Skip to main content

Full text of "American ornithology [microform]. -1"

See other formats 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


V 


A 


{/ 


0j        A-t     ^^ 


L<i'/ 


A 


% 


1.0 


I.I 


1^128     ||2.5 

|50     "^         li^= 

2.2 


1^  1^ 


lio    III  2.0 


1.8 


L25  11.4    IIIIII.6 


V] 


<^ 


/a 


A 


y 


>^ 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/[CMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


I 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag6e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminrted/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicul^e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
ere  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrationi^/ 


Planches  et/oii  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout6es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  dt6  possible  de  se  procurei.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 

□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 


n 


n 


This  item  is  filmed  a.  t  ie  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolor^es,  tacheties  ou  piqu^es 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


Pages  ddtach^es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  inigale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I  I  Showthrough/ 

I  I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I  I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I  I  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmies  d  nouveau  de  faqon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

\ 

12X                              16X                              20X                              24X                              28X                              32X 

ails 

du 

tdifier 

une 

nage 


Th«  copy  fllmsd  here  hat  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  filmi  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
ginArositi  de: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  At*  reproduites  avec  ie 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettetA  de  l'exemplaire  filmA,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimAe  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant 
par  Ie  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  Ie  second 
plat,  salon  Ie  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commengant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  das  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  Ie 
cas:  Ie  symbols  — •■  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  Ie 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  dtre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  Ie  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  k  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  Ie  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


rata 

0 


elure. 


J 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

1 

(     332     ) 


AuT.  II. — 1.  The  Birds  of  America,  enfrrnvcd  from  DrauHiiox 
made  in  the  Uuilcd  States,  liy  .loliii  James  Aiuluboii,  1".  U.  S,, 
&c.     Vol.  1.     i'olio.     Luiidon.     1831. 

'2.  Ornithnlogiccd  Bin^rajthij ;  or  an  Account  of  the  Habits  of  Iht 
Birds  of  the  United  States  of  America;  interspersed  with  Ik- 
lineutions  of  American  Scenery  and  Manners,  Jjy  tlie  saim 
Author.     Vol.1.     8vo.      lMliiibiir«^li.      183). 

3.  American  Ornithology  ;  or  the  N(dnral  History  of  the  Binh 
of  the  United  Slates.  IJy  Alcxaiulcr  Wilson  and  Cliarlr- 
Lucieii  Biioiiapai'te.  lidited  by  Kobcit  Jameson,  l'".s(|„ 
r.R.S,,  &c.  4  vols,  luiiiibuigli.  1831.  (Printed  in  Con- 
stable's Miscellany.) 

4.  Fauna  Boreali-Americana ;  or  the  Zaohigy  of  the  Norlheii: 
Perls  of  British  America.  Part  Second. — Tlie  I'irds.  li) 
William  Swainson,  Esq.,  I'Ml.S.,  and  Jolni  llicliardson,  M.IJ.. 
I'Ml.S.     4to.     London.      1831. 

A  N  accurate  knowledge  of  natural  liistory  is  rarely  advanced  In 
-^*-  the  publication  of  general  sysUnis,  for  there  arc  few  minds  ;il 
once  .so  laboriously  persevering,  and  of  such  comprehensive  power, 
as  to  be  enabled  to  acquire,  combine,  and  communicate  tlu;  totiii 
results  which  lie  scattered  over  the  surface  of  so  vast  a  field.  Jjiii 
either  the  elucidation  of  a  particular  department  of  the  science 
viewed  under  all  its  known  relations,  or  an  exhibition  of  die  scienit 
itself,  considered  in  its  universality  only  so  far  as  regards  a  parti- 
cular country,  is  a  more  attainable  object,  and  one  nujre  likely 
from  the  comparative  case  of  execution,  to  be  alt'-nded  by  ; 
successful  issue.  Still  more  judicious  are  those  authors  who  pre- 
scribe limits,  not  only  to  the  subject  which  they  embrace,  bu 
to  the  localities  with  which  that  subject  is  connected, — aiu 
hence  the  higher  value  of  works  like  those  before  iis,  comparii 
with  the  more  ambitious  efforts  of  the  system-maker  :  the  oin 
class  is  the  result  either  of  personal  observation,  here  such  liii> 
been  possible,  or  of  very  careful  and  assiduous  com|)arison  nl 
written  records ; — the  other  is  too  often  a  hasly  and  iil-concoclcit 
amalgamation  of  statements,  generally  erroneous  in  their  liw 
anouncement,  and  in  no  way  rendered  less  fallacious  by  the  lapsi 
of  time,  or  the  frequency  of  repetition. 

In  no  department  of  intellectiud  exertion  is  the  propriety  oi 
the  division  of  labour  more  necessary  to  be  kept  in  reniein- 
Lrance  than  in  that  of  natural  history ;  and  in  none  is  llii 
adherence  to  a  clear  and  consistent  system  of  arrangenunt  m 
indispensable.  A  prejudice  has  no  doubt  arisen  in  the  minds  (.i 
many  general  readers  against  the  systematic  compendums  of  iiui- 
dern  naturalists,  on  account  of  the  repulsive  form  in  which  tlaii 

lucubrations 


hnihrati 
qua  I  reii 
pstiiict  (I 
ui  laniat 
lorn  thei 
|ini(ler  tli 
fyc  probii 
iral  asp( 
Jal  dece 
P^itiiessin 
to  secure 
ind,'  as 
edge  of 
bough  p 
^onjurati( 
|)|inatiou 
)V>d  discri 
qptttualist 
\»  blende 

'\ 
the  a 
liorlh,  is 

Be, — not 
the  senses 
••me  dan 
t^y  scieiK 
fcout.vcr, 

J  lien  wor 
e  same 
#  dress 
IRuII  dctiii 
|lid  when 
k>teiii-in; 
L-aiilifiil 
|c  still  a: 
J  Wo  see 
tlOlis,  ulii 

extciiikd 

toous  :mi( 
Uieir  bai 
where — 


*    Vol. 


m 


American  Ornilholnrn/. 


3,33 


II  DninHii^x 

m,  r.  U.  S, 

lahlfs  nfthf 
rd  iritk  Ik- 
jy  tlic   saiiu 


nf  the  Birch 
uxi  Cliarli' 
cson,  l'-s(|., 
iteil  ill  Com- 

lie  Norlhvri, 

I'.inls.       15> 

ilsuii,  M.lJ., 

ad  van  cell  1j} 
t"»;\v  niiiuls  al 
■iisivo  j)o\v»'i, 
cate  tlu;  total 
ii  lirltl.      J'.ni 

the  scieiict, 
ii  llic  scioiia 
jfanis  a  parli- 

more  likely 
lleiuled  by  : 
lors  who  pn- 
.'iiibiace,  bii 
iic'ctcd, — aiii 
lis,  coiiipam 
>er  :  the  oiii 
leie  such  ha.> 
(iMipaiisoii  ot 
ill-coiieocli'il 
iii  their  fiw 
i  by  the  lapsi 

I  propriety  oi 
t   ill   leiueiii- 

none    is    lla 

angenieiit  sn 

the  luiiidN  <il 

(liuins  ot"  111(1- 

II  wliieh  tliiii 
Uiciibralioiis 


ciiljialioiis  are  too  often  presented.  In  like  manner,  and  with 
iial  ira-oii,  tlie  .systematic  student,  who  seeks  for  precise  ami 
sliiiet  (klinitions,  finds  no  satislactioii  in  lliose  vague  and  misty 
elaniations  wherein  tlie  mirage  of  a  Uvely  imagination  raises 
om  their  proper  position,  and  magiiities  into  undue  dimensions — ■ 
inder  tlie  misused  iia;ne  of  popular  science) — a  few  facts,  whicii 
SIC  probably  of  no  essential  value  even  when  seen  under  their  na- 
tural aspect,  and  become  worse  than  useless  when  gazed  on  thioiigli 
fial  deceptive  medium.  As  well  might  a  Sicilian  mariner,  while 
iliiessiiig  the  delusive  glories  of  the  fafti  morfjana,  endeavour 
to  s((uie  a  local  habitation  in  that  world  of  '  gorgeous  cloud- 
id,'  as  the  student  of  natural  history  expect  to  obtain  a  know- 
dge  of  nature's  works  from  those  other  e(pially  unsubstantial, 
ough  printed,  pageants.  We  can  easily  indeed  imagine  '  what 
iijuration  and  liat  mighty  magic'  would  ensue  from  a  coiii- 
inatioii  of  the  higher  powers  of  genius  with  those  more  exact 
1^1(1  discriminating  habits  of  observation  which  are  essential  to  the 
pluralist, — and  how  beautilully  the  attributes  of  the  poet  might 
|j^  blended  w  illi  those  of  the  philosopher, — 
«:  '  Recompensinfr  well 

,>  The  strength  they  borrow  with  the  grace  they  lend.' 

'^  the  appropriate  business  of  poetry,  according  to  Mr.  Words- 
tlorlli,  is  to  treat  of  things  not  as  they  are,  but  as  they  appear  lo 
be, — not  as  they  exist  in  themselves,  but  as  they  seem  to  exist  to 
ike  senses  and  the  passions  of  mankiiul, — there  might,  no  doubt,  be 
■Oine  danger  of  a  rather  spurious  oiVspriiig  rising  upon  us,  were 
M$iy  science  of  observation  thus  '  married  to  immortal  verse.'  Still, 
fcowever,  we  hope  to  see  at  least  the  dawning  of  that  better  day, 
when  works  of  science  shall  be  accurate  and  popular  at  one  and 
llie  same  time, — when  the  rigid  observer  of  facts  shall  not  disdain 
•o  (lirss  them  in  a  pleasant  and  even  ornament  .j  ^'irb, — when 
€?idl  detail  shall  no  longer  be  substituted  for  graphic  des'riplion, — 
id  when,  msteail  of  the  re[)ulsive  features  of  morose  at  i  jealous 
teiii-uiakers,  wc  shall  continually  behold  what  M'.ton  has 
aiilifidly  called  *  the  bright  countenance  of  truth  siiining  amid 

le  still  air  of  delij^htfiil  studies. 
...  .  ®   .  .  . 

>*  e  see  indeed,  w  itli  unfeigned  regret,  that  those  vain  disputa- 
ns,  which  we  had  fondly  hoped  would  have  found  a  sutlicuiilly 
68lt('iuk'{l  space  in  the  soiled  arena  of  jiolitics,  or  through  the  tor- 
tuous and  hollow  ways  of  polemical  discussion,  are  now  spreading 
then  baiieuil  intluence  over  the  peaceful  domains  of  science, 
where — 

«*  '  More  pellucid  streams, 

^'  All  air.iilor  itlier,  a  diviner  air, 

And  (iulds  invested  witli  iiurpiiical  gleams,' 
V    Vol.  xLYii.  ^u.  xciv.  8  a 


inight 


i 


nn4 


A  mrrknn  Onnlhohf/y. 


iiii<j;lit  havo  boon  permitted  to  escape  the  cuiitaininatioii  of  sucli  a 
pestilence.  Uiit  we  greatly  fear,  that  so  far  from  doiii}];  all  things, 
as  we  arc  coiimiaiuled,  we  are  unable  to  do  an)thin<;;  whatever 
witiioiit  '  mnrnuirin«;s  and  disputinu;s.'  And,  no  doubt,  when 
the  war  of  words  is  carried  on  by  accomplished  disputants,  and 
the  point  at  issue  is  one  which  accords  with  tiie  more  passionate 
sympathies  of  mankind,  tiiere  may  be  an  intellectual  pleasure  in 
V  itnessing  the  thrust  and  parry  of  two  practised  wran>;lers ;  but 
such  contentions  are  rcallv  alike  uncalled  for  and  unwelcome  on 
the  part  of  naturalists  : — the  greater  proportion  of  that  limited 
class  being  in  truth  very  worthy  and  well-meaning  men,  totally 
imskilK.d  in  the  use  of  controversial  weapons,  they  handle  tlu  in 
too  feebly  to  inlliet  any  damage  on  their  opponents — and  all  that 
either  party  gains  is  the  derision  of  the  public  : — 

'  Put  up  your  bright  swords,  else  tlie  dew  will  rust  them.' 

We  have  said  that  the  vast  materials  of  which  the  science  of 
natural  history  is  (^imposed,  rendered  the  methodical  arrangement 
of  its  subjects  indispensable.  This  would  be  true  even  were  our 
crt'orts  conhned  to  the  formation  of  arbitrary  or  artificial  system.s, 
the  principal  merit  of  which  consists  in  the  facility  they  atVord  in 
ascertaining  the  name  by  which  a  species  had  been  prcvioiislv 
recognized  by  others ;  for  nomenclature,  though  not  so  much  ;i 
«le|)artment  of  natural  history  as  a  convenient  instrument  by  which 
the  science  may  be  more  successfully  cultivated,  is  yet  indis- 
pensal'le  to  the  *  common  good,'  so  long  as  men  are  desirous  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  la!)ours  of  tholr  |)iedecessors  and  contem- 
poraries— in  other  words,  so  long  a;s  they  are  not  insane  through 
egotism  and  conceit  ;  but  it  becomes  a  still  more  important  truth 
when  we  look  upon  system,  both  as  a  means  and  an  end,  which  it 
will  assuredly  become,  in  the  hands  of  him  who  discovers  a  key  to 
the  natural  order  and  alVmities  of  existing  things,  or  who,  by  the 
power  of  a  more  exact  and  universal  knowledge  than  any  one  in- 
dividual has  ever  yet  acquired,  shall  exhibit  the  final  result  of  a 
successful  investigation  of  the  mysteries  of  nature. 

An  artificial  classification  of  animals  in  natural  history  may  be 
likened  to  an  alphabetical  arrangement  of  words  in  a  dictionarv. 
Jn  the  one  ea.se,  a  few  unimportant,  though  easily-aseertaim(! 
characters,  which  lead  to  no  general  results  in  relation  to  the 
habits  and  economy  of  the  species,  are  selected  as  the  bond  nl 
union,  as  in  the  other  the  initial  letters  form  the  accidental  basi- 
of  connexion  ;  and  we  might  as  reasonal)ly  expect  that  tin 
highest  manifeslatioiis  of  the  literature  and  philosophy  of  a  lan- 
guage should  consist  in  marshalling  together  ail  the  words  wliidi 
begin  with  the  same  letter,  as  that  our  knowledge  of  nature  shoidil 
be  rendered  perfect  through  the  iiie<liuin  of  an  aitilicial  svslein. 

'  '1\k 


piud,  tlia 
pis  been 
||C(-or(laii( 
fitted  to 
fatter  of 
lat  the  V 
kpansion 
»ny  '  sy 
UA  briel 

t  great 
iiiconi 
\nire  not 
IWes  of  s 
•  J  liere 
Ell  rope  a 
tlonaliy  si 
■Iveise 
■lis   res] 
Unions. 
Mrthern 
tb    ieelan 
HFry  lew 
^  excess 

t  Ieelan 
rr,  and 
orth  of 

Ot  tlu! 

occur  ni 
S«V'.!rgui 
have  nin 
sphMidoti 
OhilVen 
leis,  iieii 
leeled  Ji 
founit  t\\ 


Amerknn  OinUhnlnr/y, 


nn.> 


1  of  sudi  a 
;  ull  tliin<;s, 
«^  whalever 
)iibt,  wiicii 
titaiit.s,  and 
pa^siuiiatc 
picu.suie  III 

ii;j,l(is  ;   but 

ivtlcomc  oil 
liat  liinitcd 

mil,  tutally 
aiiille  tluiii 

■uikI  ail  tliut 

hem.' 

science  of 
iirraiigcinoiit 
en  were  our 
•iai  systems, 
u-y  alVoni  in 
I   pie\iouslv 

so  iiiucli  .1 
L'lit  by  wliicli 
IS  yet  imlis- 
13  desirous  to 
and  conlcni- 
iaiie  tlirou^rli 
portaiit  tnilli 
end,  uliicli  it 
ivers  a  key  to 

wlio,  by  tiic 
1  any  one  iii- 
al  result  of  a 

story  may  be 
a  dietionaiv. 
y-aseertaiiHi! 
latioii   to  tlio 
tiie  bond  »[ 
:idcntal  ba^i^ 
ert    tliat   tin 
ipliy  ot  a  Ian- 
words  wliicli 
iiatiiii'  siioiilii 
licial  .system, 
'  Tlic 


riie  words  in  llic  niio  ease,  and  tlie  characters  in  the  other,  con- 
ilaiitlv  lead  us  to  things  which  bear  no  necessary  or  essential 
jiatioii  to  eacii  other.  Hut  a  natural  classilieation,  or  siuh  an 
pproximation  towards  it  as  our  finite  capacities  or  means  of  in- 
IbiiiKttioii  permit  ns  to  attain,  resembles  a  linely  methodised 
irraiiuciiieiit  ot"  llie  subjects  of  human  knowledge,  in  which,  not 
die  accidi  iits  of  literal  resemblance,  but  the  essentials  of  a  natural 
il)(i  indestructible  connexion,  form  the  only  true  basis  of  a  philoso- 
^ical  svstem.  An  assiduous  and  long-contiiiiied  study  of  nature 
fenns,  of  course,  the  best  precursor  to  a  successful  system  of 
Jrraiigenient  according  to  the  natural  order  ;  and  when  we  bear  in 
ftiiiid,  that  in  the  formations  of  most  systems  an  opposite  course 
lln-^  bed)  pursued,  and  that  animals,  so  tar  from  being  classed  in 
||tt  onlaiice  with  their  structure  and  attributes,  are  at  once  sub- 
Biiited  to  certain  arbitrary  rules,  established  a  priori  as  a  mere. 
aalter  of  convenience,  we  need  scarcely  marvel  at  the  results, — or 
tlial  the  words  of  Locke,  in  reference  to  another  subject,  '  a  vast 
«tp;insinii  <.'iven  over  to  night  and  darkness,'  should  apply  to  so 
nBniy  '  systems  '  of  natural  history. 

MA  brief  glance  at  the  numerical  amount  of  species,  in  a  few  of 
nit  great  classt's  of  the  animal  kingdom,  will  snttice  to  shew  what 
in  iiieoiiiprelieiisible  and  unmanageable  n'.ass  they  would  present, 
Iftiire  not  their  parts  divided  and  defined  in  accordance  with  the 
mles  of  system. 

-'J'liere  are  supposed  to  be  above  C0,00()  species  of  insects  in 
Eni'>|ie  alone  ;  an^*  the  southern  quarters  of  the  glob(>  are  propor- 
tJlDiially  still  more  prolific;  for  we  find  that  colil  is  in  general 
rfveisc  (o  insect  life,  and  that  even  temperate  countries  arc  in 
Ais  respect  much  less  productive  than  tropical  and  equatorial 
J%ioiis,  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  distribution  of  many 
nbrtlierii  insects  is  still  unknown.  It  was  formerly  supposed,  that 
16  I  {(land  there  were  none,  and  that  even  in  Norway  there  were 
feiy  lew ;  and  their  absence  from  those  countries  was  attributed 
^  excess  of  cold,  llorrebow  contradicted  this  opinion  in  regard 
^  Iceland;  and  Linmeus,  Thnnbeig,  Paykull,  (Jyllenhall,  Scliiln- 
Igrr,  and  others,  have  .diowii,  that  in  Lapland,  Sweden,  and  the 
w>ith  ot  I'.urope  in  (general,  insects  are  very  numerous.  Some 
<^  tlie  fiiiost  of  the  coleopterous  kinds  (such  as  Prnrervsi  faiiricii.i) 
66cu\  ill  Siberia  ;  aiid  Pallas,  Marechall  de  Hirberstein,  Steven, 
Stverguiiu',  vXdanis,  and  Fischer,  among  the  nortliern  writers, 
have  made  ns  j'.ccpiainted  with  species  which  rival  in  si/e  anrl 
•plendoiir  the  most  gorgeous  products  of  the  torrid  zone.  During 
Olalsen  and  I'ovalsi  u's  residence  in  Iceland,  one  of  these  travel- 
leis,  neither  ot  wlioni  had  much  knowledge  of  entomology,  col- 
lected JOO  ditlVreiit  species  in  one  small  valley;  Mr,  Scoresby 
found  two  species  of  bullcilly  (CWms  j>ateHo  and  MdiUca  cliu) 

2  A  y  in 


S30 


Amoriran  Ornil/inhirj)/. 


ill  great  numbers  on  the  cast  coast  of  West  Circcniand,  in  north 
latitude  7 1"";  Mr.  Kirl)y  Iras  (lescribed  several  insects,  captiuiil 
on  Melville  Island,  wliicli  lies  in  llie  7i"  and  7'>^  of  norlli  lati- 
tude ;  wliile  Captain  l^arry,  on  the  last  day  of  his  attempt  to 
reach  the  l*ole  over  the  ice,  found  a  small  species  of  aphis,  in 
latitude  H2°  '26'  44",  about  one  hundred  miles  from  the  nean  st 
known  laud.  'J'his  may  be  stated  as  the  extreme  northtiii 
boundary  of  insect  lile. 

'I'he  amount  oi  roller  fid  species  in  the  annulosc  classes,  that  is, 
the  Crustacea  aiul  insects,  wh-ther  described  or  otherwise,  is  esti- 
mated by  Macleay  as  exceeding  lOO.OOO;  anti  it  may  safely  be  as- 
serted,  that  but  a  small  portion,  compared  with  tin;  entire  amount  nf 
existing  species,  has  been  yet  discovered.  Our  knowletlge  even  dl 
European  entomology  is,  in  many  respects,  imperfect  and  supcrti- 
cial ;  and  when  we  consitler  that  all  the  other  quarters  t)f  the  earth 
exhibit  vast  tracts  of  territory,  with  the  great  geographical  featun  s 
of  which  we  are  still  unacquainted,  we  camiot  marvel  that  the  mi- 
nuter and  less  important,  though  scarcely  less  interesting,  features 
of  insect  life  should  have  remained  unexplored.  'J'he  greiit 
central  deserts,  woods,  and  mountains  of  Africa,  and  an  extended 
portion  of  the  south-eastern  coast  of  that  continent,  the  interior  dI 
New  Holland,  and  the  islands  of  the  l*acilic  Ocean,  the  central 
and  eastern  parts  of  Asia,  the  western  coasts  of  North  Auu.-rica, 
and  many  of  the  mountain  ranges  and  highly-elevated  plateaux  of 
the  southern  division  of  the  New  World,  arc  almost  cntireK 
unknown,  so  far  as  regards  their  entomological  relations. 

