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BIOLOGY 

LIBRARY 

G 


THE  AMERICAN 
NATURAL  HISTORY 

FIRESIDE    EDITION 


VOLUME  III— BIRDS  (CONCLUDED) 


"  V 


\ 


VICTIMS   OF   THE   FEATHER   TRADE. 

Cock-of-the-Rock.  Greater  Bird  of  Paradise.  Resplendent  Trogon. 

Snowy  Egret.  Scarlet  Ibis. 


THE  AMERICAN 

NATURAL  HISTORY 


A  FOUNDATION  OF  USEFUL  KNOWLEDGE  OF 
THE  HIGHER  ANIMALS  OF   NORTH  AMERICA 


BY 

WILLIAM  T.  HORNADAY,  Sc.D, 

DIRECTOR   OF   THE   NEW   YORK   ZOOLOGICAL   PARK 
AUTHOR   OF    "TWO   YEARS   IN   THE   JUNGLE,"    "OUR   VANISHING   WILD    LIFE,"    ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  225  ORIGINAL  DRAWINGS  BY  BEARD,  RUNGIUS, 
SAWYER,  AND  OTHERS,  151  PHOTOGRAPHS,  CHIEFLY  BY  SANBORN, 
KELLER,  AND  UNDERWOOD,  AND  WITH  NUMEROUS  CHARTS  AND  MAPS 

WITH    SIXTEEN   PLATES   IN    COLOR 


FIRESIDE  EDITION 


VOLUME  III— BIRDS  (CONCLUDED) 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 
1914 


L  16 


BIOLOGY 

LIBRARY 

G 


Copyright,  1904,  by 
WILLIAM   T.    HORNADAY 


First  Publication,   April,   1904 


Copyright,   1914,   by 
WILLIAM   T.    HORNADAY 


Fireside  Edition  published  September,   1914 


SPECIAL  NOTICE 

The  publishers  hereby  give  warning  that 
the  unauthorized  use  of  illustrations,  charts, 
or  maps  from  this  book  is  expressly  forbidden. 


CONTENTS 

VOLUME  III— BIRDS   (CONCLUDED) 
CHAPTER  XX 

PAGE 

ORDER  OF  ODD  FAMILIES       ....     MACROCHIRES  3 

GOATSUCKER  FAMILY 4 

SWIFT  FAMILY 6 

HUMMINGBIRD  FAMILY 7 

CHAPTER  XXI 
ORDER  OF  WOODPECKERS PICI      11 

CHAPTER  XXII 

ORDER  OF  CUCKOOS  AND  KINGFISHERS     .  COCCYGES      22 

CUCKOO  FAMILY 22 

KINGFISHER  FAMILY  .  26 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
ORDER  OF  PARROTS  AND  MACAWS 


PSITTACI      28 


vin  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XXXIII 

PAGE 

ORDER  OF  TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS  OF  MID-OCEAN 

TUBINARES    233 

ALBATROSS  FAMILY 234 

FULMAR  FAMILY 239 

THE  TRAGEDY  OF  THE  LAYSAN  ALBATROSS    .      .      .      .      .      .241 

CHAPTER  XXXIV 

ORDER  OF  LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 

LONGIPENNES    249 

GULLS  AND  TERNS 249 

SKIMMER  FAMILY 256 

SKUA  AND  JAEGER  FAMILY 257 

CHAPTER  XXXV 

ORDER  OF  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

PYGOPODES    259 

GREBE  FAMILY 260 

LOON  FAMILY 262 

CLIFF-DWELLERS  OF  THE  SEA 264 

AUKS  AND  PUFFINS 268 

CHAPTER  XXXVI 
ORDER  OF  FLIGHTLESS  DIVERS   .  IMPENNES     273 


CONTENTS  ix 
CHAPTER  XXXVII 

PAGE 

ORDER  OF  WINGLESS  LAND  BIRDS      .      .     .     RATITAE  276 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS  ...  281 

THE  WAR  OF  EXTERMINATION 281 

THE  EXTERMINATORS  AND  THEIR  METHODS 290 

THE  REGULAR  ARMY  OF  DESTRUCTION 291 

MARKET-HUNTING 294 

THE  DIVISION  OF  MEAT-SHOOTERS 297 

THE  ILLEGAL  SLAUGHTER  OF  BIRDS 300 

BIRD-SLAUGHTER  FOR  THE  MILLINERY  TRADE 302 

UNSEEN  FOES  OF  WILD  LIFE  304 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


COLOR  PLATES 

Victims  of  the  Feather  Trade        .  Frontispiece 

Cock-of-the-Rock.    Greater  Bird  of  Paradise.    Resplendent 
Trogon.    Snowy  Egret.    Scarlet  Ibis. 


FACING    PAGE 


The  Passenger  Pigeon 86 

Roseate  Spoonbills  in  Full  Color 162 

The  Emperor  Penguin 274 

FULL-PAGE  PLATES 

PAGE 

The  Condor  of  the  Andes 81 

Mourning  Dove 93 

Pinnated  Grouse,  or  Prairie  Chicken 113 

Willow  Ptarmigan 121 

The  Mallard  Duck 169 

The  Pintail  Duck 181 

Red-Breasted  Merganser 197 

Trumpeter  Swans 209 

Florida  Brown  Pelicans,  on  Pelican  Island 215 

California  Brown  Pelican         219 

The  Cormorant 223 

xi 


xii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Black-Footed  Albatross 235 

Albatrosses  on  Laysan  Island  before  the  Great  Slaughter       .      .      .  243 

The  Herring-Gull  and  Common  Tern 251 

Six  Recently  Exterminated  North  American  Birds 285 

Great  Auk.    Eskimo  Curlew.    Passenger  Pigeon.    Labrador 
Duck.     Pallas  Cormorant.     Carolina  Parrakeet. 

Wild  Ducks  in  the  Wichita  National  Bison  Range,  1913  ....  295 
TEXT  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

TheNighthawk 5 

Ruby-Throated  Hummingbird 8 

Golden- Winged  Woodpecker 14 

Red-Headed  Woodpecker 17 

Downy  Woodpecker 19 

Yellow-Billed  Cuckoo 23 

The  Belted  Kingfisher 26 

Carolina  Parrakeet 31 

Skeleton  of  a  Bird  of  Prey  (Bald  Eagle) 35 

Barn  Owl 38 

Barred  Owls 41 

Screech  Owl 43 

Young  Screech  Owls 45 

Great  Horned  Owl 47 

Young  Great  Horned  Owls 48 

Snowy  Owl 51 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xiii 


PAOE 


American  Osprey 55 

Sparrow  Hawk         57 

Sharp-Shinned  Hawk          67 

Cooper's  Hawk 69 

Swallow-Tailed  Kite 73 

The  California  "Condor" 77 

Young  California  Vulture 79 

The  Band-Tailed  Pigeon 90 

Bob- White 100 

California  Mountain  Quail 104 

California  Valley  Quail 105 

Eastern  Ruffed  Grouse ' 107 

Canada  Grouse Ill 

Sage  Grouse 119 

Wild  Turkey,  from  Virginia 125 

Killdeer  Plover 131 

American  Woodcock 132 

Woodcock  on  Nest 132 

Wilson's  Snipe . 134 

Least  Sandpiper 135 

Whooping  Crane 141 

Virginia  Rail 144 

The  Coot .146 

Great  Blue  Heron    ,  151 


xiv  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Little  Green  Heron 153 

Great  White  Egret  . 156 

American  Bittern 158 

White  Ibis 161 

The  Flamingo 165 

Fulvus  Tree-Duck 172 

Black  Duck 172 

Gadwall:  Gray  Duck 172 

American  Widgeon 172 

Green-Winged  Teal 172 

Scaup  Duck 172 

Ring-Necked  Duck 173 

Barrow's  Golden-Eye 173 

Old  Squaw 173 

Harlequin  Duck 173 

Surf  Scoter 173 

American  Scoter 173 

Blue-Winged  Teal 177 

The  Shoveller  Duck 178 

Wood  Duck 183 

The  Redhead  Duck 186 

The  Canvas-Back  Duck 188 

The  Buffle-Head,  or  Butter-Ball 189 

A  Haven  of  Refuge 191 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xv 

PAGE 

American  Eider 194 

King  Eider 201 

Spectacled  Eider 201 

Steller's  Duck 201 

Ruddy  Duck 201 

American  Merganser 201 

Hooded  Merganser 201 

Canada  Goose 203 

Great  White  Pelican 221 

Snake-Bird 227 

Man-o'-War  Birds '   ....  231 

Stormy  Petrel 240 

Albatross  Bones  on  Laysan  Island,  1911 245 

The  Last  of  the  Loot 247 

Common  Murre 263 

The  Loon 263 

Common  Puffin 269 

Tufted  Puffin 269 

Rhinoceros  Auklet .      .  269 

Ceram  Cassowary 279 

A  Market-Gunner  at  Work  on  Marsh  Island 299 

Ptarmigan  Slaughter  in  the  Absence  of  Law,  Yukon  Territory    .      .  301 


BIRDS 

(CONCLUDED) 


CHAPTER  XX 
ORDER  OF  ODD  FAMILIES 

MACROCHIRES 

TT  7ITH  certain  exceptions,  the  different  Orders  of  American 
birds  are  founded  on  reasonable  grounds  and  built  up 
of  homogeneous  materials.  As  a  rule,  a  few  moments'  ex- 
amination of  a  bird  enables  one  to  name  the  Order  to  which 
it  belongs.  There  is  no  difficulty  about  the  birds  of  prey, 
swimmers,  fishers,  waders  or  woodpeckers. 

Unfortunately,  however,  Nature  has  turned  out  of  her 
workshop  so  many  odd  forms  that  it  has  been  found  necessary 
to  have  a  certain  number  of  Orders  for  them.  In  mammals 
we  have  seen  that  the  Order  Ungulata  is  of  this  character. 
In  birds,  there  are  two  such  Orders.  One  is  that  which  con- 
tains the  cuckoos,  road-runners  and  kingfishers,  and  the  other 
is  that  which  forms  the  subject  of  this  chapter. 

The  Order  Macrochires  means  literally  "odd  ones,"  and 
its  members  do  not  belie  the  name.  On  the  strength  of  cer- 
tain resemblances  in  anatomical  structure,  observable  only 
after  the  birds  are  dead  and  dissected,  our  hummingbirds, 
swifts  and  goatsuckers  (i.  e.9  birds  like  the  whippoorwill  and 
nighthawk)  are  grouped  together  in  this  Order,  in  three 
Families,  as  follows: 

3 


;4:  ;/;  ODD  FAMILIES 

ORDER  MACROCHIRES 


EXAMPLES 


GOATSUCKERS Cap-ri-mul'gi-dae ....  Nighthawk,  Whippoorwill. 

SWIFTS Mi-cro-pod'i-dae Chimney  Swift. 

HUMMINGBIRDS Tro-chil'i-dae Ruby-Throated  Hummingbird. 

THE  GOATSUCKER  FAMILY 

Caprimulgidae 

THE  NiGHTHAWK1  is  far  from  being  a  true  hawk.  It  be- 
longs to  a  Family  of  birds  which  have  soft,  owl-like  plumage, 
and  enormous  mouths,  fringed  above  with  a  row  of  stiff  bris- 
tles, for  use  in  capturing  insects  on  the  wing.  Many  years 
ago,  when  people  believed  many  things  that  were  not  true, 
some  believed  that  these  big-mouthed  birds  sucked  goats; 
hence  the  absurd  name  applied  to  the  Family. 

Whenever,  during  the  hour  just  before  sunset,  you  see  a 
good-sized  bird  with  dark  plumage,  long,  sharp-pointed  wings, 
and  a  big  white  spot  on  the  under  surface  of  each  wing,— 
wheeling,  soaring,  dropping  and  circling  through  the  air,— 
you  may  know  that  it  is  a  Nighthawk,  catching  insects.  Its 
flight  is  graceful  and  free,  and  when  on  the  aerial  war-path  it 
is  a  very  industrious  bird.  Some  people  compare  this  bird 
on  the  wing  with  bats ;  but  I  see  no  resemblance  save  the  bare 
fact  of  semi-nocturnal  flight.  This  bird,  and  the  other  mem- 
bers of  its  Family,  are  among  the  very  few  North  American 
birds  that  capture  winged  insects  high  in  mid-air,  and  for  this 
reason,  even  if  there  were  no  other,  all  the  Goatsuckers 
should  be  most  rigidly  protected  everywhere.  The  time  for 
shooting  the  Nighthawk  for  "sport"  (!)  has  long  gone  by, 
never  to  return. 

1  Chor-dei'les  virginianus.     Length,  about  9.50  inches. 


THE   NIGHTHAWK  AND   THE   WHIPPOORWILL 


When  this  bird  alights  upon  a  tree  to  rest,  it  chooses  a 
large  and  nearly  horizontal  limb,  on  which  it  usually  sits 
lengthwise.  As  it  sits  motionless  on  a  large  limb,  the  bird 
strongly  resembles  a  knot.  This  is  a  transcontinental  bird, 
being  found  from  the  At- 
lantic to  the  Pacific,  in 
wooded  regions,  and 
northward  to  the  Mac- 
kenzie River. 

THE  WnippooRWiLL1 
needs  no  introduction. 
It  is  more  than  a  bird. 
It  is  a  national  favorite. 

When  the  mantle  of 
night  has  fallen,  and  the 
busy  world  is  still,  we 

who  are  in  the  country  in  summer  often  hear  a  loud,  clear, 
melodious  whistle  from  somewhere  near  the  barn.  As  plainly 
as  print,  it  exclaims,  "  Whip-Poor-Will' '! '"  and  repeats  it, 
again  and  again.  Before  each  regular  call,  there  is  a  faint 
"chuck"  or  catching  of  the  breath,  strong  emphasis  on  the 
"whip,"  and  at  the  end  a  piercing  whistle  which  is  positively 
thrilling. 

Sometimes  the  bird  will  come  and  perch  within  thirty  feet 
of  your  tent-door,  and  whistle  at  the  rate  of  forty  whippoor- 
wills  to  the  minute.  Its  call  awakens  sentimental  reflections, 
and  upon  most  persons  exercises  a  peculiar,  soothing  influence. 
It  has  been  celebrated  in  several  beautiful  poems  and  songs. 

1  An-tros'to-mus  vo-cif'er-us.     Length,  about  9.50  inches. 


THE   NIGHTHAWK, 


6  ODD   FAMILIES 

The  range  of  this  interesting  bird  is  the  same  as  that  of 
the  nighthawk.  In  the  South  both  are  replaced  by  another 
goatsucker  called,  from  its  whistle,  the  CHUCK-WILL'S- 
WIDOW.  Until  actually  hearing  it,  one  can  scarcely  believe 
that  any  bird  of  this  Order  can  say  things  as  plainly  as  this 
bird  says  "Chuck  Will's  Wid-ow!"  The  Pacific  states,  from 
British  Columbia  to  Mexico,  and  eastward  to  Nebraska,  have 
the  POOR-WILL. 

THE  SWIFT  FAMILY 

Micropodidae 

THE  CHIMNEY  SWIFT,  or  CHIMNEY  "  SWALLOW,"*  has 
been  for  a  century  or  more  classified  with  the  swallows  and 
martins,  but  recent  studies  of  its  anatomy  have  caused  its 
removal  from  their  group.  This  is  the  bird  whose  nest  and 
young  sometimes  tumble  down  into  your  fireplace  in  spring 
or  summer,  and  cause  commotion. 

To  me,  the  nesting  habits  of  this  bird  seem  like  faulty  in- 
stinct. A  chimney  is  a  poor  place  of  residence  for  a  bird,  and 
the  habitants  frequently  come  to  grief.  If  the  aperture  is 
small,  the  householder  objects  to  having  the  chimney  stopped 
by  nests;  and  if  it  is  large,  so  many  Swifts  may  nest  there 
that  their  noise  is  an  annoyance.  These  birds  get  up  and  out 
before  daylight,  to  hunt  insects  that  fly  at  night,  and  doubt- 
less many  a  "ghost"  in  a  "haunted  house"  is  nothing  more 
frightful  than  a  colony  of  these  birds  in  the  chimney. 

This  bird  has  the  ability  to  fly  straight  up  or  straight 
down,  else  it  could  not  enter  or  leave  a  chimney.  It  is  quite 

1  Chae-tu'ra  pe-lag'i-ca.     Length,  5  inches. 


THE   HUMMINGBIRD   FAMILY  7 

an  aerial  gymnast,  and  feeds  only  when  on  the  wing.  Its 
flight  is  very  graceful,  and  both  in  manner  of  flight  and  per- 
sonal appearance  it  so  closely  resembles  a  short-tailed  swallow 
that  there  are  few  persons  who  can  distinguish  the  difference 
in  the  flying  birds. 

One  strongly  marked  peculiarity  of  this  bird  is  that  the 
tip  of  each  tail-feather  ends  in  a  sharp,  wire-like  point,  caused 
by  the  shaft  of  the  feather  being  projected  considerably  be- 
yond the  vane.  The  eastern  Chimney  Swift  ranges  westward 
to  the  Great  Plains.  On  the  Pacific  slope  is  found  another 
species,  a  close  parallel  to  the  preceding,  called  the  Vaux 
Swift.  The  White-Throated  Swift  of  the  Pacific  states  is  dis- 
tinguished by  its  white  throat  and  breast,  and  a  few  white 
patches  elsewhere. 

THE  HUMMINGBIRD  FAMILY 

Trochilidae 

For  twenty  years  or  more  the  exquisite  gem-like  birds  be- 
longing to  this  Family  have  been  persecuted  by  the  millinery 
trade,  and  slaughtered  by  thousands  for  hat  ornaments.  In 
the  European  centres  of  the  odious  "feather  trade"  the  traffic 
in  Hummingbird  skins  still  continues.  At  the  regular  feather 
auction  of  August,  1912,  in  London,  the  New  York  Zoological 
Society  purchased  1,600  Hummingbird  skins  at  two  cents 
each.  In  the  first  three  of  these  sales  for  1912  the  total  sales 
of  Hummingbird  skins  were  41,090.  In  1913,  by  an  act  of 
Congress,  the  odious  traffic  in  wild  birds'  plumage  for  millinery 
purposes  was  stopped  forever  in  the  United  States  and  all  its 
territorial  possessions. 


8 


ODD   FAMILIES 


THE  RUBY-THROATED  HUMMINGBIRD  1  represents  the 
Family  which  contains  the  smallest  of  all  birds.  When  the 
trumpet- vine  on  your  veranda  is  in  flower,  you  will  see  this 
delicate  creature  dart  into  view,  like  a  large-winged  insect, 


RUBY-THROATED   HUMMINGBIRD. 

and  poise  itself  easily  and  gracefully  in  mid-air  at  the  mouth 
of  the  most  conspicuous  flower.  Its  tiny  wings  beat  the  air 
with  such  extreme  rapidity  and  machine-like  regularity  that 
you  see  only  a  gray,  fan-shaped  blur  on  each  side  of  the  living 
bird.  It  holds  itself  in  position  with  the  greatest  exactitude, 

1  Troch'i-lus  col'u-bris.     Length,  3.25  inches. 


CHARACTERISTICS   OF  THE   HUMMINGBIRD  9 

thrusts  its  long  and  delicate  beak  into  the  heart  of  the  flower 
and,  with  the  skill  of  a  surgeon  probing  a  wound,  extracts  the 
tiny  insects  or  the  honey  so  dear  to  its  palate. 

As  the  bird  poises  in  mid-air,  the  sunlight  catches  the  patch 
of  brilliant  ruby-red  feathers  on  its  throat,  and  sets  it  aflame. 
To  make  up  for  their  diminutive  size,  and  give  them  a  fair 
share  of  beauty,  Nature  has  clothed  the  throats  and  breasts  of 
many  Hummingbirds  with  feather-patches  of  the  most  bril- 
liantly iridescent  colors, — ruby-red,  scarlet,  green,  blue  and  gold, 
—which  flash  like  jewels.  Others  again  have  long,  ornamental 
tail-feathers,  ruffs  and  other  showy  decorations  in  feathers. 

The  Hummingbirds  are  so  very  diminutive  one  never 
ceases  to  wonder  how  such  frail  and  delicate  creatures,  feeding 
only  upon  the  smallest  insects  and  the  nectar  of  flowers,  can 
make  long  journeys  over  this  rough  and  dangerous  earth, 
withstand  storms,  build  their  wonderful  little  nests,  rear 
their  young  and  migrate  southward  again  without  being  des- 
troyed. Of  course  their  diminutive  size  enables  them  to  es- 
cape the  attention  of  most  of  the  living  enemies  which  gladly 
would  destroy  them. 

The  nest  of  a  Hummingbird  is  about  as  large  in  diameter 
as  a  lady's  watch,  and  the  eggs,  of  which  there  are  two,  are 
the  size  of  adult  peas.  The  food  of  these  birds  generally  con- 
sists of  minute  insects,  many  of  which  they  find  in  large 
flowers.  When  at  rest,  perching,  the  average  Hummer  is  not 
beautiful  in  form.  Its  head  seems  too  large,  its  neck  and  body 
much  too  short  and  its  wings  too  long.  It  seems  top-heavy, 
and  as  if  destitute  of  legs.  It  is  on  the  wing  that  these  crea- 
tures look  their  best. 


10  ODD  FAMILIES 

What  Hummingbirds  lack  in  size,  they  try  to  make  up  in 
number.  There  are  nearly  five  hundred  species,  and  they  are 
found  only  in  the  New  World.  They  are  thoroughly  tropical, 
but  in  warm  weather,  and  the  season  of  flowers,  they  migrate 
as  far  north  as  Alaska,  and  as  far  south  as  Patagonia.  Our 
country  makes  an  acceptable  summer  home  for  about  sixteen 
species. 

The  Ruby-Throat  is  the  only  one  inhabiting  the  eastern 
half  of  the  United  States,  all  the  others  being  found  west  of 
Arkansas  and  the  Rocky  Mountains. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

ORDER  OF  WOODPECKERS 

PICI 

THE  Woodpeckers  are  the  natural  protectors  of  the  forests 
of  the  temperate  zone.  But  for  them,  tree-borers 
would  multiply  without  limit,  and  the  number  of  trees  that 
would  fall  before  the  insect  pests  is  quite  beyond  computation. 
While  the  robin,  the  thrush  and  the  warblers  take  care  of  the 
caterpillars  and  the  leaf-insects  generally,  the  woodpecker 
sticks  to  the  business  of  his  own  guild,  and  looks  after  the 
pests  that  attack  the  bark  and  the  wood.  The  tree-creepers 
assist  by  picking  off  insects  from  the  outside,  but  when  it 
comes  to  the  heavy  work  of  digging  borers  out  of  the  bark  by 
main  strength,  the  woodpecker  is  the  only  bird  equal  to  it. 

There  are  about  twenty-five  species  of  woodpeckers  in 
the  United  States. 

Usually,  the  long,  barbed  tongue  of  this  bird  is  sufficient 
to  spear  a  borer,  and  drag  it  forth  to  meet  the  death  it  deserves. 
When  this  will  not  do  the  work,  the  woodpecker's  claws  take 
a  good  grip  on  the  bark,  and  serious  work  begins. 

Do  not  think,  however,  that  because  a  rolling  tattoo 
beaten  on  a  hard  dead  limb  can  be  heard  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
that  the  bird  making  the  noise  is  working  unusually  hard. 

Quite  the  contrary.    The  loud  tattoo  is  a  signal,  like  the  "cer- 

11 


12  WOODPECKERS 

tain  whistle"  of  a  small  boy.  In  our  Beaver  Pond,  the  golden- 
winged  woodpeckers  sometimes  beat  on  the  galvanized-iron 
drums  which  protect  the  bases  of  the  trees  from  the  teeth  of 
the  beavers. 

When  a  woodpecker  is  working  hardest,  you  hear  only  a 
faint  "chuck!  chuck!  chuck!"  as  he  drives  his  sharp,  wedge- 
like  beak  into  the  bark  or  soft  wood.  Often  the  falling 
chips  are  your  first  notice  that  a  winged  forester  is  at  work 
aloft,  digging  out  and  devouring  the  larvae  that,  if  left  alone, 
bring  decay  and  death  to  trees. 

You  may  be  sure  that  whenever  you  find  one  of  these 
valuable  birds  at  work,  there  is  need  for  him.  To-day  a 
great  many  persons  know  their  value  and  protect  them.  Oc- 
casionally, however,  men  who  are  so  thoughtless  or  so  mean 
as  to  engage  in  the  brutal  pastime  known  as  a  "side  hunt," 
do  lower  themselves,  and  injure  the  landowners  about  them, 
by  killing  every  woodpecker  that  can  be  found, — for  "points." 
If  all  farmers  only  knew  what  a  loss  every  "side  hunt"  means 
to  them,  such  wicked  pastimes  would  not  be  tolerated. 

It  is  also  to  be  added,  with  deep  regret,  that  many  Italians 
who  come  to  America  to  make  new  homes  for  themselves  bring 
with  them  the  idea  that  it  is  right  to  kill  birds  of  every  de- 
scription for  food, — song-birds,  woodpeckers,  swallows  and 
all  others, — and  to  their  murderous  guns  our  most  valuable 
woodpeckers  are  the  easiest  prey  in  the  world.  A  woodpecker 
hard  at  work  trying  to  save  a  giant  oak  from  insect  destruc- 
tion never  dreams  of  being  treacherously  shot  in  the  back. 
For  all  such  bird-murderers  the  remedies  are :  first,  education ; 
then,  punishment  to  the  limit  of  the  law. 


THEIR  HABITS  AND  PECULIARITIES  13 

Although  the  woodpeckers  are  not  counted  as  birds  of 
song,  to  me  the  loud,  joyous  cry  of  the  flicker,  the  downy  and 
the  red-head,  ringing  through  the  leafy  forest  aisles,  is  genu- 
ine music.  One  species  cries  "Cheer-upl  Cheer-upl"  and  it 
cheers-up  and  thrills  me  to  hear  it.  Even  in  summer,  when 
other  birds  are  plentiful,  it  is  a  welcome  sound.  In  bleak 
winter,  when  the  great  bulk  of  bird-life  has  vanished  south- 
ward, and  you  toilsomely  tread  the  silent  forest,  ankle-deep 
in  snow,  the  world  seems  lifeless  and  drear — until  you  hear 
the  clarion  greeting  of  the  golden-winged  woodpecker.  It  is 
enough  to  stir  the  soul  of  a  Digger  Indian  with  a  pleasing  sense 
of  companionship  in  life. 

It  is  only  the  children  of  the  cities  who  need  to  be  told 
that  woodpeckers  have  two  toes  in  front  and  two  behind,  to 
enable  them  to  cling  to  tree-bark;  that  the  natural  perch  of 
such  a  bird  is  the  perpendicular  trunk  of  a  tree;  that  some- 
times they  store  acorns  in  holes  which  they  dig  in  the  sides  of 
decayed  trees,  not  in  order  that  worms  in  those  acorns  may 
develop,  but  in  order  to  eat  the  acorns  themselves.  They 
nest  high  up  in  hollow  tree-trunks,  which  they  enter  through 
round  holes  of  their  own  making.1 

It  is  a  good  thing  to  feed  wild  birds  of  all  species  that  are 
either  useful  or  beautiful.  The  woodpeckers  are  the  largest 
insectivorous  birds  that  remain  in  the  North  over  winter,  and 
they  appreciate  friendly  offerings  of  suet  or  fat  pork,  nailed 

1  Those  who  are  specially  interested  in  the  habits  of  woodpeckers  may  profit- 
ably consult  a  report  on  "The  Food  of  Woodpeckers,"  by  Professor  F.  E.  L.  Beal, 
published  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture  in  1895.  The  exact  proportions  of 
the  various  kinds  of  food  consumed  by  seven  species  have  been  determined  by 
examination  of  the  stomachs  of  several  hundred  birds,  and  the  figures  quoted  later 
on  are  from  that  report. 


14 


WOODPECKERS 


high  up  on  conspicuous  tree-trunks.  In  the  Zoological  Park 
we  put  up  every  winter  at  least  twenty -five  two-pound  strips 
of  fat  pork,  for  the  woodpeckers  and  chickadees  which  live 
with  us  all  the  year  round. 


GOLDEN-WINGED   WOODPECKER. 

THE  GOLDEN-WINGED  WooDPECKER1  is  my  favorite  of 
the  members  of  this  Order.  It  is  a  bird  of  good. size,  dignified 
in  bearing,  decidedly  handsome,  and  a  great  worker.  He 
loves  to  hunt  insects  on  the  ground,  occasionally,  but  is  very 
alert  and  watchful,  meanwhile.  If  you  approach  too  near, 
he  leaps  into  the  air,  and  with  a  succession  of  wave-like  sweeps 

1  Co-lap'tes  au-ra'tus  lu'te-us.     Length,  about  12  inches. 


A  BIRD  OF  MANY  NAMES  15 

upward  and  downward,  his  golden  wings  flash  back  one  of 
his  names  as  he  flies  to  safety  on  some  distant  post  or  tree. 
Unlike  most  birds  of  this  Order,  this  species  frequently  perches 
crosswise  on  a  limb,  like  a  true  perching  bird. 

This  is  the  woodpecker  of  many  names,  some  of  which 
are  Flicker,  High-Hole  and  Yellow-Hammer.  His  regular  call 
sounds  like  "Cheer-upl"  but  in  spring  he  gives  forth  a  call 
which  comes  very  near  to  being  a  song.  When  written  out, 
it  is  like  " 'Cook-cook-cook-cook 7"  At  that  season,  also,  you 
hear  this  bird  beat  the  "long  roll,"  on  a  drum  which  Nature 
provides  for  him  in  the  shape  of  a  hollow  tree  with  a  thin, 
hard  shell.  The  rapidity  and  force  with  which  the  bird  strikes 
the  blows  producing  this  sound  are  almost  beyond  belief. 

An  examination  of  the  stomach  contents  of  many  speci- 
mens of  this  species  showed  56  per  cent  of  insect  food,  39 
vegetable  and  5  mineral.  Of  the  insect  food,  ants  made  up 
43  per  cent  and  beetles  10  per  cent.  The  vegetable  food  rep- 
resented two  kinds  of  grain  (corn  and  buckwheat),  eighteen 
kinds  of  wild  berries,  and  fifteen  kinds  of  seeds,  mostly  of 
weeds.  Out  of  98  stomachs  examined  in  September  and 
October  only  4  contained  corn.  Practically,  this  bird  does  no 
damage  to  man's  crops,  but  destroys  great  quantities  of  harm- 
ful insects. 

The  range  of  the  Golden-Wing  embraces  the  eastern  half 
of  the  United  States  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where  it  is  met 
by  the  Red-Shafted  Flicker  of  the  Pacific  slope. 

THE  RED-HEADED  WOODPECKER1  need  not  be  described, 
because,  in  "Hiawatha,"  Longfellow  has  immortalized  it. 

1  Mel-an-er'pes  e-ryth-ro-ceph'a-lus.     Length,  9,50  inches. 


16  WOODPECKERS 

This  bird,  "with  the  crimson  tuft  of  feathers/'  was  the  iden- 
tical Mama  which  gave  Hiawatha  the  timely  "tip"  which 
enabled  him  to  put  the  finishing  touch  to  old  Megissogwon, 
and  so  end  in  triumph  "the  greatest  battle  that  the  sun  had 
ever  looked  on." 

As  a  return  for  this  kindness,  Hiawatha  did  the  one  mean 
act  of  his  life.  He  took  Mama's  little  red  scalp,  and  "decked" 
his  pipe-stem  with  it, — as  coolly  as  if  he  had  been  a  modern 
servant-girl  decorating  a  forty-nine-cent  hat. 

This  is  a  very  showy  bird,  and  recognizable  almost  as  far 
as  it  can  be  seen, — brilliant  crimson  head  and  neck;  white 
breast,  sides  and  rump,  and  jet-black  back  and  tail.  In  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  thirty  years  ago,  this  was  one  of  the  most 
common  birds.  Now,  thanks  to  man's  insatiable  desire  to 
"kill  something"  that  is  unprotected,  it  has  been  so  greatly 
reduced  in  number  that  it  is  seldom  seen.  It  is  an  omnivorous 
feeder,  eating  insects,  fruit,  beech-nuts,  corn  and  other  grain, 
according  to  necessity.  Its  cry  is  loud  and  far-reaching,  and 
sounds  like  "  Choor  !  Choor  /"  As  to  migrating,  it  seems  un- 
able to  make  up  its  mind  whether  to  become  a  "regular  mi- 
grant" or  a  "winter  resident."  Sometimes  it  migrates  south- 
ward during  the  early  winter,  and  sometimes  it  winters  in  the 
North. 

An  examination  of  the  stomachs  of  one  hundred  and  one 
Red-Headed  Woodpeckers  revealed  50  per  cent  of  animal 
food  and  45  per  cent  vegetable.  Of  the  former,  ants  made  up 
11  per  cent,  and  beetles  31  per  cent.  The  fruit  and  vegetable 
food  represented  five  kinds  of  cultivated  fruit  (strawberries, 
blackberries,  cherries,,  apples  and  pears),  and  fifteen  kinds  of 


THE   FOOD   OF  THE   RED-HEAD 


17 


wild  fruit  and  seeds.     The  insect  food  consisted  of  ants,  wasps, 
beetles,    bugs,    grasshoppers,    crickets,    moths,    caterpillars, 


RED-HEADED  WOODPECKER. 


spiders  and  thousand-legged  worms.  In  the  fruit  season  the 
Red-Head  undoubtedly  does  considerable  damage  to  fruit 
crops,  more  by  mutilating  fruit,  perhaps,  than  by  actual  loss 


18  WOODPECKERS 

through  fruit  wholly  consumed;  and  if  these  birds  were  as 
numerous  as  sparrows,  it  would  be  necessary  for  fruit-growers 
to  take  precautions  against  them  during  the  fruit  season. 
The  damage  done  to  corn  appears  to  be  quite  insignificant. 
(Professor  F.  E.  L.  Beal's  report.) 

The  great  fondness  of  the  Red-Head  for  beechnuts,  and 
its  habits  of  storing  them  up  for  winter  use,  in  holes  and 
crevices,  are  well  known. 

THE  ANT-EATING  WOODPECKER1  of  the  Pacific  slope  is 
the  most  conspicuous  and  interesting  bird  of  this  Order  in 
that  region,  either  around  the  suburban  home,  on  the  ranch  or 
in  the  mountain  forests.  This  is  the  species  which  is  now 
celebrated  in  word  and  picture  for  its  habit  of  digging  hun- 
dreds of  holes  in  soft  bark  or  dead  tree-trunks,  and  "storing" 
an  acorn  in  each  hole,  for  future  food. 

THE  DOWNY  WOODPECKER2  is  a  small  gray-and-black 
species,  modest  and  quiet  in  demeanor,  but  quite  as  common 
about  the  haunts  of  man  as  the  golden-wing.  It  is  the  small- 
est species  found  in  the  United  States  and  is  the  one  which 
is  most  in  evidence  in  winter. 

This  bird  ranks  high  as  a  destroyer  of  insects,  and  in  the 
percentage  of  insect  food  consumed  leads  all  other  wood- 
peckers that  have  been  studied  by  the  Biological  Survey  of 
the  Department  of  Agriculture.  An  examination  of  140 
stomachs  revealed  74  per  cent  of  insect  food  and  25  of  vege- 
table. The  vegetable  food  consisted  chiefly  of  seeds  of  the 
poison  ivy,  poison  sumac,  mullen,  pokeberries,  dogwood  and 

1  Mel-an-er'pes  for-mi-civ'o-rus. 

2  Pi'cus  pu-bes'cens  me-di-arius.     Length,  7  inches. 


VALUABLE   TO  THE   FARMER  19 

woodbine.     The    fruits    consisted    of    service-berries,    straw- 
berries and  apples. 

Apparently  this  bird  is  almost  worth  its  weight  in  gold  to 
the  farmer  \vho  has  valuable  trees  and  fruit;    and  in  winter 


DOWNY  WOODPECKER. 

the  farmer  who  is  wise  will  put  up  suet,  fat  pork  and  bones 

bearing  some  raw  meat,  on  the  trees  in  his  orchard  and  woods. 

THE  HAIRY  WOODPECKER1  is  so  close  a  counterpart  of  the 

downy,  in  appearance  and  habits,  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  de- 

1  Dry-o-ba'tes  vil-lo'sw.     Length,  10.50  inches. 


20  WOODPECKERS 

scribe  both.  The  former  is  larger,  but  its  rank  as  an  insect 
exterminator  is  a  little  lower.  Its  proportion  of  insect  food 
is  68  per  cent,  and  vegetable  31  per  cent.  Of  the  former, 
ants  make  up  17  per  cent,  beetles  24  per  cent  and  caterpillars 

21  per  cent.     The  only  cultivated  fruits  found  in  82  stomachs 
were  blackberries;   but  wild  fruits  were  well  represented. 

This  bird  inhabits  practically  the  same  region  as  the  downy 
woodpecker,  and  belongs  in  the  ranks  of  the  farmer's  best 
friends. 

THE  YELLOW-BELLIED  SAPSUGKER1  is  practically  the  only 
woodpecker  which  inflicts  serious  damage  upon  man's  prop- 
erty; and  possibly  it  may  in  some  localities  become  so  numer- 
ous as  to  require  thinning  out.  Any  bird  which  deliberately 
girdles  a  tree  and  kills  it  is  a  bird  entitled  to  serious  considera- 
tion, and  to  punishment  according  to  the  actual  harm  it  does. 

This  bird  eats  great  quantities  of  insects,  but  as  dessert  it 
is  fond  of  the  sap  of  certain  trees,  among  which  are  the  maple, 
birch,  white  ash,  apple,  mountain  ash  and  spruce.  Into  the 
soft,  green  bark  of  these  trees  this  Sapsucker  drills  small, 
squarish  holes,  that  look  like  gimlet  holes.  Usually  they  are 
placed  in  a  horizontal  line,  and  sometimes  in  mathematical 
groups.  Occasionally  several  lines  of  these  holes  will  quite 
girdle  a  tree.  The  bird  not  only  drinks  the  sap  that  exudes, 
but  he  lies  in  wait  to  catch  the  winged  insects  and  ants  that 
are  attracted  to  the  sweet  fluid,  and  devours  great  numbers  of 
them. 

Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  who  has  closely  observed  the  work 
of  the  Sapsucker,  states  that  frequently  mountain -ash  trees 

1  Sphy-ra-pi'cus  va'ri-us.     Length,  8.25  inches. 


THE   SAPSUCKER  21 

are  girdled  to  death  by  this  bird,  but  that  trees  of  greater 
endurance,  like  the  apple  and  thorn-apple,  are  more  able  to 
survive  its  attacks.  Another  observer,  Mr.  Frank  Bolles, 
declares  that  in  well-wooded  regions  the  damage  it  does  is  too 
insignificant  to  justify  its  destruction.  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood 
Wright  states  that  in  Connecticut,  "where  these  birds  are 
plentiful,  many  orchard-owners  cover  the  tree-trunks  with 
fine  wire  netting." 

:<This  species,"  says  Professor  Beal,  "is  probably  the 
most  migratory  of  all  our  woodpeckers,  breeding  only  in  the 
most  northerly  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  in  some  of  the 
mountains  farther  south.  In  the  fall  it  ranges  southward, 
spending  the  winter  in  most  of  the  eastern  states.  It  is  less 
generally  distributed  than  some  of  the  other  woodpeckers, 
being  quite  unknown  in  some  sections,  and  very  abundant  in 
others." 

In  its  general  color  scheme  this  is  a  bird  of  many  and  much- 
mixed  colors — black,  white  and  yellowish  indescribably  varied 
—both  above  and  below.  The  top  of  the  head  and  the  throat 
are  bright  red;  and  the  sides  of  the  head  have  two  broad 
streaks  of  white,  and  two  of  black.  The  name  of  the  bird  is 
derived  from  the  predominating  greenish-yellow  color  of  its 
breast  and  abdomen. 

The  Pacific  coast  has  the  Red-Naped  Sapsucker,  a  sub- 
species of  the  above,  of  similar  tree-girdling  habits;  the  Red- 
Breasted  Sapsucker,  one  of  the  commonest  woodpeckers  found 
from  Oregon  to  Lower  California,  and  two  others — the 
Northern  Red-Breasted  and  Williamson's. 


CHAPTER  XXII 
ORDER  OF   CUCKOOS  AND  KINGFISHERS 

COCCYGES 

THIS  Order  (pronounced  Coc'si-jez)  represents  an  effort 
to  find  a  place  for  three  familiar  Families  of  birds  whose 
members  have  something  in  common,  yet  in  their  most  notice- 
able features  are  widely  different.  Both  in  their  structure, 
habits  and  mode  of  life,  the  kingfisher  and  cuckoo  are  widely 
different  from  each  other;  and  if  there  is  one  really  good 
reason  why  these  birds  should  be  placed  in  the  same  Order, 
the  writer  would  be  pleased  to  have  it  pointed  out.  Their 
feet  are  totally  different,  and  so  are  their  beaks,  their  tails  and 
their  plumage.  Any  future  revision  of  the  classification  of 
birds  should  strike  this  Order,  early  and  hard. 

THE  CUCKOO  FAMILY 

Cuculidae 

THE  YELLOW-BILLED  CucKoo,1  or  "RAIN-CROW,"  will 
fitly  represent  the  Cuckoo  Family.  It  looks  like  an  insect- 
eating  perching  bird,  and  in  reality  it  is  one !  You  can  easily 
recognize  it  by  its  extreme  length  and  slenderness,  the  fan- 
like  shape  of  its  tail  when  spread,  its  upper  surface  of  glossy 

1  Coc-cy'zus  americanus.     Length,  about  12  inches. 
22 


THE  YELLOW-BILLED   CUCKOO 


drab — or  gray -brown — and  its  white  under  surface  from  throat 
to  tail.  To  carry  out  this  color  scheme  to  its  logical  se- 
quence, the  upper  mandible  is  dusky  brown  and  the  lower 
one  is  yellow. 

This  bird  derives  one  of  its  common  names — Rain-" Crow" 
—from  the  fact  that  its  peculiar  cry  is  heard  oftenest  on  still 
and  cloudy  summer 
days — two  conditions 
wrhich  to  the  weather- 
wise  farmer  always  por- 
tend rain.  Its  cry  is  a 
weird,  gurgling  note 
which  sounds  like 
ft  Cowk-cowk-cowk- 
cowk!"  and  usually  it 
comes  from  the  heart 
of  a  thick  bush  or  tree 
which  effectually  screens  the  bird.  It  seems  to  be  fully  aware  of 
the  dangers  which  beset  all  birds  which  attempt  to  live  in  the 
open  with  civilized  man,  for  it  lives  amid  the  forest  shadows. 

This  bird,  and  also  its  twin  species,  the  BLACK-BILLED 
CUCKOO,  lives  almost  wholly  upon  insects.  Of  155  Cuckoo 
stomachs  examined  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  only 
one  contained  any  vegetable  food — two  small  berries.  Nearly 
half  the  Cuckoo's  food  proved  to  be  caterpillars,  2,771  of 
which  were  found  in  129  stomachs.  It  was  not  uncommon 
for  one  bird  to  contain  more  than  100  of  them.  "During 
May  and  June,  when  tent-caterpillars  are  defoliating  the  fruit 
trees,  these  insects  constitute  half  of  the  Cuckoo's  food." 


YELLOW-BILLED  CUCKOO. 


24  CUCKOOS  AND  KINGFISHERS 

The  stomachs  examined  contained  remains  of  sixty-five 
species  of  insects,  in  the  following  percentages:  beetles,  6; 
bugs,  6K;  grasshoppers,  30;  caterpillars,  48^;  other  insects, 
such  as  web-worms,  tussock-moths,  army-worms  and  moth 
larvae,  9. 

From  the  results  of  this  investigation  it  is  clear  that  our 
two  species  of  Cuckoo  are  to  be  numbered  with  the  farmers' 
best  friends  among  birds.  As  an  estimate,  I  should  say  that 
each  of  these  birds  that  enters  a  section  devoted  to  farming 
and  fruit-growing  is  worth  to  that  section  about  $10  per 
season.  The  charge  that  Cuckoos  devour  the  eggs,  or  egg- 
shells, of  other  birds  was  proven  by  the  finding  of  shells  "in 
several  stomachs,  but  only  in  very  small  quantities — no  more 
than  was  found  in  the  stomachs  of  nearly  every  species  that 
has  been  examined."  Thus  the  offence  charged  proves  to  be 
too  trivial  to  consider. 

The  Yellow-Billed  Cuckoo  inhabits  the  eastern  half  of  the 
United  States  to  the  Great  Plains,  and  the  Black-Billed 
ranges  westward  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  from  Canada  to 
the  tropics.  From  the  Rockies  to  the  Pacific,  and  up  to  Brit- 
ish Columbia,  is  found  the  California  Cuckoo,  a  close  counter- 
part of  the  Yellow-Billed  species. 

THE  ROAD-RUNNER,  or  CHAPARRAL  CocK,1  is  a  very 
strange  bird;  and  many  strange  "yarns"  have  been  told  of 
it.  It  is  remarkably  odd  in  form,  and  also  in  its  habits.  It 
is  about  the  size  of  a  small  crow,  with  a  tail  as  long  as  its  en- 
tire body  and  head,  and  legs  that  are  so  long  and  strong  they 
seem  like  those  of  a  grouse,  save  that  the  toes  are  longer. 

1  Ge-o-coc'cyx  cal-i-for-ni-an'us.     Length,  21  to  23  inches. 


A  STRANGE  BIRD  25 

The  body  is  slender,  but  the  neck  and  head  are  large,  and  the 
head  has  a  conspicuous  crest.  The  beak  is  large.  Although 
this  bird  has  wings,  it  seldom  uses  them,  and  they  must  be 
constantly  growing  smaller  through  disuse. 

This  strange  bird  is  a  habitant  of  the  Southwest,  from 
Texas  to  southern  California  and  southward,  and  lives  on  the 
ground,  in  the  low,  dry  brush  which  is  called  chaparral  (shap- 
a-ral').  It  feeds  upon  every  living  thing  inhabiting  that 
region  which  it  can  catch  and  swallow — mice,  lizards,  small 
snakes,  centipedes  and  insects.  It  is  one  of  the  most  nervous 
birds  imaginable — suspicious  of  everything  that  moves,  and 
ready  to  make  off  without  stopping  to  reason  why. 

It  exhibits  a  decided  preference  for  the  smooth  trails  and 
paths  through  its  beloved  chaparral,  and  when  alarmed  it 
does  not  rise  and  fly,  but  makes  off  running,  in  the  trail.  It 
runs  with  great  swiftness  and  seeming  ease,  but  Dr.  D.  T. 
MacDougal  has  been  informed  that  Mexican  boys  sometimes 
run  them  down,  on  foot,  and  either  kill  them  with  sticks  or 
catch  them  alive. 

This  bird  is  also  great  at  leaping,  as  we  have  seen  in  keep- 
ing it  in  captivity.  Instead  of  flying  to  the  top  of  a  cedar- 
tree  perch  six  feet  high,  and  down  again,  it  always  leaps,  with 
closed  wings;  but  in  leaping  up  it  prefers  to  take  a  short  run 
to  acquire  momentum.  If  this  bird  goes  on  ten  thousand 
years  in  its  present  habits,  by  the  end  of  that  period  its  de- 
scendants probably  will  be  without  the  power  of  flight,  but 
provided  with  legs  and  feet  so  strong  and  full  of  spring  that 
they  can  leap  twenty  feet. 


CUCKOOS  AND  KINGFISHERS 


THE  KINGFISHER  FAMILY 

Alcedinidae 

This  family  is  widely  and  beautifully  represented  in  the 
Malay  Archipelago,  but  only  three  species  are  found  in  the 
United  States.  The  BELTED  KiNGFisHER1  is  of  almost  uni- 
versal distribution  throughout  North  America,  from  the  Arc- 


THE   BELTED   KINGFISHER. 

tic  Barren  Grounds  to  Panama  and  the  West  Indies.  Go 
where  you  will,  in  its  season,  where  small  fish  abide,  there 
will  you  find  it.  It  is  dignified,  handsome,  alert  and  a  true 
sportsman.  Its  favorite  perch  is  a  dead  limb  over  still  water, 
from  which  it  can  command  a  wide  view,  and  swoop  to  the 
surface  of  the  water  in  five  seconds  of  time.  You  will  know 
it  by  its  bright-blue  upper  surface;  high  and  saucy  crest;  long, 
dagger-like  beak;  white  under  surface  and  broad  belt  of  blue 

1  Cer'y-le  al'cy-on.     Length,  about  12  inches. 


THE  BELTED  KINGFISHER  27 

around  the  upper  breast.  Its  cry  is  a  metallic  rattle,  like 
"Churr-r-r-r-r-r!"  and  its  food  is  small  fish.  It  nests  in  a 
hole  dug  several  feet  horizontally  into  a  perpendicular  bank 
of  earth,  near  water,  or  in  a  hollow  tree. 

Now  and  then  complaints  are  uttered  against  our  old 
belted  friend,  because  he  catches  and  eats  small  fishes,  quite 
as  if  some  one  grudged  him  his  daily  food.  All  such  complaints 
are  totally  unworthy  of  real  men,  and  I  trust  that  as  long  as 
our  country  endures,  we  will  hear  no  more  of  them.  When  this 
country  becomes  too  poor,  or  too  mean,  to  support  the  few 
kingfishers  that  remain  in  it,  it  will  be  time  for  all  Americans  to 
emigrate. 

The  feather  millinery  trade  has  been  very  destructive  to 
the  kingfishers.  At  the  first  feather  auction  in  London  fol- 
lowing the  closing  of  the  American  market  on  October  4, 
1913,  22,810  skins  of  kingfishers  were  returned  to  their  owners 
because  they  could  not  be  sold.  But  for  our  new  law,  those 
skins  would  probably  have  been  consumed  in  our  country  as 
hat  ornaments. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
ORDER  OF  PARROTS  AND  MACAWS 

PSITTACI 

^T^HE  parrots,  parrakeets,  macaws  and  cockatoos  form  a 
•*•  large  group,  containing  in  all  more  than  500  species.  Of 
these,  about  150  inhabit  the  New  World,  but  only  one  species 
is  found  in  the  United  States.  South  America  contains  the 
greatest  number  of  species;  Africa  and  Asia  are  but  poorly 
supplied,  and  Europe  has  none.  The  widest  departures 
from  the  standard  types  are  found  in  New  Zealand  and 
Australia. 

Although  these  birds  are  by  nature  thoroughly  tropical, 
some  of  them  range  far  into  the  temperate  zones.  This 
Order  contains  a  larger  proportion  of  beautifully  colored  birds 
than  any  other.  Among  the  parrots,  parrakeets,  macaws  and 
lories,  there  is  a  lavish  display  of  brilliant  scarlet,  crimson, 
blue,  green,  yellow  and  purple,  while  all  save  a  few  of  the 
cockatoos  are  snowy  white. 

The  members  of  this  Order  are  specially  distinguished  by 
their  bills  and  feet.  Of  the  former,  the  lower  mandible  is  a 
short  but  powerful  gouge,  while  the  upper  mandible  is  a  big 
hook,  with  a  thick  and  heavy  base,  and  a  long,  sharp  point. 

The  foot  of  a  bird  of  this  Order  is  evenly  divided,  with  the 

28 


VARIETIES  OF  PARROTS  29 

second  and  third  toes  pointing  forward,  and  the  first  and 
fourth  pointing  back.  The  tails  of  most  parrots  are  rather 
short,  and  square  at  the  end,  and  the  legs  are  very  short. 
With  but  one  or  two  exceptions,  all  the  500  species  of  this 
Order  feed  upon  fruit,  seeds  and  flowers. 

THE  PARROTS  are  celebrated  by  reason  of  the  natural  in- 
clination of  some  species  to  mimicry,  and  their  ability  to  learn 
to  talk.  They  are  naturally  sedate  and  observant,  possess 
excellent  memories  and  are  fond  of  the  companionship  of 
man.  The  broad,  fleshy  tongue  of  a  parrot  renders  possible 
the  articulation  of  many  vocal  sounds,  and  when  a  certain 
phrase  is  endlessly  repeated  to  a  parrot  that  is  secluded  from 
other  sounds,  the  bird  is  sometimes  moved  to  remember  and 
repeat  it.  The  African  Gray  Parrot  is  the  most  celebrated 
talker,  and  its  value  is  from  $15  upward.  Next  in  rank  comes 
the  Mexican  Double  Yellow-Head,  although  the  Carthagena 
Parrot,  being  a  good  talker  and  a  more  hardy  bird,  is  rapidly 
becoming  more  popular.  Of  both  these  species,  the  price  in 
the  New  York  bird-stores  is  from  $10  to  $12. 

The  parrot  of  the  most  remarkable  habits  is  the  KEA,  of 
New  Zealand,  a  bird  with  very  large  and  strong  feet,  which 
not  only  loves  fresh  mutton,  but  sometimes  kills  sheep  on  its 
own  account,  for  food  purposes. 

THE  PARRAKEETS  are  really  small,  trim-built  parrots,  with 
long,  sharp-pointed  tails.  Excepting  the  Thick-Billed  Par- 
rot, which  has  been  seen  in  southern  Arizona,  this  Family  con- 
tains the  only  member  of  the  Order  Psittaci  which  inhabits 
the  United  States.  The  CAROLINA  PARRAKEET*  once  ranged 

1  Co-nu'rus  carolinensis.     Length,  about  12  inches. 


30  PARROTS  AND  MACAWS 

northward  in  summer  to  Maryland,  Lake  Erie  and  Iowa,  and 
as  far  west  as  Colorado;  but  now  all  that  is  only  so  much 
history.  To  this  charming  little  green-and-yellow  bird,  we 
are  in  the  very  act  of  bidding  everlasting  farewell.  Ten 
specimens  remain  alive  in  captivity,  six  of  which  are  in  the 
Cincinnati  Zoological  Garden,  three  are  in  the  Washington 
Zoological  Park  and  one  is  in  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park. 

Regarding  wild  specimens,  it  is  possible  that  some  yet  re- 
main in  some  obscure  and  neglected  corner  of  Florida;  but 
it  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  the  world  ever  will  find  any 
of  them  alive.  Mrs.  Minnie  Moore  Willson,  of  Kissimee, 
Florida,  reports  the  species  as  totally  extinct  in  Florida. 
Unless  we  would  strain  at  a  gnat,  we  may  just  as  well  enter 
this  species  in  the  dead  class;  for  there  is  no  reason  to  hope 
that  any  more  wild  specimens  ever  will  be  found. 

The  former  range  of  this  species  embraced  the  whole  south- 
eastern and  central  United  States.  From  the  Gulf  it  ex- 
tended to  Albany,  New  York,  northern  Ohio  and  Indiana, 
northern  Iowa,  Nebraska,  central  Colorado  and  eastern 
Texas,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  once  it  was  widely  dis- 
tributed. It  was  shot  because  it  was  destructive  to  fruit  and 
for  its  plumage,  and  many  were  trapped  alive,  to  be  kept  in 
captivity.  I  know  that  one  colony,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Sebastian  River,  east  coast  of  Florida,  was  exterminated  in 
1898  by  a  local  hunter,  and  I  regret  to  say  that  it  was  done  in 
the  hope  of  selling  the  living  birds  to  a  New  York  bird-dealer. 
By  holding  bags  over  the  holes  in  which  the  birds  were  nest- 
ing, the  entire  colony,  of  about  sixteen  birds,  was  caught. 


EXTINCT   EXCEPT   IN  FLORIDA 


31 


Everywhere  else  than  in  Florida  the  Carolina  Parrakeet 
has  long  been  extinct.  In  1904  a  flock  of  thirteen  birds  was 
seen  near  Lake  Okechobee;  but  in  Florida  many  calamities 
can  overtake  a  flock  of  birds  in  ten  years.  The  birds  in 
captivity  are  not  breeding,  and  so  far  as  perpetuation  by  them 


Drawn  by  Edmund  J.  Sawyer. 

CAROLINA  PARRAKEET. 

is  concerned,  they  are  only  one  remove  from  mounted  museum 
specimens.  This  parrakeet  is  the  only  member  of  its  order 
that  ranged  into  the  United  States  during  our  own  times, 
and  with  its  disappearance  the  order  Psittaci  totally  disap- 
pears from  our  country. 

In  color  this  bird  had  a  bright-green  body,  and  yellow  head 
and  neck.  It  fed  upon  fruit  and  seeds,  and  nested  in  hollow 
trees. 


32  PARROTS  AND  MACAWS 

THE  MACAWS  are  large,  showy  birds  with  very  long,  pointed 
tails,  and  the  most  awful  voices  for  screeching  ever  made  for 
feathered  folk.  They  are  found  only  in  the  New  World  from 
Mexico  to  Paraguay,  and  in  the  Andes  up  to  10,000  feet. 
Either  in  flight,  or  at  rest  in  the  green  tree-tops,  they  are  ex- 
ceedingly showy  and  attractive  birds,  and  to  find  a  flock  in 
the  depths  of  a  tropical  forest  is  an  event  to  be  remembered. 
In  hunting  macaws  in  the  delta  of  the  Orinoco,  about  every 
fourth  bird  that  was  mortally  wounded  would  hook  its  beak 
over  a  small  branch,  die  and  hang  there  until  I  would  be  re- 
luctantly compelled  to  make  my  fellow  collector,  who  was  a 
good  climber,  climb  up  to  the  bird  and  throw  it  down,  with 
much  anger  and  unnecessary  violence. 

It  is  a  pity  that  such  beautiful  birds  should  have  such  ear- 
splitting,  nerve-racking  voices.  Although  they  seldom  can  be 
taught  to  talk,  never  cease  to  scream  until  dead,  and  are  very 
apt  to  bite  most  unexpectedly,  they  are  often  kept  as  house- 
hold pets. 

THE  BLUE-AND-YELLOW  MACAW/  orange-yellow  below 
and  cobalt-blue  above,  is  one  of  the  species  most  frequently 
seen  in  captivity.  In  the  bird-stores  of  New  York  they  sell 
at  from  $10  to  $15  each.  The  Red-and-Blue  Macaw  is  an- 
other common  species.  The  beautiful  plum-colored  bird  oc- 
casionally seen  is  the  Hyacinthine  Macaw,  from  Brazil. 

THE  COCKATOOS  are  mostly — but  not  all — snow-white 
birds,  with  lofty  and  beautiful  triangular  crests  which  can 
be  erected  at  will,  with  striking  effect.  They  inhabit  Aus- 

1  Ar'a  ar-a-rau'na.  Length,  about  30  inches,  of  which  the  tail  constitutes 
about  18  inches. 


AFFECTIONATE  COMPANIONS  33 

tralia,  Celebes,  the  Philippines  and  the  southern  islands  of  the 
Malay  Archipelago.  They  are  easily  tamed,  talk  readily, 
take  kindly  to  training  and  become  very  affectionate  and 
satisfactory  companions. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
ORDER  OF  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

RAPTORES 

TO  every  farmer  and  poultry -raiser  the  birds  of  this  Order 
are  divided  into  two  groups,  friends  and  enemies.  In- 
asmuch as  feathered  friends  are  to  be  encouraged,  and  all 
enemies  slain,  the  standing  of  each  species  becomes  a  life- 
or-death  matter.  America  is  a  wide  and  populous  country, 
and  despite  the  labors  of  the  Biological  Survey  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  there  are  yet  millions  of  persons  who 
desire  precise  information  regarding  our  hawks  and  owls. 
Because  of  the  economic  importance  of  the  subject,  we  will 
devote  a  liberal  amount  of  space  and  effort  to  the  important 
members  of  this  group.  The  Families  of  the  Order  are  as 

follows : 

ORDER  RAPTORES 

FAMILIES  EXAMPLES 

BARN  OWLS Stri-gi'dae Barn,  or  Monkey-Faced,  Owls. 

