/ '/r/V/v - Ssr. f : LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS ^-- v ^. I 1. Booted tarsus of a Robin. 2. Bill of a Robin. 3. Scutellate tarsus of the Brown Thrush. 4. Bill of the Brown Thrush. 5. Bill of a nuthatch. 6. Bill of a creeper. 7. Bill of a warbler; genus Helmintlwphaga ; 8, Dendrceca ; 9, Myiodioctes. 10. Wing-feather of the Cedar-bird, with horny appendage. 11. Head of a Cedar-bird, with crest raised. 12. Bill of the Goldfinch. 13. Bill of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 14. Bill of the Sharp- tailed Finch. 15. Tail-feathers of the same bird. 16. Bill of a crossbill. 17. Hind-toe and claw of the Snow Bunting. 18. Bill of the Red-winged Blackbird. 19. Bill of the Canada Ja*y. 20. Bill of the Great Crested Flycatcher; (21.) as seen from above. 22. " Mu- cronate" tail-feathers of the Chimney Swift. 23. Head of the Chimney Swift. 24. " Syn- dactyle " foot of the Kingfisher. 25. Bill of the Downy Woodpecker. 26. Raptorial bill (genus Accipiter). 27. Tip of bill, genus Falco. 28. Bill of a pigeon. 29. Tarsus of a pigeon. THE LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS, THEIR HABITS AND NOTES. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. BY H. D. MINOT. " To him who in the love of Nature holds " Communion with her visible forms, she speaks "A various language;" BRYANT'S THANATOPSIS. SALEM, MASS. NATUKALISTS' AGENCY. BOSTON: ESTES & LAURIAT. 1877. >i>c/. \Vli Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, by HENRY DAVIS MINOT, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. PRINTED AT THE SALEM PRESS. F. W. PUTNAM & Co., Proprietors. THIS book has been written from a desire to interest, if not to instruct, young people in that most attractive branch of Natural History, the study of birds. If this purpose is ac- complished, I trust that its deficiencies may be pardoned. In my early study of ornithology, I felt great need of some similar book ; hence my attempt to supply it. I have made several quotations in my own name from occasional notes which I have already given to the public. This is in accordance with my original expectation of publishing the following pages anony- mously a course, however, which has been thought inad- visable. H. D. MINOT. Nov. 1st, 1876. CONTENTS. PAGE. Preface, vii Introduction, ........ 1 A. Ornithology and Oology, .... 1 B-G. Collecting Eggs, 4 H. Packing Eggs, 7 I. Blowing Eggs, ...... 8 J. Cleaning and Mending Eggs, ... 11 . K. Arrangement of Eggs, . . . .11 L. Cabinet, 12 M. Nesting, 13 N. Birds' Homes, 14 O. Laying of Eggs, ..... 15 P. Desertion, .16 Q. Exigencies, 17 R. Advice, 17 S. The Study of Birds, 18 T. Details of Structure ; Terms of Description, 19 U. Measurements, . . . . . .21 V, W. Classification ; Scientific Names, . . 21 Land-birds and Game-birds of New England, . . 25 Chapter I. Order Passeres, 27 1. Thrushes (Turdidce), . . 28 2. Bluebirds (Saxicolidce) , . . 50 a Sylvias (Sylviidce), . . . 53 4. Titmice (Paridce), . 58 5. Nuthatches (Sittidce), . . 63 6. Creepers (Certhiidce) , . . 68 7. Wrens (Troglodytidce) , . . 70 8. Wagtails (Motacillida/) , . . 79 , 9. Warblers (Sylvicolidce) , . . 80 10. Tanagers (Tanagridce) , . . 133 11. Waxwings (Ampelidce), . . 137 12. Swallows (Hirundinidce), . . 140 (v) vi CONTENTS. Chapter I. 13. Vireos (Vireonidce) , . . .151 14. Shrikes (Laniidce), . . . . 161 15. Finches (Fringillidce), . . .166 16. Larks (Alaudidce), . . . .237 17. Starlings (Icteridce), . . . 240 18. Crows and jays (Corvidce), . . 262 19. Flycatchers (Tyrannidce) , . .272 Chapter II. Order Picarice, 293 20. Goatsuckers (Caprimulgidce) , . . 294 21. Swifts (Cypselidce), . . . .299 22. Hummingbirds ( Trochilidce) , . . 301 23. Kingfishers (Akedinidce) , . .305 24. Cuckoos (Cuculidce), . . .307 25. Woodpeckers (Picidce), , .. . 311 Chapter III. Order Raptor es, 326 26. Owls (Strigidce), .... 327 27. Hawks and eagles (Falconidce), . 345 28. American vultures (Cathartidce), . 375 Chapter IV. Order Columbce, 377 29. Pigeons and doves (Columbidce)^ . 377 Chapter V. The Game-birds, 386 30. Grouse (Tetraonidce), . . . 386 31. Partridges (Perdicidce) , . . . .393 32. Snipe, etc. (Scolopacidce) , . . 399 Appendix, 413 A. Ornithological Calendar for E. 'Massachusetts, 413 B. Distribution of the Birds of New England, . . 419 C. A Key to the Eggs of Massachusetts, . . 423 D. A Key to the Land-birds of New England, . 430 E. Colorations peculiar to Young Birds, . . 439 Or to Mature Birds in the Winter-season, . 439 F. Additions and Corrections, .... 443 G. Abstract of the Game-laws of Massachusetts, 444 Indices. 445 Index to English Names (with references), . . 445 Index to Scientific Names (with authorities and accent), 454 PKEFACE. THIS volume has been written to fill a place hitherto vacant in ornithological literature. The works of Wilson, 1 Audubon, 2 and Nuttall, 3 are costly, and rjfrely offered for sale, having been in a gfeat measure superseded by modern authors. The recent and most complete work on American Ornithology, 4 that of Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, is also costly. Mr. Samuels' book on the "Birds of New England and Adjacent States " 5 has been thought too expensive to be within the reach of all, and more or less inaccurate and incomplete. Dr. Coues' admirable " Key to North American Birds," 6 which is probably the best book of reference for collectors, and students of inani- mate birds, treats merely of structure, classification, and spe- cific descriptions. The same author's "Field Ornithology," 7 and Mr. Maynard's "Naturalist's Guide," 8 have also been i" American Ornithology." Wilson. 9 vols. Philadelphia, 1814. Brought down by Ord to 1827. Also 4 volumes by Bonaparte, of the Birds not given by Wilson. Philadelphia, 1833. 2 a. " Ornithological Biography." Audubon. 1838. b. Enlarged to "Birds of America" in 1841. "A Manual of the Ornithology of the United States 'and Canada." Nuttall. 1832, 1840. 4 " North American Birds." Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston, 1874. 6 "Birds," or "Ornithology and Oology," "of New England (and Adjacent States)." E. A. Samuels. 1887. " Key to North American Birds," with a list of fossil birds. Coues. Natural- ists' Agency, Salem, Mass. * " Field Ornithology," with " a Check List of North American Birds."* Coues. Naturalists' Agency, Salem, Mass. *The check-list has been published separately. The older Smithsonian list may be obtained from the Naturalist's Agency, Salem, Mass. To the above-mentioned books of reference may be added various local catalogues, and the first volume, lately published, of " Life-histories of the Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania, by Thomas G. Gentry." 8 " The Naturalist's Guide," " with a complete catalogue of the birds of Eastern Massachusetts," and notes relative to their migrations, etc. C. J. Maynard. Fields, Osgood, & Co., Bo.-ton, 1870. Vlll PREFACE. written for collectors, being chiefly manuals of taxidermy. The former, so far as it extends, is the fuller of the two. The author of this ornithological biography has endeavored to make it inexpensive, trustworthy, original, and not a compilation. He is aware that it is incomplete, treating only of the land- birds and game-birds, which are, of all, however, the most accessible to a majority of persons, the most numerous, and certainly the most generally interesting. He hopes, however, that should this volume be*favorably received, some naturalist will undertake the biography of the wading antl swimming birds, which he himself is incapable of doing, not having had opportunities to make sufficient observations. This volume may be found further incomplete, and he hopes therefore that criticisms and corrections will be freely made, that into a second edition, should there be' one, he may incorporate ad- ditional facts. That he might not be, or seem guilty of pla- giarism, he has written his biographies before reading those of others, and has afterwards consulted Wilson, etc., for such inter- esting facts as were unmentioned by himself. These borrowed statements, or passages quoted for their intrinsic value, have been invariably attributed to their authors, or placed in quota- tion-marks. 9 Sometimes, however, in spite of these precau- tions, he has employed much the same words as other writers, in describing the same facts. The biographies of the game- birds have been contributed by a friend, except those of the Canada and Pinnated Grouse. The author has endeavored to mention in detail the ordinary or minor notes of various birds, since these are often more satis- factorily characteristic than musical notes, which are usually heard during a limited portion of the year. He has, moreover, endeavored, when possible, to convey an idea of several songs 9 In the case of a few rare birds, the author has satisfied himself with corrobor- ating the statements of others, instead of making statements based entirely upon his own authority and experience. He has not hesitated, however, to state very general facts, which he cannot personally attest, such as that vultures feed chiefly on carrion, etc. These cases are principally confined to remarks on distribution and habitat. PREFACE. IX through the medium of words, but he has generally been obliged to employ other means, since it is difficult to do the former sat- isfactorily. It is probable that, were a dozen persons asked to express verbally any music of -this kind, they would each employ different S3 T llables. Many birds have two or three easily distinguishable combinations of musical sounds, or in different districts of the country have songs which are very distinct. The notes of many warblers, particularly those oc- curring in Massachusetts as migrants only, need to be learned and studied more than those of any other group of our avi- fauna. The author does not pretend to have treated these completely or satisfactorily, the less so that he has lost sev- eral memoranda. The warblers sing, however, during their migrations in spring, particularly in the early morning, more than many naturalists suppose. Mr. Allen, in the preface to his "Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts," makes the following admirable and instructive remarks on the variation in birds' songs, distributions, etc. " Only by knowing thoroughly the fauna of a locality can the subsequent changes in it, induced by its becoming more densely settled, or by other causes, be traced. As is well known, the mammalian and bird faunae of all the older settled parts of the United States are vastly different from what they were two hundred years ago. These changes consist mainly in the great decrease in numbers of the representatives of all the larger species, not a few of which are already extirpated where they were formerly common ; a few of the smaller spe- cies of both classes have doubtless increased in numbers. Two causes operate unfavorably upon the larger ones ; the disfor- esting of the country and the sporting propensities of the people, everything large enough to be shot, whether useful or otherwise, being considered as legitimate game." "Many of the water-fowl that are now only transient visit- ors, as the Canada Goose, the several species of Merganser, Teals, Black Duck and Mallard, undoubtedly once bred in this state, as did also .the Wild Turkey and the Prairie Hen." " In comparatively recent times, geologically speaking, prob- X PREFACE. ably other causes, as climatic, have been operating to effect a gradual northward migration, in certain species at least. These changes are of great interest, not only generally, but in a scientific point of view, and we shall be able to trace them and their causes only by comparing, from time to time, ex- haustive faunal records of the same localities. "In a district so little diversified as that portion of Massa- chusetts lying east of the Connecticut River, it is perhaps a little unexpected that marked discrepancies should occur in the observations made at adjoining localities by equally compe- tent naturalists, in respect to the relative abundance of certain species. As every experienced observer must have noticed that the birds of passage, as many of the Warblers especially, vary greatly in numbers in different years, and in the time occupied by them in passing a given locality, it is less surpris- ing .that at different points they should vary in abundance the same year. Among the birds that regularly breed in the dis- trict in question, there are some that -are not equally common .at all points." "Birds, as probably other animals, are not quite so invari- able in their habits as has been commonly supposed, nor in the precise character of their notes and songs, or the situation and materials of which they compose their nests. Hence one should not rashly question the accounts given by usually reliable au- thorities, because in particular instances they do not accord with their own observations. Neither should differences in habits, in song, etc., be taken as infallible evidence of a differ- ence of species." "How universally the Chipping Sparrow (Spizella socialis) breeds in trees, and generally at an elevation of several feet, is well known, but several authentic instances of this bird's nesting on the ground have 'corne to my knowledge, one of which I myself discovered. Variations of this character in other species are of occasional occurrence, examples of which have doubtless been met with by every experienced collector. "The materials which birds select in the construction of their nests are well known to vary in different localities ; the PREFACE. Xl gr'eater care exhibited by some species to secure a soft warm lining at the north that are much less precautions in this re- spect at the south, is already a recorded fact. Aside from this, the abundance of certain available materials occurring at only particular localities gives a marked character to the nests there built, which serves to distinguish them from those from other points. Some of the Thrushes, for instance, make use of a peculiar kind of moss at some localities that elsewhere, from its absence, are compelled to substitute for it fine grass or dry leaves. At Ipswich, on Cape Cod, and perhaps generally in the immediate vicinity of the sea, the Purple Grackles (Quis- calus versicolor) and Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelceus plioe,- niceus), and in fact numerous other species, in building their nests often use little else than dry eel-grass or sea-wrack,' which results in nest-structures widely different in appearance from those of their relatives residing in the interior. Every egg-collector is aware of the wide variations eggs of the same set may present, not only in the markings and in the tint of the ground color, but in size and form, and especially how wide these differences sometimes are in eggs of different birds of the same species. Also how different the behavior of the bird is when its nest is approached, in some cases the parents appearing almost utterly regardless of- their own safety in their anxiety for their eggs or helpless young, while other parents of the same species quietly witness the robbing of their nest at a safe distance, and evince no extraordinary emotion. Those who have witnessed this, and have also watched the behavior of birds when undisturbed in their quiet retreats, will grant, I think, the same diversity of disposition and temperament to obtain among birds that is seen in man himself. " In respect to the songs of birds, who that has attentively listened to the singing of different Robins, Wood Thrushes or Purple Finchea, has not detected great differences in the vocal powers of rival songsters of the same species ? Different individuals of some species, especially among the Warblers, sing so differently* that the expert field ornithologist is often puzzled to recognize them ; especially is this so in the Black Xii PREFACE. and White Creeper (Mniotilta varia) and the Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroeca virens). But the strangest example of this sort I have noticed I think was the case of an Oriole (Icterus Baltimore) that I heard at Ipswich last season. So different were its notes from the common notes of the Balti- more that I failed entirely to refer them to that bird till I saw its author." "Aside from such unusual variations as this, which we may consider as accidental, birds of unquestionably the same spe- cies, as the Crow, the Blue Jay, the Towhe 10 and others, at remote localities, as New England, Florida, Iowa, etc., often possess either general differences in their notes and song, easily recognizable, or certain notes at one of these localities never heard at the others, or an absence of some that are else- where familiar. This is perhaps not a strange fact, since it is now so well known that birds of the same species present cer- tain well marked variations in size according to the latitude and elevation above the sea of the locality at which they were born, and that they vary considerably, though doubtless within a certain range, in many structural points at one and the same locality. In other words, since it is known that all the differ- ent individuals of a species are not exactly alike, as though all were cast in the same die, as some naturalists appear to have believed. " Certain irregularities in the breeding range of birds have also come to light. It is perhaps not remarkable that a pair of birds of species that regularly breed in northern New Eng- land should now and then pass the summer and rear their young, in the southern part, as has been the case in certain known instances in the Snow Bird (Junco hy emails) , the Pine Finch (Chrysomitris pinus), and the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) ; but it is otherwise with the Snow Bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis) , "which rarely breeds south of Labrador, of which there is a single well authenticated instance It is to be remarked that a variety of this bird has recently been found in Florida. PREFACE. Xtii of its breeding near Springfield. The casual visits of northern birds in winter, which we may suppose sometimes results from their being driven south by want of food or the severity of the season, are also less remarkable, it appears to me, than the occurrence here of southern species, as of the two Egrets, the Little Blue Heron (Florida Ccerulea) the Gallinules and other aquatic species, which never, so far as known (with one excep- tion perhaps), breed so far north. In" the latter case they are generally young birds that reach us towards fall in their chance wanderings. " It may here be added that the cause of the migration of our birds* still offers an interesting field for investigation. Obser- vers are of late noting that in the case of some northern spe- cies that reach us only occasionally in their winter migrations, young birds only are at first seen, but if the migration contin- ues the older birds appear at a later date. But sometimes young birds only are seen. This frequently happens in the case of the Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola eneudeator). The cause of their visits is not always, it is evident, severe weather ; the last named species appearing sometimes in November, weeks before severe cold sets in while at other times it is not seen at all during some of our severest winters. The probable cause is more frequently, doubtless, a short supply of food, as last winter was remarkable in this state for its mildness and for the great number of northern birds that then visited us. It has repeatedly been observed that on their first arrival these unusual visitors are generally very lean, but that they soon fatten ; an argument in favor of the theory that their migra- tion was compelled by a scarcity of food. "Probably fewer birds are actually permanently resident at a given locality than is commonty supposed, for species seen the whole year at the same locality, as the Blue Jay, the Tit- mouse, the Brown Creeper, and the Hairy and Downy Wood- pecker, etc., in Massachusetts, are represented, not by the same, but by different sets of individuals, those seen here in summer being not those seen in winter, the species migrating north and south, en masse, with the change of season. We XIV PREFACE. are generally cognizant of a migration in a given species only when the great " bird wave" sweeps entirely past us either to the north or south. Some species, however, seem actually fixed at all seasons, and are really essentially non-migratory, as the Spruce Partridge, and Quail (Ortyx Virginianus) are in New England. But only a small proportion, doubtless, of the so-called non-migratory birds at any given locality are really so.* "In connection with this topic of migration, the fact that some of the young or immature individuals of our marine birds, as the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) and other species of that family, and several of the Tringse, linger on our coast daring, summer, while the adult all retire northward, is one of some interest. Mature and strong birds only, in species that breed far to the north, evidently seek very high latitudes. Birds of the first year also appear to roam less widely than the older. In different species of the Gull family it is generally only the mature birds that in winter are seen far out at sea, though in the same latitudes the young may be numerous along the coast. All observant collectors are well aware of the fact that those birds that first reach us in the spring, of whatever species, are generally not only very appreciably larger, but brighter plum- aged and in every way evidently more perfect birds than those that arrive later ; and that in those species that go entirely to the north of us there is a much larger proportion of paler col- ored and immature birds, especially among the Sylvicolidce, or warblers, towards the close of the migrating season than ear- lier. Hence the presence here of a few individuals in summer of species that usually go farther north is not always sufficient evidence that the species breeds with us." n Good illustrations are of great assistance to young students, teaching them, better than words, characteristic details of *"In respect to the proof whereon this proposition rests, see my remarks on this point in the Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, Vol. i, Ft. iv, p. 488 (foot note)." 11 Several passages or sentences have, for convenience, been omitted in this extract. PREFACE. XV structure, and the general differences of appearance in the birds of various families or groups. The illustrations of this volume are woodcuts in outline, the only satisfactory form, not greatly increasing its cost, of which the author has bethought himself. He ; l has drawn most of the figures from nature he hopes with accuracy, though, since the scales vary, and (when fractional) are only approximate, they do not satisfactorily represent the relative size of the birds figured. 12 The outlines of the Chickadee, Night " Hawk," and Golden-winged Wood- pecker, have been copied from Wilson's pictures ; thos'e of the Winter Wren were suggested by a picture in Dr. Coues* " Key to North American Birds." The details of structure have all been drawn from nature by the author, though several hints have been taken from the latter volume. The outlines of birds very well known, or nearly related to others figured, have been omitted. It may be here remarked that in the figure of the Traill's Flycatcher the tail is broader and more rounded than is observable in the living bird when at rest. In some other figures, the notch of the bill is indistinct. This volume contains several facts, never before published, so far as the author knows, except a few, which have appeared in magazines or pamphlets. It also possesses new features, which will, it is hoped, facilitate the acquisition of a thorough knowledge of our birds, though it contains no more scientific details than necessary. The classification, with slight changes in sequence, is that used by Professor Baird and Dr. Coues. The introduction (which is divided into v sections, marked by letters) relates chiefly to the formation of a collection of eggs, containing, however, a section on structural details, and an- other on classification. Each of the succeeding chapters treats of an ornithological order, though the last treats of the game- birds. Each chapter is divided into sections, which are con- tinuously numbered throughout (in Arabic figures), and which mark the various families (subfamilies being otherwise indi- 12 These have not been drawn so as to exhibit the longest primary, spurious feathers, scutellce, or the like, unless in the plate. XVI PREFACE. cated). The genera of each section are marked by Roman numerals, and the species belonging to them by capital letters in parenthesis. The biography of each species is divided into four parts : (a) a description of the mature birds (but not of the young, for which see the Appendix E) ; (b) a description of their nest and eggs ; (c) a description of their habits, and (d) of their notes. In the first part, various minute details are frequently omitted, which it has been thought unnecessary to introduce. In spelling the English names of birds, the following system has been here adopted. Specific names are begun with capital letters to distinguish them from similar names of groups (e. g. the Crow Blackbirds) ; when they are composed partly of a family-name, such as "thrush," that name is never compounded with another (e. g. Wood Thrush) ; when they are compounds of "bird," that word is united by a hyphen to a noun immediately preceding, but not to an adjec- tive, except in cases to the contrary, established by long usage (e. g. Cat-bird, Blue Bird, but Swamp Blackbird). Finally, that this book may prove useful to students, inter- esting to lovers of nature, and acceptable to the public, is the hope and wish of its 1876. AUTHOR. INTRODUCTION. A. Ornithology is the science of birds, and oology that of eggs, or, in a common but limited sense, that of birds' eggs. The two are intimately 'connected, and often form a joint study, one embracing the other. They are useful, because, when properly pursued, they cultivate observation and a love of nature, and necessitate healthful exercise. " Ornithology," says an enthusiastic but anonymous writer, u has two departments, which are more or less incompatible, namely : Natural History, and Science, or the study of animate birds, and of those inanimate. The former, especially as opposed to an extreme of the latter, I recommend to all young students as the higher and better pursuit of the two. I fur- ther advise them, when not snooting at targets or legitimate game, never to fire a gun. My own experience has proved that, when science is so far advanced as at present, one can obtain an accurate knowledge of our birds, and a good collec- tion of their eggs, by following the above rule, and having proper books of reference, or a like resource. Egg-collecting can be conducted under humane principles. A parent-bird should never be shot, except in cases of extreme necessity, it being often preferable even then to snare the female by placing a slip-noose of horse-hair around the inner edge of her 2 (1) Z INTRODUCTION. nest and attaching it to some neighboring object. I myself, from as near a standpoint as possible, and often aided by an opera-glass, observe, if I can, the female when actually upon her nest, since other birds may be about it, and may even make complaints from sympathy, or because their own nests are near by. 1 Should she fly too soon, I either return after a few moments' absence or concealment (as I often do in prefer- ence to doing mischief by keeping her too long from her nest), or I follow her with my eye, endeavoring not to lose sight of her nor to confuse her with any other species, and note, so far as possible, all her markings, which, until I became an expert, I always noted down on the spot, to compare with full descrip- tions at home. Practice enables one to recognize many birds, particularly the larger ones, at a glance, and to note readily the most characteristic markings ; but there is no objection to shooting hawks, which are less easily identified otherwise than smaller species. There are some persons who are too inaccu- rate to follow this method, and with such, or with those per- sonally unknown to you, it is well never to exchange. Males are generally more easity identified than females, and fre- quently sit upon their nests, though most often appearing when their mates are disturbed. Confusion may easily arise from two varieties of one species, but both forms rarely occur in the same district, and, according to a strict definition of the word " variety," can never normally do so. The only varie- ties (not belonging to original types) which occur in New England among land-birds, are the Gray-cheeked Thrush, the Bronzed Blackbird, 2 and the Red-naped Woodpecker, of which the first-named has been sometimes ranked as a species, and * It may be added that Cow-birds never lay their eggs but in the nests of other birds. See 17, III. 2 " This bird is thought to build in holes, while the Crow Blackbird does not.'-' INTRODUCTION. 3 at least has not been known to breed in the eastern United States. 3 "Bird-collecting, on the other hand, unavoidably leads to more or less cruelty, in many cases to absolute barbarity, and is at present carried to an alarming excess. Slaughter by hundreds should be permitted among only a few eminent and competent naturalists, such as Messrs. Allen and Coues. Otherwise, it becomes an outrage upon nature, a positive in- jury to science, and a mere source of self-gratification. Young collectors, who are not to become scientists, should form their collections for the sake of beauty in nature, and might well be satisfied with two good specimens, well-mounted, of each kind, namely: the mature male and female. In the case of a scientific collection this would be wholly inadmissible, and collectors should certainly shoot any specimen of a kind never before taken in that district where they may chance to meet it, or those birds which they find in a country new to them- selves, or perhaps to all ornithologists. Otherwise, may I venture to ask what new facts one can make known from own- ing the skins of several hundred unfortunate robins ? All our rarer birds, or those of market-value, are in danger of being altogether exterminated, through a foolish sense of glory on man's part, or through his reckless destruction of other than human life. It is also to be regretted that so many birds are shot, before laying their eggs, owing to the condition of their plumage and their abundance, during or immediately after their spring migrations. Nature's resources should be drawn upon only in cases of necessity, or in contribution to the ad- vancement of mankind. Violation of nature, as of the natural See farther 13, 1, D and E, for the very slight distinction between the War- bling and Philadelphia Vireo. 4 INTRODUCTION. laws, must entail misery, and finally cause us bitterly to regret our present thoughtlessness and inhumanity ; errors which will probably continue until stricter and efficient laws, con- sequently more general and simple laws are passed." The above remarks may need modification, but they express a spirit worthy of serious reflection. B. 4 In forming a collection of eggs the chief requisites are : (1) Boxes of various size. Those of a cylindrical shape and made of tin are the best, as they take up least room in the pocket, and are easily slipped in and out. A box, which can- not be carried in the pocket, is comparatively worthless. (2) A supply of cotton-wool, a cheap material and the most satisfactory for packing on account of its elasticity. (3) A cabinet. (4) A knife to cut small branches or the like. To these may be added climbing-irons, egg-drills, blow-pipes, etc., though not absolutely necessary. C. In winter, or as spring approaches, study the descrip- tions of various birds, nests, eggs, and the nature of the local- ities as well as the position in which the latter are usually found. Find in. advance suitable spots for the search of any desired nest, especially if you do not live in the country. D. If in your rambles you should see a nest (not an old one), approach it carefully to see the bird ; this being generally indispensable, as eggs are often to be identified through the par- ent only. If the female, who usually sits upon the nest much * The following remarks are addressed to the inexperienced only. INTRODUCTION. 5 oftener than the male, flies too soon, retire and return in a few- minutes. Adopt the same plan for a bird, whom you have flushed from the ground, and do not at once recognize. If you fail to find the nest (granted that there be one there, and that the bird was' not merely feeding 5 ), on returning, note the exact spot from which she rises. If you think to recognize her, make yourself positive of facts. If not, note with the utmost accuracy her size, markings, and the shape of the bill, and identify her as soon as possible. 6 To determine her size, re- member that the Humming bird is about 3 inches long, the Song Sparrow or Snow-bird 6 or more, the Robin about 9, and the Crow nearly 20. Also observe the comparative length of her tail. E. If you have an opportunity, study the works of Wilson and Audubon. The former's figures are very life-like, and their coloring generally true, though often too high-toned or otherwise incorrect. It is still more worth your while to examine the collection of the Boston Society of Natural His- tory. 7 If this is inaccessible to you, another is probably more worthy of your attention than descriptions, or even accurate paintings. F. A nest containing sound eggs, but without the parent- birds, generally indicates that all the eggs have not been laid, or that the parents are temporarily absent. Should you find Many birds, when frightened from their nests on the ground, feign lameness or the like. 6 Shooting the parents when collecting for yourself is optional. See quoted remarks in A. 7 The building of this Society is on Berkeley street (near Boylston) in Boston. It is at present open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 A. M. to 5 p. M. The birds of New England are not separated from those belonging to other parts of the world. INTRODUCTION. an incomplete nest, you must judge for yourself how soon it will be finished. A pair of our smaller birds, in the latter part of May or in June, ordinarily spend from five to ten days in building one, and sometimes end their work sufficiently in ad- vance to allow the female vacation for a clay or even two. Earlier in the season, other birds are generally occupied two or three weeks. Woodpeckers are very uncertain in this respect, and it is often difficult to decide when their nests should be broken into to obtain the eggs, unless one can watch them closely at their work (carried on chiefly in the morning) and observe the final cessation of chips. The creepers, nuthatches, Chickadees, and certain wrens customarily la}' their eggs in de- serted woodpeckers' holes or other cavities, which they line with warm materials, though the Chickadees occasionally exca- vate for themselves with great and long-continued labor. After the first egg has been laid, one is generally added on each succeeding day (apparently most often in the morning) until the complement is made, 8 before which time the nest should not be visited, except in cases of necessity. Most birds lay four or five eggs (occasionally three or six) in a set, commonly fewer in that of a second brood than before. Many wrens, titmice, and kingfishers often lay more ; the former even ten, or very rarely twelve. Gallinaceous birds are also prolific, and two or three hen-birds are said sometimes to lay in the same nest. Humming-birds, eagles, and pigeons, usually lay two eggs in a set, as do also old birds of other species, partic- ularly among the hawks and owls. Many sea-birds have only one. If a nest be found with the same number of eggs for two 8 To this law the chief exceptions are the birds of prey, and the cuckoos, but among the smaller land-birds the average rate of laying is one a day. Thus among different species the time for laying four eggs varies from three to even seven days, generally being four. INTRODUCTION. 