Of  the  various  tribes  of  insects,  those  of  the  coleopterous  order 
have  been  the  most  assiduously  and  the  most  successfully  studied 
It  is  somewhere  stated  in  a  popular  work,  that  beetles  are  of  ficn 
kinds — the  black  and  tlie  brown.  I'abricius  appears  to  have  beeii 
of  another  opinion  ;  for  in  his  '  Systema  Eleutheratorum,'  he  ha- 
«lcscribed  5'2bO  kinds;  and  although  that  number  presented  a  great 
accession  to  the  amount  contained  in  the  preceding  system  ol 
-Linuicus,  yet  so  rapidly  has  our  acquaintance  with  tlie  coleopte- 
rous tribes  been  extended  since  the  period  alluded  to,  that  the  col- 
lection of  M,  Dupont,  junior,  of  I'aris,  contains  about  1(),()()(! 
species,  and  that  of  the  JJaron  de  .lean  a  still  greater  number. 
The  known  coleoptera  of  (ireat  Britain  alone  amount  to  nearlv 
3,300  and  every  year  furnishes  additional  species.  The  total 
amount  of  known  IJritish  insects  (according  t<'  the  last  rrnsiir),  i> 
10,01 '2,*  which  is  equal  to  nearly  twice  the  nund>er  of  ascertaiiuil 
birds,  and  to  more  than  ten  times  the  number  of  asccrtainul 
quadrupeds  throughout  the  whole  world.f 
Allhonuli 

■*   Systi'iiiiitic  ('iit.il;!t,'mMil'Uritisli  Iiiso.'ts.      IJy  l'".  .(.  Slinciis,  I'an   II.,  ji.  MC*. 
f  III  regard  to  plaats,  DccaiiclollL-  ('Ess.ii  Elciiiciit.  JcCio'igrai)!).  Uotaii.';intiin:ili- 


jimerlcan  Onillhologi/. 


337 


(1,  ill   iioitli 

I,  ca|)tiii'((l 
nortli  lati- 
attcnipl  to 

of  aj)liis,  in 
ihc  iioiii(s( 

ic    iioiIIk'Hi 

ssos,  that  is, 

wise,  is  fsli- 

safily  be  us- 

c  ainoiint  ol 

'i\>rc  even  (it 

and  snpciti- 

dt"  the  eaitli 

lical  featmf. 

that  the  nii- 

linji,  foatiuis 

'J 'he    <j;ie!it 

an  extended 

he  interior  ot 

I,  tlie  ccnlial 

rill  Anu'ricii, 

d  phiteaux  ol 

iiost    entirely 

nis. 

pterous  order 
itully  studied 
es  are  of  tivo 
to  have  beer. 
jriini,'  he  h:i> 
ientcd  a  <j,\v\\\ 
nK  svstem  oi 
the  ooleoptt- 
,  that  the  col- 
about  l(),()()i» 
ater  nnndjcr. 
lunt  to  nearlv 
i.  The  total 
ast  censvr),  is 
of  asccrtaiiii'ii 
jf  asccrtaintil 

Althoiiuli 

an  II.,  J).  .■"''•' 
Uijtilll.'j  illtiin:ili< 


i\llIion!;h  T.accpcde  did  not  describe  many  inoVc  than  'J()(K) 
■hlics,  some  years  have  elapaed  since  it  btcaine  e\id(iit  that 
#11  observed  species  ol  that  class  amounted  to  nearly  twice  the 
lliiniber;  and  l>aroii  Cnvier  has  lately  remarked,  that  the  amount 
0  known  iishes  may  now  be  estimated  at  (i(J<J(). 
£  I'lnfl'nn  was  wont  to  com])laiii  of  the  ditliculty  of  writinj^  an  orni- 
i^ioloiiieal  history,  because  lie  was  already  ae(|iiainte(l  \\illi  >S(>() 
birds,  and  he  supposed  that  there  mii;hl  actually  exist  J.jOO, 
iM- even  '.'()()()  species.  iS early  (JOOO  of  that  class  have  likewise 
lie(  II  ascertained,  and  many  new  species  are  in  the  course  of  being 
l^ded  every  Near. 

{^  '  in  the  animal  kin<rdom,'  says  lierkenhout,  writiii<i;  about  tiic 
*c;ir  17^^!),  '  the  miinber  of  species  of  the  class  mammalia  hitherto 
|us(  oveied  is  about  iJ.jO;  of  lliis  number  At  only  are  inhabitants  of 
jiiitain.'  Many  foreign  quadrupeds  have  been  so  obscurely  and 
fljIiK  eiirately  described,  that  it  is  by  no  means  easy  to  ascerta'u 
Mjilii  |)iecision  their  actual  iiinount ;  but  we  doubt  not  tliut  between 
8if)(i  and  iJOO  inaiiiniileroiis  species  have  fallen  nniler  the  observa- 
tion of  naturalists.*  The  Ihitish  species,  as  might  be  supposed 
*"^  a  limited  iiisiihir  district,  have  not  been  greatly  increased 
recent  ob.'-ervalion.  J)r.  riiniing,  in  his  compendium,  gives 
as  the  amount  of  this  class,  including,  of  course,  the  cetacca 
1  seals ;  and  his  work  appears  to  contain  all  the  species  yet 
)wii  in  JJritaiii,  widi  the  exception  of  a  few  bats.  Mammi- 
[)us  animals,  in  general,  that  is  to  say,  «iuadrupeds  ;uid  whales, 
nWy  be  located  over  the  eaith's  surface  (approximately)  as 
fallows  : — 'Jhere  are  about  !)()  species  in  Europe  ;  I  \'2  in  Africa  ; 
$P  ill  Madaga,sc;ir  and  the  Isle  of  Trance  ;  J-'O  in  Soiuhern  Asia 
id  Ceylon;  betwixt  .30  and  (JO  in  the  islands  of  the  Jiidiaii 
icliipelago;  from  40  to  .00  in  Morlheiu  Asia;  above  100  in 
fordi  America  ;  nearly  1<J0  in  Scuth  America  ;  and  from  .'io  to 
)  ill  New  llollaiul  and  \  an  DieniJii's  Land.  .'()  species  of  seals 
id  cetacca  inhabit  the  northern  seas  ;  14  the  southern  ;  and  about 
,?  species  of  these  tribes  occur  in  the  inleriiiediate  latitudes, 
jitie  are  probably  about  (iO  species  which  are  strictly  aquatic: — 
■.  the  cetacca; — CO  species,  such  as  die  seals  and  morses,  may  be 
"led   amphibious,  in  as  far  as  they  come  frequently  on  shore, 


Me 

«Wi  „  „.    ...^  ^, „  _..._, 

100,110(1  jihiiiHTciiiiiiiuns  sjii'i-ii's,  uc  slmiilil  ciiiKc  to  the  fi)aclu-,iuii  tliiit  tluTc  vlviu 
nearly  70(i,')(ill  (liiU.|-,.i,i  Ui,,,)^  ^c  jusfcis  in  tliuwiiul.  How  tiulv  '  iii.iiiiluld '  aiu  tliu 
WorlisurOiMiiiictLiii  Wiiddiii  ! 

•■■  iMoiuigr;ii.lii«  du  Miiiimiulogie.    Par  J  ,  C.  Tcniiniuck,  tmne  i.  IS-V. 
,i  although 


339 


American  Onuthohfjy, 


altlioii^h  tlie  saline  waters  of  the  ocean  are  llieir  more  familiar  siinl 
aecnstonuul  Iiumicn  ;  about  lOO  arc  able  to  support  llui'istl\(\ 
in  till!  air  witli  bat-like  \vin<;s  ;  perhaps  a  do/eii  more  can  skim 
from  a  j;reat«'r  to  a  lesser  liei<;lit,  as  it  were  upon  an  inclined  plane, 
bv  means  of  the  extended  fulness  .  their  lateral  skin;  \.'>  may  bi 
said  to  be  web-fuoted,  and  inhabit,  fur  the  most  part,  the  walersui 
lakes  .«nd  rivers:  nearly  'i<K)  dwell  among  trees  ;  (i()  are  u  sublii. 
ranean  j^eople,  and  dwell  in  the  crevices  of  rocks,  or  in  the  h<il(> 
of  the  eaith  ;  about  I'JO  ruminating  and  pachydermatous,  aiic 
more  than  1.50  of  the  carnivorous  and  gnawing  tribes  (glires' 
uander  through  tlu!  forests  without  any  particular  or  |)erm;nii'iii 
habitation,  and  are  generally  endowed  with  the  power  of  rii|iii 
movement.  In  relation  to  their  nomishment  there  ar(!  about  .'i.)i 
mannnifcrous  animals  of  an  herbivorous  or  frugiv orous  disp(j 
sition  ;  about  SO  whose  habits  are  onmivorous  ;  l.)(>  whiih  an 
insectivorous,  and  f240  carnivorous  in  various  degrees.*  AnuHii; 
living  authors  the  fullest  summaries  of  the  class  mammalia  an 
given  by  Desniarest,  CiriHith,  and  M.  l.<esson. 

'J'he  migratory  movements  of  animals  frequently  efVect  an 
interchange  between  the  zoological  productions  of  on<;  counli} 
and  those  of  another.  These  movements  consist  of  two  principi 
kinds,  which  may  be  called  the  irregular,  or  intermittent,  and  tin 
j)eriodic;d.  Of  tiie  former  kind,  (piailrupeds,  such  as  the  Iciii 
ming  {Mii.i  Icmmtm,  Linn.),  and  insects,  .such  as  various  species  o 
locust,  present  the  most  characteristic  examples  ;  whilst  the  nutun 
of  periodical  migration  is  illustrated  by  the  swallow  and  cuekdi 
among  birds,  and  by  the  salmon  and  herring  among  lishes.  0 
the  lemmings  we  have  heard  less  of  late  years  than  might  h:i\i 
been  anticipated  from  the  numerous  accounts  which  last  ceimir 
furnished  of  their  history.  They  are  described  as  natives  of  tli 
moimtains  of  Kolen,  in  Lapland ;  and  once  or  twice,  in  a  (punti 
of  a  century,  they  appeared  in  vast  numl)ers,  advancing  along  tin 
ground,  and  devouring  *  every  green  thing.'  Inmunerable  band 
march  from  the  Kolen,  through  Nordland  and  linmark,  to  tin 
Western  Ocean,  which  they  innnediately  enter,  and,  after  swim- 
ming about  for  some  time,  perish.  Other  bands  lake  their  roiile 
through  Swedish  Lapland  to  the  IJothnian  Ciidph,  where  they  art 
drowned  in  the  same  manner.  If  they  are  opposiil  by  the  pw- 
sanls  they  stand  still  and  bark  at  them  ;  and  they  themselves  iin 
not  only  barked  at  in  return,  but  eaten  in  great  tptantilies  by  tin 
lean  and  hungry  dogs  of  Jjapland.  The  appearance  of  tliin 
vermin  is  regarded  as  the  omen  of  a  bad  harvest.  'Jhey  :iii 
followed  in  their  journeys  by  bears,  wolves,  and  foxes,  which  pn 
upon   tiieui    incessantlv,   and   rejiard   tiiem  as  the  most  deliciou: 


^Itrcnt 
Obrllii'iii 
tOA\ai(ls 
'  (ollowci 
lie  man 
^al  the 
single 
le  ksser 
tir.!  win! 
reiii-(le( 
Tile  iim 
le  head 
lication 
V"ishnie 
ore  abui 
»ny  l)in! 
licli  ihr- 
for  tiie  , 
places  nio 
•pawn  in 


*  Miuuiiialogie,  par  M.  JJubiniuX'st,  part  ii.  AvcrtissiiR'nI.  ii.  vi, 


foud. 


American  Ornilfiolnijif. 


3.-.0 


'aiiiilint'  mill 

•(!  «;in  skim 

iiiui  |»laiu', 

1,'}  may  bi 

lie  waltMsiii 

ic  a  .svildti- 

iii   tlu:  li(ilc> 

iiatoits,  ami 

il)cs  («iliiTs* 

pciiiiaiiciii 

vcr  of  ia|)ii 

(•  about  .)  )i 

)i()i\H    (iis|)(i 

()    wllilll    !11( 
S.*        AllKtllL' 

aiuinalia   an 

ly    ciW'vX    :ii 
»)iic   coiiiiti) 
wo  i)iiii(;i|>.i 
lent,  ami  tin 
as    tlif  Ii'iii 
)iis  sporifs  ()i 
ili.t  tlu;  iiatuii 
;  and   curkdi 
jf  ii^^lu.',s.      0 
u   nii;j,lit  liaM 
I   last  ct'Miiu 
natives  of  tli 
,  in  a  ([uaiti 
:ing  alonj;  tin 
luiable  baiiil 
iniaik,   to  tilt 
I,  alter  swim- 
ke  their  nmK 
,\lu  re  they  art 
d  by  the  pw- 
heniselves  ;iit 
antilies  by  lli' 
anee   of   tlii-t 
St.     Tiu'y  :iit 
es,  wliii  h  pit. 
inosl   ilelienii. 


food  *  Tli(>sr  excursions  usually  precede  a  rigorous  winter,  of 
itiiuU  the  lennnings  seem  in  some  way  forewarned.  I'or  ex- 
aiiipli',  the  winter  of  174'i,  remarkable  for  itli  seventy  throuf^hout 
^r  ciiele  of  luuea,  was  comparatively  mild  in  that  of  Lula, 
4tli<)U<;h  situated  farther  to  the  noith;  the  lennuin<;s  nii<;;rate(i 
ftv)in  the  former,  but  remained  stationary  in  the  latter  district, 
iVlialever  may  be  the  motive  of  these  jouriu-ys,  they  are  executed 
with  siiiprisiuu;  pt  i>e\erancc,  ami  with  the  universal  accord  of  tho 
fl4ii)le  nation.  I'he  nf/irinti  murium  pours  forth  its  entire  hmdes, 
•Bd,  for  :i  time,  scarcely  a  reumant  is  left  in  their  ancient  habita- 
tions. 'I'lie  greater  proportion,  however,  perish  before  they  reach 
(Jie  sea,  and  of  course  few  survive  to  icturn  to  their  accustomed 
)nies.  They  do,  however,  endeavour  to  return  ;  for  the  object  of 
iv'w  travel  to  a  far  country,  whatever  it  may  be,  is  not  to  found  a 
inltiplied  or  more  extended  empire,  'i'liis,  indeed,  is  eviileiit 
loin  the  comparatively  local  restriction  of  the  s|)eeies,  for  the  true 
riiininji  of  the  Scandinavian  Alps  does  not  appear  to  occur  even 
liiissian  Lapland  ;  and  the  kind  which  inhabits  the  countries  in 
^e  iieiglihnurhood  of  the  \\  hite  and  I'olar  seas,  as  far  as  tho 
wiitlis  (it  the  Obi,  is  a  species  or  strongly-marked  variety, 
lialler  by  at  least  one-third,  and  of  a  dilferent  aspect  and  colour. t 
Vir  mif^ratoiy  propensities  are,  however,  entirely  the  same  in 
pleieiit  countries,  for  the  species  which  dwells  among  the 
wtliern  extremities  of  the  I'ral  mountains,  emigrates  sometimes 
kvanls  Pet/.ora,  at  other  times  towards  tiie  banks  of  the  Obi,  and 
followed,  as  usual,  by  troops  of  carnivorous  and  insatiate  foes. J 
pie  manners  of  the  species  are  said  to  present  this  discrepaiicv, 
lat  the  ^Norwegian  lemmings  lay  up  uo  provisions,  ami  have  oidy 
[single  chand)er  in  their  subterranean  dwelling-places,  whereas 
le  ksser  kiiul  excavate  numerous  apartments,  and  are  provident 
the  winter  season  by  storing  up  ample  nuigazines  of  that  species 
rein-deer  moss,  called  lichen  ruujjijcrinvs.^ 
iTIie  immediate  cause  of  those  movements,  which  we  class  under 
le  Iliad  of  irregular  migration,  seems  to  be  the  excessive  multi- 
litalion  of  the  species,  anil  the  consequent  want  of  a  suflicing 
yiiisliment,  which  naturally  leads  them  to  seek  elsewhere  for  a 
Die  abundant  supply.  Periodical  migrations,  such  as  those  of 
lily  birds  and  fishes,  are  more  probably  prodiiceil  by  the  desire 
lull  these  aninuds  experience  of  returning  to  their  native  haunts 
Wr  tlie  purpose  of  producing  and  rearing  t!ieir  young  in  tho 
places  most  litted  for  their  reception  ami  increase.  Tishes  always 
•pawn  ill  comparatively  shallow  waters ;  from  which  we  may  infer, 


t.  U.VI. 


•"'lit;  DuiWiy's  Annual  Iti'^^istor  for  ir(i!).  f   ScIuuIjit,  \t\.  U15.  B. 

X  I'iillas.  Nova'  siuiiis  (^iiailnipciluni  c  j^liiimn  oriliuu, 
V  Diet.  C'lubb.  il'llibt.  iS'at.,  urticly  (\inipofjnul. 


lout' 


that 


)40 


A  m  erica  n  Orn  ilh  ohh/y , 


tliat  tlir  iiifliiciioc  of  li^lit  niul  heat  is,  to  a  certain  extent,  neces- 
sary for  the  (lovelopnient  of  the  germ  of  hfe  ;  and  ihu.s,  however  far 
tliey  may  wander  for  a  time  into  tlie  ileplhs  of  '  tlie  bhie  |)ro- 
found,'  they  relnrn  again  to  their  native  shores  before  llie  eoiii- 
nieneenient  of  tlie  l)ree(lin}»  season.  The  fry  not  only  fnid  lluir 
nourishment  more  abundantly  in  the  bays  and  along  the  eompaia- 
lively  shallow  lirllis  of  the  sea,  or  among  the  sedgy  banks  ami 
gravelly  margins  of  lakes  and  rivers ;  but  they  are  also  in  sudi 
8itnati(ms  less  exposed  to  the  attacks  of  their  natural  foes,  just  ns 
the  smaller  tribes  of  birds  seek  protection  from  hawks  among  the. 
branches  of  trees,  or  in  tin;  denser  foliage  of  die  shrubbery. 

It  is  usually  about  the  periods  of  the  ecpjinoxes  that  the  priii. 
cipal  migri'  y  movements  of  birds  are  performed.  At  those 
periods  strong  winds  are  apt  to  prevail,  and,  no  doubt,  act  their 
part  in  transporting  these  hap|)y  aeronauts  to  their  destined  honi^ 
In  eonsctpience  of  such  movenienlsa  regular  intercourse  is  kept  up 
between  different  countries,  and  a  flux  and  rellux  of  feii'Jiered  life 
maintained  ; — the  countries  situated  near  the  tropics  sending  their 
inhabitants,  on  the  approach  of  sunnner,  into  temperate  regions, 
while  the  latter  prepare  for  their  reception  by  despatching  a  still 
greater  number  towards  die  polar  circles.  On  the  approach 
of  winter  again,  the  hyperborean  regions  are  left  nearly  desolate  In 
the  migration  soudiwards  of  their  winged  tribes,  while  the  tempe- 
rate regions  are  deprived  of  many  beautiful  songsters  by  a  corre- 
sponding decrease  of  temperature,  and  consetpienl  failure  of  inseil 
food,  by  which  they  are  forced  once  more  to  venture,  without  guidt 
or  compass,  across  stormy  seas  and  desert  wildernesses.  By  wlia: 
unknown  and  mysterious  calendar  are  they  instructed  ? 

'  Tiic  (lod  of  nature  is  their  secret  guide.' — While. 

Whatever  theory  of  instinct  may  be  finally  fixed  upon  as  tin 
most  correct  and  philosophical,  it  is  obvious  that  we  cut  ratlu 
than  untie  the  gordian  knot  when  we  talk  of  die  foresight  of  tlif 
brute  creation.  We  might  as  well  talk  of  the  foresight  of  a  ba^ 
rometer.  There  can  be  little  doubt  diat  birds,  prior  to  Uieir  mi- 
gratory movements,  arc  intluenced  by  atmospherical  changes,  or 
other  physical  causes,  which,  however  beyond  the  sphere  of  cm 
perceptions,  are  suflicient  for  their  guidance.  That  they  are  nut 
possessed  of  the  power  of  divination  may  be  exemplilied  by  the 
following  instance.  The  winter  of  18'J2  was  so  remarkably  iniU 
throughout  Europe,  that  primroses  came  generally  into  (lower  in 
the  end  of  December, — rye  was  in  ear  by  the  middle  of  ^laicli, 
and  vines,  in  sheltered  situations,  blossomed  about  the  end  of  tiiai 
month, — so  that  an  assured  and  unchecked  spring  was  establisiu'ii 
at  least  four  or  live  weeks  earlier  than  usual  ; — yet  neither  ll« 
cuckoo  nor  the  swallow  arrived   a  single  day  before  their  acciis- 

tOllK'il 


American  OmUhiilof/y, 


,141 


)n»r(l  periods.*  They  nre,  iiidoed,  Itriuitifiilly  and  wisely  directed, 
-<  Veil,  tlie  stork  in  tlie  iicavtiis  kiiovvclli  her  iippoiiitcd  limes; 
[nd  th(;  turtle,  utid  the  cruiie,  uiid  the  swallow,  observe  the  tin  u 
\t'  their  coiiiiii};;.' 

Jt  is  eviileiil,  that  of  all  iiattirul  agents  climate  is  the  most 
Powerful  in  ehanging  and  modiiying  the  external  ehuractcrs  of  tlu; 
eathered  race ;  and,  tlu  itfore,  to  enable  ns  to  accpiire  siieh  know- 
edf^i;  as  may  render  ns  enmpetent  to  distin<fnish  hetwciii  s|U'cilic 
[ifferenee  and  aeridental  variation,  we  nii<>ht  to  pay  particular 
ttention  to  the  ellects  proilnecd  by  local  po  ii"mi  ;  in  other  words, 
ic  nnist  study  the  geographical  distribuiion  >i'  the  .ipeciis.  The 
jnthience  oi  climate  upon  birds,  and  the  niv'ual  relations  subsistin<{ 
jilween  »he  general  characters  of  the  plumage  '>f  many  liibts,  and 
he  temperature  and  odicr  physical  ipialities  of  the  country  in 
k\hich  such  tribes  arc  most  abundant,  althoii,';li  among  the  more 
Interestmg  of  the  general  speculations  'thich  ilu;  science  of  orni- 
Ihohigy  admits,  have  as  yet,  we  belie'  e,  but  sparingly  occupitil 
he  attention  of  naturalists,  in  fact,  ornilhologv  has  hitherto  met 
lidi  scarcely  any  general  oi  philosophical  illustration,  and  may  be 
[aid  to  have  renniined  nearly  stationary  in  those  respects,  dining 
fie  recent  progress  of  the  higher  branchts  of  botany  ami  mineralogy, 
even  of  entomology,  and  other  more  nearly  allied  departments, 
lunurons  species  have  been  descril  ed,  and  numerous  systems  of 
hissification  (for  better  or  ft)r  worse)  have  been  invented ;  after 
I'hich  ornithologists  have  too  often  rested  from  their  labours, 
ii.staking  the  nuans  for  the  end,  and  believing  that  all  was  ac- 
boni])lishcd  when  only  certain  necessary  steps  hud  been  taken,  and 
|he  way  cieiiied  (though  but  to  a  limited  extent)  for  the  coni- 
^ueucenient  of  those  more  extended  and  more  jihilosophical  iu- 
juiries,  without  which  there  is  little  interest,  and  no  dignity,  in 
iny  science, 
lliiger,  in  his  paper  on  the  geography  of  birds,  has  indeed 
[treated  of  the  habitation  of  upwartls  of  3800  species  ;  f  but,  in 
Itlu-  opinion  of  Humboldt,  he  has  erred  in  viewing  them  according 
Ito  their  distribution  over  the  live  great  divisions  of  the  world, 
-a  method,  certainly,  by  no  m<jans  philosophical,  and  little  litted 
or  investigating  the  intluence  of  climate  over  the  development  of 
)rgani/.ed  beings  ;  because,  as  all  iIk  continents,  with  the  cxcep- 
pion  ot  Europe,  extend  from  the  temperate  to  the  e(juatorial 
regions,  the  laws  of  nature  cannot  manifest  themselves  Mhen  wc 
5i()Up  the  phenomena  according  to  divisions  which  are  arbitrary, 
^aiid  which  depend  simply  upon  the  ditrerence  of  meridians. 


