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THE  AMERICAN 
NATURAL  HISTORY 


“The  concise  and  precise  phraseology  of  science, 
admirable  though  it  be  for  the  use  of  those  who  have 
been  trained  to  employ  it,  is  to  others  not  only  mis- 
leading, but  it  may  be  repulsive.” — G.  Brown  Goode. 

“The  highest  type  of  scientific  writing  is  that 
which  sets  forth  useful  scientific  facts,  in  language 
which  is  interesting,  and  easily  understood  by  the  mill- 
ions who  read.” — L.  A.  Mann. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/b28082084 


Painted  by  Carl  Kungius. 


THE  AMERICAN  MOOSE,  IN  NEW  BRUNSWICK. 


THE  AMERICAN 

NATURAL  HISTORY 


A FOUNDATION  OF  USEFUL  KNOWLEDGE  OF 
THE  HIGHER  ANIMALS  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


BY 

WILLIAM  T.  HORNADAY 

DIRECTOR  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  ZOOLOGICAL  PARK;  AUTHOR  OF 
"TWO  YEARS  IN  THE  JUNGLE,”  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  227  ORIGINAL  DRAWINGS  BY  BEARD,  RUNGIUS, 
SAWYER,  AND  OTHERS,  116  PHOTOGRAPHS,  CHIEFLY  BY  SANBORN, 
KELLER,  AND  UNDERWOOD,  AND  NUMEROUS  CHARTS  AND  MAPS 


GEORGE  NEWNES,  LIMITED 
L O N D O N M C M I V 


Copyright  for  the  United  States  of 
America,  1904,  by 
WILLIAM  T.  HORNADAY 


Printed  by 
SCRIBNER  PRESS 
New  York,  U.  S.  A. 


SPECIAL  NOTICE 

The  publisliers  hereby  give  warning  tliat 
the  unauthorized  use  of  illustrations,  charts,  or 
maps  from  this  book  is  expressly  forbidden. 


WELLCOME  INSTirUTE 
LIBRARY 

Coll. 

welMOmec 

Call 

No. 

r ^ 

PREFACE 


By  natural  inclination,  every  child  is  interested  in  animals.  Whenever  a grown 
person  is  not  so  interested,  it  is  positive  proof  that  the  natural  instincts  of  childhood 
cither  have  been  turned  aside,  or  stifled  by  lack  of  opportunity  to  live  and  grow.  The 
love  for  animals  is,  I believe,  even  more  universal  than  the  love  for  music. 

Whenever  I try  to  sum  up  the  amount  of  living  interest,  and  also  genuine  delight, 
that  is  yielded  by  even  a very  modest  acquaintance  with  the  higher  forms  of  life,  “I  would 
that  my  tongue  could  utter  the  thoughts  that  arise  in  me!”  It  seems  a pity  that  so 
many  ajqireciative  persons  should  lose  so  much  of  life  through  lack  of  acquaintance  with 
about  three  hundred  important  and  well-chosen  species  of  animals. 

In  these  days  of  struggle  and  stre.ss  for  Place  and  Pow'er,  and  in  these  nights  of 
insomnia  and  nerves,  there  are  few  side  issues  more  restful  or  more  j)leasantly  diverting 
to  a tired  brain  than  an  active  interest  in  some  branch  of  natural  history.  A hunt  for 
the  life  history  of  a fine  animal  species  is  ne.xt  in  restfulness  to  a real  hunt,  over  the 
fields  and  far  away,  with  all  cares  and  worries  left  behind. 

The  foregoing  is  for  the  eyes  of  adult  readers.  Argument  is  not  necessary  to  con- 
vince young  people  that  a mighty  host  of  interesting  things  aw'aits  every  one  who  sets 
foot  in  the  field  of  Nature.  To-day,  the  all-absorbing  question  is — how  can  Nature  be 
made  available  to  the  young? 

This  book  is  one  of  my  two  answers  to  that  question;  and  it  is  particularly  addressed 
to  teachers  and  parents.  It  is  intended  to  be  a plain,  practical,  common-sense  answer, 
presented  in  a systematic  and  scientific  way.  The  author  assumes  that  fifteen  years  of 
earnest  thought,  and  conferences  with  scores  of  teachers  on  the  subject  of  natural  history 
teaching  in  American  public  schools,  may  fairly  entitle  him  to  a hearing. 

Briefly  stated,  the  situation  to-day  is  as  follo\vs: 

The  scientific  “zoology”  is  suitable  only  for  students  in  the  higher  colleges  and 
universities.  Between  it  and  the  “nature  study”  books  of  the  grammar  schools  there 
exists  a chasm  that  is  wide  and  deep. 

The  “nature  studies”  of  .some  of  our  city  schools  are  good  for  young  pupils,  from 
ten  to  fourteen  years  of  age;  but  they  are  insufficient  for  those  between  fourteen  years 
ami  university  age. 

Students  in  the  highest  grammar-school  grades,  the  high  schools,  normal  schools, 
academies  and  small  colleges  are  .so  inadequately  equipped  for  the  study  of  natural  history 
that  julbf  mncty-five  per  cent,  of  them,  including  also  the  great  mass  of  students  from  the 
higher  colleges  and  umrersities,  enter  active  life  ignorant  of  even  the  most  important  for7ns 
of  the  wild  life  of  our  oicn  country!  If  this  statement  can  be  disproved,  the  author  will 
be  delighted  to  withdraw  it,  and  apologize. 

^^hile  the  “nature-study”  teaching  of  the  present  day  is  acceptable  and  commend- 
able for  veiw'  young  pupils,  tending  to  arouse  their  interest  and  prepare  their  minds  for  more 
serious  work,  its  sphere  is  strictly  limited,  and  it  is  a mistake  to  carry  it  too  far.  Valuable 


V 


VI 


PREFACE 


and  permanent  results  in  the  study  of  animal  life  cannot  be  achieved  by  turning  in  the 
class-room  a kaleidoscope  filled  with  a chaotic  mass  of  birds,  butterflies,  flowers,  frogs 
and  trees.  Object-teaching  is  excellent,  if  rightly  conducted.  But  the  object  can  easily 
become  a fetich ; and  all  fetich-worship  is  dangerous  to  its  devotees.  Twenty-five  years 
hence,  some  of  the  courses  of  study  of  the  year  1903  will  be  regarded  as  educational  curi- 
osities. Even  the  finest  lobster  or  grasshopper  should  not  be  held  so  close  to  the  eye 
that  it  obscures  all  the  remainder  of  the  animal  kingdom. 

There  is  no  royal  road  to  a real  acquaintance  with  living  animals.  Entertaining 
and  truthful  story-books  about  quadrupeds  and  birds  are  excellent  in  their  way,  but  they 
do  not,  and  cannot,  go  down  to  bed-rock,  and  lay  foundations  on  which  the  pupil  can 
build  for  aye.  It  has  been  decreed  by  Nature  that  he  who  will  not  work  shall  not  know 
her.  There  is  no  process  by  which  the  secrets  of  Nature  can  be  placed  automatically  in 
a giddy  mind. 

The  author  maintains  in  this  volume,  and  also  out  of  it,  that  System  is  the  only  master- 
key  by  which  the  doors  of  Animate  Nature  can  be  unlocked.  Even  with  boys  and  girls 
fifteen  years  of  age,  the  foundations  of  natural  history  classification  must  not  be  ignored! 
Let  them  but  begin  right,  and  the  structure  is  bound  to  rise.  But  beware  of  all  chaotic 
jumbles  of  unrelated  facts! 

This  volume  is  intended  as  builder’s  “filling”  in  the  chasm  that  now  exists  between 
the  technical  “zoology”  of  the  college  and  the  “nature-study”  lessons  of  the  common 
schools.  To-day,  I am  certain  that  many  nature-study  teachers  dislike  their  work  solely 
because  they  lack  suitable  sources  of  information.  Surely  it  is  unnecessary  to  suggest 
to  any  intelligent  and  sincere  teacher  that  it  is  possible  to  utilize  only  a portion  of  this 
book,  by  selecting  the  subjects  best  adapted  to  each  particular  class,  and  passing  over 
the  others. 

Among  the  writers  of  manuals  of  zoology,  it  is  now  customary  to  begin  with  the 
lowest  and  least  interesting  forms  of  life,  and  work  upward  toward  the  highest.  That 
will  answer  for  the  advanced  student — if  he  chooses  to  have  it  so;  but  for  middle- 
grade  students  and  readers  at  home  it  is  decidedly  wrong.  All  elementary  lessons  in 
natural  history  should  begin  with  Nature’s  most  important  facts,  and  first  bring  forward 
her  most  interesting  animals.  To  begin  with  the  grasshopper,  and  struggle  through  a 
hundred  dreary  pages  of  anatomy  and  low  forms  of  life,  before  reaching  a creature  of 
personality  and  intelligence,  is  too  much  for  the  patience  of  any  active  school-boy  who 
wishes  “to  know  about  animals.” 

Anatomy  is  necessary  to  the  advanced  student;  but  in  a book  for  schools  and  the 
general  reader,  it  is  easily  carried  too  far.  As  with  human  beings,  the  first  thing  to  be 
learned  about  an  animal  is  its' place  in  Nature,  and  after  that,  its  personality.  It  is  only 
the  scientific  specialist  who  wishes  to  know  first  about  its  mandibular  symphysis,  the 
geography  of  its  sutures,  and  the  size  of  its  auditory  bullae. 

As  the  reader  will  observe,  I have  striven  to  accomplish  two  ends;  (1)  to  make  clear 
each  animal’s  place  in  the  great  system  of  Nature,  and  (2)  to  introduce  the  animal  in  such 
a manner  as  to  enable  the  reader  to  become  personally  acquainted  with  it.  The  subjects 
chosen  for  introduction  are  not  confined  to  any  one  section  of  our  country,  but  represent 
all  North  America,  and  even  lands  beyond.  For  the  purpose  of  avoiding  wide  gaps, 
several  important  foreign  animals  have  been  included. 

At  this  point  I wish  to  record  a grateful  acknowledgment  to  Mr.  Andrew  Carnegie,  for 


PEE FACE 


vii 

his  interest  in  the  author’s  plans  for  introducing  the  study  of  natural  history  in  schools, 
and  for  encouragement  at  a time  when  it  was  most  needed. 

The  manuscrii)ts  and  proofs  relating  to  mammals  have  been  read,  criticised  and 
corrected  by  Dr.  T.  S.  Palmer,  Assistant  Chief  of  the  Biological  Survey,  Washington, 
D.  C.  Through  Dr.  Palmer’s  advice,  the  author’s  old-fashioned  preferences  on  certain 
points  of  nomenclature  were  abandoned,  and  the  names  of  orders,  families,  genera  and 
species  were  brought  down  to  date.  It  is  due  to  him  that  in  our  nomenclature  we  are 
in  reality  a trifle  in  advance  of  the  times  rather  than  behind  them. 

Similar  valuable  service  has  been  rendered  the  section  on  Birds  by  I\Ir.  C.  William  , 
Beebe,  Curator  of  Birds,  and  those  on  the  Reptiles  and  Amphibians  w'ere  read  and  cor- 
rected by  Mr.  Raymond  L.  Ditmars,  Curator  of  Reptiles,  in  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park.  The  portion  treating  of  Fishes  received  critical  attention  from  Mr.  Charles  H. 
Townsend,  Director  of  the  New  York  Aquarium,  but  in  fairness  to  him  it  must  be  stated 
that  he  is  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  author’s  arrangement  of  the  Orders  of  Fishes. 

To  each  of  the  gentlemen  named  above  I offer  a most  grateful  acknowledgment 
for  timely  and  valuable  services,  and  desire  to  assure  the  reader  that  for  any  shortcomings 
that  may  appear  in  the  finished  book,  they  are  not  in  the  least  responsible. 

In  the  text  of  this  work  I have  endeavored  to  give  due  credit  for  the  noteworthy 
facts  quoted  from  other  authors.  Practically  the  only  instances  wherein  this  has  not 
always  been  possible  are  those  involving  the  geographic  ranges  of  species,  wherein  com- 
binations of  authorities  are  the  rule  rather  than  the  exception.  To  cover  all  possible 
omissions,  I desire  to  mention  here  the  names  of  the  authors  from  whom  I have  derived 
many  facts,  but  chiefly  regarding  distribution,  and  I gratefully  acknowledge  indebtedness 
to  Mr.  D.  G.  Elliot’s  “Synopsis  of  the  Mammals  of  North  America  and  the  Adjacent 
Seas”;  to  the  manj'  papers  on  our  ^lammalia  by  Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  Dr.  T.  S.  Palmer, 
and  Mr.  Vernon  Bailey;  to  ^Irs.  Florence  ]\Ierriam  Bailey’s  “Birds  of  the  Western  United 
States.”  Mr.  Frank  ^I.  Chapman’s  “Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,”  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher’s 
“Hawks  and  Owls,”  and  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood  Wright’s  “Birdcraft”;  to  Dr.  Leonhard 
Stejneger’s  “Poisonous  Snakes  of  North  America”;  Prof.  E.  D.  Cope’s  “Crocodilians, 
Lizards  and  Snakes  of  North  America,”  and  Dr.  H.  Gadow’s  “Amphibia  and  Reptiles”; 
to  Dr.  David  S.  Jordan  and  Dr.  Barton  W.  Evermann’s  “Fishes  of  North  and  Middle 
.America,”  and  “American  Food  and  Game  Fishes,”  and  to  Mr.  Richard  Lydekker’s 
“Royal  Natural  History.” 

Natiu'ally,  I have  drawn  freely  upon  the  zoological  knowledge  that  has  been  accu- 
mulated in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  during  its  existence. 

A final  word  must  be  added  regarding  the  illustrations.  Probably  no  other  author 
ever  had  a more  tempting  opportunity  for  completely  filling  a volume  with  photographs 
of  animals.  But,  while  I am  an  ardent  admirer  of  the  best  results  in  animal  photography, 
and  a diligent  user  of  them,  I also  recognize  the  limitations  of  the  camera. 

The  demands  of  a zoological  illustration  are  inexorable;  and  all  too  often  the  camera 
ignores  some  of  them.  A perfect  zoological  portrait  of  an  animal  must  possess  clear  and 
distinct  outlines,  showing  a side  view,  and  perfect  details.  A picture  sans  feet,  tail,  ears, 
eyes  or  legs,  is  not  a portrait;  and  a ball  of  fur,  even  though  photographed,  is  not  neces- 
sarily an  animal.  A’ery  often,  also,  the  most  perfect  photograph  of  a spiritless  animal 
in  captivity  utterly  fails  to  convey  a just  and  adequate  impression  of  the  species  as  it  is 
seen  at  its  best,  on  its  native  heath. 


PKEFACE 


viii 


Because  of  the  limitations  of  the  camera,  several  thousand  dollars  have  been  ex- 
pended upon  the  beautiful  drawings  by  Messrs.  J.  Carter  Beard,  Carl  Rungius,  Edmund  J. 
Sawyer  and  a few  other  artists,  which  adorn  as  well  as  illustrate  this  work.  In  addition 
to  these,  about  one  hundred  and  sixteen  particularly  excellent  photographs  have  been 
made,  of  specially  selected  subjects,  by  Messrs.  Elwin  R.  Sanborn,  Ernest  F.  Keller, 
W.  Lyman  Underwood,  R.  J.  Beck,  and  a few  other  experts  in  animal  photography. 
With  but  very  few  exceptions,  the  illustrations  which  appear  in  this  book  have  been  made 
expressly  for  it,  and  now  appear  for  the  first  time.  The  author  is  indebted  for  the  loan  of 
several  from  the  publications  of  the  New  York  Zoological  Society. 

Now  that  the  last  page  save  the  preface  has  been  set  up,  locked  fast  and  turned  into 
a plate  of  cold  metal,  the  hour  for  regret  has  struck.  I know  that  my  proof-reading 
has  not  been  perfect,  and  that  various  errors  may  be  found  by  those  who  watch  for 
them.  In  view  of  the  patient  and  even  tireless  efforts  and  the  generous  expenditures 
which  Messrs.  Charles  Scribner’s  Sons  have  bestowed  upon  this  volume,  the  author  deeply 
regrets  that  his  own  share  of  the  work  is  not  as  perfect  as  theirs.  For  the  reader’s 
sake,  also,  he  wishes  that  he  could  have  done  better. 

W.  T.  H. 


Bedford  Park,  New  York  City. 


CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTION 


Page 

xix 


BOOK  I— MA3IMALS 


CHAPTER  I.— ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS . 3 


CHAPTER  II.— ORDER  OF  APES  AND  MONKEYS  ....  PRIMATES  7 


.\NTHROrOID  ,\PES  .... 

Old  M orld  Monkeys  and  Baboons 


New  World  Monkeys  . 
7 Family  of  Marmosets  . 
. 13  Suborder  of  Lemurs  . 


14 

16 

17 


CHAPTER  III.— ORDER  OF  FLESH-EATING  MAMMALS  ....  FERAE  18 


Cat  Family  . 

Dog  Family  . 

North  American  Foxes 
Small  Fur-Hearers 


18 

22 

24 

27 


Bear  Family 32 

Full  List  of  the  Bears  of  North  Amer- 
ica   35 

Raccoon  Family  . . . . . .41 


CHAPTER  IV.— ORDER  OF  SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS  . 

Sea-Lion  Family 44  1 Seal  Family 

Review  of  Fur  Seal  History  . . . 48  ' AValrus  Family 


PINNIPEDIA  43 

. 52 
. 53 


CHAPTER  V.— ORDER  OF  MOLES  AND  SHREWS 

Mole  Family 57  | Shrew  Family 


INSECTIVORA  56 
. 58 


CHAPTER  VL— ORDER  OF  R.ATS 


CHIROPTERA  59 


Family  of  Leaf-Nosed  Bats 
Family  of  1'ree-Tailed  B.ats 
Family  of  Common  Bats 


62 

63 

64 


Family  of  False  V.ampires 
Family  of  Horseshoe  Bats 
Family  of  Fruit-Eating  B.ats 


65 

66 
66 


CHAPTER  VIL— ORDER  OF  GNAAVING  ANIMALS  . . GLIRES  or  RODENTS  68 


Squirrel  Family  .... 

. 68 

Jumping  AIouse  Family 

92 

Sewellel  Family 

. 80 

Pocket  Gopher  Family 

93 

Beaver  Family  .... 

. 80 

Porcupine  Family 

94 

Family  of  Mice  and  Rats  . 

. 83 

Pika  Family  . 

95 

Typical  North  .American  Mice  and 

Rats  84 

Hare  and  Rabbit  F.amily' 

95 

Cheek-Pouch  Mice  and  R.ats 

. 91 

CHAPTER  ATIL— ORDER  OF  HOOFED  ANIM.ALS  .... 

UNGULATA 

99 

Cattle  and  Sheep  Family 

. 99 

AIeasurements  of  Large  Caribou  Antlers 

138 

.AIeasurements  of  Mountain  Sheep 

Horns  112 

Peccary  Family 

143 

Prong-Horned  .Antelope  Family 

. 115 

Tapir  Family 

• . « . 

144 

Deer  Family  .... 

. 118 

IX 


X 


CONTEXTS 


CHAPTER  IX— ORDER  OF  WHALES  AND  PORPOISES 

Page  1 Sperm  Whale  Family  . 

Family  of  Baleen  Whales  . . . 147  I Dolphin  and  Porpoise  Family 


Page 
CETE  140 

. 148 
. 149 


CHAPTER  X.— ORDER  OF  SEA-COWS SIRENIA  153 

Family  of  Manatees 153  I Family  of  the  Rhytina  ....  154 

Family  of  Uugongs 154  I 


CHAPTER  XL— ORDER  OF  TOOTHLESS  MAMMALS  ....  EDENTATA  156 

Armadillo  Family 156  I Sloth  Family 159 

Family  of  Ant-Eaters  . . . . 158  I 


CHAPTER  XIL— ORDER  OF  DIGGERS EFFODIENTIA  161 

Pangolin  Family 161  | Aard-Vark  Family 162 


CHAPTER  XIII.— ORDER  OF  POUCHED  MAMMALS  . . . MARSUPIALIA  163 

Kangaroo  Family 164  | Opossum  Family  ..'....  165 


CHAPTER  XIV.— ORDER  OF  EGG-LAYING  MAMMALS  . . MONOTREMATA  167 

Duck-Bill  Family 167  | Echidna  Family 168 


BOOK  II— BIRDS 


CHAPTER  XV.— INTRODUCTION  TO  THE 

BIRD-WORLD  . 

. 171 

Decrease  in  Bird  Life 

. 171 

1 Orders  of  Living  Birds 

. 175 

CHAPTER  XVI.— ORDER  OF 

PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 

. PASSERES  179 

Thrush  Family  . . . . 

. 181 

Waxwing  Family  . 

. 192 

Kinglet  Family  .... 

. 183 

Swallow  Family  . 

. 193 

Nuthatch  and  Titmouse  Family 

. 184 

Tanager  Family  . 

. 194 

Tree-Creeper  Family  . 

. 185 

Finch  and  Sparrow  Family  . , .195 

Wrens  and  Cat-Birds 

. 186 

Blackbird  Family 

. 199 

Dipper  Family  .... 

. 187 

Crow  Family 

. 202 

Warbler  Family  . . . . 

. 188 

Horned  Lark  Family  . 

. 206 

ViREO  Family  . . . . 

. 191 

Flycatcher  Family 

. 206 

Shrike  Family  . . . . 

. 191 

CHAPTER  XVIL— ORDER  OF 

ODD  FAMILIES  .... 

MACROCHIRES  207 

Goatsucker  Family 

. 207 

Humming-Bird  Family  . 

. 208 

Swift  Family  .... 

. 208 

CHAPTER  XVIIL— ORDER  OF  WOODPECKERS  . . . . 

. PICI  210 

CHAPTER  XIX.— ORDER  OF 

CUCKOOS  AND  KINGFISHERS 

. COCCYGES  214 

Cuckoo  Family  .... 

. 214 

Kingfisher  Family 

. 215 

CHAPTER  XX.— ORDER  OF  PARROTS  AND  MACAWS 

. PSITTACI  216 

CONTEXTS 


XI 


CHAPTER  XXI.— ORDER  OF  BIRDS  OF  PREY  . 

Page 

Barn-Owl  Family 218  I Hawks  and  Eagles 

Horxed-Owl  Family 220  1 Vulture  Family  . 

CHAPTER  XXII.— ORDER  OF  PICEOXS  AND  DOVES 

CHAPTER  XXIII.— ORDER  OF  UPL.AND  GAME-BIRDS 
Grouse  Family 242  | Pheasant  Family 

CHAPTER  XXIV.— ORDER  OF  SHORE-BIRDS 


Page 

. RAPTORES  218 

. 225 
. 232 

. COLVMBAE  237 

. GALLINAE  241 
. 250 

. LIMICOLAE  251 


CHAPTER  XXV.— ORDER  OF  CRANES,  RAILS,  AND  COOTS 


PALUDICOLAE  255 


Crane  Family 255  | Family  of  Rails 


. 257 


CHAITER  XXVI.— ORDER  OF  HERONS,  STORKS,  AND  IBISES  HERODIONES  259 

Heron  Family' 259  I Ibis  Family 263 

Stork  Family 263  1 Spoonbill  F.amily 264 


CHAPTER  XXVII.— ORDER  OF  FLAMINGOES  . . . ODONTOGLOSSAE  266 


CHAPTER  XXVIIL— ORDER  OF  DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS  . ANATIDAE  267 
Orders  of  Swimmi.ng  Birds  . . . 267  | An  Object  Lesson  in  Bird  Protection  . 276 

CHAPTER  XXIX.— ORDER  OF  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS  STEGANOPODES  284 

Pelican  Family 284  Gannet  Family 288 

Cormorant  Family 287  Man-o’-War-Bird  Family'  ....  290 

Darter  Family 287 

CHAIM'ER  XXX.— ORDER  OF  TUBE-NOSED  SMTMMERS  . . TURIN  ARES  292 

f 

.\lbatross  Family 292  | Fulmar  Family 294 

CHAITER  XXXI.— ORDER  OF  LONG-WINGED  SMTMMERS  . . LONGIPENNES  296 

Gulus  and  Terns 296  I Skua  .and  J.aeger  Family  ....  299 

Skimmer  Family 298  1 

CHAITER  XXXII.— ORDER  OF  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING  BIRDS  PYGOPODES  300 

Grebe  Family' .300  I Cliff-Dwellers  of  the  Sea  . . . 302 

Loon  Family 301  I 

CHAITER  XXXIIL— ORDER  OF  FLIGHTLESS  DIVERS  . . . IMPENNES  307 

CHAITER  XXXIV.— ORDER  OF  WINGLESS  L.AND  BIRDS  . . RATITAE  309 


BOOK  HI— REPTILES 

0 

CHAPTER  XXXV.— INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CLASS  OF  REPTILES  . . .313 

Order.s  of  Living  Beitiles 314 


CONTENTS 


xii 


Page 

CHAPTER  XXXVI.— ORDER  OF  CROCODILES  AND  ALLIGATORS  CROCODILIA  317 

Page  I Crocodile  Family 319 

Synopsis  of  the  Crocodilians  . . . 317  1 American  Species  of  Crocodilians  . . 320 


CHAPTER  XXXVIL— ORDER  OF  TORTOISES.  TERRAPINS.  AND  TURTLES 


Synopsis  of  the  Order  of  Tortoises  and 


Turtles 324 

Tortoise  Family 324 

Mud-Terrapin  Family 326 

Smooth-Shelled  Terrapins  ....  326 


CHAPTER  XXXVIIL— ORDER  OF  LIZARDS 


CHELONIA  323 


Snapping  Terrapins 328 

Soft-Shelled  “Turtles”  ....  329 
Hard-Shelled  Sea  Turtles  . . . 330 

Leathery-Shelled  Sea  Turtles  . . . 331 


LACERTILIA  333 


CHAPTER  XXXIX.— ORDER  OF  SERPENTS OPHIDIA  337 


General  Characters  of  Serpents  . ' . 337 

Food  of  Serpents  .....  338 
Popular  Questions  and  Misapprehensions  339 
Largest  Species  of  Serpents  . . . 340 


Harmless  Snakes  of  the  United  States  . 343 
Poisonous  Snakes  of  North  America  . 347 
Species  of  Rattlesnakes  ....  349 
Snake  Poisons,  and  their  Treatment  . . 353 


BOOK  IV— AMPHIBIANS 

CHAPTER  XL.— INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CLASS  OF  AMPHIBIANS  . . . .359 

General  Characters  of  Amphibians  . . 359  1 Bird’s-Eye  View  of  the  Amphibians  . . 360 

CHAPTER  XLL— ORDER  OF  FROGS  AND  TOADS  . . . EC  AU  DAT  A 3C1 

Family  of  Water  Frogs  ....  362  | Toad  Family 364 

Tree-Frog  Family  ....’.  363  1 Tongueless  Frogs 364 


CHAPTER  XLIL— ORDER  OF  TAILED  AMPHIBIANS  ....  URODELA  366 


Family  of  Salamanders 
Newts,  or  Tritons 
Family  of  Amphiumas  . 


. 366 
. 368 
. 369 


Free-Gilled  Sal.amanders  . 
Two-Legged  Salamanders  . 
Order  of  Worm-Like  Amphibians 


. 370 
. 370 
. 371 


BOOK  V— FISHES 

CHAPTER  XLIIL— INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CLASS  OF  FISHES  . . . .375 

Fishery  Industries  and  Fish  Propagation  376  I The  Orders  of  Living  Fishes  . . . 378 

Distribution  of  Eggs  and  Live  Fish  . . 377  1 


CHAPTER  XLIV.— ORDER  OF  THE  CONNECTING-LINK  FISHES  SIRENOIDEI  380 


CHAPTER  XLV.— ORDER  OF  THE  SPINY-FINNED  FISHES  . ACANTHOPTERI  382 


Basses  and  Sunfishes  ....  382 

Sea-Bass  Family 385 

Perch  and  Pike-Perch  Family  . . . 386 


Miscellaneous  Spiny-Finned  Fishes  . . 388 

Snapper  Family 391 

Odd  Fishes  of  the  Spiny-Finned  Order  . 392 


CHAPTER  XLVL— ORDER  OF  PIKES 


. HAEPLOMI  394 


CONTEXTS 


xni 


CHAPTER  XLVn.— ORDER  OF  TROUT  AND  SALMON 

Page 

Salmon  Family 396 

Subdivision  of  North  American  Trouts  and 
Charrs 397 


North  American  Trout 
The  Salmon  Group 
American  Salmon 


Page 

ISOSPONDYLI  396 

. 397 
. 400 
. 400 


CHAPTER  XLVIIL— ORDER  OF  FLYING-FISHES 

CHAPTER  XLIX.— ORDER  OF  SOLID-JAW  FISHES  . 

CHAPTER  L.— ORDER  OF  SUCKERS  AND  MINNOWS 

CHAPTER  LL— ORDER  OF  HALF-GILLED  FISHES 

CHAPTER  LIE— ORDER  OF  CATFISHES 

CHAPTER  LIIL— ORDER  OF  FLAT-FISHES  . 

CHAPTER  LIV.— ORDER  OF  FOOT-FISHES  . 

CHAPTER  LV— ORDER  OF  EELS 

CHAPTER  LVL— ORDER  OF  PIPE-FISHES  AND  SEA-HORSES 

CHAPTER  LVIL— ORDER  OF  THE  DOGFISH 

CHAPTER  LVHL— ORDER  OF  GAR-FISHES,  ORGANOIDS 

CHAI’TER  LIX.— ORDER  OF  STURGEONS  . 

CHAI’TER  LX.— ORDER  OF  THE  PADDLE-FISH  . 

CHAPTER  LXL— ORDER  OF  THE  CHIMERAS 

CHAI>TER  LXIL— ORDER  OF  SHARKS  .... 

CHAIM'ER  LXIIL— ORDER  OF  RAA'S  AND  SK.ATES  . 

CHAPTER  LXIV.— LOWEST  CLASSES  OF  VERTEBRATES 
L.^mpreys 437  I Lancelets  . 


S YNEN  TOON  A THI  409 

. PLECTOGNATHl  410 

PLECTOSPONDYLl  412 

. HEMIBRANCHII  415 

NEMATOGNATHl  416 

HETEROSOMATA  418 

PE  DIG  U EAT  I 420 

APODES  421 

. LOPHOBRANCHl  423 

HALECOMORPHI  424 

GIN GLY MODI  425 

. GLANIOSTOMI  427 

. SELACHOSTOMI  429 

CHIMAEROIDEI  431 

. SQUALI  432 

. RAIAE  434 

437 

438 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Albatross,  Black-Footed 293 

Alligator 31  (i 

Allifjator,  Skull  of 318 

Anaconda,  Yellow 341 

Alltel  Fish 387 

Anjtler 420 

Ant-Eater,  Great 1.58 

Antelope,  Pront;-Horned 11(5 

Antlers  of  Alaskan  Moose 142 

Antlers?  Do  Elk  Shed  Their — t figures 119 

Antlers  of  Greenland  Caribou — 2 figures 13.5 

Antlers  of  Kenai  Caribou 134 

Armadillos,  Three-Banded  and  Six-Banded ....  1.57 

Auklet,  Rhinoceros 304 

Axolotl,  Two  Lives  of  the 367 


Baboon,  Dead  Gelada 

Badger  

Bass,  Bl.ack  Sea 

Ba.ss,  Calico 

B:i-ss,  Striped 

Ba.ss,  Small-Mouthed  Black 

Bat,  Bonnettnl 

Bat,  Bornean  Xakeil ....  

Bat,  (’alifornia  Leaf-Xosed 

Bat,  Flower-Xosed 

Bats.  Fruit-Eating 

Bat.  Hammer-Headeil 

Bat,  He<t 

Bear,  .Vlaskan  Brown 

Bear,  .Vmerican  Black 

Bear,  Glacier 

Bear,  Grizzly,  at  Home 

B<-ar,  Polar 

B«-aver,  .'skull  of 

Beavers,  .\merican,  and  their  Work 

Bittern,  .\merican 

Black  Duck,  Head  of 

Blackbird,  Uetl-Winged 

Bluefish 

Bluebinl 

Blue-Jay 

lV>a  Constrictor 

Bobolink  in  .“spring 

Bob-M’hite 

Box-Fish 

Buffalo,  . Vmerican  Bison,  or 

Buffle-Heatl  Dtick 

Bullhead,  Common 


14 

32 

.38.5 

.383 

386 

383 

6.3 
59 
62 
62 
67 
66 
6.5 

3.3 

39 

40 
.38 
.36 
82 
81 

262 

269 

200 

.387 

1.8.3 

204 

.340 

178 

242 

.374 

101 

27.5 

416 


PAGE 

Canvas-Back  Duck 275 

Cardinal 198 

Caril)ou,  Woodland 133 

('arp,  German  Scaled 413 

('assowary,  Ceram 309 

Cat-Bird 187 

Chickadee 184 

Chipmunk,  Eastern 72 

Chipmunk,  Western 73 

Chimpanzee,  Dressed-L’p 10 

Chiinpanzep,  Young  Female 9 

Chimera,  Spotted 431 

Coach-Whip  Snake 345 

Condor 234 

('ongo  “Snake” 369 

Coot 258 

Copperhead  Snake 352 

Cormorant 289 

Coyote 23 

Crane,  Whooping ! 256 

Creeper,  Brown 186 

Crocodile,  Florida 321 

Crocodile,  Skull  of  Indian 318 

Crocodile,  Skull  of  Florida 318 

Crocodile,  Skull  of  Orinoco 318 

Cross-bill,  American 195 

Cuckoo,  Yellow- Billed 214 

Deer,  Mule,  in  the  Bad-Lands 125 

Deer,  Mule,  with  Antlers  in  Velvet 127 

Deer,  White-Tailed 128 

Deer,  White-Tailed,  “Freak”  antlers  of  . . . . 131 

Deer,  Young  White-Tailed 130 

Devil-FLsh  436 

Dicroatonyx  hudsonius,  Skin  of 85 

Dipodomys  merriami,  Skin  of 85 

Dogfish 424 

Dolphin,  Common 151 

Dove,  Mourning 239 

Eagle,  Bald 170 

Eel,  Electric 421 

Egret,  Great  White 262 

Eider,  .\merican 277 

Eider,  King,  Head  of 279 

Eider,  .Spectacled,  Head  of 279 

Elk,  .Vmerican 121 

Elk,  Winter  Home  of  the  12.3 

Evotomysyapperi,  Skin  of 85 


.w 


XVI 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Fer-d  e-Lance 

Ferret,  Black-Footed 

Fins  of  a Typical  Fish  (Black  Grunt) 

Fisher 

Flamiiifio 

Flying-Fish,  Common 

Fox,  Arctic 

Fox,  Black  or  Silver 

Fox,  Gray 

Fox,  Red 

Frog,  Leopard 

Gadwall,  Head  of 

Gar  Pike 

Garter-Snake,  Common 

Gavial,  Skull  of 

Gila  Monster 

Glass  “Snake” 

Goat,  Rocky  Mountain  

Golden-Eye  Duck,  Head  of 

Goldfinch,  American 

Goose,  Canada 

Gopher,  Red  Pocket 

Gorilla 

Grackle,  Purple 

Grouse,  Canada 

Grouse,  Eastern  Ruffed 

Grouse,  Pinnated  

Grouse,  Sage 

Grosbeak,  Rose-Breasted 

Gull,  Herring 

Halibut,  Common 

Hare,  Polar 

Hare,  Prairie 

Hare,  Varying 

Harlequin  Duck,  Head  of 

Haven  of  Refuge  for  Ducks 

Hawk,  Cooper’s 

Hawk,  Sharp-Shinned  

Hawk,  Sparrow 

Heron,  Great  Blue 

Heron,  Little  Green 

Hog-Nosed  Snake 

Horned  Lizard;  Horned  “Toad” 

Horns  of  Asiatic  and  American  Mountain 

Sheep  

Humming-Bird,  Ruby-Throated 

Ibis,  White 

Iguana,  Common 

Iguanas,  Marine,  on  Narborough  Island 

Jaguar 

Kingfisher,  Belted 

King  Snake 


PAGE 

Kinglet,  Ruby-Crowned 184 

Kite,  Swallow-Tailed 232 

Lark,  Meadow 200 

Lemming,  Hudson  Bay 86 

Lemur,  Ruffed 17 

Lizard,  Blue-Tailed 334 

Loon 301 

Lung-Fish 380 

Lynx,  Bay 22 

Lynx,  Canada 22 

Mackerel,  Spanish 388 

Magpie,  American 203 

Mallard  Duck 268 

Manatee,  Florida 155 

Man-o’-War  Birds . 290 

Marten 28 

Martin,  Purple 193 

Marmoset,  Common 16 

Massasauga  Snake  . . i 352 

Master  of  the  Trail,  The 109 

Menobranchus,  or  Mud-Puppy 370 

Menopoma,  or  Hellbender 368 

Merganser,  American,  Head  of 279 

Merganser,  Head  of  Hooded  . . . . j 279 

Merganser,  Red-Breasted 278 

Microdijwdops  megacephalus,  Skin  of 85 

Microtus  pennsyl  anicus,  Skin  of 85 

Mink 28 

Moccasin,  Water 352 

Mocking-Bird 188 

Mole,  Digging  Muscles  of  a 57 

Mole,  Common 57 

Mole,  Fore  Foot  of  Star-Nosed 58 

Mole,  Nose  of  Star-Nosed 58 

Mole,  Star-Nosed 57 

Monkey,  Black-Faced  Spider 15 

Monkey,  Diana 13 

Monkey,  Japanese  Red-Faced 13 

Monkey,  White-Throated  Sapajou 14 

Moose  in  New  Brunswick Frontispiece 

Mouse,  Field 86 

Mouse,  Jumping 93 

Mouse,  Le  Conte’s  Harvest  (lower  figure) 90 

Mouse,  Mole 90 

Mouse,  Rice-Field 89 

Mouse,  Red-Backed 87 

Mouse,  Typical  Pocket 92 

Mouse,  White-Footed  (upper  figure) 90 

Mullet,  Silver 390 

Murre,  Common 301 

Muskallunge 394 

Musk-Ox,  Wild  Herd  of 106 

Musk-Ox,  Young  Female 104 


PAGE 

353 

29 

376 

28 

266 

409 

26 

25 

27 

25 

362 

269 

425 

345 

318 

335 

336 

113 

269 

196 

280 

94 

6 

202 

245 

244 

246 

247 

199 

297 

418 

97 

97 

97 

269 

276 

231 

230 

227 

260 

261 

347 

336 

114 

209 

263 

333 

332 

19 

215 

343 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


xvii 


Narwhal 

Xeotoma  ftoridana,  Skin  of 

Niglithawk 

Nutcracker,  Clarke’s 

Nuthatch,  White-Breasted 

Ocelot 

Old  Squaw  Duck,  Head  of  

Onychomys  leucogaster,  Skin  of 

Ojx)ssuin,  Murine,  and  Younjx 

Of)ossuni,  Virfiinia 

Orang-Utan,  Female  and  Young 

Orang-Utans  “Fight  in  the  Tree-Tops’’ 

Oriole  and  Nest 

Oryzomys  {xilustris,  Skin  of 

Osprey,  American 

Otter 

Owl,  Barn 

Owl,  Barred 

Owl,  Great  Horned 

Owl,  Screech 

Owl,  Snow>’ 

Owl,  Young  Great-Horned 

Owl,  Young  Screech 

Paddle-Fish 

Paddle-Fish,  Under  View  of 

Pangolin,  Boiled  Up 

Parrakeet,  Carolina 

Partridge,  California  Mountain 

Partridge,  California  Vallej’ 

Peccary,  Collared  

Pelican,  California  Brown 

Pelicans,  Florida  Brown,  on  Pelican  Island  .. . 

Pelican,  Great  White 

Penguin,  Emperor 

Perch,  Yellow 

Prrngnathus  fasciatus.  Skin  of 

PcTomyscus  lencopus.  Skin  of 

Perodipux  richardsoni,  Skin  of 

Petrel,  Stormy 

Phenacomys  orophilux.  Skin  of 

Pickerel,  Chain 

Pigeon,  Band-Tailed 

Pike-Perch,  Yellow 

Pin-tail  Duck 

Pine  Snake  

Pipe-Fish,  Great 

Platypus 

Plover,  Kilfleer 

Plumage  of  a Bird 

Porcupine,  Canada 

Porcupine  Fish  

Prairie-"  Dogs  ’’ 

Prairie-" Dog’  Burrow 


Ptarmigan,  Willow 249 

Puffin,  Common 304 

Puffin,  Tufted 304 

Puffer  Fish 374 

Puma,  or  “Mountain  Lion’’ 20 

Python,  Reticulated 337 

Rabbit,  Cotton-Tail 97 

“Rabbit,”  Jack 97 

Raccoon 41 

Rail,  Virginia 257 

Rat,  Cotton 89 

Rat,  Florida  Wood 88 

Rat,  Kangaroo 91 

Rat,  Kangaroo 92 

Rattlesnake,  Banded,  yellow  phase 351 

Rattlesnake,  Banded,  dark  phase  351 

Rattlesnake,  Diamond 350 

Rattlesnake,  Prairie 351 

Ray,  Sting 436 

Redhead  Duck 274 

Reithrodontomys  leconti,  Skin  of 85 

Ring-Necked  Duck,  Head  of 269 

Robin 181 

Ruddy  Duck,  Head  of 279 

Salmon,  Quinnat 401 

Salmon,  Sebago 404 

Sand-Piper,  Least 253 

Sawfish 435 

Scaup  Duck,  Head  of 269 

Scoter,  Head  of  American 269 

Scoter,  Head  of  Surf 269 

Sea-Horse 423 

Seal,  Harbor 44 

Seal,  Harp 51 

Seal,  Head  of  Hooded 53 

Seal,  Ribbon 52 

Seals,  Fur,  on  “Hauling  Grounds” 49 

Sea-Lions,  California ' 44 

Sea-Lion,  Steller’s 44 

Sea-Lion,  Steller’s 46 

Shad,  Common  407 

Shark,  Hammer-Head 432 

Shark,  Mackerel 432 

Shark-Ray 434 

Sheep,  Black  Mountain Ill 

Sheep,  Head  of  White,  front  view 110 

Sheep,  Head  of  White,  side  view 110 

Sheep,  White  Mountain Ill 

Shoveller  Duck 271 

Shrew,  Common 58 

Shrew,  Short-Tailed 58 

Shrike,  Loggerhead 191 

Sigmodon  hispidus,  Skin  of 85 


PAGE 

152 

85 

207 

205 

185 

21 

269 

85 

166 

165 

11 

10 

201 

85 

226 

28 

220 

220 

223 

221 

224 

223 

222 

429 

429 

161 

216 

242 

243 

144 

285 

284 

286 

306 

383 

85 

85 

85 

294 

85 

386 

238 

386 

272 

344 

423 

167 

251 

180 

95 

374 

76 

78 


xviii 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

Siren  Salamander,  orMud-“Eel” 371 

Skeleton  of  an  American  Bison 100 

Skeleton  of  a Bird  of  Prey 219 

Skeleton  of  a Turtle  323 

Skeletons  of  Man  and  Gorilla 8 

Skeleton  of  Pale  Bat 60 

Skunk,  Common 31 

Skunk,  Spotted 31 

Sloth,  Two-Toed 160 

Snake-Bird 287 

Snapper,  Red 391 

Snipe,  Wilson’s 253 

Snow-Bunting 196 

Sparrow,  White-Throated 197 

Spermophile,  Say’s 73 

Spermophile,  Thirteen-Lined 74 

Spermophile,  Richardson’s 75 

Spoonbill,  Roseate 265 

Squirrel,  Eastern  Red 71 

Squirrel,  Flying 80 

Squirrel,  Gray 69 

Squirrel,  Southern  Fox 70 

Steller’s  Duck,  Head  of 279 

Stickleback,  Two-Spined : . . . . 415 

Sturgeon,  Lake 427 

Sucker,  Common 412 

Sunfish,  Common 383 

Swallow,  Barn 195 

Swallow,  Cliff,  and  Nest 194 

Swan,  Trumpeter 282 

Swordfish 392 

Synaptomys  cooperi,  Skin  of 85 

Tadpole  to  Frog,  From 361 

Tails  of  American  Deer 129 

Tamandua  Ant-Eater 158 

Tanager,  Scarlet 195 

Tarpon 406 

Teal,  Blue-Winged 270 

Teal,  Head  of  Green-Winged 269 

Tern,  Common 297 

Terrapin,  Alligator 328 


Tortoise,  Box 325 

Tree-Duck,  Head  of  Fulvus 269 

Tree-Frog,  Northern 363 

Trigger-Fish 374 

Trout,  Brook 399 

Trout,  Rainbow 398 

Tuna .‘ 389 

Turkey,  Virginia  Wild 250 

“Turtle,”  Musk 326 

“Turtle,”  Painted 327 

“Turtle,”  Soft-Shelled 329 

“Turtle,”  Wood 328 

V ireo , R ed-Ey ed 190 

Vole,  Northwestern 87 

Vulture,  California  233 

Vulture,  Young  California 234 

Wallabay,  Rock 164 

Walrus,  Pacific  44 

Walrus,  Pacific 54 

Walrus,  Young  Atlantic 55 

Warbler,  Yellow  189 

Water-Snake,  Red-Bellied 346 

Waxwing,  Bohemian 193 

Whales  Attacked  by  Killers 1.50 

Whale,  Bow-Head 147 

Widgeon,  Head  of  American 269 

Wolf,  Gray 22 

Wolverine 30 

Woodcock,  American 252 

Woodcock  on  Nest 252 

Woodchuck 79 

Wood-Duck 273 

Woodpecker,  Downy 213 

Woodpecker,  Golden-Winged 211 

Woodpecker,  Red-Headed 212 

Wood  Thrush 182 

Wren 187 

Zapus  hudsonius.  Skin  of 85 


MAPS  AND  CHARTS 


PAGE 

Map  of  North  America Third  page  of  cover 

Landscape  Chart  of  the  Orders  of  Living  Mam- 


mals   5 

Map  of  Annual  Migration  of  the  Fur  Seal  Herd  . 48 

Chart  of  the  Hare  and  Rabbit  Familv  97 

Range  of  the  Musk  Ox 105 


Distribution  of  Mountain  Sheep  in  North 

America 108 

Distribution  of  the  Prong-Horned  Antelope  ...  117 
Distribution  of  the  Moose  in  North  America  . . . 141 
Landscape  Chart  of  the  Orders  of  North  Amer- 
ican Birds 177 


INTRODUCTION 


THE  GROUXD-PLANS  OF  NATURE 

Science  is  a collection  of  facts  concerning  natural  objects  or  phenomena,  arranged  in  good 
order,  and  made  useful. 

Natural  Science  is  the  study  of  Nature’s  works  and  forces,  and  embraces  all  things  not  made 
by  man.  Among  its  grand  divisions  may  be  mentioned  natural  history,  chemistry,  and  physics. 

Natural  History  is  the  study  of  Nature’s  common  objects;  but  by  most  persons,  this  name 
is  applied  only  to  the  study  of  Animal  life.  Natural  history  treats  of  three  great  kingdoms — the 
animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral. 

The  .\ninial  Kmgdoui  embraces  not  only  all  the  living  creatures  which  now  inhabit  the  earth, 
but  also  those  which  have  died,  become  extinct,  and  left  only  their  buried  remains,  called  fossils. 
Of  the  animal  kingdom,  three  great  groups  of  subjects  may  be  recognized,  as  follows: 


M.\N,  the  study  of  whom  is  called An-thro-pol'o-gy 

THE  LOWER  ANTM.A.LS,  the  study  of  which  is  called Zo-ol'o-gy 

EXTI.N'CT,  or  FOSSIL  ANIM.\LS,  the  study  of  which  is  called Pa-le-on-tol'o-gy 


In  strict  reality.  Paleontology  is  only  a branch  of  Zoology,  for  the  two  are  inseparably  dove- 
tailed together.  The  living  animals  of  to-day  are  the  standards  by  which  the  paleontologist 
studies  and  determines  those  of  the  past. 

This  diagram  illustrates  the  relations  which  the  grand  divisions  of  Natural  History  bear  toward 
each  other; 

Kingdoms.  Sciences. 


NATl'RAL  HISTORY 

(in  a broad  sense). 


^ Animal:  . 

\ Vegetable: 
( Mineral:  . 


( An-thro-pol'o-gy 
'j  Zo-oTo-gy 
( Pa-le-on-tol'o-gy 

j Botany 
( Pa-le-o-bot'a-ny 

j Ge-ol'o-gy 
i Min-er-al'o-gy 


In  its  broadest  sense,  Natural  History  includes  Chemistry  and  Physics;  but  as  that  term  is 
now  commonly  used,  it  is  intended  to  refer  only  to  the  life  histories  of  living  creatures. 

.\n  .\nimal  is  a living  creature  belonging  to  the  animal  kingdom;  but  this  word  is  commonlj'-, 
though  incorrectly,  used  to  designate  mammals  alone. 

The  animals  of  the  world  are  so  vast  in  number,  and  so  varied  in  form,  that  these  lessons  will 
treat  only  of  the  higher  forms  of  life,  known  as  Ver'te-brates. 

\ Vertebrate  is  an  animal  having  (usually)  a bony  skeleton,  and  a spinal  column,  or  back- 
bone, composed  of  a .series  of  bones  called  ver'te-brae.  This  division  of  life  is  called  a Branch. 

The  Hranch  \'er-te-bra'ta  is  divided  into  seven  grand  divisions,  called  Classes;  which  are 
known  as  Mnm'mals,  Birds,  Reptiles,  Am-phih'ians,  Fishes,  My'zonts,  and  Lance'lcts.^ 

'Two  other  CIas.ses,  Enteropneust.s  and  Tunicates,  are,  by  some  modern  zoologists,  regarded  as 
Vertebrates.  These  low  forms,  however,  lack  a complete  backbone,  or  notochord,  and  are  therefore 
omitted. 

xix 


XX 


INTRODUCTION 


A I^Iam'mal  is  a warm-blooded  creature,  that  brings  forth  its  young  alive,  and  nourishes 
it  wdth  milk  from  its  own  body.  All  land  mammals,  save  a few  species,  are  covered  with  hair; 
and  all  sustain  life  by  breathing  air  with  the  aid  of  lungs.  Except  man,  the  mammals  which  live 
upon  land  are  also  called  quad'ru-peds. 

A Quad'ru-ped  is  a mammal  which  possesses  four  feet,  or,  having  two  hands  and  two  feet, 
like  the  apes,  yet  walks  upon  all-fours. 

Man  is  a bi'ped,  or  two-footed  animal.  Land  mammals  generally  are  quad'rupeds,  or  four- 
jooted,  and  monkeys  are  quad-ru'ma-nous,  or  four-/ianded. 

The  term  quadrumana  is  often  applied  to  apes  and  monkeys  because  the  long  great-toe  on 
the  hind  foot  makes  the  foot  quite  hand-like  in  its  grasping  power. 

A Bird  is  a warm-blooded  animal,  which  comes  from  an  egg  that  usually  is  laid  and  hatched 
by  the  parent.  It  breathes  air,  is  covered  with  feathers,  usually  is  provided  with  wings,  and  all 
save  a few  species  can  fly. 

A Reptile  is  a cold-blooded,  egg-laying  animal,  usually  covered  with  scales  or  a bony  shell. 
All  have  lungs  and  breathe  air,  but  some  are  able  to  live  in  water  so  comfortably  they  are  called 
am-phib'i-ous. 

An  Am-phib'i-an  is  a member  of  the  Class  of  animals  which  forms  a connecting  link  between 
reptiles  and  fishes.  Some  breathe  air,  and  live  alternately  on  land  and  in  water,  like  frogs.  Others 
have  gills,  and  live  in  w'ater  all  their  lives.  A few  are  capable  of  developing  either  gills  or  lungs, 
according  to  the  presence  or  absence  of  water,  like  the  wonderful  Ax-o-lotl'  of  Mexico. 

A Fish  is  a cold-blooded  animal,  possessing  gills,  fins,  and  (usually)  scales.  All  save  a very 
few  species  live  permanently  in  w'ater.  The  exceptions  are  certain  fishes  in  the  East  Indies  which 
for  short  intervals  hop  about  on  land,  or  even  climb  rocks  or  trees! 

GRAND  DIVISIONS  OF  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD 

Branches.  Classes. 

! Mammals 
Birds 
Reptiles 
Amphibians 
Fishes 
Myzonts 
Lancelets 

Insects : — Body  in  segments,  reproduce  by  a complete  change  in  form. 

Crus-ta'ce-ans  (Crabs,  Lobsters,  etc.): — Skeleton  external;  gill-breathing,  chiefly 
aquatic. 

Mol'lusks  (“  Shell-Fish”) ; — Soft-bodied,  usually  covered  by  a hard,  limy  shell. 
Worms : — True  worms,  and  other  forms  not  fitting  in  elsewhere. 

Star-Fishes: — Salt-water  animals,  with  star-like  structure. 

Corals: — Minute,  salt-water  animals,  which  build  up  solid  masses  of  their  limy 
skeletons. 

Jelly-Fishes: — Disk-shaped,  jelly-like  sea  animals,  with  no  hard  parts. 

Sponges: — Stationary  aquatic  animals,  which  look  like  plants;  skeletons  of  tough, 
fibrous  cells. 

Pro-to-zo'ans: — Lowest  forms  of  life,  beginning  with  the  single  cell;  mostly 
microscopic. 

HOW  ANIMALS  ARE  CLASSIFIED 

In  order  to  know  and  appreciate  even  a small  proportion  of  the  world’s  animals,  their  correct 
arrangement  into  groups  is  as  necessary  as  a systematic  arrangement  of  the  books  in  a vast  library. 
By  their  forms  and  characters,  animals  are  divided  into  natural  groups  and  subdivisions,  and  in 


THE 

ANIMAL 

WORLD. 


INTEODUCTION 


XXI 


order  that  we  may  understand  their  proper  relationships,  and  their  places  in  Nature,  we  must  learn 
and  remember  the  general  principles  of  animal  classification.  Without  this  foundation  knowl- 
edge, a clear  view  of  the  splendid  domain  of  animal  life  is  impossible,  and  the  life  histories  of  our 
living  creatures  will  be  but  a jumble  of  disconnected  facts,  of  very  slight  practical  use. 

Wlien  properly  simplified,  the  classification  of  the  principal  groups  of  our  vertebrate  animals 
is  as  easily  learned  and  remembered  as  the  leading  facts  of  geography.  Once  learned,  each  animal 
observed  thereafter  can  be  located  in  the  group  to  which  it  belongs,  and  its  place  in  Nature  under- 
stood. This  helps  toward  e.xact  knowledge  of  its  anatomy  and  habits. 

\o-men'cla-turc  is  the  naming  of  animals,  and  the  groups  to  which  they  belong.  The  object 
of  popular  nomenclature,  or  naming,  is  to  make  the  place  and  character  of  an  animal  clearly  and 
correctly  understood  by  the  greatest  possible  number  of  people. 

Scientific  nomenclature  relates  to  the  use  of  technical  names,  in  Latin  or  Greek,  in  which 
the  general  student  is  not  often  interested.  Whenever  through  frequent  or  frivolous  changes  of 
scientific  names,  or  by  the  giving  of  too  great  a number  of  them,  our  knowledge  of  animals  becomes 
confused  and  uncertain,  scientific  classification  defeats  its  own  object,  and  becomes  worse  than 
useless.  The  observance  by  technical  writers  of  the  fatal  rule  of  priority,  by  which  the  most  obscure 
names  often  are  exalted  at  the  expense  of  more  appropriate  names  in  universal  use,  is  rapidly 
debasing  the  legitimate  value  of  Latin  names  generally,  and  creating  wide-spread  uncertainty  and 
confusion. 

Latin  words  are  used  for  most  scientific  names,  because  Latin  is  the  universal  language  of  scien- 
tific men,  the  world  over;  and  Latin  names  are  used  by  all  educated  nations  without  change  in  form. 

In  the  development  of  animal  classification,  the  various  elasses  of  animals  are  subdivided  into 
groups  which  graduall}'  grow  smaller,  until  at  last  each  species  is  named  and  placed,  thus: 


Classes  are  divided  into  Orders: 


Orders  “ “ 

Families  “ “ 

Genera  “ “ 

Sj)ecies  “ “ 

.\s  an  example,  take  the  Puma,  or  Mountain  “ Lion 


Families: 

Genera  (singular  = genus); 
Species  (singular  = species) : 
Individuals. 


Its  Order  is  FE'R.VE,  the  wild  beasts. 

“ Family  is  Fe'li-dae,  the  Cats. 

“ Genus  is  I'e'lis,  the  true  Cats. 

“ Species  is  concolor,  gray. 

“ Scientific  name,  therefore,  is  Felis  concolor. 


.\11  these  groups  are  divided  into  subdivisions,  such  as  suborders,  subfamilies,  subgenera,  and 
even  subspecies;  but  in  the  writer’s  opinion  there  is  very  little  excuse  for  their  creation,  or  for 
their  continued  existence,  and  the  student  will  do  well  to  let  them  alone — until  he  feels  the  need 
for  them. 

■V  (au'lo-nt/m  is  a scientific  name  in  which  the  name  of  the  genus  is  repeated  as  the  name  of  the 
species.  Thus,  .some  authors  write  the  Latin  name  of  the  .\merican  Bison  as  Bison  bison;  and  the 
Anhinga  is  .\nhinga  nnhinga.  In  .America,  the  tautonym  habit  is  merely  another  step  toward  the 
complete  demoralization  of  zoological  nomenclature. 

.4  Iri-no'mial  is  a name  in  three  sections,  applied  to  a sub.species;  such  as  Felis  concolor 
oregonensis. 

By  .scientific  authors,  species  are  frequently  divided  into  subspecies,  or  races,  because  in  w'idely 
separated  localities,  animals  of  the  same  parent  stock  .sometimes  are  so  influenced  by  differences  in 
climate,  food,  and  surroundings  that  they  assume  different  colors,  or  grow  larger  or  .smaller  than 
the  type.  But,  no  matter  how  much  individuals  may  differ  in  size  and  color,  if  it  is  possible  to 
bring  together  a collection  of  specimens  which  will  show  all  stages  of  variation  from  the  type  to 


XX 11 


INTRODUCTION 


the  extremes,  then  the  specimens  all  belong  to  the  same  species.  Thus,  in  passing  from  New  York 
to  Ohio,  specimens  of  the  Gray  Scjuirrel  show  all  shades  of  variation,  from  the  typical  gray  to  black; 
but  all  belong  to  the  same  species,  called  in  Latin,  Sci-u'rus  car-o-li-nen'sis. 

A Species  is  an  assemblage  of  individual  animals  which  in  at  least  one  respect  are  distinctly 
different  from  all  others,  and  whose  peculiarities  are  so  well  marked  and  so  constant  that  they  can 
be  distinguished  from  all  others  without  the  aid  of  locality  labels. 

When  a new  kind  of  animal  is  found,  adult  specimens  of  which  are  distinctly  different  from  those 
of  all  known  species,  an  average  specimen  is  taken  as  a type,  and  it  is  described,  and  christened 
by  its  describer.  Every  species  should  be  distinguishable  by  e.xternal  characters;  and  any 
animal  which  requires  to  be  killed  and  dissected  before  it  can  be  named,  is  of  no  practical  value 
as  an  independent  form. 

To  secure  recognition  among  zoologists,  it  is  important  that  the  first  description  of  a new 
species  should  appear  in  a regular  publication  of  some  scientific  society,  or  in  a scientific  journal. 
In  case  the  creature  has  not  already  been  described,  and  the  proposed  species  has  just  claims  to 
stand  alone,  this  name  is  entitled  to  stand,  by  right  of  priority,  or  first  christening. 

Many  times  it  happens  that  through  ignorance  of  what  has  been  done  by  others,  or  by  errors 
in  judgment,  a new  name  is  bestowed  upon  an  animal  or  plant  that  has  already  been  named.  Some- 
times, also,  it  is  found  that  the  name  bestowed  has  already  been  used  for  some  other  animal.  A 
name  applied  to  an  animal  or  plant  already  named  is  called  a syn'o-nym.  In  scientific  books, 
synonyms  sometimes  are  printed  in  a list  under  the  correct  name,  followed  by  the  names  of  their 
respective  authors.  A zoological  synonym  always  stands  for  a published  error,  and  scientific  authors 
should  be  chary  of  describing  as  “new”  any  species  which  are  likely  to  prove  mere  synonyms. 

The  type  of  any  species  is  a carefully  selected  specimen  which  in  size  and  color  may  fairly 
be  considered  the  standard,  or  average,  for  that  species.  Among  zoologists,  this  term  is  applied 
to  the  identical  skin,  or  other  specimen,  described  by  its  discoverer.  Because  of  the  many  scientific 
names  that  are  erroneously  bestowed  upon  animals,  the  name  of  the  author  who  is  responsible  for 
a name  is  usually  printed,  in  abbreviated  form,  immediately  after  the  name  itself,  thus: 

Popular  name.  Scientific  name.  Authority. 

Coyote.  Canis  latrans.  Say. 

A parenthesis  enclosing  a Latin  name  and  the  name  of  its  author  is  a sign  that  the  name  has 
been  changed  somewhat  from  the  form  originally  chosen  and  put  forth  by  the  author  of  the  species. 

Taken  as  a whole,  this  name  means  (1)  that  the  “popular  ” name  of  the  animal  is  Coy'ote;  (2) 
that  its  scientific  name  (Latin)  is  Canis  (=dog)  la'trans  (=barking);  and  (3)  that  it  was  first  cor- 
rectly described  and  named  in  print  by  a man  named  Say.  If  we  consult  our  books,  we  will  find 
that  Thomas  Say  was  a Philadelphia  naturalist,  and  his  description  of  this  animal  appeared  in 
“Long’s  Expedition  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,”  published  in  1823,  Vol.  I,  page  168. 

Whenever  the  name  of  an  animal  has  been  so  long  in  use  that  it  has  become  familiar  to  millions 
of  people,  any  attempt  to  change  it  tends  to  create  confusion.  A slightly  incorrect  name  in  universal 
use  is  often  better  than  the  confusion  and  doubt  inseparable  from  attempting  a change.  Thus, 
the  American  buffalo,  considered  in  connection  with  the  world’s  bovine  animals  generally,  is  really 
a bison;  and  the  prairie-" dog”  is  really  a prairie  marmot;  but  since  nearly  all  the  inhabitants  of 
America  know  these  animals  by  their  incorrect  names,  and  any  effort  to  force  a universal  change 
would  be  quite  fruitless,  it  would  be  unwise  to  attempt  it. 

It  is  very  important  to  the  student  that  the  names  of  the  various  Orders  of  vertebrate  animals 
should  be  learned  and  remembered;  for  they  are  the  keys  with  which  to  unlock  and  reveal  all 
systematic  knowledge  of  mammals,  birds,  reptiles,  amphibians,  and  fishes. 

THE  INTELLIGENCE  OF  ANIMALS:  A WARNING 

During  the  past  two  years,  so  many  persons  have  requested  my  views  regarding  the  mental 
capacity  of  animals,  that  I feel  impelled  to  enter  here  a brief  statement,  coupled  with  a warning. 
Unfortunately,  it  cannot  be  written  otherwise  than  in  the  first  person. 


INTRODUCTION  xxiii 

While  I have  no  desire  to  exploit  my  personal  experiences  among  wild  creatures,  it  is  at  least 
fair  to  state,  for  the  benefit  of  the  millions  to  whom  the  writer  is  unknown,  that  of  wild  creatures 
in  their  haunts,  and  also  in  captivity,  he  has  seen  as  much  as  most  men  of  his  tastes. 

The  tendency  of  the  present  is  to  idealize  the  higher  animals,  to  ascribe  to  them  intelligence 
and  reasoning  powers  which  they  do  not  possess,  and  in  some  instances  to  “observe” wonderful 
manifestations  that  take  place  chiefly  in  the  imagination  of  the  beholder.  For  example,  to  a ruffed 
grouse,  having  mingled  blood  and  mud  on  a broken  leg,  is  ascribed  a deliberate  and  well-considered 
attempt  at  “surgery,” and  the  intentional  making  of  a clay  jacket,  re-enforced  with  pieces  of  grass. 
To  my  mind,  all  such  “observations”  as  the  above  are  too  absurd  for  serious  consideration;  and 
when  put  forth  for  the  information  of  the  young,  they  are  harmful. 

There  exists  to-day  a tendency  to  ascribe  to  wild  animals  a full  measure  of  human  intelligence. 
But  wild  creatures  must  not  be  taken  too  seriously.  With  all  their  “schools”  in  the  woods,  they 
are  not  yet  as  intelligent  as  human  beings;  and  the  strain  that  is  being  put  upon  them  by  some 
of  their  exponents  is  much  too  great.  With  the  most  honest  intentions,  a naturalist  may  so  com- 
pletely overestimate  and  misinterpret  the  actions  of  animals  as  to  reach  very  ridiculous  conclusions. 

Judging  from  all  that  I have  seen  and  heard  of  wild  creatures  of  many  kinds,  from  apes  to 
centipedes,  both  in  captivity  and  out,  I believe  that  practically  all  their  actions  are  based  upon 
natural,  inborn  instinct — nearly  all  of  it  in  the  line  of  self-preservation,  and  the  exceptions  are  due  to 
the  natural  tendency  to  imitate  leaders.  Of  hereditary  knowledge — another  name  for  instinct, 
some  animals  have  an  abundance.  Of  special  knowledge,  acquired  by  systematic  reasoning  from 
premise  to  conclusion,  most  animals  have  very  little,  and  very  few  ever  exhibit  powers  of  ratioci- 
nation. 

It  is  not  true  that  }'oung  animals  know  things  only  as  their  parents  teach  them.  The  assertion 
that  all  young  birds  must  be  “taught”  to  Hy,  or  run,  or  swim,  or  catch  insects,  is  ridiculous,  and 
not  even  worthy  of  discussion.  It  is  just  as  natural  for  a one-week-old  lion  cub  to  spit,  and  claw 
at  a human  hand,  as  it  is  for  it  to  breathe  and  suck.  There  are  no  deer  in  a captive  herd  so 
insanely  wild  a;id  fearful  of  keepers  as  the  fawns. 

No;  even  the  higher  animals  are  not  yet  as  wise  as  human  beings.  In  matters  involving  intel- 
ligence, such  as  in  the  treatment  of  wounds,  or  disease,  below  the  higher  Primates  there  is  not  more 
than  one  out  of  every  hundred  which  has  sense  enough  to  comprehend  a relief  measure,  or  which 
will  not  fight  the  surgeon  to  the  utmost.  Some  apes  do  indeed  learn  to  be  doctored;  but  there 
are  many  which  never  grasp  the  idea,  and  fight  until  they  die.  Of  mammals  generally,  not  more 
than  one  out  of  every  hundred  will  permit  a bandage  to  remain  on  a broken  leg  when  they  have 
the  power  to  tear  it  off.  “Animal  surgery,”  indeed! 

In  the  matter  of  disposition,  wild  mammals  and  birds  are  no  more  angelic  than  human  beings. 
In  every  family,  in  every  herd,  and  in  every  cage,  from  tigers  to  doves,  the  strong  bully  and  oppress 
the  weak,  and  drive  them  to  the  wall.  Of  all  quadrupeds,  deer  are  the  greatest  fools,  wolves  are 
the  meanest,  ajies  the  most  cunning,  bears  the  most  consistent  and  open-minded,  and  elephants 
the  most  intellectual. 

Of  birds,  the  parrots  and  cockatoos  are  the  most  philosophic,  the  cranes  are  the  most  domi- 
neering, the  darters  are  the  most  treacherous,  the  gallinaceous  birds  have  the  least  common-sense, 
and  the  swimming  birds  are  by  far  the  (juickest  to  recognize  protection,  and  accept  it. 

The  virtues  of  the  higher  animals  have  been  extolled  unduly,  and  their  intelligence  has  been 
magnified  about  ten  diameters.  The  meannes.ses  and  cruelties  of  wild  animals  toward  each  other 
form  a long  .series  of  chapters  which  have  not  yet  been  written,  and  which  no  lover  of  animals  cares 
to  write. 

I can  sec  no  possible  objection  to  the  writing  of  good  fiction  stories  in  which  animals  are  the 
characters  and  the  actors  throughout.  I love  a good  story,  and  I enjoy  a wild-animal  hero,  even 
when  the  entire  plot  and  all  its  characters  are  imaginary.  To  such  there  can  be  no  objection, 
so  long  as  the  render  knows  that  fiction  is  fiction  ! But  the  realms  of  fact  ami  fiction  are  very 
di.stinct,  and  the  boundary  should  be  maintained,  openly  and  visibly.  In  books  for  children,  espe- 


XXIV 


INTRODUCTION 


cially,  fantastic  imaginings  should  not  be  offered  as  serious  facts;  but  such  stories  as  “Raggylugg," 
“Redruff,”  and  “Krag,”  by  Mr.  Ernest  T.  Seton,  deserve  to  live  forever.  “Mooswa”  is  a fiction 
story  of  animals  that  is  one  of  the  best  of  its  kind. 

The  most  marvellous  doings  of  wild  animals  are  to  be  found  in  books  and  newspapers.  Only 
in  books  do  porcupines  roll  down  steep  hills  in  order  to  gather  dead  leaves  upon  their  quills,  and 
thereby  be  able  to  do  more  wonderful  things.  Only  in  books  do  kingfishers  catch  fish,  carry  them 
a mile  or  less,  and  place  them  in  a brook  in  order  to  give  their  nestlings  object  lessons  in  ichthyology, 
and  in  the  gentle  art  of  angling.  You  or  I may  spend  years  in  the  forests  and  fields,  observing  and 
collecting  wild  creatures,  and  see  only  a very  few  acts  of  the  wild  folk  which  we  can  call  wonderful. 
But  then,  somehow,  our  animals  rarely  have  been  as  large,  or  as  well  educated,  as  those  of  some 
other  observers. 

Try  all  questions  of  animal  action  and  intelligence  with  the  touchstone  of  common-sense.  Be 
not  startled  by  the  “discovery”  that  apes  and  monkeys  have  “language”;  for  their  vocabulary 
is  not  half  so  varied  and  extensive  as  that  of  barn-yard  fowls,  whose  language  many  of  us  know 
very  well.  Take  no  stock  in  the  systematic  and  prolonged  “duels”  of  wild  animals  who  meet 
and  fight  to  the  death,  under  Marquis  of  Queensberry  rules.  A fight  between  two  wild  animals  is 
usually  a very  brief  event, — so  say  reliable  men  who  have  seen  them  in  the  wilds, — and  unless  there 
is  an  accidental  death-lock  of  antlers,  the  vanquished  party  usually  shows  his  heels  long  before  he  is 
seriously  wounded. 

Animal  psychology  is  a most  interesting  study,  and  its  pursuit  is  now  engaging  the  serious 
attention  of  scientific  men.  If  the  general  public  could  know  the  plain  and  simple  basis  on  which 
they  are  proceeding,  this  warning  against  the  idealization  of  animals  would  hardly  be  necessary.  Men 
of  science  who  study  the  minds  of  animals  do  not  idealize  their  subjects,  or  ascribe  to  them  super- 
human intelligence ; nor  are  they  always  on  the  alert  to  ascribe  to  every  simple  action  some  astound- 
ingly  intelligent  and  far-fetched  motive.  In  the  study  of  animal  intelligence,  the  legitimate  Truth 
is  sufficiently  wonderful  to  satisfy  all  save  those  who  crave  the  sensational,  regardless  of  facts. 

RULES  FOR  MEASURING  MAMMALS,  HORNS,  ETC. 

The  increasing  amount  of  attention  that  is  being  paid  to  the  measurements  and  weights  of 
animals  renders  necessary  the  adoption  of  a uniform  system,  in  order  that  species  and  individuals 
may  be  compared  on  a fair  basis.  To  promote  this  end  the  following  rules  are  offered: 

Sm.\ll  Mammals  Generally 

1.  Record  all  measurements  in  feet  and  inches,  and  leave  the  metric  scale  for  those  who  prefer 
a foreign  system. 

2.  IMeasurements  of  skins  are  of  very  slight  value;  therefore,  always  measure  a specimen 
before  skinning  it. 

3.  Lay  every  mammal  on  its  side,  pull  the  head  straight  forward,  and  measure  from  the  tip 
of  the  nose  to  the  point  where  the  tail  joins  the  body.  This  is  the  “Length  of  head  and  body.” 

4.  From  the  last-mentioned  point,  measure  to  the  end  of  the  tail  vertebrae,  not  the  hair,  for 
“Length  of  tail.”  If  the  tail-tuft  is  important,  measure  it  separately. 

5.  Weigh  large  examples  of  species  that  are  larger  than  rats  and  mice;  and  in  each  case,  weigh 
the  whole  of  the  specimen. 

Large  Mammals 

1.  The  “Height  at  the  shoulder”  is  the  most  important  measurement.  To  obtain  this,  hold 
the  uppermost  foreleg  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  position  it  occupied  when  supporting  the  animal. 
Do  not  measure  from  the  “point  of  the  hoof”;  for  that  means  nothing.  Hold  the  hoof  with  its 
bottom  parallel  with  the  body,  as  when  the  animal  stood  upon  it;  erect  there  a stick  to  mark  the 


IKTKODUCTION 


XXV 


bottom  line,  and  another  to  mark  the  top  of  shoulders,  at  the  skin.  The  distance  between  the 
two  perpendiculars,  in  a straight  line,  will  be  the  true  height  of  the  animal.  Do  not  follow  any 
curves. 

2.  The  “Length  of  head  and  body”  must  be  obtained  in  a straight  line  between  root  of  tail 
and  end  of  nose,  with  the  head  drawn  straight  forward,  and  not  following  any  curves.  The  “Length 
of  tail”  is  from  its  base  to  the  end  of  the  vertebrae. 

3.  The  “Girth”  is  the  tight  circumference  of  the  animal  immediately  behind  the  forelegs. 

4.  The  “Depth  of  the  body”  is  the  distance  in  a straight  line  from  the  top  of  the  shoulders 
to  the  brisket,  or  lower  line  of  the  breast,  immediately  behind  the  foreleg.  To  artists,  sculptors, 
and  taxidermists,  this  is  a very  important  measurement. 

5.  The  “ Circumferenee  of  the  neck”  is  taken  half  way  between  the  ears  and  shoulders,  close 
to  the  skin. 

0.  The  “Length  from  head  of  femur  to  head  of  humerus”  is  also  a highly  valuable  figure  for 
artists,  and  it  is  easily  taken  by  feeling  through  the  skin  for  the  high  points  of  those  joints. 

7.  Weigh  an  animal  before  it  is  “dressed”*,  but  if  the  dressed  weight  of  a deer  is  known,  a 
close  approximation  to  its  live  weight  can  be  obtained  by  the  aid  of  the  rule  given  on  page  124. 

Antlers  .\nd  Horns 

1.  The  “Length  on  outer  curve”  is  obtained  by  starting  the  tape  line  at  the  base  of  the  horn, 
at  its  lowest  point  on  the  face,  and  following  the  curves  or  windings  of  the  horn,  quite  to  the  tip. 
In  horns  that  are  deeply  ringed,  such  as  those  of  the  large  African  antelopes,  the  tape  must  not 
be  press<>d  into  the  hollows  between  the  ridges. 

2.  The  “Greatest  spread”  is  taken  from  outside  to  outside  of  the  antlers  where  they  spread 
widest ! This  should  not  be  taken  inside  the  horns,  for  that  does  not  represent  the  real  width  oi 
the  horns,  any  more  than  interior  measurements  would  represent  the  spread  of  a tree. 

3.  The  “ Distance  between  tips”  needs  no  explanation. 

4.  The  “Circumference  at  base”  should,  for  all  bovines,  sheep,  goats,  ibex,  and  deer,  be  taken 
in  a circle  around  the  largest  diameter  of  the  horns.  The  tape  should  not  follow  the  meanderings  of 
the  end  of  a sheep’s  horn.  With  the  antlers  of  all  members  of  the  Deer  Family,  the  circumfer- 
ence should  be  measured  immediately  above  the  burr. 

b.  “Width  of  palmalion”  of  moose  and  caribou  should  always  be  measured  where  the  pal- 
mat  ion  is  widest. 

().  .\  “ Point”  on  an  antler  is  any  pointed  projection  of  sufficient  length  that  a watch  can 
hang  u|ion  it  without  falling  off. 

7,  The  of  horns”  must  state  whether  it  be  with  “entire  skull,”  or  “with  skull-piece” 

only. 

8.  Shed  antlers  that  have  been  set  artificially  on  a manufactured  skull,  or  frame,  are  not 
entitled  to  measurement  for  “spread”;  but  where  a skull  has  been  sawn  in  two  lengthwise  by  a clean 
cut,  and  bolted  together  again  without  alteration  of  the  sawn  surfaces,  it  is  entitled  to  measurement 
for  “spread”  and  “distance  between  tips.” 


BOOK  I 


xMAMMALS 


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CHAPTER  I 


THE  ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS 

The  living  mammals  of  the  world,  as  distinguished  from  those  which  are  extinct,  or  fossil,  may 
be  divided  into  thirteen  grand  divisions,  called  Orders.  The  order  is  the  foundation  of  mamma- 
lian arrangement.  Without  adequate  knowledge  of  these  divisions,  a clear  understanding  of  the 
relationships  of  mammals  is  quite  impossible. 

It  is  customary  with  technical  writers  to  begin  with  the  lowest  forms  of  life,  and  toil  upward 
toward  the  highest ; but  it  is  very  discouraging  to  the  young  student  to  find  the  most  interesting 
forms  the  farthest  away.  Frequently  the  most  interesting  animals  are  never  reached!  For  many 
rea.sons,  it  is  best  that  the  general  student  should  study  first  the  forms  that  are  most  important, 
and  also  most  interesting,  and  thus  make  sure  of  them.  We  therefore  begin  our  studies  of  the 
animal  kingdom  with  the  highest  forms,  and  adopt  the  latest  names  that  have  come  into  use 
amongst  zoologists. 

While  the  great  majority  of  the  examples  cited  will  be  North  American,  a few  from  other  con- 
tinents will  be  introduced  to  complete  the  chain  of  important  facts. 


THE  ORDERS  OF  LIVING  MAMMALS. 


ORDER.  PRONUNCIATION.  MEANINO. 


EXAMPLES. 


I Primates Pri'malz 

Ferae,  or  Carnivora. . . .FPre  . . . 


Pinnipedia  Pin-ni-pe'dia  . 

Insectivora  In-sec-tii/o-rah 

' CiiiROPTERA Ki-rop'ter-ah  . 

I Glire.s,  or  Rodentia. . . .Gli'rcz 


U.XGULATA Un-gu-la'tah 

Cete SFle 

SiRENiA Si-ref  ne-a  . . 

Edentata - E-den-ta'ta  . 

I 


f Effodientia Ef-fo-de-en'shia 

\ Marscpialia Mar-su-pi-a'li-a 

\ 

j Monotremata Mon-o-trem'a-ta 


i 


. First  order Man  ; apes  and  monkeys. 

] ^ MfilTSsts.  . . \ bears,  weasels. 

, .Fin-footed Sea-lions,  seals,  walrus. 

, . Insect-eaters Moles  and  shrews. 

. .Wing-handed. . . .Bats  and  flying-"  foxes.” 

. Gnawers Hares,  gophers,  rats,  squirrels. 

. Hoofed Cattle,  deer,  sheep,  swine,  tapirs. 

.MTiales Whales,  porpoises,  dolphins. 

. Sea-cows Manatee  and  dugong. 

.Toothless Armadillos,  sloths  and  ant-eaters. 

.Diggers Pangolin  and  aardvark. 

.Pouched Opossum,  kangaroo. 

, .Single  duct Platypus  and  echidna. 


I 


3 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  CHART  OF  THE  ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS. 


To  the  beginner  in  Natural  History  studies,  the  Order  is  the  master-key  to  classification. 

This  Chart  is  based  on  the  well-known  fact  that  in  the  pursuit  of  a difficult  study,  any  scheme 
which  properly  and  truthfully  appeals  to  the  eye  is  an  aid  both  to  the  understanding  and  the  mem- 
ory. It  shows  the  relative  importance  of  the  various  Orders  of  i\Iammals,  but  not  their  relative 
sizes,  based  on  the  number  of  species  in  each,  as  has  been  done  later  on  with  the  birds.  If  number 
of  species  were  given  precedence  over  economic  importance,  the  Order  Glires  would  dominate,  and 
the  Order  Ungulata  would  appear  small  and  insignificant. 

It  is  impossible  to  construct  a diagram  which  will  show  correctly  the  relations  which  the  various 
Orders  bear  toward  each  other,  anatomically.  This  is  because  some  Orders  are  characterized  by 
their  teeth,  some  by  their  feet,  or  hands;  others  by  their  wings,  and  two  by  their  mode  of  producing 
their  young. 

It  will  be  noted  that: 

The  Primates,  of  the  tree-tops,  have  the  highest  position. 

The  Cete,  which  in  some  respects  are  the  lowest  of  the  Mammalia,  occupy  the  lowest  position. 

The  Bats  are  shown  in  mid-air,  and  the  Insectivores  appear  under  ground,  where  they  live  out 
their  lives. 

The  Seals  and  Sea-Lions  appear  both  on  the  shore  and  in  the  sea,  and  the  Sirenians  are  located 
in  an  estuary. 

The  Ferae,  Glires  and  Ungulata  spread  throughout  the  whole  visible  earth,  covering  forest  and 
plain,  sea,  pond  and  stream,  from  the  sea  to  the  most  distant  mountains. 

The  Monotremates,  or  egg-laying  mammals,  are  quite  apart  from  all  other  land  mammals,  and 
appear  low  down,  near  the  home  of  the  ducks,  as  shown  on  the  bird  chart.  The  space  allotted 
to  this  strange  Order  has  been  made  egg-shaped,  to  suggest  the  leading  characteristic  of  its 
members. 


.RODENTIA 

THE  CNAWERS 


fOPTERA 

^BATS  > 


UNCULAT/ 

HOOrED 

ANIMALS 


JK^OU5''"«SHRtW5 


;5UPIALIA^ 

V KANGAROOSi 


CARNIVOROI 
. \fORMSy 


/ENDENTATA 

rOOTHLE55  ONEE 
ISL0TH5AN6  V 
^NT-EATERSC. 


^^NNIPEDIA* 

SEALS  sStA-LIONS 
>SWALRUSx^ 


SIRENIA. 

SEA-COW^ 

(manatee)' 


EFFODIENTlAi 

r^THE;  diggers; 

3Pki.,CetNGOLIN 


DOLPHINS 


Copyright,  1903,  by  W.  T.  Hornaday. 


LANUSCAI’E  CHAHT  OK  THE  ORDEKS  OK  LIVING  MAMMALS. 


i 

I 


By  permission  of  J.  F.  G.  XJmlauff. 


GORILt.A. 

Shot  and  photographed  at  Tsonu  Town,  West  Africa,  by  H.  Paschen,  1901 


I 


CHAPTER  II 


THE  ORDER  OF  APES  AND  MONKEYS 

PRIMATES 


This  Order  includes  all  creatures  with  hands, 
and  hand-like  feet.  With  the  exception  of  the 
Japanese  red-faced  monkey,  the  tscheli  monkey 
of  China,  and  two  or  three  other  Chinese  species, 
all  its  members  inhabit  the  troj)ics,  far  below  the 
frost  line.  It  is  on  or  near  the  E<iuator  that  the 
lower  Primates  reach  their  highest  development, 
and  the  great  apes  approach  nearest  to  man. 
Let  it  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  the  chain 
of  evolution  from  the  aye-aye  to  the  gorilla  is 
complete;  for  the  gap  between  the  gibbons  and 
the  monkeys  is  much  greater  than  that  between 
the  gorilla  and  man. 

.\11  men,  even  savages,  are  specially  interested 
in  apes  and  monkeys,  because  they  are  the  high- 
est of  the  lower  animals,  and  stand  nearest  to 
man.  There  is  no  human  being  of  sound  mind 
to  whom  their  human-likeness  does  not  appeal. 
For  this  reason,  we  will  introduce  here  several 
species  which  arc  not  found  in  the  Xew  World, 
for  the  reason  that  without  them  our  Foundation 
for  the  Mammalia  would  be  incomplete. 

-\lthough  tropical  .\merica  contains  a very 
resj)ectable  number  of  species  of  monkeys,  they 

FA.MILIES. 


are,  as  a whole,  both  structurally  and  mentally, 
far  lower  than  the  monkeys  and  baboons  of  the 
Old  World.  Structurally  they  are  weak,  in 
spirit  they  are  timid  and  cowardly,  and  intel- 
lectually they  are  dull  to  the  point  of  stupidity. 
With  the  e.xception  of  the  sapajous,  they  are 
in  general  so  ill  fitted  to  survive  that  if  they  are 
on  exhibition  it  is  a difficult  matter  to  keep  any 
of  them  alive  in  captivity  much  longer  than  one 
year.  If  not  exhibited,  they  survive  longer. 

On  the  other  hand,  very  many  of  the  monkeys 
and  baboons  of  the  Old  World  have  developed 
first-class  fighting  powers,'  and  pugnacious  tem- 
pers. They  have  dangerous  canine  teeth,  wide- 
spreading  jaws,  strong  muscles,  and  keen  wits 
for  either  attack  or  defence.  The  Lemuroids, 
however,  the  lowest  of  the  Primates,  are  as  mild- 
mannered  and  harmless  as  rabbits. 

With  Ethnology,  the  study  of  the  races  of 
Mankind,  we  have  here  nothing  to  do.  That 
subject  is  so  interesting,  and  so  vast  in  its  ex- 
tent, that  nothing  less  than  an  entire  volume  can 
adequately  set  it  forth.  The  grand  divisions  of 
the  Primates  in  general  are  as  shown  below. 

EXAMPLES. 

Gorilla  gorilla. 

Pan  troglodytes. 
Simia  satyrus. 
Hylobates  leuciscus. 

Macacus  speciosus. 
Cercopithecus  diana. 
T hcropithecus  gelada. 

Cebus  hypoleucus. 

A teles  ater. 

Alouatta. 

Callithrix  jacchus. 
Lemur  varius. 
Tarsius  tarsius. 

Daubentonia. 


■I. 


Max,  HOM-IST-DAE. 

.\XTHROPOID 

Ape.s, 


.^IM-IT-DAE.  . 


1 CER-CO-PI-THE’ 

SUB-ORDER  f -'lONKE-i.s  AXOj-  CI-DAE.  . . 
AN  THRO-  ( Baboo.x.s,  I 
POIDEA; 


X E w -World  I ^ ^ „ 
Monkeys,  f^.BA-DAE.  . 


SUB-ORDER 

LEMU- 

ROIDEA: 


Marmosets, 

Lemurs, 

Tarsier, 

.\ve-.\ye. 


( CAL-U-THRI'CI- 
( DA  E. 

LE-MUR'I-DAE . , 

TAR-SIT-DAE.  . , 

( DAU-REX-TO.\- 
■(  I'-r-DAE. 


iOorilla, 
Chiinpaiizee, 
Orang-Utan, 
Gibbon, 

/ Japanese  Red- 
) Faced  Monkey, 
\ Diana  Monkey, 
f Gelada  Baboon, 

/ Wbite-TJiroated 
^ Sapajon, 

' Black  Si>ider- 
] Monkey, 

' Howlers, 

/ Coinnion  Marino- 
l set, 

. R II  fled  Lein  nr, 

. Tarsier, 

Aye-.Vye, 


8 


OPxDERS  OF  MAMMALS— APES  AXD  MONKEYS 


The  Apes. — The  three  great  man-like  (or 
an'thro-poid)  apes  — gorilla,  chimpanzee  and 
orang-utan — are  so  much  like  human  beings 
that,  to  most  persons,  they  are  the  most  won- 


derful of  all  living  creatures  below  man.  Their 
points  of  resemblance  to  man  are  so  many  and 
so  striking  that  they  are  a source  of  wonder  even 
to  savages. 


By  pernyssion  of  J.  F.  G.  Umlauff. 
SKELETONS  OF  MAN  AND  GORILLA. 


1,  cervical  vertebrae, 

2,  ' 

3, 

4,  ! 

5,  1 

6, 


collar  bone, 
humerus, 
sternum, 
ribs, 

rib  cartilages, 

dorsal  vertebrae, 

lumbar  vertebrae, 

pelvis, 

radius, 

ulna. 


12,  carpals, 

13,  metacarpals, 

14,  phalanges, 

15,  cavity  of  pelvis, 

16,  sacrum, 

17,  femur, 

18,  patella, 

19,  fibula, 

20,  tibia, 

21,  tarsals, 

22,  metatarsals. 


2.3,  phalanges. 


As  will  be  observed  from  a comparison  of 
the  skeletons  of  man  and  gorilla,  below  the 
skull  their  parallelism  is  remarkably  close. 
Both  in  kind  and  in  number  the  bones  are 
the  same,  and  they  differ  only  in  their  pro- 
portions. The  hands  and  feet  of  the  gorilla 
are  designed  for  a life  that  is  half  terrestrial 
and  half  arboreal,  while  those  of  man 
are  for  life  on  the  ground.  The  long 
thumb  and  great  toe  of  the  gorilla  are  far 
superior  to  those  members  in  the  chim- 
panzee and  orang-utan. 

The  widest  differences  between  man  and 
the  gorilla  are  in  their  skulls.  In  the 
gorilla,  the  high  forehead  and  intellectual 
faculties  so  characteristic  in  man  are  totally 
wanting,  indicating  a very  low  order  of 
intelligence.  The  long  and  powerful  canine 
teeth  are  alone  sufficient  to  proclaim  the 
savage  wild  beast. 

To  many  persons  it  seems  strange  that 
notwithstanding  the  seemingly  wide  dif- 
ferences between  the  various  races  of  men, 
all  mankind  be  referable  to  a single  species. 
In  spite  of  the  vast  differences  in  intellect 
between  the  native  Australian — not  yet 
out  of  the  stone  age — and  a Caucasian 
philosopher,  both  belong  to  Homo  sapiens, 
and  between  them'  there  is  not  even  a sub- 
specific difference. 

Even  if  the  great  apes  could  talk  as  well 
as  the  Veddahs  of  Ceylon,  whose  vocabu- 
lary consists  of  about  two  hundred  words, 
their  anatomical  differences  from  the  genus 
Homo  would  separate  them  quite  as  widely 
as  they  now  are.  To  segregate  a species 
requires  a structural  difference  that  is  con- 
stant. 

The  Gorilla'  is  the  largest,  the  ugliest, 
the  most  fierce  in  temper,  and  by  reason 
of  its  shorter  arms  and  longer  legs,  it 
is  really  the  nearest  to  man.  It  is  the 
only  ape  that  walks  erect  without  being 
taught,  and  that  spends  a considerable  por- 
tion of  its  life  upon  the  ground.  In  bulk 
it  is  larger  than  an  average  man,  and  its 
' Go-ril'la  gorilla. 


GORILLA  AND  CHIMPANZEE 


9 


arms  and  chest  are  of  enormous  proportions.’ 
The  countenance  of  the  Gorilla  is  very  ugly  and 
repulsive,  and  the  shape  of  its  skull  is  much 
farther  from  that  of  man  than  are  those  of  the 
chimpanzee  and  orang-utan.  Its  skin  is  black, 
and  the  hair  of  full-grown  specimens  is  grizzly 
gray. 

The  Gorilla  inhabits  only  a very  small  area  in 
Wc.st  -\frica,  directly  on  the  equator,  between 
the  Gaboon  and  Congo  Rivers,  and  extending 
only  two  hundred  miles  back  from  the  coast. 
It  is  very  shy,  and  .so  difficult  to  approach  in 
those  dark  and  tangled  forests  that  very  few 
white  men  ever  have  seen  one  wild. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  specimens  ever 
secured  was  the  huge  old  male  killed  and  photo- 
graphed by  Mr.  II.  Paschen,  a German  trader, 
near  Tsonu  Town,  German  Cameroon  country, 
two  hundred  and  forty  miles  north  of  the  equa- 
tor, in  l‘X)l.  This  animal,  photographed  in  the 
flesh,  with  three  natives  beside  it  for  compari- 
son, to  show  its  immense  size,  was  .shot  in  a 
tree,  without  difficulty  or  danger.  It  measured 
GT)  inches  in  height,  its  chest,  arms  and  shoul- 
ders were  of  gigantic  proportions,  and  its  weight 
was  estimated  at  .')(X)  pounds.  Twelve  men 
were  required  to  carry  it  from  the  jungle  to  the 
village,  where  it  was  photographed. 

On  account  of  the  sullen,  sulk}'  disposition  of 
the  Gorilla  in  captivity,  only  one  of  the  four  or 
five  young  sjjccimens  that  have  been  brought  to 
Euroj)e  has  lived  longer  than  about  eighteen 
months.  They  sulk,  often  refuse  food,  will  not 
exercise,  and  die  of  indigestion.  Up  to  this 
date  (HK)3)  only  one  live  (iorilla,  and  that  a tiny 
infant,  has  ever  landed  in  the  United  States; 
and  it  lived  only  five  days  after  arrival.  Show- 
men .sometimes  label  a baboon  “Gorilla,”  or 
“Lion-Slayer,”  and  it  is  well  to  remember  that 
the  Ciorilla  has  no  tail  whatever. 

The  Chlmpjinzee-  is  about  one-third  smaller 
than  the  gorilla.  Its  brain,  face,  ears  and  hands 
arc  more  man-like  than  those  of  any  other  ape, 
and  its  large  brain  and  keen  mind  render  it  in 
thought  and  habit  much  more  man-like  than  the 

' Tlic  avcr.age  man  of  the  .\nglo-Saxon  race  is 
5 feet  6 inches  in  height  and  weiglis  160  pounds. 

’ Pan  troqlodutfs.  Described  in  most  books  under 
the  untenable  .anil  more  unwieldy  name  of  .la//iro- 
popithecxis  trnglndijtex.  This  animal  lias  been  de- 
scribed under  nine  different  generic  names,  but  Pan 
is  the  oldest  one  available  and  the  best. 


gorilla.  It  is  an  animal  of  bright  and  cheerful 
disposition,  though  subject  to  sudden  fits  of  bad 
temper,  and  having  a good  memory,  it  is  easily 
taught.  Young  Chimpanzees  are  affectionate 
and  child-like,  but  when  large  and  strong,  the 
males  are  usually  dangerous,  and  not  to  be 
trusted.  Some  individuals  have  displayed  re- 
markable intelligence.  “Sally,”  of  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens,  could  count  correctly  up  to 
five,  whenever  bidden,  and  hand  out  the  correct 
number  of  straws. 

After  several  years  of  observation  of  living 
Chimpanzees  and  orang-utans,  in  daily  com- 
parison, I am  convinced  that  the  only  substantial 
psychological  differences  between  the  two  species 
are  (1)  that  the  temperament  of  the  Chimpanzee 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 
YOUNG  FEMALE  CHIMPANZEE. 


is  of  the  nervous  type,  and  its  mind  is  more  alert 
and  prompt  in  action  than  that  of  the  orang, 
while  on  the  other  hand  (2)  the  temperament 
of  the  orang  is  sanguine,  its  disposition  is  more 
serene,  and  while  its  mind  may  be  somew'hat 
less  .showy  on  e.xhibition,  its  capacity  is  quite 
equal  to  that  of  the  Chimpanzee.  The  greater 
quickness  of  the  ('himpanzee,  both  in  thought 
and  action,  renders  it  on  the  whole  the  best  show 
animal  in  public  performances. 

Many  persons  consider  the  Chimpanzee  supe- 
rior in  intelligence  to  the  orang-utan,  but  thus 
far  the  only  real  difference  appears  to  be  that  the 


10  ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— APES  AND  MONKEA^S 


A DRESSED-UP  CHIMPANZEE. 


By  permission  of  Edwards  Bros. 


13  inches  across;  but  in  young  animals  this  is 
seldom  developed.  The  hand  is  IH  inches  long, 
the  foot  13^  inches,  but  the  width  of  each  across 
the  palm  is  only  3f  inches.  The  weight  of  a 
large,  full-grown  male  Orang  is  about  250 
pounds. 

The  black  gorilla  and  chimpanzee  both  in- 
habit the  land  of  black  men;  the  brown  Orang- 
Utan  lives  only  in  Borneo  and  Sumatra,  the  land 
of  the  brown-skinned  Malay.  The  latter  prefers 
the  belt  of  level,  swampy  forest  near  the  coast, 
lives  wholly  in  the  tree-tops,  and  rarely  descends 
to  the  earth  except  for  water.  Orangs  travel  by 
swinging  underneath  the  large  branches  with 
their  long,  muscular  arms.  Because  of  their 
great  weight,  they  cannot  leap  from  tree  to  tree, 
as  monkeys  do,  but  they  swing  with  wonderful 
rapidity  and  precision.  They  eat  all  kinds  of 
wild  fruit,  fleshy  leaves,  and  the  shoots  of  the 
screw  pine. 

In  proper  hands,  young  Orang-Utans  are  very 
susceptible  to  training.  In  1901  the  New  A^ork 


mind  of  the  former  is  more  alert,  and  acts  more 
quickly  than  that  of  the  orang. 

In  walking,  the  Chimpanzee  does  not  place 
the  palms  of  its  hands  flat  upon  the  ground,  but 
bends  its  fingers  at  the  middle  joint,  and  walks 
upon  its  knuckles. 

It  does  not,  as  so  often  asserted  on  hearsay 
evidence,  build  a hut  or  a roof  of  branches  under 
which  to  sleep.  Its  home  is  the  heavy  forest 
region  of  equatorial  Africa,  from  the  Atlantic 
ocean  to  Lake  Tanganyika.  Like  the  gorilla, 
its  skin  is  black,  and  when  young  its  hair  also, 
but  when  fully  grown  its  hair  is  dark  iron- 
gray.  This  animal  can  at  one  glance  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  orang-utan  by  the  greater 
size  of  its  ears,  and  its  black  color. 

The  Orang-Utan  (from  two  pure  Malay 
words,  “orang”  = man,  and  “utan”  = jungle) 
is  also  about  two-thirds  the  size  of  the  gorilla, 
and  is  easily  recognized  by  its  brick-red  hair, 
brown  skin  and  small  ears.  The  largest  speci- 
men on  record  stood  4 feet  6 inches  in  height 
from  heel  to  head,  measured  42  inches  around 
the  chest,  and  between  finger  tips  stretched  8 
feet.  The  old  males  develop  a strange,  flat  ex- 
pansion of  the  cheek,  called  “cheek  callosities,” 


Drawn  by  C.  B.  Hudson. 

A FIGHT  IN  THE  TREE-TOPS. 

Old  male  Orang-Utans,  with  cheek  callosities. 


FEMAI.E  ORANG-UTAN  AND  YOUNG. 

Drawn  from  specimen.s  liviiifi  in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  by  A.  G.  Doring. 


12 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— APES  AND  MONKEYS 


Zoological  Park  contained  four  Orangs,  all  of 
which  were  easily  taught  to  wear  clothes,  sit  in 
chairs  at  table,  eat  with  fork  and  spoon,  drink 
from  cups  and  bottles,  and  perform  many  other 
human-like  actions  without  nervousness,  in  the 
presence  of  two  thousand  visitors.  Each  of  the 
Orangs  learned  its  part  in  about  two  weeks’ 
training,  and  at  the  dinner-table  acted  with 
gravity  and  decorum.  “Rajah,”  the  senior 
member  of  the  quartette,  never  once  suffered 
from  stage  fright,  or  lost  his  nerve  during  a pub- 
lic performance. 

In  captivity,  young  Orang-Utans  are  as  af- 
fectionate as  human  children,  and  very  fond  of 
their  human  friends.  In  the  jungles  of  Borneo 
the  full-grown  males  often  fight  sav^agely  by 
biting  each  other’s  faces,  and  by  biting  off  fingers 
and  toes.  At  night  the  Orang  makes  a nest 
to  sleep  upon,  by  breaking  off  leafy  branches, 
and  laying  them  cross-wise  in  the  forked  top  of 
a sapling.  On  this  huge  nest-like  bed  it  lies  flat 
upon  its  back,  grasps  a branch  firmly  in  each 
hand  and  foot,  and  is  rocked  to  sleep  by  the 
cradle-like  swaying  of  the  tree-top. 

Unless  attacked  at  close  quarters,  in  their  for- 
est homes,  none  of  the  great  apes  is  dangerous 
to  man.  All  of  them  flee  quickly  from  the 
dreaded  presence  of  Man,  the  Destroyer.  They 
never  fight  with  clubs,  but  when  attacked  at 
close  quarters  they  bite,  just  as  do  human  roughs. 
When  enraged,  the  gorilla  does  beat  its  breast 
with  its  fists,  just  as  Du  Chaillu  said;  and  it  does 
this  even  in  captivity. 

“The  Missing  Link.” — For  thirty  years  at 
least.  Science  has  been  seeking  in  the  earth  for 
fossil  remains  of  some  creature  literally  standing 
between  man  and  the  great  apes,  but  at  present 
unknown.  In  1879,  Mr.  A.  H.  Everett  made  for 
the  Zoological  Society  of  London  a thorough 
examination  of  the  deposits  on  the  floors  of  some 
of  the  caverns  of  Borneo.  To-day,  some  natural- 
ists are  straying  toward  the  lemurs  in  search  of 
the  parent  stem  of  man’s  ancestral  tree.  Vain 
quest!  The  gap  between  Man  and  Lemur  is  too 
great  to  be  bridged  in  this  world.  A coincidence 
between  skull  bones  is  a long  way  from  man- 
likeness. 

Place  upon  the  shoulders  of  a gorilla  the  head 
of  a chimpanzee,  and  we  would  have — what? 
The  Missing  Link,  no  less, — a hairy,  speechless 
man!  The  man-apes  we  have.  Let  those  who 


seek  the  undiscov'^ered  ape-man  search  the  Ter- 
tiary deposits  of  the  fertile  uplands  that  lie 
between  the  gloomy  equatorial  forests  of  the 
black  apes  and  the  Bushmen  of  South  Africa; 
for  there,  if  anywhere,  will  the  Missing  Link 
be  found. 

The  Gibbons. — From  the  three  huge,  coarse- 
ly-formed and  unwieldy  man-like  apes  described 
above,  the  line  of  descent  drops  abruptly  and  far. 
Their  nearest  relatives  are  the  Gibbons — creat- 
ures of  small  size,  marked  delicacy  of  form,  no 
weight  or  strength  to  speak  of,  but  of  marvellous 
agility  in  the  tree-tops.  Their  heads  are  small 
and  round,  their  teeth  are  weak,  and  their  faces 
are  like  those  of  very  tiny  old  men. 

Their  arms  and  hands  are  of  great  length  in 
proportion  to  their  body  size,  yet  so  very  slender 
are  their  muscles  that  a live  Gibbon  seems  like  a 
hairy  skin  drawn  over  a skeleton.  The  largest 
specimen  I measured  in  Borneo  had  the  follow- 
ing remarkable  dimensions:  head  and  body,  19 
inches;  extent  of  outstretched  arms  and  hands, 
5 feet  1 inch;  entire  reach  of  arms  and  legs,  5 feet 
1 inch;  hand,  6^  inches  long  by  1 inch  wide; 
weight,  lOi  pounds. 

Of  Gibbons  there  are  about  six  species,  and  they 
inhabit  Borneo,  Sumatra,  the  Malay  Peninsula, 
Burmah  and  Siam.  With  the  Gray  Gibbon,’ 
of  Borneo,  I am  well  acquainted;  and  after  the 
three  great  man-like  apes,  it  is  to  me  the  most 
wonderful  of  anthropoids.  They  are  very  timid, 
the  shyest  of  all  Primates  that  I ever  hunted, 
and  wonderfully  successful  in  eluding  the  hunter. 
Nevertheless,  so  strong  is  their  affection  for  their 
young,  I have  seen  a whole  troop  that  had  made 
good  its  escape,  return  at  the  call  of  an  infant 
Gibbon  in  trouble,  and  all  reckless  of  their  own 
safety  come  down  within  twenty  feet  of  their 
deadly  enemy.  Very  few  other  mammals  will 
do  this. 

The  most  wonderful  habit  of  the  Gibbon  is  its 
flight  down  hill  when  pursued.  Of  course  it 
never  dreams  of  descending  to  the  earth,  but  in 
the  half-open  hill  forests  of  Borneo  I have  seen 
these  creatures  go  downward  through  the  tree- 
tops,  in  a straight  course,  leaping  incredible  dis- 
tances, catching  with  their  hands,  swinging  un- 
der, catching  with  their  feet,  turning  again,  and 
so  on  by  a series  of  revolutions,  almost  as  fast  as 
the  flight  of  a bird. 

’ Hy-lo-ba'tes  leu-cis'cus. 


OLD  WORLD  MONKEYS 


13 


The  Siamang,’  of  Sumatra,  is  the  largest 
and  rarest  of  the  Gibbons.  It  is  jet  black,  all 
over,  face  as  well  as  fur,  and  it  has  a throat  pouch 
which  is  distended  to  astounding  proportions 
when  it  utters  its  peculiar,  piercing  cry.  This 
species  is  as  rare  in  captivity  as  the  gorilla,  and 
the  only  specimen  seen  alive  in  the  New  World 
up  to  1903  was  e.xhibited  at  the  New  York  Zoo- 
logical Park  in  that  year. 

OLD-WORLD  MONKEYS  AND  BABOONS. 

Cercopithecidae. 

Typical  Old-World  3Ionkeys. — Asia,  Africa 
and  the  islands  of  the  Malay  Archipelago  con- 
tain a great  number  of  species  of  monkeys.  The 
most  northern  is  the  sturdy  Japanese  Red- 
Faced  Monkey,  with  no  tail  to  speak  of.  It  is 


Sanbor.v,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


J.\P.\NE.SE  RED-F.\CEI)  MONKEY. 

Note  the  narrow  space  between  the  nostrils. 

clothed  with  long,  .shaggy  hair,  and  those  in  the 
New  York  Zoological  Park  live  outdoors  all 
winter,  and  gallop  about  in  the  snow  without 

' Sijm-pha-lan'gus  syn-dac'lij-lus. 


catching  cold.  Their  tempers  are  quite  as  warm 
as  their  blood. 

From  Japan,  monkey-land  extends  southward 
through  China,  and  southern  Asia  generally,  the 


DIANA  MONKEY. 


Malay  islands  almost  to  Australia,  and  through- 
out the  whole  of  Africa  except  its  great  deserts, 
to  the  extreme  south. 

Of  all  these  Old-World  species,  none  have 
prehensile  (grasping)  tails,  like  many  American 
species.  Many  of  them  are  beautifully  colored, 
however,  and  the  markings  of  some  are  quite  fan- 
tastic. The  Diana  Monkey,  of  West  Africa, 
is  elaborately  marked  with  black,  white,  gray 
and  brown,  and  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
of  all  monkeys.  An  old-world  monkey  can 
nearly  always  be  recognized  by  the  very  narrow 
space  between  the  nostrils. 

Short-Tailed  Monkeys. — It  must  not  be 
supposed  that  because  the  tail  of  a monkey  is 
so  short  as  to  be  scarcely  visible,  the  wearer  is 
therefore  a true  ape.  There  are  several  baboon- 
like animals  with  tails  exceedingly  short  and  in- 
significant, but  which  are  far  removed  from  the 
true  apes.  Some  of  these  are  called  apes,  but 
they  are  all  much  lower  in  the  scale.  Of  these, 
the  most  important  are: 

The  Black  “Ape”  of  Celebes; 

The  Barbary  “Ape”  of  Gibraltar  and  ^North 
Africa; 

The  Pig-Tailed  Ma-caque'  (pronounced  Ma- 
cak')  of  the  East  Indies,  east  of  Ceylon,  and 

The  Japanese  Red-Faced  Monkey. 

The  Baboons. — In  nearly  every  portion  of 
Africa  abounding  in  rocky  hills  covered  with 
scanty  vegetation  may  be  found  Baboons, — 
fierce  of  aspect,  domineering  in  temper,  strong 
of  limb,  and  sometimes  very  ugly  in  countenance. 


14 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— APES  AND  MONKEYS 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

DEAD  GELADA  BABOON. 

Note  the  lion-like  aspect. 

Their  noses  are  long  and  dog-like.  They  live 
on  the  ground,  travel  in  troops  of  ten  to  twenty 
individuals,  and  rob  grain-fields  with  great  bold- 
ness. It  is  asserted  by  African  explorers  that 
even  hungry  lions  prefer  to  let  them  alone.  The 
canine  teeth  of  an  adult  Baboon  are  so  long  and 
sharp  that  they  are  dangerous  weapons.  Without 
exception.  Baboons  are  the  most  fierce-tempered 
animals  of  all  the  Primates,  not  even  excepting 
the  great  apes,  which  never  fight  when  they  can 
run  away. 

All  told  there  are  about  sixteen  species  of  Ba- 
boons, all  of  which  are  found  in  Africa  outside  of 
the  dark  forests  of  the  equatorial  regions.  The 
great  Gelada  Baboon,^  of  Abyssinia,  is  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  of  all  animals.  It  is  like  a 
small  lion,  with  a Baboon’s  feet  and  hands;  but 
its  wonderful  grimaces  are  peculiar  to  itself. 

A Baboon  of  average  size  stands  24  inches  in 
height  at  the  shoulders,  and  weighs  about  45 
pounds.  The  majority  of  the  species  are  of  a 
yellowish  color,  mixed  with  brown.  The  Man- 
drill is  known  everywhere  by  its  brilliant  blue 
and  scarlet  muzzle,  and  yellow  chin  beard. 

’ The-ro-pith'e-cus  ge-la'da. 


NEW-WORLD  MONKEYS. 

All  the  monkeys  of  the  New  World  are  marked 
by  the  wide  space  between  the  nostril  openings, 
and  nearly  all  the  larger  species  possess  prehen- 
sile, or  grasping,  tails  that  are  as  useful  as  a 
fifth  arm  and  hand.  Most  of  the  species  which 
do  not  have  prehensile  tails  are  quite  small.  Of 
the  clinging-tailed  monkeys  there  are  three  im- 
portant groups,  which  are  represented  in  North 
America.  They  are  the  Sapajous,  the  Spider 
Monkeys  and  Howlers. 

The  American  monkey  most  frequently  seen 
in  captivity  is  the  White-Throated  Sapajou* 


WHITE-THKO.\TED  SAPAJOU. 

Note  tlie  wide  space  between  the  nostrils. 

(sap'a-jew)  or  Cap'u-chin,  called  by  animal 
dealers  and  showmen,  the  “Ring-Tail.”  This 
monkey  is  a kind-spirited  and  affectionate  little 
creature,  and  rarely  gives  way  to  bad  temper. 
* Ce'bus  hy-po-leu'cus. 


Sl'JDKR,  OWL  AND  SQUIRREL  MONKEYS 


15 


It  has  a wrinklod  and  care-worn  face,  as  if  bur- 
dened with  sorrows — wliieh  most  captive  mon- 
keys certainly  are!  Its  forehead,  throat  and 
shoulder-points  are  white,  and  the  remainder 
of  the  body  is  either  gray,  brown  or  jet  black. 
The  Sapajous  inhabit  ('entral  America  and 
northern  South  America.  About  two  hundred 
si)ecimens  are  brought  to  Xcw  York  every  year. 


BL.\CK-FArED  SPIDER  MONKEY. 
Al'r-Us  a' ter. 


where  they  are  sold  by  dealers  at  prices  ranging 
from  SIO  to  ?1.')  each. 

The  Spider  3Ionkeys'  may  easily  be  recog- 
nized by  their  very  long,  slender  legs  and  tails, 
and  small,  round  heads.  In  color  they  are  usu- 
ally either  black  or  gray,  and  rarely  reddi.sh 
brown.  .As  they  swing  on  their  way  through 
life,  always  u.sing  their  prehen.sile  tails  to  cling 
or  to  swing  by,  they  have  a very  uncanny  look, 
and  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  are  called  “Spider” 
monkeys.  They  can  come  as  r<ear  tying  them- 
s»-be.‘  into  knots  as  living  mammals  ever  can. 

’ . t t'r-lrs 


When  fully  grown,  they  are  much  larger  than 
the  sapajous,  but  are  weak,  unable  to  fight,  and 
therefore  timid.  In  a cage  containing  several 
species  of  monkeys,  they  are  always  the  greatest 
cowards,  and  often  are  heard  shrieking  from 
fright  at  imaginary  terrors.  They  are  dainty 
feeders,  and  very  difficult  to  keep  in  health  in 
captivity.  Four  species  are  found  north  of 
Panama.  The  Mexican  Spider  Monkey  oc- 
curs up  to  Lat.  23°,  and  is  the  most  northern 
monkey  on  this  continent. 

The  Owl  Monkeys. — Next  to  the  spider 
monkeys  is  found  a group  often  represented  in 
captivity,  the  members  of  which  are  distin- 
guished by  their  small  size,  their  round  heads, 
very  large,  owl-like  eyes,  and  long,  hairy  tails, 
which  are  not  prehensile.  As  their  staring  eyes 
suggest,  these  creatures  are  of  nocturnal  habits, 
and  in  daylight  hours  are  as  inactive  and  un- 
interesting as  opossums.  Because  of  this,  they 
make  rather  uninteresting  pets;  but  being  good- 
tempered  creatures,  they  are  frequently  kept. 
They  are  sometimes  called  Do'-rou-couTis. 
They  are  found  from  Central  America  to 
southern  Brazil. 

The  Squirrel  3Ionkeys  of  northern  South 
America  and  Central  America  are  next  in  order, 
and  in  activity  and  general  liveliness  of  habit 
they  make  up  for  all  that  the  owl  monkeys  lack. 
They  are  the  most  active  of  all  the  small  Amer- 
ican monkeys,  and  so  nervous  and  unmanage- 
able they  are  unfit  for  captive  life  elsewhere 
than  in  cages.  The  Common  Squirrel  Mon- 
key,’ sometimes,  though  erroneously,  called 
the  Teetee,  is  a trim  little  yellow  fellow,  with 
a very  long  cranium,  close-haired  head,  and 
a very  long  tail,  which  it  gracefully  curls  up 
over  its  own  shoulders  whenever  it  sits  down. 
This  species  comes  from  the  Guianas  and  Vene- 
zuela, and  is  very  common  in  captivity. 

On  board  ship  a Squirrel  IMonkey  of  my  ac- 
quaintance once  furnished  constant  entertain- 
ment and  amu.sement.  Its  favorite  food  was 
big,  fat  cockroaches,  contributed  by  the  sailors 
from  their  collection  in  the  forecastle.  Each 
morning  a .sailor  would  bring  a jacket,  and  shake 
it  over  a clear  space  on  the  deck.  As  the  cock- 
roach shower  struck  the  deck,  the  agile  little 
monkey  da.shed  at  the  iirsects  like  a terrier  at 
rats,  cramming  them  into  his  mouth  as  fast  as 
' Sai-mi'ri  sci-u're-a. 


16 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— APES  AND  MONKEYS 


possible,  and  meanwhile  seizing  and  holding  in 
his  hands  as  many  more  of  the  struggling  insects 
as  his  absurd  little  paws  could  grasp. 

This  creature  is  a skilful  climber,  and  it  is  the 
only  mammal  I ever  saw  which  could  exert  suffi- 
cient lateral  pressure  with  its  hands  and  feet  to  en- 
able it  to  climb  with  ease  a perfectly  smooth,  right- 
angled  corner  of  wood  to  a height  of  six  feet. 

This  particular  animal  was  so  fond  of  its 
owner  that  it  loudly  and  vociferously  refused  to 
sleep  elsewhere  than  in  his  bunk,  cuddled  against 
his  feet.  With  its  piercing  cries  it  controlled  the 
situation  as  effectually  as  any  spoiled  child. 

The  Saki  Monkeys,  of  tropical  South  Amer- 
ica east  of  the  Andes,  are  of  medium  size,  mostly 
black  and  shaggy-haired,  and  sometimes  pos- 
sessed of  a long,  black  chin  heard.  They  are 
always  marked  by  their  big,  heavily-haired 
tails,  which  are  long,  but  not  prehensile.  They 
are  often  mistaken  for  howling  monkeys.  They 
are  difficult  to  keep  alive,  seldom  live  to  reach 
the  United  States,  and  for  this  reason  are  likely 
to  remain  but  little  known.  The  most  remark- 
able species  is  the  Black  Saki,^  two  specimens 
of  which  were  placed  on  exhibition  in  the  New 
York  Zoological  Park  in  1903. 

The  Uakari,  or  Yarkee,  Monkeys,  of  which 
there  are  three  species,  all  found  in  Brazil,  have 
the  shortest  tails  to  be  found  amongst  American 
monkeys.  The  Bald  Yarkee  ^ of  the  Upper 
Amazon  is  an  excellent  imitation  of  the  .Japanese 
red-faced  monkey,  having  not  only  the  same 
stubby  tail,  and  long,  shaggy  hair,  but  also  a 
red  face!  Unfortunately  this  species  is  one  of 
the  rarest  in  all  America. 

The  Howlers  are  rarely  seen  in  captivity, 
because  it  seems  almost  an  impossibility  for 
man  to  find  food  which  they  will  eat,  and  which 
agrees  with  them. 

Between  the  two  sides  of  the  lower  jaw,  the 
Howler  possesses  a large  sound-box  of  cartilage 
— a development  of  the  hyoid  bone — which  gives 
to  the  creature’s  voice  a deep  resonance,  of  a 
very  unusual  character.  These  monkeys  de- 
light to  indulge  in  vocal  concerts,  and  the  deep 
roar  of  their  unearthly  voices  can  be  distinguished 
at  a distance  of  a mile  or  more. 

In  all  there  are  six  species  of  Howling  Mon- 
keys. Occasionally  young  specimens  of  the 
Golden  Howler  are  brought  from  Venezuela 

^ Pi-the'cia  sa-tan'as.  ^ U-a-ka'ri-a  cal'vA. 


and  Guiana  to  New  York,  but  in  confinement 
their  digestive  organs  are  easily  disturbed,  and 
they  seldom,  if  ever,  live  to  reach  maturity. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  MARMOSETS. 

Callithricidae. 

Lowest  in  the  scale  of  all  the  American  mon- 
keys, and  in  fact  next  to  the  lemurs,  we  find  a 
collection  of  small  and  odd-looking  creatures, 
some  of  which  are  so  strangely  formed  that  it 
often  is  necessary  to  state  that  they  belong  to  the 
Order  of  Apes  and  Monkeys,  This  is  the  Family 
of  Marmosets,  the  members  of  which  are  dis- 
tributed variously  from  southern  Mexico  to 
southern  Brazil.  They  are  frequently  found  in 
the  stores  of  animal  dealers,  and  by  ladies  who 
have  abundant  time  for  their  care  are  often 


Photo,  by  Jenness  Richardson. 

COMMON  MARMOSET. 


prized  as  household  pets.  But  they  are  very 
delicate,  and  do  not  long  endure  the  strain  of 
being  on  public  exhibition.  Their  market  price 
varies  from  $3. .50  to  .S8. 

Without  exception  these  are  all  very  small. 


MARMOSETS  AND  LEMURS 


17 


delicately-formed  creatures,  with  hairless  faces, 
eyes  that  are  large  and  bright,  and  long  tails. 
Their  hair  is  long,  abundant  and  silkj',  and  in 
some  species  it  stands  up  on  the  top  of  the  head 
like  a white  ruff.  As  these  frail  little  creatures 
perch  motionless  in  their  cages,  and  focus  their 
brown  eyes  upon  the  visitor,  they  seem  more 
like  little  toys  than  living  animals  of  Man’s  own 
Order.  They  are  really  very  odd,  picturesque 
and  ititeresting. 

The  I’inchc  3Iarmoset  ‘ is  a good  repre- 
sentative of  this  group.  It  comes  from  the 
United  States  of  Colombia,  is  about  as  large  as 
a small  chipmunk,  and  can  be  recognized  any- 
where by  the  jaunty  bonnet  of  white  hair  which 
stands  stiffly  erect  on  the  top  of  its  head. 

Of  marmosets  there  are  altogether  about  twen- 
ty-one species.  The  best-known  are  the  Com- 
mon 3Iarmoset,'  with  a fan  of  white  hairs 
standing  stiffly  erect  above  each  ear,  and  the 
Silky  3Iarmoset,®  which  is  half  buried  in  a 
mop  of  long,  silky,  yellowish  hair. 

THE  SUBORDER  OF  LE3IURS. 

Lemuroidea. 

On  the  great  island  of  Madagascar  there  are 
no  fewer  than  thirty  species  of  lemurs,  many 
of  them  very  Ix'autiful  creatures,  all  very  kind- 
spiritc<l  and  inoffensive,  and  so  numerous  that 
some  travellers  have  declared  that  “every  bush 
has  its  lemur.”  .\nd  yet,  in  America,  these 
creatures  are  aljout  as  little  known  as  if  they 
inhabited  Mars  instead  of  Madagascar.  During 
the  fir.st  six  months  following  the  opening  of  the 
Primates’  House  in  the  Zoological  Park,  at  least 
twenty  educated  and  intelligent  young  men 
asked  how  to  spell  the  word  “lemur.” 

The  lemurs,  tarsiers  and  aye-aye  constitute 
the  lowest  grand  division  of  the  .\pe-and-Mon- 
key  Order — Primates.  Their  low  position  is 
due  chiefly  to  their  long,  fox-like  muzzles,  and 
their  teeth,  which  are  not  monkey-like.  Their 
hands  and  feet,  however,  define  their  position. 

The  Ruffed,  or  Hlack-and-White  Lemur ^ 
is  the  handsomest  and  most  conspicuous  animal 
in  this  strange  group.  It  is  the  .size  of  a large 
hous»>  eat,  its  tail  is  very  long,  and  the  creature 
is  abundantly  clothed  with  long,  soft,  silky-fine 
fur,  jet  black  and  pure  white. 

' nrd’i-pux.  • Mi'dax  rox-a'li-a. 

* CnVli-thrii  jac'chnx.  * Le'mur  va'ri-us. 


Sanborn,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

THE  RUFFED  LEMUR. 

Although  lemurs  have  large  eyes,  and  are 
supposed  to  be  night-prowlers,  they  are  fairly 
active  in  the  daytime,  and  are  not  at  all  dis- 
turbed by  daylight.  They  are  charming  pets, 
very  affectionate,  easily  kept,  and  even  with 
twenty  in  one  large  cage  they  do  not  quarrel,  as 
monkeys  are  so  prone  to  do. 

Keeping  Monkeys  in  Captivity. — Large 
monkeys  need  large  cages,  with  means  to  climb 
and  swing.  Fine  hay  should  cover  the  floor. 
Cages  should  always  stand  three  feet  above  the 
floor  of  a room,  and  while  the  ventilation  should 
bo  good,  there  should  be  freedom  from  draughts. 
The  temperature  should  be  75°,  kept  as  even 
as  po.ssible.  Food  : boiled  rice  or  tapioca,  baked 
or  boiled  potatoes,  ripe  bananas  or  apples;  a 
little  raw  meat,  finely  chopped;  dried  or  parched 
sweet  corn  that  is  easily  chewed;  a little  stale 
bread;  occasionally,  a small  raw  onion.  Per- 
mit no  teasing;  feed  regularly,  water  frequently, 
and  keep  cages  clean.  When  monkeys  become 
ill,  carefully  ascertain  their  trouble,  then  treat 
them  the  same  as  one  would  sick  children. 


CHAPTER  III 


THE  ORDER  OF  FLESH-EATING  MAMMALS 


FERAE,  OR  CARNIVORA 


North  America  contains  a fine  array  of  animals  belonging  to  the  Order  Fe'rae,'  numbering 
about  ninety  species  north  ^ Mexico,  not  counting  subspecies.  They  are  divided  into  the  follow- 
ing groups : 

APPROXIMATE  NUM- 

FAMILIES.  HER  OF  SPECIES 

NORTH  OF  MEXICO. 


!The  Cats  .........  fe'LI-dae  8 Species 

The  Dogs  ca'ni-dae  22  “ 

The  Martens mus-te'LI-dae 4fi  “ 

The  Be.ars  ur'SI-dae  12  “ 

The  Raccoons pro-cy-on'frae 3 “ 


THE  CAT  FAMILY. 

Felidae. 

In  the  order  of  their  size,  the  five  largest  cat- 
like animals  of  North  America  are  the  following: 
Jaguar,  Puma,  Canada  Lynx,  Red  Lynx,  and 
Ocelot. 

Of  the  Cat  Family,  the  Jaguar^  (pronounced 
Jag'  you-ar)  is  not  only  the  largest,  but  also  the 
handsomest  species  in  America.  Of  yellow-and- 
black  Cats  it  stands  next  in  size  to  the  tiger,  but 
in  form  it  is  not  so  finely  proportioned  as  the 
leopard.  It  is  of  massive  build,  throughout,  and 
its  head  is  very  large  for  the  height  and  length 
of  the  animal.  Its  tail,  however,  is  dispropor- 
tionately short. 

This  creature  has  a golden-yellow  coat,  marked 
on  the  back  and  sides  by  large,  irregular  hollow 
islands  of  black,  called  rosettes — quite  different 
from  the  smaller  and  more  solid  black  spots  of 
the  leopard.  Between  these  rosettes  run  the 
narrow  lines  of  yellow  ground-color,  like  the 
streets  of  an  oriental  city  on  a map.  The  legs, 
head  and  under-parts  are  marked  with  solid  black 
spots.  An  animal  of  this  species  can  always  be 

* From  Latin  fe-rus,  meaning  a wild  beast.  This 
is  a much  older  name  than  Carnivora,  which  here- 
tofore has  been  generally  applied  to  this  group. 

* Fe'lis  on'ea. 


recognized  by  its  large  rosettes,  large  head,  heavy 
build,  and  short  tail. 

The  Jaguar,  which  in  Mexico  and  South  Amer- 
ica is  called  “el  Tigre”  (tee'gree),  is  found  as  far 
north  as  southern  Texas,  and  from  that  region 
southw’ard  to  the  limit  of  tropical  forests  in  South 
America.  A female  specimen  which  once  lived 
in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  measured  48 
inches  in  length  of  head  and  body,  its  tail  was 
20  inches  long,  it  stood  24  inches  high  at-  the 
shoulders,  and  weighed  120  pounds.  The  big 
and  burly  male  which  murdered  the  female  above 
mentioned  is  fully  one-fourth  taller,  and  larger 
in  every  way. 

In  killing  pigs,  cattle,  horses,  deer  and  other 
wild  animals,  the  Jaguar  is  a fierce,  powerful  and 
dangerous  beast ; but,  like  all  other  wild  creat- 
ures, it  is  afraid  of  man. 

It  is  my  belief  that  the  strength  of  the  jaws  of 
the  Jaguar  is  greater  in  proportion  to  its  size 
than  that  of  any  other  member  of  the  Cat  Family. 
Of  this  power  we  once  witnessed  in  the  Zoological 
Park  a tragic  illustration.  A full-grown  female 
Jaguar  was  purchased  as  a cage-mate  for  a large 
and  powerful  male,  named  “Lopez,”  from  the 
interior  of  Paraguay.  After  two  days’  prelim- 
inary introduction  through  their  cage-fronts, 
the  two  animals  were  placed  together.  No 
sooner  had  the  female  entered  the  cage  of  Lopez 


JAGUAR  AND  PUMA 


19 


than  he  rushed  upon  her,  seized  her  neck  between 
his  jaws,  and  by  a square  bite  crushed  two  of 
the  neck  vertebrae,  and  killed  her  instantly — as 
(}uickly  as  if  her  head  had  been  cut  off  with  an 
axe. 


adventures  with  Pumas  have  been  written  and 
printed,  but  in  reality  this  animal  is  less  to  be 
dreaded  than  a savage  dog.  It  appears  to  be 
true,  however,  that  it  occasionally  follows  be- 
lated hunters  or  travellers,  out  of  curiosity.  It 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 


JAGUAR. 


The  Puma,  also  called  Mountain  “Lion” 
and  Cougar,*  is  the  most  widely-known  cat  ani- 
mal of  North  America.  It  is  found  in  all  the 
great  western  mountain  ranges  of  the  United 
States,  in  many  tracts  of  “bad-lands”  in  Wyom- 
ing and  Montana,  Hritish  Columbia,  and  in  the 
-\dirondacks  and  Florida.  Southward  it  ranges 
over  table-lands  and  through  tropical  forests, 
all  the  way  to  Patagonia.  In  the  United  States 
it  is  most  abundant,  and  also  most  accessible, 
in  Routt  Co.,  Colorado,  where  it  is  easily  found 
by  dogs,  ch.a.sed  into  low  trees,  and  shot  without 
danger.  In  this  manner  Mr.  .lohn  B.  Goff  has 
killed  nearly  three  hundred  Pumas,  “only  two 
of  which  fought  courageously.” 

Hundreds  of  thrilling  stories  of  (imaginary) 

' fV/iA  con'co-lor,  and  other  species  and  races  re- 
centlv  described. 


is  now  a well-established  fact  that  prowling 
Pumas  do  .sometimes  scream,  in  a manner  cal- 
culated to  inspire  terror,  just  as  caterwauling 
cats  frequently  do.  I have  heard  Pumas  scream 
precisely  like  terrified  women  or  boys,  but  they 
always  flee  from  man  when  the  way  is  open. 

The  Puma  is  a thin-bodied,  flat-sided  animal, 
tall  for  its  weight,  and  of  a brownish  drab  color. 
It  has  a beautiful  face,  and  is  a handsome  creat- 
ure. Of  all  the  large  cats  of  the  world,  it  is  by 
far  the  best  climber.  A large  specimen  is  from 
7 to  8 feet  in  total  length,  from  nose  to  tail  tip, 
and  weighs  about  225  pounds. 

The  Puma  makes  its  den  among  rocks,  in 
“wash-out”  holes,  or  in  very  thick  brush  or  for- 
ests, and  preys  upon  every  living  creature  that 
can  be  killed  and  eaten,  except  man.  In  settled 
regions  they  frequently  destroy  much  young 


20 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


stock.  Throughout  the  Rocky  Mountains,  it  is 
a dangerous  enemy  of  the  mountain  sheep  and 
mule  deer.  In  the  “bad-lands”  of  Montana  I 
once  saw  a mule  deer  killed  which  had  on  its  neck 
a twelve-inch  scar,  a torn  ear,  and  the  beam  of 


one  antler  broken  off  half-way  up.  Apparently 
these  injuries  were  received  in  an  encounter 
with  a Puma,  and  a fall  over  a cut  bank,  which 
evidently  released  the  deer  from  its  savage  as- 
sailant. 

The  young  of  the  Puma  vary  in  number  from 
two  to  five,  and  are  spotted.  Living  specimens 
vary  in  value  from  $30  to  $75,  according  to  age 
and  size. 

.\t  first  glance  the  Ocelot,  or  Tiger-Cat,' 
seems  to  be  a small  leopard  with  a pale-yellow 
body-color.  Its  legs  are  spotted,  but  instead 
of  having  spots  on  its  body,  its  back  and  sides 
are  marked  with  irregular  stripes  and  bands  of 
black  which  run  lengthwise.  It  may  be  instantly 
recognized  by  its  horizontal  stripes,  for  the  like 
' Fe'lis  pard-a'lis.  See  page  42. 


are  not  possessed  by  any  other  animal.  But  no 
two  Ocelots  are  ever  marked  exactly  alike. 

This  animal  is  the  size  of  a cocker  spaniel, 
and  being  a good  climber,  when  in  its  native 
forests  it  spends  much  of  its  time  on  the  lower 


branches  of  trees,  watching  for  prey.  It  feeds 
chiefly  upon  small  (luadrupeds  and  birds.  The 
following  are  the  dimensions  of  an  average  speci- 
men: Height,  13  inches;  head  and  body,  .30 
inches;  tail,  15  inches;  weight,  36  pounds.  It 
is  fretjuently  taken  in  southern  Texas — its  north- 
ern limit — and  its  range  is  about  the  same  as 
that  of  the  jaguar.  In  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park  it  has  been  kept  out-doors  all  winter,  and 
has  bred  and  reared  young  very  successfully. 
Like  most  small  yellow  cats.  Ocelots  are  usually 
bad-tempered.  The  value  of  a living  specimen 
is  about  $30. 

The  Lynxes  of  North  America  form  a very 
distinct  group  of  short-tailed,  heavily-furred, 
tree-climbing  cats,  the  members  of  which  are 
spread  throughout  nearly  all  portions  of  the  con- 


TREE-CLLMBIXG  CATS 


21 


tinent  north  of  Mexico,  which  are  yet  sufficiently 
wild  to  shelter  them  from  man.  They  inhabit 
with  equal  facilitj'  forests,  mountains,  canyons. 


Drawn  by  J.  Cahter  Beard. 


C.\N.\D.\  LYNX. 

sa<re-brush  plains,  and  even  deserts.  They  prey 
chiefly  upon  rabbits  and  hares,  grouse,  prairie- 
“dogs,”  ground  squirrels,  and  any  other  living 
creatures,  except  porcupines,  which  they  can 
catch  and  kill.  They  are  not  courageous,  or 
disposed  to  fight  except  when  cornered,  and  so 
far  as  voluntarily  attacking  human  beings  is 
concerned.  Lynxes  are  no  more  dangerous  than 
rabbits. 

In  North  .\merica  the  genus  Lynx  is  repre- 
sented by  two  well-marked  types. 

The  (’anada  I.,ynx'  is  a heavily-furred,  short- 
bodied, long-legged  bob-tailed  wild  cat  of  a pep- 
per-and-salt gray  color,  standing  about  18  inches 
high  at  the  shoulders.  It  is  readily  recognized 
1)V  the  long  pencil  of  utiff,  black  hair  rising  from 
the  tip  of  each  car,  and  its  huge,  hairy  paws.  Its 
big  eyes  and  long  side  whiskers  give  it  a really 
terrifying  countenance,  particularly  when  it 
.snarls.  To  the  lone  hunter  who  camps  in  the 
dark  and  gloomy  forests  inhabited  by  this  creat- 
ure, it  seems  a very  dangeroiLs  animal ; but  in 
reality  it  is  not  so.  Tho.se  who  have  hunted  it 
say  it  is  not  courageous,  and  at  clo.se  (piarters  is 
easily  killed  with  a stick.  It  is  a good  climber, 
swims  well,  but  on  land  runs  rather  jmorly,  with 
a galloping  gait,  .\lthough  found  in  a few  local- 
ities in  the  northern  United  States,  its  real  home 
is  in  the  i)rovinces  of  (Quebec,  Ontario,  and  the 
' Lynx  can-a-den'sis. 


Northwest,  up  to  Latitude  60°.  A good  aver- 
age-sized male  specimen  collected  by  Professor 
Dyche  in  British  Columbia  measured  as  follows: 
Height,  17^  inches;  head  and  body  length,  32 
inches;  tail,  5 inches;  girth,  17^  inches. 

The  weight  of  a full-grown  specimen  is  22 
pounds,  and  the  young  are  two  in  number.  This 
species  is  rarely  seen  in  captivity,  and  is  al- 
ways desired  by  zoological  parks  and  gardens. 
Living  specimens  are  worth  from  $10  to  $40 
each. 

The  Bay  Lynx'-^  is  also  called  the  Red  Lynx, 
Wild  Cat  or  Bob  Cat,  according  to  the  locality 
in  which  it  is  found.  Owing  to  variations  in  its 
color,  and  in  some  other  characters,  several  sub- 
si)ecies  have  been  tlescribed,  but  these  are  too 
closely  related  to  the  type  to  be  set  forth  sepa- 
rately here.  This  species  is  marked  by  the  ab- 
sence of  the  long  ear-pencil  of  the  Canada  lynx 
(although  sometimes  a small  pencil  is  present), 
by  the  small  feet  and  the  warm  brown  tone  in 
the  color  of  the  fur. 

Western  specimens  are  sometimes  so  strongly 
marked  with  round  black  spots  that  we  feel  im- 
pelled to  recognize  the  “Spotted  Lynx”  as  a dis- 
tinct species;  but  when  we  find  others  from  the 
Atlantic  coast  also  spotted,  besides  others  of  the 
standard  reddish  gray,  we  are  compelled  to  refer 
all  of  them  to  the  species  of  the  Bay  Lynx.  In 
the  Atlantic  states,  the  standard  color  for  this 


E.  K.  Sanborn,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


THE  OCELOT. 

animal  is  a mixture  of  rusty  red,  gray  and  black- 
ish brown,  with  the  red  .so  prevalent  as  to  have 
given  a name  to  the  creature.  In  the  West,  the 
Lynx  ru'fus. 


22 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


spotted  coat  is  more  common,  and  occasionally 
the  spots  are  strongly  marked  all  over  the  animal. 
The  face  of  the  Bay  Lynx  is  really  very  beauti- 


Photo.  and  copyright  by  W.  L.  Underwood,  1902. 
B.\Y  LYNX. 


ful,  and  when  not  too  fat  from  overfeeding  in 
captivity,  the  body  is  lithe  and  graceful.  When 
kept  in  large  cages  in  the  open  air  and  sunlight, 
sheltered  from  storms,  and  not  overfed,  this  ani- 
mal is  easily  kept  in  fine  condition.  In  artificially 
heated  buildings  they  do  not  thrive. 

This  species  is  found  in  nearly  all  the  states 
east  of  the  Mississippi  which  contain  large  areas 
of  rough  forests,  but  are  most  numerous  in  Maine, 
the  Carolinas,  Florida,  Virginia  and  Tennessee. 
In  the  “bad-lands”  and  mountains  of  Montana, 
Wyoming,  Colorado  and  Texas  they  are  really 
numerous,  and  feed  luxuriously  on  the  cotton- 
tail rabbits  that  are  now  so  abundant  in  that  re- 
gion. Varieties  of  this  species  extend  westward 
to  the  Pacific  coast  states.  East  of  the  Missis- 
sippi River,  an  average  of  about  twenty  speci- 
mens are  caught  alive  each  year,  and  offered  for 
sale.  Their  value  when  caught  is  $10  each,  and 
the  supply  exceeds  the  demand. 

By  measurement  the  Red  Lynx  is  fully  as 
large  as  the  Canada  lynx.  The  largest  speci- 
men that  ever  came  into  my  hands  (on  Pryor 
Creek,  Montana)  measured  in  length  of  head  and 


body  31  inches,  tail  7 inches,  height  at  shoulder 
18  inches,  and  weighed  18  pounds.  The  largest 
of  nine  specimens  killed  by  Mr.  Roosevelt’s  party 
in  Routt  Co.,  Colorado,  in  1901,  weighed  39 
pounds.  One  killed  near  Asheville,  North  Caro- 
lina, in  1900,  is  reported  to  have  weighed  51 
pounds. 

No  lynxes  are  found  in  the  lowlands  of  the 
tropics,  or  in  South  America. 

THE  DOG  FAMILY. 

Canidae. 

Of  all  the  wild  creatures  of  North  America, 
none  are  more  despicable  than  wolves.  There 
is  no  depth  of  meanness,  treachery  or  cruelty  to 
which  they  do  not  cheerfully  descend.  They  are 
the  only  animals  on  earth  which  make  a regular 
practice  of  killing  and  devouring  their  wounded 
companions,  and  eating  their  own  dead.  I once 
knew  a male  wolf  to  kill  and  half  devour  his  fe- 
male cage-mate,  with  whom  he  had  lived  a year. 

In  captivity,  no  matter  how  well  yarded,  well 
fed  or  comfortable,  a wolf  will  watch  and  coax 
for  hours  to  induce  a neighbor  in  the  next  cage 
to  thru.st  through  tail  or  paw,  so  that  he  may 
instantly  seize  and  chew  it  off,  without  merc}u 
But  in  the  face  of  foes  capable  of  defence,  even 
gray  wolves  are  rank  cowards,  and  unless  cor- 
nered in  a den,  will  not  even  stop  to  fight  for 
their  own  cubs. 


GR.\Y  WOLF. 


The  Gray  Wolf,  or  Timber  Wolf,'  is  really  a 
formidable  animal,  but  in  its  dealings  with  men, 
' Ca'nis  oc-ci-den-tal'is. 


CRAY  WOLF  AND  COYOTE 


23 


it  has  learned  to  fear  the  deadly  rifle,  the  poison 
pot,  and  the  trap.  Storms,  cold  and  fatigue  af- 
fect it  but  little,  and  its  powerful  teeth,  strong 
jaws  and  wide  gape  enable  it  to  bite  with  great 
cutting  power.  In  fighting  with  dogs,  every 
well-aimed  snap  means  either  a deep  wound  or 
a piece  of  flesh  bitten  out. 

The  tj'pe  of  this  species  is  a strong,  robust  ani- 
mal, cunning  and  merciless.  Its  winter  coat  is 
long,  shaggy  and  coarse-haired.  Its  standard 
color  is  mixed  black  and  white,  but  it  varies 
greatly,  and  unaccountably.  In  Florida  it  is 
often  black,  in  Texas  reddish  brown,  and  in  the 
far  North  it  varies  from  black  to  white.  Al- 
though in  some  localities  it  is  called  the  Timber 
Wolf,  it  is  e<iually  at  home  on  the  treeless  prairies 
of  the  West,  in  the  dark,  evergreen  forests  of 
British  Columbia,  and  on  the  desolate  barren 
grounds  of  Arctic  .\merica. 

Although  once  very  abundant  on  the  great 
plains,  the  coming  of  the  cattle  ranch  and  sheep- 
herder  provoked  against  the  Gray  Wolf  and 
coyote  a relentless  war  of  extermination,  which 
still  is  being  waged.  Several  states  in  the  cat- 
tle country  of  the  great  plains  offer  cash  boun- 
ties on  wolf  scalps  ranging  from  S2  to  SIO,  and 
large  sums  of  money  have  been  paid  out  for 
them.  In  Montana  the  number  of  wolves  has 
so  greatly  diminished  that  in  the  course  of  a 
month  in  the  saddle  in  1901,  in  wild  country,  no 
Cray  Wolves  were  seen,  and  only  four  coyotes. 
Wolves  have  now  become  so  scarce  that  the  oc- 
cupation of  the  professional  “wolfer”  is  almost 
gone. 

Nevertheless,  even  on  the  cattle  plains,  the 
Gray  Wolf  is  very  far  from  being  extinct;  and 
as  long  as  the  “ bad-lands  ” remain,  with  their 
thou.san(ls  of  wash-out  holes,  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  rabbits,  the  gray  marauder  will  remain. 
In  the  far  North,  above  the  .Vrctic  Circle,  and  in 
the  land  of  the  musk-ox,  in  1S99,  Mr.  C.  J.  .Jones 
and  his  companion  were  so  beset  by  packs  of 
huge  aiifl  fierce  White  Wolves,  seeking  to  devour 
their  five  living  musk-ox  calves,  that  for  over 
forty-eight  hours  they  fought  them  continuously 
at  short  range,  killing  a wolf  at  every  shot. 

The  young  of  the  Cray  Wolf  are  usually  five 
in  number,  and  are  lx)rn  early  in  May.  .\t  first 
they  are  of  a sooty  brown  color,  and  are  dis- 
tintruishable  from  coyote  puppies  by  the  large 
size  of  the  head.  One  which  was  e.xamined 


when  four  days  old  measured  9^  + 3 inches, 
and  weighed  16  ounces.  When  twenty  days  old, 
it  was  1.6  -f  4 inches,  and  weighed  pounds. 

The  cry  of  the  Cray  Wolf  is  a prolonged,  deep- 
chested  howl,  corresponding  with  B-flat  below 
middle  C,  not  broken  into  a bark,  like  the  cry  of 
the  coyote.  When  seen  at  home,  the  Gray 
Wolf  can  readily  be  distinguished  from  the  coy- 
ote, even  at  a distance,  by  the  way  it  carries 
its  tail, — pointing  above  the  horizon. 

Gray  Wolves  hunt  in  packs,  often  in  relays, 
and  successfully  pull  down  deer,  antelope,  and 
wounded  animals  of  all  sizes.  In  the  cattle 
country  their  specialty  is  the  destruction  of 
calves  and  colts.  Except  in  the  far  North,  they 
know  well  what  firearms  are,  and  are  very  care- 
ful to  keep  out  of  rifle-shot. 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

COYOTE. 


To-day  the  range  of  the  Gray  Wolf  embraces 
the  Great  Plains  and  the  Rocky  Mountain  re- 
gion from  Mexico  to  the  northern  limit  of  land. 
Lockwood  and  Brainard  found  tracks  of  a Gray 
AVolf  at  Latitude  83°  24'.  In  Alaska,  animals 
of  this  species  grow  larger  than  in  the  United 
States,  and  frequently  are  white  instead-of  gray. 
A fairly  large  Gray  Wolf  is  48^  + 15}  inches  long, 
stands  26  inches  high  at  the  shoulders,  and  has  a 
girth  measurement  of  294  inches.  (L.  L.  Dyche.) 

The  Coyote,  or  Prairie  Wolf,’  is  about  one- 
third  smaller  than  the  gray  wolf,  but  in  form 
and  color  the  two  si)ecies  look  very  much  alike. 
It  carries  its  tail  low — humbly — as  befits  a cow- 
’ Ca'nis  la'trans,  and  related  forms. 


24 


OKDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


ardly  animal.  It  is  not  dangerous  to  man,  and 
never  was,  and  is  bold  only  in  the  persistence 
with  which  it  hangs  upon  the  outskirts  of  civiliza- 
tion, and  prowls  around  ranches  in  quest  of  food. 

The  delicacy  of  the  Coyote’s  judgment  in  keep- 
ing always  beyond  fair  gun-shot  is  truly  wonder- 
ful. If  he  is  not  a mind-reader,  his  actions  belie 
him.  Twice  in  ^Montana,  each  time  for  two 
weeks,  have  I tried  my  utmost  to  shoot  a Coyote; 
but  during  those  periods  not  one  would  offer 
more  than  a running  shot  at  three  hundred  yards 
or  more.  Twice,  however, — and  immediately 
after  the  above, — when  riding  quite  unarmed, 
have  Coyotes  sat  down  beside  the  trail,  waited 
for  me  to  approach  within  forty  yards,  then 
yawned  in  a bored  manner,  and  slowly  trotted 
off.  It  is  my  belief  that  those  animals  knew  per- 
fectly well  my  inability  to  shoot. 

The  food  of  Coyotes  consists  chiefly  of 
prairie-"  dogs,”  ground-squirrels,  sage  grouse, 
hares  and  rabbits.  The  largest  animals  ever 
killed  by  them  are  deer  and  prong-horned  ante- 
lope. From  the  ranchman  they  steal  poultry, 
pigs,  lambs  and  sheep.  They  “den”  in  “wash- 
outs,” or  deep  holes  in  the  cut  banks  of  ravines, 


and  rear  from  five  to  seven  puppies  every 
May. 

The  cry  of  the  Coyote  is  a dog-like  yelping, 
half  howl  and  half  bark ; whereas,  the  call  of  the 
gray  wolf  is  a prolonged  and  steady  deep-bass 
howl.  As  far  as  they  can  be  heard,  these  wolves 
can  be  distinguished  by  their  cries,  and  to  those 
who  have  camped  on  the  plains,  or  in  the  wild 
and  weird  “bad-lands”  of  the  great  West,  the 
high-pitched,  staccato  cry  of  the  Coyote  as  he 
announces  the  coming  dawn,  is  associated  with 
memories  of  vast  stretches  of  open  country,  mag- 
nificent distances,  fragrant  sage-brush  and  free- 
dom. The  specific  name  of  this  animal  (latrans) 
means  “barking,”  and  was  bestowed  on  account 
of  its  peculiar  dog-like  cry. 

The  Coyote  ranges  from  the  latitude  of  the  City 
of  Mexico  northward  through  the  Great  Plains  and 
Rocky  Mountain  region  to  Alberta.  The  size  of 
my  best  i\Iontana  specimen  was  37|  + 16  inches 
in  length,  and  20f  inches  in  height  at  shoulders. 

Coyotes  vary  in  color  from  the  typical  pepper- 
and-salt  gray  to  yellowish  gray,  the  latter  being 
found  in  the  Southwest.  At  rare  intervals, 
black  specimens  occur. 


O 

^ .i 

S s 

PS  ^ 

H o 


^ - 


Qi 

o 


GENUS. 


ENGLISH  NAME. 


LATIN  NAME. 


LOCALITY. 


Red  Fox 
Group ; 


Genus 
V ulpes. 


Red  Fox,  .... 

Cross  Fox,  . . 

Black  Fox, 

Plains  Fox,  . . . 

Kadiak  Fox, . . . 

Newfoundland  Fox, 
Swift  Fox,  . . . 

Large-Eared  Fox, . 
Arctic,  or  Blue  Fox, 


Hall  Island  Fox, 


Gray  Fox 
Group : 

Genus 

Urocyon. 


Gray  Fox,  . . . 
Florida  Gray  Fox, 
Scott’s  Gray  Fox,  . 


Texas  Gray  Fox,  . 

Coast  Gray  Fox,  . 
Townsend’s  Gray 
Fox, 


V ulpes  fulvus  (Desma- 
rest). 

V ulpes  fulvus  clecussatus 
(Desmarest). 

V ulpes  fulvus  argentalus 
(Shaw). 

V ulpes  macrourus  (Baird). 

V ulpes  harrimani(SlevY\axn). 
V ulpes  deletrix  (Bangs). 

V ulpes  velox  (Say). 

V ulpes  macrotis  (Merriam). 
V ulpes  lagopus  (Linnaeus). 

V ulpes. hallensis  (Merriam). 


Virginia  to  Alaska. 

New  York  to  .Man- 
itoba. 

Northwest  Terri- 
tory, .Alaska. 

Great  Plains. 

Kadiak  I.,  Alaska. 

Newfoundland. 

The  Great  Plains. 

Southern  California. 

Polar  regions  of  both 
hemispheres. 

Hall  Island,  Bering 
Sea. 


Urocyon  cinereoargenteus 
(Schreber). 

Urocyon  cinereoargenteus 
floridanus  (Rhoads). 

Urocyon  cinereoargenteus 
scottii  (Mearns). 

Urocyon  cinereoargenteus 
texensis  (Mearns). 

Urocyon  cinereoargenteus 
californicus  (Mearns). 

U rocyon  cinereoargenteus 
townsendi  (Merriam). 


Southeastern  States. 


Florida. 

New  Mexico  to 
Southern  Califor- 
nia. 

Texas. 

Southern  California. 
Northern  California. 


THE  EED  FOX,  AND  VAEIETIES 


25 


The  Red  Fox.’ — Of  the  many  handsome  and 
valuable  species  of  foxes  inhabitinfi;  North 
America,  our  wise  old  friend,  the  Red  Fox,  is 
the  one  most  widel}'  distributed,  and  the  best 


Sanborn,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


RED  FOX. 

known.  Between  the  southern  Alleghenies  and 
Point  Barrow  it  appears  in  coats  of  many  dif- 
ferent shades,  but  everywhere  it  is  recognizable 
by  the  prevailing  yellowish-red  color  from  which 
it  derives  its  name.  It  is  palest  in  the  desert 
regions,  where  shade  is  scarce,  and  brightest 
in  the  forest  regions  and  .\laska,  where  the 
bleaching  power  of  the  sun  is  not  so  great.  The 
largest  and  finest  skins  come  from  Alaska. 

The  range  of  the  Red  Fox  is  very  wide.  From 
North  Carolina  and  Tennessee  it  extends  through 
the  whole  northeastern  United  States,  westward 
to  Montana  and  northward  to  the  limit  of  trees. 
It  is  the  most  common  fox  in  .\laska,  wherever 
there  are  trees.  It  is  so  cunning,  and  so  well 
able  to  take  care  of  itself,  even  in  populous  coun- 
tries, that  it  refuses  to  be  exterminated.  The 
length  of  an  average  specimen  is  24  + 13 
inches;  height,  13  inches. 

There  is  little  ])lcasurc  to  be  derived  from 
foxes  kept  in  captivity  as  pets.  They  are  very 
nervous,  easily  frightened,  and,  as  a rule,  are 
totally  laeking  in  all  the  .sentiments  which  re- 
semble affection.  Nevertheless,  we  have  seen, 
and  also  owned.  Red  Foxes  that  were  tame, 
and  trustworthy  when  handled. 

Tlie  Cross  Fox  is  really  a color  pha.se  of  the 
reil  fox,  marked  by  black  legs  and  under  parts, 
a dark-colored  cross  on  the  shoulders,  steel-gray 
body  and  head,  and  a big  black  tail  with  a snow- 
' Vul'i>€s  jul'vus. 


white  tip.  There  is  a reddish  patch  behind  the 
fore-leg,  and  another  on  the  side  of  the  neck. 
In  my  opinion  a really  typical  Cross  Fox  is  the 
handsomest  fox  in  the  world,  far  more  beautiful 
than  the  much-sought  “silver  fo.x.”  Some 
day  it  will  attract  the  appreciation  it  deserves, 
and  be  sought  accordingly.  It  stands  between 
the  red  and  the  black  foxes,  and  grades  into 
both.  It  is  found  in  Manitoba,  .\lberta,  British 
Columbia,  and  Alaska,  and  occasionally  in  Idaho 
and  Utah. 

The  Black  Fox,  commonly  called  the  “Sil- 
ver Gray”  Fox  (although  there  is  no  silvery  color 
about  it,  save  its  tail-tip),  enjoys  the  distinction 
of  having  the  highest  price  on  his  head  that 
is  offered  for  any  fur-bearer.  In  March,  1900, 
a single  skin  of  this  animal  sold  at  auction  in 
London  for  $2,784;  and  it  is  not  at  all  uncom- 
mon for  extra  fine  skins  to  sell  in  this  country  at 
from  $600  to  $1,200.  They  are  worth  so  much 
as  furs  for  the  very  wealthy  that  zoological 
gardens  cannot  afford  to  purchase  live  speci- 
mens for  exhibition.  Their  exhibition  value 
is  far  below  their  fur  value. 

Like  the  cross  fox,  this  is  only  a color  phase 
of  the  typical  red  fox,  but  commercially  the 
two  forms  are  so  distinct,  and  so  sharply  defined 
in  dollars  and  cents,  that  they  demand  separate 
notice. 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 


BL.\CK,  OR  “ SILVER  ” FOX. 

A subspecies  of  the  Red  Fox. 

With  the  exception  of  its  snow-white  tail-tip, 
and  a few  scattering  white  hairs  on  the  top  of 
the  hind  cjuarters,  a tyjrical  Black  Fox  is  jet 
black.  This  form  inhabits  the  same  localities 
as  the  cross  fox,  and  is  much  given  to  mixing 
with  it,  which  causes  many  variations  from  their 


20 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESil-EATERS 


standard  colors  toward  the  typical  red  fox. 
Both  these  animals  are  somewhat  largier  than 
the  typical  red  fox  found  in  New  England. 

On  account  of  the  great  value  of  the  fur  of 
the  Black  Fox,  many  persons  have  desired  to 
establish  farms  for  breeding  it  in  confinement, 
and  several  attempts  in  that  direction  have  al- 
ready been  made.  Thus  far,  however,  none  of 
them  have  proved  successful.  In  Alaska,  on  the 
blue-fox  farms,  the  Black  Foxes  are  such  dainty 
feeders  that  they  will  not  eat  the  corn  bread  and 
fish  which  so  well  meet  the  wants  of  the  other 
species,  but  require  live  game  for  food.  Neither 
will  they  enter  box  traps,  or  permit  themselves 
to  be  caught  in  any  way  other  than  in  steel 
traps,  which  of  course  seriously  injure  them. 

The  Swift  Fox,  or  Kit  Fox,i  is  the  smallest 
and  daintiest  of  all  our  foxes.  Its  color  is  a 
beautiful  silver-gray,  with  a tinge  of  yellow.  It 
is  strictly  an  inhabitant  of  the  Great  Plains 
region  from  the  Rio  Grande  to  the  Saskatchewan, 
but  owing  to  the  readiness  with  which  it  eats 
poisoned  meat  that  has  been  put  out  for  wolves, 
it  has  already  become  very  scarce.  In  spite  of 
its  name,  it  does  not  run  with  remarkable  swift- 
ness. 

The  Arctic  Fox.^ — This  creature  of  the  polar 
world  is  a striking  exam])le  of  climatic  influence 
on  a species,  and  also  of  the  danger  that  lies 


ARCTIC  FOX. 

in  describing  a species  from  a single  specimen. 
In  the  far  North,  the  Arctic  Fox  is  snow-white 
all  the  year  round.  Farther  south  it  is  white 
in  winter,  but  in  summer  is  bluish-brown.  In 
the  southern  part  of  its  range,  the  Aleutian 
' I ul'pes  ve'lox.  ^ Vul'pes  la-go' pus. 


Archipelago  for  example,  except  for  an  occa- 
sional white  individual,  it  is  dark  all  the  year 
round,  and  is  known  only  as  the  Blue  Fox.  At 
first  it  may  seem  difficult  to  believe  that  these 
two  widely-different  extremes  are  only  color- 
phases  of  the  same  species;  but  it  is  quite  true. 
The  dark-colored  animal  is  not  even  accorded 
subspecific  rank. 

The  Arctic-Blue  Fox  is  a simple-minded  creat- 
ure, of  sanguine  temperament,  easily  trapped  and 
handled,  and  ever  ready  to  adopt  the  prepared 
food  of  civilization.  In  its  white  phase,  the 
finest  skins  sell  in  London  at  $12  each.  In  its 
blue-brown  coat,  it  has  a very  comical  counte- 
nance, characterized  by  much  hair,  close-cropped 
ears,  and  a total  absence  of  beauty;  but  its 
fur,  when  taken  in  season,  is  worth  in  the  Lon- 
don market  from  $25  to  $50  per  skin. 

On  various  islands  along  the  Alaska  coast, 
especially  in  the  Aleutian  Archipelago,  about 
forty  commercial  companies  are  engaged  in 
breeding  Blue  Foxes  for  their  fur,  some  of  them 
with  satisfactory  success.  The  foxes  are  fed 
daily,  on  cooked  corn  meal  and  dried  fish.  They 
come  up  to  be  fed,  and  when  the  time  comes  to 
handle  and  sort  them  previous  to  killing  the 
annual  allotment,  they  greatly  facilitate  matters 
by  the  readiness  with  which  they  enter  box 
traps. 

In  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  three  pairs 
of  Blue  Foxes  that  were  received  in  1902  from 
Alaska  have  taken  kindly  to  captivity.  The 
great  decrease  in  the  annual  supply  of  good  fur 
has  caused  many  persons  to  hope  that  fox-breed- 
ing may  be  developed  into  a remunerative  in- 
dustry. Except  in  Alaska,  no  successful  ex- 
periments in  that  line  have  been  made,  and  it 
is  cjuite  desirable  that  fox-breeding  in  the  United 
States  should  be  taken  up  under  state  or  national 
auspices,  and  wrought  out  to  a successful  issue. 
There  is  good  reason  to  hope  and  believe  that 
it  might  be  developed  into  an  important  industry. 

The  Gray  Fox  ’ is  the  fox  of  the  South,  but 
it  ranges  northward  far  into  the  home  of  the  red 
fox.  It  is  noticeably  smaller  than  the  latter, 
pepper-and-salt  gray  above,  and  rusty-brown 
underneath,  with  a red  patch  on  the  side  of  its 
neck.  For  a fox  it  is  very  agile,  and  when  hard 
pressed  by  dogs  it  can  climb  small  trees  up  to  a 
height  of  twenty  feet  or  more. 

’ U-ro-cy'on  cin-e're-o-ar-gen'te-us. 


THE  SMALL  EUK-BEARERS 


27 


The  five  subspecies  of  the  giay  fox  extend 
throughout  the  southern  United  States  from 
Florida  to  California. 

liesides  the  foxes  already  mentioned,  several 
other  species  and  races  are  recognized. 


y.v.NBORN,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


THE  SMALL  FUK-BEARERS. 

Mustelidac. 


\ majority  of  the  valuable  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals of  North  .\merica  are  found  in  a group  of 
fle.di-eaters  known  as  the  Marten  Family.  It 
contains  alx)ut  fifty  full  species,  and  its  con- 
spicuous types  are  the  following: 


THE 

.MARTEN 

FAMILY: 

Mustelidac. 


/ These  four  types  are 
Otter;  I marked  by  long,  slen- 
Mink;  / der  bodies,  very  short 

Weasel;  \ legs,  flattened  heads. 

Marten;*  and  general  activity 
on  foot. 

Wolverine;  the  greatest  glutton 
and  ])est  in  this  Family. 

Skunk ; aggres.sive  and  destructive 
pests;  valuable  fur-bearers. 
Badger;  a fat-bodied,  inert  and 
practically  harnde.ss  borrower. 


The  great  demand  for  fur,  both  for  ornament 
ami  use,  has  brought  about  the  systematic  de- 
struction of  all  fur-l)caring  animals.  Many  spe- 
cies that  once  were  numerous  have  now  become 
very  rare.  Formerly  the  wearers  of  fur  ac- 


cepted nothing  less  desirable  than  beaver,  otter, 
mink  and  marten.  To-day,  the  fur  of  the  skunk, 
raccoon,  fox,  lynx,  black  bear  and  even  the  de- 
spised rabbit  are  in  active  demand,  for  garments 
and  for  trimmings. 

The  Otter'  is  as  fond  of  water  as  a seal,  and 
quite  as  much  at  home  in  fresh  water  as  on  land. 
Its  regular  food  consists  of  fish,  in  the  capture 
of  which  it  is  very  expert.  It  has  webbed  feet, 
a thick,  pointed  tail  distinctly  flattened  for  use 
in  .swimming,  and  it  is  clothed  with  a thick 
coat  of  very  fine,  dark  brown  fur.  Strange  to 
say,  when  fairly  treated,  the  Otter  is  a good- 
tempered  animal,  tames  easily  when  caught 
young,  and  makes  an  interesting  pet.  In  a 
public  park,  one  Otter  is  worth  more  to  the 
public  than  twenty  beavers. 

In  the  days  when  they  were  numerous,  and 
less  persecuted  than  now,  it  was  no  uncommon 
thing  for  a party  of  Otters  to  select  a steep  and 
slippery  river-bank,  and  slide  down  it  repeatedly, 
as  small  boys  slide  down  hill  on  sleds,  except 
that  each  slide  of  the  Otter  always  ended  in  a 
plunge  into  the  water. 

The  Otter  of  North  America  still  is  found  oc- 
casionally in  Florida  and  the  Carolinas,  the  Ca- 
nadian provinces,  in  a few  localities  in  the  Rocky 
Mountain  region,  and  from  British  Columbia  to 
central  Alaska.  Outside  of  Alaska,  its  fur  is 
taken  so  rarely  that  it  has  ceased  to  be  regarded 
as  an  article  of  commerce.  Its  value  alive  for 
exhibition  purposes  is  from  $10  to  $30.  The 
length  of  a large  northern  Otter,  head  and  body, 
is  27  inches  and  tail  16  inches. 

The  Otter  builds  no  house,  but  lives  in  a bank 
burrow,  usually  under  the  spreading  roots  of 
some  large  tree  growing  near  the  water.  The 
young  are  usually  two  in  number. 

The  Sea  Otter,''  one  of  the  most  valuable  of 
all  fur-bearing  animals,  is  literally  a child  of 
the  ocean  surges  and  the  surf-beaten  rocks  of  the 
rugged  north  Pacific  coast.  It  is  born  at  sea, 
on  a bed  of  kclj),  and  literally  “rocked  in  the 
cradle  of  the  deep.”  It  was  formerly  found 
from  California  to  the  .\leutian  Islands,  but  is 
now  very  rare  exce])t  in  certain  parts  of  Alaska. 
Here  its  pursuit  is  strictly  limited  by  law  to 
the  natives,  to  whom  it  is  vitally  important,  and 
a white  man  may  not  kill  a Sea  Otter  except 
under  penalty  of  a fine  of  $500. 

' Lu'lra  can-a-den'sis.  ^ La'tax  lu'tris. 


28 


ORDERS  OF  MA:\L^rALS— FLESH-EATERS 


The  fur  of  this  creature  is  extremely  valuable. 
In  March,  1900,  the  finest  skin  in  the  London 
market  sold  for  $1,344.  A full-grown  specimen 


Otter  usually  is  quite  dangerous,  but  to  the 
natives  of  the  Alaskan  Peninsula,  this  creature 
is  far  more  important  than  the  fur  seal.  For- 


1.  OTTER. 

2.  FISHER. 


3.  M.\RTEN. 

4.  MINK. 


measures  from  3^  to  4 feet  in  length  (head 
and  bodj")  and  has  a tail  11  inches  long.  Its 
fur  is  very  dense  and  fine,  and  in  color  is  a shim- 
mering, lustrous  black.  The  pursuit  of  the  Sea 


merly  between  five  thousand  and  six  thou.sand 
skins,  worth  from  $100  to  .$.500  each,  were  taken 
annually,  and  formed  practically  the  sole  de- 
pendence of  the  natives  along  nearly  2,000  mile.s 


MIXK,  FERRET.  AND  WEASEL 


29 


I of  coast  line.  Rut  with  the  introduction  of  fire- 
arms, and  the  sealinfj  schooners,  the  Sea  Otter 
has  been  almost  exterminated.  The  few  indi- 
viduals that  remain  are  widely  scattered,  and 
are  the  wildest  and  wariest  of  all  wild  creatures. 

The  3Iink  * is  much  smaller  than  the  otter, 
yellowish  brown  or  dark  brown  in  color,  and 
I while  it  i)refers  to  live  alonj;  the  banks  of 
streams,  it  is  not  an  atiuatic  animal  like  the 
otter.  When  ])ossible,  it  feeds  chiefly  upon 
birds,  because  they  are  easily  caught  and  killed, 
and  when  opportunity  offers,  it  is  a wanton 
murderer.  It  also  preys  upon  small  mammals 
and  fish,  whenever  it  can  i)rocure  them.  In  the 
Reaver  Rond  of  the  New  York  Zoolojiical  Park 
a murderous  Mink  once  killed  six  wild  geese  in 
one  night,  and  another  slaughtered  ten  herring 
gulls. 

A full-grown  Mink  looks  very  much  like  a 
large  weasel,  having  a long,  slender  body  and 
j very  short  legs. 

The  Mink  is  by  no  means  as  rare  as  the  otter, 
and  even  to-day  is  found  scattered  throughout 
nearly  the  whole  of  North  .America,  as  far  as 
the  limit  of  trees.  The  round,  hairy  tail,  choco- 
late-brown or  yellowish-brown  color  and  smaller 
size  of  this  animal  quickly  distinguish  it  from  all 
I other  animals  of  its  I'amily.  The  body  of  a full- 
grown  specimen  is  about  as  thick  as  the  wrist 
I of  a medium-sized  man.  The  length  of  the  head 
and  body  is  19  inches,  tail  7 inches. 

The  Black-Footed  Ferret,’  of  Kansas,  Colo- 
rado, Wyoming  and  Montana,  is  to  many  per- 
sons who  live  in  its  home  country,  an  enigma. 
In  1>'49  this  pretty  creature  was  described  and 
illustrated  by  .\udubon  and  Rachman,  after 
which  it  totally  disappeared,  and  remained  a 
mystery  until  it  was  re-discovered  in  1<SS6.  In  its 
home  it  is  often  called  the  Prairie-“  Dog  ” 
Hunter,  iK'cau.se  its  s])ecialty  is  the  killing  of 
prairie-“dogs;”  and  it  is  nearly  always  found  in 
the  towns  of  that  jolly  little  animal.  It  can  be 
recognized  at  a glance  by  its  black  feet,  brown 
legs  and  black  tail-tip,  and  the  cream-yellow  color 
of  its  head  and  Inxly.  Next  to  the  skin,  the  fur  is 
white,  and  there  is  a broa<l  black  or  dark-brown 
patch  across  the  nose,  including  both  eyes.  Its 
length  of  head  and  body  is  19  inches,  tail  4 inches. 
Ri'garding  its  habits  and  life  history,  much  re- 
' I.u-Irr-o’la  ri'xnn,  and  related  species. 

’ Pu-ht'ri-us  nig'ri-i>fs. 


mains  to  be  ascertained  by  the  young  natural- 
ists who  live  in  the  country  it  inhabits. 

The  Weasel,  of  which  many  species  and  races 
have  been  described,  is  the  smallest  animal  in 
the  marten  family.’  Its  legs  are  very  short 
and  far  apart,  and  its  body  is  no  thicker  than  a 


BLACK-FOOTED  FERRET. 


man  s thumb,  but  it  is  of  such  great  length  that 
the  animal  is  positively  snake-like  in  its  propor- 
tions. In  life  it  is  very  odd  to  see  the  front  legs 
walk  to  and  fro  quite  independently  of  the  hind 
quarters.  Fifteen  full  species  have  been  de- 
scribed, several  of  them  being  very  much  alike. 
The  Common  Weasel,  or  Ermine  ’ is  brown 
in  summer,  and  white  in  winter. 

The  Weasel  is  one  of  the  most  courageous 
and  aggressive  of  all  animals.  It  kills  rabbits, 
grouse,  chickens  and  ducks  of  ten  or  twelve 
times  its  own  size,  and  often  kills  ten  times  as 
many  chickens  as  it  can  eat,  (jurely  to  gratify 
its  murderous  disposition.  It  is  as  savage  as  a 
tiger,  but  on  farms  it  often  does  good  service  in 
destroying  rats  and  field-mice.  Weasels  are 
so  small  their  fur  has  little  value,  but  the  time 
is  coming  when  it  will  eagerly  be  sought  and 
used. 

’The  Least  We.asel  (Putorius  rixosu.^),  which  is 
found  from  tlie  Sa.skatchewan  to  .\laska,  is  said  to 
be  the  smallest  carnivore  in  the  world. 

’ Pu-lo'ri-us  er-min'f-a. 


30 


ORDEKS  OE  MAMMALS— FLESII-EATERS 


The  Marten*  looks  very  much  like  a young 
red  fox,  and  in  size  it  is  about  as  heavy  as  an 
ordinary  domestic  cat.  Its  head  and  body 
length  is  17  inches,  and  its  tail  7 inches.  The 
body  is  brownish  yellow,  the  legs  are  two  or 
three  shades  darker,  and  it  has  three  kinds  of 
hair.  It  loves  timber,  and  spends  much  of  its 
time  in  trees.  It  is  rarely  found  in  open  country, 
and  is  most  abundant  on  rugged  and  rocky  for- 
est-covered mountains. 

The  Marten  is  not  a poultry-killer,  nor  a wan- 


in  America.  It  is  a bold,  active  tree-climber,  an 
industrious  hunter,  an  aggressive  fighter,  and 
as  a stealer  of  baits  it  is  almost  as  great  a nui- 
sance to  trappers  as  the  hated  wolverine.  With 
this  animal,  “all’s  fish  that  cometh  to  net,” 
and  with  equal  relish  it  devours  dead  fish,  rab- 
bits, squirrels,  chipmunks,  ground  birds,  snakes, 
toads  and  frogs.  Occasionally  it  murders  its 
own  cousin,  the  pine  marten,  and  even  feeds 
upon  the  Canada  porcupine. 

The  Fisher  is  at  home  in  the  swamps  or  the 


THE  WOLVERINE. 


ton  murderer  of  more  game  than  he  can  eat,  but 
he  lives  by  honest  hunting  of  wild  game.  His 
food  consists  of  small  rodents,  birds,  eggs,  or 
even  an  occasional  reptile.  In  the  United 
States  this  animal  is  now  rare,  for  its  fur  has 
always  been  highly  prized.  It  is  often  called 
the  Pine  Marten. 

The  Fisher,  or  Pennant’s  Marten,*  is  one 

of  the  largest  members  of  the  Marten  Family 
' Mus-te'ln  americana.  * Mus-te'la  pen'nant-i. 


rocky  mountain-sides  of  northern  New  York, 
and  in  the  forest  regions  of  North  America 
generally  from  Maine  and  southern  Labrador 
to  the  Pacific  coast.  Northward  it  ranges  to 
Great  Slave  Lake  and  the  Yukon  River.  In 
color  it  varies  from  glossy  black  to  dark  brown, 
with  occasional  gray,  or  grayish  white,  on  head 
and  neck,  chin,  chest  and  abdomen.  Its  aver- 
age length  is  23  + 14  inches.  The  young  vary 
in  numbers  from  two  to  three. 


THE  WOLVERINE  AND  SKUNK 


31 


The  Wolverine,  or  Carcajou, ‘ is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  animals  in  North  America. 
It  is  about  the  size  of  a full-grown  bull-dog,  has 
a ravenous  appetite,  great  strength,  a fierce  tem- 
per, and  the  combined  cunning  of  many  genera- 
tions of  criminals.  It  is  the  greatest  thief 
amongst  animals,  and  is  such  a greedy  feeder 
that  it  is  known  to  many  as  the  Glutton.  It  will 
follow  a trapper’s  “line”  of  marten  traps,  for 
miles,  destroy  ever}'  animal  it  finds  in  them, 


the  Skunk-Bear,  and  in  Washington  the  Indians 
call  it  the  Mountain  Devil.  It  inhabits  the 
northern  Cascades  and  the  Rocky  Mountain 
region  of  the  United  States  as  far  south  as  Great 
Salt  Lake,  and  the  whole  of  arctic  and  subarctic 
America  to  the  northern  limit  of  trees.  It  is 
especially  abundant  on  the  Kuskowim  River, 
Alaska.  Its  length  is  32  x 10  inches. 

The  Skunks  form  a large  group,  widely  dis- 
tributed, but  all  the  species,  however  much  they 


mm/if 


COMMON'  .SKUNK. 


LITTLE  SPOTTED  SKUNK. 


devour  baits,  and  sometimes  steal  the  traps 
also. 

It  breaks  open  caches,  raids  cabins,  and  sys- 
tematically destroys  everything  it  encounters. 
It  is  the  only  animal  living  which  maliciously 
and  deliberately  destroys  property,  and  soils 
food  which  it  can  neither  eat  nor  carry  away. 
It  steals  articles  which  it  cannot  possibly  use, 
and  more  than  once  has  been  known  to  strip 
a cabin  of  nearly  its  entire  eontents. 

In  form  this  animal  resembles  a cross  between 
a badger  and  a bear.  In  Wyoming  it  is  called 
* Gu'lo  lus'eus. 


differ  in  size  or  color,  are  arranged  in  three 
genera. 

The  Common  Skunk, ‘ of  which  nine  species 
are  recognized,  is  very  well  known,  chiefly  be- 
cause of  its  jiowerful  odor,  its  wide  distribution, 
and  its  v'ery  conspicuous  jet-black  color,  divided 
on  the  back  by  one  or  two  broad  bands  of 
white. 

This  type  of  skunk  is  practically  confined  to 
the  United  States  and  Mexico,  and  is  most 
abundant  in  the  North.  The  very  offensive 
fluid  which  constitutes  its  defence  against  all 
‘ Meph'i-tis. 


32 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH  EATERS 


enemies,  is  contained  in  two  glands  situated  near 
the  base  of  the  tail,  and  can  be  thrown  several 
feet.  Its  odor  is  so  offensive  and  so  stifling 
that  neither  man  nor  beast  can  long  endure  it. 

The  Skunk  is  a bold  marauder,  and  destruc- 
tive to  poultry,  but  nevertheless  of  value  as  a 
destroyer  of  white  grubs  and  other  noxious  in- 
sects. Owing  to  the  disappearance  of  the  otter, 
beaver,  mink  and  marten,  the  fur  of  the  Skunk 
has  become  valuable,  and  is  now  very  exten- 
sively used,  the  white  portions  being  first  dyed 
black. 

The  Little  Spotted  Skunks  ^ are  found  chiefly 
in  our  southern  states,  and  can  immediately  be 
recognized  by  the  alternating  bands  of  black 
and  white  wdiich  extend  lengthwise  along 
the  body.  Of  these  there  are  about  a dozen 
species,  but  some  of  them  are  very  much  alike. 
They  range  from  the  Gulf  coast  north  to  West 
Virginia  and  Kansas,  but  on  the  Pacific  slope 
they  are  found  in  Washington,  Oregon,  Cali- 
fornia and  Utah. 

The  Badger  Skunks^  resemble  the  common 
Skunks  in  size,  but  may  be  readily  distinguished 
by  the  broad  white  stripe  on  the  back,  and  the 
powerful  claws  on  the  fore  feet.  As  indicated 
by  their  name,  they  are  more  badger-like  than 


THE  BADGER. 


the  other  skunks,  and  are  expert  diggers.  They 
are  the  only  skunks  which  occur  in  South  Amer- 
ica, and  their  range  extends  from  the  Straits 
of  Magellan  northward  along  the  west  coast, 
through  Central  America  and  Mexico  into  south- 
ern Texas  and  Arizona. 

The  Badger  is  an  animal  of  strange  form,  its 
body  being  very  broad  and  flat,  and  its  legs  very 
‘ Spi'lo-gale.  “ Co-ne-pa'tus. 


short.  In  size  it  stands  midway  between  the 
common  skunk  and  the  wolverine.  It  has  a sav- 
age and  sullen  disposition,  and  as  a pet  is  one  of 
the  worst  imaginable.  It  lives  in  burrows,  and 
feeds  on  ground  squirrels,  prairie-“dogs,”  and 
ground  game  of  every  description.  Often  Bad- 
gers will  be  found  living  in  deserts  where  it  would 
seem  an  impossibility  for  any  carnivorous  animal 
to  find  a supply  of  food.  Its  home  is  the  Great 
Plains,  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  westward  there- 
of to  the  Pacific  coast,  from  Mexico  to  Manitoba 
and  Alaska. 

THE  BEAR  FAMILY. 

U rsidae. 

That  nearly  all  young  j)eople,  the  whole  world 
over,  are  greatly  interested  in  bears,  is  no  cause 
for  wonder.  Under  proper  conditions,  young 
bears  are  the  most  merry-hearted  wild  animals 
that  come  into  captivity,  not  even  excepting 
monkeys,  and  in  some  respects  the  most  inter- 
esting. Of  all  wild  animals  kept  in  zoological 
parks,  there  are  none  that  more  fully  repay  the 
care  bestowed  upon  them,  and  excepting  apes 
and  monkeys,  none  that  furnish  more  amusement. 
With  plenty  of  sun-lit  space  in  which  to  romp 
and  play,  good  bathing  pools,  and  no  stone 
walls  to  depress  their  spirits,  if  not  fed  by  vis- 
itors, bears  are  more  playful  and  mirth-pro- 
voking than  most  monkeys.  If  immured  in 
gloomy  “bear-pits,”  or  confined  in  small  cages, 
their  spirits  are  correspondingly  depressed. 
They  are  then  like  unhappy  jjrisoners,  rather 
than  care-free  wild  creatures.  If  tantalized 
with  bits  of  food,  they  quarrel  and  fight,  and  their 
tempers  become  savage  and  dangerous. 

Contrary  to  general  belief,  a bear  is  naturally 
cheerful  and  good-tempered.  Elk,  deer,  buffalo, 
elephants  and  large  cats  often  attack  their  keep- 
ers, but  bears  that  have  been  properly  reared 
in  captivity  seldom  do  so. 

The  bear  dens  of  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park,  contained  (in  1903)  thirty-four  bears, 
of  eleven  different  species,  living  in  peace  and 
harmony,  in  nine  paved  yards.  Fully  one-half 
of  their  waking  hours  arc  spent  in  romping, 
wrestling,  boxing  and  swimming,  and  ill-temper 
is  rarely  shown.  The  keepers  go  amongst  the.se 
bears  with  only  brooms  for  defence,  and  the  great 
brutes  are  hustled  about  and  driven  to  and  fro 


ALASKAN  BROWN  BEAR. 


34 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


as  if  they  were  so  many  sheep.  At  the  same 
time,  any  visitor  who  is  so  unwise  as  to  thrust  a 
hand  between  the  bars  within  reach  of  the  jaws 
of  any  of  the  inmates  is  certain  to  be  very  se- 
verely bitten, — in  playfulness  rather  than  rage! 
In  their  rough  play  these  bears  continually 
bite  each  other,  without  inflicting  injury;  and 
they  do  not  appreciate  the  difference  be- 
tween a tender  human  hand  and  a tough, 
hairy  paw. 

Never  offer  a finger  to  a carnivorous  animal, 
unless  you  really  wish  to  have  it  bitten  off.  And 
do  not  feed  pea-nuts,  candy,  peaches,  or  tobacco 
to  animals  in  captivity.  If  you  wish  to  kill  any 
of  them,  a gun  is  far  more  respectable,  and  also 
more  merciful. 

Structure  and  Habits  of  Bears. — Bears  are 
plantigrade,  or  flat-footed,  animals,  with  long 
claws  that  are  not  retractile.  They  live  on  the 
ground,  and  eat  all  kinds  of  food,  from  green 
grass  to  elk  steaks.  A few  species  only  are  able 
to  climb  trees.  In  their  food  habits  they  are 
om-niv'o-rous,  and  devour  almost  everything 
they  can  chew,  except  wood  and  foliage.  The 
bears  of  the  Alaskan  coast  eat  great  quantities 
of  marsh  grass,  and  berries,  but  salmon  is  their 
regular  food.  All  bears  eat  succulent  roots, 
insect  larvae,  honey,  frogs  and  also  reptiles, 
fish,  and  every  other  kind  of  flesh  they  can  ob- 
tain. In  captivity  they  thrive  best  on  a variety 
of  food  consisting  of  stale  bread,  raw  meat, 
cooked  meat,  rice,  raw  fish,  boiled  potatoes,  raw 
carrots,  and  fruit. 

In  the  temperate  zone,  where  the  snow  falls 
to  a depth  of  a foot  or  more,  bears  are  unable 
to  procure  food  in  winter,  and  pass  that  season 
in  a sort  of  sleep,  or  hibernation.  With  its 
stomach  and  intestines  empty,  or  nearly  so,  a 
bear  enters  its  den  in  December,  curls  up, 
and  with  some  of  the  functions  of  Nature  en- 
tirely suspended,  sleeps  until  spring!  In  reality, 
the  creature  lives  upon  the  fat  that  has  been  se- 
creted under  its  skin  and  elsewhere  during  the 
summer  days  of  good  living.  Ordinarily,  bears 
in  captivity  that  are  supplied  with  daily  food, 
do  not  hibernate  in  winter,  but  one  cinnamon 
bear  which  I knew  personally,  at  Mandan,  North 
Dakota,  dug  a hole  in  the  prairie,  entered  it  on 
December  17,  and  did  not  reappear  until  March 
14,  of  the  following  year.  In  the  tropics,  bears 
never  hibernate. 


Naturally,  the  dens  of  hibernating  bears  are 
of  several  kinds,  accordng  to  conditions.  In 
the_^Adirondacks,  of  New  York,  the  black  bear 
often  chooses  the  base  of  a hollow  tree,  or  digs 
a cavity  under  the  roots  of  a tree.  In  the  “ bad- 
lands ” of  the  West,  bears  easily  find  warm 
and  comfortable  dens  in  the  wash-out  holes  of 
rugged  ravines.  In  the  mountains,  amongst 
rocks,  small  caves  are  easily  found.  In  Wash- 
ington, “Grizzly”  Adams  caught  “Lady  Wash- 
ington” and  “Ben  Franklin”  in  a deep  den 
that  had  been  dug  by  their  mother  in  a steep 
hillside. 

All  the  world  over,  two  bear  cubs  usually  con- 
stitute a litter.  In  America,  they  are  usually 
born  in  January,  and  at  birth  are  ridiculously 
small,  almost  hairless,  and  as  helpless  as  newly- 
born  mice.  Although  they  grow  rapidly  during 
the  first  year,  they  are  seven  years  in  reaching 
full  maturity.  In  captivity  bears  seldom  breed 
and  rear  their  young,  chiefly  because  of  the  lack 
of  satisfactory  seclusion  for  the  female.  Mr. 
Arthur  B.  Baker,  who  has  recently  inquired  into 
the  habits  of  the  American  black  bear  in  cap- 
tivity, states  that  “ at  Cuyahoga  Falls,  Ohio,  are 
two  specimens  which  regularly  hibernate,  and 
also  a pair,  born  in  1888,  which,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  three  years,  have  had  cubs  each  Jan- 
uary (21st  to  27th)  up  to  1903,  all  of  which  were 
raised,  excepting  a few  which  met  death  by  ac- 
cident.” 

Bears  have  bred  in  captivity  in  the  zoological 
gardens  and  parks  of  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati, 
Washington  and  New  York,  but  few  of  the  cubs 
have  been  reared. 

The  dimensions  of  a Russian  brown  bear 
cub — a species  that  is  an  excellent  understudy  of 
our  silver-tip  grizzly,  and  but  slightly  inferior 
in  size — was  when  two  days  old  as  follows: 
Length,  head  and  body,  9f  inches,  tail,  ^ inch; 
height,  5 inches,  circumference  of  chest,  6|  inches; 
hind  foot  H inches  by  f inch;  weight  15 
ounces.  This  cub  was  born  on  January  17. 

All  American  bears,  except  the  polar,  show 
great  changes  in  the  color  of  their  pelage  at  dif- 
ferent seasons  of  the  year.  In  the  late  summer 
the  new  pelage  is  darkest,  but  by  the  following 
spring,  the  old  coat  has  grown  so  much  lighter 
in  color  that  the  wearer  seems  like  a different 
individual.  The  shedding  period  is  from  May 
1 to  August  1. 


GKOUrS  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BEARS 


35 


North  American  Bears. — Leaving  out  of 
count  the  subspecies,  and  the  species  of  which 
we  know  little  or  nothing,  the  world  contains 
fourteen  well-marked  types  of  bears.  Of  these, 
eight  inhabit  Asia  and  Europe,  four  are  found 
in  North  America,  one  is  found  all  around  the 
north  pole,  and  one  in  South  America.  From 
both  the  Old  World  and  N^orth  America,  quite 
a number  of  additional  species  and  subspecies 
have  been  described ; but  it  must  be  remembered 
that  at  present  we  are  dealing  only  with  con- 
spicuous tj'pes. 

Owing  to  puzzling  variations  in  color,  clajvs 
and  skulls,  and  the  great  difficulty  of  bringing 
together  several  hundred  adult  skins  with  skulls, 
it  is  at  present  impossible  to  state  precisely  how 
many  different  kinds  of  bears  inhabit  this  con- 
tinent, or  how  they  are  related.  In  the  near 
future,  however,  many  e.xisting  questions  will  be 
settled;  and  until  then  the  wisest  course  for  the 
student  and  the  general  reader  is  to  accept  only 
well-known  facts,  and  wait  with  patience  for 
more. 

The  bears  of  North  America  constitute  four 
distinct  groups,  as  follows: 

Polar  Bear,  of  the  far  North.  White. 
\’ery  large. 


Big  Brown  Bears,  of  Alaska.  Light 
brown,  ^'ery  large. 

Grizzly  Bears,  Mexico  to  Alaska.  Gray 
or  brown.  Medium  to  very  large. 

Black  Bears,  North  America  generally 
from  Mexico  to  Alaska.  Black  or 
brown.  Medium  size,  and  large. 

To  most  persons,  the  second  group  of  this 
series  is  quite  new,  and  for  several  reasons  its 
members  are  of  unusual  interest. 

The  Polar  Bear. 

The  Polar  Bear  stands  alone  in  its  genus.  It 
is  the  king  of  the  frozen  North,  and  its  robe  is 
pure  white,  all  the  year  round.  It  inhabits 
the  coasts  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  all  around  the 
pole,  and  wanders  over  the  arctic  islands  and 
the  great  ice-fields  almost  as  far  north  as  man 
has  ever  gone.  Nansen  saw  its  tracks  at  Lati- 
tude 84°, — its  farthest  north. 

As  a rule,  the  Polar  Bear  follows  the  edge  of 
the  great  ice-pack,  for  the  sake  of  the  seals  and 
walruses  which  move  with  it,  north  in  summer, 
and  south  in  winter.  He  seldom  travels  more 
than  a day’s  journey  inland  on  any  shore.  His 
food  consists  chiefly  of  seals,  walruses,  fish  and 
dead  whales ; at  times  of  vegetable  matter. 


FULL  LIST  OF  THE  BEARS  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


Corrected  to  December  1,  1903. 


Polar  Bear, 


Thalarctos  maritimus  (Phipps), 


Arctic  regions  generally. 


The  Big 
Brown 
Bears. 


S Kodiak  Bear,  . . 
Yakutat  Bear, 
Peninsula  Bear,  . 
Merriam’s  Bear, 
Kidder’s  Bear,  . 
Sitka  Bear,  . . 


Ursus  middendorffi  (Merriam), 
Ursus  dalli  . . 

Ursus  dalli  gyas  (Merriam), . 
C/rsus  em'ami  (.Allen),  . . 

[/rsus  fcfdderi  (Merriam), . . 

Ursus  sitkensis  (Merriam),  . 


Kodiak  Island,  Alaska. 
Yakutat  Bay,  Alaska. 
Pavlof  Bay,  Alaska. 
Portage  Bay,  Alaska. 
Chinitna  Bay,  Alaska. 
Alaska  coast,  near  Sitka. 


The 

Grizzly 

Bears. 


Silver-Tip  Grizzly, 
Sonora  Grizzly,  . . 

Ala.skan  Grizzly, 
Barren-Ground 
Grizzly,  . . . . 


Ursus  horribilis{  Ord),  . . . . 

Ursus  horribilis  horriaeus  (Baird), 
Ursus  horribilis  alascensis  (Merr). . 

Ursus  richardsoni  (Swainson),  . . 


Wyoming  to  Alaska. 
S-W.  New  Mexico. 
Norton  Sound,  Alaska. 
Great  Slave  Lake  and 
Barren  Grounds. 


The 

Black 

Bears 


Black  Bear,  . . . 

Labrador  Bear,  . . 
Ix)uisiana  Bear,  . . 
Everglade  Bear, . . 
Glacier  Bear,  . . 

Queen  Charlotte 
Bear, 


Ursus  americanus  (Pallas),  . . . North  America. 

Ursus  americanus  sornborgeri{Ba,ngs)  Labrador. 


Ursus  luteolus  (Griffith),  . . 

Ursus  floridanus  (Merriam), 
Ursus  emmonsi  (Dali),  . . 

I Ursus  carlottae  (Osgood), 


. . Louisiana  and  Texas. 

. . Florida. 

. . St.  Elias  Alps,  Yakutat 
Bay,  Alaska. 

j Queen  Charlotte  Islands, 
‘ ■ ( British  Columbia. 


36 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


In  1874,  when  Mr.  Henry  W.  Elliott  and  Lieu- 
tenant Maynard  visited  St.  Matthew  Island,  a 
lonely  bit  of  treeless  land  in  the  northern  portion 
of  Bering  Sea,  they  found  upon  it  between  250 
and  300  Polar  Bears ! The  animals  were  basking 
in  the  warm  sunshine,  shedding  their  winter 
coats,  and  growing  fat  on  the  roots  of  the  plants 
and  mosses  that  grew  there.  On  one  occasion 
twenty  bears  were  in  sight  simultaneously.  The 
bears  literally  overran  the  island,  grazing  and 


E.  R.  S.1NBORN,  Photo,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


POLAR  BE.^R. 

rooting  about  like  hogs  on  a common.  They 
showed  no  disposition  to  fight,  but  always  ran 
when  approached. 

The  Polar  Bear  is  a tall  animal,  with  long  legs, 
flat  sides,  and  paws  that  are  very  wide  and  fiat. 
The  largest  specimen  in  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park  is  50^  inches  in  height,  7 feet  2 inches  in 
length,  and  weighs  about  800  pounds.  When 
standing  erect  on  his  hind  legs,  the  end  of  his 
nose  is  8 feet  8 inches  from  the  ground.  If  prop- 
erly and  comfortably  caged,  and  provided  with 
a swimming  pool  five  feet  deep.  Polar  Bears  in  the 
temperate  zone  do  not  suffer  from  the  heat  of 
summer,  and  can.  endure  hot  weather  fully  as 
well  as  our  black  bears.  Of  course  they  require 
shade  in  summer;  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  put 
ice  in  their  jiool  to  cool  the  water. 

The  power  of  this  active,  warm-blooded  animal 
to  resist  cold  is  one  of  the  w'onders  of  Nature. 
With  the  temperature  many  degrees  below  zero, 
the  Polar  Bear  cheerfully  leaps  into  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  amid  the  broken  ice,  and  swims  for  hours. 


Of  all  bears,  it  is  the  best  swimmer,  and  it  dives 
with  great  ease.  Thanks  to  the  limitations  im- 
posed by  the  Frost  King  on  hunting  in  the  arctic 
regions,  it  is  not  very  probable  that  the  Polar 
Bear  ever  will  be  exterminated  by  man. 

The  Big  Brown  Bears. 

In  1896  the  specimens  collected  by  the  United 
States  Biological  Survey,  at  Washington,  re- 
vealed to  Ur.  C.  Hart  Merriam  the  presence  in 
Alaska  of  two  or  three  species  and  subspecies 
of  huge  brown  bears,  totally  different  in  char- 
acter from  all  the  American  bears  previously 
known.  These  bears  range  from  Sitka  around 
to  the  extremity  of  the  Alaskan  Peninsula, 
Kadiak  Island,  and  inland  for  unknown  dis- 
tances. They  are  marked  by  their  light  brown 
color,  high  shoulders,  massive  heads  of  great 
breadth,  short,  thick  claws,  and  shaggy  pelage. 
In  their  high  shoulders,  they  resemble  the  griz- 
zly bear,  but  otherwise  differ  from  them  in  many 
ways.  Of  these  bears.  Dr.  Merriam  has  pub- 
lished preliminary  descriptions  of  four  new  spe- 
cies and  one  subspecies,  but  additional  collec- 
tions and  information  may  possibly  result  in  the 
consolidation  of  some  of  these. 

It  is  sufficient  for  our  purpose  to*set  forth  only 
the  species  which  seems  most  sharply  defined, 
and  which  may  be  considered  representative  of 
the  whole  group. 

The  Kodiak  Bear,^  of  Kodiak  Island,  and 
probably  also  of  the  Alaskan  Peninsula  and  the 
mainland  for  some  distance  eastward,  is  not  only 
the  largest  of  all  living  bears,  but  also  the  largest 
carnivorous  animal  in  the  world.  Several  skins 
of  immense  size,  and  skulls  19  inches  in  length, 
have  been  collected.  The  largest  specimen  ever 
killed  and  measured  by  a naturalist  was  a female 
killed  at  Chinitna  Bay,  by  Mr.  James  II.  Kid- 
der, which  had  a shoulder  height  of  51  inches. 

A very  large  flat  skin  measured  at  Kodiak  by 
Mr.  J.  A.  Loring,  was  9J  feet  long  by  lOJ  feet 
wide  across  the  fore  legs. 

Immediately  after  shedding,  the  new  coat  of 
the  Kodiak  Bear  is  dark-brown,  like  that  of  a 
grizzly,  but  it  soon  changes  to  a beautiful  golden- 
brown  tint.  In  March  and  April,  the  old  coat 
is  of  a golden-yellow  color,  and  really  very  beauti- 
ful. The  full  coat  is  long,  thick  and  shaggy,  and 

• ’ Ur'sus  mid' den-dor f-fi. 


THE  GRIZZLY  BEARS 


37 


except  when  shedding  is  in  full  progress,  the 
animal  makes  a very  imposing  appearance.  This 
species  is  recognized  by  its  uniform  brown  or 
golden  color,  its  high  shoulders,  broad  and  mas- 
sive head,  Hat  forehead,  short,  square  nose,  and 
a drop  in  the  upper  line  of  the  head  in  front  of 
the  eyes.  Mr.  Kidder  states  that  the  bears  on 
Kodiak  Island  are  uniformly  colored  over  the 
body  and  legs,  but  those  on  the  mainland  are 
darker  on  the  legs  than  on  the  body. 

The  Kodiak  Bear  catches  and  devours  great 
numbers  of  salmon,  which  are  so  abundant  in 
many  .\laskan  streams  that  it  can  throw  them 
out  with  its  paws.  It  also  eats  (juantities  of  the 
rank  marsh  grass  which  grows  along  many  sal- 
mon streams  where  they  flow  through  alluvial 
plains  before  discliarging  into  the  sea.  It  inhab- 
its the  most  rugged  mountains,  and  is  seldom 
killed  save  when  it  leaves  the  shelter  of  the  tim- 
ber and  comes  into  the  open  river  valleys  and 
bay  heads  to  feast  on  freshly-caught  salmon, 
with  tender  grass  for  dessert. 

Just  how  far  eastward  this  bear  ranges  on  the 
mainland,  remains  to  be  determined;  but  I be- 
lieve it  will  be  found  as  far  as  the  Copper  River. 
The  big  animal  found  in  the  Yukon  valley,  and 
commonly  called  the  “Red  Bear,”  undoubtedly 
belongs  to  the  group  of  big  brown  boars,  and  in 
all  probability  is  the  same  as  the  Kodiak  Bear. 
The  illustration  shown  on  page  33  is  a portrait  of 
a fine  .\la.skan  brown  bear  living  in  the  New 
York  Zoological  Park,  which  came  from  the 
country  between  Cook  Inlet  and  the  Copper 
River.  Inasmuch  as  all  the  descriptions  of  the 
s|)ecies  composing  the  brown  bear  group  have 
been  based  chiefly  upon  skulls,  the  exact  identity 
of  our  specimens  can  not  be  determined  while 
they  are  alive.  In  the  month  of  September  its 
entire  j)elage  is  of  the  uniform  dark-brown  color 
characteristic  of  the  bears  of  Kodiak  Island  at 
the  season  when  the  majority  of  them  are  killed, 
but  later  on  the  pelage  of  the  body  becomes 
lighter  than  that  on  the  legs. 

The  Grizzly  Bears. 

Tlie  Grizzly  Bear.’ — Of  all  the  bears  of  the 
world,  this  .species  is  certainly  one  of  the  mo.st 
celebrated.  During  the  days  of  muzzle-loading 
rifles,  its  name  and  fame  in.spired  terror  through- 
' Ur'sus  hor-ri'bi-Us. 


out  the  mountains  and  foot-hills  of  the  wild 
w’estern  domain  which  constituted  its  home. 
For  many  years  it  held  the  old-fashioned  Ken- 
tucky rifle  of  the  pioneer  in  profound  contempt, 
and  frequently  when  it  was  used  to  annoy  him, 
the  user  met  a tragic  fate.  I believe  that  Grizz- 
lies hav'e  killed  and  maimed  a larger  number  of 
hunters  than  all  other  bears  of  the  world  com- 
bined. 

Down  to  the  advent  of  the  breech-loader,  the 
Grizzly  was  a bold,  aggressive  and  highly  dan- 
gerous animal.  When  attacked,  he  would 
charge  his  enemies  with  great  ferocity,  striking 
terrible  blows  with  paws  that  were  like  sledge- 
hammers armed  with  huge  hooks  of  steel.  The 
combined  swiftness  and  strength  with  which 
any  large  bear  can  strike  must  be  seen  or  felt 
to  be  fully  a]>preciated. 

I have  made  many  ob.servations  on  the  temper 
of  the  Grizzly  Bear,  and  am  convinced  that  nat- 
urally the  disposition  of  this  reputedly  savage 
creature  is  rather  peaceful  and  good-natured. 
At  the  same  time,  however,  no  animal  is  more 
prompt  to  resent  an  affront  or  injury,  or  punish 
an  offender.  The  Grizzly  temper  is  defensive,  not 
aggressive;  and  unless  the  animal  is  cornered, 
or  thinks  he  is  cornered,  he  always  flees  from 
man. 

Either  in  captivity  or  freedom,  the  Grizzly  re- 
sponds to  fair  treatment  as  well  as  any  well- 
armed  wild  animal  ever  does,  and  far  better  than 
any  other  species  with  which  I am  personally 
acquainted.  In  the  Yellowstone  Park,  where 
for  several  years  past  all  bears  have  been  fully 
protected,  both  the  Grizzly  and  black  bears  now 
live  in  close  touch  with  man,  without  breaking 
faith  with  him.  Although  they  frequently  visit 
the  hotels,  and  steal  food  from  the  wagons  and 
camps  of  tourists,  I believe  no  hear  has  yet  broken 
faith  with  the  (iovernment  by  molesting  either  his 
human  neighbors  or  domestic  animals ! This  fact 
speaks  volumes  for  the  moral  character  of  our 
bears.' 

The  Grizzly  is  an  animal  of  commanding  ap- 
pearance, and  amongst  other  wild  beasts  it 

' Since  the  above  was  written,  the  truce  of  the 
Yellowstone  Park  has  been  broken.  Two  horses 
belonging  to  a party  of  to\irisbs  have  been  killed  by 
bears,  and  the  aggressiveness  of  the  latter  has  be- 
come so  serious  that  it  will  be  nece.ssary  for  the 
government  to  take  measures  which  will  teach  them 
to  keep  their  place. 


38 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


acknowledges  no  superior.  A small  Grizzly  cub 
which  we  once  set  free  in  a mixed  company  of 
five  or  six  bears  of  other  species,  all  of  which  were 
larger  than  he,  boldly  stalked  into  the  centre 
of  the  group,  with  an  air  of  conscious  superiority 
and  courage  that  was  both  characteristic  and 
amusing.  It  was  the  other  bears  who  were 
frightened,  not  he! 

Specimens  of  this  species  are  readily  recog- 


very  gray.  The  huge  brown  Grizzly  of  southern 
California,  now  very  rare,  has  been  described 
as  a species  distinct  from  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain Silver-Tip.  I once  measured  the  dry  skin 
of  one  of  these  animals,  which  was  9 feet  4 
inches  in  length,  and  10  feet  3 inches  wide 
across  the  shoulders,  between  the  ends  of  the 
front  claws. 

So  far  as  I am  aware,  the  largest  Grizzly  Bear 


Copyright,  1902,  by  F.  C.  Wolcott. 


A GRIZZLY  BEAR  AT  HOME, 


Photographed  in  the  mountains  of  western  Wyoming,  by  F.  C.  Wolcott.  The  bear  was  enticed  by  a bait  to 
within  thirty  feet  of  the  camera,  and  taken  by  flashlight. 


nized  by  their  high  shoulders,  powerful  pro- 
portions, grizzly-gray  hair,  and  long  curved 
claws.  The  standard  color  (in  winter)  is  brown 
next  to  the  skin,  the  extremities  of  the  hair  being 
tipped  with  silvery  gray,  from  which  has  come 
the  common  name  of  “Silver-Tip.” 

From  Mexico  and  southern  California  to  the 
Yukon  valley,  especially  along  the  main  ranges 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  Grizzly  shows  about 
six  different  shades  of  color,  from  brown  to  sil- 


ever  actually  weighed  was  one  that  lived  and 
died  in  the  Lincoln  Park  menagerie,  Chicago, 
and  was  weighed  by  Mr.  G.  O.  Shields.  Its 
weight  was  1,153  pounds;  yet  when  alive,  west- 
ern hunters  who  saw  it  frankly  admitted  that 
it  was  larger  than  bears  killed  by  them  which 
they  “estimated”  at  1,800  pounds!  Thus  far 
the  Rocky  Mountains  have  not  produced  a wild 
Grizzly  actually  weighing  over  800  pounds,  and 
the  average  weight  of  the  adult  Grizzlies  killed 


TIU:  BLACK  BEAKS 


39 


in  the  United  States  durino;  the  last  fifteen  years 
has  been  between  500  and  600  pounds. 

In  all  parts  of  the  United  States  save  the  Yel- 
lowstone Park  and  the  Clearwater  Mountains  of 
Idaho,  the  Grizzly  is  now  a rare  animal,  and  so 
difficult  to  find  that  it  is  almost  useless  to  seek 
it  this  side  of  British  Columbia.  Like  other 
large  mammals  of  this  continent,  the  long-range, 
high-power  rifles  leave  them  absolutely  no  chance 


but  is  quite  unable  to  climb  trees.  Like  all  other 
bears,  he  eats  nearly  everything  he  can  chew,  and 
is  very  partial  to  berries,  and  fruit  of  all  kinds. 

The  Black  Bears. 

The  Black  BeaU  is  the  best  known  bear 
in  North  America.  It  is  found  in  nearly  all  the 
mountains  and  great  tracts  of  forest  between 


Photo,  by  E.  R.  Sanborn,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

AMERICAN  BLACK  BEAR 

From  northern  Wisconsin. 


for  their  lives,  and  in  a short  time  none  will  exist 
in  the  United  States  outside  of  the  Yellow.stone 
Park  anrl  the  zoological  gardens.  In  the  wilds  of 
.Maska,  they  may  survive  for  perhaps  a quarter 
of  a century  longer.  Unfortunately,  the  Griz- 
zly loves  to  roam  over  treeless  mountains,  on 
which  his  huge  bulk  makes  him  conspicuous  for 
miles,  and  invites  the  attacks  of  his  enemies.  He 
loves  water,  swims  well,  and  is  a great  traveller, 


Florida  and  Alaska,  and  from  Nova  Scotia  to 
the  Pacific  coast.  During  the  past  twenty  years 
it  has  been  seen  or  killed  in  forty  states  of  the 
United  States,  in  Mexico,  Alaska,  and  eleven 
of  the  Briti.sh  provinces.  Its  farthest  south  is 
the  mountains  of  Costa  Rica. 

Its  standard  color  is  jet  black,  all  over,  except 
the  nose,  which  is  dirty  white  or  light  brown.  A 
* Ur'sus  a-mer-i-can'us. 


40 


ORDEES  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


ver}''  confusing  fact  about  the  Black  Bear  is  the 
frequency  with  which  it  runs  into  brown  or 
cinnamon  colors.  Sometimes  black  and  brown 
cubs  have  been  found  in  the  same  litter.  Very 
curiously,  however,  this  color  is  found  only  in 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  farther  west.  In  its 
brown  phase,  this  animal  is  called  the  Cinnamon 


round  on  the  hind  quarters,  low  at  the  shoulders, 
and  also  by  the  fact  that  in  walking  it  usually 
carries  its  head  low.  It  is  a smaller  animal,  and 
its  claws  are  short  and  well  adapted  to  tree-climb- 
ing. It  conceals  itself  from  its  enemies  much 
more  successfully  than  the  grizzly,  and  therefore 
still  survives  in  such  places  as  the  forests  of  the 


GLACIER  BEAR. 

Drawn  from  a specimen  in  the  United  States  National  Museum. 


Bear,  and  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  regions  and 
Alaska,  brown  specimens  are  almost  as  numerous 
as  black.  Sometimes  it  is  difficult  to  believe 
that  both  kinds  belong  to  the  same  species,  but 
this  seems  to  be  a fact. 

Some  grizzlies  are  very  dark  brown,  but  thev 
are  never  inky  black,  like  the  true  Black  Bear. 
The  latter  differs  in  form  from  the  grizzly  in 
being  highest  in  the  middle  of  the  back,  very 


Adirondacks,  the  Catskills,  in  West  Virginia, 
and  the  swamps  of  the  southern  states. 

When  properly  treated,  small  Black  Bears  are 
good-tempered  and  playful  in  captivity;  and 
some  are  easily  tamed,  and  taught  to  perform 
tricks.  Cubs  are  very  interesting  when  small, 
but  by  the  time  they  are  a year  old,  they  become 
so  strong  and  troublesome,  as  well  as  dangerous, 
that  private  owners  nearly  always  are  heartily 


RACCOOX  AXD  BASSARISK 


41 


glad  to  get  rid  of  them.  Never  buy  a Black  Bear 
cub  ill  the  belief  that  it  can  be  kept  for  amuse- 
ment and  resold  at  a profit;  but  if  thine  enemy 
offend  thee,  present  him  with  a Black  Bear  cub. 

The  Black  Bear  is  a timid  animal,  and  always 
runs  when  observed  by  man.  It  is  a good  climb- 
er, runs  quite  swiftly  when  pursued,  but  in  a rough 
and  tumble  fight  it  bawls,  roars,  and  coughs. 

The  Glacier  Bear,*  found  on  the  glaciers 
around  Yakutat  Bay,  near  Mt.  St.  Elias,  .\laska, 
is  one  of  the  recent  discoveries  in  the  Northwest, 
but  it  is  so  clearly  distinct  as  to  merit  special 
notice.  Thus  far  no  living  specimens  have  found 
their  way  into  zoological  parks  or  gardens,  and 
the  only  mounted  skin  on  exhibition  is  in  the 
United  States  National  Museum.  It  is  exactly 
reproduced  in  the  accompanying  illustration. 

The  species  is  known  to-day  only  by  the  single 
specimen  referred  to,  and  a few  flat  skins.  As 
mounted  it  is  only  24  inches  in  height  at  the 
shoulders,  and  is  beyond  question  the  smallest 
species  of  bear  in  America.  Its  color  is  a peculiar 
bluish  gray,  on  all  parts  save  the  muzzle  from 
the  eyes  forward,  which  is  dark  brown  or  black. 
The  hair  is  long,  very  thick,  woolly  in  texture, 
and  stands  out  straight  all  over  the  body.  The 
rarity  of  this  animal  in  collections,  and  the  long 
delay  in  its  discovery,  are  due  to  the  rough,  in- 
hospitable and  dangerous  character  of  the  coun- 
try in  which  it  lives. 

THE  KACCOOX  FAMILY. 

Procyonidac. 

The  Raccoon,^  placed  next  to  the  bears,  is 
also  plantigrade  in  its  manner  of  walking.  It 
is  a cheerfully  persistent  animal,  and  no  amount 
of  hunting  discourages  it,  or  drives  it  away  from 
its  favorite  haunts.  It  is  at  home  in  the  tim- 
IxTcd  regions  of  the  southern  and  ca.stcrn  United 
States,  especiallj'  where  there  are  swamps. — for 
the  Raccoon  loves  to  play  in  water.  In  the  West 
it  ranges  from  Arizona  to  Briti.sh  Columbia. 

Its  favorite  dwelling-place  is  a hollow  tree, 
and  its  yearly  family  consi.sts  of  five  or  six  young. 
In  its  ai)petite,  it  is  as  omnivorous  as  any  bear, 
and  cats  everything  that  it  can  chew, — from  live 
rabbits  down  to  green  corn, — fi.sh,  flesh,  or  fowl. 
The  oidy  point  on  which  the  Raccoon  is  jjarticu- 
* LVsi/.s  em'mou.s-i. 

’ Pro'ey-on  lo'tor  and  related  species. 


lar,  regarding  its  food,  is  in  soaking  it  in  water 
before  eating  it. 

Excepting  the  cacomistle  or  “civet  cat”  of 
the  Southwest,  this  is  the  only  animal  in  the 


Photo,  and  copyright,  1902,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 


THE  R.A.CCOON. 

United  States  which  has  black  and  gray  rings 
around  its  tail.  A live  “ ’Coon”  makes  one  of  the 
most  satisfactory  carnivorous  pets  that  a boy 
can  keep  in  confinement. 

The  Cacomistle,  “Civet  Cat,’’  or  Ba.ssarisk* 
is  a strange  little  creature  like  a small  pine  mar- 
ten with  a long,  bushy  tail,  and  many  common 
names.  It  is  spread  over  so  wide  an  area  of  our 
country  that  its  personality  should  be  better 
known.  It  inhabits  Jlexico  and  the  southwest- 
ern United  States  from  Texas  to  California  and 
north  to  southern  Oregon.  These  are  the  names 
by  which  it  is  called  and  miscalled:  in  Mexico, 
Cacomiz'tli,  or  in  English  Ca-co-mutle;  in  Texas, 
Texas  Civet  Cat,  and  Cat  Squirrel ; in  California, 
Mountain  Cat  and  Ring-Tailed  Cat ; in  Arkansas, 
Raccoon  Fox ; by  various  scientific  authors  from 
Audubon  to  Allen,  Civet  Cat,  Ring-Tailed  Bassa- 
ris,  and  Northern  Civet  Cat. 

Now,  as  to  the  facts  regarding  this  pretty 
little  creature,  it  is  not  a “cat”  of  any  kind, 
and  there  is  about  it  not  a trace  of  “civet.” 
Dr.  Coues  proposed  Bassarisk  as  a name  that 
' Bas-sa-ris'eus  as-tu'tus  and  related  species. 


42 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— FLESH-EATERS 


was  appropriate,  and  entitled  to  use.  Let  it  be 
so  called  henceforth,  and  the  misnomers  rele- 
gated to  obscurity,  where  they  belong.  Its 
original  Mexican  name  is  so  ill  adapted  to  our 
wants  it  never  will  be  generally  used. 

The  Bassarisk  is,  after  the  true  raccoon,  the 
only  animal  in  the  United  States  possessed  of  a 
long,  bushy  tail  with  alternating  black  and  white 
rings  around  it.  It  climbs  trees,  and  nests  in 
hollow  branches  like  a squirrel;  it  scratches 


and  bites,  and  catches  rats,  mice  and  small  birds 
like  a cat;  and  it  has  a many-sided  appetite, 
like  a raccoon.  Its  length  of  head  and  body  is 
16  inches,  tail  about  the  same,  and  its  general 
color  is  a brownish  gray.  It  is  a night  prowler, 
and  often  makes  its  home  in  outbuildings  and 
deserted  ranch  houses.  In  California  it  is  oc- 
casionally kept  in  captivity  by  the  miners,  and 
is  said  to  make  a very  attractive  and  interesting 
pet. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  ORDER  OF  SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS 

PINNIPEDIA 


Some  students  may  feel  that  it  is  useless  for 
land  dwellers  to  try  to  become  acquainted,  at 
long  range,  with  sea  animals.  Toward  many 
sea  animals,  this  feeling  is  justified;  but  it 
should  not  be  entertained  toward  the  bold  and 
hardy  fin-footed  children  of  the  surf.  The  seals 
and  sea-lions  of  our  shores  are  well  worth  know- 
ing. 

From  the  warm  and  luxurious  shore  of  south- 
ern California  to  Oregon’s  storm-beaten  Tilla- 
mook Rock,  and  on  up  to  the  inhospitable,  rock- 
bound  edge  of  western  .\laska,  you  will  find  at 
intervals,  where  Nature  has  done  some  of  her 
grandest  work  in  shore-building,  colonies  of  bold 
and  hardy  sea-lions.  On  the  Pribilof  Islands 
lives  the  most  valuable  of  all  the  fur-bearing 
animals  of  the  world,  the  fur-“seal,”  which  has 
contributed  millions  of  dollars  to  our  national 
treasury,  and  more  than  repaid  the  whole  price 
of  -\laska. 

On  the  low  shores  and  adjacent  ice  floes  of  the 
North  -\tlantic  live  the  seal  herds  that  annually 
yield  an  immen.se  store  of  valuable  oil,  and  fur- 
nish employment  for  thousands  of  Newfoundland 
sailors  and  sealers. 

The  reader  may  rest  a.ssured  that  even  though 
his  home  be  in  the  centre  of  the  Great  Plains,  the 
North  American  seals  and  sea-lions  are  well 
worth  knowing;  for,  .sooner  or  later,  travel  surely 
will  bring  him  into  vi.sual  contact  with  many  of 
them,  either  in  mu.seums,  zoological  gardens,  or 
alive  in  their  haunts.  Let  us.  then,  lay  the 
foundation  for  a profitable  acquaintance  with 
them. 

Hy  some  writers,  these  animals  are  classed 
with  the  Ferae,  because  they  eat  flesh;  but  to 
associate  in  the  same  Order  such  widely  different 


creatures  as  sea-lions  and  cats  seems  incongru- 
ous, if  not  incorrect. 

The  Order  Pinnipedia  * contains  three  groups 
of  sea-faring  animals,  distributed  widely  through 
the  ocean  waters  of  the  world,  and  in  some  in- 
stances, in  fresh  water,  also.  They  are  the  Sea- 
Lions,  Seals  and  Walruses. 

A Sea-Lion  has  a long,  supple  neck,  and  long, 
triangular  front  flippers  that  have  neither  hair 
nor  claws,  but  are  simply  living  paddles.  Their 
hind  limbs  are  web-toed  flippers.  They  have 
very  small,  sharp-pointed  ears,  carry  their  heads 
high,  and  all  are  lively,  active  animals,  both  in 
swimming  and  in  climbing  rocks.  The  males 
of  some  species  grow  to  enormous  size,  and  have 
faces  so  lion-like  in  appearance  that  this  resem- 
blance has  given  the  group  its  popular  name, 
— Sea-Lion. 

A Seal  is  a short-necked,  fat-bodied,  low-lying, 
clumsy  animal,  not  nearly  so  active  on  land  nor 
so  intelligent  as  a Sea-Lion.  Its  front  flippers 
are  short,  square-ended,  fully  covered  with  hair, 
and  provided  with  claws.  They  have  no  ex- 
ternal ears  of  skin  and  cartilage.  Their  hair  is 
short,  close,  and  stiff,  and  of  no  value  as  fur  save 
to  the  Eskimo,  to  whom  every  Seal  is  a Godsend, 
and  utilized  in  a great  variety  of  ways. 

A Walrus  is  a sea  mammal  of  great  size, 
formed  somewhat  like  a Sea-Lion,  and  it  is  the 
clumsiest  living  creature  that  ever  comes  upon 
land.  It  has  two  long  ivory  tusks  that  grow 
downward  from  the  upper  jaw,  a very  thick 
skin  which  lies  in  deep  folds,  no  hair  worth  men- 
tioning, and  a very  dull  brain. 

The  following  are  the  groups  and  species  which 
every  American  should  know  ; 

* Pin-ni-pe'di-a  means  “ fin-footed.” 


43 


44 


OKDERS  OF  MAMMALS— SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS 


PACIFIC  WALRUS, 


speller’s  sea-lion, 

On  the  same  scale. 


HARBOR  SEAL. 


F.^MILIES. 


EX.\.MPLES  DESCRIBED.' 


ORDER 

PINNI- 

PEDIA. 


SE.t.-LlONS, 

1 California  Sea-Lion, . 

Zalophus  californianus. 
Eumetopias  stelleri. 

O-TA-Iil'I-DAE,  . . 

■ Steller’s  Sea-Lion,  . 

'Fur  “Seal,”  . . . 

Callotaria  ursina. 

Ringed  Seal,  . . . 

Phoca  foetida. 

1 Harbor  Seal,  . . . 

Phoca  vitulina. 

Seals,  . . 

PHO'CI-DAE,  . . . 

! Harp  Seal,  . . . . 

Phoca  groenlandica. 

1 Hooded  Seal,  . . . 

Cystophora  cristata. 

Ribbon  Seal,  . . . 

Histriophoca  fasciola. 

Walruses, 

OD-O-BEN'I-DAE,  . 

( Pacific  Walrus,  . . 
' Atlantic  Walrus,  . . 

Odobenus  obesus. 
Odobenus  rosmarus. 

THE  SEA-LION  FAMILY. 

The  California  Sea-Lion,'^  or  Barking  Sea- 
Lion,  is  the  most  familiar  representative  of  the 
first  group,  for  the  reason  that  this  species  is 
easiest  to  catch  alive,  and  keep  in  captivity.  In 
zoological  gardens  and  travelling  shows,  this  is 
the  animal  which  cries  out  so  frequenth^  and 
with  ear-piercing  clearness  and  volume,  “ How- 
woo!  Hook!  Hoook!  Hook!”  It  inhabits  nearly 
the  entire  coast  of  California,  the  Farallone 
Islands,  the  famous  Cliff  House  rocks,  and  the 
Lower  California  peninsula.  Full-grown  males 
are  about  7 feet  in  length,  weigh  about  450 
pounds,  and  all  are  of  a uniform  dark-brown 
color.  An  adult  female  which  died  in  the  Zoo- 
logical Park  weighed  112  pounds  and  measured- 
length  of  head  and  body,  564  inches,  tail, 
inches,  total  length  from  nose  to  end  of  hind  flip- 
pers,701  inches,  girth,  314  inches.  These  creatures 
are  ver}’^  active  in  the  water,  and  can  climb  rocks, 

' Tlie  most  important  of  these  species  will  be 
found  well  described  and  commented  upon  in  Mr. 
Henry  W.  Elliott’s  interesting  volume  entitled  “Our 
Arctic  Province.’’  (Charles  Scribner’s  Sons.) 

