■"^aP»B(P»WW«P«PW*PI»»^»WWIIUHMlH|lMUi M •••'•.' !• mE.mmBMm'mmmnmon **■ FOR THE PEOPLE FOR EDVCATION FOR SCIENCE LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY The Birds of Washington Of this work in all its editions 1 250 copies have been printed and the plates destroyed. Of the Original Edition 350 copies have been printed and bound, of which this copy is No./iitJLa. \ J \ ^h iVi i'r>: iL>LIAM JOHN HOOPt^R IdWlES, g; rLLU5TfL\TE! s a 2 Ti'GETHKR W!T1' "_ ^ '. 2 0..-, ;i -fl ALLAN? i ■■■« TH 0 0 » 33 < .J 0 05 n a I hi » 0 J 0 ? ts & 0 I 1 1 1./, r. V THE BIRDS OF WASHINGTON A COMPLETE. SCIENTIFIC AND POPULAR ACCOL'XT OF THE 372 SPECIES OF BIRDS FOUND IN THE STATE />' ?2 ( 7'f^'i WILLIAM LEON DAWSON, A. M., B. D., of Seattle AUTHOR OF "THE BIRDS OF OHIO' ASSISTED BY JOHN HOOPER BOWLES, of Tacoma ILLUSTRATED BY MORE THAN 3OO ORIGINAL HALF-TOXES OF BIRDS IX LIFE. XESTS, EGGS. AXD FAVORITE HAUXTS, FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BV THE AUTHOR AXD OTHERS. TOGETHER WITH 40 DRAWINGS ,IX THE TEXT AXD A SERIES OF FULL-PAGE COLOR-PLATES. BV ALLAN BROOKS OKIGINAr. EDITION PRIXTED 0x1. V F(ik .\D\AXCE SUBSCRIBERS. VOLUME II SEATTLE THE OCCIDENTAL PUBLISHING CO. 1909 ALL RIGHTS RESERrED li- t^f^(f,^c Copyright, 1009, BY \Vir.i,i.\M Lkon D.wwson Half-tone work chiefly by The Bticher Engraving Company. Composition and Presswork by The New Franklin Printing Company. Binding by The Ruggles-Gale Company. CONTENTS OF VOLUME II. PAGE. List of Full-pagf: Illustratioxs iii. Description of Species Nos. 182-372. Order Raptores — Birds of Prey. Suborder STRIGBS—Owh. Famil}' .llucoiiidir — Barn Owls ( See B. C. & H. No. 11, page 974). NOS. Family Strigidcc- — Otiier Owls 182-199 45'J Suborder F ALC ONES— DmrnzX Birds of Prey. Family Falconidcc — Falcons, Hawks, Eagles, etc. Subfamily Accipitrinae — Hawks, Buzzards, Eagles. etc 200-210 492 Subfamily Falconinae — Falcons 21 1-220 522 Suborder SARCORHAMFHI— American \ultures. Family Cathartidcc — American Wiltures 221-222 547 Order Columbae — Pigeons. Family Colninbidcr — Pigeons 22^22^ 333 Order Gallinae — Gallinaceous Birds. Suborder PHASLAXI — Pheasants, Grouse. Partridges, etc. Family Tctraoiiidcc — Grouse, Partridges, etc. Subfamily Perdicinae — Partridges 226-230 360 Subfamily Tetraoninae — Grouse 22,1-2;!,- 371 Family Phasianidcc — Pheasants, etc 238 602 Order Paludicolae — Cranes, Rails, etc. Suljorder R.-ILLI — Rails, Coots. Gallinules, etc. Family Rallidcr — Rails. Coots, etc 239-243 605 Suborder CRUES — Cranes. Family Gntida: — Cranes 244-246 617 Order Herodiones — Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc. Suborder HERODII — Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, etc. Family Ardcidcc — Herons, etc 247-231 622 Suborder IRIDES — Spoonbills and Ibises. Family Ibididcr — Ibises (See B. C. & H. Xo. 17. p. 976). n NOS. !'.\GK. r)r(k-r Limicola: — Shore Birds. Family Clniradriidcr — Plovers 252-256 632 Famil\' Scolopacidic — Snii)es, Sandpipers, etc 257-27-3<'>3 747 Order Anseres — Lamellirostral Swimmers. Family Anatidcc — Ducks. Geese and Swans. Subfamily Mergin.-\e — Mergansers 304-306 758 Subfamily Anatixae — River Ducks .^07-3 1 3 764 Subfamily Fl'LIGUlinaE — Sea Ducks .^i6-,\^o 7S9 Subfamily .\xserixae — Geese ,^.?i-33^ 821 Subfamily Cvgxixae — Swans ^;!,i-). 340 838 Order Ste.a:anopodes — Totipalmate Swimmers. Famil\- I'luilacrdcoracidcr — Cormorants 341-3 L4 841 Family PrIccaiiid(C — Pelicans 345, 34') 857 Order Tiibinares — Tube-nosed Swimmers. Family fhoiiicdridcr — ,\lbatrosse> 347. 348 861 Faiuily Procrllariidic — Fulmars. Shearwaters and Petrels 349-354 865 Order Pygopodes — Diving Birds. Suborder PODICl PBS— Grebes. Family Podicipida- — Grebes 355"359 ^77 Suborder CEPPHI—hoons and Auks. Faiuily Gaviida — Loons 3^0-363 894 Family .Ucidcr — Auks. Murres and Puffins 364-372 901 AXALVTICAI, Ki-vs 939 BrITTSH CoEl'MIW.V SuPPLEMRXT AXD WASHINGTON HvroTlI ETIC.M, LiST 963 IXDKX 987 LIST OF FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. Page or Facing Page Bonaparte's Gull ( Color-plate) Frontispiece Peregrine Falcon (Color-plate) 528 Franklin Grouse, Male and Female (Half-tone) 578 The Black Ovster-catcher (Half-tone) 694 Hard Beds (Half-tone) 698 Parasitic Jaecers ( Half-tone) 710 The Home oe the Glaucous-winced Gull f Half-tone ) 714 Bonaparte Gulls on Tide-flats (Half-tone) 744 Shovellers (Color-plate), 778 Nest and Eggs (Undisturbed) of the Shoveller (Half-tone) 780 ^^"HITE-CRESTED CoRMORANT I Half-tonc I 842 Paaii-\voke-it — The Home of the Brandt Cormorant (Half-tone)... 848 Holboell's Grebe (Color-plate) 884 Topography of a Bird (Ontline Drawing ) 938 The Birds of Washington VOL. n. Description of Species Nos. 182-372 THE BIRDS OF WASHINGTON. No. 182. LONG-EARED OWL. A. (J. I'. Xo. 366. Asio \>ilsonianiis (Less.). Description. — Adult : Above finely m<:ittled white and duskv, with apparently lialf-concealed ochraceoiis on subterminal margins of feathers, the design broad- ened on wings, — ochraceons, white, and dusky in patches : the wing-quills and tail distinctly barred, — tlusky with ochraceous basally, dusky with gray termin- ally: ear-tufts conspicuous, an inch or more in length, black centrally, with white and ochraceous edges : facial disk tawny, gray centrally, and blackish about eyes on inner side, the edges finely mottled black and white ; tibia?, tarsi, and feet pale tawny, immaculate : remaining underparts white, ochraceous, and dusky, in bold, free pattern, and upper breast distinctly and heavily streaked, the sides and flanks distinctly barred, the belly exhibiting a combination of the two types; lining of wing pale tawny, unmarked basally, save for a dusky patch on tips of coverts, heavily barred distally ; bill and toe-nails blackish. The folded wings exceed the tail, and the bill is nearly concealed by black and white bristles. Length 13.00- 16.00 (330.2-406.4) : wing 11.25-12.00 (285.8-304.8) ; tail 5.73-6.25 ( 146.1-158.8) ; tarsus 1. 50-1. 80 (38.1-45.7) : bill from nostril .63 C16). Recognition Marks. — Little Hawk to Crow size : a strongly marked and un- mistakaljle sjiecies; the "horns" taken in connection with its size are sufficient to identify it. Nesting. — Nest: usually a deserted nest of Crow, Magpie, Heron, etc. ; sometimes in rock-rifts or even on the ground. Eggs: 3-6, snbspherical, white (or not infrequently red-spotted with nest-marks). Av. size, i.6ox 1.29 ("40.6 x 32.8). Season: c. ]\L-iy i : one brood. General Range. — Temperate North America, south to the tablelands of Mexico. Breeds thruout its range. 460 THE LONG-EARED OWL. Range in Washington. — Common resident east of the Cascades, less com- mon in winter; rare west of the monntains, dnring migrations only. Authorities. — :' Otus 7vilsoiiianus. Cassin, "Illustrations," (1856) p. 182. Asio aiiicricaiiiis Brewster, 11. N. O. C. \II. iSS.Sj. p. 27. T. C&S. Rh. D'. D% Ss'. B. Specimens.— U. or W. V. I'rov. C. RN. OWING to the fact that this (Jwl is strictly nocturnal in its habits, more so perhaps than in the case of any other species, what may be learned of it other than at nesting time can be written on the fl_\'-leaf of a pocket-book. A glimpse of it west of the Cascades is a mere lucky accident, for cover abounds and the bird rarely indulges its low-sound- ing hoo-hoo. Upon the East - side, however, the bird is obliged to find shelter in willow or aspen groves, and if closely approa ched, tmless certain of d etection, will rely rath- er upon its protective col- oration than flight for safe- ty. As Mr. Bowles says, "In coloring they so closely resemble the bark of the trees that the sharpest eye often tails to distinguish them. I have stared for some time at what I knew uiiist be an owl until gradually its outlines appeared, much as when one develops a photographic negative. They seem to know this instinctively, and when a human being appears stretch themselves Taken in ll'iiHn ll'alla County. I,0NG-E.\KED OWL, FEM.\LE. THE PLUMICOBNS ARE DEPRESSED, AS IS CUSTOMARY IN ANXIETY PlioSo by the Author. THE LONG-EARED OWL. 461 straiglit upward and remain motionless. In this position the resemblance to the stub of a broken limb is remarkable." In my experience of these birds in Yakima, Benton, Chelan, and Okano- gan Counties, deserted nests of the Magpie or Crow were invariably used by the Owls, and then only those to be found at moderate heights in swamp- willow thickets or groves of quaking asp. April is the nesting month and April loth is the . __ _ date for fresh eggs, but others, possibl_y second sets, have been taken in June. The eggs, from four to six in n u m b e r, are normally of a delicate clear white, but they soon become nest-stained and are often blood- marked. Both parents are usu- ally at home and actively interest- ed in their nest. One instance will suffice. Having sighted a likely looking Crow's nest about ten feet up in a wil- low clump of a swamp bordering Lake Chelan, I made towards it. Upon my ap- ]3roach an Owl slipped noiseless- ly from the nest ' .:.-.-,. i^^-- and left me to Taken in Benton County. Photo by the Author plan the ascent a nesting site of the long-e.-\red owl. 462 TIIE l.( )XC,-I-.AR1'.I) ( )\\'L. tlirii an ii£^ly tangle of saplings. As T started in I heard the overtnrc of a caterwauling contest, just as when Thcmias remarks. " n\--(i-o-o-a-(n^\" and Xatnre catches her lireath to hear what .Maria will saw I paused and can- vassed the morale of my cnntemplaled aciiun; then hastily rex'iewed the chances of wild-cats: and ihen reached fur m\ gun. Xot until I had actnallv seen ihe mulher bird, fur it was she. emilling one of those gruesome s(|ualls. could 1 helieve that the noise came fi'Diu an ( )wl. F.xen after doubt was at rest, llie cr\- seemed not less like llie snail 'if aii angr\' feline. To aclfl to the terrors of llie defensi\e. the hushand aiul father came u]) and literalh' pro- ceeded to spread himself. Wings and tail were spread to the utniiist. and e\erv feather was ruf- fled to the fullest extent, — all in a manner calculated to strike terror to the boldest heart. The bird - man managed to con- trol his ner\'es long enough to note ti\e eggs — but of what color de])c>nein sail h 111 it — then hurri- edly sought more ciingenial c o ni- ])any. At another lime, as I was picking m\' wa\' across a willow - skirted bri M >k in the ^'aki- ma country, I be- came aware of, rather than dis- coyered. a wee, shriyeled. crayen, ill-fed Owl. a bird Talccii in Hcntini County. Photo hy the .NEST AX[^ F.G(^,S OF LOXr.-KAK i:i 1 ( i\\ 1.. Author. THE KOUNDATIUN IS AN OT.n NEST OF THE MAGPIE FROM WHICH THE RO(tF HAS BEEN REMOVED. THE SHORT-EARED OWL. 463 which e\-i(lenlly at the time desired iidlhiiig su ardently as to he aljle to Hiid a ready-made hole in the atmosphere and U> crawl into it. 1 dei>ated with myself whether it might he an uiKlersized Long-eared Owl. There was nothing Ijut the ear-tufts to sliow for it. for the very face of the hird was pinched and wizened. I gazed until the hird made sure of detection. Presto, change! The pretended stick resumed her natural appearance and made off with a great clatter, onl\- to fall upon the ground in the well-known "last stages." The interest of the fiird-man always lies in the opposite direction from that being pursued by a self-wounded bird. The otclct sat about ten feet back of me in a clump of willows. Tlio only half-grown, its coinucuance bore an expression of imperturbable gra\ity. After I had had m}- laugh out at his absurd solenmit}', I a])proached the little fellow. Fsst! Instantly there were abt)Ut six of him. Every feather stood on end, — wings extended, eyes blazing, bill snapping. Goodness gracious! Suppose he had been about fort}' times bigger yet! He wore my cap gracefully enough until we got down on the grotmd and could hobnol) in the ojien. There he nibbled medi- tativelv at the \isor of his caj) cage, and mnmljled little inccdierent l)ad words between his teeth. Anger is always amusing, es]ieciall_\' if strictly harmless; the younger and the more heljjless the exponent of it, the more ridiculous it is. The food of the Long-eared Owl consists chiefly of mice and other rodents. Altho the night-patrol does make an occasional le\y on the small- bird population, it deserves the strictest protection on accoimt of its ox'er- balancing services. No. 183. SHORT-EARED OWL. A. O. L'^. No. 367. Asio flammeus ( T'ontoppidan). Description. — Adults: Ear-tufts very short — scarcely noticeable; entire plumage, except facial disk, nearly uniform Iniff, ochraceous-buff or cream-buff, stri]5ed or mottled with dark brown, — heavil\- above and on breast, the strijies becoming more narrow on belly and disapjiearing altogether on legs and crissum ; edge of wing white; the wing-quills and tail-feathers broadly barred with brownish dusky; the facial disk gray centrally, with black around each eye and on the bridge; bill and toe-nails dusky blue; eyes yellow; ear-opening enormous, but fully concealed; the wings fold just beyond the tail. Iiiiiiiatiirc: Dark brown with ochraceous tips above ; brownish-black face, and unstripecl nnderparts. I^ength 14.00-16.75 (355.6-425.5); wing 12.00-13.00 (304.8-330.2); tail 5.50-6.25 (139.7-158.8); bill (chord of culmen) about i.oo (25.4); tarsus 1.75 "(44.5). Adult female larger than male. The preceding measurements include both sexes. Recognition Marks. — IJttle Hawk to Crow size ; general streaked appear- ance, dark brown on buff; incons|)icuous ear-tufts; semi-terrestria! habits. 464 THE SHORT-EARED OWL. Nesting. — Xcst: on the ground or at the end of a short, under-ground tun- nel ; a few sticks, grass, and feathers mark tlie spot, or else the bird lays on the bare earth. Eggs: 4-6, sometimes 7. subsplierical. Av. size, 1.57 x 1.23 ( 39.9 x 31.2). Season: Ajiril ; one brood. General Range. — Thruout Xorth America; nearly cosmopolitan. Breed.s somewhat irregularly and locally, from about latitude 39° northward. Range in Washington. — .Xut uncommon smnmer resident in lowlands east of the Cascades; migrant both sides of the .Mnuntains; casual in winter. Authorities. — Otiis brachyotiis. Cassin, 'Illustrations," (1856) p. 183. T. C&S. L-'. Rh. Sr. Ra. D-'. Kk. B. E. Specimens.— (U. of W. ) 1". Trov. B. BN. E. IN SECTIONS where all three birds are conimuii, a rough and ready division of territory has been agreed upon by the Long-eared, Short-eared, and Burrowing Owls — Owlia est oiiiiiis dk'isa in partes trcs. To the Long- eared Owl has fallen the right to search groves, thickets, and piney woods ; to the Burrowing ( )wl behjng all pastures and the open sage; whilst the Short- eared has chosen meadows, rye grass areas, swampy bottoms, and all expanses of rush and reed. This equitable arrangement regards, of course, only Owls, for the last-named species has always a keenly contesting rival of his claims in the person of the Marsh Hawk, or Harrier (Circus IiiiitsouiitsJ. So sharp has the rivalr\- become, to interpret the situation fancifully, that the Owd, no longer content with a monopoh- nf the night rights, hunts o\'er the contested preserve on all cloudy days, and on some bright ones as well. Indeed, he has almost forgotten tlie family tradition wdiich enjoins upon all good Owls careful avoidance of sunlight, and seems not at all disconcerted thereby. Let no one stippose that because the bird under consideration has abbre- viated ear-tufts, he is anywise "short" on hearing. On the contrarx', bis ear- parts are enormotislv developed. Part the feathers on the side of the head, bringing the ear-coverts forward, and you will see it, an ear-opening some two inches long — as long, in fact, as the skull is high, and proportionately broad. It is more than a coincidence that these marsh prowlers, the Harrier and the Short-eared Owl. should be ])rovided with such a remarkable auditory apparatus. When one considers the circumstances of their life, the reason for this common provision becomes verv plain. In a thicket of reeds, espec- iallv if the_\- be dry. one hears a great deal more than he is able to see. Move- ment thru grass or tules without noise is almost an impossibility, even for the tiniest bird or mouse. Hence, it becomes important to locate any creature in the tangle 1)\' hearing. Surely a vShort-eared Owl could hear the footfall of a beetle at a hundred yards! Short-eared Owls are somewhat liawk-like in their appearance, wliether quartering to and fro across the meadows, or watching from a convenient THE NORTHERN SPOTTED OWL. 465 post. There is more flapping of wing than in the case of the ]\Iarsh Hawk, but the movement is absolutely noiseless, being hushed by the soft plumage of the axillaries and under wing-coverts. Now and then the bird, tiring of an exclusive swamp diet, goes poaching. Taking up a station upon the ground, it silently awaits the appearance of some timid gopher, which the Burrowing Owl has overlooked. In securing its smaller victims, the Owl does not pounce and tarr}-, but snatches in mid-flight, falcon-fashion, and retires to some favorite perch to eat. Its food consists largely of meadow mice, gophers, and uther rodents, supplemented by grasshoppers, crickets and beetles, with now and then a small bird. So great are its services to the rancher, and especially to the hay-maker, that the owner may well count it a piece of good fortune when a pair or a colony of them take up quarters in the alfalfa field. Better run the mower carefull}- around every nest than to suffer the "sage-rats" to continue their work of devastation. These birds are largely migrant, summering cliiefly to northward, and wintering further south. While they do not appear to move en troupe, like Blackbirds, suitable stretches of grass or tules offer a common attraction to the migrants, pausing to recruit the commissariat, and as many as two or three score may occasionally be seen at once hawking over a single swamp. Many do, nevertheless, breed with us, especially on the East-side. They are usually seen in pairs at all seasons, even during migrations, and Bendire considers that they are mated for life. Housekeeping is of the humblest, home being a mere sliake-down of grass somewhere upon the ground ; and it is only when the nest is threatened tliat the lairds can muster "a weak whistling sort of note." No. 184. NORTHERN SPOTTED OWL. A. O. U. No. 369 a. Strix occidentale caurina (Alerriam). Synonyms. — iNlERRi.Ajr's Owl. Hoot Owl. Wood Owl. Description. — Adult: No ear-tufts; above rich umber-brown, round-spotted in transverse rows (the remains of interrupted bars) of pale tawnv or white, spotting least on head and back, pattern on wings and tail larger, but distal paired spots on primaries obsolescent ; underparts heavily barred brown and whitish ; wing-linings heavily spotted with dusky on a tawny ground ; facial disk gray, with indistinct, dusky, concentric circles about each eye ; bill yellow ; iris yellow or brown. Length: 20.00 (508) or more; wing 12.75 (323.9) ; tail 8.44 (214.4) ; bill from cere .92 (23.4). 466 THE NORTHERN SPOTTED OWL. Recognition Marks. — Crow size; strikingly white-spotted; smaller and without "horns," as distinguished fr(jni the Dusky Horned ( )\\ 1. Nesting. — Not yet described — doubtless similar to that nf .V. occidentale, viz., nest in hollow tree or built on branch, of sticks, weeds, etc., lined with grass and feathers. Eggs: 3 or 4, white, rounded. .\v. size 2.05 x 1.80 (52.1 .X45.7). Season: A)>ril; one brood. General Ranjje. — Coast region nf Washington and llritish Columbia. Range in Washington. — West-side from summit of Cascades to tide-water — rare resident. Authorities. — Syniinm occidentale, Rhoads, .\uk, X. Jan. 'f Washing- ton; yet with the solitary exception of the lUirrowing Owl, wlm IratHcs in the open and who is alwa_\'S at home in season, there is none you may lay hand.s upon when wanted, and none whose ac(|naintance you may cultivate, except as favored li\' lickle furtune. Thus it ci>nies al)Out that certain species, known to be in the nature regions of tlie West southward into Mexico. Range in VVashinjjton. — Imperfectly made out — at least not common resi- dent east and west of the Cascades. ( S|)ecimen hy Dr. Meyer of Portland taken Point Defiance, Wn. — .\. W. Anthony in i-f^isl.. Jan. 20. 07.) Authorities. — Xvctalc acLidica. ("imelin, Baird, Kep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 185S, p. 5,S. L\S.S. L'. Rh, Ra. Specimens. — P'. I'rov. BEING slriclh' nocturnal in its lialiits, ii is not sur|)rising thai conipara- tively little is kn(nvn e\en yet of this woodland reclu.se, altho it enjoys a wide distribution and is pirobably not unconinioii. Several specimens have been rer corded locally, and there is little doubt that the bird breeds in suitable localities thruout the State, yet its eggs ba\e ne\er been taken in Washington. Theoretically, the abundant b'licker boles which aljound in the moss- co\-ered oaks of the Pierce County prairies should afford ideal nesting sites for Saw-whets, as well as appnjpriate retreats by day. Elsewhere, in default of such con\ eniences. the birds conceal thenisehes during the hours of da\dight in dense thickets, or evergreen saplings. Dr. Ralph, of Utica, finds that under such circumstances the\" are not at all suspicious, and he has even stroked Ihem with his hand as the\' were nodding sleepily in Inish or tree. The notes i>f the v^aw -w bet ()\\1 h;i\c been com])ared to the "liling of a cross-cut saw": and if this be a fair com])arison, one wnuld rather be excused from hearing them during certain ()f the "wee sma' hours." The i)riuci]ial note f ha\e hearrl, however, is a rasping, querulous sa-a-a-a-ay. re])eated by olil and \iiung with preciseh* the same .accent, and inaudible at an\" distance abo\-e a hundred feet. Once, in Ohio, I came across a family party. I'ncer- tain in the first instance, since the hour was late dusk, whether the dai'k sil- houettes before me bad "horns" or not. I tried the Screech Owl cry. and was greeted with a jierfect chorus of .>,-(n''s from the youngsters, while the ])arents whined in a mystified way and flew back and forth near my head snapping their mandibles fiercelw U|ii>n another occasion T succeeded in arousing one old bird and fi\'e owlets at an unusnall\- early hour, \iz., about twenty minutes after stniset. The smaller song bireering earnestl\- at me, and uttering a low mellow ciio/,' of comprebensicm. twice, after which the party withdrew. THE NORTHWEST SAW-WHET OWL. 471 No. 188. NORTHWEST SAW-WHET OWL. A. O. U. No. 372a. Ulaux acadicus scotaeus ((Jsgood). Description. — Similar to (7. uciniictis. but darker, more heavilv marked be- low : flanks, legs, and feet more rufescent. General Range. — Puget Sound region north (at least) to the Queen Charlotte Islands. Range in Washington. — Not comnKm resident on Puget Sound. Authorities. — ■' Xyctalc acadica. Gmelin, Paird. Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv, IX. 1858, ]). 58. Cryptoglanx acadica scotcc, Bowles, Auk, \'ol, XXIII. Apr. 1906, P- 143- Specimens. — B. THIS alleged darker \-ariet_\- has been taken on Puget Sound, but tliere is not sufficient material in hand to determine whether it is the resident breeding form, or whether it is only a winter straggler from further north. The assignment of metes and b(junds to such a quidity is more like a propo- sition in Euclid than a conclusion of inductive science. No. 189. KENNICOTT'S SCREECH OWL. A. O. U. No. 373 d. Otus asio kennicottii 1 Elliot ) . Synonyms. — PuGET Souxu ScKEiicii Owl (gray phase). Little Horned Owl. jMottled Owl. Description. — Adult: \\"\\.h conspicuous ear-tufts: dichromatic. Rufous phase. — -\bove medium buffy brown to umber, or even dark sooty brown, darkest on crown and wings, more or less varied by dark streakings on feathers centrally ; considerable buffy on scapulars, wing-coverts, and margins of primaries ; wing- (|uills and tail finely and rather indistinctly dusky-barred; below white heavily blotched with umber, and heavily black-streaked on breast and sides, fading posteriorly ; feet and legs completely feathered, more or less mottled with warm brown and buffy; facial disk grayish and rufous bordered by darker, but not highly diiiferentiated from surrounding parts ; iris yellow ; bill yellow or dufl gray, tipped with lighter. Gray phase. — Similar to preceding, but dark gray or pinkish gray instead of umber ; pattern much more complex ; each feather with dusky or rich brown central stripe, and cross-barred with the same color in fine wavy lines; this pattern beautifully carried out on the breast and the sides of the belly ; the ground color of the upperparts ochraceous and of the underparts 472 THE KENNICOTT SCREECH OWL. white. Between these two phases there exists every gradation (the former, however, is much more common). They occur quite independently of age, sex, or season, both phases being sometimes represented in the same brood. Young: Hcavilv barred with (hiskv gray or dark brown and bufty white; no longituchnal markings. Length about ii.oo (27<).4); wing about 7.00 (177.8); tail 4.00 (101.6). Recognition Marks. — Robin size but appearing larger; feather-tufts with size distinctive in range: darker than O. a. iiiacfarlaiici. Nesting. — Nest: an unlined cavity of tree or stump, often an old woodpecker hole. Bgfjs: 2-4, white, faintly glossed. Av. size, 1.62x1.33 (41.2x33.8). Season: c. April 15; one brood. General Range. — Northwest coast region from Oregon to Sitka. Range in Washington. — Common resident west of the Cascades. Authorities. — Scd/^s iisii\ Linn. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 52. (T). C&S. Rh. Kb. Ra. Kk. B. E. Specimens. — U. of ^\^ Prov. B. E. TO ONE whose early studies lia\e been conducted in the forests and deciduous groves of the East it is a disappointment to learn that the birds of Washington will not respond to the Screech Owl cry. Why, go out in any grove from Iowa to Massachusetts, at any time of _\-ear, at any hour of day- light, save tlie siesta inter\'al from 10 a. m. to 2 ]). m., secrete \'Ourself in a thicket and simulate the mournful, rolling call of the little Screech Owl, and you will at once be conscious of an apprehensive hush in the neighboring trees and l)ushes. Then follows a nnirmur of inr|uir\-; Chick.'idees, Titmice, Nut- hatches, Warblers, Vireos, and Jays set out to discover the whereabouts of this arch-enemy who has been indiscreet enough to proclaim his presence dur- ing the hours of his helplessness. If a veritable Owl is found, as not infre- quently happens, e\er\- bii'd's l:)ill is against him. and lliere is none so poor to do him re\-erence — by daylight. This is not alone because he appears stupid and sleepy, or because he regards his tormentors with the fixed gravitv of a roiuid-cyed gaze, varied only by "that forlorn, almost desjiairing wink" ])ecu- liar to it, but Iiecause they ha\c an ancient and well-grounded grudge against this bird of silent wing and cruel claw. All but tlie Blue Jav fCvaiwcitta cristataj — he is a \illain himself, and lie leads the persecution of Owls fmm a sheer love of mischief. Whenever a Blue Jay's voice is lifted high, and there is an undercurrent of bird-babble beneath it, it is time for the bird-man to sli]i rapidly forward from tree to tree and investigate. But there is none of that here. You whistle until von are dr\', and the Chickadees, if the\- regard the matter at all, infer that \ou are from Steila- THE KENNICOTT SCREECH OWL. 473 coom, and give the locality a wide l)erth. All nf which goes to show, either that the Screech Owls of Puget Sound are not yevy tuneful birds, or that they are so lost in the boundless woodiness as not to be regarded seriously by their fellow bipeds as an economic factor. Kennicott's Screech Owl is still tlie commonest Owl on Puget Sound, and its nest may be sought with some degree of conti- dence. Altho not shunning the deep woods, it seems to find clearing a boon, and is not averse to a certain degree of human propimjuity. ^Ir. Bowles finds it especially abundant in the oak groves and in the woods bordering the Nisqually Flats. They are also characteristic birds of the larger San Jnan Islands. About the middle of April some natural cavity in a tree- trunk, or a deserted nest of one of the larger Woodpeck- ers is selected for a home. No lining material is required, and the four rounded, white eggs are laid upon the rotten wood or chippings left by the last occupant. The female is a very close sitter, recjuiring to be lifted from the eggs as Taken ill Oregon. Photo by A. \V . Antimony. CAUGHT RED-HANDED. Tllli BIKD IS .^ MACFARLANE SCREECH OWL PHOTOGRAPHED IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON. incubation progresses; whilo the male, when not actually sharing the nesting cavity with his mate, is usually to be found in some nearby crannv. Incubation lasts about three weeks, and the young are blind when hatched. They are \'oracious eaters, and so importunate in their demands that the hardworking parents are required to lay up a surplusage of food during the night, wliicli they dole out at inter\'als thru the daw The food of the Screech Owl consists of mice, beetles, frogs, and even, occasionally, small fish. Birds are also taken, but infrequentlv, and the 474 THE KENNICOTT SCREECH OWL. Kennicott ()\vl, mi ;icciii) fm" some weeks after the \oung are al)le to k-ave the nest; and one occasionally conies across them standing as motionless as statues on some horizontal limb at a low level in the woods. \Mien the \oung are l)eg"inning to make in(|uiries for themselves, or when faiiiilv cares are quite done, the old birds. wIk.) have previously main- tained a discreet silence, become tuneful — or noisy, according to the recep- tivity of the subject. The\- remain mated until Late in the fall, and i)rob;il)l\- use the calls to keep in touch with each other during the progress of the hunt. The chief call is a tremulous (|ua\-er. exquisitely mournful and sweet to those ears which feel the lure of the wild. It is not a ditticult matter to T:il:t'n III Oicf^on. riiol.j bv .1. n\ Anllui YOUNG SCREECH OWLS. OTUS ASIO M,\CFAKLANEI FROM EASTERN OREGON. imitate this qua\ering song, esjiecially if one has mastered the use of his palate: and, altiio it is of no interest to the incurious Chickadee, one may call up the ]>roper owner for ins]iection. if he is within ear-shot. On the Xisqualh' Flats, in ( )ctober, if one has deterniined to be the THE MACFARLANE SCREECH OWL. 475 first man at a given "blind," lie may hear at the same time from the adjacent woods the somber hooting of the Dusky Horned Owl, gruff and dreadful, the mellow wailing of the Kennicott Screech Owl, and the gh those of the Long - eared ( )\vl. "All the nests found near Walla Walla, Washing- ton, were placed in natural ca\-ities in c o t t o n w o o d trees, from fifteen to twenty feet frcim the ground, and inxariably near water. In two of the holes occu]>ied by them I found trout from si.\ \o eight inches lung and a small wdiite- fish tC 0 rcgoniis i^'illianisdiiii) about ten inches long. It still puzzles me to know how they manage to catch such active fish but beliexe that where (ibt;iinable. these as well as frogs form no inconsiderable portion of their daily fare, while the smaller rodents and grasshoppers form the remainder. T (\i) nm believe it catches birds to any extent, ;in(l nnisl be considered an eminenih- useful species."" Token ill On' Photo by A. IV. Anthony. JI.\CF.\RI..\i\E'S SCREECn OW I.. a. Bendire, Life Histories of N. A. Birds, \'ol. I., p. 372. THE DWARF SCREECH OWL. 477 No. 191. DWARF SCREECH OWL. A. O. U. No. 374 a. Otus flammeola idahoensis (Merriam). Description. — Adult: riumicorns short; facial disk light tawny or ochra- ceous; upperparts finely mottled dark brown and ashy-gray with dark shaft- stripes; a whitish or pale tawny bar on scapulars as in 0. a. uiacfarlanci; wing- quills with prominent white or bufify spots on outer webs, the inner with paler bars; tail narrowly and irregularly cross-barred with whitish or dull tawny; underparts white, finely and sparingly venniculated with dusky and with heavy blackish streaks on sides. [Presumably dichromatic, like type form, — parts described above as brown or gray becoming ochraceous or bright rufous in red phase.] Young birds are finely barred, dusky or deep gray and lighter, above and below, finely vermiculated with same on forehead and crown. Length : 6.00- 6.50 ( 152.4-165.1) ; wing 4.90 (124.5). Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; finely mottled plumage; feather tufts, or horns, distinctive for size. Nesting. — Nest and eggs undescribed, presumably like those of 0. flainineola. viz., iiest. in old woodpecker hole ; eggs, 3 or 4, white; av. size, I.i5x.95(29.2x24.i). General Range. — "Idaho and Eastern Washington." Range in Washington. — Unknown — probably confined to eastern boundaries. Authorities. — M[cgascops]. f[la!niiieola]. idaliocnsis. Bailey, Handbook of the Birds of the Western L". S. 1902, p. 185. ALMOST nothing is known of the life history of the northern form of the Flammulated Screech Owl. The t}-pe form, a male, was taken at Ketclumi, Alturus County, Idaho, Sep- tember 22. 1890: and there are records for Eastern Washington in possession of the Biological Survey. Several years ago ^Mr. F. S. Merrill captured a small Owl near Spokane, and obtained its photograph, submit- ted herewith, in the belief that it is of this race. The bird's wing changed position during exposure, so that it appears to have more feathers than it is entitled to. Taken near Spokane'. Photo by F. S. Merrill. SUPPOSED DWARF SCREECH OWL. 478 THE W I'.STERN HORNED OWL. ' No. 192. WESTERN HORNED OWL. A. O. U. No. 375, part. Bubo virginianiis lagophonus (L)l)cth. ). Synonyms. — HooT Owl (par e.Kcellence ) . C.\T Owl. Virginlx ( )vvl. Description. — Adult: Ear-tufts conspicuous, two inches or more in length, black, bordered with ochraceous ; entire upperparts dusky or blackish, finely mot- tled with prevailing whitish and ochraceous, the latter color predominant on each feather basally ; wing-quills and tail faintly broad-barred; facial disk ochraceous, sharply bordered by blackish laterally ; feathers whitish with black ti])s centrally ; a broad white sjiace on chest; feathers of remaining underparts tawny at base, changing to white on terminal portit)ns, finely and heavily barred with dusky- brown; the sides of the breast spotted with the same color; iris bright yellow; bill and toe-nails bluish black. Young: Above and below ochraceous barred with dusky. Length 18.00-25.00 (457.2-635) ; av. of eight specimens: wing 15.06 (382.5) ; tail 9.60 (243.8) ; hill including cere i.dd (42.2). Female averages two or three inches longer than males. Recognition Marks. — Largest, exce])t for the two rarer species Scotiapt\x ncbulosa and Nyctea uyctea. "Horns" and size di■^tinctive ; darker than siiharc- ticus: lighter than satitrafus. Nesting. — Nest: in a hullnw tree, or in a deserted Hawk's or Crow's nest. Eggs: 2-j^, rarely 4. white, subspherical. Av. size. 2.20x1.82 ( 55.1) x 46.2 ). Season: February 20-April i ; one brood. General Range. — 'AVashington and northern Oregon ( excepting the coast region), with Idaho; north through eastern and central British Columbia to Cook Lilet and the interior of Alaska" ( Oberholser ). Range in Washington. — Eastern Washington, not uncommon resident in timbered sections; ])erlia]is intergrading with B. v. saturatiis on eastern slopes of Cascades. Authorities. — ? Bubo Z'iygiiiicuuis saturatiis Ridgw.. Brewster, Bull. Xutt. Orn. Club VH., Oct. 1882. pp. 227, 229, 230 (part). ? Ibid. Dawson, Auk, Vol. XIV., A])r. 1897, p. 174. B. T. pallescens. Snodgrass, Auk. XX.. 1903, 205 ; XXL, 1904, 228. Oberholser, Proc. Nat. :\lus. \"ol. XX\II., i()04. ^''''- 135-^- PP- 185, 186. D'. D-'. ,^s-. S?^ J. E(?). Specimens. — P'. Prov. E. BUBO HORRIBILIS sIk.uM have been the name of this feathered de- mon of tlie wiHids, this grizzly nf the midnight air. He loves the darkness he- cause his deeds are e\'il : and after the protecting sun has set, woe betide the mole or ndiliit. Boliwhite, Jay, or Clianticleer, who dares to stir where this monster is ;iwing. When captured in a steel trap, as he often is by aggrieved poultry fanciers, the ruffling of the feathers, the alternate hissing and fierce snapping of the mandibles, and the greenish yellow light which comes flashing from the great saucer eves, all give fair warning of what one may expect troni the free-foot once it gets a chance to cl ; tail 8.95 (227.2) ; bill 1.58 (40) (Oberholser). Recognition Marks. — .\s in B. 7'. lagophoniis : darker. Nesting. — Not dift'erent. THE DUSKY HORNED OWL. 481 General Range. — Xortlnvest coast slope from Oregon north to Sitka, inter- grading irregularly with interior forms, and theoretically overflowing on eastern slopes of Cascades. Range in Washington. — Not common resident on Puget Sound, irregularly to or thru the Cascade Mountains. Authorities. — ? Biibo virgiuiaiius var .^ Newberry, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. VI., pt. IV., i8s7. p. 76. Bubo virginianus pacificus, Cassin, Baird, Rep. I'ac. R. R. Surv. IX., 1858, p. 51. (T). C&S. L. Ra. Kk. B. E. Specimens.— U. of W. Prov. P. PN. E. HORNED OWLS in a stale of nature do not pose for inspection unless forcibly detained. A steel trap is. of course, the surest method of detention, but a mob of Steller Jays ranks a close second. Nothing can exceed the joy of the Jav upon the discovery of one of these grim death's heads secreted in the depths of a fir tree. Here is a day's sport cut out for one whose "sportin' blood" runs high on week-days and turns feverish on owl days. The whole Jay countryside is aroused. To the number of a score they gather about the victim and throw all his sins up in him in a chorus of Billingsgate. The Owl beams hate at them, snaps his mandililes fiercely, and makes now and then an ineffectual dab at his pursuers, wdiich only seems to arouse fresh shrieks of laughter. When the din becomes unbearable, he may dash from cover, but the Jays surround liim at the next resting place, screaming sar- castic apologies for their past rudeness, and promising redoubled misbehavior. One Avonders that they dare do it, for the sullen object of mirth will assuredly wreak vengeance on them when his turn comes in the first watch of the night. It is difficult to exaggerate the rapacity of these freebooters. An observer in New York State, speaking, of course, of the eastern form, "states that in a nest he examined, containing two young Owls, he found the following animals: 'a mouse, a young niuskrat. two eels, four Indllieads. a Woodcock, four Ruffed Grouse, one rabbit and ele\-en rats. The food taken out of the nest weighed almost 18 pounds. A ctirious fact connected with these captives was that tlie heads were eaten off, the bodies being un- touched.' "* Mr. Bowles finds that during the fall and winter months on the Nisqually Flats, these birds make a thoro search every night for wounded dticks. So successful are they that out of hundreds that are wounded and lost by sportsmen, it is very unusual to find one, wdiile well-i)icked carcasses are common. Quite in keeping with the Horned Owl's sinister aspect are his vocal performances at night. As a young man in Tacoma, the writer once lived on East 26th Street, immediately adjoining a large wooden church building. a. Bendire. Life Histories N. A. Birds. Vol. I., p. 382. 482 THE SNOWY OWL. The cliamber window looked upon a flal kitchen roof tlnni wliicli projected a l)rick chimney scmie ten feel away. At three o'ck)ck one morning a horril)Ie niglitmare gave way to a still mcire horrible waking. Murder most fonl was being committed on the root" just outsitle the open window, and the .shrieks of the victims (at least se\en of them!) were drowned by the imprecations of the attacking ])arty. — fire-eating pirates to the number of a do/.en. Pandemonium reigned and my bones were liquid with fright — when suddenlv the tumult ceased; nor could 1 imagine thru a whole sick dav what hail been the occasion of the terrifying visitation. But two weeks later the conflict was renewed, at a merciful distance this time. Peering out into the moon- light I beheld one of the.se Owls perched upon the chimney of the church hard by, gibbering and shrieking like one possessed. Cat-calls, groans, and demoniacal laughter were varied by wails and screeches, as of souls in tor- ment— an occasion most memorable. The ]irevious serenade had evidentlv been rendered from the kitchen chimney, and I ]ira\' never to hear its equal. The distribution of the Dusky Horned (Jwl is still a matter of con- siderable uncertainty. It is reported not only from the woixled heights of mountain ranges, lying far to ,southwai-il, but from Labraolt upright du what may lie imagined t h e i r rdstrum, they gaze about with a bland and self-satisiied. but earnest air. as if about to address an audience upon a subject of great pith and moment. Thev suddenly bow low witli profound gra\ity. and rising as abruptly, they begin td twitch Taken in I'lniglm L uitnty. Fnuto by tlic .-Inthot-. ON C.U.M-iD. a. Hirds of tlie Kurtliwest, 1S74, pp. 326-7. THE BURROWING OWL. 487 their face and roll their eyes about in the most mysterious manner, gesticulat- ing wildly, every now and then bending forward till the breast almost touches the ground, to propound the argument with more telling effect. Then they face about to address the rear, that all alike may feel the force of their logic: they draw themseh'es up t(.i tlieir fullest height, Dutwardly calm antl self- contained, pausing in the discourse to note its effect upon the audience, and collect their wits for the next rhetorical flourish. And no distant likeness between these frothy orators and others is found in the celerity with which they subside and seek their holes on the slightest inti- mation of danger." These curious Owls are a '. c n e among land birds in their choice of subterranean dwell- ings. On the (ireat Plains the\- a\ail themselves largely of deserted prairie dog holes, but in Washington their choice lies between "ground squirrel" /T- Taken in Walla Walla County. Photo bv the Author. NO E-ASY T.\SK. BL-RROWING OWL EXPOSED AT END OE TL'NNEL NINE EEET IN LENGTH. and badger holes, if in the ojien sage: but it is limited to gopher holes if in ^^-^.j the close - cropped pasture land, which is an equal favorite. It is proljable that the Burrowing Owl does not originate burrows, altho in the case of the smaller rodents the tunnels require to be enlarged. This the bird does, not with its beak, but with the powerful claws, loosening the dirt and kicking it backward by successi\-e stages until it is ejected at the entrance. A typical burrow ma}' descend sharplv three or four feet, then bend and rise slightly until an ample nesting cliamber. a foot or more in width and si.x inches deep, is reached. The nesting cavity is lined heavily with dried horse-dung, torn to feather}' shreds and spread e\'enl}-. The tunnel has niDre or less of the same material scattered thruout its length, and a certain amount distributed over the external mound is a necessary evidence of occupatir]n. One need not kill these Owls to learn what they feed on, for half-eaten mice, dismembered fnigs. and 488 THE BURROWING OWL. headless snakes litter the tloor. and invite the offices of the far-venturing blow-fly. Fleas usually abound; and altogether the nuptial chamber of this doughty troglodyte is not an inviting place. From six to eleven }-oung are raised in a single l)rood; and when we consider that the adults themselves retiuire more than their own weight of animal food dail\ , we begin to form some conception of the economic im- portance of these birds. Their food includes all the baneful rout of rodents, and they are able to kill "ground squir- rels" of a size equal to their own. Be- sides these, lizards, frogs, snakes, and even small fish, are captured. Grasshop- ])ers and crickets, as well as beetles of m a n y sorts, are .staple food, and for these the bird hunts by day as well as by night. In the pur- suit of jirey, how- ever, the birds be- come much more a c t i \- e at sunset, when they may be seen flitting about on noiseless wing, or else ho\"ering in mid air abo\"e a sus])ected spot, after the well known fashion of the Sparrow Hawk. Small game is snatched from the ground without lighting, hut in ca])turing a ground squirrel, the bird first plants his talons in the back, then breaks the creature's neck b)- sharp quick blows of the beak. Soberlv regarding the special situation of the East-side rancher, T .should say that the Burrowing Owl is his best ally among birds, and that he who wantonlv destroys one should be classed with the man who tramples a field of grain or sets fire to a haystack. Whenever fond is plenty and the ground inviting. Burrowing Owls are likely to form little colonies, ten nr a dozen pairs being found in a stretch of two or three acres. The\ ap])ear to be peaceably disposed toward each other, and mates are notably faithful. Soon after the return in spring, which occurs during the first week in March for the southern part of the State, and Taken in ll'alla Walla Cainily. Photo by the Author. THE END OF THE BURROW. THE EGGS ARE THOSE OF PRECEDING ILLUSTRATION. THE PYGMY OWL. 489 tlie first week in April for the northern, one may hear at evening a soft and mellow love song, coo co-o, which the male re- peats by the hour. One who has heard this tender note well- ing" up from tlu- back pasture. whiK- the locust trees b\ the gate are dis- tilling tlieir sweetest fragrance, and Ad- ams is fading on the western horizon in the last afterglow of sunset, can easily- forgive many things about the Burrowing Owl which are less pleasant. Taken IK Oregon. Photo by Finlcy and Boliluum. BROTHERS. No. iq8. PYGMY OWL. A. O. U. No. 379. Glaucidium gnoma W'agler. Synonym. — GxOME Owl. Description. — Adults: Upperparts warm brown ( snutt brown or darker), finely spotted with white or pale ochraceous-buff — the spots are smallest and cir- cular on head and upper back, larger, cordate or hastate on tertials and wing- coverts, and everywhere bordered obscurely with dusky: flight-feathers spotted with white; tail crossed by six interrupted bars fone terminal) of white: a cer- vical collar of mingled black and white ; sides and a band across jugulum color of back or a little lighter, and similarly spotted : throat white : underparts white streaked coarsely with sepia, the streaks tending to coalesce in stripes. Bill and cere greenish yellow : feet dull yellow with soles of bright chrome, claws black ; iris bright yellow. The female is of a rather lighter shade of brown above with 490 THE CALIFORNIA PYGM^' OWT.. fewer and larger spots of white, and the eer\ieal collar is more or less obscured. Length as next. Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; chunky apjiearance ; carries tail at angle: unniistakahle : lighter than preceding. Nesting. — Xcst: in cavity of tree or stump, or usually, in old woodpecker holes. Eggs: ,s '"' 4- white, lusterless and surface minutely pitted. .-\v. size 1.1OX.90 { 2J.() X 22A)). Season: second week in May to first week in June: one brood. General Range. — Western North .\mcrica (except Pacific Coast district) from British Columbia south to tablelands of Mexico, breeding chiefly in moun- tainous and timbered portions. Range in Washington. — Not common resident east of Cascade Mountains. Authorities.— Bendire, Auk, \'n\. \'.. ( )ct. 1888, p. ;,«)7- (T). D^ Specimens. — 1''. I'rov. CAPTAIN BENDIRE met with this species on several occasions in the Blue Mountains, and thinks that it is nornially confined to pine timber. This mav i)e true of the lireeding season, but it is ]irobable that it visits the thickets of the lower valleys in winter. The only specimen I ever came upon was taken in the winter of 1886-7 in a cat-tail swamp in the Ahtanum \'alley (Yakima County) some ten miles from the mountain timlier. Its haltits are quite similar to tlmse of the fnllowing furm. which is better known. No. 19<>. CALIFORNIA PYGMY OWL. A. O. U. No. 379 a. QIaucidium gnoma californicum (Sclater). Synonj'm. — CaliForni.\ Gxomk r)wi,. Description. — Adults: Like G. giioiiui but darker, dark reddish brown above: spotting more stronglv ochraceous : markings of nnderparts clove-brown to black. Length: male 7.00 (177.8), female 7.30 (11)0.5): wing ,^.85 ( 07.8 ) ; tail 2.65 (67.3) : bill friim cere .43 (10.9). Recognition Marks. — .