ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY. it ITASIDOIS JADIDOLOU TING ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY, OR AN ACCOUNT OF THE HABITS OF THE BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ; ACCOMPANIED BY DESCRIPTIONS OF THE OBJECTS REPRESENTED IN THE WORK ENTITLED THE BIRDS OF AMERICA, AND INTERSPERSED WITH DELINEATIONS OF AMERICAN SCENERY AND MANNERS. 8 be wis? BY JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, F.R.SS.L.& E. /\ cme FELLOW OF THE LINNEAN AND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON; MEMBER OF THE LYCEUM AND LINNEAN SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PARIS, THE WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH; HONORARY MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY OF MANCHESTER, AND OF THE SCOTTISH ACADEMY OF PAINTING, ARCHITECTURE, AND SCULPTURE, &¢. EDINBURGH: ADAM BLACK, 55. NORTH BRIDGE, EDINBURGH; R. HAVELL JUN., ENGRAVER, 77. OXFORD STREET, AND LONGMAN, REES, BROWN, & GREEN, LONDON ; GEORGE SMITH, TITHEBARR STREET, LIVERPOOL; T. SOWLER, MANCHESTER; MRS ROBINSON, LEEDS; E. CHARNLEY, NEWCASTLE ; POOL & BOOTH, CHESTER; AND BEILBY, KNOTT, & BEILBY, BIRMINGHAM. MDCCCXXXI. \ \ NEILL & CO. PRINTERS, Old Fishmarket, Edinburgh. INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. Kinp Reaper,—Should you derive from the perusal of the following pages, which I have written with no other wish than that of procuring one favourable thought from you, a por- tion of the pleasure which I have felt in collecting the materials for their composition, my gratification will be ample, and the compensation for all my labours will be more than, perhaps, I have a right to expect from an individual to whom I am as yet unknown, and to whom I must therefore, in the very outset, present some account of my life, and of the motives which have influenced me in thus bringing you into contact with an Ame- rican Woodsman. I received life and light in the New World. When I had hardly yet learned to walk, and to articulate those first words always so endearing to parents, the productions of Nature that lay spread all around, were constantly pointed out to me. They soon became my playmates; and before my ideas were sufficiently formed to enable me to estimate the difference be- tween the azure tints of the sky, and the emerald hue of the vi INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. bright foliage, I felt that an intimacy with them, not consisting of friendship merely, but bordering on phrenzy, must accompany my steps through life;—and now, more than ever, am I per- suaded of the power of those early impressions. They laid such hold upon me, that, when removed from the woods, the prai- ries, and the brooks, or shut up from the view of the wide Atlantic, I experienced none of those pleasures most congenial to my mind. None but aérial companions suited my fancy. No roof seemed so secure to me as that formed of the dense foliage under which the feathered tribes were seen to resort, or the caves and fissures of the massy rocks to which the dark- winged Cormorant and the Curlew retired to rest, or to protect themselves from the fury of the tempest. My father generally accompanied my steps, procured birds and flowers for me with great eagerness,—pointed out the elegant movements of the former, the beauty and softness of their plumage, the manifes- tations of their pleasure or sense of danger,—and the always perfect forms and splendid attire of the latter. My valued pre- ceptor would then speak of the departure and return of birds with the seasons, would describe their haunts, and, more won- derful than all, their change of livery ; thus exciting me to study them, and to raise my mind toward their great Creator. A vivid pleasure shone upon those days of my early youth, attended with a calmness of feeling, that seldom failed to rivet my attention for hours, whilst I gazed in ecstacy upon the pear- ly and shining eggs, as they lay imbedded in the softest down, or among dried leaves and twigs, or were exposed upon the burning sand or weather-beaten rock of our Atlantic shores. I was taught to look upon them as flowers yet in the bud. I watched their opening, to see how Nature had provided each dif- INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. vii ferent species with eyes, either open at birth, or closed for some time after ; to trace the slow progress of the young birds toward perfection, or admire the celerity with which some of them, while yet unfledged, removed themselves from danger to security. I grew up, and my wishes grew with my form. These wishes, kind reader, were for the entire possession of all that I saw. I was fervently desirous of becoming acquainted with nature. For many years, however, I was sadly disappointed, and for ever, doubtless, must I have desires that cannot be gra- tified. ‘The moment a bird was dead, however beautiful it had been when in life, the pleasure arising from the possession of it became blunted; and although the greatest cares were be- stowed on endeavours to preserve the appearance of nature, I looked upon its vesture as more than sullied, as requiring con- stant attention and repeated mendings, while, after all, it could no longer be said to be fresh from the hands of its Maker. I wished to possess all the productions of nature, but I wished life with them. ‘This was impossible. Then what was. to be done ? I turned to-my father, and made known to him my dis- appointment and anxiety. He produced a book of Illustra- tions. A new life ran in my veins. I turned over the leaves with avidity ; and although what I saw was not what I longed for, it gave me a desire to copy nature. To Nature I went, and tried to imitate her, as in the days of my childhood I had tried to raise myself from the ground and stand erect, before nature had imparted the vigour necessary for the success of such an undertaking. How sorely disappointed did I feel for many years, when I saw that my productions were worse than those which I ven- tured (perhaps in silence) to regard as bad, in the book given] ~ viii INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. me by my father! My pencil gave birth to a family of cripples. So maimed were most of them, that they resembled the man- gled corpses on a field of battle, compared with the integrity of living men. These difficulties and disappointments irritated me, but never for a moment destroyed the desire of obtaining perfect representations of nature. The worse my drawings were, the more beautiful did I see the originals. ‘To have been torn from the study would have been as death to me. My time was entirely occupied with it. I produced hundreds of these rude sketches annually; and for a long time, at my request, they made bonfires on the anniversaries of my birth-day. Patiently, and with industry, did I apply myself to study, for, although J felt the impossibility of giving life to my pro- ductions, I did not abandon the idea of representing nature. Many plans were successively adopted, many masters guided my hand. At the age of seventeen, when I returned from France, whither I had gone to receive the rudiments of my education, my drawings had assumed a form. _ Davip had guided my hand in tracing objects of large size. Eyes and noses belonging to giants, and heads of horses represented in ancient sculpture, were my models. These, although fit sub- jects for men intent on pursuing the higher branches of the art, were immediately laid aside by me. I returned to the woods of the New World with fresh ardour, and commenced a collection of drawings, which I henceforth continued, and which is now publishing, under the title of “ THe Brrps or AMERICA.” To these Illustrations I shall often refer you, good-natured reader, in the sequel, that you may judge of them yourself. Should you discover any merit in them, happy would the ex- pression of your approbation render me, for I should feel that I INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. ix had not spent my life in vain. You can best ascertain the truth of these delineations. I am persuaded that’ you love na- ture—that you admire and study her. Every individual, pos- sessed of a sound heart, listens with delight to the love-notes of the woodland warblers. He never casts a glance upon their lovely forms without proposing to himself questions respecting them; nor does he look on the trees which they frequent, or the flowers over which they glide, without admiring their grandeur, or delighting in their sweet odours or their brilliant tints. In Pennsylvania, a beautiful State, almost central on the line of our Atlantic shores, my father, in his desire of proving my friend through life, gave me what Americans call a beanatifill “ plantation,” refreshed during the summer heats by the waters of the Schuylkil River, and traversed by a creek named Per- kioming. Its fine woodlands, its extensive fields, its hills crowned with evergreens, offered many subjects to my pencil. It was there that I commenced my simple and agreeable stu- dies, with as little concern about the future as if the world had been made for me. My rambles invariably commenced at break of day; and to return wet with dew, and bearing a feathered. prize, was, and ever will be, the highest enjoyment for which I have been fitted. Yet think not, reader, that the enthusiasm which I felt for my favourite pursuits was a barrier opposed to the admission of gentler sentiments, Nature, which had turned my young mind: toward the bird and the flower, soon proved her influence upon. my heart. Be it enough to say, that the object of my passion has long since blessed me with the name of husband. And x INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. now let us return, for who cares to listen to the love-tale of a naturalist, whose feelings may be supposed to be as light as the feathers which he delineates ! For a period of nearly twenty years, my life was a succession of vicissitudes. I tried various branches of commerce, but they all proved unprofitable, doubtless because my whole mind was ever filled with my passion for rambling and admiring those ob- jects of nature from which alone I received the purest gratifica- tion. I had to struggle against the will of all who at that period called themselves my friends. I must here, however, except my wife‘and children. The remarks of my other friends irritated me beyond endurance, and, breaking through all bonds, I gave myself entirely up to my pursuits. Any one unacquainted with the extraordinary desire which I then felt of seeing and judg- ing for myself, would doubtless have pronounced me callous to every sense of duty, and regardless of every interest. I under- took long and tedious journeys, ransacked the woods, the lakes, the prairies, and the shores of the Atlantic. Years were spent away from my family. Yet, reader, will you believe it, I had no other object in view, than simply to enjoy the sight of na- ture. Never for a moment did I conceive the hope of becoming in any degree useful to my kind, until I accidentally formed ac- quaintance with the PRINCE of MusiGNano at Philadelphia, to which place I went, with the view of proceeding eastward along the coast. I reached Philadelphia on the 5th April 1824, just as the sun was sinking beneath the horizon. Excepting the good Dr MeasE, who had visited me in my younger days, I had scarce- ly a friend in the city ; for I was then unacquainted with Har.Lan, WETHERELL, MACMURTRIE, LESUEUR, or SULLY. INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. xi I called on him, and showed him some of. my drawings. He presented me to the celebrated CHartes Lucian Bona- PARTE, who in his turn introduced me to the Natural History Society of Philadelphia. But the patronage which I so much needed, I soon found myself compelled to seek elsewhere. I left Philadelphia, and visited New York, where I was received with a kindness well suited to elevate my depressed spirits ; and afterwards, ascending that noble stream the Hudson, glid- ed over our broad lakes, to seek the wildest solitudes of the pathless and gloomy forests. It was in these forests that, for the first time, I communed with myself as to the possible event of my visiting Europe again; and I began to fancy my work under the multiplying efforts of the graver. Happy days, and nights of pleasing dreams! I read over the catalogue of my collection, and thought how it might be possible for an unconnected and un- aided individual like myself to accomplish the grand scheme. Chance, and chance alone, had divided my drawings into three different classes, depending upon the magnitude of the objects which they represented ; and, although I did not at that time possess all the specimens necessary, I arranged them as well as I could into parcels of five plates, each of which now forms a Number of my Illustrations. I improved the whole as much as was in my power; and as I daily retired farther from the haunts of man, determined to leave nothing undone, which my labour, my time, or my purse, could accomplish. Kighteen months elapsed. I returned to my family, then in Louisiana, explored every portion of the vast woods around, and at last sailed towards the Old World. But befere we visit the shores of hospitable England, I have the wish, good-natured xii INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. reader, to give you some idea of my mode of executing the ori- ginal drawings, from which the Illustrations have been taken ; and I sincerely hope that the perusal of these lines may excite in you a desire minutely to examine them. Merely to say, that each object of my Illustrations is of the size of nature, were too vague—for to many it might only con- vey the idea that they are so, more or less, according as the eye of the delineator may have been more or less correct in mea- surement simply obtained through that medium ; and of avoid- ing error in this respect I am particularly desirous. Not only is every object, as a whole, of the natural size, but also every portion of each object. ‘The compass aided me in its delinea- tion, regulated and corrected each part, even te the very fore- shortening which now and then may be seen in the figures. The bill, the feet, the legs, the claws, the very feathers as they project one beyond another, have been accurately measured. The birds, almost all of them, were killed by myself, after I had examined their motions and habits, as much as the case admit- ted, and were regularly drawn on or near the spot where I procured them. The positions may, perhaps, in some instances, appear outré; but such supposed exaggerations can afford sub- ject of criticism only to persons unacquainted with the feathered tribes; for, believe me, nothing can be more transient or varied than the attitudes or positions of birds. 'The Heron, when warming itself in the sun, will sometimes drop its wings several inches, as if they were dislocated; the Swan may often be seen floating with one foot extended from the body; and some Pi- geons, you well know, turn quite over, when playing in the air. The flowers, plants, or portions of trees which are attached to the principal objects, have been chosen from amongst those in INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. xiii the vicinity of which the birds were found, and are not, as some persons have thought, the trees or plants upon which they al- ways feed or perch. An accident which happened to two hundred of my original drawings, nearly put a stop to my researches in ornithology. I shall relate it, merely to show you how far enthusiasm—for by no other name can I call the persevering zeal with which I laboured—may enable the observer of nature to surmount the most disheartening obstacles. I left the village of Henderson, in Kentucky, situated on the bank of the Ohio, where I resided for several years, to proceed to Philadelphia on business. I looked to all my drawings before my departure, placed them carefully in ‘a wooden box, and gave them in charge to a rela- tive, with injunctions to see that no injury should happen to them. My absence was of several months; and when I re- turned, after having enjoyed the pleasures of home for a few days, I inquired after my box, and what I was pleased to call my treasure. The box was produced, and opened ;—but, reader, feel for me—a pair of Norway rats had taken posses- sion of the whole, and had reared a young family amongst the gnawed bits of paper, which, but a few months before, repre- sented nearly a thousand inhabitants of the air! The burning heat which instantly rushed through my brain was too great to be endured, without affecting the whole of my nervous system. I slept not for several nights, and the days passed like days of oblivion,—until the animal powers being recalled into action, through the strength of my constitution, I took up my gun, my note-book, and my pencils, and went forth to the woods as gaily as if nothing had happened. I felt pleased that I might now make much better drawings than before, and, ere a period xiv INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. not exceeding three years had elapsed, I had my portfolio filled again. | | America being my country, and the principal pleasures of my life having been obtained there, I prepared to leave it with deep sorrow, after in vain trying to publish my Illustrations in the United States. In Philadelphia, W1Lson’s principal en- graver, amongst others, gave it as his opinion to my friends, that my drawings could never be engraved. In New York, other difficulties presented themselves, which determined me to carry my collections to Europe. As I approached the coast of England, and for the first time beheld her fertile shores, the despondency of my spirits became very great. I knew not an individual in the country ; and, although 1 was the bearer of letters from American friends, and statesmen of great eminence, my situation appeared preca- rious in the extreme. I imagined that every individual whom I was about to meet, might be possessed of talents superior to those of any on our side of the Atlantic! Indeed, as I for the first time walked on the streets of Liverpool, my heart nearly failed me, for not a glance of sympathy did I meet in my wan- derings, for two days. 'To the woods I could not betake myself, for there were none near. But how soon did all around me assume a different aspect ! How fresh is the recollection of the change! ‘The very first letter which I tendered procured me a world of friends. The RaTHBONES, the Roscors, the Tra1Lus, the CHoRLEYs, the MELLIEs, and others, took me by the hand; and so kind and beneficent, nay, so- generously kind, have they all been to- wards me, that I can never cancel the obligation. My draw- _Ings were publicly exhibited, and publicly praised. Joy swelled ' INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. xv my heart. The. first difficulty was surmounted. Honours, which, on application being made through my friends, Phila- delphia had refused, Liverpool freely accorded. I left that emporium of commerce, with many a passport, bent upon visiting fair Edina, for I longed to see the men and the scenes immortalized by the fervid strains of Burns, and the glowing eloquence of Scort and Witson. I arrived at Manchester; and here, too, the GREGGs, the LLoyps, the SERGEANTS, the HoLtMEs, the BLACK WALLS, the BENTLEYs, and many others, rendered my visit as pleasing as it was profit- able to me. Friends pressed me to accompany them to the pretty villages of Bakewell, Mattlock, and Buxton. It was a jaunt of pure enjoyment. Nature was then at her best, at least such was the feeling of our whole party; the summer was full of promise. My journey to Scotland was performed along the north- western shores of England. I passed in view of Lancaster Castle, and through Carlisle. I had by this time much altered my ideas of this Island and its inhabitants. I found her churches all hung with her glories, and her people all alive to the kindest hospitality. I saw Edinburgh, and was struck with the natural pictorial elegance of her site; and I soon found that her inhabitants were as urbane as those whom I had left behind me. The principal scientific and literary characters of the ancient metropolis of Scotland received me as a brother: It is impossible for me to mention all the individuals from whom I received the kindest attention; but gratitude forbids my omitting the names of Professors JAMESON, GRAHAM, RussEL, Witson, Brown, and Monro, Sir Wa.LtER Scott, Captam Hari, Dr Brewster, Dr GRreEvILLE, xvi INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. Mr James Witson, Mr Nertu, Mr Hay, Mr Comse, Mr HAMILTON, the WiTHAMs, the LizarseEs, the SyMEs, and the Nicuousons. The Royal Society, the Wernerian Natural History Society, the Society of Scottish Antiquaries, the So- ciety of Useful Arts, and the Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, spontaneously and gratuitously. enrolled me among their members. In this capital commenced the publication of my ILLus- TRATIONS, and there it might have been accomplished, had not unexpected difficulties come in the way. My engraver, Mr W. H. Lizars, advised me to seek an artist in London. There, after many fruitless inquiries, I became acquainted with Mr Rozert Have. junior, who has ever since continued. to be employed by me, and who, I am happy in saying, has given general satisfaction to my patrons. Four years have passed. One volume of my Illustrations, containing one hundred plates, is before the public. You may easily see, good-natured reader, that to Britain I owe nearly all my success. She has furnished the artists through whom my labours were to be presented to the world; she has granted me the highest patronage and honours;—in a word, she has thus far supported the prosecution of my Illustrations. To Britain, therefore, I shall ever be grateful. Two objections have been made to the mode in which my work is published : the great size of the paper upon which the representations are offered to you, and the length of time ne- cessary for their completion. As to the size of the paper, which has been complained of by some, it could not be avoided without giving up the desire of presenting to the world those my favourite objects in nature, INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. XVii of the size which nature has given to them. As one of the first ornithologists of the age, who kindly reviewed a few numbers of the Plates, has spoken upon this subject in a manner which I cannot here use, I refer you to his observations. ‘The name of SWAINSON is, doubtless, well known to you. Permit me also to lead you, for a defence of my resolution in this matter, to one, who, being the centre of zoological science, is well en- titled to your deference in a question relating to Ornithology. You will readily apprehend that I allude to the great, the im- mortal CuVIER. Secondly, As to the time necessary for finishing my Work, I have only to observe, that it will be less than the period fre- quently given by many persons to the maturation of certain wines placed in their cellars, seyeral years previous to the com- mencement of my work, and which will not be considered ca- pable of imparting their full relish until many years after the conclusion of the “ Birds of America.” Since I became acquainted with Mr ALEXANDER WILSON, the celebrated author of the well-known and duly appreciated work on American Birds, and subsequently with my excellent friend CHARLES Lucian Bonaparte, I have been aware of the keenness with which every student of Natural History presses forward to describe an object of his own discovery, or that may have occurred to travellers in distant countries. There seems to be a pride, a glory in doing this, that thrusts aside every other consideration; and I really believe that the ties of friendship itself would not prevent some naturalists from even robbing an old acquaintance of the merit: of first describing a previously unknown object. Although I have certainly felt very great pleasure, when, on picking up a bird, I discovered it to be B XVili INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. new to me, yet I have never known the desire above alluded to. This feeling I still cherish; and in spite of the many injunc- tions which I have received from naturalists far more eminent than I can ever expect to be, I have kept, and still keep, unknown to others, the species, which, not finding portrayed in any published work, I look upon as new, having only given in my Illustrations a number of them proportionate to the drawings of already known species that have been engraved. Attached to the descriptions of these, you will find the place and date of their discovery. I do not, however, intend to claim any merit for these discoveries, and should have liked as well that the objects of them had been previously known, as this would have saved some unbelievers the trouble of searching for them in books, and the disappoitment of finding them actually new. I assure you, good reader, that, even at this moment, I should have less pleasure in presenting to the scientific world a new bird, the knowledge of whose habits I do not possess, than in describing the peculiarities of one long since discovered. There are persons whose desire of obtaining celebrity in- duces them to suppress the knowledge of the assistance which they have received in the composition of their works. In many cases, in fact, the real author of the drawings or the descriptions in books on Natural History is not so much as mentioned, while the pretended author assumes to himself all the merit which the world is willing to allow him. This want of can- dour 1 never could endure. On the contrary, I feel pleasure in here acknowledging the assistance which I have received from a friend, Mr Witi1aM Maceitiivray, who beig possessed of a liberal education and a strong taste for the study of the Natural Sciences, has aided me, not in drawing the figures of INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. xix my Illustrations, nor in writing the book now in your hand, al- though fully competent for both tasks, but in completing the scientific details, and smoothing down the asperities of my Ornithological Biographies. I do not present to you the objects of which my work con- sists in the order adopted by systematic writers. Indeed, I can seareely believe that yourself, good-natured reader, could wish that I should do so; for although you and I, and all the world be- sides, are well aware that a grand connected chain does exist in the Creator’s sublime system, the subjects of it have been left at liberty to disperse in quest of the food best adapted for them, or the comforts that have been so abundantly scattered for each of them over the globe, and are not in the habit of following each other, as if marching in regular procession to a funeral or a merry-making. He who would write a general ornithology of the world, and is possessed of knowledge adequate to such a task, is the only one by whom the ordination of birds could be made truly useful. When this work is completed, and when the results of my observations have been duly weighed and ar- ranged, I shall reduce the whole to an order corresponding with the improvements recently made in ornithological science, and present to you a Synopsis of the Birds of the United States, ineluding the ordinal, generic and specific characters, with the distinctive habits of each species, and references to the descrip- tions of other writers. I shall therefore simply offer you the results of my own ob- servation with respect to each of the species, in the order in which I have published the representations of them. Nor do I _intend to annoy you with long descriptions, including the num- ber and shape of the feathers, particularly in cases where the XX INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. species are well known. Tables of synonyms I have also judged superfluous. Indeed, the technical descriptions and references you will find as appendages to the more generally interesting descriptions of the habits of each species; so that you may read them or not, just as you please. Yet, should you be inclined to enter into these matters, I trust you will find in these ap- pendages descriptions constructed according to the strictest rules of science. Should you, good-natured reader, be a botanist, I hope you will find pleasure while looking at the flowers, the herbs, the shrubs, and the trees, which I have represented; the more so, I imagine, if you have seen them in their native woods. Should you not, the sight of them in my Illustrations may, for aught I know, tempt you to go and partake of the hospitality of our brethren the Aborigmes of America. Permit me now to address a few words to the Critic, who I fervently hope is a good-natured reader too. ‘This I do with much deference. He has seen my Illustrations, and has judged favourably of them; he has passed his keen eye over this page ; he knows the very moderate strength of my talents; and I have only to add, with my compliments, that ever since I have known that such a person as himself exists, I have laboured harder, with more patience and with more care, to gain his: good will, indulgence, and support. JOHN J. AUDUBON. EDINBURGH, March 1831. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page The Wild Turkey, . . . . . . Meleagris Gallopavo, «. -. 1 The Yellow-billed Cuckoo, . . . Coccyzus Americanus, . . 18 The Prothonotary Warbler, . . . Sylvia Protonotarius, . . 22 The Purple Finch, :.°>: -.--. ~ Fringilla purpurea; .°. . « 24 Bonaparte’s Fly-catcher, . . . . Muscicapa Bonapartii,. . 27 PN ew 29 The Wild Turkey. Female... . Meleagris Gallopavo; .. 33 le Grakl nC ~ pga oe i a deen \ Quiscalus versicolor, . . . 35 Crow-Black-bird, é The White-throated Sparrow, . . Fringilla pennsylvanica, . 42 Selby’s Flycatcher,;. 0 -*.° : 2 ‘Muscicipa Sebi 2", 46 The Brown Titlark, ©. ... =: Anthus Spinoletta, . . . 49 MECEUAT PING, SWAMP, =... 5°. 6.095 Sb Glegis s,s a BR The Bird of Washington,. . . . Falco Washingtoniit,. . . 58 The Baltimore Oriole,. . . . . Icterus Baltimore, . . . 66 The Snow Bird, te et. 6» Sringiathyomeee SNES Birk The Prairie Warbler, SS oboe +. Salvin. dikcalers SS 0S Ogg The Blue Yellow-backed Warbler, . Sylvia americana, . . . %8 EL ERS Bap ee 1S aioe a el = | The Great-footed Hawk, . . . . Falco peregrinus,. . . . 85 The Carolina Turtle Dove, . . . Columba carolinensis, . . 91 Bewick’s Wren,. . .™. . + Troglodytes Bewichii, . . 96 The Louisiana Water Thr via, . . Turdus ludovicianus, ~- . 99 The Blue-winged Yellow Warbler, Sylvia solitaria, - . . . 102 "Peep UCase ie sla tee’ eo 4 XXii TABLE OF CONTENTS. The Mocking Bird, . The Purple Martin, . : The Yellow-breasted Warbler, or Maryland Yellow-throat, Roscoe’s Yellow-throat, The Song Sparrow, . Turdus polyglottus, Hirundo purpurea, ot Sylvia Trichas, Sylvia Roscoe, Fringilla melodia, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NAVIGATION OF THE MissIssIPPI, . The Carolina Parrot, : The Red-headed Woodpecker, The Solitary Fly-catcher, or Vireo, The Towhe Bunting, Vigors’s Warbler, A Fuioop, . The White-headed Eagle, . The Black-billed Cuckoo, . The American Goldfinch, . The Worm-eating Warbler, . Children’s Warbler, MEADVILLE, The Stanley Hawk, . — The Golden-winged DP edepcuee ; The Kentucky Warbler, The Crested Titmouse, . The American Redstart, Tue Coucar, The Ruffed Grouse, The Orchard Oriole, The Cedar Bird, . The Summer Red Bird, Traill’s Fly-catcher, Tue EARTHQUAKE, . The Barred Owl, : : The Ruby-throated Humming Bir d, The Azure Warbler, Psittacus carolinensis, Picus erythrocephalus, Vireo solitarius, Fringilla Sas ee eee . Sylvia Vigorsii, Falco leucocephalus, . Coccyzus erythrophthalmus, Fringilla tristis, Sylvia vermivora, . Sylvia Childrenit, . Falco Stanleii, . Picus auratus, ~ . Sylvia formosa, Parus bicolor, . Muscicapa Ruticilla, Tetrao Umbellus, . Icterus spurius, Bombycilla carolinensis, . Tanagra estiva, Muscicapa Traillii, . Strix nebulosa, . Trochilus colubris, Sylvia azurea, . Page 108 115 121 124 126 130 135 141 147 150 153 155 160 170 172 177 180 182 186 191 196 199 202 205 211 221 227 232 236 239 242 248 255 TABLE OF CONTENTS. The Blue-green Warbler,. . . . Sylvia rara, The Black-and-yellow Warbler, . Sylvia maculosa, . Tue Hurricane, The Red-tailed Hawk,. . . . . Falco borealis, . Chuckwill’s Widow, . . . . . Caprimulgus carolinensis, . The Painted Finch,. . . . .°. Fringilla ciris,. The Rice Bird, . . . . . . .. Icterus agripennis, Cuvier’s Regulus, . . . . . . Regulus Cuvierii, . Kentucky Sports, . The Red-shouldered Hawk, . . . Falco lineatus, The Loggerhead Shrike, . . . . Lanius ludovicianus, . The Hermit Thrush, . . . . . YTurdus minor, . : The Chestnut-sided Warbler, . . Sylvia icterocephala, . The Carbonated Warbler,. . . . Sylvia carbonata, . Tur TRAVELLER AND THE PoLe-catT, The Great Horned Owl, . . . . Strix virginiana, The Passenger Pigeon, . . . .. Columba migratoria, . The White-eyed Flycatcher, or Vireo, Vireo noveboracensis, The Swamp Sparrow, . . . . .. Fringilla palustris, The Rathbone Warbler, - . . Sylvia Rathbonia, . Derr HuntTine, The Ivory-billed Woodpecker, . - - Picus principalis, . The Red-winged Starling, or Marsh ios eae Blackbird, . bali x j ecto eas 2 The Republican, or Cliff Swallow, Hirundo fulva, The Bay-breasted Warbler, . . . Sylvia castanea, Henslow’s Bunting, . . . . . Emberiza Henslowii, NiaGara The Winter Hawk, . . . . . Falco hyemalis, The Swallow-tailed Hawk, . . . Falco furcatus, The Wood Thrush,. . . . . . Turdus mustelinus, The Indigo Bird, . , . . . . Fringilla cyanea, . Le Petit Caporal, . . . . . . Falco temerarius, . HosPiTaLity IN THE Woops, XXiV TABLE OF CONTENTS. The Virginian Partridge, The Belted Kingsfisher, The Great Carolina Wren, The Tyrant Fly-catcher, . The Prairie Titlark, Tue OricinaL Painter, The Fish Hawk or Osprey, Whip-poor-will, The House Wren, yi The Blue-grey Fly-catcher, . The Yellow-throated Warbler, . LouISVILLE IN KENTUCKY, The Black Warrior, The Florida. Jay, The Autumnal Warbler, . The Nashville Warbler, The Black-and-white Creeper, Tue Eccentric NaTurAListT, The Prema, Hawk, The Pigeon Hawk,. The Sea-side Finch, The Grass Finch or fits srinngod Bunting, The Yellow-poll Warbler, Scre1o AND THE BEar, The Columbian Jay, The Little Screech Ow], The White-bellied Swallow, The Cow-pen Bird, The Marsh Wren, CoLoneEL Boon, Perdix virginiana, Alcedo Alcyon, Troglodytes ludovicianus, Muscicapa tyrannus, Anthus pipiens, Falco Haliaetus, Caprimulgus vociferus, Troglodytes edon, Muscicapa cerulea, Sylvia pensilis, Falco. Harlani, Corvus floridanus, Sylvia autumnalis, Sylvia rubricapilla, Certhia varia, . Falco pennsylvanicus, . Falco columbarius, Fringilla maritima, Fringilla graminea, Sylvia estiva, Corvus Bullockii, . Strix Asio, . Hirundo bicolor, Icterus pecoris, Troglodytes palustris, Page 388 394 399 4.03 4.08 410 415 422 427 431 434 437 441 4.4.4 4A 450 452 455 461 466 4'70 A473 476 483 486 491 493 500 503 ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY. THE WILD TURKEY. MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO, Linn. PLATE I. Mate. Tuer great size and beauty of the Wild Turkey, its value as a delicate and highly prized article of food, and the circumstance of its being the origin of the domestic race now generally dispersed over both continents, render it one of the most interesting of the birds indigenous to the United States of America. The unsettled parts of the States of Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana, an immense extent of country to the north-west of these districts, upon the Mississippi and Missouri, and the vast regions drained by these rivers from their confluence to Louisiana, including the wooded parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama, are the most abundantly supplied with this magnificent bird. It is less plentiful in Georgia and the Carolinas, becomes still scarcer in Virginia and Pennsylvania, and is now very rarely seen to the eastward of the last mentioned States. In the course of my rambles through Long Island, the State of New York, and the country around the Lakes, I did not meet with a single in- dividual, although I was informed that some exist in those parts. Tur- keys are still to be found along the whole line of the Alleghany Moun- tains, where they have become so wary as to be approached only with extreme difficulty. While, in the Great Pine Forest, in 1829, I found a single feather that had been dropped from the tail of a female, but saw no bird of the kind. Farther eastward, I do not think they are now to be found. I shall describe the manners of this bird as observed in the countries where it is most abundant, and having reside for many years in Kentucky and Louisiana, may be understood as referring chiefly to them. A 2 WILD TURKEY. The Turkey is irregularly migratory, as well as irregularly gregari- ous. With reference to the first of these circumstances, I have to state, that whenever the mast * of one portion of the country happens greatly to exceed that of another, the Turkeys are insensibly led toward that spot, by gradually meeting in their haunts with more fruit the nearer they advance towards the place where it is most plentiful. In this man- ner flock follows after flock, until one district is entirely deserted, while another is, as it were, overflowed by them. But as these migrations are irregular, and extend over a vast expanse of country, it is necessary that I should describe the manner in which they take place. About the beginning of October, when scarcely any of the seeds and fruits have yet fallen from the trees, these birds assemble in flocks, and gra- dually move towards the rich bottom lands of the Ohio and Mississippi. The males, or, as they are more commonly called, the gobdlers, associate In parties of from ten to a hundred, and search for food apart from the females; while the latter are seen either advancing singly, each with its brood of young, then about two-thirds grown, or in connexion with other families, forming parties often amounting to seventy or eighty indivi- duals, all intent on shunning the old cocks, which, even when the young birds have attained this size, will fight with, and often destroy them by repeated blows on the head. Old and young, however, all move in the same course, and on foot, unless their progress be interrupted by a river, or the hunter’s dog force them to take wing. When they come upon a river, they betake themselves to the highest eminences, and there often remain a whole day, or sometimes two, as if for the purpose of consul- tation. During this time, the males are heard gobbling, calling, and making much ado, and are seen strutting about, as if to raise their courage to a pitch befitting the emergency. Even the females and young assume something of the same pompous demeanour, spread out their tails, and run round each other, purring loudly, and performing extravagant leaps. At length, when the weather appears settled, and all around is quiet, the whole party mounts to the tops of the highest trees, whence, at a signal, consisting of a single cluck, given. by a leader, the flock takes flight for the opposite shore. ‘The old and fat birds easily get over, even should the river be a mile in breadth ; but the younger and less robust frequently fall into the water,—not to be drowned, how- * In Americdilte term mast is not confined to the fruit of the beech, but is used as a general name for all kinds of forest fruits, including even grapes and berries. WILD TURKEY. 3 ever, as might be imagined. They bring their wings close to their body, spread out their tail as a support, stretch forward their neck, and, strik- ing out their legs with great vigour, proceed rapidly towards the shore ; on approaching which, should they find it too steep for landing, they cease their exertions for a few moments, float down the stream until they come to an accessible part, and by a violent effort generally extricate themselves from the water. It is remarkable, that immediately after thus crossing a large stream, they ramble about for some time, as if be- wildered. In this state, they fall an easy prey to the hunter. When the Turkeys arrive in parts where the mast is abundant, they separate into smaller flocks, composed of birds of all ages and both sexes, promiscuously mingled, and devour all before them. This happens about the middle of November. So gentle do they sometimes become after these long journeys, that they have been seen to approach the farm- houses, associate with the domestic fowls, and enter the stables and corn- cribs in quest of food. In this way, roaming about the forests, and feed- ing chiefly on mast, they pass the autumn and part of the winter. As early as the middle of February, they begin to experience the im- pulse of propagation. ‘The females separate, and fly from the males. The latter strenuously pursue, and begin to gobble or to utter the notes of exultation. The sexes roost apart, but at no great distance from each other. When a female utters a call-note, all the gobblers within hearing return the sound, rolling note after note with as much rapidity as if they intended to emit the last and the first together, not with spread tail, as when fluttering round the females on the ground, or practising on the branches of the trees on which they have roosted for the night, but much in the manner of the domestic turkey, when an un- usual or unexpected noise elicits its singular hubbub. If the call of the female comes from the ground, all the males immediately fly towards the spot, and the moment they reach it, whether the hen be in sight or not, spread out and erect their tail, draw the head back on the shoulders, de- press their wings with a quivering motion, and strut pompously about, emitting at the same time a succession of puffs from the lungs, and stop- ping now and then to listen and look, But whether they spy the female or not, they continue to puff and strut, moving with as much celerity as their ideas of ceremony seem to admit, While thus occupied, the males often encounter each other, in which case desperate battles take place, . AR 4 WILD TURKEY. ending in bloodshed, and often in the loss of many lives, the weaker fall- ing under the repeated blows inflicted upon their head by the stronger. I have often been much diverted, while watching two males in fierce conflict, by seeing them move alternately backwards and forwards, as either had obtained a better hold, their wings drooping, their tails partly raised, their body-feathers ruffled, and their heads covered with blood. If, as they thus struggle, and gasp for breath, one of them should lose his hold, his chance is over, for the other, still holding fast, hits him vio- lently with spurs and wings, and in a few minutes brings him to the ground. The moment he is dead, the conqueror treads him under foot, but, what is strange, not with hatred, but with all the motions which he employs in caressing the female. When the male has discovered and made up to the female (whether such a combat has previously taken place or not), if she be more than one year old, she also struts and gobbles, turns round him as he con- tinues strutting, suddenly opens her wings, throws herself towards him, as if to put a stop to his idle delay, lays herself down, and receives his dilatory caresses. If the cock meet a young hen, he alters his mode of procedure. He struts in a different manner, less pompously and more energetically, moves with rapidity, sometimes rises from the ground, tak- ing a short flight around the hen, as is the manner of some Pigeons, the Red-breasted Thrush, and many other birds, and on alighting, runs with all his might, at the same time rubbing his tail and wings along the ground, for the space of perhaps ten yards. He then draws near the timorous female, allays her fears by purring, and when she at length assents, caresses her. When a male and a female have thus come together, I believe the con- nexion continues for that season, although the former by no means con- fines his attentions to one female, as I have seen a cock caress several hens, when he happened to fall in with them in the same place, for the first time. After this the hens follow their favourite cock, roosting in his immediate neighbourhood, if not on the same tree, until they begin to lay, when they separate themselves, in order to save their eggs from the male, who would break them all, for the purpose of protracting his sexual enjoyments. The females then carefully avoid him, excepting during a short period each day. - After this the males become clumsy and slovenly, if one may say so, cease to fight with each other, give up gobbling or calling so frequently, and assume so careless a habit, that WILD TURKEY. 5 - the hens are obliged to make all the advances themselves. They yelp loudly and almost continually for the cocks, run up to them, caress them, and employ various means to rekindle their expiring ardour. Turkey-cocks when at roost sometimes strut and gobble, but I have more generally seen them spread out and raise their tail, and emit the pulmonic puff, lowering their tail and other feathers immediately after. During clear nights, or when there is moonshine, they perform this action at intervals of a few minutes, for hours together, without moving from the same spot, and indeed sometimes without rising on their legs, especially towards the end of the love-season. The males now become greatly emaciated, and cease to gobble, their breast-sponge becoming flat. They then separate from the hens, and one might suppose that they had entirely deserted their neighbourhood. At such seasons I have found them lying by the side of a log, in some retired part of the dense woods and cane thickets, and often permitting one to approach within a few feet. They are then unable to fly, but run swiftly, and to a great dis- tance. A slow turkey-hound has led me miles before I could flush the same bird. Chases of this kind I did not undertake for the purpose of killing the bird, it being then unfit for eating, and covered with ticks, but with the view of rendering myself acquainted with its habits. They thus retire to recover flesh and strength, by purging with particular spe- cies of grass, and using less exercise. As soon as their condition is im- proved, the cocks come together again, and recommence their rambles. Let us now return to the females. About the middle of April, when the season is dry, the hens begin to look out for a place in which to deposit their eggs. This place requires to be as much as possible concealed from the eye of the Crow, as that bird often watches the Turkey when going to her nest, and, waiting in the neighbourhood until she has left it, removes and eats the eggs. The nest, which consists of a few withered leaves, is placed on the ground, in a hol- low scooped out, by the side of a log, or in the fallen top of a dry leafy tree, under a thicket of sumach or briars, or a few feet within the edge of a cane-brake, but always in a dry place. The eggs, which are of a dull cream colour, sprinkled with red dots, sometimes amount to twenty, al- though the more usual number is from ten to fifteen. When depositing her eggs, the female always approaches the nest with extreme caution, scarcely ever taking the same course twice ; and when about to leave them, covers them carefully with leaves, so that it is ver’ difficult for a person who 6 WILD TURKEY. may have seen the bird to discover the nest. Indeed, few Turkeys’ nests are found, unless the female has been suddenly started from them, or a cunning Lynx, Fox, or Crow has sucked the eggs and left their shells scat- tered about. Turkey hens not unfrequently prefer islands for depositing their eggs and rearing their young, probably because such places are less frequented by hunters, and because the great masses of drifted timber which usually accumulate at their heads, may protect and save them in cases of great emergency. When I have found these birds in such situations, and with young, I have always observed that a single discharge of a gun made them run immediately to the pile of drifted wood, and conceal themselves in it. I have often walked over these masses, which are frequently from ten to twenty feet in height, in search of the game which I knew to be concealed in them. When an enemy passes within sight of a female, while laying or sit- ting, she never moves, unless she knows that she has been discovered, but crouches lower until he has passed. I have frequently approached within five or six paces of a nest, of which I was previously aware, on assuming an air of carelessness, and whistling or talking to myself, the female remaining undisturbed ; whereas if I went cautiously towards it, she would never suffer me to approach within twenty paces, but would run off, with her tail spread on one side, to a distance of twenty or thirty yards, when assuming a stately gait, she would walk about deliberately, uttering every now and then a cluck. They seldom abandon their nest, when it has been discovered by men; but, I believe, never go near it again, when a snake or other animal has sucked any of the eggs. If the egos have been destroyed or carried off, the female soon yelps again for a male; but, in general, she rears only a single brood each season. Several hens sometimes associate together, I believe for their mutual safety, deposit their eggs in the same nest, and rear their broods toge- ther. I once found three sitting on forty-two eggs. In such cases, the common nest is always watched by one of the females, so that no Crow, Raven, or perhaps even Pole-cat, dares approach it. The mother will not leave her eggs, when near hatching, under any circumstances, while life’ remains. She will even allow an enclosure to be made around her, and thus suffer imprisonment, rather than abandon them. I once witnessed the hatching of a brood of 'Turkeys, which I watched for the purpose of securing them together with the parent. I WILD TURKEY. 7 concealed myself on the ground within a very few feet, and saw her raise herself half the length of her legs, look anxiously upon the eggs, cluck with a sound peculiar to the mother on such occasions, carefully remove each half-empty shell, and with her bill. caress and dry the young birds, that already stood tottering and attempting to make their way out of the nest. Yes, I have seen this, and have left mother and young to better care than mine could have proved,—to the care of their Creator and mine. I have seen them all emerge from the shell, and, in a few moments after, tumble, roll, and push each other forward, with astonishing and inscrutable instinct. Before leaving the nest with her young brood, the mother shakes her- self in a violent manner, picks and adjusts the feathers about her belly, and assumes quite a different aspect. She alternately inclines her eyes obliquely upwards and sideways, stretching out her neck, to discover hawks or other enemies, spreads her wings a little as she walks, and softly clucks to keep her innocent offspring close to her. ‘They move slowly along, and as the hatching generally takes place in the afternoon, they frequently return to the nest to spend the first night there. After this, they remove to some distance, keeping on the highest undulated grounds, the mother dreading rainy weather, which is extremely danger- ous to the young, in this tender state, when they are only covered by a kind of soft hairy down, of surprising delicacy. In very rainy seasons, Turkeys are scarce, for if once completely wetted, the young seldom recover. ‘To prevent the disastrous effects of rainy weather, the mother, like a skilful physician, plucks the buds of the spice-wood bush, and gives them to her young. In about a fortnight, the young birds, which had previously rested on the ground, leave it and fly, at night, to some very large low branch, where they place themselves under the deeply curved wings of their kind and careful parent, dividing themselves for that purpose into two nearly equal parties. After this, they leave the woods during the day, and ap- proach the natural glades or prairies, in search of strawberries, and sub- sequently of dewberries, blackberries and grasshoppers, thus obtaining abundant food, and enjoying the beneficial influence of the sun’s rays. They roll themselves in deserted ants’ nests, to clear their growing fea- thers of the loose scales, and prevent ticks and other vermin from attack- ing them, these insects being unable to bear the odour of the earth in which ants have been. 8 WILD TURKEY. The young Turkeys now advance rapidly in growth, and in the month of August are able to secure themselves from unexpected attacks of Wolves, Foxes, Lynxes, and even Cougars, by rising quickly from the ground, by the help of their powerful legs, and reaching with ease the highest branches of the tallest trees. The young cocks shew the tuft on the breast about this time, and begin to gobble and strut, while the young hens pur and leap, in the manner which I have already de- scribed. The old cocks have also assembled by this time, and it is probable that all the Turkeys now leave the extreme north-western districts, to remove to the Wabash, Illinois, Black River, and the neighbourhood of Lake Erie. Of the numerous enemies of the Wild Turkey, the most formidable, ex- cepting man, are the Lynx, the Snowy Owl, and the Virginian Owl. The Lynx sucks their eggs, and is extremely expert at seizing both young and old, which he effects in the following manner. When he has dis- covered a flock of Turkeys, he follows them at a distance for some time, until he ascertains the direction in which they are proceeding. He then makes a rapid circular movement, gets in advance of the flock, and lays himself down in ambush, until the birds come up, when he springs upon one of them by a single bound, and secures it. While once sitting in the woods, on the banks of the Wabash, I observed two large Turkey- cocks on a log, by the river, pluming and picking themselves. I watch- ed their movements for a while, when of a sudden one of them flew across the river, while I perceived the other struggling under the grasp of a lynx. When attacked by the two large species of Owl above mention- ed, they often effect their escape in a way which is somewhat remark- able. As Turkeys usually roost in flocks, on naked branches of trees, they are easily discovered by their enemies, the owls, which, on silent wing, approach and hover around them, for the purpose of reconnoitring. This, however, is rarely done without being discovered, and a single cluck from one of the Turkeys announces to the whole party the approach of the murderer. They instantly start upon their legs, and watch the motions of the Owl, which, selecting one as its victim, comes down upon it like an arrow, and would inevitably secure the Turkey, did not the latter at that moment lower its head, stoop, and spread its tail in an in- verted manner over its back, by which action the aggressor is met by a smooth inclined plane, along which it glances without hurting the Tur- WILD TURKEY. 9 key ; immediately after which the latter drops to the ground, and thus escapes, merely with the loss of a few feathers. The Wild Turkeys cannot be said to confine themselves to any parti- cular kind of food, although they seem to prefer the pecan-nut and win- ter-grape to any other, and, where these fruits abound, are found in the greatest numbers. They eat grass and herbs of various kinds, corn, berries, and fruit of all descriptions. I have even found beetles, tad- poles, and small lizards in their crops. Turkeys are now generally extremely shy, and the moment they ob- serve a man, whether of the red or white race, instinctively move from him. Their usual mode of progression is what is termed walking, du- ring which they frequently open each wing partially and successively, re- placing them again by folding them over each other, as if their weight were too great. Then, as if to amuse themselves, they will run a few steps, open both wings and fan their sides, in the mamner of the common fowl, and often take two or three leaps in the air and shake themselves. Whilst searching for food among the leaves or loose soil, they keep their head up, and are unremittingly on the lookout ; but as the legs and feet finish the operation, they are immediately seen to pick up the food, the presence of which, I suspect, is frequently indicated to them through the sense of touch in their feet, during the act of scratching. This habit of scratching and removing the dried leaves in the woods, is pernicious to their safety, as the spots which they thus clear, being about two feet in diameter, are seen at a distance, and, if fresh, shew that the birds are in the vicinity. During the summer months they resort to the paths or roads, as well as the ploughed fields, for the purpose of rolling them- selves in the dust, by which means they clear their bodies of the ticks which at that season infest them, as well as free themselves of the mos- chettoes, which greatly annoy them, by biting their heads. When, after a heavy fall of snow, the weather becomes frosty, so as to form a hard crust on the surface, the Turkeys remain on their roosts for three or four days, sometimes much longer, which proves their capability of continued abstinence. When near farms, however, they leave the roosts, and go into the very stables and about the stacks of corn, to pro- cure food. During melting snow-falls, they will travel to an extraordi- nary distance, and are then followed in vain, it being impossible for hunters of any description to keep up with them. They have then a dangling and straggling way of running, which, awkward as it may seem, 10 WILD TURKEY. enables them to outstrip any other animal. I have often, when on a good horse, been obliged to abandon the attempt to put them up, after following them for several hours. This habit of continued running, in rainy or very damp weather of any kind, is not peculiar to the Wild Turkey, but is common to all gallinaceous birds. In America, the dif- ferent species of Grouse exhibit the same tendency. In spring, when the males are much emaciated, in consequence of their attentions to the females, it sometimes happens that, on plain and open ground, they may be overtaken by a swift dog, in which case they squat, and. allow themselves to be seized, either by the dog, or the hunter who has followed on a good horse. I have heard of such occurrences, but never had the pleasure of seeing an instance of them. Good dogs scent the Turkeys, when in large flocks, at extraordinary distances,—I think I may venture to say half a mile. Should the dog be well trained to this sport, he sets off at full speed, and in silence, un- til he sees the birds, when he instantly barks, and pushing as much as possible into the centre of the flock, forces the whole to take wing in dif- ferent directions. This is of great advantage to the hunter, for should the Turkeys all go one way, they would soon leave their perches and run again. But when they separate in this manner, and the weather hap- pens to be calm and lowering, a person accustomed to this kind of sport finds the birds with ease, and shoots them at pleasure. When Turkeys alight on a tree, it is sometimes very difficult to see them, which is owing to their standing perfectly motionless. Should you discover one, when it is down on its legs upon the branch, you may ap- proach it with less care. But if it is standing erect, the greatest precau- tion is necessary, for should it discover you, it instantly flies off, fre- quently to such a distance that it would be vain to follow. When a Turkey is merely winged by a shot, it falls quickly to the ground in a slanting direction. Then, instead of losing time by tum- bling and rolling over, as other birds often do when wounded, it runs off at such a rate, that unless the hunter be provided with a swift dog, he may bid farewell to it. I recollect coming on one shot in this manner, more than a mile from the tree where it had been perched, my dog having traced it to this distance, through one of those thick cane- brakes that cover many portions of our rich alluvial lands near the banks of our western rivers. Turkeys are easily killed if shot in the head, the neck, or the upper part of the breast; but if hit in the hind parts only, WILD TURKEY. 11 they often fly so far as to be lost to the hunter, During winter many of our real hunters shoot them by moonlight, on the roosts, where these birds will frequently stand a repetition of the reports of a rifle, although they would fly from the attack of an owl, or even perhaps from his presence. Thus sometimes nearly a whole flock is secured by men capable of using these guns in such circumstances. 'They are often destroyed in great numbers when most worthless, that is, early in the fall or autumn, when many are killed in their attempt to cross the rivers, or immediately after they reach the shore. Whilst speaking of the shooting of Turkeys, I feel no hesitation irf re- lating the following occurrence, which happened to myself. While in search of game, one afternoon. late in autumn, when the males go toge- ther, and the females are by themselves also, I heard the clucking of one of the latter, and immediately finding her perched on a fence, made to- wards her. Advancing slowly and cautiously, I heard the yelping notes of some gobblers, when I stopped and listened in order to ascertain the direction in which they came. I then ran to meet the birds, hid myself by the side of a large fallen tree, cocked my gun, and waited with im- patience for a good opportunity. The gobblers continued yelping in answer to the female, which all this while remained on the fence. I looked over the log and saw about thirty fine cocks advancing rather cautiously towards the very spot where I lay concealed. They came so near that the light in their eyes could easily be perceived, when I fired one barrel, and killed three. The rest, instead of flying off, fell-a strutting around their dead companions, and had I not looked on shooting again as murder without necessity, I might have secured at least another. So I shewed myself, and marching to the place where the dead birds were, drove away the survivors. I may also mention, that a friend of mine shot a fine hen, from his horse, with a pistol, as the poor thing was probably returning to her nest to lay. Should you, good-natured reader, be a sportsman, and now and then have been fortunate in the exercise of your craft, the following incident, which I shall relate to you as I had it from the mouth of an honest farmer, may prove interesting. 'Turkeys were very abundant in his neighbourhood, and, resorting to his corn fields, at the period when the maize had just shot up from the ground, destroyed great quantities of it. This induced him to swear vengeance against the species. He cut along trench in a favourable situation, put a great quantity of corn in it, and 12 WILD. TURKEY. having heavily loaded a famous duck gun of his, placed it so as that he could pull the trigger by means of a string, when quite concealed from the birds. ‘The Turkeys soon discovered the corn in the trench, and quickly disposed of it, at the same time continuing their ravages in the fields. He filled the trench again, and one day seeing it quite black with the Turkeys, whistled loudly, on which all the birds raised their heads, when he pulled the trigger by the long string fastened to it. The ex- plosion followed of course, and the Turkeys were seen scampering off in all directions, in utter discomfiture and dismay. On running to the trench, he found nine of them extended in it. The rest did not consider it ex- pedient to visit his corn again for that season. During spring, Turkeys are called, as it is termed, by drawing the air in a particular way through one of the second joint bones of a wing of that bird, which produces a sound resembling the voice of the female, on hearing which the male comes up, and is shot. In managing this, how- ever, no fault must be committed, for Turkeys are quick in distinguish- ing counterfeit sounds, and when half civilized are very wary and cun- ning. I have known many to answer to this kind of call, without mov- ing a step, and thus entirely defeat the scheme of the hunter, who dared not move from his hiding-place, lest a single glance of the gobbler’s eye should frustrate all further attempts to decoy him. Many are shot when at roost, in this season, by answering with a rolling gobble to a sound in imitation of the cry of the Barred Owl. But the most common method of procuring Wild Turkeys, is by means of pens. 'These are placed in parts of the woods where ‘Turkeys have been frequently observed to roost, and are constructed in the following manner. Young trees of four or five inches diameter are cut down, and divided into pieces of the length of twelve or fourteen feet. Two of these are laid on the ground parallel to each other, at a distance of ten or twelve feet. T'wo other pieces are laid across the ends of these, at right angles to them; and in this manner successive layers are added, until the fabric is raised to the height of about four feet. It is then covered with similar pieces of wood, placed three or four inches apart, and loaded with one or two heavy logs to render the whole firm. This done, a trench about eighteen inches in depth and width is cut under one side of the cage, into which it opens slantingly and rather abruptly. Itis continued on its outside to some distance, so as gradually to attain the level of the surrounding ground. Over the part of this trench within the pen, and WILD TURKEY. 18 close to the wall, some sticks are placed so as to form a kind of bridge about a foot in breadth. The trap being now finished, the owner places a quantity of Indian corn in its centre, as well as in the trench, and as he walks off drops here and there a few grains in the woods, sometimes to the distance of a mile. Thisis repeated at every visit to the trap, after the Turkeys have found it. Sometimes two trenches are cut, in which case the trenches enter on opposite sides of the trap, and are both strewn with corn. No sooner has a Turkey discovered the train of corn, than it com- municates the circumstance to the flock by a cluck, when all of them come up, and searching for the grains scattered about, at length come upon the trench, which they follow, squeezing themselves one after another through the passage under the bridge. In this manner the whole flock sometimes enters, but more commonly six or seven only, as they are alarmed by the least noise, even the cracking of a tree in frosty weather. Those within, having gorged themselves, raise their heads, and try to force their way through the top or sides of the pen, passing and repassing on the bridge, but never for a moment looking down, or attempting to escape through the passage by which they entered. Thus they remain until the owner of the trap arriving, closes the trench, and secures his captives. I have heard of eighteen Turkeys having been caught in this manner at a single visit to the trap. Ihave had many of these pens myself, but never found. more than seven in them at atime. One winter I kept an account of the produce of a pen which I visited daily, and found that seventy-six had been caught in it, in about two months. When these birds are abundant, the owners of the pens sometimes become satiated with their flesh, and neglect to visit the pens for several days, in some cases for weeks. The poor captives thus perish for want of food; for, strange as it may seem, they scarcely ever regain their liberty, by descending into the trench, and retracing their steps. I have, more than once, found four or five, and even ten, dead in a pen, through inattention. Where Wolves or Lynxes are numerous, they are apt to secure the prize before the owner of the trap arrives. One morning, I had the pleasure of se- curing in one of my pens, a fine Black Wolf, which, on seeing me, squatted, supposing me to be passing in another direction. Wild Turkeys often approach and associate with tame ones, or fight with them, and drive them off from their food. The cocks sometimes pay their addresses to the domesticated females, and are generally re- ceived by them with great pleasure, as well as by their owners, who are 14 WILD TURKEY. well aware of the advantages resulting from such intrusions, the half- breed being much more hardy than the tame, and, consequently, more easily reared. While at Henderson, on the Ohio, I had, among many other wild birds, a fine male Turkey, which had been reared from its earliest youth under my care, it having been caught by me when probably not more than two or three days old. It became so tame that it would follow any person who called it, and was the favourite of the little village. Yetit would never roost with the tame Turkeys, but regularly betook itself at night to the roof of the house, where it remained until dawn. When two years old, it be- gan to fly to the woods, where it remained for a considerable part of the day, to return to the enclosure as night approached. It continued this practice until the following spring, when I saw it several times fly from its roosting place to the top of a high cotton-tree, on the bank of the Ohio, from which, after resting a little, it would sail to the opposite shore, the river being there nearly half a mile wide, and return towards night. One morning I saw it fly off, at a very early hour, to the woods, in ano- ther direction, and took no particular notice of the circumstance. Several days elapsed, but the bird did not return. I was going towards some lakes near Green River to shoot, when, having walked about five miles, I saw a fine large gobbler cross the path before me, moving leisurely along. Turkeys being then in prime condition for the table, I ordered my dog to chase it, and put it up. The animal went off with great rapidity, and as it approached the Turkey, I saw, with great surprise, that the latter paid little attention. Juno was on the point of seizing it, when she suddenly stopped, and turned her head towards me. I hastened to. them, but you may easily conceive my surprise when I saw my own favourite bird, and discovered that it had recognised the dog, and would not fly from it; although the sight of a strange dog would have caused it to run off at once. A friend of mine happening to be in search of a wounded deer, took the bird on his saddle before him, and carried it home for me. The following spring it was accidentally shot, having been taken for a wild bird, and brought to me on being recognised by the red ribbon which it had around its neck. Pray, reader, by what word will you de- signate the recognition made by my favourite Turkey of a dog which had been long associated with it in the yard and grounds? Was it the re- sult of imstinct, or of reason,—an unconsciously revived impression, or the act of an intelligent mind ? WILD TURKEY. ib At the time when I removed to Kentucky, rather more than a fourth of a century ago, Turkeys were so abundant, that the price of one in the market was not equal to that of a common barn-fowl now. I have seen them offered for the sum of three pence each, the birds weighing from ten to twelve pounds. ) THE TOWHE BUNTING. FRINGILLA ERYTHROPHTHALMA, LINN. PLATE XXIX. Mate anp FEMALE. Tue flight of the Towhe Bunting is short, low, and performed from one bush or spot to another, in a hurried manner, with repeated strong jerks of the tail, and such quick motions of the wings, that one may hear their sound, although the bird should happen to be out of sight. On the ground, where it is more usually to be seen, it hops lightly, without mov- ing the tail more than the Common Sparrow of Europe. It is a diligent bird, spending its days in searching for food and gravel, amongst the dried leaves and in the earth, scratching with great assiduity, and every now and then uttering the notes tow-hee, from which it has obtained its name. At other times, it ascends to the top of a small tree, or its fa- vourite low bushes and briars, on which it sings very sweetly a few con- tinued mellow notes. This species constructs a larger nest than birds of its size usually do, and scoops out a place for its foundation in the earth, sometimes in an open spot, more commonly at the foot of a small sapling or large bunch of tall grass. The nest is sunk into the ground, so as to be level with it at top, and is composed of dried leaves and the bark of vines, lined with grasses of fine texture, as well as fibrous roots. ‘The female lays from four to six eggs, and rears two, sometimes three, broods each season. If disturbed while sitting, she moves off apparently in great agony, but with more celerity than most other birds, by which means she generally pre- vents her nest being discovered. Snakes, however, suck the eggs, as does the Crow. The young leave the nest long before they are able to fly, and follow the mother about on the ground for several days. Some of the nests of this species are so well concealed, that in order to discover them, one requires to stand quite still on the first appearance of the mother. I have myself several times had to regret not taking this precaution. The favourite haunts of the Towhe Buntings are dry barren tracts, but not, as others have said, low and swampy grounds, at least during the season of incubation. In the Barrens of Kentucky they are found in the greatest abundance. TOWHE BUNTING. 151 Their migrations are performed by day, from bush to bush, and they seem to be much at a loss when a large extent of forest is to be traversed by them. They perform these journeys almost singly. The females set out before the males in autumn, and the males before the females in spring, the latter not appearing in the Middle Districts until the end of April, a fortnight after the males have arrived. Many of them pass the confines of the United States in their migrations southward and north- ward. Although these birds are abundant in all parts of the Union, they ne- ver associate in flocks, but mingle during winter with several species of Sparrow. They generally rest on the ground at night, when many are caught by weasels and other small quadrupeds. None of them breed in Louisiana, nor indeed in the State of Mississippi, until they reach the open woods of the Choctaw Indian Nation. I have represented the male and female moving through the twigs of the Common Briar, usually called the Black Briar. It is a plump bird, and. becomes very fat in winter, in consequence of which it is named Grasset in Louisiana, where many are shot for the table by the French planters. FRINGILLA ERYTHROPHTHALMA, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 318..—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 112. EMBER!IZA ERYTHROPHTHALMA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 413. Towne Buntinc, EMBERIZA ERYTHROPHTHALMA, Wiis. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p-. 35. Pl. 10. fig. 5, Male; vol. vi. p. 90. Pl. 53. fig. 5. Female.— Lath. Synops. vol. iii. p. 199. Adult Male. Plate X XIX. Fig. 1. Bill short, robust, narrower than the head, regularly conical, acute ; upper mandible almost straight in its dorsal outline, as is the lower, both having inflected edges; the gap line nearly straight, a little deflected at the base. Nostrils basal, roundish, open, partially concealed by the feathers. Head rather large, neck shortish, body robust. Legs of mo- derate length, rather robust ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly with a few longish scutella; toes scutellate above, free, the la- teral ones nearly equal ; claws slender, arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe long. Plumage rather compact above, soft and blended beneath. Wings of 152 TOWHE BUNTING. ordinary length, the third and fourth quills longest, the first much shorter, the secondaries short. Tail long, rounded, the lateral feathers slightly curved outwards towards the tip. Bill black. Iris bright red. Legs and claws pale yellowish-brown. Head, neck, and upper parts generally, deep black. A white band across the primaries, partly concealed by their coverts; outer edge of first quill white; margins of the last secondaries brownish-white. La- teral tail-feathers white, excepting at the base, and a longitudinal streak towards the tip, on the outer web; the next two white on the inner web, towards the end. Breast white, abdomen pale red; sides and lateral parts of the breast brownish-red. Length 83 inches, extent of wings 12; beak along the ridge 3, along the gap 2; tarsus 1}, middle toe 1, hind toe %. Adult Female. Plate X XIX. Fig. 2. The female is scarcely smaller, and differs from the male in having the parts which in him are of a deep black, reddish-brown, excepting the bill, which is almost entirely light blue, the ridge of the upper mandible only being dark brown. Length 8} inches. In the adult bird the iris is bright red, but in the young it is fre- quently brown, and sometimes yellowish-white. In some instances, one eye is brown and the other red. TueE BLACKBERRY. Rusvs vittosus, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1085. Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 346.— IcosanpDRiIA Potyeynia, Linn. RosacE#, Juss. Pubescent, prickly, with angular twigs; the leaves ternate or qui- nate, with ovato-oblong, serrate, acuminate leaflets, downy on both sides ; the calycine leaves short, acuminate ; and a loose raceme of white flowers. The berry is black. This species grows abundantly in old fields and by fences. (153+) VIGORSS WARBLER. SYLVIA VIGORSI. PLATE XXX. Mate. I recretr that I am unable to give any account ‘of the habits of a species which I have honoured with the name of a naturalist whose merits are so well known to the learned world. The individual represented in the plate I shot upwards of twenty years ago, and have never met with ano- ther of its kind. It was in the month of May, on a small island of the Perkioming Creek, forming part of my farm of Mill Grove, in the State of Pennsylvania. The bird was flittering amongst grasses, uttering an often repeated cheep. The plant on which it is represented is that on which it was perched when I shot it, and is usually called Spider-wort. It grows in damp and shady places, as well as sometimes in barren lands, near the banks of brooks. Sytvia Vicorsi1. Male. Plate XXX. Bill of ordinary length, rather robust, depressed at the base, straight, acute; upper mandible notched, slightly deflected at the tip; lower shorter. Head of ordinary size, neck short, body ovate. Legs of ordi- nary length, slender ; tarsus compressed, anteriorly covered with a few long scutella, toes free, the lateral ones nearly equal, the middle toe much longer ; claws weak, much compressed, acute, slightly arched. Plumage soft, tufty, blended. Wings of ordinary size, the second quill longest. Tail longish, a little forked, of twelve feathers. A few small basirostral bristles. Bill brownish-black. Iris dark brown. Feet flesh-coloured. Head and back light greenish-brown. Wings blackish-brown, the first two rows of coverts tipped with white. Tail of the some colour, the outer feather white. Throat pale grey, lower neck and breast ochre-yellow, abdomen yellowish-white. 154 VIGORS’S WARBLER. Length 6 inches, extent of wings 9; bill along the ridge 3%, along the gap 7%; tarsus $, middle toe $. THE VIRGINIAN SPIDER-WORT. TRADESCANTIA vineINica, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 16. Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p- 218.—Hexanpria Monoeynia, Linn. JuNcti, Juss. This’ species is distinguished by its erect, succulent stem; elongated, lanceolate, smooth leaves ; and umbellate, subsessile flowers, which are of a deep purple colour, with yellow anthers. ( 155) A FLOOD. Many of our larger streams, such as the Mississippi, the Ohio, the Illinois, the Arkansas and the Red River, exhibit at certain seasons the most extensive overflowings of their waters, to which the name of floods is more appropriate than the term freshets, usually applied to the sudden risings of smaller streams. If we consider the vast extent of country through which an inland navigation is afforded by the never-failing sup- ply of water furnished by these wonderful rivers, we cannot suppose them exceeded in magnitude by any other in the known world. It will easily be imagined what a wonderful spectacle must present itself to the eye of the traveller, who for the first time views the enormous mass of waters, collected from the vast central regions of our continent, booming along, turbid and swollen to overflowing, in the broad channels of the Missis- sippi and Ohio, the latter of which has a course of more than a thousand miles, and the former of several thousands. To give you some idea of a Booming Flood of these gigantic streams, it is necessary to state the causes which give rise to it. These are, the sudden melting of the snows on the mountains, and heavy rains continued for several weeks. When it happens that, during a severe winter, the Alleghany Mountains have been covered with snow to the depth of seve- ral feet, and the accumulated mass has remained unmelted for a length of time, the materials of a flood are thus prepared. It now and then hap- pens that the winter is hurried off by a sudden increase of temperature, when the accumulated snows melt away simultaneously over the whole country, and the south-easterly wind which then usually blows, brings along with it a continued fall of heavy rain, which, mingling with the dis- solving snow, deluges the alluvial portions of the western country, filling up the rivulets, ravines, creeks and small rivers. These delivering their waters to the great streams, cause the latter not merely to rise to a sur- prising height, but to overflow their banks, wherever the land islow. On such occasions, the Ohio itself presents a splendid, and at the same time an appalling spectacle ; but when its waters mingle with those of the Missis- sippi, then, kind reader, is the time to view an American flood in all its astonishing magnificence. At the foot of the Falls of the Ohio, the water has been known to rise 156 A FLOOD. upwards of sixty feet above its lowest level. The river, at this point, has already run a course of nearly seven hundred miles, from its origin at Pitts- burg, in Pennsylvania, during which it has received the waters of its num- berless tributaries, and overflowing all the bottom lands or valleys, has swept along the fences and dwellings which have been unable to resist its violence. I could relate hundreds of incidents which might prove to you the dreadful effects of such an inundation, and which have been witnessed by thousands besides myself. I have known, for example, of a cow swimming through a window, elevated at least seven feet from the ground, and sixty-two feet above low-water mark. The house was then surrounded by water from the Ohio, which runs in front of it, while the neighbouring country was overflowed; yet the family did not remove from it, but remained in its upper portion, having previously taken off the sashes of the lower windows, and opened the doors. But let us re- turn to the Mississippi. There the overflow is astonishing ; for no sooner has the water reach- ed the upper part of the banks, than it rushes out and overspreads the whole of the neighbouring swamps, presenting an ocean overgrown with stupendous forest-trees. So sudden is the calamity, that every indivi- dual, whether man or beast, has to exert his utmost ingenuity to enable him to escape from the dreaded element. The Indian quickly removes to the hills of the interior, the cattle and game swim to the different stripes of land that remain uncovered in the midst of the flood, or at- tempt to force their way through the waters until they perish from fatigue. Along the banks of the river, the inhabitants have rafts ready made, on which they remove themselves, their cattle and their provisions, and which they then fasten with ropes or grape-vines to the larger trees, while they contemplate the melancholy spectacle presented by the current, as it carries off their houses and wood-yards piece by piece. Some who have nothing to lose, and are usually known by the name of Squatters, take this opportunity of traversing the woods in canoes, for the purpose of procuring game, and particularly the skins of animals, such as the deer and bear, which may be converted into money. They resort to the low ridges surrounded by the waters, and destroy thousands of deer, merely for their skins, leaving the flesh to putrefy. The river itself, rolling its swollen waters along, presents a spectacle of the most imposing nature. Although no large vessel, unless propelled by steam, can now make its way against the current, it is seen covered - a? a A FLOOD. 157 by boats, laden with produce, which running out from all the smaller streams, float silently towards the City of New Orleans, their owners meanwhile not very well assured of finding a landing-place even there. The water is covered with yellow foam and pumice, the latter having floated from the Rocky Mountains of the north-west. The eddies are larger and more powerful than ever. Here and there tracts of forest are observed undermined, the trees gradually giving way, and falling into the stream. Cattle, horses, bears and deer are seen at times attempting to swim across the impetuous mass of foaming and boiling water ; whilst here and there a Vulture or an Eagle is observed perched on a bloated carcass, tearing it up in pieces, as regardless of the flood, as on former occasions it would have been of the numerous sawyers and planters, with which the surface of the river is covered, when the water is low. Even the steamer is frequently distressed. The numberless trees and logs that float along break its paddles and retard its progress. Besides, it is on such occasions difficult to procure fuel to maintain its fires; and it is only at very distant intervals that a wood-yard can be found which the water has not carried off. Following the river in your canoe, you reach those parts of the shores that are protected against the overflowing of the waters, and are called Levees. There you find the whole population of the district at work re- pairing and augmenting those artificial barriers, which are several feet above the level of the fields. Every person appears to dread the opening of a crevasse, by which the waters may rush into his fields. In spite of all exertions, however, the crevasse opens, the water bursts impe- tuously over the plantations, and lays waste the crops which so lately were blooming in all the luxuriance of spring. It opens up a new channel, which, for aught I know to the contrary, may carry its waters even to the Mexican Gulf. I have floated on the Mississippi and Ohio when thus swollen, and have in different places visited the submersed lands of the interior, pro- pelling a light canoe by the aid of a paddle. In this manner I have tra- versed immense portions of the country overflowed by the waters of these rivers, and, particularly whilst floating over the Mississippi bottom- lands, I have been struck with awe at the sight. Little or no current is met with, unless when the canoe passes over the bed of a bayou. All is silent and melancholy, unless when the mournful bleeting of the hem- med in Deer reaches your ear, or the dismal scream of an Eagle or a 158 A FLOOD. Raven is heard, as the foul bird rises, disturbed by your approach, from the carcass on which it was allaying its craving appetite. Bears, Cou- gars, Lynxes, and all other quadrupeds that can ascend the trees, are ob- served crouched among their top branches. Hungry in the midst of abundance, although they see floating around them the animals on which they usually prey, they dare not venture to swim to them. Fatigued by the exertions which they have made in reaching the dry land, they will there stand the hunter’s fire, as if to die by a ball were better than to perish amid the waste of waters. On occasions like this, all these ani- mals are shot by hundreds. Opposite the City of Natchez, which stands on a bluff bank of consi- derable elevation, the extent of inundated land is immense, the greater portion of the tract lying between the Mississippi and the Red River, which is more than thirty miles in breadth, being under water. The mail-bag has often been carried through the immersed forests, in a canoe, for even a greater distance, in order to be forwarded to Natchitochez. But now, kind reader, observe this great flood gradually subsiding, and again see the mighty changes which it has effected. The waters have now been carried into the distant ocean, The earth is everywhere covered by a deep deposit of muddy loam, which in drying splits into deep and narrow chasms, presenting a reticulated appearance, and from which, as the weather becomes warmer, disagreeable, and at times noxious, exhalations arise, and fill the lower stratum of the atmosphere as with a dense fog. The banks of the river have almost everywhere been broken down in a greater or less degree. Large streams are now found to exist, where none were formerly to be seen, having forced their way in direct lines from the upper parts of the bends. These are by the navigator called short-cuts. Some of them have proved large enough to produce a change in the navigation of the Mississippi. If I mistake not, one of these, known by the name of the Grand Cut-off; and only a few miles in length, has diverted the river from its natural course, and has shortened it by fifty miles. The upper parts of the islands present a bulwark con- sisting of an enormous mass of floated trees of all kinds, which have lodged there. Large sand-banks have been completely removed by the impetuous whirls of the waters, and have been deposited in other places. Some appear quite new to the eye of the navigator, who has to mark their situation and bearings im his log-book. The trees on the margins of the banks have in many parts given way. They are seen bending over A FLOOD. 