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AMERICAN

GAME BIRDS

BY

CHESTER A. REED, S. B.

Author of ‘Land Birds,” Water Birds,” ‘‘North American Birds’ Eggs,’
“Camera Studies of Wild Birds,” etc.

ILLUSTRATING MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED SPECIES
IN NATURAL COLORS

DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & CO.

GARDEN CITY, N. Y.
1912

COPYRIGHTED, 1912, BY
CHARLES K. REED

WORCESTER, MASS,

ENGRAVED AND PRINTED BY
QUADRI-COLOR cO., NEW YORK

AMERICAN GAME BIRDS

This book is the result of repeated requests from sportsmen in the last few
years for a convenient handbook illustrative and descriptive of the game
birds. Although there are hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of volumes deal-
ing with hunting the various species of wild fowl, we believe “American
Game Bids” to be the first to illustrate practically all of them with accu-
rately colored plates.

Circumstances permitting, nearly every man or boy capable of holding a
gun is, or sometime will be,a sportsman. Many sportsmen are expert orni-
thologists, well acquainted with the names and habits of most of the birds,
but the great majority are not and often secure game which they or their
friends are unable to name. ‘‘American Game Birds,” according to an old
sportsman who has hunted all kinds of game in all parts of our country, will
be a boon to sportsmen of all calibers, for ‘“‘the novice has got to have it to
know what he is shooting, the man familiar with the birds of his locality will
want it in order to see what his brother sportsmen are shooting in other parts
of the country, and the old-timer will literally renew his youth as he turns
over the pages and sees portraits of his old bird acquaintances and recalls
the exact places and circumstances of their former capture.”

A book with this title might very properly commence with the most pop-
ular game birds and continue down the list to the least popular ones, but if
we placed the Ruffed Grouse or the Bob-white in the van, some sportsman
who believes there is no game but ducks would be sure to be offended. Since
there is a natural order of birds that is adopted by scientists the world over,
we have taken up our so-called game birds in this natural order, an arrange-
ment that brings the Mergansers or “Fish Ducks”’ to the fore, even though
they are not desirable as an article of food. We have included all the ducks,
even though many of them are not fit to eat, and also all the sandpipers,
even though many of them are so tiny that none but the veriest novice would
intentionally shoot them, for the reason that they are very commonly seen,
can be legally shot, and many are inadvertently taken before their identity

is discovered.
CHESTER A. REED.
Worcester, Mass., August, 1912.

AMERICAN GAME BIRDS

MERGANSERS (Mergus americanus) are
large ducks of unusual beauty of plumage,
but otherwise of comparatively little inter-
est to sportsmen, since their flesh is wholly
unfit for the table. Their food consists very
extensively of fish, a diet that gives a very
strong and rank flavor to the flesh of any
bird. That they are excellent divers and
swimmers is amply proven by the fact that
they pursue and catch fish under water.
The bill of the Merganser is quite slender
and cylindrical, the edges being provided
with sharp saw-teeth to enable them to
firmly hold their finny prey.

This species, although often frequenting
salt water, is very partial to fresh-water
lakes, creeks and rivers. They remain in
such places during winter, just as far north
as the water remains open. They are known
by many local names, among the most com-
mon of which may be mentioned “ Goosan-
der,” “Saw-bill,’ “Buff-breasted Shel-
drake,” “Fishing Duck” and “ Weazer.”
It is well to note some of the major differ-
ences between this species and the next.
The male Merganser has a somewhat puffy
head, but no distinct crest as does the fol-
lowing. The salmon-coloréd breast and

under parts are unmarked. The females MERGANSER (9, d)
are more confusing, for both species have RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
crests, but that of the present is heavier and (@, 4)

browner. An infallible mark of distinction

is the nostril, which in this species is just midway between the eye and tip
of bill, while in the next it is located nearer the eye. The Merganser occurs
throughout North America, breeding locally from the Northern States,
northward. The eggs are laid in hollow trees or, in the far North, usually
on the ground.

RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS (Mergus serrator) share most of the
local names with the preceding species. They are, however, more commonly
found on salt than on fresh water. They are cosmopolitan in distribution,
nesting on the ground in Canada and spending the winter throughout the
United States, but most abundantly on the coasts.

7

HOODED MERGANSER (Lophodytes
cucullatus). This smallest of the Sheldrakes
has a magnificent circular, flat, fan-shaped
crest which can be opened or shut to ex-
press the emotions of the owner. Although
quite universally known by its right name,
this species is sometimes spoken of as the
“Hairy-head,” ‘Little, Wood, Pond or
Summer Sheldrake.” They at times live
chiefly upon small fish, but at some sea-
sons in some localities feed extensively upon
mollusks and roots and their flesh then
is quite palatable.

Hooded Mergansers are exclusively North
American, breeding throughout the United
States and Canada, but quite locally. Their
half dozen or more buff-colored eggs are laid
on asoft bed of grass and down, in cavities
of trees, generally along the banks of streams
orlakes. These birds are exceedingly active
on the surface of the water, and more so
below, pursuing fish with the greatest agility,
using both the wings and feet to propel them
through the water.

MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos). Prob-
ably the most valuable of all wild water fowl,
for they are easily domesticated and are the
SS : os source from which some of our best barn-
HOODED MERGANSER (4, ?) yard ducks have descended. As _ usual,

MALLARD (4, 2) other names are often associated with them,

some persons knowing them only as ‘“ Green-
heads,” others as “Wild Ducks,” while to the French they are the “Can-
ard francais” or “French Duck.” They are found throughout most of the

Northern Hemisphere and are very highly esteemed as table birds every-

where. They feed almost wholly upon vegetable matter, such as tender

roots of aquatic plants, which they get from the bottoms of ponds in shallow
water, by “tipping up” and not by diving, and upon various grains and
grasses in meadows or cultivated fields.

During early summer, while the female is sitting upon her greenish-buff
eggs in some remote part of the meadow, the drake moults to a plumage
similar to that of his mate, only to again assume his handsome dress in Sep-
tember.

BLACK DUCK (Anas rubripes). This spe-
cies is in many respects quite similar to the
Mallard, in fact it is often termed “Black
Mallard” or ‘Dusky Duck.” Thesexes are
quite similar in plumage, the female being
only a little lighter colored. The female
Mallard sometimes bears considerable re-
semblance to the Black Duck, but always
shows the two white bands bordering the
greenish-blue speculum. The present spe-
cies, too, has white linings to the wings,
which are very conspicuous during flight.
Black Ducks are found in eastern North
America, nesting in Canada and the North-
ern States, where to a large extent they
replace Mallards, and wintering south to
the Gulf States.

The nesting and feeding habits of Black
Ducks and Mallards are almost. identical.
They feed chiefly after dark, in marshes or
shallow water, where they can easily reach
the bottom. Although usually they are very
watchful and wary, from time to time they
forget caution and the marshes resound with
their loud quacking.

FLORIDA DUCKS (Anas fulvigula) are
quite like the Black Duck, but the coloration
is a trifle more buffy and the throat has less eae I ,
streaking. The feathers on the flanks and BLACK DUCK
under parts are also somewhat differently pat- GADWALL
terned. They are found only in Florida.

The MOTTLED DUCK (Anas fulviguia maculosa), which is found in
southern Texas, is quite spotted on the under parts.

GADWALL (Chaulelasmus streperus). These birds, which measure about
21 inches in length, are cosmopolitan in distribution, but in America are no-
where as abundant as the following species. They frequent marshes about
fresh-water lakes and ponds, breeding chiefly in the interior and western
America and being only casually found during migrations on the Atlantic
coast north of Chesapeake Bay. Compared to other species, the drake is
rather poorly plumaged, the black, white and chestnut on the wings only
serving to break the monotony of the general coloring.

BALDPATES (Mareca americana), that
is, the drakes, are quite handsomely plum-
aged, as our picture shows. The name is
bestowed because of the white crown, simi-
larly as the Bald Eagle is so named, even
though it is not in any respect bald. Some
sportsmen prefer to term this species the
“Widgeon,” but since that is the name of
the common European bird, the present one
is better for this species.

These birds are found, in the proper sea-
sons, throughout North America, breeding
chiefly in the interior, from the Arctic Circle
south as far as Texas. They winter in the
southern half of the United States and, while
abundant on the South Atlantic coast, occur
on the New England coast only casually
during migrations.

They are quite highly esteemed as table
birds, for their food is almost wholly of vege-
table matter. They delight in accompany-
ing flocks of Canvasbacks, Redheads or
other deep-diving ducks, as they can feed
upon the roots which, loosened by these
birds, float to the surface.

EUROPEAN WIDGEONS (Mareca penel-
ope) are of the same size as the last specics,
ie ea about 20 inches in length, and similar in
BALDPATE (?, ¢) plumage except for the head, which is rusty
GREEN-WINGED TEAL brown with a buff-colored crown. This is ax

common Old World species that quite often
occurs in eastern North America.

GREEN-WINGED TEAL (Nettion carolinense). Although the smallest
of our ducks, measuring but 14 inches in length, this species, which is some-
times called “Winter Teal” because it mi- ;
grates later in fall and earlier in spring than
the next, is very attractive both in plum-
age and actions. It nests on the ground,
chiefly north of the United States border,
but locally south to Colorado.

They are very active, swift of flight,
capable of diving deep and of springing
from the water in full flight.

pie)

BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Querquedula dis-
cors), which measure about one inch longer
than the preceding species, are quite com-
monly termed “Summer Teal,” as they mi-
grate earlier in fall and later in spring than
the green-winged variety. They are found
in North America, chiefly east of the Rocky
Mountains, breeding in the Northern States
and southern Canada and wintering from
Maryland and Illinois south as far as Brazil
and Chile.

Among sportsmen, this species has the rep-
utation of being one of the swiftest ducks in
flight, the most wild and impossible claims
of speed being mentioned, even up to two
hundred miles per hour. Careful observa-
tions by competent men have amply proven
that this or no other duck can fly at a rate of
more than sixty miles per hour.

In autumn they feed upon wild rice, as well
as other tender plants and insects, becoming
quite fat and very toothsome, although of
small size. They are never very shy and
come readily to decoys, settling among them
with the greatest confidence. They walk
very gracefully and easily, and swim swiftly
and with much buoyancy, usually keeping
close together, the same as Green-wings do.

Their nests are on the ground, in patches
or tussocks of grass in meadows, or along the
borders of streams, ponds or swamps. They

BLUE-WINGED TEAL (6,2)
CINNAMON TEAL (6, $)

are made of grass and weeds, thickly lined with feathers and down; six to
twelve greenish-buff eggs constitute the full setting.

CINNAMON TEAL (Querquedula cyanoptera) are abundant on the
Pacific coast, not uncommon in states west of the Mississippi and of casual
occurrence in eastern states. They are found even more abundantly and

more widely distributed in South America.

Like the other teal, they prefer

fresh-water marshes and ponds and are seldom found on open salt water.
Like all very active ducks, they run about meadows and catch a great many
grasshoppers. This diet, together with the grain and tender nae they

devour, makes their flesh very palatable.

SHOVELLER (Spatula clypeata). These
ducks are very easily identified, not only by
their unusual and attractive plumage, but
because of the comparatively large size of
their bills, which are much larger than
those of any other species in proportion to
the size of the bird. Shovellers, “Broad-
bills” or “‘Spoonbills,” as they are perhaps
more often termed, have a very wide distri-
bution, being found in almost all parts of the
Northern Hemisphere. In our country,
they breed locally in the western and central
states and throughout Canada.

Shovellers frequent fresh-water ponds and
lakes, especially where there are shallow bot-
toms well covered with vegetation. They
feed by ‘‘tipping-up,” where they can reach
bottom, sifting the mud through the very
prominent strainers on the sides ot the bill,
and eating the many insects and small mol-
lusks so obtained.

Their flight is quite swift and often a little
erratic. They appear larger than they really
are, for they have considerable spread and a
large head and bill to give an appearance of
size that does not exist in reality. Their
flesh is quite desirable and they are often
lis ; shot from blinds over decoys to which they
(3,9) come very readily and with little fear.