-\s in foregoing: darker. Nesting. — As in ])receding. General Range. — Pacific Coast district from northern California north to southern I'.ritish Columbia. Range in Washington. — Not uncommon resident west of the Cascades. Authorities. — Claiicidiiini glioma. Wagler, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX., p. 62. C&S. L'. Rh. Ra. R. E.' Specimens. — V. of \\'. Prov. B. E. THE CALIFORNIA PYGMY OWL. 491 DISCOVERY of an owl west of the Cascade ^louiitains comes in the nature of a revelation. Sa\e in the matter of a thoro inspection of the "holey oaks" of Pierce County, no ornithologist need claim the slightest credit for what he knows of the owls of Puget vSound ; all that he has was given to him. Xow it has been given to some to see Pygmv Owls, but what \aunting creature would undertake to bring one in "dead or alive" on a Inmdred dollar wager ? Like the wind, his royal owlets flit- teth where he listeth, and you cannot tell whence he comes nor whether he will come again this t w e 1 \" e m o n t h . When my moment of prixilege came, this pocket edition of the powers that prey stood out boldly and un- equivocally upon the top m o s t splinter of a way- side stub in What- com County, and challenged atten- tion. The gnome gave his back to the road, and now and then teetered his tail, wbicli was otherwise set at a jaunty angle, ner\-(iusly, as tho there were something on his mind. But this preoccuijation did not deter the Owl from bending an occasional sharp glance of scrutin\- ui)on the birrl-man. Then all at once the bird whirled backward and launched himself, like a bolt from a crossbo^v, at a mouse some sixty feet away across the road. Seizing the "wee, timorous, cowerin' beastie" at the ver}- entrance of his hole, the bird maintained its grasp upon it with both feet, and supported itself against the rodent's struggles by wings outstretched upon the ground. Not until ^Tool\s C.\LIFORNI.\ PYCllY OWL. 492 THE MARSH HAWK. the s(|ue;ikinos of the victim \r.u\ (|uite ceased, did the c;i|)loi- rise and disappear bv rapid liight into tlie wood. The tlighl of the l'_\-i;iny Owl is not muffled Ijy softened winj^-linings. as is the case with the Short-eared and olliers wliich liiint mucli a-wing: it is ratlier pert and noisy, like a Shrike's. Like a Shrike, also, in extended course it dives with closed wings, then opens suildenly ;ind tlulters up with ra])id Strokes to regain the former level, — describing thus successive loops of flight. In spite of his insignificant size, the Pygmy is a dashing little brigand, and no bird up to the size of a Robin is safe from its clutches. .So bold is he that upon one occasion, when Mr. Bowles threw a large stick at one, the Owl charged at the ])assing missile with all imaginable fury. The diet descends not infrequent]\- to insects, hut s(|uin'els of twice the Owl's weight ai'c ])rompt- Iv seized when occasion oif-ers. Dark days are as good ;is night to them, and thev are sometimes aljroad on bright days as well. The P\gm\' (^wl "sings" in a small hollow \dice, kladk - khxtk - khiok Itiok look look look look look, with an effect for tem])o something like that produced b\' the accelerating rebound of a tin\' wooden mallet, struck on resonant wood, in qualil\' something between this and the jtectoi-al quaver of the Screech Owl. To our great coarse ears it is. of course, ridicuIousl\- inof¥ensi\'e, but how like the knell of driom it must sinmd to a trembling Chickadee ! No. 200. MARSH HAWK. A. O, V. No. 3,v Circus hudsonius (Linn.). Synonyms. — Maksii HakkiKr. Morsi' TIavvk. S.nakk ITawk. Description. — .Uliilt male: lleawn, the head and neck streaked and the lesser wing-coverts spotted or margined with cinnamon-rufous; longer upper tail-coverts white, the shorter ones brown, tipped with rufous; tail brown, becoming paler at tip, and crossed by six or THE MARSH HAWK. 493 seven distinct, blackish bands ; remaining feathers barred with ochraceous and blackisli ; underparts ochraceous or bufty, streaked broadly on the breast, and narrowly on the belly with light brown or dusky. I in mature: Similar to adult female but darker, — rich chocolate-brown above, and on sides of neck and cheeks : the underparts darker, cinnamon-rufous, — the belly unmarked. Males show every gradation between immature and adult plumage, and indeed the perfect adult male plumage is rarely found. Adult male, length: 17.50-20.00 (444.5-508) ; wing 13.00-14.00 (330.2-355.6): tail 8.50-10.00 (215.9-254); bill from nostril .65 (16.5). Adult female, length: 19.00-24.00 (482.6-609.6): wing 14.00-16.00 {355.6-406.4): tail 9.50-10.50 (241.3-266.7). Recognition Marks. — Crow size : white upper tail-coverts make the best field mark : long tail ; marsh-haunting habits. Nesting.^A'^Mf; on the ground in marshes, of twigs and dry grasses or moss. Bggs: 3-6. 8 of record, pale bluish white, usuall}- unmarked but sometimes spotted or blotched vvithpale rufous. Av. size, 1.78x1.40 ( 45.2 .x 35.6 ). Season: May i-June 10: one brood. General Range. — Xorth .America in general, south to Panama and Cuba. Breeds thruout its Xorth .American range. Range in Washington. — Not uncomninn summer resident and migrant thru- out the State, rather more common easterly : casual in winter. Authorities. — Circus lindsoniiis, A'ieill. Cooper and Suckley, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. XII. pt. TI. i860, p. 150. T. C&S. Rh. D'. Ra. D-'. Ss'. B. E. Specimens. — Prov. B. E. HUMILITY is the leading characteristic of this "ignoble" bird of prey, whether we regard its chosen paths, its spirit, or the nature of its quarry. Pre-eminently a bird of the meadows and marshes, it usually avoids the woods entirely, and is to be seen coursing over the grass and weed tops with an easy gliding flight. Since it flies at such a low elevation as neither to see nor be seen, over the limits of an entii"e field, it oftenest moves in a huge zigzag course, quartering its territorv like a hunting-dog. Now and then the bird pauses and hovers to make a more careful e.xamination of a suspect, (ir drops sud- denlv into the grass seizing a mi)le i>r cricket, and retiring ti) a convenient spot — a fence-post or a grassy knoll — to dexnur its catch. The food of the Marsh Hawk consists entirely of meadow-mice, gophers, garter-snakes, frogs, lizards, grasshoppers and the like. In hunting for gophers the bird flies higher and secures its prey by a headlong dash, pinning the \-ictim to the ground and making sure of the kill before rising. So great is its fondness for mice that one may, with sufticient cover for concealment, succeed in calling tlie Hawk very close by imitating the squeak of a mouse in distress. In winter, when other food is scarce, small birds nm\ be attacked. Occasionallv the Harrier essays nobler game, as a Teal or a Grouse : but he makes a poor fist at it, and usualK' retires \'f)wing ne\'er again to as])ire above his station. This Hawk is one of the most unwarv, as it is the most useful of its race. 494 THE MAKSII HAW K. It is no achievement to assassinate one from licliind tlie cover of a convenient liaycock, or ex'cn to arrest its easy Ili.Ljlil in an npcn I'n-lil. Tlu- liilers of tlie soil have done nntliing more foohsh or ninre |)reiu])roach- • es. the male 1 lar- rier. feeling the impulse of the en- nobling passion, mounts aloft and performs .some astonishing aerial e\'olutions for the delectation of his mate. He soars about at a great hei.ght. screaming like a Falcon: or he suddenly lets go and comes tumblitig out of s])ace head o\er heels. onl_\' tn pull up at a safe distance from the ground and listen to the admiring shrieks of his spouse. "At other limes," sa\'s ]Mr. Ernest E. Thompson, "he flies across the marsh in a course which wnuld outline a gigantic saw. each of the descending parts done in a somersault, and accompanied liy the screeching notes, which form tlie otih' lo\'e song within the range of his limited \dcal ])owers." This o]iera- lioii is not necessar\- in order to win his mate, for he is supposed to haxu won N Mv, j\s MARsn n.\WK. THE MARSH HAWK 495 lier "fijr keeps"; but. after all. it is well enough to reniiinl her now and then that he is a verv good fellow, — for she is a size larger than he and a little exacting in matters of ci>urtesy. Not onl}- are the Marsh Hawks wedded for life, but the male is very much devoted to his family. He assists in nest-building, shares the duty of incubation, and is assiduous in proxiding for his brooding mate. A nesting site is selected about the middle of April, custontarily in the tall grass adjoin- Pholo by the Author. Taken in Douglas C ount\. XKST .WD EGCS OF THE Jl.VUSn n.'\WK. ing a swamp, altho latterl}- alfalfa fields have come to be great favorites. H the ground is wet, sticks are first laid d(iwn: but otherwise onlv grass, dead leaves, and weed-stems, with a little hair and moss or feathers, are used to build up a low platform, broatl and slightly hollowed on top. Here four or five eggs, pale blue and commonh- unmarked, are laid : but six is not unusual, and two sets of eight are on record, of which one is from this State. In Yakima Cciunty I C)nce found a nest on the ground in a little opening of an aspen grove, the birds having probably retired to the woods to avoid the winds pre\-alent at that season. 496 THE SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. Jiuul>ali(>n is acciniiplislud in almut \h\w weeks, or if it lias conmiencctl with the hiving of tlie first egg, as is often the case, then the last egg may not hatch for a week longer. \\'hile the female is brooding the young, she is frequently fed by the male fn>ni a considerable height. Dr. Lynds Jones relates one such instance in which an element of sportiveness appeared to enter in : "Once during the breeding season I saw a male catch a large garter snake anil tlv uj) with it several hundred feet, tlieii drop it to the female who just then came flving along near the ground. She canglu it and carried it to the nest followed by the male." The voung, after lea\ing the nest, hunt for se\'eral months with theii parents, and the last and costliest lesson which they learn is fear of m;ui. If these most excellent mousers had half the gratitude shown to them which we manifest toward cats, they might he abundant where they are imw rare. ^^■ithout (|uestion the past twenty years has shown a marked decrease in ihe abundance of this species in Washington. The Marsh Hawk is partially and ■ irreeularlv misratorv, luit it is now seldom seen hereabouts in winter, whereas Cooper described it as "alnind.-mt thrnoul the o])en districts ot the Territory csf^rcidlly in Tiv'/z/rr." No. 20I. SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. A. O. U. No. 332. Accipiter velox ( Wils.). Synonyms. — "Sp.akrow" H.awk. I5iri) M.vwk. Description. — Adult: Above slaty gray, ilark plumbeous, or chocolate- brown, with a glaucous cast, darker but not black on head; occipital feathers, scapulars, and inner quills with concealed white at base: primaries banded with two shades of fuscous above, contrasting dusky and whitish below ; tail, nearly square, sligbth- emarginate, crossed by live dusky bands, and narrowly whitish at tip, the basal band concealed and nearly obsolete; auriculars rusty, with black .shaft-lines; throat whitish or pale butfy with blackish shafts; remaining uiidcr- parts wliite, heavily barred on breast, belly, sides, ;ixillaries, and shanks with l)ale cinnamon-rufous, — feathers of breast with blackish shaft-lines; lining of wings rusty-tinged, finely and irregularly barred with dusky; crissnm unmarked, or merely touched with rufous ; iris, cere, and feet yellow ; bill and claws black- ish. Females are perhaps less blue above, and duller or paler below, liiiiiiaturc: Above dusky brown margined with rufous, concealed white crojjping out in streaks on forehead and hind-neck, and in spots on scapulars, etc. ; below streaked and spotted instead of barred, with pale browns (Vandyke brown, Front's brown, etc) and dusky, narrowly on cheeks and throat, luore broadly on breast and sides, — markings pandurate on sides of breast, cordate, tear-shaped, or various below, sometimes transverse on flanks and shanks. Between this and the typical adult plumage everv gradation exists. Rather variable in size, — adult male. THE SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. 497 length: 10.00-12.00 (254-304.8) ; wing 6.60 ( 167.6) ; tail 6.00 ( 152.4) ; bill from nostril .40 (I0.2J. Adult female, length: 12.50-14.25 (317.5-362); wing 8.00 (203.2) ; tail 7.25 (184.2). Recognition Marks. — Little Hawk size ; adult transversely barred, young heavily streaked below ; barring of under wing surface conspicuous in flight ; the distinction between the breast patterns of adults and young must be borne clearly in mind to avoid confusion. Like ne.xt species, but considerably smaller: tail not rounded. Nesting. — Nest: of sticks, twigs, and dried leaves; in trees at any lieight, or in hollow trees and cliff crannies — sometimes old nest of Crow or Magpie is tised. Eggs: 2-5, bluish-, greenish-, or grayish-white, lightly or heavily spotted, blotched, marbled, or clouded with various shades of brown. Av. size, t.53 -x i.iS (38.9.x 30). Season: ]\Iay ; one brood. General Range. — North .America in general, south to Panama. Breeds thru- out its North .American range. Range in Washington. — Rather common summer resident and migrant thru- out the State at lower and middle altitudes, more common easterly ; winters irregularly. Authorities. — Jccipitcr fuscus. Gmelin, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. v^urv. IX. 1858, 19. T. C&S. L-'. Rh. D'. Ra. D--. Kk. B. E. Specimens. — U. of W. P'. Prov. B. E. THE Hawks proper, of which this l)ir(l is a t}'pical representat lack the spectacular wing-feats and noble bearing of the Falcons, but still \-ery bold and rapacious birds. Indeed, it would be hard to pictur alert and blood-thirsty creature than this sharp-taloned little Hawk as the brush patches or open fields in search of feathered pre}-. The the Sharp-shin is at times as swift as an arrow and as direct, but it is skilled in doubling and twisting: and no bird, save a Swift or a Swallow, can escape it in the open. Coming upon a flock of Blackbirds, the Hawk makes instant choice of a victim, and pounces like a flash upon it, either snatching it in mid- air, or bearing it to the ground and trans- fixing it with claws which pierce the vi- tals and cause instant death. If unsuccess- ful in its open attack, the Hawk will either jiursue thru the mazes i\e, may they are e a more it scours flight of Drawing by Allan Brooks. SH.VRP-SIIINNED H.^WK CAPTURING RUSTV SONG SPARROW. ^98 THE SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. of brush or weed, or else retire (|uickly tn thick foliage, there to await with (he patience of a statue the tirst stirriiit^s nf the frightened quarry. Tiie prey when caught is held at "arm's length" until quite dead, and then either eaten on the spot or else carried uj) tn simie elevated perch. Swallows, thru superior agilitx', are nearly exempt from Sharp-shin's depredations. Besides being nimble. Swallows are no mean fighters them- selves. Mr. C. W. Bowdes cmce witnessed an unprovoked attack of a Sharj)- shin upon a Barn Swallow, in which the tables were neatly turned upon the assailant. The Swallow managed always to keep above his insolent foe, and harassed head and back so \-igorously that the ^nvvy Hessian beat an igno- minious retreat. Sharp-shinned Hawks may be seen on either siile of ilic Cascades both winter and summer, liut they are far commoner during migrations. They travel singly or in jiairs, and the appearance of one brings an instant hush to the morning chorus. (Jccasionally the ohser\er gets a perfect view of a Sharp-shin as it comes unexpectedly in sight over some woodland opening, and takes a curious tiu-n about overhead, displaying as it sails the finely-barred pattern of its wing-linings and its long square-ended tail: but nftcner the bird is aware of }'iiur ])resence in advance and keeps waril_\' out of range. It is sometimes seen in the neighborhood of the ]30ultry house, and is quite equal to carrying ofl a chick or young pullet unless prevented. It is idle to try to speak a g 1 wurd U>v this gory little Hawk; rodents and insects are eaten only occasionally, while birds of every size up to jjigeons and quails are its regular diet. Accoi-ii"ds form eighty ])er cent of Cooper Hawk's food, and voung chickens are counted in whene\er occasion offers. Game birds are occasionally cap- tured, for the Conpcr I lawk is a fearless brigand: but when the birds are scarce he descends to rabbits, go])hers, mice, grasshoppers, crickets, and similar small (|uarry. I<"ortunately, the Cooper Hawk is not common in Washington, \er\' much less so than the Sharp-shinned: it is so rare, indeed, that if does not figure prominentl}' atuong the forces desfructixe to biivl life. lla\ing chosen a nesting site, the Coo])er llawl< becomes (|uite attached to the localifN': and if undisturbed will return \ear after year. He haunts the \icinit\' like an un(|uiet ghost, and nia\' lie lieard oftener than seen, \-oicing his unrest in querulous notes, kck. Icck, l:rk. Icrlc. Ici'l:. Icclc. Icrk. lech. Sometimes curiositx' gets the better of caution and he throws a few circles in the open, swapijing confidences, as it were, witli the bu'd-man : and in return lor the few sharp glances he bends downward, affords a full \ie\\ of his short, rounded wings and his long, rmmdcd tail. One is impressed rather with the bird's ease and nonclialance tlKin with its swiftness in flight: but it is a master at checking .and tacking, so that few of the smaller birds are a match for it in the open air, and nut all nf tliem in the mazes of the forest, which the 1 lawk' threads relentlesslw In nesting, the bird not infre(|uently a\ails itself of an old Crow's nest, taking pains to fill u]i the nesting Imlkixx- with twigs, and adding a few twigs yearly in a desultory wa}'. Occasionally it a|.ipears to construct quite jjrcten- tiou.s nests of its own, and in the aljsence of trees is said to build upon the ground. The only records for western W^a.shington are of two nests with young, located in June, IQ04, by Mr. Ed. L. Currier, of Tacoma : and one containing five fresh eggs taken May 30, 1003, by Messrs. C. W. and J. H P)Owles. In the last-named instance the nest bore e\idence of occupation for many years. It was ])laced at a height of 70 feet in a large fir tree, surrounded by a dense growth of lirs and maples, on low moist ground. The lining consisted of freshly-liroken fir twigs to wdiich the green needles still clung. THE AMERICAN GOSHAWK. 501 No. 203. AMERICAN GOSHAWK. A. O. U. Xo. 334. Astiir atricapilliis (Wils. ). Synonyms. — GoosE Hawk. Blue Hen Hawk. Blue Darter. Description. — Aduli: Above slaty-gray with darker shaft-lines; darker, almost black on head ; white lines over and behind eye loosely connected bv ill- concealed basal white of cervical feathers; auriculars blackish; tail with four dusky bands, plain, or almost obsolete; inner webs of wing-quills mottled, — dusky and whitish ; entire underparts white, iineh- and heavilv marbled with slaty gray, in fine wavy or zigzag lines, falling into fine bars on flanks and tibije, with blackish shaft-lines on throat and breast ; iris light yellow ; bill dark blue ; feet yellow, claws black. Immature: Following the Accipitcr fa^hiim ; above dark brown, spotted with buff and whitish and margined with rusty ; tail with narrow white tip and four distinct dusk_\- ])ands; below whitish or buti'y, strif'rd narrowly with dark brown, — the markings guttate on belly, broader on sides and flanks. Adult male length about 22.00 1558.8); wing 12.00-13.50 ( 304.8-342.Q ) ; tail 9.50-10.50 (241.3-266.7) : bill from nostril .75 ( 19. i ). Adult female length about 24.00 (609.6); wing 13.25-14.25 (336.6-362); tail 11.00-12.50 (279.4-317.5). Recognition Marks. — Crow to Brant size ; adult slaty blue above, white mottled with slaty gray below; rather short, rounded wings; white line over eye; not so finely pencilled below as succeeding; lighter. Nesting. — Not definitely known to breed in Washington. X est : high in trees, usually coniferous, of sticks, twigs, and grass, lined with bark-strips and grass. Eggs: 2-5, "white or glaucous white, sometimes ver}' faintly marked with pale brownish." Av. size, 2.32 x 1.79 (58.9x45.5). Season: April lo-May 20; one brood. General Range. — Xurthern and eastern Xiirth .America, south in winter to the Middle States and southern Rocky Mountain region ; casually west to Oregon. Accidental in England. Breeding range restricted to the Canadian fauna of the United States and northward. Range in Washington. — Imperfecth- made out as regards succeeding furm, — possibly casual in winter. Authorities. — Astur atricapilliis (\\'ils.) Bona]).. Brewster, Bull. Xutt. Orn. Club. \'ol. MI. No. 4, Oct. 1882, p. 227 & 231. Publication based on four speci- mens submitted by Capt. Chas. Bendire and by him obtained at Fort Walla Walla, Wn., during the autumn and winter of 1881-1882. Bendire afterwards (Life Histories, Vol. I. p. 199) gave it as his opinion that all the birds which he secured in the Northwest region were .-/. a. striatiiliis. save one which was intermediate in character. Specimens. — Prov. B. IN THE light of our present very imperfect knowledge of the dis- tribution of the Goshawks, it would appear probable that striatiiliis is the 502 TIIF. W !-".S'l"]'.k\ COSTTAWK. breeding form occurring tlinmut llie Stale; while tlie more liglul}- marked atricapiUnx is the foriti found in winter and during migralions. JNIr. Brewster refers''' two specimens taken li} Captain liendire "in the itnmediate vicinity of Walla Walla (hiring the antunni and winter of 1881-82" to the typical form, while douhtfulh consigning twn others from the same lot to the stil.)-species. 1 )r. Merrill refers'' all specimens taken at Fort Sherman, Idaho, to this form, and notes that the bird is rather cominon during the migrations and in winter. Air. Brooks says'": "I have taken lioth forms ea.st and west of the Cascades. The latter |i. e. striatiilus] seems to be the only form that breeds in southern British Columbia where I have noticed it iti sutnmer as far east as Arrow Lake. The two sub-species inter- grade perfectly." No. 204. WESTERN GOSHAWK. A. O. U. No. 334 a. Astiir atricapilliis striatulus Ridgw. Synonyms. — .As in preceding. Description. — Similar to . /. atrii-apilhis but darker: above dark phnnhcous to sooty blackish ; underparts so finely and closely marked as to appear nearly uniform blue-gray, finely pencilled with black shaft-lines. Young birds are of a darker bnnvn aljove than those of ./. atrii-af^illiis and the striping of underparts is broader, inclining to pure black. Recognition Marks. — .\s in ])receding. darker. Nesting. — .-\s in ./. atricapilhis. General Range. — \\estern Xnrtb .America, chiefly coastwise, breeding from the Sierra Xevadas in California in Latitude 39° north to Sitka; east regularly to Idaho and western Alberta. casuall_\( ?) to Colorado. Range in Washington. — Not uncommon resident in heavih- timbered sec- tions, chiefly in the mountains. Authorities. — .Istiir atricapilhis, Wils. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, 15 i\; 1(1 (part ( ?)J. Dawson, .Auk, \ol. X\'I1I. Oct. 1901. p. 403. C&S. B. E. Specimens.— (U. of W.) V'. Prov. 1'.. I'.N. E. A MILL experience of the feelings of a chicken befell my partner upon a time wheti we were catnped on the Stehekin trail. It was late in Jitne and a. See ".\utliorities" above. b. -Aulc, Vol. XIV.. Oct. 1.S97. p. 352. c. .\uk. ^'o^ W'll.. .\pr. 1900. p. 104. THE WESTERN GOSHAWK. 503 the ornitliologist was not aware that a certain stretch t:if wnods whicli the trail cleft belonged to a highly virtuous ]iair of Goshawks, until Whimf ! Biff! the blue terror struck a blow from Isehind and sent the bird-man sprawling. He had. moreover, quick need to defend himself with sticks and stout the latter part of Marcli or the begintn'ng of Ajiril, long before the snow has disapi)eared from the mountains, and wdiile the hillsides are still saturated with moisture, making it anything but easv work to look for their nests. These are usually built in tall trees and no particular preference seems to be shown in their selection. The nests are mostly placed close to the trunk atid generally well hidden frotn \-iew. Occasionallv one is placed some distance out, or between the f(>i"ks of one of the larger limbs, and on that account can be more readily seen. I believe each of these liirds has its regular hunting range, from which all other species of Raptores are dri\en off. At any rate I ha\-e ne\-er found the Western Red-tailed or Swaitison's Hawks, the most cotnnion kinds fotuid, breeding in the vicinity of a pair of Goshawks" (Bendire ). No. 205. WESTERN RED-TAIL. A. O. I'. No. 337 b. Biiteo borealis caluriis (Cassin). Synonyms. — ^^'I•s■r^•;K^■ Riai-T.\ii.i;ii Hawk. \\'i-:sthrn Ri-:i)-t.\ili:d P>ivz.\Rn Bl.-\ck RED-TAir,. CiiiCKi'N H.AWi^. Hi;.\ Hawk. [Description of typical form. Biitcn borealis. — Adult: .\bovc dark br(iw:n. fuscous, and gra-\'ish lirown, varied by rusty or ochraceous edgings, and out- cropping whitish, espcciall)' about head and neck; primaries blackish-tipped, the first four deeply emarginate, the inner ones indistinctly banded ; tail deep rufous, crossed near enrl h\- a single narrow bar of blackish; lighter from below, — vinaceous or pearU- pink; underparts white or huffy white, rufous- and brown- shaded on sides of neck and breast, nearly meeting in center; throat and upper breast with dtiskv, lanceolate streaks; sides with rhomboidal spots or transverse l)ars of rufous and duskv in various patterns, nearly meeting across belly; shanks faintly barred with rusty; bill pluinheous; tarsus yellow, very stout; claws black. fminatiire: Similar to adult hut more uniform in coloration, — little buffv or THE \\^ESTERN RED-TAIL. 505 ochraceous : markings on sides of breast and belly blackish, clear-cut : tail entirely dififerent, — gravish brown crossed bv nine or ten distinct narrow bands of blackish.] Description. — Adult: Plumage chiefly blackish, sometimes uniform sooty, except tail and its up])er coverts : individually variable between form nearly as light as B. borcalis and deepest sooty brciwn ; breast usually extensively rufous, and lower belly with more or less white, but these colors obliterated in completely melanistic specimens : tail as in borcalis, with a conspicuous black subterminal bar and often with several more or less complete additional bars. Iniiiiatiirc: As in borcalis but darker thruout and more heavily spotted below : the plumage ( except tail) sometimes wholly dusky as in adult. Adult male, length: 19.00-22.50 (482.6-571.5): wing 15.25 (387.4): tail 0.25 (235): culmen from cere abont i.oo (25.4) : tarsus 3.00 (j6.2). .Vdult female, length: 22.50-25.00 (571.5-635) ; wing 17.00 (431.8) : tail 10.00 (254) : culmen i.io (2j.i)) : tarsus 3.30 (83.8). Recognition Marks. — Crow to Brant size ; red tail of adult distinctive ; stouter proportions and more regal bearing as compared with B. Sii'aiusonii. Nesting. — Xcst: a mass of sticks indifferently lined, or not at all, placed on ledges of cliff's ( East-side) or high in trees : sometimes an old Crow's nest is refitted. Eggs: 2-4, bluish white, stained, spotted, or blotched with reddish brown, or, rarely, immaculate. Av. size, 2.40x1.83 (61x46.5). Season: April: one brood. General Range. — Western North America, chiefly within the L'nited States, from the Plains to the Pacific and south to Guatemala. Range in Washington. — East-side, common summer resident : \\'est-si(le, not common summer resident, and casual resident in winter. Authorities. — Butco niontanus, Newberry, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. \'l. pt. 1\'. 1857, p. 75. T( ?). C&S. L-\ D'. Sr. Ra. D-\ Ss'. Ss-'. Kk. J. B. E. Specimens. — ( U. of ^^'. ) Prov. B. A "BURKE'S PEER.-\GE" of the birds might not mention the Buteos under the head of royalty — Falco and Aqiiila are the autocrats par excellence — but Red-tail's patent of nobility is very ancient, and is based upon the same claims as those which human lords have set up: viz., a jiredatory ancestry, unbroken possession of certain liroad acres for manv centuries, and a frown- ing castle upon some sighth- hill. In this last respect the bird is not sur- passed, in ^^^asl^ingt^ln at least, by that arrogant old Hapsburg, the Prairie Falcon himself — of whom anon. As to the broad acres, chiefly game preserves (to carry out the whimsy), the royal claim comes first (because, forsooth, the Falcon is the swifter bird) ; and there is always a horde of retainers — Sparrow Hawks, Burrowing Owls, IMagpies, and Ravens — to consider, before the overlord may count his yearly rental of ground-squirrels, rabbits, mice, snakes, lizards, and the lesser fry. Moreover, in these evil da}-s, the pirate Danes have swept dowm on the Red- tail's coasts. ha\-e torn his acres with the plow and have burnt his gopher fields with fire. Worst of all, these ruthless invaders, having no use them- 506 THE WESTERN RED-TAIL. sehxs for sage-rats, yet deny them to their riglitful owner, the Red-tail; and they pursue lu'ni fiercely with engines of destruction when he \-entures to sample an ini[)iirteil Danish fowl. X'erily these he trouhlous times for the aristocracy. Alackaday I Truth to tell, there is n<> mure foolish uljsessiun which attiicts farmer folk than this : that all 1 lawks should be killetl at sight ; unless it be this other : that all birds caught eating cherries are worthy of death. Penny wise pound foolish, both of them! The man who is worst injured by this foll\- is. of course, the farmer himself. InU society also sutlers thru him. Why — it is as if the man should send a charge of buckshot thru a boy who stooped to pluck a strawberr\' — the while he cared nothing that the cattle were ravaging his wheatfield for lack of that same small bo_\- to dri\e them out. Listen; it is no exaggeration to say, that, insofar as the three mo.st easily slaughtered species of Hawk are concerned, the Marsh Hawk, Swainson's and the Red- tail, anv farmer in the wlieat-growing sections of this State could well afford to raise a hundred chickens annually and feed than to the birds, if by so doing he could secure immunity from tlie ravages of rodent ])ests. Yes; the excess of wheat which the pests destroy annual!}- in root and in Ijlade would feed the chicks and repa}- the troul^le tenfold. Red-tailed Hawks no longer aljound in this or any other section. Such as occur are found both east and west of the Cascades. In the Puget f^ound country thev a].ipear only in the more open situations, on prairies and the borders of clearings. On both sides they are partiall}- resident. Init least so on the eastern plateaus, where the winters are se\'ere. P)y nature this hand- some bird is little afraid of man. Young birds, tho capable of sustained flight, refuse to lielieve ill of their human neighbors, to whom they have done no harm, and thev fall easy \ictims to the ]:>revalent bangitis. Older birds may halt on the tree-top for a fraction of a second too long, if they suppose the gunner is passing b\' and minding his own business: but if they catch the glint of intent in the luunan eye at a hundred yards, iliey are ott — and safe. The Red-tailed Hawk is a soaring bird, a buzzard, to speak accurately, altho the word has fallen needlessly into disrepute. Buzzard is a mere reajv pearance, thru the French, of the Latin Piifeo. This doubtless from a primi- tive root now lost, bit or bou. One can almost see in this explosive syllable the utterance of a cliild struck with wonder at the near passage of some soar- ing Hawk. 'Ball.'" "See, Mamma ( Ligurian or Latin matters not), big liirdi" The wonder of it lies no less upon us of more thoughtful years — the wonder of flight, the beauty and the witchery of those lazy, high-flung circles. How consonant with sunshine and shimmering air and. anon, with peace itself, are those mystic circles of endless, unimpassioned quest! Our buzzard is seen to best advantage on the sage-brusli ])lains. and especially if there be some outcrojjping of la\a handy, where he may build THE WESTERN RED-TAIL. 507 his nest. This is a mere platform of sticks laid on a convenient and com- manding ledge. The Red-tails exhibit some sagacity in placing it beyond the reach of coyotes and raccoons; and the choice of such romantic situations raises the bird se\-eral degrees in the estimation of one who has known it lieretofore only as a tree-dweller. The birds, as likely as not, betray their anxiety by sending down from some far height a strong, petulant kcc daaax If the nest is approached, becomes frenzy, and the either swoop toward the intruder repeatedly, or flap restlessly to and fro. uttering their agonized cries. At other times the Hawks discuss the situa- tion in sharp notes of a shriller tone, kccak' , kccak' . keeak'. The eggs, usually three in number, of a dull blue- ish white, unmarked, or else blotched and clouded with rufous, are laid from the first to the third week in April, according to latitude. Incubation lasts about four week Tahcit in Walla Walla County. Flioto by the Author. XESTIXG SITE OF THE \\ESTERX RED-T.ML. THE NEST MAY BE F-MNTLY DISCERNED AS A LIGHTER SPOT IN' THE HORIZONTAL LEDGE NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLIFF. nest five or six weeks longer. cs, and the young remain in the The young birds are fed exclusively on flesh, and it is a point of honor with the parents to keep an abundant supplv of this on hand. What the cliicks cannot eat at once is left conveniently near, on one side of the nest; and it is an easy matter, thru frequent visits, tci check up on the Buteonine bill of fare. As we stopped at a rancher's near Brook Lake, to inquire about the wel- fare of the birds, the young man of the place remarked casual!}-, that he had been over on the cliffs a day or so before and had "shot a couple of them there hawks." [These people have a poultry xard worth at the outside $100, to which they are exceedingly devoted. They als(T have a field of wheat which should yield twelve hundred bushels, if the "squirrels" wiiuld let it alone — but that is of no consequence.] In coasting the basaltic rampart, we found one of them, a Prairie Falcon, where it lay at the foot of the cliff. We did not find its nest, altho another pair held the ledge a little further on. The other victim was a Western Red-tail, and her carcass lay just below the evrie, which her mate was bravelv but warilv defending. A ver\- substantial bushel 5o8 THE SWAINSON HAWK. of sticks occui)ii.-(l a niche ahuul hall' \\a\- up ilic lace of an eighly-fmit wall. Upon our approach Ihe widowed bird dashetl at us witli aiigr\- cries, hut as soon as we came near enough to mark the three hawklets, little downy, white fellows a week or so old, he nidunted rapidly inln the air, and described great circles of solicitude a half mile above our heails. While aloft, a male Prairie Falcon, wdiose eyrie we fnund later. 1i>ok it into his he;id to persecute the Red-tail. He circled aliout rajiidly and htn-lcd himself again and again at the Hawk, but each time, at the expected moment of cont.act, the Buzzard turned deftly face up, presenting his talons to the ]ier- secutor; and each time, of course, the Falcon swerved short to a\oid the iiarry. Both tlie birds were very much in earnest, to judge from the harsh cries which e.scaped them at the moment of "i)resent talons"; but it was evidently an nld game and an idle one, too, for the Falcon, for no matter at what range or fnim what angle he struck, the Red-tail was always ready, with a quick half-somer- sault, to receive him. Conducted thus in the open in a fierce glare of sunlight, it was surely a battle for the gods to witness — e\-en iho the issue was only ;i flraw. No. 206. SWAINSON'S HAWK. A. O. I'. No. 342. Biiteo swainsoni llonap. Description. — . Idiilt male in uoriiial f^hiiiiaiie: U]5perparts dark brown some- what varied li\- ]ialer > ir reddish brown; feathers of crown white basally, with narrow dark shaft-streaks: ui)per tail-coverts reddish brown and white with dusky bars (area usualK mnspicuous as whitish patch in flight) ; flight feathers slaty to dark hi'nwn 1 acmrding to age), more or less varied on inner webs by darker bars alternating with whitish ; tail crossed by 8 or 10 narrow blackish bands : throat pure white; chest crossed ljy Ijroad band of bright chestnut marked by blackish shaft-lines; remaining underparts white varied more or less by reddish brown. /;; iiichmistic l>Iiasc. throat pencilled with Ijlack and underparts clouded, chiefly in crosswise pattern, with cliestnut ; upperparts dark sooty brown. (.All stages of intergradation between this and normal plumage.) Bill bluish black above and on tip, bright vellow on cere, gape, and base of lower mandible; feet blackish ; iris brown. .Idiilt female: Similar to male but cbest-liand much darker, dark chestnut to brownish black, and remaining undcriiarts clouded and barred with chestnut or black on white ground, and white-l)arred posteriorly. In melanistic phase, dark sooty brown above. Imiiiatiirc: .\bove dark brown varied by tawny edgings of feathers; head, neck, and unanies numbering over a thou- sand individuals. Such a notable movement the author witnessed as a child in western Kansas. An east-and-west-hing creek bed presented in its fringing Taken on Moses Lake. Photo by Dawson and Bowles. XEST OF SW.MNSON H.-\\\K IN WILLOW. THE AMERICAN ROUGH-LEG. 511 timber of elm the only opportunit_\- for shelter to be had for miles in either direction. Into the more prominent trees of this coveted timber on a late October afternoon came a large detachment of migratory Hawks, to the number of a thousand or so. Xo doubt the Swainson Hawks formed the bulk of the predatory host gone into camp for the night, but the most notable feature of the gathering was the \-ariety of its constituent species. At least it seemed to an excited small bo_\- that Hawks of e\erv shape, size, and hue were seated before him, paying no attention to his presence, save to yawn as they reviewed the day's long journey. Shades of Audubon ! What a sight ! But that was before the davs of the Graflex. No. 207. AMERICAN ROUGH-LEG. A. O. U. No. 347a. Archibuteo lagopus sancti^johannis (Gmel.). Synonyms. — American Rough-lkgoku Hawk. Rough Legged Buzzard. Description. — Adult, normal (light) phase: Head and neck all around white or flaxen, narrowly streaked with dark brown, sparingly on throat ; re- maining upperparts dark brown or brownish fuscous, varied by ochraceous or ochraceous-bufify, marginal brownish gray and outcropping white ; wing-quills not barred, at least on exposed surfaces, but grayish-edged and with much basal white on inner web ; four outer primaries deeply emarginate ; upper tail-coverts and basal portion of tail (usually for more than half its length) white; terminal portion of tail crossed by broad, subterminal band of dusky, and usually by several narrow, irregular or broken bands anterior to this; underparts whitish, or pale ochraceous-buffy, spotted or broadh' streaked, chiefly on breast, with blackish ; a loose broken band of dusky across belly ; thighs often ochraceous ; tarsi feathered to the toes, in front; feet yellow; bill and claws black. Immature, normal ['hasc: Similar to adult, but terminal portion of tail plain grayish brown; primaries with basal white on external web; markings of underparts confluent on belly in a broad, unbroken, abdominal belt of deep brown ; thighs spotted with dusky. Adult and immature, melanistic l^hase: Entire plumage black, in any degree, save that the tail is white-barred and primaries exhibit some basal white. This phase is quite common and seems to be independent of age, sex, or season. Both sexes, length: 19.50-23.50 (495.3-596.9); wing 15.75-18-00 (400.1-475.2); tail 9.00-1 1. 00 (228.6-279.4) ; culmen from cere .80-.90 (20.3-22.9). Female about two inches longer than male and correspondingly proportioned. Recognition Marks. — Brant size ; feathered tarsi distinctive ; best recognized in the field by its, usually, dark coloration and heavy flight ; basal white of tail also distinctive if properly discriminated from that of the upper tail-coverts of the Marsh Hawk. Nesting. — Not known to breed in Washington. N^est: a bulky affair placed high in trees or on ledges of rock : of sticks, fairly well-lined with bark strips. SI2 THE AMERICAN ROUGH-LEG. leaves, and soft materials. Eggs: 2 or 3, sometimes 4 or 5, bluish white or dull white, sometimes unmarked, but oftener spotted, blotched, or streaked with reddish brown Dv clmcolate. Av. size, 2.22 x 1.78 (56.4x44.7). General Range. — North America north of ^lexico, breeding north of the United Slates (exceptins:; in Alaska). Range in Washington. — Not common migrant and winter resident, chiefly east iif ibe Cascades. Authorities. — Archibuteo lagopus Gmelin, Cassin, Rep. Pac. R. R. Snrv. IN. 1S5S. p. 2,2,- T. C&S. D-. D-'. Specimens. — Prov. C. A LARGE, dark-colored l)ird, "bi!.;i;er than a Hawk and nut as big as an Eagle," seen in winter flx'ing liea\ily to and fro across the meadow at a low height, or perching for considerable stretches of time on pasture boulders, fence posts, or low stubs, commanding open situations, may safel)' be put duwn in the nute-book as an American Rough-legged Buzzard. If seen in air Ihc bird mav remind one of a Turkey Vulture out of season, but a second glance will take account of its fan-slia])ed tail, its shorter wings, and rather more rapid ni<)\ement. The species is largely crepuscular, almost nocturnal, in habit, and is to be looked for on dark days rather than liright ones. Its food consists almost exclusively of field mice and other small rodents, altho an occasional rabbit may \'ary its fare. As might be inferred from the humble nature of its quarr)-. the Rough- leg is a peaceable bird, rather sluggish in movement, and, except where per- secuted, (|uite unsuspicious of man. \Vhile hopelessly "ignoble" from the Falconer's slandi>oint, the bird has a fine presence and a bright eye; and it would seem to deserve the name "gentle," rather better than does the rapa- cious Peregrine. Its occasional ]irescnce with us in winter is entirely beneficial, and the bird sbonlil be carefull\' protected. Evidentlv considerable confusion has always existed as between this and the succeeding species, A. frrruf/iiiciis. The latter is typically \vhite below, but is not infre(|uentlv melanistic, and 1 believe that dark specimens are more frequent upon the Pacific Coa.st than on the Great Plains. The American Rough-leg is almost anything in ])lumage, from lightly mottled brown to black, and its general appearance is exceedingly variable. I have seen .speci- mens in Washington in June and July which T referred to this species; and Dr. Cooper^" mentions that he saw young birds near the month of the Colnml)ia River in July 1855; yet I am inclined to think that fcrnigincus is the onlv breeding form in \\'asliington and that all references to the occurrence of saiicti-joliainiis hereabouts in summer are due to puzzling disguises of the "Squirrel Hawk." a. Rep. Pac. R. R. Siirv.. Vol XII.. p. II.. i860, p. 149. THE FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. 513 No. 208. FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. A. O. U. No. 348. Archibuteo ferrugineus (Liclit.). Synonyms. — Ferrugixuus Rougii-lEGged Buzzard. Sofirrel H.wvk. Cae:fornia Squirrel Hawk. Description. — .Iditlts, norma} phase: Back, wing-coverts, and rump mingled blackish and chestnut-brown, cacli feather darker centrally and edged with chestnut ; primaries blackish with glaucous bloom on outer webs, shafts chiefly- white, and iimer webs largely whitish ; the remaining cjuills similar but more or less blackish- and whitish-barred on inner webs : tail below, silvery white, above mingled ashy and ferruginous with white base and tip : head above and sides black-and-white-streaked in about equal amounts; underparts chiefly white: flanks, flags, and tarsi strongly tinged with rusty red and marked with blackish : also more or less marking of chestnut on belly and sides, and some sharp blackisii shaft-streaks on breast. Adults, iiiclaiiistic pliasc: Above rich chocolate-brown; below mingled rust}- and choculale: tail unchanged. Bill dark bluish; feet and cere yellow; irides light brown or yellow. Iiiiiiiatiire: Upperparts grayish brown with tawny edgings ; tail without ashy, white for basal third, remainder grayish brown, crossed by several indistinct duskv bands : underparts nearly pure white, not tinged with rusty posteriorly, but somewhat marked with dusky. Adult male, length: 22.50 (S/i-S) ; extent 54.50 (1384.2): wing 16.60 (421.6): tail 10.00 (254) ; tarsus 2.75 (69.9). Adult female, length.- 23.75 (603.3 ) ' e.xtent 56.50 (1435) ; wing 18.00 (457.2) ; tail 10.75 (273-0- Recognition Marks. — Brant size: soaring flight or sluggish flapping; strong mingling of rusty red distinctive in any plumage; white of underparts shading to rusty posteriorly of normal plumage unique. Nesting. — Nest: a bulky platform of sticks on ledge or clifif, rarely in trees; lined with fresh twigs and green branches, or variously. Eggs: 2-4, pale greenish blue or bluish white, tmmarked, or else washed and tinged, rarelv spotted or blotched, with pale rufous brown or dull brown. Av. size 2.55x1.95 (64.8 x 49.5). Season: April (Chelan, April 10, 1896) : one brood. General Range. — Western North America, from the plains (eastern North Dakota to Texas) westward to the Pacific, and from the Saskatchewan region south into Mexico; casually east to Illinois. Breeds from Utah, Colorado, and Kansas northward to the Saskatchewan Plains. Range in Washington. — Not common summer resident east of the Cascades. Authorities.— [C. & S. Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. XH.. p. II., i860, p. 149. "Vicinity of Fort Dalles O. T." Not a valid Washington record.] Brewster, B. N. O. C. VII., 1882. p. 227. (C&'S.) D'. D^ Specimens. — C. 514 THE FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. EA(jLH-LIKE birds arc still scon soaring alxiul llif la\a ranges and the more desolate gorges of the l'ii\er to a secure footing within a dozen feet of the nest. The remaining distance was a nasty bit of climbing, and I preferred to await the first onslaught of the outraged parents where there wnnld be some chance of defense. Inidge! The tire-eating birds ai)])eared once or twice in the middle distance, but ]jaiil no more attention to the jjeril of their off sirring than as if I had been a Magpie coveting the crumbs from the ro_\al table. Three weeks later I re\-isited the nest and put the eaglets to flight. One of the old birds came up and superintended tlie gliding downfall of the less capable child, but seeing her safeh- u]»in the ground immediately went awav niarmot-hunting in perfect unconcern. If there is one bird alxn-e another of a gentle and unsuspecting nature, I judge the Golden Eagle to he that bird, l^nit doubtless this also is a hasty generalization. On the clifts of the Eocene formaticTii near Fossil, \\'\oming, I once THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 517 located a Golden Eagle's nest. The material of which these hills are com- posed is a kind of volcanic ash, very friable, and the lairds had chosen for their eyrie a cranny in the very middle of one of the wildest of these fossil- bearing cliffs, and at a height of some seventy feet. It was practically in- accessible even by rope, for tlie cliff is perpendicnlar and deeply tissured bv the action of the weather, so that the flying buttresses tluis formed are readv to part and crnmble at a breath. A pair of Prairie Falcons had a nest in the "next block" and they ap- peared to make a practice of perse- cuting the Eagles just for sport. I saw one of the Eagles launch out from his nest for a course across the broad valley. A Falcon took after him, altlio the Eagle had a big lead. "A race," thought I. Woof, 'tc'oo/, ^voof^ the Eagle's wings: clif', r///'. clip, clip, went the Falcon's. Liside of a mile the smaller bird made up the distance, scratched His Majesty's crown with his noble toes, and was up in the ether a hundred }'ards before the Eagle could do a thing. This process was re- peated until the gentle pair passed from sight, but a few minutes later the Falcon re- tttrned to his perch, chuckling hugely. At present the Golden Eagle is confined almost exclusively to the higher mountains, especially the Cascades. It was unknown to Cooper and Suckley, and we have only one record of its ap- pearance on Puget Sound. The birds are practically resident wherever found, but they undoubtedly do wander ofT to tlie prairies and lowlands now and then went m^: ^^^ ^^ Taken in California. Photo by H. T. Bohlman and W. L. Finlcy. THE BIRD I: A PRINCK UF THE EI.OOD ROYAL. STILL IN THE NEbT. ONE OF THE EAGLETS PREVIOUSLY SHOWN. 5i8 THE GOLDEN EAGLE. in fall and winicr. The}- become \cry closely allached to a given stretch C)f territory and probablv luue the mountain areas jiretty definitely par- celled out amongst them. Barring accident.s, the birds are mated for life, and thru the regularity of their habits it becomes possible to recognize individuals at sight. .