(«as)i;ir(l,  MtiiKiire  sur  le  Coucou.  .foiirii.  du  I'hysiiil.  Kxi^rii 
liuii'llari-cliu  t'eliyrsiilit   (k'r   vi'itlioihiiit;   iliT  vii;'fl   iilicr 


nil).     JiiillLt.    IS'.'l. 

_ -         „      --        ri  (lie  fidi'.     Aliliiiiiil. 

Mi]-uii  ilcr  KDiiiylicht'u  Akadcuiiu  dcr  AVisbciibchultcu  iu  Bfiliii.     Vol.  iv.,  p.  'Jiil. 

A  Swiss 


342 


American  OmUIwlogy. 


A  Swiss  naturalist,  some  time  n^o,  endeavoured  to  illustrate 
the  laws  according  to  which  the  birds  of  Juirope  are  dislribuietl 
over  our  continent.  The  country  in  which  a  bird  produces  its 
young  is  regarded  as  its  proper  one,  and  all  the  species  which  luav 
occasionally  occur  there,  but  do  not  breed,  are  classed  as  birds  of 
passage.  According  to  this  view,  such  species  as  are  birds  of 
passage  in  one  country  are  not  so  in  another,  although  they  equally 
depart  from  and  return  towards  it,  as  the  temperature  declines  or 
increases.  Thus  our  native  species  (in  Britain),  in  addition  to  our 
constant  residents,  are  the  swallow,  the  redstart,  the  willow  wrens, 
the  nightingale,  and  other  summer  visitants  ;  uhilst  the  fieldfare, 
redwing,  wild  swan,  &c.  which  visit  us  during  the  winter  season, 
are  the  only  true  foreigners,  in  as  hr  as  they  were  born  and  bred 
in  another  country.  The  proper  country  of  a  migratory  bird  is 
certainly  that  in  which  it  has  been  born  and  bred ;  for,  although  it 
is  forced,  by  the  changes  of  the  season,  to  sojourn  for  a  great 
[)roportion  of  the  year  in  regions  which  enjoy  an  almost  per- 
petual summer,  it  never  ceases  to  obey  the  periodical  calls  of  that 
beautiful  instinct,  that  am/)r  patriee,  or  by  whatever  other  name  it 
may  be  called,  by  which  it  is  made,  as  it  were,  to  discern  a  re- 
newal of  the  genial  spring  in  those  far  distant  northern  countries 
where  it  had  its  birth.  The  knowledge  of  a  few  general  facts  seems 
to  have  resulted  from  the  investigation  now  alluded  to.  The  nearer 
we  approach  the  poles,  the  more  do  we  find  the  species  proper  to 
those  regions,  and  the  fewer  are  the  foreign  species  which  make 
their  appearance.  Greenland  has  not  a  single  bird  of  passage, 
that  is  to  say,  none  which  has  not  been  produced  in  that  country ; 
Iceland  has  only  one,  which  remains  during  winter,  and  departs 
ill  spring  for  still  more  northern  countries  ;  Sweden  and  Norway 
have  several  more  birds  of  passage,  and  they  increase  in  nund)er 
as  we  advance  towards  the  centre  of  Europe.  Tiie  amount  and 
nature  of  the  species  bear  a  relation  to  the  quality  and  quantity 
of  the  food  by  which  they  are  sustained.  Spitzbergen  produces 
scarcely  more  than  a  single  herbivorous  species  ;  for  there  the  sea 
presents  almost  the  sole  source  of  nourishment,  and  all  the  rocks, 
and  clifl's,  and  icy  caverns,  the 

'  Earthquake-rifted  mountains  of  briglit  snow,' 

are  inhabited  by  aquatic  fowls,  ravens,  and  a  few  hawks.  In  the 
frigid  zone  a  much  greater  number  of  inarsh  birds  breed  than  in 
any  of  the  warmer  countries  of  Euiope.  I'Aen  in  regard  to  do- 
mestic species,  each  country,  according  to  Schinzt,  has  its  peculiar 
varieties  of  poultry.* 


*  New  Imniiries  into  the  Laws  which  lire  olis,rvi!(l  in  tlio  distribution  uf  Vi';;t'tiiljlii 
Forms.     Ktliuburgli  Philosoiihie^il  Journal,  vol.  vii.,  p.  I'J, 

Jjlll 


jfo^ind  t< 
t^ns  no 
)uring 
lexico, 

,ates, 
jng  ill 
l^lu  ele' 
<5onnd 
|1.  lion 
Mnder  ()'( 
^uring  tl 

#/'"'•'••>•), 
#   die 
i^aw  tl) 
^iithnr 
wehtern 
Several 
(suidi  ■,\- 
raiily  ot 


Amn'wan  Ornitholngtj. 


34.1 


o  illustrate 

distribuieil 

rodiiccs  its 

whicli  iiiiiv 

as  birds  of 

re  birds  o!" 

i("y  cqiiallv 

declines  or 

itiou  to  our 

low  wrens, 

10  fieldfare, 

ntcr  season, 

lu  and  bud 

itory  bird  is 

,  although  it 

for  a   great 

almost  per- 

calls  of  that 

ler  name  it 

iiscern  a  rc- 

rn  conntries 

I  facts  seems 
The  nearer 

es  proper  to 
which  make 
of  passage, 
hat  country ; 
and  departs 
nid  Norway 
:  in  number 
amount  and 
and  quantity 
nn  produces 
:here  the  sea 

II  the  rocks, 

» 

As.     In  tlic 
reed  lluui  in 
.'gard   to  do- 
its peculiar 


mi  of  Vi';;i'(iiljli! 

Jim 


J*  But  it  is  time  that  we  should  turn  our  attention  rather  moie 
■ectly  to  the  subjects  named  at  the  head  of  this  article.  . Mthoiigli 
cannot  be  said  to  have  acquired  a  perfect  knowledge  of  llio 
fi^nilliology  of  North  America,  we  yet  possess,  in  the  beautiful 
IJiork  of  Alexander  Wilson,  and  in  die  inipurtant  publications  of 
iittcceeding  writers,  such  an  accurate  and  inuple  history  of  the 
iMrds  of  tlie  United  States,  as  to  warrant  the  belief  that  no  very 
rtb'ikiiig  feature  of  the  science  remains  to  be  diicovered,  at  least  in 
^cse  districts.  It  is  otherwise,  innvever,  in  regard  to  the  we-.li in 
cliast,  and  the  extended  chain  of  the  Hocky  Mountains,  which, 

fe.'jiiiting  an  infinite  variety  of  hill  and  dale,  *  dingle  and  bushy 
II,'  lor  the  most  part  well  watered,  and  enjoying,  especially 
aHiioiig  its  western  slopes  and  valleys,  a  long  and  continuous  sum- 
fljer,  may  be  expected  to  yield,  not  only  several  species  peculiar  to 
{ttld  characteristic  of  its  own  localities,  but  also  a  considerable 
'^riety  of  the  southern  birds  of  passage  from  Mexico,  and  the 
pioie  tropical  regions  of  the  new  v,  orld.  It  has  been  long  ascer- 
t^ed,  in  regard  to  the  species  of  the  United  States,  that  the 
fMthern  migratory  birds  ascend  to  much  higher  latitudes  on  the 
wletern  than  on  the  eastern   side  of  the  great  Alleghany  chain  of 

fqM|unlaiiis;  *  and  from  what  we  know  of  the  line  climate  which 
QMracterizes  the  basin  of  the  Columbia,  and  other  portions  of  the 
tern  territory,  we  may  fairly  infer  that  many  species  fiom 
catan,  and  other  peninsular  portions  of  the  Isthmus,  will  be 
figilind  to  spread  through  Mexico,  and  even  to  extend  their  migra- 
tijt>ns  northwards  as  far  as  the  CJulph  of  Georgia,  and  its  neigh- 
touring  lakes.  Indeed,  it  is  an  established  fact,  that  many  birds  of 
ipexico,  entirely  unknown  in  the  Atlantic  tcrilories  of  the  United 
tales,  are  met  with  in  the  interior  of  Uie  country,  and  especially 
iig  the  range  of  the  Kocky  Mountains,  in  latitudes  of  consiilei- 
le  elevation.  A  speci<js  of  water-ouzel  {Cinclas  Amcrkuntis), 
l^und  by  Mr.  Bullock  in  Mexico,  has  also  been  received  by 
i/l.  Bonaparte  from  the  shores  of  ?'  ■  Athabasca  Lake,  which  lies 
nder  (J0°  of  northern  latitude  ;■)-  u.id  Kot/ebue  informs  us  that 
(jelling  the  suinmer  season  the  rufl-necked  humming-bird  (Trochiliia 
pilaris),  occurs  along  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  as  high 
the  sixly-lirst  parallel.  The  Californian  vulture  does  not 
cur  to  the  east  of  the  llocky  Mountains,  and  the  black  vulture 
^(itlinrlcs  iilndii)  attains  to  much  higher  hitiludes  along  the 
V^estern  shores  than  among  either  the  central  or  eastern  territories. 
Several  South  American  species  likewise  occur  in  the  Union 
(such  as  Fuho  dispar  and  Columbti  leucoccjihnbi),  but  the  gene- 
rality of  these  are  confined  to  the  southern  states. 


*   JJiUtuu'a  Discourse  (111  till'  l»iiiu'ip:il  l)o!<i(U'ra(a  nC  NaluniUliatory,  p. 
f  Auiciicau  OiuitlioK>i,'y,  vol.  iii.  p.  1. 


There 


344 


Atperlcan  Ornilholofpj. 


There  is^  indeed,  no  region  out  of  iMirope,  of  equal  extent,  of 
which  \vc  jiossess  so  anijilc  and  correct  an  ornithological  know- 
ledge as  vc  do  of  the  United  States.  Of  tiie  three  writers, 
however,  to  whom  we  owe  tiiis  debt,  we  are  not  sure  tliat  even 
one  was  a  native  of  America.  The  first,  Alexander  ^\  ilson,  an 
emigrant  from  Paisley,  a  poet  by  birtli,  though  a  pedlar  by  pro- 
fession,— one  who,  realizing  the  peculiar  fancy  of  AVordsworlii— 

'  plodded  on, 
Tlirougli  liot  and  dusty  ways,  or  peltintr  storm, 
A  vagrant  merchant  bent  benealli  iiis  load,' 

was  also  the  author  of  the  most  delightful  collection  of  ornillio- 
logical  biographies  witii  which  we  are  acquainted.*  lie  describui 
the  birds  of  the  United  States  in  a  manner  wiiich  had  either  been 
previously  unattemptcd,  or,  if  attempted,  had  sign-.dly  failed  iil 
success;  and,  detailing  the  history  of  their  haunts  anil  habits  with 
an  accuracy  and  animation  which  relieved  the  su!)ject  of  its  accus- 
tomed aridity,  he  rendered  a  work  of  genuine  science  as  i'ltertst- 
iny  to  the  sieneral  student  as  to  the  devoted  naturalist.  His  book 
formed,  in  fact,  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  the  feathered  tribes; 
and,  lightening  the  subject  itself  of  the  opprobrious  weight  under 
which  it  had  long  laboureil,  it  placed  that  opprobrium  on  tin 
shoulders  of  those  who  chose  to  continue  their  '  danuiable  itera- 
tion '  of  technical  details,  •^o  the  exclusion  of  the  spirit  of  lill' 
Mliich  pervades  the  beautili  "  originals.  Wilson  died  as  he  hail 
lived — in  poverty.  He  appt  '"s  to  have  been  a  man  of  stroii;; 
feelings,  and  of  a  somewhat  m :.'tid,  if  not  irascible,  disposition; 
loving  his  own  j)ursuils  '  not  \>  ly,  but  too  well  ;'  and  either 
unabli;  or  disinclined  to  check  tirosc  asperities  of  temper  whidi 
are  apt  to  arise  in  the  minds  of  men  whose  feelings  and  opinion- 
are  (liametiically  opposed  to  those  of  the  woiUI  around  ihcni. 
'J'hc  day-star  of  his  life,  which,  under  happier  auspices  and  a  inon 
prudent  zeal,  might  have  led  to  emolument  as  well  as  honour.  Ma? 
regarded  by  ahnost  all  by  wiiom  he  was  surrounded  as  nothing 
more  than  a  delusive  meteor, — a  sort  of  '  \\  ill  o'  the  Wisp'  whicli 
could  never  lead  to  good.  In  truth,  he  came  into  the  world  (par- 
ticularly the  new  world)  at  least  half  a  century  too  soon.     Had  lie 

*  AnifiicMU  Oniithclof,')',  or  t'lo  Natm-al  Ilistmy  oftlu"  Jiinls  i>f  iho  liiitid  Slatr< 
by  Alcxaiuk'i'  Wilson.  'J  vols.  -Ito.  I'liiladtlpliiii.  ItJCS— II.  'i  lii'  (luscrii>ti\' 
liurliou  of  the;  last  voluiui:  (tlu'  jilaks  of  wliicli  wuro  iiri'paix'd  I'lior  to  Wilson's  diatl. 
ill  LSI;!)  was  written  liy  Mr.  {icori;('  Oril.  Moru  than  ono  sul)si'iiin!nt  edition  dI'iIk' 
L'litiri' wiirli  lias  heon  inihlishi;<l  in  America,  from  the  orij^iiial  pldi's;  and  wu  rejnift' 
to  seo  that  these  jileasant  volumes  (cumhined  with  lioiiaii.ute's  Sniiplemenl.  ainl 
other  valuahle  matter)  have  heen  reimhlished  in  '  Constahle's  Mibi'el'.iiny,'  wheu't'e 
wliole,  hesides  heini;  presented  in  a  cheaii  and  portiihle  form,  has  lieen  melhodiiMl'y 
arvaiitreil,  with  notes  and  additional  references,  liy  a  liij;hly  distin^iiibhed  natiir.ili>i. 
I'rofessor  J.imesuii. 

survival 


sa^ived  t( 
have  been, 
wesleii 
of  oui 

it  the  re 
ilved  and 
but  fairly 
then  liis  d 
wide-spreai 
9$id  his  occ 
Ml  labours 
a^ld  died  ii 
aid  one  oi 
t|f  ingeniu 
<rf>'  Union 
tofthose  wl 
ta<r<!tlect, 
hia^manlioa 
hoiK>urs,  ai 
Wealth;  th 
oatural  his 
m^hods  ai 
doMhted  iin 
ilt<|St  coiitii 
science  fior 
supplt 

led  by  \ 
apl  mteiiigi 

a^a  aUhoug 
would  scar( 
which  at  on 
5U  by  ih, 
it  is  we  I 
resi)ect 
inigs  of  : 
rial  nuiui 
It  too  lal 

artist  who 
with    .M.   [ 

•  .■\nu'riiMn 
Stetes,  not   i^\\ 
natnri!.      liy   ( 
Only  the  huiil  I 


1 


Amrrimn  Ornithnlofjy. 


PAj 


1  extent,  (if 
jical  kiiow- 
ec  writers, 
e  tliat  even 
\Vilsoii,  ill! 
liar  by  pm- 
irdsworlli— 


1  of  oniitlio- 

le  (lescriljtil 

filluT  been 

Uy   failed  el 

habits  willi 
jf  its  ncc{\)i- 
:  as  i'ltcrest- 
II  is  book 
cicd  tribes: 
.■fii^lit  iiiulei 
iimi  on  tile 
nablc  iteia- 
pirit  of  life 

1  as  he  hail 
n  of  stroll;; 

lisposiliuu; 

and  cither 

iiper  wliieli 

1(1  opinion^ 
oimd  tlieiii. 

and  a  inon 


W 


lononr,  \va- 
as  notliin; 
is]) '  uliidi 

world  (par- 
Had  1m' 


in 

fiiiU'il  Slatr 
1  lu'  ik'scrii't;! 
\\'iihim's  I'.i'al' 
it  uilitioii  of  tilt 
imi  we  n'jiiii'' 
illiplrint'lll,  iUi' 
.iii\ ,'  wlii'ir  t'l 

■11     Illt'tlHlllilMl  } 

lb! It'll  iiiitur.ilM' 

snivivtii 


|||\ive(l   to  later  days,  and  been  aided,  as  he  assnredly  would 
e  been,  (like  the  Drununonds  and  i)onglases  now  expl(.iing 
western  wilds,)    by   the   patronage    of  our    public    societies 
of  our  private  cultivators   of  science,   so  as   to  assure  him 
t  the  result  of  his  researches  would  not  only  be  eagerly  re- 
eved and   highly  prized  by  enlightened  men    in   all   countries, 
bat    fairly  remunerated,    even    as   a   commercial    s|)ecula'.ion, — 
tlien  his  dubious  path  through  the  unvisited  forest,  or  over  the 
wide-spread  prairie,  would   have   been  cheered  and  enlightened, 
and  his  occasional  heart-sinkings  consoled  by  the  knowledge  that 
fafjl  labours  would  not  be  altogether  in  vain.     As  it  was,  he  lived 
aUd  died  in  poverty;   and  may  now  be  added  as  another  name, 
ai|d  one  of  the  brightest,  to  that  melancholy  muster-roll  which 
t|M$  ingenious   D'Israeli  has  recorded   in   his  historical  catalogue 
ol  '  Unfortunate  Naturalists.'      U  is  some  consolaiion,  liowevi  r, 
torthose  who  may  be  still  struggling  with  the  '  res  angnsta  doi  »i,' 
to  rellect,  that  aUhough   Linnuius  commenced  his  life,  or  at  least 
his  manhood,  by  mending  his  own  shoes,  he  died  .'jurounded  by 
honours,  and  in  the  enjoyment   of  competent,   if  not  abundant, 
Wealth ;  the  companion  of  princes,  and  the  father  of  a  school  of 
natural  history,  which,  however  various  may  be  the  opinions  of 
melliods  and  systems,   or  however  great  the  numerous   and  un- 
doubted improvements  of  modern  times,  aftbrded  the  steadiest  and 
most  continuous  light  which  has  ever  directly  resulted  to  zoological 
science  from  the  labours  of  a  single  individual. 
j^A  supplement  to  the  work  of  Alexander  W  ilson  has  been  pub- 
lillied  by  M.  Charles  Lucien  Bonaparte,  an  accurate,  assiduous, 
and  mttHigent  naturalist :  * — 

'  Peace  hath  iicr  victories  no  less  renowned  than  war  ;'— 

aOd  aUhough  the  most  comprehensive  circle  of  ornithological  fame 
would  scarcely  have  sufViced  to  satisfy  the  dazzling  expectations 
which  at  one  period  might  have  been  not  unreasonably  entertained, 
evpn  I)y  the  youngest  and  least  aspiring  relative  of  Napohoii, 
yet  it  is  well  that  one  who  fills  the  station  of  a  private  gentleman 
IIljiP  lespcclable  and  nnassinniiig  manner,  should  seek  to  associate 
feelings  ol  a  milder  and  more  humanising  character  with  his  iin- 
nu^rliil  name.  M.  Monaparte's  work  is  carefiillv,  though  some- 
what too  laboriouslv,  engraved.  The  plates  are  done  bv  the  same 
artlfet  who  executed  Wilson's;  and  although  we  cannot  agree 
with    M.    Boiiiparte,    that    Mr.  A.   Lawsou   is   the  '  lirst   orni- 


*  American  ()niitli(iliii;j-,  or  tliu  \atiuMl  Ilistury  oC  IJinls  iiih.iliillii'^' tlie  Uiiiti'il 
St»ti;s,  lint  i;ivoii  liy  Wilsim;  with  I'lj^uru's  ilr.iw'ii,  i;ii;;t.ivi'(1,  and  enlimnMl  fniin 
natiiri'.  liy  ChaiV'S  Lucirii  li,Miaiuit.'.  .J  vols.  -Ito.  I'hila.klplua.  I S'.;.')— '.iS. 
Only  tho  laml  birds  luivo  lic.ii  yut  imblishud. 


tliological 


,140 


Amniran  OrnUhoJngy. 


thological  engraver  of  our  ngp,'  we  have  no  special  objection  tn 
the  liif^li  and  niinutely-iinislied  filling  np  of  llie  j)lates,  except  tlint 
it  must  necessarily  increase  the  price  without  enhancing  the  value 
of  the  publication, — at  least  in  a  corresponding  degree  ;  for  tlie 
truth  ol  nature  in  all  large  subjects,  such  as  the  generality  of  the 
feathered  tribe,  is,  in  fact,  given  with  better  effect  by  a  lcs< 
laboured  manner.  When  every  feather  is  finished  ofV  so  as  to  re- 
present, not  the  aspect  of  nature  as  it  appears  when  the  subject  i^ 
looked  at  as  a  whole,  but  rather  the  appearance  which  each  indi- 
vidual plume  presents  when  examined  apart,  and  in  disconnexion 
from  its  neighbours,  the  result  is  to  produce  a  degree  of  tlntiKs* 
of  surface,  and  hardness  of  outline,  which  are  displeasing  in  :nt, 
principally  because  they  are  unknown  in  nature.  However,  tin 
work  is  highly  creditable  to  all  connected  with  it,  and  forms  a 
most  valuable  addition  to  our  knowledge  of  ornithology. 

iJut  the  most  signal   publication  on  American  birds  is  that  ol 
Mr.  Audubon,  which,  indeed,  far  exceeds,  in  size  and  splendoiii. 
all  its  predecessors  in  any  department  of  zoology.    The  dimension^ 
of  this  woi  k  are  such  as  to  enable  the  author  not  only  to  represeiil 
the  largest  birds  of  the  United   States,  of  the  size  aid  in  the  all- 
tudes  of  living  nature,  but  to  figure  them  in  family  groups  so 
admirably  conceived   and   executed,   as  really  to  form   historiciil 
pictures  of  the  greatest  interest,  and  of  the  highest  utility  to  tlu 
student  of  ornithology.      In  these  and  other  lespects,  neither  lii' 
predecessors  nor  his  contemporaries  can  be  named  as  his  equak 
either  in  Europe  or  America ;   for  we   know  of  no   one  who  li;i' 
at  all    in  the   same  degree  combined   accuracy  of  individual  ro- 
presentation    with    lively    and    energetic    portraiture    of   genera 
forms.     We  know  that  several  of  the  greatest  artists  that  ever  livn 
were  much  attachcil  to  animal  painting,  and  excelled  in  that  de- 
partment; and  although  the  professed  painter  has  higher  objed- 
in  view  than  to  pride  himself  on  the  accomplishment  of  ••  '•••bori- 
ously-detailed  copy  of  individual  nature,  yet  the  stud«'nt  of  seieiice, 
who  combines  the  minuter  observance  of  natural  objects  w  ith  l!:c 
love  of  whatever  is  picturesipie  or  beautiful,  cannot  fail  to  be  in- 
queutly  offended  by   the   discrepancies   exhibited   in  imaginative 
works  of  ait,  where,  the  greater  ilifllculties  having  been  overcoiiit, 
it  would  have  been  easy,  by  condescending  to  a  little  counnuii 
place  inquiry  and  attention,  to  avoid  errors  which  are  oidy  int 
glaring   because   of  the   ignorance    of  those  who  witness    tliciii 
If  a  painter  were  to  represent   a  greyhound  pointing  a  covey  o! 
moor-game  on  the  side  of  a  highland  mounlaiu,  the  mistake  woiilii 
be  thought  egregious  ;  and  as   soon  as   the  instinctive  habits  ami 
aequiretl  powers  of  the  feathered  tribes  become  as  generally  known 
as  the  sporting  propcnsilii-b  of  the  canine  race,  then  Sonuixi 

lluiisi; 


nmalier  : 

hi  incon 

11  a bout 

i\  or  IS 

ia  alone  ( 

as  an  ex 

illustratic 

ju«t  publ 

with  ana 

race,  fro  1 1 


whi 


en 

bably, 


nn 


th( 
ev 
the  accoii 
leader  of 
American 
W<'  be; 
Le  ^■ailla 
tbeconipl 
lected  :nu 
of  icience 
man  eior 
so  niiieli 
of  know 
the  bnr 
of  wild  b 
dreaniec 
should 
should  III 
youtli  :— 

n      '  Fo 
At 

Bat,  i,d 

Amtricaii 
P«ges  in; 

tendiim  I 
under  (lis 
endea\()ui 
already  fo 
history,  ;ii 
enthusiast 
■Mv.  Al 


American  Omilhology. 