9,4) PINTAILS (Dafila acuta), “Sprig-tails”

or “‘Spike-tails,” as they are about equally
often called, are quite unusual among ducks and easily identified because
they have such long slender necks and pointed tails, although the latter fea-
ture is shared with the Old-squaw. This also is a cosmopolitan species and
is found in both the Old World and the New. According to E. W. Nelson,
who has had unusual opportunities of watching their actions during the mat-
ing seasons, they are very playful, diving into the water when in full flight
and emerging also in flight, chasing one another about and occasionally
mounting high in the air to descend on set wings. They nest in Canada and
south to interior United States. In winter they are usually seen in small
flocks of their own kind, and seldom with other species.

SHOVELLER
PINTAIL (

12

WOOD DUCK (Aix sponsa). Nearly
everyone is agreed that Wood Ducks are the
most beautiful of any species found in this
or any other country. The exquisitely col-
ored and crested head, the iridescent glossy
back and the delicately marked flanks com-
bine to produce an effect that cannot be sur-
passed. Even the female is more beautiful
than that of other species.

Beauty proves fatal to them, however,
for they are hunted, not only for sport and
food, but for their feathers, some of which
are used in fly-tying. Wood Ducks are oft-
times called “Summer Ducks” because they
are a warm-weather species and sometimes
termed “Bridal Ducks” because of their
beauty which is associated with bridal
robes.

They frequent wooded lakes or creeks,
where they occasionally perch in the trees,
but more often are found along the shores or
floating among the grasses of lagoons.
Their note, which is sometimes uttered as
they take wing, is a single sharply whistled
“oeeck.” They are of local occurrence and
breed throughout the United States and
southern Canada, but they are yearly be-
coming more scarce in all portions of their
range. Their nests are in the cavities of woop pucK (2, ¢)
trees, but not necessarily near the water’s REDHEAD (9, 3)
edge. The ducklings either flutter down
the tree trunk or are carried to the ground in the bill of the mother.

REDHEAD (Marila americana). This name is so appropriate that it is
known by few others, one of which is ‘‘American Pochard.” Redheads bear
superficial resemblance to Canvasbacks and the two are sometimes confused
by novices; the differences are apparent from the pictures, and are pointed out
in the next description. Redheads breed in central and western United
States and Canada and are abundant on the South Atlantic coast during
migrations and in winter. They are classed as one of the sea ducks, because
they are able to dive to great depths, but are found equally common on fresh
water. Their flesh is excellent after suitable feeding.

13

CANVASBACK (Marila valisneria). This
species ranges over the whole of North Amer-
ica, but is quite rare on the Atlantic coast
north of Long Island. They breed in the
interior and northwestern United States and
Canada, making their nests on the ground on
: the edges of sloughs or marshes, or some-
ae times even piling up rushes in shallow water

ania to form a foundation. They formerly win-
tered very abundantly in the Chesapeake
and North Carolina waters, but have been
hunted so relentlessly that only fewer and
smaller flocks now visit there.

After feeding for several weeks on wild
rice, wild celery and the tender shoots of val-
isneria, Canvasbacks become the most
toothsome of ducks, although Redheads ap-
proach them very closely.

This and the last species differ in the fol-
lowing respects, as may be seen by referring
to their respective pictures. The bill of the
Canvasback is black and high at the base,
while that of the Redhead is bluish, with a
black nail, and is ordinary duck shape. The
iris of this species is red, that of the last is
yellow. The back of the Canyasback is
very much lighter and more finely barred

agra team : a than that of Redhead. The females resem-
CANVASBACK (2, 3) ble each other closely, but can always be
SCAUP DUCK (4, ?) placed on account of the differently shaped

bills. Both are quite wary, but come to and
are shot over decoys. ‘Their flight is perhaps the swiftest of that of any of
the large ducks. They are one of the deep-diving ducks, a subfamily
characterized by having a flap on the hind toe, although how this can
prove of any assistance to them is difficult to understand.

SCAUP DUCK (Marila marila). This is the larger of the two species
that are very commonly known as “Bluebills” and ‘‘ Blackheads,” and less
often as ‘‘Broadbills” and “Raft Ducks.” This species measures 19
inches in length, while the next is about 17, and the head is glossed with
greenish, while that of the Lesser Scaup has purplish reflections. This spe-
cies breeds in interior Canada and winters throughout the United States.

14

LESSER SCAUP DUCKS (Marila af-
jinis) winter most abundantly in the in-
terior of the United States, while the last spe-
cies is the most commonly found on the
coasts during winter. They nest chiefly in
Arctic America, but casually south to Colo-
rado and Iowa, the nest being on the ground
in or close to marshes, as is usual with most
ducks. They appear in numbers in the
States late in fall and are, during winter, one
of our most,common species. A few of them
pass the severe weather just as far north as
open water can be found. They usually are
found in quite large flocks; and as several
flocks often unite and float about in the mid-
dle of lakes or ponds, they have become
known locally as ‘Raft Ducks.”

They dive in very deep water to pull up
grasses or pick up mollusks from the bottom.
Owing to their watermanship, wounded
Scaups are difficult birds to secure, for, other
means of escape failing, they will dive and
hang to grass at the bottom, drowning
themselves rather than be captured; first,
however, they will attempt to escape discov-
ery by immersing the body and leaving just
the bill protruding, a ruse that usually
works successfully. g mace

The females of the two Scaups are so LESSER SCAUP DUCK
nearly alike that only the matter of size can RING-NECKED DUCK (@, 4)
determine them with certainty.

RING-NECKED DUCK (Marila collaris). This species, which is of the
same size as the last, is not apparently abundant anywhere, but, during the
proper seasons, occurs throughout North America in small flocks or individ-
uals in company with Scaups. The name Ring-necked Duck is owing to the
natrow collar or band of chestnut feathers separating the purplish-black head
from the intense black of the breast and back. They are locally known as
“Ringbills,” for the reason that the black bill has a bluish band across the
middle. The female is quite like that of the Scaup, but can always be distin-
guished by the prominent eye-ring. Notice, too, that the male has a tiny
white spot on the chin.

15

GOLDEN-EYE (@, é¢)
BARROW GOLDEN-EYE

GOLDEN-EYE (Clangula clangula ameri-
cana). A handsome hardy species, length 19
inches, that occurs commonly throughout
North America at different seasons, breeding
commonly in northern Canada and south
locally to northern United States, and winter-
ing throughout the United States. At times
we find them in the Northern States when
the only open water is an occasional air hole,
through which they are able to dive to the
bottom and secure their food of plant, mol-
lusks or fish. Golden-eyes are among the
most active of all ducks. They spring from
the surface of the water with the greatest of
ease, their rapidly whirring wings producing
a whistling sound, during flight, that can be
heard even before a flock comes into view;
on account of this sound, these birds are
almost exclusively known among sportsmen
as “Whistlers.” Another name applied to
them is ‘‘Spirit Duck,” this because they can
disappear so very rapidly under water.

Golden-eyes normally lay their six to ten
grayish-green eggs on a bed of down in cavi-
ties of trees, but as suitable sites are scarce
many of them locate on the ground under
concealment of logs, rocks, etc.

BARROW GOLDEN-EYE (Clangula
islandica). Otherwise known as the ‘‘ Rocky
Mountain Garrot,” this species, which dif-
fers from the preceding in having a white
crescent before the eye in place of a round

spot, having the head glossed with purple instead of blue and in having less
white on the wings, is not nearly as abundant as the common Golden-eye.
They breed in Canada north of the St. Lawrence and in the Rocky Moun-
tains south to Colorado and winter only to the northern border of the United
States. They commonly frequent quite turbulent streams, especially while
nesting. The females of the two species of Golden-eyes so closely resemble
each other that only the differences in the shapes of the bills can identify
them, that of the present species being higher at the base when viewed from
the side, and narrower at the tip when viewed from above.

16

BUFFLEHEAD (Charitonetta albeola).
These are handsome little ducks, length 13 0r
14 inches, about equaling in size the Green-
winged Teal. Neither sex can be confused
with any other species owing to their tiny
size and very characteristic markings. They
are quite frequently known as ‘“Butter-
balls” because of their small, plump bodies,
and as “Spirit Ducks” or ‘“Dippers” be-
cause of the extreme speed with which they
can disappear under water. In the days of
black powder, it was quite difficult to shoot
one on the water, but modern weapons of
offense give them no warning to dive, yet
their bodies are so small and their sight so
keen that they are well able to take care of
themselves. They brecd throughout central
and northwestern Canada, laying their eggs
on down in cavities of trees near the banks
of streams. They are found quite uniformly
over the United States in winter. They usu-
ally add some fish to their diet, as do the two
Golden-eyes, consequently their flesh is
rather rank, although they are often eaten.

OLD-SQUAW (Harelda hyemalis). A spe-
cies breeding in Arctic America and wintering
in great numbers as far south as the Great
Lakes and on the coast to North Carolina

and apiepen oe aoe ie hee? aor BUFFLEHEAD (2, 3)
as Long-tailed Duck,” ‘Old-wife, outh- OLD-sQuaW (SUMMER, @,
southerly” and other less common ones, most WINTER)

of which refer to their noisy gabbling. The
summer and winter plumages are quite different, as shown respectively by
the bird just diving into the water and the lower one. The male measures up
to 23 inches, while the female averages about 18 inches long. Their food con-
sists of shellfish, small fish and insects which
they can secure in very deep water. Their
fesh is very tough and quite unpalatable.
LABRADOR DUCK (Camtorhynchos lab-
vadorius), the male of which is shown in the
little pen sketch, formerly lived off the North
Atlantic coast, but has been extinct since
about 1875.

17

ee

EIDER (6, @)
PACIFIC EIDER

EIDER (Somateria dressert). These very
large and handsome ducks, measuring 24 in.
in length, live quite extensively upon small
fish as well as mollusks and insects; their
flesh is consequently tough and very unpal-
atable, but they are nevertheless valuable
birds, for they furnish the eider down of com-
merce, this being gathered from their nests
on northern islands. This species breeds
from Maine to Labrador and in the southern
half of Hudson Bay. Another species,
NORTHERN EIDER (Somateria mollis-
sima borealis), which differs from this in hav-
ing the soft basal portion of the bill pointed
instead of rounded, breeds farther north and
in Greerland. Both species winter south on
the coast as far as Massachusetts. Their
flight is rather heavy and is usually per-
formed in Indian file.

PACIFIC EIDERS (Somateria v-nigra)
are plumaged just like the Northern, except
that the male has a black V-shaped mark
extending back from below the bill. Pacific
Eiders are found chiefly on the coasts and
islands of the Behring Sea and adjacent por-
tions of the Arctic Ocean.

SPECTACLED EIDERS (Arctoncita
Jischert) are very locally distributed on coasts
of the Behring Sea. The male has a very
peculiar formation of short velvety feathers ,
on the head, while the female can easily b2

distinguished from other species because the base of the bill is wholly

feathered.

STELLER DUCK (Polysticta stelleri) is a smaller duck, measuring

17 in. in length. The male,
shown in the pen sketch, has
a black throat and rusty col-
ored under parts. The fe-
male is brownish similar to
the Eiders but of course
much smaller. These ducks
are not uncommon in Behr-
ing Sea and adjacent waters.

—— ae

Steller Duck Spectached | Eider
18

KING EIDERS (Somateria spectabilis)
are found throughout the northern parts of
the Northern Hemisphere, breeding in Arctic
regions and wintering in America, south
regularly to the Great Lakes, Long Island
and the Aleutian Islands. They are hand-
some birds, as may be seen from the illustra-
tion, having more black in the plumage
than the other Eiders and having a very
large and prominent frontal process at the
base of the bill. The female is slightly
grayer than the other species, but can best be
identified by the fact that the feathers on the
sides of the bill come far short of reaching
the nostrils. This seems to be even more ex-
clusively a sea duck than the others and is
rarely foundinland. It is of about the same
size as other Eiders, namely, 22 or 23 in. in
length.

SCOTER (Oidemia americana). This is
the smallest of the so-called “‘Sea Coots,” be-
ing about 18 in. in length. Because of the
slightly enlarged, bright yellow, basal portion
of the bill, it is very often termed the “ But-
ter-bill.”” This species and the two follow-
ing breed abundantly in the northern half of
Canada and Alaska, and winter in “‘rafts’’ off
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the
United States and on the Great Lakes. KING EDER (3, 2)
They are all excellent divers, feeding in deep SCOTER (2, 2)
water; their flesh is, however, very tough ie
and quite unpalatable, although it is sometimes eaten. :

SURF SCOTERS (Oidemia perspicillata), the male of which is shown in
the pen sketch, are about 20 in. in length. The female is chiefly gray, but
has a large spot of white on the
cheeks. The bill of the male
is quite swollen and colored
black, white and orange.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
(Oidemia deglandi), the largest
_ of the Scoters, is 22 in.in length.
The male is shown in the pen
sketch.