^ Zal'o-phus  cal-i-for-ni-an'us. 


Keller,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

CALIFORNIA  SE.V-LION. 


and  even  high  cliffs,  with  surprising  agility. 
When  frightened.  Captain  Scammon  says  they 
will  leap  from  a height  of  sixty  feet  into  the  sea. 

The  hair  of  this  animal  is  very  short,  coarse, 
and  of  no  value.  The  California  Sea-Lions  rarely 
eat  fish,  but  live  chiefly  upon  squids,  shell-fish 


FOOD  OF  SEA-LIONS 


45 


and  crabs.  For  reasons  known  only  to  them- 
selves, they  swallow  many  round  pebbles,  from 
one  to  two  inches  in  diameter.  We  once  took 
16  pounds  (half  a pailful)  from  the  stomach  of  a 
medium-sized  specimen. 

In  captivity  all  kinds  of  seals  and  Sea-Lions 
live  contentedly  in  fresh  water.  The  value  of 
a living  California  Sea-Lion  in  Xew  York  City 
is  about  .SI. 50.  This  species  possesses  great 
intelligence,  and  (juite  recently  several  specimens 
have  been  trained  to  go  through  a show  per- 
formance which  is  really  wonderful,  including  a 
most  remarkable  act  in  which  a Sea-Lion  suc- 
cessfully balances  a large  ball  on  the  point  of  its 
nose. 

.\n  important  incident  in  the  life  history  of 
the  California  Sea-Lion  furnishes  a good  illustra- 
tion of  the  folly  of  condemning  a wild  species  to 
destruction  on  insufficient  evidence. 

For  several  years  the  fishermen  of  San  Fran- 
cisco com])laincd  that  the  Sea-Lions  of  the  Cali- 
fornia coast  devoured  such  enormous  (juantities 
of  salmon  and  other  fish  that  they  were  seriously 
affect  ing  the  available  supply ; besides  which,  they 
caused  great  damage  to  nets  and  impounded  fish. 
They  demanded  that  the  Sea-Lions  be  destroyed, 
and  finally  convinced  the  state  authorities  that 
their  contentions  were  well  founded. 

It  was  decided  that  the  animals  should  be  de- 
stroyed, by  systematic  shooting,  down  to  a com.- 
paratively  small  numlx^r;  and  the  slaughter 
wa-s  duly  ordered.  Men  were  engaged  to  do  the 
work,  in  a business-like  way,  and  an  official  re- 
rpiest  for  permission  to  kill  on  the  light-house 
reservations  of  the  government  was  granted. 

Hut  there  were  certain  naturalists  who  doubted 
the  entire  accuracy  of  the  charges  made  against 
the  Sea-Lions,  and  asked  for  proof  in  detail. 
When  no  evidence  of  a specific  and  convincing 
nature  was  brought  forward,  they  requested 
that  the  slaughter  proposed  on  the  Farallone 
Islands,  and  other  light-house  reservations,  be 
deferred,  pending  a careful  inciuiry;  and  this  was 
done. 

However,  where  the  state  authorities  had  full 
power  to  act,  the  killing  proceeded  in  a few  lo- 
calities. It  happened  that  during  the  killing  of 
California  Sea-Lions  on  the  shore  of  Monterey 
Hay,  and  vicinity,  Hrofes.sor  L.  L.  Dyche,  of  the 
I'niversity  of  Kan.sas,  arrived  on  the  .scene  to 
pursue  studies  in  marine  life.  He  examined  the 


stomachs  of  twenty  Sea-Lions  which  were  washed 
ashore,  and  of  five  more  which  he  killed  for  the 
purpose  of  mounting  their  skins. 

Every  stomach  examined  contained  the  remains 
of  squids  and  devil-fish  (Octopus),  one  or  both; 
and  both  of  which  are  among  the  fisherman’s  ene- 
mies! Not  one  of  the  twenty-five  stomachs  which 
he  earefully  examined  and  reported  upon  contained 
any  portion  of  a sealed  fish. 

In  1901,  the  United  States  Fish  Commission 
conducted  a systematic  investigation  of  the 
food  habits  of  the  Sea-Lions  of  the  Pacific  coast 
and  the  report  of  Messrs.  Rutter,  Snodgrass 
and  Starks  appears  in  the  Report  of  the  Fish 
Commissioner  for  1902.  At  six  points  on  the 
coast  of  California,  the  investigators  killed  a 
total  of  twenty-four  specimens  of  the  California 
Sea-Lion,  and  eighteen  of  the  Steller  Sea-Lions. 
The  report  says : 

“Of  thirteen  California  Sea-Lions  whose  stom- 
achs contained  food,  five  had  eaten  fish  and 
eleven  had  eaten  squid.  The  quantity  of  fish 
was  inconsiderable,  seventeen  small  fishes  being 
the  maximum,  while  the  remains  of  one  hundred 
to  three  hundred  squid  were  found  in  each  of 
five  stomachs. 

“All  the  thirteen  Steller  Sea-Lions  whose 
stomachs  contained  food  had  eaten  fish,  and  five 
had  eaten  squid,  or  octopus.  The  number  of 
sejuid  eaten  was  small,  six  being  the  maximum 
number  in  one  Sea-Lion,  while  the  quantit}^  of 
fish  was  large,  at  least  thirty-five  pounds  being 
taken  from  one  stomach.” 

The  detailed  report  of  the  kinds  of  fishes  con- 
sumed as  food  by  these  animals  reveals  an  as- 
sortment of  very  little  value,  and  not  one  salmon 
or  shad.  Professor  Dyche’s  discovery — that 
the  California  Sea-Lion  feeds  almost  exclusively 
upon  squid — was  fully  confirmed,  for  the  twenty- 
four  animals  killed  contained  only  three  rock- 
fish,  two  hake,  twenty-four  “small  fish”  and  one 
chimera, — but  over  eleven  hundred  squid!  The 
stomachs  of  the  Steller’s  Sea-Lions  contained 
fourteen  rock-fish,  two  perch,  thirty  clupeoid 
fish,  seventeen  “large  fishes  of  12  to  18  inches,” 
and  a few  skates,  sharks  and  squids. 

“The  testimony  of  the  fishermen  was  so  con- 
tradictory it  is  of  no  value.  . . . One  man 

claims  that  the  Sea-Lions  are  becoming  more 
numerous  and  destructive  every  year,  while 
another  claims  that  they  are  rapidly  becoming 


46 


OKDEES  OF  MAMMALS— SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS 


exterminated.”  There  was  “ practically  no  com- 
plaint” of  fish  destruction  “at  the  time  of  the 
investigation.  Sea-Lions  were  scarcely  ever  seen 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  salmon  nets  during  1901.” 
At  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River,  “the 
fishermen  were  unanimous  in  their  denunciation 
of  the  Sea-Lions.”  “The  shallow  water  and  the 
large  number  of  salmon  make  that  point  a favor- 
ite feeding  ground,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the 
Sea-Lioiis  are  doing  much  damage  there.”  “It 


the  strength  of  general  opinions;  for  a supposed 
enemy  may,  on  careful  investigation,  prove  to 
be  a friend. 

Steller’s  Sea-Lion,^  the  largest  Sea-Lion  in 
the  world,  inhabits  a few  isolated  spots  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  from  Santa  Cruz,  California  to  Ber- 
ing Strait.  Large  male  specimens  attain  an 
average  length  of  10  to  11  feet,  stand  6 feet  high, 
and  attain  a weight  estimated  by  competent  ob- 
servers at  1,400  pounds.  The  full-grown  male 


steller’s  se.\-lion. 


appears  that  the  Sea-Lions  are  doing  very  little 
damage  anywhere  excepting  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  River.”  (Report,  page  117.) 

A summary  of  the  results  of  the  investigation 
establishes  three  facts: 

1.  The  California  Sea-Lion  is  not  guilty  of 
destroying  fish  to  any  great  extent,  and  deserves 
protection,  not  death. 

2.  Steller’s  Sea-Lion  eats  miscellaneous  fish; 
but  on  the  coast  of  California  does  nothing  to 
merit  destruction.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Co- 
lumbia it  is  destructive,  and  there  deserves  to  be 
kept  in  check. 

3.  Wild  animals  never  should  be  destroyed  on 


has  a girth  of  8 to  9 feet,  a lion-like  head,  coarse 
neck  hair  4 inches  long,  and  canine  teeth  like  a 
grizzly  bear,  which  are  much  used  in  fighting. 

The  full-grown  females  are  from  8 to  9 feet 
long,  weigh  from  400  to  500  pounds  and  are  more 
finely  formed.  The  hair  is  coarse,  and  the  ani- 
mal is  now  of  practically  no  commercial  value, 
save  for  its  oil.  This  species  is  readily  distin- 
guished from  the  California  sea-lion  by  its  far 
greater  size,  its  hoarse  voice,  the  very  large  neck, 
and  the  long,  coarse  neck  hair  of  the  males. 

In  its  habits,  this  great  Sea  Lion  is  very  pe- 
culiar. Amongst  themselves  the  old  males 
* Eu-me-to'pi-as  stel'ler-i. 


THE  FUR  SEAL 


47 


fight  fiercely,  and  with  their  big  canine  teeth 
inflict  upon  each  other  many  severe  skin  wounds. 
I have  seen  specimens  whose  necks  bore  scores  of 
large  scars.  In  the  presence  of  man,  however, 
they  are  timid,  and  easily  frightened. 

This  giant  among  Sea-Lions  is  found  on  the 
coast  of  California,  in  small  numbers  only,  at 
Point  Ano  Neuvo,  near  Santa  Cruz,  at  Puris- 
sima,  the  Farallone  Islands,  Point  Reyes,  and 
Point  Arena.  On  the  coast  of  Oregon  it  is  found 
about  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  and  Tillamook 
Head.  The  agents  of  the  United  States  Fish 
Commission,  reporting  observations  made  in 
1901,  stated  that  “probably  half  of  the  Sea-Lions 
of  California  (of  both  species)  are  found  at  the 
Farallone  Islands,  and  it  seems  doubtful  whether 
the  total  number  on  the  coast  amounts  to  five 
thousand.”  A large  colony  of  Steller’s  Sea- 
Lions  inhabits  Bogoslof  Island,  Alaska,  living 
almost  in  the  shadow  of  that  celebrated  volcano. 

In  October,  1903,  the  New  York  Zoological 
Society’s  agents  succeeded,  after  many  fruitless 
efforts,  in  capturing  six  young  specimens  in  the 
sea  off  San  Miguel  Island,  California,  and  safely 
transporting  them  to  New  York,  where  the  ex- 
periment of  keeping  this  species  in  captivity  is 
now  being  tried  in  the  Zoological  Park. 

The  Fur  Seal,*  which  yields  the  beautiful 
and  costly  fur  so  highly  prized  for  ladies’  gar- 
ments, is  not  a true  seal,  but  a sea-bear  or  sea- 
lion,  quite  similar  in  form,  size  and  general  hab- 
its to  the  California  species  already  described. 
It  is  found  on  the  Pribilof  or  Seal  Islands,  in 
Bering  Sea,  where  during  the  Russian  occupa- 
tion it  was  twice  nearly  exterminated  for  its  fur; 
on  Copper  and  Robben  Islands,  off  the  coast 
of  Siberia;  and  in  the  open  sea  from  the  Pribilof 
Islands  southeastward  to  the  thirty-fifth  parallel, 
thence  northward  along  the  coast,  back  to  the 
Seal  Islands. 

The  size  of  the  Fur  Seal  has  been  carefully  ob- 


The  Fur  Seal  has  two  kinds  of  hair.  Its  outer 
coat  is  long,  stiff,  coarse,  and  gray  in  color.  In 
preparing  skins  for  market,  all  this  is  plucked 
out  and  thrown  away,  leaving  only  the  fine,  soft, 
brown  under  fur,  which  before  manufacture  is 
dyed  a rich,  blackish-brown  color.  Fur  Seal  gar- 
ments vary  in  price  from  $200  to  $700. 

The  Fur  Seal  has  strange  and  interesting 
habits.  It  spends  about  two-thirds  of  each  year 
far  at  sea,  making  a circuit  of  6,000  miles  in  the 
open  ocean  without  touching  land.  For  some 
strange  reason,  the  herd  in  American  waters 
has  chosen  the  two  Pribilof  Islands,  St.  Paul 
and  St.  George,  as  the  only  spots  in  our  waters 
whereon  they  are  willing  to  land  and  rear  their 
young.  To  these  favorite  breeding-places,  on 
these  islands  known  as  “ hauling-grounds,”  the 
Fur  Seal  millions  were  wont  to  repair  in  the  early 
summer  of  each  year,  to  rear  their  young.  The 
returning  herd  begins  to  arrive  between  May  1 
and  15,  the  breeding  season  is  over  by  September 
15,  and  by  the  end  of  November  all  the  Seals 
are  gone  on  their  great  winter  cruise  southward 
into  warmer  waters.  By  a long  series  of  inqui- 
ries the  winter  cruise  of  the  herd  has  been  mapped 
out  by  Dr.  D.  S.  Jordan  and  his  associates,  and 
is  shown  on  the  next  page. 

On  the  breeding  grounds,  each  large  and  hard- 
fighting  old  male  gathers  round  him  a harem  of 
from  six  to  ten  females,  fights  off  all  rivals,  young 
or  old,  and  elects  himself  the  head  of  an  imposing 
family.  The  three-year-old  male  Seals — called 
“bachelors” — were  killed  for  their  fur,  to  the 
number  of  about  100,000  each  year.  The  fe- 
males bear  only  one  “pup”  annually,  immedi- 
ately after  landing  in  May. 

The  mother  Seals  leave  their  young,  go  to  sea 
in  search  of  food,  remain  several  days  perhaps, 
or  even  a fortnight,  then  return  and  go  straight 
to  their  own  respective  offspring.  It  was  the 
killing  of  the  mothers  at  sea  that  produced  an 


served  by  Mr.  Henry  W.  Elliott,  and  recorded 
as  follows: 

enormous 
each  year. 

falling-off  in  the  number  available 
The  persistent  slaughter  of  mothers 

Male.s  I 

f At  birth  (June  20) 

Length  12  to  14 

in. 

Girth  10  in. 

Weight  6 to  74  lbs. 

AND 

.\t  six  months. 

“ 24 

ti 

U 

25  “■ 

“ 39  ' “ 

Females. 

' .\t  one  year. 

“ 38 

(( 

U 

25  “ 

“ 39  “ 

j 

' At  two  years. 

“ 45 

it 

u 

30  “ 

“ 58  “ 

Males  1 

\ At  three  years. 

“ .52 

ti 

il 

36  “ 

“ 87  “ 

ONLY.  I 

i At  six  years. 

“ 72 

u 

u 

64  “ 

“ 280  “ 

1 

[ At  8 to  20  years. 

“ 75  to  80 

it 

a 

70  to  75  in. 

400  to  500  lbs. 

* Cal-lo-ta'ri-a  ur-si'na. 


48 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS 


will  exterminate  any  species  of  animal,  no  matter 
how  numerous. 

The  accompanying  map  graphically  illustrates 
the  remarkable  sea-going  habits  of  the  Pribilof 
Fur  Seal  herd  after  the  close  of  the  breeding 
season,  and  during  the  intensely  cold  and  fear- 


fully windy  winters  that  annually  render  life  on 
the  Seal  islands  a serious  task. 

The  combined  political  and  commercial  im- 
portance of  the  Fur  Seal  demands  a brief  summary 
of  the  most  important  facts  of  its  rise  to  favor, 
its  decline,  and  finally  its  fall.  The  end,  how- 
ever, is  not  yet;  but  it  looms  very  near. 

REVIEW  OF  FUR  SEAL  HISTORY. 

For  the  past  seventeen  years,  the  Fur  Seal 
has  been  to  the  United  States,  England  and 
Canada  a source  of  well-nigh  constant  anxiety, 
contention,  and  at  times  irritation.  Inasmuch 
as  the  fate  of  that  animal  is  still  pending,  it  seems 
desirable  to  set  forth  the  most  important  facts 
in  its  case,  in  chronological  order.  The  history 
of  the  Fur  Seal  since  our  acquisition  of  .Alaska 
is  divided  into  two  periods,  one  of  revenue,  and 
one  of  contention. 

The  Period  of  Revenue. 

1867. — When  Alaska  became  a United  States 
possession,  by  purchase  from  Russia  at  a cost  of 
$7,200,000,  the  fur  of  the  Fur  Seal  was  almost 
unknown  to  fashion,  and  outside  of  Russia  was 
neither  used  nor  particularly  desired. 

1870. — The  United  States  leased  to  the  Alaska 


Commercial  Company,  for  twenty  years,  the  ex- 
clusive right  to  kill  each  year  on  the  Pribilof 
Islands,  100,000  young  male  Fur  Seals,  receiving 
therefor,  annually,  the  sum  of  $317,500. 

1873. — The.  Alaska  Commercial  Company 
began  to  expend  $100,000  in  cash,  chiefly  in 
London,  in  making  the  wearing  of  sealskin 
fashionable.  This  effort  was  entirely  suc- 
cessful. 

1873. — After  a careful  survey  of  the 
Pribilof  Islands,  and  an  elaborate  com- 
putation of  the  number  of  Fur  Seals  then 
inhabiting  them,  Mr.  Henry  W.  Elliott,  a 
special  agent  of  the  Treasury  Department, 
announced  the  total  number  of  Seals  to 
be  3,193,420.  He  says:  “No  language 
can  express  adequately  your  sensations 
when  you  first  stroll  over  the  outskirts  of 
any  one  of  those  great  breeding  grounds 
of  the  Fur  Seal  on  St.  Paul’s  Island.  . . . 
Indeed,  while  I pause  to  think  of  this  sub- 
ject, I am  fairly  rendered  dumb  by  the 
vivid  spectacle  which  rises  promptly  to 
my  view.  It  is  a vast  camp  of  parading 
squadrons  which  file  and  deploy  over  slopes 
from  the  summit  of  a lofty  hill  a mile  down 
to  where  it  ends  on  the  south  shore.  Upon 
that  area  before  my  eyes,  this  day  and  date 
of  which  I have  spoken,  were  the  forms  of  not 
less  than  three-fourths  of  a million  seals,  mov- 
ing in  one  solid  miass  from  sleep  to  frolicsome 
gambols,  backward,  forward,  over,  around  . . . 
until  the  whole  mind  is  so  confused  and  charmed 
by  the  vastness  of  mighty  hosts  that  it  refuses  to 
analyze  any  further.”  (“Our  Arctic  Province,” 
p.  313.) 

Some  observers  estimated  the  number  of  Seals 
at  a figure  higher  than  Mr.  Elliott’s.  Others  have 
recently  contended  that  it  must  have  been  less. 

1880. — “Pelagic  sealing”  means  the  killing 
of  Fur  Seals,  male  or  female,  in  the  open  sea,  by 
means  of  guns  or  spears.  It  is  an  exceedingly 
wasteful  and  destructive  method,  but  it  had 
been  going  on  in  a quiet  way  for  many  years. 
On  land,  only  male  Seals  are  killed.  In  the  sea, 
about  four  females  were  killed  to  every  male 
taken,  and  the  pups  on  shore  were  left  to  starve. 
In  1880,  the  total  number  of  Seals  taken  at  sea 
in  Bering  Sea  was  only  8,418;  but  from  that 
time  on,  the  killing  increased  rapidly,  and  be- 
came fearfully  destructive. 


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Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 


50 


ORDEKS  OF  MAMMALS- 

1883. — Up  to  this  time,  the  great  Seal  herd  of 
Bering  Sea  was  in  a state  of  equilibrium,  and 
yielded  on  the  islands  its  annual  quota  of  100,000 
“bachelor”  Seals  without  sensible  variation. 
The  number  killed  at  sea  in  1882  was  15,551. 

The  Period  of  Contention. 

1886.  — The  catch  of  Seals  at  sea  rose  to  28,- 
494.  Of  the  large  fleet  of  vessels  then  hunt- 
ing Seals  in  Bering  Sea,  a number  were  seized 
by  the  United  States  government  vessels  which 
were  guarding  the  Islands.  These  were  chiefly 
Canadian  schooners,  but  some  were  American. 

1887.  — The  pelagic  sealing  fleet  was  increas- 
ing each  year.  The  United  States  began  negotia- 
tions with  six  foreign  governments  with  a view 
to  securing  co-operation  in  saving  the  Seals  from 
the  extermination  which  threatened  them  at  the 
hands  of  the  “poachers.” 

1890.  — The  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  terminated,  and  the  North  American 
Commercial  Company  bid  successfully  for  the 
new  lease  of  the  Seal-taking  privilege  on  the 
Pribilof  Islands.  According  to  the  calculations 
of  Mr.  Elliott,  the  Seals  on  the  Islands  now 
numbered  959,455.  Except  four  years,  from 
1871  to  1889,  over  100,000  male  Seals  had 
been  taken  annually,  on  the  Islands,  and  paid 
for.  The  total  revenue  derived  by  our  govern- 
ment during  that  twenty-year  period  was  $6,- 
350,000.  In  1890,  the  Seals  killed  and  secured 
at  sea  numbered  40,814,  while  the  number  killed 
and  lost  was  unknown. 

1891.  — An  agreement  called  a modus  vivendi 
(or  way  of  living  in  peace)  was  made  between 
England  and  the  United  States,  for  three  years, 
designed  to  close  Bering  Sea  to  pelagic  sealing 
pending  the  result  of  the  Paris  Tribunal.  Prac- 
tically, it  amounted  to  nothing. 

1893. — The  case  of  the  pelagic  sealers  was 
tried  before  the  Paris  Tribunal,  and  through  the 
ineffective  management  of  our  case,  we  lost  on 
practically  all  our  contentions.  The  pelagic 
sealers  emerged  from  the  contest  with  full  license 
to  kill  Seals  at  sea  everywhere  outside  a sixty- 
mile  radius  of  the  Pribilof  Islands.  Because 
Japan,  China  and  Russia  were  not  parties  to 
the  Tribunal,  the  people  of  those  nations  were 
not  bound  by  the  award  which  keeps  American, 
Canadian  and  English  sealing  vessels  sixty  miles 
away  from  the  Seal  islands! 


SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS 

1894.  — In  this  year  61,838  Seals  were  killed 
at  sea  and  secured,  while  an  unknown  number 
were  killed  and  lost. 

1895.  — Mr.  J.  B.  Crowley  (Member  of  Congress 
in  1903),  as  a special  agent  of  the  Treasury  De- 
partment, assisted  in  counting  the  dead  bodies 
of  about  30,000  Fur  Seal  “pups,”  on  the  Seal 
islands,  which  had  starved  that  year  by  reason 
of  the  killing  of  their  mothers  while  at  sea  in 
search  of  fish.  {Congressional  Record.)  There 
were  56,291  Seals  killed  at  sea,  by  the  eighty-one 
vessels  engaged  in  pelagic  sealing.  On  land  the 
number  killed  was,  by  order  of  the  government, 
reduced  to  14,846. 

From  1890  to  the  end  of  1895  (six  years)  the 
cost  to  the  United  States  Government  of  its 
efforts  to  patrol  the  waters  of  Bering  Sea,  with 
war  vessels  and  revenue  cutters,  and  protect — as 
far  as  possible  — the  Seal  herd  from  complete 
annihilation,  was  $1,410,721.  Besides  this,  the 
government  expended  $227,163  on  its  Treasury 
Agents,  and  $473,000  was  paid  by  the  decision 
of  the  Paris  Tribunal,  as  “damages.”  to  the  men 
who  stole  our  Seals,  and  were  caught  in  the  act! 

1897.  — The  number  of  dead  pups  counted  on 

the  breeding  grounds,  by  Mr.  Frederic  A.  Lucas 
and  others,  was  21,750,  and  in  October  the 
number  of  seals  remaining  alive  of  our  herd  was 
estimated  at  343,746.  (D.  S.  Jordan.  “Re- 

port Fur  Seal  Investigation,”  1896-97,  p.  100.) 

1898.  — By  a law  passed  December  29,  1897, 
all  citizens  of  the  United  States  were  absolutely 
prohibited  from  killing  or  capturing  Fur  Seals 
at  sea  anywhere  in  Bering  Sea,  the  Sea  of  Ok- 
hotsk, or  anywhere  north  of  the  35th  parallel  of 
north  latitude.  The  ownership  of  any  Fur  Seal 
skins  taken  in  those  waters  was  also  prohibited, 
under  severe  penalties.  All  skins  from  female 
Seals,  either  raw  or  dressed,  were  also  excluded 
from  our  markets. 

From  that  date  (December  29,  1897),  pelagic 
sealing  ceased  to  be  an  American  industry.  It 
is  now  for  England  and  Japan  to  say  whether  or 
not  it  shall  continue  until  all  the  mothers  are 
slaughtered,  and  all  the  pups  starved  to  death. 

1903. — The  situation  of  the  Fur  Seal  has  grown 
desperate,  and  its  fate  is  wavering  in  the  balance. 
The  number  now  alive  is  about  200,000.  While 
Americans  cannot  now  engage  in  pelagic  sealing 
under  our  flag,  and  no  Canadians  may  inside  the 
sixty-mile  limit,  dozens  of  well-equipped  sealing 


IMPENDING  FATE  OF  THE  FUR  SEAL 


51 


vessels  are  sent  out  from  Yokohama,  and  other 
ports  in  Japan,  under  the  Japanese  flag,  which 
hunt  seals  within  three  rnilcs  of  the  Prihiloj  Isl- 
ands! Canadian  Scalers  still  hunt  outside  the, 
protected  zone,  ami  kill  many  seals,  annually. 

Up  to  this  date,  our  government  has  done 
everything  in  its  power  to  prevent  the  extermi- 
nation of  the  Fur  Seal,  and  afford  it  a just  meas- 
ure of  protection.  England  fears  that  she  can 
go  no  farther  without  giving  grave  offence  to 


of  him  who  can  take  it.  Patriotism,  and  the 
desire  for  the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  num- 
ber, does  not  enter  into  their  calculations.  The 
American  or  Canadian  pelagic  sealer  claims  that 
the  open  sea  is  his,  and  he  cares  only  for  the  $10 
or  $15  that  each  raw  skin  is  worth.  England 
cannot  rea.sonably  be  expected  to  quarrel  with 
Canada  because  of  our  desire  to  perpetuate  our 
Seal  herd,  and  derive  from  it  a revenue  of  a mill- 
ion dollars  a year, — which  is  the  sum  which  the 


Drawn  by  J.  C.^rter  Beard. 

THE  H.VRP  SE.\L. 

Young  and  old  specimens,  showing  changes  in  pelage  at  different  periods. 


Canada.  Hut  in  England,  about  $2,00(),(XX)  of 
ca|)ital  are  invested  in  the  business  of  dyeing 
and  dres,-sing  Fur  Seal  skins,  and  this  work  em- 
ploys— or  did  employ — Ix'twcen  two  thousand 
and  three  thousand  operatives.  It  has  always 
l>een  impo.ssible  for  Seal  skins  to  be  satisfactorily 
dyed  and  dres.sed  in  .\merica. 

The  insurmountable  obstacle  to  the  j)rotec- 
tion  of  the  Fur  Seal  is  its  fatal  habit  of  going  to 
.'‘(■a,  far  from  its  hauling  grounds,  coupled  with 
the  Ix-lief  of  a large  number  of  ('anadians  and 
.\mericans  that  a Seal  at  sea  is  the  lawful  prize 


Fur  Seals  would  yield  to-day,  but  for  the  slaugh- 
ter of  1,000,000  females  at  sea,  and  the  murder  or 
starvation  of  1,000,000  pups,  at  sea  and  on  shore. 

Just  what  events  will  make  up  the  next  and 
possibly  the  final  chapter  in  the  life  history  of 
this  interesting  and  valuable  species,  it  is  at  pres- 
ent impossible  to  foretell.  Judging  by  the  past, 
and  the  indications  of  the  present,  the  Alaskan 
Fur  Seal  is  doomed  to  practical  annihilation,  but 
not  total  extinction.  Let  us  hope,  however,  that 
even  yet  the  statesmen  of  the  United  States, 
England,  Canada  and  Japan  will  join  in  the 


52 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS 


enactment  and  enforcement  of  a humane  measure 
of  protection  which  really  will  protect. 

THE  SEAL  FAMILY. 

Phocidae. 

The  Little  Ringed  Seal^  is  the  Seal  of  the 
Farthest  North,  and  the  friend  of  the  northern 
Eskimo  all  round  the  pole.  It  is  the  smallest 
North  American  species,  and  looks  very  much 


bear,  with  two  small  cubs,  was  closely  following 
up  the  seals  as  they  worked  north  through 
the  ice  pack. 

The  Common  Harbor  Seal,*  of  both  our  ocean 
coasts,  is  a good  representative  of  the  Seal  Fam- 
ily, chiefly  because  it  is  the  species  most  frequent- 
ly seen.  It  ascends  rivers  far  above  tidal  influ- 
ence, and  has  been  taken  in  Lake  Champlain. 
In  the  Columbia  River  a closely  related  species 


THE  RIBBON  SE.\L. 


like  the  common  harbor  seal.  It  goes  as  far 
north  as  it  can  find  breathing-holes.  Nansen 
found  it  on  May  .31,  at  82°  21',  or  within  460  miles 
of  the  pole,  living  in  the  narrow  lanes  of  water 
that  were  then  forming  in  the  great  polar  ice 
pack.  It  was  a Bearded  Seal,'^  however,  which, 
on  .June  22,  afforded  the  brave  explorers  a good 
supply  of  food  when  men  and  dogs  were  almost 
starved.  And,  true  to  its  nature,  an  old  polar 
' Pho'ca  foe'ti-da.  Er-i-gnalh'us  bar-ba'lus. 


has  been  taken  above  The  Dalles,  200  miles  from 
the  sea. 

The  Harp  Seal-  is  not  only  one  of  the  hand- 
somest of  all  Seals,  but  it  is  also  the  species 
most  valuable  to  man.  It  is  found  on  both  sides 
of  North  America,  but  always  in  cold  waters. 
In  the  year  1900,  five  sealing  steamers  of  New- 
foundland took  nearly  100,000  seals,  mostly 
Harps,  on  the  coast  of  Labrador  and  northward 
* Pho’ca  vit-u-li'na.  ^ Pho'ca  green-land' ic-a. 


THE  WALRUS  FAMILY 


53 


thereof,  and  the  value  of  the  catch  was  over  a 
((uarter  of  a million  dollars. 

This  species  passes  through  several  strongly 
marked  changes  of  pelage  and  color.  The 
baby  is  covered  from  no.se  to  flipper-tijjs  with  a 
thick  coat  of  long,  woolly  hair  of  snowy  white- 
ness. This,  when  shed  at  si.x  months  after  birth, 
is  replaced  b)'  a coat  of  bluish  gray  hair,  with 
light  trimmings.  On  reaching  adult  age,  in  its 
fifth  year,  this  animal  is  very  strikingly  marked 
by  black  or  dark-brown  patches  grouped  together 
on  the  sides  and  back,  on  a white  or  yellowish 
ground-color  apparently  in  the  shape  of  a harp. 
This  Seal  is  also  called  the  Saddle-Back,  and 
(ireenland  Seal. 

The  Hooded  Seal ' of  the  North  .\tlantic  is 
a large  species,  often  attaining  S feet  in  length. 
The  old  males  are  distinguished  by  the  possession 
of  a flexible  bag  of  skin  on  top  of  the  nose,  which 
is  capable  of  being  inflated  with  air  until  it  forms 
a lofty  and  remarkable  excrescence  on  the  creat- 
ure’s face.  This  sac  is  sometimes  10  inches  long 
and  C inches  high.  The  color  of  this  Seal  is  dark 
bluish-gray,  marked  with  irregular  light  spots. 
It  once  came  as  far  south  as  New  Jersey. 

The  Klbbon  Seal, or  Harlequin  Seal,^  in  its 
color  ])attern  is  the  most  remarkable  of  all  living 
Pinnij)eds,  and  there  are  many  persons  who  con- 
sider it  the  most  beautiful  member  of  its  Order. 
On  a smooth  ground-color,  either  of  blackish- 
brown  or  yellowish-gray,  Nature  has  sportively 
arranged  several  yards  of  broad,  yellowish-white 
ribl)on.  One  strip  goes  around  the  neck,  and  ties 
under  the  throat.  From  a point  low  down  on  the 
breast,  another  starts  upward,  curves  gracefully 
over  the  shoulder,  drops  down  in  front  of  the  pel- 
vis, where  it  comes  together,  then  turns  and 
crosses  over  the  body.  In  many  specimens  the 
uniformity  of  the  width  of  the  ribbon  is  remark- 
ably well  maintained. 

This  Seal  is  from  4 to  G feet  in  length.  Its 
home  is  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Bering  Sea,  and 
in  the  fresh  waters  of  Lake  Iliamna,  in  the  upper 
end  of  the  .\la.skan  Peninsula. 

THE  \V.\LKUS  F.\MILY. 

Odohenidae. 

Of  all  living  mon.sters  that  ever  move  upon 
land,  the  Pacific  ^^'alrus^  is  one  of  the  most 
' CyK-toph'o-ra  crix-ta'la. 

’ Ilis-tri-o-pho'ca  jas-ci-a'la.  ^ 0-do-ben' us  o-be'sus. 


wonderful.  A full-grown  male  is  a living  moun- 
tain of  heaving  flesh,  wrinkled,  furrowed  and 
seamed,  ugly  as  a satyr,  and  as  strange  in  habits 
as  in  appearance. 

Its  form  is  that  of  a sea-lion  with  a neck  enor- 
mously thickened.  Its  upper  jaw  is  provided 
with  two  long,  strong  tusks  of  icory,  and  its  skin 
is  almost  destitute  of  hair.  A full-grown  male 
measures  from  10  to  12  feet  in  length  from  no.se 
to  tail,  the  top  of  its  head  is  about  5 feet  from 


HEAD  OF  HOODED  SE,\L. 

the  ground,  the  girth  of  its  neck  is  from  12  to  14 
feet,  and  it  weighs  from  1,800  to  2,000  pounds. 
Its  skin  varies  from  half  an  inch  to  two  inches 
in  thickness;  it  is  of  a dirty  yellow  color,  and  lies 
on  a mass  of  fat  which  often  is  six  inches  thick. 
The  largest  pair  of  tusks  known  to  the  author 
measure  24J  inches  in  exposed  length,  and  are 
in  the  British  Museum. 

The  Pacific  Walrus  eats  more  or  le.ss  of  aquatic- 
plant  food,  but  its  principal  food  is  shell-fish  and 
crustaceans.  These  it  digs  up  from  the  muddy 
bottoms  of  the  broad,  shallow  bays  along  the 
coast,  crushes  between  its  powerful  jaws,  and 
swallows  in  great  (luantities,  shells  and  all!  Crabs 
and  shrimps  foim  a pleasing  variety,  and  for 
salad  it  devours  the  bulbous  roots  and  tender 
stalks  of  marine  plants  which  in  summer  grow 
in  its  home  waters. 

In  former  times,  the  Pacific  Walrus  existed 
in  great  herds  on  the  coast  of  Alaska,  from  the 
north  shore  of  the  .\laskan  Peninsula  northward 
through  Bering  Strait,  and  thence  ea.stward  as 
far  as  Point  Barrow.  There  the  herds  encoun- 
tered the  edge  of  the  great  permanent  ice-pack, 
and  could  go  no  farther.  In  winter  the  Walrus 


54 


ORDEES  OF  MAMMALS— SEALS  AND  SEA-LIONS 


herds  float  about  on  the  ice-fields,  retreating 
southward  as  the  edge  of  the  ice  advances.  In 
the  open  sea,  the  sleeping  posture  of  the  Walrus 
is  floating  bolt  upright  in  the  water.  He  grunts 
and  bellows,  and  many  times  vessels  have  been 
warned  off  dangerous,  fog-hidden  rocks  by  the 
Walrus  lying  upon  them. 

On  land  the  Walrus  is  the  most  clumsy  and 


In  1900,  steamers  bearing  gold-miners  to  Cape 
Nome  passed  through  herds  of  Walrus  in  Bering 
Sea,  and  many  of  the  animals  were  killed,  waste- 
fully  and  wantonlj^,  by  passengers  firing  from  the 
decks,  with  no  possibility  of  securing  a single 
victim.  As  elsewhere,  the  instinct  of  man  in  the 
far  north  is  to  slay  and  slay,  and  preserve  no 
living  thing. 


THE  PACIFIC  WALRUS. 

An  old  male  of  the  largest  size.  Drawn  from  a mounted  spenimen  in  the  United  States  National  Museum. 


helpless  of  all  land  animals,  and  is  easily  ap- 
proached and  killed.  In  the  water,  it  becomes  a 
danger  to  be  avoided,  on  account  of  its  proneness 
to  wreck  small  boats.  A full-grown  Walrus  has 
never  been  seen  in  captivity.  Two  or  three  very 
young  specimens  have  reached  Europe,  and  in 
September,  1902,  Commander  Robert  E.  Peary 
brought  one  to  New  York  for  the  Zoological 
Park,  where  it  was  exhibited  until  it  died. 


The  Walrus  has  been  hunted  so  diligently  for 
its  oil  that  to-day  very  few  remain,  and  the  na- 
tives who  once  depended  solely  upon  this  animal 
for  food,  fuel,  lights,  boats,  dog  harness,  and 
leather  for  all  purposes  now  are  on  the  verge  of 
starvation,  and  are  really  kept  alive  by  public 
bounty.  Previous  to  our  purchase  of  Alaska, 
about  10,000  Walrus  were  killed  annually  by  the 
Eskimo,  and  utilized.  In  the  long,  hard  winter 


TEE  ATLANTIC  WALRUS 


55 


of  1879-80,  when  the  sea  was  frozen  all  around 
St.  Lawrence  Island,  for  many  miles  in  every 
direction,  the  Walrus  herds  were  forced  to  re- 


YOUNG  ATLANTIC  WALRUS. 

Captured  by  Commander  R.  E.  Peary,  and  exhibited 
in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park. 

main  so  far  away  that  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Island,  save  one  small  settlement,  died  of  starva- 
tion. 

The  Atlantic  Walrus'  is  of  about  the  same 
* 0-do-ben' us  ros-ma'rus. 


length  as  the  Pacific  species,  but  it  has  a shorter 
and  much  smaller  neck.  Its  tusks,  also,  are 
much  smaller.  It  is  still  found  in  considerable 
numbers  in  Smith’s  Sound,  and  is  quite  abundant 
north  of  Franz  Joseph  Land,  where  Nansen  pho- 
tographed and  killed  many.  Its  most  northerly 
latitude  is  82°.  A specimen  killed  by  Comman- 
der Robert  E.  Peary  was  9 feet  in  length,  and 
weighed  1,509  pounds.  The  skin  alone  weighed 
220  pounds. 

Professor  L.  L.  Dyche  has  kindly  furnished 
the  measurements  of  the  largest  male  Walrus 
out  of  eighteen  taken  by  him  on  the  coast  of 
northern  Greenland: 

Length  (straight  line),  end  of  nose  to  end 
of  body,  129  inches. 

Tail,  exposed,  none. 

Length  of  rear  flippers,  26  inches. 

Girth  of  animal  when  suspended  by  the 
neck,  129  inches. 

Exposed  length  of  tusk,  19  inches. 

Circumference  of  tusk  at  base,  8J  inches. 

The  largest  cow  Walrus  measured  116  inches 
in  length,  1 13  in  girth,  exposed  tusk,  lOf  inches. 


CHAPTER  V 


THE  ORDER  OF  MOLES  AND  SHREWS 

INSECT IVOR  A 


In  the  dark  and  cold  embrace  of  Mother  Earth, 
away  from  the  cheering  sunlight,  and  the  beauti- 
ful upper  world  that  we  enjoy,  there  dwells  a 
group  of  mammals  so  strange,  and  yet  so  useful 
to  man,  that  they  excite  our  admiration  for  the 
wise  purpose  which  developed  and  placed  them 
there.  Pass  not  unthinkingly  the  moles  and 
shrews,  for  they  have  been  most  cunningly  de- 
signed to  serve  a definite  and  important  purpose 
in  the  economy  of  Nature. 

In  farming  countries,  the  top  soil  of  the  earth 
is  a vast  incubator  for  the  development  of  de- 
structive insect  larvae.  In  soil  that  is  rich  and 
productive,  “grub-worms,”  “cut-worms,”  and 
“wire-worms”  abound;  and  in  regular  rotation 
they  greedily  devour  the  seeds,  roots  and  leaves 
of  growing  crops.  But  for  the  enemies  which 
keep  them  in  check,  there  would  be  a hungry 
grub  for  every  sprouting  seed. 

And  how  can  man  wage  war  successfully 
against  insect  life  in  the  soil?  Impossible.  To 
meet  this  difficult  proposition,  we  need  a vigor- 
ous living  creature  with  a nose  like  a gimlet, 
sharp-pointed  teeth,  soft  fur,  feet  specially  de- 
signed for  digging,  and  eyes  so  small  that  to 
them  sunlight  is  an  unnecessary  luxury.  Such 
animals  are  found  in  the  moles  and  shrews,  of 
the  Order  In-sec-tiv'o-ra,  humble  but  faithful 
workers  in  man’s  interest.  Neither  the  horse 
nor  the  o.x  is  more  diligent  in  our  service  than 
are  these  toilers  of  the  soil.  Yet  what  is  their 
reward? 

In  his  mole-like  blindness,  man  frequently  dis- 
covers things  that  are  not  true.  Often  a per- 
fectly honest  farmer  concludes  that  a mole  is 
eating  his  seed  corn  in  the  ground,  or  the  vegeta- 
bles in  the  garden;  and  straightway  the  mole 
is  killed.  His  accuser  has  found  a runway 
following  up  a row  of  newly-planted  corn,  and 
when  the  seed  fails  to  sprout,  the  mole  is  accused 
of  having  eaten  it! 

In  all  such  cases,  the  mole  is  a victim  of  cir- 
cumstantial evidence,  and  suffers  through  the 


lack  of  counsel  to  cross-examine  the  witnesses 
for  the  prosecution.  Did  anyone  ever  find  much 
vegetable  food  in  a mole’s  stomach?  Not  often. 
Did  anyone  ever  see  a mole  eat  vegetable  food? 
Probably  not.  A mole  placed  in  a box  and  sup- 
plied with  vegetable  food  alone  soon  starves  to 
death.  Moles  do  not  eat  seed  corn,  or  garden 
vegetables;  but  they  do  visit  corn-hills  to  eat 
the  grubs  that  come  to  devour  the  corn. 

Every  young  naturalist  must  learn  early  what 
constitutes  direct  evidence.  Far  too  long  have 
the  mole  and  shrew  been  convicted  and  slain 
on  circumstantial  evidence.  Meadow  mice  some- 
times attack  seed  corn  by  utilizing  the  run- 
ways that  have  been  made  by  moles  in  reaching 
the  corn-hills  to  secure  the  grubs  that  attack 
the  seeds;  and  almost  invariably  the  testimony 
is  that  the  moles  have  done  the  damage.  In 
France  the  value  of  the  mole  is  recognized  by 
law,  and  the  killing  of  one  is  punishable  by  a fine 
of  five  francs. 

The  shrews  and  moles  not  only  find  their  food 
underground,  but  live  the  entire  cycle  of  their 
lives  in  subterranean  darkness.  Moles  seek  their 
food  by  digging  tunnels  in  ground  that  is  loose 
and  dry,  the  roof  being  raised  into  a ridge  which 
in  smooth  lawns  is  an  annoying  disfigurement. 
Gardeners  are  apt  to  forget  that  they  always 
work  where  insect  larvae  are  thickest,  and  the 
need  for  their  help  is  most  urgent.  The  tunnel- 
makers  are  driven  from  lawns  by  persistently 
trampling  down  their  runways. 

The  Order  Insectivora  is  represented  in  the 
United  States  by  two  Families,  the  members  of 
which  are  easily  recognized  by  the  following 
well-marked  characters : 

The  Moles  have  pointed  heads;  extremely  large 
spade-like  front  feet,  that  always  are  held  with 
the  outer  edge  up;  no  neck;  the  front  legs  are 
exceedingly  short;  there  is  no  external  ear,  and 
no  external  eye;  the  body  is  short,  thick  and 
clumsy,  and  the  tail  is  hairless. 

The  Shrews  have  pointed  heads,  but  small, 
5G 


THE  MOLE  FAMILY 


57 


1.  COMMON  MOLE.  2.  ST.\.R-NOSF,D  MOLE. 


rat-like  feet;  there  is  a very  small  eye,  an  e.x- 
ternal  ear,  and  a distinct  neck.  The  body  is 
rather  slender,  and  as  a whole,  the  animal  looks 
much  like  a short-tailed  mouse. 

THE  MOLE  FA3IILY. 

Talpidae. 

This  Family  contains  twelve  full  species,  all 
cjuite  interesting.  Their  skins  and  skulls  have 
been  studied  closely,  but  'our  information  re- 
garding their  habits  is  very  meagre.  .\s  a rule, 
moles  are  larger  than  shrews.  The  largest  of 
all  is  an  Oregon  species,  which  measures  7 inches 
in  length  of  head  and  body,  and  tail  1^  inches, — 
an  unusual  size  for  a mole. 

On  all  moles  the  fur  is  fine,  thick,  very  soft 
and  velvety,  and  faultlcs.sly  smooth  and  clean. 
All  these  creatures  love  .sandy  soil,  which  they 
can  ciLsily  burrow. 

The  Conimon  Alole'  is  known  to  the  ma- 
jority of  country  dwellers  by  its  upheaved 
tunnels  on  the  surface  of  the  gro'ind.  In  ap- 
l)carance  the  animal  is  a flattened,  oblong  ball 
of  fine,  soft,  shimmering  gray  fur,  OJ  inches  long, 
' Sra'lops  a-qual' i-cus. 


to  which  the  naked,  little  pink-white  tail — which 
looks  like  a small  angle- worm — adds  If  inches. 
Its  nose  projects  half  an  inch  beyond  its  mouth, 
and  on  the  end  it  feels  as  hard  as  if  it  contained 
a bone.  It  terminates  in  a broad,  flattened 
point,  shaped  (juite  like  a rock-drill. 

The  fore  foot  is  three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide, 
but  less  than  an  inch  in  length,  including  the 
claws,  which  measure  half  an  inch.  In  your 
hand,  a 3Iole  is  a wriggling,  restless  creature. 
Place  it  upon  ground  that  is  not  packed  hard,  and 
in  about  one  second  it  has  found  a suitable  spot 
for  an  opening.  Its  nose  sinks  into  the  earth  as 
if  it  were  a brad-awl,  with  a combined  pushing  and 
boring  motion,  and  in  three  seconds  your  Mole’s 
head  is  no  longer  in  sight. 

Up  comes  the  powerful  right  foot,  sliding  close 
along  the  side  of  his  head,  edgewise  and  palm 
outward,  to  the  end  of  the  nose.  The  living 
chisel  cuts  the  earth  vertically,  and  then,  with 
a quick  motion  it  pries  the  earth  sidewise  from 
its  nose.  Instantly  the  left  foot  does  the  same 
thing  on  the  other  side,  while  the  bi'ad-awl  nose 
goes  right  on  boring.  In  ten  seconds,  by  the 
watch,  the  Mole’s  body  has  entirely  disappeared, 
and  in  three  minutes  our  Mole  will  tunnel  a foot, 
unless  interrupted. 

When  skinned  for  dissection,  it  is  found  that 
the  eye  is  merely  a small,  dark  speck  under  the 
skin,  suitable  only  to  distinguish  light  from  dark- 
ness. The  eye-ball  is  about  the  size  of  a pin- 
head. The  arm  and  forearm  is  a big,  hard  bun- 
dle of  tough  muscles  and  powerful  tendons, 
shaped  like  an  Indian  club,  of  enormous  size  in 
proportion  to  the  creature’s  body. 


DIGGING  MUSCLES  OF  A MOLE. 


The  Mole  is  a wonderful  example  of  energy 
and  power.  Desiring  to  observe  their  methods 
of  working  when  undisturbed,  I once  placed  one 
in  a five-acre  clover-field,  at  11  o’clock  .\.m. 
During  the  first  seven  hours  it  had  tunneled 
twenty-three  feet,  in  a zig-zag  line.  During  the 
ne.xt  seventeen  hours  it  dug  thirty-five  feet,  and 


58 


ORDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— MOLES  AND  SHREWS 


during  the  next  hour,  ten  feet  more.  The  total 
work  consisted  of  sixty-eight  feet  of  main  line, 
and  thirty-six  and  a half  feet  of  branches,  mak- 
ing in  all  one  hundred  and  four  and  a half  feet. 

An  observing  farmer-boy,  named  Lawrence 


1.  End  of  nose.  2.  Left  forefoot. 

ST.^R-NOSED  MOLE. 

Miller,  once  gave  me  a clear  and  intelligent 
description  of  a Mole’s  burrow  which  he  uncov- 
ered and  observed  closely.  It  was  a dome- 
shaped hole,  two  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  reached  from  above  by  a hole  that  ran 
down  slanting  into  its  top.  The  burrow  was  a 
foot  wide  at  the  bottom,  where  three  small  gal- 
leries ran  off  about  six  inches,  in  different  direc- 
tions. Near  the  top  of  the  chamber  was  a sort 
of  shelf,  supporting  a bed  of  soft  material,  and 
on  this  lay  a Mole.  The  young  are  usually  two 
in  number. 

Besides  the  Common  Mole,  of  the  Eastern 
United  States  generally,  we  have  the  Prairie 
or  Silver  Mole  of  the  prairie  regions  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley;  the  Hairy-Tailed  Mole  of  the 
Eastern  United  States,  and  the  Oregon  Mole  of 
the  Pacific  slope.  The  Star-Nosed  Mole,  of  the 
northeastern  United  States  and  Canada,  is 
quickly  recognized  by  the  remarkable  star-like 
appendage  of  eighteen  ray-like  point.s,  with  four 
more  between  them,  on  the  end  of  its  nose. 

THE  SHREW  FAMILY. 

Soricidae. 

North  of  Mexico,  this  Family  contains  about 
thirty-five  full  species,  distributed  throughout 
nearly  every  portion  of  North  America  south  of 
a line  drawn  from  the  mouth  of  the  Mackenzie 
River  to  Labrador.  With  most  cheerful  in- 
difference, they  inhabit  mountains,  plains,  swamp 
lands  and  sandy  sea-coasts,  hot  countries  and 
cold.  Everywhere,  however,  their  noses  are 
long  and  sharp,  their  eyes  and  ears  minute,  and 
the  colors  of  all  species  are  very  sober,  ranging 


from  dull  gray  to  brown,  and  ending  in  black. 
There  are  two  species  which  are  so  widely  dis- 
tributed they  may  well  be  taken  as  types  of  the 
entire  thirty-five. 

The  Common  Shrew^  is  found  on  the  Atlan- 
tic coast,  from  New  England  northwestward  to 
Alaska,  and  southward  through  the  Appalachian 
Mountains  to  Tennessee  and  North  Carolina. 
Its  color  is  brown  above,  and  dull  gray  under- 
neath; head  and  body,  inches  long,  tail.  If 
inches.  The  ground  plan  of  its  skull  is  a perfect 
triangle  spreading  thirty-five  degrees,  and  is 
very  flat.  Although  very  soft  and  fine,  its  fur 
is  not  so  velvety  as  that  of  a mole.  This  creat- 
ure is  very  small,  and  quite  mouse-like  in  ap- 
pearance. 

Unlike  the  mole.  Shrews  occasionally  emerge 
from  their  burrows,  and  wander  about  near 
their  entrances.  But  they  are  exceedingly  shy, 
and  although  they  are  frequently  thrown  out 
by  the  spade  or  plough,  they  are  very  rarely  seen 
moving  about.  Above  ground  they  are  very 
helpless,  and  being  unable  to  run  rapidly,  they 
try  in  a feeble  way  to  hide.  When  taken  in  the 
hand,  the  musky  odor  they  emit  is  rather  disa- 
greeable. 

The  Short-Tailed  Shrew’  is  another  type 
worthy  of  special  mention.  It  is  readily  recog- 
nized by  its  very  short  tail,  only  1 inch  in 
length,  while  its  head  and  body  measure  4 
inches.  Its  color  is  smoky  brown  above,  and 
dull  gray  underneath,  and  in  size  it  is  the  largest 


1.  COMMON  SHREW.  2.  SHORT-T.\ILET)  SHREW. 


of  the  Shrews.  It  is  found  from  the  eastern 
edge  of  the  Great  Plains  to  the  Atlantic  coast, 
and  is  one  of  the  largest  members  of  the  Shrew 
Family. 

* So' rex  per-son-a'tus. 


“ Bla-ri'na  bre-vi-cau'da. 


CHAPTER  VI 


THE  ORDER  OF  BATS 

CIIIROPTERA 


The  strange  wing-handed,  flying  mammals 
composing  this  Order  exhibit  differences  in 
form  that  are  fairly  bewildering.  They  range 
all  the  way  from  the  beautiful  to  the  fantastic 
and  the  hideous,  and  some  of  them  are  well 
worthy  of  study. 


members  of  the  Bat  Order  as  a whole  are  almost 
as  little  known  as  the  whales  and  porpoises  of 
the  deep  sea.  Our  lack  of  acquaintance  with 
bats  is  due  chiefly  to  their  nocturnal  habits, 
and  the  consequent  difficulty  in  observing  them. 
To-day,  bats  are  so  little  known  that  there  are 


Drawn  by  J.  C.miter  Beard.  From  a specimen  in  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Sciences. 


BORNE.^N  N.\KED  B.\T. 

The  younp  arc  carried  in  two  dorsal  pouches,  from  one  of  which,  under  the  left  elbow,  a small  head  protrudes. 


The  great  majority  of  bats  are  useful  to  man 
in  destroying  the  insects  which,  without  the 
aid  of  the  birds  and  Ix'asts,  vert'  soon  would  over- 
whelm him.  The  harmful  species  are  those 
which  destroy  fruit,  and  a few  which  suck  the 
blood  of  domestic  animals. 

Owing  to  certain  natural  conditions,  the 


perhaps  a million  persons  who  only  know  that 
they  fly  at  night,  and  are  “ awful  things  to  get 
into  your  hair.” 

I have  seen  thousands  of  bats,  flying  in  many 
different  places,  but  never  yet  saw  one  alight 
upon  a woman’s  hair;  and  I believe  the}"  are  no 
more  given  to  doing  so  than  are  humming-birds. 
59 


60 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— BATS 


From  the  bats  of  the  United  States,  there  is 
nothing  to  fear,  for  their  claws  and  teeth  are 
pitifully  weak.  One  cross  old  “bumble-bee,” 
angrily  bumbling,  is  more  dangerous  to  a peace- 
ful community  than  all  the  bats  of  our  country 
taken  together.  In  some  portions  of  South 
America,  howev'er,  the  vampire  bats  cause  seri- 
ous trouble. 

Keen-eyed  boys  and  girls  all  over  the  world 
should  know  that  little  is  known  concerning 


SKELETON  OF  P.\LE  B.\T. 
Antrozous  pallidus. 


the  habits  of  bats,  and  much  remains  to  be  found 
out.  These  creatures  are  therefore  excellent 
subjects  for  original  investigation. 

The  Order  of  Bats  as  a whole  contains  about 
four  hundred  and  fifty  species,  but  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  three-fourths  of  them  are  known  only 
by  their  dry  skins  and  skulls,  and  that  their 
habits  are  quite  unknown.  The  questions  are, — 
why  do  bats  live?  Upon  w'hat  do  they  feed? 
Are  they  useful  to  man,  or  injurious?  What 
are  their  friends  and  their  enemies?  Do  they 
migrate,  and  at  what  times?  Where  do  they 
nest,  or  take  shelter;  and  what  are  the  facts 
about  their  young?  What  parasites  and  dis- 
eases have  they? 

Although  the  bat  is  a true  mammal,  it  is  al- 
most as  wide  a departure  from  the  ordinar}’’, 
four-legged,  land-going  t}^pe  as  is  a whale  or 
manatee.  Its  hand  reveals  an  extreme  degree 
of  what  is  called  “specialization.”  For  a mam- 
mal, the  arms  are  of  great  length.  The  bones  of 
the  fingers  are  enormously  extended,  and  con- 
nected with  hairless  skin  as  flexible  as  India 
rubber,  to  form  a wing  for  flight.  This  wing 
membrane  is  extended  on  up  the  arm  to  the 
body  and  the  legs,  and  is  continued  between 


the  legs  and  tail,  where  it  forms  a supporting 
parachute  in  flight. 

The  thumb  of  a bat  is  very  short  and  free; 
and  its  nail  is  developed  as  a hooked  claw,  by  the 
aid  of  which  the  creature  can  comfortably  climb 
about  or  support  itself.  The  favorite  position 
of  a bat  at  rest  is  hanging  by  its  feet,  head  down- 
ward. 

To  be  “as  blind  as  a bat”  is  not  to  be  blind 
at  all,  but  rather  to  possess  powers  of  vision  that 
are  uncommonly  good  in  semi-darkness,  or  at 
night,  and  fairly  good  even  in  the  broad  light 
of  day.  When  disturbed  at  midday,  all  the 
bats  I have  ever  seen  alive  (perhaps  twenty 
species  in  all)  have  flown  away  to  places  of  se- 
curity as  briskly  and  successfully  as  so  many 
swallows.  The  eyes  of  all  night-flying  bats  are 
small,  jet  black,  and  look  like  tiny  black  beads, 
but  those  of  the  day-flying  fruit-bats  are  very 
much  larger  in  proportion. 

The  teeth  of  bats  of  different  species  show 
wide  variation.  In  nearly  all  of  the  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  species,  the  canine  teeth  are  as 
strongly  developed  as  in  the  cat,  and  in  some 
bats  their  proportions  are  really  formidable. 
A careless  examination  of  a bat’s  skull  might 
easily  lead  one  to  believe  that  it  belonged  to  a 
carnivorous  animal.  But  the  molar  teeth  will 
always  tell  the  true  story. 

The  insect-eating  bats,  which  far  outnumber 
all  others,  have  cheek-teeth  which  terminate  in 
sharp  points,  and  are  .specially  designed  for  cut- 
ting to  pieces  the  hard  parts  of  hard-shelled  in- 
sects. The  fruit-bats,  however,  have  molars 
of  a very  different  sort,  with  rather  smooth 
crowns,  for  crushing  instead  of  cutting.  The 
blood-sucking  vampire  bats  of  South  America 
have  very  large  canine  teeth  with  sharp,  cutting 
edges,  and  even  the  molar  teeth  are  formed  with 
scissor  edges,  very  much  like  the  teeth  of  cats. 

The  teeth  and  skulls  of  bats  exhibit  many  in- 
teresting and  even  extraordinary  variations, 
but  it  is  impossible  to  enumerate  them  here. 
The  accompanying  figures  show  the  characters 
of  two  species  found  in  the  United  States. 

As  previously  remarked,  very  little  is  known 
regarding  the  habits  of  bats,  chiefly  because 
their  nocturnal  habits  make  it  very  difficult  to 
find  them,  or  to  observe  them.  We  know  that 
in  winter  some  of  our  species  live  in  caves,  in  a 
semi-dormant  condition.  Ur.  C.  H.  Eigenmann 


HABITS  OF  BATS 


61 


says,  of  the  thousands  that  inhabit  Mammoth 
C'a%-e,  “ they  fly  readily  if  disturbed  in  summer, 
but  in  winter  they  hang  apparently  dead.  If 
disturbed,  a few  respiratory  movements  may 
be  seen,  and  they  may  utter  a few  squeaks, 
when  they  again  remain  apparently  lifeless.  If 
knocked  from  the  roof  some  of  them  fall  to  the 
bottom  of  the  cave  and  flap  about,  others  fly 
away.  I have  seen  them  leave  a cave  in  mid- 
winter, after  being  disturbed,  but  fly  no  further 
than  a hundred  yards,  then  turn  and  enter  the 
cave  again.” 

In  central  Montana,  where  there  are  no  trees, 
I once  found  a large  colony  of  bais  inhabiting  a 
cave  that  a subterranean  stream  had  washed 
under  the  prairie.  In  Arizona  there  is  a cave 
which  is  said  to  contain  “ a million  ” bats.  Once 
while  hunting  elephants  in  the  Malay  Peninsula, 
the  attention  of  my  companion  and  myself  was 
arrested  by  a strange,  pungent  odor  which  filled 
the  air.  Upon  investigating  the  cause  of  it,  we 
discovered  a large  cave  of  a very  interesting 
character,  inhabited  by  thousands  of  bats,  and 
floored  with  a layer  of  bat  guano  a foot  or  more 
in  depth,  representing  the  accumulation  of  a 
century. 

In  warm  countries,  bats  inhabit  hollow  trees. 
But  do  they  inhabit  such  homes,  and  actually 
hibernate  in  them  in  winter,  in  the  temperate 
zone?  On  this  point,  direct  evidence  is  desirable. 
Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam  has  proved  that  some  bats 
of  the  North  .\merican  temperate  zone  do  mi- 


grate, as  birds  do,  going  south  in  winter  and  re- 
turning in  spring. 

The  conditions  of  wild  life  in  the  temperate 
zone  are  rather  unfavorable  to  the  development 
of  large  bats,  and  for  this  reason  none  of  the 
bats  of  the  United  States  are  of  large  size  or  com- 
manding importance.  The  large  fruit-bats,  or 
“flying  foxes,”  can  exist  only  wUere  they  can 
procure  a good  supply  of  fruit  all  the  year  round; 
and  for  this  reason  they  are  mainly  confined  to 
the  tropics.  During  our  northern  winter,  a true 
vampire  bat  could  indeed  prey  upon  the  blood  of 
domestic  animals ; but  in  zero  weather,  the  naked 
wdngs  of  such  a creature  would  freeze  stiff  in  a 
very  few  moments.  The  large  vampire  bat  of 
India,  for  some  rea.son  called  the  “false”  vam- 
pire (Meg-a-der'ma  ly'ra),  which  devours  small 
frogs,  fishes,  small  birds,  and  even  bats  smaller 
than  itself,  could  live  iii  our  southern  and 
southwestern  states,  but  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  it  to  go  far  north  of  the  frost  line. 
All  bats  inhabiting  the  colder  regions  of  the 
temperate  zone,  within  the  snow  limit,  must 
either  hibernate  in  winter,  without  food,  or 
migrate. 

Owing  to  the  great  number  of  species  of  bats, 
and  of  the  many  groups  into  which  they  have 
been  divided,  it  is  desirable  to  mention  here  only 
a few  examples  with  which  every  intelligent 
person  should  be  acquainted. 

The  bats  have  been  divided  by  Nature  into 
two  Suborders,  and  six  Families,  as  follows  : 


THE  ORDER  OF  BATS 


< 

Qi 

Czl 

h 

cu 

0 

01 

X 

o 

ca 

u 

Q 

oc 

o 


SUBORDERS. 


FAMILIES. 


EXAMPLES. 


Le.AF-XoSED  B.ATS,  . PHYL-LOS-TO-M AT'I-DAE 


Inse^t^Eating  j Free-T.\iled  B.\ts,  em-bal-lo-nu'ri-dae,  . 


M i-cro-ch  i-ro  p'- 
ter-a. 


Common  Bats,  . . ves-per-til-i-on'I-dae  . 


F.ALSE  Va.MPIRES,  . SfEG-A-DER-M AT’I-DAE, 

Horseshoe  B.ats,  . rhi-no-lopip i-dae,  . 


Fruit-Eating  1 

Bats:  t Flying  Foxes,  . . 

Meg-a-chi-rop'-  i 
ter-a.  ' 


PTER-O-POD’I-DAE, 


i Leaf-Nosed  Bat. 
Blainville’s  Bat. 
Javelin  Bat. 
Great  Vampire. 

j Bonneted  Bat. 

I Naked  Bat. 

( Red  Bat. 

Gray  Bat. 

' Big-Eared  Bat. 

False  Vampire. 


^ Flying  Fox. 

•;  Hammer-Headed 
( Bat. 


62 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— BATS 


THE  FAMILY  OF  LEAF-NOSED  BATS. 

Ph  yllostomatidae. 

The  members  of  this  Family  bear  on  their 
noses  thin  leaves  of  naked  skin  that  stand  erect 
behind,  or  partly  around,  the  nostrils.  These 
wonderful  nose-leaves  are  pear-shaped,  heart- 
shaped,  wedge-like,  and  of  many  other  forms. 
The  ears  are  large,  or  very  large ; the  wing  mem- 


CALIFORNIA  LEAF-NOSED  BAT. 

(After  Harrison  Allen.) 

brane  reaches  down  to  the  foot;  the  tail  is  long, 
and  sometimes  extends  a short  distance  beyond 
the  interfemoral  membrane.  On  the  whole,  the 
bats  of  this  Family  form  an  astonishing  exhibit 
of  facial  oddities.  All  save  a few  species  are 
confined  to  South  America. 

The  California  Leaf-Nosed  BaF  may  be 
taken  as  a very  modest  example,  because  it  bears 
what  is  really  a very  simple  form  of  nose-leaf. 
It  is  found  in  southern  California  and  Mexico, 
and  its  pelage  is  very  light-colored. 

The  most  remarkable  of  all  bat  faces  is  that 
of  a small,  brown-colored  West  Indian  species 
known  as  Blainville’s  Bat.’  As  a sport  of  Nat- 
ure it  stands  fairly  unrivalled,  and  shows  what 
is  possible  in  the  fashioning  of  skin  into  orna- 
mental forms.  The  ears  are  large  and  of  most 
fantastic  form,  the  chin  is  bedecked  with  a high- 
ly convoluted  bib  of  skin,  and  the  eyes  and  nos- 
trils are  almost  lost  amid  the  leaves  and  tuber- 
cles which  cover  the  muzzle.  As  a whole,  the 
appearance  of  the  face  of  this  bat  suggests  a high- 
ly complicated  flower,  like  a double  pansy.  The 
skull  is  only  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  length. 

* 0-top'ter-ns  cal-i-for'ni-cus. 

’ Mor'moops  blain'vill-ii. 


This  species  is  quite  uncommon,  and  practically 
nothing  is  known  of  its  habits. 

In  fashioning  the  noses  and  ears  of  bats.  Nat- 
ure has  done  some  very  odd  and  curious  work. 
The  flowers  of  orchids  are  not  more  oddly  fash- 
ioned than  the  heads  and  faces  of  some  species. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  these 
queer  facial  appendages  and  long  ears  of  the 
leaf-nosed  bats  are  purely  ornamental.  Dr. 
George  E.  Dobson,  one  of  the  greatest  authori- 
ties on  bats,  has  pointed  out  two  very  curious 
facts.  (1)  The  bats  with  small  ears  and  no  nose- 
leaves  fly  most  in  the  early  twilight;  and  many, 
such  as  the  fruit-bats,  fly  in  the  daytime.  (2) 
The  long-eared  and  leaf-nosed  bats  prefer  dark- 
ness, and  seek  their  food  only  at  night. 

Let  us  see  if  we  can  find  a reason  for  this. 
A cruel  investigator  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
named  Spallanzani,  once  destroyed  the  eye- 
sight of  several  bats,  then  suspended  many  silken 
threads  from  the  ceiling  of  a room,  and  liberated 
the  creatures.  Although  totally  blind,  the  bats 
flew  to  and  fro  between  the  threads,  without 
once  striking  them,  and  were  equally  successful 
in  avoiding  branches  of  trees  that  were  intro- 
duced. It  now  seems  certain  that  some  bats 
possess  a sixth  sense,  of  which  at  present  we  know 
nothing,  by  which  they  are  able  to  fly  in  total 
darkness,  and  avoid  even  the  smallest  obstruc- 
tions. 

It  seems  quite  probable  that  the  long  ears  and 
nose-leaves  of  the  night-going  bats  aid  their 
owners  in  guiding  their  flight;  but  the  precise 
manner  in  which  it  is  done  remains  to  be  dis- 
covered. 

The  True  Vam- 
pire Bats.  — By 
this  name  we  seek 
to  distinguish  the 
bats  which  actual- 
ly suck  the  blood 
of  living  creatures, 
from  the  so-called 
vampires  which 
live  on  fruit.  In 
South  America 
there  are  five  spe- 
cies of  true  vam- 
pires, three  of 
which  are  known 
as  the  javelin 


blainville’s  flower-nosed 
BAT. 

(After  Peters.) 


VAMPIRE  BATS 


63 


bats,  tlie  others  as  the  short-nosed  vampires. 
The  centre  of  abundance  of  these  creatures  ap- 
pears to  be  the  valleys  of  the  Amazon  and  the  Rio 
Negro,  and  the  adjacent  regions;  but  one  of  the 
species  ranges  all  the  way  from  Chile  to  ^lexico. 

Of  the  true  vampires,  the  Javelin  Bat^  is 
the  one  which  is  most  aggressive,  and  most 
dreaded.  It  bites  horses  and  cattle,  usually  on 
the  shoulders,  neck  or  hindquarters,  and  makes 
a wound  in  the  skin  of  sufficient  depth  to  cause 
blood  to  flow  freely,  even  after  the  bat  has  flown 
away.  Naturally,  an  animal  that  is  thus  preyed 
upon  soon  grows  thin  in  flesh,  and  becomes 
visibly  weakened.  On  the  island  of  Mucina,  in 
the  delta  of  the  Amazon,  the  serious  injuries  in- 
flicted by  the  Javelin  Bats  upon 
domestic  animals  have  long  been 
known. 

But  where  true  vampires  are 
abundant,  they  do  not  confine 
their  attacks  to  domestic  animals. 

Human  beings  are  occasionally 
called  upon  to  pay  blood  tribute 
to  the  small  wing-handed  demons 
of  the  air.  Men  are  bitten  at 
night,  when  asleep,  usually  either 
upon  the  nose,  or  the  feet.  With 
its  sharp-edged  teeth,  the  creat- 
ure makes  a very  small  round 
hole  in  the  skin,  and  by  means  of 
mouth  suction  which  must  be  quite  powerful, 
the  blood  is  soon  flowing  freely.  Fortunately, 
blood-poisoning  is  not  an  attendant  evil  of  the 
Vampire’s  bite,  and  the  wound  seldom  becomes 
painful. 

The  common  Javelin  Bat  measures  a little 
less  than  4 inches  in  length  of  head  and  body, 
and  in  color  is  reddish  brown.  All  the  other 
true  vampires  are  smaller,  and  all  are  practically 
tailless,  the  parachute  membrane  stretching 
between  the  legs,  quite  down  to  the  feet,  without 
the  support  of  tail  vertebrae.  Naturally,  these 
creatures  are  widely  known;  for  any  bat  which 
lives  upon  warm  blood,  alwaj's  drawn  from  a liv- 
ing fountain,  is  bound  to  acquire  wide  notoriety 
and  a very  evil  reputation.  The  skull  of  a Jave- 
lin Bat,  seen  in  profile,  looks  very  much  like  the 
skull  of  a miniature  wolf. 

In  order  to  illustrate  once  more  how  easily 
a harmless  animal  can  acquire  an  evil  reputa- 
* Phyl-los'to-ma,  has-ta' turn. 


tion,  and  further  emphasize  the  necessity  of  tak- 
ing direct  evidence  before  pronouncing  a verdict, 
we  introduce  a 28-inch  bat  from  South  America, 
most  unjustly  called  the  Great  Vampire,^  but 
not  really  belonging  to  the  genus  of  blood-suck- 
ers. Mr.  H.  W.  Bates,  the  “Naturalist  on  the 
Amazon,”  lived  for  a time  where  this  species  was 
quite  abundant,  and  of  it  he  wrote  in  his  book  as 
follows : 

“Nothing  in  animal  physiognomy  can  be 
more  hideous  than  the  countenance  of  this  creat- 
ure when  viewed  from  the  front;  the  large, 
leathery  ears  standing  out  from  the  sides  and  top 
of  the  head;  the  erect,  spear-shaped  appendage 
[nose-leaf]  on  the  tip  of  the  nose,  the  grin,  and  the 


glistening  black  eye,  all  combining  to  make  up 
a figure  that  reminds  one  of  some  mocking  imp 
in  a fable.  [The  very  savage-looking  canine 
teeth  might  well  have  been  mentioned,  also.] 
No  wonder  that  imaginative  people  have  in- 
ferred diabolical  instincts  on  the  part  of  so  ugly 
an  animal.  The  Vampire,  however,  is  the  most 
harmless  of  all  bats.”  Mr.  Bates  opened  the 
stomachs  of  a number  of  specimens,  and  found 
that  “they  had  been  feeding  chiefly  on  fruits,” 
and  wild  fruits,  at  that,  obtained  by  honest 
hunting  in  the  depths  of  the  forest. 

]\Ioral:  Never  make  an  affidavit  on  the  food 
habits  of  wild  animals  without  first  examining 
the  stomachs  of  several  specimens. 

THE  FA3IILY  OF  FREE-TAILED  BATS. 

Emhallonuridae. 

The  bats  belonging  to  this  Family  have  no 
nose-leaves,  and  the  tail  is  partly  free  from  the 
Vam-py'rus  spec'trum. 


G4 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— BATS 


membrane  between  the  legs,  either  rising  from 
its  upper  surface,  or  projecting  beyond  its  end. 
The  muzzle  is  rather  blunt,  and  the  nostrils 
open  beyond  the  upper  lip. 

The  Bonneted  Batd  of  California  and  Jlexico, 
is  one  of  the  largest  of  our  species  of  free-tailed 
bats.  Above  the  shoulders  it  looks  like  a rat 
wearing  a poke  bonnet.  Its  head-and-body 
length  is  2|  inches,  tail  1-J,  total  length  of  ear. 
If  inches.  One-half  the  tail  is  free. 

The  Naked  Bat,-  of  Borneo,  Java  and  Suma- 
tra, is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  species  of  the 
entire  Order  of  Bats,  and  in  some  respects  is  the 
widest  departure  from  the  typical  bat.  In  the 
interior  mountains  of  Sarawak,  Borneo,  I once 
secured  ten  fine  specimens,  and  to  me  they  are 
as  wonderful  to-day  as  when  handled  for  the  first 
lime. 

As  its  name  implies,  this  bat  is  practically 
destitute  of  hair,  the  only  hair  noticeable  be- 
ing a few  stiff,  black  bristles  on  the  neck,  and 
a little  microscopic  fuzz  on  the  breast  and  hind- 
quarters. The  skin  is  thick  and  leathery,  lying 
in  numerous  creases  and  folds,  and  on  the  living 
animal  it  is  very  elastic.  There  is  no  nose-leaf, 
and  the  lips  are  very  thick  and  fleshy.  The  tail 
is  free  of  parachute  membrane  for  two-thirds  of 
its  length,  and  is  quite  like  the  tail  of  a mole. 
On  the  joint  at  the  base  of  the  thumb  there  is  a 
large,  callous  tubercle,  which  indicates  that  this 
bat  is  much  given  to  crawling  about  on  “all 
fours,’’  on  rocks  and  tree-trunks. 

Around  the  neck,  the  skin  lies  in  two  thick 
folds,  and  in  these,  directly  under  the  chin,  is 
situated  a deep  gland  or  sac  which  secretes  a 
gummy  substance  with  an  odor  both  strong  and 
disagreeable.  Clearly,  like  the  scent-gland  of 
the  skunk,  it  is  for  defence. 

The  most  wonderful  feature  of  the  Naked  Bat 
is  yet  to  be  noticed.  On  seeing  this  species 
for  the  first  time,  one’s  first  thought  is,  how- 
do  the  young  bats  cling  to  the  parents  during 
flight? 

Nature,  ever  wise  and  provident,  has  answered 
this  question  by  placing  under  each  arm  of  this 
bat  a deep,  wide  pocket  of  rubber-like  skin, 
in  u'hich  the  young  are  carried  until  they  are 
able  to  fly!  The  mouth  of  this  pocket  is  on  a 
line  between  the  elbow  and  the  knee,  and  it 

' Pro'mops  cal-i-for'ni-cus. 

^ Chei-ro-me'les  tor-qua' lus. 


extends  upw-ard  and  backward,  over  the  en- 
tire shoulder,  quite  to  the  back-bone,  where  the 
two  sacs  are  separated  by  a thin  partition  of 
skin.  The  pouch  is  If  inches  deep,  and  in  its 
lower  portion,  against  the  ribs,  is  located  the 
mammary  gland.  On  the  whole,  this  is  the 
most  wonderful  infant-pouch  possessed  by  any 
living  creature,  not  even  excepting  that  of  the 
marsupials,  which  is  much  more  simple. 

My  largest  specimen  of  this  bat  had  a head- 
and-body  length  of  inches,  tail  2 inches  long, 
and  a wing  expanse  of  22  inches.  In  the  .skin 
were  many  curious  folds.  The  face  of  the 
Naked  Bat  is  coarse  and  ugly,  and  the  body  is 
quite  devoid  of  grace  and  beauty;  but  ere  one 
has  time  to  scoff  at  such  homeliness,  the  creature 
seems  to  say, — “Study  me;  for  I am  fearfully 
and  wonderfully  made!” 

This  bat  lives  upon  fruit  and  vegetation,  and 
nests  in  hollow  trees,  rock  crevices,  or  in  holes 
in  the  earth.  The  illustration  on  page  59  was 
drawn  from  one  of  my  Bornean  specimens. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  COMMON  BATS. 

V espertilionidae. 

These  are  the  bats  that  are  most  widely  known, 
and  also  the  most  numerous.  Dr.  E.  L.  Troues- 
sart  recognizes  more  than  200  species.  They 
range  over  all  portions  of  the  world  that  are 
habitable  by  small  bats. 

The  distinguishing  characters  of  the  members 
of  this  Family  are  chiefly  negative.  There  are 
no  nose-leaves,  the  nostril  openings  are  simple, 
and  the  tail  is  not  produced  to  any  extent  be- 
yond the  interfemoral  membrane. 

All  the  bats  of  the  United  States  are  of  small 
or  medium  size,  and  the  majority  of  them  belong 
to  this  Family.  Along  the  Atlantic  coast,  they 
are  so  common  that  nearly  every  person  living 
beyond  the  confines  of  the  great  cities  is  j)er- 
sonally  acquainted  with  at  least  one  species. 
The  commonest  is  the  beautiful  little  Red  Bat  * 
which  appears  in  the  early  twilight,  gliding  on 
swift  yet  noiseless  wings  up  and  down  the  .shaded 
streets  and  roads,  and  occasionally  making  a 
friendly  diversion  into  an  open  window,  or 
through  your  veranda,  partly  for  business  pur- 
poses, and  partly  as  an  evidence  of  friendly  re- 
gard. 

® Las-i-\i'rus  bo-re-al'is. 


BATS  OF  THE  UNITE J)  STATES 


65 


In  midsummer,  sharp  eyes  sometimes  find 
this  bat  hanging  close  in  amongst  the  leaves  of 
a chestnut  tree,  its  delicate  fur  as  red  as  the 
brightest  iron-rust.  Touch  it  ever  so  gently 
and  whisk!  it  is  off  as  swiftly  as  a swallow,  to 
seek  another  and  a better  hiding-place. 

From  sunset  until  it  grows  quite  dark,  it  is 
very  busy,  and  constantly  on  the  wing.  The 


THE  RED  B.\T. 


Red  Hat  is  a swift  flyer,  and  much  more  of  an 
aerial  gj’mnast  than  any  bird  I know.  In  its 
flight  it  can  turn  abruptly  with  marvellous  pre- 
cision, and  to  me  it  is  a constant  source  of  won- 
der that  it  can  fly  so  rapidly,  turn  and  double 
so  (juickly,  and  dart  in  all  possible  directions 
without  striking  something.  Almost  any  bird 
attempting  to  fly  over  the  course  of  a Red  Bat, 
and  at  the  .same  speed,  would  probably  come 
to  grief  in  a very  .short  time. 

The  only  mistake  that  Red  Bats  are  prone 
to  make  is  in  flying  into  houses  through  open 
windows,  and  instantly  forgetting  the  location  of 
the  means  of  escape.  Once  in  a room,  the  bat 
flies  slowly,  and  frequently  is  so  bewildered  by 
the  sudden  change  from  semi-darkness  to  light 
that  it  strikes  a wall,  and  falls  to  the  floor.  Al- 
though many  persons  arc  nervous  about  bats,  I 
have  noticed  that  whenever  one  flies  in,  some 


kind-hearted  and  sensible  person  generally  cries 
out,  “Don’t  kill  it!” 

While  crossing  the  Atlantic  quite  recently, 
a British  Long-Eared  Bat  was  found  on  board 
the  steamer,  thirty  miles  from  the  nearest  land, 
clinging  to  the  rail,  wet  and  weary.  .At  that 
time  there  was  no  breeze  from  the  land. 

When  taken  into  the  library,  its  wet  fur  soon 
dried,  and  it  began  to  fly  to  and  fro.  In  a short 
time  the  room  was  well  filled  with  passengers, 
who  watched  the  exhibition  with  great  interest. 
When  caught  and  held  for  close  examination, 
it  did  not  squeak  shrilly  and  protest  as  the  red 
bat  usually  does.  After  having  served  as  a 
useful  object  lesson  for  a large  number  of  young 
people,  our  strange  visitor  was  brought  safely  to 
New  York  harbor,  and  liberated. 

The  Gray  Bat  * is  one  of  the  largest  and 
handsomest  species  inhabiting  the  northeastern 
United  States  and  Canada.  It  is  also  found 
throughout  the  middle  West  from  Ohio  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  from  Manitoba  to  New  Mexico.  This 
is  a species  well  worth  looking  for.  It  has  small 
ears,  a head-and-body  length  of  3 inches,  tail  2 
inches,  and  it  is  readily  distinguished  by  its  dark 
brown  hair  tipped  with  silvery  w'hite. 

The  Big-Eared  Bat^  of  the  south  Atlantic 
states  has  ears  of  incredible  height  and  width 
for  a creature  so  small.  In  comparison  with 
the  size  of  the  wearer,  these  ears  are  the  largest 
worn  by  any  American  mammal.  They  are 
one-half  as  long  as  the  entire  head  and  body, 
being  H inches  in  height  and  nearly  1 inch 
wide,  w'hile  the  head  and  body  measure  only 
2A  inches. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  FALSE  VAMPIRES. 

M egadermatidae. 

This  Family  is  absent  from  America,  but  is 
mentioned  here  to  fill  wEat  otherwise  would  be 
a gap.  The  members  of  one  genus,  Megaderina, 
are  noted  for  their  carnivorous  habits.  The 
most  noteworthy  species  is  well  worthy  of  men- 
tion. 

The  “False”  Vampire  Bat,  of  India  and 
beyond,  bears  a name  which  is  quite  mislead- 
ing; for  in  its  habits,  this  creature  is  far  from 
being  a “false”  Vampire.  It  devours  frogs, 
small  fishes,  bats  smaller  than  itself,  atid  even 

' At-a-la'phn  cin'e-re-a. 

Co-rij-norhi'nus  ma-cro'tis. 


G6 


OEDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— BATS 


small  birds.  It  has  very  large  ears,  an  elaborate 
nose-leaf,  a head-and-body  length  of  3 inches 
and  a wing  expanse  of  16  inches. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  HORSESHOE  BATS. 

Rhinolophidae. 

This  Family  contains  thirty  species  of  small 
bats,  all  of  which  are  restricted  to  the  Old  World. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  FRUIT-EATING  BATS. 

Pteropodidae. 

The  members  of  this  Family  are  bats  of  very 
large  size,  with  fox-like  heads,  dense  and  abun- 
dant pelage,  large  eyes,  and  free  tails  when  tails 
are  present.  They  are  quite  diurnal  in  their 
habits,  and  feed  almost  exclusively  upon  fruit. 
They  inhabit  India,  Ceylon,  the  Malay  Archi- 
pelago and  eastern  Australia,  and  are  almost 
the  only  bats  that  find  their  way  into  captivity 
for  exhibition  purposes.  They  are  very  socia- 
ble in  their  habits,  and  live  in  colonies  of  from 
five  to  fifty  individuals. 

The  Flying  “Fox.”  ‘ The  largest  of  the  bats 
which  we  occasionally  see  darting  through  the 
gloaming  with  irregular,  jerky  flight,  are  about 
as  large  as  purple  martens, — tiny  creatures, 
weak,  and  quite  incapable  of  offence.  In  the 
East  Indies,  however,  and  also  Australia,  there 
are  bats  of  enormous  size.  These  are  known 
as  Fruit  Bats,  or  Flying  “Foxes.”  Some  of 
those  shot  by  the  author  in  Ceylon  had  wings 
which  spread  forty  inches. 

On  one  occasion  I found  the  top  of  a small 
tree,  about  fifty  feet  high,  filled  with  these  ani- 
mals. They  hung  head  downward  from  the 
upper  branches,  in  places  so  thickly  as  to  crowd 
each  other, — quarrelling,  squealing  shrilly,  and 
climbing  about.  To  see  nearly  a hundred  bats 
of  such  huge  size  hanging  in  one  tree-top,  quite 
at  home  in  the  broad  glare  of  a tropical  after- 
noon sun,  was  a strange  and  impressive  sight.  I 
had  been  asked  to  procure  and  preserve  for 
American  museums  six  dozen  specimens  of  that 
species,  and  when  after  long  observation  I finally 
fired  into  the  bunch,  the  black  and  brown  cloud 
of  giant  bats  that  rose  in  the  air,  and  slowly 
* Pter'o-pus  ed'wards-i. 


flapped  away,  was  one  of  the  most  grewsome 
sights  I ever  saw  in  animal  life.  Of  all  creatures 
that  fly,  none  are  so  thoroughly  uncanny  when 
outlined  against  the  sky  as  the  big,  black-winged, 
half-naked  Flying  “Fox.”  They  suggest  de- 
mons and  calamities. 

The  Flying  “ Fox  ” derives  its  name  from  the 
resemblance  of  its  head  to  that  of  a very  small 
fox.  It  feeds  wholly  upon  fruit,  and  when  it 
inhabits  well-settled  districts  it  is  cordially  dis- 
liked by  every  person  who  owns  a fruit-tree.  In 
some  portions  of  Australia,  these  creatures  have 
done  great  damage  to  fruit,  and  energetic  meas- 
ures, such  as  the  explosion  of  dynamite  among 
them,  have  been  resorted  to  for  their  destruc- 
tion. 

Some  of  the  fruit-growers  of  California  are  so 
apprehensive  of  this  creature,  and  so  fearful 
that  it  might  be  “introduced,”  they  have  se- 
cured the  passage  of  a law,  by  which  the  im- 
portation of  the  Flying  “Fox”  is  prohibited 
so  rigidly  that  not  one  specimen  can  be  imported, 
even  for  exhibition  in  a zoological  garden.  .A.s 
a matter  of  fact,  this  fear  of  the  presence  of  the 
Flying  “ Fox  ” in  the  United  States  is  quite  as 
groundless  as  the  old  fear  of  being  quill-shot  by 
Canada  porcupines.  It  certainly  would  be  very 
difficult  to  introduce  that  species,  and  keep  it 
from  being  exterminated,  except  possibly  in 
some  of  our  insular  possessions. 

In  the  Flying 
“Fox”  Family  is 
found  another  re- 
markable variation 
in  bat  physiognomy, 
the  Hammer-Head- 
ed Bat,  ‘‘  a species 
discovered  in  the 
land  of  the  gorilla, 
by  Du  Chaillu.  The 
head  of  the  animal 
is  of  large  propor- 
tions as  compared 
with  the  body,  and 
the  muzzle  is  enormously  enlarged.  In  general 
outline,  the  head  in  profile  is  much  like  the  head 
of  a moose.  This  is  quite  a large  bat,  its  wing 
expanse  being  28  inches. 

^ Ep-o-moph'o-rus. 


FHUIT-EATIXG  BATS,  OR  FLYING  “ FOXES.” 


CHAPTER  VII 


THE  ORDER  OF  GNAWING  ANIMALS 

GLIRES,  OR  RODENTS 


The  Order  of  Gnawing  Animals  contains  a great  many  species,  and  to  persons  who  have  not 
studied  it  with  some  attention,  it  is  a chaotic  jumble  of  living  creatures.  This  unsatisfactory  con- 
dition is  entirely  unnecessary.  A few  hours’  diligent  study — under  helpful  conditions — will  give 
any  intelligent  person  a fair  knowledge  of  the  subdivisions  of  this  Order,  and  an  acquaintance 
with  a sufficient  number  of  examples  so  that  each  strange  North  American  rodent  met  with  can 
be  referred  to  its  proper  Family. 

The  first  step  is  to  learn  the  names  of  the  Families,  which  are  as  follows: 


FAMILIES. 


APPROXIM.VTE  NUMBER 
OF  FULL  SPECIES. 


Sewellel  Family,  

Be.aver  Family, 

Mouse  and  Rat  F.amily,  . . . 

Pouched  Mouse  and  Rat  Family, 


Pocket  Gopher  Family, 


Pika,  or  “ Chief  H.are  ” Family,  . 
Hare  and  Rabbit  Family,  . . . 


THE  SQUIRREL  FAMILY. 

In  order  to  avoid  recognizing  a large  number 
of  Families  for  animals  that  are  closely  related, 
zoologists  have  agreed  that  the  Squirrel  Family 
shall  contain  the  marmots,  and  a number  of 
other  animals  that  are  closely  related  to  squir- 
rels. To  make  this  point  clear,  observe  this 
diagram : 


SCI-U'RI-DAE 

about  72  Species. 

AP-LO-DONT'I-DAE, 

...  4 

(( 

CAS-TOR'I-DAE,  . . . 

...  1 

(( 

MUR’ I -DAE 

...  171 

(( 

DI-POWI-DAE 

...  42 

U 

...  10 

(t 

GE-O-MY'I-DAE,  . . . 

...  33 

U 

...  2 

IC 

O-CHO-TON'I-DAE,  . . 

...  6 

it 

LE-POR'I-DAE 

...  30 

ti 

371  ‘ 

fiiS  g 

OfCb  a 
x ■<z- 


True  ( Tree  Squirrels.  Sciurus. 

Squirrels,  1 Squirrels  Tamias.  etc. 

! Ground  Squirrels,  Citellus. 


Marmots, 

Flying  Squirrels, 


( Prairie-"  Dogs,’ 
] Woodchucks,  . 


Cynomys. 

Marmota. 

Sciuropterus. 


All  these  creatures  appeal  strongly  to  persons 
who  live  in  the  country,  or  visit  city  parks.  Go 
anywhere  in  the  temperate  zone,  and  you  will 
find  some  of  them,  ready  to  greet  you,  and 


make  friends  with  you  if  you  choose.  You 
have  but  to  use  your  eyes,  and  you  will  see  them. 
In  the  East  you  have  the  gray  squirrel  and 
chipmunk;  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  the  fox 
squirrel;  on  the  Great  Plains,  the  ground-squir- 
rels and  prairie-"  dogs  ” ; in  the  West  the  Douglas 
squirrel,  and  a bewildering  array  of  chipmunks 
and  ground  squirrels.  He  who  fails  to  learn 
their  names,  and  make  friends  with  them,  loses 
much  pleasure. 

The  members  of  the  Squirrel  Family  are  so 
widely  distributed,  and  have  grown  so  accus- 
tomed to  man  and  his  ways,  that  there  are  few 
persons  who  have  not  seen  at  least  two  or  three 
wild  species  in  their  haunts.  Their  lives  are  full 
of  incident  and  interest,  and  to  the  young  nat- 
uralist, animal  artist  or  sculptor,  they  are  usually 
the  most  available  of  all  wild  animal  subjects. 

A very  attractive  book  might  be  written 


‘ The  subspecies  recorded  number  about  260  ! 

68 


THE  GEOUPS  OF  SQUIRKELS 


69 


about  the  many  beautiful  and  interesting  spe- 
cies of  sciuirrels  that  are  found  throughout 
North  America,  the  number  of  which  is  surpris- 
ingly great.  The  total  number  of  species  and 
subspecies  described  is  as  follows. 

In  Mexico  and  Central  America,  species, 
about  25,  subspecies,  about  18,  total  43;  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  species,  about  60, 
subspecies,  about  67.  The  total  for  North 
.\merica  is  about  170  species  and  geographic 
races.  Many  of  these,  however,  resemble  each 
other  so  closely  that  their  differences  are  too 
slight  for  our  consideration;  and  there  may  be 
a number  that  are  not  entitled  to  stand  as  in- 
deijendent  forms. 

Nature  has  divided  the  many  species  of  North 


American  squirrels  into  three  easily  remem- 
bered groups,  as  follows: 

Tree  Squirrels,  which  live  iu  the  tree-tops. 
E.\ami)le : Eastern  Gray  Squirrel. 

Rock  Squirrels,  which  live  in  rocks,  fences 
and  among  the  roots  of  large  trees.  Example: 
the  Common  Chipmunk. 

Ground  Squirrels,  of  prairie  countries,  which 
burrow  deejdy  in  the  earth.  Example:  the 

Stri|ied  Sj>ermophile. 

In  each  of  these  three  groups  there  are  sev- 
eral important  tyjws  which  must  be  noticed. 

The  Tree-Squirrel  Group. 

.\  patch  of  timber  or  a wood  lot  without  squir- 
rels always  conveys  an  impression  of  lone.some 
solitude  and  something  gone, — like  a country 


graveyard.  There  is  no  other  animal  of  equal 
size  that  can  add  so  much  of  life  and  cheerful- 
ness to  a hardwood  forest  or  a meadow  as  a good 
healthy  squirrel.  Why  is  it  that  American  men 
and  boys  kill  them  so  eagerly?  Surely  the  flesh 
of  their  little  bodies  is  not  needed  as  food.  It 
has  a taste  so  “gamey”  and  rank  that  to  many 
persons  it  is  decidedly  unpalatable.  Americans 
are  the  only  white  men  on  earth  who  eat  squir- 
rels. An  Englishman  would  as  readily  eat  a 
rat! 

Possibly  their  flesh  was  necessary  to  the  hardy 
but  hungry  pioneers  of  the  early  days;  but  to- 
day we  have  no  excuse  for  shooting  any  squir- 
rels, save  the  quarrelsome  red  squirrel.  Surely 
no  true  sportsman  or  right-minded  boy  can 


find  any  real  “sport”  in  “potting”  squirrels 
out  of  the  tree-tops. 

Take  the  common  gray  squirrel,  for  example. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  graceful  of 
our  native  mammals.  It  is  perfectly  harmless^ 
and  as  soon  as  it  learns  that  it  is  'protected,  it  be- 
comes so  tame  as  to  be  a delightful  companion 
on  the  farm.  Thousands  of  American  farmers 
would  fight,  were  it  necessary,  to  save  their 
sc}uirrels  from  slaughter.  Except  the  red  squir- 
rel, all  tree  squirrels  should  be  protected,  both 
by  public  sentiment  and  by  law. 

Excepting  the  chickarees,  the  squirrels  which 
live  in  the  tree-tops  are  considerably  larger  than 
those  of  other  groups,  and  their  tails  are  much 
longer.  Their  characteristic  colors  are  gray, 
rusty-brown,  yellow  and  black;  and  as  a rule 


Photographed  by  E.  R.  S.\nbork,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 

GRAY  SQUIRREL. 


70 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GXAWIKG  ANIMALS 


they  are  devoid  of  spots  or  stripes.  They  are 
very  strong  and  active  climbers,  and  keen  of  eye 
and  ear. 

The  Gray  Squirrel'  is  chosen  as  the  lead- 
ing type  because  it  represents  an  average  size, 
the  most  frequent  color,  and  is  widely  distributed. 
This  is  the  most  prominent  squirrel  of  southern 
Canada,  New  England,  and  the  eastern  and 


SOUTHERN  FOX  SQUIRREL. 


southern  states,  southward  to  Florida.  It 
ranges  westward  to  Minnesota,  Kansas  and 
Texas.  Above  its  color  is  clean  iron-gray,  which 
in  southern  specimens  is  mixed  with  dull  yellow. 
The  lower  surface  is  white,  varying  to  yellowish 
brown.  Usually  it  nests  in  hollow  trees,  but 
when  crowded  for  room  builds  an  open  nest  of 
green  leaves,  or  strippings  of  cedar  bark  made 
into  a round  ball.  The  young  are  usually  five 
in  number. 

* Sci-u'rus  car-o-li-nen' sis. 


The  Gray  Squirrel  frequently  consents  to  live 
in  city  parks,  and  becomes  quite  tame.  It  spends 
much  of  its  time  upon  the  ground,  searching  for 
nuts,  roots,  or  anything  which  can  be  eaten.  A 
very  large  specimen  measures  9^  -|-  8^  inches. 
Northern  specimens  are  larger,  and  have  longer 
and  finer  fur  than  those  of  the  southern  states. 

The  California  Gray  Squirrel''  is  the 
Pacific  coast  counterpart  of  the  eastern  gray 
squirrel,  except  that  it  is  larger,  and  its  colors 
are  brighter.  Its  color  above  is  bluish  gray  and 
black,  and  underneath  it  is  pure  white.  It  is 
the  largest  squirrel  in  the  far  West,  its  maxi- 
mum length  being  12  -f  10  inches.  Its  home 
extends  from  the  state  of  Washington  to  south- 
ern California,  and  it  is  in  every  way  a worthy 
product  of  that  fertile  and  healthful  region. 

The  Fox  Squirrels. — We  have  now  reached 
two  important  species,  to  which  the  student 
must  give  close  attention  in  order  to  avoid  con- 
fusing them  with  each  other,  and  with  the  gray 
squirrel.  The  southern  species  will  be  presented 
first,  because  it  has  two  points  by  which  it  can 
be  recognized  at  a glance. 

The  Southern  Fox  Squirrel®  is  the  only 
Squirrel  in  America  which  has  a pure  white  nose 
and  white  ears.  No  matter  how  much  the  re- 
mainder of  the  animal  may  vary  in  color  from 
the  standard,  in  adult  specimens  the  white  nose 
and  ears  are  constant.  Typical  specimens  of  this 
species  are  colored  as  follows : top  of  head,  black ; 
upper  surface,  blackish  brown;  lower  surface, 
lighter  brown ; tail,  dark  brown,  margined  with 
black. 

Variations  occur,  of  every  shade  from  the  above 
to  jet  black  all  over  the  body,  head  and  tail ; but 
the  ears  and  nose  still  are  white. 

This  animal  measures  13  -t-  12  inches.  Its 
home  is  east  of  the  Alleghanies  from  Virginia  to 
Florida,  and  westward  along  the  Gulf  Coast  to 
Louisiana.  On  the  map  its  range  looks  like  an 
arm  bent  around  the  range  of  the  next  species. 

The  Northern  Fox  Squirrel,^  or  Cat 
Squirrel,  is  smaller  than  the  southern  species 
(12  11  inches),  but  very  much  like  it  in  color, 

save  that  its  nose  and  ears  never  are  white.  The 
standard  color  is  rusty  brown,  washed  with 
black  on  the  upper  surface,  and  bright  brown 
underneath. 

2 Sci-u'rus  gris'e-us.  ® Sci-u'rus  ni'ger. 

*S.  lu-do-vi-ci-an'us. 


THE  TREE  SQUIRRELS 


71 


Variations. — This  squirrel  is  the  most 
variable  in  color  of  all  our  species,  and  in 
fifty  specimens  it  may  be  difficult,  or  even 
impossible,  to  find  two  exactly  alike. 

Often  it  has  a beautiful  gray  coat,  and 
looks  like  a genuine  gray  squirrel  with  a 
brown  back  and  head.  Often  it  is  dark 
gray  above,  and  black  on  the  legs  and 
under  surface, — a strange  combination  of 
colors, — and  occasionally  a pure  white 
specimen  is  found. 

This  species  inhabits  the  Mississippi 
\'alley  from  the  Alleghanies  to  .Arkansas, 
western  Iowa,  and  northward  to  Michigan 
and  New  York.  In  captivit}’’  it  seems 
to  be  more  hardy  in  winter  than  the 
gray  S(|uirrel.  In  the  New  York  Zoo- 
logical I’ark  it  blithely  runs  about  in  the 
snow  when  the  latter  takes  pains  to  avoid 
it.  Often  the  Northern  Fox  S(iuirrel  will 
l)c  out  when  none  of  the  other  occupants  of  the 
Rodents’  cages  are  visible.  It  seems  to  me, 
however,  that  the  Fox  Squirrels  are  not  as 
nimble  on  foot,  or  as  active  and  daring  in  the 
tree-toi)s,  as  tlie  gray  squirrels. 

The  Red  Squirrel,  or  Chickaree,^  repre- 
sc'iits  a large  group  of  species  containing  the 
smaller  of  the  tree  squirrels.  Its  length  is  7f 
-t-  inches,  weight  7^  ounces.  What  it  lacks 
in  size  it  makes  up  in  courage  and  activity.  In 
New  York  and  New  England,  it  often  drives  all  the 
gray  sciuirrels  out  of  any  grove  which  they  have 
undertaken  to  inhabit  as  tenants  in  common. 
Many  observers  believe  the  habits  of  the  Red 
S(juirrel  to  be  .so  bad  that  the  species  deserves 
to  be  exterminated;  but  to  this  we  are  not  pre- 
pared to  agree.  The  complete  destruction  of 
any  s{>ecies  of  mammal  or  bird  is  a doubtful 
exixriment,  and  never  should  be  entered  upon 
without  most  careful  investigation. 

In  its  normal  colors,  this  little  animal  is  readily 
recognized  by  its  brown  upper  surface  and  outer 
surface  of  its  legs,  and  its  white  under  parts.  It 
must  lx*  rememljered,  however,  that  it  undergoes 
im|)ortant  sea.sonal  changes  in  pelage, — from 
winter  coat  to  summer  coat,  and  the  reverse, — 
and  sometimes  its  standard  colors  are  greatly 
changed. 

Its  legs  are  long  and  thin  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  its  body,  and  its  form  is  not  as  graceful 
• Sci-u'rus  hud-non'i-cu.<i. 


E.\STERN  RED  SQUIRREL. 


as  that  of  the  gray  or  fox  squirrels.  It  is  readily 
recognized  by  its  markings,  and  the  fact  that  it 
is  the  smallest  of  our  northern  tree  squirrels. 

Three  species  and  fifteen  subspecies  of  Red 
Squirrels  are  recognized,  and  their  combined 
ranges  cover  about  two-thirds  of  North  America, 
from  Alaska  and  Labrador  to  North  Carolina 
and  southern  Arizona. 

In  California  and  Oregon  this  group  is  repre- 
sented by  the  sprightly  and  interesting  Douglas 
Squirrel,^  showing  a mixture  of  colors, — dark 
gray,  yellowish,  and  black.  This  is  the  most 
familiar  squirrel  of  the  great  coast  forests,  in 
which  it  uses  the  sides  of  the  giant  spruces  and 
redwoods  as  play-grounds.  In  Colorado  and 
Utah  occurs  the  third  full  species,  known  as 
Fremont’s  Squirrel,®  which  is  colored  gray, 
yellowish  brown  and  white,  much  mixed. 

Of  the  forty-three  species  and  races  of  squir- 
rels inhabiting  Mexico  and  Central  America,  the 
most  conspicuous  is  the  Red-Bellied  Squirrel.^ 
Its  upper  surface  is  pale  grizzled  gray,  and  its 
under  parts  bright  rusty  red.  It  inhabits  the 
forests  of  eastern  Mexico,  ascending  the  high 
mountains  to  an  elevation  of  8,000  feet. 

The  largest  squirrel  in  the  world  is  the  great 
Malabar  Squirrel  ® of  southwestern  India, 
which  is  yellowish  brown  above,  reddi.sh  brown  or 
black  below,  and  measures,  head  and  body,  17 

* Sci-u'rus  doug'las-i.  ^ S.  fre-mont'i. 

* S.  enj-thro-gas'ter.  ^ Sci-u'rus  mal-a-har'i-cus. 


72 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


inches,  tail,  14^  inches,  and  it  weighs  4^ 
pounds. 

The  most  beautiful  squirrel  in  the  world  is 
Prevost’s  Squirrel'  of  the  Malay  Peninsula,  a 
species  about  the  size  of  a small  gray  squirrel. 
Its  colors  form  a beautiful  pattern  of  gray, 
brown,  black,  white  and  buff. 

Rock  Squirrels,  or  Chipmunks. 

Next  below  the  tree  squirrels  comes  a large 
group  of  small  squirrels  which  live  on  the  ground. 


E.\STERN  CHIPMUNK. 


preferably  amongst  rocks,  in  which  they  find 
refuge  from  their  enemies.  In  the  absence  of 
rocks,  they  live  along  fences,  where  any  exist; 
but  their  favorite  nesting-places  are  in  hollow 
trees  which  can  be  entered  directly  from  the 
ground. 

These  little  creatures  are  about  one-third  the 
size  of  large  tree  squirrels,  and  inasmuch  as  their 
small  size  renders  them  secure  from  the  deadly 
attentions  of  man,  they  have  become  the  most 
tame  and  confiding  of  all  the  wild  mammals  of 
civilization.  They  are  graceful  in  form,  beauti- 
ful in  color-markings,  and  exceedingly  pert  and 
' Sci-u'rus  pre-vost'i. 


quick  in  their  movements.  When  fully  pro- 
tected, as  they  are  in  some  public  parks,  they 
become  so  tame  and  confiding  that  they  dart 
about  on  the  walks  in  search  of  food,  and  often 
allow  persons  to  pass  within  three  feet  of  them. 

For  convenience  and  clearness,  we  shall  des- 
ignate all  the  chipmunks  as  Rock  Squirrels, 
because  of  their  well-known  preference  for  rocks, 
whenever  any  are  available.  It  is  a mistake 
to  call  these  animals  “ground  squirrels.”  That 
name  does  not  properly  apply  to  them,  but 
belongs  to  the  next  group. 

The  Eastern  Chipmunk^  is  widely  known, 
and  will  serve  admirably  as  the  key  to  the  group. 
When  you  walk  in  the  country,  almost  anywhere 
in  the  eastern  states,  this  pretty  little  creature 
darts  in  front  of  you  like  a flash  of  brown  light, 
and  says,  “Chip,  chip,  chip,  chip!”  most  glee- 
fully. If  you  stop  to  observe  him,  he  pauses 
and  looks  at  you  very  intently,  wide-eyed  and 
with  ears  erect,  and  save  for  the  quick  heaving 
of  his  tiny  sides,  remains  as  motionless  as  a 
stuffed  squirrel. 

To  him,  every  fence  is  a fortress.  Whether  it 
be  of  stone  or  wood,  the  Chipmunk  knows  its 
best  runs  when  danger  threatens,  and  carries  in 
his  active  little  brain  a complete  check-list  of 
burrows  and  hiding-places.  When  pursued  by 
dog,  boy  or  wild  animal,  he  darts  swiftly  along 
the  top  or  the  lower  rails  of  his  stockade,  until 
he  reaches  a satisfactory  hiding-place,  when  a 
flash  of  brown  fur  shoots  into  it,  and  he  is  seen 
no  more. 

When  hard  pressed.  Chipmunks  frequently 
climb  tree-trunks  up  to  the  lower  branches,  but 
such  situations  are  very  dangerous  for  them, 
because  they  are  so  seriously  exposed  to  attack. 
Next  to  the  birds  of  prey,  the  weasel,  mink  and 
fox  are  their  worst  enemies.  The  weasel  is  the 
worst  of  all,  because  it  follows  them  into  the 
remotest  recesses  of  their  burrows,  and  kills  every 
inhabitant  without  mercy. 

Although  the  Chipmunk  burrows  in  the  ground 
below  the  frost  line,  and  has  roomy  cheek- 
pouches  in  which  it  carries  astonishingly  large 
quantities  of  grain  and  small  nuts,  it  is  more 
nearly  related  to  the  tree  .squirrels  than  to  the 
true  ground  squirrels.  In  the  autumn  it  stores 
in  its  burrow  a quantity  of  grain  or  nuts,  which- 
ever is  most  abundant, — a habit  which  has  sug- 
Tam'i-as  stri-a'tus. 


ROCK  SQUIRRELS,  OR  CHIPMUNKS 


73 


gested  its  generic  name,  Tamias,  meaning  a stew- 
ard. It  does  not  become  dormant,  but  on  the 
warm,  sunny  days  of  winter,  when  the  rocks  are 
free  from  snow,  it  hastens  above  ground  to  enjoy 
tlie  light  and  warmth. 

The  length  of  an  Eastern  Chipmunk  is  6^  -|-  4^ 
inches.  Its  ground  color  is  bright  reddish  brown 
above,  light  underneath,  and  along  each  side 
runs  a conspicuous  yellow-brown  stripe  between 
two  black  stripes.  A black  stripe  runs  from 
the  head  backward  along  the  centre  of  the  back, 
almost  to  the  tail.  The  home  of  this  animal 
extends  from  southern  Canada  and  New  York 
to  Georgia  and  Louisiana,  and  westward  to 
Iowa. 

There  are  eighteen  full  species  of  Chipmunks, 
several  of  wliich  are  verj'  much  alike,  distributed 
throughout  nearly  the  whole  of  the  United  States. 
The  greater  number  are  marked  by  two  or  more 
black  lines  extending  along  the  side,  frequently 
alternating  with  lines  of  a yellowish-gray  color. 

It  is  impos-sible  to  mention  even  the  majority 
of  these  species  without  risk  of  confusing  the 
reader,  but  it  is  desirable  to  note  a few  important 
and  strongly  marked  types  inhabiting  widely 
separated  localities  in  the  Luiited  States. 

The  California  Chipmunk  ^ is  a merry- 
hearted  little  elf,  particularly  pert  and  beauti- 
ful. Its  high,  sharp-pointed  ears  and  harlequin 
strijics  of  white  give  it  a very  roguish  and  saucy 
look.  To  judge  by  the  lively  actions  of  this  little 
creature,  it  seems  to  regard  life  as  a long  play- 
spell.  There  are  many  in  the  Zoological  Park, 
and  in  .some  respects  they  are  the  most  satisfac- 
tory of  all  our  burrowing  rodents.  Only  the 
severest  weather  drives  them  into  their  burrows, 
and  in  the  dead  of  winter,  when  a thick  blanket 
of  snow  keeps  all  other  animals  of  the  Burrowing 
Rodents’  Quarters  snug  under  ground,  the  first 
hour  of  clear  sunshine  will  .see  half  a dozen  of  the 
California  Chipmunks  above  ground,  and  .sun- 
ning themselves  on  their  logs.  Having  an  abun- 
dance of  room,  they  enjoy  their  life  in  the  Park, 
and  are  much  interested  in  visitors  who  notice 
them. 

This  species  could  ea.sily  and  safely  be  intro- 
duced in  any  region  suitable  for  it.  Its  home 
is  in  the  San  Bernardino  and  San  Jacinto  Moun- 
tains, California,  but  the  limits  of  its  range  are 
yet  to  be  defined.  It  is  one  of  the  .smallest  spe- 
* Eu’tam-i-as  spe-ci-o'sns. 


cies  of  its  genus,  its  total  length  being  6 4-3 
inches. 

The  Antelope  SquirreP  is  readily  recognized 
by  the  broad  and  conspicuous  band  of  white, 
which  extends  along  the  middle  of  the  side,  and 
its  pale  buff  color.  It  has  the  pale  colors  of  a 


Photo,  by  E.  D.  Warren. 

s.\y’s  spermophile.  w'estern  chipmunk. 

(C allospermophilus  {Eutamias  quadrivit- 

lateralis.)  talus.) 

desert  animal.  It  is  found  in  the  desert  regions 
of  the  southwest  from  western  Texas  to  southern 
California,  and  northward  to  Nevada  and  Utah. 

It  is  larger  than  the  eastern  species,  and  is 
strikingly  different  in  appearance  from  all  other 
chipmunks. 

Ground  Squirrels. 

We  have  now  reached  a large  group  of  bur- 
roMung  squirrels  which  to  the  farmers  west  of 
the  Mississippi  are  of  very  serious  importance, 
on  account  of  the  grain  they  destroy.  All  these 
animals  may  be  known  under  the  name  of  Sper'- 
mo-philes.  The  word  Spermophile  means  “ seed- 
lover”;  and  as  this  very  appropriate  general 
term  implies,  the  animals  which  bear  it  feed 
chiefly  upon  seeds  or  grain. 

No  ground  squirrel,  or  spermophile,  ever 
should  be  called  a “gopher,”  as  is  frequently 
done  in  the  Dakotas  and  Minnesota.  The  latter 
name  should  be  reserved  for  the  clumsy,  bur- 
rowing pocket  gophers,  of  the  genera  Geomys 
and  Thomomys. 

Ground  squirrels  live  by  preference  on  prairies, 
* Am-mo-sper-moph'i-lus  leu-cu'rus. 


74 


ORDEES  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


and  burrow  deeply  in  the  ground.  They  seldom 
frequent  rocks,  and  seldom  climb  trees.  They 
are  essentially  dwellers  in  open  country,  where 
they  can  range  freely,  and  behold  a goodly  por- 
tion of  the  world  about  them.  Even  fields  of 
standing  grain  are  distasteful  to  them,  and  they 
move  to  the  open  country  around  their  borders. 

Of  spermophiles  north  of  Mexico  there  are 
thirty-one  full  species  and  forty-two  subspecies, 
or  races.  Going  westward,  they  are  first  found  in 
western  Indiana  and  Michigan,  from  which  they 
spread  northwest  and  southwest  throughout  the 
whole  western  half  of  the  United  States,  save 
the  timbered  areas.  They  also  range  into  Mex- 
ico, Canada,  and  Alaska.  They  are  at  home  on 
the  rich,  rolling  prairies  of  the  Dakotas,  the  level, 
floor-like  plains  of  Nebraska,  the  alkali  flats  of 
Utah,  the  hot  deserts  of  Arizona,  and  the  dry 
valleys  and  mountain  regions  of  California. 
They  seem  to  be  most  numerous  in  California 
and  the  Dakotas,  where  they  do  much  damage 
to  crops. 

All  the  ground  squirrels  have  cheek-pouches, 
dig  deep  burrows  (unless  the  earth  is  too  rocky), 
store  quantities  of  grain  in  the  autumn  for  win- 
ter food,  and  in  cold  latitudes  live  all  winter  in 
their  burrows.  If  forced  to  do  so,  they  will 
live  amongst  rocks,  and  it  is  surprising  to  note 
how  they  can  live  in  situations  both  high  and 
low,  dry  and  wet.  Their  favorite  food  is  grain, 
seeds  of  every  description,  green  grass,  and  hay, 
and  their  worst  habit  is  digging  up  seed  grain. 

Some  species  eat  quantities  of  destructive 
insects,  such  as  grasshoppers,  beetles,  cut-worms, 
and  crickets,  and  in  this  way  partly  compensate 
the  farmer  for  the  grain  they  devour.  In  fact, 
from  all  observations  made  thus  far  it  seems  that 
in  the  insect  season,  insects  form  a considerable 
proportion  of  the  daily  food  supply  of  these  in- 
dustrious little  animals.  Not  only  do  they  eat 
all  kinds  of  ground  insects,  but  they  also  devour 
mice,  and  almost  any  other  flesh  that  comes 
within  their  reach,  particularly  dry  meat  ad- 
hering to  the  bones  of  large  animals  which  have 
died  near  their  holes. 

Ground  squirrels  are  prolific,  and  bring  forth 
from  seven  to  ten  young  in  each  litter.  Their 
enemies  are  coyotes,  fo.xes,  badgers,  skunks, 
hawks  and  owls. 

The  spermophiles  of  North  America  are  so 
wide-spread,  so  numerous  and  so  important  it 


is  necessary  that  two  or  three  of  the  leading 
species  should  be  specially  noticed. 

The  Thirteen-Lined,  or  Leopard  Sper- 
mophiled  is  the  most  familiar  and  widely  dis- 
tributed species,  and  although  one  of  the 
smallest,  it  is  also  the  most  strangely  marked. 
Nature  was  in  a sportive  mood  when  she  marked 
the  back  and  sides  of  this  little  creature  with 
seven  broad  stripes  of  dark  brown,  then  laid 
between  them  six  narrow  stripes  of  pale  yellow, 
and  finally  marked  each  of  the  seven  brown 
stripes  with  a row  of  large,  pale  yellow  spots. 
The  yellow  spots  on  the  brown  lines  are  the  first 
feature  of  the  color  scheme  to  catch  the  eye,  and 
they  distinguish  this  animal  almost  as  far  as 
it  can  be  seen.  Its  under  parts  are  pale  yellow, 
and  its  size  is  6^  -|-  34  inches. 

Do  not  call  this  animal  the  “Striped”  Sper- 
mophile,  because  that  name  would  apply  to  sev- 
eral other  species,  and  be  worthless;  and  do  not 
call  it  the  “Striped  Gopher,”  because  it  is  not  a 
“gopher”  of  any  kind. 

The  Thirteen-Lined  Spermophile  inhabits 


THIRTEE.M-LINED  SPERMOPHILE. 

about  one-third  of  the  United  States,  extending 
from  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  southwestward  to 
Fort  Worth,  Texas,  and  northwestward  to  the 
plains  of  the  Saskatchewan.  Its  western  limit 
is  the  Rocky  Mountains,  but  nowhere  does  it 
live  in  timbered  regions,  being  strictly  a prairie 
animal. 

Its  burrow  is  a hole  about  tw'o  inches  in  diame- 
ter, which  descends  quite  steeply  into  the  earth 
until  it  passes  below  the  frost  line  (two  to  three 
feet),  after  which  it  runs  off  jn  a more  or  less 
horizontal  course  for  ten  or  fifteen  feet  farther. 
If  the  burrow  is  an  old  one,  and  much  used,  it 
is  a long  and  difficult  task  to  dig  to  the  end  of  it, 
and  few  boys  undertake  it  more  than  once. 

* Ci-tel'lus  tri-de'cem-lin-e-a'tus. 


THE  GROUND  SQUIRRELS 


75 


As  in  the  case  of  nearly  all  burrowing  rodents  of 
cold  latitudes,  nature  has  so  adjusted  the  life  of 
this  animal  that  it  survives  the  long  and  dreary 
winter  in  the  strange,  half-dead  condition  called 
hibernation.  To  make  this  possible,  the  young 
arc  born  early  in  the  year,  and  mature  early,  and 
during  summer  and  autumn,  take  on  a great 
quantity  of  fat.  .\t  the  approach  of  winter,  it 
curls  up  in  its  burrow  for  a sleep  of  from  three 
to  four  months’  duration. 

By  the  investigations  of  Dr.  P.  R.  Hoy,  it  has 
Ix'cn  discovered  that  in  the  case  of  the  Thirteen- 
Lined  Spermophile,  the  action  of  the  heart  is 
reduced  from  two  hundred  to  only  four  feeble 
beats  per  minute,  the  temperature  is  reduced 
from  105°  to  58°,  and  there  is  no  visible  breathing. 
The  circulation  of  the  blood  was  so  feeble  that 
when  a limb  was  amputated,  only  a few  drops  of 
blood  slowly  oozed  from  the  wound,  while  the 
nerves  showed  no  sensitiveness.  In  fact,  the 
animal  was  in  a condition  of  suspended  anima- 
tion, as  if  under  the  influence  of  chloroform.  In 
the  northern  portions  of  its  range,  this  sper- 
mophile hibernates  from  about  November  20 
to  .\pril  1 . 

Franklin’.s  Spermophile*  looks  very  much 
like  a slender-bodied,  short-tailed  tree-squirrel; 
and  very  often  it  is  called  the  Gray  Ground  Squir- 
rel. It  should  not,  however,  be  called  the  “Gray 
Gopher,”  or  “ Scrub  Gopher,”  for  both  these  names 
are  erroneous.  It  is  best  to  call  each  animal 
by  a name  peculiarly  its  own,  even  though  the 
beginning  of  correct  naming  involves  a little 
trouble. 

On  an  open  prairie,  especially  in  spring  when 
the  young  grass  is  short,  this  spermophile  is  a 
conspicuous  animal,  and  strongly  resembles  the 
gray  sf|uirrel  of  the  East.  Its  upper  surface  is 
of  a yellowish-gray  color  marked  with  fine,  wavy, 
cross-wise  lines  of  black  or  brown.  Its  under 
surface  is  distinctly  gray,  and  its  hair  is  coarse 
and  stiff.  In  size  it  is  alx)ut  9 -t-  5 inches.  Its 
home  is  the  central  portion  of  the  range  of  the 
Thirteen-Lined  Sjjermophile.  The  western  limit 
follows  the  ea.stern  boundary  of  the  arid  plains 
northward  from  southea.stcrn  Kansas  to  the 
Saskatchewan,  .\lberta,  and  from  thence  south- 
eastward to  .southern  Wisconsin,  eastern  Illinois 
and  northern  Mis.souri. 

Whenever  numerous  in  farming  regions,  this 
' Ci-tel'lus  frank'lin-i. 


animal  is  very  troublesome,  not  only  in  destroying 
grain  in  the  ground  and  in  the  stack,  but  also  in 
destroying  young  chickens.  They  are  very  vent- 
uresome in  locating  permanently  near  farm- 
houses and  barns,  and  sometimes  they  are  very 
destructive  in  gardens.  As  an  offset  to  the  valu- 
able farm  products  destroyed  by  these  creatures, 
Franklin’s  Spermophile  destroys  great  numbers 
of  noxious  insects,  such  as  grasshoppers,  cater- 
pillars, beetles,  and  also  field  mice.  In  the 


Richardson’s  spermophile. 


United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  twenty- 
nine  stomachs  were  examined  with  the  following 
result;  animal  matter  present,  30.3  per  cent.; 
vegetable,  68.5  per  cent.,  and  undetermined,  1.2 
per  cent.  Out  of  the  whole  twenty-nine  stomachs 
examined,  twenty-six  contained  the  remains  of 
insects!  Thus  the  grain  consumed  by  this  ani- 
mal is  at  least  partially  paid  for  by  the  destruc- 
tion of  insects  that  prey  upon  crops;  but  farmers 
everywhere  are  diligent  in  destroying  it  with 
poisoned  wheat  placed  in  its  burrow. 

Richardson’s  Spermophile,^  of  northern 
Montana,  North  Dakota  and  the  region  immedi- 
ately northward  as  far  as  the  Saskatchewan,  has 
a short  body,  short  legs,  and  a .short  tail,  and 
looks  very  much  like  a thin  prairie-"  dog.”  In 
color  it  is  like  the  preceding  species,  except 
that  its  tail  is  darker;  but  in  size  it  is  a trifle 
smaller  ("9  -I-  3 inches).  Its  habits  are  practically 
identical  noth  those  of  Franklin’s  Spermophile, 
but  if  there  is  any  difference,  it  is  more  destruc- 
tive to  grain  than  is  the  latter,  and  consumes  less 
insect  food.  It  is  fortunate  that  this  species 
inhabits  so  small  an  area  of  the  wheat  country 
of  the  Northwest. 

’ Ci-tel'lus  rich' ard-son-i. 


76 


OEDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


Marmots. 

The  group  of  marmots  consists  of  burrowing 
rodents  which  in  structure  are  cjuite  squirrel- 
like, but  are  distinguished  by  their  large  size 
and  general  heaviness  of  body.  As  befits  their 
portliness  of  form,  they  are  not  active  and  lively, 
like  squirrels,  but  live  quietly  and  unobtrusively. 
By  reason  of  the  good  sense  they  manifest  in 
keeping  out  of  mischief,  some  of  them  are  tol- 
erated in  farming  communities  when  more  ag- 
gressive rodents  would  be  exterminated. 

The  woodchuck  is  our  most  perfect  type  of 
Marmot,  from  which  the  prairie-"  dog,”  or 
prairie  marmot  is  slightly  removed  by  the  pos- 
session of  a large  and  perfect  fifth  claw.  It 
is  desirable,  however,  that  the  latter  should  be 
included  in  the  group  of  marmots. 

The  Prairie-“Dogs.” 

The  Prairie-“Dog”i  is  a plump  and  sociable 
little  Rodent,  not  a Carnivore, — well  known  to 
every  dweller  in  the  plains  region  of  the  great 


PRAIRIE-"  DOGS.” 


West,  and  to  every  trans-continental  traveller. 
His  explosive,  yapping  cry  is  the  most  cheerful 
sound  of  the  western  plains.  He  hates  solitude, 
and  always  lives  in  colonies  of  from  40  to  1,000 
individuals.  Unlike  most  other  burrowing  Ro- 
dents, the  darkness  and  silence  of  a burrow  easily 
pall  upon  his  vivacious  nature  ; therefore  he 
spends  the  greater  portion  of  his  waking  hours 
above  ground,  visiting  his  neighbors,  and  observ- 
ing what  goes  on  in  his  small  world. 

' Cy-no'rmjs  lu-do-vi-ci-an'us. 


When  no  enemies  are  in  sight,  he  and  his  fellow- 
townsmen  roam  about  for  short  distances  from 
their  homes,  and  feed  upon  grass  blades  and 
stems.  At  the  approach  of  an  enemy, — man, 
coyote,  badger,  fox,  gray  wolf,  eagle  or  hawk, — 
the  sentry  cries  out  sharply,  “Skip!  Skip!  Skip!’' 

Instantly  every  "Dog”  halts,  motionless  and 
alert.  If  the  sentry  again  cries  "Skip!”  each 
“Dog”  scurries  to  his  hole,  and  poises  himself 
over  its  wide  mouth,  in  readiness  for  a dive  to 
subterranean  safety.  If  the  danger  approaches 
quite  near,  the  alarm  cry  resounds  shrilly  from 
all  sides,  stubby  tails  jerk  nervously  as  if  worked 
by  wires,  and  down  goes  every  Prairie-"  Dog.” 

Just  how  far  down  the  burrows  go,  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  say,  for  they  probably  vary  greatly  in 
depth.  The  mouth  of  a burrow  is  a miniature 
model  of  a volcano, — a conical  mound  of  bare 
earth,  a foot  high  and  three  or  four  feet  in  di- 
ameter, with  a four-inch  crater  in  the  centre, 
going  down  at  a slight  angle.  The  crater  pre- 
vents water  from  running  into  the  burrow. 

In  making  a crater  the  “ Dogs  ” press  the  earth 
into  shape  on  the  inside  with  their  noses.  Once 
when  an  inmate  of  the  Prairie-"  Dog  ” Village  in 
the  New  York  Zoological  Park  incurred  the 
hostility  of  four  of  his  mates,  they  drove  him  into 
his  burrow,  filled  up  the  mouth  of  it  with  moist 
earth,  and  with  their  noses  tamped  it  down  quite 
hard,  the  prisoner  scolding  vigorously  mean- 
while. 

Prairie-" Dogs”  are  easily  introduced  into  al- 
most any  open  country  where  the  ground  is 
dry,  but  they  are  very  difficult  to  exterminate. 
Under  fair  conditions  they  breed  readily  in  cap- 
tivity, and  usually  produce  four  young  at  a 
birth.  In  1899,  a free  colony  was  established 
in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  in  the  Antelope 
Range,  where  it  existed  for  two  years,  and  its 
saucy  members  attracted  far  more  attention 
than  those  confined  in  the  fenced  village.  Know- 
ing that  guns  and  dogs  are  not  allowed  in  the 
Park,  they  often  permitted  visitors  to  pass  with- 
in six  feet  of  them.  But  it  proved  impos- 
sible to  keep  those  industrious  diggers  from 
spreading  far  beyond  the  limits  fixed  for  them, 
and  seriously  damaging  walks  and  lawns,  so 
they  were  finally  caught  by  placing  sand  in  boxes 
over  their  burrows,  and  transferred  to  the  village 
whose  walls  of  solid  masonry  go  down  to  bed 
rock. 


THE  PKAmiE-“DOG” 


77 


Some  plainsmen  claim  that  these  interesting 
little  creatures  are  able  to  locate  their  towns 
away  from  streams  because  they  burrow  down 
until  they  strike  water,  but  Dr.  Merriam  points 
out  the  fact  that  in  some  regions  they  live  where 
the  nearest  veins  of  artesian-well  water  are  1,000 
feet  below  the  surface.  As  a matter  of  fact 
thaj  can  live  without  drinking. 

The  Prairie-"  Dog  ” is  at  home — where  not 
exterminated  b}’  poisoned  wheat  put  into  his 
burrow — from  Texas,  Xew  Mexico  and  .\rizona 
northward  to  the  Canadian  boundary,  and  on 
the  western  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in 
Utah  and  Colorado.  It  is  most  abundant  in 
Montana,  Wyoming  and  western  Kansas.  One 
of  the  largest  Prairie-"  Dog  ” towns  yet  re- 
ported begins  in  Trego  County,  Kansas,  five 
miles  west  of  the  one-hundredth  meridian,  and 
extends  along  the  divide  north  of  the  Smoky 
Hill  River,  practically  without  a break,  to  Colo- 
railo,  a total  distance  of  about  one  hundred 
miles.  This  town  varies  in  width  from  half  a 
mile  to  five  miles,  and  on  the  top  of  the  divide 
the  nearest  water  is  believed  to  be  350  feet  below 
the  surface,  (.\rthur  B.  Baker.) 

It  is  now  (1903)  reported  that  because  of  the 
wliolesale  destruction  of  wolves  and  foxes,  the 
enormous  increase  of  Prairie-"  Dogs”  in  Kansas, 
Oklahoma,  Texas  and  Colorado  has  become  a 
genuine  scourge  to  farmers  and  cattlemen.  The 
numlx*r  of  “Dogs”  in  that  region  is  now  esti- 
mated at  several  millions,  and  a general  cam- 
paign against  them  has  been  begun.  The  meth- 
od employed  for  their  destruction  is  a spoonful 
of  |X)isoned  wheat  placed  in  the  mouth  of  each 
burrow.  Beyond  doubt,  this  will  soon  reduce 
their  numlx'rs  to  reasonable  limits. 

When  he  is  not  too  numerous,  I am  the  friend 
of  the  Prairie-"  Dog.  ” He  is  as  bright  and  cheer- 
ful as  the  day  is  long,  and  he  enlivens  many  a 
dreary  landscape,  but  at  the  same  time  he  often 
changes  fine,  gra.s.s-covered  cattle  ranges  into 
dreary  wastes,  and  causes  great  los.ses  to  cat- 
tle owners.  I hope,  however,  that  he  will  be 
tolerated  at  least  to  the  extent  that  systematic 
de.struction  will  stop  short  of  extermination. 

It  is  not  true  that  the  Prairie-"  Dog”  lives  in 
p<-ace  and  harmony  in  the  same  burrow  with  the 
rattlesnake  and  burrowing  owl.  The  snakes 
would  make  short  work  of  the  young  Prairie- 
“ Dogs,”  and  the  latter  would  quickly  kill  the 


owl!  It  is  safe  to  surmise  that  when  a deadly 
and  quarrelsome  rattler  invades  the  home  of  a 
Prairie-"  Dog  ” family,  the  latter  speedily  seeks 
a home  elsewhere.  The  burrowing  owl  is  in  the 
habit  of  taking  refuge  in  abandoned  burrows, 
and  nesting  in  them,  to  save  the  labor  of  dig- 
ging a burrow  for  itself.  In  the  Philadelphia 
Zoological  Garden  Mr.  A.  E.  Brown  once  tried 
the  experiment  of  associating  burrowing  owls 
and  Prairie-"  Dogs.”  The  owls  were  immedi- 
ately killed  and  torn  to  pieces  by  the  “ Dogs.” 

A Prairie-“  Dog  ” Burrow. 

At  last  a Prairie-"  Dog”  burrow  has  been 
completely  exposed  by  digging,  and  reported 
upon  in  full  in  one  of  the  publications  of 
the  Biological  Survey.  In  the  “Yearbook  of 
the  Department  of  Agriculture”  for  1901,  Dr. 
C.  Hart  Merriam  publishes  a valuable  paper  on 
“The  Prairie-Dog  of  the  Great  Plains,” 
which  contains  the  following  illustrated  descrip- 
tion : 

“The  holes  go  down  for  some  distance  at  a 
very  steep  angle  and  then  turn  at  nearly  a right 
angle  and  continue  horizontally,  rising  some- 
what toward  the  end.  The  nests  are  in  side 
chambers  connecting  with  the  horizontal  part 
of  the  burrow,  and  usually,  if  not  always,  at  a 
somewhat  higher  level.  (See  H in  figure.) 
Recently,  at  Alma,  Nebraska,  W.  H.  Osgood 
dug  out  a burrow,  of  which  he  made  a careful 
diagram,  accompanied  by  measurements. 

“In  this  case  the  burrow  went  down  nearly 
vertically  to  a depth  of  14^  feet  below  the  surface, 
when  it  turned  abruptly  and  became  horizontal 
as  shown  in  the  diagram.  The  horizontal  part 
was  13^  feet  in  length.  One-third  of  the  hori- 
zontal part  (the  terminal  4 feet,  F)  and  two  old 
nests  and  passageways  (E)  were  plugged  with 
black  earth  brought  in  from  the  surface  layer, 
which  was  very  different  from  the  light-colored 
clayey  earth  in  which  the  greater  part  of  the 
burrow  lay. 

“Four  or  five  feet  below  the  entrance  was  a 
diverticulum,  or  short  side  passage  (G),  probably 
used  as  a place  in  which  to  turn  around  when 
the  animals  come  back  to  take  a look  at  the  in- 
truder before  finally  disappearing  in  the  bot- 
toms of  their  burrows.  It  is  also  used,  appar- 
ently, as  a resting-place  where  they  bark  and 
scold  after  retreating  from  the  mouths  of  the 


78 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


burrows.  As  elsewhere  noted,  they  are  often 
heard  barking  after  they  have  gone  in. 

“The  burrow  was  opened  the  day  after  bi- 
sulphide of  carbon  had  been  used  for  destroying 
the  animals,  and  the  material  carrying  the  bi- 
sulphide was  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  vertical 


serve  to  hold  its  numbers  in  check.  The  most  in- 
veterate of  these  appear  to  be  the  coyote,  badger, 
black-footed  ferret  and  rattlesnake.” 

The  Woodchuck,  or  Ground-“Hog,”‘  is  tol- 
erated on  the  farms  of  New  England  because  he 
is  wise  enough  to  live  on  clover  and  other  grass, 


A.  Mound/ 

B.  I'amtcl  -shajicd  enCrance^to  burrow 

C.  Maut/notssaqc4-’'z mc/i.tn/dutn'ttter 
_ aboai  15  feetuilaigtli 

u . Uorizontal  /lassaqed'b/ect  ut  Un^tk. 

E.  U)iused  nesUfdUoiiuvLh  tcirUn  refine. 

F.  Ibuutd /uvi  of/wruoKtaLfiassooqe 

fMtd  r/lth  earth  dc  ( 4 futlong) 

G . Niche Iccr^  aiou^lvdor  ontpraint  dog. 

W. Vest of  qraSSfl  inch  ui.dwime.tcrbij  9iiv- 
ches  irdhught ) 

yi-AbSOrbillZ  mailer  carrying  bunl/thide 
of  carbon. 

Yi.PoiUlon  ofP-oarudgers  (xs  found,  after 
use  of  bisuliiltide  of  'carbon 
]^J)eidli  of  honfonlaL  passage,  f'lfut 
7 utrch^s 


PRAIRIE-"  DOG  ” BURROW. 

From  Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  “Yearbook,”  Department  of  Agriculture,  for  1901. 


part,  just  where  the  horizontal  part  turns  off. 
Two  dead  animals  were  found,  one  in  the  hori- 
zontal part,  the  other  in  the  nest,  as  indicated 
by  the  letter  K in  the  diagram. 

“The  Prairie-Dog  has  several  natural  enemies 
which,  when  not  interfered  with  by  man,  usually 


and  let  the  vegetable  gardens  alone.  In  the  East 
he  is  the  only  representative  of  the  marmots. 
In  form  he  is  short  and  stout,  and  his  flat  head 
and  beady,  black  eyes  give  him  a surly  look.  He 
is  not  lively  and  cheerful  in  his  habits,  like  a 
’ Mar-mo'la  mo'nax. 


THE  WOODCHUCK 


79 


prairie-"  dog,  ” and  it  is  seldom  that  anyone 
si>eaks  well  of  him.  His  favorite  home  is  a 
burrow  in  a gravelly  hillside  in  a “swamp  lot,” 
or  woods  pasture,  and  while  he  likes  to  come  out 
and  bask  in  tlie  warm  sunshine,  he  never  ventures 
far  from  his  front  door. 

In  the  autumn,  instead  of  storing  up  vegeta- 
bles for  winter,  he  takes  on  a quantity  of  fat, 
under  his  skin.  Early  in  November  he  blithely 
goes  to  sleep  in  his  burrow,  and  does  not  waken 


until  February  2, — “Cround-Hog  day.”  Then, 
-n  runs  the  j)opular  legend, — he  emerges,  and 
ltM)k.'.  alx)ut  him.  If  he  .sees  his  shadow,  he  again 
retirc>  to  his  burrow,  and  sleeps  six  weeks  longer, 
which  l)etokcns  a cold,  wintry  spring. 

The  eastern  Woodchuck  is  a typical  marmot, 
short-l»'gge<l,  hcavv-l)odied,  flat-headed,  and 
brownish  gray  in  color.  The  length  of  its  head 
-.nd  Ixxly  is  14  inches,  and  of  its  tail  .5  inches.  It 
inhabits  the  eastern  United  States  from  New 


York  to  Georgia,  and  westward  to  Kansas  and 
South  Dakota. 

A much  larger  species  called  the  Gray  Mar- 
mot,' or  Whistler  (22  + 7 inches),  is  an  im- 
portant northwestern  form,  strongly  marked  by 
its  light,  grizzly-gray  color,  with  certain  dark 
markings.  It  is  found  from  the  Columbia  River 
northward  to  about  63°  North  Latitude  and 
eastward  to  Hudson  Bay.  It  derives  one  of  its 
names  from  the  fact  that  its  alarm  cry  consists  of 


a shrill  whistle,  which  is  repeated  by  the  various 
members  of  the  colony  threatened  with  danger. 

The  Yellow-Bellied  Marmot, easily  distin- 
guished by  the  bright  red  hair  on  its  under  parts, 
is  a southern  species,  found  in  California,  Arizona, 
New  Mexico  and  Texas.  High  up,  on  the  Olym- 
pic Mountains  of  western  Washington,  is  found 
still  another  species  of  marmot,  as  large  as  the 

* Mar-mo' ta  pru-in-o'sus. 

^ Mar-mo'la  flav'i-ven-ter. 


WOODCHUCK. 


80 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


Whistler,  which  is  yellowish  in  summer,  and 
bluish-gray  in  winter.  This  is  called  the  Olym- 
pic Marmot. 

Flying  Squirrels. 

The  Flying  Squirrel  ^ is  a very  beautiful 
little  creature,  but  its  strictly  nocturnal  habits, 
and  strong  dislike  to  daylight,  almost  rob  us  of 
its  acquaintance.  This  is  to  be  regretted,  be- 
cause it  is  the  only  native  tree-dwelling  quad- 


THE  FLYING  SQUIRREL. 


ruped  which  has  been  provided  by  Nature  with 
a parachute,  consisting  of  a thin  fold  of  skin 
stretched  between  the  fore  and  hind  legs,  to 
partly  sustain  the  animal  in  a long  downward 
flight.  Neither  the  Flying  Squirrel,  nor  the 
flying  lemur  of  the  East  Indies,  can  actually 
fly;  but  they  leap  from  a tree-top,  go  sailing 
gently  downward  and  outward,  and  when  near 
the  ground  curve  upward  and  are  carried  by 
their  momentum  on  an  ascending  plane  to  the 
side  of  an  adjoining  tree.  Anything  like  hori- 
zontal flight  is  quite  out  of  the  question. 

’ Sci-u-rop'te-rus  vo'lans. 


The  Flying  Squirrel  is  one  of  the  most  exqui- 
site little  mammals  in  North  America.  Its  legs 
are  very  delicately  formed;  its  fur  is  as  fine  and 
soft  as  silk ; and  when  at  rest  the  edge  of  its  fly- 
ing membrane  looks  like  the  edge  of  a lace  ruffle. 
The  head  and  body  (of  the  eastern  species)  is 
about  5 inches  long,  and  the  tail  4 inches.  These 
little  creatures  are  quite  sociable,  and  nest  in 
hollow  trees,  where  from  five  to  seven  young  are 
born.  They  come  out  to  play  about  sunset,  and 
are  as  sportive  as  schoolboys  playing  tag.  In  cap- 
tivity they  are  quite  worthless  for  exhibition,  for 
in  the  daytime  there  is  nothing  to  be  seen  save 
a small  and  wholly  uninteresting  ball  of  fur. 

Three  species  (and  nine  subspecies)  have  been 
described,  and  their  range  covers  the  eastern 
United  States  from  Canada  to  Florida,  and 
westward  to  Louisiana.  On  the  Pacific  Coast, 
they  are  found  from  southern  California  to 
Alaska,  even  to  the  Mackenzie  River  basin,  but 
they  are  not  found  in  the  desert  regions. 

THE  SEVVELLEL  FAMILY. 

Aplodontidae. 

The  Sewellel,^  Mountain  “ Beaver,”  or 
Shovvt’l  of  the  Indians  is  a strange  and  little 
known  animal  of  the  Northwest,  with  which  at 
least  every  person  in  that  region  should  be  ac- 
quainted. It  is  reddish-brown  in  upper  color 
(sometimes  grayish-brown),  and  looks  like  a 
tailless  woodchuck.  It  feeds  like  a beaver,  fights 
fiercely  when  cornered,  is  sociable  in  habit  like 
the  prairie-"  dog,”  can  climb  bushes  four  feet 
high,  and  can  burrow  and  live  comfortably  either 
in  ground  that  is  low  and  boggy,  or  high  and  dry. 
Usually  it  prefers  wet  ground!  A large  speci- 
men weighs  4 pounds,  measures  about  13  inches 
in  length  of  head  and  body,  and  tail  a little 
more  than  one  inch.  Strange  to  say,  this  once 
rare  animal  has  recently  been  discovered  inhabit- 
ing the  grounds  of  the  University  of  Washing- 
ton, at  Seattle. 

THE  BEAVER  FAMILY. 

Castoridae. 

The  Beaver®  easily  leads  the  mammals  of 
the  world  in  mechanical  and  engineering  skill, 
and  also  in  habits  of  industry.  Being  chiefly 
nocturnal  in  its  habits,  it  sleeps  by  day,  and 
after  nightfall  carries  on  its  work  unmolested. 

^ Ap-lo-don'li-a  ru'fa.  ® Cas'tor  can-a-den'sis. 


82 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GXAWIXG  ANIMALS 


It  is  seldom  that  anyone  sees  a live  Beaver  in  its 
haunts  during  the  middle  of  the  day,  but  it  is 
possible  to  do  so  during  the  hour  before  sunset. 
In  public  zoological  gardens  and  parks,  the  per- 
sistence and  success  of  this  animal  in  avoiding 
observation  is  very  disappointing  to  visitors, 
and  exasperating  to  directors  and  keepers. 

This  is  the  largest  gnawing  animal  in  North 
America.  A huge  specimen  caught  in  Maine, 
in  1900,  weighed  a trifle  over  50  pounds.  A 
large  one  in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  is  31 
inches  long,  has  a tail  12  inches  long  and  weighs 
44  pounds. 

The  American  Beaver  is  still  found  in  a few 
localities, — but  in  very  small  numbers, — from 
the  Rio  Grande  in  Texas  throughout  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  Sierra  Nevada  and  Cascade  Moun- 
tain regions  northward  to  the  limit  of  trees,  and 
southeastward  through  Canada  to  northern  New 
England.  The  number  now  remaining  in  Col- 
orado has  been  estimated  at  one  thousand. 

The  Beaver’s  efforts  are  directed  toward  its 
own  preservation  and  comfort.  It  builds  ex- 
tensive dams  of  mud,  grass  and  sticks,  in  order 
to  create  ponds  in  which  it  can  hide  from  its 
enemies,  maintain  a safe  refuge  close  by  the  wood 
on  which  it  feeds,  and  have  an  under-water  door- 
way to  its  house  or  burrow.  More  than  this, 
the  pond  serves  as  a refrigerator,  in  the  bottom 
of  which  the  animal  stores  its  supplies  of  food- 
wood  for  winter  use,  when  the  surface  is  frozen 
for  a long  period. 

Sometimes  when  food-wood  on  a beaver  pond 
becomes  scarce,  the  animals  dig  canals  into 
places  where  fresh  supplies  can  be  cut,  and 
floated  down  to  the  pond.  These  canals  are 
usually  about  two  feet  wide. 

A Beaver  is  readily  recognized  by  its  very  flat, 
hairless  and  scaly  tail,  which  beyond  the  hair 
of  the  body  is  about  9 inches  long  by  4 inches 
wide.  The  tail  is  never  used  as  a trowel  in  building 
dam.s,  but  only  as  a propeller  in  swimming. 

Dam-building  is  done  in  two  ways.  With 
his  front  feet  the  animal  digs  up  .soft  mud,  holds 
the  mass  with  his  fore  legs  against  his  breast, 
and  swims  with  it  to  the  dam.  There  he  deposits 
it  where  it  is  most  needed,  and  pats  it  down  with 
his  front  feet.  To  strengthen  the  structure,  he 
brings  sticks  four  or  five  feet  long,  and  one  or 
two  inches  in  diameter,  from  which  he  has  eaten 
the  bark.  These  he  usually  lays  upon  the  dam. 


crosswise  or  nearly  so,  and  fills  between  them 
with  mud. 

When  Beavers  have  to  build  a dam  exceed- 
ing fifty  feet  in  length,  to  flood  low  ground,  they 
usually  lay  it  out  with  a curve  up-stream.  The 
dam  built  by  the  Beavers  in  the  New  York  Zoo- 
logical Park  is  about  forty  feet  long,  and  three 
feet  high,  and  quite  sharply  curved  up-stream. 

In  most  localities  inhabited  by  Beavers,  the 
banks  of  the  streams  are  so  low  that  the  animals 
cannot  burrow  into  them,  and  consequently 
they  build  hoiises  for  themselves.  The  ordinary 
Beaver  house  is  a huge  pile  of  neatly  trimmed 
six-foot  poles,  with  all  spaces  between  the  sticks 
plastered  full  of  mud.  The  one  in  the  Zoological 
Park  is  about  fifteen  feet  in  diameter,  and  five 
feet  high,  with  a central  chamber  above  high- 
water-mark,  and  its  only  entrance  is  well  under 
water.  If  a beaver  house  is  attacked,  the  occu- 
pants immediately  seek  refuge  in  deep  water. 


SKULL  OF  BEAVER,  A TYPICAL  RODENT. 

The  trees  which  furnish  bark  most  prized  by 
the  Beaver  as  food  are  the  poplar,  cottonwood, 
willow,  birch,  elm,  box-elder  and  aspen.  The 
bark  of  the  oak,  hickory,  or  ash  is  not  eaten. 

The  Beaver’s  front  teeth  (incisors)  arc  very 
strong  and  sharp,  and  the  muscles  of  the  jaw  are 
massive  and  powerful.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing 
for  a Beaver  to  fell  a tree  a foot  in  diameter  in 
order  to  get  at  its  branches.  It  is  .said  by  some 
observers  that  large  trees  are  made  to  fall  as 
the  Beavers  prefer  to  have  them, — toward  their 
pond.  In  felling  a tree,  they  first  remove  the 
bark  from  a circle  a foot  in  width,  just  above 


WILD  MICE  AND  EATS 


83 


the  spur  roots,  standing  on  their  hind  legs  while 
they  work.  Then,  with  their  huge,  chisel-like 
incisors  they  cut  out  chips,  circling  round  the 
trunk  all  the  while,  until  only  the  heart  of  the 
trunk  remains,  and  the  tree  falls. 

THE  F.\MILY  OF  MICE  AND  RATS. 

Muridae. 

When  their  groups  and  relationships  are  fairly 
understood,  the  wild  mice  and  rats  will  be  found 
finite  interesting.  They  are  so  widely  distrib- 
uted it  is  very  desirable  that  country-dwellers 
should  know  something  about  them,  and  ap- 
preciate their  good  points  as  well  as  their  bad 
ones.  A moderate  effort,  properly  aided  and 
encouraged,  will  give  anyone  a fair  conception 
of  the  grand  divisions  of  this  great  group;  and 
there  the  general  student  can  stop,  if  he  so  elects. 

In  approaching  this  assemblage  of  North 
American  mammals,  the  first  thought  is  that  its 
memljers  are  difficult  to  deal  with.  In  some 
respects  they  are,  but  they  are  by  no  means  as 
difficult  as  migjit  be  supposed.  Like  many  other 
new  subjects,  they  yield  to  a little  old-fashioned 
study.  It  is  not  necessary  for  the  general  student 
to  enter  into  the  stud}'  of  a large  number  of  spe- 
cies. Lay  the  foundation  first  by  becoming  ac- 
(luainted  with  each  genus,  and  one  typical  species. 
Observe  the  following  injunctions: 

1.  Treat  thLs  bit  of  study  with  serious  atten- 
tion. 

2.  Learn  first  the  names  of  the  Families,  and 
the  appro.ximate  size  of  each  Family. 

3.  Next  learn  bi/  role,  in  regular  order,  the 
common  names  of  the  typical  examples  given. 

4.  Learn  .some  of  the  di.stinguishing  characters 
of  each  example. 

o.  Study  the  comparative  sizes  of  the  various 
tyjies. 

6.  Finally,  in  determining  the  name  of  a 
strange  species,  do  not  feel  that  you  must  name  it 
I instantly,  or  lx?  disgraced!  Take  time  to  think 
' over  it,  and  to  “look  it  up.”  Snap  judgments 
i on  small  creatures  have  a most  annoying  habit 
I of  pro\-ing  to  Ix'  wrong.  It  is  a wise  judge  who 
I knows  when  to  hand  down  a decision. 

In  order  to  make  the  genera  of  North  .\merican 
rats  and  mice  clear  to  the  student,  I have  ])ro- 
cured  from  Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  the  highest 


living  authority  on  these  creatures,  a fine,  per- 
fect, adult  specimen  of  the  best  known  (or  most 
typical)  species  of  each  genus.  Figures  of  these 
skins  are  here  reproduced  to  show  their  relative 
sizes,  and  a life-like  illustration  of  each  of  these 
types  is  also  given.  In  the  text,  the  most  strik- 
ing distinguishing  characters  are  printed  in  italics. 

With  these  aids  to  the  text,  it  should  be  possi- 
ble for  a clear-headed,  keen-eyed  student  to  refer 
any  adult  North  American  rat  or  mouse  to  its 
proper  genus.  But  beware  of  young  specimens! 
Often  they  are  so  puzzling  that  Solomon  himself 
could  not  place  them  wdth  any  degree  of  certainty. 
In  determining  the  species  of  mice  and  rats, 
mammalogists  depend  largely  upon  the  charac- 
ters of  the  teeth;  but  that  is  a subject  too  intri- 
cate for  the  general  student. 

The  table  on  page  84  shows  the  various  Fam- 
ilies of  rats  and  mice,  the  North  American  gen- 
era, and  the  typical  species  of  each.  It  is  not 
necessary  for  young  students  to  memorize  the 
Latin  names  of  the  genera  and  species;  but  those 
who  become  specially  interested  in  natural  his- 
tory will  very  soon  desire  to  know  them. 

The  Muskrat,'  wdiich  received  its  name  from 
its  very  pronounced  musky  odor,  is  the  largest 
native  representative  of  the  Mouse  and  Rat 
Family.  It  is  readily  recognized  by  its  flat, 
hairless  tail,  carried  on  its  edge.  It  is  of  large 
size,  measuring  about  21  inches  in  length.  It  is 
of  aggressive  habit,  an  admirable  diver  and 
swimmer,  an  industrious  and  intelligent  house- 
builder, and  the  only  native  rat  whose  fur  is  val- 
uable. It  is  found  from  Labrador  and  New- 
foundland to  Alaska,  and  southward  to  Arizona 
and  Louisiana. 

It  is  very  shrewd  in  preserving  its  own  life, 
and  even  in  the  large  forest  parks  of  New  York 
City,  it  refuses  to  be  exterminated.  When  three 
bogs  in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  were  dug 
out  and  converted  into  ponds,  the  wild  Muskrats 
in  the  Bronx  River  found  them  as  soon  as  they 
were  completed,  immediately  took  possession 
of  them,  and  there  they  still  remain.  Being  very 
destructive  to  lily  bulbs,  and  most  other  aquatic 
plants,  their  presence  in  ornamental  ponds  is 
very  objectionable. 

Muskrats  are  rarely,  if  ever,  found  away  from 
ponds  or  good-sized  streams.  They  are  quite  as 
much  at  home  in  the  water  as  beavers,  and  their 
‘ Fiber  zibeihicus. 


84 


ORDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


TYPICAL  NORTH  AMERICAN  MICE  AND  RATS  (north  of  Mexico). 


MOUSE 
AND  RAT 
FAMILY. 

{Mu'ri-dae.) 


COMMON  NAME  OP 

SCIENTIFIC 

NAME. 

APPROXIMATE 
NUMBER  OF 

GENUS. 

GENUS. 

TYPE  SPECIES. 

FULL 

SPECIES. 

SUB- 

SPECIES. 

Muskrat, 

Fi'ber, 

zi-beth'i-cus, 

. . 4 

3 

Lemming,  . . . . 

1.  Di-crost'o-nyx,  . . 

hud-so'ni-us, 

. . 3 

5 

Lemming  Mouse,  . . 

2.  Syn-ap'to-mys,  . . 

coop'er-i, 

. . 8 

1 

Field  Mouse,  . . . 

3.  Mi-crot'us  {Ar-vic'- 
o-la),  .... 

penn-syl-van'i-cus,  48 

18 

Red-Backed  Mouse,  . 

4.  E-vot'o-mys,  . . . 

gap'per-i,  . 

. . 17 

5 

Vole, 

5.  Phe-nac' o-mys,  . . 

o-ro'phi-lus. 

. . 7 

Wood  Rat,  .... 

6.  Ne-o-to'ma,  . . . 

flor-i-dan'a. 

. . 17 

19 

Harvest  Mouse,  . . 

7.  Reith-ro-don'to-mys, 

le-cont'i, . . 

. . 10 

6 

Rice-Field  Mouse, 

8.  0-ryz'o-mys,  . . . 

pa-lus'tris,  . 

. . 2 

3 

Cotton  Rat,  .... 

9.  Sig'mo-don,  . . . 

his'pi-dus,  . 

. . 3 

5 

White-Footed  Mouse, 

10.  Per-o-mys'cus,  . . 

leu-co'pus,  . 

. . 42 

27 

Grasshopper  Mouse, . 

11. 0-ny-cho'mys,  . . 

leu'co-gas-ter. 

. . 6 

6 

Domestic  Rat,  . . . 

Mus, 

nor-veg'i-cus. 

. . 4 

THE  CHEEK- 
POUCHED 
FAMILY  OF 
MICE  AND 
RATS. 
(Het-e-ro-my'i- 
dae.) 


Subfamily  of  the 
Pocket  Mice,  . . 
(Species  small.) 
Subfamily  of  the 
Kangaroo  Rats, 
(Species  larger.) 


JUMPING 

MOUSE 

FAMILY. 

{Za-pod'i-dae.) 


Jumping  Mouse,  . 


f 12.  Per-og-na'thus,  . . 
1 13.  Mi-cro-dip'o-dops,  . 

f 14.  Di-pod' o-mys,  . . 
1 15.  Per-o-di'pus,  . . 


. 16.  Za'pus,  . . . . 


fas-ci-a'tus, ...  26 
meg-a-ceph'a-lus,  . 1 

mer'  ri-am-i,  . . 5 
rich' ard-son-i,  . . 9 

hud-so'ni-us,  . . 10 


256 


15 

8 

1 

10 

145 


habits  are  strictly  aquatic.  The  tail  furnishes 
the  motive  power  for  swimming.  The  feet  are 
small,  and  but  very  slightly  webbed,  and  the  body 
is  completely  covered  with  soft,  brown  fur  an 
inch  or  more  in  length,  which  is  much  sought  by 
furriers.  When  taken  at  the  best  season,  plucked, 
dressed  and  dyed  a rich  brown-black,  it  is  known 
to  the  trade  as  “French  seal.” 

Muskrats  that  inhabit  streams  with  high  banks 
do  not  trouble  themselves  to  build  houses,  but 
merely  burrow  into  the  banks.  In  rivers  and 
ponds  with  low  margins,  however,  they  gather 
coarse  grass,  reeds  and  mud,  and  build  dome- 
shaped houses,  about  five  feet  in  diameter,  which 
rise  from  two  to  four  feet  above  the  water.  All 
such  houses  are  entered  below  the  surface  of  the 
water,  so  far  down  that  ice  does  not  close  their 
doors,  and  within  there  is  a floor  raised  well  above 
the  water,  on  which  the  inmates  eat  their  food, 
and  sleep. 

When  too  many  captive  Muskrats  are  kept  in 


the  same  enclosure,  say  twelve  in  a fenced  pool 
thirty  feet  square,  they  fight  viciously,  and  not 
only  kill  each  other,  but  sometimes  partly  de- 
vour one  of  the  victims.  Although  often  dis- 
puted, it  is  nevertheless  a fact  that  they  eat  flesh 
on  very  sUght  provocation.  They  are  very  un- 
satisfactory animals  to  keep  in  captivity,  no  mat- 
ter what  the  conditions  may  be. 

The  Hudson  Bay  Lemming*  is  worthy  of 
special  notice,  because  it  is  the  most  widely- 
distributed  and  noteworthy  rat-like  animal  of 
the  far  North.  It  is  strictly  a mammal  of  the 
cold  northland,  and  like  many  other  arctic  ani- 
mals, its  winter  coat  is  pure  white,  and  its  fur  is 
dense  and  warm.  Among  the  west  Alaskan 
Eskimo,  skins  are  very  common,  and  the  children 
delight  in  using  them  for  doll  clothes.  (Charles 
H.  Townsend.) 

This  animal  is  about  the  size  of  a large  mole, 

* Dicrostonyx  hvdsonius. 


THE  FAMILIES  OF  NATIVE  MICE  AND  RATS,  ILLUSTRATED  BY  SKINS  OF  TYPICAL  SPECIES. 

The  scientific  names  of  the  above  specimens  will  be  found  on  the  opposite  page,  against  the  corresponding  numbers. 


86 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


thick-bodied,  short-legged,  and  sharp-nosed. 
The  ears  are  extremely  short,  and  quite  hidden 
in  the  fur;  the  legs  are  short,  the  feet  rat-like, 
and  the  tail  is  so  very  short  that  it  also  is  half 
hidden  by  the  fur.  The  fur  is  long,  fluffy  and 
fine ; brown,  brownish-gray,  or  mottled  in  sum- 
mer, but  snow-white  in  winter.  The  length  of 
the  head  and  body  is  4 to  5 inches,  and  of  the  tail, 
^ inch. 

The  Lemming  is  found  from  Latitude  56° 
northward  to  the  whole  arctic  coast;  in  Labra- 
dor, Greenland^  the  arctic  islands,  and  on  as  far 
north  as  man  has  ever  gone  on  land.  It  prefers 


Its  ears  are  very  small,  and  do  not  rise  above  the 
fur  on  the  head.  The  type  species,  known  as 
Cooper’s  Lemming  Mouse,'  is  only  two-fifths 
the  size  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Lemming.  It  inhabits 
the  northeastern  United  States,  from  Massa- 
chusetts to  Minnesota,  and  southward  to  North 
Carolina,  Tennessee,  Indiana  and  Iowa.  Its 
color  above  is  yellowish-brown  washed  with 
black,  with  bluish-gray  or  whitish  underparts. 
Length,  3j  to  4 inches;  tail,  f inch.  Other  spe- 
cies of  Lemming  Mice  inhabit  Canada,  Labra- 
dor, New  Hampshire,  Washington,  Kansas  and 
Alaska. 


HUDSON  BAY  LEMMING.  FIELD  MOUSE. 

Winter  and  summer  pelage. 


open,  dry,  moss-covered  uplands,  and  is  not 
found  in  timbered  regions.  Often  a district  of 
acceptable  ground  is  covered  with  a wide-spread- 
ing network  of  runways,  just  below  the  surface. 
Mr.  C.  H.  Townsend,  who  has  kept  them  in  cap- 
tivity, says  they  are  kind-spirited  and  sociable 
little  creatures,  fond  of  attention,  and  much 
given  to  standing  up  and  hopping  about  on  their 
hind  legs.  In  summer  they  store  up  supplies 
of  vegetable  food  in  their  runways  for  use  in 
winter. 

The  Lemming  Mouse,  or  False  Lemming, 

is  interesting  chiefly  because  it  is  a connecting 
link  between  the  true  lemmings  and  the  mice. 


The  Field  Mouse,  or  Meadow  Mouse,* 

stands  as  a murine  monument  to  scientific  en- 
deavor. Since  1798, the  genus  of  this  group — 
long  known  as  Ar-vic'o-la — has  been  described 
under  twenty-four  different  names,  and  the  type 
species  has  received  nineteen  names  besides  its 
own!  But,  through  a century  of  misnaming  in 
Latin,  its  original  English  name.  Meadow  Mouse, 
has  stood  unchanged! 

The  trouble  with  this  genus  seems  to  have 
been  due  to  exaggerating  the  importance  of  triv- 
ial characters,  molar  teeth  and  claws.  Externally 

' Synaptomys  cooperi. 

* Microtus  pennsylvanicus. 


FIELD  MICE  AND  VOLES 


87 


its  species  and  varieties  are  so  much  alike  that 
very  few  of  them  can  be  distinguished  from  the 
general  mass. 

The  tyj)ical  Fiekl  Mouse  is  a shori-eared,  short- 
tailed, thick-set  little  animal.  It  averages  4^ 
inches  long,  with  a tail  H inches  long.  Its  color 
above  is  reddish-brown,  while  beneath  it  is 
whitish-gray. 

It  is  found  from  the  .Atlantic  coast  to  the  Da- 
kotas, feeding  on  roots  and  grasses. 

In  severe  winters,  when  the  ground  remains 
frozen  for  a long  period.  Field  .Mice  are  some- 
times forced  to  feed  on  bark,  and  frequentlj"  kill 


The  Red-Backed  Mouse  * is,  in  form,  very 
much  like  the  meadow  mouse,  but  in  size  it  is 
smaller,  and  in  habit  it  is  quite  different.  It 
prefers  to  live  in  cool,  damp  woods  and  timbered 
regions,  varying  all  the  way  from  dark  swamps 
and  valleys  to  timbered  mountain-tops;  but 
it  is  seldom  found  in  open  country. 

They  are  found  from  Ontario,  New  England 
and  New  Jersey  westward  to  California,  and 
northward  through  Canada  and  Alaska,  sixteen 
species  and  five  subspecies.  They  are  all  very 
much  alike,  rather  slender,  and  more  graceful 
in  form  than  the  field  mice,  and  the  majority 


g.kpper’s  red-b.\cked  mouse. 


NORTHWESTERN  VOLE. 


young  fruit  trees  by  barking  them  near  the  sur- 
face of  the  snow.  When  shocks  of  corn  are  avail- 
able these  mice  live  high,  literally,  feeding  well, 
and  being  well  housed  at  the  same  time.  In 
husking  shock  corn  in  winter,  many  a nestful 
of  Field  Mice  have  we  helped  to  turn  out  into  the 
cold  world;  but  the  amount  of  grain  they  con- 
sumed was  so  insignificant  we  never  grudged 
them  their  food. 

Taken  as  a whole,  the  Field  Mice  of  various 
siH'cies  inhabit  nearly  the  whole  of  North  .\mer- 
ra  north  of  Mexico  and  the  Culf,  even  to  the 
nmiote  i.slands  of  Bering  Sea.  I do  not  know 
of  a state  or  |)rovince  from  which  they  have  not 
Ixa-n  recorded. 


are  reddish-brown  above  and  grayish  under- 
neath. The  species  most  common  in  the  east- 
ern United  States,  often  called  Capper’s  Field 
Mouse,  is  found  westward  to  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. It  is  3f  inches  in  length  of  head  and 
body,  tail.  If  inches.  In  scientific  lists  of  the 
mammals  of  North  .\merica,  Red-Backed  Mice 
are  sometimes  called  Red-Backed  “Voles.” 

The  Voles  of  the  genus  Phe-nac'o-mys,  are 
small  brown  mice,  mostly  of  recent  discovery, 
about  the  size  of  the  red-backed  mouse,  in  color 

' Until  recently  this  species  has  been  considered 
identical  with  Erotnmys  rulilus  of  the  Old  tVorld, 
and  has  been  so  called.  Now,  however,  our  species 
is  considered  quite  distinct,  and  is  called  E.  gapperi. 


88 


OKDERS  OF  3IAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


usually  dark  brown  mixed  with  black.  Seven 
species  are  known,  extending  in  range  from 
Labrador  westwai'd  to  Oregon,  Washington  and 
northern  British  Columbia,  and  also  down  to 
Colorado.  None  are  found  in  the  eastern  half  of 
the  United  States.  There  is  no  special  mark 
by  which  it  is  easy  to  distinguish  them  from  their 
nearest  relatives,  the  red-backed  mice. 

The  species  most  widely  distributed,  and 
best  known,  is  the  Northwestern  Vole,'  the 
largest  member  of  this  group, — a grayish-brown 
creature,  with  feet  and  all  under  parts  white,  or 
nearly  so.  It  inhabits  Alberta,  British  Colum- 
bia, Idaho,  Wyoming,  Washington  and  south 
central  Oregon.  Length  of  head  and  body,  4 
inches,  tail.  If  inches. 

In  mental  capacity  the  Wood  Rat,  Pack  Rat, 
Trading  Rat  or  Bushy- Tailed  Rat  ^ is  the  most 
wonderful  member  of  the  whole  Rat-and-Mouse 
Family,  at  least  in  North  America.  The  true 
stories  of  its  pranks  are  almost  beyond  belief. 
Seemingly  its  chief  object  in  life  is  to  play  prac- 
tical jokes  on  mankind;  and  any  rat  which  mani. 
fests  a spirit  of  toleration  toward  man  surely  is 
entitled  to  special  consideration. 

The  typical  Wood  Rat  is  a large-sized,  big- 
eyed,  large-eared  and  rather  handsome  creature. 


FLORIDA  WOOD  RAT. 


without  the  mean,  vicious  look  of  a common  rat, 
with  fine  yellowish-gray  fur,  white  feet,  and  white 
under  parts.  In  some  species,  the  tail  is  cov- 
ered with  long  hair,  and  by  this  fact  alone  it  is 
possible  to  distinguish  many  members  of  the 
genus.  The'  Wood  Rats  are  distributed  very 
' Phenacomys  orophilus.  ^ Neotoma. 


generally  throughout  the  southern  and  western 
part  of  the  United  States,  and  are  also  found  in 
British  Columbia  and  Mexico.  Frequently  their 
presence  is  indicated  by  the  huge,  mound-like 
nests,  from  two  to  three  feet  high,  which  they 
build  of  twigs,  grass,  leaves  and  bark. 

These  animals  are  nocturnal  in  their  habits, 
and  their  nest-building  and  other  work  is  done 
at  night.  The  most  remarkable  thing  about 
them  is  their  habit  of  entering  houses  and  playing 
practical  jokes  upon  the  inmates.  A pair  of 
Wood  Rats  that  I knew  by  reputation  at  Oak 
Lodge,  in  Florida,  first  carried  a lot  of  water- 
melon seeds  from  the  ground  floor  upstairs,  and 
hid  them  under  a pillow.  Then  they  took  from 
the  kitchen  a tablespoonful  of  cucumber  seeds, 
and  placed  them  in  the  pocket  of  a vest  which 
hung  upstairs  on  a nail.  In  one  night  they  re- 
moved from  a box  eighty-five  pieces  of  bee-hive 
fixtures,  and  hid  them  in  another  box,  and  on 
the  following  night  they  deposited  in  the  first 
box  about  two  quarts  of  corn  and  oats. 

Western  frontiersmen,  and  others  who  live  in 
the  land  of  the  Wood  Rat,  relate  stories  innu- 
merable of  the  absurd  but  industrious  doings  of 
these  strange  creatures.  In  general  they  are 
rather  harmless.  One  of  the  best  known  spe- 
cies is  the  Florida  Wood  Rat.®  It  belongs  to 
the  round-tailed  group  and  does  not  have  the 
hairy,  squirrel-like  tail  of  some  of  the  western 
wood  rats.  Its  upper  color  is  tan  mixed  with 
brown,  feet  and  under  parts  white.  The  length 
of  the  head  and  body  is  8^  inches,  tail  6f  inches. 
Distribution:  the  southern  states  from  the  Car- 
olinas  to  Texas. 

The  Little  Harvest  Mouse  looks  .so  much 
like  a small  house  mouse,  2^+2  inches  long, 
that  only  an  expert  can  readily  recognize  it 
at  first  sight.  The  ten  or  more  species  are 
scattered  throughout  the  southern,  southwest- 
ern and  Pacific  states,  but  none  of  them  are 
found  in  northeastern  North  America.  The 
usual  color  is  gray-brown  above,  and  lighter 
underneath,  and  the  best  known  example  is  I>e 
Conte’s  Harvest  Mouse’  of  the  south  Atlantic 
states,  from  Virginia  to  Florida. 

The  Rice-Field  Mouse  ® should  have  been 
called  a rat,  for  it  is  5 inches  long,  with  a five- 
inch  tail.  It  is  strictly  a southern  animal,  in- 

® Neotoma  florielana.  * Reithrodontomys  leconlii. 

® Oryzomys  palustris. 


WILD  RATS  AND  MICE 


89 


habiting  the  wet  rice-fields  and  swamps  of  the 
(lulf  states  from  Texas  up  to  southern  New 
Jersey,  its  northern  limit.  It  has  a long  head,  a 
sharp  nose,  a shapely  body,  prominent  ears,  and 
a long  tail.  Its  color  above  is  bleached  brown, 
but  its  under  surface  is  grayish,  or  dull  white. 

This  mouse  is  partial  to  the  vicinity  of  water, 
cs{)ecially  the  banks  of  rice-fields.  It  swims  and 
dives  well,  and  sometimes  builds  its  nest  and 
rears  its  young  in  interlaced  marsh  grass,  over 
water,  and  far  from  dry  ground. 

The  Cotton  Rat,  or  Marsh  Rat,'  is  a species 


homa.  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  and  Mexico;  and 
wherever  found  their  destructiveness  causes 
them  to  be  cordially  disliked. 

The  White-Footed  Mouse,  or  Deer  Mouse,^ 
is  well  worthy  of  acquaintance.  It  is  distnbuted 
over  nearly  the  whole  of  upper  North  America, ex- 
cept the  arctic  islands,  and  the  Barren  Grounds. 
On  account  of  the  changes  it  has  undergone, 
chiefly  in  color  shades,  and  length  of  tail,  natural- 
ists now  recognize  in  the  United  States  and  Can- 
ada about  seventy  species  and  subspecies ! But 
the  student  need  not  be  discouraged  by  this  fact. 


RICE-FIELD  .MOUSE. 

which  any  country  may  well  be  without.  It  is 
small  for  a rat,  but  courageous,  ^^cious  in  tem- 
[HT  and  voracious  in  appetite.  It  is  fond  of 
flesh,  and  when  several  are  caged  together,  the 
.stronger  ones  do  not  scruple  to  kill  and  eat  weaker 
rat-,  of  their  own  kind.  In  length  it  is  the  size  of 
a large  chipmunk,  0 -f-  4 inches.  The  upper 
-urface  of  the  body  and  head,  and  outside  of  the 
legs,  are  dark  mottled  yellowish-brown,  the  under 
surf  i-  e and  inside  of  legs  dull  white,  or  brownish- 
gray.  Cotton  Rats  are  found  from  North  Caro- 
lina to  southern  Florida,  and  also  in  Texas,  Okla- 
' SigmoiUm  hixpidiis. 


COTTON  RAT. 

Every  White-Footed  Mouse  can  be  recognized 
by  the  clean  white  or  light  gray  color  on  the  under 
half  of  its  body,  head,  tail  and  inner  surfaces  of 
the  legs,  its  white  feet,  and  its  long  tail.  The  color 
of  the  back  is  usually  gray,  or  brown,  or  a mixt- 
ure of  the  two. 

Of  all  the  small  mice  of  North  America,  I con- 
sider this  the  most  beautiful,  and  one  of  the  most 
interesting.  In  the  eastern  states,  where  small 
quadrupeds  and  birds  are  numerous,  it  attracts 
little  attention,  but  on  the  western  plains,  and 
in  the  desert  regions,  where  animal  life  is  very 
^ Peromyscus  leucopus. 


90 


OKDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWIXG  ANIMALS 


scarce  (and  rapidly  becoming  more  so!)  these 
pretty  little  creatures  seem  much  more  worthy 
of  notice.  I have  many  times  found  them  nest- 
ing in  cavernous  and  ill-smelling  buffalo  car- 
casses, and  in  the  brain  cavity  or  between  the 
jaws  of  buffalo  skulls  from  which  the  skin  had  not 
been  removed  by  the  hide-hunters. 

In  some  places  I have  lain  awake  at  night  to 
hate  mice,  for  cause,  and  wish  them  all  dead, 
by  all  manner  of  violent  deaths;  but  on  a bleak 
and  wind-shaven  Montana  plain  where  the  bleach- 
ing skulls  of  thousands  of  slaughtered  buffalo  lie 


elled  over  smoothly-shaven  prairie  divides  miles 
away  from  all  proper  shelter.  In  the  West,  how- 
ever, they  are  found  most  frequently  in  the  brush 
and  timber  of  stream  valleys,  where  the  rank 
weeds  and  grasses  produce  seed  on  which  they 
feed.  In  the  eastern  United  States  they  are 
found  in  nearly  all  agricultural  regions.  They 
are  active  climbers,  possess  a wide  range  of  in- 
telligence, and  nest  in  all  sorts  of  places,  from 
ground  burrows  up  to  hollows  in  trees  twenty 
feet  from  the  ground.  Of  all  mice,  they  are 
probably  the  most  active  climbers,  and  in  fleeing 


1.  WHITE-FOOTED  MOUSE.  2.  LE  CONTE’s  H.\RVEST  MOUSE.  MOLE  MOUSE. 


staring  heavenward  in  mute  protest  against 
man’s  inhumanity,  an  agile  White-Footed  Mouse, 
scurrying  out  of  its  warm  nest  of  buffalo-hair 
between  the  jaws  of  a buffalo  skull,  appeals  not 
in  vain  for  my  symjiathy  and  protection.  Out 
on  the  Great  Plains  the  world  always  seems 
large  enough  to  contain  us  both.  The  great 
buffalo  range  of  1883  is  now  so  barren  of  wild 
life  that  to-day  even  wild  mice  are  objects  of 
, interest.  From  the  buffalo  to  the  White-Footed 
Mouse  the  time  has  been  less  than  twenty 
years. 

Many  times  in  their  wanderings  from  one 
buffalo  carcass  to  another,  these  mice  have  trav- 


from  a disturbed  home  the  mother  often  carries 
her  brood  of  young  clinging  to  her  body.  Their 
food  is  seeds,  small  nuts  and  acorns,  grain,  and 
dried  meat  when  available. 

Once  in  the  wilds  of  Montana,  we  hauled  some 
old  logs  to  camp,  for  fire-wood.  When  one  was 
cut  up,  we  found  in  it  a nest,  made  chiefly  of 
feathers,  containing  five  White-Footed  Mice, 
snugly  housed  in  the  hollow.  Packed  close 
against  the  nest  was  a pint  and  a half  of  fine, 
clean  seed,  like  radish  seed,  from  some  weed  of 
the  Pulse  Family.  While  the  food-store  was  be- 
ing examined,  and  finally  deposited  in  a pile  upon 
the  open  ground,  near  the  tent  door,  the  five 


CHEEK-POUCH  MICE  AND  EATS 


91 


mice  escaped  into  the  sage-brush.  Near  by  stood 
an  old-fashioned  buggy. 

Xe.vt  morning,  when  the  photographer  lifted 
the  cushion  of  his  buggy-seat,  and  opened  the 
top  of  the  shallow  box  underneath,  the  five  mice, 
with  their  heads  together  in  a droll-looking  group, 
lookeil  out  at  him  in  surprise  and  curiosity,  with- 
out attempting  to  run  away.  But  very  soon  it 
became  our  turn  to  be  surprised. 

We  found  that  those  industrious  little  creatures 
had  gathered  up  every  particle  of  their  nest,  and 
every  seed  of  their  winter  store,  and  carried  all 
of  it  up  into  the  seat  of  that  buggy!  The  nest 
had  been  carefully  re-made,  and  the  seed  placed 
closed  by,  as  before.  Considering  the  number 
of  journeys  that  must  have  been  necessary  to 
carry  all  those  materials  over  the  ground,  and 
climb  up  to  the  buggy-seat,  the  industry  and 
agility  of  the  mice  were  amazing. 

By  way  of  experiment,  we  again  removed  the 
nest,  and  while  the  mice  once  more  took  to  the 
sage-brush,  we  collected  all  the  seed,  and  poured 
it  in  a pile  upon  the  ground,  as  before.  During 
the  following  night,  those  indomitable  little  creat- 
ures again  carried  nest  and  seed  back  into  the 
buggy-.seat,  just  as  before.  Then  we  gathered 
up  the  entire  family  of  mice  with  their  nest  and 
.seed,  and  transported  them  to  New  York. 

The  Grasshopper  Mouse,*  originally  de- 
scribed by  Audubon  and  Bachman  as  the  Mis- 
souri .>Iouse,  and  often  called  the  3Iole  Mouse, 
IS  mentioned  in  order  to  caution  western  observ- 
ers against  confusing  it  with  the  preceding  species. 
In  some  respects  it  strongly  resembles  the  white- 
footed mou.se,  being  all  white  underneath,  in- 
cluding its  legs.  It  can  readily  be  distinguished 
by  its  large  fore  claws  and  its  short,  stumpy  tail, 
which  is  only  about  one-third  as  long  as  the  head 
and  IxkIv.  Its  upper  surface  is  brownish-gray. 
Its  fur  is  very  fine  and  soft,  and  hence  it  is  some- 
times called  the  Mole  Mouse.  Its  length,  head 
and  lx)dy,  is  Ak  inches,  tail,  1}  inche.s. 

CHEEK-POrrH  MICE  .\XI)  KAT.S. 

Ilcteroniyidac. 

This  is  strictly  a Family  of  the  West  and  South- 
wc:*i,  its  meml)ers  being  found  only  we.st  of  .\r- 
kan.'-.ii.s,  Iowa  and  Minne.sota.  It  does  not  contain 
the  |M)cket  gophers.  Many  of  its  twenty-six  spe- 
' Onychomys  leucogaster. 


cies  are  desert  dwellers,  even  inhabiting  Death 
Valley,  California.  All  its  members  are  distin- 
guished from  other  X'orth  American  animals 
(except  the  jumping  mouse  and  pocket  gopher) 
by  the  presence  of  a large  and  very  serviceable 
hair-lined  pouch  in  the  skin  of  each  cheek. 
Barring  the  two  exceptions  noted,  this  char- 
acter alone  is  sufficient  for  the  recognition  of  any 
American  member  of  tl’is  Family. 

As  clearly  shown  in  the  full-page  diagram, 
this  family  may 
be  divided  into 
two  Subfamilies, 
an  arrangement 
which  is  very 
convenient  and 
helpful.  The  first 
we  must  call  the 
Pocket  Mouse 
Subfamily  and 
its  leading  genus 
(Per-og-na'thus) 
contains  twenty- 
six  full  species, 
and  fifteen  sub- 
species. All  are 
distinguished  by  the  following  characters:  head 
large;  body  slender  and  graceful;  hind  legs  long, 
and  fitted  for  jumping;  tail  lo?ig;  large  external 
cheek  pouches,  hairy  inside,  and  not  connected 
with  the  interior  of  the  mouth ; hair  smooth  and 
compact,  sometimes  intermingled  with  spines. 
These  mice  are  quick  and  active  in  movement, 
and  some  species  leap  with  considerable  power. 

Since  1839  the  Typical  Pocket  Mouse  “has 
been  described  again  and  again,  but  none  of  its 
describers  have  taken  the  trouble  to  give  it  an 
English  name!  Hereafter,  let  us  call  it  by  the 
name  given  above,  because  it  is  the  type  of  its 
genus.  It  inhabits  Montana,  Wyoming  and  the 
Dakotas.  Its  color  above  is  sandy-yellowish, 
lined  with  black;  underneath,  white;  and  these 
two  color  areas  are  divided  low  down  along  the 
side  by  a lengthwise  band  of  pale  yellow.  Length, 
3 -1-  2|  inches. 

The  Kangaroo  Rat  ® Subfamily,  of  fifteen  full 
species,  is  fitly  represented  by  an  elf-like  creat- 
ure which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  at- 

“ Perngnathus  fasciatus. 

® Typical  species,  Perodipus  richardsoni  of  west- 
ern Kansas,  Oklahoma  and  Indian  Territory. 


92 


ORDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— GXAWING  ANIMALS 


tractive  of  all  our  native  rats.  In  the  dry  and 
sterile  regions  of  the  great  Southwest,  from  the 
Indian  Territory  to  .M’izona  and  California, 
where  seemingly  the  deserts  produce  nothing 
but  sand,  cacti,  yuccas  and  sage-brush,  these 
pert  little  creatures  hold  forth.  Apparently 
they  are  both  fire-proof  and  water-proof,  for  no 
amount  of  heat  affects  them,  and  the  absence 
of  water  does  not  seem  to  depress  their  spirits  in 
the  least.  Like  most  mice  and  rats,  they  are 
nocturnal.  Some  of  the  species  build  for  them- 
selves large  mounds  of  dirt  and  gravel,  from 
one  to  three  feet  high  and  five  to  ten  feet  in 
diameter,  which  are  honeycombed  with  burrows 


1.  AND  2,  KANGAROO  RAT. 
3.  TYPICAL  POCKET  MOUSE. 


and  runways.  These  dwellings  are  often  in- 
habited by  rattlesnakes  and  lizards,  and  doubt- 
less the  Kangaroo  Rat  is  an  important  item  of 
food  in  the  diet  of  the  desert  rattler. 

The  Kangaroo  Rat  is  very  unlike  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Mouse-and-Rat  Family;  and  in  tem- 
per no  creature  could  be  more  unlike  the  domes- 
tic rat.  Unlike  most  mice  and  rats,  they  do  not 
bite  when  handled,  but  they  are  so  delicate  that 
they  do  not  live  long  in  captivity,  unless  tended 
with  extreme  care  and  intelligence.  They  stand 
high  on  their  hind  legs,  like  pigmy  kangaroos, 
and  hop  about  with  their  front  paws  tucked  up 
close  under  the  chin,  almost  hidden  by  their  fur. 
The  tail  is  very  long,  has  a showy  tuft  of  long 
hair  on  the  end,  and  is  used  by  the  animal  in 


balancing  itself  when  in  motion.  The  fur  is 
soft,  silky,  rather  long,  and  of  a tawny-brown 
color  above.  Length  of  head  and  body,  inches, 
tail,  5|  inches.  The  cheek-pouches  are  large, 
and  are  of  great  use  in  carrying  sand  out  of  bur- 
rows. 

JUMPING  MOUSE  FAMILY. 

Zapodidae. 

The  Jumping  Mouse'  is  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  of  all  our  small  animals.  In  form  it 
is  a slender-bodied  mouse,  with  an  exceedingly  long 
tail,  kangaroo-like  hind  legs,  and  cheek-pouches. 
Its  average  length  of  head  and  body  is  about 
3 inches,  and  tail  5 inches.  In  color  it  is  dark 
reddish-brown  above,  white  underneath,  with 
smooth  compact  hair.  Although  no  larger  than  a 
house  mouse,  it  can  jump  from  eight  to  ten  feet. 

When  a farmer  boy  is  hauling  in  sheaves  of 
wheat,  and  a small  animal  suddenly  makes  a 
tremendous  flying  leap  from  the  bottom  of  the 
shock,  he  may  know  that  he  has  disturbed  a 
Jumping  Mouse,  and  the  chances  are  that  he 
cannot  capture  it  by  hand.  In  these  long  jumps 
— perhaps  the  longest  on  record  for  an  animal  of 
equal  size — the  tail  is  as  necessary  as  a stick  is  to 
a sky-rocket,  to  enable  the  little  creature  to  pre- 
serve its  balance,  and  go  straight  ahead.  If  the 
tail  is  cut  off,  the  Jumping  Mouse  turns  over  and 
over  in  the  air,  and  perhaps  lands  upon  its  back. 

The  Jumping  Mouse  is  quite  nocturnal  in  its 
habits,  and  is  seldom  seen  in  the  daytime.  It 
feeds  on  seeds  and  grain,  and  while  it  devours 
great  quantities  of  weed  seeds,  it  inflicts  upon 
the  farmer  no  damage  worthy  of  mention.  In 
the  autumn  it  stores  in  the  ground  quantities 
of  food  for  winter  use,  but  despite  this  fact,  under 
certain  conditions  it  becomes  so  thoroughly  dor- 
mant in  winter  that  it  seems  to  be  quite  lifeless. 
It  is  found  throughout  the  northern  United  States 
and  Canada,  in  wooded  regions,  from  New  York 
to  California,  and  as  far  north  as  Lake  Nushagak, 
Alaska. 

Opinions  Regarding  Rats  and  Rat-like 
Animals. 

The  largest  rat-like  animal  in  America  is  the 
Coy'pu  Rat,^  of  Central  and  South  America, 
which  stands  9 inches  high  at  the  shoulders,  at- 
tains a length  of  19  inches  head  and  body,  tail, 

* Zapus  hudsonius.  ’ My-o-cas'-tor  coy'pus. 


JUMPING  MOUSE  AND  POCKET  GOPHEK 


93 


13  inches,  and  weighs  8 pounds.  It  is  a water- 
loving  animal,  almost  as  much  so  as  the  musk- 
rat, and  its  thick,  brown  fur  is  valuable.  Under 
proper  conditions  it  is  easily  kept  in  captivity. 

The  smallest  rodent  in  America  is  the  Least 
Pocket  Mouse,'  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region, 
which  has  a total  length  of  head  and  body, 
inches;  tail,  2J  inches. 

The  best  swimmer  of  all  rat-like  animals  is  the 

Muskrat.^ 

The  best  climber  is  the  Tree  Rat,®  of  southern 
India. 

The  handsomest  rat  or  mouse  in  the  New  World 
is  the  Ivangaroo  Rat,  of  the  southwestern  United 
States,  figured  on  the  opposite  page. 

The  most  humorous  of  all  rat-like  animals  is 
the  Trading  Rat,  described  on  page  89,  which 
delights  in  playing  practical  jokes  upon  its  hu- 
man neighbors. 

The  meanest  of  all  rodents  is  the  brown-coated 
Domestic  Rat,  the  pest  of  ci^’ilization  every- 
where, which  was  sent  to  man  as  a perpetual 
punishment  for  his  crimes  against  harmless  wild 
creatures  all  over  the  world. 

THE  POCKET  GOPHER  FAMILY. 

Geomyidae. 

The  Red  Pocket  Gopher*  is  the  most  im- 
portant representative  of  a large  Family  of  bur- 
rowing rodents  which  does  great  damage  to  the 
crops  and  lands  of  American  farmers.  When- 
ever you  see  a browm-coated  burrowing  animal, 
the  length  of  a small  rat,  but  twice  as  thick, 
with  a big  pouch  in  the  skin  of  each  cheek,  a 
swinish  appetite,  a set  of  long  claws  like  burglar’s 
tools  on  each  fore  foot  and  a most  villanous 
countenance  and  temper,  you  may  know  that  it 
is  a Pocket  Gopher.  The  pockets  in  his  cheeks 
are  to  enable  him  to  carry  extra  large  quantities 
of  stolen  potatoes  and  seeds.  When  once  you 
h.ave  learned  the  true  character  and  habits  of 
this  creature,  you  will,  without  being  asked,  care- 
fully refr.ain  from  calling  any  ground-squirrel  a 
“Gopher.” 

Most  wild  animals  have  some  redeeming  qual- 
ities, but  this  cannot  make  good  a claim  to  one. 
Gophers  are  not  only  thieves  and  robbers,  but 
they  are  so  ill-tempered  that  they  even  hate  each 
other,  and  the  old  ones  usually  are  found  li\ing 

' Prr-ng-nath'us  fla'vus.  ’ Fi'her  zi-beth'i-cus. 

* Mua  ru-fes'cens.  * Ge'o-mys  bur-sa'ri-us. 


alone.  When  two  captives  are  placed  together, 
they  usually  fight  fiercely  until  one  is  killed. 
Their  teeth  and  front  claws  are  very  pow'erful, 
and  working  together  they  do  great  damage, 
in  many  different  ways. 

As  a Family,  Pocket  Gophers  inhabit  the  whole 
United  States  w^est  of  Indiana  and  the  lower 
Mississippi,  and  also  a large  part  of  Alabama, 


JUMPING  MOUSE. 


Georgia  and  Florida.  Three  genera  and  about 
thirty-three  species  are  recognized,  and  w'hile 
some  are  smaller  than  others,  and  some  are  gray 
or  black  instead  of  brown,  their  appetites  and 
habits  are  all  equally  objectionable.  They  spoil 
meadows  by  throwing  up  innumerable  hillocks 
of  loose  earth;  they  devour  great  quantities  of 
vegetable  crops,  and  also  corn  and  small  grain; 
they  eat  the  roots  of  young  fruit-trees  of  nearly 
all  kinds,  and  they  destroy  canals  and  irrigating 
ditches  by  honeycombing  their  banks.  With 
incisor  teeth  that  in  sharpness  and  strength  are 
like  steel  chisels,  a Gopher  can  pare  off  all  the 
roots  from  a young  tree  quite  as  neatly  as  a man 
pares  potatoes. 

Our  type  species,  the  Red  Pocket  Gopher  “is,” 
says  Mr.  Vernon  Bailey,  “of  much  greater  eco- 
nomic importance  than  all  the  other  species 
combined,  for  the  reason  that  its  home  is  in  the 
fertile  prairie  region  of  the  Jlississippi  valley,” 


94 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GNAWING  ANIMALS 


embracing  Iowa, — which  is  its  centre  of  distri- 
bution,— Illinois,  Missouri,  Wisconsin,  Minne- 
sota, and  the  eastern  parts  of  the  Dakotas,  Ne- 
braska and  Kansas.  Its  length  is  about  7^  + 3 
inches.  The  young  are  either  two  or  three  in 
number,  and  there  is  only  one  litter  each  year. 

The  enemies  of  the  Gopher  are  the  weasel 
and  the  gopher  snake. ^ Because  of  the  damage 
done  by  Gophers,  farmers  generally  wage  war 
upon  them  with  traps,  strychnine,  and  poisoned 
grain.  In  Iowa,  Minnesota  and  other  states, 
many  thousands  of  dollars  have  been  paid  out  by 
county  treasurers  in  bounties  on  Gopher  scalps 
and  tails.  No  animal  in  the  West  is  more  uni- 
versally disliked,  nor  more  diligently  destroyed. 

My  acquaintance  with  the  Gopher  Family  be- 
gan when  I was  a farmer  boy,  in  Iowa,  the 
storm  centre  of  Ge'o-mys  bur-sa'ri-us.  Having 


RED  POCKET  GOPHER. 


trapped  a few,  I made  the  mistake  of  supposing 
that  I knew  more  about  the  habits  of  those  creat- 
ures than  did  my  elders,  who  had  not.  In  an 
evil  moment,  I announced  that  any  strong  boy 
could  catch  a Gopher  by  digging  it  out  of  its 
burrow,  and  my  large  brother  offered  me  twenty- 
five  cents  if  I could  prove  that  claim  within  a 
week. 

That  evening,  with  mattock  and  spade,  I re- 
paired to  my  father’s  corn-field,  into  which 
strange  Gophers  were  rapidly  migrating  and  set- 
tling; and  finding  a fresh  hole  with  the  owner  in- 
side, I began  to  dig.  My  shepherd  do^.  Rover, 
assisted  me  all  he  could,  chiefly  by  keeping  me 
company,  but  also  by  digging  when  I rested. 

We  dug  into  the  twilight,  and  later  on  we  dug 
into  the  night;  but  the  Gopher  kept  well  ahead  of 
us.  Whenever  we  paused  to  listen,  we  could 
' PituophiF. 


hear  him  digging  hard,  and  to  our  dismay  we 
found  that  he  knew  a thing  or  two  about  getting 
on  in  the  world.  With  the  descent  of  black  dark- 
ness, our  hopes  of  overtaking  that  Gopher  de- 
scended also;  and  then  pride,  not  hope  of  re- 
ward, was  all  that  spurred  us  on.  Would  we 
have  to  give  up  beaten,  by  an  ugly,  pig-eyed  old 
Gopher? 

When  for  about  the  thirtieth  time  I paused  to 
wipe  the  accumulation  of  perspiration  and  prai- 
rie loam  from  my  brow.  Rover  suddenly  rushed 
off  into  the  darkness.  In  the  corn-rows  thirty 
yards  away,  he  seized  something,  shook  it  vig- 
orously, and  a moment  later  came  trotting  back 
to  me,  carrying  in  his  mouth  a large  Gopher! 
The  beast  had  been  migrating  into  the  corn-field, 
and  Rover  simply  caught  him  on  the  fly. 

Digging  operations  ceased  abruptly. at  that 
point.  Thanking  Rover  for  his  timely  assistance, 
I accepted  his  contribution,  and  we  marched 
home  together.  When  I exhibited  to  my  brother 
the  Gopher  that  we  had  secured  “by  digging,” 
he  was  profoundly  surprised,  but  promptly  paid 
the  money.  Rover  looked  on  smilingly,  and  said 
not  a word ; but  we  both  knew  then  that  in  catch- 
ing Gophers,  steel  traps  are  better  than  spades. 

THE  PORCUPINE  FAMILY. 

Erethizontidae. 

The  Porcupine  is  at  home  either  in  tree-tops 
or  on  the  ground,  but  it  is  always  a slow-moving 
and  dull-witted  animal.  It  is  easily  captured  or 
killed  by  man,  but  not  so  readily  overcome  by 
wild  animals.  In  the  woods,  it  loves  to  prowl 
around  camps,  and  eat  every  scrap  of  leather 
or  greasy  board  that  it  can  find.  It  is  fond  of  the 
bark  of  hemlock,  beech  and  cottonwood,  and 
often  a Porcupine  will  remain  in  a good  tree  until 
he  entirely  strips  it  of  its  bark. 

The  Canada  Porcupine,^  which  is  black, 
with  a gray-tipped  storm-coat,  is  found  in  New 
England,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio  and 
thence  northward  and  northwestward  to  Fort 
Churchill  on  Hudson  Bay.  The  West  and  North- 
west is  the  home  of  another  species,  known  as  the 
Yellow-Haired  Porcupine.®  Large  specimens 
weigh  from  2.5  to  .30  pounds.  The  flesh  is  not 
palatable  to  white  men,  but  is  eaten  by  Indians. 

The  Canada  Porcupine  never  should  be  called 

“ Er-e-thi'zon  dor-sa’tus.  ® E.  ep-i-xan’thus. 


POECUPIXES  AND  RABBITS 


95 


a ‘‘Hedgehog,”  because  the  latter  is  not  a gnaw- 
ing animal,  but  a small,  weak,  insect-eater, 
which  docs  not  inhabit  America.  A full-grown 
Porcupine  is  about  twenty  times  as  large  as  the 
common  European  hedgehog. 

Porcupines  can  not  shoot  their  quills,  not 
even  for  one  inch;  and  the  idea  that  they  can — 
or  ever  have — is  entirely  erroneous.  When 
attacked,  their  defence  consists  in  erecting  their 
(luills,  and  striking  ({uickl}^  a strong  sidewise 
blow  with  the  tail,  which  often  drives  many 
ciuills  into  its  enemy.  Strange  to  say,  wild 
animals  are  about  as  lacking  in  original  infor- 
mation, or  “instinct,”  regarding  this  creature 
a.s  dogs  are.  Several  pumas  and  lynxes  have  been 
killed  in  a starving  condition,  with  their  mouths 
and  throats  so  filled  with  porcupine  quills  that 
eating  had  become  almost  impossible. 

THE  PIKA  FAMILY. 

Ochotonidac. 

The  Pika,  commonly  called  the  Little  Chief 
“ Hare,”  or  Crying  “Hare,”‘  looks  very  much 
like  a small,  gray-brown  rabbit,  7 inches  long; 
but  it  is  neither  a rabbit  nor  a hare,  and  repre- 
sents an  independent  Family.  It  lives  high  up  on 
the  great  mountain  ranges  of  the  West,  from  just 
Wow  timber  line  up  to  the  line  of  perpetual 
snow.  It  finds  shelter  in  the  crevices  of  rugged 
ma.sscs  of  rock,  and  its  sharp  little  cries  often 
seem  to  come  from  so  many  different  points  that 
the  hunter  is  completely  confused.  In  form 
this  strange  little  creature  is  about  half  way  be- 
tween a gray  rabbit  and  a guinea-pig;  and  it 
has  neither  speed  nor  activity. 

THE  HAKE  .AM)  RABBIT  FA3IILY. 

Leporidae. 

This  group  is  very  clearly  subdivided  and 
there  need  Ije  no  confusion  of  ideas  regarding 
its  North  .\merican  members.  Nevertheless, 
early  writers  have  made  a confusing  error  in  the 
improper  adoption,  for  one  important  group,  of 
the  mi.sleading  name  Jack  “Rabbit.”  It  should 
l)e  Jack  Hare. 

All  the  .\merican  members  of  this  Family  are 
sej)arated  into  two  general  groups,  the  Hares  and 
the  Rnhfnt.s.  The  accompanying  diagram  shows 
these  subflivisions,  and  their  relations  to  each 
other. 

' 0-cho-lo'na  prin’ceps. 


A typical  Hare  is  big,  long-carcd,  long-legged, 
and  a swift  runner.  Very  often  its  color  changes 
according  to  the  season.  It  does  not  burrow, 
but  rears  its  young  in  a nest  or  “form.” 

The  Rabbit  is  small,  short-cared,  short-legged, 
a weak  runner  for  a long  distance,  its  color  is 
fairly  constant,  and  it  lives  in  a burrow. 

The  Varying  Hare  Group  is  the  key  to  the 
entire  Family;  or,  in  other  words,  it  stands  on 
middle  ground  between  the  Rabbits,  the  Polar 
Hare,  and  the  Jack  Hare,  and  is  related  to  all 
three.  Naturally  this  group  should  be  studied 


Sanborn,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


C.\NADA  PORCUPINE, 

first.  Its  type  species  is  the  Northern  Varying 
Hare,'  of  northern  New  York,  New  England, 
Canada  and  the  Northwest  Territories.  Its 
name  is  due  to  the  fact  that  its  color  varies  ac- 
cording to  the  season,  being  pa/e  cinnamon  brown 
in  summer,  and  white  in  winter,  with  only  a nar- 
row back  line  of  brown. 

It  is  nearly  twice  as  large  as  the  cotton-tail 
rabbit,  but  its  ears  and  legs  are  about  half  way 
in  jiroportionate  length  between  those  of  the 
‘‘  Lc'pus  a-mer-i-can'us. 


96 


OKDERS  OF  MAMMALS— GXAWING  ANIMALS 


common  rabbit,  and  the  jack  hare  of  the  South- 
west. Large  male  specimens  measure  18  inches 
in  length  of  head  and  body,  tail,  2 inches,  and 
weigh  6 pounds. 

Like  the  true  fur-bearing  animals.  Varying 
Hares  have  two  kinds  of  fur, — a dense,  fine  and 
soft  under  fur  through  which  grows  a storm-coat 
of  thin,  coarse,  straight  hair.  It  is  the  latter 
which  gives  an  animal  its  color.  In  the  summer 
these  long  hairs  are  black,  but  as  winter  ap- 
proaches they  turn  white. 

The  habits  of  the  Varying  Hares  and  Rabbits 
are  so  nearly  the  same  that  it  is  unnecessary 
to  describe  them  separately.  They  all  require 
brushy  ground,  broken  rocks,  rugged  ravines  or 
tree-holes  in  which  to  hide  from  the  foxes,  dogs, 
men,  mink,  martens,  lynxes,  skunks  and  birds  of 
prey  which  constantly  hunt  them  as  food.  But 
for  their  keenness  of  sight,  hearing  and  scent, 
their  swuftness  in  running  to  cover,  and  their 
marvellous  agility  in  doubling  and  turning  when 
pursued,  their  numerous  enemies  would  soon 
exterminate  them. 

The  Polar  Hare’  is  the  most  northern  spe- 
cies of  this  Family.  Colonel  Brainard  found  its 
tracks  at  83°  24',  which  for  fifteen  years  re- 
mained man’s  “ farthest  North.”  In  the  southern 
portion  of  its  home,  this  hare  is  gray  and  white 
in  summer,  but  in  the  higher  polar  regions  it  is 
white  all  the  year  round,  like  the  majority  of  true 
arctic  animals, — the  owl,  fox,  bear  and  wolf. 

The  Prairie  Hare''^  of  the  western  plains  is 
generally  supposed  to  be  of  the  same  species  as 
the  so-called  jack  “rabbit”  of  the  Southwest; 
but  it  is  not.  In  form,  size  and  color,  it  may  be 
considered  a connecting  hnk  between  the  vary- 
ing hai'e  group  and  the  jack  hare  group,  and 
its  separate  identity  should  be  remembered.  Its 
home  is  the  great  sage-brush  plains  of  the  North- 
west, from  Kansas  to  the  Saskatchewan,  and 
westward  to  Oregon,  and  northern  California.  It 
is  gray  in  summer,  but  changes  to  white  in  winter. 
It  is  a large  species  (23  inches  long),  with  ears 
longer  than  its  head,  long,  strong  hind  legs,  and 
a white  tail  unmarked  with  black,  a character  by 
which  it  can  be  readily  distinguished  from  other 
jack  “rabbits.” 

On  the  treeless  plains  of  the  great  West,  where 
it  is  often  seen  without  any  other  objects  to  fur- 
nish comparisons,  it  sometimes  seems  of  immense 
* Lepus  arc'ti-cus.  ’ I.epus  cam-pes'tris. 


size,  and  a Prairie  Hare  200  yards  away  has  often 
been  mistaken  for  an  antelope  supposed  to  be  600 
yards  distant. 

The  Jack  Hare'^  (commonly  called  Jack 
“Rabbit”)  is  easily  recognized  by  his  e.xtremely 
large  ears, — five  to  six  inches  long, — slender 
body,  long  legs  and  athletic  build,  and  the  black 
mark  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  tail.  There  are 
seven  species,  all  very  much  alike,  which  inhabit 
the  southwestern  quarter  of  the  United  States,  ex- 
tend northward  to  Oregon,  eastward  to  Nebraska 
and  Kansas  and  southward  to  Tehuantepec, 
Mexico.  In  many  localities  wherein  wolves  and 
foxes  have  been  exterminated,  these  hares  have 
multiplied  until  they  have  become  a great  pest. 

In  several  localities  in  California,  and  also  in 
eastern  Colorado,  great  rabbit-drives  are  made, 
in  which  many  thousand  Jacks  are  slaughtered, 
and  given  away  in  large  cities  for  food. 

The  Jack  Hare  is  a ver}'^  swift  runner.  In  east- 
ern Kansas,  Professor  L.  L.  Dyche  once  saw  a 
good  greyhound  chase  a Jack  on  fair  ground  for 
about  two  and  a half  miles,  and  in  the  whole 
distance  the  hound  gained  only  about  twenty- 
five  yards.  The  hare  finally  escaped  by  running 
into  a hollow  log  that  had  been  left  on  the  prairie 
by  accident,  and  was  the  only  shelter  within  five 
miles! 

The  Gray  Rabbit,  or  Cotton-Tail,^  is  a typi- 
cal representative  of  the  Rabbit  Family,  which 
contains  twelve  species.  Throughout  the  exten- 
sive region  which  forms  its  home, — from  New 
England  and  Minnesota  to  Yucatan, — it  refuses 
to  be  exterminated,  and  is  perhaps  more  fre- 
quently seen  and  more  widely  known  than  any 
other  quadruped. 

All  the  true  rabbits  are  small,  and  for  long 
running  their  legs  are  short  and  weak;  but  what 
they  lack  in  endurance  they  make  up  in  cunning 
and  quickness.  To  aid  in  their  preservation. 
Nature  has  given  them  colors  that  blend  so  per- 
fectly with  their  surroundings  that  a rabbit  , 
crouching  low  often  is  compelled  to  run  to  avoid  ( 
being  trodden  upon.  When  hard  pressed  for  a f 
nesting  place  in  a city,  a Gray  Rabbit  has  been  j 
known  to  dig  a shallow  hole  in  the  smooth  lawn  t 
of  the  Smithsonian  grounds  at  Washington,  line  i 
it  with  her  own  fur,  and  rear  her  youjig  in  it,  |' 
within  forty  feet  of  the  National  Museum  build-  i 
ing,  and  a busy  roadway,  without  discovery  by  ■ 

^ Lepus  tex-i-an'us.  * Lepus  syl-vat'i-cus. 


LARGE.  EARS  SHORTER  THAN 

head:  pelage  pure  white, or 

BUT  SLIGHTLY  COLORED  IN 
SUMMER 

ARCTIC  REGIONS. 

6 SPECIES. 


^VARYING  HARE  7 
GROUP/ 

NORTHERN  UNITED  STATES 
AND  CANADA. 

4 SPECIES. 


RABBIT  GROUP. 


small;  COLORS  constant;  never 
white:  legs  short  weak  runners. 
EARS  short, 

UNITED  STATES  GENERALLY, 
MEXICO.AND  SOUTH  TO  COSTA  RICA 
12  SPECIES 


large:  white  in  winter  and 
GRAY  OR  BROWN  IN  SUMMER: 
EARS  AS  LONG  AS  THE  HEAD: 
legs  MODERATELY  LONG. 


VARYING  HARE,  (lef>u5_americanu5J. 


POLAR  HARE 

(LtPUS  ARTICUS) 


O^.UlLRABBir,fe^ 


CP' V,  ^ 


PRAIRIE  HARE. 


AMPE5TOI5), 


large:  slender;  legs  long 
AND  strong;  swiet. 

EARS  VERY  LONG  AND  LARGE 
COLORS  CONSTANT. 

S:W.  UNITED  STATES, 
PACIFIC  STATES  & MEXICO. 
7 SPECIES.  / 


U-  : EARS  LONGER  THAN 
LEi'i  h:nD  LEGS  LONG 

’IRong:  color 

•AR  AclE. 

N-W  UNITED  STATP 


"^ACfejrABBIT': 

'^fM5/AL\crfl5). 


DIAGRAM  OF  THE 

HAREAND rabbit  family 

IN  NORTH  AMERICA, 

SHOWING  THE  RELATIONSHIPS  AND 
COMPARATIVE  SIZES  OF  THE 
FIVE  GROUPS. 

Copyiight  1903  by  W.  T.  Hornaday. 


98 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS-.GNAWING  ANIMALS 


dogs  or  men  until  the  mowers  found  the  nest 
almost  under  their  feet.  Every  year  one  or 
two  pair  breed  in  the  adjoining  grounds  of  the 
Department  of  Agriculture. 

When  a rabbit  can  have  his  choice  of  hiding- 
places,  he  chooses  a burrow  directly  beneath  a 
large  tree,  the  roots  of  which  render  it  difficult,  or 
it  may  be  impossible,  for  man  or  beast  to  dig  him 
out.  Crevices  in  rock  ledges  are  equally  good, 
but  he  often  finds  that  hollow  logs,  hollow  trees 
and  brush  piles  only  lead  to  swift  destruction. 

He  never  sleeps  in  daylight,  when  enemies  are 
afoot.  If  the  Man-With-a-Gun  approaches,  he 
crouches  low  and  lies  as  still  as  a stuffed  rabbit, 
breathing  seldom,  winking  never,  but  with  legs 
all  ready  to  spring.  His  keen  eyes  and  ears 
measure  every  yard  of  his  enemy’s  approach, 
until  the  dead  line  is  crossed  when — Zip!  Out 
flashes  a long,  gray  streak, — flying  over  logs,  and 
darting  thrbugh  openings  so  swiftly  that  in  two 
or  three  seconds  a snow-white  signal  flag  waves 
an  adieu,  and  disappears. 

In  summer  hares  and  rabbits  feed  on  green 
twigs,  soft  bark,  buds,  grass,  leaves  and  berries. 
In  winter  they  are  forced  to  subsist  chiefly  on 
the  bark  of  bushes  and  the  berries  of  the  wild 
rose.  Whenever  they  gnaw  the  bark  from  young 
fruit-trees,  it  is  a sign  that  they  are  hard  pressed 
for  food. 

Rabbits  breed  very  rapidly,  often  raising  three 
litters  a year,  and  if  not  kept  in  check  by  birds  of 
prey  and  carnivorous  animals,  would  soon  be- 


come altogether  too  numerous.  In  Au-stralia 
and  New  Zealand,  the  rabbits  “introduced”* 
from  Europe  have  multiplied  until  they  have  be- 
come a fearful  scourge,  and  are  now  so  numerous 
it  is  impossible  even  to  keep  them  in  check. 
Possibly  the  use  of  their  flesh  as  food,  and  their 
skins  as  “fur,”  may  lead  to  an  abatement  of  the 
evil.  The  moral  of  the  rabbit  in  Australia,  the 
mongoose  in  the  West  Indies,  and  the  English 
sparrow  in  America,  is,  before  “introducing”  a 
foreign  species  of  bird  or  mammal  into  America, 
take  expert  advice, — and  then  don’t  do  it!  This 
refers  to  species  able  to  live  wholly  by  their  own 
efforts  when  imported  and  set  free. 

Bibliographical. 

The  following  popular  papers  are  of  special 
interest  and  value : 

On  Jack  Rabbits. — The  Jack  Rabbits  of  the  United 
States.  By  Dr.  T.  S.  Palmer;  pamphlet,  88  pages. 
Bulletin  No.  8,  Biological  Survey,  Department 
of  Agriculture.  Washington,  1897. 

On  Gophers. — -The  Pocket  Gophers  of  the  United 
States.  By  Vernon  Bailey;  pamphlet,  47  pages. 
Bulletin  No.  5,  as  above,  1895. 

On  Prairie-Dogs. — The  Prairie-Dog  of  the  Great 
Plains.  By  Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam;  pamphlet,  14 
pages.  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agricult- 
ure, 1901. 

On  Ground  Squirrels. — The  Prairie  Ground  Squirrels 
of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  By  Vernon  Bailey; 
pamphlet,  69  pages.  Bulletin  No.  4,  Biological 
Survey,  Department  of  Agriculture,  1893. 


* A species  transplanted  from  one  country  to  another  is  said  to  be  “ introduced.” 


CHAPTER  VIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  HOOFED  ANIMALS 

UXGULATA 


The  Order  which  includes  the  hoofed  animals  of  the  world  is  called  Un-p;u-la'ta,  a Latin  word 
which  means  “hoofed.”  In  North  America,  it  is  represented  by  a great  variety  of  forms,  several 
of  which  are  of  special  importance. 

before  seeking  to  become  acquainted  with  these  animals,  the  student  must  pause  long  enough 
to  gain  a bird’s-eye  view  of  the  groups  into  which  they  are  divided,  and  thereby  understand  their 
relationships,  clearly  and  correctly. 

The  following  diagram  of  arrangement  is  very  simple,  and  the  animals  it  .sets  forth  are  in  some 
respects  the  most  important  in  .\merica. 

THE  GROUPS  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  HOOFED  ANIMALS. 


FAMILIES.  GROUPS. 


EXAMPLES. 


ORDER 
I .NG I LATA. 

Hoofed 

.^NIMAUS 

(Of  North 
.America  only). 


Cattle  .and  Sheep 
Family, 
or  BOV  I Dae  : 


.\ntelope  F.amily, 
or  ANTILOCAPlil- 
DAE: 


Deer  Family, 
or  CERVIDAE: 


Peccary  Family, 
or  TAYASSVIDAE  : 

Tapir  Family, 
or  TAPIHIDAE : 


Cattle: 

Sheep- 
Cattle  : 


Sheep : 


Goat . 


Round- 
Horned 
Groups  : 

Flat- 
Horned 
Groups  : 


American  Bison  : 
Buffalo, 

^ Musk-Ox, 

Big-Horn, 

White  Sheep, 

Black  Sheep, 

Mountain  Goat, 

Prong-Horned  Ante- 
lope, 

Elk,  or  Wapiti, 
White-Tailed  Deer, 
Mule  Deer, 
Black-Tailed  Deer, 

Barren-Ground 

Caribou, 

Woodland  Caribou, 
Moose, 


Collared  Peccary, 


Dow’s  Tapir, 


Bos  americanus. 

Ovibos  moschatus. 

Ovis  canadensis. 
Ovis  dalli. 

Ovis  stonei. 

Oreamnos  montanus. 


Antilocapra  americana. 

Cervus  canadensis. 
Odocoileus  virginianus. 
Odocoileus  hemionus. 
Odocoileus  col  umbianus. 


Rangifer  arcticus. 
Rangifer  caribou. 
Alces  americanus. 

Tayassu  tajacu. 


Tapirus  dowi. 


THE  CATTLE  AND  SHEEP  FAMILY. 

Bo'vi-dne. 

General  Characters. — The  Cattle  Family 
nf  the  world  contains  a grand  array  of  large  ani- 
mals, such  as  the  wild  cattle,  bison,  buffalo. 


musk-ox,  mountain  .sheep,  ibex,  and  wild  goats. 
There  are  about  fifty  species  in  all,  scattered 
over  all  continents  save  South  America  and 
-\ustralia.  .\11  the  members  of  this  Family  have 
divided  hoofs,  and  simple  horns  (i.e.,  not  branch- 
ing) consisting  of  a hollow  sheath  growing  over 


100 


ORDEES  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


a pointed  core  of  very  porous  bone.  The  horns 
grow  until  the  animal  reaches  old  age,  and  are 
never  shed.  If  knocked  off  by  accident,  the 
new  horn  material  presently  covers  the  horn  core, 
but  never  succeeds  in  forming  a perfect  weapon 
like  the  original.  Such  a growth  is  called  a 
“ crumpled  ” horn.  The  members  of  this  Family 
eat  vegetable  food,  preferably  grass  and  herbage, 
and  have  no  upper  front  teeth. 

The  American  Buffalo. 

The  American  Bison  or  Buffalo.’— Because 
of  its  great  size,  imposing  appearance,  former 


complete  extinction,  by  appropriating  $15,000 
for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  and  establishing 
under  fence  in  the  Yellowstone  Park,  a herd  of 
captive  Buffaloes.  This  undertaking  has  very 
wisely  and  appropriately  been  placed  in  charge 
of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

At  this  date  (1903)  there  are  about  634  wild 
Buffaloes  alive,  of  which  about  600  inhabit  a 
desolate  and  inhospitable  region  southwest  of 
Great  Slave  Lake.  In  1890,  the  Yellowstone 
Park  herd  contained  about  three  hundred  head; 
but  through  inadequate  protection,  and  killing 
done  by  unprincipled  poachers  in  quest  of 


Dorsal,  . Y^rtebrae,  13 


Lumbar  Vert.,  6 
. \ 


Occipital  ^ ^ * 

Horn  \ CftTviral  VftTt...  7 i 


Nasal 

Sup. 
Majcillary- 


Ilium 


Sacrum,  5j 


Hip  Joint: 
Acetubulum 

— I- Caudal  Vert. 


■ H - - Ischium 


-Pubis 


Pastern 

"Median  Phalanx 
---V  Coffin  Bone 


SKELETON  OF  AN  ADULT  MALE  .\MERICAN  BISON. 


abundance  and  value  to  mankind,  this  is  the 
most  celebrated  of  all  American  hoofed  animals. 
Its  practical  extermination  in  a wild  state  is  now 
a source  of  universal  regret.  In  1902,  Congress 
took  the  first  step  toward  its  preservation  from 

’ .4  true  “ Ihiffalo  ” is  an  animal  with  no  hump  on 
its  shoulders;  and  is  found  only  in  .Africa  and  Asia. 
Our  animal,  having  a high  hump,  is  really  a bison; 
but  inasmuch  as  it  is  known  to  seventy-three  mil- 
lions of  Americans  as  the  “ Buffalo,”  it  would  be 
quite  useless  to  attempt  to  bring  about  a universal 
change  in  its  popular  name.  There  is  but  one  living 
species. 


heads  to  sell,  to-day  less  than  thirty  buffaloes 
remain!  The  weakness  of  the  efforts  to  pro- 
tect that  herd  is  a national  disgrace.  Through 
lack  of  sufficient  laws  and  patrol  service  tlie 
poachers  were  permitted  to  rob  the  American 
people  of  a wild  herd  which  no  expenditure  of 
money  ever  can  replace. 

There  were  in  captivity,  in  March,  1903,  1,119 
pure-bred  Buffaloes,  and  the  number  is  slowly 
increasing.  Of  these,  the  majority  are  in  large 
private  game  preserves,  and  every  zoological 


THE  BUFFALO 


101 


park  and  {garden  contains  as  many  head  as  it 
can  properly  accommodate.  It  is  useless  to  give 
a list  of  these  animals,  because  owners  and  fig- 
ures are  constantly  changing. 

The  Buffalo  breeds  readily  in  captivity,  and 
is  easily  cared  for.  The  majority  of  captive 
animals  are  reasonably  tractable,  but  occasion- 
ally an  individual  becomes  savage  and  danger- 
ous, and  recpiircs  either  solitary  confinement  or 


contains  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  head  of 
pure-blood  animals,  and  the  number  is  steadily 
increasing.  The  largest  herd  on  public  exhibition 
is  that  of  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  which 
in  1903  contained  thirty-four  head  of  pun--breed 
animals  representing  all  ages,  presented  by  the 
Hon.  William  C.  Whitney  from  his  October 
Mountain  preserve. 

The  value  of  a full-grown  Buffalo  cow  in  New 


L l:.  .Sanbokn.  I’hoti). 


■\MERIC.\N  BISON,  OR  BUFF.VI.O. 


.Vn  ;ulult  mnlr,  " .Vpaclie,”  of  tlie  Whitney  herd.  Photographed  in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  near  the  end 

of  the  shedding  season. 


shooting.  The  best  place  in  which  to  exhibit 
a .s.iv.igc'  Buffalo  is  a museum.  I'ull-grown 
males  must  be  watched  clo.scly  for  signs  of  per- 
m.Hncnt  ill  temper,  and  a savage  Buffalo  should 
l)C  treati'd  the  .same  as  a tiger.  Frequently  the 
first  serious  sicn  of  danger  in  a Buffalo  is  the 
murder  of  a weaker  member  of  the  herd. 

The  largest  herd  in  a fenced  game  preserve 
is  that  of  Blue  Mountain  Park,  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, establishefl  by  the  late  ,\ustin  Corbin.  It 


York  is  from  $400  to  $500,  and  an  adult  bull 
is  worth  about  $100  less.  Excc])tionally  fine 
mounted  heads  are  worth  from  $300  to  $500. 

The  Buffalo  was  first  seen  by  white  men  in 
.\nahuac,  the  Aztec  capital  of  Mexico,  in  1521, 
when  Cortez  and  his  men  paid  their  first  visit 
to  the  menagerie  of  King  Montezuma.  In  its 
wild  state  it  was  first  seen  in  southern  Texas, 
in  1530,  by  a ship-wrecked  Spanish  sailor.  The 
Buffalo  once  roamed  over  fully  one-third  of  the 


102 


OKDEES  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


entire  continent  of  North  America,  and  its  num- 
bers far  exceeded  those  of  any  other  large  mam- 
mal of  recent  times. 

