oe nv x passa SAS SSS wn Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924090286687 Sensual Sy Yo True 5. SToles 1932 7 “ 6 7 8 a = ‘ 9 Md 43 10 2 << S Ma. Ap (O) Py IG «S oA M7 19 —— ge 24 25 2 Sas = o 27 = z 1. Booted tarsus of a Robin. 2. Billof a Robin. 3. Scutellate tarsus of the Brown Thrush. 4. Bill of the Brown Thrush. 5. Billofa nuthatch. 6. Bill of a creeper. 7. Bill of a warbler; genus Helminthophaga ; 8, Dendreca,; 9, Myiodioctes. 10. Wing-feather of the Cedar-bird, with horny appendage. 11. Head of a Cedar-bird, with crest raised. 12. Bill of the Goldfinch. 13. Bill of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 14. Bill of the Sharp- tailed Finch. 15. Tail-feathers of the same bird. 16. Bill of a crdéssbill. 17, Hind-toe and claw of the Snow Bunting. 18. Bill of the Red-winged Blackbird. 19. Bill of the Canada Jay. 20. Bill of the Great Crested Flycatcher; (21.)as seen from above. 22. “Mu- cronate” tail-feathers of the Chimney Swift. 23. Head of the Chimney Swift. 24. ‘‘Syn- dactyle” foot of the Kingfisher. 25. Bill of the Downy Woodpecker. 26. Raptorial bill (genus Accipiter). 27. Tip of bill, genus Falco. 28. Bill of a pigeon. 29. Tarsus of a pigeon. THE t LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS, THEIR HABITS AND NOTES. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. BY H. D. MINOT. “To him who in the love of Nature holds “Communion with her visible forms, she speaks “A various language ;” BRYANT’S THANATOPSIS. SALEM, MASS. NATURALISTS’ AGENCY. Boston: Estes & LAURIAT. 1877. ORN ITH Qu 6f3 Moe 1¢tF . ‘Eptered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, by HENRY DAVIS MINOT, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. PRINTED AT THE SALEM PRESS. F. W. Putnam & Co, Proprietors. Tuts book has been written from a desire to interest, if not to instruct, young people in that most attractive branch of Natural History, the study of birds. If this purpose is ac- complished, I trust that its deficiencies may be pardoned. In my early study of ornithology, I felt great need of some similar book; hence my attempt to supply it. I have made several quotations in my own name from occasional notes which I have already given to the public. This is in accordance with my original expectation of publishing the following pages anony- mously—a course, however, which has been thought inad- visable. ; H. D. Minor. Noy. 1st, 1876: CONTENTS. Preface, Introduction, § A. Ornithology ana Oleay; §§B-G. Collecting Eggs, §H. Packing Eggs, §I. Blowing Eggs, . §J. Cleaning and Mending Eggs, §K. Arrangement of Pees) Cabinet, . Nesting, . Birds’ Homes, Laying of Eggs, Desertion, - ‘Exigencies, Advice, ‘ The Study of Birds, art CQ? Dr A (2 L- UL? LI 2 CLO ACHPRONOmE . Measurements, ee W. Classification ; : Scientific Names, Land-birds and Game-birds of New England, Chapter I. Order Passeres, 1. Thrushes (Turdide), Bluebirds (Sawicolide), Sylvias (Sylviide), . Titmice (Paride), Nuthatches (Sittide), Creepers (Certhiide), Wrens (Troglodytide), Warblers (Sylvicolide), Tanagers (Tanagride), BOTS SO Gs One Coit COD COD LOD LOD LOD C02 C9 LO? CO? LO 09 Ree Wagtails (Motacillide), . Waxwings (Ampelide), ; Swallows (Hirundinide), Details of Structure ; Terms of Description, (v) vi CONTENTS. Chapter I. §13. Vireos (Vireonide), §14. Shrikes (Laniide), . § 15. Finches (Fringillide), §16. Larks (Alaudide), . §17. Starlings (Icteridee), : §18. Crows and jays (Corvide), §19. Flycatchers (Tyrannide), Chapter II. Order Picarice, : § 20. Goatsuckers (Caprimaigiaa), . : § 21. Swifts (Cypselide), . < § 22. Hummingbirds (Lrochilide), . §23. Kingfishers (Alcedinide), §24. Cuckoos (Cuculide), § 25. Woodpeckers (Picide), Chapter III. Order Raptores, §26. Owls (Strigide), §27. Hawks and eagles (Falconide), §28. American vultures (Cathartide), Chapter IV. Order Columbdce, § 29. Pigeons and doves (Cotembiaes), Chapter V. The Game-birds, § 30. Grouse (Tetrion), §31. Partridges (Perdicide), § 32. Snipe, etc. (Scolopacide), Appendix, Avs F : ; ‘i ‘ . Ornithological Calendar for E. Massachusetts, Distribution of the Birds of New England, A Key to the Eggs of Massachusetts, A Key to the Land-birds of New England, Colorations peculiar to Young Birds, Or to Mature Birds in the Winter-season, Additions and Corrections, . Abstract of the Game-laws of Massachusetts, Qs HOOP Indices. Index to English Maines (with references), Index to Scientific Names (with authorities and accent), PREFACE. Tuts volume has been written to fill a place hitherto vacant in ornithological literature. The works of Wilson,! Audubon,? and Nuttall,3 are costly, and rarely offered for sale, having been in a great measure superseded by modern authors. The recent and most complete work on American Ornithology.t that of Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, is also costly. Mr. Samuels’ book on the ‘Birds of New England and Adjacent States”> has been thought too expensive to be within the reach -of all, and more or less inaccurate and incomplete. Dr. Coues’ admirable ‘‘ Key to North American Birds,”® which is probably the best book of reference for collectors, and students of inani- mate birds, treats merely of structure, classification, and spe- cific descriptions. The same author's * Field Ornithology.”* and Mr. Maynard’s *‘Naturalist’s Guide,”® have also been 1% American Ornithology.” Wilson. 9 vols. Philadelphia, 1Si1. Brought down by Ord to 1827, Also £ volumes ty Bonaparte, of the Birds not given vy Wilson. Philadelphia, 1833. 2a. * Ornithological Biography.’ Audubon. 1838. b. Enlarged to “Birds of America” in 1844. 3*-4 Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and Canada.” Nuttall. 1852. 1840. “North American Birds.” Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston, 1574. : 5* Birds,” or “Omnithology and Qdlogy,” “of New England (and Adjacent States).” E. A. Samuels. 15,7. 6 Key to North American Birds,” with a list of fossil birds. Coues. Natural- ists’ Agency, Salem, Mass. *+ Field Ornithology,” with --a Check List of North American Bird:.”* Cones. Naturalists’ Agen:y, Salem, Mass. *The check-list has been pablizhed separately. The older Smithsonian list may be obtained from the Naturalist’s Agency. Salem, Mass. To the above-mentioned books of reference may be added various local catalogues, and the first volume, lately published, of “ Life-histories of the Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania, by Thomas G. Gentry.” 8“ The Naturalist’s Guide,” ~ with a complete catalogue of the birds of Eastern Maszachusc tts,” and notes relative to their migrations, ete. C.J. Maynard. Fields, Osgood, & Co.. Bozton, 1870. (vii) viii PREFACE. written for collectors, being chiefly manuals of taxidermy. The former, so far as it extends, is the fuller of the two. The author of this ornithological biography has endeavored to make it inexpensive, trustworthy, original,.and not a compilation. He is aware that it is incomplete, treating only of the land- birds and game-birds, which are, of all, however, the most accessible to a majority of persons, the most numerous, and certainly the most generally interesting. He hopes, however, that should this volume be favorably received, some naturalist will undertake the biography of the wading and swimming birds, which he himself is incapable of doing, not having had opportunities to make sufficient observations. This volume may be found further incomplete, and he hopes therefore that criticisms and corrections will be freely made, that into a second edition, should there be one, he may incorporate ad- ditional facts. That he might not be, or seem guilty of pla- giarism, he has written his biographies before reading those.of others, and has afterwards consulted Wilson, etc., for such inter- esting facts as were unmentioned by himself. These borrowed statements, or passages quoted for their intrinsic value, have been invariably attributed to their authors, or placed in quota- tion-marks.9 Sometimes, however, in spite of these precau- tions, he has employed much the same words as other writers, in describing the same facts. The biographies of the game- birds have been contributed by a friend, except those of the Canada and Pinnated Grouse. The author has endeavored to mention in detail the ordinary or minor notes of various birds, since these are often more satis- factorily characteristic than musical notes, which are usually heard during a limited portion of the year. He has, moreover, endeavored, when possible, to convey an idea of several songs 9In the case of a few rare birds, the author has satisfied himself with corrobor- ating the statements of others, instead of making statements based entirely upon his own authority and experience. He has not hesitated, however, to stute very general facts, which he cannot personally attest, such as that vultures feed chiefly on carrion, etc. These cases are principally confined to remarks on distribution and habitat. : PREFACE. ix through the medium of words, but he has generally been obliged -to employ other means, since it is difficult to do the former sat- isfactorily. It is probable that, were a dozen persons asked to express verbally any music of this kind, they would each employ different syllables. Many birds have two or three easily distinguishable combinations of musical sounds, or in ‘different districts of the country have songs which are very distinct. The notes of many warblers, particularly those oc- curring in Massachusetts as migrants only, need to be learned: and studied more than those of any other group of our avi- ‘fauna. The author does not pretend to have treated these completely or satisfactorily, the less so that he has lost sev- eral memoranda. The warblers sing, however, during their migrations in spring, particularly in the early morning, more than many naturalists suppose. Mr. Allen, in the preface to ‘his ‘Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts,” ‘makes the following admirable and instructive remarks on the variation in birds’ songs, distributions, etc. “Only by knowing thoroughly the fauna of a locality can the subsequent changes in it, induced by its becoming more densely settled, or by other causes, be traced. As is well known, the mammalian and bird faune of all the older settled parts of the United States are vastly different from what they were two hundred years ago. These changes consist mainly in the great decrease in numbers of the representatives of all the larger species, not a few of which are already extirpated where they were formerly common; a few of the smaller spe- cies of both classes have doubtless increased in numbers. Two causes operate unfavorably upon the larger ones; the disfor- esting of the country and the sporting propensities of the people, everything large enough to be shot, whether useful or otherwise, being considered as legitimate game.” ‘“Many of the water-fowl that aré now only transient visit- ors, as the Canada Goose, the several species of Merganser, Teals, Black Duck and Mallard, undoubtedly once bred in this state, as did also the Wild Turkey and the Prairie Hen.” ‘“‘Tn comparatively recent times, geologically speaking, prob- pwn & x PREFACE. ably other causes, as climatic, have been operating to effect a gradual northward migration, in certain species at least. These changes are of great interest, not only generally, but in a scientific point of view, and we shall be able to trace them and their causes only by comparing, from time to time, ex- haustive faunal records of the same localities. ‘In a district so little diversified as that portion of Massa- cbusetts lying east of the Connecticut River, it is perhaps a little unexpected that marked discrepancies should occur in the observations made at adjoining localities by equally compe- tent naturalists, in respect to the relative abundance of certain species. As every experienced observer must have noticed that the birds of passage, as many of the Warblers especially, vary greatly in numbers in different years, and in the time occupied by them in passing a given locality, it is less surpris- ing that at different points they should vary in abundance the same year. Among the birds that regularly breed in the dis- trict in question, there are some that are not equally common at all points.” ‘Birds, as probably other animals, are not quite so invari- able in their habits as has been commonly supposed, nor in the precise character of their notes and songs, or the situation and materials of which they compose their nests. Hence one should not rashly question the accounts given by usually reliable au- thorities, because in particular instances they do not accord with their own observations. Neither should differences in habits, in song, etc., be taken as infallible evidence of a differ- ence of species.” ‘‘How universally the Chipping Sparrow (Spizella socialis) breeds, in trees, and generally at an elevation of several feet, is well known, but several authentic instances of this bird’s |mesting on the ground have come to my knowledge, one of (Yedised which I myself discovered. Variations of this character in \ other species are of occasional occurrence, examples of which have doubtless been met with by every experienced collector. “The materials which birds select in the construction of , their nests are well known to vary in different localities; the PREFACE. xi ‘greater care exhibited by some species to secure a soft warm lining at the north that are much less precautious in this re- spect at the south, is already a recorded fact. Aside from this, the abundance of certain available materials occurring at only particular localities gives a marked character to the nests there built, which serves to distinguish them from those from other points. Some of the Thrushes, for instance, make use of a peculiar kind of moss at some localities that elsewhere, from, its absence, are compelled to substitute for it fine grass or dry leaves. At Ipswich, on Cape Cod, and perhaps generally in the immediate vicinity of the sea,:the Purple Grackles (Quis- calus versicolor) and Red-winged Blackbirds (Ageleus phe- niceus), and in fact numerous other species, in building their nests often use little else than dry eel-grass or ‘ sea-wrack,’ which results in nest-structures widely different in appearance from those of their relatives residing in the interior. Every egg-collector is aware of: the wide variations eggs of the same set may present, not only in the markings and in the tint of the ground color, but in size and form, and especially how wide these differences sometimes are in eges of different birds of the same species. Also how different the behavior of the bird is when its nest is approached, in some cases the parents appearing almost utterly regardless of their own safety in their anxiety for their eggs or helpless young, while other parents of the same species quietly witness the robbing of their nest at a safe distance, and evince no extraordinary emotion. Those who have witnessed this, and have also watched the behavior of birds when undisturbed in their quiet retreats, will grant, I think, the same diversity of disposition and temperament to obtain among birds that is seen in man himself. ‘**TIn respect to the songs of birds, who that has attentively listened to the singing of different Robins, Wood Thrushes or Purple Finches, has not detected great ‘differences in the vocal powers of rival songsters of the same species? Different individuals of some species, especially among the Warblers, sing so differently that the expert field ornithologist is often puzzled to recognize them; especially is this so in the Black xii PREFACE. and White Creeper (Mniotilta varia) and the Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendreca virens). But the strangest example of this sort I have noticed I think was the case of an Oriole (Icterus Baltimore) that I heard at Ipswich last season. So different were its notes from the common notes of the Balti- more that I failed entirely to refer them to that bird till I saw its author.” ‘Aside from such unusual variations as this, which we may consider as accidental, birds of unquestionably the same spe- cies, as the Crow, the Blue Jay, the Towhe! and others, at rethote localities, as New England, Florida, Iowa, etc., often possess either general differences in their notes and song, easily recognizable, or certain notes at one of these localities never heard at the others, or an absence of some that are else- where familiar. This is perhaps not a strange fact, since it is now so well known that birds of the same species present cer- tain well marked variations in size according to the latitude and elevation above the sea of the locality at which they were born, and that they vary considerably, though doubtless within a certain range, in many structural points at one and the same locality. In other words, since it is known that all the differ- ent individuals of a species are not exactly alike, as though all were cast in the same die, as some naturalists appear to have believed. ‘“‘Certain irregularities in the breeding range of birds have also come to light. It is perhaps not remarkable that a pair of birds of species that regularly breed in northern New Eng- land should now and then pass the summer and rear their young in the southern part, as has been the case in certain known instances in the Snow Bird (Junco hyemalis), the Pine Finch (Chrysomitris pinus), and the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis); but it is otherwise with the Snow Bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis), which rarely breeds south of Labrador, of which there is a single well authenticated instance 10It is to be remarked that a variety of this bird has recently been found in Florida. PREFACE. xiii of its breeding near Springfield. The casual visits of northern birds in winter, which we may suppose sometimes results from their being driven south by want of food or the severity of the season, are also less remarkable, it appears to me, than the occurrence here of southern species, as of the two Egrets, the Little Blue Heron (Florida Cerulea) the Gallinules and other aquatic species, which never, so far as known (with one excep- tion perhaps), breed so far north. In‘the latter case they are generally young birds that reach us towards fall in their chance wanderings. ; “Tt may here be added that the cause of the migration of our birds still offers an interesting field for investigation. Obser- vers are of late noting that in the case of some northern spe- cies that reach us only occasionally in their winter migrations, young birds only are at first seen, but if the migration contin- ues the older birds appear at a later date. But sometimes young birds only are seen. This frequently happens in the case of the Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola eneucleator). The cause of their visits is not always, it is evident, severe weather; the last named species appearing sometimes in November,—weeks before severe cold sets in—vwhile at other times it is not seen at all during some of our severest winters. The probable cause is more frequently, doubtless, a short supply of food, as last winter was remarkable in this state for its mildness and for the great number of northern birds that then visited us. It has repeatedly been observed that on their first arrival these unusual visitors are generally very lean, but that they soon fatten; an argument in favor of the theory that their migra- tion was compelled by a scarcity of food. ‘*Probably fewer birds are actually permanently resident at a given locality than is commonly supposed, for species seen the whole year at the same locality, as the Blue Jay, the Tit- mouse, the Brown Creeper, and the Hairy and Downy Wood- pecker, etc., in Massachusetts, are represented, not by the same, but by different sets of individuals, those seen here in summer being not those seen in winter, the species migrating north and south, en masse, with the change of season. We xiv PREFACE. are generally cognizant of a migration in a given species only - when the great ‘‘ bird wave” sweeps entirely past us either to the north or south. Some species, however, seem actually fixed at all seasons, and are really essentially non-migratory, as the Spruce Partridge, and Quail (Ortyx Virginianus) are in New England. But only a small proportion, doubtless, of the so-called non-migratory birds at any given locality are really so.* ‘In connection with this topic of migration, the fact that some of the young or immature individuals of our marine birds, as the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) and other species of that family, and several of the Tringz, linger on our coast during summer, while the adult all retire northward, is one of some interest. Mature and strong birds only, in species that breed far to the north, evidently seek very high latitudes. Birds of the -first year also appear to roam less widely.than the older: In different species of the Gull family it is generally only the mature birds that in winter are seen far out at sea, though in the same latitudes the young may be numerous along the coast. All observant collectors are well aware of the fact that those birds that first reach us in the spring, of whatever species, are generally not only very appreciably larger, but brighter plum- aged and in every way evidently more perfect birds than those that arrive later; and that in those species that go entirely to the north of us there is a much larger proportion of paler col- ored and immature birds, especially among the Sylvicolide, or warblers, towards the close of the migrating season than ear- lier. Hence the presence here of a few individuals in summer of species that usually go farther north is not always sufficient evidence that the species breeds with us.” Good illustrations are of great assistance to young students, teaching them, better than words, characteristic details of *“Tn respect to the proof whereon this proposition rests, see my remarks on this point in the Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, Vol. i, Pt. iv, p. 488 (foot note).” 11Several passages or sentences have, for convenience, been omitted in this extract. PREFACE. xv structure, and the general differences of appearance in the birds of various families or groups. The illustrations of this volume are woodcuts in outline, the only satisfactory form, not greatly increasing its cost, of which the author has bethought himself. He:has drawn most of the figures from nature — he hopes with accuracy, though, since the scales vary, and (when fractional) are only approximate, they do not satisfactorily represent the relative size of the birds figured.12 The outlines of the Chickadee, Night ‘“‘ Hawk,” and Golden-winged Wood- pecker, have been copied from Wilson’s pictures; those of the Winter Wren were suggested by a picture in Dr. Coues’ ‘‘ Key to North American Birds.” The details of structure have all been drawn from nature by the author, though several hints have been taken from the latter volume. The outlines of birds very well known, or nearly related to others figured, have been omitted. It may be here remarked that.in the figure of the Traill’s Flycatcher the tail is broader and more rounded than is observable in the living bird when at rest. In some other figures, the notch of the bill is indistinct. This volume contains several facts, never before published, so far as the author knows, except a few, which have appeared in magazines or pamphlets. It also possesses new features, which will, it is hoped, facilitate the acquisition of a thorough knowledge of our birds, though it contains no more scientific details than necessary. The classification, with slight changes in sequence, is that used by Professor Baird and Dr. Coues. The introduction (which is divided into sections, marked by letters) relates chiefly to the formation of a collection of eggs, containing, however, a section on structural details, and an- other on classification. Each of the succeeding chapters treats of an ornithological order, though the last treats of the game- birds. Each chapter is divided into sections, which are con- tinuously numbered throughout (in Arabic figures), and which mark the various families (subfamilies being otherwise indi- 12These have not been drawn so as to exhibit the longest primary, spurious - feathers, scutelle, or the like, unless in the plate. XVi PREFACE. cated). The genera of each section are marked by Roman numerals, and the species belonging to them by capital letters in parenthesis. The biography of each species is divided into four parts :— (a) a description of the mature birds (but not of the young, for which see the Appendix E); (b) a description of their nest and eggs; (c) a description of their habits, and (d) of their notes. In the first part, various minute details are frequently omitted, which it has been thought unnecessary to introduce. In spelling the English names of birds, the following system has been here adopted. Specific names are begun with capital letters to distinguish them from similar names of groups (e. g. the Crow Blackbirds) ; when they are’ composed partly of a family-name, such as “thrush,” that name is never compounded with another (e. g. Wood Thrush) ; when they are compounds of “bird,” that word is united by a hyphen to a noun immediately preceding, but not to an adjec- tive, except in cases to the contrary, established by long usage (e. g. Cat-bird, Blue Bird, but Swamp Blackbird). Finally, that this book may prove useful to students, inter- esting to lovers of nature, and acceptable to the public, is the hope and wish of its 1876. AUTHOR. INTRODUCTION. § A. Ornithology is the science of birds, and odlogy that of eggs, or, in a common but limited sense, that of birds’ eges. The two are intimately connected, and often form a joint study, one embracing the other. They are useful, because, when properly pursued, they cultivate observation and a love of nature, and necessitate healthful exercise. * Ornithology,” says an enthusiastic but anonymous writer, ‘“‘has two departments, which are more or less incompatible, namely: Natural History, and Science, or the study of animate birds, and of those inanimate. The former, especially as opposed to an extreme of the latter, I recommend to all young students as the higher and better pursuit of the two. I fur- ther advise them, when not shooting at targets or legitimate game, never to fire a gun. My own experience has proved that, when science is so far advanced as at present, one can obtain an accurate knowledge of our birds, and a good collec- tion of their eggs, by following the above rule, and having proper books of reference, or a like resource, Egg-collecting can be conducted under humane principles. A parent-bird should never be shot, except in cases of extreme necessity, it being often preferable even then to snare the female by placing a slip-noose of horse-hair around the inner edge of her 2 @) 2 INTRODUCTION. nest and attaching it to some neighboring object. I myself, from as near a standpoint as possible, and often aided by an opera-glass, observe, if I can, the female when actually upon her nest, since other birds may be about it, and may even make complaints from sympathy, or because their own nests are near by.!_ Should she fly too soon, I either return after a few moments’ absence or concealment (as I often do in prefer- ence to doing mischief by keeping her too long from her nest), or I follow her with my eye, endeavoring not to lose sight of her nor to confuse her with any other species, and note, so far as possible, all her markings, which, until I became an expert, I always noted down on the spot, to compare with full descrip- tions at home. Practice enables one to recognize many birds, particularly the larger ones, at a glance, and to note readily the most characteristic markings; but there is no objection to shooting hawks, which are less easily identified otherwise than smaller species. There are some persons who are too inaccu- rate to follow this method, and with such, or with those per- sonally unknown to you, it is well never to exchange. Males are generally more easily identified than females, and fre- quently sit upon their nests, though most often appearing when their mates are disturbed. Confusion may easily arise from two varieties of one species, but both forms rarely occur in the same district, and, according to a strict definition of the word “variety,” can never normally do so. The only varie- ties (not belonging to original types) which occur in New England among land-birds, are the Gray-cheeked Thrush, the Bronzed Blackbird,? and the Red-naped Woodpecker, of which the first-named has been sometimes ranked as a species, and 1Jt may be added that Cow-birds never lay their eggs but in the nests of other birds. See §17, IM. 2~ This bird is thought to build in holes, while the Crow Blackbird does not.” INTRODUCTION. 3 at least has not been known to breed in the eastern United States.3 “ Bird-collecting, on the other hand, unavoidably leads to more or less cruelty, in many cases to absolute barbarity, and is at present carried to an alarming excess. Slaughter by hundreds should be permitted among only a few eminent and competent naturalists, such as Messrs. Allen and Coues. Otherwise, it becomes an outrage upon nature, a positive in- jury to science, and a mere source of self-gratification. Young collectors, who are not to become scientists, should form their collections for the sake of beauty in nature, and might well be satisfied with two good specimens, well-mounted, of each kind, namely: the mature male and female. In the case of a scientific collection this would be wholly inadmissible, and collectors should certainly shoot any specimen of a kind never before taken in that district where they may chance to meet it, or those birds which they find in a country new to them- selves, or perhaps to all ornithologists. Otherwise, may I venture to ask what new facts one can make known from own- ing the skins of several hundred unfortunate robins? All our rarer birds, or those of market-value, are in danger of being altogether exterminated, through a foolish sense of glory on man’s part, or through his reckless destruction of other than human life. It is also to be regretted that so many birds-are shot, before laying their eggs, owing to the condition of their plumage and their abundance, during or immediately after their spring migrations. Nature’s resources should be drawn upon only in cases of necessity, or in contribution to the ad- vancement of mankind. Violation of nature, as of the natural 3See farther §13, I, D and E, for the very slight distinction between the War- bling and Philadelphia Vireo. 4 INTRODUCTION. laws, must entail misery, and finally cause us bitterly to regret our present thoughtlessness and inhumanity; errors which will probably continue until stricter and efficient laws, con- sequently more general and simple laws are passed.” The above remarks may need modification, but they express a spirit worthy of serious reflection. , §B.4 In forming a collection of eggs the chief requisites are :— (1) Boxes of various size. Those of a cylindrical shape and made of tin are the best, as they take up least room in the pocket, and are easily slipped in and out. A box, which can- not be carried in the pocket, is comparatively worthless. (2) A supply of cotton-wool, a cheap material and the most satisfactory for packing on account of its elasticity. (3) A cabinet. (4) A knife to cut small branches or the like. To these may be added climbing-irons, egg-drills, blow-pipes, etc., though not absolutely necessary. §C. In winter, or as spring approaches, study the descrip- tions of various birds, nests, eggs, and the nature of the local- ities as well as the position in which the latter are usually found. Find in advance suitable spots for the search of any desired nest, especially if you do not live in the country. §D. If in your rambles you should see a nest (not an old one), approach it carefully to see the bird ; this being generally indispensable, as eggs are often to be identified through the par- ent only. If the female, who usually sits upon the nest much 4The following remarks are addressed to the inexperienced only. INTRODUCTION. 5 oftener than the male, flies too soon, retire and return in a few minutes. Adopt the same plan for a bird, whom you have flushed from the ground, and do not at once recognize. If you fail to find the nest (granted that there be one there, and that the bird was not merely feeding), on returning, note the exact spot from which she rises. If you think to recognize her, make yourself positive of facts. If not, note with the utmost accuracy her size, markings, and the shape of the bill, and identify her as soon as possible.6 To determine her size, re- member that the Humming bird is about 3} inches long, the Song Sparrow or Snow-bird 6 or more, the Robin about 93, and the Crow nearly 20. Also observe the comparative length of her tail. §E. If you have an opportunity, study the works of Wilson and Audubon. The former’s figures are very life-like, and their coloring generally true, though often too high-toned or otherwise incorrect. It is still more worth your while to examine the collection of the Boston Society of Natural His- tory.7 If this is inaccessible to you, another is probably more worthy of your attention than descriptions, or even accurate paintings. §F. A nest containing sound eggs, but without the parent- birds, generally indicates that all the eggs have not been laid, or that the parents are temporarily absent. Should you find 5 Many birds, when frightened from their nests on the ground, feign lameness or the like. _ §&Shooting the parents when collecting for yourself is optional. See quoted remarks in § A. 7The building of this Society is on Berkeley street (near Boylston) in Boston. It is at present open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 A. M, to 5p.M. The birds of New England are not separated from those belonging to other parts of the world. 6 INTRODUCTION. an incomplete nest, you must judge for yourself how soon it will be finished. A pair of our smaller birds, in the latter part of May or in June, ordinarily spend from five to ten days in building one, and sometimes end their work sufficiently in ad- vance to allow the female vacation for a day or even two. Earlier in the season, other birds are generally occupied two or three weeks. Woodpeckers are very uncertain in this respect, and it is often difficult to decide when their nests should be broken into to obtain the eggs, unless one can watch them closely at their work (carried on chiefly in the morning) and observe the final cessation of chips. The creepers, nuthatches, Chickadees, and certain wrens customarily lay their eggs in de- serted woodpeckers’ holes or other cavities, which they line with warm materials, though the Chickadees occasionally exca- vate for themselves with great and long-continued labor. After the first egg has been laid, one is generally added on each succeeding day (apparently most often in the morning) until the complement is made,® before which time the nest should not be visited, except in cases of necessity. Most birds lay four or five eggs (occasionally three or six) in a set, commonly fewer in that of a second brood than before. Many wrens, titmice, and kingfishers often lay more ; the former even ten, or very rarely twelve. Gallinaceous birds are also prolific, and two or three hen-birds are said sometimes to lay in the same nest. Humming-birds, eagles, and pigeons, usually lay two eggs in a set, as do also old birds of other species, partic- ularly among the hawks and owls. Many sea-birds have only one. Ifanest be found with the same number of eggs for two ®To this law the chief exceptions are the birds of prey, and the cuckoos, but among the smaller land-birds the average rate of laying is one a day. Thus among different species the time for laying four eggs varies from three to even seven days, generally being four. INTRODUCTION. 7 or three days, the proper inference generally is that no more will be laid. If the egg of a Cow-bird (§ 17, III) be discov- ered, it should be taken home, or destroyed (at a distance from the nest), unless observations are to be made upon the young when hatched. §G. A method of finding nests, which may often be prac- tised with success, is that of “tracking” birds, when seen with food for their mates or material for building. It is gen- erally a wearisome and patience-exhausting process, and fre- quently causes disappointment. Ht may often be facilitated by the scattering of feathers, horse-hairs, string, cotton-wovl, straw, etc., in places where they will attract the attention of the architects, in whose work you are interested. The nests of woodpeckers may often be found, by tracing to their source the loud rapping of the builders, or by observing on the ground the chips, which are usually fresh (unless, as is rarely the case, the excavation be made in an unsound tree). §H. When you take eggs, pack them at once, bearing in mind that the smaller ones are very delicate, and even the larger ones easily broken.® If they are of the former class, having taken from the box most of the cotton-wool, leave a layer on the bottom, in which make a slight depression with the finger, and lay the first egg. The following rules should be observed : —(1) An egg must not come in contact with an- other, with the bottom, sides, or cover of the box. (2) The cotton-wool must be tightly packed. To paek it loosely is a ®° Much danger will be obviated by blowing the eggs first, when practicable. If fresh eggs are allowed to grow cold, or to remain long unblown the contents are less easily removed. The reverse is said to be the case, when eggs containing em- bryos are left unblown for two or even three days. See §I and note. 8 INTRODUCTION. mistake frequently made, and attended by consequent acci- dents. (With larger eggs less care is required, and those of hawks or owls may often be carried safely in a handkerchief.) When all the eggs have been safely stowed away, the box should be put in the pocket in such a way that they shall not be violently jarred; when a fence is clambered over, or the body otherwise ungently moved. A small nest, if either rare or curious, should be taken with any small branches, to which it may be attached, and brought home in a suitable box or basket, and not squeezed in the hand or pocket; a bulky one may be safely carried in the hands. A nest on the ground must be taken up with peculiar care, as it may otherwise fall apart, and should afterwards, if necessary, be stitched to- gether. Nests, to be properly preserved, must be placed in some receptacle, where they will be free from dust, and, if composed of woolly materials or of feathers, constantly sup- plied with benzine or crystallized camphor, to prevent the ravages of moths. Eggs, to be sent by mail or express, should not be packed so tightly as for ordinary transportation, and may be first sur- rounded by tissue-paper. ‘Single eggs,” says Dr. Coues, “may be safely mailed to any distance in auger-holes bored in wood.” Boxes may be sent by mail at a trifling cost, when not sealed. Tin boxes, such as are used for tobacco, with tightly fitting covers, are the best. §I. On reaching home, the eggs must not be left in places where they are likely to be broken or lost, but at once blown and placed in your cabinet. The following are directions for blowing an egg in the old-fashioned way, which possesses two or three advantages over the modern process (among others, INTRODUCTION. 9 that of not requiring expense, to many persons an important consideration) :— Holding the egg lightly between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, with a sharp pin in the right hand, make a small hole at or near the smaller end, and at the greater, or on the same side, a large one in accordance with the size of the egg, which is next placed between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Then place your mouth at the smaller hole and breathe out gently but steadily, and the contents, if fresh, run out at the other. Be sure that none are left, and even remove, if possible, the lining of the shell, though no risk should be run of breaking the latter. When any difficulty occurs, shake the egg, or give a quick puff if safe to do so; otherwise, inject a little water from the mouth. In certain cases, shaking is even preferable to blowing. During the process of incubation, the contents of an egg thicken, and the ‘young is gradually formed, until the blowing finally becomes impossible. When the egg is not fresh, enlarge the larger hole (but never the other), and blow persistently and patiently, taking -care that the yolk or young does not, by suddenly slipping out, allow the egg to collapse between your fingers, or break it by being forced through too narrow an exit. If the contents are too thick to blow easily, they should be carefully cut off with small scissors, whenever protruding beyond the shell. If it is im- possible to blow the egg, enlarge the holes so as to allow the gas to escape freely, but surround them with camphor-gum or the like, as otherwise the odor is extremely disgusting and the egg, after losing its original colors, gradually drops to pieces. I have seen eggs successfully preserved in this manner, decom- position being quickened by the occasional injection of water. The modern and very general manner of blowing eggs 10 INTRODUCTION. necessitates the use of several instruments; the blow-pipe and egg-drill,!° which are the most important, the syringe, forceps, dissecting-scissors, etc. To follow this method, drill with a light twirling motion a small hole on one side of the egg, re- move from the opening the inner membrane, which often (as in the larger of two holes) interferes with further action, and in- sert the blow-pipe. Then breathe gently, not forcibly, and the contents, if fresh, will flow out about the pipe, but, if not, a little water should be injected, and the egg gently shaken. Should there be further difficulty, inject warm water, put the ege in a dark, warm place, with the hole turned upward, and at the end of a few hours, after shaking it, remove as much as possible of the yolk, etc., which must finally be altogether dis- posed of, particularly in the case of white eggs. Then inject more water, and again leave it. Young may be cut up by slender scissors, having delicate blades at an angle with their handles, and removed by a fine wire, slightly hooked, or by small forceps. Fresh eggs, if not too large, may be “ blown” or rather sucked by means of a suction-tube with a bulb. Specimens, when thoroughly rinsed and ready for the cabinet, should be placed on blotting paper to dry (with the opening turned downward), where not exposed to a strong light. Car- bonate of soda is said to render a hardened yolk soluble in water, but it must not come in contact with the outer shell. There are various other details, too numerous to mention, connected with the blowing of eggs by instruments, such as gumming a series of very thin paper-wafers about an opening made in a delicate shell, such as that of a very small specimen, of one cracked, or of one nearly hatched.!! 10 These may be obtained at the Naturalist’s Agency, Salem, Mass. The present address is Mr. S. E. Cassino. 11 Several ideas expressed in the preceding paragraph, have been borrowed from various articles on this same subiect. INTRODUCTION. 11 Norr.— Take care in making a hole not to injure any mark- ings; and, when blowing, place beneath a pail or basin contain- ing a few inches of water to catch the egg, should it slip. An ego when full is very easily broken, but when blown may often be dropped without injury on to a carpet or the like. One with the contents entirely removed floats in water with only about a third or less of the shell beneath the level of the surface. A thin-shelled egg may be held to the light to ensure emptiness. § J. Eggs may be cleaned with a soft, wet rag, dipped in tooth-powder, or by the careful use of an ink-eraser (with a flat, pointed, steel blade), though the latter may injure the surface. Certain eggs (but none of those described in this volume) are calcareous, and their chalky shells cannot be safely cleaned. Others, however, have a certain ‘* bloom,” like that of a grape, which can be washed off. , To mend an egg, if broken into bits of manageable size, take one a little smaller and of no value, wet it, or coat it with a very delicate varnish, and place on it the bits of shell in their proper positions, so that they shall fit together. For large eggs, a mould of putty, if carefully shaped, may be used instead. Cracks may be brushed with collodion. The common method of glueing bits together with mucilage and thin paper is often clumsy or dangerous, and, even if successful, generally ruins the fair appearance of any specimen. §K. Place your eggs, when blown, promptly in your cabinet, and have some means of identifying them afterwards. Labels should be altogether avoided, as they greatly mar the beauty of a collection, and any writing on the shell should be condensed and placed on the under side, where it will be in- 12 INTRODUCTION. conspicuous (or near the “ drill-hole,” if there be one). There are various methods of marking, but whichever be followed should be'uniformly observed. Perhaps the best is to write!” on each egg a number of the Smithsonian or Dr. Coues’ Check- list (followed by S. or C. to indicate which) ; for instance on a Wood Thrush’s egg either 148 S. or 3 C. To this may be added another number, referring to your note-book, which should be a blank-hook, with long but wide pages ruled by lines forming several columns of suitable width. In these columns (with proper headings) should be written first the number of reference, and then the name of the bird, its number on the check-lists; the number of eggs originally in the nest, by whom collected or from whom obtained, the place and date of collection; also, when desirable, remarks as to the size, incubation, or peculiarities of the eggs, the position and structure of the nest. It is often well to avoid mention of the place where the eggs of hawks, herons, etc., were found, as these birds frequently build conspicuous nests in restricted localities, to which, if not too much disturbed, they return year after year. Secrecy is often as desirable for an ornitholo- gist as forasportsman. Eggs should be arranged in the proper sequence of families, etc., and those of each species should be kept distinct from others: All of one kind may be grouped together, or duplicates may be separated from better and representative specimens. §L. A cabinet may be strictly a cabinet, consisting of pigeon-holes or shelves, and screwed to the wall, or a box, a 2 Purple ink will be found to flow more freely than ordinary black ink. Fig- ures should be fine and made with care. They may be written on a bit of paper gummed over the ‘ drill-hole,” though it is better to write on the shell itself, unless too delicate, or unless the egg be very small. INTRODUCTION. 13 long and rather flat one being the best, or a chest of drawers, which is the most convenient. The latter may be fitted with a series of small, shallow trays, made of paper or paste-board, though these diminish the attractiveness of a collection, and are more or less dangerous. I have found a rather deep layer of fine sea-sand, such as may be obtained at almost every grocer’s store, much more satisfactory, since it forms a pleasing background for the eggs, which can be fixed in it firmly, and is always exempt from moths or other insects: fine saw-dust " ig the best substitute. All cabinets should be dark when closed, as many eggs fade when exposed to the light, particularly those which are blue or green. §M. Having now followed the eggs from the time when the mother was scared from her nest, until they were placed in a cabinet, I shall return to speak of the difficulty in frightening certain birds when incubating, chiefly the hawks. Individuals, rather than species, vary in this respect, though the smaller are undoubtedly more often timid than others. One hawk glides silently from her nest as you approach; another flies when you rap the tree energetically with a stick; whereas a third remains until the crackling of branches, as you ascend, causes her to seek safety in flight. Hawks, moreover, are often obliged to leave the nest, after the eggs are laid, if their mates either die or fail to supply them with sufficient food. As about ninety per cent. or more of the nests found in a large ‘“‘hawkery” are old, except a few nests belonging to crows and squirrels, and as hawks and owls, moreover, often inhabit such, not always rebuilding them, one naturally is doubtful about climbing far, on finding a large nest of sticks, which is likely to contain 14 INTRODUCTION. eggs only once out of ten times. A hawk cannot often be seen when sitting on her nest, and the only signs, which rarely deceive, are the small feathers, which usually cling to the nest, or to a branch near it. Dead leaves inside of a nest indi- cate further emptiness, or occupation by squirrels, who usually, in building, heap together hay, straw, and pine-needles, or the like. In the absence of all the above-mentioned signs, judg- ment is required, but no further rules can be safely laid down. It may be remarked that smaller birds are also often brave or even bold in protecting their nests. In climbing, never leave one hold before testing and secur- ing another; remember that pine-limbs are less to be trusted than those of hard-wood trees; place your feet, if possible, next to the trunk, and, if inclined to. dizziness, do not look down. Gloves, old clothes, a soft hat (and climbing-irons, when convenient) form the necessary outfit, as large eggs may be safely brought down in a cloth cap, grasped firmly by the teeth. Never take one egg from a set in a hawk’s nest, if you wish for the rest, as these latter will often disappear myster- iously before your return. None of the hawks (i.e. Falconide), with the exception of the Ospreys and eagles, show a, disposi- tion to attack. These latter have been known to inflict dan- gerous wounds, and at the same time are, I believe, the only species generally occupying the same nest year after year, with the exception of the Duck Hawk (?) and Sparrow Hawk. I do not recall many other birds who do so, with the marked ex- ception of the swallows and Pewees, who sometimes rebuild their old homes. §N. All birds have an affection for some haunt, whither, if left undisturbed, they return every spring. These haunts are INTRODUCTION. 15 often extensive, enabling them to change their residence annu- ally, until they are finally driven away. Cat-birds frequently return every year to the same thicket, and I have known the Red-eyed Vireo to build his nest in the same tree where it was built and robbed the year before. Likewise Pewees very often choose successively two or three building-sites very close to one another. The less familiar species are not so attached to particular spots, but generally build their nests each summer in the same tract of land (a tree-warbler in the same woods, etc.). Hawks (and occasionally even crows) become attached to a certain grove or pine-wood, and build near the same place several years in succession, sometimes though repeatedly robbed. Woodpeckers (who always lay their eggs in holes) do not usually, so far as my observations have extended, occupy the same holes twice, but leave them to be used by Chickadees, or other birds. Feelings of attachment are much stronger in some species than in others, being often nearly ex- tinct. They are more marked in civilized districts, where there is less range of country than in other parts of the State. Many birds forsake their haunts, if disturbed, but apparently return sometimes after a long absence. The evidence of identical birds returning to the same spot is very strong, par- ticularly in the case of individuals peculiarly marked. §O. There are not many birds, who, in a temperate climate, do not habitually raise a second brood; and there are probably very few, who do not do so, if the first is broken up or de- stroyed. They rarely raise the second in the same nest as the first, but generally build another (often hurriedly) near the site of the former, particularly if that has been disturbed or removed. The principal exceptions to this latter statement 16 INTRODUCTION. are the Pewees, swallows, and those birds who lay their eggs in holes. The second set of éggs usually appears from four to six weeks after the first, if that has not met with serious mis- haps ; otherwise, sooner. If a hawk’s nest be robbed,!3 the parents commonly repair an old nest near by, often hastily lining it with evergreen or the like, and at the end of about a fortnight two or three eggs are laid. The Sharp-shinned Hawks, Kingfishers, Golden-winged Woodpeckers, and very probably other species, are said to continue sometimes for several days to lay eggs almost daily, after the first sets have been taken, though continually robbed. Smaller birds have been known to build a second, and even a third nest, within a few feet of the previous ones, when these were removed. They have also been known to cover the eggs of a Cow-bird, by building a second story, or even a third, which became their own nursery. Such cases are, however, exceptional, and lead me to speak of desertion. § P. Birds differ widely in respect to desertion, the wood- peckers, especially the Golden-winged, being in case of disturb- ance uncertain in their movements. The latter often leave forever the excavation, on which they are at work, if they imagine that they are watched, though occasionally regardless of those passing by. If their eggs be disturbed, they some- times “desert,” and at other times the female continues to lay eggs in the manner already described. She often deepens her nest, and lays a second set. A general rule is that birds will not desert their nests (if not injured) when one egg is taken from three or four, two from five or six, and three from more than six. Never handle a nest or eggs, not to be at once 13 Unless that of a Marsh (or Sparrow-?) Hawk. INTRODUCTION. 17 taken; the bird does not perceive your “touch,” as many persons suppose, but one’s hand very often so disturbs the nest, and the exact position of the eggs, that the intrusion be- comes very marked. As a rule, a nest should never be visited from the time of its discovery until all the eggs are laid, and an egg should never be taken except from a complete set. § Q. Should you find a nest of value, when you have not a box, mark the spot by observing some conspicuous landmark, unless it be necessary to take the nest at once. Otherwise, carry large eggs, and those taken from a hole or a frail nest, wrapped in a handkerchief, and carry small eggs in their nests, placed upright, with a handkerchief tied tightly over the whole. Packing in either case is desirable, soft, clean moss being generally the best material to be found in the woods. When a hole is enlarged with a hatchet or, knife in order to reach any eggs, the parent almost invariably ‘ deserts,” and it is therefore necessary to break it open at the proper time, since all or no eggs should be taken from such a nest. In at least one of the cases before cited, relating to the Pigeon Wood- peckers, the hole was large enough to allow the insertion of the hand and fore-arm. This species, however, as has already been remarked, frequently deepens the hole to lay again; so do other woodpeckers. § R. Health, energetic perseverance, honesty, experience, and moderation, are the necessary qualities or cardinal virtues of a wise and successful collector. It is for young odlogists an excellent rule, which has, however, many exceptions, never to take more than one egg from a nest, nor to have more than two or three of one species, except when (very) rare, peculiarly marked, or suitable for an advantageous exchange. 3 18 INTRODUCTION. If inexperienced, do not make exchanges with another inex- perienced person, who may unintentionally cheat you, or with one unknown to you, who may purposely cheat you. Remember that eggs often vary greatly in value in different parts of the country, and do not accept any price-list as a basis for ex- change. Endeavor by energy to arrive at approximate comple- tion, have some definite object in view, such as a cabinet comprising all the eggs of Massachusetts, and do not unwisely form a miscellaneous collection everywhere incomplete. § S. To know the notes of all our birds is a great assistance in finding their nests, and in finding, distinguishing, or study- ing the birds themselves, who sing chiefly on or soon after their arrival from the South, during their migrations, and the mating-season in spring, or early summer. It is best to study their music at sunrise, or in the early morning (particularly in the case of species migrating), and also at evening. Even families may (to a limited extent) be classified by their notes. To study birds, in relation to their habits or notes, walk in their haunts, continually pausing to catch the slightest sound, which, if not recognized, should be traced to its source, or to allow the birds to gather about or approach you. If necessary, follow them silently and persistently, but remember that stealthiness sometimes alarms them more than an open approach. If several species be together, do not be misled by the confusion of their songs, and do not hastily attribute the note of one kind to another bird immediately near. Both squirrels and ‘“‘chipmonks” frequently produce notes, which might excusably distract the attention of an unpractised orni- thologist. By looking up, especially on very clear days, you may often see hawks, or other birds, flying over silently. INTRODUCTION. 19 An opera-glass, if a sufficiently strong magnifier, or occasion- ally a telescope, will be found very useful, as it enables one to recognize a bird without disturbing it, and to distinguish colors, when the object is distant, or at a great height among branches. It is more difficult to distinguish colors just before or after sunset than at other times of the day, particularly if they be ex- posed to the sunlight. That hour should therefore be avoided. §T. Of anatomy and details of structure I shall not here speak at length, since they are not referred to in this volume more often than convenience requires.14 The bill consists of two mandibles, the line between which is called the gape or often the commissure. The true cere, which belongs only to the parrots and birds of prey, is a thick skin which covers the upper mandible at its base, and in which are the nostrils, though often concealed by feathers. The principal wing-feathers are the primaries, which (with perhaps exceptions) are always nine or ten, except in flight- less birds, and which form the end or “point” of the wing. They are the long outer feathers, of which the shafts (if the wing be spread) are more or less parallel, forming an evi- dent angle with those of the adjoining secondaries. A so- called ‘‘ spurious” primary is usually the first or outermost, when very much shorter than the rest. (It differs from the ‘bastard wing” or ‘‘ spurious quills” in being a single feather and beneath the second primary.) The “ shoulder” of the wing is the “bend” near its connection with the body. The tail is even or square, rounded or forked, as viewed when half-closed; if slightly forked, emarginate, if very deeply 14 The reader is referred for a full treatise te the introduction of Dr. Coues’ “Key to N. A. Birds.” 20 INTRODUCTION. forked, forficate. A cuneate tail is the exact opposite to one forficate. The tarsus, often called the “leg,” extends from the base of the toes to the first joint above, and in a majority of birds is unfeathered. If without scales in front (unless near the bot- tom) it is ‘‘ booted,” or if with scales, scutellate. (If covered with very small scales which do-not overlap one another, it is reticulate; or it may be granulated as in the Fish Hawk.) The following is a vocabulary of several other descriptive terms. Auriculars (or ear-patch), the feathers behind, but a little below the level of the eye. Circwmocular, about the eye. Crown, top of the head (usually above the eye). Eye-patch, a tract of color enclosing the eye. Hye-stripe, a line running through the eye (so to speak). Jnterscapulars, feathers on the back between the wing-shoulders, or between the head and rump. Iris, (pl. irides), a colored circle enclosing the pupil of the eye. Lore, the feathers about the base of the bill, or between the bill and the eye. Mawillary line, one running backward from the gape, and bordering the throat. Median line, one dividing the crown. ape (or nuchal patch), the hind-head (properly above the cerviw, or hind-neck). Super- ciliary line, a stripe immediately above the eye. Vermicula- tion, very fine ‘‘ waves.” @ signifies the male, Q the female; = signifies “ equal to,” > “more than,” and < “less than.” ‘“‘Inch” or “inches” is abbreviated to in., and decimal num- bers (written with a dot before) generally indicate hundredths of an inch. Except where there are indications to the contrary, the ‘“upper parts” generally include the upper surface of the wings and tail, though the “under parts” frequently refer to the body only. The ‘‘ crown” includes the forehead (or even INTRODUCTION. 21 the nape). The “rump” (or lower back) often includes the upper tail-coverts, the’ ‘ belly” the undef tail-coverts, etc. The “sides” invariably refer to those of the breast and belly. §U. Measurements of both birds and eggs are made in straight lines between two points. To measure the length of a bird, lay it on its back, and make the tip of the bill (so far as reasonable), and the end of the longest tail-feather, touch the ruler or paper on which they are laid ; then measure the distance between these points. Measure (with compasses) the tarsus in front, and the bill from the tip of the upper mandible to the feathers actually or apparently belonging to the forehead.1 The “depth” of a bill is its vertical width near the base, when closed. Eggs may be measured by dividers, or by a ruler . with a slide. For accurate measurements a ruler marked deci- mally (or even with hundredths) is best. <4; of an inch equals about °06. §V. Birds form a class of the Animal Kingdom. They are composed of three (or more?) distinct subclasses; the Aves Aérece, Insessores, or typical “perchers ;” the Aves Terrestres, Cursores, or gallinaceous birds and “‘waders;” and the Aves Aquatice, Natatores, or “swimmers.” These are grouped into several orders (such as the Raptores or “birds of prey”), which are divided into families (as the Raptores into Strigi- de, Falconide, etc., or the hawks, including eagles, the owls, and vultures). The orders are sometimes more primarily di- vided into suborders, and families into subfamilies. Thus the Passeres consist of the Oscines or singing passerines, and the 15 There are other methods of making this measurement, 22 INTRODUCTION. Clamatores or non-singers ;!6 likewise the Turdide consists of the Turdine, or typical thrushes, who have a ‘“‘ booted” tarsus, and the Mimine, or mocking-thrushes, who do not possess this feature. Combinations of less important distinctions in struct- ural detail characterize the genera; and therefore birds be- longing to the same genus have exactly the same structure. The difference between species is marked by coloration, and often size. To illustrate the foregoing, take as a subject the common Song Sparrow. He belongs to the Insessorian group, the order of Passeres, and the suborder Oscines. His family is that of the Fringillide, or finches, and his genus Melospiza. His specific name is melodia, but there is also a variety, M. fallax. ‘ Extremely similar; wings and tails slightly longer ; paler, grayer; the streaks not so obviously blackish in the centre. Whole of the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin; scarcely distinguishable.” (Coues.) § W. The classification of birds (or other objects in nature) necessarily entails certain absurdities, being more or less artifi- cial. The method of modern classification is that of descend- ing from the higher to the lower groups, but sequence is too often insisted on among groups, which diverge (so to speak) from a common centre. The division of families, genera, etc., is more or less arbitrary, a certain degree of difference being necessary to separate them, whereas minor (or fractional) differences cause intermediate groups. Let x represent the x nD the difference between two subgenera (of the same genus) ; 1+ x between subfamilies, 2X between families, 2+ x be- degree of dissimilarity between two genera; then + represents 16 A rather technical distinction. INTRODUCTION. 23 tween suborders, and 3 & between orders. Forms in nature are everywhere so delicately blended that theoretically it is almost impossible to “draw any lines.” A species (even though exhibiting much individual variation) is constituted by all those birds, who,. since the present organization of birds has existed, might be the descendants of a single pair. [The phenomena of albinism and melanism can here be only briefly referred to. In the latter, which is very rare, birds are abnormally dark or black, In albinism, which is not uncom- mon, birds are partially or wholly abnormally white (or even yellow) ; sometimes they are partly bleached. Such condi- tions of plumage need cause confusion only among birds of the same genus, and rarely then, being seldom complete. | There are often varieties, geographical races, or forms rendered appreciably distinct by the effects of climate, etc. By a strict definition of the term, varieties must have different distribu- tions (at least during the breeding-season), though accidental stragglers may occur far from their usual habditat. ). The nest is rather bulky, and is composed of fine grasses, weeds, roots, fibres, leaves, strips of bark, etc., being sometimes lined with finer grasses or hairs. It is usually placed ‘in an orchard-tree or in a cedar, but sometimes in other situa- tions—such as the tops of birches or pasture-trees, commonly from eight to twenty feet above the ground. Four or five eggs are laid in the latter part of June or in July. They average about ‘80 X ‘60 of an inch; and are of a dirty bluish-white, with black and a few dark purplish spots. (c). The Cedar-birds, to a certain extent, spend the winters in Eastern Massachusetts, but otherwise arrive from the South in the first or second week of March. They are found, in summer, throughout New England, and are in most places common during that season. Through winter they remain in flocks — usually in retired parts of the country —and feed upon berries until spring, when they venture into more open districts. At this time their demeanor is not such as to inspire cheerful- ness to the person observing them, for they usually sit motion- less upon the tops of bare trees, and there occasionally give utterance to their dreary whispers, until they fly away. They move through the air rapidly, steadily, and as if under military discipline, so unbroken are their ranks. They commonly dis- appear, like several other birds, at uncertain times of the year, and undoubtedly go to some place where their favorite food is abundant during the time that they are absent from one’s own neighborhood. In May they usually become common, and ap- pear in smaller companies in almost all parts of the open country. These flocks finally become divided into pairs, who build their nests when nearly all our other birds have hatched the eggs of their first or even’ second broods. The Cherry- birds, in summer, sometimes imitate the habits of the fly- catchers (to whom they are, perhaps, more closely allied than is now admitted), and I have seen them perform graceful evo- lutions in the air, in the manner of the King-birds. As their name indicates, they sometimes eat cherries, but much less often than is commonly supposed by certain farmers, who are but too ready to discharge their guns at these birds, in spite of their usefulness in destroying caterpillars. OF NEW ENGLAND. 139 Nuttall in speaking of the Cedar-birds says :—‘ an eye-wit- ness assures me he has seen one among a row of these birds seated upon a branch dart after an insect, and offer it to his associate when caught, who very disinterestedly passed it to the next; and, each delicately declining the offer, the morsel has proceeded backwards and forwards before it was appropri- ated.” , (d). The “ wheezy” lisp of the Cedar-birds seems to be the only sound which they emit, throughout the year, and they often utter it when on wing. Dr. Brewer says of a young cage-bird that ‘* besides its low lisping call, this bird had a reg- ular faint attempt at a song of several low notes, uttered in so inaudible a tone that it would be almost inaudible at even a short distance.” The Cherry-birds are certainly handsome, particularly if their crest be raised, though they possess but little bright color- ‘ing; and there are probably few birds who find a readier sale at the country taxidermist’s than these. In regard to their ‘habits, they are perhaps uninteresting; but their manner of flight, when in parties, is nearly unsurpassed. (B) GarruLus. Bohemian Waawing. Northern Waxwing. (A Northern bird, of which, so far as I know, no specimen has ever been obtained in this State.) (a). 7-8 inches long. Like (A), except as follows. Brown, partly orange-tinted. With white on the wings, but little on the head ; and with no yellow on the belly. Under tail-coverts, chestnut-red. (0). These birds never breed in the United States, or at least the southern portions. The eggs are described by Dr. Brewer as measuring about 1:00 X -70, or less. They are of a color varying “from a light slate to a yellowish stone-color,” and are much spotted, chiefly with some dark purplish shade. They are considered very rare. , (c). The Waxwings are of very rare occurrence in the east- ern United States, being habitual residents of the North and West, but they have occasionally wandered so far to the south- é 140 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS ward as Massachusetts and even Connecticut. I have never seen them, but I suppose their habits to be in every way like those of the Cedar-birds. They are said to be shy and watch- ful, but very affectionate. Having forgotten to do so before, I may here remark that the Cedar-birds often show a fondness for some one tree, to which they persistently return, even if disturbed several times. One Sunday I remarked six in a bare maple, and, again passing the place on the following Sunday, I was surprised to observe them perched in the same tree, as if they had not moved for a week. §12. The Hirundinids, or swallows, may be distin- guished from all our other birds by the following combined features. Tail-feathers twelve; primaries nine; tarsi short and scutellate ; bill broad, low, short, and with the culmen (or upper outline) only half as long as the gape, which extends to the longitude of the eye. They have remarkably long wings, conformably to their mode of life and ‘“‘constant aerial ac- tivity.” Most of our species have a highly metallic lustre (in certain parts), which, except in the martins, is similar in the two sexes. This feature is not, so far as I know, observable: in any other family, unless among the ducks. Our insessorian birds may, in regard to color, be classified as follows: (1). Partly metallic; sexes alike. Certain swallows. (2). Partly metallic; sexes unlike. Certain hummingbirds (Troch.). (3). Partly metallic in male only. Certain pigeons. (4). Lustrous or brightly colored; sexes alike. Crows, certain jays and warblers. (5). Lustrous or brightly colored; sexes unlike; females duller, etc. Bluebirds, martins, certain warblers, finches, and starlings; also one flycatcher (S. W. of U.S. etc.) (and the Blue Crow? ) (6). No metallic tints; sexes much alike; male character- ized by a color-patch, wanting or much restricted in the female. “Wrens” or kinglets, nuthatches, woodpeckers, certain war- blers (and finches?). OF NEW ENGLAND. 141 (7). Male brightly, female plainly colored.39 Tanagers ; certain warblers, finches, and starlings. [(8). Plainly colored ;39 with bright crown-patch in both sexes, certain flycatchers; with tail brightly tipped, the wax- wings. | (9). Plainly or dully colored.29 Sexes alike. Thrushes, gnatcatchers, titmice, creepers, wrens, wagtails, vireos, shrikes, flycatchers, swifts, cuckoos, owls, most of the hawks, certain warblers, swallows, finches, starlings, jays, and pigeons. (10). Plainly or dully colored.3? Sexes unlike. ‘ Goat- suckers,” kingfishers, harriers, and smaller falcons. Perhaps also certain finches, the Bobolink, and Blue Crow. The swallows are preéminently insectivorous (perching less often than any other oscine birds), and consequently migratory. They are also preéminently social and consequently gregarious, at least very often. Most of them breed in communities or in colonies, to which they return each spring in greater numbers than before. These settlements, as I have once or twice ob- served among the Bank Swallows, are formed by a very few pairs, whose number is often slowly increased from year to year. It is probably in this manner that the Cliff Swallows have gradually become dispersed over eastern North America, where possibly they were once unknown. There are probably no birds whose past history would be more interesting than that of the swallows. No birds better or more curiously exhibit the modifying influence of civilization than these. Those kinds who formerly built on cliffs, or in the hollows of trees, now build their nests, almost exclusively in Massachu- setts, in situations about the buildings of man. It is said by Dr. Coues, who quotes from Dr. Rufus Haymond, in ‘‘ The American Naturalist,” for June, 1876, that an instance of the Bank Swallow using an artificial nest, so to speak, has already occurred. Dr. Haymond says: “The White Water Valley 89 Black and white, the various browns and grays, are eminently the plain col- ors. In this synopsis, however, grayish-blue, olive, olive-green, and even yellow, especially in connection with grecn, are often considered plain colors (chiefly in contrast). : 142 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Railway, in Brookville, Indiana, is built upon stone piers, and spans the hydraulic canal, some five or six feet above the water. While at the depot during the past summer I saw a bank swallow fly under the building with several blades of grass in her bill; and being’ curious to see what she would do with them, I watched her, and saw her carry them through a two- inch auger hole, which had been bored through a pine board. The spot was inaccessible, owing to the water; but I know from the droppings about the hole that this was her nest.” It is almost needless to add that this species usually burrows in sand. The swallows lay four or five eggs, which are white, unmarked, or spotted with brown and purplish. I. HIRUNDO (A) HorReoruM. Barn Swallow. (A very common summer-resident in most inhabited parts of New England.) (a). About 44 inches long from bill to fork of the tail. Above, a dark lustrous steel-blue. An imperfect collar, the same. Under parts and forehead, chestnut-red. Belly and lower breast, paler. Tail forficate. Outer feathers much longer than the others (from 3-2 inches), and all, except the middle pair, with a white spot. (b). The nest is placed on the beams or rafters of a barn or similar building, and usually is finished here by the middle of May. Aset of four or five eggs is then laid, and often another in June, or even the early part of July. The eggs average °75 X ‘55 of an inch, and are white, sprinkled tolerably thickly . with purplish and brown. (c). The Barn Swallows are to be found almost throughout New England. They reach the neighborhood of Boston gener- ally in the last week of April, but sometimes earlier, and re- turn to the South in the first week of September. They are usually very common in those places where they are found, since they are almost invariably more or less colonial. They are particularly abundant in old country-villages, and about farms, where most of the barns, on account of their liberal OF NEW ENGLAND. 143 size, afford them, among cobwebbed rafters, plenty of suitable nesting-places. I shall sketch the habits of these birds by con- sidering their manner of life, through the latter’s various stages. The Barn Swallows, when young, are constantly supplied with food by their parents, until they are able to take short flights from beam to beam in the barns. Later, they venture from these buildings, but are obliged to be at rest much of the time and still to be fed by their parents. As they become more accustomed to the exercise of their wings, they fly more boldly, procure much or all of their own food, and are by the first of September strong enough to bear the fatigue of their long migratory flights to the South. On their return in the spring, they are capable of remaining on wing through at least fitteen hours of the twenty-four. Their manner of flight is rapid and graceful, and so interesting as to well repay close at- tention. They rarely fly far near the ground, nor do they reach such a height as some other species. They prefer telegraph- wires to other perches, and on these long rows of them may often be seen; and in fact these wires seem almost to influ- ence these birds in their choice of a summer-home. It was formerly believed that the Barn Swallows, and others, passed the winter torpid in mud at the.bottom of lakes, and in caves. Much astounding evidence has been produced to prove the correctness of this absurd theory, which is, however, too unnatural to long exist under the régime of modern sci- ence. Wilson is eloquent in his condemnation of this belief, and considers it too ridiculous to be worthy of serious refuta- tion, which is, in fact, the case. (d). The young Barn Swallows often utter a series of twit- ters, which resemble the laugh of a tickled child, and the older birds also have various twitters, some of which are sprightly and musical. (e). I shall not describe at length the twitters and guttural cries of the various swallows, both because they are more easily learned than described, and because when described can hardly aid one in distinguishing the different species. 144 LAND-BIKDS AND GAME-BIRDS The Barn Swallows are so well known, that I have men- tioned no details in their habits. Their colonizations, their constantly uttered notes, and their flights, are familiar to nearly all, and the latter have long since been made the theme of many an author. II. PETROCHELIDON (A) vonirrons. Cliff Swallow. Eave Swallow. “Republi- can.” (Locally very abundant in New England, but much less so, probably, than they will be ten years hence.) (a). About five inches long. Tail scarcely forked. Upper parts, and a spot on the breast, steel-blue. Rump, sides of the head, and throat, chestnut-red. Breast, paler, belly, white. Forehead, brownish. (b). The nest is generally somewhat bottle-shaped, is com- posed chiefly of a delicate mud-plaster, often intermixed with bits of straw, and is naturally brittle. It is placed under the outside eaves of barns or outhouses, and never (?) in Massa- chusetts on cliffs, as is usual in wilder parts of the country, in accordance with the original habits of these swallows. Several of these nests, sometimes as many as a hundred, are generally placed in a row. The eggs are essentially like those of the Barn Swallow (I, A, 6), so much so as often to be indistin- guishable, and are laid about the same time. (c). The Cliff Swallows, who in many ways closely resem- ble the Barn Swallows, are resident in Eastern Massachusetts from the first week of May until September. They are very abundant in certain localities in New England; but, as they are eminently colonial, they are not to be found scattered through every township. They have essentially the same habits as the Barn Swallows, except that they alight much more frequently, often upon the ground to pick up mud for their nests. Their flight is not very noticeably different from that of their relatives, and their notes also bear much the same character, being, however, more like those of the White-bellied than those of the Barn Swallow. It is difficult, aswell as OF NEW ENGLAND. 144 almost unnecessary for me to describe these minor distinctions, and I shall therefore make no further mention of them. The most interesting remarks to be made upon the Eave Swallows are those which relate to their immigration from the western United States to New England and other parts of the country. An accurate account of their movements within the last century could hardly fail to be interesting, but I doubt if a sufficient number of notes and dates can now be obtained to effect this purpose. Indeed, the history of the so-called “ Re- publicans” would probably be far more interesting than an account of their habits could be (partly because the latter are ‘well known, and the former is not); but I regret that I am unable to present it to the public. ‘‘ When or where” the Cliff Swallows ‘first appeared in Massachusetts,” says Dr. Brewer, “is not known. I first observed a large colony of them in Attleboro’ in 1842. Its size indicated the existence of these birds in that place for several years. The same year they also appeared, apparently for the first time, in Boston, Hingham, and in other places in the neighborhood.” The Eave Swallows are still increasing throughout the Eastern States, and are constantly making their appearance in places where they have not been observed before. An excellent place to study them, particularly for summer-tourists, is Mount Desert, where the birds were, and still are, I suppose, very abundant (at least at Bar Harbor). Their habits are easily learned, as they are constantly in the open air, and about the village-streets, where all, who wish to, may gaze upon them. One agreeable trait in the character of the ‘“‘ Republicans” is their general amiability. In spite of their gregariousness and crowded dwellings, they never become confused, and rarely quarrel. Could a map be drawn indicating the position of their communities, all their colonies might well be named Philadelphia. (d). See I, A, (e). Nore.— Bonaparte, in his continuation of ‘ Wilson’s Orni- thology,” says of the Cliff Swallow: “A very singular trait distinguishes the migrations of this bird. While the European 11 146 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS or white variety of the human race is rapidly spreading over this continent, from its eastern borders to the remotest plains beyond the Mississippi, the Cliff Swallow advances from the extreme western regions, annually invading a new territory farther to the eastward, and induces us to conclude, that a few more summers will find it sporting in this immediate vicinity, and familiarly established along the Atlantic shores.” ‘Within ten or twelve years [date of writing, 1825], they have become familiar in different localities of Ohio, Kentucky, &c., whence they are extending very rapidly, and have recently appeared in the western part of New-York. In order to show the rapid progress of this little stranger, we quote the follow- ing passage from Mr. Clinton’s interesting paper. “The Fulvous Swallow ‘first made its appearance at Win- chell’s tavern, on the high road, about five miles south of Whitehall, near Lake Champlain, and erected its nest under the eaves of an outhouse, where it was covered by the projec- tion of a roof. This was in 1817, and in this year there was but one nest; the second year seven; the third twenty-eight ; the fourth forty; and in 1822 there were seventy, and the number has since continued to increase.’ “It appeared in 1822 at Whitehall, on the fifth of June, and departed on the twenty-fifth of July, and these are the usual times of its arrival and disappearance.’ ” Audubon states, but where I do not now remember, that the Cliff Swallows were somewhere found in New England on its first settlement at that place, many years ago. Ill. TACHYCINETA (A) sicotor. White-breasted Swallow. White-bellied Swal- low. (A common -summer-resident nearly throughout New Eng- land.) (a). About six inches long. Lustrous steel-green above. White beneath. (5). The nest is usually built in a martin-box or other like receptacle, and, in Massachusetts, very rarely in the hole of a OF NEW ENGLAND. 147 tree, as is not unfrequently the case in many other States. The eggs of each set are four or five, average °75 X °55 of an inch, and are white, unmarked. Two broods are generally raised. (c). The White-bellied Swallows usually announce spring to the people of Boston and the vicinity in the first week of April ; but after their arrival they are sometimes obliged, when dis- couraged by the cold, to retreat temporarily southward to a warmer latitude. As our ancestors long since discovered this fact in relation to their swallows, they have handed down to us the wise proverb that ‘‘one swallow does not make a summer.” The White-bellied Swallows return to their winter-homes about the middle of September, when all the other swallows have gone (and I have seen them here as late as the twenty-third). They congregate ‘“‘ upon the salt marshes during the latter part of August and first of September, literally by millions ; the air is so completely filled with them that it is almost impossible to discharge a gun without killing some” (Maynard). They may also be seen at that season perched in long lines on fences, ridge-poles, and wires, or slowly moving through the air at a considerable height, generally in large flocks, catching insects as they fly. In spring they travel more often singly, and fly rather indirectly but with great rapidity, no doubt occasionally deviating from their course to seize a passing gnat or fly. In summer they are to be found in nearly all the cultivated - districts of Massachusetts, and in many of the wild as well as other districts of more northern lands, where, in many places, they retain their primitive habit of nesting in hollow trees, which, says Mr. Maynard, they have also done lately at Ips- wich, in this State. As, however, they are now rather depend- ent upon the nesting-places provided by man, they are perhaps as common in Boston and other cities as in the country, if not more so. They are less locally distributed than other species, and on this account are probably better known. They are, I think, quicker in their motions than the other swallows, and also differ from them in not being colonial, except in their primitive state, though several sometimes occupy apartments : 148 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS in the same box, and thus show the social spirit of their family. They often skim over fields, ponds, or rivers, with an exquisite grace, but at other times mount to a great height—so far as to be wellnigh lost to sight. They are less peaceable than the Barn Swallows, and often quarrel in the air at the period of mating; but this species is justly regarded, among gil our birds, as one of man’s most pleasing companions. The White-bellied Swallows are fond of wandering, more so than their relatives, and often may be seen two or three miles from their homes, now flying across the valleys, now dashing above the hills, and now gliding over the water, as if actually on its surface. Embodiments of grace, activity, and power, they sweep through the air, and show us by their ever varied flight how many things have been created to give us pleasure from variety alone, as well as from intrinsic beauty. (d). Their notes are rather more eccentric and guttural than those which I have already mentioned, but are equally full of animation. IV. COTYLE ‘ ; (A) riparia. Bank Swallow. Sand Martin. (Locally common throughout New England.) . (a). About five inches long. Upper parts, and a band across the breast, dull brown. Under parts, white. (b). The nest is constructed of a few loose materials, and is placed at the bottom of burrows dug out by the birds. These excavations are from fifteen to twenty-four inches deep, and are made in sand-banks, usually those on the sea-shore or near other bodies of water, but sometimes those on the roadsides or in other situations. The eggs average ‘68 & °50 of an inch, and are white; being almost exactly like those of the White- bellied Swallow, though smaller. Two sets of four or five are generally laid in the course of the season, of which the first appears here in the latter part of May. (c). The Bank Swallows are in New England the most plainly colored of their family, and the only ones who retain here their former habits of nesting. They migrate at the same OF NEW ENGLAND. 