=a os
“Surh Scoter ~”
19

Whitewi | aAee Scolex™

HARLEQUIN DUCK (Histrionicus histri-
onicus). A handsome and trim species, al-
though the male is garbed in a clownish
manner. Its peculiarities are not confined to
plumage, for Harlequins are rather solitary
in their habits, while most ducks like com-
pany of their own kind.

They breed from the Arctic coast and
Greenland south to Newfoundland and Brit-
ish Columbia, and in mountains to Colo-
rado. They frequent, from choice, turbulent
streams such as are chosen by Golden-eyes,
and most frequently lay their six to eight
buffy eggs in feather and down-lined hol-
lows near the banks. In some sections it is
also said that they nest in hollow trees. In
winter they may be found locally throughout
northern United States, but they are most
abundant off the coasts from Newfoundland
to Massachusetts and from the Aleutian
Islands to California.

In Alaska they are said to congregate in
large flocks before and after breeding, but
most observers in the States have found
them in small numbers or even as individ-
uals.

They are medium-sized ducks, measuring
: rc about 17 in. in length, but are unfit for food
HARLEQUIN DUCK since their flesh is quite tough, coarse and

RUDDY DUCK tasteless. They are very active in the water;

can dive very quickly and can swim to great
depths in search of their food of mollusks and insects. They also rise from
the water with the greatest ease and can fly very rapidly. They are usu-
ally quite silent, but are said to utter shrill whistles during the mating
season.

RUDDY DUCKS (Erismatura jamaicensis), although small, measuring
only about 16 in.in length, are regarded as very fine table birds. Both bill
and feet are of unusual size, the latter propelling them through the water
very swiftly. The narrow-feathered, stiff tail is usually perked comically
over the back as they float upon the water. Their short, concave wings
make a buzzing sound during flight, causing them to be known as
“Bumblebee Coot” among sportsmen. They breed locally in the Northern
States and northward and winter throughout the United States.

20

SNOW GOOSE (Chen hyperboreus hyper-
boreus). Geese are usually larger than ducks,
their bills are shorter, stouter and the “gut-
ters” or flutings on the sides are very promi-
nent, producing a sort of grinning effect.
Adult Snow Gecse are entirely white, except
the primaries, which are black. The head is
often or usually tinged with pale rusty and
the bill and feet are pinkish. Young birds
are gray or variously mottled. This variety
measures about 25 in. in length. They
nest on the ground within the Arctic Circle
west of Hudson Bay to Alaska. In winter
they are found throughout western United
States and casually in the east. They usu-
ally occur in large flocks, fly high in a long,
extended line and are very wary whether in
flight or feeding. They live on grain, tender
grasses, mollusks and insects; their flesh is
palatable, but not nearly equal to that of
Canada Geese.

GREATER SNOW GEESE (Chen hy-
perboreus nivalis) vary from the preceding
only in size, measuring about 30 in. in length.
Large specimens of the last are just like
small ones of this, so that the distinction is
not perfectly satisfactory, as it has to be
based largely upon locality found. The
present variety is supposed to breed east of
Hudson Bay and to winter in southeastern
United States. Migrates chiefly through
the interior, but is not uncommon on the Atlantic coast south of Chesa-
peake Bay.

BLUE GOOSE (Chen caerulescens). This is midway between the two pre-
vious varieties in size and for a long time was supposed to be a color phase or
a young plumage of the Snow Goose. Its breeding range is not definitely
known, but is supposed to be in northern Ungava. They migrate through
the Mississippi Valley and winter in the southern portions of it. They are
also of rare or casual occurrence on the Atlantic coast and west of the Rocky
Mountains. They cannot be termed at all abundant, but sizable flocks of
them are sometimes seen and again one or two individuals may be in with a
company of Snow Geese. Those who have eaten them declare their flesh
to be better than that of the last species.

SNOW GOOSE
BLUE GOOSE

2I

ROSS GOOSE (Chen rossi). This is by far
the smallest of our geese, measuring but 21
in. in length, about the same size as the Mal-
lard. The greatest difference between this
species and Snow Geese, besides size, lies in
the bill, which has less prominent teeth, little
or no black along the open sides and which is
studded about the base with numerous little
carunculations. The breeding grounds are
unknown, but are supposed to be north of
Mackenzie. It is regarded as quite a rare
bird, but sometimes appears in considerable
numbers in California during winter.

EMPEROR GOOSE (Philacte canagica).
We have not figured this species since it is
found in such a restricted and little visited
area, it occurring only on the Alaskan coast
chiefly north of the Aleutian Islands. It is
a handsome species, the sexes as usual being
alike in plumage. The white head is relieved
by a black throat which shades into the
bluish, slate-colored body, each feather of
which is edged with black and white so as
to produce a very scaly effect.

WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (Anser al-
bifrons gambeli). In the interior and west-
ern portions of America this is one of the
most abundant species of geese, but on the
Atlantic seaboard they are only of casual oc-
currence. They breed near the Arctic coast,
west. of Hudson Bay, and pass the winter
months in the lower Mississippi Valley and on the Pacific coast.

White-fronted Geese are very noisy, their loud and continued cackling
being responsible for their being known quite commonly as ‘Laughing
Geese.” They are less often called ‘Pied Brant.” When young birds first
arrive from the north, they are not timid, and many are killed, but they soon
become very shy and difficult to approach. When feeding, they post senti-
nels to warn the rest of the flock of approaching danger. Most of them
are secured by hunters who ambush them on the way to and from their feed-
ing grounds. Their mode of flight is a V-shaped formation, the bird at the
apex leading the way until tired and then falling back to the end of the
line and allowing a new leader to break the wind.

ROSS GOOSE
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE

22

CANADA GEESE (Branta canadensis
canadensis) are the most highly prized of all
water fowl. Great creatures, 3 feet or more
in length, and with tender flesh and appetiz-
ing, they appeal to the gourmand; wary yet
coming to decoys, they furnish the greatest
sport for the hunter, and he also gets game
worth while when he brings one down.

Canada Geese breed from the Northern
States north to the limit of trees and winter
chiefly in the southern half of the United
States. Northern hunters eagerly await the
loud honking of the first spring flock, while
southern ones just as enthusiastically wait
their return in late fall. It is a grand sight
to see the wide V-shaped line of great. birds
swiftly speed overhead, their large wings
strongly beating the air and from their
throats to hear the loud honking that sounds
so like a pack of fox hounds in full cry.

TIUTCHINS GOOSE (Branta canadensis
hutchinst). Thisis a slightly smaller variety
found chiefly in western United States, meas-
uring about 28 in. in length and the tail hav-
ing normally but 16 feathers, while that of
the last species has 18 or 20. It occasion-
ally occurs on the Atlantic coast.

WHITE-CHEEKED GOOSE (Branta ,
canadensis occidentalis). This species is CANADA GOOSE
equal to the Canada Goose in size but is CACKLING GOOSE
slightly darker, especially on the under parts,
and the black on the throat often extends up to the chin, thus making two
white cheek patches instead of a single cravat extending from ear toear, It
is found on the Pacific coast, breeding in the north and wintering south to
California.

CACKLING GEESE (Brania canadensis minima) are quite small, measur-
ing but 2 feet in length. In appearance they are just like a dwarfed White-
cheeked Goose, only the tail normally contains but 14 or 16 feathers. They
are found chiefly west of the Rocky Mountains. Geese feed upon berries,
grasses and roots, which they gather in fields, along shore, or by “ tipping”
in shallow water. They swim well, but do not dive. On land they walk
easily and gracefully compared with the walk of barnyard geese.

23

BRANT (Branta bernicla glaucogastra).
The common Brant is found in eastern North
America and Greenland, breeding on Arctic
Islands and wintering on the Atlantic coast
southward from Massachusetts. They
make their appearance on the coast of the
United States in October, the various flocks
congregating in favorite places in immense
numbers. They fly with no apparent leader
and in a compact flock. They are very
noisy, their notes being loud, rolling and gut-
tural, quite unlike the honking of geese.
They are not nearly as shy and wary as Can-
ada Geese, it often being possible to approach
a flock on the water or on a sand bar near
cnough for a shot. They come to decoys
with the greatest confidence and, conse-
quently, are killed in such great numbers
that they are yearly becoming less abundant.

Their food consists almost wholly of
grasses and roots which are pulled up in shal-
low water where they can easily reach bot-
tom. ‘They do not dive at all, in fact even a
wounded Brant cannot dive, but tries to es-
cape by swimming as rapidly as possible to
windward.

Brant are about equally often called
“Brent Goose’ or sometimes “Black
Brant” to distinguish them from the Snow
Geese, which are in the same places called:
“White Brant.” This latter cognomen,
however, is quite incorrect; it is reserved particularly for the next species.

BLACK BRANT (Branta nigricans). This species is of the same size as
the last, namely 24 in. in length. They are, however, darker above, and the
black on the breast extends over the under parts to the belly and crissum.
The white neck patches are also larger and usually meet in front. Black
Brant are birds of the Pacific coast, there wholly replacing the species that is
found in the east. They are rarely found inland, but keep off the coast and in
bays in large flocks. Their flight is rather heavy and not very fast, per-
formed in a widely strung out line at right angles to their line of progression.
Both species of Brant usually fly rather low, following the coast line and
rarely cutting across even short stretches of land.

BRANT
BLACK BRANT

24

WHISTLING SWAN (Olor columbianus).
These great birds, measuring nearly 5 feet in
length, are still:not uncommon in the inte-
rior and also occur in numbers on the South
Atlantic coast. They nest only in high lati-
tudes, chiefly on Arctic islands and the
mainland from northern Hudson Bay to
Alaska. This, the smallest of our two spe-
cies, can best be identified by the form of the
bill. The nostril is located about midway
between the eye and the extreme tip, while
that of the next species is nearer the eye
than it is to the tip of the bill. The present
species also has a small yellow spot between
the eye and nostril.

During migration, swans fly at a great
elevation in a long V-shaped line with an
wise old gander at the apex. Their flight
is swift and very easy and graceful, as their
wings are of enormous size, easily capable of
carrying even such heavy bodies. From
time to time, the leader or some of the band
utter clear flageolet-like notes that reach the
ground like voiccs from the sky, as the swans
may be so high as to be almost invisible.
When within sight of their final stopping
places, they set their wings and gradually
float downward, circle around so as to come
up against the winds and then plump into WHISTLING SWAN
the water with great splashes. They are TRUMPETER SWAN
most beautiful sights, either in flight or as
they sit lightly and gracefully on the water. They feed chiefly upon grasses
and roots that they pull up from the bottom, usually in water shallow enough
so that they do not have to “tip up.” They seldom come to decoys, but are
shot by gunners in ambush between their feeding and resting places, or they
are taken by sailing down on them before the wind, the swans having to flap
vigorously against the wind before being able to leave the water.

TRUMPETER SWAN (Olor buccinator). This species measures more
than 5 feet in length and differs otherwise as stated above. It is quite rare
now, but breeds west of Hudson Bay and winters in southwestern United
States and the lower Mississippi Valley.

25

KING RAIL (Rallus elegans). These are
the largest of the true rails, measuring about
18 in. in length. They are much brighter
colored both above and below than the sim-
ilar sized Clapper Rails. They inhabit al-
most exclusively fresh-water marshes in
eastern North America, breeding throughout
the eastern states and wintering in the south-
ern ones. Their form is typical of that of
the rail family: long bill, long legs and short
tail, the latter often carried erect over the
back. They are very sly and secretive in
all their habits, keeping well under cover of
rushes or marsh grass, and doing most of their
feeding after dark. It is very difficult to
flush them, particularly without a dog.
Their flight is very weak and fluttering; they
fly but a few yards before dropping into
the protecting grass again. On the ground,
however, they are very active and quite
graceful, running swiftly and threading their
way with case through the densest of weeds,
rushes or brush. At night the marshes often
resound with their loud, explosive, grunting
calls.

Their food consists of aquatic insects,
seeds, roots and grasses, which impart a deli-
cate flavor to their flesh and puts them in
the game-bird class, although the sport of

» shooting them is confined largely to one’s
ability to make them fly, for once awing

they are so casy a mark that even a novice can seldom miss one.