347 


olijcction  tn 
,  except  that 
iiig  the  valiii 
rt-e  ;  for  tlie 

rality  of  tlie 
;t   by  a  less 

so  as  to  ic- 
he  subject  i^ 
rh  eacli  iiidi- 
(liscoiiiiexinii 

c  of  fliitiies- 
casing  in  :nt, 
loNvever,  tin 

aiul  forms  ;i 
)gy. 

ds  is  that  dl 
id  splendour, 
le  dimension* 
f  to  represc'iil 
d  in  the  alt'- 
ily  groups  sn 
irm   historiciil 

utility  to  till 
ts,  neither  h- 
as  his  equal-, 

one  who  li;i 
individual  n- 
e  of  gener;i 
that  ever  livm 
led  in  that  di- 
ligher  objed 
lit  of  •■  l:'b()ii- 
«'nt  of  scicnci', 
)jects  with  ill 

fail  to  be  fic- 
in  iuiagiuali\c 
fcii  overcoiiH, 
itlle  connuuii 
I  arc  oidy  m' 
wilncss  thciii 
ling  a  covey  o! 

mistake  woultl 
tive  habits  aiiJ 
cnerally  kuow" 
then  SoniuMi 


use  shall  cease  to  see  lords  ami  ladies  afield  with  hawks  ujion 
ir  wrists,  which   the  naturalist  detects    as    pertaining   to   the 

alter  short-winged  tribes,  and  which  he  consequently  knows  to 

b0  incompetent  to  achieve  the  purposes  which  they  are  represented 

« about  to  accomplish. 
TVor  is  it  the  illustrative  portion  of  Mr.  Audubon's  work  which 
is  alone  deserving  of  the  highest  commendation.  In  addition,  and 
as  an  explanatory  accompaniment  to  his  magnificent  volume  of 
illusUations,  which  now  consists  of  one  hundred  plates,  he  has 
ju»t  published  a  volume  of  letter-press  description,  which  abomuls 
witli  anuisiug  historical  narratives  of  the  habits  of  the  feathered 
race,  from  the  blood-thirsty  eagle, 

'  Upborne  at  evening  on  resplendent  wing,' 
which  the  increasing  population  of  the  United  States  is  prp- 
bably,  every  year,  driving  westward  from  its  ancient  eyries,  to 
the  uccimiplishcd  and  delightful  mocking-bird,  the  acknowledged 
leader  of  whatevci-  tuneful  band  may  gladden  the  silence  of  the 
AflJeiicau  woods. 

We  bear  in  melancholy  remembrance  the  fate  of  such  a  man  as 
Le  Vaillant,  who  devoted  his  life,  and  exhausted  his  fortunes,  in 
th«|^completion  of  his  ornithological  labours,  and  then  died  neg- 
lected and  in  poverty,  in  the  midst  of  those  who.se  admiring  love 
of  Jcience  might  Iiave  consoled,  in  his  hours  of  sorrow,  that  '  old 
man  eloquent,'  who,  in  the  ardour  of  his  youthful  years,  had  added 
so  much  of  what  was  beautiful  and  unknown  to  their  former  stock 
of  knowledge ;  and  who,  surviving  a  lengthened  sojourn  beneath 
the  binning  sun  of  Africa,  and  returning  unscathed  by  the  fangs 
of  wild  beasts,  and  the  poisoned  arrows  of  wilder  bushmen,  little 
dreamed,  that  in  the  centre  of  European  civilization  his  hopes 
should  reap  such  a  harvest  of  affliction,  that  his  grey  hairs 
shoulil  rue  even  the  lion's  mercy  which  had  spared  him  in  his 
youth : — 

'  For  homelcKs,  near  a  thousand  homes,  he  stood  ; 
And  near  a  thousand  tables,  jiined  and  wanted  food.' 

[t,  believing  that  a  far  different  and  brighter  destiny  awails  our 
erican  ornithologist,  and,  delighting  to  think  that  our  own 
;es  may  be,  in  some  measure,  subservient  to  his  success,  by  e.\- 
nig  the  knowledge  of  a  publication  which  necessarily  labours 
er  disadvantages  from  its  rather  unwieldy  dimensions,  we  shall 
endeavour  to  increase  the  interest  which  we  hope  the  reader 
already  feels  in  his  favour,  by  here  recording  a  brief  sketch  of  his 
history,  aiul  that  of  his  great  work,  with  which,  we  doubt  not,  the 
enthusiastic  auliior  i.,  prepared  to  sink  or  swim. 
■  ;Mr.  Audubon,  it  appears,  is  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  but 

of 


348 


American  OrnUholofjy. 


of  French  parentage,  if  not  of  French  birth  also.  For  twent; 
years  of  liis  nianliood,  liis  life  was  a  succession  of  vicissitiido 
He  attenipteil  various  branches  of  connnerce,  all  of  which  provu 
unsuccessful,  chiefly  in  consequence  of  his  mind  being  pervadii 
by  a  single  passion, — the  desire  of  cxploi  ing  the  wilderness  o: 
nature,  and  of  endeavouring  to  express,  with  his  pencil,  wiiat  In 
and  nianv  oilier  lovers  of  natine  must  Irivc  often  felt  to  be  iudtu 
inexpressible.  From  his  earliest  years,  the  productions  of  natiin 
which,  in  the  western  world,  are  impressed  widi  features  of  singula 
magnihcence,  lay  scattered  around  him.  lie  was  fortunate  in  po- 
sessiug  a  father  who  deeply  felt  and  revered  the  grandeur  of  tin 
works  of  omnipotent  wisdom,  and  who  took  delight  in  directiii: 
his  youthful  mind  to  their  contemplation. 

'  He  spake  of  plants,  divine  and  strange, 
That  every  lioiir  their  lilossoins  cluiiige 

Ten  thousand  lovely  hues  ! 
With  budding,  fading,  faded  flowers. 
They  stand  the  wonder  of  the  bowers, 

From  morn  to  evening  dews. 

He  told  of  the  magnolia  spread 
High  as  a  cloud,  high  overlicad! 

The  cypress  and  her  spire, — 
Of  flowers,  that  with  one  scarlet  gleam 
Cover  a  hundred  leagues,  and  seem 

To  set  the  hills  on  fire. 

And  he  of  green  Savannahs  spake. 

And  many  an  endless,  endless  lake, 
'\^''ith  all  its  fairy  crowds 

Of  islands,  that  together  lie, 

As  quietly  as  spots  of  sky. 
Among  the  evening  clouds.* 
No  wonder,  then,  that  the  love  of  nature  and  of  nature's  woiL 
should,  in  after  years,  have  haunted  him  like  a  passion. 

'  They  soon,'  says  Mr.  Audubon,  in  his  introductory  address,  '  iif 
(■anie  my  playmates  ;  and  before  my  ideas  were  suthtientiy  foruu il ; 
enal)le  me  to  estimate  the  difference  between  the  azure  tints  of  tiii 
sky,  and  the  emerald  hue  of  the  bright  foliage,  I  felt  that  an  intini.in 
witli  them — not  consisting  of  friendship  merely,  but  bordering  « 
frenzy — must  accompany  me  through  life ;  and  now,  more  than  ever 
am  I  persuaded  of  tiie  power  of  those  early  impressions.  They  i.i- 
such  liold  uj)on  me,  that,  \  ,.en  removed  from  the  woods,  the  prairio 
and  the  brooks,  or  shut  up  from  the  view  of  the  wide  Atlantic,  I  iX" 
perieneed  none  of  those  pleasures  most  congenial  to  my  inind.  Noi'i 
but  aerial  companions  suited  my  fancy.  No  roof  seemed  so  secure  1' 
me  as  that  formed  of  the  dense  foliage  under  wliich  the  feathcn"! 
tribes  were  seen  to  resort,  or  the  caves  and  fissures  of  the  nins^v 

rock-. 


bl 


American  Ontillioloijy, 


34!) 


Tor  tweiit, 
f  vicissiliidev 
which  piovtt 
;iiig  perviuki 
wihioinoss  c; 
)i)cil,  wliut  Ik 
t  to  be  iii(iti:i 
oils  of  nature 
res  of  singula 
tiiimte  in  poi 
aiuleiir  of  tin 
it  in  liirectiii: 


iiatnie's  woiL 
ion. 

y  address,  '  ht- 
leiitly  funned  t' 
ure  tints  of  tin 
liat  an  intim.u) 
it  bordering  («• 
more  than  ever. 
oii:s.  They  l.ii. 
Js,  the  prairiis. 
i  Atlantie,  I  I'X* 
y  rniiid.  Ndh- 
ned  so  secure  tv 
1  the  featlierr! 
JS  of  the  nias»; 
'     •     rock-. 


Iks,  to  wliieh  the  dark -winged  cormorant  and  tlie  curk'W  retired  to 

t,  or  to  {irotect  themselves  from  the  fury  of  tlie  temi>est. 

'  A  vivid  pleasure  shone  upon  tiiosc  days  of  my  early  youth,  attended 

\]i  a  ealiniiess  of  feeling  that  seldom  failed  to  rivet  my  attention  f  )r 

irs,  whilst  I  gazed  witli  extacy  upon  tlie  peurly  and  shining  eggs,  as 

ly  lay  emliedded  in  the  softest  down,  or  among  dried  leaves  and 

igs,  or  were  exposed  upon  tlie  burning  sand  or  weatlier-heaten 

Meks  of  our  Atlantic  shores.' 

tie  next  describes  his  initiation  into  tlic  inyslciics  of  the  art  of 
lilting : — 

I  grew  up,  and  my  wislics  grew  witli  my  form.  These  wislies, 
lid  reader,  were  for  the  entire  possession  of  all  that  I  saw.  I  was 
^vi'iitly  desirous  of  becoming  acquainted  with  nature.  For  many 
ywrs,  however,  I  was  sadly  disai'pointcd  ;  and  forever,  doubtless,  I 
SB^st  have  desires  that  eanuot  be  gratified.  The  moment  a  bird  was 
dead,  however  beautiful  it  had  been  when  in  life,  the  pleasure  arising 
irom  the  possession  of  it  became  blunted;  and  although  the  greatest 
c^es  were  bestowed  on  endeavours  to  preserve  the  appearance  of  na- 
tw^,  1  looked  upon  its  vesture  as  more  than  sullied,  as  requiring  von- 
stwit  attention  and  repeated  mendings,  while,  after  all,  it  could  no 
loi{ger  be  said  to  be  fresh  from  the  hands  of  its  maker.  1  \\ishe(l  to 
polliess  all  tiie  productions  of  nature,  but  I  wished  life  with  them. 
Tttlk  was  impossible:  then  what  was  to  be  done?  I  turned  to  my 
fftther,  and  made  known  to  him  my  disappointment  and  anxiety.  He 
puMuced  a  book  of  illtislrations.  A  new  life  ran  in  my  veins.  I 
tUIJied  over  the  leaves  with  avidity  ;  and  although  what  I  saw  was 
QOt  what  I  longed  for,  it  gave  me  a  desire  to  copy  nature.  To  nature 
I  went,  and  tried  to  imitate  her,  as  in  the  days  of  my  childhood  1  had 
trifd  to  raise  myself  from  the  ground  and  stand  erect  before  nature 
hm  imparted  the  vigour  necessary  for  the  success  of  such  an  under- 
taking.'— Introduction,  p.  ">. 

^.jr'or  many  years  lie  felt  sorely  disappointed  when  ho  saw  that 
bl^  own  prodnctioiis  were  worse  than  those  in  the  work  which  his 
<Mlier  iiad  exhibited  : — 

My  iiencil  gave  birtli  to  a  family  of  cripples.     So  maimed  were 
1st  ut  them,  that  they  resembled   the   mangled  corpses  on  a  field  of 
|tle  compared  with  the  integrity  of  living  men.     These  ditlieulties 
appointed  and  irritated  me,  but  never  for  a  moment  destroyed  the 
Sre  of  olitaining  perfect  representations  of  nature.     The  worse  my 
Rvings  were,  the  more  beautiful  did  I  see  the  originals.     To  have 
^1  torn  from  the  study  would  have   been  as  death  to  me.     I\ly  time 
entirely  occupied  with  it.      I  produced  hundreds  of  these  rude 
itches  annually;  and  for  a  time,  at  my  request,  they  made  bonfires 
oft  the  anniversaries  of  my  birth-days.'— p.  s. 

At  a  later  period  of  his  life,  wiien  his  drawings  had  assumed  a 
more  j)eifect  character  by  a  nearer  appioacli  to  tiie  ease  and  bril- 
^ncy  of  uatuie,  au  accident  occurrcil  which  might  well  have 
>!  VOL.  XLVii.  iNo.  XLiv.  l.Jii  damped 


350 


American  Onnlhohxjy. 


tinmped  the  ardour  even  of  surli  an  enthusiast  as  Mr,  Audubon, 
Having  occasion  to  leave  the  village  oi"  llendeison  iu  Kentucky, 
wiu'ie  lie  iiad  re.iiilcd  for  several  years,  and  to  pioceed  to  JMiihi- 
delpliin  on  business,  he  deposited  all  his  long-cherisiied  drawings  in 
a  wooden  box,  and  consigned  diein  to  the  care  of  a  friend.  AlUr 
an  absence  of  several  months,  one  of  his  earliest  pleasures,  on 
returning  home,  was  to  open  his  box, — 

'  The  box  was  produced  and  opened  ; — but  reader  feel  for  niu— :. 
pair  of  Norway  rats  had  taken  possession  of  the  whole,  utid  iuid  vv.iwi 
a  young  family  amongst  the  gnawed  l)its  of  papi'r,  width,  but  a  fiu 
months  before,  represented  nearly  a  thousand  iuhabitiints  (jf  the  air! 
Tliejjurning  heat  which  instantly  rushed  through  my  brain  was  too 
pfreat  to  be  endured  without  affecting  the  whole  of  my  nervous  systoni, 
I  slept  not  for  many  nights,  and  my  days  passed  like  days  of  ol^liviuii, 
until  the  animal  powers  being  recalled  into  action,  through  tht 
strength  of  my  constitution,  I  took  up  my  gun,  my  note-book,  ai:! 
my  pencils,  and  went  forth  to  the  woods  as  gaily  as  if  nothing  hal 
happened.  I  felt  pleased  that  I  might  now  make  mucli  I)etter  draw- 
ings  than  before  ;  and  when  a  period,  not  exceeding  three  years  ha. 
elapsed,  I  liad  my  portfolio  filled  again.' — p.  13. 

With  sucii  a  zealous  and  unwearying  dcternjination  not  to  bi 
baiHed,  we  can  scarcely  wonder  that  his  efforts  were  eventualh 
crowned  with  the  most  signal  success.  During  his  boyhood  In 
was  sent  for  a  time  to  Europe,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  Ik 
returned  from  France  to  America.  Meanwhile,  David,  the  grc;i; 
French  painter,  had  guided  his  hand  in  tracing  objects  of  a  largi 
size : — 

'  Eyes  and  noses  belonging  to  giants,  and  heads  of  horses  repre 
sented  in  ancient  sculpture,  were  my  models.  Tlicse,  although  f 
subjects  for  men  intent  on  pursuing  the  higher  branches  of  the  ai 
were  immediately  laid  aside  by  me.  I  returned  to  the  woods  of  tl. 
new  world  A\ith  fresh  ardour,  and  commenced  a  collection  of  drawing' 
wliicli  1  thenceforth  continued,  and  whicli  is  now  publishing  under  & 
title  of"  The  Birds  of  America."  ' 

So  entire  was  Mr.  Audubon's  devotion  to  his  favourite  pursuit? 
and  so  much  did  he  love  the  stuily  of  natural  histoiy  for  ilsell 
alone,  that  it  was  only  within  these  few  years,  on  becoming  acci- 
dentally acquainted,  in  Philadelphia,  with  Charles  Lucien  15oii;i- 
parte,  tiiat  he  began  to  have  anyUiing  in  view  beyond  the  sinipit' 
enjoyment  of  the  sight  of  nature,  and  the  practice  of  his  art.  Alti'i 
visiting  IMiiladelphia  and  New  York,  he  asceiuled  the  Hudson 
river,  and  crossing  over  some  of  the  great  lakes,  he  exploml 
many  of  the  paUdess  and  gloomy  forests  which  border  the  nnirgiiis 
of  those  magniticent  waters. 

'  It  was  in  these  forests  that,  for  tlje  first  time,  I  communed  witli 

'  h  I  ...'■■        ,  _  UlJ'Si'i; 


I 


■ons, 


Firs. 


yimrrican  Ornifliologi/, 


3.31 


Audubon, 

Keiitutkv, 

ml  to  IMiil'i- 

(Iravviiif^siii 

R'lul.     i\lti'r 

casiircs,  on 

eel  for  niu— 3 

(1  luid  leaiid 

ch,  but  a  few 

ts  of  tbe  ail! 

)raiii  \vas  toe 

rvoiis  system, 

|,'S  of  oblivion, 

throi]}>-h  the 

3to-book,  ami 

f  notliinj^  hai 

better  draw- 

"ee  years  ha^ 

m  not  to  bt 
e  eveiituallj 
boyhood  111 
seventeen  lii 
vid,  the  grcii: 
ct9  of  a  larijt 

horses  repre 
;,  although  t 
es  of  the  ar 

woods  of  tl. 
n  of  drawing' 
liing  under  tlii 

urite  pursuit? 
;oiy  for  ilseii 
iconiing  acci- 
Lucien  Bona- 
lid  the  siiiiplt' 
his  art.  AlUr 
the  Huiisoii 
he  explored 
;r  the  niargiiii 

jmmuned  witii 
uiysei! 


-dj'self  ns  to  the  possible  event  of  my  vixitinpr  Europe  apain  ;  and  I 
•|(t^an  to  fancy  my  work  under  the  innltiiilyiiif^  eHbrts  of  the  prraver. 
•)J;iIii>y  (lavs,  and   niichts  of  pleasini;  (Uvauis !     J  read  over  the  cata- 

tjjiie  of  my  eoileetion,  and  tiionglit  liow  it  might  be  possible  for  an 
icoiinected  and  unaided  individual  like  myself  to  uccomjilish  tho 
£-,ind  schenu'.  diance,  and  ehaiice  alone,  had  divided  my  drawings 
to  three  ditferent  classes,  depending  upon  the  magnitude  of  the  ob- 
ets  w  liieli  they  represented  ;  and  altliough  I  did  not  at  that  time 
bssess  all  the  siiccimens  necessary,  I  urranged  them  as  well  as  I 
Juld  into  jiareels  of  five  plates,  each  of  which  now  forms  a  nund)cr  of 
jy  IHustration.s.  I  improved  the  whole  as  nmch  as  was  in  my  power; 
d  as  I  daily  retired  farther  from  the  haunts  of  man,  determined  to 
feavp  nothing  midone,  which  my  labour,  my  time,  or  my  purse  could 
Accomplish.' — p.  1 1. 

^  'I'lic  pr((  cding  extracts  will  suflice  to  show  that  Mr.  Audubon 
j4  one  of  those  men  who  so  dcterniiiuiteiy  devote  themselves  to  a 
f&n''-'  purpose,  tliat  life  and   health  being  vouchsafed,  it  is  almost 

Sjiossibh;  for  lliem  not  to  succeed  in  its  attainment.  The  na- 
al  consecpience  has  been,  that,  froui  a  romantic  and  unknown 
odsman,  with  as  forlorn  a  hope  of  European  celel  :ity  as  could 
ipll  be  imagined,  he  has  now  beconu-,  and  is  acknowledged  to  be, 
^  iii.st  ornithological  draftsnum  of  his  age. 

,,  •  L'acadt'mie,'  says  Baron  C!uvier,  in  a  recent  report  to  tlie  Royal 
.Ajb.'ulcmy  of  Sciences,  '  m'a  charge  de  lui  rendre  un  compte  verbal  de 
fduvrago  (pu  liii  a  ete  conminnique  dans  une  de  ses  preced'jntes 
seances  par  M.  Audtd>on,  et  qin  a  ])0ur  objct  les  oiscaux  de  I'Ame- 
<lqne  Septentrionale.  On  pent  lo  charartt'riser  en  pen  de  mots,  en 
fflsaiit  que  c'est  le  monument  le  plus  raagnitiquc  qui  ait  encore  ete 
(fievc  a  I'ornitliologie.      L'execution  de   ces  planches,  si  remarquable 

Sr  leur  grandeur,  nous  ])arait  avoir  egalement  bien  rtussi,  sous  les 
jiports  (lu  dessin,  de  la  gravure,  et  du  coloris.  L'histoire  des 
wseaux  des  etats-unis  de  \\  ilson  egalait  deja  en  elegance  nos  plus 
Beaux  ouvragcs  d'ornithologie.  Si  cehii  de  JVI.  Audubon  se  termine,  il 
raudra  convenir  que  ce  sera  I'Amerique  qui,  pour  la  magnificence  do 
f  execution,  aura  surpasse  I'ancien  monde.' 