159 the stream, like the grounded arms of an overwhelmed army of giants. Everywhere are heard the lamentations of the farmer and planter, whilst their servants and themselves are busily employed in repairing the damages occasioned by the floods. At one crevasse an old ship or two, dismantled for the purpose, are sunk, to obstruct the passage opened by the still rushing waters, while new earth is brought to fill up the chasms. The squatter is seen shouldering his rifle, and making his way through the morass, in search of his lost stock, to drive the survivors home, and save the skins of the drowned. New fences have everywhere to be form- ed; even new houses must be erected, to save which from a like disas- ter, the settler places them on an elevated platform supported by pillars made of the trunks of trees. The lands must be ploughed anew, and if the season is not too far advanced, a crop of corn and potatoes may yet be raised. But the rich prospects of the planter are blasted. The tra- veller is impeded in his journey, the creeks and smaller streams having broken up their banks in a degree proportionate to their size. A bank of sand, which seems firm and secure, suddenly gives way beneath the traveller’s horse, and the next moment the animal has sunk in the quick- sand, either to the chest in front, or over the crupper behind, leaving its master in a situation not to be envied. Unlike the mountain-torrents and small rivers of other parts of the world, the Mississippi rises but slowly during these floods, continuing for several weeks to increase at the rate of about an inch in the day. When at its height, it undergoes little fluctuation for some days, and after this subsides as slowly as it rose. The usual duration of a flood is from four to six weeks, although, on some occasions, it is protracted to two months. Every one knows how largely the idea of floods and cataclysms enters into the speculations of the geologist. If the streamlets of the European Continent afford illustrations of the formation of strata, how much more must the Mississippi, with its ever-shifting sand-banks, its crumbling shores, its enormous masses of drift timber, the source of future beds of coal, its extensive and varied alluvial deposits, and its mighty mass of waters rolling sullenly along, like the flood of eternity ! ( 160 ) THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. FALCO LEUCOCEPHALUS, LINN. PLATE XXXI. Mate. Tue figure of this noble bird is well known throughout the civilized world, emblazoned as it is on our national standard, which waves in the breeze of every clime, bearing to distant lands the remembrance of a great people living in a state of peaceful freedom. May that peaceful freedom last for ever ! The great strength, daring, and cool courage of the White-headed Eagle, joined to his unequalled power of flight, render him highly conspi- cuous among his brethren. To these qualities did he add a generous dis- position towards others, he might be looked up to as a model of nobility. The ferocious, overbearing, and tyrannical temper which is ever and anon displaying itself in his actions, is, nevertheless, best adapted to his state, and was wisely given him by the Creator to enable him to perform the office assigned to him. To give you, kind reader, some idea of the nature of this bird, per- mit me to place you on the Mississippi, on which you may float gently along, while approaching winter brings millions of water-fowl on whistl- ing wings, from the countries of the north, to seek a milder climate in which to sojourn for a season. The Eagle is seen perched, in an erect attitude, on the highest summit of the tallest tree by the margin of the broad stream. His glistening but stern eye looks over the vast expanse. He listens attentively to every sound that comes to his quick ear from afar, glancing now and then on the earth beneath, lest even the light tread of the fawn may pass unheard. His mate is perched on the oppo- site side, and should all be tranquil and silent, warns him by a cry to continue patient. At this well known call, the male partly opens his broad wings, inclines his body a little downwards, and answers to her voice in tones not unlike the laugh of a maniac. The next moment, he resumes his erect attitude, and again all around is silent. Ducks of many species, the Teal, the Wigeon, the Mallard and others, are seen passing with great rapidity, and following the course of the cur- rent; but the Eagle heeds them not: they are at that time beneath 1 WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 161 his attention. The next moment, however, the wild trumpet-like sound of a yet distant but approaching Swan is heard. A shriek from the female Eagle comes across the stream,—for, kind reader; she is fully as alert as her mate. The latter suddenly shakes the whole of his body, and with a few touches of his bill, aided by the action of his cuticular muscles, arranges his plumage in an instant. The snow-white bird is now in sight: her long neck is stretched forward, her eye is on the watch, vigilant as that of her enemy; her large wings seem with dif- ficulty to support the weight of her body, although they flap incessantly. So irksome do her exertions seem, that her very legs are spread beneath her tail, to aid her in her flight. She approaches, however. The Eagle has marked her for his prey. As the Swan is passing the dreaded pair, starts from his perch, in full preparation for the chase, the male bird, with an awful scream, that to the Swan’s ear brings more terror than the report of the large duck-gun. Now is the moment to witness the display of the Eagle’s powers. He glides through the air like a falling star, and, like a flash of lightning, comes upon the timorous quarry, which now, in agony and despair, seeks, by various manceuvres, to elude the grasp of his cruel talons. It mounts, doubles, and willingly would plunge into the stream, were it not prevent- ed by the Eagle, which, long possessed of the knowledge that by such a stratagem the Swan might escape him, forces it to remain in the air by attempting to strike it with his talons from beneath. The hope of es- cape is soon given up by the Swan. It has already become much weak- ened, and its strength fails at the sight of the courage and swiftness of its antagonist. Its last gasp is about to escape, when the ferocious Eagle strikes with his talons the under side of its wing, and with unresisted power forces the bird to fall in a slanting direction upon the nearest shore. — It is then, reader, that you may see the cruel spirit of this dreaded enemy of the feathered race, whilst, exulting over his prey, he for the first time breathes at ease. He presses down his powerful feet, and drives his sharp claws deeper than ever into the heart of the dying Swan. He shrieks with delight, as he feels the last convulsions of his prey, which has now sunk under his unceasing efforts to render death as painfully felt as it can possibly be. The female has watched every movement of her mate; and if she did not assist him in capturing the Swan, it was not from want of will, but merely that she felt full assurance that the power L 162 WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. and courage of her lord were quite sufficient for the deed. She now sails to the spot where he eagerly awaits her, and when she has arrived, they together turn the breast of the luckless Swan upwards, and gorge them- selves with gore. At other times, when these Eagles, sailing in search of prey, discover a Goose, a Duck, or a Swan, that has alighted on the water, they accom- plish its destruction in a manner that is worthy of your attention. The Eagles, well aware that water-fowl have it in their power to dive at their approach, and thereby elude their attempts upon them, ascend in the air in opposite directions over the lake or river, on which they have observed the object which they are desirous of possessing. Both Eagles reach a certain height, immediately after which one of them glides with great swiftness towards the prey ; the latter, meantime, aware of the Eagle’s in- tention, dives the moment before he reaches the spot. The pursuer then rises in the air, and is met by its mate, which glides toward the water- bird, that has just emerged to breathe, and forces it to plunge again be- neath the surface, to escape the talons of this second assailant. The first Eagle is now poising itself in the place where its mate formerly was, and rushes anew to force the quarry to make another plunge. By thus alter- nately gliding, in rapid and often repeated rushes, over the ill-fated bird, they soon fatigue it, when it stretches out its neck, swims deeply, and makes for the shore, in the hope of concealing itself among the rank weeds. But this is of no avail, for the Eagles follow it in all its mo- tions, and the moment it approaches the margin, one of them darts upon it, and kills it in an instant, after which they divide the spoil. During spring and summer, the White-headed Eagle, to procure sus- tenance, follows a different course, and one much less suited to a bird apparently so well able to supply itself without interfering with other plunderers. No sooner does the Fish-Hawk make its appearance. along our Atlantic shores, or ascend our numerous and large rivers, than the Eagle follows it, and, like a selfish oppressor, robs it of the hard-earned fruits of its labour. Perched on some tall summit, in view of the ocean, or of some water-course, he watches every motion of the Osprey while on wing. When the latter rises from the water, with a fish in its grasp, forth rushes the Eagle in pursuit. He mounts above the Fish-Hawk, and threatens it by actions well understood, when the latter, fearing per- haps that its life is in danger, drops its prey. In an instant, the Eagle, accurately estimating the rapid descent of the fish, closes his wings, fol- WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 163 lows it with the swiftness of thought, and the next moment grasps it. The prize is carried off in silence to the woods, and assists in feeding the ever-hungry brood of the Eagle. This bird now and then procures fish himself, by pursuing them in the shallows of small creeks. I have witnessed several instances of this in the Perkioming Creek in Pennsylvania, where, in this manner, I saw one of them secure a number of Red-fins, by wading briskly through the water, and striking at them with his bill. I have also observed a pair scrambling over the ice of a frozen pond, to get at some fish below, but without success. It does not confine itself to these kinds of food, but greedily devours young pigs, lambs, fawns, poultry, and the putrid flesh of carcasses of every description, driving off the vultures and carrion-crows, or the dogs, and keeping a whole party at defiance until it is satiated. It frequently gives chase to the vultures, and forces them to disgorge the contents of their stomachs, when it alights and devours the filthy mass. A ludicrous instance of this took place near the city of Natchez, on the Mississippi. Many Vultures were engaged in devouring the body and entrails of a dead horse, when a White-headed Eagle accidentally passing by, the vultures all took to wing, one among the rest with a portion of the entrails partly swallowed, and the remaining part, about a yard in length, dangling in the air. The Eagle instantly marked him, and gave chase. The poor vulture tried in vain to disgorge, when the Eagle, coming up, seized the loose end of the gut, and dragged the bird along for twenty or thirty yards, much against its will, until both fell to the ground, when the Eagle struck the vulture, and in a few moments killed it, after which he swallowed the delicious morsel. I have heard of several attempts made by this bird to destroy chil- dren, but have never witnessed any myself, although I have little doubt of its having sufficient daring to do so. The flight of the White-headed Eagle is strong, generally uniform, and protracted to any distance, at pleasure. Whilst travelling, it is en- tirely supported by equal easy flappings, without any intermission, in as far as I have observed it, by following it with the eye or the assistance of a glass. When looking for prey, it sails with extended wings, at right angles to its body, now and then allowing its legs to hang at their full length. Whilst sailing, it has the power of ascending in circular sweeps, without a single flap of the wings, or any apparent motion either L2 ow 164 WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. of them or of the tail ; and in this manner it often rises until it disappears from the view, the white tail remaining longer visible than the rest of the body. At other times, it rises only a few hundred feet in the air, and sails off in a direct line, and with rapidity. Again, when thus elevated, it partially closes its wings, and glides downwards for a considerable space, when, as if disappointed, it suddenly checks its career, and reassumes its former steady flight. When at an immense height, and as if observing an object on the ground, it closes its wings, and glides through the air with such rapidity as to cause a loud rustling sound, not unlike that pro- duced by a violent gust of wind passing amongst the branches of trees. Its fall towards the earth can searcely be followed by the eye on such oc- casions, the more particularly that these falls or glidings through the air usually take place when they are least expected. This bird has the power of raising from the surface of the water any floating object not heavier than itself. In this manner it often robs the sportsman of ducks which have been killed by him. Its audacity is quite remarkable. While descending the Upper Mississippi, I observed one of these Eagles in pursuit of a Green-winged Teal. It came so near our boat, although several persons were looking on, that I could perceive the glancings of its eye. The Teal, on the point of being caught, when not more than fifteen or twenty yards from us, was saved from the grasp of its enemy, one of our party having brought the latter down by a shot, which broke one of its wings. When taken on board, it was fastened to the deck of our boat by means of a string, and was fed with pieces of cat-fish, some of which it began to eat on the third day of its confinement. But, as it became a very disagreeable and dangerous associate, trying on all occasions to strike at some one with its-talons, it was killed and thrown overboard. When these birds are suddenly and unexpectedly approached or sur- prised, they exhibit a great degree of cowardice. They rise at once and fly off very low, in zig-zag lines, to some distance, uttering a hissing noise, not at all like their usual disagreeable imitation of a laugh. When not carrying a gun, one may easily approach them; but the use of that in- strument being to appearance well known to them, they are very cautious in allowing a person having one to get near them. Notwithstanding all their caution, however, many are shot by approaching them under cover of a tree, on horseback, or in a boat. They do not possess the power of smelling gunpowder, as the crow and the raven are absurdly supposed to WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. {65 do; nor are they aware of the effects of spring-traps, as I have seen some of them caught by these instruments. Their sight, although probably as perfect as that of any bird, is much affected during a fall of snow, at which time they may be approached without difficulty. The White-headed Eagle seldom appears in very mountainous dis- tricts, but prefers the low lands of the sea-shores, those of our large lakes, and the borders of rivers. Itis a constant resident in the United States, in every part of which it is to be seen. The roosts and breeding places of pigeons are resorted to by it, for the purpose of picking up the young birds that happen to fall, or the old ones when wounded. It seldom, however, follows the flocks of these birds when on their migrations. When shot at and wounded, it tries to escape by long and quickly repeated leaps, and, if not closely pursued, soon conceals itself. Should it happen to fall on the water, it strikes powerfully with expanded wings, and in this manner often reaches the shore, when it is not more than twenty or thirty yards distant. It is capable of supporting life without food for a long period. I have heard of some, which, in a state of con- finement, had lived without much apparent distress for twenty days, al- though I cannot vouch for the truth of such statements, which, however, may be quite correct. They defend themselves in the manner usually followed by other Eagles and Hawks, throwing themselves backwards, and furiously striking with their talons at any object within reach, keeping their bill open, and turning their head with quickness to watch the move- ments of the enemy, their eyes being apparently more protruded than when unmolested. It is supposed that Eagles live to a very great age,—some persons have ventured to say even a hundred years. On this subject, I can only observe, that I once found one of these birds, which, on being killed, proved to be a female, and which, judging by its appearance, must have been very old. Its tail and wing-feathers were so worn out, and of such a rusty colour, that I imagined the bird had lost the power of moulting. The legs and feet were covered with large warts, the claws and bill were much blunted, it could scarcely fly more than a hundred yards at a time, and this it did with a heaviness and unsteadiness of motion such as I never witnessed in any other bird of the species. The body was poor and very tough. The eye was the only part which appeared to have sustained no injury. It remained sparkling and full of animation, and even after 166 WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. death seemed to have lost little of its lustre. No wounds were perceivable on its body. The White-headed Eagle is seldom seen alone, the mutual attachment which two individuals form when they first pair seeming to continue un- til one of them dies or is destroyed. They hunt for the support of each other, and seldom feed apart, but usually drive off other birds of the same species. They commence their amatory intercourse at an earlier period than any other land bird with which I am acquainted, generally in the month of December. At this time, along the Mississippi, or by the mar- gin of some lake not far in the interior of the forest, the male and female birds are observed making a great bustle, flying about and circling in va- rious ways, uttering a loud cackling noise, alighting on the dead branches of the tree on which their nest is already preparing, or in the act of being repaired, and caressing each other. In the beginning of January incu- bation commences. I shot a female, on the 17th of that month, as she sat on her eggs, in which the chicks had made considerable progress. The nest, which in some instances is of great size, is usually placed on a very tall tree, destitute of branches to a considerable height, but by no means always a dead one. It is never seen on rocks. It is composed of sticks, from three to five feet in length, large pieces of turf, rank weeds, | and Spanish moss in abundance, whenever that substance happens to be near. When finished, it measures from five to six feet in diameter, and so great is the accumulation of materials, that it sometimes measures the same in depth, it being occupied for a great number of years in succes- sion, and receiving some augmentation each season. When placed in a naked tree, between the forks of the branches, it is conspicuously seen at a great distance. The eggs, which are from two to four, more commonly two or three, are of a dull white colour, and equally rounded at both ends, some of them being occasionally granulated. Incubation lasts for more than three weeks, but I have not been able to ascertain its precise duration, as I have observed the female on different occasions sit for a few days in the nest, before laying the first egg. Of this I assured my- self by climbing to the nest every day in succession, during her tempo- rary absence,—a rather perilous undertaking when the bird is sitting. I have seen the young birds when not larger than middle-sized pullets. At this time, they are covered with a soft cottony kind of down, their bill and legs appearing disproportionately large. Their first plumage is of a greyish colour, mixed with brown of different depths of tint, and be- WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 167 fore the parents drive them off from the nest, they are fully fledged. As a figure of the Young White-headed Eagle will appear in the course of the publication of my Ilustrations, I shall not here trouble you with a description of its appearance. I once caught three young Eagles of this species, when fully fledged, by having the tree on which their nest was, cut down. It caused great trouble to secure them, as they could fly and scramble much faster than any of our party could run. They, however, gradually became fatigued, and at length were so exhausted as to offer no resistance, when we were securing them with cords. This happened on the border of Lake Pontchartrain, in the month of April. The parents did not think fit to come within gun-shot of the tree while the axe was at work. The attachment of the parents to the young is very great, when the latter are yet of a small size ; and to ascend to the nest at this time would be dangerous. , But as the young advance, and, after being able to take wing and provide for themselves, are not disposed to fly off, the old birds turn them out, and beat them away fromthem. They return to the nest, however, to roost, or sleep on the branches immediately near it, for several weeks after. They are fed most abundantly while under the care of the parents, which procure for them ample supplies of fish, either accidentally cast ashore, or taken from the Fish-Hawk, together with rabbits, squir- rels, young lambs, pigs, oppossums, or raccoons. Every thing that comes in the way is relished by the young family, as by the old birds. The young birds begin to breed the following spring, not always in pairs of the same age, as I have several times observed one of these birds in brown plumage mated with a full-coloured bird, which had the head and tail pure white. I once shot a pair of this kind, when the brown bird (the young one) proved to be the female. This species requires at least four years before it attains the full beauty of its plumage when kept in confinement. I have known two in- stances in which the white of the head did not make its appearance until the sixth spring. It is impossible for me to say how much sooner this state of perfection is attained, when the bird is at full liberty, although I should suppose it to be at least one year, as the bird is capable of breed- ing the first spring after birth. The weight of Eagles of this species varies considerably. In the males, it is from six to eight pounds, and in the females from eight to twelve. These birds are so attached to particular districts, where they 168 WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. have first made their nest, that they seldom spend a night at any distance from the latter, and often resort to its immediate neighbourhood. Whilst asleep, they emit a loud hissing sort of snore, which is heard at the dis- tance of a hundred yards, when the weather is perfectly calm. Yet, so light is their sleep, that the cracking of a stick under the foot of a person immediately wakens them. When it is attempted to smoke them while thus roosted and asleep, they start up and sail off without uttering any sound, but return next evening to the same spot. Before steam-navigation commenced on our western rivers, these Eagles were extremely abundant there, particularly in the lower parts of the Ohio, the Mississippi, and the adjoining streams. I have seen hundreds going down from the mouth of the Ohio to New Orleans, when it was not at all difficult to shoot them. Now, however, their number is consider- ably diminished, the game on which they were in the habit of feeding, having been forced to seek refuge from the persecution of man farther in the wilderness. Many, however, are still observed on these rivers, parti- cularly along the shores of the Mississippi. In concluding this account of the White-headed Eagle, suffer me, kind reader, to say how much I grieve that it should have been selected as the Emblem of my Country. The opinion of our great Franklin on this subject, as it perfectly coincides with my own, I shall here present to you. ‘ For my part,” says he, in one of his letters, “‘ I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character ; he does not get his living honestly ; you may have seen him perched on some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labour of the Fishing-Hawk ; and when that dili- gent bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him, and takes it from him. With all this injustice, he is never in good case, but, like those among men who live by sharping and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. Besides, he is a rank coward: the little King Bird, not bigger than a Sparrow, attacks him boldly, and drives him out of the district. He is, therefore, by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America, who have driven all the King Birds from our country ; though exactly fit for that order of knights which the French call Chevaliers d’ Industrie.” It is only necessary for me to add, that the name by which this bird is universally known in America is that of Bald Eagle, an erroneous de- WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 169 nomination, as its head is as densely feathered as that of any other species, although its whiteness may have suggested the idea of its being bare. FaiLco LEUCOCEPHALUS, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 124.-Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 11. Bap Eacre, Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 29.—Wilson, Americ. Ornith. vol. iv. p. 99. Pl. 36. Adult. | Sea Eacre, Fatco Ossirracus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 16. Pl. 55. fig. 2. Young. Adult Male. Plate XX XI. Bill shortish, very deep, compressed ; upper mandible with the dorsal outline at first straight, curved towards the tip, rounded above, sloping and flattish on the sides, nearly straight, with an obtuse process, in the acute, overlapping edges; the tip deflected, trigonal, acute, at its lower part nearly perpendicular to the gap line ; lower mandible slightly con- vex in its dorsal outline, with inflected acute edges, which are arched to- ward the end, the tip broadly rounded. A naked cere, in the fore part of which are the oblong, oblique, nearly dorsal, open nostrils, which have a process from the anterior margin. Head rather large, flat above. Neck robust, rather short. Body ovate. Feet with the leg long, the tarsus short, feathered in its upper third, rounded, anteriorly covered with trans- verse scutella, posteriorly with large, laterally with small tuberculous scales ; toes robust, free, scutellate above, papillar and scabrous beneath, with large tubercles; claws curved, rounded, marginate beneath, very acute. Plumage compact, imbricated, glossy ; feathers of the head, neck and breast, narrow and pointed ; of the back and breast acute, of the other parts broad and rounded. Space between the bill and eye barish, being sparsely covered with bristly feathers. Eyebrow bare and pro- jecting. Wings long, second quill longest, first considerably shorter. Tail of ordinary length, much rounded, extending considerably beyond the tips of the wings ; of twelve, broad, rounded feathers. Bill, cere, edge of eyebrow, iris, and feet, yellow ; claws bluish-black. The general colour of the plumage is deep chocolate, the head, neck, tail, abdomen, and upper and under tail-coverts, white. Length 34 inches, extent of wings 7 feet; bill along the back 23 inches, along the under mandible 23, in depth 1,4; tarsus 3, middle toe 34. ( 170 ) THE BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. CoccYZUS ERYTHROPHTHALMUsS, Cu. Bonar. PLATE XXXII. Mare anp FEmAtLeE. I HAVE not met with this species in the State of Louisiana more than half a dozen times ; nor indeed have I seen it at all in the Western States, excepting that of Ohio, where I have occasionally observed an individual, apparently out of its usual range. Some of these individuals were pro- bably bound for the Upper Lakes. The woody sides of the sea are the places to which this species usually resorts. It passes from the south early in March, and continues its route through Florida, Georgia, and all the other States verging on the Atlantic, beginning to rest and to breed in North Carolina, and extending its travels to the Province of Maine. The flight of this species is swifter than that of its near relative, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, for which bird it is easily mistaken by ordinary observers. It does not so much frequent the interior of woods, but ap- pears along their margins, on the edges of creeks and damp places. But the most remarkable distinction between this species and the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is, that the former, instead of feeding principally on insects and fruits, procures fresh-water shellfish and aquatic larve for its sustenance. It is therefore more frequently seen on the ground, near the edges of the water, or descending along the drooping branches of trees to their extre- mities, to seize the insects in the water beneath them*. The nest of this bird is built in places similar to those chosen by the other species, and is formed of the same materials, arranged with quite as little art. ‘The females lay from four to six eggs, of a greenish-blue, nearly equal at both ends, but rather smaller than those of the Yellow- billed Cuckoo. It retires southward fully a fortnight before the latter. It being so scarce a species in Louisiana, I have honoured it by plac- ing a pair on a branch of Magnolia in bloom, although the birds repre- sented were not shot on one of these trees, but in a swamp near some, ® After the summer showers, the ground is seen covered with multitudes of very small frogs, of a brownish-black colour, which many of the inhabitants foolishly suppose to have descended from the clouds. Some of these I have occasionally found in the stomach of the Black-billed Cuckoo. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 171 where the birds were in pursuit of such flies as you see figured, probably to amuse themselves. The Magnolia has already been presented to your view in another plate, where it was figured in seed. Here you have it arrayed in all the beauty of its splendid blossoms. Coccyzus ERYTHROPHTHALMUS, Ch. Bonap. Synops. of Birds of United States, p. 42. BLack-BILLED Cuckoo, CucULUS ERYTHROPHTHALMA, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iv. p. 15. PL xxviii. fig. 2. Adult Male. Plate XXXII. Fig 1. Bill as long as the head, compressed, slightly arched, acute, not more robust than that of many Sylviz ; upper mandible carinated above, its margins acute and entire; lower mandible carinated beneath, acute. Nostrils basal, lateral, linear-elliptical, half-closed by a membrane. Head and neck of ordinary size. Body rather slender. Feet short and small ; tarsus scutellate before and behind ; toes two before, separated ; two be- hind, one of which is versatile ; the sole flat; claws slender, compressed, arched. Plumage blended, soft, slightly glossed. Wings long, the first quill short, the third longest. Tail long, graduated, of ten feathers, which are rather narrow and rounded. Upper mandible brownish-black ; lower bluish. Iris hasel. A bare space of a deep scarlet tint around the eye. Feet dull blue. The gene- ral colour of the upper parts is light greenish-brown. Cheeks and fore- head tinged with greyish-blue. 'Tail-feathers, excepting the two middle ones, tipped with white. Under parts brownish-white. Length 113 inches, extent of wings 15; beak along the ridge 4 6 along the gap 1}. Adult Female. Plate XXXII. Fig. 2. The female differs very little in external appearance from the male, and is nearly of the same dimensions. Tue Great MacGnoria. MaeNoLiA GRANDIFLORA, Wild. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1255. This plant has already been described at p. 28, the ripe fruit having been represented in Plate V. (aR THE AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. FRINGILLA TRISTIS, Linn. PLATE XXXIII. Mate anp FEMALE. Tus species merely passes over the State of Louisiana in the begin- ning of January, and at that season is seen there for only a few days, alighting on the highest tops of trees near water-courses, in small groups of eight or ten, males and females together. They feed at that period on the opening buds of Maples, and others that are equally tender and juicy. In the month of November they are again seen moving southwards, and for a few days only. A few breed in Kentucky and the State of Ohio, but the Middle Dis- tricts are their principal places of resort during summer, although they extend their migrations to a high latitude. They arrive in the State of New York about the middle of April; and as they become very abun- dant in that State during the summer, I shall describe their habits as ob- served there. The flight of the American Goldfinch is exactly similar to that of the European Bird of the same name, being performed in deep curved lines, al- ternately rising and falling, after each propelling motion of the wings. It scarcely ever describes one of these curves without uttering two or three notes whilst ascending, such as its European relative uses on similar occa- sions. In this manner, its flight is prolonged to considerable distances, and it frequently moves in a circling direction before alighting. Their migration is performed during the day. They seldom alight on the ground, unless to procure water, in which they wash with great liveli- ness and pleasure, after which they pick up some particles of gravel or sand. So fond of each other’s company are they, that a party of them passing on the wing will alter its course at the calling of a single one perched ona tree. This call is uttered with much emphasis: the bird prolongs its usual note, without much alteration, and as the party ap- proaches, erects its body, and moves it to the right and left, as if turning on a pivot, apparently pleased at shewing the beauty of its plumage and the elegance of its manners. No sooner has the flock, previously on wing, alighted, than the whole party plume themselves, and then perform AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 173 a little sweet concert. So much does the song of our Goldfinch resemble that of the European species, that whilst in France and England, I have frequently thought, and with pleasure thought, that they were the notes of our own bird which I heard. In America again, the song of the Gold- finch recalled to my remembrance its transatlantic kinsman, and brought with it too a grateful feeling for the many acts of hospitality and kind- ness which I have experienced in the “ old country.” The nest also is perfectly similar to that of the European bird, being externally composed of various lichens fastened together by saliva, and lined with the softest substances. It is small and extremely handsome, and is generally fixed on a branch of the Lombardy Poplar, being some- times secured to one side of a twig only. I have also found it in Alder bushes, a few feet above the ground, as well as in other trees. The fe- male deposits from four to six eggs, which are white, tinged with blush, and marked at the larger end with reddish-brown spots. They raise only one brood in a season. The young follow the parents for a long time, are fed from the mouth, as Canaries are, and are gradually taught to ma- nage this themselves. When it happens that the female is disturbed while on her nest, she glides off to a neighbouring tree, and calls for her mate, pivoting herself on her feet, as above described. The male approaches, passes and repasses on the wing at a respectful distance from the intruder, in deeper curves than usual, uttering its ordinary note, and when the un- welcome visitant has departed, flies with joy to his nest, accompanied by the female, who presently resumes her occupation. The food of the American Goldfinch consists chiefly of seeds of the Hemp, the Sun-flower, the Lettuce, and various species of Thistle. Now and then, during winter, it eats the fruit of the Elder. In ascending along the shores of the Mohawk river, in the month of August, I have met more of these pretty birds in the course of a day’s walk than anywhere else; and whenever a thistle was to be seen along either bank of the New York Canal, it was ornamented with one or more Goldfinches. They tear up the down and withered petals of the ripening flowers with ease, leaning downwards upon them, eat off the seed, and allow the down to float in the air. The remarkable plumage of the male, as well as its song, are at this season very agreeable ; and so familiar are these birds, that they suffer you to approach within a few yards, before they leave the plant on which they are seated. For a considerable space along the Gennessee river, the shores of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and 174 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. even Lake Superior, I have always seen many of them in the latter part of summer. They have then a decided preference for the vicinity of water. It is an extremely hardy bird, and often remains the whole winter in the Middle Districts, although never in great numbers. When deprived of liberty, it will live to a great age in a room or cage. I have known two instances in which a bird of this species had been confined for up- wards of ten years. They were procured in the market of New York when in mature plumage, and had been caught in trap-cages. One of them having undergone the severe training, more frequently inflicted in Europe than America, and known in France by the name of galérien, would draw water for its drink from a glass, it having a little chain attached to a narrow belt of soft leather fastened round its body, and an- other equally light chain fastened to a little bucket, kept by its weight in the water, until the little fellow raised it up with its bill, placed a foot upon it, and pulled again at the chain until it reached the desired fluid and drank, when, on letting go, the bucket immediately fell into the glass below. In the same manner, it was obliged to draw towards its bill a lit- tle chariot filled with seeds ; and in this distressing occupation was doom- ed to toil through a life of solitary grief, separated from its companions, wantoning on the wildflowers, and procuring their food in the manner in which nature had taught them. After being caught in trap-cages, they feed as if quite contented; but if it has been in spring that they have lost their liberty, and they have thus been deprived of the pleasures anti- cipated from the previous connexion of a mate, they linger for a few days and die. It is more difficult to procure a mule brood between our species and the Canary, than between the latter and the European Goldfinch, al- though I have known many instances in which the attempt was made with complete success. ‘The young males do not appear in full plumage until the following spring. The old ones lose their beauty in winter, and assume the duller tints of the female. In fact, at that season, young and old of both sexes resemble each. other. There is a trait of sagacity in this bird and the Purple Finch (F'rin- gilla purpurea), which is quite remarkable, and worthy of the notice of such naturalists as are fond of contrasting instinct with reason. When a Goldfinch alights on a twig imbued with bird-lime expressly for the pur- pose of securing it, it no sooner discovers the nature of the treacherous substance, than it throws itself backwards, with closed wings, and hangs AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 175 in this position until the bird-lime has run out in the form of a slender thread considerably below the twig, when feeling a certain degree of se- curity, it beats its wings and flies off, with a resolution, doubtless, never to alight in such a place again; as I have observed Goldfinches that had escaped from me in this manner, when about to alight on any twig, whe- ther smeared with bird-lime or not, flutter over it, as if to assure them- selves of its being safe for them to perch upon it. Frineityia TRist1s, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 320.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 62. —Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 111. AmeERican GOLDFINCH, FRINGILLA TRISTIS, Lath. Synops. vol. iii. p. 288.— Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 20. Pl. 1. fig. 2. Adult Male in Summer.—Ch. Bonaparte, Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 57. Pl. 6. fig. 4. Female. Adult Male in spring. Plate XX XIII. Fig. 1. Bill rather short, conical, very acute; upper mandible a little broader than the lower, very slightly declinate at the tip, rounded on the sides, as is the lower, which has the edges inflected and acute ; the gap line straight, not extending to beneath the eye. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by the feathers. Head rather large. Neck short. Body pretty full. Legs of moderate length, slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly with a few longish scutella; toes scutellate above, free, the la- teral ones nearly equal; claws very slender, much compressed, acute, and slightly arched, that of the hind toe not much larger. Plumage soft and blended. Wings of ordinary length, the third and fourth quills longest, the second nearly as long. Tail of ordinary length, forked, the lateral feathers curved outwards a little towards the tip. Bill and feet yellowish-brown. Iris dark brown. The general colour of the plumage is a rich lemon-yellow, fading posteriorly into yellowish- white. Fore and upper part of the head, wings, and tail, black; quills externally margined, and the large coverts tipped, with yellowish-white ; inner webs of the tail white. Length 42 inches, extent of wings 8; bill along the ridge 1, along the gap 79. Adult Female in spring. Plate XX XIII. Fig. 2. The female wants the black spot on the head, and in her the fine yel- low of the male is changed into brownish-olive, fading posteriorly into yel- 176 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. lowish-grey, the fore neck and breast greyish-yellow. The band formed by the tips of the large wing-coverts is dull white. Length and other dimensions nearly as in the male. THE Common THISTLE. CnIcus LANCEOLATUS, Wild. Sp. Pl. vol. iii. p. 1666. Pursh, Flora Amer. vol. ii. p- 506. Smith, Engl. Bot. vol. iii.p. 388.—SynGENEsIA PoLyGaMIA £QUALIS, Linn. CrNaROCEPHALA, Juss. This well known species of Thistle, common in the temperate and cold- er parts of both continents, it is unnecessary to describe. @ 1770) THE WORM-EATING WARBLER. SYLVIA VERMIVORA, LaTH. PLATE XXXIV. Mate anp FEMALE. THE nest of this active little bird is formed of singular materials, being composed externally of dried mosses and the green blossoms of Hickories and Chestnut-trees, while the interior is prettily lined with fine fibrous roots, the whole apparently rather small for the size of the occu- pants. About the middle of May the female lays four or five eggs, which are cream-coloured, with a few dark red spots near the larger end, leaving a circular unspotted part at the extremity. The nest is usu- ally placed between two small twigs of a bush, not more than eight or nine feet from the ground, and sometimes only four or five. The flight of the Worm-eating Warbler resembles that of the Created Titmouse, being of short duration, and accompanied with the same rust- ling noise, which is occasioned by the rather concave formation of their wings. ; It merely passes through Louisiana in spring, appearing there as early as the beginning of April, and extends its migrations to the borders of Lake Erie, where I shot several in autumn. It is probable that it pro- ceeds farther north. It returns through Louisiana about the end-of Oc- tober, only remaining a few days on its passage. It is an inhabitant of the interior of the forests, and is seldom found on the borders of roads or in the fields. In spring they move in pairs, and, during their retrograde marches, in little groups, consisting each of a family, seven or eight in number; on which account I am inclined to believe that they raise only a single brood in the year. They are ever amongst the decayed branches of trees or other plants, such as are acci- dentally broken off by the wind, and are there seen searching for insects or caterpillars. They also resort to the ground, and turn ever the dried leaves in quest of the same kind of food. ‘They are unsuspecting, and will suffer a person to approach within a few paces. When disturbed, they fly off to some place where withered leaves are seen. They have only a few weak notes, which do not deserve the name of song. Their industry, however, atones for this defect, as they are seen continually M 178 WORM-EATING WARBLER. moving about, rustling among the leaves, and scarcely ever removing from one situation to another until after they have made a full inspection of the part in which they have been employed. This species reaches the Central Atlantic Districts in the middle of May, and breeds there, as well as farther northward. I have found them more numerous in the Jerseys than in any other portion of the Union. In Kentucky and Ohio I have seen only a few of them; nor have I ever found their nests in either of these States. The plant on which you see a pair of Worin-eating Warblers is well known throughout the United States by the name of Poke-berry. It grows in every situation, from the tops of the most ayid mountain-ridges to the lowest and richest valleys; and it is almost impossible to follow a fence for a hundred yards without seeing some of it. Its berries are food for numerous species of our birds, and produce a beautiful dark crimson juice, which is used instead of red ink by some of the coun- try people, although it does not retain its original colour for many days. This plant grows to the height of four or six feet, and is eaten when it first shoots from the ground as a substitute for asparagus, quan- tities of it being not unfrequently exposed in the markets. The juice of the berries is taken in cases of ague and continued fever, but requires to be used with judgment, as too large a doze proves deleterious. Sytv1a vERMIvorA, Lath. Ind, Ornith. vol. ii. p. 544.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 86. Worm-Eatine WarsLeEr, SyLvia VERMIVORA, Wils. Americ. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 74. vol, xxiv. fig. 4. Adult Male. Plate XXXIV. Fig. 1. Bill longish, nearly straight, rather strong, elongated-conical, as deep as broad at the base, with sharp, nearly straight edges. Nostrils basal, oval, half concealed by the feathers. Head rather large, neck short. Body short and full. Feet of ordinary length, rather slender; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella, acute behind, longer than the middle toe; toes scutellate above, free; claws arched, slender, compressed, acute. Plumage blended, soft and tufty. Wings of ordinary length, con- siderably curved, the second quill longest, the first little shorter. Tail rather short, a little rounded, of twelve rather narrow, obtuse feathers. WORM-EATING WARBLER. 179 Bill blackish-brown above, greenish-grey beneath. Iris hazel. Feet flesh-colour. General colour of the upper parts deep green, tinged with brown. Head and lower parts light brownish-yellow, the former with four longitudinal black bands, of which one on each side proceeds from the middle of the upper mandible, the other from the inferior angle of its base. The lower part of the neck anteriorly, and the fore part of the breast are more yellow than the rest of the under parts; the abdomen and under tail-coverts nearly white. Length 53 inches, extent of wings 8}; bill along the ridge 7, along the gap ?; tarsus j, middle toe 3. Adult Female. Plate XXXIV. Fig. 2. The female hardly differs from the male in external appearance. THe AMERICAN POKE-WEED. . PoytTonacca DEcANDRA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol.i. p.322. Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 324. —Decanpria Decacynia, Linn. ATRIPLICES, Juss. This species is distinguished by its elliptico-lanceolate leaves, and de- candrous flowers, the other species differing in the number of stamina and one of them being dicecious. The berries, which are nearly globu- lar, are disposed in an elongated, pendulous raceme, and are of a purplish- black colour. The flowers are white, their peduncles, partial and gene- ral, of a bright carmine-purple colour. € 180 ) CHILDREN’S WARBLER. SYLVIA CHILDRENII. PLATE XXXV. Mate ann FEMALE. Tuts little bird so much resembles the young of that called, I know not why, the Blue-eyed Yellow Warbler, that I was at first inclined to think it the same; but, recollecting that the latter acquires the full co- louring of its plumage, in both sexes, before the return of spring, and finding some material differences in their habits, I have not hesitated in presenting it to you, kind reader, not only as a new species, but as one extremely rare in the United States. I shot two of these birds in May 1821, near the town of Jackson, in the State of Louisiana. They were sitting amongst the stalks of the plant, on which they are represented. Their wings were constantly drooping by the sides of their body, their tail spread out like a fan, and they uttered a low tweet note, which was very soft and sweet. They now and then chased small insects on the wing, but more commonly searched for them amongst the leaves and blossoms of the plants on which they were, After a few minutes, I discovered their nest, which contained five - young ones nearly fledged. It was attached by the sides to two twigs of the plant, and was formed of the dried bark of the same plant, mixed -with skins of caterpillars and some silky substances. The lining consist- ed of goat’s or deer hair, I think the former, as there were some tame goats in an adjoining pasture. I shot both the parents, and took the young under my care, but they would not receive any food, and died to- wards the end of the second day after their removal. I have never seen another of these birds since. The scarcity of this species in the United States putting me in mind of that of true friendship among men, I have named it after my most es- teemed friend, J. G. Cu1npren, Esq. of the British Museum, as a tri- bute of sincere gratitude for the unremitted kindness which he has shewn me. The plant is known by the name of the Wild Spanish Coffee. It grows very abundantly in almost every field in the Uplands of Lower Louisiana. The smell of its flowers, as well as of its leaves, is extremely disagreeable, if not nauseous. CHILDREN’S WARBLER. 181 CHILDREN’s WARBLER, SYLVIA CHILDRENII. Adult Male. Plate XXXV. Fig. 1. Bill longish, straight, subulato-conical, acute, the edges sharp, the gap line slightly deflected at the base. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half closed by a membrane. Head and neck of ordinary size. Body ra- ther slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly by a few scutella, the uppermost long ; toes scutellate above, free, the hind toe of moderate size; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. Plumage soft, blended, tufty. Wings of ordinary length, acute, the first quill longest. Tail shortish, when closed nearly even. A few short bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Bill brown, lighter beneath. Iris dark brown. Feet flesh-coloured. The general colour of the upper parts is yellowish-green, tinged with brown. Forehead, sides of the head, supra-ocular region, and under parts generally deep yellow. Quills dusky on the inner webs. Tail feathers dusky on the outer webs, yellow on the inner, excepting the two middle, which are dusky. Length 43 inches, extent of wings 7}; bill along the ridge ;4, along Adult Female. Plate XX XV. Fig. 2. The female is considerably smaller. The distribution of its colour- ing is the same, but the tints are much lighter, the upper parts being pale yellowish-green tinged with grey ; the sides of the head, supra-ocular and frontal spaces pale yellowish-grey, and the under parts of a tint ap- proaching to lemon-yellow. Tue WILD SPANISH COFFEE. Cassra occiDENTALIS, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 518. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. p- 305.—Dercanpria Monoeyntia, Linn. LEeGuMINOS#, Juss. This species is distinguished by its ovato-lanceolate, quinquejugate leaves, scabrous at the margin, the outer larger ; its many-flowered axil- lar and somewhat panicled peduncles; and its linear, falciform legumes. It flowers through the summer, and grows chiefly in old fields, in the Southern States. ( 182 ) MEADVILLE. Tue incidents that occur in the life of a student of nature, are not all of the agreeable kind, in proof of which, I shall present you, good reader, with an extract from one of my journals. My money was one day stolen from me by a person, who perhaps imagined that to a naturalist it was of little importance, This happened on the shores of Upper Canada. The affair was as unexpected as it well could be, and as adroitly managed as if it had been planned and executed in Cheapside. To have repined when the thing could not be helped, would certes not have been acting manfully. I therefore told my companion to keep a good heart, for I felt satisfied that Providence had some re- lief in store for us. ‘The whole amount of cash left with two individuals fifteen hundred miles from home, was just seven dollars and a-half. Our passage across the lake had fortunately been paid for. We embarked and soon got to the entrance of Presque Isle Harbour, but could not pass the bar, on account of a violent gale which came on as we approached it. The anchor was dropped, and we remained on board during the night, feeling at times very disagreeable, under the idea of having taken so little care of our money. How long we might have remained at anchor I cannot tell, had not that Providence, on whom I have never ceased to rely, come to our aid. Through some means to me quite un- known, Captain Jupp of the United States Navy, then probably com- mandant at Presque Isle, sent a gig with six men to our relief. It was on the 29th of August 1824, and never shall I forget that morning. My drawings were put into the boat with the greatest care. We shifted into it, and seated ourselves according to directions politely given us. Our brave fellows pulled hard, and every moment brought us nearer to the American shore. I leaped upon it with elated heart. My drawings were safely landed, and for any thing else I cared little at the moment. I searched in vain for the officer of our navy, to whom I still feel grate- ful, and gave one of our dollars to the sailors to drink the “ freedom of the waters ;” after which we betook ourselves to a humble inn to procure bread and milk, and consider how we were to proceed. Our plans were soon settled, for to proceed was decidedly the best, Our luggage was rather heavy, so we hired a cart to take it to Mead- ville, for which we offered five dollars. This sum was accepted, and we MEADVILLE. 183 set off. The country through which we passed might have proved fa- vourable to our pursuits, had it not rained nearly the whole day. At night we alighted and put up at a house belonging to our conductor’s father. It was Sunday night. The good folks had not yet returned from a distant meeting-house, the grandmother of our driver being the only individual about the premises. We found her a cheerful dame, who bestirred herself as actively as age would permit, got up a blazing fire to dry our wet cloths, and put as much bread and milk on the table as might have sufficed for several besides ourselves. Being fatigued by the jolting of the cart, we asked for a place in which to rest, and were shewn into a room in which were several beds. We told the good woman that I should paint her portrait next morning for the sake of her children. My companion and myself were soon in bed, and soon asleep, in which state we should probably have remained till morning, had we not been awakened by a light, which we found to be carried by three young damsels, who having observed where we lay, blew it out, and got into a bed opposite ours. As we had not spoken, it is probable the girls supposed us sound asleep, and we heard them say how delighted they would be to have their portraits taken, as well as that of their grandmother. My heart silently met their desire, and we fell asleep, without farther disturbance. In our back woods it is fre- quently the case that one room suffices for all the sleepers of a family. Day dawned, and as we were dressing we discovered that we were alone in the apartment, the good country girls having dressed in silence and left us before we had awakened. We joined the family and were kindly greeted. No sooner had I made known my intentions as to the portraits, than the young folks disappeared and soon after returned at- tired in their Sunday clothes. The black chalk was at work in a few minutes, to their great delight, and as the fumes of the breakfast that was meantime preparing reached my sensitive nose, I worked with re- doubled ardour. The sketches were soon finished, and soon too was the breakfast over. I played a few airs on my flageolet, while our guide was putting the horses to the cart, and by ten o’clock we were once more un- der way towards Meadville. Never shall I forget Maxon Ranvetu and his hospitable family. My companion was as pleased as myself, and as the weather was now beautiful, we enjoyed our journey with all that hap- py thoughtlessness best suited to our character. ‘The country now be- came covered with heavy timber, principally evergreens, the Pines and 184 ‘MEADVILLE. - the Cucumber trees loaded with brilliant fruits, and the Spruces throwing a shade over the land in good keeping for a mellow picture. The late- ness of the crops was the only disagreeable circumstance that struck us ; hay was yet standing, probably, however, a second crop; the peaches were quite small and green, and a few persons here and there, as we pas- sed the different farms, were reaping oats. At length we came in sight of French Creek, and soon after reached Meadville. Here we paid the five dollars promised to our conductor, who instantly faced about, and applying the whip to his nags, bade us adieu, and set off. We had now only a hundred and fifty cents. No time was to be lost. We put our baggage and ourselves under the roof of a tavern-keeper known by the name of J. E. Surru, at the sign of the T'raveller’s Rest, and soon after took a walk to survey the little village that was to be laid un- der contribution for our further support. Its appearance was rather dull; but, thanks to Gop, I have never despaired while rambling thus for the sole purpose of admiring his grand and beautiful works. I had opened the case that contained my drawings, and putting my portfolio under my arm, and a few good credentials in my pocket, walked up Main Street, looking to the right and left, examining the different heads which occurred, until I fixed my eyes on a gentleman in a store who looked as if he might want a sketch. I begged him to allow me to sit down. This granted, I remained purposely silent until he very soon asked me what was “ in that portfolio.” These three words sounded well, and without waiting another instant, I opened it to his view. This was a Hollander, who complimented me much on the execution of the ‘drawings of birds and flowers in my portfolio. Shewing him a sketch of the best friend I have in the world at present, I asked him if he would like one in the same style of himself. He not only answered in the af- firmative, but assured me that he would exert himself in procuring as many more customers as he could. I thanked him, be assured, kind reader ; and having fixed upon the next morning for drawing the sketch, I returned to the Traveller's Rest, with a hope that to-morrow might prove propitious. Supper was ready, and asin America we have gene- rally but one sort of Table Whéte, we sat down, when, every individual | looking upon me as a Missionary priest, on account of my hair, which in those days flowed loosely on my shoulders, I was asked to say grace, which I did with a fervent spirit. Daylight returned, I visited the groves and woods around, with my MEADVILLE. 185 companion, returned, breakfasted, and went to the store, where, notwith- standing my ardent desire to begin my task, it was ten o'clock before the sitter was ready. But, reader, allow me to describe the artists room. See me ascending a crazy flight of steps, from the back part of a store-room into a large garret extending over the store and counting room, and mark me looking round to see how the light could be stopped from ob- truding on me through no less than four windows facing each other at right angles. Then follow me scrutinizing the corners, and finding in one a cat nursing her young, among a heap of rags intended for the paper-mill. 'T'wo hogsheads filled with oats, a parcel of Dutch toys care- lessly thrown on the floor, a large drum and a bassoon in another part, fur caps hanging along the wall, and the portable bed of the merchant’s clerk swinging like a hammock near the centre, together with some rolls of sole leather, made up the picture. TI saw all this at a glance, and closing the extra windows with blankets, I soon procured a painter's hight. A young gentleman sat, to try my skill. I finished his phiz, which was approved of. The merchant then took the chair, and I had the good fortune to please him also. The room became crowded with the gentry of the village. Some laughed, while others expressed their wonder ; but my work went on notwithstanding the observations that were made. My sitter invited me to spend the evening with him, which I did, and joined him in some music on the flute and violin. I returned to my companion with great pleasure; and you may judge how much that pleasure was in- creased, when I found that he also had made two sketches. Having written a page or two of our journals, we retired to rest. The following day was spent much in the same manner. I felt high- ly gratified that from under my grey coat my talents had made their way and I was pleased to discover that industry and moderate abilities prove at least as valuable as first-rate talents without the former of these qua- lities. We left Meadville on foot, having forwarded our baggage by waggon. Our hearts were light, our pockets replenished, and we walked in two days to Pittsburg, as happy as circumstances permitted us to be. THE STANLEY HAWK. Fatco STANLEL. PLATE XXXVI. Mateanp FEMALE. Brrore entering upon the description of this interesting species, al- low me to submit to your consideration a few observations respecting the flight of the different species of Hawks, which I have had occasion to exa- mine both in America and in Europe. All such species as are usually referred to the subgenus Astur, or are most nearly allied to it, and which consequently have shorter wings, as well as longer tails, than the true Falcons, sail less frequently and less continuously in circles, and embrace a smaller space in their gyrations, than the latter birds. Their general flight is low, sometimes only a few feet above the ground, and their velocity surpasses that of the true Fal- cons on such occasions. 'Their body is more compressed and elongated, and appears to be propelled through the air chiefly by the action of their long tail. None of these birds ever glide down on their prey from a great height, with closed wings, and the rustling noise produced by Eagles or other nobler tribes of the genus. The types of this group I would con- sider to be the Goshawk (Falco palumbarius) and the Stanley Hawk. For the type of the True Falcons, no species could answer better than the Great-footed Hawk (Falco peregrinus). A distinct and intermediate kind of flight belongs to such Hawks as have both a long tail and long wings. These species are able to dive through the air, either when in pursuit of their prey, or for amusement or exercise, although with less firmness of action than the True Falcons ; and they fly over the earth with less velocity than the Asturs, their motions ‘ then consisting of easy flappings, or loose protracted sailings. 'The Hen- harrier (Falco cyaneus), the Forked-tailed Hawk (Falco furcatus), and the White-tailed Hawk (Falco dispar), are of this tribe. It may be remarked here, that most species of Shrikes bear a great re- semblance in their flight to the Asturs. But, let us return to the Stan- ley Hawk. On the 5th of December 1809, I made a drawing of the male of this species, in its matured state of colouring, at Louisville, in Kentucky, STANLEY HAWK. 187 where I then resided. That drawing is now before me, and the bird which it represents is to this day undescribed. The figure would have been en- graved and presented to your consideration, kind reader, had it not been as stiff, and as little indicative of life, as those usually seen in books on Natural History. The expectation of being able to procure another in- dividual in precisely the same state of plumage, has, together with the above circumstance, induced me to content myself, for the present, with offering to your inspection a male, probably two years old, and an adult female. I have killed many of the latter in the course of my rambles, but I had not the good fortune to obtain an old male, although I have seen several on wing, and once wounded one whilst perched near its nest. In this article, I shall give you a full description of the three different figures, as they shew considerable diversity, especially in the colour of the eyes, the adult bird having the iris of a reddish-orange tint, while the young bird has it of a bright yellow. But as I am desirous of adhering to my plan, I shall speak of its habits before I trouble you with its de- scription, remarking in the mean time, that I have honoured the species with the name of the President of the Linnean Society of London, the Right Honourable Lord Stantxy, a nobleman whose continued kindness to me I am happy in acknowledging. The flight of the Stanley Hawk is rapid, protracted, and even. It is performed at a short height above the ground or through the forest. It passes along in a silent gliding manner, with a swiftness even superior to that of the Wild Pigeon (Columba migratoria), seldom deviating from a straight-forward course, unless to seize and secure its prey. Now and then, but seldom unless after being shot at, it mounts in the air in circles, of which it describes five or six in a hurried manner, and again plunging downwards, continues its journey as before. The daring exploits performed by the Stanley Hawk, which have tak. en place in my presence, are very numerous, and I shall relate one or two of them. ‘This marauder frequently attacks birds far superior to itself in weight, and sometimes possessed of courage equal to its own. As I was one morning observing the motions of some Parakeets near Bayou Sara, in the State of Louisiana, in the month of November, I heard a Cock crow- ing not far from me, and in sight of a farm-house. The Stanley Hawk the next moment flew past me, and so close that I might have touched it with the barrel of my gun, had I been prepared. Its wings struck with extraordinary rapidity, and its tail appeared as if closed. Not more than a few seconds elapsed before I heard the cackling of the Hens, and the 188 STANLEY HAWK. war-cry of the Cock, and at the same time observed the Hawk rising, as if without effort, a few yards in the air, and again falling towards the ground with the rapidity of lightning. I proceeded to the spot, and found the Hawk grappled to the body of the Cock, both tumbling over and over, and paying no attention to me asI approached. Desirous of seeing the result, I remained still, until perceiving that the Hawk had given a fatal squeeze to the brave Cock, I ran to secure the former ; but the marauder had kept a hawk’s eye upon me, and, disengaging himself, rose in the air in full confidence. The next moment I pulled a trigger, and he fell dead to the ground. It proved a young male, such as you see, kind reader, repre- sented in the Plate, pursuing a lovely Blue-bird nearly exhausted. The Cock was also dead ; its breast was torn, and its neck pierced in several places by the sharp claws of the Hawk. Some years afterwards, not far from the amed Falls of Niagara, in the month of June, one of these Hawks, which on being examined proved to be a female, attacked a brood of young chickens, yet under the care of their mother. It had just struck one of the chickens, and was on the eve of carrying it off in its claws, when the hen, having perceived the murderous deed, flew against the Hawk with such force as to throw it fairly on its back, when the intrepid mother so effectively assailed the mis- creant with feet and bill, as to enable me, on running up, to secure the latter. This species frequently kills and eats the bird commonly called the Pheasant (J'etrao Umbellus). _ Partridges and young hares are also fa- vourite dainties. It also follows the Wild Pigeons in their migrations, and always causes fear and confusion in their ranks, It breeds in the mountainous districts of the Middle and Northern States, to which it returns early in spring from the Southern States, where it spends the winter in considerable numbers, and is known by the name of the Great Pigeon Hawk. So rapidly must they travel from one extre- mity of the country to another, to reach the places to which they resort for the purpose of breeding, that I have seen them copulate in Louisiana, where they never breed, in the month of February, and have found their nest with eggs in which the chick was far advanced, in the State of Connecti- cut, on the 20th of April. The nest is usually placed in the forks of the branch of an Oak-tree towards its extremity. In its general appearance it resembles that of the Common Crow, for which I have several times mistaken it. It is com: posed externally of numerous crooked sticks, and has a slight lining of grasses and a few feathers. ‘The eggs are three or four, almost globular, STANLEY HAWK. 189 large for the size of the bird, of a dullish-white colour, strongly granulat- ed, and consequently rough to the touch. It was on discovering one of these nests that I wounded the second adult male which I have seen, but which never returned.to its nest, on which I afterwards shot the female re- presented in the Plate, in the act of pouncing. I have several times found other nests of birds of this species, but the owners were not in full plumage, and their eyes had not obtained the rich orange colouring of the adult birds. Those which I have observed near the Falls of Niagara were generally engaged in pursuing Red-winged Starlings, over the marshes of the neigh- bourhood. When this Hawk is angry, it raises the feathers of the upper part of the head, so as to make them appear partially tufted. The cry at this time may be represented by the syllable kee, kee, kee, repeated eight or ten times in rapid succession, and much resembling that of the Pigeon Hawk (Falco columbarius) or the European Kestril. ‘The young of this.species bear no resemblance to those of the Goshawk, of which a figure will be given in the same Plate with the adult of the Stanley Hawk, SranLey Hawk, Fatco STANLEII. Adult Male. Bill short, robust, cerate; upper mandible with the dorsal. outline curved from the base, the back rounded, the sides sloping at the base, convex toward the end, the margin sharp, overlapping, having an obtuse lobe, the tip trigonal, very acute, and curved downwards ; lower mandi- ble broadly rounded on the back, convex on the sides, acute in the edges, somewhat abrupt at the end. Nostrils oval, oblique, in the fore-part of the cere. Head rather large, fat above ; eyebrow acute and projecting. Neck strong. Body rather elongated. Legs long ; tarsi rather long, and with the toes somewhat slender, the former scutellate anteriorly, the latter scutellate above, papillar and tuberculate beneath; claws long, curved, roundish, rather slender, and extremely acute. Plumage compact, imbricated, glossy. Space between the beak and eye sparsely covered with bristly feathers. Tibial feathers rather com- pact, and not much elongated. Wings long: fifth quill longest, sixth and fourth nearly equal, first very short. Tail long, straight, a little rounded, of twelve rather broad feathers. Bill light blue at the base, black at the tip. Cere greenish-yellow. Iris reddish-orange. -'Tarsus and toes bright yellow ; claws brownish- 190 STANLEY HAWK. black. The general colour of the upper parts is dark greyish-brown. Quills barred with brownish-black. Tail with four bars of brownish- black, the terminal one broader ; the tips of all the feathers white. The general colour of the lower parts is brownish-white. Sides of the head and the throat longitudinally lined with dark brown; fore-neck and breast marked with arrow-shaped spots of brownish-red, the shafts black- ish. Legs similarly marked, the spots smaller, and transversely elon- gated. Abdomen and under tail-coverts nearly free of spots. Length 20 inches, extent of wings 36; beak along the back 13, along the gap from the tip of the lower mandible 11; tarsus 23, middle toe 23. Wings 43 inches shorter than the tail. Adult Female. Plate XXXVI. Fig. 2. Bill brownish-black above; the base of the upper mandible, and the greater part of the lower, light blue. Cere greenish. Iris yellow. Feet greenish-yellow ; claws brownish-black. Head and neck brownish-white, each feather with a large reddish-brown spot near the end. General colour of the upper parts chocolate-brown; quills and tail wood-brown, barred as in the male. Under parts brownish-white. Throat and sides of the head marked as in the male; breast with guttiform spots of deep browm; legs with smaller, somewhat arrow-shaped spots of reddish- brown. Abdomen and under tail-coverts whitish. Length 21} inches, extent of wings 88; bill along the back 13, along the gap 1}; tarsus 3, middle toe 23. Wings 5 inches shorter than the tail. Young Male. Plate XXXVI. Fig. 1. Bill and feet coloured nearly as in the adult. Iris yellow, as in the female. The general colour of the upper parts is dark umber ; several of the scapulars, wing-coverts and upper tail-coverts with a large spot of white. Quills and. tail-feathers barred as in the adult, the last bar on the tail much narrower. Under parts light reddish-brown. Sides of the head, and the neck longitudinally streaked with deep brown ; the mark- ings on the breast and legs also longitudinal. Length 19$, extent of wings 34; beak 145; wings 54 inches shorter than the tail. The bird represented as about to be seized by the male is the Blue- bird, Sazicola Sialis of Bonaparte, Sylvia Sialis of other authors. ( 191) THE GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. Picus AURATUS, LINN. PLATE XXXVII. Mater anp FEMALE. Ir is generally agreeable to be in the company of individuals who are naturally animated and pleasant. For this reason, nothing can be more gratifying than the society of Woodpeckers in the forests. To prove this to you, kind reader, I shall give you a full account of the habits of the Golden-winged Woodpecker. This species, which is usually called Pique-bois jaune by the French settlers in Louisiana, and receives the name of High-holder, Yucker, and Flicker in other parts of the Union, being seldom or never graced with the epithet Golden-winged, employed by naturalists, is one of the most lively of our birds, and is found over the whole of the United States. No sooner has spring called them to the pleasant duty of making love, as it is called, than their voice, which, by the way, is not at all dis- agreeable to the ear of man, is heard from the tops of high decayed trees, proclaiming with delight the opening of the welcome season. Their note at this period is merriment itself, as it imitates a prolonged and jo- vial laugh, heard at a considerable distance. Several males pursue a female, reach her, and, to prove the force and truth of their love, bow their heads, spread their tail, and move sidewise, backwards and for- wards, performing such antics, as might induce any one witnessing them, if not of a most morose temper, to join his laugh to theirs. The female flies to another tree, where she is closely followed by one, two, or even half a dozen of these gay suitors, and where again the same ceremonies are gone through. No fightings occur, no jealousies seem to exist among these beaux, until a marked preference is shewn to some individual, when the rejected proceed in search of another female. In this manner all the Golden-winged Woodpeckers are soon happily mated,, Each pair imme- diately proceed to excavate the trunk of a tree, and finish a hole in it sufficient to contain themselves and their young. They both work with great industry and apparent pleasure. Should the male, for instance, be employed, the female is close to him, and congratulates him on the re- moval of every chip which his bill sends through the air. While he rests, 192 GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. he appears to be speaking to her on the most tender subjects, and when fatigued, is at once assisted by her. In this manner, by the alternate exertions of each, the hole is dug and finished. They caress each other on the branches, climb about and around the tree with apparent delight, rattle with their bill against the tops of the dead branches, chase all their cousins the Red-heads, defy the Purple Grakles to enter their nest, feed plentifully on ants, beetles and- larvee, cackling at intervals, and ere two weeks have elapsed, the female lays either four or six eggs, the whiteness and transparency of which are doubtless the delight of her heart. If to raise a numerous progeny may contribute to happiness, these Wood- peckers are in this respect happy enough, for they have two broods each season ; and as this might induce you to imagine Woodpeckers extremely abundant in America, I may at once tell you that they are so. _ Even in confinement, the Golden-winged Woodpecker never suffers its naturally lively spirit to droop. It feeds well, and by way of amuse- ment, will continue to destroy as much furniture in a day as can well be mended by a different kind of workman in two. Therefore, kind reader, do not any longer believe that Woodpeckers, I mean those of America, are such stupid, forlorn, dejected and unprovided for beings, as they have hitherto been represented. In fact, I know not one of the seventeen species found in our extensive woods, that does not exhibit quite as much mirth and gaiety as the present bird. They are serviceable birds in many points of view, and therefore are seldom shot at, unless by idlers, their flesh, moreover, not being very savoury. ‘They have ample range, and wherever they alight, there is to be found the food to which they at all times give decided preference. The flight of this species is strong and prolonged, being performed in a straighter manner than that of any other of our Woodpeckers. They propel themselves by numerous beats of the wings, with short intervals of sailing, during which they scarcely fall from the horizontal. Their migrations, although partial, as many remain even in the middle districts during the severest winters, are performed under night, as is known by their note and the whistling of their wings, which are heard from the ground, although by no means so distinctly as when they fly from a tree or from the earth, when suddenly alarmed. When passing from one tree to ano- ther on wing, they also fly in a straight line, until within a few yards of the spot on which they intend to alight, when they suddenly raise them- selves a few feet, and fasten themselves to the bark of the trunk by their } GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. 193 claws and tail. If they intend to settle on a branch, which they as fre- quently do, they do not previously rise ; but in either case, no sooner has the bird alighted, if it be not pursued or have suspicions of any object about it, than it immediately nods its head, and utters its well-known note, “ Flicker.” It easily moves sidewise on a small branch, keeping itself as erect as other birds usually do; but with equal ease does it climb by leaps along the trunk of trees or. their branches, descend, and move sidewise or spirally, keeping at all times its head upwards, and its tail pressed against the bark as a support. On the ground, where itfrequently alights, ithops with great ease. This, however, it does merely to pick up a beetle, a caterpillar, a grain of corn dropt by a squirrel from the ear in the fields, or to enable it to examine the dead roots of trees, or the side of a prostrate log, from which it pro- cures ants and other small insects. It is also fond of various fruits and berries. Apples, grapes, persimons and dogwood berries seem quite agreeable to it, and it does not neglect the young corn of the farmer’s field. Fven poke-berries or huckle-berries answer its purpose at times, and during winter it is a frequenter of the corn-cribs. In this species, as in a few others, there is a singular arrangement in the colouring of the feathers of the upper part of the head, which I con- ceive it necessary for me to state, that it may enable persons better quali- fied than myself to decide as to the reasons of such arrangement. The young of this species frequently have the whole upper part of the head tinged with red, which at the approach of winter disappears, when mere- ly a circular line of that colour is to be observed on the hind part, be- coming of a rich silky vermilion tint. The Hairy, Downy and Red- cockaded Woodpeckers are subject to the same extraordinary changes, which, as far as I know, never reappear at any future period of their lives. I was at first of opinion that this change appeared only on the head of the male birds, but on dissection I found it equally affect- ing both sexes. I am induced to believe, that, in consequence of this, many young Woodpeckers of different species have been described and figured as forming distinct species themselves. I have shot dozens of young Woodpeckers in this peculiar state of plumage, which, on being shewn to other persons, were thought by them to be of different species from what the birds actually were. This occurrence is the more worthy of notice, as it is exhibited on all the species of this genus on the heads of which, when in full plumage, a very narrow line exists. N 194 GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. Raccoons and Black Snakes are dangerous enemies to this bird. The former frequently put one of their fore legs into the hole where it has nestled or retired to rest, and if the hole be not too deep, draw out ‘the eggs and suck them, ‘and frequently by the same means secure the bird itself. The Black Snake contents itself with the eggs or young. Seve- ral species of Hawks attack them on the wing, and as the Woodpeckers generally escape by making for a hole in the nearest tree, it is pleasing to see the disappointment of the Hawk, when, as it has just been on the point of seizing the terrified bird, the latter dives, as it were, into the hole. Should the Woodpecker not know of a hole near enough to afford it se- curity, it alights on a trunk, and moves round it with such celerity as frequently to enable it to elude its pursuer. Their flesh is esteemed good by many of the sportsmen of the Middle Districts, and is frequently eaten. Some are now and then exposed in the markets of New York and Philadelphia ; but I look upon the flesh as very disagreeable, it having a strong flavour of ants. The neck of this species is larger than that of any other with which I am acquainted, and consequently the skin of this bird is more easily pulled over the head, which it is difficult to ‘do in the other species, on account of the slenderness of their neck, and the great size of the head. Picus auratus, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 174.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 242.— Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 44. GoLp-wIncED WooprEckERr Lath. Synops. vol. ii. p. 597.—Wils. Americ. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 45. Pl. iii. fig. 1. Male. Adult Male. Plate XX XVII. Fig.1, 1, 1. Bill slightly arched, strong, nearly as long as the head, compressed at the tip, which is a little abrupt; upper mandible convex on the sides, with acute, overlapping edges ; lower mandible with acute, inflected edges, the dorsal outline nearly straight, a little convex towards the end. Nos- trils basal, lateral, oval, partly covered by recumbent feathers. Head of ordinary size. Neck shortish. Body ovate. Feet short, rather robust ; tarsus scutellate before, compressed ; two toes before, and two behind, scutellate above; claws compressed, arched, acute. ~ Plumage rather compact and imbricated, blended on the head and neck. Wings longish, the third and fourth quills longest, the second much shorter, the first very small. Tail of ordinary length, rounded, consisting of ten GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. 195 broad feathers, worn to an elongated tip by being rubbed against the bark of trees. . Bill brown:above and at the tip, light blue beneath. Iris light brown. Feet greyish-blue. Upper part of the head and hind neck light purplish- grey ; a transverse band of scarlet on the lower part of the occiput. Up- per parts generally light greenish-brown, spotted with black; the lower back white, the tail-coverts of the same colour, spotted with black. Pri- ‘maries brownish-black, their shafts, as are those of all the large feathers, orange. Tail brownish-black. Sides of the head and fore neck light brownish-red, tinged with grey. A black streak along each side of the throat, and a lunated patch of the same across the fore part of the breast. The rest of the breast reddish-white, spotted with black, as are the lighter coloured abdomen and under tail-coverts. Under surface of the wings and tail of a fine rich yellow. Length 124 inches, extent of wings 16; bill along the ridge 14, along the gap 13; tarsus 13, middle toe 1}. Adult Female. Plate XX XVII. Fig. 2, 2. The female differs chiefly in wanting the black streaks on the throat, in having the lunulated spot on the breast smaller, and in being some- what duller in the tints of the plumage generally. Dimensions nearly the same. ( 196) THE KENTUCKY WARBLER. SYLVIA FORMOSA, WILs. PLATE XXXVIII. Mate ann FEMALE. Tuts beautiful species is the most common and abundant that visits the State of Louisiana and those situated on the borders of the Missis- sippi. In Kentucky it is much less common, and in the State of Ohio scarcer still. It is an extremely active and lively bird. It is found in all the low grounds and damp places near water-courses, and generally among the tall rank weeds and low bushes growing in rich alluvial soil. Continually in motion, it is seen hopping in every direction from stalk to stalk, or from one twig to another, preying upon insects and larvee, or picking small berries, seldom, however, pursuing insects on wing. Du- ring spring, its agreeable notes are heard in every quarter. They are emphatic, and resemble the words tweedle, tweedle, tweedle, distinctly re- peated. This little bird is seen at intervals of a few minutes on the skirts of the tall plants, peeping cunningly to discover whether any intruders may be near ; after which it immediately re-enters the thicket, and repeats its little ditty. I never saw this bird fly farther than a few yards at a time. Its flight is low, and performed in a quick gliding manner, the bird throwing itself into the nearest bush or thicket of tall grass. It arrives in the Southern States, from Mexico, about the middle of March, and remains with us until the middle of September, during which time it rears two broods. Its nest is small, beautifully constructed, and usually attached to several stems of rank weeds. The outer parts are formed of the bark of stalks of the same weeds in a withered state, mixed with a finer kind and some cottony substances. It is beautifully lined with the cottony or silky substance that falls from the Cotton-wood tree. The eggs are from four to six, of a pure white colour, finely sprinkled with bright red dots. This species destroys great numbers of spiders, which it frequently obtains by turning over the withered leaves on the ground. The young males do not attain the full beauty of their plumage until the first spring, and resemble the mother during their stay with us the first season KENTUCKY WARBLER. 