CLAPPER RAILS (Rallus crepitans crepitans), of the same size but paler
colored than the last species, are confined almost wholly to salt or brackish
marshes near the coast, breeding north to Massachusetts and wintering on
the South Atlantic coast. Several local varieties are recognized: the Louisi-
ana Clapper Rail on the coast of that state, the Florida Clapper Rail on the
Gulf coast of Florida and the Wayne Clapper Rail on the coast from North
Carolina to Florida. These differ but slightly in coloring or dimensions.

CALIFORNIA CLAPPER RAIL (Rallus obsoletus), found in salt marshes
of the Pacific coast near San Francisco, is marked like the Clapper Rail
above and is as brightly colored as the King Rail below.

KING RAIL
CLAPPER RAIL

26

VIRGINIA RAILS (Radlus virginianus)
are in plumage almost perfect miniatures of
King Rails, but they measure only to in. or
less in length. They are more or less abun-
dant in fresh-water marshes throughout the
United States and southern Canada, breed-
ing in the northern parts and wintering in
the southern parts of their range. They
live usually in dryer portions of grassy
marshes than Soras commonly inhabit, and
usually nest on the edges, making a small
mound of grasses and flags upon which the
eight to twelve buffy-white, brown-specked
eggs are laid. The young, like those of all
rails, are hatched covered with a jet-black
down, leaving the nest and following their
parent within a few hours after emerging
from the eggs.

SORAS (Porzana carolina), or Carolina
Rails, are comparatively small, being only
a trifle over 8 in. long. Immature birds
have a white face and buff breast, while
adults have a black face and blue-gray
breast. Soras are the most abundant of
our rails, breeding throughout the northern
half of the United States and southern Can-
ada and spending the winter in southern
United States. Although of such small size,
they are killed in almost countless numbers
for the sake of the small but delicate morsels
that their bodies afford.

VIRGINIA RAIL
SORA:

YELLOW RAIL (Coturnicops noveboracensis). This is a diminutive
species under 7 in, in length, inhabiting eastern North America, breeding
in the northern states and Canada and wintering in the southern ones.

—=
Xel\ow =

ee
Ra —

So small and secretive as to
be seldom observed.

BLACK RAIL (Creciscus
jamaicensis). ‘Tiniest of our
rails; but 5 or 6 in. in length.
Also found in eastern North
America; replaced on the Pa-
cific coast by the very sim-
ilar Farallon Rail.

FLORIDA GALLINULE (Gallinula gale-
ata). This is larger than any of our rails,
measuring 14 in. in length; the bill is heavier
even than that of the shorter billed rails and
ends in a scaly shield on the forehead that is
characteristic of gallinules. They share with
Coots the names of ‘“Mud-hen,” “ Water-
hen” or ‘‘Moor-hen,” the hen part of the
name being because their notes, and they are
very noisy birds, sound a great deal like the
cackling of barnyard fowl. Their flight is
no stronger than that of rails, but on land or
water they are agile and graceful. Although
they do not have webbed feet they can swim
well and often dive when pursued. These
birds are found commonly throughout tem-
perate America, breeding from New England,
Ontario and California south through South
America to Chile.

PURPLE GALLINULE (fonornis martin-
icus). Very similar in form to Florida Gal-
linules, but brilliantly plumaged, the whole
head and under parts being a rich purplish-
blue, becoming bluish-green on the sides and
black on the belly; back and wing coverts
olive-green; under tail coverts pure white.
Not uncommon in the South Atlantic and
Gulf States; wanders casually to Nova
Scotia, Ontario and Wisconsin.

COOT (Fulica americana). A most re-
markable bird, at home equally in the water
or on land in marshes. Plumage gray like that of the Florida Gallinule, but
secondaries tipped with white, bill white with a black band or spots in the
middle, practically no frontal plate, and the toes peels with a lobed web. Coots
swim and dive fully as well as any of
our ducks, and are frequently seen on
bays and fF rivers in company with them,
or in flocks of their own kind. While
swimming they have a habit of nodding
the head in time to the strokes of their
fect. They are to be found throughout
the United States and southern Canada.
Commonly known as “Blue Peters.”

28

FLORIDA GALLINULE
Coot

AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana). Eas-
ily known by the very slender upturned bill
and the long bluish legs, the latter giving
them a local name of ‘Blue-stocking.”
They are among the largest of our waders,
measuring about 18 in. in length. The bird
shown is in summer plumage. In winter
and immature plumage they have no rusty
color on the head. The plumage of the
under parts is very firmand duck-like. Their
webbed feet enable them to swim easily and
they frequently do so.

They are particularly abundant in alkaline
regions of the west, and occur north to Sas-
katchewan. They are rarely found east of
the Mississippi River.

They frequently feed in shallow water by
immersing the head and sifting the soft mud
with their slender bills.

BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himan-
topus mexicanus). These birds, which are
easily recognized by their striking black-and-
white plumage and by the unusual length
and slenderness of their red legs, are abun-
dant in southwestern United States, breed-
ing north to Oregon and Colorado and
along the Gulf coast to Florida and Cuba.
They feed chiefly by wading and gleaning
tiny insects from the surface of the water or
from aquatic plants rising above the surface.

PHALAROPES are small shore birds hav-

AVOCET
BLACK-NECKED STILT

ing lobed webs on each toe, thus having excellent swimming power. Their
feathers underneath are very closcly set and waterproof. Wilson Phalarope,
which has a chestnut stripe on the side of the neck, breeds in the interior,

os ‘Novthevn ©
= Phalacepes

from Alberta south to
Texas. Red and North-
ern Phalaropes, the former
rufous below and the lat-
ter with the neck largely
reddish-brown, breed
in Arctic regions and mi-
grate chiefly on the coasts
or at sea.

WOODCOCK (Philohela minor) breed
throughout eastern United States and the
adjacent Canadian Provinces and winter
chiefly in our southeastern states. They are
stockily built, upland game birds, measuring
about 11 in. in length, of which length about
one quarter is contained in the long heavy
bill. They feed at night in muddy places in
bogs, swamps or along brooks, their bills
with the flexible, finger-like tips being ad-
mirably adapted to withdrawing worms
from their places of concealment. Their
eyes, which are large so that they may see
well after dark, are placed far back and close
to the top of the head so they may see about
them when their bills are immersed to their
hilts in mud. After showers Woodcock fre-
quently come even into large cities and
gather worms from lawns. This accounts
for the numbers that are caught by cats and
that are found dead after having flown into
unseen wires. Because of their feeding
habits, they are locally known as “Bog-
birds.” The term ‘Whistling Snipe” is
sometimes applied, because during flight the
three outer wing feathers, which are very stiff
and narrow, produce a shrill whistling sound.

Woodcock lay their four pear-shape eggs
in depressions among dead leaves in thickets
or woods, usually late in March or early in
April.

Their flight is fast and very erratic, making them difficult targets for the
novice, which fact accounts for their continued existence in the face of the
annual shooting to which they are subjected.

WILSON SNIPE (Gallinago delicata). These birds, which measure about
the same as Woodcock, although their bodies are much smaller, are common
throughout North America, breeding in northern United States and Canada
and wintering in southern United States. They frequent meadows and other
open wet places, from which they flush with a sharply whistled “scaipe” and
go zigzagging away in a manner most confusing to any but a tried gunner.
They are almost wholly known among the sporting fraternity as Jacksnipe.

Their excellent flesh, as well as the difficulty of shooting them, make
them very popular among gunners.

30

WOODCOCK
WILSON SNIPE

DOWITCHER (Macrorhamphus griseus
griseus). Dowitchers are divided into two
races: the present, which is the eastern form,
and the Long-billed Dowitcher, which is
supposed to be chiefly western. The former
probably breeds in northern Ungava and
Arctic islands and migrates chiefly along
the Atlantic coast; the latter breeds along
the Arctic coast west of Hudson Bay and
migrates through the western part of Mis-
sissippi Valley, both wintering from the Gulf
States to South America. Since the dis-
tinction is dependent wholly upon size and
length of bills, and these features among
shore birds are always very variable, they
may well be considered as one variety, as in
all probability they are.

Like most of the sandpipers 4 great differ-
ence exists between the summer and winter
plumages, the latter being composed only of
grays and whites, as shown by the small
bird in the upper background. Although
very small, only a trifle more than 10 in. in
length, they are shot in great quantities;
while quite wary, they very readily decoy
and consequently are very easy to secure.
They are known by a great variety of names,
most common of which are “Red-breasted a
Snipe,” “Robin Snipe,” ‘Brown Snipe,” DOWITCHER
“German Snipe” and “ Gray-back,” some STILT SANDPIPER
referring to the summer and some to the
winter plumages. They are quite gregarious and are usually seen in large
flocks during migrations, though sometimes a few mix with flocks of other
species.

STILT SANDPIPER (Micropalama himantopus). These are among the
least often seen of the smaller shore birds and are most frequently observed
in with flocks of smaller kinds. They themselves are tiny, measuring less
than 9 in. in length and are consequently not often shot; yet they are yearly
becoming scarcer and apparently will soon not be found at all. Several years
ago I used to see flocks of from ten to fifty individuals, but the last few years
I have seen only one or two Stilt Sandpipers in with flocks of the smaller
Least and Semi-palmated varieties. They are not in the least timid and
allow anyone to approach within a few feet of them.

31

KNOT (Tringa canutus). While these
birds migrate to some extent through the in-
terior, they are there seen in nothing like the
abundance with which they occur on the At-
lantic seaboard, although they do not to-day
occur in such numbers as they did a few years
ago. During fall, when their numbers are
augmented by the young of the year, flock
after flock passes the length of our coast; at
this season they are clothed in plain gray and
white, the immature birds being rather hand-
somer than their parents, for the feathers on
the back are edged with dark gray and white,
which gives a pleasing scaled effect to their
plumage. In this dress they are almost uni-
versally known as “‘Gray-backs,” a name
also applied to Dowitchers, but more fre-
quently to this species. In the spring dress
they are known as “Red-breasted Sandpip-
ers,” “Robin Snipe” and sometimes/.as
“ Horse-foot Snipe.” ig

They are of. quite stout build, but: small,
measuring but a little more than 1o in.
in length. They fly in compact flocks and
come to decoys readily, their ranks being
sometimes woefully thinned by the first vol-
ley from the blind. ‘They feed either along
the beaches or mud flats, gathering insects
and shellfish from the ground or probing for
them like snipe. They breed in the extreme
north and winter from the Gulf coast to Pat
agonia.

PURPLE SANDPIPERS (Arquatella maritima maritima), “Rock Sand-
pipers” or ‘‘Winter Snipe,” delight in cold weather. They breed in the ex-
treme north and in winter rarely go south of Long Island and many pags that
season in high latitudes. They are casually found in the interior and rarcly
along the coast to Florida. They frequent bold rocky shores, getting their
food chiefly from the kelp and seaweed. The winter plumage is shown by
the second bird from the front; in summer the back is mixed with buff and
tusty similar to that. of the bird below which is a subspecies.

PRIBILOF SANDPIPER (Arquatella maritima ptilocnemis). This spe-
cies, which is figured in the summer plumage, breeds in the Pribilof Islands
and winters on the southeastern Alaskan coast.

32

KNOT (WINTER; SUMMER)
PURPLE SANDPIPER (WINTER)
PRIBILOF SANDPIPER (SUMMER)

PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (Pisobia
maculata), better known perhapsas the“ Grass
Snipe,” are one of the most abundant of
the sandpipers; in some localities, too, they
are known as “‘Kriekers” because of the
sharp notes that they utter. They breed on
the Arctic coast west of Hudson Bay and
winter in South America, migrating through
the interior and Atlantic coast of the United
States and rarely occurring on the Pacific
coast south of British Columbia. Their
plumage is a little brighter in summer than in
winter but shows none of the marked changes
like those of some of the preceding species.
During breeding season the skin on the
breast of the male becomes soft, flabby and
capable of considerable distension; this pouch
having been inflated is gradually decom-
pressed as the birds utter musical resonant
whistles.