7 or three days, the proper inference generally is that no more will be laid. If the egg of a Cow-bird ( 17, III) be discov- ered, it should be taken home, or destroyed (at a distance from the nest), unless observations are to be made upon the young when hatched. G. A method of finding nests, which may often be prac- tised with success, is that of "tracking" birds, when seen with food for their mates or material for building. It is gen- erally a wearisome and patience-exhausting process, and fre- quently causes disappointment. It may often be facilitated by the scattering of feathers, horse-hairs, string, cotton- wool, straw, etc., in places where they will attract the attention of the architects, in whose work you are interested. The nests of woodpeckers may often be found, by tracing to their source the loud' rapping of the builders, or by observing on the ground the chips, which are usually fresh (unless, as is rarely the case, the excavation be made in an unsound tree). H. When you take eggs, pack them at once, bearing in mind that the smaller ones are very delicate, and even the larger ones easily broken. 9 If they are of the former class, having taken from the box most of the cotton-wool, leave a layer on the bottom, in which make a slight depression with the finger, and lay the first egg. The following rules should be observed : (1) An egg must not come in contact with an- other, with the bottom, sides, or cover of the box. (2) The cotton-wool must be tightly packed. To pack it loosely is a Muc.h danger will be obviated by blowing the eggs first, when practicable. If fresh eggs are allowed to grow cold, or to remain long unblown the contents are less easily removed. The reverse is said to be the case, when eggs containing em- bryos are left unblown for two or even three days. See I and note. 8 INTRODUCTION. mistake frequently made, and attended by consequent acci- dents. (With larger eggs less care is required, and those of hawks or owls may often be carried safety in a handkerchief.) When all the eggs have been safely stowed away, the box should be put in the pocket in such a way that they shall not be violently jarred, when a fence is clambered over, or the body otherwise ungently moved. A small nest, if either rare or curious, should be taken with any small branches, to which it may be attached, and brought home in a suitable box or basket, and not squeezed in the hand or pocket ; a bulky one may be safely carried in the hands. A nest on the ground must be taken up with peculiar care, as it may otherwise fall apart, and should afterwards, if necessary, be stitched to- gether. Nests, to be properly preserved, must be placed in some receptacle, where they will be free from dust, and, if composed of woolly materials or of feathers, constantly sup- plied with benzine or crystallized camphor, to prevent the ravages of moths. Eggs, to be sent by mail or express, should not be packed so tightly as for ordinary transportation, and may be first sur- rounded by tissue-paper. " Single eggs," says Dr. Coues, " may be safely mailed to any distance in auger-holes bored in wood." Boxes may be seait by mail at a trifling cost, when not sealed. Tin boxes, such as are used for tobacco, with tightly fitting covers, are the best. I. -On reaching home, the eggs must not be left in places where the} 1 " are likely to be broken or lost, but at once blown and placed in your cabinet. The following are directions for blowing an egg in the old-fashioned way, which possesses two or three advantages over the modern process (among others, INTRODUCTION. 9 that of not requiring expense, to many persons an important consideration) : Holding the egg lightly between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, with a sharp pin in the right hand, make a small hole at or near the smaller end, and at the greater, or on the same side, a large one in accordance with the size of the egg, which is next placed between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Then place your mouth at the smaller hole and breathe out gently but steadily, and the contents, if fresh, run out at the other. Be sure that none are left, and even remove, if possible, the lining of the shell, though no risk should be run of breaking the latter. When any difficulty occurs, shake the egg, or give a quick puff if safe to do so ; otherwise, inject a little water from the mouth. In certain cases, shaking is even preferable to blowing. During the process of incubation, the contents of an egg thicken, and the young is gradually formed, until the blowing finally becomes impossible. When the egg is not fresh, enlarge the larger hole (but never the other), and blow persistently and patiently, taking care that the yolk or young does not, by suddenly slipping out, allow the egg to collapse between your fingers, or break it by being forced through too narrow an exit. If the contents are too thick to blow easily, they should be carefully cut off with small scissors, whenever protruding beyond the shell. If it is im- possible to blow the egg, enlarge the holes so as to allow the gas to escape freely, but surround them with camphor-gum or the like, as otherwise the odor is extremely disgusting and the egg, after losing its original colors, gradually drops to pieces. I have seen eggs successfully preserved in this manner, decom- position being quickened by the occasional injection of water. The modern and very general manner of blowing eggs 10 INTRODUCTION. necessitates the use of several instruments ; the blow-pipe and egg-drill, 10 which are the most important, the syringe, forceps, dissecting-scissors, etc. To follow this method, drill with a light twirling motion a small hole on one side of the egg, re- move from the opening the inner membrane, which often (as in the larger of two holes) interferes with further action, and in- sert the blow-pipe. Then breathe gently, not forcibly, and the contents, if fresh, will flow out about the pipe, but, if not, a little water should be injected, and the egg gently shaken. Should there be further difficulty, inject warm water, put the egg in a dark, warm place, with the hole turned upward, and at the end of a few hours, after shaking it, remove as much as possible of the yolk, etc., which must finally be altogether dis- posed of, particularly in the case of white eggs. Then inject more water, and again leave it.' Young may be cut up by slender scissors, having delicate blades at an angle with their handles, and removed by a fine wire, slightly hooked, or by small forceps. Fresh eggs, if not too large, may be "blown" or rather sucked by means of a suction-tube with a bulb. Specimens, when thoroughly rinsed and ready for the cabinet, should be placed on blotting paper to dry (with the opening turned downward), where not exposed to a strong light. Car- bonate of soda is said to render a hardened yolk soluble in water, but it must not come in contact with the outer shell. There are various other details, too numerous to mention, connected with the blowing of eggs by instruments, such as gumming a series of very thin paper-wafers about an opening made in a delicate shell, such as that of a very small specimen, of one cracked, or of one nearly hatched. 11 10 These may be obtained at the Naturalist's Agency, Salem, Mass. The present address is Mr. S. E. Cassino. 11 Several ideas expressed in the preceding paragraph, have been borrowed from various articles on this same subject. INTRODUCTION. 11 NOTE. Take care in making a hole not to injure any mark- ings ; and, when blowing, place beneath a pail or basin contain- ing a few inches of water to catch the egg, should it slip. An egg when full is very easily broken, but when blown may often be dropped without injury on to a carpet or the like. One with the contents entirely removed floats in water with only about a third or less of the shell beneath the level of the surface. A thin-shelled egg may be held to the light to ensure emptiness. J. Eggs may be cleaned with a soft, wet rag, dipped in tooth-powder, or by the careful use of an ink-eraser (with a flat, pointed, steel blade), though the latter may injure the surface. Certain eggs (but none of those described in this volume) are calcareous, and their chalky shells cannot be safely cleaned. Others, however, have a certain u bloom," like that of a grape, which can be washed off. To mend an egg, if broken into bits of manageable size, take one a little smaller and of no value, wet it, or coat it with a very delicate varnish, and place on it the bits of shell in their proper positions, so that they shall fit together. For large eggs, a mould of putty, if carefully shaped, may be used instead. Cracks may be brushed with collodion. The common method of glueing bits together with mucilage and thin paper is often clumsy or dangerous, and, even if successful, generally ruins the fair appearance of any specimen. K. Place your eggs, when blown, promptly in your cabinet, and have some means of identifying them afterwards. Labels should be altogether avoided, as they greatly mar the beauty of a collection, and any writing on the shell should be condensed and placed on the under side, where it will be in- 12 INTRODUCTION. conspicuous (or near the " drill-hole," if there be one). There are various methods of marking, but whichever be followed should be uniformly observed. Perhaps the best is to write 12 on each egg a number of the Smithsonian or Dr. Cones' Check- list (followed by S. or C. to indicate which) ; for instance on a Wood Thrush's egg either 148 S. or 3 C. To this may b.e added another number, referring to your note-book, which should be a blank-book, with long but wide pages ruled by lines forming several columns of suitable width. In these columns (with proper headings) should be written first the number of reference, and then the name of the bird, its number on the check -lists ; the number of eggs originally in the nest, by whom collected or from whom obtained, the place and date of collection ; also, when desirable, remarks as to the size, incubation, or peculiarities of the eggs, the position and structure of the nest. It is often well to avoid mention of the place where the eggs of hawks, herons, etc., were found, as these birds frequently build conspicuous nests in restricted localities, to which, if not too much disturbed, they return year after year. Secrecy is often as desirable for an ornitholo- gist as for a sportsman. Eggs should be arranged in the proper sequence of families, etc., and those of each species should be kept distinct from others. All of one kind may be grouped together, or duplicates may be separated from better and representative specimens. L. A cabinet may be strictly a cabinet, consisting of pigeon-holes or shelves, and screwed to the wall, or a box, a 12 Purple ink will be foirad to flow more freely than ordinary black ink. Fig- ures should be fine and made with care. They may be written on a bit of paper gummed over the u drill-hole," though it is better to write on the shell itself, unless too delicate, or unless the egg be very small. INTRODUCTION. 13 long and rather flat one being the best, or a chest of drawers, which is the most convenient. The latter may be fitted with a series of small, shallow trays, made of paper or paste-board, though these diminish the attractiveness of a collection, and are more or less dangerous. I have found a rather deep layer of fine sea-sand, such as may be obtained at almost every grocer's store, much more satisfactory, since it forms a pleasing background for the eggs, which can be fixed in it firmly, and is always exempt from moths or other insects : fine saw-dust is the best substitute. All cabinets should be dark when closed, as many eggs fade when exposed to the light, particularly those which are blue or green. M. Having now followed the eggs from the time when the mother was scared from her nest, until they were placed in a cabinet, I shall return to speak of the difficulty in frightening certain birds when incubating, chiefly the hawks. Individuals, rather than species, vary in this respect, though the smaller are undoubtedly more often timid than others. One hawk glides silently from her nest as you approach ; another flies when you rap the tree energetically with a stick ; whereas a third remains until the crackling of branches, as you ascend, causes her to seek safety in flight. Hawks, moreover, are often obliged to leave the nest, after the eggs are laid, if their mates either die or fail to supply them with sufficient food. As about ninety per cent, or more of the nests found in a large "hawkery" are old, except a few nests belonging to crows and squirrels, and as hawks and owls, moreover, often inhabit such, not always rebuilding them, one naturally is doubtful about climbing far, on finding a large nest of sticks, which is likely to contain 14 INTRODUCTION. eggs only once out of ten times. A hawk cannot often be seen when sitting on her nest, and the only signs, which rarely deceive, are the small feathers, which usually cling to the nest, or to a branch near it. Dead leaves inside of a nest indi- cate further emptiness, or occupation by squirrels, who usually, in building, heap together hay, straw, and pine-needles, or the like. In the absence of all the above-mentioned signs, judg- ment is required, but no further rules can be safely laid down. It may be remarked that smaller birds are also often brave or even bold in protecting their nests. In climbing, never leave one hold before testing and secur- ing another ; remember that pine-limbs are less to be trusted than those of hard-wood trees ; place your feet, if possible, next to the trunk, and, if inclined to dizziness, do not look down. Gloves, old clothes, a soft hat (and climbing-irons, when convenient) form the necessary outfit, as large eggs may be safely brought down in a cloth cap, grasped firmly by the teeth. Never take one egg from a set in a hawk's nest, if yon wish for the rest, as these latter will often disappear myster- iously before your return. None of the hawks (i.e. Falconidce) , with the exception of the Ospreys and eagles, show a disposi- tion to attack. These latter have been known to inflict dan- gerous wounds, and at the same time are, I believe, the only species generally occupying the same nest year after year, with the exception of the Duck Hawk ( ?) and Sparrow Hawk. I do not recall many other birds who do so, with the marked ex- ception of the swallows and Pewees, who sometimes rebuild their old homes. N. All birds have an affection for some haunt, whither, if left undisturbed, they return every spring. These .haunts are INTRODUCTION. 15 often extensive, enabling them to change their residence annu- ally, until they are finally driven away. Cat-birds frequently return every year to the same thicket, and I have known the Red-eyed Vireo to build his nest in the same tree where it was built and robbed the year before. Likewise Pewees very often choqse successively two or three building-sites very close to one another. The less familiar species are not so attached to particular spots, but generally build their nests each summer in the same tract of land (a tree-warbler in the same woods, etc.). Hawks (and occasionally even crows) become attached to a certain grove or pine-wood, and build near the same place several years in succession, sometimes though repeatedly robbed. Woodpeckers (who always lay their eggs in holes) do not usually, so far as my observations have extended, occupy the same holes twice, but leave them to be used by Chickadees, or other birds. Feelings of attachment are much stronger in some species than in others, being often nearly ex- tinct. They are more marked in civilized districts, where there is less range of country than in other parts of the State. Many birds forsake their haunts, if disturbed, but apparently return sometimes after a long absence. The evidence of identical birds returning to the same spot is very strong, par- ticularly in the case of individuals peculiarly marked. O. There are not many birds, who, in a temperate climate, do not habitually raise a second brood ; and there are probably very few, who do not do so, if the first is broken up or de- stroyed. They rarely raise the second in the same nest as the first, but generally build another (often hurriedly) near the site of the former, particularly if that has been disturbed or removed. The principal exceptions to this latter statement 16 INTRODUCTION. are the Pewees, swallows, and those birds who lay their eggs in holes. The second set of eggs usually appears from four to six weeks after the first, if that has not met with serious mis- haps ; otherwise, sooner. If a hawk's nest be robbed, 1 ? the parents commonly repair an old nest near by, often hastily lining it with evergreen or the like, and at the end of about a fortnight two or three eggs are laid. The Sharp-shinned Hawks, Kingfishers, Golden-winged Woodpeckers, and very probably other species, are said to continue sometimes for several da}*s to lay eggs almost daily, after the first sets have been taken, though continually robbed. Smaller birds have been known to build a second, and even a third nest, within a few feet of the previous ones, when these were removed. They have also been known to cover the eggs of a Cow-bird, by building a second story, or even a third, which became their own nursery. Such cases are, however, exceptional, and lead me to speak of desertion. P. Birds differ widely in respect to desertion, the wood- peckers, especially the Golden-winged, being in case of disturb- ance uncertain in their -movements. The latter often leave forever the excavation, on which they are at work, if they imagine that they are watched, though occasionally regardless of those passing by. If their eggs be disturbed, they some- times " desert," and at other times the female continues to lay eggs in the manner already described. She often deepens her nest, and lays a second ' set. A general rule is that birds will not desert their nests (if not injured) when one egg is taken from three or four, two from five or six, and three from more than six. Never handle a nest or eggs, not to be at once I 8 Unless that of a Marsh (or Sparrow ?) Hawk. INTRODUCTION. 17 taken ; the bird does not perceive your " touch," as many persons suppose, but one's hand very often so disturbs the nest, and the exact position of the eggs, that the intrusion be- comes very marked. As a rule, a nest should never be visited from the time of its discovery until all the eggs are laid, and an egg should never be taken except from a complete set. Q. Should you find a nest of value, when you have not a box, mark the spot by observing some conspicuous landmark, unless it be necessary to take the nest at once. Otherwise, carry large eggs, and those taken from a hole or a frail nest, wrapped in a handkerchief, and carry small eggs in their nests, placed upright, with a handkerchief tied tightly over the whole. Packing in either case is desirable, soft, clean moss being generally the best material to be found in the woods. When a hole is enlarged with a hatchet or knife in order to reach any eggs, the parent almost invariably " deserts," and it is therefore necessary to break it open at the proper time, since all or no eggs should be taken from such a nest. In at least one of the cases before cited, relating to the Pigeon Wood- peckers, the hole was large enough to allow the insertion of the hand and fore-arm. This species, however, as has already been remarked, frequently deepens the hole to lay again ; so do other woodpeckers. R. Health, energetic perseverance, honesty, experience, and moderation, are the necessary qualities or cardinal virtues of a wise and successful collector. It is for young oologists an excellent rule, which has, however, many exceptions, never to take more than one egg from a nest, nor to have more than two or three of one species, except when (very) rare, peculiarly marked, or suitable for an advantageous exchange. 18 INTRODUCTION. If inexperienced, do not make exchanges with another inex- perienced person, who may unintentionally cheat you, or with one unknown to you, who may purposely cheat you. Remember that eggs often vary greatly in value in different parts of the country, .and do not accept any price-list as a basis for ex- change. Endeavor $y energy to arrive at approximate comple- tion, have some definite object in view, such as a cabinet comprising all the eggs of Massachusetts, and do not unwisely form a miscellaneous collection everywhere incomplete. S. To know the notes of all our bisds is a great assistance in finding their nests, and in finding, distinguishing, or study- ing the birds themselves, who sing chiefly on or soon after their arrival from the South, during their migrations, and the mating-season in spring, or early summer. It is best to study their music at sunrise, or in the early morning (particularly in the case of species migrating), and also at evening. Even families may (to a limited extent) be classified by their notes. To study birds, in relation to their habits or notes, walk in their haunts, continually pausing to catch the slightest sound, which, if not recognized, should be traced to its source, or to allow the birds to gather about or approach you. If necessary, follow them silently and persistently, but remember that stealthiness sometimes alarms them more than an open approach. If several species be together, do not be misled by the confusion of their songs, and do not hastily attribute the note of one kind to another bird immediately near. Both squirrels and "chipmonks" frequently produce notes, which might excusably distract the attention of an unpractised orni- thologist. By looking up, especially on very clear days, you may often see hawks, or other birds, flying over silently. INTRODUCTION. 19 An opera-glass, if a sufficiently strong magnifier, or occasion- ally a telescope, will be found very useful, as it enables one to recognize a bird without disturbing it, and to distinguish colors, when the object is distant, or at a great height among branches. It is more difficult to distinguish colors just before or after sunset than at other times of the day, particularly if they be ex- posed to the sunlight. That hour should therefore be avoided. T. Of anatomy and details of structure I shall not here speak at length, since they are not referred to in this volume more often than convenience requires. 14 The bill consists of two mandibles, the line between which is called the gape or often the commissure. The true cere, which belongs only to the parrots and birds of prey, is a thick skin which covers the upper mandible at its base, and in which are the nostrils, though often concealed by feathers. The principal wing-feathers are the primaries, which (with perhaps exceptions) are always nine or ten, except in flight- less birds, and which form the end or "point" of the wing. They are the long outer feathers, of which the shafts (if the wing be spread) are more or less parallel, forming an evi- dent angle with those of the adjoining secondaries. A so- called "spurious" primary is usually the first or outermost, when very much shorter than the rest. (It differs from the " bastard wing" or " spurious quills " in being a single feather and beneath the second primary.) The "shoulder" of the wing is the " bend " near its connection with the body. The tail is even or square, rounded or forked, as viewed when half-closed ; if slightly forked, emarginate, if very deeply 14 The reader is referred for a full treatise to the introduction of Dr. Coues' 'Key to N. A. Birds." 20 INTRODUCTION. forked, forficate. A cuneate tail is the exact opposite to one forficate. The tarsus, often called the " leg," extends from the base of the toes to the first joint above, and in a majority of birds is unfeathered. If without scales in front (unless near the bot- tom) it is " booted" or if with scales, scutellate. (If covered with very small scales which do not overlap one another, it is reticulate; or it may be granulated as in the Fish Hawk.) The following is a vocabulary of several other descriptive terms. Auriculars (or ear-patch), the feathers behind, but a little below the level of the eye. Circumocular, about the eye. Crown, top of the head (usually above the eye). Eye-patch, a tract of color enclosing the e} 7 e. Eye-stripe, a line running through the eye (so to speak). Inter scapulars, feathers on the back between the wing-shoulders, or between the head and rump. Iris, (pi. irides), a colored circle enclosing the pupil of the eye. Lore, the feathers about the base of the bill, or between the bill and the eye. Maxillary line, one running backward from the gape, and bordering the throat. Median line, one dividing the crown. Nape (or nuchal patch), the hind-head (properly above the cervix, or hind-neck). Super- ciliary line, a stripe immediately above the eye. Vermicula- tion, very fine " waves." $ signifies the male, $ the female; = signifies " equal to," > " more than," and < " less than." "Inch" or "inches" is abbreviated to in., and decimal num- bers (written with a dot before) generally indicate hundredths of an inch. Except where there are indications to the contrary, the "upper parts" generally include the upper surface of the wings and tail, though the "under parts" frequently refer to the body only. The " crown" includes the forehead (or even INTRODUCTION. 21 the nape). The u rump" (or lower back) often includes the upper tail-coverts, the " belly " the under tail-coverts, etc. The " sides " invariably refer to those of the breast and belly. U. Measurements of both birds and eggs are made in straight lines between two points. To measure the length of a bird, lay it on its back, and make the tip of the bill (so far as reasonable) , and the end of the longest tail-feather, touch the ruler or paper on which they are laid ; then measure the distance between these points. Measure (with compasses) the tarsus in front, and the bill from the tip of the upper mandible to the feathers actually or apparently belonging to the forehead. 15 The "depth" of a bill is its vertical width near the base, when closed. Eggs may be measured by dividers, or by a ruler with a slide. For accurate measurements a ruler marked deci- mally (or even with hundredths) is best. -^ of an inch equals about -06. V. Birds form a class of the Animal Kingdom. They are composed of three (or more?) distinct subclasses; the Aves Aerece, Insessores, or typical "perchers;" the Aves Terrestres, Cursores, or gallinaceous birds and "waders;" and the Aves Aquaticce, Natatores, or "swimmers." These are grouped into several orders (such as the Raptores or "birds of prey"), which are divided into families (as the Raptores into Strigi- dce, Falconidce, etc., or the hawks, including eagles, the owls, and vultures). The orders are sometimes more primarily di- vided into suborders, and families into subfamilies. Thus the Passeres consist of the Oscines or singing passerines, and the " There are other methods of making this measurement. 22 INTRODUCTION. Clamatores or non-singers ; 16 likewise the Turdidce consists of the Turdince, or typical thrushes, who have a "booted" tarsus, and the Mimince, or mocking-thrushes, who do not possess this feature. Combinations of less important distinctions in struct- ural detail characterize the genera; and therefore birds be- longing to the same genus have exactly the same structure. The difference between species is marked by coloration, and often size. To illustrate the foregoing, take as a subject the common Song Sparrow. He belongs to the Insessorian group, the order of Passeres, and the suborder Oscines. His family is that of the Fringillidce, or finches, and his genus Melospiza. His specific name is melodia, but there is also a variety, M. fallax. " Extremely similar ; wings and tails slightly longer ; paler, grayer; the streaks not so obviously blackish in the centre. Whole of the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin ; scarcely distinguishable." (Coues.) W. The classification of birds (or other objects in nature) necessarily entails certain absurdities, being more or less artifi- cial. The method of modern classification is that of descend- ing from the higher to the lower groups, but sequence is too often insisted on among groups, which diverge (so to speak) from a common centre. The division of families, genera, etc., is more or less arbitrary, a certain degree of difference being necessary to separate them, whereas minor (or fractional) differences cause intermediate groups. Let X represent the vy degree of dissimilarity between two genera; then ^ represents the difference between two subgenera (of the same genus) ; 1 + IT Between subfamilies, 2 X between families, 2 + be- 16 A rather technical distinction. INTRODUCTION. 23 tween suborders, and 3 X between orders. Forms in nature are everywhere so delicately blended that theoretically it is almost impossible to " draw any lines." A species (even though exhibiting much individual variation) is constituted by all those birds, who, since the present organization of birds has existed, might be the descendants of a single pair. [The phenomena of albinism and melanism can here be only briefly referred to. In the latter, which is very rare, birds are abnormally dark or black. In albinism, which is not uncom- mon, birds are partially or wholly abnormally white (or even yellow) ; sometimes they are partly bleached. Such condi- tions of plumage need cause confusion only among birds of the same genus, and rarely then, being seldom complete.] There are often varieties, geographical races, or forms rendered appreciably distinct by the effects of climate, etc. By a strict definition of the term, varieties must have different distribu- tions (at least during the breeding-season), though accidental stragglers may occur far from their usual habitat. A specific type is usually the variety first named. Hybrids, or " crosses," are the joint offspring of two species, but they do not often occur among birds in a natural state. A bird's scientific name consists of a generic (subgeneric) and specific, or also subspecific, title, e. g., Turdus (Hylocichla) Swainsoni, Var. Alicice, or simply Turdus Alicice. 11 Family- names end in idee, those of subfamilies in ince. Scientific names are usually begun with a capital, are italicized, and, when following English names, put in parenthesis. Specific names, however, are ordinarily spelt without a capital, unless derived from proper names. It is best to form no Latin " Turdus Alicice is often ranked as a species. 24 INTRODUCTION. Genitives in u, a single one being more correct. (See Messrs. Allen and Greenough's " Latin Grammar," Part 1, 10, 4, b.) NOTE. Many still existing scientific names are unworthy of retention, but they have not been altered in this volume on account of the established rule of priority, which necessitates, however, many incongruities. The authorities for these names are given in the second index. Great care has been bestowed upon the orthography of English names, since great latitude exists in this respect, no system being yet established. Certain rules have here been followed, with the exceptions produced by general or the best usage. LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS OP NEW ENGLAND. Aves, or birds, form a class of the Animal Kingdom, and have, in their classification, been primarily divided by eminent ornithologists into three subclasses (lately dispensed with, however, in u North American Birds") : Aves Aerece or In- sessores (aerial birds or " perchers"), Aves Terrestres or Cur- sores (terrestrial birds or u runners"), and Aves Aquaticce or Natatores (aquatic birds or " swimmers "). The general rule of division is this : hind-toe 1 on a level with the other toes, 4 'perchers" ; hind-toe not insistent 1 and feet not fully webbed, " runners " ; hind-toe elevated, 1 but feet fully webbed, " swim- mers." This rule is applicable only to typical forms, with which other forms are ranked through evident affinity. It is to be remarked that, in a great measure, aesthetic or intuitive perception is the best means of determining position. By modern classification birds are arranged on the descending method, by which the highest and most refined types occupy the highest position. Thus, the Cursores include those birds who scratch for their food (turkeys, grouse, etc.), and the wad- ers (such as snipe, plover, herons, rails, etc.). These two suborders (Gallince and Grallatores) represent 2 (in the ap- proximate proportion of one to four) about two- elevenths of 1 In certain cases wanting, or apparently wanting. 8 In number of species (according to Cones' list). (25) 26 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS North American birds. The Natatores include various sea- birds, the swans, geese, ducks, terns, gulls, pelicafhs, petrels, and cormorants, and form about one-fourth of our fauna. The Insessores include all the typical land-birds, 377 of the 635 North American species admitted in Dr. Coues check-list, and more than one-half of about 300 species, known to have oc- curred in Massachusetts. In this volume I have, with the exception of the game-birds, treated the typical land-birds only. The Insessores contain five orders, described in the following chapters. OF NEW ENGLAND. 27 CHAPTER I. FIRST ORDER. PASSERES. THESE birds " are the typical Insessores, as such representing the highest grade of development, and the most complex or- ganization, of the class. Their high physical irritability is coordinate with the rapidity of their respiration and circula- tion ; they consume the most oxygen, and live the fastest, of all birds." 1 All our forms, at least, are characterized as fol- lows : bill without a cere, or a soft basal membrane ; front-toes never only two, or united throughout (i. e. two of them), hind toe never wanting ; tail-feathers twelve. This group may be characterized, as a whole, as the only order of birds, of which all the species invariably build a nest in which to lay their eggs. Among the birds breeding in Massachusetts there is no exception to this rule, except the parasitic Cow-bird. " Passeres, corresponding to the Insessores proper of most ornithologists, and comprising the great majority of birds, are divisible into two groups, commonly called suborders, mainly according to the structure of the lower larynx. In one, this organ is a complex muscular vocal apparatus ; in the other the singing parts are less developed, rudimentary, or wanting. In the first, likewise, the tarsus is normally covered on either side with two entire horny plates, that meet behind in a sharp ridge ; in the other, these plates are subdivided, or otherwise difl^r- ently arranged. This latter is about the only external feature that can be pointed out as of extensive applicability ; and even this does not always hold good. For example, among our birds, the larks (Alaudidce) , held to be Oscine, and certainly to be called songsters, have the tarsus perfectly scutellate be- hind." 1 The Oscines, or singing Passeres, technically considered the 1 Dr. Coues ; " Key to North American Birds." 28 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS only musical birds, form about one-third of our ornithological fauna, and in Massachusetts are represented by eighteen fami- lies. The Clamatores, or non-singing Passeres, are represented by the flycatchers ( 19). 