of a LABORATORY OF ORNITHOLOGY CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NE® YORK CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY LABORATORY OF ORNITHOLOGY LIBRARY Gift of eA) ChAT etad es tGTS Poe! ws PAL GLOWS RAPT 6 Roduchesms By A. 'e Cons Rodachromeby A. A. Allen Lhocg | Lt ee if A. Allen ‘Photo from life YOUNG BLUE JAYS BIRDS of Eastern North America BY CHESTER A, REED, S..B. Author of “‘ Bird Guide,” ‘‘ Flower Guide”? “North American Birds’ Eggs,”’ “ Nature Studies in Field and Wood,” ‘“ Camera Studies of Wild Birds,” etc. WITH COLORED ILLUSTRATIONS OF EVERY SPECIES COMMON TO THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA FROM THE ATLANTIC COAST TO THE ROCKIES GARDEN CITY New YORK DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY Ig12 Copyright, 1912 CHAS. K. REED, Worcester, Mass. PREFACE This volume is in reality but an extension of, an enlarge- ment upon and a combining of the “show me”’ properties of “Bird Guide — Land Birds” and ‘Bird Guide — Water Birds.” The kind reception and enormous sale of these smaller books have fully justified my belief that a good, ac- curate illustration is worth pages of text for conveying an idea of the appearance of a bird or for identifying one scen in the field. My schooling in this line was gained in the time when an occasional inaccurate woodcut served only to relieve the monotony of the solid pages of text. In those days the birds were “collected” and, with the specimen in hand, it required only time to discover what it was, from the pages of the old reliable ‘“‘Coues’ Key.” Birds were more plentiful then and bird students comparatively few. Obviously such methods are impossible now when the birds are fewer and students numbered by the hundreds of thousands. A good pair of bird glasses and a good book will enable the bird student now to see and identify hundreds of species, and that without harming the creatures in the least. In fact, several enthusiasts have written me that they became so familiar with the birds by means of pictures that upon visit- ing new localities and seeing new birds they were able to cor- rectly name nearly all at first sight without referring to a book. Bird study is not a fad. It is a recreation and a most useful one. Its importance is shown by the fact that it is one of the requirements of teachers in nearly all states. I have endeavored in this volume to incorporate that which will serve the most to the best advantage, omitting nothing that “Hl PREFACE seems essential and adding nothing for the sake of ‘“pad- ding.” The colored pictures are from water-color paint- ings made directly from perfectly plumaged specimens and, I believe, faithfully represent each species in a pose commonly assumed in life. I sincerely hope that “Birds of Eastern North America” may give pleasure and profit to the reader, and that it may be the means of adding many new members to that great fraternal order known as “ Friends of the Birds.” CHESTER A. REED. Worcester, April, 1912. iv CONTENTS Preface meee ESE GS Topographical Chart of a Bird Introduction Ornithology What Is a Bird? Naming Birds . Characters of Birds Coloration Migration of Birds Value of Birds Birds of Eastern North America . How to Study Birds Local Lists . Index ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE ooo wan Io It 12 13 15 17 425 432 439 Colored pictures of nearly every species named in the Index. Upper Tail Coverts Rump Primaries Secondaries Covervis, Greater . » Middle » Lesser Back Nabe Crown Median Line Quperciliary~ Scabulars_/ /, Arextials Aurviculars f ; =F Medomen Loves /p ce ot Belly tt “AN Tibia ee eae a WY Tarsus rea Y ee —e it~ Flanks ail aa KL~ Sides Chin LG Throat \, IN Breast : VOPOGRAPHY OFA BIRD S= male P= Female vi INTRODUCTION OrNITHOLOGY.— The Science of or the Study of Birds is Ornithology, and the student is known as an Ornithologist. By this term, however, we mean not one who only is able to name or identify many species, but the student who knows as well the functions and characters that form the basis of the correct grouping of birds in their proper relation to one another. It is not necessary or even desirable that all bird students become expert ornithologists, for such a course often requires the destruction of bird life. Only those who aim to make ornithology their life work should undertake it, but every one should be conversant with some of the basic prin- ciples upon which depend the naming and placing of the different species. Wuat Is a Brrp?— Birds belong to the class Aves, which is one of two groups making up the primary group of Sauropsida. The other members of this group are classed as Reptilia, and these two classes are linked together because the evidence all points to the presumption that birds are all descended from a reptilian ancestor. In slate formation in Bavaria have been found several fossil remains of a bird which has been named Archaeopteryx lithographica and which is very reptile-like in form and structure. Birds are warm-blooded, oviparous animals — that is, their young are hatched from eggs outside the bodies of their parents. They are unique in that they are the only animals possessing feathers. They always have four limbs, of which the fore pair are wings, usually capable of sustaining the creature in flight by means of attached feathers. Some animals and certain fish are also capable of flight, but are sustained by a skin or membrane stretched between the bony fingers. vil INTRODUCTION Naminc Brrps.— Since birds have evolved from a rep- tilian state and are still in the very slow process of evolution to still higher forms, it follows that the natural and proper order in which our present birds should be arranged is from the lowest and most reptile-like form upward. Following such an arrangement our birds are grouped into orders com- mencing with the Grebes and ending with the Bluebirds. The birds comprising each order agree in certain structural fea- tures, even though they may often be quite unlike externally. A comparison of the members of an order shows that the one group can be divided into perhaps several smaller groups of birds which agree structurallyin other less important respects. These second divisions are known as Families. For instance, the Order Pygopodes, which is composed of certain diving birds, contains Family Colymbide or Grebes, Family Gaviide or Loons, and Family Alcidae, Auks, Murres, and Puffins. These families may often advantageously be still further divided into Genera, and finally we come down to the in- dividual Species. When widely distributed, the same species of birds are subject to sometimes great and permanent differences in their plumages. Although widely separated birds sometimes show even greater differences in their plumage than between many other distinct species, the two races cannot be regarded as distinct since birds in the regions between the extremes inter- grade gradually with one another; hence the one bird is called a subspecies of the other. In order to distinguish between the subspecies, the trinomial method of naming is used. This may be best illustrated by the following example. Our common Song Sparrow is a very widely distributed bird; in fact, it is found throughout the United States and the greater part of Canada and Alaska. This bird is ap- parently very susceptible to climatic changes, for, while in the Eastern States we have but one race, in the West there are a great many subspecies, nineteen at the present time. As a rule, birds of northern climes are larger than the same kind in the South; also birds in regions of large rainfall are much darker colored than the same kind in hot, dry climates. viii INTRODUCTION Consequently we find that in the deserts of the Southwestern States the Song Sparrows are smaller than our common one and are very much paler colored. Again, in northwestern United States, we find that Song Sparrows are not only larger than ours but are very much darker. In order that these differences may be properly recorded, our eastern bird, being the type race, is known as Melospiza melodia melodia, the first being the generic name, the second the specific name, and the third signifying that this is a type bird of which there are one or more subspecies. The absence of a third name signifies that a bird is a distinct species with no subspecies. The Desert Song Sparrow is Melospiza melodia fallax, the Sooty Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia rufina, and soon. Thus our little Song Sparrow to be defi- nitely described would be Class Aves, Order Passeres (Perch- ing Birds), Family Fringillide (Finches, Sparrows, etc.), Genus Melospiza and Type Melodia melodia. CHARACTERS OF Birps.— Birds have straight bills, crooked bills, or bills of unusual shape; webbed feet, lobed toes, or long, straight, slender toes; long wings, short wings, broad wings, or comparatively tiny wings; long tails, short tails, or sharp, spiny-pointed tails. Why these differences? We may safely assume that if a bird has a peculiarly shaped bill, unusual feet or wings out of the ordinary, there is a reason, and the unusual construction is better adapted to its manner of living in some respect even though we cannot see how. The Crossbill has crooked mandibles that pass by one another when the bill is closed. His food consists of seeds from cones and the construction of his bill enables him to scale off the seeds more rapidly and more easily than if it were of ordinary shape. It would be unreasonable to presume that these birds were made with crossed bills and then had to seek out the food that could be best obtained with such bills, but, from the very nature of evolution, we can safely say that their ancestors, hundreds or thousands of generations ago, had normally shaped bills; that they secured pine seeds, liked them and adopted them as a staple diet, with the result that the continual twisting to scale seeds from the cones has 1X INTRODUCTION brought their bills to the form in which we see them to- day. Because a bird is flightless, like the Antarctic Penguins or the Great Auk that formerly lived off our coast, it must not be supposed that their ancestors could not fly. Probably they could, and it is only the long-continued disuse that has rendered them the flightless creatures they are in our day. We may even imagine the prehistoric Ostrich as a bird cap- able of flight. Few enemies and a life of ease on the ground would gradually decrease the size and power of the wings until flight was impossible. At this stage the appearance of an enemy in the shape of some predatory mammal would have caused the creature to take refuge by running, and after a great lapse of time produce the strong-legged, swift bird that we now know as the Ostrich. I mention these things just to bring to attention the fact that we must not suppose that birds do certain things because of unusual construction adapted to that purpose, for the unusual construction follows and is caused by the fact that the bird lives the life it does. CoLoraTiIon.— Every bird has enemies, to escape which they have to be continually on guard. Very few of them live their full lives and die a natural death. Sick or crippled ones fall early victims to predatory birds and animals. Col- oration plays quite an important part in the protection and perpetuation of each species. As a rule, female birds are less conspicuously marked than their mates, a wise provision, since they attract less attention at that important period during which they are sitting upon their nests. With few exceptions, a notable one of which is the Bobo- link, birds are darker on their backs than on the under parts, for the reason that such gradation of tone about balances the shadows caused by the overhead light and renders most of them quite invisible when against the proper background, whereas if they were uniformly colored they would stand out very distinctly. Usually birds that spend the greater part of the time on the ground are dull-colored and streaked with brown and gray, as shown by the sparrows while those whose lives are mostly xX INTRODUCTION spent in trees may be any color. The latter have little need of protective colors, for the leaves screen them from above, and, viewed from below, even brightly colored birds like our Scarlet Tanager are less conspicuous than one would think, owing to the kaleidoscopic effect produced by the green leaves, the patches of blue sky and spots of yellow where the sun’s rays filter through the openings. Birds whose plumages are in harmony with their surround ings often trust to this fact for avoiding detection. The Green Heron and Bittern often allow a person to pass within a few feet of them as they stand statue-like beside a few rushes, many doubtless remaining unseen. Sparrows sit upon their eggs in little grass nests on the ground until there is danger of their being trod upon, before they take wing, and the Woodcock is so sure of the efficacy of her plumage as a protection that she will sometimes allow one to touch her. MicRATION oF Brrps.— Twice each year most birds per- form their wonderful migratory feats. It seems almost beyond belief that tiny birds can start from their home site here, travel several thousand miles across water and land to northern South America, spend several months there and then, with nothing but their memory and probably some landmarks to guide them, find their way back to the exact place from which they started. A person could not do it; in fact many would become hopelessly lost in a piece of woods a mile across. Birds have a keen sense of direction and, traveling at high elevations as they do, they are able to pick up familiar landmarks far ahead. Birds also have very acute hearing and keen sight, which qualifications enable young and less experienced birds to follow the correct course by sound and sight of the older ones. Doubtless you have noticed that migrating small birds are calling to one another every few minutes, probably for the very purpose of keeping in touch with the ones that do not know the way. Migration, first performed to escape severe cold or because of lack of food, has become a fixed habit with those species that do regularly migrate. Many of them, long before it is Xi INTRODUCTION necessary for them to go south, gather in flocks preparatory to the journey. Seed-eating birds generally travel only far enough south to make sure of a good supply of food to carry them through the winter, while insect-eating birds usually make quite extended journeys, although Chickadees, which live upon insects, do not migrate at all, but eke out a frugal fare of insect eggs and pupe which they can gather from the bark of trees. It is not difficult to see why birds should wish or might be obliged to migrate in fall, but why they should return in spring cannot be so easily demonstrated since they are al- ready in a land of plenty as far as food is concerned. Birds that winter in our Southern States move northward with the rise in temperature, but rise in temperature cannot be the cause of the return of those species that leave our shores and continue to South America. Hudsonian Godwits, shore birds that nest along our Arctic coast, spend our winter months in Patagonia, where the temperature at the time is about the same as our Southern States. Furthermore, for a short time, they there associate on the pampas with other Godwits of the same species which are about to leave for their breeding grounds only a few- hundred miles farther south. Why our birds should travel six or seven thousand miles between their summer and winter homes, when places equally as desirable and used by the same species are only as many hundred miles away, is a mystery that cannot be satisfactorily explained and can only be attributed to hered- itary instinct. VALUE OF Birps.— Living birds are pretty to look at and they are interesting to watch. The more acquainted one becomes with them the more interested one is in watching them. Our sea beaches would be quite desolate could we not see an occasional tern or gull gracefully winging his way over the water or a sandpiper running along the shore; our ponds and lakes would not be half so interesting if we could not hear the rattle of the kingfisher or see the great herons go slowly flapping away on their large wings; and imagine our orchards and shade trees without the warblers, wrens, robins, xii INTRODUCTION etc.; they would be lifeless indeed. If the presence and sight of our birds please a great many people they can be said to have a very large esthetic value. Certain species of birds, commonly known as Game Birds, have another value in that they are pursued by sportsmen for recreation and food. But by far the greatest value is an economic one. Birds are literally worth their weight in gold, and it behooves every one of us to see that they are kept alive and in good health as far as we are individually and collectively able. Yet it is only within a few years that birds have come into their own and been reckoned at their true worth as destroyers of injurious insects and consequently as saviors of our crops. Only a few years ago one of our large states was offering a bounty of 25 cents on each hawk and owl killed, while as a matter of fact the destruction of each one was costing the farmers in the neighborhood of $40 per year caused by damage done by the mice and insects that each one of the birds of prey would have consumed in that time. The temperature of the blood in birds is higher than in other animals and the circulation is double and very rapid. In order to supply fuel to maintain this temperature and rapid circulation birds eat a great deal and the digestion is very rapid. When food is abundant they eat more than necessary and become very fat; when it is scarce they have to cover much ground to find enough for their wants. Not more than 2 per cent. of our native birds are destructive to such a degree that the good they do does not more than make amends. Less than 1o per cent., while not injurious in any way, are of little or no account economically; the remainder, nearly go per cent. of all our birds, are very valuable. They are one of the most important balance springs of Nature, and their office is to check any undue increase in any species of insects. Ifa certain insect pest becomes superabundant, the birds that feed upon it congregate, gorge themselves, raise large families and return the following year in sufficient numbers to quell the outbreak. This check works perfectly upon native insects, but if a foreign one is brought to this xiil INTRODUCTION country and multiplies rapidly it may become a scourge difficult to check because we have no birds accustomed to feeding upon that particular insect. Lest any one might suppose that the remedy for an imported pest to be imported birds, I will add that such remedies wherever tried have in- variably proved worse than the disease. Our experience with English Sparrows should be sufficient to deter any ex- periments with any other species. Valuable birds in their native countries, they are the worst pest that we have to con- tend with here, for they destroy the balance of Nature by driving from the neighborhood of cities many useful birds, do absolutely no good themselves, and deface our buildings to the extent of millions of dollars’ damage annually. Seed-eating birds are just as important for holding in check the increase of noxious weeds, and even they are all insect eaters during that period during which they are feeding and caring for the young. Many birds, such as gulls, vultures, hawks, crows, etc., feed quite extensively upon refuse and are of considerable value as scavengers. xiv BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA GREBES (1) &chméphorus occi= Ws dentalis (Lawr.) (Gr., spear bearing; Lat., western). WESTERN GREBE; SWAN GREBE. Ad. in summer — Bill long and pointed, very slightly recurved, dusky with yellow edges. Iris red. Feet grayish. Top of head and line down the back of the neck, black; back dark gray, the feathers being edged with lighter; entire under parts glossy white. I winter — Top’ of head and back of neck gray like the back. L., 24.00-29.00; W., 8.00; Tar. and B., 3.00. Eggs — Three to five, stained bluish-white, 2.40 x 1.55. Range — Breeds from N. Dak. and northern Cal. north to B. C. and Sask. Winters from B.C. to Mex. Casual east to Neb. and Wis. OrpDER PYGOPODES. Divine Birps The Pygopodes (Gr., rump, foot) are characterized by the fact that the legs enter the body at the extreme end, at or near the rump, a physical construction that gives them great powers of swimming and diving but makes them almost helpless when on land. With the exception of the Puffin, the birds of this Order sit upon the whole tarsus and foot as a base, either erect or partly reclining on their breasts. Their plumage is very thick and is completely waterproof. Famity COLYMBIDA. GrEBEs A family comprising about thirty species, six of which are found within our limits. They are all externally charac- terized by semipalmated feet, broad lobes or flaps on each toe and broad, flat nails. The wings are very short, small 17 GREBES (2) Célymbus hélbeelli (Reinh.) (Lat., a diving bird; to C Holbeell). HOLBCELL’S GREBE; RED- NECKED GREBE. Bill straight and pointed, black, shading to yellow- ish at the base. Iris red. Ad. in summer — Colored as shown; the silvery-gray cheeks are quite puffy owing to the density of the plumage and the slight lengthening of the feathers; crests short and black; lining of wings and axillars white. In winter — No crests; under parts entirely white, slightly tinted with grayish or pale rufous on the neck. L, 19.00; W., 7.60; Tar., 2.50; B., 2.20. Range — Breeds in the _ interior from Minn. northward. Migrates south to Neb. and along the Atlantic coast to S. C. and decidedly concavo-convex. The tail is very rudimentary, consisting only of downy feathers. The habits of all our grebes are practically identical, except that Pied-billed Grebes, the species most commonly found in the east, are less gregarious than the others. All kinds are usually known by gunners as “‘ Hell-divers’’ because of the quickness with which they can disappear under water. Of course, however, there is no truth in the common belief that they can dodge shot or dive at the flash of a gun. If one escapes the charge from a modern firearm it is either because of a poor aim or on account of the small portion of a grebe’s body that appears above water when the creature is alarmed. The large Western Grebe commonly swims with the body almost entirely submerged, the only visible portions being a slender head perched at right angles to a more slender neck. By the way, this is the species that furnished most of the “grebe breasts” of commerce until the traffic was wisely stopped, chiefly through the efforts of the Audubon Society. 18 GREBES (3) Colymbus auritus (Linn.) (Lat., eared). HORNED GREBE. Ad. in sum- mer — Colored as shown; black cheek feathers lengthened and puffy; crest from back of each eye, quite long and full. In winter — Grayish-black above, silvery-white below. L., 14.00; Ex., 24.00; W., 5.50; Tar., 1.75; B., .go. Liggs — Three to seven, soiled dull white, 1.7ox1.20. Nest —A floating mass of decaying vegetation, generally attached to the living rushes in sloughs. Range — Breeds from Me., nor- thern Neb., Min., and B.C. northward. Winters from southern Me., Minn. and B. C. south to Fla., the Gulf coast and Cal. Grebes very rarely fly unless forced to do so, except during migrations or to pass from one body of water to another. They are such amphibious creatures that it is quite difficult for them to leave the water; their small wings refuse to raise them until they have attained sufficient speed by pattering and running along the surface of the water for several yards. When once a-wing, a swift flight is maintained by very rapid wing beats. The finish of the flight is no more graceful than its beginning; they seem to be wholly unable to check their speed and plump down in the water like so many stones. They are complete masters of their preferred element. A plunge of the head, a vigorous kick with the feet, and they disappear as though by magic. At other times they settle slowly backward until the bill goes beneath the surface with- out leaving a ripple. They easily remain under water for two or three minutes, during which time they can swim for considerable distances. 19 GREBES (4) Colymbus nigricdéllis calif6rnicus (Brehm.) (Lat., black-necked). EARED GREBE. Bill pointed and slightly recurved. Irisred. Ad. in summer — Plumage as shown; long, conspicuous, tawny colored, auricular tufts. Ad.in winter and Im.— Black- ish-gray above and satiny-white on the under parts; readily distinguished from the Horned Grebe by the dif- ferently shaped bill. L., 13.00; W., 5.00; B., 1.00. Nest—A heap of wet, decaying rushes floating among the living ones in sloughs. Eggs — Three to seven, dull white, 1.70 x 1.15. Range — Western N. A. Breeds from southern Cal., and northern Neb. north to B. C. and Man. Winters from Cal. southward. Cas- ual east to Mo. and Ind., during migrations. Their food consists chiefly of small fish, which they pursue and catch under water. This diet is varied to some extent with frogs, tadpoles, water insects and shellfish. The Pied- billed species appears to live less exclusively upon fish than do the others; its flesh is, therefore, not quite as rank but it is a long ways from palatable. The nesting habits of our grebes differ only in that the Pied-billed and Holbcell’s are more solitary in their habits. The Western, Eared and Horned Grebes usually nest in com- munities or colonies, which accounts for the ease with which they used to be shot during nesting time, for millinery pur- poses. The eggs are practically laid in water, the young are born in water, get their food from the water, often sleep on the water and practically live on the water all their lives. The nest is formed of a mass of wet, decaying rushes; sometimes located on fairly stable hummocks, but more often floating about on the water, insecurely attached to 20 GREBES (5) Colymbus dominicus brachypterus (Chapman) (Of St. Domingo). LEAST GREBE; ST. DOMINGO GREBE. Bill very short, stout and pointed. Iris orange-red. Ad. in summer — Crown glossy, steel-blue; sides of head ashy-gray; throat black; rest of lower parts grayish-white; upper parts blackish. Jn winter — No black on throat; crown and sides of head duller colored. L., 9.50; W., 3-75; Tar., 1.25; B., .7o. Mest — Of decaying rushes floating on the water. Fggs — Four to seven, chalky, green- ish-white, so nest stained as to ap- pear brownish; 1.40 x .os. Range — Throughout Mexico and Central America. In the United States, only in the Rio Grande Valley, southern Texas. some upright rushes so that the owner on her return may not find that her home has floated away. The top of this decay- ing mass is barely raised above the water; indeed, the eggs often lay partly in water. It has been said that when a GREBES (6) Podilymbus pédiceps (Linn.) (Lat., rump, foot). PIED-BILLED GREBE; DAB- CHICK; DIPPER; HELL-DIVER. Bill short, stout, compressed and obtuse at the tip; in summer whitish with a black band around the middle. Ad. in summer — As shown; notice the black throat, the white eye-ring and the absence of white onthe wings. In winter — Bill plain dusky; no eye- ring; throat white. Juv.— Like the winter adult but with more or less conspicuous striping on the head. L., 13.00; W., 5.10; Tar., 1.50; B., .85. Eggs — Four to six, dull, soiled white, I.70 Xx .95. Range— Breeds throughout the United States and southern Canada. Winters from Va., Miss. and Wash. southward. grebe wishes to move, she sits on her nest sticks out one foot and paddles off to another location. While the truth of this is to be doubted, it is a fact that the nests are so insecurely attached to their supports that they are very commonly blown about at the mercies of the winds. A full complement of eggs numbers from three to seven. These are naturally of a dull white or slightly bluish color, but continual contact with the wet mass upon which they repose soon discolors them, those of the Least Grebe turning to a deep saffron-brown shade. When a grebe leaves her nest, she usually covers the eggs with some of the wet rushes, either to conceal them from the gulls that often nest in the same localities and which are very fond of them, or that the steaming action of the sun on the wet mass may assist in their incubation. Grebes are nidifugous; their young come from the eggs covered with down, and the little ones leave the nest almost immediately, swimming about after their mothers. 22 LOONS (7) Gavia immer (Briin.) (Ital., gull; Swedish, goose). LOON; GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. Ad. in summer — Bill, long, stout, pointed, black. Iris red. Plumage beautifully patterned as shown. In winter and Im.— Bill grayish. Iris brown. Upper parts brownish-black, with gray edging of the feathers on the back; below white; cheeks more or less mottled. L., 31.00-36.00; Ex., 52.00; W., 14.00; Tar., 3.40; B., 2.90, Mest —A de- pression near the water’s edge. Two olive-brown eggs, sparingly spotted with black, 3.50 x 2.20. Range — Breeds from Mass., N- Y., northern Ohio and northern Cal., northward; winters from southern N.E., the Great Lakes and B. C. south to the Gulf coast. Famity GAVIIDA. Loons Five species of loons compose the Gaviide; all five of these are found in North America and three within the territory included by this book. Loons are large, powerful birds; in fact the smallest of the loons is larger than the largest of the grebes. A still greater external difference between the two families is seen, however, in the shapes of thefeet. Loon feet are fully webbed, while the toes of grebes have lobes. Loons have a perfect form for diving and for swimming, either on the surface or below it. The heavy pointed bill cleaves the water like a knife, and the long tapering body offers but little more resistance to a forward motion. The tarsus is narrow and deep, giving great power to the thrust of the legs and allowing them to come to a forward position again with very little effort. The feet are large and the webs broad. Grebes are skulkers; they have poor weapons either for 23 LOONS (9) Gavia arctica (Linn.) (Lat. Arctic). BLACK-THROATED LOON. Ad. in summer — Billblack. Iris red. Plumage as shown; the gray crown and smaller size easily distinguish it from the common Loon, and the other markings are quite different too. In winter — Blackish above and white below. L., 28.00; W., 12.00; Tar., 2.60; B., 2.00. Nest — A depression in the ground within a few feet of the water. Lggs— Two, grayish-brown with a few black markings, 3.10x 2.00. Range — More northerly distrib- uted than the common Loon. Rare- ly seen in the United States. Breeds along the Arctic coast. Winters casually south to northern United States. defence or offence; consequently they prefer rush-grown sloughs, ponds or mud holes, where they can easily hide. Loons are very powerful, fully able to cope with any enemy except man. ‘They like large open bodies of water where they may have plenty of room for enjoyment. Like grebes, they are almost helpless as far as traveling on land is concerned. Nor can they take flight from the water without considerable space ahead for gaining speed by pattering along the surface with their feet. Their flight is very swift and straight when they do get into the air. When two or more males are on the same lake, especially in spring, they often indulge in friendly speed contests, each trying to outdo the other in running over the water. The cry of the loon is one of the most weird sounds in nature — a very loud, mournful wail ending in a quavering laugh. It is comparable only to the distant howl of a wolf or the scream of the Great Horned Owl. During June, two elongated, dark olive-brown, black- 24 PUFFINS (11) Gavia stellata (Pont.) (Lat., starred or spotted). RED-THROATED LOON. Bill more slender than that of other loons; slightly concave at the nostrils, giving it a slight up-turned appearance. Plumage as illustrated. Notice that the back of the adult has no white markings while that of the winter adult and immature bird is spotted with white, being just the reverse in this respect from the common Loon. L., 25.00; W., 11.00; Tar., 2.75; B., 2.00. Nest — On the ground close by water. Eggs —Olive-brown, spotted with black, 3.00 x 1.75. Range—Breeds from N. B., Que. and Mackenzie, northward. Winters from Me., the Great Lakes and B. C. south to the Gulf. spotted eggs are laid in a shallow depression, usually under the shelter of some overhanging bush, close to the water’s edge, so the owner may slide off to safety should danger approach. The young are covered with a soft brown down and leave the nest as soon as hatched. In winter loons frequent the larger rivers and the sea- coast. Great numbers of them pass the season is Chesa- peake Bay. You can readily distinguish between the Common and the Red-throated species by the smaller size and white-spotted back of the latter. The Black-throated Loon, which is similar to the Common in winter, but smaller, rarely comes as far south as the United States Famty ALCID. Avuxs Mourres PUurrins This family contains about thirty species, all strictly mari- time. Most of them are found in North America, but chiefly on the Pacific coast. They all agree in having but three 25 PUFFINS (13) Fratércula arctica arctica (Linn.) (Lat. to swell up; Arctic). PUFFIN; SEA PARROT. Bill thin and very deep. Ad. in sum- mer — Plumage as shown. Ad. in winter and Im.— Bill smaller and less brightly colored; face blackish; feet orange. L., 13.00; W., 6.00; Tar., 1.00; B., 1.85. Mest — A bur- row in the ground or among crevices of rocks. The single white eggs measure 2.50 X 1.75. Range — Breeds along the coast from Me. to Ungava. Winters south to Mass. (ga) F. a. nafdmanni (Norton). LARGE-BILLED PUFFIN. Slightly larger than the common Puffin. L., 14.50; W., 7.25; B., 2.40. Range —Coasts and islands of the Arctic Ocean. toes, fully webbed, the hind toe being absent. The young are covered with down, but remain in the nest for some time before leaving. PUFFINS are very grotesque birds, the most noticeable feature, of course, being the exceedingly large, brightly colored bills. Fishermen usually speak of them as Sea Parrots, because of the size of the bills and also because their walk reminds one of aparrot. Puffins are the only members of this family that stand erect upon the soles of their feet, and also the only ones that can walk with ease. They are usually quite silent, but utter deep grunts when their homes are invaded. It is a very dangerous operation to attempt to remove by hand a sitting Puffin from its bur- row; they can and will bite very severely. As would be expected of a bird belonging to this Order, Puffins are fine swimmers, very buoyant and sit high in the water. They also fly well and find no difficulty in rising either from land or water. 26 GUILLEMOTS (27) Cépphus grylle (Linn.) (Gr.,a seabird; Swedish name for this bird). BLACK GUILLEMOT; SEA PIGEON. Ad. in summer — Sooty- black, with slight greenish gloss; bases of greater wing coverts black. Feet andinsideofmouthred. In winter — White below; back more or less gray and white. L., 13.00; W., 6.20; Tar., 1.25; B., 1.20. Mest—In crevices along rocky cliffs or shores. Two or three white eggs, handsomely blotched with dark brown; 2.40 x 1.50. Range —Breeds from Me. to Ungava. Winters south to Cape Cod. (28) Cepphus mandti (Mandt.) MANDT’S GUILLEMOT. Like the Black Guillemot, but the greater coverts are white to their bases. Coasts and Islands of the Arctic. BLACK GUILLEMOTS are quite abundant about some of the Maine islands and more so as we go farther north. Their two or three handsomely spotted eggs are laid in fis- sures of sea-cliffs or crevices between rocks along the shores. They nest in colonies; if disturbed they float off-shore a couple hundred yards, uttering very shrill whistles of pro- test. The interiors of their mouths are bright red, match- ing the colors of their legs. Their flight is strong and swift. Incoming birds often have long, reddish worms swinging from their bills; these are gathered from the kelp-covered rocks, and are destined for the little guillemots. MURRES.— Bird Rock, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, stands as the southern breeding limit of several species of sea-birds, one of which is the Murre. The two species, the Common Murre and Brunnich’s, appear to be of about equal abundance. The bills of the latter are shorter, thicker and deeper, and the tops and backs of the heads are darker. Some individuals of the Common Murre have white 27 MURRES (30) Uria troille troille (Linn.) (Gr., a diving bird). MURRE; FOOLISH GUILLE- MOT. Ad. in summer — Head and neck all around, sooty brown as shown. In winter — The back of the head is blackish, while the cheeks and throat are white. L., 16.00; W., 8.00 Tar., 1.40; B., 1.75, depth at nostril 50. Range — Breeds on rocky coasts from Newfoundland to Ungava and Greenland. Winters south to Me. (3) Urialémvia l6mvia (Linn.) BRUNNICH’S MURRE. Like the Murre, but bill short and stout, 1.25 x .50; back of head darker than the throat, in summer. Winters south to Mass. and casually to S. Car. and in the interior. rings about the eyes and a line back of it; this irrespective of sex. Long rows of them line the available ledges of the nesting cliff, each sitting upright and each covering a single, large pear-shaped egg. By the way, Murre eggs present a greater diversity of coloration than those of any other species of bird with which I am familiar; the ground color ranges from a dull white to a deep sea-green, and the black markings are scrawled and spotted on in endless patterns. The eggs are — = Usrio troile Wcia bovawia 28 AUKS (32) Alca térda (Linn.) (Icelandic auk). RAZOR-BILLED AUK; TINKER. Ad. in summer — White line from eye to bill; brownish-black throat and cheeks. In winter — Without this white line and with white throat and cheeks. Bill thin and quite deep, crossed by a white band. L., 16.50; W., 7.753. Var.; 1-25; B:, 1.30, Vest — A single creamy or grayish-white egg, laid on ledges of sea-cliffs; not as pointed as those of Murres and spotted with various shades of brown; 3-10 X 2.00. Range—North Atlantic, breed- ing on rocky coasts and islands from New Brunswick north to Ungava and Greenland. Winters south regularly to Long Island and casually to N. Car. laid on the bare rocks, and it is only the fact that they revolve so easily about the small end that more of them do not roll off when the birds move. The birds are very tame, or per- haps stupid, as the name “Foolish Guillemot” given them by fishermen would indicate. Their notes are deep, bass “murres.” RAZOR-BILLED AUKS nest in the same places and often side by side with Murres. Their eggs are a little less pyri- form and are always grayish-white in color, The young remain on the ledges until they are capable of flight and then flutter down, or are carried down to the water by their parents. Razor-bills swim rather high in the water, with the tail held almost upright. They dive easily and pursue and catch fish under water, propelling themselves by their wings as well as the feet. They also eat shellfish. Both Murres and Razor-bills spend the winter off the coast regularly as far south as Massachusetts. Occasionally they 29 AUKS (33) Pladtus impénnis (Linn.) (Lat., flat-footed; wingless). GREAT AUK; GAREFOWL. A very large, stout-bodied, short-winged flightless auk. Plumage entirely black and white. Bill thin aad deep, shaped like that of the Razor-bill, but crossed with several lines of white. L., 30.00; W., 6.00; Tar., 1.70; B., 3.15. Nest — Eggs laid singly on low, rocky islands or shores; rather pyri- form, grayish-white, spotted and lined with brownish-black, 5.00 x 3.00. About 70 of these eggs are in various museums, the Thayer Mu- seum, Lancaster, Mass., probably having the finest series. Range — Formerly the coast from Virginia to Labrador; now extinct. are blown farther south by severe storms or even may be carried inland for considerable distances. In these latter instances they are usually found dead or exhausted on the ground, or frozen in the ice ponds; they are practically help- less, and cannot take flight except from water or from an elevation from which to hurl themselves. The GREAT AUK is one of several birds that have become extinct during the present generation. Its extinction was caused by man, a fact easy of accomplishment because of the communistic habits of the birds and their helplessness when on land. They enjoyed the unenviable distinction of being the only flightless birds in the northern hemisphere. Al- though the largest of the auks, their wings were as small as those of the smallest — admirably adapted to assist these remarkable swimmers through the water. but useless in the air. Although one of the largest and most southern breeding grounds was Funk Island, off the coast of Newfoundland, 3° DOVEKIES (34) Alle alle (Linn.) (Swedish). DOVEKIE; SEA-DOVE. Bill small, black, dovelike. Ad. in sum- mer — Plumage as shown, throat dark brown, secondaries tipped and scapulars streaked with white. In winter — The throat is white, extend- ing around the sides of the neck and sometimes meeting on the nape. L., 8.50; W., 5.00; Tar., .80; B., .50. Nest — Single, pale bluish eggs laid on bare ledges of inaccessible sea- cliffs; 1.75 X 1.20. Range — Breeds on rocky coasts and islands in the North Atlantic, within the Arctic Circle. Winters regularly south to Long Island and casually to N. Car. Accidental in Wis., Mich. and Ont. they regularly migrated, by swimming, as far south as Massachusetts, and occasionally to Virginia. Vessels jour- neying between the two continents stopped at the breeding islands to lay in supplies of fresh meat, eggs and oil, a practice that continued and was carried on in a wasteful manner until the last Auk was gone. DOVEKIES are the tiniest of the auks — plump little birds called Sea-doves by fisherman, because their bills re- semble those of doves. They nest in high latitudes on ledges of inaccessible sea-cliffs. They are very awkward when on land, but not as much so as the larger members of the family. Their flight is swift and performed by very rapid wing-beats. In winter they are regularly found off the coast as far south as Long Island. In their haste to elude approaching steamers they are often unable to get a-wing and, after pattering along the surface for a few yards, are forced to take refuge by diving. 31 SKUAS la (35) Megaléstris skia (Briinn.) (Gr., great robber). SKUA; ROBBER-GULL. Ad.— Entire upper parts, blackish-brown, bases of primaries and_ shafts of wing and tail feathers, white; under parts a trifle paler and streaked with whitish on the throat. Iris brown. Bill large and_ strongly hooked. Feet strong, webbed and with talons like those of birds of prey. L., 22.00; W., 16.00; Tar., 2.60; B., 2.10. NMest—A cavity in grass or moss on the tops of sea-cliffs. The two eggs are olive-green or drab, spotted with olive-brown, 2.90 x 1.75. Range — Breeds from Iceland and the Shetland Islands, northward, and occasionally in Greenland and Labrador. Rarely in winter, south to Long Island. OrDER LONGIPENNES. Lonc-wincep SWIMMERS Birds of this Order agree in having long wings, nostrils lateral and open, tail fairly long and of twelve feathers. Famity STERCORARIID2. Sxvuas anp JaEGERS A small family of sea-birds having piratical desires that they can readily accomplish, as they are armed with sharp, hooked beaks and hawklike talons. Bill with a horny cere covering the base and nostril. Feet webbed. The GREAT SKUA is one of the largest and very strongest of the sea-birds. They are not uncommon in northern Scot- land and Iceland, but are rarely observed in this country. They have been taken but a few times on the Massachusetts and Long Island coasts in winter. They are protected and encouraged to breed in the Shetland Islands, as the herders believe they drive destructive eagles away from their flocks. 32 JAEGERS (36) Stercordrius pomarinus (Temm.) (Lat., scavenger; Gr., flap, nose — alluding to the cere). POMARINE JAEGER. Tris brown. Bill black, sharply hooked; cere blue-gray. Middle tail feathers broad and rounded, projecting one to four in. beyond the rest, with the tips slightly twisted. Dark phase — Blackish-brown, lighter below; quills and bases of primaries white. Light phase — Dark above; crown black; nape yellowish; whitish below. L., 22.00; W., 13.50; Tar., 2.00; T., 8.00 (ad.); B., 1.60. Nest — On the ground Two or three olive-drab_ eggs, spotted with umber, 2.25 x 1.70. Range — Breeds within the Arctic Circle. Migrates along the Atlantic coast and through the Great Lakes. JAEGERS, three species of which are common along ou coasts, are of lighter build and more active than skuas. Their food consists largely of dead fish and refuse gathered from the surface of the water or purloined from gulls or terns. Gulls, themselves powerful birds, have a wholesome re- spect for the sharp beaks and talons of jaegers and readily relinquish claim to any booty that the latter desire. They congregate about fishing boats in company with gulls or shearwaters, feeding upon refuse that is thrown to them. They often utter piercing whistles as they wheel about a hawklike flight, their sharp eyes keeping a sharp lookout for anything edible. On several occasions I have seen the three species of jaegers about a boat at the same time. They usually ap- proach sufficiently near to be correctly identified — the Pomarine by its larger size and rounded, lengthened central tail feathers; the Parasitic and Long-tailed species by the comparative lengths of the longer pointed middle tail 33 JAEGERS (37) Stercorarius parasiticus (Linn.) (Lat., parasitic). PARASITIC JAEGER; JIDDY- HAWK. Has a dark phase. The light plumage is like that of the Long- tailed Jaeger shown. Scaly shield, or cere, more than half the length of the bill. Middle tail feathers pointed, about three in. longer than the rest. L., 17.00; W., 13.00; T., 8.50; B., 1.15. (38) Stercorarius longicaidus (Vieill.) (Lat., long-tailed) LONG-TAILED JAEGER. Scaly shield less than half the length of the bill. Middle tail feathers lengthened about seven in. L., 21.00; W., 12.50; T., 12.00 (ad.); B., 1.10. Range — Breeds within the Arctic Circle. Winters along the coasts fram N. E. and B. C., southward. feathers. Young birds of the two latter species can only be recognized by the differences in the make-up of their bills, as shown here. Their feet are peculiar in that the tarsi are lead-blue in color, while the toes and webs are black. They appear off our coast regularly during July or August, many staying through the winter as far north as Long Island, while others migrate as far south as Cape Horn. During migrations they also visit the Great Lakes. Their summer (EX. S.\pavasiticus 34 GULLS (39) Pagéphila alba (Gunn.) (Gr., ice-loving; Lat., white). IVORY GULL; SNOW GULL. Ad. — Plumage entirely pure white; shafts of primaries straw color. Bill yellow. Feet black. Iris brown. Im.— Upper parts spotted with gray; tips of primaries and_ tail feathers with dusky spots. Plum- age otherwise like that of the adults. L,;. 17:50; W.,. 