197 Young and old associate together, and live in great harmony. I have not seen this species farther eastward than North Carolina. The branch on which two of these birds are represented, is that of the tree commonly called the White Cucumber, a species of Magnolia. It flowers as early in the season as the Dog-wood. The flowers open before the leaves are expanded, and emit an odour resembling that of a lemon, but soon becoming disagreeable, as the blossom fades. ‘This tree seldom grows to the height of thirty feet, and is consequently disregarded as a timber-tree. I have met with it only in the States of Mississippi and Louisiana, where it grows on the grounds preferred by the Kentucky Warbler during its stay in those States. Kentucky WaRBLER, SYLVIA FoRMOSA, Wiis. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 85. Pl.xxv. Fig. 3. Syivia rormosa, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 34. Adult Male. Plate XX XVIII. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, subulato-conical, acute, the edges acute, the gap line a little deflected at the base. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half closed by a membrane. Head and neck of ordinary size. Body rather full. Feet of ordinary length, slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly by a few scutella, the uppermost long ; toes scutellate above, the inner free, the hind toe of moderate size ; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. Plumage soft, blended, tufty. Wings of ordinary length, acute, the second quill longest. Tail of ordinary length, slightly forked when closed. Bill brownish-black above, lighter beneath. Iris hazel. Feet pale flesh-colour. The general colour of the plumage above is deep yellowish- green, the crown of the head, and a broad patch under the eye, includ- ing the lore, black. Under parts, and a broad streak over the eye, bright yellow, tinged with green on the sides, abdomen, and under tail-coverts. Wings and tail yellowish-green, the inner webs only being dusky. Some spots of bluish-grey on the occiput. Length 53 inches, extent of wings 8; bill along the ridge 3%, along the gap 7; tarsus 14, middle toe 4. Adult Female. Plate XX XVIII. Fig. 2. 198 KENTUCKY WARBLER. The female resembles the male, but wants the black band under the eye, and has the black of the head less extended backwards. The tints of the plumage generally are also lighter. Dimensions nearly the same. Macwnoria avuricuLata, Wild. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1268. Pursh. Flor. Amer. vol. ii: p- 482. Mich. Arbr. Forest. de Amer. Septentr. vol. iii. p. 94. Pl. 7._PoLyan- DRIA PotyeyntiA, Linn. MAGNoLia, Juss. This species, which is remarkable for the beauty of its foliage, is known in America by the names of White Cucumber Tree, Long-leaved Cucum- ber Tree, and Indian Physic. 'The latter name it has obtained from the circumstance of its bark being used in intermittent fevers. It is characte- rized by its rhomboido-oboval acute leaves, which are narrowed and two-lobed at the base; and its ovate acute petals. The flowers are greenish-white. (199 ) THE CRESTED TITMOUSE. Paruvus BicoLor, Linn. PLATE XXXIX. Mate anp FEMALE. Atruoveu this smart little bird breeds in the State of Louisiana and the adjacent districts, it is not there found in so great numbers as in the Middle States, and farther to the northward. It generally prefers the depth of the forests during summer, after which it approaches the plan- tations, and even resorts to the granaries for corn. Its flight is short, the bird being seldom seen on the wing long enough to cross a field of moderate extent. It is performed by repeated flaps of the wings, accompanied by jerks of the body and tail, and occa- sions a rustling noise, as it takes place from one tree to another. It moves along the branches, searches in the chinks, flies to the end of twigs and hangs to them by its feet, whilst the bill is engaged in detaching a beech or hazel nut, an acorn or a Chinquapin, upon all of which it feeds, removing them to a large branch, where, having secured them in a crevice, it holds them with both feet, and breaks the shell by repeated blows of its bill. They are to be seen thus employed for many minutes at atime. They move about in little companies formed of the parents and their young, eight or ten together, and escorted by the Nuthatch or the Downy Woodpecker. It is pleasing to listen to the sound produced by their labour, which in a calm day may be heard at the distance of twenty or thirty yards. If a nut or an acorn is accidentally dropped, the bird flies to the ground, picks it up, and again returns to a branch. They also alight on the ground or on dry leaves, to look for food, after the trees become bare, and hop about with great nimbleness, going to the margins of the brooks to drink, and when unable to do so, obtaining wa- ter by stooping from the extremity of a twig hanging over the stream. In fact, they appear to prefer this latter method, and are also fond of drinking the drops of rain or dew as they hang at the extremities of the leaves. Their notes are rather musical than otherwise, the usual one being loud and mellow. They do not use the éee-tee-tce of their relative the Black-capped Titmouse, half so often as the latter does, but emit a con- 200 CRESTED TITMOUSE. siderable variety of sounds, many of which, if the bird from which they come does not happen to be known to the listener, are apt to induce dis- appointment in him, when on going up he finds it to be very different from what he expected. These sounds sometimes resemble a whistle, at an- other time a loud murmur, and seem as if proceeding from a bird at a much greater distance. The crest of this species, which is generally erect, is a great improve- ment to its general appearance, the tints of the plumage being, as you perceive, kind reader, none of the most brilliant. 'The Crested Titmouse is of a rather vicious disposition, which sometimes prompts it to attack smaller birds, and destroy them by thumping their heads with its bill un- til it breaks the skull. This species sometimes forms a nest by digging a hole for the pur- pose in the hardest wood, with great industry and perseverance, although it is more frequently contented with the hole of the Downy Woodpecker, or some other small bird of that genus. It fills the hole with every kind of warm materials, after which the female deposits from six to eight eggs, of a pure white, with a few red spots at the larger end. The eggs are laid about the beginning of April in the Southern States, and nearly a month later in the Middle Districts. As soon as the young are able to leave the nest, they are seen following the parent birds, and continue with them until the next spring. I have met with this species in all parts of the United States which I have visited; and as my rambles have been extended over a very large portion of that country, I am surprised that I have not met with more than two species of 'Titmice, although I am of opinion that several others will yet be discovered. The species of Pine, on a twig of which you see a pair these birds, is the White Pine (Pinus Strobus), a tree of great beauty, of which indivi- duals have been observed of the enormous height of 180 feet, with a dia- meter at the base of from six to eight feet. The trunk is branchless for two-thirds of its height, and affords the most valuable wood perhaps of any tree in the United States. PaRUs BIcoLoR, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 544.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 567. —Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 100. CrestED Titmouse, Parus Bicotor, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 137, Pl. 8 figs 5. TovurEet Titmovse, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 544. CRESTED TiTMOUSE. 201 Adult Male. Plate XX XIX. Fig 1. Bill short, straight, rather robust, compressed, acute; both mandi- bles, with the dorsal outline arched, the upper slightly declinate at the tip. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by the recumbent feathers. Head large. Neck and body robust. Feet of ordinary length, rather robust ; tarsus compressed, anteriorly scutellate, a little longer than the middle toe; outer toe slightly united at the base, hind one much stronger ; claws rather large, much compressed, arched, acute. Plumage blended, tufty ; feathers of the upper part of the head elon- gated into a crest. Wings of moderate length, the second, third, and fourth quills nearly equal and longest. Tail long, even, of ten rather narrow, rounded feathers. Bill black. Iris dark brown. Feet lead-colour. The general co- lour of the upper parts is a dull leaden blue ; the forehead black ; sides of the head lighter, and tinged with brown. Under parts greyish-white, sides tinged with yellowish-brown. Length 6} inches, extent of wings 9; bill along the ridge 3, along the gap 4; tarsus +3, middle toe 5. Adult Female. Plate XX XIX. Fig. 2. The female hardly differs from the male in external appearance, be- ing equally crested, and having the same tints. Tue Waite Pine. Pinus Strosvs, Willd. Sp. Plant. vol. iv. p. 501. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 644. Mich. Arb. Forest. de l’Amer. Sept. vol. i. p. 104. PL x.—-Moncecra Mona- DELPHIA, Linn. CONIFER, Juss. This species, which is a true Pine, has the leaves very slender, five together, with very short sheaths, and is further characterized by its cy- lindrical, pendulous cones, which are longer than the leaves, and have their scales lax. It grows in rich soil, in all parts of the United States from Canada to Virginia, and affords the best timber for masts, as well as for other purposes. In Britain, where it has long been planted, it is generally known by the name of Weymouth Pine, or Lord Weymouth’s Pine, from the name of the nobleman who introduced it. ( 202 ) THE AMERICAN REDSTART. Muscicéra RUTICILLA, Linn. PLATE XL. Mate anp FEMALE. Tuts is one of the most lively, as well as one of the handsomest, of our Fly-catchers, and ornaments our woods during spring and summer, when it cannot fail to attract the attention of any person who may visit the in- terior of the shady forests. It is to be met with over the whole of the United States, where it arrives, according to the different localities, be- tween the beginning of March and the 1st of May. It takes its depart- ure, on its way southward,®late in September, and in the beginning of October. It keeps in perpetual motion, hunting along the branches sidewise, jumping to either side in search of insects and larvee, opening its beautiful tail at every movement which it makes, then closing it, and flirting it from side to side, just allowing the transparent beauty of the feathers to be seen for a moment. 'The wings are observed gently drooping during these motions, and its pleasing notes, which resemble the sounds of T'etce- whee, Tetee-whee, are then emitted. Should it observe an insect on the wing, it immediately flies in pursuit of it, either mounts into the air in its wake, or comes towards the ground spirally and in many zig-zags. The insect secured, the lovely Redstart reascends, perches, and sings a different note, equally clear, and which may be expressed by the syllables wize, wizz, wisz. While following insects on the wing, it keeps its bill constantly open, snapping as if it procured several of them on the same excursion. It is frequently observed balancing itself in the air, opposite the extremity of a bunch of leaves, and darting into the midst of them after the insects there concealed. When one approaches the nest of this species, the male exhibits the greatest anxiety respecting its safety, passes and repasses, fluttering and snapping its bill within a few feet, as if determined to repel the intruder. They now and then alight on the ground, to secure an insect, but this only for a moment. They are more frequently seen climbing along the trunks and large branches of trees for an instant, and then shifting to a branch, being, as I have said, in perpetual motion. It is also fond of AMERICAN REDSTART. 203 giving chase to various birds, snapping at them without any effect, as if solely for the purpose of keeping up the natural liveliness of its disposi- tion. The young males of this species do not possess the brilliancy and richness of plumage which the old birds display, until the second year, the first being spent in the garb worn by the females; but, towards the second autumn, appear mottled with pure black and vermilion on their sides. Notwithstanding their want of full plumage, they breed and sing the first spring like the old males. I have looked for several minutes at a time on the ineffectual attacks which this bird makes on wasps while busily occupied about their own nests. The bird approaches and snaps at them, but in vain; for the wasp elevating its abdomen, protrudes its sting, which prevents its being seized. The male bird is represented in the plate in this posture. Its nest is generally made on a low bush or sapling, and has the ap- pearance of hanging to the twigs. It is slight, and is composed of lichens and dried fibres of rank weeds or grape vines, nicely lined with soft cottony materials. The female lays from four to six white eggs, sprinkled with ash-grey and blackish dots. It rears only a single brood in a season. ‘The old birds, I am inclined to think, leave the United States a month or three weeks before the young, some of which linger in the deep swamps of the States of Mississippi and Louisiana until the beginning of November. Muscicapa Ruriciixa, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 236.—-Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p- 473.—-Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 68. AMERICAN REDstTarT, Muscicapa Ruticitxia, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 103, PL. vi. fig. 6. adult male; vol. v. p. 119. Pl. 45, fig. 2, young.—Zath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 427. Adult Male. Plate XL. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, depressed at the base, compressed toward the tip, acute; upper mandible slightly notched, and deflected at the tip ; lower straight. Nostrils basal, lateral, linear. Head and neck of mode- rate size. Body rather slender. Feet moderately long, slender; tarsus covered with short scutella before, with a longitudinal keeled plate be- hind, longer than the middle toe ; toes slender, free; claws small, weak, slightly arched, compressed, acute. 204 AMERICAN REDSTART. Plumage blended, soft, glossy. The bill margined at the base with long spreading bristles. Wings of moderate length, third quill longest, second and first little shorter. Tail rather long, rounded. Bill brownish-black. Iris dark brown. Feet blackish. Head, neck, fore part of the breast, and upper parts, black, the head, neck, and back glossed with blue. Sides of the breast, and under wing-coverts reddish- orange ; abdomen white. Quills brownish-black, their anterior half orange, forming a broad transverse band on the wing. Two middle tail- feathers black, the rest black in their terminal half, yellow in the basal half. Length 5 inches, extent of wings 63; bill along the ridge 24, along the gap 4; tarsus 3, middle toe {4. Adult Female. Plate XL. Fig. 2. Bill, feet and iris, as in the male. Head and upper parts brownish- grey, the former tinged with blue. Under parts greyish-white, the breast at the sides dull yellow. Band on the wings and at the base of the tail, pale yellow, tinged with green. Dimensions nearly as in the male. to. Tue VIRGINIAN HorNBEAM, OR [RON-woop TREE. Ostrya virGcinica, Wild. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 469. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 623. —Monecia Poryanpria, Linn, AMENTACE, Juss. This species is distinguished by its ovato-oblong leaves, which are somewhat cordate at the base, unequally serrated and acuminate, and its twin, ovate, acute cones. It is a small tree, attaining a height of from twenty to thirty feet, and a diameter of about one foot. The wood is white, and close-grained. The common name in America is Iron-wood, which it receives on account of the great hardness of the wood. (5+ 2055) THE COUGAR. THERE is an extensive Swamp in the section of the State of Missis- sippi which lies partly in the Choctaw territory. It commences at the borders of the Mississippi, at no great distance from a Chicasaw village, situated near the mouth of a creek known by the name of Vanconnah, and partly inundated by the swellings of several large bayous, the principal of which, crossing the swamp in its whole extent, discharges its waters not far from the mouth of the Yazoo River. This famous bayou is called False River. The swamp of which I am speaking follows the windings of the Yazoo, until the latter branches off to the north-east, and at this point forms the stream named Cold Water River, below which the Yazoo receives the draining of another bayou inclining towards the north-west, and intersecting that known by the name of False River, at a short dis- tance from the place where the latter receives the waters of the Mississippi. This tedious account of the situation of the Swamp, is given with the view of pointing it out to all students of nature who may chance to go that way, and whom I would earnestly urge to visit its interior, as it abounds in rare and interesting productions: birds, quadrupeds and _ rep- tiles, as well as molluscous animals, many of which, I am persuaded, have never been described. In the course of one of my rambles, I chanced to meet with a squat- ter’s cabin on the banks of the Cold Water River. In the owner of this hut, like most of those adventurous settlers in the uncultivated tracts of our frontier districts, I found a persen well versed in the chase, and ac- quainted with the habits of some of the larger species of quadrupeds and birds. As he who is desirous of instruction ought not to disdain listen- ing to any one, who has knowledge to communicate, however humble may be his lot, or however limited his talents, I entered the squatter’s cabin, and immediately opened a conversation with him respecting the situation of the swamp, and its natural productions. He told me he thought it the very place I ought to visit, spoke of the game which it contained, and pointed to some bear and deer skins, adding that the in- dividuals to which they had belonged formed but a small portion of the number of those animals which he had shot within it. My heart swelled with delight, and on asking if he would accompany me through the great 206 THE COUGAR. morass, and allow me to become an inmate of his humble but hospitable mansion, I was gratified to find that he cordially assented to all my pro- posals. So I immediately unstrapped my drawing materials, laid up my gun, and sat down to partake of the homely but wholesome fare intended for the supper of the squatter, his wife, and his two sons. The quietness of the evening seemed in perfect accordance with the gentle demeanour of the family. The wife and children, I more than once thought, seemed to look upon me as a strange sort of person, going about, as I told them I was, in search of birds and plants; and were I here to relate the many questions which they put to me in return for those which I addressed to them, the catalogue would occupy several pages. The husband, a native of Connecticut, had heard of the existence of such men as myself, both in our own country and abroad, and seemed greatly pleased to have me under his roof. Supper over, I asked my kind host what had induced him to remove to this wild and solitary spot. ‘ The people are growing too numerous now to thrive in New England,” was his answer. I thought of the state of some parts of Europe, and. calcu- lating the denseness of their population compared with that of New Eng- land, exclaimed to myself, “‘ How much more difficult must it be for men to'thrive in those populous countries !” The conversation then changed, -and the squatter, his sons and myself, spoke of hunting and fishing, until at length tired, we laid ourselves down on pallets of bear skins, and re- posed in peace on the floor of the only apartment of which the hut con- sisted. Day dawned, and the squatter’s call to his hogs, which, being almost in a wild state, were suffered to seek the greater portion of their food in the woods, awakened me. Being ready dressed, I was not long in join- ing him. 'The hogs and their young came grunting at the well known call of their owner, who threw them a few ears of corn, and counted them, but told me that for some weeks their number had been greatly diminish- ed by the ravages committed upon them by a large Panther, by which name the Cougar is designated in America, and that the ravenous animal did not content himself with the flesh of his pigs, but now and then car- ried. off one of his calves, notwithstanding the many attempts he had made to shoot it. The Painter, as he sometimes called it, had on several occasions robbed him of a dead deer ; and to these exploits the squatter added. several remarkable feats of audacity which it had. performed, to give me an idea of the formidable character of the beast. Delighted by THE COUGAR. 207 his description, I offered to assist him in destroying the enemy, at which he was highly pleased, but assured me that unless some of his neighbours should join us with their dogs and his own, the attempt would prove fruitless. Soon after, mounting a horse, he went off to his neigh- bours, several of whom lived at a distance of some miles, and appointed a day of meeting. The hunters, accordingly, made their appearance, one fine morning, at the door of the cabin, just as the sun was emerging from beneath the horizon. They were five in number, and fully equipped for the chase, being mounted on horses, which in some parts of Europe might appear sorry nags, but which in strength, speed and bottom, are better fitted for pursuing a cougar or a bear through woods and morasses than any in that country. A pack of large ugly curs were already engaged in making ac- quaintance with those of the squatter. He and myself mounted his two best horses, whilst his sons were bestriding others of inferior quality. Few words were uttered by the party until we had reached the edge of the Swamp, where it was agreed that all should disperse and seek for the fresh track of the Painter, it being previously settled that the dis- coverer should blow his horn, and remain on the spot, until the rest should join him. In less than an hour, the sound of the horn was clearly heard, and, sticking close to the squatter, off we went through the thick woods, guided only by the now and then repeated call of the dis- tant huntsmen. We soon reached the spot, and in a short time the rest of the party came up. The best dog was sent forward to track the Cougar, and in a few moments, the whole pack were observed diligently trailing, and bearing in their course for the interior of the Swamp. The rifles were immediately put in trim, and the party followed the dogs, at separate distances, but in sight of each other, determined to shoot at no other game than the Panther. The dogs soon began to mouth, and suddenly quickened their pace. My companion concluded that the beast was on the ground, and putting our horses to a gentle gallop, we followed the curs, guided by their voices. The noise of the dogs increased, when, all of a sudden their mode of barking became altered, and the squatter, urging me to push on, told me that the beast was treed, by which he meant that it had got upon some low branch of a large tree to rest for a few moments, and that should we not succeed in shooting him when thus:situated, we might expect a long chase of it. As we approached the spot, we all by degress united into a 208 THE COUGAR. body, but on seeing the dogs at the foot of a large tree, separated again and galloped off to surround it. Each hunter now moved with caution, holding his gun ready, and al- lowing the bridle to dangle on the neck of his horse, as it advanced slow- ly towards the dogs. A shot from one of the party was heard, on which the Cougar was seen to leap to the ground, and bound off with such ve- locity as to shew that he was very unwilling to stand our fire longer. The dogs set off in pursuit with great eagerness and a deafening cry. The hunter who had fired came up and said that his ball had hit the monster, and had probably broken one of his fore-legs near the shoulder, the only place at which he could aim. A slight trail of blood was dis- covered on the ground, but the curs proceeded at such a rate that we merely noticed this, and put spurs to our horses, which galloped on to- wards the centre of the Swamp. One bayou was crossed, then another still larger and more muddy ; but the dogs were brushing forward, and as the horses began to pant at a furious rate, we judged it expedient to leave them and advance on foot. These determined hunters knew that the Cougar being wounded, would shortly ascend another tree, where in all probability he would remain for a considerable time, and that it would be easy to follow the track of the dogs. We dismounted, took off the saddles and bridles, set the bells attached to the horses’ necks at liberty to jingle, hoppled the animals, and left them to shift for themselves. Now, kind reader, follow the group marching through the swamp, crossing muddy pools, and making the best of their way over fallen trees and amongst the tangled rushes that now and then covered acres of ground. If you are a hunter yourself, all this will appear nothing to you; but if crowded assemblies of ‘ beauty and fashion,” or the quiet enjoyment of your “ pleasure-grounds,” alone delight you, I must mend my pen before I attempt to give you an idea of the pleasure felt on such an expedition. After marching for a couple of hours, we again heard the dogs. Each of us pressed forward, elated at the thought of terminating the career of the cougar. Some of the dogs were heard whining, although the greater number barked vehemently. We felt assured that the Cou- gar was treed, and that he would rest for some time to recover from his fatigue. As we came up to the dogs, we discovered the ferocious animal lying across a large branch, close to the trunk of a cotton-wood tree. His broad breast lay towards us; sy eyes were at one time bent on us THE COUGAR. 209 and again on the dogs beneath and around him ; one of his fore legs hung loosely by his side, and he lay crouched, with his ears lowered close to his head, as if he thought he might remain undiscovered. Three balls were fired at him, at a given signal, on which he sprang a few feet from the branch, and tumbled headlong to the ground. Attacked on all sides by the enraged curs, the infuriated Cougar fought with desperate valour ; but the squatter advancing in front of the party, and almost in the midst of the dogs, shot him immediately behind and beneath the left shoulder. The Cougar writhed for a moment in agony, and in another lay dead. The sun was now sinking in the west. Two of the hunters separated from the rest, to procure venison, whilst the squatter’s sons were ordered to make the best of their way home, to be ready to feed the hogs in the morning. The rest of the party agreed to camp on the spot. The cougar was despoiled of its skin, and its carcass left to the hungry dogs. Whilst engaged in preparing our camp, we heard the report of a gun, and soon after one of our hunters returned with a small deer. —There breathes not such a person ; so kindly have we all been blessed with that intuitive and noble feeling—admiration ! No sooner has the returning sun again introduced the vernal season, and caused millions of plants to expand their leaves and blossoms to his genial beams, than the little Humming Bird is seen advancing on fairy wings, carefully visiting every opening flower-cup, and, like a curious florist, removing from each the injurious insects that otherwise would ere long cause their beauteous petals to droop and decay. Poised in the air, it is observed peeping cautiously, and with sparkling eye, into their inner- most recesses, whilst the etherial motions of its pinions, so rapid and so light, appear to fan and cool the flower, without injuring its fragile tex- ture, and produce a delightful murmuring sound, well adapted for lulling the insects to repose. Then is the moment for the Humming Bird to secure them. Its long delicate bill enters the cup of the flower, and the protruded double-tubed tongue, delicately sensible, and imbued with a glutinous saliva, touches each insect in succession, and draws it from its lurking place, to be instantly swallowed. All this is done in a moment, and the bird, as it leaves the flower, sips so small a portion of its liquid honey, that the theft, we may suppose, is looked upon with a grateful feel- ng by the flower, which is thus kindly relieved from the attacks of her destroyers. The prairies, the fields, the orchards and gardens, nay, the deepest RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. 249 shades of the forests, are all visited in their turn, and everywhere the lit- tle bird meets with pleasure and with food. Its gorgeous throat in beauty and_brilliancy baffles all competition. Now it glows with a fiery hue, and again it is changed to the deepest velvety black. The upper parts of its delicate body are of resplendent changing green ; and it throws itself through the air with a swiftness and vivacity hardly conceivable. It moves from one flower to another like a gleam of light, upwards, down- wards, to the right, and to the left. In this manner, it searches the ex- treme northern portions of our country, following with. great precaution the advances of the season, and retreats with equal care at the approach of autumn. I wish it were in my power at this moment to impart to you, kind reader, the pleasures which I have felt whilst watching the movements, and viewing the manifestation of feelings displayed by a single pair of these most favourite little creatures, when engaged in the demonstration of their love to each other :—how the male swells his plumage and throat, and, dancing on the wing, whirls around the delicate female ; how quickly he dives towards a flower, and returns with a loaded bill, which he offers to her to whom alone he feels desirous of being united ; how full of ecstacy he seems to be when his caresses are kindly received ; how his little wings fan her, as they fan the flowers, and he transfers to her bill the insect and the honey which he has procured with a view to please her ; how these attentions are received with apparent satisfaction ; how, soon after, the blissful compact is sealed ; how, then, the courage and care of the male are redoubled ; how he even dares to give chase to the Tyrant Fly-catcher, hurries the blue-Bird and the Martin to their boxes ; and how, on sounding pinions, he joyously returns to the side of his lovely mate: Reader, all these proofs of the sincerity, fidelity, and courage, with which the male assures his mate of the care he will take of her while sitting on her nest, may be seen, and have been seen, but cannot be portrayed or described. : Could you, kind reader, cast a momentary glance on the nest of the Humming Bird, and see, as I have seen, the newly-hatched pair of young, little larger than humble-bees, naked, blind, and so feeble as scarcely to be able to raise their little bill to receive food from the parents ; and could you see those parents, full of anxiety and fear, passing and repass- ing within a few inches of your face, alighting on a twig not more than a yard from your body, waiting the result of your unwelcome visit in a 250 RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. state of the utmost despair,—you could not fail to be impressed with the deepest pangs which parental affection feels on the unexpected death of a cherished child. Then how pleasing is it, on your leaving the spot, to see the returning hope of the parents, when, after examining the nest, they find their nurslings untouched! You might then judge how pleas- ing it is to a mother of another kind, to hear the physician who has at- tended her sick child assure her that the crisis is over, and that her babe is saved. 'These are the scenes best fitted to enable us to partake of sor- row and joy, and to determine every one who views them to make it his study to contribute to the happiness of others, and to refrain from wanton- ly or maliciously giving them pain. I have seen Humming Birds in Louisiana as early as the 10th of March. Their appearance in that State varies, however, as much as in any other, it being sometimes a fortnight later, or, although rarely, a few daysearlier. In the Middle Districts, they seldom arrive before the 15th of April, more usually the beginning of May. I have not been able to assure myself whether they migrate during the day or by night, but am inclined to think the latter the case, as they seem to be busily feeding at all times of the day, which would not be the case had they long flights to per- form at that period. They pass through the air in long undulations, raising themselves for some distance at an angle of about 40 degrees, and then falling in a curve ; but the smallness of their size precludes the possibility of following them farther then fifty or sixty yards without great difficulty, even with a good glass. A person standing in a garden by the side of a Common Althzea in bloom, will be as surprised to hear the humming of their wings, and then see the birds themselves within a few feet of him, as he will be astonished at the rapidity with which the little creatures rise into the air, and are out of sight and hearing the next moment. They do not alight on the ground, but easily settle on twigs and branches, where they move sidewise in prettily measured steps, frequently opening and closing their wings, pluming, shaking and arranging the whole of their apparel with neatness and activity. They are particularly fond of spread- ing one wing at a time, and passing each of the quill-feathers through their bill in its whole length, when, if the sun is shining, the wing thus plumed is rendered extremely transparent and light. They leave the twig without the least difficulty in an instant, and appear to be possessed of superior powers of vision, making directly towards a Martin or a Blue- bird when fifty or sixty yards from them, and reaching them before they RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. 251 are aware of their approach. No bird seems to resist their attacks, but they are sometimes chased by the larger kinds of humble-bees, of which they seldom take the least notice, as their superiority of flight is sufficient to enable them to leave these slow moving insects far behind in the short space of a minute. The nest of this Humming Bird is of the most delicate nature, the ex- ternal parts being formed of a light grey lichen found on the branches of trees, or on decayed fence-rails, and so neatly arranged round the whole nest, as well as to some distance from the spot where it is attached, as to seem part of the branch or stem itself. These little pieces of lichen are glued together with the saliva of the bird. The next coating consists of cottony substance, and the innermost of silky fibres obtained from various plants, all extremely delicate and soft. On this comfortable bed, as in contradiction to the axiom that the smaller the species the greater the number of eggs, the female lays only two, which are pure white and al- most oval. 'Ten‘days are required for their hatching, and the birds raise two broods in a season. In one week the young are ready to fly, but are fed by the parents for nearly another week. They receive their food di- rectly from the bill of their parents, which disgorge it in the manner of Canaries or Pigeons. It is my belief that no sooner are the young able to provide for themselves than they associate with other broods, and per- form their migration apart from the old birds, as I have observed twenty or thirty young Humming Birds resort to a group of 'Trumpet-flowers, when not a single old-male was to be seen. They do not receive the full brilliancy of their colours until the succeeding spring, although the throat of the male bird is strongly imbued with the ruby tints before they leave us in autumn. The Ruby-throated Humming Bird has a particular liking for such flowers as are greatly tubular in their form. The Common Jimpson-weed or Thorn-apple (Datura Stramonium) and the Trumpet-flower (Bignonia radicans) are among. the most favoured by their visits, and after: these, Honeysuckle, the Balsam.of the gardens, and the wild species which grows on the borders of ponds, rivulets, and deep ravines ; but every flower, down to the wild violet, affords them a certain portion of sustenance. Their food consists principally of insects, generally of the coleopterous order, these, together with some equally diminutive flies, being commonly found in their stomach. The first are procured within the flowers, but many of the lat- ter on wing. The Humming Bird might therefore be looked upon as an ex- 252 RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. pert fly-catcher. The nectar or honey which they sip from the different flowers, being of itself insufficient to support them, is used more as if to allay their thirst. I have seen many of these birds kept in partial confine- ment, when they were supplied with artificial flowers made for the pur- pose, in the corollas of which water with honey or sugar dissolved in it was placed. The birds were fed on these substances exclusively, but sel- dom lived many months, and on being examined after death, were found to be extremely emaciated. Others, on the contrary, which were supplied twice a-day with fresh flowers from the woods or garden, placed in a room with windows merely closed with moschetto gauze-netting, through which minute insects were able to enter, lived twelve months, at the expiration of which time their liberty was granted them, the person who kept them having had a long voyage to perform. The room was kept artificially warm during the winter months, and these, in Lower Louisiana, are sel- dom so cold as to produce ice. On examining an orange-tree which had been placed in the room where these Humming Birds were kept, no ap- pearance of a nest was to be seen, although the birds had frequently been observed caressing each other. Some have been occasionally kept con- fined in our Middle Districts, but I have not ascertained that any one sur- vived a winter. The Humming Bird does not shun mankind so much as birds gene- rally do. It frequently approaches flowers in the windows, or even in rooms when the windows are kept open, during the extreme heat of the day, and returns, when not interrupted, as long as the flowers are unfaded. They are extremely abundant in Louisiana during spring and summer, and wherever a fine plant of the trumpet-flower is met with in the woods, one or more Humming Birds are generally seen about it, and now and then so many as ten or twelve at a time. They are quarrelsome, and have frequent battles in the air, especially the male birds. Should one be feeding on a flower, and another approach it, they are both immediately seen to rise in the air, twittering and twirling in a spiral manner until out of sight. The conflict over, the victor immediately returns to the flower. If comparison might enable you, kind reader, to form some tolerably accurate idea of their peculiar mode of flight, and their appearance when on wing, I would say, that were both objects of the same colour, a large sphinx or moth, when moving from one flower to another, and in a direct line, comes nearer the Humming Bird in aspect than any other object with which I am acquainted. RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. 253 Having heard several persons remark that these little creatures had been procured with less injury to their plumage, by shooting them with water, I was tempted to make the experiment, having been in the habit of killing them either with remarkably small shot, or with sand. How- ever, finding that even when within a few paces, I seldom brought one to the ground when I used water instead of shot, and was moreover obliged to clean my gun after every discharge, I abandoned the scheme, and feel confident that it can never have been used with material advantage. I have frequently secured some by employing an insect-net, and were this machine used with dexterity, it would afford the best means of procuring Humming Birds. I have represented ten of these pretty and most interesting birds, in various positions, flitting, feeding, caressing each other, or sitting on the slender stalks of the trumpet-flower and pluming themselves. The diver- sity of action and attitude thus exhibited, may, I trust, prove sufficient to present a faithful idea of their appearance and manners. A figure of the nest you will find elsewhere. The nest is generally placed low, on the horizontal branch of any kind of tree, seldom more than twenty feet from the ground. They are far from being particular in this matter, as I have often found a nest attached by one side only to a twig of a rose-bush, currant, or the strong stalk of a rank weed, sometimes in the middle of the forest, at other times on the branch of an oak, immediately over the road, and again in the garden close to the walk. Trocuitus Corvusris, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p- 191.—ZLath. Ind. Ornith, vol. i. p- 312.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 98. RED-THROATED Humuine Birp, Lath. Synops. vol. ii. p. 769. Hoummuine Binp, Trocuitus Corusris, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 26. Pl, 10. fig. 3. Male; fig. 4. Female. Adult Male. Plate XLVII. Fig. 1, 1, 1, 1. Bill long, straight, subulate, depressed at the base, acute; upper mandible rounded, its edges overlapping. Nostrils basal, linear. Tongue very extensile, filiform, divided towards the end into two filaments. Feet very short and feeble; tarsus slender, shorter than the middle toe, partly feathered ; fore toes united at the base; claws curved, compressed, acute. Plumage compact, imbricated above and on the throat, with metallic lustre, blended beneath. Wings long, narrow, a little incurved at the 254 RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD. tip, the first quill longest. T’ail forked when closed, when spread even in the middle and laterally rounded, of ten broad feathers, the outer cur- ved inwards. Bill and feet black. Iris of the same colour. Upper parts generally, including the two middle tail-feathers, green, with gold reflections. Quills and tail purplish-brown. Throat, sides of the head, and fore neck, car- mine-purple, spotted with black, varying to crimson, orange, and deep black. Sides of the same colour as the back ; the rest of the under parts greyish-white, mixed with green. Length 33 inches, extent of wings 41; bill along the ridge §, along the gap 2; tarsus Z, toe 1. Adult Female. Plate XLVII. Fig. 2, 2, 2. The female differs from the male in wanting the brilliant patch on the throat, which is white, as are the under parts generally, and in haying the three lateral tail-feathers tipped with the same colour. Dimensions the same, Young Bird. Plate XLVII. Fig. 3, 3. The young birds have the under parts brownish-white, the tail tipped with white, and are somewhat lighter in their upper parts. In autumn the young males begin to acquire the red feathers of the throat. Tur TRUMPET-FLOWER. Bienonra RaDICANS, Wiid. Sp. Pl. vol. iii. p. 301. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p- 420.—Dipynamia AnciosPERMIA, Linn. Bicnon1z, Juss. This splendid species of Bignonia, which grows in woods and on the banks of rivers in all the Middle and Southern States, climbing on trees and bushes, is distinguished by its pinnate leaves, with ovate, widely ser- rate, acuminate leaflets, and large scarlet flowers, of which the funnel- shaped tube of the corolla is thrice the length of the calyx. The pods are of a brown colour, from four to seven inches long, and contain a double row of kidney-shaped light brown seeds. THE AZURE WARBLER. SYLVIA AZUREA, STEPH. PLATE XLVIII. Mate anp FEMALE. So scarce is this bird in the Middle Districts, that its discovery in the State of Pennsylvania has been made a matter of much importance. Its habits are consequently very little known, even at the present day, and it would appear that only two individuals have been seen by our Ame- rican ornithologists, one of which, a young female, has been figured by the Prince of Musignano. It arrives in the lower parts of the State of Louisiana, in company with many other species of Warblers, breeds there and sets out again about the beginning of October. It is as lively as most species of its ge- nus, possesses the same manner of flight, moves sidewise up and down the branches and twigs, frequently changing sides, and hangs to the ex- tremities of bunches of leaves or berries, on which it procures the insects and larve of which its food is principally composed. The liveliness of its notes renders it conspicuous in those parts of the skirts of the forests which it frequents; and its song, although neither loud nor of long con- tinuance, is extremely sweet and mellow. I have no precise recollection of the time when I first made a draw- ing of this pretty little bird, but know this well, that a drawing which I had of it was one of the unfortunate collection destroyed by the rats at Henderson. In Louisiana, where it is as numerous as other Sylvie, I have several times shot five or six during a single walk, towards the end of August, when the young are nearly full coloured. The nest is placed in the forks of a low tree or bush, more frequently on a Dog-wood tree. It is partly pensile, projecting a little above the twigs to which it is attached, and extending below them for nearly two inches. The fibres of vines and of the stalks of rank herbaceous plants, together with slender roots; compose the outer part, being arranged in a circular manner. The: lining consists entirely of the dry fibres of the Spanish Moss. The female lays four or five eggs, of a pure white co- lour, with a few reddish spots) at the larger end. When the female is disturbed during incubation, she trails along the twigs and _ branches, 256 AZURE WARBLER. with expanded tail and drooping wings, and utters a plaintive note, re- sembling in all’ these circumstances the Blue-eyed Warbler. I am not sure that they raise more than one brood in a season. When the young abandon the nest, their plumage partakes of a greenish tinge, and no dif- ference can be perceived between the sexes without dissection. The little family move and hunt together, and exhibit much pleasure in pursuing small insects on wing, which they seize without any clicking sound of their bill. They seem at this period to evince a great partiality for trees the tops of which are thickly covered by grape vines, amongst the broad leaves of which they find ample supplies of food. They also some- times alight on the tall weeds, and pick a few of their seeds. The males or females do not assume the full brilliancy of their plumage until the following spring. I am inclined to think that this species is extremely abundant in the Mexican dominions, as I have observed these birds more numerous to- wards Natchitochez and along the waters of the Red River. On the other hand, I have not observed it eastward of the State of 'Tenessee. The twig on which it is represented, belongs to a small tree or shrub, which grows along the skirts of the forests in the State of Louisiana. The bark is easily stripped off, when the wood shews a yellow, resinous colour. It is brittle, and is not applied to any use. The berries are eaten by different species of birds. SyLvia AzuREA, Stephens, Cont. Shaw’s Zool. vol. i. p. 653.—Ch. Bondparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 85; and Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 27. Pl. xi. Fig. 2. Young female. Ca@RuLEAN WarBLER, SYLVIA CeRULEA, Wilson, Amer. Ornith. vol. ii p. 141. Pl. xvii. fig. 5. Male. Adult Male. Plate XLVITI. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, straight, much broader than deep at the base, tapering, compressed toward the acute tip. Nostrils basal, oval, exposed. Head of ordinary size. Body rather slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella, acute behind, scarcely longer than the middle toe; toes free, scutellate above ; claws arched, slender, much compressed, acute. Plumage soft and blended, glossy. Wings of ordinary length, the first and second quills longest. Tail longish, even, of twelve rather nar- : AZURE WARBLER. 257 row, obtuse feathers. Short bristle-pointed feathers at the base of the upper mandible. Bill bluish-black. Iris blackish-brown. Feet blue. Head and up- per parts generally, of a fine rich blue, the back marked with longitu- dinal streaks of blackish, and a narrow band of black from the forehead passing along the lore to behind the eye. Tips of the two rows of larger wing-coverts white, forming two conspicuous bands across the wing. Quills black, externally margined with blue. Tail of the same colour, each feather having a patch of white on the inner web, near the end, ex- cepting the two middle ones ; all externally margined with blue. Under parts white, as well as a streak over the eye, above which is a streak of blackish. Length 44 inches, extent of wings 8; bill along the ridge 7%, along’ the gap ;4; tarsus 3, middle toe {%. Adult Female. Plate XLVIII. Fig. 2. The female differs from the male, chiefly in having the colours paler. Tue BEAR-BERRY. Itex Dauoon, Mich. Fl. Amer. vol. ii. p. 228. Pursh. Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 117. —Terranpria TETRAGYNIA, Linn. RuamMnti, Juss. This species of Holly is distinguished by its elliptico-lanceolate leaves, which are thick, leathery, shining, and reflected at the margin, and its corymboso-paniculate, lateral and terminal peduncles. The berries are globular and bright red. ( 258 ) THE BLUE-GREEN WARBLER. SYLVIA RARA, WILS. PLATE XLIX. Mate. Tue Blue-green Warbler so resembles the young of the Azure War- bler, that were not the form of its bill, and some of its habits, consider- ably different, I should be tempted to consider it a mere variety of that bird. It is equally rare in the Middle Districts, where I have shot only a-few, and these in the dark recesses of the Great Pine Swamp. On its passage through the States, it is found in Louisiana, where it appears in the beginning of April. This lateness of its arrival indicates its coming from a great distance, most of the other species appearing several weeks earlier. They seem to disperse soon after, as on their first appearance several may be procured in one day, as well as during their equally short stay in autumn, when, again, I have shot six or seven from a single tree, on which they appeared as busily engaged as if so many Tit- mice. I have met with them singly and far apart in Kentucky, in Ohio, upon the Missouri, and along Lake Erie, but I have never found their nest. In spring it has a soft and mellow song, which is not heard beyond the distance of a few paces. It is performed at intervals between the times at which the bird secures an insect, which it does with great ex- pertness, either on wing, or amongst the leaves of the trees and bushes. The tops of trees, however, appear to please them best, the reverse being the case with the Azure Warbler. The Blue-green Warbler has a peculiar cunning manner of leaning downwards to view a person, or while searching for an insect, and which is very different from that of any other bird, although I am unable to describe it. While thus leaning, it moves its head sidewise so very slowly that the motion is hardly perceptible, unless much attention is paid to it. After this, it either starts off and flies to some distance from the observer, or darts towards the prey that had attracted its notice. While catching an insect on the wing, it produces a slight clicking sound with its bill, and in this respect approaches the Vireos. Like some of them also, it descends from the highest tops of the trees to low bushes, and eats small berries, particularly towards autumn, when insects begin to fail. Its flight is performed in zigzag lines of a few yards, as if it were BLUE-GREEN WARBLER. 259 undetermined where to alight. I have found no difference between the sexes as to external appearance. The plant on which I have figured a male is found in Louisiana, growing along the skirts of woods and by fences. It is called the Spa- nish Mulberry. It is a herbaceous perennial plant, attaining a height of from four to eight feet. The fruits are eaten by children, but are insipid. SyLvIa RARA, BLUE-GREEN WaRBLER, JVils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 119. Pl. 27. fig. 2.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 82. Adult Male. Plate XLIX. Bill longish, nearly straight, depressed at the base, tapering to a point. Nostrils basal, oval, half concealed by the feathers. Head and neck of ordinary size. Body ovate. Feet of ordinary length, rather slender ; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella, acute behind, rather longer than the middle toe; toes scutellate above, free; claws arched, slender, much compressed, acute. Plumage blended, soft and tufty. Wings longish, little curved, the first and second quills longest. Tail shortish, rounded, of twelve rather acute feathers. Bill dark brown above, light blue beneath. Iris dark brown. Feet light blue. General colour of the upper parts light greenish-blue, of the under parts white. A white streak over the eyes. Tips of the two first rows of wing-coverts white, forming two bands across the wing. Quills blackish-brown, their outer margins blue. Tail blackish-brown, the outer feathers having a white patch on the inner web near the end. Length 43 inches, extent of wings 8; bill along the ridge }, along the gap $; tarsus 3. Tue SpanisH MuLBerrRyY. CALLICARPA AMERICANA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. i. p. 619. Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p- 97.—TETRANDRIAa Monoeynia, Linn. ViTIcES, Juss. A perennial herbaceous plant, with oval, serrate leaves, which are downy beneath ; sessile cymes of red flowers, and globular red berries, arranged apparently in dense whorls. It grows in dry gravelly or. sandy soil, in Virginia, Carolina, and Louisiana. R2 ( 260 ) THE BLACK AND YELLOW WARBLER. SYLVIA MACULOSA, LaTu. PLATE L. Youne Mate. Tuts little bird was by mistake engraved, and named after my friend W. Swatyson, Esq., during my absence from London, one drawing having been accidentally substituted for another. It is in reality the young of the Black and Yellow Warbler, and was intended to form part of the Plate which will represent the adult male and female of that spe- cies. My good friend will, I know, excuse this mistake, as I. have honoured a beautiful new species with his name. It being more consistent with my present arrangement to give a full account of each species, as it is represented in the Plate allotted to it, and its different states of plumage, as much as this object can be attained, you will permit me, kind reader, to postpone the habits of this species un- til you see the whole group together. In the mean time, I shall confine myself to a description of the immature state of plumage as represented in my illustrations. Sytvza macutosa, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii: p. 536.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 78. YELLOwW-RUMPED WarBLER, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 481. Brack anp YELLOW WARBLER, SYLVIA MAGNOLIA, Wils. Americ. Ornith, vol. iii. p. 63. Pl. 23. Male. Young Male. Plate L. Bill brown above, brownish-yellow beneath. Tris dark hazel. Feet brownish-yellow, claws yellow. Head and hind-neck light greyish-blue, blending into yellowish-green on the back, the lower part of which is spotted with black; a broad band across the rump yellow, the upper tail-coverts black. Wings bluish-grey when closed, the outer webs being of that colour, the inner brownish-black ; tips of the two larger rows of coverts white, forming two bands of that colour. Tail black, with a broad band of white in the middle, on the inner webs, excepting on the two middle feathers, which are margined with blue, the outer webs of the other feathers being bluish-white; the under parts are ochre-yellow, the BLACK AND YELLOW WARBLER. 261 posterior part of the breast and sides spotted with black. Length 5 inches, extent of wings 73. THe Waite Oak. QuERrcus pRiINuS, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 439. Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. ii. p. 633.— QUERCUS PRINUS PALUSTRIS, Mich. Arbr. Forest. de l’Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 51. Pl. 7.—Monecria Poryanpria, Linns AMENTACES, Juss. Leaves oblongo-oval, acute, largely toothed, the teeth nearly equal, dilated, and callous at the tip; cupule craterate, attenuated at the base; acorn ovate. This species grows in low shady woods, and along the margins of rivers, from Pennsylvania to Florida. The wood is porous, and of inferior quality. ( 262 ) THE HURRICANE. Various portions of our country have at different periods suffered severely from the influence of violent storms of wind, some of which have been known to traverse nearly the whole extent of the United States, and to leave such deep impressions in their wake as will not easily be forgot- ten. Having witnessed one of these awful phenomena, in all its grandeur, I shall attempt to describe it for your sake, kind reader, and for your sake only, the recollection of that astonishing revolution of the etherial element even now bringing with it so disagreeable a sensation, that I feel as if about to be affected by a sudden stoppage of the circulation of my blood. I had left the village of Shawaney, situated on the banks of the Ohio, on my return from Henderson, which is also situated on the banks of the same beautiful stream. The weather was pleasant, and I thought not warmer than usual at that season. My horse was jogging quietly along, and my thoughts were, for once at least in the course of my life, entirely engaged in commercial speculations. I had forded Highland Creek, and was on the eve of entering a tract of bottom land or valley that lay be- tween it and Canoe Creek, when on a sudden I remarked a great differ- ence in the aspect of the heavens. A hazy thickness had overspread the country, and I for some time expected an earthquake, but my horse ex- hibited no propensity to stop and prepare for such an occurrence. I had nearly arrived at the verge of the valley, when I thought fit to stop near a brook, and dismounted to quench the thirst which had come upon me. I was leaning on my knees, with my lips about to touch the water, when, from my proximity to the earth, I heard a distant murmuring sound of an extraordinary nature. I drank, however, and as I rose on my feet, looked toward the south-west, where I observed a yellowish oval spot, the appearance of which was quite new to me. Little time was left me for consideration, as the next moment a smart breeze began to agitate the taller trees. It increased to an unexpected height, and already the smaller branches and twigs were seen falling in a slanting direction to- wards the ground. ‘Two minutes had scarcely elapsed, when the whole forest before me was in fearful motion. Here and there, where one tree pressed against another, a creaking noise was produced, similar to that THE HURRICANE. 263 occasioned by the violent gusts which sometimes sweep over the country. Turning instinctively toward the direction from which the wind blew, I saw, to my great astonishment, that the noblest trees of the forest bent their lofty heads for a while, and unable to stand against the blast, were falling into pieces. First, the branches were broken off with a crackling noise ; then went the upper part of the massy trunks ; and in many places whole trees of gigantic size were falling entire to the ground. So rapid was the progress of the storm, that before I could think of taking mea- sures to insure my safety, the hurricane was passing opposite the place where I stood. Never can I forget the scene which at that moment pre- sented itself. The tops of the trees were seen moving in the strangest manner, in the central current of the tempest, which carried along with it a mingled mass of twigs and foliage, that completely obscured the view. Some of the largest trees were seen bending and writhing under the gale ; others suddenly snapped across ; and many, after a momentary resistance, fell uprooted to the earth. The mass of branches, twigs, foliage and dust that moved through the air, was whirled onwards like a cloud of feathers, and on passing, disclosed a wide space filled with fallen trees, naked stumps, and heaps of shapeless ruins, which marked the path of the tem- pest. This space was about a fourth of a mile in breadth, and to my imagination resembled the dried-up bed of the Mississippi, with its thousands of planters and sawyers, strewed in the sand, and inclined in various degrees. The horrible noise resembled that of the great cataracts of Niagara, and as it howled along in the track of the desolating tempest, produced a feeling in my mind which it were impossible to describe. The principal force of the hurricane was now over, although millions of twigs and small branches, that had been brought from a great distance, were seen following the blast, as if drawn onwards by some mysterious power. 'They even floated in the air for some hours after, as if supported by the thick mass of dust that rose high above the ground. The sky had now a greenish lurid hue, and an extremely disagreeable sulphureous odour was diffused in the atmosphere. I waited in amazement, having sustained no material injury, until nature at length resumed her wonted aspect. For some moments, I felt undetermined whether I should return to Morgantown, or attempt to foree my way through the wrecks of the tempest. My business, however, being of an urgent nature, I ventured into the path of the storm, and after encountering innumerable difficul- ties, succeeded in crossing it. I was obliged to lead my horse by the 264 THE HURRICANE. bridle, to enable him to leap over the fallen trees, whilst I scrambled over or under them in the best way I could, at times so hemmed in by the broken tops and tangled branches, as almost to become desperate. On arriving at my house, I gave an account of what I had seen, when, to my surprise, I was told that there had been very little wind in the neighbourhood, although in the streets and gardens many branches and twigs had fallen in a manner which excited great surprise. Many wondrous accounts of the devastating effects of this hurricane were circulated in the country, after its occurrence. Some log houses, we were told, had been overturned, and their inmates destroyed. One person informed me that a wire-sifter had been conveyed by the gust to a distance of many miles, Another had found a cow lodged in the fork of a large half-broken tree. But, as I am disposed to relate only what I have myself seen, I shall not lead you into the region of romance, but shall content myself with saying that much damage was done by this awful visitation. The valley is yet a desolate place, overgrown with briars and bushes, thickly entangled amidst the tops and trunks of the fallen trees, and is the resort of ravenous animals, to which they betake themselves when pursued by man, or after they have committed their de- predations on the farms of the surrounding district. I have crossed the path of the storm, at a distance of a hundred miles from the spot where I witnessed its fury, and, again, four hundred miles farther off, in the State of Ohio. Lastly, I observed traces of its ravages on the summits of the mountains connected with the Great Pine Forest of Pennsylvania, three hundred miles beyond the place last mentioned. In all these differ- ent parts, it appeared to me not to have exceeded a quarter of a mile in breadth, ( 265 ) THE RED-TAILED HAWK. FALCO BOREALIS, GMEL. PLATE LI. Mate anp FEMALE. Tut Red-tailed Hawk is a constant resident in the United States, in every part of which it is found. It performs partial migrations, during severe winters, from the Northern Districts towards the Southern. In the latter, however, it is at all times more abundant, and I shall endeavour to present you with a full account of its habits, as observed there. Its flight is firm, protracted, and at times performed at a great height. It sails across the whole of a large plantation, on a level with the tops of the forest-trees which surround it, without a single flap of its wings, and is then seen moving its head sidewise to inspect the objects below. This flight is generally accompanied by a prolonged mournful cry, which may be heard at a considerable distance, and consists of a single sound resem- bling the monosyllable Kae, uttered in such a manner as to continue for three or four minutes, without any apparent inflection or difference of in- tensity. It would seem as if uttered for the purpose of giving notice to the living objects below that he is passing, and of thus inducing them to bestir themselves and retreat to a hiding-place, before they attain which he may have an-opportunity of pouncing upon some of them. When he spies an animal, while he is thus sailing over a field, I have observed him give a slight check to his flight, as if to mark a certain spot with ac- curacy, and immediately afterwards alight on the nearest tree. He would then instantly face about, look intensely on the object that had attracted his attention, soon after descend towards it with wings almost close to his body, and dart upon it with such accuracy and rapidity as seldom to fail in securing it. When passing over a meadow, a cotton-field, or one planted with su- gar-canes, he performs his flight close over the grass or plants, uttering no cry, but marking the prey in the manner above described, and on perceiving it, ascending in a beautiful curved line to the top of the near- est tree, after which he watches and dives as in the former case. Should he not observe any object worthy of his attention, while passing over a meadow or a field, he alights, shakes his feathers, particularly those of 266 RED-TAILED HAWK. the tail, and after spending a few minutes in pluming himself, leaves the perch, uttering his usual cry, and ascending in the air, performs large and repeated circular flights, carefully inspecting the field, to assure himself that there is in reality nothing in it that may be of use to him. He then proceeds to another plantation. At other times, as if not assured that his observations have been duly made, he rises in circles over the same field to an immense height, where he looks like a white dot in the heavens. Yet from this height he must be able to distinguish the objects on the ground, even when these do not exceed our little partridge or a young hare in size, and although their colour may be almost the same as that of surrounding bodies ; for of a sudden his circlings are checked, his wings drawn close to his body, his tail contracted to its smallest breadth, and he is seen to plunge headlong towards the earth, with a rapidity which produces a loud rustling sound nearly equal to that of an Eagle on a similar occasion. Should he not succeed in discovering the desired object in the fields, he enters. the forest and perches on some detached tree, tall enough to enable him to see to a great distance around. His posture is now erect, he remains still and silent, moving only his head, as on all other oc- casions, to enable his keen eye to note the occurrences which may take place in his vicinity. The lively Squirrel is seen gaily leaping from one branch to another, or busily employed in searching for the fallen nuts on the ground. It has found one. Its bushy tail is beautifully curved along its back, the end of it falling off with a semicircular bend ; its nimble feet are seen turning the nut quickly round, and its teeth are al- ready engaged in perforating the hard shell; when, quick as thought, the Red-tailed Hawk, which has been watching it in all its motions, falls upon it, seizes it near the head, transfixes and strangles it, devours it on the spot, or ascends exultingly to a branch with the yet palpitating vic- tim in his talons, and there feasts at leisure. As soon as the little King-bird has raised its brood, and when its cour- | age is no longer put in requisition for the defence of its young or its mate, the Red-tailed Hawk visits the farm-houses, to pay his regards to the poultry. This is done without much precaution, for, while sailing over the yard where the chickens, the ducklings, and the young turkeys are, the Hawk plunges upon any one of them, and sweeps it off to the nearest wood. When impelled by continued hunger, he now and then manages to elude the vigilance of the Martins, Swallows and King-birds, RED-TAILED HAWK. 267 and watching for a good opportunity, falls upon and seizes an. old fowl, the dying screams of which are heard by the farmer at the plough, who swears vengeance against the robber. He remembers that he has ob- served the Hawk’s nest in the woods, and full of anger at the recollection of the depredations which the plunderer has already committed, and at the anticipation of its many visits during the winter, leaves his work and his horses, strides to his house, and with an axe and a rifle in his hands proceeds towards the tree, where the hopes of the Red-tailed Hawk are snugly nestled among-the tall branches. The farmer arrives, eyes the gigantic tree, thinks for a moment of the labour which will be required for felling it, but resolves that he shall not be overreached by a Hawk. He throws aside his hat, rolls up his sleeves, and applies himself to the work. His brawny arms give such an impulse to the axe, that at every stroke large chips are seen to fall off on all sides. The poor mother-bird, well aware of the result, sails sorrowfully over and around. She would fain beg for mercy towards her young. She alights on the edge of the nest, and would urge her offspring to take flight. But the farmer has watched her motions. The axe is left sticking in the core of the tree, his rifle is raised to his shoulder in an instant, and the next moment the whiz- zing ball has pierced the heart of the Red-tailed Hawk, which falls un- heeded to the earth. The farmer renews his work, and now changes sides. A whole hour has been spent in the application of ceaseless. blows. He begins to look upwards, to judge which way the giant of the forest will fall, and having ascertained this, he redoubles his blows. The huge oak begins to tremble. Were it permitted to speak, it might ask why it should suffer for the deeds of another ; but it is now seen slowly to incline, and soon after with an awful rustling produced by all its broad arms, its branches, twigs and. leaves, passing like lightning through the air, the noble tree falls to the earth, and almost causes it to shake. The work of revenge is now accomplished: the farmer seizes the younglings, and carries them home, to be tormented by his children, until death termi- nates their brief career. Notwithstanding the very common occurrence of such acts of retribu- tion between man and the Hawk, it would be difficult to visit a planta- tion in the State of Louisiana, without observing at least a pair of this species hovering. about, more especially during the winter months. Early in February, they begin to build their nest, which is usually placed within the forest, and on the tallest and largest tree in the neigh- 268 RED-TAILED HAWK. bourhood. The male and female are busily engaged in carrying up dried, sticks, and other materials, for eight or ten days, during which time their ery is seldom heard. The nest is large, and is fixed in the centre of a triply forked branch. It is of a flattish form, constructed of sticks, and finished with slender twigs and coarse grasses or Spanish moss. The fe- male lays four or five eggs, of a dull white colour, splatched with brown and black, with a very hard, smooth shell. The male assists the female in incubating, but it is seldom that the one brings food to the other while thus employed. I have seen one or two of these nests built in a large tree which had been left standing in the middle of a field ; but occurrences of this kind are rare, on account of the great enmity shewn to this species by the farmers. The young are abundantly supplied with food of various kinds, particularly grey squirrels, which the parents procure while hunting in pairs, when nothing can save the squirrel from their attacks excepting its retreat into the hole of a tree ; for should the animal be observed ascending the trunk or branch of a tree by either of the Hawks, this one immediately plunges toward it, while the other watches it from the air. The little animal, if placed against the trunk, when it sees the Hawk coming towards it, makes swiftly for the opposite side of the trunk, but is there immediate- ly dived at by the other Hawk, and now the murderous pair chase it so closely, that unless it immediately finds a hole into which to retreat, it is caught in a few minutes, killed, carried to the nest, torn in pieces, and distributed among the young Hawks. Small hares, or, as we usually call them, rabbits, are also frequently caught, and the depredations of the Red-tailed Hawks at this period are astonishing, for they seem to kill every thing, fit for food, that comes in their way. They are great destroyers of tame Pigeons, and woe to the Cock or Hen that strays far from home, for so powerful is this Hawk, that it is able not only to kill them, but to carry them off in its claws to a considerable distance. The continued attachment that exists between Eagles once paired, is not exhibited by these birds, which, after rearing their young, become as shy towards each other as if they had never met. This is carried to such a singular length, that they are seen to chase and rob each other of their prey, on all occasions. I have seen a couple thus engaged, when one of them had just seized a young rabbit or a squirrel, and was on the eve of rising in the air with it, for the purpose of carrying it off to a place of greater security. The one would attack the other with merci- RED-TAILED HAWK. 269 less fury, and either force it to abandon the prize, or fight with the same courage as its antagonist, to prevent the latter from becoming the sole possessor. ‘They are sometimes observed flying either one after the other with great rapidity, emitting their continued cry of kae, or performing beautiful evolutions through the air, until one or other of them becomes fatigued, and giving way, makes for the earth, where the battle continues until one is overpowered and obliged to make off. It was after witness- ing such an encounter between two of these powerful marauders, fighting hard for a young hare, that I made the drawing now before you, kind reader, in which you perceive the male to have greatly the advantage over the female, although she still holds the hare firmly in one of her talons, even while she is driven towards the earth, with her breast upwards. ‘I have observed that this species will even condescend to pounce en wood-rats and meadow-mice ; but I never saw one of these birds seize even those without first alighting on a tree before committing the act. During the winter months, the Red-tailed Hawk remains perched for hours together, when the sun is shining and the weather calm. Its breast is opposed to the sun, and it then is seen at a great distance, the pure white of that portion of its plumage glittering as if possessed of a silky gloss. ‘They return to their roosting-places so late in the evening, that I have frequently heard their cry after sun-set, mingling with the jovial notes of Chuck-will’s-widow, and the ludicrous laugh of the Barred Owl. In the State of Louisiana, the Red-tailed Hawk roosts amongst the tallest branches of the Magnolia grandiflora, a tree which there often attains a height of a hundred feet, and a diameter of from three to four feet at the base. It is also fond of roosting on the tall Cypress-trees of our swamps, where it spends the night in security, amidst the mosses attached to the branches. The Red-tailed Hawk is extremely wary, and difficult to be approach- ed by any one bearing a gun, the use of which it seems to understand perfectly ; for no sooner does it perceive a man thus armed than it spreads its wings, utters a loud shriek, and sails off in an opposite direction. On the other hand, a person on horseback, or walking unarmed, may pass immediately under the branch on which it is perched, when it merely watches his motions as he proceeds. _ It seldom alights on fences, or the low branches of trees, but prefers the highest and most prominent parts of the tallest trees. It alights on the borders of clear streams to drink. I have observed it in such situations, immersing its bill up to the eyes, and swallowing as much as was necessary to quench its thirst at a single draught. 270 RED-TAILED HAWK. I have seen this species pounce on soft-shelled tortoises, and amusing — enough it was to see the latter scramble towards the water, enter it, and save themselves from the claws of the Hawk by immediately diving. | I am not aware that this Hawk is ever successful in these attacks, as I have not on any occasion found any portion of the skin, head, or feet of tor- toises in the stomachs of the many Hawks of this species which I have killed and examined. Several times, however, I have found portions of bull-frogs in their stomach. All our Falcons are pestered with parasitic flying ticks. Those found amongst the plumage of the Red-tailed Hawk, like all others, move swiftly sidewise between the feathers, issue from the skin, and shift from one portion of the body to another on wing, and do not abandon the bird for a day or two after the latter is dead. These ticks are large, and of an auburn colour. The body of the Red-tailed Hawk is large, compact, and muscular. These birds protrude their talons beyond their head in seizing their prey, as well as while fighting in the air, in the manner shown in the Plate. I have caught several birds of this species by baiting a steel-trap with a live chicken. The animal represented as held in one of the feet of the female, is usually called a rabbit in all parts of the United States, but is evidently a true hare. It never burrows, but has a form to rest in, and to which it returns in the manner of the common hare of Europe. I may hereaf- ter present you, kind reader, with a full account of this American species, which occurs in great abundance in the United States. I have only here to add, that amongst the American farmers the .com- mon name of our present bird is the Hen-hawk, while it receives that of Grand mangeur de poules from the Creoles of Louisiana. Faco BorEALis, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol: i. p, 266.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 25.— Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. p. 32. AmeERIcAN Buzzarp, Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 50. Rep-TAILED Hawk, Facco sporeatis, Wils. Amer. Ornith, vol. vi. p. 75. Pl. 52. fig. 1. Adult. AMERICAN BuzzaRD, oR WHITE-BREASTED Hawk, Fatco LEVERIANUS, Wils. Amer. Ornith, vol. vi. p. 78. Pl. 51. fig. 3. Young. Adult Male. Plate LI. Fig. 1. RED-TAILED HAWK. 971 Bill short, robust, at the base as broad as deep, compressed towards the end, cerate; upper mandible, with the dorsal outline, convex from the base, rounded on the sides, the edges with an obtuse lobe, the tip trigo- nal, descending obliquely, acute ; lower mandible involute at the edges, truncate at the end, broadly rounded on the back. Nostrils roundish, nearly dorsal, in the fore part of the cere. Head large, flat above. Neck shortish, robust. Body bulky. Legs rather long, very robust ; tarsi stout, scutellate before and behind, the sides covered with hexagonal scales ; toes scutellate above, scaly on the sides, scabrous and tubercular beneath ; claws roundish, strong, curved, very acute. Plumage compact and firm ; feathers of the head and neck rather nar- row, of the other parts broad and rounded. Tarsus feathered anteriorly about one-third down. Wings long, ample, rounded, the fourth quill longest, the first short. Tail of twelve broad, rounded feathers, even, and of ordinary length. Bill light blue, blackish at the tip, greenish-yellow on the margin to- wards the base ; cere greenish-yellow. [Iris hazel. Tarsi and toes yel- low; claws brownish-black. Upper part of the head light brownish. . grey. Loral space and under eyelid white. A broad band of dark brown from the angle of the mouth backwards. Neck above and on the sides reddish-yellow, with large deep brown spots. Back deep brown; scapulars of the same colour, broadly margined and tipped with brownish- white. Lesser wing-coverts chocolate-brown; larger lighter brown, tip- ped with white. Primary quills blackish-brown ; secondaries lighter, tip- ped with brownish-white ; all barred with blackish. Upper tail-coverts whitish, barred with brown, and yellowish-red in the middle. Tail bright yellowish-red, tipped with whitish, and having a narrow bar of black near the end. Lower parts brownish-white ; the fore part of the breast and neck light yellowish-red, the former marked with guttiform, somewhat sagittate brown spots : abdomen and chin white; feathers of the leg and tarsus pale reddish-yellow, those on the outside indistinctly spotted. Length 203 inches, extent of wings 46 ; bill along the back li, along the gap 2; tarsus 34, middle toe 2%. Wings when closed reaching to within two inches of the tip of the tail. Adult Female. Plate LI. Fig. 2. The female, which is considerably larger, agrees with the male in the general distribution of its colouring. The upper parts are darker, and 272 RED-TAILED HAWK. the under parts nearly white, there being only a few narrow streaks on the sides of the breast ; the tibial and tarsal feathers asin the male. The tail is of a duller red, and wants the black bar. Length 24 inches. Tue AMERICAN Hare. LErvus AMERICANUS, Harlan, Fauna Americana, p. 193. The Rabbit, as this animal is named in the United States, has the habits of the European Hare, forming a flat, well-beaten, oblong space among the grass, on which it rests during the day. It never burrows like the Common Rabbit of Europe, although it resorts for safety to the hol- lows of fallen trunks, or those frequently existing at the roots of standing trees, as well as to cavities in rocks. It feeds principally towards the ap- proach of night and early in the morning, and spends the greater part of the day in its form. When startled by a dog, it proceeds in a direct man- ner for a considerable way, and then returns nearly by the same course. When disturbed, if there be not a dog present, it runs toa short distance, stops, raises its head, erects its ears, and is then easily discovered and shot. When the period of parturition approaches, it forms a kind of nest of long grass, arranged in an oblong form. Its flesh is whiter than that of the European Hare, but resembles it in flavour. It gnaws the bark of young trees in the orchards as well as in the forests, and is in many parts very abundant. ( 273 ) CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW. CAPRIMULGUS CAROLINENSIS, Briss. PLATE LIT. Mare and FEMALE. Our Goatsuckers, although possessed of great power of wing, are par- ticularly attached to certain districts and localities. The species now un- der consideration is seldom observed beyond the limits of the Choctaw Nation in the State of Mississippi, or the Carolinas, on the shores of the Atlantic, and may with propriety be looked upon as the southern species of the United States. Louisiana, Florida, the lower portions of Alabama and Georgia, are the parts in which it most abounds; and there it makes its appearance early in spring, coming over from Mexico, and probably still warmer climates. About the middle of March, the forests of Louisiana are heard to echo with the well-known notes of this interesting bird. No sooner has the sun disappeared, and the nocturnal insects emerge from their bur- rows, than the sounds, “ chuck-will’s-widow,” repeated with great clear- ness and power six or seven times in as many seconds, strike the ear of every individual, bringing to the mind a pleasure mingled with a certain degree of melancholy, which I have often found very soothing. The sounds of the Goatsucker, at all events, forebode a peaceful and calm night, and I have more than once thought, are conducive to lull the lis- tener to repose. The deep ravines, shady swamps, and extensive pine ridges, are all equally resorted to by these birds; for in all such places they find ample means of providing for their safety during the day, and of procuring food under night. Their notes are seldom heard in cloudy weather, and never when it rains. Their roosting places are principally the hollows of decayed trees, whether standing or prostrate, from which latter they are seldom raised during the day, excepting while incubation is in progress. In these hollows I have found them, lodged in the company of several “species of bats, the birds asleep on the mouldering particles of the wood, the bats clinging to the sides of the cavities. When surprised in such si- tuations, instead of trying to effect their escape by flying out, they retire backwards to the farthest corners, ruffle all the feathers of their body, § 274 CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW. open their mouth to its full extent, and utter a hissing kind of murmur, | not unlike that of some snakes. When seized and brought to the light of day, they open and close their eyes in rapid succession, as if it were painful for them to encounter so bright a light. They snap their little bill in the manner of Fly-catchers, and shuffle along as if extremely de- sirous of making their escape. On giving them liberty to fly, I have found them able to proceed until out of my sight. They passed between the trees with apparently as much ease and dexterity as if it had been twi- light. I once cut two of the quill-feathers of a wing of one of these birds, and allowed it to escape. A few days afterwards I found it in the same log, which induces me to believe that they, like many other birds, resort to the same spot, to roost or spend the day. The flight of the Chuck-will’s-widow is as light as that of its relative, the well-known Whip-poor-will, if not more so, and is more graceful as well as more elevated. It somewhat resembles the flight of the Hen-har- rier, being performed by easy flappings of the wings, interspersed with sailings and curving sweeps, extremely pleasing to the bystander. At the approach of night, this bird begins to sing clearly and loudly, and con- tinues its notes for about a quarter of an hour. At this time it is perched on a fence-stake, or on the decayed branch of a tree in the interior of the woods, seldom on the ground. The sounds or notes which it emits seem to cause it some trouble, as it raises and lowers its head in quick succes- sion at each of them. This over, the bird launches into the air, and is seen sweeping over the cotton fields or the sugar plantations, cutting all sorts of figures, mounting, descending, or sailing, with so much ease and grace, that one might be induced to call it the Fairy of the night. If it passes close to one, a murmuring noise is heard, at times resembling that spoken of when the bird is caught by day. It suddenly checks its course, inclines to the right or left, secures a beetle or a moth, continues its flight over the field, passes and repasses hundreds of times over the same ground, and now and then alights ona fence-stake, or the tallest plant in the place, from which it emits its notes for a few moments with increased vivacity. Now, it is seen following a road ora path on the wing, and alighting here and there to pick up the beetle emerging from its retreat in the ground ; again, it rises high in air, and gives chase to the insects that are flying there, perhaps on their passage from one wood to another. At other times, I have seen it poise itself on its wings opposite the trunk of a tree, and seize with its bill the insects crawling on the bark, in this CHUCK-WILL’S- WIDOW. 