder or as a paddlo in a vertical motion, ami 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 flics quite a dis- tance before alighting " (Langille). In swimming, the tail is sometimes held erect at right angles to the body. The MASKKO Di. K >/r .Imninietu) is a tropical specie* of rare oce urn i h America. Single uperimcna have been taken in Winoonsin, New York, and near Cambridge, Mans. Subfamily Anxerimt. Gftte. Geeae 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.). b. Head and neck white or grayish, sometimes tinged with rusty. b1. Primaries black, rest of plumage white. 169. LESSER SNOW GOOSE. 169a. GREATER SNOW GOOSE. b*. Back grayish brown, rump and belly whitish, wing-coverts and tertials widely margined with white. . . . 169. LESSER SNOW GOOSE (Im.). , 169a. GREATER SNOW GOOSE (Im.). b*. Back grayish brown, rump, belly, and wing-coverts gray, the lat- ter not conspicuously margined with white. 169.1. BLUE GOOSE (Ad.). B. 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. 171 a. AM. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Iin.). B. Nail of bill yellow, rump gray 169.1. BLUE GOOSE (Im.). III. Head black or brownish black, bill black. A. Throat white . . . 172. CANADA GOOSE. 172a. HUTCHINS'S GOOSE. B. Throat black or brownish black, neck speckled with white. a. Belly white 173. BRANT. b. Belly brownish gray 174. BLACK BRANT. 169. Chen hyperborea (Pull.). LESSER SNOW GOOSE. Ad.— En- tire plumage, except the primaries with their coverts, white ; primaries black, their bases and coverts ashy. Im. — " 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. £gg», uniform dirty, chalky white, 3-40 x 2-20 (B., B., and R.). 169a. C. h. nivalis (Forst.). GREATER SNOW GOOSE.— Resembles the preceding in color, but is larger. L., 30-00-38-00; W., 17-35- 17'50; B., 2-55- 2-70 ; Tar., 8-15-3-50 (Ridgw.). Range. — Eastern North America, breeding in the far north (exact brood- ing range unknown); winters from Chesapeake Bay to Cuba; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. <-I:KSE. 121 Inland, irn-K'ulur i"r»m < >.-t (•> A; rig, A. V., Apl. ' any night and day, and when on I ho wing its white plumule and Mm k-lij.|»ed primaries n-mb-r it cattily identifiable. It is a noisier lurd than thu Canada (i<»oso, and its roice is higher and moiv cm kiing. 169.1. Chen cteruleacena /<»/<>. I: A-l.— Hi-ad mnd UJ>|HT i k » liit«- ; iniil-lli- ••!' tin- hind in-i-k .snim-timeii black'mh, lower neck mil an>und fuscous, rts»t <>f un-li-r part* !>r»u ni.tli gray edged with huffy ; the- !••« <-r belly generally paler, -•m.t'.rn.- white; upper hack and Moa|>ulant liki- tin- brcaat; |OW«T l>»ok, rump, und upjHT tail-onvi-rtj* jjruy ; tail fuwmit urav i-il^itl with whitish; wiiix'->-l>vi-rt.H liki- tin- rump nr xli^'litly -larki-r, with littlr «T no whitish niurK'ins; win^nuills and ti-rtiuls iWnu-, tin- lutti-r IIIUP m«ix>nt>«l with « hiti^li. ////. -•• Similar to adult, but hi-ad and n«-«-k unitonn deep graywh brown, only tin- i-hin U-itii; wliitr. I.., 26-50-30-00 ; W., 15-uo- 17""; H., •_• 10-8*30; Tar., 3-00- «-:m " ( Ui... Hiimjt. — North Ami-rica; l>rt-fd.s in tin- llii'U<>n Buy region and migrate* southward, chiefly through the mu-rinr, t<> Texas. Long Inland, A. V. .' and «j IN- the young of the Snow Goose, which it doubt- less resembles in habits. 17 la. Anser albifrons pambell llirti.. AMERICAN WIHTE- rKoNTtD GDOME. All. Fun-lu-ad and region l-'rU-rin-,' the hano of the bill uppi-r parts and fnn.-m-i-k trrayi^h hn>wn. nmri- <>r le»«s maivined on the back with li^hti-r; li>nir«-r and lati-ml np|x-r tail-<-i>vi-rt.s whitr; bnatt ^•IIM'W hat lit'liti-r than tin- throat, more or K-S.S irregularly marki-d with hlat-k, and tladinir gradually into |>ure white »n tin- lnwi-r Ix-lly ; -id. - like the back. In. — Similar, hut no white at tin- hast- of tin- bill or Mark marks mi tin- breast; nail of the bill black. u L., 27-00-3(K)0; W., 14-25-17-.V); B.,'l-8O-8-85; depth of mandible at base, -jo-l-.x> ; w idtli, -85-1-05 ; Tar., 2-60-3-20 " ( Ri«lk'w . ». It'iii'i'. "North Ami-rii-a, hn-edintr fur northward; in winter w»uth to Mexico and C'uba" (A. O. U.); rare on the Atlantic coast. l.'-ni: I-!and. A. V. j\'«rf, on the ground, of grasses lined with down. /•.'•/•». six to seven, dull grecnuih yellow with ol.s.-ure darker tint**, 8-10 x 2-o7 "These birds are rarely nn-t with on the Atlantic coast, but are quite comrnuti in the Mississippi Valley and abundant on the Pacific slope. They prefer low, wet grounds in the vicinity of timlxT. nr where the prairie is dutti-d IHTC and tin-re with Imsho; 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 EUROPEAN 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 (Linn.). CANADA GOOSE. Ad.— Throat and a large patch on the side of the head behind the eye white or whiti.sli ; chin and rest of the head and neck black ; back and wings grayish brown, more or less edged with lighter; tail and shorter upper tail-coverts black, longer and lateral ones white ; breast and belly grayish, fading to white on the lower belly ; sides like the back. Im. — Similar, but throat and cheeks sometimes mixed with blackish. "L., 35-00-43-00; W., 15-60-21-00; Tar., 2-45-3-70; B., 1-55-2-70 "(Ridgw.). Range. — Temperate North America; breeds in the northern United States and British provinces ; south in winter to Mexico. Washington, W. V. and rather common T. V., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V., Mch. and Apl. ; Oct., some W. V. Sing Sing, tolerably com- mon T. V., Mch. 11 to May 21 ; Oct. Cambridge, common T. V., Mch. and Apl. ; Oct. to De«. Nt*t, of sticks lined with down, on the ground in the open prairie, on the shores of streams, on tree stumps and sometimes in trees, when a de- serted nest of the Osprey is generally used. Eggs, four to five, butty white, 3-50 x 2-35. Probably the migration of no bird attracts more universal interest than that of the Wild Goose. Ornithologists talk of " waves " and "flights" of migrants passing in the night, but the biannual pilgrim- age of the Canada Goose appeals to us all with the directness of a per- sonal experience. We see the living wedge of long-necked birds pass- ing high overhead; the unbroken sound-waves bring the sonorous "honks" with unexpected distinctness to our ears; and we receive an impressive lesson in the migration of birds. They are embarked on a journey of several thousand miles, but they come and go as surely as though they carried chart and compass. 172a. B. c. hutchinsii (Sw. & Rich.}. HITCHINS'S GOOSE. — Resem- bles the preceding in color, but averages smaller. L., 25-00-34-00 : W., 14-75- 17-75; Tar., 2-25-3-20; B., 1-20-1-90 (Ridgw.). Range. — " North America, breeding in the arctic regions, and migrating south in winter chiefly through the western United States and Mississippi Valley; eastern Asia" (A. 0. U.). Long Island, A. V. 172c. B. C. minima- JiiJgw. CACKLiNo GOOSE. — To be distinguir-hrd from the two preceding by its smaller size and the much darker brownish- gray color of the breast and upper belly. " W., 13-60-14-50; Tar., 2-40-2-75; B./-95-1-15" BOBK, Rany*. — IV ifto oo*>.t of Nmih America, ••rrnlin^ .-hi. fly about the shores of Norton Sound ami the lower Yukon; muith in winter \-< < ulifornia, and, more rarely, to upper MiMiiwippi Valley (Wisconsin, etc.) (Kidgw.). 178. Branta bcrnlcla, Una. . KI-VM i / II. M!. <.••',.. throat, an. I upper brua*t black ; »iJtt of the neck speckled with white; l.u.-k hmwn- Uh (Cray, margined with gntyUh brown ; longer utxl lateral UPJK.T tail-coverta white; lower hri-ant ai»hy gray fading t«> white on tin. Inw.-r U-lly ; nidi* darker. 7m. — Similar, but with lem white on tin he rn-.-k an. I wing-coverts, and secondaries tipj>ed with white. I,., 26*00; W., 13-20; Tar., 2-30; B., 1-85. Kanyt.— Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; brecda within the Arvti.- t'ir.-ii- : in America, migrates nouUiwarvl alonjf the A tlantic coast, reach- ing Uie Carolina* in winter; rare in tin- interior. Wanhiiiirton, ran- W. \'. Long Inland, i-onuii<>n T. V., Nov. 1 to May 15; • few winter. Sim: Sinir, A. V. A'tit, of gramcs, IIIOM, etc,, lined with down, on the ground, f'yyi, four, smooth and crvatny white in color, 270 x 1*80 (Suiimli r* •• " Its manner of flying is different from that of the Canada Goose — moving in more compact bodies, less rapidly, and without seeming to hare a chosen leader — that marked charnctcriMir in the flight of the Utter. " While in our bays it appears inactive, seldom taking to wing un- less di-t nrlx-.l !)>• a passing boat or the near report of a gun. •• The Hrent rises slowly, and when on the wing moves sluggishly for a short distance, and, if not attracted by a distant flock, frequently returns to the place it had left. Its food consists of a marine plant (Zonitrn iniirinii), commonly called 'eel grass.' At low water it is seen industriously at work tearing up its favorite plant. After the tide has risen to such a height as to compel it to reliin|iii-h its voca- tion, it is seen drifting with the current, feeding sumptuously on the fruits of its labor" (Giraud). 174. Branta nigricana . /./"r <. BLACK BRANT.— Bears a general resemblance to the preceding »|KH-iej«, Imt may l>c readily y iu nuioh darker lower breaat and upper belly, which are nearly an dark an the back, and by having white marking* on the front an well a» on tin* - the neck. Jtanyt.—u Arctic and western North America; rare or casual on the At- lantic coast" (A. <). U.). " Breeds in abundance on the arctic coast of l.'u union of the bill un.l « utm- lore* yellow in the adult." ORDER ODONTOGLOSS-ff:. LAMELLIROSTRAL GRALLATORES. FAMILY PHCENICOPTERID.*. FLAMINGOES. The seven species included in this family arc distributed through- out the tropic*. Five species are American, of which one reaches our southern border in Florida. Flamingoes are gregarious at all seasons. They are rarely found far from the seacoasts, and their favorite re- sorts are shallow bays or vast mud flats which are flooded at high water. In feeding, the bill is pressed downward into the mud, its pe- culiar shape making the point then tum upward. The ridges along its sides, as in the bills of Ducks, serve as strainers through which are forced the sand and mud taken in with the food. 182. Phcenicopterua ruber (Linn.}. FLAMINGO. (Sec Fig. 18.) Ad. — Beautiful rosy vermilion. scapularx and under part** somewhat paler, flanks carmine, primaries and secondaries black ; bill yellowish black at the tip. 7m,— u Grayish white, the wings varied with grayish and dusky" (Ridgw.). L., 46-00 ; W., 16-25 ; Tar., 12-50 ; B., 5-50. KatKjt. — Atlantic coasts of tropical and subtropical America; resident in southwestern Florida (Monroe County) ; casual along the Gulf const to Texas; Mtal in South Carolina. Aiiii(ltitit sfteciea is generally f"iunl in flocks of flve or ;is many hundred birds which frequent mud flats, marshes, or the borders of lagoons. They fly in close rank, anil when in large with their snowy plumage glistening in the sunlight and their •n>ke> accented l»y the black-tipi>ed primaries, form a strikingly Ix-aiitiful picture. ; KT laia ( 7X5. Ouara rubra), a South A merican specie*, haa been recorded fn>m Kl<>rim. Hub, viii, 1888, p. 185; also Scott, Auk, vi, 18«9, p. 15.) 186. Plegadls autumnal!* (Ilrn-fni.-.|i uiul j>urj>ltsh rfHtvtinnii; lore« (in nkin*) hlai-kiith. A/I. -Head iin.l ru-fk fu.seoiw-brown, the ti-utluTs luti-nilly inartrined with white; reat of uiultT part* dull fuiH-oiw-hruwii ; buck with ^rt'cnish n-tlivtii>na, I*, 24-00: \V., ll-.-Hi; Tur., 3-lo ; H., 5-00. It-iH'jr. -Tn-pU-iil und Kubtmpioal regions generally ; rare and of local di«- tril>uti»n in tin- M>uthra.-u-rn liiited States and Wi-st Indies. •.inirt'-n. A. V., two records. Long Island, A. V., two records. Cam- britl»r«'. A. V.. one n-i-oril. May. Xttt, of rushes, plant stems, etc., in reedy swamps or low buahea, Eff*, three, rather deep, dull blue, 2-01 x 1-47. This is a rare species in the eastern United States. Its haunts are of much the same nature as those of the preceding species. The WiiiTE-rAiKii (}L«»MY IBIS (187. Htgadit gvarauna), a locally com- mon ft|«e<-'n-!t from Texas westward and southward, has been recorded but once from cast of the MiswUsippi, viz., ut or near Luke Washington. Florida, where a female wu* *h»t "M a nest eontainint; three egg* (Hr< \\--t. r. Auk, iii, l^sfi, This species reHcinbles thu Glossy Ibis, but adulU have the region about the base of the bill white. FAMILY CICONIID.*. STORKS. Only two of the twenty-five krmwn sjMvies iridmled in ttiis family are fniMid in North America. Storks are l«>th ^rogarious and solitary. Our -[..-( i, ~. the so-called Wood Ibis, is as a rule found in flocks and nests in colonies. It feeds in swamps and on the shores of bayous, where it i- >nid to "rake" the bottom with its foot in searching for food. It is n strong flier, H certain number of wing-strokes U-ing fol- lowed by a short sail. At tiine> it mounts high in the air and sails about like a Vulture. Sometimes it perched upon trees. Its voice is described as a rough, guttural croak. 128 HERONS AND BITTERNS. 188. Tantalus loculator Linn. WOOD 1m*. AJ— Head and neck bare ; primaries, secondaries, arid tail glossy greenish black, rest of plumage white. Im. — Head more or less feathered ; head and neck grayish brown, , blacker on the nape ; rest of plumage as in the adult, but more or less marked with grayish; wings and tail less greenish. L., 40-00; W., 18-00; Tar., 7-60; B. from N., 8-00. Range. — Tropical and subtropical America ; breeds in the Gulf States, and, after the breeding season, wanders irregularly northward, sometimes reaching Kansas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. Washington, A. V., two specimens. Long Island, A. V. _iV«*2, a platform of sticks in trees. Eggs, two to three, dull white with a soft calcareous deposit, 275 x 1-75. This is a locally common species in Florida. FAMILY ARDEID.E. HERONS AND BITTERNS. This family contains about seventy-five species distributed in most parts of the globe, but more numerously in the intertropical regions. Generally speaking, Herons are gregarious, nesting and roosting in flocks. While feeding they are more solitary, but each night they regularly return to roost with their kind in a " rookery." Bitterns do not associate in flocks, and are generally found singly or in pairs. As a rule, they feed in grassy marshes, while Herons more commonly resort to the shores of lakes, rivers, bays, or salt-water lagoons. Some species secure their food of frogs, fish, small reptiles, etc., by standing rigidly motionless and waiting for it to come within striking distance, or by wading for it with the utmost caution. Others run rapidly and noisily through the water, trusting to their agility and the rapidity of their spearlike thrusts to supply their wants. Herons, unlike our Ibises and Cranes, fly with their folded neck drawn in between their shoulders. Their voice is a hoarse squawk. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing over 13-00. A. Plumage pure white. a. Wing 17-00 or over; feathers on the lower neck long, narrow. 192. GREAT WHITE HERON. b. Wing under 17-00 ; neck-feathers not lengthened . 196. AM. EGRET. £. Upper parts generally slaty or grayish blue. 193. WARD'S HERON. 194. GREAT BLUE HERON. II. Wing under 13-00. 1. Crown without streaks. A. Crown white or whitish. a. Wing over 11-00. . Plumage entirely or mostly white . . . 198. REDDISH EGRKT. ofl. Plumage gray streaked with black ; throat and sides of neck black 203. YELLOW-CROWNKD NIGHT HERON. IIKUMNS AND IIITI-KIINS. 1 J'.» A. Wing under 11-00. i». 1'luraage pure white ; leg* and bill black ; feet yellow. 