1. The Turdid.se, or thrushes, now considered the high- est group among birds, and ranked accordingly, are 6^-12 inches long. Bill not conical (which term in ornithology ne- cessitates rather straight outlines, and a depth approaching the length) but at least twice as long as high ; with the upper mandible usually hooked and slightly notched ; also bristled and with open nostrils (pi. 1, fig. 2). Average length of the tarsus about 1-15 inch ; middle toe nearly or quite equal ; other toes considerably shorter, and approximately equal. Primaries ten, the first being more or less spurious. Tail never forked, but often rounded, and of twelve feathers as in all our other oscine birds. The Saxicolidce (2) and Sylviidce (3) differ but lit- tle in structure or plumage : their coloration is, however, very much brighter, and their tails (at least in the genera Sialia and Regulus) are more or less forked. Our bluebirds are, moreover, seven inches long or less, and our "s3 7 lvias" all less than five. The typical groups of these three families (including the subfamilies Turdince and Hegulince) are characterized by booted tarsi (pi. 1, fig. 1). The other subfamilies, Mimince and PolioptilincK (the mocking-thrushes andgnatcatchers), have scutellate tarsi (pi. 1, fig. 3), and rather long, rounded tails. I am inclined to think that the Harporhynchi (Gen. Ill) are entitled to the rank of a subfamily. Their bills are unnotched, unhooked, and frequently curved (pi. 1, fig. 4). Their eggs, moreover, are markedly different from those of all other thrushes. The common Blue Bird may be considered a repre- sentative of the Saxicolidce, while the Sylviidce are closely re- lated to the titmice and warblers. The Wood Thrush and Cat- bird are good types of their respective groups, though several thrushes nest upon the ground, or have spotted eggs. OF NEW ENGLAND. 29 The subfamilies of the thrushes are : TURDIN^E, Genus Turdus, I. (Highly musical). Subgenus Hylociclila (A-E. 2 fig. 1). (Moderately musical). Subgenus Planesticus (F). MIMING, Genera II and III. I. TURDUS (A) MUSTELINUS. Wood Tlirusli. " Song Thrush" (A common summer-resident in Massachusetts.) Fig. 1. Wood Thrush ($). (a). About eight inches long. Above, soft but bright red- dish-brown (or "tawny"), gradually becoming soft "olive-dusky" on the rump, tail, and end of the wings. Beneath, white, with a very slight buff tinge upon the breast ; spotted on the breast and sides with dark brown (or "dusky"). (b). The nest sometimes closely resembles that of the Robin, but it is often composed outwardly of moss and even twigs, though subject to considerable variation in composition and structure. It is built, never very far from the ground, in a bush or tree, in the woods (especially those of low growth), and often in a swampy place. The eggs of each set are four 3 The wood thrushes. The robins (F) are well-known; (G) has been separated from them, and placed in subgenus Heeperocichla. 30 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS or five, and like those of the Robin, but smaller, measuring 1-10 l-OOX'70 of an inch. Those of the first set are usually laid near Boston in the last week of May those Of the second, if any, in the early part of July. (c). The Wood Thrushes probably represent the highest type among birds ; excelling all others, except their immediate relatives, in details of structure, in the quiet beauty of their coloration, and in the refinement of their habits ; and they are certainly to be ranked among the finest singers of the world. Though possessed of comparatively little power of flight, yet the Wood Thrushes, like most other birds, migrate very far (more than a thousand miles), about the tenth of May reaching Massachusetts, to the northward of which, in New England, they rarely go. But they are common in southern New England from the time of their arrival until that of their departure in September or October ; during the summer-months inhabiting groves and woods of various kinds, oftenest, per- haps, those which are swampy or of low growth. In such places they build their nest and rear their young, and there obtain the necessary supply of insect-food, either from the ground, over which they can run with some rapidity, or from the bushes and trees, among which they move with such leisure and dignified grace as would become a prince. The most con- spicuous feature in the Natural History of these birds is the apparent modesty and the actual love of privacy or solitude, which they generally, though not invariably possess. These lend a charm to the study of their habits and their music, but they also cause difficulty in acquiring an intimacy with them, a difficulty, however, which can be overcome. Though the Wood Thrushes are so fond of individuality and retirement, that they are never properly gregarious, and that they prefer retreats in woodland, where they are, unlikely to be disturbed, to all other suitable haunts, yet they often build their nests in quite conspicuous places, and frequent the immediate neigh- borhood of man. Nor are they then more shy than under other circumstances, in fact, the female is generally prompted by instinctive motherliness to sit as bravely on her nest, when OF NEW ENGLAND. 81 built upon a roadside, as when in a swamp of alders. The Wood Thrushes usually sing from a high branch, whereas they find their food on or near the ground ; but, wherever they are, they generally preserve, except when running, a rather erect attitude, observable also in the Robin and the other (typical) thrushes. If I have forgotten to speak of other habits, let the reader go to the haunts already described, or to cool woods on the banks of some rapid-running brook, and there learn them. (d). In the cool of the morning, or at evening, from the time when the sun sets until dusk becomes dark, the Wood Thrush, having mounted to a perch so high that his outbursts of heavenly music shall not be confined to earth -or lost in the surrounding shrubbery, pours out such a melody, that he seems at every utterance " to be endeavoring to recall his very soul, that fled to heaven on the winged notes of his last liquid mel- ody." At other times of the day, if it is cloudy, or if he is in dark, cool woods, he sings while he is busied in providing for himself or his family, and as he moves through the bushes. This song is rarely one continuous strain, but consists of many detached variations, a series of liquid, metallic, rich, powerful, and expressive notes, which are so exquisite that the all-ab- sorbed and unobtrusive musician seldom if ever fails to charm whoever hears him. Yet, it ought to be remembered that, though some Wood Thrushes can produce such music as per- haps no other birds can rival, others of them are greatly infe- rior to their fellows. The ordinary notes of the Wood Thrush are a mellow chirp, more metallic and less melancholy in tone than that of the Wilson's Thrush, a chuck (sometimes combined with it), and a simple chip, such as belongs to a large majority of all the birds described in this volume. All, who wish to have an insight into the charms, which attend the study of animated birds, should observe the Wood Thrush in his native haunts, and faithfully attend the delightful concerts, which he so often repeats in the cooler hours of the day, in June, July, and even August. 32 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS S (B) FUCESCENS. Wilson's Thrush. Tawny Thrush. Com- mon Thrush. "Cheeury." "Veery." ("Nightingale") (In Massachusetts the most common of the wood thrushes, A-E.) (a). 7-7 \ inches long. Above, soft, bright reddish-brown (or "tawny"). Beneath, white; breast strongly tinged with fulvous (or a pinkish brown), and, together with the sides of the throat, sparsely sometimes almost imperceptibly streaked with small dusky spots. (6). The nest is usually placed on the ground, and rarely in a bush or low tree. It is generally composed of grasses and dead leaves, to which grape-vine bark is sometimes added, and it is often lined with finer grasses and roots, or even horse-hairs. I have commonly, but not always, found it in tussocks of grass or hillocks of moss, in swamps or near them. The eggs average *85 X '60 of an inch, and are light blue, green-tinted. In Massachusetts, the first annual set (of four or five) generally appears in the last week of May, or the first of June ; a second set (of three or four) is sometimes laid in July. (c). The Wilson's Thrushes are in Massachusetts the* most common of the so-called " wood thrushes," but in northern New England are rare, being generally much less common than the Hermit or Swainson's Thrush in New Hampshire and Maine. They reach the neighborhood of Boston, in their an- nual spring-migrations, almost invariably on or about the eighth day of May, and very often before pear-trees have blos- somed, a fact which I mention, because the blossoming of those trees has frequently been spoken of as coincident with the arrival of these birds from their winter-homes in the South. Their first appearance Is in those haunts where they pass the summer ; and in the swamps three or four sometimes collect and engage in the quarrels entailed by courtship, previous to mating. The Wilson's. Thrushes, though not so fond of soli- tude as the Wood Thrush, are rather shy, and yet they often wander in quest of food to the orchard, garden, and the im- mediate neighborhood of man or his dwellings. They prefer, OF NEW ENGLAND. 33 however, to remain in the swamps and the adjacent woods, during a great part of the day. They can run over the ground with rapidity, but in the woods they usually poke about quietly among the pine-needles and dead leaves, where they can find the insects on which they feed, and in the swamps walk over the decaj'ed vegetation, which has become matted on the ground, or has accumulated on the stagnant pools of water. When disturbed, while thus busied, they generally fly to a bush near the spot, and sit there quite motionless, occa- sionally uttering their chirp, until it seems to them safe to return to their interrupted occupation. They also obtain much of their food from trees, and arc particularly fond of pine- groves, where they may often be seen, generally on the broader- backed limbs. They seem, when perching, to prefer these to the smaller branches, as they also do a post to a fence-rail, apparently liking a broad surface to stand upon rather than one which they mus-t grasp. They are rarely seen far from the ground, and seldom protract their flight for more than a hun- dred yards, except occasionally when conveying food to their young from a comparatively remote orchard, garden, or swamp. They deserve to be regarded on a cultivated estate not only as sources of pleasure, but also as extremely useful. Mr. Samuels, in an article on the Robin in his book entitled "Birds of New England and Adjacent States," says : u In fact, the Thrushes seem designed by nature to rid the surface of the soil of noxious insects not often pursued by most other birds. The warblers capture the insects that prey on the foliage of the trees ; the flycatchers seize these insects as they fly from the trees'; the swallows capture those which have escaped all these ; the woodpeckers destroy them when in the larva state in the wood ; the wrens, nuthatches, titmice and creepers, eat the eggs and young that live on and beneath the bark ; but the thrushes subsist on those that destroy the vegetation on the surface of the earth." 3 3 Many thrushes obtain much of their food from trees; the Swainson's Thrushes most of it. Many sparrows feed as thrushes do. 4 34 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (d). The voice of the Wilson's Thrushes is not so fine as that of the Wood Thrush, and, when heard from a near stand- point, sounds peculiarly muffled, though, when heard at a greater distance, it becomes mellow and much clearer. From the first of June until the time of their departure (the first of September) draws near, one may often hear in the day-time the simple song of these birds, " cheeury, cheeury, cheeury ," 4 which they give utterance to, generally from some bough in the pine-groves, or the other woods which they frequent. It is in the summer-evenings that this song is somewhat pro- longed, becoming " more glorious"; and the male, when his mate is on her nest, sometimes repeats it at night, whence he is among the birds, upon whom the epithet " Nightingale " has been bestowed. The ordinary note of the " Veeries " is a characteristic and peculiar chirp, a liquid sound, often uttered in a seemingly petulant and melancholy tone ; besides which they often give utterance to chips, chicks, u lisps" like those of the Cedar-bird, and a harsh " grating " sound, much like that of other birds and peculiar to the mating-season. The two thrushes already described are summer-residents in Massachusetts. The other (typical) thrushes, whom I am about to describe, only pass through this State, spending their summers in a more northern climate. (C) PALLASI. Hermit Thrush. "Swamp Thrush." "Sivamp Robin." (Common near Boston in April and October.) (a). About seven inches long. Above, soft dusky-olive, becoming rufous on the rump and tail. Under parts white ; breast buff-tinged and darkly spotted ; sides olive-shaded. (&). The nest of the Hermit Thrush, which has rarely been found in Massachusetts, is placed almost invariably upon the 4 This chant, which is not unlike some of the Wood Thrush's music, consists of three or four triplets on a descending scale, in each triplet the first note being the highest. OF NEW ENGLAND. 35 ground, occasionally in swamps, but more often on sunny, sloping, and shrubby banks near them. It is much like that of the Wilson's Thrush (B), though usually rather larger, coarser, and more loosely constructed. The Hermit Thrushes often lay two sets of three or four eggs, one in the first week of June, and one about a month later. Their eggs are very much like those of the " Veeries" (B), but are larger, averag ing -90 X "65 of an inch. They are light greenish blue, never spotted. (c). In the woods about Boston (and of course in other woods), whether swampy or dry, and also along the wooded roadsides, from the middle of April until the first of May, one may see a great number of Hermit Thrushes. During their stay here, these birds, often in pairs, and sometimes in small parties (a fact, which shows that their name is not altogether an appropriate one), spend their time, for the most part in silence, busied among the dead leaves and underbrush, occas- ionally resting on a low perch, and rarely ftying far when dis- turbed. They are quiet birds, and, though often easily ap- proached, prefer those places where they are not likely to be intruded upon. On leaving this State in the spring, they pass on to northern New England and to Canada, where they spend the summer and rear their young, being in some localities the most common thrushes. In October, they return to Massachu- setts in the course of their journey to their winter-homes in the South, and a few linger until November is well advanced. 5 During their sojourn here in autumn, they frequent the ground much less than in spring, and feed largely on various kinds of berries, many of which they find in swamps. These birds are to be associated with October, when the roads, hardened by frost, are neither muddy nor dusty, when the paths through the woods are strewn with the soft fallen 8 Mr. Maynard, writing of the Hermit Thrush in the " Naturalist's Guide," says that he has " taken it in Coos County, New Hampshire, on October 31st, al- though the ground was covered with snow, six inches deep at the time; also in Oxford County, Maine, as late as November 6th." He adds that "a few undoubt- edly breed here." 36 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS leaves, which rustle pleasantly beneath one's feet, when the clear, cold, exhilarating weather is well adapted to exercise, when the maples are in the utmost splendor of their brilliant coloring, and finally when the hills, covered with the oaks of low growth, where once forests stood, glow with the rich crim- son, which at last becomes a dull brown, showing winter to be near at hand. (d). The Hermit Thrushes very rarely sing except in the summer-season, and generally, while with us, their only notes are a mellow chirp, a loud chuck, rarely uttered (especially in spring?), and a single low whistle, which seems to come from a more distant point than that which the bird occupies. When frightened from their nests they often utter a very character- istic dissyllabic note, expressive of their sorrow. Their song is strikingty fine, and recalls the melody of the Wood Thrush to one familiar with that melody, though lacking the power and full music of the latter, being, as Mr. Burroughs has said, silvery rather than golden. It usually begins with a few low, rich notes, which are followed by the higher and more ringing ones. Though the Hermit Thrushes bear a strong general resem- blance to the two other " wood thrushes," whom an inexperi- enced observer is likely to see in any part of this State (A and B), yet they are rarely seen in the company of those birds, preceding them in the spring-migrations, and returning to the South later. They sometimes are found daring their annual journeys in company with the Gray-cheeked or Swain- son's Thrush, but the former is rare, and seldom has any red- dish-brown tinting on the upper parts, and the latter has both rather distinct habits and notes. Let the young student, who wishes to distinguish several closely allied species, mark the points of difference, and not the similar characteristics of each, and let him avoid employing only one means of distinction, such as coloration. (D) SWAINSONI. Swainson's Thrush. Olive-backed Thrush. "Swamp Robin"? OF NEW ENGLAND. 37 (A rather rare migrant through Massachusetts.) (a). 7-7 J inches long. Above, soft, dusky olive (occas- ionally with a reddish-brown tinge). Sides of the head buff, and breast strongly tinged with the same color. The latter and the sides of the throat, thickly spotted with dusky. Eye- ring buff. (b). The nest is a rather bulky structure, usually composed of twigs, mosses, grasses, leaves, etc., with no mud, and sometimes lined with the coal-black hairs of a certain moss. It is placed in a spruce, low tree, or perhaps a bush, from three to ten feet above the ground. It is often built beside a road or wood-path. The first set, of three or four eggs, is usually laid in the first, or perhaps more often the second week of June ; the second set is laid four or five weeks later. The eggs are much like those of the Scarlet Tanager, being about *95 X "70 of an inch, and light blue, olive-tinged, either finely marked with indistinct brown, or coarsely spotted (with a few fine markings beside), chiefly at the great end, with obscure lilac, and two shades of brown. (c). Though the Swainson's Thrushes are by no means very common migrants through Eastern Massachusetts, yet a vigi- lant and energetic ornithologist can hardly fail to meet with them in the spring. Groves of tall hemlocks are among the places, where, about the middle of May, I have seen these birds, not on the ground, but among the branches of the trees, from which they occasionally dart into the air and catch insects in the manner of flycatchers. I have also met them in swampy roads, or even in orchards, and have observed them on the ground, often moving quite rapidly, or pausing in a rather erect attitude. Probably, it is partly because of their usual shy- ness while migrating, partly because they often frequent the higher branches, and partly because two of their ordinary notes are very much like those of the Snow-birds (of whom a few linger in May), that they are often considered rarer than they are. Before June all the Olive-backed Thrushes pass beyond the limits of this State, and of these many spend the summer in northern Vermont or New Hampshire, and in Maine, some 38 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of them revisiting the neighborhood of Boston about the first of October, when the wonderful instinct of migration prompts them to return to Florida or still further to the South. In a certain township among the White Mountains I have studied the habits of these birds, who there inhabit various kinds of woodland, particularly those which 'have swamps or brooks in them, but keep nearer the ground, and exhibit much less shy- ness in those wild woods than they habitually do, when travel- ing. In autumn, however, they are much less shy and active than they are in spring ; and, during the fall-migrations, they may be found in woods and copses. There they pick up food from the ground and the lower branches of bushes or trees, since at that season there are few winged insects, of a size acceptable to them, to be caught in the air, and since before the severer frosts of autumn have come, and before the Hermit Thrushes are abundant, a large supply of food suitable to them can be found among the dead leaves, many of which have then al- ready fallen. To resume the remarks just interrupted, in the woods of the White Mountains, they sing almost throughout the sum- mer, and often throughout the day, for the old forests of New Hampshire are always cool and shady. They more often sing, however, in the early morning, or at sunset, as does the Wood Thrush, and, t like that bird, they frequently perch on a high and prominent bough when about to sing. They usually stay on their nests rather more boldly than the Hermit Thrushes are wont to do, and watch over their young, when they have left the nest, with great care, showing as warm an interest in their offspring, as I have ever seen displayed in birds. (d). The ordinary note of the Swainson's Thrushes, espec- ially when in their summer-homes, is an attractive one, exactly resembling the word "whit" brusquely whistled in a tolerably low tone, and very quickly. Their song-notes exhibit less variation than those of any of their immediate relations, being all nearly on the same pitch, and reminding one forcibly of the less brilliant singers among the Wood Thrushes, and bearing OF NEW ENGLAND. 39 more resemblance to the notes of that bird than to those of any other. Though, as I have said, less varied than those of the other "wood thrushes," they are sweet, clear, and liquid, and possess great charm. The other notes of the Olive-backed Thrushes, are a chuck of alarm, a feeble tsip quite uncharacteristic, and a cry of chick, chick-a-sit, etc., like that of the Snow-bird, to which I have heard them give utterance in spring, when chasing one another through the branches, or when slightly alarmed. They have also a feebly whistled peep, heard chiefly in autumn. The "New Hampshire Thrushes," though they correspond to the Wood Thrush of Massachusetts, are yet inferior to that bird. How then would they be ranked by Buffon, who wrote of the latter, says Wilson, " that the Song Thrush of Europe had, at some time after the creation, rambled round by the Northern ocean, and made its way to America ; that advancing to the. south it had there (of consequence) become degenerated by change of food and climate, so that its cry is now harsh and unpleasant, ' as are the cries of all birds that live in wild coun- tries inhabited by savages.' " ? (E) ALICIA. Gray-cheeked Thrush. Alice's Thrush. Arctic Thrush. (In New England a rare migrant.) (a). 7-8 inches long. Above soft, subdued olive-green. Sides of the head gray. Beneath white, with little or no buff; breast and sides of the throat spotted with dark brown. It is said that specimens of this species grade inseparably into others of Stvainsoni (D) . But distinctions are not to be based wholly on coloration. (b). The Gray-cheeked Thrushes build their nests in Arctic countries, most often on the ground. The only egg of this species in my collection is like that of the Swainson's Thrush, but more thickly and minutely marked. (See Z), b.) (c). The Graj'-cheeked Thrush is thought by some ornithol- ogists not to be a valid species, bat, if not a species distinct from the Swainson's Thrush, it is a very distinct variety or 40 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS geographical race. 6 It differs from that bird, slightly in color- ation, and markedly as to distribution, habits (song), and notes. The Arctic Thrushes are the rarest of those who migrate through Massachusetts, particularly that part which borders upon the sea, since they generally prefer a more inland route to the North than this State affords. I have occasionally seen them in the latter part of April or in May, but they are shy and very timid, so that it is difficult to approach them closely, as, when startled, they fly about restlessly. Perhaps, on this account, they have escaped general observation. They are eminently terrestrial birds, and spend nearly all their time on the ground, picking up their food among the fallen leaves in such places as the Hermit Thrush frequents ; often preferring, however, dry land and solitary spots, where they run but little risk of being disturbed. They stand rather more erectly than the "Swamp Robins" so called (T. Pallasi), but it must be remembered that erectness of bearing is a general character- istic of all " wood thrushes." They pass the summer in the Arctic region, and, on their return to the South, pass through the neighborhood of Boston about the first of October, but are then extremely rare, since " in the fall-migrations they follow for the most part a route far from the sea-shore." (d). Their ordinary note is a single low, and perhaps to some ears rather melancholy whistle "when." As to their other notes I am uncertain, and I have never heard their song, but Dr. Brewer, in " North American Birds," says that it is totally different " from that of ( all our other Wood Thrushes. It most resembles the song of T. Pallasi, but differs from it in being its exact inverse, for whereas the latter begins with its lowest and proceeds on an ascending scale, the former begins with its highest, and concludes with its lowest note. The song of the T. Swainsoni on the other hand, exhibits much less variation in the scale, all the notes being of nearly the same altitude." 6 If a variety, Swainson's Thrush is the other variety, and the Olive-backed Thrush the species including both. OF NEW ENGLAND. 41 (F) MIGRATORIUS. (American) Robin. (An extremely common summer-resident in Massachusetts, where a few pass the winter.) (a). 9-10 inches long. Above, dark (olive) gray; head and tail almost black, both with white spots. Breast of a peculiar ruddy red or orange-brown, in pale specimens merely dun-colored. Chin, under tail-coverts, etc., white, more or less black-streaked. Bill generally } r ellow. (6). The Robins build their nests in bushes, vines, the larger garden-shrubs, or most often in trees ; evergreens, particu- larly pines and spruces, being preferred to all others. Where these latter are wanting, they often build their nests in orchard- trees, or in those which shade the streets ; occasional!} 7 , how- ever, placing them about some building. The nest is " sad- dled " to a bough or placed in a fork, from three to fifty feet above the ground, and is a very firm though rather rude struc- ture, consisting chiefly of mud, and of dry grass or its equiv- alent. The eggs of each set are four or five, delicate greenish blue, and about 1-15 X '80 of an inch. I have found freshly laid eggs of this species from May first until the twentieth of July ; two or even three broods being usually raised, if the parents are undisturbed. (c). The Robins are undoubtedly in summer the most abun- dant of all the birds in Massachusetts, and to most country- residents in this State are probably the most familiar ; but in northern New England they are much less common than in most other parts of the eastern states. Dr. Brewer, however, has written that " in the valleys amongst the White Moun- tains, where snow covers the ground from October to June, and where the cold reaches the freezing-point of mercury, flocks of Robins remain during the entire winter, attracted by the abundance of berries." A few certainly spend the winter about us, in the swamps, and also in cedar-woods ; for, though these latter contain but few berries, or none, yet the thick foli- age of many of the trees affords safe shelter from heavy 42 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS storms of snow, when protection is so much needed. Though I have seen companies of Robins in February, it is not usually until the early part of March that they come from the South ; on their arrival, collecting in flocks and feeding on barberries, small fruits of the same kind, and such other suitable food as they can find. They retire, at this season, a few minutes before the hour of sunset, generally passing the night in spruces ; and, in the early morning, arising before the sun, the} T gen- erally betake themselves to the southern slope of some hill, where the snow has melted, thus offering to them the comfort of a little bare ground, and there they pass the day. It is very wonderful that birds employed in active exercise throughout the day, perhaps a bright one, when the heat of the sun is strong, can pass the night in sleep and inactivity, when but little shielded from the bitterness of the weather in March, that month, which in New England is with ghastly inappro- priateness called the first month of spring. It is also wonder- ful that, whereas in midwinter most birds sleep fourteen or fif- teen hours out of twenty-four, and pass only nine or ten in ex- ercise, in the latter part of June, when the longest days of the year occur, they require little more than half that amount of rest to counterbalance the fatigue of at least sixteen hours' labor. I have known Robins to awake and to begin their daily duties before half-past three o'clock in the morning, and to be still moving about after eight in the evening ; at that season of the year, moreover, when the male must provide for his young as well .as for himself. In the case of many birds, either the male or the female sits on the nest, whilst the other forages, but I have known instances in which the male never sat on his nest, so that all the active duties in the care of his family devolved upon him. The Robins continue to come from the South until the first of April, and during the greater part of that month are in- clined to be gregarious, but they finally separate, and many begin to build ; many waiting, however, until May, or even June. As is well known, in the cultivated parts of the country they do not often retire to the woods (except in winter), pre- OF NEW ENGLAND. 48 ferring to remain in open lands, in the neighborhood of man, and about cultivated estates, and are so little wild as to inhabit Boston Common and other equally frequented places. In the country, the}'' pass the summer in villages and such other haunts as I have described, gathering into flocks in the latter part of August, and journe3 r ing to warmer climates in Septem- ber or October. Robins are in some parts of the State so plentiful, that in May sixty of their nests, containing eggs, were found in an area of fifteen acres. Had Massachusetts then been populated by these thrushes in that proportion of parent-birds to an acre, it would have contained nearly 40,- 000,000 of them, whereas I suppose that it actually contained less than 1,000,000. To those who consider Robins either useless or injurious to man the following remarks on the nature of their food may be of interest. In winter and in the early part of spring, they feed chiefly upon berries, such as those of the barberry, poison- ous "ivy," etc., but as soon as the frost is expelled from the ground, they begin their attacks upon the earthworms, and con- stantly renew them throughout the summer and in September, wherever earthworms are abundant. One may often see Robins gathered on a lawn, particularly after hard showers, eagerly engaged in unearthing their prey, now running along so quickly that it is almost impossible to detect the motion of their feet (which, in fact, is not hopping, but walking), now stopping, and, having cocked their heads to one side that their ears may be near the ground, listening intently, then passing on, or perhaps stopping, and with two or three vigorous strokes of their bills, pulling out the worms, which are soon disposed of. When they fail to secure their prey, after a few bold " digs," they generally move on and do not make any further attempt to obtain it. They make extensive raids upon cherries " and strawberries," when ripe, and feed upon ripe pears and apples, especially in autumn, generally meddling with these latter fruits when fallen to the ground, and not when on the trees. In re- turn for these robberies, they destroy innumerable " cut-worms " and other injurious creatures of the same kind, and confer, in 44 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS this way, great benefits upon farmers and fruit-growers, for they are much more dependent upon the flesh of insects than upon other food. I think that there is no doubt that between fifty and a hundred Robins eat a million worms and injurious caterpillars, if not more, during their annual sojourn in the neighborhood of Boston. Professor Treadwell has recorded the instance of a young Robin in confinement, who ate in twelve hours 140 pe?* cent. of his own weight, and consumed fourteen feet of earthworms. The Robins possess greater powers of flight than do the other thrushes, and can fly far and rapidly, often moving through the air at a considerable height above the ground, particularly when migrating. They have a habit of jerking their tail, which the " wood thrushes " do not possess, and which is particularly noticeable when they utter-their notes of alarm. They are not brave, with individual exceptions, but are easily frightened, particularly when sitting on their nests, and yet they are by no means shy, and frequent familiarly the neighborhood of man. (d). The Robins have besides their song, and a very faint whistle like the Cedar-bird's lisp, but one note, which is con- stantly varied, usually being in the winter, early spring, and fall, more dreary than in the summer, when it is sometimes merely a chirp, though at other times it is uttered in a tone of excite- ment or vehemence and rapidly repeated. The cry of the young is somewhat harsher than that of the mature birds, who are very pleasant singers, and often warble a cheerful, ener- getic song, consisting of a few monotonous notes, which are repeated with some little variation, chiefly in the morning and at dusk, in spring or summer. It is to be hoped that eventually the American people will become as fond of the American Robins, as the English are of their smaller "Robin Red-breasts," whose name our Pilgrim Fathers bestowed upon the Thrushes of this country, now so common and familiar to us. (G) NVEVIUS. Varied Thrush. Oregon Robin. (One specimen of this bird, whose proper habitat is the Pacific Slope, has been taken at Ipswich, Mass., in December.) OF NEW ENGLAND. 45 (a). 9-10 inches long ; slate-color. Beneath, orange-brown. Band across the breast, black. Under tail-coverts, white. 9 duller. (6). The eggs of this species measure about 1/15 X '80 of an inch, and are greenish blue, darkly spotted. (c). Its habits are presumabty much like those of our Robin. (d). "From this bird it may be readily distinguished by the difference of its notes, which are louder, sharper, and de- livered with greater rapidity." Dr. Cooper "describes the song as consisting of five or six notes in a minor key, and in a scale regularly descending." II. MIMUS i (A) POLYG;OTTUS. Mocking Bird. (A very rare, or almost accidental summer-visitor to south- ern New England.) (a). 