^^  Mr.  William  Swainson,   the   autlior  of  •  Zoological   Illustra- 

^ous,'*  and  the  coadjutor  of  Dr.  Richardson  in  the  ornithological 
'ocpartment  of  his  North  American  Zoology,  has  added  his  tcsti- 
liony  to  the  surpassing  merits  of  Mr.  Audubon's  publication  : — 
'a  '''"''^1  f^Ppend  on  the  powerful  and  the  wealthy,  whether  Britain 
mall  have  the  honour  of  fostering  such  a  magnificent  undertaking. 
It  will  he  a  lasting  mommient,  not  only  to  the  memory  of  its  author, 

tifcut  to  those  who  employ  their  wealth  in  jiatronising  genius,  and  in 
rBujiporting  the  national  credit.  If  any  publication  deserves  such  a 
distinction,  it  is  surely  this,  inasmuch  as  it  exhibits  a  perfection  in  the 

d^  -         '  


*  First  .Smius,  in  3  vols.  8vo.,  1820— lli2.} ;  Second  Scries,  still  in  proj,'rtss 

2  i;  ^ 


higher 


C51 


Ainorican  OrnUhnhufj. 


liii^lier  attributes  of  zooloj^ical  iiiiiiitiniy  nevor  before  lUtemiited.  To 
reiu't'seiit  tlio  piinsiuiis  and  feeliMif><  of  liinls,  mi'j^lit  until  iidw  liave 
been  well  tleeined  cliinierieal.  Uiirely,  iiuleeil,  do  we  sue  tiieir  out- 
ward forms  reiireseiited  witli  aiiytbiiiL^  lil<u  nature.  In  my  estimsi- 
tioii,  not  nioro  than  thrca-  painters  ever  lived  wlio  eould  draw  a  liini. 
Of  lliesf,  tile  lamented  Ikirralmiid,  of  whom  France  may  be  justly 
])roud,  was  the  ehief.  lie  lias  loiij,-  passod  away;  but  his  mantle  Ii;h 
at  lengtli  been  recovered  in  the  forests  of  America.' 

This  testimony,  so  freely  accorded,  is  the  more  creditable  to 
Mr.  Atuliiboii,  as  Mr.  Swainsoii  binr-;elf  is  an  ornilbolo^ieal  drafts- 
nian  of  the  greatest  skill,  and  eniiiieiilly  (|iiaiilied  by  line  taste  aiiil 
a  long  experience  to  appreciate  the  ivlali\e  nierils  of  tiie  painler 
iialnialists.  His  own  illustrations  are  assuredly  remarkable  for 
accuracy  and  elegance;  and,  being  almost  all  drawn  on  stone  by 
himself,  they  have  the  additional  advantage  over  the  generality  ol 
co|)per  etchings,  that  no  third  parly  is  inlerpojed  between  llic 
original  draftsman  ami  the  public.* 

We  shall  here  enter  into  a  brief  investigation  of  the  probable 
amount  of  the  species  of  birds  in  North  America.  The  lir>t  list, 
with  any  pretensions  to  extent  or  accuracy,  was  published  by 
!Mr.  Jcilerson  (whose  neglect  of  Alexander  U  ilson  would  havr 
induced  us  to  look  for  him  under  any  other  character  than  that  of 
an  ornithologist),  and  contained  the  names  of  only  lOi)  species.j- 
It  was  followed  by  Mr.  \\  illiain  JJartram's,  which  t>nuinerat'(l 
21 J  diflerent  kinds;  I  and  notices  of  some  ailditional  species  aiu 
given  by  Dr.  Belknaj),  §>  J)r.  IJarton,;!  anil  Dr.  Williams.*!  '" 
the  twelfth  edition  of  the  Sijalc.ma  Nulnnc,  whicli  professed  to 
contain  all  the  birils  then  known  to  inhabit  the  United  States 
(Catesby  and  iulwards  being  his  principal  sources),  Liinueus 
assigns  only  19^  to  2sortli  America: — 

'  It  is  true,'  says  M.  Bonaparte,  '  that  lie  was  acfpiainted  with 
several  other  North  American  birds,  which  also  iulialiit  other  coun- 
tries,— those  common  to  Europe  esjiecially  ;   but  as  many  of  the  I!).'.' 

*  As  liiii"  I'X.imiilos  of  llii!  litluij^raiiliic  art,  ainilioil  t.)  oniitlioloj^icMl  R'jiri'si'iit,!- 
tion,  wo  may  ineiitiou  tliu  work  tMitillLMl  '  A  (  L'utur  of  Hirils  iVum  tliu  Iliiiialayi 
Jloiiutaiiis,'  iiy  Mr.  (ioulil,  ut'lln;  'AmA^'^lcul  Sm'iity.  Wi;  reijivt  t ho  absuiice  ul'  i'^- 
lilaiiatiuy  K'ttLr-jucss  in  a  I'lililicition  ni'  hiu-Ii  iiitfivst,  Imtli  iVdiii  tlio  iiuvflty  oi'  'Is 
subjects  and  the  liLMiity  (if  its  cvcciirnm.  We  aro  aware  that  wo  aro  imiinisoil  tin' 
iloscriptivi!  ami  liist'ivii-al  piirliDii  from  tlio  poii  of  .Mr.  Vi^jfnrs  ;  hut  our  assurauc-o  th.il 
ill  sufli  lianils  it  will  lio  most  aMy  iiorlorino'l,  only  liicnMses  our  di'siro  that  tlic  cdf- 
resiioiiilinj,'  luttor-press  sliouUl  ai-oomii.uiy  tho  ilJlivory  of  (.'acli  f.isJcuhis  of  flio  ilhi,- 
tratious. 

!•  Notes  oil  Virginia.     1782. 

I  Travels  tlirouj^h  N'ortli  and  .South  (Jaroliua.     \7'J\. 
^  History  of  New  Ilampsliire.      171)1. 

II  I'VaLjmeiits  of  the  Natural  Ilisturv  of  lV!ius\lva;iia.     179'). 
^  History  of  Vonnoat.     ISOJ. 

ttl'i! 


njoiv  til 

tfeiably  t 
fad,  ni 

gical  licl 
Hope  di, 

birds    ill 
M)('cirs 
Briliiin  ; 
m\u:\i  1 


t  ■!!..■  I 
modi  ;■: 

nop/'  ni^    , 
pans  1 1  iihi. 

In-. ■:...., 
dcd,  I'll.-.-' 

Bewii-k";,  S 
swift,  ahum 


Amcilvan  Oni ilhn}<tij\j. 


tn])lP(1.     To 

il  now  iiave 

L-e  tlu'ir  out- 

iny  cslimii- 

(IfilW  !l  liil'll. 

;iv  lio  justly 
i  umutle  lias 

M'L'ditiiljIc  Id 
ical  (Iratls- 
iic  laslc  ami 
llu;  paiiikr 
laikaML'  lor 
on  sloiic  Ijv 
jciK'ialil}'  of 

JulWt.'tMl    llic 

le   probable 

:Mic  lii.a  \\>\, 

iibli^linl   In 

would    liave 

tliaii  ibat  of 

)()  .spccics.i- 

omiiucrati'il 

1  .spcciis  aic 

liaiiis.*!      Ill 

protcs.scd    lo 

uiti.'d  Stall's 

s),   J^iuniuu.') 

iiaiiitcd  with 
t  Otlll'l-  couii- 

ly  of  tlK!  I!).:; 

;ic;il  rujirosi'ilta- 
ui  the  Iliiiialay.i 
J  iibsc'iux'  ol'  i"i- 
\ii  novelty  1)1'  't-i 
in-  promisoil  tin' 
v  ussuraiiCL'  iImI 
w  tli.it  tlu-  ciir- 
nilus  ol'tliL'  ilUiv 


ai'ii 


jIt  merely  iioiinriiil,  wo  may  allow  tliem  to  rountci'Lalancc  tliosc 
Aiittcil.  Of  tlic  I'litire  iiiiiiil  of,  lO.'J  ai'e  luiid-lMi'ds,  all  of  wliicli  we 
■uvi'  v.-rifii'd  either  as  real  or  nominal,  four  exeepted,  of  wliieli  I'iins 
iflfiuiiliitiii-i'iis  alone  (a  real  species)  may  liave  eseaped  Wilson  and  oiir- 
Jfcives.  Of  tiie  tlinc  ri'mtiiniiiL^s  t\\o,  Luniiis  Cnniidciisis  and  l.o.un 
mitiuulfiisis,  ure  now  well  known  to  Le  South  American  birds,  given  as 
jjorlli  Amcriean  l)y  mistake ;  and  the  third,  Si/liin.  Irnc/ii/iis,  of  Kii-- 
Djie,  iiiav  have  liecii  reckoned  as  Am;'rican,  on  jiccoiint  of  the  rescin- 
luiae  hetweeii  it  and  tlie  female  of  ^onie  American  warbler,  probahly 
\ii  in  Iriclnts.' 

f  .Since  llic  lime  of  J.innu'iis,  several  real,  and  a  still  greater 
iiiiihtr  of  a|)parenl,  additions  have  been  made  to  Ameiieaii 
briiitJiolojzy.  Wilson  dtsciibed  'J7(>  species.  \\\  \\\c  Intlcx  Oi- 
til/iold^'-Jciis  of  ly.itliain,  not  fewer  than  404  names  arc  tinolleil 
IS  indicative  of  itiiiis  native  to  Is'orlli  America  ;  but  so  jiieatly 
Surtliari;cd  with  nominal  species  is  lliat  lenj;tiieiieil  list,  that  not- 
»illi>taii(iin';-  the  nmnerous  anil  well-establislieil  adilitioual  species 
)|iii  h  litive  since  been  described  by  American  and  other  writers, 
Be  actual  number  of  clearly  ascertained  species  did  not,  a  few 
Bms  a;.;(),  amount  to  400.  *  Per  ora,'  says  C  L.  llonaparte, 
ritini;  in  KS'J",  '  si  tnmoverano  ']<)()  specie  nell'  America  Sct- 
atrionale;'  and  \\c  may  add,  that  .'Jyi  of  these  occur  in  tlio 
fhiled  Slates.  Now  the  number  of  biids  in  J'^urope  may  be 
ited  as  not  less  than  i][)J)  ;  but  as  its  ornitliolouy  is  in  a  more 
iviinced  sttige  than  that  of  Morlli  America,  and  consetpiently 
iMs  remains  to  be  eirected  in  the  way  of  further  discovery,  there 
CjRn  be  little  doubt,  tlnit  mIicii  the  latter  country  shall  have  been 
I^lorc  thoroiiLihly  esplored,  its  feathered  tribes  will  be  found  coiisi- 
Wiiibly  to  exceed  those  of  Kurope.  \\  c  may  mention  a  single 
fitt,  en  passinif,  with  a  \iew  to  illustrate  the  extiaordinaiy  /oolo- 
ff|cal  riches  of  moic  southern  climates.  In  the  Cape  of  (Jootl 
loiie  district  alone  there  arc  above  one  hundred  more  species  of 
irds  than  are  found  throughout  the  whole  of  l',uro|)e,  500 
belies  having  been  ascertainetl  to  inhabit  that  colony.'''  (neat 
lril;ii!i  and  Ireland  produce  only  '277  diffcieiit  kinds  of  birds,  of 
^lieh  1  I'i  are  land-birds,  anil  13 J  aie  water-birds  and  wadeis.'|- 
Th^ 

^HJiitli  Al'iiiMii  *Juaiti;ily  Joiinial,  No.  I.,  \t.  10. 

'llu;  riiUiiV.in;^  siuiniiary  of  mir  IVatlii  icmI  trilus,  clashed  in  aci'onl.incc  witli  tliO 
lA^luii  hvsliMn,  iu.,y  nut  Iji.'  uniuli'icMinL;  to  thi;  shukiit  iil' liiilisli  OniilluiloKy. 
:|pAi'i(.ii!r,-, — 'Jr  Njuciis.     or  llu  M',  two  i:iv  lutL'ul  aci[uisiliiins:  viz.,  A'"7'//m"(  ptrc- 
Wtrim    and    Sm/mi  (Slri.r)  '/(/(.ywifi ';;/i.  tl;;iin'(l.  tlirmi;;h    inailverti.'iici.',   as  Au(/i/i» 
N^*m/m,  ill  Mr.  SiUij's  '  iruistiations  of  hiitisli  Onutl'.uloj.cy,'  pi.  'Jd,  vol.  i. 
^'lNsrsso!u:s — lOi  spi-i-iis.     Of  tlii'so,  I'ifiht  ari' nivv ;    v:/..,   Cuniiai  (Sy/clii)  Siir- 

teka,  Ciirrwi!  .ii/h-ir/la,  I'/iwiiiriini  ( S;//iiii)  I'lthys,  .U<  rutin-  ii/iiiiiiis,  ^  tiilhii.i  liiihurilii, 
iiiiin   riifrijilis,    Kinheiizii   liurliiliiHus  ; tile  saniu  as  the  ^ri  on-lifailcil  liiniliiif,' of 
\yifk".s  Suj'iilui.unl.")  nuil  I'lfih-i.jih'  ii'is  /  ii/)//ii)iit(i.     l'iji'!.r/-ix  n/jil/iiix,  a  spicirs   of 
nvil't,  uljuaduut  in  tliu  Sjiiili  ol'Kuroif   has  I  a' a  lately  ihot  ollthi;  t'oiiit  ui'  Iivland. 


354 


•Ampr'ican  Ornitholnrjij, 


Tlio  spcrirs  of  iMiropo  and  of  Noitli  Ainciic!*  liavo  bcrti 
rliisst  (1  midrr  10?  pciit'iii,*  of  wliicli  <i4  nre  conimoii  to  Ixiili 
coiiiitiics  ;  1!)  (Amt'riciiii)  an;  lorei<;ii  to  I'iiiiopf,  niid  '24  (I'm- 
ropcaii)  arc  icjuully  mikiiowii  in  AnitMica.  'J'liiis  tlie  {jenera  ol 
J'-iiiopc  amount  to  HS,  and  tlioso  of  Noitli  Ainciira  to  M,'). 

I'ortlic  sak(3  of  tlioiso  wlio  take  an  interest  in  sncli  coinpaiativo 
\ie\\a,  we  bliall  present  an  cninneialion,  in  the  subjoined  note,  (j| 
tile  ^eneiu  of  Knrope  and  Noilli  Ann  lica,  in  aceintlance  witli 
the  arrangement   of  M.   lionaparte.  i'     liie  land-birils  of   Jai- 

Si'i'  'l'r;iiis;icli'nis  of  tin'  Natiii.il  llislijiy  Society  ul'  Ni)rtliiimlitil.iii(l,  Durham,  uiij 
I\it'\viiistli'-iiiM)ii-'l"ym',  viil.  i.,  liait  ;l,  \i.  il'Jl. 

ltAM)iii;s — I 'J  sprciis. 

ItjiAi.i.A  1  ()ui-.n  — ■)!)  K\iucii's.  .Irdrii  iiflm  is  probnlily  not  uiilitU'il  to  r.ink  as  a  Urili^li 
bird,  liiit  its  |il,ici!  iii.iy  in'  suiiiilicil  liy  Moiil.i^ii's  .Iriba  rrjiioKir/id/if,  wliicli,  iKjwrvit, 
is  iiut  till' Aiiirrii'aii  spi'cii's,  iuit  Waj^lcr's  .//i/fi  riissiilu,  a  kiiiil  ciiolimd  to  the  nk 
worlil.  'I'lu'  ri'i'i'iit  uciiui-itioiis  in  tins  oriliT  am  Siii/uihi.i  Suhiiii.  iiiiil  .Mr.  Varri'llj 
'J'liiii/ii  ni/r.trin.s  tii^orcd  in  Mr.  StUiv's  Illustrations,  vol.  ii..  \i\.  -7,  i'w,   -). 

N.vi.vioiiKs  —  70  sjii'i'li's.  Tlio  uoVL-ltiis  iiri',  l'i/;jiiiis  lliunl;!,,  /'((Iiifiiii  nihil 
jUfn/iin  luiiilliitiis,  and  lui/ii/nfii  riijliin,  Wu  lii'licvu  that  ( 'nn  /Iniiiiiic/iii  has  hIh 
liL'i  a  hilli'd  oil' one  ol'thi.'  Sht-'ll.iiid  l.^li's. 

*  'I'ahilhi  .Analitie.i  dc  (iiiii;ri  di'll'  l'".iU(iiia  u  dull'  Ann.'rii.'ii  St'tluiitrlonak' 
No.  XXXI II.  J)i'l  N'uovo  (iiornale  du'  Littirati. 

f  'I'lu'  North  Annricau  ({fnira  luit  I'onnd  in  Knruin!  aro  iollowt'<l  hy  the  lultiT.i. 
Thi' Knro)  I' Ml  j^uni'va  which  <lu  not  oi'cur  in  North  Aincrii'.i,  aru  I'olluwud  hy  tlu 
K'ttcr  Ji.     Tho  rcnniininu  (j;i'ni!ra  iiru  ciininion  to  both  C'ontini.'nls, 

OlIDKK  .\(  (  U'lrUKS. 

1.  Vnllur  (k)  ;).  (iypaitiiij  (k)  .').  Strix 

'2.  CathartL's  .1.  l''."iU'o 


fi.  I'sittaius  (.1) 

7-  Cocryzns  (a) 

8.  Cucohis  (r.) 

!).  Ynnx  (k) 

10.  I'icus 

11.  Alct'do 

1-.'.  RliTojis  (:} 

lU.  Nueilraga  ^i',) 

II.  Sinniiis 

Ifi.  Icierus  (a) 

1(1.  Quiscdns  (a) 

17.  Oriolus   (i;) 

18.  Coraci.is  (k) 
I'J.  (.'urvus 

20.  I'yrrhoforax  (r) 

21.  Acridotliures  (k) 


5'i.  Phasianus  (u) 

ai.  Mcluu-ris  (a) 

f)!).  Otis  (i-,) 

CO.  t'nrsorius   (k) 

CI.  Ot'dicii'j.nns  (i;) 

62.  Charadrinti 


OllUKlt  I'ASfaliUKS. 

2'.'. 

15.,niliycill.i 

.■i.s. 

l!i'(,'uliis 

.)  ; 

(  iii'vioiul^us 

;;o. 

'iV.^-lodyto.s 

21. 

('\  Jisl'lus 

do. 

(.'i  rilua 

2;). 

Uirundo 

41. 

Tii'hodronia  (k) 

2ii. 

Mii.^ca'apa 

•42. 

Sitt.i 

27. 

K'turia  (a) 

1.!. 

Ipiipa  (n) 

28. 

\'ireo  (a) 

41. 

Trufhihis  (a) 

21). 

I.aniiis 

d;'). 

I'arns 

.10. 

Myolhiia  (a) 

d'i. 

Al.mda 

;ii. 

( 'ini-lus 

17. 

I'.nilrtri/a 

.■!2. 

'I'uriins 

d>>. 

Taiia;;ra  (  a) 

;i:i. 

Hyhia 

d'J. 

Irin^dl.i 

;)i. 

Aci-i'iitiu'  ( r.) 

,^0. 

I'WTllMJ.l, 

;;"). 

.Saxifoli 

:>\. 

],u\ia 

;i(i. 

.Molac'ill.i  (v.) 

52. 

Cohiinha 

37. 

Aiilhns 

OnDKK  ClAl.l.lN  1.. 

.l.-). 

I'.'idix 

r.7. 

Plfrocl'.'s   (l.;) 

r.ii. 

Tt;lr.iu 
OiU)i:ii  (iuAi.uii. 

.')». 

'i'urnix  (\:) 

(V.i 

Vunelhis  (i-:) 

fi7. 

(irns 

fit. 

.Stri'pilas 

C,^. 

C'iioaia  (k) 

(ij. 

lliruiatoiuis 

(10. 

.\rdi'a 

00,  Glart'ola  yv.) 


70.  Arannib  (a) 


ffi.  'I'.int.il 

87.   nUvnr 

Sut. 
9.  1. arils 
i.L.lris 

I'lu.vi; 
l)l„ 

■\.us 

lit  will 
|h  th 
piis.     li 
<alU■l^ 
MR"   .i.M,,_ 

Arsi'i'.  ^^\ 
by  ili.inii 

is  COilslil 

is  also  tilt 
^Jii'lun,  , 
f    *   In  tl 


jiinei lean  Ornilholorpj. 


Iiavo  boon 
on  to  Ixitli 
lul  '24  (Vm. 

h;!. 

coinpiiiiUivo 
iiicd  note,  III 
>riliiiu'(-  willi 
iids  of    I'lii- 

1,   Durliaiii,  mill 


iMiik  us  aUrili'.li 
wliit'll,  liciwrvi,, 

inl'iiuil  111  llii'  1'' 
(I  Mr.  VairviW 

:  I. 

I'lcliilllit     mill: 

iiiiiic/iii  lias  alv. 

SL'tteiitiloiuilc 

ll  liy  fill!  lultiT  A. 
rulluwcil  I'V  th'. 