\mong the foothills and along the banks of the Columbia with its tributaries, the Yellow-lielliecl Marmot (Arcloiiiys flai'ivctitcr avanis), locally known as Woodchuck or (iround-hog, is its staple article of diet ; and its cousin, the Whistler (A. caligatus), enjoys the same distinction in the mountains. Lesser rodents are captured on the one hand, and the young of deer, sheep, and goats on the other. Birds are not overlooked. Ducks. and occasionally Geese, are taken in midair, while Sharp-tailed Grouse and Sage Hens are seized upon the ground. The Eagle hunts chiefly in high lazy circles, from which he descends like a h)\{ when prey is sighted. He is also the first to aj.ipear in the case of a wounded deer or goat in the mountains. If the hunter is tardy, the Eagle gets at least tlie tidbits and sometimes ruins the hide. So great is the bird's solicitude in these matters that he has been accused of giving the cuiip dc grace to the dying buck. The Magpie keejis tab on the royal progress, and when he susjiects that there is "something doing," hurries tip to glean cninil>s in the wake of his surfeited lord. Bendire is authority for the statement that nests of the Golden Eagle are oftenest built in trees, and cites the Blue .Mountains of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho as examples of this practice. In the Cascades, however, I ha\e never found them except on cliffs. .Vests are occupied year after year, sa^-e that the same pair may maintain two establishtneiits a mile or so apart, and resort now to one and now to the other at the dictates of caution, or possibly for sanitary reasons. l{ach season the occupied nest is freshened up bv the addition of a layer of fir boughs, having stems up to an inch or more in diameter. Deposition of eggs occurs in March, some- times (as in the case of the Conconnidly nest ) as early as March 1st. In- cubation lasts about four weeks, and the \-oiuig birds require to be cherished in the nest for a period of eight weeks longer. Should a nest be robbed, the Eagles will not nest again that season; and if persecuted, they will refrain from nesting altogether sooner than abandon chosen territory. To those wdio love Nature in Iter wilder moods rather than the proprieties of park and garden, the passing of the Eagle is one of the saddest of the "pains of progress." THE BALD EAGLE. 519 No. 210. BALD EAGLE. A. O. U. No. 352. Haliseetus leucocephalus (Linn.) Synonyms. — Bird of Washington (young). Gray Eagle (second year 3'oung). Black Eagle (first year young). Description. — Adult: Head and neck all around, and tail including coverts, pure white; remaining plumage grayish brown to brownish black; with some paler edging of feathers; bill and feet yellow; claws black. Immature, first year: blackish with some outcropping white of cottony-based feathers ; bill black : feet yellow. Second year: grayish brown or dark brown, mottled somewhat irregu- larly on wings and tail (centrally) with gray and white; acquiring adult char- acteristics by end of third year. Second year birds are somewhat larger than adults, "overgrown puppies," and were formerly described as Washington Eagles. Science outgrew this ignorance as the nation outgrew its youth. Adult male length 30,00-36.00 (762-914.4); e.xtent of wings seven feet; wing 21.00-26.00 (533.4-660.4); tail 11.50-15.00 (292.1-381); culmen about 2.00 (50.8); tarsus about 3.00 (76.2) ; middle toe and hind claw 2.75 (69.9). Adult female length 34.00-42.00 (863.6-1066.8) ; extent seven to eight feet; wing 24.00-28.00 (609.6- 711. 2) ; tail 13.00-16.00 (330.2-406.4); culmen about 2.20 (55.9); tarsus about 3.50 (88.9) ; hind claw up to two inches (50.8). Recognition Marks. — Largest: white head and tail of adult: half-naked tarsus distinctive in any plumage. Nesting. — Nest: a bulky platform of sticks high in trees, or, rarely, on cliffs, near considerable bodies of water. Eggs: 2 or 3, dull white or pale bluish white, unmarked but often nest-stained. Av. size, 2.89x2.25 (73.4x57.2). Season: about May ist; one brood. General Range. — North America at large, except Alaska, south to Mexico. Breeds locally thruout its range. Range in Washington. — Formerly abundant resident west of the Cascades; now not common resident on West-side ; rare or casual east of the Mountains. Authorities. — Haliaetiis leiicoccplialus Linn., Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. LX.. 1858, p. 44. T. C&S. L. Rh. D'. Ra. D-\ B. E. Specimens.— (U. of W.) Prov. BN. IF YOLT would prove conclusively that mankind has made small pro- gress since the days of Omph, the cave-dweller, place a rifle in his hand, con- front him suddenly with an Eagle sitting all unawares on a pine stub at a liundred yards, and bid him shoot. As certainly as Adam put forth his hand for the proffered apple, so surely will the finger of this, his Twentieth Century descendant, press trigger and doom to destruction the most picturesque in- habitant of lakeside and forest. And wherefore? "Why, because he is known to prey upon grouse, rabbits, and waterfowl, the killing of which is man's exclusive prerogative." Oh, pshaw! you don't really begrudge the 520 THE BALD EAGLE. bird a 1)it of nu'at imw and tlu-n. Resides lliat, it preys oftenest on fish, and dead fisli al thai. "W'fll, anyhdw. it has been l]>l;iin .all tlie fisli the\" wanted at first hand, either bv posting on the shallows and seizing salmon as they ran. or by glean- ing along shore among the weakened and exhausted fish which were cast up in windrows at the close of the season. Twenty years ago this Eagle was still a common sight along the shores and waterways of Puget Sound His white licad lighted up the depths of some wood-bound lake as we stepped fiirth to size up the local bird ])opulation, an these stately birds, and \-iew their comings and goings with unfailing interest. In some sections the protection of the local eagles is a matter of pride, and any one who attempted to molest one of them would get into serious trouble with its human neighbors. This is quite as it should be. The people of this State could far better afford to reimburse the owners of poultry and sheep for some trifling losses inflicted upon them, than they could to be deprived of the majestic presence of these synibolic birds. 522 THE GRAY GYRFALCON. The killing of a Bald Eagle ought to be a penilentiarx' offense, and the man who would wantonly destroy one of their monumental landmarks is beneath contempt. Nothing, outside of human woes, could be sadder than the sight of an Eagle in a cage. Captivity is irksome at best, and the contemplation of it is seldom edifying. Yet the sight of a monkey is not so bad. Ropes and sticks and wire nettings are sources of infinite amusement to Jocko, as to his spec- tators. Bruin enjovs his fare of peanuts and bonbons, and might ni)t wish to exchange his snug pit of concrete for the vicissitudes of mountain life. Caged song birds, e\'en, \mve always artistic relief for their wounded spirit. But for the captive Eagle there is no cons(.)lation whatever. Befouled, dis- heveled, sick at heart, and aching with imprisnned forces, he can only scowl in sullen disdain at his persecutors, or mope in abject misery before them. The sight of such a captive degrades the onlooker as it outrages e\er\- senti- ment i>f justice and titness. We have ni> right to imprison creatures whi;)se lives we cannot make reasonably happy. No. 211. GRAY GYRFALCON. A. O. U. No. 334. Faico riisticolus Linn. Synonyms. — (".kav Terf.\i.C(ix. Ickl.\-VI) (ivRF.ALCON (sharing the name with /■'. island iciis ). Description. — Adults: Upper[)arts pale bluish gray, everywhere marked, chiefly in transverse spots and bars, with darker or slaty, these bars reduced on head and hindneck, leaving these parts noticeably lighter than back; barring of tail well marked grayish w-hite and slaty gray ; underparts white, more or less streaked and striped with the dark color of hack on sides, flanks, flags, and crissum, but general tone of underparts much lighter than that of upperparts ; a slight dark mustache; eyelids, cere, and feet yellowish: bill bluish changing to yellow at base; iris brown. Young birds are not distinctly barred, but more uniform dark gray above, edged with lighter and more or less whitish-spotted on back and wings ; below more or less streaked with dusky on lighter ground. Length of adults : 22.00-24.00 (538.8-609.6) ; wing T4.00-16.30 (333.6-419.1) ; tail 9.00-10.00 (228.6- 254) ; culmen .93-1.00 (24.1-25.4) ; tarsus 2.40-2.73 (61-69.9). Female near the maxinmni of these dimensions. Recognition Marks. — Ciull size; larger than any local Falcon; gray tone of plumage unmistakable. Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Nest: on clifi's. Eggs: 3 or 4, dull whitish, sprinkled, stained, or overlaid with dull reddish brown. .\v, size, 2.30 X 1.80 (38.4x45.7). THE PRAIRIE FALCON. 523 General Range. — Arctic regions including southern Greenland ; south rarely in winter to southern borders of United States. Range in Washington. — Casual — one recent record^of occurrence in winter. Authorities. — ? Townsend, Narrative, 1839, 331 (Faico hycinalisj. Merrill, Auk, \'ol. NI\'. Oct. 1897, p. 352 (Spokane). LINN.^JUS called him nisticolns. a C(juntrynian, but he is no rustic, — a viking, rather, ruling the ptarmigans and lemmings of tlie Arctic coasts with a rod of iron. Both because of its large size and sustained prowess, this bird has been long recognized as the ranking officer of the genus Falco; and in the palmy days of falconry birds of this breed imported from Ultima Thule brought fancy prices. As we go further back in histor_\- we find the prowess of the Falcon still more highly venerated. Among the Greeks strength was the chief attribute of (li\"inity, and the falcon was liicrax. the might\- one (whence hicros, sacred, and liicrcus, priest), the fit emblem of di\'inity so concei\'ed. Enjoying in its \-arious races a circumpolar range, the G}'rfalcon winters for the most part upon its northern hunting grounds: but now and then a straggler appears within our borders. Of its occurrence in British Columbia, Mr. Brooks says'': "A regular winter visitant west of the Cascades. Young birds are sometimes almost dark enough for obsciirns. and adults light enough for the Iceland form. The flight of this Falcon is as a rule rather slow com- pared with that of other large Falc()ns, but when in full pursuit of a duck it gets up a tremendous velocity and can turn and twist almost as cjuickly as a Goshawk. In ordinaryflight the wing-stroke is much shorter than aPeregrine's, and the bird when going straight awav appears to be ho\-ering like a Kestrel." No. 212. PRAIRIE FALCON. A. O. U. No. 355. Falco mexicanus Schlegel. Synonyms. — Mexic.xn F.-xlcon. American Lanner Faecox. Description. — Adults: Upperparts pale grayish brown, the feathers usually more or less tinged with rusty and chiefly bordered with pale clay-color, or buffy gray anteriorly, or pale bluish gray posteriorly; color of head more nearly uniform, but streaked with dusky; occiput and hind-neck much lighter, the latter sometimes nearly pure white : outer webs of primaries not spotted but edged with paler, and inner webs indented or obscurely spotted with white : secondaries white- or fulvous-spotted on outer webs : axillars plain brown ; wing-lining chiefly white, more or less spotted with brown ; tail chiefly brownish gray tipped with white, but more or less indented and barred on inner webs with whitish ; underparts .-\uk. \"o]. XVII.. Apr. 1900, p. 105. 524 THE PRAIKIE FALCON. white, immaculate on throat, elsewhere marked with brownish gray of same shade as hack, narrowh and distinctly on breast, broadly on sides and flanks, where falling into bars, sjiarsely on crissum, coalescing in maxillary region into broad must.-iche. I'.ill dark bluish changing to yellow at base and on much of lower mandible ; feet yellow : iris brown. Voiiiuj birds are darker above with feathers distinctly margined with light rusty, and their underparts are tinged with pale buffy and more broadly streaked : — the younger the bird the richer the coloration. Dozimy \oiiiui. pure white. Length of adult male: 17.00-18.00 (431.8-457.2); wing 11.50-12.50 (292.1-317.5) ; tail 6.50-7.50 ( 165.1-190.5) ; culmen .75 (19.1) ; tarsus 2.00 (50.8). .Adult female, length: 18.50-20.00 (469.9-508); wing 13.25- 14.25 (336.6-362); tail 8.00-9.00 (203.2-22S.6) : culmen .87 (22.1); tarsus 2.2^ (57-2).'^ Recognition Marks. — Crow size; iiowerful. easy flight; light lirowuish gray coloration with size distinguishes it from any related local species, especially the darker Peregrine : varied screaming cries. Nesting. — Xcst: a ledge or cranny of clift'; usually luimarked. occasionally 1)muided bv a few sticks. Egijs: 4 or 5, creamy buff or pale vinaceous, heavily sprinkled or. rarely, stained and blotched with cinnamon. Av. size. 2.i8xT.6o (55.4x40.6). Season: ALay 1-15 : one lirood. General Range. — Western I'nited States cast to eastern border of Creat Plains passing northern border into soiUliern llrilish Columbia. .Mberta. and Assiiiiboia ; south into Mexico. Range in Washington. — Common summer resideiU in Lpper Sonoran and Transition life-zones of eastern \\'ashiugton ; rare or casual west of the Cascades. Authorities. — l-'aico f'olyaijnis. Cassin, "Illustrations" (' 185^1), j). 88 ("Puget's Sound" ). Specimens. — P'. 1^'rov. C. IN SPITE of the fact that the Prairie Falcon is really one of the commonest rap- tors in the West, its discovery within the / ^ United States was not reported till irairies and the rolling hills are his ocean, and he is a bold corsair, snatching his prey at will from the crested billow (of soil i and caring nothing for the clumsy men-of-war sa\-e to spurn them. But when spring comes on then he nuist seek some frowning clitf wliich fronts the prairie wave: and then he must place himself and those dearer tlian self at the mercy of the curious public, whether friendly or hostile. The Prairie Falcon is, after the Sparrow Hawk, the commonest l:>ird of Tiihcn at Brook Lake. Photo bv till' Author. A\ .WCIENT STKO.XGHOLD. NESTI.XC SITES OF THE PRAIRIE FALCON. NEW AND OLD. ABOUND ALONG THE FACE OF THIS WALL. prey in eastern Washington. All undisturbed rock-walls and cliffs are likely to harbor one or more pairs of them, but the course of the Columbia River and its tributaries marks the center of their abundance. The Grand Coulee is full of them: the Okanogan A^alley has its share; while the canon of the Snake and the Columbia River gorge below Wallula are not forgotten. All the traditions of chi\alr}-, sa\e gentleness, and all the associations of romance gather about this bird. In speed, in grace, in prowess, and in skill, he is the peer of an}-: and in the choice of nesting sites he is excelled by none. Picture, if you please, a granite cleft in Okanogan County. The road at the 526 THE I'RAIRIE FATTON. hdUniii winds (lc\iiiusly nvt-r intersecting tains l)e(ls, "fock slides," while the sun-kissed l)attlciiieiits of ri\en n>ck tower on either hand to the height f)i a thousand feet: and the\- deaf theif own dehris in sheer walls of at least half that height. Ahoiii tlie l>rinl< of the |)reri])iee a dozen I'^alcons are at play. It is courting time and tlie l)irds are showing off. The females are the larger hirds, hut it is their turn to sit in the boxes while the aspirants ])erform. 'i'he dought\ males are not really contenditig — only renewing their \-ows as they come hurtling out of the hea\-ens, screaming like all possessed and cutting paral)olas whose acntcncss is a marvel c)f the unexjiected. The female screaks in wild a])])ro\al, or takes a luiai herself because slie cannot contain her tierce emotions. The rock walls resound with boisterous music, and the observer feels as tlio he were witnessing the i)la\' of elemental forces — riotous, exultant, unrestrained, tlie \cr\' i)assion of freedom and conquest. The h'alcon is king of birds and he knows it. Ferocity gleams in his eye and menace fpii\-ers in his talims. Mastery is his element : his very wings flash ci>nlidence: and caution is to him a thing unknown. The niuch-xaunted Eagle is a cra\'en beside him, and nothing alfords the smaller Ijird gi eater delight than to hector his lethargic kinsiuan. The Prairie Falcon is dnnl)tless something of a tease at l)cst. One ob- serx'cd at Brook Lake made life miseral:)le for an inoffensive Red-tail wdio chanced to occupv the same ledge: and he also took elaborate ]iains to chase tlie Great Blue Herons out of bound. The Falcon woukl make repeated dashes at the passing hulk, but he could hardly have intended bodily injury to the TTerons, for he ])ermitted them to c\aile eacli time by ducking, and he probably enjo\'ed suf¥icientl\- the l)ellow of mingled fear and rage which he was able with each threat to elicit froiu the larger birds. The flight of the Prairie h'alcon is alwa_\'s easy aiicl graceful, being often- est accomplished bv a succession of short wing be;its alternating with a sail. The bird mounts rapidly, and if intent on distant hunting grounds, is, because of its light coloration, soon lost to e\e. It is hardly |)ossible to exaggerate the sw'ifttiess of the Falcon's flight thru comi);nison with that of an\- other l)ird. I should sav that the W'liite-throated Swift alone excels it. ^^'hiIe logging along thru a little coulee in the (")k.anogan country my horse almost stepped on a Meadowlark which rose and immediately settled .again within ten feet. Tliinking of a possible nest, I dismounted and turned mv horse's head, ilisttu'bing ;is T did so another lark from my very feet, and putting the first biril to fbght for some two or three rods further. At that moment a Falcon flashed past my head with a quick Idlutff. and before I could reco\'er from amazement, the Hawk was s|ieeding out of sight with the lark in its talons. So instant was the I'alcon's swoop that F altho look-ing straight ;it the scene, could not ha\-e told within ten feet where the Hawk annexed the lark. The bird makes little fuss o\er the capture of small game. It simi)l\" ma- THE PRAIRIE FALCON. 527 terializes out of tlie empty blue and picks up a gopher or a blackbird as quietly as you would pluck a tlower. The approach has doubtless been niceh' calcu- lated. The thunderbolt, launched from the height of half a mile, lias been checked every few hundred feet by a slight opening nf the wings tliat the Falcon might gauge the caliber and intent of the \ictim ; and the final |)lunge dias, therefore, the speed and a c c u r a c y of fate. In case of larger game the quarry is knocked head- long by a crash- ing blow, after which the as- sailant turns to try conclusions as to weight. But the Falcon prefers always to snatch, and w hen s m a 1 1 game is abun- dant, the bird is less likely to disturb rabbits or poultry. To be honest w i t h }-ou, I fear the Prairie Falcon is a great nuisance sometimes. It is he who gets the chickens while Red-tail gets the shot. It w o u 1 (1 be amusing if it were not so tragic at times, to see the Fal- Tabeit near Chelan. Photo by the Author. A NESTING CLIFF ON LAKE.CHEL-AN. WHERE THE BABIES SHOWN IN THE NEXT ILLUSTRATION WERE CRADLED. 528 THE PRAIRIE FALCON. cmi ^li|) in and gut his dail) meat willi lianlly a rippk- of excilenient im the part i)\ the Iiarnyard ; while every old hen squawks "bloody murder!"" and the shot-gun roars, when some P>uteo, guileless and guiltless, happens to stroll over the ])lace. W ild hinls are, howexer, the I''alcon"s favorite meat. Captain r>endire found them at Walla Walla fattening on lorewer's Blackbirds. Sharp- lailed Crouse ha\-e l)een staple on the bill of fare until latterly; and. in general, it is safe to sav thai where h'alcons abound the bird-wni'ld ]iays the l)ills. It is nut always easy to pick mU just the spot in the cliff wdierc the b'alcons are nesting. In case of doubt it is wise tn ap])roach stealthily from abo\ e, in hope of sur])rising the sitting bird. I f her male is off hunting, a rock rail ling doxvn the face of the cliff will cause her to dart out silently from her pust. Xe.xt an nuiburst nf screaming rage will reveal her sagacity. Her mate hurries up, an / -^^^y. :>' ^^ Tiikcn on Lake Chclati, Pluilo by the Author. THE K.M^CON'S liliOOU. Hi UK cllll \\ •■I 'rii-i) stcalllv.,^ .. .- >' hunting, a roc!- 0 H 0 en •< K 0 0 0 l-WUtg UJX'l! il nprnar of lu THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 529 I had worked down some fifty feet ()\er the lin^w of a 200-foot granite cliff, when the nesting site flashed into view. It was merely a flat accumulation of soil and detritus, held in position in a tiny "throat" by a fallen stime which had failed to clear the rocky fauces. Fifteen feet was the closest I could get with the camera, but five juicy eggs clamoring to be taken were too much for the oologist. Cantiou.sly down, down. I went. On the way, and indeed while photographing the Falccins' eggs from abo\-e, I had become aware of some other a\'ian denizens somewhere, as evidenced by the lusty peepings of a callow brood. Now one, and now a nestful, clamored or were silent by turns. When I reached the platfdrm. I found my birds. The Falcon eggs were upon the point of hatching. Only one had pipped, but all were singing ;;; oz'o. Better so ! I turned and retraced my steps without disappointment — shame rather, for maternit}' is sacred in castle or in ca])in. Farewell, bra\'e Falcons! Let your Screams of rage and defiance be changed to soft lullabies. My hour has passed. No. 213. PEREGRINE FALCON. .■\. (J. U. No. 356. Faico peregriniis anatiim (Bonap.). Synonyms. — .Ami'.ricax Pi:Ri-:c.Ri.\h; Kaiaox. GREAT-FooTia) Falco.n. Duck ILWVK. Description. — Adult: .\bove dark l)hiish ash, or slaty black with a glaucous "l)looni,"' the feathers lighter edged, and the larger ones obscurely barred; top of head appreciably darker, — almost black ; wings long, and pointed by the second quill, the first notched about two inches from the end ; primaries distinctly barred on the inner webs with ochraceous : tail and upper tail-coverts narrowly barred with ashv-gray and blackish, whitish-tipped ; area below eye. produced downward as broad "moustache." sooty black; throat and chest white or buffy. immaculate or "nearlv so; remaining underjiarts white or buffy, everywhere heavily spotted, on breast with blackish cresccntic marks, posteriorly lengthening into braces and bars; tarsus feathered two-fifths of the way down; toes and claws lengthened; bill blue-black, but with cere and much of base yellow ; feet yellow ; claws black. hninatnrc: Above sooty brown, plain or with some glaucous bloom with ad- vancing age ; feathers not barred, but more broadly and distinctly edged with ochraceous buff; top of head lighter than back by reason of ochraceous and whitish admixture; bars of tail obsolete on central feathers; below heavily striped with sooty brown, or if barred, only on flanks; chest never immaculate, — narrowly streaked with sooty brown ; prevailing color of underparts deeper buffy or ochra- ceous than in adults. Adult male, length: 15.50-18.00 (393.7-457.2); wing 1 1. 50-13.00 (292.1-330.2) ; tail 6.00-7.75 ( 1 52.4-196.9 ~) ; culmcn .jy (19.6). Adult female, length: 18.00-20.00 (457.2-508); wing 13.50-14.75 (342.9-374.7); tail 7.00-9.25 (177.8-235); culmen .95 (24.1). 530 THE PEREGRINE FALCON. Recognition Marks. — Crow size: dark coloration: black ■'moustache"; long pointed wings; swift, easy flight. Nesting. — Xcst: on ledges of clifl's, or in holUjw limbs of the tallest trees. Eggs: 3 or 4, creamy-white, huffy, light hazel, or rich cinnamon-brown, in the latter cases sometimes plain, otherwise finely sprinkled, spotted and blotched with reddish brown or chocolate. .\v. size, 2.05 x 1.65 (52.1 X41.9). Season: c. Mao- ist ; one brood. General Range. — North America at large and south to Chili. Breeds locally thruont most of its United States range. Range in Washington. — Not common resident thruout the State, giving place to I\ p. pealci at least upon West Coast. Local range chiefly determined by presence of suitable cliff's overlooking water. Authorities. — ? Urn. Com. Journ. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. VII., 1837, '93 C'^™'^' the Columbia Liver"). Falco niqriceps, Cassin, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv., \"ol IX., 1858, p. 8 (part?). T. L-'?. Ra.'O-'. B. E. Specimens. — Prov. B. THE name Duck Hawk is really a tribute to the skill and prowess of this highly endowed bird ; but it is belittling, nevertheless, to in.stitute a com])arison, however remote, between the noble Peregrine and the multitudinous "Hen Hawk" of the vulgar conception. This is the PEREGRINE FAI.CoX. if you please, the American bird being not different, save for a sonicwhal wliiler breast (which only enhances his beauty ) from llie "falcon gentil" ot song and story, the most courageous, the most s])irilc. aiiatiiiii and F. p pcalci without killing every falcon in western Washington; and this, however much yve should earn the gratitude of the water foyvl. yye do not feel prepared to do. Suffice it to say, that pcalci is, on theory, a saturated form. 53 2 THE I'EALE FALCON. a lit'a\ ilv i-(iliir(.(l hinl. wIiunc pluniaj^c is ihc result nf racial centuries spent in a regii)n of heavx' rainfall, it iiui;lit, llierefdre, to occur along the cliffs and islands of our western coast, where the annual rainfall ranges upward of a lunidred inches, t'oijper's s])ecintens taken at Shoahvater Bay in 1854, arc rated as pcaici ; and a female taken Ijy myself on Carroll Islet, June 22. 1907, suijports the assumption. 'I'hese grim deaths rear their young upon the cliff's of the Olympiades, choosing for the purpose some inilined cranny or ledge mi(hva\' of an inaccessihle preci])ice. The\- show great attachment for a given locality, which really, because of their ])res- ence, takes on something ot the distinction of a baronial estate: and they are valiant in defense of their young. The site shown in I lie cut has been occuiiied for \-ears b\- a ]iair of Kahliikihulo's, as the Quillayutes call these Falcons, and in 1907 the \-oung were haiclieil ,-ihonl June First. C)ii Carroll Islet we tound a single full-grown chick, ]irobably the runt of a scattered brood, and judged that he must ha\'e broken shell by the first of Mav. He was in charge of two verv solicitous parents, who guarded his e\'er_\- movement and ]>iiblished screaming bulletins of our progres.s — an attention which, by the way, began to pall u])on our senses l)\- the end of the fourth day. The clauKjr was renewed as often as we appeared near Master Peale's favorite perch, an old dead spruce tree; and the old birds, when they could no longer control their indignation afoot, relieved their pent-up feelings by giddy swoops and sallies, or else took a turn around the .sea-wall, screaming frightfully. Gi\-en s])eed, courage, and go(jd appetites, all of which these birds Taken on Carroll Islet. Pholo by the Antlior. jr.\sTt:K FH.\Lr:. THE PEALE FALCON. 533 undoubtedly pos- sess, it is dilifi- cuit to conceix'e of more Eden- i i k e conditions ihan thdse here provided for the Peale Falcons. Sea b i r d s < j f eleven species make Carroll Islet home, and it is in the highway of passage dur- ing migrations. The Falcons had only to covet and kill morning, noon and night. Indeed so la\'ish was the |:)ro\'ision made for them, that their pres- ence did not seem to cause concern to the m_\-riatl sea - fowd. The Falcon's choice appeared to fall oftenest upon the Cassin Anklets, and most of the t r a g i c feather heaps discovered belonged to this species. Since the Anklets fly only by night during the breeding seascni. we were forced to conclude that the Falcons secured their favorite quarry after nightfall or else vevy earlv in the mornins-. Tak Ln PusI-. Photo bv the .-llillior. XESTING SITE OF THE PE.\LE F.^ECO.X. TilE NEST AfPEAKS AS A TIXV WHITE SPOT OK THE SHEER WALL, A LITTLE To THE RIGHT OF THE CENTER. 534 THE PIGEON HAWK. No. 215. PIGEON HAWK. A. (). IJ. No. 357. Faico columbariiis Ijiin. Description. — Old male: Above bluish gray or dark slaty blue; feathers with i)lack shafts and pale or rusty edges; general color usually interrupted by outcropping white or buiTy on nape ; tip of wing formed by second primary ; first shorter than third; first and second sharjily notched on the inner web; the second and third slightly emarginate on the luUcr web; inner webs of all t|nills barred or spotted with whitish ; outer webs with traces of ashy markings ; tail darkening posteriorly, white-ti];)pcd, and crossed by four narrow, whitish bars, the anterior one concealed ; below white or whitish, nearly immaculate on throat, darkening poste- riorly to tawny or ochraceous, heavily streaked with dark uml:)er. sometimes changing to bars on the flanks; sides of throat and cheeks finely pcncilldl with innber ; iris brown ; bill and claws blue-black ; feet yellow ; cere and base of bill greenish yellow. This high plumage is quite rare. Adult female and male in usual dress: Above dark umber-brown, glaucous or not, the head varied bv nuich huffy or rusty edging, with blackish central streaks; wing-spots ochraceous-buff ; tail with pattern as before, but blackening toward tip, and vvitli ochraceous-buff cross-bars ; below darker buffy all over, or tawny medially as well as posteriorly ; streaking of variable intensity. Immature: Perhaps lighter above, and with more ochraceous-buffy edging; otherwise not appreciably, or at least constantly, diit'erent from adult. Adult male, length; 10.CH3-11.50 (254-2Q2.1); wing 7.00 (177.8); tail 4.90 (124.5); bill .48 (12.2). Adult female, length; 12.00-13.00 f304-8-330-^) ; wing 8.50 (215.9); tail 5-40 (137-2); bill .57 (14.5). Recognition Marks. — "Little Hawk" size; swift flight; sharp wings; stout proportions otherwise; heavily umber-streaked lower parts, tail crossed bv four whitish bars as compared with f. richardsouii, darker; lighter and more exten- sively spotted than F. c. suckleyi. Nesting. — Xest: in hollow limbs of trees or in crannies about cliffs. Eggs: 4 or 5, creamy-white, spotted and blotched with reddish brown or chocolate, or else cinnamon-brown sprinkled and dotted with heavier shades of the same color. Av. size, 1.62 X 1.22 (41.2x30.9). Season: c. j\lay ist; one brood. General Range. — North America at large, south to the West Indies and northern South America. Breeds chiefly north of the United States. Range in Washington. — Not common resident and migrant east of the Cascades ; rare or casual on the W'est-side. Authorities. — :' "faleo ASsaloii." ( )rn. Com., [ourn, Ac. Nat. Sci. I'hila.. \'II., 1837, 193. ?■ Cooper and Suckley, Re]). I'ac. R. R, Surv. Nil., jit. 11., i860, p. 142 (possibly /■'. f. suckleyi). ? Lazvrence, .Auk, \'ol. IX., Jan. 1892, p. 43 (Not cer- tainly identified). Bendire, Life Hist. N. A. Birds, \'oI. I., 1892, ]). 301. (T). C&S'. L'. D'. Sr. 1>'. B. E. Specimens. — (U. ofW.) Prov. B. E. THE PIGEON HAWK. 535 IF a scrutiny of all little liauks is maintained thrunut the \eai", and with special diligence in winter and early spring, the search will he rewarded now and then by the sight of a liird w hose mox'ement is a little nii ire rapid and dashing than that of the uhiifuitous Sparrow Hawk. The wings seem to reach forward with a stroke like that of a strong swimmer: and, alto- gether, there is an air of indefinable qualit\' and power about the diminutive Pigeon Hawk, which does not pertain tii his less spirited cousin. Not content with the humble quarry which usually satisfies the commoner species, this little winged terror makes ha\'oc auKjng the Blackbirds, JMeadowlarks, and smaller songsters. Himself not larger than a full-sized pigeon, the Hawk sometimes pursues a Mourning Do\-e with relentless furw and easih- overtakes this fleet bird, unless it finds ciner or the protection of man. The audacious creature has e\en been creilited with killing Ptarmigan, and it sometimes attacks sea-f(i\\l of thrice its weight, thru sheer exuberance of spirits. Now and then, also, one comes u])on the Pigei>n Hawk seated at rather close quarters: for it is less suspicious than most, and it hails from northern wilds or mountain fastnesses which do not know the fear of man. At such a time one is struck by the quaint, ahuost antif|ue, apjiearance of the ta\\n\- breast with its heavy umber streaks: and the glaucous bloom of the up])er])arts might ha\e come from niv lad\'s cheek \vhen she went hawking, centuries ago. In the hand, the round white spots, which sprinkle the feathers lining the bird's wings, make it seem still more like a product of curious median-al art. "Altho the well known Pigeon Hawk is ])rett_\- gener;dl\- distributed over the entire United States during the fall and winter seasons, bv far the greater number breed north of our border, anrl coni])arati\'elv few reiuain as summer residents, at least east of the Mississi|)]ii Ki\er, and those that do. generally confine themseh'es to the mountain districts and to the thinh' settled and heavih- wiioded regions along our Northern States. In the Rocky iMiiuntains, as well as in the Sierra Ne\'ada and Cascade Ranges, and their spurs, the Pigeon Plawk is probably quite a common summer resident, but as \"et its nest and eggs have been rarelv taken, and even wdiere they ha\-e been found, there remains more or less doubt as to their pro]ier identification, as the two closel}' allied forms, Faico coliiinbarius sncklc\i and Falco richardsoiiii occur in some ()f these mountains as well, and are \'er\' liable to be mistaken for the true Pigeon Hawk, e\-en l)y fairl_\- well posted ornithologists, and almost certainly by the average cr)lIector." ( Beuflire. ) 536 TllH ULACK AIERUN. No. 216. BLACK MERLIN. A. T). IT. No 357a. Faico coliimbariiis siickieyi Ridgw. Synonyms. — SrcKLEv's Mi:kli.\. I'iI.ack I'ji.k.dn Hawk. Description. — .Idiilts: Similar to /•'. coliiiiihariiis but nuicli darker. .Idiilt male ill high pluinaijc: .Above blackish slate, nearly Ijlack on hind-neck, definitely black on lesser wing-coverts ; pilevnn and occiput finely streaked with dusky ; remaining upper plumage sharply streaked by black shafts of feathers; flight-feathers black on e.xposed surfaces, the white spotting plainly visible from below but much reduced in e.xtent ; tail black above on e.xposed portion, narrowly tipped with white, below crossed b}- three obsolescent white bars (appearing only on inner webs), the distal bar nearly two inches from tip to tail ; below as in P. coluinbarius hut streaks sharper, heavier, and nearly uniform sooty black; tawny wash of siller, thighs, and flanks heavier. Adult female, and male in more usual plumage: Above warm brownish black, the bine ])resent as a gloss but much reduced in intensity, white streaks on sides of neck tending to invade nape; spotting of wings more extensive and often tawny-tinged : tail crossed by four subterminal bars, of which two visible from above, white or tinged with tawny ; underparts more heavily tinged with tawny and streaks a little more diffuse, heavier and tending to confluence on sides. Young: Changes as in F. eolumbarius but always darker. Size as in preceding. Recognition Marks. — Little hawk size; blackish or slaty above; throat finely pencilled with black: underparts heavily streaked with black (or barred in young ). Nesting. — Nest: in holes high in trees, liggs: not }et taken — presumabl_\- much like those of [ireceding form. General Range. — Pacific coast district from northern California to Sitka, east at least alnfideiit Swallciw flew directly into the iiutstretched talons of his eneniy. Occasionall}- grasshoppers and large dragon-flies are caught and eaten, always when flying, and seemingl_\- more for sport than for the desire for food. In this connection I may express my belief that they often take pleas- ure in the chase when not intending to kill, for I ha\'e seen one repeatedly dash thru a large flock of terrified Sandi)ipers without apparenth' attempting to catch any of them. \Vlien not too hea\y the prey is taken to the topmost liml) of some large tree, where the hawk always turns and faces in the direction from which he came. This last curious trait is undoubtedly due to precaution, Ijut I ha\'e alwa\"s lieen at a loss to know what it fears. Toward mankind it shows little or no timidity, and I have repeatedly discharged my gun while one of these hawks was hunting within thirty yards of me, without appearing to frighten him in the least. The flight, like that of all the falcons, is direct and businesslike, and consists of an almost continual flapping of the wings, very seldom sailing for any distance, and ne\"er soaring about in circles, as is tlie habit witli all other members of the liawk family, save the falcons. So far as known no positively identified eggs of the Black Alerlin have ever been taken, and onl}- two nests have been reported to me, both of which were in inaccessible cavities high up in decayed trees. One of these that I personally visited in Jnne was placed in a lone cottonwood tree in the val!e\- of the Puyallup Ri\-er, and contained young that were learning to fly. The young paid no attention whatever to me, but the parents sat overhead looking down at me and uttering plaintive wliimperings, altho seemingly pretty well assured that I coukl not reach them. The note sounded not unlike the kik- kik'kib call of the Flicker, only \'er_\' much more subdued, and is the onlv sound I ha\-e ever known this bird to make at any time. J. H. Bowles. 538 THE RICHARDSON MERLIN. No. 217. RICHARDSON'S MERLIN.. .\. O. I'. Xo. 358. Faico coliimbariiis richardsonii (Ridgw.). Synonyms. — Amkrican AIi-;rlin. Kiciiauusux's Pigkon Hawk. Description. — .Idiilts somewhat .similar to /'. coliiinbarius hut larger and much lighter in coloration. Adult male: Above bluisli dusky or brownish slaty gray as to ground but much relieved by feather-skirtings of rusty brown, and by blackish shafts; pileuni and hind-neck chiet^y rusty brown ( nrarU- TroiU's brown i finely streaked with black; wings and tail brownish dusky, the former, both on remiges and covert feathers, crossed by numerous interrupted bars of whitish and tawny, the latter tipped w'ith white and crossed with live prominent white bars: flight-feathers and tertials also tipped with white nv grayish; underparts chieHv cream-buit as to ground, but wdiite, immaculate, on throat; jugulum finely pencilled and breast lieavily streaked with sepia (each streak with darker shaft- line) ; sides and flanks still more broadl}- marked, or else sepia spotted with whitish ; flags and posterior underparts sparsely pencilled with sepia or unmarked centrally; lores and a faintly defined superciliary buii'y ; forehead buflV white sharply streaked with black; sides of head and neck forming transitional area, finely streaked buiTy, rusty, sepia, and whitish in varying proportions. .Iduit female: ''Differing in coloration from the male only in |ioints of detail. Ground color of the upperparts clear grayish drab, the feathers with conspicuously lilack shafts ; all the feathers with ]iairs of rather indistinct rounded ochraceous spots, these most conspicuous on the wings and sca])ulars. Secondaries crossed with three bands of deeper, more reddish, ochraceous. Bands of the tail piu'c white. In other respects exactly like male" (Ridgway). [A mounted specimen in the Provincial Museum at \'ic(ciri;i. labelled female, differs in no respect whatever from the male unless it be in heavier streaking of the underparts.] Young birds are said to be more extensively rusty above, with broader and more reddish tail- bands, and to be unmarked on lower tail-coverts and crissum. Length 12.00-14.00 (304.8-355.6). Measurement of male: wing 7.70 ("195.6); tail 5.00 (127); bill .50 (12.7) ; tarsus 1.30 (33). Female: wing 9.00 1228.6) : tail 6.10 (154.9) : l)ill .55 (14) ; tarsus 1.40 (35.6). Recognition Marks. — Little hawk size; brownish cast of plumage above; heavv ochraceous spotting of wing (much more extensive than in Pigeon Hawk) ; tail crossed by .fU" bands (including tlie terminal liand ). Nesting. — Nest: in cavitv of tree or crevice of clifl'; rarely of twigs in tree- top. Eggs: 3-5, creamv buff heavily sprinkled, spotted, and blotched with shades of cinnamon. Av. size, 1.60x1.24 (40.6x31.5). Season: May; one brood. General Range. — Interior of North America chiefly east of the Rockies, less common wcsterlv to the Pacific and from northern ]\Iexico ncirth t(i the Sa.s- katchewan — range not precisely separable from that of F. Ctiluiiiharius, but bird often found where typicus is absent. Range in Washington. — Not comninn summer resident and migrant east of the Cascades. Authorities.—/'. riiiiards,>iii Rile. No. 218. SPARROW HAWK. A. O. V. No. 360. Faico sparverius Linn. Synonj-m. — Rustv-crowned F.\lcox. Description. — Adult male: Top of head slaty blue, with a rufous crown- patch; sides of head and throat white, a black stri])e fnmi the lower eye-lid an- teriorl)-. proceeding obliquely downward : a similar transverse bar on the side of the neck, and a dab on either side and sometimes in the middle of the cervix; back, scapulars, and tail rich rusty red ; strong black bars in variable quantity across the middle of the l)ack and lower scapulars, or rareh- reaching cervix ; a heavy subterminal black band on tail, the central feathers tipped with rufous and the others with white : the wing-co\erts and inner quills ( including second- aries ) slaty blue, the former black-s]:)Otted and the latter crossed bv a heavy lilack bar; primaries blackish, the ])oint of wing formed by the second: the first shari)ly emarginate on the inner web, the second slightly so; all the wing-c|uills heavily spotted with white on the inner webs, these spots confluent in bars on the under surface : below whitish or slightly tinged, immaculate on lower bellv, flanks, and crissum ; elsewdiere (save on throat, as noted above) lighth- tinged or heavily shaded with rufous, — the fore breast usually but not always unmarked, the sides and middle belly very lightly or quite heavily s])otted with black. Bill bluish black ; cere and feet yellow. Young male: Similar to adult, but lower scapulars and wing-quills lightly tipped with white; not so heavily shaded with rufous below. Adult female: Subsimilar, but wings like the back; the black barring regular and continuous over entire back, wings (except quills), and tail, — the tail having ten to twelve bars, but the subterminal bar often larger ; barring indicated narrowly across upper tail-coverts; below not tinged with rufons. but streaked instead with rusty brown; the sides sometimes barred with blackish. Young female: "Similar to adult, but colors softer, deeper, and more lilcnded" (Ridgway). Adult male. 540 THE DESKR'I' SI'ARROW HAWK. Icngtli: 8.75-10.50 ("222.3-266.7) : av. of nine s])eciniens: wing 7.24 ( 183.9) : tail 4.63 (117.61: l)il! .50 (,12.7). .Adult female, length: 9.00-12.00 (228.6-304.8); av. of eight specimens: wing 7.50 ( 190.5) ; tail 5.06 ( 128.5) : bill .52 ( 13.2). Recognition Marks. — Robin size, luit ap])earing larger. The black markings ;ibont head. ;ind rufous of upperparts distinctive. Nesting. — Xcst: in hollow trees, often in deserted Woodpecker holes or in crannies of cliffs, Eeph Grinnell in cf'ist.. 1906. C&S. L'(?j. Specimens. — ( U. of \\ . 1 I'>. C. MR. JOSEPH (^RIX.Xl'.LL. llie well-known oniitlDJngist of i'.erkeley, pronounces certain Tacoma specimens submitted l>y Air. Dowdes true sparrcrliis. If this stiniiise be correct it fiu'iiislies another example of that "resattiration" of bleached ])ltimage, wliich we siis])ect takes jilacc in the case of several desert races iiiwuling this region of hea\'y rainfall. The only wonder is that Ihe vSpanow I lawks of I'ugei Sound are usuall\- so light- colored, and so out of liarmony with their surrotiiidiiigs. It ma\- he that this tcn glance trccly froni side to side: while the wayfarer is regarded as likely as nut with a frank curiosil)- not unniingled with friendliness. Much time is spent, also, upon the wing, ni.it circling after the manner of Accipiters and I'lUtcos, hut in iiassing rai)idl\' o\er the scene, or else flying slo\\I\- hut directl}- i '\er >uch iironiising areas as grass\' meadows and fallow fields. Now and again tlie hird checks itself suddenly and pauses at a good height to study a suspicious nK.nement in the grass below. It will thus tlutter o\-er one spot for a minute at a time, and then pass on disa])pointed, or else pounce suddenly u|)on its prey and hear it oft to some ele\-ate(l ]ierch for (|uiet consum]ition. When the wind is hlowing strongK', the Hawk no longer flutters at its critical stops hut only balances u])on tlie wind, so niceh', indeed, that its wnngs are almost motionless. .\lwa\s graceful, llie Sparrow Hawk is seen to best advantage during the courting season, when the male reaftirms his fondness for his life-long mate by circling about her as she sits upon the tree-to]i: or he measures the height (d' his de\dlions li\- ;iscending to the clouds he ■ fore lier, and dashing himself at her feet again witli shrill cries of Killw kill\, klUy. To hear the snarling clamor of llie birds, one would lliink that they were n(.)t getting on nicel}- ; Intt tin's is a mistake, for the high-pitched conver- sation is really \ery ami.able in character, and neither bird would think id' parting from its consort, for however brief a space of time, without a screameil farewell of unrpiestionable tenderness. Sparrow Hawks nest in holes in trees when these are coinenienl, using either natural caxities or the deserted tenements of Flickers and Lewis Wood- ])eckers. The higher these rented quarters the better the birds are satisfied, but holes not over four feet from the ground are of record. Tn default of such accomtnodations, old Magpies' nests, or even open-tojiped Crows' nests have been utilized: but a more common expeilient is to resort to the romantic crannies and hidex'-holes of the la\a clifi"s. In such situations this diminutive Plwlo b.Y ./. ir. .Iiilh.'iiy. A GRE.\SI';\\(H)I) ST.\rio,\. THE DESERT SPARROW HAWK. 543 Falcon appears to recall his m^ble ancestry; and I ha\'e fancied that he was here a shade more valiant in defense of his young. Certainly the Red-tail does not care for that particular stretch of cliff: and the Prairie Falcon seems to regard the lesser spit-fire with quaint indulgence, or else to treat him with that magnanimous uncimcern which a Newfoundland shows to a terrier. The eggs, which seldom have any softer resting place than chips and stones, or the rotten wood which the Woodpeckers have left them, are among the hands(jmest of oological treasures. The lime of the shell, still plastic, has lieen generously sprinkled with cin- namon, and a warm glow im- ]iarte(l to the whole. Incuba- tion lasts three weeks: and the }-oung. when hatclied. are co\-ered with a thick, \vhite down, which gi\es them a rather tidy appearance in spile of their enormous e\-es. The footl of the Desert Sparrow Hawk consists large- 1\- of insects, of which grass- ho]:)pers and beetles are the most miteworthy. Spiders, lizards, mice, shrews, and small snakes are also eaten ; and in winter, when other food is unax'ailable, small birds. The consun^ption of birds luust Ije largely matter of individual taste. Ordinari- h' the smaller birds do not fear the Sparrow Hawk, and they will flit about a tree con- taining this watchful Falcon with perfect unconcern : \'et I ha\'e seen one seize a Meadow- lark in midsummer, and there really seems to be no reason in nature why he should not help himself. The testimony 11 oll.l II , County. Photo by the Author. ^^M^. :-.*4.-^ •KESOirr TO THE ROM.-^NTIC CR.V.NXIES OF THE I..-\\'.-\ CLIFFS." 544 THE AMl-.RH'AX OSl'Rl'.N'. of experts. lii)\\e\cr, i'^ i i\er\\ hfliniii!;!)- in fa\or uf ihc Si);irro\v Hawk. He performs an iii\ aliialilt- ser\ice to the farmer, and deserves rigid protec- tion e\er\\vliere. No. 220. amp:rican osprey. A. ( ). I . No. _V4- Pandion halisetiis carolineiisis iCinicl.). Synonym. — Fish IIawk. Description. — Adult male: I'nderparts plain fnscous ; tip of wing blackish: tail crossed 1)\ ^i.\ or eight dnsky hands; head white, heavily hut narrowly streaked with lilackish ; an irregular (lusk\- hand proceeding backward from e\-e : feathers of occiput loDsfly ruftled, or ])rcscnting a crested ajipearance : underprirt-- white. siinietiines rufous-spotted on breast, hut ustiall)- immaculate: lining of wing mot- tled.— white and fuscous near edge, remainder white or huffy, dusky-liarred dis- talh' : hill and claws black; cere and base of hill bluish black; feet bluish grav : iris yellow and red. .Idiilt female: Similar but breast heavily marked with \-el- Iciwish brown or fuscous. Immature: I,ilv doughty. We need not lie tronliled on the latter score tho, for in a f;unily where prowess THE AMERICAN OSPREY. 