13.25; T., 5:50; Tar., 1.45; B., 1.40. Nest —Of grasses, seaweed and feathers; on _ ledges of sea-cliffs or on low ground; three grayish-buff eggs, spotted with brown and black, 2.30 x 1.70. Range — Arctic seas, breeding from Melville Island and Baffin Land to northern Greenland. Winters cas- ually south to Long Island, Ontario, and B. C. home is within the Arctic Circle, where they nest on the ground in the moss-covered tundras. Famity LARID/. Guts anp TERNS The sub-family LARIN, Gulls, is a large group of chiefly maritime swimmers, whose plumage is largely white. The bills of most species are large and slightly hooked, usually yellow in adults. The tails are usually square- ended. Gulls are fine swimmers, but do not dive; they get their food from the surface of the water or from the ground. Nearly all are, to a certain extent, carnivorous, for they devour the eggs and young of other smaller sea-birds. Their flight is strong and graceful, but not fast, the head and bill normally being carried in horizontal positions. The plumages of the adults, year olds and young vary greatly. The character of markings on the outer primaries is fairly stable and often serves to distinguish species. The colored 35 GULLS (40) Rissa tridactyla (Linn.) (Icelandic name, rissa; Gr., three- toed). KITTIWAKE. Hind toe appear- ing only as a minute knob. Ad. in summer — Plumage as shown here; primaries shown in sketch below. Bill light yellow. Feet blackish. Tris yellow. Jn winter — Similar but with pearl-gray on top of head and nape, and a small black crescent in front of the eye. Jm.— Like the winter adult, but with a black spot behind the eye; lesser wing coverts and terminal tail band, black. L., 17.00; W., 12:25: Ex: 36.007 Ty, 4.50; B., 1.30. Range — Breeds abundantly on sea- cliffs from the Magdalen Islands, northward. Winters south to N. J. and the Great Lakes. pictures and drawings of primaries will serve better than words to show the characters of the different species. IVORY GULLS are birds of high latitude, rarely seen within the borders of the United States. It is our only gull having an entirely white plumage. The yellowish shafts to the feathers give this bird its name. Otherwise it looks very similar to a large white dove, of course with the exceptions of the bill and feet. KITTIWAKES are also Arctic birds, but not so exclu- sively so as the last species. They are very abundant at their breeding places, the most southerly one on our coast being Bird Rock, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Their nests are quite bulkily constructed of seaweed and moss, placed closely together on narrow ledges of rocky cliffs. They are very noisy, uttering harsh “‘keet-a-wakes,”’ hence their name. Great numbers of Kittiwakes pass the winter off the New England coast and in Long Island Sound. They can 36 GULLS (42) Larus hyperb6reus Gunn. (Lat., a gull; Lat., northern). GLAUCOUS GULL; BURGO- MASTER. Ad. in summer — White, with a very pale pearl mantle. Bill yellow, with spot of red in angle of lower mandible. Iris yellow. Feet flesh-color. In winter — Witha wash of brownish on the head. Im. — Bill flesh-color, with a black tip. Plumage white, lightly spotted and barred with pale brown. L., 30.00; Ex., 60.00; W., 17.50; T., 8.00; Tar., 2.60; B., 2.35. Nest—A_ bulky structure of grass, seaweed and moss on the ground. Two or three brown- ish-gray eggs with black and brown markings, 3.00 X 2.20. Range — Breeds from Ungava, Mackenzie and the Aleutian Islands northward. Winters south to Long Island and the Great Lakes. readily be recognized by the solid black tips to the primaries and by the combination of a yellow bill with black feet. They live upon animal matter found floating on the water or upon small fish, schools of which often swim close to the surface. GLAUCOUS GULLS are among the largest and most powerful of the family. Their bills are large and quite hooked, capable of and executing great destruction of eggs and young of other sea-birds. They are lighter colored than any others of the large gulls; even the primaries are ~ SO S RAvidact yloa Le kumbbends 37 GULLS (43) Larus leucépterus Faber (Gr., white wing). ICELAND GULL. The precise counterpart of the Glaucous Gull in all plumages, but smaller. L., 24.00; W., 17.00; Tar., 2.15; B., 2.00. Range — Arctic regions. South in winter to Long Island; casual on the Great Lakes. (45) Larus kdamlieni Brewster (To Ludwig Kumlien). KUMLIEN’S GULL; GRAY- WINGED GULL. Plumage similar to that of the Glaucous Gull, but the primaries have well-defined ashy markings as shown below. L., 24.00; W., 17.00; B., 1.75. Range — North Atlantic coast, breeding along Cumberland Sound and wintering south to Long Island. a uniform, pale pearl color. Young birds are very beauti- fully marked with bars and streaks of pale brown. A “small edition” of the Glaucous Gull is found in ICE- LAND GULLS. The plumages of the two species are apparently just the same, the difference being only in the dimensions. Iceland Gulls appear to be rather uncom- mon on this side of the Atlantic, being more abundant in Europe. KUMLIEN’S GULLS are of about the same size as Glaucous and the mantle is only a trifle darker. The prima- ries, however, are conspicuously patterned with ashy-gray. GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS are exceeded in size and strength by none of the Family. They are more solitary in their habits than other gulls, more than a few pairs rarely being seen together either during nesting or migrations. Indeed, in winter, one is more apt to see one or two of this species in company with Herring Gulls. These gulls are very voracious and destructive. They 38 GULLS (47) Larus marinus Linn. (Lat., marine). GREAT BLACK - BACKED GULL; SADDLE-BACK. Very large and very powerful. Bill stout and deep at the angle. Ad. in summer — Mantle very dark as shown. Iris and bill yellow. Feet flesh-color. In winter — The same but with gray streaks on the head. Jm.— Very variable. Head and nape streaked; back and wings brownish, with buffy spots; under parts grayish, more or less streaked or barred with dusky. L., 30.00; Ex., 65.00; W., 19.00; T., 8.00; Tar., 3.00; B., 2.50. Eggs — Two or three, clay-colored, evenly spotted with brownish-black, 3.00 X 2.15. Range — Breeds from Nova Scotia to central Greenland. Winters south to the Great Lakes, and Long Island. share with Glaucous Gulls the name of “ Burgomasters.”’ They not only eat fish, dead or alive, and refuse matter found floating or beached, but force other gulls to relinquish their “finds”; during the summer, they also devour many eggs and young of smaller gulls and shore birds. Most abundant of all species along our shores are HER- RING GULLS. Large breeding colonies occur on islands off the Maine coast and northward, and on many lakes along our northern border and in Canada. When one goes into one of these colonies the noise is deafening, sounding to me most like so many hens each cackling her loudest. The eggs are laid in hollows on the ground, everywhere — sometimes under the shelter of rocks or fallen trees, but, of necessity, most often in the open. The downy little gulls leave the nest soon after hatching and run about every- where. In fact, those a week old can run so fast that it is quite difficult to catch them; if hard pressed and near the shore, they will plunge into the water and swim out of reach. 39 GULLS (so) SIBERIAN GULL (Larus affinis), strays to Greenland (51) Larus argentatus Pont. (Lat., silvery). HERRING GULL. Ad. in summer — Plumage and primaries as shown. In winter the head and neck are streaked with gray. Im.— Very va- riable. Head, neck and under parts more or less streaked and mottled; back and wings brownish, with lighter edging of the feathers; pri- maries and tail blackish. L., 24.00; Ex., 55.00; W., 17.50; B., 2.40. Nest — Of moss and grass, on the ground; three olive-gray eggs, spotted with blackish, 2.80 x 1.75. Range — Breeds from Me., Wis., and B.C., northward. Winters from Me., the Great Lakes and B. C., southward. From September until May gulls may be seen in numbers all along our coast and on open rivers and lakes. A flock of gulls coursing over a lake, sweeping about docks in har- bors or following in the wake of vessels is a beautiful and inspiring sight; but they are useful as well as ornamental. They perform for the surface of the waters the same services that are rendered on land by vultures and under water by various species of crabs, those of scavengers. Thus their CAE $e) GULLS (54) Larus delawarénsis Ord. RING-BILLED GULL. Ad. in summer — As shown. In winter the head and neck are spotted with gray- ish. Im.— Above, mottled with brown and pearl-gray; coverts and primaries dusky; head, neck and un- der parts mottled gray and white; tail with a broad subterminal band of black, tipped with white. L., 109.00; Ex., 48.00; W., 14.50; Tar., 2.10; B., 1.70. Nest— A hollow on the ground, usually lined with grass; the two or three eggs are brownish-gray, boldly spotted with black, 2.80 x 1.75. Range — Breeds from Quebec, Wis., and Ore., north to Ungava and B.C., Winters from Mass., and the Great Lakes southward. (56) MEW GULL (Larus canus) has been taken at least once in Labrador. protection from destruction is a matter not of sentiment alone but of economic importance. RING-BILLED GULLS probably breed more abund antly than any other species in the interior of North America from North Dakota to Manitoba. They also are found and nest, but in diminishing numbers to the seacoasts, both eastern and western. Their habits vary according to their environments. In Labrador, they nest on rocky ledges and feed largely upon fish and refuse, while in North Dakota they nest on the ground on small islands in lakes and feed quite extensively upon grasshoppers. Like other gulls, they also rob terns, cormorants or smaller birds of their eggs. Great numbers of them pass the winter along the coast south of Massachusetts and about rivers and lakes in the interior. They are quite similar to, and often confused with, Herring Gulls; it requires a very sharp eye to distinguish the difference in size unless the two species are seen together. LAUGHING GULLS are unique in that they are the 41 GULLS (58) Larus atricilla Linn. (Lat., black-tailed — applicable only to young birds). LAUGHING GULL; BLACK- HEADED GULL. Ad. in summer as shown. Primaries black; mantle darker than that of other black- headed gulls. Iris brown. Bill and feet wholly red. In winter the head and neck are white, more or less spotted or streaked with grayish. Im.— More or less spotted and barred with ashy-gray; tail with a broad black tip. L., 16.50; W., 13.00; T., 5.00; B., 1.75. Nest — Of grass, on the ground, usually in marshes, three or four olive-gray eggs, spotted with blackish, 2.10 x 1.55. Range — Breeds along the coast from Mass. south to Fla. and Texas. only species that, during summer, has a southerly dis- tribution in eastern United States. While most species breed only from our northern border, northward, this one nests wholly south of the Canadian border, its most northern point being in Maine, in which state a very small colony has located. On Muskeget Island, off the south shore of Massachusetts, a very large colony of Laughing Gulls is to be found in sum- mer in company with terns. They are very noisy when one approaches the vicinity of their homes, their protes- tations quite resembling hysterical laughter, although possibly not more so than the notes of other species under similar circumstances. This species may readily be distinguished from other black- headed gulls by its larger size, its larger, all red bill, the darker mantle and the solid black primaries. In fall and winter all gulls are much more difficult to identify than when in breeding plumage. Young birds and birds of the first and second year show such a great diversity of coloring, 42 GULLS (59) Larus franklini Rich. (To Sir John Franklin). FRANKLIN’S GULL. Ad. in summer — Bill and feet red, the for- mer with a black tip. Primaries largely white, as shown in pen sketch. The white under parts usually suf- fused with a rosy tint. In winter the hood is wanting, being indicated by only a few gray feathers on the auri- culars and nape; bill dusky, tipped with yellowish. Im.— Mottled with brown, gray and white in varying amounts according to age; tail with a broad black subterminal band. L., 14.00; W., 11.25; B., 1.30. Nest — On the ground in marshes; three or four brownish-gray eggs, spotted with umber, 2.00 x 1.40. Range — Breeds in the _ interior from S. Dak. and Minn. north to Sask. Wintersalong the Gulf coast. shading and marking, that it is often impossible to name with certainty one seen in life. Just as the last species is found only along the seacoast, so FRANKLIN’S GULLS are almost exclusively birds of the interior. During summer, large colonies of them are harbored in many marshes and wooded swamps from Min- nesota and the Dakotas northward. Their nests are com- posed of rushes and grasses placed on reclining masses of Lu. delawarvensis L. Sranklini L.otvierhla-3 ouler primaries black 43 GULLS (60) Larus philadélphia (Ord.) BONAPARTE’S GULL. Ad. in summer — Plumage as shown. Notice that the mantle is paler than that of the previous hooded gulls, the bill is smaller and black, the feet are flesh color. In winter the plumage is similar except that the head is white, washed with gray. Im.— Like the winter adult except for a dusky spot on the auriculars, more or less dusky on the lesser coverts and a black, subterminal tail-band. L., 14.00; W., 10.50; T., 4.00; B., 1.15. Nest — Of sticks and grasses on elevated ground, on stumps, in bushes or low trees; the three eggs are pale greenish- brown, spotted with umber and lilac. Range — Breeds in the interior of Canada. Winters from Me. to Fla. and on the Gulf coast. reeds, so that they are barely raised above water. They are, in fact, little better constructed or placed than the homes of grebes which often nest in the same marshes. Few, if any other, species have the beauty and grace of BONAPARTE’S GULLS. Having a perfect form, well proportioned in every respect, they combine the agility of terns with the charming flight peculiar to all gulls. These gulls are unusual in several respects: They are one of a very few species that nest in trees or bushes; the majority of their nests are found to be between four and ten feet above ground, often as high as twenty feet. Their preference seems to be evergreen trees when these are to be found in the marshy, wooded districts that they like. Although Bonaparte’s Gulls spend the winter in large num- bers off the Atlantic coast, from Maine to Florida, none of them nest east of Hudson Bay, but migrate diagonally across to Keewatin, Mackenzie and Alaska for this purpose. In winter their food. consists of small fish, mollusks and dead 44 GULLS (60.1) LITTLE GULw (Larus minutus). Accidental on Long Island. An European species. (61) Rhodostéthia résea (Gr., rose breast). ROSS’S GULL; ROSY GULL; WEDGE-TAILED GULL. Ad. in summer — Plumage as shown. Notice the small black bill and the wedge- shaped tail; the primaries are wholly white except for the black edge of the outer one; the eyelids are red. In winter, they have no black collar nor pink blush on the under parts. I. t2:s0; W9-s0% JE: -4:00,. ‘the middle feathers about one inch longer than the outer; B., .5o. Range — Arctic regions. Breeds in northern Siberia. Winters from northern Alaska to Greenland. animal matter, while in summer they devour a great many grasshoppers and other insects, often catching them in the air. Probably the most remarkable of this interesting family are ROSS’S GULLS. They are the most boreal of all birds, never coming south of the Arctic Circle even during winter. They breed on the coast and islands of northeastern Siberia. According to Murch (Auk, April, 1899), large flocks of them may be seen about Point Barrow, Alaska, during September, but they do not remain for any length of time. In all probability, like the polar whale, they spend most of their time about the loose edges of the pack ice well out at sea. They still remain one of the very rarest species of birds in collections, not because they are uncommon but because they can be obtained only in such high latitudes. In sum- mer the under parts have a very beautiful rosy blush, a tint that is very evanescent, completely fading in a few months if exposed to the light. A feature that will readily distin- guish this species in any plumage is the fact that it is the 45 (62) Xéma sabina (Sab.) SABINE’S GULL; FORK-TAIL- ED GULL. Ad. in summer — Plum- age shown. Notice that the small black bill has a yellow tip, the feet are blackish and the eyelids orange. The slaty hood is bordered with black; the edges of the wings are also black along the shoulders. In winter it has neither the hood nor collar, but the head has dusky touches on the auriculars and crown. Im.— Simi- lar to the winter adult, but with mottling and barring of dusky on the head and back; tail with a termi- nal bar of black. L., 13.50; W., 10.25; T., 5.00, forked 1.25; B., 1.00. Range — Breeds within the Arctic Circle. Migrates on both coasts of United States and casually through the interior. Winters in Peru. only known gull that has a wedge-shaped or cuneate tail, the feathers gradually decreasing in length from the middle to the outer ones. Similarly, SABINE’S GULLS may always be identified by their forked tails, the outer feathers being about an inch longer than the middle ones. While not as boreal as Ross’s Gulls, they nest within the Arctic Circle in America, Europeand Asia. During migrations, they occur on both our coasts and to some extent in the interior, as they wing their way to their winter quarters in Peru. Le. prilodelbhio X. sabini 46 TERNS (63) Gelochelidon nilotica (Linn.) (Gr., laughter, a swallow; of the River Nile). GULL-BILLED TERN: MARSH TERN. Bill black, rather short and stout. Feet black. Ad. in summer — Crown and nape black; mantle pale pearl; outer webs of primaries silvery, inner web black at tip and along shaft line; under parts and tail pure white; tail very slightly forked. In winter — Crown white; spot in front of eye dusky and more or less dusky on the nape. L., 14.50; Ex., 36.00; W., 12.00; T., 5.50; B., 1.40, its height at base .45. Eggs — Three or four, creamy-white with blotches of brown and gray, 1.80 x 1.30; laid on broken flags in marshes. Range — Breeds along the Gulf coast and along the Atlantic coast to Virginia. Strays rarely to Maine. TERNS, Sub-family Sterninae, are birds of generally more slender form than gulls. Their bills are relatively longer, slenderer and sharply pointed; the tails are, in all species, more or less deeply forked; and the webbed feet and legs are comparatively small and weak. They are very graceful and far more active in flight than gulls, and at such times the head and bill are usually carried pointing downward. Although they can swim, they very rarely do so. Their food consists chiefly of insects or small fish; the latter they secure by plunging or hovering just over the surface and dipping the head. GULL-BILLED TERNS inhabit nearly all temperate parts of the world, but are quite local in their distribution. In North America they are found regularly only on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. They can easily be dis- tinguished from any gulls by the ternlike or swallowlike form and flight, and from any others of the terns by the compara- tively short, heavy, black bills and nearly square-ended tails. 47 TERNS (64) Stérna caspia Pallas CASPIAN TERN. Bill very large. heavy and vermilion-red. Feet black- ish. In winter the forehead is white and the crown streaked with black. L., 22.00; W., 16.00; T., 5.50, forked 1.50; B., 2.75, depth at base .go. Range — Cosmopolitan; very local. Breeds in Utah, Ore., La., Miss., S. Car., and islands of Lake Michigan. (65) Sterna maxima Bodd. ROYAL TERN. Bill orange and more slender than the above, crest longer and tail longer and more deeply forked. Primaries with white on inner webs. L., 19.00; T., 7.00; B., 2.50. Range — Breeds on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Wanders north to Mass. The name Marsh Terns was given them because they often nest in rather wet portions of lagoons in the marsh grass, often in company with Forster’s Terns and Laugh- ing Gulls. The name is rather misleading, however, for they as often deposit their eggs in hollows in the sand. These terns appear to be much more abundant in Europe and Africa than they are on our continent. CASPIAN TERNS are the giants of this sub-family, exceeding in size many species of gulls. Although nearly cosmopolitan in their range, they are very local in their distribution, small colonies of a few hundred individuals taking up their summer abode yearly in widely separated localities. Islands in Great Slave Lake, Klamath Lake, Lake Michigan, the coasts of Labrador, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, etc., each claim one or more small colonies. Their nests are simply hollows scooped in the dry sand to keep the two or three eggs from rolling about. Only a trifle less in size are the more common ROYAL TERNS. They are also nearly cosmopolitan, but are more 48 TERNS (67) Sterna sandvicénsis acu-= flavida Cabot (Lat., of Sandwich; slender point, yellowish). CABOT’S TERN; SANDWICH TERN. Form slender. Bill very slender, black with a yellow tip. Ad. in summer — Plumage as shown; crown and crest black. In winter the crown is mixed with white. L., 15.50; W., 12.50; T., 6.00 forked 2.50; B., 2.25. Lggs — Two or three, buffy-white with a few small but dis- tinct spots of reddish-brown, 2.10 x 1.40; laid in hollows in the sand. Range — North and South Amer- ica. Breeds on the coast of Texas, Fla. to N. Car., the Bahamas and West Indies. Casually north to Mass. (68) TRUDEAU’S TERN (Ster- na trudeaui). Native to southern | “ i ° . South America. Accidental on Long @ " aoe Island and New Jersey. — tropical in their distribution. In the United States they nest on islands along the gulf and South Atlantic coasts, north to Virginia, and rarely stray north as far as Massa- chusetts. The bill, although large, is more slender than that of the Caspian Tern, the crest is longer and the tail more forked; these differences are not, however, sufficiently great to enable one to positively distinguish the birds in life unless the two species are seen together. But one other of our species, CABOT’S TERN, is adorned withacrest. They are tropical terns, coming north regularly only to the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. They are much less abundant within our range than either the Caspian or Royal Terns, from which species they may readily be distinguished by their smaller, trimmer forms and black, yellow-tipped bills. And now we come to a group of terns of the same size and quite similar plumages, the FORSTER’S, the COM- MON, the ARCTIC and the ROSEATE TERNS. Although 49 TERNS (69) Sterna foérsteri Nutt. (To John R. Forster). FORSTER’S TERN. No crest on this or any of the following species of terns. Under parts pure white. Ad. in summer — Plumage as shown. Bill and feet orange-red, the former with a black tip. Outer web of outer primary silvery-gray like the rest; none of the inner webs of outer primaries with decided white areas as in the two following species. In winter the crown is largely white, but there is a blackish patch embrac- ing each eye. L., 15.00; W., 10.00; T., 5.00-8.00, forked 3.00-5.00; B., 1.60. Range — Breeds on lakes from Sask. south to Neb., Ill. and Ont. and on coasts of Tex.,La.and Va. Wanders to Mass. rarely. sometimes confusing in their winter and immature plu- mages, they are all quite easily identified when in their sum- mer dress. A black-tipped orange bill, pure white under parts and very deeply forked tail, the outer feather of which is dusky on the inner web, signifies a Forster’s Tern. A black-tipped red bill, grayish breast and forked tail, the outer feather of which is dusky on the outer web, designates the Common Tern. If the bill is wholly red and the tail deeply forked, it is the Arctic Tern. A black bill with reddish base, pure white or pink-tinted under parts and a very deeply forked, pure white tail typify a Roseate Tern. The nesting habits of these birds are practically the same with the possible exception of Forster’s Tern, which often nests in marshy places in company with Laughing Gulls in the south and Black Terns and Franklin’s Gulls in the interior. On the south shore of Massachusetts, Common and Roseate Terns may be found nesting on the same islands, and on islands off the Maine coast I have found Common, Arctic and Roseate Terns breeding together. 50 TERNS (70) Sterna hird&ndo (Linn.) (Lat., a swallow). COMMON TERN; WILSON’S TERN; SEA SWALLOW. Under parts strongly washed with grayish. Bill and feet vermilion-red, the for- mer with a black tip. Outer web of outer tail feathers darker than the inner. L., 14.50; W., 10.50; T., 6.00, forked 3.50; B., 1.35. Range — Breeds from N. Car.,Ohio, and N. Dak., Keewatin and Ungava. (71) Sterna paradisza Briinn. (Lat., paradise). ARCTIC TERN. Feet remarkably small and weak. Bill wholly red in summer. Tail longer and more deep- ly forked than the last. L., 15.50; W., 10.50; T., 8.00, forked 4.50; Tar., 200505 411530. Range — Breeds from Mass., Kee- watin and B. C. northward. It is a delightful moment for any nature-lover to stand in the midst of a tern colony; to see the groups of two, three and sometimes four eggs, scattered about in every favorable situation, perhaps every two or three feet, so that he may count fifty or more nests without moving; and to watch the graceful maneuvers of the myriads of black-capped, bright- eyed birds as they dart, dash, swoop and sail about you, each protesting with a strident voice against your presence. The deep, vibrant, purring “tear-r-r-r”’ proclaims the iden- tity of a Common Tern, even though you do not see him, while the harsher, reedy ‘‘cack”’ gives evidence that Roseate Terns are mingled in the throng of fluttering birds. The eggs of these four species are practically indistin- guishable, and are very variable in color. The markings are blotches of black, brown, gray and lilac, but the ground color may be creamy, bluish, greenish or brownish; some- times, but rarely, eggs of different colors may be found in the same nest. or TERNS (72) Sterna dotgalli Montagu ROSEATE TERN. Under part in summer with a beautiful rosy blush. Bill black, reddish only at the base. Outer web of outer pri- mary blackish. Tail pure white. In winter the head is white except for a postocular spot of dusky and more or less dusky on the nape. Young birds have more or less dusky or brownish markings on the coverts and back. L., 14.50; W., 9.50; T., 7.50; forked 4.50; Tar., .85; B., 1.50. Eggs — Three or four, olive-brown or gray, blotched with black and chocolate, 1.65 x 1.20; in hollows on the ground, sometimes lined with grass or seaweed. Range — Breeds locally from NB. to Long Island. Winters from the Bahamas southward. If possible they will be concealed under weeds or pea vines. The young are handsomely mottled with gray, buff and white. They leave the nest within a day or two from the time they hatch. If disturbed, at a warning from their parents they scamper to hiding places or squat motionless, and it is very difficult to detect them. They catch a great many small insects in the grass and along the beach and also feed upon tiny fish that the old birds bring to them. The terns along our shores, except the Least Terns, seem to be increasing quite rapidly in numbers since they are receiving better protection, and the practice of wearing their wings is forbidden. LEAST TERNS are the smallest members of this family to be found within our borders. Colonies of various sizes formerly nested along the whole Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. It is with the greatest regret that bird lovers have seen most of these colonies disappear and others dwindle to just a few individuals. Probably a dozen breed- 52 TERNS (74) Sterna antillarum (Lesson). (Of the Antilles). LEAST TERN. Size very small. Ad. in summer — The lower bird in opposite picture. Bill and feet yel- low, the former with a black tip; tail moderately forked; outer web of two outer primaries and shaft portion of inner webs, black. In winter — As shown by the flying bird opposite. Immature birds are similar, but have the back and tail and particularly the coverts with brown or dusky markings. L., 9.00; Ex., 20.00; W., 6.60; T., 3.50, forked 1.75; Tar., .60; B., 1.20. Eggs—Three or four, buffy-white, with black spots, 1.25 X .9o. Range — Breeds very locally on the Atlantic coast north to Mass., on the Gulf coast and north to Mo. Win- ters from the Gulf coast southward. ing colonies comprise all that can be found along our At- lantic coast now during summer. They are still, however, fairly common along the Gulf coast. The diminishing number of these birds is due chiefly to the building of summer dwellings along the shores they frequented and to too-late protection from their destruction to serve the ends of fashion. They lay their three or four eggs in hollows in the sand on the higher portions of low sandy beaches. These eggs are about sand-color, and their spotting serves to make them almost indistinguishable from a distance of a few feet. The terns, too, are scarcely less difficult to see when they are onthe ground. Their call is a shrill, ‘cheep, cheep,” with some resemblance to the piping of Semipalmated Plovers. SOOTY TERNS, having dark brown wings, were not desired by milliners, which fact may account for the almost countless numbers that are still to be found on some of the Bahaman and West Indian Islands. They are known by 53 TERNS (75) Sterna fuscata Linn. (Lat., dusky). SOOTY TERN. Ad.—As shown. Bill and feet black; forehead, under parts and outer tail feathers white. Im. — Smoky-brown all over, lightest on the under parts; coverts and scapulars tipped with white; feathers of back and rump margined with buffy or dull rufous. L., 16.50; W., 12.00; Tar., 7.50, forked 3.50; B., 1.80. Range — Breeds along the coast of Texas, La. and Fla., and in the Bahamas and West Indies. Wan- ders north rarely to Maine. (76) BRIDLED TERN (Sterna anethéta). Accidental in Fla. and S. Car. Breeds in the Bahamas and West Indies. Similar to the last, but white extends back of the eyes instead of just to them. many of the natives as “Egg-birds,”’ for their eggs are very palatable and quantities of them are collected and eaten. Since the birds will lay a second egg if the first is taken, this practice is not as destructive as it might seem, provided that toll is not taken from the same island but once a season. A single egg constitutes a full set; this is laid in a hollow scooped in the sand either in the open or under the slight protection of grass or shrub. It is a peculiar coincidence that the two smallest members of the tern family should be respectively the very lightest and the very darkest colored species. BLACK TERNS are but a trifle larger than Least Terns and, as shown by the colored picture, are largely black in summer. The technical name, meaning “Black Water Swallow,”’ is well chosen. Their food consists very largely of insects and their flight as they course over the marshes greatly resembles that of swallows. Dragonflies, large and small, are greedily snapped up by the terns as well as many smaller insects that abound in marshy places. Black Tern nests 54 TERNS (77) Hydrochelidon nigra suri= naménsis (Gmel.) (Gr., water, swallow; Lat., black). BLACK TERN. Ad.— Summer plumage shown by the standing bird and winter plumage by the flying one. While making this remarkable change, all intermediate stages of plumage occur. Immature birds are similar to winter adults, but have a black crescent in front of the eye. L., 9.50; W., 8.25; T., 3.75, farked 1.00; B., 1.00. Range — Breeds from Ohio, Colo. and Cal. north to Keewatin and B. C. Casual on the Atlantic coast during migrations. (78) WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN. (Hydrochelidon leucoptera (Temm.). An European species; acci- dental in Wis. are usually damp affairs; they choose the tops of sunken muskrat houses, floating piles of decaying rushes, or even pieces of board; just a few grasses are laid down to prevent the three eggs from rolling off and, in these rude domiciles, handsome terns are hatched. They defend their homes by dashing at intruders, uttering sharp, metallic “ peeks.” Black Terns are exclusively fresh-water birds during the nesting season. A few pairs nest in New York State, more in Ohio, but the centre of their abundance seems to be in the region from Wisconsin and South Dakota northward, where they are found in numbers, often in company with grebes and Franklin Gulls. Their changes in plumage from summer to winter are very remarkable, but at all times they are so different from other species that they can readily be identified. The NODDY or NODDY TERN, as may be seen by the colored picture, is very differently plumaged from other terns and the tail is rounded instead of forked as other terns 55 TERNS (79) Anots stélidus (Linn.) (Gr., stupid). NODDY. Ad. — Plumage as shown. The crown isa silvery white, fading to pure white on the forehead. Immature birds are similar, but the head is the color of the back, the silvery gray being limited to the fore- head and a narrow line over the eye. L., 16.00; W., 10.50; T., 6.00 (rounded instead of forked as in other terns); B., 1.75. Nest — Usually of sticks and grasses, in mangroves, low trees, on the ground or among crevices of rocks. The single egg is cream- colored, sparsely specked with brown and lavender, 2.00 x 1.30. Range — Tropical coasts. Breeds on the Florida Keys, coasts of La., and in the Bahamas and West Indies. are. Noddies are abundant birds on tropical coasts, reach- ing their northern breeding limits on some of the Florida Keys and the coast of Louisiana. If circumstances permit, they usually nest in mangroves, making platforms of sticks with just hollow enough in the middle to prevent the egg rolling off. In large breeding colonies, Noddies are even less suspicious than other tropical birds under similar conditions; they often allow persons to approach near enough to touch them as they sit upon their nest. It is this extreme lack of sus- picion that is responsible for their technical names, both of which mean stupid. Their very confidence probably aids in their protection, for it is human nature to treat with kindness animals that trust us. Their flesh is unfit for food and their feathers are not in demand, so there is no occasion to kill them; their eggs, however, are often taken, and they share with Sooty and Bridled Terns the name of “Egeg-bird.”’ 56 SKIMMERS (80) Rynchops nigra Linn. (Gr., beak, face; Lat., black). BLACK SKIMMER. Mandibles long and thin, the lower one project- ing beyond the upper. Ad. im sum- mer — Plumage as shown. Bill bright red, with a black tip. Tail white, slightly forked. Wings very long, folding far beyond the end of the tail. Jm.— Bill smaller and mandibles more nearly equal. Head and back grayish-brown with lighter edges to the feathers. L., 18.00; W., 15.00; T., 5.00, forked 1.50; B., 4.00 (under), 3.00 (upper). Eggs — Three or four, creamy-white, spotted with dark brown and gray, 1.75 x 1.30; laid in hollows in the sand. Range — Breeds along the Gulf coast and north to Va. Wanders rarely to Maine. Most curious of this whole Order are BLACK SKIM MERS, otherwise known as “Razor-bills,”’ ‘‘Cut-waters,”’ and “‘Sea Dogs,” the latter name because the trumpetings of a flock as they charge up the beach are quite similar to the baying of a pack of hounds. They are very swift and graceful while on the wing, but appear to be very clumsy when on the ground; the legs seem too small, the neck too long, the bill much too heavy, and the wings so large that there is no place to fold them. Adults feed by skim- ming over the water, the lower mandible dropped so that the thin blade is cutting the surface and gathering in tiny fish, upon which they live. The downy young leave the hollow in the sand, that was the nest, a day or two after hatching and wander about the beach, being fed by their parents and also picking up small insects on their own account. Their bills show little abnormal development until after they have acquired the powers of flight. 57 FULMARS (86) Fulmarus glacialis gla- cialis (Linn.) (Lat., icy). FULMAR. Bill short, stout and hooked; nostrils opening out of a prominenttube. Irisbrown. Ad. — Normal plumage as shown. Tail gray, like the back. Young birds and some adults, possibly in a dark phase, are blackish-brown all over, lighter below. L., 19.00; W., 13.00; T., 4.75; B., 1.50, depth at base .75. Nest — None; single white eggs are deposited on bare ledges of high sea- cliffs or in niches; 2.90 x 2.00. Range — North Atlantic. Breeds from Cumberland Sound, Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland, northward. Winters south to the fishing banks off Newfoundland and Mass., and cas- ually south to N. J. OrverR TUBINARES. Tvuse-Nosep SWIMMERS A group of sea-birds ranging in size from that of a swal- low up to the gigantic albatrosses, some of which have an expanse of wings of about fourteen feet. All agree in having the nostrils opening in tubes. The albatrosses are not represented in eastern North America, but the largest species, the Wandering Albatross, occurs north to the Caribbean Sea and may yet be positively recorded within our range. Famity PROCELLARIIDA®. Futmars, SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS The nostrils are located in one “double-barreled” tube located on the top of the bill. Albatrosses have two dis- tinct tubes, one for each nostril. FULMARS are gull-like birds, but the bills are stout, hooked and with a prominent nostril-tube on top; the eyes are brown, and the tails are gray like the backs. They 58 SHEARWATERS (88) Pdffinus borealis Cory (Lat., puffin, by mistake given to Manx Shearwater; northern). CORY’S SHEARWATER. Ad.— Bill rather large, hooked, yellowish; nostril tube quite prominent. Back gray, slightly darker on the wings and tail and much lighter on the head. Entire under parts and bases of primaries white. L., 21.00; W., 14.50; T., 6.50; B., 2.25, depth at base .75; Tar. 2.20. Range — Known only from off the coast of Mass. and Long Island Sound, where it is occasionally found from June until October. Some- what like P. kuhli, found in the Mediterranean, but considerably larger and apparently quite distinct. nest in almost countless numbers on the rocky cliffs of the far north. One of the best known and most accessible breeding places is on St. Kilda off the coast of Scotland. Single white eggs are deposited on the bare rocky ledges. The young remain on these ledges, barring accidents, until fully fledged, being fed by the regurgitation by their parents of a clear, amber-colored oil. This oil has a very peculiar and offensive odor that is always evident about the nesting places of birds of this family, and is retained by both eggs and skins for many years. Shearwaters bear little resemblance to gulls; the back, tail and even the head are quite dark, the bill is comparatively slender and the wings much narrower than those of gulls. CORY’S SHEARWATERS are the largest as well as the lightest colored of the eastern species. They can readily be distinguished in life. from Greater Shearwaters, which are nearly as large, by the lighter colored heads and the pale yellowish bills. Although they are not extremely 59 SHEARWATERS (89) Puffinis gravis (O'Reilly). (Lat., heavy). GREATER SHEARWATER. Whole upper parts blackish, with some gray edgings; under parts white, sharply defined against the black on the sides of the head; middle of belly and under tail coverts dusky. Bill and feet blackish. L., 20.00; W., 13.00; T., 5.75; B., 2.00. Range — Summers off the whole Atlantic coast of N. A. (92) Puffinus Iherminiére Less. AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER. Bill small and weak. Upper parts brownish-black; under parts white, with grayish on sides of breast and sooty flanks and under tail coverts. L., 12.00. Range — Breeds in the Antilles and Bahamas. Wanders north cas- ually to Long Island. rare, less is known about their habitat than of nearly any other bird. Small numbers appear off the coast of Mas- sachusetts and in Long Island Sound every summer. They have been taken in no other place. Their habits while with us are not different from those of the more common species. I have seen them in groups of from two to six individuals and also with Greater Shearwaters. GREATER SHEARWATERS are abundant off the At- lantic coast from June until October. They rarely, if ever, alight upon our shores and seldom come within several miles of land. They spend the day wandering over the ocean searching for dead fish or other refuse matter and sleep on the water wherever night may overtake them. While their exact breeding grounds are unknown, they undoubtedly nest during January and February on islands in southern seas. AUDUBON’S SHEARWATERS, which nest in large numbers on some of the smaller uninhabited islands of the 60 SHEARWATERS (95) Puffinus griseus (Gmel.) (Lat., dark). SOOTY SHEARWATER. Sooty, brownish-black all over, grayer be- low. L., 17.00; W., 12.00; T., 4.00; B., 1.75. Range — Occurs in summer on both coasts of N. A. Probably breeds in the South Pacific. (98) BLACK-CAPPED PETREL (“strélata hasit4ta). (Kuhl.) Prob- ably now extinct. Formerly of the Lesser Antilles, straying accidentally to some of our Atlantic states. (99) SCALED PETREL (4- strelata scaldris) Brewster. An Ant- arctic species known from a specimen taken in Livingston Co., N. Y. (101) BULWER’S PETREL (Bulweria bulweri). Temperate North Pacific and North Atlantic (European side). Accidental in Greenland. Bahamas, wander along the South Atlantic coast in summer as far north as New Jersey. Their single, dull- surfaced, white eggs are laid in holes in the ground or among crevices of rocks, during March; grass or small sticks usually line the nests. SOOTY SHEARWATERS occur in large numbers off our coast in summer, but are not quite as numerous as Greater Shearwaters. The habits of the two species, while with us, are identical. They often congregate about fishing boats to get scraps or fish-livers that are thrown over- board for them. Their continual squawking and fighting for these prizes has caused them to be known by fishermen ae F.glactalis — P.gravtd - Q lencorvhoa 61 PETRELS (104) Thalassidroma pelagica (Linn.) (Gr., sea-wanderer; oceanic). STORM PETREL. Plumage sooty-black; upper tail coverts white, the longer feathers broadly black- tipped; tail square-ended. L., 5.50; W., 4.50; T., 2.50; Tar., .qo; B., .45. Range — An European species said to occur off Newfoundland and New Brunswick. (106) Oceanédroma leucérhoa (Vieill.) (Gr., ocean-running; white-rump). LEACH’S PETREL. Plumage as shown in apposite picture. Upper tail coverts almost entirely white; tail forked. L., 8.00; W., 6.25; T., 3.50, forked .75; Tar., 1.00; B., .65. Range — Breeds along the coast from Me. to Greenland. Winters off the coast south casually to Va. as “Hags,” ‘“Haglets,” or “Hagdons.” Their flight is usually close to the water, performed by alternating a few flaps of the long wings, then a short sail. PETRELS are distinctly pelagic birds. Except during the nesting season they rarely come to land, but may be found from a mile or more off shore to several thousand miles. They are truly “ocean-runners,” as their technical name designates. Rarely do they rise more than a few feet above the surface, nor is their flight swift, yet it is very easily performed, for their bodies are light and their wings ample in size. They rise and fall with the swell, so closely to the water that they actually seem to be walking upon it. All petrels found off our shores are very commonly called “Mother Cary’s Chickens.” Two species regularly occur, Wilson’s, which is the most common during the summer months, and Leach’s, which is the only one found in late fall. LEACH’S PETRELS breed on coasts and islands from Maine northward. They nest in colonies, digging burrows 62 PETRELS (109) Oceanites ocednicus (Kuhl.) WILSON’S PETREL. Plumage as shown—darker than that of Leach’s Petrel; tail square-ended; coverts white; legs long, webs yellow. L., 7.00; W., 6.00; T., 3.00; Tar., 1.30; B., .50 Range — This is the most common petrel off our coast in summer. Breeds on Antarctic islands in Feb- ruary. (110) WHITE-BELLIED PE- TREL (Fregétta gralldria) (Vieill.). Southern oceans; accidental in Fla. (111) WHITE-FACED PETREL (Pelag6droma marina) (Lath.). South- ern oceans; accidental off Mass. and Great Britain. Regularly occurs north to the Canaries. from one to two feet in length in soft soil. An enlarged chamber at the end of the burrow is lined with grasses and, on this, a single white egg is laid; about the large end of this egg is usually a wreath of very tiny brown spots. The birds alternate in sitting upon the egg, one always being in the nest during the daytime and the other returning to relieve it at dusk. They are never seen flying about the nesting ground during daylight, the one off duty being at sea feeding. The young petrels are fed only at night, upon oily yellow- ish fluid regurgitated by the parents. This fluid has a penetrating, disagreeable odor and is always discernible on petrel skins or eggs. WILSON’S PETRELS nest on Antarctic islands and spend their winter, which is our summer, off our coast. They course to and fro over the ocean, sometimes following the wakes of steamers or sailing vessels, watching for edible scraps that may be thrown overboard, or again, congrega- 63 TROPIC-BIRDS (112) Phdethon americanus (Grant) (Gr., to shine; Lat., American). YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC- BIRD. Bill stout, tern-like, yellow. Middle tail feathers greatly length- ened. Feet totipalmate. Ad. — Plum- age as shown. Young birds are simi- lar but extensively barred with black on the back and with spots on the tail. L., about 36.00, including the middle tail feathers, which alone measure 18.00—-20.00; W., 11.00; B., 2.00, depth at base .75; Tar., 1.00. Nest — Of seaweed and grass on rocky ledges; one cream-colored egg, finely dotted with purplish-chestnut. Range — Breeds in Bermuda and southward; casual off our coast. (113) RED-BILLED TROPIC- BIRD (Phaéthon ethereus). A trop- ical species’ accidental off Newfound- land. ting about fishing boats for the fish-livers or other scraps that are sure to be thrown to them. Orver STEGANOPODES. TotreatmMaTE SWIMMERS An Order comprising several Families, agreeing ex- ternally in having all four toes connected by webs and all except the Tropic-birds having naked gular sacs or pouches. Famity PHAETHONTID. Tropric-Brrps But one member of this family, the YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC-BIRD, regularly occurs on our southeastern coast. They do not breed on our shores, but in Bermuda, where they are strictly protected, thousands of them nest on the sea-cliffs, sometimes making a nest of seaweed for their single egg and again laying it upon the bare rock; usually, however, they are back in some recess or crevice out of sight. Their food consists of snails that they get from the ledges and beaches and fish which they catch by div- 64 GANNETS (114) Sdla cyanops (Sund.) (Norse, sea-swallow; Gr., blue-face). BLUE-FACED BOOBY. Bill large and heavy; naked face and ) a pouch livid blue; feet reddish. Plum- eae wie ae age as shown, white, except that the : primaries and secondaries are wholly black; quite unusual in that the outer tail feathers are black while the inner ones are white. L., 30.00; Ex., 55.00; W., 16.00; T., 8.00; B., 3-75: Range — Breeds in the Bahamas, West Indies and southward. Acci- dental in Fla. (116) RED-FOOTED BOOBY. (Sula piscétor) (Linn.) A tropical species accidentally occuring in Fla. t ing or dipping the head. On the water they are very buoyant; they hold their slender tails high up to prevent their getting wet. On the wing they are the very embodiment of grace. Famitry SULID4. Gannets Gannets are large, heavy sea-birds and, with one ex- ception, are found in tropical waters. Two species regu- larly occur within our range and two others, Blue-faced Boobies and Red-footed Boobies, have been taken in Florida. The COMMON or BROWN. BOOBY is an abundant species in the Bahamas and West Indies, where they nest in colonies on some of the keys. The name “booby”’ is applied to these birds because they are so very fearless or tame when nesting. Ordinarily they are as timid as most sea-birds, but their timidity diminishes as the nesting season advances, and when incubation of their eggs is well ad- vanced they will not leave unless forced to do so; they do, however, defend their homes with their bills, and these are such effective weapons that it is well not to venture too close. 