Not  only  did  it  inhabit  the  plains  of  the  West, 
but  also  the  hilly  hard-wood  forests  of  the  Ap- 
palachian region,  the  northern  plains  of  Mexico, 
the  “Great  American  Desert,”  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain parks  on  the  continental  divide  to  an  eleva- 
tion of  11,000  feet,  and  the  bleak  and  barren 
plains  of  western  Canada,  up  to  the  land  of  the 
musk-ox.  From  north  to  south  it  ranged  3,600 
miles,  and  from  east  to  west  about  2,000  miles. 

The  centre  of  abundance  of  the  Buffalo  was 
the  Great  Plains  lying  between  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains and  the  Mississippi  valley.  When  the 
herds  assembled  there,  they  covered  the  earth 
seemingly  as  with  one  vast,  brown  buffalo-robe. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  man  ever  saw  in  one 
day  a greater  panorama  of  animal  life  than  that 
unrolled  before  Colonel  R.  I.  Dodge,  in  May, 
1871,  when  he  drove  for  twenty-five  miles  along 
the  Arkansas  River,  through  an  unbroken  herd 
of  Buffaloes.  By  my  calculation,  he  actually  saw 
on  that  memorable  day  nearly  half  a million 
head.  It  was  the  great  southern  herd,  on  its 
annual  spring  migration  northward,  and  it  must 
have  contained  a total  of  about  three  and  one- 
half  million  animals.  At  that  date,  the  northern 
herd  contained  about  one  and  one-half  millions. 
In  those  days,  mighty  hosts  of  Buffaloes  fre- 
quently stopped  or  derailed  railway  trains, 
and  obstructed  the  progress  of  boats  on  the  Mis- 
souri and  Yellowstone  rivers. 

In  1866,  the  general  herd  was  divided,  by  the 
completion  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railway,  into 
a “northern  herd”  and  “southern  herd.”  The 
latter  was  savagely  attacked  by  hide  hunters  in 
the  autumn  of  1871,  and  by  1875,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  three  very  small  bunches,  it  had 
been  annihilated. 

In  1880,  the  completion  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
Railway  led  to  a grand  attack  upon  the  northern 
herd.  In  October,  1883,  the  last  thousand  head 
were  killed  in  southwestern  Dakota,  by  Sitting 
Bull  and  about  a thousand  Indians  from  the 
Standing  Rock  agency,  leaving  only  the  Yellow- 
stone Park  bunch  of  two  hundred  head,  a band 
of  forty  in  Custer  County,  Montana,  and  the 
Great  Slave  Lake  herd  of  about  five  hundred 
head. 

The  largest  Buffalo  ever  measured  by  a nat- 


uralist is  the  old  bull  which  was  shot  (by  the 
author)  on  December  6,  1886,  in  Montana,  and 
which  now  stands  as  the  most  prominent  figure 
in  the  mounted  group  in  the  United  States  Na- 
tional Museum.  A very  good  picture  of  him 
adorns  the  ten-dollar  bill  of  our  national  currency. 
His  dimensions  in  the  flesh  were  as  follows: 

Ft.  In. 

Height  at  shoulders 5 8 

Length  of  head  and  body,  to  root  of 

tail 10  2 

Depth  of  chest 3 10 

Girth,  behind  forelegs 8 4 

Circumference  of  muzzle,  behind  nos- 
trils  2 2 

Length  of  tail  vertebrae 1 3 

Length  of  hair  on  shoulders 6J 

“ “ “ “ forehead 1 4 

“ “ chin  beard llj 

Estimated  weight 2,100  pounds. 

The  shoulder  height  of  wild  Buffaloes  of  vari- 
ous ages,  and  both  sexes,  as  taken  by  me  on  the 
Montana  buffalo  range,  are  as  follows: 

Ft.  In. 


Male  calf,  4 months  old 2 8 

“ one  year  old 3 5 

“ two  years  old 4 2 

“ five  years  old  (average  size) 5 6 

Female,  three  years  old 4 5 

“ eight  years  old 4 10 


The  Buffalo  begins  to  shed  its  faded  and  weath- 
er-beaten winter  coat  of  hair  in  March,  and  dur- 
ing April,  May  and  June  it  presents  a forlorn  ap- 
pearance. The  old  hair  hangs  to  the  body  like 
fluttering  rags,  and  at  last,  when  it  finally  dis- 
appears, the  body  is  almost  bare.  At  this  time 
the  flies  are  very  troublesome.  By  October, 
the  new  coat  is  of  good  length  and  color,  and  in 
November  and  December,  it  is  at  its  finest.  The 
animal  is  then  warmly  clad  for  the  worst  storms 
of  winter,  and  the  shaggy  head  is  so  well  pro- 
tected that  the  animal  faces  all  storms  instead 
of  drifting  before  them.  A bull  Buffalo  in  per- 
fect pelage  is  an  animal  of  really  majestic  pres- 
ence, and  is  far  more  imposing  in  appearance 
than  many  animals  of  larger  bulk,  but  less  hair. 

The  calves  are  born  in  May  and  June,  and  at 
first  are  of  a brick-red  color.  This  coat  is  shed 
in  October,  except  in  calves  born  late  in  the  sea- 
son. 

The  flesh  of  the  Buffalo  so  closely  resembles 
domestic  beef  of  the  same  age  and  quality  that  it 


THE  BUFFALO 


103 


! is  impossible  for  any  one  to  distinguish  a differ- 
ence. 

The  future  of  the  Buffalo  depends  solely  upon 
the  owners  of  the  great  private  game  preserves, 
such  as  that  of  the  late  Austin  Corbin,  and  Mr. 
James  J.  Hill.  If  the  perpetuation  of  the  species 
tiepended  solely  upon  the  efforts  possible  in  zoo- 
logical gardens  and  parks,  within  twenty-five 
years  the  species  would  become  extinct.  Even 
in  a range  of  twenty  acres,  the  largest  in  any  zoo- 
logical institution,  the  Buffalo  becomes  a slug- 
gish animal,  and  rapidly  deteriorates  from  the 
vigorous  standard  of  the  wild  or  semi-wild  stock. 
In  the  close  confinement  of  a thirty-acre  zoologi- 
cal garden,  the  loss  in  physique  is  still  greater. 
Mr.  .\rthur  E.  Brown,  Superintendent  of  the 
Philadelphia  Zoological  Garden,  and  a very  close 
observer,  has  drawn  the  writer’s  attention  to  the 
striking  difference  in  size  and  back  outline  be- 
tween a Buffalo  born  on  a great  range,  and  an- 
other of  the  same  age  born  of.  a line  of  closely 
confined  ancestors. 

Interesting  as  have  been  the  experiments 
made  by  Mr.  C.  J.  Jones  and  others  in  the  cross- 
breeding of  Buffaloes  and  domestic  cattle,  it  is 
now  quite  time  that  all  such  experiments  should 
cease.  It  has  been  proven  conclusively  that  it  is 
impossible  to  introduce  and  maintain  a tangible 
strain  of  buffalo  blood  into  the  mass  of  western 
range  cattle.  This  is  admitted  with  great  regret, 
but  inasmuch  as  it  is  absolutely  true,  the  existing 
herds  of  Buffalo  should  not  be  further  vitiated 
and  degraded  by  the  presence  in  them  of  ani- 
mals of  impure  blood. 

In  an  adult  animal,  the  presence  of  domestic 
blo(j(l  is  readily  perceived  in  the  lower  hump, 
longer  tail,  shorter  pelage  on  the  head,  neck, 
shoulders  and  fore  legs,  and  the  longer  and  more 
slender  horns.  In  the  calf  under  one  year  of  age, 
it  is  not  always  possible  for  even  the  best  judges 
to  detect  a strain  of  domestic  blood.  In  the 
year  IfKX),  a male  calf  was  inspected  and  passed 
by  four  men  who  were  with  good  reason  eonsid- 
ered  (jualified  judges  of  the  points  of  Buffaloes; 
but  two  years  later  that  animal  stood  forth  un- 
mistakablyas  a cros.s-breed, one-quarter  domestic. 

In  judging  Buffaloes,  the  finest  animals  are 
those  with  the  greatest  height  of  hump,  heaviest 
and  longest  pelage  in  front  of  the  armpit,  shortest 
tails,  and  horns  eurving  with  the  shortest  radius. 

If  the  recent  action  of  the  national  government 


toward  establishing  a herd  in  the  Yellowstone 
Park  is  liberally  and  intelligently  sustained  by 
future  administrations,  it  will  go  far  toward  per- 
petuating the  species  for  a century.  But  it 
should  be  conceded  at  the  beginning  that  the 
effort  can  succeed  only  by  giving  the  animals  a 
great  area  to  roam  over  at  will.  In  addition  to 
that  herd,  however,  another  should  immediately 
be  established  in  the  Plains  region,  in  a fenced 
reservation  of  not  less  than  100  square  miles,  with 
choice  grazing,  water  and  ravine  shelters.  It  is 
only  by  such  methods  that  the  American  people 
can  in  a small  measure  atone  for  the  annihila- 
tion of  the  great  herds  between  1870  and  1885, 
and  the  subsequent  brutal  slaughter  by  poachers 
of  the  Yellowstone  Park  herd  of  three  hundred 
head. 

On  March  1,  1903,  Dr.  Frank  Baker  com- 
pleted a count  of  all  the  pure-blood  captive 
Buffaloes  alive  at  that  date,  with  the  following 
result : 


Captive  Buffaloes: 


In  the  United  States 

In  Canada 

In  Europe 

969 

41 

109 

Wild  Buffaloes  {estimated): 
In  the  United  States 

34 

1,119 

In  Canada  

600 

634 

1,753 

The  Musk-Ox. 

The  Musk-Ox'  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  frozen 

North,  the  land  of  snow  and  ice,  of  howling 
storms  and  treeless  desolation.  In  1901,  Com- 
mander Peary  killed  a specimen  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  most  northerly  point  of  land  in  the 
world,— the  northeastern  extremity  of  Greenland. 

How  this  animal  finds  food  of  any  kind  during 
the  dark  and  terrible  arctic  winter,  is  yet  one  of 
the  secrets  of  Nature.  After  making  all  possible 
allowance  for  the  grass,  willow  and  saxifrage 
obtainable  by  pawing  through  the  snow,  and  on 
ridge-cre.sts  that  are  swept  bare  by  the  blizzards, 
it  is  still  impossible  to  explain  how  the  ]\Iusk- 
Ox  herds  find  sufficient  food  in  winter,  not  only 
to  sustain  life,  but  actually  to  be  well-fed. 

I gaze  upon  each  living  Musk-Ox  to  be  seen 
’ O'vi-bos  mos-cha'tus. 


104 


OKDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


in  captivity  with  a feeling  of  wonder,  as  if  it  were 
a creature  from  another  world.  There  are  times, 
also,  when  I wonder  whether  many  of  the  visit- 
ors who  see  them  cjuietly  munching  their  clover 
hay,  appreciate  the  effort  that  has  been  put  forth 
to  capture  them  in  the  remote  and  desolate  re- 
gions of  the  far  North,  keep  them  alive,  and  bring 
them  to  civilization  for  public  exhibition. 

The  Musk-Ox  is  one  of  the  strangest  of  all  our 
large  animals,  and  its  appearance  is  so  odd  and 
striking  that  when  once  seen  by  an  observant 
penson  it  is  not  easily  forgotten.  In  it  one  sees 
an  oblong  mass  of  very  long  and  wavy  brown 
hair,  4^  feet  high  by  feet  long,  supported  upon 


YOUNG  FEM.\LE  MUSK-OX. 

In  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  1902. 


very  short  and  post-like  legs  that  are  half  hidden 
by  the  sweeping  pelage  of  the  body.  The  three- 
inch  tail  is  so  very  small  and  short  it  is  quite 
invisible.  There  is  a blunt  and  hairy  muzzle, 
round  and  shining  eyes,  but  the  ears  are  almost 
invisible. 

The  whole  top  of  the  head  is  covered  by  a pair 
of  horns  enormously  flattened  at' the  base,  and 
meeting  each  other  in  the  centre  line  of  the  fore- 
head. From  the  meeting  point  they  sweep 
downward  over  the  edge  of  the  cranium,  clo.se  to 
the  cheeks,  but  finally  recurve  upward  before 
coming  to  a point,  like  the  waxed  mustache  of 
a boulevardier. 

The  iris  of  the  Musk-Ox  is  of  a chocolate  brown 


color,  the  pupils  are  elongated,  and  bluish-purple. 
The  lips  and  tip  of  the  tongue  are  also  bluish- 
purple. 

The  outer  hair  is  a foot  or  more  in  length,  and 
often  touches  the  snow  when  the  animal  walks. 
In  the  middle  of  the  back  is  a broad  “saddle- 
mark,”  of  shorter,  dull-gray  hair.  Next  to  the 
body  is  a woolly  coat  of  very  fine,  soft,  light  brown 
hair,  very  clean,  and  so  dense  that  neither  cold 
nor  moisture  can  penetrate  it.  This  is  for 
warmth.  The  longer  and  coarser  hair  that  grows 
through  it  is  the  storm-coat,  to  shed  rain  and 
snow.  Our  first  I\hisk-Ox  began  to  shed  its 
woolly  under-coat  on  April  10.  On  April  26,  it 
was  loose  all  over  the  bodjq  and  beginning  to 
hang  in  rags;  therefore,  for  both  the  comfort 
and  the  appearance  of  the  animal,  we  threw  her 
upon  the  ground,  held  her  securely,  and  combed 
it  all  out.  It  was  very  fine,  curly,  free  from  oil, 
and  the  entire  mass  weighed  six  pounds. 

.Although  known  for  more  than  a century,  the 
Musk-Ox  is  one  of  the  last  of  the  large  land  mam- 
mals of  the  world  to  come  into  captivity  for  pub- 
lic exhibition,  and  it  was  not  until  IfiOO  that  its 
soft  anatomy  was  studied  for  the  first  time. 

Anatomically,  this  animal  presents  a few 
sheep-like  features.  By  some  writers  their  im- 
portance has  been  so  much  exaggerated  that  the 
name  “Musk-Sheep”  has  been  propo.sed  as  a 
substitute  for  Musk-Ox.  But  the  sheep-like 
characters  are  insignificant  in  comparison  with 
those  that  are  clearly  ox-like.' 

Two  species  have  been  described.  That  of  the 
Barren  Orounds  of  the  mainland  of  North  Amer- 
ica has  long  been  known  as  Ovibos  moschalus. 
In  1901,  the  animal  of  Oreenland  and  northern 
Grinnell  Land  was  described  sls  Ovibos  wardi,  the 
White-Fronted  Musk-Ox,  because  of  a band  of 
gray  or  dirty-wdiite  hair,  extending  across  the  top 
of  its  head. 

Although  this  animal  is  called  a Musk-Ox,  it 
has  neither  the  odor  nor  taste  of  musk,  and  its 
flesh  is  excellent  food.  General  Greely,  Com- 
mander Peary  and  many  other  explorers  have 
feasted  on  its  flesh.  In  their  native  desolation, 
these  animals  go  in  herds  of  from  twenty  to  fifty 
head,  are  easily  brought  to  bay  by  dogs,  and 
under  such  circumstances  they  stupidly  stand 

' See  E.  Lonnberg,  on  the  A natomy  of  the  M usk-Ox, 
in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  Lon- 
don, 1900. 


THE  MUSK-OX 


105 


facing  their  enemies  until  killed.  This  habit,  so 
fatal  in  the  presence  of  man,  is  all  that  saves  the 
herds  from  being  exterminated  by  the  hordes  of 
big  white  wolves  which  infest  the  Barren  Grounds. 

General  .V.  W.  Greely  states  that  the  aver- 
age weight  of  ten  Musk-Oxen,  dressed,  was  360 
pounds,  while  the  heaviest  weighed  432  pounds. 
This  would  indicate  an  average  live  weight  of 
404  pound-s,  and  a maximum  live  weight  of 
604  pounds. 

The  accompanying  map  shows  the  range  of 


Natural  History  Museum  of  Stockholm,  made 
important  and  valuable  contributions  to  the  life 
history  of  Ovibos  wardi.  On  the  barren,  rocky 
hillsides  and  level  upland  pastures  surrounding 
Scoresby  Sound  and  Liverpool  Bay,  from  lati- 
tude 70°  to  about  latitude  74°,  the  expedition 
found  Musk-O.xen  in  herds  of  from  three  to 
sixty-seven  individuals,  until  the  total  number 
observed  amounted  to  between  two  hundred  and 
thirty  and  two  hundred  and  forty.  For  the  first 
time,  this  remarkable  species  was  photographed 


/a?  100  60  60  4030  JO  O 


R.\NGE  OF  THE  MUSK-OX. 

Heavy  binck  spots  s'Rnify  actual  occurrences.  The  dotted  area  indicates  the  probable  range  of  the  genus. 
The  species  north  of  Great  Slave  I.ake  is  Ovibos  moschatus,  and  that  of  Greenland  and  Grant  Land  is  the 
White- h'ronted  Musk-0.\,  Ovibos  wardi. 


the  Musk-Ox,  the  southern  limit  of  which  is  64°. 
During  the  last  fifteen  years  whole  herds  have 
Iteen  killed  in  the  Barren  Grounds  north  of  Great 
Slave  and  Great  Bear  Lakes,  at  Lady  Franklin 
Bay,  and  on  the  eastern  and  northeastern  coasts 
of  Greenland. 

During  the  year  1S90,  a Swedi.sh  scientific  ex- 
jtedition  to  the  ea.st  coa.st  of  Greenland,  under 
the  leadership  of  Prof.  .\.  G.  Nathorst,  of  the 


in  its  wild  haunts,  by  Prof.  Nathorst,  Mr.  Johan- 
nes Madsen  and  Mr.  E.  Nilson,  and  with  very 
gratifying  success.  Of  these  pictures  the  most 
perfect  is  that  which  shows  the  leader  of  the  ex- 
pedition closely  approaching  a herd. 

Prof.  Nathorst  .states  that  to  the  leeward  of  a 
herd,  the  odor  of  the  animals  was  noticeable  at 
a distance  of  100  metres,  but  that  when  a freshly- 
slain  animal  is  promptly  and  properly  eviscerated. 


lOG 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


the  flesh  is  free  from  musky  flavors,  and  very 
good. 

One  of  the  most  important  discoveries  of  the 
expedition  was  the  fact  that  the  region  visited 
had  once  been  inhabited  by  Eskimo,  but  their 
kitchen-middens  contained  no  remains  of  Musk- 
Ox,  from  which,  and  from  other  evidence.  Prof. 
Nathorst  concludes  that  the  presence  of  that  ani- 
mal on  the  eastern  coast  of  Greenland  is  due  to 


ing  Island,  on  the  east  coast  of  Greenland.  Both 
were  purchased  by  the  Duke  of  Bedford. 

In  1900,  thirteen  living  specimens  were  cajh- 
ured  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Greenland,  between 
Latitude  70°  and  74°  and  taken  alive  to  Europe. 

One  male  in  Woburn  Park,  England,  owned 
by  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  survived  until  1903. 

Of  the  specimens  mentioned  above,  the  follow- 
ing were  alive  in  December,  1903; 


Reproduced  by  permission  of  A.  G.  Nathohst. 

WILD  MUSK-OX  HERD  AT  FRANZ  JOSEPH  FJORD,  E.  GREENLAND,  1899. 

The  figure  in  tlie  foreground  is  that  of  Prof.  Nathorst.  Photograplied  by  E.  Nilson,  Lat.  73°  30'. 


a southward  migration  along  the  coast  which  has 
taken  place  since  1823.^ 

A complete  count  of  all  the  living  Musk-Ox 
specimens  that  thus  far  have  reached  Europe 
and  the  United  States  should  be  entered  here. 

In  1899,  a Swedish  expedition  carried  to 
Europe  two  male  specimens  captured  on  Claver- 

’ See  Le  Loup  polaire  et  le  Boeuf  M usque,  par  G. 
Nathorst,  Bulletin  de  la  Soci6t6  G^ograpliie,  Paris, 
1901. 


One  male  in  the  Copenhagan  Zoological  Gar- 
den; 

One  male  in  the  Berlin  Zoological  Garden; 

Three  in  Norrland,  Sweden  (one  male  and  two 
females),  practically  at  liberty  on  pasture  closely 
resembling  their  Greenland  home. 

Of  the  other  specimens,  five  died  in  Antwerp 
when  very  small,  and  three  in  Sweden,  in  wild 
pastures. 

In  March,  1902,  the  New  York  Zoological 


THE  MOUNTAIN  SHEEP 


107 


Park  received,  as  a gift  from  Mr.  William  C.  IVhit- 
ne\',  a female  .Musk-Ox  twenty-one  months  old, 
captured  on  the  Barren  Orounds  north  of  Oreat 
Bear  Lake,  about  Latitude  69°.  This  specimen 
died  of  acute  pneumonia  on  .\u<just  16,  1902. 

In  September,  1902,  a very  small  female  Musk- 
Ox  calf,  captured  by  Commander  Robert  E. 
Peary,  at  Fort  Conger  (Latitude  <S1°),  was  re- 
ceived in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  as  a gift 
from  the  Peary  .Arctic  Club.  It  died  in  October. 

In  1903  (.luly)  five  Musk-Ox  calves,  one  male 
and  four  females,  arrived  at  Tromsoe,  Norway, 
from  Greenland,  and  were  offered  for  sale  to  zoo- 
logical gardens  generally. 

The  first  specimen  exhibited  in  the  New  York 
Zoological  Park,  in  1902,  was  captured  in  March, 
1901,  thirty  miles  from  the  .Arctic  Ocean,  directly 
north  of  Great  Bear  Lake,  by  a party  of  Eskimo 
hunters  and  whalers  sent  by  Captain  H.  H.- Bod- 
fish,  from  the  steam  whaler  Beluga.  Its  price, 
delivered  in  New  A'ork  in  good  health,  wasSl,600. 
When  two  years  old  it  stood  3 feet  2 inches  high 
at  the  shoulders,  and  was  4 feet  10  inches  in 
length.  Its  food  was  clover  hay,  raw  carrots  or 
j)otatoes,  a little  green  grass  when  in  season,  and 
occasionally  a few  apples. 

The  Mountain  Sheep. 

High  on  the  mountain’s  frowning  crest, 

Where  lines  of  rugged  cliff  stand  forth, 

Where  Nature  bravely  bares  her  breast 
To  snowy  whirlwinds  from  the  north; 

High  in  the  clouds  and  mountain  storms. 
Where  first  the  autumn  snows  appear, 

Where  last  the  Ijreath  of  springtime  warms, 

— There  dwells  my  gallant  mountaineer. 

.And  truly  he  is  a gallant  mountaineer.  AVher- 
ever  found,  the  mountain  sheep  is  a fine,  .sturdy 
animal,  keen-eyed,  bold,  active  and  strong.  It 
fears  no  storm,  and  defies  all  enemies  save  man 
and  domestic  sheep.  From  the  former  it  re- 
ceives bullets,  from  the  latter,  disease.  Whether 
its  home  is  the  highest  crags  of  the  saw-tooth 
ranges,  the  lK)ldest  rim-rock  of  the  mountain 
l)lateaus,  or  the  most  rugged  “bad-lands,”  it  is 
always  found  amid  the  scenery  that  is  grandest 
and  most  in.spiring. 

In  summer,  its  favorite  pa.stures  are  the  tree- 
less slopes  alK)ve  timber-line,  where,  on  our 
northern  mountains,  gra.s.ses  and  wild  flowers 


grow  in  astonishing  profusion.  AA’hen  the  raging 
storms  and  deep  snows  of  winter  drive  the  elk 
and  deer  down  into  the  valleys  for  shelter  and 
food,  the  mountain  sheep  makes  no  perceptible 
change  in  altitude. 

All  the  year  round,  this  animal  is  well  fed,  and 
its  savory  flesh  invites  constant  pursuit  by  the 
mountain  lion,  and  by  hunters  both  white  and 
red.  The  massive,  curving  horns  and  hand- 
some head  of  the  adult  ram,  taken  amid  grand 
mountain  scenery,  with  much  difficulty  and  no 
little  danger,  constitute,  in  my  judgment,  one  of 
the  finest  trophies  that  a true  sportsman  can  win. 
But  it  must  be  clean,  and  not  haunted  by  the 
ghosts  of  slaughtered  ewes  and  lambs!  One 
of  the  greatest  days  of  my  life  was  that  on 
which  I pursued  and  killed,  alone,  amid  the 
grandeur  of  the  Shoshone  Mountains,  my  first 
big  mountain  ram.  It  was  then  that  I learned 
how  much  a mountain  sheep  needs  to  be  seen 
in  its  native  cloudland  in  order  to  be  fully  appre- 
ciated. It  is  an  animal  for  which  my  admira- 
tion is  as  boundless  as  the  glories  of  its  moun- 
tain home. 

The  mountain  sheep  is  a bold  and  even  reck- 
le.ss  climber.  It  is  robust  and  strong  on  its  legs, 
yet  active  withal,  and  capable  of  feats  of  en- 
durance that  really  are  astonishing.  It  can- 
not, and  never  did,  “leap  from  a height,  and 
alight  upon  its  horns,” — save  by  some  neck- 
breaking accident.  When  pursued  it  can,  how- 
ever. dash  down  an  appalling  declivity,  touching 
here  and  there,  and  land  in  safety,  when  to  the 
observer  it  seems  certain  to  be  dashed  to  death. 

The  young  are  born  in  May  or  .lune,  above 
timber-line  if  possible,  among  the  most  danger- 
ous and  inaccessible  crags  and  precipices  that 
the  mother  can  find.  Her  idea  is  to  have  her 
offspring  begin  its  life  in  places  so  steep  and 
dangerous  that  a very  slight  effort  on  its  part  will 
.suffice  to  keep  it  beyond  the  reach  of  foes.  The 
lamb’s  most  dangerous  enemy  is  the  eagle, 
against  which  the  mother  successfully  guards  it. 

Except  the  burrhel  and  aoudad,  any  adult 
mountain  sheep,  from  either  the  Old  World  or 
the  New,  can  readily  be  recognized  by  its  mas- 
sive, round-curving  horns,  w'hich,  when  seen 
in  profile,  describe  from  one-half  to  three-fourths 
of  a circle,  or  more.  No  wild  animals  other  than 
wild  sheep  have  circling  horns.  The  largest  spe- 
cies of  wild  sheep  are  found  in  Asia,  and  are 


108 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


known  respectively  as  the  argali,  and  iMarco 
Polo’s  sheep.  The  horns  of  the  argali  are  the 
greatest  in  size  and  weight,  and  those  of  Marco 
Polo’s  sheep  have  the  widest  sj)read. 

Six  species  of  mountain  sheep  are  found  in 


has  been  known  for  exactly  a century,  and  it  is 
the  species  which  is  most  widely  known  in  Ameri- 
ca. Once  (juite  abundant  throughout  the  Rocky 
Mountains  from  IMexico  to  Latitude  60°  in  north- 
ern British  Columbia,  it  has  been  so  persistently 


The  black  dots  represent  actual  observations. 

1.  Big-Horn  Sheep,  [Ovis  canadensis). 

2.  Mexican  Sheep,  (0.  mexicanus) . 

3.  Nelson’s  Sheep,  (0.  nelsoni). 

4.  White  Sheep,  (0.  dalli). 

5.  Black  Sheep,  (0.  stonei). 

6.  Fannin’s  Sheep,  (0.  fannini). 

North  .•America,  of  which  five  have  been 
described  since  1883.  They  are  scat- 
tered from  the  northern  states  of  Mexico 
through  the  Rocky  Mountains  almost 
to  the  shore  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and 
throughout  one-half  of  Alaska,  a range 
fully  3,600  miles  long.  The  accompanying 
map  shows  actual  occurrences  of  the  va- 
rious species  during  the  past  twelve  years.  hunted  and  slain  that  now  it  exists  only  in  small 

Of  our  six  species,  four  are  so  interesting  they  bands,  in  widely-separated  localities.  In  most 

deserve  separate  notice.  of  our  western  states  and  territories,  the  killing 

The  Big-Horn,  or  Rocky  Mountain  Sheep,'  of  ^Mountain  Sheep  is  now  prohibited  for  a term 

' O'vis  can-a-den'sis.  of  years,  and  it  is  hoped  that  these  laws  will  be 


-o 

a 

a 


.o 


cc  •-* 

223 

.s 

c3  o 

:3  c: 
O c3 
£-^ 

Cj  ^ 


Cj 

fci:  a; 


Q 

o 


o 

•-H 


c 


a painting  by  Carl  Rungius. 


110 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS — HOOFED  ANIMALS 


enforced  and  respected.  Wherever  they  are  ig- 
nored, the  wild  sheep  are  doomed  to  extinction. 

The  general  color  of  the  Big-Horn  is  gray 
brown,  with  a large  white  or  cream-yellow  patch 
on  the  hind  quarters,  completely  surrounding 
the  tail.  A large  ram  killed  by  the  author  in  the 
Shoshone  Mountains,  IVyoming,  on  November 
16,  1889,  stood  40  inches  high  at  the  shoulders, 
was  58  inches  in  length  from  end  of  nose  to  root 
of  tail;  its  tail  was  3 inches  long,  and  its  weight 
was  about  300  pounds.  Although  the  snow  on 
its  wild  pasture  was  knee  deep,  and  the  sheep 
were  pawing  through  it  to  reach  the  tallest  blades 
of  dry  grass,  they  were  as  well  fed  and  fat  as  if 
they  had  been  feeding  at  a manger. 

The  largest  horns  of  this  species  ever  taken  are 


male  specimen  from  Lower  Cahfornia,  fifteen 
months  old,  which  in  1902  was  exhibited  in  the 
New  York  Zoological  Park  was  as  follows: 

Height,  29  inches. 

Length,  head  and  body,  39^  inches. 

Tail,  3 inches. 

Length  of  horn,  10  inches. 

Spread  at  tips,  131  inches. 

Weight  of  animal,  65  pounds. 

Cause  of  death,  pneumonia. 

In  the  State  of  Chihuahua,  Mexico,  is  found 
the  Mexican  Mountain  Sheep, ^ in  color  much 
like  the  Californian  species,  but  larger,  and  with 
large  ears.  The  horns  of  a fine  old  ram,  killed 
by  Mr.  Charles  Sheldon,  measured  16^  inches  in 
basal  circumference. 


Copyright,  1902,  by  Haruy  Pidgeo.m. 

HE.VD  OF  WHITE  MOUNT.XIN  SHEEP. 

Shot  and  pltotographed  on  the  Kenai  Peninsula,  Alaska,  by  Harry  Pidgeon. 


said  to  measure  18^  inches  in  circumference,  and 
524  inches  in  length  on  the  curve ; but  any  horns 
which  are  14  inches  in  basal  circumference  may 
be  considered  large.  All  female  wild  sheep 
have  horns,  but  they  are  small,  short,  erect  and 
much  flattened.  They  vaiy  in  length  from  5 to 
8 inches. 

Southward  of  the  range  of  the  Big-Horn  are 
found  two  new  species  which  appear  to  be  off- 
shoots of  it.  In  southern  California  and  the 
peninsula  of  Lower  California  is  found  the 
California,  or  Nel.son’s  Mountain  Sheep,*  a 
smaller  animal  than  the  big  horn,  short  haired, 
and  of  a pale  salmon-gray  color.  The  size  of  the 
' U'vis  nel'son-i. 


The  White  Mountain  Sheep,  or  Dali’s 
Sheep,®  of  Alaska,  discovered  and  described 
by  E.  W.  Nelson  in  1884,  is  an  animal  of  very 
striking  appearance.  When  its  hair  has  not 
been  stained  by  mud  or  dirt,  it  is  everywhere 
pure  white,  and  its  horns  have  a yellowish,  am- 
ber-like appearance.  From  May  to  September, 
during  the  shedding  period,  the  hair  is  so  short 
and  so  often  stained  by  reddish,  earth,  that  the 
skin  is  almost  worthless  as  a trophy.  From  Oc- 
tober to  PYbruary,  however,  the  pelage  is  very 
long  and  thick,  and  snow  white.  This  species 
is  noticeably  smaller  than  the  Big-Horn,  and 
the  horns  are  smaller  and  more  slender  in  pro- 
^ O'vis  mex-i-can'us.  ® O'vis  dall'i. 


WHITE  MOUNTAIN  SHEEP  AND  BLACK  MOUNTAIN  SHEBl 


112 


OKDERS  OF  MAMxMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


poition.  A large  adult  ram  measures  39 
inches  high  at  the  shoulder,  and  the  ewe  33^ 
inches. 

By  reference  to  the  map,  it  will  be  seen  that 
this  species  is  very  widely  distributed  throughout 
Alaska  and  the  Yukon  Territory.  Ten  years 
ago  it  was  abundant  on  the  Kenai  Peninsula, 
and  the  head  of  Cook  Inlet,  but  many  have  been 
killed,  and  the  number  greatly  reduced.  Re- 
cently Congress  has  passed  a law  protecting 
not  only  the  White  Sheep,  but  all  the  large  game 
animals  of  Alaska. 

The  Black  Mountain  Sheep,  or  Stone’s 
Sheep, 1 of  northern  British  Columbia,  is  dis- 
tinguishable by  the  wide  spread  of  its  horns,  the 
dark-brown  color  of  its  sides  and  upper  parts 
generally,  and  white  abdomen.  It  is  of  the 
same  size  as  the  white  sheep,  but  the  two  species 
together  form  a striking  contrast.  The  precise 
range  of  the  Black  Sheep  is  south  of  the  head 
waters  of  the  Stickeeu  Ili\er.  Although  this 
species  and  the  white  sheep  have  not  yet  been 
found  inhabiting  the  same  locality,  it  is  probable 
that  they  will  be,  and  we  have  ventured  to  show 
both  in  one  plate. 

Fannin’s  Mountain  Sheep^  is  also  a new 
species,  found  first  on  the  Klondike  River,  Yu- 
kon Territory,  in  1900.  It  is  about  the  size  of 
the  white  sheep,  and  has  a snow-white  head, 
neck,  and  tail-patch,  and  a bluish-gray  body,  like 
a white  sheep  covered  with  a gray  blanket.  It 
1 O' vis  stone' i.  0.  jan'nin-i. 


also  has  a blue-gray  tail,  and  a band  of  brown 
running  down  the  front  of  each  leg.  The  first 
specimen  was  sent  from  Dawson  City  to  the 
Provincial  Museum  at  Yictoria,  B.  C.,  in  1900, 
and  since  then  others  have  reached  New  York. 

In  the  table  below  are  given  the  measure- 
ments in  inches  of  some  of  the  largest  and  finest 
wild  sheep  horns  with  which  I am  personally 
acquainted. 

Origin  of  American  Mountain  Sheep.— 

It  seems  highly  probable  that  a number  of  spe- 
cies of  North  American  mammals  and  birds 
were  acquired  by  immigration  from  the  Old 
World.  Of  this  there  is  no  stronger  evidence 
than  that  furnished  by  the  genus  Ovis,  which 
was  cradled  in  the  mountains  of  Central  Asia. 
Western  Mongolia  and  Thibet  have  produced  the 
colossal  Argali,  the  wonderful,  wide-horned  Polo 
sheep  and  the  robust  Siar  sheep. 

As  the  genus  spread  southward,  it  produced 
the  small  Urial  and  Burrhel,  and  stopped  short 
at  the  northern  edge  of  the  super-heated  plains 
of  India.  But  northward,  its  fate  was  very  dif- 
ferent. From  the  place  of  its  nativity, — let  us 
say  the  .Altai  Mountains, — there  stretches  north- 
eastward through  Siberia  and  Kamchatka,  Alas- 
ka, and  British  Columbia  to  northern  Mexico  a 
practically  unbroken  range  of  mountain  sheep, 
7,500  miles  long.  From  northern  India  to  north- 
ern Mexico,  the  species  stand  in  the  following 
order:  burrhel  and  urial;  Argali  and  Polo’s 
sheep;  Siar  sheep;  Kamchatkan  sheep;  white 


MEASUREMENTS  OF  MOUNTAIN  SHEEP  HORNS. 


BAS.\L  LENGT« 

CIRCUM-  ON  OUTER  SPRE.AD.  OWNER. 


FERENCE. 

CURVE. 

Siberian  Argali, 

Ovis  ammon,  . 

Central  Asia, 

19i 

59V 

40 

W.  T.  Hornaday. 

Marco  Polo’s 
Sheep,  . . . 

Ovis  poli,  . . 

Central  .Asia, 

15i 

59V 

39 

Robert  (Jilfort. 

Siar  Sheep,  . . 

Ovis  siarensis, 

Central  .Asia, 

15i 

47V 

CO 

o 

W.  T.  H. 

Big-Horn,  . . 

Ovis  canaden- 
sis, . . . 

) British  Co- 
\ lumbia. 

low 

40V 

17 

G.  0.  Shields. 

Black  Sheep,  . 

Ovis  stand, 

/ British  Co- 
\ lumbia. 

14  V 

32V 

28| 

Unknown. 

White  Sheep,  . 

Ovis  dalli,  . 

\ Kenai  Pen., 
( Alaska, 

12f 

3SV 

23  V 

W.  T.  H. 

Mexican  Sheep, 

Ovis  mexica- 
nus,  . . . 

) Chihuahua, 
\ Mexico, 

16V 

35 

18V 

Charles  Sheldon. 

* Circumference  half  way  between  base  and  tip,  16  inches  ! Weight,  skull  and  horns,  38  lbs. 


KOCKY  MOUNTAIN  GOAT. 


I'amtetl  by  Cakl  KfNGIlst. 


114 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


HORNS  OF  ASIATIC  AND  AMERICAN  MOUNTAIN  SHEEP. 

1.  Siberian  Argali.  No.  1 in  list  on  page  112. 

2.  Marco  Polo’s  Sheep.  A specimen  of  medium  length,  only. 

3.  Big-Horn.  No.  4 in  list.  A very  large  pair. 

4.  AVhite  Sheep.  No.  5 in  list  ; of  unusual  length. 

sheep;  black  sheep;  Big-Horn;  Nelson’s  and 
Mexican  sheep. 

It  requires  no  stretch  of  the  imagination  to 
behold  Bering  Strait  choked  with  the  great  polar 
ice-pack,  and  hardy,  strong-limbed  bears,  wolves, 
mountain  sheep  and  reindeer  cro.ssing  over  the 
sixty  miles  that  now  separate  .4sia  from  Alaska, 
and  spreading  in  all  directions  over  North  Amer- 
ica. I fully  believe  that  the  parent  stock  of  our 
mountain  sheep,  caribou,  moose,  wolves  and 
bears  came  from  .4sia  by  this  route. 

The  Rocky  Mountain  Goat,  or  White  Goat,’ 

’ 0-re  am'nos  mon-tan'us. 


unexplored 
Romanzoff 
an  occur- 


is  the  only  American  represent- 
ative of  the  numerous  species 
of  wild  goats,  ibexes  and  other 
goat-like  animals  so  numerous 
throughout  the  Old  World 
from  Japan  to  India,  southern 
Europe  and  northern  Africa. 
Thus  far  with  but  one  excep- 
tion all  the  rumors  of  “ibex” 
thathave  come  from  Wyoming, 
Colorado,  Montana  and  Brit- 
ish Columbia  have  proven  en- 
tirely without  foundation.  In 
one  case  a Colorado  hunter 
discovered  a small  band  of 
once-tame  goats  running  wild 
and  reported  it  to  Recreation 
magazine,  with  a photograph 
of  a mounted  specimen.  While 
it  is  possible  that  a genuine 
Capra  may  yet  be  found 
inhabiting  some 
region,  like  the 
Mountains,  such 
rence  is  very  improbable. 

The  only  use  or  value  thus 
far  found  in  the  Mountain 
Goat  is  as  “game”  for  sports- 
men who  like  difficult  and 
dangerous  tasks.  With  but 
few  exceptions,  it  inhabits 
the  grassy  belt  of  the  high 
mountains  just  above  tim- 
ber-line, and  it  particularly 
loves  the  dangerous  ice-cov- 
ered slopes  and  “hog-backs” 
over  which  only  the  boldest 
hunters  dare  follow  it.  This, 
however,  specially  applies  to  its  haunts  in  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  Coast  Range.  On 
the  coast  of  British  Columbia,  the  White  Goat 
sometimes  descends  so  near  to  tide  water  that 
more  than  one  specimen  has  been  shot  from  a 
canoe. 

For  a large  Ungulate,  the  Mountain  Goat  is 
said  to  be  phenomenally  stupid.  It  is  quite  true 
that  any  hunter  who  has  the  nerve  and  strength 
to  climb  to  where  it  lives  will  there  find  no  great 
difficulty  in  killing  it.  From  all  accounts,  it  is 
both  erratic  and  stupid.  Several  times  goats 
have  approached  the  camp-fires  of  explorers,  and 


THE  MOraTAIX  GOAT 


115 


on  one  occasion  an  individual  whose  “partner” 
had  been  shot  deliberateh’  sat  down,  dog-like, 
thirty  yards  away  and  watched  the  hunter  skin 
and  cook  a portion  of  his  mate.  In  Idaho  two 
miners  killed  a large  Mountain  Goat  with  an  axe. 
While  exploring  in  .\laska,  unarmed,  a member 
of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  was  once 
vigorously  attacked  by  an  old  male  goat,  which 
attempted  to  drive  him  from  a narrow  mountain 

path. 

Tlie  White  Goat  is  quite  as  odd  in  appearance 
as  in  mind  and  habit.  Judging  merely  from  its 
appearance  an  observer  would  be  justified  in 
considering  it  a slow,  clumsy  creature,  safe  only 
upon  level  ground.  Instead  of  being  so,  it  is 
the  most  expert  and  daring  rock-climber  of  all 
American  hoofed  animals.  Its  hoofs  are  small, 
angular  and  very  compact,  and  consist  of  an 
ingenious  combination  of  rubber-pad  inside  and 
knife-edge  outside,  to  hold  the  owner  ecjually 
well  on  snow,  ice  or  bare  rock. 

Professor  L.  L.  Dyche  declares  that  ]\Iountain 
Goats  will  cross  walls  of  rock  which  neither  man, 
dog  nor  mountain  sheep  would  dare  attempt  to 

pass.  He  has  seen  them  cross  the  face  of  a preci- 
pice of  apparently  smooth  rock,  to  all  appearances 
entirely  devoid  of  ledges  or  shelves  of  any  kind, 
and  so  nearly  perpendicular  that  it  seemed  an 
impos.«iibility  for  any  creature  with  hoofs  to 
maintain  a footing  upon  it.  .\nd  yet,  the  goats 

i not  only  passed  safely  across,  but  they  did  it 
with  perfect  composure,  frequently  looking  back, 
and  turning  around  whenever  they  saw  fit  to  do 
so. 

In  general  outline  this  animal  has  the  form  of 
a pignpv  .\merican  bison,  and  were  its  pelage 
dark  brown  instead  of  pure  white,  the  external 
resemblance  would  indeed  be  striking.  It  has 
high  shoulders,  low  hind-quarters,  stocky  legs, 
a thick-set  Ijody,  and  shaggy  pelage.  Its  head 
is  carried  low,  the  crown  seldom  rising  above 
the  upper  line  of  the  shoulders  and  back,  and  the 
face  is  too  long  for  beauty.  The  horns  are  so 
small,  short  and  severely  plain  they  are  neither 
beautiful  nor  imposing. 

The  weight  of  this  animal  is  about  that  of  the 
^ irginia  deer.  The  shoulder  height  of  a good 
average  .size  male  is  .37  inches,  length  of  head  and 
Ixxly,  fiT)  inches,  tail,  4 inches,  and  girth  51  inches 
(L.  L.  Dyche).  The  females  average  about  one- 
fourth  smaller.  Except  in  length  and  color  of 


pelage  the  Mountain  Goat  is  clad  after  the  style 
of  the  musk-ox.  Next  to  the  skin  it  wears  a 
dense  coat  of  fine  wool,  through  and  far  beyond 
which  grows  a long,  outside  thatch  of  coarse  hair. 
When  free  from  dirt,  both  these  coats  are  yellow- 
ish-white, and  contain  no  patches  of  color.  Be- 
hind each  horn  is  a peculiar  bare  patch  of  black, 
oily  skin,  the  size  of  a half-dollar.  The  horns 
are  small,  smooth,  very  sharp-pointed,  jet  black, 
and  the  longest  on  record  measure  IH  inches. 
The  cannon  bone  is  proportionately  the  shortest 
to  be  found  in  any  large  ungulate. 

Professor  Dyche  thinks  this  animal  is  not 
likely  to  be  e.xterminated  very  soon,  chiefly  be- 
cause of  its  inaccessibility,  its  lack  of  beauty  as 
a trophy,  and  the  expenditure  of  time,  money 
and  muscle  that  is  necessary  to  win  within  gun- 
shot of  it.  Its  flesh  is  so  musky  and  dry  that  it 
is  not  palatable  to  white  men  save  when  they 
are  e.xceedingly  hungry,  and  its  skin  has  no  com- 
mercial value.  Nevertheless,  in  the  United 
States,  the  White  Goat  has  been  so  much  .sought 
by  sportsmen  and  others  who  like  difficult  hunt- 
ing that  now  it  is  found  only  in  Washington, 
Idaho  and  northwestern  Montana.  Northward 
of  our  boundary,  it  is  scattered  very  thinly,  and 
at  long  intervals,  throughout  British  Columbia 
and  Alaska  as  far  as  the  head  of  Cook  Inlet. 

In  1900  a new  species  was  discovered  on  Cop- 
per River,  Alaska,  and  named  Kennedy’s 
Mountain  Goat.  It  is  marked  very  plainly  by 
horns  that  are  no  longer,  but  are  more  slender, 
more  strongly  ringed,  and  spread  farther  at  the 
tips  than  those  of  the  original  species. 

Up  to  the  year  1903,  only  four  white  goats 
had  ever  been  exhibited  alive  in  the  United 
States  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  ' Of  these, 
two  were  .shown  at  Boston  in  1899,  and  two  are 
now  alive  in  the  Philadelphia  Zoological  Gar- 
dens. As  might  be  expected,  it  is  a difficult  mat- 
ter to  keep  such  creatures  alive  and  in  good  health 
on  the  .\tlantic  coast.  In  1902  a very  fine  adult 
male  specimen  was  on  exhibition  in  the  London 
Gardens. 

PRONG-HORNED  .\NTELOPE  FAMILY. 

.4  ntilocapridae. 

This  uni(iue  Family  of  one  species  and  one 
subspecies,  must  not  be  confused  nor  in  any  way 
connected  with  the  large  and  important  group  of 
.\frican  antelopes,  which  contains  a grand  array 


116 


OKDEES  OF  MAMMxiLS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


of  animals  of  all  sizes,  many  of  them  odd,  and 
many  of  them  noted  for  their  beauty.  The  stu- 
dent who  has  a special  liking  for  the  large  hoofed 
animals  surely  will  find  pleasure  in  making 
the  acquaintance  of  such  superb  creatures  as 
the  sable  antelope,  the  koodoo,  the  water-buck, 
the  eland,  the  oryx,  the  gnu,  the  pallah,  and  the 
hartebeest  of  Africa.  We  have  reason  to  envy 
Africa  her  exclusive  possession  of  all  those  fine 
creatures,  not  to  mention  her  other  hoofed  ani- 
mals, great  and  small. 

The  Prong-Horned  Antelope’  is  found  only 


cent  bullet  flies  true  to  the  mark,  it  will  destroy  1 
an  animal  more  wonderful  than  the  rarest  or-  / 
chid  that  ever  bloomed.  ^ 

Remember  the  ages  which  Nature  has  spent  ( 
in  fashioning  this  wonderful  combination  of  keen 
eye,  fleet  foot  and  graceful  limb,  and  preserving  , 
it  from  the  extermination  which  overtook  the  ^ 
great  reptiles,  rhinoceroses,  and  toothed  birds  of 
the  vast  inland  sea  now  known  as  the  Uintah  r 
Basin.  Surely  this  animal  is  worth  perpetual 
protection  at  our  hands,  rather  than  needless, 
cruel  and  inexcusable  slaughter.  It  cannot 


Painted  by  Carl  Rungius. 


PRONG-HORNED  .\NTELOPE. 


in  North  America,  and  it  possesses  so  many  ana- 
tomical peculiarities,  found  in  no  other  animal, 
that  zoologists  have  created  for  it  a separate 
Family,  which  it  occupies  in  solitary  state.  It 
is  like  an  island  in  a vast  sea,  unrelated.  Let 
him  who  hereafter  may  be  tempted,  either  law- 
fully or  unlawfully,  to  raise  a death-dealing  rifle 
against  one  of  these  beautiful  prairie  rovers, 
remember  two  things  before  he  pulls  the  trigger; 
In  this  land  of  plenty,  no  man  really  needs  this 
creature’s  paltry  pounds  of  flesh;  and  if  his  two- 
' An-ti-lo-cap'ra  americana. 


be  ■perpetuated  by  breeding  in  captivity;  and 
unless  preserved  in  a wild  state,  it  will  become 
extinct. 

Behold  the  list  of  characters,  in  which  this 
animal  differs  from  all  other  antelopes;  .Al- 
though its  horns  grow  over  a bony  core,  they  are 
shed  and  renewed  every  year;  the  horn  bears  a 
prong,  and  is  placed  directly  over  the  eye;  the 
feet  have  no  “dew-claws”;  the  hair  consists  of  a 
hollow  tube  filled  with  pith,  coarse,  harsh,  straw- 
like and  easily  broken;  and  all  the  hair  on  the 
rump  is  fully  erectile,  like  the  bristles  of  swine. 


THE  PROXG-HORXED  AXTELOPE 


117 


When  fighting,  or  alarmed,  this  white  hair  is 
instantly  thrown  up,  and  on  a Heeing  animal  it 
forms  a dangerously  eonspicuous  and  inviting 
mark.  To  my  mind,  the  white  rump-patch  of 
the  IVong-Horn  is  one  of  Xature’s  errors.  It 
enables  a pursuer  to  mark  the  animal  long  after 
it  should  really  become  invisible. 

The  Prong-Horned  .\ntelope  is  next  in  size  to 
the  smaller  species  of  our 
mountain  sheep.  It  is  smaller 
than  the  white-tailed  deer  of 
the  north,  but  as  large  as  the 
southern  forms.  The  largest 
sj)eeimcn  in  the  Zoological 
Park  herd  measures  37i  inches 
high  at  the  shoulders,  has  a 
head  and  body  length  of 
473  inches,  tail,  34  inches, 
and  chest  circumference  of  3o 
inches.  Its  horns  are  12  J inches 
long  and  124  inches  wide  be- 
tween the  tips.  The  longest 
horns  on  record  are  17  inches 
in  length,  but  any  that  meas- 
ure 12  inches  may  fairly  be 
considered  large.  The  female 
has  no  horns. 

The  colors  of  this  animal 
arc  usually  two,  consisting  of 
a cloak  of  light  yellowish- 
brown  thrown  over  the  back 
and  neck  of  an  otherwise 
white  animal.  On  the  throat  the  brown  is  laid 
on  in  a curious  collar-like  pattern,  and  the  adult 
males  usually  have  a wash  of  black  on  their 
cheeks.  The  ears  arc  very  shapely,  and  from 
the  neck  an  erect  mane  rises  from  four  to  five 
inches  in  length.  The  legs  are  exceedingly 
trim  and  delicately  formed,  and  the  erect  horns 
and  high  ))o.se  of  the  head  give  the  animal  a very 
jaunty  ap|)carance. 

In  running  it  has  three,  very  distinct  gaits. 
When  fleeing  from  danger,  it  carries  its  head  low, 
like  a running  sheep,  and  galloj)S  by  long  leaps; 
when  showing  off,  it  holds  its  head  as  high  as 
possible,  and  trots  forward  with  stiff  legs,  and 
long  strides,  like  ( ierman  soldiers  doing  the  goose- 
.step.  Occasionally,  it  gidlops  with  high  hea<l, 
by  stiff-legged  leaps,  like  the  mule  deer. 

In  captivity  the  Prong-Horn  is  always  affec- 
tionate, tru.stful,  and  very  fond  of  being  noticed; 


but  the  bucks  soon  become  too  playful  with  their 
sharp  horns,  and  push  their  human  friends  about 
until  the  play  becomes  more  dangerous  than 
amusing.  They  readily  come  at  call,  and  at 
times  become  very  playful  with  each  other. 
They  cannot  live  on  the  rich,  green  grasses  of  the 
country  east  of  the  Great  Plains,  and  are  very 
difficult  to  keep  in  captivity.  At  the  New  York 


Zoological  Park  it  has  been  found  that  they  sur- 
vive and  breed  only  when  kept  in  a paved  corral, 
and  fed  on  rolled  oats,  clover  hay,  and  a very 
limited  amount  of  fresh  grass.  Those  who  have 
attempted  to  preserve  and  breed  the  Prong-Horn 
in  captivity  have  met  with  many  discourage- 
ments, and  failure  has  been  the  result  of  many 
experiments  that  deserved  success.  At  present, 
our  herd  seems  well  established,  and  on  .June  2, 
1903,  two  fawns  were  born. 

Owing  to  the  extreme  difficulty  of  maintaining 
this  species  in  captivity,  its  total  e.xtinction  at 
an  early  date  seems  absolutely  certain,  unless 
it  is  fully  and  permanently  protected  in  a wild 
• state,  on  its  native  ranges,  for  a long  period. 
To-day  it  exists  only  in  small,  isolated  bands, 
widely  scattered,  in  a few  localities  in  Montana, 
Wyoming,  Colorado,  Kansas,  Texas,  New  Mex- 
ico, Nevada,  Idaho,  Utah,  Oregon  and  Califor- 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  PRONG-HORNED  ANTELOPE  IN  1903. 


118 


OEDEliS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  AEIMALS 


nia.  In  all  these  states  sav^e  three  its  destruc- 
tion has  been  absolutely  prohibited  for  periods 
ranging  from  five  to  ten  years,  and  it  is  hoped 
and  believed  that  all  will  very  shortly  provide 
for  its  absolute  protection.  But  has  protec- 
tion come  to  this  species  early  enough  to  save 
it?  It  is  very  doubtful.  Says  Mr.  A.  G.  Walli- 
han,  in  Outdoor  Life,  “Look  at  the  Antelope! 
But  I don’t  know  whether  you  can  find  any  to 
look  at;  for  1 don’t  think  there  are  50  in  Routt 
County  [Colorado],  where  ten  years  ago  there 
were  probably  50,000.  They  have  almost  com- 
pletely disappeared  here.  No  doubt  a small 
herd  of  a thousand  or  so  went  north  into  Wyo- 
ming, but  they  will  fare  no  better  there.” 

The  destruction  of  this  beautiful  and  interest- 
ing creature  is  now  absolutely  ine.vcusable,  and 
for  the  good  name  of  Americans  generally  it  is 
to  be  hoped  that  w'herever  a wild  Prong-Horned 
Antelope  is  now  to  be  found,  public  sentiment 
will  protect  it  more  powerfully  and  more  per- 
manently than  can  any  statute  law. 

THE  DEER  FAMILY. 

Cervidae. 

General  Observations. — The  Deer  Family 
is  well  represented  on  all  continents,  and  on  all 
large  islands,  save  Africa,  Australia  and  New 
Zealand.  There  are  about  forty-five  well-de- 
fined species,  and  many  subspecies.  With  but 
one  or  two  exceptions,  the  species  found  in  the 
tropics  and  subtropics  are  scantily  antlered,  dull 
in  color,  and  covered  with  coarse,  thin  hair. 
There  is  but  one  tropical  deer  which  is  really 
beautiful,  and  that  is  the  axis,  or  spotted  deer, 
of  India  and  Ceylon. 

The  following  facts  regarding  the  deer  of  the 
world  are  worth  remembering: 

The  American  Moose  is  the  largest  member  of 
the  Deer  Family,  living  or  extinct. 

The  American  Elk,  or  Wapiti,  is  the  largest 
and  fine.st  of  all  the  round-horned  deer. 

The  Axis  Deer  is  the  most  beautiful  in  color 
of  all  deer. 

The  Moose  has  the  heaviest  and  most  massive 
antlers,  with  the  widest  spread. 

Male  deer  of  most  species  have  solid  antlers, 
of  bone,  branching  into  several  tines. 

Deer  shed  their  antlers,  and  renew  them  com- 
pletely, every  year. 


The  young  of  nearly  all  round-horned  deer  are 
spotted  at  birth. 

All  adult  male  deer  are  dangerous  in  the  mating 
season,  when  their  antlers  are  new  and  perfect. 

The  female  Caribou  is  the  only  female  deer 
with  antlers. 

The  best  deer  to  keep  in  captivity  in  a park  is 
the  Fallow  Deer,  of  Europe;  and  outside  of  its 
own  home,  the  worst  is  the  Colum.bian  Black- Tail. 

Except  as  already  stated,  nearly  every  coun- 
try in  the  world  is  provided  with  representa- 
tives of  the  Deer  Family,  according  to  conditions. 
Nature  has  fitted  the  caribou  to  live  in  the  awful 
lands  of  desolation  in  the  far  north,  and  the 
moose  in  the  forests  fringing  the  Arctic  bar- 
rens. The  elk  is  fashioned  for  the  plains,  the 
foothills  and  open-timbered  mountains  of  west- 
ern America  and  central  Asia.  The  white- 
tailed  deer  skulks  in  safety  through  the  thickest 
forests  of  temperate  North  America,  and  in 
India  and  the  far  East  the  axis  deer,  the  sam- 
bar,  and  the  tiny  muntjac,  with  only  one  or  two 
tines  on  each  antler,  have  been  formed  to  slij) 
through  the  tangled  jungles  with  ease  and  safety. 

North  America  has  the  good  fortune  to  be  rich 
in  Cervidae.  It  has  six  prominent  types,  and 
at  this  date  (1903),  a full  count  reveals  twenty- 
four  recognized  species  and  subspecies,  which 
form  a group  combining  the  grand,  the  beautiful 
and  the  picturesque,  and  of  very  decided  value 
to  man.  In  the  exploration  and  settlement  of 
the  United  States,  and  the  exploration  of  Alaska 
and  the  far  North,  the  wild  herds  have  played  an 
important  part. 

The  unvarying  distinctive  mark  by  which  any 
American  representative  of  the  Deer  Family  can 
be  recognized  is  the  presence  on  the  male  of  solid 
horns  of  bone,  called  antlers,  which  are  shed  once 
a year,  close  down  to  the  skull,  and  are  fully  re- 
newed by  rapidly  growing  out  in  a soft  state  called 
“the  velvet.”  When  fully  grown,  the  antlers 
branch  several  times;  but  the  first  pair,  which 
are  grown  during  the  second  year,  are  only  two 
straight  and  slender  spikes,  called  “dag  antlers.” 
The  grouping  of  animals  with  antlers  brings 
together  in  the  Deer  Family  not  only  the  true 
deer,  but  also  the  moose  and  caribou. 

Shedding  and  Renewal  of  Antlers. — .At 
this  point  it  is  necessary  to  emphasize  certain 
facts  regarding  the  antlers  of  deer,  elk,  moose 
and  caribou. 


THE  DEEK  FAMILY 


119 


Many  persons  find  it  difficult  to  believe  that 
the  antlers  of  all  these  creatures  drop  off  close 
to  the  skull,  every  year,  and  are  completely  re- 
newed in  about  four  months;  but  such  is  the 
fact.  It  is  Xature’s  special  i)lan  to  absorb  the 


seems  incredible — unless  watched  from  week  to 
week — that  the  enormous  antlers  of  full-f>;rown 
moose  or  elk  can  be  dropped  and  completely  re- 
newed again  in  as  short  a period  as  four  months; 
but  it  is  true. 


! 


I March  21. 

a.  April  an. 


“ no  ELK  .SHED  THEIK  ANTLEKS  ? ” 

.Vn  f.iisuLT  from  tlic  New  York  Zoological  Park. 


2.  .Ajiril  8. 
4.  May  1.5. 


jnirplu-'  strength  of  the  males,  and  render  them 
weak  and  innfTensivc  during  the  jieriod  in  which 
the  mothers  are  rearing  their  vf)ung,  when  both 
the  d(X's  anil  their  fawns  would  be  defenceless 
against  savage  males  with  perfect  antlers.  It 


The  antlers  of  North  American  deer  are  usu- 
ally dropped  in  March,  but  occasionally  in  Feb- 
ruary. .Sometimes  a day  or  two  passes  betvveen 
the  fall  of  the  first  antler  and  the  loss  of  the 
.second.  The  root,  or  pedicle,  e.vpo.sed  is  a rough 


120 


OEDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


disc  of  bone  belonging  to  the  frontal  bone  of 
the  skull.  No  blood  flows.  Dropped  antlers  are 
sometimes  gnawed  by  rodents  until  destroyed; 
but  many  are  picked  up  by  those  who  look  for 
them.  At  the  end  of  the  first  week,  the  bony  disc 
or  seat  of  the  antler  is  covered  over  by  the  dark 
brown  skin  of  the  head.  At  the  end  of  two 
weeks,  a rounded  bunch,  like  a big  brown  tomato, 
has  risen  on  the  pedicle  of  each  antler.  It  is 
soft,  full  of  blood,  and  easily  injured. 

Gradually  this  elongates  into  the  form  of  a 
thick,  blunt-ended  club,  in  color  brown  or  pink, 
shiny,  and  thinly  covered  with  minute  hairs. 
When  fairly  started,  the  antlers  of  a healthy 
and  vigorous  elk  or  caribou  grow  at  the  rate  of 
one-third  of  an  inch  per  day,  or  even  more. 
They  are  soft,  spongy,  warm,  full  of  blood,  are 
easily  injured,  and  if  cut  will  bleed  freely.  The 
material  of  which  they  are  composed,  internally, 
is  the  same  as  that  which  forms  the  hair.  The 
drain  upon  the  animal’s  vitality  during  this 
period  is  very  severe,  and  it  is  not  strange  that 
the  animal  is  then  meek  and  spiritless. 

A large  pair  of  elk  antlers,  dropped  in  the 
Zoological  Park  on  March  21st,  had  been  renewed 
to  their  full  length  by  June  21st,  but  the  tips 
were  flat  and  club-like.  The  first  sign  of  the 
hardening  process  was  the  shrinkage  of  the  blunt 
tips  of  the  tines  to  sharp  points.  Gradually  the 
diameter  of  the  entire  antler  decreased  in  size, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  hair  composing  the 
velvet  grew  longer.  The  surface  now  assumed 
a gray  appearance.  On  .\ugust  1st  all  the  points 
were  sharp,  and  the  antlers  were  in  perfect  form, 
but  the  velvet  was  all  on.  (See  “ The  Elk’s  Calen- 
dar,” page  122.) 

Deer  as  Dangerous  Animals. — The  rapid 
multiplication  of  deer  parks,  and  small  collec- 
tions of  captive  animals,  renders  it  necessary  to 
offer  a few  words  of  warning  regarding  deer  of  all 
species.  During  the  season  immediately  fol- 
lowing the  perfect  development  of  the  new  ant- 
lers,— say  September,  October  and  November, — 
male  deer,  elk,  caribou  and  moose  sometimes 
become  as  savage  as  whelp-robbed  tigers.  The 
neck  swells  far  beyond  its  natural  size,  the  eye- 
pits  distend,  and  the  buck  goes  stalking  about 
with  ears  laid  back  and  nostrils  expanded,  fairly 
spoiling  for  a fight.  I have  seen  stags  that  were 
mild  and  gentle  during  eight  or  nine  months  of 
the  )"ear  suddenly  transformed  into  murderous 


demons,  ready  and  anxious  to  stab  to  death  any 
unarmed  man  who  ventured  near. 

At  first  a buck  walks  slowly  up  to  his  victim, 
makes  a wry  face,  and  with  his  sharp,  new  antlers 
makes  believe  to  play  with  him.  Not  wi.shing 
to  be  punctured,  the  intended  victim  lays  hold 
of  the  antlers,  and  seeks  to  keep  them  out  of  his 
vitals.  On  finding  himself  opposed,  the  buck 
begins  to  drive  forward  like  a battering  ram, 
and  then  the  struggle  is  on. 

Heaven  help  the  man  thus  attacked,  if  no 
other  help  be  near!  He  shuts  his  teeth,  grips 
the  murderous  bone  spears  with  all  his  strength, 
leans  well  forward,  and  with  the  strength  and 
nimbleness  of  desperation,  struggles  to  maintain 
his  grasp  and  keep  his  feet.  Each  passing  in- 
stant the  rage  of  the  buck,  and  his  joy  of  com- 
bat, increases.  If  the  man  goes  down,  and  help 
fails  to  come  quickly,  his  chances  to  escape  the 
spears  are  few. 

Once  when  unarmed  and  alone,  I saved  myself 
from  an  infuriated  buck  (fortunately  a small 
one),  by  suddenly  releasing  one  antler,  seizing 
a fore-leg  low  down,  and  pulling  it  up  so  high 
that  the  animal  was  powerless  to  lunge  forward 
as  he  had  been  doing.  In  this  way  I held  him 
at  bay,  and  at  last  worked  him  to  a spot  where  I 
secured  a stout  cudgel,  with  which  I belabored 
him  so  unmercifully  that  he  was  conquered  for 
that  day. 

The  strength  and  fury  of  a buck  of  insignifi- 
cant size  are  often  beyond  belief.  The  loving 
“pet”  of  May  readily  becomes  the  dangerous, 
fury-filled  murderer  of  October.  With  a large 
deer  of  any  species,  a man  not  fully  armed  has 
little  chance.  In  the  winter  of  1902,  at  Helena, 
Montana,  a man  armed  with  a pitchfork  entered 
an  elk  corral,  to  show  a friend  that  the  large  male 
elk  feared  him.  The  elk  attacked  him  furiously, 
and  killed  him  before  he  could  be  rescued. 

Men  who  have  charge  of  deer  herds  must  keep 
the  bucks  in  a perpetual  state  of  fear.  Do  not 
make  a pet  of  any  male  member  of  the  Deer 
Family  after  it  is  two  years  old.  It  is  dangerous. 
In  the  autumn  or  winter,  never  enter  an  en- 
closure containing  deer,  elk  or  caribou  unless 
armed  with  a pitchfork,  or  a long  pole  of  tough 
wood,  with  an  iron  spike  in  the  end.  If  a buck 
threatens  to  attack  you,  strike  him  across  the 
nose;  for  that  is  his  tender  spot.  When  angry 
he  can  take  any  amount  bf  punishment  on  the 


THE  AMERICAN  ELK 


121 


forehead,  neck  and  shoulders,  without  its  dimin- 
ishin" his  energ\'  in  tlie  least. 

Solitary  bucks  in  small  corrals  are  most  dan- 
gerous. Where  deer  run  in  a large  herd,  the 
danger  is  much  less;  but  if  a herd-buck  begins 
to  approach  people  with  the  slow  stride  of  a 
pugilist,  lips  and  nose  turned  up,  ears  laid  back, 
and  snorting  defiantly,  shut  him  up  at  once,  or 
saw  off  his  antlers  close  to  his  head,  before  he 
does  mischief. 


locked,  wild  deer  are  much  given  to  fighting 
during  the  rutting  season.  It  is  to  be  remem- 
bered, however,  that  male  deer  are  in  the  habit 
of  pla}'’fully  sparring  with  their  horns,  and  it  is 
very  likely  that  many  a death-lock  has  been  due 
to  a i)ushing-match  rather  than  to  deadly  com- 
bat. The  antlers  of  our  white-tailed  and  mule 
deer  are  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  fatal  inter- 
locking that  has  caused  many  a fine  buck  to 
perish  miserably  by  slow  starvation.  In  cap- 


Photographecl  by  E.  K.  Sanborn,  New  York  Zoological  Park.  1903. 

■\  MODEL  .\MERIC.\.N  ELK,  IN  OCTOBER. 


Fighting  .Viiinng  Deer. — Even  among  them- 
xlvi-i,  deer  are  murderous  brutes.  It  is 
ouite  a common  thing  for  one  buck  to  trcach- 
enm-ily  a.-v'^assinate  another;  and  some  are  such 
thormigh  degenerates  they  will  murder  their 
own  d(M'.'^  and  fawns.  The  largest  and  hand- 
s.iinest  bucks  are  not  always  the  best  fight- 
er", for  they  often  lack  the  activity  and  youth- 
ful vigor  which  gives  supremacy  to  a younger 
animal. 

.ludging  by  the  numlier  of  pairs  of  deer  that 
have  L-tu  found  dead  with  their  antlers  tightly 


tivity,  pushing-matches  amongst  deer  are  quite 
common. 

The  Round-Horned  Deer. 

The  American  Elk,  or  Wapiti,^  is  as  tall 
as  a horse,  handsomel}'^  formed,  luxuriantly 
maned,  carries  its  head  proudly,  and  is  crowned 
by  a pair  of  very  imposing  antlers.  Even  the 
doe  Elk  is  a handsome  and  stately  creature;  and 

' Cer'i'us  can-a-den'sis.  In  Europe,  this  animal 
is  called  the  Wapiti;  and  the  European  Moose  is 
called  the  “ Elk.” 


122 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


from  the  second  week  after  its  birth,  the  fawn 
steps  about  with  the  air  of  a game-cock.  If  you 
w'ill  observe  a seven-year-old  male  Elk  in  October 
or  November,  when  the  modelling  of  his  form  is 
handsomest,  his  pelage  long,  bright  and  immacu- 
late, his  neck  swollen  with  pride,  and  his  fine  new 
antlers  ready  for  admiration  or  for  battle,  I think 
you  will  say,  “This  is  the  king  of  the  Cervidae  !” 

Even  the  moose,  giant  though  he  be,  is  not 
a creature  of  regal  presence,  like  the  Elk.  Al- 
though the  latter  is  a large  and  heavy  animal,  it 
has  the  small  and  shapely  legs  and  hoofs  of  a 
thoroughbred.  It  is  strictly  a creature  for  solid 
ground,  and  while  very  fond  of  bathing  in  ponds 
during  hot  rveather,  it  avoids  swamps  and  low 
situations. 

It  is  both  a grazing  and  browsing  animal.  Al- 
though up  to  twenty-five  years  ago  it  often  ranged 
far  out  into  the  western  edge  of  the  Great 
Plains,  and  loves  to  frequent  mountain  parks,  it 
is  also  a forest  animal.  Originally,  its  range 
coincided  to  a remarkable  extent  with  that  of 
the  buffalo,  covering  fully  three-fourths  of  the 
United  States,  from  the  Adirondacks  and  the 
eastern  foothills  of  the  Alleghenies  to  California 
and  Vancouver  Island.  It  was  not  found,  how- 
ever, on  the  Great  Plains  north  of  the  Saskatche- 
wan. 

In  summer  it  ascends  the  Rocky  Mountains 
to  the  very  crest  of  the  Continental  Divide,  1 1,000 
feet  above  the  sea.  The  species  reaches  its  high- 
est physical  development  on  the  backbone  of 
the  continent,  between  northwestern  Wyoming 
and  southern  Colorado. 

From  nineteen-twentieths  of  its  original  range, 
this  grand  animal  has  been  exterminated.  To- 
day it  is  abundant  in  one  locality  only,  the  Yel- 
lowstone National  Park  and  the  country  imme- 
diately surrounding  it,  where  about  20,000  Elk 
find  a safe  retreat. 

Every  winter  the  Elk  herds  of  the  Yellowstone 
Park  migrate  southward  to  feed  in  the  sheltered 
valleys  of  Jackson  Hole.  During  these  migra- 
tions, which  usually  are  made  through  deep 
snow,  Mr.  S.  N.  Leek  and  others  have  made 
many  fine  photographs  of  the  herds.  One  of 
Mr.  Leek’s  striking  jhctures  is  reproduced  on 
the  opposite  page. 

Elk  are  found  in  small  numbers  in  the  Olympic 
Mountains  of  Washington,  in  Oregon,  sparingly 
in  Colorado,  western  Montana  and  Idaho,  iii  one 


small  area  of  Manitoba,  and  at  one  point  in  south 
central  California.  On  Vancouver  Island  the 
species  is  now  extinct. 

It  is  probable  that  within  a few  years  the  Elk 
will  disappear  from  all  the  localities  mentioned 
save  the  Yellowstone  Park,  for  in  the  other 
wild  and  thinly  settled  regions  which  it  inhabits 
to-day,  the  measures  for  its  protection  from  il- 
legal slaughter  are  by  no  means  adequate.  Some 
Americans  who  go  hunting — I will  not  call  them 
sportsmen — are  so  greedy,  so  lawless  and  so 
wasteful  of  animal  life,  that  we  frequently  hear 
accounts  of  Elk  slaughter  which  are  enough  to 
disgust  all  decent  men. 

Fortunately,  Elk  are  easily  bred  in  confinement, 
and  during  the  last  twenty  years  many  good  herds 
have  been  established  in  the  great  private  game 
preserves  that  are  scattered  from  New  Hamp- 
shire and  Massachusetts  to  Minnesota.  In  ad- 
dition to  these,  there  are  many  smaller  herds  in 
small  private  parks.  Nearly  every  city  north 
of  the  Potomac  has  a herd  of  Elk  in  one  of  its 
parks,  and  other  hardy  native  animals  in  an  estab- 
lishment known  either  as  a “zoo,”  a zoological 
garden,  or  a zoological  park.  Thanks  to  this 
constantly  increasing  public  demand  for  living 
collections  of  wild  animals,  the  American  Elk 
and  buffalo  are  now  familiar  objects  to  the  chil- 
dren of  at  least  twenty  American  cities. 

The  Elk’s  Calendar  in  the  New  York 
Zoological  Park. 

Jan.  1.  Pelage  has  grown  perceptibly  paler. 
Feb.  I.  Pelage  has  lo.st  its  lustre,  and  begins  to 
look  weathered. 

Mar.  21.  Antlers  of  the  largest  male  droj)ped, 
9 hours  apart. 

Apr.  8.  Each  budding  antler  looks  like  a big 
brown  tomato. 

Apr.  18.  New  antlers  about  5 inches  long,  thick 
and  stumpy. 

Apr.  30.  Each  antler  has  developed  three 
branches.  Young  elk  born,  well 
spotted.  Closely  hidden  in  the  rocks. 
Height  20  inches;  length  35  inches; 
weight  30^  pounds. 

May  10.  Shedding  in  full  progress;  the  Elk  look 
their  worst. 

June  1.  Shedding  about  half  finished. 

June  18.  Antlers  now  full  length,  but  club-like; 


THE  WINTER  HOME  OF  THE  ELK. 
Photographed  in  Jackson  Hole,  Wyoming,  by  S.  N.  Leek. 


124 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


well  haired.  Tips  flat.  Large  male 
has  finished  shedding. 

J uly  20.  Antlers  are  now  sharp  at  the  tips.  Flies 
troublesome.  Herd  bathes  in  the 
pond  frequently  and  long. 

Aug.  1.  Entire  herd  now  free  from  winter  pelage. 

Animals  look  well  in  short,  red  sum- 
mer coat,  but  smaller!  Velvet  still 
on  antlers.  Spots  on  young  are  all 
gone,  and  white  rump-patch  is  fully 
developed. 

Aug.  15.  Two  big  males  began  to  rub  velvet  from 
antlers,  against  trees. 

Aug.  22.  Antlers  of  one  bull  almost  clean,  but 
velvet  still  hangs  in  tatters,  like  car- 
pet rags.  Tips  pure  white,  base  looks 
bloody. 

Sept.  15.  The  summer  coat  has  been  comirletely 
shed. 

Oct.  1.  The  herd  is  at  its  best.  All  antlers  clean 
and  perfect.  Pelage  long,  full,  and 
rich  in  color.  Mating  season  now  on. 
Bulls  aggressive  and  dangerous. 
Fawns  active  and  playful.  The 
“bugle”  of  the  bull  is  a shrill  shriek, 
like  an  English  locomotive  whistle, 
sliding  down  the  scale  into  a terrific 
bawl. 

Size  of  Elk. — Professor  L.  L.  Dyche,  an 
exceedingly  careful  observer,  has  contributed  a 
striking  illustration  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining 
from  a dead  Elk  an  accurate  measurement  of  the 
animal’s  standing  height  when  alive.  The  largest 
and  finest  male  Elk  ever  taken  by  him  (for  the 
State  University  of  Kansas)  fell  in  Colorado  on 
October  21,  1891.  I can  testify  that  it  is  a 
grand  repre.sentative  of  its  species. 

As  is  frecjuently  done,  the  guide  of  the  party 
measured  its  height  in  a line  from  the  point  of  the 
hoof  to  the  top  of  the  shoulder,  and  recorded 
65  inches.  This  being  ruled  out,  the  bottom  of 
the  hoof  was  held  parallel  with  the  axis  of  the 
body,  and  the  elbow  even  with  the  lower  line  of 
the  brisket.  This  gave  62  inches.  Professor 
Dyche  then  pushed  the  elbow  up  to  the  position 
it  occupies  in  a standing  Elk — about  five  inches 
above  the  lower  line  of  the  body — and  found  the 
actual  standing  height  at  the  shoulders  to  be  57 
inches.  The  head  and  body  length  was  97 
inches;  girth,  73  inches;  circumference  around 


abdomen,  81  inches;  circumference  of  neck,  36 
inches. 

On  October  3,  1903,  a fine  bull  Elk  in  the 
New  lork  Zoological  Park  was  suffering  so  in- 
tensely from  a horn  wound  in  the  hock  joint  that 
it  was  chloroformed.  Being  in  fine  condition, 
its  measurements  and  weight  were  carefully 
noted,  with  the  following  result: 


Height  at  the  shoulders 56^  inches. 

Length  of  head,  body  and  tail . . . 86f  “ 

Circumference  of  chest 78  “ 

Weight. 

Trunk 300  lb.«. 

Skin,‘head  and  legs 255  “ 

Viscera...  151  “ 

Total  live  weight 706  lbs. 

Antlers. 

Length,  following  curves .53  inches. 

Widest  spread 35  “ 

Circumference  above  bez  tine ...  7^  “ 

Points 7 + 7=14. 

Age  about  8 years. 


Rule  for  Obtaining  the  Live  Weight  of 
Deer  from  Dressed  Weight. — So  many  records 
of  the  “dressed”  weight  of  deer  are  publi.shed, 
it  is  desirable  to  offer  a simple  rule  by  which 
anyone  can  accurately  calculate  the  weight  of 
the  animal  when  alive.  Taking  an  antlered  Elk 
(Cervus  canadensis)  as  a basis,  we  find  that  the 
dres.sed  weight  represents  .21388  of  the  live 
weight,  or  of  the  whole  animal. 

The  dressed  weight  being  given,  in  pounds,  add 
to  it  five  ciphers,  divide  by  78612,  and  the  result 
will  be  the  live  weight,  in  pounds. 

While  this  rule  will  often  prove  convenient, 
the  author  desires  to  state  that  none  of  the  weights 
recorded  in  this  volume  were  obtained  by  it;  and 
any  weight  so  obtained  and  published  always 
should  be  marked  “as  calculated.” 

The  longest  and  widest  Elk  antlers  are  not 
necessarily  the  handsomest.  Usually,  antlers 
that  are  of  great  length  are  slender,  whereas  the 
finest  pairs  are  those  of  massive  proportions, fairly 
symmetrical,  and  about  60  inches  long.  The 
longest  pair  of  reliable  record  to  this  date  was 
purchased  in  Colorado  Springs,  Colorado,  in  1897 
for  the  Emperor  of  Germany.  Their  length  of 
beam  was  67^  inches,  and  their  points  were  twelve 


126 


OKDEKS  OF  MAiM.MALW  — HOOFED  ANIMALS 


in  number.  They  were  obtained  from  an  animal 
killed  in  White  Riv'er  County,  Colorado.  A very 
large  pair  from  the  Shoshone  Mountains,  in  tlie 
author’s  collection  of  horns,  has  a beam  length  of 
58  inches,  a spread  of  49J  inches,  and  burr  circum- 
ference of  11  inches. 

Elk  hunting  is  not  always  as  fine  sport  as  the 
noble  individuality  of  this  animal  would  nat- 
urally lead  the  hunter  to  expect.  Very  often 
the  Elk  is  unsuspicious,  to  the  point  of  stupidity. 
There  have  been  many  times  when  attacking  a 
herd  was  too  much  like  attacking  a herd  of  cat- 
tle. It  is  not  an  animal  of  “ highly-wrought- 
nervous”  temperament,  like  the  deer,  but  when 
startled  is  too  much  given  to  hesitating,  and 
seeking  knowledge,  before  it  dashes  away  to 
safety. 

During  the  last  three  years  important  steps 
have  been  taken,  by  private  individuals  only, 
toward  restoring  the  Elk  to  the  Adirondack  for- 
ests, which  it  once  inhabited.  In  1901,  the  Hon. 
William  C.  Whitney  caused  twenty-two  head  to 
be  liberated  there,  and  in  1902,  forty  more  were 
set  free.  In  August  and  September,  1903,  five 
car-loads  of  Elk,  sixty-eight  head  in  all,  were 
shipped  from  Mr.  Whitney’s  game  preserve  on 
October  Mountain,  near  Lenox,  Mass.,  and  lib- 
erated at  Saranac  Lake,  Floodwood  Station  and 
near  Paul  Smith’s  Station.  All  these  animals  had 
become  fully  acclimatized  on  the  Atlantic  coast, 
were  in  fine  physical  condition,  and  if  not  killed 
by  poachers  will  no  doubt  multiply  at  a reason- 
ably rapid  rate.  That  many  of  these  fine  ani- 
mals will  from  time  to  time  be  killed  and  eaten 
by  lawless  and  unprincipled  persons  seems  abso- 
lutely certain,  and  the  great  danger  is  that 
they  will  be  killed  more  rapidly  than  they  breed. 

The  Mule  Deer,  or  Rocky  Mountain  “Black- 
Tail,”'  is  a large  and  handsome  animal,  and 
the  largest  of  the  North  American  species  that 
are  universally  known  as  “deer.”  It  is  easily 
recognized  by  its  very  large  ears,  the  two  Y’s  on 
each  antler,  a short,  white  tail  with  a small 
tip  of  black,  and  a white  patch  around  the  base 
of  the  tail.  Its  antlers  are  much  larger  than 
those  of  the  white-tailed  deer.  Owing  to  their 
size  and  width,  and  their  more  erect  poise  on  the 
head,  the  appearance  of  this  animal  is  more 
stately  than  that  of  any  other  round-horned 
American  deer,  save  the  elk. 

' 0-do-coi'le-us  hem-i-o'nus. 


In  the  region  it  inhabits,  this  fine  animal  is 
known  as  the  “Black-Tailed”  Deer;  but  that 
name  is  not  appropriate  to  a creature  whicli  has  a 
snow-white  tail  with  only  a tiny  tip  of  black.  It 
rightfully  belongs  to  the  Pacific  coast  species, 
which  has  a black  tail,  and  is  known  by  no  other 
name  than  Columbian  Black-Tail.  To  avoid 
further  confusion  and  misunderstandings,  stu- 
dents are  urged  to  speak  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
species  as  the  Mule  Deer. 

The  winter  color  of  the  Mule  Deer  is  a steel 
gray,  to  match  the  gray  rocks  and  vegetation 
amongst  which  it  lives.  Its  summer  coat  is  gray- 
brown,  and  it  is  shed  in  September. 

The  Mule  Deer  chooses  for  its  home  the  most 
picturesque  “bad-lands”  and  foot-hills  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  region,  and  the  deep  ravines 
along  rivers,  but  it  also  ascends  the  mountain 
plateaus  of  its  home  to  an  elevation  of  12, (MX) 
feet.  It  is  a proud-spirited,  high-headed  ani- 
mal, a bold  traveller,  and  like  the  mountain 
sheep,  is  often  found  where  the  scenery  is  wild 
and  picturesque.  In  this  respect  it  differs  from 
the  white-tailed  deer,  which  prefers  low  ground, 
and  either  brush  or  timber  in  which  to  hide. 

A large  Mule  Deer  buck,  shot  by  the  author 
on  Snow  Creek,  Montana,  measured  42  inches 
high  at  the  shoulders,  and  62-1-6  inches  in  length. 
A large  pair  of  antlers  (in  the  author’s  collection) 
have  a beam  length  of  27\  inches,  spread  29 
inches,  and  have  14  points. 

In  the  United  States,  the  present  scarcity  of 
really  lai'ge  antlers  in  the  possession  of  ta.xider- 
mists  is  a sure  sign  of  the  approaching  end  of  this 
species. 

In  February,  1903,  Mr.  A.  Cl.  Wallihan,  the 
famous  photographer  of  wild  animals  in  their 
haunts,  made  the  following  prediction  regarding 
the  impending  extermination  of  the  Mule  Deer  in 
Colorado,  its  centre  of  abundance  in  the  United 
States : 

“Unless  we  have  a close  season  on  deer,  five 
years  will  see  the  finish  of  these  animals.  Five 
years  would  give  them  a good  start  again.  I 
will  cite  you  some  figures:  In  1897  I was  on  the 
big  trail  here  for  nine  days,  and  I counted  witliin 
a few  of  a thousand  deer.  In  1901  I was  on  the 
same  trail  for  eighteen  days,  and  counted  two 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  deer.  In  1902  I was 
out  fourteen  days,  and  counted  fifty-two  deer. 
More  deer  passed  in  a single  twenty-four  hours  in 


THE  MULE  DEER 


127 


1S92-3-4-')  and  6 than  passed  during  the  whole 
month  of  October,  1902. 

“There  are  a lot  of  deer,  it  is  true,  on  the  north 
slo{)c  of  the  divide  at  Pagoda  and  JSleepy  Cat 
mountains,  and  eastward  in  the  Williams  Fork 
country;  but  they  are  practically  the  remnant. 
Pcoi)le  here  say,  ‘You  can’t  enforce  a close-sea- 
son law.’”  (Outdoor  Lf/c  Magazine.) 

The  .Mule  Deer  reaches  its  largest  and  finest 
antler  development  in  the  Rocky  ^fountains, 
from  Colorado  to  southern  British  Columbia.  The 
few  widely-scattered  survivors  of  this  species  are 
fouiul  to-day  in  central  Chihuahua  and  Sonora, 
Mexico;  western  Colorado  and  Wyoming,  south- 
eastern Idaho,  central  Montana,  and  eastern 
British  Columbia.  One  fact  which  militates 
most  strongly  against  the  perpetuation  of  this 
species  is  that  states  and  provinces  sufficiently 
wild  and  unsettled  to  afford  it  a home  are  finan- 
cially unable  to  maintain  the  large  force  of  sala- 
ried game-wardens  which  alone  could  really  pro- 
tect it  from  final  annihilation. 


KtLLXR,  Photo.  Copyright,  1900,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Society. 
.MI  CE  DEER  M ITH  .\NTLERS  IN  THE  VELVET. 


This  s|)ecies  ranges  as  far  east  as  western  Da- 
kota, and  westward  to  the  Blue  Mountains  of 
Oregon.  Formerly  it  was  most  numerous  in 
Routt  County,  Colorado,  where  about  forty-five 
hundred  were  slaughtered  as  late  as  the  winter 
of  KKX).  Cnfortunately,  on  account  of  its  pref- 
erence for  open  country,  its  ultimate  extinction 
in  the  United  States  is  only  a rpiestion  of  about 
ten  years;  for  everywhere,  save  in  the  Yellow- 


stone Park,  it  is  being  destroyed  very  much 
faster  than  it  breeds. 

The  Mule  Deer  nearly  always  jiroduces  two 
fawns  at  a birth,  and  sometimes  three.  In  feed- 
ing it  is  much  given  to  browsing  on  twigs  and 
foliage,  but  it  also  grazes  freely  wdien  good  grass 
is  available.  In  the  Snow  Creek  country  of 
central  ^Montana  I found  that  its  October  bill 
of  fare  consisted  almost  solely  of  the  long-leaved 
mugwort  {Artemisia  tomentosa),  a species  of  very 
pungent  and  spicy  sage,  which  was  eaten  greedily 
to  the  complete  exclusion  of  the  finest  grasses 
I ever  saw  in  the  West. 

In  running,  this  deer  often  progresses  by  a 
series  of  stiff-legged  leaps,  in  which  it  touches 
the  ground  lightly  with  its  hoofs,  bounds  upward 
as  if  propelled  by  steel  springs^  and  flies  forward 
for  an  astonishing  distance.  In  Manitoba  and  a 
few  other  localities  this  remarkable  gait  has 
caused  this  animal  to  be  callefl  the  Jumping 
Deer.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  it  lives  in  a dry 
climate  and  rarefied  atmosphere,  and  subsists 
on  very  dry  foods,  it  is  difficult  to  acclimatize  it 
anywhere  outside  of  its  own  home.  East  of  the 
^Mississippi  most  IMule  Deer  die  of  gastro-enteritis, 
but  in  the  Hon.  William  C.  AVhitney’s  great  park 
on  October  ^lountain,  near  Lenox,  IMass.,  this 
species  has  actually  become  acclimatized. 

The  Columbian  Black-Tailed  Deer,  ^ of  the 
Pacific  Coast,  is  smaller  than  the  typical  white- 
tailed deer,  and  very  much  smaller  than  the 
mule  deer.  The  outer  surface  of  its  tail  is  black 
all  over,  and  constitutes  the  best  distinguishing 
character  of  the  species.  The  antlers  are  very 
variable.  Occasionally  those  of  old  bucks  ex- 
hibit the  double  Y on  each  beam  which  is  so 
character’stic  of  the  mule  deer;  but  in  most 
ca.ses.  the  double  bifurcation  is  wanting,  and  the 
antlers  look  very  much  like  those  of  the  white- 
tailed  deer.  In  its  body  colors  it  resembles  the 
latter  species  more  closely  than  the  mule  deer. 

This  species  inhabits  the  well-watered  and 
den-sely-shaded  coniferous  fore.sts  of  the  Pacific 
coa,st  from  the  north  end  of  Vancouver  Island 
to  central  California.  It  feeds  freely  upon  ever- 
green foliage,  and  I have  seen  a captive  animal, 
in  its  native  forest  in  the  great  natural  park  at 
\'ancouver,  partake  freely  of  the  foliage  of  spruce, 
Dougla.ss  fir  and  juniper,  in  rapid  succession. 

Because  of  some  diatetic  peculiarity  as  yet  un- 
’ 0-do-coil' e-ns  co-lum-hi-an'us. 


128 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


known,  the  Columbian  Black-Tailed  Deer  can- 
not live  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  After  persistent 
efforts,  with  at  least  fifteen  specimens  drawn 
from  Oregon,  Washington  and  British  Columbia, 
and  the  loss  of  all  through  gastro-enteritis,  the 
New  York  Zoological  Society  has  abandoned  its 
attempt  to  transplant  the  species. 

In  Alaska,  this  species  dwindles  still  lower, 
into  the  Sitka  Deer,'  in  stature  and  antlers 


it  freely  risks  its  life  in  the  thin  fringes  of  cotton- 
wood timber,  quaking-asp  and  willow  brush  that 
border  the  banks  of  small  rivers  and  large  creeks. 
Unlike  the  elk  and  mule  deer,  the  White-Tail  is  a 
great  skulker.  When  hiding,  it  crouches  and 
carries  its  head  low,  and  by  clinging  persistently 
to  the  friendly  cover  of  brush  or  timber,  saves 
itself  under  circumstances  that  would  be  fatal 
to  any  high-headed,  open-ground  species. 


Painted  by  Carl  Rdngius. 


WHITE-TAILED  DEER. 


even  smaller  than  the  Florida  white-tail.  It  is 
very  abundant  on  Admiralty  Island,  but  as  late 
as  1901  was  being  slaughtered  in  gi-eat  numbers. 

The  Virginia  Deer,  or  White-Taiied  Deer,^ 
was  the  first  member  of  the  Deer  Family  met  by 
the  early  settlers  of  America  when  they  went 
hunting  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  It  will  also 
be  the  last  of  the  large  hoofed  animals  of  North 
America  to  become  extinct.  It  is  a forest  animal, 
but  in  many  portions  of  the  Great  Plains  region 

’ 0-do-coiV e-us  sit-ken' sis. 

’ Odocoileus  vir-gin-i-an'us. 


The  White-Tailed  Deer  derives  its  name  from 
its  very  long,  bushy,  wedge-shaped  tail,  which  is 
snowy-white  underneath,  and  also  on  the  edges. 
When  alarmed  and  running  away,  this  white 
brush  is  held  stiffly  aloft,  and  with  every  stride 
of  the  bearer,  it  sways  from  side  to  side,  in  a start- 
ling and  highly  conspicuous  manner.  While  the 
peculiar  mixed  gray  color  of  the  pelage  makes 
it  difficult  to  see  this  animal  in  brushy  surround- 
ings, the  moment  the  creature  starts  to  run,  its 
white  flag  waves  as  if  purposely  invi'ting  bullets, 
and  in  total  defiance  of  all  the  laws  of  “ protective 


THE  WHITE-TAILED  DEEE 


129 


I coloration”  amongst  animals.  Indeed,  so  very 
I flag-like  is  this  creature’s  waving  tail  that  in  the 
West  many  hunters  call  it  the  Flag-Tailed 
Deer. 

There  are  two  points  in  which  this  deer  differs 
from  all  others,  and  by  which  it  can  easily  be 
I recognized. 

1.  Its  antlers  rise  a short  distance  from  the 
forehead,  then  suddenl}^  drop  forward,  with  the 
beam  almost  horizontal,  and  from  the  beam  three 
long,  sharp  tines  rise  perpendicularly.  The  ant- 
lers of  nearly  all  other  deer  point  backward  as 
they  ri.se. 

2.  The  tail  is  very  long,  pointed  at  the  end, 
bushy  near  the  body,  and  white  underneath,  as 
described  above. 

The  White-Tailed  Deer  is  the  best  known  of 
all  our  hoofed  animals  except  the  buffalo,  be- 
j cause  it  is  the  one  most  widely  distributed,  and 
I lijis  been  longest  known.  Generally  speaking, 
I it  IS  a United  States  species,  for  it  inhabits  at 
least  a portion  of  every  state  and  territory  save 
Delaware,  Oregon,  Nevada,  California  and  Ari- 
zona. To-day  it  is  most  abundant  in  the  Adiron- 
dacks,  Maine,  Vermont,  northern  Minnesota  and 
Michigan.  Closely  related  forms  of  White-Tailed 
Deer  are  fairly  abundant  in  Florida,  on  the  Lower 
Rio  (Jrandc,  and  in  northeastern  Washington. 

■\s  might  naturally  be  expected,  this  wide  dis- 
tribution, throughout  such  a diversity  of  country 
and  variety  of  available  food,  has  produced  such 
j vaiiations  in  size  that  several  subspecies  have 
beep  described.  Of  the  latter,  the  most  impor- 
! tant  is  the  dwarf  .\rlzona  White-Tailed  Deer, 
j extending  from  southern  .\rizona  southeastward 
into  Mexico  to  Latitude  2.5°.  This  animal,  like 
I the  Florida  White-Tailed  Deer,  seems  to  be 
nothing  more  than  a diminutive  race  of  the  more 
robust  n(wthern  type,  with  very  small  antlers, 
and  the  short,  scanty  pelage  which  is  necessary 
to  the  comfort  of  deer  in  the  tropics. 

In  such  forests  as  those  which  cover  the  .Adi- 
rondack Mountains  of  northern  New  York,  where 
small  lakes  are  numerous,  there  are  three  methods 
I of  hunting  deer. 

Hounding  deer  consists  in  beating  through 
the  forest  surrounding  a body  of  water,  with  a 
j pack  of  hounds,  and  chasing  the  deer  until  the}’ 
leap  into  the  water,  where  they  are  shot  at  very 
short  range  by  men  in  boats  or  posted  on  the 
shore.  It  is  no  credit  to  anyone,  save  an  in%-alid 


or  a cripple,  to  kill  a deer  in  this  manner,  any 
more  than  to  kill  a buck  out  of  season,  whose 
antlers  are  in  the  velvet.  Any  person,  no  matter 
how  stupid,  can  be  paddled  up  to  a swimming 
deer  and  permitted  to  blow  its  head  to  pieces  at 
short  range.  Pot-hunters  have  even  been  known 
to  catch  swimming  deer,  and  cut  their  throats. 

In  forests  like  the  .Adirondacks,  frequented  by 


TAILS  OF  AMERICAN  DEEK. 


1.  Columbian  Black-Tail. 

2.  Mule  Deer. 

3.  White-Tailed,  or  Virginia  Deer.  (Small  specimen.) 

a great  many  people,  hounding  deer  never  should 
be  permitted;  and  in  the  wilderness  mentioned 
it  IS  now  prohibited  by  law.  In  the  AVesf  Vir- 
ginia mountains,  the  hunters  are  posted  on  the 
runways  of  the  deer,  and  are  obliged,  to  kill  them 
on  the  run.  This  requires  good  judgment  and 
excellent  marksmanship,  and  is  legitimate  sport. 

Jacking  or  fire-lighting  is  a very  picturesque 
and  romantic  method  of  hunting  deer,  but  inas- 
much as  it  gives  the  game  no  chance,  and  calls 
for  very  little  skill  or  exertion  on  the  part  of  the 
hunter,  it  is  by  some  considered  unsportsman- 
like. In  the  prosecution  of  this  plan  the  hunter 
requires  a canoe,  a skilful  paddler,  and  a good 
light.  AVith  a flaring  jack-light  held  aloft  in  the 
bow,  the  paddler,  or  guide,  sits  in  the  stern  of  the 
boat,  and  noiselessly  paddles  it  through  the  dark- 
ness, around  the  shores  of  lake  or  river.  The 
hunter  sits  under  the  light,  and  waits  for  its 
beams  to  emblazon  the  eyeballs  of  deer  standing 


130 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


on  the  shore,  or  feeding  in  shallow  water.  Often 
the  boat  approaches  so  near  a wonder-struck 
deer  that  to  miss  it  is  almost  impossible. 

Still-hunting  is  the  true  sportsman’s  method 
of  outwitting  deer  which  for  keenness  of  eye,  ear 
and  nose,  have,  I believe,  no  superior  in  the 


Photo,  and  copyright,  1902,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 


YOUNG  WHITE-T.UILED  DEER. 

Showing  the  conspicuous  appearance  of  the  tail  when 
held  erect. 

whole  Family.  One  fine  old  White-Tailed  buck 
killed  by  fair  and  square  trailing  and  stalking  is 
equal  to  two  mule  deer  or  three  elk.  When  first 
alarmed,  the  mule  deer  and  elk  are  prone  to  halt 
from  curiosity,  and  stare  at  the  hunter  for  that 
fatal  ten  seconds  which  so  often  ends  with  a 
ringing  “bang,”  and  a fatal  bullet. 

But  not  so  the  White-Tail.  Time  after  time 
the  trailing  still-hunter,  stealing  forward  ever  so 
cautiously,  sees  ahead  of  him  and  far  beyond 
fair  rifle  shot  a sudden  flash  of  white,  a pillar  of 
cloud  swaying  from  side  to  side  between  the  tree- 
trunks,  and  the  vanishing  point  of  a scurrying 
White-Tail.  This  creature  knows  right  well 
that  as  a discourager  of  cervine  curiosity,  nothing 


in  the  world  equals  a breech-loading  rifle.  When 
he  hears  behind  him  a rustle  of  dry  leaves,  or  the 
snap  of  a twig,  nothing  else  is  so  dear  to  him  as 
space,  judiciously  distributed  between  himself 
and  his  pursuer.  I have  sometimes  made  so 
bold  as  to  consider  myself  a fairly  good  deer- 
stalker; but  I have  still-hunted  White-Tailed 
Deer  in  November,  on  dry  leaves  and  without 
snow,  when  for  days  and  days  together  I found 
it  utterly  impossible  to  come  within  fair  rifle 
shot  of  a buck  worth  having.  At  such  times,  a 
light  snow  means  a fair  chance,  and  properly 
evens  up  the  game. 

During  the  summer,  while  the  antlers  are 
in  the  velvet,  the  coat  of  this  species  is  short, 
thin,  and  of  a bright  sandy  color,  often  called 
“red.”  In  Canada,  the  Virginia  Deer  is  fre- 
quently called  the  “Red  Deer  ” ; but  this  is  a 
mischievous  misnomer,  for  its  use  always  sug- 
gests the  red  deer  of  Europe.  The  red  coat  is 
worn  about  three  months,  say  from  May  1 to 
August  1,  and  then  it  rapidly  gives  place  to  the 
beautiful  mottled  brown-gray  suit,  so  long  and 
thick  that  the  owner  looks  like  quite  a different 
creature,  and  is  fitted  to  withstand  the  severest 
winter  weather. 

The  White-Tailed  Deer  is  one  of  the  most 
persistent  species  of  the  entire  Deer  Family. 
Give  it  suitable  ground  and  full  protection,  and 
there  is  no  limit  to  its  increase.  On  Long  Lsland, 
where  deer  hunting  is  lawful  on  only  four  days  of 
each  year,  the  animals  are  increasing  with  sur- 
prising rapidity. 

In  the  northern  portions  of  its  range  from 
Minnesota  to  the  Adirondacks,  w’here  it  attains 
its  most  perfect  development,  it  is  next  in  size 
to  the  mule  deer,  or  Rocky  Mountain  “black- 
tail,”  and  is  really  a fine  animal.  A large  buck 
stands  36  inches  high  at  the  shoulders,  is  53 
inches  in  length  of  head  and  body,  its  tail  is  7 
inches  long  to  the  end  of  the  vertebrae,  and  5 
inches  more  to  the  end  of  the  hair.  A fairly  large 
pair  of  antlers  from  central  Montana  are  23J 
inches  in  length  from  burr  to  tip  of  beam,  spread 
18  inches,  and  have  13  points.  A heavy  Maine 
buck  is  reported  to  have  weighed,  before  being 
dressed,  278  pounds. 

Usually  but  one  fawn  is  born  each  year,  in 
May,  which  at  birth  is  beautifully  spotted,  stands 
15J^  inches  high,  and  weighs  4^  pounds. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  in  the 


REVENUE  FROM  WILD  GAME 


131 


South  the  White-Tailed  Deer  of  the  North  nec- 
I essarily  becomes  a small  or  inferior  animal.  A 
1 collection  of  more  than  one  hundred  pairs  of 
antlers  from  Texas,  recently  inspected  by  the 
writer,  contained  a surprisingly  high  percentage 
of  large  and  heavy  specimens,  fully  equal  in 
length,  spread  and  weight  to  the  best  examples 
from  .Montana,  Minnesota  and  Maine. 

■ Wild  Game  as  a Source  of  Revenue. — All 
persons  who  pay  state  taxes  in  states  or  terri- 
tories inhabited  by  “ big  game,”  and  game  fishes, 

I will  do  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  under  certain 
I conditions  wild  animal  life  can  be  made  an 
important  and  legitimate  source  of  revenue. 
The  United  States  Supreme  Court  has  decided 
[ (Ward  vs.  Race  Horse,  163  U.  S.  507)  that  all 
wild  game  on  unoccupied  lands  is  the  prop- 
erty of  the  state,  and  that  even  the  national 
government  may  not,  either  by  treaty  with  Ind- 
ians, or  in  any  other  manner  save  actual  seques- 
tration, convey  any  rights  or  privileges  affecting 
, it  adversely. 

I The  states  of  New  York  and  Maine  long  since 
' discovered  that  their  wild  deer  constituted  val- 
uable state  property,  and  both  entered  seriously 
' upon  the  task  of  preserving  them  from  the  anni- 
hilation that  everj'where  follows  swiftly  upon 
the  heels  of  non-protection.  New  York  elected 
I to  preserve  the  great  Adirondack  wilderness  as 
' a free  hunting-ground  for  her  citizens.  Maine, 
with  perfectly  proper  thrift,  decided  that  her 
game  should  not  only  pay  the  cost  of  its  preser- 
vation, but  also  be  made  for  her  citizens  a legiti- 
mate source  of  annual  income.  .Ul  guides  must 
be  licensed  by  the  state,  no  visitor  may  hunt 
without  a guide,  and  every  non-resident  hunter 
must  procure  a license,  at  a cost  of  .S15.  This 
permits  the  killing  of  one  bull  moose  and  two 
I deer,  but  no  caribou,  nor  female  moose. 

' .\s  a result  of  the  game  and  fi.sh  laws  of 

' Maine  that  state  becomes  every  autumn  a vast 
hunting-ground,  visited  by  perhaps  ten  thousand 
sportsmen  who  desire  to  fi.sh,  or  to  procure  deer 
or  moose  in  their  haunts.  The  army  of  recre- 
ationists annually  expends  within  that  state  a 
total  sum  which  is  usually  e.stimated  at  one  mfff- 
lon  dollars,  or  more.  .\nd  yet,  the  supply  of 
deer  is  maintained  so  successfully  that  to-day 
' there  are  in  Maine  a greater  number  of  deer  than 
anv'where  else  in  the  United  States,  unless  it  be 
in  the  .\dirondaeks. 


The  records  of  the  Maine  railways  show  ac- 
curately the  number  of  White-Tailed  Deer  trans- 
portedvby  them  annually  for  hunters  leaving  the 
state,  and  afford  a very  fair  index  of  the  abun- 
dance of  the  species.  The  following  are  the 
figures  for  the  last  nine  years: 


1894 

1895 

1896 

1897 

1898 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 


1,001 

1,581 

2,245 

2,940 

3,377 

3,379 

3,756 

3,882 

4,495 


Total 26,656 

Of  course  these  figures  do  not  take  into  ac- 
count the  great  number  of  deer  that  are  killed 
and  consumed  in  camp,  or  by  residents  of  the 
state  who  live  in  or  near  the  great  hunting 
grounds.  The  whole  number  of  deer  in  Maine 
is  roughly  estimated  at  100,000,  and  the  total 
number  killed  annually  at  between  15,000  and 
20,000. 


The  Flat-Horned  Deer. 

The  Caribou. — In  general  terms  it  may  be 
stated  that  a caribou  (pronounced  car'ry-boo) 
is  a wild  deer-like  animal,  which  bears  a general 


REM.VRKABLE  “ FRE.VK  ” .\NTLERS  OF  WHITE- 
T.VILED  DEER. 

Total  number  of  points,  78.  Owned  by  Albert 
Friedrich,  San  Antonio,  Texas. 


133 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


resemblance  to  the  domestic  reindeer  of  Europe. 
Its  antlers  are  long,  branching,  partly  round  and 
partly  palmated.  Considered  as  a whole,  cari- 
bou occuj)y  the  upper  half  of  the  continent  of 
North  America,  over  which  they  are  widely  scat- 
tered above  the  45th  parallel  of  Latitude. 

Next  to  the  musk-ox,  the  caribou  is  the  most 
northerly  of  all  hoofed  animals.  It  is  not  only 
at  home  on  the  vast  arctic  waste  above  Great 
Slave  Lake,  known  as  the  Barren  Grounds,  but 
it  ranges  on  northeastward  through  Ellesmere 
Land,  crosses  to  the  west  coast  of  Greenland, 
swings  around  the  northern  rim  of  that  island, 
along  the  edge  of  the  great  ice  cap,  and  down 
the  eastern  coast,  at  least  as  far  as  Liverpool 
Bay,  Latitude  70°.  Doubtless  it  inhabits  the 
whole  coast  of  Greenland,  wherever  the  naked 
ridges  and  valleys  of  the  terminal  moraines  yield 
a supply  of  food;  but  there  is  no  evidence  that 
it  wanders  over  the  vast  sheet  of  lifeless  inland 
ice  which  covers  the  interior  of  Greenland. 

At  all  times,  a caribou  is  an  odd-looking  creat- 
ure. Even  a very  brief  inspection  is  sufficient 
to  reveal  the  special  provisions  which  Nature 
has  made  to  enable  it  to  brave  the  terrors  of  an 
arctic  climate.  The  legs  are  thick  and  strong, 
and  the  hoof  is  expanded  and  flattened  until  it 
forms  a very  good  snow-shoe.  The  caribou 
walks  over  snow-fields  and  quaking  muskegs, 
when  the  moose  sinks  in  and  ploughs  through 
them. 

Its  pelage  consists  of  a thick,  closely-matted 
coat  of  fine,  wool-like  hair,  through  which  grows 
the  coarse  hair  of  the  rain-coat.  It  is  the  warmest 
covering  to  be  found  on  any  hoofed  animal  ex- 
cept the  musk-ox,  or  on  any  animal  of  the  Deer 
Family.  To  the  touch,  the  new  coat  of  a cari- 
bou feels  like  a thick  felt  mat. 

The  natural  food  of  the  caribou  is  moss  and 
lichens,  and  in  captivity  very  few  survive  many 
months  without  the  former.  The  supply  of 
moss  for  the  caribou  and  reindeer  of  the  New 
York  Zoological  Park  comes  from  Maine,  and 
costs  in  that  state  seventy-five  cents  per  hundred 
pounds.  A full-grown  woodland  caribou  con- 
sumes about  seven  pounds  daily. 

Although  up  to  this  date  nine  species  of  cari- 
bou have  been  described,  there  are  but  two  well- 
defined  groups,  the  woodland  and  Barren 
Ground.  In  each  of  these,  several  species  have 
been  described,  but  it  must  be  admitted  that  so 


effectually  do  they  run  together  it  is  not  always 
an  easy  matter  to  distinguish  them. 

In  common  with  many  members  of  the  Deer 
Family,  caribou  are  distinguished  chiefly  by 
their  antlers.  But  even  here,  great  difficulties 
are  encountered.  With  their  many  tines  and 
points,  varying  size  and  forms  of  palmation, 
their  antlers  are  subject  to  thousands  of  varia- 
tions. As  a result,  no  two  pairs  ever  are  found 
exactly  alike.  Between  the  very  long,  few- 
_ pointed  and  scarcely  palmated  antlers  of  the 
Greenland  caribou,  and  the  short,  many-pointed 
and  widely  palmated  antlers  of  the  mountain 
caribou,  every  conceivable  form  may  be  found. 

If  ten  pairs  of  adult  antlers  of  each  so-called 
species  were  collected  in  its  type  locality,  and 
the  whole  ninety  mixed  in  one  heap,  the  utmost 
that  even  an  expert  could  hope  to  accomplish 
without  a heavy  percentage  of  error  would  be 
to  separate  the  collection  into  two  groups,  one 
containing  the  four  species  of  Barren  Ground 
caribou,  the  other  the  five  woodland  species. 

It  is  useless  to  enter  here  into  details  regard- 
ing each  of  these  nine  tentative  species. 
Without  a very  large  collection  of  specimens, 
and  prolonged  study  of  them,  it  is  impossible 
to  define  the  boundaries  between  the  various 
species  that  have  been  proposed.  Let  it  suffice 
to  present  a brief  outline  of  the  two  great  groups 
into  which  all  our  caribou  seem  to  be  rationally 
divisible. 

The  Woodland  Caribou  Group. 

Roaming  through  the  pine  and  spruce  forests, 
and  also  the  prairies  of  Newfoundland,  Nova 
Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  northern  Maine,  Quebec, 
Ontario  and  Manitoba,  are  the  caribou  longest 
and  best  known  to  us.  A typical  specimen'  living 
in  the  Zoological  Park  is  a strong  lusty  animal, 
48  inches  high  at  the  shoulders,  weighing  280 
pounds,  and  endowed  with  sufficient  energy  to 
vanqui.sh  the  strongest  man  in  about  one  minute. 
Its  shoulders  are  high  and  sharp,  its  head  is 
held  low  and  thrust  straight  forward,  and  as 
it  walks  on  hard  ground  its  dew-claws  and  hoofs 
click  like  castanets.  Its  head  is  long  and  cow- 
like, and  its  muzzle  is  too  large  for  beauty;  but 
the  large,  liquid,  dark  brown  eyes  appeal  suc- 
cessfully against  all  adverse  decisions  on  ques- 
tions of  beauty. 

' Ran'gi-fer  car'i-bou,  from  Maine. 


THE  WOODLAXD  CARIBOU 


133 


When  a caribou  walks,  its  long  stride  and 
swinging  gait  proclaim  a born  traveller  and  mi- 
grant. And  truly,  the  strangest  of  all  caribou 
habits  is  that  which  impels  these  creatures,  par- 
ticularly the  Barren  Ground  species,  to  assem- 
ble in  immense  throngs,  and  for  climatic  reasons 
migrate  en  masse,  for  long  distances.  In  the 


are  short  in  the  main  beam,  liberally  palmated 
both  on  brow-tines  and  tips,  and  have  more  than 
thirty  points.  As  a whole,  the  antlers  have  a tree- 
top  appearance. 

2.  Antlers  of  Barren  Ground  caribou,  gen- 
erally, are  long  in  the  main  beam,  scantily  palmated, 
especially  on  the  tips,  and  have  less  than  thirty 


t.  K.  KtLLKIt.  Photo. 


Reproduced  from  the  Seventh  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  Zoological  Society. 


WOODLAND  CARIBOU. 

.\duli  male  specimen  in  the  Zoological  P.ark.  Height  at  shoulders,  48  inches,  weight,  280  pounds.  For  a 

Caribou  as  large  as  this  the  antlers  are  small. 


wtKidland  species,  however,  this  habit  is  not 
nearly  so  pronounced. 

Character  of  .\ntlers. — .\  comparison  of 
many  antlers  of  ^^’oodland  caribou  with  those  of 
H.arrt  ;i  ( Iround  animals  reveals  one  or  two  points 
of  difTercnce  which  seem  sufficiently  distinct  to 
l)c  ai'cepted  ;is  constant. 

1.  .\ntlers  of  Woodland  caribou,  generally, 


points.  As  a whole,  the  antlers  have  an  arm-chair 
appearance. 

If  these  distinctions  between  the  two  great 
grouiis  of  caribou  will  not  hold  good,  none  will. 

The  Woodland  Caribou  of  Maine,  Ontario 
and  (Quebec  {Rangijer  caribou),  is  the  original 
type  of  what  recently  has  become  a group  of 
species.  Its  body  color  is  bluish-brown  and 


134 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


gray,  which  color  also  suffuses  the  neck,  head 
and  hind-quarters.  In  October  the  new  coat  is 
of  a dark  color  known  as  seal  brown,  quite  differ- 
ent from  the  same  pelage  in  spring. 

Originally  the  Newfoundland  Caribou  were 
referred  to  the  species  named  above,  but  in  1896 
they  were  given  rank  as  an  independent  species 
{R.  terraenovae)  chiefly  on  account  of  their  very 
light  color.  They  are  the  whitest  of  all  caribou. 

In  1899,  Mr.  Ernest  Thompson  Seton  described 


ANTLERS  OF  KENAI  CARIBOU. 

From  photograph  of  specimen  taken  on  the  Kenai 
Peninsula  in  1900,  by  Harry  E.  Lee. 


the  Black-Faced  Caribou  of  southeastern 
British  Columbia  (Revelstoke)  as  Rangifer  mon- 
tanus,  or  Mountain  Caribou.  The  new  Sep- 
tember coat  is  almost  black.  The  antlers  are 
short,  but  throw  off  a surprising  array  of  long 
tines. 

In  1902  the  large,  dark-colored  caribou  of  the 
Cassiar  Mountains,  in  northern  British  Columbia, 
was  described  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Allen  as  Osborn’s 
Caribou  {Rangifer  osborni),  the  name  bestowed 
being  in  honor  of  Professor  Henry  Fairfield 


Osborn,  the  distinguished  zoologist  of  the  Ameri- 
can Museum  of  Natural  History.  This  species 
attains  a shoulder  height  of  55  inches,  and  is  said 
to  be  the  largest  of  all  caribou.  In  September 
its  coat  is  so  brown  the  animal  has  been  described 
as  a brown  caribou. 

The  Kenai  Caribou  of  the  Kenai  Peninsula — 
but,  in  1903  almost  extinct  in  that  locality — 
was  described  in  1901  as  a distinct  species,  and 
christened  Rangifer  stonei.  In  September,  1903, 
the  Secretary  of  Agriculture  issued  an  order  pro- 
hibiting for  five  years  the  killing  of  caribou  on 
the  Kenai  and  Alaska  Peninsulas. 

Regarding  the  distribution  and  habits  of  cari- 
bou in  the  Canadian  Northwest,  Mr.  J.  B.  Tyrrell, 
who,  while  a member  of  the  Canadian  Geological 
Survey,  travelled  over  a greater  area  of  the  range 
of  that  animal  than  any  other  observer  known  to 
me,  has  kindly  furnished  the  very  interesting 
facts  quoted  below.  His  letter  is  dated  at  Daw- 
son City,  September  10,  1903. 

“Regarding  the  portions  of  the  districts  of  Al- 
berta, Athabasca  and  Saskatchewan  spoken  of 
by  you,  I am  reasonably  certain  that  the  Wood- 
land Caribou  may  be  found  in  all  the  thickly 
wooded  tracts.  This  deer  is  known  to  the  Cree 
Indians  of  that  country  as  the  ‘Muskeg-.\tik,’ 
or  Swamp  Deer,  in  recognition  of  the  fact  that  it 
lives  in  the  swamps  and  coniferous  forests,  and 
not  on  the  plains,  or  on  the  country  studded 
with  groves  of  poplar.  Now,  much  of  Alberta, 
and  a great  part  of  Saskatchewan,  is  dry,  open 
country,  and  into  such  country  caribou  rarely 
wander. 

“This  dry,  ‘bluffy’  country  extends  north- 
westward through  the  western  part  of  Athabasca, 
but  throughout  all  the  thickly  wooded  parts  of 
Athabasca  I have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that 
Woodland  Caribou  are  not  uncommon.  They 
certainly  occur  along  the  Churchill  River,  and 
I think  that  their  tracks  were  common  along  the 
banks  of  the  .Athabasca  River,  though  I cannot 
definitely  remember  this,  and  I have  not  my 
note-books  here  to  help  me. 

“The  Indians  told  me  that  the  Woodland  Cari- 
bou of  the  Churchill  River  and  vicinity  move 
northward,  and  the  Barren-Ground  Caribou 
southward  in  autumn,  and  that  both  winter  in 
the  same  region,  in  a country  where  the  trees  are 
festooned  by  a long,  black,  hair-like  lichen  {Alec- 
toria  jubataf).  However,  I believe  that  the 


WOODLAND  CAEIBOU 


135 


Woodland  Caribou  are  not  numerous  anywhere 
in  the  Canadian  Northwest  Territories,  for  in  all 
my  travels  for  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada, 
extending  over  the'  period  from  1883  to  1898, 
I did  not  see  a dozen  of  those  animals,  though  on 
hundreds  of  different  occasions  I saw  their  great 
wide-spreading  tracks.  The  only  one  I ever  shot 
was  feeding  on  a rocky  hill,  beside  a stream  that 
flows  into  the  east  side  of  Lake  Winnipeg;  and 
his  head  is  now  hanging  in  the  Museum  of  the 
Geological  Survey,  in  Ottawa. 

“The  smaller  species  of  Caribou  lives  on  the 
Barren  Grounds  during  the  summer.  On  the 
approach  of  winter  most  of  the  animals  migrate 


est  and  value.  To  many  Indian  tribes,  such  as 
the  Dog-Ribs  and  Yellow  Knives,  and  to  many  of 
the  Eskimo  tribes  also,  it  has  been  an  important 
source  of  subsistence,  both  in  food  and  clothing. 
It  is  so  peculiarly  a creature  of  treeless  and  in- 
hospitable regions,  and  is  so  independent  of  the 
conditions  which  are  essential  to  the  existence 
of  all  round-horned  members  of  the  Deer  Family, 
that  its  desolate  home  has  been  inseparably  con- 
nected with  its  popular  name.  Species  may 
come,  and  species  may  go,  but  we  hope  that  the 
brave  and  hardy  Barren  Ground  Caribou  will 
go  on  forever. 

It  is  natural  that  in  any  animal  species  which 


•WTLERS  OF  GREENL.XND  c.xRiBOU  {R.  grocnlandicus) . 


Showing  the  form  characteristic  of  the  Barren  Ground  Caribou  group.  Specimen  from  the  northwest  coast  of 

Greenland,  in  author’s  collection. 


southward  to  the  edge  of  the  forest,  though 
some  remain  throughout  the  winter  on  the  open 
barrens.  , 

“Twice,  in  1893  and  1894, 1 met  what  is  known 
as  ‘the  herd,'  on  its  way  southward,  once  on  a 
good  feeding  ground,  where  hundreds  of  thou- 
sjinds  were  collected  together,  and  again  on  a 
rough,  rocky  tract  where  the  individual  bands 
rarely  exceeded  a few  hundred  in  number,  and 
all  were  on  the  run.” 

Barren  Ground  Caribou  Group. 

Throughout  a vast  and  very  hungry  sweep  of 
northlands,  the  Barren  Ground  Caribou*  long 
has  been,  and  still  is,  an  animal  of  leading  inter- 
* Rnn'gi-jcr  arc'ti-cus. 


ranges  from  the  east  coast  of  Greenland  to  the 
west  coast  of  Alaska  (3,500  miles  in  an  air  line), 
and  from  Grant  Land  to  the  Churchill  River 
(1,800  miles),  some  variations  in  form,  color  and 
horn  architecture  should  occur.  Indeed,  in  a 
range  so  immense,  it  could  scarcely  be  otherwise. 
While  it  is  probable  that  some  of  these  variations 
justify  the  creation  of  specific  divisions,  we  are 
at  present  less  concerned  with  these  details  than 
with  a consideration  of  the  group  as  a whole. 
Moreover,  it  may  be  said  with  entire  truth  that 
naturalists  have  but  recently  begun  to  study  the 
caribou  of  America;  and  until  far  more  material 
has  been  gathered,  it  is  impossible  to  set  forth 
the  true  status  and  life  history  of  this  genus. 

The  characters  which  serve  to  distinguish 


136 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


Barren  Ground  Caribou  from  the  woodland 
groups  have  already  been  pointed  out, — smaller 
size,  antlers  that  are  longer  in  the  main  beam, 
less  palmated  and  with  fewer  points.  The  fol- 
lowing forms  have  been  described  as  independent 
species  of  this  group;  but  whether  all  of  them 
are  entitled  to  specific  rank  remains  to  be  seen. 

B.\rren  Ground  C.\ribou  Species. 

Greenland  Caribou,  Rangifer  groen-land'i-cus, 
Greenland  Coast. 

Barren  Ground  Caribou,  Rangifer  arc'ti-cus, 
Canadian  Barren  Grounds. 

Grant’s  Caribou,  Rangifer  granti,  Alaska  Pen- 
insula. 

Peary’s  Caribou,  Rangifer  pearyi,  Ellesmere 
Land. 

In  view  of  the  tens  of  thousands  of  Barren 
Ground  Caribou  that  have  been  seen  by  white 
men,  and  the  thousands  that  have  been  killed 
by  and  for  them,  the  scarcity  of  definite  obser- 
vations upon  this  group,  and  of  preserved  speci- 
mens is,  as  a whole,  very  unsatisfactory.  At 
present,  therefore,  the  many  undetermined 
questions  regarding  the  component  parts  of  the 
group  render  it  impossible  to  do  much  more  than 
to  define  the  assemblage  as  a whole. 

In  general  terms  it  may  be  said  that  the  aver- 
age Barren  Ground  Caribou  is  a close  under-study 
of  the  average  reindeer  of  Siberia  and  Lapland, 
and  also  a smaller  animal.  That  all  our  caribou 
have  descended  from  the  reindeer  of  Asia,  and 
came  to  us  by  crossing  Bering  Strait  on  the  ice, 
seems  more  than  probable. 

In  surveyor’s  parlance,  the  head  of  Cook  Inlet 
is  the  “point  of  departure”  of  the  woodland 
caribou  from  the  reindeer — Barren  Ground  type. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  find  on  land  a clearer  or 
sharper  line  of  cleavage  between  two  groups  of 
animals  than  that  between  Rangifer  granti  of 
the  Alaska  Peninsula,  and  Rangifer  stonei  of 
the  Kenai  Peninsula.  One  moment’s  examina- 
tion of  the  types  is  sufficient  to  place  those  species 
in  their  respective  groups.  The  antlers  of  the 
Kenai  caribou  are  massive,  with  many  long  tines 
on  the  terminal  half  of  the  main  beam.  They 
have  36  points,  and  a tree-top  effect  when  seen 
from  the  front.  Grant’s  caribou,  however,  has 
a long  and  naked  main  beam  running  up  to  a 
terminal  bunch  of  short  tines,  a wide-open,  arm- 


chair appearance,  and  only  twenty-seven  points, 
all  strongly  characteristic  of  the  Barren  Ground 
type.  The  superior  size  of  the  Kenai  caribou 
is  confirmatory  of  the  testimony  of  the  antlers 
of  both. 

Geographic  Range. — The  centre  of  abun- 
dance of  the  Barren  Ground  Caribou  group  is 
midway  between  the  eastern  end  of  Great  Slave 
Lake  and  the  southeastern  extremity  of  Great 
Bear  Lake.  This,  however,  is  not  the  geographic 
centre  of  its  distribution.  The  great  semi-annual 
migration  is  about  on  a line  that  might  be  drawn 
between  Cape  Bathurst  and  the  eastern  extremity 
of  Great  Slave  Lake,  and  undoubtedly  the  great 
mass  of  caribou  on  the  mainland  east  of  the 
Mackenzie  assemble  along  that  route. 

Another  line  of  migration,  also  from  north- 
west to  southeast,  passes  eastward  of  Dawson 
City,  and  sufficiently  near  it  that  great  numbers 
of  caribou  carcasses  have  been  sledded  in  to  the 
meat  markets  of  that  city.  In  1901  a search  of 
those  markets  revealed  5,225  pounds  of  moose 
and  caribou  meat  on  hand  at  one  time.  Along 
the  arctic  coast  between  Point  Barrow  and  the 
mouth  of  the  Mackenzie,  tens  of  thousands  of 
caribou  have  been  killed  by  natives,  and  sold 
to  Avhaling  ships  wintering  along  that  coast.  As 
a natural  consequence,  the  herds  have  nearly 
disappeared  from  that  locality. 

Up  to  the  time  that  Alaska  was  purchased  by 
the  United  States,  the  natives  had  few  firearms, 
or  none  at  all,  and  caribou  were  abundant. 
Along  the  west  coast,  caribou  once  were  so  nu- 
merous that  a cannon  from  the  fort  at  St.  Michael 
was  fired  at  a herd  that  passed  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  settlement.  As  usual,  we  immediately 
supplied  the  natives  with  firearms  and  ammu- 
nition; and  as  a first  result,  the  only  caribou 
now  remaining  in  western  Alaska  are  tlie  few 
stragglers  that  the  hunters  have  not  yet  over- 
taken. A few  herds  of  Grant’s  caribou  still 
inhabit  the  treeless  wastes  of  the  Alaskan  Pen- 
insula, but  on  the  Kenai  Peninsula,  the  cari- 
bou is  now  believed  to  be  almost  extinct.  In 
1903  it  was  estimated  that  only  thirty  individuals 
remained  alive. 

The  great  herd  seen  by  Mr.  Tyrrell  at  Carey 
Lake,  west  of  Hudson  Bay,  will  be  mentioned 
in  detail  later  on.  On  the  Labrador  Peninsula, 
there  are  said  to  be  three  distinct  herds,  on  Hud- 
son Straits,  Ungava  Bay,  and  the  Atlantic  coast 


BAEREN  GROUND  CARIBOU 


137 


clown  to  Hamilton  Inlet.  From  Ellesmere  Land, 
five  skins  of  a white  animal  with  a gray  back 
have  been  described  as  Peary’s  Caribou, ^ and 
from  at  least  four  points  in  Ellesmere  Land,  Cari- 
bou have  been  reported. 

.\long  the  northwest  coast  of  Greenland,  es- 
pecially between  Melville  Bay  and  Kane  Basin, 
Commander  Peary  found  a fair  abundance  of 
caribou,  and  at  Liverpool  Bay,  on  the  east  coast, 
a number  were  killed  by  a Danish  expedition,  in 
1900. 

Habits. — One  of  the  habits  of  the  Barren 
Ground  Caribou  is  particularly  striking.  .\t 
stated  periods,  in  spring  and  autumn,  they  as- 
semble in  immense  herds,  and  migrate  eti  masse 
with  the  compactness  and  definiteness  of  purpose 
of  an  army  of  cavalry  on  a march.  This  is  most 
noticeable  on  the  Canadian  Barren  Grounds, 
which  by  reason  of  its  summer  pasturage  and  the 
absence  of  water  barriers,  encourages  the  display 
of  natural  instinct.  The  observations  of  several 
travellers  north  of  the  Great  Slave  Lake  have 
resulted  in  the  belief  that  “in  spring  the  Barren 
Ground  Caribou  seek  the  coast  of  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  and  remain  near  the  salt  water  until  about 
September.”  But  this  idea  is  much  too  circum- 
scribed. 

The  explorations  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Tyrrell,  of  the 
Canadian  Geological  Survey,  have  proved  con- 
clusively that  the  universal  herd  of  the  Great 
Slave  Lake  region  does  exactly  as  did  the  uni- 
versal buffalo  herd  of  1871.  It  moves  north- 
ward in  spring  for  a given  distance  only,  stops 
at  will,  spends  the  summer,  and  in  the  early 
winter  moves  southward.  On  July  30,  1893,  Mr. 
Tyrrell  saw  a vast  assemblage  of  Barren  Ground 
Carilwu  at  Carey  Lake  (Latitude  62°  10'  and 
Longitude  102°  4.T),  nearly  500  miles  from  the 
.\rctic  coast.  herd  of  several  thousand  ani- 
mals was  composed  of  females  with  young  fawns, 
young  females  and  males  of  all  ages,  the  lofty 
antlers  of  the  latter  being  noticeably  prominent. 
Tlii.s  herd  was  then  only  sixty  miles  north  of  the 
southern  edge  of  the  Barren  Grounds. 

The  most  impres.sive  published  description  of 
a caribovi  migration  is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  War- 
burton  Pike.  It  is  a relation  of  wliat  he  .saw  on 
Lake  Camsell,  sixty  miles  north  of  the  eastern 
end  of  Great  Slave  Lake,  in  1889,  and  refers  to 
the  southward  movement  to  the  timbered  regions, 
‘ Rangifer  pearyi. 


where  the  lichens  growing  upon  the  trees  afford 
subsistence  in  winter  when  the  ground  mosses 
are  buried  under  snow  and  ice. 

“From  what  I could  gather  from  the  Yellow- 
Knife  Indians,”  says  Mr.  Pike  in  “The  Barren 
Grounds  of  Northern  Canada,”  “and  from  my 
own  personal  experience,  it  is  late  in  October 
that  the  great  bands  of  Caribou,  commonly 
known  as  La  Joule,  mass  upon  the  edge  of  the 
woods,  and  start  for  the  food  and  shelter  afforded 
by  the  stronger  growth  of  pine  farther  south- 
ward. 

“Scattered  bands  of  Caribou  were  almost 
always  iti  sight  from  the  top  of  the  ridge  behind 
the  camps,  and  increased  in  numbers  till  the 
morning  of  October  20,  when  little  Baptiste,  who 
had  gone  for  firewood,  woke  us  before  daylight 
with  the  cry,  ‘La  Joule!  La  Joule!’  (The  throng.) 
Even  in  the  lodge  we  could  hear  the  curious  clat- 
ter made  by  a band  of  travelling  Caribou.  La 
Joule  had  really  come,  and  during  its  passage  of 
six  days,  I was  able  to  realize  what  an  extra- 
ordinary number  of  these  animals  still  roam 
the  Barren  Grounds. 

“From  the  ridge  we  had  a splendid  view  of 
the  migration.  All  the  south  side  of  Mackay 
Lake  was  alive  with  the  moving  beasts,  while 
the  ice  seemed  to  be  dotted  all  over  with  black 
islands,  and  still  away  on  the  north  shore,  with 
the  aid  of  the  glasses,  we  could  see  them  coming 
like  regiments  on  the  march.  In  every  direction 
we  could  hear  the  grunting  noise  that  the  Cari- 
bou always  makes  when  travelling. 

“The  snow  was  broken  into  broad  roads,  and 
I found  it  useless  to  try  to  estimate  the  number 
that  passed  within  a few  miles  of  our  encamp- 
ment. We  were  just  in  the  western  edge  of  their 
passage,  and  afterward  we  heard  that  a band  of 
Dog-Ribs,  hunting  some  forty  miles  to  the  west, 
were  at  this  very  time  in  the  last  straits  of  starva- 
tion, only  saving  their  lives  by  a hasty  retreat  to 
the  woods.  This  is  a common  danger  in  the 
autumn,  as  the  Caribou,  coming  in  from  the 
Barren  Grounds,  join  together  in  one  vast  herd, 
and  do  not  scatter  much  till  they  reach  the  thick 
timber. 

“The  Caribou,  as  is  usually  the  case  when 
the}'  are  in  large  numbers,  were  very  tame,  and 
on  several  occasions  I found  myself  right  in  the 
middle  of  a band,  with  a splendid  chance  to  pick 
out  any  that  seemed  in  good  condition.  . . . 


138 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


Notwithstanding  all  the  tall  stories  that  are  told 
of  their  numbers  [the  buffaloes],  I cannot  be- 
lieve that  the  herds  on  the  prairie  ever  surpassed 
in  size  La  Joule  of  the  Caribou.” 

Size  and  Antlers. — At  present  the  size  of  the 
Barren  Ground  Caribou  appears  to  be  a matter 
of  opinion  rather  than  of  observation  and  record. 
In  the  hope  that  some  one  will  come  forward 
and  disprove  it,  I venture  to  make  the  asser- 
tion that  no  one  ever  has  weighed  a whole,  full- 
grown  male  specimen.  We  have  a few  figures 
of  “dressed”  weight,  and  various  “abouts,”  but 
really  useful  facts  are  lacking.  It  is, currently 
believed  that  the  Barren  Ground  Caribou  of 
northern  Canada  is  about  one-third  lighter  than 
the  woodland  species  of  Ontario  and  Quebec. 
If  this  be  true,  and  we  may  judge  by  our  own 
woodland  bull,  which  unquestionably  was  a 
large  one  (48  inches  high,  weight,  261  pounds), 
then  the  male  Barren  Ground  animal  may  be 
set  down  as  weighing  174  pounds.  For  the 
Greenland  caribou  and  Grant’s  caribou,  this 
weight  surely  is  too  low;  for  the  skulls  and  skins 
of  both  those  species  indicate  a greater  weight. 
On  the  Alaska  Peninsula  Mr.  C.  H.  Townsend 
weighed  a dressed  specimen  of  Rangifer  granti 
and  estimated  very  carefully  the  weight  of  the 
viscera,  with  the  conclusion  that  the  live  weight 
of  the  animal  was  410  pounds. 

For  their  body  size.  Barren  Ground  Caribou 


have  very  large  antlers.  They  sweep  back  so 
far,  rise  so  high  and  spread  so  widely  that  they 
have  the  effect  of  magnifying  the  height  and 
bulk  of  the  wearer.  As  will  be  seen  by  the  fol- 
lowing measurements,  the  antlers  of  the  Barren 
Ground  species  are  longer  than  those  of  the 
woodland,  but  with  fewer  points,  and  in  most 
cases  less  palmation.  In  the  series  of  plates  of  all 
species  published  by  Mr.  Madison  Grant  in  his 
valuable  paper  on  “ The  Caribou  ” (Report  of  the 
New  York  Zoological  Society,  1902),  one  of  the 
most  striking  differences  between  the  two  groups 
is  the  tree-top  appearance  of  all  woodland  ant- 
lers, and  the  open,  arm-chair  effect  of  the  Barren 
Ground  types. 

The  Reindeer  in  Alaska. — In  1887  Mr. 
Charles  H.  Townsend  advised  the  government^ 
that  it  would  be  a very  beneficial  and  humane 
proceeding  toward  the  Eskimo  tribes  of  western 
Alaska  to  import  a large  number  of  domestic 
Reindeer  from  Siberia,  and  teach  the  natives 
how  to  care  for  and  use  them.  Through  the 
heroic  efforts  of  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson,  General 
Agent  of  Education  in  Alaska,  this  advice  was 
promptly  followed  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Bureau  of  Education ; but  the  first  fund  of  $2,000 
came  from  private  sources,  and  was  expended 
in  1892-3.  The  initial  Congressional  appropria- 
tion, of  $6,000,  was  expended  in  1894,  but  since 
'■  The  Cruise  of  the  Corwin  in  1885,  p.  88. 


MEASUREMENTS  OF  LARGE  ANTLERS. 

All  measurements  in  inches. 


Greenland  Car- 

LENGTH 
OF  MAIN 
BEAM. 

WIDEST 

SPREAD. 

POINTS 

OWNER. 

ibou  . . . 

Barren  Ground 

R.  groenlandicus, 

W.  Greenland, . . 

52 

4U 

21 

Author’s  collection. 

Caribou  . . 

Barren  Ground 

R.  arcticus,  . . 

N.  Labrador,  . . 

60 

34 

18 

National  Museum.^ 

Caribou  . 
Grant’s  Car- 

R. arcticus,  . . 

Circle  City,  Alaska, 

54^ 

36 

16 

G.  R.  Anchors. 

ibou  . . . 

Newfoundland 

R.  granti,  . . . 

Alaska  Peninsula, 

33J 

35J 

27 

American  Museum.* 

Caribou  . . 

Woodland  Car- 

R. terraenovae,  . 

Newfoundland, 

41 

36 

36 

Madison  Grant. 

ibou  . . . 
Mountain  Car- 

R. caribou,  . . 

Northern  Canada, 

35i 

21 

30 

Robert  Gilfort. 

ibou  . . . 

Osborn’s  Car- 

R. montanus. 

S.  Brit.  Columbia, 

35 

21 

31 

Daniel  Carter  Beard. 

ibou  . . . 

R.  osborni,  . . 

N.  Brit.  Columbia, 

44i 

38i 

43 

Kenai  Caribou. 

R.  stonei,  . . . 

Kenai  Peninsula, 

45i 

34^ 

56 

Harry  E.  Lee. 

“ From  “ The  Caribou,”  by  Madison  Grant.  Report  of  the  New  York  Zoological  Society,  1902. 

THE  MOOSE 


139 


1899,  the  amount  granted  annually  has  been 
$25,(X10. 

From  1892  to  1902,  1,580  Reindeer  were  im- 
ported from  Siberia  and  144  from  Lapland,  from 
which  0,1  IG  fawns  have  been  born  in  Alaska. 
Dr.  .Jackson  states  that  “the  animals  born  in 
.\laska  are  developing  into  larger  and  stronger 
animals  than  their  parents.”  Of  the  whole 
number  of  Reindeer,  2,092  have  been  sold,  butch- 
ered or  lost  by  death.  On  Ma}'  1,  1903,  the  total 
number  remaining  alive  in  Alaska  was  5,148. 
The  number  of  fawns  born  in  1902  was  1,054. 

The  Reindeer  experiment  has  been  wisely  con- 
ducted, on  good  business  principles,  and  is  an 
unqualified  success.  There  are  nine  Reindeer 
stations,  extendiTig  from  Point  Barrow,  on  the 
.\rctic  Ocean,  to  Eton  Station,  near  St.  AJichael, 
on  Norton  Sound.  The  Laplanders  who  were 
taken  to  .\laska  to  educate  the  natives  in  the 
care  and  use  of  Reindeer,  have  done  their  work 
conscientiously,  and  the  Eskimo  have  eagerly 
embraced  the  opportunity  to  acquire  a domestic 
animal,  good  for  use  and  for  food,  to  take  the 
place  of  the  vanished  walrus  and  Barren  Ground 
carilrou. 

On  the  whole,  the  systematic  introduction  of 
Reindeer  along  the  northwest  coast  of  Alaska — 
now  almost  barren  of  wild  life  fit  for  human  food 
— is  one  of  the  most  humane  and  sensible  meas- 
ures ever  undertaken  for  the  children  of  the  cold. 
If  this  industry  is  further  fostered,  and  diligently 
pursued,  its  ultimate  value  in  the  promotion  of 
the  moral  and  material  welfare  of  the  Eskimo 
is  beyond  calculation.  The  multiplication  of 
the  herds  in  the  hands  of  private  owners  means  a 
great  increase  in  the  animal  food  supply,  less 
dei)endcnce  upon  the  foods  of  civilization,  a 
greater  measure  of  general  prosperity  and  con- 
tentment, and  in  the  end,  far  less  expense  to  the 
government  in  the  form  of  annual  maintenance 
for  starving  natives. 

The  >Ioose*  is  the  largest  animal  of  the  Deer 
Family,  living  or  extinct.  Even  the  Irish  elk,  with 
antlers  which,  in  at  least  one  specimen,  spread 
9 feet  3 inches,  was  a smaller  animal.  It  is  a 
satisfaction  to  know  that  the  most  colo.ssal  deer 
that  ever  trod  the  earth  is  alive  to-day,  and  an 
inhabitant  of  our  continent. 

' .l/'crs  nmericanu^.  Called  in  Europe,  the"  Elk 
and  our  Elk  is  there  called  the  “^^ap'i-ti.”  See 
Frontispiece. 


It  is  not,  however,  an  easy  matter  to  convey  a 
truthful  and  adequate  impression  of  this  antlered 
giant  of  the  north.  The  young  specimens  occa- 
sionally seen  for  a brief  season  in  zoological  parks 
and  gardens  are  scarcely  more  than  suggestions 
of  the  adult  animal.  The  mounted  groups  in  our 
large  museums  do  indeed  represent  its  full  size ; 
but  to  be  fully  appreciated,  the  Moose  must  be 
seen  alive,  adult,  full  of  strength  and  purpose, 
striding  like  a four-legged  colossus  through  the 
evergreen  forests  of  Canada  or  Alaska,  or  swing- 
ing away  at  incredible  speed  from  the  dangers  of 
the  chase. 

Imagine,  if  you  can,  an  antlered  animal  stand- 
ing between  six  and  seven  feet  high  at  the  shoul- 
ders, its  legs  quite  four  feet  long,  its  neck  and 
body  covered  with  a heavy  thatch  of  coarse,  pur- 
plish-gray hair  from  three  to  six  inches  long, 
and  its  huge  head  crowned  with  massive  antlers 
spreading  from  five  to  six  feet  in  width.  Its 
head  is  among  the  lower  branches  of  the  forest, 
and  its  long  legs  stride  with  indifferent  ease 
over  fallen  tree-trunks  which  to  the  hunter  are 
barriers  to  be  climbed  over,  slowly  and  labo- 
riously. 

The  Moose  can  instantly  be  recognized  by  its 
broad,  square-ended,  overhanging  nose,  large 
ears,  high  hump  on  the  shoulders,  and  long, 
coarse,  smoky-gray  hair.  The  adult  male  is 
further  distinguished  by  antlers  that  are  enor- 
mously flattened  and  expanded,  in  a form  pop- 
ularly known  as  “palmation.” 

The  Moose  is  not  a grazing  animal,  like  the 
elk,  and  most  other  members  of  the  Deer  Family. 
It  lives  by  “browsing,”  or  eating  the  bark,  twigs 
and  leaves  of  certain  trees,  and  also  moss  and 
lichens.  It  is  strictly  a forest  animal,  and  is 
never  found  on  open,  treeless  plains.  It  is 
very  fond  of  still  water,  and  is  much  given  to 
frequenting  the  small  lakes  and  ponds  which 
abound  in  some  portions  of  its  home.  It  is  as 
fond  of  wading  in  shallow  water  as  a boy,  and  is 
a ready  and  powerful  swimmer.  It  loves  to  feed 
upon  lily  pads  and  stems,  and  moose  hunters 
have  assured  me  that  it  even  seeks  the  bulbs 
growing  in  the  muddy  bottom. 

Except  in  .\laska,  the  majority  of  Moose  killed 
by  hunters  are  shot  from  ambush  beside  ponds,  or 
from  canoes.  Frequently,  Moose  that  are  surprised 
when  wading  and  feeding  in  shallow  water,  make 
the  mistake  of  rushing  into  deep  water,  to  escape 


140 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


by  swimming,  when  they  are  easily  overtaken, and 
either  killed,  captured,  or  photographed. 

In  the  autumn  months,  the  northeastern  Moose 
hunter  sometimes  makes  a horn  of  birch  bark, 
at  nightfall  conceals  himself  beside  a pond,  and 
imitates  the  call  of  the  cow  Moose  until  a bull 
is  actually  attracted  within  shooting  distance. 
The  cry  of  this  animal  is  a prolonged,  resonant 
bawl,  ending  in  three  or  four  hoarse  grunts. 

The  accompanying  map  shows  that  the  Moose 
is  yet  found  in  northern  Maine,  New  Brunswick, 
Canada,  Manitoba,  northern  IMinnesota,  north- 
western Wyoming,  Idaho,  British  Columbia, 
Alberta,  Athabasca,  Yukon  and  Alaska.  It 
shows  only  localities  known  to  have  been  in- 
habited in  1902.  In  none  of  these,  however, 
are  Moose  so  abundant  as  in  Alaska,  around  Cook 
Inlet.  The  southern  limit  of  the  Moose  in  North 
America  is  the  head  of  Green  River,  Wyoming, 
Latitude  43°,  Longitude  110°  W.,  corresponding 
to  the  latitude  of  Albany,  New  York. 

Below  Alaska,  the  favorite  hunting-grounds 
for  Moose  are  Maine,  New  Brunswick,  the  upper 
Ottawa  River  country  of  Canada,  and  north- 
western Manitoba.  In  view  of  the  great  number 
of  hunters — estimated  at  ten  thousand — who 
annually  hunt  and  fish  in  Maine,  of  whom  a large 
proportion  hold  licenses  that  permit  the  killing 
of  one  bull,  the  persistence  of  the  Moose  in  Maine 
is  really  wonderful.  During  the  past  nine  years 
the  number  of  Moose  transported  by  the  rail- 
ways of  Maine  have  been  as  follows: 


1894  45 

1895  112 

1896  133 

1897  139 

1898  202 

1899  166 

1900  210 

1901  259 

1902  244 


Total 1,510 


In  all  probability,  fifteen  hundred  more  were 
killed  and  consumed  within  the  state,  and  not 
accounted  for  in  any  permanent  records. 

The  young  of  the  Moose — always  spoken  of  as 
a “calf,”  its  mother  being  called  a “cow”— is 
born  in  5Iay,  and  at  first  is  a very  grotesque- 
looking creature.  Its  enormously  long,  loose- 
jointed  legs  are  attached  to  an  abnormally  short 
and  diminutive  body.  The  neck  is  so  short  the 


creature  cannot  put  its  nose  to  the  ground  with- 
out kneeling.  Its  hair  is  woolly  and  brick  red, 
or  “sandy,”  like  that  of  a buffalo  calf. 

A Moose  calf  which  I once  owned,  and  meas- 
ured when  seven  %veeks  old,  had  the  following 
dimensions : 


Height  at  shoulders 37  inches. 

“ “ hips 31  “ 

Length  of  head  and  body 42  “ 

Depth  of  chest 11  “ 

Length  of  foreleg  to  elbow 26  “ 

Weight 79  pounds. 


At  one  year  of  age,  if  not  stunted  in  growth, 
a Moose  stands  from  4 feet  9 inches  to  5 feet  in 
height  at  the  shoulders,  where  it  has  developed  a 
lofty  hump.  On  August  14,  1901,  the  largest 
of  six  Moose  in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park, 
each  one  about  fifteen  months  old,  measured  as 
follows : 

Height,  5 feet  3 inches;  length,  head  and  body, 
5 feet  9 inches.  Length  of  tail,  3^  inches;  depth 
of  chest,  2 feet  2 inches.  Horns,  4 inches  long; 
weight,  330  pounds. 

Any  Moose  which  stands  6 feet  6 inches  in 
height  at  the  shoulders  may  be  considered  a very 
large  one,  a prize,  in  fact.  The  largest  Moose  of 
which  I have  a reliable  record,  was  killed  in  New 
Brunswick,  in  1901,  by  Carl  Rungius,  the  justly- 
celebrated  animal  painter,  and  carefully  meas- 
ured by  him  with  the  following  result : 

Height  of  shoulders,  7 feet,  exactly. 

Length  of  head  and  body,  9 feet  7 inches. 

Girth,  8 feet. 

Length  of  head  alone,  2 feet  9 inches. 

Antlers  small  for  so  large  an  animal. 

The  largest  antlers  recorded  up  to  this  date 
(1903)  came  from  the  Kenai  Peninsula,  are  now 
in  the  Field  Columbian  Museum,  and  have  the 
following  dimensions: 

Spread  at  widest  point,  78J  inches. 

Greatest  width  of  palmation,  16  inches. 

Circumference  of  burr,  15  inches. 

Greatest  thickness  of  palmation,  2^  inches. 

Length  of  skull,  28f  inches. 

Total  number  of  points,  34. 

Weight  of  antlers  and  dry  skull,  93 J pounds. 

From  the  above  figures,  one  can  imagine  the 
strength  necessary  to  enable  an  animal  to  carry 
such  an  unwieldy  load  upon  its  head,  and  run  at 
great  speed  for  long  distances  over  the  roughest 
kind  of  timbered  country. 


THE  MOOSE 


141 


Regarding  the  weight  of  adult  Moose,  very  few 
exact  observations  have  been  recorded,  or  oth- 
erwise made  available.  A large  Maine  Moose 
killed  by  IV.  L.  Miller  of  Bangor,  weighed  1,123 
I)ounds.  A dressed  carcass  weighed  by  S.  L. 
('rosby  showed  a weight  of  1,009  pounds.  {Rec- 
reation Magazine,  IV,  p.  89.) 

By  the  time  a Moose  calf  is  a year  old,  it  has 
taken  on  the  colors  of  adult  life,  which  consist  of 
a mixture  of  blackish-brown  on  the  head,  neck 
and  body,  and  yellowish-gray  on  the  legs  and 
under  parts.  The  hair  and  mane  is  long,  coarse 


and  stiff,  and  lies  more  like  a thatch  of  straw 
than  genuine  hair.  On  the  neck  and  shoulders 
it  is  six  inches  long.  Under  the  throat  hangs  a 
long,  ornamental  strip  of  hair-covered  skin,  four 
inches  long,  called  a “l)cll.”  In  the  adult  male 
animal  this  bell  is  sometimes  a foot  in  length. 

The  female  Moose  has  no  antlers,  but  in  bulk 
she  almost  c(|uals  the  proportions  of  the  male. 
Out  of  everv  thousand  females,  oidy  one  has  a 
‘•Ml.” 

In  captivity  the  Moose  is  naturally  a docile 
animal,  not  foolishly  nervous  like  most  deer,  but 
ste.ady,  confiding  and  affectionate.  Moose  are 
easily  handled,  and  trained  to  drive  in  harness, 
and  in  contact  with  man  manifest  more  common- 


sense  than  any  other  species  of  deer  with  which 
I am  acquainted. 

Owing  to  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  digestive 
organs  of  this  animal,  it  cannot  live  long  upon 
ordinary  grass  or  hay,  even  when  supplemented 
with  the  best  tree-branches  that  its  own  native 
forests  can  supply.  It  is  my  belief  that  vigorous 
daily  exercise  is  vitally  necessary  to  the  proper 
digestion  and  assimilation  of  their  food.  In 
captivity,  even  when  fed  on  fresh  green  browse 
of  the  choicest  variety,  which  they  eat  with  relish, 
they  usually  die  of  gastro-enteritis,  or  inflamma- 


tion of  the  stomach  and  intestines.  Green  grass 
is  fatal  to  them,  and  when  fed  on  grain,  hay  and 
vegetables  they  soon  become  emaciated  and  die. 
Thus  far  the  beSt  results  achieved  in  the  main- 
tenance of  captive  Moose  on  public  exhibition 
have  been  in  the  Cincinnati  Zoological  Garden, 
where  Superintendent  S.  A.  Stephan  has  suc- 
ceeded in  keeping  a pair  for  about  five  years. 
In  great  forest  preserves,  such  as  Blue  Mountain 
Park,  in  Xew  Harnp.shire,  Moose  do  live,  thrive 
and  increase. 

In  a wild  state.  Moose  browse  upon  many 
kinds  of  trees,  but  particularly  upon  birch,  hem- 
lock, spruce,  alder,  aspen,  willow  and  maple. 
They  reach  the  tender  tops  of  tree  saplings  by 


142 


OEDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  ANIMALS 


walking  astride  of  them,  and  “ riding  them  down,” 
and  in  the  manipulation  of  small  branches,  the 
use  of  the  overhanging  and  prehensile  nose  is 
strikingly  apparent.  With  their  strong  lower 
front  teeth,  used  chisel-fashion,  they  gouge  the 
bark  off  large  branches,  and  feed  upon  it.  In 
grazing  on  grass,  or  feeding  upon  ground  mosses, 
a Moose  must  kneel  in  order  to  reach  them. 

During  the  deep  snows  of  winter.  Moose  herd 
together  in  sheltered  spots  in  the  forest;  and 


Copyright  by  Dali.  DeWeese. 


ANTLERS  OF  AN  ALASKAN  MOOSE. 

Spread,  08  inches.  From  an  animal  killed  on  the 
Kenai  Peninsula,  by  Ball  DeWeese. 

through  their  moving  about  in  a small  area,  the 
snow  is  trodden  down  until  they  form  what  is 
called  a “Moose  yard.” 

Naturally,  because  of  its  grand  proportions, 
and  its  massive  antlers,  the  Moose  has  been  to 
every  hunter  of  big  game  a grand  prize.  .41- 
though  difficult  to  find  and  approach  within 
easy  rifle-shot,  when  approached  it  is  killed  easily 
and  without  danger.  During  the  past  five  years, 
this  species  has  been  fairly  protected  through- 
out the  eastern  half  of  its  range,  and  in  1902  this 
protection  was  by  Act  of  Congress  extended  over 


the  whole  of  Alaska.  Without  real  protection, 
ten  years’  time  surely  would  see  this  magnificent 
animal,  which  Nature  has  been  millions  of  years 
in  bringing  to  perfection  as  we  now  see  it,  prac- 
tically exterminated  throughout  North  America. 
In  1900  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  New 
York  appropriated  $5,000  to  be  expended  in  re- 
storing wild  Moose  to  the  Adirondack  wilderness, 
from  which  the  species  was  exterminated  by 
man,  forty  years  ago.  Up  to  September,  1903, 
fifteen  head  of  young  Moose  had  been  purchased, 
chiefly  in  Canada,  taken  to  the  Adirondacks,  and 
liberated.  Although  the  responsible  guides  and 
guides’  associations  are  using  all  their  influence 
to  secure  the  protection  of  the  liberated  Moose 
and  elk,  already  have  individuals  of  both  those 
species  been  shot.  It  is  greaUy  to  be  feared 
that  the  well-meant  efforts  of  the  state,  and 
also  of  public-spirited  private  individuals,  will 
accomplish  little  else  than  to  furnish  more 
meat  for  lawless  persons  who  kill  until  they  are 
caught,  and  then  plead  that  they  killed  their 
Moose  and  elk  “by  mistake!”  It  is  also  to  be 
feared  that  the  Adirondack  Moose  will  migrate 
northward  into  Canada,  and  remain  there. 

It  remains  to  be  seen  how  much  the  real 
men  of  the  Adirondacks  are  going  to  ac- 
complish against  the  Moose-killers  and  their 
supporters. 

The  Alaskan  Moose  has  obtained  a place  in 
the  annals  of  natural  history  to  w'hich  its  title  is, 
at  the  least,  very  questionable.  It  has  been 
described  as  a new  species  {Alee  gigas),  and  a 
giant  besides;  and  because  of  this,  and  its  really 
immense  antlers,  it  has  dwarfed  prevailing  ideas 
regarding  the  more  southern  species  (-4.  ameri- 
canus). 

For  the  exaggerated  ideas  of  this  animal  that 
now  quite  generally  prevail,  its  antlers  are  per- 
haps chiefly  responsible.  Occasionally  they  are 
of  great  size  and  weight,  exhibiting  enormous 
spread  (from  70  to  78  inches),  wide  palmations 
and  also  great  thickness  (from  1^  to  2 inches). 
Their  maximum  dimensions  considerably  surpass 
those  of  antlers  from  more  southern  individuals. 
In  addition  to  all  this,  they  occasionally  .show 
freaky  development  in  the  shape  and  set  of  the 
brow  antlers;  and  occasionally  the  main  shovel 
throws  out  a palmated  spur  of  striking  form  and 
size.  Seen  from  the  front,  it  often  happens  that 
the  antlers  of  an  Alaskan  Moose  present  a chaotic 


THE  MOOSE 


143 


jumble  of  tines  and  palmations.  Occasionally 
these  odd  forms  are  also  found  among  the  moose 
of  Ottawa  and  New  Brunswick. 

But  in  Alaskan  Moose  antlers,  freaky  develop- 
ment is  exceptional,  and  the  real  type  is  the 
same  as  that  found  on  the  moose  of  Xova  Scotia, 
Manitoba  and  ilinnesota.  The  largest  antlers 
on  record  up  to  this  date  are  perfectly  regular. 
.Apparently  the  .Alaskan  Moose  find  in  summer 
an  abundant  supply  of  some  food  which  is  par- 
ticularly rich  in  horn-producing  properties,  and 
their  enormous  and  freaky  antlers  are  the  result. 

Regarding  the  size  of  .Alaskan  and  other  moose, 
it  is  well  to  weigh  the  best  available  evidence. 

So  far  as  I am  informed,  the  largest  moose  ever 
killed  and  measured  by  thoroughly  experienced 
and  reliable  hands  is  the  one  already  referred  to 
which  was  shot  in  Xew  Brunswick  by  Mr.  Carl 
Rungius,  the  painter  of  .American  animals,  whose 
knowledge  of  the  external  anatomy  of  that  ani- 
mal is,  as  many  believe,  second  to  that  of  no 
other  man.  The  accuracy  and  fairness  of  Air. 
Rungius’  measurements  of  the  animals  he  has  so 
long  studied  in  their  wild  haunts,  is  beyond  ques- 
tion. .According  to  Mr.  Rungius,  the  moose  re- 
ferred to  above  stood  precisely  84  inches  high  at 
shoulders,  and  had  a girth  of  96  inches;  but  “for 
so  large  an  animal  its  antlers  were  rather  small.” 

The  following  measurements  of  moose,  in 
inches,  are  of  interest  in  determining  the  real 
value  of  prevailing  impressions  regarding  the 
•Alaskan  animal,  and  its  right  to  specific  rank  by 
reason  of  its  great  size: 


became  an  established  industry.  The  unfort- 
unate fact  that  in  many  portions  of  southwest- 
ern Alaska  Moose  were  easily  found  and  killed, 
bore  heavily  against  them.  The  Kenai  Penin- 
sula partook  of  the  character  of  a moose  “pre- 
serve,” in  everything  save  preservation. 

In  1902,  through  the  combined  efforts  of  nat- 
uralists and  sportsmen.  Congress  enacted  a law 
for  the  protection  of  the  wild  animals  of  .Alaska, 
very  wisely  charged  the  Secretary  of  Agricult- 
ure with  its  enforcement,  and  vested  him  with 
wide  discretionary  power.  It  was  a great  day 
for  big  game,  and  for  all  persons  interested  in 
the  preservation  of  our  gi-andest  wild  animals, 
when  the  fauna  of  Alaska  came  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Drs.  C.  Hart  Merriam  and  T.  S. 
Palmer,  of  the  United  States  Biological  Survey, 
who  are  specially  charged  with  the  enforcement 
of  the  Alaska  game  law.  The  killing  of'  moose 
for  salable  heads  promptly  decreased.  Ex- 
cepting by  prospectors  and  natives  in  great  need 
of  food,  no  moose,  white  sheep,  goat,  caribou  or 
big  brown  bear  may  be  killed  in  close  season 
without  a special  license  signed  by  the  Secretary 
of  Agriculture ; nor  can  any  skins,  heads  or  antlers 
of  protected  game  be  transported  from  Alaska 
without  permits. 

The  only  thing  now  necessary  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  valuable  animals  of  Alaska  is  an 
annual  appropriation  of  $25,000  for  the  pay  of 
game  wardens,  and  legal  e.xpenses,  and  the  plac- 
ing of  the  entire  salmon  industry  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  United  States  Fish  Commission. 


BY  WHOM  SHOT  AND 
MEASURED. 

LOCALITY. 

SEX. 

HEIGHT  AT 
SHOULDERS. 

GIRTH. 

LENGTH  OF 
HEAD  AND 
BODY. 

Carl  Rungius,  . . . 

Xew  Brunswick,^  . . 

• 

Male 

84 

96 

115 

Dali  DeWee.se,  . . . 

.Alaska,  ^ .... 

Alale 

80i 

91| 

119f 

L.  L.  Dvche, .... 

Minnesota,* .... 

Alale 

78^ 

.A.  J.  8tone,  .... 

.Alaska,^ 

Male 

77i 

106 

Until  the  enactment  of  the  national  law  of 
1902  for  the  preservation  of  wild  animal  life  in 
.Alaska,  the  huge  antlers  of  the  moose  of  .Alaska 
threatened  to  cause  the  annihilation  of  the  spe- 
cies in  that  territory.  “Record  heads”  and 
" record  antlers”  began  to  be  sought  for  by  those 
who  were  able  to  buy  them  at  high  prices,  and 
very  promptly  moose-killing  for  heads  and  horns 
* A Ices  americanus. 


THE  PECCARY  FAMILY. 

T ayassuidae. 

The  wild  swine  of  the  world  form  a group 
which  contains  several  remarkable  forms. 

The  wart  hog,  of  Africa,  is  the  ugliest  of  all 
land  animals,  and  its  head  is  of  such  a remark- 
able form  that  at  first  sight  it  seems  like  one  of 


’ Largest  of  several  very  large  male  specimens  collected  on  the  Kenai  Peninsula. 


144 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— HOOFED  AN^IMALS 


the  sports  of  nature.  The  red  river-hog,  of  West 
Africa,  is  the  most  beautiful  of  all  swine,  and 
its  immaculate  red  coat,  and  long,  slender  ears 
produced  to  infinity  in  the  form  of  a waving 
pencil  of  threadlike  hairs,  renders  this  animal 
acceptable  in  any  zoological  garden. 

The  Collared  Peccary  is  our  nearest  and 
best-known  representative  of  the  wild  swine. 
Its  northern  limit  is  the  Red  River,  and  the  valley 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  in  Texas,  and  southward  it 
ranges  to  Patagonia.  In  northwestern  Sonora, 
it  has  recently  been  obtained  by  Dr.  D.  T.  Mac- 
Dougall  in  regions  so  dry,  hot  and  barren  of 
vegetation  that  it  was  a surprise  to  find  it  there. 
Its  preference  is  for  brushy,  upland  jungles,  but 


COLLARED  PECCARY. 


at  the  same  time  it  frequents  all  available  cover, 
from  the  fruitful  hard-wood  forests  of  Arkansas 
and  Texas  to  the  moist  and  hot  jungles  of  Cen- 
tral and  South  America. 

In  Texas  this  animal  is  called  the  “Javelina,” 
and  hunting  it  on  horseback  with  dogs  is  a sport 
not  to  be  despised.  When  hotly  pursued,  the 
Peccary  of  Texas  gladly  dives  into  any  rocky 
crevice  or  hole  that  is  large  enough  to  receive  it. 
Both  jaws  of  this  animal  are  provided  with  tusks, 
of  sufficient  length  and  sharpness  to  make  them 
dangerous  weapons. 

The  courage  and  pugnacity  of  the  Peccary  are 
well  known,  and  when  threatened  with  attack 
by  a drove,  the  boldest  hunter  does  not  hesitate 
* Tay'as-su  ta'ja-cu. 


to  climb  the  best  tree  that  happens  to  be  avail- 
able. An  enraged  Peccary,  athirst  for  blood, 
is  to  any  one  not  armed  with  a rifle  or  a first- 
rate  spear  a formidable  antagonist.  But  for 
their  tusks  and  dauntless  courage  when  attacked, 
these  animals  could  not  have  long  survived  in 
forests  infested  by  savage  jaguars,  pumas,  wolves 
and  ocelots.  Truly,  it  seems  as  if  this  species 
represents  the  survival  of  one  of  the  fittest. 

In  our  southwestern  states  the  regular  food 
of  the  Peccary  consists  of  acorns,  pecans,  farm- 
ers’ crops,  seeds  and  edible  roots  of  many  kinds, 
and  (it  is  said)  also  frogs,  lizards,  snakes,  and 
all  other  gi-ound  animals  it  can  catch.  If  the 
musk  gland  situated  on  the  top  of  the  hind- 
quarters is  cut  out  as  soon  as  a Peccary  is  killed, 
the  flesh  will  be  saved  from  the  musky  flavor 
and  odor  which  without  this  precaution  would 
soon  render  it  unpalatable. 

The  Collared  Peccary  derives  its  name  from' 
a ribbon-like  band  of  white  which  encircles  the 
animal  about  where  the  neck  joins  the  shoulders. 
Other  than  this,  the  hair  is  of  a black  color, 
sprinkled  with  gray. 

The  White-Lipped  Peccary^  is  a larger  spe- 
cies than  the  preceding,  with  white  hair  on  its  up- 
per lips.  It  is  found  only  as  far  north  as  south- 
ern Mexico,  but  ranges  southward  to  Paraguay. 

THE  TAPIR  FAMILY. 

Tapiridae. 

In  all  the  world  there  are  at  least  five  species 
of  tapirs,  only  one  of  which  is  found  in  the  Old 
World.  In  southern  Mexico  and  Central  Amer- 
ica, we  know  of  the  existence  of  a species  called 
Baird’s  Tapir  (Tapirus  bairdi),  and  in  Central 
America  one  known  as  Dow’s  Tapir  {Tapirus 
dowi),  but  of  their  life  histories  very  little  is 
known,  and  at  present  it  is  impossible  to  describe 
them  adequately. 

The  South  American  Tapir’  is  so  frequently 
seen  in  captivity,  and  is  already  so  well  known, 
that  it  may  well  be  chosen  as  the  representative 
of  the  only  Family  of  odd-toed  Ungulates  ex- 
isting on  this  continent.  It  takes  kindly  to  cap- 
tivity, grows  rapidly,  and  always  manages  to 
look  well-fed,  and  as  sleek  as  a seal.  Its  color 
is  a rich  mahogany  brown,  its  head  is  long  and 
triangular,  and  its  long,  prehensile  nose,  ever  so- 
liciting something  to  eat,  is  strongly  suggestive 
Tay'as-su  al-hi-ros'-tre.  * Tap'i-rus  ter-res'iris. 


THE  TAPIRS 


145 


of  the  end  of  an  elephant’s  trunk.  The  shoulder 
height  of  a full-grown  animal  is  about  37  inches. 

The  species  best  known  to  the  world  inhabits 
Venezuela,  the  Guianas,  Brazil,  Paraguay,  Uru- 
guay and  the  northern  portion  of  the  Argentine 
Republic.  .\lt  hough  tapirs  are  usually  found 
along  small  and  well-shaded  rivers  in  the  hot 
lowlands  of  the  tropics,  they  are  also  frequently 
found  on  forest-covered  mountains.  They  are 
exceedingly  shy  and  wary,  and  under  all  circum- 
stances are  difficult  to  find.  AVithout  dogs  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  outwit  them.  When  at- 


tacked- they  always  head  for  the  nearest  stream, 
and  plunge  into  the  water  for  concealment.  Their 
food  consists  of  .soft  and  fleshy  plants  that  grow 
in  or  within  easy  reach  of  streams,  and  in  dense 
forests  where  the  humidity  is  great.  The  flesh 
of  all  tapirs  is  said  to  be  very  palatable,  and  in 
South  America  it  is  much  sought  by  hunters. 

The  South  American  Tapir  thrives  in  cap- 
tivity, either  with  a bath-tank  or  without,  and 
breeds.  In  1903  a pair  bred  in  the  National 
Zoological  Park,  at  Washington,  and  the  off- 
spring survived. 


CHAPTER  IX 


THE  ORDER  OF  WHALES  AND  PORPOISES 

CETE 


To  some  persons  who  are  beyond  the  reach  of  large  museums,  or  a complete  work  on  natural 
history,  the  whales,  dolphins  and  porpoises  seem  very  far  away.  To  those  who  live  far  from  the 
sea,  it  might  seem  justifiable  to  omit  them  from  our  list;  but,  inasmuch  as  all  Americans  travel, 
and  nearly  every  reader  of  this  book  is  certain  to  observe  some  of  the  great  sea-mammals  dis- 
porting in  the  waves  of  their  ocean  home,  it  is  necessary  to  give  them  a brief  notice. 

The  salt  waters  of  the  world  are  inhabited  by  what  is  really  a great  array  of  species  of  fish- 
like mammals,  some  of  which  are  the  largest  creatures  that  ever  inhabited  the  earth.  It  is 
a satisfaction  to  know  that  even  the  largest  of  the  great  extinct  lizards  of  North  America  did 
not  equal  the  gigantic  bulk  of  a ninety-foot  sulphur-bottom  whale  of  our  Pacific  coast. 

Although  the  Cetaceans  are  very  fish-like  in  form,  and  also  in  mode  of  life,  they  are  w'arm- 
blooded  mammals,  which  breathe  air  instead  of  water,  drown  if  submerged  too  long,  bring 
forth  their  young  alive,  and  nourish  them  with  milk  from  their  owm  bodies.  For  the  protection 
of  their  flesh  and  vital  organs  from  the  cold  of  Arctic  waters,  they  are  completely  enveloped 
in  a thick  layer  of  fat,  called  “blubber,”  which  lies  under  the  skin,  and  is  impervious  to  cold. 
It  is  as  if  a man  had  a layer  of  felt  an  inch  thick  under  his  skin. 

All  Cetaceans  are  destitute  of  hair,  and  in  most  cases  the  skin  is  as  smooth  as  plate-glass. 
The  great  majority  of  them  have  teeth,  but  many  are  toothless.  Except  the  whales  of  greatest 
commercial  value,  little  is  known  of  the  habits  of  Cetaceans  generally.  It  is  very  difficult  to 
study  creatures  that  make  their  home  in  the  sea,  and  can  be  closely  studied  only  when  killed. 
Nevertheless,  quite  a number  of  interesting  facts  regarding  these  strange  animals  have  been 
brought  together,  chiefly  by  observing  whalers.  Their  four  Families  are  as  follows  : 


FAMILIES. 


CETACEANS: 

Cete. 


Baleen  Whales : 

(without  teeth) 
Balaenidae. 


Sperm  Whales: 

(with  teeth) 
Physeteridae. 


3.  Dolphins 
and 

Porpoises: 

Delphinidae. 


4.  Fresh-Water 
Dolphins: 

Platinistidae. 


“ Whalebone  ” Whales,  of  large  size,  without  teeth. 
The  mouth  is  provided  with  “ baleen,”  commercially 
called  “whalebone.”  This  group  includes  the  Sul- 
phur-Bottom, largest  of  all  whales,  and  about  fifteen 
other  species. 

Whales  with  a narrow,  beak-like  lower  jaw,  and  formid- 
able teeth.  There  are  four  species,  varying  in  size 
from  the  Pigmy  Sperm  Whale,  12  feet  long,  to  the 
great  Sperm  Whale,  80  feet  long. 

This  Family  includes  about  thirty  species  of  Dolphins, 
Porpoises,  Grampuses,  Blackfish  and  Narwhals.  They 
vary  in  size  from  the  five-foot  common  Porpoise  to 
the  thirty-foot  Orca,  or  “ Whale-Killer.”  All  save  a 
very  few  are  harmless,  but  the  Killer  is  the  most  sav- 
age and  dangerous  creature  that  swims  the  seas. 


The  narrow-beaked  dolphins  of  the  Amazon  and  Ganges. 


14G 


THE  BALEEN  WHALES 


147 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BALEEN  WHALES. 

Balenidae. 

If  seen  on  land,  any  member  of  this  Family 
would  recall  Falstaff’s  graphic  reference  to  his 
own  fleshy  self, — “A  mountain  of  mummy!” 

In  one  respect,  a large  whale  is  like  an  iceberg. 
When  seen  in  the  water,  only  a small  fraction  of 
its  bulk  appears,  and  the  remainder  must  be 
imagined.  On  the  ocean,  one  sees  nothing  of  a 
whale  save  a rather  flat  back,  and  a jet  of  dense 
vapor  rising  and  curving  back  into  the  sea. 
Startling  indeed  would  be  the  sight  of  a whale’s 
bulk,  if  it  could  be  seen  in  its  entirety. 

The  largest  and  also  the  swiftest  of  all  whales 
is  the  great  Sulphur-Bottom  Whale,*  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  found  from  northern  California 
to  Central  .America.  So  far  as  we  know,  this  i» 
the  largest  animal  that  ever  lived  upon  this 
planet.  Captain  C.  M.  Scammon,  one  of  the 
most  observant  and  scholarly  of  all  whalers, 
records  the  measurements  of  a specimen  taken 
by  him  as  follows:  Total  length,  95  feet;  length 
of  jawbone,  21  feet;  girth,  39  feet;  length  of 
longest  “ whalebone,”  4 feet;  weight  of  “whale- 
bone,” SOO  pounds;  calculated  weight  of  whole 
whale,  294,000  pounds;  barrels  of  oil  yielded, 
110 — not  a large  quantity. 

The  accompanying  illustration  shows  the 
form  of  a baleen  whale,  and  the  peculiar  outline 
of  its  enormous  mouth.  The  whales  of  this  Fam- 
ily live  upon  minute  shrimp-like  crustaceans, 
and  swimming  mollusks  (shell-fish)  belonging 
to  the  group  known  as  pteropods  (ter'o-pods) 
which  float  in  myriads  on  or  near  the  surface  of 
I the  sea.  To  enable  the  sea-monster  to  feed  upon 
the.se  very  small  organisms,  and  secure  them  in 
a wholesale  way,  the  roof  of  the  mouth  is  pro- 
vided with  two  great  masses  of  thin,  horny  plates 
set  edgewise  on  each  side,  and  very  close  together. 

1 The  lower  eilges  of  these  plates  (of  “whale- 
i bone  ”)  are  frayed  out  into  a mass  of  what  looks 
I like  coarse,  bristly  hair,  and  these  frayed  edges 
1 unite  into  a web  of  filaments  as  long  and  as  wide 
as  the  whole  inside  of  the  mouth. 

In  feeding,  the  whale  swims  through  a mass 
of  floating  pteropods,  with  its  mouth  open;  and 
the  fringe  of  the  baleen,  hanging  down  upon  the 
, sides  of  the  lower  jaw,  forms  a perfect  strainer 
I for  catching  even  the  smallest  creatures  afloat. 

' lial-ae-nop' ter-a  sul-fu're-us 


The  pteropods  gather  in  a mass  on  the  tongue, 
and  presently  are  swallowed.  When  the  mouth 
is  shut,  the  plates  of  baleen  fold  in  diagonally. 

Captain  David  Gray  has  stated  that  some- 
times the  whale  finds  its  food  under  water,  at 
a depth  of  from  sixty  to  ninety  feet.  In  gather- 
ing it  the  animal  dives,  holds  its  breath  like  any 
air-breathing  animal,  and  after  an  interval  re- 
appears at  the  surface  to  breathe,  swallow  the 
food  collected,  and  rest  before  diving  again. 
When  whales  are  feeding  in  this  manner,  it  is 
comparatively  easy  for  whalers  to  approach  them 
within  striking  distance,  and  harpoon  them. 

One  of  the  most  astonishing  statements  re- 
corded of  this  animal  is  that  sometimes  w'hen 
harpooned,  and  sometimes  in  sport,  as  well,  it 
leaps  out  of  the  water,  for  practically  its  entire 
length!  Captain  Scammon  states  that  a pair 
of  Sulphur-Bottom  Whales  have  been  known 
to  float  side  by  side  at  the  surface  of  the  water. 


BOW-HEAD  WHALE. 
Balaena  mysticetus. 


and  caress  each  other  by  striking  each  other’s 
bodies  with  their  flippers,  “the  sound  made  by 
these  gigantic  love-pats  being  audible  for  miles.” 

The  young  of  a whale  is  called  a “calf,”  and 
usually  the  mother  is  very  solicitous  for  the  wel- 
fare of  her  offspring.  She  suckles  it  until  it  is 
able  to  seek  other  food  than  her  milk. 

The  Bow-Head  Whale,  also  called  Green- 
land, and  Polar  Whale,"*  of  the  polar  seas 
around  the  north  pole,  is  known  by  the  immense 
size  of  its  head  and  the  semicircular  arch  of  its 
jaws.  Its  individual  plates  of  baleen  are  some- 
times 10  to  12  feet  in  length.  This  material  is 
now  scraped  very  fine,  and  mixed  with  the  silk 
fibre  of  dress  silks,  to  make  the  cloth  rustle  when 
worn,  and  also  give  it  stiffness.  It  is  now  of  such 
high  value  commercially  that  the  baleen  w'hales 
are  being  pursued  as  far  north  as  vessels  can  go. 
When  a ves.sel  is  having  a run  of  luck,  and  strik- 
ing Bow-Head  Whales  frequently,  the  oil  is  some- 
’ Bal-ae'na  mys-ti-ce'tus. 


148 


ORDEliS  OF  MAMMALS— WHALES  AND  PORPOISES 


times  completely  ignored,  and  the  quest  settles 
down  to  a hunt  for  whalebone  alone. 

Whale  oil  is  no  longer  the  valuable  commodity 
it  was  forty  years  ago,  but  the  hunt  for  baleen 
will  ultimately  exterminate  all  the  whales  of  this 
Family.  The  Bow-Head  Whale  is  of  medium 
size,  rarely  attaining  65  feet,  and  usually  runs 
under  50;  yet  it  is  uncommonly  rich,  both  in 
baleen  and  oil.  A large  whale  of  this  species  is 
said  to  yield  275  barrels  of  oil,  and  3,500  pounds 
of  whalebone. 

On  the  coast  of  Newfoundland  there  are  now 
five  whaling  stations  which  during  the  summer 
season  do  a thriving  business.  Small  whales  of 
two  or  three  species  are  killed  in  adjacent  waters, 
towed  to  the  stations,  and  hauled  up  on  ways* 
In  a single  day  a whale  forty  feet  long  is  com- 
pletely worked  up,  and  practically  every  part  of 
the  animal  yields  a commercially-valuable  prod- 
uct. 

When  a whale  is  struck  by  a harpoon,  it  dives 
deeply  to  escape  its  foes,  and  remains  under 
water  as  long  as  possible.  The  comfortable 
period  for  a whale  to  remain  under  water  is  fif- 
teen minutes,  but  in  feeding  below  the  surface, 
this  is  often  extended  to  twenty-five  minutes. 
Harpooned  whales  sometimes  descend  300  feet 
and  lie  on  the  muddy  bottom  of  a shallow  sea 
for  a period  of  from  fifty  minutes  to  an  hour  and 
twenty  minutes. 

But  whalers  know  that  their  victim  must 
sooner  or  later  come  to  the  surface,  or  drown. 
As  a whale  reaches  the  surface,  it  immediately 
discharges  its  breath  from  the  blow-holes  situated 
on  top  of  its  head.  A whale  does  not  spout 
water,  but  the  breath  which  comes  from  its  lungs 
is  so  heavily  laden  with  moisture  that  at  a little 
distance  it  looks  like  water,  especially  wRen  it 
curves  over  and  falls  into  the  sea.  It  is  this 
“spouting”  which  reveals  the  whale  to  its  enemy 
in  the  “crow’s-nest”  of  the  whaling  vessel,  and 
causes  him  to  shout  joyously  to  those  on  deck, 
“There  she  blows!” 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  most  important 
species  of  baleen  whales  are  these: 

The  Right  Whale  (Balaena  glacialis),  of  the 
cool  waters  around  the  north  pole  and  the  Atlan- 
tic Ocean,  north  and  south,  attains  70  feet,  but 
usually  runs  under  50  feet. 

The  Pacific  Right  Whale  {Balaena  sieboldii) 
inhabits  the  North  Pacific. 


The  Humpback  WTiale  (Megaptera  nodosa), 
of  the  Atlantic,  off  the  United  States  coast, 
is  the  species  most  frequently  seen  from  the 
decks  of  passenger  steamers  and  stranded  on 
our  coast.  Its  usual  length  is  from  45  to  60 
feet. 

The  Finback  Whale  {Balaenoptera  physalus), 
of  the  North  Atlantic  coast,  attains  60  feet,  but 
yields  little  oil,  and  is  difficult  to  kill. 

The  California  Gray  Whale  {RacManectes 
glaucus),  from  the  arctic  seas  to  Lower  Cali- 
fornia, attains  45  feet.  It  is  fond  of  shallow 
water,  and  is  savage  and  dangerous. 

THE  SPERM  WHALE  FAMILY. 

Physeteridae. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  in  a few  words  a clear 
and  adequate  conception  of  the  various  localities 
inhabited  by  the  great  Sperm  Whale.'  It  may 
be  said,  however,  that  it  is  a habitant  of  the 
warm  seas  of  the  globe,  from  the  North  Atlantic, 
around  Cape  Horn,  to  the  North  Pacific. 

The  Sperm  Whale  has  an  enormous,  square- 
ended  head,  which  constitutes  one-third  of  its 
entire  bulk.  Under  this  great  mass  is  the  lower 
jaw  of  solid  bone,  shaped  like  a letter  Y,  the 
stem  being  fully  armed  with  a double  row  of 
huge,  conical  teeth.  In  comparison  with  the 
great  bulk  of  the  head,  the  lower  jaw  seems  ab- 
surdly small;  but  it  is  a formidable  weapon, 
and  whalers  dread  it. 

In  seizing  a whale-boat,  a man  struggling  in 
the  water,  or  any  other  dangerous  enemy,  a 
Sperm  Whale  turns  on  its  side  or  back,  like  a 
shark,  in  order  to  bring  its  lower  jaw  over  its 
victim. 

The  largest  Sperm  Whales  have  measured 
from  80  to  84  feet.  At  birth  they  are  from  1 1 to 
14  feet  long.  Their  food  consists  of  fish  of  vari- 
ous kinds,  and  also  squid.  A young  whale,  only 
twenty  feet  long,  which  was  taken  on  the  coast 
of  Cornwall,  had  in  its  stomach  about  3(X)  mack- 
erel. The  head  of  the  Sperm  Whale  yields  sperm 
oil,  spermaceti,  and  teeth  which  are  valuable  for 
ivory.  A substance  called  ambergris,  of  much 
value  to  druggists  and  perfumers,  is  obtained 
from  the  intestinal  canal. 

The  Sperm  Whale  Porpoise,  or  “Pygmy 
Sperm  Whale”  (Ko'gi-a),  is  found  on  both  the 
* Phys'e-ter  mac-ro-ceph' a-lus. 


SPEEM  WHALES  AND  DOLPHINS 


149 


Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts  of  the  United  States. 
It  is  a true  py{>;my,  adult  specimens  being  but  15 
feet  long.  They  are  so  rare  that  their  existence 
in  the  western  .Atlantic  Ocean  was  not  known 
until  1SS3,  when  a specimen  was  washed  ashore 
at  Spring  Lake,  New  .Jersey,  and  secured  by  the 
United  States  National  Museum. 

THE  DOLPHIN  .\ND  PORPOISE  FAMILY. 

Delphinidae. 

This  Family  contains  a number  of  different 
groups  of  animals,  some  of  which  are  sharj)ly 
distinct,  and  are  not  called  by  either  of  those 
names.  The  porpoises  are  distinguished  by  their 
blunt  noses,  and  the  dolphins  by  their  long, 
|)ointcd  noses  and  elongated,  beak-like  jaws. 
Unfortunately  for  our  purpose,  there  are  a few 
jKjrpoises  with  long  snouts,  and  a few  dolphins 
with  short,  blunt  noses;  and  consequently  the 
two  grou{)s  run  together  so  confusingly  that  it 
is  impossible  to  lay  down  any  rules  by  which  one 
may  always  lx;  distinguished  from  the  other.  We 
shall  therefore  shorten  our  work  by  setting  forth 
the  sjtecies  most  worth  knowing,  and  leaving  the 
anatomical  details  of  the  different  genera  to  be 
learned  in  the  future. 

The  White  “Whale,”  or  Beluga,'  of  the  upper 
half  of  the  northern  hemisphere,  is  not  really  a 
whale,  but  a member  of  the  Dolphin  Family.  It 
is  creamy  white  all  over,  and  16  feet  long;  has 
several  times  been  exhibited  in  aquaria  and 
shows,  and  is  known  personally  to  millions  of 
.\mericans.  One  of  the  fine  specimens  exhibited 
in  the  New  York  .\quarium  in  1897  met  its  death 
from  suffocation  caused  by  a live  eel  becoming 
immovably  fixed  in  its  blow-hole,  and  shutting 
off  its  breath  so  suddenly  that  the  mammal  died 
before  the  fish  could  be  removed.  This  species 
a.s<>end.s  the  Yukon  River,  .\laska,  for  7(X)  miles, 
and  is  also  an  inhabitant  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 
Dr.  Ctoode  states  that  the  food  of  the  White 
“Whale”  consists  of  such  fish  as  flounders,  hali- 
but, cod,  .salmon,  and  eels,  and  also  of  .s(iuids 
and  |)ra\ms.  In  the  St.  Lawrence  River  there 
is  a fi.shery  of  considerable  importance. 

The  Hlackflsh'  is  not  a fi.sh,  but  a jet  black 
member  of  the  Dolphin  Family,  15  to  18  feet 
long,  anil  is  shaped  very  much  like  a small  sperm 

' Dd-phin-nj>' ter-uK  leu' can. 

* (ilob-i-ceph'n-ln  mc'lan. 


whale.  The  head  has  the  same  square-ended, 
sawn-off  appearance,  and  a barely  perceptible 
snout.  It  is  one  of  the  most  abundant  and  im- 
portant of  the  small  cetaceans  of  the  feast  coast 
of  North  America.  Thousands  of  them  have 
been  stranded,  or  deliberately  driven  into  shal- 
low water,  on  Cape  Cod,  sometimes  over  a hun- 
dred in  one  school.  The  yield  of  oil  from  a 
single  Blackfish  varies  from  ten  gallons  to  ten 
barrels.  The  jaw  yields  a fine  quality  of  oil 
much  used  for  sewing-machines,  and  known  as 
porpoise-jaw  oil.  The  value  of  a stranded  Black- 
fish  on  Cape  Cod  varies  from  $5  to  $40.  (G. 

Brown  Goode.) 

Once  on  a voyage  from  South  America  to  New 
York,  we  sighted  a large  school  of  Blackfish, 
travelling  south,  and  playing  by  the  way.  Some 
chased  each  other,  lazily,  and  half  a dozen  of 
them  stood  on  their  tails  in  the  water,  perfectly 
erect,  with  their  heads  six  or  seven  feet  high  in 
the  air,  as  if  to  look  at  the  ship.  Those  so  stand- 
ing looked  like  big,  black  posts,  all  ready  for 
wharf  building. 

The  Grampus,  or  Covv-“Fish,”^  of  our  At- 
lantic coast  inhabits  the  same  waters  as  the  pre- 
ceding species,  but  is  not  nearly  so  numerous,  nor 
so  stupid  in  getting  stranded  in  shallow  water. 

Its  color  is  slaty  gray,  variegated  with  irregu- 
lar white  markings,  and  its  length  is  from  15  to 
20  feet. 

The  Killer  “Whale,”  or  Orca,'  is  the  demon 
of  the  seas.  This  creature  has  the  appetite  of  a 
hog,  the  cruelty  of  a wolf,  the  courage  of  a bull- 
dog, and  the  most  terrible  jaws  afloat.  Its  teeth 
are  sur[)assed  in  size  only  by  those  of  the  sperm 
whale.  It  attacks  whales  of  the  largest  size,  and 
devours  sea-lions,  seals  and  small  porpoises  as  a 
hungry  longshoreman  destroys  saddle-rock  oys- 
ters. 

A full-grown  Killer  is  from  16  to  20  feet  in 
length,  and  can  always  be  recognized  by  the  great 
height  of  its  back  fin.  The  all-black  High-Finned 
Killer,  of  the  Pacific  only,  has  a back  fin  six  feet 
high.  The  colors  of  Orcinus  area  are  those 
of  the  pirate’s  flag  of  skull-and-cross-bones, — 
black  and  white,  dispo.sed  as  shown  in  the  ac- 
companying illustration.  This  species  is  found 
on  both  coasts  of  North  .\merica,  and  in  the 
.\rctic  Ocean. 

^ Gram' pun  prrs'e-us. 

‘ Or-ci'nus  or'ea. 


150 


ORDERS  OF  ^lAMMALS— WHALES  AND  PORPOISES 


The  following  quotation  from  Captain  Scam- 
mon  is  the  testimony  of  an  eye-witness  of  the 
Orca  in  action: 

“Three  or  four  of  these  voracious  animals  do 
not  hesitate  to  grapple  with  the  largest  baleen 
whale.  The  attack  of  these  wolves  of  the  ocean 
upon  the'r  gigantic  prey  may  be  likened  in  some 
respects  to  a pack  of  hounds  holding  a stricken 
deer  at  bay.  They  cluster  about  the  animal’s 
head,  some  of  their  number  breaching  over  it, 
while  others  seize  it  by  the  lips,  and  draw  the 
bleeding  monster  under  water;  and  when  capt- 


ured, should  the  mouth  be  open,  they  eat  out 
its  tongue. 

“We  once  saw  an  attack  made  by  three  Kill- 
ers upon  a cow  whale  and  her  calf,  in  a lagoon 
on  the  coast  of  California,  in  the  spring  of  1858. 
The  whale  was  of  the  California  gray  species, 
and  her  young  was  grown  to  three  times  the  bulk 
of  the  largest  Killers  engaged  in  the  contest, 
which  lasted  an  hour  or  more.  They  made  al- 
ternate assaults  upon  the  old  whale  and  her 
offspring,  finally  killing  the  latter,  which  sank 


to  the  bottom  where  the  water  was  five  fathoms 
deep.  During  the  struggle  the  mother  became 
nearly  exhausted,  having  received  several  deep 
wounds  about  the  mouth  and  lips.  As  soon  as 
their  prize  had  settled  to  the  bottom,  the  three 
Killers  descended,  bringing  up  large  pieces  of 
flesh  in  their  mouths,  which  they  devoured  after 
coming  to  the  surface.  While  gorging  them- 
selves in  this  wise,  the  old  w'hale  made  her 
escape,  leaving  a track  of  gory  water  behind.’’ 
The  swiftness  of  the  Killer  is  very  great,  and 
to  all  small  Cetaceans  this  savage  monster  is  a 


genuine  terror.  An  eminent  naturalist  named 
D.  F.  Eschricht,  who  devoted  much  attention  to 
the  Cetaceans,  states  that  he  knew  one  of  these 
animals  to  capture  and  swallow  alive,  and  in 
quick  succession,  four  small  porpoises,  while 
from  the  stomach  of  another  Killer,  but  sixteen 
feet  long,  were  taken  fourteen  seals!  In  Bering 
Sea  the  Killer  destroys  large  numbers  of  fur 
seals,  and  when  walruses  were  plentiful,  even 
made  war  on  them,  also.  On  the  Atlantic  coast, 
it  was,  until  recently,  a common  occurrence  for 


C.\LIFORNIA  GR.\Y  WH.\LES  ATT.\CKED  BY  KILLERS. 
Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard,  from  Captain  Scammon’s  narrative. 


DOLl’ill.NS  AXD  POKPOISES 


151 


a band  of  Killers  to  chase  large  schools  of  blackfish 
and  porpoises  into  shallow  water.  They  also  per- 
secuted the  horse-mackerel,  or  tunny.  The  Killer 
is  widely  distributed,  and  his  deeds  of  destruction 
have  made  him  widely  known  and  feared. 

The  Dolphin. — Few  persons  cross  the  .At- 
lantic, or  make  a voyage  of  half  a dozen  days  in 
any  direction,  without  seeing  a school  of  dolphins. 
In  fact,  it  might  almost  be  said  that  every  voyage 
has  its  dolphins.  As  a rule,  they  do  not  appear 
until  the  passengers  have  recovered  from  sea- 
sickness, and  are  on  deck,  eager- 
ly scanning  the  surface  of  the 
sea  for  living  things. 

To  most  voyagers,  the  sudden 
appearance  of  a school  of  dol- 
phins is  a thrilling  sight.  Hour 
after  hour  the  eye  scans  the 
watery  expanse,  eager  for  a sign 
of  life,  or  gazes  with  awe  and 
fear  into  the  dark,  watery  abyss 
j below.  Suddenly,  out  of  the 
I steep  side  of  a green-topped 
' wave  leap  forth  a dozen  shining, 

1 sharp-pointed  forms.  They  seem 
I joyous  and  full  of  power,  like 
acrobats  entering  an  arena.  In 
I sublime  ignorance  of  man’s  ra- 

I pacious  nature,  they  confidently 

swim  within  twenty  feet  of  the 
ship's  side.  They  curve  up  to  the  surface,  fre- 
quently leaping  clear  of  the  water,  arch  their 
bodies,  breathe  quickly,  and  dive  again.  For  a 
few  yards,  perhaps,  they  race  along  under  water, 
but  in  plain  view,  then  some  leap  out  again. 

; How  easily  they  keep  pace  with  the  ship!  Their 
mastery  of  old  Ocean  is  so  complete  that  it  is 
a wonderful  thing  to  see. 

Sometimes  the  animals  are  so  near  the  ship 
that  the  species  can  be  determined  to  a certainty, 
especially  tho.se  which  are  marked  by  light  col- 
or-i.  However,  it  is  no  disgrace  to  any  natural- 
ist to  declare  his  inability  to  say  positively  what 
s[>ecies  is  alongside. 

IV)lphins  are  particularly  fond  of  playing 
around  the  bow  of  a ship;  but  for  some  reason 
best  known  to  them.selves,  they  evince  a decided 
preference  for  the  out-thrusting  bow  of  a sailing 
ship,  and  are  not  attracted  .so  much  by  the  high, 
per[)endicular  cutwater  of  a steamer,  with  no 
bow.sprit  or  jib-boom. 


A swift  ocean  steamship  is  not  escorted  very 
far,  for  such  a promenade  soon  becomes  tiresome; 
but  I have  seen  a school  of  these  interesting  creat- 
ures circle  about  a sailing  ship,  and  play  around 
its  cutwater  for  half  an  hour.  It  is  a simple  mat- 
ter for  an  expert  sailor  to  take  a position  on  the 
martingale-guys  of  a ship,  under  the  bowsprit, 
and  harpoon  a dolphin;  but  to  me  it  has  never 
seemed  like  a fair  thing  to  do. 

In  North  American  waters  there  are  about 
twelve  species  of  dolphins,  most  of  which  are 


from  6 to  7 feet  in  length,  and  but  two  or  three 
species  exceed  10  feet.  The  Short-Beaked 
Dolphin  of  the  Pacific  is  the  most  beautiful 
species. 

The  Common  Dolphin, ^ of  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  may  well  be  taken  as  the  type  of  the 
family  of  true  Dolphins.  It  is  the  species  that 
is  most  frequently  seen,  and  the  one  longest 
kno\TO.  It  has  a slender,  cigar-shaped  body, 
a small  head,  and  its  beak  is  long  and  narrow. 
Its  length  is  from  6^  to  feet,  and  in  color  it  is 
dark  gray  above  and  dull  white  below.  Dolphins 
generally  feed  upon  small  fish,  and  at  times  de- 
stroy great  numbers  of  mackerel. 

The  Common  Porpoise,^  of  the  Atlantic 
Coast,  is  a jet  black  creature,  blunt-headed, 
heavy  in  action,  a veritable  pig  of  the  sea.  It 
loves  to  roll  about  in  the  breakers,  and  loaf 
lazily  in  harbors  and  sheltered  bays,  and  at  river 
mouths.  As  before  stated  of  porpoises  gener- 
‘ Del-phi'nus  del' phis.  ‘‘  Pho-cae'na  com-mu'nis. 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Be.ard. 

THE  COMMON  DOLPHIN. 


152 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— WHALES  AND  PORPOISES 


ally,  this  animal  does  not  leap  from  the  water, 
in  sheer  enjoyment  of  a “life  on  the  ocean 
wave,”  but  heaves  itself  to  the  surface  just 
high  enough  to  bring  its  blow-hole  out  of  the 
water,  gives  a loud  puff  or  snuff,  and  then  rolls 
heavily  below. 

This  Porpoise  is  the  species  most  frequently 
seen  by  summer  visitors  on  the  Atlantic  coast, 
and  in  various  localities  it  is  variously  named. 
It  is  known  as  the  Herring  Hog,  Snuffling 


ivory  tusk,  which  is  from  6 to  S feet  long,  is 
twisted  throughout  its  length,  from  left  to  right, 
and  is  developed  only  in  the  male. 

The  Narwhal’s  teeth,  aside  from  a few  that  are 
merely  rudimentary,  are  reduced  to  a single  pair, 
lying  horizontally  in  the  upper  jaw.  In  the  fe- 
male they  remain  permanently  concealed.  In 
the  male  the  right  tooth  usually  remains  simi- 
larly concealed,  but  the  left  is  enormously  de- 
veloped into  the  tusk  just  mentioned.  Hav- 


THE  N.\RWHAL,  ADULT  AND  YOUNG. 


Pig,  Puffer  and  Snuffer.  Its  length  seldom 
exceeds  4 feet  6 inches.  It  feeds  upon  fish,  par- 
ticularly on  species  like  the  herring  and  men- 
haden, which  run  in  schools,  and  is  said  to  be  very 
destructive.  Its  flesh  is  very  dark,  its  blood  is 
almost  black,  and  on  the  dissecting  table  it  reeks 
of  oil. 

One  of  the  strangest  of  all  Cetaceans  is  the 
Nar'whal,*  a creature  IG  feet  long,  mottled  black 
and  gray,  with  a blunt-ended  head,  no  back  fin, 
and  with  a very  long,  straight  tusk  of  ivory  pro- 
jecting straight  forward  from  its  head.  This 
* Mon'o-don  mon-o' ce-ros. 


ing  no  other  teeth,  the  creature  is  obliged  to  feed 
upon  squids,  jelly-fish  generally,  and  small  fishes 
that  can  be  swallowed  whole.  It  is  found  in 
the  polar  waters  of  the  North  Atlantic,  and  the 
Arctic  Ocean  north  of  the  Old  World,  but  is  now 
rare  in  accessible  waters.  When  Nan-sen  and 
.Johansen  were  retreating  southward  over  tlie 
ice,  after  their  dash  toward  the  pole,  each  man 
with  three  dogs  dragging  a sledge  with  a kyak 
upon  it,  the  first  living  creature  actually  observed 
by  them  was  the  Narwhal,  in  the  lanes  of  water 
then  rapidly  forming  in  the  great  ice-pack,  in 
Latitude  83°  36'. 


CHAPTER  X 


THE  ORDER  OF  SEA-COWS 

SIRENIA 


In  certain  warm  and  deep  rivers  of  the  tropics  and  sub-tropics,  where  water  plants  grow  abun- 
dantly and  all  nature  seems  at  peace,  there  live  certain  species  of  water  mammals  of  strange 
form  and  habits.  The  manatees  and  dugongs  differ  so  widely  from  even  their  nearest  relatives 
in  other  Orders,  that  it  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  introduce  them. 

The  body  of  a Sirenian  is  like  that  of  a long-bodied  seal.  The  neck  is  very  large,  but  extends 
straight  forward,  and  terminates  in  a small,  blunt-ended  head  with  very  small  eyes  and  lips 
so  extensible  and  mobile  in  the  manipulation  of  food  that  the  artist  who  tries  to  draw  their  moods 
and  tenses  soon  finds  himself  quite  bewildered.  There  are  no  incisor  or  canine  teeth,  and  the  ser- 
rated molars  are  intended  only  for  the  bruising  and  cutting  of  tender  plants. 

There  are  front  flippers  of  good  dimensions,  but  they  are  wellnigh  useless,  and  about  as 
shapely  and  graceful  as  a pair  of  old  shoes.  Apparently  they  are  made  for  use  in  gesturing^ 
rather  than  in  work,  for  when  the  animal  rests  upon  the  ground,  the  flippers  break  squarely  at 
two  joints,  and  are  folded  under  the  body,  backs  downward!  There  are  times,  however,  when 
the  flippers  are  of  some  use  in  feeding,  in  holding  food  and  conveying  it  to  the  mouth.  Instead 
of  hind  legs,  there  is  a broad,  flat  tail,  nearly  as  wide  as  the  body  of  the  animal  at  its  widest 
point.  The  skin  is  almost  as  naked  as  that  of  an  elephant,  and  about  one  inch  in  thickness. 
When  twisted  and  dried  strips  of  it  make  practicable  canes.  The  flesh  is  well-flavored,  and 
wherever  taken  is  eaten  with  relish. 

Usually  the  Sirenians  live  in  the  lower  reaches  of  rivers  that  flow  into  the  sea,  sometimes  in 
water  that  is  bitterly  salt,  frequently  in  brackish  water,  but  in  most  cases  quite  above  tidal  influ- 
ence, where  the  water  is  fresh  and  sweet.  Never,  so  far  as  we  know,  do  they  live  in  shallow  water, 
and  as  a rule  they  prefer  a depth  of  about  fifteen  feet.  So  far  as  we  know,  only  one  species  of  the 
Order  has  ever  inhabited  a land  of  ice  and  snow.  The  divisions  of  the  Order  are  as  follows: 


THE  ORDER  OF  SIRENIANS. 


FAMILIES. 


SPECIES. 


ORDER 

SIRENIA! 


M.AN'.ATEES  ( Trichechus  Latirostris 

T riche' chidae : \ Trichechus  Americanus  . . . . 

( Trichechus  Senegaiensis  . . . . 


Dcgongs, 
Dugong'iclae : 


Dugong  Dugon 
Dugong  Australis 


Rhytina,  , 

H If-dro-clam-  Hydrodamalis  {or 
al'i-dne  : / Ithytina)  Gigas. 


Florida,  Central  America,  Mexico,  Cuba.. 
South  America  to  the  Amazon. 

West  Africa. 

Africa,  Ceylon,  India. 

Austraiia. 


Bering  Island  (now  extinct). 


The  .>Ianatee,  or  Sea-Cow,'  will  not  often  be 
.seen  outside  of  museums,  but  it  must  be  intro- 
duced here  in  order  that  the  readers  of  this  book 
never  need  ask,  as  do  thousands  of  other  persons 
— “What  is  a Manatee?” 

' Tri-che'chus  lal-i-ros'tris. 


This  creature,  the  only  American  representa- 
tive of  its  Order  except  the  extinct  Steller’s  sea- 
cow,  is  a large  and  heavy  water  mammal,  from 
9 to  1.3  feet  in  length,  and  in  form  very  much  like 
a seal.  It  has  a blunt  muzzle,  small  eyes,  and 
rather  feeble,  clumsy  front  flippers.  Its  tail  is  a 


153 


154 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— SEA-COWS 


rounded  disc,  which  in  swimming  forms  a power- 
ful propeller.  When  dry  its  skin  is  of  a clean, 
slaty-gray  color,  but  in  the  water  it  seems  almost 
black.  The  bones  are  solid  and  heavy,  and  the 
ribs  are  very  thick.  The  largest  specimen  ever 
taken  and  preserved  in  the  United  States  was  13 
feet  in  length,  and  must  have  weighed  about  1,200 
pounds.  In  the  summer  of  1903,  a fine  specimen 
about  eight  feet  long  was  captured  under  a state 
permit  in  the  Banana  River,  Florida,  and  placed 
on  exhibition  in  the  New  York  Aquarium.  From 
time  to  time,  others  have  been  exhibited  at 
various  watering-places  along  the  Atlantic  coast. 

The  Manatee  never  comes  upon  land.  Usually 
its  home  is  chosen  in  the  upper  waters  of  some 
deep,  quiet  tropical  river,  above  the  influence  of 
the  tide,  where  there  is  an  abundance  of  manatee 
grass  and  other  water  plants  acceptable  to  it  for 
food.  It  is  herbivorous,  and  because  its  molar 
teeth  are  weak,  and  there  are  no  front  teeth,  it 
is  compelled  to  live  upon  aquatic  plants  which 
are  tender  as  well  as  nourishing.  Its  food  is 
always  eaten  under  water,  and  when  at  home, 
its  presence  is  generally  revealed  by  the  bits  of 
plant  stems  and  grass  blades  which  escape  and 
float  to  the  surface.  In  captivity,  the  Manatee 
feeds  upon  lettuce,  cabbage,  canna  leaves,  celery 
tops,  water-cress,  spinach,  eel-grass  and  ocean 
sea-weed. 

Even  to-day  the  Manatee  is  found  in  Florida, 
in  the  Banana,  Sebastian  and  St.  Lucie  Rivers, 
and  its  wanton  destruction  is  prohibited  by  state 
laws,  under  penalty  of  $500  fine.  Occasionally, 
however,  a specimen  is  netted  alive,  under  a 
state  permit,  for  e.xhibition  purposes.  In  the 
Sebastian  River  two  of  the  great  cold  waves  of 
the  past  ten  years  unfortunately  killed  several 
individuals.  Farther  south  it  is  found  about 
the  Isle  of  Pines,  Cuba,  and  along  the  east  coast 
of  Mexico,  and  Central  America,  while  another 
species  occurs  in  South  America  as  far  down 
as  southern  Brazil.  The  flesh  of  this  animal  is 
light-colored,  and  both  looks  and  tastes  like  lean 
fresh  pork. 

As  the  result  of  several  years  of  inquiry,  I am 
convinced  that,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  in 
Florida  the  Manatee  really  is  being  perpetuated. 
The  sentiment  in  favor  of  its  preservation  is 
almost  universal,  and  there  is  ground  for  the 
belief  that  this  is  largely  due  to  the  wise  liber- 


ality of  the  state  authorities  in  granting  a rea- 
sonable number  of  permits  to  capture  specimens 
alive  when  the  animals  are  ordered  at  high  prices 
for  public  exhibition.  I believe  that  there  are 
more  Manatee  alive  in  Florida  to-day  than  there 
were  twenty  years  ago,  even  though  at  one  time 
the  species  seemed  doomed  to  speedy  extinction 
in  the  state. 

The  Dugong  is  the  only.living  Old-World  rej)- 
resentative  of  the  Order  Sirenia,  and  between  it 
and  the  manatee  the  chief  difference  is  found 
in  the  whale-like  tail  of  the  former.  The  Austra- 
lian Dugong,  which  attains  a length  of  14  feet, 
once  was  so  abundant  along  the  coast  of  Queens- 
land, between  Moreton  Bay  and  Cape  York,  that 
a regular  fishery  was  established  at  Moreton  Bay. 

The  Rhytina,  or  Arctic  Sea-Cow,  is  of 
special  interest  to  Americans  because  of  the 
important  part  it  played  about  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth  century  in  the  discovery  of  Alaska. 
In  1741,  the  Russian  navigator.  Captain  Yitus 
Bering,  was  shipwrecked  on  Bering  Island,  and 
compelled  to  winter  there.  The  majority  of 
the  crew  of  the  St.  Peter  died  of  hardship,  and 
the  remainder  also  would  have  perished  but  for 
the  presence  of  the  great  Arctic  Sea-Cow,  then 
seen  for  the  first  time.  To  George  William 
Steller,  the  official  naturalist  of  the  ill-fated  ex- 
pedition, the  world  owes  all  it  ever  will  know  of 
the  life  history  of  this  animal.  Despite  the  suf- 
ferings he  endured,  he  faithfully  and  laboriously 
reduced  to  writing  everything  that  he  observed 
of  the  ponderous  animal  whose  flesh  sustained 
the  lives  of  the  castaways. 

The  Rhytina  was  an  animal  closely  resembling 
the  dugong  and  manatee,  but  greatly  exceeding 
the  maximum  size  of  either.  Steller  declared 
that  “ the  full-grown  animal  weighs  about  8,000 
pounds,”  and  from  the  skeletons  that  were  col- 
lected on  Bering  Island  in  1883  by  Dr.  Leon- 
hard Stejneger,  and  now  on  exhibition  in  the 
United  States  National  Museum,  we  know  that 
full-grown  animals  attained  a length  of  between 
20  and  30  feet. 

This  species  was  exterminated  by  whalers  who 
sought  it  for  food,  aided  by  the  natives  who  used 
both  its  flesh  and  skin.  It  was  practically  ex- 
terminated about  1780,  but  the  last  animal  was 
not  killed  until  1854.  (Nordenskiold’s“  Voyage 
of  the  Vega.”) 


THE  MANATEE  (THchechus  laluostris) . 

DrawTi  by  J.  Carter  Be.uid  from  a living  specimen  in  the  New  York  Aquarium. 


155 


CHAPTER  XI 


THE  ORDER  OF  TOOTHLESS  MAMMALS 

EDENTATA 


Near  the  bottom  of  the  scale  of  terrestrial  warm-blooded  quadrupeds,  is  found  the  Order 
Edentata,  so  called  because  several  of  its  members  are  toothless,  and  others  are  nearly  so.  It 
contains  perhaps  a greater  proportion  of  odd  and  remarkable  forms  than  any  other  Order, 
and  all  are  found  on  the  American  continent.  Many  of  them  are  so  wonderful  in  form  and  habit 
that  they  well  repay  the  effort  necessary  to  make  their  acquaintance.  The  species  fall  into 
three  Families,  as  follows: 


ORDER 

EDENTATA. 


FAMILIES. 

Ar.madillos, 

Ant-E.\ters, 
Sloths,  . . 


DAS-Y-POr/l-DAE 

MYR-ME-CO-PHAG'I-DAE,  . 
BRAD-Y-POD'I-DAE,  . . . 


EXAMPLES. 

/ Nine-Banded  Armadillo. 

J Six-Banded  .\rmadillo. 

\ Three-Banded  Armadillo, 
f Giant  Armadillo. 

\ Great  Ant-Eater. 

\ Tamandua. 

i Three-Toed  Sloth. 

/ Two-Toed  Sloth. 


THE  ARMADILLO  FAMILY. 

Dasypodidae. 

With  a few  exceptions,  armadillos  are  found 
only  in  South  America.  The  southern  half  of 
that  continent  was  once  the  home  of  a won- 
derful array  of  gigantic  animals  belonging  to 
this  Order.  In  the  La  Plata  Museum  of  Nat- 
ural History  is  a procession  from  the  Past.  It 
is  a long  row  of  earth-colored,  dome-like  shells 
of  great  thickness,  some  of  them  as  large  as 
small  hogsheads,  and  curiously  ornamented  by 
a scalloped  lower  edge.  Some  are  provided  with 
huge  tails  that  are  studded  with  many  big,  pointed 
knobs,  called  tubercles.  These  curious  objects 
are  the  remains  of  gigantic  armadillos,  now 
extinct,  called  Glyp'to-dons,  which  once 
roamed  over  the  pampas  of  South  America.* 
In  many  American  museums,  casts  of  the  re- 
mains of  one  of  these  weird  creatures  may  be 
seen  in  what  is  known  as  the  “Ward  Casts  of 

' A large  Glyptodont,  7 feet  long,  has  recently 
been  discovered  in  Texas,  and  described  by  Professor 
H.  F.  Osborn  as  Glyptotherium.  texanum. 


Fossils.”  The  shell  of  the  Glyptodon  copied  in 
plaster  by  Professor  Ward  is  a nearly  perfect 
dome,  5^  feet  long,  4 feet  wide  and  40  inches  high. 

With  but  one  exception,  the  armadillo  of 
to-day  is  a small  creature,  finding  shelter  in 
burrows  which  it  digs  for  itself  in  the  earth.  Its 
movements  are  nervous  and  spasmodic,  and 
for  a short  distance  it  scurries  over  the  ground 
quite  rapidly,  running  on  the  ends  of  its  claws, 
and  dodging  quite  skilfully.  Its  legs  are  so 
short,  however,  it  cannot  run  far,  and  when 
about  to  be  overtaken  by  a dangerous  enemy,  it 
halts,  and  burrows  in  the  ground  with  wonderful 
rapidity.  It  is  not  equipped  for  fighting,  for  it 
has  no  front  teeth.  Its  claws  are  fit  only  for 
digging,  and  since  it  cannot  climb  trees,  it  pre- 
fers to  live  in  burrows,  on  open  prairies. 

But  Nature  has  not  left  these  creatures  with- 
out protection  from  their  numerous  enemies- 
The  body  is  incased  in  a hard  shell,  composed 
of  small  plates  of  bone  very  cunningly  joined 
together,  which  covers  every  portion  save  the 
breast  and  abdomen. 

The  head  is  protected  by  a plate  placed  on  its 
upper  surface,  and  the  tail  is  incased  in  a chain 


THE  ARMADILLOS 


157 


of  bony  rings.  When  attacked  by  a savage  ani- 
mal, the  armadillo  tucks  its  legs  under  the  edge 
of  the  shell  alongside  its  body,  rolls  into  a ball, 
and  as  nearly  as  possible  leaves  nothing  exposed 
save  its  shell.  The  creature  thus  becomes  a liv- 
ing nut  that  is  not  to  be  cracked  and  eaten  by 
every  enemy  that  comes  along. 

If  the  shell  is  strong  enough,  the  armadillo 
is  safe:  but  if  it  is  not  strong  and  hard,  nor  en- 


ranged  northward,  until  in  southern  Texas  and 
Arizona  we  find  the  northern  limit  of  the  group, 
and  the  only  species  found  in  the  United  States. 
There  are  three  species  of  armadillos  that  from 
time  to  time  appear,  alive,  in  zoological  parks, 
the  nine-banded,  six-banded,  and  three-banded. 
The  largest  species  now  living  is  so  rare  it  is 
very  seldom  seen  in  captivity.  It  is  the  giant 
armadillo,  of  northeastern  South  America. 


THE  THREE-B.\NDEI)  .\R.\IADILLO  (1-3),  .\XD  SIX-B.VNDED  .ARM.\DILLO,’  (4). 
Figures  1-3  represent  half-grown  specimens. 


tirely  jicrfect  as  an  envelojjc,  a jaguar  or  puma 
may  possibly  kill  the  animal  and  devour  it. 

The  armadillos  with  the  weakest  armor  have 
found  it  wi.se  to  avoid  the  forest  home  of  the 
jaguar  .and  puma,  and  live  on  the  open  plains, 
whore  they  are  le.ss  liable  to  be  killed.  To  enable 
tlfrn  to  do  this,  .\ature  has  provided  them  with 
long  and  iK)werful  front  claws,  with  which  to  <lig 
burrows  in  the  hardest  soil. 

b Wo-  in  .Argentina  that  the  great  armadillos 
of  the  past  reached  their  highest  point  in  size 
aiid  abundance.  From  thence,  smaller  species 


The  Three-Banded  Armadillo,-^  of  Argen- 
tina, represents  the  highest  degree  of  perfection 
attained,  either  past  or  present,  by  any  member 
of  the  Family. 

Its  shell  is  very  strong,  and  so  perfect  is  its 
mechanism  that  when  the  animal  is  in  danger, 
it  makes  of  itself  a round  ball,  so  completely 
incased  in  horn  that  no  four-footed  enemy  can 
penetrate  it.  Even  the  top  of  the  head  is  ])ro- 
tected  by  a shield  which  acts  as  a shutter  when 
the  animal  rolls  up,  and  wishes  to  close  the  only 
' Tol-y-peu'tes  tri-cinc'tus.  ^ Datt'y-pus  sex-cinc'tus. 


158 


OEDEKS  OF  MAMMALS— TOOTHLESS  QUADRUPEDS 


opening  leading  into  the  shell.  It  gives  one  a 
very  queer  sensation  to  handle  one  of  these  liv- 
ing nuts,  and  note  the  marvellous  ingenuity  in 
design  and  skill  in  mechanical  e.xecution  which 
has  been  displayed  in  providing  this  special 
means  of  protection  for  an  otherwise  defenceless 
creature. 

Having  such  excellent  defensive  armor,  the 


our  taste.  The  Nine-Banded  Armadillo  has  a 
total  length,  from  nose  to  end  of  tail,  of  about  26 
inches,  and  in  bulk  is  about  the  size  of  our  opos- 
sum. In  captivity  its  food  is  milk,  boiled  eggs, 
and  chopped  meat,  but  in  a wild  state  it  feeds 
upon  a mixed  diet  of  worms,  ants,  snails,  beetles, 
small  lizards,  grasshoppers,  and  other  insects. 
The  young  in  a litter  vary  from  six  to  ten. 


THE  GRE.\T  ANT-EATER  (LOWER  FIGURESj  ANU  THE  TAMANDUA  (UPPER  FIGURE). 


Three-Banded  Armadillo  does  not  often  burrow 
in  the  ground,  and  it  ranges  freely  by  daylight. 
In  running  it  touches  only  the  ends  of  its  claws 
to  the  ground,  and  the  shell  is  held  high.  The 
head-and-body  length  of  the  adult  animal  is  about 
14  inches,  and  the  tail  measures  3^  inches. 

The  Nine-Banded  Armadillo'  ranges  all  the 
way  from  southern  Texas  and  Arizona  to  Para- 
guay, and  along  the  Rio  Grande  is  so  common 
that  living  specimens  are  sold  at  $2  each.  In 
Venezuela  I found  it  burrowing  on  the  open 
savannas,  going  down  about  four  feet,  in  a hole 
seven  inches  in  diameter.  The  flesh  of  this  creat- 
ure is  well-flavored,  and  is  generally  esteemed 
as  palatable  food.  Being  in  a state  of  perpetual 
hunger,  we  found  Armadillo  stew  very  much  to 
’ Ta'tu  no'vem-cinc'tvm. 


THE  FAMILY  OF  ANT-EATERS. 

Myrmecophagidac. 

The  ant-eaters  form  another  Family  of  Eden- 
tates, also  confined  to  South  and  Central  Amer- 
ica, and  all  its  members  are  absolutely  toothless. 
The  most  celebrated  member  of  the  group  is  the 
Great  Ant-Eater.^  Although  it  is  very  unlike  a 
bear,  it  is  sometimes  called  the  Aiit-“Bear”; 
and  when  once  seen  it  is  never  forgotten.  The 
most  peculiar  thing  about  it  is  the  extraordinary 
length  of  its  head,  which  in  front  of  the  eyes  is 
prolonged  into  a slender  beak,  with  the  mouth 
and  nostrils  situated  at  its  tip  end.  The  open- 
ing of  the  mouth  is  just  large  enough  to  admit  the 
blunt  end  of  a lead-pencil. 

^ Myr-mc-coph'a-ga  ju-ba'ta. 


ANT-EATEKS  AND  SLOTHS 


159 


The  feature  which  comes  next  in  oddity  is 
the  big,  fleshy  tail,  covered  with  an  enormous 
brush  of  coarse,  wavy  hair.  The  popular  belief 
in  South  America  that  the  Ant-Eater  sweeps  up 
ants  with  its  tail  in  order  to  devour  them  in  a 
wholesale  way,  is  quite  erroneous,  for  the  tail 
serves  a very  different  purpose.  Its  use  is  to 
cover  the  owner  when  asleep.  When  the  animal 
lies  down  to  sleep,  the  tail  is  flung  over  the  body, 
and  the  long,  wavy  hair  forms  a thatch  so  thick 
that  no  other  portion  of  the  creature  is  visible. 
It  looks  like  a pile  of  brown  hay.  A medium- 
sized specimen  that  lived  for  about  a year  in  the 
New  York  Zoological  Park  measured  12  inches  in 
length  of  head,  the  neck  and  body,  31  inches, 
and  tail  vertebrae,  26  inches. 

In  its  wild  state,  the  Ant-Eater  feeds  upon 
ants,  which  it  devours  in  great  quantities.  In 
fact,  Nature  has  provided  this  Family  of  animals 
to  restrict  the  number  of  plague-like  ants  which, 
even  with  Ant-Eaters  in  the  forests,  are  entirely 
too  numerous.  Its  long  and  powerful  front  claws 
are  very  useful  in  tearing  open  ant-hills,  and  dis- 
secting deca}'ed  logs,  but  as  a means  of  defence 
they  are  quite  inadequate.  Neither  are  they 
well-formed  to  walk  upon.  The  tongue  is  very 
long  and  slender,  and  can  be  thrust  out  9 inches; 
but.  contrary  to  innumerable  misstatements,  it 
is  as  clean  and  smooth  as  the  tongue  of  a dog, 
and  is  not  coated  with  sticky  saliva,  or  anything 
hke  it. 