545 and tyranny are almost synom-mous, it is a comtdrt to tind liirds who mintl their own business and exhibit a proper huniiht\-. (")spre\'s are sinii)le-hearted, honest f(jli\, and they deserve protectimi, if for no Ijetter reasmi, sinipl\- be- cause tlie}' are inoffensive and picturesque, 'i'he fact that these birds require a few dozen sahnon for their annual suppurt. has greatl}' preyed upon the minds of certain men who reck'on their uwn catch b\' the scow-load: and a cruel ]iersecution has broken out j^^aimKs^^'^i^^^iifgffgi^iwiKm in some quarters, l^ersecution as senseless as it is selfish. N(i true sportsman, how- ever, will be- grudge to tliis bird his h;iril- earned catch, t a k e n li \' a ]) 1 u n g e a n d strike, which is, i f a n y\ h i n g, rather more sportsman - lilce than the use of line and lure. The Os|)re\' ])re_\s exclusi\-el\ upon fish and c o \' e r s Inn g stretches of wa- ter in its tireles- search. It tlie^ along at a height of fift\- or a hun- dred feet abo\ c the water, and when its fhm\- prey is siglited. pauses for a nn >- ment on hover- ing wings, then drops with a Tal.\-i. ■itr t lu-ltin. I'lu'U' bv llic Author. "HIGH IN A XHIGHDORING TREE.' 546 TTTE AMERICAN OSPREY. resomulint; ^l)la^ll, nfu'ii i|uiu- ilisajipearin^ hcnfalli the water, hut rising attain (juicklv with a tisli tiniily secured in its talnns. The l)ir(l ujiuu rising imniedi- atelv adjusts tlie catcli, ])lacing it head I'lirenmst so that it will (iffef the least fesistance to the aif in llighl. X'oi int"rei|netitly the liawk secures a fish which it is haveK nhle lo hanille. and occasionally it strikes one so large that it is drawn under and drowned l)efore it can disengage its claws. Clear water is essential to the Osprey's success, for he must needs see and strike front afar. The liird has little use. theref(.)re, for the turhid Snake ]'Ji\er. and none at all for the glacial streams which rise about Rainier ami Baker. Neither is the Os])re_\- often seen along the west coast, hut it enjoys lite tiiore (|uiet waters of day's Harbor and Puget Sound, ami it is found thruout the length of the Colutnbia River anil upon its larger ti'ibntaries. Tt is not <1 regular winter resident, having ai)])aretitly ac- (|nire(l the migrating habit in countries where ice interferes with win- ter fishing; but it re- turns to its hautits as earh' as the first week in at American Lake, near Tiikcn nciir Cli-iun. I'lwio by llic Author. OSl'KI':\"S liC.CS I.N SITU. NOTE THE MISCELLANEOUS CHARACTER OK Tlti-l .MATERIALS WHICH COMPRISE THE NEST. OF WHICH ONLY TlIK CENTRAL PORTION IS SHOWN. .\pril. and we li,i\e one record o| ii.s occurrence. Tacoma. on the 26th da\- of |anuar\-. The Osprey's nest, a huge aggregation of sticks and trash, is placed. nortnalh", near the water's edge ni-xm the cliffs, or upon rocks projecting in mid-stream, or else high in a neighboring tree. Persecution. liowe\er. will ilri\e it to the dee]) woods miles from its !ishing grounds. .\ typical nest THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR. 547 found nil the I>anks of the Coluiiiljia Ri\er, near Pateros, is placed t\vent_\-fi\'e feet high in a stout pine tree. It is fiat on top, three feet across, but seven feet in tlepth, the mass representing tlie successi\-e accumulation of many years, perhaps of generations. Within a Httle depression in the center, sur- rounded by soft materials, lie three handsome eggs, rich chocolate on a tinted ground. The female is on, while her mate, tired of fishing, is standing by her side. Both rise at oiu' approach and [xiise in midair abo\e our heads, uttering feeble screams of protest, ki-ik. ki-ilc. ki-ilc. as the}- suspect our oological pur- pose. A pair of Magpies have made their nest within the hospitable sides of this ancient pile, and these self-appointed camp followers add their voices to the general din. Another Osprey's nest, held aloft 1)\- a pine tree on the north shore of Lake Chelan, houses a pair of Western Kingbirds as well. The reason for this cooperative housekeeping is not far to seek after one \-isits the nest. The presence of half-eaten fish, often l,\ing beside the satisfied bird, attracts innu- merable tlies. Now Hies are the Kingl^rd's specialtw and we nun" readilv believe that the Hawks appreciate the zealous services of their tenants. Eggs (I hesitate to tell you that they are among the handsomest known ) are deposited in May, and incubation lasts between three and four weeks. Un- like the Eagle, the Osprey, if rol)l)ed, will luake another attemj)! the same sea- son, liut lays usually not more than two eggs the second time. In revisiting the Columl)ia Ri\'er nest, mentioned abo\ e. on the ]oth day of jinie, I saw the male bird ajjproach the nest quite ostentatiously and deposit a long stick. Whether this was meant as a rtise to discourage in\-estigation on the part of the Ijird-man, oi- whether he reall\- considered repairs necessar_\' at this time, I cannot saw The two eggs which the nest contained Avere not disturbed. No. 221. CALIFORNIA CONDOR. \. ' '. I'. No. 324. Qymnogyps californianus iShaw). Synonym. — Calu-ornta W'LTuriv. Description. — .Idnlts: Dull black, the feathers browner on edges and tips, the greater wing-coverts and the secondaries becoming gray on outer webs, the former tip]:)ed and the latter edged with clear white ; axillars and under wing- coverts white: the primaries and tail-feathers deeper black: the naked skin of head and neck pale orange or orange-red in life: bill vellowish reddening on cere, YoiLiuj birds lack the white markings and have more decideil brown edging to the feathers : the neck is more or less covered with sooty down and the bill and naked skin of head are dusky. Nestlings are covered with whitish down and the naked skin of head and neck is dull yellow. Length of adult : 4 to 4J/ feet (i219.2-1371.fi): extent Q-tt feet (2743-2704): weight 20 to 2^ pounds: wing 548 c \\ ■( )i';.\IA CONDOR. 30.00-36.00 (762-1)1441: tail 13.03-18.00 1381-437.21: hill 1.30 (3S.I); tarsus 4.50-5.00 ( I 14.3-127 ). Recognition Marks. — ("liaiit size; uiiini^takahle. Nesting. — Doi-s n(it lux't'd in \\'asliiiit;ti>n. .\'r.v/; dii k-dgc or in cranny of inaccessible cliti', fdriiu-rly also in hollow tree or log. f.ifi/s: I or 2. wliilish. unmarked, elongate ovate. Av. size, 4.50 .\ 2.30 I I 14.3 ,\ 63.3 1. Scascu: ^Larch or -Npril : one broparent ettort it soars upward until it lieconits a mere speck in the sky. Tn this \\a\- it is able to command an immense territor\-. and on the occasion of a kill In* a hunter ai)pears to come from the in\isible blue in an incredibh- short space (^if time. Being of more roljust build than tlie Turke\- \'uhures. Condors are able to rend fresh carcasses. Com])anies of them lia\e been known to despatch a slain deer in an hour and a grizzly in iwo. But Xhev do not object to steaks a Id Fraticais if they lia]ipen not to arrive till some days later. A feast is not forsaken while the table lasts, and indi\iduals too full lo naxigate have been captured witli the lasso. The Condor lavs its single egg earlv in March u])on the Hoor of a ca\e or rock\- recess of some unfre(|uented canon, and tlie successful rearing of the voung requires fi\'e or six months. Messrs. Finlev and Bohlman success- fulh' ex])Ioited a Condor's nest in southern California in the siiring and summer of iQofi, and the series of photogra])hs secured bv them is not onlv uni(|ue for tlie species, but remains a mo(lel for this s(irt of woi-k. No. 222. TURKEY VULTURE. A. O. U. Xo. 323. Cathartes aura septentrionalis (\\'ied.). Synonym. — Ti'rkkv Buzz.vrm. Description. — .Adult: Head and neck all around naked, livid crimson: above lustrous black with ])urple and violet reflections, varied bv gra\isli brown edgings of feathers: phmiage changing below to more uniform sootN- brown, lustrous onlv 550 THE TURKEY VULTURE. on Ijreast : \ving-(|uills and rcciriccs light diiNky Ix-li.iw. with whitiNh shafts: ])ri- niaries deeply cmarginate, the tips considerahly separated in flight, very tlexihle ; iris brownish gray: hill dull white: cere bright red. Youiuj: Similar, ])ut dnsky on liead and neck, with ddwny grayish lirown feathers; bill blackish. Xcstlings: Covered with heavy white down, bnt head naked. — light blnish black. Length 27.00-32.00 ( 685. 8-812. S) : extent abont six feet: wing 22.00 (558.8); tail 11.50 (292.1 ) : bill including cere 2.20 (55.9). Recognition Marks. — Eagle size or less ; naked red head ; black plumage nearly uniform; soaring flight. Nesting. — Xcst: in hollow trees, stunijjs or fallen logs, or in crannies of clifi's; unlined. lu/f/s: 2, rarely 3, elli])tical-ovatc. dull white, greenish or buflfy white, .spotted and blotched irregular]\- with rich dark brown. .\v. size, 2.80 x 1.95 (71. 1 X4<;.5). Scasiiii: c. May lO-junc 1 ; one brood. General Range. — Temperate Xnrdi America from New Jersev. ( )hio \"a!ley, Saskatchewan region and British Columbia southward to Patagonia and the Falk- land Islands. Casual in Xcw England. Range in Washington. — Common summer resident and migrant east of the Cascades ; much less common but regular at lower altitudes west of the Alountains. Migrations. — Spvhni: c. Apr. 15; Tacoma, .\]ir. 11. 1906. Fall: c. Oct. 30. Authorities. — Catliaiics aura (Linn.) Cassin, Rej>. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, 4. T. C.\:S. Rh. D'. Ra. D-'. vSs'. Ss-'. ];. E. Specimens. — Pro\-. C. E. Till'', crowning touch of a summer d:i\- is afforded li_\- the sight of a small conipauN' of Turke\' \'ultiu"es lazil\- drifting across the middle distance soar- ing, shifting, wheeling". \\ea\"ing endless circles, in restful monotony of niid- sununer content. It is altogetlier the witcher\- of wings which ])rovokes our admiration; hut when we ])ause to tliinls >i]ion it. we l)less the wisdom ot the Creator in enabling these dusky scavengers to maintain a graceful aloofness. As a decorati\-e feature in a landscajie the \'ultnre possesses unciualified \'alue. As a subject (.)f nearer inquirv- lie bec(Mnes repulsi\-e in the extreme. Put before we treat of the less pleasant things, let us note more carefully that majestic llight. If caught ni^on tlie ground the \'ulture pitches forward, gives an awkward Ibi]) or two to clear his footing, rises sharply, almost imme- diately catching the air in his ample wings, and Ijegins to sail. Henceforth, with motiotiless ])inions he tilts and tui'us and swee]is about in stately curves, or glides swifth' off at will in an\- direction. How docs he do it I It is easy to see how a bird, mox'ing with the wind and falling sharplw may wheel and breast the wind moi'e sharplv still, using his acquired momentum to gain a greater height than the one originalh' occu])ied. In this tlie momentum is like the pull of the string wdiich enables iIk- kite to shoot rajiidly upw.ird thru the air. Rut what sliall w-e say of a bird, winch, without momentum, but still on motionless wing, rises steadih- ai/iiiiisl tlie wind.'' Not onl\' I'ises, but makes rapid progress forward, as well, in :i directii^m contrary to the wmd. THE TURKEY VULTURE. 551 That these and other birds do accompHsh this feat is a fact patent to all careful observers. How they do it — well, that is another matter. "The way of an Eagle (\'ulture) in the air" has puzzled more than wise Agur. The American Vulture is not a high-flyer like those of the Orient. In his case, howe\-er, it is still clearly evident that entire dependence is ])Iaced ujjon the eyesight in the detection of food. .Vn immense e.xtent of territorv is co\'ered by a Buzzard on his daily roimds. Xo \isible corruption escapes his notice, but the odor of half-covered carrion nun* become almost palpable before it attracts his attention. A possible reason for this inability to locate carrion by the sense of smell alone is disclosed in the words of Coues : "Cer- tain it is that independent of the passing contents of the alimentarv canal, permanent fceticl odors exhale from the bones and muscles: and the same stench is entangled in the web of the feathers. It is retained for a long while e\'en after the bird is killed and stuffed. So strong is it that one author, an excellent naturalist, tuo, fancied it must he rather unpleasant to the birds themsel\-es." Since the birds, therefore, reek with filth themsehes, they are not in a position to exercise discrimination with reference to external scents. It does not seem to be true, as has sometimes been asserted, that the birds really ])refer decayed flesh. It is rather a matter of necessit\- for them, in- asmuch as they are unable, except in rare instances. tt, when the season is adxanccd, it is awful. The |)arent birds are \erv solicitous fo|- their young, Init are not brave enough to come t(_i l)lows. Tf caught u])on the nest the female will hiss (lefiantlv. Besides this, the birds ha\ e oul\- one note, a low. guttural croak — of alarm, rather than warning. If closely beset the bird is said to eject the cotitents (if its crop — an eflectual defense, in \ery sooth! Tat hy Fiiilcy and Bohhium. \of.\T, Tl•|;K^:^■ xti.i'imo-;. THE BAXU-TAJLED PIGEON. 553 No. 223. BAND-TAILED PIGEON. A. O. U. Xo. 312. Columba fasciata Sa}-. Synonyms. — ^^'ILD Pickdn. "Passenger Pigeon" (as frt-iiucntly mis- identified ). Description. — Adult male: Head and neck all around and underjiarts, chang- on abdomen, dull wine-purplish, darkest on crown and chest, lightening, more bluish, on chin and upper throat ; a sharp, narrow cervical collar of white : behind this is a crescentic patch of rounded feathers in scale-like arrangement, iridescent, with brassy and bronze-green reflections : liack. scapulars, and tertials lustrous purplish-slate : rump, upper tail-coverts, wing-coverts, lining of wings, sides and flanks ashy blue; crissum and under tail-coverts \vhite ; flight-feathers dusky: tail ashy blue basally, ashy brown terminally and crossed by a broad subterminai band of dusky. Bill yellow, tipped with black ; legs and feet yellow with black nails; a prominent red eye-ring. .Idiilt female: Like male Ijut ])aler; head ami neck piu'plish ; ashv brown below; cervical collar and metallic crocent sulxlued or wanting. Length about 16.00 (406.41 ; wing S.40 (213.4) ; tail 5.1,0 ( 141 (.9) ; bill .75 (ig.i) ; tarsus I.OO (23.4). Recognition A\arks. — Little hawk size; a little larger than a duniestic pigeon and appearing much like one; tail feathers rounded; cooing nutes; and noisy- flapping flight. Nesting. — Xest: a rude platform of sticks placed at various heights in trees, usualh- close to stem of fir sajiling, or, not infrequently, none, the bird placing egg on ground or shifting it at convenience. Eggs: usually i, sometimes 2, pure white, elliptical ovate in shape. Av. size, 1.52 x 1.18 (38.6x30). Season: May to Jid\- locally; in southern |:ortion of range the l)irds lay thru the year; two or more broods. General Range. — Western United States frum Riick} Mountains to the Pacific ; north to western British Columbia : south to Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala; of irregular distribution southerly, chiefly in wooded mountainous districts, northerly chiefly in secluded valleys. Range in Washington. — Xot common summer resident an. 598. T. CiK:S. L'. Rh. Kb. Ra. Kk. B. E. Specimens. — (V. of W.) P. Prov. B. E. TO .KX'Y but thin-blooded \'egetarians the sight of a flock of "W'ikI Pigeons," clustered about the trucks and halyards of a gaunt cedar, is a suffi- cient excuse for appetite. The liirds have gorged themsel\-es, during the earh' morning hours, upon berries and \rnmg acorns, and have retired to these placid heights to ruminate and fatten, ^^'hatever ma\' be the attractions of nurserv or larder, the Band-tailed Figei>n is ne\'er so thoroU- at home as in 554 THE BAXD-'I'All.l'.D PIGEON. if his clinsen tower; and here, by the exercise of sharp hearing, he may feel a measure of security from the ;nnner. It has ci>nic to such a pass, liowever. that the shot-gun is tlie barren summits i cvesis'ht and shar])er ])ro\\ iinj:; being abandoned fur tlic ride the .whistle of the "_'_' l"ng." and iIr- nlder birds are all too familiar with In the presumed absence of enemies, these Pigeons indulge in loud cooing, not unlike that of the domestic \-ariety. In the presence of danger they sit very quiet, and are so successful in escaping attention, that often the first notice one has of their whereabouts is the loud flapping of wings in hurried de|)arture. So nois\' are they in tUght, that a hunter, coming un- t'xpectedly u])on a feeding com])an\- in the woods, is likely to be disconcerted by his overwhelming luck and miss fire altogether. The Band-tailed Pigeon is fairly comparable in ]ioint of size and savori- ness with the famed Pas- senger Pigeon, and acorn- fed birds are declared to be especially toothsome. In ])oint of numbers, howexer, in spite of some extrava- gant statements on the ])art of the (ilder explorers, thev •■ui.TiKKi)-To uujUiXATK AMI i.Ai ii..\." ^^,^^.^ ^^.^.^j. eomparablc to the migrating hosts of the East. Suckdey once saw a thousand birds in a tlock, and said that larger flocks were rci:)ortecl from the settled portions of the Cowlitz. Flocks of half that size ma\- still be seen occasionall\- in the fall, but companies fif a dozen or twenty individuals are more nearly the rule, anrl these are verv much less common than formerly, save in the less fre- quented districts of the 01\nipic fooihills and along the ^^'est Coast. THE BAND-TAILED PIGEON. 555 The typical diet of the Wild Pigeon is acorns, and the birds nsed forni- erly to be abundant on the oak-bordered prairies of Steilacooni, and on the southeast corner of Vancouver Island; but our northwestern oak (Oiicrciis garryaiia) is not prodigal of acorns, having its hands full fighting parasites, so that the main dependence of Pigeons hereabouts has always been berries and vetches, with the lesser ground forage. Wild cherries, salmon berries (Rubus spectabilis), and red elder-berries (Sambiiciis callicarpa) are favorite num- bers, while huckleberries, blackberries, and raspberries are not omitted. In Whatcom County I have found them feeding heavily upon the sweetish berries of the Cascara sagrada (Rlimuniis piirsliiaiia). They have also a great fond- ness for mineral earths, and resort to the salt-impregnated edges of tide flats, like Londoners to Bath. The summer season of this species becomes shorter as one proceeds north- ward. In southern Arizona the bird is resident and nests at any season, rais- ing, no doubt, several broods in the course of a year. At tlie latitude of the Columbia Ri\'er, Pigeons appear from the South in April, and linger until October or even November; while at Blaine the birds do not appear befi)re May 5th, nor are they found after the middle of September. Hence, it is evident that in southern Washington the\' may raise twi_i broods, hut further north only one. Pigeons have no taste for architecture, and the nesting season appears to overtake them, as it were, unawares. They still maintain a loose colonial arrangement, and assemble at favorite feeding resorts thruout the nesting sea- son, but nests are seldom placed so near as adjoining trees. The eggs, sometimes two in number, but usually only one, are often laid upon the bare ground of an oak grove, hop-field, or clearing, without pretense of nest. Usually, how- ever, the nest consists of a handful of sticks, laid crosswise in the semblance of a platform; and this is placed in a fir sapling at a height of ten c>v twenty- feet, resting against the stem of the tree or upon a horizontal branch. But there are no hard and fast rules to be laid down. Professor O. B. Johnson, in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, found a nest "i)f leaves and moss beside a tree, placed on the ground between two roots ; another one upon an old stump that had been split and broken about eight feet from the ground : another was in the top of a fir (Abies grandis) , and was built of twigs laid upi)n tlie dense flat limb of the tree, about one hundred and eighty feet from the ground." Stranger tales come from the Huachuca Mountains in Arizona. Mr. Otho C. Poling found^ that the female, when disturbed, was able to remove the egg from the nest, and to transport it safely by holding it between the legs and imbedded in the feathers of the abdomen. On several occasions he shot birds thus accompanied by eggs, externally carried, and believed that in Bendire: Life Hist. N. A. Birds, Xo\. I., p. 1 24 ff. 556 THE MOURXIXG DOVE. some cases at least. iiK-uh.iiinii w.-is pcrfDrmed b\ the bird seated casually on horizontal limbs withntu icmmi ti> nesting. Theix'to partially agrees the testi- mony of a rancher in Whatcom County, who tells me that he once shot a Pigeon which was sitting in a maple tree in front of his house. The bird fell tumbling and struggling and struck on its back: and when he went to pick it up he found an unbroken egg be- side it, an egg which bore no sign of ha\ing l)een recently extruded. Incubation, accortling to Captain Bendire. lasts from eighteen to twenty days and both parents assist. The }"0ung grow rapidly, and leave the nest at the end of a month. While it may be freely admitted that the Band-tailed Pigeon is a fair game bird, and affords excel- lent eating in the fall, it is high time to call a halt u])on its indis- criminate slaughter. The species is not liardy nor prolific, and at the present rate of consumption it will soon be as rare as the Passenger Pigeon of the East. Let us not wait for clums\' and tardv laws u]>()n the suljject. lint let common sense prevail over individual selfishness. Instead of feasting on Pigeon pot-pie weekly, or until it becomes a common])lace. let the lumters of the few favored localities which remain content themsehes with a half-day's shooting, a mess of ten or a dozen birds each season. And remember, if }'iiu jilease. that the rest of us like Pigeon, too. B.^N'D-TAII.Kn PIGEON". No. 224. MOURNING DOVE. A. O. U. No. 316. Zenaidiira macroiira carolinensis (I^inn.). Synonyms. — Wild Dove. Turtle Dove. Carolina Dove. Description. — Adult male: General color of upperparts olive-gray or drab, with glaucous bloom and changeable metallic reflections on hind-neck and ante- rior marginal areas of wings ; with bright purplish red iridescence on the sides of the neck; the lower scapulars and inner quills broadly but sparingly black- spotted : hind head bhiish slate : remainder of head light drab with a vinaceous THE MOURNING DOVE. 557 tinge, paling on throat; a blue-black spot below the ear; tail graduated, central feathers like back ; the remainder slaty at base, blackening distally, then abruptly white for terminal inch ; foreparts below deep vinaceous, fading into cream-butif on lower belly and crissum ; axillars and under wing-coverts light bluish gray ; bill black; bare space about eye light blue: feet lake red. Jciult ft'iiiale: Similar to male, but bluish of hind head and neck restricted or wanting; less iridescence; underparts and forehead light drab tinged with vinaceous on breast. Immature: Like adult female but duller, without iridescence; black spot below ear wanting; feathers of foreparts above and below tipped with whitish. Length about 12.00 (304.8); wing S.75-6.00 ( 146. i-i 52.4) ; tail =;.7S-6.5o (146.1-16^.1); bill .57 (I4-5)- Recognition Marks. — Robin size ; sober, blended colors ; rapid, graceful flight, accompanied by whistling sound of wings ; mournful, "cooing" notes. Nesting. — Nest: a frail platform of twigs or straw at moderate heights in trees or on stumps, rocks, etc. ; sometimes on the ground. Eggs: 2, white. Av. size, 1. 08 X. 82 (27.4x20.8). Season: April-August or even September; monthly broods or three or four in a season. General Range. — Temperate North America, from southern Maine, south- ern Canada and British Columbia, south to Panama and the ^^'est Indies, breeding thruout its North American range. Range in Washington. — Common summer resident in Upper Sonoran and Transition life-zones east of the Cascade Mountains, diminishing in abundance northerlv ; rare or casual only west of the Mountains. Migrations. — Spring: Apr. 17, 1900, Yakima Co.; Apr. 22, 1896, Chelan. Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Biddle ; Coues. Vol. II. p. 18=;.] Zciiaidiira caroliuensis. Bonap. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. 1858, p. 605. T. C&S. D'. Sr. Ra. D-'. Ss'. Ss=. J. B. E. Specimens.— U. of W. P. Prov. B. E. THE Mourning Dove is not at all the doleful creature which its name would indicate, altho its voice is, in sooth, the appointed instrument of melan- choly. Melancholy i-s not exactly the word either — there is in the Dove's note nothing of sadness unless you yourself are sad. It is rather tender and solemn, the expression of a true-hearted lover whose thought is not alone of passion, but of exalted privilege and well-weighed responsibility — youth that dares all, but not recklessly. The familiar, long-drawn "mourning" notes are uttered only by the male, and for all their tenderness they have a penetrating quality, which makes them one of the most insistent elements in the chorus of springtime. Besides these the birds make no other sound, unless we count a musical wing-note which is made when suddenly taking flight, and which is so distinct that one can never be quite satisfied that it is not a vocal outcry. The same note, moderated, is heard in mid-flight, and also with renewed force when the birds are checking their flight or alighting; and it is so exactly timed with the wing movement that we must conclude its external origin. 558 THE :\1(HR.\L\G DUVE. '1'Ik' Wild L)o\es are nuMk-l l(i\ci> aiiil are chiefly kiunvii iDr their do- mesticity. During the mating season they sometimes var\- the monotony of tlie ordinar\- whislhng tliglit In' saihng aljont in graceful curves on stiffened, miiseless wings. There is al\va\s an ahundance of hilling and cooing; and love-making, it is to he feared, often interferes somewhat with the practical side of house-keeping, .^.t least the young wife is not a good house-builder, altho she ma\' be, and ilduhlless is, a kind nrnther. A Dove's nest is the s\-mbol i>f fraillw .\ few careless sticks or straws are laid together in a platform, and Indged al a moderate height in the crotch or ui)on the horizontal limb (if a tree nr ])usli. Fence-corners, the tops of stumps, brush piles, and (.)\ergrown stone hea])s. are favorite places, and occa- sionallv eggs are laid n])iin the ground wiili little pretense of a nest or none. I have fiiund se\er;il nests in I'lW bushes entirel\- surrounded b\- water. Old Robins" nests and those of the Brewer's agi)ie. and others, are also lant adding a few clean or twigs to the structure Now and then, how- pretty substantial nest is met with, and one which re- :ts credit upon (he gentle ilder. The Doves are very rilific. Eggs may be und at any time from ay to September in- usive. Incubation lasts two weeks, and since the voting are of rapid growth, three and e \' e n f o u r broods are raised in a season. An ob- ser\-er in southern Ohio, Dr. Howard Jones, declares that he has seen Doves sitting on fresh eggs every month of the year except Decem- ber and January. \'r;sT AND KOGs OF MOL'KxixG DOVE. Accordiug to the THE WHITE-WINGED DOVE. 559 same writer, tlie female sometimes lays again before the young ha\e flown, in which case they must assist, perforce, in the duties of incubation. The young are delicate creatures, in spite of the fact that they get as fat as ovsters before thev leave the nest. The\- are fed by regvn-gitation and their food is mingled with a whitish tluid from the adult stomach — "Pigeons' milk." "At night," according to Langille, "the old one sits crosswise on them even when they are quite large, the nest and birds together thus making quite a grotesque pile." When frightened from the nest the female drops instantly to the ground, and goes off into a series of elaborate con\-ulsions in an effort to distract atten- tion from her treasures. From the fact that this trait of decoying is oftenest exhibited by ground-nesting species, it is fair to guess that the Mnurning Dove was originally and exclusively, as now occasionally, a ground-nester. The male, also, is pretty sure to be close at hand, if. indeed, he was not taking his turn upon the eggs ; and when the young are ready to leave the nest he takes charge of them, while his mate is incubating another pair. In late summer and early autunm the Doves gather into groups or small flocks, altho they cannot be characterized as "highly gregarious," and they feed upon fallen grain and acorns, with wild Ix-rries, and also, to scime extent, upon insects. In our State they do not deeply penetrate the timber, preferring to spend their time rather in the open fields, or else resorting to some corral or feeding lot to share what the cattle waste. At night they roost chiefly upon the ground, and if the wind is stirring they seek the shelter of some unused irrigating ditch. The Mourning Dove should by no means be regarded as a game bird. It is true that its flight is rapid and that it becomes ver}- wild under persecution, but it is bv nature a confiding species, venturing with its family into our orchards and shade trees, where unmolested. Its unquestioned gift of song ought in itself to be considered amjile ground for full protection. No. 225. WHITE-WINGED DOVE. A. O. U. No. 319. Melopelia asiatica (Linn.l. Synonyms. — Singing Dove. Paloina caiitator. Description. — Adult male: Above grayish brown, becoming grayer on wing and bluer (plumbeous) on rump; tail except central pair of feathers plumbeous slaty with terminal fourth white : wings with a large transverse patch of white on the principal coverts, the primaries blackening ; head, neck, and breast light brownish gray tinged with vinaceous ; sides of neck glancing golden-green chang- 56o THE BOB-WHITE. iiig tu purpk- : a dab of bluf-hlack above anriculars : remaining underparts light pearl-gray, whitening on crissnin. Adult female: Similar to male but duller, without metallic reflections, vinaccoiis on chest, etc. Length: ii.oo-i2.oo (279.4- 304.8) : wing (<.(>-, I KiX.t)) ; tail 5.00 ( i_'7 I ; bill .83 (21.6; ; tarsus .87 (22.1 ). Recognition Marks. — Robin size: while wing-jjatch distinctive. Nesting. — Does not Ijreed in Washington. Xcst: of sticks placed IdW in mcsquite or other shruliljer}-. l'.(j(/s: 2, white. Av. size. 1. 17 x. 88 (29.7 x 22.4). General Range. — The st)uthern portion of the Southwestern States, some- times nt)rth to Coliirado (Coues); south to Costa Rica; Cuba; Jamaica; I'lorida. Range in Washington. — Accidental — a wanderer from the South. Authorities. — Mclopclia Icucuftcra. Bowles, Auk, \'ol. XX\'. Jan. 1908, p. 82. Specimens. — Li. OX the 7th of Xcneiiilier, 1907, while (Juail-shooting in the I*uy:illup Valley, near Taconia, Mr. Bowles brought to Ijag l)y a long shot an aduli female of this species, which his dog had flushed. The bird was in ])erfect feather and its manifest vigor would suggest that it was an accidental wan- derer, rather than an escaped cagediird. The niH^mal range of this species is along the southern border of the western United States, thence southward into Mexico, where the natives call it Paloiiia caiitator. the singing dove. "vSn closeh' is it associated with llie mes(|uite country that even its nK_)noton(.ius wlu>t>-ho6-hoo-ho6 calls up i)ictures id' desert thorn-brush and dobe walls, o\'er which the large handsome bird is flying with white luuids outspread on wings and tail. Its note is an exaggerated form of the coo common to the familv. To make it the dove ]iuffs out its throat like a pouter pigeon, emitting tlie curious hollow sotnid which is more suggesti\'e of the hooting of an owl than the languid cooing (d' a ilo\e" ( \'ernon Bailey). No. 226. BOB-WHITE, A. C). U, No. 2S9. Coliniis virginianus (Linn.). Synonym. — Americ.-vn Oi'.xtl. Description. — Adult male: .\bove general color vinaceous-rufous, changing to cinnamon-rufous on wings and on sides, clearest on upper back and sides of breast, heavily black-spotted or barred on lower back, sca]nilars, and inner quills, heavily margined with buft" on inner edges of imier scapulars an-pes are by no means infrequent. J. H. Bowles. Taken near I'ietoria. LOOKI.XG .\ORTH\VEST FRO.M CED.VK HILL, SHOWIXG F.WORITE COVER OF THE MOUNTAIN QUAIL. Photo by I lie Author. No. 228. PLUMED QUAIL. A. O. U. No. 292a. Oreortj'x pictiis plumiferus (Gould). Synonyms. — Plumed P.^rtridge. Mount.mx P.\rtridge. Description. — Similar to 0. pictii.^. but slaty blue of foreparts displacing olive-brown on nape; general tone of the upperparts a little lighter olive: fore- head lighter or whitish; the border area of inner secondaries and tertials lighter bufT or bnffy white. General Range. — Both sides of the Cascade range (but chiefl}- westerly) in Oregon, the Sierra Nevadas, and southern coastal ranges of California and Lower California. Range in Washington. — Sparinglv introduced west of Cascades. Charac- ters likelv to vanish thru absorption into O. pictiis. S68 THE CAI.IFORXTA QUAIL. THIS bird, rallier than the preceding, deserves the name Monnlain Quail, for its normal range includes the middle .slopes of the Sierra Nevada aloun- tains. The distinction in names, therefore, is purely arbitrary, but since it is established it would better be adhered to. Importations to Washington have been chiefly of the coastal form (0. picfiis), but a s])ecimen with a lighter colored wing-stripe turns up now and then to show that importers ha\'e been careless as to where they got their stock, and the resultant breed on Puget Sound will evidently be an amalgamation of the two forms. There are no local differences of range or habit. No. 22q. CALIFORNIA QUAIL. A. O. U. No. 294. Lophortyx californicus (Shaw). Synonyms. — C.\liFornia P.\RTRiDGr:. V.m.lky Quail (Name properly re- stricted to /,. r. I'allifola j. Top-kxot Quail. Description. — Adult male: Recurved crest glossv black; thniat black, bor- dered sharply by white line curving on cheek and passing below eye to bill ; fore- head whitish, streaked narrowly with black ; a clearly defined lateral white streak from eye bounding olive-brown crown-patch ; general color of upperparts ashy overlaid with olive-brown; the feathers of occiput, nape, and sides of neck nar- rowly edged with blackish and speckled with white: tlie inner webs of tertials rufous brown, forming conspicuous stri])e ; breast slaty-blue; sides color of back, sharply streaked with white ; remaining underparts tawny to bright chestnut, the feathers of the belly, except centrally, sharply bordered with black, and presenting a handsomely scaled appearance. Adult female: Similar to male, but without characteristic head-markings; breast olive-gray; belly whitish or pale tawny with black edgings as in male. Immature birds are grayish brown above with dusky and whitish edgings on back and wings, feathers of nape with whitish shaft- streaks and duskv borders. Adult length: lo.oo-ii.oo (234-270.4); wing 4.50 ('114.3) ; tail 4.40 ( 1 1 1.8) ; tarsus 1.23 (31.8). Recognition Marks. — Robin size; recurved crest of 4 to 10 feathers dis- tinctive; lilack throat of male, scaled appearance of belly (except centrally) ; size of Bob-white: weight much less than that of Mountain Quail. Nesting. — Nest: a slight grass-lined hollow usuallv under protection of fallen tree or bush-clump. Eggs: I2-t8. creamy white or butfv. spotted or coarsely blotched with yellowish brown. .\\-. size, 1. 20 x. 93 (30.3x23.6). Season: c. May 23: one brood. General Range. — Pacific Coast region from Montcrev, California, north to southern Washington ; introduced in Washington and southern British Columbia. Range in Washington. — West-side, probably indigenous but also heavily introduced, and now th. RICHARDSONIl TYPE. not willingly (|uil a fa\drite piece of \\o(inies \elienient he struts like a turkey-cock, spreading the tail in fan-slia])e, ilmpping the wings till they scrape the ground, and inflat- ing his throat tn such an extent as to disclose a considerable space of hare kin on either side of the neck. Tliis last certainly makes a >f the gall.-int's attire, for Nature has contrived that the "eathers immediately surrounding the bald area sliould ha\'e white bases lieneath their sooty tips. During excitement, then, as the conceal- ing feathers are raised and re\ersed, a brilliant while cir- clet, some f;\e inches in diameter, sudden- 1\' flares forth on each side of the neck, to ihe great a d m i r a 1 i o n, no doubt, of the obser\'- .ant hen. These more eni- jiliatic demonstra- tions are probably reserved for such lime as the hen is ] find con- 1 (il:cn iiciiy TiWc I'hotu by D.r.^-suu mid Baltics. SOOTV CROUSt; 0.\ NEST. AN EXAMPLE dp PROTECTIVE HARMONY. cealment. relying rather upon the protecti\-e harmony of her surroundings, — how securely may be noted in the accompanying illustration, where the cover was of the slightest, \-et perfectly in keeping. The bird exen sits with half- closed lids, in order tliat the glint of the eye, the "high light." niav not betrav her presence. The creamy buff eggs, also, with their light br■ grown. When sur- ])rised a month later, as at a dust- bath, of which they are exceedingly fond, the bantlings rise to the nearest trees and secrete themsehes, while the mother makes herself conspicuous in effort to distract altentinn. Or. if snmewbat disci]>lineil liv bunting, the covey makes off thru the air by twos and threes, endeavoring always to keep the same direction, that they may speedily reassemble when out of harm's way. Grouse feed much at llie lower levels, and even venture intn the open in late suiunier and earlv autunm. 'I'bey feed large!}- upon berries at this seasun. Talccn near CJiclan. Flioto by the Aulhor. ANOTHER STUDY IN PROTECTIVE H.-VRMONV. THERE AKE THREE SOOTY GROUSE CHICKS IN THIS PICTURE, BUT THE PHO- TOGRAPHER HIMSELF DOES NOT KNOW THE EXACT WHEREABOUTS OF .MORE THAN ONE. THE SOOTY GROUSE. 577 being especially fond oi the red huckleberry, or peacock Ijerry ( 1 'acciiiiiiiii parvifolinui j . which they devour together with its leaves. Salal-berries are also staple on Puget Sound, huckleberries in the mountains, and serv'.ce- berries ( Aiiiclanchicr flurida and A. ciisickii ) east of the Cascades. This diet is \'aried bv grasshoppers and other insects, as well as by seeds of many sorts. Sootv Grouse lie well to a dog, but unless previously filled with the fear of man, they are likely to make tame targets as they rise heavily into the near- est tree, and tamer \-et as they sit and look down inquiringl_\- at the hunter. Tal:cu in J 'iiton'ii. From (I photogral^h. cof^yriglu . igo8, by IV. L. Dawson. MiST .\.\D EGGS OF SOOTV GROl'SF.. TKE OAK-LEAF .NEST. The _\oung of the year, in particular, are \er\- fdolisli, allowing theniseUes to be pelted repeatedlv with stones until finall\' struck and killed. This trick has . earned for them, in common with other sjjecies, the name "fool hen." Mr. D. E. Bn^wn sa\s the Sootv Grouse will hiss like a gander, especiall\- when treed by a dog. The bird will thrust out its neck and peer down defiantly, hissing and scjuirming in anger over its interrupted meal. Under repeated fire, the \\'ood Grouse learns not onl_\- to make away with 578 THE FRANKLIN GROUSE. great ccicrilN-. l)iit also to liide in the tree-tops. S(|uatting and freezing so per- fectl}" that it recjuires a practiced eye to detect it. The huhans used to be very successfu! on the still-hunl. especially in winter, when the birds keep altogether to the tree-tops, spending the season in a semi-lethargic state, feeding exclusively upon fir buds. Tlie flesh of the Sooty Grouse , altho counting as dark meat, offers excel- lent eating in the proper season. The bird attains a goodly size, three, four, or even five ])ounds in the case of a cock, and there is no reason to sui>pose that the supply would not last for several tlecades yet, if shot under ])roper restrictions as to quantity and season. As matter of fact, however, four-tifths of the birds already killed in this State have been slaughtered by campers and prospectors in the summer months. The relative abundance of the Sooty Grouse has been correspondingly reduced, and unless our citizens take a saner view of their pri\ileges. the most \'aluable of our game Ijirds will iiltimatel_\- become a tradition. No. 232. FRANKLIN'S GROUSE. A. O. V, No. 299. Canachites franklinii (Dougl.). Synonyms. — Franklin's Stki/ck ('.Rnrsi:. Fool Hex. Blue Grouse. TvEE Grouse. Mouxtaix Grouse. Wood Grouse. Description. — Somewhat as in foregoing, but lighter, and plumage more varied; upper taii-coverts strikingly banded black-and white. Adult male: .Above finely varied black and grayish in transverse pattern ; below chiefly black, throat sharply bordered on sides by crescentic white stripe, feathers of breast and sides tipped with white marks of increasing size posteriorly ; flanks color of back with sharp wedgc-shaiiefl white marks; tail uniformly black or narrowly tipped with white; ujjpcr tail-coverts black broadly tip])ed with white, the lower tail-coverts still more extensively white ; a touch of white on lore ; naked skin over eye orange. In certain specimens the black of breast is cut off from throat by invasion of gray, and correspondingly restricted below, .■hiiilf jciiialc: .Above chiefly black but highly varied by transverse bars and skirtings of gray and ochraceous or bufi^y; below chiefly whitish or tinged with ochraceous on breast and sides and barred with black ; feathers of flanks and scapulars broadly streaked centrally with wliite ; tail black with white tip (much broader than in male). I^ength of adult: 15.00- 17.00 (381-431.8) ; wing 7.00 ( 177.9) : tail 5.30 ( 139.7). Recognition Marks. — Small crow size, luottled black and gray above; below black (in male 1 sharply marked and defined by white; upper tail-coverts con- s])icuonslv Ijanded ])lack-and-white. Nesting. — Nest: Much as in preceding. Eggs: 8-14, creamy buft' to pale •- ■"c^^;- ' ■^'* V \ I-KA.XKLIX '.,KuL"M:. .MA1J-: AM) l-i':MAI. 58o T[1F. FRAXKMX CROl'SE. ciniianion, s|i(ilU-il ami hlcitclu'il willi rnMisli liruwii ur hiinil unibcr. The spots arc (listril)utf(l civrr miire surface, usually sparingly, more heavily than in D. o. jiiVujlnosHi alllm never hccominy cunllnent. Av. size. 1.68x1.25 (42.7x31.8). Season: c. June 1 ^l : ime hnxid. General Ranjte. — .Mountain-- of m irtliwcstern L'niteil States anil western Canada, unrih to about l.atitmle ():i in Alaska. Ranjje in Washinf^ton. — I'rohably to he found in all the iiiountainotis dis- trict^, hut more coumion in northern Cascades and mountains of Stevens County. Authorities. — | Lewis and Clark. l\\^\. \'.\. (1S14) ]-A. I'.iddle : Cones. \'ol. II. pp. iSi, iSj. I Tctnui fraiikliiiii. l)ou^la>. Cooper and Suckley, Rej). Pac. R. R. Surv. XII. ])t. II. i860, p. 221. Specimens. — Trov. C. 1)'. Sr. IK E( M ). THERE seems to l)e a lack of exact information about this liird. and we are not able to add much to the meager fund alreadv at hand. It so closely resembles the Canada Grouse ( Cauacliitcs canadensis)" in ap- ]>earancc, that it is prestimed to resemble it in habit also, and nnich that is said of its beha- \ior must be understood as re- ferring to the lietter-known fm-m. Originally described (but not scientifically named) by Lewis and Clark from speci- mens taken in the mountains of Idaho, the species probably has its center of abundance in the same region today : but it is found northward far into British a. Keccntly split up into several forms, the nearest neiglibor being C. c. osgoodi of .Maska. I'i;.\l.\I,l-: FR.WKLIX CUOl .-1.. Taken in Chelan County. Photo by the Author. A CM \KACT1;RISTIC H.MiNT of the FR.XNKLIN GttOUSE. THE FRANKLIN GROUSE. S8i Columbia, and is said^ — 111)011 wliat authority I do not know — to extend west- ward to include the coast ranges of Oregon and Washington. I have sh(_>t it in late summer in the mountains of Yakima Count}', and in the upper Stehekin Valley in Chelan County. In the summer nf 1908 I heard notes on Mijunt Rainier which I have been attributing to this bird, but it was neither seen nor heard on a trip thru the 01}'mpics in the summer of 1890. Be that as it may, it is certain tliat Franklin's Grouse enjoys a general distribution at the higher levels of the central ridge of the Cascade range, and that it extends at least as far south as the Natchez Pass, probably further. From its unsophisticated wa_\'s it has long been known to prospectors and tim- ber cruisers by the name "fool hen." If discovered feeding in the trail, a little company of them will merely step aside to let the ca\'alcade pass, or else post in the nearest trees and bushes. Missiles have only a curious interest until a bird is struck, and several of the flock may be shot at leisure without the remainder being frightened away. The general economy of the Franklin Grouse is much that of the Sooty (D. 0. fiiliginosiis). They range quite to timber-line. They subsist largely upon browse, preferring to other the buds and needles of coniferous trees, but they also descend in summer to gather berries of various sorts, and ground-fare. They appear to be strictly resident wherever found, and spend the winter sea- son in the depths of the fir trees. The male of the Franklin Grouse is saiil to drum in the spring after a unique fashion. The bird beats his wings rapidly in mid-air while he sinks slowly from some elevated station to the ground. Or, again, he rises as he rolls his reverberant thunder, and only ceases when his former perch is reached. He has also various strutting antics, including a distension of the red eyebrows until they nearly meet o\"er the crown. The tail is spread to the utmost, then alternately half furled, first on one side and then on the other with a peculiar, silken, rustling sound. The TcU-l>hoto by IC. H. If right. FR.\NKLI.\ GROUSir, M.\LE. a. A. O. U. Check List, -d Ed., S82 TITK I'R.WKIJX OROUSE. bird is not crt'dited in anv pulilisla-cl rccunls willi iiiipi niaiil crit's, l)nl I am at a loss otherwise t(.> acc(.)unt for certain imisical imtes lieanl in ()kaniioan Count V, '"''toot, reminding me of ncithin<;' else so much as al)l)re\'iated and vcrv conifortal)Ie sighs of fog-horns ])ilched to tliirds. The rancliers assured nie that it was tlie call of the cock I'"ranlslin, answered liy thai of \\w JR-n : hut I would sooner beliex'e the converse, tor the tool was always stronger, hohk-r. and of a lower kev. Taken in Stci'ots i I'niity. Photo by 11". ;/, n'rigUt. FEMALU FKA.NKI.I.X (a^ol.sl-: OX XEST. Well idcnlilied eggs of the h'ranklin (iroiise are still rare, and the nesting habits ajipcar to he resting under the s.ame shadow of inattention as the birds themsehcs. This is, of course, a luimiliating confession in the face of the remarkable photogra])hs secured for us by Mr. W". 11. Wright, id' Spokane. Mr. Wright ])robabl\- knows more al>out these Grouse than any other obsei\cr. and we ho]ie that lie will some day give us a monograph u])on the subject. .\1I THE CANADIAN RL'FFED GROUSE. 583 we can testify to personally is that the chicks are able to fly at an increflibly early age. With such a start it wnuld seem that they nn'ght keep well mit of harm's \va\', insteatl of offering themseh'es as a target to the first passerby. No. 233. CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE. A. O. U. No. 300a. Bonasa umbellus togata (Linn.). Synonyms. — I'iieasaxt. PARTRn>r.i:. Ruffed C.roush. DRUitMHR. Grav- TAIL. Description. — Adult male: Neck-tufts of lengthened feathers glossy black; above warm brown or gray, varied in endless pattern by black, white, and ochra- ceons markings ; tail normally gray but sometimes brownish, crossed by six or seven narrow bands and one broad subtcrminal band of black, tipped with light gray; throat huffy or ochraceous ; undcrparts mixed white and Iniffv. heavilv barred with brown, each laar bordered narrowly with dusky, marks on flanks en- tirely dark brown or blackish. .Idiilt fciiiair: similar to male but smaller and neck-tufts much reduced in size. Length of adult: 15.00-10.00 (381-482.6): wing 7.00-7.50 (177.8-190.5 ) : tail 5.50-7.OO ( 139.7-177.8 1. Recognition Marks. — I^ittle Hawk to Crow size : neck ruffs and varied brown and gray coloration unmistakable : tail normally grav as compared with next form. Nesting. — Xrst: a slight dejiression at base of tree or bush-clumji in low woods, sparingly lined with twigs and dead leaves. Eggs: 8-14, creamy white to creamy buff", unmarked or sjiaringly speckled with ])ale rufous. Av. size, 1.62 x 1. 