9-10 inches long. Above, rather light ashy gray. Beneath, white. Wings, and tail dark, with conspicuous white patches. (6). The nest is built near the ground, often in a conspic- uous situation. Audubon describes it as " coarsely construct- ed on the outside, being there composed of dried sticks of briars, withered leaves of trees, and grasses, mixed with wool. Internally it is finished with fibrous roots disposed in a circu- lar form, but carelessly arranged." An egg before me measures I'OO X '75 of an inch, and is of a very light dull blue, rather coarsely spotted with lilac and rather faint purplish or reddish umber. (c). So many Mocking Birds have recently been captured in New England and Massachusetts itself, that they cannot longer be well considered escaped cage-birds. They must therefore be ranked here as very rare summer-residents. Since, however, their presence is almost exceptional, since their hab- its are much like those of the common Cat-bird, since their powers of mimicry and song are well-known, and finally, since I am personally unacquainted with their natural mode of 46 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS life, I have thought it best not to attempt their biography in this volume. For an enthusiastic and splendid description, I refer my readers to the second volume of Wilson's Ornithology. (B) CAROLINENSIS. Cat-bird. (A common summer-resident.) (a). 8J-9 inches long. Slate-colored. Crown and tail, black. Under tail-coverts, chestnut-red. (6). The nest of the Cat-bird, which in Massachusetts is usually finished in the last week of May, is generally placed in a bush, thicket, or briar, and is composed outwardly of sticks (and sometimes one or two rags intermixed), being lined with strips of bark from the grape-vine or cedar, dead leaves, rootlets, and other things of the same sort. The eggs of each set are 3-5, usually four, of a fine dark green, bluish- tinted, and measure about -95 X '70 of an inch. Two broods are sometimes raised in the summer. (c). The Cat-birds are in summer very common in the old "Bay State," and are familiar to many of its inhabitants, usual- ly appearing in their haunts here in the first week of May, some returning to the South in September, others waiting until the middle of October. Though very numerous in the culti- vated districts of Massachusetts, they are rather rare in the northern parts of New England ; and yet u they have been met with in Arctic countries," as have Robins also. They for the most part prefer the neighborhood of man and of culti- vated soil, though one may often find their nests in wild spots, far from any house, since they roam over all the open country. Though never properly gregarious, individuals do the work of a host in destroying injurious insects ; eating the caterpillars, which they find in orchards, shrubbery, bushes, and thickets, and feeding upon " cut- worms," which they obtain in ploughed lands. This fare they vary by occasionally catching winged insects, as they fly through the air, but more often by eating berries of various kinds, chiefly such as grow in swamps. From the nature of their usual employment, they rarely have occasion to perch very far above the ground, or to take other OF NEW ENGLAND. 47 than short flights, since they pass most of their time in shrub- bery, when frightened, generally taking refuge in a thicket, or a clump of bushes, so as to be effectually lost to sight. Though not habitually bold, they are often brave in resenting intrusions on their nests, giving a " warm" reception to cats, driving away or killing snakes, and occasionally flying at man. Two things are easily observable in the habits of these thrushes, namely : When on the ground, they can move about with agil- ity, and when perched, they often flirt their tails, or, when singing, depress them in a peculiar manner, which renders their attitude rather ludicrous. In autumn, before their departure, the Cat-birds become rather reserved and shy, and I have sometimes been able to detect their presence only by occasion- ally hearing their characteristic cry, or seeing them fly into " scrub " or other shrubbery, with their broad tails expanded to their fullest extent, as they crossed some road or path and dove into a thicket beyond. Their habits in the fall of the year illustrate the fact, that in spring most birds can easily be detected, if even carelessly sought for at the proper season, because of their song, their comparatively little shyness, and those bright tints, which, in the case of many birds, are exchanged for duller tints, when the summer either is over or draws near to its end ; whereas in autumn, on the other hand, many birds quietly, and in silence seldom broken, con- tinue to spend their days about us, and to migrate through those places where they were conspicuous in spring, escaping our observation through their greater shyness and retirement. There are two other partial explanations of the actually and apparently greater abundance of certain birds, when passing to the North through Eastern Massachusetts than when re- turning, which are, that in the autumnal migrations many species for the most part choose a more inland route, and that in spring, the warblers, for instance, are prompted to their long journeys by a sudden outburst or a gradual ap- proach of genuine warmth, such as gives life to the insects on which they feed ; whereas in fall, unless startled by a sud- den visitation of cold, they gradually leave their summer- 48 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS homes, and by degrees straggle {if I may use the expression) to their winter-haunts. 7 (d). The song of the Cat-birds, which is very much like that of the Brown Thrush, is in some respects a striking one, for the tone and accent are very marked ; and, though some of the notes are rather harsh or uncouth, others are very mellow. This song is not a definite or limited one, but is repeated for several minutes together, from the time of their arrival until the summer is nearly over, especially at evening ; but it is not unfrequently marred or interrupted by the mimicry of others' notes, for, though the Cat-birds do not possess the wonderful powers of the Mocking Birds, yet they are clever mimics, imi- tating Quail, Pewees, Least Flycatchers, and even hens, with great exactness. I have been more than once deluded by these musicians into the belief that I distinctly heard birds, whose presence I justly but little expected in the places, where I have thus been momentarily deceived. The Cat-birds have a mellow chuck, a chattered alarm-note, which I am inclined to think that they seldom use, and a familiar harsh ciy, which resembles the "mew" of a cat, whence their common name, and also, prob- ably, that' instinctive but irrational antipathy, which many boys entertain for this bird. III. HARPORHYNCHUS (A) RUFUS. Brown Thrush. " Song Thrush" "Thrasher" " Mavis." (A common summer-resident in southern New England.) (a). About eleven inches long. Above, bright reddish- brown ; below, white (or tinged), streaked with dark brown, but throat unmarked. Wings with white bars. Tail very long. (6). The nest is placed in a bush (occasionally in a tree, such as the cedar) or on the ground ; never far from it. When placed in a bush, sticks are generally used in its construction ; in all situations the nest being usually composed, wholly or 7 It is hoped that the author will be excused for these digressive remarks by those persons who are well acquainted with the facts mentioned. OF NEW ENGLAND. 49 partly, of strips of cedar-bark and the like, together with dead leaves and similar substances. The eggs are dirty white, cov- ered with very numerous and minute light brown markings, and average 1'05 X '80 of an inch, or more. One specimen is slightly tinged with green. In Eastern Massachusetts, two sets of these eggs (containing four or five) are laid every year, the first of which commonly appears in the last week of May, though sometimes exceptionally in the second week. (c). Not only do the notes of the Brown Thrush bear a strong resemblance to those of the Cat-bird, but their habits also correspond closely to those of that bird. The " Song Thrushes" reach the neighborhood of Boston, more often in the first than in the second week of May, or perhaps most often in the last week of April,, and are common summer-residents throughout southern New England, many not withdrawing until October. They are rare, however, in Northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Though on their arrival one may often see them on cultivated estates and near houses, yet they almost invariably, so far as I know, pass their summers in that species of shrubbery known as u scrub," or in low cedar- woods, where underbrush abounds, and are much less familiar toward man than are their relations the Cat-birds. They feed upon berries, caterpillars, wasps, or beetles, and, while en- gaged in procuring them, may often be seen moving from bush to bush, with a characteristic flight, and with their long tails so outspread as to be very conspicuous. When they perch, the " Thrashers " flirt or depress their tails in the manner of the last species, to whom I have already referred ; and they like- wise are very bold in the defence of their nest, often hissing with the vehemence of a pugnacious goose. They frequently have refused to leave their nests on my approach, unless to fly at me in a way, which used to frighten me heartily, when young. They are so brave and at the same time so unsociable as rarely or never to congregate, either for the sake of mutual protection or of companionship. They may be seen, however, in pairs, rustling loudly among the dead leaves, or hopping along the ground with remarkable agility. I have called them 5 50 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS "brave," and yet, when their young are reared, they resume their natural shyness, avoid man, and on his approach disap- pear in the surrounding shrubbery ; but the instinct of mother- hood can inspire bravery in those habitually timid, when emergencies occur which require courage. (d). The loud chuck of the Brown Thrushes, their indescrib- able note of alarm or displeasure, and their song are all, as has been intimated, much like those of the Cat-bird. Their song is very pleasing, being loud, emphatic, and wonderfully varied ; so much so that it is sometimes well-nigh impossible to believe that one bird can produce such widely different notes, but, though called "mockers," the "Thrashers" never mimic other creatures, so far as I have observed. Often, if interrupted, when singing, they softly repeat the syllables " tu- whit, tu-whit," and immediately resume their song. In May, at evening, I have often listened to them, when, having chosen a high perch, they have sung sweetly and loudly ; and it was when thinking of such singing that Wilson wrote : " The human being, who, amidst such scenes, and in such seasons of rural serenity and delight, can pass them with cold indifference, and even contempt, I sincerely pity ; for abject must that heart be, and callous those feelings, and depraved that taste, which neither the charms of nature, nor the melody of innocence, nor the voice of devotion of gratitude or devotion reach." 2. Saxicolidse. Stone-chats and bluebirds. (See 1.) I. SIALIA (A) SIALIS. (Eastern) Blue Bird. (Very common in Massachusetts during the warmer half of the year.) (a). 6-7 inches long. Above, bright blue (in females, im- mature specimens, and specimens in winter-plumage, often in- terrupted by dull-colored patches) . Belly white ; other under parts bright, ruddy brown or chestnut. 9 usually much duller or paler than $ . (6). The nest is generally placed in the hole of a tree or post, or in a bird-box. The eggs, which measure about -85 X OF NEW ENGLAND. 51 62 of an inch, are light blue (very rarely white). Two sets of 4-6 are usually laid each year in this State, of which the first commonly appears about the first of May. (c). The familiar Blue Birds are the first birds to come from their winter-homes to the Eastern States ; for they reach the neighborhood of Boston, invariably no later than March, and sometimes in February. They have once reached it, ac- cording to Dr. Brewer, on the twenty-eighth day of January, though never known to pass the winter here. In summer they are very common and generally well-known throughout south- ern New England, though comparatively rare to the northward, as in the case with many other of our common birds. Whilst migrating, they usually fly very high, and one may often be apprised of their coming, before seeing them, by hearing their warbled note, which they frequently utter when on wing. By the middle of March they become quite common, and may be seen in small companies, perched on telegraph-wires, or ridge- poles of barns, on fences or trees, occasionally calling to one another, or moving from place to place. Cheerless as the season then is, they contrive to exist, though naturally insec- tivorous, until warmer weather causes an abundance of insects ; and they even mate during the cold weather, with which spring is inaugurated in this part of the world. In April, they gather various warm materials, and build their nests by placing them in a bird-box, or at the bottom of a hole in some tree ; and in these nests their eggs are laid about the first of May, when but few other of our birds have begun incubation. The haunts of the Blue Birds are well-known, and few naturalists can pass through farms, orchards, gardens, or fields, or travel over roads through cultivated lands and villages, without associating with them these companions of every student of nature. The Blue Birds are not only pleasant friends, but are also useful laborers in behalf of agriculturists, as is proved by the nature of their food, and the manner in which they obtain it. Though in the early spring, and more so in fall, various berries afford them nourishment, yet in May, and throughout the summer, they feed quite exclusively upon insects, chiefly upon beetles, many 52 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of which are injurious. As they often rear two or even three broods of young during their annual sojourn in Massachusetts, they necessarily destroy an incalculable number of pests (at the rate of between fifty and a hundred thousand to a pair in four months) . So soon as the young of the first brood are old enough to leave the nest, the female soon begins again to lay, while the male takes charge of the young, teaching them how to catch their prey. He may often be seen to perch in some open spot, and, flying into the air (much in the manner of fty- catchers), to seize some passing insect, or, pausing with rapidly quivering wings, to snap up some grasshopper or beetle from the grass, immediately returning to his perch. Though the Blue Birds have been known to take long flights, when traveling, yet they rarely fly far at other times, and, though when journeying they move through the air at a con- siderable height, at other times they usually remain rather near the ground, but they never, as a rule, stand on it, except occa- sionally when collecting bits of straw or the like, with which to build their nests. In autumn they gather in small flocks, and in October generally depart from this State, though a few linger until November. (d). The only song of the Blue Birds is a repetition of a " sadly-pleasing " but cheerful warble of two or three notes, tinged (so to speak) by a mournful tone. This they often give utterance to when on wing, as well as when perched. In autumn, and when with their young, their usual note is a single sad whistle, but they occasionally use a peculiar chatter as a call-note to their young, whose notes differ from those of their parents. I shall here close my account of these birds, deservedly popular as forerunners of spring, companions of man, and cheerful, beneficial laborers, by quoting a few lines from one of Alexander Wilson's poems. la Autumn "The BJue-bird, forsaken, yet true to his home, " Still lingers, and looks for a milder to-morrow, " Till forc'd by the horrors of winter to roam, "He sings his adieu in a lone note of sorrow. OF NEW ENGLAND. 53 " While spring's lovely season, serene, dewy, warm, "The green face of earth, and the pure blue of heav'n, " Or love's native music have influence to charm, "Or sympathy's glow to our feelings is 8 giv'n, ' Still dear to each bosom the Blue-bird shall be; " His voice, like the thrillings of hope, is a treasure; "For, thro' bleakest storms if a calm he but see, "He comes to remind us of sunshine and pleasure I " NOTE. The European Stone-chat or " Wheat-ear" (Saxicola cenanthe) occurs in Northern North America as a wanderer, and is included by Dr. Coues in his " List of the Birds of New England." In his "Key" he describes it as follows (the length being 5-6 inches?): "Adult: ashy gray; forehead, superciliary line and under parts white, latter often brownish- tinted ; upper tail coverts white, wings and tail black, latter with most of the feathers white for half their length ; line from nostril to eye, and broad band on side of head, black ; bill and feet, black ; young everywhere cinnamon-brown, paler below ; 3. Sylviidse. (See 1.) I. REGULUS (A) CALENDULUS. Ruby-crowned " Wren" Ruby-crowned " Kinglet."* (Common in Massachusetts in April and October.) (a). 4-4 inches long. Above, greenish olive ; below, white, impure and yellow-tinged. Wings with two white bars, and (like the tail) with light edgings. Eye-ring, impure white. Crown in mature specimens with a scarlet patch, wanting in immature birds (and females ? 10 ) ; moreover, in some speci- mens, small and orange-colored. (6). I believe that there is no record of the nest and eggs 8 In the original "are," evidently through inadrertance. 9 These birds have been called " Kinglets " from their scientific name (Regulus), meaning "little king." 10 1 have seen in spring pairs of these birds, highly colored, and apparently fully matured, of whom the males had a brilliant carmine patch, and the females no patch at all, or none evident. 54 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS having ever been discovered. They are probably like those of allied British species, and of the Golden-crowned "Wren" (B, b). (c). The little Ruby-crowned " Wrens," almost the smallest of North American birds, with the exception of the humming- birds, habitually pass the summer in the countries, which lie to the northward of New England. 11 They reach the neighbor- hood of Boston, when traveling from the North, in the first or second week of October, and are quite common throughout that month, a few lingering until the middle of November, and still fewer occasionally passing the winter here. In autumn, regardless of the cold frosts, they always seem to be happily employed, either in pairs or singly, in ransacking trees in woods or orchards and elsewhere, for the small insects and eggs, which lie concealed beneath the bark, and in its crevices. They can but rarely be detected here in winter, since they com- monly spend that season in the indefinite " South." In spring they generally return to us about the middle of April, and are very common until the middle of May or earlier, when they totally disappear. They may be found in orchards or wood- land, and about cultivated estates, everywhere leading the same busy, restless life, which they never for a moment for- sake, while daylight lasts. They may be seen now clinging to some cluster of opening leaves or budding flowers, perhaps head downwards, now hopping to a neighboring twig, now fly- ing into the air to dexterously seize a passing insect, then calling to their mates if they be near, or uttering their sweet and joyous song. Though not gregarious, they are of a soci- able disposition toward other birds, and in fall often associate with Chickadees, nuthatches, creepers, " Gold-crests," and Downy Woodpeckers, and in spring with various migrating warblers, if there be any to join, whose habits are at 'all like 11 Wilson, however, says : " From the circumstance of having found them here in summer, I am persuaded that they occasionally breed in Pennsylvania." Mr. Charles C. Abbott, in speaking of their breeding in New Jersey, says that " at least we have as evidence of this their presence in June, and also that of their young in August." OF NEW ENGLAND. 55 their own. They are not usually shy or suspicious, but are so engrossed in their important occupations that they are easily approached, and are not disturbed, when closely watched. They have but little time to think of danger, and continue their career of constant activity (interrupted only by darkness and incubation), apparently regarding all living things as creatures innocent as they themselves. (d). In autumn and winter their only note is a feeble lisp. In spring, besides occasionally uttering an indescribable queru- lous sound, and a harsh " grating " note, which belongs exclu- sively to that season, the Ruby-crowned " Wrens " sing ex- tremely well, and louder than such small birds seem capable of singing. Their song commonly begins with a few clear whistles^ followed by a short, very sweet, and complicated warble, and ending with notes like the syllables tii-we-we, tu-we- we, tu-we-we. These latter are often repeated separately, as if the birds had no time for the prelude, or are sometimes merely prefaced by a few rather shrill notes with a rising inflection. It is astonishing, under existing circumstances, that neither nest nor egg of the Ruby-crowned "Wrens " has been discov- ered, or at least described. It is probable, and on their ac- count it is to be hoped, that they may long continue to rear their young in happiness and peace, undisturbed by naturalists, in the immense forests of the North. (B) SATRAPA. Golden-crowned " Wren." Golden-crowned " Kinglet." " Gold-crest." (Moderately common from October until April or May.) (a). Like calendulus (A), except on the head. Crown with a yellow patch (enclosing in ^ a scarlet one), bordered in front and on the sides by a continuous black line. (6). The nest of these birds has never, so far as I know, been discovered by any naturalist, previously to this year (1875). Wilson, indeed, thinking that the English "gold- crest " was identical with ours, which is not the case, quoted a description of the nest and eggs of that bird from Dr. 56 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Latham. 12 I therefore have the honor of recording the discov- ery of the nest of the Golden-crowned "Wren," which I made this summer, on the sixteenth day of July, in a forest of the White Mountains, which consisted chiefly of evergreens and white birches. Having several times observed the bird there, I at last detected them in the act of conveying food to their young, and soon tracked them to their nest. This hung four feet above the ground, from a spreading hemlock-bough, to the twigs of which it was firmly fastened ; it was globular, with an entrance in the upper part, and was composed of hanging moss, ornamented with bits of dead leaves, and lined chiefly with feathers. It contained six young birds, but much to my regret no eggs. (c). The Golden-crowned "Wrens" come to Massachusetts from their summer-homes in the latter part of October or in November, and, though a majority of them move on to the South, many pass the winter here, and continue their residence in this State until April or even the second week of May. During the winter they are for the most part gregarious, and may often be seen in small flocks, moving about among trees ; more often among those (such as birches) which spring up be- side wood-paths than those growing elsewhere. But they also visit cultivated lands and orchards, generally avoiding ever- greens (so far as I have observed), probably, because they do not readily find among them, in cold weather, the small insects and their eggs, which infest the bark of other trees, and upon which they chiefly depend for food. 13 I have always found them more abundant on the edges of lanes through our woods than in other places, and there one may watch them scrambling about from twig to twig and from tree to tree, so busily engaged as to almost ignore one's immediate presence. They are not quite so restless as the Ruby-crowned " Wrens," but are equally so- " American Ornithology," Vol. I, p. 127. 13 The nuthatches, creepers, and titmice, all affect the pines in winter, and there- fore I am at a loss to explain the apparent dislike of these birds to those trees in that season. About the fact I do not think myself mistaken. They share the Chickadee's partiality for white birches. OF NEW ENGLAND. 57 ciable, and often join the merry Chickadees and their follow- ers, in pursuit of their common prey. In spring, when the cold of winter has become somewhat modified, they are rather less social, roam more freely, and finally move northward, their place being immediately supplied by others, who have been living in a warmer climate. These possess habits more nearly akin to the habits of the Ruby-crowned " Wrens " than those of their predecessors, and frequently catch insects in the air, or obtain them by fluttering before some opening cluster of leaves, while so doing, causing their wings to quiver rapidly, 1 ' and often exposing the golden feathers of their head, which are opened and shut with great adroitness," which they also more frequently do when skipping about from bough to bough. Many pass the summer in Northern Maine, and in certain parts of the White Mountains, but none breed in a more southern country, unless in New Jersey, as Dr. Abbott thinks is the case. They are " quite common at Umbagog in June ;" " and judging from the condition of female specimens taken, lay their eggs about June 1st." Messrs. Maynard and Brewster " found several pairs in the thick hemlock woods, that evidently had nests in the immediate vicinity." (d). Beyond an occasional weak note, or a cry of tsee-tsee- tsee, the Golden-crowned " Wrens " are usually silent, whilst staying in their winter-homes, except on the approach or arri- val of spring, when they sometimes give utterance to a twit- tered warble, which resembles the weaker song-notes of the Chickadees. In their summer-homes they have a song, which Mr. Maynard has described as " a series of low, shrill chirps, terminating in a lisping warble ; " and, when with their young, they twitter constantly, as do also many other birds. NOTE. Cuvier's "Kinglet" (liegulus Cuvieri) is a source of conjecture to all modern ornithologists. It was obtained by Audubon near the banks of the Schuylkill River, in June, 1812. Only one specimen was taken, which differed from sat- rapa in having the crown-patch entirely vermilion and two black stripes on each side of the head. I have suspicions of having seen this species in New England, but they are too vague to render the supposed circumstance probable. 58 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS II. POLIOPTILA (A) CLERULEA. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. (A very rare or exceptional summer-resident in New England.) (a). 4-4 inches long. "Clear ashy blue, bluer on head; forehead, and line over eye, black (wanting in 9 ) : outer tail feather white." Bill, feet, and rest of the tail, black. Under parts (bluish) white. (6). "The nest is placed on a tree, from ten to fifty feet above the ground, and is cup-shaped, firm, but small and neat." An egg in my collection measures -60X*48 of an inch, and is pale greenish blue, dotted with reddish-brown and a little obscure lilac. (c) (d) . The Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are said to have wan- dered to Massachusetts, but their usual habitat is further to the southward. They are insectivorous, and dart " about from one part of the tree to another with hanging wings and erected tail, making a feeble chirping, tsee, tsee, no louder than a mouse." (Wilson.) They generally hunt "on the highest branches." Mr. Burroughs says of this bird in "Wake- Robin : " " Its song is a lisping, chattering, incoherent warble, now faintly reminding one of the goldfinch, now of a miniature cat- bird, then of a tiny yellow-hammer, having much variety, but no unity, and little cadence." He previously remarks, in his charming sketches, that " in form and manner it seems almost a duplicate of the cat-bird, on a small scale. It mews like a young kitten, erects its tail, flirts, droops its wings, goes through a variety of motions when disturbed by your presence, and in many ways recalls its dusky prototype." 4. The ParidSD, or titmice, together with the two next fam- ilies, the nuthatches and creepers, form a natural, plainly col- ored group, and might appropriately be called "tree-gleaners." They all lead an active life, scrambling about among trees in search of insects and their eggs, but never flying far, though partially migrant. The chickadees not unfrequently alight on the ground, and often hang head downwards, but they never OF NEW ENGLAND. 59 habitually cling to the trunk. The creepers, on the other hand, climb much like woodpeckers, confining themselves to the trunks or larger upright limbs, and never touch the earth ; while the nuthatches in their habits are intermediate between the two. As regards music, however, the chickadees are in- termediate, for the nuthatches are wholly unmusical, while the creepers have a warbled song. They all, however, agree in building a nest in some cavity, usually the hole of a tree, and in laying small, white, spotted eggs, but the titmice are the most prolific, laying in one set always more than five eggs, and sometimes more than ten. They are all unsuspicious and soci- able, though, in Massachusetts, only the chickadees are strictly gregarious. The three families are all partially characterized as follows : length less than seven inches ; bill neither hooked nor notched ; tarsi scutellate ; toes not completely cleft ; pri- maries ten, the first short or spurious ; tail-feathers twelve. In the Paridce the bill is short, stout, pointed, and with convex outlines, the nostrils are concealed, the tarsus is "longer than the middle toe and claw," the tail is long, and about equal to the wings. In the Sittidw the nostrils are likewise concealed, but the bill is long, rather slender, acute, and with a convex outline beneath only; the tail is short (pi. 1, fig. 5). In the Certhiidce the bill is slender and decurved, the nostrils are ex- posed, and the tail-feathers are stiff and pointed (pi. 1, fig. 6). All the creepers and titmice of North America belong to the typical groups or subfamilies, Certhunce and Parince. L PARUS (A) ATRICAPILLUS. Black-capped Titmouse. Chickadee. (Common in Massachusetts throughout the year, but much less abundant in summer than in the other seasons.) (a). 5-5 inches long. (Tail and wings 2.) Above, ashy, variously tinted. Beneath, white, in winter often tinted with "rusty" or buff. Crown, nape, and throat black; intervening space (nearly) white. (b). The Chickadees either select a natural cavity or a de- serted woodpecker's home, or with great labor excavate a hole 60 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS for themselves, in a post or a tree. They rarely select a sound tree, but much prefer a decayed one, particularly a white birch, in which from one to thirty feet above the ground, on the side (or often on the top of a trunk, if a broken one) , they make an excavation, from three inches to a foot deep, with a narrow entrance, if possi- ble. At the bottom they place warm and soft materials, such as hairs, moss, feathers, and wool ; and the female, usually in the last week of May (near Boston), lays six or sometimes more eggs often again laying, later in the season. The eggs average *63 X '50 of an inch ; and are white, either spotted with reddish-brown, or finely freckled with a rather paler shade, which ap- proaches flesh-color. (c). The Chickadees are so abun- dantly distributed, or well represented by closely allied species, throughout the greater part of North America, that probably to a majority of its inhabitants they are, on the whole, more familiar than any other birds. They are common residents in all the New England States, but in many parts of Massachusetts are much less common in summer than in winter, when many have come from the North. At the be- ginning of every new year, they may be found in abun- dance in the neighborhood of Boston, more often in small flocks than otherwise. One may then w r atch them closely, for they are not shy, as they move about among the higher branches, and the lower branches, or even on the ground, where they peck at fallen cones, or at such refuse as can afford them any nourishment. When on the trees, their motions are characterized by constant energy ; and the better to obtain their minute prey (small insects and eggs, such as infest bark) they assume many peculiar attitudes, to maintain which great (comparative) muscular strength is required such attitudes Fig. 2. Chickadee OF NEW ENGLAND. 61 as hanging by the claws, or clinging to cones with the head downwards. They are so merry, genial, and sociable, that their society is sought for, as it were, by other birds, such as creepers, nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers and " kinglets," whose habits are much like their own, and who frequently join them in their pleasant rambles and active scrambles. They roam wherever there are trees, be they near houses, or in the depths of the forests, in valleys or on hill-sides ; 14 but ever- greens, particularly pines, and white birches, are their favorites. They never take other than short flights, and often, as Wilson says, " traverse the woods in regular progression from tree to tree," in this manner traveling several miles every day. They are very unsuspicious, and allow one to approach closely, so that by remaining motionless I have often induced them to surround my person. Mr. Samuels mentions an instance of one perching on the toe of his boot as he sat in the woods ; and a young man of Northern New Hampshire once told me that they were so tame in cold weather as to feed from his hand, but his friends were possibly young and inexperienced birds, or at least were probably those who had passed the summer in some country uninhabited by man. In regard to the manner in which the hardy little Titmice pass the night, I have some interesting information to offer for the perusal of my readers and I shall here quote from my ornithological diary. "February 10th. This afternoon, just before sunset, I noticed two Chickadees, feeding on the ground, and pecking at a bone, to which a remnant of meat was at- tached. After saving one of them from a cat, who was steal- ing towards and was about to catch them, I remained there fifteen minutes. They scarcely left the ground during that time, except to take a low perch, until half-past five, when one flew away over the house-top and disappeared. The other continued to hop about on the ground ; and then, without any intimation of his purpose, abruptly flew to the piazza, whither I followed him. He took possession of a Pewee's nest, which " Among the White Mountains to an elevation of 4,000 feet ( ?) 