275 manner inspecting the whole tree, with motions as light as those by which the Humming Bird flutters from one flower to another. In this manner Chuck-will’s-widow spends the greater part of the night. The greatest harmony appears to subsist between the birds of this species, for dozens may be observed flying together over a field, and chasing insects in all directions, without manifesting any enmity or envy. A few days after the arrival of the male birds, the females make their appearance, and the love season at once commences. The male pays his addresses to the female with a degree of pomposity only equalled by the Tame Pigeon. The female, perched lengthwise on a branch, appears coy and silent, whilst the male flies around her, alights in front of her, and with drooping wings and expanded tail advances quickly, singing with great impetuosity. They are soon seen to leave the branch together and gambol through the air. A few days after this, the female, having made choice of a place in one of the most retired parts of some thicket, deposits two eggs, which I think, although I cannot be certain, are all that she lays for the season. This bird forms no nest. A little space is carelessly scratched amongst the dead leaves, and in it the eggs, which are elliptical, dull olive, and speckled with brown, are dropped. These are not found without great difficulty, unless when by accident a person passes within a few feet of the bird whilst sitting, and it chances to fly off. Should you touch or handle these dear fruits of happy love, and, returning to the place, search for them again, you would search in vain ; for the bird perceives at once that they have been meddled with, and both parents remove them to some other part of the woods, where chance only could enable you to find them again. In the same manner, they also remove the young when very small. This singular occurrence has as much occupied my thoughts as the equally singular manner in which the Cow Bunting deposits her eggs, -which she does, like the Common Cuckoo of Europe, one by one, in the nests of other birds, of different species from her own. I have spent much time in trying to ascertain in what manner the Chuck-will’s-widow removes her eggs or young, particularly as I found, by the assistance of an excellent dog, that neither the eggs nor the young were to be met with within at least a hundred yards from the spot where they at first lay. The Negroes, some of whom pay a good deal of attention to the habits of birds and quadrupeds, assured me that these birds push the eggs or young with their bill along the ground. Some farmers, without troubling 52 276 CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW. themselves much about the matter, imagined the transportation to be per- formed under the wings of the old bird. The account of the Negroes appearing to me more likely to be true than that of the farmers, I made up my mind to institute a strict investigation of the matter. The follow- ing is the result. When the Chuck-will’s-widow, either male or female (for each sits al- ternately) has discovered that the eggs have been touched, it ruffles its feathers and appears extremely dejected for a minute or two, after which it emits a low murmuring cry, scarcely audible to me, as I lay concealed at a distance of not more than eighteen or twenty yards. At this time I have seen the other parent reach the spot, flying so low over the ground that I thought its little feet must have touched it, as it skimmed along, and after a few low notes and some gesticulations, all indicative of great distress, take an egg in its large mouth, the other bird doing the same, when they would fly off together, skimming closely over the ground, un- til they disappeared among the branches and trees. But to what distance they remove their eggs, I have never been able to ascertain; nor have I ever had an opportunity cf witnessing the removal of the young. Should a person, coming upon the nest when the bird is sitting, refrain from touching the eggs, the bird returns to them and sits as before. This fact I have also ascertained by observation. I wish I could have discovered the peculiar use of the pectinated claw which this bird has on each foot; but, reader, this remains one of the many desiderata in ornithology, and I fear, with me at least, will continue sO. The Chuck-will’s-widow manifests a strong antipathy towards all snakes, however harmless they may be. Although these birds cannot in “any way injure the snakes, they alight near them on all occasions, and try to frighten them away, by opening their prodigious mouth, and emitting a strong hissing murmur. It was after witnessing one of these occur- rences, which took place at early twilight, that the idea of representing these birds in such an occupation struck me. The beautiful little snake, gliding along the dead branch, between two Chuck-will’s-widows, a male and a female, is commonly called the Harlequin Snake, and is, I believe, quite harmless. The food of the bird now under consideration consists entirely of all sorts of insects, among which the larger species of moths and beetles are very conspicuous. The long bristly feathers at the base of the mandibles CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDGW. 277 of these birds no doubt contribute greatly to prevent the insects from escaping, after any portion of them has entered the mouth of the bird. These birds become silent as soon as the young are hatched, but are heard again before their departure towards the end of summer. At this season, however, their cry is much less frequently heard than in spring. They leave the United States all of a sudden, about the middle of the month of August. CaPRIMULGUS CAROLINENSIS, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 1028.—Laih. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 584.— Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 61. Canrotina GoatsuckER, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 592. (CHUCK-WILL’s-wIDOW, CAPRIMULGUS CAROLINENSIS, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vi. p- 95. Pl. 54. fig. 2. ‘Adult Male. Plate LII. Fig. 1. Bill extremely short, feeble, opening to beyond the eyes, making the mouth when open of enormous dimensions ; upper mandible arched in its dorsal outline, very broad at the base, suddenly contracted towards the tip, which is compressed and rather obtuse; lower mandible a little decurved at the tip. Nostrils basal, oval, prominent, covered above by a membrane. Head disproportionately large. Eyes and ears very large. Neck short. Body rather slender. Feet very short; tarsus partly feathered, anteriorly scutellate below; fore toes three, connected to the second joint by membranes, scutellate above; claws depressed, arched, that of the middle toe with the inner edge expanded and pectinate. Plumage blended, soft and silky, without much gloss. Upper mandible margined at the base with long, stiff bristles, extending for- wards and outwards. Wings long, somewhat falcate, narrow, the second and third quills longest. Tail long, ample, even, of ten broad, rounded feathers. Bill yellowish-brown, the tip black. Iris hazel. Feet yellowish- brown, tinged with purple. Head and back dark brown, minutely mottled with yellowish-red, and longitudinally streaked with black. Three lines of the latter colour from the upper mandible, diverging along the head. A yellowish-white line over the eye. Sides of the head and chin yellowish-red, mottled with black. Wings barred with yellowish- red and brownish-black, and minutely sprinkled with the latter colour, as are the wing-coverts, which, together with the scapulars, are largely 278 CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW. spotted with black, and tinged with bluish-grey. Tail similarly barred and sprinkled, the inner webs of the three outer feathers white, and their ex- tremities light yellowish-red, more minutely sprinkled, and without bars. Under parts blackish, sprinkled with yellowish-red, the belly lighter, and a slight band of whitish across the fore-neck. Length 123 inches, extent of wings 26; bill along the back }, along the gap 2. Adult Female. Plate LII. Fig. 2. The colouring of the female is similar to that of the male. The three outer tail-feathers are brownish on their inner webs, yellowish-red, with- out dots, at the tip, with a distinct subterminal bar of black. THE HARLEQUIN SNAKE. This beautiful Snake is rather rare in the United States, where I have observed it only in the south. It glides through the grass with ease, and ascends to the tops of bushes and among the branches of fallen trees, to bask in the sun. Children are fond.of catching it on account of its beauty. It feeds principally on insects, such as flies and small Coleoptera. Its usual size is that represented in the plate. (279 ) THE PAINTED FINCH. FRINGILLA CiRIs, TEMM. PLATE LIII. Mate 1 DIFFERENT STATES OF PLUMAGE, AND FEMALE. Axzourt the middle of April, the orange groves of the lower parts of Louisiana, and more especially those in the immediate vicinity of the City of New Orleans, are abundantly supplied with this beautiful little Sparrow. But no sooner does it make its appearance than trap-cages are set, and a regular business is commenced in the market of that city. The method employed in securing the male Painted Finch is so con- nected with its pugnacious habits, that I feel inclined to describe it, especially as it is so different from the common way of alluring birds, that it may afford you, kind reader, some amusement. A male bird in full plumage is shot and stuffed in a defensive atti- tude, and perched among some grass seed, rice, or other food, on the same platform as the trap-cage. This is taken to the fields or near the orangeries, and placed in so open a situation, that it would be difficult for a living bird of any species to fly over it, without observing it. The trap is set. A male Painted Finch passes, perceives it, and dives to- wards the stuffed bird, with all the anger which its little breast can con- tain. It alights on the edge of the trap for a moment, and throwing its body against the stuffed bird, brings down the trap, and is made pri- soner. In this manner, thousands of these birds are caught every spring. So pertinacious are they in their attacks, that even when the trap has closed upon them, they continue pecking at the feathers of the supposed rival. The approach of man seems to allay its anger in a moment. The live bird is removed to the lower apartment of the cage, and is thereby made to assist in decoying others. They feed almost immediately after being caught; and if able to support the loss of liberty for a few days, may be kept for several years. I have known some instances of their being kept in confinement for up- wards of ten years. Few vessels leave the port of New Orleans during the summer months, without taking some Painted Finches, and through this means they are transported probably to all parts of Europe. I have seen them offered for sale in London and Paris, with the trifling differ- 280 . PAINTED FINCH. ence of value on each individual, which converted the sixpence paid for it at New Orleans to three guineas in London. The pugnacious habits of this species are common in a great degree to the whole family of Sparrows. Like the most daring, the Common House Sparrow of Europe, they may be observed in spring time, in little groups of four, five or six, fighting together, moving round each other to secure an advantageous position, pecking and pulling at each other’s feathers with all the violence and animosity to which their small degree of strength can give effect. A group thus occupied I have attempted to represent in the plate. I have at the same time endeavoured to save you the trouble of reading a long description of the changes which take place in their plumage, from the time at which the young leave the nest, until the fourth year follow- ing, when the males attain the full beauty of their brilliant livery. Where in fact would be the necessity of telling you more, than that the young, during the first summer, are similar in colouring to the female ; that the next spring, the head of the males only has become of a hand- eo, the same bird is mottled more or some blue; that, the spring following, less with azure, carmine, yellow and green; and that it requires another return of the warm season before all these colours are perfected and ren- dered permanent ; when at a single glance you can determine all this at once. Long descriptions of this kind are only fit to be read to the blind. Colours speak for themselves. The flight of the Pape, by which name the Creoles of Louisiana know this bird best, is short, although regular, and performed by a nearly constant motion of the wings, which is rendered necessary by their con- cave form. It hops on the ground, moving forward with ease, now and then jetting out the tail a little, and, like a true Sparrow, picking up and carrying off on wing a grain of rice or a crumb of bread to some dis- tance, where it may eat in more security. It has a sprightly song, often repeated, which it continues even when closely confined. When the bird is at liberty, this song is uttered from the top branches of an orange- tree, or those of a common briar, and although not so sonorous as that of the Canary, or of its nearer relative, the Indigo Bunting, is not far from equalling either. Its song is continued during the greatest heats of the day, which is also the case with that of the Indigo Bird. The nest of this pretty bird is generally placed in a low situation, in an orange-tree, frequently within a few paces of the house, or far from it PAINTED FINCH. 281 on the edge of the fences, where briars are convenient. It raises two broods each season. The eggs are four or five, of a beautiful pearly, rather bluish colour, speckled with blackish, and are deposited in a sim- ply constructed nest, lined with fine fibrous roots or horse-hair, and ex- ternally formed of fine grass. They readily breed in confinement, if their prison is rendered tolerably comfortable. The young are fed at first in the manner of Canaries, but at the end of ten or twelve days are taught to swallow grains of rice, insects or berries. No sooner are figs or grapes ripe than these birds attack them, feeding for some time almost entirely upon them. Towards evening, they also pursue insects on wing. Some persons give the name of Nonpareil to this species, but it is more commonly known by the name of Pape, which, in fact, is a general appellation given by the inhabitants of Louisiana to all the smaller spe- cies of thick-billed birds. 7 The Painted Finches do not proceed far eastward, nor, indeed, up the Mississippi, being seldom seen above the City of Natchez, on that river, or farther to the east than the Carolinas. It retires southward in the beginning of October. The Chickasaw Wild Plum, on a twig of which I have represented a group of these birds, is found growing abundantly in the country where the birds occur. It is a small shrub, the fruit of which is yellow when ripe, and excellent eating. FRINGILLA Ciris, Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 107. Emsenriza Crris, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. p. 313.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 416. Parntep Buntine, Lath. Synops. vol. iii. p. 206.—Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 68. Pl. xxiv. fig. 1. Male; Fig. 2. Female. Adult Male, in full plumage. Plate LIII. Fig 1. Bill short, robust, conical, somewhat bulging, straight, acute ; upper mandible broader, slightly declinate at the tip; gap-line a little declinate at the base. Nostrils basal, roundish, partly concealed by the frontal feathers. Head and neck rather large. Body full. Feet of moderate length; tarsus a little longer than the middle toe; toes free, the lateral ones nearly equal ; claws compressed, arched, acute. Plumage blended, tufty, somewhat compact on the head and back. Wings of ordinary length, the third quill longest. Tail shortish, even, of twelve rounded feathers. 282 PAINTED FINCH. Bill dark brown above, light-blue beneath. Irishazel. Feet light blue. Head and upper neck pure azure, a circle of carmine round the eye. Back and lesser wing-coverts yellowish-green. Lower back and under parts deep carmine. Quills and tail purplish-brown ; secondary coverts green. Length 54, extent of wings 74; bill along the ridge 1, along the 5 gap 3; tarsus ?, middle toe 2. Male in the third year. Plate LIII. Fig. 2. Head and under parts as in the full-plumaged male. Back mottled with yellow and light green; upper wing-coverts patched with green, yellow and brown. Male in the second year. Plate LIII. Fig. 4. Bill and upper part of the head as in the adult. Upper parts gene- rally olive-green ; under parts dull orange, paler behind. Male in the first year. Plate LIII. Fig. 3. Under mandible blue; in other respects similar to the female. Adult Female. Plate LIII. Fig. 5. Bill brown. Feet light blue. Upper parts in general light olive green ; under parts dull orange, paler behind. Tue CuickasaAw Puum. Prunus Curcasa, Mich. Flor. Amer. vol. i. p. 284. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. » 332. —Icosanpria Monoeyntia, Linn. Rosacr#, Juss. This species is distinguished by its oblongo-elliptical, acuminate, serrulate leaves ; smooth spinescent branches ; flowers in pairs, with very short pedicels, and glabrous calyces; and its broadly oval fruits. It flowers in April and May. ( 283 ) THE RICE BIRD. ICTERUS AGRIPENNIS, Cu. Bonap. PLATE LIV. Mate anp FEMALE. Very few of these birds pass through Louisiana in spring, and still fewer, on their return, in autumn; for which reason I am inclined to think that they do not spend the winter months so much in the Southern parts of America as in some of the West India Islands. Indeed, I am the more inclined to believe this to be the case, that they seldom pene- trate far into the interior, during their stay with us, but prefer the dis- tricts bordering upon the Atlantic, through which they pass and repass in incredible numbers. In Louisiana, small detached flocks of males or of females appear about the middle of March and beginning of April, alighting in the mea- dows and grain-fields, where they pick up the grubs and insects found about the roots of the blades. I have heard it asserted, though I can- not give it as a fact, that the appearance of the Rice Bird in ‘spring forebodes a bad harvest. The idea probably originates from the circum- stance that these birds do not pass through Louisiana regularly every year, there being sometimes three or four springs in succession in which they are not observed. The plumage of many of the males at this early season still resembles that of the females, but it changes in the course of their stay, which is seldom more than a fortnight. I have ascertained this fact by dissecting many at this period, when, notwithstanding the dull colour of their plu- mage, I found the sexual organs greatly developed, which is not the case in autumn, even in the old males. I had another clew to the discovery of this fact. No sooner did a flock of females make its appearance, than these dull-looking gentlemen immediately paid them such particular at- tention, and sang so vehemently, that the fact of their being of a different sex became undeniable. Here they pass under the name of Meadow Birds. In Pennsylvania they are called Reed Birds, in Carolina Rice Buntings, and in the State of New York Boblinks. The latter appellation is given to them as far eastward as they are known to proceed for the purpose of breeding. During their sojourn in Louisiana, in spring, their song, which is 284 RICE BIRD. extremely interesting, and emitted with a volubility bordering on the burlesque, is heard from a whole party at the same time; when, as each individual is, of course, possessed of the same musical powers as his neighbours, it becomes amusing to listen to thirty or forty of them be- ginning one after another, as if ordered to follow in quick succession, af- ter the first notes are given by a leader, and producing such a medley as it is impossible to describe, although it is extremely pleasant to hear it. While you are listening, the whole flock simultaneously ceases, which ap- pears equally extraordinary. his curious exhibition takes place every time that the flock has alighted on a tree, after feeding for a while on the ground, and is renewed at intervals during the day. There is a very remarkable fact in the history of this species, which is, that while moving eastward, during their migration, in spring, they fly mostly at night; whereas in autumn, when they are returning south- ward, their flight is diurnal. This, kind reader, is another puzzle to me. About the middle of May, the Boblinks reach the State of New York, their stay in the intermediate States being of short duration at that season, although sufficient to enable them to cause great injury to the corn fields in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, where it is said, al- though Tf can scarcely give credit to the assertion, that they cut the blade near the root. This is perhaps laid to their charge for the pur- pose of aggravating the real injury which they afterwards inflict on the farmers, by feeding on the grain when in a milky and tender state. However, they reach the States of New York and Connecticut, and ex- tend their journey to the easternmost of our districts, proceeding also to the borders of Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, and the St Laurence. By this time, they have become so plentiful, and have so dispersed all over the country, that it is impossible to see a meadow or a field of corn, which does not contain several pairs of them. 'The beauty, or, per- haps more properly, the variety of their plumage, as well as of their song, attracts the attention of the bird-catchers. Great numbers are captured and exposed for sale in the markets, particularly in those of the city of New York. They are caught in trap-cages, and feed and sing almost immediately after. Many are carried to Europe, where the shipper is often disappointed in his profits, as by the time they reach there, the birds have changed their colours and seem all females. Whilst the love season lasts, the males are more sprightly than ever. Their song is mostly performed in the air, while they are rising and fall- RICE BIRD. 285 ing in successive jerks, which are as amusing as the jingling of their vo- cal essays. The variety of their colours is at this juncture very remark- able. It is equally so, when, on rising from among the grass and flying away from the observer, they display the pure black and white of their wings and body. The nest of the Rice Bunting is placed on the ground, without much apparent care as to choice of situation, but always amongst the’ grass, or in a field of wheat or barley. It is composed of coarse dried grasses and leaves externally, and is lined with finer meadow grass. It appears large for the size of the bird. The female lays from four to six eggs, of a white colour, strongly tinged with dull blue, and irregularly spotted with blackish. They raise only one brood in a season. No sooner have the young left the nest, than they and their parents associate with other families, so that by the end of July large flocks be- gin to appear. They seem to come from every portion of the Eastern States, and already resort to the borders of the rivers and estuaries to roost. Their songs have ceased, the males have lost their gay livery, and have assumed the yellow hue of the females and young, although the latter are more firm in their tints than the old males, and the whole be- gin to return southward, slowly and with a single clink, sufficient how- ever to give intimation of their passage, as they fly high in long files dur- ing the whole day. Now begin their devastations. They plunder every field, but are shot in immense numbers. As they pass along the sea shores, and fol- low the muddy edges of the rivers, covered at that season with full grown reeds, whose tops are bent down with the weight of the ripe seeds, they alight amongst them in countless multitudes, and afford abundant practice to every gunner. It is particularly towards sunset, and when the weather is fine, that the sport of shooting Reed Birds is most profitable. They have then fully satiated their appetite, and have collected closely for the purpose of roosting. At the discharge of a gun, a flock sufficient to cover several acres rises en masse, and performing various evolutions, densely packed, and resembling a sultry cloud, passes over and near the sportsman, when he lets fly, and finds occupation for some time in picking up the dozens which he has brought down at a single shot. One would think that every gun in the country has been put in requisition. Millions of these birds are de- stroyed, and yet millions remain, for after all the havock that has been 286 RICE BIRD. made among them in the Middle Districts, they follow the coast, and reach the rice plantations of the Carolinas im such astonishing numbers, that no one could conceive their flocks to have been already thinned. Their flesh is extremely tender and juicy. The markets are amply sup- plied, and the epicures have a glorious time of it. By the end of October, few are found remaining in the States of New York and Pennsylvania; and by the first of December they have left the United States. f The food of these birds varies according to the seasons, and consists of grubs, caterpillars, insects of various kinds, such as beetles, grass- hoppers, crickets, and ground-spiders, and the seeds of wild oats, wheat, barley, rice, and other grasses. They cling or climb along the stalks of rank weeds, reeds, and corn, with great activity and ease, and when at roost place themselves as near the ground as possible. IcTERUS AGRIPENNIS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 53. EMBERIZA ORYZIVORA, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 311.—LZath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p- 408. RicE Buntine, Lath. Synops. vol. iii. p. 188.—Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 48, Pl. xii. fig. 1, 2. Plate LIV. Fig. 1. Adult Male in summer. Bill of ordinary length, robust, conical, compressed ; upper mandible narrower, inflected at the edges, the dorsal outline a little convex, the ridge slightly prolonged on the forehead, the palate furnished with a hard tubercle ; under mandible with the dorsal outline convex, as are the sides, the edges inflected; the gap line much deflected at the base, straight. Nostrils basal, oval, in a short deep grove, nearly concealed by the feathers. Head large, neck thick, body full. Feet of ordinary length, rather strong; tarsus compressed, anteriorly covered with six scutella, posteriorly acute; toes scutellate above, the outer united at the base ; claws arched, compressed, acute, the hind one very long. Plumage compact, glossy. Wings of ordinary length, the second quill longest. Tail of ordinary length, composed of twelve acuminate feathers. Bill dark brown above, bluish-grey beneath. Iris hazel. Feet light reddish-brown. Upper and fore part of the head, cheeks, tail, quills, and the whole under parts, black. Back of the head and neck brownish- RICE BIRD. 287 yellow. Fore part of the back black, the feathers margined with yellow, as are the secondary quills and coverts. Lower back, tail-coverts and scapulars, pure white. Length 7 inches, extent of wings 11; bill along the ridge 74, along the gap 2; tarsus 13, middle toe 1}. Adult Female in summer. Plate LIV. Fig. 2. The female is somewhat less than the male, and differs greatly in the colours of the plumage, the upper parts being light yellowish-brown, lon- gitudinally streaked with blackish-brown, the under parts pale greyish- yellow, the sides longitudinally marked with dark brown. There is a broad band of dark brown on each side of the head, beneath which is a yellowish streak over the eye, and a blackish spot behind it. The quills and tail-feathers are wood-brown, the former, as well as the coverts, mar- gined with yellowish. Notwithstanding the somewhat greater length of the bill, this bird evidently approaches very nearly to the genus Emberiza, or is one of the connecting links between it and the genus Icterus. The female in co- louring bears a striking resemblance to Emberiza miliaria. Tue Rep Marte. Acer rugsrum, Willd. Sp. Plant. vol. iv. p. 984. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. p. 265. Mich. Arb. Forest. de ’ Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 210. Pl. 14.—Octanpria Mono- Gyn, Linn. ACERINEA, Juss. This species, which is known by the names of Red Maple and Swamp Maple, is distinguished by its five-lobed or three-lobed leaves, which are cordate at the base, unequally and deeply toothed, and glaucous beneath ; its sessile umbels, elongated pedicels, and smooth germens. The flowers and seeds are red. It is very extensively distributed, and in the Swamps. of Pennsylvania and New Jersey attains a height of from sixty to eighty feet. When young, the bark is smooth, and covered with large white spots, but it ultimately cracks and becomes brown. The wood is hard and close, and takes a good polish. It is extensively used for various purposes. ( 288 ) CUVIER’S REGULUS. REGULUS CUVIERII. PLATE LY. Mate. I nave named this pretty and rare species after Baron Cuvier, not merely by way of acknowledgment for the kind attentions which I have received at the hands of that deservedly celebrated naturalist, but more as a homage due by every student of nature to one at present unrivalled in the knowledge of General Zoology. I shot the bird represented in the Plate, on my father-in-law’s plan- tation of Fatland Ford, on the Skuylkill River in Pennsylvania, on the 8th June 1812, while on a visit to my honoured relative Mr Witt1am BakewELit. The drawing which I then made I have kept to this date, without having described the bird from which it was taken. I killed this little bird, supposing it to be one of its relatives, the Ruby-crested Wren, whilst it was searching for insects and larvae amongst the leaves and blos- soms of the Kalmia latifolia, on a branch of which you see it represented, and was not aware of its being a different bird until I picked it up from the ground. I have not seen another since, nor have I been able to learn that this species has been observed by any other individual. It might, however, be very easily mistaken for the Ruby-crowned Wren, the man- ners of which appear to be much the same. My excellent friend Cuartes Lucian Bonaparte, to whom also I shewed my drawing of this bird in London, proposed naming it Regulus Carbunculus ; and I should probably have introduced it to you, kind reader, under that appellation, had I not changed it for that of Regulus Cuvierti, on my fortunately becoming acquainted with the highly cele- brated and equally kind Secretary of the Royal Institute of France. The Kalmia latifolia grows in great profusion in the State of Penn- sylvania, and along the range of the Alleghanies, in all rocky and hilly situations. ReEGuULvs CuvieERtt. Plate LV. Male. CUVIER'S REGULUS. 289 Bill short, straight, subulate, very slender, compressed, with inflected edges; upper mandible nearly straight in its dorsal outline, the edges slightly notched close upon the slightly declinate acute tip ; lower man- dible straight, acute. Nostrils basal, elliptical, half closed above by a membrane, covered over by the feathers. The whole form slender. Legs rather long; tarsus slender, much compressed, longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly with a few indistinct scutella; toes scutellate, the lateral ones nearly equal and free; hind toe stouter ; claws weak, com- pressed, arched, acute. ik Plumage very loose and tufty. Bristles at the base of the bill; a; small decomposed feather covering the nostril. Wings of ordinary length, the third and fourth primaries longest. ail of twelve feathers, emarginate. Bill black. Iris hazel. Feet yellowish-brown. The general colour, of the upper parts is dull greyish-olive. Forehead, lore, and a line be+ hind the eye, black. A semilunar band of the same on the top of the head, the middle space vermilion. Wings and tail dusky, edged with, greenish-yellow. Secondary coverts tipped with greyish-white. Under parts greyish-white. f Length 44 inches, extent of wings 6; bill along the ridge nearly 4; along the gap nearly 3; tarsus §. THe BROAD-LEAVED KaumiA, oR LAUREL. Kama Latiroria, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 600. Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 296.— Decanpria Monoeyrnia, Linn. RHODODENDRA, Juss, j This beautiful species is characterized by its scattered, petiolate, el- liptical leaves, which are smooth, and nearly of the same colour on both sides ; and its terminal, viscid, and pubescent corymbs. It is a middle- sized shrub, sometimes attaining a height of eight or ten feet. The leaves are evergreen, as in the other species, and the flowers of a delicate pink. - ( 290 ) KENTUCKY SPORTS. Ir may not be amiss, kind reader, before I attempt to give you some idea of the pleasures experienced by the sportsmen of Kentucky, to in- troduce the subject with a slight description of that State. Kentucky was formerly attached to Virginia, but in those days the Indians looked upon that portion of the western wilds as their own, and abandoned the district only when forced to do so, moving with disconso- late hearts farther into the recesses of the unexplored forests. Doubtless the richness of its soil, and the beauty of its borders, situated as they are along one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, contributed as much to attract the Old Virginians, as the desire so generally experienced in America, of spreading over the uncultivated tracts, and bringing into cultivation lands that have for unknown ages teemed with the wild luxu- riance of untamed nature. The conquest of Kentucky was not performed without many difficulties. The warfare that long existed between the in- truders and the Redskins was sanguinary and protracted ; but the for- mer at length made good their footing, and the latter drew off their shat- tered bands, dismayed by the mental superiority and indomitable courage of the white men. - This region was probably discovered by a daring hunter, the renowned DaniEt Boon. The richness of its soil, its magnificent forests, its number- less navigable streams, its salt springs and licks, its saltpetre caves, its coal strata, and the vast herds of buffaloes and deer that browsed on its hills and amidst its charming valleys, afforded ample inducements to the new set- tler, who pushed forward with a spirit far above that of the most un- daunted tribes, which for ages had been the sole possessors of the soil. The Virginians thronged towards the Ohio. An axe, a couple of horses, and a heavy rifle, with store of ammunition, were all that were con- sidered necessary for the equipment of the man, who, with his family, re- moved to the new State, assured that, in that land of exuberant fertility, he could not fail to provide amply for all his wants. To have witnessed the industry and perseverance of these emigrants, must at once have proved the vigour of their minds. Regardless of the fatigue attending every movement which they made, they pushed through an unexplored region of dark and tangled forests, guiding themselves by the sun alone, KENTUCKY SPORTS. 291 and reposing at night on the bare ground. Numberless streams they had to cross on rafts, with their wives and children, their cattle and their luggage, often drifting to considerable distances before they could effect a landing on the opposite shores. Their cattle would often stray amid the rice pasturage of these shores, and occasion a delay of several days. To these troubles add the constantly impending danger of being mur- dered, while asleep in their encampments, by the prowling and ruthless Indians; while they had before them a distance of hundreds of miles to be traversed, before they could reach certain places of rendezvous called Stations. 'To encounter difficulties like these must have required ener- gies of no ordinary kind; and the reward which these veteran settlers enjoy was doubtless well merited. Some removed from the Atlantic shores to those of the Ohio in more comfort and security. They had their waggons, their Negroes, and their families. 'Their way was cut through the woods by their own axemen, the day before their advance, and when night overtook them, the hunters attached to the party came to the place pitched upon for encamping, loaded with the dainties of which the forest yielded an abundant supply, the blazing light of a huge fire guiding their steps as they approached, and the sounds of merriment that saluted their ears assuring them that all was well. The flesh of the buffalo, the bear, and the deer, soon hung in large and delicious steaks, in front of the embers; the cakes already pre- pared were deposited in their proper places, and under the rich drippings of the juicy roasts, were quickly baked.. The waggons contained the bedding, and whilst the horses which had drawn them were turned loose to feed on the luxuriant undergrowth of the woods, some perhaps hop- pled, but the greater number, merely with a light bell hung to their neck, to guide their owners in the morning to the spot where they might have rambled, the party were enjoying themselves after the fatigues of the day. In anticipation all is pleasure ; and these migrating bands feasted in joyous sociality, unapprehensive of any greater difficulties than those to be encountered in forcing their way through the pathless woods to the land of abundance; and although it took months to accomplish the jour- ney, and a skirmish now and then took place between them and the In- dians, who sometimes crept unperceived into their very camp, still did the Virginians cheerfully proceed towards the western horizon, until the various groups all reached the Ohio, when, struck with the beauty of that tT 2 292 KENTUCKY SPORTS. magnificent stream, they at once commenced the task of clearing land, for the purpose of establishing a permanent residence. Others, perhaps encumbered with too much luggage, preferred de- scending the stream. They prepared arks pierced with port-holes, and glided on the gentle current, more annoyed, however, than those who marched by land, by the attacks of the Indians, who watched their mo- tions. Many travellers have described these boats, formerly called arks, but now named flat-boats. But have they told you, kind reader, that in those times a boat thirty or forty feet in length, by ten or twelve in breadth, was considered a stupendous fabric; that this boat contained men, women and children, huddled together, with horses, cattle, hogs and poultry for their companions, while the remaining portion was crammed with vegetables and packages of seeds? The roof or deck of the boat was not unlike a farm-yard, being covered with hay, ploughs, carts, waggons, and various agricultural implements, together with nu- merous others, among which the spinning-wheels of the matrons were conspicuous. Even the sides of the floating-mass were loaded with the wheels of the different vehicles, which themselves lay on the roof. Have they told you that these boats contained the little all of each family of venturous emigrants, who, fearful of being. discovered by the Indians under night moved in darkness, groping their way from one part to another of these floating habitations, denying themselves the comfort of fire or light, lest the foe that watched them from the shore should rush upon them and destroy them? Have they told you that this boat was used, after the tedious voyage was ended, as.the first dwelling of these new settlers? No, kind reader, such things have not been related to you before, The travellers who have visited our country, have had other objects in view. I shall not describe the many massacres which took place among the different parties of White and Red men, as the former moved down the Ohio; because I have never been very fond of battles, and indeed have always wished that the world were more peaceably inclined than it is; and shall merely add, that, in one way or other, Kentucky was wrested from the original owners of the soil. Let us, therefore, turn our atten- tion to the sports still enjoyed in that now happy portion of the United States. We have individuals in Kentucky, kind reader, that even there are considered wonderful adepts in the management of the rifle. To drive KENTUCKY SPORTS. 293 a nail is a common feat, not more thought off by the Kentuckians than to cut off a wild turkey’s head, at a distance of a hundred yards. Others will bark off squirrels one after another, until satisfied with the number procured. Some, less intent on destroying game, may be seen under night snuffing a candle at the distance of fifty yards, off-hand, without extinguishing it. I have been told that some have proved so expert and cool, as to make choice of the eye of a foe at a wonderful distance, boasting beforehand of the sureness of their piece, which has afterwards been fully proved when the enemy’s head has been examined ! Having resided some years in Kentucky, and having more than once been witness of rifle sport, I shall present you with the results of my ob- servation, leaving you to judge how far rifle-shooting is understood in that State. Several individuals who conceive themselves expert in the manage- ment of the gun, are often seen to meet for the purpose of displaying their skill, and betting a trifling sum, put up a target, in the centre of which a common-sized nail is hammered for about two-thirds of its length. The marksmen make choice of what they consider a proper distance, which may be forty paces. Each man cleans the interior of his tube, which is called wiping it, places a ball in the palm of his hand, pouring as much powder from his horn upon it as will cover it. This quantity is supposed to be sufficient for any distance within a hundred yards. A shot which comes very close to the nail is considered as that of an indif- ferent marksman; the bending of the nail is, of course, somewhat better ; but nothing less than hitting it right on the head is satisfactory. Well, kind reader, one out of three shots generally hits the nail, and should the shooters amount to half a dozen, two nails are frequently needed before each can have a shot. ‘Those who drive the nail have a further trial amongst themselves, and the two best shots out of these generally settle the affair, when all the sportsmen adjourn to some house, and spend an hour or two in friendly intercourse, appointing, before they part, a day for another trial. This is technically termed Driving the Nai. Barking off squirrels is delightful sport, and in my opinion requires a greater degree of accuracy than any other. I first witnessed this manner of procuring squirrels, whilst near the town of Frankfort. The performer was the celebrated Danii Boon. We walked out together, and fol- lowed the rocky margins of the Kentucky River, until we reached a piece of flat land thickly covered with black walnuts, oaks and hickories. As 294 KENTUCKY SPORTS. the general mast was a good one that year, squirrels were seen gambol- ling on every tree around us. My companion, a stout, hale, and athletic man, dressed in a homespun hunting-shirt, bare-legged and moccasined, carried a long and heavy rifle, which, as he was loading it, he said had proved efficient in all his former undertakings, and which he hoped would not fail on this occasion, as he felt proud to shew me his skill. The gun was wiped, the powder measured, the ball patched with six- hundred-thread linen, and the charge sent home with a hickory rod. We moved not a step from the place, for the squirrels were so numerous that it was unnecessary to go after them. Boon pointed to one of these ani- mals which had observed us, and was crouched on a branch about fifty paces distant, and bade me mark well the spot where the ball should hit. He raised his piece gradually, until the dead (that being the name given by the Kentuckians to the sight) of the barrel was brought to a line with the spot which he intended to hit. The whip-like report resounded through the woods and along the hills, in repeated echoes. Judge of my surprise, when I perceived that the ball had hit the piece of the bark immediately beneath the squirrel, and shivered it into splinters, the con- cussion produced by which had killed the animal, and sent it whirling through the air, as if it had been blown up by the explosion of a powder magazine. Boon kept up his firing, and, before many hours had elapsed, we had procured as many squirrels as we wished ; for you must know, kind reader, that to load a rifle requires only a moment, and that if it is wiped once after each shot, it will do duty for hours. Since that first interview with our veteran Boon, I have seen many other individuals perform the same feat. The snuffing of a candle with a ball, I first had an opportunity of seeing near the banks of Green River, not far from a large pigeon-roost, to which I had previously made a visit. I heard many reports of guns during the early part of a dark night, and knowing them to be those of rifles, I went towards the spot to ascertain the cause. On reaching the place, I was welcomed by a dozen of tall stout men, who told me they were exercising, for the purpose of enabling them to shoot under night at the reflected light from the eyes of a deer or wolf, by torch-light, of which I shall give you an account somewhere else. A fire was blazing near, the smoke of which rose curling among the thick foliage of the trees. At a distance which rendered it scarcely distinguishable, stood a burning candle, as ifintended for an offering to the goddess of night, but KENTUCKY SPORTS. 295 which in reality was only fifty yards from the spot on which we all stood. One man was within a few yards of it, to watch the effects of the shots, as well as to light the candle should it chance to go out, or to replace it should the shot cut it across. Each marksman shot in his turn. Some never hit either the snuff or the candle, and were congratulated with a loud laugh ; while others actually snuffed the candle without putting it out, and were recompensed for their dexterity by numerous hurrahs. One of them, who was particularly expert, was very fortunate, and snuf- fed the candle three times out of seven, whilst all the other shots either put out the candle, or cut it immediately under the light. Of the feats performed by the Kentuckians with the rifle, I could say more than might be expedient on the present occasion. In every thinly peopled portion of the State, it is rare to meet one without a gun of that description, as well as a tomahawk. By way of recreation, they often cut off a piece of the bark of a tree, make a target of it, using a little powder wetted with water or saliva, for the bull’s eye, and shoot in- to the mark all the balls they have about them, picking them out of the wood again. After what I have said, you may easily imagine with what ease a Kentuckian procures game, or dispatches an enemy, more especially when I tell you that every one in the State is accustomed to handle the rifle from the time when he is first able to shoulder it until near the close of his career. That murderous weapon is the means of procuring them sub- sistence during all their wild and extensive rambles, and is the source of their principal sports and pleasures. ( 296 ) RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. FALCO LINEATUS, GMEL, PLATE LVI. Mate anp FEMALE, ALTHOUGH we are informed that a skin of this species has long ago been described in Europe, we are, in the same breath, told that nothing is known of the life and habits of the individual on the body of which it once shone in all its native glossiness. Nothing, kind reader :—the tar- nished coat only has been transmitted abroad ; and, like that belonging to many equally interesting species of the feathered tribe, has been ex- posed for sale in distant markets, where the purchaser has felt as little concern about the life of the individual to which it belonged, as purchasers of another kind usually feel about the former owners of the thread-bare vestments which we see offered for sale by the old-clothes’-men of St Giles’s. Even Mr Atrexanper Witson himself, knew nothing respecting the habits of this species; and as other authors, ranking equally high with that pleasing writer, have unwittingly confounded it with another species, known in the United States by the name of the Winter Hawk, it is with satisfaction that I find myself in some degree qualified to give an account of the differences of habit between the two species. The Red-shouldered Hawk, or, as I would prefer calling it, the Red- breasted Hawk, although dispersed over the greater part of the United States, is rarely observed in the Middle Districts, where, on the contrary, the Winter Falcon usually makes its appearance from the north, at the approach of every autumn, and is of more common occurrence. Ken- tucky, Tennessee, and other Western States, with the most Southern Districts of our Union, are apparently best adapted for the constant resi- dence of the Red-shouldered Hawk, as in all these latter districts it is met with in greater numbers than in any other. This bird is one of the most noisy of its genus, during spring espe- cially, when it would be difficult to approach the skirts of woods bordering a large plantation without hearing its discordant shrill notes, ka-hee, ka-hee, as it is seen sailing in rapid circles at a very great elevation. Its ordi- nary flight is even and protracted, excepting when it is describing the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 297 circles just mentioned, when it often dives and gambols. It is a more general inhabitant of the woods than most of our other species, particularly during the summer, and in autumn and winter; now and then only, in early spring, shewing itself in the open grounds, and about the vicinity of small lakes, for the purpose of securing Red-winged Starlings and wound- ed Ducks. The interior of woods seems, as I have said, the fittest haunts for the Red-shouldered Hawk. He sails through them a few yards above the ground, and suddenly.alights on the low branch of a tree, or the top of a dead stump, from which he silently watches, in an erect posture, for the appearance of squirrels, upon which he pounces directly and kills them in an instant, afterwards devouring them on the ground. If accidentally discovered, he essays to remove the squirrel, but finding this difficult, he drags it partly through the air and partly along the ground, to some short distance, until he conceives himself out of sight of the intruder, when he again commences feeding. The eating of a whole squirrel, which this bird often devours at one meal, so gorges it, that I have seen it in this state almost unable to fly, and with such an extraordinary protuberance on its breast as seemed very unnatural, and very injurious to the beauty of form which the bird usually displays. On all occasions, such as I have described, when the bird is so gorged, it is approached with the greatest ease. On the contrary, when it is in want of food, it requires the greatest caution to get within shooting distance of it. At the approach of spring, this species begins to pair, am its flight is accompanied with many circlings and zigzag motions, during which it emits its shrill cries. 'The male is particularly noisy at this time. He gives chase to all other Hawks, returns to the branch on which his mate has chanced to perch, and caresses her. This happens about the begin- ning of March. The spot adapted for a nest is already fixed upon, and the fabric is half finished. ‘The top of a tall tree appears to be preferred ‘by this Hawk, as I have found its nest more commonly placed there, not far from the edges of woods bordering plantations. The nest is seated in the forks of a large branch, towards its extremity, and is as bulky as that of the Common Crow. It is formed externally of dry sticks and Spanish moss, and is lined with withered grass and fibrous roots of different sorts, arranged in a circular manner. The female usually lays four eggs, some- times five. They are of abroad oval form, evanulated all over, pale blue, faintly blotched. with brownish-red at the smaller end, 298 -RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. When one ascends to the nest, which, by the way, is not always an easy matter, as our Beech-trees are not only very smooth, but frequently without any boughs to a considerable distance from the ground, as well as of rather large size, the female bird, if she happens to be sitting, flies off silently and alights on a neighbouring tree, to wait the result. But, should the male, who supplies her with food, and assists in incubation, be there, or make his appearance, he immediately sets up a hue and cry, and plunges towards the assailant with such violence as to astonish him. When, on several occasions, I have had the tree on which the nest was placed cut down, I have observed the same pair, a few days after, build another nest on a tree not far distant from the spot in which the first one had been. The mutual attachment of the male and the female continues during life. They usually hunt in pairs during the whole year; and although they build a new nest every spring, they are fond of resorting to the same parts of the woods for that purpose. I knew the pair represented in the Plate for three years, and saw their nest each spring placed within a few hundred yards of the spot in which that of the preceding year was. The young remain in the nest until fully fledged, and are fed by the parents for several weeks after they have taken to wing, but leave them and begin to shift for themselves in about a month, when they disperse and hunt separately until the approach of the succeeding spring, at which time they pair. The young birds acquire the rusty reddish colour of the feathers on the breast and shoulders before they leave the nest. It deepens gradually at the approach of autumn, and by the first spring they com- pletely resemble the old birds. Only one brood is raised each season. Scarcely any difference of size exists between the sexes, the female being merely a little stouter. This Hawk seldom attacks any kind of poultry, and yet frequently pounces on Partridges, Doves, or Wild Pigeons, as well as Red-winged Starlings, and now and then very young rabbits. On one or two occa- sions, I have seen them make their appearance at the report of my gun, and try to rob me of some Blue-winged Teals shot in small ponds. I have never seen them chase any other small birds than those mentioned, or quadrupeds of smaller size than the Cotton Rat; nor am I aware of their eating frogs, which are the common food of the Winter Falcon, an ac- count of which you will find, kind reader, in another part of this the first volume of my Biography of the Birds found in the United States of America. RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. 299 Fatco LINEATUS, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i- p. 268.—Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 27.— Wiis. Amer. Ornith. vol. vi. p. 86. Pl. 53, fig. 3. Young Male. Fatco HYEMALIS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 33. Adult Male. Plate LVI. Fig. 1. Bill short, as broad as deep,.the sides convex, the dorsal outline con- vex from the base; upper mandible cerate, the edges blunt, slightly in- flected, with an obtuse lobe towards the curvature, the tip trigonal, des flected, very acute ; lower mandible involute at the edges, a little trun- cate at the end. Nostrils round, lateral, with a soft papilla in the centre. Head rather large. Neck and body rather slender. Legs longish; tar- sus rather slender, anteriorly scutellate ; toes scutellate above, scaly on the sides, scabrous and tuberculate beneath ; middle and outer toe con- nected at the base by a small membrane ; claws roundish, slender, cur- ved, very acute. Plumage compact, imbricated ; feathers of the head and neck narrow towards the tip, of the back broad and rounded ; tibial feathers elongated behind. Wings long, third and fourth primaries longest, first short. Bill light blue at the base, bluish-black at the tip; cere, basal margin of the bill, edges of the eyelids, and the feet, bright yellow. — Iris hazel. Claws black. Head, neck, and back, light yellowish-red, longitudinally spotted with dark brown. Tail brownish-black, banded with greyish- white, the tip of the latter colour. Lesser wing-coverts bright yellowish- red, spotted with brown ; larger coverts and secondary quills dusky, broad- ly barred with white ; primary quills brownish-black banded with white, the greater part of their inner webs being of the latter colour. Lower parts of the neck and under wing-coverts light yellowish-red, the former longitu- dinally lined with blackish; breast reddish-white, marked with transverse hastate yellowish-red spots ; abdomen and under tail-coverts reddish- white. ‘Tibial feathers yellowish, transversely barred with dull orange. Length 18 inches; bill along the back 1}, along the gap from the tip of under mandible 1}; tarsus 24. Adult Female. Plate LVI. Fig. 1. The female differs from the male in being a little larger, and in hav- ing the tints lighter. ( 300 ) THE LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. LLANIUS LUDOVICIANUS, LINN. PLATE LVII. Mate anp FEemate. Tuts species may with great propriety be called an inhabitant of the *< Low Countries,” as it is seldom or never met with even in the vicinity of the mountains intersecting the districts in which it usually resides. It is also confined to that portion of our country usually known under the name of the Southern States, seldom reaching farther eastward than North Carolina, or farther inland than the State of Mississippi, in which latter, as well as in Louisiana, it appears only during the winter months. Its residence may, therefore, be looked upon as confined to the Floridas, Georgia, and the Carolinas. In these States, it is seen along the fences and bushes about the rice plantations, at all seasons, and is of some ser- vice to the planter, as it destroys the field-mice in great numbers, as well as many of the larger kinds of grubs and insects, upon which it pounces in the manner of a Hawk. The Loggerhead has no song, but utters a shrill clear creaking pro- longed note, resembling the grating of a rusty hinge slowly moved to and fro. ‘This sound is heard only during the spring season, and whilst the female is sitting. About the beginning of March these birds begin to pair. They exhibit at this time few of those marks of the tender affection which birds usually shew. The male courts the female without much regard, and she, in return, appears to receive his haughty attentions with merely just as much condescension as enables her to become the mother of a family, whose feelings are destined to be of the same cold nature. The nest is fixed in a low bush, generally near the centre of a dwarf hawthorn, and is so little concealed as to be easily discovered. It is coarsely constructed of dry crooked twigs, and is lined with fibrous roots and slender grasses. 'The eggs, which are of a greenish white, are from three to five. Incubation is. performed by the male as well as by the fe- ‘male, but each searches for its own food during the intervals of sitting. The young are at first fed on crickets, grasshoppers, and other in- sects; but as they become larger and stronger, they receive portions of LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 301 mice, which form the principal food of the grown birds at all seasons. The Loggerheads rear only one brood in the season. Whilst this species is on wing, its motions are very rapid and direct, its flight being produced by quick flutterings of the wings, without any apparent undulation. The bird alights in a sudden firm manner, like a Hawk, stands erect, silent and watchful, until it spies its prey on the ground, when it suddenly pounces upon it, striking it first with its bill, but seizing it with its claws so immediately after, that the most careful observation alone can enable one to decide as to the priority of either action. I have never seen it attack birds, nor stick its prey on thorns in the manner of the Great American Shrike. This bird appears in Louisiana only at intervals, and seldom remains more than a few weeks in December or January. It never comes near houses, although it frequents the fields around them. It has no note at this period, and appears singly, alighting on the stacks and fences, where it stands perched for a considerable time, carefully looking around over the ground. As soon as the spot is thoroughly examined, it flies off to another, and there renews its search. I have given you, kind reader, the representation of a pair of these Shrikes, contending for a mouse. The difference of plumage in the sexes is scarcely perceptible; but I have thought it necessary to figure both, in order to shew the quarrelsome disposition of these birds even when united by the hymeneal band. Lanivus Lupovicrants, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i: p. 134.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 72. LoccGERHEAD SuHRikE, Lanivs CaROLINENSIS, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 57. Pl. 22. fig. 8 Adult Male. Plate LVII. Fig. 1. Bill of moderate length, straightish, robust, acute, compressed ; upper mandible with the dorsal outline a little arched, the tip declinate, the edges acute and overlapping, with a sharp process near the tip ; lower mandible with the dorsal line a little convex, the tip acute and ascending. Nostrils basal, lateral, half closed by an arched membrane. Head large. Neck and body robust. Feet of ordinary length ;. tarsus scutellate be- fore, acute behind ; toes free, the lateral ones nearly equal ; claws arched, compressed, acute. 302 LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. Plumage soft, blended. Long bristly feathers at the base of the bill. Wings of ordinary length, curved, the second quill longest, the first and fifth equal. Tail long, graduated, of twelve rounded feathers. Bill black. Iris dark brown. Feet greyish-black. The general co- lour of the upper parts is dark grey, of the under greyish-white, the sides tinged with brown. Forehead and sides of the head included in a broad black band. Wings and tail black. Base of the primaries, and tips of the secondaries and six inner primaries, white. 'Tail-feathers, excepting the four middle ones, white towards the end, the outer ones nearly all of that colour. Length 83 inches, extent of wings 13; bill along the ridge 74, along the gap nearly 1; tarsus 1, middle toe }}. Adult Female. Plate LVII. Fig. 2. The female differs from the male only in being a little smaller and somewhat darker and duller in the plumage. Tue GREEN Briar, or ROUND-LEAVED SMILAX. SmiLax roTUNDIFOoLIA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 779. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. p: 250.—Diacra HexanprtA, Linn. ASPARAGI, Juss. This species of Smilax, which is common along fences, in old fields, and by the borders of woods, is characterized by its shrubby stem, round branches, roundish-ovate, acuminate, slightly cordate, five or seven-nerved leaves, and spherical berries. It flowers in May and June. The berries are of a dark purple colour. Tue Fieip Movse. This species is found in all parts of the United States, living in the meadows and woods. It forms narrow subterranean passages, to which it resorts on the least appearance of danger, but from which it is easily driven, by thrusting a twig into them. 7 ( 303 ) THE HERMIT THRUSH. TURDUS MINOR, GMEL. PLATE LVIII.. Mate anv FEMALE. Tuts, kind reader, is another constant resident in the Southern States, more especially those of Mississippi and Louisiana, where it abounds during the winter months, and is found in considerable numbers during spring and summer. In the lower parts of Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee, it is also observed during spring and summer ; but it becomes scarcer as you advance towards the Middle Districts, where a few are oc- casionally seen about the low woodlands of the Atlantic shores. Except during winter, this Thrush prefers the darkest, most swampy, and most secluded cane-brakes along the margins of the Mississippi, where it breeds and spends the summer, retiring to higher lands during the period when the alluvial grounds are covered with the water which, during freshets, generally inundates these low cane-brakes and swampy retreats. P The flight of the Hermit Thrush is performed low over the ground, and in a gliding manner, as the bird shifts from one place to another at a short distance. In this respect, it differs greatly from its relative, my great favourite, the Wood Thrush, the flight of which is more protract- ed, and is performed at a greater elevation. The Hermit Thrush has no song, and only utters a soft plaintive note, seldom heard at a greater distance than twenty-five or thirty yards. It is most frequently seen on the ground, where it hops with the same movements employed by the well-known little Red-breast of Europe, in other words, before it hops its breast almost comes in contact with the ground, the tail is a little raised, the wings droop, and after hopping, it runs a few steps, erects its head, and looks around. All the nests of the Hermit Thrush which I have found were in every ' instance placed lower on the branches of trees than those of the Wood Thrush, seldom above seven or eight feet from the ground, and some- times so low that I could easily look into them. These nests were fixed to a horizontal bough, but were not saddled upon it so deeply as those of the Wood Thrush are. They were smaller, and had no mud or plaster of any kind, but were extremely compact, the outer parts being formed of 304 HERMIT THRUSH. coarse dry weeds, and here and there a withered leaf, the interior composed of a long delicate kind of grass, which is found growing along the edges of cane-brakes. This grass is arranged in a circular manner, to the whole extent of its length, and gives the inner part of the nest of this bird a remarkable appearance of neatness and finish. The female lays from four to six eggs, of a light blue colour, sprinkled with dark dots towards the large end. The first set are laid early in April, the second about the middle of June; for, in Lower Louisiana, this species rears two broods in the year. The female is much attached to her nest, and glides off silently from it when closely approached, not, however, unless she thinks herself or her nest observed. The young run after the parents, on the ground, for several days after they leave the nest. As soon as the waters of the Mississippi become so swelled as to over- flow the banks, the Hermit Thrush retires to the nearest hills, and mixes with many other birds, amongst which the Wood Thrush is pre-eminent. The former is, however, easily recognised at once, by its single plaintive note, heard from the boughs of low trees, on the berries of which it feeds. In fact, its food is altogether composed of different fruits and berries, which are at all seasons abundant in our woods. The branches so thickly covered with dull red berries, and upon which two Hermit Thrushes are seen, belong to a shrub which grows in the swampy recesses preferred by these birds. Its leaves fall off at an early period, and are of an ovato-lanceolate form, thin consistence, and deep green colour, their under surface light grey. The common name of it is Robin Wood. It seldom grows taller than from seven to eight feet, and all the branches, in a favourable season, are thickly covered with the berries, on which many birds, besides the T'urdus migraturius, from which it seems to have derived its common name, are seen to feed. Turpvus minor, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 809.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops, of Birds of the United States, p. 75.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 328. Littte Turvsy, Lath. Synops. vol. iii. p. 20. Hermit Turvsu, Turpvus soxirarivs, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. v. p. 95, Pl. 43. fig. 2. Adult Male. Plate LVIII. Fig. 1. Rill of ordinary length, nearly straight, compressed towards the end ; upper mandible with the dorsal outline a little convex, the tip slightly declinate, the margins acute, inflected towards the end, slightly notched HERMIT THRUSH. 305 close upon the tip; lower mandible slightly convex in its dorsal line, the tip rather obtuse. Head of ordinary size ; neck and body rather slender. Feet rather long ; tarsus longish, compressed, slender, anteriorly covered with a few elongated, indistinct scutella, posteriorly edged, longer than the middle toe ; toes scutellate above, lateral ones almost equal, the outer connected as far as the second joint. Plumage rather loose. A few longish bristles at the base of the up- per mandible. Wings of ordinary length, the third quill longest, the first very short. Tail rather short, even, of twelve broad feathers, the shaft of which projects a little beyond the extremity of the webs, as is the case with the outer primaries. Bill dark brown, yellowish towards the base of the lower mandible. Iris hazel. Feet flesh-colour. The general colour of the upper parts is light yellowish-brown, changing on the rump and tail into dull yellowish- red. Quills dusky, margined externally with yellowish-brown. Primary coverts yellowish-brown, dusky at the end; secondary coverts tipped with yellowish-red. Under parts greyish-white, the neck and _ breast spotted with dark brown. Length 7 inches, extent of wings 10§ ; bill along the ridge ,4, along the gap §; tarsus 1}. Adult Female. Plate LVIII. Fig. 2. The female differs only in having the spots on the breast somewhat larger, and the tints of the upper parts rather deeper. ( 306 ) THE CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. SYLVIA ICTEROCEPHALA, LATH. PLATE LIX. Mate anp FEMALE. In the beginning of May 1808, I shot five of these birds, on a very cold morning, near Potts-grove, in the State of Pennsylvania. ‘There was a slight fall of snow at the time, although the Peach and Apple trees were already in full bloom. I have never met with a single individual of this species since. They all had their wings drooping, as if suffering severely from the sudden change of the weather, and had betaken themselves to the lower rails of a fence, where they were engaged in searching after insects, particularly spiders. I procured every one of those which I met with that morning, and which were five in number, two of them males, and the rest females. Where this species goes to breed I am unable to say, for to my in- quiries on this subject I never received any answers which might have led me to the districts resorted to by it. I can only suppose, that if it is at all plentiful in any portion of the United States, it must be far to the northward, as I ransacked the borders of Lake Ontario, and those of Lakes Erie and Michigan, without meeting with it. I do not know of any naturalist who has been more fortunate, otherwise I should here quote his observations. The females had the ovaries furnished with numerous eggs, about the size of the head of a common pin. The stomach of all the birds which I killed contained some grass seeds of the preceding year, and a few small black spiders; but the birds appeared half-starved. Having procured them near the ground, I have placed them on a plant which grows about the fields, and flowers in the beginning of May. SyLv1a IcTEROCEPHALA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 538.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 80. Moraciiia 1CTEROCEPHALA, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 334. QueEBEC WaRBLER, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 484. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, MWils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 99. Pl. 14. fig. 5, Adult Male. Plate LIX. Fig. 1. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. 307 Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, subulato-conical, acute, near- ly as deep as broad at the base, the edges acute, the gap-line slightly de- flected at the base. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half-closed by a mem- brane. Head of ordinary size. Neck short. Body slender. Feet of or- dinary length, slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered ante- riorly by a few scutella, acutely edged behind ; toes scutellate above, the inner free, the hind toe of moderate size ; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. Plumage soft, blended, tufty. Wings of ordinary length, acute, the second quill longest. Tail short, slightly notched. Bill light blue, blackish above. Iris hazel. Feet dusky. Forehead white ; upper part of the head bright yellow. Loral space, and two lines proceeding from it, one over and behind the eye, the other downwards, black. Back dusky green, spotted with black, as are the lesser wing- coverts, the larger broadly tipped with bright yellow, excepting those of the primary quills, which are dusky. Primaries dusky, edged externally with light blue, as is the tail. Under parts white; side of the lower neck and body under the wings deep chestnut. Length 5} inches, extent of wings 8; bill along the ridge ,%, along ' the gap ; tarsus 7. Adult Female. Plate LIX. Fig. 2. The female is considerably smaller, but is coloured nearly in the same manner as the male. The chestnut patch on the sides is of less extent, and the primaries are yellow, instead of blue, on their outer webs. Tue Morn Mutuern. VeERBASCUM Buattartia, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. i. p. 1005. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. p- 142, Smith. Engl. Flor. vol. i. p. 513.—PEnTanpria Monoeyrnta, Linn. So- LANES, Juss. A biennial plant, distinguished from the other species of the same genus by its amplexicaul ovato-oblong, rugose, serrated, glabrous leaves, and. one-flowered solitary pedicels. The ordinary colour of the flowers is yellow, but the plant represented is of a variety with larger whitish or pale rose-coloured flowers. It grows in fields and by roads, and is of com- mon occurrence. v2 ( 308 ) THE CARBONATED WARBEER. SYLVIA CARBONATA. . « PLATE LX. Mate. uh Faydvi es Dnerettinn ® Wl. A yPyi cold trotted, Jr tr lm hondh) I snot the two little birds here represented, near the village of Hen- derson, in the State of Kentucky, in May 1811. They were both busily engaged in searching for insects along the branches and amongst the leaves of a Dog-wood tree. Their motions were those common to all the species of the genus Sylvia. On examination, they were found to be both males. I am of opinion, that they were both young birds of the prece- ding year, and not in full plumage, as they had no part of their dress seemingly complete, excepting the head. Not having met with any other individuals of the species, I am at this moment unable to say any thing more about them. 'They were drawn, like all the other birds which I have represented, immediately after being killed; but the branch on ‘which you see them was not added until the following summer. The common name of this plant is Service Tree. It seldom attains a greater height than thirty or forty feet, and is usually found in hilly ground of secondary quality. The berries are agreeable to the taste, and are sought after by many species of birds, amongst which the Red-headed Woodpecker is very conspicuous. SYLVIA CARBONATA. Young Male. Plate LX. Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, subulato-conical, acute, nearly as deep as broad at the base, the edges acute, the gap line slightly deflected at the base. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half-closed by a membrane. Head rather small. Neck short. Body slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered an- teriorly by a few scutella, acutely-edged behind ; toes scutellate above, the inner free, the hind toe of moderate size ; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. Plumage, soft, blended, tufty. Wings of ordinary length, acute, the second quill longest. Tail short, notched. CARBONATED WARBLER. 309 Bill brownish-black above, light blue beneath. Iris hazel. Feet light flesh-colour. Upper part of the head black. Fore part of the back, lesser wing-coverts and sides dusky, spotted with black. Lower back duil yellowish-green, as is the tail, of which the outer web of the outer feather is whitish. Tips of the second row of coverts white, of the first row yellow ; quills dusky, their outer webs tinged with yellow. A line from the lore over the eye, sides of the neck, and the throat, bright yellow. A dusky line behind the eye. The rest of the under parts dull yellow, excepting the sides. Length 42 inches; bill along the ridge ,%;, along the gap 7%; tarsus 2. Tue May-susH or SERVICE. Pyrus Botryarium, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1013. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. p. 339. IcosanDRia PeEntTacyNiA, Linn. Rosaces, Juss. This species is distinguished by its ovate, acuminate leaves, racemose flowers, linear-lanceolate petals, pubescent germens, and smooth calycine segments. ( @lor) THE TRAVELLER AND THE POLE-CAT. Ow a journey from Louisville to Henderson in Kentucky, performed during very severe winter weather, in company with a foreigner, the ini- tials of whose name are D. 'T., my companion spying a beautiful animal, marked with black and pale yellow, and having a long and bushy tail, exclaimed, “* Mr Aupvugon, is not that a beautiful squirrel ?” “ Yes,” I answered, “ and of a kind that will suffer you to approach it, and lay hold of it, if you are well gloved.” Mr D. T. dismounting, took up a dry stick, and advanced toward the pretty animal, with his large cloak floating in the breeze. I think I see him approach, and laying the stick gently across the body of the animal, try to secure it; and I can yet laugh almost as heartily as I then did, when I plainly saw the discomfi- ture of the traveller. The Pole-cat, (for a true Pole-cat it was, the Mephitis americana of zoologists), raised its fine bushy tail, and shower- ed such a discharge of the fluid given him by nature as a defence, that my friend, dismayed and infuriated, began to belabour the poor animal. The swiftness and good management of the Pole-cat, however, saved its bones, and as it made its retreat towards its hole, it kept up at every step a continued ejectment, which fully convinced the gentleman that the pursuit of such squirrels as these was at the best an unprofitable employ- ment. This was not all, however. I could not suffer his approach, nor could my horse; it was with difficulty he mounted his own; and we were forced to continue our journey far asunder, and he much to leeward. Nor did the matter end here. We could not proceed much farther that night ; as, in the first place, it was nearly dark when we saw the Pole- cat, and as, in the second place, a heavy snow-storm began, and almost impeded our progress. We were forced to make for the first cabin we saw. Having asked and obtained permission to rest for the night, we dismounted and found ourselves amongst a crowd of men and women who had met for the purpose of corn-shucking. To a European who has not visited the western parts of the United States, an explanation of this corn-shucking may not be unacceptable. THE TRAVELLER AND THE POLE.-CAT. 311 Corn (or you may prefer calling it maize) is gathered in the husk, that is, by breaking each large ear from the stem. These ears are first thrown into heaps in the field, and afterwards carried in carts to the barn, or, as in this instance, and in such portions of Kentucky, to a shed made of the blades or long leaves that hang in graceful curves from the stalk, and which, when plucked and dried, are used instead of hay as food for horses and cattle. The husk consists of several thick leaves rather longer than the corn-ear itself, and which secure it from the weather. It is quite a labour to detach these leaves from the ear, when thousands of bushels of the corn are gathered and heaped together. For this purpose, however, and in the western country more especially, several neighbouring families join alternately at each other’s plantations, and assist in clearing away the husks, thus preparing the maize for the market or for domestic use. The good people whom we met with at this hospitable house, were on the point of going to the barn (the farmer here being in rather good con- dition) to work until towards the middle of the night. When we had stood the few stares to which strangers must accustom themselves, no matter where, even in a drawing-room, we approached the fire. What a shock for the whole party! The scent of the Pole-cat, that had been almost stifled on my companion’s vestments by the cold of the evening air, now recovered its primitive strength. The cloak was put out of the house, but its owner could not be well used in the same way. The com- pany, however, took to their heels, and there only remained a single black servant, who waited on us until supper was served. I felt vexed at myself, as I saw the good traveller displeased. But he had so much good breeding as to treat this important affair with great forbearance, and merely said he was sorry for his want of knowledge in zoology. The good gentleman, however, was not only deficient in zoological lore, but, fresh as he was from Europe, felt more than uneasy in this out-of-the-way house, and would have proceeded towards my own house that night, had I not at length succeeded in persuading him that he was in perfect security. We were shewn to bed. As I was almost a stranger to him, and he to me, he thought it a very awkward thing to be obliged to lie in the same bed with me, but afterwards spoke of it as a happy circumstance, and requested that I should suffer him to be placed next the logs, think- ing, no doubt, that there he should run no risk. 312 THE TRAVELLER AND THE POLE-CAT. We started by break of day, taking with us the frozen cloak, and after passing a pleasant night in my own house, we parted. Some years after, I met my Kentucky companion in a far distant land, when he assured me, that whenever the sun shone on his cloak, or it was brought near a fire, the scent of the Pole-cat became so perceptible, that he at last gave it to a. poor monk in Italy. The animal commonly known in America by the name of Pole-cat is about a foot and a half in length, with a large bushy tail, nearly as long as the body. The colour is generally brownish-black, with a large white patch on the back of the head; but there are many varieties of colour- ing, in some of which the broad white bands of the back are very con- spicuous. The Pole-cat burrows, or forms a subterranean habitation among the roots of trees, or in rocky places. It feeds on birds, young hares, rats, mice, and other animals, and commits great depredations on poultry. The most remarkable peculiarity of this animal is the power, alluded to above, of squirting for its defence a most nauseously scented fluid contained in a receptacle situated under the tail, which it can do to the distance of several yards. It does not, however, for this purpose, sprinkle its tail with the fluid, as some allege, unless when extremely ha- rassed by its enemies. The Pole-cat is frequently domesticated. The removal of the glands prevents the secretion of the nauseous fluid, and when thus improved, the animal becomes a great favourite, and performs the offices of the common cat with great dexterity. @@aiaii-) THE GREAT HORNED OWL. STRIX VIRGINIANA, GMEL. PLATE LXI. Mate anp FEMALE. Ir is during the placid serenity of a beautiful summer night, when the current of the waters moves silently along, reflecting from its smooth surface the silver radiance of the moon, and when all else of animated na- ture seems sunk in repose, that the Great Horned Owl, one of the Nimrods of the feathered tribes of our forests, may be seen sailing silently and yet rapidly on, intent on the destruction of the objects destined to form his food. The lone steersman of the descending boat observes the noc- turnal hunter, gliding on extended pinions across the river, sailing over one hill and then another, or suddenly sweeping downwards, and again rising in the air like a moving shadow, now distinctly seen, and again mingling with the sombre shades of the surrounding woods, fading into obscurity. The bark has now floated to some distance, and is opposite the newly cleared patch of ground, the result of a squatter’s first at- tempt at cultivation, in a place lately shaded by the trees of the forest. The moon shines brightly on his hut, his slight fence, the newly planted orchard, and a tree, which, spared by the axe, serves as a roosting-place for the scanty stock of poultry which the new comer has procured from some liberal neighbour. Amongst them rests a Turkey-hen, covering her offspring with extended wings. The Great Owl, with eyes keen as those of any falcon, is now seen hovering above the place. He has al- ready espied the quarry, and is sailing in wide circles meditating his plan of attack. The Turkey-hen, which at another time might be sound asleep, is now, however, so intent on the care of her young brood, that she rises on her legs and purs so loudly, as she opens her wings and spreads her tail, that she rouses her neighbours, the hens, together with their protector. The cacklings which they at first emit soon become a general clamour. The squatter hears the uproar, and is on his feet in an in- stant, rifle in hand ; the priming examined, he gently pushes open his half closed door, and peeps out cautiously, to ascertain the cause by which his repose has been disturbed. He observes the murderous Owl just alighting on the dead branch of a tall tree, when, raising his never-failing 314 GREAT HORNED OWL. rifle, he takes aim, touches the trigger, and the next instant sees the foe falling dead to the ground. The bird is unworthy of his farther atten- tion, and is left a prey to some prowling oppossum or other carnivorous quadruped. Again, all around is tranquillity. In this manner falls many a Great Horned Owl on our frontiers, where the species abounds. Differences of locality are no security against its depredations, for it occurs in the highest mountainous districts, as well as in the low alluvial lands that border the rivers, in the interior of the country, and in the neighbourhood of the sea-shore. Every where it finds abundance of food. It is, moreover, an extremely hardy bird, and stands the severest winters of our northernmost latitudes. It is consequently found dispersed over all parts of the United States. The flight of the Great Horned Owl is elevated, rapid and graceful. It sails with apparent ease, and in large circles, in the manner of an eagle, rises and descends without the least difficulty, by merely inclining its wings or its tail, as it passes through the air. Now and then, it glides silently close over the earth, with incomparable velocity, and drops, as if shot dead, on the prey beneath. At other times, it suddenly alights on the top'of a fence-stake or a dead stump, shakes its feathers, arranges them, and utters a skriek so horrid that the woods around echo to its dis- mal sound. Now, it seems as if you heard the barking of a cur-dog; again, the notes are so rough and mingled together, that they might be mistaken for the last gurglings of a murdered person, striving in vain to call for assistance; at another time, when not more than fifty yards dis- tant, it utters its more usual hoo, hoo, hoo-e, in so peculiar an under tone, that a person unacquainted with the notes of this species might easily conceive them to be produced by an Owl more than a mile distant. Du- ring the utterance of all these unmusical cries, it moves its body, and more particularly its head, in various ways, putting them into positions, all of which appear to please it much, however grotesque they may seem to'the:eye of man. In the interval following each cry, it snaps its bill, as if by way of amusement; or, like the wild boar sharpening the edges of his ‘tusks, it perhaps expects that the action will whet its mandibles. The food of the Great Horned Owl consists chiefly of the larger spe- cies of gallinaceous birds, half-grown Wild Turkeys, Pheasants, and do- mestic poultry of all kinds, together with several species of Ducks. Hares, young Oppossums and Squirrels are equally agreeable to it, and GREAT HORNED OWL. 315 whenever chance throws a dead fish on the shore, the Great Owl feeds with peculiar avidity on it. It is one of the most common species along the shores of the Ohio and Mississippi, where it is to be met with at all seasons, being fond of roosting amongst the thick-growing young cotton-wood trees and willows, that cover the muddy sand-bars of these noble streams, as well as in the more retired woody swamps, where the gloomy cypress spreads its broad arms, covered with dangling masses of Spanish beard, which give way to the gentlest breeze. In both such situations I have frequently met with this owl: its body erect, its plumage closed, its tufted head-feathers partially lowered, and its head half turned and resting on one shoul- der. When the sun shines brightly, the bird is easily approached ; but if the weather be cloudy, it rises on its feet, at the least noise, erects the tufts of its head, gives a knowing kind of nod, flies off in an instant, and generally proceeds to such a distance that it is difficult to find it again. When disturbed while at roost on willows near a river, it sails off low over the stream, as if aware that by so doing it renders its pur- suit more difficult. I once nearly lost my life by going towards one that I had shot on a willow-bar, for, while running up to the spot, I suddenly found myself sunk in quicksand up to my arm-pits, and in this condi- tion must have remained to perish, had not my boatmen come up and extricated ‘me, by forming a bridge of their oars and some driftwood, during which operation I had to remain perfectly quiet, as any struggle would soon have caused me to sink overhead. I have related this occurrence to you, kind reader,—and it is only one out of many,—to shew you that every student of nature must en- counter some difficulties in obtaining the objects of his research, although these difficulties are little thought of when he‘has succeeded. So much is this the ‘case with me, that, could I renew the lease of my life, I could not desire to spend it in any other pursuit than that which has at last enabled me 'to.lay before you an aecount of the habits of our birds. Karly in February the Great Horned Owls are ‘seen to pair. The curious evolutions of the male in the air, ‘or ‘his motions when ‘he ‘has alighted near his beloved, it is impossible to describe. His bowings, and the snappings of his bill, ‘are extremely ludicrous; and ‘no sooner is the female assured that the attentions paid her by the beau are the result of a sincere affection, than she joins in the motions of her future mate,” At this 316 GREAT HORNED OWL. juncture both might be said to be dancing mad, little dreaming, like most owls on such occasions, of the possibility of their being one day horn- mad. The nest, which is very bulky, is usually fixed on a large horizontal branch, not far from the trunk of the tree. It is composed externally of crooked sticks, and is lined with coarse grasses and some feathers. The whole measures nearly three feet in diameter. The eggs, which are from three to six, are almost globular in form, and of a dull white colour. The male assists the female in sitting on the eggs. Only one brood is raised in the season. The young remain in the nest until fully fledged, and afterwards follow the parents for a considerable time, uttering a mournful sound, to induce them to supply them with food. They ac- quire the full plumage of the old birds in the first spring, and until then are considerably lighter, with more dull buff in their tints. I have found nests belonging to this species in large hollows of decayed trees, and twice in the fissures of rocks. In all these cases, little preparation had been made previous to the laying of the eggs, as I found only a few grasses and feathers placed under them. The Great Horned Ow] lives retired, and it is seldom that more than one is found in the neighbourhood of a farm, after the breeding season ; but as almost every detached farm is visited by one of these dangerous and powerful marauders, it may be said to be abundant. The havock which it commits is very great. I have known a plantation almost stripped of the whole of the poultry raised upon it during spring, by one of these daring foes of the feathered race, in the course of the ensuing winter. This species is very powerful, and equally spirited. It attacks Wild Turkeys when half-grown, and often masters them. Mallards, Guinea. fowls, and common barn fowls, prove an easy prey, and on seizing them it carries them off in its talons from the farm-yards to the interior of the woods. When wounded, it exhibits a revengeful tenacity of spirit, scarcely surpassed by any of the noblest of the Eagle tribe, disdaining to scramble away like the Barred Owl, but facing its enemy with undaunted courage, protruding its powerful talons, and snapping its bill, as long as he continues in its presence. On these occasions, its large goggle eyes are seen to open and close in quick succession, and the feathers of its body, being raised, swell out its apparent bulk to nearly double the na- tural size. GREAT HORNED OWL. 317 You have before you, kind reader, a male and a female of this species, which I hope will give you a more perfect idea of the size and form of the Great Horned Owl than any description could do. SrRrx VIRGINIANA, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 287.