This  animal  is  very  clumsy  on  its  feet,  and 
being  defenceless,  unable  to  climb,  and  too  large 
to  live  in  a burrow,  it  is  a wonder  that  all  the 
Great  .\nt-Eaters  were  not  killed  and  devoured 
long  ago,  by  jaguars  and  pumas.  Although 
quite  rare,  even  in  South  America,  a goodly  num- 
ber of  specimens  find  their  way  into  captivity. 
Until  settled  down  sensibly  to  a diet  of  chopped 
meat,  milk,  and  eggs,  they  are  difficult  to  keep 
alive.  Our  specimen  persistently  refused  to 
eat  ants. 

The  Tamandua'  is  a smaller  Ant-Eater  than 
the  preceding  species,  of  tree-climbing  habits, 
with  a proportionately  shorter  head,  no  long 
hair  on  its  tail,  and  extremely  large  front  claws. 
It  is  found  in  Venezuela,  the  Guianas,  Brazil, 
and  in  fact  the  greater  portion  of  the  region  of 
tropical  forests  on  this  continent  south  of  Mexico. 
Its  tail  is  prehensile,  or  grasping,  and  in  climbing 
' Tam-an'du-a  tet-ra-dac'ty-la. 


is  used  almost  constantly.  One  of  these  creat- 
ures which  I once  kept  in  South  America  as  a 
camp  pet,  became  very  friendly,  and  even  affec- 
tionate, and  when  permitted  would  climb  all  over 
me,  as  if  I were  a new  and  very  soft  species  of 
tree.  In  the  accompanying  picture,  the  Taman- 
dua is  represented  by  the  small  central  figure. 
Its  head-and-body  length  is  about  24  inches,  tail, 
18  inches. 

THE  SLOTH  FAMILY. 

Bradypodidae. 

The  sloths  inhabit  the  New  World  only;  and 
the  so-called  “sloth”  of  Ceylon  is  not  a sloth,  but 
a slow  lemur.  All  the  real  sloths  belong  to  the 
Order  of  Edentates,  and  inhabit  the  tropical 
forests  of  Central  and  South  America,  from  Costa 
Rica  southward.  The  sloths  are  not  really 
toothless,  for  they  have  five  pairs  of  teeth  in  the 
upper  jaw,  and  four  in  the  lower. 

One  cannot  look  at  a live  sloth  without  think- 
ing that  Nature  has  but  poorly  equipped  this 
animal  to  live  in  this  murderous  world.  Its 
countenance  is  a picture  of  complete  and  far- 
reaching  stupidity,  its  bodily  form  the  acme  of 
four-footed  helplessness.  It  can  neither  fight, 
hide,  nor  run  away.  It  has  no  defensive  armor, 
nor  even  spines.  It  is  too  large  to  live  in  a hole  in 
a tree,  and  too  weak  to  dig  a burrow  in  the  earth. 
It  is  too  tired  to  walk  on  its  feet,  as  the  monkeys 
do,  so  throughout  its  queer  life  it  hangs  under- 
neath the  branches  of  the  trees  in  which  it  finds 
its  food.  Its  feet  are  merely  four  hooks  by  which 
to  hang.  Since  it  feeds  wholly  upon  leaves  and 
buds,  it  lives  in  the  tropical  forests,  where  green 
leaves  are  plentiful  and  cheap. 

The  sloth  dwells  only  in  the  tree-tops,  among 
the  monkeys  and  macaws.  On  the  ground,'  it 
would  be  more  helpless  than  a tortoise,  and  easily 
killed  by  any  carnivore,  or  wild  pig.  In  the  tree- 
tops,  it  escapes  the  climbing  ocelot  by  living  far 
out  on  the  ends  of  the  branches;  and  it  is  fortu- 
nate for  him  that  hawks,  owls,  and  eagles  are 
scarce  in  the  forests  wherein  he  dwells. 

At  this  point,  however,  it  is  a pleasure  to  point 
out  that  Nature  has  done  one  special  thing  for 
the  pre.servation  of  these  odd  creatures.  The 
hair  of  a sloth  is  long,  wavy  and  coarse,  rather 
more  like  grass  than  hair,  and  in  color  and  gen- 
eral appearance  it  is  the  best  imitation  of  tree- 


160 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— TOOTHLESS  QUADRUPEDS 


bark  that  has  been  given  to  any  quadruped. 
This  resemblance  to  bark  is  heightened  by  the 
fact  that  the  back  hair  of  many  a sloth  in  its 
native  forest  has  a greenish  tint,  like  moss  on  a 
tree-trunk,  due  to  the  presence  on  the  hair  of 
living  vegetable  algae.  This  aids  the  sloth  in 
escaping  observation. 

On  the  mighty  Essequibo  River,  in  British 
Guiana,  I once  made  a special  hunt  for  sloths. 
Having  found  it  useless  to  hunt  them  by  stalking 
through  the  dense  and  lofty  forests,  I took  a leaky 
old  canoe,  an  Indian  to  help  furnish  power,  and 
paddled  fifteen  miles  and  back.  We  followed 
the  shores,  going  and  coming,  and  secured  eight 
specimens  of  the  Three-Toed  Sloth,'  the  one 
with  a brown  saddle-mark  of  short  hair  in  the 
middle  of  its  back. 

We  found  them  in  the  tops  of  low  trees  at  the 
water’s  edge,  spread-eagled  on  the  outer  branches, 
or  hanging  upside  down,  but  always  eating  leaves. 
They  did  not  know  what  it  was  to  “take  alarm,” 
and  try  to  escape.  Judging  by  the  awful  delib- 
eration of  those  that  we  saw  in  motion,  I esti- 
mated that  a really  swift  sloth  could  travel 
half  a mile  in  twenty-four  hours,  if  not  side- 
tracked. 

We  shot  some  of  our  specimens,  and  others 
we  took  alive  by'cutting  down  their  trees.  One 
tree  fell  with  its  top  in  the  river,  and  the  sloth 
was  carried  four  feet  under  Avater.  But  even 
the  prospect  of  drowning  did  not  make  him 
hurry  to  the  surface.  To  my  amazement,  he 
climbed  up  through  the  branches,  slowly  and 
deliberately,  until  at  last,  with  dignity  entirely 
unruffled,  he  appeared  above  the  surface,  and 
looked  at  me  with  a most  disgusted  expression 
on  his  wooden  countenance. 

Sloths  eat  so  slowly  that  before  one  meal  is 
over  it  is  time  for  the  next,  so  that  their  meals 
overlap  one  another. 

The  Three-Toed  Sloth  is  not  found  above 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  but  two  other  species 
inhabit  Central  America  as  far  north  as  Nicara- 
gua. It  is  considerably  smaller  than  the  next 
species,  having  a head-and-body  length  of  21 
inches,  while  the  spread  of  its  outstretched 
arms,  exclusive  of  the  claws,  is  32J  inches. 
The  tail  is  so  very  short  that  it  seems  to  be 
wanting  entirely,  but  in  reality  its  length  is  U 
inches. 

* Brad'y-pus  tri-dac'hy-lus. 


The  Two-Toed  Sloth,-'  also  called  Hoff- 
man’s Sloth,  ranges  northward  as  far  as  Costa 
Rica.  It  is  the  largest  living  member  of  the 
Sloth  Family,  and  its  appearance  is  well  shown 
in  the  accompanying  picture  of  a specimen  kept 
in  the  Zoological  Park.  It  inhabits  the  same 
regions  as  the  preceding  species,  but  is  less  com- 
mon. It  is  occasionally  seen  alive  in  large  zoo- 
logical gardens,  and  when  once  properly  accli- 
mated, lives  in  captivity  very  well.  Usually, 
however,  it  is  difficult  to  keep  alive.  In  cap- 
tivity its  food  is  chopped  carrots,  cabbage,  let- 
tuce, and  boiled  rice.  A sloth  u.sually  sleeps  su.s- 


San’born,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


TAVO-TOED  SLOTH. 

pended  from  a branch,  but  at  the  same  time  it 
alAA-ays  seeks  a position  in  Avhich  it  can  rest  its 
body  on  a branch  beloAv  parallel  Avith  the  one  to 
which  it  clings. 

In  prehistoric  times,  a Family  of  gigantic 
ground  sloths,  called  Meg-a-the'ri-unis,  creat- 
ures as  large  as  the  largest  rhinoceros,  liA-ed  on  the 
pampas  of  southern  South  America  and  also  in 
the  southern  United  States.  Plaster  casts  of  the 
entire  skeleton  of  the  most  celebrated  species 
{Megatherium  cuvieri),  from  South  .\merica, 
17  feet  9 inches  long,  are  noAv  to  be  found  in 
many  American  museums. 

^ Cho-loe'pus  hoff'man-i. 


CHAPTER  XII 


THE  ORDER  OF  DIGGERS 

EFFODIENTIA 


This  Order  contains  only  a very  small  number  of  genera  and  species,  all  of  which  are  confined 
to  the  Old  World.  They  are  the  pangolins  of  Africa  and  the  Far  East,  and  the  aard-varks  of 
Africa.  Until  very  recently,  these  animals  have  been  classed  with  the  ant-eaters,  sloths  and  arma- 
dillos, in  the  Order  Edentata,  or  toothless  mammals.  But  both  in  internal  and  external  anat- 
omy they  differ  widely  from  their  very  distant  American  relatives. 

The  latest  and  most  exact  classification  assigns  them  to  a new  and  wholly  independent  Order, 
called  Ef-fo-di-en'-tia,  which  means  “Diggers.”  Its  divisions  are  as  below; 

F.CMILIES.  EXAMPLES. 


( P.ANGOLIXS, 

ORDER  ) 
EFFODIENTIA. ') 

1 .Aard-Varks,  . 


MAN'I-DAE,  . 


j Manis,  or  Pangolin,  of  India. 
( Manis  pcntadactyla. 


O-RYC-TE-RO-POD'I-DAE, 


Aard-Vark,  of  South  Africa. 
Orycteropus  a'jer. 


THE  PANGOLIN  FAMILY. 

Manidae. 

One  good  look  at  a pangolin,  or  manis,  is 
enough  to  arouse  curiosity,  and  provoke  inquiry. 
Like  the  armadillo,  it  is  one  of  the  wonders  of 
the  living  world, — absolutely  toothless,  dwelling 
upon  the  earth,  surrounded  by  savage  and  merci- 
less enemies,  but  safe  in  the  protection  of  a com- 
plete suit  of  plate  armor,  and  powerful  claws  for 
digging.  There  are  about  seven  species  in  this 
Family,  scattered  all  the  way  from  China  and 
Borneo  to  South  Africa,  excepting  the  break  in 
the  chain  caused  by  the  deserts  of  North  .\frica 
ami  .\rabia.  Of  the  three  .\frican  species,  two 
are  di.stinguishcd  by  the  extreme  length  of  their 
tails,  and  one  by  its  great  size,  si.x  feet  in  length, 
which  entitles  it  to  the  name  Giant  Pangolin. 

Tlie  Indian  Pangolin,  or  Manis,*  of  Ceylon 
and  India,  generally  in  the  lowland  forests,  may 
be  chosen  as  the  repre.sentative  of  this  Family. 
My  first  feeling  toward  it  is  that  of  friendship 
and  gratitude,  for  in  the  jungles  of  Ceylon  a 
linng  sjiecimen  once  furnished  me  entertainment, 
anxiety  and  sustenance. 

My  first  Manis  was  brought  by  a native,  who 
carried  it  in  a bag  over  thirty-five  hot  and  dusty 
' Man' is  pent-a-dndty-la. 


miles.  While  in  transit  on  man-back,  the  ani- 
mal kept  himself  comfortably  coiled,  but  when 
set  free  upon  the  ground  he  promptly  uncoiled 


AN  INDIAN  P.ANGOLIN,  ROLLED  UP. 


and  stood  up  for  inspection.  He  was  .36  inches 
long,  including  the  tail,  which  measured  17 
inches,  and  his  weight  was  18  pounds. 

From  the  tip  of  his  nose  to  the  end  of  his  tail, 
he  was  covered  with  broad,  flattened  shield- 
shaped plates,  or  scales,  of  clear,  gray  horn.'"* 

**  Museum  specimens  are  usually  of  a yellowish- 
brown  color. 


162 


OEDERS  OF  MAMMALS— THE  DIGGERS 


Those  plates,  which  were  concave  underneath 
and  convex  above,  lay  close  down  upon  the  skin 
and  upon  each  other,  and  were  arranged  in  rows 
or  courses,  perfectly  imbricated  {i.e.,  joint-break- 
jng)  like  the  scales  of  a big  fish,  or  a hawk’s-bill 
turtle.  We  presently  discovered  that  they  were 
fully  controlled  by  the  voluntary  muscles  of  the 
skin.  The  tail  was  very  broad,  measuring  5^ 
inches  across  where  it  joined  the  body,  slightly 
hollowed  underneath,  and  rounded  on  the  top. 
It  was  a most  useful  appendage,  and  its  special 
function  was  to  protect  the  head. 

In  walking,  the  Manis  carried  his  back  very 
highly  arched  in  the  middle.  The  long  and 
powerful  front  claws  were  bent  under  the  feet, 
until  they  pointed  directly  backward,  and  were 
literally  walked  upon.  The  heavy  tail  barely 
cleared  the  ground,  and  the  nose  was  always 
carried  low,  as  if  slyly  searching  for  something. 
Often  the  creature  stood  erect  on  its  hind  legs, 
like  a kangaroo,  especially  when  looking  about 
for  insect  food,  and  as  it  walked  its  armor 
clanked  like  that  of  an  ancient  mail-clad  knight. 

Whenever  he  found  a colony  of  ants,  he  would 
begin  to  dig  most  industriously.  After  digging  a 
short  distance  into  an  ant-hill,  and  exposing  the 
interior,  he  would  thrust  his  long  and  slender 
tongue  into  the  passage-ways,  and  draw  it  out 
thickly  covered  with  ants. 

To  me,  the  most  wonderful  thing  about  the 
animal  was  its  means  of  protection  from  its  ene- 
mies, for  it  cannot  truthfully  be  called  defence. 
Without  some  very  special  provision  of  Nature, 
a slow-moving,  toothless  and  hornless  terrestrial 
animal  would  fare  badly  in  jungles  inhabited  by 
leopards,  tigers,  wolves,  jackals  and  wild  swine. 

When  I first  endeavored  to  become  acquainted 
with  my  Manis,  he  immediately  tucked  his  head 
down  between  his  four  legs,  brought  his  tail  under 
his  body  and  up  over  his  head,  held  it  there  close- 
ly, and  thus  formed  of  himself  a flattened  ball 
completely  covered  with  scale  armor.  When  I 
undertook  to  uncoil  him,  I could  not  manage  it 
alone,  and  called  a servant  to  help  me;  but  the 
tail  clung  to  the  body  as  tightly  as  if  it  had  been 
riveted  there.  Then  I called  another  man,  and 
while  I held  the  body,  the  other  two  pulled  on 
the  tail  with  all  their  strength,  to  uncoil  it.  But 
in  vain.  We  wTestled  with  that  small  animal  until 
we  were  fairly  exhausted,  and  so  great  was  the 
power  of  the  tail  that  we  gave  up  beaten. 


From  the  very  first,  I had  no  end  of  trouble 
with  my  scaly  pet.  I could  not  tie  him,  for  on 
no  part  of  his  body  or  limbs  would  a rope  hold 
ten  minutes  without  hurting  him.  During  the 
day,  he  was  reasonably  cjuiet,  but  at  night  he  was 
very  restless,  and  anxious  to  go  out  ant-hunting. 
For  the  first  night,  I shut  him  up  in  the  main 
room  of  the  Rest  House;  and  in  the  morning  I 
found  him  fully  ready  to  break  through  a hole  he 
had  dug  with  his  big  front  claws  in  the  ten-inch 
wall  of  solid  masonry.  Well  may  naturalists 
assign  the  Pangolins  to  the  independent  Order 
of  Diggers! 

The  next  night,  I placed  the  Pangolin  in  a 
large  tin  box,  well  covered  with  boards.  At 
three  o’clock  in  the  morning  the  village  dogs 
raised  such  a row  at  the  edge  of  the  jungle  that 
my  servant  went  to  them  to  investigate;  and 
it  was  that  animal.  It  had  torn  a hole  in  one 
corner  of  its  tin  prison,  and  escaped;  and  but  for 
the  very  dogs  that  had  so  often  annoyed  me  by 
trying  to  steal  my  specimens,  it  would  have  been 
lost  to  me  forever. 

THE  AARD-VARK  FAMILY. 

This  Family  contains  but  one  genus  and  two 
species,  the  Cape  Aard-Vark,’  of  South  Africa, 
and  the  Ethiopian  Aard-Yark,  of  East  Central 
Africa. 

With  their  usual  facility  in  misnaming  wild 
animals,  the  Boer  pioneers  in  Cape  Colony  be- 
stowed upon  the  species  found  there  the  name 
Earth-"  Pig,”  and  it  has  become  a fixture. 

The  Cape  Aard-Vark  is  as  much  like  a pig 
as  it  is  like  a jack-"  rabbit,”  but  no  more.  Cut 
off  its  extremely  long  and  rabbit-like  ears,  cover 
it  with  imbricated  scales  to  fit  its  body,  and  ex- 
ternally we  will  have  a rather  tall  pangolin,  about 
5 feet  long.  Unlike  the  pangolins,  the  jaws  are 
provided  with  teeth.  The  tail  is  long,  thick  and 
heavy,  and  its  special  use  is  not  quite  apparent. 

In  the  usually  wise  economy  of  Nature,  these 
insect-eating  animals  Avere  developed  in  Africa 
for  the  special  purpose  of  checking  the  ants  of  that 
region.  Their  powerful  front  claws  enable  them 
to  dig  with  great  success  into  the  tall  and  also 
numerous  ant-hills  of  Africa,  and  before  the  days 
of  universal  game  destruction,  the  Aard-Vark 
was  oftenest  found  where  ant-hills  were  most 
numerous. 

* 0-ryc-ter'o-pus  a'fer. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  POUCHED  MAMMALS 

MARSUriALIA 


An  animal  is  said  to  be  “low”  in  zoological  rank  according  to  the  distance  of  its  position 
below  the  highest  types  of  animal  life.  Thus,  a hairless,  fish-like  mammal,  with  very  simple 
teeth,  like  a porpoise,  is  far  lower  than  the  monkeys  and  carnivores. 

.\s  we  approach  the  Orders  of  mammals  which  we  have  been  taught  to  place  at  the  end  of  the 
list,  we  encounter  some  very  strange  forms,  which  are  of  greater  interest  to  the  special  student 
than  some  higher  forms  which  are  duplicated  many  times  over.  Fortunately  for  our  purpose, 
all  the  Orders  of  liOng  mammals,  save  two,  are  represented  in  North  America. 

-\lthough  the  Order  Marsupialia  is  too  extensive,  and  the  majority  of  its  members  too  far  away, 


to  justify  its  full  exposition  here,  it  is  desirable  to  mention  all  its  Families: 

FAMILIES. 

HABITAT. 

1 Kvng.\.roos,  .... 

MA-CRO-POr/l-DAE 

j Australia,  New 
1 Guinea,  Aru  Is. 

Phalangers,  . . . 

PHAL-AN-GER'I-DAE,  . . . 

Australia. 

[ WoMB.\TS,  .... 

PHAS-CO-LO-MY'  DAE,  . . 

S.  Australia. 

1 Caexolestes,  . . . 

E-PAN-OR'THI-DAE,  .... 

South  America. 

ORDER 

MARSUPIALIA.  < 

V Bandicoot.s,  .... 

PER-A-MEUI-DAE 

< Australia  and  New 
j Guinea. 

1 Dasyvres  and  Tas- 
I .MAXiAN  Wolves, 

DAS-Y-U'RI-DAE 

Australia. 

Opossums,  .... 

DI-DEL-PH,  Y'l-DAE 

) North,  Central  and 
( South  America. 

\ Marsupial  Moles, 

NO-TO-RYC'TI-DAE 

Australia. 

Of  these  eight  Families,  only  two,  the  first 
and  seventh,  will  be  specially  noticed. 

.Marsupials  are  distinguished  from  all  other 
mammals  by  the  fact  that  the  female  possesses 
in  the  skin  of  her  abdomen  a large,  flexible 
pocket,  or  pouch,  in  which  the  nursing  glands 
aie  situated,  and  in  which  the  young  are  carried 
for  a time  after  birth,  until  more  fully  de- 
veloped. They  differ  from  ordinary  mammals  in 
being  without  what  is  called  a pln-cen'tn,  which 
is  an  arrangement  of  veins  by  which  the  blood 
of  the  mother  circulates  through  the  veins  of 
the  unborn  young.  In  other  words,  in  a marsu- 
pial, the  blood  of  the  mother  does  not  circulate 
through  the  veins  of  the  unborn  young.  .\s  a re- 
sult, at  the  time  of  its  birth,  the  young  marsupial 


is  a tiny  creature,  hairless,  blind,  and  utterly 
helpless.  F>ven  the  young  of  a large  kangaroo 
looks  more  like  a little  lump  of  jelly  than  a 
highly  organized  living  creature.  One  which  I 
saw  in  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  was  less 
than  an  inch  in  length,  and  no  thicker  than  a 
lead-pencil. 

The  newly  born  young  is  taken  by  the  mother, 
in  her  front  paws,  and  placed  in  her  pouch;  and 
the  half-formed  creature,  with  a mouth  specially 
formed  for  suction,  attaches  itself  to  the  nursing 
gland,  and  so  remains,  for  many  days,  or  even 
weeks.  Slowly  it  grows,  until  it  develops  hair, 
and  its  eyes  open.  At  length  it  becomes  large 
enough  .so  that  it  ventures  to  stick  its  little  head 
out,  and  view  the  world.  By  and  by  it  climbs 


1G3 


164 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— POUCHED  ANIMALS 


out,  to  take  exercise,  but  jumps  back  again  at 
the  first  alarm.  In  an  animal  which  travels  as 
far  each  clay  as  the  kangaroo,  a pouch  for  the 
conveyance  of  the  young  is  a great  convenience. 

THE  KANGAROO  FAMILY. 

Macropodidae. 

In  Australia,  the  land  of  queer  things,  nearly 
all  the  land  mammals  are  marsupials.  The 
Order  includes  the  kangaroos,  large  and  small, 


wombat,  Tasmanian  wolf,  Tasmanian  devil, 
koala,  and  many  others.  .411  kangaroos  come 
either  from  -\ustralia,  Tasmania,  or  New 
Guinea,  but  one  group  of  small  wallabies  extends 
its  range  to  New  Britain  and  the  Aru  Islands. 
The  great  majority  of  the.se  creatures  dwell  on 
the  ground  in  the  open  plains,  or  in  the  “bush” 


of  Australia.  In  northern  Queensland  and  New 
Guinea  are  four  species  of  Tree  Kangaroos, 
which  actually  climb  trees,  and  inhabit  them. 

The  largest  species  is  the  great  Gray  Kan- 
garoo,* also  called  “Old  man”  and  “Boomer," 
which  stands  over  4 feet  high,  weighs  nearly 
200  pounds,  and  when  frightened  can  leap  twenty 
feet  or  more.  The  smallest  species  are  the  Rat 
Kangaroos,  some  of  which  are  but  14  inches  high. 
Despite  their.nocturnal  habits  specimens  are  fre- 
quently seen  in  captivity.  One  of  the  handsom- 
est of  all  the  species  is  the  Red 
Kangaroo,'*  a creature  about  4 
feet  high,  frequently  seen  in  cap- 
tivity, and  quickly  recognized 
by  its  brick-red  color,  and  fine, 
silky  hair.  Several  small  species 
of  Kangaroos  are  called  VVal'- 
labies,  and  the  species  figured 
herewith  is  a good  representative 
of  this  whole  Family. 

The  Kangaroo  is  a strange 
variation  in  form  from  the  ordi- 
nary terrestrial  mammal.  Its 
extremely  long,  strong  hind  legs, 
and  massive  tail,  also  of  great 
length,  form  a wonderful  jump- 
ing machine.  The  tail  not  only 
assists  the  animal  in  lea])iiig, 
but  it  also  serves*as  a balancing 
pole,  and  keeps  its  owner  from 
losing  his  proper  position  when 
in  mid-air.  It  is  reasonably 
certain  that  a Kangaroo  without 
a tail  would  frequently  overbal- 
ance when  leaping,  and  turn 
somersaults.  Kangaroos  were 
once  very  abundant  in  .Austra- 
lia, but  the  general  settlement 
of  that  country,  and  the  syste- 
matic killing  of  the  animals  for 
their  skins,  which  are  u.sed  as 
leather  for  shoes,  has  so  greatly 
reduced  the  number  tliat  now 
one  must  go  far  inland  in  order  to  find  them 
wild. 

Most  pouched  mammals  are  strictty  herbivor- 
ous, but  some,  like  the  opossum  and  Tasmanian 
wolf,  are  true  flesh-eaters. 

’ Mac-ro'pus  gi-gan'le-us. 

^ Macropus  ru'jus. 


E.  F.  Keller,  Photo..  National  Zoological  Park. 

BRUSH-TAILED  ROCK  WALLABY  (Petrogalc  pcnicUlala) . 
l.ength,  head  and  body,  2S  inches  ; tail,  24. 


THE  OPOSSUMS 


165 


THE  OPOSSUM  FAMILY. 

Didelphyidae. 

The  Xew  IVorld  contains  more  than  twenty 
species  of  omnivorous  animals,  varying  in  size 
from  a large  cat  to  a small  rat,  mostly  provided 
with  long,  hairless  tails  that  are  fully  prehensile, 
and  always  well  clad  with  fine  and  abundant 
hair.  In  all  species  save  a few,  the  female  pos- 
sesses the  abdominal  pouch  to  which  every  mar- 
supial female  is  entitled,  but  in  some  species  it  is 
either  rudimentary  or  wholly  lacking.  These 
animals  are  the  Opossums,  and  while  the  major- 
ity of  the  species  are  confined  to  South  .\merica, 
our  North  .\merican  representative  is  about  as 
widely  known  as  all  the  tropical  species  com- 
bined. 

The  Virginia  Opossum’  is  a typical  marsu- 
pial, but  differs  widely  from  all  the  .Australian 
members  of  that  Order.  Seemingly  it  is  a dull- 
witted,  slow-moving  creature,  and  so  ill-fitted  by 
Nature  either  to  fight  or  to  run  away,  that  it 
might  be  considered  almost  defenceless.  But 
let  us  see  what  use  this  odd  little  animal  makes 
of  the  physical  and  mental  equipment  which 
Nature  has  given  it. 

It  eats  almost  ever\dhing  that  can  be  chewed, 
— wild  fruit,  berries,  green  corn,  insect  larvae, 
eggs,  young  birds  and  quadrupeds,  soft-shelled 
nuts,  and  certain  roots.  It  is  a good  climber, 
and  has  a very  useful  prehensile  tail.  It  forages 
on  the  ground  (juite  as  successfully  as  a raccoon. 
Usually  it  burrows  under  the  roots  of  a large 
tree,  where  it  is  impossible  for  a hunter  to  dig  it 
out,  but  sometimes  it  makes  the  mistake  of  enter- 
ing a hollow  log.  Like  the  bear  and  woodchuck, 
it  stores  up  under  its  skin  a plentiful  supply  of 
fat  for  winter  use,  when  food  is  scarce  and  dear. 
.Above  all,  the  female  has  a nice,  warm  pouch  in 
which  to  carry  and  protect  her  helpless  young, 
in.stcad  of  leaving  them  in  the  nest  to  catch  their 
death  of  cold,  or  be  eaten  by  some  enemy. 

The  young  of  the  Opo.ssum  vary  in  number 
from  .seven  to  eleven.  Not  until  they  are  about 
five  week.s  old  do  they  Ix'gin  to  venture  away 
from  the  mother;  but  for  a season  they  are  very 
careful  not  to  get  beyond  grabbing  distance  of 
her  shagg>’  coat. 

Tlie  0|x).ssum  is  a very  haiiy'  animal.  Its  un- 
der fur  is  woolly  and  white,  and  the  outer  coat 
' Di-del' phis  vir-gin-i-an'a. 


is  straight,  coarse,  and  tipped  with  black.  The 
nose,  lips,  and  half  the  ear  are  pinkish  white, 
and  the  eyes  are  like  a pair  of  shoe-buttons.  The 
tail  is  naked,  white,  and  strongly  prehensile. 

A large  specimen  has  a head-and-body  length 
of  15  inches,  tail  12  inches,  and  the  weight  of  a 
large  specimen  is  12  pounds.  In  the  South,  the 
flesh  of  this  animal  is  much  prized  as  food,  and 
I can  testify  that  wdien  properly  roasted,  and 
served  with  nicely  browned  sweet  potatoes  and 
yellow  corn  bread,  it  is  an  excellent  dish. 

One  habit  of  this  animal  is  so  remarkable  and 
so  widely  known  it  has  passed  into  a proverb, — 


VIRGINI.\  OPOSSUMS. 


“playing  ’Possum.”  When  found  by  hunters, 
the  Opossum  deliberately  feigns  death,  hoping  to 
escape  by  being  “left  for  dead.”  Give  it  a tap 
on  the  head  or  back,  and  it  stretches  out,  limp, 
motionless,  and  seemingly  quite  dead.  Its 
breath  is  so  short  and  feeble  the  thick  fur  almost 
conceals  the  chest  movement. 

When  but  a lad  I killed  my  first  Opossum  in 
an  Indiana  forest,  and  had  carried  it  by  the  tail 
for  half  a mile  when  w^e  came  to  a rail  fence.  In 
climbing  through,  I noticed  that  the  front  claws 
of  my  Opossum  caught  on  a rail,  and  held  fast 
in  a manner  highly  unbecoming  in  an  animal 
that  was  honestly  and  sincerely  dead.  A close 
examination  revealed  the  fact  that  my  victim 
was  only  nominally  dead.  In  other  words,  it 
was  fully  alive,  and  sharply  watching  for  a chance 
to  escape.  This  discovery  led  me  to  keep  the 
animal  alive  in  confinement,  until  finally  it  did 
escape. 

The  A’irginia  Opossum  is  the  species  found  in 
the  United  States,  from  New  York  to  Florida, 
and  westward  through  the  southern  States  to 


IGC 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— POUCHED  ANIMALS 


Texas.  In  Mexico  and  tropical  America  several 
other  species  are  found.  Notwithstanding  the 
persistent  destruction  of  the  Opossum,  both  for 
moonlight  sport  and  for  food,  it  still  manages 
to  survive  throughout  its  entire  original  range, 
and  bids  fair  to  outlive  the  native  American. 


means  Mouse-Like  Opossum — is  a South  Ameri- 
can species  which  is  remarkable  because  of  its 
diminutive  size.  The  full-grown  female  specimen 
shown  in  the  accompanying  illustration,  with  a 
brood  of  seven  hairless  young  clinging  to  the  fur 
of  her  body,  is  about  the  size  of  an  eastern  chip- 


E. R.  Sanborn,  Photo.,  New  York  Zoological  Park. 

MURINE  OPOSSUM  AND  YOUNG. 
About  one-half  life  size. 


As  a pet,  or  cage  animal,  the  Opossum  shows 
off  very  poorly,  and  is  rather  uninteresting.  In 
the  daytime,  its  sole  desire  is  to  curl  up  into  a 
furry  ball,  and  sleep.  If  disturbed,  it  opens  its 
pink  mouth  very  widely,  in  silent  protest,  and 
as  soon  as  the  trouble  is  over,  again  tucks  its 
head  under  its  body,  out  of  sight,  and  sleeps  on. 

The  Murine  Opossum^  — a name  which 
* Mar-mo' sa  murina. 


munk.  The  abdominal  pouch  is  wholly  wanting 
in  this  species,  and  from  birth  the  naked  and  al- 
most helpless  young  must  either  cling  to  the  fur 
of  the  mother  or  die.  As  they  grow  larger,  they 
travel  on  the  back  of  the  mother,  with  their 
tendril-like  tails  clinging  to  her  tail. 

The  specimen  shown  reached  New  York  just 
as  a score  of  others  have  before  it, — hidden  in 
the  interior  of  a bunch  of  bananas! 


CHAPTER  XIV 


THE  ORDER  OF  EGG-LAYING  MAMMALS 

MONOTREMATA 


“ There  are  more  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  Horatio, 
Than  are  dreamt  of  in  your  philosophy.” 


There  are  two  Families  of  mammals  the  members  of  which  lay  eggs,  from  which  their  young 
are  hatched  as  are  those  of  birds.  They  form  the  lowest  order  of  mammals,  and  in  one  respect 
this  group  forms  a good  connecting  link  between  mammals  and  birds: 

F.\M1LIES. 

ORDER  f F)uck-Bill,  . . or-ni-tho-rhyn'chi-dae, 

MONOTREMATA:  \ 

Egg-Layers.  ( Echidn.\s,  . . tach-Y-GLOS'SI-dae.  . . 


\ The  Ornithorhynchus 
) or  Duck-Bill. 

j Five-Toed  Echidna. 

I Three-Toed  Echidna. 


THE  PLATYPUS,  OR  DUCK-BILL. 


The  Platypus,  or  Duck-Bill,* 
is  found  only  in  .Australia, — a 
land  of  queer  things.  Not  only 
is  it  bird-like  in  laying  eggs,  but 
it  also  possesses  webbed  feet,  and 
a flat,  duck-like  bill,  from  which 
it  derives  one  of  its  popular 
names.  The  beak  is  of  black 
horn,  and  the  food  is  crushed  be- 
tween the  cross-ridged  plates  of 
the  lower  jaw  and  the  roof  of 
the  mouth. 

This  animal  is  about  as  large 
as  a prairie-“dog,”  and  its  body 
is  similarly  shaped;  but  there 
the  resemblance  ends  abruptly. 

Its  front  feet  are  webbed  quite 
beyond  the  ends  of  the  toes,  and  in  digging,  the 
outer  edge  of  the  web  is  rolled  back  underneath 
the  foot,  to  expose  the  claws.  The  hind  feet  are 
webbed  only  to  the  base  of  the  claws,  and  each 
is  provided  with  a strong,  sharp  spur  an  inch 
long,  which  is  said  to  be  connected  with  a poison 
gland. 

The  tail  is  broad  and  flattened,  well  haired  on 
the  upper  side,  and  almost  naked  below.  The 
hair  of  the  Platypus  is  dark  brown  in  color. 
The  outer  coat  is  stiff  and  harsh  outside,  but  the 
' Or-ni-tho-rhyn'chus  an-a-ti'nus. 


inner  is  fine  and  soft.  The  length  of  head  and 
body  is  1 3 inches,  tail,  5 inches. 

The  habits  of  the  Duck-Bill  are  very  similar 
to  those  of  our  old  friend  the  muskrat.  It  in- 
habits quiet  but  deep  pools  of  fresh  water,  bur- 
rows deeply  into  the  banks,  and  is  seldom  seen 
save  at  nightfall.  In  its  burrow  it  builds  a 
nest  for  its  young,  and  deposits  two  eggs,  which 
are  enclosed  in  a strong,  flexible  shell  three- 
fourths  of  an  inch  in  length  by  two-thirds  of  an 
inch  in  greatest  diameter.  When  first  hatched 
the  young  are  blind  and  hairless,  and  the  beak 


167 


168 


ORDERS  OF  MAMMALS— EGG-LAYING  ANDIALS 


is  very  short.  The  food  of  this  creature  con- 
sists of  aquatic  insects,  crustaceans  and  worms. 

The  other  Family  of  egg-laying  mammals  be- 
longing to  this  Order  contains  the  Echidnas 
(pronounced  E-kid'nas)  of  Australia  and  New 
Guinea.  These  animals  are  arranged  in  two 
genera,  the  Five-Toed  Echidna  (Tachyglossus), 


consisting  of  a single  species  which  occurs  in 
Australia,  Tasmania  and  New  Guinea,  and  the 
Three-Toed  Echidnas  (Zaglossus),  comprising 
two  species,  are  confined  to  New  Guinea.  The 
Five-Toed  Echidna  is  covered  with  strong 
spines  set  very  thickly  all  over  its  outer  sur- 
face, and  its  nose  is  a slender  and  narrow  beak. 


BOOK  II 


BIRDS 


CHAPTER  XV 


AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  BIRD  WORLD 


Bird  Destruction. — There  are  many  things 
to  be  learned  about  birds  besides  their  names, 
and  their  length  in  millimetres.  To-day  the 
first  thing  to  be  taught  is  the  fact  that  from 
this  time  henceforth  all  birds  must  be  'protected, 
or  they  tvill  all  be  exterminated. 

To-day,  it  is  a safe  estimate  that  there  is  a 
loaded  cartridge  for  each  living  bird.  Each 
succeeding  year  produces  a new  crop  of  gun- 
demons,  eager  to  slay,  ambitious  to  make  records 
as  sjx)rtsraen  or  collectors.  If  a bird  is  so  un- 
fortunate as  to  possess  plumes,  or  flesh  which 
can  be  sold  for  ten  cents,  the  mob  of  pot-hunters 
seeks  it  out,  even  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
(^uite  recently  two  “plume-hunters”  went  at  the 
risk  of  their  lives  to  Tiburon  Island,  Gulf  of 
Lower  California,  to  kill  egrets  for  their  plumes; 
and  both  were  killed  by  the  savage  Indians  there. 

In  1897-98  the  writer  made  for  the  New  York 
Zoological  Society  a careful  inquiry  into  the  vol- 
ume of  bird  life  in  the  United  States,  with  special 
reference  to  its  increase  or  decrease  during  the 
fifteen  years  prior  to  that  date.  From  one  hun- 
dred. and  eighty  competent  and  conscientious 
observers,  representing  thirty-four  states  and 
territories,  reports  were  received  in  answer  to  a 
series  of  questions,  all  of  which  were  carefully 
tabulated.*  Throughout  my  calculations,  wher- 
ever a doubt  existed,  the  living  birds  were  given 
the  full  benefit  of  it. 

Four  states,  Kansas,  Wyoming,  Utah  and 
Washington,  show  an  increase  in  bird-life.  Thirty 
states  show  decreases  varying  from  ten  per  cent, 
to  ninety  per  cent.,  but  with  a general  average 
decrease  from  1883  to  1898  of  forty-six  per  cent.! 
In  the  adjoining  detailed  statement,  the  shaded 
portions  show  the  percentages  of  decrease 
throughout  the  states  named  during  the  period 
reported  upon: 


DECREASE  IN  BIRD  LIFE  IN  30  STATES, 
IN  15  YEARS. 


Maine 52% 

New  Hampshire.  .32% 

Vermont 30% 

Massachusetts  ...27% 

Rhode  Island 60% 

Connecticut 75% 

New  York 48% 

New  Jersey 37% 

Pennsylvania 51% 

Ohio 38% 

Indiana 60% 

Illinois 38% 

Michigan 23% 

Wisconsin 40% 

Iowa 37% 

Missoiu-i 36% 

Nebraska 10% 

North  Dakota 58% 


Dist.  of  Columbia. 33% 

South  Carolina. . .32% 

Georgia 659j> 

Florida 77% 

Mississippi 37% 

Louisiana 55% 

Arkansas 50% 

Texa.s 67% 

Indian  Territory. 75% 

Montana 75% 

Colorado 28% 

Idaho 40% 

Average  of  above . 46% 


' “ Tlie  Destruction  of  Our  Birds  and  Mammals.” 
By  William  T.  Hornaday.  Second  .\nnual  Report 
(IS9S)  gf  the  New  York  Zoological  Society.  Lntil 
the  present  edition  is  exhausted,  copies  of  this  paper 
will  be  mailed  to  teachers,  on  application. 


Since  the  above  inquiry  was  made,  the  volume 
of  bird-life  appears  to  have  changed  so  slightly 
that  in  1903  conditions  are  practically  as  they 
‘were  in  1898. 


171 


172 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— INTRODUCTION 


Causes  of  Decrease  in  Bird  Life. 

The  temptation  to  offer  a full  statement  of  the 
causes  and  means  of  prevention  of  bird-slaugh- 
ter is  very  great;  but  those  subjects  must  be 
left  to  other  pages.  There  is,  however,  much 
food  for  thought  in  the  following  summary  of 
causes  of  destruction,  as  reported  by  the  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-four  observers  who  entered  into 
this  branch  of  the  subject.  They  are  listed  very 
nearly  in  the  order  of  their  importance  according 


to  the  reports: 

No.  Reports. 

1.  Sportsmen,  and  “so-called  sportsmen”. . . 54 

2.  Boys  who  shoot 42 

3.  Market-hunters  and  “pot-hunters” 26 

4.  Plume-hunters,  and  milliners’ hunters.  . . 32 

5.  “Shooters,  generally” 21 

6.  Egg-collecting,  chiefly  by  small  boys.  ...  20 

7.  English  sparrow 18 

8.  Clearing  off  timber,  development  of  towns 

and  cities 31 

9.  Italians,  and  others,  who  devour  song- 

birds  12 

10.  Cheap  firearms 5 

11.  Drainage  of  marshes 5 

12.  Non-enforcement  of  laws 5 

13.  Gun-clubs  and  hunting  contests 5 

14.  Collectors  (ornithologists  and  taxider- 

mists)   5 

15.  Colored  population  4 


16.  Indians  (for  decrease  of  game  quadrupeds)  4 

The  Slaughter  of  Birds  for  Food. — The 

craze  for  the  destruction  of  bird-life  is  almost 
beyond  belief.  No  matter  how  much  the  bird- 
protectors  may  say  about  the  destruction  of  our 
birds,  and  their  impending  extermination,  far 
more  than  the  half  will  remain  untold.  As  our 
game-birds  become  fewer  and  fewer,  the  mar- 
ket-shooters begin  to  slaughter  birds  of  song 
and  beauty,  which  twenty  years  ago  were  safe 
because  they  were  not  considered  “game.”  Even 
ten  years  ago,  no  self-respecting  American  would 
have  lowered  himself  to  the  level  of  the  hawk 
and  buzzard  by  killing  and  eating  the  poor  little 
sand-piper  and  snow-bunting.  But  mark  what 
is  going  on  to-day; 

There  is  now  pending  (1903)  in  the  courts  the 
case  of  the  People  of  the  State  of  New  York 
against  two  men  of  New  York  City,  to  enforce 
the  payment  of  fines  amounting  to  $1,168,315  for 


having  in  their  possession  contrary  to  law,  in  a 
cold  storage  warehouse,  certain  dead  birds  out  of 
season,  game  and  not  game.  When  the  state 
game  wardens  searched  the  premises  of  the 
defendants,  it  is  stated  that  they  found  the  fol- 
lowing appalling  mass  of  birds : 


8,058  Snow-Buntings! 
7,607  Sand-Pipers! 
5,218  Plover! 

7,003  Snipe, 

788  Yellow  Legs, 


7,560  Grouse, 
4,385  Quail, 
1,756  Ducks, 

288  Bobolinks, 
96  Woodcock. 


And  all  this  in  one  cold  storage  warehouse,  for 
poor,  starving  New  York! 

To  the  public  it  was  a profound  surprise  to 
find  that  snow-buntings  and  sand-pipers  were  be- 
ing slaughtered  by  thousands  for  food.  At  least 
half  a dozen  species  of  song-birds  are  served  on 
bills  of  fare  under  the  name  of  reed-bird.  This 
fact  is  equivalent  to  a notice  that  hereafter  no 
bird  is  safe  from  the  deadly  “market-shooter,” 
and  only  the  strictest  watch  and  the  severest 
measures  will  save  any  considerable  portion  of 
our  birds. 

Protect  the  Birds. — Young  reader,  learn  to- 
day that  the  birds  are  the  natural  protectors  of 
man  and  his  crops  from  the  hordes  of  insects 
which  without  them  ravage  leaf,  flower  and 
fruit.  But  for  the  hawks  and  owls,  the  wild 
mice  and  rats  soon  would  multiply  into  an  in- 
tolerable pest.  But  for  the  insectivorous  birds, 
destroying  grubs  and  perfect  insects  by  the 
million,  the  life  of  the  farmer,  fruit-grower  and 
forester  would  be  one  long  battle  against  the 
pests  of  the  insect-world. 

Learn  that  it  is  wise  to  encourage  birds,  as 
well  as  to  protect  them  from  slaughter.  A little 
food  intelligently  bestowed  is  always  accepted 
as  a token  of  friendship  and  hospitality.  Any 
country  dweller  can  draw  birds  around  him,  if 
he  will.  Why  grudge  a few  simple  shelter-boxes, 
a few  handfuls  of  grain,  and  a few  pounds  of 
fat  pork  when  in  exchange  for  them  you  may 
have,  even  in  winter’s  dreariness,  the  woodpeck- 
ers, chickadees,  crows,  and  many  other  winter 
“residents”  and  “visitants”?  Surely,  no  right- 
hearted  man  or  boy  can  prefer  solitude  to  the 
company  of  cheerful  and  beautiful  feathered 
friends. 

Don’t  make  Bird  or  Egg  “ collections.”— 
Learn  to  take  broad  views — bird’s-eye  views. 


BIRD-PROTECTION 


173 


if  you  please  — of  the  bird-world.  Consider 
how  you  can  promote  its  enjoyment,  its  better- 
ment, and  its  perpetuation.  Think  not  that  in 
order  to  take  an  interest  in  birds  it  is  necessary 
to  bu}’  a gun  and  a bushel  of  cartridges.  Don’t 
think  that  a badly  made  bird-skin  in  a smelly 
drawer  is  as  pleasing  an  object  in  the  sight  of 
( !od  or  man  as  the  living  bird  would  be.  Do  not, 
I beg  of  3’ou,  make  a “collection  of  bird-skins;’’ 
for  the  “bird-skin  habit,”  when  given  free  rein, 
becomes  a scourge  to  the  bird-world. 

Do  not  think  that  ornithology  is  the  science  of 
dead  birds,  named  in  a dead  language;  or  that 
an  attic  room  is  the  best  field  for  the  study  of 
birds.  Study  bird-/i/c,  not  merely  the  mummied 
remains  of  dead  birds.  .\nd,  finally,  don’t  col- 
lect eggs!  They  teach  no  useful  lesson.  The 
majority  of  them  have  no  beauty,  and  are  as 
meaningless  as  marbles.  The  pursuit  of  them 
IS  interesting,  I grant,  but  the  possession  nearly 
always  jjalls.  The  collector  of  eggs  destroys 
life,  fearfully,  and  has  for  all  his  labors  and  his 
pains  only  such  as  this: — O O o o. 

If  you  think  enough  of  birds  to  mount,  or  have 
mounted,  every  fine  specimen  that  you  kill — 
aside  from  legitimate  game — then  you  will  be 
justified  in  forming  a collection.  There  is  some 
excuse  for  collections  of  well-mounted  birds, 
es|)ocially  tiiose  that  are  presented  to  schools, 
where  thousands  of  young  people  may  study 
them;  but  wild  life  is  now  becoming  so  scarce 
that  the  making  of  large  private  collections,  for 
the  benefit  of  one  man,  is  a sin  against  Nature. 

Don’t  be  narrow. — In  studying  birds,  do  not 
l>e  narrow!  Use  the  field-glass,  the  camera  and 
pencil,  rather  than  the  shot-gun  and  the  micro- 
scojic.  Any  fool  with  a gun  can  kill  a bird;  but 
it  takes  intelligence  and  skill  to  photograph 
one. 

The  time  was  when  the  analysis  and  classifi- 
cation of  our  .\merican  birds  were  important 
work,  becau.se  the  bird  fauna  was  only  partially 
discovered  and  written  up.  In  their  days, 
Audulxm,  Wikson,  Baird  and  Coues  did  grand 
work,  Ijocause  .so  many  birds  were  strange,  and 
needed  introducing.  The  time  was  when  analyz- 
itig,  naming,  and  working  up  geographical  dis- 
tribution were  desirable  and  neces.sary.  But  in 
North  .\merica  that  j)eriod  has  gone  by.  There 
is  no  longer  any  real  need  for  new  technical 
books  on  the  birds  of  this  continent  north  of 


Mexico.  The  describing,  and  re-describing,  the 
naming,  re-naming  and  tre-naming  of  microscopic 
varieties,  has  been  done  enough,  and  in  places 
overdone. 

What  to  do. — Henceforth,  these  are  the  things 
to  be  done  with  and  for  our  American  birds : 

1.  Join  actively  in  protecting  the  few  birds 
that  remain,  and  help  to  save  them  from  com- 
plete extermination. 

2.  Aid  in  teaching  the  millions  how  to  know 
and  enjoy  the  beautiful  and  useful  birds  without 
destroying  them. 

It  is  not  at  all  necessary  that  people  generally 
should  be  able  to  name  correctly  every  bird  that 
the  forest  and  field  may  disclose.  Many  species 
of  warblers,  and  sparrows,  and  larger  birds  also, 
are  so  much  alike  that  it  is  very  difficult  for  any 
one  save  a trained  ornithologist  to  analyze  them 
correctly.  The  general  public  is  not  interested 
in  differences  that  are  nearly  microscopic.  When 
birds  and  mammals  cannot  be  recognized  with- 
out killing  them,  and  removing  their  skulls,  it  is 
quite  time  for  some  of  us  to  draw  the  line. 

It  is  entirely  possible  for  any  intelligent  person 
to  become  well  acquainted  with  at  least  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  of  our  birds  without  killing 
one;  and  any  person  who  can  at  sight  recognize 
and  claim  acquaintance  with  that  number  of  bird- 
species  may  justly  claim  to  be  well  informed  on 
our  birds.  Because  birds  are  more  common  than 
quadrupeds,  bird-books  are  also  more  common, 
and  now  the  most  of  them  are  beautifully  illus- 
trated. The  road  to  ornithology  is  now  strewn 
Avith  flowers,  and  the  rough  places  have  been 
made  smooth. 

The  Va.stness  of  the  Bird-World. — Go  where 
you  will  upon  this  earth — save  in  the  great  des- 
ert.s — some  members  of  the  bird-world  will  either 
bear  you  company,  or  greet  you  as  you  advance. 
Some  Avill  sing  to  cheer  you,  others  will  interest 
and  amuse  you  by  the  oddities  of  their  forms 
and  ways.  On  the  mountain  back-bone  of  the 
continent,  you  will  meet  the  spruce-grouse,  the 
raven,  and  the  mountain-jay.  In  the  foothills 
and  on  the  great  sage-bru.sh  plains,  the  stately 
sage-grou.se  and  the  garrulous  magpie  still  break 
the  monotony. 

In  the  fertile  regions  of  abundant  rain,  bird- 
life  i.s — or  rather  was  once — bewildering  in  its 
variety.  In  the  tropics,  the  gorgeous  colors 
and  harsh  voices  of  the  birds  remind  you  that 


174 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— INTRODUCTION 


you  are  fairly  within  another  world.  In  mid- 
ocean, the  stormy  petrel  causes  you  to  wonder 
how  it  survives  the  storms.  On  the  bald  moun- 
tains of  Alaska,  or  the  barren  shores  of  the  Arc- 
tic Ocean,  the  snow-white  ptarmigan  may  be 
the  means  of  saving  you  from  death  by  starva- 
tion; and  when  you  discover  new  lands  in  the 
mysterious  and  forbidding  waters  of  the  Antarc- 
tic, the  huge  and  helpless  emperor  penguin  will 
be  there  to  greet  you. 

The  greatest  wonders  of  bird-life  are  the  im- 
mense variety  of  its  forms,  and  the  manner  in 
which  the  members  of  the  various  groups  have 
been  .ecjuipped  to  perform  so  many  functions 
in  the  economy  of  life.  It  seems  as  if  Nature 
has  undertaken  to  furnish  birds  for  every  por- 
tion of  the  globe,  and  provide  food  and  shelter 
for  each  in  its  own  place.  This  is  why  different 
birds  fly,  wade,  swim,  dive,  scratch,  run  and 
climb. 

How  we  Study  Birds. — To-day,  in  the  pri- 
mary schools,  little  children  learn  something  of 
the  wild-birds  by  which  they  are  surrounded. 
These  studies  of  Nature  are  but  contributions  of 
bricks  and  mortar  toward  what  must  be  the  com- 
plete building.  It  is  now  our  purpose  to  lay 
the  foundation  for  a structure  of  bird-knowl- 
edge which  may  be  built  upon  all  through  life, 
as  elaborately  as  the  builder  may  choose.  But, 
even  those  who  wish  to  build  only  one  story  in 
height  need  just  as  correct  a foundation  as  those 
who  build  the  highest. 

Our  purpose  now  is  to  offer  the  student  a gen- 
eral introduction  to  the  bird-world  of  North 
America,  and  illustrate  its  groups  by  about  one 
hundred  prominent  types,  all  so  typical  and  so 
representative  that  every  one  should  know  them 
all.  Herein,  the  student  is  urged  to  pay  special 
attention  to  the  systematic  groups  set  forth. 
Once  these  are  permanently  fixed  in  the  mind, 
the  detailed  study  of  the  different  species  of 
birds  becomes  a genuine  joy. 

Learn  well  the  various  Orders  of  our  birds, 
the  prominent  Families,  and  the  prominent  types 
representing  them.  Details  regarding  anatomy, 
seasonal  changes,  migration,  breeding-habits, 
distribution  and  exact  food-habits  can  be  sought 
later  on,  and  found  in  great  abundance  in  the 
wealth  of  beautiful  bird-books  now  available  at 
small  cost.  In  presenting  herein  the  individual 
birds  which  have  been  chosen  to  represent  the 


different  groups,  we  shall  strive  to  give  in  a few 
words  an  accurate  and  clearly  defined  general 
impression  of  each,  but  no  more. 

Remembering  the  Orders  of  Birds. — The 
birds  of  North  America  are  divided  into  seven- 
teen Orders,  besides  which  two  additional  Or- 
ders e.xist  elsewhere.  Under  different  circum- 
stances, the  student  might  find  some  difficulty 
in  remembering  these  Orders,  and  the  relations 
they  bear  toward  each  other.  In  this,  however, 
we  find  ourselves  aided  by  Nature  in  a remark- 
able way. 

By  a very  simple  and  natural  arrangement, 
with  fair  regard  to  the  forms  and  habits  of  birds, 
and  their  haunts  upon  the  earth,  it  is  possible  to 
show  upon  a chart,  the  following  facts; 

1.  The  various  Orders  of  North  American 
birds ; 

2.  The  relative  size  of  each  Order,  in  number 
of  species; 

3.  The  haunts  of  each  Order,  on  land  or  water, 
and 

4.  Approximately,  the  rank  of  each  order, 
from  lowest  to  highest. 

On  the  accompanying  chart  of  bird-life,  an 
ideal  panorama  of  land  and  water  is  divided  be- 
tween the  various  Orders  of  North  American 
birds,  just  as  we  find  them  in  Nature.  By  a 
fortunate  coincidence,  the  Orders  that  are  lowest 
in  the  scale  of  natural  classification  are  those  con- 
taining the  sea-birds,  of  deep  water,  which  there- 
fore belong  at  the  bottom  of  the  chart.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  birds  that  are  highest  in  the  zoo- 
logical scale — the  perching  birds — are  also  the 
birds  of  the  tree-tops,  and  must  be  placed  at  the 
top  of  the  chart. 

The  birds  of  the  shore,  the  river-bank,  and  the 
uplands  have  their  respective  areas  in  the  mid- 
dle portion  of  the  scale,  and  we  are  thus  enabled 
to  see  almost  at  a glance  the  geography  of  the 
bird- world,  at  least  as  we  find  it  in  North 
America. 

Beginning  with  the  highest,  we  shall  endeavor 
to  point  out  the  leading  characters  of  the  various 
Orders,  and  the  examples  which  best  represent 
them.  Just  at  present,  however,  it  is  not  wise 
for  the  student  to  go  too  far  into  the  subdivis- 
ions of  the  Orders,  and  only  the  most  important 
Families  will  be  mentioned  by  name. 

Any  student  who  is  unwilling  to  devote  a few 
hours  to  learning  the  names  and  places  of  the 


THE  FOUXDATION  FOK  BIRD-STUDIES 


175 


various  Orders  of  birds  inaj'  as  well  refrain  from 
attempting  to  know  our  feathered  friends;  for 
that  knowledge  is  quite  as  necessary  as  founda- 
tion-stones are  to  a tall  building.  The.  names  of 
the  Orders  must  be  learned,  and  remembered! 


For  the  purpose  of  making  the  contents  of  each 
Order  familiar  to  the  reader,  representatives  of 
the  most  important  Families  it  contains  will 
be  mentioned,  and  illustrated  by  the  presenta- 
tion of  at  least  one  species. 


THE  ORDERS  OF  LIVING  BIRDS. 


ORDER. 


PRONUNCI.\TIOX. 


CH.\R.\CTER  OF  BIRDS 
INCLUDED. 


EX.\MPLES. 


P.\SSERES Pas'se-rez Perching- Birds Robin,  Warbler  and  Jay. 

( Goatsuckers,  Swifts  ) 

M.vcrochires Mac-ro-chi'rez and  Humming-  V Xighthawk,  Swift,  Ruby-Throat. 

( Birds ) 

PsiTT.\ci Sit'ta-si  Parrots  and  Macaws.  . .Carolina  Parakeet,  Macaw. 

Pici Pi'si Woodpeckers Golden-Winged  Woodpecker. 

Coccyges Coefsi-gez | ^'^fishers  Kingfisher,  Cuckoo. 

R.\^ptores Rap-io'rez Birds  of  Prey Eagle,  Owl  and  Vulture. 

CoLCMB.vE Co-lum'be Pigeons  and  Doves. . . . Band-Tailed  Pigeon,Mourning-Dove. 

CiALLi.\.\E Gal-li'ne Scratching-Birds Quail,  Grouse,  Wild-Turkey. 

Limicol.\e Li-micfo-le Shore-Birds Plover,  Woodcock,  Snipe. 

P.^LUDicoL.AE  . . . . Pal-u-dik'o-le Cranes  and  Rails Whooping  Crane,  Virginia  Rail. 

Herodiones Her-o-de-o'nez Herons  and  Egrets  . . . .Great  Blue  Heron,  Snowy  Egret. 

Odontogloss.ae.  .0-don-to-glos'se Flamingoes American  Flamingo. 

. , i Swimmers  withComb- j „ , „ , „ 

A.nseres An  se-rez ^ Edo'e  Bills  ( Mallard,  Canada  Goose,  Swan. 

Steg.anopodes  . . . Steg-a-nop'o-dez . . . | Swim  | Darter,  Cormorant. 

Tlbin.ares Tu-bt-na  rez mers  Albatross. 

T T ■ t S Long-Winged  Sw’ini-  ) ^ „ .... 

Longipenxes Lon-gi-pen'nez -j  ^ Gull  and  Tern. 

Pygopodes Py-gop'o-dez Diving-Birds Loon,  Grebe,  Auk,  Murre. 

Impennes Im-pen'-ez Flightless  Divers Penguin. 

R.vtit.\e Ra-ti'te Flightless  Runners  . . . .Ostrich,  Cassow^ary. 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  CHART  OF  THE  ORDERS  OF  NORTH 

AMERICAN  BIRDS. 


The  Orders  of  North  American  birds  lend  themselves  with  gratifying  readiness  to  the  purposes 
of  a landscape  chart.  In  this  way  more  than  any  other  known  to  the  author  can  the  greatest 
number  of  facts  regarding  the  Orders  and  their  relationships  be  set  forth  in  a manner  easily  un- 
derstood, and  calculated  to  appeal  to  the  eye. 

As  with  the  mammals,  the  highest  Orders  are  found  in  the  tree-tops  and  the  air;  and  as  nearly 
as  possible  the  relative  sizes  of  the  various  Orders  are  shown.  The  birds  of  the  highest  and  most 
perfect  organization  appear  at  the  top  of  the  chart,  and  the  lowest  forms  are  those  of  deep 
water,  farthest  from  the  land. 

The  great  size  of  the  Order  Passeres  is  strikingly  apparent;  and  it  is  situated  in  the  tree-tops 
where  its  members  live. 

The  curious  shape  of  the  Order  Macrochires  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Goatsuckers,  Swifts 
and  Humming-Birds  have  so  little  in  common  that  they  are  wellnigh  separated;  but  the  larger 
body — the  Hummers — are  closely  related  to  the  Perching-Birds. 

The  Order  Coccyges  is  composed  of  two  groups  equally  ill  matched,  the  Cuckoos  and  Kingfishers. 
The  former  touch  the  Perching-Birds,  the  latter  the  sharp-beaked  fishers;  but  the  association  of 
the  two  in  one  Order  is  not  satisfactory,  and  not  likely  to  stand. 

The  Orders  Columbae,  Gallinae  and  Paludicolae  are  found  on  the  uplands,  immediately 
above  the  Limicolae,  or  Shore-Birds. 

The  Herodiones  (Herons,  Egrets  and  Bitterns)  range  along  the  shore  from  the  sea,  up  the 
river,  to  the  interior  lake,  while  the  Anseres — Ducks  and  Geese — cover  lake,  river  and  sea. 

The  Flamingo’s  Order — Odontoglossae — is  of  the  shallow  water  of  an  estuary,  connecting  the 
Herons  and  Ducks. 

The  Steganopodes  (Cormorants,  Pelicans,  etc.)  prefer  the  shallow  waters  of  the  sea,  while'  the 
Gulls  and  Terns  (Longipennes)  range  from  shallow  to  deeiD  waters. 

The  Tubinares  (Albatrosses,  Fulmars,  etc.)  and  Pygopodes  (Auks,  Murres,  and  other  weak- 
winged divers)  are  birds  of  deep  water. 

For  obvious  reasons,  it  has  not  been  considered  a practicable  matter  to  include  on  a landscape 
chart  the  birds  of  the  world,  or  even  those  of  South  America. 


176 


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Copyright,  1903,  by  W,  T.  Hoknadav, 


L.VNDSC.U’E  CII.UIT  OK  THE  OHHEKS  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  BIRDS. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


THE  ORDER  OF  PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 

FAS SERFS 


This  Order  is  the  highest  in  the  scale  of  birds,  and  it  is  by  far  the  largest  of  the  whole  nineteen 
Orders.  In  the  zone  of  agriculture  it  contains  the  birds  which  are  of  the  greatest  importance 
to  mankind,  the  insect-eaters.  It  also  contains  all  the  real  song-birds  of  the  world,  and  its  North 
American  Families  are  as  shown  below: 


ORDER 

PASSERES. 


\ 


FAMILIES. 

SCIENTIFIC  NAMES. 

Thrushes,  . . 

TUR'DI-DAE,  . . 

Ki.nglets,  . . 

SYL-VI'l-DAE,  . . 

Nuthatches,  . 

PA’RI-DAE,  . . . 

Tree-Creepers, 

CER-THI'I-DAE,  . 

Dippers,  . . . 

CIN'CLI-DAE,  . . 

Wrens,  . . . 

TRO-GLO-D  Y'  TI-DAE, 

Wagtails,  . . 

MOT-A-CIL'LI-DAE, 

Warblers,  . . 

MNI-O-TIL’  TI-DAE, 

ViREOS,  . . . 

VI-RE-ON'I-DAE,  . 

Shrikes,  . . . 

LAN-ri-DAE,  . . 

Waxwings,  . . 

AM-PEL'I-DAE,  . . 

Sw.VLLOWS,  . . 

HI'RUN-DIN'l-DAE, 

T.anagers,  . . 

TAN-A-GRPDAE,  . 

Finches,  . . 

FRIN-GIL'LI-DAE, 

Bl.vckbirds, 

IC-TER'I-DAE.  . . 

Crows,  . . . 

COR'VJ-DAE,  . . 

Horned  Larks, 

A-LAU'DI-DAE, 

Flycatchers,  . 

TY-RAN'NI-DAE,  . 

EXAMPLES. 

Robin,  Thrush,  Bluebird. 

Kinglet  and  Gnatcatcher. 

Nuthatch,  Chickadee,  Titmouse. 

Brown  Creeper. 

Water-Ouzel. 

Wren,  Cat-Bird,  Mocking-Bird,  Thrasher. 
Wagtail  and  Pipit. 

Warbler,  Water-Thrush,  Redstart,  Chat. 
Red-Eyed  Vireo. 

Butcher-Bird  and  Loggerhead  Shrike. 
Bohemian  Waxwing,  Cedar- Bird. 

Swallow  and  Martin. 

Scarlet  Tanager. 

Sparrow,  Finch,  Grosbeak,  Cardinal, 
Snow-Bunting,  Redjsoll. 

Blackbird,  Oriole,  Meadow-Lark,  Bobo- 
link. 

Crow,  Raven,  Jay,  Nut-Cracker. 

Horned  Lark. 

Flycatcher,  Pewee,  Phoebe,  Kingbird. 


The  majority  of  perchers  are  birds  of  plain 
feather,  quite  as  if  Nature  had  intended  that 
these,  the  best  friends  of  the  farmer  and  fruit- 
grower, should  be  the  last  to  be  destroyed  by 
the  merciless  Man-With-a-Gun. 

It  will  lie  a sad  day  for  the  .American  farmer 
when  the  last  insect-eating  bird  of  our  country 
is  brought  fluttering  and  lifeless  to  the  ground. 
When  the  armies  of  destro3'ing  in.sects  begin  to 
multiply  unchecked,  and  send  forth  their  mill- 
ions and  tens  of  millions,  then  will  the  husband- 
man realize  the  value  of  the  allies  he  has  lost, 
and  vainly  wish  to  exchange  any  number  of 
grapes  and  cherries  for  the  once-despised  robin, 
thrush  and  blackbird. 


Quite  apart  from  their  cash  value  to  the  agri- 
culturist, it  is  the  song-birds  that  appeal  most 
strongly  to  the  ear  and  heart  of  man.  Even  the 
exquisite  plumage  of  the  resplendent  trogon, 
most  beautiful  of  all  American  birds,  does  not 
thrill  the  soul  as  does  the  song  of  the  robin,  the 
brown  thrasher  and  the  mocking-bird.  Next  to 
sunshine  and  green  verdure,  the  most  cheering 
thing  in  Nature  is  the  song  of  a bird.  At  this 
moment  (early  spring)  a robin,  in  the  big  ma- 
ple in  front  of  my  windows,  is  pouring  forth  a 
song  that  is  at  once  restful  and  inspiring.  It  re- 
minds me  that  we  who  live  in  the  temperate  zone 
are  greatly  favored  by  the  presence  in  our  bird- 
life  of  the  sweetest  singers  in  the  world.  Shall 


179 


180 


OKDERS  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


we,  then,  be  so  utterly  barbarous  and  mean  as 
to  engage  in,  or  permit,  the  killing  of  our  song- 
birds in  order  that  they  be  used  either  as  food 
for  biped  pigs,  or  to  adorn(?)  the  cheap  millinery 
of  servant-girls?  Never! 

Let  it  not  be  thought,  however,  that  the  Order 
Passeres  has  not  a good  share  of  birds  of  beauti- 
ful plumage.  In  our  own  fields  and  forests,  be- 
hold the  waxwing,  the  oriole,  the  cardinal,  the 
tanager,  the  grosbeak,  the  magpie,  the  jay  and 
the  bobolink.  The  tropics  contain  the  wonder- 
ful birds  of  paradise,  and  a bewildering  array  of 
humming-birds,  cotingas,finches,ground-thrushes 
and  many  others. 

If  the  temperate  zone  lacks  anything  in  perch- 
ing-birds  of  brilliant  plumage,  that  lack  is  more 
than  made  up  by  the  singing-birds.  With  all  its 
wealth  of  bird-life,  brilliant  and  plain,  the  tropics 
are  generally  silent,  and  a joyous  or  musical  bird- 
song is  rarely  heard.  Of  the  bird-cries  that  one 
occasionally  hears,  the  majority  are  harsh  and 
unpleasant  squawks.  The  tropical  day  has 
neither  robin  nor  mocking-bird,  the  night  no 
whippoorwill.  True,  there  is  the  awful  “brain- 


fever  ” bird  of  the  Indian  night,  but  it  is  neither 
musical  nor  joyous.  One  may  spend  months 
in  the  tropics,  both  of  America  and  of  the  Far 
East,  and  in  all  that  time  hear  less  of  real  bird- 
song than  can  be  heard  on  many  an  American 
farm  in  one  day. 

As  might  be  expected  in  a large  Order  of  birds, 
the  food  habits  of  the  perchers  cover  a wide 
variety  of  foods.  The  great  majority  prefer  to 
live  upon  insects,  and  the  young  of  all  species 
are  absolutely  dependent  upon  soft-bodied  in- 
sects, larvae  and  earth-worms.  Many  birds 
are  really  limited  to  insect-food,  and  can  sub- 
sist on  no  other  kind.  Next  in  importance, 
and  for  the  longest  period,  perhaps,  come  seeds 
and  grain,  especially  the  seeds  of  weeds  that  are 
a pest  to  the  farmer.  As  a rule,  fruit  is  taken 
in  its  brief  season  more  as  a dessert  than  as  a staff 
of  life. 

A very  few  species,  like  the  crow,  magpie  and 
jay,  eat  meat  whenever  opportunity  offers  it, 
and  welcome  the  discovery  of  raw  meat  or  eggs. 

The  great  value  of  the  perching-birds  lies  in  the 
enormous  quantities  of  insects  which  they  con- 


THE  THRUSHES 


181 


suine  as  food.'  These  birds  have  been  specially 
developed  by  Nature  to  combat  and  destroy 
the  hordes  of  insects  destructive  to  fruit,  grain 
and  tree  life,  which  otherwise  would  in  a short 
time  increase  to  such  enormous  numbers  that 
no  vegetation  could  withstand  their  attacks. 

To  young  pupils,  the  Order  of  Perching  and 
Singing  Birds  may  at  first  seem  difficult  to  grasp; 
but  in  reality  it  is  not.  A knowledge  of  forty 
birds  will  give  one  a very  good  idea  of  its  various 
Families;  and  any  one  can  learn  about  forty 
birds,  -\fter  this  Order  has  been  mastered,  all 
others  will  be  found  quite  easy.  The  e.xamples 
introduced  have  been  selected  with  great  care, 
and  concerning  those  illustrated,  the  pictures 
will  tell  of  their  forms  and  markings  far  better 
than  wordy  descriptions  could  do. 

THE  THRUSH  FA3IILY. 

T urdidae. 

The  Robin.'^ — .\11  lovers  of  birds  should  agree 
in  placing  this  dear  old  friend  at  the  head  of  the 
list  of  the  birds  of  this  continent.  This  is  be- 
cause it  is  the  highest  avian  type.  It  has  typical 
plumage,  it  flies  well,  it  perches,  it  sings  beauti- 
fully, it  migrates,  and  its  anatomy  is  thoroughly 
representative.  Moreover,  it  quickly  discerns 
a friend  and  protector,  and  it  is  not  driven  away 
by  the  English  sparrow. 

Of  all  our  birds,  the  Robin  comes  the  nearest 
to  being  “folks.”  It  is  always  one  of  the  first 
birds  to  arrive  in  the  spring,  it  remains  all  sum- 
mer, and  it  is  one  of  the  last  to  depart  at  the  ap- 
proach of  winter.  Often  the  late  spring  snows 
catch  it  on  its  early  migration,  and  its  staying 
powers  are  put  to  the  test.  It  is  a good  plan  to 
scatter  food  for  these  early  birds.  Nothing  save 
the  sun  itself  is  more  gladdening  on  a raw  March 
day  than  the  joyous  note  by  which  the  Robin 
announces  the  arrival  of  himself  and  spring. 

Who  is  there  who  can  know  the  Robin  and  not 
love  him?  Few  indeed;  and  those  persons 

' Up  to  190.3  the  Biological  Survey  of  the  P^nited 
States  Department  of  .\griculture  had  published 
twenty  important  bulletins  and  shorter  papers  on 
the  foo<l  habit.s  of  our  birds,  with  especial  reference 
to  the  species  either  most  beneficial  or  most  harm- 
ful to  the  farmer  and  fniit-grower.  \ list  of  those 
now  available,  and  the  terms  on  which  they  are 
procurable,  will  be  furnished  by  the  Department 
upon  application. 

’ Mr-m'la  mi-gra-lo'H-a.  I.ength,  from  end  of 
beak  to  end  of  tail,  9 to  10  inches. 


around  New  York  and  in  some  parts  of  the  South 
who  shoot  Robins  for  food,  are  wholly  unfit  to 
inhabit  the  Robin’s  country,  unless  they  reform.® 

The  Robin  is  one  of  the  sweetest  and  most 
joyous  songsters  I know.  As  well  try  to  describe 
the  glories  of  a sunset  as  to  set  forth  in  words 
the  liquid  melody,  clear  and  sweet,  which  pours 
from  his  throat  when  he  feels  particularly  joy- 
ous. 

Everywhere,  the  Robin  is  a very  sociable  bird, 
and  exceeding  quick  to  distinguish  a friend  from 
a foe.  Give  it  absolute  protection,  and  security 
from  cats,  and  it  will  cheerfully  nest  on  your  win- 
dow-sill. This  is  what  one  actually  did  in  Buffalo, 
under  our  roof, — built  her  nest  on  the  sill  of  an 
upper  window,  close  against  the  glass,  and  reared 
her  brood  there.  We  went  many  times  to  see 


Komx. 


how  she  was  getting  on,  and  she,  knowing  well 
that  glass  is  a barrier,  permitted  us  to  put  our 
faces  within  two  inches  of  her  head. 

In  the  Zoological  Park,  the  Robins  were  the 
first  wild  creatures  to  learn,  in  1900,  that  the 
reign  of  the  poacher  was  over;  and  they  quickly 
told  it  to  the  crows,  and  thrushes,  and  other 
birds.  In  an  eight-foot  pine-tree,  that  was 

® “ In  central  Tennessee  are  large  tracts  of  cedars, 
the  berries  of  which  serve  to  attract  myriads  of 
Robins  in  the  winter.  One  small  hamlet  in  this  dis- 
trict sends  to  market  annually  enough  Robins  to 
return  .S500,  nt  five  cents  per  dozen,  equal  to  120,000 
birds.”  They  are  killed  at  night  by  torchlight,  with 
sticks.  An  officer  of  the  Louisiana  .\udubon  Society 
states  that  a conservative  estimate  of  the  number 
annually  killed  in  Louisiana  for  food  purposes  is  a 
quarter  of  a million  when  they  are  usually  plentiful. 
— William  Butcher,  in  Educational  Leaflet  No.  4,  of 
the  National  Committee  of  .4  udubon  Societies. 


182 


OKDERS  OF  BIRDS— PERC HERS  AND  SINGERS 


planted  six  feet  from  the  edge  of  the  main  walk, 
and  directly  in  front  of  our  head-quarters,  a Rob- 
in built  her  nest,  only  five  feet  from  the  ground ; 
and  there  she  reared  her  young.  To  many  visit- 
ors who  loved  birds,  her  nest  was  shown,  but  to 
the  Robin-killers  and  the  nest-robbers  no  one 
said  a word.  On  Gardiner’s  Island,  where  cats 
live  not,  the  Robins  nest  on  fence-rails  only  two 
feet  from  the  ground,  in  full  view  of  the  bird- 
loving  inhabitants  of  that  small  world. 


WOOD-THRUSH. 


Often  we  have  been  greatly  interested  by  the 
keenness  of  sight  of  the  Robins  which  visit  our 
lawn.  After  every  shower,  certain  Robins  of 
our  acquaintance  take  possession  of  the  lawn, 
and  stride  over  the  grass  with  an  air  of  great 
importance  and  earnestness  of  purpose.  After 
several  wise  and  sidewise  cocks  of  the  head,  a 
Robin  will  suddenly  drive  his  bill  far  down  into 
the  grass,  and  brace  himself  for  a hard  struggle. 
By  dint  of  many  hard  tugs,  out  comes  the  earth- 
worm, to  be  borne  away  in  triumph  to  a certain 
nest.  Often  I have  tried  to  see  worms  down 
among  the  roots  of  the  grass,  as  the  Robins  do, 
but  never  once  have  I succeeded.  Evidently 
my  objectives  never  were  focused  just  right  for 
worms  in  green  grass. 

In  all  save  a very  few  localities  in  North  Amer- 
ica, the  Robins  are  treated  as  friends.  In  the 
“grape  belt”  of  western  New  York,  they  are  a 
great  annoyance  to  some  grape-growers  because 
of  the  bunches  they  disfigure.  Elsewhere  they 
are  of  great  benefit  to  farmers,  and  the  few  cher- 
ries they  take  in  cherry  time  are  very  modest 


compensation  for  the  noxious  grubs  they  pick 
out  of  the  freshly  ploughed  fields. 

The  investigations  of  the  Biological  Survey 
of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  have  demon- 
strated the  great  economic  value  of  the  Robin 
as  a destroyer  of  harmful  insects.  The  contents 
of  three  hundred  and  thirty  stomachs  of  birds 
taken  in  all  seasons  revealed  the  fact  that  in  the 
com-se  of  an  entire  year,  insects  make  up  40 
per  cent  of  the  food  of  Robins,  wild  fruit  43  per 
cent,  cultivated  fruit  8 per  cent,  and  miscel- 
laneous vegetable  food  5 per  cent. 

Regarding  the  killing  of  Robins,  and  other 
song-birds,  and  also  doves,  as  food  for  man  in  a 
land  of  plenty,  there  cannot  be  two  opinions. 
It  is  not  necessary;  it  is  not  “sport”;  it  is  very 
injurious  to  our  farmers  and  fruit-growers,  and 
entirely  reprehensible.  No  self-respecting  boy 
or  man  can  be  guilty  of  such  wrong-doing;  no 
civilizjd  community  should  tolerate  it  for  one 
moment,  and  no  farmer  can  afford  to  permit  it! 
I would  rather  that  any  friend  of  mine  should 
be  caught  stealing  a sheep  than  killing  Robins, 
either  for  food  or  “sport.” 

Let  us  protect  the  great  American  Robin,  and 
all  other  perching-birds,  even  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet  if  it  be  necessary. 

The  Wood-Thrush'  is  one-fifth  smaller  than 
a robin,  and  is  easily  recognized  anywhere  by 
its  beautifully  spotted  breast.  It  has  about 
fifty  dark-brown  spots,  often  arranged  in  rows 
up  and  down  its  breast,  belly  and  throat,  on  a 
creamy-white  ground  color.  Other  thrushes 
have  dark  spots  on  the  breast,  but  not  down  to 
the  legs.  The  head  and  shoulders  of  this  bird 
are  of  a bright  cinnamon  color. 

This  graceful  creature  often  works  overtime 
to  make  the  woods  melodious,  and  it  is  one  of  our 
sweetest  singers.  It  is  not  so  bold  and  confi- 
dent as  the  robin,  and  is  much  given  to  follow- 
ing the  robin’s  lead.  Its  favorite  haunt  is  the 
sweet  seclusion  of  shady  woods  and  thickets, 
where  the  half-bare  earth  affords  good  hunting- 
grounds,  and  a fair  degree  of  safety  from  ob- 
servation. Its  nesting  habits  are  very  much 
like  those  of  the  robin,  and  its  range  includes 
the  whole  eastern  half  of  the  United  States,  to 
the  Great  Plains  beyond  the  Mississippi. 

The  Common  Bluebird.''  — The  United 

' Hy-lo-d'chla  mus-tel-i'na.  Length,  8 inches. 

^ Si-a'li-a  si-a'Ks.  Length,  6.75  inches. 


THE  BLUEBIED 


183 


States  is  a country  of  such  vast  extent  it  is  a 
physical  mosaic  of  different  elevations,  soils,  and 
climates.  Roughly  speaking,  these  are  its  physi- 
cal divisions: 

1.  The  eastern  half,  of  ideal  rainfall,  boun- 
tiful harvests,  and  abundant  shade. 

2.  The  Great  Plains,  fine  for  grazing,  but  mostly 
too  dry  for  agriculture. 

3.  The  Rocky  Mountain  region,  embracing  a 
perfect  medley  of  physical  conditions,  mostly 
high,  rugged,  and  rather  lacking  in  insect-life. 

4.  The  arid  regions,  of  the  country  between 
the  Rockies  and  Sierra  Nevadas,  extending  from 
southern  Washington  to  the  City  of  Mexico,  and 
including  southern  California. 

5.  The  region  of  great  rainfall,  on  the  north- 
western Pacific  coast  (northern  California,  Ore- 
gon and  Washington). 

It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  we  find  typi- 
cal species  of  eastern  animals  developing  west- 
ward into  different  colors,  and  also  different 
ptdagc,  and  designated  scientifically  by  different 
names.  Take  these  examples  by  way  of  illus- 
tration: 

In  the  East  we  have  the  Common  Bluebird. 

In  the  Rockies  we  have  the  Chestnut-Backed 
Bluebird,  and  also  the  Mountain  Bluebird. 

In  .\rizona  we  have  the  Azure  Bluebird. 

In  the  Pacific  states  we  have  the  Western 
Bluebird, 

.\nd  in  Lower  California,  the  San  Pedro  Blue- 
bird. 

Is  it  at  all  necessary  that  the  general  student 
should  know  about  all  these  different  species  in 
order  to  not  be  accounted  ignorant?  Let  us  see. 

Any  sensible  civilized  person  knows  a cow  at 
sight, also  something  of  its  place  in  Nature,  and 
its  habits.  No  one,  however,  save  the  special 
student  of  domestic  cattle,  is  e.xpected  to  be  able 
to  say,  without  “looking  it  up,”  whether  a par- 
ticular cow  is  an  .Alderney,  a .Jensey,  a Short- 
llurn,  a Hereford,  or  a Durham. 

The  ca.se  of  the  Bluebird  is  quite  similar.  He 
who  knows  one  Bluebird  w'ell,  may  justly  claim 
a Isjwing  ac<iuaintance  with  all  the  others,  and 
feel  at  home  when  in  their  company. 

Here  in  the  East,  the  Bluebird  is  a thing  of 
beauty,  and  a joy  until  the  abominable  English 
sparrows  drive  it  away.  It  comes  with  the  robin, 
t‘-  help  chase  winter  away;  and  though  we  have 
heard  it  a hundred  times,  it  is  always  welcome 


news,  late  in  February  or  early  in  March,  to 
hear  some  one  say  triumphantly,  “ I saw  a Blue- 
bird to-day!”  It  is  as  needless  to  describe  this 
feathered  beauty,  with  the  brown  breast,  and 
back  of  heaven’s  bluest  sky-tint,  as  it  would  be 
to  describe  a rainbow. 

Unfortunately,  the  Bluebirds  are  not  good 
fighters,  and  the  English  sparrows  harry  them 
shamefully.  They  are  timid,  and  easily  driven 
away.  Worse  than  this,  they  are  easily  killed 
by  cold  weather.  The  cold  wave  which  visited 
the  South  in  1895  killed  so  many  thousands  of 
Bluebirds,  especially  in  North  Carolina  and  Ar- 
kansas, that  for  some  time  afterward  the  number 
visible  in  the  North  was  alarmingly  small.  If 
not  molested  by  the  English  sparrow,  the  Blue- 


BLUEBIRD. 


bird  takes  readily  to  boxes  erected  on  poles  near 
farm-houses,  similar  to  those  frequently  erected 
by  the  farmer  boys  to  attract  the  purple  marten. 
A good  way  to  encourage  robins  and  Bluebirds  is 
to  kill  the  English  sparrows. 

THE  KINGLET  FAMILY. 

Sylvidae. 

The  Ruby-Crowned  KingleC  is  one  of  our 
smallest  birds,  and  it  is  easily  recognized  by  the 
tiny  tuft  of  ruby-red  feathers  on  the  crown  of  its 
* Reg'u-lus  cal-en-du'la.  Length,  4.25  inches. 


184 


OEDEKS  OP  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


RUBY-CROWNED  KINGLET. 


head.  In  life  it  is  a dainty  little  feathered  gem, 
but  it  is  so  modest  and  retiring  that  it  is  seen 
only  by  sharp  eyes.  “Kinglet”  means  “Little 
King.”  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood  Wright  testifies 
strongly  to  its  value  as  an  insect-destroyer, 
especially  in  the  late  autumn,  when  other  in- 
sectivorous birds  have  gone,  i/hen  it  works  in- 
du.striously  upon  the  trunks  of  evergreens.  Dr. 
Coues  considered  the  Kinglet  an  exquisite  singer, 
but  I must  confess  that  its  vocal  powers  have 
quite  escaped  me. 

THE  NUTHATCH  AND  TITMOUSE 
FAMILY. 

Paridae. 

The  birds  of  this  Family  deserve  to  rank  as 
prime  favorites.  They  remain  with  us  through 
“the  long  and  dreary  winter,”  when  all  save  a 
corporal’s  squad  of  the  grand  army  of  birds  have 
fled  southward,  and  left  us  to  our  fate.  They 
are  exceedingly  industrious,  and  their  efforts 
are  directed  against  insects  of  very  destructive 
habits,  the  tree-borer  and  the  bark-louse.  In 
their  work  they  are  not  continually  “ playing  to 


the  gallery,”  and  telling  people  how  busy  they 
are. 

The  Chickadee,  or  Black -Capped  Tit- 
mouse,' is  one  of  the  dearest  little  fellows  that 
flies.  It  always  reminds  me  of  a forest-elf,  in 
a black  cap  and  a feather  cloak.  Instead  of 
making  a great  show  of  fright,  like  a girl  in  the 
presence  of  a ferocious  mouse,  little  Black-Cap 
perches  on  a tiny  twig  growing  low  down  on  the 
trunk  of  a big  tree,  and  cocks  his  head  at  you, 
while  he  looks  you  over  with  a fraternizing  air. 
His  attitude  and  manner  say  as  plainly  as  Eng- 
lish, “You  are  a good  fellow,  and  I’m  another. 
We  understand  each  other  perfectly,  don’t  we?” 

And  then  his  greeting.  If  you  have  never  be- 
fore had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  him,  he  pipes 
out  cheerily,  “ CHicK-a-dee-dee-dee.' ” Watch 
for  him  the  next  time  you  go  into  the  woods  in 
winter, — a jet-black  cap  with  a white  waistcoat 
below  it;  a black  necktie,  bluish-gray  overcoat, 
and  a very  pert  and  saucy  air.  You  can  hardly 
fail  to  recognize  him,  but  in  case  you  hesitate, 
and  think  his  “face  is  familiar,”  he  will  up  and 
tell  you  his  name,  as  plainly  as  print. 


CHICK.VDEE. 

* Pa'rus  at-ri-cap'il-lus.  Length,  5.25  inches. 


THE  NUTHATCH,  CHICKADEE  AND  CREEPER 


185 


Six  well-marked  types  and  several  races  of 
Chickadees  inhabit  North  America  from  Alaska 
to  Mexico,  but  the  one  most  widely  known  is  that 
just  named. 

The  White-Breasted  Nuthatch'  deserves 
the  most  perfect  protection  and  encouragement 
that  the  people  of  this  country  know  how  to 
offer.  One  good  look  at  this  bird  on  the  trunk 
of  a valuable  tree,  searching  as  if  with  a magnify- 
ing glass  for  the  trees’  deadly  enemies, — the 
borers, — ought  to  convert  any  person  to  the  cause 
of  bird-protection.  Like  the  chickadee,  the 
Nuthatch  remains  in  the  north  all  winter,  be- 
cause he  feels  that  he  has  not  a moment  to  lose 
in  his  war  on  the  borers. 

The  tree-trunks  are  his  favorite  hunting- 
ground,  and  he  goes  over  them,  literally  inch  by 
inch.  He  becomes  so  absorbed  in  his  work  that 
he  forgets  all  about  himself,  and  works  half  the 
time  head  downward,  or  oblique,  or  horizontal, 
as  it  may  happen  to  be.  Rarely  does  he  stop 
to  talk,  and  even  then  he  only  clucks  in  his  throat, 
“ not  necessarily  for  publication,  but  as  a guar- 
antee of  good  faith.” 

Often  in  the  silent  and  snowy  woods,  when 
your  feet  go  rip!  rip!  rip!  through  the  frozen 
crust,  you  hear  close  overhead  a scratching,  dig- 
ging sound,  as  of  some  one  gouging  into  rough 
bark  with  a pocket-knife.  Look  up,  and  it  will 
be  a Nuthatch,  working  away  as  if  his  job  de- 
pended upon  the  doing  of  a daily  stint.  He 
thinks  that  in  his  case  it  is  the  late  bird  that 
catches  the  worm!  His  beak  is  like  that  of  a 
small  woodpecker,  and  although  his  friend  the 
chickadee  has  more  st}'le  than  he,  he  himself  is 
much  lietter  fitted  for  digging  in  bark.  The  top 
of  his  head  is  black,  his  sides,  throat  and  breast 
are  pure  white,  while  his  back  is  dull  blue,  or 
gray-blue.  .\s  a climber,  this  bird  surpasses 
the  woodpecker,  because  in  clinging  to  a tree- 
trunk  it  makes  no  use  of  its  tail. 

Nuthatches  are  easily  encouraged  to  make 
your  trees  their  head-<iuartcrs.  In  December, 
nail  to  a tree-trunk  here  and  there,  about  twelve 
feet  from  the  ground,  some  lumps  of  suet,  or  fat 
jwrk  on  the  rind,  or  beef  bones  with  a little  raw 
meat  upon  them,  and  see  how  quickly  the  birds 
find  them  out.  The  “winter  residents”  will 
feast  upon  them  until  the  last  morsel  has  disap- 
l>eared,  and  they  will  appreciate  your  thought- 
' Sit' la  carolinetusis.  Length,  about  G inches. 


fulness  thus  displayed  precisely  when  tree- 
borers  burrow  deepest,  and  are  most  difficult 
to  get  at. 

THE  TREE-CREEPER  FAMILY. 

Certhiidae. 

The  Brown  Creeper^  represents  a small  Fam- 
ily of  small  birds  of  tree-climbing  habits,  but 
with  bills  that  are  rather  too  slender  for  work  in 
bark.  They  are  not  fitted  by  nature  for  digging 
a modest  and  retiring  borer  from  the  bottom  of 
his  tunnel,  and  therefore  they  make  a specialty 
of  bark-lice  and  other  surface  wood-workers 
which  can  be  picked  off  without  hard  digging. 

As  an  example  of  protective  coloration,  this 


WHITE-BKEASTEU  NUTH.VTCH. 

little  creature  is  worthy  of  special  note.  Its 
back  is  brown,  marked  by  about  twelve  broad 
stripes  of  dull  gray,  and  between  the  two  colors 
the  striations  of  bark  are  surprisingly  well  imi- 
tated. On  the  side  of  an  oak,  or  elm,  or  chest- 
nut, this  little  bird  is  almost  invisible  until  it 
moves.  It  does  not  work  head  downward,  like 
the  nuthatch,  but  creeps  about  with  its  head  up, 
braced  by  its  tail,  like  a woodpecker.  Like 

’ Cer'lhi-a  ja-mil-i-ar' is  amcricanus.  Length,  5i 
inches. 


186 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


both  the  preceding  species,  it  is  a winter  resident, 
and  in  fact  is  not  much  in  evidence  at  any  other 
season.  The  four  species  of  this  group  cover  the 
United  States,  and  extend  from  Alaska  to  Guate- 
mala. 

THE  WRENS  AND  CAT-BIRDS. 

Troglodytidae. 

In  some  respects,  the  wrens  are  but  a short 
step  from  the  tree-creepers,  but  in  others  they 
are  widely  apart.  For  its  size  the  House-Wren* 


BROWN  CREEPER. 


is  the  most  pert  and  saucy  bird  in  North  Amer- 
ica. Forty  years  ago,  a pair  of  these  merry  little 
sprites  took  up  their  abode  in  the  wild  fastnesses 
of  the  grape-arbor  that  sheltered  our  well;  and 
I can  hear  their  shrill  chatter  yet.  It  was  like  the 
piping  of  a piccolo.  For  eight  years,  they  and 
their  children  and  grandchildren  possessed  the 
outskirts  of  our  dwelling,  and  it  was  a great  day 
w’hen  we  discovered  a beautiful,  feather-lined 
nest,  nearly  six  inches  deep,  that  the  Wrens  had 
built  in  an  old-fashioned  lantern  that  hung  in  the 
wood-house.  I wish  it  were  possible  to  have 

* Tro-glo-dy'tes  ae'don.  Length,  4.75  to  5.25 
inches. 


Wrens  around  a city  dwelling,  or  in  a Zoological 
Park. 

A Wren  is  known  by  the  way  it  carries  its 
tail,  so  very  straight  up  in  the  air  that  sometimes 
it  tilts  forward.  The  House-Wren  is  the  most 
sociable  of  all  our  wild  birds,  and  also  the  one 
most  confident  of  its  place  in  the  hearts  of  its 
countrymen.  I never  knew  of  a Wren  being 
killed  by  any  one  save  a collector  of  bird-skins. 
As  for  myself,  I would  go  Wrenless  forever  rather 
than  take  the  life  of  a creature  so  winsome  and 
trustful.  Even  the  cats  of  our  household  used 
to  respect  the  family  Wrens.  In  the  country, 
where  there  are  no  English  sparrows,  it  is  easy 
to  attract  these  interesting  birds  by  putting  up 
nesting-boxes  for  them.  Five  species  of  Wrens 
occupy  the  United  States,  from  ocean  to  ocean, 
the  Pacific  species,  west  of  the  Rockies,  being  the 
Tule  Wren. 

The  Brown  Thrasher.^  — Vocally,  this 
bird  is  practically  the  northern  understudy  of 
the  mocking-bird.  When,  after  a warm  spring 
shower  and  a sudden  burst  of  sunshine,  an  able- 
bodied  Brown  Thrasher  perches  on  the  tip-top 
of  a red-haw  bush,  and  for  fifteen  minutes  pours 
forth  a steady  stream  of  delicious  melody,  in  be- 
wildering variations,  one  is  tempted  to  declare 
that  no  mocking-bird  can  surpass  it.  It  is  sim- 
ply indescribable.  Often 'when  sadly  toiling  in 
the  Iowa  fields,  I have  been  stopped  and  held  by 
this  feathered  spellbinder  for  what  seemed  to  my 
brothers  like  very  long  intervals. 

In  form  this  bird  is  very  much  like  the  mock- 
ing-bird, but  its  back  is  colored  a rich  iron-rust 
brown,  and  its  under  surface  is  dull  white,  strongly 
spotted  with  large,  triangular  brown  spots.  Its 
home  is  the  whole  of  the  United  States  east  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  it  is  the  sweetest 
singer  of  the  North.  Unfortunately,  its  song- 
period  is  rather  short,  and  terminates  about  the 
end  of  June. 

The  Cat-Bird*’  of  the  North  bears  a strong 
resemblance  to  the  mocking-bird,  in  form,  color 
and  movement.  It  is  also  a good  singer,  though 
hardly  in  the  same  class  as  its  southern  relative. 
It  is  very  sociable  in  its  habits,  and  loves  the 
orchards,  gardens,  fruit-trees,  and  berry-bushes 
of  the  country  dweller.  Its  name  is  derived 
from  its  favorite  exclamatory  cry,  which  sounds 

* Har-po-rhyn'chus  ni'fus.  Length,  11.25  indies. 

^ Gal-e-os-cop' tes  carolinensis.  Length,  8.75  inches. 


THE  MOCKING-BIED 


187 


HOUSE-WREN. 

like  the  plaintive  mew  of  a half-grown  kitten. 
Its  prevailing  color  is  dark,  slaty  gray. 

The  >Iocking-Birdd  of  the  states  south  of 
the  Ohio  River,  is  a singing  wonder.  It  is  a 
little  bundle  of  nerves,  covered  with  modest  drab 
feathers,  and  its  throat  is  tuned  up  to  concert 
pitch.  When  it  is  silent,  it  can  be  recognized 
by  its  slender  body,  long  legs  and  long  tail;  but 
when  it  is  singing,  only  a deaf  man  needs  an  in- 
troduction. This  bird  can  also  be  recognized 
by  its  nervous  and  irregular  movements,  hopping 
and  darting  about,  up,  down  and  sidewise.  If 
the  Mocker  feels  well,  he  sings  as  he  darts  about, 
as  jerkily  and  impulsively  as  he  moves. 

The  Mocking-Bird  loves  to  sing  almost  as  well 
as  .some  persons  love  to  hear  him.  His  typical 
song  is  a lx?wildering  medley  of  warbling,  chirp- 
ing and  twittering,  many  passages  being  very 
clever  imitations  of  other  birds,  but  the  majority 
of  it  is  improvised  for  the  occasion.  Next  to 
* Mi'mus  pol-y-glot'tos.  Length,  about  10  inches. 


the  marvellous  variety  of  his  vocal  exercises  is 
the  clearness  and  sweetness  of  his  notes;  for  this 
singer  never  sharps  nor  flats.  The  amount  and 
variety  of  the  melody  that  comes  from  that  in- 
significant little  gray  midget  in  feathers  are  truly 
marvellous.  Every  person  who  has  heard  the 
free,  wild  bird  performing  in  its  home  thicket 
knows  that  the  singing  of  caged  specimens  is  but 
a spiritless  imitation  of  the  wild  song. 

Strange  to  say,  this  bird  not  only  sings  in  the 
daytime,  but  there  are  periods,  especially  during 
the  breeding  season,  when  the  male  sings  at 
night. 

As  usual,  man’s  destructiveness  reaches  out  for 
this  the  greatest  of  all  American  singers  Thou- 
sands of  nestlings  are  caged,  the  majority  of  them 
in  Louisiana.  Those  that  do  not  die  in  the  proc- 
ess pf  rearing,  live  for  brief  periods  in  wretched 
little  12  by  14-inch  cages,  and  die  without  having 
known  one  happy,  joyous  hour.  It  is  reported 
that  in  most  portions  of  the  South,  the  Mocking- 
Birds  are  rapidly  decreasing  in  number,  espe- 
cially in  Arkansas.  The  killing  of  a bird  of  this 
species,  on  any  prete.xt,  should  be  made  a penal 
offence. 

THE  DIPPER  FAMILY. 

Cinclidae. 

The  Water-Ouzel,  or  Dipper,^  is  one  of  the 

most  remarkable  little  birds  on  this  continent. 


C.\T-BIRD. 

It  is  a genuine  water-elf,  and  the  things  it  can 
do  are  almost  beyond  belief.  I first  saw  it  in  late 
^ Cin'clus  mex-i-can'us.  Length,  about  8 inches. 


188 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


November,  on  the  strip  of  ice  which  fringed  the 
edge  of  the  roaring,  swirling,  icy-cold  water  which 
plunges  into  the  Shoshone  Canyon  at  the  forks 
of  the  Shoshone  River.  Man  or  beast  stepping 
into  that  foaming  torrent  would  have  been 
crushed  against  the  rocks,  and  drowned  at  the 


same  moment, — two  deaths  in  one.  In  that 
grim  and  terrible  solitude,  fast  in  the  embrace 
of  early  winter,  we  saw  on  the  snow-white  brink 
of  the  ice-bank  a tiny  dark  object,  which  closer 
inspection  revealed  to  be  a bird.  It  looked  like 
a large  gray  wren. 

As  we  paused  to  regard  it,  it  blithely  flew 
down  into  mid-stream,  and  dived  head  foremost 
into  a chilly  wave  that  ran  ten  miles  an  hour. 
An  instant  later  it  reappeared,  all  unruffled  and 
unwet,  blithely  flew  back  to  the  edge  of  the  ice, 
and  alighted  once  more.  Then  we  knew  well 
what  it  was ; for  it  could  be  nothing  else  than  the 
Water-Ouzel.  Afterward,  we  saw  others  along 
the  line  of  the  Denver  & Rio  Grande  Railway 
where  it  winds  its  way  through  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. Where  the  walls  of  the  Royal  Gorge  al- 
most crowd  the  train  into  the  Arkansas  River 
is  a good  place  to  watch  for  them. 

This  bird  is  a diving  thrush!  Nature  has 


fitted  it  to  dive  boldly  into  the  coldest  and  most 
turbulent  water,  or  through  a water-fall,  and 
even  to  walk  on  the  bottom  of  a still  pool,  with- 
out being  at  all  disturbed.  Both  in  form  and 
size  this  little  creature  is  like  a large  wren,  but 
it  is  so  peculiar  it  occupies  a genus  quite  alone. 
Of  course  it  is  not  web-footed;  and  in  appear- 
ance it  exhibits  not  one  feature  suggestive  of  a 
semi-aquatic  life.  Its  home  is  along  the  foam- 
ing torrents  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  Sierra 
Nevadas,  from  Alaska  to  Guatemala.  It  nests 
close  beside  swift-running  streams,  sometimes 
be.side  or  even  behind  a cascade.  It  is  known 
that  this  strange  bird  gives  forth  a song  both 
clear  and  sweet,  but  I have  never  seen  one  else- 
where than  near  a roaring  torrent,  where  no  or- 
dinary bird-song  could  be  heard. 

THE  WARBLER  FAMILY. 

Mniotiltidae. 

From  the  middle  of  April  to  the  middle  of 
September,  the  woods  and  thickets  of  the  north- 
ern states  are  inhabited  by  a very  considerable 
number  of  tiny  bird-forms.  They  are  trim- 
built  little  creatures,  quiet  and  business-like, 
and  they  take  themselves  very  seriously.  A 
few  of  them  are  clad  in  refined  shades  of  yellow, 
but — most  fortunately — the  great  majority  wear 
dull  olive,  gray  or  brown  colors,  and  thereby 
escape  the  hostile  attention  that  bright  plumage 
always  attracts. 

These  are  the  warblers,  grand  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  insects,  but  the  most  elusive  and  difficult 
little  creatures  with  w'hich  bird-students  have  to 
deal. 

The  difficulty  lies  in  studying  them  effectively 
without  killing  them.  As  for  myself,  I have  not 
yet  seen  the  day  wherein  I could  find  myself 
willing  to  slaughter  from  five  hundred  to  a thou- 
sand of  these  exquisite  little  creatures  for  the  sake 
of  becoming  sufficiently  acquainted  witli  them 
to  name  them  when  they  are  dead!  I blush 
not  in  admitting  that  I have  gone  half  way 
through  life  knowing  less  than  a score  of  war- 
blers to  the  point  of  naming  them,  accurately,  as 
they  fly  before  me.  My  exhortation  to  all  young 
people  is — do  not  slaughter  birds,  of  any  kind, 
merely  to  beeome  acquainted  with  their  names. 
Some  of  the  wild  flowers  can  endure  that  method 
without  extermination,  but  the  wild  birds  and 
mammals  cannot. 


THE  WAEBLERS 


189 


It  is  not  at  all  essential  that  such  tiny,  incon- 
spicuous creatures  as  warblers  should  be  recog- 
nized and  correctly  named  at  sight.  Already 
a million  warblers  have  died  to  make  holi- 
days for  collectors.  Not  long  since  I received 
from  an  egg-dealer  a circular  advertising  the 
following  eggs  for  sale: 

Worm-Eating  Warbler.  ...  84  sets,  416  eggs. 

Yellow  Warbler 94  “ 388  “ 

Oven-Bird 105  “ 458  “ 

Yellow-Breasted  Chat 139  “ 521  “ 

Kentucky  Warbler 210  “ 917  “ 

Total  for  51  species.  . 1,274  sets,  5,433  eggs. 

It  is  such  wanton  destruction  as  this  which 
makes  me  “down”  on  egg-collecting.  It  is  safe 
to  .say  that  the  taking  of  those  5,433  warbler 
eggs,  robbed  the  farms  and  forests  of  New  York 
state  of  that  number  of  useful  birds,  not  count- 
ing possible  progeny,  and  did  not  one  dollar’s 
worth  of  good  to  the  “cause  of  science,”  or  any 
other  public  interest.  Already,  poor  “Science” 
has  an  awful  load  of  crimes  against  Nature  to 
answer  for.  Do  not  add  to  it  without  very  strong 
justification. 

The  members  of  the  Warbler  Family,  commonly 
called  wood  warblers,  are  distributed  all  over 
North  .\merica,  wherever  insects  abound,  from 
the  southern  edge  of  the  arctic  Barren  Grounds 
to  southern  Mexico.  In  her  very  scholarly  and 
useful  book  entitled  “ Birds  of  the  Western  United 
States,”  Mrs.  Florence  Merriam  Bailey  enumer- 
ates forty  species;  and  Mr.  Frank  M.  Chapman, 
in  his  “ Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,”  gives 
fifty-two.  Of  these,  however,  twenty-one  arc 
duplicated,  and  therefore  the  whole  number  of 
warblers  described  in  the  two  handbooks  is 
seventy-one.  When  we  consider  the  fact  that 
alx)ut  sixty  of  those  species  are  very  small  bird.s, 
of  uniform  size,  and  many  of  them  quite  un- 
marked by  striking  special  colors,  the  diffi- 
culty of  becoming  acciuaintcd  with  the  different 
si)ecics  will  begin  to  appear.  For  present  pur- 
poses, the  whole  Family  can  be  verj’  fairlj'  rep- 
resented by  three  species.  Two  of  them  arc  of 
universal  distribution,  and  the  third  (the  chat) 
is  nearly  so. 

The  Yellow  Warbler,  or  Summer  Yellow- 
bird,'  is  chosen  as  the  type  of  about  si.xty  species 
' Den-dro' i-ca  aex'ti-ra.  Length,  5 inches. 


of  small  wood  warblers  each  of  which  is  called 
“Warbler”  with  a descriptive  name  prefixed, 
such  as  palm  warbler,  prairie  warbler,  Calaveras 
warbler,  etc.  It  is  of  a bright,  greenish-yellow 
color,  and  is  easily  recognized  on  the  wing.  On 
the  Western  prairie  farms,  the  boys  call  it  a “ Wild 
Canary,”  because  it  strongly  resembles  the  orange 
yellow  phases  of  that  popular  cage-bird.  As  if 
courting  acquaintance  with  man,  it  loves  to  fre- 
quent the  roadside  thickets,  the  edges  of  woods, 
and  even  the  orchard  and  garden. 

The  beauty  of  this  bird  far  surpasses  its  min- 
strelsy, for  it  is  but  an  indifferent  singer.  The 
fact  is,  however,  that  it  has  so  much  work  to  do 
in  catching  insects  it  has  little  time  for  music; 
for  it  will  be  noticed  throughout  the  bird-world 
that  the  most  diligent  insect-catchers  are  not 
in  the  habit  of  singing  over  their  work.  This 
is  due  to  the  same  reason  that  a good  deer-hunter 
does  not  talk  and  tell  stories  while  following  a 
trail. 

The  Yellow  Warbler  ranges  from  the  Atlantic 


YELLOW  W.\.RBLER. 

to  the  Pacific,  and  over  practically  the  whole 
of  North  America  save  the  arctic  barrens,  Alas- 
ka, and  our  arid  southwestern  states.  Mrs. 
Mabel  Osgood  Wright  says  “it  is  one  of  the  par- 
ticular victims  which  the  cow  blackbird  selects 
to  foster  its  random  eggs,  but  the  Warbler  puts 
its  intelligence  effectively  to  work,  and  some- 


190 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— PERCIIERS  AND  SINGERS 


times  builds  a floor  over  the  unwelcome  egg.” 
{Birdcraft,  p.  95.) 

The  Yellow-Breasted  Chat^  is  much  larger 
than  the  typical  wood  warblers,  being  7\  inches 
long  to  their  5 or  5^  inches.  It  has  an  olive-green 
back  and  a sulphur-yellow  breast  and  throat, 
with  a white  line  extending  from  its  beak  above 
and  around  its  eye.  By  these  colors,  and  its 


RED-EYED  VIREO. 


erect  tail,  it  may  easily  be  recognized.  It  is  a 
very  pert  and  saucy  bird,  and  much  given  to 
frequenting  the  haunts  of  country  dwellers. 

The  Chat  is  not  a great  singer.  He  has  no 
regular  song,  and  the  notes  he  utters  are  jerky, 
erratic  and  elusive.  Its  voice  has  some  peculiar 
quality  which  renders  this  bird  very  difficult  to 
locate  by  sound  alone.  Many  times  I have  been 
completely  misled  by  its  call  notes  coming  from 
a thicket,  and  finally  found  the  bird  yards  away 
from  the  spot  whence  its  go-as-you-please  voice 
seemed  to  come. 

“A  Chat  courtship,”  says  Mr.  A.  C.  Webb,  in 
“Some  Birds,  and  their  Ways,”  “ is  a sight  never 
to  be  forgotten.  In  the  spring,  when  birds  begin 
housekeeping,  the  male  Chat  charms  himself 
and  his  mate  by  some  remarkable  performances 
in  the  air.  Launching  himself  from  the  top  of 
some  tall  tree,  he  flutters  from  side  to  side,  flirts 
his  tail,  stops,  stands  on  his  head,  dangles  his 
’ Ic-te'ria  vi'rens.  Length,  7.25  inches. 


legs  as  if  they  were  broken,  turns  somersaults, 
and  makes  a monkey  of  himself  generally,  as  he 
descends  to  the  thicket  below,  where  his  mate 
is  perched  among  the  briers.  Sometimes  he 
starts  from  the  low  bushes  and  rises  almost 
straight  up  into  the  air  until  he  is  above  the  tree- 
tops.  He  chatters  and  screams  as  he  goes,  telling 
her  to  watch  him  now  as  he  comes  down,  and  see 
if  in  all  her  life  she  ever  saw  a bird  that  could 
do  such  wonderful  feats.  No  doubt  to  her 
eyes  he  is  the  picture  of  grace  and  elegance  as  he 
performs  on  his  flying  trapeze,  but  to  us  his  clown- 
like antics  seem  ridiculous.” 

The  Chat  of  the  East  is  represented  in  the  far 
West  by  a long-tailed  variety,  and  between  the 
two  their  range  covers  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
United  States,  British  Columbia  and  Mexico. 

The  American  RedstarU  looks  like  a small, 
pinkish-yellow  understudy  of  the  Baltimore 
oriole,  5^  inches  long.  Its  colors  and  color- 
pattern  are  very  similar  to  those  of  our  old  friend 
of  the  elm-trees,  velvety  black  on  the  back  and 
head,  reddish-orange  on  the  sides  and  breast, 
and  white  on  the  belly.  The  tail  is  orange  and 
black,  and  the  colors  are  very  prettily  disposed. 

On  the  whole,  this  bird  has  (in  my  estimation) 
the  most  beautiful  color-pattern  to  be  found  in 
all  our  long  procession  of  warblers  and  ground- 
thrushes.  The  female  is  so  different  in  color  it 
is  at  first  difficult  to  believe  her  of  the  same  spe- 
cies. Her  body-colors  are  brownish-olive  above 
with  sides  of  pale  yellow,  and  the  head  is  gray 
instead  of  black. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  to  be  looked  for  all  over 
North  America  from  Labrador  and  Fort  Simp- 
son to  northern  South  America.  In  the  North 
it  arrives  in  May,  and  abides  until  September. 

The  Water-Thrushes. — Beginners  in  bird- 
study  are  warned  to  note  the  fact  that  in  the 
Warbler  Family  are  several  birds  called  “Water- 
Thrushes,”  which  do  not  belong  to  the  Thrush 
Family.  It  is  a pity  that  they  have  not  been 
distinguished  by  some  other  name.  There  are 
two  species,  the  Common  Water-Thrush, •* 
and  the  Louisiana  Water-Thrush,^  the  first  a 
northern,  the  latter  a southern  bird.  Both  live 
in  the  dark  recesses  of  virgin  forests,  where  clear 
brooks  gurgle  over  mossy  stones,  between  fern- 

^ Se-toph'a-ga  ru-ti-cil'la.  Length,  5.50  inches. 

^ Se-i-ti'rus  no-ve-bo-ra-cen'sis.  Length,  6 inches. 

* S.  mot-a-ciVla. 


THE  VIREOS  AXD  SHRIKES 


191 


covered  banks.  They  are  watchful  and  suspi- 
cious, but  when  flushed  they  do  not  immediately 
fly  beyond  gunshot,  as  nowadays  every  bird 
should  do.  The  Louisiana  Water-Thrush  strong- 
ly resembles  the  wood-thrush,  but  is  one-fourth 
smaller. 

THE  VIREO  FAMILY. 

Vireonidae. 

It  is  quite  difficult  to  point  out  peculiarities 
by  which  the  \’ireos  can  be  distinguished  from 
the  warblers.  They  are  placed  next  to  the 
shrikes  because  of  a supposed  resemblance  to 
those  birds  in  the  shape  of  the  upper  mandi- 
ble— hooked  and  notched.  The  vireos  look 
so  much  like  warblers  that  only  an  expert  can 
flistinguish  them. 

The  Red-Eyed  Vireo*  is  distinguishable  at 
close  range  by  its  red  eye  with  a white  hne  over 
it,  and  the  White-Eyed  Vireo'  also  is  marked 
by  the  white  color  of  its  eyes.  Both  are  fairly 
good  songsters,  and  the  former  is  about  as  “do- 
mestic,” in  its  habit  of  frequenting  the  haunts  of 
man,  as  the  yellow  warbler.  The  former  ranges 
from  New  York  northwestward  across  the  conti- 
nent, the  latter  only  as  far  as  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. 

THE  SHRIKE  FAMILY. 

Lanidae. 

The  Great  Northern  Shrike,  or  Butcher- 
Bird  is  a bird  of  very  striking  personality.  In 
appearance  he  is  a high-headed,  well-dressed 
dandy.  In  disposition,  he  is  to-day  a fierce  lit- 
tle bird  of  prey,  feeding  solely  upon  flesh  food; 
but  to-morrow  he  will  change  into  a modest  in- 
sect-eater. It  seems  very  odd  to  find  a bird  of 
prey  among  the  Perching-Birds. 

The  Butcher-Bird  is  a bird  of  the  North,  breed- 
ing from  Labrador  to  .\laska  and  visiting  the 
I’nited  States  only  in  winter,  when  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  obtain  food  at  home.  The  species 
which  we  find  in  the  United  States  in  summer  is 
the  I.x>ggerhead  Shrike,^  which  closely  resem- 
bles its  northern  relative,  both  in  form  and 
habits. 

In  the  fields,  you  can  easily  recognize  a Shrike 

' Vide-o  ol-i-i’n'ce-us.  Length,  6 inches. 

’ r.  no've-bo'ra-cen'sis.  Length,  5 inches. 

* iM'ni-us  bo-re-al'ia.  Length,  about  10  inches. 

* L.  lu'do-vi'ci-an'm. 


by  his  bluish-gray  back,  and  large  head.  His 
strong,  hooked  beak  has  a notch,  or  tooth,  near 
the  end  of  the  upper  mandible.  He  is  deliber- 
ate and  dignified  in  his  movements,  and  like  the 
true  sportsman  that  he  is,  he  is  happiest  when 
hunting.  He  catches  and  feeds  upon  small 
frogs,  mice,  small  snakes  and  even  birds  (so  it  is 
said),  and  has  the  odd  trick  of  hanging  up, 
impaled  upon  a thorn,  dead  game  which  he  can- 
not eat  as  soon  as  caught.  Once  I saw  a Butcher- 
Bird  seize  a large  field-mouse  out  of  a freshly  up- 
turned furrow,  and  fly  away  with  it,  struggling 
vigorously.  , The  mammal  was  so  large  and 
heavy  it  was  surprising  to  see  the  bird  bear  it 
aw'ay.  Many  times  I have  seen  dried  frogs  hang- 
ing upon  thorns,  where  they  had  been  placed 
when  fresh,  by  Shrikes. 

Every  Shrike  is  a feathered  Jekyll  and  Hyde. 
In  summer  and  autumn,  the  harvest  of  insects 
is  everything  that  could  be  expected.  In  Dr. 
Judd’s  Bulletin  No.  9,  Biological  Survey,  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  the  list  of  groups  of  in- 
sects destroyed  by  the  Loggerhead  Shrike  fills  a 


LOGGERHEAD  SHRIKE. 


page,  and  includes  such  pests  as  caterpillars,  cut- 
worms, canker  - worms,  grasshoppers,  crickets 
and  weevils. 

But  mark  the  winter  and  early  spring  record. 
Thirteen  species  of  small  birds  are  numbered 
among  the  Loggerhead’s  victims,  of  which  five 
are  sparrows,  and  others  are  the  ground-dove, 
chimney-swift.  Bell’s  vireo  and  snow-bunting. 
The  Butcher-Bird  is  known  to  kill  twenty-eight 
species  of  birds,  some  of  them  valuable  insect- 


192 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AXD  SINGERS 


destroyers,  and  none  of  them  to  be  spared  with- 
out loss  except  the  English  sparrow.  On  the 
other  hand,  this  bird  is  a great  destroyer  of  wild 
mice,  which  in  cold  weather  formed  one-fourth 
of  its  entire  food.  The  Loggerhead  also  feeds 
freely  upon  lizards,  snakes,  frogs  and  fish,  when 
they  are  obtainable.  The  Butcher-Bird  is  a 
deadly  enemy  of  the  English  sparrow',  and  kills 
and  eats  them  so  industriously  that  in  Boston 
certain  city  officials  once  felt  called  upon  to  order 
the  Shrikes  to  be  shot. 

The  accompanying  table  is  a very  full  ex- 
position of  the  food  habits  of  the  two  members 
of  the  Shrike  Family  referred  to. 


THE  WAXWING  FAMILY. 

Ampelidae. 

The  Bohemian  Waxvving.' — Once,  on  a cer- 
tain cold  and  bleak  Thanksgiving  spent  on  the 
banks  of  the  Musselshell  River  in  Montana, 
when  the  mercury  stood  at  8°  below  zero  and 
the  face  of  nature  was  a “gray  and  melancholy 
waste,”  a flock  of  birds  settled  in  the  top  of  a 
dead  cedar  that  stood  near  our  camp.  They 
w'ere  like  so  many  exquisite  gems,  found  ready 
cut  and  polished  in  a desert  of  rocks;  and  the 
whole  camp  quickly  turned  out  to  admire  the 
exquisite  creatures  at  short  range. 


Table  showing  Percentages  of  Princip.\l  Elements  of  Food  of  the  Butcher-Bird  and 
Loggerhead  Shrike,  calcul.\ted  by  volume. 


By  Sylvester  D.  Judd,  United  States  Biological  Surv'ey,  Bulletin  No.  9. 


Name. 

a 

H 

oi 

CC 

a 

< 

m 

CQ 

Id 

h 

OS 

Id  OS 

OS  H 
H Id 

t 

0 ^ 

CO 

OS  CO 
< X 

r:  0 

CO 

H 

Id 

Id 

CO 

Id 

.d 

H 

Id 

ta 

02 

Month. 

CO 

U 

< 

6 

H 

n 

u 

H 

a 

< 

33  n 

H Id 

X OS 

CO  O 

CO 

SiS 

os 

Ut 

H 

U 

§ 

(d 

CO 

< G 
K Z 

Q 

CO 

< 

Id  G 

P 

o 

OS 

Id 

X 

Ch 

0 

6 

> 

m 

> 

o < 

is 

o 

o 

o 

'z 

Butcher-Bird  .... 

77 

23 

22 

55 

8 

3 

1 

6 

4 

1 

1 Dec.,  Jan.  and  Feb. 

33 

76 

77 

24 

55 

46 

14 

7 

13 

1 

2 

4 

6 

14 

Butcher-Bird  .... 

23 

31 

9 

1 

3 

5 

3 

2 

-i 

17 

> March  and  April. 

Loggerhead  

20 

80 

9 

9 

9 

24 

9 

4 

11 

14 

18 

16 

Do 

11 

89 

3 

8 

71 

3 

4 

7 

4 

May  and  June 

17 

July,  Aug.  and  Sept. 

Do 

2 

98 

2 

67 

2 

4 

1 

5 

19 

22 

17 

Butcher-Bird  .... 

27 

73 

11 

16 

57 

4 

6 

4 

2 

4 

> October  and  Nov. 

Loggerhead  

10 

90 

10 

50 

5 

7 

3 

13 

12 

19 



Butcher-Bird  . . 

60 

40 

26 

34 

24 

3 

2 

6 

4 

1 

( Average  Oct.  to  April, 
} inclusive 

67 

Loggerhead  . . . 

28 

72 

16 

8 

4 

39 

4 

3 

4 

9 

13 

j .\verage  for  the  w'hole 
( year 

88 

The  Great  Northern  Shrike  is  able  to  sing,  but 
seldom  does  so;  and  many  of  his  friends  think 
he  sings  not  at  all.  In  summer  it  ranges  all  the 
w'ay  to  Cook  Inlet,  Alaska,  and  in  winter  it  mi- 
grates as  far  south  as  Virginia.  In  the  south- 
ern states  it  meets  the  Loggerhead  Shrike,  and 
the  two  species  so  strongly  resemble  each  other 
they  are  like  two  feathered  Dromios. 


I think  that  the  Bohemian  Waxwing,  when 
alive  and  in  perfect  plumage,  is  one  of  the  most 
exquisite  perching-birds  I know.  It  is  not  gor- 
geous or  resplendent;  but  in  dainty  prettiness 
of'  form,  immaculateness  of  plumage,  and  deli- 
cate refinement  in  color-scheme  combined,  it 
has  few'  equals.  The  red  wax-like  tip  on  the 
’ Am-pel'is  gar-ru'lus.  Length,  8 inches. 


THE  WAXWIXGS  AND  SWALLOWS 


193 


BOHEMIAN  WAXWING. 

end  of  each  secondary  feather  gleams  like  a ruby. 
No  jiicture  of  this  bird  ever  can  fairly  portray 
j its  Ix-auties.  The  Cedar  Waxwing  or  Cedar 
I Klrd'  of  the  eastern  United  States  is  but  a fair 
understudy  of  its  more  robust  and  also  more 
beautiful  brother  of  the  Northwest  and  the  far 
North.  .\ny  one  can  instantly  identify  one  of 
thcs<>  birds  by  its  jaunty  top-knot,  and  the  little 
drops  of  vermilion  wax  on  the  tips  of  its  secon- 
daries, eight  on  each  side. 

THE  SWALI/)W  FA.MILY. 

H irundinidae. 

The  mernliers  of  the  Swallow  Family  are  among 
j the  most  sociable  of  our  feathered  friends,  and 
also  the  most  conspicuou.s. 

The  Purple  .Martin-  loves  the  little  house 
atop  of  a tall  pole,  which  the  country  boy  who 
loves  birds  takes  pleasure  in  erecting  for  it. 
Forty  years  ago,  thousands  of  the  prairie  farms 

* .1.  Cf-dro'riim.  I.enuth,  about  7 inches. 

’ 1‘roff' ne  ■•oi'biji.  .\verafie  length,  8 inches. 


of  the  Middle  West  bore  these  tall  monuments 
to  the  love  of  wild  birds  which  is  born  in  every 
right-minded  boy!  And  how  gracefully  the 
glossy-black  Martins  used  to  circle,  and  swoop, 
and  gyrate  about  them.  Sometimes  the  blue- 
birds took  possession  of  the  martin-boxes,  and 
then  George  or  John  was  troubled;  for  having 
designed  and  erected  on  high  a dwelling  espe- 
cially for  the  Martins,  it  seemed  morally  wrong 
that  they  should  be  forestalled,  or  crowded  out. 

And  then  came  Ahab,  the  English  sparrow, 
a homely,  quarrelsome,  low-minded  and  utterly 
uninteresting  little  wretch,  a gutter-rat  among 
birds.  Unless  coerced  with  a shot-gun,  he  steals 
the  nesting-boxes  of  all  other  small  birds,  driv- 
ing before  him  the  Martins,  bluebirds,  and 
many  others  who  used  to  love  our  company.  In 
the  North  the  Purple  Martin  does  not  seem  to 
thrive  away  from  the  haunts  of  man,  and  I be- 
lieve their  great  decrease  in  number  has  been 
due  almust  wdiollyAo  tW  English  sparrow.  It 
is  really  a bird  of  the  Soutji,  but  there  was  a time 
when  it  was  common  in  at  least  some  of  the 
northern  states. 

The  Eave,  or  Cliff  Swallow^  is  still  more 
sociable  than  the  purple  martin,  and  also  more 
enterprising.  With  complete  confidence  in  man’s 


PURPLE  MARTIN. 

good-will  toward  the  bird-world,  it  chooses 
a barn  that  is  big  and  high,  and  prosperous- 
looking,  and  calls  it  home.  From  the  edge  of 
’ Pet-ro-chel' i-don  lu'ni-jrons.  Length,  5|  inches. 


194 


OKDERS  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


the  nearest  pond,  it  brings  pellets  of  mud,  and 
sticks  a lot  of  them  in  a solid  circle,  against  the 
outside  wall  of  the  barn,  and  close  up  under  the 
eaves.  Upon  this,  working  most  industriously 
to  finish  before  previous  layers  have  had  time 
to  dry,  the  cup-shaped  nest  is  built  out,  pellet 
by  pellet.  At  the  last,  the  cup  is  narrowed  down 
to  a tube  barely  large  enough  to  admit  the  bird, 
and  the  opening  thrusts  out  into  the  air,  usually 
tilted  slightly  upward. 

All  the  members  of  a flock  of  Swallows  build 
close  together,  nest  joined  to  nest  very  frequently. 


are  the  Cliff,  Bank  and  Tree  Swallows.  The 
Barn-Sw'allow  can  be  distinguished  from  these 
three  by  its  very  long  and  deeply  forked  tail, 
the  tails  of  all  the  others  being  rather  short. 

THE  TANAGER  FAMILY. 

Tanagridae. 

he  male  Scarlet  Tanager’  is  one  of  the  most 
showy  small  birds  of  our  American  Passeres. 
Excepting  its  wings,  which  are  jet  black,  its  en- 
tire pi  mage  is  of  a clear  scarlet  hue,  as  bright 


CLIFF-SWALLOW  AND  NESTS. 

Nests  under  eaves  of  log  house,  photographed  by  E.  R.  Warren. 


and  thus  depends  a most  interesting  Swallow 
town,  usually  called  a “colony.”  Surely,  any 
one  w'ho  is  not  pleased  and  cheered  by  their 
sweet  chattering  and  chirping  under  the  eaves 
is  “ fit  for  treason,  stratagems  and  spoils.”  Their 
flight  is  poetry  expressed  in  motion.  In  catch- 
ing the  insects  which  constitute  their  food,  they 
love  to  skim  close  to  the  surfaces  of  ponds  and 
streams. 

There  are  three  Swallows  which  so  much  re- 
semble each  other  it  requires  a reference  to  a 
good  handbook  of  birds  to  identify  them.  These 


as  the  brightest  ribbon.  There  is  no  precious 
stone  which  compares  with  it,  for  beside  it  the 
ruby  is  dull.  The  cardinal  grosbeak  is  not  nearly 
so  bright  as  the  male  Tanager. 

Wherever  seen,  the  male  Scarlet  Tanager 
fixes  the  attention  of  the  observer,  and  chal- 
lenges admiration.  It  is  an  early  spring  arrival 
from  the  South,  and  in  Washington,  D.  C.,  I 
have  seen  it  in  the  parks  while  the  trees  were 
yet  leafless.  Some  of  those  which  came  last  year 
to  the  Zoological  Park,  New  York,  felt  so  secure 
' Pi-ran'ga  e-ryth-ro-me'las.  Length,  6.50  inches. 


SCAKLET  TAXAGEK  AXD  SXOW-BUXTIXG 


195 


BARN-SWALLOW. 

Hi-run' do  e-ryih'ro-gas-lra. 

in  our  protection  that  they  permitted  their  ad- 
mirers to  approach  within  ten  feet  of  them. 

The  female  of  this  species  is  widely  different 
in  color  from  the  male,  being  dull  olive-green 
1 above  and  greenish-yellow  below. 

1 THE  FIXCH  AXD  SPARROW  FAMILY. 

Fringillidae. 

This  Family  is  a large  one,  and  it  embraces 
the  perching-birds  with  strong  beaks,  such  as  the 
finches,  sparrows,  snow-birds  and  their  near  rela- 
tives, and  one  group  of  grosbeaks.  By  their 
l)caks  you  shall  know  them, — .short,  and  wide  at 
the  base,  like  the  jaws  of  a pair  of  pliers.  They 
are  made  for  cracking  all  seeds  which  the  owner 
does  not  wish  to  swallow  entire. 

T li  e .\  m e r i c a n 
Cross-bill*  is  a dull-red 
bird  with  brown  wings 
and  tail,  and  its  bill  is 
so  emphatically  crossed 
it  seems  like  a deformity 
which  must  necessarily 
be  fatal  to  a seed-eater.  But  Nature  has  her 
own  odd  ways;  and  it  seems  that  the  scissor 
arrangement  of  this  bird’s  beak  is  to  promote 
the  husking  of  pine  cones,  and  the  cracking  of 
the  .seeds. 

This  is  a bird  of  the  North,  and  in  the  East 
comes  no  farther  south  than  a line  drawn  from 
'Lox'i-a  cur-vi-ros'tra  minor.  Length,  6. .50  inches. 


Colorado  to  Washington,  D.  C.  In  the  West  it 
descends  to  Arizona,  but  everywhere  in  the 
United  States  it  is  only  a winter  visitor.  With 
an  opera-glass  it  is  always  easily  recognized  by 
its  crossed  bill. 

The  American  Goldfinch^  is  a conspicu- 
ously yellow  bird,  though  quite  small.  It  is  a 
plump-bodied,  fluffy  little  bird,  all  sulphur  yel- 
low e.xcept  a circular  black  cap  atop  of  its  head, 
and  black  trimmings  on  its  wings  and  tail.  It 
is  e.xquisitely  pretty,  and,  like  a feathered  co- 
quette, loves  to  pose  on  the  steep  side  of  a tall 
mullen  stalk,  with  no  leaves  about  to  cut  off  the 
admirers’  view.  It  is  sociable,  also,  and  loves 
the  garden,  orchards  and  meadows  of  the  self- 
elected  “lord  of  creation,”  man. 

As  a weed-destroyer,  this  bird  has  few  equals. 
It  makes  a specialty  of  the  seeds  of  members  of 
the  Order  Compositae,  and  is  especially  fond  of 
thistles,  ragweed,  wild  lettuce  and  wild  sun- 
flower. (Sylvester  D.  .ludd.) 

The  Snow-Bunting'*  comes  down  from  the 
far  North,  in  the  dead  of  winter,  when  the  snow 


SCARLET  TANAGER. 
Male  and  female. 


falls  fluffy  and  deep,  and  the  song-birds  of  sum- 
mer are  basking  in  the  sunshine  of  the  South. 
They  do  not  appear  every  winter,  however. 

’ Ax-lrag-a-li'nus  tris'tis.  Length,  5 inches. 

* Pas-ser-i'na  ni-val'is.  Length,  6J  inches. 


196 


ORDEKS  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


AMERICAN  GOLDFINCH. 

They  come  in  flocks  of  from  ten  to  twenty  birds, 
and  settle  in  the  snow  as  if  they  love  it.  But  for 
a few  dark  streaks  on  back  and  wings,  they  are 
the  color  of  snow,  and  generally  have  the  plump 
outlines  which  betoken  good  feeding  and  con- 
tentment. 

When  you  see  this  bird,  remember  that  it 
belongs  to  the  polar  world,  quite  as  much  as  the 
arctic  fox  and  musk-ox,  and  in  summer  it  goes 
to  the  “farthest  north”  on  our  continent. 
Rarely  indeed  does  it  breed  in  even  the  most 
northerly  portions  of  the  United  States,  and 
seldom  enters  a southern  state. 

In  winter  the  food  of  this  pretty  bird  con- 
sists chiefly  of  the  seeds  of  weeds  that  send  tall 
fruit-stalks  above  the  level  of  the  snow.  In  our 
park  grounds,  we  scatter  wheat  for  it,  on  the 


tops  of  granite  ledges  from  which  the  wind  has 
blown  the  snow. 

The  Slate-Colored  Junco,'  often  called  the 
Snow-Bird,  is  also  a bird  of  the  snow-fields;  but 
it  is  a home  product  rather  than  a visitor  from 
the  desolate  Barren  Grounds.  When  seen  on 
snow,  its  slaty-blue  back  makes  it  appear  like 
a dark-colored  bird,  but  underneath  it  is  dull 
white.  Like  the  snow-bunting,  it  goes  in  small 
flocks,  and  in  winter  feeds  chiefly  upon  weed- 
seeds  and  grain.  It  breeds  in  our  northern  states, 
and  in  winter  migrates  southward  almost  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  Altogether,  thirteen  species 
and  varieties  of  Juncos  are  recognized  in  North 
America,  and  they  are  at  home  all  the  way  from 
Alaska  to  Mexico  and  the  Gulf. 

The  Sparrows. — There  was  a time  when  in 
America  it  was  not  only  respectable  but  even 
honorable  to  be  a Sparrow;  but  during  the  past 
ten  years,  the  doings  of  one  alien  .species,  most 
unwisely  introduced  here  have  tended  to  bring 
the  name  into  disrepute.  How  our  native  species 
must  hate  the  interloper!  But  we  protest  that 
our  native  Sparrows  are  as  sweet-voiced  and 
interesting  as  ever  they  were;  and  as  wholesale 
destroyers  of  noxious  weeds,  they  are  unsur- 
passed. After  a careful  investigation  of  the 
quantity  of  weed-seeds  consumed  in  Iowa  by 
the  Tree-Sparrow,^  Professor  F.  E.  L.  Beal 
calculated  the  total  amount  for  one  year  to  be 
1,750,000  pounds,  or  about  875  tons!  Practi- 


SNOW-BUNTING. 

cally  without  exception,  all  our  Sparrows  are 
diligent  consumers  of  the  seeds  of  noxious  weeds. 
If  you  doubt  the  vocal  powers  of  Sparrows  go 

' Jun’co  hy-e-mal'is.  Length,  6 inches. 
^Spi-zel'la  mon-ti-co'la.  Length,  6 inches. 


THE  SPAKROWS 


19 


with  me  to  the  country  roads,  and  listen  for  three 
minutes  to  the  dehcious  melody  that  pours  from 
the  quivering  throat  of  a Song-Sparrow.'  When 
he  feels  well,  he  will  perch  on  the  top  of  a hedge, 
secure  a good  grip  on  a comfortable  twig,  point 
his  beak  skyward  at  an  angle  of  sixty  degrees, 
and  sing  as  if  trying  to  burst  his  little  tlwoat. 
Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood  Wright  justly  calls  him  “the 
darling  among  the  song-birds,’’  and  “the  most 
constant  singer  among  our  northern  birds.  ’ In 
some  localities,  at  least,  they  sing  all  summer  long. 
In  Iowa  I have  heard  them  a thousand  times, 
bravely  piping  and  trilling  in  the  sw'eltering 
heat  of  July  and  August,  when  other  birds  were 
silent,  and  have  been  moved  to  wonder  at  the 
amount  of  energ)"  stored  up  in  their  little  bodies. 

1 think  the  best  way  to  identify  this  bird  is  by 
its  singing.  Pick  out  the  sparrow  in  gray  and 
brown  which  sings  to  surpass  all  others,  and  it 
will  be  a Song-Sparrow.  Its  home  is  the  eastern 
half  of  North  America,  from  northern  Manitoba 
to  .Mexico.  West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  it 
becomes  the  Mountain  Song-Sparrow.  In  the 
southwestern  deserts  it  grows  pale, — to  match 
its  environment, — and  becomes  the  Desert 
Song-Sparrow.  There  arc  thirteen  species  of 
the  Song-Sparrow  genus, — or  at  least  that  num- 
ber have  been  described,  and  Alaska  is  yet  to  be 
heard  from. 

The  White-Throated  Sparrow^  is  the  spe- 
cies which  comes  next  in  general  attractive- 
ness. It  is  a very  pert  and  pretty  bird — for  a 
sparrow,  and  its  oddly  marked  head  is  easily 
identified.  It  wears  a white  goatee  and  a black 
cap,  and  on  the  latter  is  laid  a broad  arrow,  in 
white.  -\  white  line  comes  down  along  the  cen- 
tre line  of  the  head,  and  another  comes  forward 
over  each  eye,  until  the  three  come  together  at 
the  base  of  the  upper  mandible.  The  song  of 
this  bird  is  pleasing,  and  nearly  every  sclf-rc- 
s[»erting  ornithologist  translates  it  into  English 
to  suit  his  or  her  fancy;  but,  to  tell  the  truth, 
the  White-Throat  never  will  win  a prize  as  a 
great  singer. 

The  English  Sparrow.^ — Let  me  dip  my  pen 
in  bin  ■ vitriol  ; for  my  temperature  ri.scs  at  the 
thought  of  writing  the  name.  Daily  we  see 
the  unclean  little  wretches  grubbing  in  the  filth 

' M rl-o-spi’ zn  fa.s-ri-a'ta.  Length,  inches. 

’ Zo-no-tri'rhi-a  al-bi-col'lts.  Length,  fit  inches. 

* Pas'ter  do-mes'li-cus.  Length,  about  6 inches. 


and  microbes  of  the  street,  where  no  American 
bird  will  humble  itself  to  feed.  After  twenty 
years  of  acquaintance,  I am  obliged  to  say  that 
I never  saw  one  catch  a worm,  a caterpillar,  or 
an  insect  of  any  kind.  When  the  elm-trees  are 
loaded  with  tent  caterpillars,  an  English  Spar- 
row will  let  them  crawl  all  over  him,  and  not 
kill  one.  Instead  of  ranging  out  into  the  open 
fields  and  hunting  for  clean  weed-seeds,  this 
bird  revels  in  the  foulest  dirt  of  the  street.  It 
does,  however,  manage  to  eat  the  seeds  of  the 


WHITE-THRO.\TED  SP.\RROW. 

dandelion,  when  the  heads  are  filling,  in  April 
and  l^Iay. 

The  English  Sparrow  is  not  beautiful,  either 
in  form  or  plumage,  and  it  cannot  sing  a note. 
Its  tastes  are  low  and  vulgar.  It  is  cjuarrelsome, 
and  crowds  out  many  other  species  of  small 
perching-birds.  In  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  when 
Mr.  Frank  Bond  killed  all  the  English  Sparrows, 
and  kept  them  killed,  other  perching-birds  flocked 
into  the  city  in  great  numbers,  and  many  spe- 
cies bred  there.  The  more  persistently  these 


198 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


interlopers  are  killed  off,  the  better  for  all  other 
birds.  They  can  be  made  to  serve  well  as  sub- 
jects for  dissection  in  the  school-room,  and  for 
amateur  taxidermists;  and  they  make  excellent 
food  for  captive  hawks,  owls,  small  carnivores, 
and  live  snakes  of  several  species. 

The  introduction  of  this  bird  may  well  serve 
as  a solemn  warning  against  any  further  med- 
dlings with  Nature  on  that  line.  In  the  first 
place,  there  never  existed  the  slightest  reason 


CARDINAL. 


or  need  for  this  importation.  Without  serious 
consideration,  or  consultation  with  the  persons 
most  competent  to  advise,  this  bird  was  im- 
ported and  planted  in  twelve  widely  separated 
localities  in  the  United  States.  To-day  it  is  a 
feathered  nuisance  that  spreads  over  one-half 
the  United  States,  and  excepting  locally  cannot 
be  abated.  Nevertheless,  it  is  within  the  power 
of  western  towns  and  cities  wherein  it  has  not  yet 
gained  a foothold  to  follow  the  example  of  Mr. 
Bond  in  Cheyenne,  and  destroy  every  colony 
that  enters  before  it  has  time  to  breed. 

The  Cardinal,  or  Cardinal  Grosbeak,’  also 
called  the  Cardinal  Redbird,  is  the  pride  of 
the  South.  From  New  Orleans  to  New  York 
it  is  persistently  trapped  and  “limed,” — not  to 
“ keep  ” as  a cage-bird,  but  to  sell  as  such.  Poor, 
unhappy  Cardinal!  How  much  better  its  fate 
’ Car-di-nal'is  car-di-nal'is.  Length,  8.50  inches. 


had  it  been  created  black  instead  of  bright  cardi- 
nal red,  with  no  jaunty  top-knot,  and  no  fatal 
gift  of  song! 

In  a cage  6 by  9 feet,  or  even  4 by  4,  a bird  like 
this  flies  to  and  fro,  and  in  company  with  a dozen 
other  small  birds  finds  life  far  from  dull.  But  if 
you  put  a wild  song-bird  in  a cage  barely  large 
enough  for  a canary,  the  bird  is  wretched,  it  dies 
soon,  and  the  keeping  of  it  is  a sin  against  Nat- 
ure. Excepting  canaries  and  a very  few  other 
species,  if  you  cannot  keep  birds  (and  mam- 
mals, also)  in  big  cages,  do  not  keep  them  at  all ! 
The  way  thousands  of  song-birds  are  caught  in 
some  portions  of  the  South,  to  sell  as  cage-birds, 
is  a sin  and  a shame.  At  this  date.  New  Orleans 
in  particular  has  before  her  an  imperative  duty  in 
breaking  up  this  business.  Children  everywhere 
should  be  taught  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
for  any  one  save  an  expert  bird-man  to  take 
young  song-birds,  and  rear  them  suecessfully. 
Young  insectivorous  birds  require  specially 
compounded  bird-food,  and  it  must  be  given  to 
them  every  hour,  with  small  forceps — a very  tedi- 
ous operation. 

In  the  kindness  of  their  little  hearts,  children 
often  take  young  song-birds  from  the  nest,  cage 
them,  and  try  to  feed  them  on  what  some  little 
folks  like  best — cake  and  cream!  They  might 
as  well  give  them  poison!  For  any  one  ignorant 
of  the  precise  methods  necessary  in  rearing  in- 
sectivorous birds,  to  take  such  birds  from  their 
parents  is  cruelty  and  destruction! 

The  sight  of  a wild  Cardinal  always  compels 
attention.  The  bird  is  not  only  beautiful  in  color, 
but  it  is  aristocratic  in  form  and  manner.  It 
comes  uj)  from  the  South  into  New  York  state, 
and  the  Ohio  River  region,  and  e.xtends  westward 
to  the  edge  of  the  plains  region. 

The  Rose-Breasted  Grosbeak‘s  is,  in  all  re- 
spects save  one,  a very  beautiful  bird.  It  has  a 
big,  clumsy-looking,  conspicuously  white  heak, 
which  almost  spoils  the  whole  bird.  But  the 
pink-sunset  flush  on  the  clear  sky  of  its  breast, 
its  glossy-black  head  and  tail,  and  black-and- 
white  wings,  are  so  beautiful  a combination  they 
lead  one  to  forgive  the  homely  beak.  The  deli- 
cate pink-rose  tint  on  the  breast  renders  the  iden- 
tification of  this  bird  very  easy,  even  at  first 
sight. 

I must  confess  that  I remember  nothing  of 
^ Zam-e-lo'di-a  lu-do-vi-ci-an'a.  Length,  8 inches. 


GROSBEAK  AND  BOBOLINK 


199 


the  Grosbeak’s  song,  and  that  it  made  no  im- 
pression on  me,  even  when  these  birds  were 
around  me.  Certainly  it  is  no  great  singer,  not 
more  than  third-rate,  at  the  best,  or  its  song 
would  be  more  in  evidence.  It  is  celebrated 
as  an  enemy  of  the  potato-bug,  and  it  feeds  om- 
nivorously  upon  other  insects,  buds,  blossoms, 
seeds  and  fruit. 


ROSE-BRE.\STED  GROSBE.\K. 

The  range  of  this  species  is  bounded  by  the 
great  Rocky  Mountain  barrier.  Westward 
thereof  is  found  the  Black- Headed  Grosbeak, 
and  the  arid  lands  of  Texas,  Arizona  and  south- 
ern California  are  inhabited  by  the  Western 
Blue  Grosbeak. 

Tlie  bluest  bird  that  flies  in  North  America 
i."^  the  Indigo  limit iiig,’  a trim  little  craft,  built 
and  rigged  like  a warbler,  and  of  warbler  size. 
Like  the  ocean,  it  is 

“ Deeply,  darkly,  beautifully  l)lue,” 

— not  the  sky-blue  of  the  jay,  but  like  indigo. 
In  the  East  you  cannot  pos.sibly  mistake  it. 
The  deep-blue  bird  of  the  Far  West  is  the  Lazuli 
Bunting,  our  bird’s  nearest  relative. 

' Cy-a'no-spi-za  cy-o'ne-a.  Length,  5.50  inches. 


THE  BLACKBIRD  FAMILY. 

Icteridae. 

This  Family  includes  several  showy  species 
of  birds  which  are  very  much  in  evidence,  and 
quite  generally  known  to  country  dwellers.  Five 
representative  and  very  interesting  species  will 
be  noticed. 

The  Bobolink^  is  a bird  with  two  very  dis- 
tinct characters.  It  has  a name  and  a suit  of 
feathers  for  the  North,  another  suit  and  another 
name  in  the  South;  and  it  has  three  reputa- 
tions. 

When  in  springtime  a certain  jolly  and  vigor- 
ous little  song-bird  comes  up  from  the  South,  he 
puts  on  a dress-suit  of  marvellous  design,  in 
black,  white,  brown  and  gray,  as  shown  on 
page  178.  He  is  then  a regular  swell,  and  his 
name  is  Bobolink.  His  mate,  however,  is  a plain 
little  bird,  clad  in  yellowish-brown,  with  slight 
trimmings  of  yellow  and  white.  They  frequent 
the  marshes  and  low  meadows,  nest  on  the  ground, 
and  rear  from  five  to  seven  young. 

That  accomplished,  the  male  bird  doffs  his 
pretty  spring  suit,  acquires  plumage  like  that 
of  the  female,  and  then  they  go  South.  There 
they  become  Rice-Birds,  and  they  raid  the  rice- 
fields  of  the  southern  states  until  they  grow 
quite  fat.  Next,  enters  the  Man-With-a-Gun; 
and  the  birds  fall  easy  victims.  The  birds  are 
shot  for  two  reasons:  The  rice-planters  find 
them  a nuisance  in  their  fields,  and  many  people 
think  Rice-Birds  are  good  eating. 

Consider  the  “Reed-Bird  on  toast,”  or,  worse 
still,  “on  a skewer.”  It  is  a trifle  too  large  for 
one  mouthful,  but  by  no  means  large  enough  for 
two.  A healthy,  able-bodied  American  at  work 
upon  this  two-ounce  bird  with  a ten-inch  knife 
is  a sad  but  impressive  spectacle.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  it  will  be  long  ere  the  people  of  this 
country  really  have  cause  to  turn  to  this  tiny 
song-bird — or  any  other  song-bird — as  a source  of 
food  with  which  to  satisfy  hunger.  How  can 
any  self-respecting  man  deliberately  order  so 
pusillanimous  a di.sh  as  “Reed-Birds  on  a skewer?” 
There  is  a land  so  populous  and  poor  that  its  peo- 
ple eat  sparrows  because  they  need  them  for  food ; 
but  it  is  far  from  America. 

The  Bobolink  is  really  a very  acceptable  singer, 
’ Dol-i-cho'nyx  o-ry-ziv'o-rus.  Length,  6.75  inches. 


200 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


RED-WINGED  BLACKBIRD. 


and  has  furnished  a theme  for  several  poets,  of 
whom  Bryant  was  the  most  celebrated. 

The  Red-Winged  Blackbird ' is  a bird  that 
delights  my  soul.  No  marsh  or  cat-tail  swamp 
is  complete  without  him.  No  spring  ever  can 
be  perfect  without  his  sweet,  liquid  gurgle — 
“0-ka-lee.”  You  hear  that  flute-like  call  when 
the  sky  is  clear,  the  warm  sunshine  is  flooding 
field  and  stream,  and  you  are  glad  that  you  are 
alive. 

The  jet-black  plumage  of  this  bird,  with  epau- 
lettes of  scarlet  and  white,  make  a brave  show 
among  the  dull  green  blades  of  the  cat-tails. 
As  a rule,  bird-songs  translated  into  English  do 
not  appeal  to  me  very  strongly;  but  the  Red- 
Wing  does  say  “0-ka-lee”  to  perfection! 

The  typical  Red-Wing  is  an  eastern  bird,  but 
its  half-dozen  subspecies  are  so  well  dispersed 
throughout  the  United  States  that  almost  every 
region  possesses  one. 

The  Yellow-Headed  Blackbird  ^ is  a very 
conspicuous  species  throughout  the  West,  from 
Indiana  almost  to  the  Pacific.  Its  entire  head, 
neck  and  breast  are  of  a dull-yellow  color,  but 
elsewhere  it  is  wholly  black,  save  a white  patch 
on  the  wing.  In  Montana  it  is  very  common  in 
summer. 

The  Meadow-Lark  ^ is  one  of  the  most  trust- 
ful and  sociable  of  our  birds.  As  its  name  im- 
plies, it  is  partial  to  open  grass-lands,  and  its  fa- 

‘ Ag-e-lai'us  phoe-ni' ci-us . Length,  9 inches. 

^ With  an  apology  to  the  reader,  it  is  stated  that 
the  Latin  name  of  this  bird  is  Xan-tho-ceph'a-liis 
xan-tho-ceph'a-lus : and  its  length  is  about  9 inches. 

^ Stur-neV la  mag'na.  Length,  about  10  inches. 


vorite  hunting-grounds  are  the  bits  of  waste 
land  in  sloughs  (called  “slews”  in  the  West), 
that  are  full  of  low  weeds.  This  bird  does  not 
like  tall  grass  or  weeds,  for  it  is  very  curious  to 
know  all  that  is  going  on  in  the  world  about  it. 
It  is  an  indifferent  flyer, — slow  and  short, — and 
manifests  a decided  preference  for  the  haunts  of 
man. 

The  Lark  contributes  much  to  the  pleasures 
of  life  on  a farm.  Its  bright-yellow  breast  and 
throat,  with  a jet-black  neck-scarf,  are  as  cheer- 
ful as  an  April  sunburst.  The  long,  conical  beak, 
rather  long  legs  and  erect  carriage  of  this  bird 
give  him  an  air  of  cheerful  confidence  which 
says  to  you,  “I’m  a good  fellow,  and  you're  an- 
other!” His  song  is  nothing  to  boast  of,  but 
he  always  pipes  up  cheerfully,  and  does  the  best 
he  can.  I always  liked  this  bird,  and  count  him 
as  one  of  the  dear  friends  of  my  boyhood.  To 
me,  his  plumage  is  beautiful,  especially  when 
seen  on  a fresh,  dewy  morning,  when  the  sun  is 
newly  risen,  and  the  song-birds  are  greeting  the 
new  day. 

According  to  the  investigations  of  the  Biologi- 
cal Survey,  the  Meadow-Lark  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  of  all  birds  that  frequent  farming  re- 


MEADOW-LARK. 


BLACKBIRDS,  LARKS  AND  ORIOLES 


201 


gions.  Throughout  the  year,  insects  make  up 
73  per  cent  of  its  food,  grain,  5 per  cent,  and 
weed-seeds,  12  per  cent.  During  the  insect  sea- 
son, insects  constitute  over  90  per  cent  of  this 
bird’s  food  supply.  As  a destroyer  of  insects 
and  weeds,  this  bird  is  entitled  to  the  most  per- 
fect protection  that  laws  and  public  sentiment 
combined  can  afford. 

In  Montana,  the  Western  Meadow-Lark  ‘ 
quite  wearied  me  by  the  tiresome  iteration,  day 
after  day,  of  its  one  short,  seven-word  song.  This 
was  it: 


As  our  “outfit”  pulled  over  the  smoothly 
shaven  Missouri- Yellowstone  divide,  in  the 
month  of  May,  I think  we  heard  that  song  re- 
peated a thousand  times,  or  less;  and  when 
the  wind  blew  hard  for  five  long  days  without  in- 
termission, even  that  cheerful  welcome  at  last 
became  irritating. 

The  eastern  Meadow-Lark  inhabits  the  east- 
ern half  of  the  United  States,  and  the  western 
si>ecies  begins  at  the  western  edge  of  Iowa  and 
Missouri;  but  neither  of  them  belongs  to  the  Lark 
Family! 

The  Baltimore  Oriole,’  or  Hang-Xest,  has 
beautiful  plumage  of  orange  and  black,  a very 
pleasing  song,  good  habits,  and  therefore  is  one 
of  our  feathered  favorites.  Either  when  perch- 
ing or  on  the  wing,  it  is  a very  graceful  bird.  It 
is  the  most  skilful  builder  in  North  America, 
and  constructs  a strong  and  durable  hanging 
nest  which  is  a marvel  of  intelligent  and  skilful 
effort.  The  Oriole  does  not  believe  in  ha\ing 
boys  make  collections  of  Oriole  eggs.  The  out- 
ermost branches  of  a very  tall  and  very  drooping 
elm  are  particularly  suited  to  its  views  of  an  ideal 
building  site. 

I The  nest  of  this  Oriole  is  bound  to  create  in 
1 the  mind  of  any  one  who  examines  it  attentively 
I a high  degree  of  admiration  for  the  mental  ca- 
j pacity  of  its  builder.  Its  superstructure  is  com- 
I posed  very  largely  of  long,  spring-like  horse- 
1 hairs,  so  tightly  woven  together  that  even  when 
I the  end  of  a hair  waves  freely  in  the  air,  it  is  im- 

I ' Slumdla  neglecta.  Average  length,  about  9.50 
inches. 

’ Idle-rus  gal-bu'la.  Length,  8 inches. 


possible  to  pull  it  out.  Here  is  genuine  weaving, 
done  with  hair  and  fibrous  fragments  of  soft, 
weathered  bark.  Let  it  be  remembered  at  this 
point  that  not  even  the  higher  apes  know  how  to 
weave  a nest  or  a roof.  . 

The  mouth  of  the  Oriole’s  bag-like  nest  is  thin 
but  strong,  and  terminates  in  an  edge  as  thin 
and  firm  as  hair-cloth.  A nest  now  before  me  is 


BALTIMORE  ORIOLE  AND  NEST. 


five  inches  long,  four  inches  in  outside  diameter 
at  a point  half-way  between  bottom  and  top, 
and  its  opening  is  two  inches  in  diameter.  For 
a space  of  two  inches,  the  horse-hairs  of  the  upper 
margin  are  VTapped  around  an  elm-twig  the  size 
of  a slate-pencil.  At  no  point  are  the  walls  more 
than  a quarter  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  the 
inside  is  as  symmetrical  and  shapely  as  if  the 
nest  had  been  woven  around  a form. 

The  usefulness  of  the  Baltimore  Oriole  is  fully 
equal  to  its  beauty.  As  a destroyer  of  cater- 


202 


OKDEES  OF  BIllDS— PEKCHEKS  AND  SINGERS 


pillars  it  has  few  equals  among  birds.  In  May, 
insects  constitute  92  per  cent  of  its  food,  and  in 
April  and  July  70  per  cent.  For  the  entire  year, 
animal  food,  chiefly  caterpillars  and  beetles,  con- 
stitute 83.4  per  cent  of  its  food,  and  vegetable 
matter  the  remainder  of  16.6  per  cent. 

The  Purple  Grackle,  or  Crow  Blackbird,* 
has  prompted  scores  of  persons  to  ask,  “What  is 
the  name  of  that  very  shiny,  jet-black  bird  with  a 
long  tail?”  No  wonder  it  attracts  attention, 
especially  in  contrast  with  the  lustreless  rusty 
blackbird.  Its  color  is  deep  purple-black,  and 
it  is  as  shiny  as  if  it  had  been  varnished  all  over. 
It  loves  to  follow  the  plough,  and  pick  up  the 
big,  fat  grubs  that  are  exposed  to  view,  before 
they  have  had  time  to  burrow  out  of  sight. 
Often  in  their  eagerness  not  to  miss  a chance, 
these  birds  will  approach  within  ten  feet  of  the 
plough-handles.  It  is  then  that  one  notices  that 
their  eyes  are  light  yellow,  and  very  odd-looking. 
This  bird  has  no  song,  and  its  sign  of  content- 
ment with  life  is  like  a great  asthmatic  wheeze. 
The  tail  of  this  bird  is  creased  lengthwise  along 
the  middle,  or  “keeled.” 


PURPLE  CRACKLE. 

Prior  to  the  systematic  investigations  of  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  the  value  or  harm- 
fulness of  the  Crow  Blackbird  was  in  dispute. 
The  examination  of  2,346  stomachs  revealed 
that  during  an  entire  year  the  food  supply  of 
this  bird  is  made  up  in  the  following  percentages; 
insect  food,  26.9;  other  animal  food,  3.4;  corn, 
37.2;  oats,  2.9;  wheat,  4.8;  other  grain,  1.6; 
domestic  fruit,  2.9;  wild  fruit,  2.1;  weed-seed, 

' Quis'ca-lus  quis'cu-la.  Length,  about  12  inches. 


4.2;  mast,  14;  total,  100.  “The  charge  that 
the  blackbird  is  a habitual  robber  of  birds’  nests 
is  disproved  by  the  stomach  examinations.” 
(F.  E.  L.  Beal.) 

THE  CROW  FAMILY. 

Corvidae. 

Take  them  all  in  all,  there  is  no  Family  in  the 
whole  Order  of  Perching-Birds  whose  members 
have  more  striking  individual  traits,  or  more 
commanding  personality  than  the  Family  which 
contains  the  ravens,  crows,  jays  and  magpies. 
All  these  birds  are  bold  and  conspicuous,  and 
fond  of  entering  into  the  affairs  of  man.  The 
crow  feels  it  to  be  his  duty  to  assist  in  planting- 
operations.  The  blue-jay  robs  you,  and  scolds 
while  he  does  it.  The  magpie  will  hold  a fifteen- 
minute  conversation  with  you,  and  tell  you  of 
all  his  troubles.  Go  where  you  will  in  the  United 
States,  some  of  the  twenty  species  of  birds  of 
this  Family  will  cheerfully  bear  you  company. 

The  American  IVIagpie,^  of  the  somewhat 
“wild  West,”  is  a beautiful  and  showy  bird, 
and  in  winter  especially  it  bravely  strives  to 
adorn  the  bare  and  bleak  valleys,  foothills,  di- 
vides and  mountain-sides  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
region.  In  the  whole  of  the  West,  I know  of  no 
bird  more  beautiful  in  flight  than  this.  Its 
plumage  is  half  glossy-purple  black,  and  half 
snow-white;  and  this,  with  its  extremely  long 
tail  streaming  after  it  in  its  flight,  makes  it  a 
very  striking  object.  In  winter  the  absence 
of  other  birds  renders  the  Magpie  trebly  con- 
spicuous and  welcome.  Its  flight  is  slow,  dig- 
nified, and  as  straight  as  an  arrow. 

The  Magpie  is  fatally  Tond  of  fresh  meat, 
and  many  a fine  bird  meets  its  death  by  devour- 
ing poisoned  meat  laid  out  for  wolves.  If  hos- 
pitably received,  this  bird  will  come  close  to 
the  haunts  and  camps  of  man,  investigating 
everything,  and  looking  for  scraps  of  food.  If 
not  fired  at,  it  soon  becomes  very  friendly,  and  a 
small  cabin  easily  becomes  the  haunt  of  a score 
of  birds.  Some  of  those  in  the  Flying  Cage 
of  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  are  at  times 
as  amusing  as  monkeys.  They  come  close  up 
to  the  wires,  and  when  the  visitor  bends  down, 
to  listen  or  converse,  they  actually  talk — in  their 
language.  In  low,  confidential  tones  they  tell 

^ Pi'ca  pi'ca  hud-son' i-ca.  Length,  about  18 

inches. 


THE  MAGPIE  AND  BLUE-JAY 


203 


of  their  fear  of  the  big  condor,  the  painful  pecks 
they  get  from  the  herons,  and  the  greediness  of 
the  ducks  in  devouring  all  of  their  kind  of  food. 

In  the  days  of  elk  and  buffalo  slaughter,  the 
Magpies  feasted  continually  upon  fresh  meat. 
Now  they  make  friends  with  the  ranchmen,  and 
eat  all  kinds  of  food.  This  interesting  bird 
ranges  from  .Vlaska,  and  the  edge  of  the  arctic 
barrens,  southward  through  the  great  plains 
and  mountains  to  the  arid  regions  of  the  South- 


Besides  his  harsh  “Jay,”  a crow  is  a sweet 
songster.  He  will  take  your  cherries  right  before 
your  eyes,  and  then  scold  you  roundly  for  not 
looking  pleasant  about  it!  He  robs  the  nests  of 
other  birds,  eating  eggs  or  young,  whichever 
may  be  there;  and  to  that  extent  he  is  a pest. 
During  the  closed  season  on  eggs  and  young 
nestlings,  he  lives  on  insects — until  berries  and 
small  fruits  ripen.  If  Jays  were  as  numerous 
as  English  sparrows,  it  would  be  necessary  to 


■\MERIC.\N  M.\GPIE. 


west.  It  is  easily  kept  in  confinement,  if  jjro- 
vided  with  a large  cage  and  a suitable  house, 
out-oj-<l<iors. 

The  Hlue-Jay*  needs  no  description — only 
toleration;  for  his  reputation  would  be  all  the 
Ix'tter  for  washing.  He  is  a bird  of  unbounded 
a.ssurance,  and  being  well  known  as  a marauder, 
it  is  only  his  audacity  which  saves  him  from 
extermination.  Externally,  he  is  really  a beauti- 
ful bird,  but  his  voice  is  strident  and  unmusical. 

' Cy-an-o-cit'ta  cris-la'ta.  Length,  11. .50  inches. 


reduce  their  number;  but  they  are  not  so  nu- 
merous or  so  destructive  that  we  need  to  attack 
them. 

Steller’s  Jay''^  is  one  of  the  handsomest  birds 
of  the  moist  and  dark  forest  region  of  the  Pacific 
coa.st,  which  extends  from  Mount  St.  Elias  to 
San  Francisco  Bay.  It  is  also  the  type  of  three 
subspecies,  or  varieties,  found  farther  east  and 
south.  It  is  the  Pacific  coast  counterpart  of 
our  blue-jay, — high-crested,  barred  with  black 

^ Cy-an-o-cit'ta  stel'ler-i.  Length,  12.50  inches. 


204 


OKDEES  OF  BIRDS— PERCIIERS  AND  SINGERS 


on  wings  and  tail,  and  with  blue  as  its  prevail- 
ing color. 

The  Pinon  Jay^  (pronounced  pin'yone)  is  a 
bird  well  worth  knowing.  On  the  Sierra  Nevada 
mountains  and  adjacent  plateaus,  where  the 
pifion  pine,  juniper  and  cedar  bravely  struggle 
against  the  scarcity  of  water,  and  only  half 
clothe  the  rugged  nakedness  of  Nature,  this  Jay 
is  a welcome  habitant.  I think  it  safe  to  say 
that  you  will  find  it  wherever  you  find  the  piilon 


BLUE-JAY. 


pine,  whose  big,  husky  cones  furnish  a generous 
cjuantity  of  seeds,  called  “nuts,”  which  are  good 
for  man,  and  grand  food  for  all  the  wild  creatures 
that  can  crack  their  delicate  shell. 

I have  never  seen  the  Pifion  Jay  so  numerous 
that  it  could  be  called  a “ common  ” bird  through- 
out an  extensive  region.  At  the  same  time,  it 
is  a bird  of  social  habit,  and  given  to  flocking, 
finite  like  our  eastern  crow.  It  is  really  a con- 
necting link  between  the  crows  and  jays.  It 
has  a short,  square  tail,  no  crest  or  “top-knot;” 
its  predominating  color  is  grayish-blue,  and  its 
cry  is  a crow-like  “caw.” 

Clarke’s  Nut-Cracker'*^  is  a bird  of  the  western 
mountain-tops  and  canyons,  and  a companion 
of  the  mountain-sheep.  Wild  creatures  that 
love  to  dwell  on  high  mountains,  amid  grand 
scenery,  appeal  to  my  affections  more  strongly 
than  some  others.  To  me,  this  bird  recalls 

' Cy-an-o-ceph'a-lus  cy-an-o-ceph'a-lus.  Length, 
11  inches. 

^ Xu-ci-fra'ga  co-lum-bi-an'a.  Length,  12  inches. 


pictures  of  mountain-parks,  “rim-rock,”  “slide- 
rock,”  pines  and  cedars  bravely  climbing  up 
steep  acclivities,  gloomy  canyons,  and  rushing 
streams  of  icy-cold  water  below  all. 

I first  made  acquaintance  with  this  bird  while 
hunting  elk  and  mountain-sheep,  on  a fearfully 
steep  mountain-side,  with  a magnificent  pano- 
rama spread  out  below.  It  greeted  me  in  friendly 
fashion  with  the  rasping  “Kurr,  Kurr!”  which, 
when  heard  amid  such  surroundings,  is  not  soon 
forgotten.  It  has  been  my  misfortune,  how- 
ever, never  to  see  the  remarkable  habit  thus 
graphically  described  by  IMrs.  Florence  iMerriam 
Bailey  in  her  delightful  “ Handbook  ” : 

“Living  mainly  on  the  crests  of  the  ranges, 
the  birds  fly  to  the  high  peaks  to  get  the  first 
rays  of  the  sun,  and  when  warmed  go  for  food 
and  water  to  the  lower  slopes.  Their  method 
of  getting  down  is  startling  at  first  sight.  Launch- 
ing out  from  a peak,  with  bill  pointed  downward 
and  wings  closed,  they  drop  like  a bullet  for  a 
thousand  feet,  to  the  brook  where  they  wish  to 
drink.  Sometimes  they  make  the  descent  at  one 
long  swoop,  at  other  times  in  a series  of  pitches, 
each  time  checking  their  fall  by  opening  their 
wings,  and  letting  themselves  curve  upward 
before  the  next  straight  drop.  They  fall  with 
such  a high  rate  of  speed  that  when  they  open 
their  wings  there  is  an  explosive  burst  which 
echoes  from  the  canyon  walls.” 

The  head,  neck  and  body  of  this  bird  are  uni- 
form ashy  gray,  and  the  wings  and  tail  are  black, 
with  a white  patch  half-way  down  the  former. 
The  Nut-Cracker  is  really  a small  crow,  twelve 
inches  long,  and  much  resembles  the  common 
gray  and  black  crow  of  Europe.  It  Is  found  in 
all  the  mountains  of  the  West,  from  Alaska  to 
IMexico,  and  straggles  eastward  to  the  eastern 
edge  of  the  Great  Plains.  It  is  often  called 
Clarke’s  Crow. 

The  Canada  Jay,  Whiskey-Jack,  or  Moose- 
Bird,^  is  by  reason  of  its  personal  oddities  and 
assertiveness  perhaps  the  most  conspicuous  and 
widely  known  of  all  the  perching-birds  of  the 
great  coniferous  forests  of  Canada.  Every  man 
who  has  trailed  moose  or  caribou,  or  for  any  rea- 
son has  camped  in  the  Laurentian  wilderness, 
knows  well  this  audacious  camp-follower,  and 
remembers  him  with  interest,  if  not  even  friend- 
ship. He  has  no  real  song,  and  his  cries  are 

^ Per-i-so're-us  canadensis.  Length,  12  inches. 


THE  CROW  AXD  RAVEN 


205 


rather  harsh  and  strident  ; but  in  his  native  soli- 
tudes, where  bird-sounds  are  so  seldom  heard, 
the  voyageur  is  always  glad  to  hear  his  call. 
And  surely,  every  perching-bird  that  chooses  to 
brave  the  rigors  of  the  northern  winter  instead  of 
migrating  is  entitled  both  to  respect  and  admira- 
tion. 

Tlie  plumage  of  the  Canada  Jay  has  a peculiar 
fluffy  appearance,  suggestive  of  fur.  Its  pre- 
vailing color  is  ashy-gray.  The  nape  and  back 
of  the  head  are  black,  but  the  forehead  is  marked 
by  a large  white  spot.  The  wings  and  tail  are  of 
a darker  gray  than  the  body.  The  home  of  this 
interesting  bird — the  companion  of  the  moose,  as 
well  as  of  forest-haunting  man — extends  from 
Nova  Scotia,  and  northern  New  England,  through- 
out Canada  to  Manitoba,  and  northward  to  the 
limit  of  the  great  forests. 

The  Common  Crow'  needs  no  description. 
When  finer  birds  were  abundant,  we  cared  little 
for  him;  but  now  that  bird-life  generally  has  so 
greatly  diminished,  we  feel  like  welcoming  him 
as  a friend.  His  cheerful  “Caw"  is  a welcome 
sound,  and  his  services  to  the  farmer  overbal- 
ance the  bad  things  he  perpetrates.  The  De- 
partment of  .\griculture,  through  Professor 
F.  E.  L.  Beal,  has  officially  investigated  him, 
published  the  court  records  of  his  case,  and  pro- 
nounced him  a bird  worthy  of  protection.  It  is 
declared,  after  an  examination  of  the  stomachs 
of  specimens,  that  the  noxious  insects  destroyed 
by  the  Crows — cut-worms,  caterpillars,  grass- 
hoppers, and  also  mice — represent  a saving  of 
more  grain  than  the  bird  consumes. 

It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  the  Crow 
d(H-s  many  things  he  shouhl  not.  He  is  too  fond 
of  eggs,  and  also  of  young  birds.  He  will  pull 
up,  by  the  roots,  altogether  too  much  newly 
planted  corn  ; which  is  very  unfair  toward  the 
farmer.  While  the  damage  is  seldom  serious, 
it  is  always  annoying;  but  when  the  Crow  passes 
the  limit  of  human  endurance,  powder  and  lead 
are  his  portion.  For  example:  when  a Crow 

nesting  in  Beaver  Valley  elected  to  make  \'isits 
to  our  duck-pond  where  young  wild-ducks  were 
hatching,  ami  take  three  mallard  ducklings  in 
one  morning.  Curator  Beebe  was  compelled  to 
choose  quickly  between  ducks  and  Crows,  and 
provide  for  the  survival  of  the  fittest. 

' Cnr'vits  a-mer-i-can'us.  Length,  18  to  20 
inches. 


The  American  Raven^  is  a bird  of  the  “wild 
West,”  quite  rare,  and  seldom  seen  beyond  the 
mountains.  Even  when  you  see  it  for  the  first 
time,  you  will  readily  recognize  it  by  its  all-black 
plumage,  large  size,  slow  and  heavy  flight,  and 
its  hoarse  and  seldom  “Quack!”  The  crow  is 
at  all  times  a cheerful  citizen,  but  the  Raven 
always  has  a sore  throat,  and  is  always  going 
to  a funeral. 

He  lives  with  Clarke’s  nut-cracker  and  the  other 
dwellers  on  the  mountain-tops  north  of  the  arid 
regions  of  Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  and  nests 
in  the  crevices  of  high,  rugged  cliffs  or  canyon 
walls  that  are  as  completely  inaccessible  as  can 
be  found.  He  is  suspicious  of  all  attentions, 
wants  no  companions  save  of  his  own  kind,  and 


Photographed  by  E.  R.  Warren. 


cl.akke’s  NUT-CR.\CKER. 


mighty  few  of  those.  The  “Quack”  of  a Raven 
in  a rock-ribbed  and  gloomy  canyon  is  anything 
but  a cheerful  sound. 

Like  the  vulture,  this  bird  feeds  upon  dead 
animals,  dead  fish,  and  sometimes  also  upon  the 
j)oisoned  meat  that  wolfers  distribute  so  gen- 
erously. 

’ Cor'vus  co'rax  sin-u-a'tus.  Length,  22  to  24 
inches. 


206 


OEDEKS  OF  BIRDS— PERCHERS  AND  SINGERS 


THE  HORNED  LARK  FAMILY. 

Alaudidae. 

There  is  a Lark  Family  which  we  regret  to  say 
does  not  include  the  meadovj-lark;  for  this  sepa- 
ration of  birds  bearing  the  same  general  name 
tends  to  create  confusion.  In  Europe  the  Lark 
Family  is  a very  large  one,  and  contains  about  a 
hundred  species,  the  most  celebrated  of  which  iS' 
the  unfortunate  skylark.  It  is  unfortunate  be- 
cause of  the  wholesale  and  heartless  manner  in 
which  it  is  caught  and  kept  in  pitiful  captivity 
as  a “cage-bird.”  In  London  these  wretched 
little  creatures  are  sold  by  the  thousand,  some- 
times at  sixpence  each,  or  even  less. 

Strange  to  say,  in  America  the  Lark  Family 
is  represented  by  only  twelve  species  and  sub- 
species, of  which  the  Horned  Lark  or  Shore 
Lark^  is  the  best  type.  It  is  called  “Horned” 
Lark  because  of  a small,  pointed  tuft  or  brush 
of  feathers  which  lies  along  the  side  of  the  head 
above  the  eye,  pointing  backward  and  thrusting 
its  tip  through  the  regular  outline  of  the  back 
of  the  head.  The  resemblance  of  these  points 
to  horns  is  quite  far-fetched,  but  it  seems  to 
have  been  brought  in  to  stay. 

This  bird  looks  very  much  like  a small  plover. 

' Our  eastern  species  is  by  habit  a shore-bird, 
whence  its  second  name.  It  comes  to  us  in 
winter,  in  flocks  of  from  six  to  twenty  individ- 
uals, and  at  that  season  its  plumage  is  not  so 
bright  and  pleasing  as  in  spring. 

The  West  and  Southwest  are  inhabited  by 
nine  subspecies  of  Horned  Larks,  ranging  all 
the  way  from  Mexico  to  British  Columbia,  some 
of  them  necessarily  living  in  hot  countries,  and 
far  from  large  bodies  of  water. 

THE  FLYCATCHER  FAMILY. 

Tyrannidae. 

There  are  many  little  birds,  in  size  next  above 
the  sparrows,  which  look  as  if  they  ought  to  sing; 

' 0-toc'o-ris  al-pes'lris.  Length,  7.50  inches. 


but  in  reality  they  do  not.  They  are  very  ex- 
pert at  catching  insects,  however,  and  nothing 
that  flies  can  escape  them  in  mid-air.  These 
birds  make  up  the  Family  of  Flycatchers,  and 
to  the  farmers  of  this  country  every  flycatcher 
is  worth  double  its  weight  in  pure  silver.  Alto- 
gether there  are  about  thirty  species. 

The  Kingbird,^  also  called  the  Bee  “Martin” 
and  Bee-Bird,  may  well  stand  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  this  Family.  Whenever  you  see  a 
small  bird  swiftly  and  actively  chasing  a large 
crow  in  mid-air,  darting  down  upon  the  back  of 
the  black  fellow  every  hundred  feet  or  so,  with 
a peck  that  sends  a thrill  of  life  along  his  keel, 
you  may  know  that  the  gallant  little  warrior  is 
a Kingbird,  and  it  is  driving  the  crow  away  from 
the  vicinity  of  its  nest.  The  performance  is  like 
that  of  a man  and  a mad  hornet.  The  crow 
thinks  not  of  battle,  but  only  of  getting  on  in 
the  world,  and  giving  the  nestlings  of  his  tor- 
mentor a good  square  mile  of  crowless  space  in 
which  to  grow. 

Look  long  enough,  and  you  will  see  the  King- 
bird return  from  the  chase,  perch  on  his  favorite 
dead  limb  at  the  edge  of  the  field,  smooth  his 
feathers  and  renew  his  watch  for  flying  in- 
sects. Presently  you  will  see  him  dart  from 
his  perch,  swoop  to  a certain  point  in  space, 
and  then  return  to  his  place.  He  has  caught 
some  flying  insect,  and  like  Oliver,  “wants  some 
more.” 

Never  shoot  a Kingbird.  It  is  easier  to  “iden- 
tify the  species”  on  the  wing  than  lying  dead, 
all  shot  to  pieces.  Without  killing  this  most 
courageous  of  all  birds — which  can  whip  almost 
anything  that  wears  feathers,  but  attacks 
only  crows  and  hawks — you  can  see  that  its 
colors  are  bluish-gray,  trimmed  with  black  and 
white. 

The  Crested  Flycatcher,  the  dear  little  Pha-be- 
Bird,  and  the  Wood-Pewee  belong  to  the  Fly- 
catcher Family. 

* Ty-ran'nus  ty-ran'nus.  Length,  8 inches. 


CHAPTER  XVII 


THE  ORDER  OF  ODD  FAMILIES 

MACROCIIIRES 

With  certain  exceptions,  the  different  Orders  of  American  birds  are  founded  on  reasonable  grounds 
and  built  up  of  homogeneous  materials.  As  a rule,  a few  moments’  examination  of  a bird  enables 
one  to  name  the  Order  to  which  it  belongs.  There  is  no  difficulty  about  the  birds  of  prey,  swimmers, 
fishers,  waders  or  woodpeckers. 

Unfortunately,  however.  Nature  has  turned  out  of  her  workshop  so  many  odd  forms  that  it  has 
been  found  necessary  to  have  a certain  number  of  Orders  for  them.  In  mammals  we  have  seen 
that  the  Order  U ngulata  is  of  this  character.  In  birds,  there  are  two  such  Orders.  One  is  that 
which  contains  the  cuckoos,  road-runners  and  kingfishers,  and  the  other  is  that  which  forms  the 
subject  of  this  chapter. 

The  Order  Macrochires  means  literally  “odd  ones,”  and  its  members  do  not  belie  the  name.  On 
the  strength  of  certain  resemblances  in  anatomical  structure,  observable  only  after  the  birds  are  dead 
and  dis.sected,  our  humming-birds,  swifts  and  goatsuckers  (i.e.,  birds  like  the  whippoorwill  and  night- 
hawk)  are  grouped  together  in  this  Order,  in  three  Families,  as  follows: 

FAMILIES.  EXAMPLES. 

Go-atsuckers,  . cap-RI-MUL’GI-DAE,  . Nighthawk,  Whippoorwill. 
Swifts,  . . . Mi-CRO-Poryi-DAE,  . . Chimney-Swift. 

Hum.min’g-Birds,  tro-chil'I-DAE,  . . . Ruby-Throated  Humming-Bird. 

THE  GOATSUCKER  FAMILY. 

Caprimulgidae. 

The  Nighthawk'  is  far  from  being  a true 
hawk.  It  belongs  to  a Family  of  birds  which 
have  soft,  owl-like  plumage,  and  enormous 
mouths,  fringed  above  with  a row  of  stiff  bristles, 
for  use  in  capturing  insects  on  the  wing.  Many 
years  ago,  when  people  believed  many  things 
that  were  not  true,  some  believed  that  these  big- 
mouthed birds  sucked  goats;  hence  the  absurd 
j name  applied  to  the  Family. 

I Whenever,  during  the  hour  Just  before  sun- 
I set,  you  see  a good-sized  bird  with  dark  plumage, 

I long,  sharp-pointed  wings,  and  a big  white  spot 
on  the  under  surface  of  each  wing, — wheeling, 
soaring,  dropping  and  circling  through  the  air, — 
you  may  know  that  it  is  a Nighthawk,  catching 
insects.  Its  flight  is  graceful  and  free,  and  when 

’ Chor-dei'les  virginianus.  Length,  about  9.50 
inches. 

207 


THE  NIGHTH.AWK. 


on  the  aerial  war-path  it  is  a very  industrious 
bird.  Some  people  compare  this  bird  on  the 
wing  with  bats:  but  I see  no  resemblance  save 
the  bare  fact  of  semi-nocturnal  flight. 


ORDER 

MACROCHIRES. 


208 


OEDERS  OF  BIRDS— ODD  FAMILIES 


When  this  bird  alights  upon  a tree  to  rest, 
it  chooses  a large  and  nearly  horizontal  limb,  on 
which  it  usually  sits  lengthwise.  As  it  sits  mo- 
tionless on  a large  limb,  the  bird  strongly  resem- 
bles a knot.  This  is  a trans-continental  bird, 
being  found  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  in 
wooded  regions,  and  northward  to  the  Mackenzie 
River. 

The  WhippoorwllP  needs  no  introduction. 
It  is  more  than  a bird.  It  is  a national 
favorite. 

When  the  mantle  of  night  has  fallen,  and  the 
busy  world  is  still,  we  who  are  in  the  country  in 
summer  often  hear  a loud,  clear,  melodious 
whistle  from  somewhere  near  the  barn.  As 
plainly  as  print,  it  exclaims,  “ Whip-Poor-Will'/” 
and  repeats  it,  again  and  again.  Before  each 
regular  call,  there  is  a faint  “chuck,”  or  catch- 
ing of  the  breath,  strong  emphasis  on  the  “ whip,” 
and  at  the  end  a piercing  whistle  which  is  posi- 
tively thrilling. 

Sometimes  the  bird  will  come  and  perch  within 
thirty  feet  of  your  tent-door,  and  whistle  at  the 
rate  of  forty  whippoorwills  to  the  minute.  Its 
call  awakens  sentimental  reflections,  and  upon 
most  persons  exercises  a peculiar,  soothing  in- 
fluence. It  has  been  celebrated  in  several  beau- 
tiful poems  and  songs. 

The  range  of  this  interesting  bird  is  the  same 
as  that  of  the  nighthawk.  In  the  South,  both 
are  replaced  by  another  goatsucker  called,  from 
its  whistle,  the  Chuck-Will’s-Widow.  Until 
actually  hearing  it,  one  can  scarcely  believe  that 
any  bird  of  this  Order  can  say  things  as  plainly 
as  this  bird  says  “Chuck  Will’s  Wid-ow!”  The 
Pacific  states,  from  British  Columbia  to  Mexico, 
and  eastward  to  Nebraska,  have  the  Poor-Will. 

THE  SWIFT  FAMILY. 

Micropodidae. 

The  Chimney-Swift,  or  Chimney-“Swal- 
low,”^  has  been  for  a century  or  more  classified 
with  the  swallows  and  martins,  but  recent  studies 
of  its  anatomy  have  caused  its  removal  from  their 
group.  This  is  the  bird  whose  nest  and  young 
sometimes  tumble  down  into  your  fireplace  in 
spring  or  summer,  and  cause  commotion. 

To  me,  the  nesting  habits  of  this  bird  seem 

' An-tros'to-mus  vo-cij'er-us.  Length,  about  9.50 
inches. 

^ Chac-tu'ra  pe-lag'i-ca.  Length,  5 inches. 


like  faulty  instinct.  A chimney  is  a poor  place 
of  residence  for  a bird,  and  the  habitants  fre- 
quently come  to  grief.  If  the  aperture  is  small, 
the  householder  objects  to  having  the  chimney 
stopped  by  nests;  and  if  it  is  large,  so  many 
Swifts  may  nest  there  that  their  noise  is  an  an- 
noyance. These  birds  get  up  and  out  before 
daylight,  to  hunt  insects  that  fly  at  night,  and 
doubtless  many  a “ghost”  in  a “haunted-house” 
is  nothing  more  frightful  than  a colony  of  these 
birds  in  the  chimney. 

This  bird  has  the  ability  to  fly  straight  up, 
or  straight  down,  else  it  could  not  enter  or  leave 
a chimney.  It  is  quite  an  aerial  gymnast,  and 
feeds  only  when  on  the  wing.  Its  flight  is  very 
graceful,  and  both  in  manner  of  flight  and  person- 
al appearance  it  so  closely  resembles  a short- 
tailed swallow  that  there  are  few  persons  who  can 
distinguish  the  difference  in  the  flying  birds. 

One  strongly  marked  peculiarity  of  this  bird 
is  that  the  tip  of  each  tail-feather  ends  in  a sharp, 
wire-like  point,  caused  by  the  shaft  of  the  feather 
being  projected  considerably  beyond  the  vane. 
The  eastern  Chimney-Swift  ranges  westward  to 
the  Great  Plains.  On  the  Pacific  slope  is  found 
another  species,  a close  parallel  to  the  preceding, 
called  the  Vaux  Swift.  The  White-Throated  Swift 
of  the  Pacific  States  is  distinguished  by  its  white 
throat  and  breast,  and  a few  white  patches  else- 
where. 

THE  HUMMING-BIRD  FAMILY. 

Trochilidae. 

The  Ruby-Throated  Humming-Bird^  rep- 
resents the  Family  which  contains  the  smallest  of 
all  birds.  When  the  trumpet-vine  on  your 
veranda  is  in  flower,  you  will  see  this  delicate 
creature  dart  into  view,  like  a large-winged  in- 
sect, and  poise  itself  easily  and  gracefully  in  mid- 
air at  the  mouth  of  the  most  conspicuous  flower. 
Its  tiny  wings  beat  the  air  with  such  extreme 
rapidity  and  machine-like  regularity  that  you 
see  only  a gray,  fan-shaped  blur  on  each  side  of 
the  living  bird.  It  holds  itself  in  position  with 
the  greatest  exactitude,  thrusts  its  long  and 
delicate  beak  into  the  heart  of  the  flower,  and, 
with  the  skill  of  a surgeon  probing  a wound, 
extracts  the  tiny  insects  or  the  honey  so  dear  to 
its  palate. 

8 Troch'i-lus  col’u-bris.  Length,  3.25  inches. 


THE  SWIFTS  AND  HUMMING-BIKDS 


209 


As  the  bird  poises  in  mid-air,  the  sunlight 
catches  the  patch  of  brilliant  ruby-red  feathers 
on  its  throat,  and  sets  it  aflame.  To  make  up  for 
their  diminutive  size,  and  give  them  a fair  share 
of  beauty.  Nature  has  clothed  the  throats  and 


RUBY-THRO.\TED  HUMMING-BIRD. 

breasts  of  many  Humming-Birds  with  feather- 
patches  of  the  most  brilliantly  iridescent  colors, — 
ruby-red,  scarlet,  green,  blue  and  gold, — which 
flash  like  jewels.  Others  again  have  long,  orna- 


mental tail-feathers,  ruffs,  and  other  showy  deco- 
rations in  feathers. 

The  Humming-Birds  are  so  very  diminutive 
one  never  ceases  to  wonder  how  such  frail  and 
delicate  creatures,  feeding  only  upon  the  small- 
est insects  and  the  nectar  of  flowers,  can  make 
long  journeys  over  this  rough  and  dangerous 
earth,  withstand  storms,  build  their  wonderful 
little  nests,  rear  their  young,  and  migrate  south- 
ward again  without  being  destroyed.  Of  course 
their  diminutive  size  enables  them  to  escape  the 
attention  of  most  of  the  living  enemies  which 
gladly  would  destroy  them. 

The  nest  of  a Humming-Bird  is  about  as  large 
in  diameter  as  a lady’s  watch,  and  the  eggs,  of 
which  there  are  two,  are  the  size  of  adult  peas. 
The  food  of  these  birds  generally  consists  of 
minute  insects,  many  of  which  they  find  in  large 
flowers.  When  at  rest,  perching,  the  average 
Hummer  is  not  beautiful  in  form.  Its  head 
seems  too  large,  its  neck  and  body  much  too 
short,  and  its  wings  too  long.  It  seems  top- 
heavy,  and  as  if  destitute  of  legs.  It  is  on  the 
wing  that  these  creatures  look  their  best. 

What  Humming-Birds  lack  in  size,  they  try  to 
make  up  in  number.  There  are  nearly  five 
hundred  species,  and  they  are  found  only  in  the 
New  World.  They  are  thoroughly  tropical,  but 
in  warm  weather,  and  the  season  of  flowers,  they 
migrate  as  far  north  as  Alaska,  and  as  far  south 
as  Patagonia.  Our  country  makes  an  accept- 
able summer  home  for  about  sixteen  species. 

The  Ruby-Throat  is  the  only  one  inhabiting 
the  eastern  half  of  the  United  States,  all  the 
others  being  found  west  of  Arkansas,  and  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  WOODPECKERS 

PICI 


The  Woodpeckers  are  the  natural  protectors 
of  the  forests  of  the  temperate  zone.  But  for 
them,  tree-borers  would  multiply  without  limit, 
and  the  number  of  trees  that  w'ould  fall  before 
the  insect  pests  is  quite  beyond  computation. 
While  the  robin,  the  thrush  and  the  warblers 
take  care  of  the  caterpillars  and  the  leaf-insects 
generally,  the  w'oodpecker  sticks  to  the  business 
of  his  own  guild,  and  looks  after  the  pests  that 
attack  the  bark  and  the  wood.  The  tree-creep- 
ers assist  by  picking  off  insects  from  the  outside, 
but  when  it  comes  to  the  heavy  work  of  digging 
borers  out  of  the  bark  by  main  strength,  the 
woodpecker  is  the  only  bird  equal  to  it. 

There  are  about  twenty-five  species  of  wood- 
peckers in  the  United  States. 

Usually,  the  long,  barbed  tongue  of  this  bird 
is  sufficient  to  spear  a borer,  and  drag  it  forth 
to  meet  the  death  it  deserves.  When  this  will 
not  do  the  work,  the  woodpecker’s  claws  take 
a good  grip  on  the  bark,  and  serious  work  be- 
gins. 

Do  not  think,  however,  that  because  a rolling 
tattoo  beaten  on  a hard  dead  limb  can  be  heard 
a quarter  of  a mile,  that  the  bird  making  the 
noise  is  working  unusually  hard.  Quite  the  con- 
trary. The  loud  tattoo  is  a signal,  like  the 
•‘certain  whistle  ” of  a small  boy.  In  our  Beaver 
Pond,  the  golden-winged  woodpeckers  some- 
times beat  on  the  galvanized-iron  drums  which 
protect  the  bases  of  the  trees  from  the  teeth  of 
the  beavers. 

When  a woodpecker  is  working  hardest,  you 
hear  only  a faint  “chuck!  chuck!  chuck!”  as 
he  drives  his  sharp,  wedge-like  beak  into  the 
bark,  or  soft  wood.  Often  the  falling  chips  are 
your  first  notice  that  a winged  forester  is  at  work 
aloft,  digging  out  and  devouring  the  larvae  that, 
if  left  alone,  bring  decay  and  death  to  trees. 

You  may  be  sure  that  whenever  you  find  one 
of  these  valuable  birds  at  work,  there  is  need  for 
him.  To-day,  a great  many  persons  know  their 


value,  and  protect  them.  Occasionally,  how- 
ever, men  who  are  so  thoughtless  or  so  mean  as 
to  engage  in  the  brutal  pastime  known  as  a “side 
hunt,”  do  lower  themselves,  and  injure  the  land- 
owners  about  them,  by  killing  every  woodpecker 
that  can  be  found, — for  “points.”  If  all  farm- 
ers only  knew  what  a loss  every  “side  hunt” 
means  to  them,  such  wicked  pastimes  would  not 
be  tolerated. 

Although  the  woodpeckers  are  not  counted 
as  birds  of  song,  to  me  the  loud,  joyous  cry  of 
the  flicker,  the  downy  and  the  red-head,  ringing 
through  the  leafy  forest  aisles,  is  genuine  music. 
One  species  cries  “C/ieer-up!  C/icer-up!”  and  it 
cheers-up  and  thrills  me  to  hear  it.  Even  in 
summer,  when  other  birds  are  plentiful,  it  is  a 
welcome  sound.  In  bleak  winter,  when  the 
great  bulk  of  bird-life  has  vanished  southward, 
and  you  toilsomely  tread  the  silent  forest,  ankle- 
deep  in  snow,  the  world  seems  lifeless  and  drear — 
until  you  hear  the  clarion  greeting  of  the  golden- 
winged woodpecker.  It  is  enough  to  stir  the 
soul  of  a Digger  Indian  with  a pleasing  sense  of 
companionship  in  life. 

It  is  only  the  children  of  the  cities  w'ho  need 
to  be  told  that  woodpeckers  have  two  toes  in 
front  and  two  behind,  to  enable  them  to  cling 
to  tree-bark;  that  the  natural  perch  of  such  a 
bird  is  the  perpendicular  trunk  of  a tree;  that 
sometimes  they  store  acorns  in  holes  \vhich  they 
dig  in  the  sides  of  decayed  trees,  not  in  order  that 
worms  in  those  acorns  may  develop,  but  in  order 
to  eat  the  acorns  themselves.  They  nest  high 
up  in  hollow  tree-trunks,  which  they  enter  through 
round  holes  of  their  own  making.* 

* Those  who  are  specially  interested  in  the  hahit.s 
of  woodpeckers  may  profitably  consult  a report  on 
“ Tlie  Food  of  Woodpeckers  ” by  Prof.  F.  E.  L.  Heal, 
published  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture  in  189.5, 
The  exact  proportions  of  the  various  kinds  of  food 
consumed  by  seven  species  have  been  determined  bv 
examination  of  the  stomachs  of  several  hundred 
birds,  and  the  figures  quoted  later  on  are  from  that 
report. 


THE  GOLDEN-WING  AND  RED-IIEAD 


211 


It  is  a good  thing  to  feed  wild  birds  of  all  spe- 
cies that  are  either  useful  or  beautiful.  The 
woodpeckers  are  the  largest  insectivorous  birds 
that  remain  in  the  North  over  winter,  and  they 
appreciate  friendly  offerings  of  suet  or  fat  pork, 
nailed  high  up  on  conspicuous  tree-trunks.  In 
the  Zoological  Park  we  put  up  every  winter  at 
least  twenty-five  two-pound  strips  of  fat  pork, 
for  the  woodpeckers  and  chickadees  which  live 
with  us  all  the  year  round. 

The  Golden-Winged  Woodpecker'  is  my 
favorite  of  the  members  of  this  Order.  It  is  a 
bird  of  good  size,  dignified  in  bearing,  decidedly 
handsome,  and  a great  worker.  He  loves  to 
hunt  insects  on  the  ground,  occasionally,  but 
is  very  alert  and  watchful,  meanwhile.  If  you 
approach  too  near,  he  leaps  into  the  air,  and  with 
a succession  of  wave-like  sweeps  upward  and 
downward,  his  golden  wings  Hash  back  one  of 
his  names  as  he  flies  to  safety  on  some  distant 
post  or  tree.  Unlike  most  birds  of  this  Order, 
this  species  frequently  perches  crosswise  on  a 
limb,  like  a true  perching-bird. 

This  is  the  woodpecker  of  many  names,  some 
of  which  arc  Flicker,  High-Hole  and  Yellow- 
Hammer.  His  regular  call  sounds  like  “Cheer 
up!”  but  in  spring  he  gives  forth  a call  which 
comes  very  near  to  being  a song.  When  written 
out,  it  is  like  “Cook-cook-cook-cook!"  At  that 
season,  also,  you  hear  this  bird  beat  the  “long 
roll,”  on  a drum  which  Nature  jjrovides  for  him 
in  the  shaj)e  of  a hollow  tree  with  a thin,  hard 
shell.  The  rapidity  and  force  with  which  the 
bird  strikes  the  blows  producing  this  sound  are 
almost  beyond  belief. 

.\n  examination  of  the  stomach  contents  of 
many  specimens  of  this  species  showed  .50  per 
cent  of  insect  food,  .3!)  vegetable,  and  .5  mineral. 
Of  the  insect  food,  ants  made  up  43  per  cent  and 
iMK-tles  10  per  cent.  The  vegetable  food  repre- 
sented two  kinds  of  grain  (corn  and  buckwheat), 
eighteen  kinds  of  wild  lM?rries,  and  fifteen  kinds 
of  s<>eds,  mostly  of  weeds.  Out  of  ninety-eight 
stomachs  examined  in  September  and  October 
only  four  contained  corn.  Practically,  this  bird 
<loes  no  damage  to  man’s  cro])s,  but  destroys 
great  quantities  of  harmful  in.sects. 

The  range  of  the  (iolden-Wing  embraces  the 
eastern  half  of  the  United  States  to  the  Rocky 

' Co-lap'ten  au-ra'tus  lu'te-us.  Length,  about  12 
inches. 


Mountains,  where  it  is  met  by  the  Red-Shafted 
Flicker  of  the  Pacific  slope. 

The  Red-Headed  Woodpecker^  need  not 
be  described,  because,  in  “Hiawatha,”  Long- 
fellow has  immortalized  it.  This  bird,  “with 
the  crimson  tuft  of  feathers,”  was  the  identical 
Mama  which  gave  Hiawatha  the  timely  tip 
which  enabled  him  to  put  the  finishing  touch  to 
old  Megissogwon,  and  .so  end  in  triumph  “the 
greatest  battle  that  the  sun  had  ever  looked  on.” 


As  a return  for  this  kindness,  Hiawatha  did 
the  one  mean  act  of  his  life.  He  took  Mama’s  little 
red  scalp,  and  “decked”  his  jjipe-stem  with  it, — 
as  coolly  as  if  he  had  been  a modern  servant-girl 
decorating  a forty-nine-cent  hat. 

This  is  a very  showy  bird,  and  recognizable 
almost  as  far  as  it  can  be  seen, — brilliant  crim- 
■son  head  and  neck;  white  breast,  sides  and  rump, 
and  jet-black  back  and  tail.  In  the  Mississippi 
Valle}',  thirty  years  ago,  this  was  one  of  the  most 
common  birds.  Now,  thanks  to  man’s  insa- 
tiable dc.sire  to  “kill  something”  that  is  un- 

“ Mel-an-er' pes  e-rythrro-ceph'a-lus.  Length,  9J 
inches. 


212 


OKDERS  OF  BIRDS— WOODPECKERS 


protected,  it  has  been  so  greatly  reduced  in 
number  that  it  is  seldom  seen.  It  is  an  omniv- 
orous feeder,  eating  insects,  fruit,  beech-nuts, 
corn  and  other  grain,  according  to  necessity. 
Its  cry  is  loud  and  far-reaching,  and  sounds  like 
“Choor!  Choor!”  As  to  migrating,  it  seems 
unable  to  make  up  its  mind  whether  to  become 
a “regular  migrant”  or  a “winter  resident.” 


r 


i 

RED-HEADED  WOODPECKER. 

Sometimes  it  migrates  southward  during  the 
early  winter,  and  sometimes  it  winters  in  the 
North. 

An  examination  of  the  stomachs  of  one  hun- 
dred and  one  Red-Headed  Woodpeckers  re- 
vealed 50  per  cent  of  animal  food  and  45  per 
cent  vegetable.  Of  the  former,  ants  made  up 
11  per  cent,  and  beetles  31  per  cent.  The  fruit 
and  vegetable  food  represented  five  kinds  of 


cultivated  fruit  (strawberries,  blackberries,  cher- 
ries, apples  and  pears),  and  fifteen  kinds  of  wild 
fruit  and  seeds.  The  insect  food  consisted  of 
ants,  wasps,  beetles,  bugs,  grasshoppers,  crickets, 
moths,  caterpillars,  spiders  and  thousand-legged 
worms.  In  the  fruit  season,  the  Red-Head  un- 
doubtedly does  considerable  damage  to  fruit 
crops,  more  by  mutilating  fruit,  perhaps,  than 
by  actual  loss  through  fruit  wholly  consumed; 
and  if  these  birds  were  as  numerous  as  sparrows, 
it  would  be  necessary  for  fruit-growers  to  take 
precautions  against  them  during  the  fruit  season. 
The  damage  done  to  corn  appears  to  be  quite  in- 
significant. (Professor  F.  E.  L.  Beal’s  report.) 

The  great  fondness  of  the  Red-Head  for  beech- 
nuts, and  its  habit  of  storing  them  up  for  winter 
use,  in  holes  and  crevices,  are  well  known. 

The  Ant-Eating  Woodpecker'  of  the  Pacific 
slope  is  the  most  conspicuous  and  interesting 
bird  of  this  Order  in  that  region,  either  around 
the  suburban  home,  on  the  ranch,  or  in  the  moun- 
tain forests.  This  is  the  species  which  is  now 
celebrated  in  word  and  picture  for  its  habit  of 
digging  hundreds  of  holes  in  soft  bark  or  dead 
tree-trunks,  and  “storing”  an  acorn  in  each 
hole,  for  future  food. 

The  Downy  Woodpecker^  is  a small  gray- 
and-black  species,  modest  and  quiet  in  demeanor, 
but  quite  as  common  about  the  haunts  of  man 
as  the  golden-wing.  It  is  the  smallest  species 
found  in  the  United  States  and  is  the  one  which 
is  most  in  evidence  in  winter. 

This  bird  ranks  high  as  a destroyer  of  insects, 
and  in  the  percentage  of  insect  food  consumed 
leads  all  other  woodpeckers  that  have  been 
studied  by  the  Biological  Survey  of  , the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.  An  examination  of  one 
hundred  and  forty  stomachs  revealed  74  per  cent 
of  insect  food  and  25  of  vegetable.  The  vege- 
table food  consisted  chiefly  of  seeds  of  the  poison 
ivy,  poison  sumac,  mullen,  poke  berries,  dog- 
wood and  woodbine.  The  fruits  consisted  of 
service  berries,  strawberries  and  apples. 

Apparently  this  bird  is  almost  worth  its  weight 
in  gold  to  the  farmer  who  has  valuable  trees 
and  fruit ; and  in  winter,  the  farmer  who  is  wise 
will  put  up  suet,  fat  pork,  and  bones  bearing 
some  raw  meat,  on  the  trees  in  his  orchard  and 
woods. 

' Mel-an-er'pes  for-mi-civ'o-rus. 

* Pi'cus  pu-bes'cens  me-di-an'us.  Length,  7 inches. 


THE  SAPSUCKER 


213 


The  Hairy  Woodpecker*  is  so  closea  coun- 
terpart of  the  downy,  in  appearance  and  habits, 
that  it  is  unnecessary  to  describe  both.  The 
former  is  larger,  but  its  rank  as  an  insect  exter- 
minator is  a little  lower.  Its  proportion  of  in- 
sect food  is  68  per  cent,  and  vegetable,  31  per 
cent.  Of  the  former,  ants  make  up  17  per  cent, 
beetles  24  per  cent,  and  caterpillars  21  per  cent. 
The  only  cultivated  fruits  found  in  eighty-two 
stomachs  were  blackberries ; but  wild  fruits  were 
well  represented. 

This  bird  inhabits  practically  the  same  region 
as  the  downy  woodpecker,  and  belongs  in  the 
ranks  of  the  farmer’s  best  friends. 

The  Yellow-Bellied  Sapsucker  ^ is  prac- 
tically the  only  woodpecker  which  inflicts  serious 
damage  upon  man’s  property;  and  possibly  it 
may  in  some  localities  become  so  numerous  as  to 
require  thinning  out.  Any  bird  which  deliber- 
ately girdles  a tree  and  kills  it  is  a bird  entitled 
to  serious  consideration,  and  punishment  ac- 
cording to  the  harm  it  does. 

This  bird  eats  great  quantities  of  insects,  but 
as  dessert  it  is  fond  of  the  sap  of  certain  trees, 
among  which  are  the  maple,  birch,  white  ash, 
apple,  mountain-ash  and  spruce.  Into  the  soft, 
green  bark  of  these  trees,  this  Sapsucker  drills 
small,  squarish  holes,  that  look  like  gimlet  holes. 
Usually  they  are  placed  in  a horizontal  line, 
and  sometimes  in  mathematical  groups.  Oc- 
casionally several  lines  of  these  holes  will  quite 
girdle  a tree.  The  bird  not  only  drinks  the  sap 
that  exudes,  but  he  lies  in  wait  to  catch  the 
winged  insects  and  ants  that  are  attracted  to  the 
sweet  fluid,  and  devours  great  numbers  of  them. 

Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  who  has  closely  observed 
the  work  of  the  Sapsucker,  states  that  frequently 
mountain-ash  trees  are  girdled  to  death  by  this 
bird,  but  that  trees  of  greater  endurance,  like 
the  apple  and  thorn-apple,  are  more  able  to  sur- 
vive its  attacks,  .\nother  observer,  Mr.  Frank 
Holies,  declares  that  in  well-wooded  regions  the 
damage  it  does  is  too  insignificant  to  justify  its 
destruction.  Mrs.  .Mabel  O.sgood  Wright  states 
that  in  Connecticut  “where  these  birds  are  plen- 
tiful, many  orchard-owners  cover  the  tree- 
trunks  with  fine  wire  netting.’’ 

“This  species,’’  says  Professor  Beal,  “is  prob- 
ably the  most  migratory  of  all  our  woodpeckers, 

' Dry-o-ba'Us  vil-lo'sus.  Length,  lO-SO  inches. 

’ Sphy-ra-pi'eus  va'ri-us.  Length,  8.25  inches. 


breeding  only  in  the  most  northerly  parts  of  the 
United  States,  and  in  some  of  the  mountains 
farther  south.  In  the  fall  it  ranges  southward, 
spending  the  winter  in  most  of  the  eastern  states. 
It  is  less  generally  distributed  than  some  of  the 
other  woodpeckers,  being  quite  unknown  in 
some  sections,  and  very  abundant  in  others.’’ 

In  its  general  color-scheme,  this  is  a bird  of 
many  and  much-mixed  colors — black,  white  and 
yellowish  indescribably  varied — both  above 
and  below.  The  top  of  the  head  and  the  throat 


DOW'NY  WOODPECKER. 


are  bright  red;  and  the  sides  of  the  head  have 
two  broad  streaks  of  white,  and  two  of  black. 
The  name  of  the  bird  is  derived  from  the  pre- 
dominating greenish-yellow  color  of  its  breast 
and  abdomen. 

The  Pacific  coast  has  the  Red-Naped  Sap- 
sucker, a subspecies  of  the  above,  of  similar  tree- 
girdling habits;  the  Red-Breasted  Sapsucker,  one 
of  the  commonest  woodpeckers  found  from 
Oregon  to  Lower  California,  and  two  others, — 
the  Northern  Red-Breasted  and  Williamson’s. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


THE  ORDER  OF  CUCKOOS  AND  KINGFISHERS 

COCCYGES 


This  Order  (pronounced  Coc'-si-jez)  represents 
an  effort  to  find  a place  for  three  familiar  Fami- 
lies of  birds  whose  members  have  something  in 
common,  yet  in  their  most  noticeable  features 
are  widely  different.  Both  in  their  structure, 
habits  and  mode  of  life,  the  kingfisher  and 
cuckoo  are  widely  different  from  each  other; 
and  if  there  is  one  really  good  reason  why  these 
birds  should  be  placed  in  the  same  Order,  tlie 
writer  would  be  pleased  to  have  it  pointed  out. 
Their  feet  are  totally  different,  and  so  are  their 
beaks,  their  tails  and  their  plumage.  Any  future 
revision  of  the  classification  of  birds  should 
strike  this  Order,  early  and  hard. 

THE  CUCKOO  FAMILY. 

Cuculidae. 

The  Yellow-Billed  Cuckoo,^  or  Rain- 
“Crow,”  will  fitly  represent  the  Cuckoo  Family. 
It  looks  like  an  insect-eating  perching-bird,  and 


YELLOW-BILLED  CUCKOO. 

in  reality  it  is  one!  You  can  easily  recognize  it 
by  its  extreme  length  and  slenderness,  the  fan- 
like shape  of  its  tail  when  spread,  its  upper  sur- 
face of  glossy  drab — or  gray-brown — and  its  white 
* Coc-cij'zus  americajiiis.  Length,  about  12  inches. 


under  surface  from  throat  to  tail.  To  carry  out 
this  color-scheme  to  its  logical  sequence,  the 
upper  mandible  is  dusky  brown,  and  the  lower 
one  is  yellow. 

This  bird  derives  one  of  its  common  names — 
Rain-“Crow” — from  the  fact  that  its- peculiar 
cry  is  heard  oftenest  on  still  and  cloudy  summer 
days, — two  conditions  which  to  the  weather- 
wise  farmer  always  portend  rain.  Its  cry  is  a 
weird,  gurgling  note  which  sounds  like  “Cowk- 
cowk-cowk-cowk ! ” and  usually  it  comes  from 
the  heart  of  a thick  bush  or  tree  which  effectually 
screens  the  bird.  It  seems  to  be  fully  aware  of 
the  dangers  which  beset  all  birds  which  attempt 
to  live  in  the  open  with  civilized  man,  for  it  lives 
amid  the  forest  shadows. 

This  bird,  and  also  its  twin  species,  the  Black- 
Billed  Cuckoo,  lives  almost  wholly  upon  in- 
sects. Of  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  Cuckoo  stom- 
achs examined  by  the  Department  of  .Agriculture, 
only  one  contained  any  vegetable  food — two 
small  berries.  Nearly  half  the  Cuckoo’s  food 
proved  to  be  caterpillars,  2,771  of  which  were 
found  in  129  stomachs.  It  was  not  uncommon 
for  one  bird  to  contain  more  than  100  of  them. 
“During  May  and  June,  when  tent-caterpillars 
are  defoliating  the  fruit-trees,  these  insects  con- 
stitute half  of  the  Cuckoo’s  food.” 

The  stomachs  examined  contained  remains 
of  sixty-five  species  of  insects,  in  the  following 
percentages:  beetles,  6;  bugs,  G^;  grasshoppers, 
30;  caterpillars,  48A ; other  insects,  such  as  web- 
worms,  tussock-moths,  army-worms,  and  moth 
larvae,  9. 

From  the  results  of  this  investigation  it  is  clear 
that  our  two  species  of  Cuckoo  are  to  be  numbered 
with  the  farmers’  best  friends  among  birds.  -As 
an  estimate,  I .should  say  that  each  of  these  birds 
that  enters  a section  devoted  to  farming  and 
fruit-growing  is  worth  to  that  section  about  $10 
per  season.  The  charge  that  Cuckoos  devour 
214 


r 

i 


THE  KOAD-EUNNER  AND  KINGFISHER 


215 


the  eggs  or  egg-shells  of  other  birds  was  proven 
by  the  finding  of  shells  “ in  several  stomachs, 
but  oidy  in  very  small  quantities — no  more  than 
was  found  in  the  stomachs  of  nearly  every  spe- 
cies that  has  been  examined.”  Thus  the  offence 
charged  proves  to  be  too  trivial  to  consider. 

The  Yellow-Billed  Cuckoo  inhabits  the  east- 
ern half  of  the  United  States  to  the  Cireat  Plains, 
and  the  Blaek-Billed  ranges  westward  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  from  Canada  to  the  tropics. 
From  the  Rockies  to  the  Pacific,  and  up  to  Brit- 
ish Columbia,  is  found  the  California  Cuckoo,  a 
close  counterpart  of  the  Yellow-Billed  species. 

The  Uoad-Huimer,  or  Chaparral  Cock,'  is 
a very  strange  bird;  and  many  strange  “yarns” 
have  been  told  of  it.  It  is  remarkably  odd  in 
form,  and  also  in  its  habits.  It  is  about  the  size 
of  a small  crow,  with  a tail  as  long  as  its  entire 
body  and  head,  and  legs  that  are  so  long  and 
strong  they  seem  like  tho.se  of  a grouse,  save  that 
the  toes  are  longer.  The  body  is  slender,  but 
the  neck  and  head  are  large,  and  the  head  has  a 
conspicuous  crest.  The  beak  is  large.  Although 
this  bird  has  wings,  it  seldom  uses  them,  and 
they  must  l^e  coi\stantly  growing  smaller  through 
di.suse. 

This  strange  bird  is  a habitant  of  the  South- 
west, from  Texas  to  southern  California  and 
I southward,  and  lives  on  the  ground,  in  the  low, 
dry  brush  which  is  called  chaparral  (shap-a-ral')- 
It  feeds  upon  every  living  thing  inhabiting  that 
region  which  it  can  catch  and  .swallow, — mice, 

I lizards,  small  snakes,  centipedes  and  insects. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  nervous  birds  imaginable, — 
suspicious  of  everything  that  moves,  and  ready 
to  make  off  without  stopping  to  reason  why. 

It  exhibits  a decided  preference  for  the  smooth 
trails  and  paths  through  its  beloved  chaparral, 
and  when  alarmed  it  does  not  rise  and  fly,  but 
makes  off  running,  in  the  trail.  It  runs  with 
great  swiftness  and  seeming  ea.se,  but  Dr.  D.  T. 
.MacDougal  has  Ix'en  informed  that  Mexican  boys 
sometimes  run  them  down,  on  foot,  and  either  kill 
j them  with  sticks  or  catch  them  alive. 

' This  bird  is  also  great  at  leaping,  as  we  have 
seen  in  keeping  it  in  captivity.  In.stead  of  fly- 
ing to  the  top  of  a cedar-tree  perch  six  feet  high, 
and  down  again,  it  always  leaps,  with  clo.sed 
wings;  but  in  leaping  up  it  prefers  to  take  a short 

' Ce-o-coc'cyx  cal-i-jor-ni-an' ux.  I.ength,  21  to  23 
inchc;.. 


run  to  acquire  momentum.  If  this  bird  goes 
on  ten  thousand  years  in  its  present  habits,  by 
the  end  of  that  period  its  descendants  probably 
will  be  without  the  power  of  flight,  but  provided 
with  legs  and  feet  so  strong  and  full  of  spring 
that  they  can  leap  twenty  feet. 


THE  KINGFISHER  FAMILY. 


Alccdinidac. 

This  family  is  widely  and  beautifully  repre- 
sented in  the  IMalay  Archipelago,  but  only  three 
species  are  found  in  the  United  States.  The 
Bolted  Kingfisher  ~ is  of  almost  universal 
distribution  throughout  North  America,  from 
the  arctic  Barren  Grounds  to  Panama  and  the 
West  Indies.  Go  where  you  will,  in  its  sea.son, 
where  small  fish  abide,  there  will  you  find  it. 
It  is  dignified,  handsome,  alert,  and  a true  sports- 
man. Its  favorite  perch  is  a dead  limb  over 


THE  BELTED  KINGFISHER. 


still  water,  from  which  it  can  command  a wide 
view,  and  swoop  to  the  surface  of  the  water  in 
five  seconds  of  time.  You  will  know  it  by  its 
bright  blue  upper  surface;  high  and  saucy  crest ; 
long,  dagger-like  beak;  white  under  surface 
and  broad  belt  of  blue  around  the  upper  breast. 
Its  cry  is  a metallic  rattle,  like  “ Churr-r-r-r-r-r!” 
and  its  food  is  small  fish.  It  nests  in  a hole 
dug  several  feet  horizontally  into  a perpendicu- 
lar bank  of  earth,  near  water,  or  in  a hollow 
tree. 

* Cer'y-le  al-'cy-on.  Length,  about  12  inches. 


CHAPTER  XX 


THE  ORDER  OF  PARROTS  AND  MACAWS 

PSITTACI 


The  parrots,  parrakeets,  macaws  and  cocka- 
toos form  a large  group,  containing  in  all  more 
than  500  species.  Of  these,  about  150  inhabit 
the  New  World,  but  only  one  species  is  found 
in  the  United  States.  South  America  contains 
the  greatest  number  of  species;  Africa  and  Asia 
are  but  poorly  supplied,  and  Europe  has  none. 
The  widest  departures  from  the  standard  types 
are  found  in  New  Zealand  and  Australia. 


Drawn  by  Edmund  J.  Sawyer. 


CAROLINA  PARR.^KEET. 

Although  these  birds  are  by  nature  thoroughly 
tropical,  some  of  them  range  far  into  the  tem- 
perate zones.  This  Order  contains  a larger  pro- 
portion of  beautifully  colored  birds  than  any 
other.  Among  the  parrots,  parrakeets,  ma- 
caws and  lories,  there  is  a lavish  display  of  brill- 
iant scarlet,  crimson,  blue,  green,  yellow  and 
purple,  while  all  save  a few  of  the  cockatoos  are 
snow'y  white. 


The  members  of  this  Order  are  specially  dis- 
tinguished by  their  bills  and  feet.  Of  the  for- 
mer, the  lower  mandible  is  a short  but  power- 
ful gouge,  while  the  upper  mandible  is  a big  hook, 
with  a thick  and  heavy  base,  and  a long,  sharp 
point. 

The  foot  of  a bird  of  this  Order  is  evenly  di- 
vided, with  the  second  and  third  toes  pointing 
forward,  and  the  first  and  fourth  pointing  back. 
The  tails  of  most  parrots  are  rather  short,  and 
square  at  the  end,  and  the  legs  are  very  short. 
With  but  one  or  two  exceptions,  all  the  500  spe- 
cies of  this  Order  feed  upon  fruit,  seeds  and 
flowers. 

The  Parrots  are  celebrated  by  reason  of  the 
natural  inclination  of  some  species  to  mimicry, 
and  their  ability  to  learn  to  talk.  They  are 
naturally  sedate  and  observant,  possess  ex- 
cellent memories,  and  are  fond  of  the  companion- 
ship 'of  man.  The  broad,  fleshy  tongue  of  a 
parrot  renders  possible  the  articulation  of  many 
vocal  sounds,  and  when  a certain  phrase  is  end- 
lessly repeated  to  a parrot  that  is  secluded  from 
other  sounds,  the  bird  is  sometimes  moved  to 
remember  and  repeat  them.  The  African  Gray 
Parrot  is  the  most  celebrated  talker,  and  its 
value  is  from  $15  upward.  Next  in  rank  comes 
the  Mexican  Double  Yellow-Head,  although  the 
Carthagena  Parrot,  being  a good  talker  and  a 
more  hardy  bird,  is  rapidly  becoming  more  popu- 
lar. Of  both  these  species,  the  price  in  the  New 
York  bird-stores  is  from  $10  to  $12. 

The  parrot  of  the  most  remarkable  habits 
is  the  Kea,  of  New  Zealand,  a bird  with  very 
large  and  strong  feet,  which  not  only  loves  fresh 
mutton,  but  sometimes  kills  sheep  on  its  own 
account,  for  food  purposes. 

The  Parrakeets  are  really  small,  trim-built 
parrots,  with  long,  sharp-pointed  tails.  Ex- 
cepting the  Thick-Billed  Parrot,  which  has  been 
seen  in  southern  Arizona,  this  Family  contains 
the  only  member  of  the  Order  Psittaci  which 


216 


THE  TALKING  BIRDS 


217 


inhabits  the  United  States.  The  Carolina 
Parrakeet*  once  ranged  northward  in  summer 
to  Maryland,  Lake  Erie  and  Iowa,  and  as  far 
west  as  Colorado;  but  now  all  that  is  only  so 
much  history.  The  hand  of  the  destroyer  has 
been  heavy  upon  this  pretty  bird.  To-day  it  is 
found  only  in  a few  localities  in  Florida,  and 
the  prospects  are  that  in  a very  few  years  it 
will  be  totally  extinct.  To  illustrate:  In  1893, 
a colony  of  about  thirty  birds  which  nested 
on  the  Sebastian  River  was  completely  destroyed 
in  one  night  by  a local  hunter,  who  captured  the 
entire  flock,  and  sent  the  birds  to  a New  York 
dealer,  in  whose  hands  all  those  which  reached 
him  alive  died  in  a short  time. 

In  color  this  bird  has  a bright  green  body, 
and  yellow  head  and  neck.  It  feeds  upon  fruit 
and  seeds,  and  nests  in  hollow  trees. 

The  Macaws  are  large,  showy  birds  with 
very  long,  pointed  tails,  and  the  most  awful 
voices  for  screeching  ever  made  for  feathered 
folk.  They  are  found  only  in  the  New  World 
from  Mexico  to  Paraguay,  and  in  the  Andes  up, 
to  10,000  feet.  Either  in  flight,  or  at  rest  in  the 
green  tree-tops,  they  are  exceedingly  showy 
and  attractive  birds,  and  to  find  a flock  in  the 
depths  of  a tropical  forest  is  an  event  to  be  re- 
membered. In  hunting  macaws  in  the  delta  of 
the  Orinoco,  about  every  fourth  bird  that  was 

* Co-nu'rus  carolinensis.  Length,  about  12  inches. 


mortally  wounded  would  hook  its  beak  over  a 
small  branch,  die,  and  hang  there  until  I would 
be  reluctantly  compelled  to  make  my  fellow-col- 
lector, who  was  a good  climber,  climb  up  to  the 
bird  and  throw  it  down,  with  much  anger  and 
unnecessary  violence. 

It  is  a pity  that  such  beautiful  birds  should 
have  such  ear-splitting,  nerve-racking  voices. 
Although  they  seldom  can  be  taught  to  talk, 
never  cease  to  scream  until  dead,  and  are  very 
apt  to  bite  most  unexpectedly,  they  are  often 
kept  as  household  pets. 