“Grass Snipe” frequent marsh and
meadow in just such places as we find Wilson
Snipe. Although they may be present in
large flocks, they have the habit of taking
flight one at a time and rapidly disappearing
in an erratic course. Quantities of them
find their way into the hunter’s game bag,
although they are too small to be of much.
account as food, being but 9 in. in length. PECTORELASANDETEER:

UPLAND PLOVER (Bartramia longi- SPLAND! PLOVER
cauda), or Bartramian Sandpipers as they
were formerly termed, are apparently following the course of the Eskimo
Curlew and are on the road to complete extinction. Only a close season
everywhere can prevent the calamity, and it may be too late now to save
them by any means. They breed from Maine, Keewatin and Alaska south
to Virginia, Missouri and Oregon and winter on the pampas of South
America. During the nesting season they are usually in the vicinity of
water, but at other times may be seen on hills or prairies catching insects
of various kinds. During migration, they are shot relentlessly; they have
their favorite feeding grounds known to hunters who there await them.
Their call is a very melodious bubbling; they come readily to an imita-
tion of it. They are about 1 foot in length.

33

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS
(Pisobia fuscicollis) are placed by sports-
men in that class of small species known as
“Peeps,” too small to be worth the taking,
the present species measuring but little more
than 7 in, in length. Yet they have their
dangers, for youthful hunters, unable to
stalk larger game, often practice on these and
I have known of men old enough to know
better, to fire into flocks of “Peeps” just to
see how many they could get. They breed
on our Arctic coast and migrate most abun-
dantly through the Mississippi Valley, but
also in numbers along the Atlantic coast to
southern South America, The upper bird
shows this species in its summer plumage;
it is a trifle grayer in winter, being about the
same color as the bird below, from which it is
of course easily identified by the white rump
patch; the breast of the present species is
also more heavily streaked than that of the
next.

BAIRD SANDPIPER (Pisobia bairdi).
This species, which has a dark rump, is of the
same size as the last. Eithcr kind may be
found in flocks composed only of their own
species or in mixed flocks of the two and
other smaller sandpipers. Both species are
very confiding and will allow anyone to ap-
proach within a few feet of them as they run
about at the watcr’s edge gathering the tiny
insects that are always present in abun-
dance. Like the last, these birds migrate most commonly through the Mis-
sissippi Valley, but they also occur on both coasts.

LEAST SANDPIPER (Pisobia minutilla). The most diminutive of all
our sandpipers, but almost matched by the Semi-palmated, being only 6 in. in
length. The toes are wholly devoid of webbing, the back is browner and the
breast more distinctly streaked than that of the other species of similar size.
These sandpipers breed in the northern half of Canada and Alaska, and win-
ter from southern United States southward occurring during migrations
throughout the land. They are almost devoid of fear and are seldom and
ought never to be shot.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER
BAIRD SANDPIPER
LEAST SANDPIPER

34

RED-BACKED SANDPIPER (Pelidna
alpina sakhalina). Otherwise known as
“Dunlin,” ‘“Black-bellied Sandpiper” and
“Winter Snipe.” Easily recognized, even
when in the gray winter dress, by the rather
stout slightly decurved bill. Like Purple
Sandpipers they like cold weather, and after
breeding along the Arctic coast they pass the
winter along our coasts south of Washington
on the Pacific and of New Jersey on the
Atlantic side. They are rarely met with
in the interior except casually along the
shores of the Great Lakes. While they are
but 9 in. in length, they are so plump and so
numerous that some gunners cannot resist
the temptation as they wheel over their de-
coys, but the majority consider them not
worth while as game. They may be found
either on the sea beaches or on mud flats.

SANDERLING (Calidris leucophea).
The lightest colored of the sandpipers, being
chiefly white in winter, but in summer having
the head and breast more or less washed with
rusty. Breeds throughout the Arctic regions
of the Northern Hemisphere and, in Amer-
ica, winters from the Southern States south
to Patagonia. On the coasts and the shores
of the Great Lakes they occur abundantly

during fall, frequenting the open sea beaches RED°BACKED ‘SANDPIPER
as well as more sheltered bays. Because of

heir liking for th ab h SANDERLING

their liking for the outer sand bars, they are SEMLPALMATED SANDPIPER

often called ‘Surf Snipe.”

Their plump bodies are highly prized by youthful sportsmen, but those of
more mature judgment pronounce their length of only 8 in. as below their
standard of sportsmanship.

SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER (Ereunetes pusillus). So called be-
cause a small web exists between the outer toes; to gunners they are known,
with other small sandpipers, simply as ‘‘Peeps.” Of the same size as the
Least Sandpiper, namely 6 in. in length. Breeds in the Arctic regions and
is very abundant during migrations from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky
Mountains. West of the Rockies a very similar species, Western Sand-
piper (Ereunetes mauri), occurs. Its upper parts are brighter, like those
of the Least Sandpiper, and the bill is slightly longer.

35

MARBLED GODWIT (Limosa fedoa).
The Godwits are among the largest and most
highly prized of shore birds, the present spe-
cies measuring about 18 in. in length, includ-
ing the long up-curved bill. They breed in
the interior from Saskatchewan south to
North Dakota and winter from the Gulf
coast and Lower California southward.
They only casually occur on either the At-
lantic or Pacific coasts during migration.
Their three or four creamy-buff eggs, spotted
with yellowish-brown, are laid in scantily
lined depressions on the ground in the vicin-
ity of water; as usual with birds of this
order, the eggs are pear-shaped and very
large compared with the body of the bird.

They are highly prized for the table and
cagerly hunted whenever they appear on the
marshes; ordinarily, they are rather shy, but
since they come to imitations of their calls
and to decoys stuck up in the mud, their shy-
ness does not avail them. They are com-
monly known as “Brown Marlins” or
“Spike-bills.”

HUDSONIAN GODWIT (Limosa hem-
astica). A smaller species than the last,
measuring about 16 in. in length; in winter
plumaged in gray and white, but in summer
brightly colored as shown. Notice that this
species has a white rump, while the last has
not. Hudsonian Godwits, otherwise known
as ‘Ring-tailed Marlins,” “ Black-tails” and ‘“‘White-rumps,” breed in Arctic
regions. Their fall migration is performed chiefly off the Atlantic coast,
leaving land at Newfoundland and not stopping this side of the West Indies
on their route to southern South America, unless blown from their course,
when they occur on New England and Long Island shores. Returning, their
course lies chiefly up the Mississippi Valley to their nesting grounds. Their
line of flight is almost precisely the same as that taken by the Eskimo Curlew,
which is now practically extinct.

PACIFIC GODWITS (Limosa lapponica bauert), which are similar in
size to the Marbled, breed in western Alaska and migrate through Japan and
eastern Asia. They have no barring below, otherwise not differing greatly
from Marbled Godwits.

MARBLED GODWIT
HUDSONIAN GODWIT

36

GREATER YELLOW-LEGS (Totanus
melanoleucus). During migrations, these
rather large shore birds, measuring about
14 in. in length, appear abundantly in mead-
ows, marshes, about ponds, streams or even
on sandy beaches. They wade in the shal-
lows, picking up all forms of animal life,
even small fishes, or run with graceful car-
riage along the shore. While they may at
times be met in large flocks, they usually
go in companies of about six. They are
exceedingly wary and suspicious; at the first
sight of anyone approaching, away they go
uttering loud warning whistles which re-
semble wheu-wheu-wheu, alarming everything
within hearing, often to the great discom-
fiture of the sportsmen. Because of these
tactics they are not very favorably regarded,
as some of their local names show, such
as ‘Greater Tell-tale,” ‘Tattler’ and
“Yelper.” They are also termed “Winter
Yellow-legs,”” because they appear within
our border later in fall than the next species,
usually not coming until August, while the
next species arrives in July. Their call note
is a clear, musical tu-weep, very different
from the alarm cry.

It is a beautiful sight to watch a company
of Yellow-legs arriving at their feeding GREATER VELROWSEGS
grounds. We hear the calls indicating their VELEOWELEES
approach even before the birds become visi-
ble high in the air. Sweeping swiftly down on their long angular wings,
they circle about once or twice to make sure no enemies are lurking, then
sail gracefully to the ground; as soon as their feet touch earth, their wings
are carefully stretched upward to their fullest extent and then properly
tucked away on the back. This isa habit that many shore birds have upon
alighting.

Greater Yellow-legs breed in northern Canada and winter from the Gulf
States south to Patagonia.

LESSER YELLOW-LEGS (Totanus flavipes). Also called ‘‘Summer Yel-
low-legs,”’ in addition to most of the local names given under the preceding.
Their breeding and winter range, as well as migration routes correspond to
those of the larger species. ‘The present one measures about 11 in. in length.

37

SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Helodromas
solitarius). As the name would imply, these
birds are not gregarious to any extent, rarely
more than a half dozen being found together
and usually individuals or pairs being met
about the edges of ponds or small lakes,
chiefly in wooded districts. ‘They feed in
the muddy or mossy banks, or wade in the
shallow water, picking their food with grace-
ful motions, stopping every once in a while to
look about them and to teeter in a self-satis-
fied way. They are usually quite silent and
will allow a close approach before they take
wing and easily sail across to the other side
of the pond. They have, even more than
other species, the habit of clevating their
wings, showing the handsome markings on
the under sides, and then folding them care-
fully in place. Sometimes as they take flight
they utter a very clear, mellow whistle.
They average in length a little over 8 in.

Solitary Sandpipers breed from northern
United States northward and winter in South
America. The present variety is found
chiefly cast of the Great Plains, while to the
west is a very similar variety called Western
Solitary Sandpiper, which is very slightly
larger and which has brownish spotting on
the back instead of whitish, as in the eastern
form. The nesting of these birds remained
undiscovered for a long time and, while even
at the present date but few nests have been recorded, we know that they lay
their eggs in old nests of other birds, up to twenty feet above ground. Since
this is the habit of a similar European species, it is strange that the nest in
this country should have remained undiscovered until 1903.

WILLET (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus semipalmatus). These large
shore birds, measuring about 16 in. in length, breed on our South Atlantic
coast and winter in South America, often wandering north to New England
after breeding. The Western Willet, which is very similar, occurs chiefly
west of the Mississippi River, but also on the Atlantic coast during migra-
tions. They are very noisy, their loud whistles sounding like pilly-will-
willet.

SOLITARY SANDDIPER
WILLET

38

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
(Tryngites subruficollis). This appears to be
one of the rarer of the sandpipers, although
it has been reported at times as abundant in
the Mississippi Valley during migrations.
It is seldom seen on either the Atlantic or
Pacific coasts during its flights between the
breeding grounds along the Arctic coast to
Argentina, where it is found in winter. They
are found feeding upon insects on the prairies
rather than about ponds or marshes, their
habits being quite similar to those of Up-
land Plover.

SPOTTED SANDPIPERS (Actitis mac-
ularia) enjoy the distinction of being prac-
tically free from destruction by gunners. In
the first place they are too small to be worth
while, being but little more than 7 in. in
length; they seldom travel more than four
in a flock and do not keep closely together;
and as they commonly breed throughout
the United. States and Canada even in the
vicinity of habitations and are so very con-
fiding, they become so well known and ad-
mired that only an ingrate would shoot them.
They nest among grass or clumps of weeds
anywhere, not necessarily near water. They
live almost wholly upon aquatic or field

insects and are useful birds economically. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
Toa greater extent than any other of our = gporreD SANDPIPER (WINTER;
shore birds they have the habit of almost SUMMER)

incessantly teetering or bowing whenever

they are standing, a habit that causes the country boy to almost universally

know them as “Tip-ups”’ or “‘Teeter-tails.” As usual with all birds of this

order, the young are hatched covered with down, and leave the nest and
» follow their mother about almost as soon as

they emerge from the eggs.

WANDERING TATTLER (Heteractitis
incanus). This is a slate-gray and white
species occurring on the Pacific coast, but
never in any abundance. They breed on
the Alaskan coast and winter on the shores
of Lower California.

39

LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Numenius
americanus). The largest of the curlews and
also the largest of the shore birds, measuring
about 2 feet inlength. The bill is very long
and quite curved, measuring from 4 to 8 in.
in length. Not many years ago these great
birds occurred regularly along the Atlantic
coast north to New England, but at present
are only regarded as stragglers. They breed
from Texas and northern California north
to Saskatchewan and winter on the South
Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Even in the interior they are rapidly di-
minishing in numbers, for no gunner loses the
chance to bag them and they are the very
easiest of game to secure. They are killed
chiefly because of their size; their flesh is
rather tough and not very desirable. They
come to decoys readily, but one does not even
need decoys, for an imitation of their clear
flute-like cur-lew will bring passing birds
within range without fail.