149 time as the Cliff Swallows, but I have never observed them in company with those birds. They may be seen in their sum- mer-haunts flying either over the surface of land and water, or at some height in the air, though rarely very far above the ground. They fly much like the other swallows, though per- haps less steadily and with less sailing, but they seldom wan- der far from the banks in which their nests are placed. They are found throughout New England, and much further to the northward, but are much confined to localities, both because of their disposition to colonize, and the necessity of their se- lecting a place where the earth is of a character suitable to their purposes. Their choice of a summer-home is undoubtedly influenced very considerably by the nature of the soil, as it is impossible for them to burrow in all kinds of earth. Extremely inter- esting details may be learned through the study of their exca- vations, as these latter vary greatly in size, depth, and the angle at which they run, in accordance with the variation of the soil. The Bank Swallows invariably select a bank, the sand of which will not ‘cave in,” and then burrow to a stratum where the pebbles, which might fall down upon their eggs or young, are not found. Their colonies sometimes in- crease from year to year with rapidity, and, if not disturbed, in the course of a few seasons consist of a large number of excavations. How wonderful is that instinct which enables these swallows to find out the best places for their homes, and how wonderful their skill in making these secure! When asmall party boldly advance to a country, hitherto unknown to them, who can de- fine that sense which enables them to discover and select the most fitting bank for their purposes, or even the best part of it? What, indeed, prompts them to part from their fellows and to become pioneers in new settlements? Instinct can never be fully understood by man, nor its workings. Wilson, speaking of the ‘‘Sand Martins,” says :—“‘ We have sometimes several days of cold rain and severe weather af- ter their arrival in spring, from which they take refuge in 150 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS their holes, clustering together for warmth, and have been fre- quently found at such times in almost a lifeless state with the cold, which circumstance has contributed to the belief that they lie torpid all winter in these recesses.” (d). The Bank Swallows are usually more silent than the other species, though one might not gather this impression from a flock; and their notes are less musical. V. PROGNE (A) Ppurpurea.*? Purple Martin. “Black Martin.” Martin. “Cape Cod Swallow.” (The Martins, though formerly abundant, are now very gen- erally rare in New England, being confined to a few tracts of country and to localities.) (a). 7-8 inches long. “Lustrous blue-black; no purple anywhere. The 9 and young are much duller above, and more or less white below, streaked with gray.” (Coues.) (b). The nest and eggs are essentially like those of the White-bellied Swallow (IIT) in every-respect, except that the latter are larger than the eggs of that bird, averaging -95x-70 of an inch. (c). The Purple Martins reach Eastern Massachusetts on the first of May, or earlier, and leave it about the first of Sep- tember. They are very locally distributed, and in many places are at present never seen. They are “very abundant upon Cape Cod,” and are perhaps as common in Boston and other cities as in the country. They are allied in many ways to the White-bellied Swallows— particularly so in their habits. The latter, however, become more common every year; but the former have deserted many places, where they were once well known, though they are probably multiplying in their present homes. “The Martin” says Wilson “differs from all the rest of our Swallows in the particular prey which he selects. Wasps, 4°Various scientific names have been bestowed upon this bird, but the present seems to me the most satisfactory. OF NEW ENGLAND. 151 bees, large beetles, particularly those called by the boys gold- smiths, seem his favorite game. I have taken four of, these large beetles from the stomach of a Purple Martin, each of which seemed entire and even unbruised.” “The flight of the Purple Martin unites in it all the swift- ness, ease, rapidity of turning and gracefulness of motion of its tribe. Like the Swift of Europe, he sails much with little action of the wings. * * *.” (a). “His usual note peuo peuo peuo, is loud and musical ; but it is frequently succeeded by others more low and guttural.” To the above extract I have nothing of interest to add. §13. The Vireonidz, or vireos (sometimes called “green- lets”), possess the following features in common with the Lani- idee, or shrikes (§ 14), at least with our subfamily, Lantine. Bill rather short and stout, distinctly notched and hooked, also well furnished with bristles; tarsus scutellate; primaries ten, but with the first in the Vireonide often spurious, or seemingly absent. (Fig. 6.) The Lantide differ distinctly in being more than seven inches long, in having the “‘sides of the tarsi scutellate behind,” and in having long, rounded tails. The bill, moreover, is large and stout (not so broad as high, and scarcely twice as long), while the feet are comparatively weak. The shrikes might well be called ‘‘raptorial passeres,” being notorious for their boldness and mode of slaughter among others birds, etc. They are unsocial and unmusical, though perbaps mimics. Like the vireos, normally they are never seen on the ground, but they possess a much stronger flight than their small relatives. They build rather bulky nests in the woods, and lay eggs, rather coarsely marked, and never (?) with a pure white ground. The Butcher-bird is a type (fig. 7). The vireos, on the other hand, are small, insectivorous birds, allied in habits to many of the warblers. They frequent, for the most part, woodland, and are rarely if ever seen upon the ground. They usually flutter among the branches in search of their prey, though they occa- sionally snap it up in passing from tree to tree. They are 152 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS not gregarious, but are extremely affectionate toward one an- other, and peaceable in their relations to other birds. They are very musical, and warble cheerfully, energetically, and often very sweetly. They build small, cup-shaped, pensile nests, which are rarely softly lined. The eggs are four or five, and pure white, with a few small spots near the larger end, of some shade of brown. Our species have been divided into several subgenera, but I have here followed Dr. Coues in uniting them under one genus. I. VIREO (A) soxitarius. Solitary Vireo. Blue-headed Vireo. (Rather rare in Massachusetts, especially as a summer-resi- dent.) , (a). About 53 inches long. Olive-green above, and white beneath. Head, bluish-ash; eye-ring, and line to bill, white. Sides olive-shaded. Wing- and tail-feathers white-edged, and wings white-barred. (b). The nest of the Solitary Vireo is open and pensile, like those of the other vireos. It is placed, never far from the ground, in the fork of a horizontal branch, always in the woods, and sometimes in swampy ones. It is usually larger, and more loosely constructed of somewhat finer materials, than that of the ‘“*Red-eye” (c). One, now lying before me, is composed chiefly of thin strips of pliable bark, is lined with fine grasses and a very few roots, and is somewhat ornamented outwardly with plant-down, lichens, and bits of dead leaves. Audubon speaks of others as being lined with hairs, which I have never known to be the case. In Massachusetts, three or four eggs are laid in the first week in June. They average °77 X -58 of an inch, and are pure white, with a very few minute and gener- ally reddish-brown spots principally at the larger end. (c). The Solitary Vireos are less well known than our other vireos, since they are more given to solitude, and never fre- quent the immediate neighborhood of man. In this respect they resemble the White-eyed Vireos, but are much less com- mon here, for in the breeding-season the southern limit of OF NEW ENGLAND. 153 . their range is about the northern limit of the latter’s range. They are common summer-residents throughout northern New England, inhabiting there the woods strictly, but as such are very rare in Massachusetts. Indeed, some ornithologists have expressed doubt as to their actually breeding here, but I have found their nest near Boston, and have seen, with the bird on - it, a nest in the Nashua Valley (below Lancaster) which a com- panion found. I have heard of other instances, which establish the fact beyond doubt. The Solitary Vireos are in Massachusetts to be found as mi- grants in the last week of April and again in September, but are not at either time abundant. They inhabit throughout the year both the dry and swampy woods of oaks, maples, and nut trees, avoiding the evergreens, and among the branches search for their insect-food. Though fond of retirement, they are not shy or timid, especially when moved by parental affection. I have known the females to stay on their nests until I could almost lay my hand upon them, and then to remain immedi- ately about my person, often approaching within a foot of me, and constantly, uttering their plaintive cries. These notes generally bring the males to the scene, who are, however, as is the case with many birds, less willing to expose themselves. (ad). The music of the Solitary Vireos is delicious, but is particularly agreeable in an otherwise still, and cool forest, being peculiarly harmonious with those two charms of Nature, woodland stillness and woodland coolness. Their song, like that of the Red-eyed Vireos, is a continuous warble, but is more musical, mellow, and tender, and is uttered in another tone. It is particularly sweet at the mating-season, which comes in the early part of May. These birds, who are unfor- tunately almost silent during their migrations, have a few low whistles also, and a querulous note (like the syllable ank), much like that of the ‘‘ Red-eye,” but yet distinct. (B) siavirrons. Yellow-throated Vireo. (Not a common summer-resident in Massachusetts, except locally.) 154 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (a). Nearly six inches long. Olive-green above, becoming bluish-ash on the rump. Throat and breast, bright yellow ; belly, white. Eye-ring, etc., yellow. Wings and tail generally dark; former with two white bars. (b). The nest of this species is pensile, but rather larger and deeper than those of the other vireos, being between 3 and 81 inches wide, and nearly as deep. It is placed in the fork of a horizontal branch, from three to fifteen feet above the ground, as often in the orchard as in the woods, though I have found it in pines. It is composed of narrow strips of thin bark, such as that of the cedar or large vines, is lined with pine-needles or grasses, and is usually ornamented on the outside with caterpillar’s silk and large pieces of lichen. The four eggs, which are generally laid here in the first week of June, average 80 X °60 of an inch, and are white, with black and either purplish or brownish spots, which are sometimes, but not usually, quite numerous (about the crown). (c). The Yellow-throated Vireos reach Eastern Massachu- setts in the second week of May, and leave it in September. They are locally distributed through our State, and are rare in certain neighborhoods. They are (perhaps) our handsomest vireos, and certainly possess great charms as singers. They excel all their relations in architectural taste and skill, and construct a beautifal nest, ornamented outwardly with lichens, plant-down, and caterpillar’s silk, but plainly or even roughly finished inside—thus differing from that of the hummingbird, which it otherwise resembles very much, except in being pen- sile. It is altogether one of the prettiest nests to be found among our specimens of bird-architecture. It is extremely interesting to watch it in the progress of its construction. The birds are occupied about a week in that process, beginning by firmly twining dry grasses around the twigs from which it is to be suspended, and always working downwards until the frame is completed. It is almost impossible, even on watching them closely, to tell exactly how they weave the grasses to- gether, or how they attach many of their ornamentations. Wonderful is that innate skill which enables them, with their OF NEW ENGLAND. 155 simply constructed bill alone, to fashion a home for themselves, of which man with his complicatedly organized fingers, and the aid of all his inventions, cannot (probably) make the like! It seems probable that instinct rather than any acquired skill insures perfection (and yet it is perhaps true that many birds have improved in architecture from generation to genera- tion*!). On the last day, the female is chiefly occupied in smoothing and shaping the nest by turning round and round inside, and then on the polloveane day, or the next, begins to lay her eggs. ~ The Yellow-throated Vireos frequent the woods which are lightly timbered with oaks, chestnuts, and maples, or even pines, and also orchards. Among the branches of the trees in these places they are almost continually moving in search of caterpillars and other insect-food. (d). Their song lacks the expression of the Solitary, the volubility of the Red-eyed, the quaintness of the White-eyed, and the tenderness of the Warbling Vireo’s song, and yet, with all these wants, is very charming. It is difficult to describe it exactly, but it consists of two or three warbled notes on an ascending scale, and then, after a pause, others with a falling accent, all being repeated disjointedly in a characteristic voice. Their ordinary querulous note is distinct from that of the ‘* Red-eye,” being somewhat harsher, and is often rapidly re- peated. I may finally say of these: pirds whose biography I have just written, that they are useful to the farmer and agricultarisls and deserve on all accounts to be protected. (C) oxrvaceus. Red-eyed Vireo. (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About six inches long. Olive-green above (often of quite an indescribable shade), becoming ashy on the crown, which is bordered by a narrow black line. Superciliary line 41It is to be considered that such improvement as is here referred to arises from adaptation to circumstances rather than from efforts to realize an ideal. 156 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS white; eye-stripe dusky. Under parts, white; sides olive- shaded. Wings and tail, generally dusky. Iris red. (b). The nest.is hung from a fork, usually near the end of a limb, between four and twenty feet above the ground, in the woods, in a shade-tree, in an orchard-tree, or occasionally in a pine. It is small, and cup-shaped ; but, though very service- able, is rarely very neatly made. It is constructed of strips of thin bark, occasionally of that of the white birch, is lined almost invariably with pine-needles, where pines exist, and is sometimes ornamented, if I may say so, with chips, bits of newspaper or wasps’ nests, and caterpillar’s silk. It is finished here about the first of June; and in the first week of that month four or five eggs are laid. These eggs average 83 X °62 of an inch, and are white, with a few brownish-black spots at the larger end. A second set is sometimes laid in July. (c). When I announce that I am going to write about the habits of one of our most familiar birds and the most voluble songster that we possess, who all through the day, when nearly every other bird is quiet, prolongs his cheerful warble in almost every grove—sometimes even among the trees of our cities, though such haunts he usually avoids—many will know that I refer to the Red-eyed Vireo. These vireos may be found throughout New England, in the latter part, if not nearly the whole, of May, in the summer-months, and in September. They inhabit many kinds of woods, also groves, and clumps or rows of trees about houses, particularly those near wooded land. They show more familiarity to man than the other species, except the Warbling Vireos, and are almost everywhere common and well-known. They rarely pursue insects in the air in the manner of the flycatchers, but seize them as they themselves flutter among the branches of the trees, in which they usually remain at no very great height from the ground. I have noticed that the males, while the females are upon their nests, generally select a spot at some distance from them, which they make their haunt and concert-grove. They have never struck me as very active insect-hunters, since they devote so much of their time to music. They evidently, however, never suffer from OF NEW ENGLAND. 157 hunger, and they are certainly diligent in the care of their young. They are very affectionate toward one another, and are fond of returning to the same spot year after year. It is pleasant to observe this attachment to their summer-homes, and to know where to welcome them as old friends, when they return in the spring. (ad). Their song consists of a few notes, which are warbled again and again with little intermission or variety (and which are sometimes interrupted now and then by a low whistle). This music would be monotonous, were it not for its wonderful cheerfulness, energy, and animation, in these qualities resem- bling the Robin’s song. The ‘‘Red-eyes” have also a chip, a chatter like a miniature of the Oriole’s scold (and to be heard in the season of courtship), and a peculiarly characteristic querulous note, which, like others, cannot be described accur- ately, whence the advantage of studying birds through nature, - and not through books. The Red-eyed Vireos are deservedly popular on account of their cheerful disposition, and enlivening song, which is kept up (less steadily, however, in the latter part of the season) from the time of their arrival until they leave us for the South, when the autumnal frosts become too severe, and the weather too cold, to admit of a sufficiency of the insect-food upon which they depend. (D) aitvus. Warbling Vireo. (A common summer-resident in Massachusetts, but very much less abundant than the ‘‘ Red-eye.”) (a). About five inches long. Above, a dull olive-green, which approaches mouse-color. Crown, ashy-tinged. Rump, brighter ; wings darker and browner; and sides of the head paler. Superciliary line, dull white. Under parts, white —dis- tinctly shaded on the sides (but feebly on the breast) with the color of the back, or light olive-green. (b). The nest is usually placed at a considerable height above the ground (from twenty to sixty feet), and rarely else- ‘where than in an elm, poplar, or button-wood tree. It is 158 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS always pensile, but Audubon speaks of one fastened to the trunk of a tree, in which situation I have never found it, so far as Tremember. The eggs of the Warbling Vireo are white, with a few “‘reddish-black” or.brown spots at the larger end, and average about ‘77:58 of an inch. A set of four or five is laid near Boston in the first week of June. (c). The Warbling Vireos reach Eastern Massachusetts in the second week of May, and leave it in the same week of September. They are common in many parts of our State, and I have seen them in Northern New Hampshire, but in Fig. 6. Warbling Vireo (4). some localities they are very rare. Though they do not, I think, show quite so much familiarity towards man (at least here), as some authors have represented, yet they are certainly to be found, to some extent, in cities, towns, villages, and thickly populated neighborhoods — for instance among the elms of Boston Common. Though occasionally seen in the haunts of the Yellow-throated Vireos (B), they seem to be particularly fond of rows of, or solitary, elms, poplars, and basswood trees —particularly those beside roads or near houses. They usu- ally remain among the higher branches as they search for insects; and, on account of their size and quiet colors, they might easily be overlooked, were it not for their music. (d).. Their ordinary notes are like those of the Red-eyed Vireos, but less loud and querulous. Their song is exquisitely sweet, and, though quite distinct, recalls vividly that of the Purple Finch (§ 15, III). Dr. Coues, in speaking of the War- OF NEW ENGLAND. 159 bling Vireo, says that “its voice is not strong, and many birds excel it in brilliancy of execution; but not one of them all can rival the tenderness and softness of the liquid strains of this modest vocalist. Not born ‘to waste its sweetness on the desert air,’ the warbling vireo forsakes the depths of the wood- land for the park and orchard and shady street, where it glides through the foliage of the tallest trees, the unseen messenger of rest and peace to the busy, dusty haunts of men.” (E) PHILADELPHICUS. (Brotherly-love Vireo.) Philadel- phia Vireo. (a). This vireo, if a distinct species, differs from Vireo gil- vus (D) in a doubtful technicality only. Dr. Coues pronounces it ‘almost indistinguishable from gilvus, except by absence of spurious quill,” and says that the colors of the latter species are ‘‘precisely” the same. Is it not doubtful if one feather among hundreds (though, perhaps, an important one) can characterize a bird as more than a variety? (0). (d). I suppose that the nest, eggs, and song of this bird are essentially the same as those of the Warbling Vireo. (c). The Philadelphia Vireo is probably a migrant through Massachusetts, having been obtained at Philadelphia, also in Maine, and at Moose Factory (to the southward of Hudson’s Bay and James Bay). I have never seen it here, so far as I know, nor have I scen any specimens shot here. I have no observations to make upon its habits, which I suppose to cor- respond closely to those of its immediate relations. I have since learned that this bird has been obtained in this State. Mr. Brewster, in the ‘Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club,” says: “On Sept. 7th, 1875, I shot a female of this beautiful little species in Cambridge, Mass. It was feeding in company with several individuals of Vireo olivaceus, in a low willow tree.” In a more recent number, Mr. Ruthven Deane says that several specimens have been obtained in Maine, both in June and September, and that the Philadelphia Vireos may be con- sidered summer-residents about Lake Umbagog. 160 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (F) novesoracensis. White-eyed Vireo. ‘ Politician.” (In southern New England a rather common summer-resi- dent, though very locally distributed.) (a). About five inches long. Above, bright olive-green ; below, white. Sides of the body, eye-ring, wing-bars, etc., (bright) yellow. Iris white. (b). The nest is almost invariably placed in a low tree, bush, or vine, two or three feet from the ground, generally, but not always, in the woods, whether dry or wet. It is pensile, and es- sentially like that of the ‘‘ Red-eye,” though prettier and often characterized by being largely composed of newspaper, or paper from wasps’ and hornets’ nests. The eggs, moreover, are strongly like those of the Red-eyed Vireo, but are gener- ally a little smaller, and longer in shape. They are laid, near Boston, about the first of June. (c). The White-eyed Vireos differ from their relatives in several respects. They are summer-residents in Eastern Mas- sachusetts, but are so locally distributed as to be extremely rare or wanting in some places, though quite common in others. To the westward of the Connecticut River, in New England, they are so uncommon that the few specimens obtained may almost be considered stragglers. They reach the neighborhood of Boston, at least those who: breed here, in the second week ‘of May; but as to their general distribution and migrations I have not clearly made up my mind. Massachusetts has been generally considered their northern limit, but I feel quite con- fident of having seen them, in past years, apparently migrating through this State, in April and October. I have once or twice seen the Solitary Vireos in the latter month, when they were obliged to feed upon berries, as the ‘‘ Red-eyes” do in Septem- ber, and I find in my note-book that I observed a “* White-eye” (or a species, hitherto undescribed, much resembling it) on the 18th of October, traveling with many other birds in a ‘“ wave.” These “bird-waves” are extremely interesting, and, to show their nature, I shall quote from my Journal: “Nov. 15th, 1873. This morning, while wandering about * OF NEW ENGLAND. 161 the place under the delusion that the passage-birds (or most of them) had fairly gone, an immense flock of birds suddenly. appeared, evidently traveling from the North southward, and were soon scattered over the place. Among them were many Snow-birds, White-throated, Fox-colored, Tree, and Song Spar- rows, Ruby-crowned ‘ Wrens,’ Golden-crowned ‘ Wrens,’ Nut- hatches, Brown Creepers, and Chickadees. Never have I seen an assemblage of birds exhibiting such a variety of species. At noon most of them had disappeared.” The White-eyed Vireos frequent lightly timbered woods, par- ticularly those which are in low land and contain a second growth about the taller trees, and also swamps, thickets, and the “scrub.” They have a habit of moving their tails, much like the Shrikes. They keep nearer to the ground than our other vireos, and are so shy, that, if they were silent, they would rarely be seen as they busy themselves in the common pursuit of their family, that of insects. (d). When, however, their nest is approached, they display-p, themselves, and are usually very vehement in their expressions of anger (unlike their relations, particularly the Solitary Vi- a reos), and utter a harsh scold or chatter, and sometimes a peculiar mewing, or other querulous cry. Their song is very peculiar or even eccentric, and is very loud for such small birds. It is full of character, energy, and vehemence, though some of the lower whistles are sweet and quite different in tone. It partakes of the owners’ nature, much as the human voice does, and indicates the almost fiery temperament of these little vi- reos, which is so markedly in contrast with the cheerfulness, gentleness, and calmness, of other members of their family. Their music is constantly varied, and in it one may occasion- ally hear the apparently mimicked notes of other birds. §14. Laniides, Shrikes. (See § 13.) I. COLLURIO F (A) Borgatts. (Great Northern) Shrike. ‘“Butcher-bird.” (A winter-visitant to Massachusetts, but never very common.) (a). 9-10 inches long. Above, light bluish-ash, very light 12 162 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS on the rump. Below, white, very finely waved with black (often almost imperceptibly). Edging of crown, eye-ring and mid- dle of the forehead, white. Rest of forehead, continuously with broad stripes through the eye, black. Wings and tail black, with white markings. Fig. 7. Butcher-bird (4). (0). The nest is placed in the woods, in the fork of a bush, not far from the ground. It is composed of leaves, grasses, and roots, is often lined with feathers, and is finished early in the season. One set of eggs contains from four to six, aver- aging 1:10X°80 of an inch. A specimen before me is blotched and spotted, most thickly about the crown, with faint lilac, and light sandy and yellowish brown ; others are darker. (c). ‘The shrikes possess the cruelty of the hawks, but not the stateliness of some, nor the gracefulness of others. Neither. do they possess the charms of many passerine birds, for they are wild, and, moreover, incapable of uttering musical sounds. Yet, there is attached to them that interest, which is naturally attached to birds who differ so distinctly from others, and about whom much is yet to be learned. The Great Northern Shrikes, or the well-known “ Butcher- birds,” are virtually the sole representatives of their family in New England. They breed in the forests of Northern Maine, but in other parts occur principally as winter-visitants, re- OF NEW: ENGLAND. 163 maining near Boston from the first of October until April “ or even May.” They vary greatly in abundance from year to year, following, to a great extent, the migrations of our very irregular visitors, the ‘‘ Red-polls” and Pine Finches. While with us, they are usually to be seen singly or in pairs about farms, orchards, fields, and meadows, though so ex- tremely bold as to take up their abode in the Public Garden and Common of Boston, where they prey upon the English Sparrows and have several times been shot. When on the watch for their prey, they take a perch not far from the ground, and may be observed to flirt their tails much like the Pewees, now and then taking low and rapid flights from bush to bush, or tree to tree, particularly if pursued. On detecting what they wish to seize, they pounce upon it, if upon the ground, or pursue it through the air, if a bird, with force, great rapidity, and an almost infallible certainty of aim. As their bills are particularly powerful, the muscles about their head highly de- veloped, and their feet naturally weak, they use the latter solely for perching. They use their bills, on the other hand, to seize the birds which they pursue, generally. by the neck, thus suffocating them, and afterwards to tear their flesh. - Their food consists of grasshoppers, mice, and principally our smaller winter-birds of the finch-tribe who associate jn flocks,— the Snow-birds, Snow Buntings, Tree Sparrows, ‘ Red- polls,” and Pine Finches. I have seen one dart after a flock of Goldfinches, who escaped by flying upwards. The Shrike followed with effort and a rather laborious flight, until, despair- ing of success, he turned and dropped with the speed of an arrow, arresting himself instantaneously on approaching the earth. He afterwards dashed into a company of Tree Spar- rows, who showed much less address in escaping his clutches. They separated and fled to the bushes, whilst he followed one through a thicket and seized him on the other side. The Shrikes have several times been known in their boldness to enter cages, and to kill the inmates, though sometimes fortu- nately trapped themselves afterwards, and made captive: The ‘‘Butcher-birds” are best known by their notorious 164 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS practice of impaling their food upon thorns or the like, thus securing, according to an European superstition, nine victims every day, whence they are in some places called ‘ nine-kill- ers.” There are three theories often advanced to explain this extraordinary and characteristic cruelty, which are as follows: That the shrikes are fond of tainted meat; that they are nat- urally provident for the future; and that they employ their food, to a certain extent, as bait. The former of these theo- ries may be refuted by the evidence, which has, I believe, been generally given, even from observations upon specimens in confinement, that the ‘‘Butcher-birds” never feed upon these stores. The last theory is absurd, as Wilson has already de- monstrated, since they can at any time, by swiftness and dex- terity of flight, seize a small bird who ventures near them, and need never resort to guile or deceit, and since, if grass- hoppers be the creatures impaled, our winter-birds, upon whom the shrikes prey, are all granivorous or seed-eating, never touching insects (except, perhaps, in summer), and since in many cases the victims impaled are birds, who certainly would not serve satisfactorily as bait to attract their friends. I re- gret very much that I have not had enough opportunities for studying thoroughly the habits of the ‘‘ Butcher-birds” to de- cide this question, but, in want of evidence, I am inclined to suppose that they keep up this murderous practice solely from instincts of cruelty, and perhaps other instincts, allied to the thieving and hiding propensities of the magpies and their’ relations, though, indeed, their acts are murder in the first degree and without secrecy. In brief, is it not probable that they exercise this barbarity and ferocity simply in sport, and for their amusement? I cannot, at present, present to the public any more satisfactory explanation. (a). Audubon and Nuttall both state that the Great North- ern Shrikes imitate the notes of other birds to attract their attention and to allure them into danger, but I have known no modern ornithologists to confirm these statements, which at present need corroboration. Whilst here in winter, the Shrikes are usually silent, and I have but once heard them uttering OF NEW ENGLAND. 165 any sounds. About the middle of March I observed a pair in a field overrun with mice, and heard their extraordinary note, brief and often repeated, which resembled the buzz of a small insect (with somewhat of a squeal intermixed?). I at first, in my haste and ignorance, attributed this sound to the field mice, but afterwards supposed that it was probably a cry confined exclusively to the mating-season of the birds, to whom it certainly belonged. I shall close this biography by inserting a very entertaining passage from an old English book on Falconry, which I find quoted in Mr. Wood’s interesting book, ‘‘ Homes without Hands.” i ‘Sometimes upon certain birds she doth use to prey, whome she doth entrappe and deceive by flight, for this is her desire. She will stand at pearch upon some tree or poste, and there make an exceeding lamentable crye and exclamation, such as birds are wonte to do, being wronged or in hazard of mischiefe, and all to make other fowles believe and thinke that she is very much distressed and stands in need of ayde; whereupon the credulous sellie birds do flocke together presently at her call and voice, at what time if any happen to approach neare her she out of hand ceazeth on them, and devoureth them (un- grateful subtill fowle!) in requital for their simplicity and pains. “ Heere I end of this hawke, because I neither accompte her worthy the name of a hawke, in whom there resteth no valor or hardiness, nor yet deserving to have any more written upon her propertie and nature. For truly it is not the property of any other hawke, by such devise and cowardly will to come by their prey, but they love to winne it by main force of wings at random, as the round winged hawkes doe, or by free stooping, as the hawkes of the Tower doe most commanly use, as the falcon, gerfalcon, sacre, merlyn, and such like.” (B) toupovicranus. Loggerhead Shrike. (But rarely obtained so far to the northward as Massachu- setts.) 166 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (a). 8-9 inches long. Like the Butcher-bird (A), but more slaty above, and generally with no white on the head (except on the*throat), the eye-stripes meeting on the forehead. (b). The nest is said to be much less elaborate than that of the ‘‘Butcher-bird,” though the eggs are very similar to those of that bird. Dr. Brewer says: “‘The spots are usually larger and more scattered than in the eggs of C. borealis.” (c). The Loggerhead Shrike is chiefly an inhabitant of the Southern States, and I have heard of but few instances of its capture in New England or the State of Massachusetts. It is, however, says Mr. Allen, in his “Notes on the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts,” a summer-resident at Hamilton, in Canada West, on the Northern Shore of Lake Ontario (MelIlwraith), and has been known to breed at Buffalo, New York. Wilson says that “this species inhabits the rice plantations of Carolina and Georgia, where it is protected for its usefulness in destroy- ing mice. It sits, for hours together, on the fence, beside the stacks of rice, watching like a cat; and as soon as it perceives a mouse, darts on it like a Hawk. It also feeds on crickets and grasshoppers.” (@). He adds that “its note, in March, resembled the clear creaking of a sign board in windy weather.” §15. The Fringillida, or finches, form our largest fam- ily (the warblers being second in size), and include the spar- rows, buntings, linnets, grosbeaks, and crossbills. They are chiefly granivorous (or at least vegetarians), and consequently are less migratory than insectivorous birds. They are very sociable among themselves, and in some cases gregarious. They are clad both plainly and brilliantly, sometimes with crests, but are in nearly all cases musical, sometimes very highly so. Some of them are eminently field-birds, and on this account are easily observed in the country. As architects they are not to be ranked high, though their nests are often very neatly built. Their eggs exhibit great variety in colors and markings, and two (or even three) sets of four or five are laid by several species in one season, even so far to the northward as Massachusetts. OF NEW ENGLAND. 167 They (or at least our species) are characterized as follows. Bill, for the most part, not twice as long as high, but stout, more or less conical, with the mandibles generally meeting at their tips; commissure usually with a more or less evident angle ; bristles often wanting ; tarsi scutellate ; primaries nine. They may be divided into three groups: (Gen. I-VI and VII?) Wings long; feet not strong; sexes generally unlike ; males brightly colored. ‘Birds of rather boreal’ distribution, of comparatively strong flight, and largely arboreal (except in genus VII). (Gen. VII?-XVIII.) Birds chiefly terrestrial ; also plainly colored, and sexes generally alike; commissure frequently with the angle feebly marked. (Gen. XWIII?- XXII.) Birds chiefly arboreal, and handsomely or bril- liantly colored; sexes ‘unlike. Distribution rather southern. Bill stout, somewhat curved above ; angle well marked. (Gen. XXIV, XXV, are placed at the end, because not properly parts of our fauna.) (Figs. 8,9, 10.) Possibly the starlings should be united with the finches, and ranked as a subfamily. (See § 17.) ms The following genera require special notice :— Curvirostra. Bill, with the mandibles crossed (pl. 1, fig. 16). Pinicola. Bill stout, hooked, and with curved outlines. Chrysomitris and giothus. Bill conical, and pointed. Up- per mandible often growing beyond the lower, as sometimes seen in other finches and blackbirds (pl. 1, fig. 12). Plectrophanes. Hind-claw very long (pl. 1, fig.17). In sub- genus Centrophanes (including Lapponicus but not nivalis) hind-claw straightish ; bill unruffed. Ammodromus. Bill comparatively slender. Tail-feathers narrow and pointed. (PI. 1, figs. 14, 15.) Coturniculus closely related. Passerella. Birds partially rasorial, as also in certain allied species. Hydemeles. Bill deep, stout, and bristled; upper outline much curved, commissure strongly angulated (pl. 1, fig. 13). The details of structure vary with every group or genus, but the finches in general are easily recognized by their coloring. 168 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS I have arranged the genera (represented in Phe England) in what seemed the best sequence. The position of the larks (Alaudide, §16) is apparently doubtful. Though the typical Sky Lark of Europe (Alauda arvensis) has been introduced into this country, yet the true American larks belong to the subfamily, Calandritine (fig. 11). They are characterized as follows: Bill (in Eremophila) twice as long as high, pointed, and with the upper outline convex; nostrils concealed; primaries nine; tarsi “scutellate and blunt behind as in front, with a deep groove along the inner side, and a slight one, or none, on the outer“face ; 4? hind-claw very long. The common Shore Lark is the type. I. CURVIROSTRA (A) RuBRA. Red Crossbill. Common Crossbill. (To be found in Massachusetts as an extremely irregular visitor from the North.) _ : (a). Mandibles crossed (as in B). About six inches long. &, chiefly of an almost brick-red, with wings and tail dusky or nearly black. 9, often with a strong yellowish suffusion. Wings and tail, dark. Above, of a shade varying from brown- ish to olive, with dusky streaks. Rump, almost yellow. Be- neath, paler, more or less streaked. (5). The nest is built in the early part of spring, or even, it is said, in winter. Mr. Paine found one in a leafless elm, in East Randolph, Vermont, early in the month of March.- The parents were so tame that it was necessary to remove them for- cibly from their eggs, which “were four in number, and meas- ured -85 X ‘53 of aninch. They havea greenish-white ground and are beautifully blotched, marbled, and dotted with various shades of lilac and purplish-brown.” (c). The Crossbill, on account of his many peculiarities, is an interesting subject for study. His most marked oddity is 42Tn the Oscines, ‘the tarsus is normally covered on either side with two entire horny plates, that meet behind in a sharp ridge.” (Coues.) OF NEW ENGLAND. 169 that which Wilson has spoken of in admirable language. That author says :—‘‘On first glancing at the bill of this extraordi- nary bird one is apt to pronounce it deformed and monstrous ; but on attentively observing the use to which it is applied by the owner, and the dexterity with which he detaches the seeds of the pine tree from the cone, and from the husks that enclose them, we are obliged to confess on this as on many other occa- sions where we have judged too hastily of the operations of nature, that no other conformation could have been so excel- lently adapted to the purpose ;” etc. (WILSON, VOL. Iv, p. 44). The exact distribution, the regular breeding-habits, and the migtations of the Crossbills are not, at present, perfectly understood. These birds migrate (it is supposed and well- nigh proved), in accordance with the abundance of food in their usual habitat (northward of the 44th parallel of latitude). Hence they are sometimes not seen at all in Massachusetts during the year, and at other times appear as early as August, and remain until June (whence it has been assumed that they breed here). : Though often here in autumn and spring, they are commonly driven to our latitudes in the winter-months; then, usually in flocks varying in number from three or four to hundreds, they are to be seen busily engaged in extracting seeds from the cones of our evergreens. They are good climbers, moving much like parrots, but with more agility. They occasionally eat berries; and they also descend to the ground, having a fondness, it is said, for.saline substances. It is somewhere - stated that in Arctic countries they often become so engrossed ‘in their feeding, when on the ground, that they can easily be caught with a net, or knocked over with a club. Whilst near Boston in winter, they exhibit neither shyness nor stupidity, but, when started from a tree, often return to it, after ma- neuvring in the air in the manner of the ‘“ Red-polls.” They generally fly at a considerable height, and sometimes at a very great elevation, at least great relatively to the powers of flight which belong to this family of birds. In spring, the Crossbills do mischief in attacking the buds of various trees; and Mr. 170 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Maynard speaks of their eating the tops of oats in autumn, at Albany, Maine.4? They are said to build their nests often in February or March, and therefore their presence in summer may not properly indicate the districts in which they breed, though such immature specimens were obtained by Mr. Horace Mann, at Weston, Massachusetts, in May, 1862, that Mr. Allen thinks it “hardly possible” that they were born far from that place.44’ The nest of the Crossbills has been found at Milltown, Maine, by Mr. Boardman,” and these birds may, therefore, breed quite extensively in that State and North-east- ern New Hampshire, having been ‘‘common at Umbagog, according to Mr. Deane, during the summer of 1870,” and according to Mr. Brewster, being “‘ very common at Franconia in summer.”45 Their habitat in the breeding-season, may be generally considered as the vast hemlock and spruce-forests of the North. (d). As Wilson says, they “have a loud, sharp, and not unmusical note” and “chatter as they fly.” They sometimes utter in spring quite a sweet song, which has the character of their ordinary cries, as is noticeable in the music of the birds nearly related to them, the Pine Grosbeaks, ‘‘ Red-polls,’” Gold- finches, etc. (B) Levcorrera. White-winged Crossbill. (Much less common in Massachusetts than even the preced- ing species.) (a). Mandibles crossed (as in A). About six inches long. Essentially like nusra, but with white wing-bars, and a much rosier hue in the male. (b). An egg described by Dr. Brewer ‘is pale blue, the large end rather thickly spattered with fine dots of black and 43 “The Naturalist’s Guide,” p. 111. 44““Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts,” in pamphlet [pp. 30, 31, 32], and in “ American Naturalist” Vol. III, pp. 505-519; 568-585; 631-648; and numbers for Nov., Dec., and Jan.,' 1869-70. 45 C. J. Maynard, “A Catalogue of the birds of Coos Co., N. H., and Oxford Co., Me.,” etc., 54th species, p. 16, pamphlet. OF NEW ENGLAND. 171 ashy-lilac; is regularly or rather slightly elongate-oval, the small end rather obtuse. It measures ‘80 of an inch in length by °56 in breadth.” (c). The White-winged Crossbills are much rarer here than the Red Crossbills, since they habitually reside in more northern countries, though, indeed, on the authority of Mr. Deane and Mr. Brewster said to be ‘‘ common at Umbagog in June, 1870, and at Franconia in summer.”46 They are seldom seen in Massachusetts, though occasionally common in winter, and known to migrate much further to the southward. So far as I have had opportunities to observe, they resemble closely in their habits the other species, feeding chiefly upon the seeds of our evergreens, both obtaining these and climbing dexterously, and sometimes seeking food upon the ground, having a par- tiality for saline matter. Mr. Maynard says that they feed “‘upon the seeds of beach-grass,” ‘‘at Ipswich, Massachusetts,” and that he ‘‘ obtained a specimen on June 13, 1866, which was shot on an apple-tree in Newtonville,” and was ‘ filled with canker-worms.”47 This, says Mr. Allen, was “‘ a male in fine breeding plumage,” and therefore it is possible that these birds may occasionally breed in this State, though at the same time it is possible that the specimen in question may have wandered from the North, having previously reared his young in April or May. Instances of equally strange freaks among birds have been known to occur, such as wandering more than a thousand miles from a regular habitat. It is to be remarked that these instances take place almost wholly at the time of the migrations in autumn or early winter.‘ (d). The song of the White-winged Crossbills, says Dr. Brewer, is ‘irregular and varied, but sweet and musical.” These birds have a plaintive cry, distinct from the notes of the Red Crossbill. 46C, J. Maynard, 55th species (p. 16, pamphlet), ‘ Birds of Coos Co., N. H.,” etc. 47 The Naturalist’s Guide,” pp. 111-2. 48 For example, the occurrence in Massachusetts of the Varied Thrush, Lark Finch, and Gray King-bird. 172 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS. II. PINICOLA (A) ENuctEATOR. Pine Grosbeak. (In Massachusetts a winter-visitant of very irregular appear- ance.) (a). 8-9 inches long. g,carmine. Back dusky-streaked. Belly, almost white. Wings and tail, dusky (or black) ; former with much white. 9, “‘ashy-gray above and streaked. Paler below, and not streaked.” Crown (and rump) marked with rusty-yellow. (0). Dr. Brewer says: ‘‘No positively identified eggs of the American Pine Grosbeak are as yet known in collections.” A European specimen measures about 1:00 X ‘75 of an inch, and is greenish, blotched and spotted with brown and purplish, chiefly dark tints. Mr. Boardman found near Calais, Maine, “in an alder-bush, in a wet meadow,” a nest and two eBes, referable to this species. (c). The Pine Grosbeaks spend the summer-season in the cold regions which lie to the northward of New England, and ° though, I believe, common winter-residents in Maine and New Hampshire, are rather rare, or at least irregular, in their ap- pearance about Boston, and other parts of this State. They are sometimes common here throughout the winter, wandering in large flocks from place to place, but at other times are wholly absent during the year, or at the most are seen but once or twice after a cold ‘“‘snap” or a heavy storm. I have seen them from the first of November until the latter part of March, though their departure usually occurs earlier in the season, since they habitually breed in March and April. It is to be remarked that among our winter-birds of this family, the young almost invariably predominate, and often are unaccom- panied by mature specimens. This interesting fact has not, so far as I know, been satisfactorily explained, though it may possibly be due simply to an inability of ‘the young to with- stand the cold so well as their parents. Yet these birds are supposed to be regulated in their migrations almost entirely by supplies of food, and not to be affected by cold, since in OF NEW ENGLAND. ‘ 173 severe winters they are often much less abundant here than in mild seasons. To determine questions of this sort, much philosophical study, technical knowledge, comparison of notes, and coéperation of different sciences, is greatly needed. The Pine Grosbeaks frequent the pines and other evergreens almost exclusively, feeding largely upon their seeds, but also upon buds and berries. Mr. Maynard speaks of their being so unsuspicious that they can be easily captured by a noose attached to a pole, but I myself have never observed any like indiscretion on their part. In general appearance they bear a strong resemblance to the Robin, but possess powers of flight even superior to those of that bird. Large flocks often travel many miles, from time to time, in the course of a day, moving at some height, and the individuals rising and falling in their flight. The Pine Grosbeaks are also very much at ease among the trees, though not such clever climbers as the crossbills. They seem, whilst here, to remember those long winter-nights of the North, which ‘‘ become less and less separated by day- light, the farther to the northward that they occur, until at the pole they become fused into a period of darkness which lasts for six months.” I have observed that they generally retire before sunset, whilst other birds are still occupied in feed- ing, and collect among the branches of some thickly foliaged evergreen. The “ Red-polls,” on the other hand, are given to late hours, so that their respective habits are probably to be accounted for solely by a difference of taste, since both species inhabit much the same regions. Certainly nature has created much for the sake of pleasing man by variety alone. (ad). The Pine Grosbeaks have a characteristic single note, a loud, clear, but somewhat plaintive whistle, which is often repeated several times, and also a few subdued whistles, not audible at any great distance. I here quote briefly from my journal. ‘March 18, 1875. This morning I arose at 5.15, and went out at 5.40, when crows were beginning to fly over. At 5.55 a Red-poll, who was among some pines, awoke and gave his call, which was answered by two or three of his com- panions, who were near him, likewise in pines. * * * * 174 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS He finally woke up a solitary Pine Grosbeak, who uttered his call-note several times, and remained in the neighborhood until 6.15, when he perched on the top of a pine, and sang for sev- eral minutes. His song was sweet and very much like that of the Purple Finch, but was now and: then interrupted by his ordinary cries.” III. CARPODACUS (A) purrorevs. Purple Finch. ‘ Linnet.” (In New England, a common resident in summer, but only occasional in winter.) (a). About six inches long. Crown-feathers erectile. ¢, carmine, of very different shades and intensities in different speci- mens. Back dusky-streaked ; belly, almost white. Edgings of the wings, reddish. 9, oli- vaceous-brown, and streaked, except on the belly, which as Fig. 8. Purple Finch (4). well as a superciliary line is: white. Wings and tail like those of the male, but with no reddish. , (0). The nest is usually composed of fine rootlets, weed- stalks, and grasses, being lined with hairs, but its materials vary greatly in some cases. It is placed in a pine, cedar, or~ chard-tree, or occasionally a bush or hedge, from five to twenty feet above the ground. The eggs of each set are four or five, and average ‘75X‘55 of an inch or more. They are of a light greenish blue, marked rather thinly and chiefly at the larger end, with specks, blotches, and scrawls, of very faint lilac, and of blackish. The first set is laid about the first of June or earlier, and a second one often appears in July. (c). The Purple Finches are well known on account of their charming song, and the gay or brilliant coloring in summer of the males, who attract, especially if in flocks, the attention of many a person who is habitually inobservant. A few pass the OF NEW ENGLAND. 175 less severe winters in Eastern Massachusetts, but in doing so usually frequent swamps of cedar-trees, or retired places where seeds and berries are sufficiently abundant. The “ Linnets” generally arrive here from the South on the first of April or earlier, but sometimes not until May, and then appear in the open country, when the males and females often congregate in small flocks, usually feeding upon the buds of various trees. The males are not at this time of the year in full dress, and perhaps on this account, if these birds may be supposed to have human vanities, are often alone or apart from the females. They are, however, in full song, and, perched on some high branch, sing loudly, as if under the delusion that winter dis- appears in April. When much startled, the ‘“‘ Linnets” usually fly for some distance at a considerable height. In May they usually be- come very abundant, and also mischievous, since they ‘“ feed on the stamina of various fruit-blossoms.” They also gather in large flocks on the ground, where, not unfrequently in com- pany with the Goldfinches or other members of their family, they pick up various seeds and perhaps other food. They are summer-residents throughout New England, though less com- mon to the northward, and frequent principally cultivated or open lands, though occasionally to be met with in woods. Their song may not unfrequently be heard in September, when most other birds do not sing. In October they become quite rare, and finally, usually before November, forsake their sum- mer-haunts. “Those seen here in the former month are very possibly migrants from the North. (d). The music of the Purple Finch is a warbled song, which would be monotonous, were it not sweet, mellow, and full- toned. Both sexes sing. In autumn they often give utter- ance to a few notes, which recall those of the Blue Bird. Be- sides their customary ‘“ chink,” which they utter particularly when on wing, they have a variety of less important notes. The most pleasing of these is their ‘“ pewee,” which is often softly repeated by the females, and the most striking a single whistle, to be heard chiefly or wholly in autumn, and which recalls that of the Great-crested Flycatcher. 176 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS The “ Linnets” are much more common and generally dis- tributed through this State than formerly, and are gradually becoming quite fearless of man. They are now so tame as often to build their nests in hedges, and on account of their several attractions should be allowed to increase, in spite of the injuries that they may do us in spring. They resemble in habits the Pine Grosbeaks, from the irregularity of both their appearance and abundance from year to year. In studying the Purple Finches, one must not confuse their song with that of the Warbling Vireo,*9 or even with those of the Robin and some other birds, nor the notes already mentioned with those of the Great Crested Flycatcher 5° and Blue Bird.5! IV. CHRYSOMITRIS (A) tristis. (American) Goldfinch. ‘Yellow Bird.” ? “Thistle-bird.” (Common in New England throughout the year, but more abundant in summer than in winter. Like the Cedar-birds, they breed very late in the season.) (a). About 42 inches long. (from April Ist, until Sep- tember 20th?), bright yellow, ‘inclusive of lesser wing-cov- erts.” Crown, wings, and tail, black. Upper tail-coverts, whit- ish; but wing-markings and tail-spots entirely white. 9, dusky olivaceous yellow above; paler or yellowish beneath. Wings and tail less purely colored than in the male, who in winter resembles the female, though much browner. (b). The nest is usually composed of fine grasses (or strips of bark), and is lined with down from thistles and other plants, but sometimes with hairs. It is quite deep or cup-shaped, but is substantial, neat, and compact. It is placed in a pasture- bush, a shade-tree (especially on roadsides), perhaps an apple- tree, or a like situation, commonly between five and twenty feet above the ground, and almost invariably in a crotch. I have known it to be just completed as early as the twelfth of 49§13, I, D. 60§ 19, II, A. 51§2, 52 There is a warbler (§ 9, X, A) also called the Yellow Bird. OF NEW ENGLAND. 177 June, and as late as the first week in August. The eggs of each set are five or six, average about ‘63 X°50 of an inch, and are faint bluish-white (rarely with a few faint markings?). (c). The Goldfinches, perhaps the most graceful members of their large family, are very common and well-known, and one could hardly select from all the finches, or from all birds, more charming objects of study. They are summer-residents throughout a greater part of the eastern United States, are common in Massachusetts, and are very abundant in (certain parts of) Northern New Hampshire, and probably the whole of northern New England. They are very hardy, and remain in the neighborhood of Boston throughout the year. Ornithologists very generally have advanced the theory that those birds who pass the summer in a locality, where the spe- cies which they represent are resident throughout the year, retire in winter to the South, leaving their place to be supplied by others of the same kind from the North. Mr. Maynard, however, ingeniously argues that this is not the case, at least with the Hairy Woodpecker.53 However the case may be, it is certain that many Goldfinches pass the winter near Boston. In those months during which snow generally covers the earth, they wander, usually in small flocks, feeding, as at other times of the year, upon the seeds of pines or weeds, and such suitable things as they can find upon the ground. The males are then in their winter-dress, and do not assume their gay summer-livery until April. In March the ‘“‘ Yellow Birds” be- come rather common, and in April abundant. About the first of May, or even later, they often associate in large companies with the Purple Finches and other members of their family, and frequent orchards and various places where they can pro- cure food from the ground. The song of the male (for the female does not sing) may often be heard at this time, pre- vious to and during which they ramble over open country and cultivated lands, rendered noticeable by the jet black and bright yellow of the gayer sex. These flocks are gradually 53“ The Naturalist’s Guide,” p. 129, 13 178 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS broken up, but at all seasons of the year the so-called ‘“‘ Yellow Birds” show a social spirit, whence, even in summer, two or three often enjoy one another’s society and fly about together. The following observations on their habits in summer were made among the White Mountains, where, in certain districts, they were very numerous. The Goldfinches there inhabited the pasture-land, in which they often built their nests, over which they wandered, and from which chiefly they obtained their food. There were in the place but few trees on the roadsides, except such as formed the part of some wood (and in woods these birds never build their nests), but the large bushes, which in many places supplied this want, answered the Gold- finches’ purpose as well. On these bushes, or the telegraph- wires and posts, males and females, or when the latter were on their nests, a solitary male or several often perched. They occasionally alighted in the road to pick up food, but not very commonly. The daintiness and evident enjoyment of their bath was very charming. They usually waded into a gently flowing brook, which rolled over clean sand, and then showered them- selves with the water tossed up by the splashing of their wings, bobbed their heads into the clear stream, next dressed their feathers, and finally flew away, twittering expressions of their pleasure. In the early part of the summer they often appeared in the gardens and fruit-trees of the village, but in September congregated where thistles were abundant. On the heads of these weeds they perched, until the stalks swayed to the ground ; and, when this brief ride was finished, they bent over to feed upon the seeds. In the same way do they often treat the garden-iris in summer, when the rich blue or purple of that flower forms a most gorgeous contrast with their plumage. Whilst assembled, the Goldfinches aré always extremely har- monious, and seem to express their happiness by their delight- ful cries. Their flight, as every one who knows them must have observed, consists of a series of marked undulations, and oceasionally of great circles in the air. If pursued by any bird of prey, they mount in circles often to a great height, knowing well that they are safe only when above their ene- OF NEW ENGLAND. 179 mies; and, though their powers of flight are not great, I have never seen a hawk or shrike who was sufficiently persistent to exhaust them, and thus to secure his prey. To return to those “Yellow Birds” who have passed the summer in Massachusetts, they (or latterly substitutes from the North) are tolerably abundant in September, but less so in October. Sometimes at this season they associate with the sparrows, and feed in asparagus-beds, old vegetable-gardens, and like places. Before October has passed away, they become quite uncommon, and assume many of their winter-habits. Their haunts are much the same throughout the year, and include the whole country, with the exception of the woods, meadows, and swamps. (d). The male Goldfinch has a lively and sweet, but not full-toned song, characterized by his ordinary notes, and re- sembling that of the ‘‘Canary,” his near relation. In listening to it, one may hear harsh notes, and then a sweet che-wé or che- we-wé. I have heard it in April, October, and the intervening time, most often in the first-named month and in May. He has also a very sweet and almost pathetic cry, which to me has a singular fascination, but it is not easily to be distinguished from the corresponding notes of the ‘‘ Red-poll,” Siskin, or Ca- nary-bird. Both sexes own a low whistle, heard chiefly in summer, and rarely then, and their characteristic twitters, which these birds commonly utter at every undulation of their flight, and often when perched. Such other sounds as they occasionally produce are less noticeable, and are among those details regarded only by one intimate with birds and with their individual traits. In writing this volume, I have been struck with the thought that the biographer of birds has, at least in one respect, a - pleasanter task than the biographer of a human friend, for he has never to speak of death; for, since we regard all of a spe- cies as virtually one being, and rarely regard distinctions be- tween individuals, we are necessarily led to consider them as a perpetual being, though, indeed, instances are known to modern history of the apparent extinction of a race, such as that of 180 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the Great Auk, owing to persecution, and the comparative helplessness of this creature in escaping his enemies, particu- larly man. Should the Goldfinches ever cease to exist, let this be their eulogy. The Goldfinches were peculiarly attractive on account of their apparently happy disposition, and their sprightly, ex- pressive twitters, which were never exchanged for the weak and almost mournful notes which many other birds adopt in autumn and winter. What more could have been reasonably asked than that these birds should be finely colored, sing sweetly, have a variety of charming notes, possess a peculiar flight and attractive habits, be common and resident through- out the year, and frequent the neighborhood of man? (B) pinus. Pine Finch. “Siskin.” (An irregular winter-visitor to Massachusetts, occasionally lingering here until June, and having been known to breed at Cambridge.) (a). About 42 inches long. Flaxen; paler below. Thickly streaked with darker, rather finely so on the head and under parts. Wings and tail, black, with much yellow, which, in the breeding-season, is more or less suffused throughout the plum- age. (b). Dr. Brewer says: “‘ Early in May, 1859, a pair of these birds built their nest in the garden of Professor Benjamin Pierce, in Cambridge, Mass., near the colleges. It was found on the, 9th by Mr. Frederick Ware, and already contained its full complement of four eggs, partly incubated.” ‘The eggs are of an oblong-oval shape, of a light green ground-color, spotted, chiefly at the larger end, with markings of a light rusty-brown. They measure ‘71 by °50 of an inch.” , (c). So irregular are the habits of the American “‘ Siskins,” that I have never clearly understood their distribution and annual movements. Though these birds have been known to breed exceptionally at Cambridge,-in Massachusetts, they usually breed in New England, only to the northward of that State, such as in certain places among the White Mountains OF NEW ENGLAND. 181 and about Lake Umbagog. They are sometimes common in Massachusetts during the winter, and at other times are alto- gether absent then, presumably in the latter case, not passing to the southward of their summer-range. And yet they are said by Wilson to have been common in Pennsylvania for a number of successive winters, and are known to occur occasion- ally on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The most interest- ing fact in their Natural History is their frequent appearance near Boston in April and May, or even June and July, even when not observed in the preceding winter. Mr. Maynard supposes that their journeys are chiefly governed by the snow, * but my own observations do not altogether confirm this theory, which I do not think supported by the facts relative to the feeding of these birds, or to their appearance here, for the Pine Finches occasionally reach Boston in autumn, before the snow, and even as soon as the young are able to travel, though indeed these latter are rarely hatched before August. The Siskins may be observed in winter to wander in flocks from place to place, being, like their various near relations, en- tirely nomadic at that season. They fly in undulations like those of the Goldfinches, to whom they bear a very strong re- semblance in other ways.54 They live upon the seeds of weeds, and those of the several evergreens, feeding both upon the ground and in trees. They may often be seen clustered at the top of some tall pine, busied in extracting the seeds, or cling- ing to the cones of a spruce, with an ease which clearly indi- cates their habits. They are also fond of birch-seeds, which are highly esteemed by many of our winter-birds, particularly the Ruffed Grouse. They are graceful in their movements, and their attitudes, when feeding, are always pretty, but they are not such climbers as the “‘ Red-polls.” (d). The Pine Finches are closely allied to the Yellow Birds and ‘‘Red-polls” by their notes, and their sweet call is almost 54Mr, Allen, in his ‘Winter Notes of an Ornithologist,” published in the * American Naturalist,” considers the Siskins swifter in flight, their notes “wilder and more wiry.” 182 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS indistinguishable from the call-notes of those birds. Their song and their twitters, though distinct from those of the Goldfinch, are yet much like them, but their twitters, most often uttered as they fly, are much louder and less musical. They have also a very characteristic note, resembling the word wee, uttered in a peculiar tone with a rising inflection, and, moreover, if I remember correctly, a loud and rather unmusical trill. Vv. ZGIOTHUS (A) winarius. “Red-poll.” Red-poll Linnet. Lesser ‘‘Red- poll.” (Another irregular visitant to New England, in the winter- season only, being in some years very common and in others altogether absent, at least in Massachusetts.) (a). About 53 inches long. Upper parts, flaxen, dark- streaked. Beneath, whitish, more or less dusky-streaked. Wings and tail dusky, with white edgings; the former with two narrow whitish bars. Crown carmine; ‘‘rump white or rosy, always streaked with dusky.” Inthe mature $ the breast is bright rosy, and the under tail-coverts paler and streaked. [Dr. Coues has endeavored to establish one or two varie- ties of this species, which it is perhaps necessary to accept. They are var. fucescens, Dusky Red-poll, a darker form; with “rump scarcely lighter,’ and ‘sides heavily streaked,” which Dr. Coues supposes may occur from the wearing of the feathers, and var. exilipes, American Mealy Red-poll, with flaxen paled to whitish, and rump unstreaked in adults, ‘“‘representing,” says Dr. Coues, “the true Mealy Redpoll, A. canescens, of Greenland.’’] ; (0). The ‘‘Red-polls” breed in Arctic Countries on the ground, and lay four or five eggs, which are light greenish-blue, with a few brown spots, and which average about °65 x -50 of an inch. (c). The “Red-polls” are occasionally the most abundant of our winter-birds, but, on the other hand, several successive winters often pass, without their occurrence in Massachusetts. OF NEW ENGLAND. 183 They breed in the Arctic countries, and when obliged to travel to the southward, as they sometimes are, it is supposed, by lack of food, occur in the United States in November, April, and more often the intervening months. They move in flocks, which vary in size, but sometimes consist of two handred or even more, and which are frequently augmented by the compan- ionship of Goldfinches and other birds. These flocks always seem, however, to consist of more than one species, since the individuals, among whom the young predominate, represent various colorations at the different periods of their growth. The “‘ Red-polls” wander continually during their visits, and hence are very irregular in appearance at different localities. I have never observed them to feed from the evergreens, but they have a marked fondness for the seeds of white birches and of alders, and according to Brehm, the German ornitholo- gist, pass the summer among the former trees in the most northern part of Europe. They often gather where the coarse field-weeds project above the spow, on banks or roadsides, and also feed upon the ground. They allow quite a near approach, and when finally so startled as to take flight, often return to the spot just left, after circling in the air. Though not alarmed by man’s approach, they are often shy of venturing near to buildings, though I remember to have seen two staying for a moment to feed with Snow-birds on some grain scattered be- fore the window of a dining-room. The following extracts from my Journal will illustrate the habits of these birds. ‘‘ March 4th. Sunrise in Boston at 6.30 a. m., sunset at 5.55 p.m. * * * At twenty minutes before six this afternoon, whilst I was exercising the dogs, a‘ Redpoll’ alighted near me in a small apple-tree. He paid almost no attention to me or my companions, though we were noisy, and I was at one time within five feet of him. The dogs I finally sent away. The bird at first uttered his sweet call-note, in order, I suppose, that he might obtain the companionship of his mates, if any were near, and occasionally other sounds to express his satisfaction, as he obtained from the bark bits of food so minute as to be invisible to my eye. He displayed 184 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS thoroughly his great skill in climbing, and often, in searching the crannies of the bark, hung with his head downwards. He soon became silent, and I remained motionless until five min- utes after six. I then observed another ‘ Red-poll,’ who flew over at some distance, and at a considerable height from the ground, apparently about to ‘take perch’ in a neighboring pine-grove. My friend, a moment later, took to flight and seemed (it was then dusk) to alight in a pine.” “March 18th. This morning I went out at twenty minutes before six, when Crows were already beginning to fly over. Quarter of an hour later, a ‘Red-poll,’ who was in the pines which border ————— street, awoke and gave his call, which was answered by two or three of his companions, who were near him, likewise in the pines. These birds then warbled for about five minutes and afterwards flew away.” . “March 22d. This morning * * * * the ‘Red-polls’ awoke at quarter of six among the pines, but not those in which they were before, and at once sang. I next observed a solitary one, who flew over at a great height, but the rest gathered into flocks and set about the business of the day, flying to a distance. The Goldfinches showed much the same habits. At six I found one in a pine, singing very sweetly, but he soon flew away, after uttering a few twitters.” “March 28th. This morning I left the house at half-past five, but spring has made the birds rise very early, for on going out, I saw the Crows and ‘Red-polls’ flying over. At six two of the latter, who have lately been very common, alighted near me, to rest in their early rambles.” “April 6th. A few ‘Red-polls’ flew over to-day, but they are becoming scarce.” ; “April 24th. This afternoon a ‘Red-poll’ (4giothus Lin- arius), who shows no wounds, nor as yet any signs of decom- position, was picked up in the barn-cellar, the doors of which were shut.” (d). The ‘‘Red-polls” have a sweet call-note, like that of the Goldfinch or Siskin, and a simple “chit,” often so repeated, especially by a flock, as to resemble the twitterings of the OF NEW ENGLAND. 185 former bird, or even those of the latter. Their song is quite like the Yellow Bird's (C. tristis), but is distinct, since all their ordinary notes are introduced. The winters when these happy, pretty little birds are com- mon are always much enlivened by their presence, and those years are richer for the naturalist, which bring us visits from the Arctic birds. VI. LINOTA (A) BREwsteRI®> Brewster's Linnet. (One specimen, not clearly referable to any known species or variety, was obtained by Mr. William Brewster, at Waltham, Mass., from a flock of common ‘red-polls.”) (a). It is described as follows in Messrs. Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway’s ‘‘ North American Birds.” ‘¢ General appearance somewhat that of _@. linarius, but no red on the crown, and the sides and rump tinged with sulphur- yellow; no black gular spot. 9 ad. Ground-color above light umber, becoming sulphur yellow on the rump, each feather, even on the crown, with a distinct medial stripe of dusky. Beneath white, tinged with fulvous yellow anteriorly and along the sides; sides and crissum streaked with dusky. Wings and tail dusky; the former with two pale fulvous bands; the secondaries, primaries, and tail-feathers narrowly skirted with whitish sulphur-yellow. A dusky loral spot, and a rather dis- tinct lighter superciliary stripe. Wing 3:00; tail 2°50; tarsus *50; middle toe, °30. Wing formula, 1, 2, 3, etc.” VII. PLECTROPHANES (A) nivauis. Snow Bunting.§6 “ Snow-flake.” (An inhabitant of the ‘far North,” visiting New England in winter, in large assemblies.) (a). 64—7 inches long. In the breeding-season, pure white 65 Since named Agiothus flavirostris var. Brewsteri. 56 Sometimes called ‘* White Snow-bird,” in distinction to the so-called Black or Blue Snow-bird. 186 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS with black variegations, and a black bill. Jn winter, bill brown, and the plumage endlessly varied. A specimen before me, a very fair type, is chiefly white, with a rich dark brown on the crown, becoming lighter and warmer on the back of the neck and on the rump. The interscapulars are vaguely streaked with white, black, and brown, these colors extending to the scapulars. Wings and tail, chiefly black and white, Under parts, snowy-white, with a light warm brown patch on each side of the breast. Specimens have been obtained pure white, and unmarked. (b). Mr. Macfarlane found on the Arctic coast a “nest sit- uated in a cave in a sand-bank.” ‘The eggs, five in number, are of a dull white, with perhaps a faint bluish cast, sprinkled and spattered with dilute yellowish-rufous, the markings most numerous toward the larger end; they measure ‘95 of an inch in length by -64 in breadth.” (c). The Snow Buntings are quite regular as winter-visitors ‘to New England, appearing in November, April, and the inter- vening months. They are very restless, and roam over the country in flocks, which sometimes contain thousands of indi- viduals. They have very good powers of flight, and hence can take long flights whenever their wishes or instincts prompt them to do so. They generally move to the northward when long-continued fine weather occurs, and to the southward on the advent of heavy snow-storms, and therefore have acquired, in their winter-haunts, the name of ‘‘ bad-weather birds,” a title which originated in Europe, where they are well known. The Snow Buntings for the most part breed in Arctic countries, but a pair have been known to build their nest near Springfield, Massachusetts, and, says Mr. Maynard,*” “ this species may ‘breed on the tops of some of the ranges of Maine and New Hampshire. I have a note of a well authenticated instance of a large flock being seen on Mount Katahdin, in early August, 1869.” None, however, have ever been reported in summer 57 “¢ A Catalogue of the Birds of Coos Co., N.H., and Oxford Co., Maine,” .etc.; 57th species, p. 17 of pamphlet. OF NEW ENGLAND. 187 from Mt. Washington, the highest peak in New England, and I saw none on walking up Mount Lafayette, another prominent peak, in the early part of September, though it was very cold at the summit, and the true Snow-birds (Junco hyemalis) were very abundant at comparatively great altitudes, where the veg- etation was stunted. Audubon speaks, however, of a nest found among the White Mountains, in July, 1831, and seen by Wm. M. Boott, Esq., of Boston. It is probable that the Snow Bunt- ings normally belong to the United States as winter-visitors only, and as such occur so far to the southward as Kentucky, if not still further. They are not so shy as one might reason- ably suppose them to be from their habits in summer, but near Boston frequent the ‘‘ Back Bay lands,” the roads, and road- sides. They often obtain seeds from the weeds in fields and ploughed lands, but they are most common on and near the sea-shore, where they feed much upon small shell-fish. Wilson says:—‘‘In passing down the Seneca river towards lake Ontario, late in the month of October, I was surprised by the appearance of a large flock of these birds feeding on the sur- face of the water, supported on the tops of a growth of weeds that rose from the bottom, growing so close together that our boat could with great difficulty make its way through them. They were running about with great activity ; and those I shot and examined were filled, not only with the seeds of this plant, but with a minute kind of shell fish that adheres to the leaves. In these * * * aquatic excursions they are doubtless greatly assisted by the length of their hind heel and claws. I also observed a few on Table rock, above the falls of Niagara, seemingly in search of the same kind of food.” Mr. Maynard speaks of thousands feeding on the seeds of beach-grass, at the Ipswich Sand-hills.5® The Snow Buntings run with ease and rapidity, like the larks, and fly with considerable swift- ness, when in flocks often whirling like a flurry of snow before alighting on the ground. They are the most picturesque of our winter-birds, and often enliven an otherwise dreary scene, 58 “ The Naturalist’s Guide,” p. 112. 188 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS especially when flying, for they then seem almost like an ani- mated storm, driven before a gusty wind. (d). Their principal notes are a clearly piped whistle, and a peculiar chirr, which they often utter when on wing. Their song, rarely to be heard in Massachusetts, is short and simple, but quite sweet. (B) Larronicus. Lapland Longspur. Lapland Bunting. (Rare in Massachusetts, where it is present in the winter- season only ; ‘common on the Ipswich Sand-hills.” ) (a). 6-63 inches long. , in the breeding-season, with the crown, forehead, sides of the head, throat, and upper breast, continuously black. Superciliary line, whitish, continuing down the side of the chestnut-red patch on the back of the neck. Interscapulars, dark brown or blackish, with lighter edges. Lower breast and belly, whitish; the former more or less streaked. Wings and tail dusky; the former marked with bay (and white), the latter with conspicuous white patches. ¢@, in winter, with the black interrupted and the chestnut-red less pure. 9, with the throat much like the breast, crown like the back, and the chestnut almost wanting. (0). In eggs from Anderson River, ‘‘ where distinctly visible, the ground-color appears to be of yellowish-gray, * * *. The blotches are of various shades of brown, with shadings of olive, purple, or red, and at times almost black.” ‘They measure °80 X °60 of an inch.” (c). The “‘Longspurs,” as their name indicates, have re- markably long hind-claws, such as also belong to the Snow Buntings, to whom they are as closely allied by habits and notes as otherwise. They are still more northern in their range than those birds, and pass the summer in Arctic countries only. Brehm says, from his own observations at this season in the extreme North of Europe, that they may be found among the birch-woods there, where they often perch upon the trees, feed much upon the gnats which swarm in the toondras, and sing only when on the wing, often hovering like the Lark when doing so, whereas the Snow Buntings usually perch on OF NEW ENGLAND. 189 rocks, and are not naturally shy. They occur in Massachu- setts as rare winter-visitors only, and as occasional stragglers in large flocks of Snow Buntings or Sbore Larks, though, says Mr. Maynard, “‘common on the Ipswich Sand-hills.” They frequent almost exclusively the coast or the lands near it, feeding on seeds and small shell-fish. They run nimbly, fly swiftly, and chiefly affect the ground, but occasionally perch in trees. (d). They have a shrill chirr, and a rather melancholy call of two syllables. Their song is said to be simple but sweet, with their call-notes often introduced. VIII. CHONDESTES 2 (A) erammaca. Lark Finch. (An inhabitant of the western United States, one, however, being “taken in Gloucester, in 1845, by S. Jillson.”’ 59) (a). About 63 inches long. ‘Crown chestnut blackening on forehead, divided by a median stripe, and bounded by superciliary stripes, of white; a black line through eye, and another below eye, enclosing a white streak under the eye and the chestnut auriculars; next, a sharp black maxillary stripe not quite reaching the bill, cutting off a white stripe from the white chin and throat. A black blotch on middle of breast. Under parts white, faintly shaded with grayish-brown ; upper parts grayish-brown, the middle of the back with fine black streaks. Tail very long, its central feathers like the back, the rest jet-black, broadly tipped with pure white in diminishing amount from the lateral pair inward, and the outer web of the outer pair entirely white.” (Dr. Coues.) (b). The nest of these birds is most often built upon the ground. ‘*The maximum number of their eggs” says Dr. Brewer ‘‘is five. Their average measurement is °85 by ‘65 of an inch. The ground-color is usually a grayish-white, rarely a light brown, marbled and streaked with waving lines, and a few dots of black or a blackish-brown.” 59 Maynard, Naturalist’s Guide, p.112. Gloucester is on the coast of Massachu- setts, north of Boston. 190 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (c). The Lark’ Finches, since but one specimen has been taken in this State, namely, at Gloucester, in 1845, have no more claim to be considered or treated as birds of Massachu- setts, than a Turk who passes a day and night at Paris to be called a Frenchman ; but, in conformity to the strict but not unreasonable demands of modern science, I shall give a brief account of its habits, formed from the observations of other naturalists. The Lark Finches feed principally upon seeds which they obtain upon the ground. They are most abundant in prairies and other open lands, though they also visit trees, or resort to their immediate neighborhood. In general habits, they resemble the White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichie, next to whom they should properly stand). Mr. Ridgway considered their delightful song, which is usually delivered from a perch, as the finest belonging to the finches. Ix. AMMODROMUS (A) maritimus. Sea-side Finch. (Almost wholly absent from Massachusetts, though said by Dr. Coues to be, or to have been, abundant in New Hamp- shire.) (a). About six inches long. Tail-feathers narrow and pointed, as also in caudacutus. Superciliary line from bill to eye, and edge of the wing, yellow. Upper parts, and side- shading below, brown or gray, olive-tinted, the former more or less streaked. Under parts, white; breast tinted with brown, and faintly or obsoletcly streaked. Wings and tail, plain, scarcely marked. -Side-markings on the head, vague. (b). ‘The nest is usually placed in a tussock of grass, in the fresh water marshes, or on the sea-shore beyond the reach of high-tide.” The eggs measure about ‘80 X ‘57 of an inch, and are white, gray-tinged, thickly, finely, and most often evenly marked with brown, which is sometimes confluent or predominant at the crown. (c). Iregret that I know nothing of the habits of the Sea- side Finches, and that I cannot add to what has appeared in the various meagre accounts of these birds already published. OF NEW ENGLAND. 191 Dr. Coues considered this species abundant on the coast of New Hampshire, but “Mr. Brewster * * * * has looked for it in vain at Rye Beach.” Mr. Maynard doubts the occurrence of these birds on the coast of Massachusetts, but, says Mr. Allen, in his‘ Notes on the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts,” “they were formerly known 1o breed in the Chelsea marshes, and probably do still.” Wilson speaks of the Sea-side Finch as “‘keeping almost continually within the.boundaries of tide water,” and adds that “amidst the recesses of these wet sea marshes it seeks the rankest growth of grass, and sea weed, and climbs along the stalks of the rushes with as much dex- terity as it runs along the ground, which is rather a singular circumstance, most of our climbers being rather awkward at running.” 60 (a). Their notes are said to be a chirp, and a song, hardly worthy, of the name, which is somewhat like that of the Yel- low-winged Sparrow. : (B) caupacutus. Sharp-tailed Finch. (A summer-resident in Massachusetts, but rare, being con- fined to a few marshes and other places. ) (a). About 53 inches long. Tail-feathers more sharply pointed than in maritimus. (Edge of the wing, yellowish.) Crown, brownish, black-streaked, and with a median line. Superciliary line, and sides of the head, orange-brown. Ear- patch, and back, brown or gray, olive-tinted; the latter dark- streaked (with feathers pale-edged). Beneath, white; breast, brownish-yellow, black-streaked. (0). The nest and eggs resemble very exactly those of the Sea-side Finch, being found in marshes and on the sea-shore. The eggs measure about ‘77°55 of an inch, and are white, gray-tinted, thickly, finely, and usually evenly marked with brown, which sometimes predominates about the crown, or is confluent. Mr. Brewster says that they are not laid here until the first week of July, but these may belong to a second set. (c). With the Sharp-tatled Finches I can claim no intimate 60 Vol. IV, p. 68 192 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS acquaintance. They probably do not occur to the northward of Massachusetts, where they are chiefly confined to a few lo- calities, such as the salt-water marshes of Charles River, and those at Ipswich. These places they reach in April, and do not leave until October, or even the latter part of that month. They sometimes frequent the fresh-water marshes, but gener- ally prefer the sea-coast and its neighborhood. They run very nimbly, and make their way so cleverly among the rushes and tall grass that one cannot easily see them except by “flushing” them, when they take a short flight and immediately drop to conceal themselves. They are ;already very rare in this State, and, I fear, will be soon exterminated here, as, from their scarcity, they are unwisely persecuted every year by enter- prising naturalists. Their extermination is facilitated by their confinement to a few places, where they may be considered, in a broad sense of the term, colonial. Dr. Brewer says that their flight “is quite different from that of any other bird,” and as I have myself observed, that ‘‘ in flying they drop their tails very low.” (d). Their single ordinary note is ‘rather more mellow than that of the Sea-side Finch,” but their song has little or no merit, and consists of but a few notes. X. COTURNICULUS (A) pPasserinus. Yellow-winged Sparrow. (A summer-resident in Massachusetts, but in many parts rare. ) (a). About five inches long. Crown, very dark, with a brownish-yellow median line, and a lighter superciliary line. Interscapulars, dull bay, black-streaked, and edged with brown- ish-yellow. Rump, brown and gray intermixed. Beneath, brownish-yellow or buff (obsoletely streaked) ; belly, almost white. Wings edged with bright yellow, and with a patch (the lesser covert) yellowish; otherwise corresponding to the back and tail. (6). The nest is usually placed on the ground, in a field or pasture, is often lined with hairs, and is here finished in the OF NEW ENGLAND. 