■Ipc  in  JTcnrrsil  exceed  tlui  wntcr  ones  by  about  HO  species ;  those 
f|llie  Uiiitetl  States  exceed  the  wiiter-biiils  by  towards  jO ;  while, 
||(ii'eat  ISiitain,  (a  fael  to  be  expected  tVoiii  our  insular  po.sitiiiu, 
itadeoiisecpicnllv  extended  siiores,  as  well  as  iVoin  the  lunuber  of  our 
mbialier  islands,)  the  land-birds  prevail  over  the  water  ones  by  not 
Ipore  than  seven  species.*  The  birds  of  the  continental  kingdoms 
0  luirope  exceed  those  of  the  Ibitish  empire  by  nearls  I'JO, 
ll^nh'  the  coimnoii  grouse  or  nioor-game  is  the  oidy  species  of 
;ji|||)ich  we  can  with  certainty  boast  the  ex«:lusive  possession. 
,10  We  come  now  to  tlie   work  which  is  placed   last  in  our   list, 

tough  it  is  In  no  means  the  least  important  in  onr  estimation. 
II  classes  of  readers  ar<^  well  actpiainted  wilii  Dr.  itiehardson's 
jflaims  to  respect  as  snrgt'on  and  naturalist  to  two  of  the  most 
•Emiukal)le  expeditions  which  were  ever  planned  ami  executed  by 
pie  enterjirise  of  JSritoii.s,  and  with  Ids  high  merits  as  the  intrepid 

Jader  of  one  of  the  cxploi  ing  parties,  and  a  chief  actor  and  suf- 
icr  amid  scenes  of  imminent  <lan;j;er  and  prolonged  distress, 
liich  are  scaietly  paralleled  iu  tiie  annals  of  geograpiiical  dis- 
jvciv.  In  a  prec(  (ling  volmne,  (I'art  I.,  containing  the  QikkI- 
Vpcils,)  Dr.  Kichardson  has  very  amply  and  accurately  exhibited 
ke  |ir(seiit  state  of  our  knowledge  respecting  the  mammiferous 
|iid  animals  of  the  northern  parts  of  Ihitish  America  ;  and  the 
Batitilul  volume  now  under  consideration  forms  the  second  or 
^nilhological  |)ortion  of  his  very  skilful  work.  He  has,  we  per- 
feive,  availed  himself  of  Mr.  Swainson's   assistance,   both  as  an 


lis 

D'lyU's 

ill 

ilnmiii  (k) 

,1  (i;) 
lihis  (a) 

la 

■ri/.i 
<ra  (a) 
;ilU 
iiila 


•Ics  (k) 

..  (.0 


lia  (v.) 

a 

itis  (a) 


'I'.intaliis  (a) 

I  Ills 

NniiH'iiius 

Tlill^M 

i.    riitaiiii>; 

I.  lliiiiaiitu|nis 


77.  Liinosa 

78.  Si'dliiiias 
7!l.  U.illus 

80.  I'Drphyiio  (k'j 

6\.  (ralliuiila 


8J.  I'lilirii     ■ 
iJ.J.  I'li.ilaropiis 
SI.  KtHMirxiiustra 
b:>.  I'latali'a 
80.  Pliujiiicoiitcrus 


101.  I'o.loa  (a) 

KIJ.  I'udiciiis 

10!.  ('(ilyiiibiiB 

10  1.  Ilia 

10.-).  Phalfris  (a) 

ion.  ;\iiiriiiiiii 

107.  Alca 


Oui)i;h  Anseiii:3. 
ItliyiK-liops  (a)  !I  1.  i\IiTi;iis 

■■sli'ina  <J,-,.  IVlccauus 

i-iinis  !)li.  I'lialacnieorax 

I'l-'liis  '.17.  'r.ic-liviifU'S  (a) 

I'loiTllaria  OS.  .Siila  ' 

DiimiwlL'A  (a)  !)!).  I'liacton  (a) 

■  -^'I'l-i  loo.  I'luliis  (a) 

It  Will  111-  jioiciivs'cl  that  tlio  prei'dUnj^  nrrn!ii;;i'iiu^iit  is  soinuwliat  iu  acciirdanco 
th  lliiil  ul  the  „/7  sr/iiiii/,  anil  tlial  it  I'xcUidfS  scvi-val  of  tlit-  lu'w  gLiicric  aii|ii'lla. 
Ills.  It  will,  [H'lliajis,  lit'  mil  tliu  luss  ir.ti'Ui^'ililu  im  lli.it  acciiuiit  tci  tlic  ^'I'nrr.ilitv  dl' 
Mlurs.     Ill  (In.  .■Ii,/,,;i,l,j-  to  tliu  *  (iL'lUT.i  uf  Xuvth  .Viiii'i-ioaii  liiid.'.,'  tliu  I'lilliAvi.i^' 

■  '"'''>''Hi.i  tiiuM.   aliiivo   miniiiL'ratcd,  viz.: — (iarniliis,  Tlial.issiiliuina,    I'lifliuus, 
-  K^T"^'  *  •^"""'^'  l'<il'',''ila,  ami  (tiTuryiii-a.     Of  tlii'sr,  tliu  fjruater  uuiiiliiT  ari'  I'iiiiiumI 

m  ilniiifiiiliiviiu'iit  111'  fiiniu'i-  giiiiil>s^  ami  tliu  last  is  ll.u  iiiily  one  of  wliiili  tlio  t\in! 
n  couslitjtL'il  liy  a  new  sin'cius.  Tin.'  tulal  iiuml'Lr  of  i,'uiuTa  foiiml  in  Noith  Aiiifiic.i 
_}8  also  llure  sUtwl  as  iimuiiiitiiig  to  iiiiicty. — -cu  AiiikiIs  uf  the  Lyceum  uf  Aaliiru/ 
.""J"'':i  "f-'^''"'  1"'*,  vi.l.  ii.  p.  ^.51. 

'    '"  ""' i'l'iivi'  I'luinK'r.itiou  w(!  class  the  Gra/hilvni,  or  waik'is,  aloni' with  t\w 
'  ♦•ati.T-low  I,  inopuvly  so  tallul. 

author 


3jG 


American  Ornttholor/y, 


aullior  and  diaftsmaii ;  and  the  result  of  tlieir  combined  efforts 
juesenttj  a  most  impoitaiit  aildition  to  our  stock  of  kno\vlod<;e.* 

The  very  abuudauce  of  our  nuitcriahs,  however,  ahuost  detcis 
us  from  entering  on  tlie  contemphition  of  so  rich  a  hekl,  and  it 
■would  be  difticult,  widiin  the  usual  bounds  of  a  jicriodical  cssny, 
to  undertake  die  discussion  of  more  than  a  few  of  its  varied  and 
inexhaustible  features, — indeed,  we  shall  probably  be  thought  lu 
Jiave  already  engrossed  too  much  of  our  readers'  time. 

We  may  ol)serve,  in  tiic  lirst  place,  that,  in  the  class  of  birds. 
the  geographical  distribution  of  individuals  of  the  sauu;  speciis, 
is  nuich  more  widely  spread  than  that  of  (juadrnpeds — a  fact  to 
be  anticipated  simply  from  their  possession  of  wings.  15ut  even 
the  ostrich,  wliich  is  so  nearly  deprived  of  those  characteristu 
organs  as  to  be  incapable  of  raising  itself  from  the  surface  of  tlu 
earth,  thougii  confmcd  to  Africa,  is  yet  spread  over  a  g  eat  extent 
of  that  vast  contiiu-nt  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hr)pc  to  the  C\r 
naik,  and  from  the  Cape  tie  \  erde  to  the  straits  of  J5abel-Maniki, 
The  osprey,  a  species  of  iishing  eagle  {Falco  lialiiUus),  occui^ 
identically  the  same  in  the  north  of  Scotland,  the  south  of  I'^uropt. 
and  along  tiie  shores  of  ISew  Holland.  We  have  seen  Chinc.«t 
drawings  of  the  goshawk  (Falco  pahunbarius)  entirely  resembhn: 
our  native  species  ;  and  from  what  wc  know  of  its  intermediiiU 
stations,  we  may  safely  conclude  that  it  inhabits  the  whole  of  tli;i 
vast  tract  of  territory  from  the  south-eastern  extremities  of  Asii 
to  the  most  western  shores  of  Europe,  and  across  the  broad  ex 
pause  of  the  Nordi  American  continent.  The  lanmier-giu 
{(jypdios  haihatua  of  Storr),  the  largest,  or  at  least  die  longt.^ 
winged   of  all   the  European   birds  of  prey,  haunts  the  steeps  d 

*  It  is  woitliy  ol' ii'c-cn<l  Hint  tliis  is  thu  Krst  zool(i},'ical  work  I'ver  pul)lislu'(l \iiuli r  l! 
iimin.c'.iat(.'  iiiitli(irity  ol  llio  Biilisli  i;o\ iiiiimnt.  It  wiis  fomid  lucissary,  witli  a  vii 
to  RMidcr  thi;  i;ulilicatiim  iisifiil,  that  many  ol"  its  sulijutts,  iiioiu  csjieciully  in  \. 
oniitluiloijical  and  liotanical  di'partnii'nts,  slioiild  lo  ilUishati'<l  liy  iiitans  ol  iif^im 
lliL'  I'Xi'ciisi:  of  w  liifli  ivoidd,  liowL'Vi-'r,  liavf  i>ii'M'iitfd  uu  insunnoiuitable  olistaclr,  1 
not  his  late  Majesty's  (^ovciiimcnt  lent  a  liljfial  aid  to  tliu  undiitakinjj;.  On  an" 
I'lication  wliich  had  the  ajinoval  of  the  Secretary  of  State  for  Colonial  alliiirs.  li 
'J'reasury  panted  KKId/.,  to  t;e  aiijilied  solely  towards  defraxinjj;  the  exjienses  of  'i 
illustrations.  Of  that  sum,  fidO/.  was  allotted  to  the  qiiadrniieds  and  hirds.  anil  i. 
other  moiety  to  the  iis^hes,  insects,  and  jilants.  As  the  resolt  of  this  enlii^htii. 
]iatronapv,  we  have  already,  in  tlie  iiirnier  volume  of  the  I'amni,  twenly-eiuhl  ailiw 
rahle  ]ilates,  drawn  and  en;;raved  hy  I\Ir. 'i'hon\'is  LaniUeer,  and  iiftj-two  lij.'iiui 
I'M'cuted  m  litho'^raiihy,  witli  his  ;'cc\istemed  skill,  hy  I\Ir.  Swainson,  and  licanliliii.; 
cohnucd,  adorn  the  jirescnt  volume,  which  contains,  in  addition,  ahove  forty  woiid-cu!' 
repre^entinij;  chiefly  the  heads  and  feet  of  species.  A\'e  say  nothin;,'  of  llie  hoti.im. 
ilil'ar'.ir.i'nt  ;  hut  wlioever  is  aci|uainti.'il  with  the  taste  "and  talents  of  rrofi--' 
lliKiker,  will  not  douht  that  it  will  be  atiiieved  in  such  a  manner  us  to  do  honei;v: 
the  scienlif'c  diaracter  (d'  iJritain. 

^V(•  shall  nut  lure  do  more  than  allude  to  an  inadvertence  which  Mr.  S.  has  ciii 
iiiittid,  hy  allowintj  liis  cntliusiasni  for  a  favourite  lansoit  to  had  Idm  astray  {»^  '•■ 
this  c.ise  it  may  1  e  called)  into  a':iither  and  nu.re  iii!p(ntant  sul  ject,  hetwfi'n  wliic: 
and  his  peculiar  \  ru\iuce  we  do  not  ]iirceivi!  the  j  ossihilily  of  a  connexion.  (7'wf 
JJvna/i-.IiiniiLO"^.,  l';;rt  ii.    lulroUuetory  Obseivations  uii  tlic  Nutiirul  Sybteni,  p''"' 

till; 


■In  re; 
and  die 
ajRB  Moiit 

Zt)|e.    u<( 

#'  I'"' 
■UaJvas  I 

WMd.s  or 

Qf.)iic  c. 

■jjt  'j'iii.s 

nof  iMiTot 
a|.,n,,. 

■f 

inro-l.t 
tilt  I 
says 
«(1  iia 
E4i«-ar(ls- 
that  lio 
probably 
No.  8.-,. 

the  ()l).s( 

Gttiut's 

a; 


J 


American  Ornitholofjy. 


Of.f 


ibincd  oft'orts 
.no\vlcd;j;c.* 
almost  dctuis 
I  field,  and  it 
liodical  cssny, 
its  varied  and 
be  thought  to 
e. 

class  of  birds, 
same  specit's. 
^ds — a  fact  to 
ITS.      15ut  evei! 
chaiacleiistic 
surface  of  the 
'  a  g  eat  oxtcnl 
le  to  the  Cvn- 
I5abel-Maudil, 
diiUus),  occui' 
ulli  of  lunopc. 
:  seen  Cliincst 
rely  rcsembiiii! 
ts  intermedlaU 
e  w  hole  of  thii: 
L'mities  of  Asii 
i  the  broad  ex 
!  lammer-ii;i'}i 
.•ast  the  longi* 
s  the  steoi)s  n 

,•  putilisla'diuulirt! 
uci'ssary,  witli  ii  vii 
111!  c'sjit'Ciully  ill  li 
liy  iiu':viis  (il  li};uir 
mitiiljle  obstiu-li',  1 
itjikiii};.  On  nil. 1!; 
Coluiiial  allairs.  tb 

tlu!    i^Xpi'IlSl'S    111  '1' 

s  and  billl^.  and  i'; 
:  of  tliis  t'nlii;bfi^ 
I,  t\viMity-i'i;;lit  ailiw 
lu.d  IH'tj-lwi)  il|.'iii>'^ 
uihuii,  and  litautiliil.; 
duivi'  i'lii'ly  wiiiiil-''"'' 
liiii'4  111'  Uic  liotiiim- 
talents  of  riofc>:-0 
cr  as  to  dii  liunoi'.v- 

lii(di  Viv.  S.  lias  CUV' 
tad  luni  astray  ("'''; 
,il  jict,  bi'twi'i'ii  vim-: 
I  coniH'.Nion.  (i'.w" 
s'iitumlSytjtcni,  !'■■'''• 
llii; 


llH  Pvrcncan  mountains,  and  the  central  Alps,  from  Piedmont 
t#.Dai'natia.  Jt  was  described  as  an  E<ivptian  species  by  MM. 
Mney  and  Savigny,  and  by  Ibiicc  as  native  to  the  Abyssinian 
"nntains.  It  has  also  been  seen  sailing  over  the  vast  steppes  of 
Siberin".  deserts,  and  has  more  recently  been  transmitted  to 
Edinburgh  Museum  from  the  north  of  India  and  the  range 
the  llinialava.  Tiie  peregrine  falcon  occurs  in  (Jreenland, 
r(ii)e,  North  America,  and  New  Holland.  The  short-eared 
{SIrix  hrarliijolos),  counnon  to  Europe  and  ^America,  has 
n  sent  to  tliis  country  from  Canton,  in  China  ;  and  the  white 
barn  owl  (Strix  f/aminca)  has  been  observed  in  all  the  four 
at  divisions  of  the  world,  to  say  nothing  of  Madeira,  Mada- 
MjBcar,  and   New  Holland,     'i  he   common  cuckoo  {Ciiculvs  m- 

fiis),  and  the  European  water-hen  (Ftdica  citlorojjits),  arc  found 
lie  Mauritius.    The  glossy  ibis  occurs  in  Europe,  Asia,  Africa, 
aid  America;  anil  the  golden  plover  is  characteri'cd  by  an  almost 
ally  extensive  range.      Lastly,  for  we  have  not  here  room  for 
[lore  lengthened  enumeration,  the  white- fronted  or  cliff  swallow 
nindu  liniifroiis  of  Say),  discovered   by  Major  Long  in  the 
iiliity  of  the  I'ocky  ^louiitains,  and  more  recently  observed   by 
liichaidson  at  Fort  Chepewyan,  was  lately  exhibited  to  us  in 
i.diiiburgh  IShiseum,  as  forming  part  of  a  collection  traiis- 
;ed   some  years  ago    by  the   Marchioness   of  Hastings  from 

|»ii  lejrard  to  the  American  species,  the  gorgeous  tribe  of  parrots, 
the  lairy  family  of  the  humming-birds,  with  both  of  which  we 
wont  to  associate  the  warmth  as  well  as  the  lustre  of  the  torrid 
le.   a'c  now  known  to   be  much  more  extensively  distributed 
1  Ijiilfon  and  some  other  writers  of  the  last  century  sup|)ose(l. 
.IS  tia  belief  of  Bnffon  that  no  parrot  extended  either  north- 
Ids  or  soiith\\..fds  beyoiul  the  twenty-liflh  degree  on  either  side 
Sphec(iiu.to!. 

.iJiis  illustvious  autlior,'  says  Mr.  Pennant,  '  liaviiig  resolved  tliat 
]iarr(jt:s  slioiild  pass  beyuiul  tlic  tropic  of  C'ajiricorn,  despises  tlie 
i"iity  of  tlic  Diitcii  navigator,  Spilliergen,  who  was  eye-witness 
e  woods  of  Terra  del  Fiiego,  the  very  southern  liouiidary  of  tlie 
lils  of  Magellan,  in  lat.  4t,  l)eing  full  of  a  sj)eeics  of  these  birds. 
in'gl\t  liave  cited  tlic  evidence  of  Captain  Hood,  who  saw  a  small 
'ot  at  Cape  Faniiiu' ;  and  lie  luight  have  quoted  Commodore  Bvron, 
ays  tliat,  notwithstanding  tl:e  coldness  of  the  climate,  he  ob- 
•laA*^''  l''"'"*-^  iniiunurable  in  the  woods  of  the  same  liarliour.  Mr. 
^Irards,  one  of  the  surgeons,  now  living  at  Carnarvon,  informed  luc 
ut  ''^'  ^''^^'  ^'"^'"  "'  abundance,  and  tliat  they  were  of  a  deep  green, 
probably  the  very  species  engraved  in  the  "' Plunelies  PhiluminJes," 
J>6q,  S.).  Hie  Count  treats  with  the  same  contempt  tiie  authority  of 
«•  observant  and  veracious  Captain  Cook,  who,  in  defaince  of  "the 
C#liiit's  canon,  liud  the  luirdiucss  to  trust  to  the  evideueo  of  his  own 

bCllbCS, 


558 


American  Omithohrjij. 


senses,  and  assert  that  he  saw  parrots  in  tlie  isle  of  New  Zealand,  an^ 
even  to  suffer  Captain  Furneaux  to  blab  out  that  ]>airakeets  were 
inhabitants  of  Van  Diemen's  Land,  the  very  extremity  of  New  IId:. 
land — both  of  them  countries  interdicted  by  the  illustrious  natural^ 
to  the  wliole  parrot  race.  How  greatly,  again,  has  our  aide  navigntor 
aggravated  matters  by  not  silencing  the  learned  Furster  for  proving 
more  than  one  species  to  be  found  in  the  raw,  wtt  climate  of  IJii^k, 
Bay,  in  hit.  40  ;  and  to  make  bad  worse,  to  connive  at  several  of  tht 
conii)anions  of  his  voyage  bringing  into  this  kingdom  not  fewer  tlia: 
eighf  sjjccies  of  this  vagabond  genus,  which  had  dared  to  take  ir 
their  residence  beyond  the  gein'al  limits  of  the  torrid  zone,  which  t! 
Count  de  ButTon  had  so  authoritatively  decreed  to  them,  and,  like : 
great  creator,  had  said,  "  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  and  no  farther!"  " 

The  only  representative  of  this  family  foiuui  in  tlic  I  nilcd  Stalt: 
is  tlie  Carolina  parrot,  of  which  the  otiier  supposed  species  {PaW- 
taciis  jierfinax)  is  the  young.  It  inhabits  the  interior  of  Louisiaii:, 
and  the  shores  and  tributary  waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio 
and  extends  even  beyond  the  Illinois  river  to  the  neigiibourhoo': 
of  Lake  ISIicliigan,  in  the  42°  north  latitude. 

•  From  these  circumstances,'  says  Wilson, '  we  might  lie  justified'; 
concluding  it  to  be  a  very  hardy  bird,  more  capable  of  sustaining  cii 
than  nine-tenths  "  the  tribe  ;  and  so  I  believe  it  is,  having  mysi 
Been  them,  in  the  vnonth  of  February,  along  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,:: 
a  snow-storm,  flying  about  like  pigeons,  and  in  full  cry.'  t 

Jt  appears,  however,  to  h  t  more  restricted  on  the  eastern  si. 
of  the  iMlegliany  range,  where  it  is  seldom  seen  farllier  north  tli?. 
the  state  of  Maryland,  although  a  few  stragglers  are  now  and  tlu 
met  with  in  the  vallies  of  the  Juniata,  or  even  about  t\ventv-li 
miles  to  the  north-west  of  Albany,  in  the  state  of  New  York 
We  may  judge  of  the  abundance  of  this  specii  s,  even  up  to 
recent  period,  from  the  statement  of  \  aillant,  who  assures  us  tl: 
lie  saw  a  packet,  containing  above  six  thousand  skins  of  tiiis  bir 
which  were  sent  to  a  j>luma.ssior  at  Paris  for  the  formation 
ornamental  dresses. §  Mr.  Audubon,  however,  informs  us,  th. 
their  numbers  are  now  rapidly  diminishing,  and  that,  in  sons 
districts,  where,  twenty-five  years  ago,  they  were  very  plentilii' 
sc:ncely  one  is  to  be  seen. 

•  At  that  period,'  he  adds,  '  they  could  be  procured  as  far  up  the  tr; 
hutary  waters  of  the  Ohio  as  the  great  Kcnhawa,  the  (Scioto,  t:, 
heads  of  the  Miami,  tlie  mouth  of  tlie  Maniniee  at  its  junction  ut 
Lake  Erie,  on  the  Illinois  river,  and  sometimes  as  far  north-east  »• 
Lake  Ontario,  and  along  the  eastern  districts  as  far  as  the  boundar 
line  between  Virginia  and  Maryland.     At  tht  jirescnt  day,  very  U'' 

*     Ilull'M  tl)  till;   I'lillK-lil'S  Kllllll.!il.t'uS. 

f  Ami'rican  Oniitlmio^y,  Constalilv's  '■(lifiuii.  vul,  i  Ji.  IIS. 

,;  Uiirtoii's  Fiaf^niriits  i>t  tliu  Xatiiial  llistoiy  of  IViuisylvauia. 

Ij  Ilibtoiro  Natua'llu  dcs  I'enonuits. 


JUt|to  be  f( 
ingilth  of  t 
b«iR.  1  shi 
tbv  niiuibei 
lie  oth 
li!,-hii'd!! 

Jntinn  1 
'hiiu  natn 
sceh  liy  C 

'  «ic  <  lin 


tH^  trdje. 
4|]^le-lands 
^wy  mo 
denied   t 
)otka    S 
3\;uider 
lus  rolitl 
doubt,  the 
of  iCauadii 
tbeve  two  ( 
U«||r  tiie  h 
dtUtcc  of 
jR'e  havi 
TttJi-nccke' 
short  s ;  ai 
inicated 
dimin 
iaits  of 
itory  in 
|r  rcmar 
'^r  in^lin 
Imi  if  die 
When 
iv  flee  al 
rc'liirn 
K'  it,  th; 
Ik!  mi 
IJ' el   ol 
tO^iUv.  flu- 
cidcuhacil 

these,  the 
iUght  of  tl 
tjieir  gigii 
liroad  vai 
'  But  k 


W 


i: 


.American  Ornllholnrj)/, 


2o9 


Zealand,  am', 
iMkcets  were 

ui  New  IJ(,:. 
ions  riatiirulis 
;il)le  navigiUu: 
.T  for  proviii:; 
nate  of  i)u-l, 
several  of  th 

t  fewer  tli;.: 
ed  to  take  i; 
)iie,  wliicli  t! 
ni,  and,  like 
lo  farther!"  " 
nitcd  Stall 
species  (/-'.vf'- 
of  Louisiana 
)pi  and  ()lii> 
eiglibouiiiou 

t  he  justified '; 

Mistaining  n/ 
haviiip^  iiiysi 
of  tlie  Ohio,!: 

.'t 

0  eastern  sii' 
her  north  tli: 

now  and  tin 
)iit  t\vcnty-(i 

New  Voik 
even  up  to 
assures  ns  ll: 
IS  of  this  bii 

formation 
ifornis  us,  tli 
that,  in  son 
very  jihMitiln 

far  up  the  Ir: 
he  iSeioto,  t; 
s  junction  \vi' 
1'  north-east  •; 
s  tiie  houiidiir; 
;  da)-,  very  U" 

.  tis. 
•ylvaiiia. 


jUU|to  be  found  hij^licr  tlian  Cincinnati  ;  nor  is  it  till  you  reach  the 
I^ltiiitth  of  the  Oliio  that  jjarakeets  are  met  with  ia  consideralde  num- 
tHMb.  1  should  think  that  alon?  the  Missisisippi  there  is  not  now  lialf 
tht'numher  that  existed  fifteen  years  ap;o.' 