The  Blue-and-Yellow  Macaw,^  orange  yel- 
low below  and  cobalt  blue  above,  is  one  of  the 
species  most  frequently  seen  in  captivity.  In 
the  bird-stores  of  New  York,  they  sell  at  from 
$10  to  $15  each.  The  Red-and-Blue  Macaw 
is  another  common  species.  The  beautiful  plum- 
colored  bird  occasionally  seen  is  the  Hyacinthine 
Macaw,  from  Brazil. 

The  Cockatoos  are  mostly — but  not  all — 
snow-white  birds,  with  lofty  and  beautiful  tri- 
angular crests  which  can  be  erected  at  will,  with 
striking  effect.  They  inhabit  Australia,  Celebes, 
the  Philippines  and  the  southern  islands  of  the 
Malay  Archipelago.  They  are  easily  tamed,  talk 
readily,  take  kindly  to  training,  and  become 
very  affectionate  and  satisfactory  companions. 

^ Ar'a  ar-a-rau'na.  Length,  about  30  inches,  of 
which  the  tail  constitutes  about  18  inches. 


CHAPTER  XXI 


THE  ORDER  OF  BIRDS  OF  PREY 

RAPT  ORES 


To  every  farmer  and  poultry-raiser,  the  birds  of  this  Order  are  divided  nto  two  groups,  friends 
and  enemies.  Inasmuch  as  feathered  friends  are  to  be  encouraged,  and  all  enemies  slain,  the  standing 
of  each  species  becomes  a life-or-death  matter.  America  is  a wide  and  populous  country,  and  despite 
the  labors  of  the  Biological  Survey  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  there  are  yet  millions  of 
persons  who  desire  precise  information  regarding  our  hawks  and  owls.  Because  of  the  economic 
importance  of  the  subject,  we  will  devote  a liberal  amount  of  space  and  effort  to  the  important  mem- 
bers of  this  group.  The  Families  of  the  Order  are  as  follows: 


FAMILIES. 


EXAMPLES. 


ORDER 
RAPTOR  ES. 


B.arn-Dwls,  . 
Horned  Owls, 
Hawks,  . . . 
Vultures,  . . 


STRI-GI'DAE,  . . 

BU-BON'I-DAE,  . 
FAL-CON'I-DAE,  . 
CA-THAR'TI-DAE, 


Barn,  or  Monkey-Faced  Owls. 

Horned,  Burrowing,  Snowy  and  Screech-Owls. 
Hawks,  Kites,  Buzzards  and  Eagles. 
California,  Turkey  and  Black  Vultures. 


THE  BARN-OWL  FAMILY. 

Strigidae. 

It  is  now  a well-established  fact  that  “owls 
are  among  the  most  beneficial  of  all  birds,”  in- 
flicting little  damage  upon  the  producers  of 
poultry,  and  conferring  vast  benefits  upon  the 
farmer  by  the  destruction  of  mammal  and  insect 
pests.  Inasmuch  as  their  regular  working  hours 
are  from  sunset  to  sunrise,  they  wage  success- 
ful war  on  the  nocturnal  mammals  which  remain 
quiet  during  the  daytime  in  order  to  escape 
hawks  and  other  daylight  enemies. 

Owls  are  exceedingly  interesting  birds,  and 
in  them  there  is  also  much  to  admire.  They 
take  life  seriously;  they  have  but  few  nerves, 
and  seldom  use  them.  Rarely  do  they  become 
really  tame  or  affectionate,  but  easily  become 
very  indignant  at  real  or  fancied  affronts.  Like 
many  people  of  few  words  and  solemn  manner, 
they  are  not  nearly  so  wise  as  they  look.  They 
are  easily  caught  in  steel  traps,  or  shot;  and  they 
are  much  given  to  nesting  in  situations  that  are 
wide  open  to  attack. 


Omitting  the  subspecies, — which  are  only  geo- 
graphic races, — there  are  eighteen  species  of 
owls  in  North  America,  north  of  Mexico.  They 
vary  in  size  from  the  tiny  elf-owl,  of  Arizona, 
only  6 inches  in  total  length,  to  the  great  gray 
owl,  of  the  arctic  regions,  30  inches  long. 

With  the  exception  of  the  great  horned  owl, 
the  owls  of  our  country  are  by  no  means  so  de- 
structive to  poultry  and  wild  bird  life  as  is  gen- 
erally supposed.  The  great  majority  of  the 
species  feed  upon  wild  mice,  rats,  squirrels, 
shrews,  fish,  crustaceans  and  insects;  and  some 
of  them  render  great  service  to  man.  Nearly 
all  owls  are  night-flyers,  and  by  reason  of  their 
soft,  fluffy  plumage,  which  renders  their  flight 
quite  noiseless,  they  are  specially  fitted  to  keep 
in  check  the  grand  army  of  destructive  rodents 
that  roam  abroad  under  cover  of  darkness. 

Owls  do  very  well  in  captivity,  provided  they 
are  properly  housed  and  fed,  and  have  com- 
fortable perches  to  sit  upon.  Naturally,  they 
are  most  active  at  night,  and  quiet  in  the  day- 
time. Be  it  known,  however,  that  they  cannot 
live  long  on  a steady  diet  of  beefsteak.  Every 
218 


THE  BARN  OWL 


219 


owl  must  have  a liberal  allowance  of  small  birds, 
like  English  sparrow's,  and,  if  possible,  an  occa- 
sional small  mammal,  in  each  case  w'ith  the  feath- 
ers or  hair  upon  it.  Nature  has  constructed 
the  owl  to  devour  its  prey  entire, — feathers, 
hair,  bones  and  all,  on  the  spot  where  it  is 
captured. 

By  a curious  rotary  action  of  the  stomach, 
all  the  desirable  elements  are  extracted  and  as- 
similated, and  the  indigestible  refuse — hair, 
featliers,  bones,  claws,  etc. — is  rolled  into  a 
ball  called  a “pellet,”  which  is  cast  up,  and  ex- 
pelled through  the  mouth.  These  pellets  are 
sometimes  collected  at  roost ing-places,  and  when 
carefully  examined  by  expert  zoologists,  it  is 
possible  to  identify  most  of  the  animal  remains, 
and  tell  what  the  bird  has  fed  upon. 

The  Barn-Owl,  or  3Ionkey-Faced  Ovvl,^  is 
the  most  oddly  shaped  of  all  the  owls;  it  has 
the  smoothest  and  most  compact  plumage,  and 
proportionately  the  longest  legs.  Its  general 
color  is  that  of  scorched  linen — light  brownish- 
yellow.  Each  small  black  eye  is  the  centre  of  a 
sunburst  of  radiating  feathers,  and  the  whole 
face  is  surrounded  by  a heart-shaped  ring  of 
brown. 

The  Barn-Owl  is  to  rats  and  mice  as  the 
cuckoo  is  to  the  caterpillar.  As  a destroyer  of 
the  meanest  vermin  on  earth  (rats)  this  bird  has 
no  equal.  Whether  North  or  South,  in  the  tropics 
or  the  temperate  zone,  it  loves  to  live  under  the 
roofs  of  civilized  man,  especially  in  church  bel- 
fries, where  it  is  not  molested.  In  the  town  of 
Barrancas,  at  the  head  of  the  Orinoco  delta, 
some  Venezuelan  boys  piloted  me  into  the  best 
church  in  the  place,  showed  me  two  Barn-Owls 
nesting  over  the  altar,  and  urged  me  to  shoot 
them  then  and  there.  My  refusal  because  the 
birds  were  very  thoroughly  in  sanctuary  was 
with  difficulty  comprehended. 

•Many  observations  on  the  food  habits  of  this 
bird  have  been  made  by  examining  the  pellets 
that  have  been  gathered  from  its  roosting  place. 
In  .lune,  1800,  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher  collected  200 
pellets  that  had  accumulated  from  two  birds 
that  roosted  and  nested  in  one  of  the  towers  of 
the  Smithsonian  building.  The.se  contained 
4-i4  skulls,  of  which  22.5  were  of  meadow-mice, 
2 of  pine-mice,  170  of  house-mice,  20  were  of 

' Strix  pra-lin’ co-la.  Length,  from  1.5  to  17 
inches. 


rats,  6 of  jumping  mice,  20  shrews,  1 star-nosed 
mole  and  1 vesper-sparrow. 

The  Barn-Owl  rarely  molests  birds — probably 
never  does  so  except  when  forced  by  hunger — 
and  all  over  the  world,  wherever  it  is  found,  its 
favorite  food  is  rats  and  mice.  The  number 
an  industrious  pair  will  destroy  in  a year  is  really 
very  great,  and  this  species  deserves  the  most 


SKELETON  OF  .A.  BIRD  OF  PREY.  (b.ALD  E.AGLE.) 


1,  Upper  mandible. 

2,  Lower  mandible, 

3,  Hyoid, 

4,  External  nostril, 

.5,  Orbit, 

6,  Occiput, 

7,  Cervical  vertebrae, 

8,  Clavicles, 

9,  Coracoid, 

10.  Ulna, 

21,  Digits 


11,  Radius, 

12,  Carpals, 

13,  Jletacarpals, 

14,  Digits, 

13,  Sternum, 

16,  Keel  of  sternum, 

17,  Pelvis, 

18,  Fibula, 

19,  Tibia, 

20,  Tarsus, 
foot. 


careful  protection  that  man  can  give  it.  Fort- 
unately, it  and  its  subspecies  are  very  widely 
distributed, — more  cosmopolitan,  in  fact,  than 
any  other  owl,  .save  the  short-eared. 


220 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 
B.\RN-0\VL. 


THE  HORNED-OWL  FAMILY. 

Bubonidae. 

The  Long-Eared  OwD  looks  like  a small 
and  imperfect  imitation  of  the  great  horned  owl. 
It  can  always  be  distinguished  by  its  small  size, 
and  the  fact  that  its  horns  appear  to  have  been 
set  too  close  together  on  the  top  of  its  head,  and 
do  not  fit  very  well.  Its  total  length  is  about 
15  inches,  and  its  general  color  is  a fine  mottling 
of  gray,  tawny  and  black,  which  produces  a 
brownish-gray  bird.  It  is  found  all  over  the 
United  States. 

The  food  of  this  very  useful  bird  consists 
mainly  of  mice.  In  April,  1888,  at  Munson 
Hill,  Virginia,  Dr.  Fisher  collected  about  50 
pellets  from  under  a tree  in  which  a Long-Eared 
Owl  had  roosted,  and  found  that  they  contained 
the  following  remains:  95  meadow-mice,  19 

pine-mice,  15  house-mice,  5 white-footed  mice, 
3 Cooper’s  mice,  26  short-tailed  shrews  and  13 
birds.  Of  the  birds,  there  were  11  sparrows,  1 
blue-bird  and  1 warbler.  Of  this  species  Dr. 

^ A' si-0  wil-son-i-an'us. 


Fisher  says:  “It  is  both  cruel  and  pernicious 
to  molest  a bird  so  valuable  and  innocent  as  the 
one  under  consideration.” 

The  Short-Eared  OwD  is  of  about  the  same 
size  as  the  preceding  species,  but  its  ears  are  so 
short  that  they  look  like  two  small  feathers  that 
have  been  thrust  carelessly  into  the  plumage  di- 
rectly above  the  eyes.  Above  it  is  a brownish- 
yellow  bird,  and  buffy  white  underneath.  It  is 
found  from  the  arctic  regions  of  North  America 
to  Patagonia,  and  throughout  nearly  the  whole 
of  the  Old  World  except  Australasia.  Its  food 
habits  are  very  similar  to  those  of  the  long-eared 
owl,  and  it  is  equally  deserving  of  a perpetual 
close  season. 

The  Barred  OwP  has  not  quite  so  good  a 
reputation  as  the  three  noticed  above,  but  its 
record  is  by  no  means  bad.  Out  of  109  stomachs 
examined  by  the  Biological  Survey,  three  con- 
tained domestic  fowls,  one  a ruffed  grouse  and 
one  a pigeon.  Six  contained  screech-owls,  one 
a saw-whet  owl,  three  held  sparrows,  one  a wood- 
pecker, and  two  small  birds  were  not  identified. 
Against  this  debit  was  a credit  of  46  mice,  18 
other  small  mammals,  4 frogs,  1 lizard,  2 fishes, 
2 spiders,  9 crawfish  and  20  empties.  The 
eighteen  small  mammals  consisted  of  5 red 


Photo,  and  copyright,  1902,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 


BARRED  OWLS. 

squirrels,  1 flying  squirrel,  1 chipmunk,  4 rab- 
bits, 2 shrews,  2 moles,  1 weasel  and  2 rats. 
From  this  very  exact  evidence,  the  reader 

^ A' si-0  ac-cip-i-tri'nus.  Length,  from  14  to  16 
inches. 

® Syr'ni-um  va'ri-um. 


THE  KOENED  OWL  FAMILY 


221 


can  judge  of  the  value  or  lack  of  value  of  this 
bird  to  the  country  at  large.  It  does  not  seem 
as  if  the  forty-six  mice  are  a fair  equivalent  for 
the  useful  birds  and  small  mammals  destroyed. 

Dr.  Fisher’s  conclusion  is  as  follows:  “If  a 

fair  balance  be  struck,  it  must  be  considered 
that  this  Owl  is  on  the  whole  beneficial,  and 
hence  should  occupy  a place  in  the  list  of  birds 
to  be  protected.” 

The  Barred  Owl  is  next  in  size  to  the  great 
horned  owl.  It  is  from  20  to  22  inches  long, 
heavy-bodied,  round-headed,  and  quite  with- 
out “horns,”  or  “ears.”  Its  head,  neck  and 
breast  are  marked  by  many  black  horizontal 
bars  on  a gray  or  creamy-white  ground,  and  the 
breast  and  abdomen  have  a few  thick,  perpen- 
dicular bars.  Many  times  a big  Barred  Owl  of 
my  acquaintance  has  exclaimed  to  me  through 
the  darkness,  in  a fearfully  hollow  and  sepul- 
chral voice, — “Who?  Who-who-who-who-w/id- 
WHo?  Ah!”  It  is  like  the  war-cry  of  an  angry 
ghost. 

This  bird  ranges  throughout  the  eastern  half 
of  the  United  States,  and  westward  almost  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains;  and  it  frequently  finds 
its  way  into  captivity. 

The  Great  Gray  OwP  is  the  largest  member 
of  this  Family  found  in  the  New  World.  It 
is  an  arctic  bird,  one-fourth  larger  than  the  great 
horned  owl,  and  even  in  winter  has  never  wan- 
dered farther  south  than  the  Ohio  River.  In 
Alaska  and  British  Columbia  it  inhabits  the  tim- 
bered regions,  and  does  not  wander  far  into  the 
treeless  Barren  Grounds.  Anyone  who  captures 
a very  large  owl  of  a dusky  brown  or  dusky  gray 
color,  larger  than  a great  horned  owl,  but  with  no 
ear-tufts,  may  know  that  he  has  secured  a speci- 
men of  the  rare  and  handsome  Great  Gray  Owl. 

The  Savv-VVhet  OwF  is  a very  small  Owl, 
and  so  shy  that  few  people  ever  see  it;  but  it 
feeds  almost  exclusively  upon  mice,  and  any 
bird  which  wages  perpetual  war  on  those  pests 
deserves  honorable  mention  in  these  pages.  In 
appearance  it  looks  very  much  like  a small  gray- 
phase  screech-owl  without  ears.  It  may  be 
looked  for — but  it  will  seldom  be  found — almost 
anywhere  in  the  United  States  from  the  inter- 
national boundary  to  the  Gulf  States  and  Cali- 
fornia. 

• Sco-ti-ap'tex  neh-u-lo'sa.  Length,  25  to  30  inches. 

’ Nyc'ta-la  a-ca'di-ca.  Length,  8 inches. 


The  Screech-OwF — with  an  awful  shiver 
in  its  voice,  but  no  screech  whatever — is  so 
widely  distributed,  and  so  easily  affected  by  cli- 
matic variations,  that  the  original  species  has 
been  split  up  into  eight  varieties,  or  subspecies. 
Thus  we  now  have  the  Texas,  California,  Rocky 
Mountain,  Mexican,  and  Florida  Screech-Owls, 
and  others  too  numerous  to  mention.  The  dif- 
ferences between  all  these  are  not  very  great. 
Let  each  American  know  his  own  Screech-Owl, 
and  study  its  habits,  and  he  will  then  know 
the  others,  quite  well  enough  for  all  practical 
purposes. 

To  me,  the  cry  of  this  little  Owl  is  one  of  the 
most  doleful  sounds  in  animated  nature,  not  even 
excepting  the  howl  of  a wolf.  It  is  like  the 


N.  Y Zoological  Park. 
SCREECH-OWL. 


quivering,  shivering,  heart-broken  wail  of  a lost 
spirit,  and  suggests  chattering  teeth  and  freezing 
vocal  chords.  Written  out  it  is  “Woe-woe- 
woe-woe-woe-icoe-woe  ah!”  But  no  phonetic 
spelling  can  even  suggest  the  high-pitched  men- 
tal and  physical  anguish  expressed  in  the  cry 
that  one  hears. 

The  Screech-Owl  is  a round-bodied  little  fel- 
low, sometimes  almost  as  broad  as  it  is  high; 
and  its  head  is  surmounted  at  the  corners  by 
very  respectable  ears.  In  its  gray  phase,  this 
bird  looks  very  much  like  a dwarf  great  horned 

* Meg'as-cops  a'si-o.  Length,  7 to  9 inches. 


222 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


owl;  but  of  course  the  black  markings  are  not 
the  same. 

This  Owl  exhibits  a peculiarity  in  color  which 
must  be  specially  noted.  It  has  two  distinct 
and  widely  different  colors,  red  and  gray.  In 
the  same  locality  will  be  found  owls  that  are  of 
a cold,  black-and-white  gray  color,  and  others 
that  are  pale,  rusty  red,  with  white  mottlings 
on  the  abdomen.  For  this  very  odd  develop- 
ment, we  are  quite  unable  to  account;  and  such 


Sanborn,  Photo.,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


YOUNG  SCREECH-OWLS. 

lawless  color-variations  are  called  “phases,”  pos- 
sibly because  they  phase  the  naturalists  who  try 
to  study  out  their  whys  and  wherefores. 

In  its  food  habits,  the  Screech-Owl  prefers, 
if  it  can  procure  them,  mice,  grasshoppers,  lo- 
custs, cut  worms,  beetles,  caterpillars,  crickets, 
spiders,  lizards,  frogs  and  crawfish.  If  these 
are  lacking,  it  attacks  the  English  sparrow  and 
almbst  any  other  small  bird  that  comes  handy, 
usually  other  sparrows.  To  show  that  when 
very  hungry  all  birds  look  alike  to  him,  he  oc- 
casionally kills  and  eats  a bird  of  his  own 
species!  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher’s  ever  useful  and 
scholarly  report  on  the  “Hawks  and  Owls 
of  the  United  States”  sets  forth  in  full  detail 
tne  results  of  the  examination  of  255  stomachs 


of  Screech-Owls,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
summary  of  contents:  100,  insects;  91,  mice; 
12,  English  sparrows;  26,  other  birds;  11,  miscel- 
laneous mammals;  9,  crawfish;  7,  miscellaneous 
food;  5,  spiders;  5,  frogs;  2,  lizards;  2,  scorpions; 
2,  earth-worms;  1,  poultry;  1,  fish,  and  43  were 
empty.  The  following  is  a full  list  of  the  birds 
found:  12  English  sparrows,  9 other  sparrows, 
3 juncos,  2 Screech-Owls,  1 shore-lark,  1 water 
thrush  and  15  unrecognized. 

Leaving  out  the  two  Screech-Owls,  of  the  birds 
that  were  identified,  the  English  sparrows  formed 
practically  one-half.  On  this  basis  we  will 
allow  that  of  the  unrecognized  birds,  seven  were 
song-birds.  Add  these  to  the  fifteen  recog- 
nized-song birds  and  w'e  have  a total  of  twenty- 
one  song-birds  out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-five 
stomachs  examined. 

The  question  is,  what  shall  be  the  fate  of  the 
Screech-Owl,  — encouragement,  toleration,  or 
limitation?  To  me  it  seems  that  the  number  of 
Screech-Owls  should  be  limited,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  song-birds;  but  I do  not  believe  in  their  ex- 
termination. 

The  Great  Horned  Owl'  is,  by  necessity,  an 
aerial  pirate  and  highway  robber — the  tiger 
of  the  air.  Its  temper  is  fierce  and  intractable, 
and  if  you  attempt  to  make  friends  with  one 
in  captivity,  it  will  hiss  like  a snake,  snap  its 
beak  like  an  angry  peccary,  and  dare  you  to 
come  on.  Of  all  the  birds  I know,  there  is  no 
other  so  persistently  savage  in  captivity  as  this 
bloody-minded  game-killer.  Of  course,  the  Owl 
is  not  to  blame  for  the  raw-meat  appetite  which 
Nature  gave  him,  and  for  which  he  feels  bound 
to  provide ; but  there  is  no  reason  why  he  should 
have  a temper  like  a black  leopard  toward  those 
who  feed  him. 

“Of  all  the  birds  of  prey,  with  the  exception 
possibly  of  the  goshawk  and  Cooper’s  hawk,” 
says  Dr.  K.  Fisher,  “the  Great  Horned  Owl 
is  the  most  destructive  to  poultry.  All  kinds 
of  poultry  seem  to  be  taken,  though  when  Guinea- 
fowls  and  turkeys  are  obtainable,  it  shows  a 
preference  for  these.  In  sections  of  the  country 
where  it  is  common,  the  inhabitants  complain 
bitterly  of  its  ravages.”  In  the  museum  of  the 
Pliiladelphia  Academy  is  an  Owl  which  carried 
off  from  one  farm  twenty-seven  individuals  of 
various  kinds  of  poultry  before  it  was  shot. 

' Bu'bo  virginianus.  Length,  from  20  to  24  inches. 


THE  GREAT  HORNED  OWL 


223 


r 


GREAT  HORNED  OWL. 

With  “ horns  ” laid  back  in  anger. 


But  let  US  give  even  the  Horned  Owl  its  just 
due.  Mr.  O.  E.  Niles,  of  Ohio,  once  found  in  a 
nest  of  this  bird  “several  full-grown  Norway 
rats  with  their  skulls  opened  and  brains  removed,” 
and  on  the  ground  under  the  tree  which  contained 
the  nest  he  found  “the  bodies  of  one  hundred  and 
thirteen  rats,  most  of  them  full  grown!”  Now, 
in  the  course  of  a year,  would  not  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  Norway  rats  consume  and  destroy 
enough  grain  to  feed  one  hundred  and  ten  head 
of  poultry? 

This  is  the  summary  of  the  contents  of  127 
stomachs  of  Great  Horned  Owls  examined  by 
the  Biological  Survey:  .31  contained  poultry  or 
game-birds;  8 contained  other  birds;  13  con- 
tained mice;  65  contained  other  mammals;  1 
contained  a fish;  1 contained  a scorpion;  10 
contained  insects,  and  17  contained  nothing. 

The  bird-food  represented  the  following:  21 
domestic  birds,  11  song-birds,  3 ruffed  grouse. 


2 quail,  I pinnated  grouse,  1 pigeon,  1 rail,  1 
wild  duck,  1 Cooper’s  hawk,  and  2 unknown. 

The  mammals  found  were  as  follows:  46  mice 
and  rats,  32  rabbits  and  hares,  7 shrews,  5 squir- 
rels, 3 chipmunks,  4 pocket-gophers,  2 skunks,  1 
weasel  and  1 bat. 

Beyond  question,  the  debit  balance  against 
this  bird  is  heavy,  and  justifies  its  destruction, 
wherever  found;  but  at  the  same  time,  it  goes 
against  the  grain  to  kill  a bird  which  destroys 
so  man_y  rats. 

The  Great  Horned  Owl,  or  Hoot-Owl,  as  it  is 
frequently  called,  is  a bird  of  dignified  and  im- 
posing appearance.  Its  big,  round-topped  horns 
of  feathers  are  singularly  like  cats’  ears  in  shape, 
and  when  with  these  are  seen  the  fiercely-glaring 
eyes  of  yellow  and  black,  the  half-yellow  face 
and  fluffy  white  feathers  on  the  throat,  the  whole 
head  of  this  bird  is  singularly  like  that  of  a Ben- 
gal tiger.  The  body  plumage  is  a complex  mot- 
tling and  barring  of  black  and  brown,  dull  yellow 
and  white,  impossible  to  describe  successfully. 

But  this  bird  can  always  be  recognized  by  its 
large  size,  cat’s-ear  “horns,”  and  the  fine,  black 
horizontal  bars  across  its  breast-feathers.  From  • 
wing  to  wing,  across  its  upper  breast  there  is  an 
assemblage  of  heavy  splashes  of  black. 

The  eastern  Great  Horned  Owl  is  the  type 
species  on  which  are  based  the  Western,  Arctic, 
Dusky  and  Pacific  Horned  Owls,  which  in  com- 


Photographed  by  E.  R.  Warren. 


YOUNG  GREAT  HORNED  OWLS. 


224 


OKDEKS  OF  BIKDS— BIKDS  OF  PREY 


bination  cover  practically  the  whole  of  North 
America  down  to  Costa  Rica.  By  reason  of  the 
live  food  available  in  winter,  these  birds  are  not 
migratory. 

The  Snowy  OwP  is  a bird  of  the  Arctic 
wastes,  and  reaches  the  northern  United  States 
only  as  a winter  visitor.  Its  occurrence  with  us 
varies  from  a total  scarcity  during  some  years  to 
an  abundance  during  others.  During  December, 
1886, — the  beginning  of  the  awful  winter  which 
killed  over  90  per  cent  of  the  range  cattle  in 
Montana, — we  saw  in  the  country  in  which  we 


Photo,  by  C.  William  Beebe,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


SNOWY  OWL. 

were  hunting  buffalo,  in  central  Montana,  at 
least  twenty-five  Snowy  Owls.  They  were  liv- 
ing on  hares,  rabbits,  and  sage-grouse,  out  in  the 
open,  twenty  miles  from  the  nearest  timber.  It 
was  their  habit  to  alight  upon  the  tops  of  the 
low  buttes,  in  reality  upon  the  ground,  from 
which  they  could  survey  a wide  circle  of  sage- 
brush plains.  Whenever  there  is  an  annual 
“flight”  of  Snowy  Owls,  they  are  always  par- 
ticularly numerous  in  Minnesota. 

But  for  its  perfectly  round  and  rather  comical- 
looking  head,  this  bird  would  be  the  most  beau- 
tiful of  all  American  owls.  Its  plumage  varies 

* Nyc'te-a  nyc'te-a.  Average  length,  about  23 
inches,  the  female  being  larger  than  the  male. 


from  almost  spotless  snow-white,  in  some  indi- 
viduals, to  white  barred  all  over  with  narrow 
horizontal  bands  of  black — which  is  really 
the  standard  color-plan.  The  number  and  width 
of  the  black  bands  vary  exceedingly  in  differ- 
ent individuals,  some  birds  being  rendered  much 
darker  than  others. 

The  food  of  this  species  consists  of  every  kind 
of  wild  bird  or  small  mammal  it  can  catch;  but 
there  is  no  evidence  that  it  ever  destroys  poul- 
try. In  summer,  when  its  far-northern  home 
is  full  of  migratory  birds,  nesting  and  rearing 
their  young,  its  bill  of  fare  is  quite  varied,  but 
in  winter  it  is  confined  to  such  winter  residents 
as  the  ptarmigan,  hare,  rabbit,  sage-grouse,  and 
such  small  rodents  as  dare  to  venture  forth  from 
their  burrows. 

With  the  Burrowing  Owl  ^ of  the  western 
plains,  the  Owl  Family  may  justly  be  regarded 
as  “run  to  earth.”  This  odd  little  owl  indeed 
takes  shelter  in  the  mouths  of  prairie-"  dog  ” 
holes,  but  as  far  as  I am  aware  there  is  no  proof 
that  it  ever  descends  to  the  bottom  of  a deep 
burrow,  or  that  it  is  chummy  with  the  rattle- 
snake. It  is  reasonably  certain  that  no  owl  in 
its  right  mind  ever  would  fraternize  with  a 
rattlesnake,  and  neither  would  a prairie-"  dog.” 

The  Burrowing  Owl  lives  in  the  plains  of  the 
West  and  Southwest,  from  North  Dakota  to 
southern  California.  A closely  related  species 
is  found  in  Florida,  where  it  easily  digs  burrows 
in  the  sandy  soil. 

Many  persons  have  the  idea  that  this  Owl  is 
unable  to  dig,  and  is  therefore  dependent  upon 
prairie-"  dogs  ” and  badgers  for  a home.  This  is 
entirely  erroneous.  In  soil  that  is  reasonably 
loose,  the  Burrowing  Owl  is  a most  industrious 
and  successful  digger,  and  with  his  feet  flings 
out  the  loose  dirt  and  gravel  in  a shower.  A 
pair  of  western  birds  which  we  kept  in  the  Bird- 
House  of  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  for  two 
years  burrowed  so  deeply  into  the  big  pile  of 
solid  gravel  in  their  enclosure  that  its  interior 
became  a perfect  cavern. 

In  the  land  of  plains  and  prairie-"  dogs,”  the 
Burrowing  Owl  is  a frequent  corollary  to  a “dog” 
town,  sitting  on  the  highest  point  of  a burrow 
mound,  or,  if  alarmed,  taking  short  flights  to  the 
suburbs.  Between  bird  and  rodent  there  ap- 

* Spe-ot'i-to  cu-nic-u-la' ri-a  hy-po'gw-a.  Average 
lengtn,  about  10  inches. 


SNOWY  OWL,  BUKROWING  OWL  AND  OSPREY 


225 


pears  to  exist  a modus  vivendi,  which  is  good  so 
long  as  the  bird  does  not  come  within  reach  of 
the  legitimate  owner  of  the  soil.  As  already 
mentioned  (page  77),  when  the  two  are  inti- 
mately mixed,  the  prairie-"  dog  ” quickly  kills 
the  Burrowing  Owl.  It  seems  practically  cer- 
tain that  the  bird  inhabits  only  the  mouth  of 
the  prairie-" dog’s”  burrow,  or  burrows  that 
have  been  abandoned. 

This  owl  is  far  too  small  to  kill  even  a half- 
grown  "dog;”  besides  which,  its  favorite  diet 
is  grasshoppers,  locusts,  other  insects,  lizards 
and  scorpions.  It  is  to  be  noticed  that  in  thirty- 
two  stomachs  examined  in  Washington,  one 
really  did  contain  a portion  of  a prairie-"  dog,” 
and  two  contained  one  mouse  each,  but  thirty- 
three  contained  insects  only,  some  of  them 
showing  from  forty-nine  to  sixty  each  of  locusts 
and  grasshoppers. 

The  color  of  a Burrowing  Owl  is  a grayish 
mixture,  darkest  on  the  back,  and  lighter  below> 
and  the  legs  are  long  and  naked,  like  those  of  a 
sharp-shinned  hawk.  In  eaptivity  our  specimens 
dug  extensive  burrows  for  themselves,  in  doing 
which  they  threw  out  gravel  and  earth  with 
astonishing  force.  They  are  savage  little  wretch- 
es, and  murder  each  other  at  a shocking  rate. 
The  males  fight  savagely,  and  the  western  spe- 
cies will  not  live  peaceably  with  that  of  Florida. 

THE  HAWKS  AND  EAGLES. 

Falconidae. 

This  section  of  the  Order  Raptores  contains 
a remarkable  assemblage  of  forms,  and  the  wide 
differences  between  some  of  the  groups  add 
zest  to  the  study  of  them.  Some  are  expert  in 
fishing,  some  are  of  dignified  and  imposing  bear- 
ing, some  have  beauty  of  plumage,  and  one  is 
the  most  beautiful  flyer  in  all  the  bird-world. 
Until  only  ten  years  ago,  most  people  regarded 
all  hawks  as  so  many  robbers,  deserving  death. 

In  189.3,  the  investigations  of  the  Department 
of  -\griculture  revealed  the  surprising  fact  that 
of  all  the  forty-one  species  of  day-flying  birds 
of  prey  in  North  America,  there  were  only  four 
species  whose  destructiveness  so  far  outweigh 
their  useful  services  that  they  deserve  to  be  de- 
stroyed. The  others  are  either  harmless  to 
man’s  interests,  or  else  so  positively  beneficial 
that  they  deserve  careful  protection.  Beyond 


doubt,  the  careful  and  thorough  investigations 
made  by  the  Biological  Survey,  under  the  di- 
rection of  Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  and  the  publi- 
cation of  the  results,  have  resulted  in  the  cor- 
rection of  popular  errors  which  if  persisted  in 
would  have  caused  enormous  losses  to  the  farm- 
ers of  the  United  States. 

As  an  object  lesson,  take  the  case  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

In  1885,  the  legislature  of  that  State  enacted 
a law  aimed  at  the  wholesale  destruction  of 
hawks  and  owls,  and  authorizing  the  various 
counties  to  pay  cash  bounties  for  the  "scalps” 
of  those  birds,  at  the  rate  of  fifty  cents  each. 
Immediately  the  work  of  slaughter  began.  Many 
thousand  scalps  of  hawks  and  owls  were  brought 
in,  and  over  $90,000  were  paid  out  for  them. 
It  has  been  estimated  that  the  "saving”  to  the 
agricultural  interests  of  the  state  amounted  to 
$1  for  every  $1,205  paid  out  as  bounties!  In 
this  manner  the  balance  of  Nature  was  quickly 
and  completely  destroyed. 

The  awakening  came  even  more  swiftly  than 
anyone  expected.  By  the  end  of  two  years 
from  the  passage  of  the  very  injudicious  "hawk 
law,”  the  farmers  found  their  field-crops  and 
orchards  so  completely  overrun  by  destructive 
mice,  rats  and  insects,  they  appealed  to  the 
legislature  for  the  quick  repeal  of  the  law.  This 
was  brought  about  with  all  possible  haste.  It 
was  estimated  by  competent  judges  that  the 
“hawk  law”  cost  the  farmers  and  fruit-growers 
of  Pennsylvania  not  less  than  $2,000,000  in 
actual  losses  on  valuable  crops. 

The  moral  of  this  episode  is, — it  is  always 
dangerous,  and  often  calamitous,  to  disturb  violently 
the  balance  of  Nature,  either  by  the  destruction  of 
existing  species  of  birds  or  mammals,  or  by  the  in- 
troduction of  new  ones. 

The  American  Osprey,  or  Fish-Hawk,' 

is,  by  common  consent,  regarded  as  a sort  of 
connecting  link  between  the  Owl  and  Falcon 
Families.  It  is  a good  bird  to  lead  a large  Fam- 
ily, and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  those  who  dwell 
far  from  the  sea-coast  and  large  rivers  lack  op- 
portunities for  becoming  well  acquainted  with 

it.  Surely  this  bold  fisher,  who  thinks  nothing 
of  dropping  a hundred  feet  into  ice-cold  water, 
seizing  a fish  of  nearly  half  his  own  weight,  and 

' Pan'di-on  hal-i-ae-e' tus  carolinensis.  Average 
length,  about  24  inches ; weight,  3 pounds. 


22G 


ORDEKS  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


flying  five  miles  with  it,  must  appeal  to  every 
man  and  boy  who  loves  the  grasp  of  a good  rod, 
and  the  musical  click  of  a reel. 

The  boat  trip  up  the  Shrewsbury  River,  from 
New  York  to  Long  Branch,  is  worth  taking  in 
midsummer  solely  for  the  sight  of  the  Ospreys, 
winging  slowly  over  the  still  lagoon,  stalking 
their  finny  prey,  and  anon  plunging  with  a loud’ 


AMERICAN  OSPREY. 


splash  into  the  water.  Sometimes  the  bold 
fishers  go  quite  out  of  sight.  The  most  sur- 
prising thing  about  such  performances  is  the 
size  of  the  fish  that  an  Osprey  can  lift  and  carry 
away. 

In  carrying  a fish,  an  Osprey  always  grasps 
it  on  the  back,  with  one  talon  well  ahead  of  the 
other,  and  the  head  of  the  fish  pointing  straight 
forward.  This  is  to  secure  a minimum  of  resist- 
ance from  the  air,  and  render  it  an  easy  matter 
to  steer  the  prize  to  the  home-nest,  or  to  a tall 
tree  on  which  it  may  be  devoured  a:t  leisure.  It 
is  no  wonder  that  a three-pound  Osprey  carrying 
a one-pound  fish  is  moved  to  jettison  his  cargo 
wheTi  he  sees  a hostile  bald  eagle  bearing  down 
upon  him  with  empty  claws  and  his  decks 
cleared  for  action. 


The  story  of  the  Ospreys  of  Gardiner’s  Island 
is  a most  interesting  chapter  in  bird-life.  The 
owner  of  that  island  is  a relentless  enemy  to 
cats  and  gunners,  and  a fierce  protector  of  all 
the  wild  life  on  the  island,  which  is  wholly  his. 
His  weapons  are  loaded  for  hunters  only,  and 
for  several  years  the  Ospreys  have  bred  regu- 
larly around  Mr.  Gardiner’s  house,  and  all  over 
the  island.  A pair  of  birds  occupies  the  same 
nest  year  after  year,  adding  to  the  mass  each 
year,  until  the  nest  contains  a wagon-load  of 
sticks  of  many  sizes,  and  measures  six  feet  in 
diameter.  To-day,  strange  to  relate,  some  of 
the  Ospreys  are  nesting  practically  upon  the 
ground,  serenely  confident  of  their  security  from 
all  harm. 

The  Osprey  is  built  like  a light-weight  athlete, 
all  bone,  tendon,  hard  muscle  and  wing-power, 
and  no  fat.  Its  long,  half-naked  legs  and  pow- 
erful claws  remind  one  of  patent  grappling- 
hooks.  The  wings  are  long  and  acutely  pointed, 
going  well  beyond  the  end  of  the  tail.  The 
whole  neck  and  lower  surface  of  the  bird  is  white, 
but  the  back,  wings,  and  upper  surface  of  the 
tail  is  dark  colored,  as  also  is  the  upper  half  of 
the  head.  The  plumage  is  compact,  smooth 
and  oily,  as  befits  a diving-bird. 

In  summer  this  bird  is  at  home  on  the  sea- 
coast  from  Alaska  and  Hudson  Bay  to  the  Gulf 
of  Jlexico,  and  along  a few  rivers,  but  in  winter 
it  migrates  to  southern  Florida,  the  West  Indies 
and  northern  South  .\merica. 

The  jaunty  little  Sparrow-Hawk*  is  the 
smallest  American  hawk,  and  also  the  most 
beautiful.  Its  form  is  elegant,  and  its  colors 
are  varied  and  pleasing.  As  if  desirous  of  ad- 
miration, it  tolerates  man  at  shorter  range  than 
any  other  hawk  I know.  Its  cap  is  dull  blue, 
its  throat  white  with  black  side-patches,  and  its 
upper  neck  and  back  are  bright  rusty  brown.  Its 
breast  is  salmon  color,  sparingly  spotted,  its 
knickerbockers  are  white,  and  its  tarsi  and  feet 
are  bright  yellow.  It  inhabits  the  whole  United 
States,  and  on  northward  to  Great  Slave  Lake, 
but  I think  it  is  most  plentiful  on  the  prairie 
farms  of  the  middle  West. 

As  a destroyer  of  grasshoppers,  beetles,  crick- 
ets, caterpillars  and  other  insect  enemies,  this 
little  Hawk  deserves  to  rank  with  the  birds  most 
beneficial  to  man.  For  so  small  a bird,  the 

* Fal'co  spar-ve'ri-us.  Length,  9 to  10  inches. 


SPAEEOW-HAWK  AND  DUCK-HAWK 


227 


number  of  grasshoppers  it  consumes  in  a year 
is  enormous.  It  never  molests  poultry,  and 
when  insects  are  obtainable  never  kills  a song- 
bird, but  it  does  destroy  great  numbers  of  mice. 
Dr.  Fisher  reports  that  of  320  stomachs  exam- 
ined, 215  contained  insects;  29,  spiders;  89, 
mice;  12,  other  mammals;  53,  small  birds;  1 
game-bird,  and  29  were  empty.  Many  stomachs 
contained  from  10  to  35  grasshoppers  each,  and 
of  other  insects,  from  25  to  40  in  one  bird  was 
of  common  occurrence. 

It  must  be  noted  at  this  point  that  w’hen  the 
Sparrow-Hawk  is  rearing  its  young,  it  does  some- 
times catch  young  chickens;  but  the  extreme 
infrequency  of  this  may  be  judged  from  the  fact 
that  in  the  entire  series  of  320  specimens  ex- 
amined at  Washington,  taken  at  all  seasons 
from  January  to  December,  and  throughout  a 
wide  range  of  localities,  not  one  stomach  con- 
tained any  remains  of  a domestic  bird.  In  the 
early  spring,  before  grasshoppers  come,  Sparrow- 
Hawks  often  follow  a plough  very  closely,  to . 
capture  the  mice  that  are  ploughed  up.  Some- 
times this  bird  is  half  domestic  in  its  habits,  and 
nests  in  buildings  erected  by  man.  Wherever 
it  is  found,  it  should  .be  a welcome  visitor. 

The  Pigeon-Hawk  * is  a slightly  larger  bird 
than  the  preceding,  very  destructive  to  song- 
birds, of  little  use  to  man,  and  deserves  to  be 
shot  wherever  found.  It  kills  sparrows,  thrushes, 
goldfinches,  vireos,  bobolinks,  swifts,  and  a host 
of  other  species.  Out  of  56  specimens  examined 
by  Dr.  Fisher,  41  contained  small  song-birds, 
and  2 poultry;  2 only  had  mice,  and  16  insects. 
Tliis  is  a bird  of  plain  colors,  being  bluish-gray 
or  brownish  above,  and  lighter  below. 

Apparently  the  Duck  Hawk,^  a geographic 
race  of  the  Peregrine  Falcon,  never  devours  a 
mouse  or  an  insect  save  by  mistake.  Out  of 
20  specimens,  7 contained  game-birds  or  poultry, 

9 had  eaten  song-birds,  only  2 contained  insects, 
and  1 a mouse.  \ou  may  know  this  bird  by 
the  great  size  and  strength  of  his  “pickers  and 
stealers.”  It  can  best  be  studied  with  a rope,  a 
basket,  and  a chokebore  shot-gun  loaded  with 
Xo.  6 sliot. 

First  shoot  both  male  and  female  birds,  then 

' Fnl'ro  col-um-ba'ri-ux.  Length  of  male,  about 

10  inche.*!;  female,  2 to  .3  inches  more. 

J FaVco  pcr-e-gri'nus  mi-a'tum.  Length  of  male, 
17  inches;  female,  19  inches. 


collect  the  nest,  and  the  eggs  or  young,  whichever 
may  be  present.  In  doing  this,  however,  be 
careful  not  to  shoot  the  Red-Tailed  or  Red- 
Shouldered  Hawk, — both  good  friends  of  ours, 
who  are  entitled  to  protection.  A Duck-Hawk 
has  no  red  nor  decided  brown  upon  it,  anywhere. 
In  general  effect  it  is  a dull  black  bird  with  a 
white  breast  and  throat,  and  white  abdomen 
cross-barred  with  black.  It  inhabits  all  of 
America  north  of  Chili. 

The  time  was  when  the  Bald  Eagle,®  or  White- 
Headed  Eagle,  was  known  to  every  human  be- 
ing within  the  limits  of  the  United  States.  To- 
day there  are  probably  two  million  men  in 
this  country,  speaking  foreign  languages  only, 
but  voting  regularly  and  persistently,  who  do 


SPARROW-H.VWK. 

not  know  an  Eagle  from  a parrot,  nor  the  num- 
ber of  stripes  there  are  in  Old  Glory.  It  is  re- 
lated by  a reliable  eye-witness  that  when  an  es- 
caped parrot  recently  perched  in  one  of  the  trees 
of  City  Hall  Square,  New  York  City,  a dispute 

^ Ilal-i-ae-e'tus  leit-co-ceph'a-lus.  Average  length 
of  male,  about  34  inches;  female,  .38  inches;  spread 
of  wings,  from  7 to  8 feet.  See  plate  on  page  170. 


228 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


as  to  its  identity  was  ended  satisfactorily  by 
some  who  oracularly  pronounced  it  an  “eagle 
bird.” 

But,  no  matter  how  many  persons  there  are 
in  this  country  who  do  not  know  our  national 
bird,  I will  not  humiliate  “OldBaldy”  by  for- 
mally introducing  him.  To  every  intelligent 
American,  the  perfect  bird,  with  its  snow-white 
head,  neck  and  tail,  is  recognizable  at  a distance 
of  a mile  or  more.  To  see  one  perching  on  the 
topmost  branch  of  a dead  tree,  overlooking  a 
water  prospect,  with  its  snowy  head  shining 
in  the  sunlight  like  frosted  silver,  is  enough  to 
thrill  any  beholder.  Even  when  in  flight,  an 
eagle  can  be  distinguished  from  all  other  birds 
by  its  slow  and  powerful  wing-strokes,  and  the 
great  breadth  of  its  wings,  especially  near  their 
extremities. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  this  Eagle  does  not 
acquire  its  white  head  and  tail  until  its  fourth 
year.  The  head  is  fully  feathered,  and  the  name 
“Bald”  refers  solely  to  its  white  appearance. 
Up  to  three  years  of  age  it  is  of  the  same  general 
color  as  the  golden  eagle,  and  to  distinguish  the 
two  species  it  is  necessary  to  look  at  the  lowest 
joint  (tarsus)  of  the  leg.  If  it  is  naked,  the  bird 
is  a Bald  Eagle;  but  if  it  is  covered  with  feath- 
ers quite  down  to  the  toes,  it  is  a golden  eagle. 

As  a rule — to  which  there  are  numerous  ex- 
ceptions— the  White-Headed  Eagle  is  found 
along  rivers,  and  the  shores  of  lakes  and  ponds 
containing  fish.  Fish  are  its  favorite  food,  and 
lambs  are  purely  supplementary.  As  a regular 
thing,  it  catches  fish  out  of  the  water,  with  neat- 
ness and  despatch;  but  when  it  sees  an  osprey 
flying  by  with  a large  fish  in  its  talons,  the  Eagle 
does  not  hesitate  to  levy  tribute  on  the  subject 
bird.  Taken  thus  at  a great  disadvantage,  the 
fish-hawk  has  no  option  but  to  drop  its  fish, 
and  go  away  to  catch  another,  while  the  Eagle 
catches  the  prize  before  it  touches  the  water 
and  bears  it  away. 

This  act  of  the  Eagle,  and  the  extra  trouble 
it  puts  upon  the  fish-hawk  in  catching  duplicate 
fish,  is  by  a few  writers  taken  seriously  to  heart. 
So  is  the  additional  fact  that  Eagles — like  many 
human  beings — often  eat  dead  fish  that  are 
found  floating  upon  the  water,  or  are  cast  up 
on  the  shore.  For  these,  and  other  reasons 
equally  weighty  (!),  it  has  become  almost  a 
fashion  among  writers  to  denounce  the  Bald 


Eagle,  and  declare  it  a shame  that  such  a bird 
ever  was  chosen  as  our  national  standard-bearer. 
Some  have  asserted  that  the  brave  and  high- 
minded  wild  turkey  would  have  been  more  ap- 
propriate ! 

Against  all  of  this,  I have  nothing  to  say.  The 
American  Eagle  needs  no  defence  from  me. 
Whether 

“ He  clasps  the  crag  with  hooked  hands, 

Close  to  the  sun  in  lonely  lands,” 

or  perches  defiantly  on  the  United  States  coat- 
of-arms,  with  a brow  to  threaten  or  command, 
he  is  beloved  by  at  least  seventy-two  million 
people  who  will  rise  as  one  whenever  he  is  really 
in  need  of  defenders.  Abroad,  it  once  was  well- 
nigh  an  international  fashion  to  flout  this  bird, 
and  the  standard  he  bears;  but  since  May  1, 1900, 
that  fashion  has  gone  out.  Abroad,  those  who 
do  not  respect  this  bird  fear  him,  wholesomely. 
At  home,  it  is  quite  time  for  all  strangers  to 
secure  an  introduction  to  him,  and  for  some  of 
those  who  should  be  his  friends  but  are  not,  to 
write  him  down  no  longer. 

In  its  distribution,  this  Eagle  ranges  over 
the  whole  of  North  America  from  Mexico  to 
Kamchatka.  Considering  the  size  of  this  bird, 
it  holds  its  own  remarkably  well,  even  in  New 
England.  In  Florida  it  is  very  abundant  all 
along  Indian  River,  and  in  one  locality  in  the 
State  of  Washington  it  is  so  numerous  that  its 
depredations  on  the  flocks  of  sheep-raisers  are 
cause  for  serious  complaint  and  reprisals. 

In  the  East  so  many  Eagles  are  caught  alive 
and  offered  for  sale  that  it  is  a difficult  matter 
to  find  sale  for  one  at  $10.  This  bird  so  seldom 
destroys  domestic  animals,  or  game-birds,  there 
is  no  excuse  for  its  destruction  save  possibly  in 
a few  far-western  localities  where  it  happens  to 
be  very  numerous,  and  evinces  a particular  fond- 
ness for  lambs. 

About  every  six  months  there  appears  in 
some  newspaper  an  account  of  a child  having 
been  attacked  by  a fierce  Eagle,  and  rescued  by 
a heroic  mother,  or  else  actually  carried  off  to 
the  top  of  a tall  tree  or  rocky  cliff,  from  which 
the  child  was  finally  rescued  unhurt,  etc.,  etc. 
It  is  quite  time  that  this  absurd  yarn,  which  is 
nearly  as  old  as  the  Swiss  Alps  in  which  it  origi- 
nated, were  consigned  to  the  oblivion  it  deserves. 
Eagles  know  what  guns  are,  and  nothing  is 


THE  AMERICAN  EAGLE 


229 


farther  from  their  thoughts  than  attacking  the 
children  of  Man,  the  destroyer  of  life. 

The  Golden  Eagle  * is  in  no  sense  whatever  a 
golden-colored  bird.  Its  plumage  is  dark  brown, 
with  a very  slight  outside  wash  of  lighter  brown. 
It  would  be  much  more  appropriate  to  call  it  the 
“brown  eagle.”  In  appearance  it  looks  very 
much  like  a white-headed  eagle  in  its  second 
year,  except  that  its  tarsi  are  feathered  quite 
down  to  the  toes.  By  this  point  it  can  always 
be  distinguished  from  its  nearest  relative. 

This  bird  has  a very  bad  record  as  a destroyer 
of  lambs,  poultry,  game-birds,  young  deer,  ante- 
lope, rabbits,  and  other  small  mammals.  It 
cares  very  little  for  fish,  and  prefers  to  frequent 
interior  regions,  where  either  domestic  animals 
or  wild  species  of  good  size  are  abundant.  By 
preference  it  is  a bird  of  the  mountains,  and 
although  found  all  the  way  from  the  Atlantic 
to  the  Pacific,  and  from  Mexico  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  it  is  most  abundant  in  the  great  mountain- 
ranges  of  the  West.  In  the  cattle  country  east 
of  the  Rockies,  many  a Golden  Eagle  dies  igno- 
miniously  from  eating  poisoned  meat  that  is  in- 
tended for  wolves. 

The  Hawks  of  North  America  above  Mexico 
form  a group  of  about  thirty-four  species,  not 
counting  subspecies,  and  the  conspicuous  types 
are  well  worth  serious  attention.^  Some  of 
them  are  useful  to  man,  and  some  are  so  de- 
structive and  generally  useless  that  they  de- 
serve death.  It  is  highly  important  that  hawk 
enemies  should  be  distinguishable  from  hawk 
friends. 

The  Red-Tailed  Hawk®  is  the  greatest  of 
all  destroyers  of  noxious  four-footed  animals. 
It  might  well  be  called  the  Mammal-Eater,  in- 
stead of  being  universally  miscalled  the  Hen- 
Hawk,  or  Chicken-Hawk. 

The  species  of  the  above  name  inhabits  the 
entire  eastern  half  of  the  United  States,  and 
ranges  westward  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where 
it  meets  the  subspecies  known  as  the  Western 

^ A-qiiil'a  chrys-a-^tos.  Size,  about  the  same  as 
the  white-headed  eagle. 

’To  avoid  the  possibility  of  confusion,  attention 
is  called  to  the  fact  that  the  sparrow-hawk,  pigeon- 
hawk  and  duck-hawk,  already  described,  belong  to 
Falco,  the  genus  of  the  falcons,  a group  quite  dis- 
tinct from  those  of  the  hawks  now  to  be  intro- 
duced. 

’ Bu'teo  bo-re-al'is.  Average  length  of  male,  about 
21  inches;  female,  24  inches. 


Red-Tail.  By  reason  of  the  abundance  of  this 
bird,  and  its  undoubted  influence  for  good  or 
evil  upon  agricultural  communities,  the  De- 
partment of  Agriculture  has  made  a study  of  it 
which  was  particularly  thorough.  From  Ari- 
zona to  Connecticut,  and  in  all  seasons  of  the 
year,  collections  were  made,  until  finally  562 
stomachs  had  been  collected  and  e.xamined. 

The  result  was  a complete  vindication  of  the 
moral  character  of  the  previously  despised  and 
persecuted  “Hen-Hawk.”  Two  hundred  and 
seventy-eight  specimens  contained  mice;  131, 
other  mammals;  54,  poultry  or  game-birds;  51, 
other  birds;  47,  insects;  37,  amphibians  and 
reptiles;  13,  offal;  8,  crawfish,  and  89  were 
empty.  It  was  found  that  poultry  and  game 
did  not  constitute  10  per  cent  of  the  food  of  this 
Hawk,  and  that  all  other  beneficial  creatures 
preyed  upon,  including  snakes,  did  not  increase 
this  proportion  to  15  per  cent.  Against  this 
small  debit  stands  a credit  of  85  per  cent,  made 
up  chiefly  of  destructive  rodents. 

“ It  is  not  to  be  denied,”  says  Dr.  Fisher,  “ that 
a good  deal  of  poultry  is  destroyed  by  this  Hawk ; 
but  the  damage  done  is  usually  among  the  less 
vigorous  fowls,  in  the  late  fall,  and  in  view  of  the 
great  number  of  injurious  rodents  as  well  as 
other  noxious  animals  which  this  Hawk  destroys, 
it  should  seem  equivalent  to  a misdemeanor  to 
kill  one,  except  in  the  act  of  carrying  off  poultry. 
The  fact  that  there  are  robbers  among  Hawks  is 
no  sound  argument  for  exterminating  any  and 
every  one.” 

This  bird  is  very  omnivorous  in  its  habits. 
In  the  examination  noted  above,  the  remains  of 
35  species  of  small  mammals  were  found,  of  which 
30  were  rodents,  5 were  insectivores  and  1 (a 
common  skunk!)  was  a carnivore.  Of  birds 
there  were  only  20  species. 

The  important  markings  of  the  Red-Tailed 
Hawk  are  its  rusty-brown  tail,  back  and  head  of 
blackish-brown,  white  throat,  and  light-colored 
breast  streaked  with  dusky  or  brown.  The  im- 
mature bird  has  a gray  tail,  crossed  by  from  6 to 
10  dark  bands,  and  the  rusty-red  tone  of  the  adult 
bird  is  everywhere  absent.  The  head  is  large,  and 
rather  square  in  outline  at  the  back. 

There  are  varieties  of  this  bird  scattered  all 
over  the  United  States,  and  under  most  cir- 
cumstances it  is  rather  difficult  to  tell  them 
apart. 


230 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


The  Red-Shouldered  Hawk'  has  not  only 
“ red  ” shoulders,  but  also  a red  head,  neck,  back 
and  breast.  But  there  are  many  shades  of  red, 
and  the  so-called  red  on  this  bird  is  as  widely 
different  from  the  red  of  a cardinal  as  blue  is 
from  green.  The  so-called  “red”  on  this  Hawk 
is  really  a rusty  brown ; and  by  the  great  amount 
of  it,  the  small^  round  head  of  the  bird,  and  its 
black  tail  crossed  by  about  six  bands  of  white, 
this  species  may  easily  be  distinguished  from 
the  preceding. 


SHARP-SHINNED  H.AWK. 


Tliis  Hawk  is  to  be  counted  with  the  farmer's 
best  friends.  Mr.  J.  Alden  Loring  knew  a pair 
which  for  two  years  nested  within  fifty  rods  of  a 
poultry-farm  on  which  were  about  800  young 
chickens  and  400  ducks,  but  never  attempted 
to  catch  one.  Mice  constitute  two-thirds  of  its 
food,  but  it  is  very  fond  of  frogs  and  toads.  In 
the  220  specimens  which  he  examined,  Dr.  Fisher 
found  the  remains  of  creatures  representing 
eleven  classes  of  life.  The  food  exhibit  was 
made  up  as  follows:  3 stomachs  contained  do- 
mestic fowls;  12,  other  birds;  102,  mice;  40, 
other  small  mammals  (10  species  in  all);  20, 
reptiles;  3,  fish;  39,  amphibians  (frogs  and  toads); 

‘ Ihi'le-o  lin-e-a'tus.  Average  length  of  male,  18 
inches;  female,  20  inches. 


92,  insects;  16,  spiders;  7,  crawfish,  and  1,  earth- 
worms. 

The  service  rendered  by  the  Red-Shouldered 
Hawk  consists  chiefly  in  the  destruction  of  mice 
and  grasshoppers;  and  birds  of  all  kinds  are 
touched  very  lightly.  This  species  inhabits 
eastern  North  America  from  Nova  Scotia  and 
Canada  to  the  Gulf,  and  westward  to  the  Plains. 
The  Pacific  coast  contains  a variety  known  as 
the  Red-Bellied  Hawk,  which  is  quite  as  honest 
about  poultry  as  the  eastern  species. 

The  Sharp-Shinned  Hawk‘d  is  a swift  flyer, 
a keen  hunter,  and  a great  murderer  of  small 
birds.  Like  all  the  hawks,  its  upper  surface  is 
dark,  and  its  lower  surface  light.  Its  tail  is  long, 
and  has  three  or  four  narrow,  dark-colored  bands 
across  it,  far  apart,  with  the  widest  band  nearest 
to  the  end.  The  wings,  back,  upper  neck  sur- 
face and  upper  tail  are  all  bluish-gray.  The 
throat  and  under  parts  of  the  body  are  white, 
plentifully  cross-barred  with  rusty  brown. 

This  IS  a small  hawk, — next  in  size  t6  the 
pigeon-hawk.  Its  beak  seems  rather  small  and 
weak,  but  its  legs  are  long  and  its  feet  large, 
and  these,  backed  up  by  swift  flight  and  great 
courage  and  impudence,  render  this  bird  a winged 
terror.  It  hunts  along  fences  like  a dog  hunting 
rabbits,  and  pursues  song-birds  into  their  thickets 
and  out  again.  Its  principal  food  is  song-birds, 
and  only  at  long  intervals  does  it  capture  a mouse. 
This  bird  is  rather  too  small  to  handle  poultry 
with  complete  success. 

The  complete  list  of  the  bird-remains  found 
in  159  stomachs  of  Sharp-Shinned  Hawks  con- 
stitutes a tale  of  slaughtered  innocents  that  is 
appalling.  Six  stomachs  contained  poultry, 
and  99  contained  song-birds,  woodpeckers  and 
a few  others.  Only  six  contained  mice,  and  5, 
insects;  and  52  were  empty.  Of  the  wild  birds, 
56  species  were  identified.  There  can  be  no 
question  regarding  the  necessity  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  this  bird,  wherever  it  is  found.  It  breeds 
throughout  the  entire  United  States,  northward 
to  the  arctic  circle,  and  southward  to  Guatemala. 
(Fisher.)  In  some  localities  it  is  quite  abundant. 

Cooper’s  Hawk®  is  a companion  in  crime  to 
the  preceding  species,  and  equally  deserving  an 

2 Ac-cip'i-ter  vel'ox.  Average  length  of  male,  10.50 
inches;  female,  13  inches. 

^Ac-cip'i-ter  cooperii.  Average  length  of  male, 
15.50  inches;  female,  19  inches. 


TWO  HAWKS  TO  BE  OESTKOYED 


231 


early  and  violent  death.  By  a strange  coinci- 
dence, it  bears  a strong  resemblance  to  the  sharp- 
shinned  hawk,  both  in  form  and  color,  but  it  is  a 
much  larger  bird.  Leaving  size  out  of  consider- 
ation, it  is  difficult  to  describe  in  words  the 
slight  differences  that  exist  between  the  two. 

Being  a bird  of  strong  and  rapid  flight,  much 
strength  and  activity,  and  great  boldness,  it  is  well 
equipped  for  raiding  poultry-yards,  and  carrying 
off  almost  anything  except  geese  and  turkeys. 
Of  133  stomachs  examined  by  Dr.  Fisher,  34 
contained  poultry  or  game-birds;  52,  other  birds; 
11,  mammals;  1,  a frog;  3,  lizards;  2,  insects, 
and  39  were  empty.  The  game-birds  found  were 
1 ruffed  grouse,  8 quails  and  5 pigeons.  Alto- 
g(4her,  21  species  of  useful  birds  had  been  eaten, 
but  only  4 mice,  1 rat  and  1 grasshopper. 

No  record  could  be  much  blacker  than  this, 
and  Cooper’s  Hawk  is  a pest  whose  career  de- 
serves to  be  ended  by  three  drachms  of  powder 
and  an  ounce  and  a half  of  No.  6 shot,  whenever 
o|iportunity  offers.  If  gunners  could  only  dis- 
criminate, the  killing  off  of  this  species  would 
make  great  sport  for  them;  but  the  trouble  is, 
many  innocent  birds  would  be  killed  by  mistake. 

This  bird  inhabits  the  whole  United  States, 
but  stops  at  tlie  Canadian  boundary,  and  goes 
south  to  southern  Mexico. 

The  American  Goshawk'  is  to  Canada 
and  .\laska  what  Cooper’s  hawk  is  to  the  United 
States, — a wholesale  destroyer  of  game-birds, 
serving  no  useful  purjiose  whatever.  To  the 
unprotected  flocks  of  ptarmigan  it  is  a genuine 
scourge,  and  it  merits  destruction.  Fortunately 
this  hawk  visits  the  United  States  only  in  winter, 
and  even  then  is  by  no  means  numerous.  Those 
who  have  had  opportunities  to  observe  it  in 
action  consider  it  the  boldest  and  most  audacious 
hawk  in  .Vmerica.  It  has  been  known  to  seize 
a freshly  killed  chicken  from  the  side  of  the  farmer 
who  had  slain  it  for  dinner,  and  also  to  follow  a 
hen  into  a house,  and  seize  it  in  the  presence  of 
its  owner.  (Fisher.) 

The  length  of  the  Goshawk  is  from  21  to  25 
inches.  The  top  of  its  head  is  black,  and  its  up- 
|)or  surface  is  bluish-slate  color.  Its  whole  under 
surface  is  white,  with  many  gray  cross-bars,  in 
addition  to  which  it  is  lined  up  and  down  with 
short,  black  lines,  rather  far  apart.  The  lower 
tail  surface  is  cros-sod  by  four  gray  bands. 

‘ Ac-cip'i-ter  at-ri-cap'il-lus. 


The  Marsh-Hawk^  is  essentially  a prairie- 
hawk;  and  in  the  open  and  fertile  uplands  of 
the  Mississippi  valley,  it  is  one  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous species.  It  loves  farming  regions 
wherein  members  of  the  Mouse  Family  are  plenti- 
ful and  cheap.  In  hunting  it  flies  low,  in  a very 
business-like  way,  just  above  the  grain  or  tall 
grass,  and  its  intentions  are  so  apparent  that 
the  American  farmer  gave  it  credit  for  its  good 
work,  years  before  the  true  value  of  the  once- 
despised  “Hen-Hawk”  became  known. 

This  hawk  is  not  beautiful,  either  in  form, 
color  or  movement.  To  me  it  always  seems  to 
have  too  much  sail  area  for  the  size  of  its  hull. 
Its  adult  color  is  drab,  or  bluish-gray,  but  the 


females  and  immature  males  are  rusty  brown, 
much  like  the  red-shouldered  hawk.  However, 
this  hawk  can  always  be  distinguished  by  the 
large  white  patch  on  the  rump,  just  above  the 
tail. 

( )ne  of  the  first  facts  about  the  nesting  of  hawks 
that  comes  to  a Western  farmer  boy  by  personal 

“ Cir'eus  hud-son' i-us.  -\verage  length,  about  22 
inches. 


232 


ORDEKS  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


observation  is  that  the  Marsh-Hawk  nests  on  the 
ground,  preferably  in  tall  grass,  in  a nest  that  is 
anything  but  a workmanlike  affair.  When  I 
found  my  first  nest  of  this  bird, — a patch  of 
trampled  grass  in  the  head  of  a slough,  with  four 
big,  downy  nestlings  wallowing  around  upon  it, — 
the  Marsh-Hawk  fell  several  points  in  my  esti- 
mation. 

This  species  ranges  all  the  way  from  Alaska, 
Hudson’s  Bay  and  Ontario  to  Panama  and  Cuba. 
Regarding  its  value.  Dr.  Fisher  has  this  to  say: 

“The  Marsh-Hawk  is  unquestionably  one  of 
the  most  beneficial  as  it  is  one  of  our  most  abun- 
dant hawks,  and  its  presence  and  increase  should 
be  encouraged  in  .every  way  possible,  not  only 


SWALLOW-TAILED  KITE. 


by  protecting  it  by  law,  but  by  disseminating  a 
knowledge  of  the  benefits  it  confers.  It  is  prob- 
ably the  most  active  and  determined  foe  of 
meadow-mice  and  ground-squirrels,  destroying 
greater  numbers  of  these  pests  than  any  other 
species,  and  this  fact  alone  should  entitle  it  to 
protection,  even  if  it  destroyed  no  other  injuri- 
ous animals.” 

One  hundred  and  twenty-four  specimens  of 
this  species  were  examined,  and  the  stomachs 
revealed  the  following  contents.  57,  mice;  27, 
other  mammals;  34,  birds;  14,  insects;  7,  poul- 


try or  game-birds;  7,  reptiles;  2,  frogs;  1,  un- 
known and  8 were  empty. 

The  Swallow-Tailed  Kite,*  or,  as  the  boys  of 
the  prairies  call  it,  the  Forked-Tailed  “Hawk,” 
is  in  flight  the  most  graceful  bird  I ever  saw  on 
the  wing.  No  matter  whether  the  sky  be  blue 
or  gray,  the  snow-white  head,  neck  and  body, 
and  glossy  black  tail  and  wdiigs  are  sharply 
outlined  in  the  heavens,  drawing  attention  as  a 
magnet  draws  nails.  The  bird  is  instantly  iden- 
tified by  its  long  and  deeply  V-shaped  tail,  and 
its  striking  colors,  which  divide  evenly  between 
themselves  the  under  surface  of  the  wing. 

In  the  golden  days  of  boyhood,  I saw  scores 
of  these  birds  in  Iowa,  but  never  saw  one  alight 
and  perch,  even  for  a moment.  Several  times  we 
saw  them  with  snakes  in  their  talons,  devour- 
ing them  as  they  sailed  through  the  air,  and  we 
also  saw  two  or  three  seizures  of  prey.  But  it 
is  the  flight  of  this  bird  that  makes  the  most 
lasting  impression.  In  hunting  and  prospect- 
ing it  never  flies  in  a straight  line,  but  always  in 
graceful  curves,  and  reverse  curves,  circles, 
parabolas,  and  spirals,  like  an  expert  skater 
“showing  off.”  Its  flight  is  indeed  the  poetry 
of  motion  in  mid-air. 

Unfortunately,  this  beautiful  bird  is  not 
of  wdde  distribution  in  the  North,  for  its  real 
home  is  in  the  tropics.  In  the  United  States 
it  migrates  northward  in  April  into  Iowa,  Min- 
nesota, Illinois,  southern  Michigan,  and  at  rare 
intervals  farther  east  and  west  to  the  Carolinas 
and  the  plains.  So  far  as  known,  its  food  con- 
sists exclusively  of  small  reptiles  and  large  in- 
sects. 

This  bird  fitly  represents  the  whole  group 
of  Kites,  of  which  the  White-Tailed  Kite  is  the 
Pacific  coast  species.  The  Mississippi  Kite  in- 
habits the  Gulf  states,  and  the  Everglade  Kite 
reaches  our  country  only  in  Florida. 

THE  VULTURE  FAMILY. 

Cathartidae. 

This  Family  ranks  at  the  bottom  of  the  list 
of  the  birds  of  prey,  because  its  members  are 
less  intelligent,  less  active  and  resourceful  in 
obtaining  their  food,  and  less  able  to  take  care  of 
themselves  than  the  hawks  and  owls.  Although 

* El-a-noi'des  jor-fi-ca'tus.  Average  length,  about 
23  inches. 


THE  KITES  AND  VULTURES 


233 


not  so  hifjhly  developed  as  the  hawks,  the  vult- 
ures serve  a most  useful  purpose  in  the  economy 
of  Nature,  and  exhibit  some  traits  that  are  really 
wonderful.  The  broad-minded  student  will  not 
turn  from  these  birds  with  aversion  merely  be- 
cause their  heads  are  bare,  and  they  feed  on  dead 


seen  the  Common  Turkey  Vulture’  sailing 
and  circling  on  wide-spread  but  motionless  pin- 
ions, so  high  in  the  heavens  that  its  distance 
from  the  earth  seemed  to  be  two  miles  or  more. 

Clearly,  these  aerial  promenades,  often  con- 
tinued until  the  observer  is  weary  of  watching 


PhotoKraphed  by  E.  F.  Ket.i.kr,  National  Zoological  Park. 

C.\LlFORNI.\  VULTURE. 


food.  Their  heads  are  naked  for  professional 
rea-sons. 

Two  things  aljout  vultures  arc  j)articularly 
striking.  One  is  the  enormous  heights  to  which 
they  soar,  the  other  is  their  marvellous  cjuick- 
ness  in  discovering  the  body  of  a dead  animal. 
Many  times,  in  clear  summer  weather,  I have 


them,  are  taken  for  pleasure.  One  great  circle 
succeeds  another  in  a series  that  seems  unend- 
ing, but  all  the  while  the  wings  are  as  motion- 
less as  if  wired  in  position.  On  such  occasions, 
even  a homely  and  unlovely  Buzzard  can  become 

* Ca-thar'tes  au'ra.  .\verage  length,  about  29 
inches. 


234 


OKDERS  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


an  object  of  admiration,  and  a reminder  of 
William  Toll’s  Alpine  eagle,  which — for  senti- 
mental reasons,  only — he  “could  not  shoot.” 

“ His  broad,  expanded  wings 
Lay  calm  and  motionless  upon  the  air, 

As  if  he  floated  there  without  their  aid, 

By  the  sole  act  of  his  unlorded  will. 

That  buoyed  him  proudly  up.” 

The  flight  of  the  Vulture,  by  which  it  gains 
enormous  heights  without  any  serious  exertion 
after  getting  well  clear  of  the  earth,  is  an  inter- 
esting illustration  of  what  a perfect  areodrome 
might  accomplish  if  it  could  flap  its  wings  for  a 
lofty  rise,  sail  with  abundant  wing-power,  and 
be  intelligently  guided.  Beyond  doubt,  the 
bird  keeps  aloft  by  properly  utilizing'the  lifting 
power  of  air-currents. 

By  a strange  coincidence,  the  bird  which  flies 
highest  and  longest,  and  soars  most  majestically, 
is  also  the  bird  of  lowest  tastes  on  the  earth. 
Although  it  has  strong  talons  and  a strong  beak, 
it  kills  nothing,  and  feeds  upon  dead  animals. 
In  every  country  on  earth,  vultures  are  treated 
as  highly  useful  creatures.  In'  the  tropics, 
where  their  services  really  are  of  great  value, 
they  are  fully  protected  by  law. 

The  species  found  farthest  north,  with  a bright- 
red  head  and  neck,  is  the  Turkey  Vulture,  and 
it  ranges  across  the  continent  from  the  plains 
of  the  Saskatchewan  to  Patagonia. 

The  Black  Vulture,^  marked  by  a head  and 
plumage  which  is  perfectly  black,  is  seldom  seen 
in  the  northern  portions  of  the  United  States, 
but  is  abundant  in  the  Gulf  states,  and  south- 
ward far  down  into  South  America.  In  ap- 
pearance this  bird  is  most  funereal.  It  is  a 
smaller  bird  than  the  turkey  vulture,  but  does 
not  fly  so  well,  and  flaps  its  wings  oftener. 
Around  the  cities  of  the  South  it  is  a great 
domestic  economist  and  labor-saver. 

In  Bombay,  India,  the  Parsees  expose  their 
dead  in  two  great,  shallow,  open-topped  towers, 
called  the  Towers  of  Silence,  and  the  vultures 
regularly  devour  them, — all  except  the  bones, 
which  fall  down  into  a central  pit. 

The  California  Vulture,  or  California 
“Condor,”^  is,  among  naturalists,  the  most 

* Cath-ar-is'ta  ur'u-bu.  Average  length,  about  25 
inches. 

2 Gym' no-gyps  californianus. 


celebrated  bird  of  this  Family,  partly  because 
it  is  our  largest  bird  of  prey,  and  also  because 
of  its  great  rarity.  The  “collectors”  are  certain 
to  exterminate  it  in  a very  few  years.  Its  ap- 
pearance depends  upon  its  attitude.  With  its 
wings  spread,  it  is  a grand  bird;  but  with  them 
closed  its  personality  is  far  less  impressive.  On 
the  wing,  in  the  wild,  rocky  fastnesses  of  its  na- 
tive mountains,  those  who  have  seen  it  there  say  it 
is  a grand  and  imposing  object,  and  it  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at  that  its  pursuit  is  quite  as  e.x- 
citing  as  the  chase  of  the  big-horn. 


E.  F.  Keller.  Photo.,  National  Zoological  Park. 


YOUNG  CALIFORNI.\  VULTURE. 

^Irs.  Florence  Jlerriam  Bailey^  gives  the  fol- 
lowing as  the  dimensions  of  this  bird : “ Length, 
44  to  55  inches;  wing-spread,  84  to  nearly  11 
feet;  weight,  20  to  25  pounds.  Distribution: 
coast  ranges  of  southern  California  from  Mon- 
terey Bay  south  to  Lower  California,  and  east 
to  Arizona.” 

This  great  Vulture  breeds  in  the  most  inac- 
cessible crags  it  can  find,  but  of  course  collectors 
find  it.  In  1894,  Mr.  Stephens  actually  encoun- 
tered a flock  of  twenty-six  of  these  magnificent 

* “ Handbook  of  Bird.s  of  the  Western  United 
States,”  p.  144. 


Photo,  bv  E.  R.  Sasbohn,  N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


THE  CONDOR. 


236 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— BIRDS  OF  PREY 


birds.  For  three  years,  a very  fine  specimen 
has  lived  in  the  National  Zoological  Park,  at 
Washington,  shut  up  at  night  in  an  elevated  sleep- 
ing-box. In  the  morning  when  liberated  in  its 
enclosure,  it  perches  aloft,  spreads  its  wings 
and  holds  them  out  to  catch  the  sun’s  rays,  in 
true  vulture  fashion. 

Largest  of  all  the  Birds  of  Prey  is  the  CondoF 
of  the  Andes,  a bird  of  lofty  home  but  lowly  hab- 
its. In  the  Andes  of  Chili  and  Peru,  its  range  is 
from  9,000  to  16,000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  it 
not  only  feeds  upon  dead  guanacos  and  vicunias, 
horses  and  other  domestic  animals,  but  it  also 
ventures  to  attack  living  calves  and  old  horses 

^ Sar-co-rham'pus  gry'phus.  Length  of  male,  48 
inches;  spread  of  wings,  8i  to  9i  feet. 


that  are  almost  incapable  of  defence.  Condors 
are  so  easily  captured  alive  that  the  zoological 
gardens  of  the  world  are  always  well  stocked 
with  them. 

By  nature  the  Condor  is  a peace-loving  bird, 
and  for  two  years  visitors  to  the  New  York  Zoo- 
logical Park  have  witnessed  the  strange  spectacle 
of  the  world’s  largest  bird  of  prey — the  fine  adult 
male  shown  in  the  accompanying  plate — living 
in  the  great  Flying  Cage  in  peace  and  harmony 
with  about  eighty  flamingoes,  herons,  egrets, 
ibises,  ducks,  other  water-birds  and  various  land- 
birds.  Encouraged  by  the  success  of  the  Condor 
experiment,  a large  griffon  vulture  has  been 
added  to  the  “ happy  family,”  with  very  satis- 
factory results. 


CHAPTER  XXII 


THE  ORDER  OF  PIGEONS  AND  DOVES 

COLUMBAE 


The  PasseiiKer  PlROon'  was  until  very  re- 
cently only  a bird  of  history;  and,  until  1899,  it 
was  regarded  as  a species  practically  extinct. 
The  men  who  lived  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  forty 
years  ago  remember  the  flocks  that  flew  swiftly 
over  the  farms,  sometimes  fifty  and  sometimes 
two  hundred  or  more  birds  together.  It  was  a 
wonderful  sight  to  see  the  perfect  mechanical 
precision  with  which  they  kept  together,  wheel- 
ing and  circling  in  as  perfect  formation  as  the 
slats  of  a Venetian  blind. 

This  very  rare  bird  is  much  larger  than  a dove. 
Its  color  is  bluish  above,  and  reddish-brown 
underneath,  and  the  feathers  of  its  neck  have 
a rich  metallic  lustre.  Its  tail  is  long  and  -pointed, 
and  its  feet  and  legs  are  red.  It  never  was 
found  in  the  far  West,  and  never  will  be.  The 
pigeon  of  the  Pacific  coast  is  a totally  different 
species. 

In  the  early  days,  Ohio  seemed  to  be  the  cen- 
tre of  abundance  of  this  bird,  and  the  accounts 
that  have  been  written  of  that  period  relate  how 
the  Pigeons  sat  so  thickly  upon  the  trees  that 
branches  were  broken  by  their  weight;  how 
they  coveretl  the  earth  when  they  alighted  in 
the  fields  to  feed,  and  darkened  the  sky  when 
they  flew. 

.\s  usual,  that  great  abundance  of  wild  life 


provoked  great  slaughter.  Migrating  Pigeons 
were  killed  by  wholesale  methods.  While  breed- 
ing they  were  attacked  in  their  nesting-places, 
and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  the  great  flocks 
vanished.  As  in  the  case  of  the  blotting  out  of 
the  great  northern  buffalo-herd,  in  1884,  many 
persons  have  wondered,  and  do  still,  whether  the 
great  flocks  of  Pigeons  have  not  migrated,  and 
found  a permanent  home  elsewhere.  There  is  not 
a single  fact  on  which  to  base  either  belief  or  sup- 
position that  the  Passenger  Pigeon  exists  abun- 
dantly in  Mexico,  Central  America  or  elsewhere. 

Among  naturalists,  the  blotting  out  of  this 
interesting  species  has  been  a source  of  sincere 
regret.  As  usual,  no  one  thought  of  protecting 
it  until  it  was  entirely  too  late.  But  it  seems 
as  if  we  are  to  be  given  another  opportunity  to 
count  this  bird  in  our  avifauna.  Beginning 
about  1891,  a few  small  flocks  began  to  appear 
in  the  United  States,  first  four  or  five  birds  to- 
gether, and  then  larger  flocks.  Mr.  George  O. 
Shields,  Editor  of  Recreation  Magazine,  has 
carefully  sought  out  and  published  the  details  of 
every  Pigeon  occurrence  that  came  to  his  knowl- 
edge. Up  to  January,  1901,  the  following  ob- 
servations of  the  occurrence  of  Passenger 
Pigeons  were  reported  in  the  magazine  mentioned 
above : 


Wisconsin,  Milton 

Canada,  Ft  Qu.\ppelle. . . . 

...Julv,  ISO.S 

\ flock 

<( 

Dec.,  1898. 

Illinois,  FMinliurg 

(( 

May,  1899. 

Kentuckv,  Caldwell  Co.. . . 

. . Oct.,  “ 

. . . ,30  “ 

H 

Feb.,  “ 

Mifhi^an,  Ann  .Arhor 

. . Oct.,  “ 

200  “ 

t* 

Apr.,  “ 

WiftTonsin.  T .imp  Hi<l^p.  . . . 

. . . .\  pril , 1 cSOO 

100  “ 

n 

July,  “ 

Indiana,  Sullivan 

. . M'av,  “ 

...  2.5  “ 

n 

(4  <4 

Ohio,  Litrhfipifl 

. . .4 pril,  “ 

1.50  “ 

it 

June,  “ 

Wisconsin,  Amherst 

i<  (4 

...100  “ 

u 

Aug.,  “ 

. . Oct.,  “ 

...  ,50  “ 

tl 

Sept.,  “ 

t<  it 

Wismn.sin,  Milwaiikcp.  . . . 

...  17  “ 

u 

. . Mav,  “ 

. 200  “ 

<( 

4 4 4 4 

Afanitrit^a  Southern 

...  A few  **  

li 

Jan.,  1900. 

...  10  “ 

« 

Pan.aHa  Three  Hiveis  . . . . 

. . Dec.,  1899  

...  1 bird  

(< 

4 4 4 4 

New  York,  Willowcmoc. .. 

41 

Feb.,  “ 

Minne^tA  Dumont 

44 

44  44 

Mlrhip-sn.  I. n well 

■ ' 1900  

40  “ 

(I 

Dec.,  “ 

‘ Ec-to-pis'tes  mi-gra-to’ri-us. 

.\verage  length,  about 

16  inches. 

237 


238 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— PIGEONS  AND  DOVES 


The  latest  and  most  gratifying  information 
on  this  subject  is  contained  in  a letter  dated  Nov. 
9,  1903,  transmitted  by  Mr.  Shields.  In  Penn- 
sylvania, in  a locality  that  shall  be  nameless  here, 
three  flocks  of  Passenger  Pigeons,  containing 
in  all  about  300  birds,  have  been  feeding  for  three 
weeks  on  the  farm  of  a sportsman  and  nature- 
lover  who  is  protecting  them. 


THE  BAND-TAII.ED  PIGEON. 

So  it  seems  that  our  old  friend  is  striving  to 
ignore  the  black  record  of  the  past,  and  come 
back  to  us,  to  live  and  breed.  Wherever  it  elects 
to  be  seen,  or  to  breed,  it  should  be  accorded  the 
most  thorough  protection,  both  by  public  sen- 
timent, and  by  law. 

The  Band-Tailed  Pigeon,^  of  the  Pacific 
states  from  British  Columbia  to  Guatemala, 
and  eastward  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  yet  ex- 
ists in  fair  abundance,  and  it  is  earnestly  hoped 
that  it  never  will  be  annihilated  without  reason 
or  mercy,  as  was  the  sad  fate  of  its  eastern  rela- 

> Co-lum'ba  jas-ci-a'la.  Average  length,  1.5  inches. 


tive.  Wherever  found  it  should  be  accorded 
legal  protection,  without  delay. 

This  fine  bird  is  conspicuously  marked  by  a 
white  collar  around  its  neck,  and  a square-ended 
tail  which  terminates  with  a dull-white  band  fro7n 
one  to  two  inches  wide.  The  head  and  under 
parts  are  purplish-pink,  fading  downward  to  a 
lighter  color.  The  back  is  brownish-gray,  fad- 
ing out  toward  the  tail  into  a dull-blue  tone. 

This  Pigeon  subsists  upon  acorns,  seeds  and 
berries,  and  attracts  attention  to  itsell  by  its 
noisy  flight.  Its  strange  vocal  utterances  are 
graphically  described  by  Mrs.  Florence  Merriam 
Bailey: 

“ If  you  follow  the  pigeons  to  their  breeding- 
grounds  in  some  remote  canyon  you  will  be 
struck  by  the  owl-like  hooting  that  fills  the  place, 
and  you  will  locate  the  sound  here  and  there 
along  the  sides  of  the  canyon  at  dead  tree-tops, 
in  each  of  which  a solitary  male  is  sunning  him- 
self, at  intervals  puffing  out  his  breast  and  hoot- 
ing. The  hooting  varies  considerably.  Some- 
times it  is  a calm  whoo'-hoo-hoo,  whoo'-hoo-hoo, 
at  others  a spirited  hoop-ah-whoo' , and  again 
a two-syllabled  whoo'-ugh,  made  up  of  a short, 
hard  hoot  and  a long  coo,  as  if  the  breath  was 
sharply  expelled  for  the  first  note  and  drawn  in 
for  the  second.”  (“Handbook,”  p.  139.) 

To  me  the  Mourning-Dove^  has  always 
.seemed  like  a sacred  bird ; and  although  I could 
have  killed  thousands,  I never  took  the  life  of 
one.  When  a very  small  boy  at  my  mother’s 
knee,  she  related  to  me  the  story  of  the  winged 
messenger  which  Noah  sent  out  of  the  ark,  over 
the  waste  of  waters,  to  look  for  real  estate.  She 
told  me  that  Doves  were  innocent  and  harm- 
less little  birds,  and  that  I must  never  harm 
one  in  the  least.  Had  my  good  mother  i.ssued 
an  injunction  covering  the  whole  animal  king- 
dom, I think  I would  have  grown  up  as  harm- 
less to  animals  as  any  Hindoo;  for  her  solemn 
charge  regarding  Doves  has  always  seemed  as 
binding  as  one  of  the  ten  commandments. 

I mention  this  in  order  to  point  out  to  mothers 
the  far-reaching  extent  of  their  power  in  behalf 
of  our  wild  creatures,  and  the  vast  influence 
which  they  can  easily  wield  in  behalf  of  birds 
and  mammals  in  sore  need  of  protection.  Is  it 
not  a good  thing  to  teach  all  boys  that  it  is  mor- 

^ Ze-na-i-du'ra  ma-crou'ra.  Average  length,  12 
inches. 


MOURXING-DOVE. 


240 


OEDERS  OF  BIRDS— PIGEONS  AND  DOVES 


ally  wrong  (which  it  is!)  to  kill  wild  creatures 
without  reason,  mercy  and  common-sense? 

The  Mourning- Dove  received  its  “ given  ” name 
from  the  mournful  sound  of  its  call-notes.  Its 
sad- voiced  “Coo,  coo,  coo,”  suggests  moaning, 
and,  next  to  the  awful,  storm-beaten  wail  of  the 
screech-owl,  it  is,  under  certain  conditions, 
the  most  doleful  sound  uttered  by  an  American 
bird.  I knew  one  sensitive  woman  who  was 
so  affected  by  the  daily  “mourning”  of  a neigh- 
boring Dove  that  she  begged  a sportsman  to 
frighten  it  away. 

Another  peculiar  fact  about  this  bird  is  the 
strange  musical  note  that  is  sounded  by  the 
vibration  of  its  wings.  As  the  bird  springs  from 
the  ground  in  flight,  or  wings  its  way  overhead, 
the  pulsations  of  its  wings  give  forth  a ringing, 
metallic  sound,  like  the  twanging  of  a tight  wire. 

This  Dove  loves  country  roads,  more  than  any 
other  bird,  and  to  those  who  love  beautiful 
things,  its  exquisitely  moulded  form  and  im- 
maculate plumage  is  always  a pleasing  touch  of 
Nature.  One  might  as  well  try  to  describe  in 
words  the  colors  in  a fire  opal  as  those  of  this 
bird.  There  is  pink  iridescence,  and  brownish, 
and  grayish,  and  blackish,  and  other  shades  too 
numerous  to  mention,  but  the  combination  baf- 
fles description. 

This  Dove  breeds  throughout  the  United 
States  from  the  international  boundary  to  the 
Gulf,  and  migrates  as  far  south  as  Panama.  In 
California  it  is  now  counted  as  a “game-bird,” 
and  killed  by  sportsmen,  and  in  the  South  also 
it  is  killed  by  the  negroes  for  food.  A great 
“game-bird”  this,  truly!  A genuine  sportsman 
must  be  very  hard  pressed  for  gun  victims  when 
he  can  seriously  call  this  tamest  of  all  birds 
“game.”  And  can  any  farmer  in  his  senses 
afford  the  expense  of  having  Doves  shot  on  his 
farm,  or  in  his  neighborhood?  Let  us  see. 

When  the  Biological  Survey  of  the  Depart- 


ment of  Agriculture  took  up  the  case  of  the 
Mourning-Dove,  and  examined  the  stomachs  of 
237  specimens,  the  summary  of  results  proved 
that  as  a weed-destroyer  this  bird  is  one  of  the 
most  valuable  in  North  America.  Weed-seeds 
constitute  64  per  cent  of  its  food,  all  the  year 
round,  with  little  monthly  variations.  In  order  to 
arrive  at  an  exact  determination,  the  seeds  in 
three  stomachs  were  carefully  identified  and 
counted.  One  contained  the  following: 


Orange  hawkweed  (Hieracium  au- 

rantiacum) 4,820  seeds. 

Slender  paspalum  (Paspalum  seta- 

ceum) 2,600  “ 

Hoary  vervam  (Verbena  stricta) .. . 950  “ 

Panicum 620  “ 

Carolina  cranesbill  (Geranium  caro- 

linianum) 120  “ 

Yellow  wood-sorrel  (Oxafi's  sinWa) . 50  “ 

Miscellaneous  weeds 40  “ 


9,200 

The  second  specimen  of  the  three  contained 
6,400  seeds  of  the  farmers’  ancient  and  persistent 
enemy,  fox-tail  (Chactocloa),  while  the  third 
turned  out  7,500  seeds  of  the  yellow  wood-sorrel. 
The  grand  total  of  weed-seeds  for  those  three 
Doves  was  23,100!  And  this  for  only  one  day’s 
supply.  Assuming  that  those  three  Doves  had 
been  killed  as  “game”  by  some  “sportsman  (!),” 
previous  to  their  meal,  and  those  seeds  had  pro- 
duced 23,100  weeds,  how  much  would  it  have  cost 
in  labor  at  $1.50  per  day  to  destroy  them? 

Besides  the  64  per  cent  of  weed-seeds  in  the 
237  stomachs,  there  was  found  32  per  cent  of 
grain,  but  of  this  three-fourths  was  waste  grain, 
gleaned  in  the  fields  after  harvest. 

Whoever  does  aught  for  the  protection  of 
Doves,  does  well;  and  a word  to  the  wise  is  suf- 
ficient. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  UPLAND  GAME-BIRDS 


GALLIXAE 


It  is  natural  that  a country  possessing  the 
wide  diversity  of  uplands  that  exists  in  the 
I’nitcd  States  should  possess  a great  variety  of 
ground-dwelling  birds.  In  response  to  the  in- 
viting fields  and  forests,  plains  and  mountains, — 
cohl  and  warm,  wet  and  dry, — the  birds  of  the 
Order  (lallinae  have  greatly  multiplied,  both  in 
number  and  in  species. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  men  and  boys  like  to 
hunt  upland  game-birds;  ai\d  when  the  eon- 
dilions  are  properly  observed,  it  is  right  that  they 
should  do  .so.  The  natural  death  of  a game- 
bird or  quadruped  is  by  shot  or  bullet,  from  the 
gun  of  a true  hunter,  who  hunts  only  at  the  prop- 
er time,  in  a fair  manner,  and  kills  sparingly. 
Wherever  game-birds  are  most  plentiful,  each 
hunter  is  in  honor  bound  to  kill  only  a small 
nundxir,  and  give  others  a chance. 

If  you  arc  a boy,  or  man,  don’t  be  a “game- 
hog!”  iihoot  like  a gentleman,  or  don’t  shoot 


at  all.  If  any  species  becomes  so  rare  that  it  is 
threatened  with  extinction,  stop  killing  it,  and 
take  measures  for  its  complete  protection  until 
it  has  had  time  to  recover.  Above  all,  never 
engage  in  a “side-hunt,”  which  is  a wholesale 
slaughter  of  wild  creatures  “for  points,”  and 
never  tolerate  one  in  your  neighborhood.  Side- 
hunting should  be  prevented,  at  the  muzzle  of 
breech-loaders,  if  necessary. 

Some  of  the  most  interesting  hunting  expe- 
riences ever  recorded  have  been  in  hunting  game- 
birds with  the  camera.  If  space  were  available, 
it  would  bo  a pleasure  to  record  here  the  names 
of  some  of  those  who  have  made  beautiful  pict- 
ures of  ruffed  grouse,  pinnated  grouse,  wood- 
cock, ptarmigan  and  many  other  species.  A 
fine  bird  photograph  is  a joy  forever,  but  a bag- 
ful of  dead  birds  disappears  in  an  hour. 

The  table  below  affords  a bird’s-eye  view  of  this 
Order  as  it  exists  north  of  Mexico: 


FAMILIE^S. 


fCiRorsE  F.\mily:  . , 
TET-HA-0\'I-DAE. 


Pheasant  Famii.y:  . 
PHAS-l-AS’I-DAE. 


cnocps. 


Quail’  and  Partridges:  . 


^Grouse: 

^ Ptarmigan: 

^ Turkeys:  

) Pheasants: 

f .\11  of  the  Old  World  onlv. 


EXAMPLES. 

/ Virginia  “Quail,”  or  Bob- White. 
1 California  Mountain  “ Quail.” 

/ California  Valley  “ Quail.” 

) Mearns’  Partridge. 

\ Scaled  Partridge. 

/ Ruffed  Grouse. 

1 Canada  Grouse. 

^ Pinnated  Grouse, 
i Sharp-Tailed  Grouse. 

\ Sage-Grouse. 

Willow  Ptarmigan. 

Wild-Turkey. 

r Ring-Xecked  Pheas-  x 
) ant.  ( Intro- 

\ Golden  Pheasant.  ^ duced. 

^ Silver  Pheasant.  ' 


’ Rv  technical  writers  the  name  "quail”  is  now 
oon.sidenxl  as  applying  only  to  the  members  of  a 
group  of  Old-World  birds,  much  smaller  than  our 
quails;  .and  o<ir  cpiail.s  are  called  “ partridges,”  be- 
cause they  an-  relate<l  to  the  Old-World  l)irds  of 
that  name.  Hut  this  Ls  onlv  another  " buffalo  ” 


case.  The  good  old  name  “ quail  ” is  so  universally 
known  that  no  power  on  earth  could  .supplant  it, 
and  in  a work  of  this  kind  it  would  be  folly  to  ignore 
it  in  favor  of  “ partridge,”  even  though  the  latter  be 
more  correct. 


241 


242 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— UPLAND  GAME-BIRDS 


BOB-WHITE. 

As  the  preceding  diagram  shows,  there  are  no 
true  pheasants  in  America  save  those  that  have 
been  introduced  from  China  and  Japan.  All 
the  birds  to  which  that  name  correctly  applies 
inhabit  the  Old  World. 

THE  GROUSE  FAMILY. 

Tetraonidae. 

Our  dear  old  friend  the  Common  “ Quail  ” is 
now  called  Bob-White  * in  all  the  modern  bird- 
books,  but  to  about  fifty  million  Americans  it 
is  yet,  and  ever  will  be,  the  Quail.  It  is  our 
longest-known  and  most  widely  known  Ameri- 
can game-birfl,  and  it  is  almost  wholly  a United 
States  bird.  It  is  at  home  from  Maine  and  Flor- 
ida to  Texas,  the  western  border  of  Oklahoma 
and  South  Dakota.  In  very  many  eastern  lo- 
calities, however,  it  has  been  almost  exterminated 
by  excessive  shooting,  and  during  the  past  ten 
years,  Mr.  Charles  Payne,  of  Wichita,  Kansas, 
has  caught  and  shipped  east  fully  two  million 
liv'e  quail  for  use  in  restocking  quailless  game- 

^ Co-li'nus  virginianus.  Average  length,  10  inches. 


preserves.  The  e.xtermination  of  desirable  spe- 
cies always  costs  money. 

The  call  of  this  bird  is  one  of  the  most  cheer- 
ful sounds  in  nature,  and  for  carrying  qualities 
it  is  far-reaching.  From  the  heart  of  a hazel 
thicket  one  hears  his  loud,  shrill  whistle,  saying 
“CLERK-iT'  CLERK-it.'  CLERK-ffi'”  until 
everything  rings  again.  On  the  hurricane  deck 
of  a high  stump,  or  the  top  rail  of  a fence,  he 
poises  himself,  points  his  bill  at  the  sky,  swells 
out  his  white  throat  and  whistles  long  and  loud, 
“Bob!  bob!  WHI-EET!”  But  the  feathered 
rascal  knows  very  well  when  the  close  season  is 
on;  and  when  the  “law  is  off”  he  sings  very 
small. 

That  many  men  enjoy  Quail  shooting  is  no 
cause  for  wonder  or  reproach.  The  birds  lie 
close  in  the  edge  of  the  brush  until  the  dogs 
are  ready  to  tread  upon  them,  when  “ Burr-r-r-r!  ” 
the  covey  e.xplodes  in  the  air  like  a bomb,  the 
gray  and  brown  fragments  fly  in  half  a dozen 
directions,  and  the  young  sportsman  is  so  “rat- 
tled” he  is  almost  sure  to  miss.  A well-scared 
Quail  is  no  easy  mark. 

Quail  are  rapid  breeders,  and  in  protected 
localities  they  increase  rapidly.  A good  bird- 
law  in  Kansas  has  resulted  in  bringing  back  the 
vanished  flocks,  to  a surprising  extent.  Un- 
fortunately, however,  it  is  not  possible  to  breed 
Quail  in  large  numbers  in  confinement,  even 
with  a cjuarter  section  of  land  for  the  experi- 
ment. 


CALIFORNIA  MOUNTAIN  PARTRIDGE. 

The  flesh  of  this  bird  is  a great  table  delicacy, — 
provided  it  has  not  been  kept  in  cold  storage.  A 
cold-storage  Quail  is  as  good  to  the  taste  as  a 
chunk  of  pressed  sawdust,  but  no  better;  and 


THE  BOH-WHITE  AND  CALIFOKXIA  ‘^QUAILS” 


243 


as  human  food  an  eminent  Xew  York  jihysieian, 
Dr.  Robert  T.  Morris,  pronounces  it  umvhole- 
some  and  dangerous.  In  flavor,  cold-storage 
Quail  is  far  inferior  to  fresh  chicken  or  turkey. 
In  a court  of  law,  a cooked  (Juail  can  easily  be 
identified  from  scpiab,  reed-bird,  “rail-bird” 
and  many  others  by  the  fact  that  the  meat  on 
its  breast  is  white,  while  all  the  others  wear  dark 
meat. 

The  California  Mountain  “Quail,”  or 
3Iountain  Partridge,'  is  a bird  of  most  pleas- 
ing appearance,  which  inhabits  California,  Ore- 
gon and  Washington.  Wherever  protected  it  is 
spreading  rapidly  in  the  settled  i)ortions  of  the 
Xorthwest.  It  loves  moist  regions,  wherein  the 
rainfall  is  abundant.  This  is  the  bird  with  a 
black  tliroat,  a white  crescent  running  down 
from  the  eye,  two  rows  of  white  markings  on 
each  side,  and  a long,  drooping  plume  on  its 
liead  running  back  on  the  same  curve  as  the 
forehead.  Tliis  bird  goes  in  small  flocks,  of  ten 
to  twenty,  hides  well,  and  is  not  easily  flushed 
without  a dog. 

The  Valley  “Quail,”  or  Valley  Partridge,®  is 
the  bird  of  the  Pacific  coast  which  has  the  very 
jaunty,  erect  black  plume,  rising  from  the  top 
of  its  head  and  gracefully  curving  forward.  Its 
color  markings  are  rich  and  beautiful,  but  not 
gaudy,  and  in  form  as  well  as  color,  it  is  very 
haiuLsome.  In  fact,  it  is  the  most  beautiful  of 
all  our  small  upland  game-birds.  It  inhabits 
Oregon,  Xevada,  the  whole  of  California  and  the 
Lower  California  peninsula,  and  in  some  places 
a.-«-ends  the  mountains  to  9,(KK)  feet.  It  has  been 
acclimatized  in  Utah,  and  there  are  many  other 
localities  in  which  it  might  well  be  introduced. 

This  partridge  is  the  most  widely  di.stributed 
and  fre<iucntly  seen  game-bird  in  California,  not 
only  in  the  mountains,  but  also  in  the  cultivated 
valleys,  everywhere,  and  even  in  Colden  (late 
Park,  San  I'ranci.sco.  It  breeds  readily  in  con- 
finement in  the  Xew  York  Zoological  Park,  and 
when  s;»fe  from  rats  is  not  difficult  to  keep. 

The  .fleams’  Part  ridge of  Mexieo,  western 
Texas  and  southern  Xew  Mexico  and  .Vrizona, 
mu.st  lx*  mentioned  liecausc  it  is  too  odd  and 

' Or-e-eP/i/T  pic'tu.^.  .\vcrage  length,  1 1 inches. 

’ l-^'^phor'tyi  cntijornicus.  .\ver,age  length,  9 
inrhes. 

C-irgn'ngx  mnn-te-zu' mac  meamsi.  Average 
length,  .S..V)  inches. 


striking  in  appearance  to  be  ignored.  It  may 
be  known  by  the  numerous  large  wdiite  spots  on 
the  sides  of  its  body  just  below  the  wings,  and 
its  harleciuin  head  of  black  and  white  bars  and 
collars.  It  is  of  great  interest  to  Americans  re- 
siding in  Mexico,  and  many  attempts  have  been 
made  to  acclimatize  it  in  captivity  in  the  Unitei' 
States.  I once  had  in  my  possession  two  of  these 
birds  whose  white  spots  had  been  artificially 
changed  by  some  enterprising  Mexican  to  a beau- 
tiful golden-yellow  color.  Until  the  trick  w'as 
discovered,  the  birds  were  quite  a puzzle,  for  the 


C.\LlFORNIA  V.ALLEY  P.VRTRIDGE. 

fact  that  they  had  been  dyed  was  not  proven 
until  they  moulted. 

The  Huffed  Grouse^  is  the  dandy  of  Ameri- 
can game-birds.  In  various  places  it  is  called 
by  various  names,  some  of  which  are  mischiev- 
ou.sly  confusing.  By  many  persons  it  is  called  a 
“Pheasant,”  and  by  others  a “Partridge”; 
but  both  these  names  are  entirely  incorrect,  and 
when  applied  to  this  bird  create  confusion.  Of- 
ten it  is  impossible  to  converse  understandingly 
about  this  bird  without  first  defining  boundaries, 
and  coming  to  an  agreement  regarding  the  names 
“Phea.sant”  and  “Partridge.”  Xow  that  a 
real  pheasant  (the  ring-necked)  has  been  intro- 
duced from  China  into  many  portions  of  the 
L nited  States,  it  is  all  the  more  imperative  that 

■’  Bo-na'sa  um-bel'lus.  Average  length,  IG  niches. 


244 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— UPLAND  GAME-BIRDS 


the  Ruffed  Grouse  should  be  called  by  that  name, 
and  no  other!  It  is  called  “Ruffed”  because  of 
the  ruff  of  feathers  that  it  wears  just  in  front  of 
its  shoulders,  and  under  the  name  “Redruff” 
this  bird  has  been  most  charmingly  introduced 
by  I\Ir.  Ernest  Thompson  Seton  to  many  thou- 
sand readers  who  never  had  known  it  previously. 

This  Grouse  is  in  every  respect  a forest-bird. 
Its  ideal  home  is  mixed  forest  of  hardwood  and 
coniferous  trees,  with  the  white-tailed  deer  and 


EASTERN  RUFFED  GROUSE. 


gray  squirrel  for  company.  Its  home  extends 
from  Massachusetts  and  northern  New  York  to 
northern  Georgia,  and  westward  very  sparingly 
beyond  the  Mississippi  to  the  Dakotas.  Besides 
being  beautiful,  it  is  a bird  of  interesting  habits, 
and  its  flesh  is  entirely  too  fine  for  its  own  good. 
In  size  it  is  smaller  than  the  pinnated  grouse,  or 
prairie-chicken,  but  in  intelligence  it  is  second 
to  no  other  grouse  living. 

The  prevailing  color  of  the  Ruffed  Grouse  is 
rusty  brown,  but  the  mottlings  of  black,  gray 
and  white  defy  intelligent  description.  Open 
or  shut,  the  tail  is  a dream — cross-barred,  band- 
ed and  mottled  most  exquisitely.  It  is  no 
wonder  that  the  male  bird  is  fond  of  strutting, 
with  spread  tail;  but  besides  this  it  has  a still 
more  effective  means  of  attracting  the  female. 
It  perches  on  a log,  secures  a good  grip  with  its 
feet,  then  heats  the  air  with  its  wings  until  you 
hear  at  the  end  of  the  performance  a long,  quiv- 
ering resonance  disturbing  the  solitude,  like 
beating  upon  a Hindoo  tom-tom. 

The  beats  start  slowly,  l)ut  quickly  increase  in 
rapidity  to  the  end,  tlius:  “ Dum!-dum!-dum!- 
dum-dum-dumdumdumdum."  The  bird  does  not 


beat  the  log,  and  it  does  not  beat  its  own  sides. 
Thoreau  declares  that  its  wings  strike  together 
behind  its  back!  This  “drumming”  of  tlie 
Ruffed  Grouse  is  heard  oftenest  in  spring,  and 
is  a signal  to  the  female;  but  it  is  also  heard  oc- 
casionally in  summer  and  autumn. 

This  Grouse  is  a strong  flier,  and  gets  up  be- 
fore the  hunter  with  such  a tremendous  “burr- 
r-r-r”  of  wings,  and  goes  off  so  explosively,  tliat 
it  takes  a quick  eye  and  hand  to  bring  it  down. 
It  can  dash  off  through  timber  like  a feathered 
rocket,  dodging  trees  and  branches,  and  zig- 
zaging  in  all  directions  leading  away  from  danger, 
with  a degree  of  speed  and  certainty  that  is  really 
marvellous.  No  wonder  the  young  hunter  who 
kills  one,  fairly  and  squarely,  feels  proud  of  his 
skill,  and  hastens  away  to  have  the  trophy 
mounted  for  his  den. 

Unfortunately,  in  most  eastern  states,  where 
the  Ruffed  Grouse  should  hold  its  own  for  a hun- 
dred years,  this  bird  is  doomed  to  complete  ex- 
tinction— unless  its  sale  for  tJie  table  is  immedi- 
ately and  effectually  stopped!  So  long  as  it  is 
lawful  to  sell  it,  pot-hunters  will  shoot  it,  and 
snare  it,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  as  “food” 
for  the  already  over-fed  patrons  of  fashionable 
hotels  and  restaurants  of  the  large  cities.  .\s 
food  for  the  hungry,  this  beautiful  bird  is  not 
needed  in  the  least.  As  a means  of  inducing 
thousands  of  brain-weary  men  to  take  health- 
ful exercise  in  the  woods,  it  will  serve  a highly 
useful  and  important  purpose — if  not  meanly 
and  foolishly  exterminated. 

The  following  subspecies,  closely  related  to 
the  typical  Ruffed  Grouse,  are  found  in  North 
America: 

The  Oregon,  or  Sabine’s  Grouse,  is  found  on 
the  mountains  of  the  Pacific  coast,  west  of  the 
Coast  Range,  from  northern  British  Columbia 
to  California.  This  species  possesses  rich  red 
plumage,  and  is  quite  beautiful. 

The  Canadian  Ruffed  Grouse  belongs  to 
Canada  and  Maine,  but  in  the  Northwest  it 
ranges  south  of  the  international  boundary. 
The  Gray  Ruffed  Grouse  inhabits  the  Rocky 
Jlountains  from  the  Yukon  to  Colorado. 

The  Dusky  Grouse'  is  a conspicuous  type 
which  inhabits  the  Rocky  Mountains  from 
Idaho  and  !\Iontana  to  Arizona.  Its  other 

1 Den-drag’ a-pus  oh-scu'rus.  Average  length  of 
male,  about  21  inches;  female,  18  inches. 


THE  KUFFEl)  GKOU«E,  AND  OTHERS 


245 


names  are  Hlue,  Pine,  and  Gnry  Grouse,  and 
also  I’iiie-Ileti.  I first  saw  it  alive  in  the 
Shoshone  Mountains,  while  skirting  a very 
steep  mountain-side  in  search  of  mountain- 
sheep.  The  stunteil  pines  that  struggle  with 
the  slitle-roek  for  existence,  were  not  more  than 
thirty  feet  high,  but  in  them  perched,  dan- 
genjusly  near  the  ground,  this  handsome  .slaty- 
l)lue  Groust'.  Its  nearest  neighbors  were  the 
mountain  - sheep,  elk,  magpie,  Glarke’s  nut- 
cracker, and  golden  eagle. 

This  fine  bird  ranges  up  to  timber-line,  but 
loves  rough  mountain-sides  that  are  partially 
covered  with  pines,  cedars  aial  firs.  It  usually 
lives  alone,  but  sometimes  forms  very  small 
flocks.  'I'he  crop  of  a specimen  which  I shot 
was  stuffed  full  of  fresh,  green  inne  needles, 
some  of  them  two  inches  long.  .\t  that  time, 
however,  the  snow  was  a foot  deep.  ' 

This  bird  is  recognizable  by  the  broad,  white 
band  across  the  end  of  its  tail,  and  its  slaty- 
blue  color.  From  .\laska  to  ('alifornia  is  found 
a subsi)ecies,  very  much  like  the  preceding, 
called  the  Sooty  Grouse.  From  western  Mon- 
tana to  the  ('oa.st  Range  in  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington, and  northward  to  .Vlaska,  is  found  the 
Frnnklin  Grouse,  known  very  generally  as  the 
"Fool  Hen.”  In'cause  it  tru.sts  too  much  to 
man’s  humanity,  and  often  finds  itself  a victim 
of  misplaced  confidence.  This  is  one  of  the 
last  American  birds  to  learn  that  man  is  a very 
dangerous  animal,  and  often  devoid  both  of 
mercy  and  of  appreciation  of  the  beautiful  in 
bird-life. 

The  ('anada  Grouse,’  also  called  the  Spriioe- 
(Jrouse  and  Hlack  “ Partridge,”  is,  as  its  most 
accei»table  name  implies,  the  grouse  of  Canada 
and  the  Northwest.  It  has  the  widest  range  of 
any  .\merican  meml)er  of  the  Grouse  Family, — 
from  the  .Maskan  Peninsula  sotithea.stward  to 
northern  Minnesota,  Michigan,  New  A’ork  and 
.New  England.  It  inhabits  the  evergreen  forests 
of  that  vast  region,  usually  in  very  small  flocks. 
It  does  not  really  migrate,  but  by  reason  of 
sea.s<inal  changes  which  affect  its  food  supply, 
it  often  shifts  from  one  locality  to  another.  (1). 
Cl.  Elliot.! 

In  many  localities  it  is  known  as  the  “Fool 
Men.”  -a  name  which  is  aj>plied  in  various 

' Cn-nnrh'i-tea  canadensis  can-a'ce.  Length,  about 
1 t inche.-. 


places  to  several  other  species.  Man  is  so  con- 
scious of  his  own  insensate  destructiveness,  and 
so  accustomed  to  seeing  all  wild  creatures  fly  in 
terror  before  his  baneful  presence,  he  naturally 
feels  that  any  bird  which  trusts  its  life  to  his 
tender  mercies,  and  does  not  live  in  constant 
fear  of  him,  must  indeed  be  a feathered  fool! 
For  some  strange  reason,  several  members  of  the 
Grouse  Family  are  surprisingly  slow  to  com- 
prehend man’s  true  nature,  and  acquire  the 
flight  instinct,  which  most  other  species  learn  by 
experience  in  a few  generations  of  contact  with 
the  llniver.sal  Killer. 

The  male  Canada  Grouse  is  readily  recognized 
by  its  black  breast  and  throat,  and  black  tail, 
which  handsomely  set  off  the  barred  gray  back 
and  sides. 

The  Pinnated  Grouse,  or  Prairie-Chicken,’’ 

lives  chiefly  in  the  memories  of  those  who  from 
1S()0  to  1875  were  “ Western  men,”  or  boys.  At 
that  time,  Illinois,  Wisconsin  and  Iowa,  and 
the  states  adjoining,  were  the  “West.”  Rail- 
roads were  few,  all  guns  \vere  muzzle-loaders, 
and  the  game-dealers  of  Chicago  were  not 
stretching  out  their  deadly  tentacles,  like  so 
many  long-armed  octopi,  to  suck  the  last  drop 


C.\.\.\I).\  CHOUSE. 

of  wild-game  blood  from  prairie  and  forest. 
The  “market-shooter”  was  a species  of  game- 
butcher  then  unknown,  and  the  beautiful,  fer- 
tile prairies,  and  prairie-farms  of  Illinois,  Wis- 
consin, Minnesota,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Kansas  and 

- T’l/w-pn-na'c/ius  americanus.  Average  length  of 
male.  IS  inches. 


246 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— UPLAND  GAME-BIRDS 


Nebraska  M'ere  well  stocked  with  Prairie-Chick- 
ens. 

In  spring  they  courted  openly,  and  even 
proudly.  The  cocks  strutted,  and  inflated  the 
bare,  salmon-yellow  air-sacs  on  the  sides  of  their 
necks,  bowed  low,  and  “ Boo-hoo-hooed ! ” 
until  the  sound  rolled  over  the  bare  earth  in 
great  waves.  Then  they  scattered,  to  nest  and 
rear  their  young.  In  summer,  they  hid  them- 
selves closely;  and  no  self-respecting  farmer 


early  spring,  and  the  long,  flaming  days  of  July 
and  August.  If  the  farmers  only  had  been  far- 
sighted, and  diligent  in  protecting  for  their  all- 
too-scanty  recreation,  and  for  their  own  tables, 
the  game  that  was  theirs,  they  might  hfive  had 
Prairie-Chickens  to  hunt  for  a century. 

But  the  game-devouring  octopi  began  to 
reach  out,  from  Water  Street,  Chicago,  and 
from  New  York  and  Boston.  An  army  of  men 
began  to  “shoot  for  the  market,”  and  the  Pin- 


PINNATED  GROUSE,  OR  PR.\IRIE-CHICKEN. 


dreamed  of  such  a low  act  as  killing  one,  or 
meddling  with  a nest. 

In  the  fall,  after  the  harvesting,  and  just 
before  the,  corn-cutting  and  corn-husking,  the 
young  broods  were  ready  to  fly,  and  the  flocks 
began  to  gather.  They  first  ranged  through 
the  wheat  and  oat  stubble,  gleaning;  and  the 
sport  they  furnished  there, — dear  me!  Those 
were  the  golden  days  of  life  on  a prairie-farm. 
The  flocks  of  Pinnated  Grouse  and  quail  were 
the  rightful  heritage  of  the  boys  and  men  who 
toiled  in  the  fields  through  the  raw  cold  of 


nated  Grouse  and  quail  began  to  “go  east,” 
by  the  barrel.  Some  markets  were  so  glutted, 
time  after  time,  that  unnumbered  barrels  of 
dead  birds  spoiled.  That  was  before  the  days 
of  cold  storage. 

The  efforts  that  were  made  to  stop  that 
miserable  business  w^ere  feeble  to  the  point  of 
imbecility;  and  absolutely  nothing  permanent 
was  accomplished.  Had  farmers  generally 
stopped  all  shooting  on  their  farms,  as  every 
farmer  should,  the  war  on  those  birds  would 
have  stopped  also;  but  the  barn  was  not  locked 


PINNATED  AND  SAGE  GEOUSE 


247 


until  after  the  horse  had  been  stolen.  A species 
destroyed  is  rarelj'  regained. 

To-day,  the  Prairie-Chicken  is  to  be  numbered 
witli  the  bulTalo  and  passenger-pigeon.  It  is 
so  nearly  extinct  that  only  a few  flocks  remain, 
the  most  of  which  are  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska. 
If  hunting  them  with  dogs  contimies,  five  years 
hence  the  species  will  probably  bo  (piite  extinct. 


Even  as  late  as  1874,  many  birds  ^^•'ere  killed 
every  winter  by  flying  against  the  telegrapii 
wires  along  the  railways. 

The  Prairie  Sharp-Tailed  Grouse'^  inhabits 
the  Great  Plains,  from  the  states  bordering  the 
Mis.sissippi  to  the  Rocky  iMountains.  It  is  the 
plains  counterpart  of  the  pinnated  grouse,  and 
like  it,  is  rapidly  disappearing  before  the  set- 


s.\ge-(;kousk. 


It  is  u.seless  to  de.scribe  this  bird.  The 
chances  are  that  no  reader  of  this  book  ever  will 
one  outside  of  a must'um,  or  a large  zoological 
garden.'  The  great  flocks  of  from  one  to  three 
hundri'd  that  from  ISCK)  to  1ST.")  were  seen  in 
winter  in  the  Iowa  cornfields,  are  gone  forever. 

' Diirine  the  first  four  years  of  its  existence,  the 
N.  V.  Z<K>lni;ical  Park  w;is  able  to  secure  only  four 
living  sjuTimens. 


tlements  that  are  fast  filling  up  its  home.  The 
neck  of  the  male  lacks  the  side  tuft  of  long, 
pointed  feathers  and  the  naked  air-sac  so  con- 
spicuous on  the  male  i)innated  grouse. 

To-day,  this  bird  is  seldom  seen  in  the  open 
sage-brush  plains  and  bad  lands  of  .Montana 
and  Wyoming,  but  is  occasionally  found  in  or 

^ Ped-i-ae-ce'les  phas-i-an-el’lus  cam-pes'tris.  Av- 
erage length,  about  17  inches. 


248 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— UPLAJ^’D  GAME-BIRDS 


near  the  foot-hills  of  the  Rocky  and  Big  Horn 
Mountains.  When  flushed,  it  makes  the  mis- 
take of  its  life  in  alighting  in  the  low,  isolated 
cottonwood-trees  that  straggle  along  the  creeks, 
for  when  thus  perched  it  takes  a strong  man  to 
resist  the  temptation  to  cut  off  its  head  with  a 
rifle  ball, — or  try  to  do  so.  This  bird  will  fly 
out  of  the  most  impregnable  cover,  and  perch 
aloft  to  be  shot  at  in  a manner  indicating  a 
total  absence  of  the  most  ordinary  instinct  of 
self-preservation. 

The  Sage  - Grouse,  or  “ Cock  - of  - the- 
Plains,”^  is  a superb  bird — big,  handsome 
and  showy.  It  is  one  of  the  very  few  creatures 
which  can  eat  with  pleasure  and  benefit  the 
leaves  of  the  common  sage-brush,  and  subsist 
upon  that  food  indefinitely.  Naturally,  how- 
ever, this  diet  often  imparts  to  the  flesh  of  the 
bird  an  excess  of  sage  flavor  which  renders  it 
quite  unpalatable.  On  this  fact  alone,  the  Sage- 
Grouse  can  base  a hope  of  a better  fate  than  that 
of  its  more  edible  relatives  in  the  Grouse  Family. 

Of  the  really  conspicuous  members  of  the 
Plains  fauna, — buffalo,  antelope,  elk,  coyote, 
gray  wolf,  swift  fox,  jack  “rabbit,”  prairie- 
“dog,”  and  Sage-Grouse, — all  have  vanished 
from  frequent  sight,  save  the  last  two,  and 
some  have  wholly  disappeared.  In  riding  in 
October,  1901,  from  Miles  City  to  the  Missouri 
River  and  back,  about  250  miles  all  told,  we 
saw  only  three  coyotes,  one  gray  wolf,  and  four 
prairie-hares.  Cotton-tail  rabbits  abounded  in 
the  bad-lands,  and  we  saw  about  six  flocks  of 
Sage-Grouse — a very  small  number  for  so  much 
territory. 

One  of  those  flocks,  however,  was  a sight  to 
be  remembered.  In  the  valley  of  the  Little 
Dry,  it  spread  out,  in  open  order,  on  a level 
flat  that  was  covered  with  short,  gray  buffalo- 
grass,  and  dotted  here  and  there  with  low  clumps 
of  sage-brush.  Halting  the  outfit  wagon,  I 
slowly  rode  forward  until  within  thirty  feet  of 
the  vanguard  of  the  flock.  There  were  in  all 
forty-six  birds,  and  all  were  on  dress  parade. 
They  stood  proudly  erect,  headed  across  the 
trail,  marched  forward  in  a slow  and  stately 
manner,  and  every  weather  eye  was  kept  on  me. 
The  majority  were  big,  long-tailed  cocks. 
At  last  the  parade  terminated  in  the  flight  of 

' Cen-lro-cer'cus  u-ro-phafs-i-an'us.  Length  of 
male,  27  inches ; female,  22  inches. 


the  birds  nearest  me,  gradually  followed  by  all 
the  others. 

In  size,  the  Sage-Grouse  is  the  largest  member 
of  the  Grouse  Family  in  America, — next  in 
fact  to  the  magnificent  black  cock  of  Europe. 
When  a whole  flock  suddenly  rises  out  of  the 
sage-brush  and  takes  wing,  it  is  an  event  to 
remember.  The  rush  and  beat  of  wings  makes  a 
startling  noise,  and  the  size  of  the  bird  is  also 
highly  impressive.  This  grouse  is  so  large  that, 
as  it  flies  away,  you  see  its  body  rock  violently 
from  side  to  side,  and  note  the  effort  of  the  wings 
to  carry  the  bird,  and  maintain  a true  balance. 

The  male  has  an  air-sac  on  each  side  of  its 
neck,  which  it  inflates  in  the  courting  season, 
when  it  struts  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
females.  Recently  Mr.  Frank  Bond  has  ob- 
served, and  reported  in  The  Auk,  that  the 
male  also  rubs  its  breast  along  the  ground,  as  a 
part  of  its  strutting  performance,  which  accounts 
for  the  mysteriously  worn  condition  of  the 
breast-feathers. 

It  is  no  more  necessary  to  describe  a Sage- 
Grouse  than  an  elephant.  Its  size,  and  its  e.x- 
tremely  long  and  pointed  tail  proclaim  its 
identity  anywhere.  According  to  Mrs.  Bailey, 
it  ranges  “ from  Assiniboia  and  British  Columbia 
to  Utah,  Nevada  and  California,  from  the 
Sierra  Nevadas  and  Cascades  east  to  the  Black 
Hills,  Nebraska  and  Colorado.”  I will  only 
add  the  earnest  wish  that  every  one  who  reads 
these  notes  may  some  day  have  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  at  close  range  this  glorious  bird  in  its 
ideal  home, — on  a sage-brush  flat  in  the  land  of 
buttes,  where  the  world  is  big  and  free,  and  full 
of  sunshine. 

The  Ptarmigans  (pronounced  tar'mi-gans) 
form  a sharply  distinguished  group  of  the 
Grouse  Family,  with  which,  in  view  of  the  dif- 
ferent species  we  possess  in  Alaska,  and  also 
nearer  home,  every  American  should  become 
acquainted.  The  most  striking  and  peculiar 
character  about  these  birds  is  that  at  the  ap- 
proach of  winter  they  turn  snow-white.  They 
prefer  to  nest  on  the  tops  of  rugged  mountains, 
above  timber-line,  and  in  Alaska  are  at  home 
either  on  the  lofty  snow-fields  of  the  mountains, 
or  the  desolate  barrens! 

There  are  four  well-defined  species,  and  six 
varieties.  The  only  species  which  is  at  home 
in  the  United  States  is  the  White-Tailed 


THE  PTAUMKJANS 


249 


PtanniKan' — in  Colorado  sometimes  railed  the 
“White  (^uail,” — whieh  lives  in  the  Hoeky 
Mountains  from  the  Liard  River,  Ihitish  Co- 
lumbia, to  Xew  Mexico.  It  is  said  that  another 
species  (the  Willow)  docs  oeeasionally  wander 
down  into  northern  Xew  En<;land.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  species  are  found  in  Alaska,  hut 
the  Rock  Ptarmigan  covers  nearly  the  whole  of 


Lena  River,  their  last  food  was  one  of  these 
birds,  shot  with  a rifle  by  Alexy,  the  Eskimo. 
In  northern  (Ircenland  and  Grinnell  Land 
Peary  and  Greely  ate  it,  and  in  the  Kenai 
Peninsula,  flocks  of  it  w'ere  photographed  by 
Dali  DeWeese  and  others. 

This  bird  is  almost  constantly  busy  in  chang- 
ing its  clothes.  In  the  spring  it  goes  by  slow 


Summer  plumage.  Winter  plumage, 

winnow  PT.\H.MIG.VN. 

Drawn  from  photograj)li.s  made  in  .Vlaska  by  D.\nn  DeWeese. 


.\rctic  .\merica  from  .\la.ska  to  Labrador  and 
(ircenland.  Two  of  its  subspecies  inhabit  New- 
foundland. 

The  Willow  Ptarmiiran-  may  well  be  chosen 
a-s  the  typical  representative  of  the  whole  grouj), 
for  its  (list ribtit ion  covers  the  .\ retie  lands  en- 
tirely around  the  |>ole.  When  Dt*  Long  and  his 
party  fought  starvation  at  the  mouth  of  the 

' Ixi-go'pu*  Iru-ni'nm.  Lengtfi,  tibout  12  inches. 

^ lAi-git' pun  Ingiiptin.  Lengtli,  al)out  I t inches. 


degrees  from  winter  white  to  chestnut  brown, 
barred  with  black.  By  .July  the  dark  plumage 
of  midsummer  is  fully  developed;  but  not  for 
long.  By  the  first  of  September,  the  trouble 
begins  once  more,  and  feather  by  feather  the 
jilumage  gradually  changes  to  snowy-white.  In 
winter  the  legs  and  feet  of  Ptarmigans  generally 
are  heavily  clothed  with  feathers,  and  often 
only  the  ends  of  the  toc's  are  visible. 

.\s  might  be  expected,  this  bird  and  its  rela- 


250 


OKDEKS  OF  BIRDS— UPLAND  GAME-BIRDS 


tives  often  constitute  an  important  source  of 
food  supply  for  the  Indians  and  Eskimos  of  the 
arctic  regions. 

THE  PHEASANT  FAMILY. 

Phasianidae. 

The  Pheasant  Family  was  originally  rep- 
resented on  this  continent  only  by  the  wild- 
turkeys;  but  during  recent  years  certain  foreign 
species  have  been  successfully  introduced,  and 


WILD-TURKEY,  FROM  VIRGINIA. 


are  now  becoming  so  numerous  as  to  require 
notice. 

The  Ring-Necked  Pheasant'  has  been  in- 
troduced from  China,  and  acclimatized  in  Wash- 
ington, Oregon,  California,  British  Columbia, 
and  elsewhere  with  pronounced  success.  In 
many  localities  it  has  become  so  abundant  that 
now  it  is  shot  by  sportsmen  as  upland  game- 
birds once  were  killed  in  New  York  state.  From 
Portland,  Oregon,  to  Vancouver  the  taxider- 
mists are  annually  called  upon  to  mount  scores 
of  these  birds,  because  they  are  so  beautiful 
that  many  of  the  sportsmen  who  shoot  them 
cannot  consent  to  see  their  skins  destroyed. 

Following  the  examples  of  the  Pacific  states, 
Ohio,  New  York,  Massachusetts,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  several  other  states  both  east  and 
west  have  entered  -seriously  upon  the  business 
of  breeding,  rearing  and  introducing  this  valua- 
ble bird  at  state  expense. 

The  Silver  Pheasant,  and  the  very  beautiful 

' Phas-i-an’us  tor-quat'us. 


Golden  Pheasant,  both  natives  of  China,  have 
also  been  acclimatized  in  Washington  and  Ore- 
gon. In  view  of  the  strong  and  hardy  natures 
of  both  these  birds,  there  should  be  little  diffi- 
culty in  introducing  them  in  any  well-wooded 
farming  region  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
south  of  the  fortieth  parallel. 

The  VVild-Turkey2  once  inhabited  nearly 
one-half  of  the  United  States;  and,  considering 
the  great  size  of  the  bird,  the  earnestness  of  our 
efforts  to  exterminate  it,  and  the  very  little 
that  has  been  done  toward  its  protection,  its 
survival  to-day  is  cause  for  wonder.  It  is  yet 
found  in  a few  heavily  timbered  regions  in  the 
East  and  South, — such  as  Florida,  the  Virginias, 
Pennsylvania,  and  a few  of  the  southern  states. 
It  is  doubtful  if  even  one  flock  exists  in  the 
north  anywhere  west  of  Pennsylvania.  In 
Oklahoma  and  Texas  it  still  lives,  but  the  gun- 
ners of  the  cattle-ranches  are  fast  killing  off  the 
few  flocks  that  remain. 

The  Wild-Turkey  is  the  king  of  upland  game- 
birds. It  has  been  given  to  but  a few  hunters 
to  seek  this  bird  in  its  native  forests,  witness 
its  splendid  flight,  and  afterward  shoulder  a 
giant  gobbler  weighing  from  twenty-five  to 
thirty  pounds  for  a ten-mile  carry.  He  who  has 
done  this,  however,  will  thereafter  rank  this 
bird  as  second  to  none  on  earth.  In  the  United 
States  only  one  species  exists,  but  three  geo- 
graphic races  have  been  described.  The  wild  bird 
so  closely  resembles  the  domestic  turkey  that 
almost  the  only  difference  observable  is  the  white 
upper  tail  coverts  of  the  tame  bird. 

The  Ocellated  Turkey,®  of  Yucatan,  British 
Honduras  and  Guatemala  is  a bird  of  more 
splendid  plumage  but  smaller  size  than  our 
northern  species.  Its  name  refers  to  the  beau- 
tiful eye-spots  of  blue,  green  and  purple  which 
adorn  the  tail-feathers.  The  prevailing  color  of 
the  body  plumage  is  a rich  metallic  green,  ex- 
hibiting the  brilliant  iridescence  and  burnished- 
bronze  effects  so  strongly  displayed  in  most 
turkeys  in  full  plumage.  On  account  of  its  great 
beauty,  several  attempts  have  been  made  to 
establish  this  species  in  zoological  gardens,  but 
thus  far  quite  without  success.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  future  efforts  will  succeed. 

^ Me-le-a'gris  gal-Io-pa'ro.  Length  of  large  male, 
about  46  inches;  weight,  28  pounds. 

® Me-le-a'gris  oc-el-la'ta. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


THE  ORDER  OF  SHORE-BIRDS 

LimCOLAE. 


Tlicrc  arc  many  p;cnera  and  species  of  birds  in 
this  Order,  but  for  certain  reasons  it  is  difficult 
to  form  an  acciuaintance  with  more  than  a very 
few  of  them.  The  majority  of  them  reach  us 
only  as  birds  of  passage,  on  the  way  to  or  from 
their  breeding  grouiuls  farther  north,  and  during 
the  year  are  with  us  only  a few  weeks.  Others 
are  so  few  in  number,  and  live  in  such  remote 
localities  that  they,  also,  are  beyond  our  ac- 
(luaintance.  As  usual,  therefore,  we  will  in- 
troduce oidy  those  species  that  are  sufficiently 
abundant,  long-tarrj’ing  and  generally  interest- 
ing to  make  them  worth  knowing. 

.Vs  the  name  of  the  Order  indicates,  these 
birds  live  on  the  ocean  and  lake  beaches,  and 
the  banks  of  rivers,  ponds  and  pools,  where  they 
find  many  kinds  of  (juecr  things  to  feed  upon. 
On  the  boundary  line  betwixt  sea  and  land  they 
find  many  insects,  shell-fish,  crustaceans  and 
worms.  The  Turnstones  make  a business  of 
turning  over  pebbles  and  small  stones,  in  order 
to  capture  the  worms  and  insects  that  take 
shelter  under  them. 

The  Ktll-Deer  Plover*  makes  an  excellent 
representative  of  a large  section  of  this  Order. 
It  is  of  average  size,  and  handsome  appearance, 
and  is  such  a loud  and  frequent  caller  its 
presence  is  always  well  advertised.  It  is  so 
widely  distributed  that  millions  of  people  may 
know  it  if  they  will.  It  is  a bird  of  the  iidand 
|)onds  and  [X)ols,  not  of  the  sea-shore,  and  it  is 
found  throughout  the  whole  temperate  portion  of 
North  .Vmeriea,  from  the  .Vtlantie  to  the  Pacific. 
It  is  not  a bird  of  heavily  timbered  regions,  how- 
ever, ami  is  most  abundant  in  the  lake  regions 
of  the  Mississipjii  valley.  On  the  i>rairies  of  the 
Middle  West,  wherever  there  are  small,  shallow 
|>onds.  or  even  pools  in  wet  meadows,  all  through 
the  sea.son  of  mild  weather  you  will  hear  its 
clear  and  rather  .strident  cry  of  “ Kill-d-e-e-r ! 

' Ox-y-e'chus  ro-eij'er-a.  Length,  lOi  inches. 


Kill-d-e-c-r ! " And  it  is  always  a pleasing 
sight  to  sec  this  immaculate  bird  in  snow-white, 
brown  and  black  plumage  standing  at  the  edge 
of  a bit  of  water — a stroke  of  living  high-light 
in  the  landscape.  I always  liked  the  Kill  Deer, 
and,  although  I have  seen  hundreds,  and  heard 
its  cry  a thousand  times,  I never  wearied  of  its 
companionship.  In  my  opinion  it  is  our  most 
beautiful  shore-bird. 

The  American  Golden  Plover,®  also  called 
Green  and  Field  Plover,  is  (or,  at  least  was 
until  recently)  the  Plover  most  frequently  seen 
in  the  Atlantic  states,  and  in  the  markets.  It 
frequents  the  banks  of  marshes  and  tide  pools 
along  the  sea-shore,  but  it  is  equally  fond  of  the 
pools  and  ponds  of  the  uplands,  particularly  in 


KILL-DEER  PLOVER. 

old  meadows.  They  are  seldom  seen  during  the 
spring  migration;  they  do  not  remain  with  us 
during  the  summer,  and  it  is  only  during  the 
months  of  their  fall  migration,  from  August  15, 

^ Char-a-dri'us  do-min'i-cus.  Average  length,  10 
inches. 


252 


OKDEKS  OF  BIRDS— SHORE-BIRDS 


AMERICAN  WOODCOCK. 


to  November  1,  that  they  are  really  in  evi- 
dence. During  the  open  season  they  are  much 
sought  by  gunners, — which  is  the  reason  why 
there  is  now  only  one  bird  where  formerly  there 
were  ten. 

The  American  Woodcock*  is  the  oddest- 
looking  land-bird  in  North  America.  Its  legs 
are  too  short  for  so  large  a body,  its  tail  is  only 
half  as  long  as  it  should  be,  its  neck  is  too  short 
and  too  thick,  and  its  head  is  entirely  out  of 
drawing.  The  eyes  are  placed  too  far  back, 
and  the  bill  is  too  long  and  too  straight.  In 
appearance,  the  Woodcock  looks  like  an  avian 
caricature. 

But,  odd  or  not,  this  bird  is  very  dear  to  the 
heart  of  the  great  American  sportsman,  and  its 
plump  brown  body  is  a genuine  delicacy.  It 
has  a long  array  of  local  names,  some  of  which 
are  so  uncouth  that  the  less  said  concerning 
them  the  better. 

The  long,  sen.sitive  beak  of  this  bird  is  really 
a probe  and  a pair  of  forceps  combined,  for 
probing  in  soft  earth  or  mud  after  earthworms, 
and  dragging  them  out  when  found.  In  order 
to  feed,  the  Woodcock  has  no  option  but  to  fre- 
quent the  moist  banks  of  woodetl  streams,  or 
wet  grounds  in  the  shelter  of  bushes  or  timber, 
where  it  can  work  unobserved.  During  the  day, 
it  lies  low  to  escape  observation,  and  does  the 
most  of  its  feeding  at  night.  It  is  seldom  found 
in  open  ground,  and  Woodcock  shooting  is 
much  like  shooting  cjuail  among  brush — quick 
and  difficult. 

* Phi-lo-he'Ia  mi' nor.  Average  length,  about 
10. .50  inches. 


This  bird  ranges  throughout  the  United  States 
from  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  edge  of  the  Great 
Plains.  In  the  course  of  much  hunting  in  cen- 
tral Iowa  I never  but  once  shot  a specimen  of 
this  species. 

As  a highly  esteemed  game-bird,  Wilson’s 
Snipe,  or  the  Jack  Snipe, ^ is  a close  second  to 
the  woodcock.  Like  the  latter,  it  has  a long, 
straight  bill  with  a sensitive  tip,  with  which  to 
probe  down  in  mud  or  soft  earth  of  pond  mar- 
gins or  spring  holes,  to  the  home  of  the  angle- 
worm. Unlike  the  woodcock,  however,  this 
Snipe  is  a very  well-formed  bird,  and  it  feeds 
more  in  the  open,  which  renders  its  pursuit 
more  fruitful  of  results.  On  the  wing,  it  is 
awkward  and  angular  looking.  It  flies  in  a 
very  angular  course,  but  so  rapidly  it  is  a diffi- 
cult mark  to  hit.  When  it  rises,  it  utters  a 
shrill  cry,  half  scream  and  half  squawk,  and  in 
windy  weather  it  often  flies  quite  high. 

This  Snipe  has  a very  wide  range — from 
Alaska  and  Hudson’s  Bay  through  all  the 
United  States,  except  the  arid  regions,  to  north- 
ern South  America.  Its  most  conspicuous 
color  is  brown,  striped  on  the  back  with  black, 
which  in  brushy  ground  protects  the  bird  so 
well  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  it. 

Whenever  at  the  sea-shore  in  warm  weather 


WOODCOCK  ON  NE.ST. 

Photograplied  ct  a distance  of  6 feet,  by  Le  Roy  M. 
Tufts,  and  copyright,  1903. 

you  wander  “far  from  the  madding  crowd,” 
you  may  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  So  mi- 
pal  mated  Sand-Piper,*  or  possibly  it  will  be 

’ Gal-li-na'go  del-i-ca'ta.  Length,  about  1 1 inches. 
* Er-e-un-e'tes  pu-sil'lus.  Length,  G inches. 


SNIPK,  SAND-PIPER  AND  CURLEW 


253 


the  lyoast  Sand-Pipor,' — a trifie  more  minute, 
and  with  no  wcl)  at  the  base  of  its  toes.  At  a 
distance  of  ten  feet  the  two  species  look  precisely 
alike,  and  there  is  no  need  to  worry  about  an 
exact  identification.  They  are  also  called 
" Peei)s,”  and  “Ox-eyes,”  and  the  toes  of  the 
Semipalniated  Sand-Piper  are  partly  webbed. 

•Vs  the  "reen-topped  surf  dashes  to  pieces  on 
the  pebbles,  and  "oes  sliding  in  a silvery  sheet 
up  the  yellow  sand,  you  will  notice  just  above 
its  frothy  edge  a flock  of  little  gray  sprites, 
their  tiny  legs  twinkling  as  they  patter  swiftly 
over  the  smooth  floor.  Sometimes  the  sliding 
sheet  of  water  overtakes  them.  If  it  is  nearly 
siHMit,  they  mind  it  not;  but  if  the  rush  is  too 
strong,  up  springs  the  flock,  all  mendiers  at  the 
same  instant,  and  with  (piick  flashes  of  light 
gray  wings,  it  skims  the  surf-sheets  or  the  sand, 
to  a jwint  farther  on.  The  uni.son  of  action  in 
the  rising,  flight,  and  landing  of  the  flock  is  as 
()erfect  as  if  each  little  pair  of  wings  were  worked 
by  the  sjime  wires.  How  does  each  bird  know 
the  impulst's  of  all  the  others?  Watch  them, 
and  see  if  you  can  guess  the  secret. 

.\t  the  sea-shore  1 never  weary  of  watching 
thes(‘  busy  little  creatures,  ami  never  fail  to  be 
amuseil  by  the  twinkling  of  their  tiny  legs  as 


WII>^0.\’.S  .SNIPE. 

they  run  before  the  water.  .\s  the  sheet  of 
surf  recedes,  ilown  they  run  after  it,  to  pick 
up  whatever  of  imsect  or  other  edible  animal  life 

' Ac-to-dro'mas  min-u-tiria.  .Average  length,  .5.50 
inches. 


it  has  brought  to  them  from  the  sea,  or  un- 
covered on  the  sand. 

Fortunately  these  birds  are  so  small  the 
gunners  are  not  slaughtering  them — as  yet. 


LE.V.ST  S.XND- PIPER. 

But  their  day  of  doom  is  not  far  distant.  There 
is  in  every  country  on  earth  a lawless,  miscreant 
element  which  is  devoid  of  all  love  for  Nature 
and  wild  life,  and  which  sticks  at  nothing  in 
the  line  of  destruction.  It  pollutes  streams, 
dynamites  fish,  poisons  dogs,  steals  ash-cans 
and  swill-pails,  and  kills  song-birds  for  “food.” 

Some  day,  alas!  the  evil  eye  of  this  bad  breed 
will  fall  upon  the  flocks  of  Sand-Pipers  by  the 
sea,  and  on  the  shores  of  inland  lake,  pond  and 
stream.  Then  the  little  gray  clouds  will 

quickly  vanish  forever.  To-day,  however,  both 
the  .species  mentioned  above  are  found  sprinkled 
throughout  the  whole  eastern  United  States, 
and  they  breed  northward  quite  up  to  the 
arctic  Barren  (Irounds.  AA’herever  they  are, 
they  are  interesting  birds,  and  worthy  of  your 
friendship. 

The  Long-Billed  Curlew'^  is  a bird  which 
has  caused  much  wonderment  and  many  guesses 
in  the  Middle  West,  where  on  the  virgin  prairies 
it  once  was  frequently  seen.  This  bird’s  trick 
of  holding  its  wings  high  above  its  back  for  two 
or  three  seconds  after  it  alights  upon  the  ground 
always  attracts  special  attention.  Its  cry,  also, 
oft  repeated  in  spring,  is  very  weird  and  pe- 
euliar,  and  well  calculated  to  make  the  bird 
remembered. 

Tliis  bird  once  was  common  on  the  rolling 

2 Xii-men't-us  Inn-gi-rnx'lris.  .Average  length, 
about  23  inches;  bill  of  adult  bird,  about  8 inches. 


254 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— SHORE-BIRDS 


prairies  of  Iowa,  regardless  of  ponds  or  streams, 
where  it  sought  every  sort  of  animal  life  small 
enough  to  be  swallowed.  It  is  easily  recognized, 
even  in  flight,  by  its  long,  curved  bill.  In  its 
form,  its  beak  and  its  legs,  it  is  almost  a per- 
fect counterpart  of  a typical  ibis,  but  it  has 
the  mechanically  mottled  plumage  of  a typi- 
cal shore-bird.  .Although  by  some  ornitholo- 
gists this  bird  is  credited  to  the  whole  length 
and  breadth  of  the  United  States,  there  cer- 
tainly are  some  very  wude  regions  from  which 
it  is  totalty  absent.  In  various  localities  it 
has  various  names,  some  of  which  are  Sickle- 
Bill,  Saber  Bill,  Smoker,  Spanish  Curlew  and 
Mowyer. 


This  bird  is  very  sympathetic  toward  its 
wounded  mates,  and  in  response  to  the  cries  of 
a bird  that  has  been  shot,  a flock  sometimes 
will  return,  and  with  loud  cries  circle  near  the 
gunner,  at  close  range,  until  several  more  have 
been  brought  down.  (D.  G.  Elliot.) 

Besides  the  shore-birds  mentioned  above, 
there  are  several  groups  which  are  of  interest 
chiefly  to  the  special  student,  and  which  there 
is  no  space  to  introduce  here,  save  by  name. 
There  are  the  oyster-catchers,  turnstones,  god- 
wits,  stilts,  and  phalaropes.  In  the  Order 
Limicolae  as  a whole  there  are  in  North  America, 
north  of  Mexico,  about  seventy-five  species 
and  subspecies. 


CHAPTER  XXV 


THE  ORDER  OF  CRANES,  RAILS,  AND  COOTS 

PALUDICOLAE 


The  name  of  this  Order,  Pal-u-dic'o-lae, 
means  "marsh-dweller,”  and  the  presence  in  it 
of  the  cranes  is  enoujjh  to  make  it  notable.  It 
must  be  admitted,  however,  that  from  the 
stately  and  eommandinK  crane  down  to  the 
humble  coot,  the  scared  {jallinule,  and  the  di- 
minutive rail,  is  a loiifi;  step  downward.  But  it 
is  inevitable  that  the  etforts  of  science  to  classify 
the  birds  of  the  world  in  as  few  Orders  as  pos- 
sible, should  bring  together  many  widely  di- 
vergent forms.  To  have  a greater  number  of 
Orders  would  be  still  more  confusing  to  the 
general  student  than  the  present  number. 

In  the  order  of  Marsh- Dwellers  there  are 
oidy  two  Families  which  are  entitled  to  notice 
here.  These  are  the  (Vanes,  and  the  Rails, 
Oallinules  and  Coots. 

TIfK  CK.WE  F.\MILY. 

Gruidae. 

The  Cranes  of  the  world  form  a group  of  about 
eighteen  sj)ecies,  which,  in  stateliness,  beauty 
and  oddity  of  habit,  are  second  only  to  the 
ostriches  and  their  allies.  Every  zoological 
garden  which  possesses  a good  collection  of 
cranes  has  good  reason  to  be  proud  of  it.  The 
Croirued  Cranes  of  .\frica  are  the  most  beautiful 
s[H>cies  of  all,  the  Paradise  Crane  is  the  oddest 
in  appearance,  the  little  Demoiselle  Crane,  of 
the  Nile  region,  has  the  most  amiable  disposition. 
The  big,  red-headed  Saras  Crane  of  India  is  the 
most  quarrelsome,  and  the  .stately  Whooping 
Crane  of  North  .\merica  is  the  species  which 
comes  nearest  to  being  pure  white. 

Through  some  mischievous  and  unfortunate 
circumstance,  the  great  majority  of  the  people 
who  live  in  the  eastern  I’nited  States  have  be- 
come almost  fixed  in  the  habit  of  calling  the 
great  blue  heron  the  “blue  crane.”  The  former 
is  common  enough  along  watercourses  and  tidal 


rivers,  but  it  is  probable  that  not  more  than  one 
person  out  of  every  ten  thousand  has  ev'er  seen 
in  -\merica  a living  wild  crane.  -\s  applied  to 
wild-birds,  the  word  “crane”  should  be  used 
most  sparingly.  Along  the  Atlantic  coast,  the 
only  locality  in  which  it  might  correctly  be  used 
afield  is  on  the  interior  savannas  of  Florida. 

The  Whooping  Crane’  is  now  one  of  the 
rarest  of  all  living  North  American  birds. 
Three  years  of  diligent  quest  for  living  speci- 
mens have  produced  but  one  bird.  There  were 
in  captivity  on  .lanuary  1,  1903,  exactly  six 
specimens,  four  of  which  were  in  the  United 
States.  Inasmuch  as  this  bird  is  of  no  value 
save  to  zoological  gardens,  it  must  be  believed 
that  it  has  been  wantonly  shot,  down  to  the 
verge  of  extinction.  Since  it  is  a practical  im- 
possibility to  induce  it  to  breed  in  captivity, 
the  species  seems  almost  certain  to  disappear 
from  our  fauna  at  an  early  date. 

.\s  seen  with  its  wings  closed,  the  visible 
plumage  of  this  grand  bird  is  all  snowy  white. 
When  the  wings  are  spread,  however,  it  is  found 
that  the  largest  feathers,  called  the  primaries, 
are  jet  black.  The  upper  tail  coverts  form  a 
plume  that  arches  upward  ov'er  the  tail,  and 
gives  the  bird  a very  jaunty  air.  The  top  of 
the  head  is  bare  of  feathers,  and  the  rough  skin 
has  a dull-red  glow.  The  eye  is  big  and  keen, 
and  the  bill  is  long,  strong  aiul  rather  blunt  on 
the  end,  for  digging  angle-worms  out  of  the 
ground,  not  for  spearing  fish. 

The  strength  of  the  beak  and  neck  of  the 
Whooping  Crane  in  the  New  \ork  Zoological 
Park  is  truly  remarkable.  The  bird  roams  at 
will  in  a grassy  meadow  of  about  two  acres  in 
extent.  Soon  after  it  attained  full  growth,  it 
was  noticed  that  after  every  rain,  it  would 
vigorously  attack  the  grass.  With  mandibles 
' Grus  americana. 


256 


OEDERS  OF  BIRDS— CRAXES,  RAILS,  AND  COOTS 


two  inches  apart  at  the  tips,  it  would  drive  its 
beak  into  the  earth  to  a depth  of  from  two  to 
three  inches,  grasp  a tuft  of  grass  between  them, 
and  by  main  strength  deliberately  pull  it  up 
by  the  roots.  A few  vigorous  shakes  sidewise 
dislodged  any  angle-worms  which  might  have 
been  brought  up,  after  which  the  roots  of  the 
tuft  would  be  carefully  looked  over  before 
being  cast  aside.  Next  in  order,  the  wounded 
earth  would  be  carefully  probed  and  picked 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 
WHOOPING  CRANE. 


over.  In  a few  hours,  this  bird  sometimes 
pulled  up  the  grass  on  a space  fifteen  feet  sciuare, 
and  finally  disfigured  the  ground  so  seriously 
that  after  every  rain  the  Crane  had  to  be  shut  up. 

A living  full-grown  Whooping  Crane  stands 
4 feet,  3 inches  high.  Its  name  is  due  to  its 
wonderfully  clear,  powerful,  and  trumpet- 
like call,  which  is  uttered  with  the  beak  pointing 
straight  upward.  When  properly  delivered, 
the  crane’s  call  consists  of  two  notes,  an  octave 
apart,  one  following  the  other  so  closely  that 
there  is  no  interval,  ^thus:  “Quah-KEE-E- 


E-oo!”  I believe  that  a Crane’s  trumpet-call 
will  carry  as  far  as  the  roar  of  a lion. 

All  our  Cranes  are  strictly  open-country 
birds,  and  formerly  inhabited  the  fertile,  froggy 
prairies  and  cornfields  of  the  Mississippi  valley; 
but  the  species  named  above  never  was  really 
numerous  any^vhere.  In  travelling,  cranes 
always  fly  in  single  file,  with  their  long  necks 
and  legs  in  a straight  line,  and  in  that  position 
the  length  of  the  bird  seems  very  great. 

The  Sandhill  Crane'  is  a smaller  bird  than 
the  preceding,  always  has  been  more  numerous, 
and  therefore  is  much  more  widely  known.  In 
color  it  is  a dull  bluish-slate,  and  it  has  a half- 
bald, dull-red  head,  like  a whooping  crane. 
The  pioneers  who  were  on  the  western  prairies 
from  1850  to  1870  occasionally  saw  long  lines 
of  enormously  long  birds  sailing  high  in  the 
heavens,  trumpeting  their  identity  to  those  un- 
able to  see  them,  or  alighting  on  stilt-like  legs 
in  the  cornfields.  In  springtime,  when  the 
birds  alighted  in  the  bare  fields,  and  stalked 
about  with  majestic  stride,  they  seemed  fairly 
gigantic.  They  went  far  north  in  spring  to 
breed,  and  on  their  return  trips  sought  their 
winter  home  in  Texas,  Florida,  and  elsewhere 
along  the  Gulf  coast. 

Cranes  in  captivity,  and  wild  ones,  also, 
often  indulge  in  strange  antics.  Suddenly, 
and  for  no  apparent  reason,  one  will  half-open 
its  wings,  leap  into  the  air,  and  begin  to  dance. 
It  bobs  and  bows,  salaams,  and  courtesies  almost 
to  the  ground,  and  in  sheer  delight  repeatedly 
leaps  into  the  air.  Often  the  lead  of  one  bird 
is  followed  by  several  others,  and  occasionally 
(as  I have  myself  seen),  a whole  wild  flock  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  birds  will  join  in  the  fandango. 

Whenever  the  days  are  cool  and  clear, 

The  sandhill  crane  goes  walking 
Across  the  field  by  the  flashing  weir, 

Slowly,  solemnly  stalking. 

The  little  frogs  in  the  tules  hear. 

And  jump  for  their  lives  if  he  comes  near; 

The  fishes  scuttle  away  in  fear 

When  the  sandhill  crane  goes  walking. 

The  field  folk  know  if  he  comes  that  way. 
Slowly,  solemnly  stalking. 

There  is  danger  and  death  in  the  least  delay. 
When  the  sandhill  crane  goes  walking. 

' Gt~us  mexicana.  Height,  about  3 feet,  10  inches. 


HAILS  AND  GALLIXULES 


257 


The  chipmunks  stop  in  the  midst  of  play; 

The  gophers  hide  in  their  holes  away; 

And  “ Hush,  oh,  hush!”  the  field-iniee  say, 
When  the  sandhill  crane  goes  walking. 

Mrs.  M.uiy  Austin,  in  Si.  Xicholas.^ 

THE  FAMILY  OF  KAILS. 

Rallidae. 

From  the  stately  crane  to  the  timid,  self- 
effacing  Vlrglnlii  Kiiil-  is  going  at  one  step 
from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous.  To  the 
latter,  which  is  a bird  about  half  the  size  of  a 
boll-white,  a crane  must  seem  like  a giant 
whose  head  is  in  the  clouds.  The  crane  can 
either  tight,  run  or  Hy  away;  but  the  rail  is 
safe  only  when  threading  the  mazes  of  a reedy 
marsh,  where  no  enemy  can  follow  it  far.  Wlien 
Iwating  on  a marsh  filled  with  cat-tails,  or  reeds, 
or  tall  grass,  you  may  hear  a score  of  rails 
clucking  and  calling  in  the  heart  of  the  green 
tangle  alxiut  you  without  seeing  one.  There 
arc  times  when  it  seems  as  if  this  bird  is  a de- 
lilM'rate  and  intentional  ventrilo(iui.st,  for  its 
voice  seems  to  come  from  all  directions  save 
that  which  points  toward  its  owner.  .V  marsh 
is  !us  necessary  to  rails  as  water  is  to  fishes. 

When  a rail  flics  up  out  of  a marsh  or  a 
meadow,  you  can  recognize  it  by  its  feeble, 
fluttering  Hight,  and  its  hanging  legs.  Often 
in  alighting  it  seems  to  fall  helplessly  into  the 
tall  cover. 

In  the  mosquito-ridden  mar.shcs  along  the 
Xcw  Jersey  shore,  dwells  a species  known  as  the 
Som  Kail®  in  numlK'rs  sufficiently  numerous 
to  attract  gunners.  The  moment  the  “law  is 
off,”  the  flat-l)ottomed  boats  are  brought  out, 
and  the  fu.sillade  l>cgins.  With  no  larger  game 
available,  even  a small  Rail  can  form  an  excuse 
for  a day’s  outing  on  the  marshes,  bringing  the 
grip  of  the  gun-stock,  the  dull  “boom”  that  is 
music  to  the  desk-weary  man,  and  the  welcome 
smell  of  gun|K)wder.  Therefore,  rail  not  at  all 
those  who  shoot  rails;  for  there  be  some  who 
<lo  not  shoot  “for  revenue  only.” 

As  may  be  inferred,  rails  are  good  to  eat, 
though  not  very  good;  for  they  are  several  sizes 
too  small  for  real  comfort.  There  arc  only 

• Hy  courtesy  of  The  Century  Co.,  and  of  the 
.\utlior. 

’ lial'lux  rtrginianu.<>.  .Vverage  length,  9 inches. 

’ I'of-za'nn  caro/ina.  Length,  about  9 inches. 


about  twelv'e  species  in  North  America,  of  which 
the  King  Rail,  15  inches  long  (of  eastern  North 
.America),  is  the  largest,  and  the  Virginia  Rail 
is  the  most  widely  distributed.  The  latter  has 
a long  bill  (1^  inches),  and  is  found  from  Long 
Island  to  Hriti.sh  Columbia,  breeding  every- 
where that  marshy  lands  occur.  It  is  an  olive- 
brown  bird,  streaked  and  barred  with  black, 
and  in  places  with  white,  also. 

While  the  most  typical  rails  have  long  bills,  ' 
some  species  are  short-billed. 

A Gallinule  is  a bird  which  lives,  acts  and 
looks  like  a rail,  and  is  easily  mistaken  for  either 
a rail  or  a coot;  but  it  stands  midway  between 


VIKGINl.Y  RAIL. 

/ 

the  two.  It  is  distinguished  from  the  rails  by 
the  hare,  horny  shield  upon  the  forehead,  and 
from  the  coots  by  the  long,  slender,  unwehhed 
toes.  The  Florida  Gallinule*  is  also  called  the 
Blue  “Rail,”  and  Red-Billed”  Mud-Hen,”  and  its 
general  color-effect  is  bluish-gray.  It  is  found 
in  localities  adapted  to  its  habits  throughout 
temperate  North  .America,  north  to  Canada,  and 
as  far  south  as  Brazil. 

The  Purple  Gallinule^  of  the  southern  half 
of  the  eastern  I'nited  States,  is  a bird  of  beauti- 
ful plumage.  Its  colors  are  a rich,  dark  purple 
on  the  head,  neck  and  shoulders,  lightening  to 

* Gal-U-nu'la  gal-e-a’ta.  Length,  about  13  inches. 

® I-o-noVnis  mar-tin'i-ca.  Length,  12  inches. 


258 


OKDEES  OF  BIRDS— CRANES,  RAILS,  AND  COOTS 


peacock  blue  on  the  back  and  lower  breast. 
Even  as  it  rises  beside  your  railway  train  you 
can  easily  recognize  it  before  it  is  lost  to  view. 
It  still  breeds  on  the  head  waters  of  the  St. 
.Johns,  opposite  Melbourne. 

The  Coot,  or  Mud-Hen,’  is  a bird  of  the 
small  creeks,  and  the  shores  of  shallow  lakes 
and  ponds  where  cat-tails,  lizard-tails,  iris  and 


rushes  grow  abundantly.  It  is  natural  for  any 
one  who  writes  about  a bird  to  think  of  it  as  he 
saw  it  most  impressively.  My  memory  goes 
back  to  my  first  days  of  alligator  and  crocodile 
hunting,  in  the  little  creeks  that  flow  from  the 
Florida  Everglades  into  the  head  and  western 
side  of  Biscayne  Bay.  Then  and  there,  Mud- 
^Fu-li'ca  americana.  Average  length,  14.50  inches. 


Hens  were  so  numerous  and  so  tame  they  be- 
came positively  monotonous.  As  we  rowed 
silently  along  Snake  Creek,  or  .Arch  Creek,  the 
man  in  the  bow  ready  for  the  next  “big,  old 
’gator”  found  sunning  himself  at  the  edge  of 
the  saw-gra.ss,  up  would  go  three  or  four  slaty- 
blue  birds  of  the  size  of  bantam  hens.  With 
feeble  flight,  and  feet  pattering  on  the  water  to 
help  along,  they  would  fly  ahead  of  the  boat 
in  a most  offensivel}'  ostentatious  manner. 
Of  course  any  old  alligator  knows  that  a scared 
Coot  usually  means  a boat;  and  since  every 
boat  is  known  to  be  loaded,  the  natural  sequence 
of  a frightened  Coot  is  the  bottom  of  the  creek. 

The  foot  of  the  Coot  is  very  curiously  formed. 
It  looks  as  if  originally  it  had  been  fully  webbed, 
but  some  one  in  sportive  mood  took  a pair  of 
scissors,  cut  out  the  centre  of  the  web,  and  cut 
deep  scallops  in  the  web  along  each  side  of  each 
toe.  The  foot,  therefore,  is  half  webbed, — an 
e.xcellent  arrangement  for  running  on  water 
when  the  wings  lend  their  assistance.  This 
bird  never  ri.ses  on  the  wing  without  a prelim- 
inary run  on  the  water  of  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet.  It  swims  and  dives 
finite  well,  but  as  a rule  it  prefers  to  live  as  do 
the  rails  and  gallinules,  in  the  edges  of  heavy 
marsh  vegetation,  where  it  can  pick  up  its  living 
of  buds,  blossoms,  seeds,  afiuatic  insects  and 
snails,  and  also  hide  from  its  enemies. 

•As  yet  the  Coot  is  not  considered  a “game- 
bird,” and  is  not  slaughtered  for  food  ; but,  once 
let  the  evil  eye  of  the  Epicure  fall  with  favor 
upon  this  bird — or  any  other — and  its  doom  will 
be  sealed. 

The  distribution  of  this  species  is  given  as 
“from  Greenland  and  Alaska  southward  to  the 
West  Indies.” 


CHAPTER  XXVI 


THE  ORDER  OF  HERONS,  STORKS,  AND  IBISES 

JIERODIONES. 


All  the  members  of  this  Order  are  either  sturdy 
fisherfolk,  or  longshoremen.  They  wait  not 
for  bud  or  blossoms,  or  ripening  grain,  but  when 
hunger  calls  they  go  a-fishing.  Then  woe  be- 
tide the  small  fish  or  frog  of  any  size  which  is 
tempted  to  stray  into  the  warm  shallows,  and 
linger  there. 

The  neck  of  the  heron  is  specially  formed  by 
Nature  for  quick  lunging.  At  rest,  it  folds 
upon  itself,  in  angular  kinks,  until  the  neck 
totally  disappears,  and  the  bird’s  head  seems  to 
rest  down  upon  its  shoulders.  But  alarm  this 
neckless  bird,  and  presto ! it  is  another  creature. 
Up  goes  the  head  into  the  air,  borne  on  a long, 
flat-sided  neck,  which  curves  like  a capital  S. 

When  a heron  is  fishing,  it  stalks  slowly  and 
silently  along  the  shore,  preferably  in  water 
about  six  inches  deep,  its  head  carried  well 
forward  but  about  on  a level  with  the  top  of 
its  shoulders,  while  its  big  eyes  keenly  scru- 
tinize every  object  in  the  water.  It  takes  long 
steps,  and  plants  each  foot  softly,  in  true  .still- 
hunter  fa.shion,  to  avoid  alarming  its  game. 
When  a fish  is  found  within  range,  the  kinks  of 
the  neck  fly  straight,  and  the  fish  is  seized  be- 
tween the  mandibles.  The  fish  is  not  stabbed 
through  and  through,  as  is  generally  supposed. 
In  swallowing  a fish,  it  is,  of  course,  taken 
head  first. 

Herons,  egrets  and  ibises  are  gregarious,  or 
sociable,  in  their  nesting  habits.  In  other 
words,  they  are  fond  of  nesting  together;  and 
a place  of  many  nesting  birds  is  called  either  a 
“hcronrv.  ” or  a “rookery.”  The  nesting 
sites  are  chosen  with  due  regard  to  seclusion 
and  food  supplies.  Usually  the  heronry  is  lo- 
cated in  low  trees  that  stand  on  a small  island, 
or  else  grow  up  out  of  a swamp  or  bayou,  so 
that  without  a boat  they  are  almost  inaccessible. 

Thirty  years  ago,  the  greatest  and  most  nu- 
merous heronries  in  the  United  States  were  in 


Florida,  on  the  head  waters  of  the  St.  Johns,  on 
the  edge  of  the  Everglades,  and  the  small  rivers 
and  creeks  that  run  down  to  the  sea.  To-day 
it  is  difficult  to  find  in  Florida  a heronry  worthy 
of  the  name,  or  one  which  belongs  to  a large 
assemblage  of  birds.  Herons,  egrets  and  ibises 
have  been  so  persistently  destroyed  for  their 
“plumes”  that  not  one-fiftieth  of  the  original 
number  remain. 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  following  table,  the 
Order  Herodiones  contains  quite  a number  of 
important  water-birds  which  are  not  herons: 


FAMILIES. 


EXAMPLES. 


lii 

a 

o 

B 

B 

S 

B 

B 

B 

0 


Heron,  ar-de'I-dae,  . 
Stork,  . CIC-O-Nl'l-DAE, 
Ibis,  . . I-BID’I-DAE,  . . 

Spoonbill,  plat-a-le'I-dae, 


f Herons, 

-(  Egrets  and 
( Bitterns. 

Wood  Ibis. 

f White  Ibis 
•;  and  Scarlet 
( Ibis. 

j Roseate 
f Spoonbill. 


THE  HERON  FAMILY. 

Ardeidae. 

The  Great  Blue  Heron'  is  the  largest,  hand- 
somest and  most  conspicuous  Heron  in  North 
America — if  not  the  world.  This  is  the  bird 
so  persistently  called  the  “Blue  Crane”;  and 
one  of  the  first  things  for  the  beginner  to  learn 
about  birds  is  to  call  this  bird  a Heron,  instead 
of  a “crane!” 

Whether  fishing  in  the  shallows  along  the 
shore,  or  perching  on  a dead  tree,  or  winging 
his  way  slowly  and  majestically  through  the 
air,  this  is  a fine,  handsome  bird,  and  a welcome 
sight  to  sec.  Its  height  when  standing  fairly 
erect  is  3 feet,  3 inches.  It  has  plumes  on  its 
head,  breast  and  back,  which  American  cranes 

' Ar-de'a  her-o'di-as.  Length,  from  40  to  48  inches. 


^59 


260 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— HERONS,  STORKS,  AND  IBISES 


do  not  have.  It  is  never  seen  away  from  water- 
courses, and,  it  may  be  added,  in  warm  weather 
no  river-scene  is  truly  complete  and  perfect 
without  one! 

When  seen  with  closed  wings,  its  upper  neck 
and  body  are  of  a bluish-slate  color,  and  its 
under  surfaces  are  white,  streaked  up  and  down 
with  black.  In  the  North,  this  bird  is  shy,  and 
afraid  of  being  shot  at;  but  in  the  tropics, 
where  they  are  not  persecuted,  I have  some- 


GREAT BLUE  HERON. 

times  approached  within  thirty  feet  of  full- 
grown  birds  without  alarming  them. 

The  range  of  this  bird  is  from  the  arctic 
regions  southward  wherever  the  conditions  of 
water,  timber  and  food  are  suitable,  to  the  West 
Indies  and  South  .\rnerica;  but  there  are  many 
arid  and  treele.ss  regions  from  which  it  is  totally 
absent. 

The  Little  Green  Heron,  or  “Fly-up-the- 
Creek,”‘  is  found  throughout  the  well-watered 
regions  of  the  United  States,  wherever  timber 

* Bn-tor'i-des  vi-res'cen.<!.  Average  length,  about 
18  inches. 


is  plentiful.  In  many  localities  of  the  Middle 
West  and  the  Mississippi  valley  from  which  the 
great  blue  heron  is  now  absent,  this  is  the  only 
heron  to  be  found;  and  away  from  the  Atlantic 
coast  it  is  the  most  familiar  member  of  its 
Order. 

Its  body  is  about  as  large  as  that  of  a sparrow- 
hawk,  and  when  in  a crouching  attitude  it  is  a 
very  proper-looking  bird.  With  its  neck 
stretched,  however,  and  its  head  held  high,  the 
body  seems  much  too  small,  and 
the  neck  makes  the  bird  seem  top- 
heavy.  Start  it  off  in  flight, 
however,  and  it  is  one  of  the 
most  ill-fitting  herons  that  ever 
took  wing.  It  is  so  angular  and 
loose-jointed  it  seems  read}’'  to  fall 
to  pieces,  and  its  flight  is  slow 
and  feeble.  The  prevailing  color 
of  its  plumage  is  a beautiful  me- 
tallic green,  but  the  flat  shape 
of  its  neck,  and  the  peculiar  set 
of  the  feathers  thereon  have 
caused  many  young  taxider- 
mists some  very  sad  hours. 

The  food  of  the  Green  Heron 
consists  of  minnows,  small  frogs, 
tadpoles  and  insects. 

The  Little  Blue  Heron'^  is  yet 
fairly  abundant  in  Florida,  be- 
cause it  bears  no  fatal  “plumes.” 
In  summer,  this  species  some- 
times wanders  northward  as 
far  as  Illinois  and  Maine.  One 
striking  peculiarity  of  its  plu- 
mage is  worthy  of  special  men- 
tion. Until  one  year  old,  the 
young  birds  are  snow-white,  and 
look  precisely  like  young  snowy  egrets  which 
are  of  corresponding  size  and  form.  Sometimes 
it  is  a matter  of  difficulty  to  convince  a per- 
son that  a snow-white  bird  is  a Little  Blue 
Heron,  in  its  first  year.  But  the  moulting 
finally  tells  the  story.  First  the  plumage  is 
flecked  with  blue,  then  it  is  half  blue,  and  at 
last  the  solid  blue  color  prevails.  It  seems  to 
me  that  in  clothing  young  and  inexperienced 
birds  in  snow-white  robes,  which  attract  all 
eyes  to  them.  Nature  forgot  all  about  “protec- 
tive coloration!” 

^ Ar-de'a  cne-ru'le-a.  Average  length,  24.50  inches. 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 


FASHION’S  VICTIMS 


261 


The  Black-Crowned  Night-Heron*  breeds 
all  around  New  York  City,  and  every  summer 
two  or  three  come  and  try  to  break  into  the  great 
Flying  Cage  of  the  New  York  Zoological  Park. 
,\s  its  name  implies,  this  bird  has  a crown  of 
glossy  black  feathers,  with  two  or  three  long 
white  occipital  plumes.  This  is  a southern  bird, 
but  it  breeds  as  far  north  as  Massachusetts 
and  Illinois.  Like  its  twin,  the  Yellow-Crowned 
Night-Heron,  it  is  half  nocturnal  in  its  habits. 
When  at  night  in  Florida  you  hear  a bird  say 
“Quawk!”  and  repeat  it  to  you  from  the  depths 
of  the  mangroves  as  your  boat  glides  by,  you 
know  it  is  a Night-Heron.  Both  these  species 
have  beautiful  plumage,  and  are  handsome 
birds.  Their  distinguishing  marks  are,  thick 
bodies,  and  short,  thick  necks;  short  legs  (for 
herons),  and  two  or  three  round,  wisp-like 
plumes  from  five  to  seven  inches  long  growing 
out  of  the  top  of  the  head,  and  drooping  back- 
ward. 

The  Snowy  Heron,  or  Snowy  Egret,*^  when 
fully  adult,  is  the  most  beautiful  white  bird  in  all 
the  avian  world.  Its  form  is  the  embodiment 
of  symmetry  and  grace,  its  plumage  is  immacu- 
late, and  the  filmy  “plumes”  on  its  head  and 
back  are  like  spun  glass.  Its  black  legs  and  bill 
merely  serve  to  intensify  the  whiteness  of  its 
feathers. 

But  the  vanity  of  women  has  been  the  curse 
of  the  snowy  egret.  Its  plumes  are  finest  during 
the  breeding  season,  and  it  was  then  that  the 
hunters  sought  them,  slaughtering  the  parent 
birds  in  the  rookeries  by  thousands  (when  they 
were  abundant),  and  leaving  the  nestlings  to 
die  of  starvation.  If  all  women  could  know  the 
price  in  blood  and  suffering  which  is  paid  for 
the  accursed  “aigrettes”  of  fashion,  surely  but 
few  could  find  any  pleasure  in  wearing  them.^ 
It  is  strange  that  civilized  women — the  tender- 
hearted, the  philanthropic  and  compassionate — 
should  prove  to  be  the  evil  genius  of  the  world’s 
most  beautiful  birds. 

* \yc-ti-co'rax  nycticorax  nae'vi-us.  Length,  24. .50 
inches. 

^ E-gret'ta  can-di-dis'xi-ma.  Length,  about  23 
inches. 

* Thanks  to  the  efforts  of  the  .\iidubon  Societies, 
the  .\merican  Ornithologists’  Union  and  the  United 
Slates  Biological  Survey,  the  laws  of  the  Ignited 
States  now  prohibit  the  sale  of  aigrettes  throughout 
the  United  States,  irrespective  of  the  countries  from 
which  they  come. 


In  Florida,  this  bird  once  lived  and  bred,  in 
thousands,  on  the  head  waters  of  the  St.  Johns, 
around  the  Everglades,  and  the  heads  of  the 
streams  that  run  down  to  the  sea.  At  the 
first  shot  fired  in  a rookery,  a white  cloud 
would  arise,  and  old  residents  tell  how  “the 
savannas  were  sometimes  white  ” with  these 
beautiful  creatures.  To-day,  not  half  enough 


LITTLE  GREEN  HERON. 


remain  to  stock  our  zoological  gardens.  The 
slaughter  has  been  exasperatingly  complete, 
and  protection  has  come  too  late. 

In  the  United  States  the  Snowy  Egret  ex- 
ists now  only  by  accident,  and  the  “plume- 
hunters”  are  pursuing  this  and  the  next  species 
in  Central  and  South  America,  to  their  most 
remote  haunts,  sometimes  even  at  the  risk  of 
their  lives.  Fashion,  cruel  and  remorseless, 
has  decreed  that  the  egrets  must  go! 

The  American  Egret,  or  Great  White 
Egret, ^ is,  when  adult,  our  second  largest  bird 
* Her-o'di-as  e-gret'ta.  Length,  about  40  inches. 


262 


OKDERS  OF  BIRDS— HERONS,  STORKS,  AND  IBISES 


tude  for  nearly  an  hour  at  a time.  Even  in 
the  whirling  gayety  of  a big  Flying  Cage,  it 
takes  life  sadly,  and  never  makes  merry,  as  do 
all  other  birds,  even  the  funereal  vultures. 
Standing  erect,  however,  the  Bittern  is  a bird 
with  a fair  length  of  neck;  but  its  neck  seems 
much  too  large  and  heavy  for  its  body. 

Because  of  the  peculiar  sound  it  utters,  the 
Bittern  is  called  the  “ Stake- Driver,”  and 
“Thunder-Pumper."  I have  never  heard  tliun- 
der  pumped,  but  with  stake-driving  am  quite 
familiar,  and  must  say  that  I never  heard  a 
Bittern  give  forth  a cry  that  sounded  like  it. 
I think  also  that  the  “booming”  of  the  Bittern 
shoidd  be  taken  subject  to  inspection  and  ap- 
proval; for  to  at  least  one  tympanum  there  is 
a wide  difference  between  a real  “boom”  and 
the  alleged  “boom”  of  the  Bittern. 

This  bird  iidiabits  sloughs  and  marshes  of 
tall,  rank  grass,  in  which  it  hides  most  success- 
fully by  standing  very  erect,  and  }>ointing  its 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 
GREAT  WHITE  EGRET. 


of  the  Order  of  Herons  with  pure  white  plumage, 
the  great  white  heron  being  the  first.  Much  to 
the  misfortune  of  this  species,  it  possesses  about 
fifty  “aigrette”  plumes  which  droop  in  graceful 
curves  from  the  middle  of  its  back,  far  beyond 
the  tail  and  wing  tips.  For  these  beautiful 
feathers  this  bird  also  has  been  pursued  by  plume- 
hunters,  to  the  point  of  total  extermination. 
A very  few  individuals  are  yet  living  in  Florida, 
but  they  will  all  be  blotted  out  within  a short 
period. 

The  American  Bittern'  is  a fairly  large 
bird,  of  a yellowish-brown  color,  elaborately 
mottled  and  streaked  with  various  shades  of 
light  and  dark.  When  standing  in  concealment, 
it  draws  in  its  neck  until  it  wholly  disappears  in 
its  plumage.  The  result  is  an  egg-shaped  bird, 
with  a beak  at  the  small  end,  pointing  heaven- 
ward, and  short,  thick  legs  below.  I have  seen 
a Bittern  stand  motionless  in  that  idiotic  atti- 

‘ Bo-lau'rns  len-tig-i-no'sus.  Length,  26  inches. 


AMERICAN  BITTERN. 

beak  toward  the  zenith.  It  feeds  chiefly  upon 
frogs,  small  snakes,  lizards,  and  crawfish. 


BITTERNS  AND  IBISES 


263 


The  Least  Bittern'  is  tne  smallest  member 
of  the  Heron  Order, — a queer  little  brownish- 
yellow  and  black  creature,  duly  mottled,  of 
course,  with  a sparrow-like  botly,  and  a wide, 
flat  neck  several  sizes  too  large  for  the  body  of 
the  bird.  On  the  whole,  it  is  a pretty  little 
creature,  associated  by  habit  with  the  long- 
billed marsh-wren,  the  rail,  and  the  red-winged 
blackbird. 

THE  STORK  FAMILY. 

Ciconiidae. 

The  real  Storks  are  found  only  in  the  Old 
World;  but  the  \Yood  Ibis'"  is  a member  of 
the  Stork  Family,  and  he  looks  it.  He  is  a 
big,  burly,  bald-headed,  good-natured  bird, 
.standing  31  inches  high.  No  matter  what  goes 
on  around  him,  he  is  as  solemn  as  an  owl.  Al- 
though large  enough  to  do  much  damage  to 
birds  smaller  than  himself,  he  associates  with 
herons,  ducks,  geese,  and  ibi.scs,  of  all  sizes, 
without  the  slightest  desire  to  harm  any  of  them, 
or  even  to  rule  them.  In  a large  bird,  capable 
of  much  mischief,  such  perpetual  good  temper 
is  worthy  of  note. 

When  this  bird  is  adult  and  clean,  its  plumage 
is  pure  white,  and  it  is  a noteworthy  member 
of  any  feathered  community.  Specimens  are 
nearly  always  jrrocurable  in  Florida  at  a reasona- 
ble price  (SS),  and  there  are  always  several  in 
the  New  York  Zoological  Park.  This  species 
“breeds  in  Florida  and  the  Gulf  states,  after 
which  it  wanders  north  as  far  as  Kansas,  In- 
diana and  New  York.”  (F.  M.  Chapman.) 

THE  IBIS  FAMILY 

I build  ae. 

In  North  .America  this  Family  contains  three 
species  of  birds  that  are  heron-like  in  general 
form,  but  are  C|uite  differenth'  pro^^ded  as  to 
their  bills.  The  bill  of  a true  ibis  is  long,  slen- 
der and  curved,  much  like  that  of  a long-billed 
curlew,  and  it  is  fitted  for  j)robing  in  soft  earth, 
or  shallow  water.  The  neck  is  round,  and  the 
head  also,  instead  of  being  flat-sided  like  that 
of  a heron. 

The  White  Ibis^  is  yet  found  in  Florida,  and 
excepting  the  four  outer  wing-feathers  (prima- 

' . 1 r-de/'/rt  ex-i'li}s.  Length,  13  inches. 

- Tan'Ia-his  loc-u-la'ior.  .Average  length,  .38  inches. 

’ Guar'a  al'ba.  Average  length,  24  inches. 


eris),  which  are  black,  it  is  a pure-white  bird. 
Specimens  in  the  first  year  are  grayish-brown 
and  white,  and  in  color  do  not  even  suggest  the 
pure-white  plumage  of  the  second  year,  and 
thereafter.  This  species  rarely  comes  into  any 
of  the  northern  states. 

The  beautiful  and  brilliant  Scarlet  Ibis,* 
once  a habitant  of  southern  Florida  and  Louisi- 
ana, is  no  longer  found  in  the  United  States. 
In  color  it  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  birds  in 
all  America,  though  by  no  means  so  beautiful 
as  the  resplendent  trogon.  I saw  it  in  great 
numbers  on  the  mud-flats  at  the  mouth  of  the 


WHITE  ims. 


Orinoco,  and  shot  it  on  the  coast  of  British 
Guiana.  On  Marajo  Island,  in  the  delta  of  the 
Amazon,  it  breeds  in  hundreds — a sight  worth 
a long  journey  to  see.  Unfortunately,  it  is 
impossible  to  keep  specimens  of  this  species  in 
confinement  and  have  them  retain  their  color. 
In  a few  months  they  fade  until  they  are  pale 
pink. 

The  Glossy  Ibis*  is  a dark-colored  bird,  its 
prevailing  color  being  rich  brownish-purple  with 
metallic-green  reflections,  and  abundant  irides- 
cence. It  seems  smaller  than  the  two  light-colored 
species  mentioned  above,  but  in  reality  it  is  not. 
In  1899  two  specimens  were  captured  on  the  St. 
Johns  River,  opposite  Melbourne,  Florida,  and 
one  of  them  lived  two  years  in  the  Zoological 
Park.  This  species  is  rare,  even  in  Florida,  but 
in  Te.xas  and  the  Southwest  the  White-Faced 
Glossy  Ibis  is  of  more  frequent  occurrence. 

* Guar'a  ru'bra.  Length,  23  inches. 

* Pleg'a-dis  au-tum-nal'is.  Length,  23  inches. 


2G4 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— HERONS,  STORKS  AND  IBISES 


THE  SPOONBILL  FAMILY. 

Plataleidae. 

The  Roseate  Spoonbill,^  or  Pink  “Curlew,” 

is  the  only  member  of  the  Spoonbill  Family  in 
America,  and  it  is  also  the  farthest  from  the 
type  of  the  Order  Herodiones.  It  is  really  an 
ibis  with  a wide  bill  which  terminates  in  two 
rounded,  flat  plates,  nearly  two  inches  wide. 
When  standing  erect,  it  is  about  16  inches  high. 
Its  body  plumage  is  either  rosy  gray  or  w'hite, 
and  its  wing  coverts  and  secondaries  are  tinted 
a delicate  and  very  beautiful  rose-madder  pink, 
the  color  being  most  intense  on  the  lesser  coverts. 

Once  quite  abundant  throughout  the  lagoons, 
streams  and  swampy  districts  of  Florida,  this 
beautiful  bird  is  now  so  nearly  extinct  there 
that  no  live  specimens  have  been  obtainable 
nearer  than  the  Gulf  coast  of  Mexico.  Indeed, 
until  very  recently  there  were  good  reasons  for 
the  belief  that  not  one  Roseate  Spoonbill  re- 
mained alive  anywhere  in  Florida.  Now,  how- 
ever, it  is  a pleasure  to  record  the  fact  that  this 
species  has  not  wholly  disappeared  from  our 
avifauna. 

In  The  Auk  for  January,  1904,  Mr.  A.  C.  Bent 
describes  the  finding  of  a few  small  flocks  of  these 
birds  near  Cape  Sable,  which  he  found  nesting 
in  two  localities.  “The  principal  breeding- 
ground  of  the  Roseate  Spoonbills  was  a great 
morass  on  the  borders  of  Alligator  Lake,  a few 
miles  back  from  the  coast  near  Cape  Sable,  where 
the  mangrove  islands  in  which  the  birds  were 
nesfing  were  well  protected  by  impenetrable 
jungles  of  saw-grass,  treacherous  mud-holes, 
and  apparently  bottomless  creeks.  . . . The 

Spoonbills  were  here  in  abundance,  and  had 
eggs  and  young  in  their  nests,  in  all  stages,  as 
well  as  fully  grown  young  climbing  about  in  the 
trees.  The  old  birds  were  tamer  than  at  Cuth- 
bcrt  Lake,  and  allowed  themselves  to  be  photo- 
graphed at  a reasonable  distance. 

^ A -j a'  i-a  a-j a'i-a. 


“The  Spoonbills,”  continues  Mr.  Bent,  “will 
probably  be  the  next  to  disappear  from  the  list 
of-  Florida  water-birds.  They  are  already  much 
reduced  in  numbers  and  restricted  in  habitat. 
They  are  naturally  shy  and  their  rookeries  are 
easily  broken  up.  Their  plumage  makes  them 
attractive  marks  for  the  tourist’s  gun,  and  they 
are  killed  by  the  natives  for  food.  But  fortu- 
nately their  breeding-places  are  remote,  and 
almost  inaccessible;  and  through  the  earnest 
efforts  of  the  A.  O.  U.  wardens  they  are  now 
protected.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  adequate 
protection  in  the  future  will  result  in  the 
preservation  of  this  unique  and  interesting 
species.” 

The  nests  found  by  Mr.  Bent  on  Cuthbert 
Lake,  almost  on  the  edge  of  the  Everglades, 
were  built  in  red  mangrove-trees  on  the  edge  of 
the  water,  all  on  nearly  horizontal  branches, 
from  12  to  15  feet  from  the  ground.  “They 
were  well  made,  of  large  sticks,  deeply  hollowed, 
and  lined  with  strips  of  bark  and  water-moss. 
One  nest  contained  only  a single,  heavily  in- 
cubated egg,  one  a handsome  set  of  three  eggs, 
and  the  other  held  two  downy  young,  not  quite 
half  grown.” 

In  my  opinion,  there  is  no  “cause,”  either 
existent  or  creatable,  not  even  the  “cause  of 
science,”  which  could  justify  the  killing  or  capt- 
'ure  of  any  of  the  birds  composing  those  last 
small  flocks  of  Spoonbills.  Not  even  the  ne- 
cessities of  a zoological  garden  should  for  one 
moment  be  accepted  as  an  excuse  for  meddling 
with  that  avian  remnant;  and  let  no  hunter 
think  of  offering  a bargain  in  live  Spoonbills 
frdm  Cape  Sable,  or  of  now  writing  to  ask  “ What 
will  you  give?” 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  people  of  Florida 
will  see  to  it  that  the  Spoonbill  is  absolutely 
protected  for  the  next  twenty  years,  with  the 
same  intelligent  interest  and  humane  reason 
that  has  saved  the  manatee  down  to  1903. 


ROSEATE  SPOONBILL. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 


THE  ORDER  OF  FLAMINGOES— A CONNECTING  LINK 

ODONTOGLOSSAE 


The  long-legfied,  long-necked  Flamingo  is 
a very  perfect  connecting  link  between  the 
wading-birds  and  the  swimmers,  and  a most 
curiously  formed  bird.  It  has  enormously  long, 
stilt-like  legs,  like  a heron ; but  its  feet  are  fully 
webbed,  like  the  feet  of  a duck;  Its  standing 
height  is  from  48  to  54  inches.  It  has  a long, 
slender,  crane-like  neck;  but  its  thick,  broken- 


backed  bill  is  provided  with  lamillae  along  the 
edges,  like  the  bill  of  a shoveller-duck.  The 
anatomy  of  the  bill  and  tongue  of  this  bird  is 
particularly  interesting. 

This  bird  is  by  habit  a true  wader,  and  lives 
and  breeds  near  shallow  lagoons,  where  it  can 
walk  in  the  water,  and  feed  on  the  bottom. 


In  1902,  Mr.  Frank  M.  Chapman,  of  the  Amer- 
ican Museum  of  Natural  History,  visited  a great 
breeding-place  of  the  American  Flamingo,'  on 
Andros  Island,  Bahamas,  where  he  saw  about 
700  birds  in  one  flock,  and  about  2,000  mud- 
nests  in  one  group,  situated  on  a level  mud-flat 
close  beside  a shallow  lagoon. 

The  nest  of  this  queer  bird  proved  to  be  a 
low,  flat  pillar  of  mud  from  6 to  12  inches 
in  height,  13  inches  in  diameter  at  the  bot- 
tom, and  10  inches  across  the  top— which 
is  flat,  and  slightly  depressed.’  The  eggs 
are  two  in  number. 

Up  to  1890,  the  Flamingo  flocks  still 
visited  southern  Florida,  near  Cape  Sable, 
and  it  is  possible  that  at  rare  intervals 
they  still  do  so.  Besides  those  in  the 
Bahamas,  flamingoes  are  found  in  Cuba. 
Every  year  from  twenty  to  fifty  live 
birds  are  brought  to  New  York  by  the 
dealers  in  live  animals,  and  sold  at  prices 
ranging  from  $12  to  $20  each.  When 
they  arrive  they  are  all  over  bright  red, 
but  in  captivity  all  gradually  fade  out  until 
they  are  pale  pink. 

In  all  the  world  there  are  eight  species 
of  flamingoes.  While  our  species  is  bright 
scarlet,  all  over,  those  of  Europe  and  Africa 
are  almost  white,  with  pink  wing  coverts. 
The  food  of  this  bird  in  captivity  is  dried 
shrimps,  boiled  rice,  and  cubes  of  stale 
bread,  fed  in  water.  In  a room  which 
is  warmed  to  00'^  F.,  it  can  live  all 
winter,  wading  half  the  time  in  water 
that  is  almost  icy  cold,  witl'out  catching 
cold.  The  voice  of  this  bird  is  fearfully  and 
wonderfully  made.  It  is  a resonant,  deep  bass, 
utterly  unmusical  “honk,”  like  a rasping  blast 
on  a large  tin  horn,  blown  by  an  amateur. 

' Phoe-ni-cop'ler-vs  ru'ber.  Length,  45  inches; 
spread  of  wings,  62  inches;  tarsus,  12.50  inches. 

2 Bird  Lore  Magazine.  IV.,  p.  180. 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 


THE  FLAMINGO. 


206 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 

ANATIDAE 


We  have  now  reached  the  first  Order  of  a great  group  of  birds  which  might  well  stand  as  a Sub- 
class— the  Web-Footed  Swimmers.  It  embraces  six  different  Orders,  and  before  touching  any 
one  of  them,  it  is  highly  necessary  that  the  student  should  take  a bird’s-eye  view  of  the  whole  sub- 
division. A clear  conception  of  these  six  Orders,  and  the  characters  on  which  they  are  based,  will 
be  of  great  and  perpetual  service  to  every  person  who  desires  a comprehensive  view  of  the  avian 
world : 


THE  ORDERS  OF  SWIMMING-BIRDS. 


THE 

WEB-FOOTED 

BIRDS. 


FLYING 
SWIMMERS: 
with  good 
wings. 


DIVING  / 
SWIMMERS:  \ 
with  small  I 
wings,  or  none  i 
for  flight.  \ 


Ducks  and  Geese 

(three  toes  webbed). 

Fully  Palinated  Birds 

(four  toes  webbed). 
Cormorants,  Pelicans,  Snake- 
Birds,  etc. 

Tube-Nosed  Swimmers. 

Albatrosses  and  Petrels. 

Long-Winged  Swimmers. 

Gulls,  Terns,  etc. 

Weak-Winged  Divers. 

Loons,  Grebes,  Auks,  Puf- 
fins. 

Flightless  Divers. 

Penguins. 


AN-A-Tl'DAE. 


STEG-AN-OP'O-DES. 


TU-BI-NA'RES. 


LON-GI-PEN'NES. 


PY-GOP'O-DES. 


IM-PEN’NES. 


This  group  is  not  only  extensive,  but  its  mem- 
bers show  a wide  diversity  in  form  and  habits, 
and  they  are  fitted  for  life  in  all  climates,  on 
waters  great  and  small.  Having  before  us 
such  a host  of  swimming-birds  that  six  Orders 
are  neces.sary  to  classify  them,  it  is  difficult  to 
select  only  a few  examples,  and  resolutely  ex- 
clude all  others.  However,  the  student  who 
becomes  iJermanently  ac(|uainted  with  about 
thirty-five  web-footed  birds  specially  chosen 
to  represent  these  Orders,  will  have  a very  good 
foundation  on  which  to  build  higher,  with  the 
aid  of  s|)ccial  books  and  specimens. 

-\s  heretofore,  we  will  take  up  the  .selected 
examples  in  the  order  ii#  which  it  is  easiest  for 


the  student  to  receive  them, — the  highest  types 
first, — rather  than  in  the  very  curious  sequence 
adopted  by  the  A.  0.  U.,  and  most  technical 
writers  on  birds. 

Once  a year,  the  grand  army  of  birds  of  the 
Order  Anatidae  take  wing,  and  sweep  north- 
ward from  the  tropics  and  sub-tropics.  Many 
halt  in  the  temperate  zone,  where  food  is  abun- 
dant, but  many  more  press  on  to  the  arctic 
circle,  and  far  beyond  it.  Wherever  they  pause 
for  the  summer,  they  nest  and  rear  their  young; 
and  many  pages  might  be  filled  with  descriptions 
of  the  different  kinds  of  nesting-sites  and  nests. 

One  would  naturally  suppose  that  in  any 
civilized  country,  birds  in  flight  to  their  breeding- 


268 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


grounds,  or  in  occupancy  of  them,  would  be 
immune  from  the  attacks  of  gunners.  In  some 
states  (of  which  New  York  now  is  one!)  the 
laws  prevent  “spring  shooting,”  but  in  others 
it  does  not.  In  view  of  the  changes  for  the  bet- 
ter that  are  being  made  year  by  year,  it  is  best 
not  to  particularize;  but  it  is  surprising  that  in 
some  states  a prolonged  fight  should  be  neces- 
sary to  secure  laws  prohibiting  spring  shooting! 
The  need  for  absolute  protection  for  birds  while 


Atlantic  coast  and  the  Mississippi  valley, 
literally  teem  with  roaring  guns  and  hying 
shot,  and  to-day  the  wonder  is  not  that  the 
wild-fowl  have  become  “so  scarce,”  but  rather 
that  so  many  have  escaped  slaughter!  In  view 
of  the  enormous  annual  output  of  new  gunners, 
guns  and  ammunition,  nothing  but  the  strongest 
kind  of  public  sentiment  for  bird-protection, 
backed  by  stringent  laws,  rigidly  enforced,  can 
save  the  ducks,  geese  and  swans  of  North  Amer- 


Female.  Male. 

THE  MALLARD  DUCK. 


they  are  breeding,  or  about  to  breed,  is  so  im- 
perative that  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  any 
sensible  and  honest  person  can  oppose  the 
enactment  of  laws  to  provide  it.  The  killing 
of  wild-fowl  in  spring,  or  at  any  time  during 
their  breeding-season,  should  everywhere  be 
made  a penal  offence. 

During  the  autumn  migration  southward,  the 
flocks  run  a gantlet  of  guns  a thousand  miles 
long.  Whenever  and  wherever  a duck  or  goose 
alights  to  rest  and  feed,  the  guns  begin  to  roar. 
The  more  important  migration  routes,  like  the 


ica  from  becoming  as  extinct  as  the  great  auk 
and  the  dodo. 

To-day,  we  are  advised  that  automatic  re- 
peating shot-guns  are  about  to  be  put  upon  the 
market, — to  hasten  the  total  extinction  of  all 
our  game-birds.  Their  manufacture,  sale  and 
use  should  be  rigidly  prevented  by  law. 

North  America  is — or  was — particularly  rich 
in  species  of  birds  belonging  to  the  Order  A na- 
tidae,  and  once  was  richly  stocked  with  indi- 
viduals. Even  yet,  a very  interesting  remnant 
remains.  Of  the  whole  assemblage  of  species, 


269 


FULVOUS  TREE-DUCK. 
Dendrocygna  fulva. 


BLACK  DUCK. 
Anas  obscura. 


gadwall;  gray  duck. 
Chaulelasmus  strepera. 


AMERICAN  WIDGEON. 
Mareca  americana. 


GREEN-WINGED  TEAL. 
N ettion  carolinensis. 


SCAUP  DUCK. 
Aythya  marila. 


RING-NECKED  DUCK. 
Aythya  collaris. 


barrow’s  GOLDEN-EYE. 
Clangula  islandica. 


‘ I 

OLD  SQUAW. 
Harelda  hyemaUs. 


HARLEQUIN  DUCK. 

TJ istrionicus  histrionicus. 


SURF  SCOTER. 
Oidemia  perspicillata. 


AMERICAN  SCOTER. 
Oidemia  americana. 


270 


OKDERS  OF  BIRDS— DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SAVANS 


great,  medium  and  small,  I think  the  Mallard 
Duck'  is  the  highest  type,  and  the  best  average. 
It  is  one  of  the  largest  ducks;  it  is  one  of  the 
handsomest;  it  is  strong  on  the  wing,  and 
highly  intelligent.  It  is  a joy  unto  the  sports- 
man who  finds  it  in  its  haunts,  and  a delight 
to  the  epicure  who  finds  it  upon  the  bill  of  fare. 
Sluggish  indeed  must  be  the  pulse  which  does 
not  beat  faster  at  the  sight  of  a flock  of  wild 
Mallards,  free  in  its  haunts,  and  ready  to  leap  into 
the  air  and  speed  away  at  the  slightest  alarm. 

The  Mallard  is  recognizable  by  its  large  size, 
and  the  brilliant  metallic-green  head  and  neck, 
and  pearl-gray  body,  of  the  male.  The  female 
is  a very  different-looking  bird,  of  a modest  brown 
color,  streaked  with  black.  There  is  only  one 
thing  at  all  annoying  about  this  bird,  and  that 


BLUE-WINGED  TEAL. 

is  its  close  resemblance  to  our  domestic  duck; 
but  for  this  there  is  a very  good  reason.  It  is 
the  wild  ancestor  of  all  our  domestic  ducks, 
save  one  or  two  varieties. 

The  Mallard  is  found  throughout  the  tem- 
perate zone  in  both  the  Old  World  and  the  New, 
and  therefore  it  is  known  by  many  names.  In 

'.-In'as  bos'chas.  Average  length,  22  inches. 


England  it  is  called  the  Stock  Duck,  because  it 
was  the  original  stock  from  which  the  domestic 
duck  has  descended.  In  North  America  its 
range  covers  practically  the  whole  continent 
down  to  Panama,  and  in  Asia  it  reaches  to 
India.  It  breeds  persistently  throughout  the 
greater  portion  of  its  immense  range — in  the 
long  grass  of  pond  margins;  in  the  woods,  be- 
tween the  spur  roots  of  trees;  and  on  the  prai- 
ries, beside  streams  of  the  smallest  size. 

Once  while  collecting  in  Alontana,  late  in 
May,  I found  a tiny  water-hole,  barely  ten  feet 
in  diameter,  hiding  in  the  sunken  head  of  a very 
dry  coulee.  For  miles  in  every  direction 
stretched  a billowy  sea  of  sage-brush,  already 
shimmering  in  the  heat  of  early  summer.  As  I 
dismounted  to  scramble  over  the  edge  of  the 
bank  for  a drink,  up  rose  a Mallard  Duck  from 
her  nest  in  a thick  patch  of  sage-brush,  within 
a yard  of  my  feet. 

The  nest  was  the  old,  familiar  type, — a basin 
of  grass  lined  with  a thick  layer  of  down  from 
the  breast  of  the  prospective  mother,  and  a 
bunch  of  eggs  that  almost  overflowed  the  boun- 
daries of  their  resting-place.  As  I gazed  in 
astonishment  at  this  nest  and  its  contents 
beside  an  insignificant  bit  of  water  in  a land- 
scape that  certainly  was  not  made  for  ducks,  I 
understood  how  it  is  that  this  bird  has  been 
able  to  spread  itself  all  around  the  northern 
two-thirds  of  the  globe. 

In  captivity  the  Mallard  is  the  best  of  all 
ducks,  and  the  most  persistent  and  jirolific 
breeder.  Put  a flock  on  any  pond  having  long 
grass  or  timber  about  it,  keep  away  the  rats, 
raccoons,  mink,  thieves,  and  other  vermin,  and 
each  female  will  do  her  utmost  to  surround  her- 
self with  a downy  flock  of  about  fifteen  small 
Mallards,  regularly  every  summer.  In  the  Zo- 
ological Park,  several  nests  have  been  built 
within  twenty-five  feet  of  walks  that  are  in 
daily  use  by  crowds  of  visitors,  the  immunity 
of  their  builders  being  due  in  each  case  to  their 
wonderful  color  resemblance  to  the  dead  oak- 
leaves  which  surrounded  them,  and  with  which 
they  almost  covered  themselves. 

The  Blue-Winged  Teal-  represents  with  us 
a group  of  three  species  which  contains  the 
smallest  ducks  found  in  North  America. 

^ Quer-qued' u-la  dis'cors.  Average  length,  15 
inches. 


MALLAKD,  TEAL  AND  SHOVELLER 


271 


Throughout  its  home,  which  embraces  the 
whole  United  States  east  of  the  Rockies,  and 
also  far  north  and  far  south,  it  is  so  common — 
and  also  so  small — it  is  not  highly  prized  by 
sportsmen,  and  its  worst  enemy  is  the  sordid 
market-hunter.  Like  the  other  teal,  it  prefers 
quiet,  inland  waters  to  the  wide  expanses  that 
back  up  from  the  sea. 

•\11  the  teal  are  quick  ri.sers,  and  also  speedy 
on  the  wing;  but  they  are  rather  dull  of  sense, 
and  easy  to  approach.  The  Blue-Wing  is 
known  by  the  conspicuous  white  crescent  in 
front  of  and  half  encircling  the  eye,  and  the 
bright  blue  patch,  called  the  “speculum,”  on 
its  wing. 

The  Cinnamon  Teal'  is  a cinnamon-brown 
bird  of  the  western  half, of  the  United  States, 
once  common,  but  rapidl}’  diminishing  in 
numbers.  This  species  is  very  difficult  to  keep 
long  in  captivity,  being  very  sensitive  to  all 
adverse  influences. 

The  Green-Winged  Teal**  has  a very  noticea- 
ble crest,  and  a beautiful  emerald-green  specu- 
lum on  each  wing.  It  is  found  scattered  over 
practically  the  whole  of  North  America,  fiom 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and  from  the  Barren 
Grounds  to  Cuba  and  Honduras. 

The  Shoveller,^  also  called  the  Spoonbill, 
is  a handsome  duck,  recognizable  by  its  extreme- 
ly broad  and  spoon-shaped  bill — the  broadest 
of  any  American  duck.  The  head  and  neck 
of  the  male  are  either  black,  or  dark  metallic- 
green;  and  the  body-colors  are  black,  white, 
blue,  and  green,  handsomely  disposed. 

The  bill  of  this  bird  shows  the  limit  of  de- 
velopment in  width,  and  the  comb-like  lamellae 
along  the  outer  edges,  which  are  designed  for 
use  in  .straining  minute  particles  of  food  out  of 
water,  are  very  pronounced.  These  minute 
plates  are  set  cross-wise  at  the  edges  of  the 
mandibles,  and  perform  the  same  functon  as 
the  plates  of  hairy  baleen,  or  “whalebone,” 
in  the  mouth  of  a baleen  whale.  All  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Order  Anatidae  are  provided  with 
lamellated  bills,  as  also  are  the  flamingoes. 

This  fine  duck  is  a bird  of  inland  waters,  and 

' Quer-qued' u-la  aj-an-op'ter-a.  -\verage  length, 
16  inches. 

^ .\et'ti-on  carolinensis.  Average  length,  13.50 
inches. 

**  Spai'u-la  chj-pe-a'ta.  Average  length,  19  inches. 


appears  to  dislike  salt  water.  It  is  found 
sparingly  “pretty  much  everywhere  throughout 
the  northern  hemisphere  . . . but  is  not 

common  in  the  eastern  states,  and  breeds  from 
Alaska  to  Texas.”  Its  flight  is  much  like  that 
of  a teal,  but  less  swift,  and  in  cruising  about 
for  good  feeding-grounds  it  is  irregular  and 
hesitating.  “ The  body  of  the  Shoveller  is  not 
large,  and  its  apparent  size  in  the  air  is  made 
up  chiefly  of  wings  and  head.  ...  As  a 
bird  for  the  table,  I have  held  it  in  very  high 
esteem.”  (D.  G.  Elliot.) 


Male.  Female. 


THE  SHOVELLER-DUCK. 

In  captivity  it  is  a difficult  bird  to  acclima- 
tize and  keep  alive,  which  for  several  reasons  is 
to  be  regretted.  The  females  and  immature 
birds  are  colored  very  differently  from  the 
adult  and  perfect  males.  The  following  local 
names  of  this  bird  have  been  recorded  by  Mr. 
Elliot  in  his  admirable  book  on  “The  Wild 
Fowl  of  North  America”:  Blue-Winged  Shovel- 
ler, Red-Breasted  Shoveller,  Spoonbilled  “Teal,” 
Spoonbilled  “Widgeon,”  Broad-Bill,  Broady, 
Swaddle-Bill  and  Mud-Shoveller. 

I regard  the  Pintail,  or  Sprigtail,'*  as  the 
most  beautiful  duck  in  America,  not  even  ex- 
cepting the  wood-duck.  On  land  its  outlines 
are  trim,  graceful  and  finely  drawn,  and  on  the 
water  it  makes  one  think  of  a finely  modelled 
yacht.  In  beauty  of  form  it  far  surpasses  all 

^ Daj'i-la  a-cu'la.  Average  length  of  male,  27 
inches;  female,  22  inches. 


272 


OEDERS  OF  BIRDfS—DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


other  American  ducks ; and  nowhere  among 
wild-fowl  is  there  to  be  found  a more  charming 
color-scheme  than  in  the  plumage  of  the  drake. 
It  is  a harmony  of  delicate  drabs,  grays  and 
white,  used  to  set  off  several  pleasing  shades 
of  brown,  black,  and  iridescent  green.  None 
of  the  colors  are  gaudy  or  cheap-looking,  and  as 
a whole  the  combination  of  form  and  colors  pro- 
duces a bird  that  is  in  every  way  an  e.xquisite 
creature. 

It  is  in  recognition  of  its  beauty  that  this 


southward  before  the  advance  of  snow  and  ice 
begins  in  September.  On  our  Atlantic  coast, 
many  of  the  flocks  winter  in  the  labyrinth  of 
sounds,  bays  and  channels  that  fringe  the  coast 
of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas. 

During  recent  years,  quite  a number  of 
these  birds  have  been  caught  alive  near  Water 
Lily,  North  Carolina,  which  is  a locality  famous 
for  its  wild  ducks,  geese  and  swans. 

Fortunately  the  Pintail  is  easily  acclimatized, 
and  although  not  a good  breeder,  like  the' 


THE  PINT.\IL  DUCK. 

Female.  Male. 


duck  is  sometimes  called  the  Water-Pheasant. 
Its  correct  name,  however,  has  been  bestowed 
in  honor  of  its  7-inch  long,  finely  pointed  tail. 

This  bird  ranges  over  nearly  the  whole  of 
North  America,  but  its  favorite  breeding-grounds 
are  in  the  subarctic  regions,  particularly  in 
the  Yukon  valley,  and  in  the  lake  regions  of  the 
Canadian  Barren  Grounds.  It  is  equally  at 
home  on  the  fresh-water  lakes  and  rivers  of  the 
inferior,  and  the  salt-water  inlets  and  channels 
of  the  .\tlantic  coast.  The  annual  migration 


mallard,  it  does  well  in  captivity,  and  is  truly  a 
thing  of  beauty,  and  a joy  as  long  as  it  lives. 

The  beauty  of  the  Wood-Duck,  or  Summer- 
Duck,'  depends  almost  wholly  upon  its  brill- 
iantly colored  plumage;  for  its  form  is  quite 
commonplace.  It  may  be  wrong  to  make  a 
cold-blooded  analysis  of  its  points,  but  for  beauty 
of  form,  the  neck  of  this  bird  is  too  small  and 
too  short,  its  head  is  too  large,  and  its  body  is 
very  ordinary.  Its  plumage,  however,  presents 

' Afx  spon'sa.  Average  length  of  male,  19  inches. 


OUR  MOST  BEAUTIFUL  DUCKS 


273 


a color-scheme  of  brilliant  reds,  greens,  blacks, 
browns,  yellows  and  whites  which  is  quite  be- 
wildering. Even  its  weak  little  bill  is  colored 
scarlet  and  white,  and  its  iris  is  bright  red. 

In  my  opinion  the  claims  of  the  two  duck 
species  which  are  rivals  for  the  prize  for  web- 
footed beauty  may  fairly  be  expressed  by  the 
following  proportion : 

The  Pintail  is  to  the  Wood-Duck  as  a well- 
gowned  American  Woman  is  to  a Chinese  Man- 
darin. 

The  Wood-Duck  needs  no  description. 
Among  ducks  it  is  equalled  in  gorgeous  colors 
only  by  its  nearest  relative,  the  mandarin  duck 
of  China — a painted  harletiuin.  Our  species 
is  a tree-duck,  and  not  only  perches  on  trees, 
but  also  makes  its  nest  in  them,  and  rears  its 
young  at  an  elevation  of  from  ten  to  thirty  or 
forty  feet.  The  nesting-site  is  always  above 
water,  in  order  that  as  the  ducklings  finally 
scramble  out  of  the  nest  and  fall,  they  will 
alight  in  the  water  without  injury,  and  quickly 
learn  to  swim. 

In  capti\dty  the  best  nesting  arrangement 
for  this  bird  consists  of  a long,  narrow  box 
set  on  end  on  a stout  post,  well  out  in  a pond, 
roofed  over  to  keep  out  the  rain.  There  must 
Ix'  a hole  in  one  side,  near  the  top,  and  a slanting 
board  with  cross  slats  reaching  up  to  it  from  the 
water,  for  use  as  a ladder.  The  Wood-Duck 
will  sometimes  nest  on  the  ground,  either  in 
captivity  or  out.  This  species  is  being  bred  in 
captivity  in  England  in  large  numbers,  and 
also  with  some  success  in  this  country.  Duck 
fanciers  find  no  difficulty  in  purchasing  live 
specimens  of  this  interesting  bird  at  $15  per 
pair. 

During  the  summer  of  1902,  a pair  of  wild 
Wood-Ducks  made  daily  visits  to  the  Ducks’ 
.\viary  in  the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  that  year  a small  flock  settled 
with  the  Wood-Ducks,  mallards  and  pintails  on 
the  .-Vquatic  Mammals’  Pond,  and  remained  there 
permanently.  In  the  spring  of  1903,  a fine 
drake  manifested  a fixed  determination  to  break 
into  the  great  Flying  Cage,  and  become  a mem- 
ber of  the  happy  family  within,  .\fter  he  had 
flown  around  the  cage  two  or  three  times. 
Keeper  (lannon  opened  wide  the  wire  gates  at 
the  north  end,  drove  him  in,  and  he  is  there  now, 
serene  and  happy. 


The  Wood-Duck  is  a bird  of  great  discern- 
ment. 

Although  this  bird  is  called  the  Summer- 
Duck,  and  migrates  far  in  advance  of  winter,  it 
winters  very  comfortably  in  the  northern 
states  if  it  is  fed  and  continuously  provided 
with  open  water  to  keep  its  feet  from  freezing. 
The  natural  range  of  this  species  is  from  Hud- 
son Bay  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  chiefly  on  fresh 
water;  but  often  it  is  found  on  brackish  sounds 
and  channels  along  the  Atlantic  coast  where 
food  is  plentiful. 

Like  all  other  wild  ducks  that  are  impera- 


WOOD-DUCK. 

Male  and  female. 

tively  needed  to  keep  the  American  people  from 
starving,  there  remains  to-day  about  one  Wood- 
Duck  where  formerly  there  were  from  thirty  to 
fifty.  Apparently,  the  oidy  winged  creatures 
that  are  too  beautiful  or  too  good  to  be  shot 
and  eaten  are  angels;  but  I doubt  if  even  a 
white-winged  seraph  with  webbed  feet  would 
be  safe  for  half  an  hour  anywhere  between  Cape 
Cod  and  Charleston. 

The  Redhead  Duck'  is  one  of  our  largest 
and  best  species,  and  one  of  the  most  satis- 
factory to  keep  in  captivity.  It  belongs  to  the 
same  genus  as  the  canvas-back,  and  in  size, 
habits,  table  value  and  beauty  it  is  in  no  sense 

^ Aij-thy'a  americana.  Average  length,  19  inches 


274 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


whatever  inferior  to  its  more  famous  relative. 
When  shot  in  the  same  locality,  I think  there  is 
no  one  who  could  distinguish  the  two  species 
by  a difference  in  the  flavor  of  their  flesh. 

In  the  color  of  their  plumage,  the  Redhead 
and  canvas-back  look  so  much  alike  that  the 
casual  observer  might  easily  mistake  one  spe- 
cies for  the  other.  Both  have  heads  and  necks 
of  solid  rusty  brown,  but  the  head-color  of  the 
Redhead  is  the  more  intense  and  conspicuous. 

The  head  of  the  Redhead  has  a high  and 
u'dl-rounded  forehead  and  crown,  while  that 
of  the  canvas-back  is  wedge-shaped,  the  fore- 
head forming  a straight  line  with  the  top  of 
the  bill.  The  Redhead  has  a short  bill,  with  a 
blue  band  across  it ; the  other  species  has  a long 
bill,  with  no  band. 


The  Redhead  (like  the  canvas-back)  feeds 
chiefly  upon  aquatic  plants,  its  favorite  food 
being  the  vallisneria,  a kind  of  trailing  water- 
weed  which  grows  in  many  of  the  inlets  along 
the  Atlantic  coast. 

Through  countless  generations  of  diving  after 
food-plants,  the  Redhead  has  become  a deep 
diver.  It  is  accustomed  to  seeking  its  food  in 
mid-stream  of  deep  rivers,  and  in  the  open  water 
of  lakes  and  sounds,  where  many  other  ducks 
would  be  quite  unable  to  reach  the  bottom. 
Reliable  lake  fishermen  at  Lakeside,  Orleans 
County,  New  York,  have  informed  me  that  they 
have  taken  drowned  Redhead  Ducks  from 
nets  that  had  been  set  oti  the  bottom  of  Lake 
Ontario,  at  a depth  of  ninety  feet,  where  the 


ducks  could  not  possibly  have  become  entangled 
save  in  going  to  the  bottom  for  food.  It  also 
appeared  that  those  Ducks  sought  their  food 
and  became  entangled  only  at  night.  It  takes 
a bold  and  energetic  bird  to  feed  successfully 
at  night  in  ninety  feet  of  water! 

Naturally  this  fine  bird  has  ever  been  a 
prime  favorite  with  sportsmen  and  “market- 
shooters,”  and  during  the  past  fifteen  years 
its  numbers  have  diminished  to  about  one- 
fiftieth  of  what  they  were  prior  to  1885.  It  is 
as  easily  deceived  by  decoys  as  green  hunters 
are;  and  in  preparing  to  alight  the  Redhead 
flock  has  a fatal  habit  of  coming  together  in  a 
manner  called  “bunching,”  which  is  as  deadly 
to  the  birds  as  “close  formation”  is  to  soldiers 
in  a modern  battle. 

Much  more  might  be  noted  regarding  this  in- 
teresting bird,  which  must  be  left  to  the  special 
works  on  birds.  For  many  reasons  it  is  very  de- 
sirable that  the  Redhead  should  be  semi-domesti- 
cated, and  by  protection  and  breeding  in  cap- 
tivity saved  from  the  final  blotting  out  which 
otherwise  will  be  its  fate.  While  it  does  not 
breed  in  captivity  as  bravely  as  the  mallard,  it 
can  he  taught  to  do  so,  and  the  prices  at  which 
living  birds  can  be  procured  (S5  each)  is  so 
very  moderate  that  experiments  with  it  are  not 
costly. 

The  distribution  of  this  bird  is  given  as 
“North  America,  breeding  from  California, 
southern  Michigan,  and  Maine  northward;” 
but  in  North  America  there  are  to-day  more 
lands  and  waters  without  this  duck  than  with 
it.  In  addition  to  its  best  and  most  appro- 
priate name  it  is  also  called  Raft-  Duck,  and 
American  Pochard. 

The  Canvas-Back  Duck*  had  the  misfortune, 
early  in  its  history,  to  attract  the  evil  eye  of  the 
deadly  epicure,  whose  look  of  approval  is  a 
blighting  curse  to  every  living  creature  upon 
which  it  is  bestowed.  Because  of  this,  the 
unfortunate  Canvas-Back  is  now  little  more  than 
a bird  of  history.  It  is  of  no  present  interest, 
outside  of  museums  and  the  zoological  parks 
and  gardens  which  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
secure  a very  few  specimens.  Unfortunately, 
it  has  been  impossible  for  even  the  most  ener- 
getic duck-fanciers  to  secure  a sufficient  number 

^Ay-thy'a  val-Us-ne'ri-a.  Average  length,  22 
inches. 


EEDIIEAD  AND  CANVAS-BACK 


THE  CANVAS-BACK  DUCK. 

of  uinvounded  specimens  to  carry  out  the  ex- 
periments necessary  to  determine  the  precise 
conditions  under  which  this  species  will  breed 
in  captivit}'.  No  one  ever  secs  more  than  two 
or  three  living  Canvas-Backs  together  in  an 
aviary,  and  thus  far  I believe  none  have  bred. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  describe  this  species, 
for  it  is  probable  that  no  one  of  the  readers 
hereof  ever  will  see  one  wild  and  unlabelled.  Its 
range  was  once  the  same  as  that  of  the  redhead, 
and  its  habits  also  were  (}uite  similar. 

The  Buffle-Head  Duck,  or  Butter-Ball,*  is  a 
small,  tree-nesting  duck,  so  pretty  and  so  very 
odd-looking  that  when  seen  every  one  wishes  to 
know  its  name;  and  when  named,  it  is  not  soon 
forgotten.  When  you  see  a short-bodied, 
plump-looking  little  duck,  black  above  and  white 
below,  with  a head  that  is  a great  round  mass 
of  soft  feathers,  half  snow-white,  and  half  a 
rich  metallic  mixture  of  purple,  violet  and  green, 
— that  is  a Butter-Ball,  and  nothing  else. 
Wherever  seen,  it  commands  instant  attention. 

Unfortunately,  this  picturesc[ue  little  creature 
does  not  like  our  country  as  a summer  resi- 
dence, for  it  breeds  from  Maine,  Iowa  and  Brit- 
ish Columbia,  northward,  and  returns  to  us 
only  when  snapping  cold  weather  heralds  the 
approach  of  winter.  On  the  water  it  is  the 
most  nervous  and  watchful  duck  that  I know, 
and  its  habit  of  constantly  turning  from  side 

' Char-i-ton-cl’la  al-be-o'la.  .-Vverage  length,  14.50 
inches. 


275 

to  side  is  certainly  in  the  interest  of  self-preserva- 
tion. But  after  all,  what  is  the  alertness  of  any 
duck  against  the  deadly,  cold  calculation  of 
the  greedy  “market-shooter”  with  a choke- 
bore  gun? 

The  Buffle-Head  is  one  of  the  ducks  that 
is  rarely  seen  in  captivity.  A specimen  that 
is  so  seriously  wounded  that  it  can  be  caught, 
usually  dies  a few  days  later.  So  far  as  I know, 
it  has  not  yet  been  induced  to  breed  in  cap- 
tivity; but  that  is  no  reason  for  believing  that 
it  never  will.  We  hold  that  if  conditions  are 
made  satisfactory,  any  wild  species  will  breed 
in  captivity.  Usually  it  is  a (juestion  of  suffi- 
cient seclusion,  and  immunity  from  disturbance. 
The  range  of  this  bird  is  said  to  include  all 
North  America,  from  the  Arctic  Ocean  to 
Cuba.  And  so  it  does,  all  save  those  localities 
wherein  it  does  not  occur. 


THE  BUFFLE-HEAD,  OR  BUTTER-BALL. 


The  Harlequin  Duck  ‘‘  is  most  fantastically 
marked.  The  prevailing  colors  of  the  male  are 
dark  blue,  blue-black  and  violet,  with  various 
white  collars,  stripes  and  patches  that  seem  to 
have  been  laid  on  with  a paint-brush.  This  bird 
is  to  be  looked  for  along  the  Pacific  coast  above 
Oregon  to  Japan,  and  on  the  Atlantic  coast  from 
Newfoundland  northward.  It  is  nowhere  com- 
mon, rather  solitary,  but  frerjuents  costal  rivers 
as  well  as  the  sea.  As  a rarity  to  be  prized,  one 
Harlecjuin  is  etjual  to  twenty  ducks  of  almost  any 
other  species  in  America. 

2 His-tri-on'i-cus  his-tri-on'-i-cus.  Length,  1 6 inches. 


276 


OEDERS  OF  BIRDS— DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


A HAVEN  OF  REFUGE. 


Reproduced  from  Recreation  Magazine. 


An  Object  Lesson  in  Bird-Protection. — As  a fitting;  conclusion  to  our  studies  of  the  ducks 
of  our  interior  rivers,  lakes  and  ponds,  we  present  a remarkable  instance  of  what  bird-pro- 
tection can  accomplish.  The  picture  of  the  pond  described  might  well  be  entitled — “ An 
Oasis  in  the  Great  .\merican  Desert  of  Game  Destruction!”  By  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  G.  0.  Shields, 
Editor  of  Recreation  Magazine,  we  reproduce  from  that  periodical  for  June,  1903,  the  above 
illustration,  and  the  following  description  by  IMr.  Charles  C.  Townsend,  which  appeared  under 
the  caption,  “,A  Haven  of  Refuge.” 


“One  mile  north  of  the  little  village  of  Mosca, 
Colorado,  in  San  Luis  valley,  liv^es  the  family  of 
J.  C.  Gray.  On  the  ( Iray'  ranch  there  is  an  artesian 
well  which  empties  into  a small  pond  about  100 
feet  square.  This  pond  is  never  entirely  frozen 
over  and  the  water  emptying  therein  is  warm 
even  during  the  coldest  winter. 