197. SNOWY HKHON. I*. Tip* of I'rimaricK slate-color; plumage white, sometime* irregu- larly marked with .-luty Mm- . . -J-HI. LITTLE lit IK HKKOX < Im . A Crown uniU-r <-r reddinh brown. a. Head and iu-ck r.-.l.li-h l.ruwn; body slate-color. 198. l:»i.i.i-n KIIRKT. b. Neck cons|>i> uou*! v xtreaked ; ("xly vurirguti-'l . UNI. A*. KITTKK*. C. Crown Maty or slate-blue with sometimes u purpli-li cant, a. Wing-covert* more or less margined with rufous, I... I I-IANA lit l:..\. 4. \Vinjj -oi.v.-rt.H without rufoiu 200. LITTLK Bui t HKKON. D. Crown gix<«ni»h or bluiah black. a. Wing over 10<0; entire under partM j»ure wliiti-. 20'2. HLACK-CKOWXKU NK.IIT HKKO.M. b. Wing under 10i». A1. Wing-coverts green 201. LITTI.K GKKEN IIi:u<>.\. c*. Wing-covertH rufous-du-.ttnut and buff. <*. Under |>nrt* Kuily. in»re or lew streaked . 191. LEAKT Birrnur. <•». Under parts rufoua-clu^tnut . 191.1. CURY'B LEAST Bimuuf. 1 Crown streaked. A. Wing under 10-00; upper parts greenish 201. LITTLK C>\:t ** lie no*. B. Wing over U» o<); upjxjr parts brownish or blackish brown streaked with white. a. Upper parto light brown ; outer edge of primaries reddish. 808. BLACK-CROWNED NIOIIT HERON (Im.). 6. Back dark brown ; crown nearly black with white streaks ; prima- rieadark flute-color . 203. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (Im.). 190. Botaurua lentiginocns (Jfontay.). AMERK Ax Hirrxwr; MARSH HEX. Ad. — A glossy black streak on either side of the upper neck; top of the head and back of the neck bluish slate, more or less washed with buffy ; back brown, bordered and irregularly mottled with buffy, and huffy ochraceouA, wing -co verts similarly marked, but the ground color grayer; un- der parts creamy buff, the feathers all widely streaked with bully brown, which in finely speckled with buffy aud narrowly margined by brownish gray. Im. — Similar, but the buffy everywhere deeper and more ochracvoua. L^ 88-00; W.. 10-50; Tar., 3-50; B., 8-00. J8aay«.— Temperate North America; breeds but rarely south of Virginia; winters from Virginia southward. Washington, rather common W. V., Amr. '•• A pi. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. and Sept to Nov. Sing Sing, rare S. K., A pi. 11 to (X-t. 5. Cam- not common 8. R., Apl. 15 to N..V. A'ttt, of grasses, etc., on the ground in marshes. Egg*, three to five, pale utf, 1-90 x 1-46. The Hittcrn makes its home in extensive grassy meadows with plenty of water, but in the Mason of migration may be found and 10 130 HERONS AND BITTERNS. heard " booming" in smaller and more accessible swampy places. Like the other members of its family, it excels in standing still, and will hold its head erect and motionless amid the tall grass till the watcher tires of looking and pronounces the suspicious object nothing but a stick after all. The Bittern's fame rests upon its vocal performance, or " boom." This is sometimes exactly like the working of an old-fash- ioned wooden pump, and sometimes — even with the same bird — like the driving of a stake in a bog. It can be heard for a long distance. The performance is best witnessed in spring, while the grass is still low. That it is not so very difficult at that season to steal a march upon the bird may perhaps be considered as established on the testi- mony of a man who has never lived near a Bittern meadow, and yet has watched the performance at much length and at near rang« on several occasions. His first experience of this kind is described some- what fully in The Auk, vol. vi, page 1. The strange notes are deliv- ered with equally strange contortions, as if the bird were horribly nauseated, and are preceded by a succession of quick snapping or gulping sounds — " hiccoughs," one observer has called them. No water is employed in the operation, in spite of the circumstantial as- sertions of several persons who profess to have seen the bird swallow- ing and then ejecting it. — BRADFORD TORREY. 191. Ardetta exilis (Gmel.). LEAST BITTERN. Ad. & .—Top of the head, back, and tail shining black ; back of the neck chestnut-rufous ; most of the greater wing-coverts and outer vanes of the secondaries darker ; lesser wing-coverts and part of the greater ones buffy ; under parts, including under tail-coverts, washed with buft'y ; a blackish patch at either side of the breast. Ad. 9. — Similar, but head browner and back light, glossy umber; under parts darker and more or less streaked with brownish. Im. & . — Similar to ad. 3, but the back washed and tipped with chestnut; under parts darkei and lightly streaked with black. Im. 9 . — similar to ad. 9 , but the back rufous, margined with buffy ochraceous. L., 13-00; W., 4-60; Tar., 1-60; B., 1-80. Range. — Temperate and tropical America; breeds in North America as far north as Maine, Ontario, and Manitoba ; winters from southern Florida southward. Washington, not very numerous S. R., May 5 to Sept. 25. Long Island, common S. R., May to Sept Sing Sing, tolerably common S. R., to Aug. 10. Cambridge, rather common S. R., May 15 to Aug. N»it, of grasses, plant stems, etc., in marshes among rushes, sometimes in a small bush. Egg», three to six, pale bluish white, 1-20 x -92. Wet, grassy marshes such as Rail love, or reed-grown ponds that Oallinules frequent, are the resorts of these retiring, secretive little birds. With outstretched necks and lowered heads they make their way without difficulty through the jungle of roots and stalks. Some- times they climb up a slender reed, and, hanging on like Marsh Wrens, AM) I!! ];;l sunvy tln-ir surroundings. They take wing almost from |N-nt»alh one's I. with a low, frightened //-/«/. fly slowly for a short distance and then drop dark into the grass. During the breeding season one may hear what presumably i- (tie v..i«-e of only the male — a soft, slowly '1, dovelike coo, coo, coo, roo, roo. It floats over the marsh like the voice of a spirit bird. 1 9 1 . 1 . Ardetta neoxena '/•//. r.mv's HITTEKX. AJ. 6.— "Top of the head, l«iiek. nrnl tail «l»rk greenish black, showing a green glows when held in tin- liu'lit. Side* nf the head ami throat rufous-chestnut, tin- feathers on the hack «>f ilie neck showing greenish-black ti|«s; breast and under part* nearly ODifcnn roftNK-elMltmt, ihading into dull black on the sides; ning-coviTU dark rufou*-chc.«tnut, all tlie iviiiiges entirely slaty plumbeous; under tail- imitorm dull blaek. W.,4'30; Tar., 1-40; B., 1-80" (Cory, orig. dencr., Auk, iii, 1886, p. 262). This small Bittern was dcscril>cd from a specimen taken in the of Florida. Five additional specimens have since been seciir.-d in tin- -aim- region, to which, until recently, the -|»-ries was .supposed to b»- conlined. Within the past few year-, however. s|K-ciinens have ln-en taken in the Toronto marshes, where A. rjiti* is common, ami one i- recorded from Michigan. It seems to me not un- likely that, as Mr. \V. H. I >. Scott MIU'-'C-K n> ,,.,; mi may prove to be a color phii.se of .1. rsili*. (Cf. S'ott. Auk. viii. is'.M, p. :!()9; ix, 1802, p. 141; and Chapman, ibid., xiii, IS'.M;. p. 11.) 192. Ardea occidental!* .!•/•/. (JUKAT WHITE HERO*. ^./.—En- tirely white ; in breeding plumage, with l»nu'. nnrr->\v. stitfened feathereon the back and Inwer t"n-ne«-k, and tw> narrow plumes on the back of the crown. - 1 ... 4.VOO-54-00; W., 17-00-21 -00; B., 6-00-7-00; Tar, 8-00-8-75" (Ridgw.). Hiingt. — Jamaica and Cul.a north t<> the coasts of southern Florida, casu- ally to Anclnte His IT and Mi ceo. A'ett, a platform of sticks in colonies in mangrove bushes. K .\NF> I'.ITTI X"ttt, a platform of nticko. generally in colonk*, in lrc«u £99*, three to f..ur, |.ttlr, .lull Nue, 2-50 x 1 Is it due to the influence of the artists of the Orient that these long-legged, long-necked birds aru so frequently miscalled "Cranes"! With head drawn in and legs trailing on U-hind, they flap slowly over the water, resembling. no doubt, tin- "Cranes" of fans, screens, and bronzes ; nevertheless, they arc Herons. With all a Heron's immovable alertness they watch patiently for passing fish, sometimes wading with extreme caution, plating »ne foot slowly after the other. Th- U.th by day and night. Fishes, frogs, reptiles, even small mice, all are welcome; and all are powerless to escape the lightning thrust of the spcarlike bill. Their voiec is harsh and rasping. When alarm. .1 they utter a croak which is sometimes prolonged intoaseriesof nquatrk*. They nest and roost in colonies, but at other times are solitary birds. The KI-BOPEAX (!KKAT Hi.i K HKI:«-X i W5. Ardta rinerea) u accidental in ix.uthcni (ircciilaii.l. It nmy IK- .lir-tin>;m>hc«l from our upccica hy the while instead of rut ••u." f..ithci> on UK- logs. 196. Ardea egretta, '//-,.'. AMKIM. AN I-'... KIT. .(/'. /•. ''• plvmaye. — Entire plumugu pure while; about fifty itrttiyht uai>jreltc" plume* grow from Uio intorecapular rf(,'i<>n and nai-h h«-y<>ii.l tin- tail ; K-gH ainl f««' black ; bill yellow ; bra OMB§*| bovdwd ln-lt>w by greenish. .(•/. after th* •I Katun an>l Im. - \Vith.«ut the intcrecapular plumes. L., 41 < 15-00; T«r^5-60; B., 4-50. r. — Tropical aiitl temiHTutt- America; Krceds as far north a* southern Virginia; iitti-r the iT.-.-.!in^ wawon aomctiinea 8tray» northward as far as Manitoba, Quelx-c, »nt e.>iinii'«n ami in-ocular S. R., May to August Long I.xlun.l, rarv fn>in July t«i S. pt. Simr *i"i:. A. V. . a platform »f sticks, in e.>!.>nie.s, in bashes overwalcr. Eggi< ihrce to five, .lull blue, of a rntlur .U-cp. r shmle than thoeo of Uio preceding, 1-60. Tourists who went to Florida thirty years ago have told me of prairies white with K-nt-. of lm>hy i-larnls glistening in the sun like snow banks. Now ymi may look for miles along a lake sin. re ami JHT- haps in the tli-tance see a solitary Kgret. which, as you approach, with a frightened *,>inirk takes wing a rifle-shot away. The rapid exter- mination ..f ilu-e pltimc-lM-aring binls is startling evidence of man's power in the animal wurltl. At his word a species is almost imme- diately wi|K-ut of exi>tenee. I have heard a "plume-hunter" boast of killing three hundred Herons in a "rookery" in one afteni«H.n. Another proudly stated that he and his companions had killed one hundred ami thirty thousand binls — Herons, Kgrets, and Terns— dur- ing ODO winter. Hut the destruction of these birds is an unpleasant 134 HERONS AND BITTERNS. subject. It is a blot on Florida's history. The subject will be found fully treated by W. E. D. Scott in The Auk, iv, 1887, p. 135. 197. Ardea candidissima Gmd. SNOWY HERON; SNOWY EGKET A'l. in breeding plumage. — Entire plumage pure white; about fifty recurved "aigrette" plumes grow from the iuterscapular region and reach to or just beyond the end of the tail ; legs black, feet yellow, bill black, yellow at the base; lores orange-yellow. Ad. after the breeding season and Iin. — Without the interscapular plumes. L., 24-00; W., 975; Tar., 3-80; B., 3-20. Range. — Tropical and temperate America ; breeds as far north as southern Illinois and Long Island ; after the breeding season sometimes strays north- ward as far as Ontario and Maine. Washington, casual ; irregular in fall. Long Island, rare S. R., Apl. to Sept Sing Sing, A. V. Rest, a platform of sticks, in colonies, in bushes over water. Eggs, three to five, pale, dull blue, 1-80 x 1.20. The " curse of beauty " has numbered the days of this the most dainty and graceful of Herons. Twenty years ago it was abundant in the South, now it is the rarest of its family. The delicate "aigrettes" which it donned as a nuptial dress were its death warrant. Woman demanded from the bird its wedding plumes, and man has supplied the demand. The Florida Herons have gone, and now he is pursuing the helpless birds to the uttermost parts of the earth. Mercilessly they are shot down at their roosts or nesting grounds, the coveted feathers are stripped from their backs, the carcasses are left to rot, while the young in the nest above are starving. But then, you know, the little bunch of aigrettes in yonder jaunty bonnet is " so pretty," " so becoming ! " 198. Ardea rufescens Gmel. REDDISH EGRET. Ad., dark phase. — Head and neck rufous-chestnut, glossed with vinaceous; rest of the plumage dark bluish slate-color; about thirty "aigrette" plumes grow from the inter- Bcapular region and reach beyond the tail ; legs and feet black. Jm. — Simi- lar, but without the " aigrette " plumes. White phase. — Similar in size and form, but entire plumage white, except the tips of the primaries, which are sometimes very finely speckled with grayish. Jm. — Similar, but without the " aigrette " plumes. L., 29-00 ; W., 12-50 ; Tar., 5'40 ; B., 3'60. Remarks. — The two color phases of this bird were supposed to represent two species, the white phase being called Ardea pealei Bonap. They litive, however, been found mated together, and intermediates or party-colored sjiecimens are known. Range. — West Indies and Central America north to coasts of the Gulf States ; casually southern Illinois. A'est, a platform of sticks, in colonies, in bushes generally over water. Eggs, two to four, pale, dull blue, 1-95 x 1-45. This is, or was a few years ago, a not uncommon species on the coasts of southern Florida, but it is unknown in the interior. It is A ** IF a S 2= HERONS ANI» r.i 135 generally seen in flocks. With A. cnndidiMimn they lack the patience of the larger Herons and pursue their prey in shallow water. 199. Ardea tricolor ruflcolliw \XA HERON. Ad. —Upper part* dark bluish slutc-e..|,.r; bm-k ••! the licu.l uuuck and wing* bluish slate-color, m»re or IBM washed with brownish rui-.ii- ; m> plumes : lower baek, rump, ami U-lly white; breast with more or leas slaty streaks; legs yellow In-hind, blackish In-fore; lower mandible and lore* orange ; upper mandible bla.-k. I.., -J-, •>.«>; U ., 14HW; Tar^S-70; B., «-»0. Jfanye.— Central America and Wcat Imlie.s northward to the Gulf States; casually to Long bland. Long Island, A. V., one rceor.1. jNVftf, a platform of nt'u-ks, in colonies, in duties over water Eyy», four to five, pale, dull blue, 1 7.1 x 1-35. A common species in Florida, where it is found both singly and in flocks. It is sometimes a slow, stealthy feeder, and at others dashes for its prey. 200. Ardea ccerulca Linn. LITTLE Hi.i K HKK.-N. .I-/.— Head and neck maroon-chcatnut ; rest of the plumule dark bluish alatc-color; inter- •capulare and lower neck fciitln-r* 1« riu'tlicm-d ami narrowly pointed; lore* blue; legu and feet black. ///*. White, the pluniiu;i- smm -times more or leas waahed with Blaty ; tht tipt of the primaritt alwity* bluith tlaU-color ; legs, feet, and lores grttnith y,ll<»r. L., 22-««> : \\ . ]. -j;, ; Tar., 8-70; B^ S-00. Ranarkt.— Between the young and adult then- is every stage of int. T grailation of color, »orne H|tecimciiH beint; irregularly marked with blue and white in about equal proportiona. Young binls are soinetimes mistaken for Snowy Herons, but can always be diMim:iii.-h«l by the greenish yellow legs and slaty tips of the primaries. Kangt.— Tropical and temperate America, breeding as far north as south- ern Illinois and Virginia; after the breeding season wander* northward, some- reaching Nova Scotia. Washington, casual in July and August ; sonu -times quite common. Long Island, rare from A a plat fom. in bushes over water. Eyy», three to four, pale, dull blue, 1-70 x 1-30. Thanks to their lack of "aigrette" plumes Little Blue Herons are probably the most common Herons in Florida to-day. They are gen- erally found in flocks, sometimes composed entirely of blue adults, :aes of white, immature birds, and nt others l*>th young and old are associated. The white birds resemble A. candidnaima, but the 136 HERONS AND BITTERNS. color of their legs and feet serves as a distinguishing character at some distance. They are silent when feeding, but when undisturbed in their rookeries each bird seems to have something to say, and the result is a strange chorus of croaking voices. They feed by day, and generally wait for their prey to come within striking distance. 