'dihe  other  group  to  whicii  we  alluded  above — that  of  the  huni- 
rtrth'.;-birds — is  also  characterised  by  a  nuicli  more  extended  dis- 
tm)ution  tiian  wi-.s  formerly  supposed,  although  it  might  have 
bwii  naturall''  inferred,  from  the  abundance  in  whicli  they  were 
86^h  by  Condaniine  in  the  (devated  gardens  of  Quito,  that  a  tem- 
pekite  ( liniate  was  by  no  means  adverse  to  the  constitution  of  that 
tiny  tribe.  Mr.  Bullock  discovered  several  sjieeies  on  the  lofty 
tgj>ii:-lanils  of  Mexico,  ami  iu  tlio  woods  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
sppw)  mountains  of  Oiizaba.  Cook,  indeed,  had  long  before 
.pfpcnred  the  rntl'-neckeil  species  {Trocliilim  vulliiris,  Jjatli.)  from 
.tifpolka  Sound ;  and  Catesby,  at  a  still  earlier  period,  and 
,i^s;ni(ler  \\  dson,  in  latei'  limes,  described  the  species  (7Vo- 
■cif^us  coluhris)  so  well  known  in  the  Lniti;d  States.  It  was,  no 
doubt,  the  latter  species  that  was  seen  by  Charlevoix  in  the  interior 
o(  jPanadu  ;  but  it  would  be  interesting  to  ascertain  whicli  of 
thejie  two  coniparativ(dy  hardy  kinds  was  n\et  with  by  Mackenzie, 
lie|r  the  head  of  the  Unjigali  or  Peace  Uiver,  in  the  iiity-fourlh 
ree  of  north  latitude. 

'e  have  alreaily  nuMitioned  that  Kotzcbuc  traced  the  beautiful 
-necked  or  Nootkaliununing-bird  to  the  6\  along  the  western 
res ;  and  when  we  take  into  consideration  the  facts  lately  com- 
m^Ilicated  by  Captain  King,  who  met  with  numerous  members  of 
t||i^  diminutive  family  Hying  about  in  a  snow-storm,  near  the 
Stjaits  of  Magellan,  we  shall  perceive  how  great  an  extent  of 
.teijilory  in  the  new  world  is  occupieil  by  die  Trochilicke.  llow- 
«,yj|r  remarkable  may  be  the  lustre  of  their  resplendent  plmnage, 
thiir  instinctive  courage  is  still  more  worthy  of  our  admiration,  at 
Jeasl  if  there  is  truth  in  renuuulez  Oviedo,  who  writes  thai — 

•  When  they  see  a  man  climb  y"  tree  where  they  liavo  their  nests, 
MliBy  (lee  at  his  face,  and  stryke  In'm  in  the  eyes,  eonunyng,  goviig, 
Bflfl  icliiriiyu^-,  with  such  swyftness,  that  no  man  wouhle  ryghtly  iiu- 
liew  it,  that  hath  not  seen  it.'* 

FfP  lie  migration  of  birds  has,  imlecd,  in  every  age,  afliirdid  a 
■M^j' el  ot  pleasant,  though  sometimes  inconclusive  speculation 
tO'tiie  students  of  nature  ;  but  in  no  instance  does  it  appear  more 
calculated  to  call  forth  our  admiration,  than  when  exemplilied  bv 
these,  the  frailest  of  the  feathered  race.  The  lofty  ami  sustained 
night  oi  the  eagles  and  albatrosses  seems  only  commensurate  with 
tjieii  gigantic  size,  and  the  irresistible  sweeping  of  their  '  .'•ail- 
broad  vans ;' — 

'  Jbit  how,'  says  Dr.  ^iehardson,  '  is  our  admiration  of  th"  ways  of 

*  History  of  tlie  West  ladies,  traiislutcd  l.y  llicliard  Eden,  p.  1  !•',). 

rrovidence 


30O 


Amcrkan  OrnilJiolof/y. 


Providence  increased,  wlicii  we  find  that  one  of  tlie  least  of  its  da*i 
c'lutlu'd  in  tlie  most  delicate  and  brilliant  jjhimago,  and  iippari'iit; 
more  fitted  to  flutter  aljout  in  a  conservatory  than  to  brave  the  fw 
(if  the  l)last,  should  yield  to  few  birds  in  the  extent  of  its  mif!;ration> 
'J'he  ruby-thtoatcd  hunnuing-bird,  which  winters  to  the  southward i. 
the  United  States,  ranges,  in  summer,  to  the  fifty-seventh  paralk, 
and  jierhaps  even  still  farther  north.  We  obtained  specimens  on  tl, 
lilain.s  of  the  Saskatchewan,  and  Mr.  ]3rummond  found  one  of  tin 
nests  ne.'ir  the  .'-ources  of  the  Elk  river.  This  nest  is  composed  pri: 
cijially  of  the  down  of  an  anemone,  bound  together  with  a  few  st;ili 
of  moss  and  lichen,  and  lias  an  internal  diameter  of  one  incli.  T!: 
eggs,  two  in  number,  of  a  reddish-white  colour,  and  obtuse  at  W 
ends,  are  half  an  inch  long,  and  four  lines  and  a  quarter  in  transve^ 
diameter.' 

'J'iii;  principal  value  of  tins  volume  of  llio  *  Fauna  J'oreal 
Americana,'  in  a  merely  ilcscriplive  point  of  view,  consists  iiiii 
serving,  in  a  great  measure,  to  complete  our  knowledge  of  Noili 
American  birds,  by  connecting,  by  an  intermediate  link,  tlie  onii 
ihologv  of  the  I  iiited  States  witii  that  of  the  piuelv  arctic  rcijioL 
of  the  new  world.*    We  have  already  pointed  out  llie  sources  froi; 

*  Mr.  Sw.'.iiisou  I'.as  also  liroui^lit  bis  cxtt'iisivi.'  and  nccMiriitu  kuowU-djjfo  of  i- 
variotis  i^muiis,  ('.cilvrd  IVoin  a  cart'iol  analysis  of  tliuir  t'oiistituent  iiarts,  lo  bear  u;-'. 
tlie  (lil'lcult  and  iiuu-li-di-imtcd  suljoct  of  tbc  mitinal  s_i/.\icin.     Into  tlif  discussiuii. 
tliat  vfjul(t  ijiiiosl'wwv  sluUl  not  at  iTcsent  enter;  bnt  we  recommend  to  tbe  stiuk'ul 
ornitliold^y   a  tarel'ul  iiernsal  of  bis   introdi:et(;ry  observations    ini   tb.c   tribes  a: 
I'aniiiies  of  ibe  insesso;i,d  order.     Tbe  autbor's  jirincipal  object  is  to  demonstrate  ;i 
follouinji;  iieeuliariiies  in  n.itnral  arranj^enient,  viz.: — 1.  Tbat  every  natural  serin 
beini^s,  in  its  inogress  from  a  s^iven  iioint,  eitber  actually  returns,  or  evinces  a  !•, 
(U  iicy  to  return,  a  i^aintotbat  I'.ii'.nt.tbereby  forniini^a  circle.  "J.  Tbat  tbe  contents  of  si:  ■ 
a  cin-le  or  j^roiijiare  symbobciUy  rcjiresented  by  tlie  contents  of  ail  otber  circles  iiu; 
same  class  of  animals, — Ibis  reseniblance  beiiijj  strong  or  remote  in  [iroiiortion  to; 
j>roxiniitv  or  tbe  distance  of  tbe  Lrroujis  coiiijuired.     ,'i.  Tbe  primary  divisions  of  ev' 
natural  j^roup,  of  \v  bate  vc-r  extent  or  value,  are  in  ui;i:,  eacb  of  wbicb  forms  its  own  cir 
Tbe  lirst  of  tliuse  proposiiioiis  accords  with  Ibe  views  of  Wacleay,  Fries,  Ajj;au 
()ken,   and  olbers.     Tlie  llimry  of  rifirtst^iilaliun,  us  it  may   be  called,  wbicb  ii- 
volved  ill  tbe  second  proposition,  was  Inst  jiroiiiulgated  in  tbe  llarrv  IliiloiiHilfji' 
and,  accordiu);  to   iMr.  ^Swainson,   it  is  tbe   only  certain   test  of  a  natural  j^ro' 
'  Circles  may  be,  and  have  been,  formed  with  such  a  ileceitful  aiiiiearaiico  of  folli 
\w^  n.iture,  tbat  tbe  most  eminent  and  the  nu'st  cautious  liave  been  led  into  a  li/ 
tbat  they  were  strictly  natural.      If  sucb  a  Ljroup  is  tbonj;bt  to  be  complete  or  /"■'.' 
it  is  very  well  to  say,  put  eacb  of  its  divisions  to  tliu  test  of  vetnrniiijj;  into  itself,  '\-i 
tlie  f.illacy  will  be  discovered;  bnt  amoiifj;  j^roups  of  a  certain  value,  j^'euera  and  m  ■ 
families  more  pr.rticidarly,  tlieve  is  not  one  in  tliree  tbat   cnn  be  so  tested.     Tliis: 
ability  partly  arises  from  our  superficial  accpiaintanee  witb  forms,   and  partly,  asv: 
believe,  from  tliere  beiiiLf  many  real  ^'aps  in  tbe  cliiiin  of  continuity.     \\  itbout,  tlitn- 
fore,  siniie  otber  test  for  a  natural  ;;ronp  tlian  tbe  mere  cn'euin.-.tanee  of  its  retiaiu;. 
into  it-elf,  or  e\"n  its  simple  ii.n-allelisin  with  a  ciuitinuous  j;'roup,   1  consider  deicu;. 
siralion  not  to  liave  been  att.iined.     Tlie  theory  of  re|ire'entatioii  tlu:s  steps  in,  iH- 
at  (nice  dispels  ibe  illusion,  or  ilemonstrutes  tbe  correctness  of  the  series.' — /«''■■ 
ibntunj  nh.iirvdiiiiiis,  i'.  \\i\.     In  tbe  sub-families  of  jMyotberiiiie  and  I'ariana',  .'^l' 
Sv. ainson  lias  in^'enionsly  o.empbtied  tliis  principle  of  tbe  iiiiloral  system  in  all- 
b« '.riiii;s.  —  Fiiiiiiii  HtiiKifi-.liiin-h  iiva,  \it\.  ii.,  pp.  158  and  20'J. — It  will  be  obser'i* 
in  nr.ard  to  Ibe  third  proposition,  that  i\lr.  .Swainson's  circul.ir  system  difl'ers  li"* 
tbat  of  lliu  (^uinarians  in  the  number  of  it,-;  primary  divisions.     lie   i.s   of  opai:  ' 
tbat  the   pilm.ii v  ciicles  o(  e.icli  ;;roup  are  invarbiMy  iuur;;;,  luid  these  lie  denui.' 
iiiilCiS  tlic  li/imu/,  the  su!i-li/jii<:ii/,  and  the  abcnunt, 

OllI 


•<k}A\\  a  ki 

ni*y  lie  atti 

oy*Jth(i!,igi( 

^'•'he  dist 

end,    of( 

6lflffitli  parti 

t%  piirsni 

re^piis  wlii 

refent  peric 

dfjfjyed  fror 

,tj#lie   earl 

f^fVied,   abi 

waa  sent  ou 

uatpral  hist 

p^od  resid 

tiiliing   pos 

beasts,  bird; 

iofoniis  lis, 

natelj  lor  tl 

n^9P9  to  M 

''JNtetnral  1 

lit;  flic  couri 

'  ^(i^J'J'go  to 

th#t!eik  o 

*  V;^:ige  b\ 

HdtlU-al  histc 

^Ifor  twen 

tmij||l   iiifori 

Mr^'Willian 

purpose   of 

return,  by 

SeiV«rii  II  JVC 

forw|iiL'sent; 

d^ibed   b 

in«|est  in 

Soi^'tv,  ilii, 

th.Cliud.so, 

should    Ih'     ; 

Mjlit-luiupl 

an^.'^kints, 

MF.^iJiiti,|ii 

diislii-ioiis,  f, 
drejiy  up  m 

wiMch   he  c. 

-~m 

m 


Amnricnn  OrnUhnlnijij. 


r/)l 


ist  of  Us  flasi 
nd  appiireiit; 
rave  the  fur 
ts  mif^ration- 
!  southwurdi 
i-eiith  parallt. 
;c'imeiis  on 


l^tikli  ii  knowledge  of  the  more  southern  localities  of  the  species 
11^  1)0  attained,  and  we  shall  now  present  a  brief  skelcli  of  the 
<a|Jtli()l()j;ical  history  of  the  central  and  northern  territories, 
'^iie  districts  termed  the  fur-countries  may  be  said  to  coni- 
bmciid,  generally,  the  whole  of  the  space  north  of  the  forty- 
el^lh  parallel  of  latitude.     Although  the   Trench   Canailians,   in 

■us    Ull  IN  ViRT  •  !•  1.  ^1  I"        i     .  .         i  .1  I 

1  f  .1       tueii-  nursuit  ot  peltry,  were  the  nrst  to  penetrate   tliosc   barren 

■oitinoscd  wi:  '^^'IP"'^  \\\\\c\\  extend  beyond  tiie  great  iaUes,  yet,  tdl  willnn  a 
th  a  few  st;:i;  'Cffipl  periotl,  onr  entire  stock  of  ornithological  knowledge  was 
tie'incli.  T!  djjmed  from  the  cinploijcs  of  the  Hudson's  IJay  Company, 
jbtuse  at  k  ,iJ#he  earliest  collections  of  the  birds  of  Hudson's  Uay  were 
r  in  traiisver'^  f^lfQed,  about  ninety  years  ago,  by  Mr.  Alexander  l-.ight,  who 
Waa  sent  out  by  the  company  in  consequence  of  his  knowledge  of 
natural  history.  It  is  also  recorded  that  ]\ir.  Isham,  for  a  long 
period  resident  in  the  fur-countries  as  governor  of  various  forts  or 
trtrfjng  posts,  employed  his  leisure  m  preparing  the  skins  of 
beasts,  birds,  and  fishes.  These  two  gentlemen,  JJr.  llichardson 
infoniis  us,  relumed  to  England  about  the  year  174,3,  and,  fortii- 
natelj^  Ibr  the  advancement  of  ornithology,  entrusted  their  sj)eci- 
IH9JM  to  Mr.  George  Edwards,  the  well-known  author  of  the 
*'I4itural  IJi.sloiy  of  liiids,  and  other  rare  mulescribed  Animals.' 
Ittffie  course  of  the  year  174<),  Ellis  published  his  account  of  the 
'  i^fiWiige  to  Hudson's   J5av  in  the   l)obbs  and   Calilornia  ;'   and 


1)1-  fVlUCL'S 

lie  coiiti'iitsdfsi; 
either  civcles  iiu; 
[ii-ulH)ilion  tu : 
iivisicms  of  ev 
onus  its  own  rir 
,y,  Fries,  A-iih 
iUeil,  whidi  is. 
•er   I'.nlO)ii<ilii;iv 
a  uuturiil  j;ri' 
eiiniucc  ol"  ivW 
L-u  led  into  a  \-x. 
umiilete  or  prn 
lip;  into  itself,  :i~ 
e,  genera  ami  ;  • 
0  tested.     Tlii>; 
iiul  I'lirtly.  a''!'- 
.     WitlKiut.tben- 


anna  l?oreal; 
consists  ill  i; 
dge  of  Morn 
link,  the  oiiii 
arctic  regioi, 
2  sources  tiu 

kno\vled!j;e  of  t 

|iarts,  to  bear  u;- 

0  the  discussiui. 

id  to  the  studeii; 

n   th.o   trilies  t  ^     _.  _ 

o  demoMbtiiitu  ;j   tb^tlerk  of  the  latter  vessel,   whose   name   was    JJrage,   iii  Ins 

y  natural  seiin    <  y^0;,ge  by  Hudson's  Straits,'   also  illustrates  severarpoints  in 
n^lWal  history. 

•*3w)r  twenty  years  ensuing  the  last-mentioned  period,  no  addi- 
ti0i|#l  information  was  derived  from  these  northern  regions  ;  but 
Hr»1^^  illiain  Wales,  who  went  to  Hudson's  J'ay  in  17()H,  foi  the 
piJ^ose  of  observing  the  transit  of  \'enus,  was  entrusted,  on  his 
return,  by  Mr.  Graham,  governor  of  the  Company's  post  at 
Severn  River,  wi'h  a  collection  of  (juadrupeds,  birds,  and  lishes, 
for  jireseiitalion  to  the  Royal  Society.  These  speeiaieus  were 
d^S'i^ribed  by  John  lleinhold  Eorster,*  ami  excited  so  imuii 
intflilest  in  the  scienlilic  world,  that,  at  the  desire  of  tiie  Koyal 
So^-ty,  directions  were  given  by  the  governor  and  coiiiinittee  of 
*«|^lndsou's  l>ay  Company  that  .subjects  of  iiatnial  history 
slnilid  be  annually  transmitted  to  JMigland ;  and,  accordingly, 
CO  of  itsretuun;.  AMwliuiiphiev  Martin  sent  several  hundred  specimens  of  animals 

tlu'rsttri'r'i':  "'^**^''''^^^^'^'''^^^^^^ '*^  ^'^'■'' ^^''^^'''>'  "*'  ^^'''*^''  ''^  "'''^  governor. 
he'L^ies;-^V/''-^'f'«^*-'"^^''"  successor  of  Mr.  Martin,  was   still  inore   in- 

and  I'ariaiue.  M' oi'Mtious,  for  he  not  ouly  prepared  nunierous  specimens,  but 
''  'i\nv',iWr '^''^'^  i'l>  niinule  descriptions  of  all  the  (piadrupeds  and  birds 
ilto'in  ■liti'ei's'liott'^^*^^'  l'^'  t-onld  olitai^,  with  interesting  notices  of  their  haunts, 
lie  i.s  of  or 


A  these  he  dcnui-- 


*  rhil.  Tiuus.  17/";i. 


ftt 


labits, 


Sfkx 


A  morican  Ornifhnfof/i/, 


habits,  and  native  names.  It  was,  in  fact,  from  liis  ol)scrvntinni 
tlial  Pennant  and  Latliani  cliiclly  derived  whatever  was  vuliinble: 
llieir  works  ('  Arelic  Zoology,'  and  '  General  Synopsis  of  I')ii(|> 
rei^arding  the  featiiered  tribes  of  Hudson's  Jiay.  Captain  Cin.l 
tliird  voyage  (1777 — H)  made  ns  acquainted  witli  .several  f^wo 
of  liie  north-west  coasts  of  i\merica  and  IJehring's  Straits;  In, 
from  the  want  of  engraved  representations,  and  the  subsrqii; 
destruction  or  dispersion  of  the  specimens  themselves,  it  is 
general  difiieult,  if  not  impossible,  to  identify  the  species  indici: 
with  piecision.  Pennant's  '  Arctic  Zoology'  appeared  in  l> 
and  contains  the  most  ample  descriptive  catalogue  of  An: 
i\merican  birds  which  had  appeared  prior  to  the  present  voliiii;. 

These  are  the  principal  sources  of  information  up  to  the  pci> 
of  our  own  scientilic  expeditions  by  land  and  sea;  for  altlion 
Lndreville  and  llearnc  illustrate  the  habits  of  some  of  them 
common  species,  and  the  voyages  of  Vancouver,  Portlock,  Mem 
and  Langsdorfl",  to  the  north-west,  and  the  travels  of  Lewis; 
Clarke  to  the  banks  of  the  Columbia,  contributed  their  mitt, 
very  important  results  were  thereby  obtained,  lischscholtz  ■ 
ChamissOj'the  naturalists  attached  to  Kotzebuc's  expedition,  nu; 
supposed  to  have  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the  ornithoKr 
the  north-west  coasts;  but  no  satisfactory  report  of  tiieir  zooloi; 
discoveries  has  hitherto  reached  this  country.  The  zoological  |' 
tion  of  the  appendix  to  Captain  Ueechey's  voyage,  entrusted, 
believe,  to  Mr,  \  igors,  will  no  doubt  compensate  for  the  va;: 
ness  t>f  the  natural  history  notices  introduced  in  the  delii^h 
narrative  of  the  vova<fc  itself. 

'J'he  only  exact  information  which  we  possess,  regarding  the  1) 
of  th^  extreme  northern  coasts  and  islands  of  America,  is  conta 
in  the  apj)endixes  to  the  voyages  of  Koss  and  Parry.  The  s|k 
are  comparatively  few  along  those  icy  shores,  notwithstandiiii; 
cheering  intluence  of  tlieir  continuous  solar  light, — their 

' j)ohu'  day,  that  will  not  see 

A  sunset  till  its  summer's  done  ; 

Its  sleejjless  siunnier  of  long  light, 
The  snow-clad  oll'spving  of  the  sun.' 

We  shall  here  subjoin  the  names  of  the  species  observed 
North  Georgian  Islands  and  adjoining  seas,  latitude  73' to  75  '^ 


Oj^^hesc   s 
urnyiii'j,  I'" 


*  III  onu  volume  folio,  jiresuived  in  tliu  Library  of  tliu  llutlsou's  Hay  Conipan) 
t  Snowy  Owl,  *//7'.r  uylra  ;  Siiuw  liiiutiiifj;,  Einlicritn  iiiviilix  ;  Raven,  Com'hi  i  r 
Swallow,  Sjirciis  ii/ii'ta ;  AiiuriiMil  (ioatsucUrr,  Cii]niiiiii/yiii  .liiifriauiiis ; 
l'taniii;;aii,  '/'elriin  rii/fslris  ;  S.uuUrliiiu',  Ciiliilrix  tueiiai in ;  (iolilcn  jiUiVfr,  (' 
(Inns  /i/iiviii/is ;  Amuricaii  rin^  iiluvir,  C/inriii/riiis  xi'm'/in/nKitus ;  Tiiiustoui'.  •'' 
,\(/ii.i  iiilrr/'ics ;  ])iiiiliii,  Tiiii/iii  rariiihi/i.i ;  Knot,  'I'riiijia  cincrra ;  jiurplu  saiH'; 
'l'rtii(jn  vinrilima ;  \'.^f\\MWM\\  curli'W,  Aii'inniiin  Iniicn/is ;  ilat-billcil  |ilialan)ii 
fiii-ujjus /ii/iciina ;  Arctic  tvrn,    Skrmt  .1/clka ;  lJin-f{ouuis.tcr  gull,   J,anis  i/l"- 


bl 


difff^nt  la 
migr«toiy  s 
mucii  more 
partl^iels  th: 
a^Q^s  no 
'  "'  ts. 
ce  no 
ase  of 
tual  SI 
lof  ihe  1 
'o  the 
iklin  \v( 
the  ornilhol 
the  collectii 

J-wiiifivcl 
Inif'i/s  ; 

]i"iji'tyin 
lu'li's  j^iii 
IV.    .!//,■ 
l''i>llt 

dHol^Vy.  7)lil//lsx 

*.*lu'  .Unla' 
,jg.-,  Inu'l.  H 
'weunlaiid. 
"♦'Fauna  (in 
■;j''Viz.  Iu,/r„ 
'^  '  Iplcnis  of  ! 
AKinoir  o: 
Tauna  Bu 


American  OrnilhohHji/. 