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 52. Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 37. Vireintan Earep Own, Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 119. Great Hornep Own, StrIx vrrerntana, Wilson, Americ. Ornith. vol. vi. p. 52. Pl. 50. fig. 1. Adult Male. Plate LXI. Fig. 1. Bill short, compressed, curved, acute, with a cere at the base; upper - mandible with its dorsal outline curved from the base, the edges acute, the point trigonal, very acute, deflected ; lower mandible with the edges acute and inflected, obtuse at the tip. Nostrils oval, in the fore part of the cere. Head disproportionately large, as are the eyes and external ears. Body short. Legs of ordinary length ; tarsus and toes feathered ; toes papillar and tuberculate beneath ; claws curved, rounded, long, ex- tremely sharp. Plumage very soft and downy, somewhat distinct above, tufty and loose beneath. Long bristly feathers at the base of the bill, stretching forwards. Eyes surrounded by circles of compact feathers ; auricular coverts forming a ruff. Two erectile tufts of feathers on the head, one on each side. Wings ample, the fourth quill longest, the first short. Tail of ordinary length, rounded, of twelve broad feathers. Bill black. Iris yellow. Claws black. Upper part of the head brownish- black, mottled with light brown, the tufts or horns of the same colour, margined with brown. Face brownish-red, with a circle of blackish- brown. 'The upper parts are undulatingly banded and minutely mottled with brownish-black and brownish-red, the ground colour on the lower part of the back tinged with grey. Wings and tail light brownish- yellow, barred and mottled with blackish-brown and light brownish-red. Chin white, upper part of the throat light reddish, spotted with black, a band of white across the middle of the fore neck ; lower fore neck and breast light yellowish-red, barred with deep brown, as are the under parts generally, some of the feathers being nearly white, but barred ; several longitudinal brownish-black patches on the lower fore neck ; tarsal feathers light yellowish-red, obscurely barred. 318 GREAT HORNED OWL. Length 23 inches ; extent of wings 56; bill along the ridge 2; tufts on the head 3. Adult Female. Plate LXVI. Fig. 2. The female is considerably larger than the male, and is duller and lighter in colouring, although the distribution of the tints is similar. The white of the chin is less pure, and the broad band of the same colour on the fore neck is wanting. ( 319 ) THE PASSENGER PIGEON. COLUMBA MIGRATORIA, LINN. PLATE LXII. Mate anp FEMALE. Tur Passenger Pigeon, or, as it is usually named in America, the Wild Pigeon, moves with extreme rapidity, propelling itself by quickly repeated flaps of the wings, which it brings more or less near to the body, according to the degree of velocity which is required. Like the Domestic Pigeon, it often flies, during the love season, in a circling manner, sup- porting itself with both wings angularly elevated, in which position it keeps them until it is about to alight. Now and then, during these cir- cular flights, the tips of the primary quills of each wing are made to strike against each other, producing a smart rap, which may be heard at a dis- tance of thirty or forty yards. Before alighting, the Wild Pigeon, like the Carolina Parrot and a few other species of birds, breaks the force of its flight by repeated flappings, as if apprehensive of receiving injury from coming too suddenly into contact with the branch or the spot of ground on which it intends to settle. I have commenced my description of this species with the above ac- count of its flight, because the most important facts connected with its habits relate to its migrations. These are entirely owing to the necessity of procuring food, and: are not performed with the view of escaping the severity of a northern latitude, or of seeking a southern one for the pur- pose of breeding; They consequently do not take place at any fixed period or season of the year. Indeed, it sometimes happens that/a con- tinuance of a sufficient supply of food in one district will keep these birds absent from another for years. I know, at least, to a certainty, that in Kentucky they remained for several years constantly, and were nowhere else to be found. They all suddenly disappeared one season when the mast was exhausted, and did not return for a long period. Similar facts have been observed in other States. a Their great power of flight enables them to survey and pass over an } astonishing extent of country in a very short time. This is proved by | facts well known in America. Thus, Pigeons have been killed in the - neighbourhood of New York, with their crops full of rice, which they 320 PASSENGER PIGEON. [ must have collected in the fields of Georgia and Carolina, these districts being the nearest in which they could possibly have procured a supply of that kind of food. As their power of digestion is so great that they will decompose food entirely in twelve hours, they must in this case have travelled between three hundred and four hundred miles in six hours, which shews their speed to be at an average about one mile in a minute. A velocity such as this would enable one of these birds, were it so in- clined, to visit the European continent in less than three days. This great power of flight is seconded by as great a power of vision, which enables them, as they travel at that swift rate, to inspect the country below, discover their food with facility, and thus attain the object for which their journey has been undertaken. This I have also proved to be the case, by having observed them, when passing over a sterile part of the country, or one scantily furnished with food suited to them, keep high in the air, flying with an extended front, so as to enable them to survey hundreds of acres at once. On the contrary, when the land is richly covered with food, or the trees abundantly hung with mast, they fly low, in order to discover the part most plentifully supplied. Their body is of an elongated oval form, steered by a long well- plumed tail, and propelled by well-set wings, the muscles of which are very large and powerful for the size of the bird. When an individual is seen gliding through the woods and close to the observer, it passes like a thought, and on trying to see it again, the eye searches in vain ; the bird is gone. The multitudes of Wild Pigeons in our woods are astonishing. In- deed, after having viewed them so often, and under so many circum- stances, I even now feel inclined to pause, and assure myself that what I am going to relate is fact. Yet I have seen it all, and that too in the company of persons who, like myself, were struck with amazement. “> Tn the autumn of 1813, I left my house at Henderson, on the banks of the Ohio, on my way to Louisville. In. passing over the Barrens a few miles beyond Hardensburgh, I observed the pigeons flying from north-east to south-west, in greater numbers than I thought I had ever seen them before, and feeling an inclination to count the flocks that might pass within the reach of my eye in one hour, I dismounted, seated myself on an eminence, and began to mark with my pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed. Ina short time finding the task which I had undertaken impracticable, as the birds poured in in countless multitudes, 9 = ‘PASSENGER PIGEON. 321 I rose, and counting the dots then put down, found that 163 had been made in twenty-one minutes. I travelled on, and still met more the far- ther I proceeded. The air was literally filled with Pigeons; the light of noon-day was obscured as by an eclipse; the dung fell in spots, not un- , like melting flakes of snow; and the continued buzz of wings had a ten- dency to lull my senses to repose. Whilst waiting for dinner at Youne’s inn, at the confluence of Salt- River with the Ohio, I saw, at my leisure, immense legions still going by, with a front reaching far beyond the Ohio on the west, and the beech-wood forests directly on the east of me. Not a single bird alighted ; for not a nut or acorn was that year to be seen in the neigh- bourhood. They consequently flew so high, that different trials to reach them with a capital rifle proved ineffectual ; nor did the reports disturb them in the least. I cannot describe to you the extreme beauty of their aerial evolutions, when a Hawk chanced to press upon the rear of a flock. At once, like a torrent, and with a noise like thunder, they rushed into a compact mass, pressing upon each other towards the centre. In these almost solid masses, they darted forward in undulating and angular lines, descended and swept close over the earth with inconceivable velocity, mounted perpendicularly so as to resemble a vast column, and, when high, were seen wheeling and twisting within their continued lines, which then resembled the coils of a gigantic serpent. Before sunset I reached Louisville, distant from Hardensburgh fifty. five miles. 'The Pigeons were still passing in undiminished numbers, and continued to do so for three days in succession. 'The people were all in arnis. The banks of the Ohio were crowded with men and boys, incessantly shooting at the pilgrims, which there flew lower as they passed the river. Multitudes were thus destroyed. For a week or more, the population fed on no other flesh than that of Pigeons, and talked of no- thing but Pigeons. The atmosphere, during this time, was strongly im- | pregnated with the peculiar odour which emanates from the species. _~ It is extremely interesting to see flock after flock performing exactly the same evolutions which had been traced as it were in the air by a pre- ceding flock. Thus, should a Hawk have charged on a group at a cer- tain spot, the angles, curves, and undulations that have been described by the birds, in their efforts to escape from the dreaded talons of the plun- derer, are undeviatingly followed by the next group that comes up: Should the bystander happen to witness one of these affrays, and, struck x 4 ree, a 323 PASSENGER PIGEON. with the rapidity and elegance of the motions exhibited, feel desirous of seeing them repeated, his wishes will be gratified if he only remain in the place until the next group comes up. i ‘— It may not, perhaps, be out of place to attempt an estimate of the number of Pigeons contained in one of those mighty flocks, and of the quantity of food daily consumed by its members. ‘The inquiry will tend to shew the astonishing bounty of the great Author of Nature in providing for the wants of his creatures. Let us take a column of one mile in breadth, which is far below the average size, and suppose it passing over us without interruption for three hours, at the rate mentioned above of one mile in the minute. This will give us a parallelogram of 180 miles by 1, covering 180 square miles. Allowing two pigeons to the square yard, we have One billion, one hundred and fifteen millions, one hundred and thirty-six thousand pigeons in one flock. As every pigeon daily consumes fully half a pint of food, the quantity necessary for supplying this vast multitude must be eight millions seven hundred and_ twelve thousand bushels per day. ——— As soon as the Pigeons discover a sufficiency of food to entice them to alight, they fly round in circles, reviewing the country below. During their evolutions, on such occasions, the dense mass which they form ex- hibits a beautiful appearance, as it changes its direction, now displaying a glistening sheet of azure, when the backs of the birds come simultane- ously into view, and anon, suddenly presenting a mass of rich deep pur- ple. ‘They then pass lower, over the woods, and for a moment -are lost among the foliage, but again emerge, and are seen gliding aloft. They now alight, but the next moment, as if suddenly alarmed, they take to wing, producing by the flappings of their wings a noise like the roar of distant thunder, and sweep through the forests to see if danger is near. Hunger, however, soon brings them to the ground. When alighted, they are seen industriously throwing up the withered leaves in quest of the fallen mast. The rear ranks are continually rising, passing over the main-body, and alighting in front, in such rapid succession, that the whole flock seems still on wing. The quantity of ground thus swept is astonishing, and so completely has it been cleared, that the gleaner who might follow in their rear would find his labour completely lost. Whilst feeding, their avidity is at times so great that in attempt- ing to swallow a large acorn or nut, they are seen gasping for a long while, as if in the agonies of suffocation. PASSENGER PIGEON. 323 ~ On such occasions, when the woods are filled with these Pigeons, they are killed in immense numbers, although no apparent diminution ensues. About the middle of the day, after their repast is finished, they settle on the trees, to enjoy rest, and digest their food. On the ground they walk with ease, as well as on the branches, frequently jerking their beau- tiful tail, and moving the neck backwards and forwards in the most grace- ful manner. As the sun begins to sink beneath the horizon, they depart en masse for the roosting-place, which not unfrequently is hundreds of miles distant, as has been ascertained by persons who have kept an ac- count of their arrivals and departures. Let us now, kind reader, inspect their place of nightly rendezvous. One of these curious roosting-places, on the banks of the Green River in Kentucky, I repeatedly visited. It was, as is always the case, in a por- tion of the forest where the trees were of great magnitude, and where there was little underwood. I rode through it upwards of forty miles, and, crossing it in different parts, found its average breadth to be rather more than three miles. My first view of it was about a fortnight subse- quent to the period when they had made choice of it, and I arrived there nearly two hours before sunset. Few Pigeons were then to. be seen, but a great number of persons, with horses and waggons, guns and ammuni- tion, had already established encampments,on the borders. Two farmers from the vicinity of Russelsville, distant more than a hundred miles, had driven upwards of three hundred hogs to be fattened on the pigeons which were to be slaughtered. Here and there, the people employed in plucking and salting what had already been procured, were seen sit- ting in the midst of large piles of these birds. The dung lay several inches deep, covering the whole extent of the roosting-place, like a bed of snow. Many trees two feet in diameter, I observed, were broken off at no great distance from the ground; and the branches of many of the largest and tallest had given way, as if the forest had been swept bya tornado. Every thing proved to me that the number of birds resorting to this part of the forest must be immense beyond conception. As the period of their arrival approached, their foes anxiously prepared to receive them. Some were furnished with iron-pots containing sulphur, others with torches of pine-knots, many with poles, and the rest with guns, The sun was lost to our view, yet not a Pigeon had arrived. Every thing was ready, and all eyes were gazing on the clear sky, which appeared in glimpses amidst the tall trees. Suddenly there burst forth "2 hy 324 PASSENGER PIGEON. hd a general cry of “ Here they come!” The noise which they made, though yet distant, reminded me of a hard. gale at sea, passing through the rigging of a close-reefed vessel. As the birds arrived and passed over me, I felt a current of air that surprised me. ‘Thousands were soon knocked down by the pole-men. The birds continued to pour in. The fires were lighted, and a magnificent, as well as wonderful and almost terrifying, sight presented itself. The Pigeons, arriving by thousands, alighted everywhere, one above another, until solid masses as large as hogsheads were formed on the branches all round. Here and there the perches gave way under the weight with a crash, and, falling to the ground, destroyed hundreds of the birds beneath, forcing down the dense groups with which every stick was loaded. It was a scene of uproar and con- fusion. I found it quite useless to speak, or even to shout to those per- sons who were nearest to me. Even the reports of the guns were seldom heard, and I was made aware of the firing only by seeing the shooters reloading. No one dared venture within the line of devastation, The hogs had been penned up in due time, the picking up of the dead and wounded being left for the next morning’s employment. The Pigeons were con- stantly coming, and it was past midnight before I perceived a decrease in the number of those that arrived. The uproar continued the whole night ; and as I was anxious to know to what distance the sound reach- ed, I sent off a man, accustomed to perambulate the forest, who, return- ing two hours afterwards, informed me he had heard it distinctly when three miles distant from the spot. Towards the approach of day, the noise in some measure subsided, long before objects were distinguishable, the Pigeons began to move off in a direction quite different from that in which they had arrived the evening before, and at sunrise all that were able to fly had disappeared. The howlings of the wolves now reached our ears, and the foxes, lynxes, cougars, bears, raccoons, oppossums and pole-cats were seen sneaking off, whilst eagles and hawks of different species, accompanied by a crowd of vultures, came to supplant them, and enjoy their share of the spoil. It was then that the authors of all this hon wae began their entry amongst the dead, the dying, and the mangled. ‘The pigeons were picked up and piled in heaps, until each had as many as he could possi- ie bly dispose of, when the hogs were let loose to feed on the remainder. Persons unacquainted with these birds might naturally conclude that PASSENGER PIGEON. 325 such dreadful havock would soon put an end to the species. But I have satisfied myself, by long observation, that nothing but the gradual dimi- nution of our forests can accomplish their decrease, as they not unfre- quently quadruple their numbers yearly, and always at least. double it. In 1805 I saw schooners loaded in bulk with Pigeons caught up the Hudson River, coming in to the wharf at New York, when the birds sold. for a cent a piece. I knew a man in Pennsylvania, who caught and killed upwards of 500 dozens in a clap-net in one day, sweeping some- times twenty dozens or more at a single haul. In the month of March 1830, they were so abundant in the markets of New York, that piles of them met the eye in every direction. I have seen the Negroes at the ‘United States’ Salines or Saltworks of Shawanee Town, wearied with killing Pigeons, as they alighted to drink the water issuing from the leading pipes, for weeks at a time; and yet in 1826, in Louisiana, I saw congregated flocks of these birds as numerous as ever I had seen them before, during a residence of nearly thirty years in the United States. The breeding of the Wild Pigeons, and the places chosen for that purpose, are points of great interest. The time is not much influenced by season, and the place selected is where food is most plentiful and most attainable, and always at a convenient distance from water. Forest-trees of great height are those in which the Pigeons form their nests. Thither the countless myriads resort, and prepare to fulfil one of the great laws of nature. At this period the note of the Pigeon is a soft coo-coo-coo-coo, much shorter than that of the domestic species. The common notes re- semble the monosyllables kee-kee-kee-kee, the first being the loudest, the others gradually diminishing in power. The male assumes a pompous demeanour, and follows the female whether on the ground or on the branches, with spread tail and drooping wings, which it rubs against the part over which it is moving. ‘The body is elevated, the throat swells, the eyes sparkle. He continues his notes, and now and then rises on the wing, and flies a few yards to approach the fugitive and timorous fe- male. Like the domestic Pigeon and other species, they caress each other by billing, in which action, the bill of the one is introduced trans- versely into that of the other, and both parties alternately disgorge the contents of their crop by repeated efforts. These preliminary affairs are soon settled, and the Pigeons commence their nests in general peace and harmony. They are composed of a few dry twigs, crossing each other, and are supported by forks of the branches. On the same tree from fifty 326 PASSENGER PIGEON. to a hundred nests may frequently be seen :—I might say a much greater number, were I not anxious, kind reader, that however wonderful my ac- count of the Wild Pigeon is, you may not feel disposed to refer it to the marvellous. ‘The eggs are two in number, of a broadly elliptical form, and pure white. During incubation, the male supplies the female with food. Indeed, the tenderness and affection displayed by these birds to- wardstheir mates, are in the highest degree striking. It is a remarkable fact, that each brood generally consists of a male and a female. Here again, the tyrant of the creation, man, interferes, disturbing the harmony of this peaceful scene. As the young birds grow up, their ene- mies, armed with axes, reach the spot, to seize and destroy all they can. The trees are felled, and made to fall in such a way that the cutting of one causes the overthrow of another, or shakes the neighbouring trees so much, that the young Pigeons, or sqwabs, as they are named, are violent- ly hurried to the ground. In this manner also, immense quantities are destroyed. The young are fed by the parents in the manner described above ; in other words, the old bird introduces its bill into the mouth of the young one in a transverse manner, or with the back of each mandible opposite the separations of the mandibles of the young bird, and dis- gorges the contents of its crop. As soon as the young birds are able to shift for themselves, they leave their parents, and continue separate un- til they attain maturity. By the end of six months they are capable of reproducing their species. The flesh of the Wild Pigeon is of a dark colour, but affords tolera- ble eating. That of young birds from the nest is much esteemed. The skin is covered with small white filmy scales. The feathers fall off at the least touch, as has been remarked to be the case in the Carolina Turtle. I have only to add, that this species, like others of the same genus, im- merses its head up to the eyes while drinking. In March 1830, I bought about 350 of these birds in the market of New York, at four cents a piece. Most of these I carried alive to Eng- land, and distributed amongst several noblemen, presenting some at the same time to the Zoological Society. PASSENGER PIGEON. 327 CoLuMBA MicRaATORIA, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 285.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p- 612.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 120. PassENGER PicEon, CoLUMBA mMicRaToRIA, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 661—Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. v. p. 102. Pl. 44. fig. 1. Male. Adult Male. Plate LXII. Fig. 1. Bill straight, of ordinary length, rather slender, broader than deep at the base, with a tumid fleshy covering above, compressed towards the end, rather obtuse ; upper mandible slightly declinate at the tip; edges inflected. Head small, neck slender, body rather full. Legs short and strong ; tarsus rather rounded, anteriorly scutellate ; toes slightly webbed at the base; claws short, depressed, obtuse. Plumage blended on the neck and under parts, compact on the back. Wings long, the second quill longest. Tail graduated, of twelve taper- ing feathers. Bill black. Iris bright red. Feet carmine purple, claws blackish. Head above and on the sides light blue. Throat, fore-neck, breast, and sides, light brownish-red, the rest of the under parts white. Lower part of the neck behind, and along the sides, changing to gold, emerald green, and rich crimson. The general colour of the upper parts is greyish-blue, some of the wing-coverts marked with a black spot. Quills and larger wing-coverts blackish, the primary quills bluish on the outer web, the larger coverts whitish at the tip. The two middle feathers of the tail black, the rest pale blue at the base, becoming white towards the end. Length 164 inches, extent of wings 25; bill along the ridge §, along the gap 1,/, ; tarsus 1}, middle foe 1}. Adult Female. Plate LXII. Fig. 2. The colours of the female are much duller than those of the male, although their distribution is the same. The breast is light greyish- brown, the upper parts pale reddish-brown, tinged with blue. The changeable spot on the neck is of less extent, and the eye of a somewhat duller red, as are the feet. Length 15 inches, extent of wings 23; bill along the ridge 7, along the gap 3. ~ THE WHITE-EYED FLY-CATCHER, OR VIREO. VIREO NOVEBORACENSIS, Cu. Bonar. PLATE LXIIE Mate. Tus interesting little bird enters the State of Louisiana often as early as the Ist of March. Indeed, some individuals may now and then be seen a week or ten days sooner, provided the weather be mild. It throws itself into the thickest part of the briars, sumachs, and small evergreen bushes,. which form detached groves in abandoned fields, where its presence is at once known by the smartness of its song. This songis composed of many different notes, emitted with great spirit, and a certain degree of pompo- sity, which makes it differ materially from that of all other Fly-catchers. It is frequently repeated during the day. | These birds become at once so abundant, that it would be more diffi- cult not to meet one, than to observe a dozen or more, during a morning walk. Their motions are as animated as their music. They pass from twig to twig, upwards or downwards, examining every opening bud and leaf, and securing an insect ora larva at every leap. Their flight is short, light, and easy. Their migrations are performed during the day, and by passing from one low bush to another, for these birds seldom ascend to the tops of even moderately tall trees. Like all our other visitors, they move eastward as the season opens, and do not reach the Middle States before the end of April, or the beginning of May. Notwithstanding this apparently slow progress, they reach and disperse over a vast expanse of country. I have met with some in every: part of the United States which I have visited. . Many remainin Louisiana, where they rear two broods, perhaps some- times three, in a season. Of this, however, I am not quite certain. I never saw them alight on the ground, unless for the purpose of drinking, or of. procuring fibrous roots for their nests, . They are fond of sipping the dew drops that hang at the extremities of leaves. Their sorties after insects seldom extend beyond the bushes. About the first of April, the White-eyed Fly-catcher forms a nest of dry slender twigs, broken pieces of grasses, and portions of old hornets’ WHITE-EYED FLY-CATCHER. 329 nests, which have so great a resemblance ta paper, that the nest appears as if studded with bits of that substance. It is lined with fine fibrous roots, and the dried filaments of the Spanish moss. The nest is of the form of an inverted cone,.and is fastened to two or three twigs of a Green Briar, a species of Smilax abundant in the old fields and along the fences. The eggs are from four to six, of a pure white, with a few dark spots near the larger end. In those districts where the Cow-bird is found, it fre- quently drops one of its eggs among them. I have seen the first brood from the nest about the middle of May. Unless when disturbed while upon its nest, this bird is extremely sociable, and may be approached within a few feet; but when startled from the nest, it displays the anxiety common to almost all birds on such occasions. The difference of colour in the sexes is scarcely perceptible. ; The figure of a male has been given on a branch of the tree called in Louisiana the Pride of China, an ornamental plant, with fragrant flowers. The wood is extremely valuable on account of its great durability, and is employed for making posts and rails for the fences. Being capable of receiving a beautiful polish, it is also frequently made into various articles of furniture. For these reasons, the planters have found it expedient to adopt measures for increasing the propagation of this tree. It bears a pulpy fruit inclosing a hard seed, which is swallowed by different: birds during the winter months. It has been thought deleterious, but without reason. A decoction of the root is used by the planters as an effectual vermifuge. ViREO NOVEBORACENSIS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 70. MUSCICAPA NOVEBORACENSIS, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 947.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 489. Haneine Fry-catcuERr, Lath. Synops. Suppl. p. 174. WHITE-EYED FLy-carcHER, Muscicara CANTATRIX, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p- 266. Pl. 18. Fig. 6. Adult Male. Plate LXIII. Bill shortish, nearly straight, rather strong, conico-acuminate, com- pressed towards the end ; upper mandible slightly notched, and a little deflected at the tip; lower mandible ascending at the tip. Nostrils basal, rounded. Head and neck of ordinary size; body rather slender. Feet 330 WHITE-EYED FLY-CATCHER. of ordinary length, slender ; tarsus anteriorly scutellate ; lateral toes nearly equal. Plumage blended, soft and tufty. Wings shortish, the third quill longest. Tail even, of twelve rounded feathers. Upper mandible blackish blue, lower light blue. Iris white. Feet greyish-blue. The general colour of the upper parts is light olive, the head greener. Sides of the head, including a line above the eye, and the loral space, bright yellow. Quills, large coverts, and tail, wood-brown, the quills edged externally with greenish-yellow, the larger coverts tipped with white, forming two bands. Sides of the neck tinged with bluish- grey ; the under parts greyish-white, excepting the sides, which are yellow. Length 5 inches, extent of wings 7; bill along the ridge ;%, along the gap 5%. The female scarcely differs from the male in external appearance. Tue Prive oF CHINA, OR BEAD-TREE. Me ia Azeparacnu, Linn. Sp. Plant. p. 550,—DEcANDRIA Monoeyrnia, Linn. MELIA, Juss. Distinguished by its bipinnate shining leaves, with ferruginous dots beneath. In the south of Europe, the nuts are bored and strung by the Roman Catholics, (4:381*;)) THE SWAMP SPARROW. FRINGILLA PALUSTRIS, WILS. PLATE LXIV. Mate. Tue shores and such flat sand-bars as are overgrown with grasses and rank weeds, along the Mississippi, from its mouth to a great height, as well as the swamps that occur in the woods, within a short distance from the margins of that river, are the resorts of the Swamp Sparrow, during autumn and winter. Although these birds do not congregate in flocks, their numbers are immense. They form the principal food of the many Sparrow Hawks, Pigeon Hawks, and Hen-harriers, which follow them as well as several other species, on their return from the Middle Districts, where they go towards spring, for the purpose of breeding. In those districts they continue to prefer low swampy places, damp meadows, and. the margins of creeks and rivers. It is a timid species, destitute of song, and merely uttering a single cheep, which is now and then heard during the day, but more frequently towards evening. They skulk along the weeds with activity, and feed principally upon the seeds of grasses, with a few insects, sometimes wa- ding in shallow water. When wounded and forced to fall in the stream, they swim off to the nearest tuft of grass and hide in it. Their flight is short, low, and assisted by strong jerking motions of the body and tail, accompanied by a rustling of the wings. They alight by dropping sud- denly amongst the weeds, seldom making towards a high tree. They are rarely if ever met with in dry woodlands. Their nest is placed on the ground, at the foot of a large bunch of tall grass. It is composed of dry weeds and finer fibres of the same, and is sometimes partially covered over. The eggs are four or five, of a dull white, speckled with reddish. They raise two, sometimes three, broods in a season. I found these birds abundantly dispersed in the swamps of Cayaga Lakes, and those bordering the Illinois river, during summer, and far up the Arkansas River in the winter months. Their flesh is sedgy, which perhaps forms no objection to some people against its use. They be- come fat and tender, when the weeds have produced an abundance of seeds, Their note differs from that of all other species of Sparrow, being harsher in its tone. The young follow the parents on the ground, skulk- ing among the grass for nearly a week before they are able to fly. 332 SWAMP SPARROW. The plant on which you see this bird is called the May-apple. It shoots from the ground, in great numbers, and grows very close. The flowers appear at an early season, and are succeeded by a pulpy yellowish fruit, about the size of a pullet’s egg, and which, when ripe, is pleasant to the taste, being a little acid and very cooling. Frincitua paLustTRis, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 110. Swamr Sparrow, Frineriia PpaLustRis, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 49, Pl. xxii. fig. 1. Male. Adult Male. Plate LXIV. Bill short, conical, acute, straight ; upper mandible nearly straight in its dorsal line, as is the lower; gap-line a little declinate at the base Nostrils basal, roundish, partly concealed by the feathers. Feet of mo- derate length ; tarsus longer than the middle toe; toes free, the lateral ones nearly equal; claws compressed, arched, acute. Plumage rather compact above, soft and blended beneath. Wings short, rounded, the third and fourth quills longest. Tail longish, slightly notched, the feathers broad and rather acute. Bill dark brown above, paler and tinged with blue beneath, eis ha- zel. Feet yellowish-brown. Upper part of the head reddish-brown, streaked with black. Loral space, and a broad streak over the eye, yel- lowish-grey ; a dark line behind the eye, and another from the commis- sure of the mandibles. Upper parts generally yellowish-brown, spotted with brownish-black. Primary quill-coverts dusky, as are the inner webs of the secondary coverts and quills, their outer webs being brownish-red_ Tail-feathers dusky, their outer webs brownish-red. Sides of the neck and the breast light grey, the rest of the under parts greylish-white. Length 53 inches, extent of wings 74; bill along the ridge ¥%, along the back 2; tarsus +4. Tuer May-AppPie. PoporHyLLuM PELTATUM, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1141. Pursh, Flor. Amer vol, ii. p. 366.—Potyanpria Monoeyntia, Linn. RanuncuLacE&, Juss. Root of many large tubers. _ Stalks several, each divided at the top, and bearing two peltate leaves, composed of five or seven lobes, with a flower in the fork. Petals nine, white. Fruit when ripe of the size of a plum, yellow. CH8831) THE RATHBONE WARBLER. SYLVIA RATHBONIA. PLATRK LXY. Mate anp FEMALE. Kinp reader, you are now presented with a new and beautiful little species of Warbler, which I have honoured with the name of a family that must ever be dear to me. Were I at liberty here to express the gratitude which swells my heart, when the remembrance of all the un- merited kindness and unlooked-for friendship which I have received from the Ratruzones of Liverpool comes to my mind, I might produce a volume of thanks. But I must content myself with informing you, that the small tribute of gratitude which alone it is in my power to pay, I now joyfully accord, by naming after them one of those birds, to the study of which all my efforts have been directed. I trust that future naturalists, regardful of the feelings which have guided me in naming this species, will continue to it the name of the Rathbone Warbler. I met with the species now under consideration only once, when I procured both the male and the female represented in the plate. They were actively engaged in searching for food amongst the blossoms and leaves of the Bignonia on which I have placed them. All my endea- vours to discover their nest, or to procure other individuals, having proved abortive, I am unable to say any thing of their habits and his- tory; but should I be more fortunate at some future period, I shall not fail to record-the result of my observations respecting this delicate little Warbler. The Bignonia on which they are represented, grows abundantly in the low alluvial grounds of the States of Mississippi and Louisiana, sparingly in Tennessee, and about the mouth of the Ohio. It twines round the trunks of various trees, and produces beautiful flowers, in which Humming Birds are frequently seen to search for the minute in- sects which form their food. They are destitute of smell, but are seen both during spring and autumn. 1 334 RATHBONE WARBLER. SyLvIA RaTHBONIA. Adult Male. Plate LXV. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, subulato-conical, acute, as _ deep as broad at the base, with sharp edges. Nostrils basal, oval, half concealed by the feathers. Head rather large, neck short, body ovate. Feet of ordinary length, slender; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella, acute behind, a little longer than the middle toe; toes free, scutellate above; claws arched, slender, compressed, acute. Plumage blended, soft, and tufty. Wings of ordinary length, the second quill longest. ‘Tail rather short, nearly even, of twelve obtuse feathers. Bill yellowish-brown above, yellow beneath. Iris hazel. Feet flesh- colour. The general colour is bright yellow, the upper parts olivaceous. Quills and tail wood-brown, the former yellow on the outer web, the lat- ter margined externally with the same colour. Length 44 inches; bill along the ridge 3, along the gap ;%; tarsus yz, middle toe 3. Adult Female. Plate LXV. Fig. 2. The female is almost precisely the same in external appearance. Tue Rampinc TRUMPET-FLOWER. BrenonrA CAPREOLATA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iii. p. 297% Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p- 419.—Dipynamia AncIosPERMIA, Linn. BicnontiA, Juss. This species is distinguished by its conjugate cirrhous leaves, with oblongo-lanceolate leaflets, which are somewhat cordate at the base, the lower leaves single. The flowers are carmine. (38507) DEER HUNTING. Tue different modes of destroying Deer are probably too well un- derstood and too successfully practised in the United States; for, not- withstanding the almost incredible abundance of these beautiful animals in our forests and prairies, such havock is carried on amongst them, that, in a few centuries, they will probably be as scarce in America, as the Great Bustard now is in Britain. . We have three modes of hunting Deer, each varying in some slight degree, in the different States and Districts. The first is termed Still Hunting, and is by far the most destructive. The second is called Fire- light Hunting, and is next in its exterminating effects. The third, which may be looked upon as a mere amusement, is named Driving. Although many deer are destroyed by this latter method, it is not by any means so pernicious as the others. These methods I shall describe separately. Still Hunting is followed as a kind of trade by most of our frontier men. ‘To be practised with success, it requires great activity, an expert management of the rifle, and a thorough knowledge of the forest, toge- ther with an intimate acquaintance with the habits of the Deer, not only at different seasons of the year, but also at every hour of the day, as the hunter must be aware of the situations which the game prefers, and in which it is most likely to be found, at any particular time. I might here present you with a full account of the habits of our Deer, were it not my intention to lay before you, at some future period, in the form of a distinct work, the observations which I have made on oy various Quadrupeds of our extensive territories. Illustrations of any kind require to be presented in the best possible light. .We shall therefore suppose that we are now about to follow the true hunter, as the Still Hunter is also called, through the interior of the tangled woods, across morasses, ravines, and such places, where the game may prove more or less plentiful, even should none be found there in the first instance. We shall allow our hunter all the agility, patience, and care, which his occupation requires, and will march in his rear, as if we were spies, watching all his motions. His dress, you observe, consists of a leather hunting-shirt, and a 336 DEER HUNTING. pair of trowsers of the same material. His feet are well moccassined ; he wears a belt round his waist; his heavy rifle is resting on his brawny shoulder ; on one side hangs his ball-pouch, surmounted by the horn of an ancient Buffalo, once the terror of the herd, but now containing a pound of the best gunpowder; his butcher knife is seabbarded in the same strap; and behind is a tomahawk, the handle of which has been thrust through his girdle. He walks with so rapid a step, that pro- bably few men, besides ourselves, that is, myself and my kind reader, could follow him, unless for a short distance, in their anxiety to witness his ruthless deeds. He stops, looks at the flint of his gun, its priming, and the leather cover of the lock, then glances his eye towards the sky, to judge of the course most likely to lead him to the game. The heavens are clear, the red glare of the morning sun gleams through the lower branches of the lofty trees, the dew hangs in pearly drops at the top of every leaf. Already has the emerald hue of the fo- liage been converted into the more glowing tints of our autumnal months. A slight frost appears on the fence-rails of his little corn-field. As he proceeds, he looks to the dead foliage under his feet, in search of the well known traces of a buck’s hoof. Now he bends toward the ground, on which something has attracted his attention. See ! he alters his course, increases his speed, and will soon reach the opposite hill. Now, he moves with caution, stops at almost every tree, and peeps forward, as if already within shooting distance of the game. He advances again, but how very slowly ! He has reached the declivity, upon which the sun shines in all its growing splendour; —but mark him! he takes the gun from his shoulder, has already thrown aside the leathern cover of the lock, and is wiping the edge of his flint with his tongue. Now he stands like a monumental figure, perhaps measuring the distance that lies between him and the game, which he has in view. His rifle is slowly raised, the report follows, and he runs. Let'us run also. Shall I speak to him, and ask him the result of this first essay ? Assuredly, reader, for I know him well. « Pray, friend, what have you killed?” for to say, “ what have you shot at ?” might imply the possibility of his having missed, and so might hurt his feelings? ‘“‘ Nothing but a Buck.” “ And where is it?” “ Oh, it has taken a jump or so, but I settled it, and will soon be with it. My ball struck, and must have gone through his heart.” We arrive at the spot, where the animal had laid itself down among the grass in a thicket of grape-vines, sumachs, and spruce-bushes, where it intended to repose DEER HUNTING. 337 during the middle of the day. The place is covered with blood, the hoofs of the deer have left deep prints in the ground, as it bounced in the agonies produced by its wound ; but the blood that has gushed from its side discloses the course which it has taken. We soon reach the spot. There lies the buck, its tongue out, its eye dim, its breath exhausted : it is dead: The hunter draws his knife, cuts the buck’s throat almost asunder, and prepares to skin it. For this purpose he hangs it upon the branch of a tree. When the skin is removed, he cuts off the hams, and abandoning the rest of the carcass to the wolves and vultures, re- loads his gun, flings the venison, enclosed by the skin, upon his back, secures it with a strap, and walks off in search of more game, well knowing that, in the immediate neighbourhood, another at least is to be found, Had the weather been warmer, the hunter would have sought for the buck along the shadowy side of the hills. Had it been the spring sea- son, he would have led us through some thick cane-brake, to the margin of some remote lake, where you would have seen the deer, immersed to his head in the water, to save his body from the tormenting attacks of moschettoes. Had winter overspread the earth with a covering of snow, he would have searched the low damp woods, where the mosses and lichens, on which at that period the deer feeds, abound, the trees being generally crusted with them for several feet from the ground. At one time, he might have marked the places where the deer clears the velvet from his horns by rubbing them against the low stems of bushes, and where he frequently scrapes the earth with his fore-hoofs ; at another, he would have betaken himself to places where persimons and crab-apples abound, as beneath these trees the deer frequently stops to munch their fruits. During early spring, our hunter would imitate the bleating of the doe, and thus frequently obtain both her and the fawn; or, like some tribes of Indians, he would prepare a deer’s head, placed on a stick, and creeping with it amongst the tall grass of the prairies, would decoy the deer within reach of his rifle. But kind reader, you have seen enough of the still hunter. Let it suffice for me to add, that by the mode pursued by him, thousands of deer are annually killed, many individuals shooting these animals merely for the skin, not caring for even the most valuable portions of the flesh, unless hunger, or a near market, induce them to carry off the hams. The mode of destroying deer by fire-light, or, as it is named in some Y 338 DEER HUNTING. parts of the country, forest-light, never fails to produce a very singular feeling in him who witnesses it for the first time. There is something in it which at times appears awfully grand. At other times, a certain de- gree of fear creeps over the mind, and even affects the physical powers, of him who follows the hunter through the thick undergrowth of our woods, having to leap his horse over hundreds of huge fallen trunks, at one time impeded by a straggling grape-vine crossing his path, at another squeezed between two stubborn saplings, whilst their twigs come smack in his face, as his companion has forced his way through them. Again, he every now and then runs the risk of breaking his neck, by being sudden- ly pitched headlong on the ground, as his horse sinks into a hole covered over with moss. But I must proceed in a more regular manner, and leave you, kind reader, to judge whether such a mode of hunting would suit your taste or not. The hunter has returned to his camp or his house, has rested and eaten of his game. He waits impatiently for the return of night. He has procured a quantity of pine-knots filled with resinous matter, and has an old frying-pan, that, for aught I know to the contrary, may have been used by his great grandmother, in which the pine-knots are to be placed when lighted. The horses stand saddled at the door. The hunter comes forth, his rifle slung on his shoulder, and springs upon one of them, while his son, or a servant, mounts the other, with the frying-pan and the pine-knots. Thus accoutred, they proceed towards the interior of the forest. When they have arrived at the spot where the hunt is to begin, they strike fire with a flint and steel, and kindle the resinous wood. ‘The person who carries the fire moves in the direction judged to be the best. The blaze illuminates the near objects, but the distant parts seem involved in deepest obscurity. The hunter who bears the gun keeps immediately in front, and after a while discovers before him two feeble lights, which are produced by the reflection of the pine-fire from the eyes of an animal of the deer or wolf kind. The animal stands quite still. ‘Toone unacquainted with this strange mode of hunting, the glare from its eyes might bring to his imagination some lost hobgoblin that had strayed from its usual haunts. The hunter, however, nowise intimidated, approaches the object, sometimes so near as to discern its form, when raising the rifle to his shoulder, he fires and kills it on the spot. He then dismounts, secures the skin and such portions of the flesh as he may want, in the manner already described, and continues his « DEER HUNTING. 339 search through the greater part of the night, sometimes until the dawn of day, shooting from five to ten deer, should these animals be plenti- ful. This kind of hunting proves fatal, not to the deer alone, but also sometimes to wolves, and now and then to a horse or a cow, which may have straggled far into the woods. Now, kind reader, prepare to mount a generous, full blood Virginian Hunter. See that your gunis in complete order, for, hark to the sound of the bugle and horn, and the mingled clamour of a pack of harriers! Your friends are waiting you, under the shade of the wood, and we must toge- ther go driving the light-footed deer. The distance over which one has to travel is seldom felt, when pleasure is anticipated as the result: so, galloping we go pell-mell through the woods, to some well known place, where many a fine buck has drooped its antlers under the ball of the hunter’s rifle. The servants, who are called the drivers, have already begun their search. Their voices are heard exciting the hounds, and un- less we put spurs to our steeds, we may be too late at our stand, and thus lose the first opportunity of shooting the fleeting game, as it passes by. Hark again! The dogs are in chase, the horn sounds louder and more clearly. Hurry, hurry on, or we shall be sadly behind ! Here we are at last! Dismount, fasten your horse to this tree, place yourself by the side of that large yellow poplar, and mind you de not shoot me! The deer is fast approaching; I will to my own stand, and he who shoots him dead wins the prize. The deer is heard coming. It has inadvertently cracked a dead stick with its hoof, and the dogs are now so near it that it will pass in a moment. There it comes! How beautifully it bounds over the ground ! What a splendid head of horns! How easy its attitudes, depending, as, it seems to do, on its own swiftness for safety! All is in vain, however : a gun is fired, the animal plunges and doubles with incomparable speed. There he goes! He passes another stand, from which a second shot, better directed than the first, brings him to the ground, The dogs, the servants, the sportsmen are now rushing forward to the spot. The hunter who has shot it is congratulated on his skill or good luck, and the chase begins again in some other part of the woods. A few lines of explanation may be required to convey a clear idea of this mode of hunting. Deer are fond of following and retracing the paths which they have formerly pursued, and continue to do so even af- ter they have been shot at more than once. These tracks are discovered x¥2 340 DEER HUNTING. by persons on horseback in the woods, or a deer is observed crossing 4 road, a field, or a small stream. When this has been noticed twice, the deer may be shot from the places called stands by the sportsman, who is stationed there, and waits for it, a line of stands being generally formed so as to cross the path which the game will follow. The person who ascer- tains the usual pass of the game, or discovers the parts where the animal feeds or lies down during the day, gives intimation to his friends, who then prepare for the chase. The servants start the deer with the hounds, and by good management, generally succeed in making it run the course that will soonest bring it to its death. But, should the deer be cautious, and take another course, the hunters, mounted on swift horses, gallop through the woods to intercept it, guided by the sound of the horns and the cry of the dogs, and frequently succeed in shooting it. This sport is ex- tremely agreeable, and proves successful on almost every occasion. Hoping that this account will be sufficient to induce you, kind reader, to go driving in our Western and Southern Woods, I now conclude my chapter on Deer Hunting by informing you, that the species referred to above is the Virginian Deer, Cervus virginianus ; and that, until I be able to present you with a full account of its habits and history, you may consult for information respecting it the excellent Fawna Americana of my esteemed friend Dr Haruan of Philadelphia. (34rd THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. PICUS PRINCIPALIS, LINN. PLATE LXVI. Mare anp FEMALE. I nave always imagined, that in the plumage of the beautiful Ivory- billed Woodpecker, there is something very closely allied to the style of colouring of the great VanpyxE. The broad extent of its dark glossy body and tail, the large and well-defined white markings of its wings, neck, and bill, relieved by the rich carmine of the pendent crest of the male, and the brilliant yellow of its eye, have never failed to remind me of some of the boldest and noblest productions of that inimitable artist’s pencil. So strongly indeed have these thoughts become ingrafted in my mind, as I gradually obtained a more intimate acquaintance with the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, that whenever I have observed one of these birds flying from one tree to another, I have mentally exclaimed, “ There goes a Vandyke !” This notion may seem strange, perhaps ludicrous, to you, good reader, but I relate it as a fact, and whether or not it may be found in accordance with your own ideas, after you have inspected the plate in which is represented this great chieftain of the Woodpecker tribe, is per- haps of little consequence. won The Ivory-billed Woodpecker confines its rambles to a comparatively very small portion of the United States, it never having been observed in the Middle States within the memory of any person now living there. In | ~/ fact, in no portion of these districts does the nature of the woods appear suitable to its remarkable habits. Descending the Ohio, we meet with this splendid bird for the first time near the confluence of that beautiful river and the Mississippi; after which, following the windings of the latter, either downwards toward the sea, or upwards in the direction of the Missouri, we frequently observe it. On the Atlantic coast, North Carolina may be taken as the limit of its distribution, although now and then an individual of the species may be accidentally seen in Maryland. To the westward of the Mississippi, it is found in all the dense forests bordering the streams which empty their waters into that majestic river, from the very declivities of the Rocky Mountains. The lower parts of the Carolinas, Georgia, Allabama, Loui- wd 342 IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. siana, and Mississippi, are, however, the most favourite resorts of this bird, and in those States it constantly resides, breeds, and passes a life of peaceful enjoyment, finding a profusion of food in all the deep, dark, and gloomy swamps dispersed throughout them.—— I wish, kind reader, it were in my power to present to your mind’s eye the favourite resort of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Would that I could describe the extent of those deep morasses, overshadowed by millions of gigantic dark cypresses, spreading their sturdy moss-covered branches, as if to admonish intruding man to pause and reflect on the many diffi- culties which he must encounter, should he persist in venturing farther into their almost inaccessible recesses, extending for miles before him, where he should be interrupted by huge projecting branches, here and there the massy trunk of a fallen and decaying tree, and thousands of creeping and twining plants of numberless species! Would that I could represent to you the dangerous nature of the ground, its oozing, spongy, and miry disposition, although covered with a beautiful but treacherous carpeting, composed of the richest mosses, flags, and water-lilies, no soon- er receiving the pressure of the foot than it yields and endangers the very life of the adventurer, whilst here and there, as he approaches an open- ing, that proves merely a lake of black muddy water, his ear is assailed by the dismal croaking of innumerable frogs, the hissing of serpents, or the bellowing of alligators! Would that I could give you an idea of the sultry pestiferous atmosphere that nearly suffocates the intruder during the meridian heat of our dogdays, in those gloomy and horrible swamps ! But the attempt to picture these scenes would be vain. Nothing short of ocular demonstration can impress any adequate idea of them. How often, kind reader, have I thought of the difference of the tasks imposed on different minds, when, travelling in countries far distant from those where birds of this species and others as difficult to be procured are now and then offered for sale in the form of dried skins, I have heard the amateur or closet-naturalist express his astonishment that half-a-crown was asked by the person who had perhaps followed the bird when alive over miles of such swamps, and after procuring it, had prepared its skin in the best manner, and carried it to a market thousands of miles distant from the spot where he had obtained it. I must say, that it has at least grieved me as much as when I have heard some idle fop complain of the poverty of the Gallery of the Louvre, where he had paid nothing, or when I have listened to the same infatuated idler lamenting the loss of his shil- IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. 343 ling, as he sauntered through the Exhibition Rooms of the Royal Aca- demy of London, or any equally valuable repository of art. But, let us return to the biography of the famed Ivory-billed Woodpecker. / The flight e£thisird/is graceful in the extreme, although seldom pro- longed to more than a few hundred yards at a time, unless when it has to cross a large river, which it does in deep undulations, opening its wings at first to their full extent, and nearly closing them to renew the propelling impulse. The transit from one tree to another, even should the distance be as much as a hundred yards, is performed by a single sweep, and the bird appears as if merely swinging itself from the top of the one tree to, that of the other, forming an elegantly curved line. At this moment all the beauty of the plumage is exhibited, and strikes the beholder with pleasure. It never utters any sound whilst on wing, unless during the love season ; but at all other times, no sooner has this bird alighted than its remarkable voice is heard, at almost every leap which it makes, whilst ascending against the upper parts of the trunk of a tree, or its highest branches. Its notes are clear, loud, and yet rather plaintive. They are heard at a considerable distance, perhaps half a mile, and resemble the false high note of a clarionet. They are usually repeated three times in succession, and may be represented by the monosyllable pait, pait, pait. These are heard so frequently as to induce me to say that the bird spends few minutes of the day without uttering them, and this circumstance leads to its destruction, which is aimed at, not because (as is supposed by some) this species is a destroyer of trees, but more because it is a beautiful bird, and its rich scalp attached to the upper mandible forpsuen BF Our squat- wir rur- Uric SILOl- ewe th r_drane_-£--—— seeaakd hunters, by all of whom the bird is shot merely for that purpose Travellers of all nations are also fond of possessing the upper part of the head and the bill of the male, and I have frequently remarked, that i ing- strangers were on a steam-boat’s reaching what we call a wooding place, the 1g f thi very apt to pay a quarter of a dollar for two or three heads o 8 Woodpecker. I have seen entire belts of Indian chiefs closely ornament- ed with the tufts and bills of this species, and have observed that a great value is frequently put upon them. ee The Ivory-billed Woodpecker nestles earlier in spr i i i i for that purpose in © species of its tribe. I have observed it boring a hole purp ‘ : wy the beginning of March. The hole is, I believe, always made in the trunk of a live tree, generally an ash or a hagberry, ing than any other \ { and is at a great © B44 _IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. height. The birds pay great regard to the particular situation of the. tree, and the iaclinenen of its trunk; first, because they prefer retire- ment, and again, because they are anxious to secure the aperture against the access of water during beating rains. To prevent such a calamity, the hole is generally dug immediately under the junction of a large branch with the trunk. It is first bored horizontally for a few inches, then di- rectly downwards, and not in a spiral manner, as some people have ima- gined. According to circumstances, this cavity is more or less deep, be- ing sometimes not more than ten inches, whilst at other times it reaches nearly three feet downwards into the core of the tree. I have been led to think that these differences result from the more or less immediate ne- cessity under which the female may be of depositing her eggs, and again have thought that the older the Woodpecker is, the deeper does it make its hole. The average diameter of the different nests which I have exa- mined was about seven inches within, although the entrance, which is perfectly round, is only just large enough to admit the bird. Both birds work most assiduously at this excavation, one waiting out- side to encourage the other, whilst it is engaged in digging, and when the latter is fatigued, taking its place. I have approached trees whilst these Woodpeckers were thus busily employed in forming their nest, and by resting my head against the bark, could easily distinguish every blow given by the bird. I observed that in two instances, when the Wood- peckers saw me thus at the foot of the tree in which they were digging their nest, they abandoned it for ever. For the first brood there are ge- @\L-~ ora denosited on a few chips at the bottom of the hole, and are of a pure white colour. 44 ae . ic Jvang are out of the hole about a fortnight before they venture tree. ae ene oping’ to fly to any other re 15th of August. ory-bills seldom raise more than one ie. The young ane at first of the colour of the female; y ey want the crest, which, however, grows rapidly, and to: wards autumn, particularly in birds of the first br. that of the mother. The second brood makes its appearance about t! In Kentucky and Indiana, the Iy brood in the season. eed, is nearly equal to 7 The males have then a slight line of red on the head, and do not attain their richness of . ; plumage until spri full size until the second year. Z ee : Indeed, even then, observed between them and individuals which are m ry. . The food of this species a difference is easily uch older. consists principally of 5 large grubs. No sooner, however : oot sf ihe , » are the grapes of our forests ripe than IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. 345 they are eaten by the Ivory-billed Woodpecker with great avidity. I have seen this bird hang by its claws to the vines, in the position so of- ten assumed by a Titmouse, and, reaching downwards, help itself to a bunch of grapes with much apparent pleasure. Persimons are also sought for by them, as soon as the fruit becomes quite mellow, as are hagberries. The Ivory-bill is never seen attacking the corn, or the fruit of the orchards, although it is sometimes observed working upon and chipping off the bark from the belted trees of the newly-cleared plantations. It sel- dom comes near the ground, but prefers at all times the tops of the tall- est trees. Should it, however, discover the half-standing broken shaft of a large dead and rotten tree, it attacks it in such a manner as nearly to demolish it in the course of a few days. I have seen the remains of some of these ancient monarchs of our forests so excavated, and that so singu- larly, that the tottering fragments of the trunk appeared to be merely supported by the great pile of chips by which its base was surrounded. The strength of this Woodpecker is such, that I have seen it detach pieces of bark seven or eight inches in length at a single blow of its pow- erful bill, and by beginning at the top branch of a dead tree, tear off the bark, to an extent of twenty or thirty feet, in the course of a few hours, leaping downwards with its body in an upward position, tossing its head to the right and left, or leaning it against the bark to ascertain the pre- cise spot where the grubs were concealed, and immediately after renew- ing its blows with fresh vigour, all the while sounding its loud notes, as if highly delighted. This species cenorells- -~---. + + parents The female is always the most clamorous and the least shy. Their mutual attachment is, I believe, continued through life. oe ing when digging a hole for the reception of their eggs, these birds sel- dom, if ever, attack living trees, for any other puneese than that pro- curing food, in doing which they destroy the insects that would other- _ eee eee YUU nave lett their wise prove injurious to the trees. . I have frequently observed the male and female retire to rest for We night, into the same hole in which they had long before reared their young. This generally happens a short time after ue . When wounded and brought to the ground, the Ivory-bill immediately makes for the nearest tree, and ascends it with great rapidity and perse- 346 IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. verance, until it reaches the top branches, when it squats and hides, generally with great effect. Whilst ascending, it moves spirally round the tree, utters its loud pait, pait, pait, at almost every hop, but becomes silent the moment it reaches a place where it conceives itself secure. They sometimes cling to the bark with their claws so firmly, as to re- main cramped to the spot for several hours after death. When taken by the hand, which is rather a hazardous undertaking, they strike with great violence, and inflict very severe wounds with their bill as well as claws, which are extremely sharp and strong. On such occasions, this bird utters a mournful and very piteous cry. 4 Picus princrpatis, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 173.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 225. —Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 44. WHuitE-BILLED WoopPrEckER, Lath. Synops. vol. ii. p. 553. Ivory-BILLED WoopPEcKER, Picus principatis, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iv. PL. 29, Fig. i. Adult Male. Plate LXVI. Fig. 1. Bill long, straight, strong, polyhedral, tapering, compressed and truncated at the tip; mandibles nearly equal, both nearly straight in their dorsal outline. Nostrils basal, oval, partly covered by recumbent bristly feathers. Head large. Neck long and slender. Body robust. Feet rather short, robust ; tarsus strong, scutellate before, scaly on the sides; two toes before and two behind, the inner hind toe shortest ; -~ehod_ very acute. Plumage compact, glossy. EP tavacx. - haw Aeew td — 7 —o-tad a tile. Wings large, the third and fourth quills longest. Tail a = duated, of twelve tapering stiff i i Pobre S ial feathers worn to a point by being rubbed Bill of an ivory-white, whence the common name of the bird. Iti bright yellow. Feet greyish blue. The general colour of the I 4 is black, with violet reflections, more glossy above. The ra cae middle and hind part of the head are of a vivid deep carmine ts a band of white runs down the neck and back, on either side ote narrow under the ear, and terminating with the souvalais The = : outer primaries black, the rest white towards the end, the een 2 wholly white, so that when the wings are closed, the pecan ogee IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. 347 the back seems white, although it is in reality black. Lateral tail-fea- thers with a spot of white near the tip of each web. Length 21 inches, extent of wings 30; bill along the back 24, along the gap 3; tarsus 2. Adult Female. Plate LXVI. Fig. 2, 3. The female resembles the male in colouring, but wants the vivid patch on the crest, which is wholly black. ( 348 ) THE RED-WINGED STARLING, OR MARSH BLACKBIRD. ICTERUS PHENICEUS, Davup. PLATE LXVII. Mate in DIFFERENT STATES, FEMALE AND YOUNG. Ir the name of Starling has been given to this well-known species, with the view of assimilating it to the European bird of that name, it can only have been on account of the numbers of individuals that associate together, for in every other respect it is as distinct from the true Starlings as a Common Crow. But without speaking particularly of generic or specific affinities—a task which I reserve for another occasion—I shall here content myself with giving you, kind reader, an account of the habits of this bird. The Marsh Blackbird is so well known as being a bird of the most nefarious propensities, that in the United States one can hardly mention its name, without hearing such an account of its pilferings as might induce the young student of nature to conceive that it had been created for the pur- pose of annoying the farmer. That it destroys an astonishing quantity of corn, rice, and other kinds of grain, cannot be denied ; but that before it commences its ravages, it has proved highly serviceable to the crops, is equally certain. As soon as spring makes its appearance, almost all the Redwings leave the Southern States, in small detached and straggling flocks, the males leading the way in full song, as if to invite the females to follow. Prodigious numbers make their appearance in the Eastern Districts, as winter recedes, and are often seen while piles of drifted snow still remain along the roads, under shelter of the fences. They frequently alight on trees of moderate size, spread their tail, swell out their plumage, and utter their clear and not unmusical notes, particularly in the early morning, before their departure from the neighbourhood of the places in which they have roosted ; for their migrations, you must know, are performed entirely during the day. Their food at this season is almost exclusively composed of grubs, worms, caterpillars, and different sorts of coleopterous insects, which they MARSH BLACKBIRD. 349 procure by searching with great industry, in the meadows, the orchards, or the newly ploughed fields, walking with a graceful step, but much quicker than either of their relatives, the Purple Grakle or the Boat-tail of the Southern States. The millions of insects which the Red-wings destroy at this early season, are, in my opinion, a full equivalent for the corn which they eat at another period; and for this reason, the farmers do not molest them in spring, when they resort to the fields in immense numbers. They then follow the ploughman, in company with the Crow Blackbird, and as if aware of the benefit which they are conferring, do not seem to regard him with apprehension. The females being all arrived, the pairing season at once commences. Several males are seen flying in pursuit of one, until, becoming fatigued, she alights, receives the addresses of her suitors, and soon makes a choice that establishes her the consort of one of them. The “ happy couple” immediately retire from the view of the crowds around them, and seek along the margins of some sequestered pond or damp meadow, for a place in which to form their nest. An Alder bush or a thick tuft of rank weeds answer equally well, and in such places a quantity of coarse dried weeds is deposited by them, to form the exterior of the fabric which is to receive the eggs. The nest is lined with fine grasses, and, in some instances, with horse-hair. The eggs are from four to six in number, of a regular oval form, light blue, sparsely spotted with dusky. Now is the time, good-natured reader, to see and admire the courage and fidelity of the male, whilst assiduously watching over his beloved mate. He dives headlong towards every intruder that approaches his nest, vociferating his fears and maledictions with great vehemence, pass- ing at times within a few yards of the person who has disturbed his peace, or alighting on a twig close to his nest, and uttering a plaintive note, which might well prevent any other than a mischievous person from in- terfering with the hopes and happiness of the mated Redwings. - The eggs are hatched, and the first brood has taken flight. The young soon after associate with thousands of other striplings, and shift for themselves, whilst the parent birds raise a second family. The first brood comes abroad about the beginning of June, the second in the be- ginning of | August. At this latter period, the corn in the Middle Dis- tricts has already acquired considerable consistence, and the congregated Redwings fall upon the fields in such astonishing numbers as to seem capable of completely veiling them. under thé shade of their wings. The 350 MARSH BLACKBIRD. husbandman, anxious to preserve as much of his corn as he can, for his own use or for market, pursues every possible method of annoyance or destruction. But his ingenuity is almost exerted in vain. The Red- wings heed not his efforts further than to remove, after each report of his gun, from one portion of the field to another. All the scarecrows that he may choose to place about his grounds are merely regarded by the birds as so many observatories, on which they occasionally alight. The corn becoming too hard for their bills, they now leave the fields, and resort to the meadows and the margins of streams thickly overgrown with the Wild Oat and other grasses, upon the seeds of which they feed with great avidity during the autumnal and winter months. They then associate partially with the Reed Birds, Grakles, and Cow-pen Buntings, and are seen to move from the Eastern to the Southern Districts, in such immense and thick flocks as almost to cloud the air. The havock made amongst them is scarcely credible. I have heard that upwards of fifty have been killed at a shot, and am the more inclined to believe such accounts that I have myself shot hundreds in the course ofan afternoon, killing from ten to fifteen at every discharge. Whilst travelling in different parts of the Southern States, during the latter part of autumn, I have often seen the fences, trees and fields so strewed with these birds, as to make me believe their number fully equal to that of the falling leaves of the trees in the places traversed by me. Towards evening they alight in the marshes by millions, in compact bodies, settle on the reeds and rushes close above the water, and remain during the night, unless disturbed by the gunners. When this happens, they rise all/of a sudden, and perform. various evolutions in the air, now gliding:low over the rushes, and) again wheeling high above them, pre- serving silence for a while, but finally diving suddenly to the spot for- merly chosen, and commencing a general chuckling noise, after which they remain quiet during the rest of the night. Different species of Hawks derive their principal sustenance from them at:this season. The Pigeon Hawk is an adept in picking the fattest from their crowded flocks; and while they are in the Southern: States, where millions of them: spend the winter, the Hen-harriers: are seen) con- tinually: hovering over them, and picking up the stragglers. The Marsh Blackbird is easily kept in confinement, and. sings there with as much vigour as when at full liberty. It is kept im good: order with rice, wheat, or any other small.grain, Attempts have been made MARSH BLACKBIRD. 351 to induce these birds to breed in confinement, but in as far as I have been able to ascertain, have failed. As an article of food, they are little better than the Starling of Europe, or the Crow Blackbird of the United States, although many are eaten and thought good by the country people, who make pot-pies of them. : I have represented a male and a female in the adult state, a male in the first spring, and a young bird, and have placed them on the branch of a Water Maple, these birds being fond of alighting on trees of that kind, in early spring, to pick up the insects that frequent the blossoms. This tree is found dispersed throughout the United States, and grows, as its name indicates, in the immediate vicinity of water. Its wood is soft, and is hardly used for any other purpose than that of being converted into common domestic utensils. IcTERUS PHENICEUS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 52. OrioLus pHeNICcEvs, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 161.—Zath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 178. RED-WINGED STARLING, STURNUS PREDATORIUS, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iv. p. 30. Pl. 30. Male and Female. RED-WINGED OrI0LE, Lath. Synops. vol. ii. p. 428. Male in complete plumage. Plate LXVITI. Fig. 1. Bill conical, rather slender, longish, compressed, nearly straight, very acute, with inflected acute margins; upper mandible obtuse above, en- croaching on the forehead, lower broadly obtuse beneath; gap-line de- flected at the base. Nostrils oval, basal. Head and neck of ordinary size. Body full. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus a little longer than the middle toe; inner toe little shorter than the outer; claws arched, acute, compressed, that of the hind toe twice the size of. the rest. Plumage soft, blended, glossy. Wings of ordinary length, the second and third quills longest. Tail rather long, rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. Bill and feet black. Iris dark brown. ‘The general colour of the plumage is glossy black ; the lesser wing-coverts scarlet, their lower row bright yellow. Length 9 inches, extent of wings 14; bill along the ridge 43, along the gap 1. Male, the first spring. Plate LXVII. Fig. 2. 352 MARSH BLACKBIRD. Bill, eyes and feet, as in the adult male. The general colour of the upper parts is dark-brown, the feathers edged with lighter. ‘The shoulder is scarlet, but of a lighter tint; the second row of wing-coverts broadly margined with brownish-white ; the larger coverts and quills margined with reddish-white. Quills and tail brownish-black. The under parts are dark greyish-brown, spotted with black. Adult Female. Plate LX VII. Fig. 3. The adult female resembles the male of the first spring in colouring. The bill is lighter; there is a broad streak of pale brown from the bill over each eye; the wing-coverts are less broadly margined, and the lesser wing-coverts are merely tinged with red. The size is greatly inferior to that of the adult male, the length being only 73 inches. Young Bird. Plate LXVII. Fig. 4. The young is similar to the female, lighter on the cheeks and throat, and having merely a slight tinge of red on the lesser wing-coverts. THE Rep Mapxe or Swamp Map.e. Acer ruBRUM, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol, iv. p. 984. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. p. 266. Mich. Abr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 210, Pl. 14.—Ocranpria Mono- Gynta, Linn. ACERINZ, Juss. This species having been represented in Plate LX VII in seed, has already been described at p. 287. THE REPUBLICAN OR CLIFF SWALLOW. HIRUNDO FULV4A, VIEILL. PLATE LXVIII. Mate, Femate, snp NEsts. In the spring of 1815, I for the first time saw a few individuals of this species at Henderson, on the banks of the Ohio, a hundred and twenty miles below the Falls of that river. It was an excessively cold morning, and nearly all were killed by the severity of the weather. I drew up a description at the time, naming the species Hirundo republicana, the Republican Swallow, in allusion to the mode in which the individuals be- longing to it associate, for the purpose of forming their nests and rearing their young. Unfortunately, through the carelessness of my assistant, the specimens were lost, and I despaired for years of meeting with others. . In the year 1819, my hopes were revived by Mr Rozert Besr, curator of the Western Cincinnati Museum, who informed me that a strange species of bird had made its appearance in the neighbourhood, building nests in clusters, affixed to the walls. In consequence of this information, I immediately crossed the Ohio to New Port, in Kentucky, where he had seen many nests the preceding season ; and no sooner were we landed than the chirruping of my long-lost little strangers saluted my ear. Numbers of them were busily engaged in repairing the damage done to their nests by the storms of the preceding winter. Major Oxtpuam of the United States’ Army, then commandant of the garrison, politely offered us the means of examining the settlement of these birds, attached to the walls of the building under his charge. He informed us, that, in 1815, he first saw a few of them working against the wall of the house, immediately under the eaves and cornice; that their work was carried on rapidly and peaceably, and that ax soon as the young were able to travel, they all departed. Since that period, they had returned every spring, and then amounted to several hundreds. They usually appeared about the 10th of April, and immediately began their work, which was at that moment, it being then the 20th of that month, going on in a regular manner, against the walls of the arsenal. They had about fifty nests quite finished, and others in progress. Z 354 REPUBLICAN OR CLIFF SWALLOW. About day-break they flew down to the shore of the river, one hun- dred yards distant, for the muddy sand of which the nests were con- structed, and worked with great assiduity until near the middle of the day, as if aware that the heat of the sun was necessary to dry and har- den their moist tenements. They then ceased from labour for a few hours, amused themselves by performing aerial evolutions, courted and caressed their mates with much affection, and snapped at flies and other insects on the wing. 'They often examined their nests to see if they were sufficiently dry, and as soon as these appeared to have acquired the re- quisite firmness, they renewed their labours. Until the females began to sit, they all roosted in the hollow limbs of the Sycamores (Platanus occi- dentalis) growing on the banks of the Licking River, but when incuba- tion commenced, the males alone resorted to the trees. A second party arrived, and were so hard pressed for time, that they betook themselves to the holes in the wall, where bricks had been left out for the scaffold- ing. These they fitted with projecting necks, similar to those of the complete nests of the others. Their eggs were deposited on a few bits of straw, and great caution was necessary in attempting to procure them, as the slightest touch crumbled their frail tenement into dust., By means of a table spoon, I was enabled to procure many of them. Each nest con- tained four eggs, which were white, with dusky spots. Only one brood is raised in a season. 'The energy with which they defended their nests was truly astonishing. Although I had taken the precaution to visit them at sun-set, when I supposed they would all have been on the Syca- mores, yet a single female happened to be sitting, and gave the alarm, which immediately called out the whole tribe. They snapped at my hat, body and legs, passed between me and the nests, within an inch of my face, twittering their rage and sorrow. 'They continued their attacks as I descended, and accompanied me for some distance. Their note may be perfectly imitated by rubbing a cork damped with spirit against the neck of a bottle. A third party arrived a few days after, and immediately commenced building. In one week they had completed their operations, and at the end of that time thirty nests hung clustered like so many gourds, each having a neck two inches long. On the 27th July, the young were able to follow their parents. They all exhibited the white frontlet, and were scarcely distinguishable in any part of their plumage from the old birds, On they Ist of August, they all assembled near their nests, mounted REPUBLICAN OR CLIFF SWALLOW. 