201. Ardea virescens Linn. LITTLE GREEN HERON; POKE (see Fig. 19). Ad. — Crown and a short line below the eye glossy greenish black ; throat buffy white, this color extending down the foreneck as a narrow line mixed with blackish, widening on the breast; rest of the head and neck rufous-chestnut glossed with vinaceous ; back, with lengthened interscapulars, green, more or less washed with bluish gray ; wing-coverts green, margined with white or bufl'y ; belly ashy gray, more or less washed with buft'y. fm. — Similar, but with the neck and under parts streaked with blackish ; back without lengthened feathers or wash of blue-gray ; wing -coverts widely mar- gined with butfy ochraceous. L., 17-00 ; W., 7'25 ; Tar., 1-90 ; B., 2-50. Range. — Tropical and temperate America ; breeds as far north as Mani- toba, Ontario, and the Bay of Fundy ; winters from Florida southward. Washington, very common S. K., Apl. 15 to Sept. Long Island, common S. K., Apl. to Oct Sing Sing, common S. K., Apl. 6 to Sept. 26. Cambridge, common S. K., May 5 to Sept. Nest, a platform of sticks in a bush or low branch of a tree. Eggs, three to six, pale, dull blue, 1-50 x 1-14. The shores of wooded streams or ponds are frequented by this small Heron in preference to more exposed situations. It is most active in the early morning or at nightfall, and during the day rests quietly in some sheltered situation. When startled, it springs into the air with a frightened squawk, and, alighting at a safe distance on a tree or on some elevated perch, with npstretched neck watches the intruder, be- traying its apprehension by nervous twitchings of the tail. It is a solitary bird, and, unlike most Herons, is never found in flocks. 202. Nycticorax nycticorax nsevius ( 7>W. Occasionally they utter a loud, hoarse quatck, the origin of their common name; and looking up we may catch a glimpse of them hurrying through the gloom. I>uring the noting season the demands <>f the young force them to feed both by day ami night. 203. Nycticoraz violaceus i /.inn.). YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HKKON i /. i 'n.wn white, generally washed with huffy; ear-covert* white ; rest of the head and throat blurk ; n«vk, breast, and U-lly blue-gray ; back Uie Mine ; the lengthened intcrHcapulars, scapulars, and wing-coverta streaked with black; two or time hluek und white rounded oeeipitul plumes; lort* greenbh yellow ; leg* greenish, ///i.— Crown bl\art»i, ineluding wing-eovertu, funcous-hrown with wedgc-uhajKxl buffy or white H|H>t»; primaries dart bluinh tlntt-color witkout ru/uut ; under parts white or huffy streaked with hlaekUh. L., 28-00 ; W^ 1«»; Tar., 8-75; B., 8-00. Jitmarlt. — Young birds War a general resemblance to those of the pre- ceding species, but diib-r in being darker, in having the head darker than the back, and the primari.** without rufous. Jtange. — Breed* t'nuii southern Illinois and South Carolina southward to South Amerieu. and .M-,-;i-i"iially strays north as far as MassaehuHi-tu. Inland, A. V. Cambridge, A. V., one record, July. . a platform of sticks, in pairs, generally in a low branch overhanging water. £fff*, f x 1 4.'>. t'nlikc the precetling, this is a rather solitary species, and is found singly or in pairs along the borders of wooded streams, and never in colonies. It is al-<>, 1 think, more diurnal in habits. ORDER PALUDICOKffi. CRANES, RAILS, ETC. FAMILY GRUIDJE. CRANES. The Cranes nuinlxT alxmt eighteen s|» •<•).-*. of which three are N->rth American, while tin- remaining fifteen inhabit the Old World. They frnpHMit filains nml mar-hes. and an* omnivorous feeders, eating . field-mil • . snake-, etc.. and various kinds of vegetable food. Our -|.eeies migrate in Mucks, but an- solitary rather than gregarious at other times of the year. Their voice is loud and n-sonant. 204. Grus amcrlcanJh '/./»".>. \VM....I-IM. CRANK; WHITE CRAKE. Ad.— Top of the head, lores, and sides of the throat dull red, with a thin growth of blaek "hairx"; primnrieji blnek, rest of the plumage white. 1m. — Similar, but whole head feathered, and the plumage more or less washed with buffy ochraceoua. L., 60KX) ; W., 25W ; Tar., 1 1-60 ; B., 5-00. 138 COURLANS. Range.— Interior of North America ; breeds from Illinois northward ; win- ters in the Gulf States. Washington, A. V., one record. Nest, of grasses and weed stalks, on the ground in marshy places. Eggs, two, olive-gray, spotted and blotched with distinct and obscure cinnamon- brown markings, 4'00 x 2'50. A rather rare species east of the Mississippi. " In flight their long necks and stiltlike legs are stretched out in a line with the body to the full extent, moving strongly with slowly beating wings, but not swiftly, . . . often circling spiral-like to a great height. They occa- sionally bunch up, and I have seen them in triangular form ; but as a rule they travel in single file, following their leader in a wavy line, croaking as they go, like hounds upon a cold trail " (Goss). The LITTLE BROWN CRANE (205. Grus canadensis) breeds from Hudson Bay to Alaska, and winters in Texas and Mexico. There are but two in- stances of its occurrence east of the Mississippi (Rhode Island and South Carolina). It resembles mexicana, but is smaller ; W. 18-50; B., 4-10. 206. Grus mexicana (Mull.). SANDHILL CRANE ; BROWN CRANE. Ad. — Whole top of the head to below the eyes covered with rough, minutely warty, dull reddish skin thinly grown with short, black "hairs"; plumage brownish gray, with more or less silvery gray and buffy ochraceous. Im. — Similar, but whole head feathered, and with more buffy ochraceous in the plumage. " L., 40-00-48-00 ; W., 21-83 ; Tar., 10 25 ; B., 5-47 " (Ridgw.). Range. — Florida, Georgia, and northward through the Mississippi Valley t<> Manitoba; breeds locally throughout its range; winters in the Gulf States from Florida to Texas. Nest, of roots, rushes, weed stalks, etc., on the ground in marshy places. Eggs, two, olive-gray, spotted and blotched with distinct and obscure cinna- mon-brown markings, 3'90 x 2-40. "These birds in their habits are similar to the Whooping [Crane], but much more numerous. Their loud, modulating, sonorous croak announces their presence, and is often heard during the night as well as the day. " During courtship and the early breeding season their actions and antics at times are ludicrous in the extreme, bowing and leaping high in the air, hopping, skipping, and circling about with drooping wings and croaking whoop, an almost indescribable dance and din, in which the females (an exception to the rule) join, all working themselves up into a fever of excitement only equaled by an Indian war dance, and, like the same, it only stops when the last one is exhausted" (Goss). FAMILY ARAMID^E. COURLANS. Courlans might be called large Rails with some of the habits of Herons. Two species are known, Aramus scolopaceus of South America, K.Ml.S. (iALI.lMI.KS. .\\I> COOTS. | :>.-.. and .1. iji'innteu* of Central A merit-it, Mexico, the Went Indies, and Fli>riiln. They frequent the larders of wooded streams and swani|w, nuil at limes the upland-. Their flight is short. ami « ln-n <>n the wing their legs dandle below them. Like the llcn-ns, they jH-n-h in trees. Their prolonged, melancholy cull has won for them the name "Crying- bird." Their UMial note is a loud, nit her high irnh-rrf-tnc ; the last syllable i- drawn out into it wail, and the effect is most grcwsome. C'ourlans feed to u large i-xtent on land shell.- (Anifiittlnria), and, as I'rof. W. H. Barrows has shown, the tip of the Courlan's hill is some- times turned -lightly to one side, an c\idei.t result of forcing it into the spinil opening of the shell to extract the animal. 207. Aramus pi^anteus /•'• " '/'. . I.IUI-KI- .u:i> ; < ••< ic- LAX. (See Kii«. 'J4. ' -I-/. ( iUttWV olive-hpiwn, the t'i-iitliers ••!' the dead and rn-.-k nurr-'wlv, tli"-e nf tlie Inxly l.n«uilly, Mrijx'il «itli white; win^» and tail more bronzy. //«.— Similar, but j-uk-r uiul duller. 1.., •_'- •'»>: \V., 13-00; Tar., • Itunijt. — t'eiitrul Ainerieu uiul We.«t Indies u^rtli !•• Il'm (Inmdc Valley and Florida. »( leaves, twigccies in Florida. Its general habits are dexTihvd in the remarks on the family Arami-ln. FAMILY RAIJJDJE. RAILS, GALUNULES, AND COOTS. The one hundred and eighty species contained in this family are distributed throughout the greater part of the world, fifteen species inhabiting North America. Rails and Gallinules are not strictly gre- pirions. but are generally associated through a community of inter- however. are usually found in flocks. Rails inhabit grassy marshes, in which they seek safety by running or hiding, taking to wing when pursued only as a last resort. Their flight is then short and lalx. red, and with dangling legs they soon drop hack into cover. Nerertln-li-ss. they perform extended migrations, traveling hundred- ..f Aithout re-ting, (iallinules live nearthe marshy bordersof Ixxlies of water, while the more aquatic Coots resemble some Ducks in habits, KEY TO THE SPECIEB. I. Bill over I ' '.- below the eye cinnamon -nifoiw, like the bn>o»t; flanks black barred with white; UPJHT part* rieh olivL-bn>wn «trcake«l with black. 208. KINO KAIU B. Check l*-!»\v tlie eye gray; flanks frencrally gray or brownish, barred with white ; upper parts generally grayish, streaked with black. 811. CLAFPSK KAIL and noes. 140 RAILS, GALL1XULES, AND COOTS. II. Bill under 1-75. A. Wing over 6-00. a. General color blue, feet yellow 218. PURPLE GALLINI LE. b. General color slaty, feet dark greenish. b1. Toes with large scalloped webs or flaps at the side. 221. AM. COOT. b*. Toes without flaps or webs 219. FLORIDA GALLIXULE. R Wing under C'OO. a. Wing under 3-50. a1. Back blackish, with small round, white spots . 216. BLACK KAIL. a*. Back blackish, barred with white and margined with buffy. 215. YELLOW KAIL. b. Wing over 3-50. 6». Bill over 1-00 212. VIRGINIA RAIL. c». Bill under 1-00. <•*. Wing over 4-50, lesser wing-coverts rufous . 217. CORN-CRAKE. c*. Wing .under 4-50, lesser wing-coverts olive .... 214. SORA. 208. Rallus elegans A >/•/. KIM; RAIL : M.u:sn HEX. An tluve occasions I have heard what I arn quite sure was the King Rail's call, a loud, startling hup, blip, bitp. hup, }>uj>, uttered with increasing ra- pidity until the syllables were barely distinguishable, then ending some- what as it began. The whole performance occupied about five seconds. 211. Rallus longirostris crepitans f '/;//. /.i. CLAI-I-EU RAIL; MARSH HKN. i See Fig. 22, n. ) .-!r brownish gray, barred with white. i Glossy black. L., 14-50; W., 5-00 ; Tar., 2-00; B., 2'50. Remarks.— The Clapper Kail may always be known from the King Rail RAILS, i. \U.I\ri.KS, AMI COOT& in by it* gencmlU crux Uh instead <>f brownish ur l-ln.-ki.ili u|'j*-r part*, )>jr iu much paler bivast un ut t<> tin- l. to Oct, a few winter. Sim; Sine. A. V. •. of graMM*, on the g round, in grass-grown, salt-water marshes. Eygt, eight to twelve, l>u:I'\ white, sjiottcd and *j.e<-kl<-d with rufous- brown, 172 x 1-20. The ( l;ip|HT Kail is an inhabitant of grassy, salt-water marshes, and, in the southern part- i.f its range, of mangrove swamps. It-is almost impossible to fln>h these birds unless their haunts are invaded by an unusually high tide, when a boat may be pushed through the meadows and the birds forced to take wing. I have heard birds calling in the tall grass within a few feet of me, and have made a wild rush in tln-ir direction, only to be mocked a moment later by apparently the same bird calling from a point almost within reach. They dodge alx>ut over well-traveled pathways like children in a game of bliiidman's buff. While ii"t strictly gn»garinus, they live in colonies, and the long, rolling cnll of one bird is sometimes taken up and repeated by others until there is a general outcry through the marsh. 21 la. R. L saturatua //•/..«//. I.»i I-I\N\ <'I.APPKR KAIL.— A local race of the Clapper Kuil found in tin- niursln-s of LoutHiana. Iu characters appear not to be well un.U r>t«xxl. It i.s mueh darker than dark a» t.-^tt,,. •• W., 5-«5 ; Tar., 1-97 ; B., 2-27 " (Kidgw.). ;i>t nf T.iiuisiuna. Sllb. R. L scottii .X-/./..I. KI..KII.A < i M'l-Ku KAIL.— Difft-re from tftfitant in tx;in^ black, fiwcouit, or olive-brown al>ovc, with olivu-tfray nmr irin- t» the iVathen* ; in liavhitf the nrck aiul 1-n-it-t einnniii»n ruf»us washed with l-n«wnip.h. and in huviiiif tin- U-lly and tlunki* t>liu-k instt-ud <>( jfray. In fui-t, tin- general color of ttottii su^gexts a Kiinr Kail, but the luttcr inuy always Ix- known by ita rv/ovi wing-coverts and rl,ar oinnamon-rufous neck and brawl W., 5-50 ; Tar., 1-90 ; B., 2-40. •ILHt "f Florid*. 212. Rallus virginianofl f.inn . VIII..IMA KMI.. .1 / I ! !-rj.art.t fuitcoun or black, the feat h IT* burih-n-d \<\ j-nle tfrayinh bn>wn; wintfsand tail dark «rayir.li Ln.wn; wing-covvrtn rufoun, lorvs whitish, <-lu-t-k» gray, throat white, rent of tlu- uinlcr parti* cinnamon -ruf"un; Hunks and under tail- uarreil or »|H.tt.-.l with black and white. l»mc*y i'ouny.—Glomy black. L., 9-j'iO; W^4-80; Tu |-.vi. A«y<. — BlMds from northern Illinois, |Ynn»\ hunia. nixl I.-. in; Nland to Manitoba and I^ibrador; winters fnun near tin- southern limit of iu breeding range Muthward. Waahington. pmbably 1'. K. Long Island, common S. K., Apl. to Oct.; a 142 KAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. few winter. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. E. to Sept. 29. Cambridge, common S. K., Apl. 20 to Oct. 15. Nest, of grasses, on the ground in marshes. Eygs, six to twelve, pale buffy white, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1-26 x -96. In almost any extensive fresh or brackish marsh, especially if it has beds of cat-tail flags or scattered thickets of low bushes and briers, one may hear in May and June, particularly in the early morning, late afternoon, or during cloudy weather, a succession of grunting sounds not unlike those of a hungry pig. Although by no means loud, they have a penetrating quality which makes them carry to a considerable distance ; and they are apt to attract attention even when, as is usually the case, they mingle with the songs of innumerable Red-winged Blackbirds, Marsh Wrens, and other swamp-loving birds. It is no easy matter to trace them to their author, but if you are persevering and at the same time fortunate, you may at length discover him skulk- ing under a bush or behind a tuft of grass. He is the Virginia Rail, an odd-looking bird about the size of a Snipe. If you remain motion- less, he may presently come out into fairer view and walk slowly around the edge of some pool, lifting and putting down his large feet with curious deliberation, cocking up his absurdly short tail at each step, and every now and then stopping to thrust his bill deep into the ooze in search of food. As he pauses to look at you, you are struck by his half-quizzical, half-sinister expression, due, no doubt, to the fact that his eyes are blood-red and deeply sunk in their long, narrow head. Startle him by some sudden movement, and he will do one of three things — dart back into cover as swiftly as a frightened mouse, skip across the pool over the floating leaves cf the water plants, using both wings and feet, or rise with feebly fluttering wings and hanging legs to fly only a few rods before dropping beyond some intervening screen of grass or bushes. In any case you are not likely to find him again on this occasion. Besides the grunting sound, the Virginia Rail utters during the breeding season, especially at night and in lowering weather, a gut- tural cut, ciitla-cutta-cutla, often repeated at brief intervals for hours in succession. This cry appears to be peculiar to the male, and is, no doubt, his love song. When heard at a distance of only a few yards it has a vibrating, almost unearthly quality, and seems to issue from the ground directly beneath one's feet. The female, when anxious about her eggs or young, calls ki-ki-ki in low tones, and kiu much like a Flicker. The young of both sexes in autumn give, when startled, a short, explosive kep or kik, closely similar to that of the Carolina Rail. WILLIAM BREWSTEB. RAILS, OALIJNI ! D « OOTS. \ \:\ 214. Penan*. Carolina > /.inn.). SOHA; «'AK..I IVA RAIL. (8e« Fig. tt, «.) Ad.