21 (41.2x30.8). Season: May: one brood. General Range. — "Resident in Canadian zone forests of the northeastern L'nited States, British I^rovinces, and eastern parts of Oregon and Washington" (Bailey). Range in Washington. — Resident in timbered valleys of eastern Washing- ton, chiefly along eastern sKjpes of Cascades, intergrading with B. 11. sabiiii on western slopes of Cascades and. rarely, descending to sea-level. Authorities. — ["Grav ruft'ed grouse," Jolmson, Rep. Gov. W. T. 1884 ('1883) 27,.] Bendire, Life Hist.'N. A. Birds, \'oi J. 1892, p. 64. D'. D-'. J. E. Specimens. — Prov. B. LIKE tlie Partridge of the East, our \\'ashingt(in drummer prefers de- ciduous timber. On this account, therefore, it keeps largely to the bottom lands along river courses, and the deeper valleys of the mountains. Appreciation of the Ruffed Grouse is about equallv divided lietween the nature-lover and the s])(irtsman. Be he gunner or poet there is none who can 584 IE CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE. witlistand tlic charms of the Ocl()I)ei" woods in wliich it lives, wlien the air is cris]) and llie fallen leaves are rustling smartly. The trees are not yet entirely stripi)e(l. liut certain clusters of aspens ha\e great windmus piled abimt their feet, and the car])et of tlie woods is everywhere pregnant with possibilities. The poet feels the o\-erhush i:)f autumn and the gunner the undercrush of leaves, but bolli alike are startled by the first wing-rush of the "Pheasant," 1^-- C.\NADI.\N RUFFKl) C.UOUSE. as it bursts from co\er and whirls awa\' like a cyclone to the uttermost parts of the woods. .Mtho the (iruuse knows Ikuv to rise silently on occasion, there is a bravado about the bird which leads it to gi\'e a saucy dare of deafening noise. On the drumming log those mar\elous wings which stir the blood like none others, mav l)e heard again : THE CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE. 585 "Hearest thou that bird? I listened, and from "midst the depth ol woods Heard the love signal of the Grouse that wears A sable ruff around his mottled neck : Partridge they call him bv our nnrthern streams And Pheasant by the Delaware. He beats 'Gainst his barred sides his speckled wings, and makes ike distant thun- A soun( der : slow the strokes At first, then fast and faster, till at length They pass into a murmur. and are still." The main purpose of this extraordinary music is well known ; it is to attract the female and guide her to the tryst. It is not. however, certainly known whether the bird is monogamous. Ben- dire thinks he is. On the other hand, an observer once saw seven hen birds grouped about a strutting male. "And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day. say- ■ ing, We will eat our own bread and wear our own ap- parel : only let us be called by thy name ; take thou away our reproach." Various theories have been advanced as to the real method of sc^und production in drumming. The rever- berating sounds were long supposed to be due to the impact of the wings upon the breast. A \ery creditable imitation may be produced by a sound-winded man who pounds upon his lungs with Taken in eastern Oregon. Flwto by A If". .Anthony. NEST -\ND EGGS OF C.\X.'\DI.-\N RUFFED GROUSE. 586 TIJE CAXADl \.\ RlI'Fia) CROL'SE. ck-nclied fists. Otliers affirmed tlial the ictus was made I)y the contact of wings as they met o\-er tlie hack. Rendire says: "It is generally conceded now bv most naturalists, including such well-known ornithologists as Brewster, Merriam and Henshaw, that the sound is [produced by the outsjiread wings lit the l)ird being suddenly brought downward against the air, without striking anx'thing." Another noisv surprise is in store for the person who comes upon a mother Partridge with a brood of tender chicks. With a great outcry the mother birtl charges up in front of the intruder, or dashes into his face: then stands before him with flashing e_\'es and ruffled feathers 1 o o k i n g fierce enough to eat him up. Thus she holds the enemy at bay for one bewild.ering moment. — a precious mo- ment, in which her tiny darlings ai'e linding shelter. Then she collapses like a struck tent and \-anishes in a trice. A diligent search may discover a chick under a fallen leaf, or between two pieces of bark, but no li\ing man can find an en- tire brood in tiiis way. The Canadian Kufifed Grouse, or "Gray-tail," is of northern stock, well dis- tributed thru the timbered foothills and mountain val- leys of eastern Washing- ton. It intergrades with the following form thruout the higher valleys of the western slopes of the Cascades, and occasionally \'entures to the verv coast, especiallv northerly. Intermedi.ite ]ilumages are not rare, but specimens from an\' localitv of the borderland are usually definitely referable to one form or the other. Thus of eleven specimens taken b\- ]\Ir. Brown near Mt. Baker five were "grays," that is, Canadians, and fi\e "reds," or Oregons, with one intermediate. These differences of ])lumage are so marked that it is easv to name the liirds as thev rise. Takoi }icar Sf^okaur. Photo by F. S. Merrill. OS THE ALEKT. CANADIAN RL'FFED GROUSE (bACKGKOUND PAINTED OUT) . THE OREGON RUFFED GROUSE. 587 No. 234- OREGON RUFFED GROUSE. A. O. U. No. 300c. Bonasa umbellus sabini (Dougl.). Synonyms. — "Pheasant." Bush Pheasant. "Partridge." Ruffed Grouse. Drummer. Red-taie. Description. — Similar to B. n. toijata, but gray of upperparts persistent only as bordering of subterminal tail-band; ground-color of upperparts rich rusty brown; underparts more deeply tinged with buffy or huffy brown, markings heavier, more extensive, and witli more of blackish ; throat ochraceous or orange- tawny. Recognition Marks. — As in preceding, browner; tail always f ?) rich rusty brown. Nesting. — Much as in preceding form. Eggs more warmly tinted. General Range. — Pacific Coast district from Humboldt County, California, north to P.ritish Columbia. Range in Washington. — Resident thruout western Washington, but more common in vicinitv of streams, and in groves of the prairie counties. Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. ( 1814) Ed. P.iddle : Cones, \'ol. IL, pp. 182, 183.] B. sabiiiii, Baird, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX., 1858, p. 631. T. C&S. L'. Rh. Kb. Ra. Kk. B. E. Specimens.— (U. of W.) Prov. B. E. PERHAPS the most exquisite product of our somber western woods is this handsome Grouse with his plumage of warm browns and woodsy buffs, relieved by touches of wliite, and set ofY by the glossy black of neck ornaments, or rufTs. Nature has painted her favorite to match the moulder- ing logs of red fir, cross-hatched as they are by the infinite traceries of the under-forest. When he steps forth at the sound of }-our footstep into some woodland path, alert vet curious, with rufTs half -raised and tail partlv opened, you feel as if the \er\- beauty of nature had found con- crete expression, and that the vision would fade again if ynu breathed too heavily. If not pressed, the bird will presently hop up on some fallen log, the better to see and be seen; or else trip away satisfied into some mossy covert. Or it mav take suddenly to wing, with a roar which you feel to be quite needless, especial!)- when exaggerated b}' a series of grunts wliich must be partly derisive. From the point of \'iew of the sportsman this bird is not to be com- pared with the Ruffed Grouse of the Eastern States. Its cover is too abundant, and it does not take the discipline which has educated the wily 588 THE OREGON RUFFED GROUSE. "partricl'^f." ll seldom allows the dog to come to a correct pMini. usually (lushing into the nearest small tree, where it sits peeping and jjerking like an overgrown chicken, regarding now the dog and now the hunter. Pot- shooting the birds under these circumstances can hardly he called spurt, hut their fondness for dense thickets often makes it the only wa}- in which tliey can be obtained. In the latter part of Februar\- the mating season cummences, and from that time until well into Alay the rolling drum-call of the cocks may be heard at anv hour of the dav and sometimes far into the night. E\'ery cock has some particular fallen tree which he lias clmsen fur his pri\-ate drumming ground, and he \-ery rarely resorts to another situation. A fa\ririte log becomes worn in the course of a season, so that an experienced hunter may locate the trysting ])lace in its owner's absence. The motive of this singular performance is, of course, primarily sex- ual. It is the wooing call such as every male grouse indulges in one fashion or another; liut there seems to be in this also a more poetic element. Its exhiliition is not confined to springtime, but the desire seizes the bird at intervals thruout the year, and especially in the fall. The grouse drums for the same reason that other birds sing, sim]>Iy to express iiis joy of life. In executing tliis maneuver the liird stands to its full height and beats its wings swiftlv downward towards its sides, in tliis manner rendering sounds which closelv resemble the syllables biiiii/^ - hump - hitiup, hinnpcni-rrr. The wing-beats commence slowly but end in a rapid whirr, which not even the most speedv lens may exactly define. The sound carries to the distance of half a mile or more, but so sulitle, or i.)rofound, is its char- acter, that the ear can scarcely distinguish as between twenty yards and fifty. It is onlv a lucky chance which discovers the female near the drumming log, altho this is the appointed meeting place. On the occasion of her near presence the male occupies the intervals of drumming by strutting up and down with extended plumage, and tail held turkey-wise. We cannot blame the admiration of the female, and no one begrudges a mortal the right to strut a little before one. It is a moot point whellier Robin Goodfeliow is as faithful as he ought to be. The fact seems to be, however, that behavior varies greatly with individuals. Ordinarily the Iiird appears to mate but once in a season. Dur- ing the period of inculiation, the hen is left pretty much to her own devices, but even then the cock is not unlikely to he somewhere in the vicinity. When the chicks are out, it is the mother who has the care and training of them, but instances are on record where the male has appeared u])on tlie scene in time of danger to make gallant defense of his offspring. THE OREGON RUFFED GROUSE. 589 At the foot of a maple in some swamp}' thicket, or close beside a tallen log, the female scrapes a slight depression in the earth, lining it roughly with tlead lea\es and a few small twigs. In this she places eight or ten eggs, buff or faintly ruddy, sparingly spotted with pale brownish or bufifv red. As she lea\'es the nest, she does so a-wing, causing the surrounding leaves to flutter carelessly over her eggs. If the eggs are Taken near Taconui. Photo by the Author. XEST .\XD EGGS OF OREGON' KfFFED GROUSE. molested, she will either desert outright or else break up the polluted clutch. If, Imwever, she only suspects that her secret may be known, she is at great pains to cover u]) her treasures with leaves and trash each time she quits them. In caring for the brood the mother bird exhibits the utmost solicitude. 590 THE WHITE-TAILED PTAR.MIGAN. fearlessly ex|)()sing- her person, until slu' is assured that llie l)al>ies are all sate. At such times she utters a whining sound, or adds to it a \ocal undertone, (to// dziit (Irjiit d::.ut, which is not unlike the ehittering of a chipnuink or a Chickadee. The youngsters peep lustily, once the han of silence has heen removed, and if the I>ird-watcher lingers quietly, he may hear the motherly clucking which reassembles the brood. The foixl of the Bush Pheasants consists largely of insects, worms, seeds, buds, green leaves, and berries. They are fonil ni the Iruil of the Cascara, which they gather from the ground ; and wild crab-apples are favorites in season. These last ripen about the middle of October, and from that time until the alders bud again these Grouse are often to \k found in evergreen trees. No. 23.S. WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN. A. O. U. No. 304. Lagopiis leiicuriis Swains. & Rich. Synonyms. — AhiuNTAiN GrousK. Snow Grouse. "Foot, TTivV." Description. — .Idiilts in full siiiiiiiu-r dress: Head and neck all around, ■ forebreast and upperparts, including scaiuilars. upper tail-coverts, and central pair of rectriccs. white, mottled and barred with black, finely upon head and neck, broadlv elsewhere, the black, in turn, except on breast, fitiely barred and vermiculatcd with ochraceous tawny or grayish Jirown : remaining plumage, in- cluding wings and tail (with exceptions noted) |)in-e white; bill and nails black. Adults in winter: Entire plumage pure white. Specimens iti summer plumage vary interminablv both in the amount and intensity of the black and ochraceous or tawny, the coloration of the central pair df laihfeatbcr^ being apparently the last character assumed in this moult. "Wuiiui: Above light brownish gray, or grayish brown, deiiseb- vermiculatcd with black, and with scaltorcd irregular patches of the .same; two outer (|uills partly white, four innermost ones entirely white, the rest dull grayish; tail-feathers mottled brownish like back; anterior and lateral lower parts dull huffy, irregularly barreil, vermiculatcd and spotted with black ; rest of lower parts plain dull buft'y grayish white" ( RidgwayV Length of adult: i;vOo-i4.oo ( ,:i30.2-355.r) ) ; wing 7.00-7.J5 1 177.S-1S4.2 ) ; tail 3.30 (88.9). Recognition Marks. — Little Uawk size; mottled black of upiierjiarts, and pure white of wings, tail and underparts of summer plumage unmistakable. Nesting. — Nest: a grass-lined depressiim. in heather-bed or on grassy slope near timber-line. Eggs: 8 or 10, sometimes 14. creamy buff or pale ruddy, speckled and round-spotted, rather s|)aringly. with hin-nt sienn.i. Av. size. 1.78 x i.t6 f 4S.2 X 2r).5 ). Season: June. July; one nr two broods. THE WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN. 591 General Range. — High niountaiiis of Oregon and Washingtim, north to Alaska. Range in Washington. — Central range and higher peaks of the Cascades and (probably) the C)lym])ic Aluuntains. Authorities. — f "^\'hite-tailed ptarmigan." Johnson. Rep. Gov. W. T. 1884 (1885) 23.] Bendire, Life Hist. N. A. Birds. Vol. I.. 1892, p. 83. T. Rh. D". E. Specimens. — I'rov. B. E. AS the Bluebird mediates between earth and sky, so does the Ptarmigan between snow and heather. Its jjlumage, white in winter and mottled gray in summer, is an exact counterpart of its chosen surroundings; and its simple tastes are satisfied with the fare of browse, berries, and chance insects which is obtainable upon our highest mountains above the timber-line. Permanent Taken on Mf. Rainier, From a Plwtograf'h. Co/'ynght. 1908. !>v (C. L. Dazfson. Tin; SI, LUSKIN PTARMIG.\N— BROADSIDE. residence in the case of any species hints at antiquity, but as one studies these demure birds in their dwindling fastnesses of rock and ice, he cannot help thinking of that elder time when ice prevailed over all the landscape, and when these hardy Eskimos of the bird-world may have been the dominant species in Washington. 592 THE WillTlvTAlLlCI) PTARMIGAN. The processes of nature are so slow. lio\ve\er. that we shall iiexer li\e to see the cxteniiination of the Ptariiiit;an. unless the oiieratiou is unduly hastened hv the unlaw ful demands made uixm them by huiigry campers. .\1- the likelv to occur upon an\ ri THE COLUMBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. lakfii ill chart^e hy tlie male wIiiIl' the female is ineuhating a second. If this be the case, it is not impossible that the families may nnile later in the season. On the 30th of Jul\' 1 once encountered on the slopes of Mount Sahale a covey which appeared hi ha\e this double character. A number of young, apparently three or four weeks old, burst from cover like partridges, while downy chicks clamored at my feet. [ stooped to pick up one of the flnff-lialls, whereat the mother bird charged in- Im m\- face, with such fmy, indeed, that I was cibliged to fend her ofi with my arm, and I re- leased the chick forth- with for fear of mutual injury. Late in Sepleni- l)er the White - tailed I'larmigans begin to doti' summer browns for a coat as white as the driven snow, from which the birds are dis- tinguished alnne by bead\' black eyes and bills almost as black. The feathering of the toes also becomes more extensive: this provides these Grouse with snow- shoes, which prove to be \ery useful articles in case of mountaineers who insist upon spending the winter where the snnw is anywhere fr(>m ten to a hundred feet deej). Photo by .-I. Cordon Bowlo. PT.\KM1C,.\.\S ON ROCKY KIDGE. FOUR BIRDS .APPE.XR IN T K F, PIIOTOGR.VPH. No. 236. COLUMBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. A. O. U. No. 308 a. PedicEcetes phasianellus columbianiis (Ord.). Synonyms. — Comjujn Sh.xri' - r.Mija) C^iKcjusk.. I'ix-t.mlKd Grouse. "Pr.mrie Chicke.n." Description. — .Idiilts: Above chiefly butTy gray or pale brownish finely varied by irregular spots and bars of brownish black and lighter brownish ; wing-coverts with rounded spots of white ; wing-quills fuscous, spotted on the outer webs with whitish or tawny: the secondaries tipped with white and irregii- THE COLUAIBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. 597 larly barred with white, the inner ones changing to pattern of back : tail gradnated, the two central pairs of feathers much like back, the remainder mottled on outer webs, white or grayish white on inner; below whitish as to base, or tinged with buffy anteriorly, the throat buff, usually immaculate, the remaining feathers usually with U- or A'-shaped markings of dark brown, heaviest and sharpest on breast, least or none on belly ; axillars and wing-linings pure white ; legs grayish white. Iris light brown ; bill chiefly dark horn-color ; toes light horn-color above, darker below. Young birds are browner above, with sharp white shaft-lines, and whiter below with dark brown spots on breast, changing to streaks on sides. Length of adult: 18.00-20.00 (457.2-508): wing 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254): middle pair of tail-feathers 4.00-6.00 ( loi. 6-152.4 ) ; shortest (lateral) tail-feathers 1.50 (38.1 ) : tarsus 2.00 ( 50.8 1 : bill .65 ( 16.5 ). Recognition Marks. — Cn.iw size : mottled grayish plumage ; chiefly terrestrial habits : completely feathered tarsus ; graduated tail. Nesting. — AU^st: a grass-lined depression under shelter of sage-bush, grass- clump, etc. Eggs: 10-15, buffy-olive or drab-colored, unmarked, or finely dotted with brown. Av. size, 1.70X 1.24 ( 43.2 -\ 31.5 ). Season: c. Ma}' 1st: one brood. General Range. — Northwestern I'nited States from western edge of the Great Plains in Alontana west to Cascade-Sierras, south to northern California, Nevada, and L'tah, north thru British Columbia to central Alaska. Range in Washington. — I'pper Sonoran and Arid Transiti<.>n life-zones in eastern portion of State : unknown west of the Cascades. Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. P.iddle: Cones, \'ol. II. p. 180.] Pcdiocirtcs pliasiancllits, Baird. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, pp. 626, 627. T. C&S. D'. D-'. Ss'. Ss-'. J. Specimens. — Prov. P". "CHICKENS? Xo; I hav"n't seen a Prairie Chicken fur — Uh, 1 dunno when — several years anyhow. Oh, yes; there used to be a good many of 'eni ill thru here; that is, before them city sports came with their dogs and guns and cleaned 'em all out." Such an answer might be expected of the average East-side rancher anywhere from Walla Walla to the northern line, the it would only be just to add that the farmer himself has helped himself pretty liberally in the early day when "chickens" were plentiful, and wdien every man accepted the bounty of nature without anxious thought for the morrow. The Sharp-tailed Grouse still lingers in certain less frecjuented regions, and some who know of local coveys may be inclined to scoff at these lines; but take my word for it : there is not one Sharp-tail in the State where there were fifty thirty years ago. We have no one to blame for it but ourselves either, for the bird is not excessively shy. It is hardy and adapts itself readily to changing conditions. Moreover, it thrives on the waste of the grain field, and is able to glean a fat living from barren acres which yield nothing otherwise unless it be for a band of all-devouring sheep. 598 THE CCJLUAIBIAN SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. & TIk' L'iiluiiil)i;in Sharp-tail is — or was — a line gaiiK'-hinl. U lies well to a dog, and moves off at a pace which is a fair lest of marksuianship. More- over, its llesh is excellent eating, jnicy and tender and in the best of condition just when the frosts are beginning to nip. Stringent protection for a term of vears, followed bv sane treatment in the annual shooting of the increase only, woukl assure to us the presence of a sturdy and valuable game bird for generations to come. The economv and general appearance of the Sharp-tailed Grouse is much that of the Prairie Hen (Tyiiipaiutchus aiiiericaiiiis ) . or "chicken," of the East, after which it was prmnplly named by the early settlers. Jn the early days it was partially migratory in haliit, spreading out upon the sage-brush stretches and rve-grass plains in spring and summer, but resorting to the asjjen groves and timbered draws in winter. .\s soon, however, as cullixation assured supjiort in winter, the l>irds began to maintain their i)lace in the open wheat-lields or visited the haystacks and the farm-yards. Tho chietly terrestrial in hal)it, al the advent of cold weather tliese Grouse alight freely in trees and bushes, browsing upon the tender shoots or gleaning unfallen fruit, being especially ])artial to the rose-hips. In the Yakima country twenty- five vears ago it was no uncommon sight to see a llock of these ('.rouse walk- ing and fluttering about the barn and out-buildings, nor even to be aroused at early morning bv the jiatter and scratch of ])ectinated feet upon the house-top. Of cour.se this was the pn >mpt signal for resurrecting the olil musket, — so gracious is human hospitality. Sharp-tailed Grouse have se\eral cackling and calling notes, none more characteristic than the rattling, grunting cry with which lhe\ take to wing. When getting under way the boily is rocked violently, as tho liy alternating wing strokes. A series of such na])s is followed, if the way is clear, by a long sail on stilTened wings; and so ])owerful is the bird in flight that it will not infrec|uentlv distance a hawk or an unsophisticated owl. I have seen a Marsh Hawk dash repeatedly into a jKissing Hock of Grouse, Init never saw him catch one yet. These Grouse are doubtfully monogamous, but their nesting is i)re])ared for by an elaborate social function, which is thus described by ?klr. Ernest E. Thompson-'': "After the disappearance of snow and the coming of warmer weather, the chickens meet every morning at gray dawn in companies of from six to twentv on some selected hilk'ck or knoll and indulge in what is called 'the dance.' This performance I ha\e often watched. At first, the birds may be seen standing about in ordinary attitudes, when suddenly one of them lowers its head, spreads out its wings nearly horizontally and its tail perpen- dicularly, distends its air sacs and erects its feathers, then rushes across the a. Speaking of a closely allied form, P. f. caml^fsl lis— 'i'he Uirtis of Manitoba, Proc. U. S. Nat'! Museum, \'o]. XIII. ("1890), p. 519. THE SAGE GROUSE. 599 'floor,' taking the shortest of steps, but stamping its feet so hard and rapidly that the sound is Hke that of a kettle drum ; at the same time it utters a sort of bubbling crow, which seems to come from the air sacs, beats the air with its wings, and vibrates its tail so that it produces a low, rustling noise, and thus contrives at once to make as extraordinar}- a spectacle of itself and as much noise as possible. "As soon as one commences all join in. rattling, stamping, drumming, crowing, and dancing together furiously ; louder and louder the noise, faster and faster the dance becomes, until at last, as they madly whirl about, the birds are leaping over each other in their excitement. After a brief spell the energv of the dancers begins to abate, and shortly afterward they cease or stand and move about very cjuietly, until they are again started by one of their numljer "leading otf.' "The space occupied by the dancers is from 50 to 100 feet across, and as it is returned to year after year, the grass is usually worn otf and the ground tram]5led down hard and smooth. The whole performance reminds one so strongly of a Cree dance as to suggest the possibility of its being the prototype of the Indian exercises." No. 237- SAGE GROUSE. A. O. U. No. 309. Centrocercus urophasianiis (Bonap. ). Synonyms. — S.\GE Cock. S.^ge Hex. Cdck of the Plains. Description. — Adult male: Above mingled butfy and grayish, varied ir- regidarlv with black ; many cif the wing- feathers with central wliite streaks, the tertials bordered terminallv with white: wing-(|uills grayish brcjwn, sometimes mottled on outer webs with paler; chin and throat broadly mingled black and white, defined laterally by crescentic area of white; lower throat black, the feathers bordered more or less with grayish white ; chest gray ; belly black sur- rounded bv white; lower tail-coverts black, broadly tipped with wliite; lining of wings white. "To describe the peculiar neck-feathering of the did cock more particularly : On each side is a patch of feathers, meeting in front, with extremely stiff bases, prolonged into hair-like filaments about 3.00 in length; with the wearing away of these feathers in the peculiar actions of the bird in pairing-time, their hard hornv bases are left, forming "fish-scales.' In front of these peculiar feathers is the naked tympanum, capable of enormous inflation under amatory excitement. Above them is a tuft of down-feathers, covered with a set of long soft filamentous plumes corresponding to the ruff of Bonasa. Many breast- feathers resemble the scalv ones of the neck, and are commonly found worn to a bristly "thread-bare' state. Scaly bases of these feathers soiled white; thready Goo THE SAGE GROUSE. ends Ijlackish ; fluffy feathers siiowy-vvliite, like wonl. llie longer overlying fila- mentous plumes glossy black" (Coues). .Ididt /V;;/a/t'; Similar to male, but much smaller and without black of chin and throat ; feathers of neck not strik- ingly ])eculiar. Length of cock: 24.00-30.00 (609.6-762): wing 12.00 (304. 8): tail 11.00-13.00 ( 279.4-330.2 ); weight 4-8 ])Ounds. Adult hen : length 21.00-23.00 (533.4-584.2) : wing 10.00-11.00 (254-279.4) : tail 7.00-9.00 ( I/J.S-22S.6) : weight 3-5 pounds. Recognition Marks. — llrant size: largest of .\nierican ('.rouse; sage- haunting haljits. Nesting. — .\ est : a scantih lined de|)ression in ground under sage-bush. Eggs: 6-15. usually 8 or 9, pale buffy-olive to olive-green, dotted anil spotted with dark brown. The marking is of different degrees of intensity, is well distributed, and varies in size from a pin-head to a ]5ea, tending to circular forms. Av. size, 2.20x1.54 (55.9x39.1). Season: April-May 10: one brood. General Range. — Sage-brush plains of the western I'nited States and south- ern ]iortions of I'.ritish Columbia. Alberta, and .\ssinihoia, south to Xew Mexico and .Arizona. Range in Washington. — Practically coextensive with that of sage-brush (especially .liieiiiisia tiidcntata) in eastern Washington. Authorities. — | Lewis and Clark. Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Riddle: Coues, Vol. II.. p. 180. 1 Ceiitrocernis iii'of^luisiaiiiis Swains, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. jx., 1858, p. (^2^. T. c&s. 1)'. rv. S-'. Ss--. Specimens. — P. C. E. AS bamboo to the ()ricntal. ov as the cocoaiiiU palm to the Si>utli Sea Islander, so is the sage bush to this Cock of the Plains. It not only provides him shelter of a sort, but food and prol)abl\' drink as well. At least, from tlie fact that the Sage Cock is found at such distances from water, we are forced to conclude that the (lew-co\ere(l browse of the Artemisia must often ser\'e the bii-(l in lieu of water. As |o food, this Grouse has so long depeuiled upes the Sage Grouse, after the Turkey, the largest and most irreclaimable of the American Tetra- onidte. Its days are numbered, and there is no use wasting sentiment in the face of million dollar irrigation projects. Fare ye well, or fare ye ill, grav No. 238. MONGOLIAN PHEASANT. Introduced. Phasianus torquatus (iniel. Synonyms. — Rixc-xrcked Pheasant. Chinese Pheasant. Den'ny Pheas.xnt. Description. — .Ichilt male: Sides of head largely bare, with livid skin; top of head light greenish ; short plumicorns dark green ; throat and neck all around black, with rich metallic reflections ; a ivhitc cervical collar nearly meeting in front ; fore-neck and breast, well down, shining copper)- red with golden and purplish reflections ; sides rich fulvous with black spots ; belly mostly blackish ; above with indescribable intricacy of marking, — black, white, co]i|ier, fulvous, pale blue, virid- ian green, glaucous green, etc., etc. ( w-e are not morally responsible for the color- ing of this marvelous exotic) ; tail much lengthened, mostly greenish fulvous, edged with hcliotrope-])urple and cross-banded with l)Iack. Adult female: Much plainer, mostly brownish and without white collar; the upperparts more or less spotted and mottled with dusky; the underparts nearly plain buft'y brown; the tail-feathers barred for their entire length, dusky and whitish on a mottled brown- ish ground. Adult male length 30.00 (762) or more, of which more than 16.00 ("406.4) is tail. Recognition Marks. — v'^ize of domestic fowl. Long tail and white collar distinctive. Nesting. — Sest: on the ground of ilried leaves, grasses, etc., usually in grass tussock or under bush. Eggs: 8-15, yellowish, olive-drab, or bluish buft". .\v. size, 1. 61 X i.,v (40.() X 33.3). Season: April-July; two or three broods. THE MONGOLIAN PHEASANT. 603 General Range. — China. Introduced in various localities of the L'nited States. \\'ell established in Washington, Oregon, and southern British Columbia. Range in Washington. — Well established on Puget Sound, especially at lower levels, and successfully introduced into various localities of eastern \\'ashingti:in. Authorities. — ["Mongolian Pheasant (introduced)," Johnson, Rep. Gov. \\'. T., 1884 (1885), p. 23. J Keck, Wilson Bulletin, Xo. 17, Tune 1904, p. ^5. B. E. Specimens. — ( L'. of \\'. I Prov. BX. E. THE happiest e\'ent in the historx" of game protection in the Pacific Northwest, or indeed in the entire country, was the introduction, in 1880 and 1881, of the China Pheasant by Judge O. N. Denny, of Oregon, then Consul- General to Shanghai. Happiest, we maintain, not alone because the bird draws the fire from our harassed and over-hunted native birds, but because it bids fair to furnish a staple article of food such as normalh- constituted people crave, and sucii as the Many, as distinguished from the favored Few, have a right to demand. The move was well considered on the part of Judge Dennv, he having been long impressed with the high reputation which the bird bore in its native land, both as a table bird and as an economic factor in the subjugation of in- sect pests. He, therefore, at great expense, arranged an importation, first of seventy birds, which perished thru lack of proper care before liberation, and later of thirty birds, which were successfully liberated near Peterson's Butte in the Willamette \'alley of Oregon. The Pheasants thus secured immediately established themselves in the Willamette country, and from this importation of 188 1 most of our western stock has sprung. There are many factors which conspire to make the [Mongolian Pheasant the favorite as it will be the dominant game bird of the \\'est. In the first place, the male bird is a \-ision of loveliness, gorgeous in coloring be\-ond the abilitv of a mere word-painter to depict, occupying in this regard the same re- lation to other gallinaceous birds that our Wood Duck does to other water- fowl. A cock Pheasant brought to bag is both a dinner and a picture, a feast and a trophy. Then, and chief!}', the China Pheasant is a good rustler. Evolved in his nati\-e land under conditions of the most strenuous competition, the pheasant race has developed both adaptability and endurance, staying qualities which give the bird an assured position in any situation remotely similar to that af- forded in China. Under protection. Pheasants a\ail themselves of all the privileges, ranging freely across farms and cultivated areas, finding sufficient cover in neglected fence-rows or wayside thickets, and becoming so bold as to disregard the passer-by, and even to venture into the farmyard to feed with the domestic fowls. Under persecution the bird as quicklv de\-elops wariness 6o4 THE MONGOLIAN PHEASANT. and cunning, and is able, under necessity, to maintain a thrifty existence in tlie forests and uncleared river valleys, in c(ini])lele inde])endence of men. It is even able, and this is a \iial point, tn (|iiirkly discriminate between open and close seasiin. ;ind to resume the warier liti' niider the hcliest of a single dav's discipline. As a game bird, also, the China Pheas;inl ranks high. Its flesh is above the average, and its pursuit in\-ol\es all the elements of sagacity, skill, and en- durance, which constitute upland shooting S])orl. The bird lies well to a dog — that is, when cornered — but if he has a running chance, the dog nuist win his point. Pheasants are cunning sneaks and swift runners, and the cocks will sometimes tra\el at top sjjeed for half a mile before admitting defeat and crouching for tlie wing test. The bin! lea])s into the air with a sudden cr\', pauses for a fraction of a second to get his course, then awa\' on vigorous wings. The Pheasant is usually thus pursued with gun and dog, after the fashion observed in case of all native grouse, and that moment of indecision which al- ways comes after the bird is up is the fa\'orable moment for the gunner. lUit it is no mean test of skill to stop a Pheasant in mid-llighi when the hunt is cit Ihiltiir. after the b'nglish and Continental fasliiDU. Stubble fields and open situations are the jireferred range of the Ring- necks, but thev are c|uite at home in the jungle. They are especiallx- to be found at the borders of clearings, where their hanntiug [jresence is likely to be resented l)v the pioneer who is trying to car\e a garden out of a forest. Some damage tliey undoulitedly do, just as chickens would, l)ut it is to be suspected that those wlm complain most bitterh- of the "de\ astatiims" wrought by this fowl are seeking cover for their ])ractice, all ton fi-ei|uent, of potting these lu'^''ious birds out of season. Fecuu(lit\- is amither trait of this hardy fowl. 'I'he liirds are polygamous, and tlie cock is ]5repared to fight for the possession of the largest possible harem. The females raise two or three broods in a season, but not content with this, the amorous cocks seek alliance with uatixe and domestic species. Flybrids formed bv the crossing of China Pheasants and i^ooty Grouse are not infrequent, atid tlie introduction of wild blood into the farm-yard results in interesting and not unprofitable forms. Cock Pheasants crow somewdiat after the fashion of Chanticleer, produc- ing a sort of double explosive sound. sqinriCk-sijiKnck, accompanied by a vigor- ous clapping of wings. I\Ir. AMCtor Savings called my attention to the fact that in the spring of the \'ear, wdien any unusual noise is made the nearest cock Pheasant crows instantly. Air. Savings, Sr., was engaged in blasting out stumps and I was able to confinu \'ictor's obser\-ations, for every time the Hercules ])owder "let go" with a dull Imom. some Phea.sant crowed THE CALIFORNIA CLAPPER RAIL. 605 No. 239. CALIFORNIA CLAPPER RAIL. A. O. U. No. 210. Rallus obsoletus Ridgw. Description. — Adult: Above olive-gray or graj-ish olive, broadly, but usually not sharply, striped with blackish brown ; eyelids, short superciliary line, chin, and upper throat, whitish; fore-neck, chest, and breast, uniform deep cinna- mon, the sides of the neck dull grayish ciiuiamon ; sides, flanks, and axillars, dark brown, narrowly bordered with white, the white, in turn, with dusky. Downy young: Uniform glossy black. Length of adult: 17.50-18.00 1444.5-437.2); "wing 6.63 (168.4) ; bill 2.40 (61) ; tarsus 2.18 (55.4». Recognition Marks. — Small Crow size ; olive-gray above, reddish below ; the only large Rail in range. Nesting. — Nest: a raised platform of dried grasses or tules, supported by grass tussock in swamp. Eggs: 6-15, huffy white, or paler brownish buff, spar- ingly dotted and spotted with reddish brown and purplish gray. Av. size, 1.75 x 1.24 I 44.5 .\ 31.5 ). Season: May; one brood. General Range. — "Salt marshes of the Pacific Coast, from Washington ( ?) to Lower California." Range in Washington. — Gray's Harbor. Also lay reports from vicinity of Tacoma and Seattle. Authority. — Hubbard, Zoe, \'ol. IH., July 1892, p. 142. WE are not certain whether this large marsh-prowler is a resident with us or whether our meager records are due only to the visits of ambitious ex- plorers, the vanguard of that mighty army of those who, like ourselves, feel the lure of the North. This species has its center of abundance in tlie salt marshes which adjoin San Francisco Bay. "They are either tame or exceed- inglv stupid birds — I believe the latter, for they may be captured alive during the earlv spring and late fall, as they trust to protective coloring and do not trv to escape until too late. During the breeding season they are somewhat more sin*, but even then it is nearly impossible to flush them because they skulk or dive rather than flv, and refuse to desert the nest. About the middle of April thev commence to make a nest of marsh grass on a tussock, and from that time on are devoted to it. Eight or nine eggs are laid, and incubation lasts nineteen to twentv-three days. As is well known, certain varieties of marsh birds build several nests, using but one. The 'dummy' sometimes serves as a shelter for the adult male ; sometimes the making of it seems to have been a mere pastime ; and, occasionally, as in the case of the clapper rail, it forms a convenient plat- form or nurserv on wdiich the young can scramble for a sun-bath when weary with their first swimming-lessons. These unused nests are commonly placed close to the one occupied bythe brood and closely resemble it" ( Mrs. Wheelock )*. a. Birds of California, by Irene Grosvenor Wheelock; pp. xxviii -|- 57S; Chicago, A. C. McClurg & Co., 1904. 6o6 THE VIRGINIA RAIL. No. 2^0. VIRGINIA RAIL. A. O. I'. Xo. 212. Ralliis virginianus Linn. Description. — .Idiill: Above Ijrownish black, the feathers broadl}- striped laterally with lighter browns (wood-brown, bistre, and olive-brown), and shad- ing into burnt umber on wing-coverts and edges of quills: forehead with numer- ous, enlarged, glossy, black shafts without attendant vanes; a light line over eye in front, and a dusky line thru eye; lower eyelid white; sides of head ashy gray; chin and upper throat white; lower throat and breast cinnamon-rufous (Mars brown), growing paler medially and posteriorly ; belly, flanks, and lining of wings brownish dusk}' or blackish, crossed bv narrow white bars, lighter, or sometimes almost unmarked fuhous, centrally and on thighs; bill red, darker above. Iininaturc birds show blackish more extensively on underjjarts. Downy yoitiuj: l^niform glossy black. Length 8.00-10.50 (203.2-266.7): wing 4.13 ( 105.4); tail 2.00 (50.8) ; bill 1.50 (38.1 1 ; tarsus 1.35 l,S,^-8) ; middle toe an(l claw 1.78 f4.v2). Recognition Marl. R. E. Specimens. — L'. of W. Prov. B. E. GIVEN an oasis of water of, say, two acres extent, in a jiasture desert of Ijarren green; crowd a conipanv of willows into one end; add a half acre oi bogs crowned witli rose l)uslies ; then a little s]5ace of clear water ; then a jungle of cat-tails at the other end; surround the whole with a thirty-foot liorder of sedges and coarse grasses cropped close on the desert side, and yon ha\'e an ideal home for the \'irginia Rail and his kind. Poke about carefully in the edge of the rose-bog and you will soon start him, a sly reddish brown bird with a red eve and a longisli beak. See liim some ten feet away standing at the edge of cover, all alert, one foot ui)lifled and with claws ctuded down; or when he plants it gingerly, he alternately perks and lowers his head, as iIk^ divided in his mind Ijetween darting away and facing it out with you. Sinnil- THE MRGINIA RAIL. 607 taneously he cocks his tail forward and relaxes it nerxuuslv. If vou succeed in looking sufficiently disinterested, he will snatch a slug hastil}- and watch you furti\-ely with a blood-red eye, to note whether you a])i)ro\'e of such actions. If you pass all the tests of good behavior during the first five minutes, the gentle bird will relax his vigilance and show you how he can walk o\-er half- submerged vegetation without sinking \'ery deep himself, or if in the passage from bog to bog he comes to a space nf clear bmwn water, he will swim as lightly as a duck, but with that odd bobbing motion peculiar ti.i his race. A single false motion, however, will send him scuttling off thru the plant-stems and out of sigiit in a twinkling, cackling in alarm and (ludgCDU. But splash you aruund never so bra\"ely in hip-bo(its, or wait you never so patiently, the feeling grows upon you that }'ou are an outsider, so far as the more intimate interests of the swamp are concerned. There is much trafficking in the sedges, wliich is not meant for human eyes, and the re\'ealing of the life of anv Rail is much like the natural history of a sliooting star. — one flash, one historv. But the shy liirds are brave in \-iiice. As the male Rail wanders about uneasily in early April searching for a mate lie cries. "Krg, kcgqy, kcggy. kcggw" in tones whicli convey an impression of a much larger and fiercer bird. The anxiety of a female for her young is betrayed by a mourn- ful ki-i, or by short phrases oi creaking notes. If the young are in hiding, a low cluck of reassur- ance will bring them scurrying to find their mother. A hummock of grass in a fresh- water marsh is always selected as a nesting place. In this the bird scratches a consideralile depression, which she lines carefully with dried grasses. The bird is a close sitter, but flies when flushed, where you would expect her to have better success in sneaking. If the eggs are handled in her absence, the owner is likely to destroy them up- on lier return : and ^Ir. Bowles has a set which he rescued nearly in time, with only one of its eggs pierced clear thru by a thrust of the bird's lons: beak. The averagmg tewer Ttskcn 111 Tacoma. Photo by flic Autltors- XEST AND EGGS OF \IRGINI.A KAIL. 6oR THE SORA RAIL. number tlian the .'-lora's. nia\- certainlx' l)e distinguislied fnun them l)y tlicir ligliter creamy, or grayish wliite tones, as well as by the clearer red uf their markings. No. 2.^1. SORA RAIL. A. O. U. No. 214. Porzana Carolina (Linn.j. Synonyms. — Carolina R.ail. Sora. Scree. Description. — Adult: Above olive-brown varied by black and white in spots and stripes on back and scapvdars, — the black broad and central, the white narrow and marginal; region about base of bill, chin, throat, and median crown-stripe black; cheeks behind, sides of throat, and breast bluish ash; below olive-brown to dusky, sharply barred with \vliite, whitening im middle of belly; under tail- coverts tawny or tawny-washed ; wing-quills fuscous ; edge of wing and of first primary white; bill yellow, darkening on tip of upper mandible. Immature: Without black on head and neck ; chin whitish ; throat and breast washed with light brown. Do'a'iiv \tiunij: Sootv black, the down interspersed sparingly with longer glossy black hairs; a tuft of bright orange bristles on throat, — stiff and inclined forward ; and a liright red excrescence at base of upper mandible. I,cngth 8.00-9.50 (203.2-241.31; wing 4.20 (106.7); t^il 2.00 (50.8); bill .83 (21.1); tarsus 1.36 (34.5); middle tnc and claw 1. 85 (47). Recognition Marks. — Chewink size, but stouter in appearance; marsh- skulking habits; slicii \cll(iwisli bill. Nesting. — Nest: a raised platform of grasses and sedge, usually placed cen- trally in grass tussock of swamp. B(/(/s: 8-15, dull butTy or ochraceous-buff (and so darker than eggs of Rallus lirgiuiauus ) : spotted and dotted with dark brown and with purplish shell-markings. .\v. size, 1.24X.00 (31.5x22.9). Season: c. May 20; one brood. Genera! Range. — Temperate North America, breeding chiefly northward, but less c()mm(.)nlv on the Pacific Coast. Casuallv north to southern Greenland. South to the West Indies and northern SoiUh America. Range in Washington. — Not common summer resident and migrant both sides (if the Cascade Mountains. Authorities. — Rhoads, Auk, X. Jan. 93, p. 17. T. Rli. D'. D-. B. E. Specimens.— (U. of W. ) Trov. P'. C. E? "AS thin as a rail" does not refer to the Lincoln \ariety of split trees, but to Ibis bird and its congeners. The birds are bilaterally compressed in order to enable them to slip readily between the close-set stalks of vegetation. And 'us they do with almost incredible rapidity, and without leaving a wake of *ion bv which thev ma\' be traced. THE SORA RAIL. 609 Like the Clapper Rail of California the Sora rises to a clog: or if caught feeding inshore some little way from his watery fastnesses, he flits over the tops of the reeds, drops down suddenly, and loses himself immediately in the maze. It is idle to follow him when alarmed, for he will ncjt rise again save under exceptional circumstances. Immense numbers of these birds are slaughtered yearly, especially along the Atlantic Coast. They have this at least to recommend them, — that the}- are easy practice for ju\-enile hunters. They afford less meat, however, than so many English Sparrows, and (|ualms of conscience make poor sauce. Tho rightly counted sh_\'. the Sora possesses one trait which brings it into frequent notice — curiosity. Often when I ha\'e been h'ing in a boat waiting for ducks, among the aquatic plants, some little distance oft' shore and removed from the usual haunts of the Sora, I ha\'e heard sundry kcks half appre- hensive, half quizzical, followed b_\- the plasliing of light feet as a. troop of the little Rails worked their wav out and surrounded me, under pretense, indeed, of searching for food, but being all too plainly prompted by inquisitive- ness. Dr. Howard Jones tells of similar experiences: 'T have had them come up to me and peck my gum bouts, and i)lay with the gun barrel as a bantam rooster does when teased.'" A slight platform of rushes or a shallow basket of woven cat -tail leaves and grasses serves for a nest. A site is chosen anywhere in the swamp, but usually in a rather open situation. Sometimes a tussock of grass is used, and the growing blades curl ()\-er to conceal this anchored ark of bulrushes. The Sora is a little more prolific than her cousin, tlie \'irginia, a dozen eggs being commonlv found, and fourteen and fifteen not infrequently. In the latter case the eggs are apt to ])e in two layers. The ochraceous cast of the ground color is unmistakable, and the s])0ts are both more numerous and of a duller brown than those of R. liiu/liiiaiiiis. Nothing could be at once nuire interesting and more comical than the appearance of a voung Sora just out of the shell. He is, to begin with, a ball of down as black as jet, and he has a most ridiculous tuft of orange chin whiskers. Add to this a bright red protuberance at the base of the upper mandible and an air of defiance, and you have a \-ery clown. And such precocitv ! Once, in a secluded spot, I came upon a nestful at the critical time. Hearing mv distant footsteps most of the brood had taken to their new-found heels, leaving two luckless wights in ovo. At my approach one more prison door flew open. The absurd fluft'-ball rolled out, shook itself, grasped the situation, promptlv tumbled r.ver tlie side of the nest, and started to swim across a six-foot pool to safety. 6io THE CALIFORNIA RAIL. No. 242. CALIFORNIA BLACK RAIL. A. O. L'. No. 216. 1. Creciscus coturniculiis Ri(lf,'\v. Description. — .Idiilt: Head, breast, and upper Ijelly IjlacUish slate, darker on cruwn ; a larye jiatch nn hind-neck dark cliestnnl ; remaining phiiiiage brownish black: bill black. I miiiatitrc : Similar to adult but lighter on breast, whitening on throat, shaded with chestnut on hind-crown. Dozviiy yonng: "Entirely bluish black." Length 5.00-6.00 ( 127-152. 4) ; wing 2.70 (68.6) ; tail 1.23 (31.2) ; bill .