62 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS stood upon the top of a corner-pillar, adjoining the house, and, having stared at me for a moment, tucked his head under his wing, 15 and apparently leaned against the wall. I think that he went to sleep almost immediately, for, on my stepping from the piazza, he started (as if from sleep) and turned to look at me ; but he soon composed himself once more to his slumbers." "Feb. 12th, 1875. I found my friend, the Chick- adee, fast asleep to-day at 5.35 p. M." "Feb. 18th. I have continued to find the Chickadee retiring to rest in the nest on the piazza. Another retires as regularly at sunset, and sleeps in a hole of a white birch, evidently once a Chickadee's nest, perhaps his own." "March 13th. At five minutes after six this morning a Chickadee suddenly uttered his ' cliick-a-dee-dee- dee* from a pine, and then for five minutes repeated his whistle of pe-wee. Two companions then came, and the small flock, thus formed, moved off." In spring the Titmice gradually disperse, many to seek more northern homes, and some, after mating, to prepare homes for their offspring here. In summer they are shyer than in win- ter and often retire to secluded spots to rear their young, for whom they exhibit a tender affection, which sometimes prompts them, if robbed of their eggs, to follow boldly the intruder, uttering plaintive cries and whistles, which almost force one to repent of having disturbed the peace of such loving parents. In autumn, when family-cares are over, the Chickadees gather in companies and resume a merry life. (d). They have a great variety of simple or quaint notes, all of which seem to be expressive of perpetual happiness, for many of them are constantly repeated throughout the year, and none are restricted to one season. Besides their well- known chant " chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee," which has given them their name, they have an exquisite whistle of two notes (nearly represented by high G- and F, upon the piano), which is very 18 1 have here emphasized this fact, because I have lately read, where I do not now* remember, that it was "a ridiculous supposition that wild birds ever put their bills under their wings when sleeping. " I OF NEW ENGLAND. 63 sweet and clear, and various minor but equally expressive notes (among them a simple tsip), as well as certain guttural cries, one of which sounds like a rapid utterance of the French phrase "tout de suite," and is indicative, as it were, of the restless disposition of these birds. The Chickadees are universal favorites, and no birds have a better right to be than these social and happy pygmies. I have invariably found them to be very amiable, rarely disputing one with another, but Wilson considered them quarrelsome, and speaks of having followed one, the singularity of whose notes surprised him. Having shot it, he found its skull fractured (as he supposed by a companion) but afterwards healed. One passed the winter in my neighborhood whose chant may be tolerably well expressed by the syllables " chick-a-pu-pu-pu" the latter notes being somewhat like those of 'a Canary-bird, but there is no reason to believe that his cranium was cracked. (B) HUDSONIUS. Hudsonian Chickadee. Hudson Bay Chick- adee. (a). About five inches long. "Pale olive-brown; crown similar, but browner ; below on sides, and behind, pale chest- nut." "Chin and throat brownish-black." (c). The Hudson Bay Titmice pass the summer in Arctic countries (and in north-eastern Maine?) usually penetrating northern New England in cold weather only. Their habits resemble those of the common Chickadees. "Mr. Brewster took a single specimen at Concord, Massachusetts, on October 29th, 1870," the only recorded instance of their capture in this State. (d). Their song-note is harsher and "more quickly given" than that of our Chickadees. 16 / ' , ti^l 5. Sittinse. Nuthatches. (See 4.) I. SITTA (A) CAROLINENSIS. White-breasted Nuthatch. White-bellied Nuthatch. "Maynard. 64 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (Common here, in spring and autumn, in certain localities. In Massachusetts a few pass the summer, and a few the winter.) (a). About six inches long. Above, ashy blue. Outer tail- feathers, black with white patches. Wings marked with the same colors. Under tail-coverts tinged with " rusty." Other under parts and sides of the head (even above the eyes) , white. Crown and nape, black (in young and 9 s, impure, restricted, or wanting). (6). The nest and eggs correspond closely to those of the chickadee ( 4, 1, A, 6), but the latter are larger, averaging -80 X * 60 of an inch, and are rather coarsely spotted with (reddish-) brown and purplish. Four or five are said to constitute the usual set, but at what time they are laid in Massachusetts I am uncertain. (c). The White-bellied Nuthatches are abundant in but a few parts of New England. In Eastern Massachusetts they are less rare in spring and autumn than in the other seasons ; but only a few breed or pass the winter here. As it seems to be advisable to quote from Wilson a full description of some bird's habits, to show the usual style of that author, I shall here repeat his remarks about these birds. After describing their appearance, their non-identity with the European Nut- hatch, and their nest and eggs, he writes as follows : " The male is extremely attentive to the female while sitting, supplying her regularly with sustenance, stopping frequently at the mouth of the hole, calling and offering her what he has brought, in the most endearing manner. Sometimes he seems to stop merely to enquire how she is, and to lighten the tedious moments with his soothing chatter. He seldom rambles far from the spot, and when danger appears, regardless of his own safety, he flies instantly to alartn her. When both are feeding on the trunk of the same tree, or of adjoining ones, he is per- petually calling on her ; and from the momentary pause he makes it is plain that he feels pleased to hear her reply. " The White-breasted Nuthatch is common almost every where in the woods of North America ; and may be known at a distance by the notes quank, quarik, frequently repeated, as OF NEW ENGLAND. 65 he moves upward and down, in spiral circles, around the body and larger branches of the tree, probing behind the thin scaly bark of the white oak, and shelling off considerable pieces of it in his search after spiders, ants, insects and their larvae. He rests and roosts with his head downwards ; and appears to possess a degree of curiosity not common in many birds ; fre- quently descending, very silently, within a few feet of the root of the tree where you happen to stand, stopping, head downward, stretching out his neck in a horizontal position, as if to reconnoitre your appearance, and after several minutes of silent observation, wheeling around, he again mounts, with fresh activity, piping his unisons as before. Strongly attached to his native forests he seldom forsakes them ; and amidst the rigors of the severest winter weather, his note is still heard in the bleak and leafless woods, .and among the howling branches. Sometimes the rain, freezing as it falls, encloses every twig, and even the trunk of the tree, in a hard trans- parent coat or shell of ice. On these occasions I have ob- served his anxiety and dissatisfaction, at being with difficulty able to make his way along the smooth surface ; at these times generally abandoning the trees, gleaning about the stables, around the house, mixing among the fowls, catering the barn, and examining the beams and rafters, and every place where he may pick up a subsistence. "The name Nuthatch has been bestowed on this family of birds from their supposed practice of breaking nuts by repeated hatchings, or hammerings with their bills. Soft shelled nuts, such as chestnuts, chinkapins, and hazel nuts, they may prob- abl}' be able to demolish, though I have never yet seen them so engaged ; but it must be rather in search of maggots that sometimes breed there, than for the kernel. It is, however, said that they lay up a large store of nuts for winter ; but as I have never either found an} T of their magazines, or seen them col- lecting them, I am inclined to doubt the fact. From the great numbers I have opened at all seasons of the year, I have every reason to believe that ants, bugs, small seeds, insects and their larvae, form their chief subsistence, such matters alone being 66 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS uniformly found in their stomachs. Neither can I see what necessity they could have to circumambulate the trunks of trees with such indefatigable and restless diligence, while bushels of nuts la} r scattered round their roots. As to the circumstance mentioned by Dr. Plott, of the European Nuthatch c putting its bill into a crack in the- bough of a tree, and making such a violent sound, as if it was rending assunder,' this, if true, would be sufficient to distinguish it from the species we have just been describing, which possesses no such faculty. The female differs little from the male in color, chiefly in the black being less deep on the head and wings." To the above extract I have only to add that it should be remembered that Wilson wrote this account in Pennsylvania, in the first years of this century, and that further knowledge of this bird's habits may be obtained by studying those of the Red-bellied Nuthatch, who leads a very similar life. (d) . The note of the White-bellied Nuthatch is monotonous, unmusical, and yet striking ; it differs from that of the next species in usually being pitched on a somewhat lower key. There is also another note, properly distinct, which is rather more subdued, though shriller. This scarcely differs in tone from the ordinary cry of the Red-bellied Nuthatch. Both sounds are sure to attract the attention of a person who may hear them for the first time, and to remain firmly fixed in his memory. (B) CANADENSIS. Red-bellied Nuthatch. (In Eastern Massachusetts, common in October, and less so in winter and spring.) (a). 4^-5 inches long. Above, bright ashy or leaden blue. Outer tail-feathers black, white-spotted. Beneath, (pale) rusty- colored, except on the chin, which is white. In $ crown, and broad stripe through the eye, black. Intermediate space (and forehead), white. In 9 no black cap, and eye-stripe dusky. (6). The eggs are exactly like those of the Chickadee ( 4, I, A) ; and moreover the nest is in many respects like the nest of that bird, though sometimes placed in a horizontal limb of OF NEW ENGLAND. 67 a decayed tree, a situation in which I have never found the home of a titmouse. In northern New England the female lays about June first, and occasionally again in July. (c). The Red-bellied Nuthatches habitually spend the sum- mer in the woods and forests of northern New England and other rather cold countries, though a few may occasionally breed in this State, particularly in the western and well- ' wooded portions. They appear in Massachusetts about the first of October, and I have invariably found them quite com- mon during that month in the neighborhood of Boston. Many retire to the South in November ; and those who pass the win- ter here may easily escape observation, for they are generally silent, often frequent the large tracts of woods which are but little penetrated by man in midwinter, and not unfrequently almost lose their individuality, so to speak, by joining troops of Chickadees. They are by no means rare in April or the early part of May, when many pass through in their annual spring-migrations. As I have intimated, they are so sociable as to associate somewhat with other birds, but they are not often gregarious in Massachusetts, and usually are seen singly or in pairs, and not in flocks, as they are further north. They are more fond of pines than other trees, feeding upon their seeds, as well as on the insects about them, and among them are tp be found, busied in almost every conceivable attitude, sometimes moving up and down the trunk, as often with the head pointing downward as upward, and at other times scram- bling about the branches or the cones. They are not confined, however, to trees, for they sometimes climb about fences or old buildings, and occasionally descend to the ground, where they pick up fallen seeds. In comparing this species with the White-breasted, Wilson says that "its voice is sharper, and its motions much quicker than those of the other, being so rapid, restless and small, as to make it a difficult point to shoot one of them. When the two species are in the woods together, they are easily distinguished by their voices, the note of the least being nearly an octave sharper than that of its companion, and repeated more hurriedly ." 68 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (d). The only note of the Red-bellied Nuthatch is an un- musical sound, like the word "ank," which, says Mr. Maynard, is repeated more deliberately and less querulously in the breed- ing-season than at other times ; a fact, which I also have noticed. It is, however, varied considerably in pitch at all times of the year. 6. Certhiidse. Creepers. (See 4.) I. CERTHIA (A) FAMiLiARis. 17 Brown Creeper. (In Eastern Massachusetts very rare in summer, but common in winter.) (a). About 5 inches long. Bill slender and decurved ; tail- feathers rigid and acuminate (as in other Certhiince). Below, white. Tail unmarked. Other upper parts curiously and finely marked with several browns and whitish. (&). Wilson says that " the Brown Creeper builds his nest in the hollow trunk or branch of a tree, where the tree has been shivered, or a limb broken off, or where squirrels or Woodpeckers have wrought out an entrance, for nature has not provided him with the means of excavating one for himself." Mr. Gregg (in a Catalogue of the Birds of Chemung County, New York) says that u the nest of this species is built of dry twigs attached to the sides of some perpendicular object ;". and that he " discovered one on the attic of a deserted log house ; the nest rested upon the inner projection of the gable clap- board, and was cemented together with a gummy or gelatinous substance." The only nest that I have found in the neighbor- hood of Boston was a few feet from the ground, placed in the cavity formed by the rending of a tree by lightning. The eggs, which were fresh on the twentieth day of May, were grayish-white, speckled with reddish-brown, chiefly at the larger end, and measured about -60X*50 of an inch. A nest, containing young, found in a New Hampshire forest, was much like one found " in a large elm in Court Square, Springfield, 17 Once called Americana and "American Creeper." OF NEW ENGLAND. 69 about ten feet from the ground, and built behind a strip of thick bark, that projected in such a way, as to leave a protected cavity behind it." Dr. Brewer has described the eggs as "nearly oval in shape, with a grayish-white ground, sparingly sprinkled with small, fine, red and reddish-brown spots. They measure -55X'43 of an inch." (c). In Eastern Massachusetts the Brown Creepers are in winter common, less so, however, than in March, April, and October, when migrating from South to North or vice versa; on the milder winter-daj^s they may often be seen, as in spring and fall, about open woodland, near houses, and " even in vil- lage streets ;" whereas during the colder weather they frequent thicker and more sheltered woods. - Only a very few pass the summer in this State, a much larger number inhabiting the ex- tensive forests of northern New England, during that season. Like the titmice and nuthatches (with whom they often as- sociate, not being themselves gregarious), they are habitually among trees ; but, unlike those birds, they rarely if ever de- scend to the ground, and never hang with the head downwards. They are constantly in pursuit of insects ; hunting for them somewhat in the manner of woodpeckers, by clinging to the trunk or larger branches of the trees, on which they have alighted, propping themselves with their stiff tail-feathers, and moving about as securely as on a flat surface. Their pro- gress is generally systematic, for they usually alight near the foot of the tree, and climb up toward the top ; but they are often induced, perhaps by a lack of insects, to desert one tree for another, before they have examined it thoroughly. More- over, they often ascend in spirals, particularly on the trunks of the pine, one of their favorite trees, and thus confuse the observer, as they are soon lost to sight. Often, when I have awaited their appearance on one side, they have flown off to a neighboring tree, or, when I have run round to their side, they have climbed round to mine. But they are not shy, and it is not difficult, when aided by even a very little experience, to " keep track" of their movements, and to watch their motions. (d). The ordinary notes of the Brown Creepers are a feeble lisp, a chip which they generally repeat when flying, and a 70 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS peculiar cry of cree-cree-cree-cree, which is much less often heard than the others. Their indescribable song is a very pleasant one, being somewhat like the far finer music of the Winter Wren, and is varied, some of the notes being loud and sweet, while others are much feebler and less full in tone. It is repeated both in spring and summer, but never, I think, be- fore March. The Creepers are harmless birds, and as well as their allies, the titmice and nuthatches, should be considered extremely useful, since they help largely to preserve our trees and to pro- tect forest-growth. While men continue unwisely to destroy large woods in this State, thus exposing others and leaving no provision for the future, these birds will be more and more needed to remove those prominent causes of vegetable decay, injurious insects. Therefore they should be preserved. 7. The TrOglodytidSB, or wrens, form a distinct group, though quite closely allied to several families. They are insec- tivorous, and pass their time near the ground. Though not climbers, they are eminently creepers. They are migratory but not gregarious. They are for the most part (possibly in all cases) musical. They lay several or many eggs in one set ; these are small, white, reddish, or brown, and generally finely marked. The Troglodytes inhabit shrubbery or woodland, and build their nest in some cavity, such as the hole of a tree ; but the Cistothori frequent marshes or meadows, and build a globular nest, which is suspended among the reeds, or in the grass. The Troglodytidce are characterized as follows : colors plain ; general size less than six inches (though in one North American species eight) ; bill rather long and slender, unbris- tled and unnotched ; nostrils exposed, but overhung by a scale ; tarsi scutellate ; toes partly united ; primaries ten, but the first very short; tail-feathers not acuminate (fig. 3). The MotacillidcB ( 8) are in New England represented by one species only (belonging to the subfamily Anthince). They possess the following features : average length, about six inches ( ?) ; bill slender, somewhat notched, scarcely bristled, but above "slightly concave at base ;" nostrils exposed ; tarsus OF NEW ENGLAND. 71 scutellate ; " hind toe considerably longer than the middle one ;" primaries nine. The wagtails are virtually terrestrial warblers, closely allied to the Seiuri. It may be observed that our land-birds, as at present arranged, form a series, which may be artificially classified by food. Thus the higher Oscines are chiefly insectivorous, the shrikes partly insectivorous, but otherwise carnivorous, while the subsequent families are chiefly granivorous. The Clamatores and Picarice, the Raptores, and the Columbce, form a very similar sequence, the pigeons being, so to speak, vegetarians. I. TROGLODYTES (A) HYEMALis. 18 Winter Wren. Wood Wren. (Quite common in Massachusetts, during the migrations, in April and October.) Fig. 3. Winter Wren. (a). About four inches long. Tail rather short. Essen- tially like the next species in coloration ; but superciliary line, 18 This species has been placed by Baird in this genus (subgenus Anorthura"), by other authors in the genus Anorthura, with the specific name hy emails or troglo- dytes. Prof. Baird has recently called it a variety of the European T. parvulus. I have here called it the Wood Wren, because Audubon's so-called "Wood Wren " (T. Americanus} is now known to be the same as the House Wren (T. a^don"), and because the Winter Wrens inhabit woods, almost exclusively, whereas our other wrens do not. The name is therefore extremely appropriate. For the Great Carolina Wven.(Thryothorus Ludovicianus') see a note at the end of this biography. 72 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS and (generally) markings on the wing, whitish. Habits very different. (6). "Five eggs, not quite fresh, which I took from a nest in the White Mountains on the 23rd of July (probably those of a second set), were pure crystal- white, thinly and minutely speckled with bright reddish-brown, and averaging about -70 X 55 of an inch. The nest, thickly lined with feathers of the Buffed Grouse, was in a low moss-covered stump, about a foot high, in a dark swampy forest, filled with tangled piles of fallen trees and branches. The entrance to the nest, on one side, was very narrow, its diameter being less than an inch, and was covered with an overhanging bit of moss, which the bird was obliged to push up on going in." (H. D. Minot.) Dr. Brewer describes other eggs as measuring '65X*48 of an inch, and "spotted with a bright reddish-brown and a few pale markings of purplish-slate, on a pure white ground." The nest contain- ing these eggs, which were six in number, " was built in an occupied log-hut, among the fir-leaves and mosses in a crev- ice between the logs." It was found by Mr. William F. Hall " at Camp Sebois, in the central eastern portion of Maine." (c). The Winter Wrens are not very common in this State, and are generally seen here only in April and October, when migrating. They spend their summers in the most northern parts of New England and the cold countries beyond, and their winters to the southward of Massachusetts. 19 They are so little social as to generally travel singly, and to avoid the neighborhood of man, usually frequenting, when journeying, woods, or roadsides bordered by them, though I have also seen them in woodpiles near houses or barns. In such places they busy themselves about the piles of brush and logs ; when frightened often taking refuge in stone walls, if any be near, where, on account of their small size and great activity, they are as much at home as squirrels. When they have once taken to such a retreat, it is impossible to keep sight of them for any great length of time. Wilson says that in winter they are 19 1 have heard of but few instances of their being seen in this State in winter. OF NEW ENGLAND. 73 "quite at home, even in the yards, gardens, and outhouses of the city," 20 and also speaks of their singing while in Pennsyl- vania. I have several times seen them in the forests of the White Mountains, both in valleys and on hill-sides, in those grand, dark, and cool forests, which have been left undisturbed by man for years, if not forever, where the ground is covered with fallen trees, with logs piled upon one another and covered with rich moss, and where the damp soil, unparched by the sun, in summer gives birth to innumerable ferns, of great variety and extraordinary beauty. In such spots, their natural haunts, the Wood Wrens seemed to be less shy than they com- monly are during their migrations (which is not the case with most birds), and I have there often watched them, creeping agilely about with their long legs and constantly "ducking" their bodies in their peculiar manner, or singing from the top of some brush-heap or some pile of tangled limbs. (d). When traveling they are silent, but they have an ex- quisite song, which I have often heard in their summer-homes. It is one which cannot fail to attract the attention of an obser- vant person, though it may lead to a long search for the musi- cian, before he is found. It is very lively and hurried, and the notes seem to tumble over one another in the energy with which they are poured out. They are full of power, though many are shrill, and are garnished with many a gay trill ; in some passages reminding one of the Canary-bird's song, though infinitely finer. Their tone and spirit are wonderful and alone render them quite characteristic. Dr. Brewer speaks of the "querulous note" of these birds, which I do not remember to have ever heard. One of the prettiest little scenes that I have ever seen in nature was partly enacted by a Winter Wren, who, in nimbly scrambling about a stone wall, nearly ran into a " chipmonk," basking in the sun on the top of it. The surprise and pertness 20 Wilson wrote these words nearly seventy years ago, when Philadelphia was a city of about 80,000 inhabitants. 74 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of both creatures, at this unexpected meeting, were very ludi- crous and yet very charming. NOTE. Thryothorus Ludovicianus. Great Carolina Wren. (Said to have occurred in Connecticut.) (a). Nearly six inches long. Above, reddish-brown; be- neath, chiefly tawny. Superciliary stripe, white or buffy. Wings, tail (and under tail-coverts?), black-barred. Wings often somewhat white-spotted. (&). " The nest is composed of various warm materials, placed in a cavity, such as the hole of a tree, or some hole in a building." An egg in my collection measures about -75 X 55 of an inch, and is dull white, spotted somewhat coarsely with obscure lilac and several rather quiet browns, which are chiefly collected at the crown. (c). "The Great Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus Ludovici- anus), so far as I know, have not previously been reported as visitors to Massachusetts, but there are at present two appar- ently passing the summer in a small wooded swamp near Boston. It is believed that they have arrived since the fourth of July, soon after which my attention was attracted by their loud notes, which I immediately recognized through their gen- eral likeness to the notes of other wrens, and the descriptions of Wilson and Audubon. It is further believed that they are now building or have recently built their nest, the female being rarely seen, though the male often visits the shrubbery about the house. Though unwilling that they should be shot, I have no doubt as to their identity, partly on account of their music, which I have never before heard, though familiar with our birds. Moreover the description of the birds which I wrote on the spot, where I first obtained a good view of the male, corre- sponds in every important particular to the descriptions given by standard authors. To facilitate the detection of these birds elsewhere in Massachusetts, I offer a slight sketch of their habits and notes, as just observed. "The Carolina Wrens, being shy, are not easily studied, for, on man's approach, they often discontinue their song, and hide themselves in the surrounding shrubbery, or in a neighboring OF NEW ENGLAND. 75 wall. They sometimes betray their presence, however, by their quarrelsome disposition, and their noisy anger at the supposed intrusion of other birds. They remain near the ground, flying a little way with a rather loud fluttering, actively hopping from twig to twig somewhat impetuously, and with the tail often cocked in the air, or pausing to sing, when they assume a more upright posture, accompanied by a depression of the tail. "Their notes, except their chatter, which is much like that of the House Wren, are generally loud, musical whistles, which exhibit great variation. Sometimes they form a series of trip- lets, all of which may individually be on a descending or an ascending scale ; sometimes they resemble the word chirrup, the first syllable being much dwelt upon, and at other times may be well represented by the syllables we'-u, we'-u, we'-u, we'-u. This music is often delivered with volubility, but it is always characterized, apart from any similar notes to be heard near Boston, by a remarkable clearness or openness. Such is the biography of the Carolina Wrens in Massachusetts." " H. D. MINOT." " July loth, 1876." To this account it may be added that the Carolina Wrens are not always shy, that they are ventriloquists, and that they pos- sess a greater variety of sweet musical notes than has been indicated in the foregoing account. It is now believed, after further observations, that they arrived before July, and chose for their home a drier and sunnier place than the above-men- tioned swamp, to which, however, they have frequently wan- dered, at least the male. (B) ^DON. House Wren. (A very common summer-resident in southern New Eng- land, though locally distributed.) (a). 4J~5 inches long. Above, rather dark wren-brown. Below, light creamy or grayish brown (rarely rusty-brown). Everywhere finely "waved" with darker brown, but not con- spicuously on the crown. Coloration variable. Superciliary line sometimes whitish. Tail 1^-2 inches long. 76 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (6). The nest, generally a heap of twigs lined with warmer materials, is usually built in a bird-box, or in a hole of a post or tree ; but it is also often built in very extraordinary situa- tions, such as the sleeve of a coat (Wilson), a clay pot, a dis- used spout, or other equalty odd place. The eggs of each set are six to nine ; like those of the Long-billed Marsh Wren (II, B, b), but much lighter and more reddish ; they average about 60X'48 of an inch. In Eastern Massachusetts two sets are occasionally laid in the summer, one usually appearing in the first week of June. (c). The House Wrens, though rare in the northern part of New England, and so locally distributed in the southern por- tion as never to be seen in certain parts of it, are yet common in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, and even very abundant in some parts of these States. They usually reach the neighborhood of Boston in the first week of May, and leave it in September, when the frost has rendered it difficult for them to obtain their ordinary food, which consists entirely of spiders, other insects, and their eggs. The House Wrens frequent exclusively cultivated grounds, and the immediate neighborhood of man, so much so as to be " very numerous in the gardens of Cambridge," and other like cities. They are so fearless as to have built in occupied houses, and so impertinent and quarrelsome as sometimes to seize upon the nests of other birds for their own convenience, regardless of rights of prop- erty or ownership, and they invariably drive away from their own homes other wrens who may have intruded. They are, moreover, so brave as to often attack cats, generally with suc- cess. When not engaged in quarrels or robbery, in building or incubation, they are busy in hunting for insects, particularly spiders, in shrubbery, gardens, and orchards ; and they do not ramble about in the gloomy recesses of wood-piles as the Win- ter Wrens do. But in winter, when far away from their summer homes, and yet enjoying warm weather, their habits are differ- ent from those with which we are here familiar. Mr. Allen, in speaking of their habits in Florida, in winter, says that they keep "so closely concealed that it is difficult to shoot" them OF NEW ENGLAND. 77 " except when on the wing. 21 Both this and the Carolina wren are exceedingly quick in their movements, and if they are watch- ing the collector when he is about to shoot at them, they are pretty sure to dodge the charge ; although he finds the bushes and foliage where the bird sat riddled by the shot, he usually searches in vain for the specimen he is sure he ought to have killed. When approached in old grassy fields or pine openings, they will allow one to almost tread on them before attempting to get away, and then, instead of taking to wing, often seek to escape by running off like a mouse beneath the grass. The term "house" wren, usually applied to this bird, is decidedly a misnomer, since it frequents the fields, the thickets, and even the forest, as much as the vicinity of houses. In the wilds of Florida, where human habitations are few, there -is nothing whatever in its habits to suggest this name." Other instances might be cited to show how very injudic- iously names have often been\ bestowed upon birds, more so than in the present case, with which there is but little fault to find. Particularly should be condemned the practice of naming species after the place where they were first captured, for the title may afterwards become utterly inappropriate. (d). The House Wrens have a chirp not unlike that of an insect, a peculiar chatter, and a charming song, which cannot be satisfactorily described, as is the case with the music of most other birds. This song consists of a few loud and sprightty notes, followed by a loud and very characteristic trill, which is its most prominent feature. It may often be heard in the summer and in May. II. CISTOTHORUS (A) STELLARIS. Short-billed Marsh Wren. Meadow Wren. (In New England, a rather rare summer-resident, found only in the warmer parts.) (a). About 4^ inches long. Below, white. Breast and sides 21 1 have hero taken the liberty of very slightly altering the text, without chang- ing its meaning, that it might better accord with my own. 78 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of a light warm brown. Wings and tail barred. Like C. palustris above, but streaked with white on the back, nape, and rump. (6). The nest is essentially like that of the next species; but, no mud is used in its composition, it is generally placed in fresh-water marshes or meadows (being sometimes built in long grass), and the hole is usually on the under side. The eggs are generally six, sometimes more, very frail, white, and about -55 X "43 of an inch. The first and commonly the only set is laid, in Eastern Massachusetts, in the early part of June. (c). I must confess to not being so very familiar with the Meadow Wrens as I should like to be before writing their Nat- ural History, for in the southern parts of New England they are very generally rare, and in the northern parts are not to be found at all. They come to Eastern Massachusetts about the middle of May, and inhabit the fresh-water marshes and mead- ows, in certain localities, until the latter part of August, when they retire to the South. On their arrival, they busy themselves in building their peculiar nests, and it has been observed that they generally build several near together, every year, perhaps for the sake of protection. They are generally occupied in hunting for insects among reeds, rushes, or tall grass, but it is not easy to assure one's self of this fact, since they are shy, and, to use a sportsman's expression, "lie very close." They can also creep about and through the reeds as silently and actively as a mouse. (d). The Meadow Wrens have a harsh unpleasant chatter, but also a simple and yet very pleasant song, which reminds one of the songs of certain sparrows, though often character- ized by a peculiar wren-trill. (B) pALUSTRis. 22 Marsh Wren. Long-billed Marsh Wren. (Less common in Massachusetts than the preceding species.) (a). 5-5^- inches long. Above, brown. Below, white ; sides shaded with brown. Tail dusky-barred. Wings and under 22 By some authors placed in the genus Telmatodytes (considered by Baird a subgenusj. OF NEW ENGLAND. 79 tail-coverts slightly marked. Inter scapulars and crown, quite or nearly black ; the former 'white-streaked. Superciliary line, white. (6). The nest is suspended among the reeds or long grass, or is built in a bush in marshes. It "is formed outwardly of wet rushes mixed with mud, well intertwisted, and fashioned into the form of a cocoa nut. A small hole is left two-thirds up, for entrance, the upper edge of which projects * * *. The inside is lined with fine soft grass, and sometimes feathers ; * * *." (Wilson.) The eggs are usually six, and are laid in early June. They are light (reddish ?) chocolate- brown, so finely marked with a darker shade, as to appear, from a distance, uniformly dark, and average about -58 X *45 of an inch. (c). The Marsh Wrens are not to be found in northern New England, and in Massachusetts are even less common than the Meadow Wrens, to whom they are very closely allied in their habits. They frequent a few of both the salt-water and fresh-water marshes in this State, from the middle of May until the latter part of August. They spend their time in pro- curing the insects, on which they habitually feed, from the reeds and grasses, among which they move with great agility. Being rather less shy than the Short-billed Marsh Wrens, they can more often be seen, frequently in their favorite attitude, with their tail cocked in the air. (d). They have a harsh chatter, if it can properly be so called, a peculiar sound ; but, I have never heard them sing, nor have I ever heard a well-authenticated case of another person doing so. There are, I regret to say, no pretty traditional tales to be told about our wrens, nor is there any hereditary affection for them, such as is felt for "Jenny Wren" in England. 