— Region about the base of the bill, center of crown, and a lino down the middle of the neck black ; rent of the breast and throat, Bide* of the head, and front part of the crown pale blue-gray ; rest of the upper part* olive-brown, most of the feathcn with block center*, the scapulars and l.a. k atnaked on either .-i-U- with white ; wing* fuscous- brown, their covcrto gray- ish cinnamon, outer edge of first primary white; lower belly white, flanks barred with black and white. Im. Similar, hut without black at the base of the bill or on the throat ; breast washed with cinnamon and upper paru darker. L., *•.'*>; W., 4-30; Tar., 1-80; B., -80. K**yt. — Broods from Kansas, Illinois, and Long I.-laml northward to Hu.laon Bay; winter* from South Carolina to northi-rn South America. Washington, common T. V., Mch. ; -July to Nov. Long Island, <-<>m- V.. Apl. un.l May; Aug. to Oct; rare 8. R. Sing Sing, common May; Aug. 19 to Oct. 24. Cambridge, verv common S. K., Apl. 20 to Oct 80. '. of grasses, on the ground in marshes, fiyyn, eight to fifteen, Imfly white or ochraccous-buflf, spotted and 8i>eckle>l with rut'ou* l>rown, 1-J4 x -90. The Sores' summer homo 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 hr-tcer, which soon comes from do/ens of invisible birds about you, and long after night has fallen it continues like 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 (Ziznnin nqtiat- tVn) marshes, and a well-directed stone or unusual noise may bring a scries of protesting interrogative knk« or preps from the apparently deserted reeds. At this season "gunners" in small flat-bottomed boats are poled through the flooded meadows, and the Sores, 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, GALLIXULES, AND COOTS. The SPOTTED CRAKE (£13. Porzana porzana) — an Old World representa- tive of our Sora — is recorded as "occasional in Greenland." 215. Porzana noveboracensis (GmeL). YELLOW RAIL. (See Fig. 22, b.) Ad. — Upper parts black, the feathers bordered with ochraceous-buff and with from one to three narrow white bars; breast ochraceous-butt'; 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. 0. U.). Washington, rare T. V., Mch. and Oct. Long Island, uncommon T. V. Cambridge, rare T. V., Apl. and May ; Oct. and Nov. A7«*tf, on the ground in grassy marshes. E|H-if>wm»h; uml«-r [>urt« ..... re or leaa mottled with white; plate on the head itinaller; bill without orange-red. Itowny younij. — Ulomy black, head with nunifr<>u» whiu-, huirlikc I'ruthen* ; b«M of the bill yellowish, i-n.l l.liu-k. L., la-wi; W., 7'lu; Tar., from posterior margin of nontril, -80. h'amjf. — Tropical America; breed* aa far north an southern Illinois and South Carolina, and rarely strays northward to Wisconsin and Maine; win- ters from southern Florida southward. Long Island, A. V. AW, a platform of reed stalks built in rushes over the water or in granny marshes. Eyy*, eight to ten, butty white, finely npecklud with rufous-brown, 1-60 x 1-15. This Is n 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- •i habits, but its much brighter color is apparent at a distance. 219. GallinuLa galeata > /./<•/ersc; \V., 7'00; Tar, 2-15; B. from poste- ri'-r margin of nostril, -80. R**gt.— Temperate and tropical America ; breeds locally as far north as Minnesota and southern Maine; winter* ('mm tin- ilulf States southward. Washington, rare T. V., A pi.; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, uncommon May; Sept. ami «M. SinU' Sim:, rare S. K., Juno 5 to Nov. 6. Cam- bridtfe, uncommon S. K., May 10 to Oct. 1. .\*tt, of rushes on a bed of rushes or similar slight elevation in marshes, lagoon*, or swampy lake sides. £yearanre and habits of Gallinules which always suggests to me the thought that they an- rhirkcus 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. viii, pages 1-7, Mr. Brewster gives a detailed account of his study of a pair of Gallinules. 221. Fulica americana Gmel. AMERICAN COOT ; MUD-HEN; CROW DOCK; BLUE PETER. (See Fig. 22, «.) Ad. — 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. Im. — 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, etc., among reeds in fresh-water marshes. Eggs, 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 rilAI.AKnl'ES. 117 railway pi. r at Titusvillc, Florida, where .shooting is prohibited, they areas tame as domestic I>uck-. They evidently knuw the boundary hue Iv-twcen *afrty and danger, however, ami when U-voinl the pro- .1 hunts -how their usual rant ion. ;ly. with 11 peculiar l-il.l.ing iii»(i»n of the head and neck. When alarmed they patter <-\. -r tin- water, using their feet an •much a." their wings. The sound produced is a characteristic one. They are imi-y birds, ami when alarmed break out into a great chorus of high, cackling notes which 1 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 (iallinules. Tin- Ki I:»I-EAN COOT (£80. Fuliea atra) iniuiliita the nurtlierii jwrt* of the OKI World, uut, l-ut lucks tin- white iiiarkinj^t on the edge of the wiug and under I ORDER LIMICOUE. SHORE BIRDS. FAMILY PHALAROPODID.*. PHALAROPES. There are three known memliers of this family: one is confined to the interior of North America, the other two may be called Sea Snipe, and an- found in the northern jwirtsof the northern hemisphere. The webbed feet of thc« 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 TDK SPKCIKA, A. Bill over 1-M 224. WIUMJN'* PIIALAROPE. A1. Hill under 1-10. n. Hill very !tleiid<-r; win.; under 4'7."> . . . 223. NORTHERN PIIALAROPE. A. Billntmit; winsji.v»-r4-7.-. 222. RED PHALAROPE. 222. CrymophiluB fallc&rius (/.//,/.... KM. PIIAI.AROPR; GRAY I'MM.MC.I-K. iS.-e Fiir iii n'tnimrr. Crown and chin funcoiu; checks white; l.n.-k l>lm-k. the leiithen* Ix.rderrd with erfain-liutf; wintfi* gray ; aotne of the »econdarif» and tipn of greater c«.\ <.•«* white ; upper tail- 148 PHALAROPES. coverts rufous ; under parts |HT l>reai>l wanhetl uitli pale, l>rownUh nifoii*; mt of (he muter part* and up|M-r tnil-e<>vfitji while. .!•/. 4 innunim-r. I pp. r part* AMOOU»-|T«\MI. IN, Men. 1 with ifrnyish brown; up|>er tail <-..v( rt.-«, iiupe, ami 11 line i.MT tin- eye white or whitish ; c'nle* of tin- neek un«l nrr. l'p|«-r pur1 witJi whiti1; U|>|HT tuil c«>vt rt.t whiti-; vvin^ fiiM-miK, tln-ir <•«•%. rti. with liull'y ; uniU-r part* whitr. /»». "T"p ••(' lnu.1, l«uck, and diLsky l>lui-ki.-h, the iVuth. P. iliMim-tly iH.riU-rnl witli t-ul! ; winjf- ;il»o lx.nlrnutl <>r whitUli ; up|«tT UtiI-«-i>\ . rt-. MI|« reiliary !.tri|-«-. uii.l lnwi-r piirt.H white, tin- in.-k tiiii."'.! with Imt!'" ( Ki-ljrw.). 6 L., .; Tur, l-jo; M.. l-.'«». v I... '.'•:.«•: \V.. M6; Tur.. 1 •."••: !?., !•".«'. L'-utijt.- "'IVni|nT»t«' North AiiKTicu. fliit-rty in the interior, lin-ciliiiu' from northern Illinois un.l.-o||, Hull. NlJtt. < »ni. Club, ii, 1879, pp. 88-i8.) "Th»-s«' liirds an- ran- in the Kastern Stales, aluimlant in the Mi»- sisiiippi Valley, and n minute snails and other small forms of life that alK.iind in their aijnatii: haunts. |ipM-iiriii^ the sann- chiefly by running over the moist ground or wawim buoy- antly, but seldom lonp 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. As a 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 " i(ioss). FAMILY RECURVIROSTRIDJE. AVOCETS AND STILTS. The eleven *|.e> ie-, compri-ing this family are distributed through- out the warmer parts of the world. They are generally found in flocks, and may be railed Wading Snipe. They feed in shallow water, wading to their heels, and when necessary swimming with ease. 225. Rccurvirostra americana ' . ' ' A\IM:I< w \-.---\\. AtnJ fm.— 150 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. Generally similar, but head and neck white or pearl-gray. L., 16-50; W., 9-00 ; Tar., 375 ; B., 3'75. Range. — Temperate North America; rare or accidental on the Atlantic coast; breeds from Illinois, and rarely Texas, north ward 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. -Eggs, three to four, pale olive or buffy clay-color, thickly spotted with chocolate, 1-95 x 1-35. 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 (Mull.). BLACK-NECKED STILT. Ad. & . — 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. 9 . — Similar, but with the back fuscous-brown. Im. — Similar to the preceding, but head and neck more or less marked with white ; back and scapulars bordered with white or whitish. L., 15-00; W., 9-00; Tar., 4-15 ; B., 2-00. Jfange. — 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. A'est, a slight depression in the ground lined with grasses. Eggs, three to four, olive or bufl'y 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 SCOLOPACID^E. 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 except inns they are rarely found far from the vicinity of water. Generally speaking, they are more almn- 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 KT< J51 and pass the winter in flocks, but they are nut 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 hare the power of muring the upper mandible independently of the lower one, curving it at the tip as one would a finger. . Snijics are not supposed to be song birds, but during the breeding season many species are highly and |>eculiarly musical, and at other times of the year they utt.-r 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 Till SPECIE*. I. Bill S-OOor <"• .(. Axillare* barred with black. a. Bill curved downward. a'. Bill over 3-00, under 4-50 ML HvDMHUV Cnuw. aft. Bill under 8-00 266. ESKIMO CURLEW. a*. Bill over 4'50 264. LONG-BILLED CURLEW. b. Bill straight or curved slightly upward. A'. Tail -feathers with numerous black bare. t*. Wing over 7*00, primaries black or fuscous. 254. GREATER YELLOW-LEOS. 6>. Wing over 7"00, inner web of primaries buff or rufous. 249. MARBLED GODWIT. b*. Wing under 7HX), bill widened and pitted at the tip. 881. DOWITCIIER. 282. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. «•«. Tail black with a broad rufous tip or marked with rufous. <•. Outer web of primary with rufous bare. 227. EUROPEAN WOODCOCK. A Primaries not barred 230. WILSON'S SNIPE. B. Axillare not barred. a. Axillan rufous or oehraoeous-buff. a*. Bill over 5-00, much curved downward. 264. LONG-BILLED CURLEW. a*. Bill nearly straight, between 3-50 and 5-00. 249. MARBLED GODWIT. a». Bill straight, under 8-50 228. AMERICAN WOODCOCK. b. Axillare blark. i». Under parts chestnut-rufous, barred with black. 251. HunsoNiAN GODWIT. &». Under parts white, with or without blackish bare. 258. WILLET. 258o. WESTERN WILLET. •SeeFlc.M. 152 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETU II. Bill under 200. A. Tail with cross-bars. a. Wing over 5'75. . a1. Outer tail-feathers white, more or less barred ; outer primary with- out bars 255. YELLOW-LEGS. a*. Outer primary with numerous black bars. 261. BARTRAMIAN SANDPIPER. b. Wing under 5'75. b1. Under parts white, with numerous round blackish spots ; upper parts brownish gray, barred with blackish . . 263. SPOTTED SANDPIPER. fta. Under parts white, breast streaked with blackish ; upper parts fus- cous, spotted with whita 256. SOLITARY SANDPIPER. b*. Under parts tinged with buffy, inner web of outer primary speckled with blackish 262. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. b4. Under parts white, breast washed with grayish, inner primaries and secondaries with a concealed white patch. 263. SPOTTED SANDPIPER (lin.). B. Tail without cross-bars, toes 4. a. Bill over 1-10. a*. Middle upper tail-coverts with cross-bars or streaks. a*. Tarsus over T50 233. STILT SANDPIPER. a'. Tarsus under 1 -50, wing under 6'00. . 244. CURLEW SANDPIPER. a*. Tarsus under 1-50, wing over 6-00 234. KNOT. b1. Middle upper tail-coverts black or fuscous, without bare; bill straight. b*. Tarsus under 1-50 ; upper parts blackish, more or less margined with gray 235. PURPLE SANDPIPER. b*. Tarsus under T50 ; upper parts more or less margined with rufous. 239. PECTORAL SANDPIPER. b*. Tarsus over 1-50 260. RUFF. cl. Middle upper tail-coverts grayish, bill curved slightly downward. 243a. RED-BACKED SANDPIPER. 6. Bill under MO. />'. Wing under 4-00. b*. Toes partly webbed. 246. SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 247. WESTERN SANDPIPER. b*. Toes not webbed 242. LEAST SANDPIPER. c1. Wing over 4-00, inner webs of primaries plain. c9. Breast white or whitish, streaked or spotted with blackish; mid- dle upper tail-coverts white . . 240. WniTE-RrMPKi> SANHPIPKR. ttli-r • « hr.i.-r. Knn n N"rth Amerii'ii north to Labrador ninl Manitoba, breed- ing nearly throughout its niiiire, but not eoinm»iily in tin- southern part of it; winter* from .southern Illinois iiixl Virginia southward. Washington, rather foinmon from Feb. tii Nov.; a few winti-r. Inland, coiiimon S. \i. ; a tVw winter. Sinu Sine, ••"ininon S. K.. Frb. 19 to Dec. 2. Ciiiiibri'lu'f, *. U., formerly eoiimioii, tk-t be<-..miin: run- ; Meh. to Nov. • •f ti few .Iry l.-avi-s. ..n the ground in the wood*. Kyy*, four, butiy, tly uii'l olweurely >|«-tt.-.l with «hadca of rufoun, 1-60 x 1 During the spring ami early -iimm.-r this Owl among Snipe haunts low, wooded bottom-laixls ; in August, while molting, it resorts to corn- fields near woods, and in the fall migrating birds frequent wooded up- latt'U Hut 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 •• Imfing*." 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 •ixlcock can move the tip of its upper mandible independently of tin- lower one, and this organ is made to act as a finger to assist the bird in drawing its fcxxl from the ground. The flight of the Woodcock is sometimes accompanied by a high, whUtling sound produced by its narrow, MiuViied primaries in beating the air. When flushed near its ne-t 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. ;...ik <>f ni_'ht 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, periodie pcent. peeni, 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 -hriller sounds his wing-song: then, after a moment's paiiv. 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 EUROPEAN WOODCOCK (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 ( Or may be sometimes witno-ed in broad daylight when the weather is .stormy, but ordinarily it i- re- served for the morning and evening twilight and for moonlight nights, when it is often kept up for hours in siiccr^-inn. Besides this - drumming" or " bleating," as it is called, the Snipe, while muting, sometimes makes another peculiar sound, a kvk-kuk- kuk-kuk-kni>. evidently vocal and occasionally ac<-ompnnring a slow, labored, and perfectly direct flight, at the end of which tho bird alights on a tree or fence post for a few moments.— WIU.IAM HKKWSTEB. The Ki -RIII-EAX SXII-K u'.'J'. (fnlfintit/0 yallinmjin inhaliit.s the northern parti* ut'tln- «>!'! Wurlil. i.- »( treiHieiit oeeurreiiee in (iri'i-iilun.l.aii.l tu-eidcntal in the Bermuda*. 231. Macrorhamphus grlseua ''/»('/.) I>..\MI< HH:. . Si-t- Fip«. 8fi,O,20. «. ' .(•/. in "it mint r. I l'l«T part.