HUDSONIAN CURLEWS (Numenius
hudsonicus) or “Jack Curlews,” as gunners
usually call them, measure only about 17 in.in
length. Notice that the crown is solid brown-
ish-black, with a narrow stripe through the
middle, this easily distinguishing them from
the smaller Eskimo Curlews, which have
the crown streaked all over with buff. These
birds breed ‘along the Arctic coast and mi-
grate mainly along both Atlantic and Pacific coasts to their winter homes,
which are from the Gulf coast to southern South America. If the weather is
favorable, they leave land at Labrador or Newfoundland and do not stop
along the coast of the United States.

ESKIMO CURLEWS (Numenius borealis)
are but 13 in.in length, have short, little curved
bills and differ otherwise from the preceding
species as explained above. They bred in
Arctic regions, migrated in close flocks along
the coast to southern South America and re-
turned through the Mississippi Valley; they
are at present practically extinct.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW
HUDSONIAN CURLEW

40

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Squat-
arola squatarola). These handsome birds are
known to sportsmen chiefly as ““Beetleheads”
or ““Bullheads.” Nearly a foot in length and
heavy-bodied, these plover are among the
most highly prized of shore birds, not be-
cause their flesh is of unusual merit, for it is
not, but because of their imposing size and
the fact that they are just wary enough to:
furnish good sport. They will come to de-
coys, but the gunner must be well concealed;
and at the first shot they are off with a rush,
never showing that helplessness that char-
acterizes the curlew under similar condi-
tions. They breed in the Arctic regions
and migrate along both coasts, but are quite
rare in the interior except casually about the
Great Lakes. They winter from the Gulf
coast southward. Their flight is powerful,
but has an appearance of heaviness because
they progress in straight lines with almost
continuous flapping instead of twisting, as
we are accustomed to see most shore birds
do. They are found on mud flats rather
than on ocean beaches.

In winter both adults and young are quite
similar in plumage, neither showing any
strong black markings; the backs of the Up Was Be eae
latter are spotted with dull yellow which BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER
often causes them to be mistaken for young GOLDEN PLOVER
of Golden Plover. The axillars, or long
feathers lining the under side of the wing, are black on this species, while they
are gray on the next—an infallible distinguishing mark. The present spe-
cies also has a tiny hind toe, while the next has none.

GOLDEN PLOVER (Charadrius dominicus dominicus). This is one of
the very handsomest of shore birds, adults in summer being unmistak-
able, while immature birds and winter adults differ from the preceding as
explained above. After breeding in Arctic regions they migrate south
across the Atlantic from Labrador to the pampas of South America. On the
return journey they all pass through the Mississippi Valley. They feed on
prairies and side hills as Upland Plover do. In consequence of the
nature of their food their flesh is very palatable, much more so than that of
the preceding.

41

KILLDEER (Oxyechus vociferus). These
handsome but noisy birds are abundant
throughout the United States and southern
Canada except in New England and the east-
ern Provinces, where they are only locally or
casually found. ‘The sexes are alike in plu-
mage, and immature birds are only a little
duller plumaged than adults. They are very
noisy at nearly all times; they delight in
chasing one another over the fields, all
screaming their loud, strident kill-dee, kill-
dee, and when they happen near the nest of
a pair, all the Killdeer in the neighborhood
promptly arrive and add their voices to
those of the owners.

They are not at all confined to the prox-
imity of water, in fact during the nesting
season they may not be within miles of it.
They are useful birds to the agriculturist,
for their food is chiefly of injurious insects.
They run rapidly and gracefully, stopping
every few feet to stand erect and look about
them. Their eggs are laid in pastures or
cornfields in slight depressions with scant
lining of straw and pebbles; they are creamy-
buff, thickly speckled and blotched with
blackish-brown.

ep SS a re SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER (£gial-
KILLDEER itis semipalmaia). Commonly known as
SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER “ Ring-necks.” Considerably smaller than

: Killdeer, measuring but 7 in., while the last
species measures about 10 in. Breeds from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and
Keewatin north to the Arctic coast, migrates throughout the United States,
both coasts and interior, and winters from the Gulf States to Chile and
Patagonia. During migrations they are particularly abundant on mud
flats and protected beaches. The experienced gunner rarely shoots them,
for they are too small to be of consequence and are too easy to get. But the
small boy with his first gun may create havoc in their ranks, for they are
still legally game, although it is the consensus:of opinion among sportsmen
as well as ornithologists that all small shore birds should be protected.
“Ring-necks” are the most confiding of birds; they will feed along the
water’s edge within two or three feet of you, if you are sitting quietly.

42

PIPING PLOVER (Agialitis meloda).
These birds, otherwise known as “Beach
Birds” and “Pale Ring-necks,” are the
lightest colored of any of our shore birds,
even whiter than the next species, which is
known as the Snowy Plover. They are
found locally in the interior, chiefly about
the Great Lakes and on the Atlantic coast
north to Nova Scotia, although in the greater
part of this range they have now become
wholly extirpated because of shooting and
more perhaps because of building along the
coast. They are found almost exclusively
upon sandy beaches, with which their colors
harmonize so closely that they are hardly
visible as they run about. Their eggs,
which are laid in slight hollows in the sand,
are also almost invisible since their ground
is sand color and the few small specks that
are on the surface only add to the degree with
which they mock their surroundings.

They can run with almost incredible
swiftness, and they will usually attempt es-
cape by running and hiding rather than by
flight. The tiny little plover are just as
. nimble of foot as their parents, and will hide
beside pebbles or behind a few spears of
beach grass so effectively that it is almost
impossible to discover them. PIPING PLOVER

Piping Plover fly swiftly and with the SNOWY PLOVER
grace characteristic of shore birds, alter-
nately twisting so as to expose first the upper parts and then the under sur-
faces.. Their notes are exceedingly musical, a clear, piping gueep, queep,
queep-lo. "They measure about 7 in. in length.

SNOWY PLOVER (¢gialitis nivosa). Slightly smaller than the last spe-
cies, the back just a little darker, the addition of a black mark back of the
eyes and with the bill wholly black instead of with an orange base like that of
the Piping Plover. Their actions, like those of the latter bird, are quite dif-
ferent from those of the abundant Semi-palmated Plover. Having the ability
to hide effectually, they constantly. make use of this gift, which is wholly at
variance with the habits of confiding ‘“‘Ring-necks.”” Snowy Plover are found
in southwestern United States, north to Kansas and central California.

43

WILSON PLOVER (Ochthodromus wil-
sonius). This species differs from the “ Ring-
neck”? most noticeably in the large size of
the wholly black bill and the broader black
band across the breast. It is also slightly
larger, measuring a little under 8 in. in
length.

They breed along the South Atlantic and
Gulf coasts from Virginia to Texas and casu-
ally wander to New England and also to
southern California. Their notes are quite
different from those of other closely allied
species, the call note being more of a chirp
than a whistle, and their notes of anger, deliv-
ered freely when one is in the vicinity of their
nests, are excited chippering whistles. They
match the color of their surrounding almost
perfectly and, as might be expected, usually
trust to their plumage to escape detection
as they sit upon their eggs in slight depres-
sions in the sand.

MOUNTAIN PLOVER (Podasocys mon-
tanus). These birds can be regarded as
“mountain” only in that they are often
found at high altitudes, but on arid plains
they are often known as “Prairie Plover,”
name that is in reality better suited to them,
for they spend most of their time on the
prairies picking up grasshoppers and other
insects. In summer they are to be found
distributed in scattered pairs, but in fall they
unite in flocks of some size. They breed in western United States from Mon-
tana and Nebraska south to Texas and New Mexico and winter from the
southwestern states through Mexico.

SURF BIRD (A phriza virgata). This ass rare and little known
bird, called the ‘“Plover-
billed Turnstone” wanders
along the Pacific coast from
Alaska to Chile. Its nest
and eggs have not as yet
been definitely reported, but
it is believed to breed in
the interior of northwestern NRE —— ©
Alaska. Black Tucnstone
44

WILSON PLOVER
MOUNTAIN PLOVER

Suck Sua

RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria in-
terpres morinelia). Turnstones are unusual
in form, in that the bill is quite stout, pointed
and has an upturned appearance since the
top of the upper mandibleis perfectly straight.
The present handsome species breeds on the
Arctic coast and migrates abundantly along
both coasts, wintering from southern United
States southward. The common Turn-
stone, a grayer variety, is an Old World
species, a few of which breed in western
Alaska and migrate through Japan. The
Turnstone is commonly known among
sportsmen as ‘‘Calico-back,” ‘ Horse-foot
Snipe” and ‘‘Beach Snipe.”

BLACK-TURNSTONE (Arenaria mel-
anocephala). Of the same size as the last,
measuring about gin. in length. Found on
the Pacific coast, breeding in Alaska and
wintering south from British Columbia.

OYSTER-CATCHER (Hematopus pal-
liatus). A very large shore bird, measur-
ing about ro in. in length, breeding on the
South Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Vir-
ginia to Texas and wandering to New
Brunswick.

BLACK OYSTER-CATCHER (Hema-
topus bachmani), shown in the pen sketch,
is chiefly sooty black and white. This spe-
cies, found along the whole Pacific coast of
North America, is wholly blackish-brown

RUDDY TURNSTONE
OYSTER-CATCHER

in plumage; the bill is bright red and the feet. Hesh color.
MEXICAN JACANA (Jacana spinosa) is a most remarkable species
common in Mexico and reaching our borders in southern Florida and

45

Texas. The plumage is
black, chestnut and yellow-
ish-green; a scaly leaf-like
shield protects the top of
the head; the shoulders are
armed with sharp horny
points; and the toes and
nails are of exceeding length,
enabling them to walk over
floating vegetation with ease.

BOBWHITE (Colinus virginianus vir-
ginianus). Better known perhaps as “Quail”
or, in the south, as “Virginia Partridge,”
these are favorite game birds throughout the
region they inhabit, which includes from
Maine, Ontario, and North Dakota south to
the Gulf States. In the northern portions
of their range, particularly in New England,
they have become very scarce through ex-
cessive hunting and unfavorable weather
during nesting seasons. Although but 10
in. in length, they have short plump bodies
that are much larger than those of most
other birds of their dimensions. As shown,
the plumage of the sexes is very similar
except that the male has a pure white throat
and line above the eye, while on the female
these regions are buffy.

During fall and winter, flocks of six to
twenty individuals may be found in brush-
covered or stubble land. They squat mo-
tionless upon the approach of anyone and re-
main so until almost trod upon, when they
rise with a sudden rush and whir and scatter
in all directions. As their line of flight is
direct and in open ground, they are very easy
to shoot. Besides, the sportsman has his
dogs to point to their places of concealment,
so he does not even have the startling effect
produced by an unexpected rising to con-
tend with. Only their great productivity
‘ can withstand the pace the gunners set them,
and even that does not avail in many sections.

Early in spring the males select their mate or mates—for they are inclined
to be polygamous—after short but exciting battles with others and spread out
over the country, each pair selecting a suitable spot in tall grass bordering
fields, along walls or fences, in which the ten to sixteen pure white eggs will
be laid.

During spring and summer the males repeatedly call to one another with
their clearly whistled b0b-white or bob, bob-white. In fall and winter they have
a shorter call to gather scattered flocks, consisting of a repeated, soft quoit,
quoit, etc.

FLORIDA BOBWHITE is a local race found in that state, very much
darker colored than the ordinary birds.

46

- BOBWIITE ~
FLORIDA «BOBWHITE
MASKED BOBWHITE

MOUNTAIN QUAIL (Oreortyx picta
picia). ‘This, the largest of the quail, meas-
ing 11 in. in length, is an abundant species
in certain portions of Washington, Oregon
and California. It is found in humid regions,
while the very similar race, known as Plumed
Quail, inhabits arid regions of the same states.
The former has the upper parts slightly
browner than the latter, a distinction that
interests ornithologists but is of no consc-
quence among sportsmen. During the hunt-
ing season they go about in small flocks.
They are difficult to put up with a dog, for
they are very fleet of foot and trust to their
legs rather than to their wings whenever pos-
sible. If they are flushed, they separate and
do not flock together again for some time,
so that it is necessary to hunt them out one
by one. This is very different from the
actions of Bobwhite under similar circum-
stances, for within a few minutes they will
commence calling and soon the remnant of
the flock will have been united. The flesh of
this species is regarded as excellent, in fact
almost as good as that of the eastern quail.