„  ~  D     ,      ,.  ,  {  Horned,    Burrowing,    Snowy    and 

HORNED  OWLS  .  .  Bu-boni-dae. . .  .  {       0         ,   ^   , 


Screech  Owls. 

HAWKS Fal-con'i-dae .  .  .  .Hawks,  Kites,  Buzzards  and  Eagles. 

VULTURES Ca-ihar'ti-dae California,  Turkey  and  Black  Vultures. 

THE  BARN  OWL  FAMILY 

Strigidae 

It  is  now  a  well-established  fact  that  some  owls  are  among 
the  most  beneficial  of  all  birds,  inflicting  little  damage  upon 

the  producers  of  poultry,  and  conferring  vast  benefits  upon  the 

34 


BUSY  FROM  SUNSET  TO   SUNRISE 


farmer  by  the  destruction  of  mammal  and  insect  pests.  In- 
asmuch as  their  regular  working  hours  are  from  sunset  to 
sunrise,  they  wage  successful  war  on  the  nocturnal  mammals 
which  remain  quiet  during  the  daytime  in  order  to  escape 
hawks  and  other  daylight  enemies. 


SKELETON  OF  A  BIRD  OF  PREY.     (BALD  EAGLE.) 


1.  Upper  mandible. 

2.  Lower  mandible. 

3.  Hyoid. 

4.  External  nostril. 

5.  Orbit. 


G.  Occiput. 

7.  Cervical  vertebrae. 

8.  Clavicles. 

9.  Coracoid. 
10.  Ulna. 


21.  Digits  of  foot. 


11.  Radius. 

12.  Carpals. 

13.  Metacarpals. 

14.  Digits. 

15.  Sternum. 


16.  Keel  of  sternum. 

17.  Pelvis. 

18.  Fibula. 

19.  Tibia. 

20.  Tarsus. 


36  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

Owls  are  exceedingly  interesting  birds,  and  in  them  there 
is  also  much  to  admire.  They  take  life  seriously;  they  have 
but  few  nerves,  and  seldom  use  them.  Rarely  do  they  become 
really  tame  or  affectionate,  but  easily  become  very  indignant 
at  real  or  fancied  affronts.  Like  many  people  of  few  words 
and  solemn  manner,  they  are  not  nearly  so  wise  as  they  look. 
They  are  easily  caught  in  steel  traps,  or  shot;  and  they  are 
much  given  to  nesting  in  situations  that  are  wide  open  to  at- 
tack. 

Omitting  the  subspecies — which  are  only  geographic  races 
— there  are  eighteen  species  of  owls  in  North  America,  north 
of  Mexico.  They  vary  in  size  from  the  tiny  elf  owl,  of  Ari- 
zona, only  six  inches  in  total  length,  to  the  great  gray  owl,  of 
the  arctic  regions,  thirty  inches  long. 

With  the  exception  of  the  great  horned  owl,  and  about 
three  other  species,  the  owls  of  our  country  are  by  no  means 
so  destructive  to  poultry  and  wild  bird  life  as  is  generally  sup- 
posed. The  great  majority  of  the  species  feed  upon  wild 
mice,  rats,  squirrels,  shrews,  fish,  crustaceans  and  insects; 
and  some  of  them  render  great  service  to  man.  Nearly  all 
owls  are  nigljt-flyers,  and  by  reason  of  their  soft,  fluffy  plu- 
mage, which  renders  their  flight  quite  noiseless,  they  are  spe- 
cially fitted  to  keep  in  check  the  grand  army  of  destructive 
rodents  that  roam  abroad  under  cover  of  darkness. 

Owls  do  very  well  in  captivity,  provided  they  are  properly 
housed  and  fed,  and  have  comfortable  perches  to  sit  upon. 
Naturally,  they  are  most  active  at  night,  and  quiet  in  the  day- 
time. Be  it  known,  however,  that  they  cannot  live  long  on  a 
steady  diet  of  beefsteak.  Every  owl  must  have  a  liberal  al- 


THE  FOOD  OF  OWLS  37 

lowance  of  small  birds,  like  English  sparrows,  and,  if  possible, 
an  occasional  small  mammal,  in  each  case  with  the  feathers 
or  hair  upon  it.  Nature  has  constructed  the  owl  to  devour 
its  prey  entire — feathers,  hair,  bones  and  all,  on  the  spot 
where  it  is  captured. 

By  a  curious  rotary  action  of  the  stomach,  all  the  desirable 
elements  are  extracted  and  assimilated,  and  the  indigestible 
refuse — hair,  feathers,  bones,  claws,  etc. — is  rolled  into  a  ball 
called  a  "pellet,"  which  is  cast  up,  and  expelled  through  the 
mouth.  These  pellets  are  sometimes  collected  at  roos ting- 
places,  and  when  carefully  examined  by  expert  zoologists,  it  is 
possible  to  identify  most  of  the  animal  remains,  and  tell  what 
the  bird  has  fed  upon. 

THE  BARN  OWL,  or  MONKEY-FACED  OwL,1  is  the  most 
oddly  shaped  of  all  the  owls;  it  has  the  smoothest  and  most 
compact  plumage,  and  proportionately  the  longest  legs.  Its 
general  color  is  that  of  scorched  linen— light  brownish-yellow. 
Each  small  black  eye  is  the  centre  of  a  sunburst  of  radiating 
feathers,  and  the  whole  face  is  surrounded  by  a  heart-shaped 
ring  of  brown. 

The  Barn  Owl  is  to  rats  and  mice  as  the  cuckoo  is  to  the 
caterpillar.  As  a  destroyer  of  the  meanest  vermin  on  earth 
(rats  and  mice)  this  bird  has  no  equal.  Whether  north  or 
south,  in  the  tropics  or  the  temperate  zone,  it  loves  to  live 
under  the  roofs  of  civilized  man,  especially  in  church  belfries, 
where  it  is  not  molested.  In  the  town  of  Barrancas,  at  the 
head  of  the  Orinoco  delta,  some  Venezuelan  boys  piloted  me 
into  the  best  church  in  the  place,  showed  me  two  Barn  Owls 

1  Strix  pra-tiri 'co-la.     Length,  from  15  to  17  inches. 


38 


BIRDS  OF  PREY 


nesting  over  the  altar,  and  urged  me  to  shoot  them  then  and 
there.  My  refusal  because  the  birds  were  very  thoroughly 
"in  sanctuary"  was  with  difficulty  comprehended. 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


BARN   OWL. 


Many  observations  on  the  food  habits  of  this  bird  have 
been  made  by  examining  the  pellets  that  have  been  gathered 
from  its  roos ting-place.  In  June,  1890,  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher  col- 
lected 200  pellets  that  had  accumulated  from  two  birds  that 
roosted  and  nested  in  one  of  the  towers  of  the  Smithsonian 
building.  These  contained  454  skulls,  of  which  225  were  of 
meadow  mice,  2  of  pine  mice,  179  of  house  mice,  20  were  of 


THE  HORNED-OWL  FAMILY  39 

rats,  6  of  jumping  mice,  20  shrews,  1  star-nosed  mole  and  1 
vesper  sparrow. 

The  Barn  Owl  rarely  molests  birds — probably  never  does 
so  except  when  forced  by  hunger — and  all  over  the  world, 
wherever  it  is  found,  its  favorite  food  is  mice  and  rats.  The 
number  an  industrious  pair  will  destroy  in  a  year  is  really 
very  great,  and  this  species  deserves  the  most  careful  protec- 
tion that  man  can  give  it.  Fortunately,  it  and  its  subspecies 
are  very  widely  distributed, — more  cosmopolitan,  in  fact,  than 
any  other  owl,  save  the  short-eared. 

THE  HORNED-OWL  FAMILY 

Bubonidae 

THE  LONG-EARED  OwL1  looks  like  a  small  and  imperfect 
imitation  of  the  great  horned  owl.  It  can  always  be  distin- 
guished by  its  small  size,  and  the  fact  that  its  horns  appear  to 
have  been  set  too  close  together  on  the  top  of  its  head,  and 
do  not  fit  very  well.  Its  total  length  is  about  15  inches,  and 
its  general  color  is  a  fine  mottling  of  gray,  tawny  and  black, 
which  produces  a  brownish-gray  bird.  It  is  found  all  over 
the  United  States. 

The  food  of  this  very  useful  bird  consists  mainly  of  mice. 
In  April,  1888,  at  Munson  Hill,  Virginia,  Dr.  Fisher  collected 
about  50  pellets  from  under  a  tree  in  which  a  Long-Eared 
Owl  had  roosted,  and  found  that  they  contained  the  following 
remains:  95  meadow  mice,  19  pine  mice,  15  house  mice,  5 
white-footed  mice,  3  Cooper's  mice,  26  short-tailed  shrews 
and  13  birds.  Of  the  birds,  there  were  11  sparrows,  1  blue- 

1  A'si-o  wil-son-i-an'us. 


40  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

bird  and  1  warbler.  Of  this  species  Dr.  Fisher  says:  "It  is 
both  cruel  and  pernicious  to  molest  a  bird  so  valuable  and  in- 
nocent as  the  one  under  consideration." 

THE  SHORT-EARED  OwL1  is  of  about  the  same  size  as  the 
preceding  species,  but  its  ears  are  so  short  that  they  look  like 
two  small  feathers  that  have  been  thrust  carelessly  into  the 
plumage  directly  above  the  eyes.  Above,  it  is  a  brownish- 
yellow  bird,  and  buffy  white  underneath.  It  is  found  from  the 
arctic  regions  of  North  America  to  Patagonia,  and  throughout 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  Old  World  except  Australasia.  Its 
food  habits  are  very  similar  to  those  of  the  long-eared  owl, 
and  it  is  equally  deserving  of  a  perpetual  close  season. 

THE  BARRED  OwL2  has  not  so  good  a  reputation  as  the 
three  noticed  above,  but  its  record  is  not  entirely  bad.  Out 
of  100  stomachs  examined  by  the  Biological  Survey,  three  con- 
tained domestic  fowls,  one  a  ruffed  grouse  and  one  a  pigeon. 
Six  contained  screech  owls,  one  a  saw-whet  owl,  three  held 
sparrows,  one  a  woodpecker,  and  two  small  birds  were  not 
identified.  Against  this  debit  was  a  credit  of  46  mice,  18 
other  small  mammals,  4  frogs,  1  lizard,  2  fishes,  2  spiders,  9 
crawfish  and  20  empties.  The  18  small  mammals  consisted 
of  5  red  squirrels,  1  flying  squirrel,  1  chipmunk,  4  rabbits,  2 
shrewrs,  2  moles,  1  weasel  and  2  rats. 

From  this  very  exact  evidence,  the  reader  can  judge  of  the 
value  or  lack  of  value  of  this  bird  to  the  country  at  large.  It 
does  not  seem  as  if  the  forty-six  mice  are  a  fair  equivalent  for 
the  useful  birds  and  small  mammals  destroyed. 

1  A'si-o  ac-cip-i-tri'nus.     Length,  from  14  to  16  inches. 

2  Syr'ni-um  va'ri-um. 


DECLARED  TO  BE  A  PEST  41 

On  the  evidence  available  I  am  convinced  that  the  Barred 
Owl  does  far  more  harm  than  good,  that  it  clearly  belongs  in 
the  class  of  intolerable  bird  pests  and  therefore  should  be 
destroyed. 

The  Barred  Owl  is  next  in  size  to  the  great  horned  owl. 
It  is  from  20  to  22  inches  long,  heavy  bodied,  round  headed 


Photograph  and  copyright,  1902,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 
BARRED   OWLS. 

and  quite  without  "horns,"  or  "ears."  Its  head,  neck  and 
breast  are  marked  by  many  black  horizontal  bars  on  a  gray 
or  creamy-white  ground,  and  the  breast  and  abdomen  have  a 
few  thick,  perpendicular  bars.  Many  times  a  big  Barred  Owl 
of  my  acquaintance  has  exclaimed  to  me  through  the  darkness, 
in  a  fearfully  hollow  and  sepulchral  voice:  "Who?  Who- 
who-who-who-w/io-WHO?  Ah!"  It  is  like  the  war-cry  of  an 
angry  ghost. 

This  bird  ranges  throughout  the  eastern  half  of  the  United 
States,  and  westward  almost  to  the  Rocky  Mountains;    and 


42  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

it  frequently  finds  its  way  into  captivity.  In  hunting  it  is 
so  courageous  and  determined  that  frequently  it  catches 
aviary  birds  through  wire  netting,  and  kills  and  devours  them 
through  meshes  only  one  inch  square. 

THE  GREAT  GRAY  OwL1  is  the  largest  member  of  this 
Family  found  in  the  New  World.  It  is  an  arctic  bird,  one- 
fourth  larger  than  the  great  horned  owl,  and  even  in  winter 
has  never  wandered  farther  south  than  the  Ohio  River.  In 
Alaska  and  British  Columbia  it  inhabits  the  timbered  regions, 
and  does  not  wander  far  into  the  treeless  Barren  Grounds. 
Any  one  who  captures  a  very  large  owl  of  a  dusky -brown  or 
dusky -gray  color,  larger  than  a  great  horned  owl,  but  with  no 
ear-tufts,  may  know  that  he  has  secured  a  specimen  of  the  rare 
and  handsome  Great  Gray  Owl. 

THE  SAW- WHET  OwL2  is  a  very  small  Owl,  and  so  shy  that 
few  people  ever  see  it;  but  it  feeds  almost  exclusively  upon 
mice,  and  any  bird  which  wages  perpetual  war  on  those  pests 
deserves  honorable  mention  in  these  pages.  In  appearance 
it  looks  very  much  like  a  small  gray -phase  screech  owl  without 
ears.  It  may  be  looked  for — but  it  will  seldom  be  found — • 
almost  anywhere  in  the  United  States  from  the  international 
boundary  to  the  Gulf  states  and  California. 

THE  SCREECH  OWLS — with  an  awful  shiver  in  its  voice, 
but  no  screech  whatever — is  so  widely  distributed,  and  so 
easily  affected  by  climatic  variations,  that  the  original  species 
has  been  split  up  into  eight  varieties,  or  subspecies.  Thus  we 
now  have  the  Texas,  California,  Rocky  Mountain,  Mexican 

1  Sco-ti-ap'tex  neb-u-lo'sa.     Length,  25  to  30  inches. 

2  Nyc'ta-la  a-ca'di-ca.     Length,  8  inches. 

3  Meg'as-cops  a'si-o.     Length,  7  to  9  inches. 


THE   SCREECH   OWL 


43 


and  Florida  Screech  Owls,  and  others  too  numerous  to  men- 
tion. The  differences  between  all  these  are  not  very  great. 
Let  each  American  know  his  own  Screech  Owl,  and  study  its 
habits,  and  he  will  then  know  the  others  quite  well  enough  for 
all  practical  purposes. 

To  me,  the  cry  of  this  little  Owl  is  one  of  the  most  doleful 
sounds  in  animated  nature,  not  even  excepting  the  howl  of 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

SCREECH  OWL. 

a  wolf.  It  is  like  the  quivering,  shivering,  heart-broken  wail 
of  a  lost  spirit,  and  suggests  chattering  teeth  and  freezing 
vocal  chords.  Written  out  it  is  "Woe-woe-woe-woe-woe-woe- 
woe — ah!"  But  no  phonetic  spelling  can  even  suggest  the 
high-pitched  mental  and  physical  anguish  expressed  in  the 
cry  that  one  hears. 

The  Screech  Owl  is  a  round-bodied  little  fellow,  sometimes 


44  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

almost  as  broad  as  it  is  high;  and  itsvhead  is  surmounted  at 
its  front  corners  by  very  respectable  ears.  In  its  gray  phase, 
this  bird  looks  very  much  like  a  dwarf  great  horned  owl;  but 
of  course  the  black  markings  are  not  the  same. 

This  Owl  exhibits  a  peculiarity  in  color  which  must  be 
specially  noted.  It  has  two  distinct  and  widely  different 
colors,  red  and  gray.  In  the  same  locality  will  be  found  owls 
that  are  of  a  cold,  black-and-white  gray  color,  and  others  that 
are  pale  rusty-red,  with  white  mottlings  on  the  abdomen. 
For  this  very  odd  development,  we  are  quite  unable  to  ac- 
count; and  such  lawless  color  variations  are  called  "phases," 
possibly  because  they  phase  the  naturalists  who  try  to  study 
out  their  whys  and  wherefores. 

In  its  food  habits,  the  Screech  Owl  prefers,  if  it  can  pro- 
cure them,-  mice,  grasshoppers,  locusts,  cut- worms,  beetles, 
caterpillars,  crickets,  spiders,  lizards,  frogs  and  crawfish.  If 
these  are  lacking,  it  attacks  the  English  sparrow  and  almost 
any  other  small  bird  that  comes  handy,  usually  other  spar- 
rows. To  show  that  when  very  hungry  all  birds  look  alike 
to  him,  he  occasionally  kills  and  eats  a  bird  of  his  own  species ! 
Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher's  report  on  the  "Hawks  and  Owls  of  the 
United  States"  sets  forth  in  full  detail  the  results  of  the  ex- 
amination of  255  stomachs  of  Screech  Owls,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  summary  of  contents:  100  contained  insects; 
91,  mice;  12,  English  sparrows;  26,  other  birds;  11,  miscel- 
laneous mammals;  9,  crawfish;  7,  miscellaneous  food;  5, 
spiders;  5,  frogs;  2,  lizards;  2,  scorpions;  2,  earth-worms;  1, 
poultry;  1,  fish;  and  43  were  empty.  The  following  is  a  full 
list  of  the  birds  found:  12  English  sparrows,  9  other  sparrows, 


HIS  FATE  IN  THE  BALANCE  45 

3  juncos,  2  Screech  Owls,  1  shore-lark,  1  water  thrush  and  15 
unrecognized. 

Leaving  out  the  two  Screech  Owls,  of  the  birds  that  were 
identified,  the  English  sparrows  formed  practically  one-half.    On 


YOUNG  SCREECH  OWLS. 


this  basis  we  will  allow  that  of  the  unrecognized  birds  7  were 

song  birds.    Add  these  to  the  15  recognized  song  birds  and  we 

have  a  total  of  21  song  birds  out  of  255  stomachs  examined. 

The  question  is,  What  shall  be  the  fate  of  the  Screech  Owl 

—encouragement,  toleration  or  limitation?     To  me  it  seems 

that  the  number  of  Screech  Owls  should  be  strictly  limited 

for  the  benefit  of  the  song  birds;  but  I  do  not  believe  in  their 

extermination. 


46  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

THE  GREAT  HORNED  OwL1  is,  by  necessity,  an  aerial 
pirate  and  highway  robber — the  tiger  of  the  air.  Its  temper 
is  fierce  and  intractable,  and  if  you  attempt  to  make  friends 
with  one  in  captivity,  it  will  hiss  like  a  snake,  snap  its  beak 
like  an  angry  peccary,  and  dare  you  to  come  on.  Of  all  the 
birds  I  know,  there  is  no  other  so  persistently  savage  in  cap- 
tivity as  this  bloody-minded  game-killer.  Of  course,  the  Owl 
is  not  to  blame  for  the  raw-meat  appetite  which  Nature  gave 
him,  and  for  which  he  feels  bound  to  provide;  but  there  is  no 
reason  why  he  should  have  a  temper  like  a  black  leopard  to- 
ward those  who  feed  him. 

"Of  all  the  birds  of  prey,  with  the  exception,  possibly,  of 
the  goshawk  and  Cooper's  hawk,"  says  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher, 
"the  Great  Horned  Owl  is  the  most  destructive  to  poultry. 
All  kinds  of  poultry  seem  to  be  taken,  though  when  Guinea- 
fowls  and  turkeys  are  obtainable,  it  shows  a  preference  for 
these.  In  sections  of  the  country  where  it  is  common,  the 
inhabitants  complain  bitterly  of  its  ravages."  In  the  museum 
of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  is  an  Owl  which  carried  off  from 
one  farm  twenty-seven  individuals  of  various  kinds  of  poultry 
before  it  was  shot. 

But  let  us  give  even  the  Horned  Owl  its  just  due.  Mr. 
O.  E.  Niles,  of  Ohio,  once  found  in  a  nest  of  this  bird  "several 
full-grown  Norway  rats  with  their  skulls  opened  and  brains 
removed,"  and  on  the  ground  under  the  tree  which  contained 
the  nest  he  found  "the  bodies  of  one  hundred  and  thirteen  rats, 
most  of  them  full  grown!"  Now,  in  the  course  of  a  year, 
would  not  one  hundred  and  thirteen  Norway  rats  consume 

1  Bu'bo  virginianus.     Length,  from  20  to  24  inches. 


JUSTICE  FOR  THE   GREAT  HORNED  OWL 


47 


and  destroy  enough  grain  to  feed  one  hundred  and  ten  head 
of  poultry? 

This  is  the  summary  of  the  contents  of  127  stomachs  of 
Great  Horned  Owls  examined  by  the  Biological  Survey:  31 


GREAT  HORNED  OWL. 

With  "horns"  laid  back  in  anger. 


contained  poultry  or  game  birds;  8  contained  other  birds;  13 
contained  mice;  65  contained  other  mammals;  1  contained  a 
fish;  1  contained  a  scorpion;  10  contained  insects;  and  17 
contained  nothing. 


48 


BIRDS   OF  PREY 


The  bird-food  represented  the  following:  21  domestic 
birds,  11  song  birds,  3  ruffed  grouse,  2  quail,  1  pinnated  grouse, 
1  pigeon,  1  rail,  1  wild  duck,  1  Cooper's  hawk  and  2  unknown. 

The  mammals  found  were  as  follows:  46  mice  and  rats, 
32  rabbits  and  hares,  7  shrews,  5  squirrels,  3  chipmunks,  4 
pocket  gophers,  2  skunks,  1  weasel  and  1  bat. 


Photograph  by  E.  R.  Warren. 

YOUNG  GREAT  HORNED  OWLS. 

Beyond  question,  the  debit  balance  against  this  bird  is 
heavy,  and  justifies  its  destruction,  wherever  found;  but  at 
the  same  time,  it  goes  against  the  grain  to  kill  a  bird  which 
destroys  so  many  rats.  In  British  Columbia  the  Great  Horned 
Owls  became  so  fearfully  destructive  to  grouse  that  finally  the 
provincial  game  warden  began  systematically  to  destroy  them. 
In  the  two  years,  1910-11,  3,139  were  killed,  after  which  it 
was  noticed  that  the  grouse  began  to  increase. 


A  BIRD  OF  THE  ARCTIC  WASTES  49 

The  Great  Horned  Owl,  or  Hoot  Owl,  as  it  is  frequently 
called,  is  a  bird  of  dignified  and  imposing  appearance.  Its 
big,  round-topped  horns  of  feathers  are  singularly  like  cats' 
ears  in  shape,  and  when  with  these  are  seen  the  fiercely  glaring 
eyes  of  yellow  and  black,  the  half -yellow  face  and  fluffy  white 
feathers  on  the  throat,  the  whole  head  of  this  bird  is  singularly 
like  that  of  a  Bengal  tiger.  The  body  plumage  is  a  complex 
mottling  and  barring  of  black  and  brown,  dull  yellow  and 
white,  impossible  to  describe  successfully. 

But  this  bird  can  always  be  recognized  by  its  large  size, 
cat's-ear  "horns,"  and  the  fine,  black  horizontal  bars  across 
its  breast-feathers.  From  wing  to  wing,  across  its  upper 
breast  there  is  an  assemblage  of  heavy  splashes  of  black. 

The  eastern  Great  Horned  Owl  is  the  type  species  on 
which  are  based  the  Western,  Arctic,  Dusky  and  Pacific  Horned 
Owls,  which  in  combination  cover  practically  the  whole  of 
North  America  down  to  Costa  Rica.  By  reason  of  the  live 
food  available  in  winter,  these  birds  are  not  migratory. 

THE  SNOWY  OwL1  is  a  bird  of  the  Arctic  wastes,  and 
reaches  the  northern  United  States  only  as  a  winter  visitor. 
Its  occurrence  with  us  varies  from  a  total  scarcity  during 
some  years  to  an  abundance  during  others.  During  Decem- 
ber, 1886 — the  beginning  of  the  awful  winter  which  killed 
over  ninety  per  cent  of  the  range  cattle  in  Montana — we  saw 
in  the  country  in  which  we  were  hunting  buffalo,  in  central 
Montana,  at  least  twenty-five  Snowy  Owls.  They  were  living 
on  hares,  rabbits  and  sage  grouse,  out  in  the  open,  twenty 
miles  from  the  nearest  timber.  It  was  their  habit  to  alight 

1  Nyc'te-a  nyc'te-a.  Average  length,  about  23  inches,  the  female  being  larger 
than  the  male. 


50  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

upon  the  tops  of  the  low  buttes,  in  reality  upon  the  ground, 
from  which  they  could  survey  a  wide  circle  of  sagebrush 
plains.  Whenever  there  is  an  annual  "flight"  of  Snowy  Owls, 
they  are  always  particularly  numerous  in  Minnesota. 

But  for  its  perfectly  round  and  rather  comical-looking 
head,  this  bird  would  be  the  most  beautiful  of  all  American 
owls.  Its  plumage  varies  from  almost  spotless  snow-white, 
in  some  individuals,  to  white  barred  all  over  with  narrow 
horizontal  bands  of  black — which  is  really  the  standard  color 
plan.  The  number  and  width  of  the  black  bands  vary  ex- 
ceedingly in  different  individuals,  some  birds  being  rendered 
much  darker  than  others. 

The  food  of  this  species  consists  of  every  kind  of  wild 
bird  or  small  mammal  it  can  catch;  but  there  is  no  evidence 
that  it  ever  destroys  poultry.  In  summer,  when  its  far- 
northern  home  is  full  of  migratory  birds,  nesting  and  rearing 
their  young,  its  bill  of  fare  is  quite  varied,  but  in  winter  it  is 
confined  to  such  winter  residents  as  the  ptarmigan,  hare, 
rabbit,  sage  grouse  and  such  small  rodents  as  dare  to  venture 
forth  from  their  burrows. 

With  the  BURROWING  OwL1  of  the  western  plains,  the  Owl 
Family  may  justly  be  regarded  as  "run  to  earth."  This  odd 
little  owl  does  take  shelter  in  the  mouths  of  prairie-"  dog " 
holes,  but  so  far  as  I  am  aware  there  is  no  proof  that  it  ever 
descends  to  the  bottom  of  a  burrow,  or  that  it  is  chummy  with 
the  rattlesnake.  It  is  reasonably  certain  that  no  owl  in 
its  right  mind  ever  would  fraternize  with  a  rattlesnake,  and 
neither  would  a  prairie-"  dog." 

1  Spe-ot'i-to  cu-nic-u-la'ri-a  hy-po'gae-a.     Average  length,  about  10  inches. 


THE  BURROWING  OWL  51 

The  Burrowing  Owl  lives  in  the  plains  of  the  West  and 
Southwest,  from  North  Dakota  to  southern  California.  A 
closely  related  species  is  found  in  Florida,  where  it  easily  digs 
burrows  in  the  sandy  soil. 

Many  persons  have  the  idea  that  this  Owl  is  unable  to 
dig,  and  is  therefore  dependent  upon  prairie-"  dogs "  and 


Photograph  by  C.  William  Beebe,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 
SNOWY  OWL. 

badgers  for  a  home.  This  is  entirely  erroneous.  In  soil 
that  is  reasonably  loose,  the  Burrowing  Owl  is  a  most  in- 
dustrious and  successful  digger,  and  with  his  feet  flings  out 
the  loose  dirt  and  gravel  in  a  shower.  A  pair  of  western 
birds  which  we  kept  in  one  of  the  bird-houses  of  the  New  York 
Zoological  Park  for  two  years  burrowed  so  deeply  into  the 


52  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

big  pile  of  solid  gravel  in  their  enclosure  that  its  interior  be- 
came a  perfect  cavern. 

In  the  land  of  plains  and  prairie-"  dogs,"  the  Burrowing 
Owl  is  a  frequent  corollary  to  a  "dog"  town,  sitting  on  the 
highest  point  of  a  burrow  mound,  or,  if  alarmed,  taking  short 
flights  to  the  suburbs.  Between  bird  and  rodent  there  ap- 
pears to  exist  a  modus  vivendi,  which  is  good  so  long  as  the 
bird  does  not  come  within  reach  of  the  legitimate  owner  of 
the  burrow.  As  already  mentioned  (vol.  I,  p.  205),  when  the 
two  are  intimately  mixed,  the  prairie-"  dog "  quickly  kills  the 
Burrowing  Owl.  It  seems  practically  certain  that  the  bird 
inhabits  only  the  mouth  of  the  prairie-" dog's"  burrow,  or 
burrows  that  have  been  abandoned. 

This  owl  is  far  too  small  to  kill  even  a  half -grown  "dog"; 
besides  which,  its  favorite  diet  is  grasshoppers,  locusts,  other 
insects,  lizards  and  scorpions.  It  is  to  be  noticed  that,  in 
32  stomachs  examined  in  Washington,  one  really  did  contain 
a  portion  of  a  prairie-"  dog,"  and  2  contained  1  mouse  each, 
but  33  contained  insects  only,  some  of  them  showing  from  49 
to  60  each  of  locusts  and  grasshoppers. 

The  color  of  a  Burrowing  Owl  is  a  grayish  mixture,  dark- 
est on  the  back,  and  lighter  below,  and  the  legs  are  long  and 
naked,  like  those  of  a  sharp-shinned  hawk.  In  captivity  our 
specimens  dug  extensive  burrows  for  themselves,  in  doing 
which  they  threw  out  gravel  and  earth  with  astonishing  force. 
They  are  savage  little  wretches,  and  murder  each  other  at  a 
shocking  rate.  The  males  fight  savagely,  and  the  western 
species  will  not  live  peacefully  with  that  of  Florida. 


HASTY  AND  UNINTELLIGENT  ACTION  UNWISE        53 

THE  HAWKS  AND  EAGLES 

Falconidae 

This  section  of  the  Order  Raptores  contains  a  remarkable 
assemblage  of  forms,  and  the  wide  differences  between  some 
of  the  groups  add  zest  to  the  study  of  them.  Some  are  ex- 
pert in  fishing,  some  are  of  dignified  and  imposing  bearing, 
some  have  beauty  of  plumage  and  one  is  the  most  beautiful  flier 
in  all  the  bird  world.  Not  very  many  years  ago  most  people 
regarded  all  hawks  as  so  many  robbers,  deserving  death. 

In  1893  the  investigations  of  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture revealed  the  surprising  fact  that  of  all  the  forty-one 
species  of  day-flying  birds  of  prey  in  North  America,  there 
were  only  four  species  whose  destructiveness  so  far  outweighed 
their  useful  services  that  they  deserve  to  be  destroyed.  The 
others  are  either  harmless  to  man's  interests,  or  else  so  posi- 
tively beneficial  that  they  deserve  careful  protection.  Beyond 
doubt,  the  careful  and  thorough  investigations  made  by  the 
Biological  Survey  and  the  publication  of  the  results  have 
resulted  in  the  correction  of  popular  errors  which  if  persisted 
in  would  have  caused  enormous  losses  to  the  farmers  of  the 
United  States. 

As  an  object  lesson,  take  the  case  of  Pennsylvania. 

In  1885  the  legislature  of  that  state  enacted  a  law  aimed 
at  the  wholesale  destruction  of  hawks  and  owls,  and  author- 
izing the  various  counties  to  pay  cash  bounties  for  the  "scalps" 
of  those  birds,  at  the  rate  of  fifty  cents  each.  Immediately 
the  work  of  slaughter  began.  Many  thousand  scalps  of  hawks 
and  owls  were  brought  in,  and  over  $90,000  were  paid  out  for 


54  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

them.  At  the  same  time,  thousands  of  birds  were  killed  that 
were  neither  hawks  nor  owls,  and  the  collection  of  freak  heads 
is  a  permanent  joke  in  the  office  of  the  State  Game  Commis- 
sion. It  has  been  estimated  that  the  "saving"  to  the  agri- 
cultural interests  of  the  state  amounted  to  $1  for  every 
$1,205  paid  out  as  bounties!  In  this  manner  the  balance  of 
Nature  was  quickly  and  completely  destroyed. 

The  awakening  came  even  more  swiftly  than  any  one  ex- 
pected. By  the  end  of  two  years  from  the  passage  of  the  very 
injudicious  "hawk  law,"  the  farmers  found  their  field  crops 
and  orchards  so  completely  overrun  by  destructive  mice,  rats 
and  insects,  they  appealed  to  the  legislature  for  the  quick 
repeal  of  the  law.  This  was  brought  about  with  all  possible 
haste.  It  was  estimated  by  competent  judges  that  the  "hawk 
law"  cost  the  farmers  and  fruit-growers  of  Pennsylvania  not 
less  than  $2,000,000  in  actual  losses  on  valuable  crops. 

The  moral  of  this  episode  is — it  is  always  dangerous,  and 
often  calamitous,  to  disturb  violently  the  balance  of  Nature,  either 
by  the  destruction  of  existing  species  of  birds  or  mammals,  or  by 
the  introduction  of  new  ones. 

And  here  is  another  principle  that  I  commend  to  every 
person  who  may  be  called  upon  to  sit  in  judgment  on  any  wild 
species  that  is  charged  with  being  a  "pest"  species:  Always 
take  evidence  on  both  sides;  and  never  condemn  any  species  until 
the  evidence  against  it  is  direct,  conclusive  and  fit  to  stand  in  a 
court  of  law. 

THE  AMERICAN  OSPREY,  or  FISH  HAWK/  is,  by  common 
consent,  regarded  as  a  sort  of  connecting  link  between  the 

1  Paridi-on    hal-i-ae-e'tus    carolinensis.     Average    length,    about    24    inches; 
weight,  3  pounds. 


EXPLOITS  OF  THE  OSPREYS  55 

Owl  and  Falcon  Families.  It  is  a  good  bird  to  lead  a  large 
Family,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  those  who  dwell  far  from 
the  searcoast  and  large  rivers  lack  opportunities  for  becoming 
wrell  acquainted  with  it.  Surely  this  bold  fisher,  who  thinks 


AMERICAN   OSPREY. 


nothing  of  dropping  a  hundred  feet  into  ice-cold  water,  seiz- 
ing a  fish  of  nearly  half  its  own  weight  and  flying  five  miles 
with  it,  must  appeal  to  every  man  and  boy  who  loves  the 
grasp  of  a  good  rod,  and  the  musical  click  of  a  reel. 

The  boat  trip  up  the  Shrewsbury  River,  from  New  York 
to  Long  Branch,  is  worth  taking  in  midsummer  solely  for  the 
sight  of  the  Ospreys,  winging  slowly  over  the  still  lagoon, 


56  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

stalking  their  finny  prey,  and  anon  plunging  with  a  loud 
splash  into  the  water.  Sometimes  the  bold  fishers  go  quite 
out  of  sight.  The  most  surprising  thing  about  such  perform- 
ances is  the  size  of  the  fish  that  an  Osprey  can  lift  and  carry 
away. 

In  carrying  a  fish,  an  Osprey  always  grasps  it  on  the  back, 
with  one  talon  well  ahead  of  the  other,  and  the  head  of  the 
fish  pointing  straight  forward.  This  is  to  secure  a  minimum 
of  resistance  from  the  air,  and  render  it  an  easy  matter  to 
steer  the  prize  to  the  home  nest,  or  to  a  tall  tree  on  which  it 
may  be  devoured  at  leisure.  It  is  no  wonder  that  a  three- 
pound  Osprey  carrying  a  one-pound  fish  is  moved  to  jettison 
his  cargo  when  he  sees  a  hostile  bald  eagle  bearing  down  upon 
him  with  empty  claws,  and  his  decks  cleared  for  action. 

The  story  of  the  Osprey s  of  Gardiner's  Island  is  a  most 
interesting  chapter  in  bird  life.  The  owner  of  that  island  is  a 
relentless  enemy  to  cats  and  gunners,  and  a  fierce  protector 
of  all  the  wild  life  on  the  island,  which  is  wholly  his.  His 
weapons  are  loaded  for  hunters  only,  and  for  several  years 
the  Ospreys  have  bred  regularly  around  Mr.  Gardiner's  house, 
and  all  over  the  island.  One  pair  of  birds  has  occupied  the 
same  nest  year  after  year,  adding  to  the  mass  each  year,  until 
the  nest  contains  a  wagon -load  of  sticks  of  many  sizes,  and 
measures  six  feet  in  diameter.  To-day,  strange  to  relate, 
some  of  the  Ospreys  are  nesting  practically  upon  the  ground, 
serenely  confident  of  their  security  from  all  harm. 

The  Osprey  is  built  like  a  light-weight  athlete,  all  bone, 
tendon,  hard  muscle  and  wing  power,  and  no  fat.  Its  long, 
half-naked  legs  and  powerful  claws  remind  one  of  patent 


THE  SMALLEST  AMERICAN  HAWK 


57 


grappling-hooks.  The  wings  are  long  and  acutely  pointed, 
going  well  beyond  the  end  of  the  tail.  The  whole  neck  and 
lower  surface  of  the  bird  are  white,  but  the  back,  wings  and 
upper  surface  of  the  tail  are  dark-colored,  as  also  is  the  upper 


SPARROW  HAWK. 

half  of  the  head.     The  plumage  is  compact,  smooth  and  oily, 
as  befits  a  diving  bird. 

In  summer  this  bird  is  at  home  on  the  sea-coast  from  Alaska 
and  Hudson  Bay  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  along  a  few  rivers, 
but  in  winter  it  migrates  to  southern  Florida,  the  West  In- 
dies and  northern  South  America. 


58  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

The  jaunty  little  SPARROW  HAWK1  is  the  smallest  Amer- 
ican hawk,  and  also  the  most  beautiful.  Its  form  is  elegant, 
and  its  colors  are  varied  and  pleasing.  As  if  desirous  of  ad- 
miration, it  tolerates  man  at  shorter  range  than  any  other 
hawk  I  know.  Its  cap  is  dull  blue,  its  throat  white  with 
black  side-patches,  and  its  upper  neck  and  back  are  bright 
rusty-brown.  Its  breast  is  salmon  color,  sparingly  spotted, 
its  knickerbockers  are  white,  and  its  tarsi  and  feet  are  bright 
yellow.  It  inhabits  the  whole  United  States,  and  on  north- 
ward to  Great  Slave  Lake,  but  I  think  it  is  most  plentiful  on 
the  prairie  farms  of  the  middle  West. 

As  a  destroyer  of  grasshoppers,  beetles,  crickets,  cater- 
pillars and  other  insect  enemies,  this  little  Hawk  deserves  to 
rank  with  the  birds  most  beneficial  to  man.  For  so  small  a 
bird,  the  number  of  grasshoppers  it  consumes  in  a  year  is 
enormous.  It  never  molests  poultry,  and  when  insects  are 
obtainable  never  kills  a  song  bird,  but  it  does  destroy  great 
numbers  of  mice.  It  is  reported  that,  of  320  stomachs  exam- 
ined, 215  contained  insects;  29,  spiders;  89,  mice;  12,  other 
mammals;  53,  small  birds;  1,  a  game  bird;  and  29  were 
empty.  Many  stomachs  contained  from  10  to  35  grasshoppers 
each,  and  of  other  insects  from  25  to  40  in  one  bird  was  of 
common  occurrence. 

It  must  be  noted  at  this  point  that  when  the  Sparrow 
Hawk  is  rearing  its  young,  it  does  sometimes  catch  young 
chickens;  but  the  extreme  infrequency  of  this  may  be  judged 
from  the  fact  that  in  the  entire  series  of  320  specimens  ex- 
amined at  Washington,  taken  at  all  seasons  from  January  to 

1  Fal'co  spar-ve'ri-us.     Length,  9  to  10  inches. 


CONDEMNED  TO  DESTRUCTION  59 

December,  and  throughout  a  wide  range  of  localities,  not  one 
stomach  contained  any  remains  of  a  domestic  bird.  In  the 
early  spring,  before  grasshoppers  come,  Sparrow  Hawks  often 
follow  a  plough  very  closely,  to  capture  the  mice  that  are 
ploughed  up.  Sometimes  this  bird  is  half -domestic  in  its 
habits,  and  nests  in  buildings  erected  by  man.  Wherever  it 
is  found,  it  should  be  a  welcome  visitor. 

THE  PIGEON  HAWK1  is  a  slightly  larger  bird  than  the  pre- 
ceding, very  destructive  to  song  by;ds,  of  little  use  to  man 
and  deserves  to  be  shot  wherever  found.  It  kills  sparrows, 
thrushes,  goldfinches,  vireos,  bobolinks,  swifts  and  a  host  of 
other  species.  Out  of  56  specimens  examined  by  Dr.  Fisher, 
41  contained  small  song  birds  and  2  poultry;  2  only  had  mice 
and  16  insects.  This  is  a  bird  of  plain  colors,  being  bluish 
gray  or  brownish  above,  and  lighter  below. 

Apparently  the  DUCK  HAWK,2  a  geographic  race  of  the 
PEREGRINE  FALCON,  never  devours  a  mouse  or  an  insect 
save  by  mistake.  Out  of  20  specimens,  7  contained  game 
birds  or  poultry,  9  had  eaten  song  birds,  only  2  contained 
insects,  and  1  a  mouse.  You  may  know  this  bird  by  the  great 
size  and  strength  of  his  "pickers  and  stealers."  It  can  best 
be  studied  with  a  rope,  a  basket  and  a  choke-bore  shotgun 
loaded  with  No.  6  shot. 

First,  shoot  both  male  and  female  birds,  then  collect  the 
nest,  and  the  eggs  or  young,  whichever  may  be  present.  In 
doing  this,  however,  be  careful  not  to  shoot  the  Red-Tailed  or 
Red- Shouldered  Hawk — both  good  friends  of  ours,  who  are  en- 

1  Fal'co  col-um-ba'ri-us.     Length  of  male,  about  10  inches;    female,  2  to  3 
inches  more. 

2  Fal'co  per-e-gri'nus  an-a'tum.     Length  of  male,  17  inches;  female,  19  inches. 


60  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

titled  to  protection.  A  Duck  Hawk  has  no  red  nor  decided 
brown  upon  it  anywhere.  In  general  effect  it  is  a  dull  black 
bird  with  a  white  breast  and  throat,  and  white  abdomen  cross- 
barred  with  black.  It  inhabits  all  of  America  north  of  Chili. 

The  time  was  when  the  BALD  EAGLE/  or  WHITE-HEADED 
EAGLE,  was  known  to  every  human  being  within  the  limits  of 
the  United  States.  To-day  there  are  probably  two  million 
men  in  this  country,  speaking  foreign  languages  only,  but 
voting  regularly  and  persistently,  who  do  not  know  an  Eagle 
from  a  parrot,  nor  the  number  of  stripes  there  are  in  Old  Glory. 
It  is  related  by  a  reliable  eye-witness  that  when  an  escaped 
parrot  recently  perched  in  one  of  the  trees  of  City  Hall  Square, 
New  York  City,  a  dispute  as  to  its  identity  was  ended  satisfac- 
torily by  some  who  oracularly  pronounced  it  an  "eagle  bird." 

But,  no  matter  how  many  persons  there  are  in  this  coun- 
try who  do  not  know  our  national  bird,  I  will  not  humiliate 
"Old  Baldy"  by  formally  introducing  him.  To  every  in- 
telligent American,  the  perfect  bird,  with  its  snow-white  head, 
neck  and  tail,  is  recognizable  at  a  distance  of  a  mile  or  more. 
To  see  one  perching  on  the  topmost  branch  of  a  dead  tree, 
overlooking  a  water  prospect,  with  its  snowy  head  shining 
in  the  sunlight  like  frosted  silver,  is  enough  to  thrill  any  be- 
holder. Even  when  in  flight  an  eagle  can  be  distinguished 
from  all  other  birds  by  its  slow  and  powerful  wing-strokes, 
and  the  great  breadth  of  its  wings,  especially  near  their  ex- 
tremities. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  this  Eagle  does  not  acquire  its  white 

1  Hal-i-ae-e'tus  leu-co-ceph'a-lus.  Average  length  of  male,  about  34  inches; 
female,  38  inches;  spread  of  wings,  from  7  to  8  feet. 


THE  BALD  EAGLE  MERELY  WHITE-HEADED          61 

head  and  tail  until  its  fourth  year.  The  head  is  fully  feath- 
ered, and  the  name  "Bald"  refers  solely  to  its  white  appear- 
ance. Up  to  three  years  of  age  it  is  of  the  same  general  color 
as  the  golden  eagle,  and  to  distinguish  the  two  species  it  is 
necessary  to  look  at  the  lowest  joint  (tarsus)  of  the  leg.  If 
it  is  naked,  the  bird  is  a  Bald  Eagle;  but  if  it  is  covered  with 
feathers  quite  down  to  the  toes,  it  is  a  golden  eagle. 

As  a  rule — to  which  -there  are  numerous  exceptions — the 
White-Headed  Eagle  is  found  along  rivers,  and  the  shores  of 
lakes  and  ponds  containing  fish.  Fish  are  its  favorite  food, 
and  lambs  are  purely  supplementary.  As  a  regular  thing, 
it  catches  fish  out  of  the  water,  with  neatness  and  despatch; 
but  when  it  sees  an  osprey  flying  by  with  a  large  fish  in  its 
talons,  the  Eagle  does  not  hesitate  to  levy  tribute  on  the  sub- 
ject bird.  Taken  thus  at  a  great  disadvantage,  the  fish  hawk 
has  no  option  but  to  drop  its  fish,  and  go  away  to  catch  an- 
other, while  the  Eagle  catches  the  prize  before  it  touches  the 
water  and  bears  it  away. 

This  act  of  the  Eagle,  and  the  extra  trouble  it  puts  upon 
the  fish  hawk  in  catching  duplicate  fish,  is  by  a  few  writers 
taken  seriously  to  heart.  So  is  the  additional  fact  that 
Eagles — like  many  human  beings — often  eat  dead  fish  that 
are  found  floating  upon  the  water,  or  are  cast  up  on  the  shore. 
For  these,  and  other  reasons  equally  weighty  (!),  it  has  become 
almost  a  fashion  among  writers  to  denounce  the  Bald  Eagle, 
and  declare  it  a  shame  that  such  a  bird  ever  was  chosen  as 
our  national  standard-bearer.  Some  have  asserted  that  the 
brave  and  high-minded  wild  turkey  would  have  been  more 
appropriate ! 


62  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

Against  all  of  this  I  have  nothing  to  say.  The  American 
Eagle  needs  no  defence  from  me.  Whether 

"He  clasps  the  crag  with  hooked  hands, 
Close  to  the  sun  in  lonely  lands," 

or  perches  defiantly  on  the  United  States  coat  of  arms,  with 
a  brow  to  threaten  or  command,  he  is  beloved  by  at  least 
ninety  million  people  who  will  rise  as  one  whenever  he  is 
really  in  need  of  defenders.  Abroad,  it  once  was  well-nigh 
an  international  fashion  to  flout  this  bird,  and  the  standard 
he  bears;  but  since  May  1,  1900,  that  fashion  has  gone  out. 
Abroad,  those  who  do  not  respect  this  bird  fear  him,  whole- 
somely. At  home,  it  is  quite  time  for  all  strangers  to  secure 
an  introduction  to  him,  and  for  some  of  those  who  should  be 
his  friends  but  are  not,  to  write  him  down  no  longer. 

In  its  distribution,  this  Eagle  ranges  over  the  whole  of 
North  America  from  Mexico  to  Kamchatka.  Considering 
the  size  of  this  bird,  it  holds  its  own  remarkably  well,  even  in 
New  England.  In  Florida  it  is  very  abundant  all  along  In- 
dian River,  and  in  one  locality  in  the  state  of  Washington 
it  is  so  numerous  that  its  depredations  on  the  flocks  of  sheep- 
raisers  are  cause  for  serious  complaint  and  reprisals. 

In  the  East  so  many  Eagles  are  caught  alive  and  offered 
for  sale  that  it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  find  sale  for  one  at  $10. 
This  bird  so  seldom  destroys  domestic  animals,  or  game  birds, 
there  is  no  excuse  for  its  destruction  save  possibly  in  a  few 
far-western  localities  where  it  happens  to  be  very  numerous, 
and  evinces  a  particular  fondness  for  lambs. 

About  every  six  months  there  appears  in  some  newspaper 


AN  EAGLE  WITH  A  BAD  RECORD  63 

an  account  of  a  child  having  been  attacked  by  a  fierce  Eagle, 
and  rescued  by  a  heroic  mother,  or  else  actually  carried  off  to 
the  top  of  a  tall  tree  or  rocky  cliff,  from  which  the  child  was 
finally  rescued  unhurt,  etc.,  etc.  It  is  quite  time  that  this 
absurd  yarn,  which  is  nearly  as  old  as  the  Swiss  Alps  in  which 
it  originated,  were  consigned  to  the  oblivion  it  deserves. 
Eagles  know  what  guns  are,  and  nothing  is  farther  from  their 
thoughts  than  attacking  the  children  of  civilized  man,  the 
arch-enemy  of  all  wild  life,  and  the  exterminator  of  species. 

THE  GOLDEN  EAGLE1  is  in  no  sense  whatever  a  golden- 
colored  bird.  Its  plumage  is  dark  brown,  with  a  very  slight 
outside  wash  of  lighter  brown.  It  would  be  much  more  ap- 
propriate to  call  it  the  "brown  eagle."  In  appearance  it 
looks  very  much  like  a  white-headed  eagle  in  its  second  year, 
except  that  its  tarsi  are  feathered  quite  down  to  the  toes.  By 
this  point  it  can  always  be  distinguished  from  its  nearest 
relative. 

This  bird  has  a  very  bad  record  as  a  destroyer  of  lambs, 
poultry,  game  birds,  young  deer,  antelope,  rabbits  and  other 
small  mammals.  It  cares  very  little  for  fish,  and  prefers  to 
frequent  interior  regions,  where  either  domestic  animals  or 
wild  species  of  good  size  are  abundant.  By  preference  it  is 
a  bird  of  the  mountains,  and  although  found  all  the  way  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and  from  Mexico  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  it  is  most  abundant  in  the  great  mountain  ranges  of 
the  West.  In  the  cattle  country  east  of  the  Rockies,  many  a 
Golden  Eagle  dies  ignominiously  from  eating  poisoned  meat 
that  is  intended  for  wolves. 

1  A-quil'a  chrys-a-e'tos.     Size,  about  the  same  as  the  white-headed  eagle. 


64  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

I  do  not  advocate  the  extermination  of  this  bird:  far 
from  it;  but  it  does  seem  quite  clear  that  its  numbers  should 
be  strictly  limited  by  the  use  of  firearms. 

THE  HAWKS  of  North  America  above  Mexico  form  a  group 
of  about  thirty-four  species,  not  counting  subspecies,  and  the 
conspicuous  types  are  well  worth  serious  attention.1  Some 
of  them  are  useful  to  man,  and  some  are  so  destructive  and 
generally  useless  that  they  deserve  death.  It  is  highly  im- 
portant that  hawk  enemies  should  be  distinguishable  from 
hawk  friends. 

THE  RED-TAILED  HAWK2  is  the  greatest  of  all  destroyers 
of  noxious  four-footed  animals.  It  might  well  be  called  the 
Mammal-Eater,  instead  of  being  universally  miscalled  the 
HEN  HAWK,  or  CHICKEN  HAWK. 

The  species  of  the  above  name  inhabits  the  entire  eastern 
half  of  the  United  States,  and  ranges  westward  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  where  it  meets  the  subspecies  known  as  the 
Western  Red-Tail.  By  reason  of  the  abundance  of  this  bird, 
and  its  undoubted  influence  for  good  or  evil  upon  agricultural 
communities,  the  Department  of  Agriculture  has  made  a 
study  of  it  which  was  particularly  thorough.  From  Arizona 
to  Connecticut,  and  in  all  seasons  of  the  year,  collections  were 
made,  until  finally  562  stomachs  had  been  collected  and  ex- 
amined. 

The  result  was  a  complete  vindication  of  the  moral  char- 

1  To  avoid  the  possibility  of  confusion,  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  the 
sparrow  hawk,  pigeon  hawk  and  duck  hawk,  already  described,  belong  to  Falco, 
the  genus  of  the  falcons,  a  group  quite  distinct  from  those  of  the  hawks  now  to  be 
introduced. 

2  Bu'te-o  bo-re-al'is.     Average  length  of  male,  about  21  inches;    female,  24 
inches. 


A  USEFUL  HAWK  65 

acter  of  the  previously  despised  and  persecuted  "Hen  Hawk." 
Two  hundred  and  seventy -eight  specimens  contained  mice;  131, 
other  mammals;  54,  poultry  or  game  birds;  51,  other  birds; 
47,  insects;  37,  amphibians  and  reptiles;  13,  offal;  8,  craw- 
fish, and  89  were  empty.  It  was  found  that  poultry  and  game 
did  not  constitute  10  per  cent  of  the  food  of  this  Hawk,  and  that 
all  other  beneficial  creatures  preyed  upon,  including  snakes, 
did  not  increase  this  proportion  to  15  per  cent.  Against  this 
small  debit  stands  a  credit  of  85  per  cent,  made  up  chiefly  of 
destructive  rodents. 

"It  is  not  to  be  denied,"  says  Dr.  Fisher,  "that  a  good 
deal  of  poultry  is  destroyed  by  this  Hawk;  but  the  damage 
done  is  usually  among  the  less  vigorous  fowls,  in  the  late  fall; 
and  in  view  of  the  great  number  of  injurious  rodents  as  well 
as  other  noxious  animals  which  this  Hawk  destroys,  it  should 
seem  equivalent  to  a  misdemeanor  to  kill  one,  except  in  the  act  of 
carrying  off  poultry.  The  fact  that  there  are  robbers  among 
Hawks  is  no  sound  argument  for  exterminating  any  and  every 


one." 


This  bird  is  very  omnivorous  in  its  habits.  In  the  ex- 
amination noted  above,  the  remains  of  35  species  of  small 
mammals  were  found,  of  which  30  were  rodents,  5  were  in- 
sectivores,  and  1  (a  common  skunk!)  was  a  carnivore.  Of 
birds  there  were  only  20  species. 

The  important  markings  of  the  Red-Tailed  Hawk  are  its 
rusty-brown  tail,  back  and  head  of  blackish  brown,  white 
throat  and  light-colored  breast  streaked  with  dusky  brown. 
The  immature  bird  has  a  gray  tail,  crossed  by  from  six  to  ten 
dark  bands,  and  the  rusty-red  tone  of  the  adult  bird  is  every- 


66  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

where  absent.     The  head  is  large,  and  rather  square  in  out- 
line at  the  back. 

There  are  varieties  of  this  bird  scattered  all  over  the 
United  States,  and  under  most  circumstances  it  is  rather 
difficult  to  tell  them  apart. 

THE  RED-SHOULDERED  HAWK1  has  not  only  "red"  shoul- 
ders, but  also  a  red  head,  neck,  back  and  breast.  But  there 
are  many  shades  of  red,  and  the  so-called  red  on  this  bird 
is  as  widely  different  from  the  red  of  a  cardinal  as  blue  is 
from  green.  The  so-called  "red"  on  this  Hawk  is  really  a 
rusty  brown;  and  by  the  great  amount  of  it,  the  small,  round 
head  of  the  bird  and  its  black  tail  crossed  by  about  six  bands 
of  white,  this  species  may  easily  be  distinguished  from  the 
preceding. 

This  Hawk  is  to  be  counted  with  the  farmer's  best  friends. 
Mr.  J.  Alden  Loring  knew  a  pair  which  for  two  years  nested 
within  fifty  rods  of  a  poultry  farm  on  which  were  about  800 
young  chickens  and  400  ducks,  but  never  attempted  to  catch 
one.  Mice  constitute  two-thirds  of  its  food,  but  it  is  very 
fond  of  frogs  and  toads.  In  the  220  specimens  examined  in 
Washington  were  found  the  remains  of  creatures  representing 
eleven  classes  of  life.  The  food  exhibit  was  made  up  as 
follows:  3  stomachs  contained  domestic  fowls;  12,  other 
birds;  102,  mice;  40,  other  small  mammals  (16  species  in  all); 
20,  reptiles;  3,  fish;  39,  amphibians  (frogs  and  toads);  92, 
insects;  16,  spiders;  7,  crawfish;  and  1,  earthworms. 

The  service  rendered  by  the  Red-Shouldered  Hawk  con- 
sists chiefly  in  the  destruction  of  mice  and  grasshoppers; 

1  Bu'te-o  lin-e-a'tus.     Average  length  of  male,  18  inches;  female,  20  inches. 


A  HAWK  TO  BE  DESTROYED 


67 


and  birds  of  all  kinds  are  touched  very  lightly.  This  species 
inhabits  eastern  North  America  from  Nova  Scotia  and  Canada 
to  the  Gulf,  and  westward  to  the  Plains.  The  Pacific  coast 
contains  a  variety  known  as  the  Red-Bellied  Hawk,  which  is 
quite  as  honest  about  poultry  as  the  eastern  species. 


SHARP-SHINNED   HAWK. 

THE  SHARP-SHINNED  HAWK*  is  a  swift  flier,  a  keen  hunter 
and  a  great  murderer  of  small  birds.  Like  all  the  hawks,  its 
upper  surface  is  dark  and  its  lower  surface  light.  Its  tail  is 
long,  and  has  three  or  four  narrow,  dark-colored  bands  across 
it,  far  apart,  with  the  widest  band  nearest  to  the  end.  The 
wings,  back,  upper  neck  surface  and  upper  tail  are  all  bluish 

1  Ac-cip'i-ter  vel'ox.     Average  length  of  male,  10.50  inches;   female,  13  inches. 


68  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

gray.  The  throat  and  under-parts  of  the  body  are  white9 
plentifully  cross-barred  with  rusty  brown. 

This  is  a  small  hawk — next  in  size  to  the  pigeon  hawk.  Its 
beak  seems  rather  small  and  weak,  but  its  legs  are  long  and 
its  feet  large;  and  these,  backed  up  by  swift  flight  and  great 
courage  and  impudence,  render  this  bird  a  winged  terror. 
It  hunts  along  fences  like  a  dog  hunting  rabbits,  and  pursues 
song  birds  into  their  thickets  and  out  again.  Its  principal 
food  is  song  birds,  and  only  at  long  intervals  does  it  capture 
a  mouse.  This  bird  is  rather  too  small  to  handle  poultry 
with  complete  success. 

The  complete  list  of  the  bird  remains  found  in  159  stom- 
achs of  Sharp-Shinned  Hawks  constitutes  a  tale  of  slaughtered 
innocents  that  is  appalling.  Six  stomachs  contained  poultry, 
and  99  contained  song  birds,  woodpeckers  and  a  few  others. 
Only  6  contained  mice,  and  5,  insects;  and  52  were  empty. 
Of  the  wild  birds,  56  species  were  identified.  There  can  be  no 
question  regarding  the  necessity  for  the  destruction  of  this 
bird,  wherever  it  is  found.  It  breeds  throughout  the  entire 
United  States,  northward  to  the  arctic  circle,  and  southward 
to  Guatemala.  In  some  localities  it  is  quite  abundant. 

COOPER'S  HAWK1  is  a  companion  in  crime  to  the  preced- 
ing species,  and  equally  deserving  an  early  and  violent  death. 
By  a  strange  coincidence  it  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to 
the  sharp-shinned  hawk,  both  in  form  and  color,  but  it  is  a 
much  larger  bird.  Leaving  size  out  of  consideration,  it  is 
difficult  to  describe  in  words  the  slight  differences  that  exist 
between  the  two. 