*, tertiuK uinl win^'-eovertr. l'la--k.the feutlu-ra edged or barrtKl with oehraeumi.* Uitl' <>r riit'oiis; ruiiip, UJ>|H.T tail- coverbs and tail barred with black and more or le.v« iM-liraeeou.— lunT; prima- ri« ftu«f<>us; uinler i>art«« «lull, pale rul'mis, wliitUli on tin- belly, m<>rc or lem spotted un«l harreil with lilm'k. .!; \V.. :,::,; Tar., 1 Jtfin l>arn>m Kl»ri'la t«> Smith Aim-ricn. \Va!«hiiitfton, eanual, one s|>cciincn, Sept. I...IIL' Island, common T. V.. May; July to Sept. 1.*.. . tour, licht huffy ..live, distinctly spotted and »|H-ckled, enpecially about tlic larger end. witli di'ep brown. 1'..". • 11.". Ki-L- The Oowitchcrs arc among our lH->t-kimwn Bay Hirds. Tliry migrate in coinpat-t f|o<-ks which are i-a-dy attracted to decoys by an imitation c.f their call. Mud-flats and lmt> ex|x>sed by the fallinc tide arc their chosen fevding grounds. On thelJulf 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). LONG-BILLED Dow- ITCHER; WESTERN DOWITI-HEK. Ail. in cummer. — Similar 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. in winter and Im. — To be distinguished from the corresponding stages of M. gri- .seus only by their larger size. W., 6-00 ; Tar., 1-50 ; B., 2-10-2-90. Jfange. — " 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. 0. D.). Washington, casual, seven shot in Apl. Long Island, casual, July to Oct. Egg*, 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, M. 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 (fionap.). STILT 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. Im. — Similar 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 Get 10. K'f'ff, three to four, pale grayish buff', or grayish buffy white, boldly spotted with rich 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 BNIPtt, -vMU'il-Ki;-. i 157 ground, flying only as a last resort, ami then darting swiftly away with a *tmr|> tuvet, 234. Trinffa canutua /.<••/.. KNOT; H..BIN Kxtrt; GRAY Svira. (8e« Figm.85,6, :M,A.) Ad. I'M iumm,r. L|>JKT |mrt* bamx! and »lreaked with black nii-l wJiitr an>t rufouit; tail ashy gray, narrowly mitr^im-d with whitinh ; un.l. r purt* ilull rutou* ; lower U-llv white »r whiti»h, .iidc.- sometime* with black ban*. i According t» (icorgc 11. Mm-kiiy.it requires alxtut four year* fer btafa to •ofrirt ttts ptaoMf* Sec Auk, x, i *'.'.;. p. •-'.'-.> ////. rp|«erpart» plain brownish gray ; upper tail coverts Imrml with black and white, tail l.r.'wni.nli irruy ; bn-aitt mul oi.lc.s l.urn-.l with Muck, In-lly whit«-. Young. — Upper part* pale browniih gray; hru.l Mn-uki>trcakcr >|»'tt.-.l with Mu.-ki-li ; flank* barred or ittreaked with blackinh. I.., lo-.Vt; \V., tj-vri; Tar., 1-jo; B., 1-80. Hniujt. N'irthcrii huinisplii-rc. bn-eilint; within the Arctic circle, and in America wintering fn>in FlorUla t« South America. Long Inland, not unconiinon T. V., May 1.'. to June 10; July 15 to Nov. i'ygi, known from only one spuciiiu-n collected in the vicinity of Fort Conger by General (Jreely, mul dc»crit>cd :L-* •• light |x'u-ifreen. ckwely K|K>tt«xi with brown in small 8|>eck8 about the size of a pinhcud," I'll) x 1-00 (see Merriain, Auk, ii, 1885, p. 813). Knots feed along the beaches on the small crustaceans and raol- lusca brought in by the wares, and they also frequent muddy places, where, like the tme Snipe, they probe the ground for THM!. They decoy with ease, "bunching" so dost-Iy ns they wheel into the stools that the entire flock is sometimes killed by a sinplo disrhnrtfe. Mr. George IT. Mackay. in one of his careful and detailed studies of our Shoie Birds. deseriU-s their notes as a soft irnh-i/noif anil a little hunk. The first is particularly noticeable when flocks are coming to the de- coys (see Auk, x, 1803, pp. 25-85). 286. Tringa maritima /?/•///<». l'i i:\-\t. <\SI>IMI-KII. .(•/. /';/ unn- mtr. — Upper partu black, niarginechrn ...... M« Imt! uinl i-ri-ani-butf; winipi fiwooiw-gray, irreuti-r covi-rts inuri;ined \vitli white ntid some «*econ«la- ri«t entirely white; upper tail-coverta fv»cou», outer tail f.-athers anhy gray. inn. r one* fUMOw; throat and breast brownish irniy. stn-iiked with black; belly white, Hides and under tail -coverts -treukcd with lin>wnish trniy. \\'in- t-r plumage.— Head. ne«-k. l>reiu>t, and sides anhy. the two latter margined with white; back funcou*. marginal with ashy: winirn funcous, the covrrtw. :mer tnil -coverts and middle tail-feather* black or fuscon*, outer tnil-fcnthcr* a»hy; l>clly and lininir»of the wings white. I... '.'.-.: \V.. .Voo : Tar. '.••<"•, 15.. 1'4hy ; longer upper tail-coverts irhlt, . with sometimes brownish- * Rep. on Nat. Hist. Colls, made in Alaska, p. 108. M'iMNlU-. RO I.V.I gray marking*; central tail fVaihcr* fii-.-oii.-s outer one* browniidi gray ; up|«-r throat white; neck, brvMt, un. /m.--Similar to summer examples, but tin- iVuthi r- of the upj>er parta with r»u'«/>; W., 4".H«; Tar., -.HJ; »., •«.'>. Ktmurt*. Tin- while UJ«|KT tail-onvi-rto difttin^uinh thin iipcciea. Kanijt.— YM\Kr\\ N.-rth .\ni«-ri.-u, lin-nlin^ in tin- iir«'ti.' n-/i»H8 and win- t. rni/ iu> fur -..nth ait the Falkland InlundH. Long Inland, n.»t un.-.>iii!ii..n T. V., July 20 t4> (M 10. Sing Sing, casual Eggi, three to four, lijrht olive, <»r olive hn>« n'^h. -|-<.tted (UHually rather titu ly i with deep brown and dull, purplish gray, 1-37 x "J4 (Kidgw.). "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, • .fi.-ii associating with other waders, are not a.s 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 nit her sharp, piping wee/, weet. Their flight is swift and well sustained " ((Joss). 241. Tringa bairdii '••».«. BAIRD^SANDIMI-KK. A-l.intummer.— l'pp«-r |>artB funoou*; fiathrr* «>l'tlu- crown and nape margined laterally with pale huffy; back and wapulurs tipjK-d with pair huffy <>r brownUh gruy ; miilillf up|K-r tuil-vvcrt-t /"«»«>«*, Hoinctiincs tipj>«-«l with huffy; central tail- feathen Aucouii, mariritifd with whitish, <>uti-r mif!* puh- l>r«w ni.sh ^ray ; throat white; bn>a»t waahr-1 witli huffy and lit/Atly*i*>Ufr >tn-akr.l with fiiMCOiu; ride* and belly white. Im.— Similar, hut the Im.-k. xeapulan*, and wing-cov- ert* with romnltil wkitt tips. ( In the winter these tips are more or lew worn Off I... TV; NV., 4-90; Tar., -SW; B., -85. Jtfmartt.— Thin hinl m.~t i-liwly ri-.->emhh-s T./>« n- •>• ..f rufous above, the lefw heavily -j-.tt. ,| thnmt, and the white instead of *[><>tt«l -ides. In winter tli.- i-liit-f di.-tin-.Mii^hinir murks of tin- t » ..-ide fr»m the dif- fert-ntly etih>n-d up|H-r tuil .-..\. rt.-.. an- the huffy hrut-t an.l ^-iierally paler upp«T part* ofbairdii. Jtamgt.— Interior of N«>rth America, t>reiie n .-..r-l. I...nif Island, casual, Aug. K>j<}t, thn-e to f'-ur. li^'lit, .-r.-amy huff, sometimes tinge>l with ru.-ty, thickly speckled and «[-•[:.. 1 with .Icep reddish brown or chestnut, 1-80 x-M (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 Vieill. LEAST SANDPIPER; MEADOW OXEYE; PEEP. Ad. in summer . — Upper parts black or fuscous, edged and tipped with butty or rutbus ; 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 white. 1m. — Similar, but feathers of the back with rounded rufous or butty tips ; breast not distinctly streaked. Winter plumage. — Upper 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., •70; B., -75. FIG. 62 -Least Sandpiper. Remarks.— This is the smallest of (Natural size.) our Sandpipers, and can be confused only with Ereunetes 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; Octt 3. Cambridge, very common T. V., May 25 to May 31 ; July 20 to Aug. 31. Eggs, three to four, pale, grayish buffy, varying to pale brownish, thickly spotted, speckled, or sprinkled with deep chestnut and dull, purplish gray, 1-15 x -83 (Kidgw.). This, the smallest of our Sandpipers, is frequently associated with its larger cousin the Semipalmated Sandpiper on the shores and beache?, but it also visits the grassy meadows, and for this reason is known by baymen as the " Meadow Oxeye." 243a. Tringa alpina pacifica ( Coues). RED-BACKED SANDPIPER; LEADBACK. 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. Im. — Upper parts blackish, the feathers with rounded tips <>t rufous or buffy; breast washed with bully 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 butty; throat white; breast ashy, indistinctly streaked; belly SNIl'KS. SANI»IMI'l-:i:s, KTC. Ifil white, the side* sometimes spotted with black. L., 8 00 ; W., 4-76 ; Tar., 1-00 ; B^ 1-50. Jtmtarb.— There U, of course, every degree of inu-rgrwlution between summer and winter plumage, but the species may always b« known by iu nightly curved bill. v. North America, lii-vcding in tin- un-tic regions and wintering from Florid* south ward : rare in the iiit.ri-r. Washington, rare T. Vn ApL; O«t. Long Inland, T. V., uncommon in Fio. 83.— Red-backed Sandpiper. (Natural size.) spring, Apl. 1 to May 15; common in fall, Aug. 31 through Oct Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. in full, Oct. 3 to Oct. 24. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. Egg*, 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 Df!»Li» (f^J. Tringn alpina) in the Old- World representative of our Bed-backed S;m.l],i|>.T. from which it ut 74"; W., 4-12-4-50; Tar., -78-90; B., 1-05-1-Sfi. It is of casual occurrence in North At: The CURLEW SANDPIPER ($44- Trinyn ftrrvginta) inhabits the eactern hemisphere, and occurs casually in eastern North America. It has been re- corded from Ontario, Nova Scotia, Maine, Massachusetts, and Long Island. 246. Ereunetea pusilliu /.'.•,>. SKHIPAI.MATF.I> SANDPII-KH OXEVK; PEEP. Ad. in numntr. -t'ppcr |>art« black or fiiM-oiix. margined with brownish gray and a tmall amount of rufoux; rump uniyistli l«n>\vn; UJUHT ••its blackish ; tail-feathers brownish gray, central ones darkest ; breast streaked or spotted with blackish. Im. — Similar, but upper parts and wing- coverta blackish, with rounded rufous or butfy tips to the feathers ; breast un- II 162 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. streaked, tinted with buffy. Winter plumage. — Opper 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., 3'75 ; Tar., -75 ; B., -65--80. Remarks. — The small size of this and the next species prevents their be- ing confused with any other except Tringa minutilla, 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 (Eidgw.). 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. 247. Ereunetes occidentalis Laicr. WESTERN SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. — 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 /;'. fiHxitli/x. Eggs, three to four, deep cinnamon buffy, sprinkled, speckled, or thickly spotted with bright rusty brown or chestnut, the general aspect f tin- under parU p*ri white. Im. in /all, — Similar, but upper parts witiiuut rufuux, g\<*»y black, thf t. .. -times bordered with white, but generully with tico -|x>U at their tips separated by the black of the central part of the feather; nape grayish while, lightly streaked with blackish; under parts pun white, with occasionally a few spots on the breast. H 'inter jilumayt. — I I I- r parts pale brownish gray, wings as in the preceding ; under parts pur« whiu-. I... 800; W.,6-00; Tar., 1-00; B., 1-00. /fmmrJx. — The Sanderling is the only one of our Snipes or Sandpipers having ikrrt toes, and it may always be known by this character in combi- nation with it* bootod or trutisverBC-ly scaled turxi. Kangt. — u Nearly cosmopolitan, breeding in arctic and subarctic r. . migrating, in America, soutli to Chili and Patagonia" (A. O. U.). Washington, casual T. V., two records. Long Island, common T. V., M<-h. 15 through May; Aug. 1 through Sept Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., to June 5; Sept 9 to Oct. 5. Cumbr'nlirf, casual, om- in-tuiuv, S.-jit. f'yy*, tliree to four, li^lit "livc-hrown, tiin-ly hj>ott<-il or !*jKTkl«-ln-d by the sea. It frequently associates with the Semipalmatcd Sandpiper orOxeye, which it resembles in hnliits. but its larger size and lighter colors distinguish it from that -: • 249. Limosa fedoa /"'.>. MARBLED Gonwrr; BROWN MARLIX. Ad. — Upper partu bhu-k. th«- In -a-1 an-1 rurk strv-uk»'«l with lnitfy, the back barred or the feathers spnttod on the sides an«l -omctimcs tipjx-il with buffy or ochraceous-buff; inner «<•)> of tho nuti-r primaries anot)i wi-bs of the innor ones //f or jialc luilfy, -j'tM-kli-'l with black; tuil o<'l(raceous- bufT barrwl with blaok ; throat white, rest of the tinder parti* pale huffy, spotted or barre•<><> : NV., ^75 ; Tar., 2-75 ; B., 4"<). Rangt. — North America, breeding chiefly in the interior, from western Minnesota, and rarely Iowa and Nebraska, northward, and migrating south- ward to Central America an-l <'uha; rare on the Atlantic coast Long Island, rare T. V., Aug. and Sept Iff*, three to four, clay-color or brownish ashy, blotched, spotted, and •crawled with grayUh brown, 2-15 x 1-60. Colonel Oo5S writes that tin- sj^iYs '• inhabits the salt- and fresh- water shores, marshes, and moist ground upon the [mtirics. It feeds 164: SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. upon Crustacea, insects, worms, larvje, 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. Lomosa haemastica (Linn.). HUDSONIAN GODWIT; RING- TAILED MAKLIN. 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 buft'y, 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. — Eastern 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 BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (252. Limosa limosa) inhabits the northern parts of the Old- World and is of accidental occurrence in Greenland. 254. Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.). 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. \V : i, tIM I'KKS, ETC. 1.;;, Few birds are flying; lulled by the ln/>, lap of the water, I hare almost fallen asleep, wht-n front fur up in the gray sky comes a soft, flutoltke whUtle, u-hni. u-fn'11-u-hm-irhi-u-irfiru, trhni, irhfu-tfhru. I re- •.|N>nd quickly, ami. lying mi my back, look eagerly upward. Not n liinl rjin be seen, l>ut tho questioning call grows stronger and is re- peated more frequently. Finally I ili-tiiiuui-h 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 swoop earthward. Thoir soft whittle has a plaintive tone; ttu-ir 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. 285. Totantu fhtvipec (tt<-l <>r streaked and sides barred with black; belly white, legs yellow. \\'i»t>r plumagt. — Similar, but upper part* brownish gray, the •idea of the feather* with whitish spots; tail-bant grayish; breast lightly streaked with ashy. L., 10-75; W., 6-40 ; Tar., 2-05; B., 1-40. Remark*. — This bird c!o*cly resembles the Greater Yellow-legs in color, but may always be distinguished by its smaller size. Knngt. — North America, breeding chiefly in the interior from Minnesota, northern Illinois, Ontario County, N. Y., northward to the aretie rcgi..ns; winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Washington, rather eniiiriinn T. V., Apl. t» May 15; Aug. to Nov. l.»i\e Nland, T. V., very rare in spring, ulmndmit in fall; .July 15 to Oct. 1. Situ; Sin;.', tolerably i uiion T. V. in full ; Aug. !i5 to Oct. 5. Cambridge, rare in •••rimion in Alii.', and early Sept. f'yy, three to four, l>utfy (variable as to shade), di>tinctly ' sometime* broadly) spotted or Notched with 7. Totanvt ockroptu) is an Old- World specie* which hat been recorded once from Nova Scotia. It resemble* our Solitary 166 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. Sandpiper, but is larger (W., 5-75), and has the upper tail-coverts pure white. 256. Tetanus solitarius ( M7fo.). SOLITARY SANDPIPER. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts olive-fuscous, with a slight greenish tinge, the head and neck streaked and the hack 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 ; FIG. 