^j I 1.45 I ; tarsus .y& ( 19.8) : middle toe and claw .95 (24.1 ). Recognition Marks. — Warbler size, but appearing Sparrow size. Marsh- haunting habits; diminutive size and dark coloration distinctive. Nesting. — Not known to breed in Washington, but probably does so. Xcst: of the finer grasses lining a cup-shaped depression in grtnmd of marsh. Eggs: 9-10, white or creamy white, sparingly sprinkled with dots of reddish lirown, more lieavily aljout the larger end. Av. size, l.oox.80 (25.4x20.3). General Range. — Pacific Coast district north to W'ashington. Range in Washington. — Summer resident, ]ir(ibablv on both sides of Cas- cades. .\ lay record from Sprague. Authority. — Porcaua jainaicciisis, Bowles, Auk, \ dl. Will., April 1906, p. 141. "ABOUT as difficult tn cibser\e as a field mouse," said Mr. Cliapnian in sjieaking of the eastern bird. The coniparison is very modest, iov most of us have seen field mice. This Ijird is so tinv as contrasted with the sedge forests of its home, ample slielter fur Cools and Bitterns, that we feel sure Dame Nature must have laughed as she set this "little Partriilge" in the grass and bade him hide, as he valued his life. The l\'i)e specimen of C. Cdtiirnioihis was taken on the h*;irrallrines, October 13, 185c), and this fi)r \ears remained iniique. ( )nl\- recently has sufficient material come to hand to enable Mr. I'rewster to point out the probability that this b'arallone specimen was a yoinig bird, distinguished by an unusual amount of white spotting on the back, and to show that the Pacific Coast birds are diflferentiated from eastern birds on other grounds'''. The Washington record is based ti]ion three specimens seen by Mr. Bowdes in the Sotith Tacoma swamp on November 10, 1900. Each bird was flushed once, flying low over the grass for but ,'i short distance before plumping down out of sight. In spite of the fact that he had with him an excellent bird-dog, it was im])ossible to flush any of them a second time. The flight Mr. Bowles describes as being something between that of a wren and a a. The Auk. \'ol XXI\'., .\pril, 1907, p. 205.210. THE AMERICAN COOT. 6ii sparrow; and thev are so small that the observer scarcely thinks of them as being rails until they are gone. It is significant that most, perhaps all, of the Pacific Coast records for this bird have been made in the late fall or early winter. This tloes not necessarilv argue a northern breeding ground for the species, ])ut onl}- that the birds relax their vigilance in part at this season. During the nesting season thev simply cannot be flushed; and the discovery of a nest is a lucky accident, such as has not yet befallen any one on the western coast. In Jamaica, where the type form has been studied more closely than elsewhere, an informant of Mr. Gosse told him that se\-eral were accidentally killed bv the negroes at work, as. in the ]n-esence of danger, the l)ird is so foolish as to hide its head, cock up its nmip, and imagine itself safe. Another authority, a JNIr. ]\Iarch, likened its cry to the syllables chi-clii-cro-croo-croo "several times repeated in sharp, high-toned n()tes, so as to be audible tn a considerable distance." No. 243. AMERICAN COOT. .A. O. U. Xo. 221. Fulica americana Gmel. Synonyms. — i\Iun Hi-x. Ckdw Dick. Poul d'e.\u. Description. — Adult: General culnr lilackish slate, bluer tinted above, browner tinted below ; head and neck pure black ; lower scapulars and interscapu- lars tinged with olive-green; edge of wing, exterior margin of first primary, tips of secondaries, and lateral and posterior tail-coverts white ; bill ivory-white, a dark brown spot near the tip of each mandible : frontal shield brownish red ; tarsi and feet greenish ; toes margined by scalloped flaps. Adtilt in winter: Plumage lightened below by whitish tips of feathers; frontal shield reduced in size. Imma- ture: Similar, but more extensively tipped with whitish : frontal .shield still further reduced ; red spots on bill wanting ; bill obscure flesh-color or with olive tinge. Downy young: Blackish head and neck decorated with orange-colored bristly fila- ments, remaining upperparts with similar but paler filaments ; bill orange-red, the upper mandible black-tipped. Length about 15,00 (381): wing 7.35 (186.7); tail 2.20 (55.9) ; bill (from beginning of frontal shield) 1.40 (35.6) ; tarsus 2.10 (53.3) ; middle toe and claw 3.10 (78.7). Recognition Marks. — Crow size, to appearance; substantially uniform color- ation (slaty black ) ; white bill ; lobate feet. Nesting. — Nest: an elevated platform of dried cat-tail leaves and grasses in heavy growth of marsh, or surrounded by water. Eggs: 6-15, usually about 10, pale bufify or cream color, moderately sprinkled with rounded spots and dots of burnt umber, sepia or black. Av. size, 1.88x1.32 (47.8x33.5). Season: May 10- June 20; one brood. 6l2 THE AMERICAN COOT. General Range. — Xortli Anu-rica fmni (irceiilaiul ami Alaska suutliwanl to the West Indies and \'erai;ua. Range in Washington. — ConinKm suniiiier resident and migrant l)nth sides of the Cascade .Munnlains; sparingly resident in winter on I'uget Smnid. Authorities. — |l,e\\i^ and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Diddle; Coues. \'ol. 11. p. I'H I Cooper and Suckley, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. i860, p. 247. T. C&S. Kh. 1)'. Kh. Kk. J. 1'.. E. Specimens.— ( L'. of W. ) Prov. P". 1!. E. WHEN a canvas canoe ])fopelIed by a dotible-bladed paddle grows big ti])on the horizon anrl then brushes noisily against the weedy outpost of sonie tule swamp, an ominous hush falls o\-er the scene, a silence broken only b\- the rustling of the arum tops. \'ou saw birds from the distance, but every man Jack of them has tied. The reeds will tell no tales. Presently a Grebe relic\'es the tension b\- snorting — that is the word — then di\-es suddenly to (juench his ill-timed mirth; ne.xt a leaden figure steals from behind a distant clump of rei'ds rind gl;iiices lliis \\a\- and thai a]iprehensi\'ely. Tt is onl\- a man -:* 'a' Photo by the Author. MID REEDY HAUNTS OF COOT /XND HERN. THE AMERICAN COOT. 613 in a boat — perhaps — she did want to \isit that snail-bed before the snn got too high. So she advances, not without many niisgi\"ing hitclies of tlie liead, across an intervening stretcli of bare water, and disappears beliind a screen of reeds. The passage successfully accomplished, another Mud Hen and another ventures forth, the last one sniffing scornfully over the alleged danger. Con- fidence restored, the invaded precincts begin to re-echo to their wonted sounds of life, splashing and noise of pursuit, and mellow notes of several sorts. Only sit quiet and }-our stranger presence will soon be accepted as matter of course. Where unmolested, IMud Hens fill about as large a place in the economy of a well-conducted swamp as do chickens in a barnyard. Especially in the jjreeding season, the sound of their guli)ing call, pulque pulque pulque pulque, is the prevailing note of the swamp. These notes are rendered with tlie head close to the water, and seem to afiford a jjrodigious relief to the Ijird's feelings. The Coot, on fatigue duty, is a very prosy-looking fowl, for the bird ordi- narilv sits half submerged, with lowered wings and tail both sloping into and under the water; but the Coot on dress parade is a very dift'erent-looking fel- low, albeit his uniform is the same. W'hen the ladies are looking, he sits high in the water: the wing-tips are pointed obliquely upward: the tail is held \'er- ticallv or tilted forward : and two white patches of feathers, one on each side of the tail, are flashed into \ie\v and carried pronfinently. Courtship is largely a matter of pursuit. In this b()tli pursuer and pur- sued rise, or only half rise, from the water, with much fioimdering and splashing. And they proceed onl_\' a rod or two when both fall back exhausted, the female usually well in advance. This is mere gallantry on the part of the male, and exaggerated pretense on the part of both. When the male is in earnest, the pursuit is carried on under water as well as above it. Much time is spent bv enamored couples in simply gazing into each other's eyes. .\ pair will face each other, beak to beak, with necks stretched out full length upon the water, and paddle about for minutes together in fascinated circles. The hinder parts, meanwhile, are carried high like those of a swan. This 7'is-d-z'is pose is also a menace on the part of rivals, and is the ine\'itable ])reliminary of any cock fight. In this the birds appear to depend upon nail more than upon tooth, for they lean back upon the water, bracing with their wings, behind, and kick at each other most absurdly. After such an episode, which the female, as likely as not, has interrupted, all the interested parties float about with ruffled feathers and outstretched heads laid low, each apparently in a sort of trance of self-satisfaction. From a somewhat careful study of these birds during the breeding sea- son, I am inclined to think them polygamous. This is evidenced by the readi- ness with which other cocks are disposed to butt in upon any chase in progress, quite after the manner of the domestic fowl. Coots are highly gregarious at all times. Not only do they nest in loose 614 THE AMERICAN COOT. colonics, but in nii^raiion ilic\ iiio\f in large llocks : and when resting during migrations, tlie_\' often sit luuldled together closely. As we reclined on the bank of the Colnnibia near 'i'wo Rixers earlv one April morning, we were permitted to witness the exhibition of an interesting trait common to several species of migrant water-fowl. The current of the river at this point (nearly opposite Homely Island) is jjretty swift and it breaks into bad rapids below': but the birds, having recently conic up tlint the great gap, would settle on the water a mile or so above us and float down stream — apparently for the sheer fun of the thing. In this way an endless procession of Scaups, Mallards. Teal, Shovellers, and Canvas-backs, was hurried along before our admiring gaze. Most of the birds rose upon reaching the rapids, to re-alight well up stream; but some, Butterballs, Mergansers, and such, preferred the exhilaration of the rapids themseh'es. Glancing upstream, we noted what appeared to ].)e a log. turning lazily with tlie shifting of the current. Judge of our surprise when, at close quarters, the log resolved itself into a compact mass of Coots, a hundred or so at least. They made a pretty sight with their new spring suits and their glistening ivorv l)ills, each ci'owding his neighljor like boys on a bob-sled. As they swept [)ast we could almost belie\e that the leader shouted, "Isn't this sport!" "Great!" we answered. Ro\al sport it certainh- was, and the l)irds took their ducking in the rajiids with tlie best of humor, altho the companv was badly broken up by the pounding of the waters. We found them half an Taken in Douglas County. Photo bj' tlu- Author. BIRD TR.'XCKS. THE COOT DID NOT "T.^KE" WELL (SL.^TE AGAINST A GREEN BACKGROUND). BUT IT MAY BE DESCRIED AT THE LEFT EXECUTING THE LAST KICK, THE WHITE PATCH FORMED BY THE TIPS OF THE SECONDARIES SHOWING PLAINLY. THE AMERICAN COOT. 615 hour later preening tlieir featliers on a gravelly shoal and discussing, doubt- less, their thrilling experience. Every one is familiar with the shufiling manner in which a Coot rises from the water, floundering and kicking to get up steam ; then lumbering off at a low height only to splash down again at what it supposes a safe distance. Under the spell of persecution the birds learn to get up more nimbi}-, and Taken in Donglas County. .\ H.XTFUL OF SPECKLED EGGS. Plioto by the Autlicir. once under way prove to be not ungraceful flyers. In flight they carry their legs at full length behind them, and seem to use them cjuite cleverly as a rud- der, to supply the deficiencies of the abbreviated tail. Youthful slayers of "mud-hens" there will always be, but it is fortunate that the creatures have not yet been taken seriously as game birds hereabouts, as they have East and South, where the legitimate objects of the chase are 6i6 THE AMERICAN C( x >T. nearly exhausted. By all means let us take ourselves in hand in sufficient season to a\-nirl Iiotli the humiliating necessity of fallin.t;- liack mi nnid-hens for sport, and nf ir\int; U> reconcile our palates to tlie inii|ueslinnalily rank tiesh which I his l)ird furnishes. Tile Coiit puts a hatful nf s])eckled eggs on a hulky heaii nf Iiroken sedges or tules. This accumulalii in may he placed either on diy land near some waterway, or in various depths of water in the weedy or reedy margins of a lake. Not infrequenth- nests are huill nn the water and nnHirccl tn standing Tiihru 111 Di>in;l>is t omily. Photo bv llu- Aulli, H.-M.F .\ n.MFri.. reeds, after the fashion of Creljes, — with this difference, lidwexer, that the Coot under such circumstances alwa\s chooses dried weed-stalks, or crumpled bulrush stems for nesting material, so that the butiyancy nf the submerged portion will lift the surface of the structure high and dry aliove the water. It is not mere chance that has led us to consider the Coots and the Rails immediatelv after the Grouse. There are many points or resemblance between the Galliiur and the Paludicohc both in structure and habit ; and we follow THE WHOOPING CRANE. 617 those who hold them to be mucli more closely related than, for example, the Liiiiicolcc and the Galliiur. We should doubtless have clearer insight into the phylogenetic history of the Coot, if we were able to interjiret the meaning of the chick's downy plumage. As is well known, the _\'oung cif anv animal re- peats in the successive stages of its growth the developmental history of its race. Bearing this fact in mind, a brief description of a baby Coot will not be without interest : General color black, the down of body plumage everywhere interspersed with longer hair-like feath- ers, the terminal or exposed portion of these pale orange on upperparts. intensi- fying to bright orange-red around chin, sides of face, and back of head, forming together with tlieir black bases, now ex- posed, an absurd tonsure : short feathers of lores and ring of minute feathers about eyes still redder orange; top of head bare, forehead, except central line and space over eyes, livid purple, chang- ing on crown to pale red ; bald area modified by tiny rows of starting featliers; bill black at tip with a speck of white on top. thence to base passing thru four shades of red, pale vermilion or Saturn red, coral, light maroon, and purplish maroon: underparts modified to dull gray by whitish tips of projecting hairs; feet bluish gray. Surely the remote ancestors of the now plebian Coots must have been gay birds ! Photo by titc Author. A B.\BV COOT. No. 244. WHOOPING CRANE. A. O. U. No. 204. Griis americana (Linn.). Synonyms. — Whitk Ckaxk. Great White Crane. American Crane. Description. — Adult: Plumage pure white, the wing-quills, primary coverts, and alula black ; top of head, lores and cheeks bare, dull red, covered with a thin growth of short black hair. — the hair mixing more or less with white feathers on hind nape: bill dusky green; feet and legs black. Imiiiaturc: Similar to adult, but head not bare ; plumage, especially on back, more or less overlaid with ochra- ceous. Length 52.00 (1320.8); extent 90.00 (2286); wing 24.00 (609.6); tail 11.00 (270.4) ; bill 5.50 (139.7) ; tarsus 11.30 (292.1) ; middle toe and claw S.40 (137-2). - ' ' 6i8 THE WHOOPIiNG CRANE. Recojtnition Marks. — Giant size; lonj^ neck; long stout l)Iack tarsi; pure wliitc coloration. Nesting. — Nest: of grasses, on ground in marsli. lu/gs: 2 or 3, pale olive or light drab, spotted and blotched with reddish brown and with obscure jiurplish gray shell-markings. Av. size, 4.00x2.50 ( 101.6 x 63.3 1. General Ranjje. — "Interior of North America from the l'\ir Countries to Florida, Texas, and Mexico, and from Ohio to Colorado. r'i>rmerly on the Atlantic Coast, at least casually, to New England" ( .\. ( ). I'. Check List, 2nd Ed.). Is believed to be seeking refuge of late in nnfrei|uenled regions west of the Rockies. Range in Washington. — Reported as summer resident in the liig Bend country (western plateau of Douglas County) and as migrant in Yakima County. Authorities. — Dawson, ,\uk, \'ol. XX\'. Oct. 1908, p. 484. IT would overtax the patience of those who belie\'e that there is no bird but a dead bird, if we reported the \\'liiioping Crane as a citizen of Washing- ton solely on the strength of a flock observed bv tlie autlun- in Yakima Comity (May 2, IQ08) and studied under binoculars at a range of fii'c miles. But there is corn.iboratixe testinion\- fmni ranchers in both Yakima and Douglas Counties. A young farmer, whose attention I called to the tlock as it rose slowlv against the brown background of the Ahtanuni Range, assured me that his father had killed one of three White Cranes some four or fi\'e years jirex-ious. and that it stood as high as his head when held up. Several ranchers in the liig Ik'iul country testifv that great white cranes come in spring and light in their stuljljle fields. They are familiar with the Sandhill Crane, and unite in declaring that these birds are white and that thev stand higher than a man's head. Air. LeRoy Benson assvu"es me that se\'eral have been shot and eaten in the neighborhood of Moses Coulee, where his brother-in-law once winged a s|)ecimen and pursued it for half a da\-. I am thus explicit because there is no account of the occurrence of this now rare species west of the Rocky Mountains. sa\"e some uncertain recortls from southern Oregon. It would appear ])robaljle that these majestic birds are being dri\'en by persecution from their former range on the Great Plains, and that the\' are seeking asylum with us. If so they should be as rigidlv protected as buffaloes under similar circumstances. Si)read the word that the Whooping Crane is nat to be Icilled. saxe to the irreparable detriment of the race — our race, as well as that of the birds. THE LITTLE BROWN CRANE. 619 ^ No. 245. LITTLE BROWN CRANE. A. O. U. No. 205. Grus canadensis (Linn.). Description. — Adult: Plumage slaty gray to brownish, more or less washed, especially on back and scapulars, with ochraceous or rusty, — this rusty sometimes abruptly confined to scattered single feathers : quills, alula and primary coverts blackish ; top of head to below eye bare, dull red, skin minutely warty and with some short, bristly, black hairs; feet and legs black. Immature: Head entirely feathered ; plumage brown rather than plumbeous, extensively washed with rusty. Length about 35.00 (889) : wing 18.50 (469.9) ; tail 7.50 (190.5) ; bill 3.60 (91.4) ; depth at base .jj 1 19.6 ) ; tarsus 7.50 (190.5); middle toe and claw 3.25 (82.6). Recognition Marks. — Eagle size ; slaty gray or brownish color ; crane pro- portions of bill, neck and tarsus; smaller than the next species. Nesting. — Does not breed in \\'ashington. Like that of next species. Eggs: smaller. Av. Size 3.66x2.28 (93x57.9). General Range. — Arctic and subarctic America, breeding from the Fur Countries and Alaska to the Arctic Coast, migrating south in winter into the western United States. Range in Washington. — Common spring and fall migrant thruout the State. Authorities. — Chapman, Bull. Am. Aluseum Nat'l Hist. \'ol HL No. L ( 1890), p. 131. Specimens. — E ? THERE is no certain way of distinguishing these birds in flight from their larger relatives. G. incxicana. We only know that the bulk of the cranes which pass north during the spring migrations belong to this species, for it alone occurs thruout the tundras of Alaska in summer. During the seasonal movements no attention is paid to water-courses, and a pair seen at Dungeness on a stormy day. the i8th of April, had just topped the Olympic Mountains. No. 246. SANDHILL CRANE. A. O. U. No. 206. Qrus mexicana (AliilL). Synonyms. — Southern S.vxdhii.l Cr.vne. Browx Craxe. Description. — Exactly like preceding species, but larger. Length about 45.00 ( 1 143 ) : wing 22.00 (558.8) : tail 8.00 (203.2) ; bill 5.50 (139.7) : depth at base 1.05 (26.7) ; tarsus 10.25 (260.4) '■ middle toe and claw 4.00 (101.6). Recognition Marks. — Eagle size ; slaty gray or brownish color ; crane pro- 620 THE SANDHILL CRANE. portiiins of bill, neck, and tarsus; considerably larger tlian tbc jn'eccding species. Nesting. — Xcst: a platform of roots, reeds, weed-stalks, etc., raised sligbtly above water or mud of swamp. Eggs: 2, grayisli olive or drab, spottetl and blotched distinctly and obscurely with reddish brown. .\v. size 4.00x2.45 (101.6 X 62.2). Season: c. June ist; one brood. General Range. — Southern half of North America; rare near the Atlantic Coast, except in (Georgia and Florida. Range in Washington. — Common migrant and not common summer resi- dent both .sides of the Cascades: — decreasing in numbers as breeding range is settled. Authorities. — Gnts canadensis, Temm. Baird, Rep. I'ac. R. R. Surv. 1S58. 656. (T). Ce^S. L'. Rh. D'. D^ J. IS. E. Specimens. — ( U. of W.) Prov. 11" the pioneer We.st were to choose a bird symbol, none could be more fitting than the Sandhill Crane. Like the buffalo, and the Indian (at his savage best), the crane stands for that life of the wililerness which the white man may obliterate, indeed, but cannot subdue. He is the typical child of the desert, and between him and civilization there is a gulf fixed, a gulf which shot-guns and reclamation projects ha\e done much to widen. The trouble began, of course, away back when it was decreed that his flesh was "kosher" — and not only clean but sapid withal, "much re- sembling that of the Swan in llavor." as Xuttall oliserves. (Fancy using Swan's flesh as a basis of comparison ! Truly we have made some prog- ress in the past centur\-, ) "In the autunui and winter." Dr. Newberry said, "it [the Sandhill Crane] is abundant on the prairies of California, and is always for sale in the markets of San Francisco, where it is highly esteemed as an article of food." \\'ell, it may be true, Init that is wdiy the Sandhill Crane has become a tradition in states where it formerly abounded, and a biuidle of ner\-es in most places where it still maintains a foothold. Alert, war\-, and sagacious the Sandhill Crane alwa^'s was, for e\'en the hand of the Red-man was against him. These qtialities have attained their highest development since the advent of the hungry Whites: so that a studv of these birds is no longer classed as natural history, but only as morbid psychology. The case is not so bad on the East-side, where in certain sections, notablv the Horse Heaven country in Benton and Klickitat Counties, the birfls still maintain themselves in consideralile numbers. In spring, at least, thev feed upon the highlands until ten o'clock in the morning: then, as- sembling into companies and ])latoons, they jiroceed to a lonely spot on the Columbia River, where, if undisturbed, they drink ;uid plash and croak for hours at a stretch, some lingering indeed into the night. THE SANDHILL CRANE. 621 In fligiit these Cranes flap, with laborious majesty, being heavy upon the wing. They move in single file with an old male in the lead, or else flank liim on either side, forming thus great V's or LT"s. In starting, the\' leap to wing with a great efi^ort, and require a number of widening circles in which to get fairly under way. In the spring these gracefully ungainly birds indulge in curious antics of courtship. The male bows with outstretched wings and nearl\- touches the ground with his beak in the extremity of his de\-otion. The female returns the bow Avith respect quite as profound, and then the_\- indulge an absurd minuet, swaying, dancing, leaping, and executing high kicks with an entrancing degree of awkwardness. There is no privacy about this phase of courtship, and twenty birds at once may join the giddv whirl which seals the fate of so many young hearts. Perhaps it was a young bird I once saw, in August, adventuring to wade at the edge of the Yakima River. The bed of the stream was covered with rounded stones, among which the young Crane made poor shift. Once he stumbled outright and fell souse into the water; after wdiich he made off with ver}- uncranely language on his mandibles. On the other hand I have seen Cranes alight in fir-trees on Puget Sound, and manage it quite nicely. There is reason to believe that arboreal life plays a larger and larger part in the stealthy domestic economy of birds on the ^^^est-side. Prior to leaving the breeding grounds for the winter seasDU, the Cranes are said to assemble for a state!}- ])romenade. which is the "swell" function of the }-ear. WHien the clan is fully assembled, and after much preliminary sociabilit}-, the great company takes to wing and rises in ma- jestic circles. These spirals are continued until a considerable height is attained with a great ado of sonorous croaking, a solemn lea\e-taking of the happy scenes of yotith, after which the birds move southward. Sandhill Cranes are to be f(_iun(l, not onl}- in the bunch-grass hills and sage-covered uplands, but in mountain meadows of both the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, and upon the lesser prairies which dot the western forest. Their food consists of grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, lizards, snakes, and young sage-rats, supplemented in season by some of the hardier berries. It requires but a moment's reflection to see that the birds are highly useful. Indeed, Nelson tells us that the nati\'es at the mouth of the Yukon raise the young of the related species, G. canadensis, and keep them about camp be- cause of their usefulness in keeping down vermin. 622 THE AMKRICAX T.ITTERN. No. 247. AMERICAN BITTERN. A. O. U. No. lyo. Botauriis lentiginosiis (Moiitag.). Synonyms. — I'.dC-iu'i.L. Stake-driver. Thundi;r-pump. Indian lii'.x. Description. — .liliilt: ricneral color ochraceous or ochraceous-huff ; darker, brownish, on back, tlic crrjwn and ni)pcr liack washed with blackish, the neck obscurely streaked with buffv and hruwn ; the back and win.»s finely mottled, brownish, fuscous and nchraccous, becoming grader marginally on wing-coverts; wing-quills and their coverts slaty ; inner primaries and the secondaries tipped with ochraceous-rufous ; a glossy, black or blackish stripe on side of neck anteriorly, continued to bill bv indistinct, brownish line; chin and u]iper throat white; belly and crissum unmarked buffy; remaining umlerparts bnffy or v^diitish. marked with large stripes of mottled ochraceous and dusk\- ; bill Ijrownish black on ridge of culmen, pale yellow on sides and below; feet and legs yellowish green. \'ery variable in size. Length 23.00-34.00 (584.2-863.6) ; wing 11. 13 (282.7) • tail 4-35 (110.5) ; bill 3.00 (76.2) ; tarsus 3.60 (91.4) ; middle toe and claw 3.98 (loi.i ). Recognition Marks. — Pirant size : 1 )chraceous coloration ; heavily streaked below: secretive, ^wamp-loving ways: heavy flight: "pum|)ing" and "stake- dri\'ing" notes. Nesting. — Nest: on the gmund in swamps, nr on diy >\vanip islands, a mere depression with scant lining of grasses, etc. Eggs: 3-5, olive-drab or olive-buff, unmarked. .Av. size, 1.90x1.44 (48.3x36.6). Season: c. June ist: one laroorl. General Range. — Temjieratc North .\merica south to Guatemala, Cuba, Jamaica, and Picrnuida : occasional in British Islands. Range in Washington. — Regular but not common summer resident and migrant in suitable localities thrnout the State. ' Authorities.— Baird, Rep. I'ac. R. R. Surv. IX. 18^8, p. 67^. C&S. L'. Kk. J. B. ]-:. Specimens.— ( U. of W.) I'mv. P.. E? Tfllv records of the bug-hull in W'ashiiigli m are somewhat meager. Suckley records a s]:)ecinien frcjm Fort Steilacoom ; and Bowles notes it as a rare but regular migrant at Tacoma. T lia\e m\self seen it only at Brook Lake, in Douglas Count\', where it un(|uestionabl\- breeds in the extensive marshes bordering Crab Creek. Specimens are occasionally brought into town by Inniters, who ])ersist in shooting strange creatures at sight — for no better reason than that they are strange. For all that the P)ittern is so large to appearance, it is a light-weight, a mere mass of skin and feathers, mit so heavy as some ducks. A light cliarge of fine sliot will bring it down: but if it is onl\- wounded, beware of that sliarj) beak, which shoots rnn \\kv lightning. and strikes the eye of dog or master \\ith deadly precision. This curious fowl is at home in the f.astnesses of the swamp. Mere THE GREAT BLUE HERON. 623 he skulks and feeds ijuietly by day ; l:)ut as twilight approaches, he becomes much more active, and stirs about among the reeds hunting for crayfish and frogs, or wading with deliberate step in search of water insects and minnows. If the fishing is poor he may venture up into the meadows in search nf moles and mice. ^Vhen suddenly flushed, the Ijird makes ofl:' with a low frightened qiiawk, on hea\y noiseless wings; but if he has a moment's warning, and a ghost of a show at concealment, tlie bird stretches, instead, to an enormous height, holding the long bill vertically, and becomes rigid. In such a posi- tion it recjuires the closest scrutiny to distinguish the bird from the surround- ing reeds. E\'en in the open the bird will pose as a stake or a weed, and often quite successfully, relaxing or flying only when the danger is past. When at rest and unsuspicious, as in the heart of the swamp, the Bittern allows his feathers to droop like a rudely thatched roof, and he himself looks not unlike a deserted hut, fit emblem of the melancholy morass. It is not, howe\-er, upon his beauty nor upon his weight that the Bittern's reputation rests, but upon his wonderful voice. The moonlight serenade which this ardent lo\'er accords his mistress is one of the most outlandish performances in nature. Take an air-tight hogshead and immerse it suddenly in water with the bung-hole down; then allow the air to escai)e in great gurgles, say a caskful at a time, and }'ou will get but a faint idea of the terri- fying, earth-shaking power nf the "Thunder-pump" at close range. Uiiipli- ta-googh, innph-ta-googli, groans this absurd wooer, and the swamp quakes with apprehension. The case is serious, for the bird accompanies the cry with a motion which suggests the miseries of the Scriptural whale, and each successive Jonah has a long way to go before reaching fresh air. Maria likes the noise, of course, and, — well, love is like seasickness, at certain stages. The birds also indulge in another note not less strange, but somewhat less startling, — that of a stake smitten by a hammer. ]]'liack - a - 7vhack. zi'liack-a-zvltack, goes the bird, and the dullest imagination can picture the stake sinking deeper into the mud with every stroke. No. 248. GREAT BLUE HERON. A. O. U. No. 194. Ardea herodias Linn. Synonym. — Blue Cr.ane. Description. — Adult: Crown, sides of head, and throat white; occiput and top of head on sides glossy black, the feathers elongated into an occipital crest ; neck pale purplish brown ; a mesial stripe in front black, white and ochraceous ; feathers of the side of the neck in front much lengthened, whitish and purplish brown ; breast and belly broadly streakerl with black and white in about equal 624 THE GREAT ULUE HERON. proportions; thighs cinnamon rufnus; lower tail-covfrts while; above nearly uni- form slat}' blue; the scapulars lanceolate, sometimes varied with bluish white; black shoulder tufts of plumulaceous feathers arching over benil of folded wing, and continuous with black on sides of the breast ; wing-quills, lining of tlu' wings, and sides bright plumbeous; lores blue; upper mandible yellowish-olive, blacken- ing on ridge ; lower mandible yellow ; feet and legs black. The occipital crest of the male contains two much elongated, filamentous, deciduous feathers during the breeding season, liiunatiirc: Similar, Ijut top of head entirely black; with- out specially colored or lengthened feathers on neck, sides of breast or scapulars; upperparts inclined to fuscous; underparts with slaty and ochraceous in addition to black and white; feathers on bend of wing and thighs lighter, or vinaceous- rufous. Youuij ill first pliiiiiagc: Brownish-fuscous above, streaked and ^potted with buft'y and whitish, narrowly on head and neck; below white, streaked with fuscous and biiffy. Juvenile ])lumages vary interminably within these general limits, but the bird is unmistakable. Length 42.00-50.00 ( 1066.8- 1270) ; extent about 70.00 (1930.4) ; wing 18.00-20.00 (437.2-508) ; tail 8.25 (209.6) ; bill 5.00- 6.00 (127-152.4) ; tarsus about 7.00 ( 177.8) ; middle toe and claw 5.00 (127). Recognition Marks. — Eagle size; great size and bluish cast of plumage unmist.'ikable. Nesting. — Nest, a Inmch or platf(.irm of sticks ])laced high in trees or, rarely, on cliffs, liiji/s, 3 or 4, jiale blue. ,\v. size 2.50 x 1.50 ( 63.5 .x 38.1 ). Season: April (West-side), May (East-side); one brood. General Range. — North .America from the .\rctic regions southward to the West Indies and northern South America. Iiermudas ; Galapagos. Range in Wasliington. — Common resident on Puget Sound and its estuaries, possibly less numerous in winter; not common summer resident and migrant east of the Cascades. Authorities. — |Eewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Iliddle : Cones, \'ol. H.. iS<). I Newberry, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. VI., Pt. I\'., 1857, p. 97. T. C&S. L'. Rh. Kb. Kk. J. Specimens.— (U. of W.) l^rov. P. C. BN. E. .\S a ])icttiresque feature of the laiKlsca|)e. or oftener, the water- scape, the Heron has no ri\al. Whether standing motionless upon the fiats, with bills elex'atetl or depressed acciu'diiig as men or fish are the objects iif ciu'rent moment, or wliether tlap]iing slowly across the scene, they lend just that touch of sedate life which the artistic eye requires. The Japanese have nowhere shown clearer credentials of authority in art tlian in their handling of the heron motif in decorati\-e woi-k. \\'hen the birds descend, it is as tho Heax'en had responded to the nnite incense of Fujivama and gave gifts to men. \\'hen the birds tl\-, it is l)ecause the follv of men has provoked the gods, and Jimnni Tenno frowns fn>m the clouds. .And wdien the birds stand placid by ;i ])lacid jxiol, what more fitting s\nibol of the ancient Nii)pon where tomorrow was like }-esterday. The Great Blue Heron is, with lis, the largest of its kiiul ; ami while THE GREAT BLUE HERON. 625 not exactly graceful on the one hand, nor majestic on the other, it presents that peculiar combination of the two which we are pleased to call picturesque. While standing knee-deep in the water of some pond or stream awaiting its customary prey of minnows or frogs, it may remain for an hour as motionless as a bronze statute: then with a movement like lightning the head is drawn back and suddenly shot downward, and a wriggling fish is transfixed on the spear-like beak. A deft toss of the head puts the fish up and transfers it to the inside, and the bird moves with cpiiet, measured step to another station, or else rises heavily, with slow flaps, into the air. In full flight the Heron stretches its legs to the fullest extent behind ; and the neck, especially when the bird is sailing, is carried like the letter S or Z, so that the lower i)art is bmught parallel to the long bill, and the bird Idoks like a strato-cnmulus cloud fldating in space. Besides frequenting inland lakes and waterways, the Herons patrol the tide-flats thruout the lengtli of dur thousand-mile shore-line. Their best hours are on the rising tide when the }-oung fli)unders and stnne- rollers come scuttling in: and their patience is so untiring that they will fish, if need be, far into the night. At high tide they take a turn in-shore, or else foregather on some deserted wharf. The lines nf piling which sup- port fish-traps are also favorite stations, and they stand alrmg these un- social pedestals like pillar saints of old. On a windy day it is interesting to see tliese long-legged creatures tr^■ing■ to make connection with their narrow perches as the\' idighl. Facing the wind, some will fl\' i>ast until their dangling legs touch the top of the ]iile. an<] then allow the wind to right them: while others thrust the feet well forward and critically observe the moiuent of contact, after wdiich they struggle into position with great flappings. In spite of this apparent awkwardness, they can maintain them- selves on no larger a footing than a taut rope: and I have seen them, on Lake Erie, stand on the edge of a fish-net, and, reaching down to the water some two feet below, select an underweight whitefish. During the breeding season these large birds are gregarious. W^e have been unable to get any information of East-side heronries, and it is possible that the birds which frequent the Palouse and Big Bend country nest up- on the ground: but on Puget v^ound they nest high in forest trees where their haunts are not easily discovered. One such heronry existed formerly near Tacoma, being situated in a den.se growth of cedar trees about a mile from the Sound. There were about sixty pairs of birds in this colony, and as one looked up from the dense tangle of undergrowth, the sight of so many great nests high u]) in the tall trees was a very impressive one. From one spot Mr. Bowles counted thirty-nine nests, as many as five nests being visible in a single tree, and these placed at heights varying from seventy- five to one hundred and fiftv feet from the ground. 626 THE GREAT BLUE HERON. Since the iicsls in tliis mild cliniale ccmlain eggs l)y tlie ist of April, a visit should be jiaid to a heronry about the second or third week in Mav, if one would experience the most striking sensations. In the absence of the old birds, the voungsters. awkward, scrawny. ill-fa\iired little brutes that thev are, spend most nf their lime si|uabbling and lr\"ing tn inish r^^ - 1 m '5I^^^^''1b^|^^ : , ^ y^^4i £:xmI wt^w^' ■ V^ ' -'^iBF fV*^^«!^^ ^ J^MKy^ fcif'' \/^IE^ ^m^.^^^ir m fcp'^::". ■:.,-, ";...., ''"^ / -: 1 Taken in California. Photo by H. T. Dohlman and IV. L. Finley. A TU Eli TOP COLO.NY. each other fi'om the nest. Now and then one succeeds in sending a biother down the long abvss, but oftener Ihc pursued one escapes along a branch, or, if he falls, catches cm a liml) belnw, and scrambles to safety, tmith and toe-nail. But howeser scattered the young may be, the approach of the parent bird is a signal for all to gather. Upon alighting, the old bird first indulges a pensive moment, like a cow wliich is expecting another order nf grass sent up from the proventriculuni, after which she suddenly jabs licr bill down the neck of the nearest s(|uawker and disjjenses sweet nourishment from her secret store. This she does with each child in turn till all are fed. W'henever the old birds are about, the young keep up a loud cackling, not unlike that of Guinea liens, but less shrill and of immensely greater \dhime. The parents, t(i(>, make an astonishing amount of noise, roaring at times like caged lions. This bellowing of the Heron, as rendered at home or as produced when frightened at close quarters, is, without exaggera- THE GREAT BLUE HERON. 627 tion, the most soul-empty- ing succession of expletives in the North American bird language. But all this insight into the domestic economy of the Heron must be ob- tained incog. Once you are recognized in the under- growth below as a dreadetl human, a great hush falls upon the colony. Tlie anxious parents shrink till every feather seems glued to their persons full length, and if possible the\- slink away. The clamoring voungsters, standing full height in their nests, at a signal from an adult, turn to stone. After this they sink down bv a movement as insensible as that of the hands of a clock. No one claims that this Heron is "game," but the fact remains that thought- less people with guns, not sportsmen, of course, seem to find his towering bulk irresistible, and have succeeded for tlie most part in (lri\ing his not un- friendly presence beyond the limits of rifle range. Why cannot someone invent an automatic soaring target, as big as a barn door, stuffed with tin cans, chicken feathers and a bottle of red ink. which when hit with a liullct would fall to earth with a crash like the walls of Jericho, and so satisfy at trifling cost this peculiar lust of lead-throwing? The stateliness of the Heron is too vital a part of our western landscape to be so wantonly sacrificed. Tiiken iu California. Plioto by Fiiilcy and BohUnall. ■FROZEN" HERON. 628 THE FANNIN HERON. No. 249. FANNIN'S HERON. A. O. U. No. 194 a. Ardea herodias fannini Chapman. Synonym. — Northwest Coast IIurux. Description. — .Idiilts: Similar to .1. hcrixlias Init uf darker C()loratii.>n, wil.i shorter tarsus, and averaging smaller: uppcrparts bluish slaty black instead of slaty blue; tibia; said to be more extensively feathered. Length: 40.00-45.00 (io'i6-ii43) ; wing 17.50 (, 444-5) ; tarsus 5.50 (128.3). Recognition Marks. — As in preceding: darker. Nesting. — Nut peculiar. General Range. — Northwest Coast district from the Straits of San Juan de Fuca and (possibly) Gray's Harbor north to Queen Charlotte Islands and west coast of British Columbia. Range in Washington. — As above, transitional form resident along north- west Coast-line from Port Townsend to Gray's Harbor. Authorities. — No valid publication. B.(?) E.(?). Specimens. — Prov. E. (?). THIS more darkly colored and somewhat smaller bird has lieen descriljcd from the regions of maximum rainfall here in the Pacific North- west, and the (Jueen Charlotte Island grou]) is assigned as the t_\|)e locality. In the nature of the case it is impossible to draw a hard and fast line of separation lietween this and the interior form. On thecjry the bird should begin to difterentiate as the rainfall increases. This would affect specimens from the entire Puget Sound region, and more especiall\- birds from Ciray's Harbor and the coastal districts. Whether this gradual deepening of color and decrease of size is really traceal.)le could be determined onl\- 1)\' a large series of specimens. Such a series, I hold flatly, it would l)e a crime to secure, because of the higher esthetic interests presented in this liird: and 1 make no a])olog_\-, therefore, for stating an unsohed problem. In note-book usage we call all resilient Herons from Olympia, west- ward ;in(l northward. Fannin's, just as we call Crows found along shore. Northwests. That they are chiefly resident thruout this region and north- ward is well known, and it is the condition concomitant which permits the display of \-arialion. THE AMERICAN EGRET. 629 No. 250. AMERICAN EGRET. A. O. U. Xo. 196. Herodias egretta (Gmel.). Synonyms. — ^^'HITe Egki:t. Gre.^vt White Egret. California White Egret. Westerx Egret. White Heron. C-\liforni-\ White Heron. "White Cr.-vne." Description. — Adult in breeding plumage: Entire plumage pure white; from the interscapular region originates a train of from forty to fifty elongated feathers, "aigrettes," with enlarged and stififened shafts, and decomposed fila- mentous webs, which reach from eight to twelve inches beyond the tail : lores orange; bill yellow: legs and feet black. Adults after the breeding season and immature: Without elongated plumes on the back. Length (not counting plumes) 36.00-42.00 (914.4-1066.8 1 : wing 15.00 (381): tail 6.75 (171.3): bill 4.70 (1 19.4"): tarsus 6.00 ('152.4); middle toe and claw 5.40 ("137.2). Recognition Marks. — Eagle size; pure white plumage: black legs and feet: heron habits : "aigrette" train. Nesting. — Not certainly known to have bred in Washington. Xest: a mere platform of sticks in bushes near or over water. Eggs. t,-^. dull blue. .-\v. size, 2.28x1.60 (57.9x40.6). General Range. — "Temperate and tropical .\nierica, from Xew Jersey, Min- nesota and Oregon south to Patagonia : casuall}- on the Atlantic Coast to Nova Scotia." Range in Washington. — Formcrlv probably summer visitor at close of breeding season. Authorities. — Ardea occidentalis. Newberrv, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv., \'ol. VI., Pt. IV., 1857, p. 97. A SINGLE line in an ancient governmental quarto is our sole authority for the inclusion of this magnificent and once abundant Heron among the birds of ^^'ashington. But its former occurrence serves to point a moral very much needed, and to adorn a tale, which if trite to some ears, ought to make the ears of certain others tingle. Know then, that the "aigrette" of fashionable millinery is solely the product of this and allied .species of Herons: and that in their pursuit, at the behest of thoughtless women, depraved men. called plume-hunters. have reduced to the solitude of a few impenetrable swamps in the Ever- glades, this snow-wliite splendur which was once abundant from Florida to Oregon. The peculiar crueltv of this war of extermination lies in the fact that in order to secure the "aigrettes." which are to nod and dance on some lady's bonnet, the bird which owns them must be shot during the nesting season. The magnificent train of feathers is provided only at this time 630 THE BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. of year, as a lin'de is j^ranit'il Ikt l)est rolies fur the- wc-cldinj^^ ila_\- and the honevninon ; and if llic bulchers, whom the featlier-nierchanls jiire, were lo wait unlil the young' birds were raised, tlie wedding garments of the parents would either he W(jrn threadbare in ser\iee, or else cast aside. Therefore, since it must be done, as oin- gentle ladies have decreed, the onlv wa\' is to \ isit a colon}' during the breeding season, shoot all the old birds (\\lio will not of course desert their }'oungi, snatch out their nuptial plumes, and lea\-e their carcasses to putrify, while the starving children call down from the tree-tops to the ears that hear not. Thus a single plume- hunter has killed hundreds of Egrets in a day, and in the i>alni\' davs of the "industry,'' certain gangs were able to kill tens of thousands in a single season. Of course this slaughter is prohibited bv law in the L'nited States, but the mischief is nearly all accoiuplished so far as our own Itgrets are concerned. Besides that, the inducements held out to the plume-hunters by the criminal dealers are \'ery large. It is estimated that a \illain naiued Cuthbert cleaned up thirty-fi\e hundred dollars as the result of three days' successful law-l)reaking in a Florida swamp. And this sort of thing will continue just as long as thoughtless cjr spiritless woiuen will suljmit U> l)eing imposed u])r)n bv unscrupulous dealers, in the name of a false and man-iuade god, called Fashion. If this were a dead issue we could let the ]"lg"ret go: but there is no appeasing this lustful god, whose belly is a Jew's purse. South America, Africa, the islands of the sea, are l)eing ransacked and ravished by the emissaries of the feather-merchants. The Egrets are done for: but iiow. forsooth, "paradise aigrettes" are deiuanded. and that these may be sup- plied, out-of-the-way jilaces. which ci\ilizatioii will (ine day require tor the highest uses, are being desolated for all time. It is not merely that incal- culable suffering is being caused to innocent life, but that we are spending the birth-right of our own and our children's future, which makes this slaughter for millinery purposes rm economic criiiw. No. 251. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. .A. O. U. No. 202. Nycticorax nycticorax naevius (llodd. ). Synonym.s. — Ot'A-iURi). Ou.vWK. NiGHT Sof.xWK. Description. — Adult in breeding phimage: Extreme forehead and line over eye white: entire underparts white, — pure on chin and throat, elsewhere delicately tinged with light ashy gray or lilaccous : cnnvn, nape, and scapular-mantle (in- THE BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. 