“Some  five  years  ago  .Mr.  Gray  secured  a few 
wild-duck  eggs,  and  hatched  them  under  a hen. 
The  little  ducks  were  reared  and  fed  on  the  little 
pond.  The  following  spring  they  left  the  place, 
to  return  in  the  fall,  bringing  with  them  broods 
of  young;  also  bringing  other  ducks  to  the  home 
where  ]>rotection  was  afforded  them,  and  plenty 
of  good  feed  was  provided.  Each  year  since, 
the  ducks  have  scattered  in  the  spring  to  mate 
and  rear  their  families,  returning  again  with 
gnaitly  increased  numbers  in  the  fall,  and  again 
bringing  strangers  to  the  haven  of  refuge. 

“I  drove  out  to  the  ranch  Novendjer  24,  1902, 
and  found  the  little  pond  almost  black  with  the 
birds,  and  was  fortunate  enough  to  secure  a pict- 
ure of  a ])art  of  the  pond  while  the  ducks  were 
thickly  gathered  thereon.  Ice  had  formed 
around  the  edges,  and  this  ice  was  covered  with 
ducks.  The  water  was  also  alive  with  others. 


which  paid  not  the  least  attention  to  the  party 
of  strangers  on  the  shore. 

“From  Mr.  Gray  I learned  that  there  were 
some  600  ducks  of  various  kinds  on  the  pond  at 
that  time,  though  it  was  then  early  for  them  to 
seek  winter  (juarters.  Later  in  the  year,  he  as- 
sured me,  there  would  be  between  2,000  and  3,000 
teal,  mallards,  canvas-backs,  redheads  and  other 
varieties,  all  perfectly  at  home  and  fearless  of 
danger.  The  family  have  habitually  approached 
the  pond  from  the  house,  which  stands  on  the 
south  side,  and  should  any  person  appear  on  the 
north  side  of  the  pond  the  ducks  immediately 
take  fright  and  flight.  Wheat  was  strewn  on 
the  ground  and  in  the  water,  and  the  ducks  wad- 
dled around  us  within  a few  inches  of  our  feet 
to  feed,  [laying  not  the  least  attention  to  us,  or 
to  the  old  hou.se-dog  which  walked  near. 

“Six  miles  cast  of  the  ranch  is  San  Luis  lake, 
to  which  these  ducks  travel  almost  daily  while 
the  lake  is  open.  When  they  are  at  the  lake  it  is 
impossible  to  approach  within  gunshot  of  the 
then  timid  birds.  Some  unsympathetic  boys 
and  men  have  learned  the  habit  of  the  birds,  and 
place  themselves  in  hiding  along  the  course  of 
flight  to  and  from  the  lake.  Many  ducks  are  shot 


THE  EIDEE-DUCKS 


277 


in  this  -way,  but  woe  to  the  person  caught  firing  a 
gun  on  or  near  the  home-pond.  When  away 
from  home,  the  birds  are  as  wild  as  other  wild- 
ducks  and  fail  to  recognize  any  members  of  the 
Gray  family.  While  at  home  they  follow  the 
boys  around  the  barn-yard,  squawking  for  feed 
like  so  many  tame  ducks. 

“This  is  the  greatest  sight  I have  ever  wit- 
nessed, and  one  that  I could  not  believe  existed 
until  I had  seen  it.  Certainly  it  is  worth  travel- 
ling many  miles  to  see,  and  no  one,  after  seeing 
it,  would  care  to  shoot  birds  that,  when  kindly 
treated,  make  such  charming  pets.’’ 


AMERIC.VN  EIDER. 


The  Group  of  Eider-Ducks. — The  arctic 
and  subarctic  regions  contain  a group  of  about 
seven  species  of  large  sea-ducks,  called  eiders 
(i'ders).  The  representative  species  are  dis- 
tinguished by  their  flat  foreheads  and  wedge- 
shaped  heads;  by  a long,  wedge-shaped  point 
of  the  cheek-feathers  which  extends  forward 
and  divides  the  base  of  the  upper  mandible;  and 
by  the  possession  of  more  or  less  bright  green 
color  on  the  head. 

On  land,  the  eiders  are  heavy  and  clumsy 
birds,  but  on  the  sea  they  are  at  home,  and  dive 
with  great  ability.  The  females  line  their 
nests  very  liberally  with  down  from  their  own 


breasts,  and  this  when  gathered  and  utilized 
becomes  the  well-known  “eider-down”  of  com- 
merce. Unfortunately,  the  natives  of  arctic 
America  are  unable  to  make  use  of  eider-down, 
save  on  the  skin,  and  this  leads  to  the  slaughter 
of  great  numbers  of  the  birds. 

Eiders  nest  on  the  tops  of  rocky  islets,  using 
sea-weed  or  grass  for  a foundation,  and  covering 
this  with  down  plucked  from  their  own  breasts. 
So  abundantly  is  the  nest  lined  that  by  the 
time  the  eggs  are  all  deposited  they  are  fairly 
embedded  and  covered  in  the  softest  of  beds. 
In  Iceland,  the  eider-ducks  are  half  domes- 
ticated. The  inhabitants  collect  the  down 
from  the  nests  for  sale,  and  therefore  they  are 
much  interested  in  preserving  the  birds.  Nest- 
ing-places are  made  for  the  birds  by  building 
thick  stone  walls  with  spacious  crevices  along 
each  side,  at  the  base,  or  by  scooping  out 
shallow  cavities  in  the  hard  earth.  The  Eiders 
permit  their  human  friends  to  go  among  them, 
and  even  to  handle  their  eggs. 

On  the  Atlantic  coast,  from  Labrador  to 
Delaware  in  winter,  we  have  the  American 
Eider, ^ which  appears  to  be  the  best  type  for 
the  eider  group.  Fortunately  for  our  chances 
of  close  acquaintance  with  it,  this  species  oc- 
casionally penetrates  westward  along  the  great 
lakes  to  Illinois  and  Wisconsin — a very  unusual 
proceeding  for  a sea-duck.  Any  bird  which 
will  go  so  far  out  of  its  natural  range  in  order 
to  become  accpiainted  with  interocean  Ameri- 
cans surely  is  worth  knowing.  lUoreover,  the 
eider  of  the  Old  World  so  closely  resembles 
this  bird  in  all  essential  details  that  to  know 
one  species  is  to  know  the  other  also. 

The  colors  of  this  bird  are  black  and  white, 
as  shown  in  the  illustration,  except  that  the 
nape  and  the  rear  portion  of  the  region  around 
the  ear  are  sea-green,  and  the  tail  and  the  pri- 
maries are  pale  brown.  The  bill  and  feet  are 
olive-green. 

The  Spectacled  Eider, ^ of  northwestern 
Alaska,  is  a bird  easily  remembered  by  its 
name,  and  the  large,  white  spot  around  each 
eye  which  at  once  suggests  a pair  of  spectacles. 
This  bird  is  limited  to  our  arctic  territory,  and 
is  said,  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Nelson,  to  be  threatened 
with  extinction  by  man  at  no  very  distant  day. 

1 So-ma-te'ri-a  dres'ser-i.  Length,  about  23  inches. 

^ Arc-ton-et'ta  fisch'er-i.  Length,  about  21  inches. 


278 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


Our  occupation  of  Alaska,  after  the  Russians, 
has  led  to  the  arming  of  the  natives  with  modern 
rifles  and  shot-guns,  before  which  wild  life  gen- 
erally is  rapidly  being  swept  out  of  existence. 

The  White-Winged  Scoter'  (sko'ter)  quite 
acceptably  represents  a group  of  sea-ducks 
and  deep  divers,  called  Scoters,  and  of  which 
there  are  three  species  resident  in  North  Amer- 
ica. These  are  the  blackest  of  all  our  ducks. 
The  species  known  as  the  American  Scoter 


southern  California,  northern  Missouri,  Illinois 
and  Maryland.  Like  most  of  our  ducks,  it 
breeds  in  the  far  north,  and  returns  to  us  only 
for  the  winter.  It  is  a deep  and  persistent 
diver,  and  it  is  said  that  when  wounded  and 
pursued  it  will  sometimes  dive  to  the  bottom, 
even  fifty  feet  if  necessary,  seize  a bunch  of 
grass  or  weeds  with  its  bill,  and  hold  on  until 
it  has  quite  drowned.  Its  food  consists  of  fish, 
crustaceans  and  mollusks. 


Female.  Male. 

RED-BREASTED  MERGANSER. 


is  glossy  black  throughout,  without  a single 
patch  of  color  save  the  bright  orange-yellow 
which  colors  the  basal  half  of  the  bill  and  its 
knob. 

The  White-Winged  species  has  a white  patch 
on  each  wing,  technically  known  as  a “specu- 
lum,” and  a white  patch  of  variable  shape  under 
or  in  rear  of  the  eye.  Above  and  in  rear  of  the 
nostrils  the  bill  and  skull  together  are  raised  into 
a conspicuous  hump,  half  covered  by  feathers. 

Like  all  the  scoters,  this  bird  is  a fish-eating 
duck,  and  its  flesh  is  so  fishy  in  flavor  it  is  not 
considered  fit  for  the  table.  It  is  widely  dis- 
tributed throughout  North  America  down  to 

1 Oi-de'mi-a  deg-land'i.  Average  length,  21  inches. 


The  Red-Breasted  Merganser-  bravely  and 
handsomely  represents  what  is  structurally 
the  lowest  group  of  ducks,  known  as  the  Mer- 
gan'sers,  embracing  three  species.  The  bill  of 
this  bird  is  long,  narrow,  and  set  along  the  edges 
with  lamellae  that  look  quite  like  sharp  teeth — 
a most  admirable  arrangement  for  seizing  fish 
under  water.  The  bill  of  a Merganser  always 
reminds  me  of  two  things:  the  jaws  of  the 
gavial,  or  Gangetic  crocodile,  and  Professor 
Marsh’s  toothed  bird,  the  Hes-per-or'nis,  from 
the  great  extinct  inland  sea  of  the  Middle  West. 
One  of  the  common  names  of  this  bird  is  the 
Saw- Bill ; and  it  is  peculiarly  appropriate. 

^ Mer-gan'ser  ser-ra'tor.  Average  length,  22  inches. 


THE  MERGANSERS 


270 


Among  other  ducks  this  fine  bird  has  the  bold, 
confident  air  of  a born  free-booter.  The  back 
of  its  head  is  ornamented  with  several  long 
feathers  which  form  a crest,  like  the  war-bonnet 
of  a Sioux  Indian.  The  whole  head  and  upper 
neck  are  black,  with  green  and  purple  reflec- 
tions. Around  the  middle  of  the  neck  is  a con- 
spicuous white  collar,  and  under  that  is  the 
pale  rusty-red  breast,  streaked  with  black, 
which  gives  the  bird  its  name. 


nervous,  and  difficult  to  keep  alive  in  captivity. 
A fine  specimen  which  we  cherished  for  a time 
in  the  Flying  Cage  of  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park,  along  with  many  other  water-birds  of 
good  size,  at  first  seemed  inclined  to  accept 
the  situation,  and  become  acclimatized;  but 
it  lived  only  two  months.  With  several  Mer- 
gansers together,  the  result  might  be  more  satis- 
factory. 

The  Hooded  Merganser'  is  distinctly 


steller’s  duck. 
Eniconetta  stelleri. 


SPECT.VCLED  EIDER. 
Arctonetta  fischeri. 


KING  EIDER. 
Somateria  spectabilis. 


AMERIC.VN  MERG.4NSER. 
Merganser  arnericanus. 


HOODED  MERGANSER. 
Lophodytes  cucullatus. 


RUDDY  DUCK. 
Erisrnatura  jarnaicensis. 


This  sea-going  bird-craft  is  at  home — under 
many  names — in  both  the  Old  World  and  the 
New.  On  our  continent  it  breeds  from  our 
northern  states  as  far  as  the  Aleutian  Islands 
and  western  .\laska,  where  the  .\leuts  prize  it 
for  food  above  all  other  ducks.  In  winter  it 
migrates  along  our  two  ocean  coasts  to  southern 
California  and  Florida.  It  feeds  entirely  on 
fish,  and  the  flavor  of  its  flesh  is  rank  and  disa- 
greeable. 

Nearly  all  sportsmen  admire  this  duck,  and 
it  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  it  is  so  shy  and 


marked  by  a striking,  black-and-white  semi- 
circular crest  of  great  height,  standing  stiffly 
erect,  and  jaunty  beyond  compare  amongst 
water-fowl.  By  that  crest  and  the  slender 
Merganser  bill  any  one  may  know  this  bird  out 
of  ten  thousand  species,  whether  seen  in  New 
York  or  New  Zealand.  It  ranges  all  over  North 
America,  wherever  there  is  water  enough 
to  float  it,  down  to  Mexico  and  Cuba,  and  as  a 
result  has  been  burdened  with  an  appalling 

* Lo-phod'y-tes  cu-cul-la'tus.  Average  length,  17 
inches. 


280 


ORDEKS  OF  BIRDS— DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


collection  of  names.  It  nests  in  hollow  trees, 
near  good  fishing-grounds,  and  whenever  it 
makes  its  summer  camp  near  a trout  stream, 
the  fry  fare  badly. 

The  Geese. — Those  who  have  not  looked 
into  the  subject  usually  are  surprised  to  find 
what  a fine  collection  of  geese  is  found  in  North 
America.  The  continent  is  so  large  it  requires 
an  effort  to  come  in  touch  with  representatives 
of  all  the  species  of  wild-geese  which  inhabit 
it.  While  they  are  somewhat  lacking  in  the 
fine  coloring  that  characterizes  a few  foreign 
species,  such  as  the  spur-wihged  goose  of  Africa, 


CANADA  GOOSE. 


they  form,  as  a whole,  a highly  interesting  group, 
well  worth  the  acquaintance  of  all  Americans 
save  the  market-hunters,  and  others  who  shoot 
not  wisely  but  too  well. 

Fortunately  for  those  who  live  where  wild- 
geese  dare  not  show  themselves  for  fear  of  being 
killed,  all  these  species  take  kindly  to  captivity, 
and  are  easily  kept  in  parks  and  zoological 
gardens.  In  1903,  five  species  were  living 
quite  contentedly  in  the  New  York  Zoological 
Park. 

In  writing  of  geese,  we  would  not  think  of 
mentioning  any  species  ahead  of  our  old  favor- 
ite and  most  faithful  friend,  the  Canada 


Goose.*  Where  is  the  country  dweller  who  has 
not  heard,  far  aloft,  the  well-known  trumpet 
“Honk,”  and  the  prompt  answers  all  down  the 
two  lines  as  the  V-shaped  flock  winged  swiftly 
forward?  In  the  raw,  windy  days  at  winter’s 
end,  from  the  Gulf  to  Hudson  Bay,  the  old 
gander’s  cry  is  accepted  as  a guarantee  of  spring, 
and  hailed  with  joy.  Dull  indeed  is  the  mind 
that  is  not  moved  to  wonder  and  admiration 
by  the  remarkable  V-formation  in  which  the 
wild-goose  flock  cleaves  the  air. 

Although  wild-geese  in  transit  through  the 
Mississippi  valley  frequently  alighted  in  corn- 
fields to  rest  and  feed,  as  a rule  they  were  so 
wary  and  wide-awake  it  was  next  to  impossible 
to  bag  one.  In  Minnesota  and  the  Dakotas, 
however,  they  often  flocked  on  the  ground  in 
such  numbers  that  goose-shooting  was  as  regular 
a sport  as  chicken-shooting,  and  during  a brief 
period  of  slaughter  yielded  weighty  results. 
Thousands  of  geese  alighting  in  cornfields  to 
feed  hav'e  been  shot  from  the  interior  of  innocent- 
looking  corn-shocks. 

The  Canada  Goose  is  not  only  the  largest  of 
the  wild-geese  of  North  America,  but  also  the 
most  important  and  valuable  member  of  the 
group.  There  are  times,  also,  when  it  seems 
to  be  the  most  savory  bird  that  finds  its  way 
to  the  platter.  One  of  those  times  was  when 
a flock  alighted  near  our  camp,  on  the  ice  of 
the  Musselshell,  in  IMontana,  the  day  before 
a certain  whizzing  cold  Thanksgiving,  and  a 
fat  young  gander  was  shot,  and  beautifully 
roasted  over  the  camp-fire  in  a large  Dutch 
oven. 

In  captivity  the  Canada  Goose  is  an  all- 
around  philosopher;  and  even  when  wild,  he 
often  knows  a good  thing  when  he  sees  it.  In 
October,  1901,  a flock  of  nine  geese  flying  south- 
ward over  the  New  York  Zoological  Park  sud- 
denly espied  our  flock  of  the  same  species  on 
the  Aquatic  Mammals’  Pond.  Without  a 
moment’s  hesitation,  the  wild-birds  sailed  down 
and  alighted  on  the  shore  beside  their  relatives, 
and  invited  themselves  to  the  banquet  of 
cracked  corn. 

On  the  following  day,  Mr.  H.  R.  Mitchell 
coaxed  seven  of  the  visitors  into  a huge  wire 
cage  that  was  set  up  on  the  shore,  where  they 

1 Bran'ta  canadensis.  Average  length,  about  35 
inches;  but  individuals  vary  greatly  in  size. 


WILD-GOOSE  AND  LEANT 


281 


were  caught  and  wing-clipped  to  prevent  further 
wandering  into  danger.  The  seven  are  still 
there;  but  the  two  undipped  birds,  after  re- 
maining all  winter,  flew  away  north  the  follow- 
ing spring,  and  it  is  quite  likely  that  their  bad 
judgment  has  ere  now  cost  them  their  lives. 

Apparently,  all  the  North  American  geese 
are  almost  as  easy  to  keep  in  captivity  as  do- 
mestic geese.  Their  favorite  food  is  cracked 
corn  and  whole  wheat,  but  they  will  eat  almost 
any  kind  of  grain.  In  winter  they  require 
low  shelter  coops,  open  toward  the  south;  and 
a small  portion  of  their  pond  must  be  kept  open 
all  winter,  by  frequently  removing  the  ice,  to 
keep  their  feet  from  freezing.  Not  all  these 
birds,  however,  care  to  seek  shelter  in  a humble 
coop. 

The  Canada  Goose  is  known  by  its  large  size, 
and  its  jet-black  head  and  neck,  with  a con- 
spicuous white  crescent  encircling  the  throat. 
The  black  on  the  neck  ends  abruptly  where  the 
neck  joins  the  body,  and  the  general  tone  of  the 
latter  is  gray-brown.  Its  neck  is  longer,  and 
also  more  slender  as  a rule,  than  those  of  other 
birds. 

This  fine  bird  winters  in  Texas,  along  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  in  the  sounds  and  bays  of 
Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  and  goes  north 
early  in  spring.  Its  nesting-grounds  begin  in 
our  northern  tier  of  states,  and  extend  north- 
ward to  Labrador,  the  Barren  Grounds  and 
-\laska.  Throughout  much  of  that  vast  area, 
the  shot-guns  and  rifles  are  ever  ready,  and  the 
number  of  geese  that  still  survive  are  eloquent 
testimony  to  the  wariness,  the  keeness  of  vision 
and  the  good  judgment  of  this  much-prized 
bird.  A bird  of  equal  desirability,  but  with  a 
dull  brain  and  poor  vision,  would  have  been 
exterminated  long  ago. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  things  about  the 
Canada  Goose  is  the  energy  and  courage  of  the 
male  in  defending  the  female  on  her  nest. 
Last  spring  two  of  our  geese  paired  off,  and 
built  a nest  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Mammals’ 
Pond,  in  a very  exposed  situation.  From  that 
time  until  the  young  were  hatched,  the  gander 
never  once  wandered  from  his  post.  It  was 
his  rule  never  to  go  more  than  sixty  feet  from 
the  nest,  and  whenever  any  one  approached  it, 
he  immediately  hastened  to  intercept  the  in- 
truder, hissing  and  threatening  with  his  wings 


in  a most  truculent  manner.  Had  any  one 
persisted  in  disturbing  the  female,  he  would 
willingly,  even  cheerfully,  have  shed  his  blood 
in  her  defence.  His  unswerving  devotion  to 
his  duty  attracted  the  admiring  attention  of 
thousands  of  visitors,  and  the  proudest  day  of 
his  life  was  when  the  first  live  gosling  was  led 
to  the  water,  and  launched  with  appropriate 
ceremonies. 

There  are  three  subspecies  of  the  Canada 
Goose,  all  smaller,  but  otherwise  very  similar. 
The  White-Cheeked  Goose  inhabits  the  Pa- 
cific coast,  north  to  Sitka;  and  the  Cackling 
Goose  is  found  in  the  same  region,  and  on  up 
to  the  Yukon.  Hutchin’s  Goose  is  merely  a 
small  edition  of  the  Canada. 

The  Black  Brant'  is  a very  distinct  bird, 
noticeably  smaller  than  the  Canada  goose, 
and  readily  recognized  by  its  blackness  and  its 
small  size.  Its  head,  neck,  and  breast  are  en- 
tirely black,  save  for  a white  collar  going  two- 
thirds  of  the  way  around  the  upper  neck.  The 
black  of  the  neck  does  not  end  abruptly  at  the 
shoulders,  but  spreads  back  over  the  back  and 
under  parts  until  the  final  effect  is  that  of  a bird 
which  is  two-thirds  black. 

Although  this  bird  is  generally  accounted 
rare  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  the  New  York  Zo- 
ological Society  has  secured  a number  of  fine 
living  specimens  from  Carrituck  Sound,  on  the 
coast  of  North  Carolina.  Beyond  doubt,  how- 
ever, it  is  rare  everywhere  in  the  eastern  United 
States.  It  is  remarkable  for  the  fact  that  it 
migrates  northward  not  only  to  the  desolate 
shores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  but  far  beyond,  and 
must  nest  and  rear  its  young  far  out  on  the  great 
polar  ice-pack. 

The  Brant  Goose''  is  quite  a different  spe- 
cies from  the  preceding.  The  black  of  its  neck 
ends  abruptly  at  the  shoulders,  and  the  white 
collar  is  a mere  broken  patch,  without  decided 
character.  The  body  is  everywhere  much 
lighter  than  the  color  of  the  black  brant,  with 
which  this  species  is  often  confounded,  because 
the  two  are  often  found  together,  though  not 
on  the  Pacific  coast.  Once  the  Brant  Goose 
was  plentiful  along  the  Atlantic  side,  but  it  is 
now  rare,  and  fast  disappearing. 

' Bran'ta  ni'gri-cans.  Average  length,  about  24 
inches. 

^ Bran'ta  her'ni-cla. 


282 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— DUCKS,  GEESE,  AND  SWANS 


The  American  White-Fronted  Goose'  is, 

in  my  opinion,  the  most  handsomely  colored 
goose  we  possess.  Contrary  to  expectations 
that  are  often  based  upon  its  name,  it  has  not  a 
white  breast,  nor  white  shoulders.  Its  white 
"front”  is  limited  to  an  inch-wide  frill  of  white 
immediately  surrounding  the  base  o]  its  bill. 


rangement  of  the  plumage,  and  as  a whole  the 
bird  is  decidedly  beautiful. 

This  fine  bird  is  even  yet  abundant  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  from  southern  California  to  Alaska, 
where  it  crosses  over  to  the  Asiatic  side.  It 
appears  that  Alaska  is  its  favorite  nesting- 
ground.  On  the  Atlantic  coast  it  is  no  longer 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 


TRUMPETER  SW.VNS. 


Other  than  this  the  head  and  the  neck  are  dark 
brown,  and  the  back,  sides,  breast  and  abdomen 
are  covered  with  a scale-like  arrangement  of 
feathers  that  are  various  shades  of  brown  or 
black,  strongly  edged  with  white  or  gray.  The 
effect  of  the  white  edges  of  the  feathers  is  to 
bring  out  in  strong  relief  the  immaculate  ar- 

'.4/i'ser  al'bi-jrons  gam'bel-i.  Average  length,  28 
inches. 


seen.  The  specimens  living  in  the  Zoological 
Park  were  taken  in  southern  Texas,  on  the  Ibo 
Grande,  where  the  species  is  yet  a winter  visi- 
tant. 

The  Snow-Goose^  is,  excepting  its  large 
wing-feathers  (the  primaries),  an  all-white  bird. 
Based  on  the  tape-line,  two  species  have  been 

2 Chen  hy-per-bo're-a.  Average  length,  about  30 
inches. 


SNOW-GOOSE  AND  SWAN 


283 


described  and  recognized  by  ornithologists, 
the  “Greater”  Snow-Goose,  and  the  “Lesser.” 
If  the  specimen  under  the  tape  is  a large  one,  it 
is  the  former  species;  but  if  it  is  smaller  than 
the  average,  it  is  booked  as  the  “Lesser.”  Ob- 
viously, the  wisest  course  is  to  discard  both 
adjectives  of  size,  and  recognize  the  Snow-Goose 
only,  be  it  more  or  less. 

This  easily  recognized  bird,  like  the  ma- 
jority of  our  other  wild  geese  and  ducks,  wan- 
ders over  almost  the  whole  of  the  well-watered 
portion  of  North  America  down  to  Cuba  and 
Mexico;  but  where  the  guns  of  civilization  are 
most  numerous  it  is  now  a rare  and  lonesome 
bird.  To-day  it  is  more  abundant — or  it 
were  better  to  say,  less  scarce — in  the  Mississippi 
valley,  Texas,  and  the  Pacific  states  than  else- 
where. Where  they  were  permitted  to  do  so, 
these  birds  often  assembled  in  large  flocks,  and 
often  made  themselves  conspicuous  around 
the  prairie-ponds  of  the  Dakotas  and  ^linne- 
sota.  When  you  are  travelling  over  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railway,  or  the  Great  Northern,  and 
see  on  the  smooth  prairie  a flock  of  rather  large 
white  birds,  it  is  safe  to  declare  that  they  are 
Snow-Geese. 

The  Swans. — Last  of  the  Order  of  Ducks, 
and  farthest  from  the  type  of  the  Order,  are 
the  Swans,  .\lthough  two  species  are  recog- 
nized, the  difference  between  them  is  not  always 
visible  to  the  naked  eye. 

The  Trumpeter  Swan*  is  one  of  our  largest 
birds,  and  considering  its  great  size  it  is  .strange 
that  it  has  not  been  exterminated  ere  this. 
Its  existence  speaks  highly  for  its  wariness. 
Living  specimens  are  purchasable  at  from  .|20 
to  S3(>  each,  and  the  majority  of  them  come 
from  Texas  and  the  plains  region.  To  my 
mind,  this  is  the  least  attractive  of  all  the 
large  .swimming-birds,  and  it  ccrtaiidy  is  one 
of  the  most  pugnacious  and  <iuarrelsome. 
In  capti\ity.  Trumpeter  Swans  always  wish  to 
do  the  wrong  thing.  Even  when  policy  de- 
mands that  they  at  least  ajjpear  friendly,  they 
are  always  truculently  hissing  at  and  threatening 
their  human  neighbors,  friends  as  well  as  ene- 
mies. This  Swan’s  voice  is  like  a short  blast 

’ O'lnr  huc-cin-a'tor.  laaigth,  4 feet  8 inches  ; 
heiglit,  when  .standing  erect,  3 feet  9 inches; 
expanse  of  wings,  7 feet  10*  inches;  weight,  22 
pounds. 


on  a French  horn,  but  when  a large  flock  rises 
from  a pond  in  a wilderness,  and  gets  fairly 
under  way,  the  chorus  given  forth  on  such  occa- 
sions I know  to  be  decidedly  musical,  and 
also  heart-breaking  when  out  of  range. 

With  birds  smaller  than  themselves.  Swans 
often  are  so  (juarrelsome  and  murderous  they 
recjuire  to  be  separated,  and  yarded  by  them- 
selves. 

On  level  ground,  the  Swan  is  the  most  un- 
gainly of  all  the  American  members  of  the 
Order  of  Ducks;  and  even  afloat,  its  bows  lie 
much  too  deep  in  the  water. 

The  central  line  of  migration  and  distribu- 
tion of  this  species  is  the  western  boundary  of 
the  states  forming  the  western  bank  of  the 
Mississippi.  It  breeds  from  Iowa  northward 
to  the  Barren  Grounds,  and  in  the  United 
States  straggles  eastward  and  westward  to  both 
shores  of  the  continent.  I have  seen  speci- 
mens taken  in  1885  in  the  Potomac  River,  and 
it  has  often  been  observed  near  Los  Angeles, 
southern  California. 

Thus  far,  only  one  naturalist  (so  far  as  we 
know)  ever  has  heard  the  “Song  of  the  Dying 
Swan.”  Mr.  I).  G.  Elliot,  in  “Wild  Fowl  of 
North  America,”  records  the  following  inter- 
esting observation: 

“Once,  when  shooting  in  Carrituck  Sound, 
. . . a number  of  Swan  passed  over  us  at 

a considerable  height.  We  fired  at  them,  and 
one  splendid  bird  was  mortally  hurt.  On  re- 
ceiving his  wound  the  wings  became  fixed,  and 
he  commenced  at  once  his  song,  which  was 
continued  until  the  water  was  reached,  nearly 
half  a mile  away.  I am  perfectly  familiar  with 
every  note  a Swan  is  accustomed  to  utter,  but 
never  before  nor  since  have  I heard  any  like 
those  sung  by  this  stricken  bird.  Most  plaintive 
in  character,  and  musical  in  tone,  it  sounded 
at  times  like  the  soft  running  of  the  notec  in  an 
octave.” 

The  Whistling  Swan  “ is  accorded  rank  as  a 
species  chiefly  on  the  strength  of  a small  yellow 
patch  on  the  base  of  the  bill — which  is  not  al- 
ways present!  Young  Swans  of  both  species 
are  of  a dirty-gray  color — not  white;  but  the 
plumage  of  the  adult  bird  is  perfectly  wRite. 
The  bill  and  feet  are  jet  black. 

^ O'lor  co-lum-bi-an'us. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 


THE  ORDER  OF  FULLY  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS 

STEGANOPODES 


To  recognize  a member  of  this  Order,  look  at  its  foot,  and  see  that  the  web  of  the  three  large 
toes  is  also  united  to  the  fourth,  or  rear  toe.  This  may  seem  like  a small  peg  on  which  to  hang  an 
Order;  but  it  is  a very  useful  one,  nevertheless.  As  usual,  the  best  and  most  conspicuous  example 
will  be  mentioned  first.  The  Families  are  as  follows: 


FAMILIES. 


ORDER 

STEGANOPODES. 


Pelicans,  . . . 

Cormorants,  . . 

Darters,  . . . 

Gannets,  . . . 

Man-o’-War  Birds, 


PEL-E-CAN'I-DAE 

PHAL-A-CRO-CO-RAC'I-DAE,  . 

AN-HING'I-DAE 

SU'LI-DAE 

FRE-GAT'I-DAE 


EX.\MPLES. 

\ Brown  Pelican;  White 
( Pelican. 

Common  Cormorant. 

Darter,  or  Snake-Bird. 
Common  Gannet. 
Frigate-Bird. 


Photographed  by  C.  Wii.liam  Beebb.  From  the  Zoological  Society  Bulletin. 

FLORIDA  BROWN  PELICANS,  ON  PELICAN  ISLAND. 


THE  PELICAN  FAMILY. 

Pelecanidae. 

The  Brown  Pelicani  is  known  to  every 
tourist  who  knows  Florida  thoroughly,  or 
‘ Pel-e-ca'nus  fus'cus.  Length,  49  inches;  spread 
of  wings,  6 feet  9J  inches. 


southern  California.  Somehow  this  bird  ap- 
peals to  every  one, — possibly  by  reason  of  its 
cheerful  confidence  in  man, — and  for  a wonder 
it  has  not  been  exterminated.  It  takes  to 
captivity  not  only  willingly,  but  gladly,  and  its 
motto  is,  “All’s  fish  that  cometh  to  net.” 


284 


THE  BROWN  PELICAN 


285 


It  is  an  amiable  bird,  sociable  to  an  unlimited 
degree,  harms  no  one,  and  makes  no  enemies. 

Pelican  Island,  in  Indian  River,  Brevard 
County,  Florida,  is  the  most  interesting  sight 
in  the  land  of  flowers.  On  an  area  of  about 
three  acres,  raised  only  two  or  three  feet  above 
high-water  mark,  destitute  of  trees  because  the 
Pelicans  have  nested  them  to  death,  live  about 
2,000  Brown  Pelicans,  and  in  1902  they  made 
976  nests.  During  every  breeding-season  they 


babies,  as  large  as  their  parents,  but  covered  all 
over  with  down  as  white  as  cotton. 

It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  a young  Pelican 
to  have  from  six  to  nine  mullet  in  its  neck  and 
crop  at  one  time,  as  we  have  discovered  by 
catching  some  of  them  with  a search-warrant, 
and  searching  their  premises. 

To  feed  these  hungry  and  appallingly  capacious 
pouches,  the  old  birds  fly  about  fifteen  miles 
up  the  coast  to  fishing-grounds  where  silver 


Photographed  by  R.  J.  Beck.  Galapagos  Islands. 

CALIFORNIA  BROWN  PELICAN. 


inhabit  that  islet,  nesting  in  small  nests  of  grass 
plucked  on  the  spot,  and  arranged  on  the  ground. 
The  few  dead  mangroves  that  still  stand  are 
loaded  with  stick-made  nests,  to  the  point  of 
breaking  down. 

Egg-laying  begins  about  the  first  of  February, 
and  straggles  along  until  the  end  of  May  By 
March  1.5,  the  breeding-grounds  contain  in 
close  proximity,  unfinished  nests,  and  nests 
with  fresh  eggs  (usually  three);  young  just  out 
of  the  shell ; half-grown  young,  and,  finally,  full- 
grown  young.  The  latter  are  great  hulking 


mullet  are  plentiful  and  cheap;  and  there  each 
old  bird  fills  its  neck  and  crop  with  from  six  to 
nine  fish,  each  from  seven  to  tea  inches  in  length. 
At  evening,  just  before  sunset,  in  groups  of 
from  three  to  seven  they  slowly  wing  their  way 
back  along  the  beach,  flying  low  over  the  saw 
palmettos  that  fringe  the  shore.  They  give 
about  si.x  wing-beats,  then  sail  as  far  as  possible, 
each  little  company  winging  in  unison.  Several 
times  I have  lain  low  in  the  palmettos,  to  watch 
their  flight  at  a distance  of  only  a few  feet  as 
they  approached  and  passed  over  me. 


286 


OEDEIIS  OF  BIEDS— FULLY-WEBBED  SWIMMERS 


Truly  they  are  fine  birds, — rich  in  coloring, 
remarkably  odd  in  form,  and  very  well  set  up. 
Unfortunately  they  do  not  accpure  their  full 
colors  until  in  their  third  year.  The  neck  of  the 
adult  bird  is  in  two  colors,  rich  blackish-brown 
and  white,  and  the  back  is  a beautiful  silvery 
gray-brown  effect,  composed  of  many  tints.  The 
top  of  the  head  of  the  adult  bird  is  yellow.  The 
bill  is  a foot  long,  the  pouch  is  of  a bluish-purple 


color,  and  calls  for  about  four  pounds  of  fish 
daily. 

It  is  very  interesting  to  watch  Pelicans  fishing. 
On  calm  days  when  the  surface  of  Indian  River 
is  like  a mirror,  the  eruption  of  silvery  spray 
that  iTses  high  when  the  big  bird  plunges  into 
the  water,  attracts  attention  at  a distance  of 
two  or  three  miles.  It  is  finest,  however,  to 
see  them  fishing  in  the  breakers  on  the  ocean 
side  of  the  Indian  River  Peninsula,  about  200 
feet  from  shore.  They  sail  along  so  near  the 
water  it  seems  a wonder  it  does  not  strike  them ; 
but  they  rise  over  the  incoming  waves,  and 
lower  again  into  the  trough  with  the  utmost 
])recision,  always  keenly  alert.  All  of  a sudden, 
the  wings  are  thrown  out  of  gear,  and  a fountain 


of  fl3ung  spray  tells  the  story  of  the  plunge  with 
open  pouch  for  the  luckless  fish. 

For  several  years  the  fate  of  the  great  Pelican 
colon>"  in  Indian  River  has  been  in  doubt,  and 
its  preservation  has  been  due  more  to  public 
sentiment  in  Brevard  County  than  to  the  arm 
of  the  law.  In  1903,  however.  Pelican  Island 
was  formally  declared  to  be  a government 
reservation,  and  placed  under  the  absolute 
control  of  the  Biological  Survey,  thus 
insuring  the  permanent  protection  of  its 
occupants. 

The  California  Brown  Pelican*  so 

closely  resembles  the  Florida  species  that 
the  differences  between  the  two  are  not 
easily  recognized.  The  accompanying  il- 
lustration is  from  a photograph  taken  on 
the  Galapagos  Islands,  directly  under 
the  equator;  and  from  that  locality  this 
species  ranges  northward  along  the  Pa- 
cific coast  to  British  Columbia. 

The  Great  White  Pelican^  is  a grand 
bird, — big,  clean,  immaculate,  and  with 
the  dignity  of  a newly  appointed  judge. 
About  him  there  are  two  bad  things.  In 
captivity  his  appetite  for  fresh  fish  makes 
him  a costly  luxury,  and  his  Latin  name 
always  frightens  timid  people. 

The  curious  horn  seen  in  winter  and 
spring  atop  of  the  bill  of  this  bird  is 
purely  a sexual  ornament,  found  onh'  on 
the  male  in  the  breeding-season,  after 
which  it  drops  off.  It  begins  to  grow 
about  February  1.5,  is  perfect  by  May 
1,  and  drops  off  not  later  than  July  1. 

To-da\',  as  a matter  of  course,  the  Great 
White  Pelican  is  a rare  bird.  On  the  west 
coast  of  Florida,  where  once  it  was  abundant, 
I believe  it  is  no  longer  found.  It  is  yet  found 
iidand  in  certain  western  localities,  where 
there  are  lakes  large  enough  to  shelter  it,  and 
supply  it  with  fish,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
it  will  be  many  j’ears  ere  this  grand  bird  is 
exterminated.  Fortunately,  a colony  has  be- 
come established  on  an  island  in  Yellowstone 
Lake,  in  the  Yellowstone  Park,  where  it  breeds 
regularly  every  summer,  to  the  great  delight 

* Pel-e-ca'nus  culijnrnic.ns. 

^ Pel-c-ca' mts  er-ylh-rn-rbyn'chox.  I.cngth,  01 
inche.s;  spread  of  wings,  8 feet  10  inches;  weight, 
161  pounds. 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 


GRE.\T  WHITE  PELICAN. 


COKMORANT  AXD  SXAKE-BIRD 


287 


of  all  tourists  who  care  for  the  sight  of  what  is 
called  a “pelicanery.”  In  winter,  southern 
Texas  is  the  haven  for  this  bird,  as  well  as  for  so 
many  other  swimming-birds. 

THE  COR3IORAXT  FA3IILT. 

Phalacrororacidae. 

The  Cormorant^  is  to  me  a most  uninter- 
esting bird.  3Ionth  in  and  month  out  I have 
seen  them  perching,  and  perching, — on  spar 
buoys  in  harbors,  on  mud-bank  stakes,  and  on 
dead  trees  along  shore  and  up  stream.  For  days 
together  have  Cormorants  fled  up  stream  before 
my  boat,  yet  never  once  have  I seen  a wild 
Cormorant  do  an  interesting  thing.  Instead  of 
getting  out  and  hustling  for  fish,  like  the  pelican, 
or  taking  delight  in  architecture,  like  the  osprey, 
the  Cormorant  tiresomely  perches,  and  waits, 
Micawber-like,  for  something  to  turn  up. 

In  captivity  it  does  better.  In  our  Flying- 
Cage  pool,  the  Cormorants  play  with  sticks, 
and  dive  for  amusement,  more  than  any  other 
bird,  except  the  brown  pelican.  In  fact,  it 
seems  like  a different  creature  from  the  wild 
bird. 

The  Cormorant  is,  in  general  terms,  a dull 
black  bird,  wholly  devoid  of  colored  plumage. 
Its  range  is  given  in  the  check  list  of  the  Ameri- 
can Ornithologists’  Union  as  “coasts  of  the  North 
Atlantic,  south  in  winter  on  the  coast  of  the 
United  States,  casually,  to  the  Carolinas.”  It 
lives  upon  fish,  and  wanders  inland  much  farther 
than  might  be  supposed. 

The  Double-Crested  CormoranU  is  the 
bird  of  the  interior  of  the  Fhuted  States,  from 
Texas  northward  into  Manitoba,  but  also  rang- 
ing to  the  Atlantic  coast.  Its  color  is  glossy  black. 
On  the  Pacific  coast,  from  Washington  to  Alaska, 
is  found  the  Pelagic  Cormorant/  with  an  erect 
crest  rising  from  its  forehead,  and  by  which 
this  bird  is  easily  recognized. 

Pallas’  Cormorant,  which  once  inhabited  the 
northern  shore  of  Bering  Sea,  was  the  largest  and 
hamlsomest  bird  of  this  Family.  Its  prevailing 
color  was  dark  metallic-gi-een,  set  off  with  blue 
and  purple  reflections.  It  was  discovered  by 
Bering  in  1741,  but  is  now  (juite  extinct. 

* Phal-n-CTO-ro'rax  caPhn.  Average  length,  34 
inches. 

* P.  di-Io']ihus.  3 p ■pe-lag' i-cus. 


THE  DARTER  FAMILY. 

Anhingidae. 

The  Snake-Bird,  Darter,  or  Water -“Tur- 
key,”^ is  a web-footed  bird,  with  many  pecul- 
iarities. Its  most  popular  name — Snake-Bird 
— has  been  bestowed  in  recognition  of  the  fact 
that  in  this  bird  the  neck  and  head  are  so  long 
and  slender  they  suggest  the  body  and  head  of 
a snake.  When  not  in  actioii,  the  head  and  upper 
neck  are  only  an  inch  in  diameter,  yet  so  rub- 
ber-like is  the  skin  I have  seen  a Darter  swallow 
a mullet  8 inches  long,  and  I5  inch  in  diameter — 
a truly  snake-like  stretch.  Frequently  when 
the  head  of  a fish  is  in  this  bird’s  crop,  the  tail 
fin  will  protrude  from  a corner  of  the  mouth. 

The  beak  is  like  a Spanish  dagger,  and  at  all 
times  is  decidedly  a dangerous  weapon.  One 
well-aimed  stroke  is  enough  to  stab  any  or- 
dinary bird  to  death,  or  destroy  an  eye.  In  a 
cageful  of  Darters  the  presence  of  a cjuarrel- 


Drawn  by  Edmund  J.  Sawyer. 

SX.\KE-mRD. 


^ An-hin'ga  an-hin'ga.  Average  length,  33  inches. 


288 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— FULLY-WEBBED  SWIMMERS 


some  bird  is  usually  made  known  by  the  dead 
body  of  a cagemate  that  has  been  foully  mur- 
dered. 

In  its  home,  the  habits  of  the  Snake-Bird 
interested  me  greatly.  Almost  invariably  it 
perches  on  a dead  tree,  or  a branch  which  over- 
hangs water,  preferably  a small  running  stream. 
Its  neighbors  are  the  two  white  egrets,  the 
Louisiana  and  little  blue  herons,  and  an  occa- 
sional black  vulture.  Seldom  indeed  is  one 
of  these-  birds  found  swimming  in  the  water, 
but  Mr.  C.  E.  .lackson  once  very  dexterously 
speared  one  from  his  boat,  as  it  was  diving  under 
him. 

When  your  boat  approaches  a Snake-Bird 
and  crosses  his  danger-line,  the  bird  slides  off  its 
perch,  falls  straight  down,  and  sinks  out  of 
sight.  It  goes  down  head  erect,  and  “all  stand- 
ing,” as  if  weighted  with  a bag  of  shot.  This 
is  the  queerest  of  all  bird  ways  in  diving.  If 
you  halt,  and  watch  sharply  for  the  bird  to 
reappear  at  the  surface,  for  three  or  four  minutes 
you  will  see  nothing. 

At  the  end  of  a long  wait  you  will  notice  a 
sharp-pointed  stick,  half  as  long  as  an  adult 
lead-pencil,  sticking  up  out  of  the  water.  It 
looks  so  queer  you  \vatch  it  sharply.  Presently 
you  see  the  point  of  it  turn  a few  degrees;  and 
then  you  discover  a beady  black  eye  watching 
you.  It  is  one  of  the  neatest  hiding-tricks 
practised  by  any  water-bird  I know. 

The  Snake-Bird  has  the  power  to  submerge 
its  body  at  any  depth  it  chooses,  and  remain 
for  any  reasonable  length  of  time.  It  is  a very 
expert  diver,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  can 
pursue  and  capture  live  fish  under  water  is 
enough  to  strike  terror  to  the  hearts  of  finny 
folk.  The  bird  swims  with  a sharp  kink  in 
its  neck,  driving  forward  by  powerful  strokes 
of  its  cup-shaped  feet.  On  overtaking  a fish, 
the  kink  in  its  neck  flies  straight,  and  like  the 
stab  of  a swift  dagger  the  finny  victim  is  trans- 
fixed. Then  the  bird  rises  to  the  surface, — 
for  it  is  unable  to  swallow  its  food  under  water, — 
tosses  the  fish  into  the  air,  catches  it  head  first, 
and  in  an  instant  it  is  gone. 

In  the  United  States  this  bird  is  most  at 
home  in  the  rivers  and  creeks  of  southern  and 
central  Florida,  but  it  is  also  found  farther 
west,  along  the  Gulf.  It  is  abundant  in  the 
delta  of  the  Orinoco,  in  the  Guianas,  and  far- 


ther south.  It  lives  well  in  captivity,  and  when 
provided  with  a large  glass  tank  is  quite  willing 
to  give  daily  exhibitions  in  diving  after  live 
fish.  In  color  the  adult  male  is  a glossy  black 
bird,  and  so  is  the  female,  except  that  her 
entire  neck  is  light  brown. 

THE  GANNET  FAMILY. 

Sulidae 

The  Common  Gannet'  is,  in  many  respects, 
a bird  of  very  striking  appearanc^e.  It  is  a 
goose-like  bird,  as  large  as  a medium-sized 
goose,  and  its  prevailing  colors  are  white  and  a 
very  beautiful  ecru.  Its  plumage  is  as  smooth 
and  immaculate  as  the  surface  of  a wooden 
decoy;  it  has  a slow  and  solemn  manner,  and 
has  the  least  suspicion  of  man  of  any  swimming- 
bird  I know.  Its  head,  neck  and  bill  are  mas- 
sive, the  latter  especiallly  being  long  and  very 
thick  at  the  base.  The  total  length  of  this  bird 
when  adult  is  only  a trifle  under  three  feet. 

Although  the  Common  Gannet  is  strictly  a 
bird  of  the  ocean  coasts,  and  apparently  never 
is  seen  inland,  it  is  a bird  of  such  striking 
personality  it  well  deserves  to  be  introduced 
in  these  pages.  Any  large  bird  which  once 
existed  in  countless  thousands  on  our  coast,  and 
has  not  yet  been  exterminated,  may  well  be 
known  to  every  intelligent  American. 

Although  the  Gannet  wanders  as  far  south  as 
Long  Island,  its  real  home  is  where  it  breeds. 
“While  there  are  many  points  along  the  coast 
from  Maine  to  Labrador  where  the  Gannets 
might  breed,  they  are  found,  so  far  as  I ha^-e 
been  able  to  ascertain,  only  at  three  places,  an 
island  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  the  Bird  Rocks 
near  the  geographical  centre  of  the  Gulf  of  St. 
LawTence,  and  Bonaventure  Island,  at  Berc6, 
Canada,  the  colony  at  Mingan  being  too  small 
and  too  nearly  exterminated  to  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration.” (Frederic  A.  Lucas.) 

In  1800,  Dr.  Bryant  estimated  the  total  num- 
ber of  Gannets  on  the  Bird  Rocks  at  l.')0,000. 

In  1872,  Mr.  William  Brewster  estimated  the 
number  then  living  there  at  .50,000. 

In  1887,  Mr.  Lucas  found  not  a single  Gannet 
nesting  on  Little  Bird  Rock,  and  not  over  10,000 
on  Great  Rock. 

Although  the  Gannets,  and  other  sea-birds, 
make  their  homes  on  the  most  inaccessible 
1 Su'la  bas-sa'na. 


THE  CORMORANT. 


290 


ORDEES  OF  BIRDS— FULLY-WEBBED  SWIMMERS 


spots  they  can  find,  there  is  no  bird  which  man 
cannot  reach  witlx  a gun,  no  nest  to  which  he 
cannot  climb,  or  be  lowered  at  the  end  of  a 
rope. 

Sea-birds  everywhere  are  persecuted  by  man, 
either  for  their  eggs  or  for  themselves.  In 
their  breeding-season  the  Gannets  are  con- 
tinually visited  by  Indians  and  whites,  who 
take  their  eggs.  “Scarce  a day  passes,”  says 
Mr.  Lucas,  “without  a visit  from  fishermen  in 
search  of  eggs,  or  murres.  Many  barrels  of 
eggs  are  gathered  during  the  season,  and  alto- 
gether the  birds  lead  a rather  precarious  ex- 
istence. There  is  a law  regulating  the  taking 
of  eggs,  and  if  this  were  observed,  or  could  be 
strictly  enforced,  a large  number  of  eggs  could 
be  gathered  annually,  while  at  the  same  time 
the  number  of  birds  would  steadily  increase.” 

As  will  be  inferred,  the  Gannet  lives  wholly 
Upon  fish,  and  is  an  expert  deep-water  diver. 
In  his  report  on  his  “Explorations  in  Newfound- 
land and  Labrador,”  Mr.  Lucas  gives  the  fol- 
lowing interesting  account: 

“While  lying  at  Grindstone  Island  we  first 
made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Gannets,  whose 
head-cjuarters  are  at  Bird  Rocks,  and  had  a good 
opportunity  to  watch  them  fishing.  The  birds 
are  usually  associated  in  small,  straggling 
flocks,  and  with  outstretched  necks,  and  eyes 
ever  on  the  lookout  for  fish,  they  fly  at  a height 
of  from  75  to  100  feet  above  the  water,  or  occa- 
sionally somewhat  more.  The  height  at  which 
the  Gaimet  flies  above  the  water  is  proportioned 
to  the  depth  at  which  the  fish  are  swimming 
beneath,  and  Captain  Collins  tells  me  that  when 
fish  are  swimming  near  the  surface,  the  Gannet 
flies  very  low,  and  darts  obliquely  instead  of 
vertically  upon  its  prey. 

“Should  any  finny  game  be  seen  within  range, 
down  goes  the  Gannet  headlong,  the  nearly 
closed  wings  being  used  to  guide  the  living  arrow 
in  its  downward  flight.  .Just  above  the  sur- 
face, the  wings  are  firmly  closed,  and  a small 
sixlash  of  spray  shows  where  the  winged  fisher 
cleaves  the  water  to  transfix  his  prey.  Disap- 
pearing for  a few  seconds,  the  bird  reappears, 
rests  for  a moment  on  the  water,  long  enough 
to  swallow  his  catch,  then  rises  in  pursuit  of 
other  game.  The  appetite  of  the  Gannet  is 
limited  only  by  the  capacity  of  its  stomach, 
and  a successful  fisher  may  frequently  be  seen 


resting  on  the  water,  too  heavily  laden  to  rise 
without  disgorging  a part  of  its  cargo,  which  it 
sometimes  must  do  to  escape  from  the  pathway 
of  an  approaching  vessel.” 

Any  person  who  is  accustomed  to  diving, 
even  from  a very  moderate  height,  knows  well 
the  serious  disturbance  to  vision  caused  by  the 
shock  of  impact  with  the  water.  That  a Gan- 
net— or  any  other  bird — can  fall  from  even  a 
height  of  twenty-five  feet,  saying  nothing  of  a 
hundred,  take  the  water  plunge,  and  retain  its 
gaze  upon  its  prey  sufficiently  to  follow  and 
capture  it,  surely  betokens  a special  optical 
provision  which  as  yet  we  know  nothing  about. 


Photo,  by  R.  J.  Beck.  Galapagos  Islands. 

MAN-O’-WAR  BIRDS. 


and  which  remains  to  be  discovered  and  de- 
scribed. 

Besides  the  species  described  above,  there 
are  five  other  species  of  gannets,  called  Boobys, 
with  various  prefixes,  which  touch  the  coasts 
of  the  continent  of  North  America. 

THE  MAN-O’-WAR  BIRD  FAMILY. 

Fregatidae. 

Whenever  at  sea  in  the  tropics  your  attention 
is  arrested  by  the  flight  far  aloft  of  a big,  dark- 
colored  bird  with  long,  sharp-pointed  wings, 
and  a long  tail  that  is  deeply  forked,  know  that 
it  is  a Frigate-Bird,'  or,  as  the  sailors  call  it, 

' Fre-ga'ta  a'quil-a.  Length,  about  40  inches. 


GANNET  AND  FRIGATE-BIED 


291 


3Ian-o’-War  “Hawk.”  It  is  a long-distance 
flyer,  and  goes  out  far  from  land.  Its  beak 
is  long,  hooked  at  the  end,  and  really  very  strong, 
but  its  legs  are  so  short  and  stumpy  they  seem 
to  be  deformed.  Under  the  throat  there  is  a 
patch  of  skin  (juite  devoid  of  feathers,  which 
really  is  a sort  of  air-sac. 

I once  found  the  roosting-place  of  a colonj' 
of  about  forty  of  these  birds,  on  the  top  of  a 
perpendicular  cliff  seventy-five  feet  high  on  the 
seaward  side  of  an  island  at  the  northwestern 
point  of  Trinidad.  The  birds  came  there  regu- 
larly every  night,  to  roost  in  some  small  dead 
trees  that  almost  overhung  the  precipices. 
They  were  not  nesting  at  that  time,  however, 
and  were  so  very  wakeful  that  even  though  I 


went  to  their  roost  before  daylight,  I did  not 
succeed  in  killing  even  one  bird. 

This  bird  inhabits  the  warm  oceans  of  the 
Old  World,  as  well  as  the  New,  and  Mr.  H.  0. 
Forbes  states  that  in  the  Cocos-Keeling  Islands 
they  are  regular  pirates,  and  gain  their  liveli- 
hood by  remaining  inactive,  and  forcing  honest 
fisherfolk,  like  the  gannets,  and  noddy  terns,  to 
disgorge  for  their  lazy  benefit  the  fish  they  bring 
home  from  distant  fishing-grounds. 

Mr.  R.  J.  Beck  found  Frigate-Birds  nesting 
in  the  Guadaloupe  Archipelago,  which  were  so 
tame  and  unsuspicious  that  he  was  able  to 
approach  quite  near,  and  make  the  photo- 
graph which  is  reproduced  on  the  opposite 
page. 


CHAPTER  XXX 


THE  ORDER  OF  TUBE-NOSED  SWIMMERS— MID-OCEAN 

BIRDS 

TUBINARES 


These  are  indeed  strang;e  birds.  To  a lands- 
man, it  requires  an  effort  to  imagine  a series 
of  birds,  some  of  them  small  and  seemingly 
weak,  which  prefer  to  live  in  the  watei-y  soli- 
tudes of  mid-ocean,  indifferent  to  calms,  and 
defying  both  tempests  and  cold.  To  my  mind, 
there  is  no  section  of  the  bird-world  so  strange 
and  so  awe-inspiring  as  this.  Just  how  the 
albatrosses  and  the  petrels  ride  out  the  long, 
fierce  gales,  and  keep  from  being  beaten  down 
to  the  raging  surface  of  the  sea,  and  drowned, 

I believe  no  one  can  say.  It  is  no  wonder  that 
sailors  hold  the  albatross  in  superstitious  rev- 
erence, or  that  Coleridge  has  immortalized  it 
in  the  “Rhime  of  the  Ancient  Mariner.”  Well 
may  a sailor  feel  that  any  large  bird  which  lives 
only  at  sea,  and  follows  his  ship  day  after  day, 
is  the  bird  “that  makes  the  breezes  blow.*’ 

The  members  of  this  small  group  of  mid-ocean 
birds  are  distinguished  by  the  curious  fact  that 
the  nostrils,  instead  of  opening  through  the  side 
of  the  upper  mandible,  near  its  base,  are  car- 
ried well  forward  through  two  round  tubes  that 
either  lie  along  the  top  of  the  bill  or  along  its 
sides.  By  this  arrangement,  the  nostril  opening 
is  about  half  way  between  the  base  and  tip  of 
the  bill.  The  bill  terminates  in  a strong,  ser- 
viceable hook,  like  the  beak  of  a bird  of  prey. 

This  Order  consists  of  the  albatrosses,  ful- 
mars, shearwaters  and  petrels, — all  of  them 
deep-water  birds,  strong  of  wing,  and  brave 
spirited  beyond  all  other  birds.  Of  the  thirty- 
five  species  and  subspecies  recognized  by  the 
American  Ornithologists’  Union,  only  two  or 
three  ever  wander  to  inland  lakes,  even  for 
three  hundred  miles  from  salt  water.  The 
variation  in  size  from  the  largest  albatross  to 
the  smallest  petrel  is  very  great;  but  at  least 
half  the  species  of  the  Order  are  to  be  classed 

292 


as  large  birds.  Three  species  will  suffice  to  rep- 
resent the  group. 

THE  ALBATROSS  FAMILY. 

Diomedeidae. 

The  Wandering  Albatross’  is  a bird  of  the 
southern  oceans  of  the  New  World;  it  is  the 
largest  and  handsomest  species  in  the  Order 
Tubinares.  It  has  the  longest  wings,  but  the 
narrowest  for  their  length,  and  the  greatest 
number  of  secondary  feathers  (over  thirty  in 
number)  of  any  living  bird.  The  weight  of  an 
adult  bird  is  from  15  to  18  pounds,  and  when 
the  wings  are  fully  extended,  they  have  a spread 
of  from  10  to  12  feet.  Either  when  on  the  wing 
at  sea,  or  mounted  with  spread  wings  as  a mu- 
seum exhibit,  the  wings  of  an  Albatross  are  so 
exceedingly  long  and  narrow  that  they  have  a 
very  odd  and  unfinished  appearance.  They 
seem  to  be  out  of  proper  proportion,  like  wings 
lacking  a proper  outfit  of  secondary  feathers. 
But  they  have  their  purpose.  The  Albatross 
can  sail  for  hours,  to  and  fro,  without  rest- 
ing, and  with  wings  so  motionless  they  might 
as  well  be  mechanically  fixed. 

Mr.  Charles  H.  Townsend,  who,  as  Naturalist 
of  the  United  States  Fish  Commission  Steamer 
Albatross,  has  had  exceptional  opportunities 
for  studying  Albatrosses  at  sea  in  all  kinds  of 
weather,  has  kindly  furnislicd  the  following 
account  of  the  most  conspicuous  species  that 
inhabits  the  North  Pacific: 

“The  Black-Footed  Albatross^  is  a common 
bird  almost  anywhere  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  from 
the  latitude  of  California  northward.  This 
dark  species  is  frequently  seen  the  first  day 

’ Di-o-me'de-a  ex'u-lans. 

2 Di-o-me'de-a  ni'gri-pes. 


THE  BLACK-FOOTEU  ALBATKOSS 


293 


out,  and  can  usually  be  depended  upon  to  follow 
vessels  in  increasing  numbers.  On  many  voy- 
ages between  San  Francisco  and  the  Aleutian 
Islands,  the  average  attendance  of  Albatrosses, 
or  ‘Gonies,’  as  they  are  usually  called,  was  from 
fifteen  to  twenty.  Whether  the  same  indi- 
viiluals  stayed  with  the  vessel  during  the  whole 


flock  of  birds  would  alight  upon  the  water,  often 
coming  close  enough  to  be  caught  on  cod-hooks 
baited  with  pork.  When  on  the  wing,  some- 
times all  the  birds  would  assemble  at  once  to 
feed  on  the  waste  thrown  overboard  from  the 
galley,  alighting  in  a confused  manner,  with 
much  squawking  and  fluttering  of  wings. 


BL.A.CK-FOOTED  ALBATROSS. 


run,  or  were  replaced  from  time  to  time  by 
other  birds  encountered  along  the  way,  we  could 
not  determine. 

“The  birds  were  with  us  from  daylight  to 
dark,  and  in  all  sorts  of  weather.  The  S.  S. 
Albatross,  being  engaged  in  deep-sea  investiga- 
tions, made  frequent  stops  for  the  j)urpose  of 
sounding  and  dredging.  At  such  times  the 


“We  often  hooked  specimens  while  the  ship 
was  under  way,  by  paying  out  the  line  rapidly 
enough  to  leave  the  bait  lying  motionless,  and 
buoyed  on  the  surface  with  a cork.  The  birds 
were  not  able  to  pick  up  a bait  while  on  the 
wing,  or  while  it  was  moving.  When  hooked 
they  would  set  their  wings  rigidly  at  an  angle, 
and  a rapid  hauling-in  of  the  long  line  would 


294 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— MID -OCEAN  SWIMMERS 


send  a bird  skyward  like  a kite,  which  position 
it  would  retain  until  hauled  down  on  the  deck. 

“Fishing  for  ‘Gonies’  was  a common  amuse- 
ment on  the  Albatross,  and  specimens  were 
often  photographed  alive  on  the  decks,  or 
marked  in  some  way  to  determine  if  possible 
whether  the  same  individuals  followed  the  ves- 
sel throughout  the  voyage.  Marked  birds, 
however,  never  were  seen  again.  The  handling 
which  they  received  probably  disinclined  them 
to  follow  the  vessel. 

“The  arrival  of  an  Albatross  on  deck  was 
usually  followed  by  the  disgorging  of  more  or 
less  food.  They  could  not  rise  from  the  deck, 
and  frequently  were  kept  on  board  for  several 
days.  They  walk  with  great  difficulty,  and  bite 
savagely. 

“Albatrosses  rise  easily  from  the  sea,  and 
when  the  wind  is  blowing  it  is  done  very  quickly. 
In  calm  weather,  several  strokes  of  the  wings, 
and  a rapid  movement  of  the  feet  are  necessary 
for  the  bird  to  clear  the  water.  No  bird  can 
exceed  the  Albatross  in  the  gracefulness  of  its 
flight.  Usually  following  in  the  wake,  it  has, 
however,  no  difficulty  in  passing  ahead  of  the 
vessel,  always  on  rigid,  motionless  wings,  rising, 
descending,  or  turning  without  a wing  move- 
ment that  is  visible  to  the  eye. 

“On  voyages  southwestward  from  California, 
the  Black-Footed  Albatross  did  not  usually 
follow  the  vessel  more  than  two-thirds  of  the 
way  to  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  A species  known 
as  Diomedea  chinensis  breeds  in  great  numbers 
on  the  chain  of  islands  extending  northwest- 
ward from  Hawaii.  So  far  as  I am  aware,  the 
breeding-place  Df  Diomedea  nigripes  is  not 
known.  It  probably  breeds  during  the  winter 
months  on  islands  in  the  southern  hemisphere. 
It  is  sometimes  found  in  Bering  Sea,  particu- 
larly in  the  Bristol  Bay  region,  and  is  met  with 
all  summer  long  in  the  Pacific  south  of  the 
Aleutian  Islands.  During  many  visits  to  the 
.\leutian  and  other  .\merican  i.slands,  it  was 
never  found  on  land,  and  the  natives  were  not 
ac(juainted  with  it  as  a nesting  bird. 

“ In  Bering  Sea  we  sometimes  met  with  the 
Short-Tailed  Albatross  (Diomedea  alhatrus). 
This  species  is  nearly  white,  and  in  calm 
weather  was  usually  observed  resting  on  the  sea, 
near  the  great  flocks  of  fulmars.  While  the 
steamship  Albatross  was  dredging  off  the  south- 


ern coast  of  Chili,  the  great  wandering  alba- 
tross was  frequently  to  be  seen  resting  upon  the 
water  about  the  vessel,  and  we  had  no  difficulty 
in  taking  specimens  with  hook  and  line.” 

Perhaps  the  most  wonderful  sight  in  Alba- 
tross life  is  to  be  found  on  Laysan  Island,  in 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  where  thousands  of  these 
birds  nest  close  together  on  an  open  plain. 
There  are  acres  and  acres  of  living  Albatrosses, 
stretching  away  as  far  as  the  camera  can  include 
them,  until  the  plain  is  white  with  them.  They 
manifest  little  fear  of  man,  even  when  iron 
rails  are  laid  down,  and  small  iron  box-cars  are 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 


STORMY  PETREL. 

pushed  over  them,  to  load  with  eggs  from  the 
nests. 

THE  FULMAR  FAMILY. 

Procellariidae. 

The  Fulmars  are  like  so  many  understudies 
of  the  Albatrosses;  and  the  Shearwaters  bring 
the  Tube-Nosed  group  still  nearer  to  the  gulls 
and  terns.  The  habits  of  all  these  are  very 
much  alike.  All  are  strong-flying,  mid-ocean 
birds,  following  ships  for  miles  in  order  to  pick 
up  whatever  edible  food  is  thrown  overboard. 
In  one  respect  they  are  marine  vultures,  for 
some  of  the  species  make  haste  to  feed  upon 
any  dead  animal  found  floating  on  the  sea,  or 
stranded  on  the  shore. 

No  one  with  eyes  ever  need  cross  the  .Atlantic 


THE  STOEMY  PETKEL 


295 


without  seeing  the  dear  little  Stormy  Petreld 
or  “3Iother  Carey’s  Chicken,”  as  it  is  called 
by  sailormeii.  After  the  last  gull  has  been  left 
far  behind,  and  there  are  about  two  miles  of 
water  under  the  ship,  in  the  trough  between 
two  waves  there  suddenly  glides  into  view  a 
pair  of  small  black  wings,  fluttering  rapidly, 
while  two  little  webbed  feet  work  violently  to 
pat  the  concave  surface  of  the  deep  blue  water. 
Those  who  do  not  know  the  creature  exclaim 
in  surprise,  “What  in  the  world  is  that?” 

“ That  ” is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  ocean 
world.  The  cause  for  surprise  is  that  so  small 
and  weak  a creature — the  smallest  of  all  the 
web-footed  birds,  no  larger,  and  seemingly  no 
stronger  than  a cat-bird — should  live  on  the 
watery  wastes  of  a landless  ocean,  eating,  sleeping 
and  enjoying  literally  “a  life  on  the  ocean  wave, 
and  a home  on  the  rolling  deep.” 

* Pro-cel-la' ri-a  pe-lag'i-ca.  Length,  5.50  inches. 


Even  when  seas  are  calm,  and  skies  are  clear, 
one  cannot  easily  imagine  how  this  creature 
can  live,  and  find  its  food.  But  when  a pro- 
longed storm  sets  in,  and  for  ten  days,  or  two 
weeks  at  a stretch  the  surface  of  the  sea  is  a 
seething,  boiling  caldron,  with  every  wave  a 
ragged  “white-cap”  and  every  square  foot  of 
the  sea  fretted  like  a fish-net  by  the  force  of  the 
wind,  how  does  the  frail  little  Stormy  Petrel 
survive? 

You  nearly  always  see  this  bird  in  the  trough 
of  the  sea,  skimming  so  low  that  its  feet  can 
paddle  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  assist 
the  wings.  It  is  a black  bird,  with  a large  white 
patch  on  the  rump,  just  above  the  tail.  It 
rests  upon  the  water  fully  half  its  time,  I should 
say,  and  aside  from  the  table  and  galley  refuse 
thrown  overboard  from  vessels,  the  bulk  of  its 
food  must  consist  of  the  tiny  crustaceans  that 
inhabit  the  floating  bunches  of  sargasso  weed. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 


THE  ORDER  OF  LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 

LONGIPENNES 


The  members  of  the  Order  of  Gulls  and  Terns  appeal  to  a greater  number  of  admirers  than  any 
other  group  of  web-footed  birds.  The  reasons  are,  their  wide  distribution,  both  on  salt  water  and 
fresh  water  lakes;  their  conspicuous  and  graceful  flight;  their  partial  immunity  from  wholesale 
slaughter,  and  their  friendliness  toward  the  arch-destroyer,  man.  Every  harbor  and  every  steamer 
track  is  a safe  feeding-ground  for  these  birds,  and  along  thousands  of  miles  of  shore  line,  they  are 
the  most  beautiful  wild  creatures  that  greet  the  eye. 

The  three  North  American  Families  of  this  Order  are  as  follows: 


FAMILIES. 

Gulls  and  Terns,  . 
Skimmers,  . . . 

Skuas  and  Jaegers, 

THE  GULLS  AND  TERNS. 

Laridae. 

The  Herring-Gull,*  an  old  and  familiar  friend 
which  ranges  far  inland,  and  also  far  outward  on 
the  sea,  is  the  best  and  most  interesting  type 
of  this  Family.  It  is  an  ideal  Gull, — long- 
winged, large,  white  and  pearl-gray  in  color, 
strong,  yet  graceful  on  the  wing,  a good  fighter, 
and  sufficiently  plentiful  in  number  to  be  known 
to  millions  of  people.  It  inhabits  the  whole 
sea-coast,  and  all  the  salt-water  bays  and  inlets 
of  North  America,  the  great  lakes,  the  lakes 
and  ponds  of  Michigan,  Minnesota,  Iowa,  and 
several  of  our  larger  rivers,  such  as  the  Potomac, 
Mississippi,  Missouri  and  Columbia.  From 
all  their  regular  routes  of  travel  and  places  of 
residence,  they  stray  inland  for  an  indefinite 
number  of  miles. 

The  Herring-Gull  nests  from  southern  Maine 
and  the  great  lakes  northward  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  and  makes  its  winter  home  in  the  United 
States.  All  trans-Atlantic  voyagers  have  seen 
it  far  out  at  sea,  almost  half  way  between  Sandy 
Hook  and  Queenstown. 

In  Georgian  Bay  the  sight  of  Gull  life  on  the 

* La'rus  ar-gen-ta'lus.  Average  length,  24  inches. 


EXAMPLES. 

Herring-Gull;  Common  Tern. 
Black  Skimmer. 

Parasitic  Jaeger. 

crystal-clear  waters,  and  clean,  bare  islets  of 
pink  -granite  near  Owen  Sound  was  one  of  the 
most  enchanting  I ever  beheld.  Going  down 
Puget  Sound  on  a cold  and  windy  day  in  No- 
vember, a large  flock  of  the  same  old  friends 
followed  the  steamer  for  twenty  miles,  sailing 
along  beside  us,  sometimes  within  ten  feet  of 
the  rail  of  the  hurricane-deck, — a sight  which 
well  repaid  one  for  half-freezing  in  order  to  see 
it  to  the  most  perfect  advantage. 

But  why  wander  so  far  from  home  to  see 
Gulls?  Half  a mile  from  the  Zoological  Park 
is  the  Williamsbridge  Reservoir  of  the  New 
York  City  water-works.  Not  long  since,  cu- 
riosity to  see  if  any  winter  birds  were  being 
attracted  by  that  very  small  but  high  basin  of 
water,  led  me  to  climb  up  and  see.  To  my 
great  astonishment,  I found  a distinguished 
company  of  sixty-seven  Herring-Gulls,  standing 
and  sitting  in  serene  contentment  on  the  .sheet 
of  ice  that  covered  one-half  the  surface  of  the 
water.  It  was  a nice,  quiet,  genteel  place, 
well  below  the  sweep  of  the  wind;  there  was 
plenty  of  water  for  the  birds  to  soak  their  feet 
in  when  the  ice  made  them  too  cold,  and  what 
more  could  a Gull  ask,  except  a daily  delivery 
of  fresh  fish? 


ORDER 

LONGIPENNES. 


LA'lil-DAE 

RYN-CHOP'I-DAE,  . . 

STER-CO-RAR-I'l-DAE,  . 


THE  IIERKING-GULL 


297 


The  voice  of  this  Gull  is  not  melodious;  and 
some  persons  call  it  harsh  and  strident.  But 
opinions  differ,  even  on  as  small  a matter  as 
the  voice  of  a Gull.  I never  yet  heard  the  cry 
of  a wild  gull,  either  on  the  booming  sea-shore, 
or  over  the  silvery  mirror  of  an  inland  lake, 
which  was  not  music  to  my  ears. 

In  captivity  the  Gull  is  badly  handicapped. 
With  the  primaries  of  one  wing  clipped  to 
prevent  escape,  and  without  the  power  of  flight. 


two  enterprising  Gulls  decided  to  nest  and  rear 
a family.  Accordingly  they  built  a nest  under 
a bush  which  stood  on  a point  of  the  island,  in  a 
position  that  strategically  was  well  chosen  for 
purposes  of  defence.  The  two  birds  made  a 
very  wise  division  of  the  labor.  The  female 
built  the  nest,  laid  the  eggs  and  hatched  them, 
and  the  male  did  the  screaming  and  fighting 
that  was  necessary  to  protect  the  family  from 
molestation. 


3 


THE  HERRING-GULL  (1,2)  AND  COM.MON  TERN  (3,  4). 


it  is  not  seen  at  its  best;  for  no  Gull  is  perfect 
save  in  flight.  Our  flock  is  continuallly  shriek- 
ing protests  against  unlawful  detention,  and 
with  perfect  wings  every  one  would  quickly 
fly  away,  as  did  those  bred  in  the  park  and  reared 
to  adolescence  with  perfect  wings.  We  tried 
to  colonize  them,  but  once  away  they  never  came 
back. 

In  an  enclosure  which  embraced  a pond  and 
an  island  inhabited  by  about  twenty  Gulls, 
twelve  Canada  geese,  and  a few  other  birds. 


Never  was  there  a more  bonnie  fighter  than 
that  male  bird.  During  that  whole  nesting- 
period,  lasting  from  April  1 to  May  15,  he  either 
bluffed  or  fought  to  a stand-still  everything 
that  came  within  ten  feet  of  that  nest.  Before 
his  defiant  and  terrifying  screams,  and  his 
threatening  beak  and  wings,  no  other  Gull 
could  stand  for  a moment.  When  a Canada 
goose  crossed  his  dead-line,  the  Gull  would  rush 
at  him,  seize  him  by  the  nearest  wing,  wing- 
beat  him,  and  hang  on  like  a bull-dog,  regard- 


298 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— LONG-WINGED  SWIMMERS 


less  of  being  dragged  about  by  the  stronger  bird, 
until  the  goose  was  glad  to  purchase  peace  by 
retreating.  During  all  these  battles,  the  female 
sat  firmly  on  her  eggs,  but  pointed  her  bill  at 
the  sky,  and  screamed  encouragement  with  all 
the  power  of  her  vocal  machinery.  Eventually 
the  three  eggs  were  hatched,  and  the  young  were 
reared  successfully. 

On  certain  islands  along  the  coast  of  Maine, 
where  Gulls  nest  in  considerable  numbers,  the 
Bird  Protection  Committee  of  the  American 
Ornithologists’  Union,  under  the  leadership  of 
Mr.  William  Dutcher,  has  done  important  and 
effective  work  in  securing  the  protection  of 
the  birds  by  the  owners  of  the  islands.  As  if  to 
reward  Mr.  Dutcher  for  his  labors  in  their  be- 
half, the  Gulls  permit  him  to  photograph  them 
on  their  nests,  at  very  short  range.  In  England, 
the  Zoological  Society  of  London  has  awarded 
its  medal  to  several  persons  for  noteworthy 
services  in  protecting  Gulls  from  destruction. 

The  Common  Tern,'  but  for  the  timely 
interference  of  the  Lacey  Law,  would  ere  now 
have  become  the  very  Uncommon  Tern.  The 
persons  who  for  years  slaughtered  birds  whole- 
sale and  without  check  for  “ millinery  purposes  ” 
would  have  exterminated  this  species,  at  least 
all  along  the  Atlantic  coast. 

In  an  evil  hour,  some  person  without  com- 
passion, and  with  no  more  taste  for  the  eternal 
fitness  of  things  than  a Texas  steer,  conceived 
the  idea  of  placing  stuffed  Terns  on  women’s 
hats,  as  “ornaments.”  Now,  unfortunately, 
woman’s  one  universal  weakness  lies  in  the 
belief  that  whatever  the  Fashion  Fetish  com- 
mands that  she  shall  wear,  that  is  necessarily 
a beautiful  thing  for  her  to  deck  herself  withal. 
As  a result,  we  have  seen  thousands  of  angular, 
dagger-beaked,  sharp-winged,  dirty-plumaged, 
rough-looking  and  distorted  Terns,  each  one  a 
feathered  Horror,  clamped  to  the  fronts  and 
sides  of  the  hats  of  women,  and  worn  as  head 
ornaments! 

Those  objects  spoke  very  poorly  for  their  wear- 
ers; for  since  the  daughters  of  Eve  first  began  to 
wear  things  on  their  heads,  the  Rumpled  Tern 
is  the  ugliest  thing  ever  devised  for  head-gear. 
Thus  has  been  developed  a new  bird  species, 
which  we  will  christen  as  above,  with  Sterna 
horrida  as  its  Latin  name.  Thanks  to  the 

‘ Ster'na  hi-run'do.  Average  length,  14.50  inches. 


Lacey  Law,  however,  the  wearing  of  stuffed 
birds  has,  with  fashionable  people,  ciuite  gone 
out  of  fashion,  and  the  only  exceptions  now 
seen  are  on  the  heads  of  servants,  who,  for  mo- 
tives of  economy,  are  wearing  the  cast-off  milli- 
nery of  their  mistresses. 

The  Tern  is  much 'smaller  than  the  herring- 
gull;  it  has  a very  short  neck,  ver^  long  and  an- 
gular wings,  and  when  on  the  ground  is  not  a 
bird  of  beautiful  form.  On  the  wing,  however, 
and  especially  over  the  breakers,  its  appearance 
is  graceful  and  pleasing.  It  is  a white  and  gray 
bird,  excepting  the  black  bonnet  which  covers 
the  upper  half  of  its  head  and  neck;  and  its  bill, 
feet,  and  legs  are  coral  red. 

Along  our  Atlantic  coast,  and  especially 
from  Nantucket  to  Hatteras,  it  was  once  a very 
familiar  bird,  and  its  escape  from  annihilation 
has  been  of  the  narrowest.  The  Lacey  Law, 
and  the  anti-bird-millinery  laws  passed  by  New 
York  and  other  states,  effectually  stopped  the 
sale  of  wild-birds  and  their  plumage  for  “mil- 
linery purposes,”  and  the  Terns  are  no  longer 
slaughtered  as  heretofore.  In  several  places 
where  they  breed  they  are  now  protected,  and 
henceforth  should  slowly  increase  in  number. 

There  are  now  but  few  localities  on  our  At- 
lantic coast  between  New  .Jersey  and  Nova 
Scotia  where  the  Common  Tern,  or  “Sea  Swal- 
low,” breeds.  Two  of  these  are  Muskeget  Island, 
northwest  of  Nantucket,  and  Gardiner’s  Island. 
The  once  numerous  colony  that  formerly  in- 
habited Gull  Island,  near  the  eastern  end  of 
Long  Island,  was  broken  up  and  driven  off  by  a 
“military  necessity,”  no  less  important  than  the 
building  of  a modern  fort  to  protect  the  City 
of  New  York.  By  a strange  coincidence,  it 
was  the  12-inch  guns  of  our  coast-defence  ar- 
tillery that  drove  these  much-persecuted  birds 
from  one  of  their  favorite  nesting-grounds. 

THE  SKIMMER  FAMILY. 

Rynchopidae. 

The  Black  Skimmer'^  is  a tern  in  form,  but 
without  the  spear-like  bill  of  the  latter  for 
spearing  fish.  Its  lower  mandible  is  formed 
for  use  as  a cut-water, — long,  thin,  rather 
broad,  and  flattened  vertically.  The  upper 
mandible  is  similarly  shaped,  but  is  shorter. 

* Ryn'chops  ni'gra.  Length,  about  16  inches. 


THE  COMMON  TERN 


299 


When  seeking  food,  the  Skimmer  looks  for 
calm  water,  and  then  with  most  dexterous  and 
well-balanced  flight,  it  slowly  wings  its  way 
close  down  to  the  surface,  so  low  that  the  lower 
mandible  is  actually  held  in  the  water  while  the 
bird  is  in  full  flight.  Any  small  edible  object 
that  happens  to  lie  on  the  surface  is  shot  into 
the  mouth,  through  what  is  really  a very  narrow 
opening. 

This  is  a bird  of  the  tropics,  and  is  much 
more  at  home  on  the  coast  of  British  Guiana, 
among  the  scarlet  ibises,  than  it  is  on  the  coast 
of  the  United  States  anywhere  north  of  Florida. 
I have  never  seen  it  elsewhere  than  in  South 
.\merica,  and  on  our  shores  it  is  a visitor  of 
great  rarity. 

THE  SKUA  AND  JAEGER  FAMILY. 

Stercorariidae. 

The  members  of  this  family  are  habitants  of 
the  cold  northern  seas  and  high  latitudes.  They 


are  strong-winged,  bold  and  hardy,  and  so 
frequently  rob  other  sea-birds  of  their  prey  that 
they  are  sometimes  called  the  hawks  of  the 
sea.  Living  examples  are  rarely  seen  save  by 
persons  who  are  voyaging  northward  above  the 
49th  parallel.  Of  the  four  species  inhabiting 
North  America,  the  following  is  the  one  most 
frequently  seen  in  the  United  States: 

The  Parasitic  JaegeU  is  quoted  geographi- 
cally in  the  Check-List  of  the  American  Ornithol- 
ogists’ Union  as  follows:  “Northern  part  of 
northern  hemisphere,  southward  in  winter  to 
South  Africa  and  South  America.  Breeds  in 
high  northern  districts,  and  winters  from  New 
York  and  California  southward  to  Brazil.”  A 
description  of  the  colors  of  this  bird  would  be  a 
formidable  affair,  for  both  adults  and  young 
birds  have  each  two  color-phases.  The  beak 
of  the  adult  is  strongly  hooked  at  the  end,  like 
that  of  a cormorant,  but  still  more  pronounced. 

' Ster-co-ra'ri-us  par-a-sit'i-cus.  Length,  about 
17  inches. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 


THE  ORDER  OF  WEAK-WINGED  DIVING-BIRDS 

PYGOPODES 


With  this  group,  the  Class  of  Birds  enters  upon  a very  marked  and  swift  decline  from  the  high 
types.  Another  step  beyond  this  Order,  and  we  land  among  birds  so  nearly  wingless  that  they  are 
without  the  power  of  flight.  The  birds  of  the  present  Order  have  wings  that  are  small  and  weak; 
and  while  they  are  able  to  fly,  and  also  to  migrate,  they  fly  feebly  in  comparison  with  the  cloud- 
cleaving goose,  duck,  gull  and  albatross.  Their  legs  are  set  far  back  on  their  bodies,  and  on  land 
they  have  no  choice  but  to  stand  erect — a posture  which  is  strikingly  characteristic  of  the  wing- 
less sea-birds,  generally. 

This  Order,  as  represented  in  North  America,  contains  but  three  Families: 

FAMILIES.  EXAMPLES. 

Grebes,  ....  pod-i-cip'i-dae,  Pied-Billed  Grebe. 

Loons, gav-pi-dae.  . Great  Northern  Diver. 

Auks  AND  Puffins,  al'CI-dae,  . . Razor-Billed  Auk;  Tufted  Puffin;  Murre. 


ORDER 

PYGOPODES. 


Of  these,  the  first  and  second  are  compara- 
tively well  known.  The  third  is  composed  of 
birds  that  are  strangers  to  the  great  majority 
of  us;  but  inasmuch  as  Alaska  is  constantly 
being  brought  nearer  to  us,  it  is  quite  necessary 
that  we  should  become  acquainted  with  its ' 
most  prominent  forms  of  bird-life. 

The  Pied-Billed  Grebe,  or  “Hell-Diver,” 
also  called  the  Carolina  Grebe,’  is  well  quali- 
fied to  stand  as  the  representative  of  the  Grebe 
Family,  which  in  North  America  contains  about 
six  species.  It  is  usually  seen  in  the  geographi- 
cal centre  of  a quiet  pond,  sharply  watching  in 
every  direction  for  enemies.  It  is  a sad  and 
uncomfortable-looking  little  creature,  destitute 
of  bright  and  pleasing  colors,  and  also  devoid  of 
beauty.  At  a distance,  the  hunter  is  thrilled 
by  the  sight  of  what  he  gladly  thinks  is  a duck; 
but  on  approaching  nearer  he  sighs  regretfully, 
and  admits  that  it  is  “only  a Grebe.”  If  he 
fires  at  it,  in  revenge  for  the  disappointment, 
the  bird  is  gone  before  the  charge  of  shot  is 
half  way  to  it,  and  only  an  innocent  ripple 
marks  its  disappearance. 

All  the  Grebes  are  expert  long-distance 


divers.  They  can  either  sink  straight  down,  or 
dart  down  head  first  in  a fraction  of  a second, 
and  remain  under  water  so  long  a time,  and 
wim  so  far  while  submerged,  that  it  is  very 
difficult  to  follow  their  movements.  Sometimes 
a Grebe  will  insinuate  only  its  bill  above  the 
surface,  in  order  to  breathe  without  exposing 
even  its  head  and  neck.  It  is  a waste  of  time, 
ammunition  and  self-respect  to  shoot  and 
actually  kill  one  of  these  birds;  for  they  are 
very  commonplace  and  useless. 

The  only  redeeming  feature  about  this  bird 
is  its  breast,  which  is  covered  with  a thick  mass 
of  very  persistent  feathers,  set  so  tightly  in 
a very  tough  skin  that  the  evil-eyed  milliners 
once  used  Grebes’  breasts  for  hat  trimmings. 

The  nesting  habits  of  the  Grebe  are  remarka- 
ble and  interesting.  Instead  of  choosing  a dry 
situation,  where  incubation  might  proceed  under 
the  best  possible  conditions,  it  frequently  chooses 
a clump  of  rushes  in  deep  water  and  builds  a 
floating  nest,  attached  to  the  rushes.  Some- 
times, however,  it  selects  a spot  where  the  water 
is  very  shallow,  and  builds  from  the  bottom  up, 
using  rushes  when  possible  to  procure  them. 
In  either  case,  the  sodden  mass  rises  only  two 
or  three  inches  above  high-water  mark,  and 


’ Pod-i-lym'bus  pod'i-ceps. 
inches. 


Average  length,  12 


30( 


THE  LOOX  FAMILY 


301 


how  the  eggs  ever  receive  warmth  sufficient  to 
hatch  them  is  a mystery. 

Occasionally  a clump  of  rushes  with  a floating 
nest  breaks  loose  from  its  moorings,  and  floats 
away.  Some  friends  of  mine  once  discovered 
a derelict  nest,  with  the  Grebe  sitting  serenely 
upon  it,  floating  about  in  Lake  Ontario,  whither 
it  had  evidently  been  borne  on  the  current  of 
Johnson’s  Creek.  Doubtless  it  is  a real  grief 
to  Grebes  that  they  cannot  hatch  their  eggs 
under  water! 


The  Pied-Billed  (irebe,  also  called  Dabchick, 
and  Diedipper,  is  a Pan-American  bird,  being 
found  throughout  North  and  South  America 
from  Cape  Horn  to  the  Mackenzie  River,  and 
from  the  .Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  Its  phenome- 
nally wide  range  includes  Cuba,  several  others 
of  the  larger  islands  of  the  West  Indies,  and  the 
Bermudas. 


Its  prevailing  color  is  brownish-gray,  with 
black  throat  and  chin.  Its  bill  is  dull  white, 
with  a broad,  perpendicular  band  of  black 
crossing  it  at  the  middle,  like  a rubber  band  to 
hold  the  mandibles  together.  In  size  this 
bird  is  about  as  small  as  a green-winged  teal, 

THE  LOON  FAMILY. 

Gaviidae. 

The  liOon,  or  Great  Northern  Diver, ^ is  a 
large,  showy,  black-and-white  bird,  of  such 


striking  per.sonality  that  when  once  well  seen  it 
is  not  easily  forgotten.  In  bulk  it  is  as  large  as 
an  ordinary  goose,  and  when  standing  erect,  on 
land,  its  height  is  about  2.5  inches.  Its  neck 
and  head  are  large  and  jet  black,  and  the  upper 
portion  of  the  former  is  encircled  by  a white 
collar  which  is  formed  of  uj)iight  lines  of  white 
1 Gav'i-a  irn'ber. 


COMMON'  MURRE.  THE  LOON. 


302 


OIIDEKS  OF  BIRDS— WEAK-WINGED  DIVERS 


dots.  The  breast  is  pure  white,  and  the  jet- 
black  back  is  marked  by  rows  of  rectangular 
white  dots,  or  broken  bars.  The  legs  join  the 
body  far  down,  near  the  tail,  and  when  the  bird 
takes  to  the  land,  it  rests  on  its  feet,  the  lowest 
joint  of  the  legs  (tarsi),  and  the  tail,  which  lies 
flat  upon  the  ground. 

Either  on  land  or  water,  this  Loon  is  a very 
showy  bird,  and  also  a bird  possessing  many  of 
the  mental  traits  which  when  combined  form 
what  we  call  “character.”  Usually  it  is  very 
wide-awake,  suspicious,  and  difficult  to  approach ; 
but  there  are  times  when  it  will  approach  danger 
as  if  bent  on  suicide.  Its  cry  is  loud  and  far- 
reaching.  Sometimes  it  is  like  a distressful 
howl,  and  again  it  resembles  wild,  uncultivated 
laughter.  It  is  an  expert  diver  and  fisher,  and 
in  summer  is  at  home  all  over  the  upper  two- 
thirds  of  North  America,  breeding  from  our 
northern  states  to  the  Arctic  Circle,  (luite  across 
the  continent.  In  winter  it  migrates  south- 
ward to  the  Gulf  and  the  Mexican  boundary. 

Its  eggs  are  two  in  number,  of  a dull  green 
color.  The  newly  hatched  birds  are  covered 
with  black  down,  and  in  travelling  the  mother- 
bird  often  swims  with  them  upon  her  back. 
The  Loon  rises  from  the  water  with  considerable 
effort,  and  flies  heavily,  but  in  migrating  its 
powers  of  flight  are  sufficient  to  carry  it  wher- 
ever it  wishes  to  go. 

In  the  Potomac  River,  and  along  the  Virginia 
coast,  this  bird  is  called  the  “War  Loon.” 

THE  CLIFF-DWELLERS  OF  THE  SEA. 

There  is  a Family  of  weak-winged  birds  whose 
members  are  all  fisher-folk,  and  live  high  up  on 
the  ledges  of  the  bold  and  precipitous  cliffs 
which  hem  in  the  northern  oceans.  They  are 
sociable  birds,  and  where  not  destroyed  by  man, 
live  in  great  companies  varying  from  hundreds 
to  thousands.  They  form,  as  a whole,  a great 
and  diverse  company,  divided  into  twenty-two 
well-defined  species.  Collectively,  they  are 
known  as  the  Auk  Family,  and  include  4 puffins, 
6 auklets,  or  little  auks,  5 murrelets,  3 guille- 
mots, 2 murres,  2 auks,  and  1 dovekie. 

Whenever  you  visit  Alaska,  or  the  arctic  re- 
gions, almost  anywhere  on  salt  water,  you  will 
be  surprised  by  the  abundance  of  the  birds  be- 
longing to  this  Family.  Wherever  rocky  cliffs 


rise  out  of  blue  water,  you  will  find  them  ten- 
anted by  these  interesting  creatures.  Doubt- 
less, also,  you  will  find  that  when  such  great 
gatherings  of  bird-life  are  to  be  studied  and  re- 
corded, one  good  camera  is  better  than  ten  guns. 

Like  the  Aztecs  who,  like  eagles,  built  high 
up  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock-cliffs  of  the  gloomy 
Canyon  de  Chelly,  to  be  inaccessible  to  the 
hostile  enemies  who  gave  no  quarter,  for  similar 
reasons  the  feathered  cliff-dwellers  of  the  sea 
build  in  similar  situations.  Dearest  of  all  spots 
to  the  nesting  sea-bird  is  a precipitous  islet  of 
rock  rising  out  of  the  sea,  wholly  inaccessible 
to  the  prowling  wolf,  fox,  and  wolverine,  and 
if  not  actually  inaccessible  to  man,  at  least  so 
very  difficult  that  he  looks  for  easier  conquests. 

But  let  it  not  be  understood  that  the  birds 
of  the  Auk  Family  confine  themselves  to  high 
cliffs  and  precipices.  On  the  contrary,  they 
congregate  in  thousands  on  rocky  ridges,  or  on 
the  tops  of  sandy  hills — called  dunes — at  the 
sea-shore,  where  their  nests  are  easily  accessible 
to  all  their  enemies.  Just  ,why  their  enormous 
colonies  do  not  attract  foxes  and  wolves  by 
hundreds,  we  cannot  imagine,  unless  it  be  for 
the  reason  that  the  general  abundance  of  ani- 
mal life  dulls  the  edge  of  appetite  and  enter- 
prise. 

To  any  one  interested  in  sea-birds,  of  which 
there  is  really  a great  variety,  a trip  to  Alaska 
is  replete  with  interest.  Within  a few  hours 
after  leaving  Seattle,  or,  let  us  say  at  Port 
Townsend,  the  bird-life  around  the  ship  fairly 
compels  attention.  A flock  of  gulls  fly  so  close 
to  the  rail  of  the  hurricane-deck  that  some  of 
them  might  be  caught  with  a dip-net.  Pigeon 
guillemots,  and  ducks  of  several  species  afloat 
on  the  cold  waters  of  the  Sound  ostentatiously 
swim  out  of  the  steamer’s  track.  On  the  ocean, 
it  will  be  strange  if  an  albatross  does  not  .sail 
out  of  space,  and  with  far-stretching  wings 
swoop  and  soar,  and  sail  after  you,  hour  after 
hour,  without  once  flapping  its  wings! 

In  Bering  Sea,  no  matter  where  you  land,  the 
chances  are  that  thousands  of  murres  and 
puffins  are  there  to  greet  you  with  noisy  cackle, 
and  spread  a cloud  of  wings  overhead  when  you 
disturb  them.  Really,  the  rookeries  of  Alaska — 
of  seals  as  well  as  birds — are  alone  sufficient  to 
repay  a trip  to  that  arctic  wonderland,  aside 
from  the  wonderful  scenery,  flora,  and  big 


THE  MURRES 


303 


game.  There  are  dozens  of  birds  there  which 
we  would  gladly  introduce  to  the  reader,  but 
owing  to  uncontrollable  limitations,  only  the 
most  interesting  examples  can  be  accorded 
space. 

Of  all  arctic  and  northern  sea-birds,  the 
California  Murre*  (pronounced  mur)  deserves 
to  be  mentioned  first,  for  the  reason  that  it  is 
and  ever  has  been  most  in  the  public  eye.  This 
is  really  a subspecies  of  the  Common  Murre^ 
of  the  North  Atlantic,  which  nests  on  Bird 
Rocks  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  some- 
times comes  as  far  south  as  Massachusetts. 
There  is  another  North  Atlantic  species,  called 
Brunnich’s  Murre,®  also  nesting  on  Bird  Rocks, 
which  occasionally  strays  down  to  Long  Island. 
Both  the  Atlantic  species  are  black  above,  and 
white  underneath. 

' The  California  Murre  is  the  bird  which  once 
nested  on  the  Farallone  Islands,  about  thirty- 
five  miles  west  of  Sah  Francisco,  in  countless 
thousands,  and  furnished  between  1880  and 
1890,  according  to  Mr.  W.  E.  Bryant,  from 
180,(XX)  to  228,000  eggs  per  annum  to  the  San 
Francisco  market.  Like  true  Americans,  the 
eggers  always  endeavored  to  make  “a  clean 
sweep,”  regardless  of  the  future  of  the  rookery, 
and  under  their  ministrations  the  Murres  rap- 
idly declined  in  number. 

Finally  an  appeal  was  made  to  the  United 
States  Light-House  Board.  The  admirable  rec- 
ord of  that  body  in  the  preservation  of  wild  life 
was  sustained  by  an  order  which  at  once  put 
a stop  to  all  egg-gathering  on  the  Farallones. 
It  has  already  been  noted  in  the  chapter  on 
seals  and  sea-lions  that  the  only  localities  on 
the  California  coast  where  sea-lions  are  now 
safe  from  annihilation  are  the  light-house  reser- 
vations, the  most  important  of  w'hich  are  the 
Farallones. 

The  following  vivid  pen-picture  of  the  Cali- 
fornia Murre  at  home,  on  Hall  Island,  Bering 
Sea,  .\laska,  is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  John  Bur- 
roughs (Harriman  Alaska  Expedition,  p.  109): 

“The  first  thing  that  attracted  our  attention 
was  the  Murres — ‘urries’  the  Aleuts  call  them — 
about  their  rookeries  on  the  cliffs.  Their  num- 
bers darkened  the  air.  As  we  approached, 
the  faces  of  the  rocks  seemed  paved  with  them, 

‘ U'ri-a  tro'i-le  californica.  ^ U . troile. 

® U.  lom'vi-a. 


with  a sprinkling  of  gulls,  puffins,  black  cor- 
morants and  auklets. 

“On  landing  at  a break  in  the  cliffs  where 
a little  creek  came  dowm  to  the  sea,  our  first 
impulse  was  to  walk  along  the  brink  and  look 
down  upon  the  Murres,  and  see  them  swarm 
out  beneath  our  feet.  On  the  discharge  of  a 
gun,  the  air  would  be  black  with  them,  while 
the  cliffs  apparently  remained  as  populous  as 
ever.  They  sat  on  little  shelves,  or  niches,  with 
their  black  backs  to  the  sea,  each  bird  covering 
one  egg  with  its  tail-feathers.  In  places  one 
could  have  reached  down  and  seized  them  by 
the  neck,  they  were  so  tame  and  so  near  the 
top  of  the  rocks.  I believe  one  of  our  party 
did  actually  thus  procure  a specimen.  It  w^as 
a strange  spectacle,  and  we  lingered  long  looking 
upon  it.  To  behold  sea-fowls  like  flies,  in  un- 
counted millions,  was  a new  experience. 

“ Everywhere  in  Bering  Sea  the  Murres  .swarm 
like  vermin.  It  seems  as  if  there  was  a Murre 
to  every  square  yard  of  surface.  They  were 
flying  about  over  the  ship,  or  flapping  over  the 
water  away  from  her  front  at  all  times.  I 
noticed  that  they  could  not  get  up  from  the 
water  except  against  the  wind;  the  wind  lifted 
them  as  it  does  a kite.  With  the  wind,  or  in 
a calm,  they  skimmed  along  on  the  surface, 
their  heads  bent  forward,  their  wings  beating 
the  water  impatiently.  Unable  to  rise,  they 
would  glance  behind  them  in  a frightened 
manner,  then  plunge  beneath  the  waves  until 
they  thought  the  danger  had  passed.  Their 
tails  are  so  short  that  in  flying  their  two  red 
feet  stretched  behind  them  to  do  the  duty  of  a 
tail.” 

Mrs.  Florence  Merriam  Bailey  says  that 
“When  incubating,  one  bird  stays  on  the  nest 
during  the  day,  and  the  other  during  the  night, 
and  w’hen  the  exchange  is  made  a great  com- 
motion ensues,  the  air  being  filled  with  quar- 
relling. screaming  masses  of  bird-life.”  (“  Hand- 
book,” p.  17.) 

In  its  breeding  plumage,  the  California 
Murre  has  a jet-black  head  and  neck,  the  back 
is  dull  black,  or  slate  color,  and  the  under  parts 
are  w'hite.  In  winter  the  sides  of  the  head  and 
throat  are  white.  The  range  of  the  species  is 
from  California  to  Hall  Island,  Bering  Sea. 

The  Puffins  are  the  clowns  of  the  bird-world. 
Without  exception,  they  are  the  drollest-looking 


304 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— WEAK-WINGED  DIVERS 


things  in  feathers.  The  countenance  of  a Puffin 
always  reminds  one  of  a face  in  a comical  mask, 
while  in  manner  they  are  so  solemn,  and  take 
life  so  seriously,  their  clown-likeness  is  all  the 
more  pronounced. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  of  a Puffin  is 
its  huge,  triangular  beak,  which  is  flattened 
out  into  two  high,  thin  plates,  set  edgewise 
against  the  head,  and  gorgeously  colored. 
After  the  breeding-season,  certain  plates  at 


2 

1.  COMMON  PUFFIN.  2.  TUFTED  PUFFIN. 

3.  RHINOCEROS  AUKLET. 


the  base  of  the  beak  are  shed.  The  bird  is 
about  the  size  of  a summer-duck.  Its  wings 
are  short,  and  very  scantily  feathered,  and  its 
tail  is  so  short  as  to  be  practically  invisible. 
In  flight  its  wings  look  very  much  like  the  wings 
of  a penguin  as  it  swims  with  them  under  water. 

In  many  respects  Puffins  arc  wise  birds,  and 
if  there  is  aught  in  the  survival  of  the  fittest, 
they  should  live  long  and  prosper.  They  have 
the  remarkable  habit  of  nesting  in  burrows, 
which  they  dig  deeply,  usually  about  three  feet, 
in  the  steep  sides  of  sandy  hills.  In  these  re- 
treats they  can  defend  themselves  against  ene- 


mies of  several  kinds.  In  the  defence  of  their 
homes  they  are  quite  courageous,  and  often  an 
angry  or  well-frightened  Puffin  will  seize  an 
offending  nose,  or  human  hand,  bite  it  severely, 
and  hang  on  like  a bull-dog.  In  places  where 
these  birds  nest  in  burrows,  sentinels  are  always 
posted  outside,  to  give  the  alarm  of  any  ap- 
proaching enemy. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  however,  that  Puffins 
do  not  always  nest  in  burrows,  but  frequently 
they  find  rock-ledges  so  rugged  and  broken  tli9,t 
they  can  find  good  nesting-sites  in  deep  and  nar- 
row crevices,  wherein  they  are  reasonably  safe 
from  molestation.  A Puffin  la}"S  but  one  egg, 
which  is  large  and  white,  and  placed  at  the  end 
of  its  burrow.  Of  course  all  these  birds  dive 
and  swim  well. 

The  Tufted  Pufflni  is  the  most  widely  dis- 
tributed member  of  this  genus,  being  found 
from  southern  California  all  the  way  up  the 
Pacific  coast  to  Alaska,  Bering  Strait,  Siberia 
and  on  down  to  Japan.  It  is  (or  at  least  was) 
abundantly  represented  on  the  Farallone  Islands 
from  April  to  July,  when  they  breed  there. 

This  species  is  instantly  distinguishable  by 
its  black  plumage,  its  big,  triangular  bill  col- 
ored bright  red  and  olive  green,  white  eye  and 
white  triangular  cheek -patch.  In  the  breeding- 
season,  a beautiful  flowing  tuft  of  soft,  yellow 
feathers,  thick  as  a lead-pencil,  comes  forth 
just  behind  the  eye,  and  flows  backward  and 
downward  in  a graceful  curve. 

On  the  Atlantic  side,  from  Maine  to  Green- 
land, and  also  from  Great  Britain  to  North 
Cape,  lives  the  Common  Puffin,^  or  “Sea 
Parrot.’’  Of  this  bird,  the  whole  side  of  the 
head,  and  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  white, 
the  remainder  of  the  plumage  being  deep  black. 
Wherever  found,  it  is  one  of  the  most  intere.sting 
birds  to  be  met  with  near  the  sea,  and  its  comical 
appearance,  queer  movements  and  fierce  tem- 
per when  disturbed  never  fail  to  amuse  the 
observer. 

The  Auks  and  Anklets  are  really  birds  of 
the  cold  northern  waters;  but  on  the  Pacific 
side  there  are  four  species  which  touch  the  coast 
of  the  United  States,  and  two  of  them  even 
push  their  way  down  to  Lower  California. 
These  birds  are  much  like  puffins  with  rational 

^ Lun'da  cir-ra'ta.  Length,  1.5  inches. 

2 Fra-ter'cu-la  arc'ti-ca.  Length,  13  inches. 


THE  PUFFINS  AND  AUKS 


305 


beaks,  and  I believe  all  existing  species  are  black 
above  and  white  below.  The  beaks  show  but 
little  tendency  to  the  sportive  flattening  so 
characteristic  of  the  puffins. 

These  birds  are  very  strong  divers,  and  get  a 
great  portion  of  their  food  from  the  bottom  of 
the  sea.  The  two  species  found  all  along  our 
Pacific  coast,  on  the  Farallone  Islands  and 
Santa  Catalina,  are  the  Rhinoceros  Auklet^  (14 
inches  long),  and  the  Cassia  Auklet,  the  former 
so  called  because  of  an  erect  horny  shield  at  the 
base  of  its  beak.  The  Least  Auklet'^  is  only  6^ 
inches  long — about  the  bulk  of  a small,  thinly 
feathered  screech-owl. 

The  Razor-Billed  Auk,®  of  the  North  At- 
lantic Ocean,  sometimes  wanders  in  summer 
to  the  coast  of  Maine,  and  in  wunter  even  mi- 
grates as  far  south  as  New  Jersey.  (Robert 
Ridgway.)  It  is  17  inches  long,  and  is  the 
largest  living  member  of  the  group  of  auks.  As 
might  be  expected,  it  is  a distinguished  resident 
of  the  Bird  Rocks. 

The  Great  Auk  is  now  a bird  of  history  and 
museums  only.  It  met  its  fate  on  Funk 
Island,  a treeless  dot  in  the  sea,  about  thirty 
miles  northwest  of  Newfoundland,  which  was 
the  first  land  met  with  as  the  Auks  swam  south- 

1 Cer-o-rhin'ca  mo-no-cer-a'ta. 

® Sim-o-rhyn'chus  pu-sil'lus. 

® Al'ca  tor' da. 


ward  on  their  annual  migrations.  The  wings  of 
this  bird  were  so  little  developed  that  it  w'as 
wholly  unable  to  fly,  and  while  on  land  it  was 
any  one’s  prey. 

The  thousands  of  Great  Auks  that  visited 
Funk  Island  naturally  attracted  men  who 
wished  to  turn  them  to  account.  Whalemen 
were  landed,  and  left  there  to  kill  Auks  and 
secure  their  feathers.  The  birds  w'ere  either 
driven  into  pens  and  slaughtered  there,  or  else 
the  pens  were  used  to  contain  their  dead  bodies. 
Apparently  great  numbers  of  the  bodies  were 
burned  for  fuel.  About  1844,  the  species  be- 
came entirely  extinct. 

When  Funk  Island  was  visited  by  Mr.  F.  A. 
Lucas  in  1887,  in  quest  of  Auk  remains,  he  found 
deposits  of  bones  several  feet  in  thickness, 
evidently  where  the  bodies  of  slaughtered 
birds  had  been  heaped  up,  and  left  to  decay. 
Out  of  these  deposits,  several  barrels  of  mixed 
bones  and  peaty  earth  w'ere  taken  which  yielded 
several  complete  skeletons  of  that  species. 

Had  the  Great  Auk  possessed  wings  for  flight, 
the  chances  are  that  it  would  not  have  fallen 
such  easy  prey  to  its  exterminators.  The 
moral  lesson  of  its  fate  is — in  these  days  of 
fire-arms  and  limitless  ammunition,  no  bird 
should  be  hatched  without  steel-plate  armor, 
strong  wings  for  flight,  and  swift  legs  for  run- 
ning away. 


EMPKHOU  PENGUIN . 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  FLIGHTLESS  DIVERS 

IMPENNES. 


Xo  matter  where  man  may  go,  on  land  or 
sea,  or  polar  ice-pack,  N^ature  holds  birds  in 
readiness  to  welcome  him. 

When  Peary  reached  the  point  of  land  that 
is  nearest  the  north  pole,  at  the  northeastern 
extremity  of  Greenland,  on  July  4,  1892,  he  found 
there  the  snow-bunting,  sand-piper,  raven, 
Greenland  falcon,  and  ptarmigan.  On  the  great 
arctic  ice-Hoe,  at  Lat.  82°  40',  Nansen  saw  the 
fulmar  {Procellaria  glacialis),  and  the  black 
guillemot,  and  a little  later  the  ivory  gull,  little 
auk,  and  Ross’s  gull.  When  the  steamer  Belgica 
penetrated  the  awful  solitudes  of  the  antarctic 
arcliipelago,  in  1898,  and  spent  there  the  “ First 
■\ntarctic  Night”*  ever  endured  by  man  in  that 
region.  Dr.  Frederick  A.  Cook  and  his  com- 
|)anions  found,  in  close  proximity  to  their  ice- 
bound ship,  flocks  of  large  and  very  strange 
birds.  They  had  an  opportunity  to  study  the 
wonderful  Emperor  Penguin**  in  its  haunts, 
such  as  never  before  had  been  secured  by 
naturalists. 

This  species  is  the  largest  of  the  wingless 
and  flightless  swimming-birds.  In  bulk  it  is 
about  the  size  of  our  great  white  pelican.  Its 
lieight  is  feet,  and  it  stands  as  erect  as  any 
soldier  on  parade.  In  its  erect  posture  its 
wings  seem  like  arms,  and  its  queer  manner 
of  talking,  scolding,  and  prying  into  man’s 
affairs,  makes  this  bird  seem  more  like  a feath- 
ered caricature  of  a big,  fat  human  being  than 
an  ordinary  diving-bird.  Its  head  is  black, 
its  abdomen  is  white,  and  its  legs  and  feet  are 
feathered  (piite  down  to  the  claws.  Tlie  wings 
are  covered  with  feathers  that  are  more  like 
fish-scales  than  feathers,  and  the  feathers  of 
the  back  also  are  very  close  and  scale-like. 

To  a naturalist  or  bird-lover,  the  sight  of 

* Dr.  Cook’s  valuable  narrative  of  the  exploration 
bears  this  title. 

- .yp-le-no-dij'tes  fos'ter-i. 


great  flocks  of  Emperor  Penguins,  and  of  the 
smaller  Pac)i  Penguins,  on  the  antarctic  ice- 
floes, must  be  sufficient  to  repay  the  explorer 
for  many  of  the  long,  dark  hours  of  the  voyage 
that  is  required  to  reach  their  haunts.  Says 
Dr.  Cook; 

“A  number  of  royal  and  small  penguins,  and 
some  seals,  were  led  by  curiosity  to  visit  us. 
They  called,  and  cried,  and  talked,  and  grunted 
as  they  walked  over  the  ice  about  the  ship.” 

I have  seen  and  heard  the  Black-Footed 
Penguin,®  of  South  Africa,  scold  and  complain 
>n  a most  human-like  manner.  On  land,  or  on 
an  ice-floe,  this  bird  is  so  awkward  and  helpless 
that  any  blood-thirsty  observer  can  walk  up 
and  kill  it  with  a stick.  Place  it  in  water, 
however,  and  what  a transformation!  Imme- 
diately it  will  give  an  exhibition  of  diving  which 
is  astonishing. 

In  an  instant,  a waddling,  slow-moving, 
almost  helpless  bird  is  transformed  into  a feath- 
ered seal.  With  its  feet  floating  straight  be- 
hind, and  of  no  use  save  in  steering,  it  points 
its  beak  and  head  straight  forward,  and  swims 
wholly  with  its  wings.  Those  flipper-like  mem- 
bers reach  forward  simultaneously,  work  in 
perfect  unison,  and  strike  the  water  like  living 
])addles — which  they  are.  The  quickness  and 
, dexterity  of  this  bird  in  chasing  and  capturing 
live  fishes,  swallowing  them  under  water,  and 
instantly  pursuing  others,  is  one  of  the  most 
wonderful  sights  in  bird-life.  The  bird  always 
dives  with  its  lungs  full  of  air,  and  during  the 
middle  of  its  period  under  water,  it  exhales. 
When  it  does  so,  bubbles  of  air  issue  from  each 
corner  of  the  mouth  and  float  upward  like  two 
strings  of  pearls. 

It  is  strange  that  the  feet  perform  very  little 
service  while  the  Penguin  is  diving;  but  such  is 


307 


® Sphe-nis'cus  de-mer'sus. 


308 


ORDEKS  OF  BIRDS— FLIGHTLESS  DIVERS 


the  fact.  Of  all  birds  that  love  water,  I think 
the  Penguin  loves  it  most.  It  will  lie  on  its 
side  at  the  surface,  and  in  sheer  playfulness 
and  excess  of  joy,  beat  the  water  with  its  upper- 
most wing,  wriggle  about,  then  turn  over  and 
splash  with  the  other. 

In  the  sea,  a flock  of  Penguins  is  readily 
mistaken  for  a school  of  dolphins,  because  they 
dive  so  persistently,  in  order  to  swim  with  their 
wings,  and  thus  get  on  in  the  world  very  much 


faster  than  if  they  sat  up  and  paddled  with 
their  feet. 

There  are  about  twenty  species  of  Penguins, 
of  which  the  Emperor  is  the  largest,  and  the 
King  Penguin  second.  All  are  found  in  the 
southern  hemisphere.  The  largest  Emperor 
Penguin  ever  weighed  and  recorded,  weighed 
78  pounds!  Needless  to  say,  these  birds  live 
almost  wholly  upon  fish,  in  the  capture  of  which 
they  are  the  most  expert  of  all  birds. 


r 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 


THE  ORDER  OF  WINGLESS  LAND-BIRDS 


RATITAE 


Lowest  of  the  Orders  of  living  birds  is  that 
which  contains  the  birds  which  are  so  nearly 
wingless  that  they  are  wholly  unable  to  dy, 
but  are  provided  with  long  and  powerful  legs, 
which  enable  them  to  run  swift- 
ly. Of  these,  there  are  a larger 
number  of  species  than  might 
be  supposed,  but  our  purpose  re- 
quires here  only  the  briefest  in- 
troduction of  a few  important 
forms.  The  majority  of  the  birds 
of  this  group  are  birds  of  great 
size,  and  their  legs  are  so  long 
and  powerful  they  are  able  to 
kick  or  strike  quite  dangerously. 

These  are  the  ostriches,  rheas, 
cassowaries,  and  emeus. 

The  African  Ostrich*  is  the 
largest  living  bird,  and  in  every 
respect  it  is  a worthy  descend- 
ant of  the  still  more  gigantic 
but  now  extinct  moa  of  New 
Zealand.  Our  full-grown  male 
Ostrich  stands,  when  fully  erect, 
exactly  8 feet  in  height  to  the 
top  of  its  head,  and  weighs  about 
27o  pounds.  The  manager  of  the 
Florida  Ostrich  Farm  at  Jack- 
sonville states  that  the  average 
weight  of  adult  .\frican  Ostriches 
is  about  300  pounds. 

Once  abundant  in  nearly  all 
the  dry  and  open  country  of 
.\frica,  except  the  Sahara  and  Lib- 
yan deserts,  this  noble  bird  has 
shared  the  fate  of  the  elephant,  rhinoceros,  buf- 
falo and  giraffe.  To-day  it  is  to  be  found  but 
sparingly,  and  only  in  those  regions  of  southern 
and  eastern  .\frica  wherein  it  has  been  impossi- 
ble for  man  to  exterminate  it.  The  value  in 
.\merica  of  a full-grown  .\frican  Ostrich  is  $250. 

* Slru'thi-o  cam'e-lus. 


Fortunately  the  Ostrich  farms  of  South 
Africa  and  southern  California  have  proven 
completely  successful,  and  bid  fair  to  perpetuate 
this  grandest  of  all  feathered  creatures  long 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 

CERAM  CASSaW.-VRY. 

after  the  last  wild  flock  has  been  destroyed. 
If  many  Ostriches  still  remain  in  the  Egyptian 
Soudan,  the  stringent  game-laws  recently  enacted 
to  protect  the  wild  life  of  that  region  will  go 
far  toward  perpetuating  them. 

The  Rhea,  or  South  American  Ostrich,^ 
2 Rhe'a  americana. 


309 


310 


ORDERS  OF  BIRDS— WINGLESS  LAND-BIRDS 


is  a bird  which  is  so  constantly  overshadowed 
by  the  larger  and  more  showy  African  ostrich 
that  it  is  not  appreciated  at  its  true  zoological 
value.  In  height  it  stands  about  5 feet,  its  bulk 
is  only  about  one-half  as  great  as  that  of  the 
African  ostrich,  and  its  plumage  has  much 
less  value.  Nevertheless,  the  adult  bird,  in 
full  plumage,  is  a fine  creature,  of  a beautiful 
bluish-gray  or  drab  color,  and  when  it  opens 
its  wings  they  seem  surprisingly  long.  A fine, 
male  Rhea  “showing  off”  its  plumage  is  an 
object  which  always  commands  admiration. 

This  bird  inhabits  Patagonia,  the  Argentine 
Republic,  and  the  more  remote  plains  of  Uru- 
guay and  Paraguay.  Frequently,  half-grown 
birds  find  their  way  into  the  wild-animal  mar- 
kets so  easily  that  they  sell  at  from  $40  to  $50 
each. 

The  EmeW  stands  half  way,  literally,  be- 
tween the  ostrich  and  cassowary,  being  con- 
siderably larger  than  the  latter.  Its  neck  and 
head  are  ostrich-like,  but  in  the  shape  of  its 
body  it  is  more  like  the  cassowary.  Like  the 
latter,  its  feathers  seem  like  long,  coarse  hair, 
of  a gray-brown  color.  The  lower  outline  of 
an  Emeu’s  body  is  almost  a straight  line,  with 
the  legs  in  the  centre,  and  the  highest  point  of 
the  back  curve  comes  directly  above  the  inser- 
tion of  the  legs.  Thus  the  Emeu  appears  to 
be,  and  is,  a very  well-balanced  bird.  Its  home 
is  the  upland  plains  of  Australia,  so  far  back 
in  the  interior  that  it  is  now  found  only  with 
great  difficulty. 

Like  the  cassowary,  the  Emeu  is  easily 
kept  in  captivity,  and  is  not  expensive  to  buy. 
In  Woburn  Park,  England,  owned  by  the  Duke 
of  Bedford,  troops  of  these  birds  stalk  freely  over 
the  vast  green  lawn;  and  surely  no  birds  could 
be  more  striking,  or  picturesque  in  such  situa- 
tions. Strange  to  say,  a fully  grown  Emeu 
can  be  bought  in  New  York  for  $125. 

1 Dro'mae-us  no-vae-hol'land-ae. 


The  Ceram  Cassowary-  is  a big,  purplish- 
black  bird,  with  highly-colored  patches  of 
naked  skin  on  its  upper  neck,  and  an  elevated 
helmet  or  casque  on  the  base  of  its  upper 
mandible.  Its  feathers  look  like  coarse  and 
stiff  hair  from  three  to  six  inches  in  length,  and 
its  legs  and  feet  are  very  thick  and  heavy  for 
its  stature.  The  height  of  a Cassowary  is  about 
5 feet. 

Cassowaries  are  forest-loving  birds.  They 
inhabit  Australia,  Ceram,  and  other  islands 
of  the  Malay  Archipelago.  Because  they  take 
kindly  to  captivity,  they  are  frequently  seen 
in  zoological  parks  and  gardens,  and  travelling 
shows. 

The  Apteryx,  or  Kiwi,®  of  New  Zealand  is 
the  lowest  species  in  the  scale  of  living  birds. 
It  is  absolutely  without  wings,  and  it  lives 
upon  the  ground  in  dark  forests,  where  it  can 
hide.  Unfortunately,  it  has  no  means  of  de- 
fence, and  is  too  small  to  escape  from  a dan- 
gerous enemy  by  running  away.  It  is  about  the 
size  of  a Cochin-China  hen,  covered  with  long, 
stringy,  hair-like  feathers  of  a dark-brown  color, 
and  it  has  a long,  curved  beak  like  that  of  an 
ibis,  for  probing  in  the  earth.  Undoubtedly, 
the  civilized  development  of  New  Zealand  will 
cause  the  total  extinction  of  this  very  shy  but 
interesting  species  at  no  distant  day. 

In  captivity  in  a zoological  garden  it  is  as 
shy  and  retiring  as  a beaver.  In  order  to  keep 
it  from  fretting  itself  to  death,  it  is  necessary 
to  place  in  a corner  of  its  cage  a sheaf  of 
straw,  or  a bundle  of  leafy  branches,  behind 
which  it  can  retreat  from  observation,  and  lie 
concealed. 

Outside  of  its  New  Zealand  home,  this  bird  is 
rarely  seen  in  captivity,  which  is  to  be  regret- 
ted, because  it  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
forms  of  the  whole  avian  world. 

2 Cas-u-a'ri-us  gal-e-a'ia. 

® Ap'-te-ryx  aus-lral'is. 


BOOK  III 


REPTILES 


"Y-n 


CHAPTER  XXXV 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CLASS  OF  REPTILES 


The  Point  of  View. — In  studying  or  not 
studying  the  world  of  reptiles,  everything  de- 
pends upon  the  point  of  view.  With  persons  in 
middle  life,  who  hold  up  their  hands  and  shudder 
at  the  mention  of  the  word  “reptile,”  there  is 
nothing  to  be  done.  They  are  victims  of  an  un- 
reasoning prejudice  that  often  is  deliberately 
taught  to  young  people,  both  by  precept  and  ex- 
ample, until  at  last  it  becomes  bone  of  their  bone 
and  flesh  of  their  flesh.  Human  children  are  not 
born  with  the  inherited  fear  of  reptiles  which  is  so 
characteristic  of  the  apes  and  monkeys  of  the 
jungles;  and  it  is  not  fair  to  terrorize  their  inno- 
cent souls  \\nth  awful  “snake  stories,”  any  more 
than  with  the  “ghost  stories”  which  most  care- 
ful parents  forbid. 

With  young  people  whose  minds  have  not  been 
artificially  warped  by  older  persons  who  abhor 
all  reptilian  life,  much  may  be  done. 

Now,  come!  Let  us  reason  together. 

Despite  electricity  and  steam,  this  world  is 
yet  a fairly  large  place.  That  it  has  existed 
through  countless  ages,  and  that  its  animal  life 
has  gone  through  many  marvellous  transforma- 
tions, no  one  can  deny,  without  being  put  to 
shame  by  the  silent  and  immutable  testimony 
of  the  rocks.  This  world,  the  animals  now  liv- 
ing upon  it,  and  those  lying  within  it,  entombed 
by  Nature’s  hand,  have  been  millions  of  years 
I in  forming.  If  you  doubt  it,  go  into  an  Arizona 
I canyon,  half  a mile  in  depth,  and  at  the  bottom 
of  a mountain-wall  of  rock,  dig  out  the  remains 
of  a fossil,  then  ask  yourself  this  ([uestion : “ How 
long  has  it  taken  Nature  to  pile  half  a mile  of 
solid  rock  upon  the  grave  of  this  creature,  and 
then  cut  down  to  it  again  ? ” 

In  the  evolution  of  the  birds  of  to-day,  the 
reptiles  of  the  past  have  played  an  important 
part ; and  the  study  of  the  Class  Reptilia  is  very 
much  worth  while,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  to 
learn  the  nearness  of  the  relationships  between 
its  members  and  the  birds. 


Remember,  first  of  all,  that  the  reptiles  of  to- 
day are  actually  insignificant  in  comparison 
with  those  which  existed  ages  ago,  the  bones  of 
which  are  now  fast  coming  to  light.  A twenty- 
four-foot  python  or  anaconda  of  to-day,  lying 
beside  a sixty-foot  dinosaur,  with  a hind  leg  ten 
feet  high,  would  be  like  a garter-snake  beside  a 
kangaroo. 

In  this  day  of  liberal  thought  and  broad  rea- 
soning, any  person  whose  knowledge  of  the  world 
of  reptiles  is  limited  to  the  false  notion  that  all 
these  creatures  are  either  “slimy”  or  dangerous, 
is  to  be  pitied.  A persistence  in  that  all-too- 
common  estimate  is  a distinct  loss  to  all  those 
who  entertain  it.  It  means  the  shutting  out, 
with  the  black  curtain  of  Ignorance,  of  a whole 
world  of  interesting  forms  and  useful  facts,  and 
also  a lifetime  of  cringing  fear,  largely  without 
cause. 

Young  Americans,  I exhort  you  to  take  a broad 
and  sensible  view  of  the  reptilian  world, — as  of 
every  other  great  subject.  Many  of  these  creat- 
ures are  worth  knowing,  some  because  they  are 
wonderfully  interesting,  some  because  they  are 
useful,  and  others  because  they  are  dangerous. 
None  of  them,  however,  are  “slimy”!  A snake 
may  be  cold  to  the  touch,  but  its  skin  is  as  clean 
and  free  from  slime  as  a w’atch-chain.  What  is 
more,  there  is  no  living  creature,  not  even  a 
dolphin,  dripping  from  the  sea,  which  possesses 
a skin  displaying  the  beautiful  pattern  of  colors 
and  the  rainbow  iridescence  of  the  reticulated 
python,  of  the  East  Indies.  In  reality  there  are 
a great  number  of  reptiles  that  are  undeniably 
beautiful. 

I would  it  were  possible  to  touch  upon  all  the 
Orders  of  Reptiles,  extinct  as  well  as  living,  and 
introduce  some  of  the  gigantic  and  wonderful 
lizards  that  were  like  kangaroos,  rhinoceroses, 
and  sea-lions,  and  also  like  nothing  else  under 
the  sun;  but  in  this  volume  it  is  impossible. 
There  is  space  available  only  for  the  four  Orders 


313 


314: 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— INTRODUCTION 


of  living  Reptiles;  the  seven  that  are  extinct  can 
be  studied  elsewhere  by  those  who  become  spe- 
cially interested  in  this  subject. 

The  Grand  Divisions  of  Living  Reptiles. — 
There  are,  all  told,  eleven  Orders  of  the 
Class  Rcptilia;  but  seven  of  them  are  extinct, 
and  for  the  present  these  will  be  left  out  of 
consideration.  The  four  Orders  of  living  rep- 
tiles are  made  up  as  shown  in  the  following 
synopsis; 


wide  range  of  variation,  beginning  with  the 
clumsy-flippered  harp-turtle,  passing  the  gila 
monster,  the  swift-footed  monitor,  the  kangaroo- 
like collared  lizard  (of  Arizona),  the -gliding  ser- 
pents, and  ending  with  the  flying  dragon. 

In  their  food  habits,  the  range  of  the  world’s 
reptiles  is  infinitely  great,  embracing  fruit,  vege- 
tables, herbage,  and  all  forms  of  flesh,  living  and 
dead.  Oddly  enough,  however,  no  modern  rep- 
tile has  been  provided  with  molar  teeth  for  the 


THE  ORDERS  OF  LIVING  REPTILES. 


ORDER. 

Crocodilia 

Chelonia.. 

Lacertilia 

Ophidia..  . 


PRONUNCI.^TIOX.  GROUPS  INCLUDED. 


EX.\MPLES. 


Croc-o-dil'i-a 


Ke-lo'ni-a 


La-ser-til'i-a 


0-fid'i-a. 


Gavials,  Crocodiles,  Alligators. . . .Florida  Crocodile,  Alligator. 


( Tortoises,  Terrapins  and  Sea- 
( Turtles. 

. .Iguanas,  Slow -Worms,  Skinks  . 

j Colubrine  Snakes,  Rattlesnakes, 
( Harlequin  Snakes. 


I Box  Tortoise,  Painted  Ter- 
i rapin,  Hawksbill  Turtle. 

( Marine  Iguana,  Glass  “ Snake,” 
( Blue-Tailed  Lizard. 

I Anaconda,  Timber  Rattle- 
j snake.  Coral  Snake. 


General  Characters  of  Reptiles. — Chiefly 
through  certain  extinct  species,  the  reptiles  lead 
so  directly  into  the  birds  that  the  two  Classes 
overlap  each  other. 

In  the  Berlin  Museum  are  the  well-preserved 
fossil  remains  of  a bird  called  the  Ar-chae-op'ter- 
yx,  which  had  a long,  lizard-like  tail  fully  cov- 
ered with  feathers,  and  lizard-like  teeth  in  its 
beak.  In  1873,  Professor  Marsh  discovered  in 
the  chalk-beds  of  western  Kansas,  a low-formed, 
penguin-like  bird,  called  the  Hes-per-or'nis,  also 
provided  with  teeth. 

All  reptiles  are  cold-blooded  animals,  and 
breathe  air  by  means  of  lungs.  Because  of  the 
low  temperature  of  their  blood,  and  their  slow 
heart-action,  many  of  them  are  able  to  remain 
under  water  for  quite  lengthy  periods — of  min- 
utes, not  hours.  Some  turtles  and  terrapins 
become  so  thoroughly  dormant  at  the  approach 
of  winter  that  the  vital  organs  actually  suspend 
their  functions,  for  a period  of  from  one  to  three 
months.  It  is  then  that  these  creatures  bury 
themselves  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  ponds, 
and  so  pass  the  winter  months. 

The  majority  of  reptiles  are  covered  with  scales, 
or  armor  of  solid  bone,  and  are  provided  either 
with  teeth  for  conflict  and  offence,  or  with  armor 
for  defence.  Their  means  of  locomotion  show  a 


mastication  of  food.  The  saurians,  lizards  and 
serpents  have  teeth  for  seizing  and  holding  their 
living  prey.  The  turtles,  however,  are  (juite 
toothless,  and  in  place  of  teeth  their  horny  jaws 
have  sharp,  cutting  edges  for  clipping  up  their 
food  into  pieces  small  enough  to  be  swallowed 
without  mastication. 

The  teeth  of  serpents  and  crocodilians  gen- 
erally are  perpetually  renewed,  as  fast  as  old 
teeth  are  worn  out,  and  disappear.  By  reason 
of  this,  the  lives  of  these  reptiles  are  indefinitely 
prolonged,  and  it  is  believed  that  some  of  them 
continue  to  grow  almost  as  long  as  they  live. 

The  great  majority  of  reptiles  reproduce  by 
laying  eggs,  which  are  hatched  either  by  the  heat 
of  the  sun,  or  by  the  fermentation  of  muck- 
heaps.  Many  cpecies  of  serpents  hatch  their 
eggs  in  their  own  bodies,  and  bring  forth  their 
young  alive.  Such  species  are  called  vivip'arous. 
Those  which  lay  eggs  are  called  o'viparous. 

Some  reptiles,  notably  the  crocodiles  and 
tortoises,  continue  to  grow  almost  as  long  as  they 
live.  Doubtless  this  is  also  true  of  some  large 
species  of  serpents,  such  as  the  great  constrictors 
of  India  and  South  America. 

Distribution.— Reptiles  reach  their  maximum 
development  in  the  tropics,  and  the  subtropics, 
between  the  isothermals  of  32°  F.  North  and 


INTEODUCTION  TO  THE  CLASS  OF  EEPTILES 


315 


south  of  that  zone,  reptilian  life  still  is  abun- 
dantly represented,  but  chiefly  by  small  species. 
The  largest  land-serpents  are  found  in  the  low- 
lying,  moist  and  hot  forests  of  the  equatorial 
regions;  but  crocodilians  of  the  largest  size  are 
found  several  hundred  miles  from  the  equator, 
both  north  and  south.  The  largest  tortoises  live 
directly  on  the  equator. 

Poisonous  Species. — Among  our  reptiles  only 
one  lizard  and  a few  species  of  serpents  are  ven- 
omous,— an  exceedingly  small  proportion  of  the 
whole  number.  Indeed,  so  few  in  number  are 
the  dangerous  species  of  North  America,  it  is 
an  easy  matter  for  any  intelligent  person  to 
learn  to  recognize  all  of  them  at  sight.  In  a few 
hours  of  diligent  and  conscientious  study,  aided 
by  a text-book  that  has  been  properly  designed, 
any  clear-headed  person  over  fourteen  years  of 
age  can  learn  to  determine  almost  at  a glance 
whether  any  fully  grown  serpent  of  North  Ameri- 
ca is  poisonous  or  harmless.  This  is  possible 
from  the  fact  that  more  than  half  of  the  venom- 
ous species  possess  rattles,  and  those  which  have 
not  are  few  in  number. 


Useful  Species. — Many  reptiles  are  of  de- 
cided value  to  mankind,  by  reason  of  the  rats, 
mice  and  other  destructive  vermin  which  they 
destroy.  Others  diligently  devour  insects.  Quite 
a number  furnish  useful  food,  and  some  yield 
skins  and  other  commercial  products  of  much 
value. 

Lack  of  General  Knowledge  Regarding 
Reptiles. — While  birds  have  been  well  taken 
care  of  in  books,  museums,  zoological  gardens  and 
lectures,  and  mammals  are  now  coming  in  for  a 
small  proportion  of  the  attention  they  deserve, 
the  reptiles  have  been  greatly  neglected.  Very 
few  zoological  institutions  contain  collections  of 
reptiles  worthy  of  the  name,  and  the  books  on 
this  Class  are  mostly  to  be  written.  As  a result 
of  this  well-nigh  universal  lack  of  opportunity 
for  study,  the  great  majority  of  persons  possess 
very  little  precise  and  clear  information  regard- 
ing these  creatures.  The  following  chapters  are 
offered  merely  as  a foundation  on  which  to  build 
an  acquaintance  with  a world  of  living  creatures 
concerning  which  we  are  assured  that  a large 
number  of  persons  sincerely  desire  information. 


E.  F.  Keller,  Photo. 


N.  Y.  Zoological  Park. 


MISSISSIPPI  ALLIGATOR,  OLD  MOSE. 


Captured  in  Indian  River,  Florida.  Length,  12  feet  5 inches, 


OKDKK  CKOCODILIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 


THE  ORDER  OF  CROCODILES  AND  ALLIGATORS 

CKOCODILIA 


The  warm  regions  of  the  world  contain  nineteen  species  of  big,  burly,  bony-armored  reptiles, 
with  long  tails,  powerful  jaws,  and  tempers  as  ugly  as  their  own  rough  backs.  These  creatures  are 
known  collectively  as  Croc-o-dil'i-ans,  and  two  Families  embrace  all  the  gavials,  crocodiles,  alligators 
and  caimans  of  both  the  Old  World  and  the  New. 

So  pointed  is  the  need  for  a clear  bird’s-eye  view  of  this  important  group  of  large  reptiles,  it  is  nec- 
essary to  set  forth  a synopsis  of  the  entire  Order.  The  species  will  be  arranged  in  a regular  series 
according  to  the  width  of  their  heads,  beginning  with  the  narrowest. 

A SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  CROCODILIANS. 


The  measurements  given  are  believed  to  represent  the  maximum  size  attained  by  each  species. 

F.\MILY.  GENUS.  ' SPECIES.  COMMON  NAME.  LOCALITY. 


G.wi.al 
F.amily  : 


^ Gav-i-al'is gan-get'i-cus | Gavial,  17  | j^opthern  India. 


1 


T o-mis'to-ma. 


, . , , . ^ Bornean  Gavial, skull  I Borneo  and  Suma- 

.scme  gei-i ^ ^ ^ inches. . . . i ‘ra. 


j Sharp-Nosed  African  } ^ ... 

■1  Crocodile ^w.Ainca. 

i Orinoco  Crocodile,  12  ) 

■ I feet s 

^ Johns' ton-i Australian  Crocodile  . . .Australia. 

' Cuban  Crocodile,  7 ( ^.^^a  only, 
feet i 


cat-a-phrac'tus. 
in-ter-me' di-US 


I rhom'bi-fer 


^ / ,,  j American  Crocodile,  I Central  and  South 

i^roc-o-ai  lus \ a-cuius feet  ( America. 


I n ■ u / ' Florida  Crocodile,  14  ) 

\a-  flor-i-dan  us ^ g [ Florida. 

nil-ot'i-CUS Nile  Crocodile Africa  generally. 

1 Salt  - Water  Croco- 


I Crocodile 
Family: 


Vo-rosus ) dile,  IGfeet.. 

^pa-lus'tris Mugger,  12  feet. 


Malayana. 


India. 


I/O  ^ 1 ,,  I ■ ' Broad-Nosed  African  / Equatorial 

\Os-te-o-lae  mus te-tras'pis Crocodile,  6 feet. . i w.  Africa. 


\ Rough- Backed  Cai- 


. Upper  Amazon. 


tri-go-na'tus ^ man,  6 feet ^ 

pal-pe-bro'sus Banded  Caiman South  America. 

Cai'man j sole' r ops Spectacled  Caiman  . j ^^America.*^  South 

1 Black  Caiman,  20  / „ . „ 

feet  (Bates)...... 

1 Broad  - Nosed  Cai-  ) Amazon  to  Rio  de 
• • ■ ) man ( la  Plata. 

f Chinese  Alligator,  6 
’ ’ ’ ’ J feet 

miss-is-sip-pi-en'sis.  I Common  Alligator,  f united  States. 

1^  16  feet. 

317 


I ni  ger 

lat-i-ros'tris 
si-nen'sis. . . 


Al'li-ga-tor. 


China. 


318 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— CROCODILES  AND  ALLIGATORS 


General  Characters  of  Crocodilians. — A 

crocodilian  is  a lizard-like  reptile,  of  very  large 
size,  with  short,  thick  legs,  a long  tail,  and  the 
most  highly  developed  vascular  system  to  be 
found  among  reptiles.  Its  back  and  neck  are 
protected  by  powerful  armor  consisting  of  rough, 
lozenge-shaped  plates  of  solid  bone  set  in  a very 
thick  and  tough  skin,  and  arranged  in  rows,  both 
lengthwise  and  crosswise. 

Both  the  tail  and  the  abdomen  and  throat  are 
covered  by  a regular  arrangement  of  tough  scales. 
The  whole  animal  is  covered  by  a thin,  trans- 
parent epidermis  which  is  impervious  to  water. 
The  tail  is  long,  flattened  vertically,  and  fringed 


The  eyelids  are  movable,  and  the  ear  opening 
closes  tightly,  by  a flap  of  skin  controlled  by 
voluntary  muscles. 

Most  saurians  are  voiceless  or  nearly  so;  but 
the  alligator  emits  a very  deep  bellow,  or  roar, 
which  in  animals  over  ten  feet  in  length  is  much 
lower  on  the  scale  than  any  fog-horn. 

. “The  difference  between  a crocodile  and  an 
alligator”  (a  question  that  has  been  asked  a 
countless  number  of  times)  consists  chiefly  in 
the  shape  of  the  head,  and  the  manner  in  which 
the  teeth  are  placed  in  the  lower  jaw.  The  typi- 
cal crocodile  has  a narrow,  triangular  head,  ter- 
minating in  a rounded  point.  The  head  of  an 


1.  GAVIAL. 


2.  ORINOCO 
CROCODILE. 


3.  FLORIDA 
CROCODILE. 


4.  INDIAN  5.  MISSISSIPPI 

CROCODILE.  ALLIGATOR. 


along  the  top  with  a row  of  lofty,  saw-toothed 
scales  of  great  use  in  swimming. 

The  head  is  a mass  of  well-nigh  solid  bone, 
overlaid  by  the  same  thin  layer  of  scaly  epi- 
dermis which  covers  the  body,  of  the  thinness 
of  writing-paper.  The  nostrils  are  placed  far 
forward,  near  the  end  of  the  snout.  The  jaws 
possess  great  strength,  and  are  armed  with  rows 
of  sharp-pointed,  conical  teeth  which  are  shed 
when  worn  out,  and  renewed. 

The  tongue  is  not  free,  but  is  firmly  attached 
to  the  bottom  of  the  mouth.  Its  color  never  is 
red,  but  usually  is  yellowish-white,  and  some- 
times pinkish.  The  iris  of  the  eye  is  dark 
green,  and  the  pupil  is  very  narrow,  and  vertical. 


alligator  is  broad,  with  almost  parallel  sides,  and 
at  the  end  it  is  broadly  rounded  off.  The  canine 
tooth  in  the  lower  jaw  of  a crocodile  fits  on  the 
outside  of  the  upper  jaw,  in  a notch  close  behind 
the  nostrils;  whereas  in  the  alligator,  the  same 
tooth  fits  into  a pit  in  the  upper  jaw.  just  inside 
the  line  of  the  upper  teeth. 

The  heads  of  living  crocodilians  show  wide 
but  progressive  variations  in  breadth,  as  the  an- 
nexed series  of  figures  reveal.  The  gavial,  of 
the  Ganges  and  .Jumna,  in  northern  India,  has  a 
snout  like  the  handle  of  a saucepan,  set  with 
four  rows  of  long  and  very  sharp  teeth.  After 
the  gavial  of  Borneo,  its  nearest  relative  is  the 
Orinoco  crocodile.  At  intervals  come  in  the 


THE  CROCODILE  FAMILY 


319 


Florida  crocodile,  the  mugger  of  India,  followed 
by  the  broad-headed  West  African  crocodile, 
and  ending  with  the  alligator,  widest  of  all. 

THE  CROCODILE  FAMILY. 

Crocodilidae. 

Erroneous  Impressions  Corrected. — Re- 
garding these  reptiles,  a number  of  the  erroneous 
impressions  which  are  now  prevailing  should  be 
corrected.  Some  of  them  are  as  follows: 

The  true  crocodiles  are  not  confined  to  the  Old 
World,  four  species  being  found  in  America. 

Alligators  are  not  wholly  confined  to  America; 
for  a small  species  exists  in  China. 

The  “ movement  ” of  a crocodile’s  jaws  differs 
in  no  manner  whatever  from  that  of  an  alligator. 

Only  a very  few  species  of  crocodilians  are 
dangerous  to  man. 

So  far  as  the  author  is  aware,  there  is  no  au- 
thentic record  of  the  loss  of  a human  life  by  our 
common  alligator. 

.All  crocodilians  swim  wdth  their  tails,  not  their 
feet. 

The  skin  of  a large  crocodilian  is  by  no  means 
impervious  to  rifle  bullets.  A bullet  sometimes 
strikes  a bony  plate  and  glances  off  ; but  a 
proper  bullet,  properly  placed,  will  penetrate 
the  skin  or  armor  of  the  largest  alligator  or  croco- 
dile, at  any  point. 

The  author  believes  that  no  crocodile  or  alli- 
gator of  to-day  exceeds  20  feet  in  length,  by  actual 
measurement;  and  one  of  that  length  is  one  out 
of  ten  thousand. 

Food. — Crocodilians  are  not  epicures,  and 
some  species  devour  all  kinds  of  vertebrate  ani- 
mals that  they  can  capture,  from  man  to  mud- 
hens.  Hut  the  supply  of  obtainable  mammals 
and  birds  is  very  limited,  and  fish  constitutes 
by  far  the  greater  portion  of  their  daily  food. 
If  all  the  scaly  monsters  of  this  Order  were 
limited  in  food  to  the  mammals  and  aquatic 
birds  which  can  be  seized  when  drinking  at  the 
water’s  edge,  or  swimming  in  mid-stream,  they 
would  indeed  go  hungry. 

It  is  a comparatively  ea.sy  matter  for  a large 
crocodilian  to  seize  a ([uadruped  of  medium  size, 
draw  it  into  deep  water  while  struggling,  and 
drown  it. 

In  the  Reptile  House  of  the  Zoological  Park, 
during  a fight  between  two  large  alligators  in  the 


pool,  it  was  discovered  how  an  alligator  dis- 
members a bulky  victim  in  order  to  devour  it. 
An  alligator  seized  a fighting  enemy  by  one  leg, 
and  using  his  tail  as  a propeller,  whirled  him- 
self round  and  round  like  a revolving  shaft,  until 
in  about  five  seconds  the  leg  was  twisted  off, 
close  up  to  the  body ! That  deadly  rotary  move- 
ment would  have  torn  a leg  from  a small  ele- 
phant. 

On  another  occasion,  a twelve-foot  alligator 
named  “ Moses  ” became  angry  at  an  eight-foot 
companion,  seized  it  by  the  body,  lifted  it  clear 
of  the  water,  and  shook  it  until  the  tough  skin  of 
the  back  was  torn  in  two  at  the  joint  immediately 
in  front  of  the  hind  legs. 

In  the  course  of  work  among  the  crocodiles  of 
Ceylon,  I found  that  some  crocodiles  will  eat  the 
flesh  of  their  own  kind,  and  do  so  with  genuine 
relish.  Crocodiles  which  I skinned  and  left  be- 
side a pool  were  promptly  eaten  by  their  relatives, 
who  in  their  turn  were  also  killed,  dissected  and 
eaten. 

Man-Eating  Crocodiles. — Out  of  the  nine- 
teen species  of  crocodiles  and  alligators  (eight  of 
which  I have  observed  in  their  haunts),  so  far  as 
I can  learn  only  three  are  dangerous  to  man. 
The  most  dangerous  man-eater  is  the  salt-w'ater 
crocodile  of  the  Malay  Peninsula,  Borneo  and 
surrounding  regions.  This  reptile  attains  a size 
of  sixteen  feet,  and  in  the  Territory  of  Sarawak, 
Borneo,  it  devours  so  many  people  the  govern- 
ment has  for  years  paid  a cash  reward  for  its  de- 
struction. Its  method  is  to  take  advantage  of 
the  murky  waters  of  the  rivers,  swim  up  to  a 
village  bathing-place,  seize  any  man  or  woman 
found  bathing  in  the  shallow  water,  or  filling  a 
water-jar,  and  back  off  into  deep  water. 

The  West  African  crocodiles,^  of  Angola  and 
other  portions  of  West  Africa,  are  the  boldest  of 
all  crocodilians,  sometimes  attacking  people  who 
are  in  canoes,  and  dragging  a victim  from  a boat. 
(William  Harvey  Brown.) 

The  gavial  and  mugger  of  India  are  harmless 
to  man,  and  so  are  the  American  crocodiles,  and 
the  alligator.  I have  gone  swimming  in  the 
home  waters  of  both  the  gavial  and  alligator, — 
the  two  extremes  in  jaw  development, — and 
therefore  feel  sure  that  both  are  harmless. 

Nesting-Habits. — .All  the  crocodilians  repro- 

' This  is  the  Nile  crocodile,  which  is  widely  dis- 
tributed throughout  .Africa. 


320 


OKDERS  OF  REPTILES— CROCODILES  AND  ALLIGATORS 


duce  by  laying  from  thirty  to  sixty  oblong,  per- 
fectly white  eggs,  in  layers,  in  a low  mound  of 
muck,  or  vegetable  mould,  or  sand.  The  female 
lies  in  wait  to  defend  her  eggs  while  they  hatch 
through  the  heat  of  the  sun,  or  by  regular  fer- 
mentation. From  the  nest  of  the  salt-water 
crocodile  I have  taken  fifty-five  eggs,  from  the 
gavial,  forty-one  and  forty-four,  from  the  Florida 
crocodile,  twenty-six,  and  from  the  alligator, 
thirty-eight.  The  nest  of  the  alligator  is  about 
two  feet  high  and  four  feet  in  diameter. 

At  birth,  young  alligators  are  about  eight 
inches  long.  As  soon  as  they  are  out  of  the 
shell,  they  are  wide-eyed  and  alert,  and  ready  to 
take  to  the  water.  At  this  period,  the  muzzle  is 
short,  abnormally  broad,  and  the  arch  of  the 
forehead  very  high. 

Growth  and  Size. — In  the  Reptile  House  of 
the  New  York  Zoological  Park,  we  have  recorded 
the  following  facts  regarding  the  rate  of  growth 
of  our  alligators; 


Inches. 

Weight. 

Length  when  hatched. 

8 

If  oz. 

“ “ one  year  old. 

18 

9i  “ 

“ “ 22  months  old. 

23 

3 lbs. 

u ((  29 

45 

14 

An  alligator  when  received  measured  6 ft.  11  in. 
During  the  first  year  it  grew  1 ft. 

3 in.  and  measured 8 “ 2 “ 

During  the  second  year  it  grew  1 ft. 

1^  in.,  and  measured 9 “ 3 “ 

During  the  third  year  it  grew  1 ft. 

7 in.  and  measured 10  “ 11  “ 

Length  of  “Old  Mose,”  July,  1899,  12  feet. 
Length  of  “Old  Mose,”  July,  1903,  12  feet  5 in. 

■Judging  by  the  rate  of  growth  of  specimens  of 
all  sizes  under  constant  observation  in  the  Zoo- 
logical Park,  where  they  probably  are  growing 
as  rapidly  as  they  could  in  a wild  state,  I have 
reached  the  conclusion  that,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  a wild  crocodile  or  alligator  is 
about  ten  years  in  attaining  a length  of  twelve 
feet.  The  average  rate  of  growth  up  to  twelve 
feet  appears  to  be  about  1.4  inches  per  month. 
After  twelve  feet  has  been  attained  the  rate  is 
much  slower,  being  (in  the  case  of  our  largest 
specimen)  about  two  inches  per  year. 

The  secret  in  securing  rapid  growth  in  captive 
crocodilians  lies  in  giving  them  a pool  four  feet 


deep,  of  water  warmed  to  a temperature  of  be- 
tween 80  and  90  degrees  F.  If  kept  in  cold  water, 
and  but  little  of  it,  they  are  uncomfortable,  they 
feed  sparingly,  and  grow  either  very  slowly,  or 
not  at  all. 

AMERICAN  SPECIES  OF  CROCODIL- 
IANS. 

The  Florida  Crocodile*  is  the  type  which 
represents  the  midway  average  between  the  two 
extremes  of  the  crocodilian  series, — narrow- 
beaked  gavial  and  broad-snouted  alligator.  It  is 
a subspecies  of  the  so-called  “American”  croco- 
dile {Crocodilus  acutus),  of  Central  and  South 
America,  and  is  not  found  elsewhere  than  in 
southern  Florida.  It  is  the  only  crocodile  which 
inhabits  a country  that  is  visited  by  killing 
frosts. 

The  presence  of  a true  crocodile  in  Florida  was 
not  discovered  until  1875,  when  a pair  of  speci- 
mens of  large  size  were  collected  in  Arch  Creek, 
at  the  head  of  Biscayne  Bay,  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Jack- 
son  and  the  writer.  The  male  measured  14  feet 
2 inches  (with  4 inches  of  his  tail  missing),  and 
the  female  10  feet  8 inches.  Since  that  date,  at 
least  seventy  specimens  have  been  taken  be- 
tween Lake  Worth  and  Cape  Sable.  Lake 
Worth  is  the  northern  limit  of  the  species,  but 
it  is  most  abundant  in  the  watery  labyrinth  of 
low  land  and  shallow  y/ater  where  the  mainland 
of  Florida  reluctantly  sinks  into  the  Gulf. 

The  alleged  “big  ’gator”  of  Arch  Creek  was 
very  wary,  and  permitted  no  boat  to  approach 
within  rifle-shot.  Even  a boat  completely  masked 
by  green  branches,  and  innocently  floating  with 
the  current,  was  enough  to  send  the  old  fellow 
quickly  sliding  from  his  basking-place  on  the  bank 
into  deep  water.  At  last,  however,  we  shot  him 
from  an  ambush  in  the  mangroves  opposite  his 
mid-day  lair,  and  secured  him.  His  mounted 
skin  is  now  to  be  seen  in  the  United  States  Na- 
tional Museum. 

The  adult  male  Florida  Crocodile  is  very  rough, 
externally,  and  usually  its  natural  colors  have 
been  .so  far  obliterated  by  age  and  exposure  that 
on  its  upper  surfaces  its  color  is  a dull,  weather- 
beaten gray.  The  females,  and  males  under 
eleven  feet,  are  of  a clean,  grayish-olive  color, — 
or  dull  yellowish-green, — very  different  indeed 
* Cro-co-di'lus  a-cu'tus  flor-i-dan'us. 


THE  FLORIDA  CROCODILE 


321 


from  the  funereal  black  of  the  alligator.  This 
difference  in  color  between  our  crocodiles  and  alli- 
gators is  so  marked  it  is  quite  noticeable  at  a dis- 
tance of  200  feet,  or  more. 

The  Florida  Crocodile  digs  burrows  in  the 
sandy  banks  of  the  Miami  River,  and  other  deep 
streams  where  the  ground  is  suitable.  These 
lairs  are  used  as  hiding-places,  resting-places, 
and  doubtless  also  as  warm  retreats  in  which  to 
escape  the  cold  waves  from  the  north,  which 
about  once  every  five  years  produce  killing  frosts 
as  far  south  as  Miami. 


that  he  has  become  very  expert  in  making  capt- 
ures. For  $50  he  will  at  any  time  take  out  a 
party  of  “tourists,”  go  to  a Crocodile’s  burrow, 
and  with  a noose,  capture  the  reptile  alive  and 
unhurt.  In  each  case  he  guarantees  that  the 
Crocodile  shall  exceed  nine  feet  in  length.  He 
locates  the  burrows  in  advance,  by  probing  for 
them  in  the  sand,  with  a sharp-pointed  iron  rod. 
With  this  iron  rod,  the  reptile  is  driven  out  of  its 
lair,  and  rarely  does  Joe  fail  to  make  a capture 
“as  advertised.” 

Many  other  persons  in  Florida  have  captured 


E.  R.  Sanborn,  Photo,  New  York  Zoological  Park. 

FLORIDA  CROCODILE. 


The  entrances  to  these  burrows  are  either 
under  water,  or  half  submerged,  and  they  extend 
into  the  bank  from  ten  to  thirty  feet.  .\t  their 
extremity,  they  are  widened  out  sufficiently  to 
permit  the  owner  to  turn  around.  Usually,  the 
banks  arc  so  low  that  the  top  of  a burrow  is  only 
about  two  feet  below  the  surface. 

This  burrowing  habit  of  the  Florida  Crocodile 
has  led  to  a very  droll  and  uncommon  industry, 
\ young  man  named  “.\lligator  Joe,”  of  Palm 
Beach  and  Miami,  knows  his  game  so  thoroughly 


crocodiles  and  alligators  in  their  burrows,  by 
means  of  a long  pole  of  tough  wood  with  a strong 
and  very  sharp  iron  hook  lashed  on  one  end. 
When  this  pole  is  thrust  into  a burrow  the  reptile 
bites  it  viciously,  and  holds  on  stubbornly.  But 
even  if  inclined  to  let  go,  the  sharp  hook  engages 
the  tongue  or  other  portions  of  the  mouth,  and 
thus  the  creature  is  dragged  by  sheer  force  into 
the  hands  of  his  captors,  and  bound  with  ropes. 

The  Cuban  Crocodile'  is  a small  species, 
1 Croc-o-di'lus  rhom'bi-fer. 


I 


322 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— CROCODILES  AND  ALLIGATORS 


with  a narrower  head  than  the  preceding,  and  with 
two  more  rows  (six  in  all)  of  bony  plates  along 
its  back.  It  is  the  smallest  species  of  crocodile 
now  living,  and  so  far  as  I have  observed,  also 
the  most  savage  in  disposition.  It  is  olive  green 
in  color,  slender  in  form,  quick  as  lightning  in 
some  of  its  movements,  and  much  given  to  roam- 
ing overland,  or  following  up  tiny  watercourses, 
in  search  of  new  hunting-grounds.  I once  shot 
a full-grown  specimen  in  a very  small  brook,  near 
the  geographical  centre  of  the  Isle  of  Pines,  Cuba, 
and  saw  others  in  a salt-water  lagoon  on  the  north 
shore  of  that  island.  So  far  as  known,  it  is  not 
found  elsewhere  than  in  Cuba. 

The  American  Crocodile  inhabits  the  north- 
ern coast  of  South  America,  and  the  Gulf  coast 
of  Central  America,  up  to  l\Ie.xico.  In  the  la- 
goons along  the  coast  of  Colombia,  a short  dis- 
tance eastward  from  the  mouth  of  the  Magdalena 
River,  there  are  small  bays  so  thickly  infested 
with  reptiles  of  this  species,  and  of  such  great 
size,  that  very  courageous  men  of  my  acciuaint- 
ance  have  not  dared  to  enter  in  a small  boat. 

The  Orinoco  Crocodile*  is  marked  by  a very 
narrow  snout,  by  which  character  it  is  but  two 
places  removed  from  the  slender-beaked  gavials 
of  India  and  Borneo.  In  1876  I found  this  spe- 
cies abundant  in  the  Orinoco  River,  seven  miles 
below  Ciudad  Bolivar,  and  killed  a twelve-foot 
male  specimen  which  was  undoubtedly  very  old. 

Of  the  Cai'mans,  there  are  five  species,  all  of 
which  strongly  resemble  our  alligator,  and  in- 
habit Central  and  South  .America,  and  portions 
of  the  West  Indies.  The  Eyebrowed  Caiman 
has  the  widest  distribution,  and  is  found  from 
southern  l\Iexico  to  the  Argentine  Republic. 
The  Black  Caiman,  of  the  Guianas  and  Brazil, 
is  the  largest,  and  is  said  to  attain  a length  of 
twenty  feet.  (Bates.)  The  Rough-Backed  Cai- 
man, of  the  Upper  Amazon,  is  said  to  be  quite 
small — only  six  feet  in  length.  (H.  Gadow.) 

The  Alligator'^  is  so  well  known  it  needs 
no  particular  description.  In  individuals  over 
eight  years  of  age,  and  ten  feet  in  length,  the 
eight  yellow  bands  around  the  tail  practically 
though  not  wholly  disappear,  and  from  that  time 
on  the  animal  is  of  a uniform  dull  black  color 
above,  and  dirty  yellow  or  white  below.  I never 

’ Croc-o-di' lufs  in-ter-me'di-us. 

Al-li-ga'tor  miss-is-sip-pi-en'sis. 


saw  a living  specimen  larger  than  “Old  Mose” 
(12  ft.  5 in.),  and  only  one  mounted  skin  which 
exceeded  fourteen  feet.  That  one  measured  16 
feet  3 inches,  and  is  believed  to  be  in  a museum 
in  Louisiana. 

The  .\lligator  finds  its  northern  limit  in  south- 
eastern North  Carolina.  From  thence  its  range 
extends  southward  along  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf 
coasts  to  Cape  Sable,  the  southern  point  of 
Florida,  and  westward  through  the  Gulf  states  to 
the  Rio  Grande  in  southern  Texas.  Twenty- 
five  years  ago,  this  reptile  existed  in  certain  por- 
tions of  its  range,  especially  Florida,  in  great 
abundance  ;'but  about  that  time  Alligator  leather 
became  fashionable,  and  the  demand  thus  cre- 
ated has  reduced  the  visible  supply  of  Alligators 
by  about  98  per  cent.  To-day  you  may  travel 
from  Jacksonville  to  Miami  without  once  seeing 
the  black  line  upon  the  water  which  betokens  the 
existence  of  an  Alligator;  and  an  experienced 
Florida  hunter  has  declared  his  belief  that  there 
is  not  now  living  in  that  state  a specimen  as  large 
as  “Old  Mose”  of  the  Zoological  Park. 

The  habits  of  this  reptile  are  quite  similar  to 
those  of  crocodilians  generally.  In  Florida  it 
burrows  in  sand-banks  precisely  like  the  Florida 
crocodile,  and  builds  a mound  of  earth,  moss,  and 
grass  about  two  feet  high,  in  which  it  lays  from 
twenty  to  forty  eggs. 

The  Alligator  is  the  only  Crocodilian  I ever 
heard  utter  a vocal  sound  of  any  kind.  The 
bellow  of  this  animal,  however,  is  well  known. 
Every  day,  regularly  when  the  whistles  blow, 
the  five  Alligators  in  our  Reptile  House  lift  their 
heads  out  of  the  water  at  an  angle  of  45°,  and 
bellow,  or  roar,  in  concert,  four  or  five  times, 
making  a truly  unearthly  noise.  “Old  Mose” 
is  an  excellent  living  understudy  of  “Pfafner,” 
the  bellowing  dragon  of  Wagner’s  “Siegfried.” 

The  Chinese  Alligator’  was  discovered  in 
1870  by  Swinhoe,  and  described  by  Fauvcl  in 
1879.  It  is  quite  strange  that  the  nearest  living 
relative  of  our  .\lligator  should  live  in  the  Yang- 
tse-Kiang  River,  in  China;  but  it  appears  to  be 
true.  It  is  a small  species,  only  about  six  feet 
in  length,  of  a greenish-black  color,  dotted  with 
yellow.  A specimen  in  the  author’s  possession 
so  closely  resembles  our  American  species  that 
specific  differences  are  difficult  to  point  out. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 


THE  ORDER  OF  TORTOISES,  TERRAPINS,  AND  TURTLES 

CHELONIA 


Surely  there  are  few  intelligent  persons  to 
whom  a live  turtle  does  not  appeal.  From  the 
impregnable  box  tortoise  to  the  grim  alligator 
terrapin,  the  giant  tortoise  of  Galapagos,  and  the 
marine  monsters  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  the  diversity 
in  form  and  habit  is  very  great.  Fortunately, 
however,  a fi.xed  knowledge  of  twelve  species 
will  give  a very  good  foundation  on  which  to 
build  up  this  Order. 


SKELETON  OF  A FALSE  GEOGRAPHIC  TURTLE 


(Graptemys  pseudogeographicus.) 

P.  pla-stron,  Hu,  humerus, 

C,  carapace,  Tib,  tibia, 

Ra,  radius,  Fib,  fibula, 

Ul,  ulna,  Fe,  femur. 

Sc,  scapula. 

General  Characters. — A member  of  the  Order 
of  Turtles  is  a reptile  which  has  its  skeleton  on 
the  out.side  of  its  body,  and  its  vital  organs  com- 
pletely encased  in  a box  of  bone,  called  a shell. 
The  top  half  of  the  shell  is  called  the  car'apace, 
and  it  is  formed  by  the  widening  of  the  ribs  until 
they  grow  together  and  firmly  unite  wherever 
their  edges  meet.  The  lower  portion  of  the  shell 

323 


is  called  the  plas'tron.  The  carapace  of  a male 
tortoise  is  hollowed  out  underneath,  but  that  of 
the  female  is  flat.  The  shell  has  an  opening  at 
the  front  end  to  receive  the  head,  neck  and  fore- 
legs, and  the  rear  is  open  to  afford  space  for  the 
hind  legs  and  tail.  The  shell  of  a turtle  is  a city 
of  refuge,  into  which  its  owner  withdraws  its 
head  and  feet  whenever  threatened  by  enemies. 
In  some  species  the  shell  is  a remarkably  perfect 
means  of  defence. 

These  reptiles  have  no  teeth,  but  the  edges  of 
their  strong,  horny  jaws  are  sufficiently  sharp 
and  chisel-like  to  enable  them  to  cut  up  vegetable 
food.  The  head  and  neck  move  freely,  in  and 
out.  The  skin  is  very  tough  and  leathery.  Like 
other  reptiles,  the  members  of  this  Order  repro- 
duce by  laying  eggs  and  burying  them,  to  be 
hatched  by  the  sun.  Some  of  the  large  tortoises 
live  to  the  greatest  age  attained  by  any  living 
creatures  now  on  the  earth. 

In  the  original  classification  of  the  land-going 
tortoises,  and  the  water-loving  turtles  and  ter- 
rapins, it  was  an  unfortunate  mistake  that  the_ 
name  “tortoise”  was  not  limited  to  the  dry-land 
species,  “terrapin”  to  the  hard-shelled  species 
inhabiting  fresh  water,  and  “turtle”  to  the  spe- 
cies with  flippers  which  inhabit  the  sea.  To-day 
the  names  “ tortoise  ” and  “ turtle  ” are  applied  so 
indiscriminately  through  all  three  of  the  groups 
mentioned,  they  are  useless  as  distinctive  titles 
and  the  mixture  is  mischievously  confusing.  In 
the  interest  of  common  sense  I therefore  propose 
the  following  revised  system  of  these  common 
names: 

1.  All  Chelonians  of  the  land  only  shall 

be  called Tortoises. 

2.  All  Chelonians  of  fresh-water  shall 

be  called Terrapins. 

3.  All  Chelonians  of  the  sea  to  be 

called  Turtles. 

To  this  at  least  one  person  will  henceforth  try 
to  adhere. 


324  OEDERS  OF  REPTILES— TORTOISES,  TERRAPINS  AND  TURTLES 


The  following  is  a common-sense  grouping  of 
the  members  of  the  Order  Chelonia,  as  found  in 
North  America  and  the  seas  adjacent : 


3 inches,  with  a height  of  shell  of  20  inches,  was 
estimated  to  be  400  years  old ! Its  age  was  esti- 
mated by  comparison  with  other  Giant  Tor- 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  ORDER  OF  TORTOISES  AND  TURTLES. 


O 

M 

o 

< 

a 


SUBORDERS. 

LAND  TOR- 
TOISES; 


FAMILIES. 


EXAMPLES. 


Common  Tortoises,  \ 
Box  Tortoises, ‘ ^ 


TES-  T U-DIN’I-DA  E, 


Smooth-Shelled 

Terrapins, 


KIN-O-STER'NI-DAE, 


E-MYiyi-DAE, 


FRESH-WATER 

TERRAPINS: 


SEA-TURTLES: 


Snapping  Terrapins,  che-ly’dri-dae. 


Soft-Shelled  Ter- 
rapins, 

Hard-Shelled, 

Leathery-Shelled, 


( 1 


TRI-O-N  YCH'I-DAE, 


f Giant  Tortoise. 

• ■<  Gopher  Tortoise. 

( Common  Box  Tortoise. 

. Musk-Terrapin. 

f Painted  Terrapin, 

. j Wood-Terrapin. 

( Diamond-Back. 

j Alligator-Terrapin. 

‘ ( Snapping  Terrapin. 

. Soft-Shelled  Terrapin. 


CHE-LON'I-DAE, 


\ Hawksbill. 

’ ( Green  Turtle. 
DER-MO-CHE-L  YIYI-DA  E,  Harp-Turtle. 


THE  TORTOISE  FAMILY. 

T estudinidae. 

The  group  of  tortoises  contains  many  species 
that  are  either  beautiful,  or  curious,  or  remark- 
able for  their  size  and  age.  Quite  a number  of 
species  are  handsomely  colored,  but  the  majority 
are  perfectly  plain. 

Two  distinct  types  have  been  developed.  The 
ordinary,  thick-shelled,  uncolored  tortoises,  some 
of  them  of  great  size,  constitute  the  majority  of 
the  species.  The  smaller  section  is  made  up  of 
small  tortoises,  some  of  which  have  a practical 
hinge  in  the  centre  of  the  lower  shell.  These  are 
strictly  land-going  animals,  and  some  of  them 
even  burrow  in  the  earth,  in  sandy  situations 
where  digging  is  easy. 

The  Giant  Tortoise”  is  a good  species  to  lead 
this  entire  Order.  If  there  be  aught  in  the  theory 
of  “the  survival  of  the  fittest,”  then  this  creature 
is  clearly  entitled  to  the  leading  position.  A 
specimen  at  the  New  York  Zoological  Park, 
which  weighed  310  pounds,  and  whose  shell 
measured  on  its  curves  4 feet  7^  inches  by  4 feet 


toises  which,  according  to  authentic  history, 
have  been  in  captivity  over  100  years. 

This  wonderful  creature  lived  all  save  the  last 
two  years  of  its  life  on  the  Galapagos  Islands,  a 
group  of  burnt-out  volcanoes,  and  mountains  of 
rock  covered  with  brush,  cacti  and  lava,  directly 
on  the  equator,  500  miles  west  of  Ecuador.  Six 
species  of  Giant  Tortoises  inhabit  that  archipel- 
ago, living  chiefly  upon  cacti  and  coarse  grass, 
but  all  of  them  are  now  being  exterminated  at  a 
very  rapid  rate  either  for  the  paltry  amount  of  oil 
they  contain,  or  a few  pounds  of  meat  from  each. 
An  ignorant  cattle-herder  thinks  nothing  of  kill- 
ing a Tortoise  300  years  old  for  three  pounds  of 
meat,  nothing  more!  In  the  interests  of  science, 
and  her  own  reputation,  Ecuador  should  pro- 
hibit henceforth  the  wanton  and  wasteful  killing 
of  those  remarkable  creatures. 

With  the  exception  of  the  crocodilians,  the 
Giant  Tortoises  inhabiting  the  Galapagos  Islands, 
and  two  islands  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  are  the  only 
suridvors  of  the  famous  reptilian  age,  when  a 
warm  atmosphere  heavily  charged  with  moisture 
called  forth  luxuriant  vegetation,  which  nour- 


^ By  some  authorities  on  the  classification  of  reptiles,  the  Box  Tortoises  are  placed  in  the  Family  Kino- 
stemidae,  one  of  the  divisions  of  the  Fresh-Water  Terrapins.  If  this  arrangement  should  be  followed,  it 
would  take  the  Box  Tortoises  out  of  the  group  of  Land  Tortoises,  where  they  really  belong.  With  this 
explanation  the  author  elects  to  preserve  the  very  useful  arrangement  into  land,  fresh-water  and  marine 
groups,  as  set  forth  above,  and  leave  the  Box  Tortoises  in  the  Family  Testudinidce. 

2 Tes-tu'do  vi-ci'na. 


THE  TORTOISES 


325 


ished  a marvellous  series  of  gigantic  reptilian 
forms.  Beside  some  of  these  extinct  creatures 
our  largest  reptiles  are  mere  pygmies,  and  to-day 
they  are  equalled  in  bulk  only  by  the  rhinoce- 
ros, hippopotamus,  elephant,  and  whale.  The 
great  Brontosaurus,  whose  fossil  remains  were 
found  in  the  bad-lands  of  Wyoming,  was  sixty 
feet  long,  and  some  of  the  great  Dinosaurs,  or 
kangaroo-like  lizards,  stood  over  thirty  feet  in 
height ! 

Beside  the  Giant  Tortoises,  our  Gopher  Tor- 
toised  the  largest  allied  species  of  tortoise  we 
possess,  seems  insignificant Ij^  small.  The  largest 
specimens  weigh  only  fifteen  pounds.  Tliis 


Excepting  these  and  similar  forms,  the  small 
Chelonians  find  refuge  from  danger  in  the  watery 
depths  of  the  ponds  and  streams  they  inhabit. 
The  Box  Tortoise,  however,  formed  for  life  on 
land,  is  so  small  it  has  required  a special  inven- 
tion for  its  protection. 

Its  shell  is  high,  and  contains  sufficient  room 
to  permit  the  head,  legs  and  tail  to  be  fully  with- 
drawn within  it.  Across  the  centre  of  the  lower 
shell,  or  plastron,  a i)ractical  double  hinge  has 
been  provided.  Thus,  in  time  of  danger,  the 
animal  completely  withdraws  its  head,  legs  and 
tail,  at  both  ends  it  draws  the  lower  shell  tightly 
against  the  upper,  and  all  the  soft  parts  are  en- 


BOX  TORTOISES. 


species  is  found  from  South  Carolina  to  Florida, 
ami  westward  to  Texas.  It  has  a very  thick  and 
strong  shell,  and  burrows  in  the  earth  of  tlie 
sandy  pine-forests  in  which  it  lives.  Its  shell  is 
smooth,  and  unmarked  by  bright  colors,  and  its 
flesli  is  jialatable  food. 

The  Box  Tortoise-  is,  to  my  mind,  one  of  the 
small  wonders  of  Nature,  the  special  purpose  of 
which  is  to  ])oint  out  how  far  “specialization” 
c.an  go  in  fitting  an  animal  to  survive.  After 
all.  the  mo.st  interesting  things  about  animals 
are  the  lessons  they  teach  bearing  upon  the  devel- 
opment of  the  world  and  its  inhabitants. 

‘ Tes-tu'do  pol-)/-phe'mus. 

^ Cis-tu'do  Carolina. 


tirely  out  of  reach,  behind  strong  walls  of  bone. 
The  box  of  bone  is  as  tightly  closed  at  all  points 
as  a strongly  made  cigar-box  with  the  cover 
nailed  down. 

The  Box  Tortoise  is  an  illustration  of  the  fact 
that  several  species  of  tortoises  are  quite  hand- 
somely colored,  in  geometric  patterns  of  black 
or  red  lines,  on  lighter  ground-colors.  A rei>re- 
sentative  specimen  of  this  species  is  covered  with 
an  open  fret-work  of  black  bands  laid  in  a me- 
chanical pattern  on  a lemon-yellow  ground-color. 
North  of  the  range  of  the  gopher  tortoise,  the 
Box  Tortoise  is  our  only  genuine  tortoise, — living 
only  upon  land,  and  never  inhabiting  water.  It 
is  common  all  around  Now  York  City,  and  is 


336  ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— TORTOISES,  TERRAPIXS  AND  TURTLES 


found  even  in  the  large  northern  parks,  where  it 
inhabits  the  well-shaded  forests  in  situations  as 
remote  as  possible  from  the  paths  of  men.  The 
moist  valleys  of  the  Zoological  Park  have  yielded 
many  fine  specimens  to  the  Reptile  House  collec- 
tions, where  they  live  contentedly.  The  Caro- 
lina Box  Tortoise  is  found  throughout  the  east- 
ern United  States  from  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the 
Mississippi  River,  and  in  the  South  is  called  the 
Pine-Barren  “Terrapin.” 

THE  MUD-TERRAPIN  FAMILY. 

Kinosternidae. 

The  Family  Kinosternidae  was  invented  for 
the  special  accommodation  of  the  box  tortoises, 
with  plastrons  hinged  across  the  middle;  but  in 
an  unguarded  moment  the  Mud-“  Turtle,”  Musk- 


MUSK-“  TURTLE. 


“Turtle”  and  similar  terrapins  with  fixed  plas- 
trons were  included.  To-day,  oddly  enough, 
there  is  a decided  inclination  to  leave  the  Box 
Tortoise  in  the  Tortoise  Family — where  they 
belong,  and  leave  the  Musk-Turtle  and  his  near- 
est relatives  in  possession  of  the  abandoned 
order.  But  to  the  general  student,  all  this  is 
of  but  momentary  interest. 

The  Musk-“  Turtle,”'  or  Stink-Pot,  has 
been  loaded  down  with  names  in  two  languages 
which  proclaim  a smelly  character.  It  is  a com- 
monplace little  terrapin  about  six  inches  long,  in- 
habiting quiet  ponds  or  sluggish  streams,  basking 
in  the  sun  when  it  is  safe  to  linger  above  high- 
water  mark.  Occasionally  it  so  far  forgets  itself 
as  to  swallow  a worm-baited  hook,  and  bring  on 
trouble  of  two  or  three  kinds.  Its  regular  food 
' Ar-o-mo-cheVys  o-dor-a'lus. 


is  aquatic  insects,  minnows,  fish-eggs,  worms, 
and  in  fact  any  fleshy  creature  slow  enough  to  be 
caught  and  small  enough  to  be  eaten. 

The  Musk-“ Turtle,”  or  Terrapin,  is  possessed 
of  a very  noticeable  musky  odor,  which  serves 
better  as  a distinguishing  character  in  the  living 
specimen  than  its  very  dull  color  and  general  com- 
monplacedness  of  external  appearance.  Some- 
times it  shows  a few  spots;  and  the  neck  bears 
two  stripes,  one  starting  above  the  eye,  the  other 
below  it.  The  plastron  shows  a slight  tendency 
toward  a practicable  hinge,  but  it  is  only  a sug- 
gestion, for  the  shell  is  practically  rigid,  and  in- 
capable of  closing.  This  species,  like  all  the 
terrapins  of  the  North,  burrows  into  the  mud  of 
pond-bottoms  at  the  approach  of  winter  weather, 
and  lies  dormant,  with  the  functions  of  Nature 
suspended,  until  spring.  It  is  found  abundantly 
in  the  eastern  United  States,  and  ranges  west- 
ward into  Illinois. 

SMOOTH-SHELLED  TERRAPINS. 

Emydidae. 

Numerous  indeed  is  the  company  composing 
the  group  of  pond  and  river  Chelonians,  which 
live  half  in  and  half  out  of  the  water.  They 
vary  in  size  from  the  little  musk-terrapin,  no 
larger  than  the  palm  of  your  haTid,  to  the  hig 
alligator-terrapin,  of  Louisiana,  with  a shell  23 
inches  long,  and  a gross  weight  of  115  pounds,  or 
more.  There  are  many  species  that  are  valuable 
as  food,  and  one  which  is  now  accepted  as  the 
symbol  of  epicurean  luxury.  As  usual,  only  the 
types  of  greatest  importance  and  widest  distribu- 
tion will  be  mentioned  here. 

If  it  were  necessary  to  choose  a single  species 
to  represent  the  many  species  of  North  American 
Terrapins,  that  choice  might  well  fall  upon  the 
Red-Bellied  Terrapin,^  or  “Slider.”  This  is 
a species  above  the  average  size.  The  largest 
specimen  in  our  collection  weighs  10  pounds,  and 
its  shell  is  13  inches  long  by  9 inches  wide,  axial 
measurement.  It  is  handsomely  and  plainly 
marked  by  its  back  of  umber  brown,  and  reddish- 
white  under-surface.  It  is  alert  and  active,  its 
distribution  is  wide,  and  its  flesh  is  excellent. 
When  you  go  to  a restaurant  and  order  diamond- 
backed  terrapin, at  a dollar  a plate,  you  may  know 
to  a certainty  what  you  are  eating  and  paying  for. 

2 Pseu' de-mys  ru-bri-ven' tris . 


THE  TERRAPINS 


327 


Nine  times  out  of  ten  it  is  Slider,  no  more,  no  less; 
and  a very  good  dish  it  makes,  too. 

Of  the  genus  to  which  this  animal  belongs, 
there  are  in  North  America  at  least  six  other 
species,  all  of  them  habitants  of  the  southern 
half  of  our  country.  The  Slider  ranges  north- 
ward only  as  far  as  Delaware,  and  the  Susque- 
hanna River  in  Pennsylvania,  but  is  frequently 
seen  in  the  New  York  markets.  Of  the  terrapins 
that  are  in  the  habit  of  sunning  themselves  on 
logs  within  diving  distance  of  rivers,  creeks  or 
ponds,  this  species  is,  I think,  the  largest  we  are 
accustomed  to  see.  Even  at  ciuite  a distance  it 
can  be  recognized  by  the  height  and  narrowness 
of  its  shell,  as  compared  with  species  of  other 
genera. 

The  Painted  Terrapin,*  hitherto  called  at 
random  the  Painted  “Turtie”  and  Pond-“Tor- 
toise,”  is  perhaps  the  most  widely  distributed 
species,  and  the  one  available  to  the  greatest 
number  of  school-rooms,  in  the  United  States. 
It  inhabits  the  whole  region  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi River  e.xcept  the  extreme  southeastern 
states,  or  about  one-half  of  the  entire  country. 
Its  shell  is  from  6 to  8 inches  in  length,  and  its 
contour  is  rather  flat.  The  plates  of  the  cara- 
pace are  greenish-black,  edged  with  yellow,  and 
those  around  the  margin  are  marked  with  bright 
red.  The  under  shell  (plastron)  is  yellow  with 
brown  markings;  and  the  legs  and  tail  are  dark 
brown,  marked  with  bright  red  lines.  The  upper 
jaw  is  notched  in  front. 

This  small  boy’s  favorite  is  a very  common 
species,  and  nine  times  out  of  ten  when  a nice, 
well-behaved  little  Terrapin  is  seen  sunning  it- 
self on  the  hurricane-deck  of  a derelict  log,  ready 
to  drop  into  the  water  with  a gentle  plaah  when 
Small  Boy  approaches  dangerously  near,  that  is 
It.  It  is  called  the  Pond-Terrapin  because  it 
dislikes  the  nerve-wrecking  hilarity  of  a river 
which  rushes  past  at  two  or  three  miles  per  hour, 
but  prefers  a nice,  quiet  little  4 x .5  pond,  where 
it  cati  vegetate  quite  unmolested.  In  captivity 
Its  food  consists  of  chopped  fish  and  meat  and 
angle-worms. 

The  Ellachick,^  of  the  Pacific  slope,  from  the 
Sierra  Nevadas  to  the  coast,  and  from  southern 
California  to  Vancouver,  is  the  most  important 
species  in  that  region.  It  is  good  for  food,  and 

* Chryx-em'ys  pic'la. 

^ Chel'o-pus  mar-mo-ra'tus. 


is  frequently  seen  in  the  markets  of  the  large 
cities  on  or  near  the  coast.  It  is  about  the  size 
of  the  painted  terrapin.^ 

The  Diamond-Backed  Terrapin®  of  the 
salt  marshes  is,  most  unfortunately,  famous  for 
the  flavor  of  its  flesh,  and  its  association  with 
champagne.  From  the  unlucky  day  when  the 
epicures  of  Maryland  pronounced  terrapin  stew 
a particularly  delicious  dish,  the  doom  of  this 
species  has  been  sealed.  Its  price  has  risen  from 
the  original  25  cents  each  for  large  ones  to  .S70 
per  dozen  for  small  ones,  and  the  supply  is  rapidly 
dwindling  to  nothing.  It  is  now  a difficult  mat- 
ter for  a zoologist  to  procure  for  exhibition  a speci- 
men that  is  more  than  half  grown. 

In  appearance  the  Diamond-Back  is  neither 
beautiful  nor  striking,  and  in  flavor  I think  it 
has  been  greatly  overpraised.  At  the  same  time 


PAINTED  “turtle.” 

A good  example  of  the  Smooth-Shelled  Terrapins. 


as  reptiles  go  (for  human  food),  its  flesh  is  really 
very  good;  but,  with  all  the  good  things  that  go 
into  a terrapin  stew,  and  champagne  for  sauce 
at  three-fifty  a bottle,  almost  any  animal  would 
taste  good. 

The  Diamond-Back  Terrajiin  is  a habitant  of 
salt  water,  and  at  one  time  was  found  in  the 
shallow  bays  and  salt  marshes  along  our  Atlantic 
and  Gulf  coast  from  Massachusetts  to  Texas. 
Chesapeake  Bay  has  always  been  a sort  of  centre 
of  abundance  of  this  species,  and  when  it  flour- 
ished the  markets  were  supplied  chiefly  from  the 
region  lying  between  New  York  and  Pamlico 
Sound. 

This  Terrapin  is  small,  rather  flat,  rounded 
® Mal-a-co-clem' mys  pa-lus'tris. 


328  OEDEKS  OF  REPTILES— TORTOISES,  TERRAPINS,  AND  TURTLES 


in  outline,  and  its  scales  are  marked  by  inde- 
pendent black  patterns  composed  of  many  geo- 
metric figures,  placed  one  within  another.  A 


wooD-“  turtle”  {Chelopus  insculptus). 

Back  rugose.  An  exception  to  the  rule  of  Smooth- 
Shelled  Terrapins. 

specimen  with  a plastron  seven  inches  long,  and 
weighing  a pound  is  a large  one.  Formerly  the 
great  majority  measured  between  4 and  5 inches; 
but  now,  it  is  difficult  to  find  one  large  enough  to 
make  a “ count  ” by  the  old  standard.  A “ count  ” 
Terrapin  must  measure  5 inches  (in  some  mar- 
kets it  is  6 inches)  in  the  length  of  the  lower  shell. 

Beyond  reasonable  doubt,  the  continual  de- 
struction of  the  largest  specimens  will  erelong 
render  the  species  unproductive,  and  it  will  cease 
to  exist.  The  persistent  destruction  of  fathers 
and  mothers  will  soon  wipe  out  the  strongest 
species  in  existence.  It  is  reported,  however, 
that  in  the  South  there  are  several  terrapin 
“ farms  ” on  which  this  species  is  being  bred  and 
reared  for  the  markets,  in  large  numbers. 

THE  SNAPPING  TERRAPLNS. 

Chelydridae. 

The  Alligator-Terrapin,*  of  Louisiana,  and 
other  states  bordering  on  the  Gulf  between  Flor- 
* Mac-ro-chel'ys  iem-minck'  i. 


ida  and  Texas,  is,  when  adult,  a huge,  rough- 
backed,  big-headed  creature,  weighing  from  100 
to  125  pounds,  and  even  attaining  on  rare  occa- 
sions to  150  pounds.  This  is  the  largest  terrapin 
in  North  America,  and  also  the  ugliest.  The 
broad  and  rather  flat  table  of  its  upper  surface 
rises  in  a series  of  brown  hillocks,  earthy-looking, 
and  often  actually  covered  with  moss. 

The  head  is  of  huge  proportions,  and  the 
strength  of  the  jaws  is  very  great.  The  tail  is 
very  long  and  fleshy, — which  is  rather  unusual 
in  Chelonians.  Notwithstanding  the  rough  ex- 
terior of  this  creature,  its  flesh  is  eaten  by  many 
persons  who  share  its  habitat. 

This  remarkable  reptile  is  found  only  in  tlie 
semi-tropical  fresh-water  bayous  and  streams  of 
the  South.  A specimen  now  living  in  the  Rep- 
tile House  at  New  York  measures  as  follows: 


Length  of  head  and  neck 12  in. 

“ “ shell 23  “ 

“ “ tail 19  “ 

Total  length 54  “ 

Width  of  shell 18” 

Weight 1134  lbs. 


It  is  a shy  animal,  and  if  not  permitted  to  live 
under  the  crocodile’s  raft  which  floats  in  the  pool, 
it  will  not  eat  its  usual  daily  ration  of  raw  meat 
or  fish.  It  never  attempts  to  leave  the  water, 
and  can  remain  submerged,  without  breathing, 
for  periods  which  are  so  long  we  can  only  describe 


.\LLIGATOR-TERRAPIN. 

From  Louisiana.  Weight,  113J  lbs. 

them  as  “indefinite.”  In  its  home,  this  burly 
reptile  feeds  upon  fish,  frogs,  and  other  water- 
animals. 


THE  SOFT-SHELLED  TURTLES” 


329 


The  Snapping  Terrapin,  or  Snapping  “Tur- 
tle,” ^ which  is  found  in  the  northern  states  as 
well  as  in  the  South,  is  a very  cross-tempered  and 
savage  understudy  of  the  prececl^ing  species,  and 
it  is  ugly  in  more  senses  than  one.  It  has  a 
humpy,  moss-covered  back,  a mean  eye,  a dan- 
gerously sharp  and  hooked  beak  like  a horned 
owl,  and  a tail  that  reminds  one  of  the  terminal 
half  of  a bloated  water-moccasin. 

This  reptile  seldom  leaves  the  waters  of  the 
ponds  in  which  it  lives.  It  believes  most  thor- 
oughly in  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  and  to  it  the 
Fittest  is  “Number  One.”  It  is  a 
chronic  fighter,  and  inasmuch  as  its 
jaws  are  very  strong, — and,  like  some 
men,  never  know  when  to  let  go, — 
it  is  a reptile  to  be  either  mastered 
or  avoided.  It  is  wholly  carnivo- 
rous in  its  habits,  and  is  very  de- 
structive to  fish  and  young  water- 
fowl. 

Strange  to  say,  the  Snapping  Tur- 
tle is  regularly  consumed  as  food, 
and  is  often  sold  in  the  Centre  Mar- 
ket at  Washington. 

THE  SOFT-SHELLED  “TUR- 
TLES.” 


perfect,  the  bones  being  literally  few  and  far  be- 
tween, and  the  upper  and  lower  shells  are  quite 
unconnected  by  bony  structure.  The  feet  are 
large  and  strongly  webbed,  but  only  the  three 
inner  toes  are  provided  with  claws.  In  habit 
these  creatures  are  persistently  aquatic,  rarely 
going  upon  dry  land,  and  they  are  both  vora- 
cious and  carnivorous.  They  live  upon  fish,  fish- 
eggs,  frogs,  angle-worms,  and  small  mollusks 
generally. 

The  Soft-Shelled  “Turtle  ” ^ is  perhaps  the 
most  common  representative  of  this  Family  in 


Trionychidae. 

This  Family  is  of  ancient  lineage, 
and  wide  distribution,  its  members 
being  found  in  the  rivers  of  Asia, 

.\frica  and  North  America.  Wherever  found 
they  may  be  recognized  by  very  flat  and  nearly 
circular  shells  that  are  imperfectly  ossified,  both 
above  and  below,  and  which  terminate  at  the 
edges  in  thin  plates  of  leathery  skin.  The  nose 
is  prolonged  into  a decided  proboscis,  and  the 
neck  is  long  and  flexible.  In  some  species 
(found  in  .Vustralia)  the  neck  is  so  very  long 
it  cannot  be  withdrawn  into  the  shell,  but  in 
times  of  danger  it  is  laid  awa}'’  snugly  under 
the  upper  edge  of  the  shell,  passing  over  one  fore- 
leg. 

The  members  of  this  Family  present  many 
anatomical  exceptions  to  the  regular  order  of 
form  among  tortoises  and  terrapins,  and  by 
some  authors  they  are  placed  at  the  foot  of  the 
Order  Chelonia.  The  shell  is  really  very  im- 
* Che-hj'dra  ser-pen-ti' na. 


SOFT-SHELLED  TURTLE. 

Aspidonectes  ferox,  from  Florida. 

the  United  States.  It  is  found  from  South 
Carolina  westward  through  the  Gulf  states  to 
Texas;  up  the  Mississippi  to  Indiana,  Illinois 
and  the  Great  Lakes,  north  and  westward  up  the 
Missouri  to  the  Rocky  (Mountains. 

I never  shall  forget  those  I encountered  in  cen- 
tral Indiana,  when  fi.shing  with  hook  and  line. 
The  provoking  Soft-Shells  would  persi.st  in  swal- 
lowing hooks  that  were  not  baited  for  them,  and 
the  difficulties  we  had  in  cutting  off  their  leathery 
heads  and  dissecting  out  our  hooks  tried  our 
patience  very  sorely.  It  was  not  until  many 
years  later  that  we  squared  accounts  with  this 
species.  At  (Miami,  Florida,  fine  large  specimens 
were  fried  in  batter,  and  eaten  with  great  relish. 
When  properly  cooked,  the  shell  of  this  reptile 
is  tender,  tasty  and  desirable. 

^ As-pi-do-nec'tes  fe'rox. 


330  ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— TORTOISES,  TERRAPINS  AND  TURTLES 


A large  specimen  has  a shell  16  inches  long  by 
14  inches  wide,  and  weighs  from  20  to  30  pounds. 
The  upper  surface  is  olive  brown  mottled  with 
black,  and  underneath  is  clear  white.  On  ac- 
count of  its  widely  palmated  feet,  these  “turtles” 
are  the  most  active  swimmers  of  all  the  fresh- 
water terrapins  and  turtles.  In  North  .America 
this  Family  is  represented  by  five  species. 

THE  SEA-TURTLES. 

The  sea  is  so  vast,  it  is  but  natural  that  we 
should  look  to  it  for  the  largest  species  of  Chelo- 
nians.  There  is  one  character  by  wdiich  any  one 
can  recognize  a sea-turtle,  anywhere.  The  front 
limbs  are  developed  as  long,  flat,  triangular  flip- 
pers,  without  separate  toes  and  claws,  like  the 
flippers  of  a sea-lion. 

Nearly  all  the  sea-going  Turtles  are  large,  and 
one  species  is  the  largest  of  all  living  Chelonians. 
Without  exception,  all  are  habitants  of  tropical 
waters;  but  occasionally  an  individual  is  lulled 
into  fancied  security,  and  borne  northward  in 
the  warm  waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream  until  it 
wanders  out  of  the  track,  and  suddeidy  finds 
itself  in  the  chilly  arctic  current.  Then,  be- 
numbed with  cold,  it  falls  an  easy  prey  to  the 
first  predatory  fisherman  who  sails  near  it,  and 
promptly  lands  in  Fulton  Market. 

. HARD-SHELLED  SEA-TURTLES. 

Chelonidae. 

The  Green  Turtle'  is  the  most  important  and 
valuable  of  the  sea-turtles,  and  in  the  Atlantic  it 
is  the  species  that  is  most  widely  distributed. 
It  is  of  large  size,  its  flesh  is  excellent  food,  and 
wherever  found  it  is  regarded  as  a prize.  It  is 
said  that  sometimes  it  attains  a weight  of  about 
600  pounds;  but  those  which  now  find  their  way 
to  market  in  our  large  cities  are  steadily  dimin- 
ishing in  size,  and  rarely  exceed  fifty  pounds. 

This  turtle  is  found  from  Long  Island  down 
the  Atlantic  to  Cuba,  throughout  the  Gulf  of 
Alexico,  the  Caribbean  Sea,  the  West  Indies,  and 
on  southward  to  Brazil.  It  is  also  found  in  the 
Indian  Ocean,  and  is  common  on  the  coast  of 
Ceylon.  I should  say  that  on  our  coast  Key 
West  is  its  centre  of  greatest  abundance  and 
maximum  size.  The  favorite  haunts  of  this 
creature  are  in  the  shallow  channels  that  lie  be- 
' Che-lo'ne  my' das. 


tween  the  keys,  where  they  find  quiet  waters  and 
plenty  of  food,  but  no  security  from  the  sharp 
eyes  of  the  turtle-catchers.  It  feeds  upon  aqua- 
tic plants  that  grow  on  the  bottom  of  shallow 
seas. 

A large  proportion  of  the  Green  Turtles  capt- 
ured on  the  Florida  coast  are  sent  north,  by 
steamer  and  rail,  to  supply  the  ever-greedy  and 
high-priced  city  markets  from  Baltimore  north- 
ward. 

And  really,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  flesh 
of  this  animal  is  considered  most  excellent  food, 
and  much  sought  after,  both  for  soups  and  steaks. 
It  is  tender,  fine-grained,  dark  colored,  not  too 
fat  and  very  agreeable  in  flavor.  Moreover,  this 
is  a clean-looking  animal,  its  shell  is  smooth,  its 
head  is  small  and  neatly  formed,  and  the  front 
flippers  are  scaled,  quite  down  to  their  extremi- 
ties. The  shell  is  of  no  commercial  value. 

The  Hawksbill  Turtle,  or  Tortoise-Shell 
Turtle,^  furnishes  the  valuable  tortoise-shell  of 
commerce,  and  it  is  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the 
Chelonians.  Its  name  is  derived  from  the  strong- 
ly hooked  beak  which  terminates  its  upper  jaw. 
Its  back  is  covered  with  a roof  of  very  beautiful 
curved  plates  of  tortoise-shell,  overlapping  like 
shingles,  each  scale  terminating  in  a saw-tooth 
point.  The  scales  are  clear  yellowish  horn,  beau- 
tifully mottled  with  black  and  brown. 

This  species  is  yet  found  occasionally  around 
the  Bahama  Islands,  where  the  sea  is  very  clear, 
and  the  white-sand  bottom  is  liberally  garnished 
with  sea-fans,  corals,  and  other  beautiful  inverte- 
brate forms.  Its  range  as  a whole  is  from  the 
coast  of  southern  Florida,  the  Bahamas  and  tlie 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  southward  through  the  AVest 
Indies  to  the  Amazon.  It  also  inhabits  the  tropi- 
cal waters  of  the  Old  World. 

Formerly  it  often  grew  to  a weight  of  between 
twenty  and  thirty  pounds,  but  it  has  been  so 
persistently  sought  after,  on  account  of  the  com- 
mercial value  of  its  shell,  that  all  those  now  seen 
in  the  markets  are  very  small.  The  largest  shell 
on  record  is  34  inches  long.  Another  .species  is 
found  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  it  bears  so  strong 
a resemblance  to  its  eastern  relative  that  for  a 
considerable  period  the  two  species  were  be- 
lieved to  be  identical. 

The  Loggerhead  Turtle®  looks  like  a coar.se 

^ Che-lo'ne  im-bri-ca'ta. 

® Thnl-las-so-chel'ys  car-et'la. 


THE  SEA-TUETLES 


331 


and  large-headed  understudy  of  the  green  turtle. 
It  is  readily  distinguished,  however,  by  its  mas- 
sive head,  and  thick,  heavy  shell.  It  is  a turtle 
of  coarser  (juality  every  way  than  the  green  tur- 
tle, and  sells  at  a lower  price.  Like  its  hand- 
somer relative,  it  is  widely  distributed,  but  does 
not  inhabit  the  Indian  Ocean. 

The  flesh  of  this  animal  bears  so  close  a resem- 
blance to  beefsteak  that  even  a butcher  cannot 
always  detect  the  difference.  One  Christmas 
morning,  at  Key  West,  I dissected  a large  Log- 
gerhead. The  flesh  was  fresh,  and  very  tempt- 
ing, and  when  a choice  lot  of  steaks  were  offered 
to  the  landlady  of  a certain  small  hotel,  they  were 
gratefully  accepted. 

It  happened  that  the  butcher  who  supplied 
the  hotel  with  beef  and  mutton  was  a boarder 
thereat ; and,  as  became  his  calling,  he  sat  at  the 
head  of  the  long  table,  and  served  the  meat. 
.■Vlthough  he  was  an  able  butcher,  he  had  one 
weakness;  and  it  lay  in  the  fact  he  could  not  eat 
turtle-meat.  It  was  “ too  oily,”  too  ” musky,”  and 
too  far  removed  from  beefsteak. 

With  no  unnecessary  announcements,  the  tur- 
tle-steaks were  fried,  d la  beefsteak,  and  set  be- 
fore the  butcher.  He  served  them  as  beefsteak, 
ate  his  own  portion  with  evident  relish,  and  all 
, the  other  guests  ate  theirs.  The  butcher  had 
nearly  finished  his  second  instalment,  without 
having  discovered  the  substitution,  when  he 
was  asked  how  he  liked  turtle-steaks,  for  a 
] change. 

The  sandy  beach  on  the  east  coa.st  of  Florida, 
along  the  Indian  River  Peninsula,  is  a favorite 
spot  for  both  Loggerhead  and  green  turtles  to 
I lay  their  eggs.  Mrs.  C.  F.  Latham,  of  Oak 
Lodge,  ninety  miles  above  Palm  Beach,  has 
made  careful  observations  on  the  habits  of  these 


turtles.  In  the  months  of  May  and  June,  when 
the  summer  heat  is  becoming  severe,  on  moon- 
light nights  the  turtles  crawl  up  out  of  the  water, 
dig  holes  in  the  sand  high  above  tide-mark,  from 
15  to  18  inches  deep,  and  in  them  lay  their  eggs, 
to  the  number  of  from  80  to  220.  The  period  re- 
quired for  incubation  is  about  sixty  days.  When 
first  hatched  the  young  are  only  2^  inches  long, 
but  the  moment  they  emerge  from  the  nest  they 
start  for  the  ocean. 

LEATHERY-SHELLED  SEA-TURTLES. 

Dermochelydidae. 

The  Harp-Turtle,  or  Lyre-Turtle,'  is  the 

giant  of  the  Chelonians  of  the  present  day.  Some- 
times it  is  called  the  Leather-Backed  Turtle. 
I once  dissected  and  preserved  a specimen  which 
weighed  740  pounds,  and  the  oil  and  the  toil  of  it 
are  yet  vividly  remembered. 

This  remarkable  creature  has  a very  feeble 
bony  shell,  which  is  buried  under  a one-inch  layer 
of  fatty  material  which  looks  (juite  like  the  blub- 
ber of  a whale.  It  is  easily  cut  with  a knife,  and 
contains  about  a pint  of  oil  for  every  sejuare  foot. 
The  back  of  this  strange  creature  is  marked  by 
five  sharp  ridges  that  run  lengthwise,  and  are 
separated  by  concave,  wave-like  depressions. 
The  front  flippers  are  very  long,  and  it  seems 
quite  certain  that  even  in  its  native  element  this 
great  animal  is  slow  and  clumsy.  Its  flesh  is 
quite  unfit  for  food. 

This  turtle  is  found  very  sparingly  along  the 
Atlantic  coast  from  Long  Lsland  southward,  but 
is  abundant  nowhere.  One  may  travel  all  around 
Florida,  and  all  through  the  West  Indies  without 
seeing  even  one  specimen. 

^ Sphar'gis  co-ri-a' ce-a. 


I 


PhotograplKrd  and  copyright.  1903, 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  LIZARDS 

LAC ERT  ILIA 


Of  all  the  world’s  reptiles,  the  lizards  are  the 
most  elusive,  and  the  most  difficult  to  know 
personally.  With  the  exception  of  the  large 
iguanas,  monitors,  and  a very  few  others,  the  vast 
majority  of  the  species  are  tiny  creatures,  light- 
ning-quick in  movement,  and  very  much  opposed 
to  being  caught. 

And  the  little  sprites  are  difficult  to  keep  in 
captivity,  bejmnd  all  other  reptiles.  Being 
children  of  the  sun  and  sands,  they  demand 
quarters  that  are  of  desert  dryness,  roasting  heat, 


partly  or  wholly  covered  with  spines.  The  ma- 
jority of  lizards  live  upon  the  ground,  or  near  the 
earth,  but  quite  a number  of  species  live  in  trees. 
Those  called  flying  dragons  possess  parachute 
wings,  and  can  fly  as  a flying  squirrel  does.  Some 
of  the  legless  lizards  live  in  the  earth. 

Most  lizards  have  teeth,  but  usually  of  a very 
simple  character,  setting  in  ea,ch  jaw  in  a long 
and  rather  even  row,  like  the  teeth  of  a saw. 

There  are  eighteen  Families  of  lizards,  provided 
with  eighteen  formidable  names,  and  it  is  not 


COMMON  IGUANA. 


and  flooded  with  sunshine.  Without  these  con- 
ditions they  refuse  to  eat,  and  quickly  die.  If 
every  student  of  lizards  had  a private  desert 
which  he  could  keep  heated  up  to  100  degrees,  a 
sun  all  his  own  to  shine  upon  it  sixteen  hours  a 
day,  and  meal-worms  without  limit,  it  would  be 
quite  possible  to  keep  small  lizards  long  enough 
to  become  well  acquainted  with  them.  Without 
such  an  equipment,  the  path  of  the  student  is 
beset  with  difficulties. 

Because  of  these  conditions,  we  will  introduce 
here  only  a very  few  of  what  we  may  call  the 
practicable  lizards, — those  which  it  is  possible 
to  know,  and  worth  while  to  note. 

General  Character. — Most  of  the  lizards  are 
four-footed  creatures,  many  have  long,  whip-like 
tails,  and  nearly  all  are  covered  with  scales, 
mostly  very  fine.  Sometimes  the  scales  are  large 
and  horny.  Quite  a number  of  species  are  either 

333 


possible  to  consider  each  one.  For  the  present 
we  will  omit  all  references  to  the  Families,  and 
merely  present  a few  examples  which  will  illus- 
trate the  Order  as  a whole. 

The  Iguanas  are  among  the  largest  and  most 
interesting  of  the  Lizards,  being  surpassed  in 
size  only  by  the  Monitors.  In  their  food  habits 
they  are  omnivorous.  Although  feeding  chiefly 
upon  vegetable  food,  many  species  devour  birds 
and  eggs  with  great  avidity.  In  their  habits  they 
are  partly  tree-climbing  and  partly  terrestrial. 
By  reason  of  their  saw-toothed  backs  they  are 
so  odd  and  showy  they  always  attract  attention. 
Were  it  necessary  to  select  but  one  species  to 
represent  all  the  species  of  Lizards,  that  one 
should  be  the  Common  Iguana*  of  the  West 
Indies,  Central  and  South  America.  It  is  from 
4 to  5 feet  in  length,  in  color  it  is  an  irregular 
* I-guan'a  tu-ber-cu-la'ta. 


334 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— LIZARDS 


mixture  of  green,  black  and  yellow,  and  it  may 
he  recognized  at  a glance  by  the  row  of  long, 
slender,  fringe-like  scales  which  rise  along  the 
centre  of  its  back.  One  good  look  at  its  ex- 
tremely long  and  slender  toes  is  enough  to  sug- 
gest the  idea  that  it  is  a climbing  animal.  It 
makes  its  home  in  thick  tree-tops,  and  feeds 
chiefly  upon  fruit  and  soft  vegetation.  I can 
testify  that  its  flesh  is  palatable  food,  for  in  the 
hungry  Orinoco  country  we  ate  it  more  than 
once. 

Iguanas  generally  possess  one  good  trait  which 
is  sufficient  to  forever  endear  them  to  zoological 
garden  people.  They  are  good-tempered  ani- 
mals, and  never  fight,  no  matter  how  many  are 
placed  in  one  cage,  nor  how  many  species  of 
Iguanas  are  represented.  Owing  to  the  ease  with 
which  these  creatures  are  captured,  their  price  in 
New  York  is  about  $2  each. 

The  Marine  Iguana,*  or  Sea-Lizard,  of  the 
Galapagos  Islands,  is  a creature  of  gre-ga'ri-ous 
habits,*  which  means  the  habit  of  flocking  or  as- 
sembling together  in  companies  of  noteworthy 
size.  So  far  as  we  know,  this  is  the  only  lizard 
which  elects  to  assemble  in  companies  of  several 
hundred  individuals.  When  Mr.  R.  J.  Beck 
visited  Narborough  Island  of  the  Galapagos 
group,  in  1902,  in  quest  of  giant  tortoises,  he 
found  on  the  clean  lava-bed  which  formed  the 
shore,  a truly  wonderful  assemblage  of  Marine 
Iguanas.  An  area  of  at  least  three  acres,  desti- 
tute both  of  soil  and  vegetation,  was  literally 
covered  by  these  reptiles,  all  wide-awake  and 
fully  interested  in  life,  but  serenely  waiting  for 
something  to  turn  up. 

Owing  to  their  lymphatic  temperament,  and 
previous  immunity  from  persecution  by  man, 
these  strange  creatures  were  quite  tame,  and 
willingly  permitted  Mr.  Beck  to  make  the  photo- 
graph that  is  reproduced  herewith.  It  represents 
one  of  the  most  wonderful  views  of  reptilian  life 
to  be  found  anywhere  on  the  earth  to-day. 

The  Marine  Iguana  is  a stockily  built,  dull- 
colored  animal,  about  four  and  one-half  feet  in 
length,  frugivorous  in  its  habits,  and  very  much 
at  home  in  the  water.  It  subsists  almost  wholly 
upon  sea-weed. 

The  Rhinoceros  Iguana,^  of  the  same  form 
as  the  preceding,  but  much  lighter  in  color,  and 

' Am-bhj-rhyn' chns  crix-la'tus. 

2 M et-o-poc' e-ros  cor-nu'tus. 


marked  by  half  a dozen  horny  tubercles  on  the 
upper  surface  of  its  head  and  snout,  is  found 
in  Hayti  and  San  Domingo. 

Leaving  the  large  lizards,  of  which  be  it  re- 
membered there  are  many  interesting  species  in 
the  Old  World, — called  Monitors, — impossible  to 
mention  here,  we  reach  the  small  lizards,  of 
which  there  are  a legion  of  species.  The  warm 
and  dry  countries  of  the  world  literally  swarm 
with  these  tiny  creatures,  which  dart  over  rocks 
and  fences  like  streaks  of  green  or  brown  light. 
If  you  try  to  catch  one  by  its  long  tail,  and  close 
upon  it,  the  lizard  leaves  its  tail  between  your 
thumb  and  finger,  as  a souvenir,  and  gayly  streaks 
away  to  grow  another,  without  loss  of  time!  The 
power  possessed  by  lizards  to  reproduce  a miss- 


BLUE-T.ilLED  LIZ.\RD. 

ing  tail  is  one  of  the  strangest  things  in  animal 
growth ; but  it  is  to  be  observed  that  the  second 
edition  of  a lizard’s  tail  is  far  from  being  the 
shapely  and  perfect  member  that  is  seen  in  the 
first. 

Many  lizards,  like  much  study,  are  a weari- 
ness to  the  flesh ; and  we  will  limit  our  exhibit 
to  a very  few  prominent  and  interesting  types 
which  are  well  fitted  to  represent  the  entire  grouj). 

The  Blue-Tailed  Lizard^  is  not  only  a com- 
mon species  throughout  a wide  area  of  the  United 
States,  but  it  is  also  repre.sentative  of  a large 
number  of  species  which  resemble  it.  It  is  found 
throughout  the  eastern  half  of  the  United  States, 
from  Nova  Scotia  and  Canada  to  Florida  and  the 
Gulf,  westward  in  the  South  to  .\rizona,  and  in 
the  North  to  Wyoming.  It  is  often  called  the 
Skink,  and  “Blue-Tail,”  and  Blue-Tailed 
Skink,  and  in  summer  it  is  available  for  study 
® Eu-me'ces  quin-que-lin-e-at'us. 


THE  GILA  MONSTER 


335 


purposes  to  a larger  number  of  school  pupils  than 
any  other  lizard  known  to  the  author. 

The  colors  of  this  creature  vary  with  age  to  an 
extent  that  is  apt  to  be  very  confusing.  Observe 
the  programme: 

During  the  first  year  the  body  is  black,  with 
bright  yellow  stripes,  and  the  tail  is  brilliant  blue. 
In  the  second,  the  tail  is  slatj’-  gray,  and  the  black 
of  the  body  is  less  intense.  In  the  third,  the  body 
becomes  brownish,  and  the  stripes  are  indistinct. 
In  the  fourth,  and  thereafter,  the  body  is  brown, 
the  head  vermilion,  and  the  stripes  have  disap- 
peared. The  length  of  a large  specimen  is  about 
eight  inches. 

.\11  the  small  lizards  and  skinks  are  insect- 
eaters,  and  in  captivity  thrive  best  upon  meal- 
worms and  insects  generally.  Their  quickness  of 
movement  is  almost  beyond  belief,  and  even  with 
a long-handled  net  it  is  very  difficult  to  capture 
one  alive  and  unhurt. 

The  Ring-Necked  Lizard/  which  should  be 
called  the  Kangaroo-Lizard,  represents  a group 
quite  different  from  the  skinks,  and  also  nearer 
to  the  iguanas.  It  is  a creature  of  the  canyons, 
deserts  and  dry  mountains  of'  the  Southwest, 
from  Texas  to  southeastern  California,  and 
northward  into  Utah  and  Nevada.  It  is  often 
found  on  mountains  up  to  5,000  and  even  0,000 
feet.  (Merriam.) 

This  is  a plump-bodied  creature,  and  its  colors 
vary  to  an  extent  that  is  apt  to  create  confusion. 
It  is  either  dark  green  or  bluish  above,  and  the 
sides,  back  and  thighs  are  covered  with  light 
spots.  The  under  surface  is  yellowish-white, 
sometimes  tinged  wth  pale  gi’cen.  This  lizard 
derives  its  name  from  two  bands  of  black  which 
stretch  across  the  shoulders  between  the  fore- 
legs. 

I'he  most  interesting  feature  about  it  appears 
never  to  have  been  observed  and  recorded  until 
Mr.  Barnum  Brown  sent  several  specimens  to  the 
Zoological  Park.  When  one  was  liberated  in  a 
large  sanded  cage,  it  rose  on  its  hind-legs,  in  the 
j)osition  of  an  erect  kangaroo,  and  in  that  strange 
posture  ran  rapidly.  It  held  its  head  well  erect, 
carried  its  fore-legs  « la  kangaroo,  and  ran,  not  by 
hopping,  but  by  taking  long  steps.  In  experi- 
menting with  the  different  individuals  received 
from  Mr.  Brown,  it  was  found  that  under  similar 
provocation,  all  of  them  ran  in  the  remarkable 
' Cro-ta-phy'tus  col  ■lar'is. 


attitude  described, — highly  suggestive  of  a pygmy 
dinosaur. 

The  Gila  Monster^  is  perhaps  the  most  fa- 
mous lizard  of  North  America,  and  its  first  name 
is  pronounced  He'la. 

It  is  big,  odd-looking  and  very  showy,  and 
therefore  is  dear  to  the  heart  of  nearly  every  col- 
lector of  reptiles.  A large  specimen  has  a total 
length  of  20  inches,  girth  around  the  middle, 
inches,  and  weighs,  43  ounces.  When  in  robust 
health,  the  body  and  tail  seem  stuffed  to  the 
point  of  discomfort.  Externally  the  whole  of 
the  creature  appears  to  be  covered  with  round 
glass  beads,  jet  black  and  orange  yellow  in  color, 
and  laid  on  in  a Navajo  pattern. 

This  remarkable  lizard  inhabits  the  desert 
regions  of  Arizona  and  the  adjoining  state  of 


From  the  Zoological  Society  Bulletin. 


GILA  MONSTER. 

Sonora,  Mexico.  It  is  more  sluggi.sh  in  its  move- 
ments than  a box  tortoise,  and  the  very  slow  and 
clumsy  manner  in  which  it  partakes  of  its  daily 
meal  of  raw  eggs  and  chopped  meat  leads  the  ob- 
.server  to  ])ity  its  helplessness.  How  it  manages 
to  secure  a sufficient  quantity  of  acceptable  food 
on  the  deserts  where  it  lives  is  a puzzle. 

Whether  the  bite  of  this  creature  is  poi.sonous 
or  not  is  yet  a debated  que.stion  among  natural- 
ists. iseveral  authorities  cite  the  deaths  of  vari- 
ous small  animals  l)itten  by  it,  but  others  point  to 
other  victims  which  were  bitten,  but  did  not  die. 
.\t  the  United  States  National  Mu.seum,  Mr.  A. 
Z.  Schindler  was  bitten  by  a Gila  Monster,  but 
aside  from  a very  natural  degree  of  irritation 
^ Ilel-o-der'ma  sus-pec'tum. 


33G 


OKDEES  OF  KEPTILES— LIZARDS 


and  soreness  of  the  wound  during  two  or  three 
days,  he  experienced  no  permanent  ill  effects 
from  it.  It  is  quite  certain  that  the  bite  of  this 
creature  is  seldom  fatal  to  man,  even  if  it  ever  is; 
but  it  can  cause  the  death  of  small  and  w'eak 
creatures,  like  frogs  and  guinea-pigs. 

This  reptile  lives  well  in  captivity,  and  half  a 
dozen  of  them  in  a desert  cage  make  a very  showy 
exhibit. 

The  Horned  “Toad,”‘  so  dear  to  the  heart  of 
every  eastern  traveller  on  his  first  visit  to  the 
great  Southwest,  where  deserts  are  plentiful  and 
cheap,  is  not  a “toad”  at  all!  Observe  its  long 
tail,  such  as  real  toads  never  have,  then  call  it 
forever  after  by  its  real  name — Horned  Lizard. 
There  is  much  excuse,  however,  for  the  universal 
name;  for,  saving  the  presence  of  the  tail,  the 
little  living  cactus  is  quite  toad-like  in  its  form. 

Professor  Cope  recognized  eleven  species  of 
Horned  Lizards,  any  one  of  which,  wherever 
found,  will  serve  as  well  as  another  to  represent 
this  genus.  They  are  all  habitants  of  the  deserts 
and  arid  regions,  where  cacti,  cat’s-claw,  and 
other  thorny  things  possess  the  land.  They  are 
frequently  seen  in  the  roads  and  trails  of  the 
Southwest,  and  are  easily  captured.  If  meal- 
worms are  abundant,  they  are  easily  kept  in 


HORNED  LIZARD. 


captivity,  on  dry  sand,  in  warm  sunshine.  The 
length  of  a large  specimen  is  only  5^  to  6 inches; 
and,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  these  odd  creatures 
are  related  to  the  iguanas. 

' Phry-no-so' ma  cor-nu'tum. 


No!  The  Glass  “Snake”^  does  no<  join  itself 
together  again  after  it  has  once  been  broken  in 
two.  And  it  is  not  by  any  means  a snake!  It 
is  a smooth-bodied,  legless  lizard,  but  so  scaly, 


GLASS  SNAKE,” 


and  so  snakelike  in  general  appearance  that  any 
stranger  is  quite  excusable  for  calling  it  a snake. 
As  a matter  of  fact,  the  tail  of  this  creature  is  so 
feebly  attached  to  the  body  that  a very  mod- 
erate blow  with  a stick  breaks  the  connection, 
and  the  reptile  lies  in  two  pieces.  If  left  until 
doomsday,  the  severed  parts  will  not  reunite, 
but  the  body  does  its  utmost  to  repair  the  injury 
by  growing  another  tail.  As  a mater  of  fact,  the 
new  growth  of  tail  is  but  a short  and  very  im- 
perfect substitute. 

This  creature  inhabits  the  southern  states 
from  the  Carolinas  westward  to  Texas,  and  north- 
ward up  the  ilississippi  valley  to  Kansas  and  Wis- 
consin. It  feeds  chiefly  upon  insects,  and  being 
quite  without  legs,  it  forms  an  excellent  con- 
necting link  between  the  lizards  and  serpents. 
There  are  quite  a number  of  species  of  legless 
lizards. 


^ 0-phi-o-sau'rus  ven-tral'is. 


New  York  Zoological  Park. 

TWENTY -TWO-FOOT  RETICUL.\TED  PYTHON  (DEAD). 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

THE  ORDER  OF  SERPENTS 


General  Characters. — serpent,  commonly 
failed  a “snake,”  is  a very  slender,  long-bodied, 
legless  reptile,  cold-blooded,  covered  with  scales, 
and  breathing  air.  It  moves  by  a .sinuous  mo- 
tion, in  which  the  scales  under  the  body  grip  the 
earth,  while  the  extension  of  the  body  muscles 
pu.sh  the  body  forward.  To  afford  a good  hold 
upon  the  earth,  the  abdominal  scales  are  very 
broad,  set  crosswise  with  the  body,  and  the  rear 
edge  of  each  scale  is  free  and  sharp,  like  a blade. 

The  backbone  contains  a great  number  of 
vertebrae,  sometimes  nearly  300,  and  there  is  one 
for  each  crosswise  scale  under  the  body.  There 
are  also  a great  number  of  ribs,  but  the  tail  verte- 
brae are  of  course  without  them.  The  ribs  are 


quite  loosely  attached  to  the  vertebrae,  in  order 
that  they  may  have  the  very  free  play  that  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  life  of  a serpent. 

The  head  is  usually  flat  and  broad,  and  en- 
tirely covered  with  scales.  The  jaws  are  long, 
and  well  armed  with  long,  sharp-pointed  teeth, 
which  point  backward,  in  the  direction  of  the 
throat.  There  are  no  molars  for  masticating 
food,  and  therefore  all  food  is  swallowed  whole. 
Excepting  in  the  injection  of  poison,  the  only 
function  of  the  teeth  is  to  seize  and  hold  fast 
the  serpent’s  prey  while  it  is  being  swallowed. 
Poisonous  serpents  have  special  teeth,  called 
fangs,  for  making  deep  wounds  and  filling  them 
with  poison.  These  are  set  in  the  roof  of  the 
337 


338 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


mouth,  well  forward,  and  while  not  in  use  they 
lie  up  against  the  roof  of  the  mouth.  The  tongue 
of  a serpent  is  very  extensible,  and  capable  of 
being  thrust  out  fully  half  the  length  of  the  head. 
Its  greatest  use  is  in  examining  food,  or  possible 
food.  From  the  fact  that  when  travelling  the 
tongue  is  so  frequently  thrust  out,  even  when 
there  is  no  e.xcitement,  it  seems  highly  probable 
that  it  is  used  to  detect  vibrations  in  the  air. 
(R.  L.  Ditmars.)  The  tongue  is  forked,  and 
being  entirely  harmless,  its  sole  use  in  defence  is 
to  threaten  and  intimidate  its  enemies. 

The  lower  jaws  are  loosely  attached  to  the 
skull,  and  to  each  other  at  their  front  end,  by 
ligaments  so  elastic  that  when  prey  is  being 
swallowed,  the  gape  expands  to  enormous  pro- 
portions. Mammals,  birds  and  fishes  to  be 
swallowed  are  always  seized  head  first,  in  order 
that  the  limbs,  and  also  the  feathers  or  scales,  if 
there  be  any,  will  lie  snugly  against  the  body. 
Frogs  and  toads  are  usually  taken  hind  feet 
first.  The  lower  jaw  is  forced  forward  and  over 
the  animal,  always  one  side  at  a time,  as  far  as 
it  will  go;  and  when  the  teeth  are  inserted,  that 
side  is  drawn  back.  The  upper  pg,rt  of  the  head 
slides  forward  as  far  as  possible,  one  side  at  a 
time,  to  match  the  lower  jaw.  Sometimes  it 
seems  as  if  the  lower  jaw  will  be  torn  loose  from 
the  head.  Often  after  an  animal  has  vanished, 
the  jaws  are  a bad  misfit,  and  do  not  come  back 
into  shape  for  half  an  hour. 