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 parte grayish brown ; head and neck generally unstreaked, and the back only lightly spotted with bully white ; breast streaked with brown- ish gray. L., 8-40; W., 5-25; Tar., 1-20; B., 1-15. 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 2;~, ; 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. Egg*, 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 oologists. 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 o WIM.ET. Ad. in sum- mer.— Upper parts brownish gray, the head and neck streaked, and the back bai»ed with black, and sometimes buft'y, 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 witli a few blackish bars; central tail-feathers ashy, indistinctly barred with blackish ; outer ones whitish, lightly M'l'll'KKS. |.;rr. mottled with graylah ; foreneek heavily atTMkod ; breast and side* heavily .nth -lark t.r"wni«h gray and more or IOM waahed with huffy; belly y white, with sometime* a few ban. H'inlrr plumayt,— Upper part* browoiah gray. unmarked ; tail without ban»; rump ami winga aa in the adult; breaat waahed with gray'wh ; belly white ; axillart black. L., 15-00; W., 8-00; ^ .,. AVi»i«.- Kaittoni North America, breeding from Florida to southern New Jeraey, and locally and rarely to Maine. Washington, rare T. V., Aug. Long Island, T. V., rare in May; uncom- mon in Aug. ami Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. fygt, throe to four, clay-color or buffy, thickly spotted with chocolate, chietly at the larger end, 2-10 x 1-56. Willets frequent both fresh- and salt-water marshes, shores, and beaches. If you \ i>it 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-unllet, pilly- will-irillet. All clay 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. 268a. S. s. inornate Drtwit. WESTERN WILLET.— Slightly larger than the preceding, and, in summer plumage, the upper part* are paler and lea* heavily marked with black ; the breast U less heavily streaked and more •uffuned with huffy, and the middle tail-feathers arc without black bare. In winter plumage the two forma can }»• distiniruiiihed only by the slight and inconstant character of size. W., 8-50; Tar., 2-.V); B., 2-40. Kange. — Western t'nitcd States, breeding from Texas to Manitoba; win- ters on the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. The Rrrr (KO. fotonetlla pvynax) w an Old- World s{x>cieH which occa- sionally wanders to eastern North America. It has been taken in Maine, MaaaachuActts, Ontario, Ohio, Long Island, and New Jersey. The adult male may be known by it* enlarged ruff', which varies in color from black, chest- nut, and rufous to huffy and whiti.»h. Tin- tVmalu is without a ruff, and ia otherwise very different from the male. The uppvr parts an- crnyish brown, the back, Mcapulars, and tertial* are broadly barret! with black, the outer tail-feathers are ashy, the inner ones are barred with huffy and black, the T»rea«t is ashy, wiv i black bars, the l«-lly i* white. In winter the u]-|~-r parts are light grayish brown with few or no bars. 6 L., 12-60; W., 7-50; Tar, . '.9 L., 10-00 ; W., «-00; Tar., 1-40; B., MS. 861. Bartramia lonj?icaudaY < /tti-kri.). HAKTRAMIAN SANDPIPEII; • I'IOVKK; Kit 1 1> I'OVKR. Ad.— Head and neck streaked with black hraccous-buff; back and wing-covert* ochraceous-buff, barred with black; tcrtiala olive, barred with black and margined with ochraceous-buff; primaries fuscous, the outer one barrel vitk irhit. ; inner tail-fcathera brown- Uh gray, outer onea varying from ochraceoua-buff to white, all more or leaa 163 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. barred with black ; breast and sides washed with buffy and streaked or barred with black ; belly white or whitish. Im. — Similar, but the ochraceous-buff is deeper. L., 1 1'50 ; 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. K., Apl. to Sept Cambridge, not common. T. V., Apl. 25 to May 5; July 30 to Sept 15. Eggs, four to five, creamy buff or white, spotted with reddish brown or chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1-80 x 1-30. % 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-ip, quip-ip-ip-ip, and their song, given from the ground, a fence, or even a tree, as chr-r-r-r-r- ee-e-e-e-e-e-oo-o-o-o-o-oo. 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 ( I'ieill.}. BUFF-BREASTED SAND- 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 hi-cmiiing butty, irregularly marked and tipped with black and buft'y; under parts pale ochraceous-bnff, tipped with whitish, and with generally concealed black markings. Im. — Similar, but the upper parts and breast paler. L., 8'50 ; W., 5-25 ; B., -80. Remark*. — In any plumage this bird may be known by the peculiar speck- ling on the inner webs of all the primaries, and also the markings of the under wing-coverts. Range. — " North America, especially in the interior; breeds in the Yukon SXII'KS >\M»IMI'KUS, F/IV. ilrtrict and interior i I,! : Ain.ri.-a; northward to the arctic court; Sooth America in wint M.-C in Kuro|f" (A. o. L'.). Long Inland, ntro T. V., Aug. ami Sept. Eyg*\ three to four, buffy grayish white, varying to pale olive-buff, boldly »|N>tt«d longitudinally land Mimewhnt -.p'trully » with dark Vandyke- or mad- • .wn ninl purplish gray, I'M x 1-04 (Kidgw.). Tiiis is a rare species on the Atlantic coast. Dr. Hatch writes of it as observed l>y luin in Minnesota: -They arc an extremely active - when <>n the wing, and essentially ploverine in ail respects, seeking .^iiuly, tmrrt-n prairies, where they live uj>on grasshoppers, «Ti«pkets. and in.-ccts generally, ami ants and their eggs specially. I have found them reporting upon minute inollnsks on the sandy shores of small and shallow jMinds. where they were apparently little more su-picioii- than tin- 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." 263. Actltls macularia ( / / a*. . SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Ad. in turn- mtr.— L'pjK-r {"art.-* l>n>\vni.»li irruy with u faint gruon'mh lii.-tt-r. tin- head and Meek ui"r<' ">r Ir.-o* >tn-uki-il, und the l>u<-k Kurred »r siHitt«-«-r parts )iri>wni.-h fray, with a greenUh t'm^'e, the l>U'-k faintly and wini;-e\\r\- white, unspotted, but sl'urhtly washed with frrayUh nn the lin-n-t. \\'int,r ]•• - 'nilnr, but back Irowncr and without bars. I. . 7 BO] \V . i ••_•.. ; Tar.. •'.»< : \\ "•.—North Ameri'-a n-irtli t-> Hudson Bay; breeds throughout its range; winters south ward to Hni/il. Washington, COIMIIKHI T. V., not common S. 1J., A]«l. "> to Sept. .",n. Long Inland, abundant S. K., Apl. I -imr Sinsr, <-ommi>n S. U.. Apl. 'J'J to Oct. 88. Caiubridire, <-<>mmon S. K., Apl. •_'•; to S<-j.t. Kyy*, four, creiimy l>iitT<>r white, thi.-kly sjxitted and s|H-«-kli-d with choco- Few Shore Uird< are more generally known than this widely dis- trilnited little Sandpi|N»r. It frequents the margins nf bodies of both fresh and salt water. l»ut is m-»re common inland on the shores of our rivers, |M>nds. ami lake*. I>urini; the summer it is practieally our only fresh-water Sandpiper, and is familiar to m»-t of us under its common names. It runs rapidly along the lieaeh. then pan-ing bobs, bows, and ; a most energetic manner. When flushed it takes wing with a sharp irfft-irrrf Mrr/-t/vW. and after a few wing-strokes scales over the water to tin- U a-'h Ix-yond. 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 ll'/7*. LONG - BILLED CURLEW; SICKLE-BILL. Ad. — Head and neck streaked, and back barred with bufty and black ; wing-coverts, inner webs of primaries, secondaries, and tail vary- ing from bufty 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. — United 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 larvae 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 Luth. HUDSONIAN CURLEW; JACK Crui.Ew. Ad. — Upper parts grayish brown, the sides of the feathers witli whitish spots ; rump and tail barred with bufly and blackish ; inner web of outer primaries and both webs of inner ones barred with bufty or whitish and black ; under parts butty or whitish, the neck and breast streaked and the sides and under wing-coverte barred with black. L., 17'00 ; W., 9-50 ; Tar., 2-20; B., 3-75. Range. — Breeds in the arctic regions and winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Long Island, T. V., rare from May 20 to 30; common from July to Oct. 1. Eggs, three to four, pale olive, spotted with dull brown, 2-27 x 1-57 (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 (fr>r*t.\ ESKIMO CURLEW; FUTK; DOUGH-BIRD. Ad. — Upper parts black, margined and tipped with buffy or PLOVERS. 1 7 1 whitish ; upper Uil-ooverta barred with huffy and black ; tail hrownbh arty, edged with huffy and barred with hlark ; primaries fuacoiu tcitkont bun ; uti I.T |«rU huffy or whiii»h. Uie hrea»t ntrrnkr4 x 1*43 (BUffw.). This Curlew U far more common in the interior than on the At- lantic coast. It is more of a field bird than cither of the two pre- ceding species, and frequents the dry uplands to feed on seeds and insects. Mr. G. II. Mackay, in his biography of this s)iecies,* 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 th.-ir 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 WHIMBRKL (Sff7. Xumeniut pkaoput), an Old- World upccicw, is of •oddental occurrence in Greenland. FAMILY CHARADRIIDJE. PLovraa 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 8{>ecies 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 fittnl fi.r 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. KIT TO Till SPECIES. I. T<>ea three. A. Back Bpotted or Mrcakcd with black and white, rufmi-s or golden yellow. 978. An. GOLDKH I'LOVEB. B. Back ashy, jrray, brown, or hrownimh gray. a. Kump rufous 273. KILLDKSB. b. Rump not rufoua. • The Auk. vol. Iz. 1«H. pp. !«-«. 172 PLOVERS. *>. Bill over -50. 6*. A black or brownish band on the breast . 280. WILSON'S PLOVER. 6'. No band on the breast ; back grayish brown, margined with rufous. 281. MOUNTAIN PLOVER. c». Bill under -50. t1. A black line from the eye to the bill. 274. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. c*. No line from the eye to the bill. 277. PIPING PLOVER. 277a. BELTED PIPING PLOVER. II. Toes four 270. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. The LAPWING (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 (Butcher, Auk, iii, 1886, p. 438J. 270. Charadrius squatarola (Linn.). BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER; BEETLE-HEAD. (See Fig. 25, c, 26, d.) Ad. ih 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. Im. — Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked, the back spotted with buft'y 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; Tar., 1-90; B., 1-10. 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 1-43 (Ridgw.). The following notes arc 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 tide 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. PLOVERS. 173 272. Charadrius domlnicn* Mull. AMERICA* GOLDEM PLOVER; GREEXBACE. Ad, in ntmm*r.— I'ppvr parts black, spotted and margined with golden yellow ; tail brownish gray, indistinctly barred with whitUh ; aides of th« breast white ; rat of the under parts, including aides of the head, black; under wing-coverts ashy. Winter plumagt.— Upper parts and tail fuscous, spotted or barred with whitish or yellow ; under parts whitish, more or lean streaked or barred with brownish gray. L., 10-50; W., 7*00; Tar., 1-60; B., -90. Btmarkt. — Immature birds are norm-linn* 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 alway* 'li.-tiiiirui.ih it Kanyt. — Breeds in the arctic regions ; winter* 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. Kyiji, three to four, ochraccouB-buff or huffy 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 II. Mackay's account of the habits of this species in The Auk, viii, 1891, pp. 17-24.) The ErROFEA!* GOLDEN PLOVER (S71. CharaJriut apricariut) occurs in eastern Greenland. It resembles our specie*, but has the under wing-coverts white instead of gray. 273. **.g««-Ht«« vocifera /./'./... KILLOEER. Ad.— Forehead, a spot behind the ••>•.. thnmt, ami 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 grayiiih brown tij-jH-.l with rufous; rump and upper tail-covert* niton*; inner tail-tVatln-rs grayish brown, outer ones becoming rufous and white, all tipped with black and white. 1^ 10-50; W., «-50; Tar., 1-85; B.. Kang*.— North America north to Newfoundland and Manitoba, breeding throughout its range; winters from the lower Misniwtippi Valley and Vir- ginia to northern South America. 174 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, butty 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 noUy, 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 kill-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 cry out at some real or fancied danger. 274. jiEgialitis semipalmata A'"/,tlnT. 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 roo/, pure notes of this little Plover. They may be written -jfcr— *-jJ -. A third, shorter note is sometimes added. I a whistled imitation of them takes me to the beaches. The RINO PLOVER (17~>. .fyinliti* kintii-uln), an OKI-World specie*, 'm found in (ireriiluiid. It in himilur to tin- |>rree.liiiif but slijfhtly laiyt r, tin- black bund <>ii the breast IB wider, and there U no web between the inner and middle toes. £77. JEg-ialitis meloda ( <>r,l). PHMXO I'LOVKR. Ad. in tvmwrr. \ i'i-«T 1-urt.H pale whitish u-hv ; t'.ir. In -:id, under part*, and a ring around the neek white ; front of tin- crown and a band on either side of the brca»t black; inner tail-lVutlu-r> t'ii.-,-.,u-, ,,ut< TOIH-S )><•.-. .mint; white. Winter plum- agt. — Similar, but the l>lu»-k n-]>lutvd by bruwni.th irruy. L., T'OO; V\ Tar^-85; B^ -50. Kanyt. — Eastern North AuifHoa, breeding from Virginia to Newfound- land; winters fr»rii Florida southward. Long Inland. m>t uiu-.>iiiiiioii S. K., Mch. through Sept Sing Sintf, A. V. Eyy*, three to four, creamy white, finely opottcd or speckled with choco- late, 1-24 x The Piping Plover resemMes the Ring-neck in habits but not in notes. Mr. J. II. Langille writes that it " can not be called a ' whistler,' nor even a ' pi|xT.' in an ordinary sonse. Its tone has a particularly striking and musical quality. (Jueep, qntf/1, qurep-o, or ftetp, peep, pt+p-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." 277a. JE. m. clrcumcincta /.v;if'i>m), a western sjxvies. is of accidental occurrence in Florida. The upper parts are trrayisli brown margined with rufous, the under parts are white tinged with huffy on the breast; in adults the front of the crown and lores are Mack. L., about V7">; W., '>'~'>; Tar., 1-50 ; B., -85. FAMILY APHRIZID^E. SURF BIRDS AND TURNSTONES. A small family of four species, three of which are found in North America, though but one of these visits our Eastern States. They are strictly maritime birds, frequenting only the seacoasts, where they prefer the outer beaches. Fio. 66.— Wilson's Plover. (Natural size.) Tt/Kv R i ATCIIKRS. 177 £83. Aremu-ia interpret (/.i«».). TIRXOTONK; BRANT BIRD; in tumm.r Ipper part*, including wingn, otrikingly variegated with rufous, black, and white; tail white at the bane, a black band near it* end, mid tipped with white ; t IIP -at un>l breast black and whit* ; U-lly white. Winter plvHutgt.— Upper parts blackish, Ixtrdcrcd with brownish gray or ashy ; lowerhaek white; l"ii/i r upper tuil-eovcrt* white, shorter onea black; tail as in the adult; throat white, breast black margined with white, belly white. T. ".-:.; 1! , 1-00. Jinny*.— Nearly c«*«m«>i>olitan ; breeds in the uretie region*, and in Amer- ica migrates southward to Patagonia. 