193 last week of May. Four or five eggs are then laid, averaging *78X°60 of an inch, and normally are white, with a wreath of blended reddish-brown and obscure lilac spots about the greater end, and a few scattered spots of the former color elsewhere. In some cases the markings cover the greater end, so that there is no distinct ring. " (c). My own observations have shown me that the Yellow- winged Sparrows are rare, at least in some parts of Eastern © Massachusetts, though common in others, during their com- paratively brief residence here through May and the summer- months. Mr. Maynard, however, considers them as ‘not un- common” threqughout this district, being ‘‘very numerous on Nantucket Island ;” but Mr. Allen is, I think, right in believ- ing them to be more abundant in the western than in the other portions of the State, as, for instance, near Springfield. To the northward of Massachusetts they perhaps do not occur. ' They frequent almost exclusively dry fields, particularly such as are sandy or do not contain a luxuriant vegetation, and feed upon seeds and insects. They are rather shy, and often nimbly escape a near approach. They run. with ease, and never leave the ground, except to take a short, low flight, or to perch upon the top of some weed, or on some fence. Though often more or less collective, they are never strictly gregarious. (d). Their ordinary notes are a chirr, much like the note of some insect, and an occasional chick. Their song is so pecul- iar as to be quite characteristic, and may be represented by the syllables ‘chick’, chick-a-séé,” with the chief accent on the last and highest of these. Wilson speaks of their ‘short, weak, interrupted chirrup.” (B) HensLowr. Henslow’s Bunting. Henslow’s Sparrow. (A summer-resident in Massachusetts of rarity.) (a). Five inches long (or less). Like passerinus (A, a) but “more yellowish above, and with sharp maxillary, pectoral and lateral black streaks below.” (Coues.) (5). The nest, which is somewhat coarse, is built upon the 14 194 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS ground. ‘The eggs,” says Dr. Brewer, “ five or six in number, somewhat resemble those of the C. passerinus. Their ground- color is a clear bright white, and they are spotted with well- defined reddish-brown markings and more subdued tints of purple. The markings, so far as I have seen their eggs, are finer and fewer than those of C. passerinus, and are distributed more exclusively around the larger end. The eggs measure -78 ‘60 of an inch, and are of a more oblong oval than those of the common Yellow-wing.” (c). The Henslow’s Buntings are very rare in Massachu- setts, though said by Mr. Maynard®! to seem ‘more common at some localities in the State than” their immediate relations, the Yellow-winged Sparrows. Like these latter birds they fre- quent fields (and chiefly, so far as my observations prove, those which are dry or sandy), and are always on or near the ground. They feed on seeds and insects, and easily secure the smaller beetles, etc., from the facility with which they run and make their way among the weeds and grass. Mr. Maynard® has recorded that he ‘took two males in a wet meadow on May 10, 1867,” whose “‘song-note” was “like the syllables ‘seé-wick,’ with the first prolongedly and the second quickly given.” I have seen the Henslow’s Sparrows here only in May and the warmer part of summer ; but, though Massachusetts is consid- ered as their northern limit, I have suspicions, upon which I shall not here enlarge, that they occur in at least one spot among the White Mountains. I may add that this species was at first recorded in this State as Bachman’s Finch (Peucea eestivalis), an error afterwards corrected. (d). Mr. Ridgway, as quoted by Dr. Brewer, speaks of ‘‘the tail being depressed, and the head thrown back at each utterance” of their notes. % As quoted by Mr. Allen in his “‘Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Mas- sachusetts.” 6 In his ‘‘ Naturalist’s Guide,” p. 117. OF NEW ENGLAND. 195 XI. PASSERCULUS (A) princers. Ipswich Sparrow. (A northern species, but lately discovered, reaching New England in winter.) (a). Mr. Maynard describes as follows the first specimen obtained (though the italicizing is my own): ‘Back grayish ; the middle of the feathers having a black centre edged with rufous. Top of head streaked with dusky and pale rufous, divided by a broad stripe of pale yellowish white. There is also a whitish superciliary stripe extending from the base of the pill to the back of the head. Ear-coverts grayish, with a rufous tinge.” (Description of wings here omitted.) White wing-bars ‘‘rather indistinct.” “Tail brownish, with the tips of the feathers and terminal half of the outer web of the outer tail- feathers pale yellowish white; the rest of the tail-feathers nar- rowly edged with the same. Under parts, including under tail-coverts, pure white. Feathers of the sides of the throat, with a broad band across the breast and sides, streaked with rufous, with dusky centres. The throat is indistinctly spotted with dusky. A triangular spot on the sides of the neck, below the ear-coverts, pale buff; ears dusky. Bill dark brown, with the base of the under mandible paler. Eyes and feet brown.” Length, six inches (or more). (c). That I may do full honor to Mr. Maynard, as the dis- coverer of a bird, not before described, in a country well popu- lated by naturalists of all sorts, I shall here transcribe at length his own remarks about the Ipswich Sparrow, which he at first erroneously supposed to be the Baird’s Sparrow, Pro- fessor Baird having pronounced it to be that species. This mistake, however excusable on the part of the latter gentle- man, who is ranked as the foremost of American naturalists, 63 Until within the last two or three years this latter bird, a species confined to the western United States, was known to ornithologists by one specimen only, one of those shot by Audubon “upon the banks of the Yellowstone River, July 26, 1843.”” Lately others have been shot, and their habits studied in northern Dakota. 196 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS shows the necessity of strict accuracy and the utmost care in scientific investigation. Mr. Maynard says: ‘The Ipswich Sand-hills, where the specimen was procured, is a most peculiar place. I never have met with its equal anywhere. Years ago these Sand-hills, which are three miles long by three-fourths of a mile across, and contain about one’thousand acres, were covered with a thick growth of pine-trees. Protected by these trees, and among them, dwelt a tribe of Indians, whose earlier presence is indicated, not only by tradition, but by numerous shell heaps “scattered over the Sand-hills at irregular intervals. Indeed, even now the ashes of camp-fires may be seen, apparently fresh. Upon the advent of the white man) the usual event transpired, namely, the disappearance of the trees; and to- day, with the exception of a few scattering ones at the south- easterly corner, near the house of the proprietor of the Sand- hills, Mr. George Woodbury, not a tree is to be seen. All is bleak and barrei. The surface of the ground, once covered with a slight deposit of soil, has become a mass of shifting sands. Many times has the present owner had cause to regret the want of foresight in his ancestors in removing the trees, as hod the several acres of arable land around the hotise are. now cov- ered with sand, including a valuable apple-orchard. Upon this orchard the sand has drifted to the depth of thirty feet. Some of the trees present the curious phenomenon of apples growing upon limbs that protrude a few feet only above the sand, while the trunk and lower branches are buried! The Sand-hills, in places, are covered with a sparse growth of coarse grass, upon the seeds of which, as I have remarked elsewhere, thousands of Snow Buntings feed. There are, in some places, sinks or depressions with the level of the sea. In these sinks, which, except during the summer months, are filled with fresh water, a more luxuriant growth of grass appears. Walking, on De- cember 4, 1868, near one of these places, in search of Lapland Longspurs, I started a sparrow from out the tall grass, which flew wildly, and alighted again a few rods away. I approached the spot, surprised at seeing a sparrow at this late day so far OF NEW ENGLAND. 197 north,.especially in so bleak a place. After some trouble I again started it. It flew wildly as before, when I fired, and was fortunate enongh to secure it. It proved to be Baird’s Sparrow. When I found I had taken a specimen which I had never seen before,—although at that time I did not know its name or the interest attached to it,—I instantly went in search of more. After a timé I succeeded in starting another. This “one, however, rose too far off for gunshot, and I did not secure it. It flew away to a great distance, when I lost sight of it. After this I thought that among the myriads of Snow Buntings that continually rose a short distance from me I again detected it, but I was perhaps mistaken. I am confident of having seen it in previous years at this place, earlier in the season.” * * * * * * * “ * * * As might be expected, I heard no song-note at this season, but simply a short chirp of alarm.” The Ipswich Sparrows are now known to be regular winter- visitants from the North along the coast of New England. They also occur inland, as I observed two, who were extremely shy, in a sandy field at the distance of several miles from the sea. (B) SAVANNA. Savannah Sparrow. (A rather colonial species, locally common in the summer- season throughout New England.) (a). About 54 inches long. With no bright tints (espec- ially about the interscapulars), and rarely a prominent pectoral blotch, as in the Song Sparrow (XIII, A, who sometimes, however, lacks the latter feature), and never with a chestnut patch on the wing, or conspicuous white on the tail as in the Grass Finch (XII, A). Feathers above, brownish-gray, on the tail scarcely marked, but elsewhere pale-edged, and darkly streaked, most finely upon the crown. Superciliary line and edge of the wing, yellowish; a faint line dividing the crown, whitish. Beneath white (or buffish), with dark streaks, brown- edged. A little bay is to be found on the wings, and among the interscapulars. 198 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (b). The nest is built on the ground, in the various summer- haunts of this bird. It is composed chiefly of dry grasses, and in Eastern Massachusetts is finished in the second week of May. Four or five eggs are then laid, averaging -7% X °55 of an inch, exhibiting great variation, and often approaching those of other sparrows. Some are dull white, faintly and minutely marked, most thickly at the crown. Dr. Brewer says: ‘‘In some the ground-color, which is of a greenish-white, is plainly visible, being only partially covered with blotches of brown, shaded with red and purple. These blotches are more numerous about the larger end, becoming confluent and forming a corona. In others the ground-color is entirely con- cealed by confluent ferruginous fine dots, over which are darker markings of brown and purple and a still darker ring of the same about the larger end.” (c). The Savannah Sparrows show a marked preference for the sea-coast, and the islands near it, and are to be found much farther to the northward along the coast-line than in the inte- rior, where, however, they frequently occur to the southward of the mountain-chains in northern New England. To the inland, rather than along the shore, they are locally distributed, being the most colonial of all our sparrows. Though collective, they do not cluster as the swallows do, but many often pass the summer in one place, and several pairs frequent the same field, or the same strip of shore. They reach Eastern Massachu- setts, where they are particularly ‘‘ abundant in the salt-water marshes and their neighborhood,” in the second or third week of April, but many soon pass to the northward. They have a settlement, if. I may so call it, at a place in the White Mountains, where I made the following observations. They there inhabited the fields and pasture-lands. In the earlier part of July they were seen in small flocks, or families, to visit gardens in the search of food; and, even so late-as the twenty-third of that month, a nest was found containing freshly laid eggs. As well-grown young were also then observed, they doubtless reared two broods; and certainly until the latter part of August they remained in the fields where they had OF NEW ENGLAND. 199 built their nests. Although they were eminently terrestrial in habits, and fed and nested on the ground, yet they not unfre- quently alighted on the fences between the pastures, and by the roadsides, or rarely on the telegraph-wires. They were very nimble on the ground, often chasing the insects, which consti- tuted their chief food; and usually, when frightened from their nests, they feigned lameness, and endeavored to lead one from * the spot,—whereas the Bay-winged Buntings generally flew at once to some near fence. Unlike these latter, they did not often venture to the roads, except when, autumn drawing near, they associated with the ‘Grass Finches,” and followed their habits more closely than during the breeding-season. In Sep tember they seemed less numerous than in July, but wandered much more freely over the country. In Massachusetts, a few stay until November, but a majority pass to the southward earlier, and I have never known any to spend the winter in New England.. There is nothing very characteristic in their flight, which is usually short and low. They are often shy, and can never be closely approached when on the ground, and though they sometimes feed in gardens near houses or barns, they commonly prefer the more remote fields, where civilization is not busy. (d): Their notes are interesting, as distinct from those of other birds, and so far as I know, are appreciably like only those of the Yellow-winged Sparrows. Besides a low chip (?) they have a peculiar chirp, which one might reasonably attrib- ute to some loud-voiced cricket or beetle, and which also bears resemblance to the Night ‘‘Hawk’s” ordinary cry. Their song-notes are very characteristic, and are drawly but musical. They nearly resemble the syllables chip-chirr, sometimes ex- tended to chip-chee, chee-chee-chirr, or so varied as to be a song. In describing three common birds, frequently confused by the ignorant or inexperienced, namely :—the Savannah Finch, the Bay-winged Bunting, and the Song Sparrow, I have en- deavored to mark the characteristic differences so as to render their identification a matter of no difficulty. These streaked species, as well as their ground-nesting relations, are often 200 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS indiscriminately called ‘Ground Sparrows ;” and likewise a sparrow’s nest found in a bush is referred to the equally vague “Bush Sparrow.” One may often hear it said that “the Ground Sparrow sings charmingly,” but whether this refers to the Field, Song, or Bay-winged Sparrow, it is impossible to say, though doubts are lessened if the bird is described as streaked beneath. It is to be observed that the Savannah Sparrows (with generally dull tints) are most common near the sea, often frequenting marshes, and, like the Yellow-winged Sparrows (unstreaked beneath) who have a preference for dry and sandy fields, are quaintly but not sweetly musical. The Song Sparrows (with generally bright tints) to a certain extent, as: the Swamp Sparrows (unstreaked beneath) do exclusively, pass their time in swamps and meadows, and are both sweet musicians, as the Bay-winged Buntings, characterized by their conspicuously white outer tail-feathers, also are. The little ‘“‘Chippers” and Field Sparrows (unlike the above mentioned ‘¢Yellow-wings ”) are brightly tinted above, and (like them) unstreaked below, the former having the breast light gray, the other pale brown or buff. The former is often found in the immediate neighborhood of man, and is unmusical, but the latter sings most charmingly from the fields, pastures, and bushy ‘ scrub,” which he is ever in. The little streaked female of the Purple Finch, a mellow warbler, should be kept distinct, as should the Lincoln’s and the Henslow’s Sparrows, who are, however, very rare in Massachusetts, especially the Lincoln’s Finch. XII. POOCETES (A) Gramineus. “Grass Finch.” Bay-winged Bunting. Bay- winged Sparrow. Vesper Sparrow. (A common resident in New England, except in the winter- season. ) (a). About six inches long. .A patch on the wing (the lesser covert), chestnut. The outer tail-feathers, white. Above, gray- ish-brown, darkly streaked, most finely on the crown, which is OF NEW ENGLAND. 201 not divided. Below, white (often buff-tinged); breast and sides streaked with brown or black. Wings marked with bay. Eye-ring white. (b). The nest is invariably placed on the ground, generally in a pasture or field. It is lined with fine roots, dried grasses, or horse-hairs. In Massachusetts two sets of eggs are laid, one in the last week of May or earlier, and the other a month or more later, each containing four or five. These average °80 X ‘60 of an inch, but exhibit several variations in coloration. One specimen before me is white, irregularly spotted and blotched with a rather light reddish-brown and extremely faint lilac, and measures ‘87 X °65 of an inch. Another is dull livid white, with fine but almost invisible markings scattered over the egg, and a few large umber-brown spots, some of which are surmounted with black. These forms are almost two ex- tremes. A third has scrawls and vermiculations on it, and there are still others entirely distinct in character. (c). The Bay-winged Buntings, with the exception of the Song Sparrows and ‘‘Chippers,” and perhaps the Goldfinches, are the most abundant members of their family to be found in New England, during summer. Though they sometimes reach Eastern Massachusetts in March, they more commonly appear in the second or third week of April, and become plenty before May. Usually a few only can be found here in November, the majority returning to the South in the preceding month. A very few may possibly spend the winter in this State, but I have never known such to be the case. In early spring, they are to be found in fields, pastures, vegetable-gardens, and ploughed lands, often in association with other species, or gathered by themselves. They are not so persistent in remain- ing on or near the ground as the Savannah Sparrows (being rather less nimble), are not so much confined as those birds are to certain localities, and are not, I think, usually so com- mon near the sea-shore as in the interior. They have, how- ever, a'much more limited distribution, being found in summer neither so far to the northward or southward. The so-called Grass Finches, though they spend much of their 202 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS time on the ground, often alight on the ridge-poles of barns, and on fences, or on telegraph-wires,— generally those by the roadside, where fields are near at hand. They often venture to the roads, where they pick up food, and sometimes dust themselves, generally being undisturbed by a near approach. When approached in the fields, they often run ahead, if a per- son walks behind, occasionally “squatting,” so to speak, as if to rest. The whole or partial whiteness of their outer tail- feathers, noticeable as the birds fly, renders the Bay-winged Buntings easily recognizable. These finches build their nests in fields and pasture-lands, usually produce their first set of eggs in the early part of May, and raise two or even three broods in the course of one summer, so that their duties to their young are often not completed until August. In the lat- ter part of that month, and later in the season, they are chiefly gregarious, and, perhaps associated with Song or Savannah Sparrows, frequent in large flocks the roadsides, and their other feeding-grounds. Their flights are less confined than those of the Savannah Finches, though they are not much on the wing. They are, however, bolder than those birds, though like them they avoid to a certain extent the neighborhood of houses. (d). The song of the Bay-winged Buntings is quite loud and clear, and resembles that of the Song Sparrow, but is en- tirely distinct, and rather sweeter though less lively. It often may be heard in the heat of a summer-noon, but is more often repeated towards dusk, whence the name of “‘Vesper Sparrow.” It is my impression that I have heard it once or twice at night, and I have certainly heard it in October. Their ordinary note, a chip, is in no way characteristic. XII. MELOSPIZA (A) metopia. Song Sparrow. (A resident in Massachusetts throughout the year. In sum- mer very abundant in all the New England States.) (a). 53-63 inches long. (Head-markings, never prominent, are as follows: —crown bay, finely streaked with black; me- OF NEW ENGLAND. 203 dian and superciliary stripes, impure white; side-markings often vague). JInterscapulars, bright reddish-brown (or bay”), pale-edged, and black-streaked. Tail brown, sometimes faintly barred. (Rump, brown with a few markings.) Under parts, white (shaded with brown behind), with black streaks, brown- edged, on the breast and sides, generally coalescing into a conspicuous blotch on the former (and into maxillary stripes). Wings in no contrast to the back. (b). The nest is composed of dried leaves, stalks, grasses and the like, and is often bulky. The lining consists of finer materials of the same sort, or of horse-hairs. The nest is most often placed upon the ground in fields and pastures, fre- quently under shelter of a bush or tussock ; less commonly in bushes and thickets on or near meadows, or in shrubbery and hedges near houses. Wilson speaks of one found in a cedar- tree, five or six feet from the ground; and I have seen or heard of several peculiar. specimens, such as one built in a broken jar. The eggs vary considerably in size, and greatly in colora- tion, often resembling ‘those of other species. In Eastern Massachusetts two or three sets of four or five (rarely six) are usually laid in the course of the season, the. first appearing about the first of May, or even earlier, when snow is on the ground. Several different specimens are now before me. The first measures ‘85 X ‘60 of an inch, and is dull white (perhaps green-tinged), faintly but thickly blotched with a purple-tinged brown. The second is elliptical, measuring :78 & ‘60 of an inch, and is dull white, thickly but irregularly marked with the same purple-tinged brown of a somewhat darker shade, and with traces of lilac. The third is almost elliptical, measures 80 X ‘58 of an inch, and is marked thickly but finely with brown and lilac. The fourth measures ‘78 X ‘55 of an inch, and is white, tinged with greenish gray, and minutely marked with sandy brown, a little lilac, and one or two black scrawls near the crown. The fifth is light blue, greenish-tinged, finely marked and also irregularly blotched, chiefly at the crown, with Vandyke-brown and a little lilac, and measures -78 x ‘58 of an inch. The sixth measures -77 X ‘55 of an inch, and is 204 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of a light but bright greenish blue, chiefly marked by cloudings of Vandyke-brown (in some places umber) and lilac, grouped in an irregular ring about the larger end. A seventh resem- bles strongly the ordinary egg-of the Swamp Sparrow, and another is dull white, with markings so feeble as to be almost invisible. Still other forms exist, with various combinations, to detail all of which would be impossible. (c). On winter-days one may sometimes see certain small birds, skulking from thicket to thicket in the swamps, or other cheerless places, occasionally hopping on the ground to pick up “the seeds which have fallen from the weeds upon the snow, now and then emitting a rather melancholy note; and these are the Song Sparrows, for a few always pass the winter in Eastern Massachusetts, though strange to say much less common, at least in one township, during the past very mild winter than in the preceding one, an extraordinarily severe season. This was also the case with the Robins. Besides having seen the Song Sparrows, I have also heard their song near Boston, in every month of the year, but in winter they are rare. About the middle of March they first practise their spring carols; and those who have passed the colder weather in the South then return to their spring-haunts. During the latter part of March and early April they are extremely abundant, particularly in swamps and about vegetable-gardens, and in those places associate with other species, especially the Fox- colored Sparrows. They also become less shy than they are in winter, and some, to a certain extent, frequent shrubbery about houses, where, however, I have known one to remain throughout the year. Wherever they may be, at this season, ‘they are in full song, and their haunts resound with the confu- sion of a hundred melodies poured out by these birds and their associates. Though the Song Sparrows cannot properly be called gregarious, yet in spring they often collect in large ' 64Mr. Maynard also says (in “ The Naturalist’s Guide,” p. 118) :—‘‘ Mr. Brewster informs me that he has taken it (i. e. the Song Sparrow)-every month in the year; has even heard it sing in January.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 205 numbers at their feeding-grounds; but gradually many leave us to pass the summer in a more northern country, and others begin to build their nests here. During the breeding-season they occupy the neighborhood of these nests, the various situ- ations of which have already been mentioned. In many locali- ties, other than those in which I have made my own observa- tions, such as the fields and pasture-lands of the interior, and those of New Hampshire or Maine, they perhaps pass the spring as they do the summer, in those fields and their imme- diate surroundings. In such places they are probably in the former season less common and less gregarious than in the country previously described.. As they raise two or three broods every year, it is not until August (or a little earlier) that they are freed from their household ¢ares. Like several other birds, they divide the labors of rearing their young, and the males, while their mates rear one brood, often build the nest for another, and are busied until summer is well advanced. Later in the year they collect at their feeding-grounds, but not so abundantly as in the spring, since the fall-migrations of this species extend through a greater length of time than the oth- ers. During the former the Song Sparrows are most common throughout a part of September and OctoVer, and associate with various other finches, rather preferring, at this season, dry grounds to the swamps. It is impossible, however, to exactly define the nature of the places in which they may then be usually found. After the middle of October, they appear and disappear until only those are left who pass the winter with us. At all times of the year, except during the mating-season, they are rather shy, and, when startled, almost invariably dive into some near brush-heap or thicket, where they are well concealed. They commonly prefer the neighborhood of the ground, running quite nimbly on it, but much more often perch in trees, even at a considerable height, than is commonly sup- posed. They have a gently undulating flight, flying low and never very far. In summer they are to be found throughout a greater part of northern North America, even so far to the southward as 206 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the Gulf of Mexico (though in the West represented by several varieties), being abundant and well known in almost all parts of New England ; and, indeed, in a majority of places they are, with the exception of the Chipping Sparrows, the most com- mon of all the finches. It is impossible to define accurately all their haunts, since these vary according to the nature of the country, and somewhat according to the seasons ; but their haunts, and moreover all those minor habits which have not. been fully detailed, may easily be learned by mie ornithological experience of one or two years. (d). The song of the Song Sparrow is sweet, lively, and poured out with an energy which doubles its charm. It has several variations, which might excusably be attributed to two or three species; but the one most often heard is that which they give utterance to in the spring. This is an indescribable song, charactéristic of itself. It usually begins with a thrice repeated note, followed by the sprightly part of the music, concluding with another note, which, like the first, is often tripled.66 The Song Sparrows have also eccentric music, pecu- liar to the mating-season, and in autumn often soliloquize. In the earlier part of spring they sing most loudly, in summer they are much les& often heard; in fall they sing unfrequently, and in winter seldom. Occasionally they pour out their music, when dropping to the ground from some perch above the fields, with wings outstretched. Their ordinary notes are a charac- teristic, sharp chuck, or “hoarse cheep,” as it variously sounds, and a chip, less often heard, which resembles that of several other sparrows. The Song Sparrows, regarding man’s so-called “interests,” are neutral, feeding principally upon seeds or small berries, but with those who know them are justly favorites, particularly on account of their sprightly song, which, if we except the Blue Birds’ note, is the first to be heard in spring. * See account of the Red-winged Blackbird’s notes (§14, IV, A, d). OF NEW ENGLAND. 207 (B) uincotyr. Lincoln’s Finch. Lincoln’s Sparrow. (Of great rarity in Massachusetts, occurring as a summer- resident.) : (a). 5} inches long. Below, white; dusky-streaked, except on the belly. Breast band (and side-shading), brownish-yellow. Above, grayish-brown ; crown and back streaked with blackish, brownish, and paler; tail scarcely marked. Wings with some bay and white. (Abridged from Coues.) (0). The nests hitherto found have all been placed upon the ground. An egg in my collection measures about ‘75 X ‘55 of an | inch, and is light green, finely blotched all over with a medium brown, which is purple-tinged. Dr. Brewer describes others, having ‘‘a pale greenish-white ground,” “thickly marked with dots and small blotches of a ferruginous-brown,” etc. (c). The Lincoln’s Finches are very rare in Massachusetts, a few specimens only having been hitherto obtained in this State. Their summer-habitat is an extensive one,—** the United States from Atlantic to Pacific,’—including the North, for they were ‘‘first met with by Mr. Audubon in Labrador.” As I have seen them but once, my brief description of their habits is gathered from Dr. Brewer’s account of them.6¢ The Lincoln’s Finch is allied in habits to the Song Sparrow, singing ‘¢for whole hours at a time” from the top of some shrub, often diving into thickets, and, when frightened, flying “low and rapidly to a considerable distance” (as the Song Sparrow does not) “jerking its tail as it proceeds, and throwing itself into the thickest bush it meets.” Audubon found the Lincoln’s Sparrows chiefly near streams; and apparently these birds are often gregarious, at least during the migrations. (ad). Their song is said to be a fine one, and is described ‘¢as composed of the notes of a Canary and a Woodlark of Europe.” They have also a “chuck.” 66 My biography of this species was written before I had access to the works of Audubon, wv E 208 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (C) patustris. Swamp Sparrow. (In Massachusetts, on the whole, a common summer-resi- dent.) (a). 53-6 inches long. Crown, bay (in ¢ in autumn and Q, black-streaked, and divided by a light line). Forehead (‘and nuchal patch”?), often black. (Side-markings on the head not prominent.) Side of head, and the breast, warm gray or ‘‘ash.” Latter sometimes marked with obsolete streaks, which become more distinct on the sides (which are often brown-washed). Chin and belly, almost white. Interscapulars, bay, boldly black-streaked (and pale-edged). Rump the same. Tail not strongly marked ; wings much edged with bay. (b). The nest is placed in swamps, and on or near meadows, usually in a tussock of grass, but sometimes in a low bugh. It is much like that of the Song Sparrow, and is finished about the middle of May.. The eggs of each set, two sets being often laid in the season, are four or five, and average about 80 ' X ‘60 of an inch. They are white, tinged with gray, green, or blue, finely marked with brown (and lilac), and irregularly blotched or even splashed, usually more thickly about the crown than elsewhere, with two or three shades of a brown, varying in tint from sandy-brown to umber. I have seen eggs, both of the Song and Tree Sparrows, very closely resembling them. (c). There are few things more charming in Nature than her first music in spring; and the simple chant of the Song Sparrow in March makes the heart gladder than the melody of the Wood Thrush in June. Yet the cheerful song of the former, when first heard to ring through the meadows, inspires: but delusive hopes of spring, and it is therefore that the sweet but more modest notes of the Swamp Sparrow, heard later, may afford to those who hear them a more lasting pleasure. But this bird is unfortunately almost unknown except to the. student of birds, owing to his continual residence in swamps, meadow-thickets, or even marshes, his rareness in many places, and above all his shyness. It is, therefore, with pleasure that OF NEW ENGLAND. 209 I shall endeavor, so far as possible, to introduce him to my readers. The Swamp Sparrows are locally common throughout New England, but most so to the southward and eastward. They reach the neighborhood of Boston in the earlier part of April, and remain there until October or even November. They inhabit exclusively wet lands, chiefly those which are rather secluded, or which contain bushes and the like. They are shy, and it is almost impossible to study their habits except by penetrating their haunts and resting there motionless. They may be there observed to move from bush to bush, but not “ jerking their tails as they fly,” or to run quite nimbly on the ground, where they find much of their food, which consists of seeds, berries, and insects. . They are not so collective as the Song Sparrows often are, nor have I often seen them perched in trees. Qn the contrary, they are very terrestrial, often scratching like the Fox Sparrows, or wading in shallow water. (d). The Swamp Sparrows excel all our other finches in the variety of their distinct notes, and on this score are perhaps to be ranked as the first musicians of their family. Of these notes their mellow chuck, their harsh scold, and their song, bear a strong resemblance to the eorresponding notes of the Cat- bird. This song is much less pleasing than the sweet, clear trill, much like that of the Pine Warbler or Snow-bird, which generally replaces it in spring, or their low warble occasionally to be heard in autumn. They have also a soft chip, a queru- lous note, and certain expressive twitters. Like the Song Spar- rows, who sing chiefly in the early morning and at dusk, they keep comparatively late hours, and often do not retire until it is almost dark. I remember to have seen one at evening in the eccentric expression of his passion during the season of love, dart from a thicket, mount in the air, and take quite a rapid, circuitous flight, continually uttering a fine, steady trill, until, having returned to the thicket, he dived into it, ejacula- ‘ting a few broken musical notes, after which all was still. Song with birds is often a passion, or the effect of one, and the chaf- finches in France are said, when caged, and placed as rivals 16 210 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS near one another, to sing until one finally succumbs, often falling dead on the floor of his cage! XIV. SPIZELLA (A) socraris. Chipping Sparrow. “Chipper.” Etc. “Hair- bird.” (A very common summer-resident in Massachusetts, and almost throughout the United States.) (a). About 53 inches long. Crown, chestnut; forehead, black (former in 9 often black-streaked). Interscapulars, red- dish-brown, edged with paler and black-streaked. Rump, ashy (slightly streaked ?). Tail forked, and dusky with pale edgings. Superciliary line, light; eye-stripe, dark. Under parts, white ; lower throat and breast, very light warm gray (= “pale ash”). Two narrow white bars on the wings, which otherwise accord with the back and tail. (Bill black, occasionally paler; never reddish as in pusillus.) (b). The nest is almost invariably composed of fine rootlets (occasionally—in pastures—of straw, and therefore compara- tively bulky), and is lined with horse-hairs, whence the name “« Hair-bird.” I have one made entirely of white hairs, and strikingly different from all other specimens of bird-architec- ture. The nest is usually placed, not far from the ground,’ in shrubbery near houses, in piazza-vines, or in cedar-trees — particularly those in pastures ; also not infrequently in pines or orchard-trees, and less often in shade-trees. The eggs aver- age ‘68 X 48 of an inch, and are light but bright bluish-green, with dark purplish and black markings, which form a ring about the large end (and are rarely like the scrawls on the eggs of the blackbirds, §17, IV). In Massachusetts, two sets of four or five are usually laid every year, the first of which commonly appears about the first of June. (c). The Chipping Sparrows are the most familiar and abun- dant summer-residents in Massachusetts, of all the numerous finches. They reach the neighborhood of Boston about the -°TIn a few exceptional cases it has been found upon it. OF NEW ENGLAND. 211 twentieth of April, but are not at that season gregarious, and about the first of May become abundant, soon afterwards be- ginning to build their nests. They inhabit more or less pas- ture-land, but particularly affect the neighborhood of man— to such a degree that they were formerly abundant on Boston Common, though they have lately been somewhat supplanted by the English sparrows. They frequent lawns, orchards, gardens, the neighborhood of houses, and public ways. They often obtain on the roadsides the small seeds which constitute a part of their food, and, when so doing, are rarely disturbed by the approach of man. They feed also very largely in sum- mer upon, small caterpillars, inclusive of the dreaded canker- worms, and are thus beneficial to man. Towards one another they are rather pugnacious, but perhaps playfully so. Their flight, never a long one, is in no way peculiar. They often _perch upon fences, and sometimes between two narrowly sep- arated pickets, which well illustrates their littleness. They rarely perch or fly at any great height from the ground, and indeed are not commonly to be seen in tall trees, unless in the lower branches, for instance of the pines, in which they often build their nests. There is hardly a populated district of Massachusetts where they are not common, but to the north- ward of that State they gradually become rarer, though in sum- mer found in Arctic countries. In Northern New Hampshire, they are not very numerous, and they there collect in small flocks so early as August. In Massachusetts they congregate in September, sometimes to the number of a hundred, but do not associate much with other species. They disappear in the early part of October, and retire to pass the winter in the South. Before their departure they frequent the roadsides, or vegetable-gardens, where they can obtain abundant food, and may often be seen to pursue one another, uttering their rather weak battle-cries. (ad). Their ordinary note is a single chip, like that of the Tree Sparrow. But the “Chippers” also possess a variety of combined chips, and a series of querulous twitters, which they employ as a battle-cry. Their nearest approach to a song is 212 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a long, dry-toned, unmusical trill, which, from: their perch on fence or tree, they often repeat during the breeding-season and summer. These trills have several variations, which are some- times combined, one with a rising inflection being followed by a more open one with a reverse inflection. Itis said that in- dividuals have actually been known to sing, and very sweetly, but such cases are wholly exceptional, “‘ et lusus nature.” The Chipping Sparrows are “so tame as to be fed with crumbs from the table,” so fearless of man as to be much fa- vored by him, and so common that they may eventually become as intimate in our households as certain birds of Europe are in those of their country. (B) monticota. Tree Sparrow.® ‘Arctic Chipper.” (In Massachusetts, a winter-resident, generally quite com- mon and regular in appearance.) (a). About six inches long. (‘Bill black above, yellow below.”) Crown, chestnut, in winter slightly marked. Super- ciliary line, dull white; eye-stripe (and maxillary line), dark. Interscapulars, bright bay, pale-edged, and black-streaked. Rump unmarked ; tail, dusky (‘‘ black”) with white edgings. Under parts, white. Sides of head, lower throat, and upper breast, ashy-tinted ; the latter with a dark central blotch. Sides, however, and rarely the whole under parts, brown-washed or buffy. Two conspicuous wing-bars, white; part of the wing black. Wings otherwise as in socialis, ‘in keeping with” the back. : (0). The Tree Sparrows breed in Arctic countries only. Their eggs are strikingly like those of the Swamp Sparrow and allied species (XIII, C), exhibiting some variation. A specimen before me measures about ‘77 °55 of an inch, and is of a faint and vague blue or green, finely marked with brown all over, clouded with umber-brown about the crown, and splashed in one or two places with a pale and peculiar tint of the same color. Dr. Brewer says that the eggs ‘‘ measure 8° Not to be confused with the English Tree Sparrow (XXV). OF NEW ENGLAND. 213 *85 X 65 of aninch.” “Their ground-color is a light green,” *‘ freckled with minute markings of a foxy brown.” — (c). With the exception of the Snow-birds, the Tree Spar- rows are the most regular in appearance of all the finches who visit us in winter, but who pass the summer in a colder climate. They are, moreover, more or less common during their spring (and fall) migrations. They first make their appearance in Eastern Massachusetts in the last week of October, or the first of November, but many are then on their way to the South. In the last part of the latter month they become com- mon, and continue to reside here throughout the winter. They usually go about in small flocks, sometimes, however, in pairs or singly, but, when such is the case, several may usually be found in the same immediate neighborhood. They feed en- tirely (?) upon various seeds, and consequently spend their time mostly in fields where the weeds are not entirely covered by the snow,—in vegetable-gardens where the stubble of the summer’s crop, or the withered asparagus-stalks, furnish them with food,—or in the roads and on the roadsides. When on the ground, the Tree Sparrows are quite nimble, which is highly consistent with their mode of life, since they generally feed when on the ground itself, though they sometimes perch upon the tops of weeds, and still more. often may be seen in trees, frequently collecting in apple-trees. They prefer open grounds, and rather avoid the neighborhood of houses, though I have known one to join Snow-birds who were feeding on a piazza. They are not usually shy, and, indeed, I have seen them in village-streets, and have at other times approached within five yards of them, when occupied in picking up their food. When frightened, they do not dive into thickets or bushes as some other sparrows do. Their flight when short is low, when long is high, but at all times is rapid. The Tree Sparrows do not mingle much with other species, but seem to prefer one anoth- er’s society, generally living in peace, though occasionally an unpleasantness takes place, when a brief combat ensues. In April they return to the North, but those who have passed the winter further to the southward than Massachusetts return at 214 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS this season, sometimes lingering here until the second week of May. These spring-migrants associate somewhat with other birds, and are, moreover, rather more shy than those who have been winter-visitors in the same neighborhood. I have occa- sionally seen them in the ‘‘ scrub,” when they were quite wild and quickly took to flight on a near approach. (d). The ordinary note of the Tree Sparrows is a chip, which is more or less characteristic, and yet resembles that of the Chipping Sparrow. When they fight, these birds utter queru- lous but still musical twitters, which recall their own song, rather than any of the Chipper’s notes. The following passage is a quotation from Dr. Brewer’s account of the Tree Spar- rows, and describes their music as fully as it would be possible for me to do: “* * * during November, the marshes of Fresh Pond,” are filled with them, when their wailing autumnal chant is in marked contrast with the sweet and lively song, with which they enliven the spring, just before they are about to depart for their summer homes.” ‘In regard to their song, Mr. William Brewster informs me that they usually commence singing about the 25th of March. Their song is a loud, clear, and powerful chant, starting with two high notes, then falling rapidly and ending with a low, sweet warble. He has heard a few singing with their full vigor in November and December, but this is rare.” ‘‘ During the love-season, the Tree Sparrow is quite a fine musician, its song resembling that of the Canary, but finer, sweeter, and not so loud. In their migrations, Mr. Audubon states, a flock of twenty or more will perch upon the same tree, and join in a delightful chorus. Their flight is ele- vated and graceful, and in waving undulations.” Just before their departure the Tree Sparrows, when in flocks and feeding on the ground, often produce an agreeable chorus, though at other times simply twitters. Occasionally in winter an indi- vidual emits a few musical notes. From my acquaintance with the Tree Sparrows, I have almost 69 They must not then be confused with the Chipping Sparrows. (A.) 70 At Cambridge. OF NEW ENGLAND. 215 involuntarily learned to associate them with a winter’s after- noon drawing to its close, a clear sunset, with perhaps dark clouds above, and a rising north-west wind, which sweeps across the fields, to warn us of to-morrow’s cold. The almost mournful chip of these birds, as they fly to their nightly rest, has always seemed to me a fitting accompaniment for such a scene. s (C) pPusittus. Field Sparrow. (A common summer-resident in Massachusetts, frequenting pasture-lands and the ‘‘scrub.”) (a). 5iincheslong. (‘Bill pale reddish.”) Crown, rufous- red. Sides of the head vaguely marked. Interscapulars, bright bay, black-streaked, with pale edging (or rarely none). Rump, median, unmarked. Tail, dusky-black; feathers pale-edged. Wings (as in borealis, and) with two inconspicuous white wing- bars. Beneath, white; breast and sides distinctly washed with brown. (Line dividing the crown, and nuchal patch, both faintly ashy, or wanting.) (b). The nest is placed on the ground or in a low bush, in my own neighborhood generally the latter, and in a field, a pasture, or the scrub-land. When placed in a bush, it is us- ually composed of fine straws, and sometimes fine twigs also, and is occasionally lined with horse-hairs, which is nearly always the case when it is on the ground. Each set of eggs, two sets being often laid in a season, of which the first appears here in the last week of May, consists of four or five eggs, which average about ‘70°50 of an inch, and are white (gray- tinged), with scattered spots of light, almost flesh-colored, red- dish-brown, which are rarely so confluent as nearly to conceal the ground-color. (c). The Field Sparrows, though quite common here in sum- mer, are not so generally well known as they deserve to be. Though found in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, yet Massachusetts is the most northern of the New England States in which they are common. In spring they come to the neighborhood of Boston in the latter part of April, at about 216 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the same time as do the Chipping Sparrows, like them not col- lecting in flocks at this season; and about the middle of May they begin to build their nests. Their usual haunts, in sum- mer, are pastures, fields (rather seldom those near swamps), and the ‘‘scrub.” In these places they feed upon seeds and caterpillars, and occasionally, to obtain the former, venture to the roads and roadsides. But they are habitually much less familiar towards man than their near relatians, the well known Chipping Sparrows, and lead a more retired life. In Sep- tember they collect in flocks, and leave us before October is far advanced. At this time they are bolder than before, and associate somewhat with other species — especially the ‘“ Chip- pers” ; feeding on the roadsides, and in pastures, stubble-fields, and vegetable-gardens. ‘Their powers of flight are not great, though they are quite nimble on the ground, and they do not ordinarily perch at a greater height than on fences or bushes. When frightened, they often disappear amont the latter, but the female, when on her nest, is often courageous, and permits a near approach. (d). As has just been said, the Field Sparrows occasionally remain on their nests (particularly when these are in bushes), until one can see them looking up with an anxious, appealing expression, which is very charming. Sometimes, however, al- most always when the nest is on the ground, they take to flight, when one intrudes too boldly, though they at once return to the immediate neighborhood, and express their feelings by the utterance of repeated chips. Wilson speaks of their chir- ruping, by which he probably refers to their occasional twitters, but he says that they have no song. But the Field Sparrows do sing, and very sweetly, most often in the early morning and towards evening, though also at other times of the day. Their notes are sweet and very clear, and have been likened to the tinkling of a bell. They open with a few exquisitely modu- lated whistles, each higher and a very little louder than the preceding, and close with a sweet trill. But they are often varied; and, says Mr. Allen, “the songs of the males” in Florida “‘ were so different from those of the northern bird that OF NEW ENGLAND, 217 the species was almost unrecognizable by me from its notes.” The little Field Sparrows, however, are always charming sing- ers, and no sounds are more refreshing, on a warm afternoon of early summer, than those which they produce. XV. ZONOTRICHIA (A) axsicoriis. White-throated Sparrow. ‘‘Peabody-bird.” “ White-throat.” (A common migrant through Massachusetts, many breeding in northern New England.) Fig. 9. White‘throated Sparrow (4). (a). 6-7 inches long. Crown, to just below the eyes, black, _ with a median line and superciliary line white, the latter, how- ever, bright yellow from the bill to the eye. Sides of the head, ash, or warm gray ; breast and sides, lighter. Throat and belly, white (the latter being separated from the ash of the head by a narrow black maxillary line). Back, reddish-brown, black- streaked, and feathers pale-edged. Rump and tail unmarked ; latter of a vague grayish brown, former ashy-tinted. Wings with two white bars, which are not prominent, and a yellow edge. 9, with less pure and defined colors than the male. (b). The nest is built on or near the ground, in woodland, or sometimes pastures, and generally resembles that of the Snow-bird or Song Sparrow. The first set of four or five eggs 218 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS is laid in New Hampshire about the first of June, a second often coming later. The eggs average °85 X ‘65.of. an inch, and are grayish-white, finely marked and clouded with a dark brown. Paler types also exist, resembling some eggs of the Song Sparrow. (c). The White-throated Sparrow is one of the largest, hand- somest, and most charmingly musical, of all the New England sparrows.71 These birds habitually pass the winter in that country which is so often indefinitely referred to as “the South ;” and I have heard of but one supposed instance of their remaining in Massachusetts throughout the winter, which instance came to my notice (from an insufficient authority) in the year 1874, when another specimen was reported from a town near Boston, in the latter part of July. The White- throated Sparrows usually come to that neighborhood, when on their way to their summer-homes, about the twentieth of April or a few days later, but in severe seasons not until May. During their stay here, which is commonly of between one and three weeks’ duration, they spend their time in stubble-fields, roadsides, cultivated estates, and like places (also rarely in swamps); associating somewhat with other finches, particu- larly with those who are migrating at the same time; generally 7 Since I have begun this article with the use of the singular number, I will here quote an explanation of why, in ornithological writings, it has been objected to, in reference to birds. “It necessitates the general use of either the pronoun she (which is not customary, except in sometimes speaking of a bird of prey), or the pronoun he (which hardly generalizes to a sufficient extent one’s remarks when applied to a species, and which sometimes causes an unintentional apparent dis- tinction between the male and female or their habits), or the pronoun it, which is the worst of all. For to speak of animated birds as its and whiches, to any one who has studied them and regards them as friends, is as unpleasant as it would be to hear an acquaintance referred to by the neuter. By the use of the singular better expressions can sometimes be formed than by that of the plural, and the use of the pronouns he and she is sometimes effective or necessary, but, in general, the plural is preferable for obvious reasons. The following exaggerated examples require no explanation. ‘TheCrowis black. He builds his nest in pines, and lays four eggs in May.’ ‘The Robin is a common bird, and she is well known,” ‘The Goldfinch, which is abundant here, is resident throughout the year. It sings in May, and lays its eggs in June, etc” Though strictly incorrect, it is allowable by custom even to say:—‘they lay their eggs in June,’ but the plural sometimes is certainly undesirable.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 219 being themselves in small flocks, though sejf&rate individuals may now and then be seen. They feed almost entirely upon seeds, which they pick up from the ground, but they are not very quick in their movements. They are rather shy, and, when frightened, usually fly to trees, not often perching at a greater height than thirty feet above the ground. They are not, however, so shy as never to come near houses, if they find the precincts attractive, but they seem to be most bashful when they sing. Unfortunately they do not sing very much in spring, and, indeed, some naturalists have told me that they have heard them utter here only their ordinary notes. In summer, the ‘*‘ White-throats” inhabit northern New England (or the countries beyond), as for instance Mount Desert or the White Mountains. In both these places they frequent the woodland, especially that of “light growth,” or the spruce- trees, and I have often heard them there near the tops of high wooded hills. I say “‘heard them,” for one rarely sees them, because of their shyness. If I remember rightly, it is about the first of August that they almost cease to sing; and, as autumn approaches, they show less attachment to their sum- mer-haunts. It is in September that they again make their appearance in Massachusetts, and, from the middle of that month until the latter part of October, they are tolerably com- mon, though a little irregularly so. In the autumn their habits are much the same as in the spring, but they are rather less gregarious. I have seen a solitary individual so late as the fourteenth of November, and I have, moreover, occasionally heard these birds sing during their fall-migrations. (d). The ordinary note of the White-throated Sparrows is a rather feeble ‘‘tseep,” much like that of the Fox-colored Spar- rows, and indeed of other birds. Their song is sweet, clear, and exquisitely delicate, consisting of whistled notes, which have been likened to the words :—‘ Old Sam Peabody, peabody, peabody, pedbody.”"? This song is often somewhat varied, 72It usually begins with a note pitched at about D on the piano, followed by one higher, which is succeeded by several triplets (2-5), each of which is pitched a little lower than the preceding. It is sometimes prefaced by a few low twitters. 220 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS and again snatches or parts of it are sometimes sung. It is more often whistled in the morning and at evening than any other times of the day, and it may be sometimes heard at night. How often have I listened to its almost plaintive tones in ‘the stillness and cool of the New Hampshire woods, and how charmed have I been to hear it sung at night, as one may some- times hear it in the summer-homes of these attractive birds. (B) tevcopurys. White-crowned Sparrow. (A generally rare migrant through New England, breeding in the North.) (a). About seven inches long. Crown like that of albicollis (A), but with the median and superciliary lines much broader, and meeting behind. Rump and tail, and the under parts also, as in albicollis, but with the colors beneath less distinct. Nape and sides of head, light-colored. Back streaked with brown (= ‘“‘purplish-bay” ) and ashy-white. Wings with two white bars. (0). “Eggs of this species, from Wyoming Territory, meas- ure from *90 to -95 of an inch in length by -70 in breadth, and are of an oblong-oval shape. The ground-color is a light greenish-white, thickly marked with reddish-brown and lighter markings of an obscure purplish-brown. The intensity, depth of coloring, and size of the darker brown markings, vary. They are principally disposed about the larger end.” (c). I shall not here give a detailed account of the White- crowned Sparrows, since they are closely allied to the White- throated Sparrows, of whose habits and notes a full description has been given in the preceding pages. They are very rare in Eastern but not so in Western Massachusetts, through which State they pass about the middle of May, and again in Sep- tember or early October. It is in spring, when traveling to the land north of the United States, that they are most com- mon. They do not often mingle with the ‘“ White-throatis,” but often reach the neighborhood of Boston rather later, and, instead of gathering in flocks, usually go about individually or paired. They feed on the seeds, and perhaps the insects, which OF NEW ENGLAND. 221 they can obtain in swamps, stubble-fields, or on the roadsides ; but they also frequent woodland. They are so shy as to escape general notice, the more so from their strong resemblance to the “‘ Peabody-birds” (Z. albicollis). (d). I have heard them sing during their brief stay here but once or twice. Their song, and their “tseep,” are almost exactly like those of the White-throated Sparrow, already described. XVI. PASSERELLA (A) m1aca. Foz-colored Sparrow. Fox Sparrow. (A common migrant through New England, but never resi- dent there.) (a). About seven inches long. Above, bright rusty-red or fox-color ; back with large, and crown with small, ashy streaks. Wings, rusty, with two slender white bars. Below, white; marked, except on the belly, with chains of rusty or fox-colored blotches, which are here and there confluent. (6). The nests and eggs, as is the case with many others which are not to be found in New England, I must describe through other writers. Dr. Brewer says: *‘Their eggs measure from -92 to an inch in length, and ‘70 in breadth. They are oblong in shape. Their ground-color is a light bluish-white, thickly spotted with a rusty-brown, often so fully as to conceal the ground.” (c). The Fox-colored Sparrows are the largest and most strikingly handsome of all our sparrows, and as musicians are unsurpassed by any birds of that group. They are among the few land-birds that are known to occur in New England as migrants only, passing the summer in Labrador and other cold countries. While journeying to the South, they are in Massa- chusetts during the latter part of October, as well as through- out the following month, and I have seen them here so late as the ninth of December. Though they are then less often found in swamps, and do not sing, their habits are otherwise the same as in the spring. At that season, on their return to the North, they usually reach Boston about the middle of March, 222 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS and are common for a month or so, a few even lingering until May. They frequent for the most part swampy woodland, unless the water be frozen, though also gardens, stubble-fields, the roadsides, and occasionally the immediate neighborhood of houses (usually, in the last case, only as individuals). They generally gather in parties of from five to twenty, and often associate with other birds, such as the Song Sparrows or Snow- birds, particularly the former. In the early morning their songs, when blended with those of these sparrows, form a loud and very striking, but confusing and misleading chorus. The Fox Sparrows are rather shy, when frightened taking flight to trees (especially the pines), but they pass most of their time upon the ground, where they feed principally upon seeds, and such morsels as they find beneath the fallen leaves. They have a peculiar habit of scratching much like hens, and thus turn over the pine-needles, etc., or rake the grass. (d). Their most pleasing characteristic is their song, which is rich, full, loud, clear, and ringing, though tinged with a slightly mournful tone. It can be well imitated by the human whistle, but cannot be well described, owing to its several variations. It may often be heard here, chiefly in the cooler hours of the day, in March or April. It is sometimes abridged to a sweet warble, to which twitters are occasionally added. The Fox- colored Sparrows have also a rather dreary lisp or ‘ tseep,” and a loud chuck, which is more rarely heard. In my Journal is the following anecdote of a young bird of this species. ‘‘ Nov. 24th. * * * * Observing him on a branch above me, I whis- tled the spring-song of this sparrow, being curious to observe his conduct. Whereupon the youngster swelled his throat, opened his bill, and apparently tried to sing, producing, how- ever, only a few weak hisses. This he repeated several times, as often as I whistled. Finding, however, none of his com- panions about, as I had probably led him to suppose, he soon returned to the asparagus-bed near by.” His instinct of song, and his futile efforts to answer my deceptive notes, afford much food for interesting thought. ‘< If anything can add freshness to the freshness of a bright OF NEW ENGLAND. 223 morning in spring, it is the music which the Fox Sparrows produce at that season, and it is well worth the effort of early rising. XVII. JUNCO (A) Hyematis. Snow-bird.@ (In Massachusetts, common from September until May; in winter, for the most part, only present with the snow, or just before storms. ) (a). 6-63 inches long. Outer tail-feathers, always pure white. In full plumage, slaty-black, with the breast and belly abruptly white. Often, especially in winter-specimens or the females, the black and white of the under parts are shaded into one another, and all the black is less pure, with brown edg- ings on the wings (and back), or is even replaced by a rich, warm, dark brown, which also tints the breast and sides. (0). The nest is built on the ground (often near roadsides), sometimes on a stump or log, and rarely in a bush or low ever- green. Four or five eggs are laid about the first of June among the White Mountains, and often others in July. These average *80X°60 of an inch, and vary from pale grayish-white, marked thickly and delicately, but very faintly, with lilac, to bluish or greenish-white, spotted and blotched, chiefly about the crown, with reddish-brown, umber, and often purplish. The nest may be found both in woods and pasture-land, differ- ing from those of the various warblers in being much larger and sometimes coarser. (c). The Snow-birds spend the summer in the woodland of the White Mountains, and other parts of northern New Eng- land (occasionally in the highlands of Western. Massachus- etts?), but in the autumn pass with regularity to the southward of their summer-range. They are common in winter from New Hampshire to Florida, and near Boston occur so early as the latter part of September, and so late as the middle of May. 73 Often called the Black or Blue Snow-bird in distinction from the Snow Bunt- ing, or “ White Snow-bird.” 224 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS They frequent, while here, the woods, roadsides, stubble-fields, etc., for the most part in small flocks, and often accompanied by sparrows. They are so tame as fearlessly to approach our houses and barns in the country, and they may be attracted to piazzas, particularly those with shrubbery near, by the scat- tering of cracked-wheat or oats. In spite of their familiarity, they are easily startled, and fly immediately, at the presence of real or imaginary danger, to trees or shrubbery. They hop quite nimbly on the ground, and while so doing constantly open and shut their tails with rapidity. Théy occasionally scratch like the Fox-colored Sparrows, or by a quick backward motion toss up the snow. I have seen them make passage- ways in this manner to reach the wheat placed for them on a stand, and such long ones that they disappeared in the re- cesses. They are quarrelsome, and in them we may see feebly reflected many of the human passions. They have, I believe, a topographical instinct, as is indicated by the prompt collec- tion of apparently the same individuals on the above-men- tioned stand, after the. first fall of snow, at the beginning of two or three successive winters. They follow quite strictly, except in autumn and spring, the snow-line, often rather disap- ‘pearing from Boston during the heavy thaws, and returning just before or with the storms. They are said to be common about Plymouth, New Hampshire, during the warm ‘‘ spells,” ‘though absent in cold weather. In March and April they be- come rather shy, and are much among trees, such as the pines, . from the branches of which they utter a great variety of musi- cal notes. “As soon as the milder weather comes, they migrate to the northward, and they are often scarce here in spring. They are sometimes affected by a faintness or dizziness, ‘which may apparently cause death, as I have several times found them lying dead, without a feather ruffled, or without a perceptible wound, and yet food was abundant at the time. Once, in walking through the woods, my attention was attracted -by the sound of some object falling, and, upon turning, I saw upon the ground a Snow-bird lying on his back. When I gently picked him up, he fluttered away to a branch, from OF NEW ENGLAND. 225 which he soon afterwards reeled and again fell. After a brief chase, during which he flew feebly, usually alighting on the ground, I again captured him. On being taken to my room, he was for some while listless, but afterwards picked up a few of the grains spread for him on the floor, though he refused water. He soon began to fly about the room, most often against the window-panes, and was finally allowed to escape, when he perched in a bush, where half an hour later he was found, looking rather forlorn, though sufficiently active to es- cape a recapture. The Snow-birds, as I have discovered from several observa- tions made in March, though early risers, are very drowsy at sunrise. They at that season usually passed the night in evergreens, and before six o’clock in the morning gathered at some lilacs and other bushes, where many slept or rather napped, for several minutes, near the ground, though others were actively employed. So great was their drowsiness that I could approach them closely before they made the effort to rouse themselves. Other birds, observed at the same time, such as the “‘ Red-polls,” Crows, and Robins, seemed to awake with a desire for immediate activity, except those who sang before leaving their roosts. : (d). The Snow-birds have a loud chuck, and cries of chit, chit-a-sit, or the like, which they utter particularly as they take to flight.67 They have also in spring a great variety of. twitters, trills, and even tinkling sounds, which are often so combined as to form a lively song. The notes which they employ when excited or quarreling strongly resemble the sound produced by the shying of a stone across the ice. Their trills are often so like those of the Pine Warblers, though more open and more like twitters, that it is difficult to distinguish them when the birds are together in the pines. These notes also differ but little from those of the Swamp Sparrow, in whose haunts, however, the Snow-birds rarely occur. As the most common and regular of our winter-visitors, and 87 See §1, I, D. 16 226 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS almost the only ones who ever seek the neighborhood of man, the Snow-birds are certainly entitled to our affections; and their liveliness cannot but afford pleasure, when brought di- rectly in contrast at our very doors, so to speak, with the cold and storms of midwinter. Norre.— According to Mr. William Brewster (Bulletin, Nutt- all Ornithological Club, April, 1876, Vol. I, No. 1) a female Oregon Snow-bird (Junco Oregonus) was ‘‘ shot in Watertown, Mass., March 25th, 1874.” ¢ black; @ browner. Lower breast, etc., white. Back and wing-edgings, ‘‘ dull reddish- brown ;” sides paler. XVIII. PIPILO (A) ERyrHRoprHaLMmus. Towhee Bunting. ‘“‘Towhee.” “Che- wink.” “Ground Robin.” ‘Marsh Robin.” “Swamp Robin.” ® (A common summer-resident in Massachusetts, but not com- mon to the northward of this State.) Fig. 10. Towhee Bunting (3). (a). 8-83 inches long. (Iris, in the summer-season red, except in the young ; otherwise, white or nearly so.) ¢, black; lower breast, belly, and nearly the whole of the outermost tail- feathers, white. A conspicuous patch on the side of the breast, chestnut (with paler traces of it behind). Wings and tail ® This name has been applied indiscriminately to several different birds. OF NEW ENGLAND. 227 with some white, besides that mentioned. 9, of a deep, warm brown where the male is black. ; (b). The nest, which near Boston is generally finished in the last week of May, is to be found in the “scrub” and low wet woods. It is placed on the ground, or near it in a pile of underbrush, and is composed of twigs, dead leaves, grasses, and roots. The eggs of each set are usually four, averaging 1:00 & +75 of an inch; and their ground-color is white, often ‘tinged with brown or gray. The-markings are usually very fine, rarely in blotches, and never coarse. They are sometimes most prominent about the crown, and sometimes are scattered evenly over the egg, often being very minute and numerous. Their colors are various browns, and occasionally lilac also. (c). The Towhee Buntings are common almost throughout the eastern United States, though rare to the northward of Massachusetts, and not known to occur beyond the White Mountains. In other parts of the country they are repre- sented by numerous closely allied species and varieties, as are other of our common birds, such as the Song Sparrow, of whom there are said to be no less than six distinct races in the West and North-west.69 The ‘“‘Towhees” usually reach Boston (which now includes much country within its limits) in the first week of May, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, and leave it in September or early October. On their arrival they sometimes appear in the copses and shrubbery of cultivated estates, but they usually desert these later in the season, and frequent almost exclusively swampy woodland, and the “scrub,” often that growing on hillsides. The “scrub” is a low or bushy “‘ growth” of trees, consisting chiefly of oaks and birches, which occurs for the most part in dry and hilly lands, particu- larly suchas once contained pines. Here among the under- brush the ‘‘ Chewinks” busy themselves, always on or near the ground, except when the males mount some low perch to sing. They search for seeds and insects underneath the leaves and decayed vegetation, which they turn over by scratching much 69 Dr. Coues. 228 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS like hens; when disturbed, leaving the ground to eye the in- truder, but, unless pursued, immediately returning to their for- mer occupation. They may often be seen flying across the road or paths, with their broad, white-edged tail wide-spread. They never are gregarious, except so far as to gather in family- parties during the autumn and their migrations at that season. It is not always easy to catch sight of them, particularly when they are near their nests, which they conceal with extraordi- nary care, and often with much success. Though shy, they often seem saucy; and, while one person complains of their chirruping to and starting his horse, another says that, on the discovery of their nest, they express their sorrow so impu- dently as to rouse his indignation. (d). Their most characteristic note is a ‘tow-hée,” of which the last syllable resembles in tone the chirp of the Wilson’s Thrush, though sometimes much more petulant. They have also a whistled ‘“ whit/-a-whit/-a-whit’,” often repeated in the fall, when it sounds quite melancholy, and a loud chuck. The males have a simple but sweet song, often poured out in the early summer from some dilapidated fence or brush-heap, which may be represented by the words ‘‘che wé we wé, wee,” the last being an indefinite trill. This chant is frequently pro- longed by the addition of other notes, and, says Mr. Allen, in his “‘ List of the Winter Birds of East Florida,” “as is well known, the song of” this bird ‘at the north consists of two parts, nearly: equal in length but otherwise quite different,” though in that of “the Florida bird the last half is almost entirely omitted.’ Mr. Samuels speaks of their having more- over “a quavering warble difficult of description.” XIX. EUSPIZA e (A) americana. Black-throated Bunting. ; (Very rare in Massachusetts, where it has occasionally been found in the summer-season.) _ (a). About 63 inches long. ¢. Crown, yellow, rendered olive by an admixture of black, which here and there appears in streaks. Back of the neck, and side of the head, ashy. OF NEW ENGLAND. 229 Superciliary line, and edge of the wing, bright yellow; breast paler. Other under parts, white; lower throat with a broad black patch, forming a cross-bar. Upper parts, dull brown; interscapulars black-streaked. Wings with bright chestnut, wanting in the 9, who has less yellow, and no black beneath except in streaks. (b). The nest is usually built upon the ground in dry fields, and the eggs are bright, light blue, green-tinged, averaging *75 X ‘55 of an inch. (c). The Black-throated Buntings are extremely rare so far to the northward as Massachusetts, where, says Dr. Brewer, only two of their nests have been found, to which may now be added a third, which I myself found with fresh eggs, in the early part of June, at Canton. It was in a dry grassy field, near cultivated land, and such a place as these birds are said usually to inhabit. The female left her nest on my approach, and, after running through the grass, perched on a low fence, from which she, together with the male, watched me silently. These were the only living specimens that I have ever seen. The Black-throated Buntings, says Wilson, “ arrive in Penn- sylvania from'the south about the middle of May; abound in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, and seem to prefer level fields covered with rye-grass, timothy, or clover, * * *.” They are ‘never gregarious; but” are “‘ almost always seen singly, or in pairs, or, at most, the individuals of one family together.” ** Their whole song consists of five notes, or, more properly, of two notes; the first repeated twice and slowly, the second thrice, and rapidly, resembling chip, chip, che che ché. Of this ditty, such as it is, they are by no means parsimonious,” and like “the Yellow-Hammer of Britain * * * they are fond of mounting to the top of some half-grown tree, and there chir- ruping for half an hour at a time.” Wilson’s description of their eggs is wholly incorrect. XX. CYANOSPIZA (A) cyanea. Indigo Bird. (A common summer-resident in southern New England, but less so to the northward.) 230 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (a). About 54 inches long. ¢, bright indigo-blue, darker on the head, reflecting green in the light. Wings and tail, darker, with much blackish. @, above, a peculiar shade of warm brown; below, lighter, flaxen-tinted, sometimes streaky. (b). The nest is built in bushes or open shrubbery, not in- frequently near a house. It is composed outwardly of dead leaves, dry weed-stalks, grasses, etc.; and is lined with finer materials of the same sort, or with hairs; often being quite bulky. In Eastern Massachusetts four or five eggs are laid in the last week of May, or later. They average ‘75.55 of an inch, and are white, often blue-tinged, and perhaps occasion- ally marked. (c). The Indigo Birds are common in New England as sum- mer-residents, occurring so far to the northward as Bethle- hem among the White Mountains,” though, according to Dr. Brewer, locally distributed through Eastern Massachusetts. They arrive at Boston in the second week of May, and, during their residence here of about four months, frequent not only the pastures, woodland of low growth, and the “scrub,” but shrubbery near houses, where they frequently build their nests, one of which, says Dr. Brewer, was occupied by a pair for five successive summers. They feed both upon insects and seeds, but principally the latter, which they often search for on the ground, even on the roadsides. They can fly quite rapidly, and in summer, even when there is no necessity for such wan- dering, often fly more than a mile at a considerable height, moving from one pasture to another. They are rather shy, and sometimes find this a convenient manner of escaping the an- noyance of intrusion. In autumn they are gregarious, and associate in small flocks with other finches. The females are insignificant little birds, occupied, during their stay here, chiefly with household cares, but the males, from their bright plumage, glistening with the reflections of the varying lights, and from their music, so persistently repeated, except near 70Mr. Wm. Couper says that they breed near Quebec, in Canada, where, how- ever, they are not common. OF NEW ENGLAND. 231 their nests, are always conspicuous, and ever insist on making their presence known. (d). The song of the males is of varying length, sweet and lively, but rather weak, forcibly reminding one of the warblers. The Indigo Birds have also a chip and a loud chuck. Wilson, in speaking of this species, says :—‘‘ It mounts to the highest tops of a large tree and chants for half an hour at a time. Its song is not one continued strain, but a repetition of short notes, commencing loud and rapid, and falling by almost im- perceptible gradations for six or eight seconds, till they seem hardly articulate, as if the little minstrel were quite exhausted ; and after a pause of half a minute or less, commences again as before. Some of our birds sing only in spring, and then chiefly in the morning, being comparatively mute during the heat of noon; but the Indigo-bird chants with as much anima- tion under the meridian sun, in the month of July, as in the month of May; and continues his song, occasionally, to the middle or end of August.” XXI. GUIRACA (A) c#ruLea.7! Blue Grosbeak. (I know no instance of this bird’s capture in Massachusetts, but it has been shot on Grand Menan Island.) (a). About 63 inches long. g. Above, dark blue, almost indigo, with no reflections. Wings and tail, black; the former with a few brown markings. 9, warm brown above, lighter and flaxen-tinted below. Wings with light bars. (5). The nest is built in a tree or bush; and the eggs are light blue, averaging about -95 X °70 of an inch. (c). The Blue Grosbeaks, so far as I know, cannot be prop- erly considered as birds of New England, though they have oc- curred both in New York and New Brunswick. Mr. Herrick, in his ‘* Partial Catalogue of the Birds of Grand Menan,” an 71 T am strongly inclined to place this species in the genus Cyanospiza, or at least a genus intermediate between that and the one in which it now is, but I have not ventured to do so. Guiraca may stand, if the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, etc., be called Hydemeles, as is now generally done. 232 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS island off the coast of the latter country, says that ‘“‘in the spring of 1861, Mr. Cheney shot a fine ¢ specimen and sent it to G. A. Boardman, Esq., in whose cabinet it now is.” This specimen has been spoken of as having been obtained in Maine, which I suppose to be an error.”? The Blue Grosbeaks are probably closely allied to the Indigo Birds otherwise than merely by their coloration and structure, but I can ascertain but little about their habits. ‘‘They are” says Wilson “ timid birds, watchful, silent and active,” feeding ‘‘on hemp. seed, millet, and the kerncls of several kinds of berries.” | (d). “Their most common note is a loud Belay they have also at times a few low sweet toned notes.” Their song is elsewhere described ‘as a rapid, intricate warble, like that of the Indigo Bird, though stronger and louder.” They also sing at night. XXII. HYDEMELES (A) tupoviciana.7?3 Rose-breasted Grosbeak. (A common summer-resident in Massachusetts, though still scarce in many places.) (a). About eight inches long. ¢, with the upper parts, whole head and neck, black. Rump and under parts, white. A large patch on the breast, and also the fore-part of the wing inside, bright carmine. Wings and tail, black, marked conspic- uously with white. 9, with no white on the rump or tail, and but little on the wings, and with none of the male’s carmine, that on the wings being replaced by saffron, which sometimes tints the breast. Upper parts, flaxen-brown, and under parts, white, dark-streaked, most thickly above, and most finely upon the crown. Eye-stripe, dark; line below, superciliary stripe, and median line, dull white. Wings and tail, plain. 721 have since learned that I am probably mistaken about the occurrence of this bird in New England, since Mr. Boardman (Proc. B. S. N. H., IX, p. 127) speaks of it as ‘* very uncertain” at Calais, Maine, though “ common in the spring of 1861.” 738 This species, having been placed in various genera, at last stands in Hydem- eles, OF NEW ENGLAND. 233 (0). The nest, a rather frail structure, is composed of straws, leaves, or twigs, and is sometimes lined with hairs. It is often built in the shrubbery or trees of cultivated estates, but is also to be found in barberry-bushes in pasture-land, or oaks, etc., in the woods, especially damp woods. An instance is known of its being found in a pine, fifty feet from the ground, though usually not placed very high. The eggs, which are here laid generally in the first week of June, are three or four, and average 1:00 X ‘75 of an inch. They are marked quite thickly but coarsely, usually with rather dull reddish or pur- plish umber. Their ground-color varies from greenish-blue to dull olive-green. They strongly resemble several other eggs. (See the Key.) : (c). The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak possesses, combined in such a degree as few other birds do, gay beauty of plumage, and fine powers of song, though the female is plain, incon- spicuous, and for the most part silent. He, therefore, absents himself from the immediate neighborhood of his nest, except when obliged to approach it, or when relieving his mate from the fatigue of incubation, as he occasionally does! He is rare to the northward of Massachusetts, where he is common in many places, though still locally distributed. He reaches Boston in the second week of May, and returns to the South in September, not being sufficiently hardy to withstand the cold accompanying a hard frost. He frequents not only lightly timbered or swampy woods, but orchards, groves, and shrub- bery on cultivated estates. He feeds chiefly upon berries and seeds, and obtains the latter from various trees, such as the birches and alders. He also eats buds, often committing depredations on our fruit-trees, and he must be considered as injurious to agriculture. He frequently plucks blossoms, and, dexterously cutting off the petals, etc., lets them fall, while he retains the ovary which contains the seeds. He occasionally seeks for morsels on the ground, and may be seen rustling among the fallen leaves and decayed vegetation. He usually, however, remains at some height above the ground, and rarely flies near it. He is rather shy and watchful, there being noth- ing in his habits to render him noticeable. \ 234 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (d). He is not always silent during the day, when feeding, but it is at evening in May or June that he sings most loudly and sweetly. Then, perching near the top of some low tree, he pours out an extremely mellow warble, like that of the Robin, but very much finer. Sometimes, in the love-season, he sings at night, and with an ardor which adds to the beauty of his song. There is a peculiar charm in hearing birds sing at night, for their music is more distinct and impressive in the general silence which there then is, and awakes the imagina- tion. The cries of the owls would not seem so unearthly, were they heard only in the day, nor would they inspire such terror to the superstitious, a terror which the darkness naturally in- creases or partly creates. The Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have as an ordinary note a sharp chink, which bears some resemblance to the cry of the little spotted or Downy Woodpecker, but is more like a certain note of the Black and Yellow Warbler. They are never gre- garious, but occur here for the most part in isolated pairs, who in autumn are sometimes followed by their young. They are said sometimes to sing well in confinement, “‘ though,” says a correspondent, ‘one, which I had for several months, was for a long while silent, until one morning he burst into song, and sang gloriously for almost an hour, when he fell dead on the floor of his cage!” The males sometimes warble when on wing, and they probably mount in the air, as they sing at night. Their merits as musicians will, it is sincerely to be hoped, ever protect them from persecution as occasional depredators on our shrubs and trees. XXUI. CARDINALIS (A) viremntanus. Cardinal Grosbeak. Cardinal Red Bird. Cardinal-bird. “Cardinal.” Red Bird.4 “Virginia Night- ingale.” (Accidental in Massachusetts, and rare so far to the north- ward.) 74Not to be confused with the vermilion Summer Red Bird (§10, I, B). The Cardinal has a red bill. OF NEW ENGLAND. 