British Museum (Natural History) Dept. of Zoology- Guide to the gallery of Birds

677

1921

..tlasl

GUIDE

TO THE

GALLERY OF BIRDS

IN THE

DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY,

BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY)

ATLAS OF 24 PLATES WITH EXPLANATIONS.

LONDON:

PRINTEl) liY OHDEli OF THE TIIUSTE OF THE BUriLSII MUSEUM.

Fricf (hie JS/n'l/hu/ and Sixpence.

^,,^;,V tAu i.um [M. H-.t:) • IVpt af Zo6lD3^,

GUIDE

TO THE

GALLERY OF BIRDS

IN THE

DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY,

BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY).

ATLAS OF 24 PLATES WITH EXPLANATIONS.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

677

53

EXPLANATION OF PLATES.

I. Shaw's Kiwi {Apteryx australis), from a mounted specimen exhibited in the Gallery; showing the relatively enormous size of the egg laid by this New Zealand bird,

II. Fig. 1, A photograph of the Plate in Strickland and Melville's ' Dodo and its Kindred,' which is a facsimile of Savery's picture, 1626, of the Dodo in the Royal Gallery at Berlin. Fig. 2. The nearly complete skeleton exhibited in the Gallery, found in 1855 by Mi*. George Clarke in the black alluvial soil at "La Mare aux Songes " near Mahebourg, Mauritius. It was described and figured by Sir Richard Owen in the Transactions of the Zoological Society, vi. p. 49.

A dried right-foot, exhibited in the Gallery ; received by the British Museum in ] 781.

III. Group of New Zealand Penguins, taken from specimens exhibited in the Gallerj^

IV. A pair of Puffins (Fratercula arctica) feeding their young one, taken from Group No. 97, illustrating the Nesting- Series of British Birds.

V. Great Auk {Plautus impennis), from the specimen in the Museum which was procured at Labrador and once formed part of the Lidth de Jeude Collection.

VI. A pair of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) with their nest and eggs, taken from Group No. 124:, illustrating the Nesting-Series of British Birds.

VII. Sandwich Terns (Sterna cantiaca) with their nests and eggs surrounded by plants of sea-campion and sorrel. Taken from Group No. 126, illustrating the Nesting-Series of British Birds.

VIII. A pair of Kentish Plovers {uiHgialltis alcvandrina) and two nests containing respectively three young birds and three eggs, from Group No. 112, illustrating the Nesting-Series of British Birds,

IX, Great Bustards (Otis tarda). Taken from the Group exliibited in one of the central cases in the Gallery. The right-hand figure (c) shows the male in courting attitude. The birds were mounted by Mr. G. Pickhardt and are admirably represented.

4 BIRD GALLERY.

X. A pair of Hoatzins {Opisthocovius hoazin) with their nest and egg», exhibited in one of the central cases.

XI. Sun-Bittern {Eurypyga major) mounted with outspread wings in an attitude the bird is fond of assuming.

XII. t'ig. 1. The Cariama (Cariama cristata), a South American bird whose position in the Avian System has given rise to much discussion. Some authors have placed it in tlie Accipitres near the Secretary-Bird {Ser^pentarius serpentarius), Fig. 2, which it closely resembles in general appearance and in some of its habits ; but many consider that its proper position ia with the Cranes.

XIII. The Australian plumed Egret {Mesoplioyx plumifera), in breeding-

dress, shewing the " dorsal train " of feathers used as ornamental plumes and known among dealers as " Ospreys."

XIV. Little Bitterns (Ardetta minuta), one of which is mounted to shew

the immature bird in a protective attitude with the body drawn up to its fullest extent to imitate the surrounding reeds.

XV. Represents a very old male of Steller's Sea-Eagle {Haliaetns pelagicus), exhibited in the Group of these birds presented by Mr. Henry Seebohm.

XVI. A female Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) with her young. Taken from Group No. libb, illustrating the Nesting-Series of British Birds ; the male is not included in the Plate. The bird beneath the foot of the female is a Golden Plover in summer- plumage.

XVII. Fig. 1. The Kaka Parrot (JS^estor meridionulis) from New Zealand, which is closely allied to the Kea {N. notahilis). The latter is notorious on account of its habit of attacking living sheep and tearing open their backs to devour the kidney-fat. Fig. 2. A male of the Pennant-winged Nightjar {Cosmetomis vexil- larius) which has the ninth primary quill enormously lengthened. The bird is well known to most travellers in Troj)ical Africa, and presents a remarkable appearance when on the wing.