1  Ac-tip' i-ter  cooperii.     Average  length  of  male,  15.50  inches;  female,  19  inches. 


HAWKS  THAT  ARE  PESTS 


69 


Being  a  bird  of  strong  and  rapid  flight,  much  strength  and 
activity  and  great  boldness,  it  is  well  equipped  for  raiding 
poultry -yards,  and  carrying  off  almost  anything  except  geese 
and  turkeys.  Of  133  stomachs  examined  in  Washington,  34 


COOPER'S   HAWK. 


contained  poultry  or  game  birds;  52,  other  birds;  11,  mam- 
mals; 1,  a  frog;  3,  lizards;  2,  insects;  and  39  were  empty. 
The  game  birds  found  were  1  ruffed  grouse,  8  quails  and  5 
pigeons.  Altogether,  21  species  of  useful  birds  had  been 
eaten,  but  only  4  mice,  1  rat  and  1  grasshopper. 

No  record  could  be  much  blacker  than  this,  and  Cooper's 


70  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

Hawk  is  a  pest  whose  career  deserves  to  be  ended  by  three 
drams  of  powder  and  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  No.  6  shot,  when- 
ever opportunity  offers.  If  gunners  could  only  discriminate, 
the  killing  off  of  this  species  would  make  great  sport  for  them; 
but  the  trouble  is,  many  innocent  birds  would  be  killed  by 
mistake. 

This  bird  inhabits  the  whole  United  States,  but  stops  at 
the  Canadian  boundary,  and  goes  south  to  southern  Mexico. 

THE  AMERICAN  GosHAWK1  is  to  Canada  and  Alaska 
what  Cooper's  hawk  is  to  the  United  States — a  wholesale  des- 
troyer of  game  birds,  serving  no  useful  purpose  whatever.  To 
the  unprotected  flocks  of  ptarmigan  it  is  a  genuine  scourge, 
and  it  merits  destruction.  Fortunately  this  hawk  visits  the 
United  States  only  in  winter,  and  even  then  is  by  no  means 
numerous.  Those  who  have  had  opportunities  to  observe  it 
in  action  consider  it  the  boldest  and  most  audacious  hawk  in 
America.  It  has  been  known  to  seize  a  freshly  killed  chicken 
from  the  side  of  the  farmer  who  had  slain  it  for  dinner,  and 
also  to  follow  a  hen  into  a  house,  and  seize  it  in  the  presence 
of  its  owner. 

The  length  of  the  Goshawk  is  from  21  to  25  inches.  The 
top  of  its  head  is  black,  and  its  upper  surface  is  bluish  slate 
color.  Its  whole  under  surface  is  white,  with  many  gray  cross 
bars,  in  addition  to  which  it  is  lined  up  and  down  with  short, 
black  lines,  rather  far  apart.  The  lower  tail  surface  is  crossed 
by  four  gray  bands. 

THE   MARSH  HAWK2  is  essentially  a  prairie  hawk;    and 

1  Ac-cip'i-ter  at-ri-cap'il-lus. 

2  Cir'cus  hud-son'i-us.     Average  length,  about  22  inches. 


THE  MARSH  HAWK  71 

in  the  open  and  fertile  uplands  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  it  is 
one  of  the  most  conspicuous  species.  It  loves  farming  regions 
wherein  members  of  the  Mouse  Family  are  plentiful  and  cheap. 
In  hunting  it  flies  low,  in  a  very  businesslike  way,  just  above 
the  grain  or  tall  grass,  and  its  intentions  are  so  apparent  that 
the  American  farmer  gave  it  credit  for  its  good  work  years 
before  the  true  value  of  the  once-despised  "hen  hawk"  be- 
came known. 

This  hawk  is  not  beautiful,  either  in  form,  color  or  move- 
ment. To  me  it  always  seems  to  have  too  much  sail  area 
for  the  size  of  its  hull.  Its  adult  color  is  drab,  or  bluish  gray, 
but  the  females  and  immature  males  are  rusty  brown,  much 
like  the  red-shouldered  hawk.  However,  this  hawk  can  al- 
ways be  distinguished  by  the  large  white  patch  on  the  rump, 
just  above  the  tail. 

One  of  the  first  facts  about  the  nesting  of  hawks  that 
comes  to  a  western  farmer  boy  by  personal  observation  is  that 
the  Marsh  Hawk  nests  on  the  ground,  preferably  in  tall  grass, 
in  a  nest  that  is  anything  but  a  workmanlike  affair.  When  I 
found  my  first  nest  of  this  bird — a  patch  of  trampled  grass  in 
the  head  of  a  slough,  with  four  big,  downy  nestlings  wallow- 
ing around  upon  it — the  stock  of  the  Marsh  Hawk  fell  sev- 
eral points  in  my  estimation. 

This  species  ranges  all  the  way  from  Alaska,  Hudson  Bay 
and  Ontario  to  Panama  and  Cuba.  Regarding  its  value,  Dr. 
Fisher  has  this  to  say : 

'The  Marsh  Hawk  is  unquestionably  one  of  the  most 
beneficial  as  it  is  one  of  our  most  abundant  hawks,  and  its 
presence  and  increase  should  be  encouraged  in  every  way 


72  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

possible,  not  only  by  protecting  it  by  law,  but  by  disseminat- 
ing a  knowledge  of  the  benefits  it  confers.  It  is  probably  the 
most  active  and  determined  foe  of  meadow  mice  and  ground 
squirrels,  destroying  greater  numbers  of  these  pests  than  any 
other  species,  and  this  fact  alone  should  entitle  it  to  protec- 
tion, even  if  it  destroyed  no  other  injurious  animals." 

One  hundred  and  twenty-four  specimens  of  this  species 
were  examined,  and  the  stomachs  revealed  the  following  con- 
tents: 57,  mice;  27,  other  mammals;  34,  birds;  14,  insects; 
7,  poultry  or  game  birds;  7,  reptiles;  2,  frogs;  1,  unknown; 
and  8  were  empty. 

THE  SWALLOW-TAILED  KiTE,1  or,  as  the  boys  of  the 
prairies  call  it,  the  FORKED-TAILED  "HAWK,"  is  in  flight  the 
most  graceful  bird  I  ever  saw  on  the  wing.  No  matter 
whether  the  sky  be  blue  or  gray,  the  snow-white  head,  neck 
and  body,  and  glossy  black  tail  and  wings  are  sharply  out- 
lined in  the  heavens,  drawing  attention  as  a  magnet  draws 
nails.  The  bird  is  instantly  identified  by  its  long  and  deeply 
V-shaped  tail,  and  its  striking  colors,  which  divide  evenly  be- 
tween themselves  the  under  surface  of  the  wing. 

In  the  golden  days  of  boyhood  I  saw  scores  of  these  birds 
in  Iowa,  but  never  saw  one  alight  and  perch,  even  for  a  mo- 
ment. Several  times  we  saw  them  with  snakes  in  their  talons, 
devouring  them  as  they  sailed  through  the  air,  and  we  also 
saw  two  or  three  seizures  of  prey.  But  it  is  the  flight  of  this 
bird  that  makes  the  most  lasting  impression.  In  hunting 
and  prospecting  it  never  flies  in  a  straight  line,  but  always  in 
graceful  curves,  and  reverse  curves,  circles,  parabolas,  and 

1  El-a-noi'des  for-fi-ca'tus.     Average  length,  about  23  inches. 


GRACEFUL  FLIGHT  OF   THE   KITE 


73 


spirals,  like  an  expert  skater  "showing  off."     Its  flight  is  in- 
deed the  poetry  of  motion  in  mid-air. 

Unfortunately,  this  beautiful  bird  is  not  of  wide  distri- 
bution in  the  North,  for  its  real  home  is  in  the  tropics.     In 


SWALLOW-TAILED   KITE. 


the  United  States  it  migrates  in  April  northward  into  Iowa, 
Minnesota,  Illinois,  southern  Michigan  and  at  rare  intervals 
farther  east  and  west  to  the  Carolinas  and  the  plains.  So  far 
as  known,  its  food  consists  exclusively  of  small  reptiles  and 
large  insects. 

This  bird  fitly  represents  the  whole  group  of  Kites,  of 
which  the  White- Tailed  Kite  is  the  Pacific  coast  species.  The 
Mississippi  Kite  inhabits  the  Gulf  states,  and  the  Everglade 
Kite  reaches  our  country  only  in  Florida. 


74  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

THE  VULTURE  FAMILY 

Cathartidae 

This  Family  ranks  at  the  bottom  of  the  list  of  the  birds  of 
prey,  because  its  members  are  less  intelligent,  less  active  and 
resourceful  in  obtaining  their  food,  and  less  able  to  take  care 
of  themselves  than  the  hawks  and  owls.  Although  not  so 
highly  developed  as  the  hawks,  the  vultures  serve  a  most 
useful  purpose  in  the  economy  of  Nature,  and  exhibit  some 
traits  that  are  really  wonderful.  The  broad-minded  student 
will  not  turn  from  these  birds  with  aversion  merely  because 
their  heads  are  bare,  and  they  feed  on  dead  food.  Their 
heads  are  naked  for  professional  reasons. 

Two  things  about  vultures  are  particularly  striking.  One 
is  the  enormous  heights  to  which  they  soar;  the  other  is  their 
marvellous  quickness  in  discovering  the  body  of  a  dead  animal. 
Many  times,  in  clear  summer  weather,  I  have  seen  the  COM- 
MON TURKEY  VULTURE  1  sailing  and  circling  on  wide-spread 
but  motionless  pinions,  so  high  in  the  heavens  that  its  distance 
from  the  earth  seemed  to  be  two  miles  or  more. 

Clearly  these  aerial  promenades,  often  continued  until  the 
observer  is  weary  of  watching  them,  are  taken  for  pleasure. 
One  great  circle  succeeds  another  in  a  series  that  seems  un- 
ending, but  all  the  while  the  wings  are  as  motionless  as  if 
wired  in  position.  On  such  occasions,  even  a  homely  and 
unlovely  "Buzzard"  can  become  an  object  of  admiration,  and 
a  reminder  of  William  Tell's  Alpine  eagle,  which — for  senti- 
mental reasons  only — he  "could  not  shoot." 

1  Ca-thar'tes  au'ra.     Average  length,  about  29  inches. 


FLIGHT  OF  THE  VULTURE  75 

"His  broad,  expanded  wings 
Lay  calm  and  motionless  upon  the  air, 
As  if  he  floated  there  without  their  aid, 
By  the  sole  act  of  his  unlorded  will, 
That  buoyed  him  proudly  up." 

The  flight  of  the  Vulture,  by  which  it  gains  enormous 
heights  without  any  serious  exertion  after  getting  well  clear 
of  the  earth,  is  an  interesting  illustration  of  what  a  perfect 
aeroplane  might  accomplish  if  it  could  flap  its  wings  for  a 
lofty  rise,  sail  with  abundant  wing  power,  and  be  intelligently 
guided.  Beyond  doubt,  the  bird  keeps  aloft  by  properly 
utilizing  the  lifting  power  of  air  currents. 

By  a  strange  coincidence,  the  bird  which  flies  highest  and 
longest,  and  soars  most  majestically,  is  also  the  bird  of  lowest 
tastes  on  the  earth.  Although  it  has  strong  talons  and  a 
strong  beak,  it  kills  nothing,  and  feeds  upon  dead  animals. 
In  every  country  on  earth,  vultures  are  treated  as  highly 
useful  creatures.  In  the  tropics,  where  their  services  really 
are  of  great  value,  they  are  fully  protected  by  law. 

The  species  found  farthest  north,  with  a  bright  red  head 
and  neck,  is  the  Turkey  Vulture,  and  it  ranges  across  the 
continent  from  the  plains  of  the  Saskatchewan  to  Pata- 
gonia. 

THE  BLACK  VULTURE/  marked  by  a  head  and  plumage 
which  are  perfectly  black,  is  seldom  seen  in  the  northern  por- 
tions of  the  United  States,  but  is  abundant  in  the  Gulf  states, 
and  southward  far  down  into  South  America.  In  appearance 
this  bird  is  most  funereal.  It  is  a  smaller  bird  than  the  tur- 
key vulture,  but  does  not  fly  so  well,  and  flaps  its  wings 

1  Cath-ar-is'ta  ur'u-bu.     Average  length,  about  25  inches. 


76  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

oftener.  Around  the  cities  of  the  South  it  is  a  great  domestic 
economist  and  labor-saver. 

In  Bombay,  India,  the  Parsees  expose  their  dead  in  two 
great,  shallow,  open-topped  towers,  called  the  Towers  of 
Silence,  and  the  vultures  regularly  devour  them — all  except 
the  bones,  which  fall  down  into  a  central  pit. 

THE  CALIFORNIA  VULTURE,  or  CALIFORNIA  "  CONDOR,"  1 
is,  among  naturalists,  the  most  celebrated  bird  of  this  Family, 
partly  because  it  is  our  largest  bird  of  prey,  and  also  because 
of  its  great  rarity.  Even  in  captivity,  the  adult  bird  is  very 
large  and  imposing.  On  the  wing,  in  the  wild,  rocky  fast- 
nesses of  its  native  mountains,  those  who  have  seen  it  there 
say  it  is  a  grand  object,  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  its  pursuit  is  quite  as  exciting  as  the  chase  of  the  big- 
horn. 

Mrs.  Florence  Merriam  Bailey  gives  the  following  as  the 
dimensions  of  this  bird:  length,  44  to  55  inches;  wing-spread, 
8^  to  nearly  11  feet;  weight,  20  to  25  pounds. 

This  great  Vulture  breeds  in  the  most  inaccessible  crags 
it  can  find,  but  of  course  collectors  find  it,  and  I  feel  that  its 
existence  hangs  on  a  very  slender  thread.  This  is  due  to  its 
alarmingly  small  range,  the  insignificant  number  of  individuals 
now  living,  the  openness  of  the  species  to  attack,  and  the 
danger  of  its  extinction  by  poison.  Originally  this  remarkable 
bird — the  largest  North  American  bird  of  prey — ranged  as  far 
northward  as  the  Columbia  River,  and  southward  for  an  un- 
known distance.  Now  its  range  is  reduced  to  seven  counties 
in  southern  California. 

1  Gym'no-gyps  calif ornianus. 


THE  CALIFORNIA  CONDOR 


77 


Regarding  the  present  status  and  the  future  of  this  bird,  I 
have  been  greatly  disturbed  in  mind.  When  a  unique  and 
zoologically  important  species  becomes  reduced  in  its  geo- 
graphic range  to  a  small  section  of  a  single  state,  it  seems  to 


THE    CALIFORNIA   "CONDOR." 

me  quite  time  for  alarm.  For  some  time  I  have  counted  this 
bird  as  one  of  those  threatened  with  early  extermination,  and 
as  I  think  with  good  reason.  In  view  of  the  swift  calamities 
that  now  seem  able  to  fall  on  species  like  thunderbolts  out  of 
clear  skies,  and  to  wipe  them  off  the  earth  even  before  we  know 
that  such  a  fate  is  impending,  no  species  of  seven-county  dis- 
tribution is  safe.  Any  species  that  is  limited  to  a  few  counties 


78  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

of  a  single  state  is  liable  to  be  wiped  out  in  five  years,  by 
poison,  or  traps,  or  lack  of  food. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  best  and  also  the  most  conservative 
information  regarding  the  California  Condor,  I  appealed  to 
the  Curator  of  the  Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology,  of  the 
University  of  California,  Professor  Joseph  Grinnell,  who  has 
furnished  me  with  the  following  clear,  precise  and  conserva- 
tive survey  of  this  species.  It  may  fairly  be  entitled,  "The 
Status  of  the  California  Condor  in  1912."1 

"To  my  knowledge,  the  California  Condor  has  been  def- 
initely observed  within  the  past  five  years  in  the  following 
California  counties:  Los  Angeles,  Ventura,  Santa  Barbara, 
San  Luis  Obispo,  Monterey,  Kern  and  Tulare.  In  parts  of 
Ventura,  Santa  Barbara,  San  Luis  Obispo  and  Kern  counties 
the  species  is  still  fairly  common,  for  a  large  bird,  probably 
equal  in  numbers  to  the  golden  eagle  in  those  regions  that 
are  suited  to  it.  By  suitable  country  I  mean  cattle-raising, 
mountainous  territory,  of  which  there  are  still  vast  areas,  and 
which  are  not  likely  to  be  put  to  any  other  use  for  a  very  long 
time,  if  ever,  on  account  of  the  lack  of  water. 

"While  in  Kern  County  last  April,  I  was  informed  by  a 
reliable  man  who  lives  near  the  Tejon  Rancho  that  he  had 
counted  twenty-five  Condors  in  a  single  day,  since  January  1 
of  the  present  year.  These  were  on  the  Tejon  Rancho,  which 
is  an  enormous  cattle-range  covering  parts  of  the  Tehachapi 
and  San  Emigdio  Mountains. 

"Our  present  state  law  provides  complete  protection  for 
the  Condor  and  its  eggs;  and  the  State  Fish  and  Game  Com- 

"Our  Vanishing  Wild  Life,"  1913,  p.  21. 


STATUS  OF  THE  CALIFORNIA  CONDOR  79 

mission,  in  granting  permits  for  collectors,  always  adds  the 
phrase,  'except  the  California  Condor  and  its  eggs.'  I  know 
of  two  special  permits  having  been  issued,  but  neither  of  these 


YOUNG  CALIFORNIA  VULTURE. 

was  used;  that  is,  no  'specimens'  have  been  taken  since  1908, 
as  far  as  I  am  aware. 

"In  my  travels  about  the  state,  I  have  found  that  prac- 
tically every  one  knows  that  the  Condor  is  protected.  Still, 
there  is  always  the  hunting  element  who  do  not  hesitate  to 
shoot  anything  alive  and  out  of  the  ordinary,  and  a  certain 
percentage  of  the  Condors  are  doubtless  picked  off  each  year 
by  such  criminals.  It  is  possible,  also,  that  the  mercenary 


80  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

egg-collector  continues  to  take  his  annual  rents,  though  if 

i 

this  is  done  it  is  kept  very  quiet.  It  is  my  impression  that 
the  present  fatalities  from  all  sources  are  fully  balanced  by 
the  natural  rate  of  increase. 

'''  There  is  one  factor  that  has  militated  against  the  Condor 
more  than  any  other  one  thing:  namely,  the  restriction  in  its 
food  source.  Its  forage  range  formerly  included  most  of  the 
great  valleys  adjacent  to  its  mountain  retreats.  But  now  the 
valleys  are  almost  entirely  devoted  to  agriculture,  and  of 
course  far  more  thickly  settled  than  formerly. 

:<The  mountainous  areas  where  the  Condor  is  making  its 
last  stand  seem  to  me  likely  to  remain  adapted  to  the  bird's 
existence  for  many  years — fifty  years,  if  not  longer.  Of  course, 
this  is  conditional  upon  the  maintenance  and  enforcement  of 
the  present  laws.  There  is  also  the  enlightenment  of  public 
sentiment  in  regard  to  the  preservation  of  wild  life,  which  I 
believe  can  be  depended  upon.  This  is  a  matter  of  general 
education,  which  is,  fortunately,  and  with  no  doubt  whatever, 
progressing  at  a  quite  perceptible  rate. 

"Yes;    I  should  say  that  the  Condor  has  a  fair  chance  to 
survive,  in  limited  numbers." 

The  California  Condor  is  one  of  the  only  two  species  of 
Condor  now  living,  and  it  is  the  only  one  found  in  North 
America.  As  a  matter  of  national  pride,  and  a  duty  to  pos- 
terity, the  people  of  the  United  States  can  far  better  afford  to 
lose  a  million  dollars  from  their  national  treasury  than  to 
allow  that  bird  to  become  extinct.  Its  preservation  for  all 
coming  time  is  distinctly  a  white  man's  burden  upon  the 


Photograph  by  E.  R.  Sanborn,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

THE  CONDOR  OF  THE  ANDES. 


THE  CONDOR  OF  THE  ANDES          83 

state  of  California.  By  great  good  fortune  the  New  York 
Zoological  Park  has  for  several  years  exhibited  a  pair  of  these 
birds,  in  the  open  air  in  summer,  but  always  housed  in  winter. 

Largest  of  all  the  Birds  of  Prey  is  the  CONDOR  1  of  the 
Andes,  a  bird  of  lofty  home  but  lowly  habits.  In  the  Andes 
of  Chile  and  Peru,  its  range  is  from  9,000  to  16,000  feet  above 
the  sea,  and  it  not  only  feeds  upon  dead  guanacos  and  vicunias, 
horses  and  other  domestic  animals,  but  it  also  ventures  to 
attack  living  calves  and  old  horses  that  are  almost  incapable 
of  defence.  Condors  are  so  easily  captured  alive  that  the 
zoological  gardens  of  the  world  are  always  well  stocked  with 
them. 

By  nature  the  Condor  is  a  peace-loving  bird,  and  visitors 
to  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  have  witnessed  the  strange 
spectacle  of  the  world's  largest  bird  of  prey — the  fine  adult 
male  shown  in  the  accompanying  plate — living  in  the  great 
Flying  Cage  in  peace  and  harmony  with  about  eighty  flamin- 
goes, herons,  egrets,  ibises,  ducks,  other  water-birds  and  vari- 
ous land-birds.  Encouraged  by  the  success  of  the  Condor 
experiment,  a  large  griffon  vulture  was  added  to  the  "happy 
family,"  with  very  satisfactory  results. 

1  Sar-co-rham'pus  gry'phus.  Length  of  male,  48  inches;  spread  of  wings,  8K 
to  91A  feet. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
ORDER   OF    PIGEONS   AND    DOVES 

COLUMBAE 

THE  PASSENGER  PIGEON l  is  now  a  bird  of  history,  because 
it  is  now  to  be  regarded  as  a  species  totally  extinct,  save 
for  one  aged  specimen  now  living  in  a  zoological  garden  and 
destined  soon  to  pass  away.  The  men  who  lived  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley  fifty  years  ago  remember  the  flocks  that  flew 
swiftly  over  the  farms,  sometimes  fifty  and  sometimes  two 
hundred  or  more  birds  together.  It  w^as  a  wonderful  sight 
to  see  the  perfect  mechanical  precision  with  which  they  kept 
together,  wheeling  and  circling  in  as  perfect  formation  as  the 
slats  of  a  Venetian  blind. 

This  vanished  bird  was  much  larger  than  a  dove.  Its 
color  was  bluish  above,  and  reddish  brown  underneath,  and 
the  feathers  of  its  neck  had  a  rich  metallic  lustre.  Its  tail 
was  long  and  pointed,  and  its  feet  and  legs  were  red.  It 
never  was  found  in  the  far  West,  and  never  will  be.  The 
pigeon  of  the  Pacific  coast  is  a  totally  different  species. 

In  the  early  days  Ohio  seemed  to  be  the  centre  of  abun- 
dance of  this  bird,  and  the  accounts  that  have  been  written 
of  that  period  relate  how  the  Pigeons  sat  so  thickly  upon  the 
trees  that  branches  were  broken  by  their  weight;  how  they 

1  Ec-to-pis'tes  mi-gra-to'ri-us.     Average  length,  about  16  inches. 

84 


THE  VANISHED  PASSENGER  PIGEON  85 

covered  the  earth  when  they  alighted  in  the  fields  to  feed,  and 
darkened  the  sky  when  they  flew. 

As  usual,  that  great  abundance  of  wild  life  provoked  great 
slaughter.  Migrating  Pigeons  were  killed  by  wholesale  meth- 
ods. While  breeding  they  were  attacked  in  their  nesting- 
places,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  the  great  flocks  van- 
ished. As  in  the  case  of  the  blotting  out  of  the  great  northern 
buffalo-herd,  in  1884,  many  persons  have  wondered,  and  do 
still,  whether  the  great  flocks  of  Pigeons  have  not  migrated, 
and  found  a  permanent  home  elsewhere.  There  is  not  a 
single  fact  on  which  to  base  either  belief  or  supposition  that 
the  Passenger  Pigeon  exists  in  Mexico,  Central  America  or 
elsewhere. 

Among  naturalists,  the  blotting  out  of  this  interesting 
species  has  been  a  source  of  sincere  regret.  As  usual,  no  one 
thought  of  protecting  it  until  it  was  entirely  too  late. 

When  the  first  edition  of  this  Natural  History  was  pub- 
lished (1904)  the  author  permitted  himself  to  believe  that 
there  was  a  chance  that  the  Passenger  Pigeon  still  survived 
in  a  wild  state,  and  actually  was  coming  back  to  our  bird 
fauna.  The  many  circumstantial  reports  of  pigeons  observed 
seemed  to  justify  those  conclusions. 

Vain  hope!  That  view  was  entirely  too  optimistic,  and 
predicated  altogether  too  much  on  faulty  observations,  all 
of  which  were  entirely  erroneous.  We  now  place  this  bird 
in  the  totally  extinct  class,  not  only  because  it  is  extinct  in  a 
wild  state,  but  because  only  one  solitary  individual,  a  nineteen- 
year-old  female  in  the  Cincinnati  Zoological  Gardens,  now  re- 
mains alive.  One  living  specimen,  and  a  few  skins,  skeletons 


86  PIGEONS  AND  DOVES 

and  stuffed  specimens,  are  all  that  remain  to  show  for  the 
uncountable  millions  of  Pigeons  that  swarmed  over  the  United 
States  only  yesterday,  as  it  were! 

There  is  no  doubt  about  where  those  millions  have  gone. 
They  went  down  and  out  by  systematic,  wholesale  slaughter 
for  the  market  and  the  pot,  before  the  shotguns,  clubs  and 
nets  of  the  earliest  American  pot-hunters.  Wherever  they 
nested  they  were  slaughtered. 

It  is  a  long  and  shameful  story,  but  the  grisly  skeleton  of 
its  Michigan  chapter  can  be  set  forth  in  a  few  words.  In 
1869,  from  the  town  of  Hartford,  Michigan,  three  car-loads 
of  dead  Pigeons  were  shipped  to  market  each  day  for  forty 
days,  making  a  total  of  11,880,000  birds.  It  is  recorded  that 
another  Michigan  town  marketed  15,840,000  in  two  years. 
(See  Mr.  W.  B.  Mershon's  book,  "The  Passenger  Pigeon.") 

Alexander  Wilson,  the  pioneer  American  ornithologist, 
was  the  man  who  seriously  endeavored  to  estimate  by  com- 
putations the  total  number  of  Passenger  Pigeons  in  one  flock 
that  was  seen  by  him.  Here  is  what  he  has  said  in  his  "Amer- 
ican Ornithology": 

"To  form  a  rough  estimate  of  the  daily  consumption  of 
one  of  these  immense  flocks,  let  us  first  attempt  to  calculate 
the  numbers  of  that  above  mentioned,  as  seen  in  passing  be- 
tween Frankfort  and  the  Indiana  Territory.  If  we  suppose 
this  column  to  have  been  one  mile  in  breadth  (and  I  believe 
it  to  have  been  much  more)  and  that  it  moved  at  the  rate  of 
one  mile  in  a  minute,  four  hours,  the  time  it  continued  passing, 
would  make  its  whole  length  two  hundred  and  forty  miles. 
Again,  supposing  that  each  square  yard  of  this  moving  body 


THE    PASSENGER    PIGEON. 


FUTILE   PROTECTION  OF  THE  PIGEONS  87 

comprehended  three  pigeons;  the  square  yards  in  the  whole 
space  multiplied  by  three  would  give  230,272,000  Pigeons! 
An  almost  inconceivable  multitude,  and  yet  probably  far  be- 
low the  actual  amount." 

The  range  of  the  Passenger  Pigeon  covered  nearly  the 
whole  United  States  from  the  Atlantic  coast  westward 
to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  A  few  bold  Pigeons  crossed  the 
Rocky  Mountains  into  Oregon,  northern  California  and  Wash- 
ington, but  only  as  "stragglers,"  few  and  far  between.  The 
wide  range  of  this  bird  was  worthy  of  a  species  that  existed 
in  millions,  and  it  was  persecuted  literally  all  along  the  line. 
The  greatest  slaughter  was  in  Michigan,  Ohio  and  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  1848  Massachusetts  gravely  passed  a  law  pro- 
tecting the  netters  of  Wild  Pigeons  from  foreign  interference! 
There  was  a  fine  of  $10  for  damaging  nets,  or  frightening 
Pigeons  away  from  them.  This  was  on  the  theory  that  the 
Pigeons  were  so  abundant  they  could  not  by  any  possibility 
ever  become  scarce,  and  that  pigeon-slaughter  was  a  legiti- 
mate industry. 

In  1867  the  state  of  New  York  found  that  the  Wild 
Pigeon  needed  protection,  and  enacted  a  law  to  that  effect. 
The  year  1868  was  the  last  year  in  which  great  numbers  of 
Passenger  Pigeons  nested  in  that  state.  Eaton,  in  "The 
Birds  of  New  York,"  said  that  "millions  of  birds  occupied 
the  timber  along  Bell's  Run,  near  Ceres,  Alleghany  County, 
on  the  Pennsylvania  line." 

In  1870  Massachusetts  gave  Pigeons  protection  except 
during  an  "open  season,"  and  in  1878  Pennsylvania  elected 
to  protect  Pigeons  on  their  nesting  grounds. 


88  PIGEONS  AND  DOVES 

The  Passenger  Pigeon  millions  were  destroyed  so  quickly, 
and  so  thoroughly  en  masse,  that  the  American  people  utterly 
failed  to  comprehend  it,  and  for  forty  years  obstinately  re- 
fused to  believe  that  the  species  had  been  suddenly  wiped  off 
the  map  of  North  America.  There  were  years  of  talk  about 
the  great  flocks  having  "taken  refuge  in  South  America,"  or 
in  Mexico,  and  being  still  in  existence.  There  were  surmises 
about  their  having  all  "gone  out  to  sea,"  and  perished  on 
the  briny  deep. 

A  thousand  times,  at  least,  Wild  Pigeons  have  been  "re- 
ported" as  having  been  "seen."  These  rumors  have  covered 
nearly  every  northern  state,  the  whole  of  the  southwest  and 
California.  For  years  and  years  we  have  been  patiently 
writing  letters  to  explain,  over  and  over,  that  the  band-tailed 
pigeon  of  the  Pacific  coast,  and  the  red-billed  pigeon  of 
Arizona  and  the  Southwest  are  neither  of  them  the  Passenger 
Pigeon,  and  never  can  be. 

There  was  a  long  period  wherein  we  believed  many  of  the 
Pigeon  reports  that  came  from  the  states  where  the  birds 
once  were  most  numerous;  but  that  period  has  absolutely 
passed.  During  the  past  five  years  large  cash  rewards,  ag- 
gregating about  $5,000,  have  been  offered  for  the  discovery  of 
one  nesting  pair  of  genuine  Passenger  Pigeons.  Many  per- 
sons have  claimed  this  reward  (of  Professor  C.  F.  Hodge, 
of  Clark  University,  Worcester,  Massachusetts),  and  many 
claims  have  been  investigated.  The  results  have  disclosed 
many  mourning  doves,  but  not  one  Pigeon.  Now  we  under- 
stand that  the  quest  is  closed,  and  hope  has  been  aban- 
doned. 


THE  BAND-TAILED  PIGEON  89 

The  Passenger  Pigeon  is  a  dead  species.  The  last  wild 
specimen  (so  we  believe)  that  ever  will  reach  the  hands  of 
man  was  taken  near  Detroit,  Michigan,  on  September  14, 
1908,  and  mounted  by  C.  Campion.  That  is  the  one  definite, 
positive  record  of  the  past  ten  years. 

The  fate  of  this  species  should  be  a  lasting  lesson  to  the 
world  at  large.  Any  wild  bird  or  mammal  species  can  be 
exterminated  by  commercial  interests  in  twenty  years'  time, 
or  less. 

THE  BAND-TAILED  PiGEON,1  of  the  Pacific  states  from 
British  Columbia  to  Guatemala,  and  eastward  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  yet  exists  in  fair  abundance,  and  it  is  earnestly 
hoped  that  it  never  will  be  annihilated  without  reason  or 
mercy,  as  was  the  sad  fate  of  its  eastern  relative.  Wher- 
ever found  it  should  be  accorded  legal  protection,  without 
delay. 

This  fine  bird  is  conspicuously  marked  by  a  white  collar 
around  its  neck,  and  a  square-ended  tail  which  terminates  with 
a  dull-white  band  from  one  to  two  inches  wide.  The  head  and 
under-parts  are  purplish  pink,  fading  downward  to  a  lighter 
color.  The  back  is  brownish  gray,  fading  out  toward  the 
tail  into  a  dull-blue  tone. 

This  Pigeon  subsists  upon  acorns,  seeds  and  berries,  and 
attracts  attention  to  itself  by  its  noisy  flight.  Its  strange 
vocal  utterances  are  graphically  described  by  Mrs.  Florence 
Merriam  Bailey: 

"If  you  follow  the  pigeons  to  their  breeding-grounds  in 
some  remote  canyon  you  will  be  struck  by  the  owl-like  hoot- 

1  Co-lum'ba  fas-ci-a'ta.     Average  length,  15  inches. 


90 


PIGEONS  AND  DOVES 


ing  that  fills  the  place,  and  you  will  locate  the  sound  here  and 
there  along  the  sides  of  the  canyon  at  dead  tree-tops,  in  each 
of  which  a  solitary  male  is  sunning  himself,  at  intervals 


THE   BAND-TAILED   PIGEON. 


puffing  out  his  breast  and  hooting.  The  hooting  varies  con- 
siderably. Sometimes  it  is  a  calm  whoo'-hoo-hoo,  whoo'-hoo- 
hoo,  at  others  a  spirited  hoop-ah-whoo' ',  and  again  a  two-syl- 
labled whoo'-ugh,  made  up  of  a  short,  hard  hoot  and  a  long  coo, 
as  if  the  breath  was  sharply  expelled  for  the  first  note  and 
drawn  in  for  the  second."  ("Handbook,"  p.  139.) 


THE  MOURNING  DOVE  91 

To  me  the  MOURNING  DovE1  has  always  seemed  like  a 
sacred  bird;  and,  although  I  could  have  killed  thousands,  I 
never  took  the  life  of  one.  When  a  very  small  boy  at  my 
mother's  knee,  she  related  to  me  the  story  of  the  winged  mes- 
senger \vhich  Noah  sent  out  of  the  ark,  over  the  waste  of 
waters,  to  look  for  real  estate.  She  told  me  that  doves  were 
innocent  and  harmless  little  birds,  and  that  I  must  never  harm 
one  in  the  least.  Had  my  good  mother  issued  an  injunction 
covering  the  whole  animal  kingdom,  I  think  I  would  have 
grown  up  as  harmless  to  animals  as  any  Hindoo;  for  her 
solemn  charge  regarding  doves  has  always  seemed  to  me  as 
binding  as  one  of  the  ten  commandments. 

I  mention  this  in  order  to  point  out  to  mothers  the  far- 
reaching  extent  of  their  power  in  behalf  of  our  wild  creatures, 
and  the  vast  influence  which  they  can  easily  wield  in  behalf 
of  birds  and  mammals  in  sore  need  of  protection.  Is  it  not  a 
good  thing  to  teach  all  boys  that  it  is  morally  wrong  (which 
it  is!)  to  kill  wild  creatures  without  reason,  mercy  and  com- 
mon sense? 

The  Mourning  Dove  received  its  "given"  name  from  the 
mournful  sound  of  its  call-notes.  Its  sad-voiced  "Coo,  coo, 
coo,"  suggests  moaning,  and  next  to  the  awful,  storm-beaten 
wail  of  the  screech  owl,  it  is,  under  certain  conditions,  the 
most  doleful  sound  uttered  by  an  American  bird.  I  knew 
one  sensitive  woman  who  was  so  affected  by  the  daily  "mourn- 
ing" of  a  neighboring  Dove  that  she  begged  a  sportsman  to 
frighten  it  away. 

Another  peculiar  fact  about  this  bird  is  the  strange  musical 

1  Ze-na-i-du'ra  ma-crou'ra.     Average  length,  12  inches. 


92  PIGEONS  AND  DOVES 

note  that  is  sounded  by  the  vibration  of  its  wings.  As  the 
bird  springs  from  the  ground  in  flight,  or  wings  its  way  over- 
head, the  pulsations  of  its  wings  give  forth  a  ringing,  metallic 
sound,  like  the  twanging  of  a  tight  wire. 

This  Dove  loves  country  roads,  more  than  any  other  bird, 
and  to  those  who  love  beautiful  things,  its  exquisitely  moulded 
form  and  immaculate  plumage  is  always  a  pleasing  touch  of 
Nature.  One  might  as  well  try  to  describe  in  words  the  colors 
in  a  fire  opal  as  those  of  this  bird.  There  is  pink  iridescence, 
and  brownish,  and  grayish,  and  blackish,  and  other  shades  too 
numerous  to  mention,  but  the  combination  baffles  description. 

This  Dove  breeds  throughout  the  United  States  from  the 
international  boundary  to  the  Gulf,  and  migrates  as  far  south 
as  Panama.  In  California  it  is  now  counted  as  a  "game  bird," 
and  killed  by  sportsmen,  and  in  the  South  also  it  is  killed  by 
the  negroes  for  food.  A  great  "game  bird"  this,  truly!  A 
genuine  sportsman  must  be  very  hard  pressed  for  gun  victims 
when  he  can  seriously  call  this  tamest  of  all  birds  "game." 
And  can  any  farmer  in  his  senses  afford  the  expense  of  having 
Doves  shot  on  his  farm,  or  in  his  neighborhood?  Let  us  see. 

When  the  Biological  Survey  of  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture took  up  the  case  of  the  Mourning  Dove,  and  examined 
the  stomachs  of  237  specimens,  the  summary  of  results  proved 
that  as  a  weed-destroyer  this  bird  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
in  North  America.  Weed-seeds  constitute  64  per  cent  of  its 
food,  all  the  year  round,  with  little  monthly  variations.  In 
order  to  arrive  at  an  exact  determination,  the  seeds  in  three 
stomachs  were  carefully  identified  and  counted.  One  con- 
tained the  following: 


MOURNING  DOVE. 


WEED-SEEDS  CONSUMED  BY  THE  DOVE  95 

Orange  hawkweed  (Hieracium  aurantiacum) 4,820  seeds. 

Slender  paspalum  (Paspalum  setaceum) 2,600 

Hoary  vervain  (Verbena  stricta) 950 

Panicum 620 

Carolina  cranesbill  (Geranium  carolinianum) 120 

Yellow  wood-sorrel  (Oxalis  stricta) 50 

Miscellaneous  weeds . .  40 


9,200 

The  second  specimen  of  the  three  contained  6,400  seeds  of 
the  farmers'  ancient  and  persistent  enemy,  fox-tail  (Chactoclod) , 
while  the  third  turned  out  7,500  seeds  of  the  yellow  wood- 
sorrel.  The  grand  total  of  weed-seeds  for  those  three  Doves 
wras  23,100!  And  this  for  only  one  day's  supply.  Assuming 
that  those  three  Doves  had  been  killed  as  "game"  by  some 
"sportsman  (!),"  previous  to  their  meal,  and  those  seeds  had 
produced  23,100  weeds,  how  much  would  it  have  cost  in  labor 
at  $1.50  per  day  to  destroy  them? 

Besides  the  64  per  cent  of  weed-seeds  in  the  237  stomachs, 
there  was  found  32  per  cent  of  grain,  but  of  this  three-fourths 
was  waste  grain,  gleaned  in  the  fields  after  harvest. 

Whoever  does  aught  for  the  protection  of  doves,  does 
well;  and  a  word  to  the  wise  is  sufficient. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
ORDER  OF  UPLAND   GAME   BIRDS 

GALLINAE 

TT  is  natural  that  a  country  possessing  the  wide  diversity 
of  uplands  that  exists  in  the  United  States  should  pos- 
sess a  great  variety  of  ground-dwelling  birds.  In  response  to 
the  inviting  fields  and  forests,  plains  and  mountains — cold  and 
warm,  wet  and  dry — the  birds  of  the  Order  Gallinae  have 
greatly  multiplied,  both  in  number  and  in  species. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  men  and  boys  like  to  hunt  upland 
game  birds;  and  when  the  conditions  are  properly  observed,  it 
is  right  that  they  should  do  so.  The  natural  death  of  a  game 
bird  or  quadruped  is  by  shot  or  bullet,  from  the  gun  of  a  true 
hunter,  who  hunts  only  at  the  proper  time,  in  a  fair  manner, 
and  kills  sparingly.  Wherever  game  birds  are  most  plenti- 
ful, each  hunter  is  in  honor  bound  to  kill  only  a  small  number, 
and  give  others  a  chance. 

If  you  are  a  boy,  or  man,  don't  be  a  "game-hog!"  Shoot 
like  a  gentleman,  or  don't  shoot  at  all.  If  any  species  be- 
comes so  rare  that  it  is  threatened  with  extinction,  stop  killing 
it,  and  take  measures  for  its  complete  protection  until  it  has 
had  time  to  recover.  Above  all,  never  engage  in  a  "side- 
hunt,"  which  is  a  wholesale  slaughter  of  wild  creatures  "for 
points";  and  never  tolerate  one  in  your  neighborhood.  Side- 

96 


HUNTING  WITH  THE   CAMERA 


97 


hunting  should  be  prevented,  at  the  muzzle  of  breech-loaders, 
if  necessary. 

Some  of  the  most  interesting  hunting  experiences  ever  re- 
corded have  been  in  hunting  game  birds  with  the  camera. 
If  space  were  available,  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to  record  here 
the  names  of  some  of  those  who  have  made  beautiful  pictures 
of  ruffed  grouse,  pinnated  grouse,  woodcock,  ptarmigan  and 
many  other  species.  A  fine  bird  photograph  is  a  joy  forever, 
but  a  bagful  of  dead  birds  disappears  in  an  hour. 

The  table  below  affords  a  bird's-eye  view  of  this  Order 
as  it  exists  north  of  Mexico: 

ORDER  GALLINAE 
NORTH  OF  MEXICO 


GROUSE  FAMILY 
Tet-ra-on'i-dae 


Quail . 


Grouse 


PHEASANT  FAM- 
ILY  

Phas-i-an'i-dae 


Ptarmigan 
Turkeys . .  . 


Pheasants 

All  of  the  Old 
World  only. 


Virginia  Quail,  or  Bob-White. 
California  Mountain  Quail. 
California  Valley  Quail. 
Mearns'  Quail. 
Scaled  Quail. 

Ruffed  Grouse. 
Canada  Grouse. 
Pinnated  Grouse. 
Sharp-Tailed  Grouse. 
Sage  Grouse. 
Willow  Ptarmigan. 

Wild  Turkey. 
Ring-Necked  Pheas- 
ant. Intro- 
Golden  Pheasant.  duced. 
Silver  Pheasant. 


As  the  preceding  diagram  shows,  there  are  no  true  pheas- 
ants in  America  save  those  that  have  been  introduced  from 


98  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

China  and  Japan.     All  the  birds  to  which  that  name  cor- 
rectly applies  inhabit  the  Old  World. 

THE  GROUSE  FAMILY 

Tetraonidae 

Our  dear  old  friend  the  COMMON  QUAIL  is  now  called 
BOB-WHITE  l  in  all  the  modern  bird-books,  but  to  about 
fifty  million  Americans  it  is  yet,  and  ever  will  be,  the  Quail. 
It  is  our  longest-known  and  most  widely  known  American 
game  bird,  and  it  is  almost  wholly  a  United  States  bird.  It 
is  at  home  from  Maine  and  Florida  to  Texas,  the  west- 
ern border  of  Oklahoma  and  South  Dakota.  In  very  many 
eastern  localities,  however,  it  has  been  almost  exterminated 
by  excessive  shooting.  Unfortunately,  no  northern  state  per- 
mits any  of  its  few  remaining  Quail  to  be  trapped  and  ex- 
ported, and  as  a  rule  southern  Quail  cannot  withstand  the 
rigors  of  the  northern  winter.  In  addition  to  this,  there  has 
been  much  "Quail  disease"  among  the  southern  flocks,  and 
their  importation  is  hazardous.  In  1913  the  state  of  New 
York  granted  its  Quail  a  five-year  close  season,  excepting 
on  Long  Island. 

The  call  of  the  Bob-White  is  one  of  the  most  cheerful 
sounds  in  nature,  and  for  carrying  qualities  it  is  far-reaching. 
From  the  heart  of  a  hazel  thicket  one  hears  his  loud,  shrill 
call,  saying  "CLERKS/  CLERKS/  CLERKS/"  un- 
til everything  rings  again.  On  the  hurricane  deck  of  a  high 
stump,  or  the  top  rail  of  a  fence,  he  poises  himself,  points 
his  bill  at  the  sky,  swells  out  his  white  throat  and  whistles 

1  Co-li'nus  virginianus.     Average  length,  10  inches. 


BOB-WHITE  99 

long  and  loud,  "Bob!  BOB!  WHI-EET!"  But  the  feathered 
rascal  knows  very  well  when  the  close  season  is  on ;  and  when 
the  "law  is  off"  he  sings  very  small. 

That  many  men  enjoy  quail-shooting  is  no  cause  for 
wonder  or  reproach.  The  birds  lie  close  in  the  edge  of  the 
brush  until  the  dogs  are  ready  to  tread  upon  them,  when 
"  Burr-r-r-r ! "  the  covey  explodes  in  the  air  like  a  bomb,  the 
gray-and-brown  fragments  fly  in  half  a  dozen  directions,  and 
the  young  sportsman  is  so  "rattled"  he  is  almost  sure  to  miss. 
A  well-scared  Quail  is  no  easy  mark. 

Quail  are  rapid  breeders,  and  in  protected  localities  they 
increase  rapidly.  A  good  bird-law  in  Kansas  once  resulted 
in  bringing  back  the  vanished  flocks,  to  a  surprising  extent, 
but  they  were  soon  shot  out  again.  Unfortunately,  it  is  not 
possible  to  breed  Quail  in  large  numbers  in  confinement,  even 
with  a  quarter-section  of  land  for  the  experiment.  Every 
northern  state  that  has  not  already  done  so  should  at  once 
give  its  remnant  of  Quail  a  five-year  close  season — before  it  is 
too  late! 

In  view  of  the  enormously  increased  cost  of  living,  partly 
due  to  the  increase  in  the  cost  of  all  farm  products,  the  case 
of  the  Bob-White  becomes  of  practical  interest  to  every 
consumer.  Beside  the  market-basket  and  the  dinner-pail  the 
merely  academic  topics  of  natural  history  become  of  secondary 
importance.  Consider  this  bird  and  the  weeds  of  the  farm. 

To  kill  weeds  costs  money — hard  cash  that  the  farmer 
earns  by  toil.  Does  the  farmer  put  forth  strenuous  efforts  to 
protect  the  bird  of  all  birds  that  does  most  to  help  him  keep 
down  the  weeds?  Far  from  it!  All  the  average  farmer  thinks 


100 


UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 


about  the  Quail  is  of  killing  it,  for  a  few  ounces  of  meat  on  the 
table.  Because  of  its  few  pitiful  mouthfuls  of  flesh,  two  mil- 
lion gunners  and  four  thousand  lawmakers  think  of  it  only  as  a 


BOB-WHITE. 

bird  to  be  shot,  and  eaten !  As  a  result,  throughout  the  greater 
portion  of  its  former  range,  the  Bob-White  is  surely  and  cer- 
tainly on  the  verge  of  total  extinction;  and  now  many  state 
game  commissions  are  vainly  trying  to  supplant  it  by  the 
Hungarian  partridge — because  the  native  Quail  "can't  live." 
And  sportsmen  gravely  discuss  the  "bag  limit"  and  "enforce- 


BOB-WHITE  THE  FARMER'S  FRIEND  :M>1, 

ment  of  the  bag  limit  law"  as  a  means  of  bringing  back  this 
almost  vanished  species! 

It  is  fairly  beyond  question  that  of  all  birds  that  influence 
the  fortunes  of  the  farmers  and  fruit-growers  of  North  America, 
the  Bob-White  is  one  of  the  most  valuable.  It  stays  on  the 
farm  all  the  year  round.  When  insects  are  most  numerous 
and  busy,  Bob-White  devotes  to  them  his  entire  time.  He 
cheerfully  fights  them,  from  sixteen  to  eighteen  hours  per 
day.  When  the  insects  are  gone,  he  turns  his  attention  to 
the  weeds  that  are  striving  to  seed  down  the  fields  for  another 
year.  Occasionally  he  gets  a  few  grains  of  wheat  that  have 
been  left  on  the  ground  by  the  reapers;  but  he  does  no  damage. 
In  California,  where  the  valley  quail  once  were  very  numer- 
ous, they  sometimes  consumed  altogether  too  much  wheat  for 
the  good  of  the  farmers;  but  outside  of  California  I  believe 
such  occurrences  are  unknown. 

Let  us  glance  over  the  Quail's  food  habits: 

One  hundred  and  twenty -nine  different  weeds  have  been 
found  to  contribute  to  the  Quail's  bill  of  fare.  Crops  and 
stomachs  have  been  found  crowded  with  rag-weed  seeds,  to 
the  number  of  one  thousand,  while  others  had  eaten  as  many 
seeds  of  crab-grass.  A  bird  shot  at  Pine  Brook,  New  Jersey, 
in  October,  1902,  had  eaten  five  thousand  seeds  of  green  fox- 
tail grass,  and  one  killed  on  Christmas  Day  at  Kinsale,  Vir- 
ginia, had  taken  about  ten  thousand  seeds  of  the  pig-weed. 
(Elizabeth  A.  Reed.)  In  Bulletin  No.  21,  Biological  Survey,  it 
is  calculated  that  if  in  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  there  are 
four  Quail  to  every  square  mile,  and  each  bird  consumes  one 
ounce  of  seed  per  day,  the  total  destruction  of  weed-seeds 


•  ..;.,  '  ":    UPLAND  GAME  BIRDS 

from  September  1  to  April  30  in  those  states  alone  will  be 
1,341  tons. 

In  1910  Mrs.  Margaret  Morse  Nice,  of  Clark  University, 
Worcester,  Massachusetts,  finished  and  contributed  to  the 
Journal  of  Economic  Entomology  (Vol.  Ill,  No.  3)  a  masterful 
investigation  of  "The  Food  of  the  Bob-White."  It  should 
be  in  every  library  in  this  land.  Mrs.  Nice  publishes  the  entire 
list  of  129  species  of  weed-seeds  consumed  by  the  Quail — and 
it  looks  like  a  rogue's  gallery.  Here  is  an  astounding  record, 
which  proves  once  more  that  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction: 

NUMBER  OF  SEEDS  EATEN  BY  A  BOB-WHITE  IN  ONE  DAY 

Barnyard  grass 2,500  Milkweed 770 

Beggar  ticks 1,400  Peppergrass 2,400 

Black  mustard 2,500  Pigweed 12,000 

Burdock 600  Plantain 12,500 

Crab  grass 2,000  Rabbitsfoot  clover 30,000 

Curled  dock 4,175  Round-headed  bush  clover. .    1,800 

Dodder 1,560  Smartweed 2,250 

Evening  primrose 10,000  White  vervain 18,750 

Lamb's  quarter 15,000  Water  smartweed. ..... 2,000 

NOTABLY  BAD  INSECTS  EATEN  BY  THE  BOB-WHITE 
(PROFESSOR  JUDD  AND  MRS.  NICE) 

Colorado  potato  beetle.  Clover-leaf  beetle. 

Cucumber  beetle.  Cotton  boll-weevil. 

Chinch  bug.  Cotton  boll-worm. 

Bean-leaf  beetle.  Striped  garden  caterpillar. 

Wireworm.  Cut-worms. 

May  beetle.  Grasshoppers. 

Corn  billbug.  Corn-louse  ants. 

Imbricated-snout  beetle.  Rocky  Mountain  locust. 

Plant  lice.  Codling  moth. 

Cabbage  butterfly.  Canker  worm. 

Mosquito.  Hessian  fly. 

Squash  beetle.  Stable  fly. 


THE  QUAIL'S  INSECT  FOOD  103 

SUMMARY  OF  THE  QUAIL'S  INSECT  FOOD 

Orthoptera — Grasshoppers  and  locusts 13  species 

Hemiptera — Bugs 24 

Homoptera — Leaf-hoppers  and  plant  lice 6 

Lepidoptera — Moths,  caterpillars,  cut-worms,  etc 19 

Diptera— Flies 8 

Coleoptera — Beetles 61 

Hymenoptera — Ants,  wasps,  slugs 8 

Other  insects 6 

Total 145       " 

A  Few  Sample  Meals  of  Insects. — The  following  are  rec- 
ords of  single  individual  meals  of  the  Bob-White: 

Of  grasshoppers,  84;  chinch  bugs,  100;  squash  bugs,  12; 
army  worm,  12;  cut-worm,  12;  mosquitoes,  568  in  three  hours; 
cotton  boll-weevil,  47;  flies,  1,350;  rose  slugs,  1,286.  Mis- 
cellaneous insects  consumed  by  a  laying-hen  Quail,  1,532,  of 
which  1,000  were  grasshoppers;  total  weight  of  the  lot,  24.6 
grams. 

"F.  M.  Howard,  of  Beeville,  Texas,  wrote  to  the  TL  S. 
Bureau  of  Entomology,  that  the  Bob-Whites  shot  in  his  vicin- 
ity had  their  crops  filled  with  the  weevils.  Another  farmer  re- 
ported his  cotton-fields  full  of  Quail,  and  an  entire  absence  of 
weevils."  (Texas  and  Georgia  papers  please  copy.) 

Surely  it  is  unnecessary  to  point  out  the  logic  of  the  facts 
recorded  above. 

The  flesh  of  this  bird  is  a  great  table  delicacy — provided 
it  has  not  been  kept  in  cold  storage.  A  cold-storage  Quail 
is  as  good  to  the  taste  as  a  chunk  of  pressed  sawdust,  but  no 
better;  and  as  human  food  an  eminent  New  York  physician, 
Dr.  Robert  T.  Morris,  pronounces  it  unwholesome  and  danger- 
ous. In  flavor,  cold-storage  Quail  is  far  inferior  to  fresh 


104 


UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 


chicken  or  turkey.  In  a  court  of  law,  a  cooked  Quail  can 
easily  be  identified  from  squab,  reed-bird,  "rail-bird"  and 
many  others  by  the  fact  that  the  meat  on  its  breast  is  white, 
while  all  the  others  wear  dark  meat. 

THE  CALIFORNIA  MOUNTAIN  QuAiL1  is  a  bird  of  most 
pleasing  appearance,  which  inhabits  California,  Oregon  and 

gr  Washington.     Wherever 

protected  it  is  spreading 
rapidly  in  the  settled 
portions  of  the  North- 
west. It  loves  moist 
regions  wherein  the  rain- 
fall is  abundant.  This  is 
the  bird  with  a  black 
throat,  a  white  crescent 
running  down  from  the 
eye,  two  rows  of  white 
markings  on  each  side  and  a  long,  drooping  plume  on  its  head 
running  back  on  the  same  curve  as  the  forehead.  This  bird 
goes  in  small  flocks,  of  ten  to  twenty,  hides  well  and  is  not 
easily  flushed  without  a  dog. 

THE  VALLEY  QuAiL2  is  the  bird  of  the  Pacific  coast  which 
has  the  very  jaunty,  erect  black  plume,  rising  from  the  top 
of  its  head  and  gracefully  curving  forward.  Its  color  mark- 
ings are  rich  and  beautiful,  but  not  gaudy,  and  in  form  as 
well  as  color  it  is  very  handsome.  In  fact,  it  is  the  most 
beautiful  of  all  our  small  upland  game  birds.  It  inhabits 


CALIFORNIA  MOUNTAIN  QUAIL. 


1  Or-e-or'tyx  pic'tus.     Average  length,  11  inches. 

2  Lo-phor'tyx  calif ornicus.     Average  length,  9  inches. 


THE   CALIFORNIA  VALLEY  QUAIL 


105 


Oregon,  Nevada,  the  whole  of  California  and  the  Lower 
California  peninsula,  and  in  some  places  ascends  the  moun- 
tains to  9,000  feet.  It  has  been  acclimatized  in  Utah,  and 
there  are  many  other  localities  in  which  it  might  well  be  in- 
troduced. 

This  beautiful  Quail  is  the  most  widely  distributed  and 
frequently  seen  game  bird  in  California,  not  only  in  the  moun- 


CALIFORNIA  VALLEY  QUAIL. 

tains,  but  also  in  the  cultivated  valleys,  everywhere,  and  even 
in  Golden  Gate  Park,  San  Francisco.  It  breeds  readily  in 
confinement  in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  and  when  safe 
from  rats  is  not  difficult  to  keep. 

THE   MEARNS'   QUAIL/   of  Mexico,   western   Texas   and 
southern  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  must  be  mentioned  be- 

1  Cyr-to'nyx  mon-te-zu'mae  mearns'i.     Average  length,  8.50  inches. 


106  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

cause  it  is  too  odd  and  striking  in  appearance  to  be  ignored. 
It  may  be  known  by  the  numerous  large  white  spots  on  the 
sides  of  its  body  just  below  the  wings,  and  its  harlequin  head 
of  black-and-white  bars  and  collars.  It  is  of  great  interest  to 
Americans  residing  in  Mexico,  and  many  attempts  have  been 
made  to  acclimatize  it  in  captivity  in  the  United  States.  I 
once  had  in  my  possession  two  of  these  birds  whose  white 
spots  had  been  artificially  changed  by  some  enterprising 
Mexican  to  a  beautiful  golden-yellow  color.  Until  the  trick 
was  discovered,  the  birds  were  quite  a  puzzle,  for  the  fact 
that  they  had  been  dyed  was  not  proven  until  they  moulted. 
THE  RUFFED  GROUSE*  is  the  dandy  of  American  game 
birds.  In  various  places  it  is  called  by  various  names,  some 
of  which  are  mischievously  confusing.  By  many  persons  it 
is  called  a  "PHEASANT,"  and  by  others  a  "PARTRIDGE";  but 
both  of  these  names  are  entirely  incorrect,  and  when  applied 
to  this  bird  create  confusion.  Often  it  is  impossible  to  con- 
verse understandingly  about  this  bird  without  first  defining 
boundaries,  and  coming  to  an  agreement  regarding  the  names 
"Pheasant"  and  "Partridge."  Now  that  a  real  pheasant 
(the  ring-necked)  has  been  introduced  from  China  into  many 
portions  of  the  United  States,  it  is  all  the  more  imperative 
that  the  Ruffed  Grouse  should  be  called  by  that  name  and  no 
other!  It  is  called  "Ruffed"  because  of  the  ruff  of  feathers 
that  it  wears  just  in  front  of  its  shoulders,  and  under  the  name 
"Redruff"  this  bird  has  been  most  charmingly  introduced 
by  Mr.  Ernest  Thompson  Seton  to  many  thousand  readers 
who  never  had  known  it  previously. 

1  Bo-na'sa  um-bel'lus.     Average  length,  16  inches. 


THE   RUFFED   GROUSE 


107 


This  Grouse  is  in  every  respect  a  forest  bird.  Its  ideal 
home  is  mixed  forest  of  hardwood  and  coniferous  trees,  with 
the  white-tailed  deer  and  gray  squirrel  for  company.  Its 
home  extends  from  Massachusetts  and  northern  New  York  to 
northern  Georgia,  and  westward  very  sparingly  beyond  the 
Mississippi  to  the  Dakotas.  Besides  being  beautiful,  it  is  a 
bird  of  interesting  habits, 
and  its  flesh  is  entirely 
too  fine  for  its  own  good. 
In  size  it  is  smaller  than 
the  pinnated  grouse,  or 
prairie  chicken,  but  in 
intelligence  it  is  second 
to  no  other  grouse  living. 

The  prevailing  color 
of  the  Ruffed  Grouse  is 
rusty  brown,  but  the 
mottlings  of  black,  gray  and  white  defy  intelligent  description. 
Open  or  shut,  the  tail  is  a  dream — cross-barred,  banded  and 
mottled  most  exquisitely.  It  is  no  wonder  that  the  male 
bird  is  fond  of  strutting,  with  spread  tail;  but  besides  this  it 
has  a  still  more  effective  means  of  attracting  the  female.  It 
perches  on  a  log,  secures  a  good  grip  with  its  feet,  then  beats 
the  air  with  its  wings  until  you  hear  at  the  end  of  the  per- 
formance a  long,  quivering  resonance  disturbing  the  solitude, 
like  beating  upon  a  Hindoo  tom-tom. 