235 (a). About 84 inches long; crested. , black about the bill, but otherwise of a brilliant vermilion, which is ‘dull upon the back. 9, dull brown above, much paler beneath, with vermilion on the crest, and traces of it elsewhere. (b). The nest seems to resemble strongly that of the Rose- breasted Grosbeak, though more substantial. The eggs aver- age 1:05:80 of an inch, and are white, evenly spotted with (dull) brown and faint lilac. (c). The gorgeous Cardinal Grosbeaks seem to have oc- curred occasionally in Massachusetts as wanderers from the South, and not merely as escaped cage-birds. They are ha- bitually summer-residents for the most part in the Southern States, where they inhabit shrubbery, groves, thickets, and like places. They feed principally upon various seeds and grain, and are probably somewhat injurious on this account. Not only are the males extremely brilliant, and very conspicuous in their haunts, but both sexes sing finely. (da). “They are in song” says Wilson ‘‘from March to September, beginning at the first appearance of dawn, and repeating a favorite stanza, or passage, twenty or thirty times successively ; sometimes with little intermission for a whole morning together ; which, like a good story too often repeated, becomes at length tiresome and insipid. But the sprightly fig- ure, and gaudy plumage of the Red-bird, his vivacity, strength of voice, and actual variety of note, and the little expense with which he is kept, will always make him a favorite.” It is said that a stuffed specimen can never convey an ade- quate idea of the Cardinal Grosbeak’s beauty, as the intensity of his color disappears very soon after death. XXIV. PASSER (A) pvomzsricus.7> House Sparrow. English Sparrow. (An imported bird, common in many of our cities and towns, but not yet to be found in the country, with a few exceptions.) (a). About six inches long. Nostrils covered. g. Above, 7 This species apparently belongs to the genus Pyrgita (XXV). 236 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS reddish-brown, black-streaked; but crown, rump, etc., ashy. Forehead, lores, and throat, black; other under parts, brownish or grayish. 9. Without black on the head; brown of the back rather grayish. (b). The eggs are often somewhat elongated, the length being about ‘85 of an inch, and the breadth sometimes no more than °55. They are dull white, or grayish, marked with ashy, and sometimes purplish or dark brown. These markings are commonly spread over the egg numerously and evenly. (c). The House Sparrows, or, as they are better known to Americans, the English Sparrows, have been introduced into the United States within twenty years, and into Boston within ten years. They are now abundant in many cities and towns, but the wisdom of their introduction is greatly to be doubted. They are extremely prolific, and it is not improbable that a pair may often produce thirty young in one year, for they begin to build their nests even in winter. This disproportionate in- crease, and their tyrannical disposition, render them dangerous to our birds, many of whom they have already driven from Boston Common. So long, however, as they confine them- selves to their present haunts, and do not invade the country, they will not be insufferable. As to their value, though it is said that they have greatly checked the ravages of canker- worms, they are very destructive to fruit-blossoms, and they are now too pampered by luxury to be efficiently useful, being constantly provided with food and with lodgings. They: are regardless of cold,.and nearly so of man, but, except in their familiarity, they possess no charms, being unmusical. (d). Their only notes are chirps or twitterings, which may be almost constantly heard. XXV. PYRGITA (A) morrana. Tree Sparrow.76 Mountain Sparrow. * 7®Not to be confounded with the American Tree Sparrow, XIV, B. Several other European birds, such as the Serin Finch, and Goldfinch of that country, are said to have occurred. in Massachusetts, but they were, almost without doubt, . escaped from cages. , OF NEW ENGLAND. 237 (But recently detected among our English Sparrows, being likewise imported birds. The following account of their ap- pearance is quotcd from the “American Naturalist,” for Jan- uary, 1876.) ‘“ Tt will interest ornithologists to know that the tree spar- row of Europe (Pyrgita montana) has lately been discovered to be a resident of the United States. ‘¢The resemblance of this species to the English house spar- row has led me to be on the watch for it since the introduction -of the latter, but without success until I found it in St. Louis, Mo., last spring. Here I found the new species abundant, but was unwilling to take any until the breeding-season was over. Four skins sent to Mr. G. N. Lawrence, of New York, are pro- nounced by him to ‘agree accurately with the plate and de- scription of this species.’ He also informs me that about five years ago Mr. Eugene Schieffelin noticed fifty or sixty of these birds in the store of a bird importer in New York, where they were unrecognized ; and these were probably afterwards sold as or with P. domestica. This is undoubtedly the explan- ation of their occurrence here, and further search will very likely show their presence in other localities. ‘With a general resemblance to the common house sparrow, Pyrgita montana is readily distinguished by its chestnut crown and the similarity of both sexes and the young. In St. Louis it considerably outnumbers P. domestica, and, as is the case in Europe, it prefers the outskirts of the city and the country. In other respects these two species closely resemble each other.”—Dr. James C. Merrill, U. S. Army. §16. Alaudids. Larks. (See §15 ad jinem.) I, ERIMOPHILA (A) atpzstris. Shore Lark. Horned Lark. “Sky Lark.” (Quite common in Massachusetts in winter, chiefly on or near the sea-shore.) (a). 7-74 inches long. Above, salmon-colored brown, vaguely streaked with dusky brown. Outer tail-feathers, black ; 238 LAND-BIKDS AND GAME-BIRDS outermost white-edged. Throat and superciliary line, pale yellow. Large patch or crescent on the breast, and smaller one under the eye, black. Belly, etc., white. (In fall and winter- specimens, tints generally duller, and markings more obscure.) In living specimens the lengthened feathers above the ear form two slight “horns.” Feet black. Hind-claws very long. Fig. 11. Shore Lark (4). ® (b). The Shore Larks breed far to the westward and north- - ward of New England; but, though “seen by Mr. W. Brews- ter, in July, 1869,” they have never been known to breed in this State. Their nests are built on the ground, and their eggs are grayish, thickly marked with brown, and sometimes lilac, and average ‘90 X ‘65 of an inch. (c). The Shore Larks come to New England, from the North, in October, and remain until April. They may be found in Massachusetts, throughout the winter, in loose scattered flocks, often associated with other birds, such as Snow Buntings, chiefly on the beaches and marshes along the shore, and never, OF NEW ENGLAND. 239 as a rule, very far from the sea-coast. In spring, however, when the snow has been much melted, they sometimes venture inland, and in ploughed lands, fields, and roads, pick up many of the seeds, and perhaps a few of the insects, upon which they habitually feed, or which at least afford them satisfactory nourishment. ‘They are very nimble, when on the ground, where they are most of the time, but they have a singular habit of hiding behind stones or in holes, so that when magn ap- proaches he is obliged to play at *‘ hide-and-seek” with them, before gaining their acquaintance. They retire in summer to Labrador, where they build their nests near the sea, on the moss-covered rocks. (d). The Shore Larks seem to possess notes much like those of their celebrated European relation, for, says Wilson, they “have a single cry, almost exactly like that of the Sky Lark of Britain,” and “are said to sing well; mounting in the air, in the manner of the Song Lark of Europe; but this is only in those countries where they breed.” Audubon speaks of the male uttering a very soft and plaintive note, when his nest has been disturbed. The famous trait of the English Sky Lark, is probably known to most readers of this volume,—his manner of flying toward the sky, constantly pouring out his delicious music, until almost lost to sight. The poet Shelley has addressed this bird in these spirited lines : — ‘“ Hail to thee, blithe Spirit! “ Bird thon never wert, “That from heaven, or near it “Pourest thy full heart “Yn profuse strains of unpremeditated art.” “ Higher still and higher “ From the earth thou springest ‘Like a cloud of fire; «The blue deep thou wingest, “ And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest.- “Tn the golden lightning “OF the sunken sun “‘O’er which clouds are brightening, “Thou dost float and run, Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun.” 240 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS “The pale purple even “ Melts around thy flight; “ Like a star of heaven “In the broad daylight ‘Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill delight.” * * * * * * * “Teach me half the gladness “That thy brain must know, “ Such harmonious madness “From my lips would flow ® ‘The world should listen then, as I am listening now!” The last stanza of Wordsworth’s ode to the Sky Lark is also very fine: — “Leave to the nightingale her shady wood; “A privacy of glorious light is thine, “Whence thou dost pour upon the world a flood “Of harmony, with instinct more divine; “Type of the wise, who soar, but never roam — “True to the kindred points of Heaven and Home.” Notz.—‘‘ The famed Skylark of the Old World” (Alauda arvensis), says .Dr. Brewer, ‘‘ can rest on a twofold claim to be included in a complete list of North American birds. One of these is their occasional occurrence in the Bermudas, and in Greenland. The other is their probably successful introduc- tion near New York.” (a). Nearly eight inches long. Above, grayish-brown; be- neath, white, or buff-tinged; above and below, much streaked with dusky. Outer tail-feathers, white. (Details omitted.) Young much more yellowish, and less streaked. (b). Of two eggs in my collection, one measures :95 < °65 of an inch, and is grayish-white, thickly and minutely marked with ashy brown, forming a dark ring about the crown. The other is tinged with green, is more evenly marked, and meas- ures ‘90 X ‘70 of an inch. The nest is built upon the ground. §17. The Icteride (or starlings) include the blackbirds, orioles, etc. As Dr. Coues says; “the relationships are very close with the Fringillide on the one hand; on the other, they grade toward the crows (Corvide). They share with the frin- gilline birds the characters of angulated commissure and nine OF NEW ENGLAND. 241 developed primaries [also scutellate tarsi, etc.], and this dis- tinguishes them from all our other families whatsoever; but the distinctions from the Fringillidew are not easily expressed. In fact, I know of no character that, for example, will relegate the bobolink and cowbird to the Icteride rather than to the Fringillide, in the current acceptation of these terms. In gen- eral, however, the Icteride are distinguished by the length, acuteness and not strictly conical shape of the unnotched, unbristled bill, that shows a peculiar extension of the culmen on the forehead, dividing the prominent antiz of close-set, velvety feathers that reach to or on the nasal scale.” With the exception of the Sturnelle (or meadow larks), who show an affinity to the true larks, the sexes are unlike, and the males are largely or wholly black, often highly lus- trous. The orioles are arboreal, but the other starlings are in a great measure terrestrial, being walking birds. They are gen- erally granivorous rather than insectivorous, and are migratory and gregarious. The orioles, however, form a distinct group, ranked as a subfamily, Icterine (Gen.V). Bill rather slender, and acute, with upper and lower outlines both more or less curved ; tail rounded. Birds non-gregarious, and scarcely gra- nivorous; fine musicians, and clever architects, building pen- sile, woven nests. (Fig. 13.) The other subfamilies are: Ageleine (I-IV), (fig. 12). Bill generally stout; upper and lower outlines both uncurved; tail nearly even. I, II, sweetly musical ; tail-feathers pointed. IJ, III, bill fringilline. IV, bill as in pl. 1, fig. 18. I, bill similar, but elongated. Quiscaline, or grakles (VI, VII), (fig. 14). Bill with the edges noticeably turned inward, with upper outline much curved, but lower nearly straight. Birds scarcely nrusical, but eminently gregarious. Nests rather rude, and never on the ground. J. STURNELLA (A) maena. Meadow Lark. Old-field Lark. “ Marsh Quail.” ee 17 242 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (A common summer-resident of New England, and known to have occurred here in winter.) (a). About 101 inches long. Upper parts, sides, etc. , brown, with much pale edging, and blackish chiefly in streaks. Outer tail-feathers, largely white. Median and superciliary lines, pale; a part of the latter, the edge of the wing, and the under parts, bright yellow, with a black crescent on the breast. The female is rarely more than ten inches long. (b). The nest is built often on or beside a tussock, and usually on or near a meadow. It is composed chiefly of grass, except perhaps the lining, and is often ingeniously concealed by a more or less perfect arch. The eggs of each set are four, or sometimes five, average 1:10 -80 of an inch, though variable in size, and are white, marked with (reddish-) brown and lilac, sometimes finely and faintly, though occasionally with splashes. They are laid near Boston in the latter part of May, though possibly a second set may be laid later. (c). During what are called the “open” winters, the Meadow Larks may be found scattered throughout southern New England, where they are common in summer even so far to the northward as the White Mountains. Usually, however, they appear in Massachusetts about the middle of March, and they may then be found in almost every broad meadow which is bordered by rising ground. Though they often perch in tall trees and in bushes, yet they are most often upon the ground, where, like the true larks, they walk and do not hop. They obtain their food, which consists of insects and seeds, from meadows, fields, and occasionally ploughed land. They fly with a rapid but intermittent quivering of their wings, usually near the ground, but not unfrequently at a considerable height. They are, when mated, very affectionate, often flying to meet one another, or calling back and forth. They are also shy, rarely admitting a near approach, and they frequently conceal their nest by an arch of the long grass in which it is usually built. In autumn, when collected in flocks, they are some- times pursued by gunners, from whom, I suppose, they have received the name of ‘Marsh Quail,” which is not altogether OF NEW ENGLAND. 243 inappropriate, since “they are generally considered, for size and delicacy, but little inferior to the quail.” They are in the fall even more shy than before, though in winter, at the South, “they swarm among the rice plantations,” says Wilson, ‘‘run- ning about the yards and out-houses, accompanied by the Kill- deers,® with little appearance of fear, as if quite domesticated.” (d). The Meadow Larks have a single rather shrill note or whistle, another note which is much like that of the Night “Hawk,” a peculiar guttural chatter, and a plaintive whistle, consisting of four or five notes (of which the first and third are usually higher than those immediately succeeding, and the last most dwelt upon). Though subject to such variation as some- times to suggest the songs of two different species, their music always expresses the same sweetness, plaintiveness, and almost wildness. It is uttered, not only from the ground and from the tree-tops, but very often when the birds are on the wing. II. DOLICHONYX (A) oryzivorus. Bobolink. Reed-bird. Rice-bird. “Skunk Blackbird.” (A common summer-resident throughout the north-eastern United States.) (a). 6g, about 73 inches long. From arrival in New England until August, black; hind-neck, buff, interscapulars streaked with the same; shoulders, rump, and upper tail-cov- erts, nearly white. At other times like 9 ; yellowish-brown above, darkly or blackly streaked (as are also the sides) ; wings and tail, dark, with pale edgings; median and supercili- ary stripes, and under parts, brownish-yellow. (d). The nest is. built upon the ground, in fields of long grass, or in meadows, and is more or less concealed. It is usually finished, near Boston, in the last week of May. The eggs are four or five, averaging -90 < ‘70 of an inch, and are white, tinged with brown, gray, or rarely green, and generally 84 A kind of plover. 244 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS blotched, splashed, or clouded, with a dark, dull brown. The colors are, however, variable, occasionally resembling those of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak’s egg. (c). The Bobolinks are common summer-residents of New England, but chiefly in the southern parts. From other writers it may be gathered that they pass the winter far to the south- ward (being, according to Gosse, migrants through Jamaica), enter the Gulf States in large flocks during March or April, and thence proceed northward, plundering on their way the farmers, and in Virginia doing ‘“‘great damage to the early wheat and barley, while in its milky state.” They reach Bos- ton (but never in flocks) about the tenth of May, and are soon dispersed over the grassy fields, orchards, and meadows, which are their summer-homes. There they may be seen in pairs, perched on some tree or fence, while the male carols to his mate, or walking on the ground in search of their food, which consists of seeds, of spiders, beetles, and other insects. There they build their nests, which are by no means easily found, being often artificially concealed by the parents, and naturally protected by the uniformity of the long grass everywhere near them. In the latter part of July, or in August, the males gradually lose their summer-dress, and resemble the females, with whom, as well as with their young, they associate, some- times in great numbers. They then frequent the sea-shore, visit the grain-fields, and do mischief by eating oats and corn. They also begin their journey to the South, and may be heard flying overhead even at night, when their note is distinct in the general silence. What instinct or sense enables birds to mi- grate so accurately is yet unexplained, but how they can, as many species do, travel several hundred miles by night, is still further a mystery. The Reed-birds “about the middle of August” says Wilson ‘revisit Pennsylvania on their rout to winter quarters. For several days they seem to confine themselves to the fields and uplands; but as soon as the seeds of the reed are ripe they resort to the shores of the Delaware and Schuylkill in multi- tudes; and these places, during the remainder of their stay, OF NEW ENGLAND. 245 appear to be their grand rendezvous. The reeds, or wild oats, furnish them with such abundance of nutritious food, that in a short time they become extremely fat; and are supposed, by some of our epicures, to be equal to the famous Ortolans of Europe. Their note at this season is a single chink, and is heard over head, with little intermission, from morning to night.” After attacking the rice-fields of the South, many proceed to the West Indies, reaching Jamaica, where they are called ‘‘ Butter-birds,” ‘‘in the month of October.” Gosse adds that they visit “‘the guinea-grass fields, in flocks amount- ing to five hundred or more.” (d). What adjectives can describe the Bobolink in May and June? He is jolly, rollicking, madly happy, recklessly happy. Nothing sober pleases him; he perches on the elm, because its branches rock and wave in the breeze more than those of another tree; then he spreads his wings, and, bursting into ecstatic song, sails to the ground, perhaps caresses his mate, then soars again to another perch, and again carols. Who - imagines that he has any control over his merry music? It is a scientific fiction. His song is like champagne, and his notes bubble out, when he opens his bill; and yet, just as too much champagne is surfeiting, so may be too much of his merry jingle. From his notes originate his name “Bobolink,” and perhaps the Indian name “Conqueedle” (of the orthography I am un- certain) ; and from them has been formed the following amus- ing version of his song, which, if repeated rapidly with a rising inflection in each patts iDostr ates it very well: “Tom Noodle, Tom Noodle, you owe me, you owe me, ten shillings and sixpence: “TI paid you, I paid you; you didn’t, you didn’t; you lie, you lie; you cheat!” The ordinary note of the Bobolink is a peculiarly metallic chuck, but there are also others less often heard, some of which are slightly querulous. 246 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS iI. MOLOTHRUS (A) Pecorts. Cow-bird. Cow Blackbird. Cow Bunting. Cow-pen Bunting, etc. (A common summer-resident of New England, and notorious for the practice of laying eggs in the nests of other birds.) Fig. 12. Cow-bird (4). (a). About 73 inches long. @, iridescent black; head of a warm silky brown. 9, smaller, entirely brown; beneath, paler (and often streaky ?). (b). The eggs average -90X-65 of an inch, though greatly varying in size, and are white, thickly sprinkled, or finely blotched, with brown and generally faint lilac. . (c). The Cow-birds, like the Cuckoos of Europe,® present. a most: interesting phenomenon in nature, for, instead of pro- viding for their young, they deposit their eggs in the nests of other birds. They are also, unlike all our other birds, polyg- amous, being equally without conjugal and parental affection. I shall here follow their history from the earliest period of their life, when they are left to the mercies or care of their foster-parents, among whom I may enumerate from my own observations, the Blue Birds, Golden-crowned ‘*Thrushes,” Maryland ‘ Yellow-throats,” Black and White ‘‘ Creepers,” Summer Yellow Birds, several other warblers, Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, ‘“‘ Chippers,” several other sparrows, and 85 Our cuckoos, who build their own nests, have been called “‘Cow-birds” from their notes. OF NEW ENGLAND. 247 the Pewees; also, on the authority of others, the Goldfinches, Meadow Larks, and Brown Thrushes. Commonly one egg, sometimes two, and rarely three, or even four, are found in the chosen nest. I am satisfied, from indirect evidence, that the eges are often laid near the nest, if on the ground, and after- ‘wards placed in it. They are generally laid later than those of the rightful owners, though sometimes earlier. The pro- prietors, on discovering the intrusion, occasionally destroy the foundling, still more rarely build over it a second story, or even a third, which becomes the nursery for their own young, or, in some cases, even desert their home ; but more often, after manifestations of their displeasure, they adopt the helpless stranger. As the Cow-bird’s egg is almost invariably some- what larger than others in the nest, it receives a larger share of warmth, in consequence of which the others frequently become stale, when they are removed and destroyed by the parents. Even should the legitimate eggs receive an equal share of warmth, those of the parasite are first’ hatched, since they, in many cases, apparently require a shorter period of incubation. Thus the young Cow-bird, who is, as I have once or twice observed, hatched in the middle of the nest, is able to dislodge his companions, who soon perish, while he grows to fill up gradually the space left.86 Carefully nourished and brooded over until well grown, and more than old enough to provide for himself, he at last leaves his foster-parents, and, with a wonderful instinct, searches out and joins his own fel- lows and kin. The Cow-birds lay from April until the middle of June; each female probably (from analogy) laying four or five eggs in one season, and presumably at irregular intervals rather than in regular succession from day to day. : These birds are gregarious throughout the year. Before November they leave Massachusetts, and migrate to the South, where they often associate in large numbers with the ‘ Red- wings” or other blackbirds. About the first of April, they 86 As he claims all the time of his foster-mother, her own eggs are often suffered to decay before being hatched. 248 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS return to the neighborhood of Boston, where, at that. season, they are most often seen in small flocks, in which the females predominate. In moving about the country, they generally perch on or near the tops of trees, and from the very summit of some pine their notes may often be heard. They feed upon seeds, and upon insects, particularly beetles, to obtain which they frequent roads, pastures, and ploughed lands. From their fondness of seeking food about cattle their common name hag arisen. When on the ground, they move with an extremely awkward gait, which is ordinarily a walk, though occasionally more rapid in the pursuit of some insect. The male pays his court, such as it is, to several females indifferently, and these latter, when ready to lay, retire from the flock. They become anxious, skulk about from bush to bush and tree to tree, as if troubled by a guilty conscience, and watch the motions of the smaller birds. On discovering a nest, they seize the oppor- tunity of absence on the part of its owners to drop their eggs, and then return to their companions, relieved of anxiety. After these ceremonies one both hears and sees less of the Cow-birds than before, until the autumn, when, joined by their young, they often form large flocks. They are then chiefly dependent upon seeds, and are less common in pastures. (ad). There is something ludicrous, and yet pitiable, in the efforts of the male to express his passions musically. It is of- ten as painful to hear him and see him, as to converse with one who stutters badly. He ruffles his feathers, spreads his wings and tail, gives a convulsive movement to his body, and yet produces nothing but a shrill, unmusical cluck-seé. He often adds to this, or splutters out at other times, a chattering call, quite distinct from that of any other bird, or utters a few low guttural notes, not audible at a distance. He has in common with other members of his family a loud chuck, but he is not wholly destitute of musical powers. One may often hear in spring from the top of some tree, a clear, pensive, but rather shrill whistle, usually followed by a few similar but falling notes. These belong to the Cow-bird, who also whistles some- times as he takes to wing. OF NEW ENGLAND. 249 There is much yet to be studied in the habits of these birds, and much that requires the attention of a specialist. Even the ornithologist who devotes his time to his proper pursuit is too much occupied in May and June to make the necessary obser- vations. Few monographs in Natural History could be more interesting than one of the Cow-birds. IV. AGELAUS . (A) PHe@niceus. Red-winged Blackbird. Swamp Blackbird. Marsh Blackbird. ‘* Red-wing.” “(A very common summer-resident throughout Massachu- setts.) (a).. g, about nine inches long, lustrous black; shoulders, scarlet, bordered by a color varying from brownish yellow to whitish. 9, about 74 inches long. Back, etc., dark brown or blackish, with lighter edgings, median and superciliary lines. Beneath, white or whitish, sharply and thickly dark-streaked (except on the throat). (0). The nest is built in swamps, and on meadows or marshes, either on the ground, when it is generally placed upon a tussock, or in a bush, the alder being frequently chosen for this purpose. Says Mr. Maynard: ‘I have found the nests on an island in the marshes of Essex River, placed on trees twenty feet from the ground! In one case, where the nest was placed on a slender sapling fourteen feet high, that swayed with the slightest breeze, the nest was constructed after the manner of our Baltimore Orioles, prettily woven of the bleached sea-weed called eel-grass. So well constructed was this nest, and so much at variance with the usual style, that had it not been for the female sitting on it, I should have taken it for a nest of J. Baltimore. It was six inches deep.” The nest of the Red-winged Blackbird is generally constructed of dry grass- es or partly hairs (— occasionally also of roots), which are firmly attached to any neighboring branches or stalks, or which form a very neat hollow in the grass. In Eastern Massachu- setts it is finished soon after the middle of May. The eggs of each set are four or five, average 1:00 X ‘75 of an inch, and 250 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME BIRDS are very faintly blue, with a few scrawls and often blotches (chiefly at the larger end) of dark brown, black, and rarely lilac. (c). The Red-winged Blackbirds pass the winter in many of the Southern States. Wilson, in recording his observations there, says: ‘* Sometimes they appeared driving about like an enormous black cloud carried before the wind, varying its shape every moment. Sometimes suddenly rising from the fields around me with a noise like thunder; while the glittering of innumerable wings of the brightest vermilion amid the black cloud they formed, produced on these occasions a very striking and splendid effect. Then descending like a torrent, and cov- ering the branches of some detached grove, or clump of trees, the whole congregated multitude commenced one general con- cert or chorus, that I have plainly distinguished at the distance of more than two miles, and when listened to at the interme- diate space of about a quarter of a mile, with a slight breeze of wind to swell and soften the flow of its cadences, was to me - grand and even sublime. The whole season of winter that with most birds is passed in struggling’ to sustain life, in silent melancholy, is with the Red-wings one continued carnival. The profuse gleanings of the old rice, corn, and buckwheat fields, supply them with abundant food; at once, ready and nutritious ; and the intermediate time is spent either in aerial manceuvres, or in grand vocal performanees, as if solicitous to supply the absence of all the tuneful summer tribes, and to cheer the dejected face of nature with their whole combined powers of harmony.” Though Wilson does not deny the great injuries which these birds do to crops, where agriculture is extensively carried on, yet he estimates at the time of his writing that they ate, in four months spent in-the United States, 16,200,000,000 noxious insects ! The Swamp Blackbirds are to be found in summer so far to the northward as the 57th parallel of latitude, though in many parts of northern New England altogether absent. They are sometimes the first birds to visit us in spring, though generally preceded by the Blue Birds. They are said to have reached OF NEW ENGLAND. 251 Massachusetts in February, and even exceptionally to have passed the winter here. Ordinarily, however, they appear in March, though with no great regularity, the males preceding the females; and previously to mating, which occurs about the first of May, they are more. or less gregarious. During the period of arrival, they may be observed flying at a considerable height in the air, and often uttering their loud chuck, though sometimes silent. Later in the season, they visit ploughed lands and fields, to obtain whatever suitable food they can find, walking over the ground in search of it, and, when frightened, betaking themselves to the nearest trees, where they frequently cluster in large numbers. They roost at night in bushy mead- ows and in swamps. When the weather permits, they frequent these by day, and also the open meadows, from which their notes are constantly heard. They soon mate, and in May begin to build their nests. At this time there is always more or less commotion in the communities which they usually form, and they constantly fly back and forth, frequently chattering. This is particularly the case with the males, who often perch upon some tree to sing or whistle, and who consequently make much noise about their family-cares. They are certainly most devoted parents, and often defend their nests bravely, even when intruded upon by man. In July they become gregarious, some flying southward, and in the early part of autumn they desert the inland meadows, resorting to their various feeding- grounds. ‘In the salt marshes, or near the sea, they collect in large flocks, which not unfrequently contain more than a thousand individuals.” Hawks, farmers, and unambitious sportsmen, diminish their numbers in a certain measure, but not, I suppose, very appreciably. The ‘“ Red-wings” fly rapidly and strongly ; moving their wings with more swiftness but less regularity than the Crows. When perching, they often flirt their tails. Owing to the nature of their haunts, rather than to any natural shyness, they are not easily approached very closely. (ad). Their ordinary note is a loud, mellow chuck, or some- times check, The variety of sounds, however, which they 252 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS can produce is correspondent with their general noisiness. The chorus of a flock in spring suggests the combined creak- ing of many wheelbarrows, being an indescribable confusion of various unmusical notes. Later, their chatter, which has some resemblance to the Cow-bird’s, though distinct, may often be heard, particularly when the birds are excited. The male’s song note, ‘‘conk-a-rée,” is familiar to all who live near his haunts; but also, as if not satisfied with this musical (or un- musical) effort, he frequently warbles during the season of courtship. Perching prominently on some bush or tree, he spreads his tail, slightly opens his wings, and produces what is no doubt agreeable to his taste and that of his mate, even if not wholly so to ours. It suggests the Cat-bird’s song de- prived of melody. He has, however, a far pleasanter note, a clear, plaintive whistle, which is sometimes merely “ phew,” but which at other times consists of three distinct syllables. I can at present add nothing of interest to the history of the ‘‘ Red-wings,” but any omissions may easily be filled by the study of their habits, which is attended with little or no difficulty. : : Notse.—One specimen of a western species, the Yellow- headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus icterocephalus), ‘‘ was shot in an orchard, at Watertown, about the 15th of October, 1869.” (Maynard.) About 10 inches long. Black; head, etc., largely yellow ; wing-patch, white. Female and young; smaller, much duller. Vv. ICTERUS (A) BaLtimorE. Baltimore Oriole. Golden “‘Robin.” ‘“Fire- bird.” ‘*Hang-nest.” (In New England, a generally common summer-resident, thongh rare to the northward.) (a). About 73 inches long. , with the head, interscapu- lars, wings, and a part of the tail, black. Otherwise orange of varying intensity, but with white on the wings. 9, with duller colors, the black being skirted or glossed with olive, and ‘sometimes entirely wanting.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 253 (6). The nest is one of the most interesting specimens of bird-architecture to be found in New England. It is pensile, being from five to eight inches deep, and is generally fastened (near the end) to the bough of an elm or orchard-tree, where, often beyond the direct reach of all enemies, it swings with the slightest breeze, though secure from destruction by the most violent gale. It consists of plant-fibres, dry grasses, and such materials as may be accidentally obtained, such as thread, string, yarn, wool, and bits of cloth, all of which are firmly interwoven. Though its structure and shape exhibit much variation, yet it is usually enlarged near the bottom, and warmly lined, most often with bairs. It is frequently built be- Fig. 13. Baltimore Oriole (#). neath a canopy of leaves, so as to be sheltered from the rays of the sun. In Massachusetts, it is generally finished in the last week of May, or about the first of June. Dr. Abbott believes it to be built, when in exposed situations, so as to conceal the sitting bird, especially from hawks, but otherwise to be more open at the top. The eggs of each set are four, five, or sometimes six, average *90 X °60 of an inch, and are white, feebly tinged with an in- definite color, or bluish, and are marked (but not thickly) with lines, scrawls, and spots, of brown, black, and often faint lilac. (c). The male Golden ‘‘ Robins” are among the few brilliant 254 . LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS birds that come so far to the northward as New England. They reach Massachusetts about the tenth of May, and are soon followed by the females. Though abundantly distributed through this State, they are not common beyond it. Wherever they go, they attract attention by their bright colors, their loud notes, and their peculiar nest. This latter structure requires the labor of a pair for a week or ten days. It is most interest- ing to watch its prdgress, but I have generally,found it unsat- isfactory to observe birds while building, so far as regards learning exactly the manner in which they work. The “ Fire- ‘ birds” are exceedingly clever architects, and a most skilful knitter would be puzzled to construct a piece of work like theirs, or even to understand how the original manufacturers produce it. They do so by fastening at both ends a piece of string, or grass, to the twigs between which their nest is to hang, by winding and twisting it around them. Having fast- ened many other pieces like these, so as to cross one another, and to form a loose pouch, they interweave other materials with care and skill, finally adding the lining. As Nuttall says: “There is sometimes a considerable difference in the manufac- ture of these nests, as well as in the materials which enter into their composition. Both sexes seem to be equally adepts at this sort of labor; and I have seen the female alone perform the whole without any assistance, and the male also complete this laborious task nearly without the aid of his consort, who, however, in general, is the principal worker.” The young, soon after being hatched, clamber to the edge of the nest, and are there fed by their parents. They climb well, but some-- times tumble to the ground. The Baltimore Orioles frequent our orchards, gardens, and the woods. They have a marked fondness for elms, and among them may often be seen in villages, or even on Boston Com- mon. I do not doubt that they are beneficial to man, for, though they certainly destroy the blossoms of fruit-trees, they are chiefly dependent upon insects, and check the ravages of caterpillars more than any other of our birds. They feed also upon berries, and occasionally search for food upon the ground, OF NEW ENGLAND. 255 where, however, they are but seldom seen. The male gener- ally spends his time in wandering from one group of trees to another, often flying vigorously for quite a distance. Then perching near the top of some flowering shrub or tree, he deals destruction around him, while he whistles exultingly. He is apparently never burdened with family-cares, but, on the contrary, suggests the jovial man who frequents a convivial club. (da). His whistled notes are loud and clear, but, though sub- ject to variation, are often monotonous. They never form a continuous or rapid melody, but the same sounds occur again and again, especially his loud ‘tu-wée, tu-wée.” They are much less often heard after the middle of June than before, and finally cease some time before his departure in September. When engaged in combat (as frequently happens in May) he twitters ; at other times he utters a querulous ank. His ordi- nary note, however, is a harsh chatter, which becomes vehe- ment, whenever he is excited. (B) spurivs. Orchard Oriole. (In Massachusetts, the northern limit of this species, a rare summer-resident. ) (a). About seven inches long. g, with the head, inter- scapulars, wings, and tail, black; a narrow wing-bar, white. Otherwise chestnut, or chestnut-red, @, rather smaller ; olive- yellow or olivaceous above, brownish on the back, and yellow- ish (or “ greenish-yellow” ) beneath. Wings, darker, with two whitish bars. (0). The nest differs from that of the Baltimore Oriole in being less cylindrical and rarely or never more than five inches deep; in Massachusetts it is seldom finished before the second week of June. Wilson, speaking of a specimen, says: ‘“‘I had the curiosity to detach one of the fibres, or stalks, of dried grass from the nest, and found it to measure 13 inches in length, and in that distance was thirty-four times hooked thro’ and returned, winding round and round the nest !” The eggs are generally smaller, less elongated, and more 256 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS ' spotted than those of the Golden “Robin”; averaging about *80 X *60 of an inch. (c). The Orchard Orioles do not reach Massachusetts until after the middle of May, and leave it on the approach of au- tumn. I have but seldom seen them, since they are rare so far . to the northward, though said to have occurred at Calais, in Maine. As has been observed by various authors, they are livelier than the Baltimore Orioles, and flirt their tails in a much more marked manner. Audubon speaks of their socia- bility towards one another, observable in the South, where they are abundant. (ad). They whistle more rapidly than the Golden “ Robins,” but their notes are very generally considered inferior and less mellow. . VI. SCOLECOPHAGUS (A) FeRRuGINEUS. Rusty Blackbird. Rusty Grakle. (Not known to occur in Massachusetts except as a migrant.) (a). &, about nine inches long. In “high” plumage, black, with chiefly green reflections. Otherwise, black, interrupted by brown or ‘‘rusty.” 9, smaller and much browner than the male. : (b). Mr. Samuels, in speaking of several nests observed by him on the Magalloway River in Maine, says that they ‘‘ were all built in low alders overhanging the water: they were con- structed of, first, a layer of twigs and brier-stalks; on this was built the nest proper, which was composed of stalks and leaves of grass, which were mixed with mud, and moulded into a firm, circular structure, and lined with fine leaves of grass and a few hair-like roots. The whole formed a large structure, easily seen at the distance of a few rods through the foliage.” The eggs average about 1:00X°75 of an inch, and are bluish or greenish, much spotted with brown, but apparently rarely marked with scrawls or lines. These characteristic markings are also sometimes wanting in the eggs of the Crow Black- bird. (The irrelevancy of the following opening is due to the omis- ‘ OF NEW ENGLAND. 257 sion of an introductory paragraph, relative to the Rusty Black- birds and their distribution.) (c). As is well known, the animals belonging (or indige- nous) to a country constitute its fauna. But, in a large country like North America, it has been found that different districts (bounded by isotheral lines) are inhabited by distinct groups of birds, or ornithological faunw. In New England there are two faune, the Canadian and Alleghanian, which are chiefly separated by the approximate latitude of 44°, or the isotheral line of 65°. This line is just to the southward of Mount Des- ert and the White Mountains. Most species belong to several Saune, but not, as a rule, to merely a part of any one. There are several Alleghanian species, however, who have not been found, so far as I know, to the northward of Massachusetts. On the other hand, several Canadian species have been known to breed in this State, chiefly, I believe, along water-courses (such as the Nashua Valley), or along mountain-ranges. Birds may often be detained or prevented from reaching their usual summer-homes, and therefore obliged to remain in a warmer climate, especially. in the case of young birds who do not breed. Some species ure distributed in an exceptional man- ner; thus the Red-bellied Nuthatches are common summer- residents in the Canadian district, and breed in the Carolinian fauna, but not in southern New England. I have likewise observed that the Great Crested Flycatcbers are more common among the White Mountains than in Eastern Massachusetts. The Long-billed Marsh Wren, moreover, has been found in Greenland. During the migrations, especially in autumn, birds frequently wander several hundred miles from their usual habitat, and, even in summer, may occur to the northward of their usual range. Several kinds have even crossed the At- lantic, being driven to sea by winds, and afterwards alighting on ships. Finally in the list of wanderers are to be included escaped cage-birds.87 The Rusty Blackbirds pass the summer in northern New 87In the appendix is a list of the species belonging to our two fauna. 18 258 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a England (chiefly Northwestern Maine?) and in all the count- ries beyond, except the Arctic regions. They winter in the Southern States, where they are frequently met with in large flocks. They reach Massachusetts in March, lingering into April, and return in autumn, when they are most abundant in October, though often seen in November. Whilst migrating, they are gregarious, and also associate, from time to time, with other blackbirds. They frequent wet places, particularly if bushy, though, in fall, they may be observed in woodland, often resting grouped in some low pine. They probably do but little mischief to the farmers near Boston, though they sometimes collect in ploughed lands. Their food consists of seeds, insects, and crustacea. To obtain these, they pass much of their time upon the ground, where they walk in the manner of their family, frequently jerking their tails. Though much less often seen near the habitations of man than the Crow Blackbirds, they are not very shy of man’s approach, usually flying, when disturbed, to some neighboring tree or bush. (d). While they are here, their ordinary note is a chuck like that of the next species. Their song-notes are not, as I have heard them, musical, but resemble those of the other black- birds, particularly when united in chorus. The Rusty Grakles, however, are comparatively very silent, though said to have in their summer-homes a musical and agreeable note. Mr. Samuels says that a female, whose nest he approached, on flying ‘uttered a chattering cry, almost exactly like that of the female Redwing when disturbed in a similar manner.” VII. QUISCALTS (A) vuRrureus (var. purpureus?) Crow Blackbird. Purple. Grakle. (In Massachusetts, 2 common summer-resident in certain localities.) (a). The following description, and that of ceneus, is quoted (with abridgment) from Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, to show what distinctions these gentlemen believe to exist between the. typical Crow Blackbird and the variety cneus. Ke * OF NEW ENGLAND. 259 “General appearance glossy black; whole plumage, however, brightly glossed with reddish-violet, bronzed purple, steel-blue, and greeen; * * * wings and tail black, with violet reflec- tions, more bluish on the latter; the wing-coverts frequently tipped with steel-blue or violet. Bill, tarsi, and toes pure black ; iris sulphur-yellow.” About 123 inches long. Female considerably smaller, and less lustrous. = be 1) Fig. 14. Crow Blackbird (4). (b). The nest is placed from six to sixty feet above the ground, most often in an evergreen, or perhaps occasionally in the hollow of a tree. It is a rather coarse structure, often cemented with mud. Its chief materials are small sticks, dry grasses, and other vegetable matter. In Eastern Massachu- setts, it is finished about the middle of May, after which four or five eges are laid. These average about 1°25 & ‘90 of an inch, and exhibit great variation. The following descriptions are taken from several eggs before me. (1) Strongly bluish, with almost imperceptible lilac markings, and a few spots and thick scrawls of blackish-brown. (2) Strongly greenish, marked abundantly with dull, faint brown, and a few blackish scrawls. (3) Light creamy gray, with some scrawls much subdued, as if washed out, or washed over with the ground-color, and others heavy and prominent, suggesting a tremulous hand-writing made with a very broad-nibbed pen. (4) Of an indefinite light shade, with numerous small blotches of a subdued, dull brown. (5) Dirty white, minutely marked with light purplish brown, 260 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS and one blackish blotch. (6) Very light greenish, faintly and evenly marked with lilac and dull brown. In short, the ground- color varies from a rather strong bluish-green to various faint and indefinite shades, and the markings (which are often coarse scrawls or blotches) from blackish to light and vague colors, all of which are for the most part dull, the brightest being rusty-brown. " (¢). The Crow Blackbirds are common summer-residents in southern New England, though very much confined to certain localities (as Cambridge), where they live more or less in com- munities. They are said to reach Eastern Massachusetts in March, but 1 have not observed them until April, when they often appear in very large flocks, flying at a considerable height, and commonly moving northward. They then roost in low pine-woods at night, and during the day resort to ploughed lands and fields. If frightened from their roost, they rise with a loud roar of their wings, and many noisy exclamations. In the latter part of September, and in October, they may be found near Boston in flocks of several hundreds, visiting open woods, for heech-nuts or acorns; also lawns, orchards, and farms. While thus assembled, they continually chatter so loudly as to be heard at the distance of a mile or even more. They obtain mast of their food from the ground, over which they walk, occasionally with greater agility than one might ex- pect. They feed upon seeds, small nuts or sometimes ‘berries, and various insects, especially those which infest the soil. Though in this way beneficial, they do great injury by their depredations on grain-fields, and their fondness for the eggs and young of other birds. Disagreeable as it is to witness the extermination of any feathered creature, I should not hesi- tate to sign a death-warrant in the case of these robbers. They are remarkably fearless, and unhesitatingly familiar to- ward man, often closely approaching houses or entirely disre- garding the various scare-crows employed to intimidate them. Their flight is somewhat undulatory, but is very vigorous. (d). ‘he Crow Blackbirds have a loud chuck or check, vari- ously uttered, an occasional chatter or whistle, and in spring OF NEW ENGLAND. 261 a rather unmusical warble, hardly to be graced with the name of song. When united in chorus, their varied notes, which, though unmusical, have a certain cadence, being not disagree- able when heard at a proper distance, suggest a concert of wheel-barrows. The Crow Blackbirds are by no means silent thieves. (B?) PurRpPUREUs (var. eneus). Bronzed Blackbird. Bronzed Grakle. (In Massachusetts, perhaps a migrant only.) (a). This variety (recently established, whether rightfully or not I cannot say) is described as follows by Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway. ‘Metallic tints rich, deep, and uni- form. Head and neck all round rich silky steel-blue, this strictly confined to these portions, and abruptly defined be- hind, varying in shade from an intense Prussian blue to brassy- greenish, the latter tint always, when present, most apparent on the neck, the head always more olivaceous ; lores velvety- black. Entire body, above and below, uniform continuous metallic brassy-olive, varying to burnished golden olivaceous- bronze, becoming gradually uniform metallic purplish or red- dish violet on wings and tail, the last more purplish; primaries violet-black; bill, tarsi, and toes pure black; iris sulpher- yellow.” About thirteen inches long. Female smaller and less lustrous. (b). The Bronzed Blackbirds are thought to build in hollow trees, ‘‘a manner of breeding now known to be also occasional in the habits of the purpureus.” The eggs are like those of the Purple Grakle, exhibiting great variation. (c). The Bronzed Grakles do not probably differ in habits from the well-known Crow Blackbirds; at least no salient point of difference has yet been discovered. In New England, they are summer-residents in Northern Maine, but are only migrants in more southern portions, appearing near Boston in (April and) October. Their chief habitat consists of the Mississippi Valley and British Provinces. i 262 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS §18. The Corvide include the exows, ravens, rooks, daws, pies, and jays. All those of the eastern United States are characterized as follows: More than seven inches long; bill’ very stout, but pointed; nostrils concealed; tarsi scutellate ; primaries ten, with the first short and only half as long as the second. The sexes are alike in coloration. The crows and jays are the most nearly omnivorous of our birds, and much the most mischievous. Like the blackbirds, they are social, more or less gregarious, noisy, and almost wholly unmusical. Moreover, they are partially migratory. They build comparatively neat nests of sticks, etc., generally in evergreens. Their eggs are most often green (or brown), darkly spotted ; with four, five, or sometimes six, in aset. In this climate, but one brood is usually raised. Our Corvide are divided into two subfamilies : Corvine or crows (genus 1). Wings much longer than the tail; feet large and stout; colors dull, or dark and lustrous. Garruline or jays (II and III). Wings not longer than the tail; feet comparatively weak; colors dull or bright (chiefly blue) ; birds often crested. I. CORVUS (A) americanvs.8 Crow. Common Crow. (A common resident throughout New England.) (a). Twenty inches long or less. Lustrous black; reflec- tions chiefly violet. (b). The nest is placed from twenty to eighty feet above the ground, commonly in a pine (or a cedar), and often so as 8The Raven (C. coraz) does not now occur in New England, unless in the extreme North-east. It is twenty-four inches' long, lustrous black, “with the throat-feathers acute, lengthened, disconnected.” The Fish Crow (C. osstfragus) may occasionally occur on the shores of Connecticut. It is sixteen inches long or less. Wilson says that their voice is ‘“‘ hoarse and guttural, uttered as if something stuck in their throat. and varied into several modulations . and that they frequently sail “without flapping the wings, something in the manner of the Raven.” Mr. Wm. Brewster is confident that he saw a Fish Crow at Cambridge “on the morning of March 16th, 1875.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 263 to be almost entirely concealed from beneath. It is usually hollowed to the depth of several inches, and is, for so large a bird, a very neat structure. It is composed of various mater- ials (frequently including dry grass), of which the most char- acteristic are generally the sticks outside, and the lining of bark (consisting of strips taken from cedars or grape-vines). It is, in Massachusetts, finished between the tenth of April and the tenth of May, and four or five eggs are then laid. These average about 1:60 X 1:25 of an inch, and are spotted sometimes coarsely and sparsely, sometimes thickly and finely, occasionally in both ways. The ground-color is a green of varying shade; the markings are variously brown, olive, dusky, and rarely purplish. The eggs of the Raven and Fish Crow differ but little except in size, the former being more than an inch and three quarters long, the latter much less. The Ravens usually build on cliffs. The eggs of the Crow often exhibit abnormal forms, among which Dr. Brewer enumerates some which are green but un- marked, some which are white but spotted with reddish- brown, and one which has different grounds on the opposite sides. Another, in my collection, has a strong bluish tinge, like that of a thrush’s egg, and only a few dark spots. (c). The Crows are common residents in Eastern Massa- chusetts throughout the year. How far to the northward they may be found in winter I cannot say. During that season they are not uncommon near the sea, where they most readily obtain food. As their habits vary with the seasons, it is interesting to observe the changes. I shall therefore begin their biogra- phy by detailing the life which they lead from the opening of the year until the period of courtship. " The Crows are said to suffer extremely from cold weather in certain parts of the country, and even to die of starvation; but, near Boston, they seem to fare very well. At night they roost in thick evergreens, to. which they retire promptly at evening, and from which they arise in the morning before any other birds. As they are very sociable (among themselves) throughout the year, they are seen often in small partics, and 264 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS i occasionally in very large flocks. They obtain most of their food by the sea, to which they fly in the early morning. They there eat various sbell-fish, and the refuse, such as dead fish, which may usually be found along the shore. They are, how- ever, omnivorous, eating grain, fruits, insects, and all sorts of flesh ; and a winter-day never ‘passes, when they may not also be seen searching in the interior for such morsels as may be found there. On the approach or arrival of spring, their num- bers inciease appreciably, and mating takes place. At this time, they frequently amuse themselves, before roosting, by playing in the air, flying round and round, or chasing one another. This forms a picturesque sight, especially if seen against the glow of a setting sun. The Crows sometimes be- gin to build so early as the middle of March. For this pur- pose, they gather, chiefly from the ground, large sticks, which they pick up and carry in their bills. In April, when the softer materials are needed, they visit fields or orchards, and pluck the long, dry grass. In the woods they strip off the bark of cedars, and from the pastures often obtain cow-hair or horse- hair. They are so wary and cautious that it is extremely diffi- cult to watch them while building, for, on the discovery of danger, they fly about in a purposely indefinite way, so that one cannot learn more than the general direction in which they carry their materials. If their nest be approached, when fin- ished but not occupied, the parents are soon to be seen over- head, frequently cawing, but careful not to betray its situation. After incubation has begun, they sit on the nest bravely, gener- ally not leaving it until the tree is rapped. Upon this, the female disappears, but often, in case of further intrusion, soon returns with numerous sympathizing companions, who loudly proclaim the distress of the community. During April, the Crows are beneticial, and frequent ploughed lands or fields for the purpose of obtaining various destructive insects. But, when obliged to provide for their young, they themselves be- come injurious and very destructive, exhibiting more than at other times a carnivorous taste. They do most mischief in destroying the young and eggs of various eminently useful OF NEW ENGLAND. 265 birds; and this is the most’ serions charge which can be brought against them. They occasionally kill field mice, and even, it is said, chickens. I have also seen them feeding on snakes, but whether killed by themselves or not, I do not know. ‘In the latter part of summer, and in autumn, they feed chiefly upon berries and grain. The young, constantly nour- ished by their parents, grow rapidly, and, at the end of about five weeks, show no pin-feathers, appearing in full dress when half-grown. They can then walk readily, and even fly for a short distance. I have never had but one pair, who when found, apparently had tumbled from their nest, as a dead one was lying near by. Previously to experience, I had vaguely supposed it necessary to feed young birds at least once an hour, in order to keep them alive. To my surprise, I was able to reduce the diet of my protégés to three meals a day, even before they were well fledged. The young are easily nourished upon meat, particularly if raw, and upon worms, or occasion- ally even bread soaked in water. In October I. have often remarked a scarcity of Crows, who probably then pass to the South, to be replaced by others from the North, who resume their winter-habits in November. Our Crows walk with a slow, measured step, which Audubon considers ‘‘elevated and graceful.” That author adds that they frequently alight “‘on the backs of cattle, to pick out the worms lurking in their skin, in the same manner as the Magpie, Fish-Crow, and Cow-bird.” This I have never observed. They fly with a regular, but seemingly slow beat of the wings, which is occasionally relieved by sailing, especially when the birds are about to alight, which they most often do at some height from the ground. It is common to see them with ragged wings, as if injured by shot; but the loss of several feathers, even if confined to one side, does not seem to interfere with their nat- urally vigorous flight. As they often fly at a great height, and very rarely near the ground, they are frequently obliged to fight against the winds, and even to ‘‘tack,” that they may reach their destination. The natural characteristics of the Crows are sagacity, cun- 266 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS ning, and a tendency to thievishness. The difficulty of ap- proaching these birds with a gun is proverbial. They are brave in defending their nests from the approach of other birds, but, in turn, are very commonly pursued and annoyed by the pugnacious King-bird. They frequently follow hawks, who easily avoid, and seemingly disregard them; and they take great pleasure in mobbing owls, whom they surround with noisy greetings, whenever discovered in the day-time. Wilson, however, quotes an anecdote of one being killed by a large owl at evening. (d). The notes of the Crow, which are highly unmusical, are ordinarily a slightly prolonged caw, or a shorter och fre- quently repeated. There is another distinct cry, more gut- tural, which suggests the rattling of a rope through a pulley. This I at first attributed to individuals with ‘‘ broken” voices, but I am now inclined to believe that it is merely peculiar to the season of spring. It is perhaps also used as a note to their young, whose voice is feebler and distinct from that of their parents. The Crows, in producing their notes, are obliged to gesticulate, when perched, and occasionally (in individuals) to suspend the motion of their wings, when flying. Of all our birds, the crows and jays are doubtless most worthy of being destroyed. ‘Fhe former have not, however, I think, diminished in numbers, as Mr. Allen believed to be the case when he wrote his catalogue, but, on the contrary, have steadily increased. They are in summer abundant throughout a larger part of New England. II. CYANURUS (A) cristatus. Blue Jay. (A common resident throughout Massachusetts.) (a). 11~12 inches long, and crested. Above, purplish-blue ; beneath, white, becoming distinctly gray on the breast, and bluish on the throat. Wings and tail, bright blue, more or less black-barred, and white-tipped (except the spite Collar and frontlet, black. (0). The nest is generally placed in a low pine, or other * OF NEW ENGLAND. 267 evergreen, often near the trunk, from five to twenty feet above thé ground. The chief materials are usually sticks or twigs, and fine roots, which form the lining. Four or five eggs, aver- aging 1:20 X °80 of an inch, are laid, near Boston, about the twentieth of May. They are brown or green (resembling the lighter shades used in frescoing), more or less spotted with subdued brown and often obscure lilac. (c). If the old proverb be true, that ‘handsome is what handsome does,” the Blue Jay is not to be admired, in spite of his strikingly beautiful plumage. On the contrary, he is to be despised as a murderer, a thief, a rioter, and a disturber of the general peace. In the slaughter of babes (if I may extend the use of this word) he ‘‘out-herods Herod.” He sneaks into the nests of smaller birds, sucking their eggs, or killing their young (of which he often eats the brains, but leaves the rest), ‘and spreading sorrow wherever he goes. In the stealing of grain, he rivals the Crow. He even sneaks into the store- house, and like a rat, devours the corn there. As a leader of riots, though a coward, he does not hesitate occasionally to tease the hawks (for which, says Wilson, he sometimes pays dearly), or to take advantage of the owls, when confused by the daylight, to heap insults upon them. As a disturber of the general peace, he delights to spread terror among other birds by imitating the cries of hawks, or to deceive them by pretending distress ; no less often do his cries disturb man, and drown the sweet melodies which one might otherwise hear in all our woods and groves. On account of his bad habits, his noisiness, his fine colors and crest, he is frequently shot; and the number of Jays near Boston has lately, I think, materially diminished, whereas the cunning Crows much less often fall victims to the revenge of their numerous enemies. The Blue Jays are residents in Massachusetts through all the seasons, but in winter are somewhat rare, as they also are to the northward, even during summer. They are gregarious throughout a greater part of the year, but are necessarily more or less separated, as is always the case during the breeding- season. They are, like the Crows, omnivorous, but they have 268 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a peculiar fondness for acorns and beech-nuts, which they are said to store for the winter. They frequent the woods chiéfly, in which they build their nests, particularly among thé ever- greens. They may often be seen, however, in open lands, but comparatively seldom on the ground. They fly vigorously, but not with the steady, monotonous beat of the Crows. They are said to be amusing pets; having in confinement the gaiety and roguishness natural to their tribe. Iam told that they may be easily caught, by being made drunk through corn dipped in whiskey. Grain impregnated with poison is also used to kill them. Though common in summer, they are, perhaps, most abundant in autumn, when I have once or twice seen as many as twenty together not far from Boston. In winter they are often scattered, but in spring they reiinite, remaining in flocks until May, when they separate to build, becoming less impu- dent and more shy. (d). Their notes vary endlessly from loud, characteristic screams to soft and musical whistles, though all are somewhat characterized by the same tone. The Blue Jays are very noisy, and possess not only the power of ventriloquism, but also that of mimicry. They imitate the cries of the Sparrow Hawk, and those of the ‘‘Hen Hawks,” with great exactness, so that, were not these sounds so often heard near houses, they might easily deceive even an experienced naturalist. There is one note, to which I would particularly call attention, a guttural cry not unlike the sound produced by the rapping of wood- peckers. This may be heard in spring especially, and is ap- parently a love-note. The Jays, on uttering any sounds, are obliged to gesticulate in a most ludicrous manner, unless when screaming on the wing. Ill. PERISOREUS ; (A) canavensis. Canada Jay. Whiskey-Jack.” (A resident of northern New England and the countries beyond.) (a). 10-11 inches long. Ashy or leaden above; dull gray OF NEW ENGLAND. 269 beneath. Head, and tips of tail and certain wing-feathers, dull white; but hind-head very dark. (b). A nest of the Canada Jay, found by Mr. Boardman, and described by Dr. Brewer, ‘‘ is woven above a rude platform of sticks and twigs crossed and interlaced, furnishing a roughly made hemispherical base and periphery. Upon this an inner and more artistic nest has been wrought, made of a soft felting of fine mosses closely impacted and lined with feathers.” An egg in my collection measures 1°20 X ‘75 of an inch, and is grayish, evenly marked with brown. Unlike other specimens, it is green-tinted. (c). The Canada Jays do not much inhabit New England, so far as I know, except in Northern Maine, where they are resi- dent. As Audubon has apparently had many opportunities of observing these birds, I shall here quote his biography nearly in full, as I have already quoted one of Wilson’s. ‘I have found this species of Jay,” says Audubon, “ breeding in the State of Maine, where many individuals belonging to it reside the whole year, and where in fact so many as fifteen or twenty may be seen in the course of a day by a diligent person anxious to procure them. In the winter, their numbers are constantly augmented by those which repair to that country from places farther North. They advance to the southward as far as the upper parts of the State of New York, where the person who first gave intimation to Mr. Witson that the species was to be found in the Union, shot seven or eight one morning, from which number he presented one to the esteemed author of the ‘ American Ornithology,’ who afterwards procured some in the same neighborhood. This species is best known in Maine by the name of the ‘ Carrion-bird,’ which is usually applied to it on account of its carnivorons propensities. When their appe- tite is satisfied, they become shy, and are in the habit of hiding themselves amongst close woods or thickets ; but when hungry, they show no alarm at the approach of man, nay, become fa- miliar, troublesome, and sometimes so very bold as to enter the camps of the ‘lumberers,’ or attend to rob them of the bait affixed to their traps. My generous friend, E>warp Harris, 270 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Esq., of Moorestown, New Jersey, told me that while fishing in a birch canoe on the lakes in the interior of the State of Maine, in the latter part of the summer of 1833, the Jays were so fearless as to alight in one end of his bark, while he sat in the other, and help themselves to his bait, taking very little notice of him. “The lumberers or woodcutters of this State frequently amuse themselves in their camp during their eating hours with what they call ‘ transporting the carrion bird.’ This is done by cutting a pole eight or ten feet in length, and balancing it on the sill of their hut, the end outside the entrance being baited with a piece of flesh of any kind. Immediately on see- ing the tempting morsel, the Jays alight on it, and while they are busily engaged in devouring it, a wood-cutter gives a smart blow to the end of the pole within the hut, which seldom fails to drive the birds high in the air, and not unfrequently kills them. ‘They even enter the camps, and would fain eat from the hands of the men while at their meals. They-are easily caught in any kind of trap. My friend, the Rev. Joun Bacu- MAN, informed me that when residing in the State of New York, he found one caught in a snare which had been set with many others for the common Partridge or ‘ Quail,’ one of which the Jay had commenced eating before he was himself caught. “In the winter they are troublesome to the hunters, espec- ially when the ground is thickly covered with snow, and food. consequently scarce, for, at such a time, they never meet with a Deer or Moose hung on a tree, without mutilating it as much as in their power. In the Bay of Fundy I observed, several mornings in succession, a Canada Jay watching the departure of a Crow from her nest, after she had deposited an egg. When the Crow flew off, the cunning Jay immediately repaired to the nest, and carried away the egg. I have heard it said that the Canada Jay sometimes destroys the young of other birds of its species, for the purpose of feeding its own with them; but not having witnessed such an act, I cannot vouch for the truth of the report, which indeed appears to me too monstrous to be credited. OF NEW ENGLAND. 271 “TI have often been delighted by the sight of their grace- ful movements on al ghting after removing from one tree to another, or while flying across a road or a piece of water. They have an odd way of nodding their head, and jerking their body and tail, while they emit their curiously diversified notes, which at times resemble a low sort of mewing, at others the sound given out by an anvil lightly struck with a hammer. They frequently alight about the middle of a tree, and hop th airy grace from one branch to another until they reach the very top, when they remove to another tree, and thus pro- ceed through the woods. Their flight resembles that of the Blue Jay, although I do not consider it quite so firm or pro- tracted. “The Canada Jay breeds in Maine, in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. It begins so early as ®ebruary or March to form its nest, which is placed in the thickest part of a fir tree, near the trunk, and at a height of from five to ten feet. The exterior is composed of dry twigs, with moss and grass, and the interior, which is flat, is formed of fibrous roots. The eggs, which are from four to six, are of a light grey color, faintly marked with brown. Only one brood is raised in the season. I found the young follow- ing their parents on the 27th of June, 1833, at Labrador, where I shot both old and young, while the former was in the act of feeding the latter.” The remainder of Audubon’s biography is chiefly quotations from other authors, or descriptions of the birds. The follow- ing paragraph is, however, of interest. Still referring to the Canadian Jay, Audubon says: *‘ Its range is very extensive, as I have specimens procured by Mr. Townsenp on the Columbia River, and it has been ob- served by Dr. Ricuarpson as far northward as lat 65°. The former of these naturalists states that he found ‘these birds at the site of old Fort Astoria, on the Columbia river. They were very noisy and active; the voice is strong and harsh.. The Indians however say that thay are rarely seen, and that they do not breed hereabouts.’ Mr. Titian Pras has obtained it 272 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, and I have the body of one procured there by himself in October, 1836.” . (d). The cry of the Canada Jays seemed to Mr. Samuels like that of the Blue Jay, to Mr. Maynard, like that of the lynx. These birds have also a low chatter, but their notes vary, like those of their familiar relatives, though not, so far as I know, ever imitative. §19. The Tyrannide (or true jflycatchers) are the soll North American representatives of the Clamatores,® and in turn are themselves ‘represented only by the Tyrannine or typical flycatchers. (With the exception of the Pyrocephali) they are characterized as follows. Sexes alike in coloration ; colors plain, being green, brown, or gray, usually olive-tinted, yellow and white. Birds, subcrested, or with erectile crown- feathers. Bill about one third as deep as long, but half as wide, conspicuously hooked, notched, and bristled (PI. I, figs. 20, 21) ; mandibles rather thin and hollow ; tarsi scutellate as al- ready described ; primaries ten, tail-feathers twelve. (Fig. 15.) The flycatchers are eminently insectivorous and migratory, though some species feed partly upon berries, and migrate quite late in the fall. They are, as a rule, rather pugnacious, and are never gregarious. They rarely touch the ground, though not possessed of much power of flight. They are, however, admirably clever on the wing, and, darting from their posts of observation into the air, often snap up several insects at a time, and with distinct clicks of the bill. They are extremely energetic, and often show it in their indefinably characteristic voice, which, though never strictly musical, is yet pleasing and striking. The Great Crested Flycatchers build their nests in the hollows of trees, and the Pewees about buildings or on rocks; but the others build their nests (varying in neatness) in bushes or trees. The eggs are four or five, and white, creamy, or buff, in most cases unmarked or spotted with brown and lilac. 89 See beginning of Chapter I. OF NEW ENGLAND. 273 The three genera of smaller flycatchers may be distinguished as follows: Sayornis (IIT). Tail forked, frequently flirted ; tarsus longer than the middle toe. Contopus (IV). Tail slightly forked, never (?) flirted; tarsus shorter than the middle toe. Hmpi- donax (V). Tail even or rounded, and depressed upon the utterance of the very abrupt energetic, song-note, when the head is thrown back also. I. TYRANNUS (A) carouinensis. (Tyrant Flycatcher.) King-bird. Bee “Martin.” Field “‘Martin.” : (A common summer-resident in New England.) (a). About eight inches long. Above, very dark gray, slightly brownish on the wings. Crown and tail, black; the latter broadly white-tipped, the former with erectile crown- feathers touched with orange or vermilion. (Many wing- feathers, and the outermost tail-feathers, white-edged.) [The Gray King-bird (7. Dominicensis) is about nine inches long, and is rather grayer, with the “‘tail conspicuously forked,” and not broadly white-tipped. ‘‘An immature specimen was taken by Mr. Charles Goodall, at Lynn, on October 23, 1868 ;” “its usual habitat being Florida and the West Indies.” ] (b). The nest of our King-bird is commonly placed, from five to fifteen feet above the ground, in a horizontal fork, or on the limb, of an orchard-tree. Sometimes it is built, even nearer to the ground, in the crotch of a low sapling or stout bush, in some field or pasture. It is composed of the fine stalks of various weeds and grasses, intermixed with plant- down, to which are often attached bits of ‘‘sweet fern,” dead leaves, or moss, and it is frequently lined with horse-hairs. It is, in this State, finished about the first of June. “The eggs of each set are four or five, and average 1:00 X ‘75 of an inch. They are creamy-white, with a few large spots of lilac, and umber, or occasionally reddish-brown. These spots are some- times replaced by blotches, and, in two specimens before me, by large splashes of several shades of brown. 19 274 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (c). The male King-bird is so well known for his pugnacity from the time of mating until his young are reared, that it is scarcely necessary for me more than to allude to this important trait in his character. He particularly dislikes Crows, whom he often pursues for at least half a mile. As he generally teases them by descending on their backs, he is frequently obliged to mount to a considerable height in the air. From his courage in driving away from his summer-home both hawks and crows, he deserves protection among the farmers, and, though he may occasionally feed upon bees, he destroys an immense number of other winged insects, upon which he chiefly depends for food. The King-birds are common summer-residents | almost throughout New England, but they inhabit principally culti- vated lands and populated districts. They frequent orchards, gardens, and fields, rarely or never resorting to the woods. On the contrary, they may often be seen immediately about houses, especially on farms. They reach Massachusetts in the second week of May, and leave it in September. ‘They are never, whilst here, strictly gregarious, but small parties of three or four may often be seen in spring. It is common to see two males paying attentions toafemale. The victorious one soon after follows his mate to search for a building-site. I am inclined to believe that among all birds the female has most to do in the selection of a situation for her nest, as is very natural, since she is generally the chief builder and oc- cupant. The King-birds feed almost exclusively upon winged insects, which they seize with a click of the bill, and in the manner of all true flycatchers. They perch on some bough, fence, or wire, carefully watching for their prey, then make a sally, and snap up a fly or even several, often returning to their former post, which is usually not far from the ground, being sometimes merely the stalk of a weed. They also vary this mode of cap- ture, by darting upon some insect in the grass, or by hovering and skimming over the surface of the water. They usually fly with a rapid, nervous beat of the wing, and frequently hover, OF NEW ENGLAND. 275 either to reconnoitre, or to feed from some flock of gnats who are likewise hovering and swarming in the air. They bathe by plunging into the water, after which they fly to some twig, and dress their plumage. They perch rather erectly, and rarely alight upon the ground, unless to pick up something for their nests. (d). Their notes are shrill twitters, which often resemble those of the swallows. They are loud, sharp, and rather ve- hement. Among them may be heard the syllable king, which constantly recurs. Though the King-birds are plainly dressed, and though they have no song, they are entitled to both our respect and affection. II. MYIARCHUS (A) crinitus. Great Crested Flycatcher. (In New England, a rather rare summer-resident.) (a). About nine inches long. Crown-feathers erectile, often forming a loose crest, and dark-centred. Above, “dull green- ish olive,” inclining to dusky on the wings and tail. Beneath, pale yellow; but throat gray (or “‘pale ash”). Tail-feathers, largely chestnut; primaries edged with the same. (Rest of the wing with much white edging, forming two inconspicuous bars. Outer tail-feathers edged with yellow.) (b). The nest and eggs differ strikingly from those of all our other birds. The nest, which in New England is finished in the first or second week of June, may be found in woods or orchards. It consists of a few materials, placed in the hollow of a tree, among which cast-off snake-skins are almost inva- riably to be found. The eggs of each set are four or five, and average about 1:00X°‘75 of an inch. They are buff or creamy, spotted with lilac, and curiously streaked, or ‘ scratched,” with purplish and a winy brown. (c). The Great Crested Flycatchers are summer-residents in all the States of New England, but they are apparently no- where common. They reach Massachusetts about the middle of May, and ordinarily remain there four months, but once, so late as the first of November, I saw one not far from Boston, 276 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS who was fat and in excellent condition, in spite of the cold season. The Great Crested Flycatchers for the most part fre-- quent woods, though sometimes seen in orchards or in small groups of trees. They rarely enter the evergreens, but prefer some collection of hard-wood trees, where there are clearings and tracts of dead timber. In such a place they select their summer-home, over which they assume a despotic right, and from which they drive any other birds whom they may con- sider as intruders. They usually remain at a greater height than the King-birds, frequently perching near the tops of tall trees. Moreover, they often fly more rapidly and freely than those birds, though often with a striking similarity. They catch insects in the same manner, and feed upon them during spring and the early summer ; but, in autumn, unlike our other flycatchers, they seem to be almost wholly dependent upon various berries, among which may be mentioned huckleberries. In the latter season, they may occasionally be seen in family parties, but, in spring, I have never observed more than two together. : (d). In regard to their notes, my experience obliges me to differ from other writers. Wilson and Audubon both speak of their note as a loud, harsh, disagreeable squeak, and subse- quent writers have repeated this statement. I have watched the Great Crested Flycatchers many times at all seasons, ex- cept in winter, for the express purpose of hearing this cry, but I have never heard them utter any sound to which the above description is applicable. On the contrary, I have at all times heard them utter a single loud, brusque note (not unlike the ordinary call of the Quail), which it is difficult to imitate well, though one may do so by whistling and suddenly drawing in the breath. These flycatchers have also a few low notes, which are likewise whistled. I do not wish to deny the accuracy of my predecessors, but merely to state that there is certainly one sound familiar to me, which seems to have escaped their attention, and that what they describe is very probably a querulous cry. OF NEW ENGLAND. 277 Ill. SAYORNIS (A) Fuscus. Pewee (Flycatcher). Phebe-bird. Bridge Pewee. : (A common summer-resident throughout the cultivated parts of New England.) (a). Seven inches long or less. Tail, forked; crown-feathers erectile, and very dark. Above, dark olive-brown, in autumn (after the moult) approaching olive-green. Sides always, and the breast often, shaded with the same. Under parts, other- wise white (or very pale yellow, chiefly behind, and brightest in autumn. Eye-ring, edging of the wings and of the outer tail-feather, inconspicuously white.) The throat is sometimes streaked. Bill wholly black. (b). The nest of the Pewee is most often built on a beam or pillar, or under the eaves of some building, occasionally those of a bridge. It was primitively. attached to a wall of rock, either on a cliff, or in a cave, but, so far a& I know, it is *no longer often to be found in Massachusetts thus placed. It is rendered firm by mud, to which are added various materials, of which the most conspicuous is generally moss, and it is com- monly lined with horse-hairs. The eggs of each set are usu- ally five, average about 75 < °57 of an inch, and are pure white (rarely spotted?). Near Boston, one set is generally laid in the first or second week of May, and another in June. I have known a pair, who built in a shed partly surrounded by glass, to raise three broods in one season, of which the first was hatched about the fifth of May. An egg from the third set measures °65 X‘50 of an inch or less. (c). There are few birds dearer to an ornithologist than the Pewee, and no birds are better entitled to the affection of a friend, if usefulness, cheerfulness, familiarity towards man, and charm of manner, deserve our regard. In fact no bird is more home-like than this species, who is almost the first to announce spring at our very doors, and who is the foremost to establish his home where we have established ours, and who returns persistently, if unmolested, to the same shed or barn, 278 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS year after year. Audubon even proved in one case that the young returned with their parents, thus increasing the little colony which already existed on his plantation. No bird is more peaceable or less jealous than the Pewee, who looks hos- pitably upon all his neighbors, and it is common to find several pairs on the same estate, living in happiness and peace. As I sit down to write out of doors, I find that my attention is but little confined to my biographical labors. I have placed in the shrubbery around the piazza several bits of cotton-wool, which readily attract the attention of the various birds who are now building. A male Redstart is singing in the oak on the bank, while his mate cautiously approaches a vine, from which my chair is scarcely a yard distant, and, seizing several shreds of the wool, flies off. Eager to discover her home, just as I have already discovered those of nearly all her friends (and mine too), I step on the lawn to watch her motions. She flies to the nearest group of trees and disappears, while I fix my eyes upon ‘the cotton-wool, to watch her return; but, when some sound causes me to turn my head, I see her pulling at an- other piece, in the opposite direction. How cautious she is of betraying her purpose, and what a vacillating course she takes from tree to tree! Is she not evidently an unusually cautious bird? A neighbor, one of her own species, without waiting for warmer weather, has already finished a nest, and laid egys, ina birch on the’edge of the swamp, and a “ Black-throated Green,” who built in the piazza-vines, last year, showed no hesitation in building while persons were near. But here is the Red- start again; she is now refreshing herself by catching flies. It is after nine o’clock, and she has probably worked for sev- eral hours; but she denies herself rest, and again approaches the vine, this time to gather several little strips of bark, with which she flies directly to the orchard. As she enters a pear- tree, pauses a moment, and then flies off, I feel sure that her nest is there, and so post myself close to the trunk of a neigh- boring apple-tree, motionless and silent, to await her return. She immediately reappears, and, apparently not realizing my presence, enters her nest, which is already shaped, and firmly OF NEW ENGLAND. 