355 about three hundred feet in the air, and at ten in the morning took their departure, flying in a loose body, in a direction due north. They re- turned the same evening about dusk, and continued these excursions, no doubt to exercise their powers, until the third, when, uttering a farewell cry, they shaped the same course at the same hour, and finally disap- peared. Shortly after their departure, I was informed that several hun- dreds of their nests were attached to the Court-House at the mouth of the Kentucky River. They had commenced building them in 1815. A person likewise informed me, that, along the cliffs of the Kentucky, he had seen many bunches, as he termed them, of these nests attached to the naked shelving rocks overhanging that river. Being extremely desirous of settling the long-agitated question re- specting the migration or supposed torpidity of Swallows, I embraced every opportunity of examining their habits, carefully noted their arrival and disappearance, and recorded every fact connected with their history. After some years of constant observation and reflection, I remarked that among all the species of migratory birds, those that remove farthest from us, depart sooner than those which retire only to the confines of the United States ; and, by a parity of reasoning, those that remain later re- turn earlier in the spring. These remarks were confirmed, as I advanced towards the south-west on the approach of winter, for I there found num- bers of Warblers, Thrushes, &c. in full feather and song. It was also remarked that the Hirwndo viridis of Watson (called by the French of Lower Louisiana, Le Petit Martinet a ventre blanc) remained about the City of New Orleans later than any other Swallow. As immense num- bers of them were seen during the month of November, I kept a diary of the temperature from the third of that month, until the arrival of Hiruwndo purpurea. The following notes are taken from my journal, and as I had excellent opportunities, during a residence of many years in that country, of visiting the lakes to which these Swallows were said to resort, during the transient frosts, I present them with confidence. November 11.—Weather very sharp, with a heavy white frost. Swallows in abundance during the whole day. On inquiring of the in- habitants if this was a usual occurrence, I was answered in the affirma- tive by all the French and Spaniards. From this date to the 22d, the thermometer averaged 65°, the weather generally a drizzly fog. Swallows playing over the city in thousands. Za 356 REPUBLICAN OR CLIFF SWALLOW. November 25.—Thermometer this morning at 30°. Ice in New Orleans a quarter of an inch thick The Swallows resorted to the lee of the Cypress Swamp in the rear of the city. Thousands were flying in different flocks. Fourteen’ were killed at a single shot, all in perfect plumage, and very fat. The markets were abundantly supplied with these tender, juicy, and delicious birds. Saw Swallows every day, but remarked them more plentiful the stronger the breeze blew from the sea. _ December 20.—The weather continues much the same. Foggy and drizzly mist. Thermometer averaging 63°. January 14.—Thermometer 42°. Weather continues the same. My little favourites constantly in view. January 28.—Thermometer at 40°. Having seen the Hirundo viri- dis continually, and the H. purpurea or Purple Martin beginning to appear, I discontinued my observations. During the whole winter many of them retired to the holes about the houses, but the greater number resorted to the lakes, and spent the night among the branches of Myrica cerifera, the Cirier, as it is termed by the French settlers. About sunset they began to flock together, calling to each other for that purpose, and in a short time presented the appearance of clouds moving towards the lakes, or the mouth of the Mississippi, as the wea- ther and wind suited. Their aérial evolutions before they alight, are truly beautiful. They appear at first as if reconnoitring the place, when, suddenly throwing themselves into a vortex of apparent confusion, they descend spirally with astonishing quickness, and very much resemble a trombe or water-spout. When within a few feet of the ciriers, they disperse in all directions, and settle in a few moments. Their twittering, and the motions of their wings, are, however, heard during the whole night. As soon as the day begins to dawn, they rise, flying low over the lakes, almost touching the water for some time, and then rising, gra- dually move off in search of food, separating in different directions. The hunters who resort to these places destroy great numbers of them, by knocking them down with light paddles, used in propelling their canoes, 1 REPUBLICAN OR CLIFF SWALLOW. 357 Hirvunpo rutva, Vieill. Ois. de Amer. Sept. vol. i. p. 62. Pl. 32.—Ch. Bonaparte Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 64. Futvovus or Cxuirr-SwatLtow, Hirunpo rutva, Ch. Bonaparte, Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 63. Pl. 7. fig. 1. Adult Male. Plate LXVIII. Fig. 1. Bill short, feeble, much depressed and very broad at the base, com- pressed towards the tip; upper mandible nearly straight; gap as wide as the head, and extending to beneath the eye. Nostrils basal, lateral, roundish. Head of ordinary size. Neck short. Body rather slender. Feet very short and feeble; tarsus and toes scutellate anteriorly, lateral -toes nearly equal, the outer united to the second joint ; claws short, weak, arched, rather obtuse. Plumage silky, shining, and blended ; wings very long and slender, the first quill longest. Tail of ordinary length, the same length as the wings, even, of twelve straight, narrowish, rather abrupt feathers. Bill black. Iris hazel. Feet dusky. Upper part of the head, the back, and the lesser wing-coverts black, with violet reflections. A line of black across the anterior part of the forehead, extending over the eyes. Forehead marked with a semilunar band of white, slightly tinged with red. Chin, throat, and sides of the head deep brownish-red, the band of each side narrowing and meeting the other at the back of the neck. Posterior part of the back and upper tail-coverts light yellowish-red. Breast pale reddish, the rest of the under parts greyish-white, tinged with red. Wings and tail brownish-black. Length 5} inches, extent of wings 12; bill along the ridge 4, along the gap ;4; tarsus 4, middle toe a little more than 3. Adult Female. Plate LXVIII. Fig. 2. The female in external appearance differs in no ‘respect from the male. THE BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. SYLVIA CASTANEA, WILS. PLATE LXIX. Mate ayn Femate. Tuts species does not breed in the United States, or if it does, must spend the summer in some of the most remote north-western districts, so that I have not been able to discover its principal abode. It merely passes through the better known portions of the Union, where it remains for a very short time. There is something so very uncommon in its ap- pearance in different States, that I cannot refrain from briefly mentioning it. It is sometimes found in Pennsylvania, or the State of New York, as well as in New Jersey, as early as the beginning of April, but is only seen there for a few days. I have shot some individuals at such times, when I observed them employed in searching for insects and larvee along the fences bordering our fields. At other times I have shot them late in June, in the State of Louisiana, when the cotton-plant was covered with blossoms, amongst which they were busily searching for food. The Bay-breasted Warbler, however, has so far eluded my inquiries, that I am unable to give any further account of its habits. SyLvra casTANEA, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 80. Bay-BREASTED WanrBLER, SyLvia CASTANEA, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 97. Pl. 14, fig. 4. Adult Male. Plate LXIX, Fig, 1. Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, subulato-conical, acute, as deep as broad at the base, with sharp edges. Nostrils basal, oval, half concealed by the feathers. Head of ordinary size, neck short, body ovate, Feet of ordinary length, slender; tarsus compressed, covered an- teriorly with a few long scutella, acute behind, a little longer than the middle toe ; toes free, scutellate above; claws arched, slender, compres- sed, acute. Plumage loose, tufty. Wings rather long, the second quill longest. Tail of ordinary length, slightly emarginate, of twelve rounded feathers. BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. 359 Bill blackish above, greyish-blue beneath. Iris hazel. Feet greyish- blue, upper part of the head, the fore-neck, anterior part of the breast, and the sides, bright chestnut. Forehead and cheeks, including a small space over the eye, deep black, behind which is a transverse broad band of yellowish-white on the sides of the neck. Back and lesser wing- coverts yellowish-grey, spotted with blackish-brown. Larger coverts, quills and tail, blackish-brown, edged with light bluish-grey. Middle of the breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts, white, tinged with reddish. Length 53 inches, extent of wings 11 ; bill along the ridge nearly 7%, along the gap 7; tarsus 3, middle toe 3. Adult Female. Plate LXIX. Fig. 2. The female is somewhat less. The colours are similar to those of the male, and have the same distribution, but are much fainter, especially the chestnut of the head and under parts, which are converted into light brownish-red. Ture HigHiuANp CoTTon-PLANT. GossIFIUM HERBACEUM, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. ii. p. 462,-MonaDELPHIA POLYAN- pri, Linn. MaLvacre®, Juss. This species, commonly known in America, where it is cultivated, under the name of Highland Cotton, is distinguished by its five-lobed leaves and herbaceous stem. ( 360 ) HENSLOW’S BUNTING. Emperizéa HENSLO WIL, PLATE LXX. I opTaINED the bird represented in this plate opposite Cincinnati, in the State of Kentucky, in the year 1820, whilst in the company of Mr Roszert Best, then Curator of the Western Museum. It was on the ground, amongst tall grass, and exhibited the usual habits of its tribe. Perceiving it to be different from any which I had seen, I immediately shot it, and the same day made an accurate drawing of it. In naming it after the Rev. Professor HENs.ow of Cambridge, a gentleman so well known to the scientific world, and who has permitted me so to designate it, my object has been to manifest my gratitude for the many kind attentions which he has shewn towards me. Its history and habits are unknown. In appearance it differs so little from the Buntings, that, for the present, I shall refer it to that genus. EmperizA Henstowmr. Plate LX X. Bill short, robust, conical, acute; upper mandible straight in the dorsal outline, angular, and encroaching a little on the forehead, broader than the lower, acute and inflected on the edges; lower mandible also in- flected at the edges; the gap-line deflected at the base. Head rather large, neck short, body full. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus scutellate before, acute behind; toes free, scutellate above; claws slightly arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe elongated. Plumage compact, slightly glossed. Wings short, curved, the third and fourth quills longest, the secondaries nearly as long as the primaries, when the wing is closed. Tail short, graduated and deeply notched, of twelve rather narrow very acute feathers. Bill flesh-colour, darker above. Iris dark-brown. Feet flesh-colour. The general colour of the upper parts is pale brown, the central part of the feathers brownish-black, the margins of those of the back bright red. Secondary coverts yellowish-red on the outer webs. Quills dark brown, HENSLOW’S BUNTING. 361 externally margined with light yellowish-brown. ‘Tail-feathers dusky, margined externally with yellowish-brown. The under parts pale yel- lowish-grey, the breast, sides, and throat, spotted with brownish-black. Length 5 inches, bill along the ridge $, along the gap nearly 3; tarsus %, middle toe 3, hind toe the same. Tue InpIAN PiInK-RooT oR WORM-GRASS. SPIGELIA MARILANDICA, Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 139. Fig. 1. of the Plate— Prentanpria Monoeynia, Linn. APpocinE#, Juss. Stem tetragonal, all the leaves opposite, ovate, acuminate. Flowers rich carmine, in a terminal spike. This plant is perennial, flowers in the summer months, and grows in rich soil by the margins of woods, in the Middle States. The roots are used as a vermifuge. Puiox aristaTa, Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 180. Fig. 2. of the Plate. —PENTAN- pria Monoeyrnia, Linn. PoLEMonta, Juss. This species is characterized by its erect, feeble stem, its linear-lan- ceolate leaves, lax fastigiate panicle, twin pedicels, oboval segments of the corolla, pubescent curved tube, and long subulate calycine teeth. The corolla is rose-coloured, but varies in tint, being sometimes nearly white, and sometimes deep red. It is perennial, flowers in the summer months, and occurs in the Middle and Atlantic States. ( 862 ) NIAGARA. t Arter wandering on some of our great lakes for many months, I bent my course towards the celebrated Falls of Niagara, being desirous of taking a sketch of them. This was not my first visit to them, and I hoped it should not be the last. Artists (I know not if I can be called one) too often imagine that what they produce must be excellent, and with that foolish idea go on spoiling much paper and canvas, when their time might have been better employed in a different manner. But digressions aside,—I directed my steps towards the Falls of Niagara, with the view of representing them on paper, for the amusement of my family. Returning as I then was from a tedious journey, and possessing little more than some drawings of rare birds and plants, I reached the tavern at Niagara Falls in such plight, as might have deterred many an indivi- dual from obtruding himself upon a circle of well-clad and perhaps well- bred society. Months had passed since the last of my linen had been taken from my body, and used to clean that useful companion, my gun. I was in fact covered just like one of the poorer class of Indians, and was rendered even more disagreeable to the eye of civilized man, by not having, like them, plucked my beard, or trimmed my hair in any way. Had Hocarru been living, and there when I arrived, he could not have found a fitter subject for a Rozinson Crusoz. My beard covered my neck in front, my hair fell much lower at my back, the leather dress which I wore had for months stood in need of repair, a large knife hung at my side, a rusty tin-box containing my drawings and colours, and, wrapped up in a worn-out blanket that had served me for a bed, was buckled to my shoulders. To every one I must have seemed immersed in the depths of poverty, perhaps of despair. Nevertheless, as I cared little about my appearance during those happy rambles, I pushed into the sitting-room, unstrapped my little burden, and asked how soon break- fast would be ready. In America, no person is ever refused entrance to the inns, at least far from cities. We know too well how many poor creatures are forced to make their way from other countries in search of employment or to seek uncultivated land, and we are ever ready to let them have what they may call for. No one knew who I was, and the landlord looking at NIAGARA. 363 me with an eye of close scrutiny, answered that breakfast would be on the table as soon as the company should come down from their rooms. I approached this important personage, told him of my avocations, and convinced him that he might feel safe as to remuneration. From this moment, I was, with him at least, on equal footing with every other per- son in his house. He talked a good deal of the many artists who had visited the Falls that season, from different parts, and offered to assist me, by giving such accommodations as I might require to finish the draw- ings I had in contemplation. He left me, and as I looked about the room, I saw several views of the Falls, by which I was so disgusted, that I suddenly came to my better senses. ‘‘ What!” thought I, “ have I come here to mimic nature in her grandest enterprise, and add my cari- cature of one of the wonders of the world to those which I here see ?_ No. —I give up the vain attempt. I shall look on these mighty cataracts and imprint them, where alone they can be represented,—on my mind !” Had I taken a view, I might as well have given you what might be termed. a regular account of the form, the height, the tremendous roar of these Falls; might have spoken of people perilling their lives by going between the rock and the sheet of water, calculated the density of the at- mosphere in that strange position, related wondrous tales of Indians and their canoes having been precipitated the whole depth ;—might have told. of the narrow, rapid, and rockbound river that leads the waters of the Erie into those of Ontario, remarking en passant the Devil's Hole and sundry other places or objects ;—but supposing you had been there, my | description would prove useless, and quite as puny as my intended view would have been for my family; and should you not have seen them, and are fond of contemplating the more magnificent of the Creator’s works, go to Niagara, reader, for all the pictures you may see, all the de- scriptions you may read, of these mighty Falls, can only produce in your mind the faint glimmer of a glow-worm compared with the overpowering glory of the meridian sun. I breakfasted..amid a crowd of strangers, who gazed and laughed .at me, paid my bill, rambled about and admired the Falls for a while, saw several young gentlemen sketching on cards the mighty mass of foaming waters, and walked to Buffalo, where I purchased new apparel and shear- ed my beard. I then enjoyed civilized life as much as, a month before, I had enjoyed the wildest solitudes and the darkest recesses of mountain and forest, ( 364 ) THE WINTER HAWK. FALCO HYEMALIS, GMEL. _ PLATE LXXI. Every species of bird is possessed of a certain, not always definable, — cast of countenance, peculiar to itself. Although it undergoes changes necessary for marking the passions of the individual, its joy, its anger, its terror or despondency, still it remains the same specific look. Hawks are perhaps more characteristically marked in this manner than birds of any other genus, being by nature intended for deeds of daring enterprise, and requiring a greater perfection of sight to enable them to distinguish their prey at-great distances. To most persons the family-look of parti- cular species does not appear so striking as to the student of Nature, who examines her productions in the haunts which she has allotted to them. He perceives at a glance the differences of species, and when he has once bent his attention to an object, can distinguish it at distances which to the ordinary observer present merely a moving object, whether beast or bird. When years of constant observation have elapsed, it becomes a pleasure to him to establish the differences that he has found to exist among the various species of a tribe, and to display to others whose op- portunities have been more limited the fruits of his research. ‘I hope, kind reader, you will not lay presumption to my charge, when T tell you that I think myself somewhat qualified to decide in a matter of this kind, or say that I go too far, when I assert that the Hawk which sails before me, at a distance so great that a careless observer might be apt to fancy it something else, I can distinguish and name with as much ease as I should recognise an old friend by his walk or his tournure. Independently of the cast of countenance so conspicuously distinctive of different species of birds, there are characters of separation in their pecu- liar notes or cries; and if you add to these the distinctions that exist in their habits, it will be easy for you, when you have looked at the Plate of the Winter Falcon and that of the Red-shouldered Hawk, and have been told that their notes and manners differ greatly, to perceive that these birds, although confounded by some, are truly distinct. The Winter Hawk is not a constant resident in the United States, WINTER HAWK. . 7S 365 but merely visits them, making its first appearance there at the approach of winter. It extends over the whole Union, from the eastern to the southernmost parts, but gives a decided preference to the Middle Districts, where the greater number spend the winter. They come from the north- ern portions of the continent, where they breed, and from whence they seem to be forced by the severity of the weather, to seek subsistence for a time in milder climates. They return at the approach of spring, and none, in as far as I have been able to discover, remain to breed in the United States. The flight of the Winter Hawk is smooth and light, although greatly protracted, when necessity requires it to be so. It sails at times at a con- siderable elevation, and, notwithstanding the comparative shortness of its wings, performs this kind of motion with grace, and in circles of more than moderate diameter. It is a remarkably silent bird, often spending the greater part of a day without uttering its notes more than once or twice, which it does just before it alights to watch with great patience and perseverance for the appearance of itsprey. Its haunts are the extensive meadows and marshes which occur along our rivers. There it pounces with a rapid motion on the frogs, which it either devours on the spot, or carries to the perch, or the top of the hay-stack, on which it previously stood. If it seizes a small frog, it swallows it whole and at once ; but if a large one, it first tears it to pieces. The appetite of the Winter Hawk may be said to-be ravenous. It seldom gives up eating, when food is plentiful, until it has gorged itself so as to seem on the point of being suffocated. At such times, it flies heavily, but removes farther at-once from a person who pursues it, than when its stomach is empty, as if at one effort to ensure its safety, and afterwards enjoy the digestion of its food in quiet. | Fite “ati When frogs are scarce during frosty weather, the Winter Hawk pur- sues the meadow mouse, but only in such cases, frogs being the favourite food of this species. I have seen it when disappointed in seizing a large bull-frog, which had saved itself by leaping into the water, stand on the spot previously occupied by the reptile, and wait until it reappeared and approached the shore, when the Hawk would strike at it with his talons, although seldom successfully, as the frog would sink backward, and thus escape. Mr Avexanper Witson has given a figure so unlike any bird of this species, for one of the Winter Falcons, that although he has at the same 366 WINTER HAWK. time briefly described the habits of the latter with accuracy, I cannot. think ‘that the’ bird figured by him was of that species. My excellent friend Cartes Lucian Bonaparte, has probably been led by Mr W11- son’s error to consider the Winter Hawk and the Red-shouldered Hawk | as identical. I have killed many individuals of both species, and know- ing as I do that the Red-shouldered Hawk is a constant resident in the Southern States, where I have often destroyed its nest and young, and where very few Winter Hawks are ever seen, even during winter, I can- not hesitate a moment to pronounce them different and distinct species. The Winter Hawk generally rests at night on the ground, amongst the tall sedges of the marshes. From such places I have on several occa- sions started it, whilst in search of Ducks, and have shot it as it flew low over the ground, attempting to escape unobserved. I have never seen this Hawk in pursuit of any other birds than those of its own species, each individual chasing the others from the district which it has selected for itself. . The cry of the Winter Hawk is clear and prolonged, and resembles the syllables kay-o, After uttering these notes, it generally alights. Towards spring they associate in small parties of four or five, to perform their migrations. In this respect the species resembles most of the Marsh Hawks or Hen-harriers. Faico HYEMALIS, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 274.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 34.-~ Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 33. Winter Fatcon, Fatco nyEmMatis, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iv. p. 73. Pl. 35. Adult Male. Plate LXXI. Bill short, as broad as deep at the base, the sides convex, the dorsal outline convex from the base ; upper mandible cerate, the edges blunt, slightly inflected, with an obtuse lobe towards the curvature, the tip tri- gonal, deflected, very acute; lower mandible involute at the edges, a little truncate at the end. Nostrils round, lateral, with a soft papilla in the centre. Head rather large, neck and body rather slender. Tarsus rather slender, anteriorly scutellate; toes scutellate above, scaly on the sides, scabrous and tuberculate beneath ; middle and outer toe connected at the base by a small membrane; claws roundish, curved, slender, very acute. Plumage compact, imbricated ; feathers of the head and neck narrow towards the tips, of the back broad and rounded ; tibial feathers elongat- WINTER HAWK. 367 ed behind. Wings long, third and fourth primaries longest, the first short. Bill light blue, darker at the tip; cere, basal margin: of the bill, edges of the eyelids, and the feet, yellow, tinged with green. Iris yellow. Claws black. Head, neck and back, pale brownish-red, longitudinally spotted with dark-brown, the sides and fore-part of the head greyish- white. Upper tail-coverts bluish-grey at the margins. Tail dull brown, banded with brownish-white, and tipped with white. Lesser wing-coverts brownish-red, spotted with dark brown; larger coverts and secondary quills umber, banded with brownish-white ; primary quills light yellowish- red at the base, dull brown towards the end, barred with dark brown. Lower part of the neck, the sides and under wing-coverts, light brownish- red, the former longitudinally lined with brown. Breast greyish-white, sparsely marked with guttiform spots, abdomen white. ‘Tibial feathers yellowish-white, marked with small roundish spots. Length 22 inches ; bill along the back 14; tarsus 3. ' Compared with the adult male of the Red-shouldered Hawk, the present bird is much larger, and differs greatly in colouring; but the differences will be best understood by referring to the figures. Tut Buit-FroG, RANA TAURINA, Cuv. The body olive-green, clouded with black ; a yellow line along the back. Length ten or twelve inches. This Frog is found in all parts of the United States, but is more abundant in the Southern Dis- tricts. Its voice is louder than that of any other species, and may be distinctly heard at the distance of forty or fifty yards. It is particularly fond of such small pure streams of water as are thickly shaded by over- hanging bushes. It sits for hours during the middle of the day, basking in the sun, near the margin of the water, to which it betakes itself by a great leap at the least appearance of danger, diving at once to the bottom, or swimming to the opposite side. In the Southern States, it is heard at all seasons, but principally during the spring and summer months. Its flesh is tender, white, and affords excellent eating. The hind legs, how- ever, are the only parts used as food. 'They make excellent bait for the larger cat-fish. Some bull-frogs weigh as muchas half a pound. I have generally used the gun for procuring them, shooting with very small shot. ( 368 ) THE SWALLOW-TAILED HAWK. FALCO FURCATUS, LINN. PLATE LXXII. Mate. Tue flight of this elegant species of Hawk is singularly beautiful and protracted. It moves through the air with such ease and grace, that it is impossible for any individual, who takes the least pleasure in observ- ing the manners of birds, not to be delighted by the sight of it whilst on wing. Gliding along in easy flappings, it rises in wide circles to an im- mense height, inclining in various ways its deeply forked tail, to assist the direction of its course, dives with the rapidity of lightning, and, sudden- ly checking itself, reascends, soars away, and is scon out of sight. At other times a flock of these birds, amounting to fifteen or twenty indivi- duals, is seen hovering around the trees. They dive in rapid succession amongst the branches, glancing along the trunks, and seizing in their course the insects and small lizards of which they are in quest. Their motions are astonishingly rapid, and the deep curves which they describe, their sudden doublings and crossings, and the extreme ease with which they seem to cleave the air, excite the admiration of him who views them while thus employed in searching for food. A solitary individual of this species has once or twice been seen in Pennsylvania. Farther to the eastward, the Swallow-tailed Hawk has never, I believe, been observed. ‘Travelling southward, along the At- lantic coast, we find it in Virginia, although in very small numbers. Be- yond that State it becomes more abundant. Near the Falls of the Ohio, a pair had a nest and reared four young ones, in 1820. In the lower parts of Kentucky it begins to become numerous; but in the States far- ther to the south, and particularly in parts near the sea, it is abundant. In the large prairies of the Attacapas and Oppellousas, it is extremely common. In the States of Louisiana and Mississippi, where these birds are abun- dant, they arrive in large companies, in the beginning of April, and are heard uttering a sharp plaintive note. At this period I generally re- marked that they came from the westward, and have counted upwards of a hundred in the space of an hour, passing over me in a direct easter- SWALLOW-TAILED HAWK. 369 ly course. At that season, and in the beginning of September, when they all retire from the United States, they are easily approached when they have alighted, being then apparently fatigued, and busily engaged in preparing themselves for continuing their journey, by dressing and oiling their feathers. At all other times, however, it is extremely diffi- cult to get near them, as they are generally on wing through the day, and at night rest on the highest pines and cypresses, bordering the river- bluffs, the lakes or the swamps of that district of country. They always feed on the wing. In calm and warm weather, they soar to an immense height, pursuing the large insects called Musguwito Hawks, and performing the most singular evolutions that can be con- ceived, using their tail with an elegance of motion peculiar to themselves. Their principal food, however, is large grasshoppers, grass-caterpillars, small snakes, lizards, and frogs. They sweep close over the fields, some- times seeming to alight for a moment to secure a snake, and holding it fast by the neck, carry it off, and devour it in the air. When searching for grasshoppers and caterpillars, it is not difficult to approach them un- der cover of a fence or tree. When one is then killed and falls to the ground, the whole flack comes over the dead bird, as if intent upon carry- ing it off. An excellent opportunity is thus afforded of shooting as many as may be wanted, and I have killed several of these Hawks in this man- ner, firmg as fast as I could load my gun. The Forked-tailed Hawks are also very fond of frequenting the creeks, which, in that country, are much encumbered with drifted logs and ac- cumulations of sand, in order to pick up some of the numerous water- snakes which lie basking in the sun. At other times, they dash along the trunks of trees, and snap off the pupze of the locust, or that insect it- self. Although when on wing they move with a grace and ease which it is impossible to describe, yet on the ground they are scarcely able to walk. I kept for several days one which had been slightly wounded in the wing, It refused to eat, kept the feathers of the head and rump con- stantly erect, and vomited several times part of the contents of its sto- mach. It never threw itself on its back, nor attempted to strike with its talons, unless when taken up by the tip of the wing. It died from inani- tion, as it constantly refused the food placed before it in profusion, and instantly vomited what had been thrust down its throat. The Swallow-tailed Hawk pairs immediately after its arrival in the aa 370 SWALLOW-TAILED HAWK. Southern States, and as its courtships take place on the wing, its mo- tions are then more beautiful than ever. The nest is usually placed on the top branches of the tallest oak or pine tree, situated on the mar- gin of a stream or pond. It resembles that of the Common Crow ex- ternally, being formed of dry sticks, intermixed with Spanish moss, and is lined with coarse grasses and a few feathers. The eggs are from four to six, of a greenish-white colour, with a few irregular blotches of dark brown at the larger end. The male and the female sit alternately, the one feeding the other. The young are at first covered with buff-colour- ed down. Their next covering exhibits the pure white and black of the old birds, but without any of the glossy purplish tints of the latter. The tail, which at first is but slightly forked, becomes more so in a few weeks, and at the approach of autumn exhibits little difference from that of the adult birds. The plumage is completed the first spring. Only one brood is raised in the season. The species leaves the United States in the beginning of September, moving off in flocks, which are formed im- mediately after the breeding-season is over. Hardly any difference as to external appearance exists between the sexes. They never attack birds or quadrupeds of any species, with the view of preying upon them. I never saw one alight on the ground. They secure their prey as they pass closely over it, and in so doing some- times seem to alight, particularly when securing a snake. The common name of the Snake represented in the plate is the Garter Snake. Fatco Frurcatvs, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 129.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 22. —Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 31. SwaLLow-TaiLEeD Fatcon, Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 60+ SwaLLow-Ta1LeD Hawk, Wiis. Amer. Ornith. vol. vi. p. 70. Pl. 51. Fig. 2. Adult Male. Plate LX XII. Bill short, strong, curved, compressed towards the tip, opening to be- neath the eye; upper mandible cerate, its dorsal outline curved from the base, the edges acute and overlapping, the tip trigonal, very acute ; lower mandible rounded on the back, the edges acute, the tip rounded and de- clinate. Head large, neck short, body robust. Feet rather short ; tarsus very short, scaly all round ; toes scaly, scutellate above, excepting at the base ; claws curved, very acute. Plumage rather compact, blended, glossy. Wings very long and SWALLOW-TAILED HAWK. 371 acute, the third quill longest, the first equal to the fifth, the primaries widely graduated, the secondaries comparatively very short. Tail very deeply forked, of twelve feathers, the lateral ones extremely elongated. Bill bluish-black above, light blue on the cere, and the edges of both mandibles. Edges of the eyelids light blue; iris black. Feet light blue, tinged with green; claws flesh-coloured. The head, the neck all round, and the under parts, are white, tinged with bluish-grey ; the shafts of the head, neck, and breast blackish. The rest of the plumage is black, with blue and purple reflections. Length 25 inches, extent of wings 51} ; beak along the back 1}. The female is similar to the male. Tue GARTER SNAKE. This is one of our most abundant species, and is found everywhere in the meadows, the fields, the gardens, and the forests. It moves with ease, and now and then ascends low bushes. It is quite harmless. Aa ( 872) THE WOOD THRUSH. _TURDUS MUSTELINUS, GMEL. “PLATE LXXIII. Mate anp Femate. Kinp reader, you now see before you my greatest favourite of the feathered tribes of our woods. ‘To it I owe much. How often has it re- _Yived my drooping spirits, when I have listened to its wild notes in the forest, after passing a restless night in my slender shed, so feebly secured against the violence of the storm, as to shew me the futility of my best efforts to rekindle my little fire, whose uncertain and vacillating light had gradually died away under the destructive weight of the dense torrents of rain that seemed to involve the heavens and the earth in one mass of fear- ful murkiness, save when the red streaks of the flashing thunderbolt burst on the dazzled eye, and, glancing along the huge trunk of the stateliest and noblest tree in my immediate neighbourhood, were instantly followed by an uproar of crackling, crashing, and deafening sounds, rolling their volumes in tumultuous eddies far and near, as if to silence the very breathings of the unformed thought! How often, after such a night, when far from my dear home, and deprived of the presence of those nearest to my heart, wearied, hungry, drenched, and so lonely and deso- late as almost to question myself why I was thus situated, when I have seen the fruits of my labours on the eve of being destroyed, as the water, collected into a stream, rushed through my little camp, and forced me to stand erect, shivering in a cold fit like that of asevere ague, when I have been obliged to wait with the patience of a martyr for the return of day, trying in vain to destroy the tormenting moschettoes, silently counting over the years of my youth, doubting perhaps if ever again I should re- turn to my home, and embrace my family !—how often, as the first glimpses of morning gleamed doubtfully amongst the dusky masses of the forest-trees, has there come upon my ear, thrilling along the sensitive cords which connect that organ with the heart, the delightful music of this harbinger of day !—and how fervently, on such occasions, have I blessed the Being who formed the Wood Thrush, and placed it in those solitary forests, as if to console me amidst my privations, to cheer my de- pressed mind, and to make me feel, as I did, that never ought man to de- WOOD THRUSH. 373 spair, whatever may be his situation, as he can never be certain that aid and deliverance are not at hand. The Weod Thrush seldom commits a mistake after such a storm as I have attempted to describe; for no sooner are its sweet notes heard than the heavens gradually clear, the bright refracted light rises in glad- dening rays from beneath the distant horizon, the effulgent beams in- crease in their intensity, and the great orb of day at length bursts on the sight. The grey vapour that floats along the ground is quickly dissi- pated, the world smiles at the happy change, and the woods are soon heard to echo the joyous thanks of their many songsters. At that mo- ment, all fears vanish, giving place to an inspiriting hope. The hunter prepares to leave his camp. He listens to the Wood Thrush, while he thinks of the course which he ought to pursue, and as the bird approaches to peep at him, and learn somewhat of his intentions, he raises his mind towards the Supreme Disposer of events. Seldom, indeed, have I heard the song of this Thrush, without feeling all that tranquillity of mind, to which the secluded situation in which it delights is so favourable. The thickest and darkest woods always appear to please it best. The bor- ders of murmuring streamlets, overshadowed by the dense foliage of the lofty trees growing on the gentle declivities, amidst which the sunbeams seldom penetrate, are its favourite resorts. There it is, kind reader, that the musical powers of this hermit of the woods must be heard, to be fully appreciated and enjoyed. The song of the Wood Thrush, although composed of but few notes, is so powerful, distinct, clear, and mellow, that it is impossible for any per- son to hear it without being struck by the effect which it produces on the mind. I do not know to what instrumental sounds I can compare these notes, for I really know none so melodious and harmonical. They gra- dually rise in strength, and then fall in gentle cadences, becoming at length so low as to be scarcely audible ; like the emotions of the lover, who at one moment exults in the hope of possessing the object of his af- fections, and the next pauses in suspense, doubtful of the result of all his efforts to please. Several of these birds seem to challenge each other from different por- tions of the forest, particularly towards evening, and at that time nearly all the other songsters being about to retire to rest, the notes of the Wood Thrush are doubly pleasing. One would think that each indivi- dual is anxious to excel his distant rival, and I have frequently thought 374 WOOD THRUSH. that on such occasions their music is more than ordinarily effective, as it then exhibits a‘degree of skilful modulation quite beyond my power to describe. These concerts are continued for some time after sunset, and take place in the month of June, when the females are sitting. This species glides swiftly through the woods, whilst on wing, and performs its migrations without appearing in the open country. It is a constant resident in the State of Louisiana, to which the dispersed indi- viduals resort, as to winter quarters, from the different parts of the United States, to which they had gone to breed. They reach Pennsyl- vania about the beginning or middle of April, and gradually proceed farther north. Their food consists of different kinds of berries and small fruits, which they procure in the woods, without ever interfering with the farmer. They also occasionally feed on insects and various lichens. The nest is usually placed in a low horizontal branch of the Doo wood Tree, occasionally on smaller shrubs. It is large, well saddled on the branch, and composed externally of dry leaves of various kinds, with a second bed of grasses and mud, and an internal layer of fine fibrous roots. The eggs are four or five, of a beautiful uniform light blue. The nest is generally found in deep swampy hollows, on the sides of hills. On alighting on a branch, this Thrush gives its tail a few jets, utter- ing at each motion a low chuckling note peculiar to itself, and very dif- ferent from those of the Hermit or Tawny Thrush. It then stands still for a while, with the feathers of the hind part a little raised. It walks and hops along the branches with much ease, and often bends down its head to peep at the objects around. It frequently alights on the ground, and scratches up the dried leaves in search of worms and beetles, but suddenly flies back to the trees, on the least alarm. The sight of a fox or raccoon causes them much anxiety, and they ge- nerally follow these animals at a respectful distance, uttering a mournful cluck, well known to hunters. Although, during winter, these birds'are numerous in Louisiana, they never form themselves into flocks, but go singly at this period, and only in pairs in the breeding season. ‘They are easily reared from the nest, and sing nearly as well in confinement ‘as while free. Their song is occasionally heard during the whole winter, particularly when the sun reappears after a shower. ‘Their flesh is ex- tremely delicate and juicy, and many of them are killed with the blow-gun. WOOD THRUSH. 375 Having given you a description of the Dogwood before, when I pre- sented that tree in bloom, I have only to say here, that you now see it in its autumnal colouring, adorned with its berries, of which the Wood Thrush is fond. Turpus musTELINuS, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 817.—Zath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p- 331.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 75. Tawny Turusu, Lath. Syn. vol. iii. p. 28. Woop Turvusn, Turpus mELopivs, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 35. Pl. 2. fig. 1. Adult Male. Plate LX XIII. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, compressed towards the end ; upper mandible with the dorsal outline a little convex, the tip slightly declinate, the margins acute, inflected towards the end, slightly notched close upon the tip; lower mandible slightly convex in its dorsal line, the tip rather obtuse. Head of ordinary size; neck and body rather slender. Feet rather long; tarsus longish, compressed, slender, anteriorly covered with a few elongated scutella, posteriorly edged, longer than the middle toe; toes scutellate above, lateral ones almost equal, the outer connected as far as the second joint. Plumage rather loose. A few longish bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Wings of ordinary length, the third quill longest, the first very short. ‘Tail rather short, even, of twelve broad feathers. Bill dark brown above, flesh-colour beneath. Iris dark brown. Feet pale flesh-colour. The general colour of the upper parts is light yellow- ish-brown, the tail and wings a little darker, the lower part of the back and the upper tail-coverts green. Eyes margined with a whitish circle. Under parts yellowish-white, spotted with blackish-brown, excepting the throat, the under tail-coverts, and the middle part of the breast and ab- domen. Length 8 inches, extent of wings 13; bill along the ridge ,7%,, along the gap 1; tarsus 1}, middle toe 43. Adult Female. Plate LX XIII. Fig. 2. The female scarcely differs from the male in external appearance. 376 WOOD THRUSH. THE Dog-woop. Cornus FLoniDA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. i. p. 661. Mich. Arbr. Forest. de l’Amer. Sept. t. iii. p. 138. Pl. iii, Pursh, Fl. Amer. p. 108.—TrTranpria Monocynia, Linn. Capriroxia, Juss. This plant has already been described at p. 45, a twig of it in flower having been represented in Plate VIII. 377515) THE INDIGO BIRD. FRINGILLA CYANEA, WILS. PLATE LXXIV, Mate, Fematr, anp Youne. THE species here presented for inspection is best known to the Cre- oles of Louisiana by the name of Petit Papebleu. This is in accordance with the general practice of the first settlers of that State, who named all the Finches, Buntings, and Orioles, Papes; and all the Warblers and Fly-catchers, Grassets. 'They made an exception, however, in favour of the Rice Bird, which they honoured with the name of Ortolan, an appel- lation given in the Island of St Domingo to the Ground Dove, which, however, is seldom seen near New Orleans. The Indigo Bird arrives in the Southern States from the direction of Mexico, along with its relative the Painted Finch, and is caught in trap- cages, but with more difficulty than the latter bird. It spreads far and wide over the United States, extending from the borders of our Atlantic shores to those of our great lakes. It is not a forest bird, but prefers the skirts of the woods, the little detached thickets in and along the fields, the meadows, the gardens, and orchards, and is frequently seen hopping along, or perched on a fence, from which it does not disdain to send forth its pretty little song. The highest top of a detached tree is, however, preferred for this purpose, and the Indigo Bird is to be observed perched on this pinnacle, singing at short intervals for half an hour at a time. Its song is at first loud and clear, falling in cadences to a very low key. The whole consists of eight or ten notes. The bird now and then launches into the air, to cross a field, and sings until it has espied a favourite spot amongst the clover, when it immediately becomes silent and dives to the ground. The whole of this parade is performed by the male, which is alone to be seen, the female at this season keeping amongst the grass or the briars along the fields, where her humble plumage hides her in a great measure from observation. Some persons have thought that this practice was changed towards the latter part of summer, when, by a casual obser- ver, only the females are to be seen. The true reason of this, however, is, that the young birds of both sexes resemble the mother during the first season. 378 INDIGO BIRD. The Indigo Bird is an active and lively little fellow, possesses much elegance in his shape, and also a certain degree of firmness in his make, which renders him equally a favourite with the Painted Finch, although he does not possess the variegated plumage of the latter. When the male of the species now before you is in full plumage, the richness of his ap- parel cannot fail to attract and please the eye of any observer. Itis highly glossy, and changes from the brightest azure to green, when placed in a strong light. It requires three years to attain this perfect state. The female continues in the same very humble vesture which nature first ac- corded to her. ‘The males, in the first spring, and not unfrequently du- ring the first autumn, are mottled with dull light blue, interspersed among the original deep buff of their earlier stage. The blue increases in extent, and acquires a deeper tint, as the age of the bird advances. I have often seen males two years old which were still much inferior in the beauty of their plumage to those which had passed through three springs. Should the birds be caught when in full plumage, they gradually lose their brilliant tints, which at length become extremely dull. A similar alteration is observed to take place in Painted Finches which have been kept in cages for a certain period, as well as in the Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, and in the Bulfinch, Chaffinch, and other European birds. The nest of the Indigo Bird is usually fixed amongst the rankest stalks of weeds or grass, now and then amongst the stems of a briar, or even ina small hollow in a decayed tree. In all cases its composition is the same ; but when amongst grass, clover, or briars, it is attached to two or three of the stalks by its sides. It is formed of coarse grasses, hemp stalks, and flax, and is lined with slender grasses. The female lays from four to six eggs, which are blue, with a spot or two of purple at. the lar- ger end. Towards fall, the young congregate into loose flocks or parties of eight or ten individuals, and proceed southward. I think their migration, at both periods of the year, :is performed during night. Two broods are ge- nerally raised in a.season. ‘The food of the Indigo Bird consists of small seeds of various kinds, :as well as insects, some of which it occasionally pur- sues.on wing with great vigour. They are fond of basking and rolling them- selves inthe roads, from which they gather small particles of sand or gravel. I have frequently seen live birds of this species offered for sale in Europe. I have represented an adult female, two young males of the first and second year, in autumn, and a male in the full beauty of its plumage. INDIGO BIRD. 379 They are placed on a plant usually called the Wild Sarsaparilla. It grows in Louisiana, on the skirts of the forests, in low damp places, and along the fields, where the Indigo Birds are to be found. It is a creep- ing plant, and is considered valuable on ‘account of its medicinal proper- ties. FRINGILLA CYANEA, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 107. Inpico Birp, Frineitza cyanea, Wils. Amer. Omnith. vol. i. p. 100. Pl. 4. fig. 5. Male.—Ch. Bonaparte, Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. Pl. 2. fig. 3. Female. Male in full plumage. Plate LX XIV. Fig. 1. Bill short, robust, conical, a little bulging, straight, acute ; upper mandible broader, slightly declinate at the tip ; gap-line a little declinate at the base. Nostrils basal, roundish, partially concealed by the frontal feathers. Head rather large. Neck of ordinary size. Body ovate. Feet of ordinary length, rather slender ; tarsus covered anteriorly with a few scutella, the uppermost long, posteriorly edged ; toes free, scutellate above; claws slender, compressed, arched, acute. Plumage glossy, somewhat silky, blended. Wings of ordinary length, the second and third quills longest. Tail of ordinary length, distinctly emarginate, of twelve obtuse feathers. Bill brownish-black, light blue beneath. Iris dark brown. Feet yellowish-brown. The general colour is a rich sky-blue, deeper on the head, lighter beneath, and in certain lights changing to verdigris-green. The quills, larger wing-coverts, and tail-feathers, dark brown, margined externally with blue. Length 5} inches, extent of wings 73; bill along the ridge 3, along the gap nearly 3; tarsus 3. Male in the second year. Plate LX XIV. Fig. 3. Bill lighter, irides and feet as in the adult. Head, neck and body, blue, but of a lighter tint; tail as in the adult; wings, including the lesser coverts, dull brown, the secondary coverts and some of the quills margined with blue. Male in the first autumn. Plate LX XIV. Fig. 2. Bill, irides and feet as in the last. Head and body of a lighter and duller blue, interspersed with brown patches; wings brown, secondary coverts tipped with whitish. 380 INDIGO BIRD. Adult Female. Plate LX XIV. Fig. 4. Bill light -brown, tinged with blue. Iris hazel. Feet yellowish- brown. The general colour is light yellowish-brown, the under parts and the sides of the head lighter ; the wings deep brown, margined with lighter. ‘The female is also considerably smaller. THE WILD SARSAPARILLA. Scursanpra coccinEA, Mich. Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 218. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol i. p- 212. PEN TANDRIA Poryeynia, Linn. A climbing shrubby plant, distinguished by its carmine-coloured flowers, consisting of nine sepals; its numerous, one-seeded berries, and elliptico-lanceolate leaves, acute at both ends, and supported upon a long petiole. ( 381 ) LE PETIT CAPORAL. FALCO TEMERARIUS. PLATE LXXXV. i Tuis beautiful little Hawk appears to be nearly allied to the European Hobby (Falco Subbuteo, Lixn.), and is not inferior to that species in spirit and activity. I procured the individual represented, in April 1812, near Fatland Ford in Pennsylvania, whilst in pursuit of a Dove, which it would doubtless have secured, had I not terminated its career. When I first discovered this species, the individual was stand- ing perched on an old fence-stake, in the position in which it is figured. Never having met with another of the kind, I conclude that it is ex- tremely rare in the United States. Of its nest or young I am unable to say any thing at present. The name which I have given to this new and rare species was chosen at the time when NaroLEOoN LE GRAND was in the zenith of his glory. Every body knows that his soldiers frequently designated him by the nickname of Le Petit Caporal, which I thought more suitable to to our little Hawk, than the names Napo.eon or BonararteE, which I should have adopted, had I been so fortunate as to procure a new Eagle. Falco TEMERARIUS. Plate LX XV. Bill short, as broad as deep at the base, compressed towards the end, the dorsal outline convex from the base ; upper mandible cerate, with the edges acute, slightly inflected, and forming a sharp projecting process on each side, the tip trigonal, acute, descending ; lower mandible inflected at the edges, with a notch near the end on each side, abrupt at the tip. Nostrils roundish, with a central tubercle, perforated in the cere. Head rather large, neck short, body robust. Legs of ordinary length ; tarsus scutellate before and behind ; toes scutellate above, scaly on the sides, scabrous and tuberculate beneath ; middle toe much longer than the 382 LE PETIT CAPORAL. outer, which is connected with it at the base by a membrane ; claws long, curved, roundish, very acute. Plumage ordinary compact. Feathers of the head and neck narrow, of the back broad and rounded, of the breast oblong. Tibial feathers elongated externally. Space between the bill and eye covered with bristly feathers. Orbital spaces, and projecting edge of eyebrow bare. Wings nearly as long as the tail; the primary quills narrow and taper- ing, the second longest ; the secondary quills short and rounded. Tail longish, nearly even. Bill bluish-black above, yellow beneath. Cere, orbits and eyebrow greenish-yellow. Iris hazel. Feet pale orange. The general colour of the upper parts is light bluish-grey, darker on the head and wings, each feather with a black line along the shaft. Quills brownish-black. Tail marked with alternate broad bands of light ash-grey and brownish-black, the last black band much broader, the feathers tipped with white. Chin and throat yellowish-white ; sides of the neck light yellowish-red, streaked with dark brown; lower part of the fore neck, the whole of the breast, and the sides, yellowish-white, with large spots of brown. Abdomen and under tail-coverts brownish-white ; tibial feathers light reddish, each with a central line of blackish-brown. Length 103 inches ; bill along the back 3; tarsus 13, middle toe 17%. @. 738811) HOSPITALITY IN THE WOODS. Hosriraxiry is a virtue, the exercise of which, although always agree- able to the stranger, is not always duly appreciated. The traveller who has acquired celebrity, is not unfrequently received with a species of hos- pitality, which is so much alloyed by the obvious attention of the host to his own interest, that the favour conferred upon the stranger must have less weight, when it comes mingled with almost interminable questions as to his perilous adventures. Another receives hospitality at the hands of persons, who, possessed of all the comforts of life, receive the way-worn wanderer with pomposity, lead him from one part of their spacious man- sion to another, and bidding him good night, leave him to amuse himself in his solitary apartment, because he is thought unfit to be presented to a party of friends. A third stumbles on a congenial spirit, who receives him with open arms, offers him servants, horses, perhaps even his purse, to enable him to pursue his journey, and parts from him with regret. In all these cases, the traveller feels more or less under obligation, and is ac- cordingly grateful. But, kind reader, the hospitality received from the inhabitant of the forest, who can offer only the shelter of his humble roof, and the refreshment of his homely fare, remains more deeply impressed on the memory of the bewildered traveller than any other. This kind of hospitality I have myself frequently experienced in our woods, and now proceed to relate an instance of it. I had walked several hundred miles, accompanied by my son, then a stripling, and, coming upon a clear stream, observed a house on the oppo- site shore. We crossed in a canoe, and finding that we had arrived at a tavern, determined upon spending the night there. As we were both greatly fatigued, I made an arrangement with our host to be conveyed in a light Jersey waggon a distance of a hundred miles, the period of our departure to be determined by the rising of the moon, Fair Cynthia, with her shorn beams, peeped over the forest about two hours before dawn, and our conductor, provided with a long twig of hickory, took his station in the fore-part of the waggon. Off we went at a round trot, dancing in the cart like pease in a sieve. The road, which was just wide enough to allow us to pass, was full of deep ruts, and covered here and there with trunks and stumps, over all which we were hurried. Our con- 384 HOSPITALITY. ductor Mr Fuinr, the landlord of the tavern, boasting of his perfect knowledge of the country, undertook to drive us by a short-cut, and we willingly confided ourselves to his management. So we jogged along, now and then deviating to double the fallen timber. Day commenced with promise of fine weather, but several nights of white frost having oc- curred, a change was expected. To our sorrow, the change took place long before we got to the road again. The rain fell in torrents; the thunder bellowed ; the lightning blazed. It was now evening, but the storm had brought perfect night, black and dismal. Our cart had no cover. Cold and wet, we sat silent and melancholy, with no better ex- pectation than that of passing the night under the little shelter the cart could afford us. To stop was considered worse than to proceed. So we gave the reins to the horses, with some faint hope that they would drag us out of our forlorn state. Of a sudden the steeds altered their course, and soon after we perceived the glimmer of a faint light in the distance, and almost at the same moment heard the barking of dogs. Our horses stopped by a high fence, and fell a-neighing. while I hallooed at such a rate, that an answer was speedily obtained. The next moment, a flaming pine torch crossed the gloom, and advanced to the spot where we stood. The Negro boy who bore it, without waiting to question us, enjoined us to follow the fence, and said that Master had sent him to shew the strangers to the house. We proceeded, much relieved, and soon reached the gate of a little yard, in which a small cabin was perceived. A tall fine-looking young man stood in the open door, and desired us to get out of the cart and walk in. We did so, when the following con- versation took place. “ A bad night this, strangers; how came you to be along the fence ? you certainly must have lost your way, for there is no public road within twenty miles.” ‘“ Aye,” answered Mr F.1nv, “ sure enough we lost our way; but, thank God! we have got to a house, and thank you for your reception.” ‘ Reception!” replied the woodsman, “ no very great thing after all; you are all-here safe, and that’s enough.—Eliza,” turning to his wife, “ see about some victuals for the strangers, and you, Jupiter,” addressing the Negro lad, “ bring some wood and mend the fire. Eliza, call the boys up, and treat the strangers the best way you can. Come, gentlemen, pull off your wet clothes, and draw to the fire. Eliza, bring some socks and a shirt or ” . two. 29 HOSPITALITY. 385 For my part, kind reader, knowing my countrymen as I do, I was not much struck at all this ; but my son, who had scarcely reached the age of fourteen, drew near to me, and observed how pleasant it was to have met with such good people. Mr Firnr bore a hand in getting his horses put under a shed. The young wife was already stirring with so much liveliness, that to have doubted for a moment that all she did was not a pleasure to her would have been impossible. Two Negro lads made their appearance, looked at us for a moment, and going out, called the dogs. Soon after the cries of the poultry informed us that good cheer was at hand. Jopirer brought more wood, the blaze of which illumined the cottage. Mr Fuint and our host returned, and we already began to feel the comforts of hospitality. ‘The woodsman remarked that it was a pity we had not chanced to come that day three weeks; “ for,” said he, “it was our wedding-day, and father gave us a good house-warming, and you might have fared better; but, however, if you can eat bacon and eggs, and a broiled chicken, you shall have that. I have no whisky in the house, but father has some capital cider, and I'll go over and bring a keg of it.” I asked how far off his father lived. « Only three miles, Sir, and I'll be back before Eliza has cooked your supper.” Off he went accordingly, and the next moment the gallopping of his horse was heard. The rain fell in torrents, and now I also became struck with the kindness of our host. To all appearance the united ages of the pair under whose roof we had found shelter did not exceed two score. Their means seemed barely sufficient to render them comfortable, but the generosity of their young hearts-had no limits. The cabin was new. The logs of which it was formed were all of the tulip-tree, and were nicely pared. Every part was beautifully clean. Even the coarse slabs of wood that formed the floor looked as if newly washed and dried. Sundry gowns and petticoats of substantial homespun hung from the logs that formed one of the sides of the cabin, while the other was covered with articles of male attire. A large spinning-wheel, with rolls of wool and cotton, occupied one corner. In another was a small cupboard, containing the little stock of new dishes, cups, plates, and tin pans. The table was small also, but quite new, and as bright as polished walnut could be. The only bed that I saw was of domestic manufacture, and the counterpane proved how expert the young wife was at spinning and weaving. A fine rifle ornamented the chimney-piece. The fire-place was of such dimensions that it looked Bb 386 HOSPITALITY. as if it had been purposely constructed for holding the numerous progeny — expected to result from the happy union. The black boy was engaged in grinding some coffee. Bread was prepared by the fair hands of the bride, and placed on a flat board in front of the fire. ‘The bacon and eggs already murmured and spluttered in the frying-pan, and a pair of chickens puffed and swelled on a gridiron over the embers, in front of the hearth. The cloth was laid, and every thing arranged, when the clattering of hoofs announced the return of the husband. In he came, bearing a two-gallon keg of cider. His eyes sparkled with pleasure as he said, “ Only think, Exiza ; father wanted to rob us of the strangers, and was for coming here to ask them to his own house, just as if we could not give them enough ourselves; but here’s the drink—Come gentlemen, sit down and help yourselves.” We did so, and I, to enjoy the repast, took a chair of the husband’s making in preference to one of those called Windsor, of which there were six in the cabin. This chair was bottomed with a piece of deer’s skin tightly stretched, and afforded a very comfortable seat. The wife now resumed her spinning, and the husband filled a jug with the sparkling cider, and, seated by the blazing fire, was drying his clothes. The happiness he enjoyed beamed from his eye, as at my re- quest he proceeded to give us an account of his affairs and prospects, which he did in the following words :—“ I will be twenty-two next Christmas-day,” said our host; ‘“‘ My father came from Virginia when young, and settled on the large tract of land where he yet lives, and where with hard working he has done well. There were nine children of us. Most of them are married and settled in the neighbourhood. 'The old man has divided his lands among some of us, and bought others for the rest. The land where I am he gave me two years ago, and a finer piece is not easily to be found. I have cleared a couple of fields, and planted an orchard. Father gave me a stock of cattle, some hogs, and four horses, with two Negro boys. I camped here for most of the time when clearing and planting ; and when about to marry the young woman you see at the wheel, father helped me in raising this hut. My wife, as luck would have it, had a Negro also, and we have begun the world as well off as most folks, and, the Lord willing, may but, gentlemen, you don’t eat; do help yourselves—E1iza, maybe the strangers would like some milk.” The wife stopped her work, and kindly asked if we preferred sweet or sour milk ; for you must know, reader, that sour milk HOSPITALITY. - 387 is by some of our farmers considered a treat. Both sorts were produced, but, for my part, I chose to stick to the cider. Supper over, we all neared the fire, and engaged in conversation. At length our kind host addressed his wife as follows :—* Ex1za, the gen- tlemen would like to lie down, I guess. What sort of bed can you fix for them?” Ex1za looked up with a smile, and said: “ Why, Witty, we will divide the bedding, and arrange half on the floor, on which we can sleep very well, and the gentlemen will have the best we can spare them.” To this arrangement I immediately objected, and proposed lying on a blanket by the fire ; but neither Witty nor Ex1za would listen. So they arranged a part of their bedding on the floor, on which, after some debate, we at length settled. The Negroes were sent to their own cabin, the young couple went to bed, and Mr Frrnrt lulled us all asleep, with a long story intended to shew us how passing strange it was that he should have lost his way. “Tired nature’s sweet restorer, balmy sleep,”—and so forth. But Aurora soon turned her off. Mr Srerp, our host, rose, went to the door, and returning assured us that the weather was too bad for us to attempt proceeding. I really believe he was heartily glad of it; but anxious to continue our journey, I desired Mr F.irnr to see about his horses. Ex1za by this time was up too, and I observed her whispering to her husband, when he immediately said aloud, “ To be sure, the gentlemen will eat breakfast before they go, and I will shew them the way to the road.” _Ex- cuses were of no avail. Breakfast was prepared and eaten. The weather brightened a little, and by nine we were under way. Witty on horse- back headed us. In a few hours, our cart arrived at a road, by follow- ing which we at length got to the main one, and parted from our woods- man with the greater regret that he would accept nothing from any of us. On the contrary, telling Mr Frinr with a smile, that he hoped he might some time again follow the longest track for a short cut, he bade us adieu, and trotted back to his fair Ex1za and his happy home. ( 3888 ) THE VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. PERDIX VIRGINIANA, LatTu. PLATE LXXVI. Mate, Fematt, anp Youne. THE common name given to this bird in the Eastern and Middle Districts of our Union is that of Quail, but in the Western and Southern States, the more appropriate appellation of Partridge is bestowed upon » it. It is abundantly met with in all parts of the United States, but more especially towards the interior. In the States of Ohio and Kentucky, where they are very abundant, they are to be seen in the markets, both dead and alive, in large quantities. This species performs occasional migrations from the north-west to the - south-east, usually in the beginning of October, and somewhat in the man- ner of the Wild Turkey. For a few weeks at this season, the northwest-. ern shores of the Ohio are covered with flocks of Partridges. They ram-: ble through the woods along the margin of the stream, and generally fly across towards evening. Like the Turkeys, many of the weaker Par- tridges often fall into the water, while thus attempting to cross, and ge-. nerally perish ; for although they swim surprisingly, they have not mus-: cular power sufficient to keep up a protracted struggle, although, when‘ they have fallen within a few yards of the shore, they easily escape being drowned. I have been told by a friend that a person residing in Phila-’ delphia had a hearty laugh on hearing that I had described the Wild Turkey as swimming for some distance, when it had accidentally fallen. into the water. But be assured, kind reader, almost every species’ of. land-bird is capable of swimming on such occasions, and you may easily: satisfy yourself as to the accuracy of my statement by throwing a Turkey, a Common Fowl, or any other bird into the water. As soon as the Par- tridges have crossed the principal streams in their way, they disperse in flocks over the country, and return to their ordinary mode of life. The flight of these birds is generally performed at a short distance from the ground. It is rapid, and is continued by numerous quick flaps of the wings for a certain distance, after which the bird sails until about to alight, when again it flaps its wings to break its descent. When chased by dogs, or started by any other enemy, they fly to the middle branches VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. 389 of trees of ordinary size, where they remain until danger is over. They walk with ease on the branches. If they perceive that they are observed, they raise the feathers of their head, emit a low note, and fly off either to some higher branch of the same tree, or to another tree at a distance. When these birds rise on wing of their own accord, the whole flock takes the same course ; but when put up (in the sportsman’s phrase), they dis- perse, after alighting call to each other, and soon after unite, each running or flying towards the well-known cry of the patriarch of the covey. During deep and continued snows, they often remain on the branches of trees for hours at a time. The usual cry of this species is a clear whistle, composed of three notes; the first and last nearly equal in length, the ‘latter less loud than the first, but more so than the intermediate one. When an enemy is perceived they immediately utter a lisping note, frequently repeated, and run off with their tail spread, their crest erected, and their wings droop- ing, towards the shelter of some thicket or the top of a fallen tree. At other times, when one of the flock has accidentally strayed to a distance from its companions, it utters two notes louder than any of those men- tioned above, the first shorter and lower than the second, when an answer is immediately returned by one of the pack. This species has moreover ‘a love-call, which is louder and clearer than its other notes, and can be heard at a distance of several hundred yards. It consists of three distinct notes, the two -last being loudest, and is peculiar to the male bird. A fancied similarity to the words Bob White renders this call familiar to the sportsman and farmer ; but these notes are always preceded by another, easily heard at a distance of thirty or forty yards. The three together ‘resemble the words Ah Bob White. The first note is a kind of aspiration, ‘and the last is very loud and clear. - This whistle is seldom heard after the breeding season, during which an imitation of the peculiar note of the female will make the male fly towards the sportsman, who may then easily shoot it. In the Middle Districts, the love-call of the male is heard about the middle of April, and in Louisiana much earlier. The male is seen perch- ed on a fence-stake, or on the low branch of a tree, standing’ nearly in the same position for hours together, and calling Ah Bob White at every interval of a few minutes. Should he hear the note of a female, he sails directly towards the spot whence it proceeded. Several males may be heard from different parts of a field challenging each other, and should 390 VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. they meet on the ground, they fight with great courage and obstinacy, until the conqueror drives off his antagonist to another field. The female prepares a nest composed of grasses, arranged in a circu- lar form, leaving an entrance not unlike that of a common oven. It is placed at the foot of a tuft of rank grass or some close stalks of corn, and is partly sunk in the ground. The eggs are from ten to eighteen, rather sharp at the smaller end, and of a pure white. The male at times assists in hatching them. This species raises only one brood in the year, unless the eggs or the young when yet small have been destroyed. When this happens, the female immediately prepares another nest ; and should it also be ravaged, sometimes even a third. ‘The young run about the moment after they make their appearance, and follow their parents until spring, when, having acquired their full beauty, they pair and breed. The Partridge rests at night on the ground, either amongst the grass or under a bent log. The individuals which compose the flock form a ring, and moving backwards, approach each other until their bodies are nearly in contact. This arrangement enables the whole covey to take wing when suddenly alarmed, each flying off in a direct course, so as not to interfere with the rest. These birds are easily caught in snares, common dead-falls, traps and pens, like those for the Wild Turkey, but proportionate to the size of the bird. Many are shot, but the principal havock is effected by means of nets, especially in the Western and Southern States. The method employed is as follows: A number of persons on horseback, provided with a net, set out in search of Partridges, riding along the fences or briar-thickets, which the birds are known to frequent. One or two of the party whistle in imita- tion of the second call-note above described, and as Partridges are plen- tiful, the call is soon answered by a covey, when the sportsmen imme- diately proceed to ascertain their position and number, seldom consider- ing it worth while to set the net when there are only a few birds. They approach in a careless manner, talking and laughing as if merely passing by. When the birds are discovered, one of the party gallops off ina circuitous manner, gets in advance of the rest by a hundred yards or more, according to the situation of the birds, and their disposition to run, while the rest of the sportsmen move about on their horses, talking to each other, but at the same time watching every motion of the Partridges. The person in advance being provided with the net, dismounts, and at VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. 391 once falls to placing it, so that his companions can easily drive the Par- tridges into it. No sooner is the machine ready, than the net-bearer re- mounts and rejoins the party. The sportsmen separate to a short dis- tance, and follow the Partridges, talking and whistling, clapping their hands, or knocking upon the fence-rails. The birds move with great gentleness, following each other, and are kept in the right direction by the sportsmen. The leading bird approaches and enters the mouth of the net, the others follow in succession, when the net-bearer leaps from his horse, runs up and secures the entrance, and soon dispatches the birds. In this manner, fifteen or twenty Partridges are caught at one driving, and sometimes many hundreds in the course of a day... Most netters give liberty to a pair out of each flock, that the breed may be continued. The success of driving depends much on the state of the weather. Drizzly rain or melting snow are the best, for in such weather Partridges and Gallinaceous Birds in general will run to a great distance rather than fly; whereas if the weather be dry and clear, they generally take to wing the moment they discover an intruder, or squat so that they cannot be driven without very particular care. Again, when the flocks are found in the woods, they run off so briskly and so far, that it is difficult for the net-bearer to place his machine in time. The net is cylindrical, thirty or forty feet in length, by about two in diameter, excepting at the mouth or entrance, where it is rather larger, and at the extremity, where it assumes the form of a bag. It is kept open by means of small wooden hoops, at a distance of two or three feet from each other. The mouth is furnished with a semicircular hoop, sharpened at both ends, which are driven into the ground, thus afford- ing an easy entrance to the birds. Two pieces of netting called wings, of the same length as the cylindrical one, are placed one on each side of the mouth, so as to form an obtuse angle with each other, and are supported by sticks thrust into the ground, the wings having the appearance of two low fences leading to a gate. The whole is made of light and strong materials. The Virginian Partridge is easily kept in cages or coops, and soon becomes very fat. Attempts at rearing them from the eggs have gene- rally failed, probably for want of proper care, and a deficiency of insects, on which the young feed. ‘The ordinary food of the species consists of seeds of various kinds, and such berries as grow near the surface of the 392 VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. ground, along with which they pick up a quantity of sand or gravel. Towards autumn, when the young have nearly attained their full size, their flesh becomes fat, juicy and tender, and being moreover white and extremely agreeable to the palate, is in much request. Twenty years ago, they were commonly sold at twelve cents the dozen; but now they are more commonly sold at fifty cents: They suffer greatly in the Mid- dle Districts during severe winters, and are killed in immense numbers. This bird has been introduced into various parts of Europe, but is not much liked there, being of such pugnacious habits as to drive off the common Grey Partridge, which is considered a better bird for the table. In the Plate I have represented a group of Partridges attacked by a Hawk. The different attitudes exhibited by the former cannot fail to give you a lively idea of the terror and confusion which prevail on such oc- casions. PERDIX virGINIANA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 650.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 124. TETRAO VIRGINIANUS, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 277. Quart or Parrripcr, Perprx virernrana, Wils. Americ. Ornith. vol. vi. p. 21. Pl. 47. fig. 2. Male. ‘ Adult Male. Plate LX XVI. Fig. 1, 1, 1, 1. Bill short, robust, rather obtuse, the base covered by feathers; upper mandible with the dorsal outline curved, the sides convex, the edges overlapping, the tip declinate ; under mandible nearly straight in its dorsal outline, arched on the edges, the sides convex. Nostrils concealed among the feathers. Head and neck of ordinary size. Body short and bulky. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus anteriorly scutellate, a little compressed, spurless ; toes scutellate above, pectinate on the sides ; claws arched, obtuse. Plumage compact, glossy. Feathers of the upper part of the head erectile into a tuft. Wings short, broad, much curved and rounded, the fourth quill longest. Tail short, rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. Bill dark brown. _ Iris hazel. _ Feet greyish-blue. The forehead, a broad line over each eye; and the throat and fore-neck, white. Lore, au- ricular coverts, and a broad irregular semilunar band on the fore-neck, more or less black. Upper part of the head, hind and lower part of the neck all round, reddish-brown. Upper back and wing-coverts VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. 393 bright brownish-red ; the lower part of the back light red tinged with yellow. Primaries dusky, externally margined with blue; secondaries irregularly barred with light red. Tail greyish-blue, excepting the mid- dle feathers, which are dull greyish-yellow, sprinkled with black. Sides of the neck spotted with white. Under parts white, streaked with brown- ish-red, transversely and undulatingly barred with black. Sides and un- der tail-coverts reddish. Length 10 inches, extent of wings 15; bill along the back 3, along the gap ,4,; tarsus 1, middle toe nearly the same. Young Male. Plate LX XVI. Fig. 2, 2. Similar to the adult male in the general distribution of the colours ; but the white of the head and throat bright reddish-yellow, the black of the fore-neck and sides of the head deep brown, the under parts less pe and more dusky, and the tail of a duller grey. - Adult Female. Plate LX XVI. Fig. 3, 3, 3. The female resembles the young male, but is more decidedly: colour- ed, the bill darker, the head of a more uniform and richer reddish-yel- low, the sides of the neck spotted with yellow and black. Length 9} inches, extent of wings 14. Young Female. Plate LX XVI. Fig. 4, 4. 4. The young females are somewhat smaller and lighter in their tints than the yonng males. Very Young Birds. Plate LX XVI. Fig. 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5. Bill brownish-yellow. . Tris light hazel. The general colour of the upper parts light yellowish-brown, patched with grey ; sides of the head dusky. THE BELTED KINGSFISHER. Atcevo Atcyon, Liyy. PLATE LXXVII. Mate anp FEemate. You must not suppose, good-natured reader, that the lives which I try to write, are short or lengthy according to the natural dimensions of the objects themselves; for if with the representation of a large bird, I present you with a long history of its ‘habits, it is merely because that bird, being perhaps more common, and therefore more conspicuous, I have had better and more frequent opportunities of studying them. This hap- pens to be the case with the bird which I proceed to describe. The Belted Kingsfisher !—Now, kind reader, were I infected with the desire of giving new names to well-known objects, you may be assured that, notwithstanding the partly appropriate name given to this bird, I should call it, as I think it ought to have been called, the United States’ Kingsfisher. My reason for this will, I hope, become apparent to you, when I say that it is the only bird of its genus found upon the inland streams of the Union. Another reason of equal force might be adduced, which is, that, although the males of all denominations have, from time immemorial, obtained the supremacy, in this particular case the term Belted applies only to the female, the male being destitute of the belt or band by which she is distinguished. But names already given and re- ceived, whether apt or inapt, I am told, must not be meddled with. To this law I humbly submit, and so proceed, contenting myself with feeling assured that many names given to birds might, with much benefit to the student of nature, become the subjects of reform. The Belted Kingsfisher is a constant resident in the States of Loui- siana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and all the districts that lie to the south of North Carolina. Its inland migrations along the windings of our noble rivers extend far and wide, over the whole of the United States. In all those portions which I have visited it also breeds, although it returns to the south from many parts during severe winters. The flight of this bird is rapid, and is prolonged according to its ne- cessities, extending at times to considerable distances, in which case it is performed high in the air. When, for instance, the whole course of one BELTED KINGSFISHER. 395 of our northern rivers becomes frozen, the Kingsfisher, instead of skim- ming closely over the surface that no longer allows it to supply itself with food, passes high above the tallest trees, and takes advantage of every short cut which the situation of the river affords. By this means it soon reaches a milder climate. This is also frequently the case, when it seems tired of the kind of fish that occurs in a lake, and removes to another in a direct line, passing over the forests, not unfrequently by a course of twenty or thirty miles towards the interior of the country. Its motions when on wing consist of a series of flaps, about five or six in number, fol- lowed by a direct glide, without any apparent undulation. It moves in the same way when flying closely over the water. If, in the course of such excursions, the bird ‘passes over a small pool, it suddenly checks itself in its career, poises itself in the air, like a Spar- row-hawk or Kestril, and inspects the water beneath, to discover whether there may be fishes in it suitable to its taste. Should it find this to be the case, it continues poised for a few seconds, dashes spirally headlong into the water, seizes a fish, and alights on the nearest tree or stump, where it swallows its prey in a moment. The more usual range of the Belted Kingsfisher, however, is confined to the rivers and creeks that abound throughout the United States; all of which, according to the seasons, are amply supplied with various fishes, on the fry of which this bird feeds. It follows their course up to the very source of the small rivulets 5 and it is not unusual to hear the hard, rapid, rattling notes of our Kingsfisher, even amongst the murmur- ing cascades of our higher mountains. When the bird is found in such sequestered situations, well may the angler be assured that trout is abun- dant. Mill-ponds are also favourite resorts of the Kingsfisher, the usual calmness of the water in such places permitting it to discover its prey with ease. As the freshets are proportionally less felt on the adjoining shores, the holes dug in the earth or sand by this species, in which it de- posits its eggs, are generally found in places not far from a mill worked by water. I have laid open to my view several of these holes, in different situa- tions and soils, and have generally found them to be formed as follows. The male and female, after having fixed upon a proper spot, are seen clinging to the bank of the stream in the manner of W oodpeckers. Their long and stout bills are set to work, and as soon as the hole has acquired a certain depth, one of the birds enters it, and scratches out the 396 BELTED KINGSFISHER. sand, earth or clay, with its feet, striking meanwhile with its bill to ex- tend the depth... The other bird all the while appears to cheer the la- bourer, and urge it to continue its exertions; and, when the latter is fa- tigued, takes its place. Thus, by the co-operation of both, the hole is dug to the depth of four, five, or sometimes six feet, in a horizontal di- rection, at times not more than eighteen inches below the surface of the ground, at others eight or ten feet. At the Chicasaw Bluffs, on the Mis‘ sissippi, I have seen some of these holes more than fifty feet below the surface, but generally beyond reach of the highest freshets. . The hole is just large enough to admit the passage of a single bird at a time. The end is rounded and finished in the form of a common oven, to allow the pair or the whole brood ‘to turn round in it at ease. Here, on a few sticks and feathers, the eggs are deposited to the number generally of six. They are pure white. Incubation continues for sixteen days. In the Middle States, these birds seldom raise more than one brood in the year, but in the southern usually two. Incubation is performed by both pa- rents, which evince great solicitude for the safety of their young. The mother sometimes drops on the water, as if severely wounded, and flut- ters and flounders as if unable to rise from the stream, in order to induce the intruder to wade or swim after her, whilst her mate, perched on the nearest bough, or even on the edge of the bank, jerks his tail, erects his crest, rattles his notes with angry vehemence, and then springing off, passes and repasses before the enemy, with a continued cry of despair. I have not been able to ascertain whether or not the young are fed with macerated food disgorged by the parents into their bills, but I have reason to think so, and I have always observed the old ones to swallow the fishes which they had caught, before they entered the hole. The young are, however, afterwards fed directly on the entire fish; and I have frequently seen them follow the parent birds, and alight on the same branch, flapping their wings, and calling with open bill for the food just taken out of the water, when the petition was seldom denied. The Kingsfisher resorts to the same hole, to breed and roost, for many years in succession. On one occasion, when I attempted two even- ings to seize one of these birds, long after night had closed, I tried in vain the first time. I fitted a small net bag to the entrance, and return- ed home. Next morning the bird had scratched a passage under the net, and thus escaped. The following evening I saw it enter the hole, and having procured a stick that filled the entrance for upwards of a BELTED KINGSFISHER. 