The  beats  start  slowly,  but  quickly  increase  in  rapidity 
to  the  end,  thus:  " Dum!-dum!-dum!-dum-dum-dumdumdum- 
dum."  The  bird  does  not  beat  the  log,  and  it  does  not  beat 


EASTERN   RUFFED   GROUSE. 


108  UPLAND  GAME  BIRDS 

its  own  sides.  Thoreau  declared  that  its  wings  strike  to- 
gether behind  its  back!  This  "drumming"  of  the  Ruffed 
Grouse  is  heard  oftenest  in  spring,  and  is  a  signal  to  the  fe- 
male; but  it  is  also  heard  occasionally  in  summer  and  autumn. 

This  grouse  is  a  strong  flier,  and  gets  up  before  the  hunter 
with  such  a  tremendous  "burr-r-r-r"  of  wings,  and  goes  off 
so  explosively,  that  it  takes  a  quick  eye  and  hand  to  bring 
it  down.  It  can  dash  off  through  timber  like  a  feathered 
rocket,  dodging  trees  and  branches,  and  zigzagging  in  all  di- 
rections leading  away  from  danger,  with  a  degree  of  speed  and 
certainty  that  is  really  marvellous.  No  wonder  the  young 
hunter  who  kills  one,  fairly  and  squarely,  feels  proud  of  his 
skill,  and  hastens  away  to  have  the  trophy  mounted  for  his 
den. 

Unfortunately,  in  most  eastern  states,  where  the  Ruffed 
Grouse  should  hold  its  own  for  a  hundred  years,  this  bird  is 
doomed  to  complete  extinction — unless  its  sale  for  the  table  is 
immediately  and  effectually  stopped!  So  long  as  it  is  lawful 
to  sell  it,  pot-hunters  will  shoot  it,  and  snare  it,  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  as  "food"  for  the  already  over-fed  patrons  of 
fashionable  hotels  and  restaurants  of  the  large  cities.  As 
food  for  the  hungry,  this  beautiful  bird  is  not  needed  in  the 
least.  As  a  means  of  inducing  thousands  of  brain-weary  men 
to  take  healthful  exercise  in  the  woods,  it  will  serve  a  highly 
useful  and  important  purpose — if  not  meanly  and  foolishly 
exterminated. 

In  New  York,  Massachusetts,  Pennsylvania  and  seventeen 
other  states  the  sale  of  game  is  now  sternly  forbidden  by  state 
laws,  and  those  laws  are  mostly  well  enforced. 


THE  DUSKY  GROUSE  109 

The  following  subspecies,  closely  related  to  the  typical 
Ruffed  Grouse,  are  found  in  North  America: 

The  Oregon,  or  Sabine's  Grouse,  is  found  on  the  mountains 
of  the  Pacific  coast,  west  of  the  Coast  Range,  from  northern 
British  Columbia  to  California.  This  species  possesses  rich 
red  plumage,  and  is  quite  beautiful. 

The  Canadian  Ruffed  Grouse  belongs  to  Canada  and  Maine, 
but  in  the  Northwest  it  ranges  south  of  the  international 
boundary.  The  Gray  Ruffed  Grouse  inhabits  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains from  the  Yukon  to  Colorado. 

THE  DUSKY  GROUSE1  is  a  conspicuous  type  which  in- 
habits the  Rocky  Mountains  from  Idaho  and  Montana  to 
Arizona.  Its  other  names  are  BLUE,  PINE,  and  GRAY  GROUSE, 
and  also  PINE-HEN.  I  first  saw  it  alive  in  the  Shoshone 
Mountains,  while  skirting  a  very  steep  mountain  side  in 
search  of  mountain  sheep.  The  stunted  pines  that  struggle 
with  the  slide-rock  for  existence  were  not  more  than  thirty 
feet  high,  but  in  them  perched,  dangerously  near  the  ground, 
this  handsome  slaty -blue  Grouse.  Its  nearest  neighbors  were 
the  mountain  sheep,  elk,  magpie,  Clarke's  nutcracker,  and 
golden  eagle. 

This  fine  bird  ranges  up  to  timber-line,  but  loves  rough 
mountain  sides  that  are  partially  covered  with  pines,  cedars 
and  firs.  It  usually  lives  alone,  but  sometimes  forms  very 
small  flocks.  The  crop  of  a  specimen  which  I  shot  was  stuffed 
full  of  fresh,  green  pine  needles,  some  of  them  two  inches  long. 
At  that  time,  however,  the  snow  was  a  foot  deep. 

1  Den-drag1 'a-pus  ob-scu'rus.  Average  length  of  male,  about  21  inches;  female, 
18  inches. 


110  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

This  bird  is  recognizable  by  the  broad  white  band  across 
the  end  of  its  tail,  and  its  slaty -blue  color.  From  Alaska  to 
California  is  found  a  subspecies,  very  much  like  the  preceding, 
called  the  Sooty  Grouse.  From  western  Montana  to  the  Coast 
Range  in  Oregon  and  Washington,  and  northward  to  Alaska, 
is  found  the  Franklin  Grouse,  known  very  generally  as  the 
66 Fool  Hen"  because  it  trusts  too  much  to  man's  humanity, 
and  often  finds  itself  a  victim  of  misplaced  confidence.  This 
is  one  of  the  last  American  birds  to  learn  that  man  is  a  very 
dangerous  animal,  and  often  devoid  both  of  mercy  and  of 
appreciation  of  the  beautiful  in  bird  life. 

THE  CANADA  GROUSED  also  called  the  SPRUCE  GROUSE  and 
BLACK  "PARTRIDGE,"  is,  as  its  most  acceptable  name  implies, 
the  grouse  of  Canada  and  the  Northwest.  It  has  the  widest 
range  of  any  American  member  of  the  Grouse  Family — from 
the  Alaskan  Peninsula  southeastward  to  northern  Minnesota, 
Michigan,  New  York  and  New  England.  It  inhabits  the 
evergreen  forests  of  that  vast  region,  usually  in  very  small 
flocks.  It  does  not  really  migrate,  but  by  reason  of  seasonal 
changes  which  affect  its  food  supply  it  often  shifts  from  one 
locality  to  another.  (D.  G.  Elliot.) 

In  many  localities  it  is  known  as  the  "Fool  Hen" •—  a  name 
which  is  applied  in  various  places  to  several  other  species. 
Man  is  so  conscious  of  his  own  insensate  destructiveness,  and 
so  accustomed  to  seeing  all  wild  creatures  fly  in  terror  before 
his  baneful  presence,  he  naturally  feels  that  any  bird  which 
trusts  its  life  to  his  tender  mercies,  and  does  not  live  in  con- 
stant fear  of  him,  must  indeed  be  a  feathered  fool!  For  some 

1  Ca-nach'i-tes  canadensis  can-a'ce.     Length,  about  14  inches. 


THE   PRAIRIE   CHICKEN  111 

strange  reason  several  members  of  the  Grouse  Family  are 
surprisingly  slow  to  comprehend  man's  true  nature  and  ac- 
quire the  flight  instinct,  which  most  other  species  learn  by 
experience  in  a  few  generations  of  contact  with  the  Univer- 
sal Killer. 


CANADA   GROUSE. 


The  male  Canada  Grouse  is  readily  recognized  by  its 
black  breast  and  throat,  and  black  tail,  which  handsomely  set 
off  the  barred  gray  back  and  sides. 

THE  PINNATED  GROUSE,  or  PRAIRIE  CHICKEN/  lives 
chiefly  in  the  memories  of  those  who  from  1860  to  1875  were 
"western  men,"  or  boys.  At  that  time  Illinois,  Wisconsin 
and  Iowa,  and  the  states  adjoining,  were  the  "West."  Rail- 
roads were  few,  all  guns  were  muzzle-loaders,  and  the  game- 
dealers  of  Chicago  were  not  stretching  out  their  deadly  ten- 
tacles, like  so  many  long-armed  octopi,  to  suck  the  last  drop 
of  wild-game  blood  from  prairie  and  forest.  The  "market- 

1  Tym-pa-nu'chus  americanus.     Average  length  of  male,  18  inches* 


UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

shooter"  was  a  species  of  game-butcher  then  unknown,  and 
the  beautiful  fertile  prairies  and  prairie-farms  of  Illinois, 
Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Kansas  and  Nebraska 
were  well  stocked  with  Prairie  Chickens. 

In  spring  they  courted  openly,  and  even  proudly.  The 
cocks  strutted,  and  inflated  the  bare,  salmon-yellow  air-sacs 
on  the  sides  of  their  necks,  bowed  low,  and  "  Boo-hoo-hooed!" 
until  the  sound  rolled  over  the  bare  earth  in  great  waves. 
Then  they  scattered,  to  nest  and  rear  their  young.  In  sum- 
mer they  hid  themselves  closely ;  and  no  self-respecting  farmer 
dreamed  of  such  a  low  act  as  killing  one,  or  meddling  with  a 
nest. 

In  the  fall,  after  the  harvesting,  and  just  before  the  corn- 
cutting  and  corn-husking,  the  young  broods  were  ready  to 
fly,  and  the  flocks  began  to  gather.  They  first  ranged  through 
the  wheat  and  oat  stubble,  gleaning;  and  the  sport  they  fur- 
nished there — dear  me !  Those  were  the  golden  days  of  life  on 
a  prairie  farm.  The  flocks  of  Pinnated  Grouse  and  quail  were 
the  rightful  heritage  of  the  boys  and  men  who  toiled  in  the 
fields  through  the  raw  cold  of  early  spring,  and  the  long,  flam- 
ing days  of  July  and  August.  If  the  farmers  only  had  been 
far-sighted,  and  diligent  in  protecting  for  their  all-too-scanty 
recreation,  and  for  their  own  tables,  the  game  that  was  theirs, 
they  might  have  had  Prairie  Chickens  to  hunt  for  a  century. 

But  the  game-devouring  octopi  began  to  reach  out,  from 
Water  Street,  Chicago,  and  from  New  York  and  Boston.  An 
army  of  men  began  to  "shoot  for  the  market,"  and  the  Pin- 
nated Grouse  and  quail  began  to  "go  east,"  by  the  barrel. 
Some  markets  were  so  glutted,  time  after  time,  that  unnum- 


THE   PASSING   OF  THE  PRAIRIE   CHICKEN  115 

bered  barrels  of  dead  birds  spoiled.  That  was  before  the  days 
of  cold  storage. 

The  efforts  that  were  made  to  stop  that  miserable  busi- 
ness were  feeble  to  the  point  of  imbecility;  and  absolutely 
nothing  permanent  was  accomplished.  Had  farmers  generally 
stopped  all  shooting  on  their  farms,  as  every  farmer  should, 
the  war  on  those  birds  would  have  stopped  also;  but  the  barn 
was  not  locked  until  after  the  horse  had  been  stolen.  A 
species  destroyed  is  rarely  regained. 

To-day  the  Prairie  Chicken  is  to  be  numbered  with  the 
buffalo  and  passenger  pigeon.  It  is  so  nearly  extinct  that  only 
a  few  flocks  remain,  the  most  of  which  are  in  north-western 
Minnesota,  the  Dakotas  and  Nebraska.  If  hunting  them 
with  dogs  continues,  five  years  hence  the  species  will  probably 
be  quite  extinct. 

It  is  useless  to  describe  this  bird.  The  chances  are  that 
no  reader  of  this  book  ever  will  see  one  outside  of  a  museum, 
or  a  large  zoological  garden.1  The  great  flocks  of  from  one  to 
three  hundred  that  from  1860  to  1875  were  seen  in  winter  in 
the  Iowa  corn-fields,  are  gone  forever.  Even  as  late  as  1874 
many  birds  were  killed  every  winter  by  flying  against  the 
telegraph  wires  along  the  railways. 

THE  HEATH  HEN,  or  EASTERN  PRAIRIE  CHICKEN,*  was 
the  first  bird  species  of  the  United  States  to  be  completely 
exterminated  everywhere  save  in  one  small  locality.  I  doubt 
if  there  are  more  than  one  thousand  Americans  now  living  to 
whom  this  bird  is  anything  more  than  an  empty  name. 

1  During  the  first  four  years  of  its  existence,  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  was 
able  to  secure  only  four  living  specimens. 

2  Tym-pa-nu'chus  cu 'pi-do. 


116  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

Originally  this  bird  was  to  the  eastern  states  what  the 
pinnated  grouse  was  to  the  middle  West.  It  inhabited  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island, 
Massachusetts,  and  I  know  not  how  many  more  states.  But 
the  shotguns  were  too  much  for  it.  Being  a  game  bird  of 
fine  flavor,  good  size  and  open-country  habits,  it  was  sought 
and  shot,  regardless  of  seasons. 

In  1785  New  York  accorded  a  close  season  from  April  1 
to  October  1.  New  Jersey  extended  partial  protection  in 
1820,  Massachusetts  in  1831,  and  Rhode  Island  in  1846.  In 
1866  New  Jersey  became  alarmed  about  impending  extinction, 
and  gave  the  vanishing  Heath  Hen  a  five-year  close  season. 
In  1862  New  York,  in  still  greater  alarm,  gave  a  ten -year 
close  season,  hoping  to  bring  back  the  vanished  flocks.  Five 
years  later,  in  still  greater  alarm,  New  York  passed  a  new 
ten-year  close-season  law,  and  in  1870  Massachusetts  rushed 
to  the  front  with  a  law  for  six  years  of  unbroken  protec- 
tion. 

Those  efforts  now  teach  a  valuable  lesson,  which  is  this: 
In  the  destruction  of  a  wild  species  a  point  of  disappearance 
is  finally  reached  beyond  which  every  species  is  doomed,  and 
cannot  be  restored.  That  was  reached  with  the  Heath  Hen, 
everywhere  save  on  the  island  of  Martha's  Vineyard,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  by  great  efforts  a  colony  of  about  200  birds 
has  been  saved,  even  down  to  1914. 

I  fear  that  already  in  several  states  various  species  of 
game  birds,  such  as  the  eastern  bob-white,  have  been  shot 
down  to  a  point  so  low  that  it  may  be  impossible  for  any 
length  of  close  seasons  to  bring  back  the  vanished  flocks. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  SAGE-BRUSH  PLAINS  117 

THE  PRAIRIE  SHARP-TAILED  GROUSE  l  inhabits  the  Great 
Plains,  from  the  states  bordering  the  Mississippi  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  It  is  the  plains  counterpart  of  the  pinnated 
grouse,  and  like  it,  is  rapidly  disappearing  before  the  settle- 
ments that  are  fast  filling  up  its  home.  The  neck  of  the 
male  lacks  the  side  tuft  of  long,  pointed  feathers  and  the  naked 
air-sac  so  conspicuous  on  the  male  pinnated  grouse. 

To-day  this  bird  is  seldom  seen  in  the  open  sage-brush 
plains  and  bad  lands  of  Montana  and  Wyoming,  but  is  oc- 
casionally found  in  or  near  the  foot-hills  of  the  Rocky  and  Big- 
Horn  Mountains.  When  flushed,  it  makes  the  mistake  of 
its  life  in  alighting  in  the  low,  isolated  cottonwood  trees  that 
straggle  along  the  creeks,  for  when  thus  perched  it  takes  a 
strong  man  to  resist  the  temptation  to  cut  off  its  head  with  a 
rifle-ball — or  try  to  do  so.  This  bird  will  fly  out  of  the  most 
impregnable  cover,  and  perch  aloft  to  be  shot  at  in  a  manner 
indicating  a  total  absence  of  the  most  ordinary  instinct  of 
self-preservation . 

THE  SAGE  GROUSE,  or  "CocK-OF-THE-PLAiNS,"2  is  a  su- 
perb bird — big,  handsome  and  showy.  It  is  one  of  the  very 
few  creatures  which  can  with  pleasure  and  benefit  eat  the 
leaves  of  the  common  sage-brush,  and  subsist  upon  that  food 
indefinitely.  Naturally,  however,  this  diet  often  imparts  to 
the  flesh  of  the  bird  an  excess  of  sage  flavor  which  renders  it 
quite  unpalatable.  Unfortunately,  on  this  fact  alone  the  Sage 
Grouse  cannot  base  a  hope  of  a  better  fate  than  that  of  its 
more  edible  relatives  in  the  Grouse  Family. 

1  Ped-i-oe-ce'tes  phas-i-an-el'lus  cam-pes'tris.    Average  length,  about  17  inches. 

2  Cen-tro-cer'cus  u-ro-phas-i-an'us.    Length  of  male,  27  inches ;  female,  22  inches. 


118  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

Of  the  really  conspicuous  members  of  the  Plains  fauna- 
buffalo,  antelope,  elk,  coyote,  gray  wolf,  swift  fox,  jack  "rab- 
bit," prairie-"  dog,"  and  Sage  Grouse — all  have  vanished  from 
frequent  sight  save  the  last  "dog,"  and  some  have  wholly 
disappeared.  In  riding  in  October,  1901,  from  Miles  City  to 
the  Missouri  River  and  back,  about  250  miles  all  told,  we 
saw  only  three  coyotes,  one  gray  wolf,  and  four  prairie  hares. 
Cotton-tail  rabbits  abounded  in  the  bad  lands,  and  we  saw 
about  six  flocks  of  Sage  Grouse — a  very  small  number  for  so 
much  territory. 

One  of  those  flocks,  however,  was  a  sight  to  be  remem- 
bered. In  the  valley  of  the  Little  Dry  it  spread  out  in  open 
order,  on  a  level  flat  that  was  carpeted  with  short,  gray 
buffalo-grass,  and  dotted  here  and  there  with  low  clumps  of 
sage-brush.  Halting  the  outfit  wagon  I  slowly  rode  forward 
until  within  thirty  feet  of  the  vanguard  of  the  flock.  There 
were  forty-six  birds,  and  all  were  on  dress  parade.  They 
stood  proudly  erect,  headed  across  the  trail,  marched  forward 
in  a  slow  and  stately  manner,  and  every  weather  eye  was  kept 
on  me.  The  majority  were  big,  long-tailed  cocks.  At  last 
the  parade  terminated  in  the  flight  of  the  birds  nearest  me, 
gradually  followed  by  all  the  others. 

In  size,  the  Sage  Grouse  is  the  largest  member  of  the 
Grouse  Family  in  America — next,  in  fact,  to  the  magnificent 
blackcock  of  Europe.  When  a  whole  flock  suddenly  rises 
out  of  the  sage-brush  and  takes  wing,  it  is  an  event  to  remem- 
ber. The  rush  and  beat  of  wings  makes  a  startling  noise, 
and  the  size  of  the  bird  is  also  highly  impressive.  This  grouse 
is  so  large  that,  as  it  flies  away,  you  see  its  body  rock  violently 


THE   SAGE   GROUSE   NEARLY  EXTINCT 


119 


from  side  to  side,  and  note  the  effort  of  the  wings  to  carry  the 
bird,  and  maintain  a  true  balance. 

The  male  has  an  air-sac  on  each  side  of  its  neck,  which 
it  inflates  in  the  courting  season,  when  it  struts  to  attract  the 


SAGE  GROUSE. 


attention  of  the  females.  Recently  Mr.  Frank  Bond  has  ob- 
served that  the  male  also  rubs  its  breast  along  the  ground,  as  a 
part  of  its  strutting  performance,  which  accounts  for  the 
mysteriously  worn  condition  of  the  breast  feathers. 

It  is  no  more  necessary  to  describe  a  Sage  Grouse  than  an 


120  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

elephant.  Its  large  size,  and  its  extremely  long  and  pointed 
tail  proclaim  its  identity  anywhere.  According  to  Mrs. 
Bailey,  it  ranges  "from  Assiniboia  and  British  Columbia  to 
Utah,  Nevada  and  California,  from  the  Sierra  Nevadas  and 
Cascades  east  to  the  Black  Hills,  Nebraska  and  Colorado." 
I  heartily  wish  that  every  one  who  reads  these  notes  may 
some  day  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  at  close  range  this 
glorious  bird  in  its  ideal  home — on  a  sage-brush  flat  in  the 
land  of  buttes,  where  the  world  is  big  and  free,  and  full  of 
sunshine. 

But  I  am  sure  this  wish  will  fall  far  short  of  realization. 
By  the  sportsmen,  gunners  and  pot-hunters  of  the  far  West, 
this  fine  bird  has  been  shot  and  shot,  until  now  it  exists  only 
in  shreds  and  patches.  Every  locality  still  containing  birds 
is  surrounded,  and  no  one  who  shoots  seems  to  care  about 
saving  that  truly  grand  bird.  In  a  very  short  time  the  peo- 
ple of  the  West  will  awake  and  find  that  the  great  Sage  Grouse 
is  totally  extinct. 

THE  PTARMIGANS  (pronounced  tar'mi-gans)  form  a  sharply 
distinguished  group  of  the  Grouse  Family,  with  which,  in 
view  of  the  different  species  we  possess  in  Alaska,  and  also 
nearer  home,  every  American  should  become  acquainted. 
The  most  striking  and  peculiar  character  about  these  birds 
is  that  at  the  approach  of  winter  they  turn  snow  white. 
They  prefer  to  nest  on  the  tops  of  rugged  mountains,  above 
timber-line,  and  in  Alaska  are  at  home  either  on  the  lofty 
snow-fields  of  the  mountains  or  the  desolate  barrens. 

There  are  four  well-defined  species,  and  six  varieties. 
The  only  species  which  is  at  home  in  the  United  States  is  the 


tf  a 

Si 


A  BIRD  WITH  A  CHANGEABLE   COAT 

WHITE-TAILED  PTARMIGAN  l — in  Colorado  sometimes  called 
the  "White  Quail"  —which  lives  in  the  Rocky  Mountains 
from  the  Liard  River,  British  Columbia,  to  New  Mexico. 
It  is  said  that  another  species  (the  Willow)  does  occasionally 
wander  down  into  northern  New  England.  The  majority  of 
the  species  are  found  in  Alaska,  but  the  Rock  Ptarmigan  covers 
nearly  the  whole  of  Arctic  America  from  Alaska  to  Labrador 
and  Greenland.  Two  of  its  subspecies  inhabit  Newfoundland. 

THE  WILLOW  PTARMIGAN2  may  well  be  chosen  as  the 
typical  representative  of  the  whole  group,  for  its  distribution 
covers  the  arctic  lands  entirely  around  the  pole.  When  De 
Long  and  his  party  fought  starvation  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Lena  River,  their  last  food  was  one  of  these  birds,  shot  with 
a  rifle  by  Alexy,  the  Eskimo.  In  northern  Greenland  and 
Grinnell  Land  Peary  and  Greely  ate  it,  and  in  the  Kenai 
Peninsula  flocks  of  it  were  photographed  by  Dall  DeWeese 
and  others.  In  1913  two  specimens  were  taken  at  Midvale, 
Montana. 

This  bird  is  almost  constantly  busy  in  changing  its  clothes. 
In  the  spring  it  goes  by  slow  degrees  from  winter  white  to 
chestnut  brown,  barred  with  black.  By  July  the  dark  plu- 
mage of  midsummer  is  fully  developed;  but  not  for  long.  By 
the  first  of  September,  the  trouble  begins  once  more,  and 
feather  by  feather  the-  plumage  gradually  changes  to  snowy 
white.  In  winter  the  legs  and  feet  of  Ptarmigans  generally 
are  heavily  clothed  with  feathers,  and  often  only  the  ends 
of  the  toes  are  visible. 

1  La-go' pus  leu-cu'rus.     Length,  about  12  inches. 

2  La-go'pus  lagopus.     Length,  about  14  inches. 


124  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

As  might  be  expected,  this  bird  and  its  relatives  often 
constitute  an  important  source  of  food  for  the  Indians  and 
Eskimos  of  the  arctic  regions. 

Unfortunately,  in  every  mining  district  of  the  far  North- 
west the  Ptarmigan  is  relentlessly  pursued  as  food  for  the 
camps.  A  photograph  taken  in  1913  at  (or  near)  White 
Horse,  Yukon,  shows  a  solid  wall  of  Ptarmigan  which  was 
said  to  contain  about  3,000  birds. 

THE  PHEASANT  FAMILY 

Phasianidae 

THE  PHEASANT  FAMILY  was  originally  represented  on  this 
continent  only  by  the  wild  turkeys;  but  during  recent  years 
certain  foreign  species  have  been  successfully  introduced,  and 
are  now  becoming  so  numerous  as  to  require  notice. 

THE  RING-NECKED  PHEASANT  1  has  been  introduced  from 
China,  and  acclimatized  in  Washington,  Oregon,  California, 
British  Columbia  and  elsewhere  with  pronounced  success. 
In  many  localities  it  has  become  so  abundant  that  now  it  is 
shot  by  sportsmen  as  upland  game  birds  once  were  killed  in 
New  York  state.  From  Portland,  Oregon,  to  Vancouver  the 
taxidermists  are  annually  called  upon  to  mount  scores  of. 
these  birds,  because  they  are  so  beautiful  that  many  of  the 
sportsmen  who  shoot  them  cannot  consent  to  see  their  skins 
destroyed. 

Following  the  examples  of  the  Pacific  states,  New  York, 
Massachusetts,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey  and  several  other 
states  both  east  and  west  have  entered  seriously  upon  the 

1  Phas-i-an'us  tor-quat'us. 


THE   WILD  TURKEY  125 

business  of  breeding,  rearing  and  introducing  this  valuable 
bird  at  state  expense. 

THE  SILVER  PHEASANT,  and  the  very  beautiful  GOLDEN 
PHEASANT,  both  natives  of  China,  have  also  been  acclimatized 
in  Washington,  Oregon  and  British  Columbia.  In  view  of 


WILD  TURKEY,   FROM  VIRGINIA. 

the  strong  and  hardy  natures  of  both  these  birds,  there  should 
be  little  difficulty  in  introducing  them  in  any  well-wooded 
farming  region  east  of  the  Mississippi  and  south  of  the  for- 
tieth parallel. 

THE  WILD  TURKEY1  once  inhabited  nearly  one-half  of 
the  United  States;  and,  considering  the  great  size  of  the  bird, 
the  earnestness  of  our  efforts  to  exterminate  it,  and  the  very 
little  that  has  been  done  toward  its  protection,  its  survival 
to-day  is  cause  for  wonder.  It  is  yet  found  in  a  few  heavily 
timbered  regions  in  the  East  and  South — such  as  Florida, 

1  Me-le-a'gris  gal-lo-pa'vo.  Length  of  large  male,  about  46  inches;  weight, 
28  pounds. 


126  UPLAND   GAME  BIRDS 

the  Virginias,  Pennsylvania  and  a  few  more  of  the  southern 

« 

states.  It  is  doubtful  if  even  one  flock  exists  in  the  North  any- 
where west  of  Pennsylvania.  In  Oklahoma  and  Texas  it 
still  lives,  but  the  gunners  of  the  cattle-ranches  are  fast  killing 
off  the  few  very  small  flocks  that  remain. 

The  Wild  Turkey  is  the  king  of  upland  game  birds.  It 
has  been  given  to  but  a  few  hunters  to  seek  this  bird  in  its 
native  forests,  witness  its  splendid  flight,  and  afterward 
shoulder  a  giant  gobbler  weighing  from  twenty -five  to  thirty 
pounds  for  a  ten-mile  carry.  He  who  has  done  this,  however, 
will  thereafter  rank  this  bird  aS  second  to  none  on  earth.  In 
the  United  States  only  one  species  exists,  but  three  geographic 
races  have  been  described.  The  wild  bird  so  closely  resembles 
the  domestic  turkey  that  almost  the  only  difference  observ- 
able is  the  white  upper  tail  coverts  of  the  tame  bird. 

THE  OCELLATED  TuRKEY,1  of  Yucatan,  British  Honduras 
and  Guatemala  is  a  bird  of  more  brilliant  plumage  but  smaller 
size  than  our  northern  species.  Its  name  refers  to  the  beau- 
tiful eye-spots  of  blue,  green  and  purple  which  adorn  the  tail 
feathers.  The  prevailing  color  of  the  body  plumage  is  a  rich 
metallic  green,  exhibiting  the  brilliant  iridescence  and  bur- 
nished-bronze  effects  so  strongly  displayed  in  most  turkeys  in 
full  plumage.  On  account  of  its  great  beauty,  several  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  establish  this  species  in  zoological 
gardens,  and  at  last  (1914)  it  has  been  successfully  established 
in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park.  The  species  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  keep  alive  in  captivity. 

1  Me-le-a'gris  oc-el-la'ta. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 
ORDER  OF  SHORE  BIRDS 

LIMICOLAE 

A3  the  name  of  the  Order  indicates,  these  birds  live  on 
the  ocean  and  lake  beaches,  and  the  banks  of  rivers, 
ponds  and  pools,  where  they  find  many  kinds  of  queer  things 
to  feed  upon.  On  the  boundary  line  betwixt  sea  and  land 
they  find  many  insects,  shell-fish,  crustaceans  and  worms. 
The  turnstones  make  a  business  of  turning  over  pebbles  and 
small  stones,  in  order  to  capture  the  worms  and  insects  that 
take  shelter  under  them. 

Let  it  not  be  thought,  however,  that  all  shore  birds  live 
on  shores.  -Far  from  it.  Before  the  days  of  general  bird 
slaughter  and  extermination,  there  were  plovers  and  curlews 
and  dowitchers  and  other  species  that  were  at  home  on  the  roll- 
ing prairies  of  Iowa,  Illinois  and  Kansas,  miles  and  miles  from 
the  nearest  pond,  lake  or  river.  Even  to  the  eyes  of  a  farmer 
boy  knowing  naught  of  natural-history  books,  they  seemed 
strangely  out  of  place;  for  their  long,  slender  legs  suggested 
water  and  wading.  In  those  days  we  wondered  what  they 
found  on  those  dry  prairies  to  feed  upon;  but  now  we  know 
that  they  fed  bountifully  upon  insects! 

Until  the  publication  in  April,  1911,  by  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  of  Professor  W.  L.  McAtee's 

127 


128  SHORE  BIRDS 

circular,  No.  79,  on  "Our  Vanishing  Shorebirds,"  the  Amer- 
ican people  were  totally  unaware  of  the  enormous  value  of 
those  birds  as  destroyers  of  insects.  For  example: 

9  species  (of  phalaropes,  sandpipers  and  plovers)  feed  on  mosquitoes. 
2  species  feed  on  the  Texas  fever  tick ! 
4  species  feed  on  horse-flies,  both  larval  and  adult. 
7  species  feed  on  crane-flies. 
6  species  devour  great  quantities  of  locusts. 
24  species  feed  on  grasshoppers. 
2  species  feed  on  the  cotton- worm. 

6  species  make  a  specialty  of  the  very  destructive  weevils. 

7  species  eat  the  bill-bug. 

9  species  devour  beetles  of  several  very  destructive  species. 
6  species  devour  the  destructive  crawfishes  of  the  South. 

Now,  these  facts  are  of  much  more  than  forgetful  interest. 
They  concern  the  family  market-basket  and  the  grocer's  bill. 
Every  insect  that  destroys  any  portion  of  a  farm  crop  of 
the  United  States  thereby  raises  to  us  the  cost  of  living; 
and  the  American  people  can  take  that  fact  or  leave  it. 

For  two  hundred  years  the  hunters  and  sportsmen  of 
America  have  been  regarding  the  shore  birds  solely  as  game 
birds,  measurable  only  in  food  ounces  on  the  table.  First, 
they  began  to  slaughter  the  large  species,  but  as  the  supply 
diminished  rapidly  before  the  semi-annual  gauntlet  of  guns 
the  standard  of  shooting  ethics  sank  lower  and  lower.  In 
1900  the  bottom  of  the  scale  was  reached.  It  was  about  that 
time  that  "sportsmen"  began  to  shoot  sandpipers,  tor  food! 
As  a  food  proposition,  the  sandpiper  is  in  the  sparrow  class. 

From  the  interior  of  the  United  States  about  ninety -eight 
per  cent  of  the  shore  birds  have  disappeared,  possibly  forever. 
Along  the  great  semi-annual  migration  routes,  particularly 


THE   NEW   FEDERAL  MIGRATORY  BIRD   LAW        129 

the  Atlantic  coast  during  the  "spring  flight,"  when  the  birds 
are  concentrated  on  that  narrow  line,  a  dozen  species  still  are 
represented.  Last  May  (1913)  two  friends  took  me  to  Great 
South  Bay,  Long  Island,  on  a  stormy  voyage  of  observation. 
In  one  day  we  saw  about  2,000  birds  of  nine  species,  and  had 
the  day  been  fine  we  would  have  seen  a  great  many  more. 
It  represented  the  massing  together,  on  those  famous  resting 
and  feeding  grounds,  of  the  whole  New  York  supply  of  shore 
birds.  It  was  a  pleasure  to  find  that  seed  stock  of  shore 
birds  and  to  note  its  possible  value  in  bringing  back  those 
vanishing  species. 

In  view  of  the  ease  with  which  shore  birds  can  be  shot,  and 
the  continuous  lines  of  gunners  that  everywhere  greet  their 
appearance,  it  is  a  wonder  that  any  have  survived  to  this 
time.  But  for  these  much-persecuted  birds  a  new  era  has 
dawned.  There  are  about  sixty  species  of  North  American 
shore  birds,  and  under  the  terms  of  the  new  federal  migratory 
bird  law,  in  effect  since  October  1,  1913,  fifty -four  of  those 
species  are  now  permanently  protected  from  slaughter  every- 
where in  the  United  States.  It  is  hoped  that  Canada  soon 
\vill  enact  a  similar  provision. 

The  enemies  of  our  native  birds  who  desire  the  precious 
and  sportsmanlike  (?)  privilege  of  slaughtering  emaciated 
ducks  and  geese  in  January,  February  and  March  are  very 
anxious  that  the  federal  migratory  bird  law  should  at  once 
be  declared  "unconstitutional,"  and  destroyed.  If  that  law 
ever  is  so  destroyed,  ice  very  soon  will  see  the  last  of  our  shore 
birds! 

There  are  many  genera  and  species  of  birds  in  this  Order, 


130  SHORE   BIRDS 

but  for  certain  reasons  it  is  difficult  to  form  an  acquaintance 
with  more  than  a  very  few  of  them.  The  majority  of  them 
reach  us  only  as  birds  of  passage,  on  the  way  to  or  from  their 
breeding  grounds  farther  north,  and  during  the  year  are  wTith 
us  only  a  few  weeks.  Others  are  so  few  in  number,  and  live 
in  such  remote  localities,  that  they  also  are  beyond  our  ac- 
quaintance. As  usual,  therefore,  we  will  introduce  only 
those  species  that  are  sufficiently  abundant,  long-tarrying 
and  generally  interesting  to  make  them  worth  knowing. 

THE  KILLDEER  PLOVER1  makes  an  excellent  representa- 
tive of  a  large  section  of  this  Order.  It  is  of  average  size 
and  handsome  appearance,  and  is  such  a  loud  and  frequent 
caller  its  presence  is  always  well  advertised.  It  is  so  widely 
distributed  that  millions  of  people  have  seen  it  alive.  It  is 
a  bird  of  the  inland  ponds  and  pools,  not  of  the  seashore, 
and  it  is  found  throughout  the  whole  temperate  portion  of 
North  America,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  It  is  not 
a  bird  of  heavily  timbered  regions,  however,  and  is  most 
abundant  in  the  lake  regions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  On 
the  prairies  of  the  middle  West,  wherever  there  are  small, 
shallow  ponds,  or  even  pools  in  wet  meadows,  all  through  the 
season  of  mild  weather  you  will  hear  its  clear  and  rather 
strident  cry  of  "  Kill-d-e-e-r!  Kill-d-e-e-r!"  And  it  is  always 
a  pleasing  sight  to  see  this  immaculate  bird  in  snow-white, 
brown  and  black  plumage  standing  at  the  edge  of  a  bit  of 
water — a  stroke  of  living  high-light  in  the  landscape.  I  al- 
ways liked  the  Killdeer,  and,  although  I  have  seen  hundreds, 
and  heard  its  cry  a  thousand  times,  I  never  wearied  of  its 

1  Ox-y-e'chus  vo-cif'er-a.     Length,  10.50  inches. 


HABITS   OF  THE   GOLDEN   PLOVER 


131 


companionship.     In    my    opinion    it    is    our    most    beautiful 
shore  bird. 

THE  AMERICAN  GOLDEN  PLOVER,1  also  called  GREEN  and 
FIELD  PLOVER,  is  (or,  at  least  was  until  recently)  the  Plover 
most  frequently  seen  in  the  Atlantic  states,  and  in  the  markets. 


KILLDEER   PLOVER. 


It  frequents  the  banks  of  marshes  and  tide  pools  along  the 
seashore,  but  it  is  equally  fond  of  the  pools  and  ponds  of 
the  uplands,  particularly  in  old  meadows.  They  are  seldom 
seen  during  the  spring  migration;  they  do  not  remain  with  us 
during  the  summer,  and  it  is  only  during  the  months  of  their 
fall  migration,  from  August  15  to  November  1,  that  they 
are  really  in  evidence.  During  the  open  season  they  are  much 
sought  by  gunners — which  is  the  reason  why  there  is  now 
only  one  bird  where  formerly  there  were  fifty.  In  fact,  the 

1  Char-a-dri'us  do-min'i-cus.     Average  length,  10  inches. 


SHORE   BIRDS 


AMERICAN   WOODCOCK. 


Golden  Plover  is  actually 
on  the  brink  of  oblivion, 
and  in  effect  it  is  to-day 
so  nearly  extinct  that  it 
may  as  well  be  classed 
with  the  birds  that  were, 
but  are  not. 

THE  AMERICAN  WOOD- 
cocK1  is  the  oddest- 
looking  land-bird  in 
North  America.  Its  legs 
are  too  short  for  so  large  a  body,  its  tail  is  only  half  as  long 
as  it  should  be,  its  neck  is  too  short  and  too  thick,  and  its 
head  is  entirely  out  of  drawing.  The  eyes  are  placed  too  far 
back,  and  the  bill  is  too  long  and  too  straight.  In  appear- 
ance, the  Woodcock  looks  like  an  avian  caricature. 

But,  odd  or  not,  this 
bird  is  very  dear  to  the 
heart  of  the  great  Amer- 
ican sportsman,  and  its 
plump  brown  body  is  a 
genuine  delicacy.  It  has 
a  long  array  of  local 
names,  some  of  which 
are  so  uncouth  that  the 
less  said  concerning  them 
the  better.  WOODCOCK  ON  NEST. 

rrn         I  •  ,  •  Photographed  at  a  distance  of  6  feet,  by  Le  Roy 

Hie    long,    Sensitive  M.  Tufts,  and  copyright,  1903. 

1  Phi-lo-he'la  mi'nor.     Average  length,  about  10.50  inches. 


THE   AMERICAN   WOODCOCK  133 

beak  of  this  bird  is  really  a  probe  and  a  pair  of  forceps  com- 
bined, for  probing  in  soft  earth  or  mud  after  earthworms,  and 
dragging  them  out  when  found.  In  order  to  feed,  the  Wood- 
cock has  no  option  but  to  frequent  the  moist  banks  of  wooded 
streams,  or  wet  grounds  in  the  shelter  of  bushes  or  timber, 
where  it  can  work  unobserved.  During  the  day  it  lies  low  to 
escape  observation,  and  does  the  most  of  its  feeding  at  night. 
It  is  seldom  found  in  open  ground,  and  Woodcock-shooting  is 
much  like  shooting  quail  among  brush — quick  and  difficult. 

This  bird  ranges  throughout  the  United  States  from  the 
Atlantic  coast  to  the  edge  of  the  Great  Plains.  In  the  course 
of  much  hunting  in  central  Iowa  I  never  but  once  shot  a 
specimen  of  this  species.  In  the  eastern  states  it  is  only 
the  most  skilful  local  hunters  who  can  go  out  and  find  a 
Woodcock.  Unless  it  is  given  a  ten-year  close  season,  and 
quickly,  its  extinction  is  certain. 

As  a  highly  esteemed  game  bird,  WILSON'S  SNIPE,  or  the 
JACK  SNIPE/  is  a  close  second  to  the  woodcock.  Like  the 
latter,  it  has  a  long,  straight  bill  with  a  sensitive  tip,  with 
which  to  probe  down  in  the  mud  or  soft  earth  of  pond  margins 
or  spring  holes,  to  the  home  of  the  angle-worm.  Unlike  the 
woodcock,  however,  this  Snipe  is  a  very  well-formed  bird, 
and  it  feeds  more  in  the  open,  which  renders  its  pursuit  more 
fruitful  of  results.  On  the  wing  it  is  awkward  and  angular- 
looking.  It  flies  in  a  very  angular  course,  but  so  rapidly  it 
is  a  difficult  mark  to  hit.  When  it  rises,  it  utters  a  shrill 
cry,  half  scream  and  half  squawk,  and  in  windy  weather  it 
often  flies  quite  high. 

1  Gal-li-na'go  del-i-ca'ta.     Length,  about  11  inches. 


134 


SHORE   BIRDS 


This  Snipe  has  a  very  wide  range — from  Alaska  and  Hud- 
son Bay  through  all  the  United  States,  except  the  arid  re- 
gions, to  northern  South  America.  Its  most  conspicuous  color 
is  brown,  striped  on  the  back  with  black,  which  in  brushy 
ground  protects  the  bird  so  well  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish. 


WILSON'S   SNIPE. 

Whenever  at  the  seashore  in  warm  weather  you  wander 
"far  from  the  madding  crowd,"  you  may  make  the  acquaint- 
ance of  the  SEMIPALMATED  SANDPIPER,*  or  possibly  it  will  be 
the  LEAST  SANDPIPER2 — a  trifle  more  minute,  and  with  no 
^web  at  the  base  of  its  toes.  At  a  distance  of  ten  feet  the  two 
species  look  precisely  alike,  and  there  is  no  need  to  worry 
about  an  exact  identification.  They  are  also  called  "Peeps" 
and  "Ox-Eyes,"  and  the  toes  of  the  Semipalmated  Sandpiper 
are  partly  webbed. 

1  Er-e-un-e'tes  pu-sil'lus.     Length,  6  inches. 

2  Ac-to-dro'mas  min-u-til'la.     Average  length,  5.50  inches. 


PEEPS"   AND   "OX-EYES" 


135 


As  the  green -topped  surf  dashes  to  pieces  on  the  pebbles 
and  goes  sliding  in  a  silvery  sheet  up  the  yellow  sand,  you  will 
notice  just  above  its  frothy  edge  a  flock  of  little  gray  sprites, 
their  tiny  legs  twinkling  as  they  patter  swiftly  over  the  smooth 
floor.  Sometimes  the  sliding  sheet  of  water  overtakes  them. 
If  it  is  nearly  spent,  they  mind  it  not;  but  if  the  rush  is  too 
strong,  up  springs  the 
flock,  all  members  at  the 
same  instant,  and  with 
quick  flashes  of  light- 
gray  wings,  it  skims  the 
surf -sheets  or  the  sand,  to 
a  point  farther  on.  The 
unison  of  action  in  the 
rising,  flight  and  landing 
of  the  flock  is  as  perfect 
as  if  each  little  pair  of 
wings  were  worked  by  the  same  wires.  How  does  each  bird 
know  the  impulses  of  all  the  others?  Watch  them,  and  see 
if  you  can  guess  the  secret. 

At  the  seashore  I  never  weary  of  watching  these  busy 
little  creatures,  and  never  fail  to  be  amused  by  the  twinkling 
of  their  tiny  legs  as  they  run  before  the  water.  As  the  sheet 
of  surf  recedes,  down  they  run  after  it,  to  pick  up  whatever 
of  insect  or  other  edible  animal  life  it  has  brought  to  them  from 
the  sea,  or  uncovered  on  the  sand. 

Small  as  the  Sandpipers  are,  their  slaughter  by  gunners 
was  in  full  career  when  it  was  stopped  by  the  federal  migra- 
tory bird  law,  on  October  1,  1913.  Had  it  continued  a  little 


LEAST   SANDPIPER. 


136  SHORE  BIRDS 

longer  these  helpless  and  heedless  little  birds  would  soon  have 
been  exterminated  from  our  bird  fauna.  To-day  the  species 
mentioned  above  are  found  very  thinly  sprinkled  throughout 
the  whole  eastern  United  States,  and  they  breed  northward 
quite  up  to  the  Arctic  Barren  Grounds.  Wherever  they  are, 
they  are  interesting  birds,  and  worthy  of  your  friendship. 

THE  LONG-BILLED  CURLEW  l  is  a  bird  which  has  caused 
much  wonderment  and  many  guesses  in  the  middle  West, 
where  on  the  virgin  prairies  it  once  was  frequently  seen. 
This  bird's  trick  of  holding  its  wings  high  above  its  back  for 
t\vo  or  three  seconds  after  it  alights  upon  the  ground  alwrays 
attracts  special  attention.  Its  cry,  also,  oft  repeated  in 
spring,  is  very  weird  and  peculiar,  and  well  calculated  to  make 
the  bird  remembered. 

This  bird  once  was  common  on  the  rolling  prairies  of  Iowa, 
regardless  of  ponds  or  streams,  where  it  sought  every  sort  of 
animal  life  small  enough  to  be  swallowed.  It  is  easily  recog- 
nized, even  in  flight,  by  its  long,  curved  bill.  In  its  form,  its 
beak  and  its  legs,  it  is  almost  a  perfect  counterpart  of  a  typical 
ibis,  but  it  has  the  mechanically  mottled  plumage  of  a  typical 
shore  bird.  Although  by  some  ornithologists  this  bird  is 
credited  to  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  the  United  States, 
there  certainly  are  some  very  wide  regions  from  which  it  is 
totally  absent.  In  various  localities  it  has  various  names, 
some  of  which  are  Sickle  Bill,  Sabre  Bill,  Smoker,  Spanish 
Curlew  and  Mowyer. 

This  bird  is  very  sympathetic  toward  its  wounded  mates, 

1  Nu-men'i-us  lon-gi-ros'tris.  Average  length,  about  23  inches;  bill  of  adult 
bird,  about  8  inches. 


OF  INTEREST  TO  THE  SPECIAL  STUDENT          137 

and  in  response  to  the  cries  of  a  bird  that  has  been  shot,  a 
flock  sometimes  will  return,  and  with  loud  cries  circle  near  the 
gunner,  at  close  range,  until  several  more  have  been  brought 
down.  (D.  G.  Elliot.) 

Besides  the  shore  birds  mentioned  above,  there  are  several 
groups  which  are  of  interest  chiefly  to  the  special  student, 
and  which  there  is  no  space  to  introduce  here,  save  by  name. 
There  are  the  oyster-catchers,  turnstones,  godwits,  stilts  and 
phalaropes.  In  the  Order  Limicolae  as  a  whole  there  are  in 
North  America,  north  of  Mexico,  about  seventy-five  species 
and  subspecies. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
ORDER  OF   CRANES,   RAILS,   AND   COOTS 

PALUDICOLAE 

THE  name  of  this  Order,  Pal-u-dic'o-lae,  means  "marsh- 
dweller,"  and  the  presence  in  it  of  the  cranes  is  enough 
to  make  it  notable.  It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  from 
the  stately  and  commanding  crane  down  to  the  humble  coot, 
the  scared  gallinule,  and  the  diminutive  rail,  is  a  long  step 
downward.  But  it  is  inevitable  that  the  efforts  of  science  to 
classify  the  birds  of  the  world  in  as  few  Orders  as  possible 
should  bring  together  many  widely  divergent  forms.  To 
have  a  greater  number  of  Orders  would  be  still  more  confusing 
to  the  general  student  than  the  present  number. 

In  the  Order  of  Marsh-Dwellers  there  are  only  two  Fami- 
lies which  we  feel  called  upon  to  notice  here.  These  are  the 
Cranes  and  the  Rails,  Gallinules  and  Coots. 

THE  CRANE  FAMILY 

Gruidae 

The  cranes  of  the  world  form  a  group  of  about  eighteen 
species,  which,  in  stateliness,  beauty  and  oddity  of  habit,  are 
second  only  to  the  ostriches  and  their  allies.  Every  zoolog- 
ical garden  which  possesses  a  good  collection  of  cranes  has 
good  reason  to  be  proud  of  it.  The  Crowned  Cranes  of  Africa 

138 


THE   CRANE  FAMILY  139 

are  the  most  beautiful  species  of  all,  the  Paradise  Crane  is 
the  oddest  in  appearance,  the  little  Demoiselle  Crane,  of  the 
Nile  region,  has  the  most  amiable  disposition.  The  big, 
red-headed  Saras  Crane  of  India  is  the  most  quarrelsome,  and 
the  stately  Whooping  Crane  of  North  America  is  the  species 
which  comes  nearest  to  being  pure  white. 

Through  some  mischievous  and  unfortunate  circumstance, 
the  great  majority  of  the  people  who  live  in  the  eastern 
United  States  have  become  almost  fixed  in  the  habit  of  call- 
ing the  great  blue  heron  the  "blue  crane."  The  former  is 
common  enough  along  watercourses  and  tidal  rivers,  but  it  is 
probable  that  not  more  than  one  person  out  of  every  ten 
thousand  has  ever  seen  in  America  a  living  wild  crane.  As 
applied  to  wild  birds,  the  word  "crane"  should  be  used  most 
sparingly.  Along  the  Atlantic  coast,  the  only  locality  in 
which  it  might  correctly  be  used  afield  is  on  the  interior  sa- 
vannas of  Florida. 

THE  WHOOPING  CRANE1  is  now  one  of  the  rarest  of  all 
living  North  American  birds.  Fourteen  years  of  diligent 
quest  for  living  specimens  have  produced  but  eight  birds. 
There  were  in  captivity  on  January  1,  1914,  exactly  five 
specimens,  only  two  of  which  were  in  the  United  States. 
Inasmuch  as  this  bird  is  of  no  value  save  to  zoological  gardens, 
it  must  be  believed  that  it  has  been  wantonly  shot,  down  to 
the  verge  of  extinction.  Since  it  is  a  practical  impossibility 
to  induce  it  to  breed  in  captivity,  the  species  seems  almost 
certain  to  disappear  from  our  fauna  at  an  early  date. 

Although  this  splendid  species  is  not  as  yet  wholly  extinct, 

1  Grus  americana* 


140  CRANES,  RAILS,  AND   COOTS 

it  is  very  near  it.  In  view  of  its  range  from  the  Arctic  Barren 
Grounds  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  there  is  not  the  slightest 
chance  that  it  can  be  sufficiently  protected  from  shooting  to 
prevent  its  extermination  about  1934. 

As  seen  with  its  wings  closed,  the  visible  plumage  of  this 
grand  bird  is  all  snowy  white.  When  the  wings  are  spread, 
however,  it  is  found  that  the  largest  feathers,  called  the  pri- 
maries, are  jet  black.  The  upper  tail  coverts  form  a  plume  that 
arches  upward  over  the  tail,  and  gives  the  bird  a  very  jaunty 
air.  The  top  of  the  head  is  bare  of  feathers,  and  the  rough 
skin  has  a  dull-red  glow.  The  eye  is  big  and  keen,  and  the 
bill  is  long,  strong  and  rather  blunt  on  the  end,  for  digging 
angle-worms  out  of  the  ground,  not  for  spearing  fish. 

The  strength  of  the  beak  and  neck  of  the  Whooping  Crane 
in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  is  truly  remarkable.  The 
bird  roams  at  will  in  a  grassy  meadow  of  about  two  acres  in 
extent.  Soon  after  it  attained  full  growth,  it  was  noticed 
that  after  every  rain  it  would  vigorously  attack  the  grass. 
With  mandibles  two  inches  apart  at  the  tips,  it  would  drive 
its  beak  into  the  earth  to  a  depth  of  from  two  to  three  inches, 
grasp  a  tuft  of  grass  between  them,  and  by  main  strength  de- 
liberately pull  it  up  by  the  roots.  A  few  vigorous  shakes  side- 
wise  dislodged  any  angle-worms  which  might  have  been 
brought  up,  after  which  the  roots  of  the  tuft  would  be  care- 
fully looked  over  before  being  cast  aside.  Next  in  order,  the 
wounded  earth  wrould  be  carefully  probed  and  picked  over. 
In  a  few  hours,  this  bird  sometimes  pulled  up  the  grass  on 
a  space  fifteen  feet  square,  and  finally  disfigured  the  ground 
so  seriously  that  after  every  rain  the  Crane  had  to  be  shut  up. 


THE   WHOOPING   CRANE'S   TRUMPET   CALL 


141 


A  living  full-grown  Whooping  Crane  stands  4  feet  3 
inches  high.  Its  name  is  due  to  its  wonderfully  clear,  powerful 
and  trumpet-like  call,  which  is  uttered  with  the  beak  pointing 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

WHOOPING   CRANE. 

straight  upward.  When  properly  delivered,  the  crane's  call 
consists  of  two  notes,  an  octave  apart,  one  following  the  other 
so  closely  that  there  is  no  interval,  thus:  "Quah-KEE-E- 
E-oo!"  I  believe  that  a  Crane's  trumpet  call  will  carry  as 
far  as  the  roar  of  a  lion. 

All  our  Cranes  are  strictly  open-country  birds,  and  for- 


142  CRANES,   RAILS,   AND   COOTS 

merly  inhabited  the  fertile,  froggy  prairies  and  corn-fields  of 
the  Mississippi  Valley ;  but  the  species  named  above  never  was 
really  numerous  anywhere.  In  travelling,  cranes  always  fly 
in  single  file,  with  their  long  necks  and  legs  in  a  straight  line, 
and  in  that  position  the  length  of  the  bird  seems  very  great. 

THE  SANDHILL  CRANE1  is  a  smaller  bird  than  the  preceding, 
always  has  been  more  numerous  and  therefore  is  much  more 
widely  known.  In  color  it  is  a  dull  bluish-slate,  and  it  has  a 
half-bald,  dull-red  head,  like  a  whooping  crane.  The  pioneers 
who  were  on  the  western  prairies  from  1850  to  1870  occasion- 
ally saw  long  lines  of  enormously  long  birds  sailing  high  in 
the  heavens,  trumpeting  their  identity  to  those  unable  to 
see  them,  or  alighting  on  stilt-like  legs  in  the  corn-fields.  In 
springtime,  when  the  birds  alighted  in  the  bare  fields,  and 
stalked  about  with  majestic  stride,  they  seemed  fairly  gigantic. 
They  went  far  north  in  spring  to  breed,  and  on  their  return 
trips  sought  their  winter  home  in  Texas,  Florida,  and  else- 
where along  the  Gulf  coast. 

Cranes  in  captivity,  and  wild  ones  also,  often  indulge  in 
strange  antics.  Suddenly,  and  for  no  apparent  reason,  one 
will  half-open  its  wings,  leap  into  the  air  and  begin  to  dance. 
It  bobs  and  bows,  salams  and  courtesies  almost  to  the  ground, 
and  in  sheer  delight  repeatedly  leaps  into  the  air.  Often  the 
lead  of  one  bird  is  followed  by  several  others,  and  occasion- 
ally (as  I  have  myself  seen)  a  whole  wild  flock  of  fifteen  or 
twenty  birds  will  join  in  the  fandango. 

Whenever  the  days  are  cool  and  clear, 
The  sandhill  crane  goes  walking 

1  Grus  mexicana.     Height,  about  3  feet,  10  inches. 


THE   VIRGINIA  RAIL  143 

Across  the  field  by  the  flashing  weir, 

Slowly,  solemnly  stalking. 
The  little  frogs  in  the  tules  hear, 
And  jump  for  their  lives  if  he  comes  near; 
The  fishes  scuttle  away  in  fear, 

When  the  sandhill  crane  goes  walking. 

The  field  folk  know  if  he  comes  that  way, 

Slowly,  solemnly  stalking, 
There  is  danger  and  death  in  the  least  delay, 

When  the  sandhill  crane  goes  walking. 
The  chipmunks  stop  in  the  midst  of  play; 
The  gophers  hide  in  their  holes  away; 
And  "Hush,  oh,  hush!"  the  field  mice  say, 

When  the  sandhill  crane  goes  walking. 

—MRS.  MARY  AUSTIN,  in  St.  Nicholas.1 

THE  FAMILY  OF  RAILS 

Rallidae 

From  the  stately  crane  to  the  timid,  self-effacing  VIR- 
GINIA RAIL2  is  going  at  one  step  from  the  sublime  to  the 
ridiculous.  To  the  latter,  which  is  a  bird  about  half  the  size 
of  a  bob-white,  a  crane  must  seem  like  a  giant  whose  head 
is  in  the  clouds.  The  crane  can  either  fight,  run  or  fly  away; 
but  the  rail  is  safe  only  when  threading  the  mazes  of  a  reedy 
marsh,  where  no  enemy  can  follow  it  far.  When  boating 
on  a  marsh  filled  with  cat-tails,  or  reeds,  or  tall  grass,  you 
may  hear  a  score  of  rails  clucking  and  calling  in  the  heart  of 
the  green  tangle  about  you  without  seeing  one.  There  are 
times  when  it  seems  as  if  this  bird  is  a  deliberate  and  inten- 
tional ventriloquist,  for  its  voice  seems  to  come  from  all  di- 
rections save  that  which  points  toward  its  owner.  A  marsh 
is  as  necessary  to  rails  as  water  is  to  fishes. 

1  By  permission  of  The  Century  Co.  and  of  the  author* 

2  Ral'lus  virginianus.     Average  length,  9  inches. 


144 


CRANES,   RAILS,   AND   COOTS 


When  a  rail  flies  up  out  of  a  marsh  or  a  meadow,  you  can 
recognize  it  by  its  feeble,  fluttering  flight,  and  its  hanging 
legs.  Often  in  alighting  it  seems  to  fall  helplessly  into  the 
tall  cover. 

In  the  wide  marshes  along  the  New  Jersey  shore,  dwells 
a  species  known  as  the  SORA  RAILX  in  numbers  sufficiently 


VIRGINIA   RAIL. 

numerous  to  attract  gunners.  The  moment  the  "law  is 
off,"  the  flat-bottomed  boats  are  brought  out,  and  the  fusil- 
lade begins.  With  no  larger  game  available,  even  a  small 
Rail  can  form  an  excuse  for  a  day's  outing  on  the  marshes, 
bringing  the  grip  of  the  gun-stock,  the  dull  "boom"  that  is 
music  to  the  desk-weary  man,  and  the  welcome  smell  of  gun- 

1  Por-za'na  Carolina.     Length,  about  9  inches. 


MIDWAY   BETWEEN   A  RAIL  AND   A   COOT  145 

powder.  Therefore,  rail  not  at  all  those  who  shoot  rails; 
for  there  be  some  who  do  not  shoot  "for  revenue  only." 

As  may  be  inferred,  rails  are  good  to  eat,  though  not  very 
good;  for  they  are  several  sizes  too  small  for  real  comfort. 
There  are  only  about  twelve  species  in  North  America,  of 
which  the  King  Rail,  15  inches  long  (of  eastern  North  Amer- 
ica), is  the  largest,  and  the  Virginia  Rail  is  the  most  widely 
distributed.  The  latter  has  a.  long  bill  (1H  inches),  and  is 
found  from  Long  Island  to  British  Columbia,  breeding  every- 
where that  marshy  lands  occur.  It  is  an  olive-brown  bird, 
streaked  and  barred  with  black,  and  in  places  with  white  also. 

While  the  most  typical  rails  have  long  bills,  some  species 
are  short-billed. 

A  GALLINULE  is  a  bird  which  lives,  acts  and  looks  like  a 
rail,  and  is  easily  mistaken  for  either  a  rail  or  a  coot;  but  it 
stands  midway  between  the  two.  It  is  distinguished  from 
the  rails  by  the  bare,  horny  shield  upon  the  forehead,  and  from 
the  coots  by  the  long,  slender,  unwebbed  toes.  The  FLORIDA 
GALLINULE1  is  also  called  the  Blue  "Rail,"  and  Red-Billed 
"Mud-Hen,"  and  its  general  color  effect  is  bluish  gray.  It 
is  found  in  localities  adapted  to  its  habits  throughout  temper- 
ate North  America,  north  to  Canada,  and  as  far  south  as 
Brazil. 