279 presses her materials into position with her bill. She next gathers something from a tree in the orchard, but, on seeing me as I move, she is frightened, and utters a chip, though her mouth is quite full. Just then a most familiar sound falls upon my ear, and recalls me to my biography. On looking up, I see two Pewees providing food, either for their own young, or for some helpless Cow-bird, who has been left to their care. What labor they are obliged to undergo! Probably no less than a thousand insects must be procured each day for several weeks. One spring, when the season was backward, and the same pair were behindhand in building, they proceeded to con- struct, side by side in a shed, two nests, which were finished at the same time. While the male fed the young of the first brood in one nest, the female laid the eggs of a second brood in the other; but, whether this was their original design or not, I cannot say. The Pewees reach Massachusetts about the first of April, and rarely, if ever, before the last week of March. They ar- rive singly, and the males seem quite dispirited until the appearance of their mates, when they at once assume their usual cheerfulness. The same pair return every year to the same spot, during their life-time, and, should one of them die, the other often finds a new mate, with whom, in the following spring, he returns to his old quarters. The Pewees are sum- mer-residents in all the States of New England, but in the northern sections are not common, though elsewhere abundant and generally well-known. They frequent farms, and culti- vated or open lands. They are nowhere shy, but occasionally the rapidity with which they check their course on entering the building which contains their nest, and on seeing there some person, shows that they possess a share of the timidity natural to most birds. They are chiefly insectivorous, though they fre- quently feed upon berries, such as those of the poisonous “ivy.” In hunting for their usual prey, they choose a perch in some open spot, and rarely at any great height from the ground. They then flirt their tails, or from time to time utter their notes ; but, on seeing an insect, they fly, and commonly seize it 280 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS instantaneously, though sometimes obliged to give chase, which they do most adroitly. They often resort to the edge of ponds or streams, where gnats or mosquitoes abound. In feeding from a swarm of very small insects, they frequently hover with the body almost erect, and sustained by a rapid beating of the wings. Their flight is quite characteristic, but cannot be well defined ; it is rarely protracted, unless directed toward their nest. They never alight on the ground, unless to pick up some material for building, or to perch upon a heap of earth. In autumn, they are not confined to their usual haunts, but wander quite freely about the country, though rarely to be found in woods. I have never seen them near Boston later than the sixteenth of October, and a majority pass to the southward much earlier. (ad). The Pewees possess a greater variety of notes than a superficial observer would suppose. They have a loud chip (more or less characteristic), being, I believe, the only non- oscine (or unmusical) birds who possess this note. ‘They have also a whit, a single rather melancholy whistle, but seldom heard, and various twitters, of which some are querulous and others not unlike those of the King-bird. Besides these sounds, of which the latter are heard chiefly in spring, they utter quite constantly during the breeding-season, though much less often in summer, and rarely in autumn, their familiar and cheerful note, pee-wee, which is subject to more or less modification. Occasionally, in April, a Pewee darts into the air, and, hover- ing or fluttering in a circle, repeats this note so rapidly and excitedly as to produce eccentric music, which might almost without impropriety be called a song. There is, I believe, nothing which I can say to endear these birds to the naturalist, more than they are now endeared to all who know them. Iv. CONTOPUS (A) BoreaLis. Olive-sided Flycatcher. (A rather rare summer-resident.) (a). About 71 inches long. Tail considerably forked; crown-feathers erectile and dark-centred. Above, of an inde- OF NEW ENGLAND. 281 scribable “ dark olive-brown ;” sides (almost meeting across the breast), shaded streakily with the same. Under parts, other- wise white or yellowish. Wings, with more or less obscure white edging. Bill black above only. (b). The nest is much less finished and artistic than that of the Wood Pewee, and is, moreover, nearly always placed in an evergreen or orchard-tree. It is frequently built in a pine, from fifteen to even fifty feet above the ground, being placed in the fork of a horizontal limb. One before me is shallow, and is composed of twigs, fine strips of bark, stalks of field- weeds, and a little moss. The eggs of each set are usually five, average about °85:‘65 of an inch, and are in Massachu- setts laid in the second week of June. They are white, or creamy, spotted with lilac and reddish-brown. (c). The Olive-sided Flycatchers may be classed among those birds, who are, at least in Massachusetts, neither rare nor common. They reach this State about the middle of May, and leave it in September. They may more often be found among evergreens than any others of their tribe, and most often occur in orchards or among pines. They are expert fly- catchers, and have the habit of selecting a post, frequently a dead stump or decayed limb, to which they continually return. In common with other.members of their family, they have a quarrelsome disposition, in consequence of which they often engage in broils, even among themselves. They are, however, no more gregarious than other flycatchers. ;(d). Their notes possess the tone which largely character- izes this family of birds. Sometimes they are merely queru- lous whistles, like pu-pu-pu (often somewhat lengthened), and at other times form a distinct song-note, ‘‘eh phéebéé, or h’phe- béd, almost exactly in the tone of the circular tin whistle or bird call, being loud, shrill, and guttural at the commence- ment.” (Nuttall.) These notes are subject to marked varia- tions, which I find it impossible to describe satisfactorily. (B) virens. Wood Pewee. (In Massachusetts, a common summer-resident.) i 282 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (a). Six inches long or more. Tail forked; crown-feathers erectile. Bill black above only. Wings always with two nar- row whitish bars. Otherwise the coloration is essentially that of the Common Pewee (III). (See p. 273.) (6). The nest is artistic, and in its character quite unique, though in some respects not unlike that of the Hummingbird. It is composed chiefly of fine grasses, or weed-stalks, which are mixed with the silk of spiders or caterpillars. It is rather shallow, and, being thickly covered outside with lichens, seems a part of the moss-grown limb to which it is “saddled.” It is usually placed on a horizontal branch of the oak, or some like tree, in a grove or rather lightly timbered wood, from ten to forty feet above the ground. Near Boston, four or five eggs are laid about the middle of June. They average -70 x ‘55 of an inch, and are buff or creamy, with a few large markings, at the greater end, of lilac and umber or reddish-brown. (c). The Wood Pewee is one of the four common flyeatchers in southern New England, and even in the northern parts is not a rare summer-resident. He is one of the latest migrants in spring, and does not reach Massachusetts until the third or often the fourth week of May. He announces his arrival by his plaintive notes, which he utters in his favorite haunts, the woods and groves. These places he rarely leaves, for he is rather reserved and unsocial, having little to do with man or other kinds of birds, though very affectionate to his mate and young. There is sometimes an air of seeming melancholy about him which is quite touching, but undoubtedly he either takes a pleasure in sadness, or else he is not sad. He is not very often seen, but he may easily be observed from his habit of returning to one spot. I have known one to choose the dead limb of a pine, to which he resorted every evening for about an hour, and sometimes in the course of the day. There I often saw him with his-mnate, but since the building of their nest the place has been deserted. The limit of his wanderings from his nest seems to be about one-eighth of a mile, and, to a certain extent, he may at certain hours be found at nearly the same place from day to day. OF NEW ENGLAND. 283 The Wood Pewees, when perching, do not flirt their tails in the manner of the Common Pewee, though they sometimes move them, when nervously quivering their wings. They usu- ally choose a perch between ten and forty feet above the ground, from which they sally, often snapping up a dozen insects at a time. Although they fly quickly, they are rarely on wing for more than a minute, unless playing together and chasing one an- other through the branches. They frequent almost exclusively woods and groves, either of pines or deciduous trees, either dry or swampy, and they rarely wander even to orchards. They resort to wet places, chiefly in the evening, when they are, perhaps, most active. The insects which abound near pools of stagnant water afford them rich repasts, and opportunities of displaying their adroitness to its best advantage. Audubon says that “this species, in common with the Great Crested Flycatcher, and the Least Wood Pewee, is possessed of a pe- culiarity of vision, which enables it to'see and pursue its prey with certainty, when it is so dark that you cannot perceive the bird, and are rendered aware of its occupation only by means of the clicking of its bill.” (ad). The Wood Pewees possess a sufficient variety of notes’ to characterize several species. All these sounds are nearly whistles, uttered in a plaintive and often a drawly tone. None of them are loud, and many are audible only at a very short distance. The most characteristic of these notes is pee-u-ee, often abbreviated to pee-u, and this is frequently repeated. Other syllables, less often heard, are (ch’) pe-6-e, whit, whit-pée, and pu pu pu pu uttered very softly. In addition to these there are certain querulous and guttural cries, which are em- ployed chiefly during the season of love. The Wood Pewees become more or less silent in autumn, but I have heard and seen them in the White Mountains so late as the 17th of Sep- tember. They usually leave Massachusetts about the middle of that month. 284 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS V. EMPIDONAX (A) TRaLu. Traill’s Flycatcher. (Rare in Eastern Massachusetts ; mosti common in the latter part.of May.) (a). Six inches long, or less. Tail, even; crown-feathers, erectile, dark-centred; bill, not black. Above, dark olive- green, usually tinged with brown. Beneath, white, shaded with the color of the back on the sides, with grayish on the breast, and with yellow behind. Eye-ring, and two wing-bars, (yellowish) white. (0). The nest of this species is usually placed, not far from the ground, in a swamp or. near a brook, and fre- quently in an alder-bush, It is composed of grasses, stalks of weeds, and nar- row strips of barks. Sev- eral eggs which I obtained among the White Moun- tains average about °65 X ‘50 of an inch, and are creamy, or pale buff, with a few dots of reddish- brown at the larger end. Dr. Brewer describes oth- ers as white, ‘‘marked al- most entirely about the larger end with larger and well-de- fined spots and blotches of purplish-brown.” ; (c). The Traill’s Flycatchers are common summer-residents in many parts of northern New England, and of Western Mas- sachusetts, but near Boston they are very rare. They are most common in the latter part of May, when they may occa- sionally be seen in copses, thickets, and swampy woodland. They are then migrating, and are often entirely silent. Nearly all pass on to the northward. Among the White Mountains, they frequent wet woodland, sheltered water-courses, and bushy, Fig. 15. Traill’s Flycatcher (4). OF NEW ENGLAND. 285 swampy fields. Unlike many other flycatchers, they are some- what shy of man’s approach. They usually remain within fif- teen feet of the ground, but they sometimes take both higher and longer flights than I have ever known the Least Fly- catchers to take. They are in fact much less stationary than most of their relations, though their general habits are the same. They live much on the edges of the woods, and often occur along the roadsides, where, from the tops of the bushes and lower trees, they utter their peculiar notes. I have been led, partly from observations on this species, to believe that probably the line, separating two faune (such as the Allegha- nian and Canadian), can never be precisely defined, since birds of the same district vary considerably in their latitudinal range. This is even the case in more or less restricted lo- calities. While walking southward through the Crawford Notch, I saw or heard Traill’s Flycatchers from the Willey House to a point several miles nearer Conway, and beyond this point the Least Flycatchers (who are comparatively rare in the Canadian district) were soon heard. No more of the former were seen, but the latter were frequently observable down to North Conway, where (at least in one grove) the Swainson’s Thrushes and Black-throated Blue Warblers were apparently common. The dividing line, already spoken of, must necesta- rily be irregular, because affected by altitude as well as lati- tude. Among the White Mountains, one often finds it quite sharply defined by the general face of nature and by the atmosphere. The Traill’s Flycatchers do not, so far as I know, occur near Boston in the autumn, and it is probable that they return to the South by an inland route, as is the case with many other birds. (d). Their ordinary note is a slightly querulous pu, which is often repeated, and which recalls the voice of the Great Crested Flycatcher. Another note is pu-ée, which is uttered in a peculiar tone, very distinct from that of the Wood Pewee, 90 See §17, VI, A, (c). 286 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS though somewhat like that of the Goldfinch’s plaintive note. Their song-note is delivered energetically and forcibly, the head being tossed or thrown back, and the tail depressed. It resembles the syllables che-beé-u, and is distinct from all other notes that I have ever heard. Nests of this species which I have lately examined are cup- shaped, but shallow. They are usually built very near the ground, and, according to Mr. Henshaw, in an upright fork. (B) minimus. Least Flycatcher. Least “‘Pewee.” ‘Chebec.” (A common summer-resident throughout Massachusetts.) (a). Five inches long or more. Except in size, scarcely different from E. trailli (A), unless somewhat grayer. Notes and eggs, however, distinct. (®). The nest is placed from five to twenty feet above the ground, on a horizontal limb (frequently where it forks), occa- sionally one of a shade-tree, but more often one of a tree in some orchard or wood. It is sometimes built in a crotch, and then resembles the Goldfinch’s nest. It is composed of fine grasses, rootlets (and pine-needles), firmly woven together with caterpillar’s silk, cobwebs, cottony or woollen substances, and such accidental materials as thread or string. In Eastern Massachusetts, four or five eggs are usually laid in the first (or second) week of June; occasionally others in July. They average ‘60 X ‘50 of an inch, and are white, or creamy. (c). The Least Flycatchers are common summer-residents almost throughout New England, though rare in some of the northern portions. They reach Massachusetts in the first week of May, and remain there until the middle of September. They frequent both woods and orchards, in cultivated districts rather preferring the latter, particularly if someavhat neglected and unfrequented. As arule, they do not resort to pine-groves, or to very thick woods, as the Wood Pewees often do. They prefer woodland composed of birches, maples, and beeches, and do not show the fondness for low growth and wet lands, so often observable in Traill’s Flycatcher. They gencrally return every year to their chosen home, and apparently, when once OF NEW ENGLAND. 287 mated, are wedded for life. Occasionally, however, an in- truder presents himself, in the hope of winning the affections of the female, and in these cases the male becomes irritated and furious. But ordinarily he is not very pugnacious, though of a rather jealous disposition. After becoming settled in their summer-homes, the Least Flycatchers often limit their movements, and confine themselves to some group of trees much more closely than I have observed any other birds to do. This may be due to a desire to protect their homes. They are both less expert and less active than many other flycatchers, and sometimes remain for a considerable length of time on one perch, uttering their loud song-notes. They do not depend exclusively upon insects in the air, but occa- sionally pick them up in the foliage of trees, among which they pass their days, sometimes, however, alighting on a fence, or on the top of a weed. They flirt their tails, but never in the decided and continuous manner of the Common Pewee, and, on delivering their song-note, throw the body back, in the manner of Traill’s Flycatcher. (d). This song-note is loud and emphatic, but wholly unmu- “sical, amd resembles the syllables che-béc. It is frequently re- peated, occasionally at night, often for half an hour at a time, and sometimes so hurriedly as to become an unmusical song. The other notes are a single whit, and querulous exclamations (wheu, wheu, whew) which are more or less guttural and sub- dued. The Least Flycatchers, though common and well character- ized by their striking notes, escaped the attention of Wilson, and apparently that of Audubon, until it was called to the then new species by Professor Baird. This is an excellent instance of the rule that the more one knows, the more one sees, though it is natural to suppose that the reverse might be the case. Hence, ‘“‘most discoveries are accidental, or, at least, indirect.” Young students, on beginning to study birds, will almost invariably from year to year discover species which they have never before observed, though they may often have seen them, and will find many species common which they Ly 288 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS before considered rare. And this is not merely because begin- ners set too high a value on all common objects, but because their observation, on being cultivated, is greatly increased. It has, however, been said, somewhat sarcastically, that inexperi- enced students see more rare birds and nests than an expe- rienced naturalist can ever find. ; (C) yuavivenrris. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. (Not common in New England.) (a). About 53 inches long. Above, olive-green; sides, shaded with the same ; otherwise beneath, decided yellow: Lower mandible, eye-ring, wing-bars, etc. » yellowish (or even yellow). Tail even or rounded. (0). Dr. Brewer found a nest of this species which closely resembled that of the Indigo Bird, at Grand Menan, near the shore, ‘‘about two feet from the ground, placed in the fork of a bush.” The eggs were white. ‘Those procured by Mr. Boardman were sprinkled with minute dots of reddish-brown. Their measurement is -68 X 52 of an inch.” Two eggs in my collection measure about ‘75 X ‘55 of an inch, and are pure white, unmarked. . (c). The Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are the rarest members of their family in New England, and, though their distribution is probably similar to that of Traill’s Flycatcher, yet they are apparently in no district very common. I have rarely found them near Boston, and generally have seen only two or three in June or the latter part of May. There is little to observe, other than their shyness, their fondness for shrubbery and wet lands, their low and characteristic note (approached only by one of the Goldfinches which is rarely heard), and the occa- sional flirting of their tail, Mr. Maynard’s notes are very interesting. He says: “On May 31, 1869; I shot the first specimen I had ever seen living; the next day (June Ist) I took eight of both sexes in a few hours! Between this time and the 10th I took two or three more. I do not doubt that it has occurred in previous seasons, but, being unaccustomed to its low note,—whieh is like the syllable Pea very plaintively OF NEW ENGLAND. 289 and prolongedly given,—and its retiring habits, I had not de- .tected it before. The specimens captured were all, with the exception of the first,—which was shot on a tall oak,—taken in low, swampy thickets. It keeps near the ground, is rather shy, and upon the appearance of the intruder instantly ceases its song.” (d). In‘ his ‘‘ Catalogue of the Birds of Coos Co., N. H., and Oxford Co., Me., etc.,” Mr. Maynard says: ‘* We found it in dark swamps at Upton. Here, for the first time, I detected this.species with any other note than the low pea. It was like the syllable kil-lic very gravely given, with a long interval be- tween each utterance. The song was even less energetic than that of Traillii.91 While singing, the birds were perched on low limbs. Both male and female used this note.” Dr. Brewer says that Mr. Boardman “has heard this bird give forth quite a pleasing, though somewhat monotonous trill. This, according to Dr. Hoy, resembles Péa-wayk-péa-wayk, sev- eral times repeated in a soft and not unpleasant call or song.” (D) acapricus.°? Small Green-crested Flycatcher. Acadian Flycatcher. (Hardly to be ranked as a bird of New England.) (a). About six inches long. Tail even; crown-feathers erectile (as in all flycatchers), and dark-centred (?). Like E. Jlaviventris in coloration, but rather less bright above, with the yellow beneath very pale, or confined to the hinder parts. Eye- ring, etc., yellowish; breast shaded with olive-green. (6). The nest is built in a-tree, not very far from the ground. °1I do not know whether the song-note of Traill’s Flycatcher, as described by this author, is one which I have already described, or one which I have never heard. I can hardly reconcile it to my own observations. He says: “This spe- -cies has a most peculiar note like the syllables ke win'k; this is not so quickly given as the se wic'k of EZ. minimus, and is somewhat harsher. There is perhaps thirty seconds interval between each ke win'k.” Mr. Brewster, likewise, in speak- ing of the male, says: “ His song consisted of a single dissyllabic strain, ke'wing, uttered in a harsh, peevish voice,” etc. (Quoted by Dr. Brewer.) *2This species is considered by some authors as probably identical with Z. Trailli, next to which it should stand. As it is questionably a bird of New Eng- land, I have placed it at the end of the group. 20 290 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS An egg in my collection measures about -85 X ‘65 of an inch, and is white, with a few brown markings at the larger end. (c). Mr. Henshaw, in comparing this species with Traill’s % says: ‘In New England, if the Acadian Flycatcher be found at all, it is in the character of a very rare visitant, and I am inclined to believe that all of the various quotations assign- ing this bird to a place in the New England fauna may be set down as instances of mistaken identification, not excepting the evidence of Mr. J. A. Allen, who states that ZH. acadicus is a rare summer visitant near Springfield, Mass. I am inclined to think that Mr. Allen’s acadicus,-were really Trailléi, more es- pecially since, in recounting the habits, he says, ‘it breeds in swamps and thickets, which are its exclusive haunts.’ This accords perfectly with the habits of #. Traillii, and is utterly at variance with those of acadicus; as elsewhere shown.* ‘As at present made out the Acadian Flycatcher reaches no further along the coast than New Jersey. Nor in the interior does its range appear to extend much if any higher.” “* * * the nest is disposed in a horizontal fork.” Dr. Wheaton “‘is of the opin- ion, that the eggs of acadicus average alittle longer and slen- derer than those of Traiilii, and have perhaps a yellower buff tinge.” “* * * of the Acadian he says: ‘It is never found. in company with, or in such localities as are frequented by the Traill’s. In all cases it is found in upland woodland, prefer- ably, and I might almost say as far as my observation ex- tends in beech woodland. JI have never seen it even during the migration in otaer places.’” Nore.—Empidonax pygmeus. Pygmy Flycatcher. (a). About five inches long or less. Crown-feathers erec- tile. Tail even. Coloration, so far as known, like that of other small flycatchers (Empidonactes), but apparently with little olive tinting above, and no yellow beneath. [Moreover, ¢ *3 Quarterly Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, Cambridge, Mass. “* Since penning the above I understand that Mr. Allen allows this view to be correct.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 291 with no buffish suffusion, ete.?] Outer web of the outermost tail- feather (and possibly, but not probably, moré of the tail), white. (c). On the twelfth day of May, 1875, whilst walking about my father’s place near Boston, I caught sight of a small fly- catcher in some shrubbery which stood near an open field, and which consisted of barberry-bushes, a white birch, etc., while near this place were several apple-trees, pines, isolated oaks, and other trees. There, soon after noon, I saw the subject of this memoir. By his habits, his erected crown-feathers, and his style of coloration, I knew him to be a flycatcher; on ob- serving his size and even tail, I ascribed him to the genus Empidonax (or a closely allied genus); and, on noticing that his tail was edged with white to the depth of an eighth of an. inch or more, when closed, I believed him to be a new species. In Dr. Coues’ ‘Key to North American Birds,” but two fly- catchers, ever found in the United States, are mentioned, who have the outermost web of the tail white. Of these, Hmpido- nax obscurus, Wright’s Flycatcher (a bird of the south-western United States), is much larger than pygmceus—for by chance a Pewee alighted beside the latter, and I noticed then that the Pewee seemed to be at least two inches longer, if not more. On the other hand, I did not observe in HE. pygmeus the buffish suffusion, and yellow lower mandible, said to be the character- istics of Mitrephorus fulvifrons, var. pallescens, a bird of the same size, but belonging to a Mexican genus (though first called by Dr. Coues ‘‘Empidonax pygmeus, Buff-breasted Fly- catcher,” when obtained by him at Fort Whipple, Arizona). It hardly seems possible that the Buff-breasted Flycatcher should have strayed to Massachusetts, though similar instances of wandering have occurred before among birds. I feel quite confident that the bird in question is a new species, probably belonging to the genus Empidonaz, though possibly to Mitre- phorus, or even to a new genus (to be called Muscaccipiter). After trying to identify my bird, and having hurriedly, and yet with as much care as possible, endeavored to learn all the details of his coloration, I proceeded to study his habits. For about three minutes I watched the bird (for he was not 292 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS _ shy, and at first allowed me a very near approach), as he flew from his perch info the air, and, in the manner of the true fly- catchers, caught the smaller insects, showing great dexterity during his aérial excursions, which were all short, so far as I observed. He returned each time to his former perch or to one near it, and then occasionally flirted his tail, in the manner of the Pewee, but with much less energy. Finally, either by an accidental sound I frightened him, or he cared no longer to stay, for he flew away to one of the higher branches of a neigh- boring oak, and so from tree to tree, until Jost to sight. I suppose this Pygmy Flycatcher to have been a migrant, pass- ing through on his way to the northward with various other small birds, who were abundant at the time. Either owing to its great rarity, or its general likeness to other species (especially the Least Pewee), this species, if in- deed genuine, has hitherto escaped the notice of our natural- ists; but it is hoped that, now being on their guard, these gentlemen will succeed in obtaining specimens, or that I myself may do so, for, on first meeting it, I had no gun. That this bird was a partially albino Least Pewee (Z. minimus) seems wholly improbable. Even its general appearance and habits seemed distinct from those of that bird. I think, moreover, that I should have discovered a Least Pewee there earlier in the season, having been there every day previously, and the Least Pewees having arrived several days before; for, as is -well known, these birds usually frequent their haunts pretty persistently ; finally, I have not seen ‘my bird since. This matter must be left to the consideration of the public, until more satisfactory evidence can be produced. OF NEW ENGLAND. 293 CHAPTER II. SECOND ORDER. Picaria. Tus order is a ‘ way-farer’s home,” established to receive those birds who do not belong elsewhere (in science, a poly- morphic group). The (North American) birds composing it are characterized by the combination of a bill without any cere or soft membrane, and one of the following features: tail- feathers ten; foot syndactyle by the union throughout of the . middle and outer toe; front-toes two in number. There are also certain internal and other features which are more or less characteristic. Either the bill or the toes always present cer- tain peculiarities. There is an important element in classification, which is often overlooked, that of latent features. These are frequently. undeveloped. For instance, the chief, and let us momentarily suppose, the only, difference between the typical thrushes and mocking-thrushes is in the tarsus, or so-called ‘‘leg.” In the latter group it is always scutellate (or divided into scales)—at least, in front; whereas in the former thrushes, when adult, it is “booted” (¢. e. without scales, unless near the toes). Yet a young robin with scutellate tarsi is no less a typical thrush ; his tarsi are virtually “‘ booted,” and will become so upon normal growth. Those of a young Cat-bird never will. Is not ab- normal growth frequently due to the persistent latency of normal features? As another example, the females of two closely allied species may be exactly alike in coloration, size, and structure. They may differ, however, in the latent power of producing distinct eggs; they may differ less in the latent instinct of building different nests, or still less in the latent power of producing eggs, many of which contain the germs of very distinct male birds. Hence the freshly laid eggs of two species may be indistinguishable except in latent, undeveloped features, though, since like produces like, they may be identi- fied through the parent-birds. 294 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Norse. — The third order, Psittacit (parrots and their allies), is not represented in New England. Its members have toes in pairs, and an essentially raptorial bill. (See Chap. III.) §20. The Caprimulgide (or goatsuckers, of which the American species are typical, and belong to the subfamily Caprimulgine) and the Cypselide (or swifts, §21, pl. 1, fig. 23) form a natural group possessing the following features: gape extensive, and about six times as long as the culmen (or upper outline of the bill); feet small and weak; primaries ten; tail-feathers ten. The goatsuckers may be distinguished from “the swifts by the more or less bristled bill, the feet slightly webbed at the base, and the elevated hind-toe. This last fea- ture, however, also belongs to the Cheturine, a subfamily con- taining the Chimney “ Swallows,” and differing further from the true swifts in having unfeathered tarsi. The Cheetura (§ 21, I) have mucronate tail-feathers, in which the shaft pro- jects beyond the webs. (PI. 1, fig. 22.) The swifts probably possess powers of locomotion superior to those of any other living creatures. With their long, pointed wings, they are said to fly sometimes at the rate of two hun- dred and fifty miles in an hour. They are-strictly insectivo- rous and migratory, and more or less colonial. ‘They never perch, but many resort to hollows, as in trees, for the purpose of roosting and of nesting.” Their nests are attached to some more or less perpendicular surface, and are constructed partly or even wholly of a gummy saliva. The eggs are white, and rather elongated. The goatsuckers are generally nocturnal or crepuscular, and, as a rule, do not fly about in the day-time, unless when cloudy. When resting, they do so on the ground, or perch lengthwise on a bough or fence. They are insectivorous, capturing moths and smaller insects at some height in the air, also migratory and often gregarious. They are larger than the swifts, who are also somewhat crepuscular, and their plumage is much va- tiegated. They build no nest, but lay two eggs on the ground, or near it. There are two American genera. OF NEW ENGLAND. 295 I. Antrostomus. Bristles very conspicuous; tail rounded. Birds strictly nocturnal. II. Chordicles. Bristles short; tail forked ; wings very long. (Fig. 16.) I. ANTROSTOMUS (A) vocirerus. Whippoorwill. ‘Night-jar.” (A well known summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About 92 inches long. Tail rounded. Throat-patch, and tips of outer tail-feathers, in ¢ white, in @ light brown. Crown, black-streaked. Otherwise indescribably variegated or mottled with several quiet colors. The Chuck-will’s-widow (A. Carolinensis) of the Southern States possesses a very similar coloration, but is a foot long. (b). The eggs are laid on the ground in some dry part of the woods, no nest being made, unless a slight hollow be scratched among the fallen leaves. They are elliptical, aver- age 1:25 X ‘85 of an inch, and are creamy, spotted rather sparsely, chiefly with lilac and lavender. In Massachusetts, two eggs are laid about the first of June. (c). The Whippoorwills, wherever known, are well-known, and yet by the common people they are rarely seen. Were it not for their loud and famous notes, they might well be con- sidered by collectors very rare. As it is, they are known to be common at various points throughout New England, as well as other parts of the country ; but their distribution is probably irregular and local. They reach the neighborhood of Boston in the latter part of May, and leave it before or soon after the arrival of autumn. They differ from the Night ‘‘ Hawks” in habits very distinctly, though, according to Wilson, the two species were once confused even by naturalists. They are strictly nocturnal, unless occasionally active towards the end of a cloudy afternoon. During the day, they retire to some well shaded spot in the woods (or occasionally the “ scrub”), and there repose, resting on the ground, or, more often, perched uponalimb. Their feet are so small and weak that they never (?) perch crosswise, but lie along the bough. I have but 296 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS rarely found them sleeping, but on such occasions I have always observed this peculiarity. Like most of the owls, they are dazed by a strong light, and in the day-time usually allow anear approach. At evening they become active, and are said to continue so until dawn, particularly on moon-light nights. They are never, I believe, quite so gregarious as the Night “Hawks” very often are, though in spring there is often ri- valry between the males, who seem to challenge one another. The Whippoorwills also fly much lower, and prefer to fly near the ground, rather than among the clouds or at any great height. Hence their food must differ considerably from that of their relative. Audubon in speaking of this species says: ‘Tt passes low over the bushes, moves to the right or left, alights on the ground to secure its prey, passes repeatedly and in different directions over the same field, skims along the skirts of the woods, and settles occasionally on the tops of the fence- stakes or on stumps of trees, from whence it sallies, like a Fly- catcher, after insects, and, on seizing them, returns to the same spot. When thus situated, it frequently alights on the ground, to pick up a beetle. Like the Chuck-will’s-widow, it also bal- ances itself in the air, in front of the trunks of trees, or against the side of banks, to discover ants, and other small insects that may be lurking there. Its flight is so light and noiseless, that whilst it is passing within a few feet.of a person, the mo- tion of its wings is not heard by him, and merely produces a gentle undulation in the air. During all this time, it utters a low murmuring sound, by which alone it can be discovered in the dark, when passing within a few yards of one, and which I have often heard when walking or riding through the barrens at night.” The young run about much like young partridges. (ad). The most characteristic note of these birds is a loud whistle, which resembles more or less distinctly the syllables whip-poor-will. It is said to be never repeated, except after dark, and when the birds are perched,-as on a fence or roof. It is most commonly heard in June, and is usually preceded by a click, as if produced by a snapping of the bill. The other notes of the Whippoorwills are low, sweet whistles (whit, whit, OF NEW ENGLAND. 297 whit) and occasionally a rather harsh and guttural chatter. Mr. Nuttall says that the young havé a low, mournful pée-~ugh. It is probable, at least in New England, that few or no super- stitions are now attached to these birds. II. CHORDEILES (A) virernianus. Night “Hawk.” “Buil-bat.” (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About nine inches long. Tail forked. Variously mottled, or variegated. with a white, and 9 with a reddish, throat-patch. & with both a white wing-patch and white tail-spots. (b). The eggs, of which two are here laid about the first of June, are dropped upon rocks, upon the ground, or occasionally upon a flat roof. They have been found vari- ously in cities, pastures, fields, and woods. They are elliptical, aver- age about 1:25 X °85 of an inch, and are light gray, or brown, thickly and finely marked with li- lac, dark brown, and sometimes” slate-color. (c). The Night ‘ Hawks” have not been named altogether appro- Fig. 16. Night “Hawk” (4). priately, for, though to a certain extent crepuscular (belonging to twilight or dusk), they are not nocturnal. There is, how- ever, a strong resemblance in their general method of flight to that of certain hawks, as well as to that of the swifts, and the latter part of their name is warranted by their general appear- ance at adistance. They fly with ease, and sometimes, when favored by a wind, with much rapidity. They often mount to a great height, so as to be fairly lost among the clouds, and comparatively seldom skim over the earth, in the manner of 298 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the Whippoorwill. They z move through the air very irregularly, and often change their course at nearly every flapping of their wings, as they dart about in the search of the winged insects upon which they feed. They fly about freely in the day-time, especially if it be cloudy, but they are generally rather silent in very sunny weather. They occasionally alight upon the ground, and move about, but whether in search of earth or insects I am uncertain, probably the former. The Night “‘ Hawks” are common summer-residents through- out New England, but, according to Mr. Allen,! do not winter in Florida, as many Whippoorwills do. They usually reach Massachusetts in the earlier part of May, or sometimes, it is said, in April. Separate individuals or pairs are not nncom- mon, but they may often be seen migrating in companies, con- taining even two dozen, for they are more or less gregarious throughout the year. They show a fondness for pasture-land, and uncultivated districts, though quite common in Boston and other cities, where they have been found to lay their eggs on flat roofs. They are probably more abundant in northern New England than in Massachusetts, in some places forming large colonies. Near Wilson’s Mills in Maine, says Mr. Samuels, “in the space of every four or five rods, a fémale was sitting on her eggs.” Both Wilson and Audubon speak of the female’s endeavors, when frightened during incubation, to lead the in- truder away by feigning lameness and distress. In this case, though less so than with many other birds who build no nest, it is difficult to find the eggs. If these latter be left undis- turbed when found, they are sometimes removed, very probably ° in the capacious mouths of their parents, as Audubon states to be the case with the Chuck-will’s-widow. The Night ‘‘ Hawks” like the Whippoorwills perch lengthwise, but unlike them fre- quently utter their notes on wing. (d). Their ordinary note is peculiar and indescribable, though I have heard it well imitated by the human mouth. It is usually called a loud, harsh squeak, but I know no sounds 1“ List of the Winter Birds of East Florida, with Annotations.” J. A. Allen. OF NEW ENGLAND. 299 like it, except the notes of one or two other birds. It is very striking, and, if heard from a near standpoint, rather startling. The male Night ‘‘Hawk” produces an equally extraordinary sound, which is heard chiefly during the season of courtship. Mounting to some height, he falls, head foremost, until near the ground, when he checks his downward course, and then the “‘ booming” is heard, a sound ‘“‘resembling that produced by blowing strongly into the bung hole of an empty hogshead.” Iam uncertain as to what causes this noise, having found it impossible to make any close observations. Wilson thought it produced by the mouth, Audubon, by the concussion caused by a change of position in the wings. The Night “ Hawks” all leave New England in September. §21. Cypselide. Swifts. (See § 20.) I. CHATURA (A) petacica. Chimney Swift. Chimney “Swallow.” (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About five inches long. Sooty-brown, glossed with green above; throat, much paler. Lores and wings, black. (0). The Chimney ‘Swallows ” soon after their arrival con- struct their curious nests, which are composed of. twigs firmly glued together by “‘a fluid secreted with the birds.” These nests are now placed in chimneys, almost universally through- out civilized parts of the country, but they have been found attached to boards, and the eggs were originally laid in hollow trees or stumps. The eggs of each set are four, average ‘70 X ‘50 of an inch, and are pure white, unmarked. (c). The Chimney Swifts possess powers of flight which are probably unsurpassed by those of. any bird not belonging to this family. It-is almost certain that they often fly no less than a thousand miles in the course of twenty-four hours. When providing for their young, they are sometimes busy dur- ing a greater part of the day, and even continue their labors at night. Usually, they become active at a very early hour, sometimes even before dawn, and retire during the warmer part of the day, unless it bé cloudy, when they continue their 300 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS exercise. At evening, they renew their activity and do not retire until a comparatively late hour. The Chimney ‘‘ Swal- lows” are common summer-residents throughout New England. They reach Massachusetts in the first week of May, and leave it in August or September. They have altered their habits conformably to civilization, and here roost and nest exclusively in chimneys. Formerly they occupied hollow trees, and Au- dubon describes as follows a visit to one of their haunts, a large, hollow sycamore near Louisville, in Kentucky. ‘“ Next morning I rose early enough to reach the place long before the least appearance of daylight, and placed my head against the tree. All was silent within. I remained in that posture prob- ably twenty minutes, when suddenly I thought the great tree was giving away, and coming down upon me. Instinctively I sprung from it, but when I looked up to it again, what was my astonishment to see it standing as firm as ever. The Swallows were now pouring out in a black continued stream. I ran‘ back to my post, and listened in amazement to the noise within, which I could compare to nothing else than the sound of a large wheel revolving under a powerful stream. It was yet dusky, so that I could hardly see the hour on my watch, but I estimated the time which they took in getting out at more than thirty minutes. After their departure, no noise was heard within, and they dispersed in every direction with the quick- ‘ness of thought.” Audubon estimated their number at nine thousand. The Chimney Swifts never rest except in their roosting-places, to the walls of which they cling,.partly sup- ported by their stiff tail; and, so' great is their muscular vigor, that they never rest by perching. As -has already been men- tioned, they often rest at noon, or seek refuge during violent storms. On this account, they are very abundant sometimes, and at other times are not to be seen. On entering a chimney, they fall boldly head-foremost in a very unconcerned way. Their general manner of flight is so varied that it is difficult to describe. It consists of rapid sailing, combined with quickly repeated strokes of the wings, and sudden turnings in every direction. Their flight possesses so much force that they break OF NEW ENGLAND. 801 off twigs for their nests without any diminution of speed. It is almost unnecessary to say that they feed entirely upon winged insects, the indigestible parts of which they are said to dis- gorge in pellets. The Chimney Swifts may easily be distinguished from the true swallows by their, peculiar and more rapid flight, their long wings, and their apparent want of tail (as seen from a distancé). They sometimes skim over water, but more often fly at a considerable or even a very great height. (d). Their only note is a.loud chip, often repeated quickly and vehemently, so as to bear a resemblance to the twittering of the swallows. Their young, who are born blind, have a much feebler voice. § 22. The Trochilids (or hummingbirds) are in North America represented only by the typical subfamily, Trochilincee (while the other group, “Pheethornithine, representing about one-tenth of the whole, is composed of duller colored species especially inhabiting the dense forests of the Amazon”). The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is an excellent type of the group. The bill is very long and slender, being of a nearly equal depth throughout; the feet are small; the wings long and with ten primaries ; the tail is ten-feathered. The Alcedinide (or kingfishers, § 23) are in America repre- sented. fragmentarily by the subfamily Cerylinw. They differ strikingly from all the families to which they are allied by po- sition in classification. The common Belted Kingfisher is a good type. The bill is stout and pointed, about one-fourth as deep as long; the tarsi are extremely short; the feet small, and syndactyle from the union of the outer and middle toes nearly throughout (pl. 1, fig. 24) ;2 primaries ten, but tail- feathers twelve. The Coccygine (or American cuckoos) form a distinct sub- family of the large and much varied family, Cuculide (or cuckoos, § 24). They are quite closely related to some of the 2In many other birds the toes are partly united at the’ base. 302 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS woodpeckers, but show little affinity to the other picarian groups. They are characterized as follows: bill deepest at the base (?), with upper outline convex, and the lower con- cave; toes arranged in pairs; tail-feathers ten; feathers above the tarsus long and flowing. The cuckoos are insectivorous, and eat great numbers of caterpillars ; but unfortunately they often rob the nests of other birds, though not, like the European cuckoos, parasitic. On account of their peculiar notes, however, they have been called “Cow-birds.” They are migratory but not gregarious. They build rude and frail nests, of sticks or the like, in a bush or tree, and lay several bluish or greenish eggs, often at irregular intervals. I. TROCHILUS (A) coxusris. Ruby-throated Hummingbird} (A summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About 3} inches long. Golden green above; white beneath. Wings and tail, brownish-purple. , with the sides green, and the throat metallic, reflecting ruby-red. Tail simply forked. 9, with the tail slightly forked, and ‘ double- rounded,” more or less: black-barred, and, on the outer feathers, white-tipped. . (b). The Hummingbird’s nest may be considered a perfect type of bird-architecture, and, as such, is one of the most beautiful objects in nature, though composed of simple mate- rials, gathered chiefly from weeds, and though constructed by but a single instrument. Had not man ideal in art, his works could not be favorably compared with such a production as this. ‘What enlightened person,” says an anonymous writer, whom I have already quoted, ‘“‘can gaze upon this nest without regretting that man should in the progress of civilization so often forget nature, fail to appreciate her, or even wrong her?” 2A “Linnée’s Emerald” (Argytira maculata) “was captured by Mr. William Brewster, at Cambridge, in August, 1864; it was moulting, and apparently a female.” Though this bird may actually have wandered here from its home in South America, yet such an incident is not likely to occur again. OF NEW ENGLAND. 303 The Hummingbird’s nest is usually placed on the limb of an orchard-tree or oak, though occasionally fastened to the stalk of a large weed.* Its depth is about half an inch, and its diameter inside is rarely more than twice that. The walls are thick, and are composed of plant-down, bits of fern, the silky husks of certain seeds, and other soft materials. These are so thitkly coated with lichens as to closely resemble the ‘branch to which they are attached. Near Boston, two eggs are laid in each nest, in the early part of June. They are white, ellipti- cal, and half an inch long or even less. (c). Our little Hummingbirds deserve renown, not only for their small size, exquisite colors, and eminently pleasing archi- tecture, but also for their hardiness, courage, and admirable flight. They are known in summer to occur so far to the northward (if not further) as the fifty-seventh parallel of lati- tude, which crosses Hudson’s Bay and Northern Labrador. They are summer-residents throughout a larger portion of the eastern United States, and as such are common in New England. They reach Massachusetts in the second week of May, and I have seen them near Boston so late as the twenty- third day of September.5 They generally arrive in pairs, and re- turn to the same home every year. The male protects his honor and rights with undaunted courage, and often teases very large birds in expression of his anger, though he may be “ incom- petent” says Wilson “to the exploit of penetrating the tough sinewy side of a crow, and precipitating it from the clouds to the earth, as Charlevoix would persuade his readers to believe.” He also finds occasion to battle with intruders of his own kind, but it is impossible to understand the details or result of such a duel, so confusing is the intense quickness of the combatants. In fact, the Hummingbirds are so small, and so extremely swift 1 4 Wilson says that he has “known instances where it was attached by the side to an old moss-grown trunk; and others where it was fastened on a strong rank stalk, or weed, in the garden.” I have been told that the Hummingbirds were once very abundant on the Isle of Shoals, where there were no trees. Coincidentally Mr. Maynard gives the same day as his latest date of observa- tion. 3804 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS in all their movements, that it is as difficult to observe them, unless stationary or seemingly so, as to follow the course of a shooting star. So rapid is the beating of their little pinions, that they produce a loud humming whenever flying, and seem to be immovable, when pausing before a flower, while the pres- ence of their nearly invisible wings is scarcely indicated except by the constant buzz and whirr. The Hummingbirds have two distinct methods of feeding, easily observable upon studying their habits. They may be seen darting from flower to flower, and thrusting their long slender bills.into the heart of the blossoms, not only to procure the honey, but to obtain the smaller insects which feed upon it. Of all the various flowers which they visit, they show a marked fondness for those which are trumpet-shaped, such as belong to the bignonia and honey- suckle. They do not frequent the lower and more humble kinds, but prefer those which are large and showy, and grow on shrubs, bushes, and vines. The taller garden-flowers also _ attract their attention. They are not wholly nectar-fed, as has poetically and popularly been supposed to be the case, but are chiefly insectivorous. They may be seen perched on some twig, from which they shoot into the air, and with great address seize the gnats and smaller insects, many of which are invisible to the naked human eye. They sometimes perch as if merely to rest, the female. especially. They never alight upon the ground, but they sometimes perch upon weeds, and have been known to perish from being caught in the burs of the burdock.§ They choose for their haunts not only orchards, gardens, and groves near them, but also forests, as I have several times observed among the White Mountains. It is probable that they much more often frequent the woods in civilized districts than is commonly supposed. Though they are jealous, and 6This fact has been communicated to the “Naturalist” by Mr. A. K. Fisher. The original discoverer of the dead bird (or rather its remains, a skeleton) “found alive one on aplant near by.” Mr. Fisher himself found a Yellow Bird (Chryso- mitris tristis) thus caught, who “ tore itself away, leaving a number of its feathers on the burs.” He also found a Yellow-rumped Warbler “fastened to the same Kind of plant.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 305 daringly pugnacious, yet they are known to congregate occa- sionally in flocks, chiefly during the migrations. Though they are apparently very hardy, yet they have never, I believe, been successfully kept in confinement for a longer period than a few months. The principal obstacles in rearing them are the in- juries which they receive, if allowed to fly about a room, their suffering from cold, and the difficulty of providing proper food, since any prepared syrup apparently does not satisfy them ex- cept when young. (d). Their ouly note is a chirp, which immediately suggests the voice of an insect. _ No birds are more generally beloved and admired than our Hummingbirds, and America may well boast of a treasure which no other country possesses. §23. Alcedinide. Kingfishers. (See § 22.) _ I. CERYLE (A) atcron. Belted Kingfisher. Kingfisher. (A resident of New England in summer, and occasionally in winter.) (a). About 123 inches long. Upper parts, sides, and a breast-band, ashy-blue. Head-feathers darker, forming a loose crest, and giving a rough outline to the hind-head. Wings and tail also partly darker, and white-spotted. Broad collar (in- terrupted behind), lower ‘breast, etc., white. The latter in 9 with a band (often imperfect) of a chestnut-color, which ex- tends along the sides, and sometimes mixes with the band above.? (b). From the abundant evidence recently offered on the subject of the nest, and from my own limited experience, it may be gathered that it varies. in length, though sometimes nine feet long, that it may be either straight or have a bend, and that it is rarely lined at the end, except with fish-bones, as is sometimes the case. . That the Kingfishers always make 7“ Several specimens in the Smithsonian collection marked female (perhaps erroneously) show no indication of the chestnut,” 21 306 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a, burrow in a bank of sand or gravel, in which to lay their eggs, and that they most often do so near water, and not far from the ground, are undisputed facts. The eggs of each set are six or seven, average 1°35X1-05 of an inch, and are pure white. (c). The Belted Kingfisher is well known, and “in the sum- mer is found in every portion of North America, to the Arctic Ocean on the north, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.” § In New England, this species is occasionally resident through- out the year, but more often appears about the first of April, and remains until late in the autumn. Near Boston it probably cannot be much longer ranked as a common bird, since, being naturally shy, unsocial, and averse to the intrusion of man, it prefers wilder and less cultivated portions of the country. Our common Kingfishers are more conspicuous than actually abundant, and two pairs are rarely found to occupy the same hunting-grounds. They may be found scattered throughout the State, and stationed at mill-ponds, lakes, rivers, and trout-streams. Such places are their chosen haunts, and there they search for their prey, while some neighboring sand-bank affords them a place to excavate their long burrows, which they do with both bill and feet. Théy are frequently obliged to wander in search of their food, as I have seen them in warm weather flying across the country at some distance from any large body or stream of water. They fly rapidly, with an in- termittent beating of the wings. When watching for fish, upon which they feed almost exclusively, they perch on a fence or tree which stands immediately next to or overhangs the water. From this post they regard the water closely, some- times flirting their tail or sounding their loud rattle. On see- ing a fish, they plunge, so as to be completely immersed, and seizing it with their sharply pointed beak, carry it to shore, where they quickly swallow it. Sometimes they hunt like hawks, and, flying over the surface of the ponds, hover before plunging. On the approach of man, they usually retreat to 8 Messrs. Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway’s ‘‘ North American Birds.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 807 resume their occupation in a less disturbed quarter. They do not attack large fish, but prefer those which are collectively called ‘‘ small fry.” Audubon states that he has seen them plunge into the sea, but the ocean must ordinarily be too rough for them to detect easily the small objects for which they ' search. They frequently use their nest as a resort, probably making it regularly a retreat for the night. Gosse speaks of these birds as reaching Jamaica ‘‘ about the beginning of Sep- tember.” In speaking of a pair, which he afterwards obtained, he says: ‘Once both birds seized the same fish, nearly at the same moment, and rising with it into the air, each tugged in contrary directions, until the grasp of one gave way. At last my assistant Sam * * * shot them both. The first was only wounded, and falling into the water swam out sea-ward, strik- ing out boldly, the wings, however, partially opened. On being seized he proved very fierce, erecting the long crest, and endeavoring to strike with his pointed beak. He got hold of my thumb, and squeezed so powerfully, that the cutting edge of the upper mandible sliced a piece of flesh clean out. He was tenacious of life, for though I pressed the trachea until motion ceased, he repeatedly revived.” (d). The only note of the Belted Kingfisher is loud and harsh, resembling the sound produced by a watchman’s rattle. §24. Cuculids. Cuckoos. (See § 22, ad jfinem.) I. COCCYGUS (A) americanus. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. (A summer-resident in Mgssachusetts, but rather rare.) (a). About twelve inches long. Lower mandible, almost entirely yellow. Above, drab, or ‘‘ quaker” brown (with bronzy reflections). Wings edged with cinnamon. Outer tail- feathers, wholly black and white. Beneath, white. (b). The nest is hardly worthy of the name, but is generally a frail structure composed of a few twigs, and placed in a bush or low tree, not far from the ground. I have usually found it in dry places, such as dry woods, bushy pastures, and occa- sionally orchards, or even the ‘“‘scrub.” Near Boston, it is 808 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS built about the first of June; “ built,” however, is not a term invariably applicable to this nest, as I have known it to con- sist of a cotton-rag, which was firmly caught in the thorns of a barberry-bush. The eggs, which in many cases are laid at ir- regular intervals, average 1:25 X ‘87 of an inch, and are light greenish-blue, but rarely or never elliptical. Fig. 17. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (4). (c). The Yellow-billed Cuckoos have evidently become very much less common near Boston than they once were, and are now considered rare in many if not all parts of New England. In general habits they are closely allied to the more common Black-billed Cuckoos, whose habits will be fully detailed in the next biography. They differ chiefly in having a rather less rapid flight, a greater fondness for high, dry, and wooded lands, and a somewhat different diet. Their habit of laying eggs at intervals of several days, also observable in the other species, is enough to distinguish them from nearly all our other land-birds. It is not rare to find their nest containing both young and eggs at very different stages of development. I once found a Robin’s nest in the same condition, but such a case was wholly exceptional. The female Cuckoo, when ap- proached while on her nest, usually sits bravely, but finally throws herself upon the ground, and flutters away, uttering piteous and uncouth sounds, which’ can hardly fail to distract the attention of an egg-hunter ; but this device rarely succeeds, since it is resorted to too late. OF NEW ENGLAND. 309 (a). The notes of thé Yellow-billed Cuckoo do not differ distinctly from those of the Black-billed species, though often harsher. (B) ERYTHROPTHALMUS. Blach-billed Ouckoo. (A summer-resident of all the Eastern States, but more common to the southward.) (a). Nearly a foot long. Eye-ring, red. Above, drab or “quaker” brown (with bronzy reflections). Beneath, white, often slightly tinged. Outer tail-feathers white-tipped (and slightly sub-tipped with blackish). (b). The nest differs from that of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo in being most often built in wet lands, and in being less care- lessly constructed ; strips of bark, or leaves, are often added to the usual sticks and twigs. It is ‘placed in a bush, low tree, or briar, not far from the ground, and here is finished in the first week of June. The eggs are darker and greener than those of the other species, and are elliptical. They average about 1:15°X °87 of an inch. - (c). The Black-billed Cuckoos are moderately common sum- mer-residents in southern New England, but to the northward become rare. They reach Massachusetts in the third week of May, and leave it in the earlier part of September. They arrive singly or in pairs, and at once announce their arrival by their peculiar and characteristic notes. They frequent woods and shrubbery, particularly in low grounds or swamps, and visit orchards or cultivated lands. They fly rapidly, and often quite far, moving their wings with regularity. On alighting in a bush or tree (for they seldom alight on the ground), they choose a perch sheltered by the foliage, and often move their tail in an odd, deliberate manner, as if just about to fly off. They are eminently cowards, and rely much upon concealment, but, perhaps on this account, they may often be closely approached by man. They feed partly upon berries, and also, it is said, upon ‘fresh-water shell fish and aquatic larve,” but they are chiefly insectivorous. They undoubtedly confer great benefits upon agriculturists, and are our principal birds to attack and 310 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS devour caterpillars in the nest. On the other hand, they do great mischief in destroying the eggs of other useful birds. Like arrant cowards, as they are, they take opportunities to approach stealthily the nests of many birds, whom they would be afraid to encounter, and then feast on the eggs of the absent parents, after which they hurry away. They are scarcely less destructive in this way than the Black Snakes, though I have never known them to kill young birds. In this connection, it may be remarked that the common red squirrels (often called red ‘‘ferrets” ) greatly check the increase of our birds, though the little “‘chipmonks” are, I believe, quite harmless in this respect. These latter, often called Striped or Ground Squir- rels, are much less adroit climbers than the former, and are comparatively seldom seen in trees. Recently, however, I observed one who was feeding at noon on a large stone, which he had established as his dining-table, and who, after his meal, climbed up a stump luxuriantly covered with the poisonous “ivy,” evidently to enjoy a siesta. There, curled up on one of the branches, at some height from the ground, he rested for some while, occasionally allowing himself ‘‘ forty winks,” but usually keeping his eyes open to aid in the detection of danger. He was undoubtedly disturbed by his children at home; but he must provide for them; so he reluctantly descended, and, filling his pouches to an almost incredible extent, disappeared down his hole in the lawn. The red “ferrets” are said to throw young birds wantonly from the nest. This I have never: observed, but I have frequently seen them apparently hunting for nests and actually robbing them of eggs. They climb clev- erly, leap without hesitation from bough to bough, or tree to tree, and scamper over the ground with rapidity, even doing so while carrying one of their young between their teeth. (d). The notes of the Cuckoo are all unmusical, and more or less uncouth and guttural. They are much varied, being sometimes cow-cow-cow-cow-cow, cow-cow, sometimes cuckod- cuckoé-cuckoé, sometimes cuckucow', cuckucow’, and at other times low. Many of them are very liquid, but I have heard one cry which has an affinity to that of certain woodpeckers. The Cuckoos may sometimes be heard at night. OF NEW ENGLAND. 311 §25. The Picida (or woodpeckers) form a remarkably distinct group, characterized by having two toes in front, and two (or only one) behind; ten primaries, of which the first is spurious, and a stiff tail of twelve feathers, of which the outer- most are also spurious. ; In Colaptes (standing at one end of the group, and next to the Cuckoos), the bill.is three or four times as long as high, rather slender, pointed, and with the commissure, as well as the upper outline, convex; the nostrils are exposed. In Picus (a genus near the other end, containing typical woodpeckers), the bill is stouter, the outlines nearly straight, the end blunted or truncate, and the nostrils concealed. In other genera, the bills are more or less intermediate. In this family, as in some others, it has not been thought advisable to present certain di- visions in classification, which have been recently established in scientific works. (See figs. 18 and 19, and pl. 1, fig. 25.) In Colaptes, the birds are largely terrestrial, feed much upon ants, and frequently perch on branches crosswise. In Sphyrapicus, the birds possess a peculiar tongue, and do mischief by stripping off bark, and feeding on the lining. In Picoides, the birds are three-toed, and boreal. In Hylotomus, the birds are crested and wholly (?) non- migratory. The woodpeckers are all more or less brightly colored, at least the males, and the sexes are differently col- ored. They are principally noted for hopping about the trunks and larger limbs of trees, supported by their tails, and rapidly hammering with their bills to extract the grubs, etc., upon which they feed, as well as on berries, or even sometimes grain. They are often social, but never strictly gregarious, so far as I have observed, partly, perhaps, because permanent residents in their summer-homes or only partially migratory. They fre- quent forests, woods, and orchards, where they build their nests by excavating a very neat hole in sound or decayed wood. In this, which contains no lining, from four to six very smooth white eggs are laid. The notes of the woodpeckers are un- musical, being variously screams, or rather shrill notes, pitched on a high key. 312 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS I. COLAPTES (A) auratus. Golden-winged Woodpecker. Pigeon Wood- pecker, ‘ Flicker.” % High-hole.” ‘ Yellow-shafled Wood- pecker.” “ Yellow-hammer.” (Also eight other names.) (In Massachusetts, a common summer-resident, but much less abundant in winter.) (a). About 123 inches long. Above, umber brown, black- barred ; tail and primaries, chiefly black ; rump, white. Crown and nape, dark gray, with a scarlet cres- cent behind. Throat, and upper breast, cinnamon or “‘lilac-brown ;” the latter with a black crescent, and & with a black maxillary patch. Under parts, oth- erwise white, variously tinged, and black-spotted. Wings and tail, (chiefly) bright yellow beneath. (b). The nests of our various woodpeckers differ but little except in size Fig. 18. Golden-winged Woodpecker (}). OF Situation. They always consist of a hole, gener- ally excavated by the birds themselves in a tree, or rarely a post, which may be either sound or rotten. They are usually made more than six feet from the ground, and more often in a trunk than in a limb. They vary in length from six to even forty inches, and are enlarged near the bottom, though rarely or never lingd. They are not always straight, but the entrance is almost invariably round, unless arched, as is often the case with those of the present species. No nests require more pa- tience in construction than these; yet they are, in their way, master-pieces, being smooth, symmetrical, and, as it were, highly finished. OF NEW ENGLAND. 313 The nest of the “ Flicker” may be found in maples, oaks, apple-trees, and occasionally pines or birches, but more often in some collection of trees than in an exposed place. In Mas- sachusetts, it is finished about the middle of May, or earlier. The eggs, like those of all woodpeckers, have a smooth, white, unspotted® shell, and are often elliptical. They average about 1:15 X :90 of an inch. (c). As is indicated: by the great number of nick-names be- stowed upon them, the Golden-winged Woodpeckers are com- mon and well-known throughout a large tract of country. In fact, they may be found in summer from the Gulf of Mexico to Hudson’s Bay, and in many places, inclusive of Massachu- setts, they may be found throughout the year. Near Boston, however, they are rather rare in winter. They usually become common between the middle of March and the first of April, and continue so until the approach of winter. Though social, and in autumn somewhat gregarious, they usually arrive in pairs, who return every year to their former haunts, but who gen- erally build a fresh nest. This latter work they begin in April. Having chosen a suitable tree, by the roadside, in the orchard, or the woods, they proceed to excavate, the male and female laboring alternately. Observe one at work. Clinging to the trunk with his feet, but supporting himself by his rigid tail, he draws back his muscular head, delivers a vigorous stroke, and cuts a chip from the wood, which is generally dropped on the ground just outside. The hole (about three inches wide) is gradually deepened at the rate of between one-half and a whole inch each day, so that he can cling to the lower edge of the entrance while working. Finally he is lost to sight, and his operations can no longer be watched, for usually, if closely ap- proached, he ceases his labors and flies away. Indeed, he is so suspicious as sometimes to be startled by the sound of dis- tant foot-steps, and even to desert an unfinished nest if discov- ered. Moreover, he is fastidious, and often, displeased with ®*There are frequently apparent markings, which can easily, however, be washed off. ] 314 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the result of his first efforts, he begins again in another place or a different tree. It is nearly or quite as common to find the uncompleted excavations of this species and the Downy Wood- pecker, as to find their finished nests. I have seen a tree with eight of the latter and three of the former. Immediately or soon after the middle of May (near Boston), six eggs are gen- erally laid, sometimes at irregular intervals. A dozen eggs or more, however, have been found in the same nest, but these had probably been laid by two or more females. The female sometimes continues to lay, if robbed of her eggs, or, after deepening the hole, lays another set. Even this is often taken by boys, to whom few birds are more familiar than these. The young at an early age scramble out to the fresh air, and about their native tree, until old enough to fly. The Pigeon Woodpeckers, as they are often called, frequent woods, orchards, pastures, fields, roadsides, and nearly all our kinds of trees, except the evergreens, for which they show no fondness. They may often be seen upon the ground, actively engaged in the destruction of ants (which chiefly constitute their diet), or hopping over our lawns in search of other in- sects. Sometimes, fluttering before a vine, they seize its ber- ries ; sometimes: they visit gardens not only for grubs but for grain, and sometimes, like true woodpeckers, they hop about trees in the search of insects, or of their larvee and eggs. They usually perch crosswise, which our other woodpeckers rarely do. They fly with ease, and often rapidity, moving through the air at a moderate height in gentle undulations, with an intermit- tent beating of the wings. They are naturally shy, and, ‘though found in man’s society, rather avoid his near approach. They are also affectionate, merry, and even noisy. Buffon supposed them to lead a dull, toilsome, and wearisome life,— an idea which both Wilson and Audubon have indignantly refuted. (d). The three principal notes of the Pigeon Woodpeckers are: (1) A loud scream, wholly without the savageness ob- servable in those of many birds of prey, but, on the contrary, rather jovial, (2) the rapid repetition of another unmusical OF NEW ENGLAND. 315 though merry sound, and finally a lower note, chiefly of affec- tion, to which many of their names owe their origin, such as that of “flicker.” This last cry is a series of dissyllabic notes, and sounds like wick’-a-wick'-a-wick’-a-wick'-a-wick'-a-wick'-a. This is rarely heard unless two birds are together. The Golden-winged Woodpeckers are undoubtedly less bene- ficial than many others of their tribe, but they never do enough injury to warrant their death at the hands of farmers. They -are, however, but little molested, I believe, except by young ‘sportsmen. Il. MELANERPES ‘ (A) ERYTHROCEPHALUS.!0 Red-headed Woodpecker. (Scarcely now to be ranked as a bird of Massachusetts.) (a). About 93 inches long. Head, crimson. Interscapu- lars, wings, and tail, blue-black, highly glossed on the back and shoulders. Other parts (and the secondaries), white. (0). The eggs average about 1:10 x °85 of an inch. See I, A, 6. (c). The Red-headed Woodpeckers were once common about Boston, but I have seen but one within the last five years. I know no part of New England where they are not rare, and I shall therefore quote a large part of Wilson’s biography of this species. ‘There is perhaps no bird in North America more universally known than this. His tri-colored plumage, pa SSI te red, white, and black glossed with steel blue, is so striking, and characteristic; and his predatory habits in the orchards and corn fields, added to his numbers and fondness for hover- ing along the fences, so very notorious, that almost every child is acquainted with the Red-headed Woodpecker. In the imme- diate neighbourhood of our large cities, where the old timber is chiefly cut down, he is not so frequently found; and yet at this present time, June, 1808, I know of several of their nests within the boundaries of the city of Philadelphia. Two of 10 The Red-bellied Woodpecker (Centurus Carolinensis, with the crown and nape bright red, or in the female partly so) may rarely occur in New England. 316 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS these are in Button-wood trees (Platanus occidentalis), and another in the decayed limb of a large elm. The old ones I observe make their excursions regularly to the woods beyond the Schuylkill, about a mile distant; preserving great silence and circumspection in visiting their nests; precautions not much attended to by them in the depth of the woods, because there the prying eye of man is less to be dreaded. Towards the mountains, particularly in the vicinity of creeks and rivers, these birds are extremely abundant, especially in the latter end of summer. Wherever you travel in the interior at that season, you hear them screaming from the adjoining woods, rattling on the dead limbs of trees, or on the fences, where they are perpetually seen flitting from stake to stake on the road side, before you. Wherever there is a tree, or trees, of the wild cherry, covered with ripe fruit, there you see them busy among the branches; and in passing orchards, you may . easily know where to find the earliest, sweetest apples, by ob- serving those trees, on or near which the Red-headed Wood- pecker is skulking ; for he is so excellent a connoisseur in fruit, that wherever an apple or pear is found broached by him, it is sure to be among the ripest and best flavored. When alarmed, he seizes a capital one by striking his open bill deep into it, and bears it off to the woods. When the Indian corn is in its rich, succulent, milky state, he attacks it with great eagerness, opening a passage thro the numerous folds of the husk, and feeding on it with voracity. The girdled, or deadened timber, so common among corn fields in the back settlements, are his favorite retreats, whence he sallies out to make his depreda- tions. He is fond of the ripe berries of the sour gum; and pays pretty regular visits to the cherry-trees, when loaded with fruit. Towards Fall he often approaches the barn or farm house, and raps on the shingles and weather boards. He is of a gay and frolicsome disposition ; and half a dozen of the fra- ternity are frequently seen diving and vociferating around the high dead limbs of some large tree, pursuing and playing with each other, and amusing the passenger with their gambols. Their note or cry is shrill and lively, and so much resembles PEPEEEDTAL ETH OF NEW ENGLAND. 317° that of a species of tree-frog which frequents the same tree, that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the one from the other.” Wilson eloquently defends this bird, proving his beneficial nature. He adds: ‘The Red-headed Woodpecker is, properly speaking, a bird-of passage; tho even in the eastern states individuals are found during moderate winters, as well as in the states of New York and Pennsylvania; in Carolina they are somewhat more numerous during that season; but not one tenth of what are found in summer. They make their appear- ance in Pennsylvania about the first of May; and leave us about the middle of October.” III. SPHYRAPICUS (A) varius. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker.1! (In Massachusetts, chiefly a migrant.) (a). About 83 inches long. Wings and tail, black and white. Above, brownish or yellowish, marked with black. Be- neath, yellowish ; sides black-streaked. Crown-patch, scarlet ; throat-patch, scarlet, or in 9 whitish. Border of both patches, and eye-stripe, black. Head otherwise white or yellowish. (b). The nest is to be found in woods or sometimes or- chards. The eggs of each set are four or five, and average about °95 & -80 of aninch. See I, A, b. (c). The Yellow-bellied Woodpeckers probably occur in Eastern Massachusetts as migrants only, though summer-resi- dents to the westward (“beyond Springfield”), and to the northward, as in Canada, or the northernmost parts of New England, where they are quite common. Near Boston, I have seen them about the middle of April, and again in October, but I have always found them rare. They are somewhat shy, and usually silent. They travel singly or in pairs, and fre- quent woods rather than orchards. I have seen a pair, how- ever, on a pine-tree, so near a house, that they were fired at with a parlor-rifle from the windows. As each bullet struck 114A Mexican species, Ceniurus aurifrons, bears the same name. 318 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the tree, near the spot where the male was at work, if he moved, it was only to return immediately. He escaped appar- ently uninjured and continued for some time to dig out a hole in the trunk, for what purpose I am uncertain, as this was on the 4th of October, and on the following day he disappeared. If any of our woodpeckers are injurious, this species (including the next variety) is the only one. The Yellow-bellied Wood- peckers are well known to strip off the bark of various trees, not to obtain insects so often as to feed upon the inner bark. Sometimes, like the Downy Woodpeckers, they bore deep holes, especially in orchard-trees, whence they have been called “ sap- : suckers.” They feed upon berries, and quite often, in common with other members of their family, catch insects in the man- ner of flycatchers, by darting at them from a perch. Their tongue is peculiarly constructed, and they cannot obtain an abundance of food in the characteristic manner of their tribe. They do not, however, so far as I know, ever seek it on the ground, though they sometimes visit fallen logs. They fly in undulations and rarely very far. Among the White Moun- tains, they may be seen not only in the woods, where removed from civilization, but also not unfrequently along the road- sides. (d). Their ordinary note is an indescribable whine, like a puppy’s moan, though Mr. Maynard thought that their alarm-note closely resembled that of the Blue J ay. But many of our woodpeckers delight in a music peculiarly their own, yet not unlike the drumming of the Ruffed Grouse. In spring, alighting on some tree, particularly one which is somewhat hollow and resonant, they rap loudly. The male and female often do this in response to one another, and it is, almost un- doubtedly, a love-note. It is the only music which our wood- peckers can produce, and it is for them by far the easiest way of expressing their affection. ‘Shyrapicus varius var. nuchalis, so-called, the Red-naped or Red-throated Woodpecker, is probably an abnormal form, or a distinct species, or else its occurrence in New England must ~ be quite accidental. The last is probably. the case, as it is OF NEW ENGLAND. 819 said that only two specimens have been taken in this part of the country, and nuchalis may be treated as a western race. It differs from true varius in having a red patch on the hind-head or nape, and more or less red on the throat of the female. Yet, in Messrs. Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway’s ‘‘ North American Birds,” it is stated that of true varius a female from Washing- ton, D. C., has red on the throat, and a male from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, has it on the nape. The habits and notes of the Red-naped Woodpeckers are described as similar to those of the Yellow-bellied kind, and the biographical details of one (ex- cept as regards migrations and distribution) are applicable to the other. IV. PICOIDES ‘ (A) arcricus. (Northern or) Black-backed Three-toed Wood- pecker. (A resident of northern New England, but of accidental oc- currence in Massachusetts, in fall or winter.) (a). About nine inches long. Wings and tail, black and white. Upper parts (and a maxillary line), glossy black. Be- neath, white, banded on the sides with black. ¢, with a yel- low crown-patch. (b). The nest may be found in forests, chiefly in evergreens. The eggs seem to average about 90 X °75 of an inch ; but two in my collection measure 1:05 x 85. See I, A, b. (c). The subjects of this biography have been given a name, which is no less resounding than their rapping in the forests, namely: Northern Black-backed Orange-crowned Three-toed Woodpeckers.!2 These birds are extremely rare or accidental in Massachusetts, and in no part of New England are common summer-residents, unless far to the northward, where they are resident throughout the year, though more common in winter. I have found the nest among the White Mountains, but I have not often seen the birds. They inhabit the extensive and thickly timbered forests, frequenting the evergreens rather . 12 This full title has actually appeared in print, ° “ 320 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS more than other species (unless the next). They lead an active life, and, like others of their tribe, are restless. They partly examine the trunk perhaps of a fine hemlock more than a hundred feet high, and then, as if dissatisfied, fly down to hop about a fallen log. They may occasionally vary this life by fly-catching, and in autumn undoubtedly feed on berries, in spite of the inexhaustible insect-wealth of the forests in which they live. They fly in undulations, but rather rapidly, often screaming as they do so. (d). Their loud, shrill notes cannot easily be described. Audubon considered them ‘like those of some small quadru- ped suffering great pain ;” but I have never heard the “ shrill, harsh, rattling cry ” which Dr. Cooper ascribes to this species. Authors must, however, necessarily differ in their descriptions of what it is nearly impossible to describe satisfactorily. (B) amerrtcanus. Banded Three-toed Woodpecker. (Much rarer in New England than the last species.) (a). Essentially like the Black-backed’ Woodpecker (A), but with the back banded by white. (0). “The nest and eggs do not differ from those of P. Are- ticus.” (c). The Banded Three-toed Woodpeckers have an Arctic (or circumpolar) distribution, and in New England are rarer than even the Black-backed Woodpeckers. They have not been captured in Massachusetts, except in a few isolated in- stances, of which I find only one recorded. They probably breed in northern New England to a limited extent, since “Mr. Brewster took two adult males at Gorham, July 30th, 1870, and one at Umbagog the first week in June, 1871.” Mr. Maynard says: “I took a single specimen at Errol, October 31st, 1869. This species has a harsh, discordant. note.” Au- dubon never saw these woodpeckers, and drew his figures from specimens lent him by the Council of the Zoological Society of London. I have scarcely been more fortunate, having seen but one. This was on the roadside, not far from the Glen House in the White Mountains, and in August. During the OF NEW ENGLAND. 321 momentary glimpse which I then had, I observed nothing peculiar in his habits. I have never found their nest or seen their eggs. V. PICUS (A) vittosus. Hairy Woodpecker. 5 (Not common in Massachusetts, but abundant in the forests of northern New England, where it breeds.) (a). About 9} inches long. ¢, with a scarlet patch on the hind- head. Under parts,central back,and outer tail-feathers, white. (Feath- ers about the nostrils, yellowish.) Otherwise black and white. [Nore. There are Western va- rieties of this and the next species, with a soiling of gray on the breast, and without white spots on the wing-coverts. | (b). The eggs of each set are four or five, and measure ‘85 X& ‘65 of an inch, or more. The nest is built in woods, or sometimes or- chards, and in Massachusetts is finished about the tenth of May. (See I, A, 6.) (c). The Hairy Woodpeckers are resident throughout the eastern United States, and in summer, if not also in winter, may be found from the Gulf of Mexico so far to the riorthward as forests extend. Yet they rarely breed in Eastern Massachu- setts, and are not even common in winter. The constant de- crease of woodland in this part of the State has caused them in a great measure to desert it, but in the forests of Maine and New Hampshire they are abundant throughout the year, Near Boston, they frequent orchards as much as the woods. Excepting in being much less familiar toward man, and more fond of solitude, they scarcely differ in habits from the com- 22 : Fig. 19. Hairy Woodpecker (3). 