65 GANNETS Re adae mie (115) Sula leucogastra nt (Bodd.) (Gr., white belly). BOOBY; BROWN BOOBY. Bill, face, gular sac, iris and feet yellow. Ad. — Plumage as shown. Imma- ture birds are entirely brown, lighter below and with some mixture of white feathers on the parts that are later to become white. L., 29.00; W., 16.00; T., 8.00; B., 3.75, depth at base 1.25. Nest —A hollow in the sand or on rocks, usually with no lin- ing; two chalky-white eggs, more or less nest stained; 2.40 x 1.60. Range — Breeds abundantly in the Bahamas and West Indies; strays along the South Atlantic coast from S. Car. to Fla. Their food consists chiefly of small fish, which they capture by diving. They often feed their young at night, for then the Frigate Birds, which rob them quite persistently during the daytime, are asleep. The GANNET is the largest species of this family. Hav- ing anorthern distribution, it is more often seen by Americans than any other. They are magnificent birds — large, strong and exceedingly graceful when in flight. Their great ex- panse of wings, about six feet, coupled with the pure white plumage and black primaries, makes it possible to identify them when far off. They are constantly wheeling about over the water, and, upon sighting a fish in favorable posi- tion, the wings are half closed and the great bird darts down like a living arrow, piercing the water with a great splash; if the prey is not secured on the plunge it is pursued and caught under water. In America, Gannets nest only on Bird Rock and Bona- venture Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Here every available ledge not occupied by murres, auks, puffins or gulls 66 GANNETS (117) Sula bassana (Linn.) (Of Bass Rock, a famous British nesting place of the species). GANNET; SOLAN GOOSE. Bill slaty-blue. Feet greenish-black. Iris yellow. Entire plumage white, except the primaries, which are black. Im. — Above dark brown, each feath- er with a wedge-shaped white spot; below grayish-white, each feather with dark edges. L., 36.00; Ex., 70.00; W., 19.00; T., 9.50; B., 4.00. Mest — A hollowed pile of seaweed on rocky ledges of sea-cliffs; one white egg covered with a chalky deposit, 3.20 X I.90. Range — Breeds on Bird Rock and Bonaventure Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Winters alang the South Atlantic coast. is covered, during summer with the white forms of nesting Gannets, while the air is filled with beating wings and hoarse, rasping croaks of others. The rocks which, in the time of Audubon, were estimated to hold more than one hundred and fifty thousand breeding birds, now have only a few thousand. In marked contrast, the Gannets of Bass Rock, off the Scotch coast, have suffered no appreci- able decrease in numbers during the past hundred years, even though they are much more accessible than are our islands. Famity ANHINGIDAE. Darrers The WATER-TURKEY, our only representative of this family, is found in swamps of the Southern States and up the Mississippi Valley to Illinois. They swim very swiftly either on the surface or under water. They are called ‘“‘Darters”’ because they commonly perch on lookout branches over the water and dart down on passing fish. When alarmed they either drop into the water and swim 67 DARTERS aioe 2 pacmaee) (118) Anhinga anhinga : (Linn.) (Lat., snaky). ANHINGA; WATER-TURKEY; SNAKE-BIRD. Form slender, es- pecially the bill, head and neck. Plumage of o shown by the perching bird in the opposite picture. @ shown by the diving bird. Tail of 12 feathers, very broad at the tips, the outer webs of the middle ones being curiously crimped. Brownish- white, filamentous plumes on the neck of the male during breeding sea- son. L., 36.00; Ex., 48.00; W., 13.50; T., 10.50; B., 3.25. Mest — Of sticks over water in bushes or trees; four bluish eggs, covered with chalky deposit, 2.25 x 1.35. Range — Tropical America; breeds north to Tex., southern IIl.,and N. Car. away with only the slender head and part of the neck visible (hence the name ‘‘Snake-bird’’), or else rise and circle about high in the air. Rude platforms of sticks are built in bushes over the water to hold their bluish-white eggs, which are covered with a chalk-like deposit. The three or four eggs are laid at intervals of several days, so that it is quite usual to find nests containing an egg, a newly hatched chick and another of good size. The young feed, as do probably all the members of this Order, by thrusting their heads into the parent’s throat or pouch and taking the food contained there — usually small fish. Famity PHALACROCORACID. Cormorants A family of water-birds having rather long, strongly hooked bills, full-webbed feet placed far back on the body so that the sitting posture of the birds is nearly erect, and very stiff tails that are of use for steering when swimming under water and as a prop to aid them in sitting. The plumage is close fitting, usually a glossy greenish or bluish- 68 CORMORANTS (119) Phalacrécorax carbo (Linn.) (Lat., a cormorant; charcoal). CORMORANT; SHAG. Gular sac heart-shaped behind, bordered by white feathers. Tail with 14 feath- ers. Plumage of adult shown. The white flank patch, filamentous plumes on the neck and crest are present only during breeding season. Jm.— Brownish-gray above, with some whitish edgings; grayish-white below mixed with some dark feathers. L., 36.00; Ex., 60.00; W., 13.00; T., 6.50; B., 3.40. MNest— Of seaweed and sticks on rocky ledges of sea- cliffs; four greenish-white, chalky eggs; 2.50 X 1.40. Range — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds from Nova Scotia to Labrador and Greenland. Winters south to Long Island and, casually, S. Car. black, and many species are adorned with plumes or white patches during the breeding season. Nearly all cormorants have green eyes. The COMMON CORMORANT or SHAG is strictly a maritime species and breeds in high latitudes—on our coast from Nova Scotia to Central Greenland. This species, the largest of the family, is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere and is the one formerly used by the Chinese for catching fish. While, at the present time, more modern methods are used for fishing for commercial purposes, many of these trained birds are still kept for the pleasure of the owner or to get money from tourists by exhibiting their prowess. The swimming powers of cormorants are excelled by no other species of birds; while they can progress rapidly on the surface, it is under water that their phenomenal powers attract the most attention. A fish has small chance to escape a foe so perfectly equipped as these fisher-birds — a form that slides easily through the water; large feet, the full 69 CORMORANTS (120) Phalacrocorax auritus i auritus (Less.) (Lat., eared). DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMOR- ANT. Gular sac convex behind. - Tailof12feathers. Ad. in summer — As shown; lustrous greenish-black; back coppery-brown; two ear tufts. - In winter, similar but lacking the ear tufts. Jm.— Grayish-brown above; » lighter below, with patches of dusky ® and white. L., 31.00. W., 12.50; See T., 7.00; B., 2.30. Nest — On ledges - on the coast, on the ground or in trees in the interior. Range — Breeds from Me. and Minn. north to Labrador and Sask. (120a) P. a. floridanus (Aud.) § FLORIDA CORMORANT. Smaller than the last. L., less than 30.00; W., 12.00. Breeds from N. Car. and Ill. southward. webbing of which gives the maximum of push; short, stiff wings that, flapped in a half-open position, add greatly to the speed of progress; a perfect tail-rudder to guide them, and a bill that can retain its hold on the most slippery fish. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and the similar southern form, Florida Cormorants, are the most abundant of the three eastern species. On the coast they nest, as do the larger Common Cormorants, on rocky ledges; in the south they nest in trees in dense swamps; and in the interior of the United States and Canada they commonly nest on the ground. Whatever the locations, cormorant nesting grounds are filthy places, the rocks, the ground or trees being smeared with white excrement and reeking with the odor of decaying fish. They always nest in colonies, every hollow on the ground sometimes containing its quota of eggs or young. The young birds are fed upon the same diet as their parents — fish. These are brought to the nest in the throats 7° CORMORANTS (121) Phalacrocorax vigua fg: 6s¢ 975 mexicanus ee (Brandt). ‘ MEXICAN CORMORANT. Ad. — A border of white feathers around the base of the orange gular sac. Plumage lustrous black with pur- plish rather than green reflections; back and wings slaty, each feather with a black edge. In the breeding season each side of the head has a small packet of white nuptial plumes and others are scattered down the sides of the neck. In winter they lack the white plumes, the white feathers about the pouch, and the black is less lustrous. L., 27.00; W., 10.00; T., 6.50; B., 1.90. Range — Mexico, Cuba and the Bahamas; north in summer in the Miss. Valley to Kan. and southern II. and pouches of the parents, into which the black-skinned, repulsive looking little cormorants insert their heads and help themselves. Ugly as young cormorants may appear to us, they are regarded as delicacies by gulls that nest near them, and they, as well as the cormorant eggs, are devoured at every opportunity. MEXICAN CORMORANTS are abundant throughout favorable portions of Mexico and Central America. They regularly occur in our territory in southwestern Texas, where they nest in the dense growths of trees and bushes sur- rounding numerous lagoons. Famity PELECANID. PeEticans Three of the dozen different species of pelicans are found in North America and two of these occur in the eastern half. Pelicans have fully webbed, or totipalmate feet, but the most conspicuous feature about them is the long, large-pouched bill. WHITE PELICANS are immense, magnificent birds, 71 PELICANS (125) Pelecanus erythrorhyn- chos Gmel. (Gr., a pelican; red beak). WHITE PELICAN. Ad. — Bill, pouch, iris and feet yellow. Plum- age white, with black primaries; slightly lengthened feathers on the nape tinged with yellowish. In the breeding season the male has an upright knob near the end of the upper mandible. Jm.— The lesser wing coverts and the head are tinged with gray. L., 60.00; Ex., 100.00; W., 22.00; T., 6.00 (24 feathers); B., 14.00; Weight about 17 lbs. Nest — Of sticks and weeds near water’s edge; two or three pure white CEES, 3-45 X 2.30. Range — Breeds from Keewatin and B. C. south to Utah and Cal. Winters along the Gulf coast. Cas- ual in migration on the Atlantic coast. having an expanse of wings up to nine feet and a bill more than a foot long. In winter they are abundant along the Gulf coast and in the many entering rivers and their pond or lake sources. In spring they migrate through the in- terior to their nesting grounds on islands in large lakes throughout the northwest. Shoal Lake, Manitoba, Klamath Lakes in Oregon, and Salt Lake in Utah contain some of the largest known breeding colonies. These pelicans nest on the ground, preferably on sandy soil. The sand is scooped up in piles four to six inches high, slightly hollowed on top, and these sand nests are scantily lined with twigs or grasses. Usually two, but sometimes three or four, pure white eggs are laid; these are covered with a chalky deposit as usual with eggs of members of this Order. BROWN PELICANS are maritime birds both during winter and at nesting time. Since these birds are far less timid than White Pelicans, much more has been observed and written about their habits. Pelican Island, in the 72 PELICANS (126) Pelecanus occidentalis Linn, BROWN-PELICAN. Ad. in sum- mer — Plumage as shown. In win- ter, similar but the back of the neck is white instead of brown. Im. — Similar to the winter adult, but the head and neck are gray. L., 50.00; Ex;, 78.00; W..,, 10/00; I.,. 7:00! .(22 feathers); B., t1.00. Nest— Of sticks and weeds, either on the ground, in bushes or low trees; the three to five eggs are white, with the chalky deposit common to eggs of birds of this Order, 3.00 x 1.95. Range — Breeds from Fla. and La. south to Brazil; wanders north to N. Car. and casually to Me. and II. Indian River, Florida, is one of the best known and most accessible nesting places of pelicans. The young are naked when hatched and only become fully clothed in white down after about three weeks. It requires about ten weeks for them to acquire full powers of flight and be able to care for themselves. While the adult pelicans are very silent, their only note being a low groan, the young are extremely noisy and continue to be so until able to fly well. They feed by inserting the head and bill down the capacious throat of their parent and selecting small half-digested fish; they continue to feed in this way until they are larger than their parents. Brown Pelicans catch fish, chiefly menhaden, by diving into schools from the air, while White Pelicans scoop them up while swimming upon the water. Famity FREGATID. Man-o’-war-BIRDS MAN-O’-WAR or FRIGATE BIRDS are remarkable sea- birds, having powers of flight excelled by no other species except perhaps albatrosses. They have a greater expanse 73 MAN-O’-WAR-BIRDS (128) Fregéta aquila (Linn.) (Ital., a frigate; Lat., eagle). MAN-O’-WAR-BIRD; FRIGATE BIRD. Eye brown. — Bill long and slender. Gular sac and feet orange, the latter small and weak. Ad. o&. — As shown by the perching bird; plumage lustrous black, with violet and greenish reflections. Ad. Q.—Less lustrous and _ browner; foreneck and belly white. L., 40.00; Ex., 90.00; T., 18.00, forked 9.00; Tar., .95; B., 5.00. Nest—A frail platform of sticks in low bushes or trees; a single white egg, 2.80 x 1.90. Range — Tropical coasts, breed- ing north to Florida Keys; strays to La., Tex. and Cal.; casually north to Nova Scotia and accidentally to Ohic and Wis. of wing compared to their weight than any other known birds, and are able to float about for hours at a time with no perceptible flapping. Their feet are totipalmate, but are small and weak, and the webbing is of little extent. They rarely alight on the water, but get the fish, upon which they live, by quick dashes at those near the surface, by catching in the air flying-fish or others which have leaped out of water to avoid some enemy below; or by forcing terns, boobies or pelicans to disgorge what they have captured. They build rude, stick nests on the tops of bushes, some- times several nests being in a single bush. One egg con- stitutes a full set. The young are hatched naked, passing through a downy stage to the full plumage. Curiously enough, the back becomes fully feathered before the wing feathers commence to grow. OrDER ANSERES. Lame irrostRaAL SWIMMERS About two hundred species, separated into five sub- families, are included in this Order. They all agree in 74 MERGANSERS (129) Mérgus americanus Cassin (Lat., a diver). MERGANSER; GOOSANDER; SHELDRAKE; SAW-BILL. Bill sharply toothed on the edges; nostril midway along the bill. Ad. #7 — Plumage as shown by bird on the stump. Eye, bill and feet red. Breast and underparts tinted with salmon. Ad. @ — Plumage as shown by the swimming bird. Eye yellow. Notice that the head of the @ is crested, while that of the @ is not: L.,; 25.00; W., 10.50; T., 5:00; B., 2.00; Tar., 1.90. Female some- what smaller. Nest — Of grass, lined with feathers; six to nine creamy- buff eggs, 2.70 X 1.75. Range — Breeds from Me., Mich. and Ore. northward; winters from Me., Wis. and B. C. south to the Gulf. having the bill lamellate — that is, with flutings or teeth on the edges of each mandible, these alternating so as to fit together when the bill is closed. The feet are webbed and the hind toe is elevated, and in some species lobed. Mergansers have the typical duck form, but the long and rather slender bills are round in cross section and the edges are very sharply toothed. The habits of the two larger species, the MERGANSER and the RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, are quite similar, although the latter during winter are more often found on salt water, while the former delights in frequent- ing turbulent streams. During summer both species retire to the edges of ponds in the northern United States and Canada to nest. The nests are on the ground, in patches of weeds or sheltered by rocks, and, as usual with duck nests, are warmly lined with downy feathers from the breasts of the females. As might be judged from the form of their bills, mergan- 75 MERGANSERS (130) Mergus serrator Linn. (Lat., a sawyer). RED-BREASTED MERGAN- SER. Nostrils nearer to the base than tothe end of the bill. Ad. 7 — Plumage as shown. Notice that the head is crested. Ad. 9 —Shown by the flying bird. Head brownish, slightly -crested; back and wings grayish. In any plumage easily distinguished from the last species by the position of the nostrils. L., 24.00; W., 9.00; T., 4.00; B., 2.20. Nest — Of grass, on the ground; lined with feathers from the breast of the female; five to ten olive-buff eggs, 2.50 X 1.70. Range — Breeds from Me., Minn. and B. C. north to the Arctic coast; winters from Mass., Ind., and B. C. south to Mexico. sers feed largely upon fish, a diet that renders their flesh very unpalatable. They secure fish in the same manner as grebes and cormorants — by pursuing and catching them under water. Like these same birds, mergansers are just as likely, if alarmed, to seek safety by diving as by flight; they can get under water as ‘quick as a flash,” but they usually have to patter a few feet along the surface before rising into the air. Mergansers have a flap or lobe on the hind toe; just how this can be of assistance to a duck in diving or swim- ming is amystery, but it is a fact that species that are good divers or that habitually feed at some depth below the surface do have this flap. Mergansers are very quiet, but it is said that the Red- breasted species utters a low croak at times. HOODED MERGANSERS are exceedingly beautiful and very interesting ducks. The unique fan-shaped crest of the male is an adornment not only of beauty but is adapted to express the various emotions of the bird, as it may be 76 MERGANSERS (131) Lophédytes cucullatus (Linn.) (Gr., a crest, a diver; Lat., wear- ing a hood). HOODED MERGANSER; HAIRY HEAD; SUMMER SHEL- DRAKE. Ad. &@— Beautifully plum- aged and crested as shown. Bill black. Tris yellow. 4d. 9 —Plumage as shown by birdin the distance. Crest brown, with no white patch; neck and back grayish; white speculum and under parts. L., 18.00; W., 7.50; T., 4.00; Tar., 1.20; B., 1.50. Mest — In cav- ities of trees near the water’s edge; eight to cighteen pearl-gray eggs, 2.15, X 1.70. Range — Breeds in the U. S. and southern Canada. Winters in south- ern U.S. (131.1) SMEW (Mergellus albel- lus) (Linn.). An European species; accidental in northern N. A. opened and closed at will. This species does not live ex- clusively upon a fish diet; in fact, they often feed upon tender roots of aquatic plants and mollusks to such an extent that they become quite plump and their flesh is then good. In summer, Hooded Mergansers seek lakes, ponds or swamps about which are large decayed trees or trunks, for they commonly nest in cavities from six to twenty feet above ground. The bottom of the hollows are lined with grass, on which ten or a dozen, or sometimes as many as eighteen, pearly white eggs are laid. The little mergansers flutter down or are carried to the ground by their mother and immediately led to the water. Until able to fly, they are ever under the watchful eye of their parents, whose vigilance alone saves many of them from untimely ends in the jaws of pickerels, turtles or mink. MALLARDS, or ‘“‘Green-heads” and “Wild Ducks” as they are often called, are quite abundantly distributed over the Northern Hemisphere. Because of their abundance, 77 RIVER DUCKS (132) Anas platyrhynchos Linn. (Lat., duck; Gr., flat beak). MALLARD; GREEN-HEAD; WILD DUCK. Ad. ~— Plumage shown by the lower bird. Bill green- ish. Iris brown. Legs orange. Spec- ulum purple. Long upper tail cov- erts recurved. Ad. 9 — Shown by the upper bird. Legs orange. Bill orange and black. Plumage similar to but lighter and more buffy than that of Black Ducks; speculum always bordered by white and outer tail feathers edged with light buff. L., 23.00; W., 10.50; T., 3.50; Tar., 1.90 B., 2.00. Nest—Of grass, among rushes or weeds; six to ten buff eggs. 2.25 X 1.65. Range — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds in the northern half of United States and Canada. Winters from Md. Ind. and Alaska southward. the excellence of their flesh and the fact that they are the ancestors of the common domestic ducks, they are justly regarded as one of the most valuable of all birds Mallards belong to that class of ducks known as “ River Ducks” as distinguished from “Sea Ducks.”’ The former secure food, largely vegetable, by dabbling in the shallow water on the edges of ponds or marshes, or by “‘tipping”’ where the water is of a depth to allow them to reach bottom without going entirely under water; on the other hand, sea ducks can get food in deep water. Any marsh or pond-hole, however small, is regarded as a favorable nesting site by Mallards. The cozy, feather-lined nest is usually located several yards from the water’s edge, concealed among weeds or brush. The drakes take no part in incubating the eggs or in caring for the ducklings that appear after a period of about twenty-eight days; instead they go into temporary exile and undergo a double moult. The first moult, occurring in June, leaves the drakes garbed 78 RIVER DUCKS (133) Anas rabripes Brewster (Lat., red-footed). BLACK DUCK; DUSKY MAL- LARD. Ad.— As _ shown. Bill greenish, with a black tip or nail. Feet orange-red, with dusky webs. o usually darker than the ? and sometimes with a narrow white bor- der on the speculum. Linings of wings white. Size same as that of the Mallard. Nest — Of grass, lined with feathers from the breast of the female; concealed among rushes or weeds near the water; the six to ten buff-colored eggs are laid in May or June; 2.30 x 1.70. Both this spe- cies and Mallards utter loud quacks. Range — Eastern N. A. Breeds from Md. and Wis. north to Ungava and Keewatin. Winters from Nova Scotia south to the Gulf. in similar plumage to that of the females; the second, which takes place in July or August, restores the handsome plu- mage, to remain until the following year. In fall, local Mallards join or are joined by flocks coming from more northern localities. They usually rest, perhaps, floating at sea during daylight and, at dusk, fly to favorite marshes to feed; it is upon these flights from the resting places to the feeding grounds that gunners do their most effective execution. When disturbed during daytime or while feeding at dusk Mallards are quite noisy, the females doing the loudest quacking. BLACK DUCKS, or Dusky Mallards, are very closely related to Mallards and have similar habits. Their range is quite restricted, being confined to eastern North America. It is a beautiful sight to watch a female Black Duck and her brood. She guards them most zealously, turning her head this way and that, ever on the lookout for danger, be it from beast, bird or fish. Should an enemy approach, she will attempt to escape by swimming away with her brood. 79 RIVER DUCKS (134) Anas fulvigula fulvigula Ridgway (Lat., reddish throat). FLORIDA DUCK. Similar to the Black Duck but lighter colored; chin and throat buffy, with no streaking. Bill greenish, with a black nail and with a blackish spot at the base. Range — Northwestern to south- ern Fla. (134a) Anas fulvigula macus= lésa Sennett (Lat., spotted). MOTTLED DUCK. Notas buffy as the Florida Duck; each feather on the under parts with a broad dusky spot near the tip. Range — Resident in southern Texas and in southern La. Acci- dental north to Kan. ; If this fails, at a warning note from their mother, each duckling scurries for cover among rushes, weeds or lily-pads, while the parent tries to lead the pursuer away by pre- tending to be wounded. If she and her brood are dis- covered on shore, this ruse is even more effective, as she trips and stumbles along, with trailing wings and whining voice; man or beast might easily believe her to be so seriously injured that she could go but a few feet farther. Black Ducks are quite nocturnal in their habits, moving about and feeding a great deal, especially on moonlight nights. Occasionally the silence of the marsh will be broken by the quacking of a single duck, followed almost instantly by that of all the ducks and drakes present, and subsiding as suddenly as it commenced. They feed in shallow water, sifting the mud through the strainer-like serrations of the bill and retaining everything edible. Black Ducks are quite wary and less easily decoyed than most species. They usually fly high, with no regular formation, and may readily be identified by the contrast 80 RIVER DUCKS (135) Chaulelasmus stréperus (Linn.) (Gr., having protrusive teeth; Lat., noisy). GADWALL; GRAY WIDGEON. Teeth or “gutters”? on the edges of the mandibles small but very numer- ous. Ad. oc — Plumage as shown. Axillars and under wing coverts white; breast feathers with two con- centric black bands on each, giving a striking scaled effect. Ad. 9 — Less or no chestnut on the upper coverts; speculum — grayish-white; more spotted below. L., 21.00; W., 10.50; T., 4.50; B., 1.60. Nest — Seven to ten creamy-buff eggs (2.10 x 1.60) laid in feather-lined hollows. Range — Cosmopolitan. Breeds from Wis. and Cal. northward. Win- ters from N. Car., Ill., and B. C. southward. Rare on the N. EF. coast during migrations. of the white under wing coverts with their otherwise dark plumage. The habits of FLORIDA DUCKS and MOTTLED DUCKS, notwithstanding their restricted ranges, do not in any way differ from those of the Black Duck. GADWALLS, also essentially fresh-water ducks, are by no means abundant and are quite shy. They usually are seen in small flocks or in company with Widgeons, and like to frequent small creeks or the edges of marshes, where the chances of their being disturbed are few and where they can readily get an abundance of the grasses and roots of water plants that they like. Male Gadwalls are very modestly colored for ducks, especially on the head, which in most other species is quite different from that of the female. BALDPATES or WIDGEONS, like Gadwalls, only resort to bays and brackish sounds after the ponds and marshes that they like to frequent are frozen. They are 81 RIVER DUCKS (136) Maréca penélope (Linn.) (Brazilian, a kind of teal). EUROPEAN WIDGEON. 4d. o' — Asshown. Crown buffy-white; rest of head reddish-brown, covered with black specks; tertials buffy- white, with a black stripe in the mid- dle. Ad. 9 — Head, neck and up- per breast buffy, more or less streaked and barred with dusky; tertials bor- dered with deep buff; greater coverts brownish-gray, tipped with black. L., 20.00; W., 10.50; B., 1.40. Range — Northern part of the Eastern Hemisphere. Occurs cas- ually in winter and during migrations on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and from Wis. and Mich. southward. not uncommon and, during fall and winter, quite large flocks of them may be seen flying swiftly, stretched out in a long line, abreast. When migrating, and often when on the water, they utter continuous, soft, mewing whistles. Widgeons are one of the wariest of ducks and are endowed with very keen sight or insight, as some hunters believe their suspicions often prevent flocks of other species, with which they are associated, from settling among decoys. On this account they are not kindly regarded by many gunners, although their flesh is excellent. They frequently go with Redheads and Canvas-backs, and, according to Elliot, pilfer food secured by these ducks from depths to which they themselves cannot dive. Although common along the Atlantic coast of the United States in winter and during migrations, Baldpates, and also many other ducks having similar distribution, do not nest anywhere in the region near this coast, but spend the summer from Minnesota and North Dakota northward and west of Hudson Bay to Alaska. Their nests are built 82 RIVER DUCKS (137) Mareca americana (Gmel.) BALDPATE; WIDGEON. Ad. o'— Plumage as shown. Bill gray- ish-blue, with a black tip and dusky base. Crown pure white; very broad, metallic greenish stripe from the eye to the nape; throat and face buffy, specked with black. Ad. @ — Differs from the 2 of the European Widgeon by having the head and throat white, streaked and barred with black, the wing coverts whiter and the outer webs of the tertials white. L., 20.00; W., 10.50; B., 1.50. Young males may show any degree of plumage between that of the and@. Range — Breeds from Ind., Colo. and Ore. northward. Winters from Md., (casually Mass.) Ill. and B. C. southward. on the ground, as is common with most ducks, but usually on high ground under bushes and not necessarily near the water. It is warmly lined with soft down, which is care- fully drawn over to conceal the eggs when the female leaves. EUROPEAN WIDGEONS, although frequently taken in this country, can only be regarded as stragglers. They are not uncommon on the Aleutian Islands and breed there. It is quite probable that most of these birds taken in various parts of the United States are Alaskan ones that have come south in company with some of our native ducks nesting in the same localities, instead of taking their customary mi- gration route to the southwest. In England, they are commonly called Whewers, because of the shrill whistling notes they utter when flying. Their nesting habits do not differ from those of the American Widgeon. In winter they are abundant on inland lakes and morasses and also on salt marshes. GREEN-WINGED TEAL share with Buffle-heads the 83 RIVER DUCKS (139) Néttion carolinénse (Gmel.) (Gr., a duckling). GREEN-WINGED TEAL. Size very small. Ad. o—As_ shown. Head reddish-brown; speculum and patch back of eye metallic green; white crescent in front of wings. Ad. @ — Wings as on the o’; head and neck grayish-white, streaked with dusky; breast and sides more or less streaked or spotted. L., 14.00; W.,. 7-255 he; 31003, Bz;) 1:50: Range — Breeds from New Bruns- wick, Ill., and central Cal. north to Ungava and Alaska. Winters from N. Y., Ind., and B. C. southward. (138) EUROPEAN TEAL (Net- tion crécca). Occasional or acci- dental on both coasts of N. A. The co has no white crescent in front of the wing. honor of being the smallest American ducks. Besides being one of the most handsomely plumaged species, they are probably, taking everything into consideration, the most graceful. On land they walk easily and run well, with no signs of the waddling that some of the ducks show. During migrations, they travel in quite large, compact flocks and are most abundant in the interior, because they prefer fresh to salt water, although smaller flocks of them are often seen in marshes and rivers along the coast. Be- cause they are so active they are able to catch a great many insects and feed largely upon such food when it is obtainable, as well as upon roots of various water plants, grasses, etc. In the south they visit rice fields, often in company with Mallards and other large ducks. They are more compan- ionable than most ducks; even when feeding, the flock keeps well grouped instead of scattering as Mallards and Black Ducks will. Green-winged Teal utter shrill piping whistles, not unlike the notes of some plovers. 84 RIVER DUCKS (140) Querquédula discors (Linn.) (Lat., a small duck; discordant). BLUE-WINGED TEAL. Bill broader than that of the preceding species. Ad. o' — Plumage as shown; much variation in the body color, but always more or less buffy or tufous. Ad.?@— Similar to the 9 of the preceding species but with more buffy coloring of the body and with blue wing coverts as on the o. L., WHe5O5 UW aoc bs eesOn 13.4 eS 0. Call — A weak, rapid quacking. Nest —on the ground among grass or weeds bordering marshes or ponds; six to ten buffy eggs, 1.90 x 1.30. Range — Breeds from Me., N. Y., Ind. and Ore. northward. Winters from Md., Ill. and B. C., south to Brazil and Chile. Their nests are concealed in patches of weeds or tussocks of grass bordering bogs, marshes or creeks. They are made of rushes and weeds, lined with feathers and down. Usually six to eight, but sometimes as many as twelve, ivory-white eggs are laid. BLUE-WINGED TEAL are but a trifle larger than the Green-wings. They are quite commonly known as Summer Teal because they commonly nest farther south than Green- wings and because they are the first of the ducks to migrate in fall. Early in September those individuals that nest in northern United States move to the south, while their places are taken by others arriving from Canada. The flight of this species is usually regarded by gunners as more swift than that of any other. Notwithstanding that their speed is often rated as more than one hundred miles per hour, it is very doubtful if they can, by their own efforts, exceed more than sixty miles. Their small size serves two purposes, making their flight seem faster in comparison 85 RIVER DUCKS (141) Querquedula cyanéptera (Viell.) (Gr., blue, wing). CINNAMON TEAL. Ad. #7 — As shown. Ad. Q — Very similar to that of the last species and not easily identified. Bill larger. More rusty below; throat rather buffy and more or less encroached upon by the streaks and spots of the under parts, while that of the Blue-wing is usually immaculate white. L., 16.50; W., 7-753. T., 3.50; B., 1.70. Nest — On the ground near water; compactly woven of grass and lined with feathers; eight to thirteen eggs, buffy- white, 1.85 x 1.35. Range — North and South Amer- ica. Breeds from western Kan. and B. C. southward. Casual in Man., Minn., Wis., Ohio, Ia., N. Y., Fla., etc. with larger ducks, and renders them more difficult to hit. The fact that they also, like the Green-wings, double and twist in their flight when alarmed does not make them easy marks for gunners, and it is not surprising that they should often estimate their speed at more than double. They are quieter than Green-wings, although the ducks quack weakly and the drakes sometimes utter whistled “peeps,’’ repeated five or six times. Their feeding and nesting habits are practically the same as those of Green- winged Teal, but the eggs are a little lighter in color. CINNAMON TEAL are a handsome species, common in western United States, but of rather rare occurrence east to the Mississippi Valley, and still less frequently in Florida. Like the other teal, they are quick in all their actions; they spring clear out of water and speed swiftly away when startled. They build more substantial nests than most ducks, twisting rushes firmly together and lining the hollow with down. SHOVELLERS, or, as they are otherwise called, Spoon- 86 RIVER DUCKS (142) Spatula clypedta (Linn.) (Lat., spoon-shaped; a shield). SHOVELLER ; SPOON-BILL; BROAD-BILL. Bill long and twice as wide at end as at base. Plumage as shown, the o by the upper bird, the 2 by the lower. Easily identi- fied in any plumage by the size and shape of the bill. L., 20.00; W., 9.50; T., 3.00; Tar., 1.35; B:,. 2.50, width at end. 1.20. Eggs —Six to ten, grayish, 2.10 X 1.50. Range — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds from Ind., Texas and Cal. north to Keewatin and Alaska. Winters from Md., Ill. and B. C. southward. Casual on the coast to Newfoundland during migration. (741.1). RUDDY SHELDRAKE (Casdrca ferruginea). An European species; accidental in Greenland. billed Ducks, are remarkable not only because of the con- trasty plumage of the males, but because of the oddly shaped bills; these are not only twice as broad at the end as at the base, but the “strainers” or serrations along the edges are very prominent, especially toward the base. Such a bill implies that its owner feeds upon “‘ mud-siftings,”’ and such we find to be the case. They reach the muddy bottoms of shallow ponds by “tipping up” or dabble with their bills along the shore. All forms of mollusks and in- sect larve are retained and eaten, while the soft mud and water flow from the sides of the mandibles. As usual, when the parents have peculiarly shaped bills, those of young Shovellers are of ordinary duck-shape, not broaden- ing toward the end until after flight. Shovellers have a very wide distribution, being found in all temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. In England, where they breed sparingly, they are said to usually nest in dry grass fields at some distance from the water, but in America they usually choose swampy, boggy places 87 RIVER DUCKS (143) Dafila acita (Linn.) (Lat., acute, — referring to the pointed tail). PINTAIL; SPRIG-TAIL. Neck long and slender. Middle tail feath- ers lengthened. Form slender. Ad. o@—As shown by the swimming bird. Ad. 9 — Buff-colored, lighter on the throat; darker on the crown and back, and streaked and spotted with dusky; breast and sides more or less mottled; speculum grayish-brown bordered with white; axillars barred with black. L., co 28.00, 2 22.00; W., 10.00: T., o' 7:50, 2 3:60; B., 2.00. Notes —A quacking similar to Mallards. Eggs — Six to twelve, buffy-white, 2.20 x 1.50. Range — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds from Ill., Colo. and Cal., north to the Arctic coast. Winters from Del., Wis. and B. C. southward. that are difficult of access. The eggs, which are from eight to twelve in number, are pale greenish-gray. PINTAILS, or Springtails as most gunners term them, are also cosmopolitan in their distribution. They are re- markable among our ducks for their very long thin necks. Scattered pairs of Pintails nest in the central and western portions of the United States, but the centre of their abun- dance during the breeding season is from Keewatin to Alaska. In the latter region Mr. E. W. Nelson has made quite complete observations of their habits. At mating time, the female will occasionally rise in the air with the male in close pursuit; she leads him a merry chase, often joined in by other males, at one moment being nearly out of sight overhead and the next just skimming the ground. At other times she will plunge at full speed under water, followed by her pursuers, all rising and taking wing a short distance beyond. WOOD DUCKS are generally conceded to be the most 88 RIVER DUCKS (144) Aix sponsa (Linn.) (Gr., a water fowl; Lat., be- trothed, in reference to the beautiful (bridal) plumage). WOOD DUCK; SUMMER DUCK; BRIDAL DUCK. Ad. 7 — Handsomely plumaged as shown. Iris red. Bill multicolored. Feet orange. Head with purple and greenish re- flections. Ad. 9 — Gray, with white eye-patch, white chin, throat and | under parts; breast and sides mot- tled with grayish-brown; wings like those of the o but grayish-black. L., 19.00; W., 9.00; T., 4.50; B., 1.40. Nest — In cavities of trees; eight to fifteen buffy eggs, 2.00 x 1.50. Range — Breeds throughout the United States and southern Canada. Winters from N. J., Ill. and B. C. & south to Mexico and the Gulf. beautiful species to be found anywhere. For the reason that the bridal dress is supposed to be a most exquisite creation, the species was given a technical name meaning betrothed. It is also often known as the Bridal Duck, although Summer Duck is more frequently applied to it. Wood Ducks are the only species that nests throughout the United States and in the southern British Provinces. During summer they frequent clear wooded lakes rather than the marshy regions chosen by most ducks. They nest in cavities of trees and never on the ground, although sometimes they choose very peculiar situations, the most remarkable of which I have record being the individual that for several years built her nest in an unused stovepipe projecting from the side of a boat house. Usually the nesting tree is close to the water, often over- hanging it, but sometimes they have to select one several yards away. A surprising feature is that the entrance hole is often not more than half as large as one would think necessary, yet the female enters and leaves readily. The 89 SEA DUCKS (146) Marila americana (Eyton). (Gr., charceal?), REDHEAD; POCHARD. Ad. 7 —As shown. Bill dull blue with black band at end. Iris yellow. Black feathers of breast shading into white under parts; back gray, finely barred with dusky; speculum light gray. Ad. 9 — Grayish-brown darker on the back and whitening on the belly. L., 19.00; W., 9.50; T., 3.00; B., 1.85. Notes — Hol- low, rapid croakings. Eggs — Six to twelve, bufly-white, 2.40 x 1.70. Range — Breeds from southern Wis. and Cal. north to B. C. and Sask. Winters from Md., Ill. and B. C. southward. “In migrations along the Atlantic coast south of Labrador. (t45) RUFOUS-CRESTED DUCK (Nétta rufina). An European species; accidental in eastern United States. little ducklings scramble out and drop into the water or are carried down in the bill of their mother. The flight of Wood Ducks is swift and straight when in the open, but they can thread their way through woods with as much ease as pigeons or owls. REDHEADS belong to the sub-family known as sea ducks (Fuliguline). By sea ducks, it is not meant that the species in this sub-family are exclusively maritime, for many of them most often frequent fresh water just as some of the so-called river ducks often resort to salt marshes or even the open sea. They are externally characterized by having a broad flap or lobe on the hind toe. They are excellent divers, capable of going to great depths to secure mussels or other shellfish upon which they largely subsist. Redheads nest abundantly in some of the Western States and in that great duck region from Minnesota northward. During migration they are regularly found on the Atlantic coast south of Labrador. They fly ina broad V-shaped line, usually at quite an elevation, and swiftly. They usually go SEA DUCKS (147) Marila valisnéria (Wils.) (From the water plant upon which they extensively [eed). CANVAS-BACK. Bill high at the base, forming a straight line with the top of the head. Ad. # — Bill black, Iris red. Head reddish- brown, blackening toward the base of the bill; black feathers on breast sharply defined against the white of the under parts. Ad. 9 —- Gray- ish-brown like the Q@ Redhead, but readily identified by the larger size and differently shaped bill; head more or less tinged with rusty-brown. L., 21.00; W., 9.50; B., 2.40. Eggs — Six to ten grayish-buff, 2.40 x 1.70. Range — Breeds from southern Minn., Colo. and Ore. north to Kee- watin and Alaska, Winters from Pa. and IIL. southward. sweep the length of a body of water several times before alighting in order to select the best spot, and then all sail down on set wings, entering the water with great splashes. They come quite readily to decoys and large numbers of them are killed annually from blinds in all parts of the country. Their flesh is regarded as fully equal to that of the more famous Canvas-back. CANVAS-BACKS are somewhat similar to Redheads in appearance but very easily distinguished; the males by their black bills and very light colored backs; the females by the very differently shaped bills —as one old gunner expressed it, “Canvas-backs have Roman noses, while Redheads have pug noses.” Both species, but more frequently Redheads, are some- times known as “‘raft ducks”’ because they commonly float in large flocks well off shore or in the middle of large bodies of water. They dive in quite deep water and gather mol- lusks or pull up water plants, the roots of which they are fond of. It is usual to see numbers of Baldpates mixed in gr SEA DUCKS (148) Marila marila (zinn.) SCAUP DUCK; BLACK-HEAD; BLUE-BILL. Ad. o'—As shown. Tris yellow. Bill dull blue, with black nail. Head glossed with green- ish; speculum white; sides very faintly marked with wavy black lines. Ad. 9— Grayish-brown, lighter on the belly; speculum and region about base of bill white. L., 19.00; W., 8:75" ‘T., 3.00; (B.; :2:co: Range — Breeds from N. Dak. and B. C. northward. Winters from Me., Ont., and B. C. southward. (149) Marila affinis (Eyton). (Lat., allied). LESSER SCAUP DUCK. Simi- lar but smaller. Head glossed with purple; flanks more conspicuously barred. L., 16.00; W., 7.60. Range — Breeds from Ind., Ia. and B. C. northward. with Canvas-backs for, although these birds are not able to secure food themselves in deep water, they get consider- able of what is loosened or brought up by the better divers. After Canvas-backs, or Redheads, either, have fed on wild rice or celery for a few weeks, their flesh is superior to that of any other wild duck. However, under other conditions of feeding, they are no better and may be de- cidedly inferior to other species. The flight of Canvas-backs is very swift, their speed probably not being exceeded by any other ducks. The cnormous number of them annually slaughtered by market hunters and sportsmen is making them more scarce each year, particularly in the Eastern States. SCAUP DUCKS are almost universally known as Blue- bills, and only a little less often as Black-heads, the Greater and Lesser Scaups being called respectively Big and Little Blue-bills. The Scaup is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, while the smaller species is only North Amer- g2 SEA DUCKS (150) Marila colldris (Donovan). (Lat., collared). RING-NECKED DUCK; RING- BILL. Ad. o& — Bill black, with a broad, light blue band near the end. A band of chestnut around the neck; head glossed with purple; tiny spot on chin white; speculum gray; back black. Ad. 9 —No collar; grayish- brown, white below; cheeks, chin and eye-ring white; speculum gray. Smaller but somewhat like the 9 Red- head. L., 16.50; W., 7.50; T., 2.753 B., 1.75, not widened at the end as are bills of Scaup Ducks. Range — Breeds from southern Wis. and northern Cal. north to B. C. and Alberta. Winters from N. J., Ill. and B. C. southward. Occurs during migration on the North Atlan- tic coast. ican. The chief distinction between the two species, other than a slight difference in size, is that the large Scaup has a slight greenish gloss on the otherwise black head, while the Lesser Scaup has a purplish gloss. Both Scaups have about the same range in this country. If there is any difference, it is that the larger bird is most abundant on the coast during migrations, while the smaller one is more commonly met with inland. The large Scaup usually is found in rather small flocks containing not more than a dozen individuals, while the smaller one very often gathers in immense “‘rafts.”’ RING-NECKED DUCKS are of the same size as Lesser Scaups, but the back of the male is wholly black, the bill is banded and the neck has a chestnut ring. The habits of Ring-necked Ducks are practically the same as those of Scaups, Redheads and other sea ducks. Their flight is very swift, they come to decoys readily, they take wing from the water easily and with a jump and they can secure food at considerable depths. 93 SEA DUCKS (151) Clangula clangula amer= icana (Bonaparte). (Lat., a noise). GOLDEN-EYE; WHISTLER; GARROT. Ad. o&— Head glossy green; round white spot before eye. Ad. 2 — As shown by middle bird. L., 20.00; W., 9.00; B., 1.30. Range — Breeds from Me. and Mich. northward. Winters from Me. Minn. and Alaska southward. (152) Clangula islandica Gel.) BARROW’S GOLDEN - EYE. Bill a trifle shorter and higher at the base. Ad.co'—As shown by flying bird. Head glossed with pur- ple; crescent in front of eye. @ dis- tinguished from preceding only by shape of bill. Range — Breeds from Quebec and Ore. northward. Winters south to N. E., Neb. and Cal. GOLDEN-EYES are among the most active of all ducks. In flight, the wings move so rapidly that the stiff primaries make a loud whistling sound as they rush through the air, on account of which they are commonly known to gunners as Whistlers. This whistling may be heard on a still day, long before a flock comes into view. There are two species of Golden-eyes, the common, which has a round white spot before the eye, and Barrow’s Golden-eye, which has a crescent-shaped spot in the same place. The former also has a greenish metallic iridescence to the head, while the latter is glossed with purple. Bar- row’s Golden-eyes are less abundant and are more northern in their distribution. In the United States, they nest only along some of the streams in western mountains. Both species nest in holes in trees or stumps, among crevices of rocks or, less often, on the ground. They are edible or not according to the food upon which they have been living. Coast birds, feeding chiefly upon 94 SEA DUCKS (153) Charitonétta albéola (Linn.) (Gr., graceful, duck; Lat., white). BUFFLE-HEAD; BUTTER - BALL; DIPPER; SPIRIT DUCK. Size very small. Iris yellow. Ad. of? and 9 —Plumage as shown, the male being the upper bird. Head very puffy, the dark portion being iridescent with green and _ purple hues. L., 14.50; W., 6.50; T., 2.75; B., 1.00. Nest—In hollow stumps near streams; lined with grass and down; six to fourteen grayish-buff eggs, 2.00 X 1.40. Range — Breeds from Ontario, northern Mont., and B. C. north to Keewatin and the Yukon River Winters from N. B., Mich. and B. Pe south to the Gulf of Mexico. shellfish, have very rank flesh while those that feed chiefly upon roots or wild rice in fresh-water ponds are fairly good. BUFFLE-HEADS are very small ducks, smaller in fact than any others except Green-winged Teal. No other species, large or small, is able to excel them in waterman- ship. Two of the most used common names, “Spirit Duck” and “Dipper,” give evidence of their agility. Like grebes, they are said to be able to dive at the flash of a gun and so escape the charge of shot, a feat that might have been possible in the days of black powder. Certainly they can disappear with a celerity that mystifies, and well justifies their local names. They can dive to considerable depths and can swim a tong way under water before coming to the surface. It is almost impossible to catch a wounded Buffle-head for it can dive repeatedly and, when all other means of escape seem closed, it will, rather than be caught, often drown itself by clinging to vegetation at the bottom. This habit of self-destruction, 95 SEA DUCKS (154) Harélda hyémiAlis (Linn.) (An Icelandic name for this bird; Lat., winter). OLD SQUAW; LONG-TAILED DUCK; OLD WIFE; SOUTH- SOUTHERLY. Bill comparatively short and high at the base. Ad. & in winter — As shown by the swim- ming bird. In summer very different as shown by the nearest flying bird. Ad. 2 —Tail pointed but feathers not lengthened; upper parts dusky, the feathers more or less margined with buff; under parts and sides of head whitish, the latter with a dark spot on the cheeks. L., o& 21.00, Y 16.00; W., 8.60; T., co 8.00, 2 3.00; B., 1.05. Range — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds in the Arctic regions. Win- ters south to the Great Lakes and N. Car. rather than submit to capture, is shared by all the sea ducks. Male Buffle-heads are beautiful in plumage and sprightly in manner. Their handsome crests represent their various moods by being opened or closed, more or less, in the same manner as those of Hooded Mergansers, but probably are of the greatest use during the spring match-making. Cavi- ties in trees or stumps furnish nesting places for them and the eggs are often resting on a bed of feathers a foot or more below the entrance. They are regarded in the United States as cold weather ducks, appearing within our waters only when those of more northern regions are frozen. OLD-SQUAWS or LONG-TAILED DUCKS are one of the very few species that undergo a marked change between the summer and winter dress. As may be seen from the picture, in this instance the change in plumage is a radical one, the birds figured being perfectly plumaged ones. All intermediate gradations between these plumages occur. 96 SEA DUCKS (155) Histriénicus histriénicus (Linn.) (Lat., histrionic, referring to the very odd or ‘‘stage dress” of the male). HARLEQUIN DUCK; PAINTED DUCK. Ad. # —As shown — the most fantastically marked of all ducks. Ad. 9 —As shown by the swimming bird. Front of face and spot on ears white; rest of plumage sooty-gray, lighter on the belly. Le; 16:50; Wes 7:80; Ts o-co% B., z.10. Q Slightly smaller. Mest—On the ground or in hollow stumps near streams; five to eight greenish-buff eggs, 2.30 x 1.60. Range — Breeds in Canada and Alaska and south in mountains to Cal. and Colo. Winters south to Me. (casually Long Island), Mich. and Monterey, Cal. It is rather remarkable that the two species of ducks having long middle tail feathers, the present one and the Pintail, should be the only ones that make a practice of diving into the water while in full flight. During spring, the female Old-squaw is often pursued by her suitor or several of them and, when hard pressed, she will often attempt escape by plunging under water while at full speed, emerging at some distance and taking to the air again. Old-squaws breed within the Arctic Circle and are one of the last species to appear within our borders in fall. They are most abundant, during winter, in bays and sounds along the Atlantic coast, but are also to be found in numbers on the Great Lakes. They are not found on our west coast except in Alaska. They feed upon various small fish, shellfish and insects, and their flesh is regarded as tough and unpalatable. Their voices are soft and musical, the notes bearing some resemblance to the words “‘South-south- southerly,’ on account of which they are often called ‘“‘South- southerlys.”” Whether flying, feeding or resting, they 97 SEA DUCKS 2p (156) Camptorhynchus labra- doérius (Gmel.) (Gr., flexible, beak). LABRADOR DUCK; PIED DUCK. Ad. o — Bill black; orange at the base; widened toward the end by a flexible, leathery expansion. Plumageasshown. Ad. ? — Brown- ish-gray; a white speculum and white axillars and linings of wings. Iris brown and feet gray as in the male. L., 19.00; W., 9.00; T., 3.50; B., 1.75. Range — Formerly North Atlantic coasts; supposed to have bred in Labrador. Wintered from Nova Scotia to N. J. Now extinct, the last specimen having been taken about the year 1875. always seem to be gabbling with one another; hence the names ‘‘Old-wive” and Old-squaw. HARLEQUIN DUCKS are quite remarkable in the fan- tastic dress of the males and because of the unusual localities that they like to frequent during summer. They apparently nest earlier than most ducks, during March or April, at which time more than one pair are rarely seen together. They repair to swiftly moving streams, even more turbulent than those selected by Barrow’s Golden-eyes, where the female deposits six or eight greenish-buff eggs in a cavity of a stump, in a hollow in the bank or even on the ground, well concealed under vegetation. In the United States, they breed only along the dashing torrents so abundant in the Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains. The ducklings, as well as the adults, are very agile in the waters, going through seemingly impassable rapids and tumbling over cascades. In winter, they migrate but little south of their summer quarters — not at all if the season proves to be an open one. At this time they may be found in greater or less numbers off 98 SEA DUCKS (160) Somatéria drésseri Sharpe (Gr., body, wool, in reference to cider down). ae EIDER; SEA DRAKE o; SEA DUCK Q. Bill witha broad, round- ended, lateral frontal process, ex- tending on each side of the forehead. Ad. @ and 2 — Plumage as shown, the male being the upper bird. L., 24.00; W., 11.00; T., 4.00; Tar., 1.75; B., 2.10. Range — Breeds from Me. to Un- gava and on Hudson Bay. Winters south to Mass. (159) Somateria mollissima borealis (Brehm). (Lat., very soft; northern). NORTHERN EIDER. Frontal process pointed. Range — Breeds on Hudson Bay, Ungava and Greenland; rarely south to Mass., in winter. the Atlantic coast from Maine to Newfoundland. They feed upon small fish, mollusks and insects — this diet together with their activity making their flesh tough and rank. LABRADOR DUCKS apparently never were abundant, and it is said that neither Audubon nor Wilson ever saw them alive. Between the years 1850 and 1870 gunners along Long Island and Jersey coasts sometimes shot them and they hung in the Fulton Market together with other species. They were taken less and less often until 1875, when the species apparently became extinct. EIDERS are probably known throughout our land, but chiefly as a source from which the eider-down of com- merce is procured. They are essentially sea-birds, rarely found on fresh water. As they can procure their food from very deep water, they find it necessary to migrate but little to the south during winter. Two species of Atlantic Eiders are practically alike in plumage, but differ in the shape of the soft, basal portion of the bill that extends back on 99 SEA DUCKS (162) Somateria spectabilis (Linn.) (Lat., conspicuous). KING EIDER. Ad. & in breed- ing plumage — Bill with the frontal process greatly developed, square- ended and bulging. Bill proper, quite small. Plumage as shown. For a short period in summer, moults to a plumage similar to that of the 9. Ad. 9 — Plumage almost indistin- guishable from that of the common Eider, but usually a little grayer; bill showing little of the development of that of the & but enough to iden- tity? it. Ly. 22:00; Wi corm 4.00; B., 1.25. Range — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds along the whole Arctic coast. In winter, south to Long Island; casually to Ga. either side of the forehead. The Common Eider, the one in which this soft process has a rounded end, is not un- common off the New England coast during winter. In parts of Greenland, Iceland and smaller islands in northern waters, the natives protect Eiders and encourage their breeding, gaining considerable revenue from the quantities of down with which the nests are lined. The nest itself is formed of grass and moss, matted together and hollowed to fit the duck’s body; after the full complement of five to seven greenish-buff eggs are laid, the female com- mences plucking the soft down from the under part of her body, placing it under and around the eggs so as to retain the warmth when she leaves the nest to feed. These pro- tected birds become very tame and often allow visitors to stroke their backs without protest. If the first nest and eggs are taken the female will lay a second, the lining of which requires practically all the down she possesses. The down from a single nest weighs about three quarters of an ounce and, when fluffed up, will fill a good-sized hat. Both 100 SEA DUCKS (163) Oidémia americana Swain. [ (Gr., a swelling). SCOTER; SEA COOT; BUTTER- BILL. Ad. *o —Bill black, the swollen base orange. Iris brown. Ad. 9 — Sooty-brown, paler below. L., 19.00; W., 9.00; B., 1.75. Range — Breeds along the Arctic coast and south to Newfoundland. Winters on both coasts of United States, and on the Great Lakes. (165) Oidemia deglandi Bonap. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER; VELVET SCOTER; MAY-WINGS. Iris yellow. Plumage as shown by the swimming birds. Bill and feet black, orange and yellow. L., 22.00; B., 1.50. Range — Breeds from Quebec, N. Dak. and B. C. northward. Winters along the Atlantic coast. ) parents have to keep sharp watch over eggs and ducklings, for Black-backed and other large gulls are fond of either. KING EIDERS are found on the northern coasts of both continents, but are less abundant than the other species. Like other Eiders, they fly in Indian file, with rapid wing beats and occasional short sails. The greater part of the year Eiders live upon the open sea, living upon mollusks and small fish which they can secure at depths of thirty or forty feet. In summer, the males moult and for a few months assume a plumage similar to that of their mates. The females also moult at this time and, as usual with ducks, they are unable to fly for a considerable period. They are, however, such adepts at diving that they can easily escape their enemies. Except during nesting time, they are quite wary. SCOTERS, or “Coots,” as they are more frequently called by gunners, are among the most abundant of our ducks. The reason for this abundance is very evident when one examines the tough, rank and fishy flesh of Scoters. Only youthful hunters and those possessed of the mania for killing IOI SEA DUCKS (166) Oidemia perspicillata (Linn.) (Lat., conspicuous). SURF SCOTER; SKUNK-HEAD. Ad. o — Bill swollen at the base; fantastically colored with orange, black and white. Iris white. Plum- age as shown. Ad. 9 — Brownish- gray, lighter below; a white patch in tront of the eye. Young birds are similar but also have a white patch on the ears. L., 20.00; W., 9.50" Tar., 2.00; B., 1.50, along gape 2.30. Nest — A feather-lined hollow on the ground; five to eight pale buff eggs, 2.40 X 1.70. Range— Breeds from Quebec, Great Slave Lake and southern Alaska northward. Winters on the coasts south to N. Car. and Lower Cal., and on the Great Lakes; casual in other interior states. everything that flies ever shoot them. The three American species are of about equal abundance and are essentially salt-water ducks, although a few may be found on fresh-water ponds and rivers and quite large numbers winter on the Great Lakes. Off the coast, however, immense rafts of them congregate, getting their food from the depths and sleeping on the rolling surface of the water. The latter part of April, these Coot-rafts commence to break up into smaller groups, the birds mate and early in May start on their journey for the far north. The majority of them have their breeding grounds within the Arctic Circle, but a few of the White-winged Scoters nest as far south as North Dakota. The nests are hollows on the ground near marshes or pools; they are well supplied with down, which is pulled over the eggs when the female leaves the nest. As soon as incubation commences, the males leave their mates and congregate in rafts at sea. Nelson mentions one of these rafts of Surf Scoters seen near Stewart’s Island, Alaska, as being about ten miles long. 102 SEA DUCKS (167) Erismattra jamaicénsis (Gmel.) (Gr., prop, tail, referring to the very stiff tail feathers). RUDDY DUCK; _ BRISTLE- TAIL; BROAD-BILL COOT; BULL NECK. Bill large and broadened toward the end. Tail feathers pointed, stiff and narrow. Ad. oj — Plumage as shown. Less _ highly plumaged specimens have the red- dish-brown parts more or less mixed withgray. Ad. 9 — Grayish-brown lightening below; feathers mostly edged with whitish. L., 16.00; W., 5.753 T., 3-50; B., 1.50. Range — Breeds locally through- out the United States and Canada; more abundantly northward. (168) Nomonyx dominicus (Linn.) MASKED DUCK. A tropical species casually occurring in Texas. Scoters are sombre plumaged birds, the females being grayish and the males chiefly a dead black. The Common Scoter (male) is brightened in appearance by an enlarged, yellow basal portion of the bill, giving it the name of “ But- ter-bill Coot.” Besides having a fantastically colored bill, the Surf Scoter has white on the nape and forehead, these markings causing the species to be known as ‘“‘Skunk-head Coots.” RUDDY DUCKS are so named because the males, when in faultless summer attire, have the back, wings and breast a bright, ruddy chestnut. They are seldom seen, however, in this perfect plumage, for it requires several years to attain it. Late in summer, they moult to a plumage containing little or no chestnut. These ducks are very different in form from any of our others; the body is short and stout, the neck very large, the bill large and broad and the tail composed of narrow, stiff feathers. Although their flight is rapid, their wings 103 GEESE (169) Chen hyperbéreus hy- perbéreus pallas (Gr., goose; Lat., beyond the north wind.) SNOW GOOSE. Just like the fol- lowing sub-species but averaging smaller. L. 25.00; W., 16.00; B., 2.30. Range — Breeds in Alaska. Win- ters in western United States. (169a) C. h. nivalis (Forster). (Lat., snowy). GREATERSNOW GOOSE. Ads. — Plumage as shown. Bill and feet red, the former with a black serrated edge. Im.— Grayish, with white edgings to the feathers; rump, tail and belly white. L., 35.00; W., 17.50; B., 2.60. Eggs — Dirty chalky-white, 3.40 X 2.40. Range — Breeds in Arctic America. Winters from Md. and III. southward; casual in New England. are small and move so rapidly that they make a buzzing sound; this sound, together with the fact that they fly in a compact flock or swarm, gives them a local name of “‘ Bumble Bee Coot.” They dive easily and can remain under water for a long time. Sometimes they sink beneath the surface backward, without leaving a ripple, as grebes sometimes do. While they can take flight from the land readily, they find it more difficult to rise from the surface of the water, along which they have to flap and run for a few yards before launching themselves into the air. They breed locally within the United States as far south as Texas, but chiefly north of our borders. Their cream-colored eggs are numerous, rang- ing from ten to twelve; this accounts for the continued abundance of the species. GEESE, Sub-family Anserinae, differ externally from ducks in having a less flattened body, a bill high at the base and tapering but not flattened at the tip and in having generally longer legs. The sexes are usually very similar 104 GEESE (169.1) Chen caeruléscens (Linn.) (Lat., bluish). BLUE GOOSE; WHITE- HEADED GOOSE. Similar in size and form to Snow Geese, of which it was formerly supposed to be the young. Ads.— Bill and feet carmine- red, the former with a black straining edge. Plumage as shown; head, tail and belly white, the forehead being tinged with reddish-orange. Im. — Similar, but the whole head is dark except for some white on the chin. L., 28.00; W., 16.00; B., 2.25. eS Range — Probably breeds in north- ern Ungava. Winters from IIl. and Neb. south to the Gulf. Rare or casual on both coasts. in plumage. They can walk easily, and feed chiefly upon plant life. SNOW GEESE are handsome birds, white as the driven snow, except for the black outer wing feathers. Sometimes, too, the face will be tinged with rusty. The two sub-species, one averaging considerably larger than the other, may be found together in winter in the Mississippi Valley, from which region their northern courses diverge, the smaller bird turn- ing to the left of Hudson Bay while the larger one goes to the right. When flying, the flock spreads out in the form of a gentle curve rather than the V-shape used by most geese. If going for a considerable distance they fly high and sail a great deal. They are very wary at all iimes and rarely can be induced to come to decoys. Their food con- sists almost wholly of grasses, which they cut off with the sharp edges of their bills, and tender roots of plants. At times they do considerable damage to winter wheat when large flocks of them settle down in a field. 105 GEESE (171a) Anser Albifrons gambeli (Hart.) (Lat., a goose; white forehead). WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. Ads.— Bill pink. Legs yellowish. Plumage as shown. Jm.— Similar but without the white forehead or black markings on breast. L:, 29.00; W., 16.50; B., 2.00. Eggs — Six or seven, buffy, 3.00 X 2.05. Range — Breeds on the Arctic coast west of Hudson Bay. Winters com- monly on the Pacific coast of the U.S.; rarely in the Miss. Valley and on South Atlantic coast. (771) EUROPEAN WHITE- FRONTED GOOSE, (171.1) BEAN GOOSE, and (171.2) PINK-FOOT- ED GOOSE, are European species re- corded as accidental in northern or eastern Greenland. BLUE GEESE are peculiar in that they are not, except accidentally, found on either coast of the United States. During winter they are found, often in company with Snow Geese, in the Mississippi Valley from Illinois south to the coast of Texas. In spring, they sweep northward, by the southern portion of Hudson Bay to unknown breeding grounds, probably in northern Ungava. WHITE-FRONTED GEESE breed throughout the Arctic regions of America but move to the westward during fall migration, so that they are comparatively rare along the Atlantic coast. They are perhaps the noisiest of the geese both during migration and when nesting, their notes being likened to laughter. Like other geese, they are very wary, this wariness being the cause of the proverbial ‘“‘ Wild goose chase,” indicative of failure. They seldom can be attracted to decoys, but numbers of them are taken by gunners who conceal them- selves between their routes of travel to and from their feeding grounds. 106 GEESE (172) Branta canadénsis cana= dénsis (Linn.) (Gr., for some water bird). CANADA GOOSE; WILD GOOSE. Billand feet black. Ads.— Plumage as shown. Jm.— Similar but throat and cheeks more or less mixed with black. L., 38.00; W., 19.00; B., 2.00; T., 7.00; Tar., 3.25. Mest— Of | sticks, weeds and grass, lined with feathers; four to ten buffy-drab eggs, 3-50 X 2.50. Range — Breeds from Keewatin and the lower Yukon River south to Ind., Neb. and Ore. Winters from N. J., Ind. and B. C. southward. (172a) B.c. hdtchinsi Rick.) HUTCHIN’S GOOSE, a smaller western sub-species (L., 30.00; W., 16.00; ‘B., 1.60); winters in the Miss. Valley. CANADA or WILD GEESE are really the kings of American water fowl. They are favorites with every one; the nature-lover looks with longing eyes for the first, long, thin wavering line, and listens intently for the first honking that indicates the approach of spring; the true sportsman knows no better sport than the stalking of these wary birds; and the gourmand knows no better dish than a properly roasted goose. Stalking, however, is too arduous a game for the ordinary gunner, and does not bring sufficiently great returns. He prefers to build him a blind along the route to their chosen feeding ground, or an ambush on the shore of a favorite resting pond, from which he can pot them as they settle among the living decoys which he anchors near at hand. During migrations flocks of Wild Geese, numbering from ten to thirty individuals, spread out in a wide V, with some sagacious old gander at the apex, breaking the wind for his followers, each of which is partially shielded by the one preceding. They fly high except when looking for a suitable 107 GEESE (173a) Branta bérnicla glau= cogdstra _ (Brehm). (Gr., glaucous, belly). BRANT; BRENT. Ads.— Plum- age as shown. Notice that the black extends in front on the body and that a patch of white streaks is on either side of the neck below the throat, thus readily distinguishing it even from small Canada Geese. L., 26.00; W., 13.20; B., 1.35. Range — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds on Arctic islands. Winters on the Atlantic coast from Mass. to N. Car. (174) Branta nigricans (Lawr.) (Lat., blackish). BLACK BRANT. Similar but darker and with black extending over much of the under parts. A Pacific coast species, accidental in Mass., N. Y. and N. J. landing place, upon sighting which, they glide down on motionless wings and, if no danger is apparent, plump into the water with a splash. Sometimes they fly silently, with only an occasional honk from the leader, while at other times they are very no‘sy, their honking being heard for minutes before the flock appears in sight, and resembling the baying of a pack of hounds. A few Canada Geese nest in northern United States, but the bulk of them pass on to northern parts of Canada. They build large, bulky nests of weeds, sticks, moss and feathers, usually on the ground near or even surrounded by water. The adult birds moult during July, when the young are hatched, and are then flightless for several weeks. They feed upon grasses, roots of water plants, grain, berries, etc., eating early in the morning and again toward dusk. BRANT are still common along the Atlantic coast, al- though not nearly as abundant as formerly, when rafts of thousands of them would collect in bays to shelter them 108 GEESE (175) Branta leucépsis (Bech.) (Gr., white, appearance). BARNACLE GOOSE. An Old World, white-faced species occurring in Greenland; casual on the Atlantic coast of the United States. (177) Dendrocy¥gna autumnilis (Linn.) (Gr., a tree; Lat., a swan; Lat., autumnal). BLACK-BELLIED TREE DUCK. Neck and legslong. Bill and feet flesh-color. Plumage as shown. L., 20.00; W., 10.00; T., 3.00; B., 1.60; Tar., 2.25. Nest—In cavities of trees, of grass and feathers; six to fifteen pure white eggs, 2.05 x 1.50. Range — Breeds from Corpus Christi, Tex., southward. from storms. They are less wary than other geese and come readily to decoys or to an imitation of their notes, which are a continued, rolling, guttural ‘‘car-r-r-rup.” They feed chiefly upon eel grass or other water plants which they secure by ‘‘tipping-up”’ and pulling up by the roots. Brant breed as far, or farther, north as any other water fowl, the nest first having been discovered by Captain Fielden in latitude 82° 33’. They appear off the New Eng- land coast in October, in quite large flocks, flying massed with no particular style of formation. They keep well off shore during migration, but after they have reached their winter quarters they move about but little except to make their daily flights inland or to mud flats for feeding and then out to sea to sleep at night. With so little exercise and so much food, they fatten rapidly and become excellent table birds; hence they become targets for every sportsman. TREE DUCKS show some characteristics common to geese, others of ducks and still others peculiar to themselves. 109 GEESE (178) Dendrocygna bicolor (Vieill.) (Lat., two colored). FULVOUS TREE DUCK. Ads.— Bill black. Feet slaty-blue. Plum- age as shown; a narrow black line extends down the nape and back of the neck. Jm.— Less chestnut on wing coverts; paler below; tail coverts not pure white. L., 20.00; W., 9.50; T., 3.253 Dar:,2.25;-B.,1-50:. Vest — Feather-lined cavities in trees; eggs pure white, numerous, as many as thirty-two having been found in one nest, 2.10 X I.50. Range — From southwestern U. S. south through Mexico, and South America; also in Africa and India. Breeds from central Cal., Nev. and Texas southward. Casual in La. Accidental in Mo., Wash. and B.C. They are unique among our ducks in the length of their legs and the ease with which they can perch even upon small branches. BLACK-BELLIED TREE DUCKS are found in the United States only in southern Texas, where they are not uncommon in summer along the Mexican border. They are not shy and are very easily domesticated, in fact in Cuba I have seen them running about houses with fowl and having no water other than that set out for them. Although they swim well, they are more often seen run- ning along the borders of marshes or pools, than in the water. Their long legs give them a graceful carriage very different from that of other ducks when upon land. Their nests are in cavities of trees, at the bottom of which they lay a dozen or more ivory-white eggs. When hatched, the young are carried to the ground in the bills of their arents. FULVOUS TREE DUCKS do not differ in their habits IIo SWANS (180) Olor columbiadnus (Ord.) (Lat., a swan). WHISTLING SWAN. Bill and feet black. Plumage pure white. Nostril is nearer tip of bill than it is the eye. A yellow spot on bill in front of eye. L., 55.00; Ex., about seven feet; W., 22.00; T., 7.50; Tar., 4.25; B., 4.00. Range — Breeds on the Arctic coast from Hudson Bay to Alaska. Winters from Md., Lake Erie and B. C. south to the Gulf and Cal. Rarely north on the Atlantic coast. (181) Olor buccinator (Rich.) (Lat., a trumpeter). TRUMPETER SWAN. No yel- low on bill. Nostril nearer eye than it is the end of bill. Breeds west of Hudson Bay. Winters from IIl. to Texas and from B. C. southward. from those of the Black-bellied, and their range is the same except that they casually stray to Louisiana. SWANS are the largest of all our water fowl, weighing twenty or thirty pounds and with an expanse of six or seven feet. Of our two species, the Whistling, which is the most abundant, breeds near the Arctic coast, west of Hudson Bay to Alaska, while the Trumpeter nests east of Hudson Bay. During migration the paths of the two species cross, for the former is most abundant from the Mississippi Valley to .the South Atlantic coast, while the latter is commonest on the Pacific coast. They build enormous nests, measuring perhaps five feet across by two feet high, on islands in Arctic ponds and lakes. Their migrations are performed in long converging lines, at high elevations and with but slight movement of the enormous wings, although they progress at a rapid rate. The Whistler has a high-pitched, flageolet-like note, while that of the Trumpeter is loud, sonorous and _ horn-like. Iil FLAMINGOES (182) Phoenicépterus riaber Linn. (Lat., a flamingo; red). FLAMINGO. Ads.— Bill yel- lowish, with a black tip; large and box-like with a bent-down end; with strainers on the sides. Plumage rosy-red as shown. Jm.— Grayish- white, the wings more or less marked with gray and dusky. L., 48.00; Ex., 65.00; W., 16.25; T., 6.00; Tar., 13.00; Tibia, 9.00; B., 5.50. Nest — A mud-cone, hollowed on top; two dull-white eggs, with a chalky cover- ing, 3.40 X 2.15. Range — Atlantic coast of tropical and sub-tropical America, from the Bahamas, Florida Keys and Yucatan to Brazil; accidental in S. Car. Both species are very wary at all times. They feed upon water plants which they reach by immersing the head and neck or by tipping-up. OrvER ODONTOGLOSSA. LAMELLIROSTRAL GRAL- LATORES Famity PHOENICOPTERIDE. Framincoes These great birds are found only casually on the Florida Keys, but are more or less abundant in the Bahamas, West Indies and southward to Brazil. Attention is first attracted by their beautiful plumage, as though dyed by the rays of the setting sun; then by the extremely long legs and neck; and lastly by the curiously bent, box-like bill. This bill is in reality a crude form of suction pump and is used by press- ing the bent end of the upper mandible into the mud and dabbling with the lower one. Water and mud run out the strainers on the edges, while solid, edible food is retained. They nest in large colonies on muddy flats, scraping up the II2 SPOONBILLS (183) Ajdia ajaja awe (Linn.) (A barbaric South American name). ROSEATE SPOONBILL. Bill long, flat and widened toward the end. Ads.— Naked head and bill varied with green, yellow and black- ish. Legs carmine. Plumage as shown; lesser wing coverts, base of tail and slightly lengthened feathers on nape and breast, bright carmine. Im. — Similar to adult but top and sides of head feathered and with no bright carmine in the plumage. L., 32.00; W., 15.50; T., 4.50; Tar., 4.00; Tibia, 3.00; B., 7.00, about 2.00 across the spoon. Nest — Of sticks in man- groves; three to five white eggs, blotched with brown, 2.50 x 1.70. Range — From Ga., La. and Texas, southward. Accidental in Cal., Wis. and Kan. marl to make a hollowed mound about sixteen inches high. A single, white, chalky egg comprises the set. They sit upon this with the legs folded beneath them and not strad- dling the nest as sometimes pictured. In flight, the neck is carried fully extended, while the legs trail behind. OrveR HERODIONES. Herons, Storks, Ipisrs, Etc. Famity PLATALEID. Spoonsitts ROSEATE SPOONBILLS are our only representative of the five or six species distributed over the tropical portions of the world. In form, spoonbills are very similar to herons but their bills are very flat and much widened toward the end. They formerly were quite abundant, but their numbers have been greatly reduced by plume hunters, as is the case with most other heronsin the Southern States. How- ever, they are to-day not uncommon in Florida and Texas. They usually travel in small flocks of six to a dozen, 113 IBISES (184) Gudra alba (Linn.) (A South American name). WHITE IBIS; SPANISH CUR- LEW. Bare face, bill and legs yel- low or orange. Iris pale blue or white. Bill long and curved down- ward. Ads.— Plumage as_ shown; entirely white except for the prima- ries, which are black. L., 26.co; W., 12,00; T., 5.00% B., (6:00% Tar., 3:50: Nest — Of twigs and weeds in trees, bushes or in marshes; three to five pale, greenish-white eggs, blotched with chocolate, 2.25 x 1.50. Range — North and South Amer- ica, breeding north to Texas, the Gulf States and S. Car. Casually to S. Dak., Ill., Vt., and Conn. flying in diagonal, straight-line formations with slow and continuous beats of their broad wings, and with the necks fully extended in front. They feed by immersing the head and swinging the bill from side to side, searching for small crustacea or insects. Famity IBIDID. Isises About thirty species of ibises inhabit the warmer portions of the globe, of which three are common within our range and one exceedingly rare. They have heron-like forms, but long, cylindrical, decurved bills, the upper mandible of which is deeply grooved on the sides. WHITE IBISES are abundant in our Southern States — handsome waders, clothed in pure white except for the tips of the primaries, which are black; a touch of color is added by the bill and legs, which vary from a deep yellow to orange- red or carmine. These ibises nest in colonies, with other herons, in bushes 114 IBISES (185) Guara raibra (Linn.) (Lat., red). SCARLET IBIS. Bill long and curved downward. Bare parts of head, bill and legs pale lake-red. Ads. — Plumage as shown; wholly bright scarlet, except the primaries, which are black. Jm.— Brownish- gray, lighter or whitish below. Be- tween this plumage and that of fully plumaged adults, all stages occur, the head and neck being the last to take on the bright scarlet feathers. Dimensions the same as of the White Ibis. Mest—In rushes or bushes; eggs rather brighter colored than those of White Ibises. Range — Tropical South America. Recorded from Colo., Ariz., N. M., La. and Fla., but has not been seen in recent years. or mangroves in swampy places, difficult of access. The nests are platforms of twigs, hollowed barely enough to prevent the eggs from rolling out. Their flight is performed in Indian file, with short sails at frequent intervals between the beating of the wings. They feed along the edges of lagoons, lakes or mud flats, picking up small fish, shellfish, insects or frogs. SCARLET IBISES only have a place in our present avifauna, upon the strength of their former casual occurrence along the Gulf coast. They have not been seen there for years, in fact they are now rare everywhere except possibly in northern South America. They are in demand and their feathers bring good prices for use in tying trout flies — one of the few cases in which a handsome species is being exter- minated not for fashion but to further an entirely different branch of sport. GLOSSY IBISES are of cosmopolitan distribution. They inhabit the tropical and subtropical regions of the II5 IBISES (186) Plégadis autumnalis (Linn.) (Gr., a scythe or sickle). GLOSSY IBIS. Ads.— Plumage as shown, but without white on the face. Im.— Head, neck and under parts grayish-brown, the two former streaked with white; back dusky, with a greenish tinge. L., 24.00; W., 11.50; Tar., 3.10; Bi, 5ico. Range — Rare and local from Fla. to La., and in the West Indies. Ac- cidental north to N. S. and Mich. (187) Plegadis guaratina (Linn.)(A S. Am. name for this species). WHITE-FACED GLOSSY IBIS. Ads.— As figured. Size same as the last. MNest— Of rushes in swamps; three or four greenish-blue eggs, 1.95 X 1.35. Range — Breeds from Fila., Tex. and Ore. southward. Casual north to Neb. Old World and are of local occurrence in our Southeastern States. Their habits are the samein every respect as those of the WHITE-FACED GLOSSY IBIS, which is an abun- dant species in certain parts of the United States. They frequent mud flats, lagoons and marshes, building their nests in the latter places. The nests are quite substantial in construction and are attached to living rushes so that their bottoms just clear the surface of the water, or are placed on piles of floating, decaying reeds of the previous year. They are made by twisting rushes into compact, deeply cupped structures in which usually three deep, greenish- blue eggs are deposited. Both eggs and nests are very different from any of our herons or other ibises. Ibises are gregarious at all seasons. Large colonies of them nest in the same marshes — indeed, their homes are frequently but a few feet apart. While feeding, six to twenty birds make up the usual company. They eat shellfish, crustacea, small fish, frogs, lizards, etc. 116 STORKS (188) Myctéria americana (Licht.) (Gr., to turn up the nose). WOOD IBIS. Ads.— Bill very large and slightly decurved. Whole head naked, pale bluish and covered with scales. Plumage as_ shown; tail and primaries black; the under tail coverts usually project somewhat beyond the ends of the tail feathers. Im.— Head downy-feathered; plum- age dark gray, with blackish wings and tail. L., 48.00; Ex., 66.00; W., 19.00; T.,: 6.00; Tar., 8.00; B. 9.00, depth at base 2.00 or more. Nest — Platform of sticks at low elevation; three or four, white, gran- ular eggs, 2.75 X 1.75. Range — Breeds from S. Car., Ohio and southern Cal. southward. Casual in N. E., N. Y. and Wis. Famity CICONIID. Storxs anp Woop IBISES WOOD IBISES are so called unfortunately, because they are not ibises at all, but storks differing from the common Old World species chiefly in the form of the windpipe. Although large, ungainly appearing birds, their flight is exceedingly graceful. At times flocks of them will mount in the air and, sweeping around in widening circles on wings, apparently motionless, climb to heights almost beyond our vision — a beautiful sight and a feat accomplished with a grace and ease not excelled by any flying creature. Appar- ently performed just for love of flying, these daily pilgrim- ages to the upper world are probably taken as a matter of exercise, for they are at most times very indolent. For hours at a time they will stand motionless in the shallow water of lagoons waiting for the fish or frog that is sure to pass them sooner or later; a sudden plunge of the great beak and an ibis appetite is satisfied for a short time. 117 BITTERNS (190) Botadrus lentiginésus (Montagu) (Lat., a bittern; freckled). BITTERN; STAKE-DRIVER. Plumage as shown, much mottled with brown, black, buff and white. A broad glossy-black stripe on the side of the neck, very prominent on males, less so on females and inclined to brownish on young birds. Very variable in size. Av. L., 28.00; W., 11.50; Tar., 3.50; B., 3.00. Nest — A grass-lined hollow, usually on hummocks in bogs or swamps; three to five brownish-drab eggs, 1.95 X 1.50. Range — North America. Breeds from N. Car., Kan. and southern Cal. north to Ungava, Keewatin and B. C. Winters from Va., Ohio Valley and Cal. southward. Famity ARDEIDZ. Herons, BItTERNs, ETC. A large family of waders, agreeing externally in having long, pointed bills, naked lores (rest of head fully feathered), long necks, long legs, and long slender toes, the hind one of which leaves the foot on a level with the front ones. In flight, all birds of this family carry the neck folded so that the head comes back to the shoulders. BITTERNS are interesting, dead-grass colored waders that fly up ahead of us as we approach ponds, or traverse marshes. More often, however, we pass them by unnoticed, for they adopt the cunning trick of palming themselves off for some of the surrounding sticks or rushes by posing motionless, with body erect and neck stretched at full length, terminated by the sharp bill pointing toward the zenith. It requires very sharp eyes to discover a Bittern under these conditions. Not less difficult to see are the four brownish eggs that are laid in the midst of tussocks of grass. If we suddenly 118 BITTERNS (191) Ixobrychus exilis (Gmel.) (Lat., small). LEAST BITTERN. Ad a7 — As shown by the upper, right-hand bird. Ad. 9 —As shown by the left-hand bird; duller colored and with the black largely replaced by brown. Bill, legs, and iris yellowish. L., 13.co; W., 4.60; Tar., 1.60; B., 1.80. Eggs—Three to five, pale blue, 1.20x.90. Nest a plat- form of rushes attached to living stalks. Range — Breeds from N. S., Man. and Ore. southward. Winters from Fla. and the Gulf States southward. (191.1) Ixobrychus neéxenus (Cory) (Gr., new guest, a stranger). CORY’S LEAST BITTERN. Plumage as shown. Known to breed in Ont. and Fla. Casual in Mass., Mich. and Wis. come upon this nest when the eggs are nearly ready to hatch, the owner will sometimes remain and, with outspread wings, blazing eyes and head drawn back, defy the intruder. At such times it is well to be careful about getting within range of a blow from that sharp beak. Those who frequent marsh or pond in the spring may occasionally have the opportunity of witnessing that most interesting performance, the “pump- ing” of the Bittern. This is in reality the love song of male Bitterns. The hollow, deep-toned syllables ‘“punk-err- lunk” are ejected from the throat in chunks, accompanied by violent contortions of the bird’s neck. LEAST BITTERNS, the smallest of the family, live in marshes in company with rails, marsh wrens and black- birds. They are gregarious and often several of their rush-platform nests may be found attached to reeds in small marshes even close to habitations, but they are so secretive in their habits that their presence is known only to those who seek them. They have a soft cooing song, and a harsh 11g HERONS (192) Ardea occidentalis Audu- bon (Lat., a heron; western). GREAT WHITE HERON. Larg- est of our herons. Bill, iris, and legs yellowish. Plumage pure white at all ages. Adults with white plumes on the back of the head and on the breast. L., 50.00; W., 20.00; Tar., 8.50; B., 6.50. Nest —A platform of twigs and sticks in mangroves; nests in colonies; three or four pale bluish eggs, 2.50 x 1.80. Range — Southern Fla. south to Cuba, Jamaica and Yucatan. Cas- ually north to the Anclote River on the west coast and Micco on the east coast. Not uncommon about Cape Sable. croaking ‘“‘qua,’” the latter being uttered when they are disturbed. ‘Their flight is weak and listless; in fact, unless very suddenly frightened, they rarely take wing. When they do, it is usually just for a few yards, with fluttering wings and dangling legs. CORY’S LEAST BITTERNS are still very imperfectly known. About two dozen specimens have been captured, none of which intergrade with the common species. Most of these birds have been secured in Florida and in marshes in southern Ontario. GREAT WHITE HERONS are the largest members of this family, being an inch or two longer than the largest of the Great Blue Herons, which they resemble in form. While apparently not abundant anywhere, these beautiful birds are not uncommon along the Gulf coast of southern Florida. Their rude stick nests are usually built in man- groves not more than five or ten feet up; otherwise their nesting and habits do not differ from those of the Great 120 HERONS (194) Ardea herédias herdédias (Linn.) (Lat., a heron). GREAT BLUE HERON ; “BLUE CRANE.” Ads.— Plum- age as shown, this being the perfect dress attained only after the third year. Im.— Without plumes’ on head, back or breast; whole top of the head blackish; whole plumage paler and rather tinged with rusty on the back. L., 48.00; Ex., 70.00; W., 19.00; T., 7:50; Tar., 7.00; BS §.50. Range — Breeds throughout United States and southern Canada. Win- ters in southern United States. (194b) A. h. wardi Ridgway WARD’S HERON. Slightly larger and with darker neck. ['la. and the Gulf coast to Texas. Blue Heron, which is a familiar species in all parts of the United States. GREAT BLUE HERONS are very commonly, but of course erroneously, called Cranes. They are generally seen only at a distance, for they are always wary. They are not often flushed at close range, for their height allows them to see any one approaching while they are yet far away. They are less gregarious than most herons, but even they often nest in small colonies. As a rule they locate their nests, mere platforms of sticks, in the tops of tall trees in swamps. Like all herons, their supply of patience is unlimited; they can and will stand absolutely motionless for very long periods until fish, frog, newt, or insect comes within striking distance. A coiled spring could not impart more rapid motion to their spear-like bills than that produced by the long, sinuous neck as they make a lightning-like dart for their quarry. While these herons might do considerable damage in a hatchery if I21I HERONS (196) Herédias egrétta (Gmel.) (Lat., a heron, also a plume). EGRET ; GREAT WHITE EGRET. Plumage entirely white at all seasons. During the breeding season, back with a magnificent train of long white, finely decom- posed plumes, extending far beyond the tail; no plumes on the head or neck at any time. L., 40.00, not including the train; Ex., 55.00; W., 16.50; T., 6.00; B., 4.75. Nest — A frail platform of sticks in bushes over water; three to five dull greenish-blue eggs, 2.25 X 1.45. Range — Breeds from N. Car. and the Gulf coast southward, and in Cal. and Ore.; formerly north in the Miss. Valley to Wis. Casual | along the coast north to Nova Scotia. allowed to fish there, the ones they consume ordinarily are of little value, and certainly not as much as the sight of these great birds slowly and majestically flapping their way across the sky. Along the coast, they often may be seen standing on the edge of fish weirs or, at low tide, wading about in the nets spearing the smaller fish caught therein. EGRETS are still to be found in very small scattered colonies in the most impenetrable swamps of some of the South Atlantic and Gulf States. But never again will man see, in this country, the sights recorded by travelers down the St. John’s, Indian, or St. Lucie rivers, Florida, thirty years or even twenty years ago; whole islands would appear as though covered with a snowy mantle and shores of lagoons were lined with hundreds of beautiful white egrets. The destruction of these and the most exquisite SNOWY EGRETS is a painful subject, but it is one that cannot be impressed too strongly or too often upon the people in order to help preserve the few of these birds now left and to prevent others from sharing a like fate from a like cause. 