THE  PURPLE  GALLINULE,2  of  the  southern  half  of  the 
eastern  United  States,  is  a  bird  of  beautiful  plumage.  Its 
colors  are  a  rich,  dark  purple  on  the  head,  neck  and  shoulders, 
lightening  to  peacock  blue  on  the  back  and  lower  breast. 

1  Gal-li-nu'la  gal-e-a'ta.     Length,  about  13  inches. 

2  I-o-nor'nis  mar-tin' i-ca.     Length,  12  inches. 


146 


CRANES,   RAILS,   AND   COOTS 


Even  as  it  rises  beside  your  railway  train  you  can  easily 
recognize  it  before  it  is  lost  to  view.  It  still  breeds  on  the 
headwaters  of  the  St.  Johns,  opposite  Melbourne. 

THE  COOT,  or  Muo-HEN,1  is  a  bird  of  the  small  creeks, 
and  the  shores  of  shallow  lakes  and  ponds  where  cat-tails. 


THE   COOr 


lizard-tails,  iris  and  rushes  grow  abundantly.  It  is  natural 
for  any  one  who  writes  about  a  bird  to  think  of  it  as  he  saw 
it  most  impressively.  My  memory  goes  back  to  my  first 
days  of  alligator  and  crocodile  hunting,  in  the  little  creeks 
that  flow  from  the  Florida  Everglades  into  the  head  and 
western  side  of  Biscay ne  Bay.  Then  and  there  Mud-Hens 
were  so  numerous  and  so  tame  they  became  positively  monot- 
onous. As  we  rowed  silently  along  Snake  Creek,  or  Arch 

1  Fu-li'ca  americana.     Average  length,  14.50  inches. 


PECULIARITIES  OF  THE   COOT  147 

Creek,  the  man  in  the  bow  ready  for  the  next  "big,  old  'gator" 
found  sunning  himself  at  the  edge  of  the  saw-grass,  up  would 
go  three  or  four  slaty-blue  birds  of  the  size  of  bantam  hens. 
With  feeble  flight,  and  feet  pattering  on  the  water  to  help 
along,  they  would  fly  ahead  of  the  boat  in  a  most  offensively 
ostentatious  manner.  Of  course  any  old  alligator  knows  that 
a  scared  Coot  means  a  boat;  and  since  every  boat  is  known 
to  be  loaded,  the  natural  sequence  of  a  frightened  Coot  is 
the  bottom  of  the  creek. 

The  foot  of  the  Coot  is  very  curiously  formed.  It  looks 
as  if  originally  it  had  been  fully  webbed,  but  some  one  in 
sportive  mood  took  a  pair  of  scissors,  cut  out  the  centre  of 
the  web  and  cut  deep  scallops  in  the  web  along  each  side  of 
each  toe.  The  foot,  therefore,  is  half  webbed — an  excellent 
arrangement  for  running  on  water  when  the  wings  lend  their 
assistance.  This  bird  never  rises  on  the  wing  without  a  pre- 
liminary run  on  the  water  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet.  It  swims  and  dives  quite  well,  but  as  a  rule  it 
prefers  to  live  as  do  the  rails  and  gallinules,  in  the  edges  of 
heavy  marsh  vegetation,  where  it  can  pick  up  its  living  of 
buds,  blossoms,  seeds,  aquatic  insects  and  snails,  and  also  hide 
from  its  enemies. 

As  yet  the  Coot  is  not  considered  a  "game  bird,"  and  is 
not  slaughtered  for  food;  but,  once  let  the  evil  eye  of  the 
epicure  fall  with  favor  upon  this  bird — or  any  other — and  its 
doom  will  be  sealed. 

The  distribution  of  this  species  is  given  as  "from  Green- 
land and  Alaska  southward  to  the  West  Indies." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
ORDER  OF  HERONS,   STORKS,   AND   IBISES 

HERODIONES 

ALL  the  members  of  this  Order  are  either  sturdy  fisher- 
-*•  *•  folk  or  longshoremen.  They  wait  not  for  bud  or  blos- 
soms, or  ripening  grain,  but  when  hunger  calls  they  go 
a-fishing.  Then  woe  betide  the  small  fish  or  frog  of  any  size 
which  is  tempted  to  stray  into  the  warm  shallows  and  linger 
there. 

The  neck  of  the  heron  is  specially  formed  by  Nature  for 
quick  lunging.  At  rest,  it  folds  upon  itself,  in  angular  kinks, 
until  the  neck  totally  disappears,  and  the  bird's  head  seems 
to  rest  down  upon  its  shoulders.  But  alarm  this  neckless 
bird,  and  presto!  it  is  another  creature.  Up  goes  the  head 
into  the  air,  borne  on  a  long,  flat-sided  neck,  which  curves 
like  a  capital  S. 

When  a  heron  is  fishing,  it  stalks  slowly  and  silently  along 
the  shore,  preferably  in  water  about  six  inches  deep,  its  head 
carried  well  forward  but  about  on  a  level  with  the  top  of  its 
shoulders,  while  its  big  eyes  keenly  scrutinize  every  object 
in  the  water.  It  takes  long  steps,  and  plants  each  foot 
softly,  in  true  still-hunter  fashion,  to  avoid  alarming  its  game. 
When  a  fish  is  found  within  range,  the  kinks  of  the  neck  fly 

148 


DESTROYED   FOR  THEIR  PLUMES  149 

straight,  and  the  fish  is  seized  between  the  mandibles.  The 
fish  is  not  stabbed  through  and  through,  as  is  generally  sup- 
posed. In  swallowing  a  fish,  it  is,  of  course,  taken  head  first. 

Herons,  egrets  and  ibises  are  gregarious,  or  sociable,  in 
their  nesting  habits.  In  other  words,  they  are  fond  of  nest- 
ing together;  and  a  place  of  many  nesting  birds  is  called  either 
a  "heronry,"  or  a  "rookery."  The  nesting  sites  are  chosen 
with  due  regard  to  seclusion  and  food  supplies.  Usually  the 
heronry  is  located  in  low  trees  that  stand  on  a  small  island, 
or  else  grow  up  out  of  a  swamp  or  bayou,  so  that  without  a 
boat  they  are  almost  inaccessible. 

Thirty  years  ago  the  greatest  and  most  numerous  heron- 
ries in  the  United  States  were  in  Florida,  on  the  headwaters 
of  the  St.  Johns,  on  the  edge  of  the  Everglades,  the  Big  Cypress 
Swamp  and  the  small  rivers  and  creeks  that  run  down  to  the 
sea.  To-day  it  is  difficult  to  find  in  Florida  a  heronry  worthy 
of  the  name,  or  one  which  belongs  to  a  large  assemblage  of 
birds;  but  there  are  a  few,  carefully  protected  by  wardens. 
Herons,  egrets  and  ibises  have  been  so  persistently  destroyed 
for  their  "plumes"  that  not  more  than  one-fiftieth  of  the 
original  number  remains. 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  following  table,  the  Order  Hero- 
diones  contains  quite  a  number  of  important  water-birds 
which  are  not  herons: 


ORDER  HERODIONES 

FAMILIES.  EXAMPLES. 

HERON Ar-de'i-dae Herons,  Egrets  and  Bitterns. 

STORK Cic-o-ni'i-dae Wood  Ibis. 

IBIS I-bid'i-dae White  Ibis  and  Scarlet  Ibis. 

SPOONBILL Plat-a-le'i-dae Roseate  Spoonbill. 


150  HERONS,  STORKS,  AND  IBISES 

THE  HERON  FAMILY 

Ardeidae 

THE  GREAT  BLUE  HERON  1  is  the  largest,  handsomest 
and  most  conspicuous  Heron  in  North  America — if  not  the 
world.  This  is  the  bird  so  persistently  called  the  "Blue 
Crane";  and  one  of  the  first  things  for  the  beginner  to  learn 
about  birds  is  to  call  this  bird  a  Heron,  instead  of  a  "crane"! 

Whether  fishing  in  the  shallows  along  the  shore,  or  perch- 
ing on  a  dead  tree,  or  winging  his  way  slowly  and  majestically 
through  the  air,  this  is  a  fine,  handsome  bird,  and  a  welcome 
sight  to  see.  Its  height  when  standing  fairly  erect  is  3  feet, 
3  inches.  It  has  plumes  on  its  head,  breast  and  back,  which 
American  cranes  do  not  have.  It  is  never  seen  away  from 
watercourses,  and,  it  may  be  added,  in  warm  weather  no 
river  scene  is  truly  complete  and  perfect  without  one! 

When  seen  with  closed  wings,  its  upper  neck  and  body 
are  of  a  bluish-slate  color,  and  its  under  surfaces  are  white, 
streaked  up  and  down  with  black.  In  the  North  this  bird 
is  shy,  and  afraid  of  being  shot  at;  but  in  the  tropics,  where 
they  are  not  persecuted,  I  have  sometimes  approached  within 
thirty  feet  of  full-grown  birds  without  alarming  them. 

The  range  of  this  bird  is  from  the  arctic  regions  southward 
wherever  the  conditions  of  water,  timber  and  food  are  suit- 
able, to  the  West  Indies  and  South  America;  but  there  are 
many  arid  and  treeless  regions  from  which  it  is  totally  absent. 

THE  LITTLE  GREEN  HERON,  or  "FLY-UP-THE-CREEK,": 
is  found  throughout  the  well-watered  regions  of  the  United 

1  Ar-de'a  her-o'di-as.     Length,  from  40  to  48  inches. 

2  Bu-tor'i-des  vi-res'cens.     Average  length,  about  18  inches. 


THE  LITTLE  GREEN  HERON 


151 


States,  wherever  limber  is  plentiful.  In  many  localities  of 
the  middle  West  and  the  Mississippi  Valley  from  which  the 
great  blue  heron  is  now  absent,  this  is  the  only  heron  to  be 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


GREAT   BLUE   HERON. 


found;    and  away  from  the  Atlantic  coast  it  is  the  most 
familiar  member  of  its  Order. 

Its  body  is  about  as  large  as  that  of  a  sparrow  hawk,  and 
when  in  a  crouching  attitude  it  is  a  very  proper-looking  bird. 
With  its  neck  stretched,  however,  and  its  head  held  high,  the 
body  seems  much  too  small,  and  the  neck  makes  the  bird 


152  HERONS,  STORKS,  AND  IBISES 

seem  top-heavy.  Start  it  off  in  flight,  however,  and  it  is  one 
of  the  most  ill-fitting  herons  that  ever  took  wing.  It  is  so 
angular  and  loose-jointed  it  seems  ready  to  fall  to  pieces, 
and  its  flight  is  slow  and  feeble.  The  prevailing  color  of  its 
plumage  is  a  beautiful  metallic  green,  but  the  flat  shape  of 
its  neck,  and  the  peculiar  set  of  the  feathers  thereon  have 
caused  many  young  taxidermists  some  very  sad  hours. 

The  food  of  the  Green  Heron  consists  of  minnows,  small 
frogs,  tadpoles  and  insects. 

THE  LITTLE  BLUE  HERON*  is  still  occasionally  seen  in 
Florida,  because  it  bears  no  fatal  "plumes."  In  summer  this 
species  sometimes  wanders  northward  as  far  as  Illinois  and 
Maine.  One  striking  peculiarity  of  its  plumage  is  worthy  of 
special  mention.  Until  one  year  old  the  young  birds  are 
snow  white,  and  look  precisely  like  young  snowy  egrets  which 
are  of  corresponding  size  and  form.  Sometimes  it  is  a  matter 
of  difficulty  to  convince  a  person  that  a  snow-white  bird  is  a 
Little  Blue  Heron  in  its  first  year.  But  the  moulting  finally 
tells  the  story.  First  the  plumage  is  flecked  with  blue,  then 
it  is  half  blue,  and  at  last  the  solid-blue  color  prevails.  It 
seems  to  me  that  in  clothing  young  and  inexperienced  birds 
in  snow-white  robes,  which  attract  all  eyes  to  them,  Nature 
forgot  all  about  "protective  coloration"! 

THE  BLACK-CROWNED  NIGHT  HERON2  breeds  all  around  New 
York  City,  and  there  is  a  wild  colony  of  more  than  twenty 
birds  regularly  nesting  and  living  in  the  Zoological  Park.  We 
feed  them  daily,  with  raw  fish,  on  the  bank  of  Lake  Agassiz. 

1  Ar-de'a  cae-ru'le-a.     Average  length,  24.50  inches. 

2  Nyc-ti-co'rax  nycticorax  nae'vi-us.     Length,  24.50  inches. 


THE  NIGHT  HERON  153 

As  its  name  implies,  this  bird  has  a  crown  of  glossy  black 
feathers,  with  two  or  three  long  white  occipital  plumes.  It 
is  a  southern  bird,  but  it  breeds  as  far  north  as  Massachusetts 


LITTLE   GREEN   HERON. 


and  Illinois.  Like  its  twin,  the  Yellow-Crowned  Night  Heron, 
it  is  half -nocturnal  in  its  habits.  When  at  night  in  Florida 
you  hear  a  bird  say  "Quawk!"  and  repeat  it  to  you  from  the 
depths  of  the  mangroves  as  your  boat  glides  by,  you  know  it  is 
a  Night  Heron.  Both  these  species  have  beautiful  plumage, 


154  HERONS,   STORKS,   AND   IBISES 

and  are  handsome  birds.  Their  distinguishing  marks  are: 
thick  bodies,  and  short,  thick  necks;  short  legs  (for  herons), 
and  two  or  three  round,  wisp-like  plumes  from  five  to  seven 
inches  long  growing  out  of  the  top  of  the  head,  and  drooping 
backward. 

THE  SNOWY  HERON,  or  SNOWY  EGRET,1  when  fully  adult, 
is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  white  birds  in  all  the  avian  world. 
Its  form  is  the  embodiment  of  symmetry  and  grace,  its  plu- 
mage is  immaculate,  and  the  filmy  "plumes"  on  its  head  and 
back  are  like  spun  glass.  Its  black  legs  and  bill  merely  serve 
to  intensify  the  whiteness  of  its  feathers. 

But  the  vanity  of  women  has  been  the  curse  of  the  Snowy 
Egret.  Its  plumes  are  finest  during  the  breeding  season,  and 
it  was  then  that  the  hunters  sought  them,  slaughtering  the 
parent  birds  in  the  rookeries  by  thousands  (when  they  were 
abundant),  and  leaving  the  nestlings  to  die  of  starvation. 
If  all  women  could  know  the  price  in  blood  and  suffering 
which  is  paid  for  the  "white  badge  of  cruelty,"  surely  but 
few  could  find  any  pleasure  in  wearing  them.  It  is  strange 
that  civilized  woman — the  tender-hearted,  the  philanthropic 
and  compassionate — should  prove  to  be  the  evil  genius  of  the 
world's  most  beautiful  birds. 

In  Florida,  this  bird  once  lived  and  bred,  in  thousands, 
on  the  headwaters  of  the  St.  Johns,  around  the  Everglades, 
and  the  heads  of  the  streams  that  run  down  to  the  sea.  At 
the  first  shot  fired  in  a  rookery,  a  white  cloud  would  arise, 
and  old  residents  tell  how  "the  savannas  were  sometimes 
white"  with  these  beautiful  creatures.  In  Florida  and  else- 

1  E-gret'ta  can-di-dis' si-ma.     Length,  about  23  inches. 


LAW   PROHIBITING   WILD   PLUMAGE  155 

where  there  are  now  twenty  colonies  of  White  Egrets,  con- 
taining about  10,000  birds,  all  under  the  protection  of  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies.  At  Avery  Island, 
Louisiana,  Mr.  E.  A.  Mcllhenny  has  a  colony  of  about  5,000 
birds  (in  1914)  which  he  began  to  protect  in  1894. 

From  1900  to  1913  the  Audubon  Societies  of  America 
waged  constant  warfare  against  the  killing  of  Egrets  and  the 
sale  of  Egret  plumes,  or  "aigrettes."  Through  hard  cam- 
paigning, thirteen  state  legislatures  had  been  educated  into 
passing  state  laws  forbidding  the  sale  of  Egret  plumes,  and 
the  plumage  of  all  the  protected  birds  of  those  states.  These 
laws  exerted  a  great  influence  for  good,  but  the  free  importa- 
tion of  wild  birds'  plumage  from  abroad  kept  the  plume- 
wearing  women  of  America  well  supplied.  In  all  parts  of 
the  world  outside  the  United  States  where  Egrets  are  found, 
the  slaughter  of  those  birds  continued  at  a  terrible  rate,  to 
supply  the  feather  market  of  Europe  and  America. 

Six  years  ago  the  bird-lovers  of  England  started  a  move- 
ment in  London  for  the  curbing  of  the  feather  trade,  but  up 
to  the  end  of  1913  no  law  had  actually  been  passed. 

In  January,  1913,  the  framing  of  a  new  tariff  law  by  our 
Congress  afforded  an  opportunity  to  ask  for  the  insertion  of 
a  clause  to  prohibit  all  importations  of  the  plumage  of  wild 
birds  for  commercial  purposes  of  any  kind,  but  from  this 
proposal  ostrich  feathers  and  the  feathers  of  all  domestic 
fowls  were  excluded. 

A  great  campaign  was  made  for  "the  plumage  clause,"  in 
which  the  women  of  America  who  are  opposed  to  the  slaughter 
of  wild  birds  for  "the  feather  trade"  took  active  part.  The 


156  HERONS,  STORKS,  AND  IBISES 

movement  finally  triumphed,  and  on  October  4,  1913,  all 
importations  of  Egret  plumes,  aigrettes,  birds  of  paradise 
skins,  "numidi"  feathers,  "goura"  feathers  and  all  others 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

GREAT    WHITE    EGRET. 

from  wild  birds  ceased  forever.     Even  such  plumage  actually 
worn  on  hats  and  bonnets  is  prohibited  entry  at  all  our  ports. 
This  plumage  law  is  the  first  ever  enacted  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  birds  of  the  world  at  large.     Hereafter  the  millions 


THE  AMERICAN  BITTERN  157 

of  birds  previously  slaughtered  annually  for  America  will  not 
be  killed,  because  there  will  be  no  sale  for  them.  Already 
the  London  feather  market  has  suffered  a  decline  of  more  than 
33  per  cent.  To-day  (1914)  the  bird  protectors  of  England, 
France,  Holland  and  Germany  are  fighting  for  the  enactment 
of  prohibitory  laws  similar  to  ours. 

THE  AMERICAN  EGRET,  or  GREAT  WHITE  EGRET/  is, 
when  adult,  our  second  largest  bird  of  the  Order  of  Herons 
with  pure-white  plumage,  the  great  white  heron  being  the  first. 
Much  to  the  misfortune  of  this  species,  it  possesses  about 
fifty  "aigrette"  plumes  which  droop  in  graceful  curves  from 
the  middle  of  its  back,  far  beyond  the  tail  and  wing  tips. 
For  these  beautiful  feathers  this  bird  also  has  been  pursued  by 
plume-hunters,  to  the  point  of  total  extermination.  In  the 
protected  Egret  rookeries  of  Florida  a  few  of  these  birds  still 
live,  and  if  protection  continues  they  may  by  breeding  re- 
store their  species  to  our  avifauna  on  a  permanent  basis. 

THE  AMERICAN  BITTERN  2  is  a  fairly  large  bird,  of  a  yel- 
lowish-brown color,  elaborately  mottled  and  streaked  with  va- 
rious shades  of  light  and  dark.  When  standing  in  conceal- 
ment, it  draws  in  its  neck  until  it  wholly  disappears  in  its 
plumage.  The  result  is  an  egg-shaped  bird,  with  a  beak  at 
the  small  end,  pointing  heavenward,  and  short,  thick  legs 
below.  I  have  seen  a  Bittern  stand  motionless  in  that  idiotic 
attitude  for  nearly  an  hour  at  a  time.  Even  in  the  whirling 
gayety  of  our  big  Flying  Cage,  it  takes  life  sadly,  and  never 
makes  merry,  as  do  all  other  birds,  even  the  funereal  vul- 

1  Her-o'di-as  e-gret'ta.  '  Length,  about  40  inches. 

2  Bo-tau'rus  len-tig-i-no'sus.     Length,  26  inches. 


158 


HERONS,   STORKS,   AND   IBISES 


tures.  Standing  erect,  however,  the  Bittern  is  a  bird  with  a 
fair  length  of  neck;  but  its  neck  seems  much  too  large  and 
heavy  for  its  body. 

Because  of  the  peculiar  sound  it  utters,  the  Bittern  is 
called  the  "Stake-Driver"  and  "  Thunder '-Pumper -."     I  never 


AMERICAN    BITTERN. 

have  heard  thunder  pumped,  but  with  stake-driving  am  quite 
familiar,  and  must  say  that  I  never  heard  a  Bittern  give  forth 
a  cry  that  sounded  like  it.  I  think  also  that  the  "booming" 
of  the  Bittern  should  be  taken  subject  to  inspection  and  ap- 
proval ;  for  to  at  least  one  tympanum  there  is  a  wide  difference 


THE   STORK  FAMILY  159 

between  a  real  "boom"  and  the  alleged  "boom"  of  the 
Bittern. 

This  bird  inhabits  sloughs  and  marshes  of  tall,  rank  grass, 
in  which  it  hides  most  successfully  by  standing  very  erect,  and 
pointing  its  beak  toward  the  zenith.  It  feeds  chiefly  upon 
frogs,  small  snakes,  lizards  and  crawfish. 

THE  LEAST  BITTERN  l  is  the  smallest  member  of  the  Heron 
Order — a  queer  little  brow^nish-yellow  and  black  creature, 
duly  mottled  of  course,  with  a  sparrow-like  body,  and  a  wide, 
flat  neck  several  sizes  too  large  for  the  body  of  the  bird.  On 
the  whole,  it  is  a  pretty  little  creature,  associated  by  habit 
with  the  long-billed  marsh  wren,  the  rail,  and  the  red-winged 
blackbird. 

THE  STORK  FAMILY 

Ciconiidae 

The  real  Storks  are  found  only  in  the  Old  World;  but  the 
WOOD  iBis2  is  a  member  of  the  Stork  Family,  and  he  looks  it. 
He  is  a  big,  burly,  bald-headed,  good-natured  bird,  standing 
31  inches  high.  No  matter  what  goes  on  around  him,  he  is 
as  solemn  as  an  owl.  Although  large  enough  to  do  much 
damage  to  birds  smaller  than  himself,  he  associates  with  her- 
ons, ducks,  geese  and  ibises  of  all  sizes,  without  the  slight- 
est desire  to  harm  any  of  them,  or  even  to  rule  them.  In  a 
large  bird,  capable  of  much  mischief,  such  perpetual  good 
temper  is  worthy  of  note. 

When  this  bird  is  adult  and  clean,  its  plumage  is  pure  white, 
and  it  is  a  noteworthy  member  of  any  feathered  community. 

1  Ar-det'ta  ex-i'lis.     Length,  13  inches. 

2  Tarita-lus  loc-u-la'tor.     Average  length,  38  inches. 


160  HERONS,  STORKS,  AND   IBISES 

Specimens  are  nearly  always  procurable  in  Florida  at  a  rea- 
sonable price  ($15),  and  there  are  always  several  in  the  New 
York  Zoological  Park.  This  species  "breeds  in  Florida  and 
the  Gulf  states,  after  which  it  wanders  north  as  far  as  Kansas, 
Indiana  and  New  York." 

THE  IBIS  FAMILY 

Ibididae 

In  North  America  this  Family  contains  three  species  of 
birds  that  are  heron-like  in  general  form,  but  are  quite  differ- 
ently provided  as  to  their  bills.  The  bill  of  a  true  ibis  is 
long,  slender  and  curved,  much  like  that  of  a  long-billed  cur- 
lew, and  it  is  fitted  for  probing  in  soft  earth  or  shallow  water. 
The  neck  is  round,  and  the  head  also,  instead  of  being  flat- 
sided  like  that  of  a  heron. 

THE  WHITE  iBis1  is  yet  found  in  Florida,  and  excepting 
the  four  outer  wing-feathers  (primaries) ,  which  are  black,  it  is 
a  pure-white  bird.  Specimens  in  the  first  year  are  grayish 
brown  and  white,  and  in  color  do  not  even  suggest  the  pure- 
white  plumage  of  the  second  year,  and  thereafter.  This 
species  rarely  comes  into  any  of  the  northern  states. 

The  beautiful  and  brilliant  SCARLET  IBis,2  once  a  habitant 
of  southern  Florida  and  Louisiana,  is  no  longer  found  in  the 
United  States.  In  color  it  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  birds 
in  all  America,  though  by  no  means  so  beautiful  as  the  re- 
splendent trogon.  I  saw  it  in  great  numbers  on  the  mud  flats 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Orinoco,  and  shot  it  on  the  coast  of 

1  Guar'a  al'ba.     Average  length,  24  inches. 

2  Guar'a  ru'bra.     Length,  23  inches. 


THE   SPOONBILL   FAMILY 


161 


British  Guiana.  On  Marajo  Island,  in  the  delta  of  the 
Amazon,  it  breeds  in  hundreds — a  sight  worth  a  long  journey 
to  see.  Unfortunately,  it  is  impossible  to  keep  specimens  of 
this  species  in  confinement  and  have  them  retain  their  color. 
In  a  few  months  they  fade  until  they  are  pale  pink. 

THE  GLOSSY  iBis1  is 
a  dark-colored  bird,  its 
prevailing  color  being 
rich  brownish  purple 
with  metallic-green  re- 
flections, and  abundant 
iridescence.  It  seems 
smaller  than  the  two 
light-colored  species 
mentioned  above,  but  in 
reality  it  is  not.  In  1899 
two  specimens  were  cap- 
tured on  the  St.  Johns  River,  opposite  Melbourne,  Florida,  and 
one  of  them  lived  two  years  in  the  Zoological  Park.  This 
species  is  rare,  even  in  Florida,  but  in  Texas  and  the  Southwest 
the  White-Faced  Glossy  Ibis  is  of  more  frequent  occurrence. 

THE  SPOONBILL  FAMILY 

Plataleidae 

THE  ROSEATE  SPOONBILL,2  or  PINK  "CURLEW,"  is  the 
only  member  of  the  Spoonbill  Family  in  America,  and  it  is 
also  the  farthest  from  the  type  of  the  Order  Herodiones.  It 
is  really  an  ibis  with  a  wTide  bill  which  terminates  in  two 

1  Pleg'a-dis  au-tum-nal'is.     Length,  23  inches.  2  A-ja'i-a  a-ja'i-a. 


WHITE    IBIS. 


162  HERONS,   STORKS,   AND   IBISES 

rounded,  flat  plates,  nearly  two  inches  wide.  When  stand- 
ing erect,  it  is  about  16  inches  high.  Its  body  plumage  is 
either  rosy  pink  or  white,  and  its  wing  coverts  and  secondaries 
are  tinted  a  very  beautiful  rose-madder  pink,  the  color  being 
most  intense  on  the  lesser  coverts. 

Once  quite  abundant  throughout  the  lagoons,  streams  and 
swampy  districts  of  Florida,  this  beautiful  bird  is  now  so 
nearly  extinct  there  that  no  live  specimens  have  been  ob- 
tainable nearer  than  the  Gulf  coast  of  Mexico.  Indeed,  until 
very  recently  there  were  good  reasons  for  the  belief  that  not 
one  Roseate  Spoonbill  remained  alive  anywhere  in  Florida. 
Now,  however,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  record  the  fact  that  this 
species  has  not  wholly  disappeared  from  our  avifauna. 

In  The  Auk  for  January,  1904,  Mr.  A.  C.  Bent  describes 
the  finding  of  a  few  small  flocks  of  these  birds  near  Cape 
Sable,  which  he  found  nesting  in  two  localities.  'The  prin- 
cipal breeding-ground  of  the  Roseate  Spoonbills  was  a  great 
morass  on  the  borders  of  Alligator  Lake,  a  few  miles  back 
from  the  coast  near  Cape  Sable,  where  the  mangrove  islands 
in  which  the  birds  were  nesting  were  well  protected  by  im- 
penetrable jungles  of  saw-grass,  treacherous  mud-holes,  and  ap- 
parently bottomless  creeks.  .  .  .  The  Spoonbills  were  here 
in  abundance,  and  had  eggs  and  young  in  their  nests,  in  all 
stages,  as  well  as  fully  grown  young  climbing  about  in  the 
trees.  The  old  birds  were  tamer  than  at  Cuthbert  Lake,  and 
allowed  themselves  to  be  photographed  at  a  reasonable  dis- 
tance." 

"The  Spoonbills,"  continues  Mr.  Bent,  "will  probably 
be  the  next  to  disappear  from  the  list  of  Florida  water-birds. 


KOSEATE   SPOONBILLS   IN   FULL   COLOR. 


KILLED  FOR  PLUMAGE  AND   FOR  FOOD  163 

They  are  already  much  reduced  in  numbers  and  restricted 
in  habitat.  They  are  naturally  shy  and  their  rookeries  are 
easily  broken  up.  Their  plumage  makes  them  attractive 
marks  for  the  tourist's  gun,  and  they  are  killed  by  the  natives 
for  food.  But  fortunately  their  breeding-places  are  remote, 
and  almost  inaccessible." 

The  nests  found  by  Mr.  Bent  on  Cuthbert  Lake,  almost 
on  the  edge  of  the  Everglades,  were  built  in  red  mangrove 
trees  on  the  edge  of  the  water,  all  on  nearly  horizontal  branches 
from  12  to  15  feet  from  the  ground.  "They  were  well  made, 
of  large  sticks,  deeply  hollowed,  and  lined  with  strips  of  bark 
and  water  moss.  One  nest  contained  only  a  single,  heavily 
incubated  egg,  one  a  handsome  set  of  three  eggs,  and  the 
other  held  two  downy  young,  not  quite  half  grown." 

In  my  opinion  there  is  no  "cause,"  either  existent  or 
creatable,  not  even  the  "cause  of  science,"  which  could  jus- 
tify the  killing  or  capture  of  any  of  the  birds  composing  those 
last  small  flocks  of  Spoonbills.  Not  even  the  necessities  of  a 
zoological  park  should  for  one  moment  be  accepted  as  an  ex- 
cuse for  meddling  with  that  avian  remnant;  and  let  no  hunter 
think  of  offering  a  bargain  in  live  Spoonbills  from  Cape 
Sable,  or  of  now  writing  to  ask  "What  will  you  give?" 

In  January,  1914,  it  was  reported  to  me  at  Marco,  Florida, 
that  a  colony  of  Spoonbills  inhabits  a  protected  egret  rookery 
that  exists  on  an  island  in  a  small  river  that  flows  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  a  short  distance  below  Marco  Island. 


CHAPTER  XXX 
ORDER   OF   FLAMINGOES—  A   CONNECTING  LINK 

ODONTOGLOSSAE 


long-legged,  long-necked  FLAMINGO  is  a  very  per- 
A  feet  connecting  link  between  the  wading  birds  and  the 
swimmers.  It  is  a  most  curiously  formed  bird.  It  has  enor- 
mously long,  stilt-like  legs,  like  a  heron;  but  its  feet  are 
fully  webbed,  like  the  feet  of  a  duck.  Its  standing  height 
is  from  forty-eight  to  fifty  -four  inches.  It  has  a  long,  slen- 
der, crane-like  neck;  but  its  thick,  broken-backed  bill  is 
provided  with  lamillae  along  the  edges,  like  the  bill  of  a 
shoveller  duck.  The  anatomy  of  the  bill  and  tongue  of  this 
bird  is  particularly  interesting. 

This  bird  is  by  habit  a  true  wader,  and  lives  and  breeds 
near  shallow  lagoons,  where  it  can  walk  in  the  water  and  feed 
on  the  bottom. 

The  nest  of  this  queer  bird  is  a  low,  flat  pillar  of  mud  from 
six  to  twelve  inches  in  height,  thirteen  inches  in  diameter 
at  the  bottom,  and  ten  inches  across  the  top  —  which  is  flat, 
and  slightly  depressed.1  The  eggs  are  two  in  number. 

Up  to  1890  the  Flamingo  flocks  still  visited  southern 
Florida,  near  Cape  Sable,  and  it  is  possible  that  at  rare  in- 

1  Bird  Lore  magazine,  IV,  p.  180. 
164 


THE   TRADE   IN   FLAMINGOES 


165 


tervals  they  still  do  so.  Captain  W.  D.  Collier,  Marco  Island, 
west  coast  of  Florida,  states  that  when  he  first  made  his 
home  on  that  island,  forty  years  ago,  "Flamingoes  came  there 
every  year  by  the  thousand!"  Besides  those  on  Andros 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


THE    FLAMINGO. 


Island  in  the  Bahamas,  Flamingoes  are  found  in  Cuba,  and 
on  the  north  coast  of  Yucatan.  Until  about  1906  every  year 
from  twenty  to  fifty  live,  birds  were  brought  to  New  York  by 
the  dealers  in  live  animals,  and  sold  at  prices  ranging  from 
$12  to  $20  each.  Now  the  annual  supply  has  fallen  to  a  very 
low  point,  and  in  some  years  none  arrive.  When  any  arrive 


166  FLAMINGOES  — A   CONNECTING  LINK 

they  are  all  over  bright  red,  but  in  captivity  all  gradually  fade 
out  until  they  are  pale  pink. 

In  all  the  world  there  are  eight  species  of  Flamingoes. 
While  our  species1  is  bright  scarlet,  all  over,  those  of  Europe 
and  North  Africa  are  almost  white,  with  pink  wing  coverts. 
The  food  of  this  bird  in  captivity  is  dried  shrimps,  boiled  rice 
and  cubes  of  stale  bread,  fed  in  water.  In  a  room  which  is 
warmed  to  60°  Fahrenheit,  it  can  live  all  winter,  wading  half 
the  time  in  water  that  is  almost  icy  cold,  without  catching 
cold.  The  voice  of  this  bird  is  fearfully  and  wonderfully 
made.  It  is  a  resonant,  deep-bass,  utterly  unmusical  "honk." 

1  Phoe-ni-cop'ter-us  ru'ber.  Length,  45  inches;  spread  of  wings,  62  inches; 
tarsus,  12.50  inches. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 
ORDER  OF  DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND   SWANS 

ANSERES 

WE  have  now  reached  the  first  Order  of  a  great  group  of 
birds  which  might  well  stand  as  a  Subclass — the  Web- 
Footed  Swimmers.  It  embraces  six  different  Orders,  and  be- 
fore touching  any  one  of  them  it  is  highly  necessary  that  the 
student  should  take  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  whole  subdivision. 
A  clear  conception  of  these  six  Orders,  and  the  characters  on 
which  they  are  based,  will  be  of  perpetual  service  to  every 
person  who  desires  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  avian  world. 

THE  ORDERS  OF  SWIMMING  BIRDS 

THE  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 
FLYING  SWIMMERS:  WITH  GOOD  WINGS 

ORDERS 

DUCKS  AND  GEESE  (three  toes  webbed) An'se-res. 

FULLY  PALMATED  BIRDS  (four  toes  webbed).     Cormo- 
rants, Pelicans,  Snake-Birds,  etc Steg-an-op'o-des. 

TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS.     Albatrosses  and  Petrels Tu-bi-na'res. 

LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS.     Gulls,  Terns,  etc Lon-gi-pen'nes. 

DIVING  SWIMMERS:  WITH  SMALL  WINGS,  OR  NONE  FOR  FLIGHT 

* 

WEAK- WINGED  DIVERS.     Loons,  Grebes,  Auks,  Puffins.  .Py-gop'o-des. 
FLIGHTLESS  DIVERS.     Penguins Im-pen'nes. 

This  group  is  not  only  extensive,  but  its  members  show  a 

wide  diversity  in  form  and  habits,  and  they  are  fitted  for  life 

167 


168  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

in  all  climates,  on  waters  great  and  small.  Having  before  us 
such  a  host  of  swimming  birds  that  six  Orders  are  necessary 
to  classify  them,  it  is  difficult  to  select  only  a  few  examples, 
and  resolutely  exclude  all  others.  However,  the  student  who 
becomes  permanently  acquainted  with  about  thirty -five  web- 
footed  birds  specially  chosen  to  represent  these  Orders,  will 
have  a  very  good  foundation  on  which  to  build  higher,  with 
the  aid  of  special  books  and  specimens. 

As  heretofore,  we  will  take  up  the  selected  examples  in  the 
order  in  which  it  is  easiest  for  the  student  to  receive  them — the 
highest  types  first — rather  than  in  the  very  curious  sequence 
adopted  by  the  A.  O.  U.,  and  most  technical  writers  on  birds. 

Once  a  year  the  grand  army  of  birds  of  the  Order  Anse- 
res  take  wing,  and  sweep  northward  from  the  tropics  and 
subtropics.  Many  halt  in  the  temperate  zone,  where  food 
is  abundant,  but  many  more  press  on  to  the  arctic  circle,  and 
far  beyond  it.  Wherever  they  pause  for  the  summer,  they 
nest  and  rear  their  young;  and  many  pages  might  be  filled  with 
descriptions  of  the  different  kinds  of  nesting-sites  and  nests. 

One  would  naturally  suppose  that  in  any  civilized  coun- 
try birds  in  flight  to  their  breeding  grounds,  or  in  occupancy 
of  them,  would  be  immune  from  the  attacks  of  gunners. 
The  need  for  absolute  protection  for  birds  while  they  are 
breeding,  or  about  to  breed,  is  so  imperative  that  it  is  difficult 
to  see  how  any  sensible  and  honest  person  can  oppose  the 
enforcement  of  laws  to  provide  it.  The  killing  of  wild  fowl 
in  spring,  or  at  any  time  during  their  breeding  season,  should 
everywhere  be  made  a  penal  offence. 

During  the  autumn  migration  southward,  the  flocks  run  a 


WILD   FOWL  THREATENED   WITH   EXTINCTION      171 

gauntlet  of  guns  a  thousand  miles  long.  Whenever  and  wher- 
ever a  duck  or  goose  alights  to  rest  and  feed,  the  guns  begin 
to  roar.  The  more  important  migration  routes,  like  the 
Atlantic  coast  and  the  Mississippi  Valley,  literally  teem  with 
roaring  guns  and  flying  shot,  and  to-day  the  wonder  is  not 
that  the  wild  fowl  have  become  "so  scarce,"  but  rather  that 
so  many  have  escaped  slaughter!  In  view  of  the  enormous 
annual  output  of  new  gunners,  guns  and  ammunition,  noth- 
ing but  the  strongest  kind  of  public  sentiment  for  bird  pro- 
tection, backed  by  stringent  laws,  rigidly  enforced,  can  save 
the  ducks,  geese  and  swans  of  North  America  from  becoming 
as  extinct  as  the  great  auk  and  the  dodo. 

Even  prior  to  1913  about  one-half  of  the  northern  states 
of  our  country  prohibited  spring  shooting  by  law,  but  the  re- 
maining states  selfishly  and  resolutely  refused  to  reform,  or 
to  improve  their  ethics  to  suit  the  new  conditions.  The  effect 
of  this  condition  was  that  the  wild  fowl  so  honorably  protected 
in  spring  by  some  states  was  ruthlessly  and  meanly  slaughtered 
in  spring  by  the  people  of  the  benighted  states. 

At  last,  in  1913,  a  long-desired  measure  placing  the  mi- 
gratory birds  under  the  strong  protecting  arm  of  the  Federal 
Government  was  enacted  into  law.  On  October  1,  1913,  the 
great  "federal  migratory  bird  law"  went  into  effect;  and  one 
of  its  leading  features  provided  for  a  complete  stoppage  of 
the  shooting  of  game  birds  in  spring  and  late  winter,  every- 
where in  the  United  States.  The  demand  for  this  law  was 
so  overwhelming  that  it  was  passed  by  both  houses  of  Con- 
gress with  only  a  slight  show  of  opposition,  and  even  that  was 
based  on  technical  grounds. 


f 


FULVOUS    TREE-DUCK. 

Dendrocygna  fulva. 


BLACK    DUCK. 

Anas  obscura. 


GADWALL:    GRAY    DUCK. 

Chaulelasmus  strcpera. 


AMERICAN    WIDGEON. 

Mareca  americana. 


GREEN-WINGED    TEAL. 

Nettion  carolinensis. 


SCAUP    DUCK. 

Aythya  marila. 


RING-NECKED    DUCK. 

Aythya  collaris. 


BARROW'S    GOLDEN-EYE. 

Clangula  islandica. 


OLD    SQUAW. 

Harelda  hyemalis. 


HARLEQUIN    DUCK. 

Histrionicus  histrionicus. 


V 


SURF    SCOTER. 

Oidemia  perspicillata. 


AMERICAN    SCOTER. 

Oidemia  americana. 


174  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

North  America  is — or  was — particularly  rich  in  species 
of  birds  belonging  to  the  Order  Anatidae,  and  once  was  richly 
stocked  with  individuals.  Even  yet  a  very  interesting  rem- 
nant remains.  Of  the  whole  assemblage  of  species,  great, 
medium  and  small,  I  think  the  MALLARD  DucK1  is  the  high- 
est type,  and  the  best  average.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  ducks; 
it  is  one  of  the  handsomest;  it  is  strong  on  the  wing,  and 
highly  intelligent.  It  is  a  joy  unto  the  sportsman  who  finds 
it  in  its  haunts,  and  a  delight  to  the  epicure  who  finds  it  upon 
the  bill  of  fare.  Sluggish  indeed  must  be  the  pulse  w^hich 
does  not  beat  faster  at  the  sight  of  a  flock  of  wild  Mallards, 
free  in  its  haunts,  and  ready  to  leap  into  the  air  and  speed 
away  at  the  slightest  alarm. 

The  Mallard  is  recognizable  by  its  large  size,  and  the 
brilliant  metallic-green  head  and  neck  and  pearl-gray  body 
of  the  male.  The  female  is  a  very  different-looking  bird,  of  a 
modest  brown  color,  streaked  with  black.  There  is  only  one 
thing  at  all  annoying  about  this  bird,  and  that  is  its  close 
resemblance  to  our  domestic  duck;  but  for  this  there  is  a  very 
good  reason.  It  is  the  wild  ancestor  of  all  our  domestic 
ducks,  save  one  or  two  varieties. 

The  Mallard  is  found  throughout  the  temperate  zone  in 
both  the  Old  World  and  the  New,  and  therefore  it  is  known 
by  many  names.  In  England  it  is  called  the  Stock  Duck,  be- 
cause it  was  the  original  stock  from  which  the  domestic  duck 
has  descended.  In  North  America  its  range  covers  prac- 
tically the  whole  continent  down  to  Panama,  and  in  Asia  it 
reaches  to  India.  It  breeds  persistently  throughout  the 

1  An'as  bos'chas.     Average  length,  22  inches. 


THE   MALLARD,  WILD   AND   IN   CAPTIVITY  175 

greater  portion  of  its  immense  range — in  the  long  grass  of 
pond  margins;  in  the  woods,  between  the  spur  roots  of  trees; 
and  on  the  prairies,  beside  streams  of  the  smallest  size. 

Once  while  collecting  in  Montana,  late  in  May,  I  found  a 
tiny  water  hole,  barely  ten  feet  in  diameter,  hiding  in  the 
sunken  head  of  a  very  dry  coulee.  For  miles  in  every  di- 
rection stretched  a  billowy  sea  of  sage-brush,  already  shim- 
mering in  the  heat  of  early  summer.  As  I  dismounted  to 
scramble  over  the  edge  of  the  bank  for  a  drink,  up  rose  a 
Mallard  Duck  from  her  nest  in  a  thick  patch  of  sage-brush, 
within  a  yard  of  my  feet. 

The  nest  was  the  old,  familiar  type — a  basin  of  grass  lined 
with  a  thick  layer  of  down  from  the  breast  of  the  prospective 
mother,  and  a  bunch  of  eggs  that  almost  overflowed  the  boun- 
daries of  their  resting-place.  As  I  gazed  in  astonishment  at 
this  nest  and  its  contents  beside  an  insignificant  bit  of  water 
in  a  landscape  that  certainly  was  not  made  for  ducks,  I  un- 
derstood how  it  is  that  this  bird  has  been  able  to  spread  itself 
all  around  the  northern  two-thirds  of  the  globe. 

In  captivity  the  Mallard  is  the  best  of  all  ducks,  and  the 
most  persistent  and  prolific  breeder.  Put  a  flock  on  any  pond 
having  long  grass  or  timber  about  it,  keep  away  the  rats, 
raccoons,  mink,  thieves  and  other  vermin,  and  each  female 
will  do  her  utmost  to  surround  herself  with  a  downy  flock  of 
about  fifteen  small  Mallards,  regularly  every  summer.  In 
the  Zoological  Park  several  nests  have  been  built  within 
twenty -five  feet  of  walks  that  are  in  daily  use  by  crowds -of 
visitors,  the  immunity  of  their  builders  being  due  in  each  case 
to  their  wonderful  color  resemblance  to  the  dead  oak-leaves 


176  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

which  surrounded  them,  and  with  which  they  almost  covered 
themselves. 

Under  the  terms  of  the  now  famous  "Bayne  law,"  which 
was  enacted  in  New  York  in  1911  and  in  Massachusetts  in 
1912,  the  sale  of  all  native  wild  game  is  forbidden,  except 
Mallard  Ducks,  black  ducks  and  white-tailed  deer,  all  of 
which  can  be  reared  in  captivity  on  a  commercial  basis, 
killed  for  market  and  sold  under  the  official  tags  of  each  of 
the  states  named.  The  commercial  raising  of  Mallard  Ducks 
should  in  time  become  an  industry  of  some  importance. 

THE  BLUE-WINGED  TEAL1  represents  with  us  a  group  of 
three  species  which  contains  the  smallest  ducks  found  in  North 
America. 

Throughout  its  home,  which  embraces  the  whole  United 
States  east  of  the  Rockies,  and  also  far  north  and  far  south, 
it  is  so  common — and  also  so  small — it  is  not  highly  prized  by 
sportsmen,  and  its  worst  enemy  is  the  sordid  market-hunter. 
Like  the  other  teal,  it  prefers  quiet,  inland  waters  to  the  wide 
expanses  that  back  up  from  the  sea. 

All  the  teal  are  quick  risers,  and  also  speedy  on  the  wing; 
but  they  are  rather  dull  of  sense  and  easy  to  approach.  The 
Blue- Wing  is  known  by  the  conspicuous  white  crescent  in 
front  of  and  half -encircling  the  eye,  and  the  bright-blue  patch, 
called  the  "  speculum,"  on  its  wing. 

THE  CINNAMON  TEAL2  is  a  cinnamon-brown  bird  of  the 
western  half  of  the  United  States,  once  common,  but  rapidly 
diminishing  in  numbers.  This  species  is  very  difficult  to 

1  Quer-qued'u-la  dis'cors.     Average  length,  15  inches. 

2  Quer-qued'u-la  cy-an-op'ter-a.     Average  length,  16  inches. 


THE   GREEN-WINGED   TEAL 


177 


keep  long  in  captivity,  being  very  sensitive  to  all  adverse 
influences. 

THE  GREEN-WINGED  TEAL1  has  a  very  noticeable  crest, 
and  a  beautiful  emerald-green  speculum  on  each  wing.     It 


BLUE-WINGED    TEAL. 

is  found  scattered  over  practically  the  whole  of  North  America, 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and  from  the  Barren  Grounds 
to  Cuba  and  Honduras. 

THE  SHOVELLER,2  also  called  the  SPOONBILL,  is  a  hand- 
some duck,  recognizable  by  its  extremely  broad  and  spoon- 

1  Net'ti-on  carolinensis.     Average  length,  13.50  inches. 

2  Spat'u-la  dij-pe-a'ta.     Average  length,  19  inches. 


178 


DUCKS,   GEESE,   AND   SWANS 


shaped  bill — the  broadest  of  any  American  duck.  The  head 
and  neck  of  the  male  are  either  black,  or  dark  metallic-green; 
and  the  body  colors  are  black,  white,  blue  and  green,  hand- 
somely disposed. 

The  bill  of  this  bird  shows  the  limit  of  development  in 
width,   and  the  comb-like  lamellae  along  the  outer  edges, 


Male.  Female. 

THE    SHOVELLER    DUCK. 


which  are  designed  for .  use  in  straining  minute  particles  of 
food  out  of  water,  are  very  pronounced.  These  minute 
plates  are  set  cross-wise  at  the  edges  of  the  mandibles,  and 
perform  the  same  function  as  the  plates  of  hairy  baleen,  or 
"whalebone,"  in  the  mouth  of  a  baleen  whale.  All  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Order  Anatidae  are  provided  with  lamellated  bills, 
as  also  are  the  flamingoes. 

This  fine  duck  is  a  bird  of  inland  waters,  and  appears  to 
dislike  salt  water.     It  is  found  sparingly  "pretty  much  every- 


THE   MOST   BEAUTIFUL  AMERICAN  DUCK  179 

where  throughout  the  northern  hemisphere  .  .  .  but  is  not 
common  in  the  eastern  states,  and  breeds  from  Alaska  to 
Texas."  Its  flight  is  much  like  that  of  a  teal,  but  less  swift, 
and  in  cruising  about  for  good  feeding-grounds  it  is  irregular 
and  hesitating.  'The  body  of  the  Shoveller  is  not  large,  and 
its  apparent  size  in  the  air  is  made  up  chiefly  of  wings  and 
head.  .  .  .  As  a  bird  for  the  table,  I  have  held  it  in  very  high 
esteem."  (D.  G.  Elliot.) 

In  captivity  this  is  a  difficult  bird  to  acclimatize  and  keep 
alive,  which  for  several  reasons  is  to  be  regretted.  The  fe- 
males and  immature  birds  are  colored  very  differently  from 
the  adult  and  perfect  males.  The  following  local  names  of 
this  bird  have  been  recorded  by  Mr.  Elliot  in  his  "Wild  Fowl 
of  North  America":  Blue-Winged  Shoveller,  Red-Breasted 
Shoveller,  Spoonbill  "Teal,"  Spoonbilled  "Widgeon,"  Broad- 
Bill,  Broady,  Swaddle-Bill  and  Mud  Shoveller. 

I  regard  the  PINTAIL,  or  SpRiGTAiL,1  as  the  most  beautiful 
duck  in  America,  not  even  excepting  the  wood  duck.  On 
land  its  outlines  are  trim,  graceful  and  finely  drawn,  and  on 
the  water  it  makes  one  think  of  a  finely  modelled  yacht.  In 
beauty  of  form  it  far  surpasses  all  other  American  ducks; 
and  nowhere  among  wild  fowl  is  there  to  be  found  a  more 
charming  color  scheme  than  in  the  plumage  of  the  drake. 
It  is  a  harmony  of  delicate  drabs,  grays  and  white  used  to 
set  off  several  pleasing  shades  of  brown,  black  and  iridescent 
green.  None  of  the  colors  are  gaudy  or  cheap-looking,  and 
as  a  whole  the  combination  of  form  and  colors  produces  a 
bird  that  is  in  every  way  an  exquisite  creature. 

1  Daf'i-la  a-cu'ta.     Average  length  of  male,  27  inches;  female,  22  inches. 


180  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

It  is  in  recognition  of  its  beauty  that  this  duck  is  some- 
times called  the  Water  Pheasant.  Its  correct  name,  however, 
has  been  bestowed  in  honor  of  its  seven-inch-long,  finely 
pointed  tail. 

This  bird  ranges  over  nearly  the  whole  of  North  America, 
but  its  favorite  breeding-grounds  are  in  the  subarctic  regions, 
particularly  in  the  Yukon  Valley,  and  in  the  lake  regions  of 
the  Canadian  Barren  Grounds.  It  is  equally  at  home  on  the 
fresh- water  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  interior  and  the  salt- 
water inlets  and  channels  of  the  Atlantic  coast.  The  annual 
migration  southward  before  the  advance  of  snow  and  ice  begins 
in  September.  On  our  Atlantic  coast  many  .of  the  flocks 
winter  in  the  labyrinth  of  sounds,  bays  and  channels  that 
fringe  the  coast  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas. 

During  recent  years,  quite  a  number  of  these  birds  have 
been  caught  alive  near  Water  Lily,  North  Carolina,  which  is 
a  locality  famous  for  its  wild  ducks,  geese  and  swans. 

Fortunately  the  Pintail  is  easily  acclimatized,  and  al- 
though not  a  good  breeder,  like  the  mallard,  it  does  well  in 
captivity,  and  is  truly  a  thing  of  beauty,  and  a  joy  as  long  as 
it  lives. 

The  beauty  of  the  WOOD  DUCK,  or  SUMMER  DucK,1  de- 
pends almost  wholly  upon  its  brilliantly  colored  plumage; 
for  its  form  is  quite  commonplace.  It  may  be  wrong  to  make 
a  cold-blooded  analysis  of  its  points,  but  for  beauty  of  form 
the  neck  of  this  bird  is  too  small  and  too  short,  its  head  is  too 
large,  and  its  body  is  very  ordinary.  Its  plumage,  however, 
presents  a  color  scheme  of  brilliant  reds,  greens,  blacks, 

1  Aix  sporisa.     Average  length  of  male,  19  inches. 


BEAUTY  OF  THE   WOOD   DUCK 


183 


browns,  yellows  and  whites  which  is  quite  bewildering.  Even 
its  weak  little  bill  is  colored  scarlet  and  white,  and  its  iris  is 
bright  red. 

In  my  opinion  the  claims  of  the  two  duck  species  which 
are  rivals  for  the  prize  for  web-footed  beauty  may  fairly  be 
expressed  by  the  following  proportion: 


WOOD  DUCK. 

Male  and  Female. 

The  Pintail  is  to  the  Wood  Duck  as  a  well-gowned  Amer- 
ican woman  is  to  a  Chinese  mandarin. 

The  Wood  Duck  needs  no  description.  Among  ducks  it 
is  equalled  in  gorgeous  colors  only  by  its  nearest  relative  the 
mandarin  duck  of  China — a  painted  harlequin.  Our  species 
is  a  tree  duck,  and  not  only  perches  on  trees,  but  also  makes  its 
nest  in  them,  and  rears  its  young  at  an  elevation  of  from  ten 


184  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

to  thirty  or  forty  feet.  If  it  be  possible,  the  nesting-site  is  al- 
ways above  water,  in  order  that  if  the  ducklings  finally 
scramble  out  of  the  nest  and  fall,  they  will  alight  in  the  water 
without  injury,  and  quickly  learn  to  swim. 

In  captivity  the  best  nesting  arrangement  for  this  bird 
consists  of  a  long,  narrow  box  set  on  end  on  a  stout  post,  w^ell 
out  in  a  pond,  roofed  over  to  keep  out  the  rain.  There  must 
be  a  hole  in  one  side,  near  the  top,  and  a  slanting  board  with 
cross  slats  reaching  up  to  it  from  the  water,  for  use  as  a  ladder. 
The  Wood  Duck  will  sometimes  nest  on  the  ground,  either  in 
captivity  or  out.  This  species  is  being  bred  in  captivity  in 
England  in  large  numbers,  and  also  with  some  success  in  this 
country.  Duck  fanciers  find  no  difficulty  in  purchasing  live 
specimens  of  this  interesting  bird  at  $15  per  pair,  or  less. 

During  the  summer  of  19Q2,  a  pair  of  wild  Wood  Ducks 
made  daily  visits  to  the  Ducks'  Aviary  in  the  New  York 
Zoological  Park,  and  in  the  autumn  of  that  year  a  small  flock 
settled  with  the  Wood  Ducks,  mallards  and  pintails  on  the 
Wild-fowl  Pond,  and  remained  there  permanently.  In  the 
spring  of  1903,  a  fine  drake  manifested  a  fixed  determination 
to  break  into  the  great  Flying  Cage,  and  become  a  member 
of  the  happy  family  within.  After  he  had  flown  around  the 
cage  two  or  three  times,  the  keeper  opened  wide  the  wire 
gates  at  the  north  end,  and  drove  him  in,  where  he  thank- 
fully settled  down,  secure  from  the  attacks  of  gunners,  and 
certain  of  his  food  supply. 

The  Wood  Duck  is  a  bird  of  great  discernment. 

Although  this  bird  is  called  the  Summer  Duck,  and  mi- 
grates far  in  advance  of  winter,  it  winters  very  comfortably 


THE   REDHEAD   DUCK  185 

in  the  northern  states  wherever  it  is  fed,  and  continuously 
provided  with  open  water  to  keep  its  feet  from  freezing. 
The  natural  range  of  this  species  is  from  Hudson  Bay  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  chiefly  on  fresh  water;  but  often  it  is  found  on 
brackish  sounds  and  channels  along  the  Atlantic  coast  where 
food  is  plentiful.  Thanks  to  the  nation-wide  protection  now 
afforded  this  species  by  the  federal  migratory  bird  law,  pro- 
tecting it  everywhere  throughout  the  United  States,  this 
beautiful  bird  will  in  many  localities  breed  back  again,  and 
return  to  us. 

Like  all  other  wild  ducks  that  are  imperatively  needed  to 
keep  the  American  people  from  starving,  there  remains  to- 
day about  one  Wood  Duck  where  formerly  there  were  from 
thirty  to  fifty.  Apparently,  the  only  winged  creatures  that 
are  too  beautiful  or  too  good  to  be  shot  and  eaten  are  angels; 
but  I  doubt  if  even  a  white-winged  seraph  with  webbed  feet 
would  be  safe  for  half  an  hour  anywhere  between  Cape  Cod 
and  Charleston  during  the  autumn  open  season. 

THE  REDHEAD  DucK1  is  one  of  our  largest  and  best  species, 
and  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  to  keep  in  captivity.  It 
belongs  to  the  same  genus  as  the  canvas-back,  and  in  size, 
habits,  table  value  and  beauty  it  is  in  no  sense  whatever  in- 
ferior to  its  more  fanlous  relative.  When  shot  in  the  same 
locality,  I  think  there  is  no  one  who  could  distinguish  the  two 
species  by  a  difference  in  the  flavor  of  their  flesh. 

In  the  color  of  their  plumage  the  Redhead  and  canvas- 
back  look  so  much  alike  that  the  casual  observer  might  easily 
mistake  one  species  for  the  other.  Both  have  heads  and  necks 

1  Ay -thy 'a  americana.     Average  length,  19  inches. 


186 


DUCKS,   GEESE,   AND   SWANS 


of  solid  rusty  brown,  but  the  head-color  of  the  Redhead  is 
the  more  intense  and  conspicuous. 

The  head  of  the  Redhead  has  a  high  and  well-rounded 
forehead  and  crown,  while  that  of  the  canvas-back  is  wedge- 
shaped,  the  forehead  forming  a  straight  line  with  the  top  of  the 
bill.  The  Redhead  has  a  short  bill  with  a  blue  band  across 

it;  the  other  species  has 
a  long  bill  with  no  band. 
The  Redhead  (like 
the  canvas-back)  feeds 
chiefly  upon  aquatic 
plants,  like  wild  rice 
and  potomogeton,  but 
its  favorite  food  is  the 
vallisneria,  a  kind  of 
trailing  water-weed 
which  grows  in  many 
of  the  inlets  along  the 
Atlantic  coast. 

Through  countless  generations  of  diving  after  food  plants, 
the  Redhead  has  become  a  deep  diver.  It  is  accustomed  to 
seeking  its  food  in  mid-stream  of  deep  rivers,  and  in  the  open 
water  of  lakes  and  sounds,  where  many  other  ducks  would  be 
quite  unable  to  reach  the  bottom.  Reliable  lake  fishermen 
at  Lakeside,  Orleans  County,  New  York,  have  informed  me 
that  they  have  taken  drowned  Redhead  Ducks  from  nets 
that  had  been  set  on  the  bottom  of  Lake  Ontario,  at  a  depth 
of  ninety  feet,  where  the  Ducks  could  not  possibly  have  be- 
come entangled  save  in  going  to  the  bottom  for  food.  It 


THE    REDHEAD    DUCK. 