822 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS mon little spotted or Downy Woodpecker. Audubon has repre- sented these birds in no less than six assumed species, so great is the variation in size, and in the colors of the young. He even undertook to point out differences in manner and voice, between those of New Hampshire and those of Maine. Here . his imagination almost undoubtedly led him astray, so easy is it for man to deceive himself by seeing, as he thinks, what he is determined to see. (d). The Hairy Woodpeckers have both a loud, shrill ery, not unlike that of the “Flicker,” and a sharp chuck, which re- sembles the characteristic note of the next species. Both of these notes, however, are somewhat peculiar, and need not often be confused with those of other species. (B) pusrscens. Downy Woodpecker. (A common summer-resident throughout New England, but less abundant in winter.) (a). About 63 inches.long. Outer tail-feathers barred with black. Otherwise like P. villosus (A). (v). The nest is built in various trees, among which the apple-trees, birches, and poplars, are frequently selected. It has occasionally been found in a post. The entrance is two jnches or less in diameter, whereas that of the “ Flicker’s” nest is.usually from two to five inches high. The eggs, of which four or five are usually laid near Boston in the fourth week of May, measure ‘80 X ‘60 of an inch, or less. : (c). The Downy Woodpeckers, like their near relations the ‘Hairy Woodpeckers, are resident throughout the wooded por- tions of eastern North America, in many places being common -and well-known, as is the case in Massachusetts, where, how- -ever, they are less numerous in winter. In autumn they may -be seem followed by titmice, creepers, nuthatches, and “wrens,” whose society they seem to enjoy, though not themselves gre- garious. They are not only sociable, but are very familiar towards man, showing no alarm at his approach, and preferring orchards, roadsides, and woods about houses or barns, to the forests, for which many of their relations have a marked fond- OF NEW ENGLAND. 323 ness. Except on these points, they are fair types of their whole family. They are only partially migratory, and are often resident in one locality throughout the year. They are usually mated for life, and on this account are frequently seen in pairs instead of singly. They are active or even restless. They sometimes eat berries, or catch insects on the wing, but I have never seen them on the ground. They generally pass the day in moving from tree to tree, from which they obtain insects, their larvee and eggs, in the bark or beneath it. They fly in undulations, rarely far or high, and alight with both feet, on the trunk or larger limbs. They hop about with great ease, but generally move with the head pointing upward. Sometimes they merely pick up their food from the crannies of the bark, but at other times they extract wood-borers and other insects from the wood. For this, purpose they dig out small circular holes of about the size made by a large awl, and with these often en- circle even a large tree. In forming these holes, which are healthful to the trees and not injurious, they draw back their muscular head, and deliver their blows so rapidly as to produce a tremulous sound or rattling, which I find it impossible to imitate even by drumming with all my fingers on a board. They seize their prey by thrusting out their long tongue, which is coated with a sticky fluid. They work at their nest for about a month, chiefly in the early morning and in the afternoon. The male and female incubate alternately, and exhibit much alarm, if intruded upon after their young are hatched. They often fly above the heads of the men or dogs who may intrude, con- stantly uttering their loud note of alarm, and more often perching crosswise than at other times. They occupy their old nests or other cavities as retreats for the night or from very severe weather. They are very hardy, but not unfre- quently in winter, during a blinding snow-storm or a pelting rain, they may be started from some decayed tree, on shaking it, or rapping it with one’s cane. Should they pass the winter to the southward and return in the spring, they immediately resort to their former lodgings, unless some rude blast has 324 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS destroyed these, in which case I have known them hurriedlyAo make an excavation in a neighboring stump. (d). Their ordinary note is a chink or chick, which they most often utter on alighting on some tree or fence. Occasionally they repeat this rapidly (as chick-a-chick-chick-chick-chick). These notes, unless uttered in anger, seem indicative of the little woodpecker’s contented disposition and constant happi- ness. ~ VI. HYLOTOMUS (A) Pitzatus. Pileated Woodpecker. Black ‘‘ Log-cock.” “ Wood-cock.” (In New England, almost entirely confined to the “timbered” districts of the North.) (a). About cighteen inches long. Nearly black; a slight superciliary line, a broad stripe from the bill to the sides, wing- patch, etc., white. Crest, scarlet; in 9, black infront. , with a scarlet cheek-patch. (b). ‘*The eggs, which are six in number, average 1:25 X 1:00 of an inch, or more.” See I, A, b. (c). The Pileated Woodpeckers are in New England the largest, most spirited, and wildest of their tribe, bot to the southward they yield to the larger ‘ Ivory-bill,” and in Central Amcrica to the magnificent Campephilus imperialis. ‘They live exclusively in heavily timbered country, where they frequent the forests undisturbed by man, and the backwoods. There, solitarily or in pairs, they remain throughout the year, unless tempted by grain to wander to the fields. They are said to withstand alike the cold of Labrador and the heat of Florida, but in southern New England they are no longer found, though not rare in some parts of the White Mountains, and in like lati- tudes. They are rather shy, but they may sometimes be seen dexterously stripping off in large sheets the bark of decayed trees and logs, in order to lay bare the remains beneath. “If wounded on a tree, they cling desperately ; if shot while flying, they defend themselves with courage, often inflicting severe wounds with their powerful bills.” They fly in undulations, OF NEW ENGLAND. 325 but rather laboriously, owing perhaps to their great size. They are probably the only members of their family in New Eng- land, whom the hawks never attack. One of our common woodpeckers may sometimes be seen adroitly dodging around some limb, while a disappointed hawk vainly endeavors to seize him. But should there be a pair of his enemies, he does not always escape, unless he can take refuge in a hole. (d). The Log-cocks, besides the loud rolling sound of their hammering (audible for even a mile), often produce a loud cackling, not wholly unlike that of a hen. Hence, a country- man, asked by a sportsman if there were woodcock in a cer- tain place, answered that he often heard ‘“ them hollering in the woods!” 326 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS CHAPTER III. FOURTH ORDER. Raptorss. Tue birds of prey constitute this well-defined order. Their bill, like that of the parrots, is stout (about as deep as long), and strongly hooked ; it is likewise furnished with a true cere, often concealed by feathers, which contains the nostrils. The toes, however, are not arranged in pairs, but on the general plan of three in front and one behind; the feet are highly muscular, and furnished with sharp, fully developed claws, called “talons.” These are the principal external features. The birds of prey are noted for the strength, rapidity, grace, or ease, of their flight, and in many cases, for their extraordi- nary power of sailing. With the exception of the vultures, they are famous for their spirit, variously displayed in energy, boldness, or courage, and for their carnivorous taste. For the most part, they feed upon smaller birds, quadrupeds, snakes, fish, or even insects, which they capture for themselves. They are hardy,.being furnished with thick feathering, and an en- casement of fat, which enables them to withstand the cold, and to live without food much longer than human beings can. They are to a large extent non-migratory, and those that mi- grate probably do so in a great measure to follow the migra- tions of their prey rather than to avoid the winter-weather in their summer-homes. They have been known to travel in large flocks, and the Fish Hawks are said to build their nests often in communities, but as a rule they are eminently unsocial, though faithful to their chosen haunts. The vultures are gre- garious, cowardly, voracious, but rather slothful, and feed chiefly on carrion, which they frequently disgorge, when dis- turbed ; whereas both the hawks, and the owls especially, eject in pellets only what is indigestible. Their only notes are said to be hisses or grunts. The hawks, on the other hand, possess various screams or whining whistles, while the owls are famous OF NEW ENGLAND. 327 for their ludicrous or dolefyl cries,.and for their hooting, so ill-boding to the superstitious. § 26. There are many things which cannot be defined except in their typical states, and, in the classification of birds, the typical species often characterize a group by certain features, which evidently allied species may possess only in part. Thus the owls may be defined as ‘nocturnal birds of prey,” though some kinds hunt in daylight like the hawks. All our Strigide, however, possess the following structural features (besides those which characterize all Raptores): head large, and capable of being turned in every direction without any movement of the body; eyes looking more or less dircctly forward ; ear-feathers often forming noticeable tufts or “horns ;” nostrils concealed ; tarsi feathered; general plumage very soft and thick. The colors are sober and much variegated, but alike in both sexes. The female is generally larger than the male. The owls fly silently. Richard Hill, Esq., in Gosse’s “ Birds of Jamaica,” says: ‘They search for their prey, as if they were pursuing it with the vigilance of the hound. They skim along the surface of the earth, glide among trees, explore ave- nues, sweep round, rise and fall, wheel short, and dart down, but never sail in circles. Their wide staring eyes are placed in what may be called their face, being right forward in front, and have scarcely any field of vision laterally. They there- fore hunt with a forward and downward gaze, like dogs over a field. The globe of the eye of these nocturnal raptores, being immovably fixed in the socket by a strong elastic cartilaginous case, in the form of a truncated cone, they have to turn their heads to view objects out of the path of flight, and their neck is so adapted for this exertion, that they can with ease turn round the head in almost a complete circle, withont moving the body.” Some owls lay their eggs on the ground or in the hollows of trees, but most kinds build a rude nest of sticks, or select an old nest of a like nature. Their eggs are 3-6, subspherical, white or whitish, and usually without a very smooth shell. Their peculiar notes, or hootings, are elsewhere noticed. 828 LAND-BIRDS AND -GAME-BIRDS I. STRIX (A) FLAmMEA (var. PRATINCOLA). (American) Barn Oul. (This bird has not recently occurred in Massachusetts more than once or twice.) (a). ‘* Tawny, or fulvous-brown, delicately clouded or mar- bled with ashy and white, and speckled with brownish-black ; below, a varying shade from nearly pure white to fulvous, with sparse sharp blackish speckling ; face, white to purplish-brown, darker or black about the eyes, the disk bordered with dark brown; wings and tail barred with brown, and finely mottled like the back; bill whitish; toes yellowish. * * * * 9 17 long; wing 18; tail 53; g rather less. U. S., Atlantic to Pacific, southerly ; rare in the interior, rarely N. to New Eng- land.” (Coues.) (b). ‘*It is not uncommon in the vicinity of Washington, and after the partial destruction of the Smithsonian Building by fire, for one or two years a pair nested on the top of the tower.” ‘Its nests have been found in hollow trees near marshy meadows” (Brewer), and, in certain parts of the country, the Barn Owls make burrows. The eggs average 1:70 X 1:30 of an inch, and are bluish or dirty (yellowish) white. (c). The Barn Owls of America are much less well known than those of Europe, and no longer occur in New England, if, indeed, they ever have existed there except as stragglers. Mr. Allen, in his ‘* Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Massa- chusetts,” records the capture of one in this State, near Spring- field, in May, and that of two others in Connecticut. The Barn’ Owls are common in many places to the southward and westward. Says Dr. Brewer: ‘The propensity of the Cali- fornia bird to drink the sacred oil of the consecrated lamps about the altars of the Missions was frequently referred to by the priests, whenever any allusion was made to this Owl.” Audubon says that ‘this species is altogether nocturnal or crepuscular, and when disturbed during the day, flies in an ir- regular bewildered manner, as if at loss how to look for a OF NEW ENGLAND. + 329 place for refuge. After long observation, I am satisfied that our bird feeds entirely on the smaller species of quadrupeds, for I have never found any portions of birds about their nests, nor even the remains of a single feather in the pellets which they regurgitate, and which are always formed of the bones and hair of quadrupeds.” : (ad). I can find no description of any note belonging to this species. II. OTUS (A) vuxearis (var. witsontanus). Long-eared Oul. (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the year.) (a). About fifteen inches long. Ear-tufts conspicuous. General colors, fulvous and dark brown or blackish. Above, finely variegated, and mixed with whitish. Breast, ete., streaked, and also barred below. Tail (like the primaries, etc.) mottled-and barred. Eyes partly encircled by black. (v). The nest is most often that of a crow or hawk, slightly repaired. Sometimes, however, it is a fresh one, built by the birds themselves in some dark wood of evergreen, from ten to fifty feet above the ground (“on wlfich,” by the way, ‘ the eggs are occasionally laid’’). The eggs are pure white, as are those of most owls, and average about 1°60 X 1°35 of an inch. In Massachusetts, one set, varying in number from three to six, is laid about the middle of April: (c). The Long-eared Owls are perhaps the most numerous of American owls, and are common near Boston, where they remain throughout the year. In spite of their comparative abundance, they are rarely seen, since they frequent the woods by day, and only fly abroad at night, unless, as often happens, they are driven out and rabbled by the Crows. They are easily approached in a strong light, as their vision is dependent upon darkness, but they usually roost in thick swamps, or dark and unfrequented woods of evergreen. At dusk they become active, and silently hunt for their prey, sometimes flying gver fields and meadows, and sometimes perching to watch for it, with their keen eyes. Their hearing being no less acute than 330 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS their sight, the slightest movement of any unfortunate mouse near them attracts their attention, and, sailing down from their . post, they pounce upon their victim. They feed upon small birds and quadrupeds, or even large insects. They are unso- cial, and generally lead a solitary life, though Wilson speaks of seven being found in one tree. (da). I have never heard them utter any notes, and they are probably silent except during the season of love. Audubon, however, says: ‘When encamped in the woods, I have fre- quently heard the notes of this bird at night. Its ery is pro- longed and plaintive, though consisting of not more than two or three notes repeated at intervals.” (B) sracayotus. Short-eared Owl. Marsh Owl. (A resident of Massachusetts, most abundant near the sea.) (a). About fifteen inches long. Ear-tufts inconspicuous. General colors, dark brown, and fulvous whitening beneath (on the belly, wings, etc.). Chiefly streaked, but. on the tail, primaries, etc., barred (and slightly mottled). Eyes completely encircled by black. (0). The nest is a rather slovenly structure, built on the ground, most often in rather wet places. The eggs of each set are usually four, averaging about 1°50 1°30 of an inch. They are white, and somewhat spherical. Several, taken from two nests not far from Boston, had apparently been laid about the middle of April. (¢). The Short-eared Owls are much less common than some ' other species, though resident in Massachusetts throughout the year. They are generally considered more abundant near the seashore than elsewhere, and even resort to marshes. They usually rest during the day on the ground or near it, and, when flushed, fly as if dazed, and soon alight. I have seen them abroad, however, on cloudy days. They sometimes occur in woods, particularly such as are swampy, but, in hunting, they more often fly over meadows or field8, moving their wings silently, and often sailing directly forward for'a consid- erable distance. They also perch to watch for their prey, which ‘ ‘ OF NEW ENGLAND. 331 seems to consist chiefly of mice and insects. Occasionally, when startled on the ground, they move off in leaps, more quickly than one might suppose them to be capable of doing, but they commonly take to wing. Audubon speaks of them as common in the Floridas during the winter, and says: ‘ In- deed I was surprised to see the great number of these birds which at that period were to be found in the open prairies of that country, rising from the tall grass in a hurried manner, and zig-zagging for a few yards, as if suddenly wakened from sound sleep, then sailing to some distance in a direct course, and dropping among the thickest herbage.” He adds: ‘I never started two birds at once, but always found them singly at distances of from twenty to a hundred yards; * * * .” The Short-eared Owls are partially migratory. (d). Their notes, if they have any, I have neither heard, nor seen described. Ill. SYRNIUM (A) cinerzum. Great Gray Owl. Cinereous Oul. (Very rare so far to the southward as Massachusetts, where it occurs in winter only.) (ad). Extreme length, thirty inches. General colors, cinere- ous or ashy-brown, and a paler shade. ‘+ Waved” above; streaked on the breast; barred on the belly, tail, primaries, ete. (b). One egg in Dr. Brewer’s cabinet measures 2°25 X 1°78 of an inch. (c). The Great Gray Owls exceed in size all other American species, and stand no less than two feet high. They seem, however, to be much less spirited than many others of their tribe. Mr. Dall considers them very stupid, and states that they may in day-time be caught by the hand. They are Arctic birds, and do not occur in New England except as very rare winter-visitors. I observed one in some pine-woods near Mil- ton, in the early part of 1875, towards the end of an excep- tionally severe winter. He was roosting in a partially dead tree, at about thirty feet from the ground. He instantly per- ceived my approach, and watched me dreamily. He refused 332 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS to leave his perch until the tree was rapped violently, upon which he started with a few silent flaps and then sailed away. Owing to his great size, and his wings spread to their full ex- tent, he presented a formidable appearance. He did not seem to experience difficulty in finding his way among the trees. The Great Gray Owls, according to Mr. Dall’s observations, “feed principally upon small birds, and he took no less than thirteen crania and other remains of Zgiothus linaria [or Lesser Red-poll] from the crop of a single bird.” (d). Their notes have been described as tremulous, and not unlike those of the Screech Owl. (B) nesutosum. Barred Owl. ‘Hoot Owl.” (A resident in Massachusetts throughout the year.) (a). About eighteen inches long. General colors, brown (cinereous above), and white (or tawny). Chiefly barred, but on the belly streaked. Eyes, small, very dark, and bordered on the inner edge with black. : (b). Evidence indicates that the Barred Owls usually build their own nests, choosing for a site some crotch next to the trunk of a pine or oak. The nests are finished in the latter part of April, and three or four eggs are then laid. These latter are white, and generally measure about 2:00 X 1-70 of an inch. (c). The Barred Owls are apparently common residents in all the Atlantic States, but near Boston they have probably decreased in numbers proportionally to the decrease of wood- land. They may, however, not unfrequently be seen during the day, reposing in some thick wood of pines or hemlocks. On cuch an occasion, they watch your motions as you approach, and should you walk from one side of the tree to the other, they follow you with their eyes, turning their head as if they must infallibly twist it off, but not moving the body. No crea- ture through solemnity and soberness could be better fitted for the office of judge, and I am sure that every culprit would quail before such a stern, unvaried, and unceasing gaze. The effect of their behavior in a dark wood, is not unlike that OF NEW ENGLAND. 333 of entering a darkened chamber, and observing the eyes of a grim ancestral portrait, as they everywhere follow one, as if to shame one out of some degeneracy. It is often diffi- cult to start these owls, but sometimes, if your back is turned, they take the opportunity to glide away silently, and I have observed that on such occasions they do not seer to be much embarrassed by the light. They hunt at night, and are said to feed upon small birds, mice, snakes, frogs, and also larger game. I am inclined to believe that the males and females live apart except in the early spring-season, when their hoot- ings are heard,.even during the day. (d). Their hootings are guttural, and rather startling, though ludicrous. Audubon thought that they might be com- pared to an affected burst of laughter. It has been asserted that the voice of the male is much weaker than that of his mate, as well as much less often heard. IV. NYCTALE (A) TENGMALMT (var. RIcHARDSONI). American (Sparrow) Owl. Richardson’s Owl. (In Massachusetts, extremely rare.) (a). About 10} inches long. Except in size, essentially like NW. Acadica (B). (>). Dr. Brewer describes one egg as measuring 1:28 1-06 of an inch. (c). The American Sparrow Owl is another species, whose occurrence in Massachusetts, even as a winter-visitor, is quite accidental, and about whose habits not much is apparently known by modern ornithologists. I have never seen one alive, and I shall therefore quote the brief biography of Audubon, who in his turn is obliged to quote from Richardson. “J procured a fine male of this species at. Bangor, in Maine, on the Penobscot, in the beginning of September, 1832; but am unacquainted with its habits, never having seen another individual alive. Mr. Townsexp informs me that he found it on the Malade River Mountains, where it was so tame and unsuspicious, that Mr. Nurray.was enabled to approach within 334 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a few feet of it, as it sat upon the bushes. Dr. Richarpson gives the following notice respecting it in the Fauna Boreali- Americana :—‘ When it actually wanders abroad in the day, it is so much dazzled by the light of the sun as to become stupid, and it may then be easily caught by the hand. Its cry in the night is a single melancholy note, repeated at intervals of a minute or two. Mr. Hurcurys informs us that it builds a nest of grass half way up a pine tree, and lays two white eggs in the month of May. It feeds on mice and beetles. I cannot state the extent of its range, but believe that it inhabits all the woody country from Great Slave Lake to the United States. On the banks of the Saskatchewan it is so common that its voice is heard almost every night by the traveller, wherever he selects his bivouae.’ ” (B) acapica. Acadian Owl. Saw-whet Owl. , , (In Massachusetts, not common, unless in autumn.) (a). When erect, about six inches high. Above, chocolate- brown; head streaked, back spotted, and tail barred, with white. Beneath, white, streaked (in blotches) with reddish chocolate. (Tarsal feathers, tawny.) Eyes encircled by black. Bill black. (In A, ‘bill yellow.”) (b). ‘The eggs are generally laid in the hole of a tree, and are four to six in number.” An egg, which was found in a pine-wood near Boston, about the first of May, evidently be- longed to this bird. It was lying on the ground (not far from a tree, in which an Acadian Owl had previously been seen), - and to it was attached two feathers, which correspond exactly, to those of a stuffed ‘“Saw-whet.” The egg was cold, and slightly cracked. It has a remarkably smooth, white shell, and measures about 1:00 X ‘90 of an inch. (c). The little Acadian Owls are residents throughout New England, but near Boston, so far as I have observed, they are very rare in summer, being most numerofls in autumn. They are apparently more social. than other species, as “‘ they have been known to occur in small parties.” I have, however, al- ways met them singly. During the day, they remain in woods ah OF NEW ENGLAND. 335 and swamps, often ensconced in the hole of a tree, though they sometimes perch on a bough. They may be closely approached on a bright day, and do not fly far if disturbed. Immediately after sunset, however, they become full of animation and cour- age, and even venture into open lands. One would suppose it difficult for them to find enough food, but they undoubtedly surprise small birds at roost, easily detect the slightest move- ment of any small quadruped in the grass, and readily pick up such insects as sing through the night, or indeed others. They probably do not often feed on reptiles. (d). Their extraordinary love-notes are doubly deceptive, from their strong resemblance to the noise of a saw-mill, and from the véntriloquism with which they are uttered. I have, however, vainly tried to produce similar sounds through vari- ous combinations of files and saws. The Saw-whet Owls, as they are called on account of these notes, have also a single low cry. , ’ Vv. SCOPS (A) asio. Screech Oul.. Mottled Owl. Red Oul. (A common summer-resident, but here rare, or absent, in winter.) (a). Averaging nine inches in length. Gray, or brownish- red, paler below; variously marked, chiefly with black. (0). The eggs are laid in the hollow of a tree, an apple-tree being frequently selected, in which are often placed a few sim- ple materials, such as leaves or dry grass. The eggs, of which four are here laid about the middle of April, average 1:35 x 1:20 of an inch, thongh occasionally specimens measure 1°50 X 1:30 of an inch. They are white, and nearly spherical. (c). The Screech Owls are probably the most well-known of the American Owls, owing to their general abundance in the United States, their frequent occurrence near the haunts of man, and their pecuKar tremulous notes. During the day, they rest in the hollow of a tree, a thick evergreen, or even the hay- loft of a barn, but from these retreats they are sometimes driven by impertinent Jays and other tormentors. They seem yn 336 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS dazed by the light, and sometimes, when perched on a fence in the sunlight, as occasionally happens, they may easily be ap- proached and even captured. At dusk they become active, often uttering their cries, which may be heard at all hours of the night until early morning, though never, so far as I know, in the day. They search the woods, fields, meadows, and often the neighborhood of houses and barns, now gliding like a shadow near the ground, or among the trees, and now perching to. call to their mates or companions. They feed upon mice, various insects (many of which théy catch upon the wing), and occasionally small birds. ‘They are probably beneficial to the farmer, like some other owls, who differ in this respect from the hawks. Our night-owls, though aided by very keen sight, and by a flight so silent that their presence is often indicated only by their shadow, undoubtedly find it more difficult to obtain birds at roost than other creatures who betray them- selves by moving. The Screech Owls as pets exhibit many of those traits, more or less characteristic of their whole family, which are less easily observed in the birds at liberty. I shall therefore quote from the ‘‘ American Naturalist” an extremely interesting article by Mr. Maynard, on ‘The Mottled Owl in Confinement,” from which, however, I am reluctantly obliged to omit several p@ssages. Hesays: ‘*On June 15, 1867, I ob- served some boys around a small owl which was perched on a stick. On closer examination I found that it was a young Mottled Owl (Scops asio Bonaparte). It was staring about in a dazed manner and seemed half stupefied. I easily persuaded the boys to part with it for a trifle, and took it home. Ishould judge that it was about two weeks old.1 It was covered with a grayish down. I put it in a large cage, and gave it some meat which it ate, but not readily, for it seemed frightened at the sight of my hand, and at my near approach would draw back, snapping its beak after the manner of all owls. It soon grew tamer, however, and would regard me with a wise stare, as if perfectly understanding that I was a friend. tThis fact renders it probable that this species sometimes rears a second brood. OF NEW ENGLAND. 337 “Tn a short timeit would take food from me without fear; I never saw it drink, although water was kept constantly near it. Its food consisted of mice, birds, and butchers’ meat, on which it fed readily. I kept the bird caged for about two weeks, during which time it became quite tame, but would not tolerate handling, always threatening me with its beak when my hands approached it. As the wires of its cage broke its feathers when moving about, and as it hardly seemed resigned to confinement, I opened its cage and gave it the freedom of the room, leaving the windows open night and day. About this time I gave it the name of ‘Scops,’ to which in a little while it would answer, when called, with a low rattle, which sounded like the distant note of the kingfisher. * * * * ® * * ‘“When a bird is given it for food, it takes it in its claws, and with its beak invariably pulls out the wing and tail feath- ers first, then eats the head, then devours the intestines; then, if not satisfied, it eats the remainder of the bird, feathers and all. “That this owl sees tolerably well in the daytime I have proved to my satisfaction. I caaght a mouse and put it alive into an open box about two feet square. This I placed upon a bench near Scops, who was attentively watching my movements; the moment it saw the mouse, the owl opened its eyes wide, bent forward, moved its head from side to side, then came down with an unerring aim, burying its talons deep in the head and back of the mouse. Looking up into my face, and ultering its rattling note, as if inquiring, ‘Isn’t that well done? it flew up to its perch with its struggling prey grasped firmly in its talons, where it killed the mouse by biting it in the head and back. During the whole act it displayed considerable energy and excitement. * * * * * * * “Scops will, in taking birds from my hand, almost always look up in my face and utter its subdued rattle. In sleeping, it usually stands on one foot, both eyes shut, but sometimes stretches out at full length, resting on its breast. When sound 23 338 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS asleep it awakes instantly on its name being pronounced, and will answer as quickly as when awake. I have heard it utter its peculiar quavering note on one or two occasions, which, notwithstanding its reputed mournfulness, has much that sounds pleasant to my ears. When moving along a plane sur- face, Scops progresses, with a half walk, half hop, which is certainly not the most graceful gait possible. “When out at night among the trees Scops acts in much the same manner as when in the house, hopping ffom limb to limb, looking about with a quick, graceful motion of the head, sometimes turning the head around so that the face comes di- rectly behind. “When it returns to the house in the morning, daylight is often long passed, and even sunrise. The alarm note is a kind of low moan; this was often uttered at the sight of a tamed gray squirrel (but with which it has now become better ac- quainted), and always at the sight of its old eneiny, the dog. * While flying, Scops moves through the air with a quick, steady motion, alighting on any object without missing a foot- hold. I never heard it utter a note when thus moving. When perching, it does not grasp with its claws, but holds them at some distance from the wood, clasping with the soles of the toes. When it has eaten enough of a bird, it hides the re- maining portions in any’convenient place near by. * * * “Sometimes in the daytime it will take a sudden start, flit- ting about the room like a spectre, alighting on different ob- jects to peer about, which it does,by moving sideways, turning the head in various directions, and going throngh many curious movements; but it always returns to its perch and settles down quietly. ““I once placed a stuffed owl of its own species near it, when it ruffled its feathers, gave a series of hisses, moans, and snappings of the beak, and stretched out one wing at full leneth in front of its head as a shield to repulse what it took to be a stranger invading its own domains. As the sttiffed bird was pushed nearer, Scops budged not an inch, but looked fiercer than ever; its ruffled back-feathers were erected high, its eyes sparkled, and its whole attitude was one of war. OF NEW ENGLAND. 339 “ Some time since the building in which my pet was kept was torn down, and the bird was absent for two weeks; but a new building has been erected near the site of the old one, and to-day I found Scops in the new cellar, sitting on a projecting stone of the wall, as much at home as in the old place. From this it can be scen that its affection for locality is very strong. Notwithstanding Scops’ long absence it is as tame as ever, taking its food from my hand, and behaving in the old man- ner. * * *” (d). The ordinary note of the Screech Owl is a tremulous, continued hooting, repeated at short intervals. Wilson has likened this to the ‘*shiyering moanings of a half frozen puppy ;’ it resembles somewhat the distant baying of a fox- hound, though not so deep. In spring, it is varied to what is more like an unearthly langh, and it is not surprising that by the superstitious this cry should be considered ill-boding ; yet there is almost a fascination in listening to it. VI. BUBO (A) vireintanus. Great Horned Oul. (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the year.) (a). Extreme length, twenty-seven inches. Plumage vari- able; but large ear-tufts and white throat-patch constant. A fine specimen before me is marked with dark brown, whitish, and tawny. Above, finely variegated; tail, primaries, ete., distinctly barred. Beneath, more or less finely barred; under tail-coverts, pale, with a few waves of dark brown. (0). The Great Horned Owls are said to sometimes lay their eggs in the hollow of a tree, or even in the fissure of a rock. Usually, however, they build a large nest of sticks, at some height above the ground, next to the trunk of a pine or occa- sionally a hemlock. For this purpose, they choose some dark and unfrequented wood, where in March, or even February, they Jay their eggs, three or four in number. ‘These measure 2:24 & 1:90 of an inch, or more, and are white, or sometimes yellowish. (c). The Great Horned Owls are the most spirited and de- 340 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS structive of their tribe in North America, in many parts of which, including New England, they are not uncommon. They are resident in Massachusetts throughout the year. They frequent the thick woods, from which they roam at night over the open country, and pay visits to the farm-yard. They usually roost among some clump of evergreens during the day, and occasiovally may be closely approached before they take to flight. But on cloudy days, they see well, and, ex- ceptionally, even hunt for their prey, which consists of rab- bits, squirrels, skunks, partridges, poultry, and the like. They fly with great strength and ease, often sailing, even in circles, like the buzzards. Apparently they inhabit the same neighbor- hood throughout the year, but lead a solitary life during the larger part of it. Nothing can more gratify a romantic imagination than musings on the life of this owl. Imagine the scenes which characterize his existence. Fancy him perched on some tree: a silent watcher, he surveys the country shrouded in darkness, or fantastically lit by the moon, listens to the sighing of the breeze through the pines, and marks the waving of the mys- terious shadows; then, spreading his wings, he sails away with the silence of a spirit, ready to pounce upon his unsuspecting prey, and alights in some still more romantic spot, perhaps by a lonely river in the forest; now, he wanders through a war of elements which man shrinks from, through darkness, cold, and falling snow, or goes abroad in a gloom impenetrable except to him and. his fellow-wanderers, in furious winds, and in down-pouring rain; at last, he pounces upon some poor animal, and, tearing him piece-meal, begins his nocturnal repast. Next, he startles some traveler by his unearthly cries, perhaps united to the quavering note of the Loon. What scenes he may have beheld, an unknown witness ; what deeds of darkness he might disclose. But all this he enjoys. His savageness and wildness of disposition are evident. No other word than “devilish” can describe the Great Horned Owl in confinement. Approach him in some corner, remark his unconquerable spirit, observe his glaring eyes, as he slowly OF NEW ENGLAND. 841 opens and shuts them, and listen to his hisses. Approach him with a light, see him contract the pupils of his eyes, and then, as you retreat, expand them until they seem like glowing orbs of fire. Approach him with food, and observe the eager fe- rocity with which he swallows it, doing so at a single gulp when possible. Approach him again, attempt to soothe him, and you cannot hesitate to pronounce him an irreclaimable savage. (d). His cries are all unearthly. Sometimes he utters a horrid scream, sometimes notes which suggest the strangula- tion of some unhappy person in the woods, and at other times his loud hooting, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo. Being, it is said, attracted by camp-fires, like other species, he often amuses the traveler with these agreeable and soothing sounds. In short, no bird has a character less pleasant to contemplate than the Great Horned Owl. In the space left by a change in the text, it may not be amiss to give an amusing instance of the fictions credited by certain old writers. Charlevoix, says Wilson, wrote that cer- tain owls caught mice for their winter’s store, and, confining them, fattened them on grain. VII. NYCTEA (A) nivea.2, (American) Snowy Owl. (In Massachusetts, not uncommon in winter near the sea.) (a). About two feet long. Snowy white; more or less marked with brown or blackish. (0). The eggs are laid on the ground in Arctic countries. They are white, and nearly or quite 22 inches long. (c). The Snowy Owls, as their very thick and white plumage suggests, are Arctic birds, though in winter they wander south- ward in considerable numbers, being then more common in Massachusetts than any other species of this family with so high a range. It is said that, though rare in the interior, they are of not unfrequent occurrence along the coast, since they feed much upon fish, which they often catch for themselves. 2 The specific name has recently been established as scandiaca var. arctica. oe 342 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS They have several times been captured on the islands of Bos- ton Harbor, and I am quite confident of having seen one fly se wks > over the city. They may also be met with further inland, * where they feed upon quadrupeds and birds. They hunt chiefly beanies the day, or just after sunset, and, instead of pouncing Dem on other birds, often pursue them on wing, thus resembling ae yout the hawks. As they feed upon grouse jor even, it is said, aye upon ducks and pigeons), they evidently possess great speed of flight. Owing to their size and handsome plumage, they are striking objects in winter-scenery, though often rendered in- conspicuous by their likeness to the snow and ice. Though spirited, they exhibit much less ferocity than the Great Horned Owls, and are said to be more tractable as pets. (ad). Wilson says of this species that ‘‘its voice is so dismal that, as Pennant observes, it adds horror even to the regions of Greenland by its hideous cries, resembling those of a man in deep distress.” The same author, in describing the method of fishing pursued by this owl, says: “Unlike most of his tribe he hunts by day as well as by twilight, and is particu- larly fond of frequenting the shores and banks of shallow rivers, over the surface of which he slowly sails, or sits on a rock a little raised above the water watching for fish. These he seizes with a sudden and instantaneous stroke of the foot, seldom missing his aim.” VIII. SURNIA (A) ULuxa (var, nupsonta). (American) Hawk Owl. Day Owl. (A winter-visitant to Massachusetts of rare occurrence.) (a). About Sixteen inches long. General colors, dark brown and white, tle former predominating above. Wings, tail, and under parts barred, but throat streaked. Face partly bordered by black, and narrow, approaching the hawk-type. (5). “The nest is built in trees. The eggs, six in number, are white, and average about 1:50 X 1:25 of an inch.” (c). No other families of birds present such difficulties to the naturalist and biographer as the hawks and owls. Their OF NEW ENGLAND. 843 gencral scarcity and shyness, their life of solitude and retire- ment, their frequent residence in inaccessible or little frequented places, and their silence during the greater part of the year, render it difficult to become intimate with their habits or, in some cases, with their notes. Such is eminently the case with’ the Uawk Owl, of whom apparently no adequate biography has yet been written. I have seen it but once, and can add little or nothing to former accounts. These birds, like several other species, inhabit the Arctic regions, not only of America, but also of the Old World. ‘hey very rarely visit Massachusetts, though “not uncommon in northern New England in autumn or winter” and said to have even bred in Maine. They are noted, not only for their physiognomy, which corresponds to their mode of life, but for their habit of hunting during the day like ahawk. It is probable, however, that they see well ' at night, as the one which I observed was active at dusk. His flight was much like that of a small hawk, and seemed less absolutely noiseless than that of other owls. Mr. Dall, as quoted by Dr. Brewer, says of this species ‘that it is very fond of flying, towards dusk, from the top of one small spruce to another, apparently swinging or balaneing itself, ealling to its mate at intervals, while chasing or being chased by it.” Dr. Richardson says: ‘“ When the hunters are shooting Grous, this bird is occasionally attracted by the report of the gun, and is often bold enough, on a bird being killed, to pounce down upon it, though it may be unable from its size to carry it off. It is also known to hover round the fires made by the natives at night.” (d). ‘Its note is said to be a shrillery, * * *.” (Dr. Brewer.) IX. SPHEOTYTO (A) cunicuLaria (var. uyPoGzA). Burrowing Owl. Prai- rie Owl. (One shot in Massachusetts, at Newburyport, May 4, 1875.3) 5 The authority for this statement is Mr. R. Deane. 344 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (a). ‘* Above, grayish-brown, with white, black-edged spots ; below, tawny-whitish, variegated with reddish-brown, chiefly dis- posed in bars ; face and throat whitish ; crissum and legs mostly unmarked; quills with numerous paired tawny-white spots, and tail feathers barred with the same; bill grayish yellow; claws black; 9-10 long, * * * . Prairies and other open portions of the United States west of the Mississippi, abun- dant; lives in holes in the ground, in prairie-dog towns, and the settlements of other burrowing animals, using their de- serted holes for its nesting place. There is certainly but one species in this country; it is a mere variety of the S. American bird.” (Coues.) (v). The eggs are described by Dr. Brewer as white, and as averaging about 1:35 & 1°15 of an inch. (c). The peculiar Burrowing Owls habitually occupy the prairies and open lands to the westward of the Mississippi River, and there is but a solitary instance of their appear- ance in New England. They were formerly supposed to live habitually, as members of a “happy family,” in the imme- diate company and dwellings of both the rattle-snakes and prairie dogs, but such a state of things has been shown to be fabulous. From the accounts furnished by Say to Bona- parte, the following facts may be gathered. The Burrowing Owls frequently occupy the villages of the marmots, whose deserted holes they use, instead of digging others for them- selves. They are abroad during the day, and apparently feed chiefly on insects. ‘‘ They manifest but little timidity, and allow themselves to be approached sufficiently close for shoot- ing ; but if alarmed, some or all of them soar away, and settle down again at a short distance; if further disturbed, their flight is continued until they are no longer in view, or they descend into their dwellings, whence they are difficult to dis- lodge.” (ad). “The note of our bird is strikingly similar to the cry of the Marmot, which sounds like cheh, cheh, pronounced sey- eral times in rapid succession; * * * this cry is only uttered as the bird begins its flight.”. OF NEW ENGLAND. 345 §27. The Falconide are the typical Raptores, charac- terizeil by not having the ear-tufts, forward-looking eyes, and concealed nostrils of the owls, or the naked head, elevated hind-toe, and slightly webbed front-toes of our vultures (Ca- thartide, §28). ‘The eyes, as a rule (but not always), are sunken beneath a projecting superciliary shelf, conferring a decided and threatening gaze.” The tarsus is either naked or feathered, but the feathers above it are long and flowing (with certain exceptions, as in the fish-hawks). The hawks and eagles are essentially diurnal birds of prey, not usually feeding on carrion. Some nest on cliffs, some on the ground, and others in the hollows of trees; but most of them build nests in trees, chiefly of sticks. The eggs of each set are from two to six, and are laid early in the season. They are rarely subspherical like owls’ eggs, but are for the most part whitish, and generally blotched. In this family there are several distinct groups. The harriers (Genus I). Face with a slight ruff, forming an imperfect disk (such as belongs to the owls). Flight usually low, somewhat irregular, but not rapid. Nest built on the ground. Our species is characterized by the white upper tail- coverts. The falcons (II). Upper mandible with a distinct pointed tooth behind the notch.4 Highly raptorial birds of medium size. Flight in some respects inferior to that of The true hawks (III, 1V). ‘farsi not scutellate behind, or feathered to the toes, which are always webbed at the base. Birds of comparatively slender form, with a rapid, protracted flight, occasionally interrupted by straight sailing, even at short intervals. They capture smaller birds with rapidity and energy. ‘ . The buzzards, including the eagles (V, VI, VII, VIII). Without the characteristics of the other groups. (In VI, VII, tarsus feathered to the toes.) Heavy and robust birds, with a 4The birds of this genus have been distributed into several subgencra not here presented. See Pl. 1, fig. 27. 346 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS beautiful and often sublime flight. They frequently sail up- wards or forwards without moving the wings, generally doing so in circles. They usually pounce upon their prey from above, and often, perch long to watch for it. The jfish-hawks (1X). ‘Plumage lacking aftershafts” and oily. Feet very large. See IX. ( I. CIRCUS (A) cyaneus (var. HUDsonIus). Marsh Hawk. American Hurrier. (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). Upper tail-coverts, white. Mature g, extreme length about eighteen inches. Above, bluish-gray, becoming white beneath; often marked with brown. Wings tipped with black. Q,extreme length about twenty inches. Upper parts, and streaks beneath, dark brown. Markings above, under parts, and bands on the tail, soft reddish-rusty. (b). The nest, composed of grasses or occasionally sticks, is built, unlike those of all our other hawks, upon the ground, usually in a meadow, or other wet place. The eggs, of which in Massachusetts four are laid about the tenth of May, average 1-80 X 1°35 of an inch, and are white, often tinged with blue, and often marked with brown. (c). The Marsh Hawks are among the least ambitious of their family, for the most part contenting themselves with such humble prey as mice, snakes, or frogs, and remaining near the ground. They may usually be seen flying low over meadows and fields, or wandering about the shores of some pond, but they also visit farms, and even molest poultry. Sometimes they beat about for their game; at other times they perch upon some fente to digest their last meal or to watch for another. They generally fly irregularly and leisurely, with intermittent sailing, up or down, to the right or left. But occasionally they mount higher, and sail about with ease; in autumn, when fol- lowing the migrations of smaller birds, they even pursue these on wing, and often with success. Customarily, however, they drop upon their prey on the ground, and, after hurriedly pois- OF NEW ENGLAND. 347 ing, fall with a very certain aim, immediately rising, should they fail, but, if successful, feeding upon the spot. ‘Their motions are characterized by case and lightness, but their wings seem too long for rapid motion. The Marsh Hawks generally leave New England in autumn, and return in April. In summer they are among the commonest of our hawks. (d). Their love-note is an indescribable scream, which is not, however, wholly characteristic, though distinct from any of the buzzards. Their winter-notes, says Audubon, ‘ are sharp, and sound like the syllables pee, pee, pee, the first slightly pronounced, the last louder, much prolonged, and ending plaintively.” II. FALCO (A) qyrvatco. Gyrfalcon. Gerfalcon. (Jerfalcon.) (In Massachusetts, an extremely rare winter-visitor.) (a). About twenty-four inches long. Everywhere white, much marked with dark brown or black. Of several races, variety islandicus is said to be the only one which occurs in New England. In this form, white is especially predominant on the head. _ (b). The eggs are said to measure about 2-40 X 1°70 of an inch, and to be much less darkly marked than those of the Duck Hawk. The nests are built on cliffs. (ec). Audubon describes as follows their habits in Labrador: “Their flight resembled that of the Peregrine Falcon, but was more elevated, majestic, and rapid. They rarely sailed when travelling to and fro, but used a constant beat of their wings. When over the Puflins, and high in the air, they would hover almost motionless, as if watching the proper moment to close their pinions, and when that arrived, they would descend al- most perpendicularly on their unsuspecting victims. ‘Their cries also resembled those of the Peregrine Falcon, being loud, shrill, and piercing. Now and then they would alight on some of the high stakes placed on the shore as bea- cons to the fishermen who visit the coast, and stand for a few minutes, not erect like most other Hawks, but in the position 348 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of a Lestris or Tern, after which they would resume their ayo- cations, and pounce upon a Puffin, which they generally did while the poor bird was standing on the ground at the very entrance of. its burrow, apparently quite unaware of the ap- proach of its powerful enemy. The Puffin appeared to form no impediment to the flight of the Hawk, which merely shook itself after rising in the air, as if to arrange its plumage, as the Fish Hawk does when it has emerged from the water with a fish in its talons.” To this account I can add nothing, having never seen these birds, who are of accidental occurrence so far to the southward as Boston. I may here express my regrets at having had no opportunities of extending my researches to Labrador, from which a wealth of knowledge is undoubtedly to be obtained. Indeed, **an author should devote himself to travel and to one study,” as has been said by a predecessor. (B) communis (var. anatum). (American) Peregrine Fal- con. Duck Hawk. Great-footed Hawk. (Very rare in Massachusetts, though known to have bred on Mount Tom, near Springfield.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Above, dark ash (brown- ish or bluish, according to age), ‘‘ waved” with a paler shade. Tail banded. Beneath, white or buffy; breast spotted, and sides barred, with black. Forehead, whitish; cheeks, black. (6). The nest, if any, is built on a cliff, in some spot not easily accessible. A set of four eggs, found in this State, was laid in the early part of April. The Duck Hawk’s eggs aver- age about 2°20 X 1-70 of an inch, and are creamy, buff, red- dish, or even brick-red, blotched and clouded with (several shades of) dark brown, often of a reddish tinge. A specimen in my collection presents a form or appearance, frequently observable in other eggs, that of having had the upper and darker markings removed. (c). The spirited Duck Hawks (the American representa- tives of the famous Peregrine Game-falcons) belong to the highest nobility of their tribe, rarely descending from the dig- OF NEW ENGLAND. 849 nity of open warfare, and pursuing birds on the wing with un- surpassed courage, speed, and skill. They are known to breed in several isolated parts of New England, where they are prob- ably resident throughout the year, but in Eastern Massachu- setts they are extremely rare, though they may occur along the coast in autumn or winter. Audubon, from his devotion to the pursuit of birds, was undoubtedly more familiar with the birds of prey than any other of our writers; and, having had no opportunities to study the habits of the Duck Hawk, I shall therefore quote from him. “The flight of this bird is of astonishing rapidity. It is scarcely ever seen sailing, unless after being disappointed in its attempt to secure the prey which it has been pursuing, and even at such times it merely rises with a broad spiral circuit, to attain a sufficient elevation to enable it to reconnoitre a cer- tain space below. It then emits a cry much resembling that of the Sparrow Hawk, but greatly louder, like that of the European Kestrel, and flies off swiftly in quest of plunder. The search is often performed with a flight resembling that of the tame pigeon, until perceiving an object, it redoubles its flappings, and pursues the fugitive with a rapidity scarcely to be conceived. Its turnings, windings and cuttings through the air are now surprising. It follows and nears the timorous quarry at every turn and back-cutting which the latter at- tempts. Arrived within a few feet of the prey, the Falcon is seen protruding his powerful legs and talons to their full stretch. His wings are for a moment almost closed; the next instant he grapples the prize, which, if too weighty to be car- ried off directly, he forces obliquely toward the ground, some- times a hundred yards from where it was seized, to kill it, and devour it on the spot. Should this happen over a large extent of water, the Falcon drops his prey, and sets off in quest of another. On the contrary, should it not prove too heavy, the exulting bird carries it off to a sequestered and secure place. He pursues the smaller Ducks, Water-hens, and other swim- ming birds, and if they are not quick in diving, seizes them, and rises with them from the water. I have seen this Hawk 350 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS come at the report of a gun, and carry off a Teal not thirty steps distant from the sportsman who had killed it, with a dar- ing assurance as surprising as unexpected. This conduct has been observed by many individuals, and is a characteristic trait of the species. The largest duck that I have seen this bird attack and grapple with on the wing is the Mallard. “The Great-footed Hawk does not, however, content himself with water-fowl. He is sometimes seen following flocks of Pigeons and even Blackbirds. For several days I watched one of them that had taken a particular fancy to some tame pigeons, to secure which it went so far as to enter their house at one of the holes, seize a bird, and issue by another hole in an instant, causing such terror among the rest as to render me fearful that they would abandon the place. However, I fortu- nately shot the depredator. “They occasionally feed on dead fish that have floated to the shores or sand bars. * * * “Whilst in quest of food, the Great-footed Hawk will fre- quently alight on the highest dead branch of a tree in the im- mediate neighbourhood of such wet or marshy groands as the Common Snipe resorts to by preference. His head is seen moving in short starts, as if he were counting every little space below; and while so engaged, the moment he spies a Snipe, down he darts like an arrow, making a rustling noise with his wings that may be heard several hundred yards off, seizes the Snipe, and flies away to some near wood to devour it. “Tt is a cleanly bird, in respect to feeding. No sooner is the prey dead than the Falcon turns its belly upward, and begins to pluck it with his bill, which he does very expertly, holding it meantime quite fast in his talons; and as soon as a portion is cleared of feathers, tears the flesh in large pieces, and swallows it with great avidity. Ifit is a large bird, he leaves the refuse parts, but, if small, swallows the whole in pieces. Should he be approached by an enemy, he rises with it and flies off to the interior of the woods, or if he happens to be ina meadow, to some considerable distance, he being more wary at such times than when he has alighted on a tree.” OF NEW ENGLAND. 851 Audubon elsewhere adds: ‘I never saw one of them attack a quadruped, although I have frequently seen them perched within sight of squirrels, which I thought they might easily have secured, had they been so inclined.” He also says: “ Many persons believe that this Hawk, and some others, never drink any other fluid than the blood of their victims; but this is an error. I have seen them alight on sand-bars, walk to the edge of them, immerse their bills nearly up to the eyes in the water, and drink in a continued manner, as Pigeons are known to do.” , The Duck Hawks are so destructive, and so much opposed to the interests of sportsmen, that, in spite of their admirable spirit and strength, it is not to be regretted that they are rare in Massachusetts. ; (C) cotumBartus. Pigeon Hawk. American Merlin. (Not very common in Massachusetts, though known to have bred here.) . (a). Abont twelve inches long. Above, dark ashy-blue ; in the young (and 9) ashy-brown. Forehead, “tip and narrow bands of the tail, and markings on the wing, white or whitish. Tail, in g, also banded with black. Beneath, white, tinged with buff on the breast, with reddish behind, and marked with dark brown. ee (bv). The eggs average 1:50 & 1:20 of an inch, but other- wise strongly resemble those of the Duck Hawk, unless more finely marked. James Gatley, the so-called ‘‘ Hermit of Hyde Park,” obtained in that town, several years before his death, and before the pinc-woods were extensively cut down, a small and neatly constructed nest of this species, together with the parents and young. I have another nest and five eggs, which were found near Boston in the early part of May. The latter, which was built in a pine about twenty feet from the ground, is composed of sticks, together with dry grass, strips of cedar- bark, and a little moss. ‘The eggs are abnormal, being buff, slightly clouded with a darker shade. , (c). The Pigeon Hawks occur in the winter so far to the 852 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS southward as Florida, but at that season are rare in Massachu- setts, much more so than in spring or fall. They vary in num- bers from year to year, but occasionally breed here, and this I can from personal experience positively assert. They are probably more abundant as summer-residents to the northward, as I have observed them to be most numerous near Boston in fall, though never common. Occasionally they may be seen traveling, even in pairs, moving leisurely along at some height in the air. They do not sail so much as most of our hawks, but often perch on a tree to watch for their prey, which they pursue with indescribable speed and skill, and with a rapid beat- ing of the wings. They feed principally upon birds (even at- tacking those of their own size), pursuing them through thick and thin, and following every turn with surprising agility, un- til, overtaking their victim, they thrust their talons into its vitals, causing instant death. ‘They generally begin their fe- past upon the spot, and do not carry off their prey. They frequent the woods rather less than the Sharp-shinned Hawks, but more often occur in pastures with scattered trees, or about open lands. Their movements and haunts seem more or less dependent upon the progress of the smaller birds, whose mi- grations they often follow. They are somewhat shy of man, but are said to be so bold as to carry off chickens from the farm-yard. In summer, I have seen them among pines, where I have known them to build their nest. On consulting other authors, I find the following facts, which I have either not mentioned or never observed. Wilson says of this species: ‘Sometimes when shot at, and not hurt, he will fly in circles over the sportsman’s head, shrieking out with great violence, as if highly irritated. He frequently flies low, skimming a little above the field.” Samuels says: ‘“ The Pigeon Hawk, in alighting on a branch or other object, always descends below the level of it, and rises up; and usually turns abruptly about, and faces the direction from which it came, as soon as it has struck its perch. This habit is observable in many of the other hawks. ‘““ While perching, the tail is often flirted up and down, and OF NEW ENGLAND. 353 the wings are partially opened and shut in a nervous manner, as if the bird were anxious to be off again in the pursuit of game.” Says Dr. Wood: ‘This bird when sitting on a tree so closely resembles a pigeon that it will oftentimes deceive the most expert hunter. One of the specimens brought me was shot for a pigeon, and the mistake was not discovered until the bird was picked up. It is from this striking singularity that I suppose it derives its name.” (d). The notes of the Pigeon Hawk, heard chiefly in spring, are quite characteristic, but, nevertheless, are not easily de- scribed. In fact, it is almost or wholly impossible to know the cries of our hawks, unless learned directly from nature. (D) SPARVERIUS. » (American) Sparrow Hawk. American Kestrel. (In New England, a summer-resident, locally distributed.) (a). About eleven inches long. Crown, ashy-blue, usually with a chestnut patch of varying size. Head, otherwise white, with generally seven large black markings, including one on the nape. Tail, often surrounded by white ; and broadly (sub-) tipped with black. Primaries, etc., black, with imperfect white bars. Otherwise: — 9, brown above, becoming chestnut on the tail, nearly everywhere black-barred. Beneath, white; breast: (often buffy or reddish, and) streaked with black (or dark brown). @, smaller, and with few or no black bars or streaks. _Wing-coverts, ashy-blue (sometimes spotted with black). (6). The eggs are generally deposited in the hollow of a tree,—often of one rather isolated, a very rare circumstance in the case of other hawks. ‘The eggs, four or five in number, or even more, are laid in Massachusetts about the middle of May. Two, taken from my cabinet, are fair specimens. One meas- ures 1°35 X1+20 of an inch, and is very light brown, with small blotches of reddish “‘Vandyke.” The other measures 1:35X 1:20 of an inch, is somewhat spherical and is finely freckled with two shades of russet, confluently so at the two ends. 24 354 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Other specimens exhibit great variation in ground-colors, but they rarely have the large and prominent markings, often seen on the eggs of the Sharp-shinned Hawk. (c). The Sparrow Hawks, though their flight is compara- tively weak, it being rarely or never much protracted, are none the less, active and daring. Perched on some tree or fence, . and occasionally flirting the tail, they eagerly watch for their prey, which consists of mice, small birds, and even insects. Then, as if restless and dissatisfied, they leave their post, and ’ fly off along the roadsides, over the fields, through the or- chards, but less often among the woods than in open lands. Now pausing to reconnoitre, with a quivering of the wings, now sailing briefly but with eminent grace, they pass on swiftly, but not in the constant hurry which characterizes the Sharp- shinned Hawk. Sometimes they pounce upon a field mouse, which ‘they often carry to a tree to eat; sometimes their quick eye detects a poor sparrow or thrush, and they then dive into some thicket or chase on wing, generally with fatal success. Their motions are characterized by more grace, but less speed and fury, than those of the other small hawks. They are, how- ever, equally cruel and destructive, and the smaller birds find little or no protection in thickets or trees. They usually perch and fly not far from the ground, and never, so far as I have observed, mount to a great height. Several anecdotes serve to show that they are very scrupulous about their food, and do not like tainted flesh. ‘They are the least shy of our hawks, and often exhibit a surprising degree of familiarity toward men. They are also rather social, and not uncommonly occur in family-parties or pairs. The Sparrow Uawks are distributed through New England rather locally, but apparently are nowhere common. ‘They are especially rare in Eastern Massachusetts, so far as I, have ob- served in confirmation of others, and, having never seen them in winter, suppose them undoubtedly to be migratory. Mr. Maynard, however, considers them as resident throughout the year, though rare in winter. In Florida they are ‘‘abundant,” remaining there at all seasons, though known to occur in high OF NEW ENGLAND. 355 latitudes as summer-residents. They seem to have a marked fondness for home, and return to the same nesting-place, even several years, it is said, in succession. Wilson mentions a frequent circumstance in their life, which I have never ob- served, and says: ‘The Blue Jays have a particular antipathy to this bird, and frequently insult it by following and imitating . its notes so exactly as to deceive even those well acquainted with both. In return for all this abuse the Hawk contents himself with, now and then, feasting on the plumpest of his persecutors ; who are therefore in perpetual dread of him; and yet, thro some strange infatuation, or from fear that if they lose sight of him he may attack them unawares, the Sparrow Hawk no sooner appears than the alarm is given, and the whole posse of Jays follow.” (d). The notes of this species are loud and rather shrill, but cannot be defined. It may be useful, however, for some person familiar with British birds, to know that they were thought by Audubon to strongly resemble those of the Eu- ropean Kestrel. HI. ACCIPITERS (A) Fuscus. Sharp-shinned Hawk. “ Pigeon Hawk.” (A common summer-resident in many parts of New Eng- land.) (a). About twelve inches long. Above, dark brown (be- coming ashier with age), with a few white spots, chiefly on the _hind-head and wings. Tail, lighter, with a few dark bands (which are more distinct than those of the wings), and tipped with pale brown or whitish. Beneath, white; breast, closely barred with light rufous-brown, and throat pencilled, but under tail-coverts often unmarked. The shafts of the wing and tail have a faint reddish gloss, as have also the basal portion of the webs. . (6). The nest is usually built in a pine, from twenty to forty feet above the ground. It is composed chiefly of sticks and 5 Nisus has been lately established in place of Accipiter. 356 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS twigs, placed in a fork or crotch next to the trunk. The eggs, about four in number, are laid near Boston, in the second week of May. They measure 1:50 1-25 of an inch or less, and are white (tinged with blue or green), sometimes unmarked, but more often with a few large and prominent markings of dark brown, chiefly near the crown. (c). The Sharp-shinned Hawks are common summer-resi- dents throughout New England, but near Boston, so far as I have observed, are extremely rare in winter, though I have seen one boldly perched on the shafts of a wagon in a shed. Though naturally shy, they are very impudent, and, trusting to the rapidity of their flight, often commit some daring rob- bery before the eyes of the farmer. They frequent the woods much more than the Sparrow Hawk, and lie in wait there for some unfortunate passer-by: Should a Robin make his ap- pearance, they give chase, and though he fly never so quickly, they soon overtake him. Sometimes, as they pass through the woods, they perceive some innocent bird feeding on the ground, _ Whom they seize and bear off almost before the traveler can realize what has happened. So great is their eagerness and daring that their victims can hardly find any refuge from their fury. Nuttall says in illustration of their impetuous violence that “descending furiously and blindly upon its quarry, a young Hawk of this species broke through the glass of the green-house at the Cambridge Botanic Garden, and fearlessly passing through a second glass partition, he was only brought up by the third, and caught, though little stunned by the ef- fort. His wing-feathers were much torn by the glass, and his flight in this way so impeded as to allow of his being ap- proached.” The Sharp-shinned Hawk characterizes all his movements with the same speed and continual apparent haste, the same restlessness and impetuosity. He often flies far, and even at a great height, but much less often straight forward or with a regular beat of the wings than the Pigeon Hawk. When flying to a distance, his flappings are quick but some- what irregular, but, when hunting, he moves nervously, now high, now low, now to the right, now to the left, rarely having OF NEW ENGLAND. 857 the patience to sail protractedly. On following his prey, he does so as if. attracted by an irresistible magnet, his move- ments being instantly simultaneous with those of his quarry. He generally carries off his food, and eats it in a tree. But his prowess in comparison with his size is astonishing, and he often pounces upon birds much larger or heavier than himself. I have seen him fall upon Pigeon Woodpeckers, and upon plump Quail. In such cases, he feeds upon the ground, but it is useless to rescue his victims, as they are almost invariably found to be dead or past all recovery. These Hawks are said by Auduben to act often in concert, but they usually hunt singly. I have seen the Goldfinches escape from their clutches by mounting above them, even until almost lost to sight, but most birds, terrified by the fary of their onslaught, instinctively dive into thickets or trees, which unfortunately afford them but little protection. Whatever feelings of anger and indefinite longings for revenge may be excited by the Sharp-shinned Tlawks, one cannot but admire their intrepidity and spirit. Though they feed partly upon insects, yet they must be con- sidered eminently destructive, and be ranked among the auda- cious marauders who unhesitatingly plunder the farm. It is common to find traces of their murders in carefully picked bones or scattered feathers, along the wood-paths where they have secured some prize. (d). Their notes are loud and shrill, but are not often heard except in spring. (B) coopert. Cooper's Hawk. ‘Chicken Hawk.” (In New England, a summer-resident.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Tail slightly rounded. “Neck often marked with rufous.” Otherwise like the Sharp- shinned Hawk (A). (b). The nest has a strong outward resemblance to that of the Crow, and sometimes an imperfect resemblance throughout. It is composed chiefly of sticks, which are neatly laid together near the top of a pine, a rather slender tree being not unfre- quentiy chosen. It is placed either in the topmost crotch, or 358 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS more often at the junction of two branches with the trunk, from forty to sixty feet above the ground. Such are the nests observed near Boston, where the eggs are laid in the first week of May. Of these, the usual set of three or four average about 1-90 X 1°50 of an inch, and are white, tinged with blue (some- times deeply), either unmarked, or with a few brown blotches. (c). The Cooper’s Hawks are common summer-residents in all the States of New England, but in many places are much less numerous than other species. Their general habits and manners are essentially the same as those of the Sharp-shinned Hawks, but they have much less ‘ dash,” and are not go bold. They are easily distinguished by their size. They may usually be seen flying just above the trees with a flapping of the wings, then a straight and rather measured sail, for they rarely move in circles. They feed upon rabbits, squirrels, water-fowl, and other birds, but not often on the smaller kinds, as I have seen these near them, or about their nests, disregarded. They may be seen to pursue flocks of wild pigeons or other migrants with a beat of the wings as rapid as that of their victims, and seiz- ing one to bear it to some grove. Sometimes, in passing through the woods, they suddenly pounce upon the Ruffed Grouse, for they do not hesitate to grapple with creatures much larger than themselves. At other times, they mark a Robin, and follow it wherever it goes, dashing between branches, through trees, and over the fields, rarely being disappointed in the end. If possible, they carry their prey to the woods, and I am inclined to think that during a continued residence in one place, they often resort to the same tree. They are well known to the farmers as ** Chicken” Hawks. (ad). Their cries suggest the exclamation of an alarmed hen, and consist of several successive notes, which Audubon con- sidered similar to those of the Pigeon Hawk. IV. ASTUR (A) PALUMBARIUS (var, ATRICAPILLUS). (American) Gos- hawk. ‘‘ Partridge Hawk.” (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the year, but very rare in the breeding-season and summer.) OF NEW ENGLAND. 359 (a). 20-24 inches long. Above, ashy or slate, becoming blackish on the head. Tail with dark bands and a white tip. Superciliary line and under parts, white; the latter waved or barred, and finely streaked, with ashy-brown or slate. (6). The nest is usually built of sticks, etc., in a tall tree. The eggs measure about 2°25>1-75 of an inch, or more, and are white, strongly tinged with blue or green, and sometimes marked with brown. (c). The handsome Gos-hawks are constant residents in northern New England, and also in Massachusetts, where, however, they are so extremely rare in summer that I have found but one nest, and have seen only two pairs. In winter, they are seldom common near Boston, though their numbers vary from year to year. They are very spirited and de- structive, feeding principally upon rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, grouse, and ducks. ‘They are also very active, perching and sailing comparatively little. They move, often at a consider- able height, with a regular beating of the wings, which is re- doubled, should they give chase to a flock of birds, when they move with a speed unsurpassed by that of any other hawk. Is have seen one press into a company of Pine Grosbeaks and seize one in each foot. On perceiving a single bird of tempt- ing size, they sometimes secure it by diving from above, when, without a mhoment’s pause, they carry it to a perch. In the woods they fly rather low, ready to drop upon their prey, but so rapidly that one might imagine that their sight would be blurred. I have been surprised to observe how easily, when guiding themselves among the trees, they detect the presence of a partridge or squirrel. They are not, however, capable of constant activity, and occasionally, gracefully sailing up to some perch, they watch for their prey, sometimes. doing so in open land. They stand with an erectness observable in other hawks, and are spirited even when at rest. (d). For a greater part of the year they live singly and si- lently, but in spring I have heard them utter loud screams. 360 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS V. BUTEO (A) Borzauis. Red-tailed Hawk (or Buzzard). (Eastern) | Red-tail.” “Hen Hawk.” | (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the year, but less | common than the next species.) (a). Extreme length, nearly two feet. Above, dark brown, marked with fulvous (chiefly on the head), and with white (chiefly behind). Tail, chestnut-red, tipped with white. and sub-tipped with black, but beneath of a uniform silvery gray. Under parts, white (or tinged), marked with a varying shade of brown, which generally forms an interrupted band across the lower breast. A fine immature specimen, now before me, is more than two feet in length. Above, dark umber, more or less interrupted by white, chiefly on the tail-coverts. Beneath, white; sides blotched with umber-brown, forming a dark zone across the lower breast. Feathers of the thigh spotted or im- perfectly barred with a lighter shade. Tail, medium brown (often tinged with gray, but here with chestnut), barred with blackish, tipped with whitish; beneath, light gray, and faintly barred. (6). The nest does not differ from that of the Red-shoul- dered Hawk, unless in being sometimes less well lined, occa- sionally rather less accessible, and more often built in dry woods. For a description of the eggs, see B, b. (c). The Red-tailed Buzzards are the most majestic of our hawks, though surpassed by many in activity and speed. They are in southern New England resident throughout the year, but are said to occur to the northward only during the summer- season. Except in winter, they are much less common than the Red-shouldered Hawk, whose habits are so very similar, that I shall abbreviate this biography, and refer my readers to the next. They sometimes sail even a mile without moving the wings, or mount in circles till nearly lost to sight, but they are ordinarily dependent upon the impetus given by occasional flappings. ‘They feed upon large birds, rabbits, squirrels, » snakes, frogs, etc., and not unfrequently fall upon their prey OF NEW ENGLAND. 361 from an elevation of several hundred feet. They also often perch upon some tree, as in a meadow, and watch for move- ments in the grass. ‘They are somewhat shy and difficult to approach, but they are bold enough to carry off poultry, and I have been told of one actnally caught in a hen-house. (d). I can perceive no essential difference between their cries and those of the next species. (B) tingatus. ed-shouldered Hawk (or Buzzard). ‘Hen Hawk.” (In Massachusetts, a common resident throughout the year.) (a). Much less stout than the “ Red-tail,” and less in aver- age size, the female being rarely or never more than twenty- three inches long. The coloration is variable, but the follow- ing description of a fine mature specimen will answer for others. Above, dark brown. Head, streaked with rusty and white; back and rump marked with the same colors. ‘Tail, and quill-feathers, black; the former tipped, and both barred, with white. Shoulders, rich rufous or pheasant-brown. Be- neath, white. Bredst, etc., streaked, chiefly with fulvous, with which the belly, etc., is tinged and finely barred. Under tail- coverts, white; tail the same, with bands of pearly gray. Im- mature birds have the white above and black impure, the rufous wanting or restricted. Beneath, white, streaked (and spotted) with dark brown. ‘Tail beneath silvery white.” Under wing-coverts usually more or less fulvous as in the adult. . (b). The “ Hen Hawks” generally build a fresh nest every year, though they may occasionally occupy the same nest “ for several seasons,” as Mr. Samuels states to be the case. Should their home be destroyed during the season of incubation, they usually repair an old nest for a second brood, as they some- times do for their first. Their nest, when finished, is a large structure of sticks (from eighteen to thirty inches in diameter), and is commonly lined with small branches of hemlock, or with tree-moss. It may be found in rather secluded or unfre- quented woods and pine-groves, particularly those which con- 862 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS tain swamps, brooks, or ponds. It is placed next to the trunk of a pine, or sometimes an oak, from fifteen to seventy-five feet. above the ground. It is seldom built in a young tree, or in one at all isolated, and is rarely concealed by surrounding foli- -age. Near Boston it is finished between the first week and last day of April, and two, three, or four eggs, are then laid. These often exhibit great variation, even when taken from the same nest. Though varying in size and shape, some being elongated, or somewhat pointed at the smaller end, they aver- age about 2:20 X 1°70.of an inch. From a series in my cabi- net, recently collected near Boston, the following descriptions are taken. (1) White, evenly blotched and spotted with lilac. (2) White, evenly but coarsely marked with a pretty reddish brown. (8) White, with a few thin and vague markings of chocolate. (4) Dirty white, not appreciably marked. (5) Dirty white, with a very few fine scrawls at the smaller end. (6) Dirty white, blotched at the smaller end with umber. (7) Dirty white, clouded at the smaller end with several shades of brown. (8) Dirty white, fadedly. blotched, chiefly at the smaller end. (9) Impure white, blotched with faint reddish brown chiefly at the smaller end, and with a few dark mark- ings. (10) Dirty white, faintly blotched all over, but with a few chocolate spots. (11) Dirty white, blotched faintly with purplish and reddish brown, but with dark blotches on the crown. (12) Impure white, with a ring of reddish brown blotches about the crown. Some specimens have reddish or buffy ground-colors, and others are marked but little and faintly, or with a few isolated blotches. There is no salient point of difference between these eggs and those of the ‘* Red-tail,” of which several are now before me. (c). The Red-shouldered Buzzards, so far as I have ob- served, are the commonest hawks near Boston, where they are resident throughout the year. They breed from Florida nearly to Hudson’s Bay. Their range is therefore much less exten- sive thun that of the ‘“ Red-tails,” but their habits and man- ners are very similar. The following biography is applicable OF NEW ENGLAND. 363 partly to both species, sometimes to one more than another, but it may be remarked that the ‘ Red-tail” is more robust, spirited, and majestic. The ‘*Hen Hawks,” and their immediate relations, are best characterized by their fight and mode of hunting. Sometimes, propelled by an occasional and slight motion of the wings, they sail in circles to a great height, and, if favored by a breeze, even rise until lost to sight, without any perceptible exercise of muscular power. Again, they often circle without ascending, though at a considerable distance from the ground. Thus the range of their vision is much extended, while the keenness of their sight enables them to detect the motion of a squirrel in the trees, or of birds and snakes in the open lands over which they more often fly. On perceiving the object of their search, closing their wings and tail, they fall with a loud rustle until near the earth, when, checking their speed, they drop unawares upon their victim. Should they fail, they rise, and in a second attempt it frequently happens that*not even the cunning Quail can escape. They sometimes fly lower, with more or less sailing, according to the breeze or motion in the air, and, diving down, seize a chicken, or even a hen, and bear it off with apparent ease.” At other times, they perch in a tree in their hunting-grounds, and with an eager, intent expression, watch closely the surrounding grass, down into which they drop when occasion requires, or over which they again sail, instantly checking their course and again alighting, should anything attract their attention. Then facing about, they wait until an opportune moment, when, spreading their wings and for an instant hovering, they pounce upon their prey. They rarely catch birds on the wing, and never, so far as I know, pursue them. On the contrary, if undisturbed, they sometimes remain perched for hours, either waiting for the appearance of game, or digesting 2 meal. In the woods, they not unfrequently catch squirrels, diving at them when in some exposed situation. They usually sail up to their perch, and stand erectly, often far above the ground. Their ordinary fare is composed of hares, often called “ ‘rab- 364 LAND-BIRDS AND. GAME-BIRDS bits,” squirrels, minks, rarely rats or mice, snakes (especially the striped kind or garter-snake), frogs, grouse, quail, and poultry. They do not, however, often catch our so-called par- tridges, owing to the latter’s rapid flight and rather persistent occupation of the woods, and it is not uncommon to find these game-birds in groves where the ‘* Hen Hawks” have their nest, It may be said that the natural home of the “Hen Hawks” is the woods (in our climate, particularly those of old pines, and such as are somewhat swampy), but it must be added that during the day they are much away from home. Their favorite hunting-grounds are open places, especially farms and mead- ows, but there are few kinds of land over which they do not fly, including even our smaller cities. Occasionally they may be seen in roads or perched on roadsides. Towards man the ‘* Hen Hawks” are naturally shy, though it is generally easy to approach them when gorged, or at~ other times to do so in a vehicle, or on horse-back. By this latter means, I have actually passed under one. They frequently leave their food when approached, instead of carrying it off in the manner of many hawks. Like other barbarians, they re- fuse to show signs of suffering, or to allow their spirit to become subdued. When shot and mortally wounded, they usually sail on unconcernedly while their strength lasts, until obliged to fall. If not dead, they turn upon their rump, and fight till the last, like others of their tribe. Their eyes gleam savagely, and they defend themselves with both bill and talons. With these latter they can inflict severe wounds, if incautiously treated, and they sometimes seize a stick with such tenacity that I have seen one carried half a mile through his persistent grasp. I have never known one to be tamed, but, on the contrary, they sometimes die from refusing to eat. This is in accordance with their natural pride, and their fond- ness for a wild life. In autumn and winter the ‘‘ Hen Hawks” lead a solitary life, but in summer, and more often spring; they may be seen in pairs. They then hunt together, or sail high in circles, as if to remove themselves from the common crowd of birds. Un- OF NEW ENGLAND. 