'ungton, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, common T. V. May; Aug. and Sept. Sun: Si MI;. A. V. Ktjij*, tliree to four, elay-i-.ilor, blotched and sorawlvd with grayuth brown, 1-60 x li:.. This strirtly maritime species is found singly or in small flocks, generally on the outer beaches, where it obtains its food by turning over shells and pebbles in search of insects, crustaceans, etc. FAMILY HWEMATOPODID.K. OYSTER-CATCHERS. The Oyster-catchers numlxr ton sjiecies, represented in most of the warmer parts of the globe. But three species are found in North America, and only one of these occurs in the Eastern States. They are strictly maritime birds, and resort to the outer bars and beaches in search of clams, mussels, etc., exposed by the tide. Their strong bill is used as an oyster-knife to force open the shells of these bivalves. 286. Htematopus palliatua T,mm. AMKUK-AN <>VSTKR-<-ATCHKR. Ad. — Head, neck, and upper breast glossy black, back and wing-covert* olive- brown, secondaries white, primaries fuscous, upper tail-covert* white, base of the tail white, end fuscous, lower breast and belly white. Im. — Similar, but head and neck blackish and upper parts more or lots margined with buffy. L., 19-00; W., 10-50; Tar., 2-40; B., 3-40. Range. — Seacoaitta of temperate and tropieal Amerieii. from New Jersey and Lower California to Patagonia; occasional or accidental on the Atlantic coaat north to Massachusetts anuiiil. Washington, commaa I' l; •.••"iniin>n 1'. K. Cambridge, com- mon 1'. K. '. on the ground, in grassy field*. Egg», t«n to eighteen, white, 1'80 x •»&. Taking the old- World s|>eciesof the genera Culurnix and Caceali» as the types respectively of Quails and Partridges, neither of these lat- ter names ran properly be applied to our Colinu*, which should there- fore be known under the distinctive title Hob-white. During the nesting season Bob-whites are distributed in pairs through clearings and cultivated fields. The members of a brood constitute a bevy or covey, though occasionally two families or broods are found in one bevy. In the full they frequent grain fields, but as winter approaches draw in toward thickets and wooded bottom-lands, sometimes passing the coldest weather in boggy alder swamps. They roost on the ground, tail to tail, with heads pointing outward ; a bunch of closely huddled forms — a living bomb whose explosion is scarcely less startling than that of dynamite man u fact ure. Like most grass-inhabiting birds whose colors harmonize with their surroundings. Bob-whites rely on this protective resemblance to escape detection, and take wing only as a last resort Sometimes they take refuge in trees, but usually they head for woodrd cover, where they remain if the growth is dense, but if it is open they generally run the moment they touch the ground. About May 1 they begin to pair, and rival males may then be seen battling for mates like diminutive gamecocks. The name "Bob-white" originated in the spring call of the male. Mounting a fence or ascending to the lower branches of a tree, he whistles the two clear musical, ringing notes H»t>- irfi i te .' Sometimes they are preceded by a lower one which can be heard only when one is near the singer. After the breeding season, when the birds are in levies, their notes are changed to what sportsmen term "scatter calls." Not long after • bevy has been flushed and perhaps widely scattered, the members of the disunited family may l*> heard signaling to one another in sweet minor calls of two and three notes. Wh«-u eicited they also utter low, twittering notes. 289*. C. v. floridanu-s \ H-KIHA BOB-WHITE; QCAII. ; FAR- TRIPOK. — Similar t<> the |>retfdin^, l>ut .ttiiullcr, tin- plumage thn>uirli'>iit darker, the black of the back more cxtcnaive, the rump and UJ«IHT tail-coverta grayer. 180 GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, ETC. the black throat-band wider and sometimes reaching down upon the breast, the rufous-chestnut of the sides more extensive, the black bars of the breast and belly much wider. L., 8-50 ; W., 4-40 ; T., 2-50. Jianye. — Florida, except the northern border of the State. A common bird throughout the pine-grown portions of the Florida peninsula. It is especially numerous on old plantations, where it fre- quents patches of " cow peas." It resembles the northern Bob-white in habits, but is, I think, more inclined to take to the trees when flushed. 1 have seen a whole covey fly up into the lofty pine trees, where, squatting close to the limbs, they became almost invisible. They begin to pair early in March. The EUROPEAN or MIGRATORY QUAIL (Coturnir. cottiriti.r} bus been intro- duced into this country on several occasions, but does not appear to have sur- vived. 298. Dendragapuscanadensis /./«/'.. CANADA GROUSE; SPRUCE PARTRIDGE. Ad. $ . — Upper parts barred with black, ashy, gray, and grayish brown ; tertials and wing-coverts irregularly marked with fuscous and grayish brown; tail black, tipped with rufous; the black throat separated from the black breast by a broken circular band of black and white and a band of the same color as the back of the neck ; sides mottled with black and grayish brown, the ends of the feathers with white shaft streaks; rest of the under parts black, broadly tipped with white, except on the middle of the lower breast; bare skin above the eye bright red in life. Ad. ?. — Upper parts barred with black and pale rufous and tipped witli ashy gray; tail black, mottled and tipped with rufous; throat and upper breast barred with pale rufous and black ; sides mottled witli black and pale rufous, the ends of the feathers with white shaft streaks ; rest of the under parts black, broadly tipped with white and more or less washed with pale rufous. L., 15-00; W., 6-50 ; T., 4-75 ; B. from N., -40. Range. — From northern New Kiitrhind, northern New York, and northern Minnesota northwestward to Alaska. Rest, on the ground. Eggs, nine to sixteen, bully or pale brownish, more or less speckled or spotted with deep brown, 171 x \-2'2 (Kidgw.). This species is a common inhabitant of coniferous forests, and is generally resident wherever found. An excellent account of its habits is given in Captain Bendire's Life Histories of North American Birds, p. 51. 300. Bonasa umbellus <'/,/««.'). KUKFKD GROUSE; PARTIIIIM.K ; PHEASANT. Ad. $ .—Prevailing color of the upper ['arts rufous, much varie- irated with black, ochraceous. bully, irray. and whitish ; si.lcs of the neck with large tufts of broad, glossy black feathers; tail varying from irray to rufous, irregularly barred and mottled with black, a broad black or brownish band near the end ; tip gray ; throat and breast OohraceouB-buff, a broken blackish band on the breast; rest of the under parts white, tinged with buffy and GROUSK, BOB-WIUT! 181 barnxl with blackbili or dark grayish brown, the ham inn th« brewt mi 1 In-Ilv, *tr"ii_'i r "ii iii. -iiiva. Ail. 9 . -Similar, but with the neck tuft* very small. L-, IT'OO; W . II. fr-.m N M*f*.— Eastern t'nile.1 Suit*, I rot 1 1 Vermont to Virginia, urnl along the •tiauiw to northern (ii-.'iyia. mgtoii, ii"l oitiitiioii 1'. II. Sing Sin.'. • iin-m 1*. K. <'a!iiori>L'e, •n tin- groiin.l, at the base of a Mumj. <>r In-,-, or l-uu-atli t.ru-li. Eyyt> eight to fourteen, jmlo ochracuouit-huir, l-.'.j . 11.;. Of all tho characteristics of this >upcrb game bird, its habit of drumming i> perhaps tin- most remarkable. This loud tattoo begins with tho measured thump of the big thump — thump, thump; thump, thumjt-rup rup nip rup r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r. Tin- ><>iiinl is pnMhiced by the male bin! Ix-jitiii;? the air with his wings as he stands firmly braced on some favorite low jMTch: and it is iuw i|iiit(> well known to be the call of the male to the female; an annouinrmeiit that he is at the old rendezvous — a rendezvous that has perhaps >erved them for more than one season, and a place that in time becomes so fraught with delight- ful associations that even in autumn or winter the male, when he finds himself in the vicinity, can not n-i-t the temptation to mount his wonted perch and vent his feelings in the rolling drum-lmit that was in springtime his song of love. But now, alas ! there is no lady Grouse to come, shy but responsive, at the sound of his reverberating sum- mon*. There is good reason for .supposing that the Ruffed Grouse is po- lygamous, atid that the male, if he drums in vain at one place, will flj to another retreat and there seek the society of some more compli- ant female. The young Grouse can run about as soon as they are hatched, and can fly well when about a week old. Their mother is celebrated for the variety of expfdicnts>he put- in practii-e to save her brinxl from threat- ened danger, and their father has frequently l»ren known to divide the charge with her. The young usually continue with their parents till the following spring, though it is rare at this time to see moro.t!ian three or f..iir surviving out of the original twelve or fourteen. The food of this (iroiisu is largely insects and U-rries during the summer; in the autumn it adds seeds to the list, and when the ground is covered with snow the staples are catkins, leaves, and buds. Its toes are provided during the winter with a curious frin strong, horny |><>int> which act as snowshoes. In the northern part of its range this bird commonly burrows into a snowdrift to pass the night during the season of intense cold; but in the summer and in 132 GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, ETC. the warmer region of its range it roosts habitually among the thickets of evergreen. — ERNEST E. THOMPSON. 300a. B. u. togata (Linn.). CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE; PAR- TRIDGE.— To be distinguished from the preceding by the prevailing color of the upper parts, which are gray instead of rufous, and the more distinctly barred under parts, the bars on the breast and belly being nearly as well de- nned as those on the side ; the tail is generally gray. Range. — Nova Scotia, northern half of Maine, northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York northward and westward to Hudson Bay and Oregon. 301. Lagopus lagopus (Linn.). WILLOW PTARMIGAN. Ad. & in summer. — Prevailing color above rufous, or black thickly barred or mottled with rufous and buffy or whitish; tail fuscous, tipped with white; middle tail-coverts like the back ; throat, breast, and sides like the head and neck ; belly white. Ad. 9 in summer. — Similar to the male, but the bars both above and below broader and more numerous. Winter plumage. — Tail-feathers fus- cous as in summer, rest of the plumage white. L , 15-00 ; W., 7'50 ; T., 4-40 ; B. from N., -42; depth of B. at N., -44. Remarks. — Both this species and its subspecies alleni may be distinguished from our other Ptarmigans by their more rufous color and larger bills. Range. — " Northern portions of the northern hemisphere, south in winter; in America to Sitka, Alaska, the British Provinces, and occasionally within the northern border of the United States" (Bendiro). A'est, on the ground. Eggs, seven to eleven, varying from cream-buff to rufous, heavily spotted and blotched with blackish, 1-75 x 1-20. This abundant and characteristic arctic bird does not nest south of central Labrador, but migrates southward in winter to the St. Law- rence, and has once been taken in northern New York and once in New Brunswick. An extended account of its habits will be found in Nelson's Report on Natural History Collections made in Alaska, p. 131. It is quoted by Captain Bendire in his Life Histories of American Birds (p. 70), where will be found practically all we know concerning the habits of this and the following members of this genus. 301a. L. 1. alleni St<-/'n. ALLEN'S PTARMIGAN. — Differs from the pre- ceding in having the "shafts of secondaries black, and quills (sometimes a few of the wing-coverts also) more or less blotched or mottled with dusky. Summer plumages and young unknown" (Ridgw.). Range. — Newfoundland. " It frequents rocky barrens, feeding on seeds and berries of the stunted plants that thrive in these exposed situations" (Merriam, Orn. and 051., viii, 1883, p. 43). 302. Lagopus rupestris (£//«/.)• BOOK PTABXIOAK ; BOOKCB. Ad. 5 in summer. — General color above grayish, the feathers black basally ; head r."U \VIIITKS, i 183 urrl r».k !.»rr. •!. uinl back marked with mumr-i- tin.- wavy lino* of gny •lul whito <>r 1'iilly; contra! tail -feather* like the back, outer one* fuscous, generally tipp«xl witli white; Im-uM ami Mutcr on«» an in the male; middle of the belly white, rest of tin- under part* like the back, t.ut u itli more ochracoouB-butl. \VinUr plumagt.—tortt black, outer tail - fi-ut IHTN as in summer, rent of the plumage white. \\ . , H : 1!. IP-MI X., -35; depth :it X., '88. Kanyt.— u Arctic Anu-ri. u in ircneral, southeastward to the Gulf of St Lawrence (Anticonti», except the northern extremity of the peninsula of Labrador, and region tlieiiee north wurd, Greenland ami Aleutian Island* *' < 1'.. n.lire). , usually placed among the dwarf hru.-l. ->vercd patches of the tundraa. A':/:/', nix to ten, pule cream or yellowish )>utT, Hoiiietimca with a vinaceouu-rufoiw HutTiwion, netted and blotched with clove- l>rown or dark claret-red, 1-65 x 1-18 (.Heii-i.- •• In its general manners and mode of living it is said to resemble albus [ = L. lagoptu], but does not retire so far into the wooded coun- try in the winter" (B., B., and II.). 302a. L. r. reinhardtl < />-A;/<). GREEXI.AXD PTARUKJAN. "Sum- mer malt. — Similar to corr«'sjH.n»rre«l iitxive. S'limntr female. — Above chiefly black, this varied invjnilurly with pule frrayixh buff, mostly in f«>nn of borders to the feathers and Kpota al«>ni: their cd^cn, or occasionally imperfect bare, theae lat- ter rnoKt dUtim-t on win -lie two col ore are in about equal propor- tion; lower parts light grayUh buff, everywhere coarsely barred with black" (Ridgw.). Kange.— Northern part* of Labrador northward to Greenland. "They prefer more open ground, and rarely straggle even into the skirts of the wooded tracts. The hilltops and barrens (hence often called the Barren Ground Bird) arc their favorite resorts" (Turner). 303. Lagt>pus welchi Hr.icnt. WELCH'S FTARMIOAX. Ad. 6 in nmmtr.— Upper part* black, the head and neck barred with white and ochra- ceoua-butf. the bick and winjr-covorta finely and irrefftilarly marke«l with wavy line* of bufly and white; tail grayish fuscous, the middle furthers tipped with white; throat white, fun-neck like the hind neck, brcart and •idea like the back : n-st of the under parti* white. 9 .—Upper part* black, finely and irregularly barred with ochraccoun-buff, yrayi»h^ and white ; cen- tral tail-feathers like the back, others fuitcoux ; f-.mic.-k, brcaxt, and widen like the hind neck ; Mly white. \\'i,,t*r plvmayt.— White, tnil fus.-oiis, tho etntr,il feathers tipjied with white; lortt black. W., 7'25; B. from N., -W; depth of B. at X., -38. R*markt.—1\\\* specie* with L. r*f*ftri» is to )«• .li.-tiinruiahed from Layopm layopvi by the ochraceous-butf instead of rufous markings, the fine 184 GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, ETC. grayish wavy bars on the upper parts, and the smaller bill. For a comparison ofwelchi with rupestris see Auk, ii, 1885, p. 193. Range. — Newfoundland. Nest and eggs unknown. "According to Mr. Welch, these Ptarmigan are numerous in New- foundland, where they are strictly confined to the bleak sides and sum- mits of rocky hills and mountains of the interior" (Brewster, I. c.). 305. Tympanuchus americanus (Reich.). PRAIRIE HEN. Ad. $ .