THE   CANVAS-BACK  DUCK  187 

also  appeared  that  those  Ducks  sought  their  food  and  became 
entangled  only  at  night.  It  takes  a  bold  and  energetic  bird 
to  feed  successfully  at  night  in  ninety  feet  of  water! 

Naturally,  this  fine  bird  has  ever  been  a  prime  favorite 
with  sportsmen  and  "market  shooters,"  and  during  the  past 
thirty  years  its  numbers  have  diminished  to  about  one- 
fiftieth  of  what  they  were  prior  to  1885.  It  is  as  easily  de- 
ceived by  decoys  as  green  hunters  are;  and  in  preparing  to 
alight  the  Redhead  flock  has  a  fatal  habit  of  coming  together 
in  a  manner  called  "bunching,"  which  is  as  deadly  to  the  birds 
as  "close  formation"  is  to  soldiers  in  a  modern  battle. 

Much  more  might  be  noted  regarding  this  interesting 
bird,  which  must  be  left  to  the  special  works  on  birds.  For 
many  reasons  it  is  very  desirable  that  the  Redhead  should  be 
semi-domesticated,  and  by  protection  and  breeding  in  cap- 
tivity saved  from  the  final  blotting  out  which  otherwise  may 
be  its  fate.  While  it  does  not  breed  in  captivity  as  bravely 
as  the  mallard,  it  can  be  taught  to  do  so,  and  the  price  at  which 
living  birds  can  be  procured  ($5  each)  is  so  very  moderate 
that  experiments  with  it  are  not  costly. 

The  distribution  of  this  bird  is  given  as  "North  America, 
breeding  from  California,  southern  Michigan  and  Maine 
northward";  but  in  North  America  there  are  to-day  more 
lands  and  waters  without  this  duck  than  with  it.  In  addition 
to  its  best  and  most  appropriate  name  it  is  also  called  Raft 
Duck,  and  American  Pochard. 

THE  CANVAS-BACK  DucK1  had  the  misfortune,  early  in 
its  history,  to  attract  the  evil  eye  of  the  deadly  epicure, 

1  Ay-thy'a  val-lis-ne'ri-a.     Average  length,  22  inches. 


188  DUCKS,   GEESE,   AND   SWANS 

whose  look  of  approval  is  a  blighting  curse  to  every  living 
creature  upon  which  it   is  bestowed.      Because  of  this,  the 
unfortunate  Canvas-Back  is  now  little  more  than  a  bird  of 
history.     It   is   now   rarely    seen    outside    of   museums    and 
.the  zoological  parks  and  gardens  which  have  been  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  secure  a  very 
few  specimens.    Unfor- 
tunately, it  has  been  im- 
possible for  even  the  most 
energetic  duck-fanciers  to 
secure  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  unwounded  speci- 
mens to  carry  out  the  ex- 
periments   necessary    to 
determine  the  precise 
conditions    under    which 
this  species  will  breed  in 

THE    CANVAS-BACK    DUCK.  .     . 

captivity.     No  one  ever 

sees  more  than  two  or  three  living  Canvas-Backs  together 
in  an  aviary,  and  thus  far,  I  believe,  none  have  bred. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  describe  this  species,  for  it  is  probable 
that  less  than  one  per  cent  of  the  readers  hereof  ever  will  see 
one  wild  and  unlabelled.  Its  range  was  once  the  same  as  that 
of  the  redhead,  and  its  habits  also  were  quite  similar.  Its  one 
chance  of  survival  rests  upon  the  integrity  of  the  federal  migra-r 
tory  bird  law  and  its  protection  from  spring  and  market  shoot- 
ing. If  those  two  evils  are  stopped  for  all  time,  the  succulent 
Canvas-Back  will  eventually  return  to  us  in  large  numbers; 
and  already  there  are  signs  that  it  is  trying  hard  to  do  so. 


THE   BUTTER-BALL  189 

THE  BUFFLE-HEAD  DUCK,  or  BUTTER-BALL,'  is  a  small, 
tree-nesting  duck,  so  pretty  and  so  very  odd-looking  that 
when  seen  every  one  wishes  to  know  its  name;  and  when 
named,  it  is  not  soon  forgotten.  When  you  see  a  short- 
bodied,  plump-looking  little  duck,  black  above  arid  white 
belowr,  with  a  head  that  is  a  great  round  mass  of  soft  feathers, 


THE    BUFFLE-HEAD,    OR    BUTTER-BALL. 

half  snow  white,  and  half  a  rich  metallic  mixture  of  purple, 
violet  and  green — that  is  a  Butter-Ball,  and  nothing  else. 
Wherever  seen,  it  commands  instant  attention. 

Unfortunately,  this  picturesque  little  creature  does  not 
like  our  country  as  a  summer  residence,  for  it  breeds  from 
Maine,  Iowa  and  British  Columbia,  northward,  and  returns 
to  us  only  when  snapping  cold  weather  heralds  the  approach 
of  winter.  On  the  water  it  is  the  most  nervous  and  watch- 

1  Char-i-ton-et'ta  al-be-o'la.     Average  length,  14.50  inches. 


190  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

ful  duck  that  I  know,  and  its  habit  of  constantly  turning  from 
side  to  side  is  certainly  in  the  interest  of  self-preservation. 
But  after  all,  what  is  the  alertness  of  any  duck  against  the 
deadly,  cold  calculation  of  the  greedy  "market  shooter"  with 
a  "pump"  gun? 

The  Buffle-Head  is  one  of  the  ducks  that  is  rarely  seen  in 
captivity.  A  specimen  that  is  so  seriously  wounded  that  it 
can  be  caught,  usually  dies  a  few  days  later.  So  far  as  I  know, 
it  has  not  yet  been  induced  to  breed  in  captivity;  but  that  is 
no  reason  for  believing  that  it  never  will.  We  hold  that  if 
conditions  are  made  satisfactory,  any  wild  species  will  breed 
in  captivity.  Usually  it  is  a  question  of  sufficient  seclusion 
and  immunity  from  disturbance.  The  range  of  this  bird  is 
said  to  include  all  North  America,  from  the  Arctic  Ocean  to 
Cuba.  And  so  it  does;  all  save  those  localities  wherein  it 
does  not  occur.  I  have  strong  hope  that  the  spring  pro- 
tection of  this  species  by  the  migratory  bird  law  will  cause  it 
to  breed  in  the  middle  zone  of  the  United  States. 

THE  HARLEQUIN  DucK1  is  most  fantastically  marked. 
The -prevailing  colors  of  the  male  are  dark  blue,  blue-black 
and  violet,  with  various  white  collars,  stripes  and  patches 
that  seem  to  have  been  laid  on  with  a  paint-brush.  This  bird 
is  to  be  looked  for  along  the  Pacific  coast  above  Oregon  to 
Japan,  and  on  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Newfoundland  north- 
ward. It  is  nowhere  common,  rather  solitary,  but  frequents 
coastal  rivers  as  well  as  the  sea.  As  a  rarity  to  be  prized, 
one  Harlequin  is  equal  to  twenty  ducks  of  almost  any 
other  species  in  America.  It  is  fairly  common  in  south- 

1  His-tri-orii-cus  his-tri-orii-cus.     Length,  16  inches. 


AN  OBJECT   LESSON   IN   BIRD   PROTECTION 


191 


eastern  British  Columbia,  and  breeds  in  the  Elk  River  Game 
Preserve. 

AN  OBJECT  LESSON  IN  BIRD  PROTECTION. — As  a  fitting 
conclusion  to  our  studies  of  the  ducks  of  our  interior  rivers, 
lakes  and  ponds,  we  present  a  remarkable  instance  of  what 
bird  protection  can  accomplish.  The  picture  of  the  pond 


Reproduced  from  Recreation  magazine. 


A  HAVEN  OF  REFUGE. 

described  might  well  be  entitled — "An  Oasis  in  the  Great 
American  Desert  of  Game  Destruction!"  By  the  courtesy  of 
Mr.  G.  O.  Shields,  we  reproduce  from  Recreation  magazine  for 
June,  1903,  the  above  illustration,  and  the  following  descrip- 
tion by  Mr.  Charles  C.  Townsend,  which  appeared  under  the 
caption,  "A  Haven  of  Refuge": 

One  mile  north  of  the  little  village  of  Mosca,  Colorado,  in  San 
Luis  Valley,  lives  the  family  of  J.  C.  Gray.  On  the  Gray  ranch  there  is 
an  artesian  well  which  empties  into  a  small  pond  about  100  feet  square. 
This  pond  is  never  entirely  frozen  over  and  the  water  emptying  therein 
is  warm  even  during  the  coldest  winter. 


192  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

Some  five  years  ago  Mr.  Gray  secured  a  few  wild-duck  eggs,  and 
hatched  them  under  a  hen.  The  little  ducks  were  reared  and  fed  on  the 
little  pond.  The  following  spring  they  left  the  place,  to  return  in  the 
fall,  bringing  with  them  broods  of  young;  also  bringing  other  ducks  to 
the  home  where  protection  was  afforded  them  and  plenty  of  good  feed 
was  provided.  Each  year  since,  the  ducks  have  scattered  in  the  spring 
to  mate  and  rear  their  families,  returning  again  with  greatly  increased 
numbers  in  the  fall,  and  again  bringing  strangers  to  the  haven  of  refuge. 

I  drove  out  to  the  ranch  November  24,  1902,  and  found  the  little 
pond  almost  black  with  the  birds,  and  was  fortunate  enough  to  secure  a 
picture  of  a  part  of  the  pond  while  the  ducks  were  thickly  gathered  there- 
on. Ice  had  formed  around  the  edges,  and  this  ice  was  covered  with  ducks. 
The  water  was  also  alive  with  others,  which  paid  not  the  least  attention 
to  the  party  of  strangers  on  the  shore. 

From  Mr.  Gray  I  learned  that  there  were  some  600  ducks  of  various 
kinds  on  the  pond  at  that  time,  though  it  was  then  early  for  them  to  seek 
winter  quarters.  Later  in  the  year,  he  assured  me,  there  would  be  be- 
tween 2,000  and  3,000  teal,  mallards,  canvas-backs,  redheads  and  other 
varieties,  all  perfectly  at  home  and  fearless  of  danger.  The  family  have 
habitually  approached  the  pond  from  the  house,  which  stands  on  the  south 
side,  and  should  any  person  appear  on  the  north  side  of  the  pond  the  ducks 
immediately  take  fright  and  flight.  Wheat  was  strewn  on  the  ground  and 
in  the  water,  and  the  ducks  waddled  around  us  within  a  few  inches  of  our 
feet  to  feed,  paying  not  the  least  attention  to  us,  or  to  the  old  house  dog 
which  walked  near. 

Six  miles  east  of  the  ranch  is  San  Luis  Lake,  to  which  these  ducks 
travel  almost  daily  while  the  lake  is  open.  When  they  are  at  the  lake  it  is 
impossible  to  approach  within  gunshot  of  the  then  timid  birds.  Some  un- 
sympathetic boys  and  men  have  learned  the  habit  of  the  birds,  and  place 
themselves  in  hiding  along  the  course  of  flight  to  and  from  the  lake.  Many 
ducks  are  shot  in  this  way,  but  woe  to  the  person  caught  firing  a  gun  on 
or  near  the  home  pond.  When  away  from  home,  the  birds  are  as  wild  as 
other  wild  ducks  and  fail  to  recognize  any  members  of  the  Gray  family. 
While  at  home  they  follow  the  boys  around  the  barn-yard,  squawking  for 
feed  like  so  many  tame  ducks. 

This  is  the  greatest  sight  I  have  ever  witnessed,  and  one  that  I  could 
not  believe  existed  until  I  had  seen  it.  Certainly  it  is  worth  travelling 
many  miles  to  see,  and  no  one,  after  seeing  it,  would  care  to  shoot  birds 
that,  when  kindly  treated,  make  such  charming  pets. 

THE  GROUP  OF  EIDER  DUCKS. — The  arctic  and  subarctic 
regions  contain  a  group  of  about  seven  species  of  large  sea- 


THE   GROUP  OF  EIDER  DUCKS  193 

ducks,  called  eiders  (i'ders).  The  representative  species  are 
distinguished  by  their  flat  foreheads  and  wedge-shaped  heads; 
by  a  long,  wedge-shaped  point  of  the  cheek-feathers  which 
extends  forward  and  divides  the  base  of  the  upper  mandible; 
and  by  the  possession  of  more  or  less  bright-green  color  on 
the  head. 

On  land  the  Eiders  are  heavy  and  clumsy  birds,  but  on 
the  sea  they  are  at  home,  and  dive  with  great  ability.  The 
females  line  their  nests  very  liberally  with  down  from  their 
own  breasts,  and  this  when  gathered  and  utilized  becomes 
the  well-known  "eider-down"  of  commerce.  Unfortunately, 
the  natives  of  arctic  America  are  unable  to  make  use  of  eider- 
down, save  on  the  skin,  and  this  leads  to  the  slaughter  of 
great  numbers  of  the  birds. 

Eiders  nest  on  the  tops  of  rocky  islets,  using  sea-weed  or 
grass  for  a  foundation,  and  covering  this  with  down  plucked 
from  their  own  breasts.  So  abundantly  is  the  nest  lined 
that  by  the  time  the  eggs  are  all  deposited  they  are  fairly 
embedded  in  the  softest  of  beds.  In  Iceland  the  eider 
ducks  are  half  domesticated.  The  inhabitants  collect  the 
down  from  the  nests  for  sale,  and  therefore  they  are  much 
interested  in  preserving  the  birds.  Nesting-places  are  made 
for  the  birds  by  building  thick  stone  walls  with  spacious 
crevices  along  each  side,  at  the  base,  or  by  scooping  out  shal- 
low cavities  in  the  hard  earth.  The  Eiders  permit  their  human 
friends  to  go  among  them,  and  even  to  handle  their  eggs. 

On  the  Atlantic  coast,  from  Labrador  to  Delaware,  in 
winter  we  have  the  AMERICAN  EiDER,1  which  appears  to  be  the 

1  So-ma-te'ri-a  dres'ser-i.     Length,  about  23  inches. 


194 


DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


best  type  for  the  Eider  Group.  Fortunately  for  our  chances 
of  close  acquaintance  with  it,  this  species  occasionally  pene- 
trates westward  along  the  great  lakes  to  Illinois  and  Wisconsin 
— a  very  unusual  proceeding  for  a  sea  duck.  Any  bird  which 


AMERICAN    EIDER. 

will  go  so  far  out  of  its  natural  range  in  order  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  interocean  Americans  surely  is  worth  knowing. 
Moreover,  the  Eider  Duck  of  the  Old  World  so  closely  re- 
sembles this  bird  in  all  essential  details  that  to  know  one 
species  is  to  know  the  other  also. 

The  colors  of  this  bird  are  black  and  white,  as  shown  in 
the  illustration,  except  that  the  nape  and  the  rear  portion  of 
the  region  around  the  ear  are  sea-green,  and  the  tail  and 


THE  WHITE- WINGED  SCOTER  195 

the  primaries  are  pale  brown.  The  bill  and  feet  are  olive- 
green. 

THE  SPECTACLED  EIDER/  of  northwestern  Alaska,  is  a 
bird  easily  remembered  by  its  name,  and  the  large,  white  spot 
around  each  eye  which  at  once  suggests  a  pair  of  spectacles. 
This  bird  is  limited  to  our  arctic  territory,  and  is  said,  by 
Mr.  E.  W.  Nelson,  to  be  threatened  with  extinction  by  man 
at  no  very  distant  day.  Our  occupation  of  Alaska,  after  the 
Russians,  has  led  to  the  arming  of  the  natives  with  modern 
rifles  and  shotguns,  before  which  wild  life  generally  is  rapidly 
being  swept  out  of  existence. 

THE  WHITE-WINGED  ScoTER2  (sko'ter)  quite  acceptably 
represents  a  group  of  sea  ducks  and  deep  divers,  called  scoters, 
and  of  which  there  are  three  species  resident  in  North  Amer- 
ica. These  are  the  blackest  of  all  our  ducks.  The  species 
known  as  the  AMERICAN  SCOTER  is  glossy  black  throughout, 
without  a  single  patch  of  color  save  the  bright  orange-yellow 
which  colors  the  basal  half  of  the  bill  and  its  knob. 

The  White-Winged  species  has  a  white  patch  on  each 
wing,  technically  known  as  a  "speculum,"  and  a  white  patch 
of  variable  shape  under  or  in  rear  of  the  eye.  Above  and 
in  rear  of  the  nostrils  the  bill  and  skull  together  are  raised 
into  a  conspicuous  hump,  half  covered  by  feathers. 

Like  all  the  scoters,  this  bird  is  a  fish-eating  duck,  and  its 
flesh  is  so  fishy  in  flavor  it  is  not  considered  fit  for  the  table. 
It  is  widely  distributed  throughout  North  America  down  to 
southern  California,  northern  Missouri,  Illinois  and  Mary- 

1  Arc-ton-et'tafisch'er-i.     Length,  about  21  inches. 

2  Oi-de'mi-a  deg-land'i.     Average  length,  21  inches. 


196  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

land.  Like  most  of  our  ducks,  it  breeds  in  the  Far  North, 
and  returns  to  us  only  for  the  winter.  It  is  a  deep  and  per- 
sistent diver,  and  it  is  said  that  when  wounded  and  pursued 
it  will  sometimes  dive  to  the  bottom,  even  fifty  feet  if  neces- 
sary, seize  a  bunch  of  grass  or  weeds  with  its  bill  and  hold  on 
until  it  has  quite  drowned.  Its  food  consists  of  fish,  crus- 
taceans and  mollusks. 

THE  RED-BREASTED  MERGANSER1  bravely  and  hand- 
somely represents  what  is  structurally  the  lowest  group  of 
ducks,  known  as  the  Mer-gan'sers,  embracing  three  species. 
The  bill  of  this  bird  is  long,  narrow  and  set  along  the  edges 
with  lamellae  that  look  quite  like  sharp  teeth — a  most  ad- 
mirable arrangement  for  seizing  fish  under  water.  The  bill 
of  a  Merganser  always  reminds  me  of  two  things:  the  jaws  of 
the  gavial,  or  Gangetic  crocodile,  and  Professor  Marsh's 
toothed  bird,  the  Hes-per-or'nis,  from  the  great  extinct  in- 
land sea  of  the  middle  West.  One  of  the  common  names  of 
this  bird  is  the  Saw-Bill;  and  it  is  peculiarly  appropriate. 
Among  other  ducks  this  fine  bird  has  the  bold,  confident  air 
of  a  born  freebooter.  The  back  of  its  head  is  ornamented 
with  several  long  feathers  which  form  a  crest,  like  the  war- 
bonnet  of  a  Sioux  Indian.  The  whole  head  and  upper  neck 
are  black,  with  green  and  purple  reflections.  Around  the 
middle  of  the  neck  is  a  conspicuous  white  collar,  and  under 
that  is  the  pale  rusty-red  breast,  streaked  with  black,  which 
gives  the  bird  its  name. 

This  sea-going  bird-craft  is  at  home — under  many  names 
—in  both  the  Old  World  and  the  New.     On  our  continent  it 

1  Mer-gan'ser  ser-ra'tor.     Average  length,  22  inches. 


THE  TWO  MERGANSERS  199 

breeds  from  our  northern  states  as  far  as  the  Aleutian  Islands 
and  western  Alaska,  where  the  Aleuts  prize  it  for  food  above 
all  other  ducks.  In  winter  it  migrates  along  our  two  ocean 
coasts  to  southern  California  and  Florida.  It  feeds  entirely 
on  fish,  a.nd  the  flavor  of  its  flesh  is  rank  and  disagreeable. 

Nearly  all  sportsmen  admire  this  duck,  and  it  is  much 
to  be  regretted  that  it  is  so  shy  and  nervous,  and  difficult  to 
keep  alive  in  captivity.  A  fine  specimen  which  we  cherished 
for  a  time  in  the  Flying  Cage  of  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park,  along  with  many  other  water-birds  of  good  size,  at 
first  seemed  inclined  to  accept  the  situation,  and  become  ac- 
climatized; but  it  lived  only  two  months.  With  several  Mer- 
gansers together,  the  result  might  be  more  satisfactory. 

THE  HOODED  MERGANSER  1  is  distinctly  marked  by  a 
striking,  black-and-white  semicircular  crest  of  great  height, 
standing  stiffly  erect,  and  jaunty  beyond  compare  among 
water-fowl.  By  that  crest  and  the  slender  Merganser  bill 
any  one  may  know  this  bird  out  of  ten  thousand  species, 
whether  seen  in  New  York  or  New  Zealand.  It  ranges  all 
over  North  America,  wherever  there  is  water  enough  to  float 
it,  down  to  Mexico  and  Cuba,  and  as  a  result  it  has  been 
burdened  with  an  appalling  collection  of  names.  It  nests 
in  hollow  trees,  near  good  fishing-grounds,  and  whenever  it 
makes  its  summer  camp  near  a  trout  stream,  the  fry  fare 
badly. 

THE  GEESE. — Those  who  have  not  looked  into  the  sub- 
ject usually  are  surprised  to  find  what  a  fine  collection  of 
geese  is  found  in  North  America.  The  continent  is  so  large 

1  Lo-phod'y-tes  cu-cul-la'tus.     Average  length,  17  inches. 


200  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

it  requires  an  effort  to  come  in  touch  with  representatives 
of  all  the  species  of  wild  geese  which  inhabit  it.  While  they 
are  somewhat  lacking  in  the  fine  coloring  that  characterizes  a 
few  foreign  species,  such  as  the  spur-winged  goose  of  Africa, 
they  form,  as  a  whole,  a  highly  interesting  group,  well  worth 
the  acquaintance  of  all  Americans  save  the  market  hunters, 
and  others  who  shoot  not  wisely  but  too  well. 

Fortunately  for  those  who  live  where  wild  geese  dare  not 
show  themselves  for  fear  of  being  killed,  all  these  species  take 
kindly  to  captivity,  and  are  easily  kept  in  parks  and  zoological 
gardens.  In  1914  five  species  were  living  quite  contentedly 
in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park. 

In  writing  of  geese,  we  would  not  think  of  mentioning 
any  species  ahead  of  our  old  favorite  and  most  faithful  friend, 
the  CANADA  GoosE.1  Where  is  the  country  dweller  wTho  has 
not  heard,  far  aloft,  the  well-known  trumpet  "Honk,"  and 
the  prompt  answers  all  down  the  two  lines  as  the  V-shaped 
flock  winged  swiftly  forward?  In  the  raw,  windy  days  at 
winter's  end,  from  the  Gulf  to  Hudson  Bay,  the  old  gander's 
cry  is  accepted  as  a  guarantee  of  spring,  and  hailed  with  joy. 
Dull,  indeed,  is  the  mind  that  is  not  moved  to  wonder  and 
admiration  by  the  remarkable  V-formation  in  which  the  wild- 
goose  flock  cleaves  the  air. 

Although  wild  geese  in  transit  through  the  Mississippi 
Valley  frequently  alighted  in  corn-fields  to  rest  and  feed,  as  a 
rule  they  were  so  wary  and  wide-awake  it  was  next  to  impos- 
sible to  bag  one.  In  Minnesota  and  the  Dakotas,  however, 

1  Bran'ta  canadensis.  Average  length,  about  35  inches;  but  individuals  vary 
greatly  in  size. 


KING    EIDER. 

Somateria  speclabilis. 


SPECTACLED    EIDER. 

Arctonetta  fischeri. 


STELLER'S    DUCK. 

Eniconetta  stellcri. 


RUDDY    DUCK. 

Erismalura  jamaiccnsis. 


AMERICAN    MERGANSER. 

Merganser  amcricanus. 


HOODED    MERGANSER. 

Lophodytes  cucullalus 


202  DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

they  often  flocked  on  the  ground  in  such  numbers  that  goose- 
shooting  was  as  regular  a  sport  as  chicken-shooting,  and 
during  a  brief  period  of  slaughter  yielded  weighty  results. 
Thousands  of  geese  alighting  in  corn-fields  to  feed  have  been 
shot  from  the  interior  of  innocent-looking  corn-shocks. 

The  Canada  Goose  is  not  only  the  largest  of  the  wild 
geese  of  North  America,  but  also  the  most  important  and  valu- 
able member  of  the  group.  There  are  times,  also,  when  it 
seems  to  be  the  most  savory  bird  that  finds  its  way  to  the 
platter.  One  of  those  times  was  when  a  flock  alighted  near 
our  camp,  on  the  ice  of  the  Musselshell,  in  Montana,  the 
day  before  a  certain  whizzing  cold  Thanksgiving,  and  a  fat 
young  gander  was  shot,  and  beautifully  roasted  over  the  camp- 
fire  in  a  large  Dutch  oven. 

In  captivity  the  Canada  Goose  is  an  all-around  philos- 
opher; and  even  when  wild,  he  often  knows  a  good  thing  when 
be  sees  it.  In  October,  1901,  a  flock  of  nine  geese  flying  south- 
ward over  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  suddenly  espied 
our  flock  of  the  same  species  on  the  wild-fowl  pond.  Without 
a  moment's  hesitation,  the  wild  birds  sailed  down  and  alighted 
on  the  shore  beside  their  relatives,  and  invited  themselves 
to  the  banquet  of  cracked  corn. 

On  the  following  day  Mr.  H.  R.  Mitchell  coaxed  seven 
of  the  visitors  into  a  huge  wire  cage  that  was  set  up  on  the 
shore,  where  they  were  caught  and  wing-clipped  to  prevent 
further  wandering  into  danger.  The  seven  remained  with  us; 
but  the  two  undipped  birds,  after  remaining  all  winter,  flew 
away  north  the  following  spring,  and  it  is  quite  likely  that 
their  bad  judgment  has  ere  now  cost  them  their  lives. 


THE   CANADA   GOOSE  203 

Apparently  all  the  North  American  geese  are  almost  as 
easy  to  keep  in  captivity  as  domestic  geese.  Their  favorite 
food  is  cracked  corn  and  whole  wheat,  but  they  will  eat  al- 
most any  kind  of  grain.  In  winter  they  require  low  shelter 
coops,  open  toward  the  south;  and  a  small  portion  of  their 


CANADA    GOOSE. 


pond  must  be  kept  open  all  winter,  by  frequently  removing 
the  ice,  to  keep  their  feet  from  freezing.  Not  all  these  birds, 
however,  care  to  seek  shelter  in  a  humble  coop. 

The  Canada  Goose  is  known  by  its  large  size  and  its  jet- 
black  head  and  neck,  with  a  conspicuous  white  crescent  en- 
circling the  throat.  The  black  on  the  neck  ends  abruptly 
where  the  neck  joins  the  body,  and  the  general  tone  of  the 


204  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

latter  is  gray -brown.  Its  neck  is  longer,  and  also  more  slen- 
der, as  a  rule,  than  those  of  other  wild  geese. 

This  fine  bird  winters  in  Texas,  along  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  in  the  sounds  and  bays  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas, 
and  goes  north  early  in  spring.  Its  nesting-grounds  begin 
in  our  northern  tier  of  states,  and  extend  northward  to 
Labrador,  the  Barren  Grounds  and  Alaska.  Throughout 
much  of  that  vast  area,  the  shotguns  and  rifles  are  ever  ready, 
and  the  number  of  geese  that  still  survive  are  eloquent  testi- 
mony to  the  wariness,  the  keenness  of  vision  and  the  good 
judgment  of  this  much-prized  bird.  A  bird  of  equal  desir- 
ability, but  with  a  dull  brain  and  poor  vision,  would  have 
been  exterminated  long  ago. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  things  about  the  Canada 
Goose  is  the  energy  and  courage  of  the  male  in  defending 
the  female  on  her  nest.  Recently  two  of  our  geese  paired 
off  as  usual,  and  built  a  nest  on  the  south  bank  of  the  wild- 
fowl pond,  in  a  very  exposed  situation.  From  that  time  until 
the  young  were  hatched,  the  gander  never  once  wandered 
from  his  post.  It  was  his  rule  never  to  go  more  than  sixty 
feet  from  the  nest,  and  whenever  any  one  approached  it,  he 
immediately  hastened  to  intercept  the  intruder,  hissing  and 
threatening  with  his  wings  in  a  most  truculent  manner.  Had 
any  one  persisted  in  disturbing  the  female,  he  would  willingly, 
and  even  cheerfully,  have  shed  his  blood  in  her  defence. 
His  unswerving  devotion  to  his  duty  attracted  the  admiring 
attention  of  thousands  of  visitors,  and  the  proudest  day  of 
his  life  was  when  the  first  live  gosling  was  led  to  the  water, 
and  launched  with  appropriate  ceremonies. 


THE  BLACK  BRANT  205 

There  are  three  subspecies  of  the  Canada  Goose,  all  smaller, 
but  otherwise  very  similar.  The  WniTErCnEEKED  GOOSE 
inhabits  the  Pacific  coast,  north  to  Sitka;  and  the  CACKLING 
GOOSE  is  found  in  the  same  region,  and  on  up  to  the  Yukon. 
HUTCHIN'S  GOOSE  is  merely  a  small  edition  of  the  Canada. 

THE  BLACK  BRANT1  is  a  very  distinct  bird,  noticeably 
smaller  than  the  Canada  goose,  and  readily  recognized  by 
its  blackness  and  its  small  size.  Its  head,  neck  and  breast 
are  entirely  black,  save  for  a  white  collar  going  two-thirds 
of  the  way  around  the  upper  neck.  The  black  of  the  neck 
does  not  end  abruptly  at  the  shoulders,  but  spreads  back 
over  the  back  and  under-parts  until  the  final  effect  is  that  of 
a  bird  which  is  two-thirds  black. 

Although  this  bird  is  generally  accounted  rare  on  the 
Atlantic  coast,  the  New  York  Zoological  Society  has  secured 
many  fine  living  specimens  from  Currituck  Sound,  on  the 
coast  of  North  Carolina.  Beyond  doubt,  however,  it  is  rare 
everywhere  in  the  eastern  United  States.  It  is  remarkable 
for  the  fact  that  it  migrates  northward  not  only  to  the  deso- 
late shores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  but  far  beyond,  and  must 
nest  and  rear  its  young  far  out  on  the  great  polar  ice-pack. 

THE  BRANT  GoosE2  is  quite  a  different  species  from  the 
preceding.  The  black  of  its  neck  ends  abruptly  at  the  shoul- 
ders, and  the  white  collar  is  a  mere  broken  patch,  without 
decided  character.  The  body  is  everywhere  much  lighter 
than  the  color  of  the  black  brant,  with  which  this  species  is 
often  confounded,  because  the  two  are  often  found  together, 

1  Bran'ta  ni'gri-cans.     Average  length,  about  24  inches. 

2  Bran'ta  ber'ni-cla. 


206  DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

though  not  on  the  Pacific  coast.  Once  the  Brant  Goose  was 
plentiful  along  the  Atlantic  side,  but  it  is  now  rare,  and  fast 
disappearing. 

THE  AMERICAN  WHITE-FRONTED  GoosE1  is,  in  my  opinion, 
the  most  handsomely  colored  goose  we  possess.  Contrary 
to  expectations  that  are  often  based  upon  its  name,  it  has  not 
a  white  breast,  nor  white  shoulders.  It  white  "front"  is 
limited  to  an  inch-wide  frill  of  white  immediately  surrounding 
the  base  of  its  bill. 

Other  than  this  the  head  and  the  neck  are  dark  brown, 
and  the  back,  sides,  breast  and  abdomen  are  covered  with 
a  scale-like  arrangement  of  feathers  that  are  various  shades 
of  brown  or  black,  strongly  edged  with  white  or  gray.  The 
effect  of  the  white  edges  of  the  feathers  is  to  bring  out  in 
strong  relief  the  immaculate  arrangement  of  the  plumage, 
and  as  a  whole  the  bird  is  decidedly  beautiful. 

This  fine  bird  is  even  yet  abundant  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
from  southern  California  to  Alaska,  where  it  crosses  over  to 
the  Asiatic  side.  It  appears  that  Alaska  is  its  favorite  nest- 
ing-ground. On  the  Atlantic  coast  it  is  no  longer  seen.  The 
specimens  living  in  the  Zoological  Park  were  taken  in  southern 
Texas,  on  the  Rio  Grande,  where  the  species  is  yet  a  winter 
visitant. 

THE  SNOW  GoosE2  is,  excepting  its  large  wing-feathers 
(the  primaries),  an  all-white  bird.  Based  on  the  tape  line, 
two  species  have  been  described  and  recognized  by  orni- 
thologists, the  "Greater"  Snow  Goose  and  the  "Lesser."  If 

1  An'ser  al'bi-frons  gam'bel-i.     Average  length,  28  inches. 

2  Chen  hy-per-bo're-a.     Average  length,  about  30  inches. 


THE  TRUMPTER  SWAN  207 

the  specimen  under  the  tape  is  a  large  one,  it  is  the  former 
species;  but  if  it  is  smaller  than  the  average,  it  is  booked  as 
the  "Lesser."  Obviously,  the  wisest  course  is  to  discard  both 
adjectives  of  size,  and  recognize  the  Snow  Goose  only,  be  it 
more  or  less. 

This  easily  recognized  bird,  like  the  majority  of  our  other 
wild  geese  and  ducks,  wanders  over  almost  the  whole  of  the 
well-watered  portion  of  North  America  down  to  Cuba  and 
Mexico;  but  where  the  guns  of  civilization  are  most  numerous 
it  is  now  a  rare  and  lonesome  bird.  To-day  it  is  more  abun- 
dant— or,  it  were  better  to  say,  less  scarce — in  the  Mississippi 
Valley,  Texas,  and  the  Pacific  states  than  elsewhere.  Where 
they  were  permitted  to  do  so,  these  birds  often  assembled  in 
large  flocks,  and  often  made  themselves  conspicuous  around 
the  prairie  ponds  of  the  Dakotas  and  Minnesota.  When 
you  are  travelling  over  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway,  or  the 
Great  Northern,  and  see  on  the  smooth  prairie  a  flock  of 
rather  large  white  birds,  it  is  safe  to  declare  that  they  are 
Snow  Geese. 

THE  SWANS. — Last  of  the  Order  of  Ducks,  and  farthest 
from  the  type  of  the  Order,  are  the  Swans.  Although  two 
species  are  recognized,  the  difference  between  them  is  not 
always  visible  to  the  naked  eye. 

THE  TRUMPETER  SwAN1  is  one  of  our  largest  birds,  and 
considering  its  great  size  it  is  strange  that  it  has  not  been 
exterminated  ere  this.  Its  existence  speaks  highly  for  its 
wariness.  Formerly  specimens  were  purchasable  at  from  $20 

1  O'lor  buc-cin-a'tor.  Length,  4  feet  8  inches;  height,  when  standing  erect,  3 
feet  9  inches;  expanse  of  wings,  7  feet  10  inches;  weight,  22  pounds. 


208  DUCKS,   GEESE,   AND   SWANS 

to  $30  each,  and  the  majority  of  them  came  from  Texas 
and  the  plains  region.  To  my  mind,  this  is  the  least  attract- 
ive of  all  the  large  swimming  birds,  and  it  certainly  is 
one  of  the  most  pugnacious  and  quarrelsome.  In  captivity 
Trumpeter  Swans  always  wish  to  do  the  wrong  thing.  Even 
when  policy  demands  that  they  at  least  appear  friendly,  they 
are  always  truculently  hissing  at  and  threatening  their  human 
neighbors,  friends  as  well  as  enemies.  This  Swan's  voice  is 
like  a  short  blast  on  a  French  horn,  but  when  a  large  flock 
rises  from  a  pond  in  a  wilderness,  and  gets  fairly  under  way, 
the  chorus  given  forth  on  such  occasions  I  know  to  be  thrill- 
ingly  musical. 

With  birds  smaller  than  themselves,  Swans  often  are  so 
quarrelsome  and  murderous  they  require  to  be  separated, 
and  yarded  by  themselves. 

On  level  ground  the  Swan  is  the  most  ungainly  of  all  the 
American  members  of  the  Order  of  Ducks;  and  even  afloat 
its  bows  lie  much  too  deep  in  the  water. 

The  central  line  of  migration  and  distribution  of  this 
species  is  the  western  boundary  of  the  states  forming  the 
western  bank  of  the  Mississippi.  It  breeds  from  Iowa  north- 
ward to  the  Barren  Grounds,  and  in  the  United  States  strag- 
gles eastward  and  westward  to  both  shores  of  the  continent. 
I  have  seen  specimens  taken  in  1885  in  the  Potomac  River, 
and  it  has  often  been  observed  near  Los  Angeles,  southern 
California. 

For  at  least  ten  years  we  have  regarded  the  Trumpeter 
Swan  as  one  of  the  next  candidates  for  oblivion,  through 
gunner's  extermination,  and  have  cherished  accordingly  two 


THE   "SONG  OF  THE  DYING  SWAN" 

fine  specimens  that  we  acquired  in  1900.  Seven  years  ago 
this  species  was  regarded  as  so  nearly  extinct  that  a  doubting 
ornithological  club  of  Boston  refused  to  believe,  on  hearsay 
evidence,  in  the  existence  of  our  specimens.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  interview  the  birds  and  report  its  findings. 
Even  at  that  time  Trumpeter  Swan  skins  were  worth  from 
$100  to  $150  each;  and  when  swan  skins  sell  at  either  of  those 
figures  it  is  because  there  are  people  who  believe  that  the 
species  either  is  on  the  verge  of  extinction  or  has  passed  it. 
Since  that  time  Dr.  L.  C.  Sanford,  of  New  Haven,  has  se- 
cured (1910)  two  other  living  birds,  from  the  coast  of  Vir- 
ginia. We  have  done  our  utmost  to  induce  our  pair  to  breed 
and  rear  young,  but  thus  far  without  success. 

The  loss  of  the  Trumpeter  Swan  from  our  bird  fauna  will 
not  be  so  keenly  felt  as  the  loss  of  the  whooping  crane.  Its 
twin  species,  the  Whistling  Swan,  so  closely  resembles  the 
Trumpeter  that  only  a  close  observer  can  detect  the  differ- 
ence— a  yellow  spot  on  the  side  of  the  former's  upper  man- 
dible, near  its  base.  The  Whistler  yet  remains  in  fair  numbers, 
and  possibly  the  new  federal  migratory  bird  law  may  save  it 
from  quick  extinction. 

Thus  far  only  one  naturalist  (so  far  as  we  know)  ever  has 
heard  the  "Song  of  the  Dying  Swan."  Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot,  in 
"Wild  Fowl  of  North  America,"  records  the  following  inter- 
esting observation: 

Once,  when  shooting  in  Currituck  Sound,  ...  a  number  of  Swan 
passed  over  us  at  a  considerable  height.  We  fired  at  them,  and  one  splen- 
did bird  was  mortally  hurt.  On  receiving  his  wound  the  wings  became 
fixed,  and  he  commenced  at  once  his  song,  which  was  continued  until  the 
water  was  reached,  nearly  half  a  mile  away.  I  am  perfectly  familiar  with 


DUCKS,   GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

every  note  a  Swan  is  accustomed  to  utter,  but  never  before  nor  since  have 
I  heard  any  like  those  sung  by  this  stricken  bird.  Most  plaintive  in  char- 
acter, and  musical  in  tone,  it  sounded  at  times  like  the  soft  running  of  the 
notes  in  an  octave. 

THE  WHISTLING  SwAN1  is  accorded  rank  as  a  species 
chiefly  on  the  strength  of  a  small  yellow  patch  on  the  base  of 
the  bill — which  is  not  always  present!  Young  Swans  of  both 
species  are  of  a  dirty -gray  color — not  white;  but  the  plumage 
of  the  adult  bird  is  perfectly  white.  The  bill  and  feet  are  jet 
black. 

1  O'lor  co-lum-bi-arius. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 
ORDER  OF  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

STEGANOPODES 

TO  recognize  a  member  of  this  Order,  look  at  its  foot,  and 
see  that  the  web  of  the  three  large  toes  is  also  united 
to  the  fourth,  or  rear  toe.  This  may  seem  like  a  small  peg  on 
which  to  hang  an  Order;  but  it  is  a  very  useful  one,  neverthe- 
less. As  usual,  the  best  and  most  conspicuous  examples 
will  be  mentioned  first.  The  Families  are  as  follows: 

ORDER  STEGANOPODES 

FAMILIES  EXAMPLES 

PELICANS Pel-e-can'i-dae Brown  Pelican;  White  Peli- 
can. 

CORMORANTS Phal-a-cro-co-rac'i-dae .  .  Common  Cormorant. 

DARTERS An-hing'i-dae Darter,  or  Snake-Bird. 

GANNETS Su'li-dae Common  Gannet. 

MAN-O'-WAR  BIRDS  .Fre-gat'i-dae, Frigate  Bird. 

TEE  PELICAN  FAMILY 

Pelecanidae 

THE  BROWN  PELICAN  1  is  known  to  every  tourist  who 
knows  Florida  thoroughly,  or  southern  California.  Some- 
how this  bird  appeals  to  every  one — possibly  by  reason  of  its 
cheerful  confidence  in  man — and  for  a  wonder  it  has  not  been 
exterminated.  It  takes  to  captivity  not  only  willingly,  but 

1  Pel-e-ca'nus  fus'cus.     Length,  49  inches;  spread  of  wings,  6  feet  9.50  inches. 

213 


214  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

gladly,  and  its  motto  is,  "All's  fish  that  cometh  to  net."  It 
is  an  amiable  bird,  sociable  to  an  unlimited  degree,  harms  no 
one  and  makes  no  enemies,  save  in  Texas,  where  the  fish- 
destroying  fishermen  wish  the  Pelicans  slaughtered  because 
they  eat  fish  and  can't  pick  cotton. 

Pelican  Island,  in  Indian  River,  Brevard  County,  Florida, 
is  the  most  interesting  sight  in  the  land  of  flowers.  On  an 
area  of  about  three  acres,  raised  only  two  or  three  feet  above 
high-water  mark,  destitute  of  trees  because  the  Pelicans 
have  nested  them  to  death,  live  about  3,000  Brown  Pelicans, 
and  each  year  they  make  about  1,500  nests.  During  every 
breeding-season  they  inhabit  that  islet,  nesting  in  small  nests 
of  grass  plucked  on  the  spot,  and  arranged  on  the  ground. 
The  few  dead  mangroves  that  still  stand  are  loaded  with 
stick-made  nests  to  the  point  of  breaking  down. 

Egg-laying  begins  about  the  1st  of  February,  and  strag- 
gles along  until  the  end  of  May.  By  March  15  the  breeding- 
grounds  contain,  in  close  proximity,  unfinished  nests  and  nests 
with  fresh  eggs  (usually  three);  young  just  out  of  the  shell; 
half -grown  young;  and,  finally,  full-grown  young.  The  latter 
are  great  hulking  babies,  as  large  as  their  parents,  but  cov- 
ered all  over  with  down  as  white  as  cotton. 

It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  a  young  Pelican  to  have 
from  three  to  five  mullet  in  its  neck  and  crop  at  one  time,  as 
we  have  discovered  by  catching  some  of  them  with  a  search- 
warrant,  and  searching  their  premises. 

To  feed  these  hungry  pouches,  the  old  birds  fly  about 
fifteen  miles  up  the  coast  to  fishing-grounds  where  silver 
mullet  are  plentiful  and  cheap;  and  there  each  old  bird  fills 


HOW  PELICANS  FISH 

its  neck  and  crop  with  from  six  to  nine  fish,  each  from  seven 
to  ten  inches  in  length.  At  evening,  just  before  sunset,  in 
groups  of  from  three  to  seven  they  slowly  wing  their  way 
back  along  the  beach,  flying  low  over  the  saw  palmettos  that 
fringe  the  shore.  They  give  about  six  wing-beats,  then  sail 
as  far  as  possible,  each  little  company  winging  in  unison. 
Several  times  I  have  lain  low  in  the  palmettos,  to  watch  their 
flight  at  a  distance  of  only  a  few  feet  as  they  approached  and 
passed  over  me. 

Truly  they  are  fine  birds — rich  in  coloring,  remarkably 
odd  in  form  and  very  well  set  up.  Unfortunately  they  do 
not  acquire  their  full  colors  until  in  their  third  year.  The 
neck  of  the  adult  bird  is  in  two  colors,  rich  blackish  brown 
and  white,  and  the  back  is  a  beautiful  silvery  gray-brown 
effect,  composed  of  many  tints.  The  top  of  the  head  of  the 
adult  bird  is  yellow.  The  bill  is  a  foot  long,  the  pouch  is  of 
a  bluish-purple  color,  and  calls  for  about  four  pounds  of  fish 
daily. 

It  is  very  interesting  to  watch  Pelicans  fishing.  On  calm 
days  when  the  surface  of  Indian  River  is  like  a  mirror,  the 
eruption  of  silvery  spray  that  rises  high  when  the  big  bird 
plunges  into  the  water  attracts  attention  at  a  distance  of 
two  or  three  miles.  It  is  finest,  however,  to  see  them  fishing 
in  the  breakers  on  the  ocean  side  of  the  Indian  River  Penin- 
sula, about  200  feet  from  shore.  They  sail  along  so  near  the 
water  it  seems  a  wonder  that  they  do  not  strike  it;  but  they 
rise  over  the  incoming  wraves,  and  lower  again  into  the  trough 
with  the  utmost  precision,  always  keenly  alert.  All  of  a 
sudden  the  wings  are  thrown  out  of  gear,  and  a  fountain  of 


218  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

flying  spray  tells  the  story  of  the  plunge  with  open  pouch  for 
the  luckless  fish. 

For  several  years  the  fate  of  the  great  Pelican  colony  in 
Indian  River  remained  in  doubt,  and  its  preservation  was  due 
more  to  public  sentiment  in  Brevard  County  than  to  the  arm 
of  the  law.  In  1903,  however,  Pelican  Island  was  formally 
declared  to  be  a  Government  reservation,  and  placed  under 
the  absolute  control  of  the  Biological  Survey,  thus  insuring 
the  permanent  protection  of  its  occupants.  Among  the  is- 
lands of  the  west  coast  of  Florida  this  Pelican  is  even  now 
(1914)  the  most  conspicuous  bird.  In  1913  a  pair  nested  in 
the  Flying  Cage  of  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  and  reared 
a  fine,  new  Pelican,  and  two  pairs  nested  there  in  the  spring 
of  1914. 

THE  CALIFORNIA  BROWN  PELICAN1  so  closely  resembles 
the  Florida  species  that  the  differences  between  the  two  are 
not  easily  recognized.  The  accompanying  illustration  is  from 
a  photograph  taken  on  the  Galapagos  Islands,  directly  under 
the  Equator;  and  from  that  locality  this  species  ranges  north- 
ward along  the  Pacific  coast  to  British  Columbia. 

THE  GREAT  WHITE  PELICAN2  is  a  grand  bird — big,  clean, 
immaculate,  and  with  the  dignity  of  a  newly  appointed  judge. 
About  him  there  are  two  bad  things.  In  captivity  his  ap- 
petite for  fresh  fish  makes  him  a  costly  luxury,  and  his  Latin 
name  always  frightens  timid  people. 

The  curious  horn  seen  in  winter  and  spring  atop  of  the 
bill  of  this  bird  is  purely  a  sexual  ornament,  found  only  on 

1  Pel-e-ca'nus  calif ornicus. 

2  Pel-e-ca'nus  er-yth-ro-rhyn'chos.     Length,  61  inches;  spread  of  wings,  8  feet 
10  inches;  weight,  16.50  pounds. 


THE   GREAT  WHITE  PELICAN 

the  male  in  the  breeding-season,  after  which  it  drops  off. 
It  begins  to  grow  about  February  15,  is  perfect  by  May  1, 
and  drops  off  not  later  than  July  1. 

To-day,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  Great  White  Pelican 
is  a  rare  bird.      On  the  west  coast  of  Florida  it  is  even  yet 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

GREAT  WHITE   PELICAN. 

occasionally  seen.  We  saw  three  at  Marco  Island,  in  January, 
1914.  It  is  yet  found  inland  in  certain  western  localities, 
where  there  are  lakes  large  enough  to  shelter  it  and  supply  it 
with  fish,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  it  will  be  many  years 
ere  this  grand  bird  is  exterminated.  Fortunately,  a  colony 
has  become  established  on  an  island  in  Yellowstone  Lake,  in 


222  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

the  Yellowstone  Park,  where  it  breeds  regularly  every  sum- 
mer, to  the  great  delight  of  all  tourists  who  care  for  the  sight 
of  what  is  called  a  "pelicanery."  In  winter  southern  Texas 
is  the  haven  for  this  bird,  as  well  as  for  so  many  other  swim- 
ming birds,  but  the  fishermen  are  determined  to  secure  a  law 
providing  for  its  extermination. 

THE  CORMORANT  FAMILY 

Phalacrocoracidae 

THE  CORMORANT1  is  to  me  a  most  uninteresting  bird. 
Month  in  and  month  out  I  have  seen  them  perching,  and 
perching — on  spar  buoys  in  harbors,  on  mud-bank  stakes,  and 
on  dead  trees  alongshore  and  up-stream.  For  days  together 
have  Cormorants  fled  up-stream  before  my  boat,  yet  never 
once  have  I  seen  a  wild  Cormorant  do  an  interesting  thing. 
Instead  of  getting  out  and  hustling  for  fish,  like  the  pelican, 
or  taking  delight  in  architecture,  like  the  osprey,  the  Cor- 
morant tiresomely  perches,  and  waits,  Micawber-like,  for 
something  to  turn  up. 

In  captivity  it  does  better.  In  our  Flying-Cage  pool,  the 
Cormorants  play  with  sticks,  and  dive  for  amusement,  more 
than  any  other  bird,  except  the  brown  pelican.  In  fact,  it 
seems  like  a  different  creature  from  the  wild  bird. 

The  "Cormorant  is,  in  general  terms,  a  dull  black  bird, 
wholly  devoid  of  colored  plumage.  Its  range  is  given  as 
"coasts  of  the  North  Atlantic,  south  in  winter  on  the  coast  of 
the  United  States,  casually,  to  the  Carolinas."  It  lives  upon 
fish,  and  wanders  inland  much  farther  than  might  be  supposed. 

1  Phal-a-cro-co'rax  car'bo.    Average  length,  34  inches. 


THE    CORMORANT. 


THE   DARTER  FAMILY 

THE  DOUBLE-CRESTED  CORMORANT*  is  a  bird  of  the 
interior  of  the  United  States,  from  Texas  northward  into 
Manitoba,  but  also  ranging  to  the  Atlantic  coast.  Its  color 
is  glossy  black.  On  the  Pacific  coast,  from  Washington  to 
Alaska,  is  found  the  PELAGIC  CORMORANT^  with  an  erect 
crest  rising  from  its  forehead,  and  by  which  this  bird  is  easily 
recognized. 

PALLAS'S  CORMORANT,  which  once  inhabited  the  northern 
shore  of  Bering  Sea,  was  the  largest  and  handsomest  bird  of 
this  Family.  Its  prevailing  color  was  dark  metallic-green, 
set  off  with  blue  and  purple  reflections.  It  was  discovered  by 
Bering  in  1741,  but  is  now  quite  extinct. 

THE  DARTER  FAMILY 

Anhingidae 

THE  SNAKE-BIRD,  DARTER,  or  WATER-' '  TURKEY,"  3  is  a 
web-footed  bird,  with  many  peculiarities.  Its  most  popu- 
lar name — Snake-Bird — has  been  bestowed  in  recognition  of 
the  fact  that  in  this  bird  the  neck  and  head  are  so  long  and 
slender  they  suggest  the  body  and  head  of  a  snake.  When 
not  in  action  the  head  and  upper  neck  are  only  an  inch  in 
diameter,  yet  so  rubber-like  is  the  skin  that  I  have  seen  a 
Darter  swallow  a  mullet  8  inches  long,  and  1J^  inches  in 
diameter — a  truly  snake-like  stretch.  Frequently  when  the 
head  of  a  fish  is  in  this  bird's  crop,  the  tail  fin  will  protrude 
from  a  corner  of  the  mouth. 

The  beak  is  like  a  Spanish  dagger,  and  at  all  times  it  is 

1  P.  di-lo'phus.  2  p  pe-lag'i-cus. 

3  An-hiriga  an-hin'ga.     Average  length,  33  inches. 


FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

decidedly  a  dangerous  weapon.  One  well-aimed  stroke  is 
enough  to  stab  any  ordinary  bird  to  death,  or  destroy  an  eye. 
In  a  cageful  of  Darters  the  presence  of  a  quarrelsome  bird  is 
usually  made  known  by  the  dead  body  of  a  cagemate  that  has 
been  foully  murdered. 

In  its  home  the  habits  of  the  Snake-Bird  interested  me 
greatly.  Almost  invariably  it  perches  on  a  dead  tree,  or  a 
branch  which  overhangs  water,  preferably  a  small  running 
stream.  Its  neighbors  are  the  two  white  egrets,  the  Louisi- 
ana and  little  blue  herons,  and  an  occasional  black  vulture. 
Seldom  indeed  is  one  of  these  birds  found  swimming  in  the 
water,  but  Mr.  C.  E.  Jackson  once  very  dexterously  speared 
one  from  his  boat,  as  it  was  diving  under  him. 

When  your  boat  approaches  a  Snake-Bird  and  crosses  his 
danger-line,  the  bird  slides  off  its  perch,  falls  straight  down, 
and  sinks  out  of  sight.  It  goes  down  head  erect,  and  "all 
standing,"  as  if  weighted  with  a  bag  of  shot.  This  is  the 
queerest  of  all  bird  ways  in  diving.  If  you  halt,  and  watch 
sharply  for  the  bird  to  reappear  at  the  surface,  for  three  or 
four  minutes  you  will  see  nothing. 

At  the  end  of  a  long  wait  you  will  notice  a  sharp-pointed 
stick,  half  as  long  as  an  adult  lead-pencil,  sticking  up  out  of 
the  water.  It  looks  so  queer  you  watch  it  sharply.  Presently 
you  see  the  point  of  it  turn  a  few  degrees;  and  then  you  dis- 
cover a  beady  black  eye  watching  you.  It  is  one  of  the  neat- 
est hiding-tricks  practised  by  any  water-bird  I  know. 

The  Snake-Bird  has  the  power  to  submerge  its  body  at 
any  depth  it  chooses,  and  remain  for  any  reasonable  length 
of  time.  It  is  a  very  expert  diver,  and  the  manner  in  which 


THE  SNAKE-BIRD  UNDER  WATER 

it  can  pursue  and  capture  live  fish  under  water  is  enough  to 
strike  terror  to  the  hearts  of  finny  folk.  The  bird  swims  with 
a  sharp  kink  in  its  neck,  driving  forward  by  powerful  strokes 


SNAKE-BIRD. 

of  its  cup-shaped  feet.      On  overtaking  a  fish  the  kink  in  its 
neck  flies  straight,  and  like  the  stab  of  a  swift  dagger  the 
finny  victim  is  transfixed.    Then  the  bird  rises  to  the  surface— 
for  it  is  unable  to  swallow  its  food  under  water — tosses  the  fish 
into  the  air,  catches  it  head  first  and  in  an  instant  it  is  gone. 


228  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED   BIRDS 

In  the  United  States  this  bird  is  most  at  home  in  the  rivers 
and  creeks  of  southern  and  central  Florida,  but  it  is  also  found 
farther  west,  along  the  Gulf.  It  is  abundant  in  the  delta 
of  the  Orinoco,  in  the  Guianas  and  farther  south.  It  lives  well 
in  captivity,  and  when  provided  with  a  large  glass  tank  is 
quite  willing  to  give  daily  exhibitions  in  diving  after  live  fish. 
In  color  the  adult  male  is  a  glossy-black  bird,  and  so  is  the 
female,  except  that  her  entire  neck  is  light  brown. 

THE  GANNET  FAMILY 

Sulidae 

THE  COMMON  GANNET*  is,  in  many  respects,  a  bird  of 
very  striking  appearance.  It  is  a  goose-like  bird,  as  large  as 
a  medium-sized  goose,  and  its  prevailing  colors  are  white 
and  a  very  beautiful  ecru.  Its  plumage  is  as  smooth  and  im- 
maculate as  the  surface  of  a  wooden  decoy.  It  has  a  slow  and 
solemn  manner,  and  has  the  least  suspicion  of  man  of  any 
swimming  bird  I  know.  Its  head,  neck  and  bill  are  massive, 
the  latter  especially  being  long  and  very  thick  at  the  base. 
The  total  length  of  this  bird  when  adult  is  only  a  trifle  under 
three  feet. 

Although  the  Common  Gannet  is  strictly  a  bird  of  the 
ocean  coasts,  and  apparently  never  is  seen  inland,  it  is  a 
bird  of  such  striking  personality  it  well  deserves  to  be 
introduced  in  these  pages.  Any  large  bird  which  once  ex- 
isted in  countless  thousands  on  our  coast,  and  has  not  yet 
been  exterminated,  may  well  be  known  to  every  intelligent 
American. 

1  Su'la  bas-sa'na. 


HABITS  OF  THE   GANNET  229 

Although  the  Gannet  wanders  as  far  south  as  Long  Is- 
land, its  real  home  is  where  it  breeds.  "While  there  are  many 
points  along  the  coast  from  Maine  to  Labrador  where  the 
Gannets  might  breed,  they  are  found,  so  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  ascertain,  only  at  three  places,  an  island  in  the  Bay  of 
Fundy,  the  Bird  Rocks  near  the  geographical  centre  of  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  and  Bonaventure  Island,  at  Perce, 
Canada,  the  colony  at  Mingan  being  too  small  and  too  nearly 
exterminated  to  be  taken  into  consideration."  (Frederic  A. 
Lucas.) 

In  1860  Dr.  Bryant  estimated  the  total  number  of  Gan- 
nets on  the  Bird  Rocks  at  150,000. 

In  1872  Mr.  William  Brewster  estimated  the  number  then 
living  there  at  50,000. 

In  1887  Dr.  Lucas  found  not  a  single  Gannet  nesting  on 
Little  Bird  Rock,  and  not  over  10,000  on  Great  Rock. 

Although  the  Gannets,  and  other  sea-birds,  make  their 
homes  on  the  most  inaccessible  spots  they  can  find,  there  is 
no  bird  which  man  cannot  reach  with  a  gun,  no  nest  to  which 
he  cannot  climb,  or  be  lowered  at  the  end  of  a  rope. 

Sea-birds  everywhere  are  persecuted  by  man,  either  for 
their  eggs  or  for  themselves.  In  their  breeding-season  the 
Gannets  are  continually  visited  by  Indians  and  whites,  who 
take  their  eggs.  "Scarce  a  day  passes,"  says  Dr.  Lucas, 
"without  a  visit  from  fishermen  in  search  of  eggs,  or  murres. 
Many  barrels  of  eggs  are  gathered  during  the  season,  and 
altogether  the  birds  lead  a  rather  precarious  existence.  There 
is  a  law  regulating  the  taking  of  eggs,  and  if  this  were  ob- 
served, or  could  be  strictly  enforced,  a  large  number  of  eggs 


230  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

could  be  gathered  annually,  while  at  the  same  time  the  num- 
ber of  birds  would  steadily  increase." 

As  will  be  inferred,  the  Gannet  lives  wholly  upon  fish, 
and  is  an  expert  deep-water  diver.  In  his  report  on  his  "Ex- 
plorations in  Newfoundland  and  Labrador,"  Dr.  Lucas  gives 
the  following  interesting  account: 

While  lying  at  Grindstone  Island  we  first  made  the  acquaintance  of 
the  Gannets,  whose  headquarters  are  at  Bird  Rocks,  and  had  a  good  op- 
portunity to  watch  them  fishing.  The  birds  are  usually  associated  in 
small,  straggling  flocks,  and,  with  outstretched  necks,  and  eyes  ever  on 
the  lookout  for  fish,  they  fly  at  a  height  of  from  75  to  100  feet  above  the 
water,  or  occasionally  somewhat  more.  The  height  at  which  the  Gannet 
flies  above  the  water  is  proportioned  to  the  depth  at  which  the  fish  are 
swimming  beneath,  and  Captain  Collins  tells  me  that  when  fish  are  swim- 
ming near  the  surface,  the  Gannet  flies  very  low,  and  darts  obliquely  in- 
stead of  vertically  upon  its  prey. 