631 eluding back and interscapular region) lustrous greenish black: the occipital crest with several narrow, much-elongated, cylindrical, pure white plumes : re- maining upperparts ashy- or smoky-gray ; edge of wing white ; bill black ; lores greenish: irides red; legs yellow. Iiitinatitrc: Above fuscous, with central stripes, or centro-terminal wedge-shaped spots of white and buffy : green-tinged on crown and back, or not, according to age: below and on sides of head and neck white heavily streaked with fuscous. Length 23.00-26.00 (584.2-660.4); wing 12.50 (317.5): tail 4.75 (120.6): bill 3.00 (76.2): tarsus 3.30 (83.8); middle toe and claw 3.45 (87.6). Recognition Marks. — Brant size; greenish black crown and mantle of adult contrasting with ashy gray : general streakiness of young. Nesting. — Xcst: a platform of sticks, usually placed high in trees, but occa- sionallv in low bushes or even on the ground. Eggs, 4-6, pale, dull blue. Av. size. 2.00x1.45 ('50.8x36.8). Season: May; one brood. General Range. — America from Ontario and Manitoba southward tn the Falkland Islands, including part of the \\'est Indies. Range in Washington. — Not common summer resident and migrant east of the Cascade ^fountains, chiefly in Douglas County ; of rare occurrence but possibly resident on Pugct Sound. Authorities. — Keck, \\'ilson Bulletin, No. 47. lune. 11)04, P- ?4- '^'- C&S, L". Kk. Specimens. — (U. ofW'.) C. TRL'E to their name, the Black-crowned Night Herons tly and hunt chiefly by night. On this account and liecause of their throaty notes, they have ever been the objects of superstitious dread on the part of savages; and the sounds which they make are not exactly comforting to the ears of white men, sa\x those of tlie hardened ornitliologist. The well-known cry may sometimes be allowed to pass as qua'vk (never "qua"), but usually it is jerked out with emphasis or ill-nature, and sounds more like zvanrk. or i<.vi(.'rh. Harmless as the monosyllable may appear when uttered singly, and when divested of its ghostly suggestive- ness, the din raised by a Heron rookery is said to be mighty and discordant beyond words. As the nesting season imposes greater obligations upon the ]jarents they hunt by day as well as by night, being found sometimes singly but oftener in pairs, mo\'ing from place to place with laggard wings beating in stately svncopation. This bird may be seen to ad\-antage about the undisturbed lakes of the arid transition zone in eastern ^^'ashington. Here it moves about slug- gishlv at the edge of a pool, or else, posting on a commanding block of basalt, one will stand sentinel by the hour, head withdrawn between shoulders like an adjutant in a great coat, unobserving (apparently), unmindful of the passage of time, a somber gray figure which embodies better than anything else the dear desolation of the wilderness. 632 THE BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. FItoto by Finlcy and Bohlman. YOUNG BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. Nests occur in\\\ in cnlunies, sometimes to the inimher of thousands. Where timber abounds, phitforms of sticks are placed in saplings or tall trees, but in the arid regions they nest upim ])roken-(lo\vn tules, or even upon the ground. No colonies have been re])orted in Washington, but there must lie at least one, proliahh- several, in the Big Bend-Palouse country. No. 252. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. A, O, IL No. 270. Sqiiatarola squatarola (Linn.). Synonyms. — BeeteE-hkad. Ox-Eye. Description. — .Idult in sniiiiiicr: Above, broadly dusky or black varied by white in spots and terminal edgings, the latter color predominating on top of head and hind-neck and on wings ; primaries dusky brown, with large basal areas and portion of shaft (increasing inwardly) white; upper tail-coverts and tail white, barred with black ; forehead, space over eye, and sides of neck, to or below breast, white; lining of wings, lower belly, thighs, and crissum, white; sides of head and remaining underparts, including axillars, sootv black : bill and feet black. Aduli THE BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. 633 in Zi'iiitcr: W'ithout black below (except on axillars) — white instead; fore-neck and chest streaked and spotted with dnsk)' ; dusky of upperparts lighter ; and white replaced bv pale gray. Immature: Similar to adnlt in winter, but head and neck streaked and back spotted with yellowish-buli. Length 10.50-12.00 (266.7- 304.8) ; wing 7.50 ( 190.5) : tail 3.00 (76.2) ; bill 1.18 (30) ; tarsus 1.85 (47). Recognition Marks. — Killdeer size or larger: black and white in broad de- sign, and without distinct yellow above; below black (in summer) or nearly white (in winter or young) ; a.villarics black at any season. Similar to succeeding spe- cies, but larger; bill and head larger; presence of hind toe distinctive. Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Nest: on the ground. Eggs: 3 or 4, light or dark huffy olive, heavily speckled and spotted with dark browns or blacks. Av. size, 2.04x1.43 (51.8x36.3). General Range. — Xearl\- cosmopolitan, but chiefly in the northern hemis- phere, breeding far north and migrating south in winter ; in America to the West Indies, Brazil, and Colombia. Range in Washington. — Regular during migrations; less common in the interior. Authorities. — .V. Iiclz'Ctica (Linn.) Cuv., Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. 1858, p. 698. C&S. B. E. Specimens. — Prov. B. E. PLOVERS of any sort are nut nearly so coninion with us rts tlie\' are in the interior, especially the Alississippi \'alley, or u]ion the .\tlaniic Coast. Birds of this species, however, occur regidarl}' during the migration.s, and they even winter sparingly in fax'ored localities on Puget Sound. They fre- quent both fresh and salt water, and are more often found on the open sand or upon mud-flats than in the marshes or overflowed uplands. Flocks of from three or four to a dozen are the rule, but single Ijirds are very likeh' to be seen with flocks of the smaller Sandpipers. The little urchins troop at the heels of their larger protector and dog his steps, when one would suppose that he would far rather enjoy the compan_\- of his own kind. But the Beetle-head appears to accept his responsibility good-naturedly, and it is probable that the schoolboy rout and its chosen leader do ofl:" great distances together. Becatise of its large size the Beetle-head is a favorite with the gunners. It is the wariest of the Plovers and does not often allow an approach within gun range : but becatise of its social disposition it responds readilv io deco^•s. and may be shot from well-constructed blinds. The bird has a beautiful liquid wdiistle, is.'c-it-zve, descending to a lower pitch in the second note, and returning with a softer utterance in the last. On the wing these call-notes are repeated after long pauses: and when a ])ird is at rest, if another of the same species alights beside it, the last s\dlable of the call is passed back and forth between tlie two in lavish courtesy. Like the Killdeer these Plovers are rather unquiet spirits, and their uneasiness increases with nightfall. At this time the\' shift from place to place, calling C(Tntinually, and the\' sometimes carrv their com- plaints far into the night. 634 THE A-MERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. No. 253. AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. A. O. L'. No. 272. Charadrius dominiciis Miill. Synonyms. — Fit:LD Plover. Bit.l-hkad. Description. — Adult in summer: Above dusky, blackening on tips of feathers on liack and crown, lightening to fuscous on wing-coverts, tertials, sides of neck, etc.; spotted shar])ly on back and crown, less distinctly on neck and upper tail- coverts, with bright ochre-yellow ; primaries blackish, the basal and a concealed distal portion of each quill white; tail dusky, barred irregularly with lighter gray- ish brown ; entire undcrparts, except lining of wing, including sides of head, glossy, brownish black ; bordered on head, neck, and breast with pure white ; lining of wings smoky gray or ashy; bill and legs black. Adult in zvintcr: Usually less decidedly black on back; the spotting (streaking on hind neck) finer on upper [jarts ; the ochre-yellow brightest on upper tail-coverts; elsewhere more or less dis- placed by paler yellow and whitish; below without black; throat and crissum dull white ; elsewhere streaked and spotted with light brownish gray, a lighter shade of the same vaguely diffused over the plumage, or else underparts definitely brownish gray, finely spotted with white. Immature: Like adult in winter, but lighter below: only the breast tinged, and that uniformly, with light fuscous; pat- tern of neck all around blended. Length 9.50-1 1. 00 (241.3-270.4); av. of nine specimens: wing h.f^T, ( 173.5 ) '• tail 2.56 (65) ; bill 89 (22.6) ; tarsus 1.63 (41.4). Recognition Marks. — Killdeer size. "Golden" speckling of upperparts dis- tinctive. Somewhat smaller than [^receding species; bill decidedly smaller; not so white below in fall plumage. Nesting. — Does not breed in WashingU.m. Xest: on the ground with a scanty lining of leaves and grass. Bgys: 3 or 4, buft'y white to buft'y brown, boldly spotted and blotched with brownish black. Av. size, 1.98x1.37 ( 50.^ x ■^+''^'- . . . ^ General Range. — Arctic America excejjt the coast of Bering Sea, migrating southward thruout North and South America to Patagonia. Range in Washington. — Not ctjmmon migrant, chiefly confined to the \\'est Coast. Authorities. — | CooiJcr aiid Buckley, 229. No Washington record.] Brewster, I!. X. O. C. MI. Oct. 1882, p. 227. E(H). Specimens. — Prov. C. ALTH( ) tlic I'liilden Ploxer is conniKjnly rejxn-ted from \arious places in the eastern interior during niigratimis, it is not at all common upon the Pacific slope, nor indeed anywhere west of the Rocky Mountains. The great bulk of the migrants, especiall\- in the fall, appear to pass along the Atlantic Coast, or even at a considerable distance mit to sea. During the latter days of August enormous numbers push boldly mil to sea from the southern shore of Nova Scotia, and are not seen again until they touch the West Lidies, unless they be driven back against the Atlantic Coast b\- strong east winds, in which case the sportsmen of ^lassachusetts and Long Island reap a rich harvest. THE KILLDEER. 635 "The Golden Plover is the most abundant of the strictly migrant species of the family. In April it usually appears in tiocks of from thirt^• to one hun- dred birds in high meadows and pastures. Their flight is very swift, and the flocks are very close. All movements, when on the wing, are performed with wonderful rapidity and unanimit}-. They run Cjuickly in the grass, and, while rather shy. exhibit considerable curiosity and some degree of confidence. Their \-oice is a pleasant mellow whistle frequently repeated while on the wing. During the spring migrations while with us they are changing from winter to breeding plumage. Generally the colors of winter predominate, but sometimes specimens are taken with the underparts nearly uniform black. In Septem- ber they return in full winter ijluniage, and now frequent tlie gravellv and muddy borders of streams, sometimes in large flocks and sometimes in pairs or as single birds, solitary or in company with Tattlers and Sandpipers. At this season their habits are less active than in spring. They are the onlv birds of the famil}- whose size, abundance, and other qualities entitle them to anv consideration as a game liird. As such they are generallv esteemed" ( W'heaton ). The Golden Plover is to be accounted an abundant bird in manv parts of the Arctic regions, especially on the Barren Grounds. McFarlane recorded the finding of one hundred and fourteen sets of eggs during the passage of his expedition from the edge of the northern woods across the Barren Grounds to the shores of the .Arctic Ocean. During the breeding season the male "is accustomed to utter a sweet melodious song, most frequentlv heard during the brief hours of the .\rctic night." Nelson represents this song by the syllables, "fcc-lcc-lcc. tii Ice Ice 7cit. 7cit. Tcif. Tt'cc-u 'wit. die Ice II too lee-c." No. 254. KILLDEER. A. O. U. No. 2/^,. Oxyechus vociferus (Linn.). Synonyms. — Kildeer. Killdee Plover. Killdee. Description. — Adult: Crown, and occiput and back bright gravish brown, the feathers edged or narrowly tipped with tawny : rump and upper tail-coverts cinnamon-rufous or tawny: tail like back, crossed subterminally by broad black band, and tipped with lighter brown, ochraceous, and white, the lateral feathers irregularly dusky, white and tawny : primaries dusky, the outer with some white on the inner webs, and the inner ones with white on the outer webs : two black bands across chest, the anterior one nearly reaching around cervix : a band on forehead, separating the white and brown, and another across cheek from bill, inpure black : included spaces of head and neck, a ring around cervi.x, and re- 636 Tllli KJLLDKUK. maining uiulerparts pure white; tlie brown of l)ack encroaching on sides of breast between blaciv bars, and sometimes sutifusing entire space between them; eve-hds bright orange-red; bill black; legs pale. Young: \\"\\h ratluT more ochraceous or pale rusty edging on back than adult. Length y.00-11.25 (228.(1-^X5.81 ; wing 6.34 ( 161 ) ; tail 3.51) iyi.2) ; bill 81 (20.6) ; tarsus 1.41 (35.8). Recognition Marks. — Robin size; black and white bands of bead and breast; tawn\' rump; \ociferous " KiUdccv" cries. Nesting. — Xrst: on the groun{ the Walla Walla River, near Wallula. A grove of velfow- green willows sheltered our tent, but there were abundant reaches of level, gTass-co\-ered allu\'ium hard by. In crossing one of these areas I was inter- cepted by a Killdeer who pleaded with nie against careless steps. A few min- utes search availed nothing, and I retired to the shelter of the willows some fifty }'ards away : — retired and spied upon the little mother as she stole back softly to her eggs. \\'hen I started to return, in guilty possession of the secret, she first slipped away and fed nonchalantly in the distance. But when it became clear that the giant would really traverse the pasture, she summoned her mate and flew to the defense. The male was a timorous fowl and contented himself with wallowing impotently some sixty feet away : but the mother bird arranged a brilliant series of tableaux at twenty. Her object was to distract attention, but as I pursued my puqjose relentlessly she dashed up. tlung herself at my feet, and floundered painfully away. At four feet she lost control of herself altogether, and fairly shrieked her solicitude. "Oh, please, ^Mister! Lookout! You'll .step on those eggs! Here, look at me! I am dying! Come, eat me!" And so, Avith frightened eves, in which pain and a sort of tenderness strove for masters', she paraded her charms again and again in a \ain endeavor to lure me awav. The situation was ver}- inviting for a camera-man (albeit a green back- ground proved to be impossible for instantaneous work at close range ) , and I returned again and again during the brighter hours of the da\-. Xot once did the little mother omit the preliminary tactics of swooning, pretended lameness, and inviting distress cries. But it became evident that she feared the blunder- ing step more than premeditated mischief. If I walked boldly toward the eggs, as though unaware of their presence, she fairly threw herself upon me in an effort to turn my course. And when I crouched, camera in hand, within a few feet of the eggs, each motion of mine brought out fresh shrieks and renewed posings ; whereas the play flagged whenever the liirmentor became quiet. Of course the prime object of the posings was to excite cupidity and to enlist pursuit. To this end the tawny markings of wings and tail-coverts were flashed incessantly, while the body was ]iainfully dragged awav. As often as the ruse failed, the bird whirled about, charged forward with droo|)ing wings, as close as she dared (twice actually touching my knees), paused an instant to catch my e\-e, and started off again, coaxing, tittering, and trembling, as in an ecstasy of invitation. So acute was the need and so absolute the bird's devotion to the imperilled cause, that she was able to put on a mask of coquetr\- over her heart-break of fear, and to beam enticingly like a maiden to her lover. Again and again I humored her plea and followed the lure; and as often, 640 Till'; Kii.i.Di'.i",!-;. willi (.'xcix ^vniptMin of di'lii^lu. slu' (|iiirknR'(l lu-r ]iace, takiiii; s^und care to gain distance mi her diipo. When a cImzcii Icti nr iiiorc rcniii\cd. she rose and |)altei"ed a\va_\' In tall in audlher premeditated swDon at tweniw At fifty feet she rose with sparkling eyes and a merry "Ha, ha." to tlit a\\a_\' to parts nnkuown. 'I'lic ahsurdit}' of this ]irocess consisted in its faithful repetition with all psychological accompaniments, as often as I pleased. The hird never tired of I'liolo by the Author. Sl'XlkU li\ I'OSSICSSIOX. the tragic ganie, nor >eemed to reali/e that it was a game whose secret I knew all .along. It seems as if we might h;i\'e becomi' better .acqn.ainted in time: but no. 1 must be treated ,'is an ogi'e lo the last. But now ;i (I;mgei' less f;inc)fnl lhrealen^. W aim d.ays h;i\e melted the snows in the lUue Moiint.aiiis, and the ri\er begins slowly to rise. A back- water arm curls lazilx' around our gro\e. lloods it. ;iiid be;irs a shower of \ello\v catkins on its breast. We lia\e a canoe, .and mo\e to higher ground. 'J'he water rises steadilv, four feet in li\e d;i\-s. The field of the Killdeer's THE KILLDEER. 641 riie thciuglit nest becomes a ijeninsula. then an island, then a smaller islanc of the little Killdeer muther losing her tirst tamil_\- is not comforting. The eggs must be near hatching now, but it may take three or four days yet; and the water has only a foot to tra\el \ertically. No, those eggs must be saved! But how' They cannot be moved across the ground bv slow stages, U)r thev are already ujion the highest point of the island. I ha\'e it. The bird must travel up. Having first prepared four stout willow stakes, a slab a foot s(|uare, and some rustic railing, I repair to the island in the canoe. An upturned kettle is placed ovev the eggs to protect them while the stakes are dri\-en, inclining outward at the bottom for strength, and the platform nailed on top. Then with axe and hunting knife I cut out a deep sod containing the eggs, lift it carefully, place it in the receptacle provided above, and retire to a distant liank to await the issue. Great is the mystificatii>n and distress of the parent Killdeers upon finding their treasures removed. The little mother gazes at the Ijlack hole in consternation and walks round and rcnmd it with pitiful cries. She even descends into the ca\ity, but her babies are not there. Then both birds sound the alarm and s_\-mpathizing neighbors rush in with noisy condolences. But the bereaved mother resents their of- ficiousness and chases each inquiring in- truder away from the hole. There is a great pow-wow and much tcclcriiKi. Ijut not a bird of them ever thinks of rising- above the ground to look for a nest. By and Iw the neighbors retire to their own ii-eser\"es, the male Ijird comes across the channel to watch me, and the grie\ing UKitlier wanders about aim- lessly on the island. It is inter- esting to ob- ser\-e the male at this juncture, iov he is seized h\ an idea — a THE THREESOf) ST.\GE. Plioto by the Author 642 THE KILLDEER. dismal fdrelxuliny. Pt.Tha])s tlic Ijird-iiian has caleii lln.)se eggs! Al an_\' rate lie will rind oul it tins dreadful jJL-rson is still teniptable. He therefore titters or rathers "teeters," alhn-ingly, then runs along uiincingly a little wav. when he is sure he has in\- attention: then he settles to the ground with a well simulated chuckle of satisfaction as tho he were silliiuj oit eyys. \\ hen I do not promptly respond he begins to s(|uirni and beckon, aiitl pour out an amus- ing "spiel" aliout the number and (|ualit_\- of those eggs he is covering. It is a cle\-er trick, but the bird-man's character prox'cs unassailable, and the liird retires in disgitst. If I didn't eat those eggs, then \\here in time are tliev? Search him ! Evidently, however, if I was t(.) sa\e the Killdeer's nest, it must be done by degrees instead of suddenly. I returned, therefore, to the island, and re- moved the s(n\ with the contents from the trestle, placing it instead upon the ground a little to one side. Returning again to m_\- distant stati(.)n I had the satisfaction of seeing the female disco\-er her eggs and promptly claim them. This must have cost no little pang of ai^prehension, for the sod was raised three inches above the ground, and she became immediatelv the observed of all observers. Once more lier ti'easures were raised b\- slipping a second sod under the rirst and placing a tliird for a doorstep. This time, again, she ipiickh- mount- ed, and I retired for the night witli the full assurance that the new scheme was working. Returning on the morrow I was gratified lo lind the faithful Killdeer on her nest; and the more so that the water had risen four more inches, reducing the little island to half its previous dimensions. The nest was again lifteij b_\- the use of an(.)lher sod. First in ibis manner, anil later l>v the subsiitulion of a s.\\'r:u. FItoto by the Author. THE SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. 643 sod-covered runway for the steep stair-case_, the bird was imhiced to visit her eggs upon the very summit of the platform. The river, meanwhile, was find- ing considerable lateral relief and a further rise of more than one or two feet seemed improbable. It was thus I left the Killdeer, seated on her little Eifel, in comforting assurance that her treasures were safe.^ No. 255. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. A. O. U. No. 274. .-Cgialitis semipalmata Boiiap. Synonyms. — Rixc, rLoxiCK. Rini;.-xi:ck. Description. — Adult in sufiiiiicr: A narrow black band across breast and continuous around hind-neck ; fore-crown and a band on side of head below eye to bill, and meeting fellow on extreme forehead, black mixed with brown ; fore- head, indistinct superciliary line, lower eye-lid. chin, and throat, continuous with narrow band across cervix, and remaining underparts. white : crown and nape, back, etc., bright grayish brown : upper tail-coverts and base of tail a little lighter; tail blackish subterminally, the outer pair of feathers pure white, the others de- creasingly white-tipped ; greater wing-coverts white-tipped ; primaries blackish, the basal and subterminal portion of their shafts white ; bill black, orange-red at base; feet and legs yellowish. Adult in -wiittcr: The black markings replaced by dark grayish brown. Young: Similar to adult in winter, but feathers of upperparts tipped with light buffy. Length 6.50-7.50 ( 165.1-190.3 ) ; wing 4.90 (124.5) '• tail 2.10 (53.3) ; bill .52 (13.2) : tarsus .97 (24.6). Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size, but appearing larger; a miniature Kill- deer, but without tawny rump, and with only one band across breast. Feet par- tially webbed. Nesting. — Xot known to breeil in Washington. Xcst: on the ground. Ec/f/s: 3 or 4. like those of the Killdeer, but smaller. A v. size. 1.3OX .92 { ;3,t, x 23.4). General Range. — Arctic and subarctic America, migrating south thru tro]3i- cal America as far as Brazil, Peru and the Galapagos. Range in Washington. — Xot uncommon during migrations, chiefly coast- wise; Destruction Island, July 16, 1906. Authorities. — Acgialitis scniipahnatus ( Bon. ) Cab., Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R, Surv. 1858, p. 695. C&S. L. P.. E(H). Specimens. — L^. of W. Prov. B. THE Semipalmated Plo\-er is a miniature Killdeer to apiJearance. but it has onl}- (^ne black chest-ljand instead of two. It is not a nois}- bird like the Killdeer for it patters about silently when in quest of food, and utters only a "soft, mellow whistle" when put to wing. a. "Saving the Killdeer's Nest," The Pacific Jlonthly, Oct. 1908, p. 395 f. Reproduced liere in sub- stance by courtesy of The Pacific Monthly Publishing Company. 644 THE SX( >\\N' l'l.< )\\-Ai. Coiiiparalivt'h' few l)inls of this sjiccies pass almit; the I'acilic L'nasl dur- ing migrations. 'I'he\ l)ree(l C(.)nini(inly in Alaska, in the intei'ior and northern portions, but are more likel\- to return south by tlie overland route, esijecially east of the Rockies. The migrant birds, either singly or in small cnmpanies, paitse wherever da\"break arrests their flight, on mud-tlats, gra\el bars, or sand\- beaches. If ujion the shore of lake or ocean, they associate freely with Sanderlings, and either pursue with thetn the retreating wa\e, or else retire a little way to glean among the pebbles of tlie higher levels. The northern season is \'er)' short, and 1 ha\e seen adults southbound as carlv as |ul\ i ^th, on Destruction Island. No. 256. SNOWY PLOVER. A. O. U. No. 278. /Egialitis nivosa Cassin. Description. — Adults in suiniiu-r: Somewhat similar to .7;. sciiiil^aliiiafa. Init hill cntirch black, and black markings of head much reduced; upperparts pale asliy gray, tiiigelrcakcil. or indistincth liarrcd with l)lacki^li: hcllv white, the axiliars, sides and flanks strongly barred, — hhiekisii and wliite ; both tail- coverts and exposed tip of tail strongly ochraceoiis-lnilT. or rufous, linely barred jv'ith black: tail-feathers black basally, some of the lateral ones white or white- tijjped. Length 10.00-12.00 (254-304.8); wing 5.00 (127); tail 2.40 (61): bill 2.50 (63.5) : tarsus 1.23 (.^.8). The female averages smaller than the male. Recojcnition Marks. — Kobin size; general mottled and streaked appearance; long bill Used as nuid-]H'obe ; marsh-skulking hal)its, and jade, jack notes on rising. Nesting. — Nest: on the ground. Bygs: 3 or 4. clay-color, olive, or ashy- brown, s])ottcd and blotched with reddish brown or umber. Av. size, 1.58.x 1. 14 (40.1x29). Scasdii: c. June ist; one brood. General Range. — Xorth and middle America, breeding from the northern United States northward; south in winter to the \\'est Indies and northern South America. Range in Washington. — Si)ring and fall migrant and winter resident in suitable localities thruout the State; lireeds sparingly east of the Cascades. Authorities. — [Lewis ancl Clark, llist. Ex. 1 1814) Ed. Biddle: Cones. \'ol. 11. p. iSf). I (;. Kiilsoiiii (Temni. ) Hon.. Baird, Re]). Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 711. T. C&-S. L'. Rh. D'. Sr. Kb. D--. Kk. J. P.. E. Specimens. — V. of W. Prov. P'. P. E. \V'HKNFA'I'".R the word "sni|)e" is uttered we think most iiaturall)- of this recluse of the inland fens, for he is tlir Snipe of America. Altlio pos- sessing much in coininoii with the luiropean Sni]3e fC. (/alIiiia(/(>) and sc^nie- lliing witlt the Woodcock 1 1 'liilnlwld minor j of the Eastern states, his wa\'s are peculiar eiioiigli to make hini distinctlx' known to every sjiortsnian. He is rather a disreinilable looking fellow, a tatterdemalion in fad. as he bursts out of his liog with an exultant cr\ of "rsciif^r, (•scii/^r." and lluttcrs his rags in the wind. And as he ])ursiies his devious way thru the air, jerking liithct" and thither in most lawless fashion, the gunner coulil easih- belie\-e him an escaped jail-bird if the strijies of his garments onl\- ran the other wn\-. The Wilson Snipe is a bird of the open marsh, a fre(|uenter ol the grassy border stretches, or of the boggv margins of the "spring branch." Here he lies pretty closely li\- daw but as dusk comes he bestirs himself and goes pat- tering about in the sh.allow w.ater ny o\er tlie weedy scnm-slrewn muck, thrusting his beak down ra])idly into the ooze and extracting worms or stic- culent roots. If danger ai^iirfiaches b\' dav, the bird's first instinct is to crouch loAV. If the sk\- is clear, it is ilifl'icult to dislodge him, for the light blinds him in the air, and he knows that his ragged blacks and browns exactly match the criss-crossed \'egctation and interlacing shadows of his present siu'roimdings. If, howe\'er. the clav be o\-ei'cast and wind\ , tlie bird springs u]) (|nickd\- against the winil, shouts "Jack. Jack." twice, pursues a bewildering zigzag until out of THE WILSON SNIPE. 647 range, and then flies straiglit to some other feeding ground circles about and enters the old one from another quarter. This zigzag fligiit, which is the jo}' of the old gunners and the despair of the young, is really a wonderful exhibition of the self-protecting instinct. For we cannot fairlv accuse the Snipe of not knowing his own mind, since when once out of harm's wav, his flight is direct and rapid, and he tlrops into a bog like a shot. The trick must have been deliberately acquiretl. The cries of the first bird startled are some- times a signal for all the others in a given swamp to rise and dodge aliout in the upper air, taking distant counsel whether to return or fly to pastures new. In either case the sport is off for that day, for the aerial caucus is a sign that the birds won't stand much fooling. Of course the degree of timidi- ty which the birds exhibit in any localit}- is simply a matter of the amount of persecution to which they ha\'e been recently subjected. Sometimes the entrance of a gun- ner into a field is tlie signal for the Snipe to flee the count r}'. On the other hand, I once approaclied in midwinter a bird which I knew to be in perfect condition, and which stood quizzically in full sur\^ey until I got within five feet of it, whereupon it calmly sirani across a little brook rather than linther to fly from the harmless bird-man. All the members of the Snipe family proper, the Scolopacidar, rank high as table birds, but the \\'ilson Snipe, with the Woodcock, are the most highly prized. Water animalcuhe and many kinds of insects appear ui)on Jack's bill-of-fare, but subterranean worms are the mainstay. These are obtained in large measure by the direct probing of the bird, wlio is provided with a long beak, having a sensitive and partlv flexible tip, controlled bv a special set of muscles. In addition to this, however, it appears to make use of an ingenious device. While walking thru a marsh patches of mud are often found sprinkled with small rmuid holes set close together. These are the work of snipe, and are called "borings," being made by the bird, thrusting its long bill into the mud as far as the forehead. As it walks over and around the holes, insects and worms crawl out of them and are captured. Much the same thing may be done in a garden by boring a quantity of lioles with a small stick, and then rapping the ground with it smartly. WILSOX SXIPE ••FREEZING." 648 THE LONG-BILLED DUW ITCHER. Besides ils semi-nucuirnal habits and fasliion of ])V(iliiii!; llie nmd for food, the Wilson Snijie closel}' resembles the Woodcock in the manner nf its love-making. Indeed, never having had op])orlunit y nf simultaneous cnm- parison, 1 cannot now distinguish in memc>r\- the characteristic hooting nntes of the Snipe from those of the Woodcock. 1 ha\e seen the former, not only at the fa\'orite hours of dawn and sunset, but at high noon as well, hovering o\'er a pasture swamp patch, or cutting mysterious figures in high air. and uttering e\'er and amm the most lugubrious, lo\'e-lorn strains, like unfocused flute-notes. This passion song of the Jack-snipe has been called drumming, but the term is inappropriate. When the nesting season is on the male betrays his anxietv bv resorting frequently to commanding positions on fence-posts and stumps. Sometimes, when greatly excited, the bird will utter a harsh, guttural cackling or bleating note. On such occasions, when the l)ird is settled on a post regarding you with sober, down-turned beak and watchful eye, the effect is irresistibl\- comical. And you might as well laugh, fur you can't find the nest — ni )t nnce in ;i dozen times. No. 258. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. 232. Macrorhamphus scolopaceiis (Say). Synonyms. — Wksti-irn Dnwrrcnici^ \\'i:sti:rx l\i:n-i;Ki-;.\STED S.xii'K. Ria)- Biaj.iEi-1 SxiPE. Description. — .Idiilt in suiiiiiicr: L'pperparts black, finely mottled and Streaked with pale ciniianion-rufous, and with some white: rump and upper tail- coverts white, finely and heavily marked with briiaill\- crescentic, blackish spots, and sometimes tinged with ochraceous ; tail barred with black and white or with black and ochraceous; lesser wing-coverts light grayish lirdwn ; primaries dusky; the greater wing-coverts and secondaries varied by white margining, shaft-marks and tips: a chain of dark specks from bill to eye; belly whitish; remaining under- parts rich cinnamon, finely but not heavily speckled im sides of head and neck, and across breast with blackish ; thickly barred with the same on sides and thanks ; axillars and lining of wings white, striped and barred, or with V-shaped mark- ings of dusky: bill and legs greenish black. Adult in -.^•iiitcr: Pale cinnamon- color wanting; above brownish gray, the feathers with darker centers; rump and upper tail-coverts black and white without ochraceous; indistinct superciliary white stri])e; underparts white. — clear on belly, shaded with ashy gray on throat and breast: the sides and under tail-coverts barred with blackish. Length 11.00- 12.50 (279.4-317.5) ; wing 5.72 ( 145.3) : tail 2.20 ( 55.0 I : bill 2.-2 (60.1 ) : tarsus 1.53 i3,^.n). ■ ' ' ' ■ Recognition Marks. — Robin size; |)ale cinnauKni prrdi iminant above and rich cinnamon below in siminu-r ; fnu' umttling (if back in cither plumage; lung hill; beach-hannting habits. THE LONG-BILLED DOW'ITCHER. 649 Nesting. — Does not breed in A\'ashington. Xest: on the ground. Eggs: 4, like those of preceding species. Av. size, 1.74x1.21 (44.2x30.8) (Ridgw. ). General Range. — Western North America, breeding in Alaska to the Arctic Coast; migrating south in winter thru the western United States (including Mississippi Valley) to Mexico and, less commonly, along the Atlantic Coast. Range in Washington. — Regular migrant along the coast and on Puget Sound; less comnKm in the interior (Hoover, May 3, 1907). Authorities. — Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 713. "Washington Territor)- (Dr. Suckley).'" [C&S. 238, under M. grisciis — specimen described unquestionably referable to M. s.] T. L-. Rh. B. Specimens. — {V. of A\'. i F'rov. B. AT first sight, and upon the ground, the iJowitcher might be mistaken for a Wilson Snii)e, but immediately we ha\-e conceded so nnich, points of dif- ference bristle into view. At rest the Dowitchers never think of hiding in the grass, as does the Jack Snipe, for they feed instead along in the c:)pen on the muddy bank of a stream, or upon the sand-bars which emerge as the tide goes out. Nor do the_\' wait altogether f(_ir the water to retire, jjut wade in and l)robe the bottom to the limit of their legs and bills. In flight thev mc)\e swift!}' and directly, usually at a slight distance from the ground, and one catches flashes of white from the lower back and rump, which set all doubts as to identit}- at rest. Dowitchers are very fond of company, and usually mo\-e about in small flocks numbering from half a dozen to a score of individuals. Thev are fond, too, of imposing their C()mpan_\- upon other snipe peojile, and seldom do thev neglect an opportunity of attaching tliemselves to a flock of Curlews or Plovers, or any of the smaller Sand])ii)ers. Once when I was le\'elling at a trio of Black-bellied Pli)\'ers ( Sqinitarahi squatarola ) . and had nn- head l)uried under a focusing cloth, I was surprised upon looking up to find as man\- more unbidden guests,- motionless, as is the wont of birds just lighted, and in\-isible u])on the ground-glass by reason of their similaril}' tij the background of sand. These plain birds are modest, as becomes their attire, gentle, and unwarv. save as cruelly disciplined by the gunner. They possess, too, that fatal gift of sympath}-, which bids them tarry for their fallen comrades, and afl:'ords the gunner a second opportunity. This species may undoubtedly be fmmd upon the borders of lakes in Eastern Washington during niigratir)ns. Imt it is much more common on Puget Sound and ali:)ng the Straits of Juan de Fuca in April and September. Suckley regarded them as summer residents near Fort Steilacoom, and cites the ex- ample of a female killed on the 5th of May, which from the appearance of her plumage he thought to be a sitting bird. But there are no recent instances and the obser\er might have been mistaken in his conclusions. 6so THE KNOT. 'i'lie typical brcedins;' range is Alaska, and Nolson fciund Ui(.-ni mating at the mouth of the 'N'ukon about June ist. "Two (ir three males start in pursuit of a female and away the}' go twisting and tiu'uing, here and there, o\'er marsh and stream, with marvelous swiftness and dexterit\-. At short dis- tances a male checks his Ihght for a moment to utter a strident pcct u ivcct ; wcc-too, ivcc-tofl : then on he goes full tilt again. After they are mated, or when a soluar\- male i)ays his devotions, they rise 13 or 20 \ards from the ground, wdiere, lio\-ering upon r|ui\ering wings, the birds pour forth a lisping but energetic and frec|uent musical song, which can be very im])erfectl\- ex- pressed by the syllables [>cct-f>cct ; f^cc-trr-wce-too; ivcc-too; pcc-tcr-ivcc-too ; pcc-tcr-ivcc-too ; ifcc-too; ivcc-too. This is the complete song, but freciuently only fragments are sung, as when the bird is in pursuit of the female."^ The eggs, four in number, and closely resembling those of the Wilson Snipe, are placed in a shallow depression formed 1>\' the ])ird's bod\' in the soft moss which co\'ers the ground in that region. No. 259. KNOT. .\. O. U. Xo. 234. Tringa canutus Linn. Synonyms. — Roiu.n Snipi:. C,k\\ SnipE. Description. — Adult in summer: U]iperparts light gray, streaked centrally with black (narrowly on crown and nape, Ijroadly on back and scapulars), and varied irregularlv with some ochraceous buff; primary coverts and primaries blackish, the latter with white shafts: upper tail-coverts with subterniinal U- or \— shaped mailings of dusky; tail uniform, grayish brown; nnderparts in general pale cinnamon-rufous ; cheeks and superciliary region washed witli same, and dusky-streaked ; paler or white on belly ; crissuni, under tail-coverts, thighs, lin- ing of wings, and sides white, — the last two and sides of breast more or less dusky-barred; bill and feet greenish black. .Iditit in icintcr: .\bove plain ashy gray; ujiper tail-coverts and tail as before; underparts white; the sides of neck, fore-neck, and chest with faint dusky streaks, or irregular bars, and the sides similarly barred. J)nniatiirc : Above, ashy gray, mottled with dusky on crown ; with whitish edging and narrow submarginal dusky on feathers of back and scap- ular region; the fore-breast flecked or streaked, but not barred, with dusky; otherwise much as in winter iihnnage adult. Length 10.00-11.00 (254-270.4); wing fi.50 fifis.O ; tail 2.31 (58.7) ; bill T.34 (34) ; tarsus 1.23 (31. 2). Recognition Marks. — Robin size; called "T^obin Snipe" from the cinnamon- rufous of iircast (in sunimer) ; the largest of the Trini/ir: foiuid coastwise. Nesting. — Does not breed in W'ashingtim. Ncsf: on the gmund. Eggs: only one specimen known, — that taken from liinl by Lieutenant Greely, near K. W. Xelsoil: -Rep. of Xatl. Hist. Colls. .M.lJe in .Maska. 187;- THE KNOT. 651 Fort Conger; described as "light pea-green, closely spotted with brown in small specks about the size of a pin-head." Size, i.iox i.oo (27.9x25.4). General Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan. Breeds in high northern latitudes, but visits the southern hemisphere during its migrations. Range in Washington. — Not common migrant, chiefly coastwise. Migrations. — .S'/rn/f/; May: jMoses Lake, May 14, 1906. Fall: July- August; Point Grenvillc. July 9, 1906. Authorities. — Rhoads, Auk, N. Jan. 1803, p. i/. 15. Specimens. — I'rov. 1!. "\\'HEN King Cantite, or Kntit. had dined on a dish of strange coast- faring birds, he was gracious enough to express to his blushing chef the royal appreciation of the flavor. Whereupon the eager courtiers dubbed the waders Knuts, or Knots, and so they have come down to us — at least so Pennant says ; and Linnaeus, not over-serious (he was a busy man with all of Adam's task to finish) accepted the tradition in 'Triiiga caiiiifiis:' It is certainly fitting that these birds of the farthest north slmuld bear tlie name of some hardy Norseman. "Knots had swept down the roaring coasts for centuries, but the mystery was. Where do they come from? v^ir So-and-so was charged to bring back with him fyom the algid North, along with sundry information about the tides, and temperatures, and short cuts to China, a set of Knot's eggs; but he came back empty-handed. Grizzled sea-captains said, 'Lo, here ! lo there ! thev breed' ; but the eggs were not forthcoming. Finally, it was left fnr our own Lieutenant Greely to bring back the first authentic specimen, one taken near Fort Conger, Lat. Si° 44', North, together with the ]>arent bird. \'erily, if we were Knots, even baby Knots, we might stand some show of reaching the .North Pole" (The Birds of Ohio). The Robin Snipe are found chietly coastwise, but the}- are nnich more common on tlie Atlantic seaboard than along our sliores ; in fact, in spite of Fannin's comment, ".Abundant during migrations," we hardly count them less than rare on Puget Sound. They mo\-e singly or in small flocks, and may be found on the mud flats as well as sand\- beaches. The plain dark coloration of an adult does not attract attention at a distance, but it is often associated in feeding and in flight with more briglitlv colored birds, notably the Turnstone (Areiiaria iiiDrincUa) . It is moreover. (>ne of the least suspicious of the larger shore birds and decoys readih' to any whistle of its genus. e\'en tho the gunner be standing in plain sight. The Knots feed chiefly tipon aipiatic insects, crustaceans, and small l)i- valves. These it secures chiefly from the wake of the receding wave, but it swims also with ease, and does not fear a little Iniffeting on the part of the 652 Till': Sll ARI'-'I'AILED SANDPIPER. racing "hurryhack." Al Iiigli liiU- it n-tircs tlu-er fully id tin.- niarslifs and probes for food in tin- nii>rc o^k-u places. The home-making within the Arctic Circle seems incredibly lirief. but it is ])robablv unfair to identify the northbound loiterers of June 1st with those who report l)ack "All done" on Jul_\ loth. No. 260. SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER. A. O. U. Xo. 23S. Pisobia aurita (Latham). Description. — Adult: Above, feathers dusky centrally with edging of Ijufify and flaxen, edgings narrowest on K-rtials and rectrices, palest rufous on crown I flight feathers nearly pure dusky); tail wedge-shaped, graduated, each feather tapering sharply; iinderparts white with strong Iniffy brown suffusion on throat and across breast; this area lightly speckled willi obscure dusky, more heavily on sides of neck and breast: sides of bend and oliscure supereiliaries whitish; flanks naniiwlv streaked with dusk\ ; (from a 1 )ec. s|)ecinien in 1 'ro\ineial Aluseuni, \ ictoria). "I'.ill changing from greenish yellow basally to blackish toward tip; feet greenish yellow." I^ength of adult: 8.00-9.00 (203.2-22(8.6) ; wing 5.00-5.50 ( 127-131)./ > : tail 2.35 (5 : bill i.oo (25.4) ; tarsus 1.20 (30.5). Recognition Marl(in the gronnd in the hope of escaping observation. In the antinnn, when each indi\i(lnal shifts for itself, the bird is said to lie well th ^n|iereiliary Hue; sides of \h-:u\ and neck and across fore-neck and hreast hke color of back, but hghter ; tlie culnr (hstributed centrally from the feathers, giving a faintly streaked appearance ; remaining underparts white, or with a few gray streaks on sides ; bill longer, stout, slightly curved near ti]). black; feet and legs black. Adult in SHUuucr: Upperparts black centrally with broad margining of briglit rusty ochra- ceous ; wings as before ; breast, etc., grayish white, faintly streaked with dusky ; belly black, strongly contrasting with breast; crissum. etc.. white. Iiiiiiuitiirc: "Upperparts blackish, the feathers with rounded tips of rufous or butf; belly spotted with black" (Chapman). Length "7.60-8.75" ( 193-222.3); wing 4.70 (119.4); tail 2.29 (38.2); bill 1.50 (38.1); tarsus .09 (25.2). Recognition Marks. — Chewink size ( considcrahh- under Killdeer size); bright rufous of back and black of liellv of l)reeding plumage distin^•ti\■l■ ; soft lirownish gray of upperparts and breast ; rather long black l)ill, slightl}- curved near tip, distinctive for jjlumage CdUinionly seen. Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. \'cst: on the ground. Eggs: 4, dull brownish buff, or clay color ("bluish-white to ochraceous-buff" — Chapman), spotted, blotched and stained, chieriy about the larger end, with chestnut and chocolate. .^\-. size, 1.43x1.01 ( 3('i.3 x 25.7 ). General Range. — North America in general, breeding far nurlh. F.astern Asia. Range in Washington. — CumuKin during migrations, and occasionalK' resi- dent in winter on the West-side. Authorities. — Trinc/a alpiua var. aiiicricana, Cass.. Baird, i\^:[). i'ac. R. R. Surv. IX.. ]). 720. T. C&S. R-. Rh. T.. E. Specimens. — ( U. of W. ) l'r(i\-. 1". T.. E. AFTER the Western ( Pj'CiiiirIrs imiiiri). this is perhaps the com- monest Sandi)i])er along our coasts. Altlio considerably larger than the W'est- ern, it also is called "Peep," and it shares several characteristics with its sniallei- kinsmen. For <)ne thing, thev are all fond nf a ride. A tloaling log often proves an irresistible temptation to a passing flock, and they settle down upon it teetering and jieeping lustily, as tho it were the greatest treat imagin- able. Even more ludicrous it is to see a great company of San(l]ii])ers together with a few solenui gulls seated on the rear end of a nio\'ing log-boom. The convoying tug puffs oHiciouslv. while the water swirls away behind in dizzying eddies. l:5ut there is a hundred ^•ards of sti>ut cable and il may be a two Inmdred yard stretch of logs lietween the birds and the bt)at ; so these urcliins gather fearlessly and snicker oyer their good fortune in stealing a ride. A passenger on a passing steamer, catching the drollery of the thing, feels like bawling out, "Hey, Mister! Cut behind!" The Red-backs are to Ijc found on the beaches and salt marshes of Puget Sound, Gray's Harbor, and the Pacific Coast at an\- time of )'ear sa\'e June and Julv, wdien thev are at home in Alaska. They are. however, not common in winter, and the migratory movements mav be distinctly traced. The birds THE SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 659 are in high plumage chiring the spring migrations, and tliey not infrequently . return to our borders before hax'ing exchanged the nuptial dress for the prosy grays of winter. This species also wanders largeh- into the interior, and stray birds ma}' be picked up in almost any situation which provides water. In feeding, the Red-backs usually maintain close order, and in flight as well, so that hostile fire is very destructive to their ranks. One shot seldom suffices to teach its lesson of catition, and they are back again the next minute to look after their fallen conu-ades, and to invite repeated slaughter. Suckley tells of an arm}- officer of his ac(|uaintance who once tumbled ninet}--six birds at a single discharge of his fowling piece. It is perhaps needless to add that there ar'n't enough birds to go around at that rate. Suckley recorded this species as "resident thruout the _\ear." but it is highly improbable that it has nested so far south within historic times. Air. E. W. Nelson enjoyed unique opportunities at the mouth of the Yukon in the Seventies, and he says of these birds: "Soon after the_\' arrive in sprin:;" they are engaged in pairing, and the male ma}' be seen upon (|ui\ering wing flxing after the female and uttering a musical, trilling note, which falls upun the ear like the mellow tinkle of large water-drops falling rapidh- into a ])artlv filled vessel. Imagine the sounds thus produced b}' the water run together into a stead}- and rapid trill some five or ten seconds in length, and the note of this .Sandpiper is represented. It is not loud, but has a rich, full tone difficult to describe, but pleasant to hear among the discordant notes of the \-arious water-fowl whose hoarse cries arise on all sides. As the lo\-er's suit approaches its end, the handsome suitor becomes exalted, and in his moments of excite- ment he rises fifteen or twentv yards, and hovering on tremulous wings ox-er the object of his passion, pours forth a perfect gush of music, until he glides back to earth exhausted, but ready to repeat the effort a few minutes later." No. 265. SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. A. O. U. No. 246. Ereiinetes piisillus (Linn.). Synonj'ms. — Peep. Sand-peep. Ox-eye. Description. — Adult in summer: Above blackish or fuscous, with much brownish gray and some whitish or pale rusty edging; darker on crown and back, lighter on neck and wings ; tips of greater coverts white, rump grayish brown ; upper tail-coverts and central tail-feathers dusky: remaining tail-feathers ashy gray ; a white superciliary line, and a dusky line from bill to eye ; underparts white, except across breast, where tinged with brownish gray, and distinctly streaked with dusky brown; bill and feet dark brown. Adult in zcintcr: Above plain, brownish gray, with darker shaft-streaks or central areas; below pure white. 