365 less very seriously molested, they build their nest every year in nearly the same place. The females vary as regards cour- age or prudence, some leaving their nest on hearing one’s approach, others waiting till the tree is rapped, and others until one has begun to climb or has even ascended several feet. I have never known them to attack man, when thus disturbed. The young are fed for several weeks after being hatched, and are often noisy. (d). The screams of our two “ Hen Hawks” do not materi- ally differ, if at all. They are slightly prolonged, and are usually repeated several times at once, as keé-o, keé-o, keé-o. They are frequently heard, especially in spring, but are exactly imitated by the Blue Jays. (C) pennsytvanicus. Broad-winged Hawk (or Buzzard). (To be seen in Massachusetts during summer, and occasion- ally winter, but more common asa migrant.) (a). Eighteen inches long or less., Above, umber-brown, with more or less pale edging, and showing white on the hind- head. Tail banded and tipped with white. Under parts, white, variously streaked and barred with spots of medium or rufous brown, of which traces are often found above. Throat bordered on each side by a dark mazillary patch. Young with. much white above, but that of the tail replaced by light brown. This species, like the other buzzards, has the outer primary (and others) emarginate, i. e. with the inner web rather ab- ruptly narrow towards the end. This buzzard has three, our others four emarginate. (6). The nest does not essentially differ, so far as I know, from that of the Red-shouldered Hawk. An egg, which I took from a nest with three young, found near Boston on the six- teenth of May, measures 2°10 X 1°80 of an inch, and is white,- blotched and spotted with brown, chiefly of a purplish shade. (c). The-Broad-winged Buzzards are reported as common summetr-residents in many parts of northern New England. In Massachusetts, they are most common as migrants, but I have seen one in winter, and have found two nests near Boston, , } 366 LAND-BIRDS AND GUME-BIRDS in neither of which cases did the female offer any resistance, though Mr. Boardman considers them so spirited as to attack intruders. Dr. Brewer, in the “Birds of North America,” says: “ Mr. Mcllwraith, of Hamilton, Canada, has noted ex- tensive migrations of this Hawk in March of different years, as many as twenty or thirty being in view at one time, passing at a considerable height, and moving in circles towards the north-west.” These Buzzards, though readily distinguished -by size from the ‘“‘ Hen Hawks,” do not differ much in habits. In common with those birds, they are often teased by King- birds and Crows, but on such occasions they show a quiet dig- nity and unconcern, which is very striking. (d). The Broad-winged Hawks have a loud, whining whistle, not unlike the familiar cries of the ‘‘Hen Hawks.” These may most often be heard in spring. VI. ARCHIBUTEO (A) Lagopus (var. SANCTI-JONANNIS). Rough-legged Hawk (or Buzzard). Black Hawk. (In Massachusetts, a winter-visitor of great rarity.) (a). Tarsus feathered to the toes. Extreme length, about two feet. Above, marked with various browns and white (or yellowish). Tail black-banded, but with the basal half white and unmarked. Under parts, white, variously marked with brown, which generally forms a broad band across the lower breast. There is a so-called melanotic race, with the plumage nearly uniform black or blackish, but with the forehead (throat), and more or less banding on-the tail, white.- This is the Black Hawk, supposed by some writers to be the adult of the other. (b). The eggs, as described by other authors, do not appar- ently differ from certain forms, found among those of the “Hen Hawks.” See V, B, b. (c). The Rough-legged Buzzards occur in New England as winter-visitors only, and near Boston are rare, especially in black plumage. They are noted for the following traits: gen- eral sluggishness, fondness for hunting in the evening or toward dusk, fondness for meadows, marshes, and low, wet lands, and OF NEW ENGLAND. 3867 finally the simplicity of their fare, which consists chiefly of frogs and mice, but also, it is said, of wounded birds. They usually remain perched in their chosen haunts, regardless of weather, until some small quadruped attracts their notice, when, with the impulse received from a few beats of their wings, they drop down upon their prey. They may sometimes be seen sailing about with great ease and but little motion of the wings. They often stand motionless for a surprising length of time. I re- member passing over the Boston and Providence Rail-road in March, and remarking, at about eleven o’clock in the morning, a hawk of this species stationed on the Fowl Meadows beyond Readville. On returning, toward sunset, I saw him in the same tree, though it is probable that he had made several sallies during the day. Such is the characteristic life of the Rough- legged Buzzards, but, in’ so cold a winter-climate as tbat of Boston, they are frequently obliged to resort to woods and higher grounds. I have seen one catch a squirrel, and another feed upon a Quail. (d). Wilson speaks of their ‘‘making a loud squeeling as they arise, something resembling the neighing of a young colt; tho in a more shrill and savage tone.” Dr. Cooper speaks of their “loud scream.” VII. AQUILA (A) cuRysaETuUS (var. CANADENSIS). Golden Eagle. Ring- ‘tailed Eagle (young). (In Massachusetts, extremely rare.) (a). 80-40 inches long. Tursus thickly feathered. Dark brown, varying from purplish to blackish, becoming rich ful- vous on the hind-head and neck. Young, with the tail partly white. (b). The nest is built on cliffs, or rarely in trees. The eggs are most often two in number, and. are three inches long or more. They are white, usually blotched with brown.® ¢This description, as one or two of the others, is gathered from those of other writers. 368 + | LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (c). Size has always a fascination for the world. The young collector prizes a hawk’s egg more than that of the rarest warbler. The egg is big, the bird that laid it is big, the nest in which it was laid is big, the tree in which the nest was built is big, and the wood in which the tree grows is big. In much the same spirit, the world has called the eagle and lion king respectively of birds and beasts, on account of their large size and carnivorous tastes. But modern writers have assured us that the lion is not a hero, that he is even a coward, that he does not deserve his title, which might better be bestowed upon the Royal Bengal Tiger. The eagle, however, though inferior in activity, speed, and spirit, to the little Sparrow Hawk, better merits the distinction, from the majesty of his appearance and the sublimity of his flight. But he cannot justly be considered superior to all other birds, since he is merely a large “‘hen hawk,” who does not hesitate in many cases to feed on carrion or on the spoils which he robs from more industrious laborers than himself. The Golden Eagles are extremely rare in Massachusetts, and are probably to be ranked as merely accidental winter-visitors. They are resident in mountainous and thinly populated districts of northern and possibly western New England. Mr. Brewster says that ‘a pair have bred for years on the cliff directly over the Profile House. They could be seen at almost any hour of the day scaling about their eyrie, uttering loud screams, but were especially noisy and active from sunset to dark.” The Golden Eagles are so averse to the encroachments of man, that I can find no mention of their being common in any much inhabited district, but the immense tracts of forest, and the high mountain-ranges, in their usual haunts, enable them to live remote from civilization. I have occasionally seen them among the White Mountains. They may sometimes be ob- served sailing at a vast height in wide circles, but with no per- ceptible effort. I have watched them for hours, but only once have I seen them plunge. One, who had been sailing for a long while at the elevation of several hundred feet, suddenly closed his wings and dropped with astounding velocity, which OF NEW ENGLAND. 369 might well take one’s breath away. In his fall he disappeared behind some woods, and I did not see him again. The keen- ness of vision which this species must possess is wonderful, but at how great a height they can distinctly perceive their prey is uncertain. I have seen one sail at some distance above the peak of Mount Lafayette, at least a mile above the sea- level, and, on crossing a valley beneath, suddenly descend, as if his attention had been attracted by an object four thousand feet beneath. Could man from the top of a monument twenty times as high as that of Bunker Hill distinctly see a cat di- rectly beneath, or a fawn at the distance of two or three miles, even if not running through grass or woods? Yet man might distinctly see and recognize a tolerably small quadruped at the distance of a mile in a clear, level space, whence it seems possible that the powers of horizontal and perpendicular vision are somewhat distinct, even when the same surface of a body is seen. Audubon says of these birds that ‘* young fawns, racoons,' hares, wild turkeys, and other large birds, are their usual food, and they devour putrid flesh only when hard pressed by hunger, none alighting on carrion at any other time.” (d). The screams of the Golden Eagle are loud, harsh, and rather savage, “resembling at times,’ says Audubon, “ the barking of a dog, especially about the breeding season, when they become extremely noisy and turbulent, * * * .” VIII. HALIAETUS (A) LeucocrerHaLus. “ Bald” Eagle. White-headed Eagle. “ Bird of Washington.” (In some parts of New England not uncommon.) (a). 80-40 inches long. Tarsus naked. Dark brown. Head, tail, and tail-coverts, white. Young with little or no white. (5). The nest is much like that of the Fish Hawk in every respect. It is often, however, ‘‘ partly composed of sods, and is commonly built in the top of a dead tree.” The eggs, most often two in number, are laid in the early part of spring, or even in winter. They are nearly three inches long, or more, and are impure white or yellowish. 25 370 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (c). The “Bald” Eagles, unfortunately selected as emblems of their country, are residents, at least in summer, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. They are common in many parts of northern New England, particularly along the coast of Maine. In Massachusetts, they no longer breed, ex- cept in a few places ‘to the westward, but they occasionally appear along the shore, even in summer, when they undoubt- edly often wander far in search of food. Wilson’s picture of this bird is in spirit one of the finest portrait-paintings from nature, which it has ever been my good fortune to see, and, as his biography is scarcely less admirable, I shall quote several passages from it, adding a few observations not there recorded. “This bird has been long known to naturalists, being common to both continents, and occasionally met with from a very high northern latitude, to the borders of the torrid zone, but chiefly in the vicinity of the sea, and along the shores and cliffs of our lakes and large rivers. Formed by nature for braving the severest cold; feeding equally on the produce of the sea, and of the land; possessing powers of flight capable of outstripping even the tempests themselves ; unawed by any- thing but man; and from the ethereal heights to which he soars, looking abroad, at one glance, on an immeasurable ex- panse of forests, fields, lakes and ocean, deep below him, he appears indifferent to the little localities of change of seasons ; as in a few minutes he can pass from summer to winter, from the lower to the higher regions of the atmosphere, the abode of eter- nal cold, and from thence descend at will to the torrid or the arctic regions of the earth. He is therefore found at all sea- sons in the countries he inhabits ; but prefers such places as have been mentioned above, from the great partiality he has for fish. ‘Tn procuring these he displays, in a very singular manner, the genius and energy of his character, which is fierce, con- templative, daring and tyrannical; attributes not exerted but on particular occasions ; but when put forth, overpowering all opposition. Elevated on the high dead limb of some gigantic tree that commands a wide view of the neighboring shore and ocean, he seems calmly to contemplate the motions of the vari- ous feathered tribes that pursue their busy avocations below OF NEW ENGLAND. 371 the snow white Gulls slowly winnowing the air; the busy Tring coursing along the sands; trains of Ducks streaming over the surface; silent and watchful Cranes, intent and wa- ding ; clamorous Crows, and all the winged multitudes that subsist by the bounty of this vast liquid magazine of nature. High over all these hovers one, whose action instantly arrests all his attention. By his wide curvature of wing, and sudden suspension in the air, he knows him to be the Fish-Hawk, settling over some devoted victim of the deep. His eye kin- dies at the sight, and balancing himself, with half opened wings, on the branch, he watches the result. Down, rapid as an arrow from heaven, descends the distant object of his atten- tion, the roar of its wings reaching his ear as it disappears in the deep, making the surges foam around! At this moment the eager looks of the Eagle are all-ardor; and levelling his neck for flight, he sees the Fish-Hawk once more emerge, struggling with his prey, and mounting in the air with screams of exultation. These are the signal for our hero, who, launch- ing into the air, instantly gives chace, soon gains on the Fish- Hawk, each exerts his utmost to mount above the other, dis- playing in these rencontres the most elegant and sublime aerial evolutions. The unincumbered Eagle rapidly advances, and is just on the point of reaching his opponent, when with a sudden scream probably of despair and honest execration, the latter drops his fish; the Eagle poising himself for a moment, as if to take a more certain aim, descends like a whirlwind, snatches it in his grasp ere it reaches the water, and bears his ill-gotten booty: silently away to the woods.” ; ‘* When driven, as he sometimes is, by the combined courage and perseverance of the Fish-Hawks from their neighbourhood, and forced to hunt for himself, he retires more inland, in search of young pigs, of which he destroys great numbers. In the lower parts of Virginia and North Carolina, where the inhabitants raise vast herds of those animals, complaints of this kind are very general against him. He also destroys young lambs in. the early part of spring; and will sometimes attack old sickly sheep, aiming furiously at their eyes.” “The appetite of the Bald Eagle, tho habituated to long 372 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS fasting, is of the most voracious and often the most indelicate kind. Fish, when he can obtain them, are preferred to all other fare. Young lambs and pigs are dainty morsels, and made free with on all favorable occasions. Ducks, Geese, Gulls and other sea fowl, are also seized with avidity. The most putrid carrion, when nothing better can be had, is accept- able; and the collected groups of gormandizing Vultures, on the approach of this dignified personage, instantly disperse, and make way for their master, waiting his departure in sullen silence, and at a respectful distance, on the adjacent trees.” “The flight of the Bald Eagle, when taken into considera- tion with the ardor and energy of his character, is noble and interesting. Sometimes the human eye can just discern him, like a minute speck, moving in slow curvatures along the face of the heavens, as if reconnoitring the earth at that immense dis- tance. Sometimes he glides along in a direct horizontal line, at a vast height, with expanded and unmoving wings, till he gradually disappears in the distant blue ether. Seen gliding in easy circles over the high shores and mountainous cliffs that tower above the Hudson and Susquehanna, he attracts the eye of the intelligent voyager, and adds great interest to the scen- ery. At the great cataract of Niagara, already mentioned, there rises from the gulf into which the falls of the Horse-shoe descends, a stupendous column of smoke, or spray, reaching to the heavens, and moving off in large black clouds, accord- ing to the direction of the wind, forming a very striking and majestic appearance. The Eagles are -here seen sailing about, sometimes losing themselves in this thick column, and again reappearing in another place, with such ease and elegance of motion, as renders the whole truly sublime. “High o’er the watery uproar, silent seen, “Sailing sedate in majesty serene, “Now midst the sprays sublimely lost, “And now, emerging, down the rapids tost, “ Glides the Bald Eagle, gazing, calm and slow ‘‘O’er all the horrors of the scene below; “Tntent alone to sate himself with blood, “From the torn victims of the raging flood.” Wilson elsewhere says : “The Eagle is said to live to a OF NEW ENGLAND. 373 great age, sixty, eighty, and as some assert, one hundred years. This circumstance is remarkable, when we consider the seem- ing intemperate habits of the bird. Sometimes fasting, through necessity, for several days, and at other times gorging itself with animal food till its craw swells out the plumage of that part, forming a large protuberance on the breast.” The Bald Eagles do not invariably sail when flying, but often progress by a continuous beating of the wings. They also oc- casionally plunge through the air, even doing so, it has been stated, from a height of several thousand feet, with a loud ° rustle, which may be heard at a considerable distance. Though notorious for their robbing of the Fish Hawks, they sometimes condescend to fish for’ themselves in the manner of those birds. This fact I have personally witnessed, and it has been corrobo- ‘rated by other naturalists. They also attack wild-fowl, espec- ially if wounded, and have been known, on finding a crippled Brant, to plant themselves upon it, and, spreading their wings, to sail to shore. (d). The Bald Eagles are usually silent. A young one, which I observed in confinement, snored when sleeping, and, when awake, frequently hissed or uttered extraordinary sounds, suggestive of the pig-sty, though not unlike disagreeable laugh- ter. These are the chief items of interest which I can add to Wilson’s account. IX. PANDION (A) HaLiaérus (var. CAROLINENSIS). Fish Hawk. (Ameri- can) Osprey. (In New England, a summer-resident, but very rare in Mas- sachusetts. * (a). About two feet long. Under parts, and the head, white. Eye-stripe, and the upper parts, dark. Tail, banded. Breast, spotted or streaked with brown. Feet, large and stout, pre- senting, as does the plumage, certain peculiarities. (b). The nest is extremely large, being usually repaired and added to from year to year. It is composed of sticks, of which there is often a cart-load, and is lined with sea-weed, or other 374 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS coarse materials. It is built in a tree, near some body of water, sometimes several being near together. It is placed at various heights above the ground, but often near the top, even of a dead tree. In New England, two, three, or four eggs are laid about the first of May, or sometimes later. They average 2:40 X 1°70 of an inch, and are usually creamy, buff, or red- dish, thickly spotted and blotched with rich brown of several shades, some of which are dark and others reddish. Occasion- ally the eggs are white, with a few large markings of umber- brown. (c). The Fish Hawks, like their tormentors the “ Bald” Eagles, are summer-residents in Florida, Arctic countries, and the lands between, but, unlike them, are very migratory, and do not winter in New England, where from April until late in the autumn they are common. They are rare, however, in Massachusetts, except during the migrations, and are said to breed no longer along the coast of this State, though a few undoubtedly do so in the interior, of which I have had satis- factory evidence. They are everywhere most numerous on the sea-shore (as is observable in Maine), but they also resort to the neighborhood of rivers and large inland bodies of water. They are everywhere characterized by their sociability and af- fection, their perseverance and industry. They are well known frequently to migrate and build their nests. in companies, to remain mated for life, and to feed their young longer, even more abundantly, than any other hawks. Though repeatedly robbed by the tyrannical eagles, they continue to fish undis- heartened, and are said never to feed in any other way. Their method of obtaining their prey is so interesting, that were it not known even to children, from being frequently de- scribed in books, it would daily. excite wonder. It cannot, however, fail to hold the attention of any one who may see it for the first time, and I have never looked upon one of these birds without instinctively watching his motions. The flight of the Fish Hawk is much varied, but he may always be recog- nized by the prominent bend of his wings. When traveling directly forward, he flies with rather heavy flappings, not un- OF NEW ENGLAND. 875 like those of a heron, which are relieved by sailing. When ‘hunting, he more often moves in circles, and frequently at a considerable height. He often deceives some eager spectator by diving, as if to make a plunge, but he suddenly resumes his course, and continues to sail quietly. Finally he becomes absorbed in gazing at the movements of his prey; then, hov- ering for a moment, plunges head-long, and, disappearing be- neath the surface, dashes up the foam. Sometimes he seizes so large a prize that a desperate struggles ensues, in which now the fish and then the bird appears out of his element, and it is said that he occasionally loses his life through being im- prudent or too ambitious. Generally, however, he at once rises, and with his prey in his talons, flies to the shore, where, if not molested by robbers, he feeds in some tree upon his well earned meal. He is either no glutton, or has an insatiable appetite, for he is seldom or never seen gorged, but, when not eating, or necessarily at rest, he continues his active search, I do not know what are the largest fish that he catches, but I have been assured that one, which a bird dropped upon being frightened, weighed fully six pounds. The Fish Hawks are very spirited, and have been known to wound seriously in- truders upon their nests, which, by the way, they are said by Wilson to repair in autumn to withstand the winter. (d). Their notes are various, being sometimes piercing screams, but at other times a succession of agreeable whistles. § 28. The American vultures (catHartipz) have the head chiefly naked, and the hind-toe not on a level with the others, which are slightly webbed. Two southern species, the Turkey ‘‘ Buzzard”? (Cathartes aura) and the Carrion ‘ Crow” (C. atratus), have accidentally occurred in Massachusetts once or twice. The former is very dark; “head red; feet flesh- colored; bill white. * * * * ; tail rounded. Length about 23 feet; extent 6; wing 2; tail 1. U.S., from Atlantic to 7 See, for authority, ‘‘ The Naturalists’ meee of Mr. Maynard, p. 137, 160th species, 876 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Pacific, and somewhat northward ; abundant in more southern portions ; resident as far north as New Jersey. Nests on the ground, or near it, in hollow stumps and logs, generally breed- ing in communities; eggs commonly two, creamy white, blotched and speckled, 221%.” Coues. The Carrion “ Crow,” or Black Vulture, has the wings paler beneath, and the hind- head feathered; “head dusky; bill and feet grayish-yellow. * * * ; tail square. Smaller than aura, in linear dimensions, but a heavier bird; length about 2 feet; wing 14; tail 3. The difference in size and shape between this species and aura is strikingly displayed when the birds are flying together, as con- stantly occurs'in the Southern States; there is also a radical difference in the mode of flight, this species never sailing for any distance without flapping the wings. Nesting the same: eggs similar, but larger, or at any rate more elongate; 3} X 2. Chiefly South Atlantic and Gulf States, there very numerous, far outnumbering the tuikey buzzard, and semi-domesticated in the towns; N. regularly to North Carolina, thence strag- gling even to Massachusetts and Maine ;” etc. (Coues.) As the vultures are of wholly accidental occurrence in New England, and as their more characteristic habits are well known, I shall not here present their biographies, which I should be obliged to borrow from other writers. Some remarks as to their prominent peculiarities have already been presented among those on the birds of prey, at the beginning of this chapter. OF NEW ENGLAND. 377 CHAPTER IV. FIFTH ORDER. CoLumBx. “ Aw essential character,” says Dr. Coues, “ of birds of this order is seen in the structure of the bill: horny and convex at the tip, somewhat contracted in the continuity, furnished at the base with a soft swollen membrane in which the nostrils open. There are four toes, three anterior, generally cleft, but occasionally with a slight basal web, and one behind, with a few exceptions perfectly insistent or not obviously elevated. The feet are never lengthened ; the tarsus is commonly shorter than the toes, either scutellate or extensively feathered janteri- orly, reticulate on the sides and behind, the envelope rather membranous than corneous. The plumage is destitute of after- shafts. * * * .” As this order is in North America repre- sented but by one family, the well-known pigeons (including the doves), it is unnecessary to detail further its peculiar features. The two species of New England are excellent types. Their habit, however, of feeding their young by regur- gitation from the crop may here be remarked. The true “Game-birds” (Chapter V), all belong to the subclass, Cursores, or ‘terrestrial birds,” and to the two orders, Gailinw and Grallatores. The Galline include the grouse, with the tarsi more or less feathered, and the par- tridges or quail, with naked tarsi. Dr. Coues ranks these as subfamilies, dividing our species into Tetraonine, or true grouse, and Odontophorinc, or American partridges. The Grallatores include the Snipe and Woodcock, who both belong to the same family of the suborder Limicole or shore-birds. (It may be added that the Odontophorine, or Ortygine, are usually ranked as subfamilies of the Perdicide, or partridges, while the grouse are ranked separately as Tetraonide. This latter arrangement has been followed in this volume.) It is to be remarked that the pigeons (Columbide, § 29) 378 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS show an affinity in several ways to the Raptores, or birds of prey, as well as in structure to the Galline. I. ECTOPISTES (A) migratorius. Wild Pigeon. Passenger Pigeon. (In Massachusetts, most common as a migrant). (a). About sixteen inches long. Tuail-feathers twelve. @, above, dull-blue; beneath, dull red, paler behind. Sides of the neck highly metallic. Back, and part of the wings, olive- tinged: Shoulders black-spotted. Primaries, and long middle tail-feathers, black (or dark); the former variously edged. Outer tail-feathers white or bluish; their inner webs black, and chestnut, at the base. 9, much duller above, and blue or gray beneath. (b). The nest, a frail structure of twigs, is built on some branch in the woods. In April or May, according to latitude, one or two eggs are laid. These are elliptical, and pure white, and measure.about 1°50 X 1°10 of an inch. (c). No birds could more appropriately be chosen as em- blems of their country than the Wild Pigeons. They occur throughout a large part of North America, and often in such ‘prodigious numbers, that: single companies have been estimated to contain fifty times as many pigeons as there are now inhab- itants in the United States. They wander almost continually in search of their food, which consists chiefly of grain, seeds, becch-nuts, acorns, and berries. They possess great power of flight, and move with a rapid beating of the wings at the rate of sixty miles an hour or often more. On alighting, they flap the wings violently, as if to break the force of their impetus. If frightened from their roosts (to which they frequently resort several nights in succession), they rise with a loud roar. When on the ground, they invariably walk, but with no little grace. Many of their habits may be traced in those of tame pigeons, and in the appearance of a single individual there is often a ‘striking analogy to that of a hawk. In many places they have become comparatively rare through the excessive persecution of man, in addition to the raids made upon them by birds of OF NEW ENGLAND. 3879 prey. This is eminently the case in New England, where they were once abundant. In summer they are now chiefly confined -to the northern and wilder districts, but in winter they may occasionally be seen in more southern portions. They are most abundant near Boston as migrants in April and October. There is a low pine-wood within the present limits of the city, in which I have known flocks of several hundreds to roost every year, but I have never known them to be disturbed. The Wild Pigeons are still wonderfully numerous in many parts of the Western States, and it was there that Wilson made such observations as can no longer be repeated in any place, where I have seen these birds. Though toward the latter end of my work obliged to quote more often than I had hoped would be necessary, I do not hesitate to present to my readers several extracts from Wilson’s extremely interesting biography. After speaking of their range, he says: ‘‘But the most remarkable characteristic of these birds is their associating together, both in their migrations and also during the period of incubation, in such prodigious numbers as almost to surpass belief; and which has no parallel among any other of the feath- ered tribes, on the face of the earth, with which naturalists are acquainted. ‘These migrations appear to be undertaken rather in quest of food, than merely to avoid the cold of the climate; since we find them lingering in the northern regions around Hudson’s Bay so late as December; and since their appearance is so casual and: irregular; sometimes not visiting certain districts for several years in any considerable numbers, while at other times they are innumerable. I have witnessed these migra- tions in the Genessee Country—often in Pennsylvania, and also in various parts of Virginia, with amazement; but all that I had then seen of them were mere straggling parties, when compared with the congregated millions which I have since be- held in our western forests, in the States of Ohio, Kentucky, and the Indiana territory. These fertile and extensive regions abound with the nutritions beech nut, which constitutes the 380 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS chief food of the Wild Pigeon. In seasons when these nuts are abundant, corresponding multitudés of Pigeons may be confidently expected. It sometimes happens that having con- - sumed the whole produce of the beech trees in an extensive district, they discover another at a distance perhaps of sixty or eighty miles, to which they regularly repair, every morning, and return as regularly in the course of the day, or in the evening, to their general place of rendezvous, or as it is usually called, the roosting place. These roosting places are always in the woods, and sumetimes occupy a large extent of forest. When they have frequented one of these places for some time the appearance it exhibits is surprising. The ground is covered to the depth of several inches with their dung; all the tender grass and underwood destroyed ; the surface strewed with large limbs of trees broken down by the weight of the birds cluster- : ‘ing one above another; and the trees themselves, for thousands of acres, killed as completely as if girdled with an axe. The marks of this desolation remain for many years on the spot; and numerous places could be pointed out where for several years after scarce a single vegetable made its appearance.” In speaking of their breeding-places, Wilson says: ‘‘In the western countries above mentioned, these are generally in beech woods, and often extend in nearly a straight line across the country for a great way. Not far from Shelbyville in the state of Kentucky, about five years ago, there was one of these breeding places, which stretched through the woods in nearly a north and south direction; was several miles in breadth, and was said to be upwards of forty miles in extent! In this tract almost every tree was furnished with nests, wherever the branches could accommodate them. The Pigeons made their first appearance there about the tenth of April, and left it alto- gether, with their young, before the twenty-fifth of May. ‘As soon as the young were fully grown, and before they left their nests, numerous parties of the inhabitants, from all parts of the adjacent country, came with waggons, axes, beds, cooking utensils, many of them accompanied by the greater part of their families, and encamped for several days at this immense OF NEW ENGLAND. 381 nursery. Several of them informed me, that the noise in the woods was so great as to terrify their horses, and that it was difficult for one person to hear another speak without bawling in his ear. The ground was strewed with broken limbs of trees, eggs, and young squab Pigeons, which had been precipitated from above, and on which herds of hogs were fattening. Hawks, Buzzards and Eagles were sailing about in great numbers, and seizing the squabs from their nests at pleasure; while from twenty feet upwards to the tops of the trees the view through the woods presented a perpetual tumult of crowding and flut- tering multitudes of pigeons, their wings roaring like thunder ; mingled with the frequent crash of falling timber; for now the axe-men were at work cutting down those trees that seemed to be most crowded with nests, and contrived to fell them in such a manner, that in their descent they might bring down several others; by which means the falling of one large tree sometimes produced two hundred squabs, little inferior in size to the old ones, and almost one mass of fat. On some single trees upwards of one hundred nests were found, each contain- ing one young only, a circumstance in the history of this bird not generally known to naturalists. It was dangerous to walk under these flying and fluttering millions, from the frequent fall of large branches, broken down by the weight of the multitudes above, and which in their descent often destroyed numbers of the birds themselves; * * *,” “J had left the public road to visit the remains of the breed- ing place near Shelbyville, and was traversing the woods with my gun, on my way to Frankfort, when about one o’clock the Pigeons, which I had observed flying the greater part of the morning northerly, began to return in such immense numbers as I never before had witnessed. Coming to an opening by a side of a creek called the Benson, where I had a more uninter- rupted view, I was astonished at their appearance. They were flying with great steadiness and rapidity, at a height beyond gun shot, in several strata deep, and so close together that could shot have reached them, one discharge could not have failed of bringing down several individuals. From right to left 382 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS \ far as the eyé could reach, the breadth of this vast procession extended ; seeming everywhere equally crowded. Curious to determine how long this appearance would continue, I took out my watch to note the time, and sat down to observe them. It was then half past one. I sat for more than an hour, but in- stead of a diminution of this prodigious procession, it seemed rather to increase both in numbers and rapidity ; and, anxious to reach Frankfort before night, I rose and went on. About four o’clock in the afternoon I crossed the Kentucky river, at the town of Frankfort, at which time the living torrent above my head seemed as numerous and as extensive as ever. Long after this I observed them, in large bodies that continued to pass for six or eight minutes, and these again were followed by other detached bodies, all moving in the same south-east direc- tion till after six in the evening.” “* * * To form a rough estimate of the daily consumption of one of these immense flocks, let us first attempt to calculate the numbers of that above mentioned as'seen in passing between. Frankfort and Indiana territory. If we suppose this column to have been a mile in breadth (and I believe it to have been much more) and that it moved at the rate of one mile in a minute ; four hours, the time it continued passing, would make its whole length two hundred and forty miles. Again, suppos- ing that each square yard of this moving body comprehended three Pigeons; the square yards in the whole space multiplied by three, would give two thousand two hundred and thirty millions, two hundred and seventy-two thousand pigeons! An almost inconceivable multitude, and yet probably far below the actual amount. Computing each of these to consume half a pint of mast daily, the whole quantity at this rate would equal. seventeen millions, four hundred and twenty-four thousand bushels per day! Heaven has wisely and graciously given to these birds rapidity of flight and a disposition to range over vast uncultivated tracts of the earth; otherwise they must have perished in the districts where they resided, or devoured up the whole productions of agriculture as well as those of the forests. OF NEW ENGLAND. 383 ‘‘A few observations on the mode of flight of these birds must not be omitted. The appearance of large detached bodies of them in the air, and the various evolutions they display, are strikingly picturesque and interesting. In descending the Ohio by myself in the month of February, I often rested on my oars to contemplate their aerial manceuvres. A column, eight or ten miles in length, would appear from Kentucky, high in air, steering across to Indiana. The leaders of this great body would sometimes gradually vary their course, until it formed a large bend of more than a mile in diameter, those behind trac- ing the exact route of their predecessors: This would continue sometimes long after both extremities were beyond the reach of sight, so that the whole with its glittery undulations, marked a space on the face of the heavens resembling the windings of a vast and majestic river. When this bend became very great, the birds, as if sensible of the unnecessary circuitous course they were taking, suddenly changed their direction, so that what was before in column became an immense front, straight- ening all its indentures, until it swept the heavens in one vast and infinitely extended line. Other lesser bodies also united with each other, as they happened to approach, with such ease and elegance of evolution, forming new figures, and varying these as they united or separated that I was never tired of con- templating them. Sometimes a Hawk would make a sweep on a particular part of the column, from a great height, when, almost as quick as lightning, that part shot downwards out of © the common track ; but soon rising again, continued advancing at the same height as before; this inflection was continued by those behind, who on arriving at this point dived down, almost perpendicularly, to a great depth, and rising followed the exact path of those that went before. * * *,” ‘* Happening to go ashore one charming afternoon, to pur- chase some milk at a house that stood near the river, and while talking with the people within doors, I was suddenly struck with astonishment at a loud rushing roar, succeeded by instant darkness, which, on the first moment, I took for a tornado about to overwhelm the house and every thing around in de- 4 384 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS struction. The people observing my surprise, coolly said, ‘ It is only the Pigeons ;’ * * * .” (d). The Wild Pigeons have a cooing not unlike that of the domestic birds. This is a love-note, and may be heard in spring. Audubon says: ‘*The common notes resemble the monosyllables kee-kee-kee-kee, the first being the loudest, the others gradually diminishing in power.” Il. ZENASDURA (A) caroxinensis. Caroling Dove. “Turtle Dove.” Mourn- ing Dove. (In New England, a summer-resident.) (a). About twelve inches long. ‘Tail-feathers fourteen, and bluish; the outer ones singly black-harred and white-tipped. Feet carmine (and not yellow). Otherwise essentially like the Wild Pigeon (I), but more brownish, and with a black spot on the side of the head. (b). The nest is a frail structure of twigs, built in the woods or sometimes in orchards. Two white and (nearly) elliptical eggs, measuring about 1:10 X °80 of an inch, are laid in May. (c). The Carolina Doves differ distinctly from the Wild Pigeons in being regularly migratory, very much less grega- rious, only small flocks being ever seen in New England, in not roosting closely together in trees, and in flying with a loud whistle of the wing, and seldom at a great height. They do not occur to the northward of Southern New England, where they are summer-residents of great rarity in many places, though common, according to Mr. Maynard, on Cape Cod. I have seen them from March until October. They frequent open woods and grounds, grain-fields, pastures, and even, it is said, barn-yards. There they may be seen, often in companies, now walking sedately, now more rapidly, and picking up the seeds, grain, berries, etc., upon which they feed. Occasionally they alight on fences, and flirt their long and handsome tails. They are eminently affectionate toward one another, but toward man they are often shy. (d). Besides a low chuckle, they have a peculiar and very OF NEW ENGLAND. 385 striking cooing, one of the saddest sounds in nature, though sweet, and wholly inexpressive of the true feelings of the doves. It usually consists of four notes, which suggest the sobs and moans of a most disconsolate lover, or of a person. in the deepest distress. The briefness of this last biography will, it is hoped, be excused. The author approaches the end of his long though pleasurable labors with a certain feeling of eager- ness and relief, though glad to have paid even a slight tribute to nature, science, and the inauguration of a second century in the life of his country, for, through an unforeseen coincidence, as he writes these last words, the distant hoom of cannon on Boston Common announces the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. 26. 886 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS CHAPTER V. THE GAME-BIRDS. (Sex §29.) §30. Tetraonide. Grouse. , I. TETRAO (CANACE) (A) canavensis.! Canada Grouse. ‘‘ Spruce Partridge.” (A resident of northern New England, but in Massachusetts accidental.) (a). About sixteen inches long. @, black; waved with a paler shade above, and extensively edged on the breast and sides with white. ‘‘EKye-brow” red. Head and wings with a few white markings. Tail, usually of sixteen feathers, and - broadly tipped with orange-brown. Brown markings sometimes occur elsewhere in the male, and in the female are persistently numerous. (b). The eggs, which are laid upon the ground, are described by Mr. Samuels as “ of a beautiful yellowish-buff color, with spots and blotches of two shades of brown: one a purplish- brown; the other, a burnt sienna.” In size they differ but little from those of the Ruffed Grouse. (c). The Canada Grouse are common residents in many parts of northern New England, especially Northern Maine, but in Massachusetts they are of accidental oecurrence, and I find records of only two captures in this State, one “‘in the -chemlock woods of Gloucester, in September, 1851, another at Roxbury.” These birds are rare among the White Mountains, so far as I know, as I have but occasionally seen them there. 1 The White or Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus albus) is said to occur as a winter wvisitant in Northern New England. At this time it is characterized by the pure white plumage, and its black confined to the tail. In summer it is marked with black and browns. It is about sixteen inches long. An allied but “rather smuller” species, confined to Arctic America, has a slenderer bill, and, in the male, a black eye-stripe. The ptarmigans have feathered toes. N. B.—The Wild Turkey has for many years been exterminated in New Eng- land. 7 OF NEW ENGLAND. 387 Their chief haunts are evergreen-swamps, where, if approached by man, they sometimes exhibit a surprising tameness, the mother of a young brood not hesitating boldly to defend her charge. Their habits are esseritially like those of our ‘“ Par- tridges,” who likewise, in wild places, if disturbed while with their young, often fly at the intruder, generally attacking his feet, after which they immediately retreat to collect the little ones, who have meanwhile hidden. (da). The Canada Grouse, like their better known relatives, drum loudly ; at least I have strong reasons to believe so, with- out having seen them in the act. Their ordinary note is a chuck. II. CUPIDONIA (A) cupipo. Pinnated Grouse. ‘ Prairie Hen.” (In New England, formerly somewhat common, but now almost or quite extinct.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Above, marked trans- versely with black, white, and brown. Beneath, tawny, whiten- ing behind. Throat often unmarked, but breast, etc., barred with white (and brown). Wings and tail, dull brown, generally marked with white. ¢, with long feathers on the neck, which when erected, form two prominent ‘‘ wings,” also with red ‘ eye- brows,” and beneath the ‘‘ wings” a piece of skin, which can be distended so as much to resemble a half-orange. (0). The eggs, which are laid on the ground, are brownish- drab or lighter, and average about 1°65 X 1:35 of an inch. (c). The celebrated ‘* Prairie Hens” are here included among the birds of New England, only on account of their possible presence on a few islands off the South-eastern Coast. I am informed, however, that they no longer exist on Naushon, where ‘they are not known to have ever been indigenous, and that they are probably extinct on Martha’s Vineyard. Having never seen these birds alive, I am obliged to draw my account from other authors. The Pinnated Grouse show a marked dislike for water, and choose dry, wooded soils for their haunts, such as are called “barrens.” They feed chiefly upon berries, and 388 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS also acorns. They usually roost upon the ground, but often resort to trees, especially in cold weather, during which they continue to reside in their summer-haunts. They fly. less rap- idly and with less whirr than the Ruffed Grouse, and walk rather less gracefully. At the mating-season, the males become very pompous and pugnacious. They meet in the morning at an early hour, and engage in fierce combat. (d). It is at this time that they produce their peculiar boom- ing, or “tooting,” which is so loud that it may be heard at the distance of several miles. Their ordinary note is the chucking which belongs to other grouse. The “ Prairie Hens” are still abundant in the West, whence ‘thousands are forwarded to Eastern markets. Their gradual extermination is greatly to be regretted. UI. BONASA (A) umBeLLus. Ruffed Grouse. ‘“ Partridge.” ‘ Pheasant.” (In many parts of New England, a common resident throughout the year.) : (a). About eighteen inches long. Above, reddish-brown, with numerous gray edgings. Erectile crown-feathers, and in- terscapulars, marked with black. Ruff-feathers on the sides of the neck, dark brown or black, with two or three metallic bars. Back, minutely speckled with black, and streaked with light grayish spots, which are black-edged. Tail, gray, with a broad subterminal black band; elsewhere paler, or reddish, barred and finely vermiculated with black. Primaries marked with whitish on the outer webs. Under parts, tawny, becoming white behind. Throat, unmarked or slightly waved; breast, with dull brown bars, dark-edged above; sides, with umber bars. The tail usually has eighteen feathers, and is rounded, as in the ‘Prairie Hen,” but is considerably longer. The auriculars (or ear-feathers) are long and loose. (b). The eggs average 1:65 X 1:25 of an inch, vary from drab-buff to rich reddish buff, and are sometimes spotted. From eight to fifteen are laid together in the latter part of May. The nest consists of a few.leaves and grasses placed OF NEW ENGLAND. 389 on the ground, beside a log, rock, or tree, in the woods. It is most often to be found in or near swampy lands. . The last which I examined, which contained eight fresh eggs about the twenty-fifth of May, was placed in the “scrub,” beneath an interlacing of fallen switches. It was a hollow, about nine inches in diameter, and was lined chiefly with bits of dry fern. Fig. 20. Ruffed Grouse (4). (c).? Had our forefathers been as intolerant of error in matters of science as in matters of faith, and had they wished, in applying familiar names to common objects, that the Eng- lish should obtain by comparison an accurate impression of what was found here, our Ruffed Grouse would have been 2 This biography, and the three following, have been contributed by a friend. 390 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS called ‘‘ Wood Grouse,” and not ‘ Partridges,” for they are grouse, though they differ strikingly from the English birds of that name, as well as from our own ‘ Pinnated Grouse,” in frequenting the woods, in the whiteness of their meat, in their want of sociability, and finally in their markings. The three birds differ but little in size. The Ruffed Grouse have in common with their English rela- tives an indifference to danger early in the season, and, a little later, cunning and wariness, combined with swiftness on the wing. They resemble in habits the British Pheasants, whence the name given to them in the South and parts of the Middle States; and, since the Mnglish partridges scarcely re- semble at all their name-sakes in New England, it must be con- fessed that the ‘‘Southerners” have come nearer the mark, in . calling the present species a pheasant. The Ruffed Grouse, or ‘‘ Partridges,” are very hardy, and, though not migratory, may be found from Newfoundland and the western British possessions to Georgia and New Mexico on the South and West. We shall here describe their habits in New England. ; In the spring and early summer may be heard that remark- able sound called “drumming.” Whoever is fortunate enough to approach closely an old cock in the act of drumming, will be well rewarded for the trouble that he may have taken in so doing. Generally on a log or broad stump, or in a cleared spot, the bird will be seen, puffed like a turkey to twice his natural size, with his crest erect, his ruffs extended (as in the cut, fig. 20), and his tail spread, strutting about, lowering or twist- ing his neck and head, and then suddenly beating violently with his wings his inflated body. This causes a sound, which on a favorable day may be heard for a mile or two, and which is often repeated at intervals for some time. One can appreciate the muscular vitality of the wings and the rapidity of their motion, by endeavoring to imitate the sound on a cushion (or other surface) with the hand. It will be found impossible to equal or even to approach the rapidity of the repeated strokes. The eggs, deposited from day to day, are generally laid be- OF NEW ENGLAND. 391 fore the first of June, and mature in about eighteen days. The | ‘young leave the nest immediately, and find ‘the greater part of their own food, though the hen sometimes offers them a few morsels. At this time, the latter part of June, and indeed through the rest of the summer, the young broods commonly frequent low, moist grounds in thick coverts, where food is abundant and water at hand, and there they are sure to be met with in a search for summer Woodcock. Should a brood be disturbed, while still with the hen, the latter feigns lameness, and decoys the intruder away, suffering him to put his hand almost upon her, uttering a clucking of anxiety, until she thinks him at a safe distance from her young, when she darts off on the wing, her chicks having meantime hidden, and leaves the deluded victim of this pretty ruse to wonder alone. Some- times, she even bristles up and attacks the offender, as well as she can, and much like a brooding hen. If the first nest be destroyed, a second hatching is often en- tered upon. The young increase rapidly in size, and by the first of September are two-thirds grown. Until then they re- main more or less together in a covey, and, if undisturbed, even do so until the following spring. While young, they suffer severely from exposure to unusual weather, especially to cold and heavy rains, which are very destructive. Moreover, a species of wood-tick attacks them in summer, inserting its tri- angular head beneath the skin. It is said to be especially dan- gerous, when it attaches itself to the bird’s head or neck, but, at all events, many birds suffer from it. They are also often infested with lice, and are occasionally troubled by a kind of bott-worm, which resembles a large maggot, and which must be fatal, since it reaches the flesh. In the first part of the shooting-season, whether it be Sep- tember or October, tolerable sport may be had with the birds over a gun, if they have not been disturbed previously, and if they are abundant and in passable woods, though in the wilderness or rough forest they can only be shot while sta- tionary, as the woods are usually too thick and encumbered to allow of shooting at them on the wing. In such places, or 892 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS wherever the birds are not suspicious of man, they often take to a tree, if pursued by a yelping cur or spaniel, and, appa- rently in a state of stupid wonder, allow the sportsman to walk up and shoot them. Except in the wilderness, however, it has never been my good fortune to have a covey wait, while, be- ginning with the lowest on the tree, I might shoot them one by one. This undoubtedly is and can be done, if the birds are wholly unsophisticated, but I caution young sportsmen against too firm a belief and too high hopes founded on such reports. Even with the very best of dogs, the newest kind of breech- loader, the very acme of skill, and an abundance of birds, it is very rarely the case that a good bag is made. The birds seldom lie well to a dog, but steal away so rapidly on foot, that, if the dog is slow and staunch, they get away altogether, or, if the dog follows at an equal pace, it is generally impossible, owing to the thickness of the cover, for you to follow at the same rate. Again, half of the birds, when startled, get into a tree, and one can see them neither in the tree nor when they leave it. So on with one vexation after another throughout the early season. As the leaves drop, the birds become more shy and wary, getting up, often silently, instead of with their usual whirr, at long distances, and often flying with immense rapidity. Yet it is a pleasure to kill them. They fall with a ‘satisfactory thud, they fill up one’s bag, and are a very good addition to the larder. A few lucky chances at these seduc- tive birds often inveigle the old and sagacious sportsman into trying them once more, though they all declare that the ‘‘ Par- tridges” ought not to be ranked among game-birds. Sometimes, after a fall of light snow, the sportsman may pursue them suc- cessfully without a dog. He may also occasionally have good luck with a dog, on an exceptionally cold autumn morning, when the birds are more sluggish than usual. The Ruffed Grouse feed throughout the summer on various small fruits and berries, and upon such insects as come in their way. They eat also small acorns, blackberries, grapes, dnd beech-nuts. On the arrival of snow, they begin to feed on the buds of various trees and shrubs; among others upon one or OF NEW ENGLAND. 393 more kinds, which often render their flesh unwholesome and poisonous. As spring opens, they often eat the buds of apple- trees and birches, of both of which they are particularly fond. They are able to endure an excessive degree of cold, and, so long as they can find sufficient food, they do not apparently suffer from severe winters; but some perish, like the Quail, from being caught beneath the crust of the snow, under which, as it falls, they frequently lie, contrary to their habit of roost- ing in trees. The flight of the Ruffed Grouse, when well under way, is very rapid, and undoubtedly these birds sometimes accomplish even the first forty yards of their flight in a second. They usually rise rather slowly, especially in thick woods, and at first afford an easy mark, unless late in the season, when, with a clear path, they go off with great speed. Having reached the level of the tree-tops, a few yards suffice for headway, and the latter part of their flight, extended sometimes to several hun- dred yards, is usually made with very little motion of the wings. (d). The ordinary note of the “ Partridges” are a chuck or clucking, and the whining ¢all of the hen to her young. § 81. Perdicide. Partridges. (See § 29.) I. ORTYX ‘ (A) vireinianus. Quail. Partridge. ‘Bob White.” (In south-eastern New England, a’common resident.) (a). About nine inches long. ¢, with the crown-feathers somewhat erectile. Chief tint, reddish or chestnut-brown, some- what restricted on the head, wanting on the tail and middle of the under parts, but becoming chestnut-red on the sides. Head, with much black, but with the throat, forehead, superciliary line, and edging of the lower feathers, white. Upper parts marked with black, gray, and tawny. Tail gray, scarcely marked ; quills browner, slightly mottled with tawny. Breast, etc., waved or barred with black; belly, chiefly white, and less marked. 9, with tints less bright, etc.; the throat, etc., buff. (0). The nest is not unlike that of the Ruffed Grouse, but 3894 + LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS it is more neatly constructed, being frequently lined with strips of bark, and is often built in more open or busby places. The egos average about 1:20 X 1:00 of an inch, are somewhat pointed, and are white (often slightly stained but not strictly spotted). They are laid in the latter part of May, and there are sometimes, according to Wilson, twenty-four in the same nest, in which case two or three females probably contribute to the laying. (c). The Quail are abundant in the three Southern States of New England, except in the colder and more hilly portions. They are not found much to the north or east of Boston, in the neighborhood of which, however, they are resident throughout the year. Our observations on them natu- rally begin at that season of the year when they re- linquish their habits of ex- treme cunning and vigil- ance for ‘those of confi- = . dence in man’s respect for domestic life, that is in = the early part of summer. Though among the hardiest and most active of feath- ered creatures, they are prudent in spring, and do not commit themselves to the risks of incubation until they have received full assurance of fitting weather. In this respect they differ from the feebler but more venturesome Woodcock, whose premature en- deavors, founded upon the first deceptive smile of spring, to raise a family, are often defeated by an unexpected snow-storm. The Quail do not begin until May, when they announce the fact to all their neighbors within half a mile by their lond, frank, and cheery whistle, which is generally translated into ee Fig. 21. Quail (4). OF NEW ENGLAND. 895 our uncouth language as ‘“‘Bob White.” The male is not now constrained by fear, and, instead of any false pride, he has a proper sense of his own comely appearance. He knows that he is attending adequately to his department in the great busi- ness of nature, and is entirely willing that any one should see him. He has no fear of man, but he keeps an eye to the hawks, cats, and those other predatory enemies, who respect neither time, place, nor season. He is willing to take any amount of the family responsibility ; Nature cannot ask too much of him; he will whistle to two or three wives if necessary ; and he will even accept the law of Moses, and assume the part of husband towards his brother’s widow. Should his wife pro- pose a family of fifteen instead of nine, he does not complain ; and, moreover, having escorted his young family about for a short time, he is ready to go through this once or even twice more. In fact, he carries his amiability and industry so far as often to introduce a half-grown family to the rigors of winter, so that it is not uncommon to find a covey of these little “chieepers,” when hardly able to fly, even in November. A successful pair of Quail often turn out twenty-five young in a season. During the period of incubation, the Quail often ap- pear on our lawns, or on the walls and fences by the roadside. Though their bills aré especially adapted to crushing, and their crops to dissolving small grains and seeds, they are also fond of grubs, worms, and other insects, and are thus useful in de- stroying the farmer’s pests. When the armistice granted by law and custom is over, the male, with his family, seeks securer spots, becoming restless and active. From this time forward, he seeks safety in con- cealment and silence, and only betrays his presence by the plaintive call which his social instincts compel him to utter when separated from his companions, or by the treacherous scent of his body; which he cannot retain. Besides being very uncertain in his daily wanderings, especially to those who are unfamiliar with the locality, he is to a certain extent migratory ; but his migrations, unlike those of the true Quail of Europe, are always performed on foot, so far as possible. We believe that 396 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS this is not much the case in New England; though, from the accidental appearance of a covey in the Berkshire hills, and in those of New Hampshire beyond the isothermal lines which mark the northern range of these birds, it may be inferred that they are very vagrant in their disposition. In Delaware and Maryland, however, coveys of Quail often appear, who are dis- tinctively called by the sportsmen there “runners.” On the western side of the Chesapeake, an old sportsman assured me that covey after covey passed through the country, where food and shelter were abundant, crossing the peninsula on foot, but often perishing by the wholesale in attempting to pass the wider inlets, and he added in proof of this that he had taken as many as forty at a time from the middle of the river near his house. To return to their habits here :—At night, for at least many days in succession, the Quail select the same spot to sleep in, more usually in low ground, where the long grass affords shel- ter and warmth. There they encamp, not huddled together promiscuously and unadvisedly, but shoulder to shoulder in a circle, with their heads out, so that in the event of a sudden surprise they escape rapidly, and in every direction, without difficulty. Such roosting-places may very often be found self- attesting, from the arrangement and accumulation of hard, round feces. Though they rarely take to wing except when surprised, they almost invariably do so on leaving their roost in the morning, which they do at an early hour. Let us suppose ourselves to be accompanying Quail on a day’s ramble. They first fly from the swamp, perhaps four or five hundred yards, to some copse adjoining a stubble-field. After a little toilet and a few sips of-dew, they breakfast on the edge of the grain- field, keeping somewhat together, though each secks for him- self, making an occasional demand for halves upon the lucky finder of some luscious morsel. Half an hour after sunrise, the birds have passed through the long field more rapidly than usual, since the dew is not heavy, owing to a breeze in the night. Otherwise, they might have skirted the field to avoid getting wet, which they much dislike. Having reached a fal- OF NEW ENGLAND. 397 low field, the old cock suddenly squats; then, with wonderful rapidity and steps nearly eighteen inches long, he runs across this land, the others following. He passes through a dry oak- wood, halts a moment for the stragglers, takes breath, and then flies silently from the crest of the hill across the little valley below. These hurried movements are due to a lad with agun and an old dog. The latter of these new comers stops suddenly as if paralyzed, and then steps along slowly and stealthily to that part of the stubble-field where the birds left it, stopping from time to time for his master to come up. Puz- , zled, he now returns more rapidly, but circumspectly, to the point of the birds’ entrance on the field, and there he is again puzzled. His master, after obliging him to go all through the stubble, after tramping himself all over this, as well as the adjoining woods, shoulders his gun and goes off. Meanwhile, our former companions have wandered half a mile further, and, after drinking in a lively little brook, have again taken a short flight. They are now sitting half asleep in the sunshine on a dry, sandy bank, though some are dusting themselves in little hollows which they have scratched out, just as hens do. In the latter part of the afternoon they return, perhaps by very much the same route, and reach the old stubble-field ; but, just when they are in the middle of this, a hawk appears, and the whole covey instantly squat. Should the marauder detect them, not- withstanding the assimilation of their coloring to that of the mould and dead vegetation, one must perish. The danger is soon past, however, and the birds are feeding again; but they squat a second time, because our friend with the gun has re- appeared. His dog soon ascertains their position and stops again, while the lad advances beyond him. The birds sud- denly spring up with a startling whirr, which is immediately followed by the bang, bang, of two gun-barrels, which prove harmless. The old cock and one or two more go to a patch of scrub-oaks, the old hen and three others to a grove of maples; no, they have gone into a nasty swamp. The others have flown straight to a pine-grove. The old cock and his compan- ions race over the dry leaves through the scrub oaks, at the 398 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS rate of a hundred and fifty yards in a minute, so that one must trot to go as fast. The young do the same over the smooth, dry carpet of pine-needles. They pass along so rapidly, and the ground is so free from grass and undergrowth, that no scent is left behind. Two or three birds are in the pines, sit- ting close to the trunks or along the boughs. Two others have dropped into a bunch of briars, and the rest into bushes near by. Our friend has now passed through the intervening copse ; he has reached the swamp, and has hunted over it thoroughly but without success. His fine-haired pointer has refused to go among the briars. Had our friend waited half an hour until the scent of the birds had become stronger through grad- ual dissemination, his dog would have found them easily. Tired and disappointed, he sits down to consider, when sud- denly two of the Quail whirr almost at his feet. Meanwhile, the young birds have run half a mile, leaving no scent, and those who were in the trees have silently flown on to join their companions. Bye and bye you may be surprised to hear them calling each other together near the old field, and apparently on the very ground which our friend has searched so carefully. At last they will be back again at their roosting-place safe and sound, even if pursued until after dark. Now the lad also re- turns home, and explains his ill luck by an extraordinary the- ory, read of in books, and verified by his own experience, that our Quail have a wonderful power of retaining their scent. The only sound argument to prove this statement is that our game-birds, when very young, by a thoughtful provision of nature, emit little or no scent. Though the Quail are very hardy, and can probably endure very severe cold, they often perish in the snow. In winter, they lie on the ground as usual, always allowing the snow to 3 Among the very numerous writers on this subject, none, so far as we have observed, have claimed to possess that scientific and exact knowledge of the Quail’s physiological structure and functions, without which it is idle to argue the question. When game-birds drop suddenly to the ground and remain motionless, the dog does not percéive them. Quail most frequently alight in this way, but, as s00n as they begin to move, the effluvia escapes and is disseminated. OF NEW ENGLAND. 399 accumulate, until morning, when they free themselves by united effort. Should a crust be formed, they frequently find it im- possible to escape, and so perish. The haunts and habits of our Quail of course vary much in different localities. In the South and West they are accounted easy to shoot, but, being very abundant there, they are less often followed into the ‘‘thick.” In the wooded parts of New . England, on the other hand, a good bag of Quail is the best test of a sportsman’s skill. A successful pursuit of them re- quires the utmost vigilance and activity, a sure hand, strong nerves, and great quickness together with nice observation. Their flight, late in the season, is much more rapid than that of the Woodcock or Snipe. They are, moreover, exceedingly tenacious of life. Their habits of capricions wandering, of rapid running, of dropping suddenly like stones, of resorting to trees, and of seeking covers which are thick or rendered im- penetrable by briars, necessitate vigor, a certain aim, and a familiarity with their habits. (d). The principal notes of the Quail, which we have already spoken of, are both whistles. One (which is somewhat like the whistle of the Great Crested Flycatcher) is a single call-note, uttered as if the breath were drawn in at the latter part, and is employed at all times of the. year. The other is heard in spring and summer, and consists of two or three loud notes, of which each is higher than the preceding. This latter is very well known, and is familiar to nearly all persons who live in the country. The Quail have also a few low twitterings, not audible at any great distance, and a chuck. : § 32. Scolopacidse. Snipe, etc. (See § 29.) I. PHILOHELA .(A) minor.t (American) Woodcock. .4The larger European Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) is said to have occurred in New England as a straggler. In this species, only the outer wing-feather (or first primary) is attenuate, i. e. extremely narrow. In the American: species, three of the pr.maries present this appearance. 400 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (In New England, most abundant as a migrant, but locally common as a summer-resident.) Fig. 22. Woodcock (4). (a). About eleven inches long. Beneath, varying from (very) pale reddish buff to ruddy chestnut, darkest on the sides, whitening on the chin and cheeks. Above, varied with the same tint, with black, and with grayish. Forehead scarcely marked, but bordered by a dark, irregular (and often indistinct) line from the bill to the eye. Immature specimens are paler and grayer above, and have several white markings. (b). The eggs average about 1°50 X 1:20 of an inch, though variable in size and shape, and are creamy, brownish, or clay- color, spotted and blotched with lilac and rather dull or indis- tinct browns. In Massachusetts, a set of four is usually laid about the middle of April. The places chosen are swampy groves, especially of alders or birches, and sometimes pastures or clearings. There is but little or no nest. (c). A “game-bird,” though exceptions may be taken to al- i ® OF NEW ENGLAND. 401 most any definition of this term, is generally understood to be a bird that lies to a dog, and that can be shot only when on the wing. This definition, however, excludes, and we think rightly, the “Partridge” or Ruffed Grouse, who will not lie to a dog, but who on the contrary often takes to a tree, thus causing to the scientific sportsman constant annoyance. But the Woodcock is par excellence a game-bird, and, though he may play in a game of life and death to him, he adheres as scrupulously to rules of honor as any Knight-Errant of old. He may have his cunning devices, but he does not sneak or hide in trees. This conduct, however, finds no corresponding sentiment in his rapacious and improvident pursuer, to whose reckless cravings for sport or gain, we in New England are inde)ted for the present scarcity of the luscious Woodcock. Unless the laws, and general feel- ings on the subject, are greatly modified, comparatively few more years will suffice to nearly exterminate them. The Woodcock are almost universally distributed over North America, both as residents and birds of passage. We shall speak here of their habits in New England only. Though a friend once showed the writer a record of one or more Wood- cock killed’ in Massachusetts during every month of the year, these birds are migratory, and, though apparently often soli- tary in their flights, find their way, by an admirable instinct, through “ the illimitable waste of air,” at least as far as from Labrador to Maryland. Many breed in the Southern States, even as far South as the Gulf, while others breed to the north-. ward of Canada; but all pass the winter in the South, their northern range at that season being, it is believed, Maryland. They reach the neighborhood of Boston as early as March, and then, or more often early in April, they may be found on those dry hillsides, which were their last resorts in autumn. Almost immediately after their arrival, they begin to mate, and they may be observed in the dusk of evening to mount high in the air, going through a variety of eccentric motions, and from time to time darting suddenly down with great velocity. The egg§ are laid early in April, sometimes on a warm knoll, some- times on a high, bare hillside. After incubation has begun, it 1 27 402 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS is extremely difficult to find the birds; a few days later the sportsman may easily find three or four broods of young with one or both parents, where he may before have hunted by inches without flushing a bird. Should he, however, patiently search with his dog the dry grounds, he may find them, per- haps ten yards, perhaps half a mile, from the wet swale which he knows to be their favorite feeding-ground. The same is the case in August ; also in winter (in districts of the South, where in many localities which the writer has visited the birds may be found in the ratio of ten to a township). In no part of the country are there Woodcock enough to occupy the whole of it; they may resort to any part of the many thousand acres out- side of the particular spot to which at particular times they resort. While the young,are feeble on the wing and their pa- rents are with them, twelve birds may be found in summer in a swale of two acres, ‘but later they may be dispersed over many hundred times that space. Their “borings” (small, clean-cut holes made in soft earth by their bills) may still, however, be seen in the same swale; moreover, by patient watching at evening, their shadowy forms may be detected, as they pass to the swamp, or cross the roadway, and, by patient search, the same twelve birds may be picked up one by one in odd places. This fact the author has verified by experience, when the temporary laws forbade the killing of the birds before August ‘fifteenth. Will any one who cannot gainsay these facts still uphold the absurd old theory that Woodcock migrate in summer? Since this so-called disappearance is a notorious fact from Canada to:the far South and West, we venture to ask to what place the birds migrate? To this there is no answer. The period of incubation is supposed to be sixteen days, but it may be longer. As soon as the young are hatched, it be- comes convenient and necessary that the whole family should be in the immediate vicinity of a feeding-ground, and it is asserted that the old birds frequently carry their young thither in their bills. Their food now consists of various earth-worms, which they obtain by probing the ground with their bills, evi- dence of which may often be found, usually in soft, black OF NEW ENGLAND. 403 ground. Their borings are certain signs, which are eagerly looked for by the sportsman. They also glean among decay- ing leaves and logs, and in low, moist, vegetable growth; but from a peculiarity of structure or habit, their soft animal food is so compressed and macerated in the swallowing that the species eaten becomes indistinguishable, even when the bird is , shot just after eating. Rich, soft earth, running water, and abundant shelter, are the most usual and certain conditions for a summer cover. The young birds mature very rapidly, but are usually only two-thirds grown in July. From the fact that often neither parents, or at most only one of them, are to be found with the young in their summer cover, and that birds only half grown are frequently shot in September or late in October, it may be inferred that two broods are raised in a season. It is certain that a second set of eggs is laid, when those of the first nest are destroyed, either by accident or by the common vicissitudes of our climate, such as early snows, or long continued wet and cold. There are great differences in the productiveness of different seasons. The writer recalls one within a few years when there was a heavy snow-storm in the middle of April, and afterwards floods caused by northeasterly rains; the same extensive grounds, over which he had been accustomed to get three or four dozen birds in the course of July, contained that year just seven old birds, while a large portion of the few Woodcock found in September were mere fledglings. Others made similar observations during the same year. By the first of August a majority of the Woodcock desert the low, wet grounds, and scatter themselves all over the country, generally choosing, however, some dry spot, protected by a dense second growth. The sportsman may chance to find them, however, in the long grass of a meadow, and in a variety of such places as corn-fields, pine-groves, bunches of dry alders, knolls of cedar, hillsides of birch, woods of chestnuts, thickets of briars, etc. They are now moulting and half-naked, and they can no longer make that peculiar whistle which at all other times warns the sportsman. Though they sometimes 404 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS labor with their wings, as they heavily flutter up, they as often fly off silently like an owl, stealing along close to the ground. They are usually found too upon very dry land holding no scent, where they come merely to rest, and upon which they have dropped without running about. If disturbed, however, they occasionally steal away from the dog on foot, running over the parched ground, and thus elude him altogether, or get up out of shot or unperceived. On this account, a pursuit of them at this time is unsatisfactory, requiring for a good bag hard fagging, thorough knowledge of the ground, great obser- vation and vigilance. In September, the Woodcock are again in better condition. They are now less capricious, and are more easily found, fre- quenting, for the most part, drier grounds. In October, the birds are not only in prime condition, but they afford to sports- men the most enjoyable and eagerly sought-for shooting. They are found again in localities which may easily be ascertained. The sportsman may always hope for the abundant sport which follows a flight, for it is in October that those remarkable movements of the birds occur. There is in flight-time an un- certainty as to when and where the birds may be found, which gives im the highest degree that element of chance, without which the sportsman’s life would lose half its charm. Every one must form his own theories from his own experience and knowledge of the grounds, but certain it is that sometimes the lucky or sagacions sportsman may reach a spot in which the birds are almost literally swarming. Suddenly and inexplicably the cover becomes full of them; then as mysteriously it be- comes vacant. One would suppose that birds apparently so feeble on the wing must perform these long journeys by short stages; but, though the Woodcock undoubtedly travel about much more actively than is commonly supposed from one part of a district to another, so that there are often local flights, yet it is well known that they very often appear simultaneously over wide areas. The writer himself has seen one in the gray of morning, a mile or two from land on the open ocean, flying in as if from sea. This bird was solitary, but in the afternoon OF NEW ENGLAND. 405 of the same day we found six or eight birds in a bit of wood where we had never seen Woodcock before, and no doubt the morning’s bird was among them. It is quite evident that Woodcock do not fly in flocks, like plover or wild fowl, compactly and under the direction of a leader; but that each travels independently, coming in contact with his companions through their common tastes. Yet it is said to be wise to leave a bird or two in every cover as “ tollers.” Twice when the writer has met a flight, both occasions being late in the afternoon, he has gone through the cover once, thought it shot out, returned over the same ground as it was growing dark, found half as many more, and still, as he has stood after dark on the edge of the cover and has walked away, he has perceived the birds dropping in one by one. The next day scarcely a bird could be found there. The Woodcock pretty generally disappear (near Boston) by the twenty-fifth of October, though it is not uncommon to have good shooting a fortnight later. It seems that the old birds sometimes precede the young in their flights, as is the case with the Sea Coot and Golden Plover. The writer once weighed eighteen, shot on the second of October, whose aver- age weight was seven ounces. This may have been owing to some extraordinary combination of accidents; but every sportsman is familiar with those very small, wiry, compactly feathered, weather-tanned birds, who appear in October, and who are called, perhaps locally, ‘‘ Labrador twisters.” The influence of weather upon the birds is an interesting but puzzling study. A heavy rain or frost causes them to shift their quarters from swamps to hillsides or vice versa ; a drought. or heavy flood drives them away altogether. In autumn, just before a northeast storm, birds that have been on a ground the whole season sometimes seem very nervous and restless, jump- ing up wildly and flying far ; in the same cover, after the storm, no birds can be found. ‘ The flight of the Woodcock, when first flushed, is short and very slow. In summer, the same bird may often be shot at eight or ten times, by persistent and thorough searching. He 406 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS lies with his head dropped on his shoulders, and on rising makes one or two sharp whistles, with his wings. It often hap- pens, however, especially if the bird goes on to dry ground or into long grass, or if he drops, as he often does, like a stone, without running, that the best dog cannot find him by scent. Many and many a time in summer the bird may be marked down accurately, and may be found only by actually kicking him up. A little study shows this to be quite accidental, de- pending upon the condition of the ground, upon the kind of cover, and upon whether the bird runs or not. It is a fact which has some bearing on the vexed question whether or not the Quail voluntarily withhold their scent. ; The structure of Woodcock’s eyes is very peculiar, being adapted to their habits of moving and feeding at night; and the birds not unfrequently run against telegraph-wires in the day-time, and are thus killed. Our species differs radically from the European. The general appearance and markings of the latter are wholly different, especially in his being waved beneath. He is a third larger, two-thirds less luscious, much more indo- lent, and wholly silent on the wing. He may be described generally as a cross between a curlew and an owl. Our Wood- cock is not a warbler, and does not alight on trees, the asser- tions of our farmers to the contrary notwithstanding. (d). His notes are few and unmusical. In spring, at the time of his antics in the air, he utters a series of peculiar, and rather harsh but not very loud notes. Wilson speaks of his “sudden quack,” and says that “when uttering his common note on the ground, he seems to do it with difficulty, throwing his head towards the earth and frequently jetting up his tail.” The young have a feeble “ peep.” It. GALLINAGO (A) witsont. (American) Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. (A common migrant through Massachusetts.) (a). Average length, ten inches. Bill essentially like that of the Woodcock, and about as long. Head much less stout, and tail longer, than the corresponding parts of that bird. OF NEW ENGLAND. 407 Crown, dark, with a light median stripe. Back, etc., varied with black, brown, and a tint varying from chestnut to whitish. Belly, etc., white; generally unmarked, but with the sides darkly barred. Breast, etc., somewhat tawny, and streaked or mottled with brown. (b). The eggs have about the same measurements as those of the Woodcock, but are much more pointed or “ pyriform.” They are drab, often tinged with olive, and are blotched with brown. ‘The loosely constructed nest is built on the ground in various wet places.” (c). The Snipe, more particularly designated as Wilson’s Snipe or the ‘‘ English” Snipe, differ so slightly from the latter as to be substantially the same, if not wholly so. In New England, they are birds of passage, breeding here but rarely. Near Boston, they appear from the South as soon as the frost is well out of the lowlands, where they feed, and where they may be looked for as soon as the Blue Bird enters seriously upon her preparations for summer housekeeping, or when the shad-bush is in bloom. Though they do not regulate their movements by the calendar, the sportsman will find that in a series of years the most favorable season for spring snipe- shooting is that between April tenth and twenty-fifth. Strag- glers and small “wisps” may be found sometimes in March, often in May, and occasionally in early June. But at this time of year they are uncertain and capricious in their habits, ap- pearing and perhaps in a few hours disappeaing so suddenly and mysteriously, as to cause the formation of very different theories and speculations, as to what are the favorable condi- tions for a “ flight,” and to make it impossible for any person not living in the immediate vicinity of the grounds, to count surely upon finding birds. As to the flights, some say ‘clear warm weather with light westerly winds,” others “ thick weather and southerly winds ;” some look for snipe after, and some before, a northeast rain-storm; and so on. Some say that thick weather makes them stop here, others that clear weather helps them to get here. Each theorist rejoices in his own wisdom, and there is not only this uncertainty as to the 408 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS time of arrival, but also an equally trying one as to the locality in which the birds may be found. Like Woodcock, the Snipe use their long and sensitive bills for probing the mud or soft earth, and the perforations which they make are often tantalizing evidences of their recent occu- pation of the grounds; but, unlike them, they are usually, though not invariably, found and shot in the “open.” Like Woodcock, again, they are nocturnal birds, though the modified arrangement and structure of their eyes enable them to show greater observation and vigilance, to make long flights, and to feed, as they frequently do, by daylight. It is during the season of mating in spring that the actions of the male birds are so remarkable and interesting. Rising in the air to a great height, they dart and twist about with wonderful agility, dropping plumb down from time to time in the midst of these eccentric gyrations, and producing, as they descend, a thrumming noise, possibly caused by forming the wing into a sort of Aolian harp. The sound is peculiar and unmistakable, resembling somewhat that made by throwing a nail held crosswise in the hand, but it is much louder and more full. It is said that at such times they will sometimes alight temporarily on a tree or fence, but this observation the author has never had the good fortune to verify, though he once saw one alight upon a fence-post for a moment, not, however, dur- ing an ‘ exhibition.” The Snipe breed in the far North, and return to us in autumn, when they will, if permitted, remain on that ground which is to their liking for several weeks. But though they have been found and shot as early as August, and as late as December, the most favorable time is between September 10th and October 25th, and of this period the last fortnight is the best portion. In all the accounts of these birds which are accessible to him, the author finds the ancient, time-honored tradition, that the Snipe always begin their flights by rapid zigzags, so that it behooves the shooter either to fire at the instant when the birds attain the height of their first spring, or to wait till they have OF NEW ENGLAND. 