Should  any  finny  game  be  seen  within  range,  down  goes  the  Gannet 
headlong,  the  nearly  closed  wings  being  used  to  guide  the  living  arrow 
in  its  downward  flight.  Just  above  the  surface,  the  wings  are  firmly 
closed,  and  a  small  splash  of  spray  shows  where  the  winged  fisher  cleaves 
the  water  to  transfix  his  prey.  Disappearing  for  a  few  seconds,  the  bird 
reappears,  rests  for  a  moment  on  the  water,  long  enough  to  swallow  his 
catch,  then  rises  in  pursuit  of  other  game.  The  appetite  of  the  Gannet 
is  limited  only  by  the  capacity  of  its  stomach,  and  a  successful  fisher  may 
frequently  be  seen  resting  on  the  Water,  too  heavily  laden  to  rise  without 
disgorging  a  part  of  its  cargo,  which  it  sometimes  must  do  to  escape  from 
the  pathway  of  an  approaching  vessel. 

Any  person  who  is  accustomed  to  diving,  even  from  a 
very  moderate  height,  knows  well  the  serious  disturbance  to 
vision  caused  by  the  shock  of  impact  with  the  water.  That  a 
Gannet — or  any  other  bird — can  fall  from  even  a  height  of 
twenty-five  feet,  saying  nothing  of  a  hundred,  take  the  water 
plunge,  and  retain  its  gaze  upon  its  prey  sufficiently  to  follow 
and  capture  it,  surely  betokens  a  special  optical  provision 


THE  MAN-0 -WAR  BIRD  FAMILY 

which  as  yet  we  know  nothing  about,  and  which  remains  to 
be  discovered  and  described. 

Besides  the  species  described  above,  there  are  five  other 
species  of  gannets,  called  BOOBYS,  with  various  prefixes,  which 
touch  the  coasts  of  the  continent  of  North  America. 


Photograph  by  R.  J.  Beck. 


Galapagos  Islands. 


MAN-O'-WAR    BIRDS. 


THE  MAN-O'-WAR  BIRD    FAMILY 

Fregatidae 

Whenever  at  sea  in  the  tropics  your  attention  is  arrested 
by  the  flight  far  aloft  of  a  big,  dark-colored  bird  with  long, 
sharp-pointed  wings,  and  a  long  tail  that  is  deeply  forked,  know 
that  it  is  a  FRIGATE  Brno,1  or,  as  the  sailors  call  it,  MAN-O'- 
WAR  "HAWK."  It  is  a  long-distance  flier,  and  goes  out  far 

1  Fre-ga'ta  a'quil-a.     Length,  about  40  inches. 


FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

from  land.  Its  beak  is  long,  hooked  at  the  end,  and  really 
very  strong,  but  its  legs  are  so  short  and  stumpy  they  seem 
to  be  deformed.  Under  the  throat  there  is  a  patch  of  skin 
quite  devoid  of  feathers,  which  really  is  a  sort  of  air-sac. 

I  once  found  the  roosting-place  of  a  colony  of  about  forty 
of  these  birds,  on  the  top  of  a  perpendicular  cliff  seventy -five 
feet  high  on  the  seaward  side  of  an  island  at  the  northwestern 
point  of  Trinidad.  The  birds  came  there  regularly  every 
night,  to  roost  in  some  small  dead  trees  that  almost  overhung 
the  precipices.  They  were  not  nesting  at  that  time,  however, 
and  were  so  very  wakeful  that  even  though  I  went  to  their 
roost  before  daylight,  I  did  not  succeed  in  killing  even  one 
bird. 

This  bird  inhabits  the  warm  oceans  of  the  Old  World,  as 
well  as  the  New,  and  Mr.  H.  O.  Forbes  states  that  in  the  Cocos- 
Keeling  Islands  they  are  regular  pirates,  and  gain  their  live- 
lihood by  remaining  inactive,  and  forcing  honest  fisherfolk, 
like  the  gannets,  and  noddy  terns,  to  disgorge  for  their  lazy 
benefit  the  fish  they  bring  home  from  distant  fishing-grounds. 

Mr.  R.  J.  Beck  found  Frigate  Birds  nesting  in  the  Gala- 
pagos Archipelago,  which  were  so  tame  and  unsuspicious  that 
he  was  able  to  approach  quite  near,  and  make  the  photograph 
which  is  reproduced  on  the  preceding  page. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

ORDER  OF  TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS 
OF   MID-OCEAN 

TUBINARES 

THESE  are  indeed  strange  birds.  To  a  landsman,  it  re- 
quires an  effort  to  imagine  a  series  of  birds,  some  of 
them  small  and  seemingly  weak,  which  prefer  to  live  in  the 
watery  solitudes  of  mid-ocean,  indifferent  to  calms,  and  defy- 
ing both  tempests  and  cold.  To  my  mind,  there  is  no  sec- 
tion of  the  bird  world  so  strange  and  so  awe-inspiring  as  this. 
Just  how  the  albatrosses  and  the  petrels  ride  out  the  long, 
fierce  gales,  and  keep  from  being  beaten  down  to  the  raging 
surface  of  the  sea,  and  drowned,  I  believe  no  one  can  say. 
It  is  no  wonder  that  sailors  hold  the  albatross  in  superstitious 
reverence,  or  that  Coleridge  has  immortalized  it  in  the  "Rime 
of  the  Ancient  Mariner."  Well  may  a  sailor  feel  that  any 
large  bird  which  lives  only  at  sea,  and  follows  his  ship  day  after 
day,  is  the  bird  "that  makes  the  breezes  blow." 

The  members  of  this  small  group  of  mid-ocean  birds  are 
distinguished  by  the  curious  fact  that  the  nostrils,  instead  of 
opening  through  the  side  of  the  upper  mandible,  near  its 
base,  are  carried  well  forward  through  two  round  tubes  that 
either  lie  along  the  top  of  the  bill  or  along  its  sides.  By  this 

233 


234  TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS  OF  MID-OCEAN 

arrangement,  the  nostril  opening  is  about  half-way  between 
the  base  and  tip  of  the  bill.  The  bill  terminates  in  a  strong 
serviceable  hook,  like  the  beak  of  a  bird  of  prey. 

This  Order  consists  of  the  albatrosses,  fulmars,  shear- 
waters and  petrels — all  of  them  deep-water  birds,  strong  of 
wing,  and  brave-spirited  beyond  all  other  birds.  Of  the  thirty- 
five  species  and  subspecies  recognized  in  North  America,  only 
two  or  three  ever  wander  to  inland  lakes,  even  for  three  hun- 
dred miles  from  salt  water.  The  variation  in  size  from  the 
largest  albatross  to  the  smallest  petrel  is  very  great;  but  at 
least  half  the  species  of  the  Order  are  to  be  classed  as  large 
birds.  Three  species  will  suffice  to  represent  the  group. 

TEE  ALBATROSS  FAMILY 

Diomedeidae 

THE  WANDERING  ALBATROSS1  is  a  bird  of  the  southern 
oceans  of  the  New  World;  and  it  is  the  largest  and  hand- 
somest species  in  the  Order  Tubinares.  It  has  the  longest 
wings,  but  the  narrowest  for  their  length,  and  the  greatest 
number  of  secondary  feathers  (over  thirty  in  number)  of  any 
living  bird.  The  weight  of  an  adult  bird  is  from  15  to  18 
pounds,  and  when  the  wings  are  fully  extended  they  have  a 
spread  of  from  10  to  12  feet.  Either  when  on  the  wing  at 
sea,  or  mounted  with  spread  wings  as  a  museum  exhibit,  the 
wings  of  an  Albatross  are  so  exceedingly  long  and  narrow  that 
they  have  a  very  odd  and  unfinished  appearance.  They 
seem  to  be  out  of  proper  proportion,  like  wings  lacking  a 
proper  outfit  of  secondary  feathers.  But  they  have  their 

1  Di-o-me'de-a  ex'u-lans. 


"FISHING"  FOR  THE  BLACK-FOOTED  ALBATROSS    237 

purpose.  The  Albatross  can  sail  for  hours,  to  and  fro,  with- 
out resting,  and  with  wings  so  motionless  they  might  as  well 
be  mechanically  fixed. 

Dr.  Charles  H.  Townsend,  who,  as  naturalist  of  the  United 
States  Fish  Commission  steamer  Albatross,  has  had  excep- 
tional opportunities  for  studying  Albatrosses  at  sea  in  all 
kinds  of  weather,  has  kindly  furnished  the  following  account 
of  the  most  conspicuous  species  that  inhabits  the  North 
Pacific  : 


BLACK-FOOTED  ALBATROSS1  is  a  common  bird  almost  anywhere 
in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  from  the  latitude  of  California  northward.  This 
dark  species  is  frequently  seen  the  first  day  out,  and  can  usually  be  de- 
pended upon  to  follow  vessels  in  increasing  numbers.  On  many  voyages 
between  San  Francisco  and  the  Aleutian  Islands,  the  average  attendance 
of  Albatrosses,  or  "Gonies,"  as  they  are  usually  called,  was  from  fifteen 
to  twenty.  Whether  the  same  individuals  stayed  with  the  vessel  during 
the  whole  run,  or  were  replaced  from  time  to  time  by  other  birds  en- 
countered along  the  way,  we  could  not  determine. 

The  birds  were  writh  us  from  daylight  to  dark,  and  in  all  sorts  of 
weather.  The  S.  S.  Albatross,  being  engaged  in  deep-sea  investigations, 
made  frequent  stops  for  the  purpose  of  sounding  and  dredging.  At  such 
times  the  flock  of  birds  would  alight  upon  the  water,  often  coming  close 
enough  to  be  caught  on  cod-hooks  baited  with  pork.  When  on  the  wing, 
sometimes  all  the  birds  would  assemble  at  once  to  feed  on  the  waste  thrown 
overboard  from  the  galley,  alighting  in  a  confused  manner,  with  much 
squawking  and  fluttering  of  wings. 

We  often  hooked  specimens  while  the  ship  was  under  way,  by  paying 
out  the  line  rapidly  enough  to  leave  the  bait  lying  motionless,  and  buoyed 
on  the  surface  with  a  cork.  The  birds  were  not  able  to  pick  up  a  bait 
while  on  the  wing,  or  while  it  was  moving.  When  hooked  they  would 
set  their  wings  rigidly  at  an  angle,  and  a  rapid  hauling-in  of  the  long  line 
would  send  a  bird  skyward  like  a  kite,  which  position  it  would  retain 
until  hauled  down  on  the  deck. 

Fishing  for  "Gonies"  was  a  common  amusement  on  the  Albatross, 
and  specimens  were  often  photographed  alive  on  the  decks,  or  marked  in 
some  way  to  determine  if  possible  whether  the  same  individuals  followed 

1  Di-o-me'de-a  ni'gri-pes. 


238  TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS  OF  MID-OCEAN 

the  vessel  throughout  the  voyage.  Marked  birds,  however,  never  were 
seen  again.  The  handling  which  they  received  probably  disinclined  them 
to  follow  the  vessel. 

The  arrival  of  an  Albatross  on  deck  was  usually  followed  by  the  dis- 
gorging of  more  or  less  food.  They  could  not  rise  from  the  deck,  and 
frequently  were  kept  on  board  for  several  days.  They  walk  with  great 
difficulty,  and  bite  savagely. 

Albatrosses  rise  easily  from  the  sea,  and  when  the  wind  is  blowing 
it  is  done  very  quickly.  In  calm  weather  several  strokes  of  the  wings 
and  a  rapid  movement  of  the  feet  are  necessary  for  the  bird  to  clear  the 
water.  No  bird  can  exceed  the  Albatross  in  the  gracefulness  of  its  flight. 
Usually  following  in  the  wake,  it  has,  however,  no  difficulty  in  passing 
ahead  of  the  vessel,  always  on  rigid,  motionless  wings,  rising,  descending, 
or  turning  without  a  wing  movement  that  is  visible  to  the  eye. 

On  voyages  southwestward  from  California,  the  Black-Footed  Al- 
batross did  not  usually  follow  the  vessel  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  way 
to  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  A  species  known  as  Diomedea  chinensis  breeds 
in  great  numbers  on  the  chain  of  islands  extending  northwestward  from 
Hawaii.  So  far  as  I  am  aware,  the  breeding-place  of  Diomedea  nigripes 
is  not  known.  It  probably  breeds  during  the  winter  months  on  islands  in 
the  southern  hemisphere.  It  is  sometimes  found  in  Bering  Sea,  particu- 
larly in  the  Bristol  Bay  region,  and  is  met  with  all  summer  long  in  the 
Pacific  south  of  the  Aleutian  Islands.  During  many  visits  to  the  Aleutian 
and  other  American  islands,  it  was  never  found  on  land,  and  the  natives 
were  not  acquainted  with  it  as  a  nesting  bird. 

In  Bering  Sea  we  sometimes  met  with  the  SHORT-TAILED  ALBATROSS 
(Diomedea  albatrus).  This  species  is  nearly  white,  and  in  calm  weather 
was  usually  observed  resting  on  the  sea,  near  the  great  flocks  of  fulmars. 
While  the  steamship  Albatross  was  dredging  off  the  southern  coast  of  Chile, 
the  great  WANDERING  ALBATROSS  was  frequently  to  be  seen  resting  upon 
the  water  about  the  vessel,  and  we  had  no  difficulty  in  taking  specimens 
with  hook  and  line. 

Perhaps  the  most  wonderful  sight  in  Albatross  life  is  to 
be  found  on  Laysan  Island,  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  where 
thousands  of  these  birds  nest  close  together  on  an  open  plain. 
There  are  acres  and  acres  of  living  Albatrosses,  stretching 
away  as  far  as  the  camera  can  include  them,  until  the  plain  is 
white  with  them.  They  manifest  little  fear  of  man,  even  when 


THE    STORMY    PETREL  239 

iron  rails  are  laid  down,  and  small  iron  box-cars  are  pushed 
over  them,  to  load  with  eggs  from  the  nests. 

After  the  reader  has  noted  the  above  paragraph,  written 
in  1902,  a  history  of  the  great  Albatross  slaughter  on  Laysan 
Island  will  be  found  a  few  pages  farther  on  in  this  chapter. 

THE  FULMAR  FAMILY 

Procellariidae 

THE  FULMARS  are  like  so  many  understudies  of  the  Al- 
batrosses; and  the  SHEARWATERS  bring  the  Tube-Nosed 
group  still  nearer  to  the  gulls  and  terns.  The  habits  of  all 
these  are  very  much  alike.  All  are  strong-flying,  mid-ocean 
birds,  following  ships  for  miles  in  order  to  pick  up  whatever 
edible  food  is  thrown  overboard.  In  one  respect  they  are 
marine  vultures,  for  some  of  the  species  make  haste  to  feed 
upon  any  dead  animal  found  floating  on  the  sea  or  stranded 
on  the  shore. 

No  one  with  eyes  ever  need  cross  the  Atlantic  without 
seeing  the  dear  little  STORMY  PETREL,1  or  "MOTHER  CAREY'S 
CHICKEN,"  as  it  is  called  by  sailormen.  After  the  last  gull 
has  been  left  far  behind,  and  there  are  about  two  miles  of 
water  under  the  ship,  in  the  trough  between  two  great  waves 
there  suddenly  glides  into  view  a  pair  of  small  black  wings, 
fluttering  rapidly,  while  two  little  webbed  feet  work  violently 
to  pat  the  concave  surface  of  the  deep  blue  water.  Those 
who  do  not  know  the  creature  exclaim  in  surprise,  "What 
in  the  world  is  that?" 

"That"  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  ocean  world.     The 

1  Pro-cel-la'ri-a  pe-lag'i-ca.     Length,  5.50  inches. 


240 


TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS  OF  MID-OCEAN 


cause  for  surprise  is  that  so  small  and  weak  a  creature — the 
smallest  of  all  the  web-footed  birds,  no  larger  and  seemingly 
no  stronger  than  a  cat-bird — should  live  on  the  watery  wastes 
of  a  landless  ocean,  eating,  sleeping  and  enjoying  literally 
life  on  the  ocean  wave,  and  a  home  on  the  rolling  deep." 


a 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 

STORMY    PETREL. 

Even  when  seas  are  calm  and  skies  are  clear,  one  cannot 
easily  imagine  how  this  creature  can  live  and  find  its  food. 
But  when  a  prolonged  storm  sets  in,  and  for  ten  days  or  two 
weeks  at  a  stretch  the  surface  of  the  sea  is  a  seething,  boiling 
caldron,  with  every  wave  a  ragged  "white-cap"  and  every 
square  foot  of  the  sea  fretted  like  a  fish-net  by  the  force  of  the 
wind,  how  does  the  frail  little  Stormy  Petrel  survive? 

You  nearly  always  see  this  bird  in  the  trough  of  the  sea, 
skimming  so  low  that  its  feet  can  paddle  upon  the  surface  of 


A  TRAGIC  STORY  FROM  THE  NORTH  PACIFIC 

the  water  and  assist  the  wings.  It  is  a  black  bird,  with  a 
large  white  patch  on  the  rump,  just  above  the  tail.  It  rests 
upon  the  water  fully  half  its  time,  I  should  say,  and,  aside 
from  the  table  and  galley  refuse  thrown  overboard  from  ves- 
sels, the  bulk  of  its  food  must  consist  of  the  tiny  crustaceans 
that  inhabit  the  floating  bunches  of  sargasso  weed. 

THE  TRAGEDY  OF  THE  LAY  SAN  ALBATROSS 

This  bit  of  history  should  be  of  lively  interest  to  every 
American,  because  the  tragedy  occurred  on  American  territory. 

In  the  far-away  North  Pacific  Ocean,  about  seven  hundred 
miles  from  Honolulu  west-b'-north,  lies  the  small  island  of 
Laysan.  It  is  level,  sandy,  poorly  planted  by  nature,  and 
barren  of  all  things  likely  to  enlist  the  attention  of  predatory 
man.  To  the  harassed  birds  of  mid-ocean,  it  seemed  like  a 
secure  haven,  and  for  ages  past  it  has  been  inhabited  only  by 
them.  There  several  species  of  sea-birds,  large  and  small, 
have  found  homes  and  breeding-places.  Until  1909  the  in- 
habitants consisted  of  the  Laysan  albatross,  black-footed 
albatross,  sooty  tern,  gray -backed  tern,  noddy  tern,  Hawaiian 
tern,  white  tern,  Bonin  petrel,  two  shearwaters,  the  red-tailed 
tropic  bird,  two  boobies  and  the  man-o'-war  bird. 

Laysan  island  is  two  miles  long  by  one  and  one-half  miles 
broad,  and  at  times  it  has  been  literally  covered  with  birds. 
Its  bird  life  was  first  brought  prominently  to  notice  in  1891, 
by  Henry  Palmer,  the  agent  of  Hon.  Walter  Rothschild,  and 
in  1902  and  1903  Walter  K.  Fisher  and  W.  A.  Bryan  made 
further  observations. 

Ever  since  1891  the  bird  life  on  Laysan  has  been  regarded 


TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS  OF  MID-OCEAN 

as  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  bird  world.  One  of  the  photo- 
graphs taken  prior  to  1909  shows  a  vast  plain,  apparently  a 
square  mile  in  area,  covered  and  crowded  with  Laysan  alba- 
trosses. They  stand  there  on  the  level  sand,  serene,  bulky 
and  immaculate.  Thousands  of  birds  appear  in  one  view — a 
very  remarkable  sight. 

Naturally,  man,  the  ever-greedy,  began  to  cast  about  for 
ways  by  which  to  convert  some  product  of  that  feathered 
host  into  money.  At  first  guano  and  eggs  were  collected. 
A  tramway  was  laid  down  and  small  box-cars  were  intro- 
duced, in  which  the  collected  material  was  piled  and  pushed 
down  to  the  packing  place. 

For  several  years  this  went  on,  and  the  birds  themselves 
were  not  molested.  At  last,  however,  a  tentacle  of  the  feather- 
trade  octopus  reached  out  to  Laysan.  In  an  evil  moment  in 
the  spring  of  1909  a  predatory  individual  of  Honolulu  and 
elsewhere,  named  Max  Schlemmer,  decided  that  the  wings 
of  those  albatrosses,  gulls  and  terns  should  be  torn  off  and  sent 
to  Japan,  whence  they  would  undoubtedly  be  shipped  to 
Paris,  the  special  market  for  the  wings  of  sea-birds  slaughtered 
in  the  North  Pacific. 

Schlemmer  the  Slaughterer  bought  a  cheap  vessel,  hired 
twenty -three  phlegmatic  and  cold-blooded  Japanese  laborers, 
and  organized  a  raid  on  Laysan.  With  the  utmost  secrecy 
he  sailed  from  Honolulu,  landed  his  bird-killers  upon  the  sea- 
bird  wonderland  and  turned  them  loose  upon  the  birds. 

For  several  months  they  slaughtered  diligently  and  with- 
out mercy.  Apparently  it  was  the  ambition  of  Schlemmer 
to  kill  every  bird  on  the  island. 


ACRES  OF  ALBATROSS  BONES         245 

By  the  time  the  bird-butchers  had  accumulated  between 
three  and  four  carloads  of  wings,  and  the  carnage  was  half 
finished,  William  A.  Bryan,  Professor  of  Zoology  in  the  Col- 
lege of  Honolulu,  heard  of  it  and  promptly  wired  the  United 
States  Government. 

AVithout  the  loss  of  a  moment  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
despatched  the  revenue  cutter  Thetis  to  the  shambles  of 


ALBATROSS    BONES    ON    LAYSAN    ISLAND,    1911. 
After  the  tragedy.     One  mile  long  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide  paved  with  bones. 

Laysan.  When  Captain  Jacobs  arrived  he  found  that  in 
round  numbers  about  three  hundred  thousand  birds  had  been 
destroyed,  and  all  that  remained  of  them  were  several  acres 
of  bones  and  dead  bodies,  and  about  three  carloads  of  wings, 
feathers  and  skins.  It  was  evident  that  Schlemmer's  inten- 
tion was  to  kill  all  the  birds  on  the  island,  and  only  the  timely 
arrival  of  the  Thetis  frustrated  that  bloody  plan. 

The  twenty-three  Japanese  poachers  were  arrested  and 
taken  to  Honolulu  for  trial,  and  the  Thetis  also  brought  away 


246  TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS  OF  MID-OCEAN 

all  the  stolen  wings  and  plumage  with  the  exception  of  one 
shedful  of  wings  that  had  to  be  left  behind  on  account  of  lack 
of  carrying  space.  That  old  shed,  with  one  end  torn  out, 
and  supposed  to  contain  nearly  fifty  thousand  pairs  of  wings, 
was  photographed  by  Professor  Dill  in  1911,  as  shown  here- 
with. 

Three  hundred  thousand  albatrosses,  gulls,  terns  and  other 
birds  were  butchered  to  make  a  Schlemmer  holiday!  Had 
the  arrival  of  the  Thetis  been  delayed,  it  is  reasonably  certain 
that  every  bird  on  Laysan  would  have  been  killed  to  satisfy 
the  wolfish  rapacity  of  one  money-grubbing  white  man. 

In  1911  the  Iowa  State  University  despatched  to  Laysan 
a  scientific  expedition  in  charge  of  Professor  Homer  R.  Dill. 
The  party  landed  on  the  island  on  April  24  and  remained 
until  June  5,  and  the  report  of  Professor  Dill  (United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture)  is  deeply  interesting  to  the  friends 
of  birds.  Here  is  what  he  has  said  regarding  the  evidences 
of  bird-slaughter: 

Our  first  impression  of  Laysan  was  that  the  poachers  had  stripped 
the  place  of  bird  life.  An  area  of  over  300  acres  on  each  side  of  the  build- 
ings was  apparently  abandoned.  Only  the  shearwaters  moaning  in  their 
burrows,  the  little  wingless  rail  skulking  from  one  grass  tussock  to  an- 
other and  the  saucy  finch  remained.  It  is  an  excellent  example  of  what 
Professor  Nutting  calls  the  survival  of  the  inconspicuous. 

Here  on  every  side  are  bones  bleaching  in  the  sun,  showing  where 
the  poachers  had  piled  the  bodies  of  the  birds  as  they  stripped  them  of 
wings  and  feathers.  In  the  old  open  guano  shed  were  seen  the  remains 
of  hundreds  and  possibly  thousands  of  wings  which  were  placed  there  but 
never  cured  for  shipping,  as  the  marauders  were  interrupted  in  their  work. 

An  old  cistern  back  of  one  of  the  buildings  tells  a  story  of  cruelty 
that  surpasses  anything  else  done  by  these  heartless,  sanguinary  pirates, 
not  excepting  the  practice  of  cutting  wings  from  living  birds  and  leaving 
them  to  die  of  hemorrhage.  In  this  dry  cistern  the  living  birds  were  kept 


WIDE-SPREAD  DESTRUCTION  OF  BIRDS  247 

by  hundreds  to  slowly  starve  to  death.  In  this  way  the  fatty  tissue 
lying  next  to  the  skin  was  used  up,  and  the  skin  was  left  quite  free  from 
grease,  so  that  it  required  little  or  no  cleaning  during  preparation. 

Many  other  revolting  sights,  such  as  the  remains  of  young  birds  that 
had  been  left  to  starve,  and  birds  with  broken  legs  and  deformed  beaks 
were  to  be  seen.  Killing  clubs,  nets  and  other  implements  used  by  these 
marauders  were  lying  all  about.  Hundreds  of  boxes  to  be  used  in  shipping 


THE    LAST    OP   THE    LOOT. 

About  twenty-five  thousand  of  the  wings  collected  by  the  bird-butchers  of  Laysan,  now  decaying 

in  this  old  shed. 

the  bird  skins  wrere  packed  in  an  old  building.     It  was  very  evident  they 
intended  to  carry  on  their  slaughter  as  long  as  the  birds  lasted. 

Not  only  did  they  kill  and  skin  the  larger  species  but  they  caught  and 
caged  the  finch,  honey-eater,  and  miller  bird.  Cages  and  material  for 
making  them  were  found. — (Report  of  an  Expedition  to  Laysan  Island 
in  1911.  By  Homer  R.  Dill,  page  12.) 

The  report  of  Professor  Bryan  contains  the  following 
pertinent  paragraphs: 

This  wholesale  killing  has  had  an  appalling  effect  on  the  colony.  .  .  . 
It  is  conservative  to  say  that  fully  one-half  the  number  of  birds  of  both 


248  TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS  OF  MID-OCEAN 

species  of  albatross  that  were  so  abundant  everywhere  in  1903  have  been 
killed.  The  colonies  that  remain  are  in  a  sadly  decimated  condition.  .  .  . 
Over  a  large  part  of  the  island,  in  some  sections  a  hundred  acres  in  a  place, 
that  ten  years  ago  were  thickly  inhabited  by  albatrosses  not  a  single 
bird  remains,  while  heaps  of  the  slain  lie  as  mute  testimony  of  the  awful 
slaughter  of  these  beautiful,  harmless  and  without  doubt  beneficial  in- 
habitants of  the  high  seas. 

In  February,  1909,  President  Roosevelt  issued  an  execu- 
tive order  creating  the  Hawaiian  Islands  Reservation  for 
Birds.  In  this  are  included  Laysan  and  twelve  other  islands 
and  reefs,  some  of  which  are  inhabited  by  birds  that  are  well 
worth  preserving.  By  this  act  we  may  feel  that  for  the  future 
the  birds  of  Laysan  and  neighboring  islets  are  secure  from 
further  attacks  by  the  bloody-handed  agents  of  the  vain 
women  of  Europe,  who  still  insist  upon  wearing  the  wings  and 
feathers  of  wild  birds,  and  even  yet  have  a  legal  right  to  do  so. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 
ORDER  OF  LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 

LONGIPENNES 


members  of  the  Order  of  Gulls  and  Terns  appeal  to 
a  greater  number  of  admirers  than  any  other  group  of 
web-footed  birds.  The  reasons  are:  their  wide  distribution, 
both  on  salt  water  and  fresh-water  lakes;  their  conspicuous 
and  graceful  flight;  their  partial  immunity  from  wholesale 
slaughter,  and  their  friendliness  toward  the  arch-destroyer, 
man.  Every  harbor  and  every  steamer  track  is  a  safe  feed- 
ing-ground for  these  birds,  and  along  thousands  of  miles  of 
shore  line  they  are  the  most  beautiful  wild  creatures  that 
greet  the  eye. 

The  three  North  American  Families  of  this  Order  are  as 
follows  : 

ORDER  LONGIPENNES 

FAMILIES  EXAMPLES 

GULLS  AND  TERNS  .....  La'ri-dae  ...........  Herring  Gull;  Common  Tern. 

SKIMMERS  .............  Ryn-chop'i-dae  ......  Black  Skimmer. 

SKUAS  AND  JAEGERS  ____  Ster-co-rar-i'i-dae  .  .  .  Parasitic  Jaeger. 

THE  GULLS  AND  TERNS 

Laridae 

THE  HERRING  GULL/  an  old  and  familiar  friend  which 
ranges  far  inland,  and  also  far  outward  on  the  sea,  is  the  best 

1  La'rus  ar-gen-ta'tus.     Average  length,  24  inches. 
249 


250  LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 

and  most  interesting  type  of  this  Family.  It  is  an  ideal 
Gull — long-winged,  large,  white  and  pearl-gray  in  color, 
strong,  yet  graceful  on  the  wing,  a  good  fighter,  and  suffi- 
ciently plentiful  in  number  to  be  known  to  millions  of  people. 
It  inhabits  the  whole  sea-coast,  and  all  the  salt-water  bays  and 
inlets  of  North  America,  the  great  lakes,  the  lakes  and  ponds 
of  Michigan,  Minnesota,  Iowa,  and  several  of  our  larger  rivers, 
such  as  the  Potomac,  Mississippi,  Missouri  and  Columbia. 
From  all  their  regular  routes  of  travel  and  places  of  residence 
they  stray  inland  for  an  indefinite  number  of  miles. 

The  Herring  Gull  nests  from  southern  Maine  and  the  great 
lakes  northward  to  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  makes  its  winter 
home  in  the  United  States.  All  transatlantic  voyagers  have 
seen  it  far  out  at  sea,  almost  half-way  between  Sandy  Hook 
and  Queenstown. 

In  Georgian  Bay  the  sight  of  Gull  life  on  the  crystal-clear 
waters,  and  clean,  bare  islets  of  pink  granite  near  Owen 
Sound,  was  one  of  the  most  enchanting  I  ever  beheld.  Going 
down  Puget  Sound  on  a  cold  and  windy  day  in  November,  a 
large  flock  of  the  same  old  friends  followed  the  steamer  for 
twenty  miles,  sailing  along  beside  us,  sometimes  within  ten 
feet  of  the  rail  of  the  hurricane-deck— a  sight  which  well 
repaid  one  for  half  freezing  in  order  to  see  it  to  the  most  per- 
fect advantage. 

But  why  wander  so  far  from  home  to  see  Gulls?  Only  a 
mile  from  the  Zoological  Park  is  the  Williamsbridge  Reservoir 
of  the  New  York  City  water-works.  Not  long  since  curiosity 
to  ascertain  whether  any  winter  birds  were  being  attracted 
by  that  very  small  but  high  basin  of  water  led  me  to  climb 


GULLS  WINTERING  IN  NEW  YORK  253 

up  and  see.  To  my  great  astonishment,  I  found  a  distin- 
guished company  of  sixty-seven  Herring  Gulls,  standing  and 
sitting  in  serene  contentment  on  the  sheet  of  ice  that  covered 
one-half  the  surface  of  the  water.  It  was  a  nice,  quiet,  genteel 
place,  well  below  the  sweep  of  the  wind;  there  was  plenty  of 
water  for  the  birds  to  soak  their  feet  in  when  the  ice  made  them 
too  cold,  and  what  more  could  a  Gull  ask,  except  a  daily  de- 
livery of  fresh  fish? 

The  voice  of  this  Gull  is  not  melodious;  and  some  persons 
call  it  harsh  and  strident.  But  opinions  differ,  even  on  as  small 
a  matter  as  the  voice  of  a  Gull.  I  never  yet  heard  the  cry  of 
a  wild  gull,  either  on  the  booming  sea-shore  or  over  the  silvery 
mirror  of  an  inland  lake,  which  was  not  music  to  my  ears. 

In  captivity  the  Gull  is  badly  handicapped.  With  the 
primaries  of  one  wing  clipped  to  prevent  escape,  and  without 
the  power  of  flight,  it  is  not  seen  at  its  best;  for  no  gull  is 
perfect  save  in  flight.  Our  flock  is  continually  shrieking  pro- 
tests against  unlawful  detention,  and  with  perfect  wings 
every  one  would  quickly  0fly  away,  as  did  those  bred  in  the 
park  and  reared  to  adolescence  with  perfect  wings.  We  tried 
to  colonize  them,  but  once  away  they  never  came  back. 

In  an  enclosure  which  embraced  a  pond  and  an  island  in- 
habited by  about  twenty  Gulls,  twelve  Canada  geese  and  a 
few  other  birds,  two  enterprising  Gulls  decided  to  nest  and 
rear  a  family.  Accordingly,  they  built  a  nest  under  a  bush 
which  stood  on  a  point  of  the  island,  in  a  position  that  strate- 
gically was  well  chosen  for  purposes  of  defence.  The  two 
birds  made  a  very  wise  division  of  the  labor.  The  female 
built  the  nest,  laid  the  eggs  and  hatched  them,  and  the  male 


254  LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 

did  the  screaming  and  fighting  that  was  necessary  to  protect 
the  family  from  molestation. 

Never  was  there  a  more  bonnie  fighter  than  that  male 
bird.  During  that  whole  nesting-period,  lasting  from  April 
1  to  May  15,  he  either  bluffed  or  fought  to  a  standstill 
everything  that  came  within  ten  feet  of  that  nest.  Before 
his  defiant  and  terrifying  screams,  and  his  threatening  beak 
and  wings,  no  other  Gull  could  stand  for  a  moment.  When 
a  Canada  goose  crossed  his  dead-line,  the  Gull  would  rush  at 
him,  seize  him  by  the  nearest  wing,  wing-beat  him,  and  hang 
on  like  a  bulldog,  regardless  of  being  dragged  about  by  the 
stronger  bird,  until  the  goose  was  glad  to  purchase  peace  by 
retreating.  During  all  these  battles  the  female  sat  firmly  on 
her  eggs,  but  pointed  her  bill  at  the  sky  and  screamed  encour- 
agement with  all  the  power  of  her  vocal  machinery.  Eventu- 
ally the  three  eggs  were  hatched,  and  the  young  were  reared 
successfully. 

On  certain  islands  along  the  coast  of  Maine,  where  Gulls 
nest  in  considerable  numbers,  Mr.  William  Dutcher  has  done 
important  and  effective  work  in  securing  the  protection  of 
the  birds  by  the  owners  of  the  islands.  As  if  to  reward  Mr. 
Dutcher  for  his  labors  in  their  behalf,  the  Gulls  permitted 
him  to  photograph  them  on  their  nests  at  very  short  range.- 
In  England  the  Zoological  Society  of  London  has  awarded 
its  medal  to  several  persons  for  noteworthy  services  in  pro- 
tecting Gulls  from  destruction. 

THE  COMMON  TERN/  but  for  the  timely  interference  of 
the  Audubon  law,  would  ere  now  have  become  the  very  Un- 

1  Ster'na  hi-run'do.     Average  length,  14.50  inches. 


THE   COMMON  TERN  255 

common  Tern.  The  persons  who  for  years  slaughtered  birds 
wholesale  and  without  check  for  "millinery  purposes"  would 
have  exterminated  this  species,  at  least  all  along  the  Atlantic 
coast. 

In  an  evil  hour  some  person  without  compassion,  and 
with  no  more  taste  for  the  eternal  fitness  of  things  than  a 
Texas  steer,  conceived  the  idea  of  placing  stuffed  Terns  on 
women's  hats,  as  "ornaments."  Now,  unfortunately,  wom- 
an's one  universal  weakness  lies  in  the  belief  that  whatever 
the  Fashion  Fetish  commands  that  she  shall  wear,  that  is 
necessarily  a  beautiful  thing  for  her  to  deck  herself  withal. 
As  a  result,  we  have  seen  thousands  of  angular,  dagger-beaked, 
sharp-winged,  dirty-plumaged,  rough-looking  and  distorted 
Terns,  each  one  a  feathered  Horror,  clamped  to  the  fronts 
and  sides  of  the  hats  of  women,  and  worn  as  head  ornaments! 

Those  objects  spoke  very  poorly  for  their  wearers;  for 
since  the  daughters  of  Eve  first  began  to  wear  things  on  their 
heads,  the  Rumpled  Tern  is  the  ugliest  thing  ever  devised 
for  head-gear.  Thus  has  been  developed  a  new  bird  species, 
which  we  will  christen  as  above,  with  Sterna  horrida  as  its 
Latin  name.  Thanks  to  the  Audubon  law,  however,  the 
wearing  of  stuffed  birds  has,  with  fashionable  people,  quite 
gone  out  of  fashion,  and  the  only  exceptions  now  seen  are  on 
the  heads  of  servants,  who,  for  motives  of  economy,  are  wear- 
ing the  cast-off  millinery  of  their  mistresses. 

The  Tern  is  much  smaller  than  the  herring  gull;  it  has  a 
very  short  neck,  very  long  and  angular  wings,  and  when  on 
the  ground  is  not  a  bird  of  beautiful  form.  On  the  wing,  how- 
ever, and  especially  over  the  breakers,  its  appearance  is  grace- 


256  LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 

fill  and  pleasing.  It  is  a  white-and-gray  bird,  excepting  the 
black  bonnet  which  covers  the  upper  half  of  its  head  and  neck, 
and  its  bill,  feet  and  legs  are  coral  red. 

Along  our  Atlantic  coast,  and  especially  from  Nantucket 
to  Hatteras,  it  was  once  a  very  familiar  bird,  and  its  escape 
for  annihilation  has  been  of  the  narrowest.  The  anti-bird- 
millinery  laws  passed  by  New  York  and  other  states  effectu- 
ally stopped  the  sale  of  wild  birds  and  their  plumage  for 
"millinery  purposes,"  and  the  Terns  are  no  longer  slaughtered 
as  heretofore.  In  several  places  where  they  breed  they  are  now 
protected,  and  henceforth  should  slowly  increase  in  number. 

There  are  now  but  few  localities  on  our  Atlantic  coast 
between  New  Jersey  and  Nova  Scotia  where  the  Common 
Tern,  or  "Sea  Swallow,"  breeds.  Two  of  these  are  Muskeget 
Island,  northwest  of  Nantucket,  and  Gardiner's  Island. 
The  once  numerous  colony  that  formerly  inhabited  Gull 
Island,  near  the  eastern  end  of  Long  Island,  was  broken  up 
and  driven  off  by  a  "military  necessity,"  no  less  important 
than  the  building  of  a  modern  fort  to  protect  the  City  of  New 
Yorko  By  a  strange  coincidence,  it  was  the  12-inch  guns  of 
our  coast  defence  artillery  that  drove  these  much-persecuted 
birds  from  one  of  their  favorite  nesting-grounds. 

THE  SKIMMER  FAMILY 

Rynchopidae 

THE  BLACK  SKIMMED  is  a  tern  in  form,  but  without  the 
spear-like  bill  of  the  latter  for  spearing  fish.  Its  lower  man- 
dible is  formed  for  use  as  a  cut-water — long,  thin,  rather  broad, 

1  Ryn' chops  ni'gra.     Length,  about  16  inches. 


THE  SKUA  AND  JAEGER  FAMILY  257 

and  flattened  vertically.  The  upper  mandible  is  similarly 
shaped,  but  is  shorter. 

AMien  seeking  food,  the  Skimmer  looks  for  calm  water, 
and  then,  with  most  dexterous  and  well-balanced  flight,  it 
slowly  wings  its  way  close  down  to  the  surface,  so  low  that 
the  lower  mandible  is  actually  held  in  the  water  while  the 
bird  is  in  full  flight.  Any  small  edible  object  that  happens  to 
lie  on  the  surface  is  shot  into  the  mouth,  through  what  is 
really  a  very  narrow  opening. 

This  is  a  bird  of  the  tropics,  and  is  much  more  at  home  on 
the  coast  of  British  Guiana,  among  the  scarlet  ibises,  than  it 
is  on  the  coast  of  the  United  States  anywhere  north  of  Florida. 
I  have  never  seen  it  elsewhere  than  in  South  America,  and 
on  our  shores  it  is  a  visitor  of  great  rarity.  It  nests  on  Cobb 
Island,  off  the  coast  of  Virginia,  and  lives  long  in  comfortable 
captivity. 

THE  SKUA  AND  JAEGER  FAMILY 

Stercorariidae 

The  members  of  this  Family  are  habitants  of  the  cold 
northern  seas  and  high  latitudes.  They  are  strong- winged, 
bold  and  hardy,  and  so  frequently  rob  other  sea-birds  of  their 
prey  that  they  are  sometimes  called  the  hawks  of  the  sea. 
Living  examples  are  rarely  seen  save  by  persons  who  are 
voyaging  northward  above  the  40th  parallel.  Of  the  four 
species  inhabiting  North  America,  the  following  is  the  one 
most  frequently  seen  in  the  United  States. 

THE  PARASITIC  JAEGER1  is  quoted  geographically  as  fol- 
lows: "Northern  part  of  northern  hemisphere,  southward  in 

1  Ster-co-ra'ri-us  par-a-sit'i-cus.     Length,  about  17  inches. 


258  LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 

winter  to  South  Africa  and  South  America.  Breeds  in  high 
northern  districts,  and  winters  from  New  York  and  California 
southward  to  Brazil."  A  description  of  the  colors  of  this 
bird  would  be  a  formidable  affair,  for  both  adults  and  young 
birds  have  each  two  color  phases.  The  beak  of  the  adult  is 
strongly  hooked  at  the  end,  like  that  of  a  cormorant,  but  still 
more  pronounced. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 
ORDER  OF  WEAK-WINGED   DIVING  BIRDS 

PYGOPODES 

WITH  this  group  the  Class  of  Birds  enters  upon  a  very 
marked  and  swift  decline  from  the  high  types.  An- 
other step  beyond  this  Order,  and  we  land  among  birds  so 
nearly  wingless  that  they  are  without  the  power  of  flight. 
The  birds  of  the  present  Order  have  wings  that  are  small  and 
weak;  and  while  they  are  able  to  fly,  and  also  to  migrate, 
they  fly  feebly  in  comparison  with  the  cloud-cleaving  goose, 
duck,  gull  and  albatross.  Their  legs  are  set  far  back  on  their 
bodies,  and  on  land  they  have  no  choice  but  to  stand  erect — 
a  posture  which  is  strikingly  characteristic  of  the  wingless 
sea-birds  generally. 

This  Order,  as  represented  in  North  America,  contains  but 
three  Families: 

ORDER  PYGOPODES 

FAMILIES  EXAMPLES 

GREBES Pod-i-cip'i-dae Pied-Billed  Grebe. 

LOONS Gav-l'i-dae Great  Northern  Diver. 

AUKS  AND  PUFFINS Al'ci-dae Razor-Billed  Auk ;  Tufted 

Puffin;  Murre. 

Of  these,  the  first  and  second  are  comparatively  well  known. 
The  third  is  composed  of  birds  that  are  strangers  to  the  great 
majority  of  us;  but  inasmuch  as  Alaska  is  constantly  being 

259 


260  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

brought  nearer  to  us,  it  is  quite  necessary  that  we  should  be- 
come acquainted  with  its  most  prominent  forms  of  bird  life. 

THE  GREBE  FAMILY 

THE  PIED-BILLED  GREBE,  or  "HELL-DIVER,"  also  called 
the  CAROLINA  GREBE/  is  well  qualified  to  stand  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  Grebe  Family,  which  in  North  America  con- 
tains about  six  species.  It  is  usually  seen  in  the  geographical 
centre  of  a  quiet  pond,  sharply  watching  in  every  direction 
for  enemies.  It  is  a  sad  and  uncomfortable-looking  little 
creature,  destitute  of  bright  and  pleasing  colors,  and  also 
devoid  of  beauty.  At  a  distance,  the  hunter  is  thrilled  by 
the  sight  of  what  he  gladly  thinks  is  a  duck;  but  on  approaching 
nearer  he  sighs  regretfully,  and  admits  that  it  is  "only  a 
Grebe."  If  he  fires  at  it,  in  revenge  for  the  disappointment, 
the  bird  is  gone  before  the  charge  of  shot  is  half-way  to  it, 
and  only  an  innocent  ripple  marks  its  disappearance. 

All  the  Grebes  are  expert  long-distance  divers.  They  can 
either  sink  straight  down,  or  dart  down  head  first  in  a  frac- 
tion of  a  second,  and  remain  under  water  for  so  long  a  time 
and  swim  so  far  while  submerged,  that  it  is  very  difficult  to 
follow  their  movements.  Sometimes  a  Grebe  will  insinuate 
only  its  bill  above  the  surface,  in  order  to  breathe  without 
exposing  even  its  head  and  neck.  It  is  a  waste  of  time, 
ammunition  and  self-respect  to  shoot  and  actually  kill  one 
of  these  birds;  for  they  are  very  commonplace  and  useless. 

The  only  redeeming  feature  about  this  bird  is  its  breast, 
which  is  covered  with  a  thick  mass  of  very  persistent  feathers, 

1  Pod-i-lym'bus  pod'i-ceps.     Average  length,  12  inches,, 


NESTING  HABITS  OF  THE   GREBE  261 

set  so  tightly  in  a  very  tough  skin  that  the  evil-eyed  mil- 
liners once  used  Grebe's  breasts  for  hat  trimmings.  A  few 
years  ago  the  Klamath  Lake  region  of  northern  Oregon 
literally  swarmed  with  Grebes,  but  the  agents  of  "the  feather 
trade"  slaughtered  them  so  fiercely  and  persistently  that  they 
were  almost  exterminated.  Now  that  region  has  been  con- 
verted into  a  national  bird  refuge,  and  all  its  bird  life  is  for- 
ever under  the  protection  of  the  National  Government. 

The  nesting  habits  of  the  Grebe  are  remarkable  and  in- 
teresting. Instead  of  choosing  a  dry  situation,  where  incu- 
bation might  proceed  under  the  best  possible  conditions,  it 
frequently  chooses  a  clump  of  rushes  in  deep  water  and  builds 
a  floating  nest,  attached  to  the  rushes.  Sometimes,  however, 
it  selects  a  spot  where  the  water  is  very  shallow,  and  builds 
from  the  bottom  up,  using  rushes  when  it  is  possible  to  pro- 
cure them.  In  either  case,  the  sodden  mass  rises  only  two 
or  three  inches  above  high-water  mark,  and  how  the  eggs  ever 
receive  warmth  sufficient  to  hatch  them  is  a  mystery. 

Occasionally  a  clump  of  rushes  with  a  floating  nest  breaks 
loose  from  its  moorings,  and  floats  away.  Some  friends  of 
mine  once  discovered  a  derelict  nest,  with  the  Grebe  sitting 
serenely  upon  it,  floating  about  in  Lake  Ontario,  whither  it 
had  evidently  been  borne  on  the  current  of  Johnson's  Creek. 
Doubtless  it  is  a  real  grief  to  Grebes  that  they  cannot  hatch 
their  eggs  under  water! 

The  Pied-Billed  Grebe,  also  called  Dabchiclc,  and  Diedipper, 
is  a  Pan-American  bird,  being  found  throughout  North  and 
South  America  from  Cape  Horn  to  the  Mackenzie  River,  and 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  Its  phenomenally  wide 


262  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

range  includes  Cuba,  several  others  of  the  larger  islands  of 
the  West  Indies  and  the  Bermudas. 

Its  prevailing  color  is  brownish  gray,  with  black  throat  and 
chin.  Its  bill  is  dull  white,  with  a  broad,  perpendicular  band 
of  black  crossing  it  at  the  middle,  like  a  rubber  band,  to  hold 
the  mandibles  together.  In  size  this  bird  is  about  as  small 
as  a  green-winged  teal. 

THE  LOON  FAMILY 

Gaviidae 

THE  LOON,  or  GREAT  NORTHERN  DIVER/  is  a  large, 
showy,  black-and-white  bird,  of  such  striking  personality 
that  when  once  well  seen  it  is  not  easily  forgotten.  In  bulk 
it  is  as  large  as  an  ordinary  goose,  and  when  standing  erect,  on 
land,  its  height  is  about  25  inches.  Its  neck  and  head  are 
large  and  jet  black,  and  the  upper  portion  of  the  former  is 
encircled  by  a  white  collar  which  is  formed  of  upright  lines  of 
white  dots.  The  breast  is  pure  white,  and  the  jet-black  back 
is  marked  by  rows  of  rectangular  white  dots,  or  broken  bars. 
The  legs  join  the  body  far  down,  near  the  tail,  and  when  the 
bird  takes  to  the  land,  it  rests  on  its  feet,  the  lowest  joint  of 
the  legs  (tarsi)  and  the  tail,  which  lies  flat  upon  the  ground. 

Either  on  land  or  water  this  Loon  is  a  very  showy  bird, 
and  also  a  bird  possessing  many  of  the  mental  traits  which 
when  combined  form  what  we  call  "character."  Usually  it 
is  very  wide-awake,  suspicious  and  difficult  to  approach; 
but  there  are  times  when  it  will  approach  danger  as  if  bent  on 
suicide.  Its  cry  is  loud  and  far-reaching.  Sometimes  it  is 

1  Gav'i-a  im'ber. 


THE   CRY  OF  THE  LOON 


263 


like  a  distressful  howl,  and  again  it  resembles  wild,  unculti- 
vated laughter.  It  is  an  expert  diver  and  fisher,  and  in  sum- 
mer is  at  home  all  over  the  upper  two-thirds  of  North  Amer- 
ica, breeding  from  our  northern  states  to  the  Arctic  Circle, 


COMMON    MURRE. 


THE    LOON. 


quite  across  the  continent.     In  winter  it  migrates  southward 
to  the  Gulf  and  the  Mexican  boundary. 

Its  eggs  are  two  in  number,  of  a  dull-green  color.  The 
newly  hatched  birds  are  covered  with  black  down,  and  in 
travelling  the  mother  bird  often  swims  with  them  upon  her 
back.  The  Loon  rises  from  the  water  with  considerable 


264  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

effort,  and  flies  heavily,  but  in  migrating  its  powers  of  flight 
are  sufficient  to  carry  it  wherever  it  wishes  to  go. 

In  the  Potomac  River,  and  along  the  Virginia  coast,  this 
bird  is  called  the  "War  Loon." 

THE  CLIFF  DWELLERS  OF  TEE  SEA 

There  is  a  Family  of  weak-winged  birds  whose  members 
are  all  fisher-folk,  and  live  high  up  on  the  ledges  of  the  bold 
and  precipitous  cliffs  which  hem  in  the  northern  oceans. 
They  are  sociable  birds,  and  where  not  destroyed  .by  man 
live  in  great  companies  varying  from  hundreds  to  thousands. 
They  form,  as  a  whole,  a  great  and  diverse  company,  divided 
into  23  well-defined  species.  Collectively,  they  are  known  as 
the  Auk  Family,  and  include  4  puffins,  6  auklets,  or  little  auks, 
5  murrelets,  3  guillemots,  2  murres,  2  auks  and  1  dovekie. 

Whenever  you  visit  Alaska,  or  the  arctic  regions,  almost 
anywhere  on  salt  water,  you  will  be  surprised  by  the  abundance 
of  the  birds  belonging  to  this  Family.  Wherever  rocky  cliffs 
rise  out  of  blue  water,  you  will  find  them  tenanted  by  these 
interesting  creatures.  Doubtless,  also,  you  will  find  that 
when  such  great  gatherings  of  bird  life  are  to  be  studied  and 
recorded,  one  good  camera  is  better  than  ten  guns. 

Like  the  Aztecs  who,  like  eagles,  built  high  up  in  the 
crevices  of  the  rock-cliffs  of  the  gloomy  Canyon  de  Chelly, 
to  be  inaccessible  to  the  hostile  enemies  who  gave  no  quarter, 
for  similar  reasons  the  feathered  cliff  dwellers  of  the  sea  build 
in  similar  situations.  Dearest  of  all  spots  to  the  nesting  sea- 
bird  is  a  precipitous  islet  of  rock  rising  out  of  the  sea,  wholly 
inaccessible  to  the  prowling  wolf,  fox  and  wolverine,  and,  if 


BIRD  LIFE   SEEN  ON  A  TRIP  TO  ALASKA  265 

not  actually  inaccessible  to  man,  at  least  so  very  difficult 
that  he  looks  for  easier  conquests. 

But  let  it  not  be  understood  that  the  birds  of  the  Auk 
Family  confine  themselves  to  high  cliffs  and  precipices.  On 
the  contrary,  they  congregate  in  thousands  on  rocky  ridges, 
or  on  the  tops  of  sandy  hills — called  dunes — at  the  sea-shore, 
where  their  nests  are  easily  accessible  to  all  their  enemies. 
Just  why  their  enormous  colonies  do  not  attract  foxes  and 
wolves  by  hundreds,  we  cannot  imagine,  unless  it  be  for  the 
reason  that  the  general  abundance  of  animal  life  dulls  the 
edge  of  appetite  and  enterprise. 

To  any  one  interested  in  sea-birds,  of  which  there  is  really 
a  great  variety,  -a  trip  to  Alaska  is  replete  with  interest. 
Within  a  few  hours  after  leaving  Seattle,  or,  let  us  say,  at  Port 
Townsend,  the  bird  life  around  the  ship  fairly  compels  at- 
tention. A  flock  of  gulls  fly  so  close  to  the  rail  of  the  hurri- 
cane-deck that  some  of  them  might  be  caught  with  a  dip-net. 
Pigeon  guillemots,  and  ducks  of  several  species  afloat  on  the 
cold  waters  of  the  Sound,  ostentatiously  swim  out  of  the 
steamer's  track.  On  the  ocean  it  will  be  strange  if  an  alba- 
tross does  not  sail  out  of  space,  and  with  far-stretching  wings 
swoop  and  soar,  and  sail  after  you,  hour  after  hour,  without 
once  flapping  its  wings! 

In  Bering  Sea,  no  matter  where  you  land,  the  chances  are 
that  thousands  of  murres  and  puffins  are  there  to  greet  you 
with  noisy  cackle,  and  spread  a  cloud  of  wings  overhead 
when  you  disturb  them.  Really,  the  rookeries  of  Alaska — 
of  seals  as  well  as  birds — are  alone  sufficient  to  repay  a  trip 
to  that  arctic  wonderland,  aside  from  the  wonderful  scenery, 


266  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

flora  and  big  game.  There  are  dozens  of  birds  there  which 
we  would  gladly  introduce  to  the  reader,  but,  owing  to  un- 
controllable limitations,  only  the  most  interesting  examples 
can  be  accorded  space. 

Of  all  arctic  and  northern  sea-birds,  the  CALIFORNIA 
MuRRE1  (pronounced  mur)  deserves  to  be  mentioned  first, 
for  the  reason  that  it  is  and  ever  has  been  most  in  the  public 
eye.  This  is  really  a  subspecies  of  the  COMMON  MuRRE2 
of  the  North  Atlantic,  which  nests  on  Bird  Rocks  in  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence,  and  sometimes  comes  as  far  south  as  Massa- 
chusetts. There  is  another  North  Atlantic  species,  called 
BRUNNICH'S  MuRRE,3  also  nesting  on  Bird  Rocks,  which 
occasionally  strays  down  to  Long  Island.  Both  the  Atlantic 
species  are  black  above  and  white  underneath. 

The  California  Murre  is  the  bird  which  once  nested  on 
the  Farallone  Islands,  about  thirty-five  miles  west  of  San 
Francisco,  in  countless  thousands,  and  furnished  between 
1880  and  1890,  according  to  Mr.  W.  E.  Bryant,  from  180,000 
to  228,000  eggs  per  annum  to  the  San  Francisco  market. 
Like  true  Americans,  the  eggers  always  endeavored  to  make 
"a  clean  sweep,"  regardless  of  the  future  of  the  rookery,  and 
under  their  ministrations  the  Murres  rapidly  declined  in 
number. 

Finally,  an  appeal  was  made  to  the  United  States  Light- 
House  Board.  The  admirable  record  of  that  body  in  the 
preservation  of  wild  life  was  sustained  by  an  order  which  at 
once  put  a  stop  to  all  egg-gathering  on  the  Farallones.  It 
has  already  been  noted  in  the  chapter  on  seals  and  sea-lions 

1  U'ri-a  tro'i-le  californica.  2  U.  troile.  3  U.  lom'vi-a. 


THE   CALIFORNIA  MURRE  AT  HOME  267 

that  the  only  localities  on  the  California  coast  where  sea-lions 
are  now  safe  from  annihilation  are  the  light-house  reserva- 
tions, the  most  important  of  which  are  the  Farallones. 

The  following  vivid  pen-picture  of  the  California  Murre 
at  home,  on  Hall  Island,  Bering  Sea,  Alaska,  is  from  the 
pen  of  Mr.  John  Burroughs  ("Harriman  Alaska  Expedition," 
p.  109): 

The  first  thing  that  attracted  our  attention  was  the  Murres — "urries" 
the  Aleuts- call  them — about  their  rookeries  on  the  cliffs.  Their  numbers 
darkened  the  air.  As  we  approached,  the  faces  of  the  rocks  seemed  paved 
with  them,  with  a  sprinkling  of  gulls,  puffins,  black  cormorants  and  auk- 
lets. 

On  landing  at  a  break  in  the  cliffs  where  a  little  creek  came  down  to 
the  sea,  our  first  impulse  was  to  walk  along  the  brink  and  look  down 
upon  the  Murres,  and  see  them  swarm  out  beneath  our  feet.  On  the 
discharge  of  a  gun,  the  air  would  be  black  with  them,  while  the  cliffs 
apparently  remained  as  populous  as  ever.  They  sat  on  little  shelves, 
or  niches,  with  their  black  backs  to  the  sea,  each  bird  covering  one  egg 
with  its  tail-feathers.  In  places  one  could  have  reached  down  and  seized 
them  by  the  neck,  they  were  so  tame  and  so  near  the  top  of  the  rocks. 
I  believe  one  of  our  party  did  actually  thus  procure  a  specimen.  It  was 
a  strange  spectacle,  and  we  lingered  long  looking  upon  it.  To  behold 
sea-fowls  like  flies,  in  uncounted  millions,  was  a  new  experience. 

Everywhere  in  Bering  Sea  the  Murres  swarm  like  vermin.  It  seems 
as  if  there  was  a  Murre  to  every  square  yard  of  surface.  They  were 
flying  about  over  the  ship,  or  flapping  over  the  water  away  from  her  front 
at  all  times.  I  noticed  that  they  could  not  get  up  from  the  water  except 
against  the  wind;  the  wind  lifted  them  as  it  does  a  kite.  With  the  wind, 
or  in  a  calm,  they  skimmed  along  on  the  surface,  their  heads  bent  forward, 
their  wrings  beating  the  water  impatiently.  Unable  to  rise,  they  would 
glance  behind  them  in  a  frightened  manner,  then  plunge  beneath  the  waves 
until  they  thought  the  danger  had  passed.  Their  tails  are  so  short  that, 
in  flying,  their  two  red  feet  stretched  behind  them  to  do  the  duty  of  a  tail. 