122 HERONS (197) Egrétta candidissima candidissima (Gmel.) (Lat., very white). SNOWY EGRET; SNOWY ; HERON. Plumage always entirely © white; in breeding season as shown on plate, with a beautiful train of recurved plumes on the back and straight ones on the breast and back of the head. Bill black, yellow at the base and on the lores. Legs black but feet yellowish. L., 24.00; W., 10.00; Tar., 3.75; Tibia (bare), 2.50; B., 3.00 Nest — A frail plat- form in bushes or trees in swamps; three to five pale, greenish-blue eggs, 1.65 X 1.25. Range — Breeds very locally from N. Car. and Fla. to La.; formerly bred north to N. J., Ind. and Ore. Casual north to Ont., N.S. and B. C. Thirty years ago these egrets were equally as abundant as other small herons found in the same places. To-day the other herons are still abundant but the “white ones” have disappeared — solely because “fashion” put a price on their plumes; a plain case of their very beauty proving their curse. Despite falsehoods, circulated by wholesale milliners, to the effect that cast-off, moulted plumes are gathered from the bushes upon which they have fallen, the fact remains, proven by scores of reputable ornithologists who have visited these heronries and actually seen the plume hunters at work, that the birds are slaughtered in their rookeries; the back, containing the plumes, is torn off and the mangled bodies thrown in piles to decompose, while the young egrets perish from starvation in their nests over- head. The root of the evil lies, not with the hunters, who are ignorant, and do this only to earn a living, but with society which puts a premium on such slaughter. As the illustrations show, the Great White Egret has a long train of about thirty straight plumes, while the Snowy 123 HERONS (198) Dichromanassa ruféscens (Gmel.) (Gr., twice, color (referring to the two color phases); Lat., reddish). REDDISH EGRET. Ads.— Dark phase as shown; with lengthened feathers on the head and breast and plumes on the back. The light phase is entirely white, except usually for some mottling on the primaries. Im.— Plain grayish, with some rusty touches and without plumes. L., 30:00; W., I3:00% Ui:, iso. Tar. 3.50; B., 4.00. Nest —A platform of sticks; in colonies usually with other species; three to five greenish- blue eggs, 1.90 x 1.45. Range — Breeds from the Gulf States southward. Casual in south- ern Ill. and Col. Egret has about an equal number of shorter ones with the ends recurved. These plumes are present only for a few months; before the breeding season they are undeveloped and lack firmness, while after nesting has finished they are much worn and frayed. Both species may be found nesting together in company with other small herons. The larger egret is the more shy and usually builds its larger nest a little higher than the smaller species. REDDISH EGRETS also bear plumes which, fortunately for the birds, are comparatively homely both in color and texture. Consequently this species is nearly as abundant now as it was years ago. Of course advancing civilization is driving them farther and farther into the wildernesses, whither we must go if we expect to see them. This species is dichromatic — that is, it has two color phases: the dark phase, which is the most common, is shown in our illustra- tion; in the light phase the plumage is entirely white, but easily distinguishable from the other egrets by the lengthened feathers on the head and breast and the straight plumes on 124 HERONS (199) Hydrand4ssa tricolor rufi= céllis (Gosse) (Gr., water, a queen; Lat., three- colored; rufous-necked). LOUISIANA HERON. A tall, slender and stately species. Iris red. Bill and legs blackish-blue. Ads. — Plumage in summer as shown; back plumes extending little if any beyond the tail; rump white; long- est crest featherswhite. Jm.— Neck, back and wings brownish; under parts and line down front of neck white. L., 26.00; W., 10.00; Tar., 4.00; B., 4.50. Nest— Of sticks, in mangroves or other bushes, in colonies; three to five pale greenish- blue eggs, 1.75 X 1.35. Range — Breeds from N. Car. and the Gulf States southward. Casual north to Long Island. the back. As usual with Southern herons, this species is very gregarious at all times of the year. LOUISIANA HERONS and LITTLE BLUE HERONS may well be considered together in a book since they are nearly always associated in life. They are the most abun- dant of Southern herons and, of course, are highly gregarious. All Southern rookeries are similar in character, surround- ings, and in the inhabitants, yet, so great is their fascination, a bird lover is never satisfied with his first exploration of one. He is always longing and planning for a return visit to the same or other rookeries. Most rookeries are so located that they can be reached only by hours or even days of wearisome toiling through bogs, jungles, saw-grass, etc., obstacles often requiring skilful wielding of the hatchet or machete, to penetrate. What a sight greets the eyes of the naturalist as, the last barrier broken down, he stands on the edge of the mangrove-fringed bayou. Everywhere are Louisiana Herons, ‘‘Loosies,”’ as the guide calls them, ‘‘Little Blues,” and ‘‘White Curlews,” 125 HERONS (200) Flérida certlea (Linn.) (Lat., blue). LITTLE BLUE HERON. Ad. — Plumage as shown. Feathers of back much lengthened and pointed, reaching beyond the ends of the folded wings; breast feathers also lengthened and plumes from the back of the head. Jm.— Pure white all over, but always with traces of bluish somewhere, usually on the primaries. Legs and feet greenish-black, these always distinguishing it from the young or winter Snowy Egret, which has yellowish feet. L., 22.00; W.., 10.25; Tar:, 3:70; B:,3:00: Range — Breeds from S. Car. and the Gulf States southward; formerly bred north to Ill. Wanders cas- ually to N. S. and Wis. as White Ibises are known to the natives. We may even see a vision of pink as a Roseate Spoonbill, or ‘“‘ Pink Curlew,” retreats into the distance. A few steps more and two or three great egrets are startled from their nests a hundred yards away — “‘Long Whites,” the guide whispers in our ear. Snowy Egrets are less wary than the larger ones. The nests of the Louisiana and Little Blue Herons and those of Snowy Egrets are practically the same, and all three may be in the same tree. The eggs also are so nearly alike that only an expert can distinguish them, and even he not always with certainty. Young Little Blue Herons are clothed in white, on which account they are very often mistaken for the rare egrets; their plumage shows some traces of bluish, even in the first year, chiefly on the tips of the wings and the top of the head; the second year they are often quite mottled, and it is not until they have lived for three years that their adult plumage is attained. Snowy Egrets and Louisiana Herons are not great wanderers, but 126 HERONS (201) Butorides viréscens virés= 5 cens (Linn.) (Lat., bitten, Gr., a resemblance; Lat., becoming green). GREEN HERON. Smallest of our herons. Ad.— Shown in full plumage, it requiring several years to attain the glaucous-blue color of the back feathers. Jm.— Head less crested; back greenish-black, with no plumes; neck dull brownish. Li, 17.00; _ W., 7.00; “Tari, 2.00; B., 2.50. Nest — Of sticks, in low trees or bushes, usually in colonies in the south and singly in northern states; three to five pale bluish- green eggs, 1.45 X 1.10. Range — Eastern N. A. Breeds from N. S., Quebec, Wis. and S. Dak. southward. Winters from the West Indies southward. young “Little Blues” often appear in the New England States during fall. GREEN HERONS are quite evenly distributed through- out eastern United States. Unlike those species confined to the Southern States, they are not to any extent gregarious. We are more apt to find single pairs, or, at the most, two or three, living along sluggish brooks or about ponds or lakes. One of its many vernacular names, ‘“ Fly-up-the-Creek,”’ was in all probability first applied to this species by rural fishermen before whose advance they literally fly up the creek, starting such flight with their characteristic single shriek. Their nests are not necessarily located near their feeding grounds and even may be remote from water. Every year the same pair of birds returns to a certain small clump of pines and constructs a new nest on the lower outer branches. A brook happens to flow within a hundred yards of this particular place, but I have never seen either bird frequent it; their regular feeding place is a pond a half mile away. So shabbily is the flat platform of sticks put together that 127 HERONS (202) Nycticorax nycticorax nevius (Bodd.) (Lat., the night raven; spotted, referring to the plumage of the young). BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON; QUAWK. Ads.— Iris red. Legs greenish-yellow. plumage as shown; three long slender plumes from the back of the head, these usually clasping each other so as . to appear as one. Jm— Iris yellow. Above grayish-brown, edged and spotted with white; below whitish, streaked with brown. L., 25.00; W., 12:50; T., 5.00; Tar., 3.00; B:; 3.00. Nest — Of sticks in trees, or of rushes on the ground in marshes; in colonies; three to five pale bluish- green eggs, 2.00 X 1.40. Range — Breeds from N. S., Mani- toba and Ore. south to Patagonia. the eggs may be seen through the bottom; it holds together barely long enough to accommodate the young until they are able to fly, and long before winter every vestige of it is gone. The young are fed quite regularly, so that it is an easy matter to locate nests after the eggs have hatched by follow- ing the line of flight taken by the herons. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS, _ otherwise known as Quawks or Qua-birds, are abundant in all parts of the United States and the southern British Provinces. During the breeding season they exhibit communistic habits in a very marked degree. All the quawks for miles around settle in some wooded swamp, preferably of coniferous trees. They return to this same location year after year unless driven out. The hours of daylight they usually spend in the heronry dozing, but at dusk they may be seen slowly flapping away in all directions to their favorite fishing pools. These heronries, after continued use, become very filthy places, the trees and ground reeking with decaying fish, frogs, etc., and excrement. Usually they are sufficiently 128 HERONS (203) Nyctandssa violacea | (Linn.) (Gr., night, queen; Lat., violet- 4 colored). YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. Ads.— Plumage as shown, crown white, tinged with tawny; the long slender feathers on the back black, edged with light gray. Iris red. Legs greenish-black. Jm— , Above grayish-brown, streaked and / spotted with lighter; below streaked with brown and white. L., 24.00; W., 12.00; Tar., 4.00; B., . 3.00, slightly stouter than that of the last species. Nest—In trees or bushes in swamps; three or four pale bluish- green eggs, 2.00 X I.40. Range — Breeds from S. Car., southern Ill. and Kan. southward. | Casual in fall north to Maine, Mass., |§ Ont. and Col. | remote from villages so as not to be objectionable, but occasionally they will select woods close to houses and it will shortly be necessary to drive them away. Three or four years of occupancy will kill all the trees in which are nests. They are abroad so little during daylight and are so silent, except in the immediate vicinity of the heronry, that its presence is often unknown, even though near large cities. Immediately upon our entering the colony, however, the greatest confusion arises. To the beating wings and harsh squawks of the adult herons is added the loud “‘ticking” or “clicking”? notes of the young. As long as we are in sight or moving about, the uproar will continue, but a few moments after we conceal ourselves the clock-like notes of the young will cease, the disagreeable squawks of the parents will be silenced, and one by one they will drop down to their homes, some to cover their eggs and others to perch beside their offspring until dusk, when feeding time occurs. Most of the nests are well up toward the tops of the trees — just 129 CRANES (204) Grus americana (Linn.) (Lat., a crane). WHOOPING CRANE; WHITE CRANE. Ads.— Plumage as shown, pure white except for the black primaries. Top of head bare, red and hairy, this extending to a point on the occiput and below the eyes. Inner wing feathers lengthened and flowing. Jm.— Head feathered all over; general plumage whitish mixed with brownish. L., 50.00; Ex., 90.00; W., 24.00; T., 9.00; Tar., 12.00; B., 6.00; depth at base 1.40. MNest—A bulky mass of weeds on the ground in marshes; two brownish-buff eggs, spotted with brown, 3.75 x 2.50. Range — Breeds in Mackenzie and Sask.; formerly south to Ill. Win- ters from the Gulf States to South America. tude piles of sticks laid haphazard in the crotches. The fear of man is inherent even with young in the nest; if we risk our clothes, ignore the squalid surroundings, and climb one of the trees, we will find that all little herons that are able will crawl out on the branches as far from us as possible. If we keep our ears open, on nearly any summer night, we may hear the oft-repeated “quarks” of Night Herons as they pass from one pond to another. A crude imitation of this sound will usually bring the real heron circling about to investigate the sham one. OrpErR PALUDICOLZ. Cranes, Ralts, ETC. An order comprising several groups of somewhat dissimilar members, represented within our range by the Cranes, Courlans and Rails. However much they may differ in other respects, all the Paludicole are precocial — that is, they are hatched covered with down and run from the nest almost as soon as out of the egg. 130 CRANES (205) Grus canadénsis (Linn.) LITTLE BROWN CRANE. Similar to the next and most com- mon species, but smaller and browner. Breeds from Hudson Bay to Alaska; winters from Texas to Ariz. Very rare east of the Miss. River. L., 36.00; W., 18.50; B., 4.00. (206) Grus mexicana (Miiller) SANDHILL CRANE; COM- MON BROWN CRANE. Plumage as shown; feathers of occiput ex- tending forward in a point on the bare, red skin of the head. Young birds have the head fully feathered and are more rusty. L., 46.00; W., 22.00; T., 9.00; Tar., 10.00; B., 5.50. je : Range — Resident in Fla. and La. — -S&Ae& Breeds also in interior Canada. ' Famiry GRUIDA. Cranes Our cranes are large birds, as large or larger than herons, which they resemble in form. They differ externally, how- ever, in the shape of the bill, in the more or less bald head, in having closer, firmer plumage, and in the elevation of the hind toe above the level of the front ones. The WHOOPING CRANE is the largest of our cranes— a truly magnificent creature standing as tall as a good-sized boy, and with a plumage of immaculate white, save for the outer feathers of the enormous wings, which have an expanse of nearly eight feet. Except during migrations, when several families unite for the southern journey, they are solitary wanderers over marsh and plain. Living in open country, where their stature enables them to see for great distances, they are naturally very wary, to which fact and the added one that they repair to northern fur countries to breed, they probably owe their continued existence. 131 COURLANS (207) Aramus vociferus (Lath.) (Lat., noisy). LIMPKIN. A species with char- acters common to both cranes and rails, but chiefly favoring the latter. Plumage as shown, chiefly brownish, spotted and streaked with white. Immature birds are paler colored. Downy young are jet black. L., 26:00; | .W...0 13.00;. L 6s50.8 lar, 4.50; B., 4.00. Mest —A platform of sticks and grasses close to the ground in marshes or swamps; four to twelve buffy-white eggs, blotched with brown, 2.30 xX 1.70. Range — Resident in marshes of Fla., the West Indies and both coasts of Central America. Casual north to S. Car. The smaller SANDHILL CRANES are more abundant and have not yet been wholly banished from the United States as residents, for a few still remain to nest in Florida and Louisiana, although the bulk of them pass through the interior to the wilds of Manitoba and Saskatchewan before settling down for the summer. Their nests are built in open marshes or grassy ponds, grass, weeds and roots being piled up until the top is elevated several inches above the water; the two large eggs are laid on the slightly hollowed top. Cranes feed upon field mice, snakes, lizards, frogs, shellfish, berries or seeds. During migrations they may often be seen feeding with companies of geese — a combination of wariness that renders undetected approach by a hunter impossible. Cranes have very raucous, resonant voices which they are fond of testing after dusk. A glance at a crane’s windpipe would convince any one of the power of their voices, even though they lack musical quality, that of the Whooping Crane being more than four feet in length. During spring, parties of cranes, including both sexes, go 132 RAILS (208) Rallus élegans Audubon (Lat., a rail; elegant). KING RAIL. The largest of our true rails. Plumage as shown; richly colored on the breast with bright rufous, on the wing coverts with chestnut, and sharply marked on the back with brownish-black and tawny-olive; flanks and linings of wings blackish, broadly barred with white. Downy young glossy black. L., 17.00; W., 6.50; Tar., 2.30; B., 2.40. Mest — Of grasses, on the ground in fresh water marshes; seven to twelve buffy-white eggs, specked with reddish-brown, 1.60 x 1.20. Range — Breeds from Conn., Ont. and southern Minn. southward. Win- ters in southern United States. Casual north to Maine. through the most extraordinary antics — bowing, leaping, and pirouetting about in a manner most ridiculous. The Family ARAMID4 consists of but two species, of which our LIMPKIN, or COURLAN, is one. These gigan- tic semi-rails are most peculiar birds, with a weak, mincing, limping gait that gives good reason for their common name. They frequent large marshes, moving about and feeding almost wholly at night. They have loud voices, said to resemble the cry of a child in distress, from which they are sometimes called ‘‘Crying-birds.”” Such a combination of voice, weak legs, weaker wings and odd appearance we might reasonably expect to find only as a caricature; yet it is a species not uncommon in Florida marshes and sometimes strays along the Atlantic coast as far as South Carolina. Famity RALLIDAS. Ratts, GALLinuLes, Coots, ETc. A large family, comprising many species of marsh-inhabit- ing birds of rather slender build, but with long, strong legs 133 RAILS (211) Railus crépitans crépi-= tans (Gmel.) (Lat., clattering, noisy). CLAPPER RAIL. Plumage as shown; much duller than that of the last species; back indistinctly marked and flanks barred with gray and white. L., 14.50; W., 5.00; Tar., 2.00; B., 2.50. Range — Breeds in salt marshes from Conn. to N. Car. Casual in Maine. Winters south of N. J. (21la) R.c. saturatus Ridgway LOUISIANA CLAPPER RAIL. “Coast of La.” Slightly darker. (211b) R.c. scétti Sennett FLORIDA CLAPPER RAIL. Gulf coast of Fla. Much: darker above. (21lc) R. c. waynei Brewster WAYNE’S CLAPPER RAIL. Coast from N. Car. to Fla. Midway between crepitans and scotti. and very long, slender toes to enable them to run rapidly through the marshes without sinking into the mire. KING RAILS, the largest of our rails, are locally dis- tributed throughout eastern United States, frequenting fresh- water marshes. They can readily be identified, when seen, by their comparatively large size and bright coloration. They are, however, so secretive in their habits that they are seldom observed except by the gunner who poles his skiff through the marshes trying to flush them. During twilight, and often during the night — for they feed chiefly after dark — their voices may be heard over the marshes in all direc- tions. These night marsh voices are very difficult to identify, a fact that might be judged by the widely differing notes ascribed to this and other species by various authors. My own belief is that it is a loud, metallic ‘“klink, klink,”’ etc., repeated many times, first at slow, measured intervals, and then faster and faster, and finally dying away. 134 (212) Rallus virginianus Linn. VIRGINIA RAIL. Plumage as shown. A smaller but perfect minia- ture of the King Rail; if anything the plumage is a trifle brighter. Downy young a glossy greenish- black, with a black-banded white bill. L., 9.50; W., 4.50; T., 2.00; ‘Lar, 4s; B., .85. Mest — Of grasses on the ground in marshy places; six to twelve pale buffy- white eggs, sparingly spotted with reddish-brown, 1.25 x.90. Notes — A guttural, rattling, “‘cut-cut-cut-ee,”’ repeated at frequent intervals, espe- cially at night. Range — Breeds from N. B., Ont., Sask. and B. C. south to N. J., Mo., and Cal. Winters chiefly in the southern half of United States. CLAPPER RAILS are much more abundant than the preceding species, but they frequent, almost entirely, salt- water marshes, which of course confines them to the im- mediate vicinity of the sea-coast. They are somewhat smaller than the last species and duller colored, lacking any decided markings. Unless disturbed they spend most of their time during daylight in dozing among the thick sedge grasses. At dusk they become exceedingly active and the marshes resound with their loud, long, rolling, clattering cries. They travel swiftly about in their search for food, threading their way through the coarse, stiff marsh grass with amazing ease, and running across open spaces of water and mud. Hardly ever, unless driven to it, do they take flight during daylight, nor at night except during migrations. Their safety lies in their long, strong legs and their arts of conceal- ment. However, quantities of them are shot for the table, although they are not nearly as desirable for an article of food as the smaller Soras. Ordinarily it would be practically 135 RAILS (214) Porzana carolina (Linn.) (Ital., name for the Crake). SORA RAIL; CAROLINA RAIL; COMMON RAIL. Bill stouter than that of any of the preceding rails. Ads.— Plumage as shown by the upper bird; face black. Jm.— As shown by the lower bird; more yellowish and with no black on the head. Downy young black, with a beard of orange bristles about the face and throat. L., 8.50; W., 4.25; Tar.;. 1-30; B:,, =70. Ronge— Breeds from N. B., Mackenzie and B. C. south to N. J., Ill. and Cal. Winters in southern half of U. S. (213) SPOTTED CRAKE (Por- zana porzana). An Old World spe- cies, occurring occasionally in Green- land. impossible to make them fly, but at high tide their marshes are flooded and they are forced to cling to the taller grasses. It is at flood tide that they are hunted, men polling through the marshes in skiffs and dropping the rails as they are forced to leave their refuges. Their flight is so slow and fluttering that even a tyro could not miss them. VIRGINIA RAILS are not only miniature of King Rails in appearance, but their habits are similar, especially in that they both prefer and live almost exclusively in fresh-water marshes. During spring, in cloudy weather, early mornings and in the evening the love song of the male comes from the marshes —a guttural “cut, cut, cutta-cutta-cutta,” repeated at frequent intervals. Their nests are in the dryer portions of the marsh, well concealed under dense grass or brush. SORAS are apparently the most abundant of our rails. Small in size and with a thin body, they readily recall the saying ‘‘as thin as a rail.” Yet during fall thousands of 136 RAILS (215) Cottirnicops novebora= cénsis (Gmel.) (Lat., a qnail). YELLOW RAIL. Plumage as shown; the feathers everywhere hav- ing a gloss. L., 6.50; W., 3.25; Dy t503) Dars-.853 Basso. Nest — In grassy marshes; six to twelve rich buff-colored eggs, specked with brown in a wreath about the large end, 1.10 x .80. Range — Breeds from Maine and Minn. north to Ungava and Macken- zie. Winters in the Gulf States. (216) Creciscus jamaicénsis (Gmel.) (Lat., crake). BLACK RAIL. The smallest and blackest of our rails. Plumage as figured. L., 5.00; W., 2.80; -Tar., .80; B., .50. Range — Breeds from Mass. and Ont. south to S. Car. and Kan. Soras, a little fattened by high living upon wild rice, are bagged by gunners and sold with Bobolinks as “‘ortolans.”’ Soras live in the same marshes with Virginia Rails, but they build their nests in wetter portions. These nests are made by piling up reeds and grasses until the top of the mass is a few inches above the water, which is usually a few inches deep at the spot selected. On the hollowed top of this nest, sheltered by the tops of living grasses which are drawn over to form an arch, the dozen or so brownish-spotted eggs are laid. The little chicks are hatched covered with down, glossy jet black, and can follow their mother as soon as they leave the egg. When alarmed, both sexes utter a sharp, explosive note, and both have a pleasing whinnying song, sounding much like the trill a woodchuck sometimes utters. YELLOW RAILS and that smallest member of the family, the little BLACK RAIL, although found throughout eastern United States, are regarded as of rare occurrence. Possibly they are, and certainly their small size and habits of skulking 137 GALLINULES (217) CORN CRAKE (Crex crex). An Old World species; casual from N.S. to N. J. (218) Ionérnis martinicus (Linn.). (Gr., violet bird). PURPLE GALLINULE. Ads. — Plumage as shown. Bill carmine, tipped with yellow. Frontal plate bluish. Legs yellowish. Im.— Up- per parts more or less brownish; under parts mixed brown and white. L., 13.00; Ex., 22.00; W., Roos, “Eke 2s7 eee Dan. eo 20 aety along gape 1.25. Nest — Woven of grasses or rushes, on the ground or attached to upright stalks in marshes; five to ten rich, cream- colored eggs, spotted with reddish- brown, 1.60 X 1.15. Range — Breeds from S. Car. and the Gulf coast southward. North casually in summer to Nova Scotia. through sedges like so many mice would tend to make them seem rare even if they were not. It seems to be almost impossible to kick them out of their retreats. Both species have songs, uttered at dusk, sounding somewhat like the voices of tree frogs, but that of the smaller species is rather more energetic, having a peculiar clicking quality. PURPLE GALLINULES are handsomely plumaged marsh birds residing in our Southern States and casually wandering to the Northern ones. Gallinules are rail-like in form, but have a horny plate on the forehead — a con- tinuation of the upper mandible. Some of the tropical species are very brilliantly hued. The present one is, as our picture shows, handsomely shaded with purples, blues, and greens. Aside from their plumage, Purple Gallinules are but little different in nesting or any of their habits from the more common and more widely distributed. FLORIDA GALLINULES. Gallinules, although not having webbed feet, are excellent swimmers and skilful divers. They frequently escape observation by diving and 138 GALLINULES (219) Gallinula galeadta (Licht.) (Lat., a small hen; helmeted). FLORIDA GALLINULE. Ads. — Plumage as figured. Bill and frontal plate red. Legs greenish- black, but with a red ring around the base of the bare tibia, this distin- guishing it from the Purple Gallinule in any plumage. Jm.— Extensively white below. Downy young black, with a silvery beard. L., 13.00; W., 7.00; Tar., 2.25; B., 1.50 along the gape. Nest— Of rushes and grass, in marshes; eight to fourteen buffy eggs, spotted with dark brown, 1.75 KX 1.20. Range — Breeds from Vt., Ont., Minn. and central Cal. southward. Winters from the Gulf States and Cal. southward. Casual north to N. B. clinging to reeds with their toes, allowing but the tips of their bills to protrude above water. While swimming the head is usually nodding in unison with the motion of the legs and is turned from side to side on the lookout for danger, for these birds are fully as timid as rails. When standing on land the head is usually carried low and the tail elevated, but one seldom gets a chance to catch more than a fleeting glimpse of them, as they flee through the rushes. Their flight — and it is a difficult matter to force them to fly without the aid of a good dog —is very weak and fluttering; the legs are carried dangling awkwardly and the birds soon drop out of sight in the reeds as though their strength were spent. Yet they must, at times, be capable of more or less protracted flight, for they summer as far north as southern Canada, but none winter north of our Southern States. The name Gallinule, meaning a small hen, was applied to these birds because so many of their habits are hen-like. Their notes, and they are very noisy at dusk, imitate about 139 COOTS (221) Fdlica americana Gmel. (Lat., coot). COOT; MUD-HEN; MOOR- HEN; BLUE PETER; and quan- tities of other more local names. Feet lobate-webbed; each joint on each toe has a lobe, that is, there are one, two, three, and four lobes respectively on the hind, first, middle, and outer toes. Bill whitish, with a blackish spot near the tip. Plum- age as shown. L., 15.00; W., 7.50; Tar., 2.00; B., 1.40 along the gape. Nest — Of reeds and grasses in rushes; six to fifteen grayish-buff eggs, finely specked with black, 1.80 x 1.30. Range — Breeds from N. B., Man. and B. C. southward. Winters from Va., Ill. and B. C. southward. (220) EUROPEAN COOT (Fulica atra) is accidental in Greenland. all that a well-bred hen utters, from cackles to squawks and cluckings, with a few peeps thrown in for good measure. Their flight, too, is no more graceful nor usually more protracted than that of hens. They walk daintily, lifting each foot high and closing the long toes, like a proud little bantam rooster. Their food consists of seeds, grasses, and various aquatic insects, shellfish, etc. COOTS are well known throughout the United States and southern Canada. In the north they are very commonly called Mud or Meadow Hens, and in Southern States are spoken of as Blue Peters. They are very interesting because they combine a body similar to that of the gallinules with webbed feet, each long toe having a scalloped webbing. They can swim excellently and are often seen in flocks in ponds, frequently among ducks. On the water they are quite grebe-like; they sit rather low, can dive deeply in search of food, and when about to take flight have to patter along the surface for a distance. Their flight is much stronger than that of gallinules or rails. 140 PHALAROPES (222) Phalaropus fulicdrius (Linn.) (Gr., coot, foot; Lat., coot-like). RED PHALAROPE. Feet lobate-webbed. Ad. 9@— Plumage as shown by the nearest bird; the chestnut parts have a somewhat hoary or frosty appearance. The o is smaller and not so brightly colored. In winter — Plumage as shown by the bird in the background; quite variable but chiefly white on the head and under parts. The young are similar, below, to winter adults, but are streaked brown, black and gray above. L., 7.75; W., 5.253 Tar., .75; B., .9o. Eggs — Three or four, greenish-buff, spotted and blotched with black, 1.20 x .85.* Range — Breeds in the Arctic regions. Migrates off both coasts of the U.S. During nesting time they are very noisy and upon the slightest provocation all the Coots in the marsh will break out into noisy, high-pitched cackling. The nests are built of reeds and grasses on reclining masses of rushes, in the hollow of which the numerous finely specked eggs are laid. OrpveR LIMICOLZ. Snore Birps Famity PHALAROPODID. Puaaropres A small family of small shore birds having thick, duck-like plumage and lobate-webbed feet — consequently being good swimmers. RED PHALAROPES are quite abundant as breeding birds in the northern half of Canada. Within our borders they are found only as migrants and then chiefly along the sea-coasts. We see them only in their winter dress, in which plumage they are generally known as Gray Phalaropes, or ‘“‘Sea Snipe.”’ Most of them migrate well off shore, not I4I PHALAROPES (223) Lébipes lobatus (Linn.) (Lat., a flap, foot; lobed). ~ NORTHERN PHALAROPE,; -| RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. Ad. * Q in summer — Plumage as shown by the bird in foreground; sides of / neck reddish, this color sometimes extending nearly around the neck; greater coverts tipped with white; scapulars edged with buff. The & is much duller plumaged and the ' back streaked with ochre. Jn winter — More or less gray above and white below; greater coverts and part of secondaries white. L., 7.25 W., 4.40; Tar., .80; B., .85. Nest — A grass-lined hollow on the ground; eggs greenish-buff, spotted with black. Range—Breeds from Ungava, Keewatin and Aleutian Islands north- ward. Migrates throughout the U.S. to its winter home in southern oceans. touching our coast unless blown in by adverse winds until they reach Virginia. Thence they pass to Cuba, Brazil, and to their winter quarters in southern oceans. They rest on the ocean and get their food from its surface. Steamers, hundreds of miles from land, often pass through large flocks of them floating on the water, during August and againin May. Of similar migration habits are the more common. NORTHERN PHALAROPES. These birds are also known within our borders only as migrants, chiefly in their gray dress, although red-necked individuals of this species are more often found than red-breasted ones of the last. The habits of phalaropes are unique in that they are our only birds in which the females usurp all the usual rights of the males. They are larger and much more brightly plu- maged, the male being clothed comparatively about as we would expect, judging from all other birds, the female should be. She does all the love-making, being no more like the shy, coy birds of her sex to which we are accustomed than is 142 PHALAROPES (224) Stegdnopus tricolor Vieill. (Gr., web-foot; Lat., three-colored). WILSON’S PHALAROPE. Feet lobate-webbed, but not as con- spicuously as those of the preceding two species. Ad. 9 — Plumage in summer as shown. The o’ is smaller and paler, the black being replaced by brownish, and the chestnut paler and less extensive. In winter both sexes and young are plain gray above and white below. L., 9.00; Wis :5:00;. lars, “r.g0%% -B., “125. Nest — A shallow depression lined with a few grasses; three or four cream-colored eggs, heavily blotched with black, 1.30 x .go. Range — Breeds from northwest- ern Ind., Ia., Col. and central Cal. north to Alberta and central Wash. the modern suffragette who possibly may have conceived her unwomanly ideas from these very birds. A place for the nests having been selected by the male, just a depression in the ground, scantily or not at all lined, the female deposits four heavily blotched eggs, after which she enjoys a period of leisure while the male incubates the eggs. He also takes the greater part of the care of the chicks when they emerge. On the water they float as lightly as feathers; they are exceedingly active, always in motion, and each stroke of the feet is accompanied by a graceful nod of the small head. They feed on minute particles from the surface of the water or on shore, along which they run as swiftly and as easily as sandpipers, which are not favored with webbed feet. WILSON’S PHALAROPES, which dwell in the interior and western parts of our country, have the lobes of the toes less developed than the two preceding species. Conse- quently they are not so aquatic. They can, however, swim easily if they desire, but they usually content themselves by 143 AVOCETS AND STILTS (225) Recurviréstra americana Gmel. (Lat., bent upward, bili) AVOCET. Bill long, slender and curved upward. Legs long, dull blue. Feet webbed. Feathers on the under parts very thick and duck- like. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown. In winter with none of the rusty wash on the head. Young birds are very similar to winter adults but have more or less rusty edging to the feathers on the back and wings. L., 17.00; W., 9.00; Tar., 3.75; B., 3.75. Nest —A de- pression in the ground, often in marshy places; three to five olive- buff eggs, heavily spotted with black, 1.90 x 1.30. Range — Breeds from central Wis., Ta., Texas and southern Cal., north to Manitoba and Ore. Casual in eastern U. S. feeding about the edges of pools or wading into the water up to their bellies and feeding from the surface. As with the other phalaropes, the female of this species is in most respects ‘‘the man of the house”; she makes all the advances during the mating season, and often several of them unfort- unately take a liking to the same swain, with the result that the strongest and handsomest one usually gets him. Famity RECURVIROSTRIDZ. Avocets anp Stitts A small Family comprising species with very long, slender legs and very slender bills which may be either straight or upturned. The plumage underneath is thickened as on water birds. The feet are either webbed or semipalmate and all the species comprising the Family can swim quite well. AVOCETS are quite remarkable in the amount of curva- ture of their upturned bills, which are very slender and as flexible as whalebone. ‘The plumage on their under parts is exceedingly close and duck-like, and is impervious to water. 144 AVOCETS AND STILTS (226) Himantopus mexicanus (Miller) (Gr., strap leg). BLACK-NECKED STILT. Legs extremely long and slender; bright red. Only three toes. Bill slender and black. Ads.— Plumage as shown, pure white below and glossy black above. The back of the @ usually inclined toward brownish. Im.— Upper parts brownish black, the feathers more or less edged with butty:, Ln, as.c0; Ws, o.con Ls 3.00; Tar., 4.25; Bare Tib., 3.25; B., 2.25. MNest—A depression in the ground, usually near the water’s edge; three or four pyriform, greenish-buff eggs, blotched with black, 1.80 x 1.25. Range — Breeds from central Fla., coast of La., Tex., Col. and central Ore. southward. Casual in migra- tions north to N. B. and Wis. The toes are full-webbed and the birds are excellent swim- mers; in fact they often alight in deep water. They are not at all shy except when hunted, and often allow a quite near approach as small bands of them are feeding in the shallow water on mud flats. They feed upon insects, their larvee and small crustacea, which they get, not by probing but by swinging the bill regularly sidewise through the soft mud. They very frequently wade in water up to their bodies and feed in this manner, with the head immersed. Their nests are usually located in grass in rather moist places, the hollow being lined with grasses or, occasionally, with small twigs. The note of Avocets is a loud, not unmusi- cal “‘klee-eek,” having a sharp clinking quality. BLACK-NECKED STILTS have bright red legs of exceedingly great length and slenderness, and long, narrow wings that, when folded, reach beyond the end of the tail. They are by no means as good swimmers as Avocets and rarely do so unless they get beyond their depth while wading. Their toes are only partially webbed, which, together with 145 SNIPES (228) Philéhela minor (Gmel.) (Gr., loving, a bog; Lat., smaller). WOODCOCK. Bill very long, soft and flexible at the tip. Ears beneath the very large eyes, which are set near the upper corner of the head. Plumage as shown, much mottled with black, grays, browns, and buffy. Downy young hand- somely marbled with black, brown and buff. L., 11.00; W., 5.00; Tar., 1.25; B., 2.90. Nest — A hollow in the leaves on the ground, in woods; four buff eggs, spotted with yellowish- brown, 1.50 X 1.15. Range — Breeds from N. S. and Man. south to Fla. and Kans. Win- ters in southeastern U. S. (227) EUROPEAN WOODCOCK (Scolopax rusticola) Linn. Casual from N. B. to Va. their long legs, accounts for their poor ability as aquatic birds. Famity SCOLOPACID®. Swipes, SANDPIPERS, ETC. WOODCOCK are birds that will well repay one to study. I know of no one bird that is of greater interest. They are borers and consequently must have soft soil to work in. Northern birds go just far enough south in winter to keep below the frost line and, in spring, return to their summer haunts just as soon as the condition of the ground will allow. If they come too early, they have to probe among the leaves and feed upon larve until warmer temperatures lure the worms upon which they usually live, nearer the surface. Woodcock toes are long to support him on the oozy banks of streams; his legs are short so he can easily reach the ground; his bill is long so he can probe deeply; its end is sensitive, flexible and under his control so that, having discovered a worm, he can open the tip of the bill and capture it, though the bill is buried even up to his head; his eyes are 146 SNIPES (230) Gallinago delicdta (Ord) (Lat.,a hen; delicate). WILSON’S SNIPE; ENGLISH SNIPE; JACK SNIPE. Bill very long but not as stout as that of the Woodcock. Plumage as_ shown; flanks barred; tail chiefly rufous; back feathers broadly edged with buffy-white. L., 11.25; W., 5.00; Tar., 1.25; B., 2.50. Eggs— Three , or four, olive-gray, blotched with black, 1.50 x 1.10. Range — Breeds from N. J., IIl., Ta. and Cal. north to Ungava, Keewatin and Alaska. Winters south from N. Car., Ark. and Cal. (229) EUROPEAN SNIPE (G. gallinago) (Linn.). Casual in Green- land. (230.1) GREAT SNIPE (G. media) (Lath.). An Old World species; accidental in Canada. far back on his head so that when the bill is buried as afore- said, he can see all that is going on about him; they are large and have owl-like qualities of vision so that he may see after dusk, for feeding then is safer and worms come nearer the surface. Our Woodcock gets his worms in the easiest way. After a rain he does not dig, but searches under the leaves, for he knows they will be there. He even often comes to well-watered gardens or lawns for the same purpose; that is why house cats so often catch Woodcock, and why they are often found maimed or dead in cities, after they have flown into unseen wires while on their nightly forages. Woodcock are quite silent, but they do utter peeping whistles. When rising in their sudden, tortuous flight, the three small, very narrow outer primaries make a character- istic whistling sound. Their four eggs are laid among the leaves on the ground in thickets or woods. WILSON’S SNIPE, just plain Snipe or English Snipe, by which names they are almost universally known, are the 147 SANDPIPERS (231) Macrorhamphus griseus griseus (Gmel.) (Gr., long, beak; Lat., gray). DOWITCHER; RED-BREASTED SNIPE; GRAY SNIPE (winter). Bill very long. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown, chiefly rich, rusty red; rump and upper tail coverts white, more or less barred; In winter — Dark gray above, the feathers with lighter edges; below white, the breast being washed and spotted with gray. L., 10.50; W., 5.753 Lar., 1.30; .B:, 2:05, to: 2.50. Range — Breeds within the Arctic Circle. Migrates along the Atlantic coast and in the interior. (23la) M. g. scolopaceus (Lat., snipe-like). LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. Chiefly west of the Mississippi. connecting links between Woodcock and the many species of sandpipers. They have more slender forms than the former, but have similar, long sensitive bills. On taking wing, Snipe utter a sharp, grating “‘scaipe,”’ repeated several times as they zigzag away. Often, after going to a considerable distance, they will suddenly turn and return to the same spot from which they flushed. At other times they will at once leave the meadow and, by their cries, induce all others there to go with them. A few Snipe nest within northern United States, but the majority of them make their summer homes in the northern parts of Canada. They are almost as highly esteemed by sportsmen as Woodcock, both for the excellence of their flesh and the high degree of skill necessary to bring them down. DOWITCHERS are birds that we know best during migrations. Sportsmen usually term them Red-breasted Snipe, or Gray Snipe when they are in the winter plumage. They are separated into two varieties, the Long-billed Dowitchers, which are supposed to keep to the west of the 148 SANDPIPERS (233) Micropdlama himdanto- pus (Bonap.) (Gr., small web strap-legged) STILT SANDPIPER. Bill slen- der. Legs slender and long. Toes semipalmated, the two outer ones having a conspicuous webbing. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown; crown and ear coverts with patches of chestnut; rest of upper and under parts more or less washed with rusty; heavily barred below; upper _ tail coverts white, with dusky bars. In winter — Gray above and white below; breast more or less streaked with dusky. L., 8.25; W., 5.00; Tar., 1.60; B., 1.60. Range — Breeds in Mackenzie and Keewatin. Migrates through the interior, casually on the coasts to West Indies and Central America. po as Mississippi River, and to breed in the extreme northwest, and the common Dowitcher, which is presumed to keep on the east side of that great river and nest in northern Ungava. While the average of those taken in the west, or at least the ones selected for measurement, shows a slight increase in size over the eastern ones, unfortunately the birds do not always stop to measure their bills and often get on the wrong side of this technical fence. They are sociable birds, usually seen in small flocks, which keep closely together, both when feeding and while in flight. When in the air, they have the habit, shared by a number of other sandpipers, of turning so as to alternately show the upper and under sides; as the whole flock acts in unison, the movement is a very pretty one. They are quite unsuspicious and usually allow a near ap- proach to them as they feed near the water’s edge — too unsuspicious ofttimes for their own good. Flocks are also easily lured by a crude imitation of their musical “ peet-a-weet”’ and come readily to the decoys of the hidden shooter. 149 SANDPIPERS (234) Tringa candtus Linn. (Lat., a sandpiper; for King Canute). KNOT; RED-BREASTED SANDPIPER; ROBIN-SNIPE ; GRAY-BACK (winter). Bill rather long, straight and stout. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown; under parts uniform brownish-red, fading to white on the flanks and under tail coverts; back with broad buffy edges to the feathers; rump and upper tail coverts whitish, barred with dusky. In winter — Ashy-gray above; mostly, white below. Young, similar but the back feathers are edged with white, outside a dusky border, giving the bird a characteristic scaly appear- ance. L., 10.50; W., 6.75; Tar., 1.20. Range—Breeds in circumpolar regions. Migrates, chiefly along the Atlantic coast, as far south as Pata- gonia. j STILT SANDPIPERS, apparently never have been abundant, and judging from the records of old-time observ- ers, seem to be found about as commonly now as in the olden days. They are sometimes seen in bands of four or five, but more often single ones are to be found with other species of small sandpipers. They can easily be identified among others by the noticeably long legs. I have found them a number of times feeding with companies of Least, Semipalmated, White-rumped and Baird’s Sandpipers. During migrations they are most common in the Mississippi Valley, which is the direct route from their breeding grounds in Mackenzie to their winter quarters in South America. KNOTS are one of the most abundant species of sand- pipers migrating along our eastern coast, in spite of the fact that they are shown no mercy by sportsmen, whose blinds are so closely placed along our shores as to scarcely allow room for a bird to alight without being in range of one of them. Breeding conditions must be unusually good in the extreme Arctic regions where these shore birds nest, for a very 150 SANDPIPERS (235) Arquatélla maritima maritima (Briénn.) (Lat., little bowed or curved; maritime.) PURPLE SANDPIPER; ROCK SNIPE. Ads. in winter — Plumage as shown by the upper bird. In summer, the feathers on upper parts are largely edged with buff or chest- nut; breast tawny, streaked and spotted with dusky. L., 9.00; W., 5.00; Tar., .95; B., 1.20. Range — Breeds in Arctic regions. Winters south to the Great Lakes and on the coast to Long Island. (239) Pisébia maculata (Vieill.) (Lat., spotted). PECTORAL SANDPIPER; Plumage as shown. L., 9.00; W., 5:25; Lar.; 1:10;B:, 1.10. Range—Breeds on the Arctic coast; migrates on the Atlantic coast and interior to South America. large percentage of the south-going ones are immature. In fall, they are known chiefly as Gray-backs, for both the adults and young are gray and white, the latter with the feathers peculiarly edged with concentric rings of white and dusky. In spring, they are commonly called Robin Snipe, as many of them have attained their summer dress before they reach our shores. They winter to the southern point of Patagonia, a journey of about six thousand miles per- formed twice a year.” PURPLE SANDPIPERS are quite unusual in that they remain on our northern shores during winter and that they prefer rocky to sandy coasts. They are not uncommon at this season on the shores of the Great Lakes, but they are most abundant on the coast from New Brunswick to Long Island. When the tide is high, they may be seen standing on the rocks, sleeping or preening their feathers; as soon as it commences to fall, they follow it closely, picking up insects and tiny shellfish left on the rocks or in little pools. These Rock Snipe, as they are often termed, nest along 151 SANDPIPERS (240) Pisobia fuscicdéllis (Vieill.) (Lat., dusky neck). WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. Plumage as shown; rump white; breast and_ sides conspicuously streaked. In winter, the rufous edg- ings on the upper parts are largely replaced by gray. L., 7.50; W., 4.90;- Tar., .90. B:; 95. Range — Breeds on the Arctic coast. Migrates through the Miss. Valley and on Atlantic coast to South America. (241) Pisobia bairdi (Coues). BAIRD’S SANDPIPER. Upper tail coverts and rump _ grayish; breast and sides indistinctly streaked. Range — Breeds along the Arctic coast. Migrates through the in- terior and less often on the Atlantic coast to South America. our Arctic coast, laying four eggs in a slight depression lined with moss or grasses. These eggs are of a grayish color, very handsomely splashed with gray, brown, and lilac. PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, or, as they are more com- monly called when with us, Grass or Jack Snipe, frequent ponds, rivers, marshes, and meadows throughout the interior as well as the Atlantic coast during their biannual migrations. As we see them in the states, they appear to be just ordinary small sandpipers, but if we follow them to their northern homes from Mackenzie to Alaska we shall find that they are quite remarkable. During the mating season, the skin on the breast of the male becomes soft and flabby, hanging down like a dewlap. This skin is capable of being distended with air so as to puff out as large as the bird’s body, at which time strange, hollow, resonant notes come from his throat, similar to the syllables “‘tooo-u; tooo-u,” repeatedly uttered. WHITE-RUMPED and BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS are two not uncommon species of a size intermediate between 152 SANDPIPERS (242) Pisobia minutilla (Vieill.) (Lat., very small). LEAST SANDPIPER; PEEP. Feathers of upper parts edged with bright rusty; breast distinctly streak- ed with dusky. L., 6.00; W., 3.503; Tar., :70; B., .75. Range — Breeds from N. S. and Keewatin northward. Winters from southern U. S. southward. (246) Ereunétes pusillus (Linn.) (Gr., a searcher; Lat., small). SEMIPALMATED SAND- PIPER; PEEP. Slightly grayer than the last; breast indistinctly streaked. Feet with partial webs. Range — Same as preceding. (247) £. matri Cabanis WESTERN SANDPIPER. Bill averaging a trifle longer; Chiefly west of the Rockies. that of the Pectoral and Least Sandpipers. The former is the more abundant during migrations on the Atlantic coast, while the latter is much more common in the interior. Their habits are not different in any way from the more common smaller sandpipers with which they are often associated. The difference in size is quite evident when they are seen together. “Peeps,” by which name both LEAST and SEMIPAL- MATED SANDPIPERS are most often called, are by far the most abundant as well as the smallest species of sand- pipers that we have. Although of different genera, they may well be considered together, for their habits are the same, and in life they are usually associated during nesting, migrations, and in their winter quarters. As we usually see them, the upper parts of the Little Stint are quite rusty, while the back of the Semipalmated species is inclined to grayish. The breast of the former is distinctly streaked, while that of the latter is very indistinctly so. 153 SANDPIPERS (243a) Pelidna alpina sakha= lina (Vierll.) (Gr., gray; Lat., alpine). RED-BACKED SANDPIPER; AMERICAN DUNLIN. Bill long, stout, slightly decurved and some- what expanded at the tip. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown by the nearest bird. In winter, the top and sides of the head are darker, the rufous on the back is replaced by gray, and the black patch dis- appears from beneath. L., 8.50; W., 4.75; Tar., 1.10; B., 1.60. Eggs — Pale-greenish or brownish-gray, blotched with blackish, 1.40 x 1.00. Range — Breeds on the Arctic coast. Winters from N. J. to the Gulf coast and from Wash. to Lower Cal. Rare in the interior during migrations. They are very gentle and confiding, allowing a close approach or feeding near any one seated on the beach. If alarmed, the flock moves away in a compact body, uttering their soit, sweet whistles, which notes they also give occasion- ally while feeding. It is an exceedingly interesting sight to watch sandpipers at their meals; they run so swiftly, are never still, and every movement is one of grace. The abundance of these little “Peeps” is probably due to the fact that they are not large enough to be hunted, although often misguided gunners may shoot into a large flock of them just to ‘see how many they can get.” As usual with so many of our sandpipers, ‘‘ Peeps”’ nest only in the northern half of Canada. RED-BACKED SANDPIPERS, or American Dunlins, also make their homes in Arctic regions, but individuals may sometimes be seen along our shores during the latter part of July, while in August they become quite numerous. They keep chiefly along our sea-coasts, in the interior being only rarely found on the south shores of Lake Michigan. 154 SANDPIPERS (244) Erélia ferruginea (Briinn.) (Lat., rusty or reddish). CURLEW SANDPIPER. A boreal, Old World species, having a slightly decurved bill and, in summer, rufous under parts. Casual on the Atlantic coast. (248) Calidris leucophea (Pallas) (Gt., a beach bird; light gray), SANDERLING. Bill rather stout and with slightly expanded tip. Plumage in summer as_ shown; washed on the head, neck and back with rusty. In winter, the rusty wash disappears, leaving the plumage largely white. L., 7.75; W., 4.90; T., 2:25; ‘Lari; .95;. B., 1:00: Range — Abundant in Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Breeds within the Arctic Circle. Winters from N. Y. and Cal. south to Pata- gonia. In spring we sometimes see them in the red-backed, black- bellied plumage, but in fall nearly all of them are immature or winter-plumaged birds. They can easily be distinguished by the long bill, which is slightly decurved at the end. They usually travel in flocks of their own kind, well massed and keeping perfect time in all their maneuvers. When feeding, they keep well grouped, running rapidly along the beach, now stopping to pick up an insect or scrap of animal matter, again following down the beach in the wake of a receding wave or boring in the soft soil for worms. Naturally unsuspicious, as are most boreal birds, they pay little heed to mankind on their first arrival, and their ranks are greatly decimated before they learn to beware of all humans. SANDERLING, or Beach Birds, are nearly as abundant along our sea-coasts as are the little ‘‘Peeps.”” They may sometimes be seen along the margins of mud flats and pools back from the beach, but usually they must be looked for on the open ocean beach, where they run about, looking at a distance like so many ants, each busily trying to get more 155 SANDPIPERS (249) Limésa fédoa (Linn.) (Lat., muddy). MARBLED GODWIT; COM- MON MARLIN. Large birds with very long, slightly curved bills and long legs. Ads.— Plumage as shown; general tone a deep buff; rump and tail barred with blackish. The plum- age differs but little either in summer or winter. Young birds are whiter below and have few bars. Size quite variable as usual with shore birds. L., 20.00; Ex., 35.00; W., 9.00; T., 3.50; Tar., 3.00; B., 4.00. Nest—A_ grass-lined depression in the ground, not necessarily near water; three or four, clay-color, blotched with blackish, 2.15 x 1.60. Range — Breeds from N. Dak. to Sask. Winters from Fla. and La. southward. Casual in migrations north to Me. and B. C. than his share of the tiny insects and shellfish cast up by the waves. They fly in compact flocks and make a very handsome appearance as they wheel in unison, now showing the under parts of their bodies, glistening like snow in the sunlight, then turning so that the darker upper parts come into view. They are birds of cosmopolitan distribution, breeding only within the Arctic Circle. Although many of them winter along our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, some of them make the long journey to Patagonia and South Africa. MARBLED GODWITS are large sandpipers, nearly as large as curlews; in fact, they are quite often called Straight- billed Curlews, but are perhaps more frequently known as Marlins. During migrations, they may be found on both coasts of the United States, but during the summer they live about the borders of ponds and marshes in the interior, from North Dakota to Saskatchewan. Although usually in the neighborhood of water, their nests are not necessarily near the water’s edge. In fact, they are very apt to choose a 156 SANDPIPERS ee " (251) Limosa hemAstica (Linn.) (Gr., bloody red). HUDSONIAN GODWIT; BLACK-TAIL, WHITE-RUMP or RING-TAILED MARLIN. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown, bright | reddish below, barred with blackish; | rump black; tail chiefly black, but | the coverts white. In winter — Markings similar but general tone gray above and lighter below. L., 16.00; W., 8.00; Tar., 2.50; B., 3.25. Range — Breeds on the Arctic coast. Migrates chiefly along the Atlantic coast in fall and up the Miss. Valley in spring. Winters in South America. (252) BLACK-TAILED GOD- WIT (L. limosa). An Old World species occurring accidentally in Greenland. 5 higher and dryer location, lining some shallow depression with grasses, on which the four-spotted and blotched, buff- colored eggs are laid. The female is very solicitous when the nest is discovered and will often hover over the spot until the intruder leaves. They seem to be about as anxious about their comrades, for, if one is wounded and calls out, or the gunner imitates their cry, the flock will continually return, only to lose one or two more of their number each time. As they are of fair size and quite toothsome, most hunters lose no opportunity to bag as many as possible of them, with the usual result that they are yearly becoming rarer. HUDSONIAN GODWITS, or Ring-tailed Marlins, are only a little smaller than the last species. They are much more abundant and will probably be found for years after the last of the others are seen, because they nest along our barren Arctic coasts, where nothing but beasts and birds of prey can harm them; and they spend the winter months in southern South America, where the deadly shotgun and blind is not an ever-present menace. They are said to breed 157 SANDPIPERS ‘(254) Tétanus melanoleticus (Gmel.) (Italian; Gr., black, white). Y . GREATER YELLOW-LEGS ; WINTER YELLOW-LEGS. Bill straight and slender. Legs very long, slender, bright yellow. Ads. in winter — Plumage as shown. In summer, the upper parts are rather darker and the markings on the breast and sides more pronounced. L.,, 14.00; W., 7:70; “Tar., 2:40; B., 2.20. (255) Totanus flavipes (Gmel.) (Lat., yellow foot). YELLOW-LEGS; SUMMER YELLOW-LEGS. Like the last ex- cept in size. L., 10.50; W., under 7.00; Tar. 2.003) “Bilvr5o: Range — Both species breed in northern Canada and winter from the Gulf States southward. also in the Antarctic regions, so that, for a short time each season, birds from the north and others from the south meet on the pampas of Argentina. The long bills of Godwits are used for dabbling in shallow water of mud flats or in boring for worms that are below the surface. They are known as “bay birds” as distinguished from ‘‘beach birds,” for they are always found about bays, ponds, or lagoons, and rarely if ever on sea beaches. YELLOW-LEGS are familiar birds to sportsmen the country over, and also to bird-lovers who stroll in the vicinity of our many beautiful ponds and lakes during August and again in May. There are two distinct species, the Greater or Winter Yellow-leg, and the Lesser or Summer Yellow-leg. About the only point of difference is the considerable one of size, although the smaller species may appear within our borders a week or so earlier in fall. Their notes are a series of shrill whistles in groups of threes, like “wheu-wheu-wheu; wheu-wheu-wheu.” They repeat these quite frequently when in flight, and can by an imitation 158 SANDPIPERS (256) Helédromas solitarius ‘ ARTE zea solitarius (Wilson) (Gr., marsh runner; Lat., solitary). SOLITARY SANDPIPER. Bill and legs slender and both dark colored. Plumage as shown; the tone of upper parts being a lustrous olive-brown; rump dark; outer tail feathers and under surfaces of wings, conspicuously barred. L., 8.50; W., 5.00; Tar., 1.25; B., 1.20. Eggs —Grayish or bluish-green, spotted with blackish, 1.40 x .95; laid in deserted nests from three to thirty feet above ground. Range —In summer, from Mass., Pa., Ill. and Neb. north to New- foundland and Keewatin. Winters south of the U. S. (257) GREEN SANDPIPER (H. écrophus). An European _ species, accidentally straying to Nova Scotia. of it be brought down from the heights at which they li like to travel. They are always on the alert for danger, however industriously they may appear to be feeding; if their suspi- cions are aroused, they become very noisy. As they fre- quently start up from marshes in which ducks like to feed, they are not very kindly regarded by duck hunters. SOLITARY SANDPIPERS are so called because they rarely, if ever, go in flocks. During spring and summer, single ones or pairs are usually seen, while in fall as many as half a dozen may form a company, representing probably the parents and their offspring. They frequent fresh-water ponds and meadows, preferring those surrounded by woods or underbrush. They run swiftly to and fro along the edges, gathering anything edible from the soft soil or the surface of the water. Occasionally they cross the pond, their fluttering wings down-curved in sandpiper fashion and tail spread so that their distinguishing marks, the white outer tail feathers with black barring, may be distinctly seen. As they alight, the wings are elevated perpendicularly 159 SANDPIPERS (258) Catoptréphorus semi- palmatus semipalmatus (Gmel.) (Gr., mirror, to carry, referring to the white wing patch; Lat., half-webbed). WILLET. Bill rather stout. Feet partially webbed. Plumage in sum- mer as shown; quite variable however. In winter, with all black markings showing very faintly if at all. L., 16.00; W., 8.00; Tar., 2.50; B., 2.25% Range — Breeds from Va. to Fla. (258a) C. s. inornatus (Brewster). WESTERN WILLET. A slightly larger variety breeding from Man. and Ore. south to the Gulf and Cal. In migrations, casual on the Atlantic coast to New England. (260) RUFF (Machetes pugnax). An European species casual from Greenland to N. Car. over the back, showing the characteristic barring on the under surface, and then carefully tucked into place. For years they were birds of mystery even to ornithologists. Although the birds were present during summer in northern United States and southern Canada, their nests could not be found. The most mysterious feature, as we look at it now, is that the solution was not found sooner, for their breeding habits are now known to be the same as those of the very similar European species, the Green Sandpiper. Instead of nesting on the ground, as all our other shore birds do, they lay their eggs in deserted nests of some of the land birds, either in trees or bushes. They have been found in Waxwing and Robin nests and may be looked for in any nest of similar size. WILLETS are large shore birds, exceeding in size the Greater Yellow-legs and approaching that of the large Cur- lew. They are separated into two races, the Eastern and Western, but the differences are so very slight that the distinctions are quite unsatisfactory. 160 SANDPIPERS (261) Bartramia longicatda (Bech.) (Lat., long-tailed). UPLAND PLOVER; BART- RAMIAN SANDPIPER; FIELD PLOVER. Tail long, for a shore bird. Neck and legs rather long. Head small. Plumage as_ shown. Tail feathers shading from dark brown on the middle pair to light orange-brown on the outer, all barred with black, with a broad subterminal black band and white tips. Plumage changes but little with the seasons. L., 12.00; W., 6150; “Ds 3.503, Lar, 1.00% (Be, 2.15. Nest — A grass-lined hollow in fields or on prairies; three or four buff eggs, blotched with yellowish — brown, 1.75 X 1.25. Range — Breeds from Va., Ind. and Ore. north to Me., Ont., Mich.. Keewatin and Alaska. Winters in South America. Willets are very suspicious and they are exceedingly noisy when their suspicions are aroused. In marshes and flats where they are feeding you can at nearly all times hear their shrill cries of “‘pill-will willet.”” When disturbed on their breeding grounds they are extremely vociferous. They formerly nested all along our Atlantic coast, as well as in the Mississippi Valley, but now they are only wanderers north of Virginia. They are usually to be found in flocks of greater or less size; when individuals become detached from bands of their own kind, they usually associate with other species. I have frequently, along our New England shores, seen single Willets in flocks of Least Sandpipers —a most ludicrous sight to see this comparative giant endeavoring to keep pace with the agile and fleet ‘‘ Peeps.” UPLAND PLOVER, or Bartramian Sandpipers, are of peculiar interest because, except during the breeding season, they frequent plains and uplands, often remote from water. On western prairies, where they are more abundant than IOI SANDPIPERS (262) Tringites subruficéllis (Vieill.) (Gr., a sandpiper; Lat., below, reddish, neck). BUFF-BREASTED SAND- PIPER. Bill rather short, slender and tapering. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown, the under parts being a nearly uniform buff color, unmarked save for a few black specks on the sides. Primaries with the inner webs peculiarly traced and marbled with black, differing from any other known species. In winter — Whitish below; back darker, the broad, brownish edgings being re- placed by narrow whitish ones. L. 8.005. W,,, 5:25; . Lar., 32039 Bangs Range — Breeds along the Arctic coast. Winters in southern South America. Migrates chiefly through the interior of U. S. in the east, they are usually known as Prairie Pigeons; the latter part of the name because the flight is somewhat pigeon-like. In the Eastern States they have been hunted so persistently during August, their migration month, that only comparatively few are left. Many a time, during the nineties, I have crouched behind a wall and watched flocks of from two to twenty Upland Plover feeding on a hillside. If not disturbed they will remain on the same ground for the whole day, during which time they will have scoured a considerable area in their hunt for insects. It is very amusing to see them chasing grasshoppers, of which they are very fond, and they have to step lively to catch some of the old hoppers; often they will spring into the air and catch them on the wing; at other times they make longer flights after moths that they have startled from their retreats. Every little while they will call to one another with a mellow, flute-like whistle — sweeter and more musical than that of any other shore bird with which I am familiar. This call is not loud, but is very clear and 162 SANDPIPERS (263) Actitis maculdria (Linn.) (Gr., sea-shore frequenter; Lat., spotted). SPOTTED SANDPIPER; TEE- TER-TAIL; TILT-UP. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown, the upper parts being glossy, olive- brownish crossed by wavy black bars; a white superciliary stripe and a blackish line through the eye; the white under parts are covered with bold, round spots. In winter and Im.— Unspotted white below, with a grayish wash on the breast; upper parts without black markings. L., 7.50; W., 4.20; Tar., .90; B., .95. Nest —Of grasses, concealed under weeds; three to five buff eggs, spotted with blackish-brown. Range — Breeds throughout the U.S. and southern Canada. Winters in southern U.S. has great carrying power. An individual can often be heard coming from another ground, long before he comes into view; he descends rapidly on set, often decurved, wings and may alight on the ground or on wall or fence post. Upland Plover are apt to be found nesting anywhere throughout their northern range. SPOTTED SANDPIPERS are one of our best known and most familiar species of birds, being found during the warm months throughout our country. The country boy knows them as “‘Tip-ups” or “Teeter-tails,”” because while at rest they are continually bowing the head and jerking the tail upward in a grotesque manner, as though they were the most subservient creatures in the world. Ponds, meadows, and cultivated land are their favorite abiding places, and their rather plaintively whistled “‘peet-weet”’ is one of the most familiar bird sounds from such places. They rarely, if ever, zigzag in their flight, their method of progression being in gentle curves. If one wishes to reach a spot farther along shore, instead of travelling in a straight 163 SANDPIPERS (264) Numénius americanus Bech. (Gr., new moon — from the crescent shape of the bill). LONG-BILLED CURLEW; BIG CURLEW; SICKLE-BILL. Bill ex- ceedingly long and much decurved. Little difference between summer and winter plumages. General tone a rich buff, similar to that of the Marbled Godwit. L., 24.00; Ex., 38.00; W., 11.00; “Pars, .3520; B:, from 4.00 to 8.00. Nest— A grass- lined hollow on the ground; three or four greenish-buff eggs, covered evenly with small blackish spots. Range — Breeds from Tex. and northern Cal. north to Sask. and B. C. Winters from southern U. S. southward. Casually north to Mass. during migrations. Formerly bred on the South Atlantic coast. line, he will make a wide detour over the water, greeting with a cheery whistle any of his kind that he passes. In spite of their numerous pauses for salutations as they run along the edge of the water or follow the furrow of a plow, they find time to gather quantities of insects. Their nests are built on the ground anywhere within a hundred yards or so of their favorite pools; sometimes in patches of weeds near the water’s edge; again in fields border- ing cultivated land; or in tufts of grass in pine groves. Wherever located, it is artfully concealed, and still better hidden by the skill of the female in leading an intruder away. If discovery seems unavoidable, the sitting bird will run across the path of the intruder, whining, with wings dragging on the ground, and giving an excellent impression of a badly wounded bird. It is an artifice that seldom fails in causing reptile, man, or beast to follow her in a vain attempt to capture, only to be foiled when she considers that her treas- ures are safe. Little sandpipers are prettily clothed in soft gray and white down, with a few black stripes. Soon after 164 SANDPIPERS (265) Numénius huds6énicus Latham HUDSONIAN CURLEW; JACK CURLEW. Much smaller than the last species and with only a moder- ately long, curved bill. General coloration blackish-brown and gray- ish, with little or no ruddy or buffy. Little seasonal change in the plumage. Crown solid blackish-brown, with a whitish median stripe and_ super- ciliary stripes on either side. L., 17.00; Ex, 32.00; W:, 9.50; -T., 3.50; Tar., 2.50; B., 3.00 to 4.00. Eggs — Three or four, buffy, blotched with brownish-black, 2.25 x 1.60. Range — Breeds on the coast of Mackenzie and Alaska. Winters on both coasts of South America. Mi- grates chiefly along the coasts and is rather rare in the interior. leaving the eggs, they are led to the best feeding grounds and taught by their parents what food is best for them and how to pick it up. LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, or “‘Sickle-bills,” are the largest of our shore birds. Like so many other waders which were common in the Eastern States a few years ago, these are now of casual or accidental occurrence on the coasts of New England and the Middle States. In the interior and western portions of our country, however, they continue to be found in numbers, but much less abundantly than for- merly. Unfortunately they decoy very easily to lifeless imitations set up on the shore or to flute-like whistles similar to their own —a clear ‘“‘ker-loo.”” They are very sympa- thetic, for if one of their number is shot from a flock, the remainder will wheel about and circle over the fallen member. Their food consists of small shellfish, worms, insects, berries, etc. They often wade in shallow water, their long bills enabling them to feed from the bottom without wetting their heads, and also to probe deeply on soft muddy flats. 165 SANDPIPERS (266) Numénius borealis (Forster) (Lat., northern). ESKIMO CURLEW; DOE BIRD. Smallest of the curlews. Bill short, slender and little curved. Readily distinguished from the Hudsonian Curlew, not only by the difference in size, but because the crown of this species is brownish, streaked with lighter and with no median line; the superciliary stripes are quite prominent. L., 13.50; W., 8.50; ‘Tar, 1-753 B.; 2:40; Range — Breeds on the barren grounds of Mackenzie and migrates chiefly through the interior to south- ern South America. (267) WHIMBREL (Numenius pheopus). (Linn.) An Old World species breeding in northern Europe, accidentally occurring in Greenland and Nova Scotia. HUDSONIAN CURLEWS, or Jack Curlews, reside in summer along our northwestern Arctic coast and in fall migrate along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, where they are at present more plentiful than the last species. Only a limited number touch New England shores unless driven in by storms, for they usually fly well off shore from Nova Scotia until the Virginia coast is reached. ESKIMO CURLEWS, or Dough-birds, only a few years ago were regarded as much more abundant than other curlews; to-day they are regarded as quite extinct. Flocks numbering into the thousands swept up the Mississippi Valley or stopped to feed on the plains; to-day the capture of an individual is an event to be chronicled in all ornithological papers. They nested on the barren grounds of northern Mackenzie. On their southern migration, they moved eastward to Labrador, where they fattened on the crow- berry, which grows there in abundance; leaving our shores at that point, they swept southward over the ocean, not stopping this side of the West Indies unless storms were 166 PLOVERS (269) Vanéllus vanéllus (Linn.) LAPWING; PEWIT. Acommon European species. Casual in Green- land, Nova Scotia, and Long Island. (270) Squatdrola squatdarola (Linn.) (Ital. name for this species). BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER; BEETLE-HEAD ; BULL-HEAD. Hind toe very small, this being our only plover having a hind toe. Axillars black, showing conspicu- ously against the gray under wing surfaces. Ads. in summer — Plum- age as shown. In winter — Above gray, spotted with white; below whitish, indistinctly streaked with gray. Young birds often have the back washed with yellowish. L., 11.50; W., 7.25; Tar., 2.00; B., 1.15. Range — Breeds in Arctic regions. Migrates through the U. S. encountered. It is more than likely that storms against which they could not prevail drove most of them to destruc- tion. Their northward flight was performed chiefly through the interior of the United States. They flew in compact flocks and decoyed readily, with the result that quantities ‘of them were slaughtered annually, but certainly not enough to have caused such a sudden, almost total extinction. Famity CHARADRIID. PtLovers A large and important family agreeing in having plump bodies, short, thick necks, and stout bills of moderate length. The toes are generally three in number, and the tarsus is reticulate, while that of sandpipers is scutel- late. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, in their breeding plumage, are very handsome birds. Although breeding along the Arctic coast, many individuals pass through the United States before they have donned their less brilliant winter plumage. Immature birds, Bull-heads as they are then 167 PLOVERS (272) Charadrius dominicus dominicus (Miiller) (Lat., a plover). GOLDEN PLOVER. No hind toe. Bill more slender than that of the last species. Axillars gray in all plumages. Ads. in summer — Plumage as shown; the upper parts being handsomely marked with golden-brown. The black on under parts extends along the flanks to the tail. Zn winter — Upper parts duller; under parts grayish-white, indistinctly mottled with gray. L., TO.SO> 6 W2,.7:00;) Lar ere gsm ale. 3.00; B., .go. Range — Breeds in Arctic regions. Migrates south chiefly over the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia; a few through the Miss. Valley and nearly all pass north by that route. termed by some hunters, and Beetle-heads by others, bear considerable resemblance to young Golden Plover, but can at once be distinguished when in the hand or on the wing by the fact that the axillars, the long inner feathers under the wings, are black, while those of the other species are gray. The present species also has a tiny hind toe. Their flight is less graceful than any of the sandpipers and most of the plover, as their bodies are quite heavy; they fly rapidly, in a direct line, with rapid beatings of the wings. They have a clear, mellow whistle, one easily imitated, so it is an easy matter for the gunner in his blind to call a flock down to the painted decoys. GOLDEN PLOVER are even handsomer than the Black- bellied species, as the black on the under parts is more extensive and the back is covered with golden-yellow spots. Full-plumaged birds are rarely seen in the United States during the fall migration; in fact, few are seen anyway, for they follow closely the path of the little Eskimo Curlews, the bulk of them leaving our coast at Labrador and flying 168 PLOVERS (273) Oxyéchus vociferus (Linn.) (Gr., sharp-sounding; Lat., noisy). KILLDEER. Toes three. Ads. — Plumage as shown. Notice that the breast is crossed by two black bands. Jm.— Paler; the breast bands are gray; the tail is dull brown instead of rufous, and the back may be marked with buffy edges of the feathers. L., 9.50; W., 6.50; T., 4.00; Tar., 1.35; B., .75. Mest — A hollow on the ground, usually concealed under weeds; three or four greenish-buff eggs, heavily spotted and blotched with black, 1.50 x 1.10. Range — Breeds from Quebec, Kee- watin and B. C. south to the Gulf coast and central Mexico. Winters ff southward from N. J., Ind., Tex. and Cal. south, well out over the ocean. They seem to be following the path of these other birds in another respect too, for compared to the large flocks that formerly went north through the Mississippi Valley there are very fewnow. They feed quite extensively upon insects, and are fully as likely to settle down to feed on plains or in fields far from water as in marshes. It is a beautiful sight to see a large flock of Golden Plover coming down to a feeding ground from the heights at which they migrate; their coming heralded by softly trilled whistles, they descend on set, decurved wings, very swiftly, until swooping over the grass tops, they bring the wings forward to check their speed and drop lightly to the ground; their wings are elevated again as though with a feeling of relief after their long journey, then carefully folded on the back. KILLDEER are of unusual interest because, like Spotted Sandpipers, they breed over a large part of the States and Canada. Their name has no reference to their prowess as 169 PLOVERS (274) Agialitis semipalmata (Bonap.) (Gr., a seashore worker; Lat., | half-webbed). SEMIPALMATED PLOVER; RING PLOVER; RING-NECK. Toes conspicuously half-webbed. Bill orange, with a black tip. Legs flesh-color. Ads. in summer — Plum- age as shown; the black neck-band making a complete collar, although narrow on the back of the neck. Immature birds and winter adults differ in having the head and neck _markings more or less grayish. L., 7.00; W., 4.80; Tar., .90; B., .50. Range — Breeds in the northern half of Canada. Winters from the Southern States, southward. (275) A€gialitis hiaticula RINGED PLOVER. An Euro- pean species, breeding in Greenland. hunters, but is solely because of their loud, strident and often incessant vocal efforts, which are best likened to the syllables “kill-dee.” When they are angry — and during the nesting season it requires no provocation to make them that way — the usual note is changed to a harsh, almost screaming ‘‘dee-dee-dee,”’ etc., repeated as long as an in- truder is near, with an energy that seemingly might burst their throats. Where they are not very common, these notes always prove welcome to farmers or any one strolling the fields, but where they are so numerous that the complaining calls can be heard practically all the time, they may become a nuisance. Just a hollow on the ground, anywhere in a meadow, corn- field, or pasture, provided that water is not far off, suffices them for a nest; sometimes a slight lining is provided for the boldly spotted greenish-buff eggs. If a nest is in danger of discovery, the owners and those of every other nest in the vicinity join forces to lead the dangerous element away, making as much noise as is possible. 170 PLOVERS (277) A€gialitis meléda ra (Ord.) (Lat., musical). PIPING PLOVER. The palest colored of all our plover. Ad. — Plumage as shown. In the highest plumage, particularly on birds in the Miss. Valley, the black crescents on the sides of the neck meet, form- ing a complete collar. The 9 in summer and both sexes in winter, have the coronal bar brownish, and less black on the neck. L., 7.00; W., 4.75; Tar., 85; B., .50. Eggs — Three or four, clay-color, with fine black specks 1.25 x .95. Range — Breeds locally from N. S., Ont. and Sask. south to Va. and Kan. Winters on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Now quite rare and very local on the Atlantic coast. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, or Ring-necks, as they are more often called, are quiet, unobtrusive shore birds which visit our ponds, marshes, or beaches during August, and again in May. They have a clear, two-syllabled whistle that they utter when disturbed, and sometimes while a flock is flying past. An imitation of the call will usually halt a flock and bring it circling to the beach near the mimic. They show little timidity and, if the observer remains motionless, will run along the water’s edge within a few feet of him. They may be seen about equally often in flocks of their own species and in mixed flocks containing any of the small sandpipers, with which they are always friendly. PIPING PLOVER are a beautiful sand-colored species, locally distributed along shores and beaches of eastern North America. No birds of their size are more nimble of foot; they can run for long distances faster than a man can walk. Their color matches the sand so closely that it is almost impossible to see a motionless one; they know this and often escape detection because of it. High-plumaged 171 PLOVERS (278) AEgialitis nivésa Cassin (Lat., snowy). SNOWY PLOVER. Very small and light colored. Ads:— Plumage as shown by the upper bird. Black patches on crown, ears and sides of neck, these being brownish on the @. L., 6.753; W.,.4:20;. B., "605 Range — Western U. S., breeding east to Kan. and Texas. Casual in Fla. and La. (280) Ochthédromus wils6énius (Ord.) (Gr., bank running). WILSON’S PLOVER. Plumage as shown by the lower bird, the 9 having the breast band brownish. L., 7.50; W., 4.75; B., .90; large and stout. Eggs — Grayish, specked with blackish, 1.25 x .95. Range — Breeds from Va. south- ward and along the Gulf coast. Casually north to New England. specimens from the Mississippi Valley are apt to have the black patches on the sides of the neck joined in front. This was the basis for making them a sub-species of the eastern bird, but was found not to be tenable. The building of summer resorts near the beaches upon which they nest is rapidly diminishing their numbers along the Atlantic coast. The four clay-colored eggs, which are sparsely but evenly dotted with black specks, are laid in hollows on the shingle of beaches; they are very difficult to see even when only a few feet away. When their nests or young are discovered, the parents show as much concern as any other species, but they utter only their mellow, flute-like whistles in protest. SNOWY PLOVER, an abundant species on the Pacific coast, are found within the range included in this book only from southwestern Kansas to Texas. WILSON’S PLOVER are found only on tidewater flats or beaches. While they nest only on our South Atlantic coast, they often stray north to Long Island. Their appear- 172 PLOVERS (281) Podasécys montanus (Townsend) (Gr., swift-footed; Lat., mountain). MOUNTAIN PLOVER; PRAI- RIE PLOVER. No black on the breast at any season. Ads. in sum- mer — Plumage as shown. A promi- nent black coronal patch and a line through the eye; upper parts uniform grayish-brown. Immature birds and adults in winter lack both the loral stripe and the coronal patch; the upper parts are also more rusty. Ts,01003 W:555-7531, Lats, 1.603. Bs .9o. Nest—A depression on the ground anywhere on prairies, re- gardless of the distance from water; three or four brownish-gray eggs, blotched with blackish, 1.50 x 1.10. Range — Western N. A., breeding east to Neb. and Tex. ance is like that of a rather large Ring-neck, but the bill is exceedingly large for a bird of its size and is wholly black. Neither has it a colored eye-ring nor does the black on breast extend around the neck, as does that of the Ring-neck. Their eggs are deposited in hollows in the sand among short beach grass; there is little chance of their discovery except by flushing the sitting bird, and she will allow herself to be almost trodden upon before she leaves; she knows well that it is almost impossible for the eye to detect a still bird amid such surroundings. If, however, they should be discovered, both birds fly or run wildly about you, uttering their short whistles — so‘short as to almost be regarded as chirps. MOUNTAIN PLOVER might more appropriately be termed Prairie Plover, for it is upon dry, grassy or sage- brush plains that they are most abundantly found. During summer they are to be found distributed over the prairies in pairs. After the young are able to fly, several families unite and in large flocks wander about, feeding, playing, or dozing at will. Their food is almost wholly of various insects and 173 TURNSTONES (283a) Arendria intérpres morinélla (Linn.) (Lat., a sandy place; agent). RUDDY TURNSTONE; CALICO BACK. Bill short, rather stout and tapering to a slightly up-turned point. Legs short and stout; bright orange. Ads. in summer — Plumage shown in its highest development; usually the back is more or less mixed with brownish. Jn winter —The back with little or no chestnut and the black markings underneath replaced by grays. L., 9.50; W., 5.75; Tar., T.co;, Bs5:00: Range — Breeds on the Arctic coast. Winters south from S. Car. (283) A. interpres interpres TURNSTONE. A common Old World species breeding in Alaska and in Greenland. berries. Their flight is very rapid and quite erratic; they often twist and turn, the whole flock in unison, so as to expose to view alternately the upper and under parts. Famity APHRIZID. Surr-Birps anp TuRNSTONES TURNSTONES breed along our Arctic coast and winter from the Gulf coast southward. They appear in numbers along our shores in August and remain in the Northern States until the latter part of September. They are also with us during the greater part of May. Comparatively few pass through the interior, but quantities are to be found on the coasts. The variety we commonly see is now known as the Ruddy Turnstone; the common Turnstone, which is a trifle larger and not as rusty above, although breeding along our Arctic coast, migrates through the Old World. Our species is often known as the Calico-back. Turnstone bills have a slight upturn, due, we may presume, 174 OYSTER-CATCHERS (286) Heméatopus pallidtus Temm (Gr., red-footed; Lat., a cloak). OYSTER-CATCHER. Large and stocky. Bill long, heavy and com- pressed toward the tip which is al- most like a knife blade; bright red. Legs stout, coarse and flesh-colored; three-toed. Ads.—Plumage as shown, the back being brownish while the head and neck are dead black; base of tail and part of coverts white. Jm.