The  skin  stretches  like  India-rubber,  and 
over  a heavy  meal  the  scales  are  widely  separated. 
The  manner  in  which  serpents  feed  in  a wild  state 
is  certainly  one  of  the  most  cruel  processes  of 
Nature. 

The  eyes  of  a serpent  have  no  lids,  and  the 
eyes  never  close;  but  they  are  protected  by  a 
thin  and  perfectly  transparent  section  of  the 
outer  skin,  or  epidermis,  which  is  shed  and  re- 
newed periodically. 

The  epidermis,  or  outer  skin,  is  completely 
renewed  about  three  times  per  year.  To  free 
itself  from  the  old  skin,  the  serpent  usually 
crawls  through  a small  aperture,  the  edges  of 
which  catch  the  old  skin  at  the  head  and  hold 
it  fast  while  the  owner  crawls  out  of  it.  The 
first  intimation  of  an  impending  change  of 
epidermis  is  found  in  the  dull  appearance  of  the 
eye,  over  which  a glassy  film  seems  to  be  form- 
ing. Strange  to  say,  even  the  eye  sheds  its  outer 


surface,  and  emerges  clear  and  brilliant.  Most 
snakes  shed  their  skins  about  three  times  a year. 

A serpent  is  always  most  beautiful  immedi- 
ately after  it  has  shed  its  epidermis,  for  then  its 
colors  are  brightest  and  most  iridescent.  In 
captivity  it  often  happens  that  the  atmosphere 
in  which  a snake  lives  is  not  sufficiently  moi-st 
to  enable  the  old  skin  to  loosen  and  be  cast  off. 
In  such  cases,  if  the  serpents  are  non-venomous 
species,  the  owner  must  moisten  the  old  skin, 
and  peel  it  off  by  hand,  or  with  forceps. 

Reproduction. — Some  snakes  lay  eggs,  with 
soft,  tough  shells,  that  are  hatched  by  the  sun. 
A serpent  which  develops  in  an  egg  of  this  sort 
is  provided  with  a special,  temporary  tooth,  set 
on  the  tip  end  of  its  jaw,  with  which  it  easily 
punctures  the  shell  sufficiently  to  escape.  Oth- 
ers do  not  develop  eggs  with  shells,  but  instead 
retain  their  eggs  in  their  own  bodies  until  the 
young  are  fully  developed.  Finally  they  are 
brought  forth,  each  fully  enclosed  in  a thin, 
membranous  sac,  which  the  little  serpent  quick- 
ly bursts.  Snakes  that  lay  eggs  are  called  o-vip'- 
a-rous,  and  those  that  bring  forth  their  young 
alive  are  called  vi-vip'-a-rous. 

Although  serpents  are  cold-blooded  animals, 
they  reach  their  highest  development  in  warm 
latitudes,  and  in  regions  of  arctic  cold  they  do 
not  survive.  In  the  temperate,  zone  and  the 
tropics.  Nature  has  fitted  them  for  life  upon 
the  ground,  in  the  water,  and  in  the  tree-tops; 
and  they  inhabit  swamps,  uplands  and  deserts. 
They  live  under  stones  and  logs,  in  hollow  trees 
and  stumps,  and  in  holes  in  the  earth;  and  they 
seldom  attack  man  wilfully,  and  without  provo- 
cation. 

Food  of  Serpents. — In  a wild  state,  snakes 
feed  chiefly  upon  frogs  and  toads,  fish,  other 
snakes,  small  birds  and  mammals.  Large  ser- 
pents feed  upon  mammals  of  all  sizes,  up  to  small 
deer  and  goats.  Water-snakes  feed  chiefly  upon 
fish  and  frogs.  Land  species  find  frogs,  toads 
and  small  lizards  their  cheapest  prey,  hut  the 
extent  to  which  snakes  feed  upon  each  other  is 
quite  surprising.  For  example,  the  king  cobra,' 
a large,  athletic,  and  very  deadly  land-.serpent 
of  the  Malay  Peninsula,  feeds  exclusively  upon 
other  snakes  and  lizards,  and  while  a greedy 
feeder  upon  what  it  prefers,  it  persistently  re- 
fuses all  other  food.  During  the  three  years  that 
' Xa'ja  bun-gar' us. 


GENERAL  CHARACTERS  OF  SERPENTS 


339 


one  of  these  serpents  has  been  kept  in  the  Zoo- 
lofjical  Park,  it  has  persistently  refused  to  eat 
any  of  the  moccasins  or  rattlesnakes  which  have 
been  offered  to  it. 

This  fine  specimen,  which  is  nearly  11  feet 
long,  became,  toward  the  end  of  its  first  win- 
ter, so  difficult  to  provide  for,  when  the  special 
supply  of  food-snakes  had  become  well-nigh  ex- 
hausted, that  Curator  Ditmars  and  Keeper  Sny- 
der tried  a novel  experiment.  They  killed  a six- 
foot  snake,  stuffed  it  with  frogs  to  the  number 
of  half  a dozen,  then  offered  it  to  the  cobra.  It 
was  immediately  accepted,  and  devoured  in 
good  faith;  and  since  that  time  the  experiment 
has  often  been  repeated. 

A large  collection  of  captive  reptiles  requires 
many  different  kinds  of  food,  and  plenty  of  it. 
It  is  not  necessary  that  food  should  be  given 
alive.  Very  naturally,  a serpent  cannot  swallow 
a bird  or  a mammal  which  is  stiff  in  death,  and 
unyielding.  Swallowing  is  not  possible  unless 
the  legs  or  wings  are  folded  very  closely  against 
the  body.  All  that  a serpent  recjuircs  is  that  the 
animal  be  offered  while  yet  warm,  and  before 
rigor  mortis  has  set  in.  The  practice  is  to  kill 
the  food  in  the  Reptile  House,  and  offer  it  im- 
mediately afterward,  while  it  is  yet  warm. 

During  the  year  1902,  the  Reptile  House  con- 
tained 33  Crocodilians,  112  Lizards,  134  Cheloni- 
ans,  3S1  Serpents,  and  112  Amphibians,  and  the 
animal  food  they  consumed  during  the  year  was 
as  follows; 


3,.).10  Rats  and  Mice, 
1,4.')G  English  Sparrows, 
f)24  Small  Chickens, 
20S  Large  Chickens, 
210  Pigeons, 

1,300  Eggs, 

272  Rabbits, 


512  Guinea-Pigs, 

About  18,000  M e a 1- 
Worms, 

About  25,500  Live  Fish, 
About  2,000  Toads, 
About  2,000  Frogs, 
About  2,500  lbs.  Vegeta- 
bles and  Fruit. 


Classification  of  Serpents. — Unfortunately, 
it  is  impossible  to  offer  the  general  student  a 
diagram  of  the  Families  of  living  serpents,  based 
on  the  highest  scientific  authorities,  which  would 
be  either  simple  or  under.standable.  The  species 
are  many,  and  their  teeth,  scales,  bones  and  other 
features  are  diversified.  Thus  far  no  scientific 
authority  has  succeeded  in  dividing  the  world’s 
serpents  into  logical  groups  without  basing  the 
divisions  upon  anatomical  features,  and  describ- 


ing them  in  technical  terms  which  only  the  spe- 
cial student  of  reptiles  can  understand. 

By  way  of  example,  take  Professor  Gadow’s 
simple  statement  of  the  distinguishing  characters 
of  the  Family  Colubridae : “ ectopterygoids  are 
present:  the  squamosals  are  loosely  attached  to 
the  skull,  and  carry  the  ejuadrates,  which  are  not 
reached  by  the  pterygoids:  the  prefrontals  are 
not  in  contact  with  the  nasals;  the  maxillaries 
are  horizontal,  and  form  the  greater  portion  of 
the  upper  jaws:  the  mandibles  lack  the  coronoid 
process  or  element:  both  jaws  are  toothed.” 

Under  the  circumstances,  our  wisest  course 
will  be  to  select  and  set  forth  a series  of  small 
groups  of  serpents  which  will  introduce  the  spe- 
cies most  worth  knowing,  and  at  the  same  time 
convey  a fair  amount  of  general  information  re- 
garding serpents  as  a whole. 

Popular  Questions  and  Misapprehen- 
sions.— Regarding  the  habits  of  serpents  there 
are  many  unsettled  questions,  and  many  disputes. 
The  perennial  “Hoop  Snake”  delusion,  for  ex- 
ample, will  not  down,  and  probably  it  never  will 
lack  exponents  and  defenders. 

The  question"  Do  snakes  swallow  their  young?” 
is  also  a perpetual  storm-centre;  and  there  is 
plenty  of  reliable  evidence  on  all  sides  of  it. 

Snake  di.sputes  between  truthful  persons  are 
due  either  to  deceptions  of  the  eye  (an  organ 
easily  deceived!),  a misinterpretation  of  things 
seen,  or  imperfect  ob.servations. 

For  example,  men  of  the  highest  truthful- 
ness have  been  deceived  into  the  fixed  belief  that 
they  have  “seen  horse-hairs  turn  into  worms.” 

Without  attempting  to  settle  out  of  hand  any 
of  the  snake  disputes  that  are  “rock-ribbed, 
and  ancient  as  the  sun,”  I will  at  least  state  what 
experienced  men,  who  have  observed  and  studied 
reptiles  all  their  lives,  and  gathered  facts  regard- 
ing them,  believe  to  be  true. 

The  “Hoop-Snake,”  which  is  said  to  travel 
by  taking  the  end  of  its  tail  in  its  mouth,  and 
rolling  along  like  a hoop,  is  believed  to  be  an  ab- 
solute myth. 

It  is  believed  that  snake  mothers  do  not  swal- 
low their  young  in  order  to  protect  them,  and 
emit  them  all  as  good  as  new,  when  the  danger 
is  over. 

l\Iany  snakes  do  hiss,  some  of  them  as  loudly 
as  a red-hot  poker  thrust  into  cold  water. 

The  tongue  of  a snake  is  not  capable  of  in- 


340 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


flicting  a wound,  nor  of  conveying  poison  into 
the  blood  of  another  creature. 

Snakes  never  are  “slimy.” 

Removing  the  fangs  of  a poisonous  serpent 
does  not  necessarily  render  it  harmless;  for  new 
fangs  promptly  grow  out  to  take  the  place  of 
those  removed. 

The  rattle  of  the  rattlesnake  contains  more 
than  one  joint  for  each  year  of  life, — usually  two 
or  three. 

THE  LARGEST  SPECIES  OF  SERPENTS. 

Family  Boidae. 

The  Family  Bo'i-dae,  containing  the  boas,  ana- 
condas and  pythons,  embraces  between  sixty  and 
seventy  species. 

It  is  as  natural  for  human  interest  in  ani- 


mals to  be  greatest  toward  those  that  are  the 
largest  of  their  kind,  as  it  is  for  sparks  to  fly 
upward.  It  is  well  to  see  what  Nature  can  do 
when  she  puts  forth  her  best  efforts.  No  one 
need  apologize  for  a keen  interest  in  pythons, 
boas  and  anacondas,  provided  that  interest  is 
kept  down  to  bed-rock  truth,  and  all  exaggera- 
tions and  overestimates  are  rigidly  eliminated. 
Unfortunately,  however,  the  makers  of  sensa- 
tions about  wild  animals  regard  all  large  serpents 
as  their  lawful  prey,  and  often  stretch  them  un- 
mercifully. 

The  Boa  Constrictor. — The  serpents  which 
seize  their  prey,  and  crush  it  into  compact  shape 


before  swallowing  it,  are  constrictors,  because  of 
their  method;  but  all  big  serpents  are  not  nec- 
essarily Boa  constrictors.  That  title  applies  to 
but  a single  species,  found  in  South  America; 
and,  curiously  enough,  its  Latin  name  is  also  its 
popular  name. 

In  seizing  its  prey,  this  serpent  instantly 
reveals  its  name  by  its  method.  The  jaws  open 
widely,  fly  forward  with  electric  quickness,  close 
on  the  animal,  and  hold  fast.  Instantly  there- 
after, a coil  of  the  body  near  the  head  is  flung 
completely  around  the  victim  and  drawn  tight, 
to  suppress  struggling,  and  prevent  possible 
escape  from  the  jaws.  From  the  oldest  and 
largest  to  the  youngest  and  smallest  Boa  Con- 
strictors, all  seize  their  prey  with  precisely  the 
same  action,  and  the  flinging  of  the  first  coil  fol- 


lows so  quickly  after  the  strike  of  the  jaws  that 
the  two  acts  seem  almost  simultaneous. 

The  Boa  Constrictor  is  much  smaller  than  its 
neighbor,  the  anaconda,  and  not  more  than  one- 
half  the  size  of  the  gigantic  reticulated  python  of 
the  East  Indies.  Its  maximum  length  is  about 
12  feet.  It  inhabits  South  America,  from  the 
Caribbean  Sea  to  Paraguay,  but  only  in  forested 
regions,  where  animal  food  is  plentiful,  and  cover 
for  concealment  is  abundant.  This  species  is 
readily  recognized  by  its  bright,  reddish-brown 
tail,  which  is  much  more  highly  colored  than  the 
head  and  body.  It  is  also  marked  by  the  prev- 
alence of  reddish,  iron-rust  brown  in  its  color- 


THE  LARGEST  SERPENTS 


341 


scheme,  and  the  very  large  oval  patches  of  light 
color,  divided  by  black  bands,  that  are  laid  along 
its  back  with  regularity  and  precision.  The 
sides  are  beautifully  marked  by  light-colored 
diamonds  and  bars. 

When  at  home,  this  serpent  feeds  upon  pacas, 
agoutis,  capybaras,  tamanduas,  young  peccaries 
and  tapirs,  and  any  bird  that  is  large  enough  to 
justify  attention.  Considering  the  excellent 
climbing  powers  of  the  Boa  Constrictor,  and  the 
dulness  of  certain  South  American  monkeys,  it 
is  highly  probable  that  monkeys  furnish  many 
a meal  for  this  serpent.  The  sloth  is  protected 
in  two  ways.  It  prefers  the  small  and  weak  outer 
branches  of  a tree,  and  it  moves  so  slowly  and  un- 
ostentatiously a Boa  would  be  long  in  finding  one. 

If  a twelve-foot  Boa  once  wrapped  itself 
around  an  unarmed  man,  it  undoubtedly  could 
suffocate  him,  or  crush  him  to  death,  but  it  would 
be  impossible  for  it  to  swallow  him.  There  is 
at  hand  no  authentic  record  of  a Boa  Con- 
strictor ever  having  killed  a man  or  a horse.  In 
South  America  I was  assured  by  native  hunters 
that  Boas  and  anacondas  swallow  antlered  deer, 
but  when  direct  proof  of  this  was  called  for,  it 
never  came. 

The  Anaconda'  is  the  great  water-constrictor 
of  South  America,  and  it  so  loves  the  aqueous 
element  that  some  captive  specimens  never  leave 
their  bathing-tanks  unless  forced  to  do  so.  This 
serpent  is  strongly  marked  for  identification  by 
the  very  large  black  spots,  round  or  nearly  so, 
which  cover  its  back  from  head  to  tail,  laid  on  a 
dark  olive  ground.  Sometimes  these  are  ar- 
ranged in  pairs,  and  suggest  dumb-bells. 

This  species  attains  very  great  size,  and  being 
fully  equal  to  the  reticulated  python  of  the  East 
Indies,  it  is  one  of  the  largest  of  living  serpents. 
Of  course  it  can  hardly  happen  that  specimens 
of  the  largest  size  would  find  their  way  into  zoo- 
logical gardens.  The  largest  thus  far  exhibited 
in  the  Zoological  Park  measured  18  feet  6 inches, 
and  came  from  the  Berbice  River,  British  Guiana. 
In  the  British  Museum  there  is  a stuffed  specimen 
which  is  29  feet  long. 

In  British  Guiana  I was  assured  by  local  hunters 
that  the  “Camudie,”  as  this  serpent  is  commonly 
called,  often  attains  a length  of  3.5  feet.  There 
is,  however,  no  proof  that  it  exceeds  30  feet; 
and  any  traveller  or  observer  who  has  the  good 
' Eu-nec'tes  mu-ri'nus. 


fortune  to  meet  with  a specimen  exceeding  that 
length  will  do  well  to  back  up  his  tape  measure 
with  either  the  preserved  skin  or  skeleton.  One 
snake-skin  is  more  convincing  than  a hundred 
snake-stories. 

I believe  the  delta  of  the  Orinoco  is  the  north- 
ern limit  of  the  Anaconda,  where  it  is  called  the 
“Culebra  de  Agua,”  and  regarded  with  pro- 
found respect.  It  inhabits  the  Guianas  and  Bra- 
zil, and  probably  extends  to  the  head-waters  of 
the  Amazon,  in  eastern  Peru.  Of  its  regular 
food,  the  capybara  (a  water-loving  rodent,  as 
large  as  a good-sized  hog)  undoubtedly  stands 
first,  followed  by  the  tapir,  otter,  deer  and  large 
water-birds  generally. 

The  Reticulated  Python, ^ of  the  Malay 
Peninsula,  Sumatra  and  Borneo,  is  the  largest 


YELLOW  AN.LCONDA. 
Euncctes  notaeus. 


serpent  of  the  Old  World,  and  the  only  rival  of 
the  anaconda  for  first  place.  A surprisingly 
large  number  of  specimens  of  this  species  are 
captured  alive  each  year,  and  sold  to  dealers  in 
wild  animals.  As  a result,  the  largest  serpent 
with  which  the  animal-loving  public  becomes 
familiar  in  the  zoological  gardens  and  parks  is 
this  handsome  Python.  Specimens  exceeding 
20  feet  in  length,  and  running  up  to  2.5  feet,  are 
really  common  in  the  possession  of  the  animal 
dealers  of  Singapore,  but  about  three-fourths  of 
them  die  from  lack  of  proper  care  before  they  are 
finally  disposed  of  in  Europe  or  America,  and 
placed  on  exhibition. 

The  largest  specimen  which  thus  far  has  died 
in  the  Zoological  Park  measured  22  feet  10  inches, 
and  weighed  170  pounds;  but  a larger  unmeas- 
ured specimen  is  now  living  there. 

2 Pi/thon  re-tic-u-la'tus. 


342 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


This  splendid  Python  is  at  home  in  the  hot 
and  moist  jungle  which  from  Burmah  to  Java 
covers  the  land  with  a dense  mantle  of  trees, 
thorny  palms,  rattans  and  tangled  underbrush. 

The  temperature  is  practically  stationary  all 
the  year  round,  and  varies  little  save  between 
82°  and  98°  F.  The  frecjuent  rains,  and  the 
moist,  hot-house  air  of  that  region,  with  abun- 
dant animal  food  and  ample  cover,  constitute 
ideal  conditions  for  the  rapid  growth  of  reptiles, 
and  the  triennial  shedding  of  their  epidermis. 
It  is  no  wonder  that  Pythons  and  king  cobras 
grow  large  there,  or  that  they  are  so  numerous 
that  many  of  the  former  are  caught  alive  by  the 
Malays. 

But  the  term  "numerous”  is  capable  of  sev- 
eral interpretations,  and  in  this  case  we  enjoin 
a strict  limitation.  Although  between  forty 
and  fifty  Pythons  of  two  large  species'  leave 
Singapore  every  year,  let  it  not  for  one  mo- 
ment be  supposed  that  anywhere  in  the  East 
Indies  are  these  serpents  so  numerous  that  they 
constitute  a danger  to  human  life,  or  that  it  is 
even  possible  to  find  them  by  hunting  for  them. 
Quite  the  contrary. 

I spent  several  months  in  the  Far  East,  roam- 
ing through  jungles  of  all  kinds,  some  of  them 
so  dense  and  so  full  of  deadly  bogs  and  miasma 
that  now  I recall  them  with  a shudder.  I never 
once  found  a wild  Python,  great  or  small ; nor  a 
cobra,  even  in  cobra-ridden  Hindustan;  nor  did 
any  of  my  own  native  followers  ever  find  a spec- 
imen of  either  for  me.  The  only  wild  Python 
I ever  saw  or  handled  in  its  home  jungle  was 
one  that  was  brought  to  me  in  the  Malay  Penin- 
sula. It  was  hiding  in  a hollow  tree,  and  when 
it  looked  out  at  a Malay  who  was  passing,  he 
whipped  out  his  parong,  cut  off  its  head  at  one 
blow,  and  came  to  me  calmly  dragging  behind 
him  twelve  feet  of  dead  snake. 

So  far  as  I could  learn,  even  the  largest  Py- 
thons are  harmless  to  man.  They  sometimes 
visit  native  villages,  crawl  through  the  frail 
fences  which  very  feebly  protect  the  domestic 
animals,  and  swallow — chickens  and  ducks!  It 
is  in  these  humble  raids  that  some  Pythons  come 
to  grief  by  being  caught  alive.  But  jungle  peo- 
ple have  no  fear  that  a Python  would  make  such 

' The  Black-Tailed  Python  (Pii'thon  mo-lu'rus), 
although  smaller  than  the  Reticulated,  attains  a 
length  of  20  feet. 


a blunder  as  to  attempt  to  make  a conquest  of  a 
man.  To  be  sure,  in  the  Far  East,  people  do  not 
often  go  poking  around  in  the  jungles  at  night, 
in  thick  darkness.  It  is  not  considered  the 
proper  thing  to  do  so. 

The  food  of  the  Pythons  of  the  East  Indies 
must  consist  chiefly  of  the  muntjac,  hog-deer  and 
other  deer  of  small  size;  young  wild  pigs,  pheas- 
ants and  jungle-fowl.  Our  captive  Pythons  pre- 
fer large  chickens — full-feathered — and  rabbits. 
A Python  should  voluntarily  eat  a full  meal  every 
two  weeks. 

Until  quite  recently  it  was  generally  believed 
that  if  a large  serpent  w'ould  not  feed  voluntarily 
there  was  nothing  to  be  done  for  it  save  to  watch 
it  commit  suicide  by  starvation.  Two  years 
ago,  Mr.  Raymond  L.  Ditmars,  Curator  of  Rc])- 
tiles  in  the  Zoological  Park  determined  upon  a 
very  bold  experiment.  He  decided  that  a starv- 
ing twenty-foot  Python  should  be  fed  artificially. 
Accordingly,  a smooth  bamboo  pole  was  pro- 
cured, and  a string  of  four  rabbits  was  tied  up 
so  that  the  pole  would  thrust  the  first  one  far 
into  the  serpent’s  interior,  and  drag  the  others 
after  it.  The  next  cjuestion  was,  how  could  the 
snake  be  controlled? 

Summoning  Keepers  Snyder  and  Dahl,  and 
five  other  men,  the  cage-door  was  opened.  .\s 
the  reptile  raised  its  head  to  strike  the  intruders, 
a stream  of  cold  water  from  a hose  struck  it  full 
in  the  face.  When  it  recoiled  in  confusion,  the 
plucky  keepers  seized  it  by  the  neck,  and  quickly 
dragged  it  from  its  cage.  As  its  form  emerged, 
the  waiting  men  seized  it  at  proper  intervals,  and 
held  it  nearly  straight. 

The  Curator  presented  the  pole-strung  rab- 
bits, the  first  of  which  was  angrily  seized  in  the 
Python’s  jaws.  With  this  auspicious  beginning, 
it  was  the  work  of  only  a few  moments  to  grad- 
ually push  the  string  of  wet  rabbits  down  the 
serpent’s  throat,  to  a distance  of  seven  feet,  and 
withdraw  the  pole.  Finally  the  tail  and  body  of 
the  snake  was  thrust  into  the  cage,  and  with  a 
careful  toss  from  the  hands  of  Mr.  Snyder,  the 
head  landed  on  the  coils,  sufficiently  distant 
that  the  door  could  be  closed  without  acci- 
dent. 

Since  that  time,  all  large  serpents  that  fast 
too  long  are  fed  in  this  manner,  and  the  food  thus 
mechanically  placed  in  the  stomach  is  properly 
assimilated. 


THE  KING-SNAKE 


343 


HARMLESS  SNAKES  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES. 

Of  the  grand  army  of  harmless  snakes  inhab- 
iting North  America,  the  King-Snake’  is  un- 
questionably the  king.  It  is  also  called  the 
Chain-Snake  and  Thunder-Snake.  It  is  the 
most  courageous  of  all  snakes,  and  in  proportion 
to  its  size  it  is  also  the  strongest.  Toward  man 
it  is  by  no  means  especially  vicious;  but  on  the 
contrary,  its  manner  is  quite  tolerant. 

Toward  all  other  serpents,  however,  it  man- 
ifests as  great  aversion  as  any  snake-hating 
woman,  and  it  is  pugnacious  and  aggressive 
to  an  astonishing  degree.  The  King-Snake  is, 
for  its  size,  the  most  powerful  of  all  the  con- 
strictors, and  does  not  hesitate  to  attack  a 
snake  of  another  species  several  times  larger 
than  itself.  It  is  cannibalistic  in  its  tastes,  and 
not  only  attacks  and  kills  other  snakes,  but  de- 
vours them. 

In  our  Reptile  House,  a snake  of  this  species 
once  attacked  a Cuban  boa,  fully  three  times  its 
own  size,  and  tried  to  swallow  it!  Had  not  the 
boa  been  rescued,  it  would  undoubtedly  have  been 
quickly  suffocated  by  the  coils  which  its  antag- 
onist had  wrapped  tightly  around  its  body.  On 
another  occasion  a King-Snake  that  was  placed 
for  a very  short  time  in  the  cage  of  the  water  moc- 
casins, attacked  one  of  the  latter,  wrapped  around 
it,  and  killed  it.  Several  times  the  moccasin  bit 
its  assailant,  but  the  King-Snake  is  immune  to 
the  venom  of  serpents,  and  paid  no  attention  to 
the  counter-attack. 

In  some  portions  of  the  South,  the  King-Snake 
is  believed  to  be  a special  enemy  of  rattlesnakes 
and  moccasins,  and  on  this  account  it  is  pre- 
served from  general  slaughter.  It  is  well  at- 
tested that  it  does  sometimes  kill  and  devour 
snakes  of  both  those  species. 

Tliis  bold  serpent  is  found  from  Maryland  to 
southern  Florida,  thence  westward  through  the 
Gulf  states  to  the  Indian  Territory,  Texas  and 
Matamoras,  Mexico.  Its  average  length  is  about 
3i  feet,  and  it  rarely  exceeds  4 feet.  From 
Maryland  to  Georgia  it  is  a black  snake  with 
thirty  white  bands  or  rings  around  it,  and  is 
called  the  Chain-Snake.  Farther  south  its  body- 
color  is  greenish,  with  white  rings,  and  is  called 
the  Thunder-Snake.  Its  favorite  food  is  rats, 
’ 0-phi-bo'lus  ge-lu'lus. 


mice,  lizards,  birds,  and  other  snakes;  but  no 
frogs  are  eaten. 

It  reproduces  by  laying  eggs.  In  Texas,  New 
Mexico  and  Sonora,  Mexico,  the  Splendid  King- 
Snake  is  found.  In  Arizona,  California  and 
Nevada  occurs  Boyle’s  King-Snake,  a conspicuous 
black  serpent,  marked  by  thirty  broad,  cream- 
colored  bands.  The  latter  sometimes  predomi- 
nate so  effectively  as  to  give  the  snake  a general 
cream-colored  appearance,  with  black  rings.  An 
entirely  black  variety,  without  rings,  is  found  in 
Indiana  and  Illinois. 

The  Corn-Snake,^  sometimes  called  the  Red 
Racer,  is  one  of  the  handsomest  serpents  in 
North  America.  Its  general  color-tone  is  mot- 
tled yellowish-red,  or  reddish-yellow.  In  detail 
its  color-pattern  consists  of  about  forty  squarish 
blocks  along  the  back,  each  of  which  is  dull 


KING-SNAKE. 


brick-red,  with  a deep  margin  of  black,  outside 
of  which  is  a lighter  ground-color.  Its  length 
is  a little  over  three  feet,  and  its  form  is  slender 
and  graceful. 

Like  the  king-snake,  this  serpent  is  a powerful 
constrictor,  a good  climber,  and  seldom  is  seen 
on  the  ground.  In  the  fields  and  forests,  it  is 
usually  found  in  or  upon  low  bushes.  It  fre- 
quents the  habitations  of  man,  and  the  roofs  of 
old  out-buildings  are  its  favorite  hunting-grounds 
for  rats  and  mice.  It  is  fond  of  rats,  and  because 
of  this  is  considered  a useful  ally  of  the  southern 
farmer,  by  whom  it  is  often  called  the  Rat-Snake. 
(Raymond  L.  Ditmars.) 

Co-lu'ler  gut-ta'tus. 


344 


OEDERS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


This  serpent  is  courageous,  but  not  particu- 
larly aggressive.  Its  food  consists  of  rats,  birds, 
eggs,  small  rodents,  and  warm-blooded  creatures 
generally.  In  South  Carolina,  Mr.  Ditmars  capt- 
ured a specimen  which  but  a few  minutes  pre- 
viously had  finished  swallowing  a bob-white. 

The  home  of  this  interesting  and  beautiful  ser- 
pent is  practically  the  same  as  that  of  the  king- 
snake, — along  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Maryland 
to  Florida,  and  westward  through  the  Gulf  states 
to  Arkansas.  This  snake  is  an  egg-layer. 

The  Gopher-Snake'  is  our  representative  of 
the  rat-snakes  of  South  America  and  India,  that 
make  a business  of  catching  rats  in  and  around 
dwellings  and  out-buildings.  In  the  South,  it 
is  often  called  the  “Black-Snake,” — because  it 
is  black;  but  when  it  is  particularly  well  polished, 
it  takes  on  a gun-barrel  blue  appearance,  when  it 
is  also  called  the  Indigo-Snake. 

This  is  a large  and  showy  serpent,  often  at- 
taining 8 feet  in  length,  very  docile  and  good- 
natured,  and  easily  tamed. 

At  Oak  Lodge,  Florida,  we  once  saw  a very 
large  wild  Gopher-Snake  emerge  from  the  saw- 
palmetto  jungle,  and  crawl  directly  toward  the 
house.  When  Mrs.  Latham  was  informed,  she 
cried  out  reassuringly,  “Oh,  that  is  my  pet  snake! 
It  keeps  the  place  clear  of  rats.”  Forthwith  she 


PINE-SN.\KE. 


laid  hold  of  it  and  picked  it  up,  which  the  ser- 
pent did  not  resent  in  the  least,  even  when  it 
was  passed  from  hand  to  hand  for  close  examina- 
tion. When  finally  released,  it  leisurely  crawled 
under  the  house,  quite  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened. 

' Spi-lo'tes  co'ra-is  cou'per-ii. 


This  is  one  of  the  best  of  all  serpents  to  keep 
in  captivity.  In  four  years  we  have  not  lost  a 
specimen  by  death,  and  Mr.  Ditmars  has  one 
which  he  has  kept  in  good  health  for  eleven  years. 
It  is  next  in  hardiness  to  the  water-moccasin.  It 
is  an  omnivorous  feeder,  and,  named  in  the  order 
of  choice,  its  food  consists  of  rats,  mice,  birds, 
snakes,  eggs,  frogs,  fish,  lizards  and  even  raw 
meat!  (R.  L.  Ditmars.) 

The  Gopher-Snake  is  not  a constrictor,  it  does 
not  climb  frequently,  and  does  not  care  for  water 
except  to  drink.  It  is  strictly  a warm-country 
species,  and  inhabits  our  Gulf  states,  from  Flori- 
da to  Matamoras,  Mexico. 

The  typical  Pine-Snake^  inhabits  the  sandy 
pine-woods  along  the  Atlantic  coast  from  New 
Jersey  to  Florida;  but  other  species  of  this  genus 
are  found  throughout  nearly  every  other  portion 
of  the  United  States  except  New  England. 

This  species  is  quite  harmless,  even  to  other 
snakes,  but  for  all  that,  it  is  a powerful  constric- 
tor. It  lays  eggs,  and  feeds  upon  birds,  small 
rodents,  and  eggs.  In  devouring  eggs  it  has  a 
very  odd  but  intelligent  trick.  It  swallows  an  egg 
whole,  and  after  it  has  passed  a few  inches  down 
the  throat,  w'here  it  forms  a large  swelling,  the 
serpent  lifts  its  head,  elevates  its  back,  and  exerts 
downward  pressure  directly  upon  the  egg  until 
the  shell  breaks! 

A striking  peculiarity  of  the  Pine-Snake  is 
found  in  the  structure  of  its  epiglottis,  first  ob- 
served and  described  by  Dr.  C.  A.  White,  by 
means  of  which  the  hiss  of  this  creature  is  so 
loud  and  so  well  sustained  that  it  is  like  the  hiss 
of  red-hot  iron  in  water.  The  maximum  length 
of  this  snake  is  about  7^  feet.  Its  ground-color 
is  whitish,  the  head  is  spotted  with  black,  and 
along  the  back  there  is  a series  of  about  twenty- 
four  very  large  brown  patches,  margined  with 
black.  Sometimes  these  blotches  of  color  take 
shape  as  bands.  The  abdomen  is  dull  yellow, 
with  blackish-brown  patches. 

The  Black-Snake  of  the  East  is  a serpent  of 
narrow  form,  but  wide  distribution.  Westward 
it  changes  color,  and  is  known  at  first  as  the  Blue 
Racer,  and  then  as  the  Green  Racer.  Although 
its  Latin  name  is  Za-me'nis  con-stric' tor , it  is 
not  a constrictor,  it  is  badly  misnamed,  it  is  per- 
fectly harmless  to  man,  and  its  bite  is  never  more 
than  a mere  scratch.  It  is  very  cowardly,  and 
- Pit-y-o'phis  me-lan-o-leu'cus. 


COMMON  NORTH  AMERICAN  SPECIES 


345 


will  leap  wildly  from  the  edge  of  a rock  or  a steep 
bank  in  order  to  escape.  If  cornered,  it  makes 
a fierce  but  often  absurd  fight,  sometimes  be- 


WESTER.V  CO.^.CH-WHIP  SNAKE,  OR  RED  RACER. 


coming  so  frantic  that  it  bites  its  own  body.  (R. 
L.  Ditmars.) 

This  snake  is  a good  climber,  swims  well,  and 
is  active  and  quick  in  movement,  but  it  has  no 
real  power  to  speak  of.  It  is  not  an  enemy  of 
the  rattlesnake,  as  many  persons  suppose,  but 
it  devours  snakes  that  are  smaller  and  weaker 
than  itself.  Its  favorite  food  consists  of  small 
rodents,  young  birds,  eggs  and  frogs,  but  it  does 
not  eat  fish.  It  is  a great  destroyer  of  mice  and 
moles,  and  deserves  well  of  the  farmer  on  that 
account. 

The  young  differ  in  color  from  adult  specimens, 
being  slaty  gray,  with  chestnut-brown  saddles  on 
the  back.  In  the  third  year,  these  colors  fade, 
and  the  snake  assumes  its  adult  color.  Speak- 
ing generally,  the  black  form  of  this  species  oc- 
curs nearly  everj'where  throughout  the  United 
States  east  of  the  Mississippi  into  New  England. 
What  is  called  the  intermediate  color  \s  too  widely 
scattered  to  be  defined,  while  the  green-and-yel- 
low  form  is  found  from  Nebraska  and  Louisiana 
westward  to  the  Pacific  coast,  and  from  Puget 
Sound  to  San  Diego. 

The  length  of  this  snake,  when  adult,  varies 
from  40  to  58  inches. 

The  Coach-Whip  Snake^  is  closely  related 
‘ Za-me'nis  fa-gel'lum. 


to  the  preceding  species  (both  being  members  of 
the  same  genus),  and  has  similar  habits.  It  is 
even  more  slender  than  the  black-snake.  Its 
standard  color  is,  toward  the  head,  black  or 
light  yellowish-brown,  fading  out  rapidly  back- 
ward, until  the  tail  becomes  nearly  white.  But 
these  colors  vary  exceedingly  in  widely  separated 
localities. 

This  is  a southern  snake,  and  extends  from 
Florida  quite  across  the  continent  to  California. 
In  the  far  Southwest,  its  colors  are  so  much  suf- 
fused with  pinkish  it  becomes  the  Red  Racer 
(Zamenis  flagellum  fre-na' turn). 

The  Garter-Snake, 2 our  oldest  and  most  fa- 
miliar friend  among  the  snakes,  is  as  harmless  as 
a house-fly,  and  any  one  who  exerts  himself  to 
crush  one  simply  makes  a pitiful  exhibition  of 
ignorance  and  folly.  This  is  the  most  prolific 
and  generally  abundant  snake  in  North  America, 
and  no  amount  of  persecution  seems  to  diminish 
its  numbers  to  any  noticeable  degree.  During 
the  month  of  March,  1903,  about  450  specimens 
were  collected  in  and  around  the  Zoological 
Park. 

This  serpent  is  viviparous,  and  sometimes 
forty-five  are  born  in  one  brood.  Out  of  a brood 
of  thirty-eight  born  in  our  Reptile  House,  there 
was  one  double-headed  specimen  and  three  albi- 
nos. The  standard  length  of  this  snake  is  from 
24  to  30  inches,  and  one  36  inches  long  is  a large 
specimen.  Of  the  genus  to  which  the  Garter- 
Snake  belongs,  twenty-four  species  have  been 
described,  covering  the  whole  of  the  United 


COMMON  GARTER-SNAKE. 


States,  and  much  contiguous  territory.  From 
the  species  named  above,  twelve  tiresome  sub- 
2 Eu-tae'ni-a  sir-tal'is. 


340 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


species  have  been  evolved,  which  are  of  no  in- 
terest whatever  to  the  general  student. 

The  Red-Bellied  Water-Snake  ‘ is  a highly 
colored  variety  of  the  common  Water-Snake  that 
merits  special  attention.  It  is  the  most  showy 
and  handsome  representative  of  an  interesting 
group  of  water-snakes,  comprising  about  ten 
species,  all  of  which  are  harmless,  but  very  much 
in  evidence  in  small  streams  and  other  bodies  of 
water.  They  bring  forth  their  young  alive. 
They  love  to  lie  upon  low  bushes  that  overhang 
water,  and  bask  in  the  sun.  They  are  very  sus- 
picious, however,  and  when  disturbed  drop  head 
first  into  the  water,  like  a stream  of  oil  running 


Ditmars  took  three  sunfish,  one  catfish,  about  a 
dozen  tiny  suckers  and  a crawfish.  This  inter- 
esting fish  collection  had  filled  the  serpent  so 
full  it  could  hold  no  more.  The  species  referred 
to  is  prominently  marked  by  its  shiny  red  belly, 
and  rusty-brown  upper  surface.  It  is  from 
to  4 feet  long,  and  like  all  Water-Snakes,  emits 
a disagreeable  odor  when  handled.  It  inhabits 
the  southern  states  generally,  and  extends  north- 
ward into  Illinois  and  Michigan. 

The  Common  Water-Snake-  inhabits  all 
of  the  Gulf  states  and  the  Mississippi  valley  up 
to  Iowa.  In  the  New  England  states  as  far  up  as 
Connecticut,  and  also  in  the  southeastern  states 


RED-BELLIED  WATER-SN.^KE. 


New  York  Zoological  Park, 


down.  The  way  to  catch  them  is  with  a wire 
noose  on  the  end  of  a light  pole  about  ten  feet 
long. 

The  species  named  above  is  widely  known 
amongst  the  negroes  of  the  Carolinas  and  other 
portions  of  the  South  as  the  Copper-Bellied 
‘•Moccasin,”  and  it  is  feared  accordingly.  To 
the  negroes  of  South  Carolina,  all  water-snakes 
are  “Moccasins.”  The  Red-Bellied  is  held  to 
be  very  deadly,  and  its  bite  is  .said  to  be  “fatal” 
unless  counteracted  with  large  doses  of  good 
whiskey!  (R.  L.  Ditmars.) 

Water-snakes  feed  chiefly  upon  small  fishes  and 
frogs.  From  the  stomach  of  one  Red-Bellied 
Water-Snake  collected  in  South  Carolina,  Mr. 

^ Xa'trijr  jas-ci-n'ta  er-yth'ro-gas-ler. 


and  the  Mississippi  valley  is  found  a subspecies 
called  Natrix  fascia ta  sipcdon. 

The  Hog-Nosed  Snake^  is  a serpent  of  many 
names  and  remarkable  habits.  It  is  often  called 
the  Blowing  “Viper,”  Spreading  “Adder,” 
and  other  combinations  of  “Viper”  and  “.\d- 
der,”  all  erroneous.  This  is  the  snake  that  is  such 
a bold  bluffer,  and  often  saves  its  life  by  pretend- 
ing to  be  very  fierce  and  dangerous.  Instead  of 
fleeing  from  an  intruder,  this  creature  comes 
straight  forward,  with  savage  determination, 
hissing  and  darting  out  its  tongue,  and  pretending 
to  be  a serious  proposition.  It  looks  as  ugly  and 
deadly  as  any  real  viper.  It  inflates  the  skin  of 

2 Na'lrix  fas-ci-a'ta. 

^ He-ter’o-don  plal-y-rhi'nus. 


WATER-SNAKES,  AND  THE  HOG-NOSED  SNAKE 


347 


its  neck  with  air,  and  hisses  until  it  can  be  heard 
twenty-five  feet. 

In  spite  of  all  this  bluffing,  however,  the  Hog- 
Nosed  Snake  is  really  a harmless  creature.  It 
strikes  viciously,  but  always  with  its  mouth 
closed!  Mr.  Ditmars  says  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  induce  one  of  these  snakes  to  bite.  When 
greatly  annoyed,  or  tickled  on  the  back,  it  will 


UOG-NOSED  SNAKE. 


turn  over  on  its  back,  open  its  mouth,  allow  its 
tongue  to  hang  out,  and  permit  the  experimenter 
to  liang  it  over  a stick,  as  if  dead.  If  thrown 
upon  the  ground  on  its  back,  it  will  slowly 
turn  back  again,  take  in  its  tongue,  and  crawl 
away. 

\\  lien  a small  boy  I once  had  a thrilling  en- 
counter on  a bare  prairie  with  one  of  these  snakes, 
which  sought  to  take  refuge  in  its  hole  while  I 
fought  it  off  with  my  hat.  At  last  the  snake 
fled,  and  I blocked  up  the  mouth  of  the  hole. 
While  I was  ploughing  the  next  round,  the  snake 
returned,  and  with  its  nose  dug  a new  opening 
running  diagonally  down  into  the  old  one,  and 
entered. 

This  snake  is  flat-headed  and  thick-bodied, 
and  varies  in  length  from  30  to  37  inches.  Its 
colors  are  a mixture  of  brown,  yellow  and  black, 
with  no  definite  pattern,  and  are  almost  impos- 
sible to  describe  successfully.  This  species  lays 
eggs,  which  are  about  one  and  one-half  inches  in 
length,  covered  with  a thick,  tough,  flexible  shell. 
M hen  hatched  the  young  are  from  7 to  8 inches 
long,  and  they  hiss  very  soon  after  they  emerge. 
The  embryo  serpent  po.ssesses  an  “egg-tooth,” 
for  cutting  the  shell  of  the  egg,  but  it  loosens 
and  drops  out  within  a day  or  two  after  the 
serpent  is  hatched. 


THE  POISONOUS  SNAKES  OF  NORTH 
AMERICA. 

Fortunately  for  us,  all  save  one  of  our  species 
of  poisonous  serpents  are  so  peculiarly  marked 
it  is  possible  for  any  intelligent  person  to  know 
them  all,  and  recognize  their  dangerous  charac- 
ter in  a moment.  This  knowledge  once  acquired, 
all  the  other  snakes  of  North  America  cease  to 
be  objects  of  dread  or  terror,  and  become  merely 
so  many  interesting  specimens  of  natural  history. 

A bird’s-eye  view  of  our  venomous  serpents 
reveals  the  following  assemblage : 

Rattlesnakes,  11  species, 
Massasaugas,  3 species. 
Venomous  Serpents  Water-Moccasin, 
of  North  America.  Copperhead, 

Harlequin  Snake, 
Sonoran  Coral  Snake. 

Out  of  the  75,000,000  people  in  the  United 
States,  probably  not  more  than  two  die  each 
3"ear  as  the  result  of  snake-bites.  The  number 
of  timid  people  who  are  frightened  bj"  harmless 
snakes,  each  year,  must  be  about  1,000,000. 
Now,  if  all  the  latter  could  be  so  fully  informed 
as  to  be  free  for  all  time  from  groundless  fear, 
what  a relief  to  suffering  nerves  it  would  be. 

And  why  should  any  one  remain  in  ignorance? 
In  reality,  there  are  only  five  types  to  learn,  all 
the  rattlesnakes  and  massasaugas  being  referable 
to  one  group  by  reason  of  the  rattles  and  “but- 
tons” on  their  tails. 

Come,  then!  Let  us  address  ourselves  to  the 
very  simple  task  of  learning  from  a book  how  to 
recognize  the  venomous  serpents  of  North  Amer- 
ica, as  readily  as  one  recognizes  the  dogs  and 
horses  of  our  next-door  neighbor.  Excepting  the 
water-moccasin,  they  are  all  so  plainlj'  marked 
that  all  persons  except  those  who  are  blind  may 
know  them ; and  there  is  no  excuse  for  forgetting 
them.  Instead  of  going  into  their  anatomy  at 
length,  our  efforts  for  this  occasion  will  be  con- 
centrated upon  their  external  characters,  habits 
and  homes. 

Fortunately,  we  have  not  in  North  America 
any  house-haunting  serpents  of  great  cunning 
and  unfailing  deadliness  like  the  Hooded  Cobra, 
or  Cobra-de-Capello,'  of  India.  The  bite  of 
this  species  is  very  deadly,  and  whether  wholly 
guilty  or  not,  in  India  it  is  debited  annually 
' Na'ja  iri-pu' di-ans . 


348 


OKDEES  OF  EEPTILES— SERPENTS 


with  the  deaths  of  between  18,000  and  22,000 
persons.  It  is  said,  however,  that  many  persons 
are  murdered  on  the  sly,  and  their  deaths  are 
charged  up  to  the  account  of  the  Cobra-de-Capello. 

The  reasons  why  so  many  persons  are  bitten 
by  Cobras  are,  (1)  that  in  the  rainy  season,  the 
serpents  take  refuge  in  and  about  the  huts;  (2) 
that  practically  all  the  natives  go  bare-footed 
and  bare-legged;  (3)  that  many  of  them  are 
compelled  to  go  about  at  night,  without  lights 
of  any  kind,  and  (4)  the  warning  of  the  Cobra — 
spreading  the  hood,  and  hissing — is  more  fre- 
quently given  after  the  bite  than  before  it!  More- 
over, the  Cobra  is  naturally  much  more  irritable 
and  vicious  than  the  rattlesnake,  or  any  other 
American  serpent. 

Of  all  the  serpents  that  have  entered  the  Reptile 
House,  the  Hooded  Cobras  are  the  most  vicious, 
and  eager  to  do  mischief.  At  the  slightest  ex- 
cuse, they  spring  to  an  erect  posture,  spread 
their  hoods,  and  try  their  utmost  to  bite.  One 
of  them  struck  the  glass  of  its  cage  front  so  fre- 
quently that  it  brought  on  a disease  of  the  jaw- 
bone, which  finally  rendered  it  necessary  to  re- 
move one  entire  side  of  the  lower  jaw.  To  keep 
the  three  Cobras  from  seriously  injuring  their 
heads  by  striking  against  the  glass,  it  is  necessary 
to  keep  the  lower  portion  of  the  plate  painted 
white. 

The  Hooded  Cobra  is  a slender-bodied,  ner- 
vous and  active  serpent,  with  a maximum  length 
of  about  48  inches.  When  the  rainy  season  is  on 
in  India,  it  seeks  refuge  in  and  about  human 
dwellings,  especially  under  floors,  and  is  also 
partial  to  thatched  roofs.  For  its  bite  there  is  no 
sure  antidote. 

The  King-Cobra,  or  Snake-Eating  Cobra,* 

of  the  Malay  Peninsula  is  the  largest  of  all  venom- 
ous serpents,  easily  attaining  a length  of  ten 
feet.  It  is  a very  athletic  serpent,  slender- 
bodied and  strong-muscled,  able  to  erect  its 
head  three  feet,  perpendicularly,  and  strike 
nearly  a yard.  It  is  a very  expert  and  vigorous 
climber,  swims  nearly  as  well  as  a water-snake, 
and  is  a thorough  believer  in  the  survival  of  the 
fittest.  It  feeds  only  upon  other  serpents  and 
lizards,  but  it  would  be  better  if  harmless  ser- 
pents fed  upon  it. 

No  matter  where  you  find  him,  the  Rattle- 
snake is  a fair  fighter,  and  entitled  to  far  more 
* Na'ja  bun-gur'us. 


respect  than  he  is  likely  to  receive  in  this  snake- 
terrified  world.  He  strikes  only  in  self-defence, 
when  he  thinks  he  is  about  to  be  trodden  upon. 
Instead  of  lying  in  ambush,  and  striking  in  deadly 
silence,  like  the  cobra  and  the  moccasin,  he  rat- 
tles loudly  when  man  or  beast  approaches,  and 
gives  fair  warning  to  “keep  off!”  He  rattles 
to  save  himself  from  injury,  and  his  persistent 
whirr  has  saved  thousands  of  persons,  and  tens 
of  thousands  of  domestic  animals,  from  being 
bitten.  A western  cow-pony,  a government 
mule,  or  a range  steer  will  spring  sidewise  from 
a warning  whirr  in  the  sage-brush  quite  as  quick- 
ly as  man  himself,  and  almost  as  far. 

If  Rattlesnakes  generally  (of  which  there  are 
fifteen  species)  were  disposed  to  be  mean,  and 
treat  man  as  many  human  beings  treat  all  ser- 
pents, the  annual  death-list  from  Rattlesnake 
bites  would  be  a long  one.  Despite  the  few 
exceptional  cases,  however,  it  is  a ruling  fact  that 
Rattlesnakes  do  not  go  pestering  around  camps, 
or  frequently  crawl  under  the  blankets  of  men 
sleeping  upon  the  ground.  Every  year  thou- 
sands of  cow-boys  sleep  on  the  ground,  literally 
among  these  reptiles,  without  a single  Rattle- 
snake accident. 

Thanks  to  a long-standing  acquaintance  with 
this  serpent,  I have  myself  on  numberless  oc- 
casions “bedded  down  in  the  open”  in  Mon- 
tana, Wyoming,  Florida,  and  elsewhere,  with  i' 
not  a moment’s  fear  of  snakes.  Depend  upon  it,  ^ 
a Rattlesnake  does  not  go  about  looking  for 
trouble.  His  best  efforts  are  devoted  to  the 
promotion  of  peace  and  longevity. 

Beyond  question,  the  Rattler  is  a serpent  of 
timid  and  retiring  disposition.  It  has  not  one- 
half  the  courage  of  the  hog-nosed  snake,  nor  a 
quarter  of  the  cobra's  vicious  aggressiveness. 

If  you  encounter  one  at  a fair  distance,  say  ten 
feet,  it  will  either  crawl  away,  slowly  and  de- 
fensively, or  coil  and  warn  you  to  keep  off.  In 
its  feeding  habits,  in  captivity,  it  is  one  of  the 
most  timid  and  nervous  of  all  reptiles,  and  sel- 
dom eats  save  when  safe  from  observation  and 
interruption.  When  darkness  falls,  and  the 
Reptile  House  is  entirely  quiet,  the  Rattler  bash- 
fully swallows  his  freshly  killed  rat  or  guinea- 
pig- 

My  first  experiment  with  a captive  Rattle- 
snake, a huge  Diamond  Rattler  from  Florida, 
was  to  catch  and  place  in  its  cage  a live  rat.  The 


COBRAS  AND  RATTLESNAKES 


349 


rat  ran  over  the  snake  several  times,  and  greatly 
annoyed  it.  The  snake  endeavored  to  get  away 
from  its  disreputable  associate,  but  in  vain. 

At  last  the  rat  flew  at  the  Rattler,  and  bit 
him  severely  on  the  lips!  This  was  too  much 
to  be  endured.  In  a great  rage  the  snake 
drew  back,  seized  the  body  of  the  rat  in  its  wide 
jaws,  and  held  on  while  it  drove  its  fangs  through 
the  tough  skin  of  the  rodent,  and  far  into  its 
body.  After  one  could  have  counted  ten,  the 
rat  was  released;  and  thirteen  minutes  later  it 
was  dead.  ) 

Species  of  Rattlesnakes. 

Fourteen  valid  species  of  Rattlesnakes  are 
found  in  North  America,  one  in  South  America, 
and  there  are  none  elsewhere.  Our  most  promi- 
nent species  are  as  follows: 

ENGLISH  NAME. 

Dog-Faced  Rattlesnake 
Timber  Rattlesnake... 

Diamond  Rattlesnake  . 

Texas  Rattlesnake 

Prairie  Rattlesnake. . . . 

Pacific  Rattlesnake 

Tiger  Rattlesnake 

Horned  Rattlesnake  . . . 

Green  Rattlesnake 

White  Rattlesnake 

Massasauga 

Edwards’  Massasauga . . 

Ground  Rattlesnake  . . . 

Among  the  Rattlesnake  species  are  several 
striking  examples  of  color-development  to  suit 
their  surroundings,  or  what  is  known  in  well- 
worn  phrase  as  “protective  coloration.”  The 
Banded  or  Timber  Rattlesnake  is  a good  imita- 
tion of  the  color  of  dead  leaves  and  damp  earth. 
The  color-pattern  of  the  Diamond  Rattler  is 
made  up  of  rich  though  quiet  tones  of  brown  and 
yellow,  dark  and  light,  like  the  shadows  of  saw- 
palmetto  leaves  falling  upon  yellow  sand.  The 
Texas  Rattler  and  the  Horned  Rattlesnake  of 
the  Southwest  are  so  pale  and  bleached  one 
instantly  associates  them  with  naked  deserts 
shimmering  in  fierce  sunshine. 

In  their  habits,  so  far  as  known,  the  various 
species  are  very  much  alike.  They  bring  forth 


their  young  alive,  the  normal  number  being  be- 
tween nine  and  fourteen.  As  soon  as  an  infant 
Rattler  bursts  the  thin  transparent  sac  in  which 
it  is  born,  it  is  ready  to  coil  and  strike.  Even  at 
birth  it  is  fully  equipped  with  poison  and  fangs. 
Wild  or  captive,  the  favorite  food  of  a full-grown 
Rattler  is  small  mammals;  but  what  they  feed 
upon  in  a wild  state  when  very  young,  remains  to 
be  ascertained.  From  our  six  species  of  captives, 
we  have  learned  that  Rattlers  climb  bushes  with 
almost  as  much  ease  as  professional  tree-climbers, 
but  in  a wild  state  it  seems  fairly  certain  that  they 
rarely  do  so. 

The  tail  of  the  Rattlesnake  is  ornamented  at 
the  end  with  a rattle  consisting  of  a number  of 
joints  of  horny  material  developed  out  of  the  skin, 
one  section  dovetailed  into  another.  The  exact 
age  of  a Rattler  is  not  indicated  by  the  number 

LOCALITY.  LATIN  NAME. 

.Crotalus  molossus. 
Crotalus  horridus. 
Crotalus  adamanteus. 
Crotalus  atrox. 
Crotalus  confluentus. 
Crotalus  lucifer. 
Crotalus  tigris. 
.Crotalus  cerastes. 
Crotalus  lepidus. 
Crotalus  mitchelli. 
.Sistrurus  catenatus. 
Sistrurus  edwardsi. 

. Sistrurus  miliarius. 

of  joints  in  the  rattle  at  the  rate  of  one  for  each 
year.  On  the-  contrary,  under  favorable  cir- 
cumstances about  three  joints  will  be  developed 
each  year,  until  the  snake  reaches  maturity.  We 
have  now,  in  the  Reptile  House,  Rattlesnakes 
three  years  old  which  already  have  in  their  rattles 
from  seven  to  nine  joints. 

The  rattles  are  not  shed  when  an  old  skin  is 
cast  off,  nor  are  they  ever  shed;  but  they  are 
frequently  broken  off,  usually  about  three  joints 
each  year  after  more  than  nine  or  ten  joints  have 
been  acquired.  It  is  very  seldom  that  more 
than  ten  joints  are  found  on  a living  snake. 

It  is  possible  to  lengthen  a snake’s  rattles, 
after  they  have  been  cut  off,  by  joining  on  other 
joints  of  the  same  size,  up  to  the  number  desired. 


.New  Mexico 

Eastern  half  of  United  States  . 

Florida  and  Gulf  States 

The  Southwest 

The  Plains  Region 

The  Pacific  States 

Extreme  Southwest 

Extreme  Southwest 

Mexican  Boundary 

■ Southern  and  Lower  California 

Nebraska  to  New  York 

. The  Southwest 

Atlantic  States  South 


350 


ORDEKS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


The  slow  vibration  of  a large  set  of  rattles  gives 
a sort  of  clicking  sound,  but  when  the  wearer 
is  thoroughly  alarmed  and  angry,  the  spiteful 
“whirr”  sounds  like  meat  frying.  The  motion 
then  is  so  rapid  the  eye  cannot  follow  it. 

Rattlers  are  not  fond  of  bathing,  but  when 
swimming  is  necessary  they  swim  well.  The 
species  which  live  in  the  North,  pass  the  cold 
months  in  burrows  below  the  frost  line,  either 
in  the  earth,  or  among  rocks.  If  the  situation 
chosen  proves  to  be  a cold  one,  the  serpent  be- 
comes so  torpid  that  it  seems  lifeless. 

I once  found  a Prairie  Rattlesnake  abroad  in 
northern  Montana  on  October  10,  two  weeks 


is  the  skin  of  the  largest  individual  known  to  me. 
The  wearer  measured,  before  it  was  skinned, 
8 feet  5 inches,  and  its  girth  at  the  thickest  part 
of  its  body  was  1 foot  3 inches. 

This  brown-and-gold  species  is  most  at  home 
in  Florida,  on  clean  sand,  among  the  cabbage- 
palmettos,  saw-palmettos,  and  long-leafed  pines. 
Although  it  rarely  takes  to  water,  it  is  some- 
times called  the  Water-Rattler.  It  ranges 
northward  into  the  Carolinas,  westward  through 
the  Gulf  states  to  the  Mississippi  River,  and 
probably  beyond.  In  Texas  begins  the  home 
of  the  big  Texas  Rattlesnake,^  of  the  same  size 
and  appearance  as  the  Diamond,  color-pattern 


DI.'VMONU  RATTLESNAKE. 


after  the  first  fall  of  snow.  When  brought  to  a 
realizing  sense  of  its  weakness  and  unworthiness, 
it  crawled  into  a hole  like  a shallow  post  hole, 
and  lay  on  the  bottom  completely  exposed. 
This  species  is  very  wise  in  sheltering  in  the  bur- 
rows of  the  prairie-"  dog,”  but  where  none  of 
those  are  to  be  found,  the  wash-out  holes  in  cut 
banks  can  always  be  relied  upon  to  furnish  warm 
shelter  for  Rattler,  bob-cat  or  wolf. 

The  Diamond  Rattlesnake’  is  a royal  ser- 
pent, the  largest  of  the  rattlers,  and  the  hand- 
somest snake  in  North  America.  A specimen 
6 feet  long,  in  good  condition,  will  be  accepted 
anywhere  as  a large  one,  but  the  largest  speci- 
mens far  exceed  that  size.  At  Oak  Lodge, 
Florida,  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  C.  F.  Latham, 
' Cro'ta-lus  ad-a-man  ie-us . 


and  all,  but  of  a very  light  color,  as  becomes  a 
serpent  of  the  arid  regions. 

In  captivity  the  Diamond  Rattler  is,  like  all 
members  of  its  genus,  a timid  and  erratic  feeder. 
Unless  all  conditions  are  entirely  to  its  liking — 
perfect  quietness,  choice  food,  and  no  one  look- 
ing, it  will  not  swallow  a morsel.  When  its 
views  on  the  subject  of  food  and  service  have 
been  fully  met,  it  will  partake  of  a young  rabbit, 
a rat  or  a guinea-pig. 

The  Timber,  or  Banded,  Rattlesnake'  of 

the  eastern  United  States  shows  a wide  range  in 
color,  varying  from  a handsome  sulphur  yellow 
to  brown,  and  finally  to  almost  black.  Young 
specimens  are  always  lighter  in  color  than  old 
ones.  One  of  the  popular  names  of  this  creature 

2 Cro'ta-lus  a'trox.  ^ Cro'ta-lus  hor'ri-dus. 


THE  RATTLESNAKES 


351 


is  derived  from  the  broad  bands  of  brown  color 
which  encircle  the  light-colored  specimens.  Of- 
ten the  hinder  half  of  an  adult  or  old  specimen 
= ' 


PR.\IRIE  R.\TTLESN.\KE. 

has  a black-velvet  appearance.  The  length  of 
a large  specimen  is  4^  feet. 

This  Rattlesnake  has  suffered  more  from  civ- 
ilization than  any  other  species.  Throughout 
many  vast  areas  of  rich  and  closely  cultivated 
agricultural  regions,  it  is  now  totally  extinct. 
Although  it  is  believed  to  exist  within  fifty  miles 
of  Xew  York  City,  a living  specimen  would  be 
about  as  difficult  to  find  as  a mastodon. 

Originally  the  home  of  this  species  embraced 
the  entire  territory  from  the  Atlantic  coast  to 
western  Iowa,  Kansas,  and  into  Texas.  In 
many  portions  of  this  region  it  still  exists  in 
small  numbers,  and  is  said  to  be  “fairly  common 
in  the  Allegheny  Mountains,”  from  Pennsylvania 
southward. 

The  Horned  Rattlesnake,  or  Side-Win- 
der,' of  the  far  Southwest  is  a creature  of  the 
deserts,  and  the  oddest  member  of  this  group.  It 
has  a small  horn  over  each  eye,  and  in  crawling 
it  moves  sidewise,  in  very  deep  curves,  totally 
different  from  the  straightforward  course  of 
most  rattlesnakes  when  on  the  war-path.  This 
is  the  smallest  of  our  rattlers.  Its  general  color 
is  yellowish-gray,  marked  by  small  round  .spots, 
and  its  home  is  in  southern  .\rizona,  California, 
Nevada,  and  probably  Sonora,  Mexico. 

The  NLis.sasauga'  is  the  type  of  a genus  of 
rattlesnakes  containing  only  three  specie.s,  dis- 
tinguished by  various  anatomical  characters,  but 
from  neck  to  tail  well  marked,  for  the  general 
student,  by  a succession  of  very  dark  brown  sad- 
dle-bag patches  of  color  laid  upon  lighter  brown. 

' Crn'ta-lus  ce-rax'tef!. 

^ Sis-tru’rus  cat-e-na'lus. 


The  joints  of  the  rattles  never  exceed  ten  in  num- 
ber. This  species  is  found  at  long  intervals  from 
the  swamps  of  western  New  York  to  Nebraska, 
but  it  is  so  rare  that  living  specimens  are  difficult 
to  obtain. 

The  Copperhead^  is  a rather  short  and  small 
serpent,  seldom  exceeding  three  feet  in  length. 
Its  colors  Ipok  like  two  shades  of  copper — broad 
bands  of  old  copper  laid  on  a background  of  new 
copper.  When  the  skin  is  new  and  fresh,  or 
when  a specimen  has  been  reared  in  the  shadows 
of  captivity,  this  serpent  is  beautiful.  Strangely 
enough,  it  is  in  some  respects  the  direct  opposite 
of  its  nearest  relative,  the  water-moccasin. 

The  Coi)perhead  is  a serpent  of  the  woods  and 
rocks,  and  is  not  found  in  open  grass  lands.  It 
is  found  from  Indiana  eastward  (but  not  north- 
ward) to  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  well  up  into 
New  England.  It  ranges  .southwestward  to 


BANDED  RATTLESNAKE.  (YELLOW  PHASE.) 


BANDED  RATTLESNAKE.  (DARK  PHASE.) 


Texas,  and  in  different  portions  of  its  home  it  is 
known  as  the  Pilot-Snake,  Upland  “ Moccasm^* 
® An-cis' tro-don  con-tor' trix. 


352 


OEDERS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


and  Deaf  ” Adder.”  It  is  decidedly  poisonous, 
and  its  venom  is  second  in  virulence  only  to  that 
of  the  rattlesnake. 


In  captivity,  the  food  of  this  species  consists  of 
small  mammals,  young  birds  and  frogs.  It  brings 
forth  its  young  alive,  and  the  usual  number  is 
between  seven  and  nine. 

The  Water-Moccasin,  or  Cotton-Mouth,' 
is  the  ugliest  snake  in  North  America.  Its  body 
is  about  as  lithe  and  graceful  as  a Bologna  sau- 
sage, and  its  skin  resembles  the  surface  of  sun- 
cracked  mud.  It  is  so  ugly  that  stuffing  it  with 
tow  does  not  make  it  look  any  worse.  It  has  a 
piggish  appetite  for  fish,  but  if  no  fish  or  frogs 
are  handy,  it  eats  other  snakes.  It  is  quite  as 
ready  to  bite  a friend  as  an  enemy,  and  when 
Mr.  Percy  Selous  was  bitten  by  his  “pet”  Moc- 
casin, he  died  in  fifty  hours,  despite  medical 
treatment. 

The  Moccasin  is  a southern  snake,  and  it  is 
a pity  the  species  is  not  confined  to  Tierra  del 
Fuego.  It  lives  along  the  grassy  margins  of  bay- 


COPPERHEAD. 


ous  and  swamps,  and  is  most  frequently  found 
lying  at  the  shore  line,  with  its  head  and  a small 
* An-cis' tro-don  pis  ci-vo'ras. 


portion  of  its  body  out  of  the  water.  It  is  also 
much  in  the  habit  of  lying  upon  logs,  on  bushes 
overhanging  water,  or  in  the  vicinity  of  dried-up 
pools.  When  disturbed,  it  starts  up,  opens  its 
mouth  very  wide,  holds  it  open,  moves  its  tail  in 
slow  vibrations,  and  stares  wickedly  at  the  in- 
truder. It  is  the  whiteness  of  the  interior  of 
the  mouth  that  has  given  rise  to  the  name  of 
“Cotton-Mouth  Moccasin.” 

This  serpent  does  not  coil  itself  in  a round, 
tight  coil,  like  a rattlesnake.  As  a rule,  it  holds 
its  ground  tenaciously,  and  does  not  retreat 
unless  deep  water  is  near.  The  fangs  are  shorter 
in  proportion  than  in  the  rattlesnake,  and  the 
action  of  the  poison  is  not  so  quick  and  violent 
as  that  of  the  rattler.  But  the  bite  must  be 
taken  seriously,  and  treated  with  the  utmost 
vigor,  if  a fatal  result  is  to  be  avoided. 

This  serpent  attains  an  extreme  length  of  about 
5 feet,  and  a diameter  of  3 inches.  Usually, 


WATER-MOCCASIN. 


however,  specimens  are  about  feet  by  2 inches. 
When  adult,  it  is  a snake  absolutely  devoid  of 
bright  colors,  its  scales  being  the  color  of  dried 
mud,  and  very  rough.  The  head  is  flat,  the  body 
thick  and  puffed  out,  and  the  tail  is  very  blunt. 

The  young  of  the  Moccasins  are  born  alive, 
each  one  being  enclosed  in  a thin,  transparent 
sac,  which  bursts  immediately  upon  reaching  the 
outer  air.  The  young  are  usually  from  7 to  8 in 
number,  but  the  last  family  born  in  the  Reptile 
House  contained  14.  The  young  are  .strongly 
marked  by  light  and  dark  bands,  on  account  of 
which  they  are  easily  mistaken  for  young  cop- 
perheads. They  also  resemble  young  hog-nosed 
snakes. 

About  the  only  redeeming  feature  in  this 
serpent  is  the  fact  that  in  captivity  it  is  very 
hardy.  In  four  years,  not  one  has  died  in  our 


THE  MOCCASIN  AND  EER-DE-LANCE 


353 


Reptile  House.  It  is  a serpent  of  the  Gulf  states, 
coming  as  far  north  as  North  Carolina  and  south- 
ern Illinois,  and  extending  westward  to  Texas. 

The  Harlequin  Snake'  is  a small,  shiny,  del- 
icately formed  serpent,  of  rather  quiet  habits 
and  retiring  disposition.  It  belongs  to  the  same 
Family  (Elapidae)  as  the  deadly  king-cobra  of 
India!  As  far  as  it  can  be  seen,  it  is  instantly 
recognizable  by  the  alternation  of  brilliant  coral- 
red,  yellow  and  jet-black  rings  which  encircle  its 
body  from  head  to  tail-tip.  Unlike  the  broad- 
headed pit  vipers,^  the  head  of  this  serpent  is  no 
wider  than  its  neck,  and  as  a special  feature,  its 
head  is  quite  insignificant  in  size,  but  is  always 
crossed  by  a broad  yellow  band.  It  is  well  to 
remember  from  this  species  that  not  all  venomous 
serpents  have  lance-shaped  heads. 

The  range  of  this  beautiful  but  rather  stupid 
little  serpent  begins  in  South  Carolina,  and  in- 


FER-DE-L.\NCE. 


eludes  all  the  Gulf  states  southward  and  west- 
ward to  the  Pecos  River  in  Texas.  It  ascends 
the  Mississippi  states  to  southern  Indiana.  It  is 
a very  persistent  ground-dweller,  and  in  captivity 
it  spends  three-fourths  of  its  time  buried  in  the 
sand  of  its  cage,  quite  out  of  sight.  It  eats  gar- 
ter-snakes and  black-snakes,  voraciously.  Al- 
though its  bite  is  undoubtedly  poisonous,  I have 
never  known  of  any  one  having  been  bitten.  In 
fact,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  any  one  can  be  bit- 
ten by  this  serpent  without  having  it  done  by 
special  appointment. 

The  Sonoran  Coral  Snake, ^ of  southern 
.\rizona  and  northern  Mexico,  is  in  appearance 

' E'laps  ful'vi-iis. 

’ So  called  because  of  the  existence  of  a round 
and  deep  pit  on  the  side  of  the  head,  about  half 
way  between  the  eye  and  the  end  of  the  nose.  In 
the  rattlesnakes  this  character  is  very  noticeable. 

’ E'laps  eu-ryx-an'lhus. 


much  like  the  harlequin  snake,  and  it  is  men- 
tioned only  because  it  is  so  little  known,  and  to 
remark  that  it  is  a good  subject  for  observation. 

The  Fer-de-Lance,  or  Lance-Head  Snake,"* 
is  the  serpent  terror  of  the  West  Indies.  It  is  a 
small  snake,  only  about  6 feet  in  length  when 
fully  grown,  and  2 inches  in  diameter.  Its  head 
is  very  wide,  and  it  has  very  long  fangs  in  pro- 
portion to  its  size.  Its  color-pattern  strongly 
suggests  the  light  pha.se  of  the  timber  rattle- 
snake— brown,  with  black  markings.  On  two 
occasions  that  we  know  of,  travellers  returning 
from  the  West  Indies  have  brought  with  them 
in  pasteboard  boxes,  as  indifferently  as  if  they 
were  frogs,  living  and  healthy  specimens  of  this 
venomous  creature!  One  specimen  was  brought 
to  us  by  a lady  and  her  child,  for  identification; 
and  the  keepers  of  reptiles  shudder  even  yet 
w'hen  they  think  what  might  easily  have  occurred. 

Fortunately,  this  serpent  is  not  particularly 
aggressive,  or  hostile  tow'ard  those  about  it. 
When  it  seizes  its  prey,  however,  it  buries  its 
fangs,  and  holds  on  determinedly.  A female 
specimen  in  our  collection  gave  birth  to  twenty- 
four  young,  but  they  one  and  all  refused  to  eat, 
and  failed  to  survive. 

SNAKE-POISONS  AND  THEIR  TREAT- 
MENT. 

The  Rattlesnake’s  defensive  equipment  of 
fangs  and  poison  has  been  perfected  by  Nature 
with  as  much  care  as  the  horns  of  hoofed  animals, 
or  the  defensive  armor  of  an  armadillo.  The 
ordinary  jaw  teeth  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
poisoning  process,  and  wounds  from  them  would 
prove  fatal  only  under  exceptional  conditions. 

The  venom  of  a serpent  is  a rather  thick  fluid, 
secreted  in  two  glands  that  are  situated  on  the 
side  of  the  upper  jaw,  under  the  skin,  behind  the 
eye.  In  the  stomach  of  an  animal  it  is  supposed 
to  be  harmless,  and  we  know  that  in  many  cases 
it  is  so.  To  produce  death,  it  must  be  injected 
into  the  blood,  by  a method  that  is  practically 
instantaneous,  and  very  effective.  First  there 
must  be  a puncture,  then  the  injection  of  the 
poison. 

To  pierce  the  skin  and  flesh,  the  rattlesnake 
has  two  special  teeth,  called  fangs,  which  are  very 
long,  slender,  slightly  curved,  and  exceedingly 
* Bo'throps  lan-ce-o-Ia'tus. 


354 


ORDERS  OF  REPTILES— SERPENTS 


sharp  at  the  point.  A slender  tube  traverses 
the  axis  of  the  fang,  from  the  root  almost  to  the 
point,  for  the  passage  of  the  venom.  Ai-ound 
each  fang  is  a flexible  sheath  of  tough,  white  skin, 
evidently  for  its  protection. 

The  fang  of  a diamond-backed  rattlesnake — 
the  largest  species — is  about  an  inch  in  length. 
The  small  bone  in  which  it  is  set  at  the  root 
(maxillary)  is  so  hinged  by  tough  ligaments 
attaching  to  the  roof  of  the  mouth  that  it  has 
some  freedom  of  motion.  When  the  jaws  are 
closed,  the  fangs  lie  against  the  roof  of  the 
mouth.  When  the  serpent  strikes  an  enemy 
with  the  intention  of  poisoning  it,  the  mouth 
is  opened  wddely,  the  pterygoid  bone  pushes 
hard  against  the  maxillary,  and  the  sheathed- 
fangs  are  thrown  forward  until  they  look  like 
great  hooks  of  white  skin. 

A serpent  cannot  be  rendered  permanently 
harmless  by  the  removal  of  its  fangs,  because  the 
fangs  are  constantly  renewed.  Each  operating 
fang  is  backed  up  by  a .series  of  smaller  ones,  of 
different  sizes,  growing  and  awaiting  their  turn 
to  do  duty,  and  drop  away.  An  adult  fang  is 
shed  every  six  or  eight  weeks.  The  old  tooth 
does  not  drop  out  until  the  new  one  is  close 
beside  it,  duly  connected  wdth  the  poison  gland, 
and  ready  for  duty.  Then  the  old  fang  either 
drops  out,  or  is  left  sticking  in  the  next  animal 
bitten. 

Even  if  fangs  were  pulled  out,  the  poison  sac 
would  remain,  and  a scratch  from  the  jaw  teeth, 
duly  poisoned,  would  endanger  the  life  of  the 
patient. 

In  striking  to  do  mischief,  the  function  of  the 
lower  jaw  is  to  get  under  the  part  to  be  bitten, 
and  press  it  up  firmly  against  the  attack  of  the 
fangs.  The  mechanism  by  which  the  fangs  are 
thrown  forward  consists  of  a series  of  levers, 
and  the  special  student  will  be  greatly  interested 
in  the  published  drawings  which  illustrate  its 
details.  It  is  admirably  shown  in  “Amphibia 
and  Reptilia,”  by  Dr.  H.  Gadow. 

Effect  of  the  Poison. — It  is  ob^'iously  im- 
possible in  a work  of  this  nature  to  enter  into 
this  subject  at  length.  In  lieu  of  this,  we  will 
offer  a very  brief  digest  of  what  we  believe  to  be 
absolute  facts.  These  have  been  gleaned  with 
care  from  several  sources,  but  I make  special 
acknowledgment  to  Dr.  Leonhard  Stejneger’s 
presentation  of  the  subject  in  his  admirable 


monograph  on  “The  Poisonous  Snakes  of  North 
America.”^ 

There  are  two  ways  for  the  introduction  of 
snake-poison  into  the  system  of  a warm-blooded 
animal:  (1)  through  the  blood,  by  direct  connec- 
tion with  a vein  or  artery,  and  (2)  through  the 
skin  and  muscles,  one  or  both. 

Although  some  of  the  great  investigators  differ 
somewhat  on  this  point,  it  now  seems  reasonably 
certain  that  the  manner  in  which  snake-poison 
acts  is  by  paralyzing  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 
the  breathing  organs,  the  nerves,  and  even  the 
digestive  organs.  The  effect  on  the  blood  is  a 
decrease  in  the  strength  and  rapidity  of  the  flow. 

In  the  nerves  (after  the  first  period  of  excite- 
ment), drowsiness  ensues,  which  in  fatal  cases 
often  lasts  until  death.  The  breathing  is  grad- 
ually diminished  in  strength  and  volume.  The 
brain  is  usually  the  last  organ  to  succumb.  Dr. 
Stejneger’s  conclusion  is  that  “the  death  which 
follows  the  introduction  of  the  venom  into  the 
circulation  must  be  attributed  to  gastro-intestinal 
apoplexy,  and  the  stupefying  action  exercised 
directly  upon  the  nervous  system.” 

Venom  introduced  directly  into  the  blood  acts 
with  great  rapidity.  When  introduced  hypoder- 
mically, through  the  skin  and  muscles,  its  action 
is  much  slower,  and  if  the  case  is  treated  with 
great  vigor  from  the  very  start,  the  patient  has 
a fair  chance  to  recover.  Except  from  cobra  '> 
bites,  very  many  do  recover.  ' 

The  most  dangerous  snake  bites  are  those  in- 
flicted upon  the  neck  or  face.  The  least  dan- 
gerous are  those  upon  the  feet,  the  legs  below  the 
knees,  and  the  hands  and  forearms. 

Treatment. — There  is  small  need  to  apolo- 
gize for  recording  here  the  fundamental  principles 
that  should  be  carried  out  in  case  of  accident. 

In  the  first  place,  any  one  who  expects  to  cam- 
paign in  a country  infested  with  poisonous  snakes 
should  expend  $5.00  in  the  purchase  of  a small 
pocket-case  containing  a hypodermic  syringe,  a 
bottle  of  chromic  acid  1 to  100,  and  another 
of  liquid  strychnine.  Only  the  boldest  and  most 
enterprising  travellers  ever  get  beyond  the  sphere 
of  influence  of  whiskey  and  brandy. 

During  the  last  ten  years,  medical  men  have 
been  conducting  investigations  and  making  ex- 
periments to  produce  a universal  antidote  for 

* Government  Publication.  For  sale  by  the 
Bureau  of  Public  Documents,  Washington,  D.  C. 


TREATMENT  OF  SNAKE-BITES 


355 


snake-poisons.  These  efforts  have  produced  the 
now  celebrated  anti-venomous  serum,  discovered 
by  Dr.  Calmette,  of  the  Pasteur  Institute  of  Lille, 
France.  It  is  obtained  by  very  gradually  inject- 
ing cobra -venom  into  the  flesh  of  a living  domestic 
animal,  and  giving  Nature  time  to  counteract  the 
poison  by  her  own  methods.  Eventually  the  sub- 
ject becomes  immune  to  these  injections,  and 
produces  within  itself  a product  which  when  in- 
jected into  other  animals  renders  them  immune. 

This  material,  now  popularly  known  as  anti- 
venine,  is  prepared  in  large  quantities,  and  sent 
all  over  the  civilized  world  for  use  against  ani- 
mal poisons  generally. 

Aside  from  the  use  of  the  antitoxin  referred 
to,  the  key-notes  of  the  treatment  of  a snake- 
bitten  patient  are,  bleeding  the  wound,  isolation 
of  the  bitten  part  if  it  be  possible,  the  applica- 
tion of  an  antidote,  and  stimulation.  In  case 
of  an  accident,  the  regular  medical  treatment 
appears  to  be  about  as  follows: 

1 . Cut  cross  the  wound,  or  stab  it,  and  compel 
it  to  bleed  freely. 

2.  Tie  a ligature,  of  cloth,  rope  or  string, 
around  the  bitten  member,  above  the  wound,  to 
keep  back,  as  long  as  possible,  the  poisoned  blood 
from  the  veins  of  the  body. 

3.  If  anti-venomous  serum  is  at  hand,  inject 
it  according  to  the  directions  which  accompany 
it. 

4.  Clive  any  alcoholic  stimulant  that  may  be 
available,  in  small  doses,  at  frequent  intervals; 
but  remember  that  a quantity  of  any  strong 
stimulant  will  do  more  harm  than  good,  and  may 
actually  hasten  complete  paralysis,  and  death. 
.\mmonia  is  of  very  little  use,  if  any;  and  its  use 
depends  so  much  upon  conditions  that  it  should 
be  employed  only  by  a physician. 

5.  If  the  serum  is  not  available,  inject  directly 
into  the  wound,  as  quickly  as  possible  after  the 
accident,  a solution  of  chromic  acid,  or  perman- 
ganate of  potash,  1 to  100,  and  see  to  it  that  the 
hypodermic  needle  penetrates  to  the  bottom  of 
each  wound.  In  the  ab.sence  of  a syringe,  bathe 
the  wound  with  the  solution. 

6.  Having  done  all  possible  at  the  wound  it- 
self, then  give  hypodermic  injections,  on  leg  or 
arm,  of  “15  to  20  minims  of  liquid  strychnine, 
every  20  minutes,  until  slight  tetanic  spasms 
appenr.”  (Stejneger.) 

7.  The  ligature  must  be  loosened  from  time 


to  time,  to  permit  a limited  circulation  of  fresh 
blood,  or  mortification  will  ensue. 

8.  If  medical  aid  is  within  reach,  it  should  be 
procured  as  speedily  as  possible,  but  in  most 
cases,  the  life  of  the  patient  depends  upon  what 
is  done  for  him  during  the  first  hour  following  the 
accident. 

Mr.  Gruber’s  Treatment. — A practical 
method  by  which  to  escape  death  from  the  bite 
of  a rattlesnake  can  be  learned  of  Mr.  Peter  Gru- 
ber, of  Rochester  New  York,  who  has  been  bitten 
about  twenty  times.  His  method  of  treating 
himself  was  described,  to  the  writer  as  follows  : 

“I  no  longer  suck  the  venom  from  a wound. 
Unless  a man’s  mouth  is  in  very  perfect  condU 
tion,  it  is  dangerous.  My  first  act  is  to  take  my 
knife,  and  cut  a slit  an  inch  and  a half  long 
straight  from  my  body  into  the  wound,  and  con- 
tinue it  the  same  distance  beyond;  and  I make 
these  two  cuts  bleed  freely.  This  is  to  make  the 
poisoned  blood  flow  out  of  my  veins,  instead  of 
farther  into  them,  to  poison  my  whole  system. 
After  the  wound  has  bled  as  much  as  I think  it 
should,  I inject  the  permanganate  above  and 
around  the  wound.  The  proper  proportion  is 
one  five-grain  tablet  of  permanganate  of  potash 
di.ssolved  in  two  ounces  of  water,  and  I inject 
about  thirty  minims — the  capacity  of  a hypo- 
dermic syringe — about  three  times  around  and 
above  the  wound.  I always  have  it  ready,  and 
I bathe  the  wound  with  this  solution,  using  ab- 
sorbent cotton  to  cover  the  wound  so  that  it  is 
not  exposed  to  the  air. 

“ During  this  time  I take  two  or  three  small 
doses  of  whiskey, — but  not  much.  After  the 
permanganate  has  had  a chance  to  take  effect, 

I bathe  the  w'ound  freely  with  a solution  of  two 
ounces  of  laudanum  and  two  ounces  of  Goulard’s 
extract  in  two  quarts  of  water,  and  keep  it  moist 
with  this  until  all  unnatural  colors  leave  it.  And 
I drink  quantities  of  milk — all  I can  swallow. 
After  a time  my  stomach  ejects  it,  and  at  first  it 
comes  up  the  color  of  snake  venom.  But  I con- 
tinue to  take  milk,  again  and  again,  until  I am 
sure  my  stomach  has  been  washed  free  from  the 
poison.  If  the  action  of  my  heart  grows  weak, 

I inject  strychnine  into  my  arms  with  a hypo- 
dermic syringe.” 

Mr.  Gruber  bears  on  his  forearms  and  hands  a 
number  of  scars,  as  ocular  proof  of  the  success  of 
his  method  in  the  treatment  of  rattlesnake  bites. 


BOOK  IV 


AMPHIBIANS 


CHAPTER  XL 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CLASS  OF  AMPHIBIANS 


Among  the  many  wonders  of  Nature,  few  are 
more  interesting  to  the  thoughtful  mind  than 
those  forms  which  connect  the  great  groups  of 
vertebrate  animals  by  bridging  over  what  other- 
wise would  seem  like  impassable  chasms. 

For  example,  between  the  classes  of  Mammals 
and  Birds  we  have  the  Platypus,  or  Duck-Bill, 
an  Australian  mammal  the  size  of  a small  musk- 
rat, which  has  webbed  feet,  and  a duck-like  bill, 
and  which  reproduces  by  laying  eggs.  Betw'een 
the  classes  of  Birds  and  Reptiles,  there  is  a fossil 
bird  called  the  Ar-chae-op'-te-ryx,  with  a long, 
vertebrated,  lizard-like  tail,  covered  with  feath- 
ers. The  Hes-per-or'nis  was  a water-bird  with 
teeth,  but  no  wings,  which  inhabited  the  shores 
of  a great  western  lake  which  now  is  a vast 
stretch  of  arid  bad-lands. 

Between  the  Reptiles  and  the  Fishes  stretches 
a wonderful  chain  of  living  links  by  means  of 
which  those  two  Classes  are  united.  So  numer- 
ous are  these  forms,  they  make  an  independent 
Class,  containing  about  1,040  species.  Originally 
this  group  was  called  Ba-tra'chi-a,  but  recently 
the  fact  has  been  recognized  that  that  term  is 
too  limited  in  its  application,  and  by  the  latest 
authorities  the  term  Am-phib'-i-a  has  been 
adopted  instead. 

In  the  transition  from  the  water-habiting 
I Fishes,  with  gills  and  fins,  to  the  land-going  Rep- 
tiles, with  lungs  and  legs.  Nature  has  made  some 
I strange  combinations.  In  some  instances,  fins, 
j legs,  lungs  and  gills  have  become  so  mixed  that 
! several  notable  misfits  have  resulted.  In  .some 
I cases  we  see  legs  going  with  gills,  and  in  others 
fins  and  lungs  are  a.ssociatcd.  Many  of  the  Am- 
I phibians  will  serve  teachers  as  very  strikino^ 

I object  lcs.sons  in  the  evolution  of  animal  forms. 

The  Class  .\niphibia  contains  the  cold-blooded 
I vertebrates  known  as  frogs,  toads,  salamanders, 

I newts,  proteans,  and  sirens. 

I In  the  insect-world,  we  are  familiar  with  the 


passes  into  the  chrysalis  stage,  and  later  on 
emerges  as  a perfect  insect.  Here,  among  the 
vertebrates,  we  find  creatures  which  also  pass 
through  two  very  distinct  and  sharply  defined 
stages. 

An  Amphibian,  if  literally  translated  from 
the  Greek,  is  a creature  of  “two  lives.”  A typi- 
cal amphibian  begins  life  as  a legless,  fish-like 
creature,  possessed  of  perfect  gills,  an  eel-like 
tail,  and  living  wholly  in  water.  This  is  the 
larval  stage  of  the  animal.  Later  on,  four  legs 
make  their  appearance,  the  tail  disappears  by 
absorption  into  the  body,  the  digestive  organs 
change  from  simple  to  complex  form,  and  lungs 
take  the  place  of  gills.  In  this  adult  stage,  the 
creature  (usually)  is  fitted  for  life  on  land  if  it  so 
elects. 

Owing  to  the  bewildering  variations  of  form 
and  anatomy  that  are  exhibited  by  various  spe- 
cies, it  is  almost  impossible  to  formulate  a gen- 
eral statement  regarding  amphibians  which  will 
not  be  open  to  exceptions.  If  the  reader  will 
bear  this  in  mind,  we  may  venture  to  state  the 
leading  characters  of  the  members  of  this  Class. 

General  Characters. — All  save  a very  few 
amphibians  are  hatched  from  soft,  translucent, 
jelly-like  eggs  that  are  laid  in  shallow  water, 
usually  in  stringy  masses.  Sometimes  the  larval 
stage  of  a species  is  passed  in  the  egg,  but  usually 
this  period  forms  an  important  part  of  the  active 
life  of  the  animal,  and  may  be  ob.served  at  length 
before  the  change  to  the  adult  stage  takes  jilace. 
Amphibians  are  (usually)  covered  with  smooth 
skins,  quite  destitute  of  scales,  and  have  minute 
teeth,  or  none  at  all.  During  the  larval  stage 
they  feed  chiefly  upon  vegetable  food,  but  wdien 
adult  the  majority  require  animal  food.  Their 
skeletons  are  much  more  simple  in  structure  than 
those  of  reptiles.  The  majority  are  aquatic. 
Some  species  permanently  retain  their  gills,  and 
live  wholly  in  water;  others,  like  the  frogs  and 
toads,  lose  their  gills,  acquire  practical  lungs  and^ 


three  stages  of  existence  by  which  the  larva 

359 


360 


OEDERS  OF  AMPHIBIANS— INTRODUCTION 


legs,  and  live  upon  land  at  will.  Of  the  1,040 
species  of  amphibians,  only  forty  are  without  legs. 

An  am-phib'i-ous  animal  is  not  necessarily  an 
amphibian.  The  hippopotamus,  the  seal,  sea-lion, 
otter  and  crocodile  are  indeed  very  much  at  home 
in  water,  but  they  are  far  above  the  Class  Am- 
phibia. They  are  by  no  means  creatures  of  two 
lives,  and  they  do  not  pass  through  a larval  stage 
before  attaining  perfect  form. 

Like  the  reptiles,  the  amphibians  are  confined 
to  the  torrid  and  temperate  zones,  but  a surpris- 
ing number  of  species  permanently  inhabit  some 
very  cold  and  inhospitable  portions  of  the  tem- 
perate zone.  With  but  very  few  exceptions,  the 


amphibians  are  quite  useless  to  man.  The  legs 
of  certain  large  species  of  frogs  are  prized  by 
epicures,  but  with  this  exception,  civilized  man 
regards  amphibians  generally  as  inedible,  b'cien- 
tifically,  the  Class  is  highly  interesting,  chiefly  by 
reason  of  the  striking  changes  which  so  many  of 
its  members  undergo.  As  a subject  for  the  class- 
room and  laboratory,  frogs  and  toads  are  of  well- 
nigh  universal  availability.  Unfortunately,  how- 
ever, too  many  courses  in  elementary  zoology  do 
not  forge  beyond  the  frog. 

As  usual  in  seeking  an  acquaintance  with  Nat- 
ure, a very  simple  diagram  places  this  Class  of 
animals  on  a clear  and  comprehensible  basis. 


A BIRD’S-EYE  VIEW  OF  THE  CLASS  AMPHIBIA. 


ORDERS. 


FAMILIES. 


TYPICAL  SPECIES. 


ORDER 

ECAUDATA: 

The  Tailless 
Amphibians; 
Frogs  and 
Toads. 


Water-Frogs, 

Tree-Frogs, 

Toads, 

Burrowing 

Toads, 


RA'NI-DAE,  . 

UY'LI-DAE,  . 

BU-FON’I-DAE, 

PEL-O-BAVI- 
DAE,  . . . 


S Common 
) Frog, 
Bull-Frog, 
Wood-Frog, 

. Tree-Frog, 

j American 
■ ( Toad, 

j Spade-Foot 
. ( Toad, 


Rana  clamata. 

Rana  catesbiana. 
Rana  sylvaticn. 

Hyla  versicolor. 

Bufo  lentiginosus. 

Scaphiopus  holbrooki. 


ORDER 
URODELA : 

Tailed  Am- 
phibians. 


S.ALAMANDERSj 


AmPHIUMjVS, 


Mud-Puppies, 
\ Sirens, 


Axolotl, 

SAL-A-MAN'DRi-  Spotted  Sala- 

DAE mander. 

Newt, 


Amblystoma  mavorlium. 
Amblystoma  punctatum. 
Triton  viridescens. 


AM-PHI-V'MI- 
DAE,  . . 


PRO-TE'l-DAE, 

SI-REN’I-DAE, 


Hellbender, 

Congo 
“ Snake,” 


Cryptobranchus  (Menoporna) 
alleghaniensis. 

Amphiuma  means. 


^ 3Ienobranch-  ) 

■ us  or  Mud-  ■ Necturus  maculatus. 

I Puppy,  ' 


Mud-“  Eel,”  Siren  lacertina. 


ORDER  / 

APODA : \ 

Legless  and  ( Caecilians,  coe-CI-lpi-dae,  . 
worm-like  j 
Amphibians.  \ 


j Typtilonectes  compressi- 
( cauda. 


CHAPTER  XLI 


THE  ORDER  OF  FROGS  AND  TOADS 

EC AU DAT A 


The  members  of  this  Order  are  the  most  nu- 
merous, most  widely  dispersed  and  the  best  known 
of  the  amphibians.  In  all  there  are  about 
900  species ; and  it  may  be  added  that  the 
habits  of  some  of  them  are  very  strange 
and  interesting. 

In  their  modes  of  life,  the  frogs  and 
toads  exhibit  great  diversity  of  inclina- 
tion. The  tree-frogs  live  in  trees,  the  toads 
seldom  leave  dry  land,  the  burrowing  toads 
burrow  in  the  earth,  and  the  water-frogs 
live  in  water  at  least  half  the  time. 

Some  of  these  creatures  begin  active 
life  in  water,  as  ugly,  little  fish-like  tad- 
poles, and  their  transformation  into  the 
perfect  frogs  may  easily  be  watched  from 
Ix'ginning  to  end.  In  some  of  the  toads, 
however,  the  tadpole  stage  is  passed  in 
the  egg,  and  at  hatching-time  a fully  devel- 
oped but  very  minute  toad  emerges,  and 
begins  to  hop  about.  Others  again  develop 
from  the  tadpole  stage,  much  the  same 
as  frogs. 

The  larva  of  a species  fairly  typical  of 
this  Order  as  a whole  may  be  found  in  the 
tadpole  of  any  aquatic  frog.  It  possesses 
a big,  purse-like  head, — like  that  of  a 
goose-fish, — and  a long,  cel-like  tail,  sur- 
rounded by  a continuous  fin.  At  first 
there  is  no  sign  of  legs.  The  intestinal 
canal  is  very  long  and  simple,  as  befits 
the  vegetable  diet  of  the  creature.  In 
the  transformation  process,  the  tail  is 
absorbed  into  the  body,  and  long  before 
it  has  disappeared,  two  pairs  of  legs  have 
grown  out.  The  front  legs  are  weak,  but 
the  hind  legs  are  long  and  powerful,  and 
b('ing  attached  at  the  extreme  end  of  the 
body  they  have  great  freedom  of  move- 
ment. They  are  adapted  both  for  leap- 
ing and  swimming. 

Of  the  adult  creature,  the  body  is  short  and 


broad,  covered  with  a smooth  skin,  destitute  of 
scales,  and  there  is  no  tail  whatever.  The  mouth 


FROM  TADPOLE  TO  FROG. 

A series  of  specimens  showing  the  development  of  the  Com- 
mon Frog.  Prepared  by  R.wmond  L.  Ditmars. 


is  wide  and  capacious.  The  tongue  is  not  free, 
being  attached  at  the  sides  to  the  lower  jaw. 


3G1 


3G2 


OEDEES  OF  AMPHIBIAXS— FEOGS  AKD  TOADS 


The  eyes  are  placed  high  up,  quite  above  the 
upper  surface  of  the  head,  so  that  the  creature 
can  float  with  only  its  eyes  and  nostrils  above 
water. 

The  frog  skeleton  possesses  several  marked 
peculiarities,  some  of  which  must  be  noted,  even 
though  briefly.  There  are  no  ribs.  The  verte- 
brae are  very  few  in  number,  but  very  wide  in 
comparison  with  those  of  other  vertebrates.  The 
pelvis  is  of  great  size,  and  so  long  that  it  forms 
nearly  one-half  of  the  axis  of  the  body.  Instead 
of  being  attached  at  its  sides,  midway  from  top 
to  bottom,  the  thigh  bones  (femora)  are  attached 


LEOPARD-FROG. 
Ra'na  vi-res'cens. 


at  the  extreme  lower  end, — the  portion  called 
the  is'chi-um.  In  comparison  with  other  verte- 
brates, the  hind  limbs  and  feet  are  of  enormous 
proportions;  and  when  these  members  are  flexed, 
and  then  suddenly  straightened  out,  the  frog 
flies  forward  through  the  air  as  if  thrown  by  a 
powerful  steel  spring.  Some  frogs  can  leap  eight 
feet. 

.\lthough  there  are  no  ribs,  there  is  a well-de- 
veloped breast-bone,  or  sternum,  for  the  at- 
tachment of  the  fore-legs;  and  it  is  said  that  in 
the  frog  the  sternum  appears  for  the  first  time  in 
the  development  of  the  vertebrates  from  the 
lower  forms. 

The  members  of  some  groups  of  tlie  frogs  and 


toads  have  teeth  in  the  upper  jaw,  on  a bone 
called  the  vomer;  others  have  teeth  in  both  jaws, 
but  the  majority  are  toothless. 

The  hibernation  habits  of  these  creatures 
sometimes  produce  unexpected  and  remarkable 
results.  Occasionally  the  public  is  startled  by 
the  publication  of  a story  of  a living  frog  or 
toad  being  dug  out  of  solid  rock,  many  feet  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  earth.  I have  never  had 
an  opportunity  to  investigate  any  of  these  al- 
leged occurrences,  but  a personal  experience  has 
at  least  furnished  food  for  thought. 

In  a hot  and  dry  jungle  in  the  interior  of  Cey- 
lon, I once  made  a search  for  elephant  bones  in 
the  dry  bed  of  what  in  wet  weather  was  a shallow 
brook.  The  larger  bones  were  found  upon  the 
surface,  but  so  many  of  the  smaller  ones  had 
become  embedded  in  the  sand  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  dig  for  them.  The  sand  had  become 
so  hard  and  solid  it  was  half-way  toward  sand- 
stone, and  our  spades  and  mattocks  loosened  it 
with  difficulty. 

About  eighteen  inches  below  the  surface,  we 
came  upon  several  small  frogs,  three  species  in 
all,  closely  and  solidly  entombed.  Even  the 
ignorant  and  stolid  coolies  were  amazed  and 
excited  by  the  discovery.  The  sides  of  the 
animals  w'ere  greatly  distended  by  water,  but 
from  the  first  moment  they  were  in  full  possession 
of  their  faculties. 

As  we  released  these  creatures  from  their  tomhs 
and  placed  them  upon  the  grass,  each  one  dis- 
gorged a quantity  of  water,  and  hopped  away. 
Evidently  they  had  filled  themselves  with  water 
and  burrowed  into  the  sand  during  the  previous 
monsoon,  then  six  months  past,  in  order  to  live 
until  the  next  rainy  season;  and  had  the  annual 
water-supply  of  that  little  stream  been  per- 
manently diverted,  no  one  can  say  how  many 
years  these  frogs  would  have  continued  to  live 
in  their  solid  tomb  ^of  sand.  The  natives  said 
that  excepting  in  their  wells,  there  was  no  water 
anj'cvhere  for  many  miles  around. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  WATER-FROGS. 

Ranidfie. 

The  Common  Frog'  is  the  most  popular  and 
well-known  species  in  North  America.  It  is 
the  first  to  be  heard  in  spring,  it  gathers  in  the 

* Ra'na  cla-ma'ta. 


WATER-FROGS  AND  TREE-FROGS 


3G3 


most  numerous  companies,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
cheerful  and  industrious  croakers  we  know. 
Sometimes  its  cry  becomes  almost  a warble ; and 
when  about  fifty  voices  are  raised  in  tuneful 
chorus  from  the  surface  of  one  small  i:>ond,  each 
one  trilling  and  piping  at  the  rate  of  sixty  to 
the  minute,  without  missing  a note,  the  effort  is 
certain  to  attract  attention,  in  case  there  is  any 
to  be  bestowed. 

This  species  is  one  of  the  handsomest  of  our 
water-frogs,  and  is  colored  to  match  its  marshy 
home.  Its  upper  ground-color  is  a brilliant- 
green,  broken  up  by  irregular  black  blotches  that 
are  bordered  with  dull  white,  with  dark  bars 
across  the  legs.  The  head-and-body  length  is 
about  inches. 

The  Bull-Frog*  is  known  by  its  deep-bass 
voice,  and  its  great  size  when  adult.  Beside 
the  preceding  species,  this  creature  is  a giant, 
and  it  is  small  wonder  that  the  eyes  of  epicures 
rest  covetously  upon  its  massive  thighs.  Its 
upper  color  varies  from  bright  green  to  dark  olive- 
brown,  marked  with  small  and  rather  inconspic- 
uous dark  spots.  Its  length  varies  from  5 to  8 
inches,  and  it  is  so  well  known  that  further  de- 
scription is  unnecessary. 

.\s  an  indication  of  the  extent  to  which  frogs’ 
legs  are  consumed  as  food  in  the  United  States, 
the  latest  statistics  of  the  United  States  Fish 
Commission  are  interesting.  In  1899,  the  total 
quantity  of  frog  meat  recorded  in  the  markets 
was  472,415  pounds,  valued  at  $74,690.  The 
following  were  the  chief  sources  of  the  supply: 

Pounds.  Worth. 


Missouri 237,608  $29,313 

.\rkansas 79,760  10,162 

California 20,687  20,638 


In  1895,  New  York  handled  69,774  pounds, 
valued  at  $6,572. 

The  Wood-Frog-  is  not  often  found  without 
specially  seeking  it.  In  the  spring,  when  you 
are  searching  for  early  flowers,  and  are  startled 
by  seeing  a small  dead  leaf  suddenly  take  life 
and  leap  about  four  feet,  you  may  know  that  it 
is  one  of  these  small  creatures.  It  is  only  1^ 
inches  long,  being  next  in  smallness  to  the  tree- 
frog.  -\lthough  for  a frog  so  small  it  can  leap  a 
very  long  distance,  its  strength  is  soon  exhausted, 
and  its  final  capture  is  easily  made. 

’ Ra'na  cates-bi-an'a.  ^ Ra'na  syl-vat'i-ca. 


THE  TREE-FROG  FAMILY. 

Hylidae. 

If  tree-frogs  were  of  great  rarity,  and  inhabited 
only  one  remote  island  of  a far-distant  archipel- 
ago, their  arboreal  habits  would  be  accounted  as 
much  of  a wonder  as  the  flying-frog  of  Borneo. 
But  being  fairly  abundant  in  the  eastern  United 
States,  the  tree-frogs  are  regarded  with  but  a 
mild  degree  of  interest. 

These  creatures,  which  vary  in  length  from 
one  inch  to  five  inches,  have  been  provided  with 
an  opposable  thumb,  and  a very  effective  suck- 
ing disc  on  the  end  of  each  toe,  by  which  they  are 


NORTHERN  TREE-FROG. 

Natural  size.  Photographed  at  the  instant  of 
croaking,  and  copyright,  1903,  by  W.  Lym.\n 
Underwood. 

able  to  climb  trees,  and  live  very  comfortably 
upon  their  branches.  Of  all  vertebrates  that  live 
in  trees,  these  tiny  frogs  are  the  most  difficult  to 
see.  Even  when  one  is  chirping  boldly  and  cheer- 
fully within  six  feet  of  your  eyes,  it  is  necessary 
to  look  keenly  in  order  to  locate  it.  There  are 
few  kinds  of  rough  bark  with  which  the  colors 
of  a tree-frog  do  not  combine  with  startling  ac- 
curacy. The  opposable  thumb,  which  appears 
in  frogs  and  tree-toads  for  the  first  time  in  Nat- 
ure’s ascending  scale,  is  of  great  use,  and  in  all 
probability  it  is  the  principal  factor  in  the  arbo- 
real life  of  these  animals. 

In  South  .\merica  there  are  several  species 
of  tree-frogs  whose  females  carry  their  eggs, 
during  incubation,  in  pouches  or  cells  upon  their 
hacks.  It  is  believed  that  the  eggs  are  placed  in 


364 


OEDERS  OF  AMPHIBIANS— FROGS  AND  TOADS 


position  and  embedded  there  by  the  male  frogs. 
Other  species  attach  their  eggs  to  leaves  that 
are  afterward  rolled  together  at  the  edges.  Oth- 
ers deposit  their  eggs  at  the  bases  of  large  leaves 
where  water  collects,  and  some  are  credited  with 
placing  them  where  they  will  fall  into  pools,  to 
be  hatched  there.  A Brazilian  species  called 
the  “Smith”'  constructs,  at  the  edge  of  a pool, 
a really  wonderful  circular  wall  or  fortress,  of 
mud,  in  which  its  eggs  are  deposited. 

The  Northern  Tree-Frog-  is  our  best  and 
most  common  representative  of  this  large  Fam- 
ily. It  is  two  inches  in  length,  and  in  cloudy 
weather,  especially  when  storms  are  gathering, 
its  cheerful,  bird-like  call  is  universally  regarded 
as  a harbinger  of  rain.  It  is  not  a high  climber, 
seldom  ascending  more  than  twenty  feet  from 
the  ground.  Its  colors  match  tree-bark  so  closely 
it  requires  very  sharp  eyes  to  find  it,  and  when 
seen  it  usually  is  believed  to  be  a knot. 

In  croaking,  its  vocal  sac  swells  to  enormous 
proportions.  Mr.  W.  Lyman  Underwood  has 
been  successful  in  photographing  this  animal  at 
the  instant  of  utterance,  and  his  very  interesting 
picture  is  reproduced  herewith. 

THE  TOAD  FAMILY. 

Bufonidae. 

North  American  toads  are  distinguished  from 
frogs  by  their  rough,  wart-covered  backs,  their 
dull  colors,  large  and  puffy  bodies,  smaller  hind 
feet,  shorter  hind  legs,  lack  of  agility,  and  their 
land-going  habits.  The  hopping  amphibians 
which  every  summer  shower  brings  out  on  side- 
walks and  country  paths,  usually  are  toads.  Al- 
together, there  are  about  eighty-five  species, 
mostly  tropical.  The  majority  live  upon  land, 
a few  burrow  into  the  earth,  and  a few  live  in 
the  water.  There  are  many  species  so  frog- 
like that  it  is  difficult  to  note  the  characters 
(chiefly  of  internal  anatomy)  which  distinguish 
them. 

The  Common  Toad®  may  stand  as  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  Toad  Family  of  North  Amer- 
ica. The  long-legged,  lightly  built  frog  leaps 
gracefully  and  far;  but  the  plethoric  Toad  is 
content  to  wriggle  or  hop  briefly  through  life. 
Its  existence  depends  largely  upon  the  fact  that 

' Htj'la  fa'ber.  ^ Hy'la  ver'si-co-lor. 

® Bu'fo  len-tig-i-no'sus. 


as  yet  man  finds  no  value  in  it,  and  does  not  re- 
gard it  as  worth  killing.  When  Toads  become 
salable  at  five  cents  each,  their  extermination  will 
follow  soon. 

The  Toad  deposits  its  eggs  in  water,  in  long 
strings,  and  after  the  transformation  they  grow 
so  slowly  that  even  in  August  the  toadlets  are  so 
minute  that  about  three  could  sit  upon  a copper 
cent.  They  seem  more  like  insects  than  am- 
phibians with  bony  skeletons.  In  winter,  these 
creatures  hide  away  in  the  deepest  crevices  they 
can  find,  or  the  cavities  of  hollow  trees,  or  holes 
in  the  earth,,  and  lie  dormant  until  spring  recalls 
them  to  life. 

THE  BURROWING  TOADS. 

Pelobatidae. 

The  Spade-Foot  Toad'  of  the  eastern  and 
southern  United  States  represents  this  large 
Family,  of  which  two  species  only  are  found  in 
the  United  States,  and  eighteen  elsewhere.  In 
the  North,  it  is  rarely  seen,  and  little  known. 
Personally  I know  nothing  of  it  in  life.  Hol- 
brook states  that  it  is  the  commonest  toad  in  the 
South;  that  it  digs  for  its  burrow  a small  hole 
about  six  inches  deep,  in  which  it  lies  in  wait  for 
every  insect  that  may  be  tempted  to  enter.  It 
seldom  leaves  its  hole  except  in  the  evening,  or 
after  long-continued  rains.  This  animal  is  two 
inches  long,  and  its  color  is  brown  above,  with 
dark  patches. 

THE  TONGUELESS  FROGS. 

Excepting  the  members  of  two  small  Families, 
all  frogs  and  toads  have  tongues.  Of  the  Tonguc- 
less  Frogs,  one  species  — which  is  univensally 
called  a “Toad” — is  of  special  interest  in  illus- 
trating a very  curious  feature  of  frog  life. 

The  Surinam  Toad,®  of  Dutch  Guiana,  is  cele- 
brated among  naturalists  all  over  the  world 
because  of  the  remarkable  manner  in  which  its 
eggs  are  cared  for  and  hatched,  .lust  previous 
to  the  egg-laying  period,  the  skin  of  the  back  of 
the  female  is  specially  prepared  by  Nature  for  a 
remarkable  proceeding.  It  becomes  very  thick, 
spongy  and  soft.  The  eggs  are  taken  by  the  male 
Toad,  and  one  by  one  are  embedded  in  the  skin  on 
the  back  of  the  female,  so  effectually  that  the  skin 
closes  over  them,  and  each  egg  becomes  partially 
‘ Sca-phi-o'pus  hol'hrook-i.  ® Pi'pa  americana. 


THE  SURINAM  TOAD 


365 


encysted,  and  retained  in  a cell  of  its  own’. 
There  they  remain  until  they  are  fully  incubated, 
the  tadpole  stage  is  passed,  and  a tiny,  but  per- 
fect Toad  emerges  from  the  skin  of  its  mother’s 
back  ! 

The  number  of  young  usually  produced  at  one 
hatching  is  from  sixty  to  seventy,  and  the  period 
of  incubation  is  from  seventy-five  to  eighty-five 
days.  At  the  close  of  this  process,  the  thickened 
layer  of  skin  on  the  back  of  the  female  loses  its 
vitality,  and  is  shed  very  much  as  a snake  sheds 


a dead  epidermis.  Although  the  front  feet  of 
the  Surinam  Toad  are  small  and  webless,  the 
hind  feet  are  of  great  size,  fully  webbed,  and  so 
much  drawn  in  at  the  ends  of  the  toes  that  in 
swimming  the  foot  is  saucer-shaped. 

There  are  other  frogs  which  display  remark- 
able intelligence  in  the  production  of  their  young, 
their  methods  going  far  beyond  what  one  would 
expect  in  creatures  as  low  in  the  vertebrate  scale 
as  the  amphibians.  As  a whole,  the  members  of 
this  Order  offer  a wide  field  for  the  specialist. 


’For  a full  description  of  the  process,  see  the  Proceedings  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London,  1896, 
p.  595. 


CHAPTER  XLII 


THE  ORDER  OF  TAILED  AMPHIBIANS 

URODELA 


The  members  of  this  Order  are  readily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  preceding  group  by  the  pos- 
session of  tails,  which  they  retain  throughout 
their  lives;  by  their  gills,  which  most  of  them 
retain  permanently;  by  the  absence  of  scales, 
and  by  the  fact  that  with  very  few  exceptions 
they  are  strictly  aquatic.  It  is  safe  to  say  that 
any  four-legged  aquatic  creature  having  a tail 
but  no  scales,  is  either  a salamander,  newt,  mud- 
puppy  or  siren. 

The  Order  U-ro-de'-la  is  the  dividing  line 
between  the  finny,  gill-breathing  fishes,  and  the 
four-legged,  lung-breathing,  land-going  lizards. 
Strange  to  say,  its  members  are  most  abundant 
in  the  temperate  regions  of  the  earth,  and  except 
in  two  or  three  small  areas,  are  absent  from  the 
tropics.  In  Australasia  there  are  none,  and  in 
South  America  and  Africa  there  are  none  save  in 
their  extreme  northern  portions. 

Of  all  countries,  the  region  embracing  the 
United  States  and  the  southern  provinces  of 
Canada  is  by  far  the  richest  in  species  belonging 
to  this  Order,  the  total  number  present  being 
fifty-two.  Mexico  and  Central  America  con- 
tribute fourteen  more,  all  salamanders.  In 
this  total  of  sixty-six  species,  eighteen  genera 
are  represented,  fourteen  of  which  are  found 
only  in  the  New  World.  The  total  number  of 
species  in  the  Old  World  is  only  thirty-six.  In 
North  America,  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
Order  Urodela  is  a line  extending  due  east  and 
west  across  the  continent  about  on  the  52d 
parallel  of  latitude.  (“Amphibia  and  Reptiles,” 
Dr.  Hans  Gadow,  pp.  95-6.) 

THE  FAMILY  OF  SALAMANDERS. 

Salamandridae. 

The  members  of  this  Family  seem  to  be  en- 
gaged in  a continuous  struggle  at  the  di\dding 
line  between  lungs  and  gills,  and  exhibit  all  pos- 


sible variations  between  perfection  in  both  those 
organs.  One  species  (the  axolotl)  changes  from 
water  to  land  with  neatness  and  despatch. 
Another  (the  striped  - backed  salamander)  lin- 
gers for  two  or  three  years  in  its  larval  state,  in 
the  water,  while  the  blue-spotted  salamander 
lives  upon  land,  in  moist  forests.  But  one  or 
two  illustrations  must  suffice  for  all. 

The  Axolotl,'  of  Mexico,  is  in  some  respects 
the  most  striking  — even  theatrical  — example 
of  salamandrine  life  and  character.  Its  trans- 
formation is  so  rapid  and  complete  that  it  is 
highly  impressive.  As  an  Axolotl,  it  is  either  a 
dark  gray  or  a perfectly  white  and  almost  trans- 
lucent animal,  about  7 inches  long,  with  external 
gills  divided  into  three  long,  ragged  branches ; a 
long  tail  with  a continuous  fin  above  and  below, 
and  four  very  practical  legs.  This  is  the  larva. 

If  the  pond  in  which  this  creature  lives  threat- 
ens to  dry  up,  the  gills  and  the  fins  on  the  tail  and 
back  begin  to  shrink,  and  disappear,  and  the  ani- 
mal begins  to  breathe  air  at  the  surface  of  the 
water.  Finally,  when  the  transformation  is 
complete,  a lizard-like  animal  with  very  ser- 
viceable lungs,  no  gills  whatever,  and  not  a ves- 
tige of  fins  on  tail  or  back,  emerges  upon  the  land, 
and  thereafter  leads  a terrestrial  life.  It  is  then 
known  as  a Spotted  Salamander;  and  it  is  no 
wonder  that  for  many  years  these  two  forms  were 
considered  creatures  of  different  .species.  It  was 
in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in  Paris,  that  the 
process  of  birth,  growth  and  tran.sformation  was 
finally  discovered. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  bring  about  the  transfor- 
mation of  the  Axolotl,  by  gradually  diminishing 
the  water-supply,  and  thus  observing  from  day  to 
day  the  progress  of  the  change.  More  than  this, 
the  transformation  can  be  arrested  by  gradually 
diminishing  the  allowance  of  air,  thus  forcing  the 
* Am-hly' sto-ma  ma-ror'li-um. 


366 


THE  SALAMANDERS 


367 


fi" 


THE  TWO  LIVES  OF  THE  AXOLOTL. 

The  lower  figure  show's  the  wholly  aquatic  larval  form,  with  gills  and  tail  fins,  called  the  Axolotl.  The  upper 
figure  shows  the  same  creature  fitted  for  life  on  land,  and  known  as  the  Spotted'Salamander. 


imperfect  Spotted  Salamander  back  into  aquatic 
life.  .\t  first  there  is  a struggle  against  life  under 
water,  but  finally  the  animal  becomes  adjusted 
to  it.  (R.  L.  Ditmars.) 

By  keeping  the  larval  .\xolotl  in  an  aquarium, 
with  an  abundance  of  water  but  with  no  encour- 
agement nor  facilities  for  breathing  air,  it  not 
only  remains  in  that  stage  indefinitely,  but  it 
breeds  successfully. 

This  species  is  most  abundant  in  the  shallow 
lakes  around  the  City  of  Mexico,  but  it  inhabits 
nearly  the  whole  of  Mexico  and  also  a considera- 
ble area  in  the  southwe.stern  United  States.  Un- 
cpiestionably,  the  wonderful  mobility — as  it  may 
truly  be  called — of  this  creature  is  for  the  purpose 
of  enabling  it  to  survive  in  a region  wherein 
droughts  are  common,  and  where  the  life  of  an 
aquatic  animal  depends  upon  its  ability  to 
change  from  water  to  land.  Of  all  members  of 
the  Order  Urodela,  this  is  to  me  the  most  won- 
derful. 


Salamanders,  Generally. — In  shallow  brooks, 
in  still  pools  of  all  kinds,  from  the  shaded  w’oods 
of  the  East  to  the  wind-swept,  sun-bathed  prai- 
ries and  bad-lands  of  the  West,  and  both  on  and 
in  the  damp  earth  of  forests  high  and  low,  we 
occasionally  find  little  smooth-skinned,  lizard- 
like animals.  They  are  slow  in  movement,  weak 
and  incapable  of  either  defence  or  flight,  and  are 
at  the  mercy  of  almost  any  species  larger  than 
themselves.  These  are  Salamanders,  and  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  some  are  wholly  aquatic  and 
others  wholly  terrestrial,  it  is  difficult  to  choose 
from  our  sixteen  species  one  which  may  stand 
for  the  majority.  The  diversity  of  habit  of  these 
animals  is  greater  than  their  differences  in  form. 
The  various  members  of  the  group  inhabit  all 
sorts  of  quiet  situations,  from  the  rocks  and  dry 
ground  of  the  Blotched  Salamander^  to  the 
mountains  of  the  Blue -Spotted  Salamander 

' Am-bly'sto-ma  o-pa'cum. 

^ Pleth'o-don  glu-ti-no'sus. 


368 


OEDERS  OF  AMPHIBIANS— TAILED  AMPHIBIANS 


and  the  swift-running  streams  of  the  Dusky 
Salamander} 

Very  frequently,  salamanders  are  found  un- 
derneath fallen  trees,  or  stones,  or  under  the 
bark  of  decaying  logs ; and  on  the  western  prairie 
farms  the  plough-share  turns  into  the  broad 
light  of  day  many  a burrowing  amphibian. 

On  the  whole,  the  Spotted  Salamander-  ap- 
pears to  be  the  best  species  with  which  to  intro- 
duce the  North  American  group.  It  is  distinctly 
marked,  and  of  wide  distribution.  Its  length  is 
6^  inches,  its  body  is  broad  and  full,  and  its  tail  is 


shorter  than  its  body.  Above,  its  ground  color 
is  dark  brown  or  black,  on  which  is  laid  about 
thirty  irregular  yellow  spots.  The  Spotted 
Salamander  of  Europe  is  a different  species,  its 
light  markings  being  in  the  form  of  elongated 
patches  or  bands.  Except  for  its  external  gills, 
the  larva  of  this  species  looks  much  like  an 
ordinary  tadpole;  but  with  transformation  the 
gills  disappear.  Occasionally  this  species  is 
found  in  spring-houses  and  cellars. 

THE  NEWTS,  OR  TRITONS. 

Pleurodelidae. 

Although  quite  abundant  in  the  Old  World, 
(sixteen  species),  the  newts  are  represented  in 
America  by  only  two  species.  All  these  tiny 
creatures  inhabit  water  during  the  breeding  sea- 

' Des-mog-na'thvs  fus'ea. 

* Am-blijs'to-ma  punc-ta' turn. 


son,  but  at  its  close,  some  species  leave  it,  and 
live  for  a period  upon  land,  where  their  habits 
are  much  like  those  of  terrestrial  salamanders. 

Most  species  of  newts  look  very  much  like 
small,  weak,  scaleless  lizards,  except  that  in  some 
species  the  males,  and  in  others  both  sexes,  have 
broad  fins  on  the  tail,  above  and  below.  In 
some  cases  the  upper  fin  is  prolonged  forward 
along  the  back,  quite  up  to  the  head. 

Of  our  two  species  of  Newts,  the  Crimson- 
Spotted  Newt*  endeavors  to  make  up  by  its 
abundance  for  the  scarcity  of  species  of  the  ( !cnus 
Triton  in  America.  It  is  quoted 
by  herpetologists  as  “ very  com- 
mon in  ponds  everywhere”  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  and 
its  known  range  embraces  the 
northern  and  eastern  portions 
of  the  United  States.  It  is 
about  3^  inches  long.  Its  color 
above  is  brown,  or  greenish- 
brown,  with  two  rows  of  bright 
vermilion  spots,  in  all  from  G 
to  12.  Its  under  surface  is 
orange,  marked  with  small  black 
dots.  Half-grown  specimens  are 
brownish-red,  with  the  charac- 
teristic spots  of  bright  red. 

This  puny  little  animal  in- 
habits deeper  water  than  most 
salamanders,  and  swims  freely, 
often  in  an  upright  position,  in 
which  the  hind  legs  hang  motionless  while  the 
tail  does  all  the  work.  It  feeds  upon  the  larva  of 
aquatic  insects,  w'orms,  and  very  small  mollusks. 
For  schoolroom  aquaria.  Newts  are  more  easily 
obtained  than  any  other  of  the  tailed  ami)hil)- 
ians,  and  they  are  easily  kept. 

Our  Newt  has  long  been  of  much  interest  to 
American  naturalists,  and  its  complicated  series 
of  changes  from  the  egg  to  adolescence  have  been 
carefully  studied  and  reported  upon.* 

The  Newt  of  western  North  America  (Triton 
torosus)  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the  genus,  and 
attains  a length  of  G inches.  The  tail  is  longer 
than  the  body,  much  flattened  vertically,  and  is 
provided  with  a dorsal  and  ventral  fin.  The 
under  parts  are  colored  yellow. 

* Di-e-myc'ty-his  rir-i-des'cens. 

* See  L.  J.  Gage  in  the  American  Naturalist,  1891, 
p.  1084. 


MENOPOMA,  OR  HELLBENDER. 


THE  IIELLBEN^DER,  OR  MENOPOMA 


369 


THE  FAMILY  OF  AMPHIUMAS. 

Amphiumidae. 

I’nfortunately  there  is  no  English  name  wliich 
properly  applies  to  the  members  of  this  Family. 
Some  are  like  salamanders,  and  some  are  like 
eels;  but  none  are  “fish-like”  salamanders,  as 
they  are  sometimes  called.  In  the  perfect  state 
they  are  without  gills,  the  gill-clefts  being  in  a 
vanishing  stage,  either  reduced  to  a pair  of  small 
holes,  or  totally  absent.  Both  jaws  are  pro- 
\-ided  with  teeth,  but  the  eyes  are  without 
lids. 

This  Family  consists  of  two 
genera  and  three  species,  two 
of  which  are  found  in  the 
United  States,  the  other  in 
Japan. 

The  Hellbender,  or  Meno- 
poma,‘  is  one  of  the  ugliest 
looking  creatures  on  this  con- 
tinent. When  fully  adult  it  is 
from  18  to  20  inches  in  length, 
its  head  and  body  are  much 
flattened,  while  its  tail  is  flat- 
tened vertically  and  complete- 
ly finned.  Its  legs  and  feet 
arc  short  and  thick,  and  all 
along  the  middle  of  each  side 
is  a wide,  convoluted  fold  of 
skin. 

Its  color  is  a uniform  dull 
brown,  accentuated  by  a few 
dark  blotches  of  very  irregular 
shajie.  On  the  left  side  there 
is  a gill  opening,  but  on  the 
right  there  is  none;  and  there 
are  four  pairs  of  gill-arches. 

Ttie  skin  is  smooth,  but  the  head  bears  many 
wart-like  tubercles. 

Tins  unpleasing  animal  is  found  in  many  of 
the  streams  that  flow  into  the  Ohio  River,  and 
the  Mississippi  also,  but  it  is  most  abundant 
in  Pennsylvania,  especially  in  streams  whose 
s<iurces  are  in  the  .Vlleghanies.  In  its  food  habits 
it  is  very  voracious,  feeding  upon  worms,  min- 
nows and  crayfish,  and  often  taking  the  hooks  of 
fishermen  in  cjuest  of  that  most  repulsive  of  all 
American  fishes,  the  catfish.  Fishermen  hate 

’ Ctnjp-lo-bran'chus  (or  Men-o-po'ma)  al-le-gha-ni- 
en'its 


the  Hellbender;  but  between  catfish  and  Hell- 
bender there  would  seem  to  be  small  choice. 

The  Hellbender  is  very  tenacious  of  life,  and 
it  is  said  that  it  can  live  on  land  for  twenty-four 
hours  without  perishing.  On  this  point,  Mr. 
William  Frear  offers  the  following  testimony: 

“One  specimen,  about  eighteen  inches  in 
length,  which  had  lain  on  the  ground  exposed 
to  a summer  sun  for  forty-eight  hours,  was 
brought  to  the  museum,  and  left  lying  a day 
longer  before  it  was  placed  in  alcohol.  The  day 
following,  desiring  to  note  a few  points  of  struct- 


ure, I removed  it  from  the  alcohol  in  which  it 
had  been  completely  submerged  for  at  least 
twenty  hours,  and  had  no  sooner  placed  it  on  the 
table  than  it  began  to  open  its  big  mouth,  vigor- 
ously sway  its  tail  to  and  fro,  and  give  other  un- 
doubted signs  of  vitality.” 

The  Giant  Salamander,^  of  Japan,  is  a brother 
species  to  the  Hellbender,  but  is  very  much  larger. 
It  is  the  largest  of  all  the  amphibians,  and  some- 
times attains  a length  of  three  feet.  Specimens 
may  always  be  seen  in  the  Reptile  House  of  the 
Zoological  Park. 

Cryp-to-bran'chus  max'i-mus. 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 


THE  CONGO  “SN.VKE,”  OR  EEL-LIKE  S.A.L.\M.VNDER. 


370 


ORDERS  OF  AMPHIBIANS— TAILED  A:\IPHIBIAXS 


The  Congo  “Snake,”  or  Eel-like  Salaman- 
der,' is  in  many  ways  related  to  the  foregoing 
species,  but  in  external  appearance  it  seems 
widely  different.  In  appearance  it  looks  like  a 
blunt-nosed,  wide-mouthed  eel,  with  a tiny  pair 
of  legs  close  behind  its  head,  and  another  pair 
about  four- fifths  of  the  way  back  to  the  end  of  its 
tail.  Even  in  a small  aquarium  tank,  in  a well- 
lighted  reptile  house,  these  tiny  legs  are  so  thread- 
like and  so  short  they  are  seldom  noticed  save  by 
those  who  know  they  are  present,  and  look  spe- 
cially for  them.  The  absurd  little  feet  on  these 
ridiculous  legs  have  but  three  toes,  and  the 
wonder  is  that  such  useless  or  “aberrant”  ap- 
pendages have  not  long  since  disappeared  alto- 
gether. 

The  color  of  the  Eel-like  Salamander  is  a uni- 
form gray-brown,  and  its  length  when  adult  is 
usually  about  two  feet.  There  is  a gill  opening 
on  each  side  of  the  neck,  and  there  are  four  in- 
ternal gill-arches.  There  are  no  external  gills. 


FREE-GILLED  SALAMANDERS. 

Proteidae. 

This  very  small  Family  contains  only  three 
genera,  with  but  one  species  in  each.  One  of 
these,  the  01  of  Europe,  is  recognizable  at 
sight  by  its  general  eel-like  appearance,  its  tiny 
legs  far  apart  (like  the  Congo  “ Snake  ”),  and  the 
big  bunch  of  external  gill-branches  waving  on 
each  side  of  the  neck,  close  to  the  head.  This 
animal  is  totally  blind,  and  is  found  only  in  the 
caverns  of  the  Alps. 

The  Mud-Puppy,  or  Menobranchus^,  bears 
a strong  e.xternal  resemblance  to  the  Hellbender, 
but  is  readily  distinguished  from  the  latter  by 
the  conspicuous  mass  of  external  gill-branches 
with  which  the  animal  fans  the  water  at  every 
breath.  It  inhabits  many  of  the  rivers  of  Ohio, 
Pennsylvania,  Indiana,  the  Great  Lakes  and 
northern  New  York,  and  is  often  taken  in  fisher- 
men’s nets. 


THE  MENOBRANCHUS,  OR  MUD-PUPPY 

These  creatures  inhabit  the  muddy  streams  and 
stagnant  waters  of  our  southeastern  states,  and 
are  in  the  habit  of  burying  themselves  in  the  mud, 
sometimes  to  a surprising  depth.  They  feed 
upon  every  form  of  aciuatic  animal  life  which  is , 
small  enough  to  be  seized  and  swallowed — in- 
sects, worms,  crustaceans,  shell-fish  and  even 
small  fishes.  In  the  South  they  are  occasionally 
found  in  the  ditches  which  irrigate  the  rice-fields. 

* Am-j)hi-u'ma  means. 


The  Subterranean  Protean 
’ of  Te.xas. — Very  recently  a 
rather  startling  discovery  was 
made  in  Texas,  near  San  Marcos. 
From  the  bottom  of  an  artesian 
well  188  feet  deep,  there  came 
up  with  the  water  several  blind 
Proteans,  colorless  and  white, 
which  up  to  that  time  had  lived 
only  in  the  subterranean  streams 
and  pools  of  the  earth’s  crust, 
and  were  quite  unknown.  Along 
with  them  came  four  new  species 
of  Crustacea  (crab-like  creatures); 
and  doubtless  it  was  ui)on  those 
that  the  Proteans  lived.  Unfort- 
unately, thus  far  those  who  re- 
^ ceived  the  new  amphibians  did 
not  succeed  in  inducing  them 
to  eat,  and  none  have  survived. 
The  species  has  been  christened  Typh-lo-mol'ge 
rath'bun-i. 

THE  TWO-LEGGED  SALAMANDERS. 

Sirenidae. 

Near  the  foot  of  the  Class  Amphibia,  we  find 
the  Two-Legged  Salamanders,  of  which  there 
are  only  two  species,  both  American.  Both  look 


^ Pro'le-us  an-gnin' e-ns . 

® Nec-tu'rus  mac-u-la'tus. 


WOKM-LIKE  AMPIIIBIAXS 


371 


very  much  like  the  Congo  “Snake”;  but  the  hind 
legs  are  totally  absent,  and  external  gills  are  con- 
spicuously present.  The  front  legs,  which  are 
close  behind  the  gills,  are  larger  than  in  any  other 
of  the  eel-like  salamanders,  and  are  of  some  slight 
use. 

The  Siren  Salamander,  or  Mud-“Eel,”'  of 

our  southeastern  states,  has  four  toes  on  its  feet, 
three  pairs  of  gill  openings,  a smooth  skin  of  a 
dull  black  color,  and  when  fully  adult  a length  of 
about  24  inches.  The  habitat  and  habits  of  this 
creature  correspond  closely  to  those  of  the  Congo 
“Snake”  of  the  southern  rice-fields  and  swamps. 

THE  ORDER  OF  WORM-LIKE  AM- 
PHIBIANS. 

Apoda. 

Last  and  lowest  in  the  Class  Amphibia,  we 
find  a group  of  creatures  that  externally  seem 
more  like  worms  than  vertebrates.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  know  that  there  are  true  vertebrates  so 
very  worm-like  that  they  have  neither  legs,  feet, 
nor  fins.  Some,  however,  have  overlapping 
scales,  like  fishes. 

Collectively,  these  animals  are  called  Caecil- 
ians  (pronounced  se-sil'i-ans).  There  are  forty 
1 Si'ren  la-cer-ti'na. 


species,  inhabiting  the  lower  half  of  Mexico, 
Central  and  South  America,  equatorial  Africa, 
India,  Burma  and  northern  Australasia,  but  not 
the  United  States.  They  are  of  burrowing  hab- 
its, and  their  skulls  exhibit  a degree  of  solidity 
and  strength  quite  in  keeping  with  the  necessi- 
ties of  creatures  which  can  burrow  only  with  their 


SIREN  SALAMANDER,  OR  MUD-“eEL.” 


heads.  Many  of  them  are  totally  blind — by  the 
concealment  of  their  eyes  under  the  skin,  or  the 
maxillary  bones.  (Gadow.)  The  exact  rela- 
tionships of  the  Apoda  are  yet  to  be  determined 
conclusively. 


BOOK  V 


FISHES 


Drawn  by  J.  Cartei;  Beard. 

REMARKABLE  MEMBERS  OF  THE  ORDER  OF  SOLID-JAW  FISHES.  (Page  410.) 

1.  TRIOGER-FISH  (Bnlislex  cdpriscus) . 3.  I'ORCUPINE  FISH  {Chilomgclerus  gcometricus),  inflated. 

2.  Bo.x-FISH  {Ostracion  Iricornis).  4.  puffer  (TWradow  "‘th  air-sae  inflated. 


CHAPTER  XLIII 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CLASS  OF  FISHES 


The  study  of  fishes  is  called  ich-thy-ol'o-gy. 

So  great  is  the  number  of  species  that  the  mass 
is,  at  first  thought,  fairly  bewildering.  During 
the  last  twenty  years  the  researches  of  the  men 
who  devote  their  lives  to  the  study  of  fishes 
(called  ich-thy-oTo-gists)  have  brought  to  light 
hundreds  of  new  forms. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  waters  of  North  Amer- 
ica, alone,  form  a great  multitude.  Of  the  fishes 
found  north  of  Panama,  marine  and  inland,  the 
“ Descriptive  Catalogue  ” of  Drs.  Jordan  and 
Evermann,  Part  IV,  completed  in  1900,  enumer- 
ates the  following  groups,  species  and  subspecies 
as  recognized  by  those  authors  : 


Orders  of  Fishes 30 

Families 225 

Genera 1113 

Species 32G3 


The  four  volumes  comprising  the  work  men- 
tioned above  make  a pile  nine-and-a-half  inches 
high,  and  contain  3,313  fine-print  pages  of 
text,  and  392  plates.  The  ‘‘Systematic  Arrange- 
ment, ” or  table  of  contents,  is  wholly  in  Latin, 
and  fills  95  closely-printed  pages.  The  work 
has  been  carefully  devised  to  be  of  no  use  what- 
ever to  anyone  save  an  ichthyologist. 

When  this  array  confronts  the  general  stu- 
dent, the  prospect  is  rather  appalling.  From 
the  first  page  to  the  last,  every  technical  work 
on  fishes  abounds  in  descriptive  terms  that  to 
most  persons  are  about  as  attractive  as  the 
spines  on  a porcupine  fish.  If  the  general  reader 
attempts  to  master  them,  he  soon  finds  himself 
involved  and  discouraged,  and  the  desired  gen- 
eral view  of  our  finny  tribes  is  obscured  in  fog. 

But  the  whole  subject  of  fish  study  is  merely 
a matter  of  method.  With  fishes,  as  with  the 
other  vertebrates,  the  Orders  are  the  master 
keys  by  which  a proper  exhibit  can  be  unlocked 
and  displayed.  At  the  same  time,  the  Subclass 
divisions  arc  of  great  importance,  and  must  con- 
stantly be  kept  in  mind.  Leaving  out  the  deep- 
sea  fishes,  which  we  can  well  spare  for  the  pres- 
ent, there  are  twenty  well-defined  Orders,  the 
types  of  which  are  almost  as  easily  known  and 


remembered  as  a score  of  pictures  in  an  art  gal- 
lery. The  Orders  must  not  be  lost  sight  of,  for 
when  they  are  firmly  grasped  by  the  understand- 
ing and  the  memory,  the  fog  begins  to  rise. 

General  Characters. — A typical  fish  is  a 
cold-blooded  animal,  with  a bony  skeleton,  an 
elongated  body  which  is  covered  with  overlap- 
ping scales,  and  an  outfit  of  fins  for  balancing, 
steering  and  propulsion.  It  has  gills  instead 
of  lungs,  fixed  eyes,  and  a swimming-bladder, 
and  is  specially  fitted  for  a wholly  acjuatic  life. 
It  is  provided  with  teeth,  it  hears  sounds  by  the 
transmitting  power  of  the  bony  plates  of  the 
skull,  and  usually  it  lays  eggs  for  the  production 
of  its  young.  The  body  of  a typical  fish  is  wedge- 
shaped,  narrowest  at  the  tail,  thin  from  side  to 
side,  and  the  head  tapers  to  a blunt  point.  This 
form  is  specially  designed  for  rapid  and  easy 
progress  through  water. 

The  Black  Bass  may  fairly  be  regarded  as  a 
perfectly  typical  fish. 

The  variations  from  the  perfect  type  are  al- 
most innumerable.  For  example: 

The  Lung-Fish  has  foot-like  fins,  and  practi- 
cal lungs. 

The  Catfish  has  no  scales. 

Some  Sharks  and  a few  other  fishes  bring  forth 
their  young  alive. 

The  Rays  and  Skates  are  the  flattest  of  all 
vertebrates. 

The  Climbing  Perch  can  climb. 

The  Flying-Fish  can  rise  from  the  sea,  and  fly. 

The  Lantern  Fish,  of  the  deep  sea,  carries  a 
phosphorescent  light  upon  its  head. 

The  anatomy  of  fishes  is  a special  branch  of 
knowledge  in  which  the  general  reader  can 
scarcely  be  concerned,  but  for  the  young  ich- 
thyologist there  are  many  special  works.  Books 
for  the  identification  of  all  the  known  species 
of  fishes  in  North  America  are  now  available 
for  those  who  desire  them.  At  present,  how- 
ever, we  are  concerned  only  with  the  twenty 
great  groups,  or  Orders,  and  the  fifty  or  sixty 
important  types  which  represent  them.  Of 
these  there  must  be  some  serious  study. 

Up  to  this  date,  nearly  every  systematic  writer 


37G 


OTiDERS  OF  FISHES— IXTRODUCTION 


THE  NAMES  OF  THE  FINS  OF  A TYPICAL  FISH. 

The  species  shown  is  the  Black  Grunt  (Haemulon  plumieri),  and  it  represents  the  large  and  commercially 
important  Family  of  Grunts  (H aemulidae) , represented  in  our  warm  waters  by  about  55  species. 


upon  the  Fishes  as  a Class  has  chosen  either  to 
alter  or  ignore  previous  classifications,  and 
adopt  the  arrangement  which  to  him  has  seemed 
most  logical  and  reasonable.  In  order  to  con- 
form to  this  time-honored  custom,  I have  elected 
to  do  likewise! 

With  the  subdivisions  of  the  Orders,  we  are 
not  at  present  seriously  concerned,  our  main 
object  being  to  block  out  the  larger  groups,  only. 
The  arrangement  of  Orders  set  forth  on  pages 
37S-9  is  called  a “practical  arrangement” 
because  it  can  be  understood,  and  is  available 
for  practical,  every-day  use. 

THE  FISHERY  INDUSTRIES,  AND  FISH 
PROPAGATION. 

Says  Mr.  Charles  H.  Townsend,  late  Chief  of 
the  Division  of  Statistics,  United  States  Bureau 
of  Fisheries,  “The  commercial  fisheries  of  the 
United  States  employ  about  200,000  persons, 
the  amount  of  capital  invested  is  $60,000,000, 
and  the  annual  value  of  the  products  to  the  fish- 
ermen is  appro.ximately  $50,000,000.” 


As  a source  of  supply  of  cheap  and  whole- 
some flesh  food,  the  fishes  of  our  waters  are 
almost  as  vitally  important  as  coal.  The  best 
fish  rarely  costs  more  than  one-half  the  price 
of  the  best  beef  and  mutton,  and  often  only 
one-third  as  much. 

In  1871,  Professor  Spencer  F.  Baird,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  induced 
Congress  to  create  and  perpetuate  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  for  the  propagation 
of  food  fishes,  and  the  preservation  of  the  fish- 
eries. The  appropriation  for  1902  was  $.543,120. 

To-day  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries, 
as  the  propagator  and  preserver  of  food  fishes, 
is  engaged  in  a hand-to-hand  struggle  with  the 
200,000  destroyers.  There  are  comparatively 
few  laws  which  are  intended  to  limit  the  catch 
of  commercial  fishes;  but  the  sportsmen  have 
provided  many  statutes  for  the  preservation  of 
the  high-class  “game”  fishes.  Nearly  every 
state  maintains  a state  fish  commission,  for  the 
special  benefit  of  its  own  citizens,  and  some  of 
these  are  doing  very  important  work. 


THE  UNITED  STATES  BURKAU  OF  FISHERIES 


377 


The  United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  has  not 
entered  into  the  business  of  procuring  legislative 
enactments  for  the  regulation  of  fisheries,  but 
lias  left  that  work  to  the  various  states  concerned. 
Its  greatest  efforts  have  been  put  forth  in  stock- 
ing new  waters  with  desirable  food  fishes,  and  in 
restocking  waters  that  have  been  depleted  of 
tlieir  natural  supply  of  fishes. 

The  importance  of  the  fish-propagating  meas- 
ures of  the  national  government  can  hardly  be 
overestimated.  The  map  of  the  United  States 
is  dotted  over,  from  corner  to  corner,  with 
the  fish-hatching  stations  of  the  Bureau.  In 
number  they  are  thirty-nine,  and  they  have 
been  located  with  a view  to  the  propagation 
and  distribution  of  practically  all  the  most  de- 
sirable species  which  by  their  habits  of  life  are 
available  for  such  operations.  It  is  of  general 
interest  to  state  the  locations  of  the  fish-hatch- 
ing stations  now  (1903)  actively  at  work,  taking 
eggs,  hatching  them,  and  distributing  both  eggs 
and  young  fish.  They  are  situated  as  follows: 


^ Green  L;ike. 
Q.  ' Crais  Brook. 
Maine,  3:  Grand  Lake 

( Stream. 
A’ermont:  St.  Johnsbury. 
New  Hampshire:  Nashua. 
Mn«  o.)  Gloucester. 

Mass.  -.Hvood’s  Holl. 

New  York:  Cape  Vincent. 

\ Battery  Sta- 
•Maryland.  2:<  tion. 

( Bryan  Point. 
District  of  i Central  Sta- 
Columbia;  ] Fish  Lakes. 


North  Carolina:  Edenton. 
Virginia:  Wytheville. 
Tennessee:  Erwin. 

Ohio:  Put-in-Bay. 

i Northville. 

Michigan,  4: 

( SaultSte.  Marie. 
Minnesota:  Duluth. 

Illinois:  Quincy. 

Iowa:  Manchester. 

Missouri:  Neosho. 

Texas:  San  Marcos. 

Colorado:  Leadville. 


Of  still  greater  interest  to  all  catchers  and 
consumers  of  fish  is  the  answer  to  the  question, 
“ \\  hat  are  the  fishes  that  are  being  propagated 
and  planted  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Fish; 
cries?”  A full  answer  will  constitute  an  ex- 
cellent showing  of  the  Bureau’s  estimate  of 
the  comparative  values  of  our  best  food  fishes  ; 
but  at  the  same  time  due  allowance  must  be 
made  for  the  things  which  are  and  are  not  pos- 
sible in  fish  hatching. 


Distribution  of  Eggs  and  Live  Fish  by  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  during 
the  Year  which  ended  July  1,  1902. 

Shad 100,986,000 

Quinnat  Salmon 48,083,718 

Atlantic  Salmon 638,765 


Landlocked  Salmon.  . . . 822,220 

Silver  Salmon 424,530 

Blueback  Salmon 3,371,000 

Steelhead  Trout 534,882 

Lock  Level!  Trout 96,760 

Rainbow  Trout 1,675,121 

Black-Spotted  Trout  . . . 1,868,500 

Brook  Trout 6,579,762 

Lake  Trout 27,260,490 

Scotch  Sea  Trout 24, .531 

C.olden  Trout 69,950 

(Jrayling 1,803,258 

Whitefish 594,490,000 

Pike-Perch 237,099,.575 

Pickerel 805 

Catfish  95,970 

Yellow  Perch 1,700 

Buffalo  Fish 200,000 

Black  Bass 262,157 

Crappie 735,120 

Strawberry  Ba.ss 3,551 

Rock  Bass 37,170 

Warmouth  Bass 100 

Sunfish  and  Bream 623,739 

Cod 212,001,000 

Flat-Fish 168,133,000 


Total. 


1,414,.523,374 


Lobster 81 ,020,000 


1,495,-543,374 

Of  the  above,  99  per  cent  were  in  the  interest 
of  the  commercial  fisheries,  and  1 per  cent,  or 
14,900,000,  were  game  fishes.  The  number  of 
applications  for  fish  to  stock  interior  waters 
was  3,814,  and  the  distributing  cars  of  the 
Bureavi  of  Fisheries  travelled  95,259  miles,  and 
sixty-eight  railways  furnished  free  transportation 
for  29,616  fish  cars  and  68,940  trips  of  messen- 
gers. 

In  the  matter  of  fish  propagation  and  distri- 
bution for  the  stocking  of  new  or  depleted  waters, 
the  national  government  stands  pre-eminent. 
The  only  defect  in  its  policy  lies  in  its  failure  to 
protect  existing  fisheries  from  over-fishing,  and 
from  such  reckless  waste  as  is  now  destroying 
the  salmon  fisheries  of  Alaska. 


A PRACTICAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF 

BASED  CHIEFLY  UPON  VISIBLE  CHARACTERS;  DEEP-SEA 


SUBCLASSES 

LUNG 

FISHES: 

Nearest  to 
the 

Amphibia. 


BONY 

FISHES: 

Typical 
Fishes, 
high  and 
low  forms. 


ORDERS  AND  CHARACTERS 


LUNG-FISHES, 


SI-REN-OI'DE-I 


Fishes  with  partial  lungs,  rudimentary  legs,  and  molar 
teeth. 


TYPES  AND 
EXAMPLES 

Australian  Lung- 
Fish  . 
South  American 


ISPINY-FINNED 
FISHES,  . . . 

Typical  fishes,  with  p 
fin-rays. 


AC-AN-THOP'TE-RI 


1 PIKES, 

Head  flattened  and  scaly. 


. . HA-PLO'MI  .... 
Only  one  dorsal  fin,  far  back. 


[TROUT  and  SALMON,  i-so-spon'dy-li  . 

Differential  characters  relate  wholly  to  bony  anatomy. 


FLYING  FISHES,  . . syn-en-tog'na-thi 

Pectoral  fins  greatly  enlarged  ; some  species  able  to  fly. 

|SOLID-JAW  FISHES,  plec-tog'na-thi  . 

With  solidified  teeth  and  strong  jaws.  Mostly  with 
rough,  file-like  skins. 

[SUCKERS  and 

MINNOWS, PLEC-TO-SPON'DY-LI 

Differential  characters  based  wholly  upon  bony  anat- 
omy. 

HALF-GILLED 

FISHES, HEM-I-BRAN'CHII  . 

With  imperfect  or  incomplete  gills. 

[CATFISHES,  .....  NEM-A-TOG’NA-THI 

Scaleless  ; head  broad  and  flattened  ; barbels  around 
mouth  ; defensive  spines  in  dorsal  and  pectoral  fins. 


Mudfish  . 

381 

Bass  . . , 

382 

Sunfish  . . . 

384 

Perch  . . . 

386 

1 Bluefish  . . 

387 

1 Mackerel  . . 

388 

Tuna  . . . 

489 

1 Mullet  . . . 

390 

1 Red  Snapper . 

391 

Dolphin  . . 

392 

Swordfish  . . 

392 

Remora  . . 

393 

Pike  .... 

394 

Muskal  lunge . 

394 

Pickerel  . . 

395 

Trout  . . . 

396 

Salmon . . . 

398 

Tarpon  . . . 

406 

Shad  . . . 

407 

Whitefish  . . 

408 

Herring  . . 
Menhaden 

Flying  Fish  . 

409 

Trigger-Fish  . 

410 

Box-Fish  . . . 

410 

Puffer  . . . . 

410 

Porcupine  Fish 

411 

Common  Sucker  412 

Buffalo  Fish  . . 

413 

Carp 

413 

Minnows  . . . 

414 

Stickleback  . . 

415 

Mississippi  Cat- 

fish  ...  . 

416 

Bullhead  . . . 

417 

3S0 


THE  ORDERS  OF  LIVING  FISHES 

ORDERS  03IITTED.  TYPES  CHIEFLY  NORTH  AMERICAN 


SUBCLASSES 


H()\Y  FISHES: 

Continued. 


ORDERS  AND  CHARACTERS 


TYPES  AND 
EXAMPLES 


/ 


FLAT-FISHES,  . het-e-ro-so'ma-ta 

Without  bilateral  symmetry.  Both  eyes  on 
one  side.  Flat,  oval.  Swim  in  horizontal  \ 
plane.  f 


Common 

but 


Hali- 


FOOT-FISHES,  . pe-dic-u-la'ti  . 

Mouth  enormous  ; body  broad,  flattened,  bag-  ( Angler 
like.  Pectoral  fins  long  at  ba.se. 


EELS, AP'O-DES  . 

Body  long,  slender,  snake-like.  No 
fins,  no  scales. 


ventral  ( Electric  Eel 


PIPE-FISHES  and 
SEA-HORSES,  lo-pho-bran'chi 

Gills  tufted  ; mouth  tubular  ; body  covered 
with  scale  armor.  Verj"  unlike  true  fishes. 


Pipe-Fish  and 
Sea-Horse  . , 


The  DOGFISH,  . « 

Air  bladder  cellular,  acting  as  rudimentary  \ 
lung.  Helmet-headed. 


G.\NOIDS: 

.Armored  Fishes, 
and  their  allies. 


GAR-FISHES,  . . ging-ly-mo'di  . , 

’ I Gar  Pike  . . 

Ancient  forms,  covered  with  formidable  bony  \ Alligator  Gar 


STURGEONS,  . . glan-i-os'to-mi 

Body  with  rows  of  large,  bony  plates.  Mouth  ^ Lake  Sturgeon 
with  barbels. 


PADDLE-FISH,  . s^l-a-chos'to-mi  i 

Scaleless,  shark-like.  Broad,  bony  paddle  pro-  \ Paddle-Fish  . 
jecting  from  nose.  f 


CHIMERAS 


] CHIMERAS,  . . . 


Odd,  shark-like  forms. 


CHI-MAE-ROI'DE-I 


i rhi 


Chimera  coliei 


CARTILAGINOUS 

FISHES: 

With  soft  skeletons. 
Lowest  Fishes. 


SHARKS, 


SQUA'LI 


\ Mackerel  Shark 
Scales  minute  ; skeleton  cartilaginous.  Many  \ HTmttiprhpuH 
species  bring  forth  their  young  alive.  f 


RAYS  and  SKATES,  ra'I-ae 

Exce.ssively  flattened,  but  otherwise  shark-like.  \ Sting  Ray  . 
Many  species  with  long,  whip-like  tails. 


i Shark-Ray 
{ Sting  Ray  . 
[ Devil-Fish 


PAGE 


. 418 


420 


421 


423 


424 


425 

425 


427 


429 


431 


432 

433 

434 

435 
435 


CHAPTER  XLIV 


ORDER  OF  THE  CONNECTING-LINK  FISHES,  WITH 

LUNGS  AND  LEGS 

SIRENOIDEI 


As  in  the  preceding  sections  of  this  work,  we 
will  begin  our  studies  of  the  Class  of  Fishes  with 
the  highest  forms,  and  run  down  in  regular  course 
to  the  lowest.  Of  the  144  Families  composing 
this  class,  as  it  occurs  in  North  America,  it  is 
impossible  to  mention  separately  more  than  a 


congeners  lie  embedded  in  Jurassic  rocks  r)00,000 
years  old;  and  how  this  poor  orphan  of  the  Past 
escaped  with  its  life  down  to  the  Present,  many 
have  wondered,  but  nobody  knows.  .\s  you 
stand  before  the  glass  tank  in  the  end  of  the 
Reptile  House  of  the  London  Zoo,  and  behold  a 


THE  AUSTRALIAN  LUNG-FISH. 


very  few  of  those  which  are  of  greatest  im- 
portance. 

The  Lung-Fi.shes  are  introduced  because 
they  are  the  highest  of  all  the  fishes,  and  form 
the  connecting  link  between  that  class  and  the 
amphibians.  Of  the  three  genera  that  are  known, 
one  is  found  in  Australia,  two  in  .\frica,  one  in 
South  America,  and  in  North  America,  none. 

To  some  ichthyologi.sts,  the  great  Australian 
Lung-Fish'  is  the  most  interesting  of  all  fishes. 
It  is  not  only  an  intermediate  form  between  the 
amphibians  and  fishes  of  to-day,  but  it  is  a creat- 
ure that  has  far  outlived  its  natural  fate.  Its 
' Ce-rat'o-dus  jors'ler-i. 


magnificent  living  Ceratodus  four  feet  long,  with 
an  ancestry  running  back  half  a million  years 
without  a break,  it  makes  one’s  brain  whirl  to 
reel  in  the  idea.  This  creature’s  ancestors  lived 
in  the  days  when  many  fishes  were  struggling 
to  develop  legs  and  lungs,  with  which  to  go  on 
land,  and  become  salamanders  first,  then  lizards. 
It  is  said  that  this  fish  sometimes  leaves  the  water 
and  goes  about  on  adjacent  mud-flats,  like  the 
jumping  fish  of  the  IMalay  Peninsula;  but  the 
statement  needs  confirmation. 

The  Australian  Lung-Fish  is  from  4 to  5 feet 
long,  and  it  is  said  that  its  maximum  weight  is 
about  20  pounds.  It  breathes  air  over  its  palate 


380 


THE  AUSTRALIAN  LUNG-FISH 


381 


like  a reptile,  and  its  swimming-bladder  is  so 
developed  that  it  does  duty  as  low-class  lungs. 
Its  gills  are  very  small  and  imperfect,  and  of 
little  use.  The  top  of  its  skull  is  quite  unlike 
those  of  other  fishes,  and  its  scales  are  very  large. 
Its  pectoral  and  ventral  fins  are  very  long  and 
leg-like,  and  are  covered  with  scales  everywhere 
save  on  the  edges,  where  the  fin-rays  are  situated. 

One  of  the  most  e.\traordinary  features  of  this 
strange  fish  is  the  possession  of  large  and  very 
remarkable  molar  teeth,  those  above  being  set  in 
the  palate  (vomer),  and  evidently  designed  for 
the  cutting  up  of  vegetable  food.  Leaving  bony 
anatomj^  out  of  consideration,  it  is  quite  clear 
that  the  living  fish  which  stands  nearest  to 


Ceratodus  is  the  jumping  fish  or  mud-skipper, 
of  the  Malay  Peninsula,  which  hops  about  on 
land  with  surprising  independence  and  agility. 
Its  long  pectoral  fins  are  really  foot-like  in  use- 
fulness. 

Both  in  the  Burnett  and  i\Iary  Rivers  of 
Queensland,  where  it  lives,  and  also  in  captivity, 
this  Lung-Fish  frequently  rises  to  the  surface  of 
the  water  to  take  breath,  like  a porpoise. 

The  allied  Mud-Fish  {Lepidosi' ren)  of  the 
Amazon,  and  the  African  Mud-Fish  (Protop' - 
terus)  of  the  River  Gambia,  have  legs  that  are 
mere  wisps  of  skin  and  flesh,  and  strongly  re- 
semble our  Amphiuma,  of  the  Class  Amphibia. 
They  are  rarely  seen  alive  in  captivity. 


CHAPTER  XLV 


ORDER  OF  THE  SPINY-FINNED  FISHES 

AC  ANT  no  FT  ERl 


Even  of  forms  classed  as  North  American,  this 
gigantic  and  rather  unwieldy  Order  contains  45 
Families  and  483  species.  Fortunately  the 
groups  which  are  of  general  interest  are  suffi- 
ciently limited  in  number  that  it  is  possible  to 
place  representatives  of  them  before  the  reader. 

THE  BASSES  AND  SUNFISHES. 

Cen-trar'chi-dae. 

The  Bass  and  Sunfish  Family  enjoys,  on  the 
whole,  the  widest  popularity  of  all  the  finny 
Families  of  North  America.  With  due  respect 
to  the  justly  distinguished  Trout  Family,  I be- 
lieve its  members  are  known  personally  to  a 
much  smaller  number  of  people  than  those  of 
the  Bass  Family.  The  reason  is  that  the  latter 
are  abundant  in  the  most  densely  populated 
portions  of  the  United  States,  while  the  human 
neighbors  of  the  trout  are  comparatively  few. 

This  Family  (of  thirty  species)  leads  from  the 
narrow-bodied  and  athletic  black  bass,  by  regu- 
lar gradations  in  breadth  through  the  rock  bass, 
calico  bass  and  their  allies  down  to  the  little 
gem-like  sunfish,  with  the  extreme  width  of  body 
and  the  limit  of  smallness  and  timidity.  The 
black  bass  fights  like  a wild-cat,  the  sunfish  can 
be  taken  on  a bent  pin,  at  the  end  of  a cotton 
string;  but  observe  this  proportion: 

The  Sunfish  is  to  the  Small  Boy  as  the  Black 
Bass  is  to  the  Man. 

It  is  good  to  find  in  Nature  a Family  whose 
members  run  from  top  to  bottom  in  a stair-like 
series;  for  if  so  studied,  the  natural  sequence  is 
a great  aid  to  the  memory.  We  therefore  begin 
with  the  narrowest  fish,  and  descend  to  the 
broadest. 

Surely,  the  Black  Bass,  be  his  mouth  large 
or  small,  is  a fish  fit  to  head  a Family.  You  can 
catch  an  eight-pound  yellow  pike-perch,  and 
think  you  have  hooked  a bunch  of  weeds;  but  if 


you  hook  a two-pound  Black  Bass  you  know  at 
once  that  you  have  engaged  a Fish. 

For  its  size,  this  is  the  bravest  and  the  gamiest 
fish  that  swims  in  our  waters.  In  size  and  in 
silver  the  tarpon  is  truly  the  silver  king  of  game 
fishes;  but  if  he  had  Black-Bass  energy  and 
courage  in  proportion  to  his  size,  no  hook-and- 
line  angler  in  a small  boat  would  bring  him  alive 
up  to  the  end  of  a twelve-ounce  rod. 

The  Black  Bass  has  the  narrowest  body  and 
the  darkest  color  found  in  the  Bass  Family.  It 
is  built  for  speed  and  strength,  and  colored  for 
concealment.  There  are  two  species,  so  very 
much  alike  that  there  is  practically  but  one  point 
of  difference — the  size  of  the  mouth;  and  natu- 
rally their  habits  are  quite  identical.  It  is  im- 
portant to  remember,  however,  that  in  color 
and  markings,  individuals  vary  most  strangely 
and  unaccountably.  Some  are  uniform  dark 
and  light ; others  are  mottled,  much  and  little. 

The  Small-Mouthed  Black  Bass'  is  the 
fish  of  the  East  and  North,  from  western  New 
Hampshire  to  Manitoba,  and  southward  to 
South  Carolina  and  the  northern  Gulf  states  to 
Arkansas. 

It  is  a pity  that  so  fine  a fish  should  not  be 
handsomely  colored,  but  it  is  really  very  plain 
and  unattractive.  Its  back  is  usually  a uniform 
dull  olive-green,  the  sides  being  somewhat  light- 
er. A Bass  of  three  pounds  weight  may  fairly 
be  counted  a large  one,  but  this  species  has  been 
known  to  attain  a length  of  18J  inches,  and  a 
weight  of  5 pounds. 

This  is  strictly  a dear-water  fish,  and  for  this 
reason  its  capture  is  a source  of  pleasure  beyond 
anything  that  can  be  drawn  from  muddy  waters. 
It  takes  live  minnows,  or  worms,  or  a neat  trolling 
spoon,  but  resists  the  hook  and  the  dip-net  to 
the  last  extremity.  Its  flesh  is  excellent,  and  its 
propagation  a matter  of  both  state  and  national 
* Mi-crop'ter-us  dol'o-mieu. 


382 


BASS  AND  SUNFISH 


383 


importance.  It  has  been  planted  successfully 
in  so  many  bodies  of  water  outside  its  original 
range  that  the  limits  of  the  latter  are  likely  to  be 
lost  to  view. 

The  Small-Mouthed  Black  Bass  has  the  corner 
of  its  mouth  directly  under  the  front  angle  of 
the  eye,  while  the  mouth  of  the  Large-Mouthed* 
species  terminates  under  the  rear  corner  of  the 
eye.  The  range  of  the  latter  is  from  Manitoba, 
southward  to  the  Gulf  states,  and  spreads 


bass  is  so  close  as  to  be  at  first  sight  a little  con- 
fusing. But  spread  the  dorsal  fin  to  its  full  ex- 
tent, and  it  will  tell  the  story.  In  the  Rock 
Bass  it  is  long,  rather  low,  and  its  front  half  con- 
tains eleven  stout  spines,  of  nearly  ecjual  length. 
The  calico  bass  has  a short  and  high  dorsal  fin, 
with  only  seven  large  spines;  and  the  body  of 
the  fish  is  of  greater  de])th. 

The  Rock  Bass  is  a fish  of  the  Great  Lakes 
region  and  Mississippi  valley — a dear-water  fish. 


Drawn  by  .1.  Cakteu  Beard. 

1.  SMALL-MOUTHED  BLACK  BASS. 

2.  CALICO  BASS. 


3.  COMMON  SUNBTSH. 

4.  YELI.OW  PERCH. 


through  the  latter  to  Te.xas  and  Florida.  In 
twelve  months  of  1897-9  the  catch  of  Black 
Bass  for  market  amounted  to  1,785,418  pounds, 
valued  at  .5100,095. 

The  Rock  Hass,  or  Red-Eye,^  stands  next  in 
width  of  body  to  the  black  bass,  and  intermediate 
iK'tween  it  and  the  next  species.  Sometimes 
the  re.semblance  between  the  Rock  and  calico 

- Am-blop'li-les  ru-pes'tris. 


of  habits  quite  similar  to  the  black  bass.  Every 
way  considered,  it  is  a very  perfect  connecting 
link  between  the  black  bass  and  the  ne.xt  species. 
Its  weight  .seldom  exceeds  IJ  pounds. 

The  Warmouth  Bass'*  is  a fish  of  the  South, 
and  in  form  is  an  intermediate  between  the  rock 
bass  and  calico  bass. 

The  Calico  Bass,  or  Strawberry  Bass,^  is  a 

“ Chae-no-bryt'tus  gu-lo'sus.  * Po-mox'is  spa-roi'des. 


* M . sal-moi'des. 


384 


OEDERS  OF  FISHES— SPINY-FINNED  FISHES 


handsome  and  substantial  fish.  Its  bright,  sil- 
very coat  is  beautifully  mottled  with  olive-green 
blotches,  so  regularly  splashed  on  as  to  suggest 
the  pattern  of  a piece  of  calico. 

Take,  if  you  please,  a beautiful  bay  on  the 
southern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  a sunny  day  in 
May,  no  hotels  or  cottages  in  sight,  with  red- 
winged blackbirds  singing  “0-ka-lee'”  in  the 
cat-tails,  and  the  Calico  Bass  becomes  one  of 
the  prettiest  fish  you  can  pull  out  of  the  water. 
Eacli  time,  it  gives  a firm  and  vigorous  bite, 
and  leaves  the  water  with  a swish  that  once 
heard  under  proper  conditions  lives  long  in  the 
memory. 

I like  the  Calico  Bass  because  it  is  so  hand- 
some, so  well  set-up,  .so  substantial  on  the  string, 
and  so  delicious  on  the  table.  A large  specimen 
measures  only  about  ten  inches  in  length,  but 
by  reason  of  its  great  depth  of  body,  and  its 
thickness,  too,  it  is  a fish  well  worth  having. 
Its  weight  never  exceeds  two  pounds,  and  usu- 
ally is  about  one  pound.  Besides  the  names  given 
above,  it  is  called  the  Crass  Bass,  Bar-Fish  and 
“Crappie”;  but  the  latter  name  belongs  to 
another  species. 

The  Calico  Bass  is  at  home  throughout  the 
whole  region  of  the  Great  Lakes,  the  valley  of 
the  Mississippi  to  Louisiana  and  Texas,  and 
along  the  Atlantic  side  down  to  the  Carolinas 
and  Georgia.  In  the  beautiful  lakes  and  ponds 
of  Michigan,  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota  it  is 
abundant,  and  highly  valued.  It  can  be 
taken  still-fishing  with  worms,  minnows,  and 
grasshoppers,  and  also  with  a small  trolling 
spoon. 

It  dislikes  warm  and  muddy  waters,  it  is  a 
clean  feeder,  not  quarrelsome  or  destructive  to 
weaker  species,  and  is  said  to  increase  rapidly. 
Strange  to  say,  the  propagation  of  this  fine  fish 
has  received  scanty  attention  from  American 
fish-culturists,  and  in  1900  only  7, .544  were  dis- 
tributed by  the  United  States  Bureau  of 
Fi.sheries.  It  seems  to  me  that  for  stocking 
northern  lakes  and  ponds  this  is  one  of  the  most 
desirable  of  all  the  smaller  fishes;  and  I wish 
long  life  and  prosperity  to  the  Calico  Bass! 

The  Crappie'  is  a muddy-water  understudy 
of  the  preceding  species.  In  some  portions  of 
the  North,  the  two  species  overlap  each  other, 
but  in  the  main  the  Crappie  is  a southern  fish. 

' Po-mox'is  an-nu-lar'is. 


In  1900,  the  number  distributed  by  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  was  151,653. 

The  Sunfishes  are  divided  into  fifteen  spe- 
cies, and  as  a group  their  range  covers  the  whole 
of  the  United  States  eastward  of  the  Great 
Plains.  Poor  indeed  in  fish  life  is  the  pond  or 
stream  between  Maine  and  Texas,  Dakota  and 
Florida  which  contains  no  sunfish,  bream  or  blue- 
gills,  pumpkin-seed  or  dollaree.  In  about  nine 
cases  out  of  ten,  the  first  fish  that  dangles  from 
the  first  hook-and-line  of  the  very  small  Ameri- 
can angler  is  a sunfish.  Small  though  it  be,  and 
feeble,  it  is  yet  a Fish;  and  it  is  large  enough  to 
open  to  Childhood  the  door  to  a great  wonder- 
world  of  fish  and  fishing.  Where  is  the  veteran 
fresh-water  angler  who  does  not  recall  the  electric 
thrills  of  his  first  “ bite,”  and  his  first  living,  wrig- 
gling, scintillating  Sunfish!  Blessings  be  upon 
their  rainbow-tinted  sides  for  the  joys  they  have 
been,  are,  and  yet  will  be  to  Childhood ! 

Out  of  so  many  species  it  is  difficult  to  select 
representatives,  but  it  seems  that  first  choice 
should  fall  upon  the  following: 

The  Common  Sunfish,  or  Pumpkin-Seed.^ 
— This  is  the  brilliant  olive-green,  blue  and  or- 
ange-yellow fish  which  when  taken  dripping 
from  the  water  has  all  the  colors  of  a green  opal, 
and  several  more.  It  is  distinguishable  by  the 
touch  of  bright  scarlet  on  the  lower  portion  of 
its  gill-covers.  It  is  found  in  clear  ponds,  large 
brooks  and  other  streams  from  Florida,  north- 
ward and  eastward  of  the  Appalachian  chain 
to  Maine,  thence  westward  through  the  Great 
Lakes  region  to  Iowa  and  Manitoba.  It  is  sub- 
ject to  considerable  variations  in  color  markings. 

In  the  Great  Lakes,  this  fish  attains  a weight 
of  \\  pounds,  but  elsewhere  a specimen  6 inches 
in  length  and  weighing  8 ounces  is  considered  a 
large  one. 

The  Blue-Gill  or  Black-GilP  is  the  largest 
of  the  sunfishes.  Its  opercle,  or  gill-cover, 
terminates  on  the  side  in  an  ear-like  flap  which 
is  of  a deep  black  color;  and  this  conspicuous 
character  at  once  proclaims  the  species.  This 
fish  is  found  throughout  the  Great  Lakes  region 
and  Mississippi  valley.  It  sometimes  attains  a 
length  of  12  inches,  and  a weight  of  1^  to  2 
pounds,  and  in  some  localities  it  is  an  important 
market  fish. 

2 Eu-po-to'mis  gib-bo' sus. 

^ Le-po'mis  pal’li-dus. 


THE  SEA-BASS  OF  SANTA  CATALINA 


385 


THE  SEA-BASS  FAMILY. 

Ser-ran'i-dae. 

In  the  ocean  and  its  dependencies  there  exists 
a Family  which,  in  general  form,  and  anatomy 
also,  so  closely  resembles  the  fresh-water  Bass 
Family  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  base  dis- 
tinctive characters  upon  skeletal  differences.  The 
Sea-Bass  Family,  of  North  American  waters,  con- 
tains 104  species,  some  of  which  are  of  colossal 
size.  Whenever  you  go  a-fishing  in  tropical  or 
subtropical  waters,  and  catch  a large,  thick- 
bodied, big-scaled  fish  that  you  cannot  name, 
it  is  generally  a safe  hazard  to  call  it  a Sea- 
Bass. 

The  great  Jewflsh,  or  Black  Sea-Bass, ^ of 
Santa  Catalina  anglers,  is  one  of  the  largest  of 
the  spiny-finned  fishes.  During  the  last  ten 
years  it  has  become  celebrated  because  it  per- 
mits itself  to  be  outwitted  so  easily  by  the  ama- 
teur angler.  A very  large  fish  can  be  caught  with 
rod  and  line  that  seem  absurdly  light  for  such 
work. 

What  must  we  think  of  the  courage  of  a 300- 
pound  fish  which  will  permit  itself  to  be  caught 
and  gaffed  on  a line  which  will  break  under  a 
strain  of  50  pounds  dead  weight? 

With  heavy  tackle,  the  catching  of  a large 
Jewfish  would  be  no  more  of  an  event  than  would 
the  pulling  in  of  a Greenland  halibut ; but  to  go 
with  one  companion  miles  out  from  shore  in  a 
boat  weighing  from  125  to  150  pounds,  catch  a 
300-pound  fish  on  a sixteen-ounce  rod,  and  kill 
it,  without  even  getting  upset,  is  a feat  worth 
while.  If  a large  Sea-Bass  possessed  the  cour- 
age and  fighting  qualities,  pound  for  pound,  of 
the  fresh-water  black  bass,  it  would  take  a hawser 
and  a donkey  engine  to  handle  the  line,  a tug- 
boat to  withstand  the  shock,  and  a bomb-lance 
to  kill  the  fish  when  alongside. 

In  the  Tuna  Club  of  Santa  Catalina  (southern 
California),  the  holders  of  cups  and  records  for 
the  capture  of  Sea-Bass  during  the  past  five 
seasons  were  as  follows:  H.  T.  Kendall,  Pasadena, 
1902,  419  pounds;  C.  Thompson,  Pomona, 
1901,  3S4  pounds;  F.  S.  Schenck,  Brooklyn, 
1900,  384  pounds;  T.  S.  Manning,  Avalon,  1899, 

‘ Ster-€-o-Ie' pis  gi'gas.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  in  another  genus  of  this  Family,  called  Cen- 
Iro-pris'les,  there  is  another  species,  found  along  our 
.Atlantic  coast,  that  is  also  called  the  Black  Sea- 


370  pounds;  and  F.  V.  Rider,  Avalon,  1898,  327 
pounds. 

On  our  Atlantic  coast,  from  Charleston  to 
Brazil,  occurs  another  Imgc  fish  to  which  the 
popular  name  “Jewfish”  is  applied.  It  is 
really  the  Black  Grouper.^  Its  normal  weight 
is  500  pounds,  and  “only  one  specimen  weigh- 
ing less  than  100  pounds”  has  been  recorded. 
(Jordan  and  Evermann.)  I have  reason  to 


Photographed  by  Ironmonger. 


BLACK  SEA-BASS. 

Caught  at  Santa  Catalina,  with  rod  and  reel,  by  Mrs. 
A.  W.  Barrett,  of  Los  Angeles.  Weight,  416  pounds; 
length,  7 feet  10  inches;  girth,  5 feet  11  inches.  Time, 
2 hours  and  15  minutes. 

know  the  appearance  of  this  fish  quite  well.  It 
is  a great,  hulking,  coarse-grained  creature,  un- 
attractive to  the  eye,  except  that  of  the  success- 
ful light-tackle  angler,  and  very  inferior  on  the 
table.  In  no  point  has  it  the  look  of  a high- 
class  animal,  for  every  line  is  coarse  and  plebeian ; 
but  it  has  the  avoirdupois  of  a Wonder. 

The  Striped  Bass,^  Rock-Fish,  or  Rock, 
is  the  finest  representative  of  the  whole  great 
Family  of  Sea-Basses.  It  is  a fish  of  handsome 

2 Gar-ru'pa  ni-gri'ta.  ^ Roc'cus  lin-e-a'tus. 


386 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— SPINY-FINNED  FISHES 


form  and  colors,  its  table  qualities  are  excel- 
lent, and  it  is  a persistent  breeder.  Its  ground 
color  is  silver-white,  on  which  is  laid,  along  the 
upper  two-thirds  of  the  body,  a series  of  seven 


STRIPED  BASS,  OR  ROCK-FISH. 


straight,  equidistant  stripes  of  black.  It  is  a 
fish  of  large  size,  often  attaining  a weight  of  85 
to  90  pounds,  and  its  flesh  is  most  excellent.  In 
the  markets  it  stands  next  in  desirability  to  the 
shad  and  bluefish.  The  greatest  weight  re- 
corded for  this  species  (by  Dr.  G.  Brown  Goode) 
is  112  pounds. 

The  centre  of  abundance  of  this  fine  fish  is  now 
from  Fire  Island,  New  York,  to  Albemarle  Sound, 
on  the  coast  of  North  Carolina.  Many  great 
catches  have  been  reported,  the  most  notable  of 
which  were  the  following:  At  Bridgehampton, 
N.  Y.,  in  1874,  8,000  in  less  than  a week;  by 
Charles  Ludlow,  1,672  bass  at  one  set  of  a seine; 
at  Norfolk,  'N^a.,  1,500  at  one  haul;  in  eight  days 
of  June,  1879,  off  Fire  Island,  one  fisherman 
caught  10,164  pounds. 

The  full  range  of  the  Striped  Bass  is  from  the 
St.  Lawrence  River  to  New  Orleans,  both  along 
the  coast  and  in  all  the  great  rivers  which  flow 
into  that  region.  At  Cuttyhunk  Island,  and  in 
scores  of  other  places  also,  angling  for  this  fish  2 
by  heaving  and  hauling  through  the  surf  is 
pursued  as  one  of  the  most  fascinating  kinds  of 
sport. 

One  of  the  greatest  hits  ever  made  by  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  in  the  planting 
of  fish  in  new  localities  was  the  introduction  of 
the  Striped  Bass  into  the  coast  waters  of  Cali- 
fornia. In  1879,  135  live  fish  were  deposited 


in  Karquines  Strait,  at  IMartinez,  and  in  1882, 
300  more  were  planted  in  Suisun  Bay,  near  the 
first  locality  chosen. 

Twelve  years  after  the  first  planting  in  San 
Francisco  Bay,  the  markets  of  San  Francisco 
handled  149,997  pounds  of  Striped  Bass.  .\t 
that  time  the  average  weight  for  a whole  year 
was  eleven  pounds  and  the  average  price  was 
ten  cents  per  pound.  Fish  weighing  as  high  as 
forty-nine  pouiuls  have  been  taken,  and  there 
are  reasons  for  the  belief  that  eventually  the 
fish  of  California  will  attain  as  great  weight  as 
those  of  the  Atlantic  and  the  Gulf. 

The  San  Francisco  markets  now  sell,  annually, 
about  one  and  one-half  million  pounds  of  Striped 
Bass.  This  fish  has  taken  its  place  among  an- 
glers as  one  of  the  game  fishes  of  the  California 
coast,  and  affords  fine  sport.  Strange  to  say, 
however,  it  has  not  as  yet  spread  beyond  the 
shores  of  California. 

Regarding  this  species,  the  latest  records  of 
the  United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  are  of  in- 
terest. In  1897,  the  California  markets  handled 
2,949,642  pounds,  worth  $225,527.  In  1897, 
which  is  the  last  year  fully  reported  ujion,  the 
catch  for  the  whole  United  States  amounted  to 
5,996,882  pounds,  worth  $440,222. 

THE  PERCH  AND  PIKE-PERCH 
FAMILY. 

Per'ei-dae. 


The  festive  little  Yellow  Perch'  is,  to  the 
small  angler,  the  next  step  upward  from  the 


1.  YELLOW  PIKE-PERCH. 

2.  CHAIN  PICKEREL. 


sunfish — a sort  of  half-way  fish  on  the  road  to 
the  black  bass  and  tarpon.  And  there  is  many  a 
^ Per'ea  fla-ves' cens . See  illustration  on  page  383. 


THE  BLUEFISH  AND  SPANISH  MACKEREL 


387 


worse  thing  in  the  fishing  line  than  a good  string 
of  golden-yellow  and  umber-brown  Perch.  When 
crisply  and  daintily  fried  in  a small  modicum 


Photo,  by  E.  F.  Keller. 

BLUE  AND  YELLOW  .A.NGEL-FISH. 

Hol-a-can'thus  cil-i-ar'is,  a tropical  species,  about  15  inches  in 
length,  which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  fishes  in  the  world.  It 
represents  the  Family  of  Scaly-Finned  Fishes,  Chae-to-don'ti-dae. 

of  meal,  and  laid  on  hissing  from  the  spider,  they 
are  “pan-fish”  worth  while;  and  they  make  up 
in  delicacy  and  richness  of  flavor  all  that  they 
lack  in  size.  Except  in  famine  times,  an  ounce 
of  Yellow  Perch  is  worth  a pound  of  pike,  carp 
or  catfish. 

Like  egg-rolling  rights  on  the  White 
House  lawn  every  Mayday,  this  neat 
little  fish  belongs  to  the  small  citizen; 
but  in  the  great  lakes  and  a few  other 
places  it  is  so  numerous  and  so  large, 
that  it  takes  rank  as  a desirable  mar- 
ket fish.  It  is  at  home  in  the  north- 
eastern quarter  of  the  United  States, 
north  of  the  Ohio  and  ^lissouri  valleys 
from  Maine  to  Iowa  and  Minnesota. 

In  most  of  the  lakes,  ponds  and 
fresh-water  bays  of  New  England 
generally  it  is  fairly  abundant.  Its 
rule  of  life  is  to  bite  at  everything 
that  is  offered  at  the  end  of  a line — 
angle-worm,  minnow,  grasshopper, 
frog-leg,  trolling  spoon,  and  fly,  either  natural  or 
hand-made.  The  size  of  this  fish  varies  from 
half  a pound  to  three  pounds,  with  a possible 


4^;  and  in  length  it  measures  from  7 to  12 
inches. 

The  Yellow  Pike-Perch'  is  freciuently  called 
the  Yellow  “Pike”  and  Wall-Eyed 
“Pike” ; but  it  is  not  a real  pike  at 
all.  The  real  pike  is  a blood  brother 
to  the  muskallunge.  The  Pike- 
Perches  have  two  'prominent  dorsal 
fins,  the  real  pikes  only  one. 

Twice  in  trolling  with  hand-lines 
I have  caught  my  spoon  full  of  eel- 
grass.  On  hauling  in  to  clear  the 
tackle,  each  time  the  eel-grass  turned 
out  to  be  an  eight-pound  Yellow 
Pike-Perch.  The  first  one  came  into 
the  boat  like  a bunch  of  wet  weeds. 
The  second  finally  roused  to  a realiz- 
ing sense  of  its  position,  and  made 
quite  a demonstration,  but  chiefly 
in  the  boat,  endeavoring  to  climb 
out. 

In  the  eastern  United  States,  this  is 
a northern  fish  that  goes  southward 
almost  to  the  ,Gulf  States.  It  is 
abundant  in  Lakes  Ontario,  Erie  and 
Huron,  and  in  many  of  the  bays  and 
larger  streams  attached  to  them,  in  which  the 
water  is  clear,  and  the  bottom  of  sand  and 
gravel.  By  very  many  persons  this  fish  is  well 
liked  as  a food  fish,  and  immense  numbers 
are  propagated  every  year.  In  1900  the  United 


THE  BLUEFISH. 


States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  distributed,  of  this 
species,  89,700,000  eggs  and  live  fish. 

' Sti-zos-ted'i-on  vit're-um. 


388 


OEDERS  OF  FISHES— SPIXY-FIXNED  FISHES 


MISCELLANEOUS  SPINY-FINNED 
FISHES. 

The  Blueflsh^  is  a fish  for  men.  To  take  it 
in  orthodox  fashion,  go  to  treeless  but  delightful 
Block  Island,  pay  your  dollar-fifty,  take  deck 
pas.sage  on  a low-browed,  broad-beamed  cat- 
boat,  don  a full  suit  of  oil-skins,  and  set  sail  for 
blue  water.  If  the  wind  is  so  light  that  the 
sailing  is  uninteresting,  you  get  no  fish.  But 
if  there  is  a stiff  breeze,  and  you  go  up  and  down 
the  eastern  side  of  the  island  at  racing  speed, 
the  Bluefish  will  come  chasing  after  you  to  bite 
at  your  dummy  fish,  and  give  you  a hundred 
thrills  to  the  minute  while  you  are  hauling  them 
in.  If  it  happens  that  the  bite  of  a bear  has 


THE  SPANISH  MACKEREL. 


put  two  of  the  fingers  of  your  right  hand  out  of 
commission,  that  hand  will  have  all  it  can  pos- 
sibly do  to  grasp  the  line  adequately,  and  haul  in. 

Fishing  for  Bluefish  in  a good  breeze — with  not 
too  much  sea  on — is  like  hunting  mountain-sheep 
amid  grand  scenery.  Half  the  sport  is  in  the 
fine  surroundings. 

I)rs.  Jordan  and  Evermann  say  that  this  fish 
is  found  all  the  way  from  our  coast  to  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  the  Mediterranean,  the  Indian 
Ocean  and  the  Malay  Archipelago,  “a  wandering 
fish  . . . sometimes  disappearing  from  certain 
regions  for  many  years  at  a time.”  Professor 
Baird  always  considered  it,  of  all  our  coast  fishes, 
one  of  the  most  destructive  to  marine  life,  a 
genuine  wolverine  of  the  sea. 

* Po-niat'o-mus  "al-ia'trix. 


The  Bluefish  swim  in  schools,  ready  to  pounce 
upon  anything  edible  that  comes  along.  Once  a 
cat-boat  from  which  four  of  us  were  fishing  sailed 
swiftly  through  a school.  Within  about  five 
seconds,  four  fish  struck  in  a rush  that  was  prac- 
tically simultaneous,  and  amid  flying  spray  and 
general  excitement,  four  vigorous  victims  of 
misplaced  confidence  were  hauled  aboard.  \ 
fish  which  is  so  greedy  that  it  kills  more  fish- 
prey  than  it  can  use  surely  is  a good  fish  to  pur- 
sue for  sport. 

On  our  coast  this  fine  fish  is  fairly  common 
from  Florida  to  northern  Maine,  ranging  in  size 
from  5 to  20  pounds.  As  a food  fish  it  ranks  on 
the  bill  of  fare  next  to  shad.  Owing  to  its  known 
voracity,  it  is  debited  with  the  annual  destruc- 
tion of  an  enormous  quantity  of  other  fishes. 
On  the  hook  it  is  savagely  courageous,  and  fights 
to  the  last. 

Of  all  North  American  fishes,  this  species 
stands  fifth  in  commercial  value,  being  surpas.sed 
only  by  the  Pacific  salmon,  cod,  shad,  and  mul- 
let. In  1897 — the  last  year  fully  reported — the 
catch  amounted  to  twenty  million  pounds,  worth 
$643,705. 

The  Spanish  MackereP  may  stand  as  a 
typical  representative  of  the  Mackerel  Family 
(Scombridae),  in  which  we  find  the  Common 
Mackerel  of  the  North,  the  Kingfish  of  our 
tropical  waters,  and  the  Tuna.  It  is  a large  and 
showy  fish,  colored  silvery  white  and  dark  metal- 
lic blue,  and  no  cruise  in  Floridian  or  Cuban 
waters  is  complete  without  it.  It  is  a favorite 
in  all  markets  reached  by  it,  and  in  flavor  it  is 
a fair  rival  of  the  bluefish. 

To  every  sportsman,  the  finest  thing  about 
this  fish  is  the  catching  of  it,  on  a one-hundred- 
foot  line  and  a hook  baited  with  that  least  ap- 
petizing of  all  baits  this  side  of  angle-worms— a 
white  rag!  Like  the  bluefish,  the  Spanish  Mack- 
erel and  kingfish  both  bite  best  when  the  sails 
are  well  filled,  and  the  boat  is  making  about 
twelve  miles  per  hour.  In  1902  the  total  catch 
for  the  United  States  amounted  to  1,703,224 
pounds,  valued  at  $112,342. 

It  would  require  many  pages  to  contain  a really 
adequate  life-sketch  of  this  interesting  fish,  which 
ranges  most  erratically,  in  great  schools — or  in 
none  at  all — from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Block 
Island.  It  comes  north  only  in  the  spring  and 
2 Scom-be-rom'o-rus  mac-u-la'tus. 


THE  TUNA 


389 


summer,  and  does  not  go  far  into  waters  that 
are  colder  than  65°.  (G.  Brown  Goode.) 

Apparently,  specimens  taken  in  northern 
waters  average  much  smaller  than  those  taken 
around  the  two  coasts  of  Florida.  Dr.  Goode 
.says  this  fish  “sometimes  attains  a weight  of 
8 or  9 pounds,  though  it  rarely  exceeds  3 or  4 
pounds.”  A specimen  of  3 pounds,  5 ounces, 
measured  26^  inches  in  length.  Drs.  Jordan 
and  Evermann  give  its  weight  as  “6  to  10 
pounds,”  with  a maximum  of  all  “seen”  of  25 
pounds  weight,  and  41  inches  in  length.  (“  Amer- 
ican Food  and  Game  Fishes”.) 

The  great  leaping  Tuna'  of  the  enchanted 
waters  of  Santa  Catalina,  “the  tiger  of  the  Cali- 
fornia seas,”  is,  on  our  Atlantic  Coast,  the  big 
but  commonplace  Horse  Mackerel,  Tunny  or 
Great  Albacore, — no  more,  no  less.  It  is  the 
largest  and  now  the  most  interesting  member 
of  the  Mackerel  Family. 

At  Santa  Catalina,  bold  men,  and  women,  too, 
go  out  with  rod,  reel  and  line,  to  angle  for  this 
monster,  and  vanquish  Strength  and  Weight  by 
Tackle  and  Skill. 

I This  is  hook-and-line  fishing  with  a vengeance. 
The  beginner  hopes  to  catch  a Tuna  heavier 
than  100  pounds,  in  order  to  gain  membership 
in  the  Tuna  Club.  The  club  member  always 
j hopes  either  to  improve  his  own  record,  or  break 
I all  others;  but,  record  or  no  record,  the  button 
of  the  Tuna  Club  is  a good  thing  to  wear  by  right 
of  conquest. 

Beyond  question,  when  treated  as  a game 
fish,  and  fairly  challenged  with  rod  and  line  in 
the  watery  arena  of  Santa  Catalina,  in  more 
senses  than  one  the  Tuna  is  great!  Mr.  C.  F. 
Holder — for  two  years  literally  the  holder  of 
the  Tuna  championship  with  a 183-pound  fish 
which  fought  four  hours,  and  towed  his  captor 
ten  miles — says  that  the  Tuna,  “when  played 
with  a rod  that  is  not  a billiard  cue  or  a club 
will  give  the  average  man  the  contest  of  his  life. 
My  idea  of  a rod  is  a 7 or  8^  foot  greenheart  or 
split  bamboo,  with  a good  cork  grip  above  the 
reel,  the  latter  of  Edward  vom  Hofe’s  make,  with 
a leather  pad,  brake  and  click.” 

The  sport  in  catching  a Tuna  a la  Santa  Cata- 
lina consists  in  bringing  the  monster  within 
gaffing  distance  by  the  aid  of  the  rod  and  reel 
alone.  The  hooked  fish  leaps  into  the  air,  or 
' Thun'nus  thyn'nus. 


rushes  seaward,  or  to  the  bottom,  or  plays  on 
the  surface  like  an  escaped  fire-hose, — in  all  di- 
rections at  once. 

The  game  consists  in  tiring  out  the  fish  without 
a break,  and  sometimes  ten  miles  and  ten  hours 
of  strenuous  struggle  are  reeled  off  between  the 
start  and  the  finish. 

The  beautiful  waters  of  .A.valon  Bay,  the  bare 
and  frowning  mountain-sides  rising  like  the 
walls  of  a rock-built  coliseum,  and  the  houses 
of  the  little  town  clustering  at  its  foot  like  a 
gathering  of  living  and  interested  spectators, 


Photographed  by  Ironmonger. 


THE  TUNA. 

Caught,  at  Santa  Catalina,  with  rod  and  reel,  by 
Mrs.  E.  N.  Dickerson,  of  New  York.  Weight,  210 
pounds.  Time,  1 hour  and  55  minutes. 

make  up  a stage  setting  for  the  Tuna  fisherman 
sufficiently  romantic  to  quicken  the  sporting 
instinct  of  the  most  blase  tourist  who  ever  swung 
a rod. 

Concerning  the  kind  of  tackle  in  use  by  the 
members  of  the  Tuna  Club,  and  by  himself.  Col. 
C.  P.  Morehouse,  of  Pasadena,  holder  of  the 


390 


OKDERS  OF  FISHES— SPIXY-FIJ^NED  FISHES 


Tuna  championship  record,  has  kindly  furnished 
the  following  statement: 

“The  most  of  the  Tuna  fishermen  use  a green- 
heart  rod,  as  per  the  rules  of  the  Club,  viz.,  6 feet 
9 inches  long,  and  a 16-ounce  tip.  As  for  my- 
self, I prefer  a split  bamboo  of  the  very  best 
quality  made.  I caught  the  large  Tuna  (251 
pounds)  with  the  longest  and  lightest  rod  ever 
used  for  Tuna,  viz.,  split  bamboo,  7 feet  4 inches 
long,  tip  12  ounces,  with  a 21-strand  Cuttyhunk 
line  on  a reel  made  to  order,  to  carry  300  yards. 
The  time  was  3 hours  and  20  minutes.  I do  not 
think  a lighter  rod  than  the  above  would  stand 
the  strain  necessary  to  capture  a Tuna  of  251 
pounds,  or  even  150  pounds. 

“The  Tuna  are  hooked  by  trolling  from  light 


naphtha  launches,  and  flying-fish  are  used  for 
bait.” 

At  this  date  (1903),  the  five  heaviest  catches 
of  Tuna  by  members  of  the  Tuna  Club  stand  as 
follows: 

Pounds. 


Col.  C.  P.  Morehouse,  Pasadena,  1900. . 251 
John  E.  Stearns,  Los  Angeles,  1902.  . . . 197 

C.  F.  Holder,  Pasadena,  1899 183 

F.  S.  Schenck,  Brooklyn,  1901 158 

F.  V.  Rider,  Avalon,  1901 158 


The  rules  of  the  annual  tournaments  in  which 
such  records  are  made  are  very  severe  and  strict. 
The  angler  must  make  his  catch  unaided,  the 
fish  must  be  reeled  in,  and  a broken  rod  consti- 
tutes a disqualification.  The  rod  must  measure 
not  less  than  six  feet  nine  inches,  the  tip  must 
not  exceed  sixteen  ounces,  the  line  must  not 
contain  more  than  twenty-four  threads,  and 


sustain  a dead  weight  not  exceeding  forty-eight 
pounds. 

On  our  Atlantic  coast,  the  Horse  Mackerel 
is  not  sought  by  anglers  as  a game  fish.  Its 
average  length  is  put  down  as  “about  8 feet.” 
It  feeds  chiefly  upon  menhaden,  and  inasmuch 
as  its  appetite  is  in  proportion  to  its  size,  it  is 
considered  very  voracious.  In  its  turn,  this 
great  fish  is  to  the  killer  {Orea  gladiator)  an 
ideal  food  fish,  and  from  the  latter  it  receives 
special  attentions  which  the  Tunny  would  gladly 
forego. 

One  of  the  largest  specimens  on  record,  as 
vouched  for  by  Dr.  Storer,  was  taken  in  1838, 
off  Cape  Ann,  and  measured  15  feet  in  length. 
Its  Vv^eight  of  “one  thousand  pounds”  was  un- 
doubtedly an  estimate,  only. 

The  Pompanos.— Following  flose- 
ly  after  the  members  of  the  Mackerel 
Family  comes  a large  Family  of  deep- 
bodied fishes,  with  very  small  and 
narrow  scales,  deeply  forked  tails, 
and  with  the  dorsal  and  anal  fins  pro- 
longed to  nearly,  if  not  quite,  one- 
third  the  entire  length  of  the  fish. 
They  are  really  warm-water  fishes, 
but  often  stray  out  of  their  regular 
haunts  into  colder  waters.  This 
Family  includes  the  amber-jack,  the 
cavallas,  the  moon-fishes,  and  sev- 
eral others.  Of  this  Family,  the 
following  species  is  the  best  type: 

The  Common  Pompano*  is  a delicious 
fish  for  the  table,  but  unfortunately  its  mouth 
is  so  small  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  take  it  with 
a hook.  Once  when  penned  up  by  bad  weather 
in  the  mouth  of  New  River,  Florida,  where  this 
fish  was  abundant,  we  fished  for  Pompano  until 
we  almost  starved.  The  “Silver  King”  tanta- 
lized us  daily  by  showing  himself  at  the  surface, 
but  his  vagrant  pounds  of  flesh  were  almost  as 
far  beyond  our  reach  as  the  stars. 

The  Pompano  is  essentially  a fish  of  the  two 
coasts  of  Florida,  and  the  northern  half  of  the 
Oulf  of  Mexico.  It  is  the  most  highly  prized  fish 
in  the  markets  of  its  home  waters,  and  as  a rule 
the  supply  seldom  is  equal  to  the  demand. 
The  Jacks  are  more  common.  Several  of  the 
species  found  in  this  Family  are  characterized 
by  the  enormous  thickness  of  their  ribs, — a 
* Trach-i-no'tus  car-o-li'nus. 


THE  SILVER  IVIULLET. 


THE  MULLET  AND  RED  SNAPPER 


391 


very  peculiar  character,  which  makes  them  look 
like  ribs  afflicted  with  elephantiasis. 

Mr.  John  T.  Granger,  of  Washington,  regards 
the  Permit,  or  Great  Pompano^  as  a game  fish 
well  worthy  of  the  attention  of  salt-water  an- 
glers, and  believes  that  it  will  become  a general 
favorite.  A struggle  with  a 27-pound  fish,  taken 
with  rod  and  reel  at  Miami,  Florida,  revealed  to 
Mr.  Granger  the  game  qualities  of  the  Permit. 

The  3Iullet. — Throughout  the  sounds,  and 
bays,  and  half-salt  rivers  of  the  Carolinas,  Flor- 
ida, and  the  Gulf  states,  the  mullets  are  omni- 
present and  highly  prized.  When  better  fishes 
fail  you,  they  can  be  depended  upon  to  fill  the 
dish;  and  you  may  go  far  without  finding  a 
more  tooth.some  morsel  than  a Silver  Mullet,^ 
or  White  3Iullet,  freshly  snatched  from  its 
native  element  with  a fling  of  the  cast-net  that 
experience  alone  can  give.  If  you  wish  to  be- 
guile the  Silver  King,  you  first  catch  a ilullet, 
or  buy  one,  for  bait. 

The  name  of  this  fish  brings  vividly  to  mind 
the  balmy  air  and  placid  waters  of  Indian  River, 
Florida,  in  February;  a little,  mangrove-clad 
archipelago  along  its  eastern  shore;  herons 
(juawking  hoarsely  in  the  green  tangle,  and  small 
fishes  of  glistening  silver  jumping  a yard  high  in 
front  of  a lotus-eater’s  boat.  The  Mullet  leaps 
high  in  the  air,  gleaming  and  dripping,  from 
pure  joy  in  being  alive  amid  such  beautiful  .sur- 
roundings; and,  having  attained  his  zenith,  he 
relaxes  and  falls  back  broadside  upon  the 
water,  with  a startling  “slap.”  In  one  quiet 
evening  hour  afloat,  you  may  see  thirty  or  forty 
Mullet  leap  out  of  water,  and  to  some  persons 
the  sight  is  even  more  welcome  than  the  flight 
of  a bird. 

The  Silvery  Mullet  is  a very  trim  little  fish, — 
big-scaled,  round-bodied  and  swift.  In  exter- 
nal appearance,  it  is  very  much  like  a pygmy 
tarpon,  and  (juite  as  silvery.  It  is  really  a 
small  fish,  averaging  about  9 inches  in  length, 
and  as  food  for  other  fishes,  and  fish-eating  birds, 
it  is  ideal.  The  brown  pelicans  of  Pelican  Island 
delight  in  this  fish.  When  ilrs.  Latham  play- 
fully squeezed  the  neck  of  a big,  clumsy  young 
pelican  in  the  down,  it  promptly  disgorged  nine 
good-sized  Mullet.  I have  seen  a darter,  with 
a neck  one  inch  in  diameter,  swallow  a nine- 
inch  Mullet  with  relish  and  despatch. 

' T.  goodei  * Mu'gil  bra-sil-i-en'sis. 


The  Mullet  genus  (Mugil)  contains  about 
seventy  species,  widely  distributed  throughout 
the  warm  waters  of  the  world.  Besides  the 
species  mentioned  and  figured  above,  the  Utriped 
Mullet  is  also  abundant  in  the  waters  of  our 
southeastern  coast.  Both  are  important  food 
fishes,  and  are  caught  in  great  numbers  for  the 
southern  markets.  They  are  taken  in  gill-nets 
and  cast-nets,  and  the  largest  specimens  rarely 
attain  a weight  of  6 pounds. 

Of  all  North  American  fishes,  the  3Iullets  are 
fourth  in  commercial  value.  In  1897,  the  total 
catch  amounted  to  21,402,624  pounds,  which 
sold  for  $332,090.  Of  this,  the  yield  to  Florida 
alone  amounted  to  16,700,094  pounds. 


THE  RED  SNAPPER. 


THE  SNAPPER  FA3IILY. 

Lu-ti-an'i-dae. 

The  Red  Snapper^  brilliantly  represents  a 
large  and  important  Family  of  valuable  food 
fishes,  which  in  our  waters  contains  about  35 
species.  Many  of  these  fishes  are  handsomely 
and  showily  colored,  red  being  the  commonest 
and  most  conspicuous  tint,  with  yellow  tints  of 
frequent  occurrence.  A typical  Red  Snapper 
is  recognizable  a hundred  feet  distant  by  the 
clear  and  beautiful  crimson  color  which  com- 
pletely suffuses  it. 

The  average  market  specimen  is  about  16 
inches  long,  but  it  is  stated  that  this  species 
^ Lu-ti-an'us  ay'a. 


392 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— SPINY-FINNED  FISHES 


attains  sometimes  a length  of  3 feet,  and  a max- 
imum weight  of  40  pounds.  In  the  Gulf  of 
]\Iexico,  says  Jlr.  Silas  Stearns,  they  very  seldom 
e.xceed  30  pounds  weight,  and  the  average  is  8 or 
9 pounds.  It  happens,  however,  that  one  can 
spend  months  on  the  coast  of  Florida,  and  around 
Key  West,  without  even  once  seeing  a Red  Snap- 
per reaching  25  pounds  in  weight. 

This  fish  prefers  to  live  on  a rocky  bottom,  in 
holes  and  gullies  where  all  kinds  of  marine 
animals  and  fish  are  abundant.  These  gullies 
occur  at  a depth  of  from  twelve  to  forty-five 
fathoms,  and  are  most  numerous  in  the  north- 
ern border  of  the  great  level  plain  of  sand  which 


487  pounds  of  Red  Snappers,  worth  to  them 
$171,234. 

ODD  FISHES  OF  THE  SPEVY-FIXNED 
ORDER. 

The  “Dolphin”'  of  this  Order  is  a fish,  not 
a cetacean  of  the  Class  of  Mammals;  and  its 
unfortunate  popular  name  and  sea-going  habits 
cause  between  it  and  the  true  dolphins  much 
confusion. 

This  is  the  mid-ocean  fish  with  a long,  paddle- 
like body,  a dorsal  fin  which  reaches  in  one  un- 
broken sweep  from  head  to  tail,  and  which  pos- 


THE  SWORDFISH. 


stretches  out  as  the  Gulf  bottom  from  Cedar 
Keys  toward  the  delta  of  the  Mississippi. 

Within  easy  reach  of  Jacksonville,  Florida, 
are  fishing-banks  so  well  populated  by  the  Red 
Snapper,  and  other  fishes,  also,  that  excursions 
are  made  to  them  with  great  success.  Dr.  C.  J. 
Kenworthy  described  for  Dr.  Goode  (“Game 
Fishes  of  North  America”)  a day’s  sport  twelve 
miles  off  shore  from  Mayport,  which  for  eighteen 
fishermen  yielded  208  Red  Snappers  averaging 
25  pounds  each.  The  bait  used  was  bluefish, 
young  shark  or  skip-jack.  The  only  serious 
drawback  to  this  fish  is  the  fact  that  “it  should 
always  be  boiled,  or  cooked  in  a chowder.” 

In  1897,  the  fishermen  of  Florida  caught  5,314,- 


sesses  when  alive  the  wonderful  iridescent  colors 
which  have  tested  the  descriptive  powers  of  so 
many  voyagers. 

This  is  the  terror  and  destroyer  of  the  flying 
fish.  The  “Dolphin”  pursues  it  with  tremen- 
dous speed  and  perseverance,  often  taking  long 
leaps  out  of  the  water,  until  the  victim  is  exhaust- 
ed, overtaken  and  devoured. 

The  colors  of  the  “Dolphin”  are  a mixture 
of  all  the  colors  of  the  solar  spectrum,  revealed 
with  the  metallic  lustre  and  iridescence  of  the 
opal  and  the  reticulated  python.  The  fully 
grown  fish  is  from  5 to  6 feet  in  length,  and  in 
contrast  with  the  ordinary  sailing-vessel  diet 
' Cor-y-phae'na  hip-pu'rus. 


THE  SWOKDFISH  AND  SUCKING-FISH 


393 


of  salt  meat,  its  flesh  is  a delicacy.  To  the  writer 
it  was  a red-letter  day  when  with  a new  artificial 
flying-fish,  fresh  from  the  horny  hand  of  an  old 
sailor  named  “Porpoise  George,”  he  caught  his 
first  “ Dolphin,”  in  mid-ocean,  from  the  deck  of 
the  Golden  Fleece. 

The  Swordfish'  needs  neither  preface  nor 
introduction,  for  his  sword  serves  all  such  pur- 
poses. 

In  the  government  museum  at  Singapore  is 
a three-inch-thick  section  of  copper-sheathed 
oak  plank,  cut  from  the  side  of  a ship,  which  has 
sticking  through  it  the  sword  of  a Swordfish. 
Now,  the  material  of  such  a sword  is  by  no  means 
so  hard  that  it  could  by  ordinary  means  be  forced 
through  three  inches  of  the  hardest  kind  of  oak 
planking,  sheathed  with  copper.  The  fact  of 
clean  penetration  implies  a speed  of  not  less 
than  si.xty  miles  per  hour,  and  perhaps  more. 
With  such  locomotive  powers,  and  such  a weapon 
for  slaughter,  it  is  fortunate  that  its  owner  has 
not  been  fitted  out  with  the  teeth  and  appetite 
of  a killer,  else  the  cetaceans  would  soon  be  ex- 
terminated. 

The  Swordfish  well  understands  the  offensive 
and  defensive  value  of  his  sword,  and  there  are 
on  record  many  well-authenticated  instances 
wherein  this  pugnacious  creature  has  driven  its 
formidable  weapon  through  the  sides  or  bottoms 
of  small  boats,  to  the  peril  of  the  occupants. 
The  majority  of  such  incidents  have  occurred 
to  boats  regularly  engaged  in  swordfishing, 
which  is  a noteworthy  industry  on  our  Atlantic 
coast. 

Broken  swords  have  been  found  in  the  sides 
and  bottoms  of  quite  a number  of  ships.  In  1871, 
the  fishing  yacht  Redhot,  of  New  Bedford, 
was  pierced  and  sunk  by  a Swordfish  which  had 
been  hauled  alongside  to  be  killed.  In  187.5,  a 
Swordfish  drove  its  sword  through  the  bottom 
of  a fishing  schooner  off  Fire  Island,  and  stuck 
fast.  Before  the  fish  had  time  to  free  itself  by 
breaking  off  its  sword,  the  fishermen  cast  ropes 
about  it,  and  secured  it.  Its  length  was  over 
1 1 feet,  its  weight  390  pounds,  and  the  length 
of  its  sword,  3 feet  7 inches. 


The  Swordfish  is  a food  fish  of  very  good 
standing  in  New  England,  where  it  is  sliced 
and  salted,  and  widely  esteemed.  In  1898,  the 
total  catch  was  1,617,331  pounds,  valued  at 
$90,130. 

The  food  of  this  fish  consists  of  menhaden, 
mackerel,  bonitoes,  bluefish,  herring,  whiting 
and  squids. 

The  Sucking-Fish,  or  Remora,^  is  a high- 
class  parasite,  who  does  much  of  his  travelling 
at  the  expense  of  sharks  who  would  eat  him  if 
they  could.  In  one  of  her  odd  freaks  of  merry- 
making, Nature  fashioned  on  this  creature’s 
head  a large,  flat  disk,  set  crosswise  with  rows 
of  delicate  spines,  all  pointing  backward.  It  is 
really  a peculiar  development  of  the  first  dorsal 
fin.  When  the  Sucking-Fish  desires  to  travel 
and  see  the  sea-world,  it  hunts  up  the  nearest 
shark,  swims  alongside  from  the  rear,  claps  its 
head  to  the  shark’s  side,  and  sticks  fast.  The 
faster  the  shark  glides  through  the  water,  the 
more  tightly  clings  the  automatic  tramp.  Like 
a passenger  in  a Pullman  sleeping-car,  the  Re- 
mora can  bid  the  world  good-night,  and  go  to 
sleep  serenely  confident  that  he  will  get  on  in 
the  world,  even  while  he  sleeps.  It  is  as  if  a 
human  tramp  were  provided  by  Nature  with 
means  enabling  him  to  cling  automatically  and 
comfortably  to  the  side  of  a moving  freight-car, 
instead  of  walking  in  dust  and  sorrow  upon  the 
ties. 

The  Remora  is  not  a large  fish,  its  usual  length 
being  under  two  feet.  Not  only  is  it  a parasite 
of  sharks  and  other  large  fishes,  but  it  attaches 
itself  to  the  sides  of  ships.  It  is  said  that  some- 
times sharks  actually  become  emaciated  through 
prolonged  labor  in  furnishing  free  transportation 
for  lusty  Remoras.  The  parasite  is  himself  a 
good  swimmer,  and  the  best  reason  assignable  for 
its  strange  habit  in  clinging  to  sharks  is  its 
desire  to  gather  in  fragments  of  the  feast  when 
the  latter  makes  an  important  killing.  The 
Remora  is  an  inhabitant  of  our  Atlantic  coast, 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  the  West  Indies 
generally,  but  it  is  not  considered  a food 
fish. 


' Xiph'i-n.’s  glad'i-u.<t.  The  pronunciation  of  the  generic  name  is  Zif'e-as. 

2 Re-mo' ra  bra-chyp'ter-a.  See  figure  on  page  432,  ot  an  individual  attached  to  a mackerel  shark. 


CHAPTER  XLVI 


THE  ORDER  OF  PIKES 

IfAPLOMI 


After  the  Order  of  Spiny-Finned  Fishes,  with 
its  great  array  of  genera  and  species,  it  is  a 
relief  to  reach  an  Order  which  contains  but  one 
Family,  and  only  five  species.  The  so-called 
Yellow  “Pike”  is  not  a member  of  this  aristo- 
cratic and  exclusive  Family;  for,  as  already 
stated,  it  is  only  a pike-perc/i. 

Look  at  any  member  of  the  Pike  Family,  and 
tell  me  w’hether  it  does  not  make  you  think  of  a 
pirate.  Observe  that  yawning  sepulchre  of  a 


mouth,  that  evil  eye,  and  low,  flat  forehead — 
all  indicating  a character  replete  with  cunning 
and  ferocity.  Note  the  total  absence  of  a digni- 
fied and  respectable  front  dorsal  fin,  which  nearly 
every  fish  of  proper  moral  character  possesses 
and  displays  with  pride. 

Like  scaly  assassins,  the  pikes  and  pickerels 
lie  in  wait  for  their  prey;  and  whenever  one 
rushes  like  a green  streak  from  under  the  lily- 
pads,  and  bolts  a trolling-spoon  in  one  great, 
ill-mannered  gulp,  the  angler  feels  a savage  de- 
light in  thinking  that  it  serves  him  right.  These 
fishes  are  the  most  voracious  creatures  that  in- 
habit our  inland  waters.  Their  ambition  is  to 
devour  every  living  creature  that  comes  in  sight, 
and  they  prey  upon  all  other  fishes,  frogs  and 


amphibians  generally,  ducklings,  other  small 
aquatic  birds,  and  also  small  aquatic  mammals. 
Worse  than  this,  they  even  devour  their  own 
kind.  That  they  are  found  living  with  the  bass, 
perch  and  other  fishes  is  generally  due  to  the  fact 
that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  devour  all  their 
neighbors. 

The  Pike'  is  a fish  of  very  wide — almost 
world-wide — distribution.  In  America  it  is 
found  from  Kodiak  Island,  Alaska,  southward 
through  British  Columbia,  Canada,  the 
upper  Mississippi  valley  and  the  Great 
Lakes  region,  to  Europe  and  Asia. 
Dr.  Jordan  says  (“Food  and  Game 
Fishes  ”)  that  it  reaches  a length  of 
4 feet,  a weight  of  40  pounds,  and  that 
the  Kankakee  River,  in  Illinois,  is  one 
of  the  best  streams  for  great  Pike  fish- 
ing of  which  he  knows.  As  a food  fish 
the  Pike  ranks  low. 

The  Muskallunge^  is  a game  fish 
of  high  rank,  and  its  Indian  name  is 
spelled  in  eight  different  ways.  Its 
standing  may  be  expressed  in  the  fol- 
lowing proportion:  The  Muskallunge 
is  to  the  fresh-water  angler  as  the  tuna 
is  to  the  salt-water  angler. 

Its  great  size  makes  it  a great  prize,  and  the 
taking  of  a large  fish  with  sportsman-like  tackle, 
and  a very  good  chance  to  be  upset  in  deep 
water  during  the  struggle,  makes  the  Muskallunge 
the  king  of  fresh-water  game  fishes.  The  north- 
ern species — of  the  Great  Lakes,  the  St.  Law- 
rence and  southern  Canada — reaches  a length  of 
7^  feet,  or  more,  and  attains  a maximum  weight 
of  about  90  pounds.  Its  centre  of  abundance 
seems  to  be  in  the  Thousand  Islands  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  where  it  affords  grand  sport.  Usually 
it  is  caught  by  trolling, — a most  delightful 
scheme  by  which  the  twin  pleasures  of  boating 
and  fishing  are  combined. 

' E'sox  lu'ci-us.  " E'sox  mas-quin-on' gif. 


394 


THE  MUSKALLUNGE 


395 


The  Chautauqua  Muskallunge'  is  a species 
quite  distinct  from  its  more  northern  relative. 
It  is  confined  to  Chautauqua  Lake  and  a few 
localities  in  the  Ohio  valley — a comparatively 
small  area.  In  that  landlocked  region,  far 
from  the  shad  and  the  bluefish,  it  is  by  many 
persons  considered  a fine  fish  for  the  table. 

The  Chain  PickereC  is  so  common  through- 
out the  region  bounded  by  Maine,  Florida,  Ar- 
kansas and  Minnesota,  that  it  is  difficult  to  say 
where  it  is  not  found.  It  is  so  well  and  so  widely 
known  that  it  requires  neither  introduction  nor 
description.  On  the  lovely  lakes  of  central  Mich- 
igan, and  New  York,  to  stand  up  in  a boat  that 
is  properly  handled,  and  throw  a trolling-spoon 
along  the  borders  of  the  lily-pad  archipelagoes, 

‘ E'sox  o-hi-en'sis. 

^ E'sox  re-tic-u-la'tus.  See  i 


where  the  Pickerel  hide,  is  good  sport.  In  the 
crystal-clear  water  the  whirling,  glittering 
spoon  is  in  sight  every  moment,  and  you  can  see 
the  rush  of  the  Pickerel  when  he  hies  straight 
as  an  arrow  at  the  lure.  This  hsh  is  so  voracious 
that  several  kinds  of  bait  are  effective  for  it; 
but  I see  no  reason  for  calling  its  flesh  a delicacy. 
Its  maximum  size  is  about  28  inches,  which  is 
considerably  larger  than  the  little  Brook  Pick- 
erel of  the  northern  Mississippi  valley. 

In  a period  of  twelve  months  ending  in  1899, 
the  total  market  catch  of  Pike,  Muskallunge  and 
Pickerel,  as  reported  to  the  United  States  Fish 
Commissioner,  amounted  to  1,041,293  pounds, 
worth  $47,773.  The  Fish  Commission  makes  no 
serious  efforts  to  propagate  these  species. 

ustration  on  page  387. 


CHAPTER  XLVII 


THE  ORDER  OF  TROUT  AND  SALMON 

ISOSPONDYLI 


This  grand  Order  is  represented  in  North 
American  waters  by  135  full  species  of  fishes, 
all  decidedly  edible,  and  the  majority  of  them 
are  classed  as  “game”  fishes.  It  includes  not 
only  some  of  the  most  choice  of  all  our  finny 
tribes,  but  also  others  whose  commercial  value 
is  of  the  highest  rank.  In  it  are  found  the  trout, 
salmon,  whitefish,  shad,  herring,  menhaden  and 
tarpon.  Despite  the  great  number  of  species 
in  the  Spiny-Finned  Order  (446),  it  seems  highly 
probable  that  their  combined  value  in  the  mar- 
kets falls  far  below  the  aggregate  for  the  Order 
now  under  consideration.  On  the  Pacific  coast, 
the  value  of  the  annual  salmon  catch  alone  is, 
at  this  date,  about  $13,000,000,  whereas  the  an- 
nual value  of  the  cod,  the  most  valuable  food 
fish  of  the  Atlantic,  is  only  $2,000,000. 

Reminding  the  reader  once  more  that  we  are 
endeavoring  to  present  groups  in  the  order  of 
their  natural  rank  and  importance,  we  present 
first  in  this  Order  of  fishes  the  Family  of  highest 
interest  and  value. 

THE  SALMON  FAMILY. 

Sal-mon'i-dae. 

The  Salmon  Family  contains  all  the  trout, 
salmon  and  whitefishes,  to  the  number  of  thirty- 
two  full  species  and  twenty-nine  subspecies. 
Of  these  three  groups,  the  first  is  celebrated  for 
the  beauty  of  form,  picturesque  surroundings, 
and  gamy  qualities  of  its  members.  The 
salmon  and  whitefish  are  noted  chiefly  for  their 
great  value  as  food. 

Few  persons,  it  is  safe  to  say,  know  either 
the  size  or  the  subdivisions  of  the  group  of  Ameri- 
can trout  and  charrs.  The  species  are  numerous, 
beautiful,  and  widely  distributed  north  of  a line 
drawn  from  New  York  City  to  San  Diego,  Cali- 
fornia. For  a clear  and  correct  understanding 
of  these  fishes,  a diagram  is  absolutely  necessary. 
The  world  is  indebted  to  Dr.  D.  S.  Jordan,  Pres- 


ident of  Leland  Stanford  University,  for  the  re- 
searches which  have  made  him  the  leading  au- 
thority on  this  large  and  extremely  interesting 
group  of  fishes,  and  by  means  of  which  it  has 
been  made  comprehensible. 

Of  North  American  trout,  generally,  the  centre 
of  abundance  is  certainly  west  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  the  group  as  a whole  is  decidedly 
of  the  Far  West.  The  trout  of  the  eastern 
United  States  are  but  the  advance  guard  of  the 
main  body  which  fills  the  swirling  mountain 
streams  and  lakes  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region 
and  the  Pacific  coast.  Our  famous  and  well- 
beloved  speckled  trout  of  the  East  is  but  a tri- 
fling incident  in  comparison  with  the  many  fine 
species  found  in  the  true  home  of  the  Trout 
Family. 

Dr.  Jordan  believes  that  our  original  stock 
of  trout  came  to  us  from  Asia,  and  “extended 
its  range  southward  to  the  upper  Columbia,  thence 
over  the  continental  divide  via  Two-Ocean  Pass 
to  the  Yellowstone  and  the  Missouri  Rivers,  the 
Platte,  Arkansas,  Rio  Grande  and  Colorado.” 
He  actually  caught  Yellowstone  trout  in  Two- 
Ocean  Pass,  on  the  top  of  the  great  continental 
divide,  “in  the  very  act  of  going  from  Pacific 
into  Atlantic  drainage.” 

The  Mountain  Trout,  or  Black-Spotted 
Trout.’ — Like  many  others,  this  is  a fish  of  many 
names, — Spotted,  Black,  Silver,  Salmon,  Steel- 
head  and  Cut-Throat, — all  ending  with  Trout. 
The  last  mentioned, — “Cut-Throat  Trout,” — 
Dr.  G.  Brown  Goode  characterized  as  “a  hor- 
rible name,  which  it  is  hoped  will  never  be  sanc- 
tioned in  literature.”  And  why  “Cut-Throat,” 
any  more  than  Ripper  Trout,  or  Wife-Beater 
Trout? 

Surely  this  fine  fish,  which  Dr.  Jordan  con- 
siders probably  the  parent  from  which  all 
others  of  this  group  have  been  derived,  is  worthy 
* Sal' mo  dark' a. 


NORTH  AMERICAN  TROUT 


397 


of  a dignified  and  respectable  name.  It  is  a 
fish  of  large  size,  attaining  a length  of  3 feet,  and 
a weight  of  30  pounds.  It  is  the  fish  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  region,  and  occurs  in  nearly 
eveiy  lake  and  important  stream  of  Montana, 
Wyoming,  Utah,  Colorado,  New  Mexico,  Idaho, 
Oregon,  Washington  and  northern  California. 
It  reaches  the  sea  from  Mount  Shasta  northward 
to  Puget  Sound,  and  beyond.  “Those  that 
live  in  the  depths  of  shady  lakes  are  almost  black, 
while  others  are  pale.  Those  in  the  sea  are  sil- 


ls regarded  as  the  greatest  of  all  game  fishes.” 
It  “reaches  a weight  of  half  a pound  to  5 or  6 
pounds,  though  in  most  of  the  streams  in  which 
it  is  found  it  rarely  e.xceeds  2 or  3 pounds.”  It 
bites  readily,  but  when  hooked  makes  a gallant 
fight  to  escape,  rushing,  leaping,  and  shaking 
its  head  vigorously  to  expel  the  barb. 

In  appearance,  this  typical  Rainbow  Trout  is 
like  an  elegant  little  salmon  from  15  to  18  inches 
long,  with  spots  along  its  upper  body  like  those 
of  the  eastern  brook  trout,  and  sides  like  a section 


SUBDIVISIONS  OF  THE  NORTH  AMERICAN  TROUT  AND  CHARRS. 

(Species  in  italics  are  introduced  in  the  text.) 


Mountain  Trout  Group  : 


1 Western  Trout  : 


NORTH 
AMERICAN 
TROUT. 