8. MotacillidSD. Wagtails. (See 7.) I. ANTHUS (A) LUDOVICIANUS. Brown Lark. " Titlark." " Pipit." li Wagtail.'' 80 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (A common migrant, in spring and autumn, along the coast of New England.) (a). About 6^ inches long. Above, pure dark brown (" olive-shaded " ? ), slightly streaked. Under-parts and super- ciliary line, light buffy-brown. Breast and sides dusky-streaked. Tail dark ; outer tail-feathers partly white. (b). The Titlarks breed chiefly in Arctic countries, and never in New England. (c) . They pass through Massachusetts in spring and autumn, when traveling to and from their summer-homes, and are then common on the sea-shore, "in the Fresh Pond marshes of Cambridge," and sometimes in old fields. They usually collect in loose flocks, and feed on seeds and insects, which they pick up on the ground, where they can run with ease and rapidity. They have a singular habit of jerking their tails, which is very noticeable. When disturbed, they generally fly away to quite a distance and high in the air, resuming their labors, if they may be so called, when they alight. They retire in summer to breed in Labrador and other cold countries, where they are said to sing. (c?). When with us. their only note is a feeble one, a simple chirp, which is often repeated. 9. The SylviCOlid.se, or American warblers, form a group, which may perhaps be best defined negatively. By the omission, however, of the Icterince (or chats), who probably should be ranked as a family intermediate between the warblers and tanagers, their characteristics may be considered the follow- ing. Length, 4-6^ inches ; bill twice as long as high ; commis- sure entirely straight or slightly curved, unless interrupted by a terminal notch ; nostrils exposed ; tarsus scutellate ; " hind toe shorter than the middle ;" primaries nine (fig. 4). It is doubt- ful how many subfamilies there should be, but the following well-defined groups exist. Seiurince, or lark-warblers (I). Bill notched, scarcely bris- tled. Birds streaked beneath. Tail not marked or forked. Geothtypince, or thicket -warblers (II, III). Bill notched, OF NEW ENGLAND. 81 scarcely bristled. Birds wholly unstreaked. Tail not marked or forked. In Geothlypis, the icings are approximately equal in length to the tail. 123 Helminthophagince, or worm-eating warblers (IV, V, VI). Bill acute, unbristled, and unnotched 23 (pi. 1, fig. 7). Mniotiltince, or creeping warblers (VII, VIII). Bill scarcely bristled, and never (very) distinctly notched ; hind-toe much longer than its claw. (Except in structure, however, the Parulse and Mniotiltse are widely different.) SylvicolincE, or wood-warblers (IX, X). Bill notched, and with short bristles (pi. 1, fig. 8). Tail not unmarked, unless in cestiva, where it is slightly forked. In other cases white- blotched. Perissoglossce are characterized by the tongue. Setophagince, or fly-catching warblers (XI, XII). Bill notice- ably broader than high, also notched, usually hooked, and always with long bristles 23 (pi. 1, fig. 9). This last group is ranked as a subfamily, the others being united by Dr. Cones as Sylvicolince, though Prof. Baird further sets apart the Geothlypince. (For remarks on Icterince, see 10.) The warblers are, no doubt, to many persons the most charm- ing of our birds. They are eminently peaceful, and prettily colored, brightly, sometimes brilliantly. Musically, however, they are generally surpassed by the thrushes, vireos, and finches. They are insectivorous, migratory, and in some cases gregarious, except in summer. Among their nests are some of the neatest and prettiest specimens of bird-architecture. The eggs are, for the most part, four or five, white, spotted with brown and lilac. I. SEIURUS (A) NOVEBORACENSIS. Water " Thrush." Water " Wagtail." (Common, perhaps locally so, during their migrations through Massachusetts, where, however, a few breed.) (a). o-6 inches long. Dark brown above (tinged with olive). Superciliary line and under parts white, tinged with 23 Characteristics underscored do not belong to other warblers. 7 82 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS yellow. Throat and breast thickly spotted with very dark brown. " Feet dark." (&). The nest is usually built on or near the ground, in a swamp or at least the neighborhood of water. The eggs of each set are usually four, average -85 X '6 7 of an inch, though variable in size, and in coloration closely resemble those of the Golden-crowned " Thrush" (C, b). A nest, which I found near Boston, contained fresh eggs in the first week of June. (c). The Water "Thrushes" are to be found in northern New England as summer-residents, but, though a very few pass the summer in Massachusetts, they are common in this State, or at least parts of it, onty during their migrations in the third and fourth weeks of May, and the first or second of September. While in the neighborhood of Boston, they remain near streams and bodies of water or in wet woodland, and pick up the little insects, and other things upon which they feed, almost exclusively from the ground, often wading, however, in shallow water. When sojourning here, they are not veiy shy, and it is easy to approach them so as to watch their peculiar motions, which recall those of the sandpiper, and are yet partially characterized by a constant jerking of the tail a habit which belongs to several other common birds, such as the Pewee, who depresses the tail, however, instead of jerking it upwards. The Water "Thrushes" are, on the other hand, very shy in their delightful summer-homes, and would almost escape notice, but for their very charming song. As it is, they are rarely seen, for they are very nimble on the ground, and on man's approach leave their paddling in the mountain-brooks, and their pleasant labors on the banks, to hide in thickets or underbrush. Imagine a forest, which man has never invaded, and through it flowing a cool, clear stream, whose course is broken by the rocks, round which it bends, or over which it falls into some foaming pool, and you will know the haunts of these birds ; imagine music, which can hardly be excelled, and you can faintly realize the charms of such places, if you do not already know them. (d). "The Water 'Thrushes' song is loud, clear, and ex- OF NEW ENGLAND. 83 quisitely sweet, and begins with a burst of melody, which be- comes softer and more delicate until the last note dies away, lost in the ripple of the stream, above which the birds are gen- erally perched. It is probably sometimes repeated at night, as is the song of the Wood ' Wagtail,' and how enchanted should I be to hear it in the coolness of the woods and stillness of the night." It may quite often be heard in spring, during the migrations and the season of courtship, as well as the ordinary note of these birds, a sharp chick, which usually expresses alarm. As I have heard it, however, it is a simple song, merely characterized by unusual loudness and clearness. It is greatly to be regretted that not more persons are familiar with the pleasing music of the Water "Thrushes," whose love of retirement has unfortunately allowed few others than natural- ists to know them. (B) LUDOVICIANUS. Large-billed Water " Thrush." Water Warbler. (So far as I know, the only instances known of this bird coming to Massachusetts and northern New England, are those recorded by Mr. Allen, who shot one "April 28, 1869, on Mount Tom," and by Mr. Irving Frost, who shot another * at Norway, Maine, in May, 1865.") (a). About six inches long. Like the last species, but be- low buffy, chiefly behind, with fewer and less prominent streaks (none on the throat), and with " legs pale." (fr). The nest and eggs are like those of the common Water Thrush, but the latter are a little larger, averaging -90X'70 of an inch. (c) . The Large-billed Water Thrushes have a very different habitat from their immediate relations, and very rarely occur in New England. They are closely allied to the Water Wag- tails in habits ; like those birds, frequenting woodland and the neighborhood of water, and being addicted to wading and to jerking their tails. (d) . Their ordinary note is probably the same chuck, but their song is said to be more glorious than that of the other species, 84 LAND-BIRDS AKD GA&E-B1RD9 which I have just described. It begins with loud, clear, and* tinging notes, and ends with the softer notes, which die away almost imperceptibly. It was this song that Wilson described as having heard the Water Thrush utter in the vast cane-brakes of the South, where these birds find a home during a part of the year. (C) AUROCAPILLUS. Golden-crowned " Thrusli." Oven- bird." " Wagtail." (In Massachusetts a common summer-resident.) (a). 6-6 J inches long* Olive above. Below white. Breast and sides (darkly or) black-streaked. Crown orange, bordered by black stripes. (Details omitted.) (-6). The nest is placed on the ground, in the woods. It is ! usually lined with hairs, and is generally but not invariably roofed. The eggs of each set only one being commonly laid in Massachusetts, and that about June first, or perhaps earlier are usually four, averaging between -90 X '70 and -80 X '62 of an inch. They are subject to considerable variation, but are generally (creamy) white, with either minute lilac markings about the crown, or markings of reddish-brown and faint lilac scattered (not very thickly) chiefly in blotches,- either all over the egg, or only about the greater end. (c). The birds, of whom I am about to write, are variously called Golden-crowned " Thrushes," having formerly been classed with the thrushes 24 (and their crown being dull orange), " Oven-birds," because of the usual construction of their nests, and " Wagtails," because of their habit of flirting their tails-, by which name I shall refer to them. They a*e common summer-residents throughout New England ; much less so, how- ever, in the northern parts, though known to breed in Arctic countries. They generally reach Massachusetts in the first week of May and leave it in September, sometimes lingering almost until October, quite unobserved, because of their rarely broken silence at that season. They frequent woodland of ** Mr* Maynard adheres to this arrangement. OP -HEW ENGLAND. 8S various kinds, but pine-groves are perhaps their favorite haunts- In such places they are usually to be seen on the ground, walk- ing about quietly, silently, and with an amusing deliberateness, and picking up their food from among the fallen leaves ; but they betake themselves to trees (rather than to bushes), when frightened, when engaged in their pretended or real quarrels during courtship, or when they wish to utter their peculiar ohant. They are endowed with strong parental affection, and, when the nest is approached, both male and female exhibit great concern, or the latter, if disturbed whilst sitting on her nest, feigns lameness, as many other ground-nesting birds do, and flutters nimbly away, until, having led the unwary pursuer to a distance, she "takes to wing." (d). The Wagtails' loud monotony wee-chee, wee-chee, wee-chee, wee-chee, wee-chee, wee-chee^wee-chee, wee-chee, wee-chee, wee-chee, which is repeated rapidly with a steadily increasing volume, is heard, at intervals, throughout the day. Their ordinary notes are a chuck of alarm, and a sharp chick, em- ployed -chiefly during the period of mating. At night I have often heard the male sing very sweetly, his chatter being followed by a low musical warble, such as I have rarely heard him utter during the day, except sometimes at dusk. He gen- erally pours out this music while descending through the air from a height to which he has just mounted ; but these per- formances are almost exclusively confined to the season when Ms mate is sitting on her eggs or young. The Wagtails are much oftener heard than seen, the more so that they are never gregarious ; but the oddity of their familiar chant, the quaintness of their habits, and their strong conjugal and parental affection, must ever endear them to the appreciative naturalist. II. GEOTHLYPIS (A) TRICHAS. Maryland "Yellow-throat" Black-masked Ground Warbler. (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) ^a). About five inches long. $ olive-green above. Fere- 8& LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS head, and a broad bar through the eye, black, bordered above by grayish. Belly white. Other under parts, yellow. 9 with no black or grayish. More olive above. Head browner* Beneath, white, yellow less and paler. (&). The nest is usually placed on the ground almost in- variably beside a brook or in a swamp but occasionally in a thicket or briar. It is composed of (leaves) fine grasses, etc., is often lined with hairs, and is sometimes roofed. The eggs average -70 X *55 of an inch, and are white, sometimes with no markings, but commonly with a few reddish-brown blotches about the greater end, or with a ring about the crown of fine reddish-brown and lilac markings, or with numerous spots and blotches of the same colors distributed over the entire sur- face. They vary greatly in coloration, but the ground-color is always ( ?) white, and is not usually much marked. In all parts of New England two sets of these eggs are laid annually, as a rule, in Massachusetts the first generally appearing in the last week of May. (c). The "Maryland Yellow- throats " are probably (on an average, throughout New England) the most abundant of our warblers in summer, and in certain parts of Maine and New Hampshire are nearly the most common birds. They eome to Massachusetts, from their southern winter-homes, in the first or second week of May, and do not altogether leave it before October. On their arrival, before retiring to the places where they build their nests, they spend much of their time in trees, often those on cultivated estates ; but, later in the season, they betake themselves to swamps, thickets, and bushes along the roadsides, and are then seen chiefly on or near the ground. They constantly move their tails, both when on the ground, and when hopping from twig to twig, for they rarely take other than short flights. In their haunts, which cannot be well defined or enumerated, they are ever busy, when not interrupted, in catching the insects and caterpillars, upon which they feed ; and yet, though not shy, they are continually watchful, and mindful of intruders. (cf),. Besides a sharp cliucky which is loud enough to attract. OF NEW ENGLAND. 87 the attention of every passer-by, a simple chick, less often heard, and a chatter, much finer and less harsh ^han that of the Cat-bird, the "Maryland Yellow-throats" have a charac- teristic set of notes, which resemble the syllables wee-chee-chee, repeated several times, with a marked emphasis on the wee. This is varied to wee-chee-chee-wee, which is repeated in the same manner, and again to a song, which is not unlike that of the Yellow Warbler, though sufficiently distinct. The "Maryland Yellow-throats" are among our most bene- ficial birds, and cannot in any way do injury to man or his property. Whoever is unfamiliar with them can easily make their acquaintance, and a charming acquaintance it will prove to be. In a certain place, where I took many walks, these birds seemed to be traveling companions, whenever I followed the highways, so constantly did I see them along the road- sides. (B) PHILADELPHIA. Mourning Warbler. (Quite common (locally) in certain parts of northern New England as a summer-resident, but a very rare migrant through Massachusetts, where none pass the summer, so far as I know.) (a). Five inches or more long. Olive above. Beneath, bright yellow. Head, warm (ashy-) gray. Throat black, often waved with gray. (b). The eggs and nest correspond closely to those of the Maryland Yellow-throat in every respect, but the former, so far as I know, are never either plain white or coarsely marked. (c). The Mourning Warblers are among the birds who are extremely rare in Massachusetts, even during the migrations, though they breed quite commonly in certain parts of northern New England, and also in places much further to the south- ward. During their occasional brief sojourn in this State, in the latter part of May, and still more rarely in September, they usually frequent the haunts of the Maryland Yellow- throats, but are also sometimes seen examining the foliage of tall trees (up the trunks of which, for a little way, I have strong reason to believe that they sometimes scramble). I 88 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS invariably see in spring a few pairs in the " scrub," especially where swampy. In their summer-homes they inhabit copses and thickets in open spots, finding their food in piles of brush, on the ground, etc., never, however, jerking their tails in the manner of their relations. (d). The Mourning Warblers have a sharp chirp, a feeble tsip, and a warbled, liquid song (likened to that of the House Wren, Water Thrush, and Maryland Yellow-throat), which is generally delivered from a high perch. III. OPORORNIS (A) AGiLis. 25 Connecticut Warbler. (A migrant in New England. Extremely rare in spring, and generally rare in autumn, though more than a hundred specimens were taken at Cambridge in two years, when these birds were extraordinarily abundant in fall.) (a). About 5^- inches long. Above, olive-green, becoming ashy-tinted on the head. Eye-ring whitish. Throat (and up- per breast), ashy or brownish. Other under parts, yellow. Crown, olive in autumn. (6). I believe that the nest and eggs of these birds have never been discovered by any ornithologist. (c). The Connecticut Warblers have hitherto, with two re- markable exceptions, been very rare migrants through Mas- sachusetts ; but they may become more common hereafter. I have seen them but once in spring (then only an individual on the tenth of May), and but a few times in September. The following observations were made at the Fresh Pond Marshes of Cambridge, in the autumns of 1870 and 1871, and illustrate the habits of these birds. "Mr. Henshaw found them almost constantly engaged in seeking their food on the ground. When startled they would fly up to the nearest bush, upon which they would sit perfectly 35 The Kentucky Warbler (0. formosus') may stray to New England, though I know no instance of its so doing. It has been known to breed in Eastern New York. OF NEW ENGLAND. 89 motionless, in a manner closely resembling the Thrushes. If not farther disturbed they immediately returned to the ground, * * *. If greatly startled they took a long flight among the bushes, and could rarely be found again." (d). I have heard them utter only tsips and chirps whilst in their usual haunts, namely, swampy thickets, and shrubbery near them. I have never heard their song, nor read any de- scription of it. IV. HELMITHERUS (A) VERMIVORUS. Worm-eating Warbler. 126 (Though found in Maine, this species very rarely comes so far to the north-eastern part of the United States as to reach New England.) (a). About 5] inches long. Greenish-olive above. Head and under parts, buff. The head is marked with two dark stripes bordering the crown, and two running from the eyes. to the back. (b). The nest is placed on or near the ground. The eggs are described as averaging about '70 X '55 of an inch, and being pure white, minutely spotted with reddish-brown, chiefly at the larger end, where lilac is intermixed. (c). The Worm-eating Warblers so seldom come to this State, that, I regret to say, I have never seen them here. The various accounts of their habits and notes which I have read are more or less conflicting and unsatisfactory ; but from them I have gathered that the Worm-eating Warblers inhabit both woodland and shrubbery, and usually feed on caterpillars and spiders, which they find on the ground, or "among the dead leaves of a broken branch," being very nimble in secur- ing their prey. They are never gregarious, but, even during their migrations, travel alone or in pairs, sometimes, however, with their young in autumn. (d). Their notes are "a feeble chirp," a "complaining call" 28 The closely allied Swainson's Warbler (H. Swainaoni) has been erroneously reported from Massachusetts. 90 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of "tsee-dee-dee," and a song which has been variously de- scribed, but which, from all accounts, does not seem to be a very pleasing one. I regret that I am obliged to write brief, and on that account less interesting biographies (if I may so far flatter myself) of some of the warblers, about whom, because of their general rarity here, I know little and cannot obtain much information. V. PROTONOTARIA (A) CITR^EA. Protlionotary Warbler. (So far as I know, there is but one authentic instance of this bird being captured in New England then at Calais, Maine, on October 30th!). (a). About 5J inches long. Golden-yellow. Back oliva- ceous. Rump, light ashy-blue ; wings and tail darker. Tail- feathers marked with white. (6). Dr. Brewer speaks of three nests. One of these " was built within a Woodpecker's hole in a stump of a tree, not more than three feet high ; " another " was built within a brace-hole in a mill ;" and a third " in a hollow snag, about five feet from the ground, in the river bottom." The eggs average *68 X '55 of an inch, and are cream-white with lilac, purplish-brown (and black) markings. (c) . The Prothonotary Warbler have little or no right to be included in the list of the birds of Massachusetts, and I have never seen them here (unless perhaps once a pair, at dark in October) . They prefer the borders of streams, and neighbor- hood of water, to drier ground, and swampy thickets to the woods and forests. Otherwise their habits are essentially like those of the Worm-eating Warbler, and other allied species. (d). Their ordinary note is said to be like the .feeble tsip of the White-throated Sparrow, but of more characteristic notes I know nothing. The " Prothonotaries " strongly resemble the Blue-winged Yellow Warblers, who are much more likely to oc- cur in southern New England, and therefore should an inex- perienced student meet either in his rambles through this State, let him carefully note which it is. OF NEW ENGLAND. 91 VI. HELMINTHOPHAGA (A) PINUS. Blue-winged Yellow Warbler. (No one, I believe, has reported the presence of this bird in New England, except Mr. Samuels.) (a). About five inches long. Like the Prothonotary War- bler ; but rump (like the back) olive, wing-bars and tail-blotches white (or nearly so), and eye-stripe, or lore, black. (b). The nest is placed on the ground, in wooded land. The eggs average about '70 X "55 of an inch, and are white, with a few reddish-brown spots about the greater end. (c). The Blue-winged Yellow Warblers, being foreigners to New England, I can only describe through others. Wilson says of this species that it " haunts thickets and shrubberies, searching the branches for insects ; is fond of visiting gardens, orchards, and willow trees, of gleaning among blossoms, and currant bushes ; and is frequently found in very sequestered woods, where it generally builds its nest." Mr. Samuels, whose account has been rejected by some ornithologists, says : "In 1857, in the month of May, about the 12th or 15th, I found a small flock in a swamp in Dedham, Mass. They were actively employed in catching flying insects, and were so little mistrust- ful, that they permitted me to approach quite near, and observe their motions. I noticed nothing peculiar in them ; but they had all the activity and industry of the true arboreal Warblers." (d). Dr. Brewer says that " in regard to the song of this bird, Mr. Tripp'e states that its notes are very forcible and characteristic. He describes them as a rapid chirrup resem- bling chuuchicli, k'-Orre-r' r' r' r 1 r' ( !). According to Mr. Ridgway they are wonderfully like the lisping chirrup of the Coturniculus Passerinus" (or Yellow- winged Sparrow). (B) CHRTSOPTERA. Golden-winged Warbler. (A rather uncommon, or even rare; summer-resident in Mas- sachusetts.) (a). About five inches long. Above, slaty-blue. Whole crown and broad wing-bars, rich yellow. Below, white. Throat, $2 'LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS and stripe through eye, black. Tail-feathers white-blotched. ^ with less pure colors than $ . (b). The nest is placed on the ground, in woodland, gener- ally near swamps, and is variously lined. Four eggs taken by me from a nest found near Boston average about 4 68X'55 of an inch, and are white, marked, chiefly at the great end, with reddish-brown. They were taken on the 8th of June and cor- respond with those found by Mr. Maynard on June 12th, 1869. (c). The Golden-winged Warblers have at last been recog- nized as summer-residents in Massachusetts of no very great rarity, and are not so largely migrant through this State, as was once supposed, for indeed it probably forms nearly their most northern limit. They reach the neighborhood of Boston about the 10th of May, and do not retire to the South until 'September. During the summer they inhabit woodland, par- ticularly that which is swampy, but soon after their arrival I have several times met them among the trees on cultivated -estates, where I have noticed, contrary to the observations of some other persons, that they remain chiefly on or near the ground (not infrequently, however, among the higher branches), and rarely catch insects on the wing. On the contrary, they often recall the titmice. They 'have a habit, observable in their relations, of occasionally hopping from the ground to snap an insect from the foliage above. (d). Their notes are a tsip, a louder chip, and a sharp alarm- mote. They also have a brief and rather unattractive song of four or five peculiar syllables, uttered in a characteristic, rather harsh tone, and resembling dsee-dsee-dsee-dsee. BB. LEUCOBRONCHIALIS. Wliite-tliroated {Golden-winged) Warbler. The following is an extract from the " Quarterly Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club," for April, 1876 (Vol. I, No. 1). " Description of a New Species of Helmintliopliaga ; by William "Brewster. Helminthophaga leucobronchialis. PL 1. <" Adult male ; summer plumage. Crown, bright yellowy sl'ightly tinged with olive on the occiput. Greater and middle wing-coverts, yellow, not so bright as the crown. Superciliary Mne, cheeks, throat and entire under parts ; silky-white, with a slight tinge of pale yellow on the breast. Dorsal surface exclusive of nape which is clear ashy -^-washed with yellow, as are also the outer margins of the secondaries. A narrow line of clear black passes from the base of the upper mandible, through and to a short distance behind the eye, interrupted however by the lower eyelid, which is distinctly white. No traces of black upon the cheeks or throat, even upon raising the feathers. Bill black. Feet, dark brown. Dimensions - length^ 5-19 ; extent, 7-88 ; wing, 2-45 j tarsus, -71 \ tail, 1'86 ; eulmen, '53. " It will be seen from the above description that this bird resembles most closely the Golden-winged Warbler {Helmin* thopaga ch rysoptera . } "The entire absence of black or ashy on the cheeks and throat, the peculiar character of the superciliary line, and the white lower eyelid, present however differences not to be recon- ciled with any known seasonal or accidental variation of that species. The restricted line of black through the eye gives the head a remarkable similarity to that of Helminthophaga pinus, but the semblance goes no farther. " The specimen above described was shot by the writer in Newtonville, Mass., May 18, 1870. It was in full song when taken and was flitting about in a thicket of birches near a swampy piece of oak and maple woods. As nearly as can be remembered it did not differ much in either voice or actions from H. cJirysoptera. The first notice of this specimen ap* peared in the ' American Sportsman/ vol. v, p. 33. * * * * " As previously remarked the differences in coloration in the present bird from any of its allies are so great, and of such a nature, as to render any theory of accidental variation exceed- ingly unlikely, while hybrids at least among the smaller spe- cies of undomesticated birds - are of such shadowy and prob- lematical existence that their probable bearing upon the pres- ent case is hardly worthy of consideration." 94 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (C) RUFICAPILLA. Nashville Warbler. (Quite common as a migrant through this State, where few regularly breed.) (a). About 4^ inches long. Above, dull olive. Beneath, yellow. Back of Jiead, slate. Crown more or less marked with chestnut-red. In 9 ? head-markings indistinct, and crown patch often wanting. (&). The nest is placed on the ground, either in some open part of the woods, or amongst the shrubbery of some southerly- facing bank. It is commonly composed of dead leaves, strips of thin bark, grasses, etc., and is often lined with hairs. The eggs of each set are four, averaging about *63 X '50 of an inch, and are here laid about the first of June. The eggs are white, and vary between the extremes of being finely and thickly marked about the crown with lilac, and being thinly and coarsely blotched at the greater end with reddish-brown ; these markings being sometimes combined. (c). The Nashville Warblers are summer-residents through- out New England, but they are apparently more numerous in the northern than in the southern portions. In Massachusetts they are rare during summer, but are common at the time of their migrations, which here occur about the middle of May 27 and of September. In spring and autumn, whilst traveling, they habitually frequent lightly- timbered woodland, and some- what, also, shrubbery about houses, but where they are resi- dent in summer they chiefly affect dry scrub-land, often that which is partially wooded. Their constant activity and indus- try, combined with their general adherence, while traveling, to the higher branches of the pines, chestnuts, oaks, and maples, which they usually prefer to other trees, often renders it difficult to detect their presence, even when quite' abundant. They travel singly or in pairs and remain long in one tree or cluster, not being easily frightened. The two great difficulties in studying the habits of our warblers, are the almost nonde- 87 1 have seen them from the 5th until the 20th. OF NEW ENGLAND. 95 script coloration of some species in autumn, and the fact that many kinds, even in spring, can only be identified by most nat- uralists upon a close examination, to obtain which it is nec- essary to shoot the birds, when of course their habits can no longer be studied. It is for these reasons that it is important to know the minor notes of various species, for by these one can often easily distinguish two species otherwise closely alike, especially if such notes are associated with other more marked characteristics. Thus one can in this way always distinguish " Yellow-rumps " at a great distance, for though their ordinary "chuck" is very much like that of the "Black-polls" (who are here in autumn at the same time), yet their manner of flight is different. (cZ). The ordinary notes of the Nashville "Warblers are a simple chip, a loud chink, and a peculiar alarm-note ( ?) entirely characteristic, which is hardly, I think, as Wilson says, much like "the breaking of small dry twigs, or the striking of small pebbles of different sizes smartly against each other for six or seven times," though it may be recognized by that description. It is "loud enough," as that author says, "to be heard at the distance of thirty or forty yards.'* Their song is simple but pretty, more resembling that of the common Summer Yellow-bird (D. cestiva) or Chestnut-sided Warbler than that of any other species. It may be represented by the syllables ivee' -see-wee' -see, ivit'-a-wU'-a-iuit'. (D) CELATA. Orange-crowned Warbler. (This species was reported from Maine by Audubon, and a specimen was shot by Mr. Allen at Springfield on the fifteenth of May, 1863.) /^jt.wl. (a). Essentially like the Nashville Warbler (C) ; but with the slate of the latter wanting, the chestnut supplied by orange- brown, and the yellow green- tinged. (6). Nest and eggs probably like Ihose of the last species. (c). The Orange-crowned Warblers are unknown to me personally, but probably there is little or no difference between their habits and those of the Nashville Warblers, to whom they 96 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS are very closely related. They probably frequent open wood- land and orchards, and display a like agility in capturing their prey among the higher branches. (d). Their song Dr. Gambel "describes as commencing in a low, sweet trill, and ending in tshe-up." "Their usual note is a sharp chip." Dr. Brewer thinks that Audubon's .account of this bird is incorrect, but whether that is the case or not I do not know. Bonaparte, in his continuation of Wilson's Ornithology, says : " During winter, the Orange-crowned Warbler is one of the most common birds in the neighbourhood of St. Augus- tin, Florida, almost exclusively frequenting the 'orange trees. Their manners resemble those of the kindred species, though they have a remarkable habit of constantly inflecting the tail like the Pewee. The note consists of a chuck, and a faint squeak, but little louder than that of a mouse/' (E) PEREGRIN A. Tennessee Warbler. (A very rare migrant through Massachusetts, though a sum- mer-resident in northern New England.) (a). About 4f inches long. Above, yellow-tinted olive- green, with modifications. Superciliary line and under parts, white (or yellowish). 9 duller above. (See synopsis, p. 81.) (6). The nest and eggs are essentially like those of the Nashville Warbler, though the eggs vary, and exhibit certain peculiar forms, and though the nest is "often placed in woods." (c) . The Tennessee Warblers are extremely rare in Eastern Massachusetts, and are nowhere common in New England, except in a few northern localities, such as Lake tlmbagog, where they are summer-residents. They journey through this State in the latter part of May, and again about the middle of September. I have met them here twice in open woodland ; Mr. Maynard shot four males, on apple-trees in Newtonville, between the 18th and 24th of Ma}^, 1869 ; a pair were shot by Mr. William Brewster, near Mt. Auburn on high oak trees ; and Mr. Allen has "taken it repeatedly at Springfield, where he has always esteemed it rare." Audubon considered these OF NEW ENGLAND. 