— Head and neck brown- ish and feathers of back with buff edges. L., 20.00; W., 10.25; Tar., 2.40; B., 3.50. Eggs— Three or four, buffy, evenly spotted with black, 2.20x 1.55; laid on beaches. Range — Breeds from Va. and the Gulf coast southward. (285) EUROPEAN OYSTER- CATCHER (H. ostralegus) is oc- casionally found in Greenland. from their habits of turning over shells, small turfs, stones, etc., to get the insects, worms and minute shellfish usually to be found there. They sometimes tackle objects that require all their strength to pry over, and do not get dis- gruntled even if they are unable to, but unconcernedly walk to the next likely one. They are rather more deliberate in their actions than other plover, but they have the usual habit of running a few steps, then stopping short and standing erect to look about them: They frequent bold and rocky shores fully as often as sandy beaches. Famity HAXMATOPODID. Ovysrer-CatcHERSs A small but remarkable Family of large waders, contain- ing about a dozen species distributed over the globe, one of which breeds along our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Aside from their large size, their chief claim to distinction is in the long, large, bright red bill, the end of which is com- pressed so as to be thin as a knife blade. This peculiar tool is used for cleaving open mussels and other bivalves (but not 175 JACANAS (288) Jacana spinésa (Linn.) (A Brazilian name; | Lat., spiny, referring to the spur on the wing). MEXICAN JACANA. Wing with a sharp horny spur on the shoulder. A large leaf-like plate, free at the edges, extends from the base of the bill on the forehead. Legs long and slender; toes very long and the nails, especially of the hind toe, straight and extremely long. Ads. — Plumage as shown. Young birds are grayish-brown above and more or less buffy-white below; the wings are similar to those of the adults. L., 8.50; W., 5.00; Tar., 2.00; mid- dle toe 2.00; B., 1.25. Nest — Of weeds on floating piles of trash or lily pads; three to five olive eggs, scrawled with black, 1.20 x.95. Range — Rio Grande Valley and southern Fla. southward. oysters), and for digging up fiddler crabs, of which they are very fond. They travel in small flocks and are very wary. Their flight is swift and unusually conspicuous because of the glistening black and white plumage. Our species apparently is never seen away from tidewater. They can swim well, but rarely do so unless wounded; they do, however, often wade in water up to their bodies hunting for shrimps or detaching limpets from rocks. When flying or on the beach, they often utter shrill cries or whistles. Famity JACANIDZ. § Jacanas MEXICAN JACANAS, which reach our borders in southern Texas and the extreme point of Florida, may easily be regarded as the most peculiar of all our waders. They are quite pugnacious, as might be presumed from the appear- ance of a spur on the bend of the wings. The males fight among themselves, chiefly during the mating season, but of course are not nearly as warlike as the European Ruff, a 176 QUAILS, PARTRIDGES, GROUSE (289) Colinus virginianus vir= ginianus (Linn.) BOB-WHITE; QUAIL; VIR- —) GINIA PARTRIDGE. Feathers & of crown lengthened but not suffi- ciently so to forma true crest. Tail short, 12-feathered. co — Plumage as shown by middle bird. Throat and superciliary stripe pure white. The @, shown by the lower right hand bird, differs in having the throat buffy, and black markings of head replaced by brown. L., 10.00; W., 4.50; Tar., 1.20; B., .so. Eggs — Eight to sixteen, white, 1.20 x .95. Range — Resident from Me., Ont. and Minn. southward. In Fla., re- placed by FLORIDA BOB-WHITE (floridanus), a dark type as shown by the upper bird. In Tex. and N. Mex. by the TEXAS BOB-WHITE §@ (texanus). shore bird which always engages in combat for the sheer love of fighting. We may suppose that the leaf-like shield at the base of the bill offers some protection to the eyes against the spurs of their adversaries. The toes and claws are of very unusual length and slenderness, enabling Jacanas to run easily over floating vegetation. Their nests are made of weeds and decaying vegetation floating among rushes or lily pads after the fashion of grebes. The eggs are as curious as the birds —a bright tawny-olive, scrawled all over the surface with blackish lines. OrvER GALLIN/E. Gatiinaceous Birps Famity ODONTOPHORID. Bos-Wurtes, Qualts, ETC. BOB-WHITES, so called because their usual note of two clear whistles sounds most like those words, are almost al- ways known in eastern United States as Quail. Quail are birds of the open, birds of civilization. The farmer hears their calls during the warmer months and rejoices in them; 177 QUAILS, PARTRIDGES, GROUSE (293) Callipépla squamata squamata (Vigors) (Gr. beautifully arrayed; Lat., scale-like). SCALED QUAIL; BLUE QUAIL. A sombre-colored but handsome species the o& of whichisshown. The feathers on the neck and breast are margined with dusky, giving a scale- like appearance. The female is duller colored, the back being inclined to brownish. L., 10.50; W., 4.50; T., 3-75: Range — Ariz., N. Mex., western Tex. and southern Col., southward. (293a) C. s. castanogastris Brewster (Chestnut-belly). CHESTNUT-BELLIED SCALED QUAIL. Differs only in the chest- nut coloring on the abdomen. Found in southern Texas and southward. he knows they are good friends of his, for they destroy great quantities of injurious beetles. The sportsman hears their call and rejoices, for he thinks of the sport he is to have in fall, with his dog and gun. During May, the coveys have scattered and are divided into pairs, or perhaps some of the cock birds will have several hens, for they are more or less polygamous. A favorable spot is selected, perhaps along a stone wall or beside an old rail fence, where the grass is tall and heavy. An entrance is tunnelled out and the selected hollow in the ground lined with dead grasses. In this improvised cradle, a white egg, large and round at one end and pointed at the other, is deposited daily until from eight to sixteen fill the hollow. Sometimes as many as thirty are found in a single nest, probably indicating that Sir Bob has more than one wife. The eggs are always assembled neatly, with the pointed ends downward. Should a nest be discovered, the eggs must not be handled, for mother Quail will know it instantly she returns and is very apt to desert them. 178 QUAILS, PARTRIDGES, GROUSE (295) Lophértyx gambeli Gambel (Gr., a crest, a quail). GAMBEL’S QUAIL. Ad. *— Plumage as shown. Head with a handsome crest of recurved feathers about eight of them usually carried in one packet but capable of being separated at will. Notice that the forehead is black, the crown chest- nut and the flanks chestnut, thus differing decidedly from the crested California Quail, which has these areas whitish, brown and gray re- spectively. The @ has a smaller crest and lacks the black on head and belly but has the chestnut flanks. I, Toso; W,,.4025> Varsca20s) Ts. 3.75. Eggs — Eight to sixteen, buff, spotted and splashed with brown, 1.25 X 1.00. Range — Western Tex., Utah, Nev. and southern Cal. southward. The little buff-colored, ite chicks are led Aen: the fields and taught how to catch the insects that are best for them. They have a very watchful mother, who never allows them to stray far from the protection of tall grass or brush. If surprised during one of their rambles, at a warn- ing cluck, every chick dives for shelter, while the mother runs ahead of you squealing and giving a beautiful imitation of the way a wounded bird should act. Each chick, mean- while is absolutely motionless — practically out of sight, even though protected by but a single blade of grass; nor will they move until touched. When the danger is removed, a single whistle from the hen brings every little one scamper- ing to her as fast as their little legs can carry them, and they can run very swiftly. Many times I have followed the mother until she had decoyed me to what she thought a safe distance and, as soon as she took wing, hastened back and concealed myself so as to witness the assembling of the little family — or perhaps I-should say the large family of little ones. 179 QUAILS, PARTRIDGES, GROUSE (296) Cyrt6nyx montezime mearnsi Nelson (Gr., bent nail). MEARN’S QUAIL; MASSENA QUAIL; FOOL QUAIL. _ Bill very stout and compressed. Toes short but the claws greatly developed. Crest broad, flat and full-feathered. Plumage quite unique as shown, the male being the upper bird. The black and white markings on the head are of feathers having a velvety texture. L., 9.00; W., 4.75; T., 2.00; Tar., 1.20. Nest — A grass-lined de- pression, concealed in clumps of weeds or grass; six to twelve pure white eggs, 1.25 x .95, not as pointed as those of the Bob-White. Range — Arid Upper Sonoran and Transition zones from central Ariz., N. Mex. and central Tex. south to central Mexico. In fall, several families join to form large coveys, which roam about feeding upon various weed seeds, grain and berries, remaining banded until the next spring unless, unfortunately, some hunter and his dog may have discovered and annihilated them. In New England the combination of dog, gun, and ice storms have made the quail almost only a memory, but in the south and middle west, where they have more room and not so many gunners per square foot, they are still abundant. When a covey is approached they all squat in the stubble, trusting to escape detection — a thing impossible when the man is armed with a good bird dog. When kicked out of cover, all rumble off in different directions, but in straight lines presenting easy marks. Not so with the western quail. They have good strong legs to which they intrust their safety rather than by hiding. The man who hunts them gets a lot of hunting and tramping, but not such a great many quail. Gambel’s Quail and the Blue or Scaled Quail, both found in western Texas, are good examples of running quail. That peculiar species, the 180 GROUSE, PTARMIGAN (297) Dendragapus obscdrus obscarus (Say) (Gr., a tree, I love; Lat., dark). DUSKY GROUSE; BLUE- GROUSE. Tail normally with twenty feathers. Plumage as shown, the hen being smaller and a little lighter colored than the cock; _ tail with a broad gray tip; back finely vermiculated with gray and flank feathers with white tips and shaft lines. L., 20.00; W., 9.50; T., 7.50; weight up to 33 tbs. Range — Rocky Mountains from Col. to N. Mex (297b) D. o. richardsoni (Dougias). RICHARDSON’S DUSKY GROUSE. A rather darker variety with the gray tail bar reduced in width or wanting. Found in the Rocky Mountains from Mackenzie to Montana. Mearn’s, Massena or Fool Quail, also in western Texas, shows an indifference to mankind that is astonishing, to say the least. In remote places in the mountains they often stand stock still and gaze at a man in wonder, or will simply squat down in plain view and not move until touched. When they do fly, they go swiftly, making a sort of clucking sound at the same time. Famity TETRAONIDZ. Grovusr, PTaRMIGANS, ETC. The members of this family usually have a bare strip of skin over the eye; the tarsi are quite perfectly feathered, and sometimes the toes; the toes when naked have horny, fringe-like projections on the sides; many have bare spaces or unusual development of the feathers on the sides of the neck; the tail is of sixteen to twenty feathers, never folded as in pheasants, nor of unusual length. DUSKY GROUSE are among the largest of the family, a good cock bird weighing upward of three and a half pounds. I8r GROUSE, PTARMIGAN > (298) Canachites canadénsis canadénsis (Linn.) (Gr., a noise maker). HUDSONIAN SPRUCE PAR- TRIDGE. Similar to the next and better known variety; female said to be less rusty. Found in Labrador and west to the Rocky Mountains. (298c) C. c. candace § (Linn.) CANADA SPRUCE PAR- TRIDGE; CEDAR PARTRIDGE ; CANADA GROUSE. Tarsi feath- ered to the toes. A bare strip of red skin over the eyes. Plumage as figured, the male being the upper bird. L., 16.00; W., 7.00; T., 5.50. Eggs — Nine to sixteen, buff, boldly dotted and blotched with chestnut. Range —N. B., Ont. and Man. south to northern New England, N. Y., Mich., Wis. and Minn. They are perhaps more often known in the western region that they inhabit as Blue Grouse. They are of a peculiar color that harmonizes almost perfectly with the bark of the gigantic trees, the shadows of the immense ferns and the rocky ground; consequently they are very difficult to detect either while on the ground or in trees. When any one approaches, they usually hop up among the branches and remain motionless, hoping the intruder will pass without noticing them; usually they are not seen, but when they are, (young birds especially) they may still remain and allow themselves to be stricken down with sticks. Because of this foolish habit, they are locally termed “Fool Grouse.” Older birds, however, when discovered disappear with a rush and speed that are bewildering. During spring love-making, the males strut about like little turkey cocks, then hopping to low branches, stumps or logs, they fill air sacs on the sides of the neck and produce a low booming of a penetrating character such as to greatly deceive any one as to the distance of the performer. 182 GROUSE, PTARMIGAN (300) Bondsa umbéllus um= béllus (Linn.) (Gr., bison or.bull, to the bellow- ing of which their drumming is likened; Lat., umbel, referring to the umbrella-like ruffs). RUFFED GROUSE; “PAR- TRIDGE” (in New England); “PHEASANT ” (in Southern States). Head slightly crested. Two large neck ruffs, black on the cock and brownish-black on the hen. Tail of eighteen broad feathers. The tone of plumage may be either reddish- brown or gray irrespective of age or sex of the bird. L., 17.00; W., W503; U5, 7250: Range — Mass., N. Y., Mich. and Minn. south to Va.and Kan. From this northern limit northward is found the CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE (B. u. togata), a variety with brighter, blacker markings. CANADA SPRUCE GROUSE, which are found along our northern border and in Canada, are excellent examples of the tameness of wild birds when not hunted or shot at. In this case the flesh is not regarded as fit to eat; consequently neither sportsmen nor trappers kill them except rarely for amusement. They prefer and are most abundant in dense growths of spruce, or tamarack swamps. In remote places they show such indifference to human beings that they are often caught in the hands, and lumbermen amuse them- selves by catching them in a small noose at the end of a switch. RUFFED GROUSE, “Partridge,” as they are called in the north, or ‘Pheasants,’ as they are named in the south, are regarded by sportsmen as ‘‘Kings of American Game Birds.” Birds of handsome plumage and stately mien, they well deserve the title. They hold to the ground until discovery is unavoidable and then depart with a thunderous roar of wings and a speed, as they thread their way among the 183 GROUSE, PTARMIGAN (301) Lagépus lagépus lagépus (Linn.) (Lat., hare-foot). WILLOW PTARMIGAN. Tarsi and toes densely feathered. In win- ter, pure white, with black tail ' feathers. In summer, mottled with “reddish-brown, black and white as _ figured by middle bird. L., 16.00. Range — Breeds in northern and winters in southern Canada. (3o01a) ALLEN’S PTARMIGAN (L.L. Alleni), is found in Newfoundland. (302) Lagopus rupéstris ru= péstris (Gmel) ROCK PTARMIGAN. Has a smaller bill than the last and always a black spot in front of the eye. Plumage in summer, grayer and more barred. Found in northern Canada. (303) WELCH’S PTARMIGAN (L. wélchi), found in Newfoundland. tree trunks, that defies any but the best of shots. This suddenness of flight and the celerity with which they put a tree between themselves and their enemies are all that has enabled them to withstand the annual hunting. The cock grouse have favorite drumming logs to which they resort each spring. With tail erect and spread in a semicircle, head thrown back and completely encircled with the black ruff, he proudly struts back and forth. Suddenly he stops, the tail is lowered, he stands erect or leaning slightly forward, and the wings commence to fan the air; first slowly, but with rapidly increasing speed until the air vibrates with a hollow, rumbling, drumming sound. It has been photographically proven that the wings touch neither above the back nor on the sides, but are brought well forward in front of the breast. The object of this performance is twofold: to attract his lady-love to him and to challenge to combat any other cock grouse that might be within his domains. Her numerous, plain buff-colored eggs are laid in a hollow among dead leaves under a log or at the base of a 184 GROUSE, PTARMIGAN (305) Tympantichus ameri= canus americanus (Reich.) (Lat., a kind of kettle-drum). PRAIRIE HEN; PRAIRIE CHICKEN; PINNATED GROUSE. Tarsus scantily feathered to the toes. Head slightly crested. Neck with a tuft of lengthened feathers on either side, beneath which is a tympanum of bare yellowish skin capable, on the male, of being in- flated to the size of a small orange. The hen differs from the cock in smaller size and shorter pinnates. L., 17.00; W., 8.50; T., 4.50. Range — Plains from Sask. and Man. south, west of the Miss. River to Tex. Rare in Ind. (305a) T. a. Attwateri Bendire ATTWATER’S PRAIRIE CHICKEN. A smaller variety in La. and Tex. tree or stone. When discovered, her actions and those of the chicks are nearly like those of the Bob-Whites. PTARMIGAN are northern forms of grouse with com- pletely feathered toes, whose plumage is almost wholly white in winter, but in summer is largely mottled or barred with blacks, grays, and browns. In either season, the dress perfectly matches the surroundings. This protective dress is a necessity, especially during the long winters, when many a bird, many a beast, and many humans depend for food largely upon the plump bodies of these snow grouse. In order to avoid being tracked and captured by night-prowling mammals, Ptarmigan, like our Ruffed Grouse, plunge into the snow from the air, thereby leaving no telltale tracks leading to their hiding places — just a hole in the snow, that the prowler must discover by sight before he can scent his quarry. Ptarmigan are in an almost continual state of moulting; nearly every month in the year shows a different plumage for the same species. There are several species and many sub- 185 GROUSE, PTARMIGAN 1 (306) Tympanuchus cupido ‘| (Linn.) (The pinnates being likened to “Cupid’s wings”’). HEATH HEN. Resembling the cominon Prairie Chicken, but slightly smaller, with larger buffy- white spots on the scapulars, the crown more rufous and the pinnates of less than ten pointed feathers. Range — The wooded portions of island of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. (307) Tympanuchus pallidi= cinctus (Ridgway). LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN. Slightly smaller and paler than the Prairie Chicken; the bars, both above and below, instead of being solid are composed of a brown body bordered on either edge with black. Range — Plains from Kan. south to Tex. species, including three very distinct types. The Willow Ptarmigan has quite a stout bill and black outer tail feathers; the Rock Ptarmigan has a much smaller bill, black outer tail feathers and a black spot in front of the eye; and White- tailed Ptarmigan, in all seasons, have pure white tails. PRAIRIE CHICKENS are to the hunters of the plains what Ruffed Grouse are to those of wooded regions, ‘“‘ Kings of Game Birds.”” From a sporting point of view, they entail few of the hardships often found in successfully hunting the eastern grouse, for they can easily be hunted from horse- back, in carriages, or even from automobiles. They flush from the grass or low-brush covered plains singly or not more than two at a time, so that the gunner has time to sometimes “bag” the whole flock. Their flight is swift and low, but in a straight line and interspersed with short sailings. The courtship of Prairie Chickens is a unique and enter- taining performance. The place selected for the amphithe- atre is usually a rather bare rise on the prairie. To this spot the actors, the cock birds, and the spectators, the hens, repair every morning for a week or more. The males will strut 186 GROUSE, PTARMIGAN (308) Pedicecétes phasianéllus phasianéllus (Linn.) (Gr., a plain inhabitant; Lat., a small pheasant). SHARP-TAILED GROUSE; PIN- TAIL GROUSE. Legs and_ feet feathered to the bases of the toes. A slight crest, but no ruffs or pin- nates. Slightly larger and consider- ably darker colored than the next. Range — From Ungava west to Alaska. (308b) P. p. campéstris Ridg- way. (Lat., relating to a plain). (Lat., relating to a plain). PRAIRIE SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. Plumageasshown. Cen- tral tail feathers elongated. L., 19.00; W., 8.50; T., 1.50 (outer) to 6.00 (middle). Range — Southern Man. and Al- berta south to Ill., Kan. and Wyo. about with orange sacs puffed out and pinnates elevated so that the head is concealed, tail erect and fan-shaped, and wings trailing on the ground. As they dance about, at frequent intervals will come rumbling, booming noises as some of the sacs are deflated. After the strutting exhi- bition they engage in general conflict, two or more birds usually contending for the favor of each hen, until one of the warriors is vanquished. HEATH HENS differ from the western chickens in plum- age only in having fewer-feathered, pointed instead of square- ended pinnates, larger spots on the scapulars, and a browner crown. It is the most locally distributed bird that we have, now being confined to the one island of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. Here it frequents the scrubby oaks that cover parts of the interior. PRAIRIE SHARP-TAILED GROUSE are also abundant on the plains and prairies of interior United States and Canada, but their range is rather to the westward of that of the Prairie Chickens, for the reason that while the latter 187 GROUSE, PTARMIGAN (309) Centrocércus uropha= siAnuSs (Bonap.) (Gr., spine tail; Lat., tail pheasant). SAGE COCK; SAGE HEN. Largest of American grouse, weigh- ing up to eight pounds. Tail long and of stiff, narrow pointed feathers; neck capable of great distension by means of numerous air cells; in full breeding plumage, the lower neck of the male is adorned with a fringe of hair-like filaments, below which are scale-like white feathers. The hen is much smaller and with no peculiar feathers on the neck; the throat is also white. L., 28.00; W., 12.00; T., 12.00. Eggs—Six to twelve, grayish-drab, specked with brown, narrow, 2.20 X 1.55. Range — Sagebrush plains from Sask. and B. C. south to Kan. and eastern Cal. species will, like quail, live on or near cultivated land, the former retreat before the advance of civilization. Their habits are in all respects quite similar to those of the Chick- ens; they utter similar booming sounds in spring. SAGE HENS are the very largest of the grouse family. They get their name from the fact that they are habitually found on sage plains in the west, and also feed almost entirely upon sage leaves and various berries. Their colors are such as to harmonize wonderfully with their surroundings; while a walking or strutting bird looms up plainly because of its size, one crouched on the ground can with difficulty be discerned at a distance of but a few feet. The hen, when incubating, sits very closely and will allow any one to pass within a few feet without moving. After the eggs are laid, the cock birds band together and leave all housekeeping cares to the hens. They are quite wary and get up one at a time with considerable noise of the wings as well as loud cackling; it is quite difficult for them to get under way because of their weight. 188 TURKEYS (310a) Meleagris gallopavo silvéstris Vieill. (Lat., a Guinea- fowl; a cock, a pea-fowl; of the woodland). WILD TURKEY. Head and neck naked and warty; a dewlap on the throat and a soft, erectile process on the forehead. Plumage as shown; notice that the tail coverts are coppery, without white edging. The hen is smaller, less lustrous and without spurs. L., 40.00; weight of o' up to 30 lbs.; Q averaging about 12 tbs. Eggs—Ten: to fourteen, buff, regularly spotted with reddish- brown, 2.45 x 1.85. Range — From Pa. and Neb. south to the Gulf; formerly north to Ont. and Me. (310b) M. g. oscéola Scott FLORIDA TURKEY. A smaller variety with lighter tips to the upper tail coverts. Found in Fla. r Hi i } i i i Their antics during the spring match-making are even more ludicrous than those of other grouse. The big air-sacs on the sides of the neck are filled almost to the bursting point, causing the stiff, bristly feathers to stand out like the quills of a porcupine; the tail is erect, and the stiff, pointed feathers spread to their limit; with wings dragging on the ground, the bird struts about, so swelled up with pride that his breast bumps along the ground. Tous, such a perform- ance, especially by such large birds, seems rather foolish, but the hens like it, and it decides them as to which indi- viduals they will have for partners, even though they know the old fellows will desert them at the first opportunity. Famity MELEAGRID®. TvurxKeys WILD TURKEYS, by virtue of their great size, their wariness and their great gift to the human race in the shape of domestic turkeys, are really entitled to be called the real kings of all birds. *Twas not our eastern bird that was 189 PHEASANTS ma i peer) Phasianus torquatus tam eA Gmel. (Lat., the bird of the river Phasis; collared). RING-NECKED PHEASANT. A Chinese species introduced into various parts of this country ap- parently with success. Well es- tablished in the east, particularly in Mass. and in the west, especially in Ore. and Wash. It apparently thrives much better here than the English, Green or Golden Pheasant, all of which have been liberated here. Plumage as shown, the cock very handsomely and brilliantly colored, while the hen is clothed in demure browns. L., o& up to 36.00, half of which is in the tail; 9 about 22.00. Eggs — Eight to fifteen, plain brown- ish-drab; in tall grass usually border- ing fields. first domesticated, but the slightly larger variety found in Texas and Mexico, which was first sent across the water, there to be kept as barnyard fowl. While the Wild Turkey is exceedingly shy, in some respects he is quite foolish, for, with no thought of the consequences, he would follow the trail of corn down a shallow trench and up into the log pen provided for his capture. It was this method of trapping, more than the rifles of our ancestors, that made the wild bird a thing of the past in New England. Turkeys have extraordinary eyesight; it is to their eyes that they trust to discover danger and upon their legs that they depend to escape it. A hunter and his dog may follow one a merry chase before he finally puts it to flight and then it will probably rise beyond the reach of his gun. The most experienced and successful hunters are those who can lie in wait in a turkey haunt and call them into view by clever imitation of their gobbling. The gobblers have the same propensities as are shown by the barnyard birds, but the conflict between males in spring is far more furious. 190 CURASSOWS, GUANS (311) Ortalis vétula mecalli Baird (Gr., a pullet). CHACHALACA; TEXAN GUAN. Head crested. Space about the eyes and on each side of the chin, naked, orange-colored. Wings short and convex. Tail very long, broad and rounded. Plumage as shown; the back has a brassy lustre and the tail is more or less glossed with green- ish. Sexes alike in plumage. L., 23.00; W., 8.00; T., 11.00; Tar. 2.00. Nest—A frail platform of sticks placed in bushes a few feet above ground. The three or four white eggs have a rough, granular surface, like those of a Guinea-fowl, 2.30 X 1.60. Range — Abundant in Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas; south through Mexico. Famity PHASIANIDZE. Pueasants A Family represented in this country only by introduced species, best established of which are RING-NECKED PHEASANTS. These beautiful fowls were first liberated in Oregon, where they thrived exceedingly well. They were then introduced into various sections of the Eastern States, in some of which they have apparently taken a permanent foothold. Beyond a little dignified strutting, they have no eccentricities during the mating season. The cock birds do, however, often indulge in battles in which the sharp spurs are used with telling effect, the loser running away like a vanquished rooster, with his victor close on his heels. Famity CRACID/E. Curassows anp GuaNns A Family so differing from all the preceding fowls that it is placed under a sub-order, PENELOPES. Ior PIGEONS, DOVES (314) ColGmba_ leucocéphala Linn. (Lat., a pigeon; Gr., white head). WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON. A slaty-gray species having the whole top of the head white. A Cuban pigeon, casual on the Florida Keys. (315) Ectopistes migratérius (Linn.) (Gr.,a wanderer; Lat., migratory). PASSENGER PIGEON; WILD PIGEON. Tail long, of twelve graduated, pointed feathers. Ad. co’ — Plumage as shown; blue-gray above and rusty-brown below; a metallic green and purple patch on the sides of the neck; no black spots on the head. Ad. 9— Duller above and brownish-gray below; tail _ Shorter. Range — From Quebec and Kee- watin south to the Gulf. Now per- haps extinct. CHACHALACAS, our only representatives of this Family, are abundant in southern Texas. They combine an exceedingly long, broad tail and long legs with a compara- tively small body. They can run with great rapidity, but their flight is rather weak and accompanied by considerable sailing, in which the broad tail is of great assistance. While tourists do not regard them as very edible, they are hunted by natives and sold in the markets. They are quite readily domesticated and often kept with other fowls, but their harsh, discordant voices, with qualities similar to those of Guinea-fowls, make them far from desirable. OrpER COLUMB. Picrons anp Doves Famity COLUMBIDAS. Picrons AnD Doves PASSENGER PIGEONS, or Wild Pigeons, according to the tales handed down to us by our ancestors and our famous early naturalists, must have been.one of the most abundant species of birds that ever lived in this or any other country. 192 PIGEONS, DOVES (316) Zenaiddra macrotra carolinénsis (Linn.) (Gr., long tail). MOURNING DOVE; CARO- LINA DOVE; TURTLE DOVE. Tail long and graduated. Always a black spot under the ear coverts and often one back of the eye. Ad. 7 — Plumage as figured, brownish above and vinaceous or pinkish-brown below. The @ is similar but plain brownish- gray below. Immature birds have the back more or less edged with whitish. L., under 13.00; W., 5.75; T., 5.75. Nest — A frail structure of twigs in trees, bushes or on the ground; the two eggs are pure white, 1.15 x .80. Range—Breeds from southern Canada south throughout the U. S. (317) Zenaida zenaida (Bonap.) ZENAIDA DOVE. A West In- dian species, casual in summer on the Florida Keys. We, a hundred years later, cannot discover a single nesting place, although thousands of dollars have been offered as rewards for such discovery. The passing of the Wild Pigeon from our fauna is parallel with the exit of the buffalo. Apparently limitless in numbers, they were slaughtered without restraint. Guns were not effective enough; where they might get fifty or more at a single shot from a gun, they could catch a thousand with a single throw of the net. The killings took place throughout eastern United States. Men stood on the bluffs at the edge of the Great Lakes armed with poles or clubs, and struck down migrating birds, weary with the flight across the water, until their arms ached from the exertion. Birds were barreled and sold in Boston and New York markets; many of them were shipped abroad. The last great nesting was at Petosky, Mich., in 1878. Nearly every tree in a tract forty miles long and three to ten miles wide, contained one or more nests. Suffice it to say that this nesting was entirely wiped out. 193 PIGEONS, DOVES (318) Leptétila fulvivéntris brachyptera -Salvadori (Lat., fulvous belly; Gr., short wing). WHITE-FRONTED DOVE. A Mexican species reacking our: bound- aries in southern Tex. ‘Tail rounded, only slightly tipped with white; face white, shading into the olive- brownish upper parts a coppery, purplish iridescence on the back and sides of neck. L., 12.25; T., 4.25. (319) Melopelia asiatica (Linn.) (Gr., melody dove). WHITE-WINGED DOVE; SINGING DOVE. A Mexican species reaching southern Tex., N. Mex. and southern Fla. and casually to south- ern Cal. and Col. It has a rounded tail of twelve feathers, the outer ones being broadly white-tipped; the wing coverts are largely white, as figured. L., 12.00; T., 4.25. At the present time there may be a few scattered pairs of Wild Pigeons left; if so, they may be found nesting in any of our Northern States or in interior Canada. Any nest below ten feet from the ground and any in which the parent shows any black on the side of the head is assuredly that of the next species. MOURNING DOVES are rather abundant in most of the United States and southern Canada. They show little fear of man and will nest in his orchard trees just as readily as in woodland. The nests, very shallow, frail structures of twigs, may be found in almost any situation from the tops of tall trees down to the ground; occasionally the two eggs are laid in a bare hollow on a log, stone or stump, with no lining. As usual with members of this Family, their flight is very swift and accompanied by a whistling of the wings as they rapidly fan the air. The dove song is, as their name indicates, a long-drawn, mournful cooing, not loud, but with a penetrating quality that carries it for a long distance. 194 (321) Scardafélla inca (Less.) (Ital., scaly-feathered). INCA DOVE. Tail long and graduated, the outer feathers broadly tipped with white; bases of primaries largely chestnut; the black edging of feathers gives the bird a scaly appearance as shown. L., 8.00; T., 4.00. A Mexican species reaching southern Tex. and Ariz. (320) Chemepelia passerina terréstris (Chapman) (Lat., sparrow-like; terrestrial). GROUND DOVE. Very small. Tail short and nearly square-ended. Plumage as shown, the general tone being vinaceous below and brown above. L., 6.50; T., 2.75. Range — South Atlantic and Gulf States from Tex. to N. Car. Casual north to N. Y. WHITE-FRONTED and WHITE-WINGED DOVES are Mexican species, the former of which occurs in southern Texas and the latter along our southwestern border. The latter species has a peculiar call note —- more varied than that of any other of our doves; put to words, it is usually repre- sented as ‘“‘cook-for-you” —a strange but not unmusical sound, somewhat like the first crowing attempts of a young rooster. In Mexico they are called singing doves and are often kept caged because the natives fancy their song. GROUND DOVES, our smallest species, are rather common in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. They are not at all shy; in fact, they seem to prefer the neighborhood of dwellings. While they do all their feeding on the ground, where they scratch about like tiny chickens, they nest a few feet above, in vines or bushes. The nests are more sub- stantial than those of Mourning Doves. INCA DOVES are slightly larger, owing to their longer tails; their plumage is very scaly in appearance, because all feathers are sharply edged with dusky; the primaries are 105 BIRDS OF PREY (325) Cathdartes atra septen- trionalis Wied (Gr., a purifier; Lat., northern) TURKEY VULTURE; TUR- KEY BUZZARD. Whole head and upper neck naked and red, as shown by the upper bird. Tip of bill horn- color. Wings long, folding beyond the tail. L., 28.00; Ex., 72.00; W., 23.00; T., 12.00. Eggs—Two whitish, handsomely marked with brownish-black, 2.90 x 1.90; on the ground or in hollow logs or trees. (326) Catharista Grubu (Vieill.) BLACK VULTURE; CARRION CROW. Naked head, black. A smaller but heavier bird than the last. Wings shorter; under surface of wings white. L., 24.00; Ex., 54.00; W., 17.00. Found north regularly only to Va. and Ind. while the pre- ceding reaches N. Y., Ont. and Man. conspicuously reddish-brown. Their habits are quite like those of the far more common Ground Doves, but they construct even better and more deeply cupped nests located in bushes a few feet from the ground. They are found within our range only casually in southern Texas and a little more frequently along the Arizona border. OrpER RAPTORES. Brirps or PREY Famity CATHARTIDE. American VULTURES TURKEY VULTURES are our most abundant repre- sentatives of this interesting and quite useful Family — found throughout the United States, except in New England, and in the south-central portion of Canada. They are scavengers, wholly; they kill nothing themselves, unless possibly it be very sick or badly wounded. Their eyesight is remarkable and their sense of smell no less acute. Let any creature die or be shot and left in the woods and, within 196 BIRDS OF PREY (327) Elanoides forficatus (Linn.) (Lat., a kite, Gr., resemblance; Lat., deeply forked). SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. Tail long and deeply forked. Wings long and narrow. Legs short but feet strong. Plumage as shown; head and under parts pure white; back, wings and tail glossy blue-black. Linings of wings white. Immature birds are less lustrous and the wing and tail feathers are tipped with white. L., 24.00; Ex., 50.00; W., 16.50; T., 12.00 or more, cleft for half its length; Tar., 1.25. Nest — Of twigs, lined with moss and root- lets; located in the tops of tall trees; three or four bluish-white eggs, blotched with brown, 1.85 x 1.50. Range — Breeds locally from S. Car., Ind., Minn. and Sask. south through Mexico. a very few hours, vultures will be cleaning up the remains. The present species can readily be identified from any hawk or eagle at a distance, when in flight, because the tips of the wings are curved upward. BLACK VULTURES, which are abundant in our South- ern States, are heavier than the preceding, although they have less expanse of wing; consequently their flight lacks the ease and grace always associated with that of the Turkey Vulture. Its black, naked head and white under surfaces of the wings will readily distinguish it from the latter. Both species are usually to be found along our southern coasts feeding upon dead fish that are cast upon the shore. They are also often seen even in the streets of some southern cities, where they perform the offices of the garbage collectors of northern cities. Famity BUTEONID. Kuires, Hawks, EacLes, ETC. SWALLOW-TAILED KITES inhabit the warmer por- tions of America, in the United States chiefly along the south- 197 BIRDS OF PREY (328) Elanus leucdrus (Vieill.) (Lat., a kite; Gr., white-tailed). WHITE-TAILED KITE. Plum- age as figured by the bird on the left; head, under parts and _ tail white; back pearl-gray; primaries and shoulders black. Legs and cere yellow. L., 16.00; Ex., 40.00; W., T2.s0; “[., 7:50; Tar; 1:30. Nest — Of sticks and weeds at high ele- vations; three or four white eggs, profusely blotched with brown, 1.65 x 1.35. Range — Breeds along the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. (329) Ictinia mississippiénsis (Wilson). MISSISSIPPI KITE. Plumage lead-gray, with blackish wings and tail. L., 14.00. Range — Breeds from S. Car., Ind. and Ia. south to Tex. and Fla. ern border, but extending casually to Virginia and up the Mississippi Valley to Minnesota. They are exceedingly handsome birds and, as would be suspected from their form, in aerial manceuvres, they are excelled by no bird that flies. Their food consists chiefly of small reptiles, frogs and various insects. They are very often seen flying with long, slender snakes dangling from their rather weak talons. They are fond of dragon flies, which they catch easily despite their speed and erratic flight. WHITE-TAILED KITES are found from our southern border south to Argentine Republic. Their flight, while perhaps not as swift as that of the preceding species, is very gracefully performed. They may frequently be seen stoop- ing over the meadows, at heights of fifty or more feet; sud- denly one will pause on quivering wings, like the hover of a Kingfisher, and then dash to earth and secure a mouse or reptile that his keen eyes have discovered in the grass. The nests of this species are but little more accessible than those of the last, but they average to be considerably lower. 198 BIRDS OF PREY (330) Rostrhamus socidabilis (Vieill.) (Lat.,a beak, a hook; gregarious). EVERGLADE KITE; SNAIL HAWK. Bill long, slender and hooked into a sickle-shape; cutting edges smooth, with no_ notches. Legs, cere and bare loral space yellow. General color slaty-black, lighter on the wings and blacker on the head. Rump, tip of tail and bases of the lateral feathers white. L., 17.00; Ex., 44.00; W., 14.50; T., 7.00; Tar., 2.00. Nest —Of twigs, lined with leaves and weeds; placed in bushes, usually over water; two or three greenish-white eggs, heavily blotched with brown, 1.70 X 1.45. Range — Resident in the southern half of Fla., the West Indies, eastern Mexico, and eastern South America to Argentina. MISSISSIPPI KITES breed chiefly in those states bordering on the Gulf coast and occasionally north to Kansas. They are very active and, like the other kites, have wonderful powers of flight, often soaring to such heights as to be almost invisible. Their notes are shrill, broken whistles, very similar to those of the two preceding species. EVERGLADE KITES are common throughout tropical America, but reach our borders only in the Everglades of Florida. Their form is peculiar, somewhat suggestive of that of the Marsh Hawk, but the wings are even longer than those of that species. In most parts of their range they are known as Snail Hawks, because their food consists almost wholly of a certain species of snail. The bill, with its long, rounded, hooked tip, is peculiarly adapted to drawing these creatures from their houses. As each pair of birds claims a section of swamp as its own, and have favorite perches to which most of their captures are brought to be dissected, the discarded shells often collect in quite large mounds. These lookout places are usually on small islands where the 199 BIRDS OF PREY (331) Circus hudsénius (Linn.) (Lat., a kind of hawk; of Hudson’s Bay). MARSH HAWK or HARRIER; BLUE HAWK. Bill, at the base, thickly set with long, curved bristles. Face surrounded with an incomplete ruff of short feathers, similar to owls. Ear opening very large. Ad. @ — In perfect plumage, as shown by the nearer bird, a light blue-gray above with white rump. Ad. 9 and Jm.— As shown by the farther bird; under parts rusty; head and upper parts reddish-brown; rump white. L. 18.50; Ex:, 42:00; W.,. 13.50; T., 9.50; Tar., 3.00. Eggs—Three to five, plain bluish-white, 1.80 x 1.40; laid on the ground in marshy places. Range — Breeds throughout the U. S. and temperate Canada. Win- ters in southern U. S. ’ bushes or trees are taller, so they can see more of the sur- rounding country and keep tabs upon their nests, which are located in the tops of bushes or saw-grass within three or four feet of the water. The nests are made of small sticks and dry grasses and measure about a foot across. MARSH HAWKS, in summer, are pretty well distributed throughout the United States, Canada, and Alaska. During early morning or toward dusk they may usually be seen sweeping in wide circles over most marshes or meadows, searching for meadow mice and moles, which constitute the greater part of their bill of fare. The poor mouse has pretty good prospects of sooner or later finding a final resting place in the stomach of some carnivorous or raptorial creature; if it ventures abroad during daylight, it finds scores of hawks and herons ready to pounce upon it; if it emerges from its retreat at dusk, the present hawk, the Night Heron, or the Short- eared Owl may at any instant spy it; or if it comes forth in the dead of night, other owls or predatory mammals are still lurking about with unappeased appetites. 200 BIRDS OF PREY (332) Accipiter vélox (Wils.) (Lat., a hawk; swift). SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. Tail long and square-ended (this is the most infallible distinction between this and the next species), crossed by about four blackish bars. Adults in perfect plumage are bluish-gray above, and below are barred with rusty. Young birds have blackish- brown upper parts, and below are striped lengthwise with brown. The feathers of the crown and nape show whitish bases when disturbed. L., 10.00-14.00, the @ being the larger; W., 6.00-7.00; T., 5.00- 6.00. Nest—A frail structure of twigs in trees; three to five whitish eggs, beautifully marked with brown TAG KirerSs Range — Breeds throughout the U.S. and Canada. Marsh Hawks, whether in the light, blue-gray plumage or the dark, reddish-brown dress, may readily be recognized in flight by the prominent white upper tail coverts. This species not only alights upon the ground more often than any other of our hawks, but builds its nests in the marshes or meadows. ‘These nests are made chiefly of grasses or rushes, quite well hollowed out to receive the four to seven unmarked bluish-white eggs. The eggs are covered by one of the adults nearly all the time and hatch in about three weeks. The parents seem to share about equally the task of feeding the young. The whole family usually remains united until they migrate. SHARP-SHINNED HAWKES, although of small size, are reckoned as among our most destructive birds of prey. Although they undeniably do good by the mice and squirrels that they destroy, they do a much greater amount of harm by killing a great many insect and seed-eating birds; they attack and kill birds as large or larger than themselves, such as Pigeons, Mourning Doves, Bob-Whites, etc. They also 201 BIRDS OF PREY (333) Accipiter cooperi (Bonap.) COOPER’S HAWK. This species is almost the same as the last in all respects save size, and large speci- mens of the last may be as large as small ones of the present bird. The tail is rounded in all plumages; this is a sure identification, and the crown is also darker, being darker than the back, while that of the last species is the same color as the back. L., 16.00-20.00; W., 9.00-11.00;_ T., 7.00-9.00; Nest—Of sticks and twigs in crotches of trees; old crow or hawk nests are often used; the three or four eggs are bluish-white. Range — Breeds from Quebec, Kee- watin and southern B. C. south to the southern border of the U. S. Winters from Mass., Ind. and B. C. southward. pay frequent visits to poultry yards, with the result that a young pullet is missing after nearly every visit. They do not circle about in the air searching for prey, as larger hawks do, but quietly and unobtrusively slip in and out along the edges of woods until a hapless bird is sighted at close range; a sud- den and swift dash ends with the little hawk the victor. Their nests are placed in crotches close to the main trunks of woodland trees; often old crow nests are used. The eggs of this species are regarded as among the most beautifully marked of any of the Raptores—a bluish-white, very boldly splashed with dark brown. COOPER’S HAWKS are, in plumage, nearly perfect enlargements of the last species, but the crown is darker than the back, and the end of the tail is always rounded, while that of the last species is rather square-ended. In their feeding habits, there is even more similarity between the two species, for this is, like the Sharp-shinned species, exceed- ingly destructive to valuable birds and poultry. Cooper’s Hawks probably use old crow nests oftener than they build 202 BIRDS OF PREY (334) Astur atricapillus atri= capillus (Wilson) (Lat., a hawk; black-haired). GOSHAWE; BLUE HEN HAWK. Tarsi strong, feathered halfway down in front. Ads.— Above dark bluish-slate color, each feather with a black shaft line; below whitish, closely barred with zigzag blackish lines and penciled with black shaft streaks. Top of the head blackish as shown, being separated from the dark sides of the head by a whitish superciliary line. Jm.— Above dark brown, varied with whitish and rusty; below streaked with dark brown. L., 20.00-24.00; Ex., 42.00; T., 9.00- 12.00; Tar., 2.75. Range — Breeds from N. H. and Mich. north to Ungava, Keewatin and Alaska. Winters in northern United States. new ones of their own; consequently their nests are most often found in coniferous trees. When they make their own home, it is usually placed at no great height and most often against the trunk of the tree. The eggs are bluish- white, either plain or with indistinct brownish markings. When their homes are molested, Cooper’s Hawks often dash toward the intruder, uttering shrill cries. At other times they are very silent birds. When hunting, they follow a devious path through the woods just over the underbrush or along some creek bottom, ready to pounce upon grouse or any other birds that they may discover. GOSHAWKS, large, handsome creatures, are the most destructive of any of our birds of prey. They might be termed sportsmen among birds, for their prey is chiefly of those species that are generally considered as game. They are boreal birds, so the greater part of the year they live north of the United States, but they visit us in greater or less numbers every winter according to the severity of the weather and game conditions farther north. When hungry, 203 BIRDS OF PREY (335) Parabditeo unicinctus harrisi (Aud.) (Gr., near, Lat., buz- zard-hawk; Lat., once girdled). HARRIS’S HAWK. Loral re gion quite bare and set with short stiff hairs. Five outer primaries emarginate or notched. Plumage as shown, chiefly blackish - brown; shoulders, linings of wings and tibia bright chestnut; upper and under tail coverts and base of tail broadly white and end of tail narrowly tipped with the same. Immature birds are lighter, the under parts spotted or streaked with tawny and the tibia are buffy, barred with dusky. L., 21007) E)X:, 45.0070 W.,, 13-sO;me le, 9.50; Tar., 3.00. Nest — Of sticks and weeds in trees or bushes; three or four white eggs, 2.10 x 1.65. Range — Southern La., Tex., N. Mex., Ariz. and Cal. a condition they are in a great deal of the time, they are fearless beyond comparison. A farmer feeding his fowls may hear a swish of wings, and see one of his favorite hens borne off before his eyes; so sudden and unexpected is the rush that he is wholly powerless to prevent it. Unfortu- nately our farmers are not usually well versed in ornithology. They know no distinction between hawks save Hen Hawks (large) and Chicken Hawks (small). As a matter of fact, this species and the two preceding ones are the only ones that really do harm poultry or our bird life. Ptarmigan, grouse, poultry, ducks, rabbits, and lemmings are the principle staples in the order of the Goshawk pref- erence. Sir Goshawk may play a waiting game and sit patiently on his perch until some delectable morsel passes within range of his sudden dash; but when hunger spurs him, he slowly and silently wings his way through the woods, along creeks or across fields. The creature that betrays its presence is doomed, for his sharp talons will strike it down 204 BIRDS OF PREY (337) Btteo borealis borealis (Gmel.) (Lat., northern). RED-TAILED HAWK; “HEN HAWK.’’ Four outer primaries emarginate or notched. Ads. — Plumage as shown; the tail bright ru- fous, crossed near the tip by a narrow black band. Jm.— Back with some whitish mottling; tail the same color as back, crossed by numerous dark bars; sides and breast more heavily streaked and barred than in the adults. L., 22.00; Ex., 52.00; W., 16.00; T., 9.50; Tar., 2.75. Range — North America, east of the Rockies. A lighter form, KRI- DER’S HAWK (B. b. krideri), is found on the plains from Minn. and N. Dak. south to Mo. HARLAN’S HAWK (B. b. harlani), found in the Gulf States, has the tail of the adults mottled with dusky. before it has fairly started in flight. The Goshawk strikes with such swiftness and strength that the whole side of his victim is often torn out at the first impact. HARRIS’S HAWKS are sluggish species whose habits are largely of the same character as those of vultures — scavengers. They are Mexican hawks, but are found along our southwestern border. RED-TAILED HAWKS are one of our largest, hand- somest and best known species. As they frequent the open chiefly, when engaged in hunting, they suffer greatly from the shotguns of farmers who suppose them to be the hawks that have so persistently been taking their poultry. In reality, a pair of Red-tails would be an excellent investment for every farmer to have on his acres, for they live almost wholly on small mammals and reptiles, seldom touching any form of bird life unless their regular food supply is exhausted. Red-tails are powerful, although not speedy, in flight. During migrations, and often in play, they soar to great 205 BIRDS OF PREY (339) Buteo lineatus lineatus (Gmel.) (Lat., striped). RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. Four outer primaries notched; all barred conspicuously with black and white. Ads.— Plumage as_ shown by the bird on the right, very heavily barred with rusty below; lesser wing coverts more or less bright chestnut. Im.