XVIII. Taken from the Group, No. 99, illustrating the breeding-place of the Common Kingfisher {Alcedo ispida), Nesting-Series of British Birds, The birds perched outside the entrance formed part of the brood and were respectively six and seven weeks old. The parent bird and remaining young can be seen in the Case, part of the bank having been removed to shew the internal construction of the burrow.

EXPLANATION OF PLATKS. 5

XIX. A group of Indian Hornbills including a pair of the Rufous-necked Horubill (Aceros nepalensis) and the Horurai (Dichoceros hkornin), two of the largest species. The Plate shews the extraordinary development of the bill in these birds.

XX. llepresents a portion of the interior of a cave in which a colony of Esculent Swifts {Collocalia fuciphaga) have attached their nests. These are of the finest " white " quality, so highly prized by the Chinese for making Birds'-nest soup,

XXI. A group of " Parasitic Birds " which place their eggs in the nests of other species and leave their young to be brought up by the foster-parents.

Fir/. 1. A pair of the common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus).

Fig. 2. A pair of Cow-birds (MoJothrus honariensis).

The latter belong to the American family of Hang-nests (Tcteridce).

XXII. A pair of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers {Dendrocopus major) with their nesting-hole and young. Taken from Group No. 78, illus- trating the Nesting-Series of British Birds.

XXI 1 1. Fig. 1. A pair of the Australian Lyre-bird (il/emovt superha) shewing the extraordinary development of the tail in the male. Fig. 2. A pair of Gardener Bower-Birds [Amblyornis inornata) from New Guinea. These birds are remarkable for their architectural sldll and tlie a?sthetic taste they display in preparing their playing grounds. They build a miniature cabin made of different mosses, surrounded by a perfectly-kept meadow of moss and studded with brilliantly coloured flowers, fruits, and insects, which as they become faded are constantly replaced.

XXIV. A pair of Gardener Bower-Birds (Amhh/oynis suhalaris) in their " Play-house." Sent from the Owen Stanley Range, British New Guinea, by Captain F. R. Barton, C.jM.G.

PLATE I.

Shaw's Kiwi (Apteryx aiistmlis) with Egg. No. 22.

riiixLHj 11.

Pig. 1.

Dodo {Didm ineptng.) From a picture by Roelandt Saveuy, 1626.

Fig. 2.

Skeleton and Foot of Dodo. No. 205.

PLATE 111.

Group of New Zealand Penguins.

a, Eock-hopper Penguin. h, Little Blue Penguin. c, Thick-billed Penguin.

(Gatarrhactes chrysocome.) No. 344. {Eudyptula undina.) No. 3.'i2A. (Catarrhactes pachyrhynclnts.) No. 343.

d. Yellow-crowned Penguin. e, young, King Penguin ; /. adult.

(Megadyptes antipodum.) No. 346. {Aptenodytes patagonica.) No. 350.

VLATE IV.

Puffins (Fraternila arctiea) with Youno. Nesting Series, No. 97. «, young ; 5, male ; r, female.

PLATE V

Geeat Auk {Plautus impennis) with Egg, No, 406,

PLATE VI.

Herring Gulls {Lams argentatus). Nesting Series, No. 124. a, female : h, male.

PLATE VII.

PLATE VIII.

PLATE IX.

I2; -3

^ s c5 e

PLATE X.

PLATE XT.

PT.ATE XII.

OS '^

OS

PLA.TE XIII,

Australian Plumed Egret (Mesophoyx plumifera). No. 649.

I'LATK XIV

«, adult male. b, immature bird.

Little Bitterns (Ardetta rninuta), showing immature bird in protective

ATTITUDE. No. 622.

PLATE XV

PLATE XVJ,

PL ATI-: XVI r.

Fiu. 1.

Kaka Parrot {Nedor meridionulis). No. 1108.

Fia. 2

Pennant- WINGED Nightjar (Cosmfitumis vexillnrvis). No. 1215.

Adult male.

PLATE XIX.

PLATE XX.

PLATE XXI.

PLATE XXII.

Greater Spotted Woodpeckers (Bendvocoim^ major) and Young. Nesting Series, No. 78. t?, adult male; «, adult female; b, r, e, young.

tLATE XXIH.

Pig. 1.

a, female. b, male.

Lyre Birds {Meimra snjierba). No, 1.568.

Fig. 2.

«,,.male. b, female.

Gardener Bower-Birds {Amhlyomis inomata). No. 2758,

PLATE XXIV.

QL	British Museum (Natiira
611	History) Dept. of Zoo
B9	Guide to the galler
1921	of Birds
Atlas
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& Medical

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