Utili 


s  obscrvntinii. 
was  valiinbli- 
jpsis  of  l>ii(|> 
Captain  Coi,. 
1  .several  s|uti 
;'s  Straits;  In, 
llic  siibsc(|ih 
iselvcs,  it  Is 
pecies  iiKlica: 
peaied  in  \'' 
jgiie  oF  A\r 
present  vuliiii;- 
ip  to  the  pen 
a ;  for  alllKn 
line  of  tli(^  Hi 
orllock,  Mcai 
'Is  of  Lewis, 
m1  llair  mite, 
lisclisclioltz  ; 
Epe(lition,iii3' 
e  ornitlioli)^; 
f  tlieir  zoolo;: 
3  zoological  I' 
;e,  entrusted, 
e  for  the  v;i; 
u   the  deligli 

garding  tlicli 
rica,  is  conta 
ry.  The  spe 
withstandiiiL' 
— their 


s  observed  in 
tie  73'to7<3  ^ 


Ill's  Hay  Conipn; 
Ruvun,  CuiVKS  f  '• 
«  .liiiciiauiiis  ',  '' 
^iolili-n  iiliiviT,  (' 
is;  TuiiistouL',  -' 
a;  iiurjilu  saiulj: 
liilli'd  ]iluiliUiin'-' 
gull,    Ao/'HS  ljl>'" 

Vi- 


Ofiliosc  species,  thirty-four  in  all,  the  whole  are  migratory, 
sUtWiig  on  Melville  Island  in  May,  and  departing  in  October.  It 
wirt.be  perceived  that  only  a  single  accipitrine,  or  raptorial  bird, 
qmM|]s  in  these  high  latituilos, — lliat  there  are  only  six  species  of 
ilflm  birds  properly  so  called, — and  that  all  the  rest  are  either 
wipr  birds  or  waders.'*'  The  birds  of  Greeidand,  as  given  by 
Fjwricius,  amount  to  iifty-fonr ;(-  and  although  live  of  his  sup- 
pOK^I  species  are  now  known  to  be  merely  synonyms  of  certain 
otlw^  kinds  likewise  included  in  bis  list,  which  of  course  would 
redilce  the  number  to  forty-nine;  yet,  as  Captain  Sabine  has 
a(^^<l  iive  species  a.s  native  to  (Jreeidand,  which  are  not  recorded 
byJ^abricius,J  the  total  amount  is  still  precisely  lifty-four.'j  It  is 
prbj&able  that  a  great  proportion  of  these  migrate  southward  on  the 
approach  of  winter,  for,  even  in  the  fur-countries,  few  of  the  bird.s 
arestiicliy  resident;  and  the  raven,  and  Canadian  and  sliort- 
biUed  jays,  were  the  only  species  which  Dr.  llichardson  observed 
to  l>ie  equally  numerous  at  their  breeding  jjlaces,  in  winter  and 
SUIMC^er. 

,  ijirae  distribution  of  the  migratory  and  resident  birds  of  northern 
cpiui^ies  is  governed,  according  to  Dr.  llichardson,  by  very 
diQfiifiit  laws,  as  far  as  climate  is  concerned, — the  influx  of 
migratory  species,  for  the  purpose  of  rearing  their  young,  being 
mucli  more  connected  with  the  high  sunnner  temperature  of  tlio>e 
partljlels  than  with  the  mean  amuial  heat,  which  is  very  low,  and 
affo|tls  no  criterion  of  the  number  or  variety  of  the  sunnner 
visitants.  In  fact,  the  mean  annual  temperature  decreases,  as  we 
advinee  northwards  1^  F.  for  each  degree  of  latitude,  while  the 
deiSPease  of  mean  heat  in  July  does  not  exceed  1.  There  is  no 
peijetual  snow  on  any  part  of  die  fur  countries,  with  the  cxcep- 
Uoftx)f  the  more  elevated  portions  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  1| 

;.  Ifo  the  two  expeditions  under  the  command  of  Sir  John 
Fgwikli"  we  owe  almost  all  that  is  audientic  in  our  knowledge  of 
the  oniitholoay  of  the  interior  of  the  fur  countries  :  and  allhouuh 
the  collecting  of  specimens  in  natural  history  formed,  of  course, 

'Whtle-\viu^;i'(l  f^'ull,  A.  /('iwiiptifiis  ;  Arctic  silvcrv  ^'uU,  A.  onjenlntoiilcs  ;  Ivory  jjul!, 
Li'Vl^ijirifs ;  Kittiwiiki',  /,.  ti-uhctijlii.s ;  I'drk-taiiod  ^wW.L,  S,ibiiiii ;  Skua  y:^\i\\, 
iM^^  jifiiiiiriini ;  Avctu!  )^ull,  Lcslns  iiiirasilicii ;  ruliiiujn;tii'l,  I'mcil/iiftn  i//in'i<(/is; 
BrtJuiich's  t;uilK'iiuit,  Crui  ISniiinivhii ;  Hlack  guillfiiirit,  U.  jrij/'f: ;  Litilo  guiilu- 
ran,  l'  J/if ;  Rfil-tliniatiHl  ilivcr,  I'o/i/i/ihiis  nrpli nlriHiiiilis ;  \Vild  swan,  ylnns 
(ygntts ;  limit  '^no>e,  Jnsrr  lieniic/a ;  Kiiii;  dink,  Sowalrria  spcctabilts ;  Eider 
dudt^V..  miil/isximit ;  loiif^-tailoil  duck,  llitir/ila  y/iwni/if. 

:  .*tjFli'' •'i''l'il"Hi(/-;(/(.'o  i,yA(«(/(('«.v),  tliuuj^'li  iHit  ubsi'ivi'd   in  Molvillo  Island,  visits 
edWiy  lii:;!i  l.ititudcs.     It  has  lii'un  seen  in  HalHii's  Tliroo  Isliuids',  on  tho  west  coast 
Of  Weenland.  in  lit.  71.     Limi.  Trans,  vol.  xii.  j).  528. 
f'  F;iuna  (ii-(Ciil;!ndica. 

tViz.  I'<i/i:<)  /irnyrinin.    Tiiiiga  viiierca,    L'lia   Urunnichii,  Ijinis  argentalut  (A, 
pIci-Ks  ol'l''alitri.  and  LitrusSakmi. 
.Miniuir  ou  the  HinU  oi'Greenlnnd.     Linn.  Trans,  vol.  xii.p,  Ji'J, 
Fauiu  lioaiili-Aiaurieuua,  vol.  ii,  lutryductiuii,  p,  xviii, 

but 


3G4 


Ammmn  Omilholofjy. 


but  a  secondary  object  in  comparison  with  tliosc  p;reat  pioograpliici 
problems,  the   solution   of  wliicli  was   k)okc(l  loiwanl  to  as  iL, 
principal  and  more  important  result,  yet  it  is  (Ulii;litrul  to  kinm 
that   in  the   performance   of  liij^lier  duties    of   dilheult    acliitu. 
nient,  and  frecpientiy  environed   by  the   most  appaliiuj;'  daiigif., 
these  intrepid  men  neglected  notliin<j;  which  could  in  any  way  am 
(luce  to  our  knowled<;e  of  the  romitries  tliey  explored.    The  wun 
now  under  consideration  contains  two  hundred  and  forty  sptcit. 
which,  with  twenty-seven  from  the  north-west  coast,  (either  fn: 
nierly  described  by  l*einiant,  or  nu)re  recently  observed  by  Caph 
Meechey,  but  which  did  not  fall  under  the  cbservalion  of  our  hiii 
expeditions,)  make  the  total  number  of  ascertained  species  iiili; 
biting  the  fur-countries,  as  before  derined,  two  hundred  and  sixi 
seven.*     In  the  introduction  to  the  present  volume,  l-)r.  Kicliai 
son  has  presented,  with  his   accustomed   clearness  and  accurar 
various  tabular  views  of  the  distribution  of  the  species,  bolli ; 
relation  to  season  and  locality  ;  and  as  it  is  only  fron>  dahi  of  lli. 
nature  that  a  discovery  of  the  laws  which  regulate  the  location 
birds  can  be  elicited,  we  view  his  contributions  to  ornitholo^i. 
geography  as  of  great  value.     Tiie  subject,  however,  although  n; 
of  the  highest  interest,  involves  too  many  matters  of  detail  to  ailiii; 
of  our  entering  at  present  upon  its  consideration. 

It  appears  that,  csscnlidlhj,  birds  can  scarcely  be  classed  iniii 
the  distinctive  denominations  of  resident  and  migratory.  TIioiil 
many  Uiillions  of  a  species  may  be  observed  to  wing  their  wav 
certain  seasons  to  or  from  particular  countries,  yet  sonu;  portm 
of  these  vast  assemblages  travel  through  a  mucli  shorter  sp;i 
than  oUiers,  while  perliaps  an  crpial  number  of  the  same  spec 
sojourn  for  ever  in  the  districts  where  they  had  their  birth.  Th 
in  the  Nordi  (Jeorgian  islands,  all  the  individuals  of  every  spcr 
are  driven  southwards  in  autumn  by  the  extreme  rigour  of  l 
hy[)erborcan  region;  there  they  are  undoubtedly  biids  of  passa^ 
In  the  central  ami  oUier  portions  of  the  fur-countries,  aga: 
\\v.  meet  with  species  which  occur  there  all  the  year  round,  a 
which,  therefore,  in  llicir  tuln^iUj,  cannot  be  regarded  as  nii;^i 
tory,  but  of  which  many  individuals  depart  in  summer  to  the  pul: 
shores  both  of  continental  America  and  of  the  North  Cieoiy 
group  ;  while  others  (of  the  same  species),  on  die  approiicli 
winter,  wing  their  flight  to  the  United  Stales.  So,  also,  in  I'cii 
sylvania  we  have  several  species  which  reside  there  throughout  l! 
year,  but  of  which,  at  the  same  time,  numerous  indiviiluals  p  • 
their  summer  in  the  fur-countries ;   while,  in   die   former  stali 

*  In  iulditiim  to  these,  tlie  M.  Boiiapaito  emimerates  thirty-six  specie's  wliich' 
p;rati!  noitliwanls  i'loin  or  throUi;h  IVniisylvania  in  the  spriiiy;,  aii(l  whicli,  thn:;. 
not  luiticeil  liy  I)i-.  llieliarilson,  may  fairly  he  iiit'errs!(l  to  hrooil  in  the  rur-cuMiiliio- 
Specchiu  Comjxiralivo  dclie  OrniMujk  Ui  Jiona  e  di  Fi/utk/fia,    Pisa,  IH'iJ, 

in;"', 


matty  spe 

appear  ih 

wmr  race 

aw)  even 

im  conti 

OCCin  spai 

•I'lni:  ii  V 

OMinple,  I 

afi4j)i'ing 

tudes,  and 

ngioiis  as 

wfijlch  fee( 

^aikatche 

Hiarin  and 

diy.  for  di( 

pjaces  ill  t 

V.Perc-,'  sf 

Wy»,or  a  SI 

birds  fur  r( 
the  soutlnv; 
Bay,-wliich, 
the  north  wi 
not  tfiiuvec 
befoi*  the 
setting'  in 
the  United 
iioH,]).  19. 
I^  is,  of 
the,M8pecief 
retife  farth 
such  as  re 
thoie  whic 
DivlJicI 
tliSoine 
chasiii 
liister. 
!,  wilic 

fwiff.tliu  br 

[cts  wh 

—J.  and 

wHWh  arc; 

inrfmdniils 

breediiiu;-  j 

fill  up  the  ^ 

fOKitheir  eoi 

vol,.  XL 

•-Ut 


a  I 


)! 


American  Ornithohf/y, 


:]C)5 


c!o<>j;rai)liici 
.11(1  to  as  lb 
litl'iil  111  kiiim 
cult  luliiew. 
Iliiij^  (laugit-, 

any  way  con. 

(1.  Tllf     \V(ll! 

forty  spcc'u. 
t,  (uitlicr  fo; 
L'd  Ijy  Capta; 
1)11  ot"  our  laii 

species  iiili; 
Ireil  and  sixi 
,  Dr.  llitliiii 

and  accuiar 
lecies,  both  i 
m  da  fa  ol"  lli. 
the  location 

oinilliulu^ii 
r,  altliouj^li  II 
detail  to  atlii; 

classed  urn: 

Lory.     Thou. 

11  <;  their  wav 

sonu-  poitiii 

shorter  spi: 
e  same  spec 

birth.    Th 
f  every  spcr 
rit!;our  ol  t 
ids  of  pas.s;i^ 
untries,    aga: 
ar  round,  a 
rded  as  nwp 
ler  to  the  yw 
orlh  Cleoi;:! 
le  apiJioadi 
,  also,  ill  I'll' 
tln-oui:;lu)iitt! 
ndividuals  p  ■ 
e   former  bUii 

ix  spccii's  wliicli  ■■ 
iiiul  wliicli,  tlw- 
the  rur-iM'iiilrio.- 

1115'. 


m^y  species  occur  during  the  winter  season,  which  entirely  dis- 
appear northwards  in  suininer,  and  leave  behind  no  remnant  of 
thisir  race.  Several  of  the  species  which  breed  in  the  temperate 
■■4  ^'^^'i*  northern  parts  of  North  America,  either  disappear  from 
UhiI  continent  altogether  during  the  colder  season  of  the  year,  or 
Ojltiir  sparingly  in  the  southern  states  of  the  Union.  Others  take 
«iinii'>  li  wider  range:  the  pigeon-hawk  {Fitico  ])alnmlmrins),  for 
QXmii|)le,  resides  in  Mexico  during  the  winter,  and  on  die  approach 
offspring  sets  oil"  at  once  for  Hudson's  Hay  and  other  high  lati- 
tudes, and  is,  consequently,  only  known  in  most  of  the  intermediate 
n^oiis  as  a  passenger  in  sj)riiig  and  autumn.  The  GruUatorex, 
whjlcli  feed  by  preference  in  moist  and  marshy  lands,  frerpieiit  the 
JJukatchewan  prairies  only  in  the  spring;  and  as  soon  as  the 
MWn  and  comparatively  early  summer  has  rendered  the  soil  too 
dry,  for  their  accustomed  purposes,  they  retire  to  their  breeding 
|l|aices  in  the  arctic  circle. 

%?j!here,'  says  Dr.  Ricliardsoii,  '  the  frozen  sub-soil,  acted  upon  by  tlio 
yaysof  a  sun  constantly  above  the  horizon,  keeps  the  surface  wet  and 
spongy  during  the  two  short  summer  months,  which  suffice  these, 
birds  for  rearing  their  young.  Tliis  office  performed,  they  dejjart  to 
the  southward,  and  halt  in  the  autumn  on  the  flat  shores  of  Hu(lsori'.s 
Bay,  which,  owing  to  accumulations  of  ice  drifted  into  the  bay  from 
the  nortliward,  are  kept  in  a  low  temperature  all  the  summer,  and  arc 
not  thawed  to  the  same  extent  with  the  more  interior  arctic  lands 
before  the  beginning  of  autumn.  They  quit  these  liaunts  on  the 
setting  in  of  the  September  frosts,  and  passing  along  the  coasts  of 
the  United  States,  retire  within  the  tropics  in  the  Avintur.' — Introduc- 
tioHt]).  10- 

It  is,  of  course,  difficult  to  ascertain  whellicr  the  individuals  of 
the  species  which  breed  in  the  higher  latitudes  are  the  same  that 
retire  farthest  soudiward  during  the  winter  season  ;  and  whether 
such  as  remain  in  the  former  latituilcs  throughout  tliat  season  are 
thoie  which  had  previously  bred  in  the  same  localities  in  summer. 
©IV  liichardson  seems  to  think  that  such  is  the  case. 
l.iftSome  species  seem  to  ( laim  a  right  of  property  within  a  certain 
bw^  cliasing  away  with  great  pertinacity  all  the  other  birds  that  they 
luster.  In  tlie  instance,  also,  of  the  Falconidcp,  and  some  otiier 
i,  which  present  a  marked  ditforonce  in  the  plumage  of  tlic  old 
^oiuig,  we  observe  that  the  hitler  are  expelled  by  their  parents 
the  breeding  places,  and  appear,  botli  in  summer  and  winter,  in 
[cts  whicli  none  of  the  old  birds  visit.  From  a  consideration  of 
and  similar  facts,  wc  are  inclined  to  believe  that,  of  the  species 
In  are  found  all  the  year  witliin  certain  parallels,  the  younger 
'Tmials  make  tlie  widest  excursions  in  search  of  food  or  proper 
breeding  places;  and  chat,  as  tliuir  strength  is  matured  by  age,  they 
^11  lip  the  casual  vacancies  which  occur  in  the  districts  best'  adapted 
fOK^their  constant  residence.' 

VOL.  XLVII.    NO.  XCIV.  '  ft  e  It 

V  Ut 


SCO 


American  (hnilhohujy. 


% 


Tt  appcaiH  from  llu;  tiiilli  fable  of  lliis  work  {I n( rodwWu 
p.  .'J9),  tliat  as  inaiiy  birds  brtt-d  in  the  sixty-loiiitli  paralld  ;i, 
the  t'ortictli ;  ami  that  tlie  miiiibur  of  s|H'(-i(>s  wliicli  arrive  In, 
the  north,  iiiuril)'  to  winter  in  l*einis)lvania,  exceeds  tlie  aiiio' 
ul  sneli  as  migrate  to  tiiat  state  troin  the  sonthwards  tor  tlit:  |i 
poKe  ot"  breedinjif.  Indeed,  the  intluenee  of  tlie  line  and  an 
tmous  snnuner  ol  the  northern  re<rions  appears  remarkable,  iim 
veil  illustrated  by  the  tact,  that  while  M.  Itonaparte  ennuura 
(inly  one  hniulred  and  lour  species  ns  breedin<;  in  the  nei<ililii 
hood  of  Philadelphia,  Dr.  liiehardsou  assigns  one  hiindnd; 
forty-one  as  the  number  of  those  that  breed  on  the  banks  ol 
Saskatchewan,  in  hit.  54^ 

It  was  our  intention  to  have  drawn  a  ]>arallel  between  the  i 
thered  tribes  of  Juirope  ami  JS'orth  iXnierica;  but  we  lind  that 
doing  so  at  present  would  force  us  still  further  to  transgress  lli 
jirestribtd  limits  which,  in  truth,  we  have  already  somewhat 
ceeded.  In  the  meantime,  we  beg  to  refer  the  reader  to 
eleventh  table  of  the  present  work,  which  contains  a  list  of  ncaih 
hundred  species  counnon  to  the  Old  NVorld  and  the  fur-couiili 


Art.  \\\.^—Tho  LIfi-  of  Anhhhhop  Cranmcr.   \\y  the Kev.  II. 

John  Todd,  M. A.  2  vols.  8vo.  Loudon.  1831. 
*  /"^  IV'E  iiic  my  liar,'  was  the  phrase  in  which  Charles  the  I 
VT  was  used  to  call  for  a  volume  of  history  ;  and  certaiiil. 
man  can  attentively  examine  any  important  period  of  our  an 
without  jeniarking,  that  almost  every  incident  admits  ot 
handles,  almost  every  character  of  two  interpretations  ;  ami  il 
by  a  juilicious  packing  of  facts,  the  historian  may  make  hi.s| 
ture  assinne  nearly  what  form  he  pleases,  w ithout  any  direct  vi 
tion  of  truth. 

To  the  characters  which  distinguished  the  period  of  the  n 
matioii,  this  remark  is  particularly  applicable.  It  is  with  aliiuK 
of  them  as  with  Wolsey  in  the  jday.  A  Catharine's  version  ol; 
is,  that  he  was  a  man  who  ranked  himself  with  jirinces  ;  wlioi 
.simony  fair ;  whose  own  ojiinion  was  his  law ;  double  in 
uords  and  meaning  ;  never  jiitifiil,  but  when  he  meant  to  n 
mighty  in  his  promises,  in  his  perfoimance  mean;  unchaMi 
his  morals — pernicious  in  his  example.  A  CJrithth's  xeisicii 
tiie  same  Wolsey  is,  that  though  certainly  of  an  humble  stocL, 
"was  stamped  for  honour  ;  that  if  he  was  lofty,  it  w  as  oiil} 
those  who  loved  him  not ;  that  if  he  was  iinsatislied  in  gt* 
he  was  most  princely  in  bestowing;  that  he  was  a  scholar, - 
the  friend  and  patron  of  scholars;  great  in  jirosperity,  gicntt' 
misfortune,  and  that  he  crowned  the  glories  of  iiis  life  by  dp'- 


k  {Inlrodvdi: 
I  ill  piiralM  a, 
liit'li  iinive  h 
i!i;ils  tlie  mill,', 
iinls  tor  tlu;  \, 

I  fine  :iiul  (m 
inaikablc,  wu 
,)uiU!  eitunuia 

II  tlio  iiei^libi 
mm  hiiii(iix'il  I 
llie  bunks  ol 

between  tlic  i 
we  liiul  tlial 
transgress  ili 
ly  soincwiiat 
le  reader  t(i 
I  listofneaiiv 
lie  fur-couiitr 


f  the  Kev.  IL 
II.      1831. 
Jliarles  tlic  I 

and  certaiiili 
)d  of  our  iiiii 
t   admits  ol 
itioiis  ;  anil  il 
y  make  liis ) 

any  direct  vi 

lod  of  the  It 
is  with  ahiui- 
;'s  version  ol : 
iiices  ;  uluii 
I ;  double  in 
meant  to  n 
'an ;  iiiicliaM( 
iflith's  \ersioii 
humble  stocl 
,  it  vas  oil!} 
isiied  ill  gi*: 
s  a  scholai'i- 
perity,  grtiiki 
s  life  by  il)iii?