— Above, including the shoulders, dark brown; below streaked with brown. L., 20.00; Ex. 42.00; T., 8.50; Tar., 3.00. Eggs — White, blotched with brown, 2.15 X 1.75. Range—Breeds from N. S., Quebec, and Keewatin south nearly to the Gulf. Winters from Mass. and Mich. south to the Gulf. A smaller, paler species, FLORIDA RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (N. 1. Alleni), is found in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. heights, moving slowly with the wind or in wide circles on apparently motionless wings. At such times they frequently give utterance to their shrill, piercing whistles. Their nests are usually placed quite high in any kind of woodland trees. I have found more in chestnuts than in any others, but probably only because these trees are abun- dant in New England woods. Smaller woods with open fields and swamps near at hand are preferred by these birds. Their nests are rather bulkily constructed, but are well made, for they are used year after year if not molested too often; they are lined with strips of bark, fine twigs, and usually some feathers. The eggs are dull white, usually blotched with brown, but very variable . RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, which are slightly smaller and even more common and better known than Red-tails, are very similar in their food habits to the latter — that is, they may be regarded as excellent hawks to have about from an economic standpoint. Too many of them would not be desirable, because a shortage of rodents would 206 BIRDS OF PREY (341) Buteo albicaudatus sén- netti Allen — (Lat. white-tailed). SENNETI’S WHITE-TAILED HAWK. Three outer primaries notched. Ads.— Plumage as shown; upper parts plumbeous except the rump and tail, which are white, the latter with a subterminal black band and numerous indistinct wavy lines; lesser wings coverts bright chestnut. Im.— General plumage blackish-brown, varied with white and buff underneath; L., 23.00; W., 17.00; T., 7.50. Eggs — Dull white, with a few brown spots. Range — From middle Tex. south- ward. (344) Buteo brachydrus Vicill (Gr., short tail). SHORT-TAILED HAWK. A small two-phased dark species found from southern Fla. southward. cause them to take to birds and poultry; but such a case can hardly happen, for a single piece of woodland will, in summer, support but a single pair of Red-shoulders; they will not tolerate the presence of others of the same species. This is true of several other species; while several different hawks may be found nesting near together, rarely will more than one pair of any one kind be in the same piece of woods. Their nesting is very similar to that of the Red-tail. If anything, the average height of their nests above ground will be rather less than that of the latter. As usual with many birds of prey, the lining will include some feathers, more being added as incubation progresses. The eggs are dull white, usually smeared and blotched with different shades of brown. When any one climbs to their nests, both birds will circle about overhead or perch in nearby trees, uttering loud, whistling calls. SENNETT’S WHITE-TAILED HAWKS are southern species, found within our borders only near the coast region of southern Texas. Their food is believed to be almost 207 BIRDS OF PREY (342) Buteo swainsoni Bonap. SWAINSON’S HAWK. Three outer primaries notched. The back, wings and tail are blackish-brown in all plumages, but the under parts vary almost indefinitely. A per- fectly plumaged o is shown. The @ has the breast darker, almost ma- hogany colored, and the under parts are heavily cross-barred with chest- nut or blackish. One plumage, per- haps a dark phase, is uniform blackish- brown. Immature birds have the under parts pale yellowish-brown, heavily streaked on the breast and lightly barred below with brownish. L., 20.00; W., 15.50; T., 8.75. Eggs — White spotted with brown; in trees or on ledges; 2.20 x 1.70. Range — Breeds from Man., Mac- kenzie and Alaska south to Chile. Casual east of the Mississippi River. wholly insectivorous. Their nests are placed in the tops of bushes, rarely more than ten feet above ground. SWAINSON’S HAWKS are common and widely distrib- uted in western North America, but are only of casual occurrence east of the Great Plains. They probably exhibit greater diversity of plumage than any other species, the handsomest and typical adult plumage being the one shown here. They show less fear of man than most other species are wont to do. Their food is made up almost entirely of smal] rodents and insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, etc. That they do not prey upon small birds is very evident when it is considered that nests, in use, of this hawk, Bullock’s Orioles, Arkansas Kingbirds, and grackles have been found in the same tree, and the two latter species sometimes build their homes among the sticks composing that of the large hawk. Their nesting sites vary fully as much as their plumages. These may be the tops of tall trees, sixty or more feet from the ground, or they may be in bushes not more than four 208 BIRDS OF -PREY (343) Buteo platypterus (Vieill.) BROAD - WINGED HAWK. Three outer primaries notched; with- out any barring. Ads.— Plumage as shown; grayish-brown above; white below, streaked on the breast and barred below with rusty brown; tail with three broad blackish zones. Im.— Shown on the right; upper parts brownish-black, mixed with tawny or whitish edges of the feathers; below whitish, more or less streaked with dark brown; tail crossed by six or eight narrow dark bars. L., 15.00; Ex., 33.00; T., 7.00. Eggs — Whit- ish, more or less blotched with brown and gray, 1.95 X 1.55; nest of sticks lined with pieces of bark. Range — Breeds from N. B., Ont., and Sask. south tothe Gulf. Winters from N. J. and Ill. southward. feet up; again, they may be on ledges of cliffs or on the ground in open prairie land. The nests are made of sticks and, although rather flat on top, are usually quite well lined with grass, weeds or bark. BROAD-WINGED HAWKES are quite evenly distributed over eastern North America. The great Mississippi River marks the western boundaries of this species just as it marks the eastern ones of the last. While they are not very active, a trait, and perhaps a commendable one, common to all Buteos, they often delight in soaring high over the woods or fields, apparently just for exercise, for their hunting is accomplished by quietly perching on a suitable place to command a good view of a considerable area of ground, and suddenly dropping upon the squirrel or other rodent that first shows itself. They also catch many frogs, larve of large moths, grasshoppers, and other insects. They are woodland birds and commonly nest in the middle of extensive tracts. They are rather solitary in their habits during the breeding season, and but one pair will be 209 BIRDS OF PREY (346) Asturina plagiata Schlegel (Lat., striped). MEXICAN GOSHAWK. A Mexi- can species reaching southern Ariz. and the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Tex. Adults are bluish-slate above and finely vermiculated with gray below. L., 17.00. (347a) Archibdteo lagépus sancti=johannis (Gmel.) (Lat., chief buzzard; Gr., hare- footed). ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. Tarsi feathered to the toes. Ads.— Plumage varies greatly from a uni- form blackish-brown to the one shown here, in which the head, breast and tail are largely white. Range — Breeds in northern Can- adaand Alaska. Winters from north- ern U. S. south to N. Car., Tex. and central Cal. found within a large area. Their nests are not placed very high, usually from twenty: to forty feet from the ground, and are made of sticks and twigs; they are quite unusual in that practically all of them are scantily lined with bits of bark, usually that of pines. The eggs are quite handsomely clouded with blue-gray and more or less obscurely blotched with brown. When their nesting is disturbed, both birds will usually perch at some distance, probably out of vision, and utter shrill, wailing whistles; this sound always reminds me of the high-pitched squeaking of two limbs rubbing to- gether as trees are rocked by the winds. It is a well-known fact among ornithologists that prac- tically all of our hawks can be identified when in flight, even at great distances, either by the size and shape of the wings and tails, or by the “wrist marks,” the dark patches of feathers that usually show on the under side at the bend of the wing. The present species is very easily recognized by its comparatively small size and the broad rounded wings and short tail. 210 BIRDS OF PREY (348) Archibuteo ferrugineus (Licht.) (Lat., iron-rust). FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. Legs feathered to the toes. Ads.— Plumage as shown, the head, whole under parts and tail being pure white; top of head heavily streaked, breast narrowly lined and flanks barred with dusky; tail washed with rusty toward the tip; back and wings largely rich rusty-red, each feather with a black centre; tibia and tarsus rusty, barred with blackish. Im- mature birds are less rufous above and have few markings below. L., 22.50; Ex., 54.50; T., 9.75. Eggs — White, handsomely blotched with brownish, 2.55 x 1.95; nest some- times in trees but usually on bluffs. Range — Western North America, east to Man., N. Dak. and Kan. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS are of boreal distribution in summer, breeding in the northern half of Canada; they are rather erratic in their occurrence in the United States, but appear in greater or less numbers throughout our coun- try. Although large and strong, they are sluggish in their actions and are incapable of catching game birds unless it be sick or wounded ones. Their food consists almost entirely of small rodents, most of which they catch while coursing over meadows after dusk as Marsh Hawks do. Along our Massachusetts coast I have usually found them feeding upon fish that were cast on the beach; doubtless they also feed upon such matter about our interior ponds. FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS are quite common residents of the plains and prairies in the interior. They rarely come east of the Mississippi and are uncommon west of the Rockies. In most localities, except when nesting, they are quite shy, but they may be seen coursing close to the ground, ready to drop upon any small mammal that happens in their path. Their food is so largely 211 BIRDS OF PREY (349) Aquila chryséétos (Linn.) (Lat., an eagle; Gr., golden eagle). GOLDEN EAGLE. Legs feath- ered to the toes. Ads.— Plumage as shown; tke general color being a rich blackish-brown; the lanceolate feathers on the nape are golden yellow and the base of the tail is more or less whitish, depending upon the age of the bird, becoming whiter as the bird becomes older. Jm.— Much blacker than the adults, with little or no golden on the nape and less white on the tail. L., 36.00; Ex., 6 or 7 feet; W., 24.00; T., 15.00; Tar., 3.75. Nest—A_ bulky struc- ture of large sticks, usually on moun- tain cliffs, but sometimes in trees. Range — From Ungava, Keewatin, and Alaska south to Mexico, chiefly west of the Miss. River. of ground squirrels that they are often known locally as Squirrel Hawks. These rodents as well as gophers, meadow mice, moles, and prairie dogs are so very abundant in their range that it is doubtful if they ever take birds of any species. Their nests are located either on the ground or at low ele- vations in trees; the large eggs are very handsomely blotched with brown. GOLDEN EAGLES, while not to be considered as common anywhere, are rather evenly distributed throughout North America, west of the Mississippi River. Stragglers or isolated pairs occur in mountainous regions of many of our Eastern States. Golden Eagles, although having slightly less expanse of wing than Bald Eagles, are heavier, stronger, and, with all respect to our national bird, less cowardly in that they seek nobler game and never obtain their food by such arrant thievery as the latter often prac- tises. They always prefer live prey to carrion, and com- monly feed upon all sorts of large game, such as water fowl, turkeys, grouse, hares, fawns, etc. 212 BIRDS OF PREY (352) Halizetus leucocéphalus leucocéphalus (Linn.) (Gr., a sea-eagle; white-head). BALD EAGLE; WHITE- HEADED EAGLE. Tarsi not feathered to the toes. Ads.— Plum- age as shown; blackish-brown, with white head and tail; this plumage is not fully attained until the bird is over three years of age. Im.— Blackish-brown all over with only a few whitish feathers showing. The second year they are grayer, with more white and are larger than the adults. L., 34.00; Ex., 6 or 7 fect; W.5-23:00;, “1. 1200s Tar, 3:75; Range — Whole U. S., breeding locally. A rather larger, blacker variety, NORTHERN BALD EAGLE (H. 1. alascanus) is found throughout Canada and Alaska. South to the Great Lakes. In form, they are trim, clean-cut, and powerful, and in flight are very graceful for such large, heavy birds. They are almost always seen in pairs and probably remain mated for life. Unless disturbed too frequently they use the same nest year after year; according to localities these are located on ledges of cliffs, high bluffs, or in large trees. The two or three large eggs are handsomely dotted, clouded, blotched or splashed with several shades of brown and often grays. When a nest is approached the owners always leave and are seldom seen again while the intruder is about. They are very shy at all times. BALD EAGLES, our National Emblem, are of local occurrence and are resident throughout the greater portion of North America. In their young “black” plumage, which they wear for the first two years, they are often mistaken for the last species; besides lacking the yellowish feathers on the nape, which show in nearly all plumages of the Golden Eagle, their wings are comparatively narrower and the tarsi are not feathered on the lower half. 213 BIRDS OF PREY (353) Falco islandus Briinn (Lat., a falcon; Icelandic). WHITE GYRFALCON. Legs feathered half way to the toes. Ads.— Plumage as shown by the nearest bird — pure white, more or less spotted or barred with blackish, as in Snowy Owls. IJm.— Not greatly different, but with more blackish. L., 22.00; W., 14.50. Range — Arctic regions; casual in Me. and Ont. (354) Falco rusticolus rusti= colus Linn. GRAY GYRFALCON. Plumage as shown by rear bird — grayer with more barring and spots. Casually south to northern U. S. GYR- FALCON (fF. r. gyrfalcon) is still darker, the blackish being in excess of light coloring. This species is not as destructive as the last, but when its usual sources of food fail, they will take lambs, pigs, or fawns. As they are more commonly found about water, they kill quite a number of various species of ducks and, in the south especially, coots. The greater part of their food is carrion, chiefly dead fish which they get from the shores. They are almost as good scavengers along the beaches as are vultures. They often visit fish nets at low tide, when they can reach down and help themselves. I have never seen them dive for living fish; they prefer to let the Osprey do that and then rob him of his prey. I have seen this interesting, oft-described performance several times — twice in one morning at Cape Henry, Va., where an Osprey had its nest only a quarter mile from the shore that the eagles were continually patrolling. On the first occasion, the Osprey dropped its fish as soon as the eagle started in pursuit; the second time, both birds soared so high as to be nearly beyond vision even with good binoculars, before the booty was relinquished, the hawk descending out over the 214 BIRDS OF PREY (354b) Falco rusticolus obso= létus Gmel. BLACK GRYFALCON. Much darker than any other variety of Gyrfalcons, the general plumage being blackish, with buffy-white spots above and streaks below. Range — Breeds in Ungava. South in winter to Me. and Ont. (355) Falco mexicadnus Schlegel PRAIRIE FALCON. Plumage as shown — blackish-brown above and whitish below, the under parts being boldly streaked with dusky; a prominent blackish-brown mous- tache mark, downward from the bill. L., 18.00; W., 13.00; T., 8.00; Tar., 2.00. Range — Plains from Sask. and B. C. south to Mexico; casual east to Minn. and III. water, shrilly whistling his anger, there to resume fishing while the eagle settled in a dead tree to enjoy his meal. Usually their nests are well up in large trees, preferably pines. They are very bulkily but firmly constructed of large sticks and lined with twigs or grasses. The two or three eggs are dull white. These eagles have much less fear of man than the last species, for they often resent intrusion near their nests and sometimes swoop viciously at the climber. GYRFALCONS are bold, fearless and destructive Raptores inhabiting our Arctic coasts and southward to Labrador. Only in very severe winters do some species appear within the borders of the United States. Their food consists chiefly of sea-birds, ducks, ptarmigan and hares. Their habits are practically the same as those of the falcons that have a more southerly distribution. ; PRAIRIE FALCONS are not uncommon in open country from the eastern edge of the Great Plains to the Pacific coast. Their ordinary flight as they course over the prairies is easy and rather graceful, performed by series of quick wing-beats 215 BIRDS OF PREY (356a) Falco peregrinus 4na= tum Bonap. (Lat., wandering; a duck). DUCK HAWK; PEREGRINE FALCON; GREAT-FOOTED HAWK. Feet large and powerful, the toes being of unusual length. Only first outer primary notched. Upper mandible strongly hooked; lower deeply notched. Ads.— Plum- age as shown, bluish-slate above and white, tinged with buffy below; con- spicuous black moustache marks; numerous streaks and crossbars be- low. Jm.— Mixed with brownish above; lower markings all length- wise. L., 19.00; Ex., 45.00; W., 14.00; T., 7.00; Tar., 2.00. Range — Whole of North and South America, breeding locally throughout the range. alternated with sailings. Ifa lark or other bird of appropri- ate size rises before them, they spring forward as though shot from a gun, with a speed that is amazing, and strike their quarry almost before it has time to get into full flight. If a prairie dog, gopher, or squirrel is so incautious as not to observe their approach, or happens to be a few feet from the entrance to the burrow, its fate is sealed. Birds up to the size of pigeons and the smaller rodents form their usual food; but they have the strength, if not the inclination, to kill and carry away much larger. game. Their nests are almost invariably on the ledges of cliffs or in cavities of perpendicular bluffs, usually in places difficult to get at. The eggs are creamy-white, very finely specked over the whole surface with reddish-brown. DUCK HAWES are found, where suitable conditions occur, throughout North and South America. This is but a very similar sub-species of the famous Peregrine Falcons, which were almost as extensively used in England for “falconry” as were the more powerful Gyrfalcons. They 216 BIRDS OF PREY (357) Falco columbdarius col= | umbarius Linn. (Lat., a pigeon-fancier). PIGEON HAWK. Ads.— Plum- age as shown; the @ larger and darker colored than the o'; upper parts bluish-slate, with black shaft lines; tail with four black bands, the terminal one very broad. Im.— Similar as to markings, but the upper parts and tail are brownish-black, the latter crossed by four light bands, L., 12.00; Ex., 2.400; W., 8.00; T., 5.50; Tar., 1.35. Eggs — Buffy, heavily blotched with brown, I.50x 1.20. Nest in trees, cavities or on ledges; a frail structure of twigs, when in trees or on the ground; no lining when nesting in cavities. Range — Breeds from Me., Mich.. and Ore. northward. Winters from southern U. S. southward. were excellently adapted to the purpose, for they are power- ful and daring far beyond their size. Even in ordinary flight, the movement of their wings is very rapid, but when they stoop in a sudden burst of speed to attack their quarry probably their swiftness excels that of any other species. They are usually to be found in the vicinity of waters, since they have a preference for water fowls. They habit- ually attack birds larger than themselves, striking with a force and energy that usually kills the quarry at the impact of the strong talons. The unusual size of their feet enables them to do great execution among large ducks or gulls. If the nature of the country allows, they choose ledges or cliffs for their nesting sites; in the north they always do so, but in some parts of the United States they resort to cavities in trees. Little nesting material is used, sometimes not even a lining, the eggs being on bare rock. The eggs are so minutely dotted that the ground color appears to be a light rufous-buff, and the surface is irregularly blotched with darker shades of the same. 217 BIRDS OF PREY (357b) Falco columbdarius rich= ardsoni Ridgway RICHARDSON’S MERLIN; RICHARDSON’S PIGEON HAWK. Much lighter in all plumages than the last species. Tail crossed by six black bands. Ad. o — Plumage as shown by the lower bird, the back being a light blue-gray, on which the shaft marks show prominently. @ and Jm.— As shown by the upper bird, the back grayish-brown, with paler edging of the feathers. L., 12.00. Range— The interior, breeding from N. Dak. to Sask. and wintering south to Tex. (358.1) MERLIN (Falso esalon), an European species, has been once taken in Greenland, and (359.1) KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus) has been taken once in Mass. Duck Hawks are one of the very few species which have little to their credit from an economical point of view. Fortunately they are pretty locally distributed and generally where other quarry is more easily obtained than poultry. PIGEON HAWKS, during summer, are found in the United States only in the northern parts, or in mountain ranges southward. The majority of them retire to the northern parts of British America and Alaska. They are rather shy and retiring during the breeding season and rarely seen except in the immediate vicinity of their nests. The nests are usually in trees, not more than ten or twenty feet above ground —- bulky structures nearly as large as crow nests; less often they are found on ledges of cliffs and rarely they deposit the eggs in cavities in trees. When their homes are invaded, they usually dash at the intruder with a fierceness that, in spite of their small size, might lead to serious consequences should they chance to strike one in the face. 218 BIRDS OF PREY (360) Falco sparvérius spar= vérius Linn. (Lat., a sparrower). SPARROW HAWK. Smallest of our hawks. Ad. o' — Plumage as shown by the left-hand bird. Upper parts largely bright rufous, with short black bars on the back and a broad band across the end of the tail; under parts with round black spots. Ad. 9 — Upper parts, including wings, rufous, barred com- pletely with black; below streaked with brownish. L., 10.50; W., 7.50; A Ghs5On Late, 1235: Range — Breeds throughout the U.S. and Canada, east of the Rockies. Winters from Mass. and Ohio south- ward. (360c) LITTLE SPARROW HAWK (F.s. paulus), slightly small- er, inhabits Fla. Peninsula. (361) CUBAN SPARROW HAWKE (F sparveroides) is casual in Fla. Large numbers of them migrate through our country to their winter quarters from the Gulf States southward. As usual with falcons, their flight is performed by rapid wing- beats and short sailings. Their food consists of insects, such as grasshoppers, crickets, larve and dragon-flics, catching the latter easily in spite of their swift and erratic flight; they also kill a great many small birds and mammals. Richardson’s Merlin is a very pale-colored Pigeon Hawk occurring locally from the plains to the Pacific coast. SPARROW HAWKS are the smallest of any of our hawks or falcons. In summer, they are quite abundant throughout the United States and southern Canada, their presence being the more noticeable because they are most often found in rather open, populated country. In winter, they are most abundant along our Gulf coast and in Mexico, although some remain as far north as Massachusetts, Jowa, and British Columbia. Their food consists almost entirely of grasshoppers at all seasons of the year; other insects are occasionally found in stomachs dissected, and rarely even 219 BIRDS OF PREY (362) Polyborus cheriway (Jacquin) (Gr., very voracious). AUDUBON’S CARACARA. Bill long, high and compressed. Chin and face unfeathered but covered with bristles. Head crested. Tarsus long und unfeathered. Feet and claws large, the latter nearly straight. Ads.— Plumage as shown; chiefly blackish-brown and white, with a tinge of yellowish on the nape. Im. — More brownish and the markings in streaks rather than bars. L., 23.00; Ex., 48.00; W., 15.50; T., 9.00; Tar., 3.00. Nest—A bulky pile of sticks and weeds in bushes or low trees; two or three whitish eggs, so heavily blotched and clouded with brownish as to obscure the ground color, 2.50 x 1.80. Range — Fla., Tex. and Ariz. south- ward. field mice; it seems to be very unusual for them to kill birds of any kind. Such valuable birds should be encouraged by husbandmen to remain on their premises, and they will do so if branches containing suitable cavities are not trimmed from all trees. They are quite noisy in spring, the male often chasing his mate, both loudly uttering their familiar high-pitched “killy, killy, killy,” etc. Their four or five pretty eggs are usually deposited at the bottoms of cavities in trees, most frequently in deserted Flicker nests; no lining is used if the bottom of the cavity is suited to receive the eggs. In some sections of the west they are reported as nesting in old Mag- pie homes. AUDUBON’S CARACARAS are resident in the southern portions of Florida, Texas, and Arizona. Although com- monly found in the neighborhood of houses or farms, they are at nearly all times shy and difficult to approach. Their habits are in many respects like those of the vultures, for they devour quantities of carrion. Near the coasts, they 220 BIRDS OF PREY (364) Pandion halidétus caro= linénsis (Gmel.) OSPREY; FISH HAWK. Feet very large and rough; talons long and strongly hooked. Plumage very close, firm and oily; occipital feathers slightly lengthened. Ads.— Plum- age as shown. Only very old birds have a solid blackish-brown back; usually the feathers are more or less edged with whitish —the younger the bird the more white on the back, but the reverse is true in regard to the head. L., 23.00; Ex., 5 feet; W., 20.00; T., 9.50; Tar., 2.25. Nest —Very bulky, of sticks, usually in trees but sometimes on the ground. Range — Breeds throughout the U. S., Canada and Alaska. Winters from southern. U. S. southward. live a great deal upon fish, which they get from the shore or force pelicans to disgorge. Their flight is rather graceful and quite swift, but most of their hunting is done on the ground; their legs and feet are especially adapted to a ground life. They kill many rabbits, other smaller rodents, and also many insects and serpents. Their nests, rather bulky but shabbily constructed of twigs and weeds, are placed in the tops of low trees. Famity PANDIONIDE. Ospreys OSPREYS, or Fish Hawks, are abundant in suitable localities throughout North America. As their food is wholly of fish, they are confined chiefly to sea-coasts and large inland bodies of water; during migrations, however, they will be seen sailing over many lakes and following river courses. While they are not recognized as of any economic value, the harm they do is nil, and folks are beginning to appreciate the fact that many birds have an esthetic value to warrant their strictest protection. 221 BIRDS OF PREY (365) Altico pratincola (Bonap.) (Ital., some kind of an owl; Lat., meadow inhabiting). BARN OWL ; MONKEY-FACED OWL. Facial disc highly developed, triangular rather than circular, and capable of being varied in form according to the bird’s emotions. Plumage as shown; very soft and with a very intricate pattern — very finely vermiculated, especially on the upper parts. L., 16.00; Ex., 44.00; W., 13.50; T., 6.50; Tar., 2.75. Nest—In hollow trees, in caves, barns, towers or other build- ings; five to seven pure white eggs, 1.70 X 1.30. Range — Breeds from N. Y., Ohio, Ill., Neb., Col. and Cal. south to the Gulf and southern Mexico. Casually north to Mass., Ont., and Minn. The Osprey feeds wholly upon living fish that it catches by its own efforts. It is a grand sight to watch one of these great creatures sailing majestically along a hundred feet or more above water. Upon sighting a fish near the surface, he hovers for a few seconds on rapidly flapping wings and then, if the fish is in a satisfactory position, he folds his long wings and plunges downward like a huge, living arrow; just as the water is reached, his long legs are thrust forward in front of his face and the opened talons are in readiness to grasp the quarry; within two or three seconds he will appear above water, give one or two quick, vigorous shakes of the wings, sending water flying in all directions, and slowly fly away to his favorite perch if successful. The average size of fish caught by Ospreys seems to be about one pound. Their nests are normally placed in trees, the same structure being added to and used year after year, becoming enormous in size in a few years. Absence of trees in some places near favorable fishing areas causes them to build their homes on the ground. 222 BIRDS OF PREY (366) Asio wilsonianus Te (Less.) (Lat., a kind of horned owl). arte LONG-EARED OWL. Ear tufts long and prominent. Plum- age as shown; under parts heavily streaked and with numerous cross- bars; face feathers usually quite rusty colored; back rather dark, finely vermiculated with gray and buffy; facial disc nearly round. L., 15.00; Ex., 39.00; W., 11.50; T., 6.00; Tar., 1.40. Nest — Usually in deserted crow or hawk nests, but also in hollow trees or even on the ground; the three to seven eggs are pure white, 1.55 x 1.35. Range —Temperate North America. Breeds from Newfoundland, Quebec, Keewatin and B. C. south to Mass., Ind. and Cal. Winters throughout the U. S. and south to Guatemala. Famity ALUCONIDZ. Barn Owts BARN OWLS are abundant in tropical and subtropical climates. They are numerous in our Southern States and not uncommon as far north as New York. They show little fear of man — indeed, this species frequently nests within large cities in barns or church steeples. They are not only very inoffensive owls but are quite valuable, for they destroy quantities of ground squirrels, mice, moles, grasshoppers, beetles, etc., and rarely take small birds. Their flight is rather slow, but, as usual with owls, very silently performed. Their nesting sites are very variable; ordinarily they use cavities in trees, but circumstances at times cause them to adopt burrows under ground, holes in banks, crevices among ledges, dovecotes, or corners in barns or steeples, and some- times on stumps, logs, or even on the ground. Famity STRIGIDA. Hornep OWLs, ETC. LONG-EARED OWLS are abundant, for owls, through- out temperate America; they are resident in the United 223 BIRDS OF PREY (367) Asio flammeus (Pont.) (Lat., reddish). SHORT-EARED OWL; MARSH OWL. Ear tufts very small and inconspicuous. Plumage as shown, the general tone being tawny — much lighter than that of the last species. The markings below are all streaks —no crossbars. The facial disc is largely whitish. L., 15.50; Ex., 41.00; W., 12.00; T., 6.00; Tar., 1.50. Nest— Usually built on the ground in marshes or meadows; sometimes in burrows; a slight hollow, lined with a few grasses; four to seven, dull white eggs, 1.55 x 1.25. Range —Nearly — cosmopolitan. Breeds locally from the Arctic coast south to Mass., Ind., Mo. and Cal. Winters from its southern breeding range southward. States, but migratory in Canada. As they are almost en- tirely nocturnal and never hunt during daylight, they may be fairly abundant in a locality and their presence not suspected by any not acquainted with their habits and calls. They are rather silent except during the breeding season, which is during April or May, according to locality; at this season they utter several notes, the most common and distinctive of which, according to Bendire, is a soft-toned ‘“wo-hunk,”’ repeated slowly several times; they also give a short twitter- ing or trilling whistle. Their eggs are nearly always deposited in old crow nests, which are repaired by adding a little grass for lining and some feathers, the latter nearly always showing from the ground. Often the female will remain on the nest even though the base of the tree be jarred considerably. Several times they have still been covering the eggs when I climbed the tree and looked over the brim of the nest; I would no sooner get sight of the little round face, with the long, erect ears, than she would silently flit away for some distance. 224 BIRDS OF PREY (368) Strix varia varia Barton (Lat., a screech-owl; variegated). BARRED OWL; HOOT OWL. Head very large and round; without ear tufts. Plumage as shown; chiefly brownish and grayish; facial disc grayish, with concentric indistinct tings of dusky; eyes blue-black; under parts regularly barred on the breast and streaked elsewhere with brownish. L., 19.00; Ex., 44.00; W., 13.00; T., 9.50. Nest — Usually in hollow trees but sometimes in old crow nests; two to four white eggs, 1.95 x 1.65. Range — Resident from Quebec and Keewatin south to Ga. and Kan. (368a) FLORIDA BARRED OWL (S. v. Alleni), which has the toes unfeathered, is found along the Gulf coast and north to S. Car. SHORT-EARED OWLS are of the same size as the last species, but very readily distinguished because of the tiny ear tufts versus the long ones, and the pale buff coloration versus one in which reddish-brown enters largely. While in reality this species is not as abundant as the last at any season, they are fully as apt to be seen, since they are not as nocturnal as most species. Before dusk, or earlier on cloudy days, they may be seen silently sweeping over marshes hunting for mice, frogs, grasshoppers, etc. They fly low, just clearing the tops of the grass; upon sighting quarry, without appreciably slackening speed, they swoop a little lower, extend their legs downward, and then gracefully curve up to some convenient perch, bearing their prey. Short-eared Owls build their nests of dry grasses on the ground, usually in clumps of weeds or tall grass in meadows or marshes. BARRED OWLS are the most abundant of the larger owls throughout temperate eastern North America. They are resident except in the northern parts of their range. This 225 BIRDS OF PREY (370) Scotiaptex nebul6ésa nebuloésa (Forster) (Gr., darkness, eagle-owl; Lat., clouded). GREAT GRAY OWL. Owing to the long, loose feathering, this species appears to be one of the largest of our owls, whereas in reality it weighs little more than half as much as the Great Horned and Snowy Owls. Facial disc very large; eyes small and yellow. Plumage as shown, the upper parts being clouded dusky- brownish. L., 27.00; Ex., 5 feet; W., 17.00; T., 12.00; Nest—In trees, usually coniferous ones in densely wooded regions; of sticks, lined with moss and some feathers; two to four white eggs, 2.15 X 1.70. Range — Breeds from Hudson Bay to central Alaska. Winters south to the northern border of the U. S. and casually to Mass., N. Y. and Ohio. species is one of the so-called “‘Hoot Owls.” Its notes are quite varied, but may be likened to a series of hollow but loud and sonorous sounds like ‘‘hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, too-hoo- ah”’; occasionally the tones will change to a ‘“‘ha-ha-ha,”’ like a person laughing; less often they will mingle a mournful wail in with their hootings. Barred Owls are not as harmless as the preceding species, but it is believed that the good they do in the way of destruc- tion of mice, rats, squirrels, etc., outweighs the harm they do in occasionally taking poultry or other birds; when hungry, they are not particular as to the species of birds they devour, for they have been known to take Screech and Saw-whet Owls. Barred Owls ordinarily nest in natural cavities of trees, preferably those in large woods or swamps near water. Since such sites are not readily obtained where much large timber is cut away, they occasionally make use of old crow or hawk nests. They breed early, the eggs being laid usually in March, even in the north where the ground is covered with snow. 226 BIRDS OF PREY (371) Cryptoglaux funérea richardsoni (Bonap.) (Gr., not well defined, an owl; Lat., sombre). RICHARDSON’S OWL. A small species; no ear tufts. Plumage as shown by the upper bird; grayish- brownabove; crown and wing coverts spotted with white. L., 11.00. Range — Breeds in northern half of Canada; south in winter casually to Mass., Pa. and Ore. (372) Cryptoglaux acddica acaddica (Gmel.) SAW-WHET OWL; ACADIAN OWL. Smallest of the eastern owls. Plumage as shown by the lower bird —pbrownish; top of head streaked; wing coverts unmarked. L., 7.75. Range — Breeds locally in the northern half of the U. S. and south- ern Canada. Winters in U.S. GREAT GRAY OWLS are residents of the northern half of Canada and Alaska. During severe winters they some- times migrate south to our northern borders, but their appearance is very erratic. Their plumage is very loose and fluffy, the long feathers giving them an appearance of great size that does not in reality exist. The head is very full- feathered, the facial disc being unusually large. The eyes, however, are small and yellow, while those of the Barred Owl, the only species with which this can be confused, are large and dark brown or blue-black. RICHARDSON’S OWLS are a boreal species that casu- ally occurs along our northern border during winter. They breed throughout Canada, but most abundantly in the northern half and in Alaska. They are so nocturnal in habits and so indifferent to the presence of man that, if found during daylight, they can often be taken in the hands. They resemble the next, more common, species, but are larger and grayer; the top of the head is spotted and the breast barred, while the smaller species is streaked. 227 BIRDS OF PREY (373) Otus asio Asio (Linn.) (Lat., a small kind of horned owl). SCREECH OWL; LITTLE CAT- OWL. A small owl with prominent ear tufts. Plumage as shown, there being two color phases, a reddish and a gray, irrespective of age or sex. L., 9.00; Ex., 22.00; W., 6.50; T., 3.25. Mest—In hollow trees, either in woods or orchards, or even in bird boxes; four to seven pure white eggs, 1.35 X I.20. Range — Resident in eastern North America from N. B., Ont. and Minn. south to Ga. and Tex. (373a) FLOR- IDA SCREECH OWL (O. a. flori- danus), found along the Gulf coast and north to S. Car., is smaller and darker; the red phase is most abun- dant of this variety while the gray predominates in the northern birds. ACADIAN OWLS are the smallest species found in eastern North America. They are locally distributed and resident in the northern half of the United States and southern British Provinces; as those in the northern parts of their range migrate southward, they are more often seen in our country during winter. They are so small and so nocturnal in their habits that they might not be discovered in a locality even though numbers of them were there. Chickadees, by their noisy chattering, have disclosed the hiding places of several to me; most of these allowed themselves to be caught in the hands. They feed chiefly upon mice and insects, which they catch during their nightly rambles, and of course to some extent upon small birds. During spring, their shrill, peculiar whistles may be heard in swampy woods, within which they preferably nest. Their eggs are usually deposited at the bottoms of deserted woodpecker holes. SCREECH OWLS, in some of the many sub-species, are distributed throughout the United States, and are probably 228 BIRDS OF PREY (375) Bdbo virginianus vir= ginianus (Gmel.) (Lat., a great horned owl). GREAT HORNED OWL; CAT OWL; HOOT OWL. A very large, strong and fierce species, with large conspicuous ear tufts. Plumage of our eastern species as shown, al- though it may be a trifle lighter or darker. L., 24.00; Ex., 4. or 5 feet; W.; 15:00; Tis 9,003. “Dar.; 2:20. Range — Eastern North America, from N. B,, Quebec and Ont. south to the Gulf west to Minn. (375a) WESTERN HORNED OWL (B. v. palléscens), a paler variety, is found from Minn. and Tex. westward. (375b) ARCTIC HORNED OWL (B. v. subarcticus), with no brown in the plumage, is found from our border north to Keewatin. the most abundant species that we have. They are the only what may be termed small owls having ear tufts to be found within our domains. They are regarded as among the most useful of owls, for, not only do they destroy great numbers of rodents, but they prefer to live in the neighborhood of farms, where their services are always greatly needed. Almost any locality that has an abundance of trees with decaying limbs to furnish suitable nesting and resting places is a good district for Screech Owls. They always nest in cavities, either natural ones, deserted woodpecker holes, or in boxes erected for them in orchards. At other than nesting seasons they may spend the day in hollow trees or may sleep out in the open; in the latter cases they are frequently discovered by jays or crows, which set up a great clamor until the owl in disgust is forced to fly away to other quarters. At nightfall they start out on their hunting expeditions, which take them about barns, in cities, across meadows, or along brooks — anywhere that they will be likely to find rodents, of which they are very fond; they also 229 BIRDS OF PREY (376) Nyctea nyctea (Linn.) (Gr., nocturnal). SNOWY OWL; GREAT WHITE OWL. The heaviest and one of the strongest of our owls. No ear tufts. Plumage very variable but always pure white and_ blackish- brown. The male is the lightest colored and varies from pure, un- marked white to the plumage shown here. The female is larger and ranges from the plumage shown here to specimens so heavily barred that the prevailing color is blackish; the face and throat are always pure white, unmarked. L., 25.00; Ex., 5 feet; W., 17:00:;, Ts, 9.505. Tar, 2.00. Eggs pure white, 2.25 x 1.75. Range — Breeds along the Arctic coast. South in winter to the north- ern border of the U. S. and casually to the Gulf States. eat insects, reptiles, fish, and small birds. The remains of all quarry, the indigestible portions, such as bones, fur, or feathers, is cast up in the form of round pellets several hours after meals. These pellets are ejected by all owls and frequently may be found on the ground about nesting places. GREAT HORNED OWLS are one of our largest and strongest owls, and are practically the only ones residing within the United States that do any great amount of harm. They are very destructive and often kill apparently just for the pleasure of it. Nearly every case of poultry having been taken at night by birds can be charged to this species, although Barred Owls often get the blame, for they are more numerous and consequently more often observed. Horned Owls can see just as well during daylight as at night and on cloudy days are often abroad. They are becoming less and less numerous in settled country, as the heavy timber in which they prefer to dwell is being thinned out. Except during the nesting season they are quite solitary in their habits. One of these dwelt in heavy 230 BIRDS OF PREY (377a) Sarnia Glula caparoch (Miller) HAWK OWL; DAY OWL. Facial disc little developed. Bill protrusive and position of eyes quite hawk-like. Tail very long for an owl. Plumage as shown; blackish- brown above, spotted with white and whitish below, barred with black. Heavily feathered to the tips of the toes, in keeping with its northern distribution. L., 15.00; Ex., 33.00; W., 9.00; T., 7.00; Tar., 1.00. Nest — Of sticks in the tops of trees, in cavities or on the ground; lined with feathers; three to seven white eggs, TeosiK 25 Range — Breeds from Ungava, Al- berta and B. C. northward to the Arctic Ocean. Winters south to the northern tier of States and casually to Mass., N. Y., Ind. and Wash. woods on either side of a certain small lake. On still nights I have heard them calling to one another with a loud dismal “too-hoo, too-hoo, too-hoo,”’ the notes all on the same pitch; instantly the echo would be reflected back across the water, and soon would come the answering call from the other bird. Becoming tired of the play, one of them would finally let out a loud, unearthly, cat-like screech, and then silence would reign. SNOWY OWLS are abundant along the Arctic coasts of our continent. In severe winters many of them reach our northern border. They are of the same size and as destruc- tive as the last species, living chiefly upon ptarmigan and hares in their northern homes, but taking grouse, poultry, and even turkeys when they can get them during winter. Like most owls, they are also fond of fish and are quite expert at catching them by quickly reaching into the water. HAWK OWLS are medium-sized, long-tailed, earless species inhabiting boreal regions. Their whole form is nearly as suggestive of a hawk as of an owl, but they have the loose fluffy plumage of the latter. 231 BIRDS OF PREY (378) Spedétyto cuniculdria hypogea (Bonap.) (Gr., a cave, owl; Lat:, a burrower; Gr., underground). BURROWING OWL. Facial disc incomplete. Noears. Tail very short. Legs very long and slender; tarsi very scantily feathered in front and bare behind; toes and the legs more or less bristly. Plumage as shown, much spotted and barred with brown and white. L., ee Wet sO:755) is ioow sckarden Nest — At the end of burrows dis by prairie dogs, badgers, skunks or foxes; five to ten white eggs. Range — Western U.S. from Minn., Kan. and Tex. west to the Pacific coast. (378a), FLORIDA BUR- ROWING OWL (S. c. floridanus), found in southern Fla., is smaller and has even less feathering on the tarsi. BURROWING OWLS are peculiar, long-legged species that are abundant on the plains and prairies of our Western and Southwestern States and also in the interior of southern Florida. They live in burrows in the ground, but do not dig these themselves. Either ground squirrel, gopher, or prairie dog homes are satisfactory to them after they have driven out the original occupant. They not only do not live in harmony with these creatures, as sometimes stated, but even enter other burrows to secure the young, of which they are fond. Small as they are, they are undoubtedly more than a match for prairie dogs, and frequently kill adult squirrels. Other food consists chiefly of smaller rodents and numerous insects. Although quite diurnal in their habits, they do the greater part of their hunting after dusk. Their flight is very silent, as usual with owls, so their quarry is struck down often before aware of their presence. Their usual notes are a sort of chattering, uttered while in flight. Their numerous white eggs are laid in enlarged chambers at the ends of the burrows. 232 PARROTS, PAROQUETS (382) Conurépsis carolinénsis (Linn.) (Gr., cone or cuneate-tail, ap- pearance). CAROLINA PAROQUET. Our only representative of this tropical family in eastern North America. Ads. — Plumage as shown; chiefly grass-green, but with the whole head yellow, brightening to orange or reddish on the forehead. Immature birds have the whole head greenish like the body. The short, rough legs have two toes in front and two behind) 1i:, 212.50; "Wis -75503.,