97 birds active, and also expert fly-catchers, and speaks of their mellow tweet, uttered when they are on wing, or when fluttering before clusters of leaves. Wilson has written of the first specimen that he obtained that " it was hunting nimbly among the young leaves, and like all the rest of the family of Worm- eaters, seemed to partake a good deal of the habits of the Titmouse." (d). "Its notes were few and weak." "Its song bears a resemblance to that of H. ruficapilla, only the notes of the first part are more divided, and the latter part is shriller. The male, while singing, is generally perched on some high dead branch. In this habit it resembles the H. ruficapilla and H. cJirysoptera." (Maynard.) "Its notes resemble the low, sub- dued whistle of the common summer Yellow-bird." (Board- man.) v VII. MNIOTILTA (A) VARIA. Black and White " Creeper." (A common summer-resident in southern New England, though rarer further to the northward.) (a). Five or more inches long. Belly white. Otherwise black. Wings barred, tail spotted, and other parts streaked, with white. But 9 white beneath (obsoletely) streaked on the sides. (Details omitted.) (6). The nest is built in woods and groves, and is placed on the ground (rarely, in the hole of a tree). The eggs average *65X'55 of an inch; are elliptical; and are white (cream- tinted), covered with small and rather dark brown blotches and spots, chiefly at the great end, or evenly sprinkled with small light reddish-brown markings. One set of four or five is here laid in the last week of May (sometimes earlier or later), and occasionally a second when the season is more advanced. (c). The Black and White "Creepers" are very common summer-residents throughout southern New England, though rare in the more northern portions, where in many large tracts even of wooded land the}' are not to be found at all. They reach Eastern Massachusetts, sometimes as early as the last 8 y LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS week of April, sometimes not until the second week of May, and remain here until September, during a part of which month migrants of this species continue to pass through from the North on their way to the South. The warblers generally in- habit woodland of various kinds, but occasionally visit orchards and like places near the habitations of man, toward whom they exhibit no shyness, and also seek their food among the bushes of the " scrub," where they find the caterpillars, small insects, and insect-eggs, upon which they habitually feed. They differ from all our other warblers in their method of obtaining their food, which is to a certain extent entirely distinctive, though much like that of the true creepers (Certhiidoe) , from whom they principally differ in being much less S} T stematic in their researches, and in occasionally busying themselves upon the ground. They pass most of their time in scrambling about the trunks and larger limbs of trees, rarely perching, and also in running over old fences, such as contain rotten and moss-grown or lichen-covered wood. While thus engaged, they almost invariably keep their head pointed toward the direction in which they are moving. They rarely take other than short flights, when not traveling, but after remaining for a moment on the trunk of one tree, seldom longer, fly to a neighboring one. They are never strictly gregarious, but they possess such conjugal and parental affection that they are often seen in pairs (or family-groups). When the female is frightened from her nest on the ground, which is often partially concealed, she usually feigns lameness, and flutters away with trailing wings and tail, in the hope of distracting the intruder. (Dr. Coues speaks of these birds building in the holes of trees, which, says Dr. Brewer, " is probably an error, or, if ever known to occur, an entirely exceptional case." I have found two of their nests near Boston thus situated, of which the first was in a pine-grove in the cavity of a tree rent by lightning, and about five feet from the ground, and the other on the top of a low birch stump, which stood in a grove of white oaks. These facts show how erratic birds frequently are in changing their habits, and how much corroborative testimony is needed to establish a single fact in Natural History.) OF NEW ENGLAND. 99 (d). The Black and White "Creepers" have a very great variety of notes, and perhaps utter more distinct sounds, exclu- sive of song, than any other of our birds, though it is very possible that other warblers, with whom I am less familiar, possess the same power. The notes of the so-called "Creep- ers" are a weak but pure tsfp, a harsher tsip, much like that of the Chestnut-sided Warbler, a loud chick, which sometimes becomes a chink, an alarm-note, chick-a-chick, chick-chick, a chant, if it can properly be so-called, of tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee, which is uttered in another tone so as to sound more like chee-chee- chee-chee, and their rather feeble and unmusical refrain of wee- see, wee-see, wee-see, wee-see, icee-see. To the last and most frequently repeated chant a few sweet and musical notes are generally added in May and June, and these combined form their only song. There are hardly any birds more familiar to the ornithologist in the woods than the Black and White "Creepers," since they are common, are free from shyness, and usually remain near the ground, with their boldly marked plumage in conspicuous contrast with the bark of the white oaks and chestnuts, to which they so often turn their attention. They are eminently useful, and few creatures do more good in protecting the growth and life of our forest-trees, and the trees of woodland freshly sprung up to supply the place of a former growth. VIII. PARULA (A) AMERICANA. Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. "BlueYelloiv- (A summer-resident in northern New England, and usually a common migrant through Massachusetts, where a very few breed.) (a). About 4^ inches long. Above, blue, ashy- tin ted, with a yellowish patch on the back. Lore black. Throat and part of the breast, yellow, with a rich, dark brownish patch. Upper throat immaculate. Other under parts, wing-bars, and tail- spots, white. 9 rather duller, with less distinct markings. (Details omitted.) 100 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (6). The nest is globular, with an entrance on the side, and is composed principally of hanging mosses. It is usually placed in the woods, twenty or more feet from the ground, at the end of a bough of some hard-wood tree or evergreen. It usually contains four or five freshly laid eggs in early June, which average about *62 X "48 of an inch, and are white (or cream-tinted) with spots and confluent blotches of reddish- brown and lilac, chiefly about the crown. (c) . The ' ' Blue Yellow-backs" are summer-residents through- Fig. 4. Blue Yellow-backed Warbler out the eastern United States, more commonly in Northern Maine and New Hampshire than in Massachusetts, where only a few breed, chiefly, probably, in the valleys of the Connecticut and Nashua Rivers. Near Boston they are ex- tremely rare in summer, but are generally common in the sec- ond and third weeks of May and September, during their migrations, being, however, sometimes rare, and sometimes extremely abundant. I can in no way, I believe, better de- scribe their habits than by detailing the observations which I made upon them this spring (1875), when they were very nu- merous in my immediate neighborhood. They came on the elev- enth of May, and did not wholly disappear until the twenty- second of that month, after which I saw none, except a few in OF NEW ENGLAND. 101 autumn. They chiefly frequented the budding maples, the orchard-trees, and the shrubs and bushes which were just push- ing forth their young leaves ; sometimes alone, more often in pairs, and less commonly in small parties of three and four. They constantly skipped from twig to twig, much as a Chicka- dee does, often turning their heads in peculiar attitudes so as to reach the crannies behind the buds, and occasionally even hanging head downwards, the better to effect their purposes through their constant activity. They would often take short flights into the air in order to seize some passing insect, and then would immediately return to their former avocations, usually on the same tree. A great charm in the disposition of these pretty and graceful little birds was their entire fearless- ness of man, which was so absolute, that I many times was within two or three feet of them, even when I was not motion- less. The "Blue Yellow-backs," whilst migrating, may also be found in the more open and lightly timbered woodland, but seldom among the pines. In their summer-homes they inhabit both the evergreens and hard-wood trees, wherever grouped in abundance, and very generally prefer the higher branches, where they build their nests (for they never, so far as I know, descend to the ground). These nests are beautiful objects, and very admirable architectural works, which distinguish their builders from all the other members, at least the American members, of their large family, the warblers ; for though nearly all of them build neat and pretty nests, none ever construct nests so striking in appearance as these, which are globular, with an entrance on one side. They are often suspended from the bough of a hemlock, and are usually composed of rather long Spanish moss, which is a very pretty material for nest- building. Wonderful must that instinct be which enables the little warblers to weave the long threads together with security and compactness, and finally to arrange them in the desired form that the globular shape may be so nearly perfected. From cases of which I have known, I have strong reason to believe that these nests in Massachusetts are sometimes, perhaps acci- dentally, not entirely rounded, but are left largely uncovered, 102 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS which I at one time supposed to be due to the warmer climate, but I have since learned that specimens from the Southern States are like those from Maine, and perfect in shape. (d). The ordinary notes of the "Blue Yellow-backs" are a tsliip, a chick, often loud, a cry of cliick-a-cliick-chick, and occasionally a trill, which approaches a chatter. Their song, which I have often heard in May, as well as June, though rather weak and unmusical, is yet quite loud, more so, I think, than some other authors have represented. It begins with a trill of rising inflection and marked accent, which is followed either by twitters, or by notes which remind me of those of the "Black-throated Greens," or by still others like them. In this song I have sometimes recognized a peculiar hoarse tone, which seemed to characterize it strongly. IX. PERISSOGLOSSA (A) TIGRINA. Cape May Warbler. (In Massachusetts generally extremely rare, especially in autumn. In summer, "common at Umba^og," Maine.) (a). 5-5 j- inches long. Above, yellowish-olive ; back dark- streaked. Crown dark. Lores black. Beneath, bright yellow. Breast and sides black-streaked. Throat strongly tinged with the bright orange-brown of the ear-coverts. Rump yellow. Wing-bars and tail-spots, white ; former often fused. (6). A nest found in the neighborhood of Boston, closely resembled that of the Yellow Bird ( X, A) in every respect. The five eggs, which were fresh in the first week of June, also were like those 'of that species, and probably unlike the usual form, described by Dr. Brewer as measuring " -70 X '55 of an inch," and having "a pinkish-white ground, blotched with pur- ple and brown of various shades and tints. They are disposed chiefly about the larger end, usually in a ring." (c). The Cape May Warblers are very rare in Massachusetts, more so, however, during some } T ears than during others, and are so very seldom to be seen near Boston that I have very little information to offer to my readers in regard to their habits. Mr. Maynard has never seen them in the eastern part of this OF NEW ENGLAND. 103 State, where, however, some were shot from (blossoming ?) apple-trees by Dr. Bryant, but he found them common at Umbagog, Maine, where they spent their time in the tops of the taller evergreens. In northern New England they are summer-residents, but in the southern parts can hardly be con- sidered as other than very rare migrants. I have occasionally seen them in May, but only once in September, which is partly due to their frequenting so much the higher branches, where they are not easily detected. X. DENDRCECA (A) ESTIVA. (Summer) Yellow Bird? 8 (Blue-eyed) Yellow Warbler. Golden Warbler. (In southern New England a very common summer-resident.) (a). About five inches long. Yellow with modifications. Breast, and even the back, streaked (often indistinctly) with orange-brown. Tail-feathers not blotched with white as in all other Dendro2cce. (b). I shall describe the nest at length, as it is essentially like those of several other species. It is composed outwardly of very fine grasses, interwoven with woolly or cottony mate- rials, which form a substantial wall. This is often covered with caterpillar's silk, and is lined with wool, down from plants (particularly a dun-colored kind), horse-hairs, and rarely feath- ers. Nuttall aptly calls this structure " neat and durable." It is to be found on cultivated grounds and in gardens, as well as in pastures and swamps, though even a different situation is sometimes chosen ; it is generally placed in a low bush, such as the barberry or currant-bush, but occasionally in the branches of a shade-tree at a considerable height above the ground. The eggs average -67 X *50 of an inch, and are usually either grayish-white, green-tinted, with spots and blotches of lilac (which is often obscure) and various browns chiefly about the larger end, or (more rarely) white, with lilac (obscured) and sand} 7 or yellowish-brown markings grouped principally about * The Goldfinch (Chrysomitris tristris, 15, IV, A), is also called the Yellow Bird. 104 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the crown. The above colorations are the extremes, between which there are various intermediate forms. It' is remarkable that the eggs, though so variable, are very generally character- istic of the birds, and unlike those of other warblers. In Eastern Massachusetts four or five eggs are laid about the first of June, but no second brood is raised unless some accident befalls the first. (c). The Yellow Birds are the most common and familiar of all our warblers ; and who is there that does not, or who ought not to know these beneficial and charming little birds, who are so pleasantly associated with the arrival here of actual spring, since generally in the first week of May they come from the South ? Throughout the summer they are to be found about us, but when autumn comes they leave us, and generally, before the first week of September has passed away, the}'' have gone. Yet they are very hardy, and stray to the Arctic shores, though hardly anywhere common to the northward of Massachusetts, where they are, in most parts of the State, abundant. They inhabit pasture-land and cultivated grounds, being not infre- quently seen near houses, and never retiring to the woods. They are not sufficiently social to gather in flocks, but, on the contrary, though of a pleasant-tempered and affectionate dis- position, seem always to be absorbed in the search of insects, through our orchard-trees, shade-trees, and shrubbery. They never seek for these insects on the ground, or in the higher tree-tops, and rarely seize them in the air, but whilst pursuing them continually move among the lower branches, occasionally taking short flights from one place to another. (d). The Yellow Bird's song is simple, yet very pleasing, and one does not become tired of it, though repeated often, as it has several variations. It nearly resembles the syllables wee-chee-wee-chee-wee-i-u, but is like the song of several other warblers. The loud chirp of the Yellow Birds is often heard from the branches, among which they are busy, and often is repeated plaintively, when their nest is disturbed. Though probably less familiar toward man than many people suppose, the Yellow Birds do not repel his advances, and cer- OF NEW ENGLAND. 105 tainly greatly benefit him by their constant industry in de- stroying insects, particularly small caterpillars and canker- worms, of which they are very fond. (B) DISCOLOR. Prairie Warbler. (In Eastern Massachusetts, a summer-resident of no great rarity.) (a). About 4 1 inches long. Olive above, with brick-red spots on the back. Under parts, bright yellow. A peculiar mark on the side of the head, and side-streaks on the throat and breast, black. (Details omitted.) (b). The nest of the Prairie Warbler differs from that of the Yellow Bird (A) in being usually lined thickly with horse- hairs (whereas the other is often lined with a dun-colored plant-down), and in being almost invariably semi-pensile. It is usually placed within a few feet of the ground, in a bush or low tree, in a rocky pasture or the " scrub." The eggs average 65X'52 of an inch, and are pure white, generally either with delicate lilac (and a few inconspicuous light brown) markings, which form a ring about the crown (such being those which I have found near Boston), or with lilac, purplish, and umber- brown markings. Near Boston one set of three or four eggs is laid in the first week of June. (c). The Prairie Warblers are among the smallest and most retired of their family. They are summer-residents in the eastern United States so far to the northward as Massachu- setts, in which State they are rather rare in the western part, but quite common in some other portions. In certain localities near Boston they are quite abundant from the second or third week of May until the latter part of August. They frequent almost exclusively rocky pasture-lands and the " scrub," and I have but once seen or heard them elsewhere, in that case hav- ing heard their song in some shrubbery on a cultivated estate, ^-f- far from their usual haunts. Though perhaps, as Wilson re- marks, easily approached and not shy, yet they almost invaria- bly shun the neighborhood of man, and live quite solitarily in pairs among the pastures where they build their nests. There, 106 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS when household duties do not interfere, they are busied, not with such marked activity as some other warblers, from dawn until evening, in searching among the branches of low bushes and saplings for the small caterpillars and insects upon whicji they feed. They do not usually make any demonstrations if their nest is examined, but remain quietly in the neighbor- hood of it until they can safely return. They do not attempt to lead off the intruder by feigning lameness, as many other warblers do, especially those who habitually build their nests on or very near the ground. (d) . Their song cannot fail to attract the attention of every person who hears it, and who takes an interest in birds. Its notes, resembling the syllables zee-zee-zee-zee-zee-zee-zee, are uttered in a very peculiar tone, and each note is a little higher and louder than the preceding. The birds, on uttering it, frequently depress their tail. The ordinary note of the often silent Prairie Warblers is a chirr. (C) PENNSYLVANICA. Chestnut-sided Warbler. (In southern New England, a common summer-resident.) (a). About 5-] inches long. Back, light ashy-yellow, black- streaked. Under parts, white. Wing-bars the same, generally forming one patch. Crown, yellow, bordered by white. Lore, continuously with a line through the eye and one down to a chestnut-red patch on the side of the breast, black. (6). The nest is usually coarser than that of the Yellow Bird (A), and contains fewer woolly materials. It is often composed outwardly of narrow strips of thin bark or dried grasses, mixed with a few bits of plant-down, and inwardly of very fine straw, which is lined with hairs. Such is the descrip- tion of two nests before me. The^nests are commonly placed from two to eight feet above the ground in a low bush, shrub, or sapling, and are either built in a fork or otherwise secured (but are never pensile). The situations generally chosen are the " scrub-lands," or open woods in low grounds which contain bushes, vines, etc. Near Boston they are usually finished, and contain four or five fresh eggs, about the first of June. The OF NEW ENGLAND. 107 eggs average -68 X '50 of an inch, and are generally white with purplish- or reddish-brown spots and blotches, which are sometimes confluent. These markings are either scattered over the egg, more thickly at the larger end than the other, or are grouped in a ring about the crown. An egg of this species in my collection is buff (darker than that of the Wood Pewee) with a few lilac markings, but I have seen no others like it. (c). The Chestnut-sided Warblers are summer-residents throughout New England, but are much more abundant in the southern parts than further to the northward. They reach the neighborhood of Boston in the second week of May, and pass the entire summer here. They are never gregarious, but usually they are particularly common at the time of their spring-migrations, when they frequent considerably the shrub- bery and trees of cultivated estates, before retiring to their summer-haunts. Their habits at this time have often reminded me of those of the "Yellow-rumps," for they are often much in the air, taking flights from one place to another at quite a height from the ground, that is, from thirty to sixty feet above it. At other times they glean quietly among the foliage of the maples, and other -budding trees, generally among the lower branches. Occasionally they perform a rapid and graceful movement through the air to seize some passing insect, or stand like a flycatcher to watch the flies and gnats, which they now and then secure by darting after them. They never seek their food upon the ground, so far as I know, and only descend to it when picking up materials for their nests. Their haunts in summer are chiefly pasture-lands, " t scrub," and open, moist woodlands, such as contain oaks, chestnuts, and maples, and an undergrowth of bushes, vines, and saplings. I have never met these birds in thick or dark woods, and have but once seen their nest placed in an evergreen, it being in that instance in a low spruce by a brookside. It is to be remembered, however, that in different sections of the country birds show preference for different kinds of land, and often vary their habits to an extent that is surprising, and even confusing. Finally come those variations in coloration, caused by climate, which have 108 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS caused so much discussion as to species and varieties. All this shows that properly one man ought not to write the Nat- ural History of other than a small tract of country, and that, before the habits of our birds can be thoroughly known, it will be necessary to station competent naturalists, who can devote their whole time to making observations and accurately noting them, at various points in the regions of the different faunce, all of whom shall work under a system and a superin- tendence. This plan is not at present a feasible one, but the advantages of it would be numerous, for the flights of birds (particularly should ornithologists be stationed near meteoro- logical observation-posts) could be foretold with considerable accuracy to sportsmen and other ornithologists, who are al- ready, however, by far too destructive. (d). The ordinary notes of the Chestnut-sided Warbler are a soft tsip, a louder and harsher tsip, uttered in a peculiar tone, and much like that of the Black and White "Creeper," and a rather loud chip. Mr. Samuels speaks of their having "at times, a rattling cry something like the alarm-note of the Maryland Yellow-throat." Their song is attractive and mus- ical, though containing but a few simple notes. One variation resembles the syllables wee-see-wee-see-wee-see (each of which is higher than the preceding, except the sixth, which is lower than the fifth). The other common variation is almost exactly like the song of the little Yellow Bird (A) , and consequently like that of various other warblers. (D) CASTANEA. Bay-breasted Warbler. (Autumnal War- bler?) (Through Eastern Massachusetts a rare migrant.) (a). About 5 1 inches long. Back, light ashy-yellow, black- streaked. Under parts, white. Wing-bars white, (generally) forming one patch. Forehead and sides of head, black. Crown, throat, and breast, chestnut (or deep chestnut-red). Belly and ear-patch usually buff-tinged, but sometimes white. $ with paler chestnut than the $ . (b). The nest is rather coarsely built, and is placed in the OF NEW ENGLAND. 109 bough of an evergreen (usually the hemlock) from ten to twenty feet above the ground. Four or five eggs (in one case reported by Mr. Maynard, six) are laid in Northern New Hampshire and Maine in the second week of June. These eggs average P 68X'50 of an inch, and are bluish-green, with markings of brown and lilac, generally gathered in a ring about the crown. (c). The Bay-breasted Warblers are among the many species who appear in Massachusetts as migrants only, and who pass the summer in a colder climate. 29 They are, as a rule, very rare throughout the State in spring, and in autumn are never seen here. Mr. Allen, however, in speaking of this species, says that " in the Connecticut valle}' it is generally more or less common and sometimes very abundant." The Bay-breasted Warblers arrive here, after leaving their winter-homes in the South, in the third or fourth week of May, and frequent the woods and trees in open lands. I have gen- erally seen them among budding maples, which like willows possess great attractions for the migrant warblers, but I have also seen them among pines. They are extremely active, and busily seek for their food among the branches, occasionally fluttering before the clusters of foliage, but they are not very shy, and usually permit a near approach. They are rare among the White Mountains, but Mr. Maynard speaks of them as being the kt most abundant of the Sylvtcolidce at Umbagog," and adds that " these birds are found in all the wooded sections of this region where they frequent the tops of tall trees." He thinks that they are "confined during the breeding season to the region just north of the White Moun- tains range," and makes the following interesting remarks on their travels. "This species," says he, " together with Geo- tldypis Philadelphia and Helminthophaga peregrina, seems to pursue a very eccentric course during the migrations. Avoid- ing the eastern and middle States, the majority pass along the 29 1 have since learned that specimens have been taken here in both June and July. 110 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS borders of the Great Lakes, through Ohio, southern Illinois (Ridgway), down the Mississippi Valley, across into Texas and so on into Mexico and Central America where they winter. Returning in spring they (at least D. castanea) pursue a more southern route, keeping along the coast as far as the New England States, where they ascend the Connecticut Valley, generally avoiding eastern Massachusetts." (d). " The first part of the song is like that of the Black- poll Warbler, but it has a terminal warble similar to that of the Redstart to which it bears a striking resemblance, with the exception that it is given with less energy." The Bay-breasted Warblers are usually silent during their migrations. NOTE. The above quotations from Mr. Maynard are from his pamphlet, entitled " A Catalogue of the Birds of Coos Co., N. H., and Oxford Co., Me., with Annotations, etc." (E) STRIATA. "Black-poll" Warbler. Autumnal Warbler (?). (Common migrants through Massachusetts both in spring and autumn.) (a). About 5J inches long. g. Back streaked with olivace- ous (-ash ? ) and black. Crown down to the eyes black. Sides of the head and under parts, white. Sides of the breast marked with black streaks which crowd into a fine chain running to the bill. Wing-bars and -tail-blotches, white. 9 . Dusky olive- green above, black-streaked. Under parts not (usually) pure white, or very markedly streaked. (6). The nest is essentially like that of the " Black-throated Green," though coarser. It is usually placed near the ground, in an evergreen, and always in the thick woods. It has never been found in Massachusetts, but in northern New England it is generally finished in the latter part of June. The eggs of each set, usually four, average about *68X'50 of an inch, and are commonly (grayish-?) white with spots and blotches of purplish and different browns. The blotches predominate, and are scattered over the whole egg. Other forms occur. (c). The Black-poll Warblers are usually among the most common migrants through this State to northern New England OF NEW ENGLAND. Ill and the countries beyond ; but, like other migrants, they vary greatly in abundance from year to year in certain places, and are occasionally quite rare in spring near Boston. They usu- ally make their appearance here late in the season, and though I have seen them in the middle of May, they generally do not arrive before the last week of that month, and then remain here, or continue to pass by, throughout the first few days of June. They at that time frequent evergreen and hard-wood trees indifferently, hunting for insects among both the lower and higher branches, and occasionally seizing them in the air. They are less gregarious than in the fall of the year, and one often sees pairs or individuals, much more often than when they are returning, probably because at the time of their spring migrations they are mated for the summer. But a very small proportion of them pass the summer in Northern New Hamp- shire, a larger number being then resident in Northern Maine and the majority in Canada and Labrador. They affect exclu- sively the woods and forests which contain a great many ever- greens, and rarely visit the lightly timbered and more open woodland. They return to Eastern Massachusetts in the last week of September, and are commonly plentiful during a greater part of October. They often frequent pines in prefer- ence to all other trees, generally remain among the upper branches or in the very tree-tops, and spend most of their time in snapping up passing insects, which they sometimes take an opportunity to do, whilst moving from one tree to another. (cZ). The "Black-polls" have soft and loud chips, an un- musical trill, shorter than that of the " Chipper," and three or four notes, suggestive of knocking pebbles together. Their song is monotonous, weak, and unmusical. It resembles the syllables tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi~tsi, repeated in a nearly unvarying tone. [EE. Autumnal Warbler. (See Appendix E, family Sylvi- colidce. ) I do not propose to occupy much space in discussing the question : are the Autumnal Warblers mentioned by Wilson, Audubon, and Nuttall, the young of "Black-poll" or of the 112 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Bay-breasted Warblers? I have only "Wilson's Ornithology" at hand, and unfortunately no specimen of the bird in question. But the weight of evidence seems to show that the bird as col- ored and described by Wilson represents the young of the latter ; and yet is it not possible that he may have accidentally obtained a young Bay-breasted Warbler from among a com- pany of "Black-polls"? 30 Coues admits that the young of the two species are so much alike as often to be indistinguish- able. It is certain that the small warblers seen here in Octo- ber, which resemble the Autumnal Warblers, are young "Black- polls," as is indicated by the fact of their abundance and by their habits. Mr. Maynard states it as a positive fact. Their note is a feeble Cedar-bird-like lisp; but Wilson speaks of the males warbling in autumn " low, but very sweet notes," which perhaps is a mistake. (See D, d, E, d.) ] (F) BLACKBURNI^E. Blackbumian Warbler. Hemlock War- bler. (Generally not a common migrant through Massachusetts, where this species occasionally breeds.) (a). About 4j inches long. dark above. Wing-patch, white. Head, throat, and breast, brilliant orange, with a border to the crown and a broad stripe through the eye black. Sides black-streaked, and belly nearly white. 9 essentially like 9 striata (E) above. Superciliary line, throat and breast, 3 T ellow. Otherwise like $ . (6). A nest of this species, containing young, which I found in Northern New Hampshire, was placed about twenty feet from the ground in a pine. Another, which I was so fortunate as to find in a thick hemlock- wood near Boston, was also about twenty feet above the ground. -It contained three young and a yet unhatched egg, which measures '65X'50, and resembles the egg of the Chestnut-sided Warbler (D), being white, with lilac and principally reddish-brown markings, grouped at the 80 The legs in Wilson's picture are. however, colored like those of the " Black- poll," and not like those of the " Bay-breast." .OF NEW ENGLAND. 113 larger end. Mr. Maynard thought that the " Blackburnians " built in the highest branches of the spruces and hemlocks, and such is very probably their custom. (c). The male Blackburnian Warblers are the handsomest of all their large family, for the combination of delicacy and brilliancy in the orange of their throat is unsurpassed. It is a curious fact that they are apparently much more numerous than the females during the migrations, which is the case with several other birds. This phenomenon has never been satisfac- torily explained, and cannot be accounted for merely by the superior gaiety of the male's coloration. It has also been ob- served that when traveling the males of many birds precede the females, and that in winter they occasionally remain in somewhat colder climates. 31 The Blackburnian Warblers usually reach Eastern Massa- chusetts about the tenth of May, though I have seen them as early as the twenty-first of April, when I observed a pair feed- ing upon ivy-berries, the insects upon which they generally feed not then being common. They are usually rather rare here, and make but a brief stay among our woods and trees, showing a fondness for pines and other evergreens. I have seen as many as three males together, though they more often travel singly. They do not often catch insects in the air, but / / usually remain in trees at a moderate height. Mr. Allen, in r his " Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts," says that in "some seasons they are extremely abundant at some localities, and commonly are not rare, except in particular situations. Mr. Scott observes that for several weeks in May, in 1866, he could remain at a single place in the woods and shoot ten to twenty per hour." This statement has been severely but amusingly criticised : " several weeks must indi- cate at least three, and had he shot ten hours a day, as he well might have, he would in that time have shot three thousand or more from a single place in the woods" 31 The fact stated in relation to their wintering has not, I believe, been well de- termined. 9 114 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS An interesting anecdote, relative to these birds, has been communicated to me by a student in the Institute of Tech- nology. On the eleventh of May, 1875, a male of this species fell stunned through the ventilator, on to the floor of the draw- ing room in the topmost story. He was finally placed on the sill of an open window, from which, when revived by the fresh air and sun, he afterward took flight. In summer the Black- burnian Warblers are common in northern New England, where they inhabit woodland, particularly evergreen-swamps, but in Massachusetts are extremely rare, or rather accidental. (d). When together in family-parties, they twitter con- stantly. Their ordinary note is a c/i(p, or weak syllables like those uttered by the Golden-crowned " Wrens," as tsee-tsee or tsee-tsee-tsee. Their song is not very musical, though simple and pleasing. As I have heard it in their summer-homes, it resembles the syllables wee-see-wee-see-wee-see (wee-see-ick) . As heard in spring I may liken it to wee-see-wee-see, tsee-tsee- tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee. The latter syllables are on an as- cending scale ; the very last is shrill and fine. (G) C^ERULEA. Ccerulean Warbler. Blue Warbler. (It is possible and probable that this species may occasion- ally stray to Massachusetts, but I know no instance of its having done so.) (a). 