—Upper parts barred with rufous and black and spotted with rufous ; sides of the neck with tufts generally composed of ten or more narrow, stiffened black feathers marked with buffy and rufous, their ends rounded, the skin beneath these tufts bare; tail rounded, fuscous, the inner feathers somewhat mottled with ochraceous-buff, tip white ; throat buffy ; breast and belly white, evenly barred with black. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but the neck tufts much smaller and the tail barred with ochraceous-butt' or rufous. L., 18-00 ; W., 9-00 ; T., 4-00 ; B. from N., -52. Range.— Prairies of Mississippi Valley, south to Louisiana, west to north- ern Indian Territory, middle Kansas, Nebraska, and eastern North and South Dakota; east to Kentucky, Indiana, northwestern Ohio, southwestern Michi- gan, and southwestern Ontario; north to southern Manitoba (Bendire). Nest, on the ground. Eggs, eleven to fourteen, butfy olive, sometimes finely speckled with brownish, 1-70 x 1-25. " This familiar game bird inhabits our fertile prairies, seldom fre- quenting the timbered lands except during sleety storms or when the ground is covered with snow. Its flesh is dark, and it is not very highly esteemed as a table bird. " During the early breeding season they feed largely upon grass- hoppers, crickets, and other forms of insect life, but afterward chiefly upon our cultivated grains, gleaned from the stubble in autumn and the cornfields in winter ; they are also fond of tender buds, berries, and fruits. They run about much like our domestic fowls,' but with a more stately carriage. When flushed they rise from the ground with a less whirring sound than the Ruffed Grouse or Bob-white, and their flight is not as swift, but more protracted and with less apparent effort, flap- ping and sailing along, often to the distance of a mile or more. In the fall the birds collect together and remain in flocks until the warmth of spring quickens their blood and awakes the passions of love ; then, as with a view to fairness and the survival of the fittest, they select a smooth open courtship ground (usually called a 'scratching ground'), where the males assemble at the early dawn to vie with each other in courage and pompous display, uttering at the same time their love call, a loud booming noise ; as soon as this is heard by the hen birds desirous of mating they quietly put in an appearance, squat upon the GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, I 185 ground, apparently indifferent observers, until claimed by victorious rivals, win. h they gladly accept, and receive their caresses" (Goes). 306. Tymponuchus cupiclo /•««.). HXATII HEN.— Similar to the preceding. but the ».-iij>u!ar> l>r»udly tip|«-.l with )>utfy ; the neck tuft* of Uti than ten feather* ; theno feather* }••••• t.-l. imt round- J, at the ends. Kamyt.— Inland of Martha'.-* Vinrvurd, Mass. ;ik woods, among »pn>ui.s ut Uie base of a large stump" (Brew- «ix to thirteen," creamy buff in color, with a slight greeniah • In the early part of this century tin- Heath Hen was found locally throughout the Middle States, where, unlike its western representative, .lirie Hen, it lived in wooded districts. It is now re.-trieted to mil of Martha's Vineyard, an excellent illustration of the pro- tection afforded by an insular habitat Mr. William Hrewster, writing in 1800 (Forest and Stream, p. 188; see also p. I -uated that there were from one hundred and twenty to two hundred Heath Hens then on the island, but he has recently informed me that since then, owing to insufficient protection, they have been nearly exterminated. 308b. Pediocaetes phaeianellus campestris A'/.A/ir. PRAIRIE SfiARF-TAiLKi* CKOISK. .!•/. <$ . — rrcvuiliiifj e<«li>r i>f tin: UI>JKT parts ochra- eaoos-burT, barred and irregularly inarki-d with black; no neck tu/tt ; outer web of the primaries «i><>tu-«l with white; middlo tail-tVatlu-rs pnijt-etinif about an iiu-h beyond tho others, ochraceoiu-buff and black; throat buffy; breast with V-nha(>ed marks of black ; sides irregularly barred or spotted with black or buffy; middle of the belly white. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but smaller; the middle tail-feathers .shorter. L., 17.'."; W., 8-50; T..4-50; B. tn-n A"'iM:/#.---NVr!«t»Tii I'nited States from New Mexico northward to Manitoba, east to \YUroM-in iiii'l iiorthi-m Illinois. • •n the ground. //;/;/*, eleven to fourt<-en. <-rvnmy buff or pale olive- brown, generally slightly sjmtted with fine, reiMish brown markings, 1*65 x 1-22 (Bendira). This partially migratory species lives on the prairies during the summer and in wooded regions in the winter. A capital account of its habits is given by Krne-t !•'.. Thompson in his Birds of Manitoba. FAMILY PHASIANIDJE. PHEASANTS, ETC. With the exception of the Yucatan Turkey and the four races of our Wild Turkey, the some ninety species included in this family are inhabitants of the old World, and are nm-t numerously represented in southern Asia, where are found the IYa< •o.-k, many of the Pheasant*, and the Jungle Fowl, from which the varieties of our domesticated fowls have descended. 186 WILD TURKEYS. S10. Meleagris gallopavo /,/««. WILD TIRKEY. — The Wild Turkey mny be distinguished I'roin the common domestic race chiefly by the chestnut instead of white tips to the upper tail-coverts and tail. " 6 ad. L., about 48-00-50 ; W., 21-00; T., 18-50; Weight 16-40 Ibs." (Ridgw.). Range. — Eastern United States from Pennsylvania soutli ward to Florida, West to Wisconsin, the Indian Territory, and Texas. Washington, rare P. R. Nest, on the -ground, at the base of a bush or tree. Egg*, ten to fourteen, pale cream-butt, finely and evenly upeckled with grayish brown, 2-45 x 1-96. This noble game bird is rapidly decreasing in numbers, and in comparatively few years will doubtless be found only in the parts of its range which are unfit for the habitation of man. Except during the breeding season, Wild Turkeys are found in small flocks of six to twelve or fifteen individuals of both sexes. They roost preferably in the trees in wooded bottom-lands, returning each night to the same locality. At the opening of the breeding season in March the male begins to gobble. As a rule, he calls only early in the morning, before leaving his roost. Later he sails to the ground and at once begins his search for breakfast, or, attracted by the plaintive piping of some female, he struts and displays his charms before her. It is at this time that bat- tles between the males occur. They are polygamists, and the victor becomes sultan of the harem. During the period of incubation, and while the young require their mother's care, the females do not associ- ate with the males, who then flock together. The calls of both sexes so closely resemble those of the domestic birds that it requires a practiced ear to distinguish them. In locali- ties where both birds might be expected to occur, 1 could never be sure whether I was listening to the challenge of some defiant gobbler perched in a cypress in the valley below, or to the vainglorious effort of the lord of the poultry yard. The Wild Turkey is divided by ornithologists into four closely re- lated races. Meleagris gallopavo is the bird of the Eastern States; M. g. ofsceola, as stated below, is found in southern Florida ; M. g. ellioti inhabits southeastern Texas and northeastern Mexico ; M. g. mexicana ranges from western Texas to Arizona, and south over tho table lands of Mexico to Vera Cruz. It is this race, with white-tipped upper tail-coverts, which was first introduced into Europe, where it had become established as early as 1530. 310b. M. g. osceola S<-ntt. FLORIDA WTILD TI-RKF.V. — Resembles M. gallopavo, but is smaller, and the primaries, instead <>(' being regularly and widely barred with white, as in that bird, have much smaller, broken white markings. Weight, $ 12-22 Ibs.; 9 4'75-9 Ibis. (Scott, Auk, ix, 1892, p. 115) Jtang«.— Southern Florida. 1M' MI I'oVKSb 187 ORDER COLUMBJE. PIGEONS AND DOVES. FAMILY COLUMBIDAL PIQEONB AND DOVES. About one third of tin- three hundred known species of Pigeons and iKivivsiirv f"imd in the New World, but of this numbfr only twelve species occur in North America. The birds of this family differ widely in their du.icc of haunts. Some are strictly arboreal, others as strictly terrestrial. Some seek the forests and others prefer fields and clear- ings. Some nest in colonies, others in isolated pairs, but most species are found in flocks of greater or less si /e after the breeding season. When drinking, they do not raise the head as other birds do to swal- low, but keep the bill immersed until the draught is finished. The young are born naked and are fed by re-gurgitation. KIT TO THE UPECIEfl. A. Tail widely tipped with white or grayish white. a. Tail pointed. a'. Back or rump hluiah (date-color 315. PAWENOER PIGEON. «i'. Back olive grayish brown 316. MOI-RNING DOVE. b. Tail nquare 317. ZEXAIDA DOVE. B. Tail not tipped with white. a. Upper part* dark slate-color 314. WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON. b. Upper partu rufous with purplish rcrt« <-tions. b1. Line below the eye and belly white or whitish . 322. QCAIL DOVE. A*. Line under the eye and belly bully ochraceou*. 828.1. RUODT QUAIL DOVE. e. Upper part* grayuh olive-brown. A Crown blue, a white line below the eye. 323. BLL-E-IIEADKD (ji AIL I" .t <•. Crown pinkish or like the back 3-J<>. (ii:m M> I)H\K. 314. Columba, leucocephala. /.inn. WHITK-I KOWXKD PIGEON. Ad. 6.— Rich slate-color; crown white; hack <>f the head purpli.-h chestnut; back of the neck with greenuih rcflcetii>n.-. eai-h feather with a blaek Ix-nlrr. Ad. 9. — Similar, but paler; crown ashy, Iwu purplish chestnut: back and aides of the neck brownish ash with metallic reflections and black margins. L., 1S-50; W.. 7-60; T., 5-10; B., -70. liamjt. — Florida Key*, Went Indies, and coast «>f «'« ntral America. AW, in low huniica. Eyyt, two, glomy white, 1-41 x 1-02. This Pigeon is locally common in some of the keys off southern Florida, and has been known to occur on the mainland. According to Mr. J. W. Atkins (Auk, vi, 1880. p. 246), it arrives nt Key West early in May and remains until November. 316. Ectopistea mlffratoriu* (//'.<•) I 'AMENGER PIGEON. (Sea Fig. 28.) Ad. s .— Upper part* rich bluLth alato-color; back and sidea of the 188 PIGEONS AND DOVES. neck with metallic reflections; middle of the back and scapulars more or less washed with olive-brown; middle tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones black at the base, then slaty blue, fading into a broad, white tip ; under parts deep, rich vinaccous ; lower belly white ; throat bluish slate-color. Ad. 9 . — Simi- lar, but upper parts with less iridescence and more olive-brown ; breast pale grayish browu ; belly whitish. Im. — Generally similar to the 9 , but the feathers of the upper parts and breast tipped with whitish, the primaries edged and tipped with rufous. L., 16-29 ; W., 7'82; T., 7'53 ; B., 7'10. Konqe. — Eastern North America, northward in the interior to Hudson Bay. breeding locally throughout the more northern part of its range. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. or W. V. Sing Sing, formerly rare S. K. and common T. V., Apl. 15 to May 17 ; Aug. 21 to Oct. 11 ; last seen Oct. 11, 1888. Cambridge, rare and irregular T. V. Kent, a platform of sticks, in a tree. £ffgs, one to two, white, 1-45 x 1-09. Wilson, writing about 1808, estimated that a flock of Wild Pigeons observed by him near Frankfort, Kentucky, contained at least 2,230,- 272,000 individuals. Captain Bendire, writing in 1892, says : "... It looks now as if their total extermination might be accomplished within the present century. The only thing which retards their complete ex- tinction is that it no longer pays to net these birds, they being too scarce for this now, at least in the more settled portions of the coun- try, and also, perhaps, that from constant and unremitting persecution on their breeding grounds they have changed their habits somewhat, the majority no longer breeding in colonies, but scattering over the country and breeding in isolated pairs" (Life Histories of North American Birds, p. 133). An article by William Brewster on The Present Status of the Wild Pigeon as a Bird of the United States, with some Notes on its Habits (Auk, vi, 1889, pp. 285-291), gives much information concerning the recent history of the bird in Michigan, one of its last strongholds. According to an informant of Mr. Brewster's, the last nesting in Michi- gan of any importance was in 1881. " It was of only moderate size — perhaps eight miles long." The largest known Michigan nesting oc- curred in 1876 or 1877. It was twenty-eight miles long and averaged three or four miles in width. In the Atlantic States the Wild Pigeon is now so rare a bird that during the past sixteen years I have seen only one pair. 316. Zenaidura macroura (Linn.). MOURNING DOVE. Ad. 6 .— Upper parts olive, grayish brown; forehead vinaceous ; crown bluish slate- color; sides of the nec-k with metallic reflections, a small black mark belon- tli? enr ; middle tail-feathers like the back, the others, seen from above, slaty gray for the basal half, then bunded with black and broadly tipped with ashy and white; breast vinaceous; belly cream-buff. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but with less iridescence; breast and forehead washed with grayish brown. Im.— Pi- xii IH.VBS. 189 Much like the 9, but the feather* ti|.j*.| with whitish. I... 11 85; W., 5-7»; . -M. /frmanfc*.— The Dove in sometime* mintaken for tin- Wil.l I'i/. ..n. but, H.-I.L- from the differences in aiie, may always be tli.«tiiit'iii-!i.-.l l>y its olive grayish brown instead of bluish slate-color rump, the black mark below the ear, ami other character!. Htnyt, — North America, Im-cding from Culm north to Ontario, Quebec, and southern Maine, un-1 «int.-nn_' I'r-m .-..lulu-rn Illinois and New York to the Greater Antilles and Panama. Washington, I'. K. ; - HH..H. . vrpt in winter, v- union S. K., Moh. 3 to Nov. 27; a few winter. ('amt.ri.L'.-, occasional i luring summer in the immediate vicinity of Cambridge. Aiutf, a flat structure of small twigs rather l.«-i-ly put i.._'i th. r. on the lower branches of a tree, generally within t«-n feet of tin- ground; rarely on the ground in the Eastern States. /.<> vj-jt roads and lanes to dust themselves. The sweet, sad call of the male has won for this species its common name; it consists of several soft coos, which may be written : Coo-o-o, ah-coo-o-o — eoo-o-o — coo-o-o. Under favor- able circumstances these notes may be heard at a distance of at least two hundred and fifty yards; they are uttered slowly and tenderly, and with such apparent depth of feeling that one might easily imagine the bird was mourning the loss of his mate, instead of singing a love- song to her. At this season one or both birds may be seen performing a peculiar af-rial evolution. Ascending to a height of about thirty feet, they fly for some distance in an unnatural manner, and then, after a short sail, return to their perch. When engaged in this jwrformance they very closely reseinM'- a Sharp-shinned Hawk. After the nesting season Doves gather in flocks of varying size and frequent grain and corn fields. During the day they visit the near- est supply of fine gravel, which they eat in large quantities as an aid to digestion. ID some localities, soon after sunset, they regularly re- pair in numbers to some favorite place to drink, and then retire to their roosts. 317. Zenaida, zenaida lionap.). ZENAIDA DOVE. Ad,— Bears a general resemblance to Ztnaidum maerovra, but the tail is square and tip|««-.l with ashy, and the under parts are deep, rich vinaceous. K, 1(HX); W., 6-10; "; B.,-W. /• . Kl»ri