The call of the male is a short hoarse crow,
similar to that of a young bantam rooster.
The female is plumaged quite like the male,
but differs in having much shorter plumes.
Their eight or ten eggs, which are laid in a
grass-lined depression under a bush or log,
are rather bright creamy-buff with no markings, or very faint ones.

SCALED QUAIL (Callipepla squamata squamata). There are two races
of this species, the present one, which is found in southern Colorado, Arizona,
New Mexico and Texas, and the Chestnut-bellied Scaled Quail, which is
found in the Lower Sonoran zone of southern Texas. The latter variety is
much like the former, except that the back is slightly browner, the under parts
more buffy and the male has a patch of chestnut on the belly. They inhabit
the chaparral and mesquite in dry washes and foothills and, like most western
species, trust to their legs chiefly to take them away from danger. Com-
monly called “Blue Quail.”

MOUNTAIN QUATL
SCALED QUAIL

+

47

GAMBEL QUAIL (Lophortyx gambeli).
A handsome species found in arid canyons
and river bottoms of the southwestern states,
north to Colorado and east to western Texas.
In fall they gather into flocks sometimes
numbering fifty or a hundred birds, spread-
ing over the country to feed during the day-
time and returning to huddle together at
night. The experienced pot hunter or trap-
per can get quantities, but, hunted in a legal
and sportsmanlike way, it requires a lot of
hard fast work to make a fair bag. No
quail is more nimble of foot than these;
they go through the mesquite and cactus
with a speed few men can follow. Yet if
one sits quietly down, he may often see num-
bers of them at close range, for unless they
are being hunted they are far from wild.

They pair in February, at which time
much vegetation is in blaom, and during
March or early April sets of their eggs,
numbering about a dozen, may be found in a
slightly lined hollow beside a bunch of grass
or under concealing bushes; they are buffy-
white, with large spots of brown and laven-
der. The call of the male during the mating
and breeding season is a shrill che-chaa.

CALIFORNIA QUAIL (Lophortyx cali-
fornica californica). Of the same size, nearly
ro in. in length, as the last and differing as,
shown. The curved feathers forming the
handsome crest are ordinarily carried in a single packet, but they can be
separated at will and thrown forward so that the first, or all of them, nearly
touch the bill. These birds are locally abundant in the humid regions of
the Pacific coast states. While they are shy
when hunted persistently, they are very
tame in parks where they are not molested.

MEARNS QUAIL (Crytonyx montezume
mearnsi), otherwise known as Massena
Quail or “‘ Fool Quail,” this is the most strik-
ingly marked bird of which I know. It is
found in upper arid regions of Mexico and
north to Arizona and western Texas.

GAMBEL QUAIL
CALIFORNIA QUAIL

48

DUSKY GROUSE (Dendragapus obscurus
obscurus). With the exception of the Sage
Grouse, this is the largest of American
grouse, measuring about 20 in. in length and
weighing about three pounds. This mag-
nificent grouse is not uncommon in the
Rocky Mountains from Arizona to northern
Colorado. Another race, known as the
Sooty Grouse, which differs chiefly in having
a narrower tail band, is found from Alaska
south to Oregon. Still another, Richardson
Grouse, which shows scarcely any tail band,
is found in the Rockies from Mackenzie to
Oregon and Montana. All these birds are
known to sportsmen as one, and are usually
termed ‘‘Blue Grouse.”

During winter they spend most of their
time in the tops of immense firs and pines,
feeding upon the buds and needles and only
coming down early in the morning or at dusk
to drink. Living as they do, in places where
the trees are of gigantic size and set closely
together, these birds are difficult to see, since
their colors match the bark well and they sit
motionless until they are pretty sure they
are seen, when they will whir away with
a thunderous roar. As more than half the
time the speeding bird is apt to be behind a a oe
tae trunks, = chances of successful wing use Grover
shots are not rosy. 7

Their eggs, laid in slight depressions along- epee acre
side of logs or under bushes, are creamy-buff, spotted all over with brown.

CANADA SPRUCE PARTRIDGE. (Canachites canadensis canace). A
medium-sized grouse, measuring about 15 in. in length, feeding chiefly upon
spruce buds, which impart a disagreeable taste to its flesh, on which account
they are seldom shot and are usually exceedingly tame. They are sometimes
caught in the hands and often caught with a noose on the end of a pole.
This species, orsome of the almost identical forms, is found in wooded re-
gions of Canada and northern United States. Franklin Grouse, found in
western Canada and northwestern United States, has scarcely any band on
the end of the tail and the upper coverts are broadly banded with white.

49

RUFFED GROUSE (Bonasa umbellus
umbellus). From the sportsman’s point of
view these grouse are quite generally regarded
as the king of American game birds. Of
good size, measuring about 16 in. in length,
they inhabit wooded districts where a quick
eye and cool head are necessary to bring them
down, especially since they start with a
thunderous rush, that often proves the un-
doing of the novice, and speed swiftly away
behind the sheltering tree trunks.

Several races of Ruffed Grouse are recog-
nized, but the sportsman need concern him-
self with but one, since the chief differences
are slight ones in the matter of size and shade
of coloration. They are found throughout
the northern half of the United States and
the southern half of Canada in suitable
wooded localities.

Sometimes a brood may remain together
through the winter, but different broods
never unite to form a flock as quail do. In
spring the males daily resort to favorite logs
or rocks and send forth their challenging
drumming. This is produced by the bird
standing erect, with tail spread and nearly
horizontai,and rapidly fanning the wings for-
ward in front of the breast, the beating of the
air producing a thump, thump, that, increas-
ing in velocity, soon assumes the sound of
a loud rapid drumming. They also strut
about with head thrown back, ruff opened to form a complete collar and
tail elevated over the back and spread to its fullest extent. Their nests
arc depressions in the leaves under the shelter of logs, stones or tree trunks;
the eight to sixteen eggs are buff colored, unmarked. The little chicks fol-
low their mother immediately after emerging from the eggs. If disturbed,
at a warning call each chick hides among the leaves and the mother runs
away, whining and trailing the wings as though badly wounded, in an
effort to lead the intruder away from her little flock. This ruse usually
works with people and it must almost infallibly pass if they are discovered
by foxes or other predatory animals. Birds in unsettled portions of the
north are not at all shy, are in fact almost as stupid as Spruce Partridge.
Often called ‘‘ Partridge” in the north and “Pheasant” in the south.

50

RUFFED GROUSE

WILLOW PTARMIGAN (Lagopus lago-
pus lagopus). Thereare three distinct species
of Ptarmigan or “Snow Grouse,” several
species not so well defined, and several, races
of some of these species. The present spe-
cies, or its varieties, inhabits the Arctic re-
gions generally, in America breeding from
southern Ungava, Keewatin and the Aleu-
tian Islands northward, and in winter coming
south to Ontario, Minnesota and British
Columbia and casually to the New England
States.

ROCK PTARMIGAN (Lagopus rupestris
rupestris). Slightly smaller than the last,
measuring a trifle more than a foot. The
bill is considerably smaller comparatively,
and in all stages of plumage there is a black
spot in front of the eyes. This species is
found in northern Canada from Ungava to
Alaska where several similar races occur.

WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN (Le-
gopus leucurus) are still smaller and all the
tail feathers are wholly white. These are
found in the Rocky Mountains from New
Mexico north to Alaska.

Ptarmigan are remarkable birds in that
they are in an almost continual state of
molting, nearly every month in the year basil NaS M SER inne 24
showing them in different stages of plumage, “WILLOW PTARMIGAN
ranging from the snow-white winter dress to ROCK PTARMIGAN
the summer one in which reddish-brown pre-
vails on Willow Ptarmigan and a black and gray barred effect predominates
on the other species. Notice that they are feathered to the toes, in winter
the feathers on the toes growing dense and hair-like, not only protecting the
toes from the cold but making excellent snowshoes which enable them to
walk with impunity over the lightest snow.

Ptarmigan form the staple article of diet for northern foxes, and were it
not for the fact that their plumage changes to correspond to the appearance
of the ground at the various seasons they would fare hardly indeed.

In spring the little red combs above the eyes of the males are swollen and
conspicuous. At this season they strut and perform curious antics, such as
all grouse are noted for.

SI

PRAIRIE CHICKEN (Tympanuchus
americanus americanus). Often known, too,
as Prairie Hen and as “‘Pinnated Grouse.”
These are éhe game birds of the plains in the
interior. They flock during the falland winter
months, lie well to dogs, frequent open, easily
traversed country and above all their large
size, 18 inches in length, and tender pala-
table flesh are a reward to the hunter in addi-
tion to the sport of capture. However, they
do not require anywhere near the skill and
quickness to secure that the Ruffed Grouse
does. They are hunted on foot, on horse-
back, in carriages and even from automo-
biles, but always with dogs to locate the
chickens and to put them up.

They frequent the plains of central North
America from southern Canada south to
Texas.

During the mating season the males per-
form the most ludicrous antics; assembling
on a slight rise, they strut about with the pin-
nates elevated and the orange sacs beneath
inflated until they look like little oranges
and almost conceal the head which is drawn
down between them; the short tail is spread
fan-like over the back; from all sides come
the deep booming notes sounding like the
gathering of a lot of enormous bullfrogs.
When they get worked up to the proper
pitch, the fight for partners is on in earnest,
the feet, wings and bills being used with savage effect. The winners, of
course, secure the belles, while the losers take what is left or go through
the season as bachelors.

HEATH HEN (Tympanuchus cupido). This is the Prairie Chicken of the
east, now confined to the island of Martha’s Vineyard, but formerly ranging
over southern New England and part of the Middle States. They are very
little smaller than the last, the scapulars are broadly tipped with buff and the
pinnates are pointed and less than ten in number.

LESSER-PRAIRIE CHICKEN (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) is smaller
and paler, and the bars on the back are brown with black edgings. Found on
plains from Kansas to Texas.

PRAIRIE HEN
HEATH HEN

52

©

SAGE HEN (Centrocercus urophasianus).
This, the largest of American grouse, meas-
uring about 28 in. in length and weighing up
to 8 pounds, is found in western North
America from Britsh Columbia and Assini-
boia to central California and Colorado.

The hen bird is considerably smaller than
the cock, measuring but 23 in. in length.

These great birds inhabit the Great Basin
and arid plains throughout their range,
where sage is the prevailing brush. They are
strictly terrestrial fowl,feeding almost wholly
on sage leaves which impart a disagreeable
taste to their flesh. They remain common
only in regions remote from civilization, for
their large bodies offer such an easy mark
even though their flight be swift, that they
soon become scarce after the country be-
comes settled.

Because of their great size, the actions of
cock birds during mating season are even
more ludicrous than those of other grouse.
The air sacs on the neck are enormously in-
flated until the whole breast is balloon-
shaped and then he slides along over the
bare ground for some distance on this im-
provised pneumatic tire. While expelling
the air, he produces a great variety of cack-
ling and rumbling noises. At the end of
this season the feathers on the breast are
worn away by this constant friction with
the ground, leaving only the stiff shafts at their ends. -

WILD TURKEY (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). Largest and finest of
game birds and the originator of the common domestic turkey. Found in their
several races in eastern and southern United States, north to Pennsylvania
and west to Texas; formerly north to New England. Frequent wooded dis-
tricts and are by nature very wary and shy, yet they are very easily trapped
and it was this means that has driven them from most of their former range.
At present they are taken chiefly by trailing or by calling. They have a re-
markably keen sense of sight and smell and a strong pair of legs with which
to run away, as well as good wings if necessity demands their use. With
plenty of cover, the turkey is pretty capable of caring for himself.

SAGE HEN
WILD TURKEY

53

RING-NECKED PHEASANT (Phasi-
anus torquatus). These handsome birds
have been introduced into various parts of
our country and.in some sections are thriving
very well, notably so in Oregon and Wash-
ington and almost as well in New England.
The male is an exceptionally beautiful bird,
measuring about 36 in. in length, including
the long tail. They inhabit cultivated or
weed-grown fields and brush-covered side
hills or pasture land. Sportsmen who use
only the pointer or setter have quite unani-
mously voted Pheasants failures as game
birds, but a well trained hound will fur-
nish as much sport with them as can be se-
cured from any bird. Some of my pleasant-
est days afield have been with a hound and
without a gun. What more could one wish
than to watch his faithful friend coursing all
over the field, hot on the trail of the running
cock pheasant and finally ‘“‘standing” him
in some thick cover. Some claim that it will
spoil a dog if you do not occasionally shoot
game he puts up, but I have found that
words of appreciation of his good work go
just as far as getting the game. Everyone
has his own tastes and, as an article of food,
2 I have yet to find any game equal to the

SHARP TATIND GROUSE Pheasant. It is very like quail but with the

RING-NECKED PHEASANT great advantage of good size.