Rainbow  T rout  Group : 


Steelhead  Trout  Group : 


Lake  Trout 
of  the  Great  Lakes 


kes.  I 


Eastern  Trout 
AND  Charrs: 


very,  or  only  faintly  spotted.”  (G.  Brown 
Goode.) 

In  the  most  representative  specimens  of  this 
species,  the  upper  half  of  the  body  is  abundantly 
1 spotted  with  small,  round,  and  rather  regular 
black  spots. 

The  Rainbow  Trout’  is  a fish  of  real  beauty, 

1 comfortable  size,  fine  flavor,  and  easy  to  propa- 
gate artificially.  On  this  side  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  however,  it  is  not  politic  to  assert 
I that  it  is  more  beautiful  than  the  brook  trout; 
I but  Dr.  .Iordan  says  that  “by  many  anglers  it 
' Sal' mo  ir-id'e-us. 


Mountain  Trout. 
Yellowstone  Trout. 

Silver  Trout. 

Lake  Tahoe  Trout. 

Truckee  Trout. 

Utah  Trout. 

Jordan’s  Trout  and  seven 
others. 

Rainbow  Trout. 

McCloud  River  R.  Trout. 
Kern  River  R.  Trout. 

Golden  Trout. 

Stone’s  Trout. 

Steelhead  Trout. 

Speckled  Steelhead  Trout. 
Kamloops  Trout. 

Blueback  Trout. 

Lake  Trout. 

Siscowet  Trout. 

Brook  Trout. 

Dolly  Varden  Trout. 

Sunapee  Trout. 

Blueback  Trout.  ^ 

Marston  Trout,  and  others. 

of  a rainbow.  It  is  found  only  in  the  small 
brooks  of  the  coast  ranges  of  California,  from 
Klamath  River  to  San  Diego.  It  takes  a fly 
with  a degree  of  readiness  which  “will  please 
the  most  impatient  of  inexperienced  amateurs.” 
The  group  of  Rainbow  Trout  contains  six 
species  all  told,  the  others  being  the  Western 
Oregon  Brook  Trout)  the  McCloud  River  Rain- 
bow Trout,  which  is  the  species  propagated  by 
the  United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries;  the  Kern 
River  Trout)  Golden  Trout  of  Mt.  Whitney  and 
Kern  River,  which  Dr.  Jordan  considers  the 
most  beautiful  of  all,  and  Stone’s  Trout.  All 


398 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— TROUT  AHD  SALOMON 


these  species  are  found  only  along  the  Pacific 
coast,  between  Washington  and  southern  Cali- 
fornia. 


RAINBOW  TROUT. 


The  Steelhead  Trout,'  and  its  group. — 
The  fish  which  represents  this  group  is  of  com- 
manding size,  and  of  high  value  as  a food  fish. 
Its  other  names  are  Salmon  Trout  and  Hard- 
head. It  reaches  a maximum  weight  of  14 
pounds,  but  usually  its  weight  is  between  5 and 
8 pounds.  It  “ranks  very  high  as  a game  fish, 
and  trolling  for  Steelheads  in  the  bays,  sounds 
and  river  mouths  along  our  Pacific  coast  affords 
excitement  and  pleasure  exceeded  among  the 
Salmonidae  only  by  trolling  for  Chinook  Salmon.” 
(Jordan  and  Evermann.) 

This  fish  is  regularly  propagated  by  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  by  which  it  has  been 
successfully  planted  in  Lake  Superior.  Great 
numbers  are  caught  every  year  in  the  Columbia 
River,  and  canned  for  the  eastern  markets.  It 
is  found  in  the  streams  flowing  into  the  sea  along 
the  coast  of  California,  from  southern  California 
to  Alaska.  Its  scales  are  small,  its  form  is  sal- 
mon-like, and  its  color  is  silvery,  with  a wash  of 
rose-pink  down  the  sides. 

The  Great  Lake  Trout,  or  Mackinaw  Trout,^ 
and  its  group. — This  fish  is  the  largest,  of  all 
trout.  Its  usual  weight  is  from  15  to  20  pounds, 
but  it  reaches  a maximum  of  125  pounds.  Its 
color  is  dark  gray,  varying  most  erratically 
from  pale  gray  to  almost  black.  Its  irregular 

' Sal'mo  gaird'ner-i. 

^ Cris-ti-i'o' mer  nam'ay-cush. 


and  very  numerous  spots  of  gray  mark  this  fish 
very  distinctly,  for  they  cover  not  only  the  body 
but  all  the  fins  save  those  under  the  body. 

As  its  name  implies,  this  is  essentially  a fish 
of  the  Great  Lakes,  and  for  many  years  has  been 
the  principal  source  of  fresh-fish  supply  for  a 
large  area  in  that  region.  In  its  own  field  its 
only  rival  in  commercial  importance  is  the  white- 
fish.  Usually  the  flesh  of  the  latter  is  supposed 
to  be  a greater  delicacy  than  the  other. 

The  Lake  Trout  has  passed  through  two  or 
three  very  interesting  periods.  From  ISSO  to 
1886,  commercial  fishing  for  Lake  Trout  was 
carried  on  so  persistently  that  the  supply  showed 
alarming  signs  of  e.xhaustion.  Here  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  stepped  in,  and  along 
with  state  hatcheries  began  to  propagate  and 
distribute  this  species.  This  work  was  continued 
until  many  millions  of  fish  eggs  had  been  planted 
in  the  lakes.  After  that,  the  supply  of  Lake 
Trout  increased  so  rapidly  that  presently  the 
markets  were  overstocked,  and  the  price  dropped 
accordingly. 

More  recently,  however,  the  pendulum  has 
swung  the  other  way.  All  around  the  Great 
Lakes  the  demand  for  food  fishes  is  now  so  great 
and  so  permanent,  that  the  natural  supply  has 
proven  unable  to  meet  it.  Nature  cannot  produce 
food  fishes  in  the  lakes  in  the  enormous  <juan- 
tities  required,  even  though  in  1899  the  yield  of 
Lake  Trout  was  ten  million  pounds  (10,611,588). 
To-day  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  is 
doing  its  utmost  to  help  maintain  the  supply, 
and  in  1900  distributed  337,838,000  eggs  and 
young  of  the  Lake  Trout. 

“Lake  Trout  spawn  on  the  reefs,  and  at  other 
times  live  in  deep  water.  In  Lake  Superior  the 
spawning  season  begins  in  late  September.  In 
Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan,  the  height  of  the 
season  is  early  November,  and  spawning  con- 
tinues until  December.  The  spawning  grounds 
are  on  the  reefs  of  ‘honey-comb’  rock,  10  to 
15  miles  off  shore,  and  in  water  from  6 to  120 
feet  deep.  The  number  of  eggs  produced  is  not 
large.  A 24-pound  fish  produced  14,943  eggs, 
but  the  usual  number  does  not  exceed  5,(K)0  or 
6,000.”  (Jordan  and  Evermann.) 

The  range  of  this  fish  is  from  New  Brunswick 
and  Maine  we.stward  throughout  the  Great  Lakes 
to  Vancouver  Island,  B.  C.,  and  northward  to 
Labrador,  Hudson  Bay  and  northern  Alaska. 


THE  BROOK  TROUT 


399 


Drawn  by  W.  L.  Steward. 

THE  BROOK  TROUT. 


Deep-Water  Fishing  for  Lake  Trout. — 

“The  Siscowet  of  Lake  Superior  is  taken  by  the 
commercial  fishermen  in  very  deep  water,  the 
nets  being  lifted  by  steam  power.  The  nets  are 
set  well  out  toward  the  centre  of  the  lake,  at 
depths  frequently  as  great  as  500  feet.  About 
forty  nets,  each  over  600  feet  long,  are  set  in 
one  ‘gang,’  constituting  practically  a single  gill 
net  considerably  over  four  miles  in  length. 
Each  end  of  each  gang  is  buoyed. 

“The  average  steam  fishing-boat  attends  to 
five  gangs  of  nets,  lifting  one  each  day.  Each 
gang,  therefore,  remains  in  the  water  five  days 
before  it  is  lifted.  As  the  net  comes  up  around 
the  steam  windlass  forward,  it  is  passed  aft  and 
immediately  reset  by  being  paid  out  over  the 
stern  by  two  members  of  the  crew.  The  nets  are 
about  eight  feet  wide,  and  the  mesh  is  4^  inches. 

“The  largest  Lake  Trout  I observed  on  the 
Currie  was  2 feet  10  inches  long,  and  its  weight 
was  21  pounds.  The  average  length  of  the 
fishes  taken  during  my  inspection  was  less  than 
2 feet.”  (('harles  If.  Towmsend.) 

The  Brook  Trout,  or  Speckled  Trout,  and 


its  group. — Concerning  this  beautiful  and  high- 
spirited  creature,  so  much  has  been  written  it 
would  now  seem  that  there  is  nothing  untold. 
But  this  is  a very  wide  country;  and  I ween  that 
in  the  real  West  there  may  be  a million  of  good 
citizens  who  are  strangers  yet  to  Sal-ve-li'nus 
fon-ti-nal'is. 

After  all  has  been  said,  I think  it  must  be  con- 
ceded that  this  is  the  most  beautiful  of  all  our 
game  fishes.  Its  back  and  dorsal  fins  are  ele- 
gantly marbled,  its  sides  have  about  fifteen  or 
twenty  crimson  and  black  spots,  and  its  pec- 
toral, ventral  and  anal  fins  are  bright  crimson, 
edged  in  front  with  white.  Its  general  ground 
color  down  to  the  latitude  of  the  pectoral  fin  is 
dark  olive,  below  that  comes  sunset  pink,  and 
underneath  all  is  the  silver  white  of  the  belly. 

Along  with  its  beauty,  agility,  and  general 
gaminess,  this  fish  makes  its  home  in  the  most 
picturesque  and  beautiful  streams  its  range 
affords.  Its  ideal  haunt  is  a deep,  clear  pool  at 
the  foot  of  a picturesque  rush  of  water  over 
mossy  bowlders.  Usually  this  forest  jewel  is 
delightfully  set  in  the  foliage  of  overhanging 


400 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— TROUT  AND  SALMON 


birches,  beeches  and  maples,  and  well  backed 
by  the  forest  shadows  that  painters  love.  Usu- 
ally the  music  of  rushing  water  pervades  the 
haunt  of  the  Brook  Trout;  and  the  only  cloud 
upon  it  all  is  that,  ever  and  anon,  Man,  the 
supposedly  high-minded,  savagely  bends  every 
energy  to  kill  an  unduly-great  number  of  these 
beautiful  creatures,  and  fills  a sordid  creel  en- 
tirely too  full. 

Most  unluckily  for  the  Trout,  it  is  its  habit 
to  be  ever  on  the  alert  for  insects  on  the  surface 
of  its  pool,  and  “rise  to  a fly.”  To  the  high- 
class  sportsman  who  scorns  the  humble  angle- 
worm,  the  accurate  throwing  of  a small  fly  for  a 
very  long  distance,  solely  by  the  exercise  of 
great  skill  and  judgment,  is  the  crowning  attrac- 
tion in  seeking  the  Brook  Trout  in  its  haunts. 
The  skill  required  in  fly-fishing  is  enough  to 
tempt  any  man  who  has  ever  felt  the  electricity 
that  every  good  fly-rod  is  charged  with;  and  it 
is  no  wonder  that  men  love  to  fi.sh  for  this  very 
beautiful  fish,  in  the  most  charming  of  all  sylvan 
situations. 

The  Brook  Trout  was  once  a habitant  of  the 
northeastern  United  States,  northward  of  a 
line  drawn  from  New  Jersey  to  Minnesota,  into 
Labrador,  Canada  and  Manitoba;  but  to-day, 
where  is  it?  Ask  the  “fish-hog”  who  spares  no 
Trout  that  is  big  enough  to  lift  from  a platter. 
Ask  the  market  fishers,  who  fish  and  fish  to  sup- 
ply hotels  and  restaurants,  in  season  and  out  of 
season. 

In  its  wild  state,  this  fish  is  doomed  to  dis- 
appear at  an  early  date.  We  have  now  in  this 
country  a large  and  rapidly  increasing  element 
the  members  of  which  have  come  to  us  to  slay 
and  eat.  To  them,  the  preservation  of  wild 
life  to  look  at  seems  like  childish  folly.  These, 
and  others  like-minded,  are  raking  our  trout- 
streams  with  fine-toothed  combs,  and  mean  that 
nothing  larger  than  a trout  egg  shall  escape. 
And  the  end  will  be  that  in  a very  few  years 
the  wild  Brook  Trout  will  be  as  nearly  extinct 
as  the  wild  buffalo. 

THE  SALMON  GROUP. 

The  salmon  were  made  for  the  millions.  The 
Siwash  Indian  eats  them  fresh  in  summer,  dries 
them,  and  later  on  freezes  them,  for  himself 
and  his  dogs  in  winter.  The  epicure  pays  for 


having  the  fresh  fish  shipped  in  ice  to  his  table, 
wherever  that  table  may  happen  to  be.  In 
mid-ocean,  the  great  American  canned  salmon  is 
often  the  best  and  only  fish  afloat.  In  the 
jungles  of  the  Far  East,  in  the  frontier  bazaar 
of  the  enterprising  Chinese  trader,  it  “bobs  up 
serenely  ” to  greet  and  cheer  the  lonesome  white 
man  who  is  far  from  home  and  meat  markets. 
Even  in  the  wilds  of  Borneo  its  name  is  known 
and  respected;  and  he  who  goes  beyond  the  last 
empty  salmon-tin,  truly  goes  beyond  the  pale  of 
civilization.  The  diffusion  of  knowledge  among 
men  is  not  much  greater  than  the  diffusion  of 
canned  salmon ; and  the  farther  Americans  travel 
from  home,  the  more  they  rejoice  that  it  follows 
the  flag. 

The  common  salmon  of  Europe,  and  also  of 
Labrador  and  New  England,  was  accounted  a 
wonderful  fish,  both  for  sport  and  for  the  table, 
until  the  discovery  of  the  salmon  millions  of  the 
Pacific  coast  effectually  cheapened  the  name. 
To  hold  their  place  in  the  hearts  of  sportsmen, 
game  fishes  positively  must  not  inhabit  streams 
so  thickly  that  they  are  crowded  for  room,  and 
can  be  caught  with  pitchforks.  Yet  this  once 
was  true  of  the  salmon  in  several  streams  of  the 
Pacific  coast.  The  bears  of  Alaska  grow  big 
and  fat  on  the  salmon  which  they  catch  with 
the  hooks  that  Nature  gave  them. 

The  salmon  species  of  North  America  are  as 
follows : 


. 


Atlantic 
Species: 


.\tlantie  Salmon. 

(Of  Europe  and  N.  America.) 

Ouananiche. 

(The  leaping  fighter.) 

Sebago. 


I Pacific 
Species: 


' Quinnat,  or  Chinook. 
(Most  valuable  species.) 
Blueback,  or  Sockeye. 

(Second  in  value.) 
Silver,  or  Coho. 

(Third;  flesh  white.) 
Humpback,  or  Gorbuscha. 
(Of  little  value.) 


Dog,  or  Kayko. 
((jf  least  value.) 


The  five  species  of  Pacific  coast  salmon  form 
a remarkable  group.  They  lead  all  fishes  in 
annual  commercial  value  (.$13,000,000);  they 
are  the  most  abundant  of  all  fi.shes  that  inhabit 
fresh  water;  they  traverse  very  great  distances 


THE  PACIFIC  SALMON 


401 


to  reach  their  spawning  beds,  and  they  all  die 
immediately  after  spawning! 

The  sea  is  the  home  of  all  the  Pacific  salmon, 
and  except  when  the  young  are  floating  toward 
it  from  their  birth-place,  it  contains  their  food. 
Of  their  life  in  the  sea,  little  is  known.  They 
are  nowhere  numerous,  and  trolling  for  them  in 
salt  water  is  interesting  sport. 

Throughout  the  months  of  spring  and  summer, 
the  salmon  leave  the  sea,  enter  the  large  rivers,— 
and  many  small  ones,  also, — and  proceed  upward 
for  hundreds  of  miles,  to  deposit  their  eggs  as 
far  as  possible  from  salt  water.  In  the  Colum- 
bia and  Yukon  Rivers,  and  their  tributaries,  it 
“is  the  habit  of  salmon  to  ascend 
for  a thousand  miles  or  more  before 
spawning!” 

The  “run”  begins  with  the  advent 
of  spring,  when  the  salmon  travel  up 
the  rivers  until  they  can  ascend  no 
farther.  It  is  on  these  runs  that 
the  fish  congregate  in  such  incredible 
numbers  that  sometimes  they  actual- 
ly crowd  each  other,  and  can  be  pho- 
tographed en  masse.  They  rush  up 
rapids,  and  if  cascades  or  low  water- 
falls are  encountered,  they  leap  atop 
of  them  with  a display  of  energy  and 
activity  that  is,  when  first  heard  of, 
almost  beyond  belief. 

“When  the  Pacific  salmon  reach 
maturity,”  says  Mr.  Cloudsley  Rutter, 
in  “Country  Life,”  “they  seek  fresh 
water  to  spawn.  As  soon  as  they 
leave  their  accustomed  salt-water 
food,  they  stop  eating.  It  is  not 
uncommon  for  fishes  of  the  Salmon  Family  to 
fast  during  the  breeding  season,  but  the  Pacif- 
ic salmons  never  taste  food  after  leaving  salt 
water,  and  their  fast  ends  only  with  death. 
This  is  true  of  all  species  of  Pacific  salmons,  and 
is  without  a parallel  among  the  higher  fishes. 

“ .\s  the  salmon  advances  into  fresh  water, 
the  digestive  organs  shrivel  to  one-tenth  their 
natural  size,  all  the  fat  disappears  from  the 
tissues,  the  flesh  turns  white,  and  the  skin  thick- 
ens and  embeds  t he  scales  till  they  cannot  be  seen. 
By  the  time  spawning  begins  the  fish  has  lost 
about  twenty  per  cent  of  its  weight,  and  some- 
times much  more.  In  fresh  water,  the  jaws  of 
the  males  become  much  prolonged  and  hooked. 


and  large  canine  teeth  appear.  The  body  be- 
comes deep  and  slab-sided;  and  the  skin  turns 
reddish  in  most  species.  No  individual  of  either 
sex  of  any  species  of  Pacific  Salmon  ever  re- 
turns to  the  ocean  after  spawning.” 

Concerning  the  Chinook  salmon,  Drs.  Jordan 
and  Evermann  say  that  the  run  begins  in  the 
Columbia  River  as  early  as  February  or  March. 
The  fish  move  up  without  feeding,  travel  leis- 
urely at  first,  but  as  they  advance  farther  they 
move  more  rapidly.  Many  of  them  pause  not 
until  they  have  found  satisfactory  spawning 
beds  in  the  Snake  and  Salmon  Rivers,  among  the 
Sawtooth  Mountains  of  Idaho,  more  than  1,000 


miles  from  the  sea.  “ Those  which  go  to  the  head 
waters  of  the  Snake  River  spawn  in  August  and 
early  September ; those  going  to  the  Big  Sandy 
in  Oregon,  in  July  and  early  August;  those  going 
up  the  Snake  to  Salmon  Falls,  in  October;  while 
those  entering  the  lower  tributaries  to  the  Co- 
lumbia, or  small  costal  streams,  spawn  even  as 
late  as  December.” 

“The  spawning  extends  over  several  days,  the 
eggs  being  deposited  upon  beds  of  fine  gravel, 
in  clear,  cold  mountain  streams.”  The  tempera- 
ture of  the  water  must  be  about  54°,  and  if  on 
arrival  it  is  much  above  that,  the  fish  wait  until 
it  lowers.  (“American  Food  and  Game  Fishes.”) 

A very  remarkable  feature  about  the  spawn- 


THE  QUINNAT  SALMON. 


403 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— TROUT  AXD  SALMON 


ing  of  the  salmon  is  that  after  it  is  completed, 
both  males  and  females  die!  “This,”  says  Jor- 
dan and  Evermann,  “is  true  of  all,  whether 
spawning  remote  from  salt  water,  or  only  a few 
miles,  or  yards,  from  the  sea,”  and  whatever 
the  cause  may  be,  it  “is  general  in  its  application 
to  all  the  Pacific  coast  salmon.” 

Inasmuch  as  the  bodies  of  many  dead  salmon 
show  injuries  of  many  kinds,  the  belief  has  be- 
come prevalent  that  the  fish  injure  themselves 
by  striking  against  rocks  on  the  run  upstream, 
and  ultimately  die  from  wounds  so  received. 
But  tlie  investigations  of  Drs.  Jordan  and  Ever- 
mann have  completely  disproved  this.  It  was 
found  that  of  the  many  salmon  examined  im- 
mediately after  arrival  on  their  spawning  grounds 
in  central  Idaho,  not  one  showed  any  bruises  or 
mutilations,  and  all  were  in  excellent  condition. 
The  mutilations  which  subsequently  were  ob- 
served were  obtained  either  by  fighting,  or  by 
pushing  the  gravel  about  on  the  spawning 
beds. 

Salmon  eggs  hatch  in  about  fifty  days.  During 
the  first  six  weeks,  the  egg-sac  supports  the  life 
of  the  alevin,  which  lives  quietly  on  the  spawn- 
ing bed.  By  the  end  of  six  weeks  the  yolk-sac 
is  absorbed,  and  the  young  fry  begins  to  float 
down  stream  toward  the  sea.  When  the  jour- 
ney is  very  long,  the  trip  occupies  several  months, 
or  even  a year;  and  when  the  young  salmon  at 
last  reaches  salt  water,  it  is  four  or  five  inches 
long,  and  is  known  as  a “parr.”  Of  course 
the  young  salmon  feed  all  the  way  down,  on  a 
fresh-water  menu. 

Naturally  the  salmon  millions  of  the  Pacific 
streams  early  attracted  the  attention  and  aroused 
the  avarice  of  men  who  exploit  the  products  of 
Nature  for  gain.  As  usual,  the  bountiful  supply 
begat  prodigality  and  wastefulness.  The  streams 
nearest  to  San  Francisco  were  the  first  to  be 
depleted  by  reckless  over-fishing,  and  now  some 
of  the  fishermen  of  California  solemnly  aver 
that  the  sea-lions  are  largely  to  blame  for  the 
depletion  of  the  Sacramento  salmon  fishery! 
It  is  the  rapacious  and  deadly  net  and  salmon- 
wheel,  not  the  squid-eating  sea-lion,  that  is  to 
blame.  Regarding  the  conditions  that  in  1901 
prevailed  in  Alaska,  the  following  notes  by 
Mr.  George  Bird  Grinnell  in  the  “Harriman 
Alaska  Expedition  ” are  of  interest : 

“The  salmon  of  Alaska,  numerous  as  they 


have  been  and  in  some  places  still  are,  are  being 
destroyed  at  so  wholesale  a rate  that  before  long 
the  canning  industry  must  cease  to  be  profitable, 
and  the  capital  put  into  the  cannei'ies  must  cease 
to  yield  any  return. 

“The  destruction  of  salmon  comes  about 
through  the  competition  between  the  various 
canneries.  Their  greed  is  so  great  that  each 
strives  to  catch  all  the  fish  there  are,  and  all  at 
one  time,  in  order  that  its  rivals  may  secure  as 
few  as  possible.  . . . Not  only  are  salmon 

taken  by  the  steamer  load,  but  in  addition  mill- 
ions of  other  food  fish  are  captured,  killed  and 
thrown  away.  At  times,  also,  it  happens  that  far 
greater  numbers  of  salmon  are  caught  than  can 
be  used  before  they  spoil.  A friend  of  mine  told 
me  of  the  throwing  away  of  60,000  salmon  at  one 
time,  near  a cannery  in  Prince  William  Sound,  in 
1900;  and  again  the  similar  throwing  away  of 
10,000  fish.  So  something  like  700,000  pounds 
of  valuable  fish  were  wasted.” 

In  the  Kodiak  and  Chignik  districts,  the  catch 
of  salmon  decreased  from  360,000  cases  in  1896 
to  90,000  in  1898,  and  in  1899  it  was  almost  a 
failure.  In  many  of  the  small  Alaskan  streams, 
the  canning  companies  built  dams  or  barricades 
to  -prevent  the  fish  from  ascending  to  their  spaivn- 
ing  beds,  and  to  catch  all  of  them ! In  some  of 
the  small  lakes,  .the  fishermen  actually  haul  their 
seines  on  the  spawning  grounds. 

The  laws  passed  by  Congress  to  prevent  the 
destruction  of  the  .41askan  salmon  fisheries  are 
“ineffective,  and  there  is  scarcely  a pretence 
of  enforcing  them.”  To-day,  the  question  is, — 
will  lawless  Americans  completely  destroy  an 
industry  which  if  properly  regulated  will  yield 
annually  $13,000,000  worth  of  good  food?  Will 
the  salmon  millions  of  the  Pacific  share  the  fate 
of  the  buffalo  millions  of  the  Great  Plains?  \t 
present  it  seems  absolutely  certain  to  come  to 
pass!  In  the  preservation  of  fish  and  game, 
ours  is  one  of  the  weakest  of  civilized  nijtions. 
Very  shortly  we  may  expect  to  see  the  salmon- 
hogs  knocking  at  the  doors  of  Congress  to  report 
that  the  salmon  of  Alaska  are  “all  gone,”  and 
hear  them  plaintively  petition  for  government 
appropriations  with  which  to  restock  those 
w'aters,  by  artificial  propagation. 

The  time  for  strong,  effective  and  far-reaching 
action  for  the  protection  of  that  most  valuable 
source  of  cheap  food  for  the  millions,  is  now ! 


WASTE  OF  SALMON  IN  ALASKA 


403 


The  Quinnat  Salmon,'  also  called  Chinook, 
California,  King,  Columbia  River  and  Sacra- 
mento Salmon,  is  the  largest,  the  most  widely- 
distributed  and  the  most  valuable  of  the  Pacific 
Salmon.  Frequently  it  attains  a weight  of  50 
pounds,  and  specimens  have  been  taken  in 
Alaskan  waters  weighing  about  100  pounds.  Its 
average  weight  is  between  20  and  30  pounds. 
It  is  found  from  Monterey  Bay,  California,  up 
the  whole  Pacific  coast  to  Bering  Strait,  and 
down  the  Asiatic  coast  to  China. 

The  Blueback  Salmon,'-^  also  called  Sockeye, 
Nerka,  Redfish  or  Red  Salmon  is  the  most  abun- 
dant species,  and  in  flavor  and  general  impor- 
tance it  stands  next  to  the  preceding.  In  Alaska 
it  is  of  greater  value  than  all  other  species  com- 
bined. Its  flesh  is  of  a rich  red  color,  full  of  oil, 
and  of  fine  flavor.  In  size  it  is  small  for  a salmon, 
its  average  weight  being  only  about  5 pounds. 
Its  geographic  range  is  from  the  Columbia  River 
to  Japan,  and  it  is  the  species  most  abundant  in 
the  canneries  along  the  Fraser  River  and  the 
shores  of  Puget  Sound.  In  1901  the  number  of 
Red  Salmon  canned  in  Alaska  and  elsewhere  on 
the  Pacific  coast  was  19,615,310. 

The  Little  Red  Fish  of  various  lakes  in  Idaho, 
Oregon  and  Washington,  wherein  they  reside 
continuously,  are  now  regarded  by  Dr.  Jordan 
as  small  and  immature  specimens  of  the 
Blueback  Salmon.  Like  all  others  of  their 
genus,  they  die  immediately  after  spawning, 
sometimes  bearing  body  bruises,  and  again  quite 
free  from  them. 

In  Alaska  the  abundance  of  the  Blueback  is 
almost  beyond  belief.  A catch  of  10,000  fish  at 
one  haul  is  of  common  occurrence ; 25,000  at  a 
haul  is  not  uncommon,  and  50,000  are  taken  at 
least  once  every  year.  The  record  haul  was 
made  in  1896  when  about  100,000  were  taken, 
of  which  60,000  were  used  and  the  remainder 
liberated.  (Cloudsley  Rutter.) 

The  Silver  Salmon^  stands  third  in  the  list. 
Its  other  names  are  Kisutch,  Hoopid,  Skowitz, 
Coho  Salmon  and  “White  Fish.” 

The  range  of  this  fish  is  from  California  to 

' The  scientific  name  of  this  fish,  On-co-rhyn' chus 
tscha-u'yls' cha . is  presented  with  an  apology  to  the 
reader.  The  specific  name  is  useful  only  as  an  ex- 
ample of  the  disgusting  barbarism  to  which  an  ill- 
balanced  mind  can  sometimes  descend  in  choosing 
names. 

’ On-co-rhyn' chus  ner'ka. 


Japan.  It  is  next  in  size  to  the  quinnat,  but  in- 
ferior in  flavor,  and  its  flesh  is  pale.  It  is  a good 
fish  to  ship  fresh,  and  despite  the  fact  that  when 
canned  it  is  not  highly  esteemed,  great  quanti- 
ties are  canned  in  Oregon  and  Washington,  and 
marketed  as  “medium-red  Salmon.”  In  1901, 
the  number  canned  in  Alaska  was  523,713. 

The  Humpback  Salmon,'  also  called  the 
Gorbuscha,  Holia,  Hone  and  Haddoh  Salmon, 
ranges  from  the  Sacramento  to  Kamchatka. 
It  derives  its  best  name  from  the  fact  that  “ upon 
the  approach  of  the  breeding  season,  the  back 
of  the  male  grows  higher  than  it  usually  is,  and 
forms  an  abrupt  hump  back  of  the  head,”  at 
which  time  the  flesh  is  valueless. 

Formerly  this  fish  was  not  highly  regarded  by 
the  canning  establishments,  and  was  but  little 
used.  As  a matter  of  fact,  its  flavor  when  fresh, 
in  the  spring,  is  by  some  experts,  of  whom  Mr. 
C.  H.  Townsend  is  one,  considered  fully  equal 
in  flavor  to  that  of  any  other  salmon.  To-day  it 
is  receiving  its  full  share  of  attention  from  the 
canning  establishments,  and  is  now  quite  on  the 
market.  Its  place  now  and  in  the  future  is 
clearly  indicated  by  the  fact  that  in  1898, 
109,000  cases,  in  1899,  150,000,  and  in  1900, 
232,022  cases  were  prepared  for  the  market.  In 
1901  the  number  of  fish  of  this  species  and  of  the 
dog  salmon  canned  in  Alaska  was  11,301,886. 

The  Dog  Salmon^  is  the  least  valuable  of  the 
Pacific  Salmon.  Its  flesh  is  of  such  poor  flavor 
that  formerly  it  was  ignored  by  the  canners. 
Now,  however,  it  is  being  put  up  under  various 
names  that  are  not  its  own,  such  as  “Chum 
Salmon.”  This  fish  is  also  called  Hayho,  Lekai, 
Qualoh,  and  Calico  Salmon.  Its  range  is  from 
Sacramento  to  Kamchatka;  and  in  the  rivers 
of  Japan  it  is  the  most  common  species.  Its 
weight  is  from  10  to  12  pounds. 

As  previously  observed,  the  Salmon  of  the 
Pacific  coast  far  surpass  in  commercial  value  all 
other  American  fishes.  Their  accessibility  ren- 
ders their  capture  little  more  than  a mechanical 
operation,  and  eventually  it  will  result  in  the 
practical  destruction  of  the  salmon  industry. 
Americans  seem  utterly  unable  to  conserve 
for  perpetual  benefit  any  particularly  valuable 
form  of  wdld  life. 

The  records  of  the  salmon  industry  for  the 

' On-co-rhyn' chus  gor-bus'cha. 

° 0.  ke'ta. 


’ 0.  ki'sutch. 


404 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— TROUT  AND  SALMON 


year  1899  are  of  universal  interest, 
as  follows: 

Of  Pacific  Salmon,  Alaska 

^ California,  j 

Of  Pacific  Salmon,  Oregon  and 
i Washington  ' 

To-day  the  question  is,  shall  we  permit  this 
industry  to  go  by  default,  and  be  ruined  in  a few 
years?  Or  shall  we  conserve  it  sensibly  and 
properly,  both  for  ourselves  and  future  genera- 
tions? 

The  Atlantic  Coast  Salmon. — It  is  now 
necessary  to  call  this  fish  the  Atlantic  Salmon’ 
in  order  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Pacific  species; 
but  for  two  centuries  it  held  its  place  in  litera- 
ture as  the  Salmon.  It  once  inhabited  many 


portions  of  northwestern  Europe,  and  in  some 
it  still  survives. 

In  North  America,  its  natural  habitat  was  orig- 
inally from  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson  River 
northward  throughout  the  costal  rivers  of  New 
England,  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia, 
Newfoundland  and  Labrador  to  Greenland. 
Once  very  abundant  in  the  Connecticut  River,  it 
was  driven  out  of  that  stream  in  1798  by  the 
erection  of  a sixteen-foot  dam  in  Miller’s  River, 
100  miles  from  the  sea,  which  cut  off  the  fish 
from  their  spawning  beds.  In  1872  there  were 
twenty-eight  rivers  in  the  United  States  which 
once  contained  Salmon,  but  from  twenty  of  them 
that  fish  had  totally  disappeared.  To-day  the 
nearest  Atlantic  Salmon  are  found  in  Maine 
and  northern  New  Hampshire,  New  Brunswick 
and  Nova  Scotia. 

As  a game  fish,  Salmo  solar  is  fit  to  rank  with 
the  kings  of  the  animal  world.  He  who  catches 
’ Sal'mo  sa'lar. 


one  with  a fifteen-foot  rod  weighing  twenty 
ounces,  with  a Silver  Doctor  at  the  end  of  five- 

$6,773,876 
3,.504,622 
$10,278,498 

foot  leader,  and  brings  it  to  the  gaff,  may  well 
call  himself  an  angler.  So  far  as  I know,  this 
is  the  largest  fish  that  rises  to  a fly. 

The  greatest  weight  on  record  tor  the  .\t- 
lantic  Salmon  is  83  pounds.  The  maximum 
weight  of  those  now  taken  in  iMaine  is  about  25 
pounds,  and  the  average  is  about  10  pounds. 
In  1900,  the  catch  of  the  Bangor  anglers  in  Pe- 
nobscot Pool  was  67  fish,  weighing  970  pounds. 
The  largest  weighed  23J  pounds,  and  the  average 
was  nearly  144  pounds. 

The  most  wonderful  thing  about 
the  Atlantic  Salmon  is  its  leaping 
power,  in  surmounting  waterfalls  that 
lie  in  its  course  to  its  spawning 
grounds.  To  a fish  of  this  species,  a 
rock-studded  cascade  three  hundred 
feet  long  and  thirty  feet  high,  down 
which  the  water  plunges  and  tears 
with  murderous  speed  and  violence, 
is  a fine  highway,  up  which  it  gayly 
promenades  without  pause  or  acci- 
dent. 

But  a waterfall,  with  a perpendicular  drop  of 
ten  or  twelve  feet,  is  a more  serious  proposition, 
and  requires  a special  effort.  To  clear  such  a 
barrier,  the  Salmon  makes  a rush  in  the  pool 
below  it,  leaps  out  of  the  water,  and  if  possible 
lands  on  the  edge  of  the  fall.  If  he  falls  short 
by  no  more  than  one  or  two  feet,  but  strikes  the 
descending  torrent  squarely  head  on,  so  that  he 
is  not  at  once  swept  down,  it  is  said  that  by  a 
strong  flirt  of  the  tail  and  a wriggle  of  the  body, 
the  gallant  fish  actually  can  force  itself  on  up  to 
the  edge  of  the  fall,  and  over  it  into  the  coveted 
waters  of  the  upper  level. 

The  following  graphic  description  of  the  leap 
of  the  Salmon  is  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Robert  T. 
Morris,  \Vhose  opportunities  for  ob.serving  and 
photographing  the  scenes  he  describes  have  been 
of  the  best ; ^ 

“ It  is  a most  impressive  and  inspiring  sight  to 
watch  the  untamed  Salmon  on  a wild  river  mak- 
^ Covntry  Life  Magazine,  1903,  p.  356. 


They  are 

produced  118,622,230  pounds,  worth 
produced  130,004,835  pounds,  worth 
248,627,065 


Drawn  by  W.  L.  Steward. 

THE  SEBAGO  SALMON. 


THE  ATLANTIC  COAST  SALMON 


405 


ing  his  display  of  strength  and  agility  in  sur- 
mounting a crashing  torrent  that  threatens  with 
instant  death  anything  that  dares  to  approach 
its  mad  tumult  of  waters.  A Salmon  can  make 
his  way  upward  through  a sheer  fall  of  water  so 
long  as  the  water  is  in  a solid  mass,  but  the  mo- 
ment that  it  becomes  admixed  with  air  the  white 
water  no  longer  gives  a sufficiently  firm  hold  for 
the  broad  caudal  fin,  and  the  Salmon  must  leap 
entirely  over  the  fall.  There  are  pretty  well 
authenticated  instances  of  Salmon  clearing  a fall 
of  twenty  feet.  I have  measured  leaps  to  nearly 
this  length  on  falls  where  almost  every  Salmon 
that  flew  through  the  air  over  the  fall  fairly  took 
one’s  breath  away,  and  they  were  going  up  at 
the  rate  of  three  or  four  to  the  minute  at  that. 
I know  of  nothing  short  of  watching  a house  on 
fire  that  is  of  more  engaging  interest  than  watch- 
ing the  Salmon  throwing  themselves  over  wicked 
waters.  The  Salmon  must  have  some  advan- 
tages, to  be  sure,  for  accomplishing  their  best 
feats.  If  the  water  beneath  a fall  is  much  broken 
with  rocks  and  rapids  a fish  cannot  gain  sufficient 
momentum  and  velocity  for  hurling  himself  far 
into  the  air;  but  given  a deep  and  fairly  quiet 
pool  to  start  from,  and  the  Salmon  look  more 
like  great  birds  than  like  fish  as  they  sail  upward. 
One  can  sometimes  find  a place  to  stand  at  the 
edge  of  a fall,  and  if  he  remain  quiet  for  a few 
moments  the  Salmon  will  begin  to  go  through 
the  air  over  his  head  in  quick  succession.” 

Dr.  Morris  states  that  from  the  Penobscot 
River,  in  Maine,  to  Hudson  Bay,  Salmon  enter 
almost  every  river  on  the  coast,  but  south  of  the 
Straits  of  Belle  Isle  the  sawdust  and  dams  in  the 
streams  of  the  lumber  region  constitute  most 
serious  obstacles  to  their  progress  and  existence. 
But  “the  time  is  coming  when  twenty  rivers  on 
the  Maine  coast  will  have  their  mills  so  managed 
in  the  interest  of  the  Salmon  that  they  will  rival 
the  historical  streams  of  Europe.  In  Washing- 
ton County  alone  there  are  six  rivers  that  Sal- 
mon now  ascend  every  year.” 

The  Ouananiche,'  whose  name  is  of  Indian 
origin,  and  is  pronounced  win-nan-ish' , is  a fresh- 
water Salmon,  dear  to  the  heart  of  every  angler 
who  has  ever  brought  one  to  gaff. 

It  is  fondly  spoken  of  as  the  “Leaping  Oua- 
naniche" and  frequently  as  the  Landlocked 
Salmon.  It  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  a 
' Sal' mo  ouan-an-iche' . 


fierce-fighting,  fresh-water  understudy  of  the 
Atlantic  salmon,  which  if  not  self-restricted  to 
fresh  water  would  hardly  be  described  as  an  in- 
dependent species.  When  first  taken  from  the 
water,  it  has  “a  beautiful  peacock-blue”  color, 
which  disappears  at  death,  changing  to  the  light- 
gray  back  and  sides  and  silvery  belly  of  the 
Salmon.  Although  called  “landlocked,”  this 
fish  can,  and  sometimes  does,  live  in  salt  water, 
— in  the  mouth  of  the  Saguenay  River,  for  ex- 
ample. 

The  Ouananiche  is  a fish  which  loves  rapids 
and  rushing  water  as  a mountain  sheep  loves 
crags  and  precipices.  Because  of  the  strenuous 
life  it  leads,  it  is  beyond  doubt  the  most  vigorous 
and  athletic  fish  that  inhabits  our  waters. 

Says  Mr.  Eugene  McCarthy:  “None  of  the 
fresh-water  fish  can  equal  its  fighting  powers, 
and,  pound  for  pound,  it  will  outfight  even  the 
salmon.  Ouananiche  are  great  smashers  of , 
rods  and  tackle,  unless  one  understands  how  to 
play  them,  especially  when  they  make  their 
numerous  high  jumps  from  the  water.  It  is  not 
an  exaggeration  to  state  that  these  jumps  will 
average  at  least  five  to  six,  and  frequently  will 
number  ten  to  twelve  feet.  And  such  leaps! 
Two  or  three  feet  out  of  the  water,  often  toward 
the  fisherman,  then  a rush  deep  down,  a pause, 
a succession  of  jerks  that  would  seem  to  tear  the 
hook  loose,  a wild  rush  of  varying  distanee,  and 
a run  back,  almost  to  the  angler’s  feet.  A fish 
weighing  3^  or  4 pounds  will  make  a fight  lasting 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  often  longer;  and  that 
means  hard  work  for  every  moment  for  the  fish- 
erman.” (“Familiar  Fish,”  p.  126.) 

This  fish  is  best  taken  with  a fly,  on  a rod  of 
from  six  to  eight  ounces,  with  No.  4 or  5 hooks. 
Its  home  is  in  Lake  St.  John,  Province  of  Quebec, 
and  its  tributaries;  its  outlet,  the  Saguenay, 
and  no  one  knows  how  many  of  the  rivers  of 
southern  Quebec  that  flow  into  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence ; and  also  the  rivers  of  Labrador. 

The  Sebago  Salmon,^  of  Maine,  is  a strictly 
fresh-water,  or  “landlocked,”  species,  which 
takes  its  name  from  Sebago  Lake,  its  type  local- 
ity. It  is  essentially  a 15-pound  fish,  with  an 
average  in  Sebago  Lake  of  from  8 to  10  pounds. 
Owing  to  the  quiet  waters  it  inhabits,  and  the 
powerful  tackle  used  in  fishing  for  it,  this  fish 
does  not  manifest  the  vigor  and  fighting  quali- 
^ Sal'mo  se-ba'go. 


40G 


OEDERS  OF  FISHES— TROUT  AND  SALMON 


ties  that  have  made  the  ouananiche  famous. 
This  species  bears  to  Atlantic  salmon  and  the 
ouananiche  so  close  a resemblance  that  it  is  yet 
an  open  question  whether  the  three  species 
should  not  be  merged  into  one  (Salmo  salar). 
At  all  events,  a picture  of  the  Sebago  Salmon 
might  easily,  under  other  names,  be  made  to  do 
duty  in  representing  the  other  two! 

The  Tarpon'  is  one  of  the  very  few  large 
fishes  to  which  it  is  proper  to  apply  the  word 
magnificent.  Either  in  the  water  or  out,  or 
hanging  upon  the  wall  of  a dining-room,  it  is  as 
its  pet  name  implies,  a Silver  King,  entitled  to 
royal  honors.  Its  enormous  scales,  its  back  of 


Its  flesh  is  excellent,  and  will  always  hold  its 
place  in  the  markets  of  the  South. 

In  cruising  around  the  coast  of  Florida,  you 
first  see  the  Tarpon  breaking  water,  back  in  air, 
like  an  undulating  porpoise.  You  may  see  fifty 
of  them,  and  sail  and  fish  for  days  before  you 
catch  one;  but  one  big  Silver  King  pays  for  a 
long  journey,  and  ten  days  of  cruising. 

Twenty-five  years  ago,  no  one  attempted  to 
catch  a 100-pound  Tarpon  -w'ith  rod,  reel  and  line 
of  light  weight.  To-day,  angling  for  this  grand 
creature  has  become  an  established  recreation, 
and  on  the  Florida  coast  is  regularly  pursued  as 
such  at  Fort  Myers,  Punta  Rassa,  Boca  Grande 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 


THE  TARPON. 


royal  blue  and  sides  of  burnished  silver  proclaim 
it  at  a glance,  and  in  the  presence  of  such 
external  splendor  we  cease  to  care  whether  its 
flesh  is  savory  or  not.  How  the  Romans  would 
have  doted  upon  this  fish,  had  they  but  lived 
within  its  realm! 

To-day  it  is  beloved  of  every  American  sports- 
man who  can  get  in  touch  wnth  it,  first  because  of 
its  imposing  personality,  and  next  because  of  the 
difficulty  in  catching  it  with  hook  and  line.  It 
is  taken  by  rod-and-reel  fishing  in  lagoons,  and 
also  by  trolling  in  “the  passes”  between  islands. 

' Tar'pon  at-lan'ti-cus. 


Pass,  Marco,  and  Bahia  Honda,  on  the  adjacent 
coast  of  Cuba.  Besides  the  abov’e.  Corpus 
Christi,  Texas,  and  Tampico,  Mexico,  have  be- 
come famous  as  resorts  for  Tarpon  fishermen. 

The  size  of  this  fish  is  entirely  satisfactory. 
Usually  its  weight  is  between  100  and  200  pounds, 
but  it  is  credited  with  a maximum  record  of  383. 
Specimens  six  feet  long  are  by  no  means  rare. 

So  far  as  known  on  January  1,  1904,  the  cham- 
pionship of  Tarpon  angling  was  then  held  by  .Mr. 
Edward  vom  Hofe  of  New  York,  with  a fi.sh  of 
210  pounds  weight,  a length  of  6 feet  11  inches, 
and  a girth  measurement  of  45  inches.  Its  larg- 


THE  TARPON  AND  SHAD 


407 


est  scales  measured  3f  x 4 inches.  The  tackle 
used  in  the  capture  of  this  fish  consisted  of  a 
short-butt  snakewood  rod  seven  feet  long,  of 
which  the  tip  weighed  thirteen  ounces,  a vom 
Hofe  Universal  reel,  600  feet  of  No.  24  vom  Hofe 
line,  and  a No.  1 Van  Vleck  hook. 

The  Tarpon  is  not  to  be  caught  in  deep  water 
with  hook  and  line.  As  a rule,  the  waters  of  the 
east  coast  of  Florida  are  unsuitable  for  successful 
adventures  with  the  Silver  King;  but  at  several 
points  on  the  west  coast,  where  the  level  beach 
of  clear  sand  shelves  far  out  into  the  Gulf  before 
it  drops  into  deep  water,  this  grand  fish  loves  to 
bask  in  the  sunshine,  and  linger  in  the  warm, 
placid  waters  along  the  shore. 

The  Tarpon  fisherman  goes  out  early,  and 
casts  his  bait — a small  mullet — upon  the  shallow 
waters.  For  hours  he  floats  upon  a sea  of  molten 
silver,  bathed  in  a flood  of  dazzling  sunshine,  and 
at  times  grilling  in  the  heat  which  comes  with  it. 
The  clean  leap  out  of  water  of  a big  Tarpon 
firmly  hooked  is  a sight  that  no  sportsman  ever 
can  forget. 

In  a few  localities.  Tarpon  are  really  plentiful, 
and  easily  caught.  Off  Useppa  Island,  Florida, 
between  March  5 and  May  31,  1903,  the  total 
catch  of  Tarpon  was  336. 

The  Common  Shad‘  is,  to  many  persons,  the 
most  savory  of  all  American  fishes.  It  possesses 
the  maximum  number  of  bones  to  the  cubic  inch, 
but  its  flesh  is  fine-grained,  juicy,  and  of  exquisite 
flavor.  The  freshest  Shad  is  “the  finest  Shad,” 
but  when  treated  with  even  a show  of  culinary 
fairness,  every  fresh  Shad  is  good. 

Like  the  salmon,  the  Shad  spends  half  its  life 
in  the  sea,  and  enters  the  rivers  of  its  choice  only 
to  spawn.  Ovnng  to  the  practical  impossibility 
of  taking  Shad  in  the  ocean,  the  shad-fishing  sea- 
son is  limited  to  its  spawning-season.  This  is 
one  of  the  most  prolific  of  our  fishes,  a single  fish 
sometimes  yielding  150,000  eggs.  It  is  easily 
propagated  by  artificial  means,  and  a decrease 
in  the  annual  supply  can  in  a measure  be  made 
good  by  the  hatcheries  of  the  United  States 
Bureau  of  Fisheries.  During  the  spring  of  1900, 
the  Agents  of  that  Bureau  planted  291,056,000 
young  Shad  and  eggs  in  the  rivers  of  the  Atlantic 
coast  that  are  accepted  by  the  species  as  breed- 
ing-grounds. 

This  fish  is  found  all  along  our  Atlantic  coast 
* Al-o'sa  sap-i-dis'si-ma. 


from  Florida  to  Newfoundland,  but  it  is  most 
abundant  from  the  Hudson  River  to  the  Potomac. 
Of  all  our  fishes,  it  stands  third  in  commercial 
value,  being  surpassed  only  by  the  quinnat  sal- 
mon and  the  cod. 

Including  both  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts, 
the  value  of  the  Shad  catch  for  12  months  ending 
in  1899  was  49,780,530  pounds,  worth  $1,519,946. 

Originally,  the  Shad  was  not  a habitant  of 
Pacific  waters;  but  in  1871,  Mr.  Seth  Green,  of 
Rochester,  made  for  the  California  State  Fish 
Commission  the  initial  experiment  of  transport- 
ing 10,000  young  Shad  across  the  continent,  and 
planting  them  in  the  Sacramento  River.  From 


THE  COMMON  SHAD. 


that  year  up  to  1880,  about  60,000  more  fry  were 
deposited  in  that  stream  by  the  United  States 
Bureau  of  Fisheries.  In  1885  and  1886,  910,000 
Shad  fry  were  planted  in  the  Columbia  and 
Willamette  Rivers. 

To-day,  on  the  Pacific  coast  the  Shad  ranges 
from  southern  California  to  southern  Alaska,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  valuable  food  fishes  of  that 
region.  In  1899,  the  fish  dealers  of  California 
alone  handled  1,137,801  pounds,  worth  $14,303. 

The  average  length  of  the  Shad  is  from  24  to 
30  inches,  and  its  weight  is  from  3 to  4 pounds. 
The  color  of  the  fish  is  a soft,  silvery  white,  all 
over,  but  the  scales  are  easily  detached,  and  an 
immaculate  specimen  is  rarely  seen  in  a fish 
market. 

To  landlocked  Americans  of  the  upper  Mis- 
sissippi valley  and  the  shores  of  the  Great  Lakes, 


408 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— TROUT  AND  SALMON 


the  Common  VVhitefish'  is  an  undisguised 
blessing.  To  them  it  is  all  that  the  shad  is  to  the 
East,  or  the  salmon  to  the  Pacific  coast.  When- 
ever the  traveller  between  Cleveland  and  Omaha 
discovers  before  him  a large  fish  of  excellent 
flavor,  he  may  be  sure  that  it  is  either  a White- 
fish  or  a lake  trout,  from  one  of  the  great  lakes, 
and  worthy  of  profound  respect. 

But  for  the  fact  that  this  fish  is  so  well  and  so 
widely  known,  many  pages  might  be  written  of 
it  without  exhausting  the  subject.  Dr.  Jordan 
considers  the  Whitefishes  the  most  important 
group  of  fresh- water  fishes  of  North  America, 
and  probably  of  the  world. 

' Co-re-go' mis  clu-pe-i-for'mis. 


The  home  of  this  group  extends  from  Niagara 
to  Chicago  and  Duluth.  The  average  weight  of 
a typical  fish  is  about  4 pounds,  but  specimens 
weighing  20  pounds  have  been  taken.  In  1899, 
the  catch  of  Whitefish  (all  species)  amounted  to 
6,862,094  pounds,  w'orth  $345,640.  In  1898 
the  catch  in  Canadian  waters,  say  Jordan  and 
Evermann,  amounted  to  about  18  million  pounds, 
worth  $877,000. 

In  winter,  the  Whitefish  retires  to  the  deepest 
portions  of  the  great  lakes,  and  is  beyond  the 
reach  of  fishermen.  In  the  spring,  it  frequents 
the  shallower  waters,  near  shore,  where  it  spawns, 
and  lingers  to  fall  a prey  to  the  gill-net  fishermen, 
even  until  late  in  the  autumn. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  FLYING-FISHES 

S rXENTO  GXA  TUI 


The  Common  Flying-Fish’  is  as  necessary 
to  a perfect  ocean  voyage  as  a whale  and  a school 
of  “ dolphins.”  Suddenly  and  unexpectedly  it 
breaks  out  of  the  side  of  a wave,  and  with  a trem- 
ulous flutter  of  wing-like  pectoral  fins, — that  from 
the  ship’s  forecastle  seem  to  be  ultramarine 
blue, — it  feebly  guides  its  course  away  from  the 
disturbing  mountain  of  throbbing  steel.  The 
flight  of  a Flying-Fish  is  usually  from  four  to  six 


in  schools  so  near  to  the  island  of  Barbadoes  that 
the  fishermen  capture  it  in  great  (juantities,  for 
the  markets.  It  is  not  unusual  to  see  2,000  in  the 
market  at  one  time.  I have  heard  much  of  the 
pursuit  of  the  Flying-Fish  by  the  “dolphin” 
{Corypha>na  hippurus),  but  have  seen  nothing 
of  it. 

The  Flying  Gurnard  or  Sea  Robin  (Dac-ty- 
lop'ter-us  voVi-tans),  is  a wonderful  pink  fish,  8 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard.  thf,  COMMON  FLYING-FISH. 


feet  above  the  water,  and  is  sustained  for  from 
.50  to  100  feet.  The  greatly  enlarged  pectoral  fins 
act  as  wings,  and  furnish  the  motive  power. 

Someone  has  raised  the  question,  “ Does  a 
Fhdng-Fish  move  its  wings  in  flight?  ” Of  course 
it  does.  On  all  up  gi'ades  it  gives  a stiff  wing- 
•stroke  about  every  three  feet,  rises  to  over- 
top each  advancing  wave,  and  drojis  as  the  wave 
rolls  on,  like  a stormy  petrel. 

This  is  distinctly  a mid-ocean  fish,  but  it  swims 
’ Ex-o-cae'tus  rol'i-tans. 


inches  long,  that  is  found  from  Cape  Cod  to  Brazil. 
It  is  often  picked  up  on  the  sea-shore  near  pound- 
nets,  because  fi.shermen  throw  it  away  as  un- 
marketable; but  as  fish  become  more  scarce,  it 
will  be  eaten.  Its  pectoral  fins  are  of  enormous 
size,  but  useless  for  flight.  This  fish  is  not 
closely  related  to  the  flying-fish,  but  belongs  in 
the  Order  of  Spiny-Finned  Fishes.  It  is  the 
only  representative  of  its  Family  in  the  New 
World,  and  only  one  other  species  exists  else- 
where. 


CHAPTER  XLIX 


THE  ORDER  OF  SOLID-JAW  FISHES 

PLECTOGNATIII 


The  characters  on  which  the  members  of  this 
Order  have  been  brought  together  are,  for  the 
general  reader,  rather  obscure.  They  are  strictly 
anatomical,  and  relate  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  teeth  and  bones  of  the  jaw  are  grown  to- 
gether, and  solidified.  On  the  whole,  it  will  be 
about  as  easy  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
various  groups  of  fishes  composing  the  Order 
as  to  learn  fully  and  con’ectly  the  precise  ana- 
tomical characters  which  are  common  to  all. 

This  Order  contains  some  very  odd  and  pict- 
uresque forms;  and,  fortunately  for  the  student, 
good  examples  of  them  are  fairly  common  along 
the  Atlantic  coast. 

The  Trigger-Fish,*  or  File-Fish,  is  a very 
good  species  to  represent  this  entire  group.  It 
derives  one  of  its  names  from  the  large,  movable 
spine  of  solid  bone  (a  fin-ray  of  the  front  dorsal 
fin),  which  stands  upon  the  foremost  point  of  its 
back,  with  a smaller  trigger  behind  it,  like  that 
upon  an  old-fashioned  hair-trigger  rifle.  The 
large  spine  can  be  set  quite  rigidly  by  a neat 
interlocking  device  supphed  by  the  second 
spine. 

This  fi.sh  is  a thin-bodied  creature,  and  its 
skin  has  the  toughness,  the  rigidity  and  even  the 
external  appearance  of  stamped  leather,  with  the 
roughness  of  fine  sand-paper.  It  is  a fine  fish 
for  the  first  efforts  of  the  amateur  taxidermist, 
for  it  has  ingro\ving  scales  that  cannot  possibly 
come  off,  and  its  colors  are  equally  fast. 

All  the  Trigger-Fishes  are  habitants  of  tropical 
and  subtropical  waters,  and  feed  chiefly  upon 
small  shell-fishes  (mollusks)  which  their  strong 
jaws  and  teeth  enable  them  to  masticate  success- 
fully. Some  of  them,  like  the  Orange  File-Fish, 
are  brilliantly  colored.  In  the  tropics  they  are 
considered  edible,  but  the  few  that  exist  along 
our  .4tlantic  coast  are  not  ranked  as  food  fishes. 
The  species  shown  in  the  illustration  is  the  one 

* Ba-lis'tes  ca-pris'cns.  See  figure  on  page  374. 


most  widely  known  along  our  Gulf  coast,  and 
also  the  Atlantic  coast  up  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Potomac.  In  the  Bahamas  and  the  Bermudas, 
the  skins  of  Trigger-Fishes  are  extensively  used 
by  carpenters  in  place  of  sand-paper  for  smooth- 
ing the  surface  of  wood  previous  to  polishing. 

The  Bo.\-Fish,  or  Trunk-Fish, “ is  one  of  the 
curiosities  of  the  tropic  seas,  and  of  curio-shops 
generally.  Its  skin  is  a rigid,  triangular  box, 
shaped  in  cross-section  like  an  isosceles  triangle, 
and  consists  of  large  hexagonal  plates  of  thin 
bone,  joined  firmly  together  by  the  regular 
integument. 

Of  these  fishes  we  have  four  species  on  our 
Atlantic  and  Gulf  coasts,  and  one  off  California. 
According  to  Dr.  G.  Brown  Goode,  all  the  species 
of  Box-Fishes  were  so  thoroughly  and  correctly 
studied  by  the  fathers  of  natural  history  two 
hundred  years  ago,  that  their  classification  of 
the  group  has  stood  the  test  of  time,  and  come 
down  even  into  these  troublous  times  unchanged 
and  unimproved. 

The  Bellovvs-Fish,*  or  Rabbit-Fish,  is  pos- 
sessed of  many  local  names,  such  as  Globe, 
Bottle,  Blower,  and  even  Egg  Fish.  When 
taken  from  the  water,  and  scratched  smartly  on 
the  abdomen  against  the  grain  of  the  small  spines 
which  cover  that  region,  it  begins  to  pump  air 
into  its  interior,  the  skin  expands  like  india-rub- 
ber, and  in  a moment  it  assumes  balloon-like 
proportions.  If  the  fish  is  then  thrown  into  the 
water,  it  floats  belly  upward  for  a moment,  then 
suddenly  the  air  is  expelled,  the  fish  collapses, 
instantly  turns  right  side  up,  and  disappears. 

This  species  ranges  from  Cape  Cod  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  may  be  looked  for  with  con- 
fidence in  the  pound-nets  at  nearly  all  our  sea- 
side resorts. 

^ Os-trac'i-on  quad-ri-cor'nis.  See  illustration  on 
page  .374. 

^ Lag-o-ceph'a-lus  lae-vi-ga'tus. 


410 


STEANGE  FISHES  OF  THE  TROPICS 


411 


The  Porcupine  Fish,’  also  known  as  Puffer, 
Ball-Fish,  Swell-Fish  and  Toad-Fish,  is  another 
sea-side  “curio,”  although  usually  it  is  stuffed 
not  wisely,  but  too  swell.  A tow-fflled  balloon 
of  fish-skin,  with  spines  upon  it,  is  not  necessarily 
a Porcupine  Fish;  and  the  sea-side  taxidermist 
should  sometimes  put  a curb  upon  his  zeal  for 
expansion. 

' Chi-lo-myc' te-rus  ge-o-met'ri-cus. 


Like  the  bellows-fish,  this  species  can  expand 
itself  with  air  to  about  twice  its  normal  size.  Its 
back  is  covered  with  strong,  bony  spines,  w’hich 
in  some  species  are  an  inch  in  length.  It  is  a 
fish  of  tropical  waters,  and  in  Cuba  is  considered 
a food  fish.  The  species  figured  is  one  of  four 
w'hich  in  summer  visit  our  Atlantic  coast,  while 
two  others  are  found  on  the  coast  of  California. 

See  illustration  on  page  374. 


CHAPTER  L 


THE  ORDER  OF  SUCKERS,  CARP,  AND  MINNOWS 

PLECTOSrOND  YLI 


THE  SUCKER  FAMILY. 

C at-os-tom'i-dae- 

This  huge  Order  contains  60  genera  and  311 
species,  divided  into  4 Families.  Of  these 
Families,  the  Sucker  Family  is  the  most  impor- 
tant. It  contains  about  70  species,  all  of  which 
save  two  are  habitants  of  North  America.  Be- 
sides the  Suckers  themselves  the  Family  includes 
the  buffalo  fish,  the  red-horse  and  fresh-water 
“mullet.”  These  fishes  have  the  mouth  placed 
underneath  the  head,  and  fitted  with  very  fleshy, 
tubular  lips,  well  adapted  for  sucking  food  from 
the  bottom.  They  have  been  specially  formed 
to  live  upon  mud  bottoms,  and  in  murky  water, — 


precisely  the  conditions  that  high-class  fishes 
abhor. 

There  are  times  when  a sucker  (or  a carp) 
seems  like  a good  fish  for  the  table ; and  that  is 
when  one  is  very  fish-hungry,  and  there  is  no 
other  kind  of  fish  to  be  had.  To  my  mind,  the 
flavor  of  the  flesh  is  either  barely  tolerable,  or 
verging  closely  upon  disagreeable.  The  very 
numerous  and  wholly  unnecessary  bones  seem 
like  a positive  affront.  Although  these  fishes 
are  seldom  eaten  by  choice,  by  the  landlocked 
dwellers  in  the  interior  of  our  great  continent, 
to  whom  clear  streams  and  good  fishes  are  only 
long-distance  memories,  the  sucker,  carp  and 
bull-head  are  eaten  with  real  relish,  and  a feeling 
of  thankfulness  that  they  are  no  worse.  And 
after  all,  men  who  can  eat  musky  squirrels,  and 


call  them  “game,”  ought  to  be  pleased  with 
suckers  and  carp. 

The  Common  Sucker,’  Brook,  or  VA’hite 
Sucker,  is  qualified  to  represent  a large  section 
of  this  Family.  In  the  home  of  this  fish,  ac- 
quaintance with  it  nearly  always  begins  in  the 
month  of  June,  when,  if  ever,  come  perfect  days, 
and  the  annual  spring  “run  ” of  Suckers,  up  river 
and  creek  to  their  spawning  beds,  brings  them 
prominently  into  notice. 

I remember  one  wildly  hilarious  day  of  boy- 
hood, when  a great  run  of  Suckers  came  up  Eagle 
Creek,  Indiana,  from  the  Ohio,  via  White  River. 

Now  Eagle  Creek  is  a very  beautiful  stream, 
flowing  over  a fine  bed  of  clear  gravel  and  sand. 

Its  waters  are  as  clear  as  the  sea,  and 
the  big  sycamores  that  reach  their  long 
white  arms  across  them  are  truly 
grand.  All  the  young  men  and  small 
boys  turned  out  en  masse,  and  rushed 
to  a shallow,  rock-bound  channel 
above  a big  “drift.”  Each  able-bodied 
“angler”  was  armed  with  a snare  of 
soft  brass  wire  loaded  with  enough 
lead  to  kill  an  elephant,  and  a pole 
that  would  have  driven  a real  angler  to  a 
mad-house. 

The  Suckers  moved  about  restlessly  in  the 
swift  current,  and  occasionally  paused,  head 
up-stream.  That  was  the  snarer’s  only  oppor- 
tunity; for  the  fish  refused  all  baits.  The  heav- 
ily loaded  snare  was  set  as  a hoop  five  inches  in 
diameter,  gently  lowered  ahead  of  the  fish,  and 
with,  a very  steady  hand  and  correct  eye  steered 
downward  over  the  victim  until  it  pa.ssed  his 
pectoral  fins.  Then,  at  precisely  the  proper  in- 
stant, steam  was  turned  on,  the  erstwhile  quiet 
fisherman  became  a raging  demon  of  acti\nty, 
and  if  the  snare  held  just  “so,”  a 16-inch  Sucker 
weighing  4 pounds  would  be  yanked  high  in  air 
by  a human  derrick,  amid  the  shouts  of  a de- 
’ Ca-tos' to-mus  com' mer-son-i. 


412 


THE  COMMON  SUCKER. 


THE  CARr 


413 


lighted  and  strong-lunged  populace.  The  string 
of  fish  caught  on  that  halcyon  day  by  my  tall 
brother  reached  from  my  shoulders  to  the  ground, 
and  for  three  days  the  cooks  of  that  countryside 
had  Suckers  “to  burn.” 

This  Sucker  is  perhaps  the  most  widely  dis- 
tributed and  the  most  common  fish  species  in- 
habiting the  United  States.  It  ranges  “from 
Quebec  and  Massachusetts  westward  to  ]\Iontana 
and  Colorado,  and  southward  to  Missouri  and 
Georgia.”  (.Jordan.)  It  is  one  of  the  best  of 
its  Family  for  the  table,  it  is  universally  eaten, 
and  is  much  superior  to  any  carp  the  writer  has 
ever  encountered.  In  one  year  (1899-1900)  the 
catch  of  Suckers  in  twenty-three  states  yielded 
6o.5,637  pounds,  worth  $115,.512. 

The  Red-Horse, ‘ or  so-called  “Mullet,”  which 
makes  Ohio  the  centre  of  its  distribution,  is  an 
abundant  and  well-known  fish  in  the  region  west 
of  the  Alleghenies.  It  is  rather  handsome  in 
colors,  and,  although  its  flesh  is  coarse  and  in- 
sipid, it  is  really  an  important  food  fish  in  its 
region. 

The  Buffalo  Fishes-  comprise  three  species, 
all  big  and  burly,  ranging  in  maximum  weight 
from  3.5  to  .50  pounds,  and  from  2 to  3^  feet  in 
length.  They  inhabit  the  5Iississippi  and  its 
tributaries,  and  in  the  spawning  season  push 
their  way  even  into  the  larger  lakes  and  flooded 
marshes  of  Wisconsin,  Iowa  and  Minnesota.  I 
have  seen  specimens  weighing  between  30  and 
40  pounds  caught  in  the  Mississippi,  at  Burlington, 
Iowa,  by  hand-line  fishing  between  lumber  rafts, 
with  about  as  much  interest  and  enthusiasm  on 
the  part  of  the  fisherman  as  usually  attends  the 
capture  of  a good  strawberry  bass.  One  fat  and 
fearless  “angler”  sat  on  a chair,  and  baited  his 
hook  with  cheese. 

But  let  no  one  underrate  the  economic  im- 
portance of  the  Buffalo  Fish.  The  catch  of  1899> 
chiefly  in  Illinois,  Arkansas,  Mississippi  and 
Missouri,  in  the  order  named,  amounted  to  14,- 
221,988  pounds,  worth  .§350,029. 

The  German  Carp-’  was  introduced  into  the 
United  States  by  Mr.  R.  Poppe  in  1872,  and  in 
1877  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries, 
because  of  the  fact  that  in  Germany  it  is  con- 

' Mox-os-to'ma  au-re-o'lum . 

‘‘  The  Common  Buffalo  Fish  is  Ic-ti'o-bus  cyp-ri- 
nel'la. 

® Cy-pri'nus  cnr'pi-o. 


sidered  a good  food  fish,  and  can  live  and  thrive 
in  muddy  ponds  and  streams.  By  thousands  of 
prairie  dwellers,  it  was  received  gladly,  especially 
throughout  the  groat  plains,  where  any  fi.sh 
with  scales  is  welcomed.  The  free  distribution 
of  young  Carp  led  a great  many  persons  to  apply 
for  them,  and  plant  them  in  ponds,  from  which 
they  afterward  found  their  way  into  streams 
that  contained  fishes  infinitely  their  superior. 

Between  the  years  1877  and  188.5,  the  streams 
of  very  nearly  the  whole  Pacific  coast  of  the 
lUnited  States  were  stocked  with  Carp.  At  first 


they  w-ere  placed  in  ponds,  but  through  “moving 
accident,  by  flood  and  field,”  they  reached  the 
rivers,  and  impregnated  them  and  all  their  trib- 
utaries. At  first  they  were  highly  esteemed, 
and  sometimes  greatly  overpraised.  It  was 
claimed  that  they  were  hardy,  prolific,  harmless 
to  other  fishes,  rapid  in  growth,  persistent  under 
adverse  conditions,  and  acceptable  on  the  table. 
Beyond  question,  under  certain  conditions  nearly 
all  these  claims  are  justified  by  the  facts! 

But  when  the  novelty  wore  off  the  Carp,  the 
cold-blooded  critic  began  to  say  things.  By  him 
it  was  pointed  out  that  Carp  stir  up  the  mud  in 
all  mud-bottomed  ponds  inhabited  by  them,  and 
keep  the  water  murky.  This  is  quite  true;  and 
to  keep  the  mud-loving  Carp  from  perpetually 
soiling  and  disfiguring  the  once  clear  and  beauti- 
ful waters  of  the  Merced  Lakes,  in  California,  first 
sea-lions,  and  then  muskallunge,  were  introduced 
to  exterminate  the  Carp. 

In  California,  the  Carp  is  now  ranked  with  the 
introduced  catfish,  as  an  unwelcome  guest. 
It  is  claimed  that  Carp  consume  to  a serious  ex- 
tent the  wild  celery  and  grasses  on  which  wild 
ducks  feed,  and  the  duck  supply  is  diminished 


414 


OEDERS  OF  FISHES— SUCKERS,  CARP  AND  MINNOWS 


thereby;  but  this  charge  remains  to  be  proven. 
The  chances  are  as  ninety-nine  to  one  that  the 
choke-bore  shot-gun  is  the  real  and  the  only  cause 
of  the  decrease  in  wild  ducks. 

It  is  also  claimed  that  Carp  eat  the  eggs  of 
other  fishes ; which  is  extremely  probable,  for  very 
many  fishes  do  that. 

Whatever  may  be  said  for  or  against  the  de- 
sirability of  the  Carp  in  America,  one  important 
fact  remains  unassailed.  That  fish  is  now  thor- 
oughly established  in  our  waters,  and  is  here  to 
stay,  just  as  much  as  the  English  sparrow.  It 
is  rapidly  coming  into  demand  as  a market  fish. 
“ Over  seven  million  'pounds  are  consumed  yearly 
in  New  York  City.  From  the  Illinois  River 
over  si.x  million  pounds  are  taken  annually; 
and  over  seventeen  million  pounds  are  now 
marketed  annually  in  the  United  States.  At 
Port  Clinton,  near  the  western  end  of  Lake  Erie, 
great  quantities  are  taken,  and  placed  in  large 
ponds  until  the  market  is  ripe  for  them,  when 
they  are  taken  out  and  sold.  Hundreds  of  tons 
are  skinned,  sent  to  the  markets  of  Cincinnati, 
Louisville  and  St.  Louis,  and  sold  as  buffalo 
fish.”  (C.  H.  Townsend.) 


Minnows. — No  common  fishes  of  our  country, 
it  is  safe  to  say,  are  so  little  understood,  or  so 
generally  misunderstood,  as  those  classed  under 
the  above  name.  To  most  persons  a “Minnow” 
is  a tiny  young  fish,  from  one  to  three  inches  in 
length,  useful  only  as  bait  for  bass,  and  other 
fishes. 

The  Minnow  Family  contains  (says  “Ameri- 
can Food  and  Game  Fishes”)  200  genera,  and 
more  than  1,000  species,  of  which  about  225  are 
found  in  our  waters. 

Many  a Minnow  only  two  inches  in  length  is 
a fully-grown  fish;  but  some  species  of  Minnows 
attain  a length  of  from  one  to  two  feet.  One  of 
the  Pacific  coast  species  (the  Squaw-Fish)  some- 
times reaches  a length  of  4 feet. 

For  obvious  reasons,  it  is  impracticable  to 
attempt  to  set  forth  even  the  leading  species  of 
this  extensive  Family,  but  it  is  proper  to  men- 
tion that  to  it  belong  the  Hornyhead,  of  the 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  valleys,  the  Fallfish  of 
the  northern  Atlantic  states,  the  Common  Chub 
of  the  northeastern  states,  the  Columbia  Chub 
of  the  far  northwestern  states,  and  the  Utah 
Lake  Chub  of  Utah  and  northwestern  Wyoming. 


CHAPTER  LI 


THE  ORDER  OF  HALF-GILLED  FISHES 

HEMIBRANCHII 


Because  of  the  fact  that  a few  very  small 
fishes  have  less  than  their  rightful  number  of 
g;ill-arches,  and  shoulder-girdles  with  one  bone 
only  instead  of  two,  the  Order  of  Half-Gilled 
Fishes  has  been  created. 

The  Sticklebacks  are  very  small  fishes,  only 
a few  inches  in  length,  and  derive  their  name 
from  the  formidable  dorsal  spines  that  stand 
upon  the  back  in  front  of  the  dorsal  fin.  We 
have  Two-Spined,  Four-Spined  and  Ten-Spined 


observers  .say  that  the  fish  first  brings  a few 
stems  and  bits  of  vegetation,  and  by  means  of 
his  gelatinous  secretion  practically  ties  them 
fast  to  the  upright  stalks,  to  use  as  a foundation. 

The  fish  then  proceeds  to  exude  its  secretion 
and  dispose  it  in  commingling  rings,  vertically, 
around  a space  sufficiently  large  for  the  female 
Stickleback  to  pass  through.  In  a manner  noth- 
ing short  of  marvellous,  a hood-like  nest  is  spun, 
of  the  fish’s  own  secretion,  which  well  retains  its 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 


TWO-SPINED  STICKLEBACK. 


Sticklebacks,  all  three  being  found  in  brackish 
water  along  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Cape  Ann 
to  New  Jersey. 

-\11  the  Sticklebacks  are  celebrated  for  their 
nest-building  habits.  The  abdomen  of  the  male 
fish  has  been  provided  with  a large  gland  which 
is  “filled  with  a clear  secretion  which  coagulates 
into  threads”  when  it  comes  in  contact  with 
water.  At  first  the  fluid  is  colorless,  but  after 
contact  with  water  it  becomes  whitish,  and  its 
many  fibres  hang  together  like  strings  of  spa- 
ghetti. (Ryder.) 

The  entire  work  of  nest-building  is  performed 
by  the  male  Stickleback.  It  begins  by  selecting 
a bottom  situation,  in  a gentle  current,  wherein 
the  nest  can  be  attached  to  two  or  more  stems  of 
growing  vegetation,  and  anchored  fast.  Some 


shape  for  some  weeks.  In  this  the  female  de- 
posits her  eggs,  all  the  time  jealously  watched 
by  the  male,  to  prevent  her  from  eating  them! 
The  male  guards  the  eggs  until  they  are  hatched, 
and  it  is  said  that  if  the  current  flowing  through 
the  nest  does  not  meet  his  \flews  as  to  strength, 
the  fish  increases  the  volume  of  it  by  moving  its 
pectoral  fins  to  and  fro.  Sticklebacks  are  some- 
times kept  in  aquaria  in  order  that  they  may 
show  their  wonderful  intelligence  in  nest-building. 

The  Two-Spined  Stickleback*  will  serve 
as  a type  for  the  whole  Order.  It  is  only  about  7 
inches  long,  and  has  no  commercial  value.  It 
is  said  to  occur  in  quiet  brackish  waters  along 
our  coast,  but  is  seldom  brought  into  notice  out- 
side of  aquaria. 

* Gas-ter-os'te-us  a-cu-le-a' tus . 


415 


CHAPTER  LII 


THE  ORDER  OF  CATFISHES 

NEMA  TO  GNA  TUI 


Acquaintance  with  this  numerous  Family  usu- 
ally begins  with  the  bullhead,  which  is  merely  a 
pygmy  catfish. 

Even  when  a lad  in  prairie-land,  thirsting  for 
open  water  and  acjuatics,  and  looking  upon  every 
mile  of  running  water  as  an  enchanted  realm, 
the  bullhead  did  not  appeal  to  me  as  a genuine 
fish.  Even  when  most  eager  to  “quit,  and  go 
a- fishing,  and  call  it  half  a day,”  we  drew  the  line 
at  that  ill-shaped,  skinny  body,  ugly  head  and 


wide-gaping  mouth  with  barbels  that  suggest 
dripping  saliva.  To  me  it  was,  and  still  is,  a 
repulsive  creature,  and  its  only  feature  worthy 
of  respect  is  the  outfit  of  sharp  and  dangerous 
spines  with  which  its  dorsal  and  pectoral  fins 
are  furnished. 

Excepting  the  big  Mississippi  catfish,  it  is  the 
most  unattractive  fish  inhabiting  our  fresh  wa- 
ters, and  as  an  angler's  proposition,  it  is  worse 
than  an  eel.  It  is  easily  taken  on  a trot-line; 
and  the  “trot-line,”  set  for  all  night  across  a 
stream,  and  hung  with  about  twenty  short  lines 

410 


and  hooks,  represents  the  lowest  depths  of  de- 
pravity in  fishing  with  hook  and  line.  It  is  even 
lower  than  fishing  with  four  poles. 

With  a tenacity  of  purpose  worthy  of  a better 
species,  the  bullhead  ramifies  throughout  the 
muddiest  rivers  and  creeks  of  the  United  States, 
and  in  the  heat  of  midsummer  holds  on  whence 
all  but  him  have  fled.  He  was  built  for  mud 
bottoms  and  murky  waters,  and  so  long  as  the 
mud  is  thin  enough  to  swim  in,  and  deejj  enough 
to  float  him,  he  remains.  When  re- 
moved from  his  native  element,  the 
tenacity  of  life  of  this  creature  is 
astonishing.  A bullhead  will  lie  on 
the  bank  in  midsummer  sunshine, 
and  breathe  hot  air  for  an  hour  with- 
out givung  up. 

The  species  of  catfishes  found  in 
the  United  States  number  about 
thirty,  but  it  is  recorded  that  ekse- 
where  there  are  about  970  more, 
representing  in  all  about  100  genera. 
Of  our  series,  all  save  four  are  con- 
fined to  the  eastern  half  of  the 
United  States. 

The  Mississippi  Catfish,’  or  Blue 
Cat,  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  Gulf 
States  is  the  giant  of  its  genus.  Even 
when  alive  and  in  good  health,  it  is  a 
very  ugly  fish, — heavy-paunched  and 
mud-colored.  It  looks  like  a fish  modelled  out 
of  river-mud.  I saw  a specimen  taken  at  Bur- 
lington, Iowa,  which  weighed  93  pounds,  and 
have  heard  of  others  exceeding  100  pounds.  Jor- 
dan and  Evermann  say  the  “record  specimen 
weighed  150  pounds,”  and  was  caught  at  St. 
Louis;  but  the  mischievous  evenness  of  the  figure 
casts  doubt  upon  the  reliability  of  the  record. 

Very  naturally,  the  tons  of  edible  flesh  annually 
contributed  by  this  fish  to  our  national  food 
supply  are  not  wasted.  Thousands  of  persons 
’ Ic-tu-lu'nis  jur-ca'tus. 


Drawn  by  J.  Carter  Beard. 

COMMON  BULLHEAD. 


THE  BULLHEAD 


417 


like  the  flesh  of  Catfish  and  bullheads,  and  in 
twelve  months  of  1899-1901,  twenty-six  states 
and  six  great  lakes  yielded  twelve  and  a half 
million  pounds,  worth  $503,562.  Illinois  headed 
the  list  with  1,569,615  pounds,  worth  $68,535. 

The  Channel  Catfish*  is  the  large  Catfish  of 
the  North,  and  also  the  Jlississippi  valley,  which 
so  closely  resembles  the  preceding  species  that 
it  is  at  best  very  difficult — and  sometimes  im- 
possible— to  distinguish  them.  It  is,  however, 
much  smaller  than  the  blue  cat,  and  instead  of 
frequenting  sluggish  waters,  it  displays  a decided 
preference  for  river  channels,  and  clear  water 
when  it  can  be  found.  Naturally  enough,  its 
flesh  is  said  to  be  of  better  flavor  than  the  more 
sluggish,  mud-inhabiting  blue  cat. 

The  Common  Bullhead,'^  or  Horned  Pout, 
is  merely  a small,  cheap  catfish,  whose  room  is 
better  than  his  company.  It  ranges  from  the 
.\tlantic  well  into  the  eastern  edge  of  the  great 
plains,  and  from  the  great  lakes  to  the  Gulf. 

* Ic-tii-lu'rus  punc-ta'tus. 

**  Amei'v—rus  neb-u-lo'sus. 


Much  to  the  displeasure  of  many  persons  in 
California,  three  species  of  catfish  have  been 
introduced  into  many  streams  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  Concerning  them,  the  San  Francisco 
Evening  Bulletin  has  thus  recorded  the  facts,  and 
its  views  thereon: 

“Then  the  fish  commissioners  made  another 
unfortunate  experiment,  against  the  strongest 
protests  that  could  be  put  forth.  They  intro- 
duced the  hated  and  almost  worthless  Catfish  to 
the  waters  of  California.  These  fish,  like  the 
carp,  have  multiplied  rapidly.  It  was  reported^ 
in  answer  to  protests  made  at  the  time,  that  only 
a superior  kind  of  Catfish  would  be  introduced, 
against  which  there  could  be  no  objection.  But 
they  turned  out  to  be  the  same  old  toughs  that 
have  occupied  western  rivers  and  bayous  to  the 
exclusion  of  better  fish.  These  Catfish  are  vora- 
cious feeders  on  young  trout  and  salmon.  Their 
value  is  so  low  that  very  few  seek  them.  The 
Chinese  Sell  them  occasionally,  as  they  do  carp, 
if  they  can  find. a customer.  But  most  consum- 
ers turn  away  from  these  fish  in  disgust.” 


CHAPTER  LIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  FLAT-FISHES 

HETEROSOMATA 


The  flounders,  halibuts,  soles,  plaice,  and 
turbots  make  up  the  very  desirable  and  important 
Order  of  Flat-Fishes.  When  in  doubt  about  an 
English  or  continental  breakfast,  order  a fried 
sole  and  you  are  safe;  for  so  trustworthy  is  this 
fish  that  only  the  most  bungling  cook  can  spoil 
it.  In  England,  the  sole  is  almost  a national 
institution,  but  on  our  side,  its  counterpart,  the 
small  flounder,. is  not  so  plentiful  that  it  attains 
equal  importance  on  the  daily  bill  of  fare. 

The  Order  of  Flat-Fishes,  all  the  world  over, 
is  very  large,  “containing  about  fifty-five  genera 


and  nearly  five  hundred  species.”  Among  its 
members,  some  of  the  halibuts  attain  great  size. 
Almost  any  member  of  this  Order  is  recognizable 
at  one  glance,  by  its  broad,  oval  form,  almost 
completely  encircled  by  the  fringe-like  dorsal 
and  anal  fins,  and  the  presence  of  both  eyes  on 
the  upper  side  of  the  body.  The  body  is  so  thin 
that  “ flat  as  a flounder  ” is  a standard  comparison 
wherever  the  Engli.sh  language  is  spoken. 

The  Flat-Fishes  are  good  examples  of  pro- 
tective coloring.  All  these  fishes  swim  and  rest 
with  their  bodies  in  a horizontal  position.  The 
upper  surface,  or  back,  is  always  darkest,  and 


in  many  instances  it  is  so  skilfully  colored  and 
mottled  in  imitation  of  the  sandy  bottom  on 
which  it  lives,  that  when  at  rest  on  the  floor  of 
the  ocean  or  aquarium  the  fish  is  almost  invisible. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  under  side  of  the  fish  is 
white,  or  cream  color,  in  order  that  to  enemies 
below  it,  looking  upward,  it  will  match  the  light 
of  the  upper  world. 

As  food  fishes,  the  majority  of  the  Flat-Fishes 
are  very  desirable.  Their  flesh  is  excellent,  and 
their  bones  are  few  and  far  between.  The  flesh 
of  the  halibut  is  very  white  and  firm,  and  whether 
fresh  or  smoked,  it  is  highly 
palatable. 

The  common  flounders  are  so 
well  known  they  require  no 
special  notice.  The  species  most 
common  on  our  coast  is  the 
Winter  Flounder,’  which  is 
caught  in  great  numbers,  and  of 
all  our  Flat-Fishes  is  next  in 
value  to  the  great  halibut.  It  is 
a small  species,  with  an  average 
weight  of  about  3 pounds,  and 
a maximum  of  5 pounds,  or  there- 
abouts. It  has  been  extensively 
propagated  by  the  United  States 
Bureau  of  Fisheries. 

The  Common  HalibuU  is  a 
cold-water  fish  of  commanding  importance.  It  is 
widely  dispersed  throughout  both  the  North  .At- 
lantic, North  Pacific  and  circumpolar  waters,  not 
only  in  shallow  waters  and  the  off-shore  banks, 
but  also  on  the  sides  of  the  sea-bottorn  slo})cs 
down  to  1,500  feet.  In  the  Atlantic,  fi,shermen 
say  the  species  stops  at  the  latitude  of  the  Dela- 
ware River.  The  fisheries  along  the  west  coast  of 
Cireenland  are  so  important  that  regularly  every 
year  a number  of  schooners  from  Connecticut  and 
Massachusetts  go  north,  sometimes  beyond  the 

’ Pseu'do-pleu'ro-nec'tes  ameridanus. 

’ Hip-po-glos'sus  hip-po-glos'sus. 


THE  COMMON  H.\LIBUT. 


THE  HALIBUT 


419 


Arctic  Circle,  and  return  loaded  with  Halibut  to 
within  three  feet  of  their  deck-beams. 

On  the  Pacific  coast,  according  to  Dr.  T.  H. 
Bean,  the  Common  Halibut  ranges  from  the  Far- 
allone  Islands,  opposite  San  Francisco,  to  Bering 
Strait,  its  centre  of  abundance  being  found  in 
the  Gulf  of  Alaska,  near  Kodiak. 

In  point  of  size  this  fish  is  surpassed  in  our 
waters  by  no  other  good  food  fish,  the  500-pound 
jewfishes  being  out  of  that  class.  A large 
Halibut  is  one  which  weighs  250  pounds  or  more. 
The  largest  of  reliable  record  (at  least  from 
our  waters)  was  observed  by  Captain  Atwood, 
at  Provincetown,  Massachusetts.  It  weighed  401 
pounds  gross  (we  are  thankful  for  that  odd  one 


pound!)  and  322  pounds  dressed.  Dr.  G.  Brown 
Goode  states  that  a Halibut  weighing  350  pounds 
is  from  7 to  8 feet  long,  by  nearly  4 feet  wide. 

The  roe  of  a fish  weighing  nearly  200  pounds, 
which  -was  caught  at  a depth  of  200  fathoms,  in 
water  only  4°  above  freezing  point,  weighed  17 
pounds,  2 ounces.  A careful  calculation  made 
at  the  laboratory  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of 
Fisheries  showed  that  the  number  of  eggs  in 
the  mass  was  about  2,182,773. 

The  Halibut  catch  in  tw'elve  months  of  1898-9 
amounted  to  a total  of  nineteen  million  pounds, 
having  a market  value  of  $797,222,  and  all  cred- 
ited to  Maine,  Massachusetts,  Washington  and 
Oregon. 


CHAPTER  LIV 


THE  ORDER  OF  FOOT-FISHES 

PEDICULATI 


The  strange  creatures  which  form  the  ";>’oup 
of  so-called  foot-fishes  are  introduced  here,  not 
in  the  expectation  of  close  actiuaintance  with 
many  of  them,  but  rather  that  they  may  not  re- 
main absolute  strangers  to  us.  They  live  on 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  are  not  edible,  and,  being 
devoid  of  all  value  to  mankind,  they  are  safe  from 
extermination.  The  most  of  them  are  also  safe 
from  close  ob.servation.  Structurally,  they  stand 
next  to  the  foot  of  the  Subclass  of  Bony  Fi.shes. 

The  Angler,  or  Goose-Fish,^  is  the  typical 
representative  of  this  Order.  Among  fishermen, 
it  is  sufficiently  known  that  it  has  received  twenty- 


By  taste  and  habit  the  Angler  is  in  the  same 
class  as  the  human  fish-hog  who  fishes  with  three 
poles  at  once.  He  lies  on  the  bottom  of  the  sea, 
where  the  muddy  mottlings  of  his  skin  give  him 
the  appearance  of  mud  and  sand,  opens  his  head 
widely,  and  props  it  open,  for  the  free  admission 
of  any  fish,  crustacean,  reptile  or  aquatic  bird 
that  chooses  to  enter. 

Dr.  Goode  observes  that  the  Goose-Fish  de- 
rived that  name  from  the  swallowing  of  live 
geese,  and  that  there  is  an  authentic  record  of 
the  capture  of  one  which  contained  seven  wild 
ducks. 


THE  ANGLER. 


one  English  names,  and  in  the  languages  of  con- 
tinental Europe  about  fifty  more.  (G.  Brown 
Goode.) 

It  is  the  glutton  of  the  sea,  and  its  body  is 
merely  a purse-like  attachment  to  a mouth  that 
is  fearful  and  wonderful  to  behold.  It  has  a 
mouth  and  an  appetite  like  an  old-fashioned 
carpet-bag,  and  to  it  no  living  thing  comes  amiss. 
At  present  the  body  of  this  creature  is  painfully 
small  for  a mouth  so  ambitious  and  all-absorb- 
ing, but  evolution  is  doing  its  perfect  work,  and 
eventually  the  maw  of  the  Angler  will  be  devel- 
oped on  the  same  scale  as  its  mouth. 


A fully-grown  .\ngler  is  about  four  feet  long, 
and  its  mouth  is  a little  more  than  a foot  wide. 
From  snout  to  tail  its  lower  jaw  and  the  median 
line  of  the  body  are  fringed  with  tiny  barbels 
most  cunningly  calculated  to  lure  unsmspecting 
fishes  within  seizing  distance. 

The  weight  of  a large  specimen  is  from  35  to 
40  pounds.  In  our  longitudes  it  is  used  oidy 
for  bait,  but  Dr.  Goode  says  that  “in  Italy  if  is 
much  esteemed  as  an  article  of  food.”  No  doubt 
of  it.  In  Naples,  they  eat  stewed  octojms;  whicli 
I can  testify  is  as  tender  and  palatable  as  rubber 
hose  stewed  in  brine,  but  not  any  more  so. 


Loph'i-us  pis-ca-to'ri-us. 
420 


CHAPTER  LV 


THE  ORDER  OF  EELS 

APODES 


Whenever  a fish-like  creature  looks  so  much 
like  a snake  that  it  becomes  necessary  to  inform 
people  “it  is  not  a snake,  but  a fish,”  then  it  is 
time  to  place  it  and  all  such  creatures  at  the  foot 
of  the  class  of  Bony  Fishes.  But  for  the  good, 
hard  bones  in  its  skeleton,  its  descent  to  a posi- 
tion below  the  Order  of  Rays  would  be  swift  and 
sure. 

-\s  a real  fish,  an  eel  is  little  more  than  a cari- 
cature, and  he  who  eats  it  must  first  skin  it,  just 
as  the  Dyaks  of  Borneo  do  their  water-snakes 
before  they  roast  them.  It  is  the  vulture  of  the 
waters,  and  prefers  to  feed  upon  things  dead. 

But,  again  are  we  reminded  that  there  is  no 
accounting  for  differences  in  taste.  Both  in 
Europe  and  America,  they  have  been  eaten  ever 
since  the  days  of  the  Cave-Dweller  and  Mound- 
Builder.  And  even  to-day  they  are  devoured, 
not  with  toleration,  but  with  a degree  of  avidity 
worthy  of  better  meat. 

■\  German  Twiter  who  catalogued  the  good 
points  of  the  eel  set  forth  prominently  the  fact 
that  it  is  an  excellent  scavenger,  and  devours 
dead  fish,  crabs,  and  any  fleshy  prey,  li\dng  or 
dead,  that  it  can  secure.  Those  who  wish  to 
pur,sue  the  subject  of  the  food-habits  of  the  eel 
to  its  logical  conclusion  can  find  it  in  a notable 
epic  bj’  Canon  Ingoldsby,  entitled  “The  Knight 
and  the  Lady.” 

Nevertheless,  in  times  past,  the  eel  has  con- 
tributed a great  store  of  edible  flesh  to  the  people 
of  New  England, — where  some  of  the  finest  of 
fishes  have  alwaj's  been  abundant!  There,  eels 
are  eaten — stewed,  fried,  pickled  and  salted.  The 
flavor  of  an  eel  is  not  half  bad,  but  its  choice  of 
food  is  decidedly  objectionable.  If  eels  are  to 
be  eaten  by  civilized  people,  then  why  draw  the 
line  at  sharks,  whose  flesh  is  far  superior  to  that 
of  eels  ? 

The  United  States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  has 
taken  the  eel  quite  seriously,  and  been  at 

421 


considerable  pains  to  introduce  it  in  the  upper 
Mississippi  valley,  the  great  lakes  above  Niagara 
Falls,  and  on  the  Pacific  coast.  And  yet.  Profess- 
or Baird  recorded  this  very  pertinent  statement: 
“It  [the  eel]  is,  however,  a very  undesirable 
inmate  of  rivers  in  which  fish  are  taken  by  means 
of  gill-nets,  the  destruction  of  shad  and  herring 
in  the  waters  of  the  Susquehanna  and  others 
farther  south  being  enormous.  It  is  not  urifre- 
quent  that,  when  a gill-net  is  hauled  up,  the  greater 
part  of  the  catch  consists  simply  of  heads  and 
back-bones,  the  remainder  being  devoured  by  myr- 
iads of  eels  in  the  short  time  the  net  is  left  out.” 


THE  ELECTRIC  EEL. 


Is  such  a rapacious  scavenger  as  this  a species 
worthy  of  introduction  in  any  new  waters  save 
those  of  an  avowed  enemy? 

The  maximum  length  of  the  Common  Eel'  is 
about  four  feet,  but  the  average  length  is  less  than 
three  feet.  The  female  lays  an  enormous  number 
of  eggs, — estimated  at  ten  millions, — preferably 
in  salt  water;  but  the  young  enter  fresh  water  to 
develop,  and  ascend  as  far  as  they  can  go. 

The  Electric  Eel^  of  South  America  is  an  Eel 
worth  knowing.  Having  had  with  it  some  thrill- 
ing experiences,  I cart  speak  of  it  feelingly. 

Once  while  canoeing  for  zoological  specimens 

' An-gu-il'la  vnl-gar'is. 

^ Gym-no'tus  e-lec' tri-cus . 


422 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— EELS 


in  the  delta  of  the  Orinoco,  we  entered  a large 
creek  flowing  into  the  main  stream  from  the 
south,  and  ascended  it  to  the  head  of  canoe  navi- 
gation. It  was  a clear  and  beautiful  stream,  full 
of  zoological  wonders,  and  its  Venezuelan  name 
was  Canyo  del  Toro,  or  Bull  Creek.  On  the  way 
up,  our  bow  boatman  checked  the  speed  of  the 
canoe,  pointed  to  a straight,  round  stick  of  wood 
floating  in  the  water  about  a foot  below  the  sur- 
face, and  said  in  an  awe-struck  tone,  “ Trem- 
blador!  Grande!” 

The  stick  of  wood  was  smooth,  barkless,  and  of 
a bluish-gray  color;  and  in  reality  it  was  a large 
specimen  of  the  renowned  and  dreaded  Electric 
Eel. 

Acting  on  the  collector’s  principle  that  the 
first  specimen  seen  must  be  the  first  one  taken, 
my  companion  poised  his  capybara  spear,  and 
drove  it  into  the  creature’s  body.  The  detach- 
able head  promptly  came  off,  and  the  spearman 
held  fast  to  the  handle. 

Instantly  the  big  Eel  became  a storm  centre 
of  the  first  magnitude;  and  it  writhed  and  strug- 
gled, and  thrashed  about  until  it  struck  against 
the  handle  of  the  spear.  Mr.  Jackson  received 
such  a shock  that  he  cried  out  from  the  pain  of  it, 
and  dropped  the  spear-handle,  which  floated  on 
the  water. 

But  not  for  long.  My  friend  recovered  his 
spear-handle,  and  drew  the  fiercely  struggling 
Eel  within  striking  distance  of  the  canoe.  When- 


ever it  struck  the  side  of  the  boat,  either  with 
head  or  tail,  we  were  thrilled  by  a shock.  At 
last,  two  or  three  severe  blows  on  the  head,  with 
the  club  used  for  killing  capybaras,  seemed  to 
settle  matters,  and  against  the  protests  of  An- 
tonio, the  creature  was  dragged  aboard. 

To  all  appearances,  the  Eel  was  dead;  but  a 
few  moments  later  when  Antonio  chanced  to 
touch  it  with  his  bare  foot,  at  once  he  broke  out 
in  a torrent  of  anathemas  upon  all  “ trembladors.” 
As  an  e.xperiment,  I touched  its  head  with  the 
tip  of  my  finger,  and  instantly  received  a shock 
so  severe  that  my  nerves  tingled  for  an  hour.  X 
more  vigorous  application  of  the  capybara  club 
finally  killed  the  creature,  and  its  electric  power 
died  with  it. 

This  specimen  measured  6 feet  4 inches  in 
length,  and  I believe  that  when  delivered  to  ad- 
vantage its  electric  power  was  sufficient  to  ad- 
minister a severe  shock  to  the  largest  elephant. 
Woe  to  the  crocodile  or  shark  which  attempts 
to  dine  or  sup  at  the  expense  oi  ' Gym-no' tus  clcc'- 
tricus!  While  on  the  Canyo  del  Toro  we  saw 
about  ten  specimens,  always  of  the  same  float- 
ing-stick appearance,  and  captured  four. 

The  Lamper  “Eel,”  as  the  Lamprey  is  very 
frequently  called,  is  not  a true  eel  of  any  sort, 
and  it  will  be  found  in  its  proper  place,  immedi- 
ately following  the  fishes.  It  is  so  low  in  the 
zoological  scale  that  for  it  and  kindred  forms  a 
separate  Class  has  been  provided. 


CHAPTER  LVI 


THE  ORDER  OF  PIPE-FISHES  AND  SEA-HORSES 

LOPHOBRANCIII 


At  the  foot  of  the  Subclass  of  Bony  Fishes, 
stand  certain  small  creatures,  each  of  which  is  so 
fantastic  in  form  that  it  requires  to  be  introduced 
with  the  solemn  assurance,  “This  is  a fish! ” At 
first  glance,  any  one  wholly  unacquainted  with 
them  might  from  their  hard  external  shells  be 
inclined  to  regard  them  as  particularly  odd  crus- 
taceans; but  the  presence  of  tiny  fins  without, 
and  skeletons  more  or  less  bony  within,  place 
them  fairly  within  the  confines  of  the  Bony  Fishes. 

The  Great  Pipe-Fish'  is  a long, 
slender  stalk  of  jointed  bone,  with 
queer  little  fins  very  far  apart,  and 
a head  that  terminates  in  a long,  hol- 
low tube.  But  for  this  very  tough  and 
persistent  bony  armor,  other  small 
fishes  would  devour  the  Pipe-Fishes, 
bit  by  bit,  as  children  bite  off  sticks 
of  candy.  Its  armor  is  so  stiff,  how- 
ever, that  the  wearer  moves  slowly 
and  with  difficulty,  and  the  pre}'  usually 
sought  by  this  fish  is  found  very  small 
and  weak,  hiamg  in  the  branches  of 
sea-weed,  coral  clusters,  sponges,  and 
the  sea-grasses  generally.  It  was  for 
insertion  into  such  hunting-grounds  as 
these  that  the  long,  tubular  snout  of 
this  fish  has  been  developed. 

The  Pipe-Fishes  swim  in  a half  ver- 
tical position,  as  if  literally  leading  up 
to  the  introduction  of  the  next  species, 
which  swims  bolt  upright  in  the  water,  and 
fairly  caps  the  climax  in  fishes.  All  the  Pipe- 
Fishes  are  small  creatures.  Our  largest  species 
is  found  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  “reaches  a 
length  of  IS  inches.”  (.Iordan  and  Evermann.) 
There  exists  in  North  .\merican  waters  about 
thirty  species. 

The  Sea-Horse’  bears  not  the  faintest  resem- 

' Si/ng-na'lhus  a'ciis. 

^ Hip-po-cam-pus  liep-tag'o-nus. 


blance  to  a typical  fish,  and  is  the  strangest-look- 
ing  creature  of  the  whole  fish  w'orld.  It  looks 
like  a Chinese  dragon,  reduced  about  a thousand 
diameters.  Its  minute  pectoral  fins  are  so  in- 
conspicuous they  are  at  first  quite  unnoticed,  and 
the  fan-shaped  dorsal  fin  seems  when  in  action 
like  a stationary  fan  with  which  the  outlandish 
creature  frequently  tries  to  fan  itself. 

At  all  times  the  Sea-Horse  swims  in  a perpen- 
dicular attitude,  and  with  its  prehensile  tail  it 


holds  itself  stationary  by  grasping  any  inanimate 
object  that  either  grows  upon  the  bottom  or 
floats  in  the  water.  Like  the  pipe-fish,  it  is  com- 
pletely encased  in  a strong  suit  of  bony  plate- 
armor.  The  average  aquarium  Sea-Horse  is  sel- 
dom more  than  4 inches  in  length,  but  the  Gigan- 
tic species  {H.  ingens)  of  the  Pacific  coast  “reaches 
a length  of  nearly  a foot.”  (.1.  & E.)  The  small- 
est species,  found  abundantly  about  Pensacola,  is 
only  2 inches  long. 

423 


1.  GREAT  PIPE-FISH. 

2.  THE  SE.A-HORSE. 


CHAPTER  LVII 


THE  ORDER  OF  THE  DOGFISH 

IIALECOMORPHI 


To  naturalists,  the  Dogfish'  is  a creature  of  the  gar  pikes.  It  is  of  scientific  interest,  only, 


much  interest.  Like  the  prong-horned  antelope, 
it  is  so  unique  and  peculiar  that  it  has  been  nec- 
essary to  create  for  it  a grand  division  of  classifi- 
cation which  it  occupies  all  alone.  The  antelope 
is  only  a Family,  but  this  fish  is  a whole  Order. 
Its  other  English  names  are  Mudfish,  Bowfin, 
Grindle  and  Lawyer;  and  since  Linnaeus  chris- 
tened it  Amia  calva,  in  1766,  eleven  other  natural- 
ists have  given  it  eleven  other  names  in  Latin. 


THE  DOGFISH. 

The  Dogfish  has  an  air-bladder  that  is  di\dded 
into  cells,  and  is  a half-developed  lung.  At  in- 
tervals it  ascends  to  the  surface  of  the  water, 
gulps  down  a mouthful  of  air,  just  as  a turtle 
does,  and  descends  again.  If  hindered  from  rising 
when  the  time  comes  to  take  in  a supply  of  fresh 
air,  the  fish  struggles  violently,  like  a mammal 
about  to  be  drowned;  but  it  can  expel  air  while 
below  the  surface.  This  character  indicates  that 
lungs  were  first  developed  in  fishes,  from  modifi- 
cations of  their  air-bladders.  Other  characters 
establish  a distinct  relationship  with  the  gar 
fishes,  and  place  it  in  the  Subclass  Ganoidea. 
The  dorsal  fin  is  low,  of  uniform  height  through- 
out, and  is  about  one-half  as  long  as  the  entire  fish. 

By  its  general  anatomy,  this  fish  appears  to 
stand  midway  between  the  true  lung-fishes  and 
' .1  m-i'a  cal'va. 


for,  save  to  the  negroes  of  the  South,  its  flesh  is 
quite  unpalatable,  and  valueless  as  food.  It  is 
an  inhabitant  of  sluggish  fresh  waters,  attains  a 
length  of  2 feet,  and  12  pounds  weight.  It  is 
found  in  the  great  lakes,  the  Mississippi  valley 
generally,  and  in  a few  fresh-water  streams  on 
the  southern  Atlantic  coast. 

The  individuality  of  the  Dogfish  is  very  posi- 
tive and  interesting.  Among  the  small  fry  of 
other  fishes  its  voracious  appetite 
renders  it  very  destructive  to 
species  of  more  value  than  itself. 
Mr.  Charles  Hallock,  who  knows 
it  well,  has  thus  set  forth  the  salient 
points  of  its  moral  character: 
“They  take  frogs,  minnows,  and 
sometimes  the  spoon.  Their  habi- 
tat is  deep  water,  where  they  drive 
everything  before  them.  They  arc 
very  voracious  and  savage.  Their  teeth  are  .so 
sharp  and  their  jaws  so  strong  they  have  been 
known  to  bite  a two-pound  fish  clean  in  two  the 
very  first  snap.  They  are  as  tenacious  of  life  as 
an  eel.  The  young,  when  about  six  inches  long, 
make  a famous  bait  for  pickerel  and  pike.  To 
use  it,  run  the  hook  into  the  mouth  right  u]> 
through  the  centre  of  the  head, through  the  brains, 
cast  a hundred  times,  catch  several  fish,  and  at 
the  end  of  three  to  six  hours  he  will  kick  like  a 
mule.” 

“Put  a hundred  in  a rain-barrel,  and  you  can 
keep  them  all  summer  without  change  of  water. 
For  the  aquarium,  the  young  have  no  equal,  and 
on  account  of  the  spot  in  the  tail  they  are  quite 
attractive;  but  nothing  else  than  snails  can  live 
in  the  tank.  He  will  kill  a lizard  or  any  other 
living  thing  the  instant  it  touches  the  water.” 


424 


CHAPTER  LVIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  GAR  FISHES,  OR  GANOIDS 

GINGL  YMODI 


To  the  scientific  student,  the  Gar  Pike  of  the 
middle  eastern  states,  and  the  big;  Alligator 
Gar  of  the  Gulf  states  are  two  of  the  most  inter- 
esting fishes  of  our  whole  finny  fauna.  They 
are  the  living  representatives  of  a wonderful  lot 
of  dead-and-gone  species  which  many  thousand 
years  ago  laid  the  foundations  of  the  fish  world.- 
By  means  of  the  impregnable  bony  armor  with 
which  Nature  wisely  provided  them,  they  have 
been  able  to  withstand  the  attacks  of  the  enemies 
that  otherwise  would  have  exterminated  them. 

The  simplest,  and  therefore  the  earliest,  forms 
of  fishes  are  some  of  the  Gan'oids, — as  the  ar- 
mored fishes  are  called, — whose  remains  now  exist 
only  in  the  rocks  of  the  Devonian 
age,  far  down  toward  the  strata  which 
were  formed  before  life  was.  The 
first  of  these  fishes — and  they  w'ere 
well-nigh  the  first  of  all  fishes — had 
their  heads  completely  encased  in 
solid  bone,  their  eyes  were  placed  in 
the  tops  of  their  heads,  and  they  must 
have  lived  upon  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  And  who 
shall  say  how  many  years  have  passed  since  the 
days  when  their  dead  bodies  sank  in  the  mud 
along  the  shores  they  frequented?  To-day  they 
are  found  high  up  in  the  rocky  cliffs  of  Devon- 
shire, England. 

It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  ar- 
mored fishes  were  not  the  onl}’^  ones  which  existed 
in  those  early  days.  The  same  rocks  have  yielded 
to  science  the  remains  of  lung-fishes,  sharks,  and 
sturgeons;  but  the  so-called  “bony  fishes”  of  to- 
day were  undoubtedly  of  later  development  than 
the  foregoing. 

Our  two  Gar  Fishes  are  therefore  to  be  regarded 
as  living  relics  of  the  Devonian  age,  or  “Age  of 
Fishes.”  There  are  others ; but  for  an  introduction 
to  them,  as  well  as  the  fossil  form.s,  the  reader  is 
referred  to  Le  Conte’s  “ Geology.” 

The  Long-Nosed  Gar  Pike’  is  the  species 
' Lep-i-dos'te-us  os'se-us. 


which  is  nearest  at  hand,  and  most  accessible  to 
teachers  and  students.  It  is  found  in  the  great 
lakes,  and  in  large  streams  generally  from  New; 
Jersey  to  Mexico,  and  northw'ard  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi valley  to  Minnesota.  It  is  frequently 
called  the  Bill-Fish  and  the  Gar.  It  is  said  to  be 
destructive  to  the  young  of  other  fishes,  but  Dr. 
Goode  declares  that  fish  remains  are  “rarely 
found  in  its  stomach.”  Its  flesh  is  unfit  for  food, 
and,  except  to  educators,  the  fish  is  valueless.  It 
is  said  to  attain  a maximum  length  of  from  5 to  6 
feet,  but  specimens  exceeding  3 feet  are  very  rare, 
and  the  majority  are  certainly  under  that  length. 

The  armor  of  this  fish  is  more  jjcrfect  than  any 


plate  armor  that  man  could  make  for  it.  It  con- 
sists of  diagonal  whorls  of  solid  and  highly  polished 
])lates  of  bone,  each  divided  into  scale-like  sec- 
tions, and  so  hinged  together  that  while  fully  pro- 
tected the  fish  has  abundant  freedom  of  move- 
ment. The  dried  skin  of  a Gar  Pike  is  as  hard  and 
unyielding  as  a cylinder  of  sheet  iron. 

In  about  the  same  waters  as  the  preceding 
species,  and  very  much  like  it,  lives  the  Short- 
Nosed  Gar  Pike  (Lcpidos'teus  platys'tomus). 

The  Alligator  Gar''  is  a giant  in  comparison 
with  both  the  above  species,  sometimes  attaining 
6 feet  in  length.  It  is  essentially  a fish  of  the 
South,  and  inhabits  the  large  streams — and  also 
many  small  ones — of  all  the  Gulf  states,  Mexico 
and  Cuba.  It  is  readily  recognized  by  its  short 
and  broad  snout,  which  is  strongly  suggestive  of 
the  head  of  an  alligator. 

As  an  instance  of  the  manner  in  which  fishes 
^ Lep-i-dos'te-us  spat’u-la. 


LONG-NOSED  GAR  PIKE. 


425 


426 


OEDEES  OF  PISHES— GAE  FISHES 


sometimes  perish  through  natural  causes,  and 
become  fossil,  Mr.  Frederic  S.  Webster  tells  the 
story  of  a death  pool  near  the  Rio  Grande.  While 
collecting  birds  near  Brownsvdlle,  Texas,  he  dis- 
covered a large  pool  which  had  been  filled  by  the 
overflow  of  the  river,  but  afterward  entirely  cut 
off  by  the  receding  of  the  flood  waters.  A muddy 
pool  seventy-five  feet  long  by  twenty-five  feet 
wide  was  crowded  full  of  Alligator  Gars,  li\dng, 
dying  and  dead,  varying  in  size  from  two  feet  to 
six.  Mr.  Webster  estimated  that  that  tiny  area  of 
water  and  mud,  no  larger  than  a fair-sized  ball- 
room, contained  between  700  and  800  fishes,  all 
doomed  to  speedy  annihilation  by  the  evapora- 


tion of  the  remaining  water.  When  he  discharged 
his  shot-gun  into  the  mass,  pandemonium  ensued. 
The  pool  became  a seething  mass  of  frantic  life, 
and  the  wild  rushing  to  and  fro  of  the  large  fishes 
actually  threw  smaller  ones  into  the  air. 

A million  years  from  now,  the  few  men  of  sci- 
ence who  have  not  yet  perished  from  cold  may 
discover  on  the  summit  of  a lofty,  rock-ribbed 
mesa  at  the  edge  of  a great  desert,  a marv'ellous  de- 
posit of  fossil  Alligator  Gars,  and  wonder  how  so 
many  fishes  chose  to  die  in  the  same  spot.  But 
only  the  rocks  will  then  be  able  to  tell  the  story 
of  Mr.  Webster’s  Pool,  and  the  world  will  be  too 
cold  to  care  for  it. 


CHAPTER  LIX 


THE  ORDER  OF  STURGEONS 

GLANIOSTOMI 


A sturgeon  is  a big,  shark-like,  wedge-headed 
fish,  which  looks  as  if  Nature  had  once  decided 
to  cover  it  with  a bullet-proof  suit  of  bony  armor, 
but,  after  setting  three  or  four  rows  of  plates  on 
each  side,  had  grown  weary  of  the  task,  and  aban- 
doned it.  Had  the  plan  been  wrought  out  to  a 
finish,  it  would  now  be  necessary  to  skin  every 
sturgeon  with  an  axe. 

The  mouth  of  a sturgeon  is  situated  under- 
neath the  head,  and  is  provided  with  long,  sucker- 


sturgeons  are  distributed  at  intervals  throughout 
the  northern  portion  of  the  north  temperate  zone, 
across  America,  Europe  and  Asia.  The  American 
species  are  but  four  in  number. 

The  Lake  Sturgeon*  is  from  5 to  6 feet  in  aver- 
age length,  weighs  from  30  to  40  pounds,  and  in- 
habits the  great  lakes  and  adjacent  connecting 
waters  of  good  depth. 

The  Short-Nosed  Stui^eon^  is  a salt-water 
species,  found  along  our  Atlantic  and  Gulf  coasts, 


LAKE  STURGEON. 


like  lips,  for  taking  food  off  the  bottom.  The 
principal  food  of  sturgeons  is  small,  thin-shelled 
mollusks,  and  other  fishes  are  not  eaten  save  on 
occasions  so  rare  they  are  not  worthy  of  note. 

From  the  coast  of  California  to  the  Caspian  Sea, 
wherever  they  are  found,  sturgeons  are  fishes  of 
desirability,  and  of  commercial  value  in  direct 
j:)roportion  to  their  size.  Their  smoked  flesh  is 
by  many  considered  equal  in  flavor  to  halibut, 
and  “caviar”  is  only  the  society  name  of  air- 
tight sturgeon  eggs.  The  twenty  living  species  of 

427 


from  Cape  Cod  to  Texas.  This  is  a small  species, 
only  about  2 feet  in  length,  and  is  of  no  importance. 

The  Common  Sturgeon^  of  our  Atlantic  coast 
is  the  largest  and  most  valuable  member  of  this 
Order  in  American  w'aters.  It  attains  a length 
of  10  feet,  and  500  pounds  in  weight,  and  to-day 
at  Wilmington,  Delaware,  its  centre  of  abundance, 
a large  specimen  represents  about  $75  worth  of 
commercial  value.  The  most  valuable  part  is  the 

* Ac-i-'pen' ser  ru-bi-cun'dus. 

® A . hre-vi-ros'tris.  ® A . stu'ri-o. 


i28 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— STURGEOXS 


roe,  a cask  of  which,  weighing  130  pounds,  is  worth 

$110. 

The  White  Stui^eon^  inhabits  the  waters  of 
the  Pacific  from  southern  California  to  Alaska, 
and  the  records  show  it  to  be  a giant  among  food 
fishes.  Jordan  and  Evermann  quote  it  up  to  13 
feet  in  length,  and  weighing  1,000  pounds;  but 
the  weight  of  any  animal,  dead  or  alive,  which 
ends  with  two  ciphers  is  certain  to  be  a weight 
of  Estimate,  and  not  of  Fairbanks.  Strangely 
enough  numerous  specimens  of  this  Sturgeon 


have  been  taken  in  Idaho,  in  the  Snake  River, 
weighing  from  100  to  650  pounds.  “An  example 
1 1 feet  2 inches  long  measured  2 feet  across  the 
head.”  (Jordan  and  Evermann.) 

The  latest  reports  on  the  Sturgeon  industry 
generally  are  for  12  months  during  1897  and  1898. 
During  that  period,  17  states  participated  in  a 
catch  which  amounted  to  5,726,830  pounds,  which 
sold  for  $321,036.  The  catch  in  Oregon  was  nearly 
two  million  pounds,  that  of  New  Jersey  868,326, 
and  Virginia  next. 


* Ac-i-pen'ser  A trans-mon-tan' us. 


CHAPTER  LX 


THE  ORDER  OF  THE  PADDLE-FISH 

SELACHOSTOMI 


THE  PADDLE-FISH. 


To  some  persons,  the  big  Paddle-Fish,*  or 
Shovel-Xosed  “Sturgeon,”  as  it  is  more  com- 
monly called,  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  fresh  water. 
Here  we  find  a case  of  what  naturalists  call  “spe- 
cialization ” which  has  gone  to  an  astonishing  ex- 
treme. This  is  a scaleless  fish,  with  a body  very 
much  like  a shark,  and  a half-cartilaginous,  .shark- 
like  skeleton.  It  has  a low-browed,  armor-plated 
head  that  runs  forward  into  a broad,  thin  paddle 
of  bone,  one-third  the  length  of  the  entire  fish. 

Beyond  doubt,  this  remarkable  implement  is 
used  in  turning  up  the  mud  and  gravel  of  the  bot- 
toms of  the  streams  in  which  the  owner  lives,  in 
searching  for  food.  It  is  unfortunate  that  we 
never  can  see  it  in  action,  and  still  more  so  that 
this  fish  has  not  yet  been  kept  successfully  in 
aijuaria.  Mr.  Charles  H.  Townsend  says  that  in 
captivity  they  always  injure  their  paddles  against 
the  sides  of  their  tanks,  and  do  not  live  longer  than 
two  or  three  weeks. 

' Po-hj'o-don  spath'u-la. 


In  “American  Food  and  (!ame  Fishes,”  Drs. 
Jordan  and  Evermann  give  a number  of  size  rec- 
ords of  this  fish  which  will  be  a surprise  to 
many  persons  who,  like  the  writer,  have  seen  and 
handled  only  medium-sized  specimens.  The 
figures  given  show  length  in  inches,  and  weight 
in  pounds. 

In.  Lbs. 


Lake  Mauitou,  Ind.,  heaviest  on  record . ^ 16,3 

Lake  Tippecanoe,  Ind.  (W.  C.  Harris), 

length 74  150 

Chautauqua  Lake,  N.  Y.,  length 74  254 

St.  Louis  (Dr.  Engelman),  length  ....  70  79 

White  River,  S.  Dakota  (J.  and  E.), 

length 53  18 


The  latest  record  is  interesting  as  showing  the 
light  weight  of  what  was  a long,  but  very  slender 
specimen.  Judging  from  all  available  evidence, 

^ This  fish  and  the  one  next  noted  was  4 feet  in 
girth. 


UNDER  VIEW  OF  THE  PADDLE-FISH. 

429 


430 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES— THE  PADDLE-FISH 


and  personal  observations,  I should  place  the 
average  length  of  the  Paddle-Fish  at  45  inches, 
and  weight  25  to  30  pounds. 

The  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Fisheries’  records  show  that 
this  fish  is  now  coming  into  use  as  food,  and  is  find- 
ing a ready  sale  in  the  markets  of  the  region  it  in- 
habits. In  some  places  its  flesh  is  smoked  and  sold 
as  sturgeon.  Its  eggs,  which  are  very  numerous, 
and  greenish-black  in  color,  make  excellent  caviar, 
and  are  being  so  utilized  at  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
and  along  the  ^Mississippi,  in  Mississippi  and 
Tennessee. 


In  1899,  sixteen  states  participated  in  the 
catching  of  Paddle-Fish,  Mississippi  leading  with 
981,080  pounds,  and  followed  by  Arkansas,  Ten- 
nessee, Illinois  and  Missouri,  in  the  order  named. 
The  total  catch  was  2,543,950  pounds,  valued  at 
$82,343. 

In  a limited  sense  the  Paddle-Fish  inhabits  the 
Mississippi  valley,  from  Louisiana  to  Minnesota, 
the  Ohio,  and  the  ilissouri  to  South  Dakota, 
which  is  a wide  range  for  a fish  so  peculiarly 
formed. 


CHAPTER  LXI 


THE  ORDER  OF  THE  CHIMERAS 


CHIMAEROIDEI 


The  Chimeras  are  introduced  for  the  purpose 
of  making  our  series  of  fish  Orders  reasonably 
complete,  and  not  because  of  anticipated  personal 
acquaintance  with  them.  For  fifteen  or  twenty 
years  one  may  live  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  frequent 
its  fish  markets,  and  fish  occasionally  at  first 
hand,  without  once  seeing  either  a live  Chimera, 
or  one  freshly  caught.  They  inhabit  blue  water 


The  Spotted  Chimera,^  figured  herewith,  is 
said  to  be  extremely  abundant  just  off  the  borders 
of  the  submerged  plateau  that  extends  all  along 
the  northwest  coast  of  the  United  States.  It  was 
frequently  taken  in  the  dredge  hauls  made  by 
the  steamship  Albatross,  the  majority  of  the  spec- 
imens being  under  2 feet  in  length. 

Like  all  the  members  of  this  Order, — the  total 


SPOTTED  CHIMERA. 


only,  have  no  commercial  value  save  as  scientific 
specimens,  and  in  our  Atlantic  waters  are  rarely 
caught  elsewhere  than  on  the  off-shore  fishing 
banks  of  New  England. 

As  a natural  result  of  these  conditions,  the 
shark-like  chimaeroids  are  the  least  known  of 
all  the  fishes  that  inhabit  our  shore  waters.  In- 
deed, there  are  several  species  of  deep-sea  fishes 
that  are  much  more  common  in  fish  collections 
than  they  appear  to  be  elsewhere.  One  species, 
however,  of  the  Pacific  coast,  has  been  studied 
by  Dr.  Bashford  Dean,  and  it  will  be  set  forth 
on  the  strength  of  his  description.* 

*“  Fishes,  Living  and  Fossil,”  Columbia  Univer- 
sity Biological  Series,  page  100. 


number  of  which  is  very  small, — this  species  re- 
sembles a big-eyed  shark  with  a cutlass-fish  tail. 

The  head  is  blunt  and  very  thick,  and  from  it 
the  body  gradually  tapers  down  to  the  whip-like 
tail.  The  skin  is  smooth,  and  the  paired  fins 
are  shark-like. 

The  front  dorsal  fin  is  provided  with  anterior 
spine-folds,  like  a fan,  and  may  be  depressed  into 
a sheath  in  the  body-wall. 

The  sense  organs  are  similar  to  those  of  sharks, 
and  the  visceral  parts  also  are  shark-like.  The 
skeleton  is  cartilaginous,  and  the  vertebral  axis 
is  notochordal.  Of  the  embryology  and  life  his- 
tory of  the  Chimeras  generally,  practically  noth- 
ing is  known. 

Chi-me'ra  col'le-i. 


CHAPTER  LXII 


THE  ORDER  OF  SHARKS 

SQUALI 


We  have  now  reached  the  subclass  of  Carti- 
laginous Fishes. 

And  what  is  a “ car-ti-lag'i-nous  fish?” 
Cartilage  is  a bloodless  tissue,  commonly  called 
gristle,  flexible  but  not  elastic,  quite  colorless,  of 
the  consistency  of  cheese-rind,  and  of  use  in  the 


1. 


MACKEREL  SHARK,  WITH  REMORA  ATTACHED 
2.  HAMMER-HEAD  SHARK. 


anatomy  of  animals  for  sustaining  or  connecting 
softer  parts.  The  external  ear  of  man  consists 
chiefly  of  a convoluted  wing  of  cartilage  covered 
with  skin.  The  so-called  “breast-bone”  of  man 


is  a tree-like  development  of  cartilage  designed 
to  bridge  together  the  outer  ends  of  the  principal 
ribs,  protect  with  some  firmness  the  vital  organs 
within,  and  yet  permit  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  chest 
in  breathing. 

The  Cartilaginous  Fishes,  embracing  the  sharks, 
rays,  skates  and  intermediate  forms, 
are  those  whose  skeletons  are  largely 
composed  of  plates  and  stems  of  car- 
tilage, or  gristle  and  but  little  bone. 
Instead  of  bony  rays,  the  fins  of 
these  creatures  are  supported  by 
cartilaginous  rays  so  closely  joined 
together  that  they  form  plate-like 
structures. 

General  Characters  of  Sharks. — 

With  few  exceptions,  sharks  have  ex- 
ternally the  same  general  form  as  the 
typical  fishes.  Instead  of  broad,  flat 
scales  that  overlap  each  other  like 
shingles,  their  scales  are  very  mi- 
nute, horny,  sharp-pointed  and  closely 
packed  together.  When  the  skin  of 
a shark  is  stroked  from  head  to  tail, 
it  feels  like  a hair-cloth  sofa,  but  when 
stroked  the  other  way,  it  is  like  the 
sharpest  sand-paper.  For  centuries 
shark-skin  has  been  used  for  smooth- 
ing and  polishing  wood  and  other 
substances;  and  when  prepared  for 
that  use  it  is  called  “shagreen.” 
Instead  of  one  very  large  gill-open- 
ing, as  in  typical  fishes,'  a shark  has 
usually  five  small  slits  in  the  skin  be- 
hind the  gills,  which  are  capable  of 
being  tightly  closed.  In  nearly  all 
species  the  mouth  is  situated  under- 
neath the  head,  and  often  it  is  of 
enormous  proportions.  The  jaws  are  compo.sed 
of  cartilage,  the  teeth  are  usually  triangular,  and 
set  along  the  edge  of  the  jaw,  in  rows,  crosswise 
with  the  edge  of  the  mouth.  Behind  each  active 


432 


THE  WORLD’S  LARGEST  SHARKS 


433 


and  \nsible  tooth  there  is  a line  of  reserves,  from 
three  to  five  in  number,  always  growing  outward 
and  crowding  to  the  front,  so  that  as  soon  as  a 
tooth  in  the  line  of  battle  becomes  much  worn, 
or  in  any  way  weakened  or  broken,  it  is  crowded 
off  the  jaw,  and  a new  tooth  is  thrust  forward  into 
its  place. 

Many  sharks  bring  forth  their  young  alive;  but 
others  (the  majority,  perhaps)  lay  eggs.  Some 
of  the  egg  cases  are  of  remarkable  form.  Some 
of  them  are  rectangular,  flattened,  and  provided 
at  each  corner  with  a long,  threadlike  tendril 
with  which  to  attach  to  any  fixed  object. 

Sharks  very  rarely  exhibit  color  patterns,  or 
bright  colors  of  any  kind.  As  befits  pirates  and 
freebooters,  they  are  mostly  ashy  gray,  or  drab, — 
the  most  inconspicuous  colors  at  sea,  both  for 
sharks  and  men-of-war.  The  small  Tiger  Shark, 
of  Ceylon  {Stegastoma  tigrinum),  is  one  of  the 
few  sharks  of  variegated  colors,  and  its  handsome 
pattern  of  yellow  and  black  is  a welcome  varia- 
tion. 

Only  a few  of  the  whole  150  species  of  sharks 
can  rightly  be  classed  as  “man-eaters.”  A typ- 
ical “ man-eating  shark  ” is  one  which  is  very  large, 
exceedingly  voracious,  practically  devoid  of  fear 
of  mankind,  and  so  aggressive  that  it  will  attack 
a swimmer  at  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  devour 
him  regardless  of  his  resistance.  The  standard 
prey  for  sharks  consists  of  small  fishes,  squid, 
jelly-fishes,  crabs,  lobsters  and  other  non-com- 
batants. 

Occasionally,  however,  the  big  Tiger  Shark^ 
of  the  -\tlantic  chooses  a victim  in  his  own  class 
as  a fighter.  Dr.  Goode  notes  the  capture,  by 
Captain  .\twood  at  Provincetown,  Mass.,  of  a 
specimen  which  contained  “ nearly  a whole  full- 
grown  sword-fish;”  and  “ten  or  twelve  wounds 
in  the  skin  of  the  shark  gave  evidence  of  the  con- 
test that  must  have  occurred.” 

The  “ man-eater  shark  ” is  not  a myth,  for  that 
name  is  applied  to  the  great  white  shark,  a species 
which  ranges  from  our  .Atlantic  coast  to  Australia, 
and  on  to  California.  In  the  tropics  it  attains  a 
length  of  30  feet.  With  us  this  creature  is  rated 
' Gal-e-oc' er-do  li-gri'nus. 


as  “exceedingly  rare,”  and  judging  from  Dr. 
Goode’s  notes,  not  more  than  a dozen  specimens 
are  caught  and  identified  in  a century.  The  only 
lo-ss  of  life  from  it  on  our  coast,  so  far  as  recorded, 
occurred  in  1830. 

It  is  indeed  fortunate,  and  merciful  to  man- 
kind, that  sharks  generally  are  harmless  to  man. 
Were  they  otherwise,  the  terrors  of  the  sea  would 
be  greatly  increased. 

The  Mackerel  Shark'-^  is  a fair  type  of  the 
sharks  of  the  world.  It  is  common  along  both 
coasts  of  the  United  States,  and  the  length  of 
fully-grown  specimens  is  between  9 and  10  feet. 

The  Hammer-Head  Shark  “ is  a genuine  curi- 
osity. With  no  intermediate  forms  leading  up  to 
this  strange  departure,  the  head  of  this  creature 
suddenly  thrusts  out  on  each  side  a great  shelf  of 
cartilage  and  skin,  in  the  outermost  edge  of  which 
the  eye  is  situated ! It  is  like  a flat-headed  shark 
with  a seven-inch  board'twenty  inches  long  placed 
squarely  across  its  forehead.  This  species  is 
found  in  the  seas  of  the  tropics  and  subtropics, 
practically  around  the  world.  Once  when  the 
writer  was  approaching  the  coast  of  Barbadoes, 
on  a sailing  vessel,  a large  Hammer-Head  swam 
for  fifteen  minutes  close  to  the  bow  of  the  ship, 
and  quite  near  the  surface.  In  the  Havana 
market  I once  obtained  a specimen  nearly  ten  feet 
long.  This  species  brings  forth  its  young  alive, 
and  occasionally  specimens  are  taken  as  far 
north  as  New  Jersey. 

Sizes  of  Sharks. — The  majority  of  the  species 
of  sharks  are  under  8 feet  in  length,  and  a few  are 
as  small  as  2 feet,  when  adult.  The  largest  spe- 
cies are  the  following: 

The  Basking  Shark  (Rhinodon  typicus)  . 45  ft. 
The  Bone  Shark  {Cetorhinus  maximus)  36  “ 

The  Man-Eater  or  White  Shark  (Car- 


charodon  carcharias) 30  “ 

The  Great  Tiger  Shark  {Galeocerdo  ti- 

grinus) 30  “ 

The  Hammer-Head  (Sphyrna  zygaena).  15  “ 
The  Blue  Shark  {Carcharias  caeruleus)  . 15  “ 
The  Thresher  Shark  {Alopias  vulpes)  . . 15  “ 
The  Mackerel  Shark  {Lamna  cornubica)  10  “ 
‘ Lam'na  cor-nu'bi-ca.  ^ Sphyr'na  zy-gae'na. 


CHAPTER  LXIII 


THE  ORDER  OF  RAYS  AND  SKATES 

RAIAE 


The  rays  and  skates  are  merely  flat-bottomed, 
side-wheel  sharks,  built  to  navigate  very  shallow 
waters.  From  the  typical  shark  down  to  the 
broadest  and  flattest  ray,  the  change  of  form  is 
shown  by  a beautifully  complete  series  of  living 
links,  several  of  which  it  has  been  my  privilege  to 
handle  and  dissect  fresh  from  their  home  waters. 

Of  these  connecting  links,  the  most  interesting 
is  the  rare  and  wonderful  Shark-Ray,*  of  the 


and  thinness.  But  the  long,  fleshy  body  and  tri- 
angular head  still  proclaim  very  unmistakably 
the  line  of  relationship  with  the  sharks.  Several 
species  representing  this  intermediate  type  are 
found  in  our  waters,  but  they  are  not  common, 
and  the  real  home  of  the  genus  is  in  the  tropics  and 
subtropics. 

The  Sawfish,’  of  the  Florida  coast,  and  many 
portions  of  the  tropics  farther  south,  is  celebrated 


Indian  Ocean,  a fine  specimen  of  which  was  caught 
for  me  in  the  shallow  waters  between  Ceylon 
and  India.  It  is  as  nearly  as  possible  half  shark 
and  half  Ray,  and  is  shown  in  the  accompanying 
illustration. 

Between  this  and  the  typical  ray  stands  the 
Beaked  Ray,’  much  flatter  than  the  preceding, 
and  with  the  pectoral  fins  taking  on  ray-like  spread 

* Rhnm-pho-ba'lis  an-cy-Ios'to-rnns. 

’ Of  the  genus  Rhi-no-ba'tix.  The  species  some- 
times seen  on  the  coast  of  Florida  is  R.  len-tig-i- 
no'sus. 


among  fishes  because  of  the  very  long,  flat  beak  of 
bone  which  projects  forward  from  its  snout,  armed 
on  both  sides  with  formidable  teeth.  The  length 
of  this  saw  is  more  than  one-third  the  length  of 
the  head,  body  and  tail.  It  is,  we  may  safely 
assert,  strictly  a weapon  of  defence,  not  offence; 
for  unless  it  is  used  as  a shovel  in  searching  for 
mollusks  and  other  food  on  the  bottom  of  the  sea, 
it  is  useless  in  the  search  for  food. 

When  the  Sawfish  is  threatened  with  attack, 
however,  it  defends  itself  by  quickly  curving  side- 
’ Pris'tis  pec-ti-na'lus. 


THE  SAWFISH 


435 


wise,  thereby  giving  a sweeping  sidewise  stroke 
with  its  saw,  and  swiftly  repeating  it  in  the  op- 
posite direction.  On  a Sawfish  fourteen  feet  in 
length,  the  saw  is  about  four  and  a half  feet  long, 
and  the  teeth  project  about  one  and  a half  inches 
from  the  bone. 

This  creature  is  an  intermediate  form  between 
the  sharks  and  the  typical  rays,  and  in  reality  it  is 
a shark-ray.  Its  eyes  are  a-top  of  its  head,  its 
mouth  is  underneath,  its  body  in  front  of  the  dorsal 
fin  is  (juite  well  flattened,  and  its  pectoral  fins  have 
“ray”  written  all  over  them.  The  maximum 


tends  outward  to  the  very  tips  of  the  wing-like 
fins.  Upon  this  is  laid  a thin  layer  of  flesh,  and 
over  all  is  spread  the  rough  and  tough  skin.  The 
tail  is  like  a long,  stiff  whip,  with  a many-barbed 
bone  stiletto  midway, — a very  dangerous  weapon 
to  be  so  carelessly  exposed. 

To  a taxidermist,  the  mounting  of  a large  ray  is 
about  the  most  calamitous  task  he  can  possibly 
encounter.  The  trouble  lies  in  the  perpetual 
shrinking  after  mounting. 

The  Sting  Ray,‘  or,  by  corruption,  “Stinga- 
ree,”  is  one  of  the  greatest  pests  of  the  eastern 


THE  SAWFISH. 


length  attained  b}"  it  is  said  to  be  15  feet.  Because 
of  the  long,  flat  beak  of  this  creature,  it  has  become 
a.s.sociatcd  in  many  minds  with  the  swordfish,  but 
structuralh'  the  two  are  as  far  apart  as  a deer  and 
a bear. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  there  exists  a 
group  called  the  Order  of  Flat-Fishes  (halibuts, 
flounders  and  soles),  the  rays  are  by  far  the  flattest 
of  all  fishes.  For  example,  the  Spotted  Ray  of 
Ceylon  is  about  5 feet  across,  5 inches  thick  at  the 
centre  of  the  body,  and  at  the  edges  its  great  wings 
flatten  out  into  thin  air.  From  the  body,  which 
really  is  (|uite  small,  and  centrally  located,  a thin 
sheet  of  cartilage,  consisting  of  a great  number  of 
very  long,  jointed  rays  firmly  joined  together,  ex- 


coast of  the  American  continent.  From  Cape 
Cod  to  the  Orinoco,  and  I know  not  how  much 
farther  beyond,  this  vindictive  and  cruel  fi.sh  lies, 
assassin-like,  half  buried  in  the  sand  along  shore, 
ready  and  anxious  to  drive  its  spine  into  any 
naked  foot  that  comes  within  striking  distance. 
The  upper  surface  of  the  animal  closely  resembles 
the  loose  sand  in  which  it  hides,  and  the  spine 
makes  a ragged  and  ugly  w'ound.  The  spine  is 
long,  dagger-like,  and  barbed  like  an  arrow  all 
along  both  edges,  so  that  the  withdrawal  of  it 
from  a wound  is  very  painful.  On  the  lower 
Orinoco  I saw  a strong  man  who  was  then  in  the 
seventh  week  of  di.sability  from  the  stroke  of  a 
' Try'gon  na-bi'na. 


436 


THE  ORDER  OF  FISHES— RAYS  AYD  SKATES 


Sting  Ray  in  his  foot ; and  in  the  iMalay  Peninsula 
I treated  a Malay  fisherman  whose  hand  had  been 
completely  transfixed  by  the  spine  of  a huge  ray. 


STING  RAY. 


Fortunately,  this  abominable  creature  is  averse 
to  cold,  or  even  moderately  cool  waters,  and  is 
rarely  encountered  even  as  far  north  as  Florida. 
On  our  coast,  one  may  bathe  for  a lifetime  without 
seeing  even  one;  and  in  all  waters  they  carefully 
avoid  crowds  of  bathers. 

The  gigantic  creature  known  as  the  Devil-Fish' 
* Man' I a bi-ros'tris. 


is  the  largest  of  all  rays,  and  to  many  persons,  even 
the  most  truthful  accounts  of  some  of  its  doings 
will  seem  beyond  belief.  To  begin  with,  its  maxi- 
mum size  of  twenty  ject  across  its  “wings  ” is  al- 
most incredible.  The  towing  of  a good-sized  fish- 
ing smack  by  a harpooned  Devil-Fish,  going  for 
miles  at  race-horse  speed,  is  another  wonder  of  the 
deep. 

Many  years  ago,  the  planters  on  the  coast  of 
South  Carolina  found  royal  sport  in  harpooning 
this  monster,  and  coiujuering  it.  In  a volume  en- 
titled “Carolina  Sports,”  the  Hon.  'William  KUiott 
has  drawn  this  picture:  “Imagine  a monster 
many  feet  across  the  back,  having  jiowerful  flaps 
or  wings  with  which  he  drives  himself  furiously 
through  the  water,  or  vaults  high  in  the  air,  his 
horns  projecting  several  feet  beyond  his  mouth!” 

If  a Devil-Fish  could  leap  out  of  water, — which 
there  is  good  reason  to  suppose  that  it  could  do, — 
it  would  look  as  Mr.  Beard  has  repre.sentcd  it  in 
his  illustration. 

So  far  as  can  be  learned,  large  examples  of  this 
creature  are  now  rarely  observed,  and  still  more 
rarely  captured.  Its  centre  of  abundance  now 
appears  to  be  off  the  Gulf  coast  of  Florida;  but 
it  is  also  found  on  the  coast  of  southern  California. 


THE  DEVIL-FISH. 


CHAPTER  LXIV 


THE  LOWEST  CLASSES  OF  VERTEBRATES 


There  are  a few  creatures  which,  by  reason  of 
their  internal  skeletons  and  jointed  back-bones, 
are  justly  entitled  to  stand  with  the  vertebrates, 
but  yet  are  lower  in  the  scale  than  the  lowest 
fishes.  For  these  it  has  been  necessary  to  create 
two  grand  divisions  of  the  first  rank;  and  they 
stand  as  two  small  and  very  low  Classes.  It  is 
because  of  their  very  low  position  in  the  zoological 
scale  of  vertebrates  that  it  becomes  important  to 
know  them. 

THE  LAMPREYS. 

Class  Marsipobranchii. 

A Lamprey  is  an  aquatic  creature  which  bears 
so  strong  a resemblance  to  an  eel  that  for  a long 
period  all  lampreys  were  regarded  as  true  eels. 
Even  to-day,  the  most  important  of  our  species 
is,  by  unscientific  persons,  almost  universally 
called  the  “Lamper  Eel.”  In  view  of  the  gen- 
eral external  resemblance  of  these  creatures  to 
eels  of  similar  size,  it  is  not  strange  that  their  true 
character  remained  for  a long  period  quite  un- 
known. As  a matter  of  fact,  these  creatures  for- 
cibly illustrate  the  unwisdom  in  animal  classifica- 
tion of  attaching  too  much  importance  to  external 
characters. 

The  lampreys  are  the  lowest  and  last  creatures 
that  have  the  spinal  cord  expanded  at  its  upper 
end  into  a brain,  and  encased  in  a skull.  But  the 
skull  is  imperfectly  developed,  and  without  jaws; 
there  is  no  shoulder  girdle,  no  pelvis,  no  limbs,  no 
ribs,  and  no  paired  fins.  There  is  a single  median 
nostril,  the  gills  are  pur.se-shaped,  the  skin  is  naked 
like  that  of  an  eel,  and  the  skeleton  is  cartilaginous. 
The  gills  are  in  the  form  of  a fixed  sac,  the  gill  open- 
ings consist  of  a row  of  tiny  round  holes  along 
the  side  of  the  body,  and  the  mouth  is  specially 
formed  for  suction. 

It  is  evident  from  the  foregoing  characters  that 
the  lampreys  are  creatures  of  very  simple  form, 
lacking  almost  all  the  evidences  of  special  develop- 
ment which  characterize  the  higher  fishes.  Ex- 


ternally, their  very  modest  median  fins  are  the 
only  visible  signs  that  they  are  not  marine  worms. 

The  Sea  Lamprey*  is  the  best  and  most  avail- 
able example  of  the  Class  M ar-si-po-branch'ii. 
“The  mouth  is  completely  circular,  and  forms  a 
great  and  powerful  sucker,  surrounded  by  fleshy 
lips  that  are  supported  on  a framework  of  cartilage 
and  studded  with  tentacles.  This  mouth  is  cov- 
ered over  its  entire  interior  surface  with  strong 
teeth  arranged  in  concentric  circles.  A large 
double  tooth,  situated  above  the  aperture  of  the 
mouth,  indicates  the  situation  of  the  upper  jaw, 
and  seven  or  eight  great  teeth  represent  the  lower 
jaw.  Even  the  tongue  carries  three  large  teeth, 
deeply  serrated  on  their  edge.’” 

With  a mouth  specially  formed  and  savagely 
equipped  for  suction,  it  is  no  surprise  to  find  that 
this  creature  is  a blood-sucking  parasite,  preying 
upon  other  forms  of  marine  life.  It  is  often  found 
attached  to  shad,  sturgeon,  sharks,  cod,  halibut 
and  mackerel.  It  fastens  to  its  victim  beneath 
the  pectoral  fins,  tears  at  its  flesh  with  its  rasping 
circles  of  teeth,  and  sucks  its  blood  “until  the 
flesh  becomes  as  white  as  paper.”  Beyond  doubt, 
these  creatures  destroy  a very  considerable  num- 
ber of  valuable  food  fishes.  Fishermen  charge 
to  the  account  of  the  Lamprey  the  raw  spots  and 
sores  frequently  found  upon  the  bodies  of  stur- 
geons. 

Formerly  the  Lamprey  was  greatly  esteemed 
by  the  people  of  Massachusetts  as  a food  “fish.” 
In  the  Merrimac  River  it  was  captured  in  great 
numbers,  and  salted  down  for  winter  use. 
While  this  industry,  and  its  object,  have  both 
greatly  decreased,  in  some  portions  of  Connecticut 
the  Lamprey  is  yet  taken,  as  often  as  it  can  be 
found,  and  thankfully  consumed.  The  species 
specially  mentioned  varies  in  length  from  two  to 
three  feet,  but  the  Brook  Lamprey,  and  all  the 

’ Pet-ro-my'zon  mn-ri'nus. 

’ “ Fisherv  Industries  of  the  United  States,” 
Part  I,  P-  677. 


437 


438 


THE  LAMPEEYS  AND  LANCELETS 


fresh- water  species  are  much  smaller.  Fortu- 
nately, none  of  the  fresh-water  species  are  so  in- 
jurious to  fishes  as  the  Sea  Lamprey. 

According  to  Jordan  and  Evermann’s  “Fishes 
of  North  and  Middle  America,”  there  are  in  Ameri- 
can waters  ten  species  of  lampreys,  and  two  of 
their  very  near,  but  still  lower,  relatives,  the  Hag- 
Fishes.  They  are  scattered  at  intervals  from 
Alaska  to  New  England,  in  brooks,  rivers,  lakes, 
estuaries  and  various  other  bodies  of  shallow 
water.  They  are  most  accessible  in  fresh  water, 
on  a stony  or  gravelly  bottom ; and  whenever  in 
such  a situation  you  find  an  eel-like  creature 
holding  fast  to  a stone  by  the  suction  of  a big  flat 
mouth  on  the  end  of  its  head,  know  of  a surety 
that  it  is  a Lamprey. 


THE  LANCELETS. 

Class  Lcptocardii. 

The  long  and  interesting  chain  of  Vertebrates 
ends  in  a very  weak  and  insignificant  link.  The 
great  work  entitled  “Fishery  Industries  of  the 
United  States”  dismisses  this  creature  with  only 


two  and  a half  lines,  and  leaves  three-fourths  of 
the  page  blank. 

And  truly,  the  Lancelet,  or  Amphloxus,*  is 
not  a creature  calculated  to  arouse  enthusiasm. 
Its  skeleton  is  composed  of  membranes  and  carti- 
lages. It  has  no  brain,  nor  even  a skull  in  which 
to  develop  one.  It  is  neither  eel-like  nor  worm- 
like, but  as  its  name  implies,  it  is  shaped  like  the 
head  of  a lance.  The  middle  line  of  the  body  is 
provided  with  weak  and  indifferent  fins.  There 
is  no  proboscis,  and  the  mouth  is  slit-like,  and 
fringed  with  hair-like  filaments.  All  the  above 
characters,  and  many  others  of  a purely  technical 
nature,  are  set  forth  in  “ The  Fishes  of  North  and 
Middle  America,”  w'here  eight  species  are  recog- 
nized. 

These  small,  naked,  colorless  and  translucent 
creatures  are  found  “embedded  in  the  sand  in  the 
shallow  waters  of  warm  coasts  throughout  the 
world.”  They  are  of  special  interest  only  because 
they  are  the  lowest  of  the  \^ertebrates,  and  on  the 
whole  they  constitute  a very  ignominious  ending 
for  the  highest  grand  division  of  Nature. 

* The  West  Indian  Lancelet  (Brach-i-os'to-ma 
car-i-bae'um) , is  found  from  Beaufort,  N.  C.,  to  the 
mouth  of  the  La  Plata. 


And  thus  ends  our  bird’s-eye  view  of  the  Vertebrates,  setting  forth  the  prominent  types  and 
examples  which  every  intelligent  American  should  know.  It  is  here,  and  here  only,  that  “ speciali- 
zation” may  properly  begin!  Behind  lie  the  Mammals,  Birds,  Reptiles  and  Fishes;  beyond  lie  the 
mighty  hosts  of  the  Invertebrates, — Crustaceans,  Insects,  Mollusks  and  others.  In  any  one  of  tliese 
grand  divisions  of  life,  the  special  student  may  wander  for  a lifetime  in  a wonderland  of  his  own,  and 
to  the  last  find  each  day  filled  with  new  light  and  new  joys  in  the  unending  revelations  of  Nature. 


THE  END. 


INDEX 


Aard-Varks,  162 
Acantliopteri,  Order,  382 
Accipiter  atricapillus,  231 
“ cooperii,  230 

“ velox,  230 

Acipenser  brevirostris,  427 
“ rubicundus,  427 

“ sturio,  427 

“ transmontanus,  428 

Aetodromas  minutilla,  253 
“ Adder,”  Blowing  or  Spread- 
ing, 346 

Adams,  “ Grizzly,”  34 
Agelaius  phoenieius,  200 
Agriculture,  Department  of  (see 
Biological  Survey),  225,  240 
Aix  sponsa,  272 
Ajaia  ajaia,  264 

Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
48 

Alaudidae,  Family,  179,  206 
Albacore,  Great,  389 
Albatross,  Black-Footed,  291 , 
294 

Albatross,  Nesting  on  Laysan 
Island,  294 

Albatross,  Short-Tailed,  294 
“ Wandering,  291 
Albatross,  S.  S..  293,  431 
Alca  torda,  30.5 
Alcedinidae,  Family,  215 
Alces  americanus,  99,  139,  143 
Alcidae,  Family,  300,  302 
Allen,  Dr.  J.  A.,  134 
Alligator,  Chinese,  317,  322 
“ Mississippi,  317,  322 
“.\lligator  .Joe,”  312 
Alopias  vulpes,  433 
Alo.sa  sapidissima,  407 
Amazon,”  “Naturalist  on  the, 
63 

Ambergris,  148 
Ambloplites  rupestris,  384 
Amblyrhynchus  cristatus,  334 
Amblvstoma  mavortium,  360, 
366 

Aml)lystoma  opacum,  367 

“ punctatum,  360, 

3()8 

.\meiurus  nelnilosus,  417 
Aniia  calva,  424 

Arnmospermophilus  leucurus, 
73 

.\mpelis  cedrorum,  193 
“ garrulus,  192 
Amphiuma  means,  360,  370 
“.\mphibia  and  Reptiles,” 
Gadow’s  book  on,  354,  .366 
•Amphibians,  Bird’s-Eve  view  of, 
360 


Amphibians,  Order  of  Tailed, 
366 

Amphibians,  Order  of  Worm- 
Like,  371 
Amphioxus,  438 
Anas  bosehas,  270 
“ obscura,  269 
Ancistrodon  contortrix,  351 
“ piscivorus,  352 
Angel  Fish,  387 
Anguilla  vulgaris,  421 
Anhinga  anhinga,  287 
Anser  albifrong  gambeli,  282 
Anseres,  Order,  175 
Ant-“Bear,”  158 
Ant-Eater,  Great,  156,  158 
“ Tamandua,  159 
Antelope,  Prong-Horned,  99, 
116 

■Antelope  Squirrel,  73 
Antilocapra  americana,  99,  116 
Antlers,  Caribou,  133,  138 

“ Columbian  Black- 
Tailed  Deer,  127 
Antlers,  Moose,  142 
“ Mule-Deer,  126 
“ Record  Elk,  124 
“ Sitka  Deer,  128 
“ White-Tailed  Deer,  130 
Apes  and  Monke3"s,  Order  of,  7 
“ Anthropoid,  7,  8 
Aplodontia  rufa,  80 
Aplodontidae,  Familv,  68,  80 
Apoda,  Order,  360,  371 
Apodes,  421  ' 

Aptenodytes  forsteri,  .307 
Apterj'x  australis,  310 
Aquila  chrysaetus,  229 
Ara  ararauna,  217 
Archaeopterv.x,  3.59 
Arctic  Province,”  “Our,  44,  48 
Arctonetta  fischeri,  277,  279 
Ardea  caerulea,  260 
“ herodias,  259 
.Armadillo,  Giant,  156 

“ Nine -Banded,  156, 

1.58 

Arnnadillo,  >Six-Banded,  156 
“ Three-Banded,  156, 

1.57 

Ardetta  exilis,  26.3 
-Aromochelvs  odoratus,  326 
Arvicola,  84,  86 
-Asio  accipitrinus,  220 
“ wilsonianus,  220 
.Aspidonectes  ferox,  329 
-Astragalinus  tristris,  195 
-Atalapha  cinerea,  65 
-A teles  ater,  7,  15 
Atwood,  Capt.,  419,  433 

439 


Audubon  Society,  181 
Auk,”  “The  (magazine),  264 
Auk,  302 
“ Great,  30.5 
“ Razor-Billed,  .300,  30.5 
Auklet,  Cassin’s,  .305 
“ Least,  .30.5 
“ Rhinoceros,  304 
.Axolotl,  .360,  366 
.Aye-.Aj'e,  7 

.Aythj'a  americana,  273 
“ collaris,  269 

“ marila,  269 

“ vallisneria,  274 
Austin,  Mrs.  Mary,  Poem  by,  256 

Baboons,  9,13 

“ Gelada,  14 
Badger,  32 

Bailev,  Mrs.  Florence  Merriam, 
204,234,238,303 
Bailey,  Vernon,  98 
Baird,  Prof.  Spencer  F.,  376,  413, 
421 

Baker,  Arthur  B.,  34,  77 
“ Dr.  Frank,  10.3 
Balaena  glacialis,  148 
“ mysticetus,  147 
“ sieboldii,  148 
Balaenoptera  phvsalus,  148 
“ sulfureus,  147 
Balistes  capriscus,  410 
Bandicoots,  163 
Barren  Grounds  of  Northern 
Canada,”  “The,  1.37 
Barrett,  Mrs.  A.  W.,  385 
Bass  and  Sun-Fish  Family,  .382 
“ Calico  or  Strawberry,  .383 
“ Large-Mouthed  Black,  383 
“ Rock, 383 

“ Small-Mouthed  Black,  382 
“ Warmoutli,  383 
Bassariscus  astutus,  41 
Bassarisk,  41 
Bates,  II . W.,  63 
Batrachia,  .3.59 
Bat,  Big-Eared,  6.5 
“ Blainville’s  Flower-Nosed, 
62 

Bat,  Bonneted,  64 
“ California  Leaf-Nosed,  61, 
62 

Rat,  Common,  61 
“ False  Vampire,  61,  65 
“ Free-Tailed,  61 
“ Fruit,  66 
“ Gray,  65 
“ Great  Vampire,  63 
“ Hammer-Headed,  66 
“ HoFseshoe,  61,  66 


440 


INDEX 


Bat,  Javelin,  63 
“ Long-Eared,  65 
“ Naked,  64 
“ Red,  64 
“ True  Vampire,  62 
Beal,  F.  E.  L.,  202,  205,  210,  212 
Bean,  Dr.  T.  H.,  419 
Beard,  J.  Carter,  436 
Bear,  Black,  35  39 

“ “ Cinnamon,  40 

“ “ Everglade,  35 

“ “ Glacier,  35, 41 

“ “ Labrador,  35 

“ “ Louisiana,  35 

“ “ Queen  Charlotte,  35 

“ Big  Brown,  35,  36 
“ “ Kidder’s,  35 

“ “ Kodiak,  35, 36 

“ “ Merriam’s,  35 

“ “ Peninsula,  35 

“ “ Sitka,  35 

“ “ Yakutat,  35 

“ Grizzly,  35,  37 
“ “ Alaskan,  35 

“ “ Barren-Ground,  35 

“ “ Silver-Tip,  35 

“ “ Sonora,  35 

Beaver,  American,  82 
“ Mountain,  80 
Beck,  R.J.,  291, 334 
Bedford,  Duke  of,  106 
Bee-Bird,  206 
Be/gica,  S.  S.,  307 
Bent,  A.  C„  264 
Bering,  Capt.  Vitus,  154 
Big-Horn  or  Rocky  Mt.  Sheep, 
108 

Blackbird,  Crow,  202 

“ Red-Winged,  200 

“ Yellow-Headed,  200 

Black-Gill  Sunfish,  384 
Blarina  brevicauda,  58 
Bluebird,  182 
Bluefish,  388 

Biological  Survey,  36,  181,  192, 
212,220,240, 286 
Bird  collecting  condemned,  172, 
189 

Bird  Destruction,  171 
“ Skeleton  of,  219 
“ Snake,  267,  287 
“ Frigate,  290 
“Bird-Lore”  (magazine),  266 
Birds,  Chart  of,  176 

“ Fully-Palmated,  267 
“ Man-o’-War,  284,  290 
“ Swimming,  267 
“ Weak-Winged  Diving,  267 

“ Web-Footed,  267,  284 
Bird  Life.  Decrease  in,  171 
Birds  and  Mammals,  The  De- 
struction of,  171 

Bird-World,  An  Introduction  to 
the,  171 

Bison,  American,  99 
Bittern,  American,  262 
“ Least,  233 
Boa  Constrictor,  340 
Bob-Cat,  21 
Bobolink,  199 


Bob-White,  242 
Bolles,  Frank,  213 
Bonasa  umbellus,  243 
Bos  americanus,  99 
Botaurus  lentiginosus,  262 
Bothrops  lanceolatus,  353 
Bovidae,  99 

Brachiostoma  caribaeum,  438 
Bradypodidae,  156 
Bradypus  tridactylus,  160 
Brant,  Black,  28 
Branta  canadensis,  280 
“ nigricans,  281 
Brewster,  William,  288 
Brown,  A.  E.,  77, 103 
“ Barnum,  335 
“ William  Harv^ey,  319 
Bryant,  W.  E.,  303 
Bubo  virginianus,  222 
Buffalo,  American,  99,  100 
Bufo  lentiginosus,  360,  364 
Bullhead,  Common,  417 
Bunting,  Indigo,  199 
“ Snow,  195 
Burroughs,  John,  303 
Butorides  virescens,  260 
Butcher-Bird,  191 
Buteo  borealis,  229 
“ lineatus,  230 

Caecilians,  Family  of,  360,  371 
Cacomistle,  41 
Caenolestes,  163 
Caiman,  Banded,  317 
“ Black,  317,  322 
“ Broad-Nosed,  317 
“ Eye-Browed,  322 
“ latirostris,  317 
“ niger,  317 
“ palpebrosus,  317 
“ Rough  - Backed,  317, 
322 

Caiman  sclerops,  317 
“ trigonatus,  317 
Callithricidae,  7, 16 
Callithri.x  jacchus,  7, 17 
Callotaria  ursina,  44,  47 
Calmette,  Dr.,  treatment  of 
snake  wounds  by,  355 
“Camudie”  (boa  constrictor), 
341 

Canidae,  18,  22 
Canis  latrans  23 
“ occidentalis,  22 
Caprimulgidae,  Family,  207 
Capuchin,  14 
Capybara,  341 
Carcajou,  31 

Carcharias  caeruleus,  433 
Carcharodon  carcharias,  433 
Cardinal,  198 
Cardinalis  cardinalis,  198 
Caribou,  99, 131 

“ Black-Faced,  134 
“ Barren-Ground,  135, 

136 

Caribou,  Grant’s,  136 
“ Greenland,  136 

“ Kenai,  134 

“ Mountain,  134 


Caribou,  Newfoundland,  134 
“ Osborn’s,  134 

“ Peary’s,  136, 137 

“ Woodland,  132,  133 

Carnivora,  3,  18 
Carp,  413 

“ Minnows  and  Suckers, 
Order  of,  412 
Cassowary,  Ceram,  310 
Casuarius  galeata,  310 
Castor  canadensis,  80 
Cat-Bird,  186 
Catfish,  Channel,  417 
“ Mississippi,  416 
Catfishes,  Order  of,  416 
Catharista  urubu,  234 
Cathartes  aura,  233 
Catostomus  commersoni,  412 
Cattle  and  Sheep  Family,  99 
Cebidae,  7 

Cebus  hypoleucus,  7,  14 
Cedar  Bird,  193 
Centrocercus  urophasianus,  248 
Century  Company,  The,  257 
Ceratodus  forsteri,  380 
Cercopithecus  diana,  7, 13 
Cerorhinca  monocerata,  305 
Certhia  familiaris  americanus, 
185 

Cervus  canadensis,  99,  121,  124 
Ceryle  alcj'on,  215 
Cetaceans,  146 
Cetorhinus  maximus,  4,33 
Chaenobryttus  gulosus,  383 
Chaetura  pelagica,  208 
Chaparral  Cock,  215 
Chapman,  F.  M.,  263,  266 
Charadrius  dommicus,  251 
Charitonetta  albeola,  275 
Chart  of  Birds,  176 
“ Mammals,  4 

Chat,  Yellow-Breasted,  190 
Chaulelasmus  strepera,  269 
Cheiromeles  torquatus,  64 
Chelone  mydas,  330 
“ imbricata,  3,30 

Chelonia,  Order,  314,  323 
Chelonians,  325,  326,  330 
Chelopus  marmoratus,  ,327 
“ insculptus,  328 

Chelydra  serpentina,  329 
Chelydridae,  Family,  324,  328 
Chen  hyperborea,  282 
Chickadee,  184 

Chilomycterus  geometricus,  411 
Chimera  collei,  431 
Chimeras,  Order  of,  431 
Chimpanzee,  79 
Chipmunk,  California,  73 
“ Eastern,  72 
Chiroptera,  3,  ,59,  60 
Choloepus  hoffmani,  160 
Chordeiles  virginianus,  207 
Chrysemys  picta,  327 
Chuck-Will’s-Widow,  208 
Ciconiidae,  26,3 
Cinclus  mexicanus,  187 
Circus  hudsonius,  231 
Cistudo  Carolina,  ,325 
Citellus  tridecemlineatus,  74 


INDEX 


441 


Citellus  franldini,  75 
“ riehardsoni,  75 
Civet  Cat,  41 
Clangula  islandica,  269 
Cobra-de-Capello,  347 
“ Hooded,  347 
“ Kinft,  or  Snake-Eating,  348 
Coccyges,  Order,  175,  214 
Coccyzus  ainericanus,  214 
Cockatoo,  217 
Colaptes  auratus  luteus,  211 
Colinus  virginianus,  242 
Collins,  Capt.  ,J.  W.,  290 
Coluber  guttatus,  343 
Columba  fasciata,  238 
Columbae,  Order,  175,  237 
Condor,  236 
Conepatus,  32 
Congo  “Snake,”  360,  370 
“Congressional  Record,”  50 
Conurus  carolinensis,  217 
Cook,  Dr.  Frederick  A.,  307 
Coot,  2.58 

Cope,  Prof.  E.  D.,  336 
Copperhead,  351 
Corbin,  .\ustin,  101,  103 
Coregomis  clupeiforniis,  408 
Cormorant,  267,  284,  289 

“ Double-Crested,  287 

“ Pallas’,  287 

Corvus  ainericanus,  204 
“ corax  sinuatus,  205 
Corj'norhinus  macrotis,  65 
Coryphaena  hippurus,  392 
Cotton-Mouth  Moccasin,  352 
Cougar,  19 
Coyote,  23 

Crane,  Whooping,  255 
“ Sandhill,  256 
('rappie,  384 
Creeper,  Brown,  185  , 

Crist  i vomer  namaycush,  398 
Crocodile,  American,  317,  322 
“ Australian,  317 

“ Broad-Nosed  African, 

317 

Crocodile,  Cuban,  317,  321 
“ Florida,  317,  320 

“ Nile,  317 

“ Orinoco,  317,  322 

“ Salt-Water,  317 

“ Sharp-Nosed  .\frican, 

317 

Crocodiles  and  Alligators,  Man- 
Eating,  319 

Crocodiles  and  .\lligators.  Nest- 
ing Habits  of,  .319 
Crocodiles  and  .\lligators.  Order 
of,  317 

Crocodilia,  Order,  314,  317 
Crocodilus  acutus,  317 

“ cataphractus,  317 

“ floridanus,  317,  320 

“ intermedius,317, 322 

“ johnstoni,  317 

“ niloticus,  317 

“ palustris,  317 

“ porosus,  317 

“ rhombifer,  317,  321 

Crossbill,  .\merican,  195 


Crotalus  adamanteus,  349 
“ atrox,  349,  350 
“ cerastes,  3B),  351 
“ confluentus,  349 
“ horridus,  .349,  350 
“ lepidus,  349 
“ lucifer,  349 
“ mitchelli,  349 

“ molossus,  349 

“ tigris,  349 
Crotaphytus  collaris,  335 
Crow,  Clarke’s,  204 
“ Common,  205 
Crowley,  J.  B.,  50 
Crustacea,  370 

■Crvptobranchus  alleghaniensis, 

‘ .360 

Crvptobranchus  maximus,  369 
Cuckoo,  Black-Billed,  214 
“ Yellow-Billed,  214 
“Culebra  de  Agua”  (anaconda), 
.341 

Curlew,  Long-Billed,  253 
Cyanocephalus  cyanocephalus, 
204 

Cyanocitta  cristata,  203 
“ stelleri,  20.3 
Cyanospiza  cyanea,  199 
Cynomys  ludovianus,  76 
Cyprinus  carpio,  41.3 
Cyrtonyx  montezumae  mearnsi, 
243 

Cystophora  cristata,  44,  53 

“Dabchick”  (grebe),  301 
Dactylopterus  volitans,  409 
Dahla  acuta,  271 
Dahl,  Keeper  Frederick,  342 
Darter,  284,  287 
Dasypus  sexcinctus,  157 
Dasj'ures,  163 

Deer,  Arizona  White-Tailed,  129 
“ -\xis,  118 

“ Columbian  Black-Tailed, 
99,  127 

Deer,  Florida  White-Tailed,  129 
“ “.lumping,”  127 
“ Mule  or  “Black-Tailed,” 
126 

Deer,  Sitka,  128 

“ White-Tailed  or  Virginia, 
99,  128 

Deer  Family,  99,  118 
Delphinapterus  leucas,  149 
Delphinus  delphis,  151 
Dendragapus  obscurus,  244 
Dendrocygna  fulva,  269 
Dendroica  aestiva,  189 
Desmognathus  fusca,  368 
Devil-Fish,  4.36 
De  Weese,  Dali,  142,  143,  249 
Diana  Monkey,  13 
Dickerson,  Mrs.  E.  N.,  389 
Dicrostonyx  hudsonius,  84 
Didelphis  virginiana,  165 
Diedipper  (grebe),  .301 
Diemyctylus  viridescens,  368 
Diggers,  Order  of  the,  161 
Dinosaur,  325 
Diomedea  albatrus,  294 


Diomedea  chinensis,  294 
“ exulans,  292 

“ nigripes,  292 

Dipodomys  merriami,  84 
Dippers,  179,  187 
Ditmars,  Raymond  L.,  338,  339, 
342,  34.3,  346,  361, 367 
Diver,  Great  Northern,  300 
Divers,  Order  of  Weak-Winged, 
267,  .300 

Divers,  Order  of  Flightless,  267, 
.307 

Dob.son,  Dr.  G.  E.,  62 
Dodge,  Ck)l.  R.  I.,  102 
Dog  Family,  22 
Dogfish,  Order  of  the,  424 
Dolichonyx  oryzivorus,  199 
Dolphin,  Common,  151 
Dolphin  and  Porpoise  Family, 
149 

“Dolphin,”  392 
Doroucoulis,  15 
Dove,  Mourning,  238 
Dovekie,  .302 

Dromaeus  novaehollandae,  310 
Dryobates  villosus,  213 
Du  Chaillu,  Paul  B.,  66 
Duck-Bill,  167,  3.59 
Duck,  American  Scoter,  269,  278 
“ American  Widgeon,  269 
“ Barrow’s  Golden-Eye,  269 
“ Black,  269 
“ Blue-Winged  Teal,  270 
“ BufHe-Head  or  Butter- 
Ball,  27.5 

Duck,  Canvasback,  274 
“ Cinnamon  Teal,  271 
“ Eider,  277 
“ Fill vus  Tree,  269 
“ Gray,  269 

“ Green- Winged  Teal,  269 
“ Harlequin,  269,  275 
“ Mallard,  268,  270 
“ Old  Squaw,  269 
“ Pintail  or  Sprigtail,  271 
“ Red-Breasted  Merganser, 
278 

Duck,  Red-Head,  27.3 
“ Ring-Necked,  269 
“ Scaup,  269 
“ Shoveller  or  Spoonbill, 

271 

Duck,  Spectacled  Eider,  277 
“ Surf  Scoter,  269 
“ White  - Winged  Scoter, 

278 

Duck,  Wood,  272 
Ducks,  Geese,  and  Swans,  Order 
of,  267 

Dugong,  1.5.3,  154 
Dutcher,  William,  181, 298 
Dyche,  Prof.  L.  L.,  45,  55,  96, 
115,  123,  143 

Eagle,  Bald,  227 
“ Golden,  229 
Ecaudata,  Order,  .360 
Echidnas,  167,  168 
Ectopistes  migratorius,  237 
Edentata,  Order,  3,  156 


442 


INDEX 


Eel,  Common,  421 
“ Electric,  421 
“ Lamper,  422 
Eels,  Order  of,  421 
Effodientia,  Order,  3,  161 
Efiiret,  American,  261 
“ Snowy,  261 
Egretta  canclidissima,  261 
Eider,  American,  277 
“ Spectacled,  277 
Eigenmann,  Dr.  C.  H.,  60 
Elanoides  forficatus,  232 
Elap.s  eurvxanthus,  353 
“ fulvius,  353 
Elk  or  Wapiti,  99,  118,  121 
Ellachick,  327 
Elliot,  I).  G.,  254,  271, 283 
Elliott,  Henry  W.,  44,  47,  50 
“ William,  436 
Emeu,  310 
Engelman,  Dr.,  429 
Eniconetta  stelleri,  279 
Epomophorus,  66 
Erethizon  dorsatus,  94 
“ epixanthus,  94 
Ereunetes  pusillus,  252 
Erignathus  barl)atus,  52 
Erismatura  jamaicensis,  279 
Escliricht,  1).  F.,  150 
Esox  lucius,  394 

“ masquinongy,  394 
“ ohiensLs,  395 
“ reticulatus,  395 
Eumeces  quinquelineatus,  334 
Eumetopias  stelleri,  44,  46 
Eunectes  murinus,  341 
“ notaeus,  341 
Eupotomis  gibbosus,  384 
Eutamias  speciosiis,  73 
“Evening  Bulletin,”  San  Fran- 
cisco, 417 

Evermann,  Dr.  Barton  W.,  375, 
385,  388,  398,  401,  428,  429, 
438 

Evotomys  gapperi,  84,  87 
“ rutilus,  87 
Exocaetus  volitans,  409 

Falco  columbarius,  227 
“ peregrinus  anatum,  227 
“ sparverius,  226 
Felis  concolor,  19 
“ onca,  18 
“ pardalis,  20 
Ferae,  Order,  3,  18 
Fer-de-Lance  or  Lance-Head 
Snake,  353 

Ferret,  Black-Footed,  29 
Fiber  zibethicus,  83,  84,  93 
Pdiiches,  179, 19.5 
Fish,  Angel,  387 

“ Angler  or  Goose,  420 
“ Bellows  or  Rabbit,  410 
“ Blue  Cat-,  416 
“ Box  or  Trunk,  410 
“ Buffalo,  413 
“ Channel  Cat-,  417 
“ Devil,  436 
“ Flying,  409 
“ Gar  or  Bill,  425 


Fish,  Hag,  438 
“ Mud-,  381 
“ Orange  File-,  410 
“ Paddle,  429 
“ Porcupine,  41 1 ' 

“ Sucking,  393 
“ Trigger  or  File,  410 
Fish  Commission,  IT.  S.  {See 
Fisheries  Bureau.) 
Fish-Hawk,  225 

Fisher,  Dr.  A.  K.,  219,  220,  222, 
227,  229,  231 
Fisher,  30 

Fishes,  Class  of,  375 

“ Order  of  Flat,  418 

“ Order  of  Foot,  420 

“ Order  of  Gar  or  Ganoid, 

425 

Fishes,  Order  of  Half-Gilled, 415 
“ Order  of  Solid-Jaw,  410 
“ Order  of  Spiny-Finned, 
382 

Fishes,  Pipe,  and  Sea-Horses, 
423 

Fishes,”  “ Descriptive  Catalogue 
of,  375 

“Fishes,  Living  and  Fossil,”  431 
“Fishes  of  North  and  Middle 
America,”  375,  438 
Fisheries,  U.  S.  Bureau  of,  376, 
386,  398,  430 

“Fishery  Industries  of  the 
United  States,”  437 
Flamingo,  American,  266 
“ Order  of,  266 
Flounder,  Winter,  418 
Flycatchers,  179,  206 
Flying-Fish,  409 
“ Gurnard,  409 
Food  and  Game  Fishes,”  “Am- 
erican, 429 
Forbes,  H.O.,291 
Fox,  .\rctic,  24,  26 
“ Blue,  24,  26 
“ Coast  Gray,  2^ 

“ Cross,  24,  25 
“ Florida  Gray,  24 
“ Gray,  24,  26 
“ Hali  Lsland,  24 
“ Kit,  24,  26 
“ Kodiak,  24 
“ Large-Eared,  24 
“ Newfoundland,  24 
“ Red, 24, 25 
“ Scott’s  Gray,  24 
“ Swift,  24,  26 
“ Texas  Gray,  24 
“ Town.send’s  Gray,  24 
Fratercula  arctica,  304 
Frear,  William,  369 
Fregata  aquila,  290 
Frigate-Bird,  284,  290,  291 
Fringillidae,  179,  195 
Frog,  Bull,  360,  363 
“ Common,  360,  362 
“ Leopard,  362,  363 
“ Northern  Tree,  364 
“ Tree,  360,  363 
“ Tongueless,  364 
“ Wood,  360,  363 


Frogs  and  Toads,  Order  of,  361 
Fulica  americana,  258 
Fulmar  Family,  294 
Fur-Bearers,  The  Small,  27 
Fur  Seal,  45,  48,  50 

Gadow,  Dr.  H.,  354,  366 
Gad  wall,  280 
Gage,  L.  J.,  368 
Galeocerdo  tigrinus,  433 
Galeoscoptes  carolinensis,  186 
Gallinae,  Order,  175,  241 
Gallinago  delicata,  252 
Gallinula  florida,  257 
“ galeata,  257 
Game-Birds,  Order  of  Upland. 
241 

Garmet,  284,  291 

“ Common,  288 
Ganoids,  Order  of,  425 
Gar,  .\lligator,  425 
Gardiner’s  Island,  Osprevs  on, 
226 

Gar  Pike,  Long-Nosed,  425 
“ Short-Nosed,  425 
Garrupa  nigrita,  385 
Gasterosteus  aculeatus,  415 
Gavia  imber,  301 
Gavial,  Bornean,  317 
“ Indian,  317 
Gavialis  gangeticus,  317 
Geese,  Ducks,  and  Swatis,  267 
Gelada  Baboon,  14 
Geomys  bursarius,  93,  94 
Giblxins,  12 
Gila  Monster,  335 
Ginglymodi,  Order,  425 
Glaniostomi,  Order,  427 
Glires,  3,  68 

Globicephala  melas,  149 
Glutton,  31 
Glyptodont,  156 
Gnawing  Animals,  Order  of,  68 
Goat,  Kennedy’s,  115 

“ Rocky  Mountain  or 
White,  114,  .399 
Goat.suckers,  207 
Goldfinch,  American,  195,  196 
“Gonies”  (.Albatross),  293 
Goode,  G.  Brown,  149,  386,  396, 
410,419,420,42.5,4.3.3 
Goose,  American  White-Fronted, 
282 

Goose,  Black  Brant,  281 
“ Brant,  281 
“ Cackling,  281 
“ Canada, 280 
“ Hutchins’s,  281 
“ Snow,  282 
“ White-Cheeked,  281 
Gopher  Family,  Pocket,  68,  93 
“ Red  Pocket,  9.3 
Gorilla,  8 

Goshawk,  American,  231 
Grackle,  Purple,  202 
Grampus  griseus,  149 
Granger,  John  T.,  .391 
Grant,  Madison,  138 
Gray,  Capt.  David,  147 
Gray  Duck,  269 


INDEX 


443 


Grav,  J.  C.,  276 

Grebe,  Pied-Billed  or  Carolina, 
300 

Greely,  Gen.  A.  W.,  104, 105 
Grinnell,  George  B.,  402 
Grosbeak,  Cardinal,  198 

“ Rose-Breasted,  198 
Grouper,  Black,  375 
Grouse,  Blue,  245 

“ Canada  Spruce,  245 
“ Canadian  Ruffed,  244 
“ Dusky,  245 

“ Franklin,  245 

“ Gray  Ruffed,  244 

“ Oregon  or  Sabine’s,  244 

“ Pine,  245 

“ Pinnated,  245 

“ Prairie  Sharp-Tailed,247 

“ Ruffed,  243 

“ Sage,  248 

“ Sooty,  245 

Gruber,  Peter,  355 
Grunt,  Black,  376 
Grus  americana,  255 
“ mexicana,  256 
Guara  alba,  263 
“ rubra,  263 
Guillemots,  302 
Gull,  Herring,  296 
Gulo  luscus,  31 
Gurnard,  Flying,  409 
Gymnogyps  californianus,  234 
Gymnotus  electricus,  421 

Haemulon  plumieri,  376 
Haliaeetus  leucocephalus,  227 
Halibut,  Common,  418 
Hallock,  Charles,  424 
“Handbook  of  Birds,  Western 
United  States,”  234 
Hang-Nest,  201 

Hare  and  Rabbit  Family,  68,  95, 
97 

Hare,  Jack,  96 

‘ Little  Chief  or  Crying,  95 

“ N'orthern  Varying,  95 

“ Polar,  96 
“ Prairie,  96 
Harelda  hyemalis,  269 
Harporhynchus  rufus  186 
Harris,  W.  C.,  429 
“Haven  of  Refuge,”  for  Ducks, 
276 

Hawk,  Chicken,  229 

“ Cooper’s,  230 

“ Duck,  227 

“ Fish,  225 

“ Forked-Tailed,  232 

“ Hen,  229,  231 

“ Marsh,  230 

“ Pigeon,  227 

“ Red-Shouldered,  230 

“ Red-Tailed,  229 

“ Sharp>-Shinned,  230 

“ Sparrow,  226 

Hawk  and  Eagle  Family,  218, 
225 

Hellbender,  360,  368,  369 
Hell-Diver  (grebe),  300 
Heloderma  suspectum,  335 


Hemibranchii,  Order,  415 
Herodiones,  Order,  175,  259,  264 
Heron  Family,  259 

“ Great  Blue,  259 

“ Little  Blue,  260 

“ Little  Green,  260 

“ Snowy,  261 

Herring  Gull,  296 
Hesperornis,  278,  359 
Heterodon  platyrhinus,  346 
Heterosomata,  418 
Hill,  James  J.,  103 
Hippocampus  heptagonus,  423 
Hippoglossus  hippoglossus,  418 
Hirundo  erythrogaster,  195 
Histrionicus  histrionicus,  269, 
275 

Histriophoca  fasciata,  44,  53 
Hog,  Red  River-,  144 
“ Wart,  143 
Holacanthus  ciliaris,  387 
Holder,  C.  F.,389 
Homo  sapiens,  8 
Hoofed  Animals,  Order  of,  99 
Hornaday,  W.  T.,  112 
Horns,  Mountain  Sheep,  112 
“ Prong-Horned  Antelope, 
116,  117 

Hoy,  Dr.  P.  H.,  75 
Humming-Birds,  207 

“ Ruby-Throated,  208 
Hydrodamalis,  153 
Hyla  faber,  364 

“ versicolor,  360,  364 
Hylobates  leuciscus,  7,12 
Hylocichla  mustelina,  182 

Ibis  Family,  263 
Ibis,  Glossy,  263 
“ Scarlet,  263 
“ White,  263 
“ Wood,  263 
Ictulurus  furcatus,  416 
“ punctatus,  417 
Icteria  virens,  190 
Icterus  galbula,  201 
Ictiobus  c}'prinella,  413 
Iguana,  Common,  333 
“ Marine,  332,  334 

“ Rhinoceros,  334 

Impennes,  Order,  175,  267,  307 
Inseetivora,  Order,  3,  56 
lonornis  martinica,  257 
Isospondyli,  Order,  396 

Jackson,  Che.ster  E.,  288 
“ Dr.  Sheldon,  138 
Jaguar,  18 

Jaeger,  Parasitic,  296,  299 
Jaegers  and  Skuas,  296 
Japanese  Red-Faced  Monkey,  13 
Jay,  Blue,  203 
“ Canada,  204 
“ Pinon,  204 
“ Steller’s,  203 
Jewfish,  385 
Jones,  C.  J.,  23,  103 
Jordan,  Dr.  David  S.,  375,  385, 
388,  398,  401,  428,  429,  438 
Judd,  Sylvester  D.,  192,  195 


Jumping  Mouse  Family,  68 
Junco  hyemalis,  196 
Junco,  Slate-Colored,  196 

Kangaroo,  Boomer.  164 
“ Gray, 164 

“ Old  Man,  164 

“ Rat,  164 

“ Red,  164 

“ Tree,  164 

Kea,  216 

Kenworthy,  Dr.  C.  J.,  392 
Kidder,  James  II.,  36 
Kingbird,  206 
Kingfisher,  Belted,  215 
Kinglets,  179,  183 
Kite,  Swallow-Tailed,  232 
Kiwi,  310 
Kogia,  148 

Lacertilia,  Order,  314,  333 
“Lacey  Law,”  298 
Lagocephalus  laevigatus,  410 
Lagopus  lagopus,  249 
“ leucurus,  249 
Lamna  cornubica,  433 
Lamper  “Eel,”  422,  437 
Lamprey,  Brook,  437 
“ Sea,  437 
Lancelets,  The,  438 
Laridae,  296 
Lark,  Horned,  179,  206 
“ Meadow,  200 
“ Shore,  206 
Larus  argentatus,  296 
Lasiurus  borealis,  64 
Latax  lutris,  27 

Latham,  Mrs.  C.  F.,  331, 344,  3.50 
Laysan  Island,  294 
Leeli,S.  N.,  122 
Lemming,  84 

“ False,  86 
“ Hudson  Bay,  84 
Lemming  Mouse,  or  False  Lem- 
ming, 86 

Lemming  Mouse,  Cooper’s,  86 
Lemur  varius,  7,17 
Lemurs,  7 

“ Ruffed,  or  Black  and 

White,  17 

Lemurs,  Suborder  of,  17 
Lepidosiren,  381 
Lepidosteus  osseus,  425 

“ platystomus,  425 

“ spatula,  425 

Lepomis  pallidus,  384 
Leporidae,  68,  95 
Leptocardii,  438 
Lepus  americanus,  95 
“ arcticus,  96 
“ campestris,  96 

“ sylvaticus,  96 

“ texianus,  96 
Light-House  Board,  303 
Limicolae,  Order,  175,  251 
Lizard,  Blue-Tailed,  or  Skink, 
334 

Lizard,  Horned,  336 

“ Ring-Necked  or  Kan- 
garoo, 335 


444 


INDEX 


Lizards,  Order  of,  333 
Longiperiiies,  Order,  175,  267, 
296 

Lonnberg,  E.,  104 
Loon,  or  Great  Northern  Diver, 
267,  300 

Lophius  piscatorius,  420 
Lophodytes  cuculatus,  279 
Lophortyx  californicus,  243 
Loring,  J.  Alden,  36,  230 
Loxia  curvirostra  minor,  195 
Lucas,  Frederic  A.,  50,  288,  290, 
305 

Lunda  cirrata,  304 
Lung-Fish,  Australian,  380 
Lutianus  aya,  391 
Lutra  canadensis,  27 
Lutreola  vison,  29 
Lynx,  Bay  or  Red,  21 
“ Canada,  21 
Lynxes,  20 

Macacus  speciosus,  7 
Macaw,  Blue,  217 
“ Yellow,  217 
MacDougal,  Dr.  D.  T.,  144,  215 
Mackerel,  Horse,  389 
“ Spanish,  388 
Macrochelys  temniincki,  328 
Macrochires,  Order,  175,  207 
Macro  pus  giganteus,  164 
“ rufus,  164 
Madsen,  Johannes,  105 
Magpie,  American,  202 
Malacoclemmys  palustris,  327 
Mammals,  Chart  of,  4 
“ Orders  of,  3 
“ Order  of  Egg-Laying, 
167 

Mammals,  Order  of  Flesh-Eat- 
ing, 18 

Mammals,  Order  of  Pouched,  163 
“ Order  of  Toothless, 
156 
Man,  7 

Manatee  or  Sea-Cow,  153 
Mandrill,  14 
Manis  pentadactyla,  161 
Man-o’-War  Birds,  284,  290 
“ “Hawk,”  291 
Manta  birostris,  436 
Mareca  americana,  269 
Marmoset,  Common,  17 
“ Pinche,  17 
“ Silky,  17 
Marmot,  68 

“ Gray,  or  Whistler,  79 

“ Yellow-Bellied,  79 

Marmota,  68,  76 

“ flaviventer,  79 

“ monax,  78 

“ pruinosus,  79 

Marsh,  Prof.  O.  C.,  278 
Marsipobranchii,  437 
Marsupialia,  Order,  3,  163 
Marten  Family,  27,  29,  30 
Marten,  Pennant’s,  30 
“ Pine,  30 
Martin,  Bee,  206 
“ Purple,  193 


Massasauga,  349,  351 

“ Edward’s  349 
Maynard,  Lieut.,  36 
McCarthy,  Eugene,  405 
Meadow-Lark,  200 

“ Western,  201 
Megachiroptera,  61 
Megaderina,  65 
Megaderma  lyra,  61 
Megaptera  nodosa,  148 
Megascops  asio,  221 
Melanerpes  erythrocephalus,  211 
“ formicivorus,  212 
Meleagris  gallopavo,  250 
“ ocellata,  250 
Melospiza  fasciata,  197 
Menobranchus,  360,  370 
Menopoma  alleghaniensis,  360, 
369 

Meplutis,  31 

Merganser  americanus,  279 
“ serrator,  278 
Merganser,  Hooded,  279 

“ Red-Breasted  278 
Merriam,  Dr.  C.  Hart,  36,  61,  77, 
83,98,143,213,225,335 
Merula  migratoria,  181 
Metopoceros  cornutus,  334 
Mice  and  Rats,  Cheek-Pouched, 
84,91 

Mice  and  Rats,  Family  of,  83 
“ “ “ Typical  North 

.American,  84 
Microchiroptera,  61 
Microdipodops  megacephalus, 
84,  86 

Micropterus  dolomieu,  382 
“ salmoides,  383 
Microtus  (Arvicola)  pennsyl- 
vanicus,  84 
Midas  aedipus,  17 
“ rosalia,  17 
Mimus  polyglottos,  187 
Mink,  27,  29 

Minnows,  Carp,  and  Suckers, 
Order  of,  412 
Mitchell,  H.  R.,  280 
Moccasin,  Copper-Bellied,  346 
“ Water  or  Cotton- 
Mouth,  343,  352 
Mocking-Bird,  187 
Mole,  Common,  57 
“ Hairy-Tailed,  58 
“ Marsupial,  163 
“ Prairie  or  Silver,  58 
“ Star-Nosed,  58 
Monotremata,  Order,  3,  167 
Monitors,  333 

Monkey,  Black-Faced  Spider,  15 
“ Black  Saki,  16 

“ Capuchin,  14 

“ Common  Squirrel,  15 

“ Diana,  13 

“ Golden  Howler,  16 

“ Japanese  Red-Faced, 

13 

Monkey,  Marmoset,  16 

“ Mexican  Spider,  15 

“ Owl,  15 

“ Saki,  16 


Monkey,  Sapajou,  14 
“ Spider,  15 

“ Squirrel,  15 

“ Teetee,  15 

“ Uakari,  16 

“ A'arkee,  16 

Monkeys,  New  World,  7,  14 
“ Old  World,  7,  13 

“ Short-Tailed,  13 

Moose,  99,  118,  122,  139 
“ Alaskan,  142 
Monodon  monoceros,  152 
Moose-Bird,  204 
Morehouse,  Col.  C.  P.,  389 
Mormoops  blainvillii,  62 
Morris,  Dr.  Robt.  T.,  404 
“Mother  Carey’s  Chickens,”  295 
Mountain  “Beaver,”  80 
“ Lion,  19 

“ Sheep,  99,  107 

“ “ Alaskan,  142 

“ “ Big-Horn,  99, 

108,  112 

Mountain  Sheep,  Black,  98,  108, 
112 

Mountain  Sheep,  California  or 
Nelson’s,  110 

Mountain  Sheep,  Fannin’s,  108, 
112 

Mountain  Sheep,  Marco  Polo’s, 
112 

Mountain  Sheep,  Mexican,  108, 

no,  112 

Mountain  Sheep,  Siar,  112 

“ “ White,  or  Dali’s, 

99,108,110,112 
Mouse,  Cooper’s  Lemming,  86 
“ Field,  84,  86 
“ Gapper’s  Field,  87 
“ Grasshopper,  84,  91 
“ Harvest,  84 
“ Jumping,  68,  84,  92 
“ Le  Conte’s  Harvest,  88 
“ Little  Harvest,  88 
“ Lemming,  84 
“ Meadow,  86 
“ Missouri  or  Mole,  91 
“ Pocket,  84,  91, 93 
“ Red-Backed,  84,  87 
“ Rice-Field,  84,  88 
“ White-Footed,  84,  89 
Mouse  and  Rat  Family,  68,  84 
“ “ Cheek-Pouched, 

84 

Moxostoma  aureolum,  413 
Mud  “Eel,”  360,371 
“ Hen,  258 
“ Puppy, 360,  370 
Mugger  Crocodile,  317 
Mugil  brasiliensis,  391 
Mullet,  White  or  Silver,  391 
Murre,  300,  302 

“ Brunnich’s,  303 
“ California,  303 
“ Comi7ion,  303 
Murrelets,  302 
Museum,  British,  341 
Muskallunge,  394 
Musk-Ox,  99,  103 
Muskrat,  84,  93 


INDEX 


445 


Mus  rufescens,  93 
Mustela  americana,  30 
“ pennaiiti,  30 
Mustelidae,  27 
Myocastor  coypus,  92 
Myrmecophaga  juhata,  158 

Xaja  bungariis,  338,  348 
“ tripudians,  347 
Xansen,  F.,  55, 152 
X'arwhal,  152 

X’athorst,  Prof.  A.  G.,  105, 106 
X'atrix  fasciata,  346 
Xecturus  maculatu^,  360,  370 
Xelson,  E.  W.,  105, 110,  277 
Xematognathi,  416 
Xeotoina  floridana,  84,  88 
Xettion  carolinensis,  269,  271 
Xewts,  360,  368 

“ Crimson-Spotted,  368 
Xighthawk,  207 

Xight- Heron,  Black  - Crowned, 
261 

Xiles,  E.  O.,  223 
Xucifraga  columhiana,  204 
Xuinenius  longirostris,  253 
Xut-Cracker,  Clarke’s,  204 
Xuthatches,  179,  184 
Xyctala  acadica,  221 
Xyctea  nyctea,  224 
Xvcticorax  nycticorax  naevius, 
■ 261 

Ocelot,  20 

Ochotona  princeps,  95 
Odobenus  obesus,  44,  53 

rosinanis,  44,  55 
Odocoileus  columbianus,  99,  127 
“ hemionus,  99,  126 

“ sitkensis,  128 

“ virginianus,  99,  128 

Odontoglossae,  Order,  175,  266 
Oideinia  americana,  269 
“ deglandi,  278 

“ perspicillata,  269 

Olor  buccinator,  283 
“ columbianus,  283 
Oncorbynchus  gorbusclia,  403 
“ keta,  403 

“ kisutcb,  403 

“ nerka,  403 

“ tscha  wv  tscha, 

403 

Onychomys  leucogaster,  91 
Opiiidia,  Order,  314 
Ophiosurus  ventralis,  336 
Opo.ssum,  Murine,  166 
“ Virginia,  165 

Orang-Utan,  10 
Orcinus  orca,  149 
Orders  of  Amphibians,  360 
“ Birds,  17.5 

“ Fishes,  378 

“ Mammals,  3 

“ Reptiles,  .314 

Oreamnos  montanus,  99,  114 
Oreortyx  pictus,  243 
Oreole,  Baltimore,  201 
Ornithological  Union,  .Vmerican, 
264,267,291,298 


Ornithorhynchus  anatinus,  167 
Orycteropus  afer,  161,  162 
Oryzomys  palustris,  84,  88 
0.sborn,  Prof.  Henry  F.,  134,  156 
Osgood,  W.  H.,  77 
O.sprey,  American,  225 
Osteolaemus  tetraspis,  317 
Ostracion  quadricornis,  410 
“ tricornis,  374 
Ostrich,  African,  309 

“ South  American,  309 
Otocoris  alpestris,  206 
Otopterus  californicus,  62 
Otter,  27,  341 
“ Sea,  27 

“Outdoor  Life”  (magazine),  127 
Ouzel,  Water,  187 
Ovibos  moscliatus,  99,  103 
“ wardi,  105 
Ovis  amnion,  112 

“ canadensis,  99,  1 12 
“ dalli,99,  no,  112 
“ fannini,  108 
“ mexicamis,  108,  110,  112 
“ nelsoni,  108,  110 
“ poli,  112 
“ siarensis,  112 
“ stonei,  99 
Owl,  Barn,  219 
“ Barred,  220 
' “ Burrowing,  224 
“ Great  Gray,  221 
“ Great  Horned,  222 
“ Horned  Family,  218,  220 
“ Long-Eared,  220 
“ Monkey-Faced,  219 
“ Saw-Whet,  221 
“ Screech,  221 
“ Short-Eared,  220 
“ Snowy,  224 
O.xyechus  vocifera,  251 

Paddle-Fish,  429 
Palmer,  Dr.  T.  S.,  98,  143 
Paludicolae,  Order,  175,  2.55 
Pandion  haliaeetus  carolinensis, 
22.5 

Pangolin,  Giant,  161 
“ Indian,  161 
Pan  troglodytes,  7,  9 
Parrakeet,  Carolina,  216,  217 
Parrots  and  Macaws,  Order  of, 
216 

Partridge,  Black,  24.5 
“ Mearns’,  243 
“ Mountain,  243 
“ Valley,  243 
Parus  atricapillus,  184 
Paschen,  H.,  9 
Pa.sser  domesticus,  197 
Passeres,  Order,  17.5,  179 
Passerina  nivalis,  19.5 
Pasteur  Institute,  of  Lille,  .355 
Pearv,  Commander  Kobt.  E.,  54, 
55, 104,  107,  137,  307 
Peccar}',  Collared,  99,  144 
“ White-Lipped,  144 
Peccarj"  Family,  99,  14.3 
Pediocaetes  phasianellus  cam- 
pestris,  247 


Pelecanus  californicus,  286 

“ erythrorhynchos,  286 

“ fuscus,  284 

Pelican,  Brown,  284 

“ California  Brown,  28.5, 

286 

Pelican,  Great  Wh.ite,  286 
Pelican  Island,  285 
Penguin,  267,  .306,  ,308 
“ Black-Footed,  307 
“ Emperor,  307 

“ Pack,  .307 

Perea  flavescens,  386 
Perch,  Pike-,  387 
“ Yellow,  .386 
Perisoreus  canadensis,  204 
Perodipus  ricliard.soni,  84,  91 
Perognathus  fasciatus,  84,  91 
“ davtis,  93 
Peromyscus  leucopus,  89 
Petrel,  267 

“ Stormy,  294,  29.5 
Petrochelidon  lunifrons,  19.3 
Petromyzon  marinus,  437 
Phalacrocorax  carbo,  287 

“ dilophus,  287 

“ pelagicus,  287 

Phalangers,  16.3 
Phasianus  torquatus,  2.50 
Pheasant  F.amily,  241 , 2.50 
Pheasant,  Golden,  250 

“ Ring-Xecked,  2,50 

“ Silver,  2.50 

Phenacomys,  87 

“ orophilus,  84,  88 
Philohela  minor,  252 
Phocaena  communis,  151 
Phoca  foetida,  44,  52 
“ groenlandica,  44,  52 
“ vitulina,  44,  52 
Phoenicopterus  ruber,  266 
Phrynosoma  cornutum,  3.36 
Phvllostoma  hastatum,  6.3 
Physeter  macrocephalus,  148 
Pica  pica  hudsonica,  202 
Pici,  Order,  175,  210 
Pickerel,  Chain,  395 
Picus  pubescens  medianus,  212 
Pigeons  and  Doves,  Order  of, 237 
Pigeon,  Banded-Tailed,  238 
“ Passenger,  237 
Pika  Family,  68,  95 
Pike,  394 

“ Wall-Eyed,  387 
“ Mr.  Warljurton,  137 
Pike-Perch,  Yellow,  387 
Pine-Hen,  245 
Pinnated  Grouse,  245 
Pinnipedia,  Order,  3,  43,  44 
Pipa  americana,  .364 
Pipe-Fishes,  Order  of,  422 
Piranga  ervtliromelas,  194 
Pithecia  satanas,  16 
Pityophis  melanoleucus,  344 
Platypus  or  Duck-Bill,  359 
Plectognathi,  410 
Plectospondyli,  412 
Plegadis  autumnalis,  263 
Plethodon  glutinosus,  367 
Plover,  American  Golden,  251 


446 


INDEX 


Plover,  Field,  251 
“ Kill-Deer,  251 
Pocket-Gopher  Family,  68 
Podilymbus  podiceps,  300 
Polyodon  spathula,  429 
Pomatomus  saltatrix,  388 
Pomoxis  annularis,  384 
“ sparoides,  383 
Pompano,  Common,  390 
Porcupine,  Canada,  94 

“ Yellow-Haired,  94 
Porcupine  Family,  68,  94 
Porpoise,  Common,  151 
Porpoises  and  Whales,  Order  of, 
146 

Porzana  Carolina,  257 
Pouched  Mouse  and  Rat  Family, 
68 

Prairie-Chicken,  245 
Prairie-"  Dog,”  68,  76 

“ ‘‘  pamphlet  on  the, 

98 

Prairie-" Dog”  Burrow,  77 
Prairie-" Dog”  and  Burrowing 
Owl,  224 

Prairie-" Dog”  Hunter,  29 
Prairie  Wolf,  23 
Primates,  3,  7 
Pristis  pectinatus,  434 
Procellaria  glacialis,  307 
" pelagica,  295 
Procyon  lotor,  41 
Progne  subis,  193 
Promops  californicus,  64 
Protean,  subterranean,  370 
Proteus  anguineus,  370 
Protopterus,  381 
Pseudemys  rubriventris,  326 
Pseudopleuronectes  americanus, 
418 

Psittaci,  Order,  175,  216 
Ptarmigan,  241,  307 

" White-Tailed,  249 
" Willow,  249 
Pteropus  edwardsii,  66 
Pulfin,  Common,  or  “Sea  Par- 
rot,” 304 

Puffin,  Tufted,  300,  304 
Puffins,  267,  300,  302,  303 
Puma,  19 

Putorius  erminea,  29 
“ nigripes,  29 
nxosus  20 

Pygopodes,  Order,  175,  267,  300 
Python  molurus,  340,  342 
“ reticulatus,  341 

Quail,  241 

“ California  Mountain,  243 

“ Common,  242 

“ Valley,  243 
Querquedula  cyanoptera,  271 
“ discors,  270 
Quisculus  quiscula,  202 

Rabbit  and  Hare  Family,  95 
Rabbit,  Jack,  98 
Raccoon  Family,  41 
Rachianectes  giaucus,  148 
Haiae,  434 
Hail  Family,  257 


Rail,  Sora,  257 
“ Virginia,  257 
Rallus  virginianus,  257 
Rana  catesbiana,  360,  363 
“ clamata,  360,  362 
“ sylvatica,  360,  363 
“ virescens,  362 
Rangifer  arcticus,  99,  135,  136 
“ caribou,  99, 132, 133 
“ granti,  136 

“ groenlandicus,  136 

“ osborni,  134 

“ pearyi,  136, 137 

“ stonei,  134 

Raptures,  Order,  175,  218 
Rat  and  Mouse  Family,  68,  83, 
84,91 

Rat,  Cotton  or  Marsh,  84,  89 
“ Coypu,  92 
“ Domestic,  84,  93 
“ Kangaroo,  84,  91,  93 
“ Pack  or  Trading,  88,  93 
“ Tree,  93 
“ Wood,  84,  88 
Rats  and  Rat-like  Animals,  92 
Ratitae,  Order,  175,  309 
Rattlesnake,  348 

“ Diamond,  or  Wa- 

ter, 349,  350 

Rattlesnake,  Dog-Faced,  349 
“ Edwards’,  349 
“ Green,  349 

“ Ground,  349 
“ Horned,  349,  351 
" Massasauga,  349, 
351 

Rattlesnake,  Pacific,  349 

“ Prairie,  349,  350, 

351 

Rattlesnake,  Texas,  349,  350 

“ Timber  or  Banded, 

349, 350 

Rattlesnake,  White,  349 
Raven,  American,  205,  307 
Ray,  Beaked,  434 
“ Devil-Fish,  436 
“ Shark-,  434 
“ Sting,  435 

Rays  and  Skates,  Order  of,  434 
“Recreation”  (magazine),  237, 
276 

Red  Horse,  413 
Redstart,  American,  190 
Reed-Bird,  199 
Regulus  calendula,  183 
Reindeer,  in  Alaska,  138 
Reithrodontomys  leconti,  84,  88 
Hemora,  393 
Reptile  House,  339 
Reptiles,  Food  Consumed  bv, 
339 

Reptiles,  Introduction  to  the 
Class  of,  313 
Reptiles,  Orders  of,  314 

“ Poisonous  Species  of, 
315 

Rice-Bird,  199 
Ring-Tail  Monkey,  14 
Rhamphobatis  ancy  1 o s t o m u s , 
434 


Rhea,  309 

Rhinobatis  lentiginosus,  434 
Rhinodon  typicus,  433 
Rhytina  gigas,  153 
Road-Runner,  215 
Rol)in,  181 
Roccus  lineatus,  385 
Rodentia,  3,  68 
Rungius,  Carl,  143 
Rutter,  Cloudsley,  401 
Rynchops  nigra,  298 

Sage-Grouse,  247 
Saimiri  sciurea,  15 
Salamanders,  Eel-Like,  370 

“ Family  of,  360. 
366 

Salamander,  Free-Gilled,  370 
“ Giant,  369 
“ Siren,  or  Mud- 
“Eel,”  371 

Salamanders,  Spotted,  360,  .366, 
368 

Salamanders,  Two-Legged,  370 
Salamandridae,  360,  364 
Salmo  clarkii,  396 
“ gairdneri,  .398 
“ irideus,  .397 
“ ouananiche,  405 
“ salar,  404 
“ sebago,  405 
Salmon  and  Trout,  Order  of,  396 

“ Atlantic,  404 

“ Blueback  or  Sockcve, 

. 403 

Salmon,  Dog,  403 

“ Family  of  the,  396 

“ Groups  of  American,  400 

“ Humpback,  403 

“ Ouananiche,  405 

“ Quinnat,  401,  403 

“ Sebago,  405 

Salvelinus  fontinalis,  .399 
Sand-Piper,  Least,  253 

“ Senii-Palmated, 
252 

San  Francisco  “Evening  Bulle- 
tin,” 417 

Sapajou,  White-Throated,  14 
Sapsucker,  Yellow-Bellied,  213 
Sarcorhampus  grj-phus,  2.36 
Saw'fish,  434 
Scalops  aquaticus,  57 
Scammon,  Caj)t.  ('.  M.,  147,  L50 
Scaphiopus  holbrooki,  360,  364 
Sciuridae,  68 
Sciuropterus,  68 

“ volans,  80 

Sciurus  carolinensis,  70 
“ douglasi,  71 
“ erythrogaster,  71 
“ fremonti,  71 
“ griseus,  70 
“ hudsonicus,  71 
" ludovicianus,  70 
“ malabaricus,  71 
“ niger,  70 
“ prevosti,  72 
Scomberomorus  maculatus,  388 
Scoter,  American,  269,  278 


INDEX 


447 


Scoter,  Surf,  269 

“ White-\\'inged,  278 
Scotiaptex  nebulosa,  221 
Sea-Hass,  Black,  385 

“ Family  of  the,  385 
Sea-Cow,  Rhytina,  or  Arctic,  154 
Sea-Cows,  Order  of,  153 
Sea-Horses,  Order  of,  423 
Sea-Lions,  California,  44,  46 
“ Steller’s,  44, 46 
“Sea-Parrot”  (puffin),  304 
“Sea-Swallow”  (tern),  298 
Seal,  Bearded,  52 
“ Fur,  48 
“ Greenland,  53 
“ Harbor,  44,52 
“ Harp,  44,52 
“ Hooded, 44, 53 
“ Ribbon  or  Harlequin,  44, 
53 

Seal,  Ringed,  44 
“ Saddle-Back,  53 
Seal  Family,  52 

Seals  and  Sea-Lions,  Order  of,  43 
Seiurus  motacilla,  190 

“ noveboracensis,  190 
Selachostomi,  Order,  429 
Selous,  Percy,  killed  bj’  mocca- 
sin, 252 

Serpents,  Order  of,  337 
Serum,  Anti-venomous,  355 
Seton,  Ernest  T.,  134 
Setopliaga  ruticilla,  190 
Sewellel,  SO 
Sliad,  Common,  407 
“Shagreen,”  432 
Shark,  Basking,  433 
“ Blue,  433 

“ Bone, 433 

“ Great  Tiger,  433 

“ Hammer-Head,  432,  433 

“ Mackerel,  433 

“ Man-Eater  or  White,  433 

“ Thresher,  433 

“ Tiger,  433 

Shark-Ray,  434 
Sliarks,  Order  of,  432 
Sharp-Tailed  Grouse,  247 
Shearwaters,  294 
Sheep,  Big-Horn,  99, 108 

“ Black,  99,  108,  112 

“ Fannin’s,  108,  1 12 

“ Mexican,  108,  110 

“ Nelson’s,  or  California, 

108,  110 

Sheep,  White,  99,  108,  110 
Slieep  and  Cattle  Family,  99 
SlieUion,  Chas.,  1 10,  1 12 
Shields,  G.  O.,  38,  112,  237,  276 
Sliore-Birds,  Order  of,  251 
Showt’l,  80 
Shrew  Family,  58 
Shrew,  Common,  58 
“ Short-Tailed,  58 
Shrikes,  179,  191 
Sialia  sialis,  182 
Siamang,  13 

Sigmodon  hispidus,  84, 89 
Simia  satyrus,  7 
Simorliynchus  pusillus,  305 
Sirenia,  Order,  153 


Siren  larcetina,  360,  371 
Sirens,  Family  of,  360 
Siscowet,  399 

Sistrurus  catenatus,  349,  351 
“ edwardsi,  349 

“ miliarius,  349 

Sitta  carolinensis,  185 
Skaus  and  Jaegers,  296,  299 
Skeleton  of  American  Bison,  100 
“ “ Bald  Eagle,  219 

“ “ Gorilla,  8 

Skimmer,  Black,  296,  298 
Skink,  334 
Skunk,  Badger,  31 
“ Common,  32 
“ Little  Spotted,  32 
“Slider”  Terrapin,  326 
Sloth,  Three-Toed,  156 
“ Two-Toed,  156 
Snake,  Black,  344 

“ Blue,  or  Green  Racer, 

344 

Snake,  Boyle’s,  343 

“ Coach,  Whip,  or  Red 

Racer,  345 

Snake,  Copperhead,  347 

“ Corn,  Red  Racer  or  Rat, 

343 

Snake,  Fer-de-Lance  or  Lance- 
Head,  353 
Snake,  Garter,  345 

“ Gopher,  Black  or  Indigo, 

344 

Snake,  Harlequin,  347,  353 

“ Hog-Nosed,  346 

“ “Hoop,”  339 

“ King,  Chain  or  Thun- 

der, 343 

Snake,  Massasauga,  347 

“ Pine,  344 

“ Poisons,  353,  3.54,  355 

“ Rattle,  .347,  .348 

“ Red-Bellied  Water,  .346 

“ Splendid,  .343 

“ Sonoran  Coral,  .347,  353 

“ Water,  346 

“ Water-Moccasin,  347 

Snake-Bird,  267,  287 
Snake-bites,  Treatment  of,  354, 
3.55 

“Snake,”  Glass,  3.39 
Snakes,  captive.  Food  of,  339 
“ Harmless,  of  the  United 

States,  343 

Snakes,  oviparous,  338 

“ Poisonous,  of  North 

America,  347 
Snakes,  Viviparous,  338 
Snapper,  Red,  391 
Snow-Bird,  196 
Snow-Bunting,  19.5,  .307 
Snipe,  Wilson’s  or  Jack,  252 
Snvder,  Keeper  Chas.  E.,  339, 
‘342 

Somateria  dresseri,  277 
“ spectabilis,  279 

Sorex  personatus,  .58 
Spallanzani,  Experiments  of,  62 
Sparrow,  English,  197 
“ Song,  197 

“ Tree,  196 


Sparrow,  White-Throated,  197 
Spatula  clj’peata,  271 
Speotito  cunicularia  hypogea, 
224 

Spermophile  or  Ground  Squir- 
rel, 73,  98 

Spermophile,  Franklin’s,  75 

“ Thirteen-Lined  or 
Leopard,  74 

Spermophile,  Richardson’s,  75 
Sphargis  coriacea,  3.31 
Spheniscus  demersus,  .307 
Sphyrapicus  varius,  213 
Sphyrna  zygaena,  433 
Spilogale,  32 

Spilotes  corais  couperii,  344 
Spizella  monticolor,  196 
Spoonbill  Family,  264 
Spoonbill,  Roseate,  264 
Squall,  430 

Squirrel,  Antelope,  7.3 

“ California  Gray,  70 

“ Douglas’,  71 

“ Fremont’s,  71 
“ Gray,  70 

“ Malabar,  71 
“ Northern  Fox  or  Cat, 
70 

Squirrel,  Prevost’s,  72 

“ Red,  or  Chickaree,  71 
“ Southern  Fox,  70 
Squirrel  Family,  68 
Squirrels,  Flving,  68,  80 
“ Fox, 70 

“ Ground,  68,  73,  98 

“ Rock,  or  Chipm\mks, 

68,  72 

Squirrels,  Tree,  68 
Stake-Driver  (bittern),  262 
Stearns,  Silas,  392 
Steganopodes,  Order,  175,  267, 
284 

Stegastoma  tigrinum,  433 
Stejneger,  Dr.  Leonhard,  154, 
3.54,  3.55 

Steller,  George  W.,  154 
Stephan,  Supt.  S.  A.,  141 
Stercorarius  parasiticus,  299 
Stereolepis  gigas,  385 
Sterna  hirundo,  298 
Stickleback,  Two-Spined,  415 
Sting  Rav,  or  “ Stingaree,”  435, 
436 

Stizostedion  vitreum,  387 
Stone,  .5.  .1.,  143 
Stork  Family,  2.59,  26.3 
Strigidae,  Family,  218 
Strix  pratincola,  219 
Struthio  camelus,  .309 
Sturgeon,  Common,  427 
Lake,  427 

“ Short-Nosed,  427 
“ Shovel-Nosed,  429 

“ White,  428 

Sturgeons,  Order  of,  427 

“ Size  records  of,  429 

Sturnella  magna,  200 
“ neglecta,  201 

Sucker,  Common  Brook  or 
White,  412 

Sucker,  Red-Horse,  413 


448 


INDEX 


Suckers,  Carp,  and  Minnows, 
Order  of,  412 
Sucking-Fish,  393 
Sula  Ijassana,  288 
Sun-Fish.  Black-Gill  or  Blue- 
Gill,  384 

Sun-Fish,  Common,  384 
Swallow,  Bank,  194 
“ Barn,  194 
“ Chimney,  208 
“ Cliff,  194 
“ Eave,  193 
“ Tree,  194 
“ White-Throated,  208 
Swallow  Family,  179 
Swan,  Trumpeter,  283 
“ Whistling,  283 
Swans,  Ducks,  and  Geese,  Order 
of,  267 
Swifts,  207 

“ Chimney,  208 
Swimmers,  Diving,  267 
“ Flying,  267 
“ Long-Winged,  267, 
296 

Swimmers,  Order  of  Tube-Nosed, 
267,  291 

Swimming-Birds,  Orders  of,  267 
Swordfish,  393 
Sylviidae,  Family,  179, 183 
Symphalangus  syndactylus,  13 
Synaptomys  coo  peri,  84,  86 
Syngnathus  acus,  423 
Sj'rnium  varium,  220 

Tamandua  tetradactyla,  159 
Tamias,  68 

“ striatus,  72 
Tanager,  Scarlet,  194 
Tanagers,  179, 194 
Tantalus  loculator,  263 
Tapir  Family,  99,  144 
Tapirus  dowi,  99 

“ terrestris,  144 
Tarpon,  406 

“ atlanticus,  406 
Tarsier,  7 

Tatu  novemcinctum,  158 
Tayassu  albirostre,  144 
“ tajacu,  99, 144 
Teal,  Blue-Winged,  270 
“ Cinnamon,  271 
“ Green-Winged,  269,  271 
Teetee,  15 
Tern,  267,  296 

“ Common,  297,  298 
Terrapin,  Alligator.  328 

“ Diamond-Back,  327 

“ Ellachick,  327 

“ Painted,  .327 

“ Pine-Barren,  326 

“ Pond,  .327 

“ Red-Bellied  or  “Slid- 

er,” .326 

Terrapin,  Snapping,  328,  329 
Terrapins,  Fresh-Water,  324 
“ Smooth-Shelled,  326,328 
Testudo  polyphemus,  325 
“ vicina,  324 
Tetraonidae,  241,  242 


Tetrodon  turgidus,  410 
Thalarctos  maritimus,  35 
Thallassochelys  caretta,  330 
Theropithecus  gelada,  7,  14 
Thrasher,  Brown,  186 
Thrushes,  179, 181 
“ Water,  190 
Thunder-Pumper  (bittern),  262 
Thunnus  thynnus,  389 
Tiger-Cat,  20 

Titmouse,  Black-Capped,  184 
Toads  and  Frogs,  Order  of,  361 
Toad,  American,  360 
“ Burrowing,  360,  364 
“ Common,  364 
“ Horned,  336 
“ Spade-Foot,  360,  364 
“ Surinam,  364 
Tolypeutes  tricinctus,  157 
Tomistoma  schlegeli,  317 
Tortoise,  Box,  325 
“ Giant,  324 

“ Gopher,  325 

“ Pond, 327 

Townsend,  Chas.  H.,  84,  86,  138, 
276,  292,  376,  399,  414,  429 
Trachinotus  carolinus,  390 
“ goodei,  391 
Tree-Creepers,  179,  185 
Tree-Frogs,  Family  of,  360,  363 
Trichechus  americanus,  153 
“ latirostris,  153 
“ senegalensis,  153 
Triton  torosus,  368 

“ viridescens,  360,  368 
Trochilus  colubris,  208 
Troglodytes  aedon,  186 
Trouessart,  Dr.  E.  L.,  64 
Trout,  Brook  or  Speckled,  399 
“ Lake  or  Mackinaw,  398 

“ Mountain  or  Black  Spot- 

ted, 396 

Trout,  Rainbow,  397 

“ Steelhead  or  Salmon,  398 
Trout  and  Salmon,  Order  of,  396 
Trygon  sabina,  435 
Tubinares,  Order,  175,  267,  292 
Tufts,  Le  Roy  M.,  252 
Tuna,  or  Tunny, 389 
“ Club,  389,  390 
Turkey,  Ocellated,  250 
“ Wild,  241 
Turtle,  Green,  3.30 

“ Hard-Shelled  Sea-,  330 
“ Harp  or  Lyre,  331 
“ Hawksbill  or  Tortoise- 
Shell,  330 

Turtle,  Leather-Backed,  331 
“ Leathery-Shelled  Sea-, 
331 

Turtle,  Loggerhead,  330 
“ Mud,  326 

“ Musk  or  Stink-Pot,  326 
“ • Snapping,  329 

“ ■ Soft-Shelled,  329. 

“ Wood,  328 

Tympanuchus  americanus,  245 
Typhlomolge  rathbuni,  370 
Typtilohectes  compressicauda, 
360 


Tyrannus  tyrannus,  206 
Tyrrell,  J.  B.,  134,  136 

Uakaria  calva,  16 
Underwood,  William  Lvman, 
364  ■ 

L'ngulata,  Order,  3,  99 
Uria  californica,  303 
“ lomvia,  .303 
“ troile,  .303 
Urocyon  californicus,  24 

“ cinereoargenteus,  24, 

26  , - , 
Uroc}'on  floridanus,  24 
“ ' scotti,  24 

“ texensis,  24 

“ townsendi,  24 

Urodela,  Order,  360,  366 
Ursidae,  32 

L^rsus  americanus,  35,  .39 
“ “ sornborgeri, 

35 

LTrsus  carlottae,  35 
“ dalli,  .35 
“ “ gyas,  35 

“ emmonsi,  35 
“■  floridanus,  35 
“ horribilis,  35,  37 
“ “ alascensis,  35 

“ “ horriaeus,  35 

“ kidderi,  35 
“ luteolus,  35 
“ merriami,  .35 
“ middendorfli,  35,  36 
“ richardsoni,  35 
“ sitkensis,  .35 

Vampyrus  spectrum,  6.3 
Vega,”  “Voyage  of  the  (Norden- 
skiold’s),  1.54 

Vertebrates,  Lowest  Classes  of, 
437 

Vespertilionidae,  61,  64 
Vireos,  179,  191 
Vole,  84,87,88 
vom  Hofe,  Edward,  406 
Vulture,  Black,  234 
“ California,  234 

“ Common  Turkey,  233 

Vultures,  Family  of,  218,  232 
Vulpes  deletrix,  24 
“ fulvus,  24,  25 

“ “ argentatus,  24 

“ “ decussatus,  24 

“ hallensis,  24 
“ harrimani,  24 
“ lagopus,  24,  26 

“ macrouru.s,  24 

“ macrotis,  24 
“ velox,  24,  26 

Wagtails,  179 
Wallabies,  164 
Wallihan,  A.  G.,  118,  126 
Walrus,  43 

“ Atlantic,  44,  .55 
“ Pacific,  44,  .53 
Wapiti,  99, 118, 121 
Warblers,  179,  188 
Ward,  Henry  A.,  156 


INDEX 


449 


Warren,  E.  R.,  194,  205 
Water-Frogs,  Family  of,  360 
Waxwings,  179,  192 
Weasel,  Common,  27,  29 
“ Least,  29 
Webster,  Frederic  S.,  426 
Weeds  Destroyed  b}'  Doves,  240 
Whale,  Bowhead,  Greenland  or 
Polar,  147 

Whale,  California  Gray,  148 
“ Sulphur-Bottom,  147 
Whales,  various  species,  148 
Whales  and  Porpoises,  Order 
of,  146 

Whales,  Familj'  of  Baleen,  146, 
147 

Whales,  Family  of  Sperm,  148 
Whaling  Stations,  148 
AVhippoorwill,  208 
AVhiskey-Jack,  204 
White,  Dr.  Charles  A.,  344 
Whitefish,  Common,  408 
Whitney,  William  C.,  101,  107, 
126 

Widgeon,  269 

Wingless  Land  Birds,  Order  of, 
309 

Wolcott,  F.  C.,  38 


Wolf,  Gray  or  Timber,  22 
“ Prairie,  23 
“ Tasmanian,  163 
Wolverine,  27,  31 
Wombat,  163 
Woodchuck,  68,  76,  78 
Woodcock,  American,  252 
Woodpecker,  Ant-Eating,  212 
“ Downy,  212 

“ Golden -Winged, 

211 

AVoodpecker,  Hairy,  213 

“ Red-Headed,  211 

AVoodpeckers,  Order  of,  210 
AAmod  Thrush,  182 
AATen,  House,  186 
AATens,  179 

AVright,  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood,  184, 
189,  213 

Xanthoceohalus  xanthocepha- 
lus,  200 

Xiphias  gladius,  393 

Yellowbird,  Summer,  189 

Zalophus  californianus,  44 
Zamelodia  ludoviciana,- 198 


Zamenis  constrictor,  344 
“ flagellum,  345 
“ “ frenatum, 

345 

Zapodidae,  68,  84,  92 

Zapus  hudsonius,  84,  92 

Zenaidura  macroura,  238 

Zonotrichia  albicollis,  197 

Zoological  Garden,  Antw'erp, 
106 

Zoological  Garden,  Berlin,  106 
“ “ Cincinnati, 

141 

Zoological  Garden,  Copenhagen, 
106 

Zoological  Garden,  London,  9, 
163 

Zoological  Garden,  Philadelphia, 
77,  115 

Zoological  Park,  National,  226, 
234 

Zoological  Park,  New  York,  37, 
226,  263,  270,  273,  279,  320, 
324,  335,  339,  341,  342,  345 

Zoological  Society,  London,  12, 
298,  365 

Zoological  Society,  New  York, 
171, 281 


*