Mrs.  Florence  Merriam  Bailey  says  that  "When  incubating 
one  bird  stays  on  the  nest  during  the  day,  and  the  other  dur- 
ing the  night,  and  when  the  exchange  is  made  a  great  commo- 


268  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

tion  ensues,  the  air  being  filled  with  quarrelling,  screaming 
masses  of  bird  life."     ("Handbook,"  p.  17.) 

In  its  breeding  plumage,  the  California  Murre  has  a  jet- 
black  head  and  neck,  the  back  is  dull  black,  or  slate-color, 
and  the  under-parts  are  white.  In  winter  the  sides  of  the 
head  and  throat  are  white.  The  range  of  the  species  is  from 
California  to  Hall  Island,  Bering  Sea. 

THE  AUKS  AND  PUFFINS 

THE  PUFFINS  are  the  clowns  of  the  bird  world.  Without 
exception  they  are  the  drollest-looking  things  in  feathers.  The 
countenance  of  a  Puffin  always  reminds  one  of  a  face  in  a  com- 
ical mask,  while  in  manner  they  are  so  solemn,  and  take  life  so 
seriously,  their  clown-likeness  is  all  the  more  pronounced. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  of  a  Puffin  is  its  huge,  triangu- 
lar beak,  which  is  flattened  out  into  two  high,  thin  plates,  set 
edgewise  against  the  head  and  gorgeously  colored.  After  the 
breeding-season  certain  plates  at  the  base  of  the  beak  are  shed. 
The  bird  is  about  the  size  of  a  wood  duck.  Its  wings  are  short 
and  very  scantily  feathered,  and  its  tail  is  so  short  as  to  be 
practically  invisible.  In  flight  its  wings  look  very  much  like 
the  wings  of  a  penguin  as  it  swims  with  them  under  water. 

In  many  respects  Puffins  are  wise  birds,  and  if  there  is 
aught  in  the  survival  of  the  fittest  they  should  live  long  and 
prosper.  They  have  the  remarkable  habit  of  nesting  in 
burrows,  which  they  dig  deeply,  usually  about  three  feet,  in 
the  steep  sides  of  sandy  hills.  In  these  retreats  they  can  de- 
fend themselves  against  enemies  of  several  kinds.  In  the 
defence  of  their  homes  they  are  quite  courageous,  and  often 


THE   CLOWNS  OF  THE  BIRD  WORLD 

an  angry  or  well-frightened  Puffin  will  seize  an  offending 
nose,  or  human  hand,  bite  it  severely,  and  hang  on  like  a  bull- 
dog. In  places  where  these  birds  nest  in  burrows,  sentinels 


1.  COMMON    PUFFIN.  2.  TUFTED    PUFFIN. 

3.  RHINOCEROS    AUKLET. 


are  always  posted  outside,  to  give  the  alarm  of  any  approach- 
ing enemy. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  however,  that  Puffins  do  not  always 
nest  in  burrows,  but  frequently  they  find  rock  ledges  so 
rugged  and  broken  that  they  can  find  good  nesting-sites  in 
deep  and  narrow  crevices,  wherein  they  are  reasonably  safe 
from  molestation.  A  Puffin  lays  but  one  egg,  which  is  large 


270  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

and  white,  and  placed  at  the  end  of  its  burrow.  Of  course 
all  these  birds  dive  and  swim  well. 

THE  TUFTED  PurriN1  is  the  most  widely  distributed 
member  of  this  genus,  being  found  from  southern  California 
all  the  way  up  the  Pacific  coast  to  Alaska,  Bering  Strait, 
Siberia  and  on  down  to  Japan.  It  is  (or  at  least  was)  abun- 
dantly represented  on  the  Farallone  Islands  from  April  to 
July,  when  they  breed  there. 

This  species  is  instantly  distinguishable  by  its  black  plu- 
mage, its  big,  triangular  bill  colored  bright  red  and  olive-green, 
white  eye  and  white  triangular  cheek-patch.  In  the  breeding- 
season  a  beautiful  flowing  tuft  of  soft,  yellow  feathers,  thick 
as  a  lead-pencil,  comes  forth  just  behind  the  eye,  and  flows 
backward  and  downward  in  a  graceful  curve. 

On  the  Atlantic  side,  from  Maine  to  Greenland,  and  also 
from  Great  Britain  to  North  Cape,  lives  the  COMMON  PuFFiN,2 
or  "SEA  PARROT."  Of  this  bird,  the  whole  side  of  the  head, 
and  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  white,  the  remainder  of 
the  plumage  being  deep  black.  Wherever  found,  it  is  one 
of  the  most  interesting  birds  to  be  met  with  near  the  sea,  and 
its  comical  appearance,  queer  movements  and  fierce  temper 
when  disturbed  never  fail  to  amuse  the  observer. 

THE  AUKS  and  AUKLETS  are  really  birds  of  the  cold 
northern  waters;  but  on  the  Pacific  side  there  are  four  species 
which  touch  the  coast  of  the  United  States,  and  two  of  them 
even  push  their  way  down  to  Lower  California.  These  birds 
are  much  like  puffins  with  rational  beaks,  and  I  believe  all 

1  Lun'da  cir-ra'ta.     Length,  15  inches. 

2  Fra-ter'cu-la  arc'ti-ca.     Length,  13  inches. 


GETTING  FOOD  FROM  THE   BOTTOM  OF  THE  SEA    271 

existing  species  are  black  above  and  white  below.  The  beaks 
show  but  little  tendency  to  the  sportive  flattening  so  char- 
acteristic of  the  puffins. 

These  birds  are  very  strong  divers,  and  get  a  great  portion 
of  their  food  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  The  two  species 
found  all  along  our  Pacific  coast,  on  the  Farallone  Islands  and 
Santa  Catalina,  are  the  Rhinoceros  Auklet1  (14  inches  long), 
and  the  Cassin  Auklet,  the  former  so  called  because  of  an 
erect  horny  shield  at  the  base  of  its  beak.  The  Least  Anklet2 
is  only  6^  inches  long — about  the  bulk  of  a  small,  thinly 
feathered  screech  owl. 

THE  RAZOR-BILLED  AuK,3  of  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean, 
sometimes  wanders  in  summer  to  the  coast  of  Maine,  and  in 
winter  even  migrates  as  far  south  as  New  Jersey.  (Robert 
Ridgway.)  It  is  17  inches  long,  and  is  the  largest  living  mem- 
ber of  the  group  of  auks.  As  might  be  expected,  it  is  a  dis- 
tinguished resident  of  the  Bird  Rocks. 

THE  GREAT  AUK  is  now  a  bird  of  history  and  museums 
only.  It  met  its  fate  on  Funk  Island,  a  treeless  dot  in  the 
sea,  about  thirty  miles  northwest  of  Newfoundland,  which  was 
the  first  land  met  with  as  the  Auks  swam  southward  on  their 
annual  migrations.  The  wings  of  this  bird  were  so  little 
developed  that  it  was  wholly  unable  to  fly,  and  while  on  land 
it  was  any  one's  prey. 

The  thousands  of  Great  Auks  that  visited  Funk  Island 
naturally  attracted  men  who  wished  to  turn  them  to  account. 
Whalemen  were  landed,  and  left  there  to  kill  Auks  for  their 
feathers  and  oil.  The  birds  were  either  driven  into  pens 

1  Cer-o-rhirica  mo-no-cer-a'ta.         2Sim-o-rhyn'chus  pu-sil'lus.         3Al'ca  tor'da^ 


272  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS 

and  slaughtered  there,  or  else  the  pens  were  used  to  contain 
their  dead  bodies.  Apparently  great  numbers  of  the  bodies 
were  burned  for  fuel.  About  1844  the  species  became  en- 
tirely extinct. 

When  Funk  Island  was  visited  by  Dr.  F.  A.  Lucas  in  1887, 
in  quest  of  Auk  remains,  he  found  deposits  of  bones  several 
feet  in  thickness,  evidently  where  the  bodies  of  slaughtered 
birds  had  been  heaped  up  and  left  to  decay.  Out  of  these 
deposits  several  barrels  of  mixed  bones  and  peaty  earth  were 
taken  which  yielded  several  complete  skeletons  of  that  species. 

Had  the  Great  Auk  possessed  wings  for  flight,  the  chances 
are  that  it  would  not  have  fallen  such  easy  prey  to  its  exter- 
minators. The  moral  lesson  of  its  fate  is — in  these  days  of 
firearms  and  limitless  ammunition — no  bird  should  be  hatched 
without  steel-plate  armor,  strong  wings  for  flight  and  swift 
legs  for  running  away. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 
ORDER  OF  FLIGHTLESS  DIVERS 

IMPENNES 

NO  matter  where  man  may  go,  on  land  or  sea,  or  polar 
ice-pack,  Nature  holds  birds  in  readiness  to  welcome  him. 

When  Peary  reached  the  point  of  land  that  is  nearest  the 
north  pole,  at  the  northeastern  extremity  of  Greenland,  on 
July  4,  1892,  he  found  there  the  snow  bunting,  sandpiper, 
raven,  Greenland  falcon  and  ptarmigan.  On  the  great  arctic 
ice-floe,  at  Latitude  82°  40',  Nansen  saw  the  fulmar  (Pro- 
cellaria  glacialis)  and  the  black  guillemot,  and  a  little  later 
the  ivory  gull,  little  auk  and  Ross's  gull.  When  Captain 
Scott  penetrated  the  awful  solitudes  of  the  antarctic  conti- 
nent, in  1911,  he  found  there  flocks  of  large  and  very  strange 
birds.  His  party  had  an  opportunity  to  study  the  won- 
derful EMPEROR  PENGUIN1  in  its  haunts,  such  as  never  be- 
fore had  been  secured  by  naturalists.  For  the  first  time  that 
wonderful  bird  was  secured  on  the  films  of  a  moving-picture 
camera. 

This  species  is  the  largest  of  the  wingless  and  flightless 
swimming  birds.  In  bulk  it  is  about  the  size  of  our  great 
white  pelican.  Its  height  is  3^  feet,  and  it  stands  as  erect 
as  any  soldier  on  parade.  In  its  erect  posture  its  wings  seem 

1  Ap-te-no-dy'tes  fos'ter-i. 
273 


274  FLIGHTLESS  DIVERS 

like  arms,  and  its  queer  manner  of  talking,  scolding  and  pry- 
ing into  man's  affairs  makes  this  bird  seem  more  like  a  feath- 
ered caricature  of  a  big,  fat  human  being  than  an  ordinary 
diving  bird.  Its  head  is  black,  its  abdomen  is  white  and  its 
legs  and  feet  are  feathered  quite  down  to  the  claws.  The 
wings  are  covered  with  feathers  that  are  more  like  fish-scales 
than  feathers,  and  the  feathers  of  the  back  also  are  very  close 
and  scale-like. 

To  a  naturalist  or  bird-lover,  the  sight  of  great  flocks  of 
Emperor  Penguins,  and  of  the  smaller  Pack  Penguins,  on  the 
antarctic  ice-floes,  must  be  sufficient  to  repay  the  explorer 
for  many  of  the  long,  dark  hours  of  the  voyage  that  is  re- 
quired to  reach  their  haunts.  The  breeding  and  nesting 
habits  of  the  antarctic  penguins  constitute  one  of  the  per- 
petual marvels  of  bird  life. 

I  have  seen  and  heard  the  BLACK-FOOTED  PENGUIN,1  of 
South  Africa,  scold  and  complain  in  a  most  human-like  man- 
ner. On  land,  or  on  an  ice-floe,  this  bird  is  so  awkward  and 
helpless  that  any  bloodthirsty  observer  can  walk  up  and  kill 
it  with  a  stick.  Place  it  in  water,  however,  and  what  a 
transformation!  Immediately  it  will  give  an  exhibition  of 
diving  which  is  astonishing. 

In  an  instant  a  waddling,  slow-moving,  almost  helpless 
bird  is  transformed  into  a  feathered  seal.  With  its  feet 
floating  straight  behind,  and  of  no  use  save  in  steering,  it  points 
its  beak  and  head  straight  forward,  and  swims  wholly  with 
its  wings.  Those  flipper-like  members  reach  forward  simul- 
taneously, work  in  perfect  unison,  and  strike  the  water  like 

1  Sphe-nis'cus  de-mer'sus. 


A  FEATHERED  SEAL  275 

living  paddles — which  they  are.  The  quickness  and  dexterity 
of  this  bird  in  chasing  and  capturing  live  fishes,  swallowing 
them  under  water  and  instantly  pursuing  others,  is  one  of 
the  most  wonderful  sights  in  bird  life.  The  bird  always  dives 
with  its  lungs  full  of  air,  and  during  the  middle  of  its  period 
under  water  it  exhales.  When  it  does  so,  bubbles  of  air  issue 
from  each  corner  of  the  mouth  and  float  upward  like  two 
strings  of  pearls. 

It  is  strange  that  the  feet  perform  so  very  little  service 
while  the  Penguin  is  diving;  but  such  is  the  fact.  Of  all 
birds  that  love  water,  I  think  the  Penguin  loves  it  most.  It 
will  lie  on  its  side  at  the  surface  and,  in  sheer  playfulness  and 
excess  of  joy,  beat  the  water  with  its  uppermost  wing,  wriggle 
about,  then  turn  over  and  splash  with  the  other. 

In  the  sea  a  flock  of  Penguins  is  readily  mistaken  for  a 
school  of  dolphins,  because  they  dive  so  persistently,  in 
order  to  swim  with  their  wings,  and  thus  get  on  in  the  world 
very  much  faster  than  if  they  sat  up  and  paddled  with  their 
feet. 

There  are  about  twenty  species  of  Penguins,  of  which 
the  Emperor  is  the  largest,  and  the  King  Penguin  second. 
All  are  found  in  the  southern  hemisphere.  The  largest  Em- 
peror Penguin  ever  weighed  and  recorded  weighed  78  pounds ! 
Needless  to  say,  these  birds  live  almost  wholly  upon  fish,  in 
the  capture  of  which  they  are  the  most  expert  of  all  birds. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 
.    ORDER  OF  WINGLESS  LAND  BIRDS 

RATITAE 

EWEST  of  the  Orders  of  living  birds  is  that  which  con- 
tains the  birds  which  are  so  nearly  wingless  that  they 
are  wholly  unable  to  fly,  but  are  provided  with  long  and  power- 
ful legs,  which  enable  them  to  run  swiftly.  Of  these  there  are 
a  larger  number  of  species  than  might  be  supposed,  but  our 
purpose  requires  here  only  the  briefest  introduction  of  a  few 
important  forms.  The  majority  of  the  birds  of  this  group 
are  birds  of  great  size,  and  their  legs  are  so  long  and  powerful 
they  are  able  to  kick  or  strike  quite  dangerously.  These  are 
the  ostriches,  rheas,  cassowaries  and  emus. 

THE  AFRICAN  OSTRICH^  is  the  largest  living  bird,  and  in 
every  respect  it  is  a  worthy  descendant  of  the  still  more 
gigantic  but  now  extinct  moa  of  New  Zealand.  A  full-grown 
male  Ostrich  stands,  when  fully  erect,  8  feet  in  height  to  the 
top  of  its  head,  and  weighs  about  275  pounds.  The  manager 
of  the  Florida  Ostrich  Farm  at  Jacksonville  states  that  the 
average  weight  of  adult  African  Ostriches  is  about  300  pounds. 

Once  abundant  in  nearly  all  the  dry  and  open  country  of 
Africa,  except  the  Sahara  and  Libyan  deserts,  this  noble 
bird  has  shared  the  fate  of  the  elephant,  rhinoceros,  buffalo 
and  giraffe.  To-day  it  is  to  be  found  but  sparingly,  and  only 


1  Stru'thi-o  cam'e-lus. 
276 


THE  LARGEST  LIVING  BIRD  277 

in  those  regions  of  southern  and  eastern  Africa  wherein  it  is 
now  protected.  The  value  in  America  of  a  full-grown  African 
Ostrich  is  $250. 

Fortunately,  the  Ostrich  farms  of  South  Africa,  California, 
and  Arizona  have  proven  completely  successful,  and  bid  fair 
to  perpetuate  this  grandest  of  all  feathered  creatures  long  after 
the  last  wild  flock  has  been  destroyed.  If  many  Ostriches 
still  remain  in  the  Egyptian  Soudan,  the  stringent  game  laws 
recently  enacted  to  protect  the  wild  life  of  that  region  will 
go  far  toward  perpetuating  them. 

THE  RHEA,  or  SOUTH  AMERICAN  OSTRICH/  is  a  bird  which 
is  so  constantly  overshadowed  by  the  larger  and  more  showy 
African  ostrich  that  it  is  not  appreciated  at  its  true  zoological 
value.  In  height  it  stands  about  5  feet,  its  bulk  is  only  about 
one-half  as  great  as  that  of  the  African  ostrich,  and  its  plu- 
mage has  much  less  value.  Nevertheless,  the  adult  bird,  in 
full  plumage,  is  a  fine  creature,  of  a  beautiful  bluish-gray  or 
drab  color,  and  when  it  opens  its  wings  they  seem  surprisingly 
long.  A  fine  male  Rhea  "showing  off"  its  plumage  is  an  ob- 
ject which  always  commands  admiration. 

This  bird  inhabits  Patagonia,  the  Argentine  Republic, 
and  the  more  remote  plains  of  Uruguay  and  Paraguay.  Fre- 
quently half-grown  birds  find  their  way  into  the  wild-animal 
markets  so  easily  that  they  sell  at  from  $40  to  $50  each. 
Great  quantities  of  Rhea  feathers  are  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  feather-dusters.  The  importers  claim  that  these  feathers 
come  from  birds  reared  and  kept  in  captivity,  but  that  claim 
is  vigorously  disputed  by  Dr.  W.  J.  Holland,  who  asserts  in 

1  Rhe'a  americana. 


278  WINGLESS  LAND  BIRDS 

his  book,  "To  the  River  Plate  and  Back,"  that  the  makers  of 
feather-dusters  are  exterminating  the  Rheas. 

THE  EMU1  stands  half-way,  literally,  between  the  ostrich 
and  cassowary,  being  considerably  larger  than  the  latter. 
Its  neck  and  head  are  ostrich -like,  but  in  the  shape  of  its 
body  it  is  more  like  the  cassowary.  Like  the  latter,  its  feath- 
ers seem  like  long,  coarse  hair,  of  a  gray-brown  color.  The 
lower  outline  of  an  Emu's  body  is  almost  a  straight  line,  with 
the  legs  in  the  centre,  and  the  highest  point  of  the  back  curve 
comes  directly  above  the  insertion  of  the  legs.  Thus  the 
Emu  appears  to  be,  and  is,  a  very  well-balanced  bird.  Its 
home  is  the  upland  plains  of  Australia,  so  far  back  in  the  in- 
terior that  it  is  now  found  only  with  great  difficulty. 

Like  the  cassowary,  the  Emu  is  easily  kept  in  captivity, 
and  is  not  expensive  to  buy.  In  Woburn  Park,  England, 
owned  by  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  troops  of  these  birds  stalk 
freely  over  the  vast  green  lawn;  and  surely  no  birds  could  be 
more  striking  or  picturesque  in  such  situations.  Strange  to 
say,  a  fully  grown  Emu  can  be  bought  in  New  York  for  $125. 

THE  CERAM  CASSOWARY2  is  a  big,  purplish-black  bird, 
with  highly  colored  patches  of  naked  skin  on  its  upper  neck, 
and  an  elevated  helmet  or  casque  on  the  base  of  its  upper 
mandible.  Its  feathers  look  like  coarse  and  stiff  hair  from 
3  to  6  inches  in  length,  and  its  legs  and  feet  are  very  thick 
and  heavy  for  its  stature.  The  height  of  a  Cassowary  is 
about  5  feet. 

Cassowaries  are  forest-loving  birds.  They  inhabit  Aus- 
tralia, Ceram  and  other  islands  of  the  Malay  Archipelago. 
1  Dro'mae-us  no-vae-hol'land-ae.  2  Cas-u-a'ri-us  gal-e-a'ta. 


A  DECORATIVE  BIRD  FOR  AN  ENGLISH  LAWN     279 

Because  they  take  kindly  to  captivity  they  are  frequently 
seen  in  zoological  parks  and  gardens,  and  travelling  shows. 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


CERAM    CASSOWARY. 


THE  APTERYX,  or  Kiwi,1  of  New  Zealand,  is  the  lowest 
species  in  the  scale  of  living  birds.  It  is  absolutely  without 
wings,  and  it  lives  upon  the  ground  in  dark  forests,  where  it 
can  hide.  Unfortunately,  it  has  no  means  of  defence,  and  is 

1  Ap'te-ryx  aus-tral'is. 


280  WINGLESS  LAND  BIRDS 

too  small  to  escape  from  a  dangerous  enemy  by  running  away. 
It  is  about  the  size  of  a  Cochin-China  hen,  covered  with  long, 
stringy,  hair-like  feathers  of  a  dark-brown  color,  and  it  has  a 
long,  curved  beak  like  that  of  an  ibis,  for  probing  in  the  earth. 
Undoubtedly,  the  civilized  development  of  New  Zealand  will 
cause  the  total  extinction  of  this  very  shy  but  interesting 
species  at  no  distant  day. 

In  captivity  in  a  zoological  garden  it  is  as  shy  and  retir- 
ing as  a  beaver.  In  order  to  keep  it  from  fretting  itself  to 
death,  it  is  necessary  to  place  in  a  corner  of  its  cage  a  sheaf 
of  straw,  or  a  bundle  of  leafy  branches,  behind  which  it  can 
retreat  from  observation,  and  lie  concealed. 

Outside  of  its  New  Zealand  home,  this  bird  is  rarely  seen 
in  captivity ;  which  is  to  be  regretted,  because  it  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  forms  of  the  whole  avian  world. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN 

BIRDS 

P^O  the  millions  of  people  in  North  America  who  are  in- 
terested in  living  birds,  who  are  cheered  by  their  pres- 
ence and  benefited  by  their  labors,  the  most  interesting  or- 
nithological study  of  the  hour  is:  What  shall  we  do  next  to 
save  our  birds  from  extermination?  Beside  this  vital  issue  all 
questions  of  geographic  variation,  all  listings  of  local  species 
and  priority  in  Latin  names  sink  into  utter  insignificance. 

It  is  high  time  that  every  new  book  on  birds,  no  matter 
where  published,  should  in  its  first  pages  devote  a  liberal 
portion  of  its  space  to  the  all-important  subject  of  bird  pro- 
tection. To  study  birds  in  an  academic  way  while  scores  of 
species  are  being  exterminated,  and  make  no  effort  to  arrest 
the  slaughter,  is  exactly  like  the  music-making  of  Nero  while 
Rome  was  being  destroyed  by  fire.  There  are  now  duties 
devolving  upon  every  ornithologist  which  no  high-minded  and 
conscientious  man  or  woman  can  evade  without  dishonor.  The 
cause  needs  work  and  publicity,  and  it  greatly  needs  money. 
Those  who  cannot  supply  one  should  furnish  the  other. 

THE  WAR  OF  EXTERMINATION:  ITS  MEN  AND  ITS  METH- 
ODS.— There  are  three  kinds  of  extermination: 

281 


THE   SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

The  practical  extermination  of  a  species  means  the  destruc- 
tion of  its  members  to  an  extent  so  thorough  and  wide-spread 
that  the  species  disappears  from  view,  and  living  specimens 
of  it  cannot  be  found  by  seeking  for  them.  In  North  America 
this  is  to-day  the  status  of  the  whooping  crane,  upland  plover, 
and  several  other  species.  If  any  individuals  are  Jiving,  they 
will  be  met  with  only  by  accident. 

The  absolute  extermination  of  a  species  means  that  not  one 
individual  of  it  remains  alive.  Judgment  to  this  effect  is 
based  upon  the  lapse  of  time  since  the  last  living  specimen 
was  observed  or  killed.  When  five  years  have  passed  with- 
out a  living  "record"  of  a  wild  specimen,  it  is  time  to  place 
a  species  in  the  class  of  the  totally  extinct. 

Extermination  in  a  wild  state  means  that  the  only  living 
representatives  are  in  captivity  or  otherwise  under  protec- 
tion. This  is  the  case  of  the  heath  hen,  and  David's  deer,  of 
China.  The  American  bison  is  saved  from  being  wholly 
extinct  as  a  wild  animal  by  the  remnant  of  about  three  hun- 
dred head  in  northern  Athabasca,  and  forty -nine  head  in  the 
Yellowstone  Park. 

The  extermination  of  the  birds  of  North  America  began 
A.  D.  1800,  when  whalers  attacked  the  great  auk  for  its  oil, 
and  clubbed  that  species  out  of  our  avifauna.  The  next 
important  step  concerned  the  passenger  pigeon;  but  in  the 
West  Indies  other  species  were  swept  away  so  quickly  and  so 
thoroughly  that  we  scarcely  learned  of  their  existence  until 
they  were  extinct.  It  is  of  historic  interest  to  record  here  a 
list  of  the  species  of  North  American  birds  that  have  become 
totally  extinct  during  our  own  time. 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS     283 

THE  GREAT  AUK — Plautus  impennis  (Linn.),  was  a  sea- 
going diving  bird  about  the  size  of  a  domestic  goose,  related 
to  the  guillemots,  murres  and  puffins.  For  a  bird  endowed 
only  with  flipper-like  wings,  and  therefore  absolutely  unable 
to  fly,  this  species  had  an  astonishing  geographic  range.  It 
embraced  the  shores  of  northern  Europe  to  North  Cape, 
southern  Greenland,  southern  Labrador  and  the  Atlantic 
coast  of  North  America  as  far  south  as  Massachusetts.  Some 
say,  "as  far  south  as  Massachusetts,  the  Carolinas  and 
Florida,"  but  that  remains  to  be  proven.  In  the  life  history 
of  this  bird,  a  great  tragedy  was  enacted  in  1800  by  sailors, 
on  Funk  Island,  north  of  Newfoundland,  where  men  were 
landed  by  a  ship,  and  spent  several  months  slaughtering  Great 
Auks  and  trying  out  their  fat  for  oil.  In  this  process  the  bodies 
of  thousands  of  auks  were  burned  as  fuel,  in  working  up  the 
remains  of  tens  of  thousands  of  others. 

On  Funk  Island,  a  favorite  breeding-place,  the  Great  Auk 
was  exterminated  in  1840,  and  in  Iceland  in  1844.  Many 
natives  ate  this  bird  with  relish  and,  being  easily  captured, 
either  on  land  or  sea,  the  commercialism  of  its  day  soon  ob- 
literated the  species.  The  last  living  specimen  was  seen  in 
1852,  and  the  last  dead  one  was  picked  up  in  Trinity  Bay, 
Ireland,  in  1853.  There  are  about  eighty  mounted  and  un- 
mounted skins  in  existence,  four  skeletons,  and  quite  a  number 
of  eggs.  An  egg  is  worth  about  $1,200  and  a  good  mounted 
skin  at  least  double  that  sum. 

THE  LABRADOR  DUCK,  Camptorhynchus  labradoricus 
(Gmel.). — This  handsome  sea-duck,  of  a  species  related  to 
the  eider  ducks  of  arctic  waters,  became  totally  extinct  about 


284    THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

1875,  before  the  scientific  world  even  knew  that  its  existence 
was  threatened.  With  this  species,  the  exact  and  final  cause 
of  its  extinction  is  to  this  day  unknown.  It  is  not  at  all 
probable,  however,  that  its  unfortunate  blotting  out  from 
our  bird  fauna  was  due  to  natural  causes  and,  when  the  truth 
becomes  known,  it  is  very  probable  that  the  hand  of  man  will 
be  revealed. 

The  Labrador  Duck  bred  in  Labrador,  and  once  frequented 
our  Atlantic  coast  as  far  south  as  Chesapeake  Bay;  but  it  is 
said  that  it  never  was  very  numerous,  at  least  during  the 
twenty -five  years  preceding  its  disappearance.  About  thirty- 
five  skins  and  mounted  museum  specimens  are  all  that  remain 
to  prove  its  former  existence,  and  I  think  there  is  not  even 
one  skeleton. 

THE  PALLAS  CORMORANT,  Carbo  perspicillatus  (Pallas). — 
In  1741,  when  the  Russian  explorer,  Commander  Bering,  dis- 
covered the  Bering  or  Commander  Islands,  in  the  far-north 
Pacific,  and  landed  upon  them,  he  also  discovered  this  strik- 
ing bird  species.  Its  plumage  both  above  and  below  was  a 
dark  metallic-green,  with  blue  iridescence  on  the  neck  and 
purple  on  the  shoulders.  A  pale  ring  of  naked  skin  around 
each  eye  suggested  the  Latin  specific  name  of  this  bird.  The 
Pallas  Cormorant  became  totally  extinct,  through  causes  not 
positively  known,  about  1852. 

THE  PASSENGER  PIGEON. — This  extinct  species  has  already 
been  set  forth  in  preceding  pages. 

THE  ESKIMO  CURLEW,  Numenius  borealis  (Forst.). — This 
valuable  game  bird  once  ranged  all  along  the  Atlantic  coast 
of  North  America,  and  wherever  found  it  was  prized  for  the 


i  i  ':  •''•• 

•  •    •   •*  «       .     ,  J.' 


SIX   RECENTLY   EXTERMINATED   NORTH   AMERICAN    BIRDS. 


Great  Auk 
Eskimo  Curlew. 
Passenger  Pigeon. 


Labrador  Duck. 
Pallas  Cormorant. 
Carolina  Parrakeet. 


THE   SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS     287 

table.  It  preferred  the  fields  and  meadows  to  the  shore 
lines,  and  was  the  companion  of  the  plovers  of  the  uplands, 
especially  the  golden  plover.  "About  1872,"  says  Mr. 
Forbush,  "there  was  a  great  flight  of  these  birds  on  Cape 
Cod  and  Nantucket.  They  were  everywhere;  and  .enormous 
numbers  were  killed.  They  could  be  bought  of  boys  at  six 
cents  apiece.  Two  men  killed  $300  worth  of  these  birds  at 
that  time." 

Apparently,  that  was  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  the 
"Dough  Bird,"  which  was  another  name  for  this  curlew.  In 
1908  Mr.  G.  H.  Mackay  stated  that  this  bird  and  the  golden 
plover  had  decreased  90  per  cent  in  fifty  years,  and  in  the 
last  ten  years  of  that  period  90  per  cent  of  the  remainder  had 
gone.  "Now  (1908),"  says  Mr.  Forbush,  "ornithologists  be- 
lieve that  the  Eskimo  Curlew  is  practically  extinct,  as  only 
a  few  specimens  have  been  recorded  since  the  beginning  of 
the  twentieth  century."  The  very  last  record  is  of  two  speci- 
mens collected  at  Waco,  York  County,  Nebraska,  in  March, 
1911,  and  recorded  by  Mr.  August  Eiche.  Of  course,  it  is 
possible  that  other  individuals  may  still  survive;  but  so  far 
as  our  knowledge  extends,  the  species  is  absolutely  dead. 

In  the  West  Indies  and  the  Guadeloupe  Islands,  five  species 
of  macaws  and  parrakeets  have  passed  out  without  any  serious 
note  of  their  disappearance  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States.  It  is  at  least  time  to  write  brief  obituary  no- 
tices of  them. 

THE  CUBAN  TRICOLORED  MACAW,  Ara  tricolor  (Gm.). — In 
1875,  when  the  author  visited  Cuba  and  the  Isle  of  Pines,  he 


288    THE   SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

was  informed  by  Professor  Poey  that  he  was  "about  ten  years 
too  late"  to  find  this  fine  species  alive.  It  was  exterminated 
for  food  purposes  about  1864,  and  only  four  specimens  are 
known  to  be  in  existence. 

GOSSE'S  MACAW,  Ara  gossei  (Roth.). — This  species  once 
inhabited  the  island  of  Jamaica.  It  was  exterminated  about 
1800,  and  so  far  as  known  not  one  specimen  of  it  is  in  ex- 
istence. 

GUADELOUPE  MACAW,  Ara  guadeloupensis  (Clark). — All 
that  is  known  of  the  life  history  of  this  large  bird  is  that  once 
it  inhabited  the  Guadeloupe  Islands.  The  date  and  history 
of  its  disappearance  are  both  unknown,  and  there  is  not  one 
specimen  of  it  in  existence. 

YELLOW- WINGED  GREEN  PARROT,  Amazona  olivacea  (Gm.). 
—Of  the  history  of  this  Guadeloupe  species,  also,  nothing  is 
known,  and  there  appear  to  be  no  specimens  of  it  in  ex- 
istence. 

PURPLE  GUADELOUPE  PARRAKEET,  Anodorhynchus  pur- 
purescens  (Rothschild). — This  is  another  dead  species  that  once 
lived  in  the  Guadeloupe  Islands,  and  passed  away  silently  and 
unnoticed  at  the  time,  leaving  no  records  of  its  existence,  *and 
no  specimens. 

THE  CAROLINA  PARRAKEET,  Conuropsis  carolinensis 
(Linn.). — The  fate  of  this  charming  little  green-and-yellow 
bird  has  already  been  described. 

SPECIES  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS  THREATENED  WITH 
EXTERMINATION. — At  this  point  I  must  content  myself  with 
entering  here  only  a  list  of  the  next  candidates  for  oblivion, 
which  is  as  follows: 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS     289 

Whooping  Crane.  Pectoral  Sandpiper. 

Trumpeter  Swan.  Black-Capped  Petrel. 

American  Flamingo.  American  Egret. 

Roseate  Spoonbill.  Snowy  Egret. 

Scarlet  Ibis.  Wild  Turkey. 

Long-Billed  Curlew.  Band-Tailed  Pigeon. 

Hudsonian  Godwit.  Heath  Hen. 

Upland  Plover.  Sage  Grouse. 

Red-Breasted  Sandpiper.  Prairie  Sharp-Tail. 

Golden  Plover.  Pinnated  Grouse. 

Dowitcher.  White-Tailed  Kite. 
Willet. 

It  is  possible  that  our  new  law  for  the  federal  protection 
of  migratory  birds  may  save  and  bring  back  a  few  of  these 
species;  but  I  regard  the  great  majority  of  them  as  absolutely 
doomed.  Some  of  these  will  go  out  as  the  special  victims  of 
sportsmen  and  gunners ;  and  others  will  go — in  South  America 
—as  the  prey  of  the  rapacious  scourge  of  bird  life  throughout 
the  world  known  as  "the  feather  trade." 

Until  recently  the  beautiful  wood  duck  stood  in  the  above 
list;  but  the  operation  of  the  federal  migratory  bird  law, 
giving  it  complete  protection  everywhere  in  the  United  States 
has  reasonably  insured  its  survival. 

At  present,  none  of  the  grouse  of  the  United  States  are 
protected  from  extinction  by  the  new  federal  law.  Certainly 
the  pinnated  grouse  should  have  been  permanently  protected. 
The  preservation  of  all  our  species  of  grouse,  quail  and  ptar- 
migan depends  upon  the  various  states  inhabited  by  those 
species,  and  west  of  the  Great  Plains  not  one  state  is  adequately 
protecting  any  grouse  species.  The  legislators  are  afraid  of 
the  sportsmen — afraid  to  do  their  duty  toward  the  grouse; 
and  the  birds  are  being  exterminated  according  to  law! 


290    THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

THE  EXTERMINATORS  AND   THEIR  METHODS 

The  destroyers  of  the  wild  life  of  North  America  constitute 
a  mighty  army  of  destruction.  It  spreads  over  almost  every 
square  mile  of  this  continent  (saying  naught  at  present  of 
other  continents!).  The  men  and  boys  in  that  army  number 
millions.  They  employ  a  bewildering  variety  of  destructive 
devices,  and  they  make  various  uses  of  the  products  of  their 
slaughter.  That  army  is  powerful,  all-pervading,  selfish  and 
merciless.  In  order  to  convey  a  proper  understanding  of  the 
conditions  that  threaten  our  feathered  friends  and  allies,  it 
is  worth  while  to  pause  long  enough  to  consider  a  few  leading 
features. 

The  things  that  have  created  the  Army  of  Destruction,  and 
rendered  its  continued  existence  a  possibility  are  as  follows: 

1. — The  absence  of  adequate  protective  laws. 

2. — Laws  that  are  absurdly  and  fatally  liberal  to  the 
killers. 

3. — The  non-enforcement  of  existing  laws,  over  wide  areas. 

4. — A  vicious  and  deadly  contempt  for  the  law. 

5. — The  enormous  abundance  of  deadly  firearms. 

6. — Fear  of  hurting  the  feelings  of  game-hogs. 

7. — Scarcity  of  campaign  money  with  which  to  fight  the 
destroyers. 

In  view  of  this  deadly  combination  against  our  wild  life, 
is  it  any  wonder  that  our  birds  and  mammals,  little  and  big, 
good,  bad  and  neutral,  have  gone  down  before  it  like  grass 
before  the  mower's  scythe?  Is  it  not  a  wonder  that  anything 
wild  remains  alive  in  1914? 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS     291 

THE  REGULAR  ARMY  OF  DESTRUCTION. — This  motley 
gathering  contains  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  who  kill 
wild  things.  The  character  of  the  crowd  varies  by  many 
downward  steps  from  the  gentleman  sportsman  who  goes 
hunting  because  he  loves  Nature,  and  who  kills  either  very 
little  or  nothing  at  all,  down  to  the  sordid,  law-breaking 
"game-hog"1  and  meat-hunter  who  greedily  kills  all  that  the 
law  allows  and  as  much  more  as  he  can  kill  without  detec- 
tion. From  the  number  of  hunting  licenses  annually  bought 
and  paid  for,  we  are  able  to  judge  clearly  the  extent  and 
deadliness  of  the  regular  army  of  destroyers  now  operating 
against  wild  life  in  our  land.  'I  have  been  at  some  pains  to 
collect  the  following  records: 

THE  UNITED  STATES  ARMY  OF  DESTRUCTION 
Hunting  Licenses  issued  in  1911 

Alabama. 5,090      Montana 59,291 

California 138,689       Nebraska 39,402 

Colorado    41,058       New  Hampshire 33,542 

Connecticut 19,635       New  Jersey 61,920 

Idaho 50,342       New  Mexico 7,000 

Illinois 192,244       New  York 150,222 

Indiana 54,813       Rhode  Island 6,541 

Iowa 91,000       South  Dakota 31,054 

Kansas 44,069       Utah 27,800 

Louisiana 76,000       Vermont 31,762 

Maine 2,552       Washington,  about 40,000 

Massachusetts 45,039       Wisconsin 138,457 

Michigan 22,323       Wyoming 9,721 

Missouri 66,662 

Total  number  of  regularly  licensed  gunners 1,486,228 

1  The  term  "game-hog"  was  coined  in  1897  by  G.  O.  Shields,  and  it  has  come 
into  general  use.  It  has  been  recognized  by  a  judge  on  the  bench  as  an  appro- 
priate term  to  apply  to  all  men  who  selfishly  slaughter  wild  game  beyond  the  limits 
of  decency.  Although  it  is  a  harsh  term,  its  has  jarred  a  hundred  thousand  men  into 


292    THE   SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN   BIRDS 

The  average  for  the  twenty-seven  states  that  issued 
licenses  as  shown  above  is  55,046  for  each  state. 

Now,  the  twenty-one  states  issuing  no  licenses,  or  not  re- 
porting, produced  in  1911  fully  as  many  gunners  per  capita  as 
did  the  other  twenty-seven  states.  Computed  fairly  on  exist- 
ing averages,  they  must  have  turned  out  a  total  of  1,155,966 
gunners,  making  for  all  the  United  States  2,642,194  armed 
men  and  boys  warring  upon  the  remnant  of  game  in  1911. 
We  are  not  counting  the  large  number  of  lawless  hunters 
who  never  take  out  licenses. 

BIRD  AND  MAMMAL  SLAUGHTER  ACCORDING  TO  LAW. — It 
is  difficult  to  decide  which  influence  has  been,  and  still  is, 
most  deadly  to  our  vanishing  wild  life — illegal  slaughter  or 
killing  according  to  lawT.  We  are  inclined  to  believe  that 
in  the  thickly  populated,  well-protected  localities  it  is  the 
legalized  slaughter  that  is  most  deadly,  while  in  the  thinly 
populated  states  of  the  Far  West  it  is  the  illegal  destruction 
of  game  that  is  literally  wiping  it  off  the  earth.  One  thing, 
however,  is  sure.  If  legalized  slaughter  could  be  stopped,  it 
would  be  possible  to  stop  about  three-fourths  (or  more)  of  the 
illegal  work. 

We  have  already  shown  the  figures  which  fairly  represent 
the  number  of  men  and  boys  which  we  know  hunt  legally, 
every  year,  in  the  United  States,  and  our  calculation  for  the 
remainder  of  legal  shooters  brings  the  total  beyond  two  and 
one-half  millions.  There  is  at  least  one  excellent  authority 
who  places  the  total  at  five  millions! 

their  first  realization  of  the  fact  that  to-day  there  is  a  difference  between  decency 
and  indecency  in  the  pursuit  of  game.  The  use  of  this  term  has  done  very  great 
good;  and  there  is  no  softer  equivalent  that  can  take  its  place. 


THE   SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH   AMERICAN   BIRDS     293 

Now,  how  long  can  our  remaining  game  birds  and  mammals 
endure  before  even  two  and  one-half  million  well-armed  men 
and  boys,  eager  and  keen  to  "kill  something,"  and  get  a  dead- 
game  equivalent  for  their  annual  expenditure  in  guns,  ammu- 
nition, travel  and  subsistence? 

In  addition  to  the  hunters  themselves,  they  are  assisted 
by  thousands  of  expert  guides,  thousands  of  horses,  thousands 
of  dogs,  hundreds  of  automobiles  and  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  tents.  Each  big-game  hunter  has  an  experienced  guide 
who  knows  the  haunts  and  habits  of  the  game,  the  best 
feeding-grounds,  the  best  trails  and  everything  else  that  will 
aid  the  hunter  in  taking  the  game  at  a  disadvantage  and  des- 
troying it.  The  big-game  rifles  are  of  the  highest  power,  the 
longest  range,  the  greatest  accuracy  and  the  best  repeating 
mechanism  that  modern  inventive  genius  can  produce.  It 
is  said  that  in  Wyoming  the  Maxim  silencer  is  now  being 
used.  England  has  produced  a  weapon  of  a  new  type,  called 
"the  scatter  rifle,"  which  is  intended  for  use  on  ducks.  The 
best  binoculars  are  used  in  searching  out  the  game,  and  horses 
carry  the  hunters  and  guides  as  near  as  possible  to  the  game. 
For  bears  baits  are  freely  used,  and  in  the  pursuit  of  pumas 
dogs  are  employed  to  the  limit  of  the  available  supply. 

The  deadliness  of  the  automobile  in  hunting  already  is  so 
apparent  that  North  Dakota  has  wisely  and  justly  forbidden 
its  use  by  law  (1911).  The  swift  machine  enables  city 
hunters  to  penetrate  game  regions  they  could  not  reach  with 
horses,  and  hunt  through  from  four  to  six  localities  per  day, 
instead  of  one  only,  as  formerly.  The  use  of  automobiles  in 
hunting  should  be  everywhere  prohibited. 


294     THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

Every  appliance  and  assistance  that  money  can  buy,  the 
modern  sportsman  secures  to  help  him  against  the  game. 
The  game  is  beset  during  its  breeding-season  by  various  wild 
enemies — foxes,  cats,  wolves,  pumas,  lynxes,  eagles  and  many 
other  predatory  species.  The  only  help  that  it  receives  is  in 
the  form  of  an  annual  close  season — which  thus  far  has  saved 
in  America  only  a  few  local  moose,  white-tailed  deer  and  a  few 
game  birds  from  steady  and  sure  extermination. 

The  bag  limits,  on  which  vast  reliance  is  placed  to  preserve 
the  wild  game,  are  a  fraud,  a  delusion  and  a  snare!  The  few 
local  exceptions  only  prove  the  generality  of  the  rule.  In 
every  state,  without  a  single  exception,  the  bag  limits  are  far 
too  high,  and  the  laws  are  of  deadly  liberality.  In  many  states 
the  bag-limit  laws  on  birds  are  an  absolute  dead  letter.  Fancy 
the  125  wardens  of  New  York  enforcing  the  bag-limit  laws 
on  150,000  gunners!  It  is  this  horrible  condition  that  is 
enabling  the  licensed  army  of  destruction  to  get  in  its  deadly 
work  on  the  game,  all  over  the  world.  In  America  the  over- 
liberality  of  the  laws  is  to  blame  for  two-thirds  of  the  car- 
nival of  slaughter,  and  the  successful  evasions  of  the  law  are 
responsible  for  the  other  third. 

MARKET-HUNTING. — The  most  destructive  form  of  bird- 
slaughter  according  to  law  is  market-killing.  The  market- 
hunter  works  seven  days  a  week,  regardless  of  weather.  He 
begins  at  sunrise  and  shoots  until  sunset,  or  after.  He  is 
rarely  hampered  by  any  bag  limits  or  checked  by  game 
wardens,  and  his  only  "limit"  is  the  range  of  his  guns.  When 
market-hunting  is  allowed  by  law,  he  can  also  use  automatic 
and  "pump"  guns,  shotguns  of  large  calibre,  batteries,  sink- 


THE   SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH   AMERICAN   BIRDS     297 

boxes,  and  every  other  device  known  to  man,  with  the  possible 
exception  of  punt  guns,  and  sail  and  power  boats. 

The  reasons  why  market-shooting  is  so  deadly  destructive 
to  wild  life  are  not  obscure. 

The  true  sportsman  hunts  during  a  very  few  days  only 
each  year.  The  market-gunners  shoot  early  and  late,  seven 
days  a  week,  month  after  month.  When  game  is  abundant, 
the  price  is  low,  and  a  great  quantity  must  be  killed  in  order 
to  make  it  pay  well.  When  game  is  scarce,  the  market  prices 
are  high,  and  the  shooter  makes  the  utmost  exertions  to  find 
the  last  of  the  game  in  order  to  secure  the  "big  money." 

WThen  game  is  protected  by  law,  thousands  of  people  with 
money  desire  it  for  their  tables,  just  the  same,  and  are  wili- 
ng to  pay  fabulous  prices  for  what  they  want,  when  they  want 
it.  Many  a  dealer  is  quite  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  fines, 
because  fines  don't  really  hurt;  they  are  only  annoying.  The 
dealer  wishes  to  make  the  big  profit,  and  retain  his  customers; 
"and  besides,"  he  reasons,  "if  I  don't  supply  them  some  one 
else  will;  so  what  is  the  difference?"  When  game  is  scarce, 
prices  high  and  the  consumer's  money  ready,  there  are  a  hun- 
dred tricks  to  which  shooters  and  dealers  willingly  resort  to 
ship  and  receive  unlawful  game  without  detection. 

THE  DIVISION  OF  MEAT-SHOOTERS  contains  all  men  who 
sordidly  shoot  for  the  frying-pan — to  save  bacon  and  beef 
at  the  expense  of  the  public,  or  for  the  markets.  There 
are  a  few  wilderness  regions  so  remote  and  so  difficult  of  ac- 
cess that  the  transportation  of  meat  into  them  is  a  matter  of 
much  difficulty  and  expense.  There  are  a  very  few  men  in 
North  America  who  are  justified  in  "living  off  the  country," 


298     THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

for  short  periods.  The  genuine  prospectors  always  have  been 
counted  in  this  class;  but  all  miners  who  are  fully  located,  all 
lumbermen  and  rail  way -builders,  certainly  are  not  in  the 
prospector's  class.  They  are  abundantly  able  to  maintain 
continuous  lines  of  communication  for  the  transit  of  beef  and 
mutton. 

Of  all  the  meat-shooters,  the  market-gunners  who  prey  on 
wild  fowl  and  ground  game  birds  for  the  big-city  markets  are 
the  most  deadly  to  wild  life.  Enough  geese,  ducks,  brant, 
quail,  ruffed  grouse,  prairie  chickens,  heath  hens  and  wild 
pigeons  have  been  butchered  by  gunners  and  netters  for  "the 
market"  to  have  stocked  the  whole  world.  No  section  con- 
taining a  good  supply  of  game  has  escaped.  In  the  United 
States  the  great  slaughtering-grounds  have  been  Cape  Cod; 
Great  South  Bay,  New  York;  Currituck  Sound,  North  Caro- 
lina; Marsh  Island,  Louisiana;  the  southwest  corner  of  Louisi- 
ana; the  Sunk  Lands  of  Arkansas;  the  lake  regions  of  Minne- 
sota; the  prairies  of  the  whole  Middle  West;  Great  Salt  Lake; 
the  Klamath  Lake  region  (Oregon)  and  southern  California. 

The  output  of  this  systematic  bird-slaughter  has  supplied 
the  greedy  game  markets  of  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
Washington,  Baltimore,  Chicago,  New  Orleans,  St.  Louis, 
Salt  Lake  City,  San  Francisco,  Portland  and  Seattle.  The 
history  of  this  industry,  its  methods,  its  carnage,  its  profits 
arid  its  losses  would  make  a  volume,  but  we  cannot  enter  upon 
it  here.  Beyond  reasonable  doubt,  this  awful  traffic  in  dead 
game  is  responsible  for  at  least  three-fourths  of  the  slaughter 
that  has  reduced  our  game  birds  to  a  mere  remnant  of  their 
former  abundance.  There  is  no  influence  so  deadly  to  wild 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS     299 

life  as  that  of  the  market-gunner  who  works  six  days  a  week, 
from  sunrise  until  sunset,  hunting  down  and  killing  every 
game  bird  that  he  can  reach  with  a  choke-bore  gun. 

During  the  past  five  years  several  of  the  once-great  killing- 
grounds  have  been  so  thoroughly  "shot  out"  that  they  have 


A   MARKET-GUNNER   AT   WORK   ON   MARSH   ISLAND. 

Killing  Mallards  for  the  New  Orleans  market.     The  purchase  of  this  island  by  Mrs.  Russell 
Sage  has  now  converted  it  into  a  bird  sanctuary. 

ceased  to  hold  their  former  rank.  This  is  the  case  with  the 
Minnesota  Lakes,  the  Sunk  Lands  of  Arkansas,  the  Klamath 
Lakes  of  Oregon,  and  I  think  it  is  also  true  of  southern  Cali- 
fornia. The  Klamath  Lakes  have  been  taken  over  by  the 
Government  as  a  bird  refuge.  Currituck  Sound,  at  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  North  Carolina,  has  been  so  bottled  up  by 
the  Bayne  law  of  New  York  state  that  Curri tuck's  greatest 
wild-fowl  market  has  been  cut  off.  Last  year  only  one-half 
the  usual  number  of  ducks  and  geese  were  killed;  and  already 


300     THE   SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH   AMERICAN  BIRDS 

many  "professional"  duck  and  brant  shooters  have  abandoned 
the  business  because  the  commission  merchants  no  longer 
will  buy  dead  birds. 

Very  many  enormous  bags  of  game  have  been  made  in  a 
day  by  market-gunners;  but  rarely  have  they  published  any 
of  their  records.  The  greatest  kill  of  which  I  ever  have  heard 
occurred  under  the  auspices  of  the  Glenn  County  Club,  in 
southern  California,  on  February  5,  1906.  Two  men,  armed 
with  automatic  shotguns,  fired  five  shots  apiece,  and  got  ten 
geese  out  of  one  flock.  In  one  hour  they  killed  two  hundred 
and  eighteen  geese,  and  their  bag  for  the  day  was  four  hundred 
and  fifty  geese!  The  shooter  who  wrote  the  story  for  pub- 
lication (on  February  12,  at  Willows,  Glenn  County,  Cali- 
fornia), said:  "It  being  warm  weather,  the  birds  had  to  be 
shipped  at  once  in  order  to  keep  them  from  spoiling."  A 
photograph  was  made  of  the  "one  hour's  slaughter"  of  two 
hundred  and  eighteen  geese,  and  it  was  published  in  a  western 
magazine  with  "C.  H.  B.'s"  story,  nearly  all  of  which  will  be 
found  in  Chapter  XV  of  "Our  Vanishing  Wild  Life." 

Here  is  an  inexorable  law  of  Nature,  to  which  there  are 
no  exceptions: 

No  wild  species  of  bird,  mammal,  reptile  or  fish  can  with- 
stand exploitation  for  commercial  purposes. 

Throughout  the  whole  world  the  killing  of  wild  game  for 
sale  (i.  e.,  game  not  reared  in  preserves)  should  be  rigidly  and 
permanently  prohibited  by  law. 

THE  ILLEGAL  SLAUGHTER  OF  BIRDS. — As  already  inti- 
mated, the  destruction  of  our  birds  and  mammals,  game  and 
not  game,  by  lawless  and  brutal  methods  has  been  enormous. 


THE   SLAUGHTER  OF   NORTH   AMERICAN   BIRDS     301 

It  has  been  in  progress,  day  and  night,  ever  since  our  first 
game  laws  were  enacted.  In  this  land  of  ours  the  sacred  name 
of  Liberty  is  used  by  rogues  and  thieves  of  a  hundred  different 
kinds  to  cloak  their  outrageous  practices  against  the  common 
welfare.  There  are  in  this  country  at  least  five  million  per- 


PTARMIGAN  SLAUGHTER  IN  THE  ABSENCE  OP  LAW,  YUKON  TERRITORY. 

Part  of  three  thousand  Ptarmigan  slaughtered  at  Pueblo,  near  White  Horse,  by  miners  and 
railroad  men.     The  birds  are  hauled  in  by  the  wagon-load. 

sons  of  lawless  and  criminal  instincts,  who  believe  in  doing 
exactly  as  they  please  whenever  the  clutch  of  the  law  is  not 
actually  upon  them.  Hundreds  of  thousands  of  aliens  are 
coming  to  our  land  to  make  their  fortunes,  and  have  their 
children  educated  at  public  expense,  whose  fixed  idea  of  lib- 
erty is  that  it  means  license  to  do  as  they  please. 

Against  this  lawless  element,  both  native  and  alien,  the 
defenders  of  wild  life  always  will  be  at  war,  in  an  irrepressible 
conflict.  The  following  are  the  most  deadly  features  of  the 


302    THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

campaigns  of  the  lawless  elements  against  American  wild  life: 

1. — The  illegal  slaughter,  at  all  seasons,  of  game  for  the 
pot,  to  save  butchers'  bills. 

2. — The  slaughter  by  the  negroes  and  poor  whites  of  the 
South  of  our  most  valuable  insect-eating  birds  for  food. 

3. — The  slaughter  in  the  North  by  Italians  and  other  aliens 
of  birds  and  small  mammals  of  every  description. 

4. — The  slaughter  of  song  birds  in  immense  numbers  by 
unrestrained  boys  armed  with  22-calibre  rifles. 

5. — The  slaughter  of  female  mountain  sheep,  female 
antelope,  female  deer  and  female  moose  under  cover  of 
licenses  to  kill  males  only;  also  regardless  of  licenses  or  seasons. 

BIRD-SLAUGHTER  FOR  THE  MILLINERY  TRADE. — In  an 
evil  moment  some  heartless  enemy  of  birds  conceived  the  idea 
of  decking  the  head-gear  of  civilized  women  with  the  wings, 
tails,  heads  and  also  entire  skins  of  wild  birds.  Very  soon 
the  resultant  slaughter  began  to  alarm  serious-minded  and 
thoughtful  persons  who  believe  that  we  of  to-day  have  no 
right  to  destroy  the  wild-life  heritage  of  our  children.  In 
1899  the  Audubon  societies  began  seriously  to  dispute  the 
right  of  the  feather  trade  to  destroy  our  finest  bird  life  for 
commercial  profits  and  for  vanity.  That  contest  for  the 
birds  of  North  America  has  been  raging  ever  since  the  date 
mentioned. 

To  most  Americans,  the  leading  facts  of  our  struggle  with 
the  feather  trade  to  save  our  egrets,  herons,  gulls,  terns, 
grebes,  song  birds  and  other  species  are  already  known.  The 
Audubonists  saved  to  us  the  gulls  and  terns  of  our  Atlantic 
coast,  but  the  enormously  high  prices  paid  for  egret  plumes, 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS     303 

for  the  manufacture  of  "aigrettes,"  led  to  what  at  one  period 
was  believed  to  be  the  practical  extinction  of  both  the  white 
egrets  from  the  avifauna  of  the  United  States. 

While  the  plume-hunters  were  resting  in  that  same  belief, 
the  egrets  began  to  steal  back  from  Venezuela,  and  start  col- 
onies on  our  Gulf  coast.  As  fast  as  these  colonies  were  found 
by  the  Audubonists,  wardens  were  engaged  to  protect  them. 
To-day  there  exist  in  the  United  States  about  twenty-one 
colonies  of  egrets,  which  contain  a  total  of  perhaps  10,000 
egrets  and  120,000  herons  and  ibises,  guarded  by  wardens  with 
modern  rifles. 

Through  a  long  series  of  efforts  thirteen  states  have  been 
induced  to  enact  laws  prohibiting  the  sale  of  aigrettes,  and 
other  plumage  of  native  birds.  These  laws  did  not,  however, 
prevent  the  sale  of  the  plumage  of  foreign  birds;  and  there- 
fore the  American  market  was  flooded  with  plumes  of  birds- 
of -paradise,  crown  pigeon  ("goura"),  Manchurian  eared  pheas- 
ant ("numidi")  and  many  other  forms  of  wild-bird  plumage. 
In  London,  Paris  and  Berlin  the  annual  trade  in  wild  birds' 
feathers  for  millinery  purposes  has  assumed  enormous  pro- 
portions. A  great  many  facts  and  figures  regarding  London 
sales  and  prices  will  be  found  in  "Our  Vanishing  Wild  Life," 
Chapter  XIII. 

A  careful  study  of  the  situation  at  large  revealed  the  fact 
that  through  their  persistent  slaughter  for  the  feather  trade 
about  one  hundred  species  of  birds  are  threatened  with  ex- 
tinction. Without  quick  protection,  by  the  closing  of  the 
European  feather  markets,  the  first  species  to  go  will  be  the 
greater  and  lesser  birds-of -paradise,  the  crown  pigeons  of  New 


304     THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS 

Guinea,  the  eared  pheasants  of  Manchuria,  the  white  egrets 
of  Venezuela,  Brazil,  Colombia,  and  China,  the  condor  of  the 
Andes,  the  trogon,  and  the  Old-World  pheasants  generally. 

The  relentless  activity  of  the  hunters  for  the  feather  trade 
of  Europe  may  be  counted  upon  eventually  to  exterminate 
any  species  that  the  evil  eye  of  Fashion  once  fixes  upon  as  de- 
sirable. The  talk  now  being  heard  in  Germany  and  in  En- 
gland regarding  the  "breeding"  of  plume  birds  for  the  feather 
trade  is  extremely  ridiculous.  On  a  commercial  basis  such 
breeding  is  wildly  impossible,  and  no  friend  of  birds  should  for 
one  moment  be  deceived  by  talk  regarding  it.  The  story  of 
the  successful  campaign  waged  in  Congress  in  1913  to  pro- 
hibit the  importation  of  bird  plumage  has  been  told  in  an 
earlier  chapter  of  this  volume. 

UNSEEN  FOES  OF  WILD  LIFE. — Besides  their  other  enemies, 
our  wild  birds  are  preyed  upon  to  a  serious  extent  and  des- 
troyed by  immense  numbers  of  cats  and  dogs  that  are  al- 
lowed to  hunt  at  will;  by  the  sharp-shinned  hawk,  Cooper 
hawk,  two  owl  species,  the  pilot  black-snake,  red  squirrel 
and  bird-shooting  boys.  Upon  parents  and  teachers  there  de- 
volves a  solemn  and  imperative  duty  to  teach  vigorously  to 
all  their  children  and  their  pupils  their  bounden  duty  to  pro- 
tect and  preserve  all  harmless  wild  creatures,  and  especially  birds. 
Let  there  be  no  pastime  slaughter  of  the  innocents! 


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LD  21-100m-8,'3< 


H6 

1914 

v.3. 


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