Claims that Pheasants destroy young

grouse I believe to be contrary to fact and spiteful, since the two species do

not frequent the same covers, and I have had much experience with both
during the breeding season.

PRAIRIE SHARP-TAILED GROUSE (Pedioecetes phasianellus campes-
tris). The typical Sharp-tail is found from Central Alaska and British
Columbia east to Ontario and western Ungava; the Columbian Sharp-tail
inhabits the region from northeastern California and Colorado north to
Alberta; and the present variety occurs from Illinois and Kansas north to
Manitoba. The three varieties differ only slightly in the tone of coloring,
and even more slightly in size, averaging on 16 in. in length. Unlike
Prairie Chickens, these birds do not thrive on cultivated land, but advance
ahead of the settlers and make their homes in more remote country.

54

AVOCe be a ay etree ook ae yaa

Baldpate...

Beetlehead Plover.................

Blue Peter.

Blue-stocking. 2.0.0. ecco
Bob-white....................00..

Bog-bird.........

Brant eee ee eevee erereree

Black. .
Buffle- head. .

Bull-head Plover. Beene sees

Butter-ball..

Canvasbachiiie: cs diicc yewmaree wees
Chicken, Prairie...............0..
Coot cceis woah ey aawe canvass at nea
Curlews......00.00.00 0000000000

Dipper Duck................-020-
Dowitcher.............. 000000005
Duck, Black.................000.

Blackhead... .

Bluebill......... 0.000 .cs ec ee eee

Broadbill...

Canvasback..... 00202. ee cece

Harleauin.. bidedsnle FOS a aS

Labrador.

7

Mottled. .
Pintail. .
Ring-necked. .

Summer. .

INDEX

TIGER 2 a sicrs sarssntiranch tice taerdseiceas

King. .
Pacific...
Spectacled..

HBbig Dla cxsejour ced’? caceoe
Gadwall...... 0.0... e eee ae

Gallinule. .
Garrot.

Godwit, pangs Leah aus

Marbled...

Golden-eye.........0.-. 00000,
Bartow a2 eer soe Gtischnauesuadian eats
Goosander..........0...0 00000008.
Goose, Blue... 2.2.0... cece eee
Canada iosd: aiasagn neues stags
Emperotin isa xa4 9s, AhnR NS CUD S tes
Laughing.....2................
White-fronted..................
Greenhead..........0.... 00.00.00
Grouse, Blue...................6.
Se ia See danas eg seaee

Ruffed. .
Sage.

Sharp-tailed. ee

Snow.

BETES 5 privnn iad ianamonatanans
Hairy-heéad ... oo. 0c i sa tate eee
Heath, Hetty sce dies iv dite aetna

Kaleo ris acs Base eutrstnes ip epbaciidinacers wince
Kin Oban s/s 3saey avant owe eae eee yey

Mallard...............-0..0......
Bla: soa ig card eearniece sweden ee
IRAP RIA «bbs dosed achat senietestba and ta
Merganseriic. ics eee cee ee vee
Red-breasted..........-....0505.
Hooded........... 0. cece eee
Mud Hen.....................06,

Old-squawissesuuceaseararseae nas
Ortolatinn ss p00 gs obec. eee ne eet

Partridge..
Canada Spruce...
ia aaa

Peeps. .

Pheasant. .

Ring- -necked. .

Phalaropes.. .

Pintail Duck..

Plover, Black- bellied. .
Golden... .
Piping.

ee
Ring-necked. ...........0.0..0.
Semi-palmated.................

Prairie Hen......... 0.00 cee eee
Ptatmiganies: c¢20sacewa ts wi tee 5
Qualls snc aes ieee. CER
California..................2..-
Gamibel.... je0ag a4 h44 5 4 beias ess ete
Mountain.................0.005
SCALE oo hos cccaawrm ao nde tud aia
Mearns.............0.

Raft Duck..

Sandpiper, Bartramian............
Buff-breasted.............0..005.
Pectoral s ax dacgeinccnnenoawaniinginnnds
Pribilof iia cad cece

INDEX

PAGE

17
27

Sandpiper Sue

Purple..
Red-backed..

Semi-palmated. Pui aroaneaeeiatacg
BSOMCALYS «2.022 2 dase apda nba
Stl baie cecdicrnanarmnmbescte adh ads hak
Spotted... sec de cubes weed eas
White-rumped...............0..
Sanderling... cc cocescerseesye as aes
Scatip Duckiws::ceeeevscageger aye
SCOUT rec siche bata ah gu ead owe wee
Sheldrake: ioe svce chcsevadseeess
SOMME! ooo. soe eae ed esa’
OHOVEIER is ra deka ce wenenw arenas

me Grass. .

Rat breasted..
Robin..
Wilson...
Winter...
Sora..
South-southerly.
Spirit Duck..
Sprigtail.. .
Stilt..
Surf- bird. .
Swan..

a

ee ne b:
Tell-tale..
Tip-up. .
Turkey, Wild. .

Weazeties wis cick i ieee da de wddne s
WidSeOti... is etseasanda eeence ens
Wald DUG: cas sceua aw ae acai wis
Wihistlétts ics cesiues hae meraiinamrarss
Walleticc cos ncaa anmty ao Mega heyy s
Woodcock cvcceciarkvwsaws Fes

Vellow-legsiis caiss ai av kanes eave

56

GUIDE TO TAXIDERMY

BY C. K. AND C. A. REED’

IS AN EXPERT, INTERESTING AND CONTINUAL
INSTRUCTOR

ILLUSTRATED

In this one book you get as much or more value than you can from $50.00
worth of personal instruction or correspondence: You get half a dozen dif-
ferent courses at a fraction of the cost of one, and can take up the work as
rapidly or as slowly as you like. Two weeks’ practice during your spare time
should easily enable you to mount a bird excellently.

Taxidermists charge from $1.25 to $15.00 for mounting a bird, and from
$2.50 to $100.00 for animals. You can do this work yourself at the cost of
but a few cents and a little of your spare time. Many professional taxider-
mists have but little idea of the appearance of a bird or animal and use crude
methods of mounting. You can mount your specimen as you saw it in life
and by the most approved method.

In the course of the year, you can pick up a great many dollars by doing
work for your friends and sportsmen near you, or you can engage in taxi-
dermy as a business. If you master the contents of this book you will be
far better equipped for the business than are the majority of those now en-
gaged in it.

Personal instruction, in only one branch of taxidermy, costs from $15.00
up, while the price of GUIDE TO TAXIDERMY, which includes half a
dozen full courses, is only $1.50 net; postpaid for $1.65. 300 pages, cloth

bound.
57

LAND BIRDS
BY CHESTER A. REED, S.B.

An illustrated pocket text-book that enables anyone to quickly identify
any song or insectivorous bird found east of the Rocky Mountains. It
describes their habits and peculiarities; tells you where to look for them and

describes their nests, eggs and songs.

EVERY BIRD IS SHOWN IN COLOR, including the females and young
where the plumage differs, from water-color drawings by the 4-color process.
The illustrations are the BEST, the MOST ACCURATE, and the MOST
VALUABLE ever printed in a bird book.

“LAND BIRDS” is the most popular and has had the LARGEST SALE
of any bird book published in this country. It is used and recommended by
our leading Ornithologists and teachers. 230 pages.

Bound in Cloth, 75c. net in Leather, $1.00 net; postage, 5c.

58

WATER BIRDS
BY CHESTER A. REED, SB.

This book is uniform in size and scope with “LAND BIRDS.” It in-
cludes all of the Water Birds, Game Birds and Birds of Prey, east of the
Rockies. Each species is ILLUSTRATED IN COLOR from oil paintings;
the bird, its habits and nesting habits are described.

The pictures show more than 230 birds in color, every species found in our
range. They exceed in number those in any other bird book. In quality
they cannot be surpassed—exquisite gems, each with an attractive back-

ground typical of the habitat of the species.

“LAND BIRDS” and “WATER BIRDS” are the only books, regardless

of price, that describe and show in color every bird. 250 pages, neatly boxed.
Bound in Cloth, $1.00 net; in Leather, $1.25 net; postage, 5c.

59

FLOWER GUIDE
BY CHESTER A. REED, S.B.

A guide to the common wild flowers found in the Eastern and Middle
States.

““ Wild Flower Guide ” is the same size and scope as “‘ Bird Guide.” It
has an extraordinary sale and has been adopted and used in quantities in

many of our leading colleges and schools. :

The COLORED ILLUSTRATIONS, 192 in number, are, beautiful, ar-
tistic and accurate reproductions from oil paintings; the finest series ever
made. The text tells where each is found, when it blooms, whether in woods,
fields, swamps, etc., the height that the plant attains, whether it is self-
fertilized or cross fertilized by insects and how; in fact it gives a great deal
more information than one would think possible in a book to fit comfort-
ably in the pocket.

Bound in Cloth, 75c.; in Leather, $1.00; postage, 5c.
60

CAMERA STUDIES OF WILD BIRDS
IN THEIR HOMES

By CHESTER A. REED, S.B.

Interesting text and 250 illustrations from actual photographs of living
wild birds. Some of the finest ever made. 300 pages, 514 x 714, cloth bound.

$2.00 net; postage, 20c.

NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS’ EGGS

By CHESTER A. REED, 5.B.

This is the only book on the market that gives illustrations of the eggs of
all North American birds. Each egg is shown FULL SIZED, photographed
directly from an authentic and well-marked specimen. There are a great
many full-page plates of nests and eggs in their natural situations.

The habitat and habits of each bird are given. ,

It is finely printed on the best of paper and handsomely bound in cloth.
350 pages—6 x 9 inches. ‘

$2.50 net; postage, 25c.

NATURE STUDIES—BIRDS

A book to start the young folks along the right paths in the study of birds.
Interesting stories. 40 colored illustrations. 112 pages.

6O0c. net; postage, I!Oc.

NATURE STUDIES IN FIELD AND
WOOD

A book to call attention to the many interesting creatures to be seen on
every hand—in brook, pond, field, swamp, woods and even in the dooryard.
40 illustrations. 112 pages.

6Oc. net; postage, [Oc.

61

i

Birds of Eastern North America

BY CHESTER A. REED, S.B.

THE BIRD BOOK ofthe year. It isauthentic. The author KNOWS
birds. He has studied them for thirty years—in the hand, for plumage,
and in their haunts, for habits. He has studied them in their homes and has
photographed hundreds as they were actually feeding their young. Besides
being able to write about these things in an interesting and instructive man-
ner, he is classed as one of the foremost bird artists in America. This rare
combination of Artist-Author-Naturalist has produced, in “Birds of Eastern
North America,” the ultimate bird book.

The technical descriptions aided by the pictures give perfect ideas of the
plumages of adults and young.

The descriptive text gives the important and characteristic features in the
lives of the various species.

The illustrations—well, there are 408 PICTURES IN NATURAL
COLORS; they show practically every species, including male, female and
young when the plumages differ, and they are perfectly made by the best
process. No other one bird book ever had anywhere near as many ac-
curately colored pictures.

Bound in cloth, handsomely illuminated in gold; 464 pages (414 x 614);
408 colored illustrations; every bird described and pictured.

$3.00 net; postage I5c.
CHAS. K. REED, Worcester, Mass.

62

WILD FLOWERS

East of the Rockies

By CHESTER A. REED

The latest flower book.
In a class by itself.
Original, beautiful, compact, complete, interesting, exact.
Pictures 320 flowers, ALL IN COLOR.
450 pages.
Handsomely bound; boxed. $2.50 net; postage I5c.

63

Field Glasses for Bird Study

or equally good -for the mountains, seashore or theater, or wherever a large,
clear image of an object is desired.

We carefully examined more than a hundred makes of field glasses, to select
the ones best adapted for bird study.

We found one make that was superior to any other of the same price and
equal optically, and nearly as well made as those costing three times as much.

They magnify about three diameters, and have an unusually large field
of vision or angle of view, making it easy to find a bird or keep him in sight.

Price only $5.00 postpaid.

CHAS. K. REED - - Worcester, Mass.

64