66o THE WKSTERX SAXDl'U'ER. marked, if at all. uiih faint streaks on sides of breast. I iiiiiialurc: Similar to adult ill Slimmer. Iiiit feathers (if hack and scapulars rounded, and with conspicu- ous edgings of pale rufiiiis and white: hreast tinged with hul'f. and faintly streaked on sides only. JA'ugth 5.50-O.75 ( 139.7-171.5 1 : wing 3.O7 (93.2); tail 1.60 (■40.6); tarsus .82 (20.8): hill .80 (20.3), that nf female averaging .10 longer than hill of male. Recognition Marks. — S])arnnv size; a little larger than J'is,ibia iiiiinttilhi, from which it may he distinguished hy longer, stouter hill, somewhat lighter col- oration of back, clearer white below, with streaked area of breast not so exten- sive; — partial webbing of feet, of course, distinctive. Xot so brightly colored as next in summer and with shorter bill. Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Xcst: on the ground, a slight dejjression, scantily lined with grass. Eggs: 3 or 4. grayish bull, greenish drab, or olive, finely speckled or spotted with dark hmwii or obscure lilac. Av. size, 1.23 X .85 (31.2 X 21.6). General Range. — Breeding from Labrador to Alaska ; migrating thru East- ern and Central .States, west regularly to Rocky Mountains, sparingly to the I'acilic Coast: south in winter to West Indies and northern South America. Range in Washington. — ( )f limited but regular occurrence during migration. Authorities. — Jones and Dawson, \\ ilson l!nllelin Xo. 33, p. 21. Specimens. — I 'rov. S.W'D-PEEPS make quick friends with any of their kind, and it is not suri)rising that this "species" which belongs further east, should lie o\er])er- suaded now and then by the loyal westerners to continue with Iheni down our coast. Moreover, the passed masters in the science of oniillKilogy cannot give a clear accemnt of the difTerences alleged to exist between piisillus and inaiiri, let alone convince us of their specific difiference. Sakes alive! if we were as fussy in anthropology as in ornithology, we should lia\e to class auburn-haired folk as Homo iyiiicoiiians instead of Homo sapiens, which they most pre-eminenth' are — not to mention j^iilcJtcr. No. 266. WESTERN SANDPIPER. A. O. U. No. 247. Ereunetes maiiri Cabanis. Synonym. — Westicrn Si:m ip.\lm.\ti-;i) Sandpifer. Description. — Adults: \'ery similar to preceding species, hut bill averaging longer and color pattern of upperparts more pronounced, bright chestnut and black where E. pusUlus is pale rusty and blackish : chest more heavily streaked with blackish, and wdth a few specks of the same on sides. In general, therefore, a more vigorous type, but specific distinction dubious. Length of bill in adult THE WESTERN SANDPIPER. 66i male, .85-.95 (21. 6-24.1 ) : average .88 (22.4) : female, r.00-1.15 (25.4-29.2), aver- age 1.05 ( 26.7 (. Recognition Marks. — Like preceding, but brighter (in summer plumage), and with bill averaging longer, that of male averaging longer than that of female pusillns. General Range. — Breeding in Alaska and migrating chiefly thru western United States to Central and South America. Casually eastward to Atlantic Coast during migration. Range in Washington. — Common during migrations thruout the State; sometimes abundant on Puget Sound and western coast. Irregularlv resident in winter on Puget Sound. Also non-breeding birds present thruout the vear. Migrations. — Northward movement continuous to middle of Alav or later; southward movement sets in about July 4th. Authorities. — Lawrence, Auk, \"ol. IX. Jan. 1892, p. 43=". (T). L'. Rh. Kk. B. E. Specimens.— (U. of W.) Prov. P. B. E. THESE birds, with an indeterminable percentage of Least Sandpipers (Pisobia iiiiiiiitilluj . and a possible admixture of Semipalniateds. consti- tute the immense flocks of "Sand-peeps," which probably exceed in number all other shore birds combined. One somehow gets the impression that they are always with us. but the few which linger thru June are unquestionably non-breeding birds. By the loth of July little wisps of peeps come drifting southward along the Pacific shore, stopping e\ery half mile or so for refresh- ments, whether upon the sand beaches or upon the barnacle-covered rocks. One may encounter a hundred flocks a day at this season, and yet, curiously enough, find none containing over a hundred birds, or such a matter. Many spots on Puget Sound, however, present more permanent attractions, and the birds will assemble to the number of thousands in certain bays which boast abundant tributary fiats of mud and sand. Thus in August, 1905, the Drayton Harbor population numbered some 5,000 birds. This little army fed regularly at low tide along the California Creek flats or in the protected area of Blaine. At high tide, they were to be found resting with the gulls upon the pile booms wdiich lay at anchor on the lee of Semiahmoo spit. By Januar_\- of the following year the company had been reduced to about one-third of its former dimensions, wdiether thru the defection of those who fa\-ored wintering in California, or because of in- cessant persecution, I cannot say. Xo better opportunit}- is afforded to study and speculate upi:)n the mys- tery of flock mo\"ement than in the case of these gentle peeps. In flock flight they weave and twist about, now flasliing in the sunlight, now darkening to invisibilitv, charge and recharge, feint and flee, all as a single bird. And be- a. It is incredible that Cooper and Suckley should not have seen this bird, hut they evidently let it pass as Pisobia tninulilla. 662 'nil". wi'.sTF.ux SAxni 'ER. caUM' they keep u]) a ilainlv chaltcriut;. like a fairy raltle-l)i ix, i ine caiiiKit de- cide wlmse \iiu-e iii ilie lial)el has aulhi;irit\'. l'|iiin aht^hting. ihev first pause ill alisohUe silence, absurd lillle Platcis, dune in piaster anil snwii broadcast ii\er tlie sand-scape. This, that they ina\' iinle uhetlier their cnminL; iiia\' liave pi"ov(_)ked hostile notice. ]\eassiired u])"n this ])iiiiit, they become animated, and begin to patter and pick ami probe and pee]>. as tho there were nothing else in life. There is something so detached about iheir happy chatter, that the bird-man feels like an uniinited cow whose bulking presence the l)an(pieting Tdkcn in Cliilhim Coiinlv. Phnio bv the Author. WESTERX S.\NDPIPERS. fairies are politeh- minded td ignore. The tlock moves slowh' forward and siiccessi\'c i^latodus rising from the de\astated rear pass ru'er their fellows to take turns at the front. .\ 11 is as merr\- as wedours f(irth a rapid, unifi)rm series of S(imewhat musical trills, which \ai'\- in strength as they gradually rise and fall, producing pleasant cadetices. The wings of the songster meanwhile \-ibrate with such rapid motion that the\' ap- ])ear to kee|i time with the rapidh" trilling notes, which can the ritnning down rif a small sj^ring and ma_\^ be representeil b\ the syllables t::.r-v-c-c-c. zr-c-c-c. zr-c-c-c. in a tine high-pitched tone with an im])etus at each '/.' This ])art of the song ended, the bird raises its wings above its back, thus forming a \'. and glides slowly to the gi-h buflf. Length aboul 14.00 (355.6); wing 7.(0 ( ii)3 I ; tail 3.11 ( 70 I ; bill J.15 ( 54.*') ) ; tarsus -'.40 ( 61 I. Recognition Marks. — Little I lawk size; long yellow legs; white upper tad- coverts, with sober duskv and white cukiratinn, distinctive for size; Tew. tew. tew, notes. Nesting. — Not known h> breed in Washington. Xest: on the groiuid. T.fl'is: 3 or 4, "brownish huffy, distinctly but very irregularly spotted with rich \'and\ke or madder brown." .\v. size, 1.43 -\ 1.20 (36.3x30.5). General Range. — .\nierica in general, breeding from Iowa and ncirthern Illinois, etc., Udrthward. and migrating south to Chili and .Argentine Republic. Range in Washington. — Fairlv common dtu'ing the migrations over the entire State. Authorities. — Gaiiibetta iiielanoletica ( Gm. ) Bon., Baird, Rep. I'ac. R. R. Surv. L\., i85,S, p. 732. C&S. Ij. Rh. D>. D-\ B. E. Specimens.— ( I '.of W.) I'rov. P. B. E. WTIILE most Sandpipers indulge in a C(in\ ersatinnal twitter, or low musical ])iping, thev are ustialh- content to reserve their serious \()cal efforts for the XorthlaiKl and the nesting time. Not .so with this bustling Tell-tale; he inust needs proclaim his presence loudly wherever found. And not only so, but lie takes such pains to publish \)y his distrustful notes the mo\enients of the hunter, that he gets himself cordially disliked and numerously assassin- ated. While no longer common, the impression of abundance is sustamed b) the restless noisy ways of these Tattlers, so that if there be a single bird about a horse-])ond, the whole countrv-side is likeh" to know of it. The birds fre- cjuent not onh' tide flats and salt water marshes, but duck ])onds, upland pools, and ri\'er bars as well. Sometimes they mo\'e uneasil\- from one part of the ])onminent characteristic of these Ijirds as the}' flutter aliont fnini ])lace tn jjlace. or rise for extended flight, is the tail a])pearing al- most white — fiir the cross-barring of the tail-feathers, while apparent enough in the hand, is scarcely noticeable at a distance. T^'pon alight- mg, the l)ir(l rem;iins a nKimenl witli wings held daintily aluft, and, if reassured, folds them quietly, one at a time, like a yacht hauling in sail, or simultaneoush', as the case mav be. < )n fniii it is often restless, bob- bing or teetering with nerxmis a]i])rehensi(in. ;ind ser\ing frefpient notice i>f its readiness for dejiarture. .\s tlm conscious, however, of its own jirepared- ness, it will often suffer a nnich nearer approach than most other species of waders. The notes of the Lesser Yellow-legs are ninch like t]K)se of the preceding- species, but are lighter in character. THE WESTERN SOLITARY SANDPIPER. 671 No. 271. WESTERN SOLITARY SANDPIPER. A. O. I'. Xo, 256. Helodromas solitarius cinnamomeus (Brewster). Description. — Adult in siiiinncr: .Mjove, olive-ljrowii nr fuscous, witli a faint greenish tinge, blackening on wings : tlie head and neck finely streaked, and the back, etc., distinctly speckled with whitish, buffy or pale cinnamon; upper tail- coverts dusky, the lateral feathers spotted or barred with white ; central tail- feathers dusky, spotted on edges with white; the remaining feathers of tail white, with heavy dusky bars ; underparts white, the sides of neck and breast and across chest streaked with fuscous; axillars prominent, white, barred with dusky; bill blackish; feet and legs dull greenish black. Winter j^litniaf/c: Colors more blend- ed; olivaceous tinge of upperparts nearly wanting; whitish spotting less pure; head and neck less distinctly streaked with light grayish brown. Immature: Like adult in winter, but colors still more blended ; no streakings on head and neck; spotting of back but¥y. Length 7.50-8.30 ( 190. 5-213.9) : wing 5.04 1 128) ; tail 2.08 (32.8) ; bill T.13 ii^^.-) ; tarsus 1. 18 (30). Recognition Marks. — Chewink size; olive-brown with white speckling. To be carefully distinguished from Act it is niaciilaria by its somewhat larger size and slimmer build, as well as by the absence of spotting on the belly. IVect, ivcct note a little sharper than that of ./, macnlaria. Nesting. — Not known to breed in Washington, but probably does so. Nest: on the ground. Bt/ijs: 4 or 5, faint dark reddish fading to light drab or clay color, spotted, blotched, and scrawled with brown, and with faint purplish shell mark- ings on the larger end. Av. size. 1.39X.95 (35.3x24.1 1. Also described as nesting in deserted nests of other birds, as Olive-backed Thrush, Rusty Crackle, etc., after the well authenticated custom of H. ocliro/^us of Europe. General Range. — Western North America east to the Plains, but chiefly coastwise; south in winter to Lower California and beyond. Range in Washington. — Imperfectly made out. All references to typicus are placed here, but there are no contemporary specimens from Washington. Authorities. — Rhyacophilus solitarius (W'ils. ) Bon., Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 734. C&S. 242. [D". Incorrect.] Jones, Wilson Bulletin, No. 33, p. 2y. Specimens. — Prov. "IT is neither because of excessive fear nor hauteur that birds of this species are not often found mingling with others of tlie Sandpiper kind, but only because they appreciate the beauty of woodsy pools and upland plashes, which is lost on their more gregarious fellows. A Soli- tary Sandpiper is most nearly comparable to the Spotted Sandpiper, but is larger, slimmer, trimmer (if possible), with a voice a little higher-pitched and thinner. These differences are easily made out if one is so fortun- ate as to see the birds together. At a time when the distinctive points 672 THE WESTERN WILLET. of this spt'cies were i.mly l)e,i;inniiig lo emerge in llie consciousness of the student. I once came upon a Solitary Sandpiper feeding at tlie eilge nf a brick-yard pond, in ctMiipany with a single Spotted and an ecpiallv solitar\' Pectoral Sandpiper. There were no other shore birds of any species within a mile: l:>ut tliese three were not above five feel a])art. haxing been led into a momentary association thru some subtle sense of kinship and recognition of common ends. When the observer had conned well the lesson of com- parative limicology there aiiforded, he put the birds to flight. They lied three ways with characteristic cries and never an afterthought, aiiparentlv, for their chance accjuaintances. "If one ha|.)])ens upon half a dijzen of these birds feeding beside a leaf-lined pool in the de]iths of the woods, he ma\' not only see a beauti- ful sight, but one out ni tlie ni'dinary in Sandpiper experiences. The iiirds dart about rapidly. ca]itiu'ing not only slugs, worms, and small crust- aceans, but insects as well. Indeed, the wings at times are carried about half-raised, as tho the bird were on the very point of flight; and quick sallies are made at passing moths and beetles. If a decaying log lies half submerged it is siu'e to be inspected from e\-ery jioint of wantage: and the bird is not averse to alighting, on occasion, upon the liml) i>f a convenient tree. Again the bird plashes about freely upon the floating vegetation, or wades breast dec]i. taking care, howe\-er, that its daint\- white bodice shall not be soiled. At other times, perhaps, it moves with the sedateness of a heron, putting each foot dciwn carefully so as not to roil the water" (The Birds of Ohio). Dr. Sucklev said, "The Solit.ir}- Sandpi])er is not rare about Pugel Sound," but his experience seems to have contradicted that of every recent obserx-er. The name does not ap])ear upon an\- local list since ]iublished, and I ha\e m\'self seen the bird onl\' once, at r.laine, in the summer of igoo. No. 272. WESTERN WILLET. A. O. U. No. 258a. Catoptrophorus semipalmatiis inornatus (Rrewst.l. Synon\-ms. — SEMIP.^LMATEL:l Tattler. Stone Curlew. Description. — Adult in summer: Above brownish gray, the head and neck streaked with dusky, the feathers of back, etc.. with irregular bars, or central patches, of dusky, and further varied with some obscure buff; primaries and sec- ondaries white, the former broadly tipped and the latter slightly tinged with dusky: upper tail-coverts wliite, or with a few dusky bars: central tail-feathers ashy gray, sometimes faintly barred with Idackish : the remaining feathers white mottled with ashv : underparts chieflv whitish, clearest on belly, tinged with huffy THE WESTERN WILLET. 673 or pale salmon on breast and sides, where irregnlarlv barred with (lusk\-; throat ' streaked with dusky : axillars and lining of wing dusky : bill dusk\' : feet and legs dark bluish. Winter plumage: Above ashy gray, lighter on neck: below white unmarked, the fore-neck gray-tinged. Immature: Like adult in winter, but feathers of back edged with pale ochraceous ; below tinged or faintlv mottleil with brownish gray on neck, chest, and sides ; otherwise unmarked. Length about 17.00 (431.8) ; wing 8.10 (20S.7) : tail ^.->,o (8^.8) ; bill 2.45 (62.2) ; tarsus 2.65 (67.3). Recognition Marks. — Crow or Curlew size; extensive white on wing with large size tlistinctive ; semipalmate feet. Nesting. — Not known to breed in Washington, but probably does so. Nest: on the ground or in grass tussock, of grass and weed-stalks. Eggs: 4. greenish white to dark olive, spotted boldly with various shades of umber-brown, and with obscure purplish shell markings. Av. size, 2.10 x 1.55 ( 53.3 ,x 304). General Range. — Western North America north to Latitude 56°, breeding from Alanitiiba and Alberta south to the Gulf coast of Texas; south in winter to Mexico. Casual east of the Mississippi during migrations. Range in Washington. — Casual during migrations. Reported from coast line only. Authorities. — [C&S. 241. Not a valid Washington record.] ["Willet," Johnson, Rep. Gov. W. T. 1884 (1885), 23.] Hubbard, Zoe, IIL July, 1892, p. 143. Two specimens taken off Dungeness, Sept. 1905, by L. R. Reynolds. T. PROMINENT wherever found l>y reason of its restlessness and noisi- ness, the Willet has drawn the fire of the country-side, inilil nnw it is quite unknown in sections where it was formerly abundant. It was ne\er common in \\^ashington, however, and oiu- knowledge of its presence is confined to reports from gunners who ha\e encountered it upon the beaches in the seasons of migration. Thus. Mr. L. R. Re}nolds secured two specimens at Dungeness in September, 1905. The range of the species being rather southerly, those which occur here may be looked upon as stragglers and ad\^enturers, rather than as regular migrants. The Willet is described as an exceedingly noi.sy bird, filling the air with its shrill cries of pill-iviU-ivilUt. 7viU-7riUit. pUl-wiU-ivUUt . at all hours of the day and often at night. Exce|)t diu-ing the breeding season, it is Cjuite wary, and difficult to approach e\-en Iiy stealth. While nesting, how- ever, it becomes silent and nearly impassi\'e, except when its nest or voung are immediately threatened, in which case it throws reserve to the wind ant common"' in British Columljia; while Brooks has taken it at Chilliwark, a little way into the interinr. 'J'he bird is suniewhat like the L'pland I'loxer ( Bartraiiiia loiujicauda) in habit and appearance, altluj it is much smaller, and it fre(|uents fields and prairies rather than mud flats. It is described as being usually uf a gentle and confiding disposition: but during the breeding season, in the neighborhood of Point pjarrow, or in the Anderson Ri\-er region, the males are said to indulge some curious fancies. Solitary birds will walk aboiU with one wing fully ex- tended and held high in air. as a sort of perpetual challenge to fellow bucks. If two birds meet, they "spar" for a few minutes, or rise towering together to a height of thirty feet or more, or until discouraged by the sweep of the wiml. At other times one will stretch himself up to full height, then, spreading his wings forward, puff out his throat and make a sort of chuckling noise, much admired by his companions. No. 276. SPOTTED SANDPIPER. \. O. l^ No. 263. Actitis maciilaria (Linn.V Synonyms. — 1'Kkt-wkkt. Tii'-ip. Tketicr-taii.. Description. — .Idiilf in siiiiiiiui-: Upperparts light olive-brown, with pale greenish or brassv luster ; the head and neck streaked, and the hack, scapulars, tertiaries, etc., irregularly barred with darker; (|uills darker and with more dis- tinct greenish reflections : the inner primaries and secondaries narrowly tippe : feet and legs pinkish white. Jl'intcr pluiuagc: Similar, but back browner, unbarred, fiiniiaturc: Like atlult but unspotted below, tinged with grav on breast; above showing blackish or buft'y bars, faintly on back, more strongly on wing-coverts, and upper tail-coverts. Ilaced a few rods back among the stunted willows and rank grasses of the u]iper sand stratum of the beach, or else sunk somewhere njion a grass-grown bank. The birds are not always discreet in the matter of concealment, antl will sometimes steal to the nest or yisit it ojienly. while search is being con- tlucted in the immediate neighborhood. The eggs, normally foin- in number, are immense for the size of the bird, and, as a couse(|uence, the young are so well found at birth that they are able to scam])er ott with never a thought for the unusnalh- substantial cushion of lea\es and dried grasses which has haibored them in embrxo. No. 277. LONG-BILLED CURLEW. A. O. X'. Xo. 264. Niimeniiis americanus r>echstein. Synonyms. — SiCKLK-r.ii.i.. 11 Kn Crui.KW. Description. — .-Uiiilt: deneral color ochraceous-lnifil" to pale cinnamon- rufous; upper]iarts varied with dusky, in broad streaks on crown, in narrow streaks on sides of head and neck, in heavy, central, ■"herring-bone,"' connected bars on back and tertials, and so variously mottled thruont, only the outer webs of outer primaries being of solid color, — dusky; below, shar])!y streaked on breast and sides, sometimes sparing!}- barred with blackish, the ground color reaching its greatest purity and intensity on axillars ; bill vcrv long, considerably decurved toward tip ; the culnien brownish dusky, the lower mandible yellow at base and THE LONG-BILLED CURLEW. 68i darkening toward tip ; feet and legs stout, dark : claws short and broad. Length : 20.00-26.00 (508-660.4) : wing 10.75 ( 273.1 ) ; tail 4.10 ( 104.1 ) : bill np to 8.50 (215.9) : av. about 6.50 ( 165. 1 ) : tarsus 3.15 (80). Recognition Marks. — About Crow size, — making SL>nie allowance for bill ; pale cinnamon coloration ; long decurved bill distinctive ; (|uavering crv. Nesting. — Xcst: a rather deep grass-lined depression on ground. Eggs: 4, ashy brown or clay-color, spotted and blotched with chocolate. Av. size, 2.58 x 1.82 (65.5x46.2). Season: .Ajiril 20-May 10: one brood. General Range. — Temperate North America, migrating south to Guatemala, Cuba and Jamaica. Breeds in the South .Atlantic States and in the interior thru most of its North .American range. Range in Washington. — Not common summer resident and migrant east of the Cascades: casual, during migrations only, west of the Mountains. Formerly an abundant breeder on the East-side, especially between the Cascades and the Columbia River. Migrations. — Spying: c. .April ist; Alalott, .April 6, 1896. Authorities. — Cooper and Sucklev, Re]i. Pac. R. R. Surv. XII. pt. II. i860, p. 245. T. 1.--. Rh. D'. n--. Kk. J. Specimens. — ( U. of W. ) Prov. C. THE Long-billed Curlew, or Sickle-bill, is a little the largest, as he is one of the best known birds of the order in \\'ashingtiin. Casual or rare west of the Cascade Mountains, this odd genius was formerly jilentiful and well ilis- tributed thruout the open countr)- of the interior. Being less dependent than most of his congeners upon the \icinity of water, he was to be found equallv upon the upland prairies, the bunch-grass hills, or in the well-watered valleys, — in fact, wherever the sage was not so abundant as to den\- a varied fare of land molluscs, beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and fallen berries, such as the Curlew loves. .Arriving from the South aljout the first of .April the birds nio\e in large flocks, sometimes to the number of a hundred or more, in continually shifting lines and /\-shaped figures — like the geese in that some experienced leader maintains a position at the front. .Altho wary and difiicult of approach, sa\-e at the nesting season, clums\" efforts at imitation of their qua\'ering call will serve to bring the birds up eagerly. Once within range the Curlews are so overcome bv solicitude for their fallen comrades that they are exposed to repeated attack until the hunter is satisfied. The "wagon-l(_iads" reported from the Columbia A'alle}' in an earlier da}- were, unfortunately, no exaggera- tion, and the ranchers today who occasionally see a Curlew may not realize how fearfnllv their ranks ha\'e been depleted. Save in the fall of the year when the birds are fat, the flesh is tough and drv, and in man\- cases positivelv unpleasant. But if it tasted like twisted artemisia fibers, frail human nature could hardlv endure to see so large a bird 682 THE HUDSONIAN CURLEW. and sucli an "easy" mark tloiirisli unmolested. Kill il, by all means, and thns tulfil the destiny of Ijnddint^' manhood! The best opjjorlnnitv is afforded when the hinl alights anu \awping lermiganls \n\\\ The nest is a mere grass-lined depression in the ground of ])asture or hill- side, and m;i\' or ma\' nr>t ha\'e con\enient access to brook or lake or swamp. The eggs. normalK- four in numl)ei-. may be found by the _'Oth or e\'en the 15th of .\|)ril. The\' are the size of large hens" eggs, pale Intft'v-brown or clay- colored, \arionsl\- spotted and blotched with a rich dark brown, and sometimes e.xhi!)itiug ti-;ices of \iolet outcropping from the deeper strata (d' the shell. Onl\- one l)rood is raiseil in a season. It is high lime to retire this quaint and interesting fellow from the list of "game ]>irds" and to afford him al)solute protection. The struggle for ex- istence will be iiard enough for him under the conditions imposed b\- cix'iliza- tion, without our compassing his absolute destruction merely that a few nii^ire light-hearted pots ma\' l)oil. Curlews are still common in certain spots where the\' ha\'e been wont to assemble for migrations, but iheii' total numbers ha\c certainh- been reduced to less than one-{|uarter. pmliabl)' nearer one-eighth, of their former projiortions. No. 278. HUDSONIAN CURLEW. .\. O. IT. No. 265. Numeniiis hiidsonicus l.atli. Synonym. — J.\ck Ci'Ri.i:w. Description. — .\dtiU: Prevailing color pale huffy; crown with two broad dusky stripes ])arted by butl'y; a dusky line thru c}e ; throat whitish, immaculate: sides of head, neck all around, and fore-breast finely streaked with dusky: the streaks, widening into bars on sides and flanks : back, etc., dusky, varied with huffy THE HUDSONIAN CURLEW. 683 and ochraceous-buff : tone lightening on wings, due to preponderance of latter color; tail distinctly barred, ochraceous-gray and dusky; quills less distinctly barred with same tints, except on outer webs of outer primaries, which are plain dusky; axillars and lining of wing clear ochraceous-buft', heavilj' barred with fuscous; bill decurved. blackish above, lightening at base of mandible; feet and legs black. Length 16.50-18.00 (419.1-457.2) ; wing 9.75 (247.6); tail 3.50 (88.9) : bill 3.50 (88.9) ; tarsus 2.28 (57.9). Recognition Marks. — Small Crow size; mottled and streaked, dusky and pale buff; rather stout decurved bill of moderate length; broad, blackish crown- stripes. Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Eggs: 3-4, pale olive, spotted with dull brown. Av. size, 2.27 x 1.57 (57.7x38.9). General Range. — All of North and South America, including the West Indies; breeds in the high north, and winters chiefly south of the United States. Range in Washington. — Fairly common during migrations, chiefly coast- wise. Migrations. — Spring: Hoquiam, April 19, 1891 ( Lawrence) ; Tacoma, Apr. 26, 1897. Fall: Destruction Island. July 15, 1906; Ozette, July 25, 1906. Authorities. — Lawrence, Auk, \'ol. IX. Jan. 1892, p. 43. L". Rh. Kb. B. E. Specimens. — (L'. of W.) Prov. B. "JACK" CURLEWS begin to appear upon our mud flats and in the vicinity of salt water marshes about the middle of April, and by the first of May have become common in suitable localities. They are, perhaps, not so wary as their long-billed cousins, of which they are lesser and unexaggerated models. They move in flocks varying in number from four or five to several hundred : and in manner of flight they appear not unlike gulls, at a little distance. When feeding, the birds move about nimbly, and their enthusiasm some- times provokes the mirth of the beholder. If on the mud flats, the Curlew plunges its bill like a probe into the mud. and jabs excitedly when it encounters some reluctant crab or worm. L^pon the tide-washed rocks, also, the bird is very agile: and few of the many-legged, scuttling creatures succeed in evading it. A Curlew, reaching for a salt}' tidbit with partially opened mandibles, reminds one absurdl}" of a bespectacled entomologist with his tweezers. Berries consti- tute a chief article of diet for these birds in the uplands of Alaska, and the\- not onlv become exceedingly fat, but their breasts are empurpled with the juices. If the birds' suspicions are aroused by the stealthy approach of the hunter, they cease feeding and stand motionless for a time, awaiting the issue of the man's intent. \\'hen frightened, they take to wing with loud cries; but if one or more of their number are stopped by the hurtling shot, the rest remain for some moments to indulge that fatal sympathy which is so characteristic of the lesser shore birds. Nesting is carried on in June and July, in the dim interior of Alaska, and along the northern borders of the continent. The greater number pass upon 684 THE AMERICAN AVOCET. the return in Septenil)er. \n\\ ] Iia\e seen a few. ]>iissil)!y non-breeding I)irds, as early as Jul}- i^tli; wiiile by August i st tliey are ni)l uncomnmn along tbe western coast. Their haste is not unseemly; but the)' do not let the kelp grow beneath tlu'ir feet, for they are due to winter in far Patagonia. No. 279. AMERICAN AVOCET. A. ( ). V. No. 2_'5. Recurvirostra americana (imel. Description. — .Idult in siiiiniicr: Head and neck all armind ami breast light cinnamon rufous; e\ering white; region about base of bill whitish; wing-quills and coverts (except iiuier secondaries and tips of greater coverts) deep brownish black ; back, inner sca])ulars, and inner (luills, lighter lirownisb black ; remaining plumage, including outer sca])ulars. lunip. tail. etc.. white: — tail tinged with ashy; bill long, slightly recurved toward tip. black; legs dull blue. .Idult in tciiitcr: Similar hut withnut cinnamon-rufous. — white instead; tinged with ])ale bluish ash. especially on the tn]5 of head and hind-neck. I iiiiiiatiirc: Ivike winter adult, but hind neck touched with rufous ; scapulars, etc.. buft'y-tipited. or mottled ; wing- quills tipped witli whitish. Length 16.00-19.00 (406.4-482.6); wing S.82 (2241; tail 3.90 (99.1 ) ; bill _^.J2 (94.5) ; tarsus 3.66 (i;' I. Recognition Marks. — Crow size; long legs; black and white and cinnamon- rufous in masses; long, slightly or strongly uptmaied bill. Nesting. — Nest: a slight platform of weathered reeds or plant-stems on damp ground in or near a swamp. Ei/i/s: 3-3, usually 4. pale oli\e or olivc-buff, heavily and rather mhforml)- spotted with chocolate-lirown and lilack. Av. size, 1.95x1.35 (49.5x34.3). Srasoii: Ma\- 10-20; one blood. General Range. — Temiierate North .\merica north to the Saskatchewan and Creat Slave Lake: in winter south to (Uiatemala and the W'est Indies. Rare in the eastern Liiiited States. Range in Washington. — Summer resident in lake region of eastern Wash- ington ; elsewhere rare or casual during migrations. Authorities. — Cooper and Siickle\-, l\ei>. I'ac. R. R. Surv., \'ol. Xll.. 1866, p. 234. T. Specimens. — P'. C. N.\Tl'l\lC ne\'er made amthiiig altogether awkward, luen stilts and chop-sticks are graceful when fashioned in tlie great workshop. The chop- sticks, in this case, are delicately curxed and skillfully handled : w bile the stilts support their owner most jauntily at a height oi se\-en or eight inches above the ground. These uni(|ue inipleiiients belong to a soft-])luniaged, do\e-eyecl creature, wdiich the ])ioneers knew- w'ell but whicli is now almost extinct within our borders, the American A\-ocet. THE AMERICAN A\'OCET. 685 The waters of a certain lake in eastern ^^'ashington, being relieved in 1904 by a new outlet, fell eight feet in a few days, leaving a shallow cove with its ancient bottom of ooze exposed here and there in the form of low mud reefs. There are mazes of cat-tails and bulrushes on one side and low alkaline slopes, acres in extent, upon the other. These conditions, it seems, exactly meet the requirements of these strange birds, and here we found them to the number of a score in May, 1906. Of course the .V\'ocets were not alone upon this favored spot. Yellow-headed Blackbirds gurgled and screeched in the reeds, and ]\Iarsh ^^'rens sputtered and chuckled over their quaint basketry, while mud-hens and ducks of a dozen species, but chiefly Redheads and Rud- dies, paddled in the channels or brooded in the teeming brakes. Once during our stay a regatta of Whistling Swans con- descended at early dawn, but the}' were soon off, upon what high mission we could only guess. There was, indeed, a constantly shifting panorama of life, but the only creatures which cared to dispute with the A\T)cets the possession of the tin_\- mud islands were the turtles and a lazy band of lumbering White Pelicans. One S-shaped reef, in particular, seemed to be the favorite lounging place of the Pelicans, and twenty-five of their com- fortable fat bodies appeared to alioul exhaust the accommodations; yet a pair of A\-ocets managed to live thru the daily inundation and to maintain a nest with four eggs. Forster Terns, also, oc- casionally bent an inquiring eve upon the reefs in passing, but we knew they would not raise proprietary questions till June. The Avocets are not rigidly gregarious : they associate freely, howe\-er, upon the nesting ground, and are to be seen in small scattered groups as often as singly. Since the tones of the surroundings are chiefly wrought out in gray-greens, grass-greens, and pale blues, the birds have no recourse to the arts of protective coloration, but appear boldl}- in a garb of black and white, softened on head and neck by cinnamon Ijrown, and this habit serves to keep Photo by the Author. A-WING. 686 THE AMERICAN AVOCET. them ever before the eye, tlie observed of all observers. If I were to make for them a claim of uniform gracefulness, some might dispute me on the ground of photograjilis hcrcwilh submitted: but it must be remarked that tlie eye catches onlv the restful nodes of motion, while the unfeeling camera some- times surprises the subject when he is only getting ready to be graceful. Tliese birds are not only waders, but swimmers and flyers as well, and they show little preference among these modes of activity. If }'ou approach a little too closely a wading Avocet, he may walk off with dignified carelessness ; Tiikcn in Douglas County. Photo by the Author. .WOCETS T-AKIX(". TO WIXG. and if the retreating bottom takes him lieyond his deptli, he is instantly at ease upon the water and swims off, duck-fashion, with keel held low in front, now glancing at }-ou over one shoulder and now over the other. Or else, either from land or water, he takes quickly to wing, letting the long legs first dangle and then straighten out behind him as he progresses. Rising is thus a bit awkward, and in settling, also, the legs must first be brought forward to engage the surface of reef or pool before the wing motion ceases. In flight the motion may be either fairly rapid or quite leisurely, according to whether the bird is frightened or merely curious ; while at sailing he is a passed master. THE AMERICAN AVOCET. 687 the neck ami bill being outstretched to fullest capacit}-, to offset the long- rudder of the legs. How exactly fitted these handsome creatures are to their somewhat unique environment, may not be fully realized until one attempts to wade thru their oozy haunts. The bottom here is very treacherous, with frequent concealed pitfalls and subaqueous passages. Both Mr. Bowles and myself shipped water in our hip boots repeatedly, in spite of the greatest precaution ; and once I went Taken in Douglas County. Photo by the Author. NEST AND EGGS OF THE AMERIC.\N AVOCET. into a hole so neatlv, with both feet, that I had a miimentar\" vision of total disappearance, and shouted in terror. Fortunately, however, the sides held when my outstretched hands met them. But the bird is prepared to meet any inequalitv of bottom, since it does not fear submergence, and the legs are carried at a slight angle, that is. di\'ergent, to preserve the equilibrium and guard against sudden surprise. In feeding along the water's edge, or at moderate dei^ths, the Avocet 688 THE A.MI'.RK'AX A\nCET. does not dabble ai ranilnni, Ijut sees and snalehes its prev Irdin the surface of the water willi great agility, assisting the passage of the nmrsel down the long bill by a quick forward thrust of the head. In advancing, the legs are with- drawn rapidly along the line of the tarsus, with folded or collapsed foot, and thrust forward again in such fasliiun as least to disturb the ooze nf the bottmii. As is not, periiaps, so generally known, the A\'ocet is also a ready diver, or, more accurately, dabbler, since it feeds from the surface of the water with the tipping motiim cliaracteristic of some of the ducks. In this operation, the legs are not at all exposed, but only the tail and the rump, the legs being evidently required under water to maintain the vertical position. In dabbling, the birds must depend more or less upon the sensitiveness of the bill, for the water Ijeconies too much disturbed for vision. The confidence in strangers sometimes exhibited by these birds in carrying on their diving operations is \erv flattering; and one only wishes that it had been uniformly deserved diu"- ing the vears which have so sadly reduced their numbers. A\ocets are rather noisy when disturbed or tin-eatened. but are not es- peciallv so at other times. Their notes consist chiefly cif simple shrill cries, neither very musical nor yet strident, "ciick-crick-crick-crick" or crcck-crcck — something, in fact, after the order of the Curlews, with many excited quaver- ings beside. It is, however, wlien its nest is threatened that the bird displays its utmost charms. It is anxious at the outset to distract attention, even before discovery of the eggs is certain: anil as one pokes about in a flat-bottomed boat or canoe, a half dozen of them at once may be seen hoisting signals of distress, and in- viting jiursuit. One example may suffice. \\'ith splendid light and well e(jtiippe(l for iihotogr;qihic a]ipreciation, we |)ut the canoe against a tiny reef u]K)n which we saw a nest with three eggs. The mother bird had fiushed at a hundred vards, but seeing our positicm she flew toward us and dropped into the water some fiftv feet away. Here she lifted a bl;ick wing in simulation of maimed stiffness, and flo]>ped and floundered away with the aid of the other one. Seeing that the ruse failed, she \entured nearer and re])eated the experi- ment, li fting now i me wing and w iw In ith in ti iken of utter hel|)Iessness. .After a while the male joined iier, and we had the ])ainful spectacle of a crippled family, whose members were uttering most doleful cries of distress, necessi- tated ap])arentlv b\- their numerous aches and breaks. Once, for experiment's sake, we followed, and the waders flopped along in manifest delight coaxing us up on shore and making oft' thru the sage-brush with broken legs and useless wings. But we came back, finding it better to let the birds make the advances. Mr. P.owles hit upon the .scheme of splashing gently in the water, and it scr\ed admiralily to excite the liirds and make them reckless; and the click, did; t)f the camera was sweeter music in our ears than the e.xplosion of death-dealing cartridges before a band of elk. THE AAIERICAN AVOCET. 689 The birds were ilri\en to the ver\- limit of frenzv, (hmcing, wing-traihng, swaying, going thru last con\ulsions and beginning o\er again without regard to logical sequence, all in an agon\- of effort to divert attention from those precious eggs. It mav seem cruel to ha\"e harassed them so. l.nit we were sustained by the integrity of our purpose, which was not robbery, but snap- shotter}' ; and we neglected no opportunity to work upon their feelings. Neighbors came ui) and looked on sympathetically, or joined in the clamor. As time elapsed, however, the color of the play changed. Finding that the appeal to cupidity was of no avail, the birds appeared to fall back upon the Photo by lite Author. HOISTING Tllli SIGN.\L OK DISTRESS. appeal to pity. Decoying was useless, that was plain; so they stood with u])- raised wings, quivering and moaning, in tenderest supplication. It was too much even for conscious rectitude, and we withdrew abashed. Chancing to exhibit m\- photographs to S(ime friends in a Seattle store, a stranger asked permission to see them. "Why,'' he exclaimed, "those are the very birds I saw over at Lake a few weeks ago. Curlews, ar'n't they?" "No," I said, "something like them, but a deal handsomer: Ax'ocets." "Beautiful! Beautiful!" Then with a sigh, "Ar'n't man\' left, I guess: a fellow killed twelve of them the tlav I was there." 690 THE SURF BIRD. I swallowed haril. Our Avocets ! probabl}' the last surviving colony in the State, butchered to a bird, no doubt. And for what? Say, Mr. Rancher, (I got the particulars) when you get tired of beef and mutton — and I happen to know that both are plentiful in your neighborhood — draw on me for the price of a dozen Peacocks (their tongues are said to be good eating, I believe) but please spare these beautiful, confiding Avocets — tliat is. if you e\-er see any more of them''. No. 280. SURF BIRD. A. O. U. No. 2S2. Aphriza virgata (Gniei.). Description. — Adults in suiiiiiuv: Above chiefly black, edged and streaked with white, in finest pattern on liead and neck; spotted with chestnut on lower scapulars and tertials ; wings grayish dusky with outcropping of white on tips of secondaries and (extensively) on base of primaries, upper tail-coverts and basal portion of tail white ; remainder of tail Ijlack tipped narrowly with white ; below white streaked and spotted with dusky, tinely and narrowly on chin and throat, broadly and heavily on breast, sparingly but sharply and broadly on flanks and under tail-coverts; axillaries white; bill ]>lack, flesh-colored at base of lower man- dible; feet and legs greenish yellow. //) winter: Pattern of plumage blended, nearly uniform grayish dusky on crown, back, hind-neck, and breast, on sides streaks coalescing or wanting, but some whitish edging on feathers of wing- coverts, rump, and breast. Length: 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254); wing 6.50-7.00 (165.1-177.8) ; tail 2.75 (69.9) ; bill i.oo (25.4) ; tarsus 1.25 (31.8). Recognition Marks. — Robin size. General streakiness with sJioit bill, zvltite rump and white wing-patch distinctive, as compared with Heteractitis iiicanus; larger size and less heavy coloration, as compared with Areiiaria inclaiioccphala. Inhabits rocks and lives close to water's edge, so not likely to be confused with species other than those named. Nest and eggs unknown. General Range. — Coasts and islands of western America from Bering Strait south to Chili. Range in Washington. — Rare migrant. Authorities. — ? A. toivnsendi, Audubon, Orn. Biog. V., 1839, p. 249, PI. 428. Not previoush' /^ublishrd. Specimens by Dr. A. K. Fisher. Blakely Rocks, Aug. 30, 1897. Specimens. — (II. of W. ) Prov. a. This account of the Avocet, contributed by the autlior to the columns of Tlie Pacific Monthly, and appearing in June. 1907, is reproduced here by courtesy of The Pacific Monthly Publishing Company. THE RUDDY TURNSTONE. 691 THIS is undoubtedly the rara avis of Western littoral ornithology. It is credited with a range extending from Bering's Strait to Chili ; hence, it prob- abl}- breeds in the Northern Hemisphere, and winters south. In habit, it ap- pears to resemble the Black Turnstone, save that it is more solitary. It bears a superficial resemblance also to the Wandering Tattler, and is likely to be found in the same situations. Our Washington record was made by Dr A. K. Fisher, who took a specimen from the Blakely Rocks opposite Seattle. No. 281. RUDDY TURNSTONE. A. O. U. No. 283.1. Arenaria interpres morinella (Linn.). Synonyms. — C.-\lico-b.\ck. C.\lico-bird. Braxt Snipe. Braxt-bird. Checkered Sxtpe. Stoxe Sxipe. Horsefoot Snipe. Description. — Adult in sitiiuiicr: Back, scapulars, etc., variegated black and chestnut-rufous, with a little white edging; the black pure on sides of neck or "shoulders," and continuous with that of chest ; rufous predominating on wings ; upper lores, cheeks, sides of throat, foreneck and sides of breast glossy black ; throat and lower lores pure white, and the remaining portions of head and neck impure white, the crown heavily or lightly streaked with black ; rump, basal por- tion of tail, with lateral and longer upper coverts, the greater wing-coverts (prin- cipally), and the remaining underparts, entirely white; basal portion of upper tail-coverts, and subterminal portion of tail, black, the latter tipped narrowly with white and rufous; more or less concealed white on primaries; — altogether a piece of patch-work in three colors. Bill short, stout, sharpened, but not acute, slightly upturned, black; feet and legs yellow, blackening at the joints. Winter plumage: Without rufous; the black mostly replaced by brown, and the rufous by gray; black of breast much restricted, hninaturc: Similar to adult in winter, but with some ochraceous margining above ; head chiefly dusky, the fore-neck clouded with dusky. Length 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254) ; wing 5.75 ( 146.1 ) ; tail 2.30 (58.4) ; bill .90 (22.9) ; tarsus i.oo (25.4). Recognition Marks. — Robin size; patch-work in rufous, black, and white above ; black and white below ; beach-haunting habits. Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Nest: on the ground. Eggs: 3 to 4, clay-colored, blotched and scrawled with grayish brown. Av. size, 1.59 x 1. 13 (40.4x28.7). General Range. — Arctic America breeding chiefly east of the Mackenzie River, south in migrations chiefly coastwise, to the Straits of Magellan ; not uncommon in the interior and probably of regular occurrence tlio not common on the Pacific Coast. Range in Washington. — Not common spring and early fall migrant west of the mountains. (Blaine, Sept. i, 1904; Destruction Island, July 17, igo6.) 692 THE RUDDY TURNSTONE. Authorities. — Strcpsilas iiitcrprts (Linn.) 111., Baird, Kip. I'ac. K. K. Surv., Vol. JX., 1X58, p. 70J. C&S. Kh. Specimens. — 1 'ruv. WE reserve tiie right to feel aggrieved tliat this beautiful creature will not stay and make his home with us. We have done our best to "advertise the country." We ha\e even tried to induce our fellow-men with the guns to discriminate between the real game, i. e.. birds with bodies big enough to be really wurtli eating, and animated bunches of feathers, like these, worth infinitely more as food for the eye. But the Turnstone tarries not in our in- hospitable clime. And it is well, perhaps, for he is ever a sociable creature; ami where two or three shore birds are gathered together, there shall the gunner be t(.) plot and destroy. And we are thankful that the Turnstone's beauty graces our shores if but for a season. Indeed, this handsome wader is a bird of catholic taste, and may appear during migrations under widely \arying conditions. Sand beaches have first choice, and to see the pied pipers pattering after the retreating wave, or else submitting to its pla\ful buffeting, is intleed a pretty sight. Here also the birds scratch after the manner of chickens, earning thereby the name Chicken Plover. Or if the)' tire of the sand, they patter among the pebbles, up- setting industriously those which are likely to harbor hidden sweets of bug I >r worm. Rough, tide-washed rocks come in for second choice; and altho the birds cannot do anv stone-tin"ning here, thev take ample toll of the clinging crea- tures, limpets and their ilk. wliicli re(|uire a poke and a pry to con\'ince them. They mingle here with their c(.)usins, the Black Turnstones, and altho I have seen a large company of tlie latter recei\e a brigliter pair with some show of haughtiness, 1 think the\' soon estaljlisli tlieir welcome. But a ii\'er bar or an alkaline plash, in the interior of tlie State, is as likelv to win an hour froiu this l)ird in ])assing; and I ha\-e seen stray indi- viduals, installed as guides, riding the pile booms of Drayton Harljor in comi)an\' with lialf a tliousand little "\\'esterns." Once, in Ohio, 1 was surprised and delighted, in view of the late date, June 4th, 1003, to see a flock of sixteen of these waders feeding industriously . on a large patch of reclaimed swanij) land near Port Clinton. By cautious ap- proach under co\-er of a d\ke 1 was able to see that both sexes were about e<|uallv re])resented in the flock; and noted, again, the patchy ])attern of white, black, and intense rufous, as it was thrown into relief 1)\- the black, nnicky .soil. The birds were silent and intent only upon feeding. This they did by ad- vancing slowly over the plowed ground and gleaning from its surface, and by turning over the clods which lay in their path to search eagerly beneath. It was rather amusing to see a liird walk up to a clod bigger than itself and THE BLACK TURNSTONE. 693 several times as heaxy, insert its lieak and give an o