397 foot, I felt-certain of obtaining it ; but before I reached the place next day, it had worked its way out. After this, I abandoned my attempt, although the bird continued to repose in the same-hole. _No superstitious notions exist in the United States respecting this species. ‘The flesh is extremely fishy, oily, and disagreeable to the taste. On the contrary, the eggs are fine eating. I was ready to put my pen aside, kind reader, when, on consulting my journals, all of which are now at hand, I happened to read, that I have seen instances of this bird’s plunging into the sea after small fry, at Powles Hook, in the bay opposite to the City of New York. I am not aware that this is a;common occurrence. Atcrpo Atcyron, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 180-—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 257.— ~ Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 48. Bettrep KinesFisuHER, Lath. Synops. vol. ii. p. 637.—Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol, iii. p- 59, Pl. 23, fig. 1. Adult Male. Plate LX XVII. Fig. L, 2. Bill long, straight, tetragonal, tapering to an acute point, compressed towards the end; upper mandible keeled, with the dorsal line straight, the edges overlapping ; lower mandible with the dorsal line slightly con- vex, the tip ascending ; gap-line extending to beneath the eyes. Nos- trils basal, dorsal, oblong, oblique, half-closed by a bare membrane. Head large, neck short, body robust. Feet very short; tarsus roundish, anteriorly scutellate, half the length of the middle toe ; outer and middle toes nearly equal, inner much shorter, hind toe small; claws rather strong, arched, acute, channelled beneath. Plumage compact. Feathers of the head long, narrow, rather loose, pointed, and erectile, in the form of a longitudinal crest, of which the an- terior feathers are longest. Wings longish, the third primary longest. Tail short, even, of twelve broad rounded feathers. Bill brownish-black, light greenish-blue at the base. Iris hazel. Feet greyish-blue ; claws black. Head, cheeks, hind neck and upper parts, generally light blue, the shaft of each feather blackish. A white spot before the eye, and a slight streak of the same colour on the under eyelid. Quills brownish-black, the base of the primaries barred with white, the secondaries blue on the outer web. Two middle tail-feathers blue, as are the outer edges of the rest, excepting the outermost ; all, ex- 398 BELTED KINGSFISHER. cepting the two middle ones, brownish-black, barred with white. A broad’ band of white across the neck, broader anteriorly and including the chin and throat. A band of blue across the fore part of the breast. The rest of the under parts white, excepting the sides, which are mottled with blue. : Length 123 inches, extent of wings 20; bill along the ridge 2, along the gap 22; tarsus 3, middle toe 14. Adult Female. Plate LX XVII. Fig. 3. The blue of the female is much duller. The band on the upper part of the breast is of dull greyish blue and light red intermixed ; below this is anarrow band of white, and across the middle of the breast a broad band of yellowish-red, of which colour also are the sides. The rest of the un- der ‘parts are white, tinged with red. ( 399 ) THE GREAT CAROLINA WREN. TROGLODYTES LUDOVICIANUS, Cu. BONAPARTE. PLATE LXXVIII. Mate anp FEMALE. Permit me to suggest, kind reader, that I think it always best to see and judge of individuals in their own country. There independence and ease are more commonly met with, and the observer is less attended to. This being admitted, I shall give you the history and life of the Great Carolina Wren, as studied in the State of Louisiana, where that bird is a constant resident. Its flight is performed by short flappings of the wings, the concave under surfaces of which occasion a low rustling, as the bird moves to the distance of a few steps only at each start. It is accompanied by violent jerks of the tail and body, and is by no means graceful. In this manner the Carolina Wren moves from one fence-rail to another, from log to log, up and down among the low branches of bushes, piles of wood, and decayed roots of prostrate trees, or between the stalks of canes. Its tail is almost constantly erect, and before it starts to make the least flight or leap, it usés a quick motion, which brings its body almost into contact with the object on which it stands, and then springs from its legs. All this is accompanied with a strong chirr-up, uttered as if the bird were in an angry mood, and repeated at short intervals. The quickness of the motions of this active little bird is fully equal to that of the mouse. Like the latter, it appears and is out of sight in a mo- ment, peeps into a crevice, passes rapidly through it, and shews itself at a different place the next instant. When satiated with food, or fatigued with these multiplied exertions, the little fellow stops, droops its tail, and sings with great energy a short ditty something resembling the words come-to-me, come-to-me, repeated several times in quick succession, so loud, and yet so mellow, that it is always agreeable to listen to them. During spring, these notes are heard from all parts of the plantations, the damp woods, the swamps, the sides of creeks and rivers, as well as from the barns, the stables and the piles of wood, within a few yards of the house. I have frequently heard these Wrens singing from the roof 400 GREAT CAROLINA WREN. of an abandoned flat-boat, fastened to the shore, a small distance below | the city of New Orleans. When its song was finished, the bird went on creeping from one board to another, thrust itself through an auger-hole, entered through the boat’s side at one place, and peeped out at another, catching numerous spiders and other insects all the while. It sometimes ascends to the higher branches of a tree of moderate size, by climbing along a grape-vine, searching diligently amongst the leaves and in the chinks of the bark, alighting sidewise against the trunk, and moving like a true Creeper.._It possesses the power of creeping and of hopping in a nearly equal degree. The latter kind of motion it employs when nearer. the ground, and among piles of drifted timber. So fond is this bird of the immediate neighbourhood of water, that it would be next to impossi- ble to walk along the shore of any of the islands of the Mississippi, from the mouth of the Ohio to New Orleans, without observing several on each island. Amongst the many species of insects which they destroy, several are of an aquatic nature, and are procured by them whilst creeping about’ the masses of drifted wood. Their chirr-up and come-to-me come-to-me seldom cease for more than fifteen or twenty minutes at a time, com- mencing with the first glimpse of day, and continuing sometimes after sunset. The nest of the Carolina Wren is usually placed in a hole in some low decayed tree, or in a fence-stake, sometimes even in the stable, barn’ or coach-house, should it there find a place suitable for its reception. I have found some not more than. two feet from the ground, in the stump of atree that had long before been felled by the axe. The materials employed in its construction are hay, grasses, leaves, feathers, and horse- hair, or the dry fibres of the Spanish moss; the feathers, hair or moss forming the lining, the coarse materials the outer parts. When the hole is sufficiently large, the nest is not unfrequently five or six inches in depth, although only just wide enough to admit one of the birds at a time. The number of eggs is from five to eight. They are of a broad oval form, greyish-white, sprinkled with reddish-brown. Whilst at Oakley, the residence of my friend JamEs Perriz, Esq. near Bayou Sara, I discovered that one of these birds was in the habit of roosting ina Wood Thrush’s nest that was placed on a low horizontal branch, and had been filled with leaves that had fallen during the autumn. It was in the habit of GREAT CAROLINA WREN. 401 . thrusting his body beneath the leaves, and I doubt not found the place very comfortable. They usually raise two, sometimes three broods ina season. ‘The young soon come out from the nest, and in a few days after creep and hop about with as much nimbleness as the old ones. Their plumage under- goes no change, merely becoming firmer in the colouring. Many of these birds are destroyed by Weasels and Minxes. It is, notwithstanding, one of the most common birds which we have as resi- dent in Louisiana. 'They ascend along the shores of the Mississippi as high as the Missouri River, and along the Ohio nearly to Pittsburg, al- though they do not occur in great numbers in the neighbourhood of that city. They are common in Georgia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. A few are to be seen along the Atlantic shores as far as Penn- sylvania and New Jersey. In the latter State I have found its nest, near a swamp, a few miles from Philadelphia. I never observed them farther to the eastward. The Dwarf Buck-eye, on a blossomed twig of which you observe a pair of Great Carolina Wrens, is by nature as well as name a low shrub. It grows near swampy ground in. great abundance. -Its flowers, which are scentless, are much resorted to by the Humming Birds, on their first arrival, as they appear at a very early season. The wood resembles that of the Common Horse-chestnut, and its fruit is nearly the same in form _and colour, but much smaller. I know of no valuable property possessed by this beautiful. shrub. TROGLODYTES LUDOVICIANUS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 93. SyLvia Lupovicrana, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 548. Great Caroniva Wren, CERTHIA’ caROLINIANA, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p- 61, Pl. 12. fig. 5. Adult Male. Plate LX XVIII. Fig. 1. __ Bill nearly as long as the head, subulato-conical, slightly arched, compressed towards the tip ; upper mandible with the sides convex to- wards the end, concave at the base, the edges acute and overlapping ; under mandible with the back and sides convex. Nostrils oblong, straight, basal, with a cartilaginous lid above, open and bare. Head ob- long, neck of ordinary size, body ovate. Legs of ordinary length ; tar- ce 402 GREAT CAROLINA WREN. sus longer than the middle toe, compressed, anteriorly scutate, posterior- ly edged ; toes, scutellate above, inferiorly granulate; second and fourth nearly equal, the hind toe almost as long as the middle one, third and fourth united as far as the second joint; claws long, slender, acute, ar- cuate, much compressed. Plumage soft, lax, and tufty. Wings short, very convex, broad and rounded, the first quill very short, the fourth longest. ‘Tail rather long, curved downwards, much rounded, of twelve narrowish, rounded feathers. Bill wood-brown above, bluish beneath. Iris hazel. Legs flesh-co- lour. The general colour of the upper part is brownish-red. A yellowish- white streak over the eye, extending far down the neck, and edged above with dark brown. Quills, coverts and tail barred with blackish-brown ; secondary and middle coverts tipped with white ; shafts of the scapulars white. Throat greyish-white, under parts reddish-buff, paler behind. Under tail-coverts white, barred with blackish. Length 54 inches, extent of wings 73; bill along the ridge §, along the gap ~3;3 tarsus %. Adult Female. Plate LX XVIII. Fig. 2. The female differs from the male in being lighter above, tinged with grey beneath, and in wanting the white tips of the wing-coverts. This species and the Marsh Wren form the transition from Troglo- dytes to Certhia, resembling the former in habits and colouring, and the latter in the form of the bill, as well as partly in habits. Tur Dwarr Buck-EYE. scutus Pavia, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 286. Pursh, F). Amer. vol. ii. p. 254.— HErtTanpria Monocynia, Linn. AcERA, Juss. Leaves quinate, smooth, unequally serrated ; racemes lax; generally with ternate flowers; corollas tetrapetalous, their connivent claws of the length of the calyx ; stamens seven, shorter than the corolla. The flowers are scarlet. ( 403 ) THE TYRANT FLY-CATCHER. MuscIcaAPaA TYRANNUS, Briss. PLATE LXXIX. Mae AND FEMALE. Tue Tyrant Fly-catcher, or, as it is commonly named, the Field Martin, or King Bird, is one of the most interesting visitors of the United States, where it is to be found during spring and summer, and where, were its good qualities appreciated as they deserve to be, it would remain unmolested. But man being generally disposed to consider in his sub- jects a single fault sufficient to obliterate the remembrance of a thousand good qualities, even when the latter are beneficial to his interest, and tend to promote his comfort, persecutes the King Bird without mercy, and extends his enmity to its whole progeny. This mortal hatred is occa- sioned by a propensity which the Tyrant Fly-catcher now and then shews to eat a honey-bee, which the narrow-minded farmer looks upon as ex- clusively his own property, although he is presently to destroy thousands of its race, for the selfish purpose of seizing upon the fruits of their la- bours, which he does with as little remorse as if nature’s bounties were destined for man alone. The Field Martin arrives in Louisiana, from the south, about the middle of March.. Many individuals remain until the middle of Septem- ber, but the greater number proceed gradually northwards, and are dis- persed. over every portion of the United States. For a few days after its arrival, it. seems fatigued and doleful, and remains perfectly silent. But no sooner has it recovered its naturally lively spirits, than its sharp tre- mulous cry is heard over the fields, and along the skirts of all our woods. It seldom enters the forests, but is fond of orchards, large fields of clover, the neighbourhood of rivers, and the gardens close to the houses of the planters. In this last situation, its habits are best observed. Its flight has now assumed a different manner. The love-season is at hand. The male and female are seen moving about through the air, with a continued quivering motion of their wings, at a height of twenty or thirty yards above the ground, uttering a continual, tremulous, loud shriek, The male follows in the wake of the female, and both seem pant- ing for a suitable place in which to form their nest. Meanwhile, they cca 404 TYRANT FLY-CATCHER. watch the motions of different insects, deviate a little from the course of their playful rounds, and with a sweeping dart secure and swallow the prey in an instant. Probably the next sees them perched on the twig of a tree, close together, and answering the calls of nature. The choice of a place being settled by the happy pair, they procure small dry twigs from the ground, and rising to a horizontal branch, ar- range them as the foundation of their cherished home. Flakes of cotton, wool or tow, and other substances of a similar nature, are then placed in thick and regular layers, giving great bulk and consistence to the fabric, which is finally lined with fibrous roots and horse-hair. The female then deposits her eggs, which are from four to six in number, broadly ovate, reddish-white, or blush colour, irregularly spotted with brown. No soon- er has incubation commenced, than the male, full of ardour, evinces the most daring courage, and gallantly drives off every intruder. Perched on a twig not far from his beloved mate, in order to protect and defend her, he seems to direct every thought and action to these objects. His snow-white breast expands with the warmest feelings; the feathers of his head are raised and spread, the bright orange spot laid open to the rays of the sun; he stands firm on his feet, and his vigilant eye glances over the wide field of vision around him. Should he spy a Crow, a Vulture, a Martin, or an Eagle, in the neighbourhood or at a distance, he spreads his wings to the air, and pressing towards the dangerous foe, approaches him, and commences his attack with fury. He mounts above the enemy, sounds the charge, and repeatedly plunging upon the very back of his more powerful antagonist, essays to secure a hold. In this manner, ha- rassing his less active foe with continued blows of his bill, he follows him probably for a mile, when, satisfied that he has done his duty, he gives his wings their usual quivering motion, and returns exulting and elated to his nest, trilling his notes all the while. Few Hawks will venture to approach the farm-yard while the King Bird is near. Even the cat in a great measure remains at home; and, should she appear, the little warrior, fearless as the boldest Eagle, plun- ges towards her, with such rapid and violent motions, and so perplexes her with attempts to peck on all sides, that grimalkin, ashamed of herself, returns discomfited to the house. The many eges of the poultry which he saves from the plundering Crow, the many chickens that are reared under his protection, safe from the clutches of the prowling Hawks, the vast number of insects which he TYRANT FLY-CATCHER. 405 devours, and which would otherwise torment the cattle and horses, are benefits conferred by him, more than sufficient to balance the few rasp- berries and figs which he eats, and calculated to insure for him the favour and protection of man. The King Bird fears none of his aérial enemies save the Martin; and although the latter frequently aids him in protecting his nest, and watch- ing over the farm-yard, it sometimes attacks him with such animosity as to force him to retreat, the flight of the Martin being so superior to that of the King Bird in quickness and power, as to enable it to elude the blows which the superior strength of the latter might render fatal. I knew an instance in which some Martins, that had been sole proprietors of a farm- yard for several seasons, shewed so strong an antipathy to a pair of King Birds, which had chanced to build their nest on a tree within a few yards of the house, that, no sooner had the female begun to sit on her eggs, than the Martin attacked the male with unremitting violence for several days, and, notwithstanding his courage and superior strength, repeatedly felled him to the ground, until he at length died of fatigue, when the fe- male was beaten off in a state of despair, and forced to seek a new pro- tector. The King Bird is often seen passing on the wing over a field of clover, diving down to the very blossoms, and reascending in graceful undula- tions, snapping his bill, and securing various sorts of insects, now and then varying his mode of chase in curious zigzag lines, shooting to the right and left, up and down, as if the object which he is pursuing were manoeuvring for the purpose of eluding him. About the month of August, this species becomes comparatively mute, and resorts to the old abandoned fields and meadows. There, perched on a fence-stake or a tall mullein stalk, he glances his eye in various direc- tions, watching the passing insects, after which he darts with a more di- rect motion than in spring. Having secured one, he returns to the same or another stalk, beats the insect, and then swallows it. He frequently flies high over the large rivers and lakes, sailing and dashing about in pursuit of insects. Again, gliding down towards the water, he drinks in the manner of various species of Swallow. When the weather is very warm, he plunges repeatedly into the water, alights after each plunge on the low branch of a tree close by, shakes off the water and plumes him- self, when, perceiving some individuals of his tribe passing high over head, he ascends to overtake them, and bidding adieu to the country, proceeds towards a warmer region. 406 TYRANT FLY-CATCHER. The King Bird leaves the Middle States earlier than most other spe- cies. While migrating southwards, at the approach of winter, it flies with a strong and continued motion, flapping its wings six or seven times pretty rapidly, and sailing for a few yards without any undulations, at every cessation of the flappings. On the first days of September, I have several times observed them passing in this manner, in detached parties of twenty or thirty, perfectly silent, and so resembling the T'urdus mi- gratorius in their mode of flight, as to induce the looker-on to suppose them of that species, until he recognises them by their inferior size. Their flight is continued through the night, and by the Ist of October none are to be found in the Middle States. The young acquire the full colouring of their plumage before they leave us for the south. The flesh of this bird is delicate and savoury. Many are shot along the Mississippi, not because these birds eat bees, but because the French of Louisiana are fond of bee-eaters. I have seen some of these birds that had the shafts of the tail-feathers reaching a quarter of an inch beyond the end of the webs. I have placed a male and a female Field Martin on a twig of the Cot- ton-wood Tree. This plant is very appropriately named, for not only are the grape-like bunches of seeds filled with a beautiful soft cottony substance, but the wood can scarcely be sawed on account of the looseness of its inner fibres. It grows to a great height and size, particularly along the shores of the Mississippi and Ohio, and in all alluvial grounds to the west of the Alleghany Mountains. It is principally used for fire- wood and fence-rails, but is of indifferent quality for either purpose. Muscicapa TYRANNUS, Briss. vol. ii. p. 391.-—-Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 66. Lantus Tyrannus, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 136.—Zath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. $1. Tyrant Surike, Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 184. Tyrant Fry-catcHer, Muscicapa TYRANNUS, Wiis. Amer. Ornith. vol.i i. p. 66. Pl. 13. fig. 1. Adult Male. Plate LX XIX. Fig. 1. Bill of moderate length, rather stout, subtrigonal, depressed at the base, straight ; upper mandible with the dorsal outline nearly straight, and sloping to near the tip, which is deflected and acute, the edges sharp and overlapping ; lower mandible with the back broad, the sides slant- ing, the end slightly declinate. Nostrils basal, lateral, roundish, partly TYRANT FLY-CATCHER. 407 covered by the bristly feathers. Head rather large, neck stout, body ovate. Feet rather short; tarsus covered anteriorly with a few scutella, compressed, acute behind, about the same length as the middle toe ; toes free, scutellate above; claws arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft, blended, glossy. Basirostral bristles long, directed outwards. Feathers of the head narrow, elongated, and erectile, forming a short longitudinal tuft. Wings rather long, the second and third quills longest. Tail rather long, even, of twelve broadly acuminate feathers. Bill black. Iris dark brown. Feet greyish-blue. The general cc- lour of the upper parts is dark bluish-grey, the head darker. Feathers along the middle of the crown forming a rich flame-coloured patch, mar- gined with yellow. Quills brownish-black, as are the coverts, which, to- gether with the secondary quills, are externally margined and tipped with dull white. Tail brownish-black, deeper towards the end, each feather largely tipped with white, of which colour also is part of the outer web of the lateral feathers. Under parts greyish-white, throat and fore-neck pure white, the breast tinged with ash-grey, Length 83 inches, extent of wings 144; bill along the ridge 3, along the gap 1. Adult Female. Plate LX XIX. Fig. 2. The female is duller in colouring; the upper parts being lighter and tinged with brown, the under parts more dusky, the orange spot on the head smaller and not so bright, and the white tip of the tail less pure and not so extensive. THE CorTon-woop. Populus canpicans, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 806. Pursh. Fl. Amer. vol. ii. p. 618. Mich. Arbr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. vol. iii. Pl. 13.—Dracra ocTanpria, Linn. AMENTACE, Juss. This species of Poplar is distinguished by its broadly cordate, acumi- nate, unequally and obtusely serrated, venous leaves ; hairy petioles, re- sinous buds, and round twigs. The leaves are dark green above, whitish beneath. The resinous substance with which the buds are covered has an agreeable smell. The bark is smooth, of a greenish tint. : ( 408 ) THE PRAIRIE TITLARK. ANTHUS PIPIENS. PLATE LXXX. Mate. I snot two of these birds whilst traversing one of the extensive prairies of our North-western States. Five of them had been running along the foot-path before me, for some time. I at first looked upon them as of the Common Brown Titlark species (Anthus Spinoletta), but as they rose on the wing, the difference of their notes struck me, and, shooting at them, I had the good fortune to kill two, which I discovered, on examination, to be of a new and distinct species, although in the general appearance of their plumage they were very nearly allied to the Brown Titlark. The rest I pursued in vain, and was forced to abandon the chase on account of the approach of night, and the necessity of preparing for rest after a long walk. The flight of the Prairie Titlark is irregular, and performed by jerks, although greatly protracted, when the bird is pursued or frightened. At short intervals these birds plunged through the air, came towards the ground, and flew close over the prairie, as if about to alight, and again rising, made a large circuit. In this manner they continued all the time I saw them on wing. Whilst on the ground they ran briskly, vibrating their tail, whenever they stopped, and picking up the insects near them. The notes of the Prairie Titlark are clear and sharp, consisting of a number of tweets, the last greatly prolonged. The two individuals which I procured proved to be males. They seemed to be in imperfect plumage, it being then the month of October, and the crescent on their breast not being so distinctly defined at the surface, as it was deeper among the feathers. Of their mode of nestling, and other habits, I can say nothing, as I never happened to meet with another individual of the species. ANTHUS PIPIENS. Male. Plate LXXX. Bill straight, slender, compressed, acuminate; upper mandible cari- nated at the base, rounded on the sides, the edges inflected towards the PRAIRIE TITLARK. 409 tip, which is slightly declinate and notched ; lower mandible ascending in its dorsal outline. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half closed above by a membrane. The general form slender. Feet of ordinary length ; tarsus slender, compressed ; toes free ; claws of the fore toes arched, com- pressed, acute, of the hind toe very long, subulate-compressed, nearly straight, Plumage soft, blended. Wings of ordinary length, first, second, and third quills longest, the secondaries notched at the tip. Tail long, emar- ginate. ; Bill dark brown, the under mandible orange at the base. Iris hazel. Feet brownish-black. The general colour of the upper parts is dull olive-brown; a brownish-white line over the eye; auricular coverts blackish. Under parts pale yellowish-grey ; an obscure lunule of brown- ish-black on the fore neck, the lower part of which, and the sides, are streaked with dark brown, and tinged with reddish-brown. Length 64 inches, bill along the ridge 4, along the gap 3; tarsus 4, middle toe 3, hind toe ?. r Parox supurata, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. i. p. $42. Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 151.— PentTanpria Monoeynt, Linn. PoLEmonta, Juss. Czespitose, pubescent ; leaves linear, pungent, ciliate ; corymbs few- flowered ; pedicels trifid; divisions of the corolla wedge-shaped, emargi- nate; teeth of the calyx subulate, scarcely shorter than the tube of the corolla. The flowers are pink, with a purple star in the centre. It grows in rocky places, and on barren, gravelly ground, flowering through the summer. | ( 410°) THE ORIGINAL PAINTER. As Iwas lounging one fair and very warm morning on the Levee at New Orleans, I chanced to observe a gentleman, whose dress and other accompaniments greatly attracted my attention. I wheeled about, and followed him for a short space, when, judging by every thing about him that he was a true original, I accosted him. But here, kind reader, let me give you some idea of his exterior. His head was covered-by a straw hat, the brim of which might cope with those worn by the fair. sex'in: 1830; his neck was exposed to the wea- ther; the broad frill of a shirt, then fashionable, flapped about his breast, whilst an extraordinary collar, carefully arranged, fell over the top of his coat. The latter was ofa light. green colour, harmonizing well with a pair, of flowing yellow nankeen trowsers, and a pink waistcoat, from the bosom of which, amidst a large bunch of the splendid flowers of the Magnolia, protruded part of a young alligator, which seemed more anxious to glide through the muddy waters of some retired swamp, than to spend its life swinging to and fro among folds of the finest lawn. The gentleman held in one hand a cage full of richly-plumed Nonpareils, whilst in the other he sported a silk umbrella, on which I could plainly read “ Stolen from I,” these words: being .painted in large white characters. He walked as if conscious of his own importance, that is, with a good deal of pomposity, singing “ My love is but. a lassie yet,” and that with such thorough imitation of the Scotch emphasis, that had not his physiognomy brought to my mind a denial of his being from “ within a mile of Edinburgh,” I should, have put: him down in my journal for a true Scot. | But no:—his tournure, nay,. the very. shape of his: visage, pronounced him an American, from the farthest parts of our eastern At- lantic shores. All this raised my curiosity to such a height, that I accosted him with “ Pray, Sir, will you allow me to examine the birds you have in that cage?” The gentleman stopped, straightened his body, almost closed his left eye, then spread his legs apart, and, with a look altogether quizzical, answered, “‘ Birds, Sir, did you say birds?” I nodded, and he continued, ‘“‘ What the devil do you know about birds, Sir ?” Reader, this answer brought a blush into my face. I felt as if caught THE ORIGINAL PAINTER. 41] in a trap, for I was struck by the force of the gentleman’s question ; which, by the way, was not much in discordance with a not unusual mode of granting an answer in the United States. Sure enough, thought I, little or perhaps nothing do I know of the nature of those beautiful denizens of the air; but the next moment vanity gave me a pinch, and urged me to conceive that I knew at least as much about birds~as the august personage in my presence. _ “ Sir,” replied I, “ Iam a student of nature, and admire her works, from the noblest figure of man to the crawling reptile which you have in your bosom.” “ Ah!” replied he, ‘¢ a-a-a naturalist, I presume!” “ Just so, my good Sir,” was my answer. The gentleman gave me the cage; and I observed from the corner of one of my eyes, that his were cunningly inspecting my face. I examined the pretty finches as long as I wished, returned the cage, made a low bow, and was about to proceed on my walk, when this odd sort of being asked. me a question quite accordant with my desire of knowing more of him: ‘ Will you come with me, Sir? If you will, you shall see some more curious birds, some of which are from different parts of :the»world. I keep quite a collection.” I assured him I should feel. gratified, and accompanied him to his lodgings. We entered a long room, where, to my surprise, the first objects: that attracted my attention were a large easel, with a full length unfinished portrait upon it, a table with pallets and pencils, and a number of: pic- tures of various sizes placed along the walls. Several. cages containing birds were hung near the windows, and two. young gentlemen. were busily engaged in copying some finished: portraits. .1.was delighted with all I saw. Each picture spoke for itself: the drawing, the colouring, the hand- ling, the composition, and the keeping—all proved, that, whoever. was the artist, he certainly was possessed of superior talents. I.did not know if my companion was the painter of the picture, but as we say in America, I strongly cuessed, and - without waiting any longer, paid him the compliments which I thought he fairly. deserved. ‘* Aye,” said he, “ the world is pleased with my work, I wish-I were so too, but time and industry are required as well as-talents,..to make a good artist. If you will examine. the birds, . [ll to my~-labour.” . So saying, the artist took up his pallet, and was searching-for a rest-stick, but not finding the one with which he usually supported: his hand, -he drew the rod of a gun, and was about to sit, when he ‘suddenly:threw down his implements onthe table, and, taking. the gun, walked to 412 THE ORIGINAL PAINTER. me, and asked if “I had ever seen a percussion-lock.” I had not, for’ that improvement was not yetin vogue. He not only explained the supe- riority of the lock in question, but undertook to prove that it was capable of acting effectually under water. The bell was rung, a flat basin of water was produced, the gun was charged with powder, and the lock fairly immersed. The report terrified. the birds, causing them to beat against the gilded walls of their prisons. I remarked this to the artist. He replied, ‘‘ The devil take the birds !—more of them in the market ; why, Sir, I wish to shew you that I am a marksman as well as a painter.” The easel was cleared of the large picture, rolled to the further end of the room, and placed against thewall. The gun was loaded in a trice, and the painter, counting ten steps from the easel, and taking aim at the supporting-pin on the left, fired. The bullet struck the head of the wooden pin fairly, and sent the splinters in all directions. ‘‘ A bad shot, sir,” said this ex- traordinary person, “ the ball ought to have driven the pin farther into the hole, but it struck on one side; I'll try at the hole itself.” After re- loading his piece, the artist took aim again, and fired. The bullet this time had accomplished its object, for it had passed through the aperture, and hit the wall behind. “ Mr dows,” said the painter, and turning to me, continued, “ Sir, I will shew » ring the bell and close the win- you the ne plus ultra of shooting.” I was quite amazed, and yet so de- lighted, that I bowed my assent. A servant having appeared, a lighted candle was ordered. When it arrived, the artist placed it in a proper position, and retiring some yards, put out the light with a bullet, in the manner which I have elsewhere, in this volume, described. When light was restored, I observed the uneasiness of the poor little alligator, as it strove to effect its escape from the artist’s waistcoat. I mentioned this to him. <“ True, true,” he replied, “I had quite forgot the reptile, he shall have a dram ;” and unbuttoning his vest, unclasped a small chain, and placed the alligator in the basin of water on the. table. Perfectly satisfied with the acquaintance which I had formed with this renowned artist, I wished to withdraw, fearing I might inconvenience him by my presence. But my time was not yet come. He bade me sit down, and paying no more attention to the young pupils in the room than if they had been a couple of cabbages, said, “ If you have leisure and will stay awhile, I will shew you how I paint, and will relate to you an in- cident of my life, which will prove to you how sadly situated an artist is at times.” In full expectation that more eccentricities were to be witness- THE ORIGINAL PAINTER. 413 ed, or that the story would prove a valuable one, even to a naturalist, who is seldom a painter, I seated myself at his side, and observed with interest how adroitly he transferred the colours from his glistening pallet to the canvas before him. I was about to compliment him on his facility of touch, when he spoke as follows : “ This is, sir, or, I ought to say rather, this will be the portrait of one of our best navy officers,a man as brave as Cassar, and as good a sailor as ever walked the deck of aseventy-four. Do you paint, Sir?” I replied “Not yet.” ‘Not yet! what do you mean?” ‘I mean what I say: I intend to paint as soon as I can draw better than I do at present.” ‘“ Good,” said he, “ you are quite right, to draw is the first object ; but, sir, if you should ever paint, and paint portraits, you will often meet with difficulties. For instance, the brave Commodore, of whom this is the portrait, although an excellent man at every thing else, is the worst sit- ter I ever saw; and the incident I promised to relate to you, as one cu- rious enough, is connected with his bad mode of sitting. Sir, I forgot to ask if you would take any refreshment—a glass of wine, or ice | assured him I needed nothing more than his agreeable company, and he proceeded. ‘ Well, Sir, the first morning that the Commodore came to sit, he was in full uniform, and with his sword at his side. After a few moments of conversation, and when all was ready on my part, I bade him ascend this throne, place himself in the attitude which I contemplated, and assume an air becoming an officer of the navy.” He mounted, placed himself as I had desired, but merely looked at me as if I had been a block of stone. I waited a few minutes, when, observing no change on his placid countenance, I ran the chalk over the canvas, to form a rough outline. This done, I looked up to his face again, and opened a conversation which I thought would warm his warlike nature; but in vain. I waited and waited, talked and talked, until my patience—Sir, you must know I am not overburdened with phlegm—being almost run out, I rose, threw my pallet and brushes on the floor, stamped, walking to and fro about the room, and vociferated such calumnies against our navy, that I startled the good Commodore. He still looked at me with a placid countenance, and, as he has told me since, thought I had lost my senses. But I observed him all the while, and, fully as determined to carry my point, as he would be to carry off an enemy’s ship, I gave my oaths additional emphasis, addressed him as a representative of the navy, and, steering somewhat clear of personal insult, played off my batteries 414 THE ORIGINAL PAINTER. against the craft. The Commodore walked up to me, placed his hand on the hilt of ‘his sword, and told me, in a resolute manner, that if I in- tended to insult the navy, he would instantly cut off my ears. His fea- tures exhibited all the spirit and animation of his noble nature, and as I had now succeeded in rousing the lion, I judged it time to retreat. So, changing my tone, I begged his pardon, and told him he now looked precisely as I wished torepresent him. He laughed, and returning to his seat, assumed a bold countenance. And now, Sir, see the picture ?” At some future period, I may present you with other instances of the odd ways in which this admired artist gave animation to his sitters. For the present, kind reader, we shall leave him finishing the Commodore, while we return to our proper studies. ( 415) THE FISH HAWK, OR OSPREY. PLATE LXXXI. Mate. CompaRrinec the great size of this bird, its formidable character, its powerful and protracted flight, and the dexterity with which, although a land bird, it procures-its prey from the waters of the ocean, with the very inferior powers of the bird named the Kingsfisher, I should be tempted to search for a more appropriate appellation than that of Fish-Hawk, and, were I not a member of a republic, might fancy that of Zmperial Fisher more applicable to it. The habits of this famed bird differ so materiality from those of almost all others of its genus, that an accurate description of them cannot fail to be highly interesting to the student of nature. The Fish Hawk may be looked upon as having more of a social dis- position than most other Hawks. Indeed, with the exception of the Swallow-tailed Hawk (Falco furcatus), I know none so gregarious in its habits. It migrates in numbers, both during spring, when it shews itself along our Atlantic shores, lakes, and rivers, and during autumn, when it retires to warmer climes. At these seasons, it appears in flocks of eight or ten individuals, following the windings of cur shores in loose bodies, advancing in easy sailings or flappings, crossing each other in their gyra- tions. During the period of their stay in the United States, many pairs are seen nestling, rearing their young, and seeking their food, within so short a distance of each other, that while following the margins of our eastern shores, a Fish Hawk or a nest ane to the species, may be met with at every short interval. The Fish Hawk may be said to be of a mild disposition. Not only do these birds live in perfect harmony together, but they even allow other birds of very different character to approach so near to them as to build their nests of the very materials of which the outer parts of their own are constructed. I have never observed a Fish Hawk chasing any other bird whatever. So pacific and timorous is it, that, rather than encounter a foe but little more powerful than itself, it abandons its prey to the White- headed Eagle, which, next to man, is its greatest enemy. It never forces its young from the nest, as some other Hawks do, but, on the contrary, 416 FISH HAWK. is seen to feed them even when they have begun to procure food for themselves. Notwithstanding all these facts, a most erroneous idea prevails among our fishermen, and the farmers along our coasts, that the Fish Hawk’s nest is the best scare-crow they can have in the vicinity of their houses or grounds. As these good people affirm, no Hawk will attempt to commit depredations on their poultry, so long as the Fish Hawk remains in the country. But the absence of most birds of prey from those parts at the time when the Fish Hawk is on our coast, arises simply from the neces- sity of retiring to the more sequestered parts of the interior for the pur- pose of rearing their young in security, and the circumstance of their vi- siting the coasts chiefly at the period when myriads of water-fowl resort to our estuaries at the approach of winter, leaying the shores and _salt- marshes at the return of spring, when the Fish Hawk arrives. However, as this notion has a tendency to protect the latter bird, it may be so far useful, the fisherman always interposing when he sees a person bent upon the destruction of his favourite bird. The Fish Hawk differs from all birds of prey in. another Fingal particular, which is, that it never attempts to secure its prey in the air, although its rapidity of flight might induce an observer to suppose it per- fectly able to do so. I have spent weeks on the Gulf of Mexico, where these birds are numerous, and have observed them sailing and plung- ing into the water, at a time when numerous shoals of flying-fish were emerging from the sea to evade the pursuit of the dolphins. Yet the Fish Hawk never attempted to pursue any of them while above the surface,. but would plunge after one of them or a bonita-fish, after they had resumed their usual mode of swimming near the surface. The motions of the Fish Hawk in the air are graceful, and as majes- tic as those of the Eagle. It rises with ease to a great height by exten- sive circlings, performed apparently by mere inclinations of the wings and tail. It dives at times to some distance with the wings partially closed, and resumes its sailing, as if these plunges were made for amusement only. Its wings are extended at right angles to the body, and when thus flying it is easily distinguishable from all other Hawks by the eye of an observer accustomed to note the flight of birds. Whilst in search of food, it flies with easy flappings at a moderate height above the water, and with an. apparent listlessness, although in reality it is keenly observing the ob- jects beneath. No sooner does it spy a fish suited to its taste, than it 2 FISH HAWK. Al7 checks its course with a sudden shake of its wings and tail, which gives it the appearance of being poised in the air for a moment, after which it plunges headlong with great rapidity into the water, to secure its prey, or continue its flight, if disappointed by having observed the fish sink deeper. When it plunges into the water in pursuit of a fish, it sometimes pro- ceeds deep enough to disappear for an instant. The surge caused by its - descent is so great as to make the spot around it present the appearance of amass of foam. On rising with its prey, it is seen holding it in the manner represented in the Plate. It mounts a few yards into the air, shakes the water from its plumage, squeezes the fish with its talons, and immediately proceeds towards its nest, to feed its young, or to a tree, to devour the fruit of its industry in peace. When it has satisfied its hunger, it does not, like other Hawks, stay perched until hunger again urges it forth, but usually sails about at a great height over the neighbouring waters. The Fish Hawk has a great attachment to the tree to which it carries its prey, and will not abandon it, unless frequently disturbed, or shot at whilst feeding there. It shews the same attachment to the tree on which it has built its first nest, and returns to it year after year. _ This species arrives on the southern coasts of the United States early in the month of February, and proceeds eastward as the season advances. In the Middle Districts, the fishermen hail its appearance with joy, as it is the harbinger of various species of fish which resort to the Atlantic coasts, or ascend the numerous rivers. It arrives in the Middle States about the beginning of April, and returns southward at the first appear- ance of frost. I have occasionally seen a few of these birds on the muddy lakes of Louisiana, in the neighbourhood of New Orleans, during the winter months; but they appeared emaciated, and were probably unable to follow their natural inclinations, and proceed farther south. As soon as the females make their appearance, which happens eight or ten days after the arrival of the males, the love-season commences, and soon after, incubation takes place. The loves of these birds are conducted in a different way from those of the other Falcons. The males are seen playing through the air amongst themselves, chasing each other in sport, or sailing by the side or after the female which they have selected, uttering cries of joy and exultation, alighting on the branches of the tree on which their last year’s nest is yet seen remaining, and doubtless congratulating na 418 FISH HAWK. each other on finding their home again. Their caresses are mutual. They begin to augment their habitation, or to repair the injuries which it may have sustained during the winter, and are seen sailing together to- wards the shores, to collect the drifted sea-weeds with which they line the nest anew. They alight on the beach, search for the driest and largest | weeds, collect a mass of them, clench them in their talons, and fly towards their nest with the materials dangling beneath. They both alight and labour together. In a fortnight the nest is complete, and the female de- posits her eggs, which are three or four in number, of a broadly oval form, yellowish-white, densely covered with large irregular spots of red- dish-brown. The nest is generally placed in a large tree in the immediate vicinity of the water, whether along the seashore, on the margins of the inland lakes, or by some large river. It is, however, sometimes to be seen in the interior of a wood, a mile or more from the water. I have concluded that, in the latter case, it was on account of frequent disturbance,: or at- tempts at destruction, that the birds had removed from their usual haunt. The nest is very large, sometimes measuring fully four feet across, and is composed of a quantity of materials sufficient to render its depth equal to its diameter. Large sticks, mixed with sea-weeds, tufts of strong grass, and other materials, form its exterior, while the interior is composed of sea- weeds and finer grasses. I have not observed that any particular species of tree is preferred by the Fish Hawk. It places its nest in the forks of an oak or a pine with equal pleasure. But I have observed that the tree chosen is usually of considerable size, and not unfrequently a decayed one. I dare not, however, affirm that the juices of the plants which compose the nest, ever become so detrimental to the growth of a tree as ultimately to kill it. In a few instances, I have seen the Fish Crow and the Purple Grakle raising their families in nests built by them among the outer sticks of the Fish Hawk’s nest. The male assists in incubation, during the continuance of which the one bird supplies the other with food, although each in turn goes in quest of some for itself. At such times the male bird is now and then observed rising to an immense height in the air, over the spot where his mate is seated. This he does by ascending almost in a direct line, by means of continued flappings, meeting the breeze with his white breast, and occa- sionally uttering a cackling kind of note, by which the bystander is enabled to follow him in his progress. When the Fish Hawk has at- FISH HAWK. . 419 tained its utmost elevation, which is sometimes such that the eye can no longer perceive him, he utters a loud shriek, and dives smoothly on half- extended wings towards his nest. But before he reaches it, he is seen to expand his wings and tail, and in this manner he glides towards his be- loved female, in a beautifully curved line. The female partially raises herself from her eggs, emits a low cry, resumes her former posture, and her delighted partner flies off to the sea, to seek a favourite fish for her whom he loves. The young are at length hatched. The parents become more and more attached to them, as they grow up. Abundance of food is procured to favour their development. So truly parental becomes the attachment of the old birds, that an attempt to rob them of those dear fruits of their love, generally proves more dangerous than profitable. Should it be made, the old birds defend their brood with great courage and persever- ance, and even sometimes, with extended claws and bill, come in contact with the assailant, who is glad to make his escape with a sound skin. The young are fed until fully fledged, and often after they have left the nest, which they do apparently with great reluctance. I have seen some as large as the parents, filling the nest, and easily distinguished by the white margins of their upper plumage, which may be seen with a good - glass at a considerable distance. So much fish is at times carried to the nest, that a quantity of it falls to the ground, and is left there to putrify around the foot of the tree. Only one brood is raised each season. The Fish Hawk seldom alights on the ground, and when it does. so, walks with difficulty, and in an extremely awkward manner. The only occasions on which it is necessary for them to alight, are when they collect materials for the purpose of repairing their nest at the approach of autumn, or for building a new one, or repairing the old, in spring. I have found this bird in various parts of the interior of the United States, but always in the immediate neighbourhood of rivers or lakes. When I first removed to Louisville in Kentucky, several pairs were in the habit of raising their brood annually on a piece of ground immediate- ly opposite the foot of the Falls of the Ohioin the State of Indiana. The ground belonged to the venerable General Cuarx, and I was several times invited by him to visit the spot. Increasing population, however, has driven off the birds, and few are now seen on the Ohio, unless during their migrations to and from Lake Erie, where I have met with them, I have observed many of these birds at the approach of winter, sail- pdQ 420 z FISH HAWK. ing over the lakes near the Mississippi, where they feed on the fish which the Wood Ibis kills, the Hawks themselves being unable to discover them whilst alive in the muddy water with which these lakes are filled. There the Ibises wade among the water in immense flocks, and so trample the bottom as to convert the lakes into filthy puddles, in which the fishes are unable to respire with ease. They rise to the surface, and are in- stantly killed by the Ibises. The whole surface is sometimes covered in this manner with dead fish, so that not only are the Ibises plentifully supplied, but Vultures, Eagles and Fish Hawks, come to participate in the spoil. Except in such places, and on such occasions, I have not ob- served the Fish Hawk to eat of any other prey than that which it had procured by plunging headlong into the water after it. I have frequently heard it asserted that the Fish Hawk is sometimes drawn under the water and drowned, when it has attempted to seize a fish which is too strong for it, and that some of these birds have been found sticking by their talons to the back of Sturgeons and other large fishes. But, as nothing of this kind ever came under my observation, I am unable to corroborate these reports, The roosting place of this bird is generally on the top-branches of the tree on which its nest is placed, or of one close to it. : Fish Hawks are very plentiful on the coast of New Jersey, near Great Egg Harbour, where I have seen upwards of fifty of their nests in the course of a day’s walk, and where I have shot several in the course of a morning. When wounded, they defend themselves in the manner usually exhibited by Hawks, erecting the feathers of the head, and try- ing to strike with their powerful talons and bill, whilst they remain pros- trate on their back. The largest fish which I have seen this bird take out of the water, was a Weak-Fish, such as is represented in the plate, but sufficiently large to weigh more than five pounds. The bird carried it into the air with difficulty, and dropped it, on hearing the report of a shot fired at it. Fatco Hat1aetvs, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 129.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 17. Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 26. Carorina Osprey, Lath. Synops. vol. i, p. 74. Fisx Hawk, Fatco Hatrartus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. v. p. 13. Pl. 5. fig. 1. Adult Male. Plate LXXXI. FISH HAWK. 42] Bill short, as broad as deep at the base, the sides convex, dorsal outline straight at the base, curved towards the end; upper mandible cerate, the edges acute, with a festoon at the curvature, the tip trigo- nal, deflected, very acute ; lower mandible inflected at the edges, which are slightly arched, the tip obtusely truncate, the dorsal line slightly con- cave at the base, convex towards the end. Nostrils oval, oblique, lateral, in the fore part of the cere. Head rather large. Body robust. Legs rather long; tarsus short, remarkably thick, covered all round with hexagonal scales; toes also remarkably thick, the outer versatile, covered anteriorly with broad, laterally with small hexagonal scales ; claws curved, roundish, very acute. Plumage compact, imbricated ; feathers of the head and neck narrow, of the back broad and rounded, of the breast also rounded. Tibial feathers short, tarsus feathered anteriorly one-third down. Wings very long, acute, the third quill longest, the second and fourth equal, the first not much shorter. ‘Tail rather long, of twelve broad, rounded feathers: Bill brownish-black, blue at the base and margin; cere light-blue. Iris yellow. Feet pale greyish-blue, tinged with brown; claws black. The general colour of the upper parts is dusky brown, the tail barred with pale brown. ‘The upper part of the head and neck white, the middle part of the crown dark brown. A broad band of the latter colour from the bill down the side of the neck on each side. Under parts of the neck ‘brownish white, streaked with dark brown. Under parts generally white. Anterior tarsal feathers tinged with brown. . Length 23 inches, extent of wings 54; bill along the back 2; tarsus 21, middle toe 3. Spill Tue Weak F isu. The Weak Fish makes its appearance along our eastern shores about the middle of April, and remains until autumn. It is caught in the seine, and sold in our markets, being a delicate well-flavoured fish. It seldom attains any remarkable size. It is particularly plentiful about Great Egg Harbour, in New Jersey. W HIP-POOR-WILL. 'APRIMULGUS VOCIFERUS, WILS. PLATE LXXXII. Mate anp FEMALE. Tuts bird makes its appearance in most parts of our Western and Southern Districts, at the approach of spring, but is never heard, and in- deed scarcely ever seen, in the State of Louisiana. The more barren and mountainous parts of the Union seem to suit it best. Accordingly, the open Barrens of Kentucky, and the country through which the Alle- ghany ridges pass, are more abundantly supplied with it than any other regions. Yet, wherever a small tract of country, thinly covered with timber, occurs in the Middle Districts, there the Whip-poor-will is heard during the spring and early autumn. This species of Night-jar, like its relative the Chuck-will’s-widow, is seldom seen during the day, unless when accidentally discovered in a state of repose, when, if startled, it rises and flies off, but only to such a dis- tance as it considers necessary, in order to secure it from the farther in- trusion of the disturber of its noon-day slumbers. Its flight is very low, light, swift, noiseless, and protracted, as the bird moves over the places which it inhabits, in pursuit of the moths, beetles and other insects, of which its food is composed. During the day, it sleeps on the ground, the lowest branches of small trees and bushes, or the fallen trunks of trees so abundantly dispersed through the woods. In such situations, you may approach within a few feet of it; and, should you observe it whilst asleep, and not make any noise sufficient to alarm it, it will suffer you to pass quite near it, without taking flight, as it seems to sleep with great soundness, especially about the middle of the day. In rainy or very cloudy weather, it sleeps less, and is more on the alert. Its eyes are then kept open for hours at a time, and it flies off as soon as it discovers an enemy approaching, which it can do, at such times, at a distance of twenty or thirty yards. It always appears with its body parallel to the direction of the branch or trunk on which it sits, and, I believe, never alights across a branch or a fence-rail. No sooner has the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, than this bird bestirs itself, and sets out in pursuit of insects. It passes low over the WHIP-POOR-WILL. 423 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 balances itself in the air, in front of the trunks of trees, or against the sides 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 motion 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. Immediately after the arrival of these birds, their notes are heard in the dusk and through the evening, in every part of the thickets, and along the skirts of the woods. They are clear and loud, and to me are ~ more interesting than those of the Nightingale. This taste I have pro- bably acquired, by listening to the Whip-poor-will in parts where Nature exhibited all her lone grandeur, and where no discordant din interrupted the repose of all around. Only think, kind reader, how grateful to me must have been the cheering voice of this my only companion, when, fatigued and hungry, after a day of unremitted toil, I have planted my camp in. the wilderness, as the darkness of night put a stop to my labours! I have often listened to the Nightingale, but never under such circum- stances, and therefore its sweetest notes have never awaked the same feeling. The Whip-poor-will continues its lively song for several hours after sunset, and then remains silent until the first dawn of day, when its notes echo through every vale, and along the declivities of the mountains, until the beams of the rising sun scatter the darkness that overhung the face of nature. Hundreds are often heard at the same time in different parts of the woods, each trying to out-do the others; and when you are told that the notes of this bird may be heard at the distance of several hundred yards, you may form an idea of the pleasure which every lover of nature must. feel during the time when this chorus is con- tinued. 424 WHIP-POOR-WILL. Description is incapable of conveying to your mind any accurate idea of the notes of this bird, much less of the feelings which they excite. Were I to tell you that they are, in fact, not strictly musical, you might be disappointed. The cry consists of three distinct notes, the first and last of which are emphatical and sonorous, the mtermediate one less so. These three notes are preceded by a low cluck, which seems preparatory to the others, and which is only heard when one is near the bird. A fancied resemblance which its notes have to the syllables whip-poor-will, has given rise to the common name of the bird. This species is easily shot, when the moon is shining, and the night clear, as you may then approach it without much caution. It is, however, difficult to hit it on wing, on account of the zig-zag lines in which it flies, as well as the late hour at which it leaves its resting-place. It is seldom killed, however, being too small to be sought as an article of food, al- though its flesh is savoury, and it is too harmless to excite dislike. It deposits its eggs about the middle of May, on the bare ground, or on dry leaves, in the most retired parts of the thickets which it frequents, They are always two in number, of a short elliptical form, much rounded, and nearly equal at both ends, of a greenish-white colour, spotted and blotched with bluish-grey, and light brown. The young burst the shell in fourteen days after the commencement of incubation, and look at first like a mouldy and almost shapeless mass, of a yellowish co- lour. When first able to fly they are of a brown colour, interspersed with patches of buff, the brown being already beautifully sprinkled with darker dots and zig-zag lines. ‘They attain their full plumage before they depart, with their parents, for the south. I think their southward migration, which is performed by night, must be very rapid, as I have never found any of these birds in Louisiana at that season, whereas they proceed slowly on their return in spring. Both birds sit on the eggs, and feed the young for a long time after they are able to fly, either on wing, in the manner of the Common House Swallow, or while perched on the fences, wood-piles, or houses. The food of the young at first consists of ants, and partially digested beetles and large moths, which the parents disgorge ; but at the end of a fortnight the parents present the food whole to the young, which then swallow it with ease. Much has been said respecting the difference existing between the Whip-poor-will and the Night Hawk, for the purpose of shewing them to be distinct species. On this subject I shall only say, that although W HIP-POOR- WILL. 425 I have known both birds from my early youth, I have seldom seen a farmer or even a boy in the United States, who did not know the dif- ference between them. It is a remarkable fact that even the largest moths on which the Whip-poor-will feeds, are always swallowed tail foremost, and when swallowed, the wings and legs are found closely laid together, and as if partially glued by the saliva or gastric juice of the bird. The act of de- glutition must be greatly aided by the long bristly feathers of the upper mandible, as these no doubt force the wings of the inseets close together, before they enter the mouth, I have represented a male and two females, as well as some of the insects on which they feed. ‘The former are placed on a branch of Red Oak, that tree being abundant, on the skirts of the Kentucky Barrens, where the Whip-poor-will is most plentiful. CaPRIMULGUS vociIFERUS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p- 62. WuHuir-PooR-WiLL, CapRIMULGUS vocIFERUS, Wiis. Amer. Ornith. vol. v. p. 71. Pl. 41. fig. 1. Male, fig. 2. Female, fig. 3. Young. Adult Male. Plate LX XXII. Fig. 1. Bill extremely short, feeble, opening to beyond the eyes, making the mouth, when open, of enormous dimensions ; upper mandible arched in its dorsal outline, very broad at the base, suddenly contracted at the tip, which is compressed and rather obtuse ; lower mandible decurved. Nos- _ trils basal, oval, prominent, covered above by a membrane. Head dis- proportionately large. Eyes and ears very large. Neck short. Body rather slender. Feet very ‘short ; tarsus partly feathered, anteriorly scutellate below; fore toes three, connected to the second joint by mem- branes, scutellate above ; ; claws depressed, arched, that of the middle toe with the inner edge expanded and pectinate. Plumage blended, soft and silky, without much gloss. Upper man- dible margined at the base with stiff bristles, much longer than the bill, — extending forwards and outwards. Wings long, narrow, the second and third quills longest. ‘Tail rather long, ample, even, of ten broad rounded feathers, Bill dark brown. Iris dark hazel. Feet reddish-purple, the scales and claws blackish. The general colour of the upper parts is dark 426 WHIP-POOR-WILL. brownish-grey, streaked and minutely sprinkled with brownish-black. Cheeks brownish-red. The quills and coverts are dark brown, spotted in bars with light brown, the tips of the former mottled with light and dark brown. Four middle tail-feathers like those of the back, the three lateral white in their terminal half, deep brown, spotted with light brown towards the base, the latter colours running along the outer web of the outermost to near the tip. Throat and breast similar to the back, with a transverse band of yellowish-white across the fore-neck; the rest of the under parts paler and mottled. Length 9 inches, extent of wings 19; bill along the ridge %, along the gap 1,5. Adult Female. Plate LX XXII. Fig. 2, 3. The female resembles the male in colouring, but the lateral tail-fea- thers are reddish-white towards the tip only, and the band across the fore-neck is pale yellowish-brown. Buack Oak oR QUERCITRON. Quercus TincToRIA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 444. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p- 629. Mich. Abr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. vel. ii. p. 110. Pl 2.—Monecia Poryanpnria, Linn. AMENTACES, Juss. Leaves obovato-oblong, sinuate, pubescent beneath, their lobes acuminate, obsoletely denticulate ; the cup scutellato-turbinate ; the acorn globular depressed. This is one of the largest trees of the United States, and attains a height from eighty to ninety feet, with a diameter of from four to five. The bark is deeply cracked, and of a black colour. The wood is reddish, coarse-grained, and not so much esteemed as that of the White Oak, and some other species. The bark is used for tanning, as well as for dyeing wool of a yellowcolour. It is generally distributed, especially in the mountainous parts. THE HOUSE WREN. TROGLODYTES DON, VIEILL. PLATE LXXXIII. Mate, Femare, anp Youne. AttuoucH Louisiana is supplied with thousands of the Great Caro- lina Wren, not a single individual of the present species is ever to be found there. It appears, indeed, that the central districts of our Atlan- tic coasts are their principal places of resort, probably because certain portions of the country are intended to be occupied by different species of the same genus. Thus, I think it highly probable that the Great Caro- lina Wren has been intended for the Southern Districts, the House Wren for the Middle States, Bewick’s Long-tailed Wren for the regions of the Rocky Mountains, and the Little Wren for our north-eastern territories, along the St Lawrence, although it also breeds in the State of New York, and even in that of Pennsylvania, where I have found it in the Great Pine Swamp. I am induced to think that a fifth spectes of Wren will yet be found within the limits of the United States. From this ar- rangement I exclude the bird called the Marsh Wren, which more pro- perly belongs to the genus Certhia. But, as.I have already said, I leave all these matters to be discussed by the system-makers. The opinion expressed by a former writer, that the House Wren occurs in the United States, is as incorrect as the assertion of a subse- quent author, that the Florida Jay is met with on the Mississippi and Ohio. During a residence of twenty years in the different States through which these great streams pass, I never saw either the one or the other of these birds. These are errors, however, which are to be attributed to the circumstance that one of the writers alluded to never visited the Southern or Western States, while the other merely passed once through them. From whence the House Wren comes, or to what parts it retires during winter, is more than I have been able to ascertain. Although it is extremely abundant in the States of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland, from the middle of April until the beginning of October, I have never been able to trace its motions, nor do I know of any naturalist in our own country, or indeed in any other, who has been more fortunate. 428 HOUSE WREN. Its flight is short, generally low, and performed by a constant tremor of the wings, without any jerks of either the body or tail, although the latter is generally seen erect, unless when the bird is singing, when it is always depressed. When passing from one place to another, during the love-season, or whilst its mate is sitting, this sweet little bird flutters still more slowly through the air, singing all the while. . It is sprightly, active, vigilant, and courageous. It delights in being near and about the gardens, ‘orchards, and the habitations of man, and is frequently found in abun- dance in the very centre of our eastern cities, where many little boxes are put up against the walls of houses, or the trunks of trees, for its accom- modation, as is also done in the country. In these it nestles and rears its young. It is seldom, however, at a loss for a breeding place, it being satisfied with any crevice or hole in the walls, the sill of a window, the eaves, the stable, the barn, or the upper side of a piece of timber, under the roof of a piazza. Now and then, its nest may be seen in the hollow branch of an apple tree. I knew of one in the pocket of an old broken- down carriage, and many in such an old hat as you see represented in the plate, which, if not already before you, I hope you will procure, and look at the little creatures anxiously peeping out or hanging to the side of the hat, to meet their mother, which has just arrived with a spider, ‘whilst the male is on the lookout, ready to interpose should any intruder come near. The same nest is often resorted to for several successive years, merely receiving a little mending. The familiarity of the House Wren is extremely pleasing. In Penn- ‘sylvania a pair of these birds had formed a nest, and the female was sit- ting in a hole of the wall, within a few inches of my (literally so-called) drawing-room. The male was continually singing within a few feet of my wife and myself, whilst I was engaged in- portraying birds of other species. When the window was open, its company was extremely agree- able, as was its little song, which continually reminded us of its happy life. It would now and then dive into the garden at the foot of the win- dow, procure food for its mate, return and creep into the hole where it had its nest, and be off again in a moment. Having procured some flies and spiders, I now and then threw some of them towards him, when he would seize them with great alacrity, eat some himself, and carry the rest to his mate. In this manner, it became daily more acquainted with us, entered the room, and once or twice sang whilst there. One morning I took it in to draw its portrait, and suddenly closing the window, easily HOUSE WREN. 429 caught it, held it in my hand, and finished its likeness, after which I re- stored it to liberty. This, however, made it more cautious, and it never again ventured within the window, although it sang and looked at us as at first. It is it which you see placed on the hat. The antipathy which the House Wren shews to cats is extreme. Although it does not attack puss, it follows and scolds her until she is out of sight. In the same manner, it makes war on the Martin, the Blue Bird and the House Swallow, the nest of any of which it does not scru- ple to appropriate to itself, whenever occasion offers. Its own nest is formed of dry crooked twigs, so Interwoven as scarcely to admit entrance to any other bird. Within this outer frame-work grasses are arranged in a circular manner, and the whole is warmly lined with feathers and other equally soft materials. The eggs are five or six, of a regularly oval form, and uniform pale reddish colour. Two broods are raised in the season. The male seems to delight in attempting to surpass in vocal powers others of his species, during the time of incubation ; and is frequently seen within sight of another, straining his little throat, and gently turn- ing his body from side to side, as if pivoted on the upper joints of his legs. For a moment he conceives the musical powers of his rival supe- rior to his own, and darts towards him, when a battle ensues, which over, he immediately resumes his song, whether he has been the conqueror or not. When the young issue from the nest, it is interesting to see them fol- low the parents amongst the currant bushes in the gardens, like so many mice, hopping from twig to twig, throwing their tail ‘upwards, and put- ting their bodies into a hundred different positions, all studied from the parents, whilst the latter are heard scolding, even without cause, but as if to prevent the approach of enemies, so anxious are they for the safety of their progeny. They leave Pennsylvania about the Ist of October. © TROGLODYTES ZDON, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 92. HovsE WReEv, Sytvia pomEstica, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 129, Pl. 8, fig. 3. Adult Male. Plate LX XXIII. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, slender, acute, subtrigonal at the base, compressed towards the tip; upper mandible with the ridge ob- tuse, the sides convex towards the end, concave at the base, the edges 430 HOUSE WREN. acute and overlapping ; under mandible with the back and sides convex. Nostrils oblong, straight, basal, with a cartilaginous lid above, open and bare. Head ovate, eyes of moderate size, neck of ordinary length, body ovate, nearly equal in breadth and depth. Legs of ordinary length ; tarsus longer then the middle toe, compressed, covered anteriorly with six scutella, posteriorly with a long plate forming an acute angle. Toes scutellate above, inferiorly granulate, second and fourth nearly equal, the hind toe almost equal to the middle one, third and fourth uni- ted as far as the second joint ; claws long, slender, acute, arcuate, much compressed. Plumage soft, tufty, slightly glossed. No bristly feathers about the beak. Wings shortish, broad, rounded : first quill half the length of the second, which is very little shorter than the third and fourth. Tail of ordinary length, of twelve narrow, lax feathers. Bill dark brown above, yellowish-brown beneath. Iris hazel. Feet flesh-colour. ‘The general colour of the upper parts is reddish-brown, darker on the head, brighter on the tail-coverts, indistinctly barred with dark brown; wings and tail undulatingly banded, tips of the larger wing-coverts whitish. A yellowish-grey line from the upper mandible over the eye; cheeks of the same colour, mottled with brownish-red. Under parts brownish-grey ; sides barred with brown, as are the under tail-coverts. z : Length 44 inches, extent of wings 53; bill along the ridge 4, along the gap 3; tarsus $, middle toe {%. Adult Female. Plate LXX XIII. Fig. 2. The female scarcely differs from the male in external appearance. Young Birds. Plate LX XXIII. Fig. 3. The young are of a lighter brown, more indistinctly barred, but re- semble the old birds in the general distribution of their colouring. - This species differs from the Winter Wren, chiefly in having the bill a little stouter, the tail considerably longer, and the under parts less distinctly barred. Cia 5 THE BLUE-GREY FLY-CATCHER. MuScICAPA C@&RULEA, WIL1s. PLATE LXXXIV. Mace anp FEMALE. 'Tuts diminutive lively bird is rendered peculiarly conspicuous by its being frequently the nurse or foster-parent of the young Cow Bunting, the real mother of which drops her egg in its nest. A few individuals of this species remain in Louisiana during spring and summer, and breed there ;-but the greater number proceed far eastward, and spread over the United States, although they are not common in any part. _ The Blue-grey Fly-catcher arrives in the neighbourhood of New Or- leans about the middle of March, when it is observed along the water- courses, flitting about and searching diligently, amidst the branches of the Golden Willow, for the smaller kinds of winged insects, devouring amongst others great numbers of moschettoes. Its flight resembles that of the Long-tailed Titmouse of Europe. It moves to short distances, vi- brating its tail while on wing, and, on alighting, is frequently seen hang- ing to the buds and bunches of leaves, at the extremities of the branches of trees. It seldom visits the interior of the forests, in any portion of our country, but prefers the skirts of woods along damp or swampy places, and the borders of creeks, pools, or rivers. It seizes insects on wing with great agility, snapping its bill like a true Fly-catcher, now and then making little sallies after a group of those diminutive flies that seem as if dancing in the air, and cross each other in their lines of flight, in a thousand various ways. When it has alighted, its tail is constantly erected, its wings droop, and it utters at intervals its low and uninteresting notes, which resemble the sounds 7'see, T'sce. It seldom if ever alights on the ground, and when thirsty prefers procuring water from the extremities of branches, or sips the rain or dewdrops from the ends of the leaves. Its nest is composed of the frailest materials, and is light and small in proportion to the size of the bird. It is formed of portions of dried leaves, the husks of buds, the silky fibres of various plants and flowers, and light grey lichens, and is lined with fibres of Spanish Moss or horse- 432 BLUE-GREY FLY-CATCHER. hair. I have found these nests always attached to two slender twigs of . Willow. The eggs are four or five, pure white, with a few reddish dots at the larger end. ‘Two broods are reared in a season. The young and old hunt and migrate together, passing amongst the tops of the highest trees, from one to another. They leave the State of Louisiana in the be- ginning of October, the Middle States about the middle of September. I have seen some. of these birds on the border line of Upper Canada, along the shores of Lake Erie. I have also observed them in Kentucky, Indiana, and along the Arkansas River. In the plate is represented, along with a pair of these delicate birds, a twig of one of our most valuable trees, with its pendulous blossoms. This tree, the Black Walnut, grows in almost every part of the United States, in the richest soils, and attains a great height and diameter. The wood is used for furniture of all sorts, receives a fine polish, and is ex- tremely durable. The stocks of muskets are generally made of it. ‘The Black Walnut is plentiful in all the alluvial grounds in the vicinity of our rivers. he fruit is contained in a very hard shell, and is thought good by many people. Syxvra cervtEA, Lath, Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 540.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 85. MoraciLua ca@rvueEa, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 337. Ca@rvuLean WarBLER, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 490. : Buive-crey Fry-catcHEer, Muscrcapa c@rucea, Wils. Amer. Ornith, vol. ii. p. 164. PL 18. fig. 5. Adult Male. Plate LXXXIV. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, straight, subulato-conical, depressed at the base, acute; upper mandible with the edges acute and overlapping, notched close to the end, the tip slightly declinate. Head rather large. Neck short, body ovate. Legs of ordinary length; tarsus slender, compressed, scutellate be- fore, acute behind ; toes free, scutellate ; claws arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft, blended, tufty. Basirostral bristles distinct. Wings short, much curved, the third quill longest. Tail longish, rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. - Bill bluish-black. Iris hazel. Feet greyish-blue. The general co- lour of the upper parts is bright blue, approaching to ultramarine, deeper on the head, and fading on the tail-coverts. Quills and primary coverts BLUE-GREY FLY-CATCHER. 433 brownish-black, margined externally with blue ; secondary coverts slight- ly tipped with greyish. Trail blackish, the lateral feathers nearly all white, the two next tipped with the same colour. A narrow band of black on the forehead, extending over the eyes. Under parts greyish- white, the sides of the neck bright blue, the sides greyish-blue. Length 44 inches, extent of wings 63 ; bill along the ridge 4, along the gap a little more than 3 ; tarsus 4. Adult Female. Plate LXXXIV. Fig. 2. The female is much duller in colouring, the bright blue of the male being in her light greyish-blue. The black band on the forehead is also wanting. Tue Buack WALNUT. JuGLANS NicRA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 466. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 636. Mich. Arbr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. vol. i. p. 157. Pl. 1.—Monacra Potyan- pria, Linn. TEREBINTHACES, Juss. This species belongs to the division with simple, polyandrous male catkins, and is distinguished by its numerous ovato-lanceolate, subcor- date, serrated leaflets, narrowed towards the end, somewhat downy be- neath, as are the petioles ; its globular scabrous fruits, and wrinkled nuts. The leaves have seven or eight nearly opposite pairs of leaflets. The male catkins are pendent. The fruits are sometimes from six to eight inches in. circumference, the kernel brown and corrugated, and, although eaten, inferior to the Common Walnut. The bark of the trunk is thick, blackish, and cracked ; the wood of a very dark colour. . ( 434 ) THE YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. SYLVIA PENSILIS, Latu. PLATE LXXXV. Mate. Tuts beautiful bird absents itself from the State of Louisiana only for two months in the year, December and January. When they return in the beginning of February, they throw themselves by thousands into all the cypress woods and cane-brakes, where they are heard singing from the first of March until late in autumn, sometimes in November. Their habits are very different from those of the Warblers, and are more in general accordance with those of the Certhiz. They move up and down, sidewise and spirally, along the trunks, branches, and even twigs of the tallest and largest Cypresses, or such other trees as are found intermingled with them. They are extremely active, in fact, fully as much so as the little Brown Creeper itself. Like it, they suddenly leave the uppermost branches or higher parts of the trunks, and diving down- wards alight on the roots, and renew their search after small insects and larve. Inever saw any of them pursue insects on wing. The nest of this species is prettily constructed. Its outer parts are composed of grey lichens and soft mosses, the interior of silky substances and a few fibres of the Spanish moss. The female lays four pure white eggs, having two or three purple dots near the larger end. I think they raise two broods during their stay in Louisiana, but cannot speak of this as certain. The nest is placed on a horizontal branch of a Cypress, twenty, thirty, or even fifty feet above the ground, and is with difficulty discovered from below, as it resembles a knot or a tuft of moss. The song of the Yellow-throated Warbler would please you, kind reader. Of this I have not a doubt, as it is soft and loud, and is continued for two or three minutes at a time, not unlike that of the Painted Finch, or Indigo Bird. As it is heard in all parts of our most dismal Cypress Swamps, it contributes to soothe the mind of a person whose occupation may lead him to such places. . I never saw this species on the ground. ‘The male and the female are nearly alike in plumage, but the young birds, which hunt for insects in company, in the manner YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. 435 of Creepers or Titmice, do not acquire the yellow on the throat, nor the full brilliancy of their plumage, until the first spring. These birds confine themselves to the Southern States, seldom moving farther towards the Middle Districts than North Carolina. They do not even ascend the Mississippi farther than the Walnut Hills. They are abundant in the neighbourhood of the Red River, and probably do not go farther south than Mexico, during their short absence from the United States. Happening to shoot several of these birds on a large Chinquapin tree, growing on the edge of a hill close to a swamp, I have put a male on one of its twigs, which is furnished with a few fruits quite ripe and ready to leave their husks. In the Southern States this tree is rare. It generally prefers elevated places, and rocky declivities, with an arid soil. 'The wood resembles that of the Chestnut, but the trees being ge- nerally small, little use is made of it as timber. The fruit is eaten by children. This tree is abundant along the greater part of the range of the Alleghanies and its branches. Syuvia PEensiLis, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 520.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 79. A PensiLE Wars LER, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 441. YELLOW-THROATED WaRBLER, SYLVIA FLAVICOLLIS, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 64. Pl. 4. fig. 6. Adult Male. Plate LX XXV. : Bill shortish, nearly straight, subulato-conical, acute, as deep as broad at the base, the edges acute, the gap line a little deflected at the base. Nostrils basal, elliptical, lateral, half-closed by amembrane. Head rather small. Neck short. Body slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly by a few scutella, the uppermost long ; toes scutellate above, the inner free, the hind toe of moderate size; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. Plumage soft, blended, tufty. Wings of ordinary length, acute, the second quill longest. ‘Tail longish, slightly emarginate. Bill brownish-black. Iris dark-brown. Feet yellowish-brown. The general colour of the upper parts is light greyish-blue, the head darker. A white line from the base of the upper mandible over the eye. Fore- head, loral space, a line behind the eye, and a patch including the ear- Ee2 436 YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. coverts, descending along the neck, and terminating acutely, black. Un- der eyelid white. .Wing-coverts dusky, tipped with white. Quills blackish, externally margined with light greyish-green. Tail-feathers black, the middle ones edged with greenish-blue, the cuter white along the outer margin, and with the next two having a white patch on the inner web towards the end. ‘Throat and fore-neck bright yellow, as is a spot before the eye. The rest of the under parts white, the sides mottled with dusky. Length 54 inches, extent of wings 83; bill along the ridge nearly j, along the gap ,4; tarsus 4, middle toe 3. The female is similar to the male, but has the colours somewhat duller. Tue CHINQUAPIN. CasTANEA PUMILA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 461. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 625. Mich. Arbr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 166. Pl. 7—Monecia Pory- ANDRIA, Linn. AMENTACE#, Juss. This species of Chestnut is characterized by its oblong, acute, sharp- ly-serrated leaves, which are whitish and downy beneath. The fruit is very agreeable, and is a favourite food of Squirrels, and birds of different species, such as Pigeons, Jays, Turkeys, and Woodpeckers. (7 437%) LOUISVILLE IN KENTUCKY. Loutsvite in Kentucky has always been a favourite place of mine. ‘The beauty of its situation, on the banks of La Belle Riviere, just at the commencement of the famed rapids, commonly called the Falls of the Ohio, had attracted my notice, and when I removed to it, immediately after my marriage, I found it more agreeable than ever. ‘The prospect from the town is such that it would please even the eye of a Swiss. It extends along the river for seven or eight miles, and is bounded on the opposite side by a fine range of low mountains, known by the name of the Silver Hills. The rumbling sound of the waters, as they tumble over the rock-paved bed of the rapids, is at all times soothing to the ear. Fish and game are abundant. But, above all, the generous hospitality of the inhabitants, and the urbanity of their manners, had induced me to fix upon it as a place of residence; and I did so with the more pleasure when I found that my wife was as much gratified as myself, by the kind at- tentions which were shewn to us, utter strangers as we were, on our ar- rival. No sooner had we landed, and made known our intention of remain- ing, than we were introduced to the principal inhabitants of the place and its vicinity, although we had not brought a single letter of introduc- tion, and could not but see, from their unremitting kindness, that the Virginian spirit of hospitality displayed itself in all the words and actions of our newly-formed friends. I wish here to name those persons who so unexpectedly came forward to render our stay among them agreeable, but feel at a loss with whom to begin, so equally deserving are they of our gratitude. The Crocuans, the CLarxs (our great traveller in- cluded), the Berruoups, the Gatts, the Maurins, the Tarascons, the Brats, and the Boorus, form but a small portion of the long list which I could give. The matrons acted like mothers towards my wife, the daughters proved agreeable associates, and the husbands and sons were friends and companions tome. If I absented myself on business or ‘otherwise, for any length of time, my wife was removed to the hospitable abode of some friend in the neighbourhood until my return, and then, kind reader, I was several times obliged to spend a week or more with 438 LOUISVILLE. these good people, before they could be prevailed upon to let us return to our own residence. We lived for two years at Louisville, where we en- joyed many of the best pleasures which this life can afford ; and whenever we have since chanced to pass that way, we have found the kindness of our former friends unimpaired. During my residence at Louisville, much of my time was employed in my ever favourite pursuits. I drew and noted the habits of every thing which I procured, and my collection was daily augmenting, as every individual who carried a gun, always sent me such birds or quad- rupeds as he thought might prove useful to me. My portfolios already contained upwards of two hundred drawings. Dr W. C. Gatr, being a botanist, was often consulted by me, as well as his friend Dr Frreo- son. M. Gixty drew beautifully, and was fond of my pursuits. So was my friend, and now relative, N. Bertnoup. As I have already said, our time was spent in the most agreeable manner, through the hospitable friendship of our acquaintanice. . One fair morning, I was surprised by the sudden entrance into our counting-room of Mr ALEXANDER Wirson, the celebrated author of the “ American Ornithology,” of whose existence I had never until that mo- ment been apprised. This happened in March 1810. How well do I re- member him, as he then walked up to me! His long, rather hooked nose, the keenness of his eyes, and his prominent cheek-bones, stamped his countenance with a peculiar character. His dress, too, was of a kind not usually seen in that part of the country ; a short coat, trowsers, and a waistcoat of grey cloth. His stature was not above the middle size. He had two volumes under his arm, and as he approached the table at which I was working, I thought I discovered something like astonish- ment in his countenance. He, however, immediately proceeded to dis- close the object of his visit, which was to procure subscriptions for his work. He opened his books, explained the nature of his occupations, and requested my patronage. I felt surprised and gratified at the sight of his volumes, turned over a few of the plates, and had already taken a pen to write my name in his favour, when my partner rather abruptly said to me in French, “ My dear Aupuzon, what induces you to subscribe to this work? Your drawings are certainly far better, and again you must know as much of the habits of American birds as this gentleman.” Whether Mr Wison understood French or not, or if the suddenness with which I paused, dis- LOUISVILLE. 439 appointed him, I cannot tell; but I clearly perceived that he was not pleased. Vanity and the encomiums of my friend prevented me from subscribing. Mr Witson asked me if I had many drawings of birds. i rose, took down a large portfolio, laid it on the table, and shewed him, as I would shew you, kind reader, or any other person fond of such sub- jects, the whole of the contents, with the same patience with which he had. shewn me his own engravings. His surprise appeared great, as he told me he never had the most dis- tant idea that any other individual than himself had been engaged in forming such a collection. He asked me if it was my intention to pub- lish, and when I answered in the negative, his surprise seemed to increase. And, truly, such was not my intention ; for, until long after, when I met the Prince of Musignano in Philadelphia, I had not the least idea of pre- senting the fruits of my labours to the world. Mr Witson now examin- ed my drawings with care, asked if I should have any objections to lend- ing him a few during his stay, to which I replied that I had none: he then bade me good morning, not, however, until I had made an arrange- ment to explore the woods in the vicinity along with him, and had pro- mised to procure for him some birds, of which I had drawings in my col- lection, but which he had never seen. It happened that he lodged in the same house with us, but his re- tired habits, I thought, exhibited either a strong feeling of discontent, or a decided melancholy. The Scotch airs which he played sweetly on his flute made me melancholy too, and I felt for him. I presented him to my wife and friends, and seeing that he was all enthusiasm, exerted my- self as much as was in my power, to procure for him the specimens which he wanted. We hunted together, and obtained birds which he had ne- ver before seen; but, reader, I did not subscribe to his work, for, even at that time, my collection was greater than his. Thinking that perhaps he might be pleased to publish the results of my researches, I offered them to him, merely on condition that what I had drawn, or might after- wards draw and send to him, should be mentioned in his work, as coming from my pencil. I at the same time offered to open a correspondence with him, which I thought might prove beneficial to us both. He made no reply to either proposal, and before many days had elapsed, left Louisville, on his way to New Orleans, little knowing how much his ta- lents were appreciated in our little town, at least by myself and my friends. 440 LOUISVILLE. Some time elapsed, during which I never heard of him, or of his work. At length, having occasion to go to Philadelphia, I, immediately after my arrival there, inquired for him, and paid him a visit. He was then drawing a White-headed Eagle. He received me with civility, and took me to the Exhibition Rooms of Remsranpt PEALE, the artist, who had then portrayed Navronxon crossing the Alps. Mr Witson spoke not of birds or drawings. Feeling, as I was forced to do, that my company was not agreeable, I parted from him; and after that I never saw him again. But judge of my astonishment some time after, when on reading the thirty-ninth page of the ninth volume of American Ornithology, I found in it the following paragraph :-— | * March 23d, 1810.—I bade adieu to Louisville, to which place I had four letters of recommendation, and was taught to expect much of every thing there ; but neither received one act of civility from those to whom I was recommended, one subscriber, nor one new bird; though I de- livered my letters, ransacked the woods repeatedly, and visited all the characters likely to subscribe. Science or literature has not one friend in this place.” ( 441 ) THE BLACK WARRIOR. FaLtco HARLANI. PLATE LXXXVI. Mate anp FEMALE. Lone before I discovered this fine Hawk, I was anxious to have an opportunity of honouring some new species of the feathered tribe with the name of my excellent friend Dr Ricuarp Harvan of Philadelphia. This I might have done sooner, had I not waited until a species should occur, which in its size and importance should bear some proportion to my gra- titude toward that learned and accomplished friend. The Hawks now before you were discovered near St Francisville, in Louisiana, during my late sojourn in that State, and had bredin the neighbourhood of the place where I procured them, for two seasons, al- though they had always eluded my search, until, at last, as I was crossing a large cotton field, one afternoon, I saw the female represented in the Plate standing perched on the top of a high belted tree in an erect and com- manding attitude. It looked so like the Black Hawk (Falco niger) of Witson, that I apprehended what I had heard respecting it might prove incorrect. I approached it, however, when, as if it suspected my evil in- tentions, it flew off, but after at first sailing as if with the view of escaping from me, passed over my head, when I shot at it, and brought it winged to the ground. No sooner had I inspected its eye, its bill, and particu- larly its naked legs, than I felt assured that it was, as had been repre- sented by those persons who had spoken to me of its exploits, a new spe- cies. I drew it whilst alive ; but my intentions of preserving it and car- rying it to England as a present to the Zoological Society were frustrated by its refusing food. It died in a few days, when I preserved its skin, which, along with those of other rare birds, I have since given to the British Museum, through my friend J. G. Cumtprey, Esq. of that In- stitution. A few days afterwards I saw the male bird perched on the same tree, but was unable to appr oach him so long as Thad a gun, although he fre- quently allowed me and my wife to pass close to the foot of the tree when we were on horseback and unarmed. — I followed it in vain for nearly a fortnight, from one field to another, and from tree to tree. until our phy- 442 BLACK WARRIOR. sician, Dr Joun B. Hererorp, knowing my great desire to obtain iy shot it in the wing with a rifle ball, and sent it alive to me. It was still wilder than the female, erected the whole of the feathers of its head, opened its bill, and was ever ready to strike with its talons at any object brought near it. I made my drawing of the male also while still alive. This species, although considerably smaller than the Red-tailed Hawk, to which it is allied, is superior to it in flight and daring. Its flight is rapid, greatly protracted, and so powerful as to enable it to seize its prey with apparent ease, or effect its.escape from its stronger antagonist, the Red-tail, which pursues it on all occasions. The Black Warrior has been seen to pounce on a fowl, kill it almost instantly, and afterwards drag it along the ground for several hundred yards, when it would conceal it, and return to feed upon it in security. It was not observed to fall on Hares or Squirrels, but at all times evinced a marked preference for common Poultry, Partridges, and the smaller species of Wild Duck. I was told that the young birds appeared to be of a leaden-grey co- lour at a distance, but at the approach of winter became as dark as the parents. None of them were to be seen at the time when I procured the latter. Of its nest or eggs nothing is yet known. My friends Messrs Jounson and Carpenter frequently spoke of this Hawk to me imme- diately after my return to Louisiana from Europe, which took place in November 1829. I have a skin of this bird in my possession. Should its nest be discovered, and should I have an opportunity of becoming more acquainted with its habits, I shall not fail to give you an account of my observations. Fatco HarLani Adult Male. Plate LXXXVI. Fig. 1. Bill short, robust, as broad as deep at the base, compressed towards the end; upper mandible nearly straight, and sloping in its dorsal outline, curved towards the tip, which is declinate, trigonal, acute, the sides convex, the edges acute, overlapping, with a rounded process on each side; lower mandible convex in its dorsal outline and on the sides, the tip rounded. Nostrils oval, oblique, in the fore part of the cere. Head very large, neck short, body robust. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus a little com- BLACK WARRIOR. 443 pressed, scutellate before and behind, reticularly scaly on the sides ; toes scutellate above, scaly on the sides, tubercular and scabrous beneath ; claws curved, roundish, very acute. Plumage compact, feathers of the head and neck short and rounded, tibial feathers elongated and loose at the tips. Wings long ; first quill short, fourth longest, third and fifth equal, the first primaries cut out on the inner web towards the end. Tail longish, ample, of twelve broad, rounded feathers. Bill light blue, black towards the end; cere and angles of the mouth yellowish-green. Iris light yellowish-brown. Feet dull greenish-yellow, claws black. The general colour of the plumage is deep chocolate-brown, the un- der parts lighter; the feathers there being margined with light brown. Tail lighter than the back, and rather narrowly barred with brownish- black, the tips brownish-red. Under wing-coverts whitish, spotted with deep brown. Length 21 inches, extent of wings 45; bill along the back 13, along the gap, from the tip of the lower mandible, 13; tarsus 13. Adult Female. Plate LX X XVI. Fig. 2. The female resembles the male in external appearance. Length 22 inches; bill along the back 14. This species bears a strong resemblance to the Common Buzzard (Falco Buteo) of Europe, from which, however, it differs in having the head broader, the legs stouter, and the general colour of the plumage darker. It is also considerably larger. (444 >) THE FLORIDA JAY. CORVUS FLORIDANUS, BAaRTRAM. PLATE LXXXVII. Mate anp FEMALE. Tuts beautiful and lively bird is a constant resident in the south- western parts of Florida, from which country it seldom if ever removes to any great distance. It is never seen in the State of Louisiana, far less in that of Kentucky, and when Cuartes Bonaparte asserts that it occurs in these districts, we must believe that he has been misinformed. It is so confined to the particular portions of Florida which it inhabits, that even on the eastern shores of that peninsula few are to be seen. I have never observed it in any part of Georgia, or farther to the eastward. The flight of the Florida Jay is generally performed at a short dis- tance from the ground, and consists either of a single sailing sweep, as it shifts from one tree or bush to another, or of continuous flappings, with aslightly undulated motion, in the manner of the Magpie (Corvus Pica) or ofthe Canada Jay (Corvus canadensis). Its notes are softer than those of its relative the Blue Jay (Corvus cristatus), and are more frequently uttered. Its motions are also more abrupt and quicker. It is seen pass- ing from one tree to another with expanded tail, stopping for a moment to peep at the intruder, and hopping off to another place the next minute. It frequently descends to the ground, along the edges of oozy or marshy places, to search for snails, of which, together with berries of various kinds, fruits and insects, its food consists. It is easily approached during the breeding season, but is more shy at other times. It isa great destroyer of the eggs of small birds, as well as of young birds, which it chases and kills by repeated blows of its bill on their heads, after which it tears their flesh with avidity. The Florida Jay is easily kept in a cage, where it will feed on recent or dried fruits, such as figs, raisins, and the kernels of various nuts, and exhibits as much gaiety as the Blue Jay does in a similar state. Like the latter, it secures its food between its feet, and breaks it into pieces before swallowing it, particularly the acorns of the Live Oak, and the snails which it picks up among the Sword Palmetto. No sooner have the seeds of that plant become black, or fully ripe, than the Florida Jay FLORIDA JAY. 445 makes them almost its sole food for a time, and wherever a patch of these troublesome plants are to be seen, there also is the J ay to be met with. I have called the Palmetto a troublesome plant, because its long, narrow, and serrated leaves are so stiff, and grow so close together, that it is extremely difficult to walk among them, the more so that it usually grows in places where the foot is seldom put without immediately sink- ing in the mire to a depth of several inches. The nest of the Florida Jay is sparingly formed of dry sticks, placed across each other, and, although of a rounded shape, is so light that the bird is easily seen through it. “It is lined with fibrous roots, placed in a circular manner. The eggs are from four to six, of a light olive colour, marked with irregular blackish dashes. Only one brood is raised in the season. I had a fine opportunity of observing a pair of these birds in con- finement, in the city of New Orleans. They had been raised out of a family of five, taken from the nest, and when I saw them had been two years in confinement. They were in full plumage, and extremely beau- tiful. The male was often observed to pay very particular attentions to the female, at the approach of spring. They were fed upon rice, and all kinds of dried fruit. Their cage was usually opened after dinner, when both immediately flew upon the table, fed on the almonds which were given them, and drank claret diluted with water. Both affected to imi- tate particular sounds, but in a very imperfect manner. These attempts at mimicry probably resulted from their having been in company with par- rots and other birds. They suffered greatly when moulting, becoming almost entirely bare, and requiring to be kept near the fire. The female dropped two eggs in the cage, but never attempted to make a nest, al- though the requisite materials were placed at her disposal.- I have represented a pair of Florida Jays ona branch of the Persimon tree, ornamented with its richly coloured fruits. This tree grows to a moderate height as well as girth. The wood is hard and compact. The leaves drop off at an early period. The fruit, when fully ripe, is grate- ful to the palate. The Persimon occurs in all parts of ‘the United States, but abounds in the low lands of Florida and Louisiana, probably more than in any other portion of the Union. Corvus FLORIDANUS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 58. Frioripa Jay, Ch. Bonaparte, Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. Pl. 13. fig. 1. Adult Male. Plate LKXXVII. Fig. 1. 446 FLORIDA JAY. Bill short, strong, straight, compressed, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal outline nearly straight, the sides sloping, the edges sharp and overlapping, the tip slightly declinate; lower mandible with the back narrow, the sides sloping. Nostrils basal, open, covered by the reversed bristly feathers. Head rather large, neck short, body robust. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus about the same length as the middle toe, ante- riorly scutellate, compressed, acute behind ; toes free, scutellate, the inner shorter than the outer; claws arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft, blended, glossy. A tuft of reflected bristly feathers over the nostril on each side, and several bristle-pointed feathers at the base of the upper mandible. Wings short, third and fourth quills longest, first short. ‘Tail long, much rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. Bill and feet brownish-black. Iris hazel. Upper part of the head, the cheeks, side, and back part of the neck, the wings and tail, of a bright purplish-azure. Back light yellowish-brown. A band of white on the forehead, extending over the eyes. The under parts brownish- white. The upper tail-coverts are blue, and the tail-feathers are indistinct- ly barred with deeper lines. Length 111 inches; bill along the ridge 33, along the gap nearly 14; tarsus 1,2,, middle toe nearly the same. Adult Female. Plate LXX XVII. Fig. 2. The female presents the same colours as the male, the difference in tint being hardly perceptible. Tuer Perstmon TREE. DiosPyros VIRGINIANA, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 1107. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. i. p- 265. Mich. Abr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 195. Pl. 12,—Potyeamia Diecta, Linn. Guatacanz, Juss. Leaves ovato-oblong, acuminate, smooth, venous ; petioles downy ; buds smooth. The flowers are pale yellow, and the fruits, which are of the size of a plum, are of a globular form, and when mature, of a dull yellowish colour. The bark of old trees is cracked, and of a dark colour. The wood is employed for various purposes, being fine-grained, ard and durable. G47) THE AUTUMNAL WARBLER. SYLVIA AUTUMNALIS, WILS. PLATE LXXXVIII. Mate anp FEMALE. Tux Autumnal Warbler was so named by Mr Witsony, on account of its appearing in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, where only it was seen by that writer, during its migration from the Northern States, where it breeds, to the confines of Mexico, its winter residence. This species makes its appearance in-great numbers, in the lower parts of Louisiana, early in March, and remains there for a few days along with many others. At this season, it passes from the high top of one tree to that of another, with great activity. In about a week after its first ap- pearance, none are to be seen. It moves towards the northernmost of our Eastern Districts, as the season advances, and does not stop until it reaches the remote parts of the State of New York, many individuals, however, forcing their way still farther. I have found it breeding in the immediate vicinity of the Cayuga Lakes, and on the borders of Lake Champlain, in retired parts of the woods, which it seems to prefer during the summer months. I have also found it in the lofty forests of that portion of Pennsylvania usually called the Great Pine Swamp. The nest, like that of many other Sylvia, is partially conical and pensile, and is formed of the soft bark of vines, lined with the down of various plants. The eggs are from four to six, of a white colour, tinged with red, and sprinkled with brownish dots at the larger end. The nest is usually placed in the slender fork of a low bush. I have found the female sitting as late as the 20th of August, and therefore conclude that this species raises two broods in the season, al- though I have had no opportunity of finding the nest and eggs at an earlier period. The food of the Autumnal Warbler consists of small insects, many of which it procures whilst on wing. It also searches with great industry among the leaves and along the twigs. Its habits are precisely similar to those of other Warblers. Its flight is short, unequal, and yet quick. It rises in the air to some distance, and returns towards the spot which it 448 AUTUMNAL WARBLER. has left, in zigzag lines, as if it were afraid to venture out of the thickets which it inhabits. No sooner have these birds reared their young than they assemble in large loose parties of fifty or more, and return towards the south, throw- ing themselves amongst the Willows and Birch-trees that margin the streams, as well as into orchards and the scattered trees in cultivated fields. Its common note is a simple ¢weet, but the male, in spring and during the period of incubation, repeats at short intervals a soft and pleasing variety of notes, scarcely, however, deserving the name of song. These birds are so plentiful, and so easily found, from the middle of September to that of October, that while in the Great Pine Forest I sometimes shot more than a dozen ina day. I have never observed them in the Southern States at that season. I have represented a pair of these plain-looking Warblers on a twig of the Canoe Birch, a tree too well known, from the use to which its bark is applied by the Indians in the construction of their light and beautiful boats, to require any particular description here. SYLVIA aUTUMNALIs, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 74. AUTUMNAL WaRBLER, SYLVIA AUTUMNALIS, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 65. Pl. 23. fig. 4. Adult Male. Plate LX XXVIII. Fig. 1. Bill of ordinary length, nearly straight, slender, tapering, acute. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half-closed above by a membrane. Head and neck of ordinary size. Body slender. Feet longish, slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly with a few scutella, the uppermost long; toes scutellate above, the inner free, the hind toe of moderate size; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. Plumage loose, blended. Short bristly feathers at the base of the bill. Wings rather short, the first quill longest. Tail even. Bill brown, the lower mandible yellowish towards the base. Iris hazel. Feet dusky. The general colour of the upper parts is light olive- green. The tail-coverts greyish. A pale line over the eye, which is en- circled by a narrow line of whitish. Fore neck dull yellow; under parts generally yellowish-white. Quills and larger coverts dusky on their in- ner webs, the former margined, the latter tipped with white, so as to pre- sent two bands of that colour across the wing. Tail dusky, margined AUTUMNAL WARBLER. 449 with dull white, the three outer feathers white on the greater part of their inner web. Length 4%, extent of wings 8; bill along the ridge 4, along the gap qz; tarsus 3. Adult Female. Plate LX XXVIII. Fig. 2. The female resembles the male in external appearance. CanorE BircH or Paper Brircu. BEetTuLa papyracEa, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 464. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p- 621, Mich. Arbr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 133. Pl. 1.—Monacra Potyanpria, Linn. AMENTACE, Juss. Leaves ovate, acuminate, doubly serrated, the veins hairy beneath, the petiole smooth. The female catkins pedunculate, pendent. This tree is most abundant in the Northern States, where it sometimes attains a height of from seventy to eighty feet, and a diameter of three feet, ef THE NASHVILLE WARBLER. SYLVIA RUBRICAPILLA, Wits. PLATE LXXXIX. Mate anp FEMALE. I nave shot only three or four birds of this species, and these were all that I ever met with. I found them in Louisiana and Kentucky. A few specimens belonging to Mr Titian PEALE of Philadelphia, and which he, with his usual kindness, lent me for a few days, to compare their colouring with my drawings and notes, were the only others that I have seen. It is probable he had procured them in Pennsylvania, al- though I cannot now recollect if this was really the case. The flight of this little bird is short, light, and entirely similar to that of the numerous species of Sylvia already described. Its food con- sists of insects and larvee, which it procures by searching diligently and actively amongst the leaves and buds of low trees. It does not pursue inseets on wing. With the exception of a few low, eagerly repeated, creaking notes, I have not heard any sounds from them. While uttering these notes, which are all the species seem to have in lieu of song, the male stands erect and still. I am not aware of its nest having been dis- covered or described by any naturalist. The plant on a twig of which two Nashville Warblers are repre- sented, is usually called the Swamp Spice. It is a low bush, grows in the water, in swampy and muddy ground, and occurs from Georgia to New York. The berries, which are seldom eaten by birds, have little pulp, and consequently a large seed. . SYLVIA RUBRICAPILLA, Ch. Bonaparte Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 87. SYLVIA RUBRICAPILLA, NASHVILLE WaRBLER, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 120. Pl. 27, fig. 3. Bill rather short, slender, tapering, nearly straight, as deep as broad at the base. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, half-closed by a membrane. Head of ordinary size, neck short, body full. Feet of ordinary length, slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, anteriorly scutellate ; toes free, scutellate above; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. NASHVILLE WARBLER. 451 Adult Male. Plate LX X XIX. Fig. 1. Plumage soft, blended, tufty. Wings short, curved, the first and second quills longest. Tail short, forked, of twelve rounded feathers. Bill greenish-brown. Iris dark brown. Feet yellowish-green. Head and cheeks brownish-grey, the upper part of the head dark red. A cir- cle of white round the eye. The general colour of the upper parts is brownish-green, of the under greenish-yellow, brighter on the throat and breast. Inner webs of the wing and tail-feathers dusky, the outer brownish-green, and of the primaries bright yellow. Length 44 inches, extent of wings 7; bill along the ridge 4, along the gap 3; tarsus ?. Adult Female. Plate LX X XIX. Fig. 2. The female is much duller ; the head and hind-neck dark brownish. grey, tinged with green, the former without the red patch, the under parts more mixed with grey, the sides olivaceous, and the yellow of the wings less pure. Tue Swamp SPICE. ILEXx PRINOIDES, Wild. Sp. Pl. vol. i. p. 709. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. 1. p. 118. Tetranpria TETRAGYNIA, Linn. RHAMNI, Juss. Leaves lanceolate, attenuated at the base, slightly serrated ; pedun- cles one-flowered. The leaves of this species are deciduous, the berries bright red. rfQ2 THE BLACK-AND-WHITE CREEPER. CERTHIA VARIA, Wits. PLATE XC. Mate. A more appropriate name has seldom been given to a bird than that by which the present species is designated. Notwithstanding the ap- proximation of the bill in form to that of the Sylvia, I am decidedly in- clined to place this species among the Creepers or Certhiea. 'To convince you of the propriety of such an arrangement, I shall now lay before you an account of its habits. The Black-and-white Creeper appears in the State of Louisiana as soon as the buds on the trees begin to expand, which happens about the middle of February. It throws itself into the forests, where it breeds, and remains until the beginning of Nevember. It is usually seen on the largest trees of our woods. It has a few notes, consisting of a series of rapidly enunciated ¢weets, the last greatly prolonged. It climbs and erceps along the trunks, the branches, and even the twigs of the trees, without intermission, and so seldom perches, that I do not remember ever having seen it in such a position. It lives principally on small ants and their larvee, which it secures as it ascends or descends in a spiral direction, sidewise, with the head either uppermost or beneath. It keeps its feet close together, and moves by successive short hops with a rapidity equal- king even that of the Brown Creeper. It dives from the tops of the trees to their roots, and again ascends. At other times, it alights on a decayed fallen tree, and searches the bark for food, peeping into the crevices. “Rt has only a very short flight, and moves directly from one tree to the nearest. In this manner the Black-and-white Creeper reaches the Northern Districts. It always prefers the most uncultivated tracts, and is espe- cially fond of the pines and hemlock-trees of the mountain-glens. I have met with it on the borders of Canada, round Lake Champlain, in the country far to the north-west, on the banks of the Illinois, in Ohio, Ken- tucky, and all the wooded districts of the Arkansas and Red River. In Louisiana, its nest is usually placed in some small hole in a tree, and is composed of mosses in a dry state, lined with cottony substances. The eggs are from five to seven, of a short oval form, white, with a few brownish-red spots chiefly at the large end. BLACK-AND-WHITE CREEPER. 453 Two broods are raised in the season. The young go about in com- pany, following the parents, and it is not unusual to see nine or ten of these birds scrambling with great activity along the trunk of a tree. I have not found its nest in the Middle States, where, however, I am con- ‘vinced many breed. The young are similar in colouring to the females. The young males do not acquire their full plumage until the following spring. A male of this species is represented on a twig of the tree commonly called the Black Larch. Syx1via varia, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 539.—-Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 81. WHITE-POLL WarRBLER, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 488. BLAck-AND-WHITE CEEEPER, CERTHIA varia, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 23. PL. xix. fig. 3. Adult Male. Plate XC. Bill rather long, slightly arched, compressed, extremely slender, acute; nostrils basal, narrow, half-closed by a membrane. General form slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender ; tarsus longer than the mid- dle toe, scutellate before; toes free, scutellate, the hind one proportionally larger ; claws compressed, very acute, arched. Plumage soft and blended. Wings of ordinary length, third quill longest, secondaries short. ‘Tail nearly even, of twelve narrow, rounded feathers. Bill black. Iris hazel. Feet dusky yellow. Middle of the head longitudinally white, bordered on each side by a broad stripe of black, beneath which, on each side, over the eye, is a line of white. Ear-coverts and chin black. Back and breast streaked with white and black. Wings black, the outer margins of the quills greyish-white, the tips of the larger coverts, excepting the primary ones, white, forming two broad bands of that colour across the wing. Tail black, tinged with bluish-grey ex- ternally, the ends of the inner webs of the three outer feathers on each side white. Abdomen white; sides and under tail-coverts white, spotted with black. Length 54 inches, extent of wings 73; bill along the ridge 4. 454 BLACK-AND-WHITE CREEPER. THE Buack Larcu. Pinus PENDULA, Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 645.—Moneecia Potyanpria, Linn. ConiIFER#, Juss. Leaves fasciculate, deciduous; cones oblong, the margins of the scales inflected ; bracteoles panduriform, with an attenuated tip. This species, which grows in cedar swamps, in the Northern States, attains a great size, and resembles the European Larch in appearance. THE ECCENTRIC NATURALIST. * Wuar an odd looking fellow!” said I to myself, as while walking by the river, I observed a man landing from a boat, with what I thought a bundle of dried clover on his back; ‘* how the boatmen stare at him! sure he must be an original!” He ascended with a rapid step, and ap- proaching me asked if I could point out the house in which Mr Aupv- Bon resided. ‘ Why, I am the man,” said I, “and will gladly lead you to my dwelling.” The traveller rubbed his hands together with delight, and drawing a letter from his pocket, handed it to me without any remark. I broke the seal and read as follows: ‘“* My dear Aupuson, I send you an odd fish, which you may prove to be undescribed, and hope you wil] do so in your next letter. Believe me always your friend B.” With all the simplicity of a woodsman I asked the bearer where the edd fish was, when M. de T. (for, kind reader, the individual in my presence was none else than that renowned naturalist) smiled, rubbed his hands, and with the greatest good humour said, “ I am that odd fish I presume, Mr Aupuson.” I felt confounded and blushed, but contrived to stammer an apology. We soon reached the house, when I presented my learned guest tomy family, and was ordering a servant to goto the boat for M. de T.’s lug- gage, when he told me he had none but what he brought on his back. He then loosened the pack of weeds which had first drawn my attention. The ladies were a little surprised, but I checked their critical glances for the moment. The naturalist pulled off his shoes, and while engaged in drawing his stockings, not up, but down, in order to cover the holes about the heels, told usin the gayest mood imaginable that he had walked a great distance, and had only taken a passage on board the ark, to be put on this shore, and that he was sorry his apparel had suffered so much from his late journey. Clean clothes were offered, but he would not ac- cept them, and it was with evident reluctance that he performed the la- vations usual on such occasions before he sat down to dinner. At table, however, his agreeable conversation made us all forget his singular appearance; and, indeed, it was only as we strolled together in the garden that his attire struck me as exceedingly remarkable. A 456 THE ECCENTRIC NATURALIST. long loose coat of yellow nankeen, much the worse of the many rubs it had got in its time, and stained all over with the juice of plants, hung loosely about him like a sac. A waistcoat of the same, with enormous pockets, and buttoned up to the chin, reached below over a pair of tight panta- loons, the lower parts of which were buttoned down to the ankles. His beard was as long as I have known my own to be during some of my peregrinations, and his lank black hair hung loosely over his shoulders. His forehead was so broad and prominent that any tyro in phrenology would instantly have pronounced it the residence of a mind of strong powers. His words impressed an assurance of rigid truth, and as he di- rected the conversation to the study of the natural sciences, I listened to him with as much delight as Telemachus could have listened to Mentor. He had come to visit me, he said, expressly for the purpose of seeing my drawings, having been told that my representations of birds were accom- panied with those of shrubs and plants, and he was desirous of knowing whether I might chance to have in my collection any with which he was unacquainted. I observed some degree of impatience in his request to be allowed at once to see what I had. We returned to the house, when I opened my portfolios and laid them before him, He chanced to turn over the drawing of a plant quite new to him. After inspecting it closely, he shook his head, and told me no such plant existed in nature ;—for, kind reader, M. de T. although a highly scienti- fic man, was suspicious to a fault, and believed such plants only to exist as he had himself seen, or such as, having been discovered of old, had, ac- cording to Father MaLesrancue’s expression, acquired a ‘‘ venerable beard.” I told my guest that the plant was common in the immediate neighbourhood, and that I should shew it him on the morrow. “ And why to morrow, Mr Aupunon? let us go now.” We did so, and on reaching the bank of the river, I pointed to the plant. M.de T. I thought had gone mad. He plucked the plants one after another, danced, hug- ged me in his arms, and exultingly told me that he had got not merely a new species, but a new genus. When we returned home, the naturalist opened the bundle which he had brought on his back, and took out a journal rendered water-proof by means of a leather case, together with a small parcel cf linen, examined the new plant, and wrote its description. ‘The examination of my drawings then went on. You would be pleased, kind reader, to hear his criticisms, which were of the greatest advantage THE ECCENTRIC NATURALIST. 457 to me, for, being well acquainted with books as well as with nature, he was well fitted to give me advice. It was summer, and the heat was so great that the windows were all open. The light of the candles attracted many insects, among which was observed a large species of Scarabeus. I caught one, and, aware of his inclination to believe only what he should himself see, I shewed him the insect, and assured him it was so strong that it would crawl on the table with the candlestick on its back. “ I should like to see the experiment made, Mr Aupuszon,” he replied. It was accordingly made, and the insect moved about, dragging its burden so as to make the candlestick change its position as if by magic, until coming upon the edge of the table, it dropped on the floor, took to wing, and made its escape. When it waxed late, I shewed him to the apartment intended for him during his stay, and endeavoured to render him comfortable, leaving him writing materials in abundance. I was indeed heartily glad to have a naturalist under my roof. We had all retired to rest. Every person I imagined was in deep slumber save myself, when of a sudden I heard a great uproar in the naturalist’s room. I got up, reached the place in a few moments, and opened the door, when, to my astonishment, I saw my guest running about the room naked, holding the handle of my favourite violin, the body of which he had battered to pieces against the walls in attempting to kill the bats which had entered by the open window, probably attracted by the insects flying around his candle. I stood amazed, but he continued jumping and running round and round, until he was fairly exhausted, when he begged me to procure one of the ani- mals for him, as he felt convinced they belonged to “ a new species.” Al- though I was convinced of the contrary, I took up the bow of my de- molished Cremona, and administering a smart tap to each of the bats as it came up, soon got specimens enough. The war ended, I again bade him good night, but could not help observing the state of the room. It was strewed with plants, which it would seem he had arranged into groups, but which were now scattered about in confusion. ‘“ Never mind, Mr Avpuson,” quoth the eccentric naturalist, “ never mind, I'll soon arrange them again. I have the bats, and that’s enough.” Several days passed, during which we followed our several occupa- tions. M. de T. searched the woods for plants, and I for birds. He al- so followed the margins of the Ohio, and picked up many shells, which he greatly extolled. With us, I told him, they were gathered into 458 THE ECCENTRIC NATURALIST. heaps to be converted into lime. ‘ Lime! Mr Aupuson; why, they are worth a guinea a piece in any part of Europe.” One day, as I was re- turning from a hunt in a cane-brake, he observed that I was wet and spattered with mud, and desired me to shew him the interior of one of these places, which he said he had never visited. The Cane, kind reader, formerly grew spontaneously over the greater portions of the State of Kentucky and other Western Districts of our Union, as well as in many farther south. Now, however, cultivation, the introduction of cattle and horses, and other circumstances connected with the progress of civilization, have greatly altered the face of the country, and reduced the cane within comparatively small limits. It attains a height of from twelve to thirty feet, and a diameter of from one to two, and grows in great patches resembling osier-holts, in which occur plants of all sizes. The plants frequently grow so close together, and in course of time become so tangled, as to present an almost impenetrable thicket. A portion of ground thus covered with canes is called a Cane-brake. If you picture to yourself one of these cane-brakes growing beneath the gigantic trees that form our western forests, interspersed with vines of many species, and numberless plants of every description, you may conceive how difficult it is for one to make his way through it, especially after a heavy shower of rain or a fall of sleet, when the traveller, in for- cing his way through, shakes down upon himself such quantities of water, as soon reduce him to a state of the utmost discomfort. The hunters often cut little paths through the thickets with their knives, but the usual mode of passing through them is by pushing one’s self backward, and wedging a way between the stems. To follow a bear or a cougar pursued by dogs through these brakes, is a task, the accomplishment of which may be imagined, but of the difficulties and dangers accompanying which I cannot easily give an adequate representation. The canes generally grow on the richest soil, and are particularly plentiful along the margins of the great western rivers. Many of our new settlers are fond of forming farms in their immediate vicinity, as the plant is much relished by all kinds of cattle and horses, which feed upon it at all seasons, and again because these brakes are plentifully stocked with game of various kinds. It sometimes happens that the farmer clears a portion of the brake. ‘This is done by cutting the stems, which are fistular and knotted, like those of other grasses, with a large knife or cutlass. They are afterwards placed in heaps, and when partially dried THE ECCENTRIC NATURALIST. 459 set fire to. The moisture contained between the joints is converted into steam, which causes the cane to burst with a smart report, and when a whole mass is crackling, the sounds resemble discharges of musquetry. Indeed, I have been told that travellers floating down the rivers, and unacquainted with these circumstances, have been induced to pull their oars with redoubled rigour, apprehending the attack of a host of savages, ready to scalp every one of the party. A day being fixed, we left home after an early breakfast, crossed the Ohio, and entered the woods. I had determined that my companion should view a cane-brake in all its perfection, and after leading him seve- ral miles in a direct course, came upon as fine a sample as existed in that part of the country. We entered, and for some time proceeded without much difficulty, as I led the way, and cut down the canes which were most likely to incommode him. The difficulties gradually increased, so that we were presently obliged to turn our backs to the foe, and push ourselves on the best way we could. My companion stopped here and there to pick up a plant and examine it. After a while, we chanced to come upon the top of a fallen tree, which so obstructed our passage that we were on the eve of going round, instead of thrusting ourselves through amongst the branches, when, from its bed in the centre of the tangled mass, forth rushed a bear, with such force, and snuffing the air in so frightful a manner, that M. de T. became suddenly terror-struck, and, in his haste to escape, made a desperate attempt to run, but fell amongst the canes in such a way, that he looked as if pinioned. Perceiving him jammed in between the stalks, and thoroughly frightened, I could not refrain from laughing at the ridiculous exhibition which he made. My gaiety, however, was not very pleasing to the savant, who called out for aid, which was at once administered. Gladly would he have retraced his steps, but I was desirous that he should be able to describe a cane- brake, and enticed him to follow me, by telling him that our worst diffi- culties were nearly over. We proceeded, for by this time the bear was out of hearing. The way became more and more tangled. I saw with delight that a heavy cloud, portentous of a thunder gust, was approaching. In the mean time, I kept my companion in such constant difficulties, that he now panted, perspired, and seemed almost overcome by fatigue. The thunder began to rumble, and soon after a dash of heavy rain drenched us in a few minutes. The withered particles of leaves and bark attached 460 THE ECCENTRIC NATURALIST. to the canes stuck to our clothes. We received many scratches from briars, and now and then a twitch from a nettle. M. de T. seriously in- quired if we should ever get alive out of the horrible situation in which we were. I spoke of courage and patience, and told him I hoped we should soon get to the margin of the brake, which, however, I knew to be two miles distant. I made him rest, and gave him a mouthful of brandy from my flask ; after which, we proceeded on our slow and pain- ful march. He threw away all his plants, emptied his pockets of the fungi, lichens, and mosses which he had thrust into them, and finding himself much lightened, went on for thirty or forty yards with a better grace. But, kind reader, enough—I led the naturalist first one way, then another, until I had nearly lost myself in the brake, although I was well acquainted with it, kept him tumbling and crawling on his hands and knees, until long after mid-day, when we at length reached the edge of the river. I blew my horn, and soon shewed my companion a boat coming to our rescue. We were ferried over, and, on reaching the house, found more agreeable occupation in replenishing our empty coffers. - M. de T. remained with us for three weeks, and collected multitudes of plants, shells, bats, and fishes, but never again expressed a desire of visiting a cane-brake. We were perfectly reconciled to his oddities, and, finding him a most agreeable and intelligent companion, hoped that his sojourn might be of long duration. But, one evening when tea was prepared, and we expected him to join the family, he was nowhere to be found. His grasses and other valuables were all removed from his room. ‘The night was spent in searching for him in the neighbourhood. No eccentric naturalist could be discovered. Whether he had perished in a swamp, or had been devoured by a bear or a gar-fish, or had taken to his heels, were matters of conjecture ; nor was it until some weeks after, that a letter from him, thanking us for our attention, assured me of his safety, ( 461 ) THE BROAD-WINGED HAWK. FALCO PENNSYLVANICUs, WI1s. Loh eo Lora ae PLATE XCI. Mate anp FEMALE. One fine May morning, when nature seemed to be enchanted at the sight of her own great works, when the pearly dew-drops were yet hang- ing at the point of each leaf, or lay nursed in the blossoms, gently rock- ed, as it were, by the soft breeze of early summer, I took my gun, and, accompanied by my excellent brother-in-law, Witt1am G. BaKeweELt, Esq. at that time a youth, walked towards some lovely groves, where many songsters attracted our attention by their joyous melodies. The woods were all alive with the richest variety, and, divided in: choice, we kept going on without shooting at any thing, so great was our admira- tion of every bird that presented itself to our view. -As we crossed a nar- row skirt of wood, my young companion spied a nest on a tree of mode- rate height, and, as my eye reached it, we both perceived that the parent bird was sitting in it. Some little consultation took place, as neither of us could determine whether it was a Crow’s or a Hawk’s nest, and it was resolved that my young friend should climb the tree, and bring down one of the eggs. On reaching the nest, he said the bird, which still re- mained quiet, was a Hawk and unable to fly. I desired him to cover it with his handkerchief, try to secure it, and bring it down, together with the eggs. All this was accomplished without the least difficulty. I looked at it with indescribable pleasure, as I saw it was new to me, and then felt vexed that it was not of a more spirited nature, as it had neither defended its eggs nor itself. It lay quietly in the handkerchief, and I carried it home to my father-in-law’s, shewed it to the family, and went to my room, where I instantly began drawing it. The drawing which I then made is at this moment before me, and is dated “ Fatland Ford, Pennsylvania, May 27, 1812.” I put the bird on a stick made fast to my table. It merely moved its feet to grasp the stick, and stood erect, but raised its feathers, and drew in its neck on its shoulders. I passed my hand over it, to smooth the feathers by gentle pressure. It moved not. The plumage remained 462 BROAD-WINGED HAWK. as I wished it. Its eye, directed towards mine, appeared truly sorrow- ful, with a degree of pensiveness, which rendered me at that moment quite uneasy. I measured the length of its bill with the compass, began my outlines, continued measuring part after part as I went on, and finished the drawing, without the bird ever moving once. My wife sat at my side, reading to me at intervals, but our conversation had frequent reference to the singularity of the incident. The drawing being finished, I raised the window, laid hold of the poor bird, and launched it into the air, where it sailed off until out of my sight, without uttering a single ery, or deviating from its course. The drawing from which the plate is taken, was subsequently made, as I had to wait until I should procure a male, to render it complete. The above incident you will doubtless consider as extraordinary as I myself did, and perhaps some may feel disposed to look upon it as a spe- cimen of travellers’ tales ; but as I have resolved to present you with the incidents as they occurred, I have felt no hesitation in relating this. The Broad-winged Hawk is seldom seen in Louisiana, and I believe never except during the severe winters that occasionally occur in our Middle and Eastern Districts. I have observed that its usual range sel- dom extends far west of the Alleghany Mountains; but in Virginia, Maryland, and all the States to the eastward of these, it is by no means arare species. I have shot several in the Jerseys, the State of New York, near the Falls of Niagara, and also in the Great Pine Forest. Its flight, which is easy and light, is performed in circles. When elevated in the air, it is fond of partially closing its wings for a moment, and thus gliding to a short distance, as if for amusement. It seldom chases other birds of prey, but is itself frequently teased by the Little Sparrow-hawk, the King-bird, or the Martin. It generally attacks birds of weak nature, particularly very young chickens and ducklings, and during winter feeds on insects and other small animals. It flies singly, unless during the breeding season, and after feeding retires to the top of some small tree, within the woods, where it rests for hours together. It is easily approached. When wounded bya shot so as to be unable to fly, it, like most birds of its tribe, throws itself on its back, opens its bill, protrudes its tongue, utters a hissing sound, erects the top-feathers of its head, and defends itself by reiterated attempts to lay hold with its talons. If a stick is presented to it in this state, it will clench it at once, and al- low itself to be carried hanging to it for some distance, indeed until BROAD-WINGED HAWK. 463 the muscles become paralyzed, when it drops, and again employs the same means of defence. When feeding DS? and swallows the parts without much plucking. I must here remark, it generally holds its prey with both feet, and tears that birds of prey never cover their victims by extending the wings over them, unless when about to be attacked by other birds or animals, that evince a desire to share with them or carry off the fruit of their exer- tions. In the stomach of this bird I have found wood-frogs, portions of small snakes, together with feathers, and the hair of several small species of quadrupeds. I do not think it ever secures birds on the wing, at least I never saw it do so. The nest, which is about the size of that of the Common Crow, is usually placed on pretty large branches, and near the stem or ‘trunk of the tree. It is composed externally of dry sticks and briars, inter- nally of numerous small roots, and is lined with the large feathers of the Common Fowl and other birds. The eggs are four or five, of a dull greyish-white, blotched with dark brown. They are deposited as early as the beginning of March, in low places, but not until a fortnight later in the mountainous parts of the districts in which the bird more frequently breeds. The tree on which I have placed a pair of these birds is known near- _ ly throughout the Union by the name of Pig-nut Hickory. 1 have re- presented it along with them, not because the birds themselves feed on the nuts, as some people have supposed on seeing the drawing, but be- cause it occurs abundantly in those States where the Broad-winged Hawk resides, and, again, because I have found the nest of that bird more fre- quently placed on its branches than on those of any other tree. The nuts have an excessively hard shell. The kernel is sweet, but as it is of small size, the nuts are seldom gathered for any other purpose than that of feeding tame squirrels. The hogs which run at large in our woods feed on them, as do all our different species of squirrels, and some- times the raccoon. The wood of this tree is perhaps tougher than that of most of its genus; but as the trunk is seldom either very straight or very high, it is not used so much as some other hickories, for the purposes of husbandry. Its average height may be estimated at about fifty feet, and its diameter at from eiyhteen inches to two feet. 464 BROAD-WINGED HAWK. Faco rpennsyLvanicus, Ch, Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 29. Broap-wincED Hawk, Fatco PENNSYLVANICUS, Wils. Amer. Orn. vol. vi. p. 92. Pl. 54. fig. 1. Male. Adult Male. Plate XCI. Fig. 1. Bill shortish, as broad as long, the sides convex, the dorsal outline convex from the base; upper mandible with the edges slightly inflected, waved with a broad rounded lobe, the tip trigonal, descending obliquely, acute ; lower mandible inflected at the edges, rounded at the tip. Nos- trils oval, oblique. Head rather large, flattened above. Neck shortish. Body ovate, broad anteriorly. Wingsrather long, Legs longish, rather robust, roundish ; tarsi covered before and behind with scuta ; toes cover- ed above with scuta, scabrous and tuberculate beneath ; middle toe much the longest, outer connected at the base by a membrane, and shorter than the inner; claws long, curved, roundish, very acute. Plumage ordinary, compact. Feathers of the head narrow, of the back broad and rounded, of the neck oblong. Space between the bill and eye covered with bristly feathers. Wing very broad, the. primary quills broad, slightly narrowed toward the end, rounded, the fourth long- est, the secondary quills curved inwards, broadly obtuse. Tail longish, nearly even, the feathers rather broad, truncated and rounded. Bill bluish-black at the tip, blue towards the base; cere and margin yellow. Iris hazel. Feet gamboge-yellow ; claws brownish-black. The general colour of the upper parts is dark umber; the forehead with a slight margin of whitish, the quills blackish-brown, the tail with three bands of dark brown, alternating with two whitish bands, and a narrower terminal band of greyish, the tips white. Throat whitish; cheeks red- dish-brown, with a dark brown mystachial band; the under parts gene- rally light reddish, marked with guttiform, umber spots along the neck, and sagittiform larger spots of the same colour on the breast and _ sides. Tibial feathers of the same colour, with numerous smaller spots. Length 14 inches, extent of wings 32; bill 3} along the ridge, 14 along the gap. Adult Female. Plate XCI. Fig. 2. Colouring generally similar to that of the male, lighter above, more tinged with red beneath, where the spots are larger and more irregular. BROAD-WINGED HAWK. 465 Length 16 inches, extent of wings 35; bill 1 along the ridge, 14 along the gap. This species is referred to the division Astures of the genus Falco. Tue Pig-nur Hicxory. JuGLANs porcina, Mich. Arbr. Forest. de Amer. Sept. t. i. p. 206. Pl. 9. Pursh, Flor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 638.—Moneecia Potyanprta, Linn. TEREBINTHACES, Juss. Leaves pinnate, with seven, five, or three ovato-lanceolate, smooth leaflets, attenuated at both ends; male catkins filiform.; fruit globose ; nut small, smoothish, very hard. The leaves on the twig represented in the plate are not serrated on the edges, although they are generally so in this species. This, however, is merely an occasional variety. Gs ( 466 ) THE PIGEON HAWK. FALCO COLUMBARIUS, Linn. PLATE XCII. Ma ce anp Femate. It is when the whole of ,the shores of our eastern rivers are swarm- ing with myriads “of Rice Buntings, Red-wings, Soras, and other mi- gratory birds,—when all the sportsmen of those parts of our country are induced to turn out in the expectation of full bags of game, that the daring feats of the little spirited Falcon now before you are displayed. Imagine yourself, good-natured reader, with a gun on your shoulder, following the windings of one of those noble streams which embellish our country and facilitate its commerce, having constantly within your view millions of birds on their way to the south, and which in the evenings fall thick as the drops of a hail-shower on the bordering marshes, to spend the night there in security, and by rest to restore the vigour necessary for their gaining the distant regions, whence half of them had emerged the preceding spring. Well, as you are proceeding, full of anxiety, and gazing in astonishment at the multitudes of feathered travellers, all of a sudden a larger bird attracts your eye. It sweeps along in the stillness of the autumnal evening with a rapidity seldom equalled, creating confu- sion, terror, and dismay along the whole shores. The flocks rise en masse with a fluttering sound which comes strangely on your ear, double and double again, turn and wind over the marsh, agitated and fearful of im- minent danger. And now, closely crowded, they would fain escape, but alas! one has been singled out, and in the twinkling of an eye, the Pigeon Hawk, darting into the middle of the flock, seizes and carries him off. Now is your time. Hundreds of sportsmen are dispersed over the marsh, paddling their canoes, or splashing among the reeds. Pull your trigger, and let fly, for it is impossible, should you be ever so inexpert, not to bring down several birds at a shot. But, leaving you to your sport, I must follow the little marauder, as he makes toward the nearest shore, where he alights and devours his prey, and then, with unsatiated appetite, and bent on foul deeds, returns to the scene of action. When the Reed-birds, the Redwings, and Soras, shall have become PIGEON HAWK. 467 so scarce as to be searched for with the same interest as our little Par- tridges already are; when the margins of our rivers shall have been drained and ploughed to the very tide-mark ; when the Grouse shall have to be protected by game-laws ; when Turkeys shall no longer be met with in the wild state ;—how strange will the tale which I now tell sound in the ears of those who may walk along the banks of these rivers, and over the fields which have occupied the place of these marshes ! The Pigeon Hawk does not, I believe, raise its young within the United States, but somewhere farther to the north. Az least, I am in- clined to think so, for in all my wanderings I never found its nest, nor saw the bird at any other season than late in summer, during the autum- nal months, or in the winter. Its migration, or rather its pursuit of mi- grating birds, extends to the southernmost parts of our country ; for I have killed it not only in Louisiana, but high up the Arkansas River, in regions bordering upon the Mexican territory. The daring spirit which it displays exceeds that of any other Hawk of its size. It seizes the Red-breasted Thrush, the Wild Pigeon, and even the Golden-winged Woodpecker, on land; whilst along the shores it chases several species of Snipes, as well as the Green-winged Teal. The latter bird, however, dives at the approach of the Hawk, and thus eludes his gripe ; while the little plunderer, having descended to the surface of the water with the velocity of an arrow, passes onwards, ascending again, without seeming to move its wings, the impulse which it acquired in the descent carrying it onwards, as a carriage, after being whirled down a steep declivity, surmounts the next eminence, without additional propul- sion. Even the presence of the tyrant man he little heeds, and in Penn- sylvania one of this species came almost right upon me while in pursuit of a dove, which found safety in my bosom from its persecutor. When not in full chase, the Pigeon Hawk flies with an unsteady and undetermined notion, flapping its wings frequently, while it rises in spiral curves. This parade is of short duration, for, as if. it remembered that it was losing time, it again approaches the ground, and skims swiftly over the streams, across the fields, along the fences, or by the skirts of the woods, as if intending to frighten all the little birds in its way. Should it unexpectedly meet a man, it darts upwards, and quickly passes over to continue its search. I have known these Hawks attack birds in cages, hanging against the walls of houses, in the very streets of our eastern ities. G g ) 468 PIGEON HAWK. When wounded in the wing, it shakes the other as it falls, describing the spiral curves of a screw; and, if no person is near to secure it, makes its way by long leaps to the thickets, where it is very difficult to find it. But if the gumner is at hand, and attempts to lay hold of it, the little ruffian erects his feathers, screams shrilly and piercingly, and, like the rest of his tribe, throws himself on his back, to be ready to clutch his enemy. Fatco couumsanivs, Linn Syst. Nat. p. 128.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 44.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 28. Picron Hawx, Lath. Synops. vol. i. p. 101.—Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 107. Pl. 25. fig. 3. Adult Male. Plate XCII. Fig. 1. _Bill shortish, as broad as long, the sides convex; the dorsal outline convex from the base; upper mandible with the edges slightly inflected, and forming a projecting process, the tip trigonal, acute, descending obliquely ; lower mandible inflected at the edges, with a notch near the end, abrupt at the tip. Nostrils roundish, with a central tubercle, perforated in the short cere. Head rather large, flattened above. Neck shortish. Body ovate. Legs short, roundish ; tarsi covered before with transverse scuta, on the sides with scales; toes scutellate above, scabrous and tuberculate beneath ; middle toe much longer than the outer, which is connected with it at the base by a membrane; claws long, curved, roundish, very acute. Plumage ordinary, compact on the upper and fore parts, lax beneath. Feathers of the head and neck narrow, of the back rather short, broad and rounded, of the breast oblong. Space between the beak and eye covered with bristly feathers. Orbital spaces bare. Wings nearly as long as the tail; the primary quills narrow, tapering, cut out on the in- ner web towards the end, rounded, the second longest; the secondary quills short, obtuse. Tail longish, nearly even. ‘Tibial feathers long, forming a large tuft externally. - Bill bluish-black at the tip, blue towards the base ; cere, margin, and bare orbital space greenish-yellow. Iris dark brown. Feet greenish- yellow ; claws brownish-black. The general colour of the upper parts is deep chocolate ; a line above the eyes, the tips of the first row of wing- coverts, the outer margins and tips of the secondaries, and the inner mar- gins and tips of the primaries, whitish. The inner webs of the quills PIGEON HAWK. 469 marked with pale brown spots. Tail banded with brownish-white trans- verse spots, which do not reach the outer margin of the feathers, and tipped with the same. Throat white, cheeks whitish, patched and streak- ed with brown. FATALE ees erat ae ccene 258 —— rubricapilla.................. 450 =——— Rathbonia,......:........... 333 ROSeaei nate iiees Soke 124 Solitatidvipccesscsjecesccertke 102 511 Page Sylvia -Trichasy....:..000.0. dave 12 VEFMIVOLA;ec. ceils fete e estes 177 —-— Vigorsii,...............8 153 Tanagra estiva,..........6ecceeeeees 232 Tetrao Umbellus,................56 211 Thistle, Common,.................. 176 Thrush, Hermit,..................6 303 — Louisiana Water,......... 99 ——$— W001d,...... cece cece ce eeee 372 Timber, preparation of,............ 54 Titlark, Brown,.................005 49 Prairie, et nao 408 Towhe Bunting,................06 150 ‘Praill's -flyeatchers:2: 802034 227: 236 Traveller and Pole-cat,...........: 310 Trochilus colubris,...............+.. 248 Troglodytes edon,................065 427 — Bewickil, ..........5.. 96 ludoviciana,............ 399 palustris,.....:.......... 500 Titmouse; Crested,.............050: 199 Tradescantia virginica, ............ 154 Trumpet-flower,...............0..050 254 Ramping,........ 334 Tulip-Tree,..........0000 Pitas 71 Wupeley ssc .vs0s Soe Reeth ae 75 Turdus ludovicianus,............... 99 MINOT} 30s eee eo oa 303 mustelinus,..........6....0 372 polyglottus,.............006 108 Werlkey; ages. (S238 essere ses 1, 33 Turtle Dove, Carolina,............ 91 Tyrant Fly-catcher,............. ..» 403 Ursus Americanus,............+.00 480 Vaccinium frondosum,............. 129 Vireo noveboracensis,............s0 328 SO]itariUS,..........ccceeeeee eee 147 Virginian Hornbeam,.............. 204 Paperideeys iy os.ccss< cons 388 Vitis rotundifolia,.................. 935 Vigors’s Warbler,............0000+. , 153 Viburnum prunifolium,............ 123 Warbler, Autumnal,............... 447 a Lat <—— 512 INDEX. Page Warbler, Azure,.........6...0eceeee 255 Bay-breasted, a. whussantees 358 — Black-and-yellow, ........ 260 Blue-green, ...........0+0+8 258 Blue Yellow-backed, ...... 78 Blue-winged Yellow,.... 102 Carbonated,..............00 308 Chestnut-sided,............ 306 Children’s,............6-.00 180 —— Kentucky,...............08 196 ——— Nashville,..............+0+ 450 —— Prairie,...............ce0e 76 Prothonotary,...........++ 22 Rathbone,................5+ 333 Vigne i, es2 senpeekn sep ap! 153 —— Yellow-pole,............... 476 ——— Yellow-breasted,.......... 121 Yellow-throated,.......... 434 Worm-eating,............4 177 Washington, Bird ef,..............- 58 Wiese: Was ciien cence hpieesivedpuason 421 White-bellied Swallow,......... «» 490 White-eyed Fly-catcher,........... 328 White-headed Eagle,............+ 160 White-tailed Eagle,........-+0-+«: . 64 White Oak,.........0085 ai at eee | NEILL & CO. PRINTERS, Old Fishmarket, Edinburgh. Page White Pine, ..............000008 » 201 White-throated Sparrow,......... 42 Whip-poor-will,.<.....2......2+.s0e 422 Wild Torkeygs....0c80s9000 een 1, 33 Wilson, Mr Alexander,....:....... 438 Winter Hawk,..................004 364 Woodpecker, Ivory-billed,......... 341 — Golden-winged,...... 191 Woodpecker, Red-headed,........ 141 Wood Thrush,...................008 372 Worm-eating Warbler,............ 177 W OFM =2T AS85266 c renee or ete 361 Wren, Great Carolina,............ 399 Bewick’s,........ss20$Je. bees 96 Hot sess. iedss> degen be oaee! 427 Miarshc.si5sssinasecnesiens 500 Xanthium Strumarium,......... .. 140 Yellow-billed Cuckoo,............. 18 Yellow-breasted Warbler,......... 121 Yellow-throat, Maryland,......... 121 Yellow-throat, Roscoe’s,......... » 124 Yellow-throated Warbler,......... 434 rcs Mais ieeccsciccnvaes siuealaioney 41 UNDER THE SPECIAL PATRONAGE OF Hev Mast Ercellent Majesty, QUBBN ADELAIDE. THE BIRDS OF AMERICA, ENGRAVED FROM DRAWINGS MADE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR TERRITORIES. BY JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, F.R.SS. L & E. FELLOW OF THE LINNEAN AND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON } MEMBER OF THE LYCEUM OF NEW YORK, THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PARIS, THE WERNE- RIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH; HONORARY MEMBER OF THE SCOTTISH ACADEMY OF PAINTING, SCULPTURE AND ARCHITECTURE, Xc. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR; AND TO BE SEEN AT MR R. HAVELL’S JUN. THE ENGRAVER, 77. OXFORD STREET, LONDON. MDCCCXXXI. NEILL & CO. PRINTERS, Old Fishmarket, Edinburgh. p t ee tt PROSPECTUS. To those who have not seen any portion of the Author's Collection of Original Drawings, it may be proper to state, that their superio- rity consists in the accuracy as to proportion and outline, and the va- riety and truth of the attitudes and positions of the figures, resulting from peculiar means discovered and employed by the Author, and his attentive examination of the objects portrayed, during a long series of years. The Author has not contented himself, as others have done, with single profile views, but in very many instances has grouped his figures, so as to represent the originals at their natural avocations, and has placed them on branches of trees, decorated with foliage, blossoms and fruits, or amidst plants of numerous species. Some are seen pursuing their prey through the air, searching for food amongst the leaves and herbage, sitting on their nests, or feed- ing their young; whilst others, of a different nature, swim, wade, or glide in or over their allotted element. The Insects, Reptiles and Fishes, that form the food of these birds, have now and then been in- troduced into the drawings. In every instance where a difference of plumage exists between the sexes, both the Male and the Female have been represented; and the extraordinary changes which some species undergo, in their progress from youth to maturity, have been depicted. The Plants are all copied from Nature ; and as many of the originals are remarkable for their beauty, their usefulness, or their rarity, the Botanist cannot fail to look upon them with delight. The particulars of the Plan of the Work may be reduced to the following heads :— 1. The size of the work is Double Elephant Folio, the paper be- ing of the finest quality. 2. The engravings are, in every instance, of the exact dimensions of the drawings, which, without any exception, represent the birds and other objects of their natural size. 3. The Plates are coloured in the most careful manner, from the original drawings. 4 4. The work appears in Numbers, of which five are published an- nually, each Number consisting of five Plates. 5. The price of each number is Two Guineas, payable on delivery. Persons desirous of becoming Subscribers, are requested to ap- ply to MR AUDUBON, Or to Mr R. Have zt junior, Engraver and Publisher, 77. Oxford Street, Lon- don, with whom specimens of the work may be seen, or to any of the fol- lowing agents :— Messrs TREUTTEL, Wurtz and Co. Scho Square, London. Messrs Rogrnson, Liverpool. Mr T. SowtEr, Manchester. Mr E. Cuarn ey, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Messrs Poor and Boorn, Chester. Messrs BeriBy, Knorr and Berizy, Birmingham ; and Mr Apam Brack, North Bridge, Edinburgh. The First Volume, consisting of One Hundred Plates, represent- ing Ninety-nine species of Birds, of many of which there are several Figures, is now published. It is expected that other Three Volumes, of equal size, will complete the work. ~ CONTENTS OF VOL. I. OF THE BIRDS OF AMERICA. Plates published in 1827. 1. The Wild Turkey. Male. Meleagris Gallopavo. Lunn. 2. Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus. Bonap. 3. Prothonotary Warbler, Sylvia Protonotarius. Lath. 4. Purple Finch, Fringilla purpurea. G'mel. 5. Bonaparte’s Fly-catcher, Muscicapa Bonapartii. Aud. _ 6. Wild Turkey. Female, Meleagris Gallopavo. Linn. 7. Purple Grakle, Quiscalus versicolor. Véeill. 8. White-throated Sparrow, Fringilla pennsylvanica. Lath. 9. Selby’s Flycatcher, Muscicapa Selbii. Aud. 10. Brown Titlark, Anthus Spinoletta. Bonap. 11. Bird of Washington, Falco Washingtonii. Aud. 12. Baltimore Oriole, Icterus Baltimore. Daud. 13. Snow Bird, Fringilla hyemalis. Zinn. 14. Prairie Warbler, Sylvia discolor. Veeill. 15. Blue Yellow-backed Warbler, Sylvia americana. Lath. 16. Great-footed Hawk, Falco peregrinus. Gmel. 17. Carolina Turtle Dove, Columba carolinensis. Zinn. 18. Bewick’s Wren, Troglodytes Bewickii. Aud. 19. Louisiana Water Thrush, Turdus ludovicianus. Aud. 20. Blue-winged Yellow Warbler, Sylvia solitaria. Wils. 21. Mocking Bird, Turdus polyglottus. Zinn. 22. Purple Martin, Hirundo purpurea. Linn. 23. Maryland Yellow-throat, Sylvia Trichas. Lath. 24. Roscoe’s Yellow-throat, Sylvia Roscoe. Aud. 25. Song Sparrow, Fringilla melodia. Wis, 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. Al. 42. 43. 44, 45. 46. 47. 48. 49 50. e 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. Carolina Parrot, q Red-headed Woodpecker, Solitary Fly-catcher, Towhe Bunting, Vigors’s Warbler, White-headed Eagle, Black-billed Cuckoo, American Goldfinch, Worm-eating Warbler, Children’s Warbler, Stanley Hawk, Golden-winged Woodpecker, Kentucky Warbler, Crested Titmouse, American Redstart, Ruffed Grouse, Orchard Oriole, Cedar Bird, Summer Red Bird, Traill’s Flycatcher, Barred Owl, Ruby-throated Humming Bird, Trochilus colubris. Azure Warbler, Blue-green Warbler, Black-and-yellow Warbler, Red-tailed Hawk, Chuckwill’s Widow, Painted Finch, Rice Bird, Cuvier’s Regulus. Red-shouldered Hawk, Loggerhead Shrike, Hermit Thrush, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Carbonated Warbler, Great, Horned Owl. Passenger Pigeon, 1828. Linn. Picus erythrocephalus. Linn. Vireo solitarius. Vieill. Fringilla erythrophthalma. Sylvia Vigorsii. Awd. Falco leucocephalus. Linn. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus. Bon. Fringilla tristis. Sylvia vermivora. Lath. Sylvia Childrenii. Awd. Falco Stanleii. Aud. Picus auratus. Linn. Wils. Parus bicolor. Linn. Muscicapa Ruticilla. Tetrao Umbellus. Icterus spurius. Psittacus carolinensis. Linn. Linn. Sylvia formosa. Linn. Linn. Bonap. Bombycilla carolinensis. Tanagra estiva. Gimel. Sylvia Traillii. Aud. Strix nebulosa. G'mel. Linn. Steph. Lath. Lath. Briss. Sylvia azurea. Sylvia rara. Sylvia maculosa. 1829. Falco borealis. Gel. Caprimulgus carolinensis. Fringilla ciris. Temm. Icterus agripennis. Bonap. Regulus Cuvierii. Aud. Falco lineatus. Gel. Lanius ludovicianus. Turdus minor. Gimel. Sylvia icterocephala. Lath. Sylvia carbonata. Aud. Strix virginiana. Gmel. Columba migratoria. Linn. Briss. Linn. a 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. White-eyed Flycatcher, Swamp Sparrow, Rathbone Warbler, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Red-winged Starling, Republican Swallow, Bay-breasted Warbler, Henslow’s Bunting, Winter Hawk, Swallow-tailed Hawk, Wood Thrush, Indigo Bird, Le Petit Caporal, 7 Vireo noveboracensis. Bonap. Fringilla palustris. Wils. Sylvia Rathbonii. Aud. Picus principalis. Linn. Icterus pheeniceus. Daud. Hirundo fulva. Véeill. Sylvia castanea. Wils. Emberiza Henslowii. Aud. Falco hyemalis. Gmel. Falco furcatus. Linn. Turdus mustelinus. Gmel. Fringilla cyanea. Wils. Falco temerarius. Aud. 1830. Virginian Partridge, Belted Kingsfisher, Great Carolina Wren, Tyrant Flycatcher, Prairie Titlark, Fish Hawk, Whip-poor-will, House Wren, Blue-grey Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Warbler, Black Warrior, Florida Jay, Autumnal Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Black-and-white Creeper, Broad-winged Hawk, Pigeon Hawk, Sea-side Finch, Bay-winged Bunting, Yellow-poll Warbler, Columbian Jay, Mottled Owl, White-bellied Swallow, Cow-pen Bird, Marsh Wren, Perdix virginiana. Lath. Alcedo Alcyon, Linn. Troglodytes ludovicianus. Bonap. Muscicapa Tyrannus. Anthus pipiens. Aud. Falco Haliaetos. Linn. Caprimulgus vociferus. Wils. Troglodytes edon. Véeill. Muscicapa coerulea. Lath. Sylvia pensilis. Lath. Falco Harlani. Aud. Corvus floridanus. Bart. Sylvia autumnalis. Wils. Sylvia rubricapilla. Wiis. Certhia varia. Aud. Falco pennsylvanicus. Falco columbarius. Fringilla maritima. Fringilla graminea. Sylvia estiva. Lath. Corvus Bullockii. Wag. Strix Asio. Linn. Hirundo bicolor. Véieill. Icterus pecoris. Bonap. Troglodytes palustris. Briss. Lath. Linn. Wils. Gmel. Bonap. EXTRACTS FROM REVIEWS. Extract from a Report made to the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris. By Baron Cuvier. L’ Academie m’a chargé de lui rendre un compte verbal de Youvrage qui lui a été communiqué dans une de ses précédentes séances par M. Audubon, et qui a pour objet les oiseaux de lAmerique Septentrio- nale. On peut le caractériser en peu de mots, en disant que c’est le monument le plus magnifique qui ait encore été élevé a l’ornithologie. L’auteur, né a la Louisiane, et qui s’est adonné dés sa jeunesse a la peinture, est venu, il y a 25 ans, se perfectionner dans son art 4 Yécole de David. Retourné dans son pays, il n’a cru pouvoir faire de son talent un usage plus utile, que de le consacrer a la representation des productions les plus brillantes de cet hémisphére. L’observation scrupuleuse nécessaire 4 des images telles qu’il voulait les faire, l'a bientét rendu naturaliste. C'est en sa double qualité d’artiste et de savant, qu'il a produit louvrage qui a été mis sous les yeux de I'Academie. Vous avez été frappés d’un format égal ou supérieur a ce qui a été publié de plus grand en ce genre, et qui approche des doubles planches de la descrip- tion de Egypte. Cette dimension extraordinaire lui a permis de rendre des espéces de la taille de l’aigle et du tétras dans leur gran- deur naturelle, et de multiplier celles qui sont moins vyolumineuses de maniére a les représenter dans toutes les attitudes. Il a pu aussi représenter sur les mémes planches, et de grandeur naturelle, les végétaux sur lesquels ces oiseaux se tiennent le plus habituellement, et donner dans le plus grand détail leurs nids et leurs ceufs. L’exécution de ces planches, si remarquables par leur grandeur, nous parait avoir également bien réussi, sous le rapport du dessin, de la gravure et du coloris, et quoiqu’il soit difficile 4 l’enluminure de rendre les reliefs avec autant d’effet, qu’a la peinture proprement dite, ce n'est pas un inconvenient pour des ouvrages d’histoire naturelle ; les naturalistes préférent la couleur propre des objects, 4 ces teintes accidentelles, résultat des diverses inflexions de la lumiére, nécessaires 9 pour compléter la vérité pittoresque, mais étrangéres et nuisible méme a la vérité scientifique. M. Audubon a déja préparé quatre cents dessins qui contiennent a-peu pres deux mille figures, et il se propose de les publier succes- sivement, s'il est encouragé par les amateurs. Un ouvrage congu et exécuté d’aprés un plan si vaste, n’a qu’un défaut, et sans doute que sur celui-la mes auditeurs m’ont déja prevenu, c’est que sa cherté le rend presq’ inaccessible a la plupart de ceux auxquels il serait le plus nécessaire. Toutefois on ne peut pas dire que le prix en soit exorbi- tant. Une livraison de cing planches se paie deux guinées ; chaque planche revient done a 10 ou 11 fr., et comme il n’en paraitra que cing livraisons par an, la dépense annuelle de son acquisition ne serait pas énorme. II est a desirer du moins, dans lintérét de l’art autant que dans celui de la science, que les grands dépéts publics, et les propriétaires qui aiment a enricher leurs bibliothéques d’ouvrages de luxe, veuillent se le procurer. Autrefois c’etaient les naturalistes Européens qui étaient obligés de faire connaitre a I’ Amérique les richesses qu'elle possédait ; main- tenant les Mitchill, les Harlan, les Wilson, les Charles Bonaparte, rendent avec usure a l'Europe ce que l’Amérique ena recu. L’his- toire des oiseaux des Etats-Unis de Wilson égalait déja en élégance nos plus beaux ouvrages d’ornithologie. Si celui de M. Audubon se termine, il faudra convenir que ce sera I’Amérique qui, pour la mag- nificence de l’exécution, aura surpassé |’ Ancien Monde. Lixtract from a Review by W. Swainson, Esq. F. RS. F. LS. &c., published in the Natural History Magazine, for May 1828. M. Audubon, if I have been rightly informed, is a citizen of Ame- rica, descended from French parents. Devotedly attached to the study of nature, no less than to painting, he seems to have pursued both with a genius and an ardour, of which, in their united effects, there is no parallel. His two ornithological narratives, printed in one of the Scotch journals, are as valuable to the scientific world, as they are delightful to the general reader. They give us a rich foretaste of what we may hope and expect from such aman. There is a fresh- ness and an originality about these essays, which can only be compar- ed to the animated biographies of Wilson. Both these men contem- 10 plated Nature as she really is, not as she is represented in books ; they sought her in her sanctuaries. The shore, the mountain, and the forest were alternately their study, and there they drank the pure stream of knowledge at its fountain-head. The observations of such men, are the corner-stones of every attempt to discover the system of nature. Their writings will be consulted when our favourite theories shall have passed into oblivion. Ardently, therefore, do I hope, that M. Audubon will alternately become the historian and the painter of his favourite objects, that he will never be made a convert to any sys- tem, but instruct and delight us asa true and unprejudiced biographer of nature. I am now to speak of M. Audubon more particularly as a painter. I shall, therefore, view the work before me as a specimen of the fine arts, and judge of it by those rules which constitute pictorial criticism. The size of the plates exceeds any thing of the kind I have ever seen or heard of; they are no less than 3 feet 3 inches long by 2 feet 2 inches broad. On this vast surface every bird is represented in its full dimensions. Large as is the paper, it is sometimes (as in the Male Wild Turkey, pl. I.) barely sufficient for the purpose. In other cases, it enables the painter to group his figures, in the most beautiful and varied attitudes, on the trees or plants they frequent. Some are feeding, others darting, pursuing, or capturing their prey; all have life and animation. The plants, fruits and flowers which enrich the scene are alone still. These latter, from their critical accuracy, are as valuable to the botanist as the birds are to the ornithologist. Such is the general character of the work, but it is of a nature to demand a more particular notice. What I have said might, in a ge- neral way, be repeated of others. This, as I shall presently shew, is perfectly unique, both in its conception and execution. To explain this, I shall call the reader’s attention to the following plates, or rather pictures. Turtle-Doves of Carolina. (Plate 17.) It is quite impossible to treat this subject with greater truth or delicacy of conception, than it has here received. Ina thicket of the beautiful Stwartia Malacoden- dron, (whose white blossoms are emblematic, like the dove, of chaste- ness and purity), a pair of turtles have built their nest. The fe- male is sitting, and, their union being consummated, she is receiving the caresses of the male. Above is another pair ; their love is in its infancy. The male, seated on the same branch with his imtended partner, is eagerly pressing forwards to reach a “stolen kiss,” but the 11 head of the female is coyly turned. Her secret satisfaction is, how- ever, expressed by the agitation of her wings and tail. If the artist had never painted any picture but this, it would secure him the high- est meed of praise, as long as truth and nature continued the same. Mocking Birds defending their nest from a Rattlesnake. (Plate 21.) The same poetic sentiment and masterly execution characterizes this picture. The formidable reptile has driven the female bird from her eggs, which he intends to suck. Unable to defend them while sitting, she clings to the side, and, “with outstretched wings and forward breast,” seems prepared to strike her bill into the very jaws of her enemy. Her cries have brought two others of her race to the spot ; but these, not feeling a parent’s solicitude, “ come not boldly” to the attack. On the courage of the male bird the fate of the conflict seems to depend. He is close to the serpent, aiming a deadly stroke at its eye, while his own is lighted up with a determination and courage, which seem to bespeak anticipated victory. Every part of the story is told with exquisite feeling, the artist has thrown his greatest skill in the figure of the female bird, and it is uncommonly fine. It will depend on the powerful and the wealthy, whether Britain shall have the honour of fostering such a magnificent undertaking. It will be a lasting monument, not only to the memory of its author, but to those who employ their wealth in patronizing genius, and in supporting the national credit. If any publication deserves such a distinction, it is surely this, inasmuch as it exhibits a perfection in the higher attributes of zoological painting, never before attempted. To represent the passions and the feelings of birds, might, until now, have been well deemed chimerical. Rarely, indeed, do we see their outward forms represented with any thing like nature. In my es- timation, not more than three painters ever lived who could draw a bird. Of these the lamented Barrabaud, of whom France may be justly proud, was the chief. “He has long passed away; but his mantle has, at length, been recovered in the forests of America. 12 NAMES OF SUBSCRIBERS. HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, QUEEN ADELAIDE. (HIS MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY, GEORGE IV.) (HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY, CHARLES X.) HIS MAJESTY PHILIPPE I. KING.OF THE FRENCH. Her Royat Hicuness MaDEMOISELLE D’ORLEANS. Prince Massena, Paris. Charles L. Bonaparte, Prince of Musignano. His Grace the Duke of Rutland. 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