409 completed their zigzags and begin their steady flight. The beginner, deeply impressed by these statements, his mind filled with the idea that the flight of the Snipe is much like that of a tortuous lightning flash through a cloud, sets out, and, adopting one or the other of these absurd rules, is sure to miss. Inasmuch as the Snipe, five times out of six, in most weather does not spring at all, to fire at the height of the first spring means to the beginner to fire as soon as he can, that is as much as possible before he gets his aim. On the other hand, to wait until the bird is done with zigzagging necessitates waiting until he has begun zigzagging, and, as he generally does not zigzag at all, this involves waiting some time. From the expression, ‘ zigzag’ flight,” would not the natural impression be that the bird kept darting rapidly with sharp, quick, short turns from side to side? That such is the Snipe’s usual flight is certainly not true, though it is undoubtedly often rapid and sometimes eccentric. The author’s experience is for these days of rapid travel limited, but after shooting snipe at dif- ferent seasons in the British Provinces, in Maine, Massachu- setts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina, he ventures to assert that they almost never “zigzag” in their flight. Unless there is a high wind, or the birds have been very much persecuted, they fly off, four times out of five, more or less rapidly in a direct line, and near the ground. On a bright, warm, quiet day, with a gentle breeze, they afford the sports- man more easy shots in succession than any other game-bird of New England, and, indeed, frequently flutter off so indo- lently that to shoot them is a mere bagatelle even for the most indifferent shot. Snipe usually start up the wind, and, if the wind is high, often dart away fifteen or twenty yards, gradually ascending, and then either fall away gradually before the wind till they cross it with a circumlinear flight, or, by throwing up one wing, make a sharp angle in the direction of their motion. But the abrupt change of direction is not common, and a rapid repetition of it rare. Sometimes, again, they go off up wind, bearing first more strongly on one wing than on the other, thus 410 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS producing a sinuous motion in regular curves, varying a few feet on either side from a right line, and crossing it, perhaps, every thirty or forty feet. Sometimes, again, they start by a rapid and almost perpendicular ascent, and then sag away from the wind. The mode of flight depends of course on certain conditions: the state of the atmosphere, the force of the wind, the nature of the ground, the season, the bird’s condition of body, etc. Snipe almost invariably fly into the wind; if a bunch of high reeds, a fence, or a line of trees, is in the way, or if for any other reason they ascend rapidly, they must after- ward either fall off, flying across or down the wind, or else tack up into it to get headway. Since no bird can with rapid- idity start from a stationary position in the air against a strong wind, the more nearly stationary that a bird is, so is his diffi- culty the greater. If, on the contrary, there are no obstruc- tions, and the birds jump at once from the ground into the teeth of the wind, taking a nearly horizontal line, there is less likelihood of their tacking or falling away, for it is not so neces- sary. In spring, the shooting is often more difficult, for the birds are light weights, and in great training when they reach us. They are both migrating and mating, and often seem to be in a state of restless activity and nervous excitement, which makes it very difficult to kill or even to approach them. So it is also in autumn, when the birds first appear; they are fre- quently wild and active, so much so as to make the pursuit of them a series of vexations; and yet, two days afterwards, the very same birds, having got fat and a little more lazy, afford delightful sport. After hearing the accepted rules condemned, the reader may well ask for some substitute, but such rules are like rules of gram- mar; aman may shoot well, and speak grammatically, knowing no rules; he may know all rules and yet be able to do neither. Yet to know what others have learned is often useful. The success of sportsmen is more often due to their manner of getting shots than to their manner of making them. The chief difficulty in Snipe-shooting is the sudden and unexpected way in which the birds often jump, on either side or behind; but OF NEW ENGLAND. 411 they may usually be marked down with accuracy, as they throw up their wings to alight, and they should then, as always, be approached down wind, no matter how great a detour is neces- sary. By a study of their habits the sportsman will soon find upon what days and in what places they may be most easily and successfully shot. More may generally be killed by a vigor- ous walker without a dog than with one, if one prefers birds to pleasure. As to the shooting, as in all shooting on the wing, you cannot shoot too quickly or too deliberately ; when to fire quickly and when deliberately is to be Iearned by practice only. As for a precise rule, an old friend used to say: ‘Pull, as soon as the gun touches the shoulder, if not sooner.” There is humor .in all wisdom, but perhaps an undue proportion in this advice for practical use. All that can be said is: ‘‘Shoot as soon as you know that the gun is right; the sooner, the better.” After blowing a few birds to pieces, you will learn how far to modify this rule. Many birds will be missed by being under- shot, and many by not being shot at well ahead. Some sports- man use number 8 shot; some number 12 and intermediate sizes. Number nine does very well. Autumn is the proper season for Snipe-shooting, both be- cause the birds are then more certainly found and because they are then very delicious morsels for the table. With us, when théy arrive in spring, they are lean, dry, and sinewy, from long and hard exercise; the period of breeding has already begun, and well-developed eggs may often be found in the females. There is as much difference between the rich, tender, and juicy meat of the well-fed, lazy, autumn bird, and the meagre, dry, and sinewy flesh of the spring traveler, as between that of a * stall-fed ox and that of a dray-horse. Yet there are many to whose coarse palates no difference appears. No doubt, it is hard to relinquish all field-sports in the spring; without such relief the period of inaction is long and tedious; one’s fingers itch for the trigger. Yet spring Snipe-shooting is a sorry pastime, and a wasteful one, unworthy of the true sportsman. (d). The notes of the Snipe are not susceptible of satisfac- tory description ; their common note being a peculiar squeak, while their extraordinary love-note is usually called “bleating.” APPENDIX. 413 APPENDIX. A. Ornithological Calendar for Eastern Massachusetts. (Notes on the Insessores, or land-birds, only, excluding game-birds, shore-birds, and waders.) § I. January. Visitants and residents (those in brackets being always very rare, those itali¢ized being (rare or) absent during many winters, and those marked with an asterisk (*) spending the winter, for the most part, more to the southward). [Black Hawks], Blue Jays,* ‘“ Butcher-birds,” Cedar-birds,* ** Chickadees,” Crossbills, Crows, Downy Woodpeckers, Golden- crowned ‘ Wrens,” Golden-winged Woodpeckers,* Goldfinches, Goshawks,! [Great Gray Owls], Great Horned Owls, Hairy Woodpeckers,! [Hawk Owls], hawks (several, which are sum- mer-residents), [Ipswich Sparrows]’ [Jerfalcons|, Kingfish- ers,* ? Lapland Longspurs,! Meadow Larks,* nuthatches, owls (several, which are summer-residents), Pine Finches, Pine Grosbeaks, Purple Finches,* ? Red-bellied Nuthatches,* Red Crossbills, Red-polls, Red-tailed Hawks, Robins,* [Rough- legged Hawks], Ruby-crowned Wrens,* Shore Larks, (G.N.) Shrikes, Snow-birds, Snow Buntings, Song Sparrows,* [Three- toed Woodpeckers }, Tree Sparrows, White-bellied Nuthatches,* White-winged Crossbills, Wild Pigeons,* woodpeckers (see above), Winter Wrens,* ? and various sea-birds, ete. Nors. The Black-throated Blue and Yellow-rumped War- blers, and also the Red-winged Blackbirds, have been known exceptionally to pass the winter here, and the Blue Birds are said to have been seen here in January. § II. Fesruary. The same birds may be found here in Feb- ruary as in January. In the latter part of this month, the Blue Birds, or even the Red-winged Blackbirds, sometimes come; and the Great Horned Owls sometimes lay their eggs. § III. Marca. é Ist-15th. The Song Sparrows and Snow-birds sing. The Blue Birds and Blackbirds usually arrive from the South; the Song Sparrows, and Robins (?), become more abundant. 1 Rare. 414 APPENDIX. 15th-31st. The Robins, Cedar-birds, Meadow Larks, (and Golden-winged Woodpeckers) become more abundant. The Rusty Blackbirds, Fox Sparrows (20-25), Bay-winged Bunt- ings ? (25-31), Cow-birds (25-31, ?) and Pewees? (25-81), ap-. pear. Many winter-birds move to the northward. § IV. Aprit. During this month, the Screech Owls and others lay their eggs, as do the Duck Hawks. The [Titlarks], Yellow-bellied Woodpeckers, Winter Wrens, Night “‘ Hawks,” | Wild Pigeons], Carolina Doves, Crow Blackbirds, and [Purple Finches | appear ; but with great irregularity. Those inclosed in brackets are said often to pass the winter here; those italicized to often arrive in March, but the Night ‘‘ Hawks” frequently do not come until May. Many winter-birds move to the northward in April, and other birds come from the South with more or less regularity at about the following dates. ist. (Pine Warblers, usually later), Bay-winged Buntings, Cow-birds, Kingfishers, and Pewees. 10th (or earlier). White-breasted Swallows and Swamp Spar- rows. 15th. Chipping Sparrows and Field Sparrows (usually not until the 20th), also Hermit Thrushes, Pine Warblers, Red-poll Warblers, Ruby-crowned “‘ Wrens,” Savannah Sparrows (Sea- side and Sharp-tailed Finches ?). The Crows, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, sometimes lay their eggs.. 20th. Chipping, Field, (and Savannah ?) Sparrows usually arrive. In the latter part of this month, the Crows, and many birds of prey, may lay their eggs. The following birds may arrive at this time; though often not until May, viz.:—Barn Swallows, Black and White ‘“‘Creepers,” Brown Thrushes, Least Fly- catchers, Purple Martins, Solitary Vireos, Towhee Buntings, White-throated Sparrows (sometimes on the 20th), and “ Yel- low-rump” Warblers. Nore. The dates of arrival can only be approximately given, and it is to be remembered then the males of many birds arrive before the females. §V. May. About the 1st, the Barn Swallows, Black and White “Creepers,” Brown Thrushes, Cliff (or Eave) Swallows, Least Flycatchers, Night “Hawks,” Purple Martins, Solitary Vireos, Towhee Buntings, White-throated Sparrows, ‘“‘ Yellow-rump” Warblers, and Yel- APPENDIX. 415 low-winged Sparrows often arrive, though sometimes earlier or later. 5th, the Baltimore Orioles (?), Black and White Creepers, Black-throated Green Warblers,? Brown Thrushes, Cat-birds, Chimney Swifts, Towhee Buntings, (Wilson’s Thrushes, Yellow Warblers, usually about the 8th), and “‘ Yellow-rump” Warblers arrive, those italicized (at least the B. T. and T. B.) generally coming earlier. 10th, the loitering Fox Sparrows, and various winter-birds, such as the Golden-crowned ‘“‘ Wrens,” Snow-birds, and Tree Sparrows, finally disappear ; the Blue Birds, Robins, Song Spar- rows, Bay-winged Buntings or Grass Finches, Kingfishers, and Pewees often lay their eggs, chiefly the first three; and the Baltimore Orioles, Blackburnian Warblers, ‘ Black-cap” Warblers, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Blue Yellow-backed Warblers, Bobolinks, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Connecticut Warblers, Golden-crowned ‘‘Thrushes” (or ‘“ Oven-birds”), Golden-winged Warblers, House Wrens, Hummingbirds, King- birds, Maryland “ Yellow-throats,” Nashville Warblers, Red- starts, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Warbling Vireos, Water ‘‘Thrushes,” Wilson’s Thrushes (usually earlier), Wood Thrushes, Yellow Warblers, and Yellow-throated Vireos arrive. (See 15th ad jin.) 15th, the Pine Warblers and Swamp Sparrows lay their eggs (the former usually later) ; the Bank Swallows, Black and Yel- low Warblers, Black-billed Cuckoos, Cape May Warblers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Indigo Birds, Prairie Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, Scarlet Tanagers, Swainson’s Thrushes, Whippoor- wills, White-eyed Vireos, and Yellow-billed Cuckoos arrive. At this time, or more often earlier, Cooper’s Hawks, Marsh Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and Sparrow Hawks lay their eggs. Swainson’s Thrushes often come earlier. 20th, the Bay-breasted, and B and Y, Warblers, “ Black- polls,” Canada ‘“ Flycatchers,” Mourning Warblers, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Orchard Orioles, Tennessee Warblers, Traill’s Fly- catchers (and White-crowned Sparrows??) arrive. About this time (earlier or later), the (Red-winged) Blackbirds, Blue Jays, Pewees, Field and Savannah Sparrows, Downy and Golden- winged Woodpeckers, lay their eggs. 25th, the Canada “ Flycatchers” or Warblers, Wood Pewees, and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers usually arrive. The Wood Thrushes (sometimes,— also the Wilson’s Thrushes?), the 2 These birds sometimes appear in April. 416 APPENDIX. Barn Swallows, Brown Thrushes, Chickadees, Cliff Swallows, Crow Blackbirds, Meadow Larks, Pine Warblers, Towhee Buntings, and White-breasted Swallows lay their eggs. § VI. June. About the ist, the last migrants are seen, such as the ‘“Black-polls” and Canada “ Flycatchers ;” and at this time (or later, particu- larly in the case of the flycatchers, except the Pewee, the Hum- wingbirds, vireos, Bank Swallows, and many warblers), the Baltimore Orioles, Black-billed Cuckoos, Bobolinks, Cat-birds, Chimney Swifts, Chipping Sparrows, Golden-crowned ‘* Thrush- es” (or “‘Oven-birds”), Indigo Birds, (Marsh Wrens ?), Night ‘“‘ Hawks,” Purple Finches, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Whippoor- wills, Wilson’s Thrushes, Wood Thrushes, Yellow-billed Cuck- oos, Yellow-winged Sparrows, the flycatchers (except the Common Pewee), the vireos, Tanagers, Hummingbirds, and most of the warblers, lay their eggs. The Cedar-birds, Gold- finches, Orchard Orioles, Wood Pewees, and perhaps other birds (inclusive of the Marsh Wrens ?) rarely lay their eggs before the middle of the month, the first two sometimes not until July. Nore. The above dates, given for the neighborhood of Boston, bear no reference to second broods. The names of sev- eral birds have been purposely omitted, chiefly from difficulty in satisfactorily stating or approximating the dates. § VII. Jury. The following (insessorian) birds are summer- residents of Massachusetts, who have been known to breed here since 1870. Acadian Owls,? Baltimore Orioles, Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows, Barred Owls, Bay-winged Buntings, Black and White “Creepers,” Black-billed Cuckoos, Blackburnian Warblers,’ Black-throated Blue Warblers??, Black-throated Buntings,* Black-throated Green Warblers, Blue Birds, Blue Jays, Blue Yellow-backed Warblers,’ Bobolinks, Broad-winged Hawks,? Brown Creepers, Brown Thrushes, Canada ‘Fly- catchers,” Carolina Doves, Cat-birds, Chestnut-sided War- blers, Chickadees, Chimney Swifts, Chipping Sparrows, Cliff Swallows, Cooper’s Hawks, Cow-birds, Crows, Crow Black- birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Duck Hawks, Field Sparrows, Fish Hawks, Golden-crowned ‘ Thrushes,” Golden-winged Warblers, Golden-winged Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, - Gos- 3 (Very) rare in summer 50 far to the southward. ¢ Very much more common to the southward of New England. APPENDIX. 417 hawks,? Great-Crested Flycatchers, Great Carolina Wrens? (just discovered), Great Horned Owls, Hairy Woodpeckers,’ Henslow’s Buntings,+ Hermit Thrushes?,3 House Wrens, Hum- mingbirds, Indigo Birds, King-birds, Kingfishers, Least Pewees, Lincoin’s Sparrows, Long-billed Marsh Wrens, Long-eared " Owls, Marsh Hawks, Maryland ‘ Yellow-throats,” Meadow Larks, Nashville Warblers,? Night ‘‘ Hawks,” Olive-sided Fly- catchers,? Orchard Orioles, Pewees, Pigeon Hawks,? Pine Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Purple Finches, Purple Martins, Red-bellied Nuthatches?,3 Red-eyed Vireos, Red-shouldered Hawks, Redstarts, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Robins, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Savannah Sparrows, Scarlet Tanagers, Screech Owls, Sea-side Finches,‘ Sharp-shinned Hawks, Sharp-tailed Finches,* Short-billed Marsh Wrens, Short- eared Owls, Snow-birds,? Solitary Vireos,? Song Sparrows, Sparrow Hawks, Swamp Sparrows, Towhee Buntings, Traill’s Flycatchers,? Warbling Vireos, Water ‘‘ Thrushes,”? Whippoor- wills, White-bellied Nuthatches, White-breasted Swallows, White-eyed Vireos, Wild Pigeons, Wood Pewees, Wood Thrushes, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers?, Yellow-bellied Woodpeck- ers,5 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Yellow-breasted Chats?,4 Yellow- throated Vireos, Yellow Warblers, and Yellow-winged Sparrows (108). The following other birds (of whom the list is probably incomplete) also breed here:— Arctic Terns, Bitterns, Black (or Dusky) Ducks, Carolina Rails, Coot? (Fulica Americana), Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, ‘‘Killdeer” Plover, Laughing Gulls, Least Bitterns,4 Least Terns, Little Blue Herons?,# Loons,> Night Herons, Pinnated Grouse® (or Prairie Hens), Piping Plover, Quail, Ruffed Grouse (or ‘ Partridges” of N.. E.), Roseate Terns, Solitary Sandpipers,* Spotted Sandpipers, Summer (or Wood) Ducks, Summer “ Yellow-legs,” Teal ?,5 Upland Plover, Virginia Rails, ‘“Willets,” Wilson’s Terns, and Woodcock (28). (Those italicized are very rare, at least as sumper-residents.) > Norse. The eggs of all the above birds form a nearly or quite complete collection of the birds’ eggs of Massachusetts. The Pine Finches and Snow Buntings have been known to breed (altogether exceptionally) at Cambridge and near Springfield respectively ; several birds, such as the Bald Eagles and Pil- eated Woodpeckers, have been so far driven from the State, as probably to breed here no longer. In regard to the dates 6 Confined in summer to Western Massachusetts, 6 See p. 387. 28 418 APPENDIX. already given, there is apparently evidence that. our summer- residents may have formerly arrived and laid their eggs some- what earlier than they do now. In July, singing is much less constant than in May or June, decreasing as summer advances, though occasionally heard in autumn (chiefly from the finches), and rarely in winter (from the Song and Tree Sparrows). § VIII. Avueust. During this month, many birds leave their summer-haunts, and even become gregarious, and some journey to the southward, as is occasionally observable even in the latter part of July. The Goldfinches, however, sometimes lay their first set of eggs after July, during which month many other birds have their second or even third broods. § IX. Srpremper. During this month, the (smaller) hawks are often abundant, many migrating, but the migrations of our birds of prey cannot ‘be easily determined as regards the dates. The Balti- more Orioles, Bobolinks, Chimney Swifts, cuckoos, flycatchers (except the Pewees and occasionally the Great Crested Fly- catchers), Henslow’s Buntings, House Wrens, Hummingbirds, Indigo Birds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, swallows (of whom some go in August), Tanagers, vireos, warblers (or most of them: see October), Wilson’s Thrushes, and Yellow-winged Sparrows finally disappear, many occurring as migrants. Some are to be seen only in the first week, but others may occur up to late dates, as the Black-throated Blue Warblers (30th), Golden-crowned ‘‘Thrushes” (26th), Hummingbirds (23rd) and White-bellied Swallows (28th). The Red-winged Black- birds generally leave the meadows, and associate in the grain and stubble-fields, etc.; the Wild Pigeons appear in large flocks ; and a majority of birds are gregarious, particularly the ‘White-bellied Swallows, who, previous to their departure, often -gather “‘upon the salt marshes” “ literally by millions.” Even hawks occasionally travel in companies. In September, White- throated Sparrows and other birds appear from the North. Nore. It has generally been in autumn that accidental stragglers, whose usual habitat is more than a thousand miles away, have occurred in Massachusetts. § X. OcroBeEr. During this month, the ‘Black-poll” Warblers, Brown Creep- ‘ers, Golden-crowned ‘“ Wrens,” ’ nuthatches, Ruby-crowned APPENDIX. 419 “ Wrens,” Rusty Blackbirds, Titlarks, Winter Wrens, and “Yellow-rump” Warblers, are generally abundant; and many . winter-birds arrive from the North. . In the latter part, the Sharp-tailed Finches and many Song Sparrows finally disap- pear, and the Fox Sparrows come from the North. About the _ 1st, the Brown Thrushes, Red-eyed Vireos (latest date, Oct. 3rd), and Towhee Buntings disappear, the Olive-backed Thrushes arrive from the North, and the Crow Blackbirds (as well as the variety of Bronzed Blackbirds) wander about in large flocks. ' 5th, the last Black-throated Green Warblers depart. 10th, the last Pine Warblers (latest date, however, Oct. 16th) and Cat-birds depart.. 15th, the “Chippers,” Field Sparrows, Pewees (latest date, Oct. 16th), Wood Thrushes, and most of the Blue Birds, Cow- birds, Meadow Larks, Purple Finches, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Robins disappear. § XI. November. During this month, many winter-birds usually come from the North, and, as in spring, ‘“ bird-waves” may occur; Fox Spar- rows are common, and Hermit Thrushes finally disappear. In the early part of November, the last Bay-winged Buntings, Blackbirds, Blue Birds, Savannah Sparrows, and Swamp Spar- rows, move to the southward. I have seen Great-crested Fly- catchers so late as Nov. 1st, and White-throated Sparrows on the 14th. § XII. DecemsBer. I have seen Fox Sparrows, the last loiterers among our fall- migrants, so late as the 9th of December. During this month, additional winter-birds may arrive from the North; and the same birds generally occur here as in January (§ I). B. Distribution of the Birds of New England. A list of the birds of New England, confined in the breed- ing-season principally or wholly to the district of the Allegha- nian Fauna (southward of the 44th parallel of latitude), or Southern New England. Wood Thrush, (Mocking-bird), Cat- bird (?), Brown Thrush, Long-billed Marsh Wren, Short-billed Marsh Wren, Golden-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, (Yel- low-breasted Chat), Yellow-throated Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, 420 “APPENDIX. (Summer Red Bird), Scarlet Tanager, Henslow’s Bunting, Yel- low-winged Sparrow, (Sea-side Finch), Sharp-tailed Finch, Field Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Black-throated Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, (Cardinal Grosbeak), Towhee Bunt- ing, Meadow Lark, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Purple Grakle (?), Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, (Red- headed Woodpecker), (Barn Owl), Carolina Dove, (Prairie Hen), and Quail (also several water-birds, etc.). A list of the birds of New England, confined in the breed- ing-season principally or wholly to the district of the Canadian Fauna (northward of the 44th parallel of latitude), or Northern New England. Hermit Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Water “Thrush,” Golden-crowned ‘‘ Wren,” Brown Creeper, Red- bellied Nuthatch, Winter Wren, ‘‘Blue Yellow-back,”’ Mourning Warbler, Nashville Warbler (?), Tennessee Warbler, ‘ Black- throated Blue,” “‘ Yellow-rump,” Bay-breasted Warbler, Black- burnian Warbler, ‘ Black-poll,”! Black and Yellow Warbler, Cape May Warbler, (‘+ Black-cap”), Canada ‘“‘ Flycatcher,” Sol- itary Vireo, Great Northern Shrike,! (Common Crossbill), (White-winged Crossbill), White-throated Sparrow, Snow-bird, Rusty Blackbird, (Bronzed.Grakle), Canada Jay,! Traill’s Fly- catcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Hairy Woodpecker, Yel- low-bellied Woodpecker, ‘‘ Log-cock,” Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker, Banded Three-toed Woodpecker, (Acadian Owl), Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Fish Hawk, Goshawk, (Pigeon Hawk), Broad-winged Hawk, Wild Pigeon, and Spruce Part- ridge; also several water-birds, etc. A list of the birds hitherto known in New England, only as migrants or winter-visitants (the latter in brackets). Gray- cheeked Thrush, Ruby-crowned ‘Wren ”(?), Titlark,? Connect- icut Warbler, Red-poll Warbler, White-crowned Sparrow, and Fox Sparrow. [Also (Varied Thrush), Hudsonian Titmouse (?), (Bohemian Waxwing), Butcher-bird (?), Pine Grosbeak, Red-poll, Snow Bunting,’ Lapland Longspur, Ipswich Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Shore Lark, Great Gray Owl, Snowy Owl, Hawk Owl, Richardson’s Owl, Gyrfalcon, Rough-legged Hawk, and Black Hawk.] To the above list are to be added the names of many water-birds, shore-birds, etc. 1These birds scarcely breed except in the most northern and eastern portions. 2 A few may sometimes winter. 8 With one extraordinary exception. See p. 185. APPENDIX. 421 C.D. The Use of the Keys. It is impossible, so far as is known, positively to identify many eggs, without some knowledge of the nest and parent- birds. In the following “ Key to the Eggs of Massachusetts” (C), the position, and sometimes the structure, of the nest is the chief point dwelt upon; the colors of the parent-hirds be- ing mentioned, only when the best means of identification. On observing a bird for the purposes of this Key, note the gen- eral coloration (as in the Downy Woodpecker, black ‘and white), particularly above, the color of the breast, whether streaked (spotted) or not, the color of the crown and throat, or of the entire head, and the color of the tail, whether the outer feathers are white or not (best observed as the bird flies). Observe any prominent markings, and, in large hawks, the coloration of the tail beneath. Eggs plainly colored belong to § I; eggs which are marked (not stained) to § II. In the former, the uniform color (as white) leads to the sections let- tered A, B,C. In the latter, the ground-color leads to similar divisions. The subsections, (a) etc., are arranged according to the position of the nest. Under each subsection, the list- numbers run continuously. Glance down the column of the next - figures (the extreme length and breadth of the eggs expressed in hundredths of an inch), until you find a size apparently corresponding to that of the egg in hand. If there are several eggs together in the Key of nearly the same size, read across the page until the right description is reached. You will often find some characteristic or means of distinction in the names of the birds. The figures at the end refer to the main work. List-numbers (to the extreme left) in parenthesis indicate rarity of the corresponding nest in Massachusetts, or at least rarity under the circumstances mentioned. >> means more than; < means less than. Before two numbers connected by a cross (X), these signs affect both. g means male; 9 means female. Occasionally, as is the case with the Bald Eagles, birds breed before attaining their full dress. The “ Key to the Land-birds of New England” (D) has been arranged as much by the coloration of birds as possible, but it cannot be used without having the bird in question at hand. On the first page, follow the lines of the table, and also the divisions (beginning at the right), until a reference is reached. . These references are to sections of the main work, unless stated to be to those of the Key. The former are in Arabic, the other in Roman, numerals. On reaching the Key-section referred to, find (if it is divided) the right division marked with a capital ’ 422 APPENDIX. letter, or even the subdivision, if any, which is marked by a small letter. Glance down the column at the left (not ruled off), which gives the chief color, the most conspicuous, or the one best characterizing the species, until you find the color which applies to the bird in hand. (This column is in many places wanting, or mentions some other characteristic than the chief color.) Work to the right until a satisfactory name or reference is reached. A glance at the size-column, giving the length in inches, will often be an assistance, or one at the list of birds, in whose names you may find expressed some characteristic. To measure a bird, refer to § V of the Intro- duction. Any characteristic written on a line is supposed to be also written on all the lower lines, so far as empty directly beneath, until a line is reached containing words to the left of that space. Observe carefully all foot-notes, and refer to § T of the Introduction for any descriptive terms not understood. ¢d means inale; 9 means female. >> means more than; < means less than. Other abbreviations or abbreviated expres- sions will be easily understood (as yg. for young, wh. for white, head-sides for sides of the head). frequently is employed to mean ditio. The general plan is one of reduc- tion to a limited choice by the use of various divisions, of. working from the beginning toward the end, of following cer- tain alternations, and of working from left to right. APPENDIX. 423 C. A KEY TO THE EGGS OF MASSACHUSETTS. This list, limited to the eggs previously described in this volume, is not wholly reliable, since several birds, not yet known to have actually bred in Massachusetts, may do so occasionally, and since eggs vary greatly, often presenting abnormal forms, or forms like those of other kinds. §I. Eggs Unmarked. A. - Color, white.t (a). Laid in holes of trees (or posts and stumps). 1. > 1251-00. Screech Owl. §26, V. (2). Av. 1:00X°90. Bird entirely brown and white. Acadian Owl. §26, IV. 3. > 1:00X'80, << 1:25X1-00. Bird not red-headed. Pigeon Woodpecker. §25, 1. (4). >1:00°80,<1-25X1-00. Bird red-headed. Red-headed Woodpecker. §25, II. « (5). Av. *95X'80. Bird; crown scarlet, upper breast black. Yellow-bellied Wood- pecker. §25, III. (6). Generally > :80X°65. Bird > 9 in., (chiefly) black and white. Hairy Wood- ; pecker, §25,V, A. 7. Generally < '80‘65. Bird < 7 in.,"(chiefly) black and white. Downy Wood- pecker, §25,V, B. (8). Av. ‘75°55. Bird metallic green’above. White-bellied Swallow.2 §12, III. (9). Av. 80X'60, usually blue. Bird with chestnut breast. Blue Bird.2 §2, I. [The Martins and Chimney Swifts no longer ( ?) build in stumps (etc.), in N. E.] (b). Nests built in trees (or bushes), but not in holes. (1). > 2°75><2'25. White, very impure or dirty. Bald Eagle. §27, VIII. 2. 225long (or more). Not often pure white. Great Horned Owl.) §26, VI. 3. 2°00 long or less; subspherical. Barred Owl. §26, III, B. 4, Av. 190X150. Not spherical. Generally bluish; often marked. Cooper's Hawk. §27, Ill, B. 5. Av. 160X135. Ngarly spherical. Long-eared Owl. §26, II, A. 6. Av. 145X120. Generally marked. Sharp-shinned Hawk. §27, III, A. 7. Av. 150X110; elliptical. Nest loose and frail. Wild Pigeon. §29, I. 8. Av. 1:10X‘80. Nest loose and frail. Carolina Dove. §29, II. 9. Av. °75X°55, often bluish.: Nest in bush or shrubbery. Indigo Bird. §15, KX. 10. Av. °63X°50, bluish. Nest in bush or shade-tree. Goldyinch. §15, IV, A. (11). Av.*70'55. Pure wh. Nest in woods(?). Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. §19,V,C. 12. Av. 6250. Nest in (woods) orchard or shade-tree. Bird olive-gray above. Least Pewee, §19, V, B. / 4 1 Many water-birds lay large white eggs, some in hollow trees, but these are all tinged with blue, green, or buff. Some of the petrels, however, lay a single small pure white egg, but none do so here. 2 The nests of these birds are usually well lined, the Blue Bird’s generally most warmly; those of the woodpeckers are rarely so. 3 See B, (a), (1). 424 APPENDIX. 13. (<) ‘50long. Hummingbird. §22, I. [The eggs of the buzzard-hawks and of Traill’s Flycatcher may sometimes be white. See §II, A, d.] Nest on the ground, or very near it. Av. 1:80X1°35. Occasionally marked. Marsh Hawk, §27, 1. t Av. 1:50X1:30. Normally, almost spherical. Short-eared Owl. §26, U, B. . Av. 1:20:90. Blue-tinged, and nearly elliptical. Least Bittern. Av. 1/201-00. White, often stained, and almost pointed at oneend. Quail. §31. Av. ‘70°55, usually marked. Nest built near water. Yellow Throat. §9, II, A. Nest about buildings (2, 8, 6, usually in bird-boxes, 4 in chimneys). > 1501-25. Impure white. Barn Owl. §26, I. >'85x<'65. Purple Martin. §12, V. < ‘80°60. White-bellied Swallow. §12, III. Av. ‘70X'40. Chimney Swift. §21, I. . Av. °75X°57. Nest bu lt on beam, or under eaves. Pewee. §19, III. Ay. '80%‘60, usually blue. Bird with chestnut breast. Blue Bird. §2,1. Eggs laid in a burrow in a bank of sand or sometimes gravel. - > 125X100. Kingfisher. §28, I: + <100X'75. Bank Swallow, §12,1V. Nest built among reeds, or in tall meadow-grass. Eggs small and brittle. Short-billed Marsh Wren. §7, II, A. Nest very bulky, and built of sticks on cliffs. > 8°002°25. Impure white; usually marked. Golden Eagle. §27, VII. Color, blue, bluish-green, or greenish-blue, dark in “5” only. . Nest made in trees (or bushes). 2°25XX1°75 or more. Extremely light. Occasionally marked. Goshawk. §27,1V. Av. 1:15X°‘85. Bird with reddish or dun breast, unmarked. Robin. §1,1, F. 1:00:70 or more. Bird’s breast thickly spotted. Tail, dusky-olive. Wood Thrush. §1,1, A. Av. °85x’60. Bird, soft reddish-brown above, slightly spotted beneath. Wilsows Thrush. §1,1,B. (Nest generally on the ground.) Ay. ‘90'65. Dark emerald green. Nest often in thicket. Cat-bird. §1, II, B. “95 ‘65, light blue. ¢, dark blue; ?, warm brown and flaxen. Blue Grosbeak. §15, XXI. 1:15X°87, usually dull. Nest loose and frail. ) Black ¢ -billed i §24, 1, B. Av. 1:25X°87, rather light. { Eggs long or elliptical. ) Yellow ( Cuckoo. ) §24, 1, A. . Eggs laid in a hollow tree or post, or in a bird-box. Ay. ‘80°60. Blue Bird, §2, I. Nest made on the ground. Av. << ‘7555? Nest made in dry flelds. Black-throated Bunting. §15, XIX. > ‘15X55. Nest made in wet woods, etc. Wilson’s Thrush. §1,1, B. . Nest about buildings. Ay.1:15X°85. Robin. §1,1,F. APPENDIX. 425 ‘[Nore. There are many herons’ eggs of the above color, but they are all > 1:25 long. There are also many white eggs, tinged with blue (or green), and perhaps among them should be included those of the Goshawk and Cooper’s Hawk. Many ducks’ eggs are strongly tinged with blue, green, drab, or yellowish. Most of them are laid on the ground or in hollow trees, but all are more than an inch and three- fourths long. The only ducks commonly breeding in Massachusetts are the Dusky Ducks, who build on the ground, and the Wood Ducks, who build in hollow trees.] C. Color, brown, drab, or buff. (a). On the ground, except the last, and sometimes ‘3,”- 1, Av. 1:65X1-25, pale drab buff to rich reddish buff.4 Partridge. §30, III. (2). Av. 1'65X1'35, brownish drab or paler.4 Nest where dry. Prairie Hen. §30, II. 3. Ay. 1:90X1'50, drab. Birds usually colonial inswamps. Bittern. 4. <‘75X'55; usually marked. Nest among reeds. L-b Marsh Wren, §7, II, B. (0). In the holes of trees, or rarely in a nest made in a fork. 1. About 2-00X1'50. Yellowish-white, or very pale drab. Summer Duck. *Often somewhat marked. 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Coloration peculiar to young birds, or to mature birds in the winter-season. Young birds are so called from the time of first being fully feathered until the acquirement of all the characteristics of maturity. They are for the most part more or less distinct from their parents in general appearance, though often closely alike among themselves in different species. But, since they are known on attaining their full growth, but before attaining, their full coloration, often to be larger than their parents (owing to their long feathers), they in some cases, particularly among the hawks, seem mature before being so. Young birds may be classified in three divisions. (1). Those with the male-parents strikingly different from the females, as in the Scarlet Tanagers, or Orchard Orioles. These at first resemble the females, but afterwards, if males, assume gradually, but often slowly, the characteristic colora- tion of their sex, and in this way sometimes pass through con- fusing changes. (2). Those differing from their parents, who are essentially alike, as in the Robins. (3). Those who essentially resemble both their parents, as ‘in the Crows. Young birds do not generally differ from their parents, except in size and coloration, but those of all species with ‘ booted” tarsi, are said to have scutellate tarsi. (See § T of the Intro- duction, etc.) The following is a synopsis of the Insessorian families. ‘Turdide or thrushes (§ 1). Young easily recognized, but often more or less abnormally! spotted. Sazxicolide or bluebirds (§ 2). Young essentially like the female ; when very young, spotted. Reguline, ‘‘ wrens,” or ‘“‘kinglets” (§ 3). Young essentially like the female. ? Paride or, titmice (§ 4). Class third. Sittidee or nuthatches (§ 5). Young like the females or less distinctly marked. Certhiide or creepers (§ 6). Class third. Troglodytide or wrens (§ 7). Class third. Anthine or titlarks (§ 8). Class third. 1ji,e. Abnormally in respect to maturity. 2 Young satrapa, if without crown-markings, may be known by the “ presence af a ae bristly feather overlying the nostrils; this is wanting in calendulus.” (Coues. 440 APPENDIX. ‘Sylvicolide or warblers (§ 9). Young students will find the young of this family very confusing, from their frequent. simi- larity one to another, and their abundance during the fall-mi- grations. It is best to study warblers in the spring, and to avoid immature birds until the differences between their parents are mastered. The young of those species, not further men- tioned, either resemble the females or the males also, or are characterized by indistinct markings and impure colors, such ‘as greenish-blue, yellowish-white, etc. Helminthophaga celata is “ often difficult to distinguish in immature plumage; but a general oliveness and yellowness, compared with the ashy Of some parts of ruficapilla, and the different color of the-Crown- patch in the two species, will usually be diagnostic.” (Coues.) The young male of the “Black-throated Blze” (Dendreca ceerulescens) resembles the adult male, but.ine colors are im- pure, and the black restricted. The immature ‘‘ Yellow-rumps” (D. coronata) are common cts migrations. Their col- oration varies from an imperfect-fall dress to the following ex- treme. Beneath, white or whitish, with slender streaks ; above, chiefly brown, with more or less yellow, especially on the rump (which is concealed by the wings when closed). The other young Dendrece with yellow rumps are maculosa (Black and Yellow Warbler) and tigrina? (Cape May Warbler). The former have more or less distinct (and pure ?) yellow beneath, ‘* smail tail-spots near the middle of all the feathers except the central ;” and are rather gray above. The latter are greenish above. The young Yellow “ Red-poll” (D. palmarum), with a yellowish rump, has the “ tailspots at very end of inner webs of two outer pairs of tail feathers only, and cut squarely off—a pecu- liarity distinguishing the species in any plumage.” (Coues.) Of the Bay-breasted Warbler (D. castanea) the young ‘so closely resemble young striata [‘‘ Black-poll”], that it is some- times impossible to distinguish them with certainty. The upper parts, in fact, are of precisely the same greenish-olive, with black streaks ; but there is generally a difference below — casta- nea being there tinged with buffy or ochrey, instead of the - Clearer pale yellowish of striata; this shade is particularly ob- servable on the belly, flanks and under tail coverts, just where striata is whitest:; and moreover, castanea is usually not streaked on the sides at all.” (Coues.) The young Blackburnian War- bler is not unlike these, though sufficiently like the female to be distinguishable. The other species require no notice, unless ® Properly Perissoglossa tigrina, \ APPENDIX. 441 the young Mourning Warblers (Geothlypis Philadelphia), who have no gray(?) or black, though recognizable from their shape and proportions, unless confused with: the ‘ Yellow- throats.” , : Tanagride or tanagers (§ 10). Class first. Ampelidee or waxwings (§ 11). The young of these fami- Hirundinide or swallows (§ 12). ( lies are recognizable from Vireonide or vireos (§ 18). their likeness to their pa- Laniidee or shrikes (§ 14). rents. Fringillide or finches (§ 15). The young Pine Finch (Chry- somitris pinus) often resembles the young ‘“ Red-polls” (gi- otht), but these species, unless very young, show respectively more or less yellow or carmine. Our sparrows are separable into two groups, with the wings decidedly longer than the tail (genera Ammodromus, Coturniculus, Passerculus, and Pooe- cetes), and with the wing equal to or shorter than the tail (genera Melospiza, Spizella, and Zonotrichia). The young Yel- low-winged Sparrow (C. passerinus) is: spotted, but never streaked, beneath. In the second group, the Spizelle are char- acterized by their forked tails. , The young of pusilla may be told from that of socialis by the reddish bill, and (faint) streaks on the crown, instead of on the rump (?). Young monticola has the “breast, throat, and crown, streaked.” Young Melo- spiza palustris (or Swamp Sparrow) is also streaked beneath. Other young finches are more easily recognized. In the Tow- hee Bunting (Pipilo erythropthalmus). ‘very young birds are streaked brown and dusky above, below whitish tinged with brown and streaked with dusky ; but this plumage, correspond- ing-to the very early speckled condition of thrushes and war- blers, is of brief duration; sexual distinctions may be noted in birds just from the nest, and they rapidly become much like‘ the adults.” (Coues.) Alaudide or larks (§ 16). Young easily recognized. Icteridee or starlings (§ 17). Young like the females, but, in the Cow-bird, streaked. Corvide, or crows and jays (§ 18). Class third(?). In the Canada Jay (Perisoreus Canadensis), the young are said to be quite distinct, being much darker, duller, and browner. Tyrannide or flycatchers (§ 19). In many species, the young ‘have rufous or ochrey edgings, especially on the wings. The young of all our picarian birds (§ § 20-25) are easily identified, except those of certain woodpeckers (Picide, § 25). In our species of Picus, ‘‘ young with the crown mostly red or bronzy, or even yellowish.” (Coues.) Young Sphyrapici have 442 APPENDIX. at first no distinct markings, but are easily recognized. ‘The crown shows black, and then scarlet, very early. In Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Red-headed Woodpecker), at first ‘‘ young without any red, the head and neck being grayish streaked with dusky; breast with an ashy tinge, and streaked sparsely with dusky ; secondaries with two or three bands of black; dorsal region clouded with grayish.” (B. B. and R.) The owls (Strigide, § 26) belong more or less distinctly to the third class. The young of Nyctale are described as more or less brown beneath, where they are unmarked. Descriptions of the young hawks who are much unlike their parents (Falcon- ide, § 27) may be found with those of the adults. The young of our two pigeons (Columbide, § 28) resemble at first the females. : The adult birds of many species change their dress for the autumn and winter, so that the coloration is materially altered. During the winter-season (only), the males resemble the fe- males in the Blue Birds (Sialia sialis), a majority of our war- blers (several of whom lose an ashiness or grayness, observable above in spring), the tanagers (?), many of the finches (even several plainly-colored kinds), and some of the starlings, not- ably the Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). The male “Yel- low-rump” (Dendreeca coronata) and Goldfinches (Chrysomi- tris tristis) become in autumn more or less brown, and remain so thronghout the winter. I have now detailed the most important seasonal changes observable in the (insessorian) birds of New England. I have often quoted Dr. Coues, on account of his rank as an authority, and the frequent terseness of his descriptions, APPENDIX. 443 F. Additions and Corrections. Add to the list of books given in foot-notes to the Preface, “ Studer’s Ornithol- ogy,” “the Birds of North America, drawn, engraved, and colored from life by Theodore Jasper, A.M., M.D.” This is to be published (by subscription, at one dollar for each number) in about forty parts, many of which have already been is- sued. Each part contains one uncolored, and three colored lithographic plates, in which the figures of the larger birds are often admirable, while those of the smaller kinds are generally very much less successful. The letter-press consists of short biographical sketches, and synopses of classification. Add to §S of the Introduction, on the study of birds’ habits, the following: It will be found very advantageous to make observations continuously from day to day, as one will not only see many birds who otherwise would escape him, but will ac- quire an invaluable familiarity with their little characteristics (which one may often think insignificant) and so an intimacy with the birds themselves, which will enable him, for instance, to detect the presence of the Brown Creepers by their shrill and slightly tremulous tsiy, where another person might require more certain indica- tions, or more impressive evidence. Moreover, one will find that intimacy suffers from interruption, and that knowledge is easily lost, however thoroughly gained. Therefore, one may chance to find a familiar song no longer associated with any. bird. On the other hand, those who in studying nature are obliged to do so at in- tervals will be surprised at the amount of pleasurable acquaintance which they can form with her at odd moments, There are few places where birds cannot be studied to advantage, not excluding the hearts of our cities, where may be found creepers, nuthatches, titmice, warblers, vireos, flycatchers, shrikes, etc., some- times even hawks. Finally, it is to be remembered that birds are frequently er- ratic, and that observations on their abnormal habits are, as a rule, interesting observations rather than important discoveries. The Hermit Thrushes are said occasionally to catch flies in the manner of Swainson’s Thrushes, who perhaps are more common wigrants through southern New England than I have indicated in my biography of those birds. The Hudsonian Titmice probably breed in several parts of northern New Eng- land, and in the Adirondacks. They wander in winter s0 far to the southward as Connecticut, and more than one has been obtained in Massachusetts. The Crested Tomtit (Lopophanes bicolor), is said to have occurred in New England. To the accounts of the warblers, it may be added that several Orange-crowned Warblers have now been obtained in Massachusetts (for whigh information I am chiefly indebted to Mr. H. A. Purdie); that the Blackburnian Warblers are con- sidered by a friend, rather to the contrary of my own observations, to be very ex- pert fly catchers, and that I have seen them near Buston on the tenth of October; that the Prairie Warblers sometimes feed upon the ground, and, moreover, have been found exceptionally among the White Mountains, at Bethlehem; that the Hooded Warbler has been definitely reported from Connecticut; and that the Yellow-breasted Chats are reported to be common summer-residents at Oyster Bay, Long Island, where Blue Birds winter, and where Cedar-birds have been seen in autumn in flocks of more than a hundred. Mr. Ridgway has suggested that the anecdote quoted from the “ Naturalist,” pp. 141, 142, of this book, is probably referable to the Rough-winged Swallow, a bird closely resembling the Bank Swallow, and common in that section of the country, where the circumstance quoted is reconcilable to the usual habits of this species. On p. 257, it should have been mentioned that the Adirondacks belong to the Canadian faunal district. 444 APPENDIX. To my biography of the Hummingbird I will here add that one fluttered about the artificial flowers on the hat of a young lady sitting out of doors, and that another, having become entangled in cobwebs, so that he could not see, remained on the twig of a piazza-vine, the twig having been cut off by scissors, while carried through the house, and until his plumage was cleared of the web, and his sight restored, when he at once became active. By my description of the Fish Hawk’s notes, I did not wish to imply that those notes were ever musical, but merely that they were not always harsh or piercing. The coloration of the Ruffed Grouse is variable, the tints varying from reddish to grayish. So in the Quail, the chestnut is often restricted, particularly in the females. In reference to the first line of p. 390, it is to be remarked that the Scotch Capercailzie is called the ‘‘ Wood Grouse.” The specimen, from which the figure of the Winter Wren was drawn (p. 71), had an unusually short tail, in consequence of which the figure must be considered in- accurate in regard to that feature. p. 56, 5th line, for bird read birds. pp. 71 and 75, for edon read aédon. p. 181, foot-note, for wilder read milder. I take the last opportunity offered to record an observation which I have just made (Nov. 19th, 1876), that of a Black-throated Blue Warbler busied in catching insects among weeds, and also in some trees, where were several Chickadees. From other observations made near Boston, I am inclined to believe that this spe- cies is always a rather late migrant in fall, and that individuals may occasionally pass the winter in New England. The reference to Psittaci, given in the opening table of the Key to birds, is owing to their bill, which has a true cere. The reference is improper, inasmuch as the parrots have their toes in pairs. Thave just learned, from the fourth number of the Nuttall Ornithological Club Bulletin, that the nests of our kinglets had been found previously to my discovery. G. ABSTRACT OF THE GAME-LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS, Extract from Chap. 304, Statutes of 1870, as amended. Whoever takes, kills, sells, buys, has in possession, or offers for sale any wOOD cock, from January Ist till July 4th, any PARTRIDGES, from January Ist till Sep- tember Ist, any QUAIL, from December 15th till October 15th, shall forfeit for every such Bird TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS. Whoever takes or kills ANY WILD BIRD, AT ANY SEASON OF THE YEAR, or wilfully disturbs or destroys their nests and eggs, shall forfeit for each offence Ten Dollars. The following are exceptions: Marsh, Shore, and Beach Sirds, such as Plover and Sandpipers, may be killed after 15th of July; Black Duck, Summer Duck, Teal and Wild Pigeons after September first; other fresh water Ducks, Geese, all Sea Ducks, Birds of Prey, Crow Blackbirds, Crows, Herons, Bitterns, Wilson’s Snipe, Black Breast and Red Breast Plover at any time of year. Possession, by any person, of Birds mentioned as protected in this Act shall be prima facie evidence to convict under the same, and one half of all forfeitures shall be paid to the informant or prosecutor. The attention of the public is respectfully invited to these laws, which will be enforced. Their co-operation is requested by the SOCIETY FOR PROTECTION OF USEFUL BIRDS, INDEX. 445 INDEX TO ENGLISH NAMES. (For the terms used in descriptions, see §'E of the Introduc- tion. No references are here made to works consisting of a single volume. In other cases, the volume only is indicated, unless a species is referred to under different names. The first number after each name usually refers to a page of this work. A stands for Audubon’s ‘Ornithological Biography,” AA for Audubon’s “Birds of America,” B for Bonaparte’s ‘‘ American Ornithology,” BB for Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway’s ‘“*Birds of North America,” N for Nuttall’s ‘‘Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and Canada,” W for Wilson’s “ American Ornithology,’ C for Dr. Coues’ ‘* Check List,”! and S for ‘‘ Smithsonian Catalogue,”! first 8vo edition.) (1) Acadian Flycatcher. 289; A,2; AA,1; BB, 2;N,1; W,2; C, 256; S, 143. (2) Acadian Owl. 334; A,2; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 4, p. 66; C, 828; S, 57. (3) Alice's (or Arctic) Thrush. 39; BB,1; C, 5a; S, 154, (4) American Barn Owl, or the like. See Barn Owl, etc. (5) Autumnal Warbler. N,1; W,3. See young of the Bay-breasted (or “Black poll” ?) Warbler. (6) Bald Eagle. 369; A,I; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 4, and 7, p. 16; C, 362; S, 43. (7) Baltimore Oriole. 252; A,1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; W,1, and @, 6; C, 216; 9, 415. (8) Banded Three-toed Woodpecker. 320; A, 5; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1 (2d ed.); C, 301; S, 83. (9) Bank Swallow. 148; A,4; AA, 1; BB,1; N,1; W,5; C, 115; S, 229, (10) Barn Owl. 328; A,2; AA,1; BB,3; N,1; W,6; C, 816; S, 47.. (11) Barn Swallow. 142; A,2; AA, 1; BB,1; N,1; W,5; ©, 111; S, 225. (12) Barred Owl. 332; A,1; AA,1; BB,3; N,1; W, 4; C, 323; S, 54. (13) Bay-breasted Warbler. 108; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,2; C, 82; S, 197. (14) Bay-winged Bunting. 200; A,1; AA, 3; BB,1; N,1; W,4; C, 161; S, 337. (15) Bee “ Martin.” 273. See (158). (16) Belted Kingfisher. 305; A,1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; W, 3; C, 286; S, 117. (17) Birds of prey. Chap. III, p. 326; AA, 1; BB, 3; N,1; C, 316-366; S, 1-62. (18) Black Hawk. 366; BB, 3; W,6. C,=356; S, 31. (19) Black ‘‘ Log-cock” (or Woodpecker). 324. See (224). (20) Black and White “ Creeper.” 97; A,1; AA, 2; BB,1; N,1; W,3; C, 57; 8, 167. (21) Black and Yellow Warbler. 126; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,3; C,84; 8, 204. (22) Black-backed Woodpecker. 319; A, 2; AA, 4; B, 1; BB, 2; N, 1 (2d ed.); C, 300; S, 82. . (23) Blackilled Cuckoo. 309; A,1; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W, 4; C, 290; 8, 70. (24) Blackbirds. §17, VI, VII, etc.; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1. (25) Blackburnian Warbler. 112; A,1; AA, 2; BB,1; N,1; W, 3; C, 80; S, 196. (26) Black-capped Chickadee. 59. See (68). 1The author has carefully revised these numbers, so that they may be taken from the Index without hesitation. 446 . INDEX. (27) “ Black-cap” (Warbler, or “ Flycatcher”). 129; A,2; AA, 2; BB,1;N,1; W,3; C, 102; S, 213. (28) “‘ Black-poll” Warbler. 110; A,2; AA,2; BB, 1; N,1; W,4 (and 6, p. 101); C, 81; S, 202. . (29) Black-throated Blue Warbler. 115; A,2(and p. 279); AA, 2; BB, 1; N,1(and p. 406); W, 2 (and 5, p. 100); C, 76; S, 193. (30) Black-throated Bunting. 228; AA, 3; BB, 2; N,1; W, 3; C, 191; 8, 378. (31) Black-throated Green Warbler. 117; A,4; AA,2;BB,1; N,1, W,2; C,71; S, 189. (32) Blue Bird. 50; A,2; AA, 2; BB, 1; N,1; W,1; C, 16; S, 158. (33) Blue Grosbeak. 231; A,2; AA, 3; BB, 2; N,1; W, 3; C, 195;.S, 382. (34) Blue Jay. 266; A,2; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; W, 1; C, 234; S, 434. (35) “ Blue?’ Snow-bird. 223; A,1; AA, 3; BB, 1; N,1; W,2; C, 174; S, 354. (36) Blue Warbler. 114 (G); A, 1, pp. 255 and 258; AA, 2; B, 9,2; BB, 1; N,1; W, 2 (p.141, and 3, p. 119); C, 77; 8, 201. (37) Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. 99; A, 1; AA,2; BB, 1; N,1; W,4; C, 58; 8, 168. . (38) Blue-eyed Yellow Warbler. 103. See (350). (39) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. 58; A,1; AA,1; BB,1; N,1; W, 2; C, 23; S, 282. (40) Blue-headed Vireo. 152. See (287). (41) Blue-winged Yellow Warbler. 91; A,1; AA, 2; BB,1; N,1; W,2; C, 62; S, 180. (42) Bobolink. 243; A,1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; W,2; C, 210; S, 399. (43) Bohemian Waxwing. 139; A, 4; AA, 4; B,3; BB,1; N,1; C, 118; 8, 232, (44) Brewster’s Linnet. 185; BB, 1; C, 147; S, ——. (45) Broad-winged Hawk, 365. A,1; AA,1; BB,3; N,1; W, 6; C, 355; S, 27. (46) Bronzed Blackbird. 261; BB,2; C, —; 8,——. (47) Brown Creeper. 68; A,5; AA, 2; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 42; S, 275. (48) Brown Thrush. 48; A,2; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W, 2; C, 10; S, 261. (49) Buntings. §§ 15,17, passim. ) (49a) Burrowing Owl. 343; A,5; AA,1; B,1; BB, 3; N,1; C, 332; S, 58. (50) Butcher-bird. 161. See (126). (51) Buzzards. §27,V, VI. AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W,6. See (318). For “ Amer- ican Buzzard” (see (251). (52) Cerulean Warbler. 114. See (36). (53) Canada “ Flycatcher.” 127; A,2; AA,2; BB,1; N,I; W, 3; C, 103; S, 214. (54) Canada Grouse. 386; A,2; AA, 5; B, 3; BB, 3; N,1; C, '380; S, 460. (55) Canada Jay. 268; A,2; AA,4; BB, 2; N,1; W.3; C, 239; S, 443. (56) Canada“ Robin.” 187. See (60). (57) Cape May Warbler.. 102; A,5; AA,2; B, ?,1; BB,1; N,1; W,6; C, 85; S, 206. (58) Cardinal Grosbeak. 234; A,2; AA,3; BB, 2; N,1; W, 2; C, 203; S, 390. (59) Carolina Dove. 384; A,1; AA,5; BB, 3; N,1; W,5; C, 371; S, 451. For C. Wren, (§ 7, I, NOTE), see (123). (60) Carrion‘ Crow.” 375; A,2; AA, 1; BB, 3; N,1; W,9; C, 366; S, 3. (61) Cat-bird. 46; A,2; AA, 2; BB, 1; N,1; W,2; ©, 9; S, 254. (62) Cedar-bird: 137; A,1; AA, 4; BB, 1; ‘N,1; W, 1; C, 119; S, 233, (63) Chat. 132; A,2; AA,4; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 100; S, 176. (64) “* Chatterers.”. §11; AA, 4; BB,1; N,1; C, 118-121; S, 232-235. (65) Cherry-bird. 137. See (62). (66) Chestnut-sided Warbler. 106; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,2; C, 83; S, 200. (67) “ Chewink.” 226; A,1; AA,3; BB,2; N,1; W,2 C, 204; S, 391. (68) Chickadee.2 59; A, 4; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 31; S, 290. (69) “‘ Chicken Hawk.” 357; etc. See (75). -2 Other allied titmice are called “Chickadees,” but always with a prefix. INDEX. 447 (70) Chimney (“ Swallow” or) Swift. 299; A,2; AA,1; BB, 2; N,1; W, 5; C, 271; S, 109. (71) ‘ Chipper” or Chipping Sparrow. 210; A,2; AA,3; BB, 2; N,1; W, 2; C, 178; S, 359. (72) Cliff Swallow. 144; A,1; AA,1; B,1; BB,1; N,1; C, 114; 8, 226. (73) Common Crow, oy the like. See Crow, etc. (74) Connecticut Warbler, 88; A,2; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,5; C,95; S, 174. (75) Cooper’s Hawk. 3857; A,1; AA,1; B,2; BB, 3; N,1; C, 339; S, 15. (76) Cow-bird. 246; A,2; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W,2; C, 211; 8, 400. (77) Creepers. §6. See (47), and, if necessary, (20). (78) Crossbills. § 15,1; AA, 3; BB, 1; N,1; W, 4; C, 142-148a; 8, 318-319. (79) Crow. 262; A,2; AA,4; BB,2; N,1; W, 4; C, 228; S, 426. (80) Crows. § 18,1; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; C, 226-231; S, 423-431 (?). (81) Crow Blackbird. 258; A,1; AA, 4; B, 9,1; BB,2;N,1; W, 3; C, 225; S, 421. (82) Cuckoos. §24. A,1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; W, 4; C, 288-292; S, 67-71. (83) Cuvier’s Kinglet. 57; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; C —; 8, 163. (84) Day Owl. 842. See (140). (85) Doves. § 29,11; AA,5; BB, 3; N,1; C, 371-377; S, 449-455. (86) Downy Woodpecker. 322; A,2; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W,1; C, 299; S, 76. (87) Duck Hawk. 348; A,1; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 9; C, 343; S, 5. (88) Hagles. §27, VII, VIII; AA, I; BB, 3; N,1; C, 361-362 (and 363?); S, 39-43. (89) Eastern Blue Bird, or the like. See Blue Bird, etc. (90) Have Swallow. 144. See (72). (91) ‘‘ English” Snipe. 406. See (335). (92) “‘ English Sparrow.” 235; C, 187. (93) English Tree Sparrow, etc. 236, and note. (94) Falcons. § 27,11; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; C, 341-347; S, 5-13. (95) Ferruginous Thrush. 48. See (48). (96) Field Lark. 241; A,2; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W,3; C, 214; S, 406. | (97) Field Sparrow. 215; A,2; AA,3; BB,2; N,1; W,2; C,179; S, 358. (98) Finches. §15; AA, 38; BB,1and 2; N,1; C, 136-209; S, 303-398, (99) Fire-bird. 252. See (7). (100) Fish Crow. 262, NOTE; A,2; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; W, 5; C, 229; S, 429. (101) Fish Hawk. 373; A,1; AA, 1; BB, 3; N,1; W,5; C, 360; S, 44. (102) ‘* Flicker.” 312. See (117). (103) Flycatchers. §19; AA,1and7; BB,2; N,1; W,2; C, 240-263; S, 120-147. (104) ‘‘ Flycatchers.” §13. Also § 9, XI. (105) Flycatching warblers. §9, XI and XII; AA,2; BB,1; N,1;C, 101-105; S, 211-219. (106) Fox Sparrow. 221; A,2; AA,3; BB,2; N,1; W,3; C, 188; S, 374. (107) Game-birds. Chap. V., p. 386; AA, chiefly 5; W, chiefly 6. (108) Gerfatcon. See Gyrfalcon. (109) .@natcatchers. § 3, IL; C, 23-25; S, 282-284. See (39). (110) “ Goatsuckers.” §20; AA,1; BB, 2; N,1;°C, 264-268; S, 111-116a, (111) Golden Eagle. 367; A,2; AA,1; BB,3; N,1; W,7; p.138; C, 361; S, 39. (112) Golden “ Robin.” 252. See (7). (113) Golden Warbler. 103. See (350). (114) Golden-crowned “ Thrush.” 84; A,3; AA,2; BB, 1; N,1; W,2; C, 92; S, 186+ (115) Golden-crowned “* Wren” or Kinglet. 55; A,2; AA,2; B, 9,1; BB,1; N,1; W, 1; C, 22; S, 162. (116) Golden-winged Warbler. 91; A,5; AA,2; B, 9,1; BB,1; N,1; Ww, 2;°C, 63; S, 181. 2 (117), Golden-winged Woodpecker. 312; A,1; AA,1; BB, 2; N,1; W,1; C, 312; S, 97. (118) Goldjinch. 176; A,1; AA, 3; B, 9,1; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 149; S, 313. 448 INDEX. (119) Goshawk. 358; A,2; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 6, p. 80; C, 340; S, 14, (120) Grass Finch. 200. See (14). (121) Gray-cheeked Thrush. 39; BB, 1; C, 5a; S, 154. (122) Gray King-bird. 273, (a), note; AA,1; BB, 2; C, 243; S, 125. y (123) Great Carolina Wren. 74; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W, 2; C, 47; 8, 265. (124) Great Crested Flycatcher. 275; A,2;AA,1; BB, 2; N,1; W, 2; C, 247; S, 180. (124a) Great (Cinereous or) Gray Owl. 331; A, 4; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 322; S, 53, (125) Great Horned Owl. 339; A, 1; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 6; C, 317; S, 48. (126) Great Northern Shrike. 161; A,2; AA, 4; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 134; S, 236, (127) Green Black-capped “ Flycatcher.” 129. See (28). (128) Green-crested Flycatcher. See (1). (129) “ Greenlets” = vireos, § 13. (130) Grosbeaks. § 15, XXI, XXII, and XXIII. \ (131) Ground Robin.” 226. See (67). (132) “ Ground Sparrow.” § 15, passim (especially XIII, A). (138) Grouse. § 30; AA,5; BB, 3; N,1; C, 380-388; S, 459-470. (134) Gyrfalcon. 347; A,2 and 4; AA, 1; BB, 3; C, 341 &341a; S,11 and 12. See § 27, II, (A). (135) “ Hair-bird.” 210. See (71). (1386) Hairy Woodpecker. 321; A,5; AA,4; BB,2; N,1; W,1; C, 298; S, 74. (137) ** Hang-nest.” 252. See (7). (138) Harriers. § 27,1. See (179). * (139) Hawks. § 27, (especially III and IV); AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 333-363; S, 5-46 (140) Hawk Owl. 342; A,4; AA, 1; BB,3; N, 1; W, 6; ©, 326; S, 62. (141) Hemlock Warbler. 112; AA,2; N,1; W,5. See (26). (142) Hen Hawks. § 27, especially V, (A) and (B); AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W,6. (143) Henslow’s Bunting (or Sparrow). 193; A,1; AA,3; BB, 1; N,1(2d ed.); C, 163; S, 339. (144) Hermit Thrush. 34; A,1; AA, 3; BB, 1; N,1; W,5;8 C, 4; S, 149. (145) “ High-hole,” etc. 312. See (117). (146) Hooded “Flycatcher” (or Warbler). 129, NOTE; A,2; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,3; C, 101; S, 211, (147) Horned Lark. 237. See (274). (148) Horned Owl. 339. See, (125). (149) House Sparrow. 285; C, 187. (150) House Wren. 75. A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 49; 8, 270. (151) Hummingbird. 302. See (261). (152) Hummingbirds. § 22; AA, 4; BB, 2; N.1; C, 278-283: 8, 100-106. (153) Indigo Bird. 229; A,1; AA,3; B, 9,2; BB, 2; N,1; W, 1; C, 199; S, 387., (154) Ipswich Sparrow. 195; BB, 1; C, 158; 8, ——. (155) Jays. § 18, 11 and III; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; C, 232-289; S, 432-444, (156) Jerfulcon. 347. See (184). (157) Kentucky Warbler. 88, NOTE; A,1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N,1; W, 3; C.96; 8, 175. (158) King-bird. 273; A,1; AA,1; BB, 2; N,1; W, 2, p. 66; C, 242; S, 124. (159) Kingfisher. 305; A,1; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W, 3; C, 286; S, 117. (160) Kingfishers. § 23; AA,4; BB,2; N,1; C, 286-287; S, 117-118. (161) “ Kinglets.” §3,1; A,2; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W, 1; C, 21-22; S, 161-163, (162) Lapland Longspur. 188; A, 4; AA, 3; B,2; BB,1; N,1; C, 153; S, 326. (163) Large-billed Water“ Thrush.” 83; A,1; AA,3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3, pl. 23; C, 94; S, 188. 7 3 I am inclined to decide that fig. 2 of pl. 45 is that of the Hermit Thrush, whereas confusion with the Olive-backed Thrush occurs in the text. INDEX. 449 (164) Lark Finch. 189; A,5; AA,3; B,1; BB, 1; N,1; C, 186; S, 344. (165) Larks. § 16 (also § 17, I, and § 8). (166) Least Flycatcher (or L.“ Pewee.”) 286; AA, (1?*) 7; BB, 2; N,1; C, 258; S, 142. (167) Lesser “ Red-poll.” 182; A, 4; AA, 3; BB,1; N,1; W, 4; C, 146; S, 320. (168) Lincoln’s Finch. 207; A,2; AA,38; BB, 2; N,1(2d ed.); C, 167; S, 368. (169) Linné’s Hummingbird. 302, NOTE; C, 283, S, (170) * Linnet.” 174. (Also, § 15, IV, B, and V.) See (234). (171) ‘* Log-cock.” 324. See (224). (172) Loggerhead Shrike. 165; A,1; AA,4; BB,1; N,1; W,3; C, 135; S, 237. (173) Long-billed Marsh Wren. 78; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,2; C,51; S, 268. (174) Long-eared Owl. 329; A, 4; AA,1; BB,3; N,1; W, 6; C, 320; S, 51. (175) Longspur. 188. See (162). (176) Louisiana Thrush.” 83. See (163). (177) Magnolia Warbler. 126. See (21). (178) Marsh Blackbird. 249. See (252). (179) Marsh Hawk. 346; AA, 1; B, 2, p.30; BB, 3; N,1; W, 6; C, 333; 8, 38. (180) Marsh Owl. 330. See (276). (181) “‘ Marsh Robin.” 226. See (67). (182) Marsh wrens. § 7, II, especially (B); AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 51-52; 8, 268-269. (183) Martins. § 12, V. See (236). (184) Maryland “ Yellow-throat.” 85; A,1; AA,2; BB, 1; N, 1; W,1, and 9,2; C, 97; S, 170. (185) Maynard’s Sparrow. 195. See (154). (186) Meadow Lark. 241; A,2; AA,4; BB, 2; N,1; W, 3; C, 214; 8, 406, (187) Meadow Wren. 77. See (275). . (188) Mealy “ Red-poll.’? 182, V, (a), NOTE; A, 5; AA,3; BB, 1; C, 146; 8, 321. (189) Migratory Thrush= Robin. See (257). (190) Mocking Bird. 45; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,2; C,8; S, 253. (191) Mocking thrushes. § 1, I (and III?); AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W,2; C, 7-14; S, 253-2614. (192) Mottled Owl. 335; A,1; AA,1; BB,3; N,1; W,3; C, 318; S, 49. (198) Mourning Warbler. 87; A,5; AA,2; BB, 1; N,1; W, 2; C, 98; S, 172. (194) “ Mouse Hawk.” 346. See (179). (195) “ Myrtle-bird.” 124. See (356). (196) Nashville Warbler. 94; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,3; C, 67; S, 183. (197) New York “ Thrush.” 83. See (163). (198) Night “ Hawk.” 297; AA,1; BB, 2; N,1; W, 5: C, 267; S, 114. (199) “ Nightingale.” A name applied to several American birds, as (344), (350), etc. (200) “ Nightjar.’ 295. See (336). (201) Nuchal Woodpecker. 318 at bottom; BB, 2; C, 302a; S, 86. (202) Nuthatches. §5; A,2; AA,4; BB,1; N,1; C, 38-41; S, 277-281. (203) Olive-backed Thrush. 36; AA, “III, pl. exivii; not the text”; BB, 1; W, 5, pl. 45, fig. 2(?); C, 5; 8, 153. (204) Olive-sided Flycatcher. 280; A,2; AA, 1; BB,2; N,1; C, 253; 8S, 137. (205) Orange-crowned Warbler. 95; A,2; AA, 2; B,1; BB, 1; N,1; C, 68; S, 184. (206) Orchard Oriole. 255; A,1; AA,4; BB, 2; N,1; W,1; ©, 215; 8, 414. (207) Orioles. §17,V; A,1; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W,1; C, 215-220; S, 408416, (208) Osprey. 373. See (101). (209) “‘ Oven-bird.” 84. See (114). > «The Muscicapa pusilla of Swainson is either this species or a variety of Traill’s Flycatcher. 30. 450 : INDEX. (210) Owls. § 26; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; C, 316-332; 8, 47-62. (211) Pallas’ Thrush. 34. Sce (144). (212) Palm Warbler. 122; B,2. See (248). (213) “ Partridge” = Quail, p. 393, and Ruffed Grouse, p. 388. See (237) and (262). (214) Passenger Pigeon. See (346). (215) ‘‘ Peabody-bird.” 217. See (344). (216) Peregrine Falcon. 348. ‘ See (87). (217) Pewee (or “ Phebe.”) 277; A,2; AA, 1; BB,2; N,1; W, 2; C, 252; S, 185. (218) ‘* Pheasant.” 388. See (262). (219) Philadelphia Vireo. 159; BB, 1; C, 124; S, 244. (220) Pigeons. Chap. 1V; AA, 4 and cg 3; N, 1; C, 367-370; S, 445-448; inc. doves, C—377; S—455. (221) Pigeon Hawk. 351; A,1; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 2; C, 344; 8S, 7. (222) “ Pigeon Hawk.” 355. See (272). (223) Pigeon Woodpecker. 312. See (117). (224) Pileated Woodpecker. 324; A,2; AA, 4; BB, 2; N,1; W, 4; C, 294; S, 90. (225) Pine Finch (or P. Linnet). 180; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 1; N,1; W,2; C, 148; 8, 317. (226) Pine {Bullfinch or) Grosbeak. 172; A, 4; AA, 3; B, 9,3; BB, 1: N,1; W, 1; C, 137; S, 304. (227) Pine Warbler. 120; A,2; AA,2; BB, 1; N,1; W, 3; C, 91; S, 198. (228) Pinnated Grouse. 387; A,2; AA,5; BB,3; N,1; W, 3; C, 384; S, 464. (229) “ Pipit”” 79. See (312). (230) ‘‘ Politician.” 160. See (328). (231) Prairie Warbler. 105; A,1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N,1; W, 3; C, 86; 8, 210. (232) “ Prairie Hen” (or “ Prairie Chicken”). 387. See (228). (233) Prothonotary Warbler. 90; A,1; AA,2; BB, 1; N,1; W, 3; C, 59; S, 169. (234) Purple Finch. 174; A,1; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W, 1 (and yg. 5); C, 139; 8, 305. (235) Purple Grakle. 258. See (81). (236) Purple Martin. 150; A,1; AA,1; BB,1; N,1; W,5; C,117; 8, 231. (237) Quail. 393; A,1; AA,5; BB,3; N,1; W, 6; C, 389; S, 471. (238) Raven. 2062, NOTE; A,2; AA, 4; BB, 2; M1 W, 9; C, 226; S, 423. (239) Red Crossbill. 168; A,2; AA,3; BB, 1; N,1; W, 43 C, 1435S, 318, (240) Red Owl. 335; W,5. See (192). (241) Red-bellied Nuthatch. 66; A,2; AA, 4; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 39; S, 279. (242) Red-bellied Woodpecker. 315, NOTE; A,5; AA,4; BB,2;N,1; W,1; C, 3063 S, 91. (243) Red Bird=Summer Red Bird; 136; =Cardinal Grosbeak, 234. (244) Red-eyed Vireo. 155; A,2; AA, 4; BB, 1; N,1; W,2; C, 122; S, 240. (245) Red-headed Woodpecker. 315; A,1; AA,4; BB,2; N,1; W,1; C, 309; S, 94. (246) Red-naped (or Red-throated) Woodpecker. 318 at bottom; BB, 2. See (201). (247) “* Red-polls.” § 15, V, p, 1823 AA, 3; BB,1; N,1. See (167). (248) “ Red-poll” Warbler. 122; A,2; AA,2; B,2,p.12; BB,]; N,1; W, 4; C, 90; S, 208. (249) Red-shouldered Hawk. 361; A, 1; AA, 1; BB, 3; N,1; W.6, and 4, p. 73; C, 352; S, 25. (250) Redstart. 130; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,1 and 5; C, 104; S, 217. (251) Red-tailed Hawk. 360; A,1; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 6 (pl. 52, fig. 1, 2); C, 351; S, 23. (252) Red-winged Blackbird. 249; A,1; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W, 4; C, 212; S, 401. (253) Reed-bird (or Rice-bird). 243. See (42). dy (254) “* Republican” Swallow. 144. See (72). (255) Richardson's Owl. 333; A, 4, p.559; AA, 1, p. 122; BB, 3; C, 327; S, 55, (256) Ring-tailed Eagle= Golden Eagle. 367. See (111). (257) Robin, 41; A,2; AA, 3; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C,1; 8, 155. INDEX. . 451 (258) Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 232; A,2;AA,3; B, 9,2; BB, 2; N,1; W, 2; C, 193; 8, 380. (259) Rough-legged Hawk. 366; A,2; AA,1; BB, 3; N, 1, pp. 97, 98; W, 43 C, 358; S, 30. See (18). (260) Ruby-crowned “ Wren” (or Kinglet). 53; A,2; AA,2; BB, 1; N,1; W,1; C, 21; S, 161. (261) Ruby-throated Hummingbird. 302; .A,1;AA,4; BB,2;N,1; W,2; C, 275; 8, 101. (262) Ruffed Grouse, 388; A,1; AA,5; BB, 3; N,1; W, 6; C, 385; 5S, 465. (263) Rusty Blackbird (or Grakle). 256; A,2;AA,4; BB,2; N,1; W,3; C, 221; S, 417. (264) Sand ‘‘ Martin.” 148. See (9). (265) ** Sap ker.” § 25, p i (266) Savannah Sparrow. 197; A,2; AA,38; BB,1;N,1; W, 3 and 4; C, 159; S, 332. (267) Saw-whet” Owl. 334. See (2). (268) Scarlet Tanager. -134; A,4; AA, 3; BB,1; N,1; W,2; C, 107; 8S, 220, (269) Screech Owl. 335. See (192) and¥(240). (270) Sea-side Finch. 190; A,1; AA, 3, pp. 103, 106; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 4; C, 165; 8, 342. (271) Serin Finch. 236, NOTE. (272) Sharp-shinned Hawk, 355; A, 4; AA, 1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 5, and 6, p. 13; C, 338; 8,17. (273) Sharp-tailed Finch. 191; A,2; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W, 4; C, 166; S, 341. (274) Shore Lark. 237; A,2; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 53; S, 302. (275) Short-billed Marsh Wren. 77; A,2; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; C, 52; 8, 269, (276) Short-eared Owl. 330; A,5; AA, 1; BB, 3; N,1; W, 4; C, 321; S, 52. (277) Shrikes. §14; AA, 4; BB,1; N,1; C, 184-135@; S, 236-239. (278) Siskin. 180. See (225), (279) Sky Lark, 237, and note ad jin. of §16; BB, 1. See (274). (280) Slate-colored Hawk (of Wilson). 355; N,.1; W,6. See (272). (281) Smuall-headed Flycatcher. 129, NOTE; AA, 1; BB,1;N,1; W,6; C,——; S, 212. (282) Snipe. 406; AA,5and6; BB, 4; N,2. See (349). (283) Snow-bird. 223; A,1; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W, 2; C, 174; S, 354. (284) Snow Bunting (or ** Snow-flake”). 185; A,2; AA, 3; BB, 1; N,1; W, 3; C, 152; S, 325. (285) Snowy Owl. 341; A,2; AA,1; BB,3; N,1; W, 4; C, 325; S, 61. (286) Social Sparrow. 210. See (71). ; (287) Solitary Vireo, 152; A,1; AA, 4; BB,1; N,1; W, 2; ©, 127; S, 250. (288) Song Sparrow. 202; A,1; AA, 3; BB,1; N.1; W, 2; C, 169; S, 363. (289) Song Thrush. 48; also 29; See (48) and (341). , (290) Sparrows. § 15, IX-XV (English, XXIV, XXV); AA, 3; BB, 1and2; N,1; C, 157-1894; S, 331-376. (291) Sparrow Hawk. 353; A,2; AA,1; BB, 3; 4,13 W, ¢,2, and 0, 4; C, 346; S, 13. (292) Sparrow Owl. 333. See (255). * (293) Spotted Grouse (or “‘ Spruce Partridge”). 386. See (54). (294) Starlings. §17; AA,4; BB,2; N,1; C, 210-225a; S, 399-422. (295) Summer Red Bird. 136; A,1; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 108; 8S, 221. (296) Summer Warbler (or Yellow Bird). 103. See (384). (297) Swainson’s Thrush. 36. See (203). (298) Swallows. §12; AA,1; BB,1; N,1; W,5; C, 111-117; S, 225-231a, (299) Swamp “ Robin.” 226; also §1,1,(C) (and D?). See (67) and (144). (300) Swamp Sparrow. 208; A,1; AA,3; BB, 2; N,1; W,3; C, 168; S, 369. (301) Swamp Thrush. 34. See (144). (302) Swifts. §21,A,2; AA,1; BB,2; N,1; W, 5 (p. 48); C, 269-272; S, 107-110. (303) Tanagers. §10; AA, 3; BB,1; N,1; C, 107-110; S, 220-224, (304) Tawny Thrush. 32; W,5. See (350). 452 (305) (308) (307) (308) (309) (310) (311) (312) (318) (314) (315) (316) (317) (318) (319) (320) (321) « (322) (828) (324) (325) (326) (327) (328) (329) (380) (331) (332) (338) (334) (335) (336) (387) (388) (339) (340) (341) (342) (343) (344) INDEX. Tengmalm’s Owl. A European owl, of which Richardson’s Owl is a variety. Tennessee Warbler. 96; A,2; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W, 3; C, 69; S, 185. “ Thistle-bird.”” 116. See (118). “Thrasher.” 48. See (48). Three-toed woodpeckers. §25, IV, p.319;AA,4; BB, 2; N,1; C, 300-301a, 8, 82-84, Thrushes. §1; AA, 3 (mocking thrushes, 2); BB, 1; N,1; C, 1-14; 8, 148-156 and 253-26la. “ Thrushes.” §9,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; C, 92-94; 8, 186-188. Titlark. 79; A,1; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W,5; C, 55; 8, 165. Titmice.R§ 4; AA, 2; BB,1; N,1; C, 27-37; S, 285-300. “ Towhee.” 226; A,1; AA, 3; BB,2; N,1; W, 2; C, 204; S, 391. Traill’s Flycatcher. 281; A, 1, AA,1; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 257; S, 140. Tree Sparrow. 212; A,2; AA,3; BB,2; N,1; W,2; C,177; S, 357. Turtle Dove. 384. See (59). “ Turkey Buzzard.” 375;'A,2; AA,1; BB, 3; N,1; W,9; C, 365; 8,1. Tyrant Flycatcher. 273; W,2. See (158). Varied Thrush. 44; A,4; AA,3; BB, 1; C, 2; S, 156. “ Veery2” 32. See (350). Vesper Sparrow, 200. See (14), Vireos. §18; AA,4; BB,1; N,1; C, 122-133; S, 240-252. Virginian ** Nightingale.” 234. See (58). Virginia Partridge. 393. See (237). Wagtails. §8; BB,1; N,1; C, 54-56; S, 164-166. “ Wagtails”” §9,1. See (311). Warblers. §9; AA, 2; BB,1; N,1; C, 57-105; S, 167-219. Warbling Vireo. 157; A,2; AA, 4; BB,1; N,1; W, 5; O, 125; S, 245. Washington Eagle= Bald Eagle(?). 369; A,1; AA,1; S, 41. Water “ Thrush.” 81; A, 5; AA, 3;5 BB, 1; N,1 (W,3?); C, 93; S, 187. Water “thrushes” § 9,1, (A) and(B); AA,3; BB,1; N, 1; C, 93-94; S. 187-188. Water “ Wagtail.” 81. See (331). Water Warbler. 83. See (163). Waxwings. §11; AA, 4; BB,1; N,1; C, 118-119; S, 232-233. Whippoorwill, 295; A,1; AA,1; BB,2; N,1; W,5; C, 265; 8, 112. “ Whiskey-Jack.” 268. See (55). White Owl. 341. See (285). . White-bellied or ) Nuthatch. 63; A,2;AA,4; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 38; S, 277. White-breasted ) Swallow. 146; A,1; AA, 1; BB, 1; N,1; W, 5; C, 112; S, 227. White-crowned Sparrow. 220; A,2; AA,3; BB, 1; N,1; W, 4; C, 183; S, 345. White-eyed Vireo. 160; A,1; AA,4; BB,1; N,1; W,2; C, 129; S, 248. White-headed Eagle. 369. See (6). White-throated Sparrow.’ 217; A,1; AA, 3; BB,1; N,1; W, 3; C, 182; S, 349. (344a) White-throated Warbler. 92. (345) (346) (347) (848) (349) White-winged Crossbill. 170; A, 4; AA,3; B, 9,2; BB,Jl; N,1; W, 4; C, 142; S, 319. Wild Pigeon. 378; A,1; AA,5; BB,3; N,1; W,5; C, 370; S, 448, Willow Warbler. 124. See (356). Wilson’s “ Black-cap.” 129. See (28). Wilson’s Snipe. 406; A, 3; AA,5; BB, 4;° N,1; W, 6, p. 18; C, 414; S, 523, 5In Audubon’s “Birds of America” considered identical with the Louisiana Water “Thrush.” : 6 This volume has not yet been published, Nov. 1876. (350) (351) (352) (353) (354) (355) (356) (357) (358) (359) (360) (361) (362) (363) (364) (365) (366) (367) (368) INDEX. 453 Wilson’s Thrush. 82; A,2; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W, 5, p. 98; C, 6; S, 151. Winter Falcon (of Wilson). 361; W, 4. Winter Wren. 71; A, 4; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 50; S, 273. Woodcock. 399; A,;3; AA, 6; BB, 4; Nj 1; W, 6; C, 412, (English) 413; 8, 522. Wood Pewee. 281; A,2; AA, 1; BB, 2; N,1; W,2; C, 255; S, 139. Wood Thrush. 29; A,1; AA,3; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 3; 8, 148. Wood thrushes, §1, I, (A-E). ‘ Wood Wren= Winter Wren, 71;= House Wren; A,2; AA, 2; 8, 272. Woodpeckers. §25; AA,4; BB, 2; N,1; C, 2938-314; 8, 72-99. f, &\\ Worm-eating Warbler. 89; A,1; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W, 3; C, 60; S, 178. Worm-eating warblers. §9,1V, V, VI; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 59-69; 8, 178-185. Wrens. §7; AA,2; BB,1; N,1; C, 43-52; S, 262-273. “ Wrens.” § 3,1; A,2; AA, 2; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 21-22; S, 161-163. “ Yellow Hammer.” 312. See (117). 2 Yellow Red-polled Warbler. 122. See (248). Yellow Warbler. 103; .A,1; AA, 2, pp. 50 and 53; BB, 1; N, 1, pp. 364 and 370; W,2; C, 70; S, 203. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. 288; AA,7; BB, 2; C, 259; S, 144. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. 317; A,2; AA, 4; B, yg.,1; BB, 2; N,1; W,1;C, 302; S, 85, Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 307; A,1; AA, 4; BB,2; N,1; W, 4; C, 291; S, 69. Yellow Bird = Yellow Warbler, 103; = Goldfinch, 176. (369) Yellow-breasted Chat. 182; A,2; AA,4; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 100; S, 176. (870) ( Yellow-crowned or) “ Yellow-rump” Warbler. 124; A,2;AA,2; BB,1; N,1; W, 2, and yg., 5; C, 78; S, 194. . (370a) Yellow-headed Blackbird. 252, NOTE. (371) Yeliow-shafted Woodpecker, 312. See (117). (372) “ Yellow-throat.” 85. See (184). * (373) Yellow-throated Wgreo. 153; A,2; AA,4; BB,1; N,1; W,1; C, 126; S, 252. (374) Yellow-winged Sparrow. 192; A,2; AA,3; BB, 1; N,1; W,3; C, 162; S, 338, (375) ‘* Yucker.” 312. See (117), 454 INDEX. “INDEX TO SCIENTIFIC NAMES. (When several species belong to one genus, they have been here given in the same order in which they are lettered. The Arabic figures refer to pages, unless preceded by a section-mark, when they refer to the families, as numbered in this volume. The letters in parenthesis stand for authorities, or originators of the scientific names; A for Audubon, BD for Baird, B for Bote, BP for Bonaparte, C for Cabanis, CU for Cuvier, G for Gray, L for Linneus, S for Swainson, V for Vieillot, and W for Wilson. Names occurring less often are given in full. When one name is authority for both genus and species, it is given but once. When there are two authorities, the latter is usually given in ordinary mention of the bird; i.e. Ampelis cedrorum, BAIRD. It may be observed that most of the scientific names in the index will not be found in other than modern works, and often not in all of those. The sign ' marks the accent.) Acci'piter (BRISSON) fuscus (BP). 355. Coope'ri (BP). 357. 4fgio'thus lina'rius (C). 182. var. fuces'cens (COUES). var. exi'lipes (COUES). Agele'us pheni'ceus (V). 249. Alau'dide. §16, 182, NOTE. Alau'da (auctorum) arven'sis. 240, Alcedi'nide. §23, Ammo'dromus mari'timus (S). 190. caudacu'tus (S). 191. Am'pelis (L) cedro'rum (BD). 187. gar'rulus (L). 139. Ampe'lide,1 Ampeling. §11. Antros'tomus (GOULD) voci'ferus (BP). 295. A'quila (auctorum) chrysa'étus (L). 367. Archibu'teo (BREHM) la'gppus (G), var. Sanc’- ti-Johan'nis (RIDGWAY). 366. As'tur (LACEPEDE) atricapil'lus (BP). 358. Aves aé'réew. §1-29. Aves terres'tres. § 80-82. Bona'sa umbel'lus (STEPHENS). 389. Bu'bo (CU) Virginia'nus (BP). 339. Bu'teo (CU) borea'lis (V). 360. linea'tus (JARDINE). 361. Pennsylva'nicus (BP). 365. Calandritine. §16. Caprimul'gide, Caprimulgine. §20. Cardina'lis Virginia'nus (BP). 234. Carpo'dacus (KAUP) purpu'reus (G). 174. Cathar'tes au'ra (ILLIGER). 375. atra‘tus (LESSING). 375. Cathar'tide. §28. Centu'rus (S) Caroli'nus (BP). 315, NOTE. Cer'thia familia'ris (L). 68. Certhi'ide, Certhiine. §6. Cer'yle Al'cyon (B). 305. Chetu'ra pela'gica (STEPHENS). 299. Chondes'tes (S) gramma'ca (BP). 189. Chorde'iles (S) Virginia'nus (BP). 297. Chrysomi'tris (B) tris'tis (BP). 176. pi'nus (BP). 180. Cir'cus cya'neus (LACEPEDE). vay. Hudso'nius (COUES). 346. Clamato'res. §19. Cocecy'gus (V) America'nus (BP). 807. erythropthal'mus (BD). 309. Coccygine. §24, Colap'tes aura'ts (S). 312. Coilu'rio (VIGORS) borea'lis (BD). 161. Ludovicia'nus (BD). 165, Colum'be, Colum'bide, Columbine. §29. Con'topus (C) borea'lis (BD). 280. virens (C). 281. Cor'vus (L) America'nus (A). 262. co'rax (L). 262, NOTE. ossi'fragus (W). 262, NOTE. Cor'vide, §18; Corvine, §18, I. Coturni‘culus passeri'nus (BP). 192. : Henslow'i (BP). 193. Co'tyle ripa'ria (B). 148. Cucu'lide. 's 24, . Cupido'nia (REICHENBACH) cupi'do(BD). 387. Curso'res. § 80, etc. Curviros'tra (SCOPOLI) * * * , var. Ameri- ca'na (COUES). 168. "| Curviros'tra leucop'tera (W). 170. Cyanospi'za cya'nea (BD). 229, Cyanu'rus crista'tus (S). 266. Cypse'lide, §21. 1An accented vowel is often short, as in Ampelide, INDEX. Dendre'ca (G) esti'va (BD). 103: dis'color (BD). 105. Pennsylwa'nica (BD). 106. casta'nea (BD). 108. stria'ta (BD). 110. Blackbur'nie (BD). 112. ceru'lea (BD). 114. cerules'cens (BD) 115. * dé'rens (BD). 117. pi'nus (BD). 120. palma'rum (BD). 122. corona'ta (G). 124. maculo'sa (BD). 126. Doli'chonyz oryzi'vorus (S). 243. Ectopis'tes migrato'rius (S). 378. Empido'naz (C) Trail'li(BD). 284. ‘ mi'nimus (BD). 286. Slaviven'tris (BD). 288. Aca‘dicus (BD). 289. [pygme’us.] 290. Eremo'phila alpes'tris (B). 237. Euspi'za America'na (BP). 228. Fal'co (L) gyrfal'co. 347. commu'nis, var. ana'tum (BP). 348. columba'rius (L). 351. sparve'rius (L). 353. Falco'nide. §27. Fringil'lide. §15. Gallina'go (LEACH) Wilso'ni. 406. Galli'ne. §§30, 31. Garruline. §18, II and III. Geothlypis tri'chas (C). 85. Philadel'phia (BD). 87. Goniaphea (BOWDITCH) ceru'lea. 231. Grallato'res. §32, etc. Halia éius leucoce'phalus (SAVIGNY). 369. Harporhyn'chus ru'fus (C). 48. Helmintho'phaga (C) pi'nus (BD). 91. chrysop'tera (BD). 91. leu'cobronchia'lis, 92. ruficapil'la (BD). 94. cela'ta (BD). 95. peregri'na(C). 96. Helminthopha'gine. §9,1IV-VI. Helmi' therus (RAFINESQUE) vermi'vorus (BP). 89. Hirun'do (L) horreo'rum (BARTON). 142. Hirundi'nide. §12. Hydeme'les (BD?) Ludovicia'na (L). 282. Hylo'tonus pilea'tus (BD). 824. 455 Icte’ria (V) vi'rens (BD). 182. Icteritine. §9, XII. Ic'terus (BRISSON) Baltimo're (KAUDIN). 252. spu'rius (BP). 255. Iete'ride. §17. ‘ Icterine. §17, V. Jun'co (WAGLER) hyema'lis (SCLATER). 223. Lani'ide, Laniine. §14. Lino'ta Brewsteri. 185. Melaner'pes erythroce'phalus (S). 315. Melospi'za melo'dia (BD). 202. : Lincol'ni (BD). 207. palustris (BD). 208. Minus polyglot'tus (B). 45. Carolinen'sis (G). 46. ' Mimine. §1, II and III. @Mniotil'ta va'ria (V). 97. Molo'thrus pe'coris (S). 246. Motacil'lide. §8. Myjiar'chus crini'tus (C), 275. Myjiodioc'tes Canaden'sis (A). 127. pusil'lus (BP). 129. mitra'tus (A). 129, NOTE. minu'tus (BD). 129, NOTE. Nisus. See Accipiter. Nycta'le (BREHM) Tengmal'mi. : var. Richardso'ni (BP). 333. Aca'dica (BP). 334, Nyc'tea (STEPHENS) ni'vea (G). 339. Oporor'nis a'gilis (BD). 88. formo'sus (BD). 88, NOTE. Or'tyx (STEPHENS) Virginia'nus (BP). 393. Os'cines. §§1-18. O'tus (CU) vulga'ris (L). var. Wilsonia'nus (ALLEN). 329. brachyo'tus. 330. Pan'dion halia'étus (SAVIGNY), var. Carolinen'sis (BP). 873. Pa'rula America na (BP). 9% Pa'rus atricapil'lus (L). 59. Hudso'nicus (FORSTER). 63. Pa'ride, Parine. §4. Pas'ser domes'ticus (LL). 235. Passer'culus (BP) prin'ceps (MAYNARD). 195, savan'na (BP). 197. Passerel'la ilia'ca (S). 221, Pas'seres, §1-19, 456 Perissoglos'sa tigri'na (BD). 102. Periso'reus Canaden'sis (BP). 268. Petrocheli'don lu'nifrons (C), 144. Philohe'la mi'nor (G). 399. Pica'rie. §§20-25. a Pico'ides (LACEPEDE) arc'ticus (G). 319. America'nus (BREHM). 320. Pi'cus villo'sus (L). 321. pubes‘cens (L). 322. Pi'cide. §25. Pini'cola enuclea'tor (V). 172. Pi'pilo erythropthal'mus. 226. Plectropha'nes niva'lis (MEYER). 185. Lappo'nicus (SELBY). 188. Poliop'tila ceru'lea (SCLATER). 58. Pooece'tes grami'neus (BD). 200. Prog'ne purpu'rea (B). 150. Protonota'ria citre'a (BD). 90. Pyran'garu'bra(V). 134. esti'va(V). 136. Pyr'gita monta'na( ). 286. Quis'calus(V)purpu'reus (LICHTENSTEIN). 258. and var. e'neus (BD). 261. Quiscaline. §17, VI and VIL., Rapto'res. Chap. III.: Re'gulus (CU) calen'dula (LICHTENSTEIN). 53. satra'pa (LICHTENSTEIN). 55. Cuvie'ri (AUD). 57, NOTE. Reguline. §3,1. ° Sazicol'ide. §II. Sayor'nis (BP) fus'cus (BD). 277. Scoleco'phagus ferrugi'neus (S). 255. Scolopa'cide. § 32. Scops (SAVIGNY) a'sio (BP). 335. Seiu'rus (S) noveboracen'sis (NUTTALL). Ludovicia'nus (BP), 83. aurocapil'lus (S).” 84, Seto'phaga ruticil'la (S). +130. Setophagine. §9, XI and XII. Sia'lia (S) sialis (BD2). 50. Sit'ta (L) Carolinen'sis (GMELIN). 63. Canaden'sis (L). 66. Sit'tide. §5. Spheo'tyto (GLOGER) cunicula'ria. ' var. hypoge'a (CASSIN) 843. Sphyrapi'cus va'rius (BD). var. nucha'lis (ALLEN). 818, 81. INDEX. Spizel'la socia'lis (BP). 210. monti'cola (BD). 212. pusil'la (BP). 215. Sturnel'la (V) mag'na (8). 241. Strix flam'mea (L), America'na (A). 328. Stri'gide. § 26. Sur'nia (DUMERIL) u‘lula (BP). var. Hudso'nica(RIDGWAY). 342, Sylvico'lide, § 9; Sylvicoline, § 9, I-X. Sylvi'ide. § 3. Syr'nium (SAVIGNY) Lappo'nicum (L). var. cine'reum (RIDGWAY). 331. nebulo'sum (G). 332. Tachycine'ta (C) bi'color (CASSIN). 146. Te'trao Canaden'sis (L). 386. Tetrao'nide, Tetraonine. § 30. Thryo'thorus (V) Ludovicia'nus (BP). 74. Tro'chilus co'lubris (L). 302. WTrochi'lide, Trochiline. § 22. Troglo'dytes hyema'lis (V). 71. aé'don(V). 15. Troglody'tide. § 7. Tur'dus (L) musteli'nus (GMELIN). 29. fuces'cens (STEPHENS). 32. Palla'si (C). 34. Swainso'ni (C). 36. Ali'cie (CASSIN). 39. migrato'rius (L). 41. ne'vius (GMELIN). 44. - Tur'dide, §1; Turdine, § 1,1. Tyran'nus (CU) Carolinen'sis (BD). 273. | Dominicen'sis (RICH). 273, (a), NOTE. Tyran'nide. Tyrannine. § 19. Vi'reo solita'rius (V). 152. fla vifrons (V). 153. oliva ceus(V). 155. gil vus (BP). 157. Philadel'phicus (CASSIN). 159. : noveboracen'sis (BP). 160. Vireo'nide. § 13. |\Xanthoce'phalus icteroce'phalus (BD). 252, | NOTE. Zenedu'ra Carolinen'sis (BP). ‘384. Zonotri'chia (8) albicol'lis (BP). 217, leu'cophrys (S). 220. 2In Dr. Coues’ Check List, Haldeman. \ ~ TX yy