4-4 inches long. $ of an exquisite blue, black- streaked. Under parts white, with sides streaked. Wing-bars white. In the (unstreaked ? ) 9 the blue is greenish, and the white yellowish. Superciliary line also j^ellowish. (6). Audubon says: "The nest is placed in the forks of a low tree or bush, more frequently on a dog- wood tree. It is partly pensile, * * *. The fibres of vines and of the stalks of rank herbaceous plants, together with slender roots, com- pose the outer part, being arranged in a circular manner. The lining consists entirely of the dry fibres of the Spanish moss. The female lays four or five eggs, of a pure white colour, with a few reddish spots at the larger end." (c). I have never seen the Cserulean Warblers, and I have OF NEW ENGLAND. 115 never known them to stray so far to the northward as Massa- chusetts, though, indeed, reported from Nova Scotia. They are said to prefer the deep woods, where they inhabit the tree-tops. (d). Audubon speaks of their song as "extremely sweet and mellow," but Mr. Ridgway says that they possess "only the most feeble notes" (Dr. Brewer). This is one instance among many, and a simple one, of disagreement between two authorities (in this case, the former probably being the less trustworthy). I have seen no less than six wholly different descriptions of the song of one species, the name of which I do not now remember, none of which seemed to me reliable or satisfactory, and yet they were all written by men whom one would naturally regard as good authorities. Moreover, it was very evident that not more than one or two were descriptive of the same notes, though the bird in question had but one song. It is, therefore, certain that some of these authors attributed to this bird music that it never uttered. In most cases of the kind it is to be remembered that many birds have two songs, many variations of one song, or a Simple unmusical chant, to which a terminal warble is added in May or June. (H) C^ERULESCENS. BlacJc-tJiroated Blue Warbler. Canada Warbler. (Generally not very common during their migrations through Massachusetts.) (a). Five inches or more long. < , slaty-blue above, white beneath. Sides of head and whole throat, continuously jet- black. Wings and tail dark ; the former with a large white, spot on the edge of the wing (at the base of the primaries) and no bars. $ , above dull olive-green, blue-tinged. Below, white or yellowish. Wing-spot characteristic but sometimes incon- spicuous. (b). The nest is probably always built near the ground, and most often in an evergreen. An egg found by Mr. Bur- roughs and described by Dr. Brewer is grayish white, "marked around the larger end with a wreath, chiefly of a bright umber- brown with lighter markings of reddish-brown and obscure 116 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS purple. A few smaller clottings of the same are sparingly distributed over the rest of the egg. Its measurements are 70 by -50 of an inch." (c). The Black-throated Blue Warblers are not only summer- residents in the more northern New England States, but also in Massachusetts, where, however, they are very rare as such, unless in the western and more mountainous portions. They reach the neighborhood of Boston in the third week of May, and are more common here from that date until the first of June than at any other period of the year. They return to the South in September, and I have seen them as late as the last day of that month. An instance has been reported of a pair passing the winter in Boston, which was a most extraor- dinary circumstance, since their usual habitat at that season is, I believe, beyond the United States. Birds, however, often wander, so far as direct evidence goes, more than a thousand miles from their usual homes, sometimes perhaps intention- ally, but more often, probably, because forced to do so in search of food,' or by adverse weather. It is generally diffi- cult to understand their eccentric movements on land, whereas it is easy to understand why birds, who have ventured out to sea, should be compelled by winds to deviate from their course. When with us in spring, the "Black-throated Blues" are to be seen generally in pairs or singly, but occasionally in small companies of three or four, in which latter case quarrels fre- quently arise between the males. They are very dexterous in obtaining their insect-prey ; sometimes seizing it in the air, with the skill of a true flycatcher, and at other times finding it among the branches of the various trees which they frequent. Now they twist their heads into seemingly painful postures, the better to search the crannies in the bark or blossoms, now spring from a twig to snap up an insect in the foliage above their heads, instantly returning, and now flutter before a cluster of opening leaves, with the grace of a hummingbird. Oc- casionally they descend to the ground, and are so very tame that once, when I was standing motionless, observing some war- blers near me, one hopped between my feet to pick up some OF NEW ENGLAND. 117 morsel of food. I have often been able to make close observa- tions upon birds, by remaining entirely motionless and allow- ing them to gather about me, and thus have accurately learned their habits, without disturbing their happiness. (d). The ordinary note of the "Black-throated Blues" is a simple chip, which is sometimes closely repeated, after the manner of the Chipping Sparrow. They have also a chatter, employed chiefly as a battle-cry, and a loud alarm-note, resem- bling the chuck of the Snow-bird. The males have an unmu- sical song, the tone of which resembles somewhat that of the Blue Yellow-back's song, or that of the Night Hawk's note, being peculiar, and rather harsh or guttural. It usually con- sists of three (rarely four) syllables, of which the last two are ' the highest in tone and the most emphatic, and sounds like "zwee-zwee-zwee." It is sometimes varied and lengthened so as to resemble the syllables [che-wee] che-wee [see] wee-see zwee. It is characteristic in tone, and is wholly unlike the music, of our other warblers, with the exception of one form of the song of the "Black-throated Green." (I) VIRENS. Black-throated Green Warbler. "Black-throated Green." (In New England a common summer-resident, but "rather confined to certain districts.") (a). About five inches long. $ , olive-green above. Wings and tail dark, with white-edged feathers ; former white-barred. Wlwle side of head, rich yellow (with occasional indistinct mark- ings) . Throat and breast, black. ? (and $ in autumn) with the black restricted or wanting. Other under parts, white or yellowish. Outer tail-feathers, largely white. (b). The nest is usually placed in a pine, in a horizontal fork near the end of a bough, from twenty to fifty feet above the ground (but sometimes lower). It is finished in June, sometimes in the first week, sometimes not until the last. It is composed outwardly of narrow strips of thin bark, bits of twigs from vines, dried grasses, and such odds and ends as the birds have found convenient to employ, and inwardly of bits of 118 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS wool, feathers, and plant-down, but it is generally lined with hairs and fine shreds of vegetable substance. It is usually small, neat, and very pretty. The eggs of each set are three or four, and average *67 X '55 of an inch. They are commonly (creamy) white, with reddish or umber-brown, and purplish markings, grouped principally about the crown. These mark- ings are for the most part either clear and delicate, or a little coarse and rather obscure ; but the eggs are better character- ized by their shape, being rather broad in proportion to their length. (c). I owe much to the charming little " Black- throated Greens " for the pleasure which they have many times afforded me, but I know no means of requiting them, unless by writing their biography with peculiar care. They are summer-residents throughout New England, but are particularly common in certain parts of Eastern Massachu- setts. They prefer pines to all other trees, but in the regions of the Nashua and Connecticut Valleys, in the North, and whilst migrating, they are to be found in "mixed" woods, in the former cases especially those which contain other ever- greens. They reach Boston (which now comprises tracts of genuine country) about the fifth of May, sometimes earlier, but rarely much later, and generally, for a day or two before the middle of that month, are very abundant, owing to the migrants bound for homes in a colder climate. After these passengers have disappeared, the "Black-throated Greens" here confine themselves almost exclusively to groves of pine or cedar, chiefly those in high land, and only occasionally stray to orchards or other places, though so tame as sometimes to visit vines growing on the piazza, where I have known them to build their nests. They remain here throughout the summer, and do not altogether disappear until the first week of October. They do not often catch insects in the air, except in spring, and rarely descend to the ground, except for the sake of taking a bath, which they do so prettily that an appreciative spectator qannot fail to enjoy it as much as the birds themselves. They find their food principal!} 7 " among the branches of the ever- OF NEW ENGLAND. 119 greens which they frequent, are constantly active whilst in search of it, and never rest in the manner of the Pine War- blers, who are much lazier. They generally remain in one spot for several minutes, and then fly to another at quite a dis- tance, seldom staying long in one group of trees. Though active, they are not restless, as many of their kindred are, but rather are comparatively deliberate in their motions. There is to me a fascination in watching these birds, as they move among the tree-tops, and a charm in listening to their drowsy notes, which (without poetical exaggeration) seem to invite one, on a warm day, to lie down and slumber on the pine- needles that are strewn over the ground though to persons too practically minded, the mosquitoes at that season permit no such repose. (d). The ordinary notes of the "Black-throated Greens" are numerous, being a tsip, a chick, which is sometimes soft and sometimes loud, a check, a chuck, which is used chiefly as a note of alarm, and a sharp chink, which is generally indica- tive of distress. Their song has several variations, of which the two most often heard are wee-see-wee-see-wee-see (in which the middle notes are the highest) and wee-see-ivee-see-see (in which the second note is higher than the rest, the second coup- let uttered in a lively way, and the other notes drawled out in a manner peculiar to this species). To these simple chants a few terminal notes are not infrequently added, which some- times consist of a repetition, and, rarely, resemble those of the "Black-throated Blue's" music. These songs are very char- acteristic ; and, if one has once heard them, he cannot often confound them with those of other birds. The "Black-throated Greens" are, to me, with perhaps the exception of the Pine Warblers, the most attractive members of their family, on account, I think, of their pleasing, familiar, and oft-repeated songs, which are heard from the time of their arrival nearly throughout the summer, which form so fitting an accompaniment to the whisperings of the pines, and to which I am never weary of listening. Another reason, however, is that they show a fondness for the pines as great as my own, 120 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME BIRDS though, no doubt, from very different motives. The majesty of those trees, their gracefulness, their freshness throughout the year, their beauty in summer, when, after a hard shower, the light of the setting sun breaks upon them, their beauty in winter, when their branches are loaded, many to the ground, with snow, or when they are covered with glittering ice, their whisperings in the breezes of spring and summer, their sighing and whistling in the southern gales, and finally their odor, combine to render them the finest, I think, of all our forest trees. (J) PINUS. Pine Warbler. (Pine-tree Warbler.) Pine-creep- ing Warbler* ("Pine Creeper") (A common summer- resident in the pine-tracts of Massa- chusetts.) (a). 5^-6 inches long. Upper parts, olive. Belly and two wing-bars, white. Superciliary line, throat, and breast, bright yellow. 9 duller, often with little yellow below. In both sexes "tail-blotches confined to two outer pairs of tail feathers, large, oblique" (b). The nest is usually to be found in the same situation, and is otherwise essentially like that of the "Black- throated Green" (I). Though generally finished in the last week of May it has been found in the earlier part of the month. The eggs of each set are usually four, and average -67 X '52 of an inch. They are white, with purplish and brown markings, or fine markings of three shades of brown, sprinkled chiefly at the "great end." (c). The Pine Warblers have a very extensive breeding- range, and are probably to be found in summer throughout New England, in the pine-wooded districts. They are the first of their family to reach the Eastern States in 'spring, and I have seen them near Boston on the first of April. They usu- ally, however, arrive here in the first or second week of that month, and return to the South in the latter part of September, occasionally lingering until the middle of October. Except in the summer-season, they are often more or less gregarious, OF NEW ENGLAND. 121 and associate with the "Red-polls" (D. pahnarum) and "Yel- low-rumps." Moreover, in winter, spring, and fall, they find much of their food upon the ground, as do the other warblers that I have just mentioned, particularly the former. They derive their name of "Pine-creepers" from the fact that they occasionally cling to the trunks of trees, and that they can move along the horizontal limbs with ease and activity ; but I have never known them to progress in the manner of the creepers or woodpeckers. Their habits in summer do not differ very essentially from those of the " Black -throated Greens." At that season, and more particularly at the time of their migrations in April, they may be found in woods of various kinds, but they have a most marked preference for pine-woods and groves, from which they occasionally ramble to near orchards. They do not often catch insects in the air, but generally seek them among the higher branches ; and it is often difficult to discover their whereabouts the more so that seemingly they are capital ventriloquists. They have always seemed to me quiet and rather indolent, and remarkably attentive to their dress. I have sometimes seen them pause, for at least fifteen minutes, to smooth their feath- ers or to rest, /every minute "drawling out" their sweet note quite mechanically. At other times they are very active, and it is then impossible to keep sight of them for any great length of time. As I have observed males, both in spring and sum- mer, who apparently had neither mates nor nests, I ^think it quite certain that there are bachelors among birds. 32 The Pine Warblers are not only extremely useful in protecting our evergreens, but are also very charming, partly, no doubt, because there is a spice of "something" in their character which we cannot altogether sanction from a moral point of view. (d). Their note is as deliciously drowsy as that of the " Black-throated Green," but is not so often repeated, though 82 There is other evidence that such is undoubtedly the case. An interesting article on the subject has been written by Mr. Abbott of New Jersey. 122 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS heard both earlier and later in the year. It is apparently a delicately trilled whistle, but really a series of fine notes, as is proved by the fact that the birds open and shut their bills, whilst emitting the sound. It closely resembles one of the Snow-bird's whistles, and also the trill of the Swamp Sparrow. The Pine Warblers have also a chip, and a few weak notes, such as cliip-a-see, and we-cliee-we-cliee-we-cliee, which are not very expressive, and are not often heard. (K) PALMARUM. "Red-poll" Warbler. Palm Warbler. "Yel- low Red-poll." (A common migrant through Massachusetts.) (a). About five inches long. Dull olive above, (obsoletely) streaked. Crown, reddish-crimson (or "chestnut"). Beneath, yellow, inconspicuously streaked on the breast with bright reddish-brown. Tail-feathers with a few white blotches. (De- tails omitted.) (6). The nest is said to be placed on the ground, usually in a swampy locality. The eggs of each set are four ( ?) ; average about -70 X "55 of an inch ; and are (creamy) white, with pur- plish, faint lilac, and reddish-brown markings, chiefly at the larger end. (c). The Yellow "Red-polls" pass the summer in the North, almost entirely beyond the limits of New England, and the winter in the South, and consequently appear in Massachusetts as migrants only. They are usually common near Boston in the latter part of April, and the first week of May, as well as in the latter part of September, and sometimes the earlier part of October. Their favorite haunts are swamps and their neighborhoods, but they also frequent "scrub," hedge- rows, ploughed lands, gardens, and orchards. They almost invariably gather in loose flocks, and often associate with other warblers, and with various sparrows. They are much more terrestrial in their habits than any of their immediate relations (i. e., the Dendroecce) and always are on or not very far from the ground. They fly quite gracefully, and are nimble when on the ground or when moving from branch to branch in OF NEW ENGLAND. 123 a bush or tree. Their most noticeable habit, and the one which best distinguishes them from the rest of their family, is that of flirting their tails, almost exactly as the common Pewee does. They do this particularly when on their perches, from which they often fly directly to the ground to seize some small insect or seed which they have spied in the grass, or perhaps on the bare earth, while perched above. As I have mentioned the food of this species, perhaps it will not be amiss to speak of that of this large family in gen- eral, the warblers, and of their usefulness to man. Though certain kinds often eat seeds (generally those of the pine or of weeds), and others partake of small berries in spring and au- tumn, a majority feed exclusively upon insects. These insects include the smaller caterpillars, various small winged insects, in one case particularly those insects which infest the bark of trees, and which the nuthatches do so much to exterminate, and, more generally, those which frequent the foliage and blos- soms, especially at the time of the spring-migrations. They often include, moreover, spiders, but rarely the beetles ; in the destruction of the latter, larger birds being more efficacious. Thus, though many warblers are neutral in regard to the agri- cultural, and what are often considered the most important, interests of man, none, so far as I know, do him any injury, whereas many greatly benefit him in the preservation of our orchard-trees, our shade-trees, our evergreens, and even our shrubbery and garden-plants. Though not, I trust, altogether useless, the above remarks seem almost unnecessary, as very fortunately the warblers have never, I believe, been perse- cuted. (d). The ordinary notes of the Yellow "Red-polls" are a chip, which sometimes is closely repeated several times, and a chuck, which is less loud than that of the Snow-birds, but much more mellow. They have also in spring a few expressive twit- ters, a few rather weak musical notes, and their true song-note, which is a whistled trill, less sweet and smooth than that of the Fine Warbler. It is possible that in their summer-homes these birds produce a fuller song, but I have no evidence of 124 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS such being the case. I am, moreover, inclined to think that they never sing very agreeably. (L) CORONATA. Yelloiv-rumped .Warbler. " Yellow-rump" " Myrtle Bird." " Willow Warbler." (A very common migrant through Massachusetts.) (a). About 5^ inches long. $ , in spring and summer, slaty ; black-streaked. Wings browner, and concealing the rump, when closed. Throat and belly, white. Crown, rump, and a patch on the side of the breast, bright yellow. Wing-bars, etc., white. $ , in fall and winter, and 9 generally browner, with less pure colors. Young, brown above, and white below, with a few slender side-streaks sometimes extending across the breast; rump yellow. Various intermediate stages of color- ation also exist. (&). "The nest is usually placed in a bush, is constructed of various soft materials, and is lined with horse-hairs, down, or some other suitable material." Mr. Maynard speaks of nests found in Northern Maine in early June, all of which *' contained four fresh eggs," as being built in low spruces about four feet from the ground, and constructed of hemlock twigs, lined with feathers. A nest which I found in Northern New Hampshire was somewhat different, but contained three eggs, which were white, marked with purplish and brown, and averaged '68 X *50 of an inch. Dr. Brewer describes others as measuring about -75 X '55 of an inch, and being white, or often bluish, " blotched and spotted with reddish-brown, purple, and darker shades of brown." (c). The " Yellow-rumps" are among the most abundant of all the migrants who travel through Massachusetts, being always very common here at times between the twentieth of April and the last of May, and again in the latter part of Sep- tember and in October. They pass the summer principally in Labrador and Canada, and also to a certain extent in the White Mountain Region, and Northern Maine ; but I know no well authenticated instance of their so doing in this State. I have, however, known them to pass the winter here, though OF NEW ENGLAND. 125 usually at that season they inhabit the most southern United States and even warmer climates. I have several times, in December and January, found them near Boston, in swamps, where they were feeding upon the berries, and also among cedars. 33 Whilst here in spring, they are to be found on the road- , sides, in swamps, in pastures, in "scrub-land," and amongst the trees and shrubbery of cultivated estates, but rarely in woods, though in northern New England such are their summer-haunts. They generally move about in flocks, often very loose ones, inclusive of immature specimens in various stages of colora- tion. They prefer the orchard and hard- wood trees to the pines, and usually take their perch among the latter to look out for passing insects. They more generally frequent the higher than the lower branches, and from these fly to snap up insects in the air, usually at some distance, afterwards often alighting in another tree. At other times, unlike the flycatch- ers, they glean among the branches and look for insects among the foliage and blossoms. In autumn their habits are essen- tially the same, except that they are more upon the ground, feed more upon berries, sometimes those of house-vines, and show a greater liking for hedge-rows and like places, where they often associate with the " Yellow Red-polls " or with the sparrows. They may generally be distinguished at a distance by their habit of being much in the air, and of taking long flights (as compared with those of other warblers) at quite a height above the ground. (d). The " Yellow-rumps " have a soft chip, and a loud check or chuck (which sometimes is softened to clmp). I have often heard them sing in May, throughout the day, much like the Purple Finch, but without the richness, fulness, continuity, or melodiousness of that bird's music, especially if heard from a near standpoint. This song is often varied, and sometimes has reminded me of certain of the " Maryland Yellow-throats' " M Mr. Charles C. Abbott states that they pass the winter in New Jersey. 126 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS notes. In October I have once or twice heard the " Yellow- rumps " utter a warble, which was soft, sweet, and very rich. (M) MACULOSA. Black and Yellow Warbler. " Magnolia Warbler." (A rather rare migrant through Massachusetts.) (a). About five inches long. Dark above. Rump, yellow. Crown ashy (-blue ?) . Forehead and a broad bar through the eye, black. Under parts yellow ; breast black-streaked. Wing- patch, etc., white. 9 , with head-markings and streaks less distinct. (b). The nest is usually built in a low spruce, often near a path through the woods, three or four feet from the ground, and is finished in the first week of June. (A second is .some- times built about the first of July.) It is composed outwardly of pine-needles, hemlock-twigs, or the like, and is lined with horse-hairs or the black fibres of a certain moss. The eggs average -63 X "50 of an inch, and are white with lilac and brown, or umber-brown, markings, often forming a ring about the crown. Some eggs of this species which I found in North- ern New Hampshire are clouded at the larger end with obscure lilac and three shades of a beautiful, bright, but peculiar brown. (c). The Black and Yellow Warblers are perhaps, with the exception of the Blackburnian Warblers, the handsomest of their family, and therefore it is to be regretted that they are in Massachusetts only for a short time in the latter part of May, being even then not common. They arrive here about the middle or twentieth of that month, and linger for a few days, but, after having passed the summer in the woods of Canadaj Northern New Hampshire, and Maine, return to the South by an inland route, avoiding this State, or at least the eastern part of it. Whilst here, they frequent woods, trees, and shrubbery of various kinds, particularly spruces, generally in pairs or singly. They do not exhibit so many traits of the flycatchers as several other warblers do, but usually catch in- sects in the air, only as they move from one tree to another. OF NEW ENGLAND. 127 They generally alight among the lower branches, to which chiefly they confine themselves, and among which, as well as about the blossoms, they industriously search for insects and their eggs. (d). The song of the Black and Yellow Warblers is sweet and musical. It is sometimes rather soft, vividly recalling the song of the Yellow Bird (and allied songs), and less so that of the " Yellow-rump," being to a certain extent like both. At other times, it is louder, and again like that of the Yel- low Bird (D. cestiva), with additional musical notes. The or- dinary notes of these birds are a tsip, a cry of Isip-tsip-tsip, a soft and loud chip, a cluck or chink like that of the Hose- breasted Grosbeak, and an ank, whiclrrecalls the similar note of the "Golden Robin." Unfortunately of all these numerous sounds not one is distinctively characteristic of these warblers, who are somewhat shy ; but fortunately, on the other hand, bright colors cannot always be concealed. This species is the last of the twelve Dendroecce, who inva- riably visit Massachusetts every year, and five of whom com- monly breed here. The birds of this genus (Dendro&ca) are in many ways the most charming members of the feathered crea- tion, being prettily and brightly colored, and extremely grace- ful and dexterous in their motions. Their songs, though never very striking or brilliant, are simple, pleasing, and musical, and their nests and eggs are models of beauty. In addition to these charms, these birds are extremely useful, and do much to protect our trees and shrubs from the injuries of caterpillars and the numerous winged insects that infest them. XI. MY1ODIOCTES (A) CANADENSIS. Canada "Flycatcher" Canada Flycatch- incj Warbler. (A summer-resident in northern New England, but rare in Massachusetts, except as a migrant.) (a). 5-5 inches long. In general appearance like the Black and Yellow Warbler (X, M), but with no white on the wings and tail. $ , ashy-blue above of a curious tint, and bright 128 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS yellow beneath. Crown almost streaked with black. Super- ciliary line, yellow. Throat bordered by a black line, from the bottom of which black streaks (often wholly inconspicuous) run down the breast. $ , with the blue impure and black restricted. (b). The nest is usually placed on the ground, in swampy woodland. In Eastern Massachusetts four or five eggs are laid about the first of June. These eggs average '68 X '50 of an inch, and are white, generally clouded delicately at the larger end with brown and lilac. (c). The Canada " Flycatchers " are common summer-resi- dents in the woods of northern New England, but in Mas- sachusetts, though their nests have been found, for instance, at Lynn, they are rare except as migrants. They arrive at Boston on the twentieth of May, or even later, and I have observed them here traveling as late as the fifth of June. During their visits, which are individually brief, they frequent woodland, often that which is swampy, though also dry pines, and the shrubbery in or near it. Occasionally they venture to gardens and shrubbery near houses, but they are naturally fond of re- tired or even secluded spots. They journey singly or in pairs, and are never gregarious, nor often very numerous in any one place. Among the White Mountains they frequent those for- ests where the undergrowth of ferns and living plants, and the entanglement of moss-covered logs and stumps, are both so rich. The Canada Warblers are very active, occasionally alighting on the ground, and almost invariably keeping near it, and move among the shrubbery from one low branch to another, continually catching insects in the air. They occasionally run over fences or walls with great ease, and, in fact, in all their motions exhibit grace and agility. They are not very shy, and suffer a near approach to inquisitive persons. When, however, their nest is approached, they become vigilant and anxious, particularly the males, who plainly show their distress. These latter, in such cases, often fly about among the branches above one's head at quite a distance from the ground, emitting their OF NEW ENGLAND. 129 notes of complaint, but at other times, mindful of household cares, continue to collect insects among the bushes and lower limbs of the surrounding trees. I remember watching one, who in fifteen minutes, during my presence, collected as many moths and caterpillars, continually uttering his loud chuck, and yet I could not find his nest, so well did he avoid indicat- ing its immediate whereabouts. I have known Cat-birds, in a like way, to sing even whilst holding in their bills a worm, or perhaps material for their nests, though it certainly seems a difficult performance. (d). The Canada " Flycatchers" have a very sweet and agreeable song, which unfortunately is not often to be heard here. It is simple, like those of the other warblers, but is rather more pleasing than those of the Yellow Bird or Red- start, which it usually resembles. Their ordinary notes are a soft and loud c/i(p, and a chuck, which is almost exactly like that of the Maryland "Yellow-throat." (B) pusiLLUS. 34 Green Black-capped (Flycatching Warbler or) "Flycatcher" (Wilson's) "Black-cap." (A migrant through Eastern Massachusetts in spring.) (a). Five inches long, or less. Olive above. Bright yellow beneath. Crown, black ; but in 9 obscure, or simply olive. Forehead, yellow. (b). The nest is built in a bush or shrub, and near the ground. The eggs average -63X'48 of an inch, and are white, marked with reddish-brown at the larger end. (c). Dr. Brewer says that the "Wilson's Black-cap is found throughout the United States from ocean to ocean, and as far north as Alaska and the Arctic shores, where, however, it is lot common." I know no instance of these birds passing the 34 The Hooded Warbler (AT. mitratus) never, so far as I know, strays to Mas- JL sachu-setts or any part of New England, though vaguely reported to do so. I have, therefore, omitted it. Description : 5 or more inches long. Olive above, and bright yellow beneath. Tail-feathers with a few white blotches. Male with head blai-k, except on the sides and forehead, which are golden-yellow. The Small- . Flycatcher (Musdcapa minuta) is an entirely apocryphal species. 10 130 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS summer so far to the southward as New England, though they may occasionally do so. They are quite common in Eastern Massachusetts between the tenth and the last of May, but I have never seen them at other times of the year. They fre- quent singly, or in pairs, woods, thickets, and the neighbor- hood of streams and water. They usually, but not always, remain near the ground among the bushes and shrubbery, often snapping up insects in the air, and even seeming to turn sum- mersaults. They are constantly active, and are among the busiest of our transient visitors. (d). Their song is much like an extension of the Redstart's notes, and not unlike the song of the common Yellow Bird (D. cestiva), though rather less pretty. They have also a chip (a chuck?) and some harsh notes, resembling the syllables zee-zee- zee-zee, of which the latter are the lower in tone. XII. SETOPHAGA (A) RUTICILLA. Redstart. (In a greater part of New England a common summer-resi- dent.) (a). About 5 1 inches long. , lustrous black. Sides of the breast, patches on the wing, and basal half of the tail- feathers, except the middle pair, flame-color, or in some places nearly vermilion. Belly, white. , greenish above, and white beneath. Vermilion of the male simply yellowish. Wings and tail elsewhere dark (the latter from below seeming almost black-tipped, but otherwise yellowish). The female is rather a nondescript in appearance. (b). The nest is placed in a fork, sometimes next to the trunk, in a low tree or shrub, from five to twenty feet above the ground. It is composed of thin strips of bark, dried grasses, caterpillar's silk and other soft materials, and is some- times lined with horse-hairs. The four or five eggs of each set usually average *65 X '50 of an inch, and are white, with purple or lilac, and brown (not very dark), scattered quite thickly at the larger end and thinly at the other. They can generally be easily distinguished. OP NEW ENGLAND. 131 (c). The Redstarts are familiar to all the ornithologists of New England, though much less common in many northern and western localities than in other parts, where they are the most common of the woodland- warblers. They are summer-residents throughout the north-eastern United States, but they pass the winter in a warmer climate. They reach Massachusetts be- tween the fifth and tenth of May, and leave it in the early part of September, but, except in spring, when I have seen three or four together on their arrival, I have never observed them to be at all gregarious. They frequent woods and groves of vari- ous sorts, but generally avoid isolated trees and shrubbery. Occasionally, however, they approach the ground, 35 though they usually remain at some distance from it, often at a great height. During their residence here, they never wander far, and never take other than very short flights. They are, how- ever, continually catching small flies, gnats, and mosquitoes in the air. They also search for them among the branches, in the manner of the vireos, and their handsome tail, outspread, then shows to great advantage. They are more wonderfully active and dexterous than most other warblers, renowned as they all are for their industry and skill. The male Redstarts, inclusive of the young in various stages, who, for a long time, much resemble the females, are more abundant than those of the opposite sex, and consequently they often have occasion in May to quarrel for the possession of the females, though otherwise peaceful. Though easily caused to desert their nests, they possess great conjugal and parental affection, as do nearly all the more highly organized birds. Inclination to desertion varies with individuals more than with species, but is widely different among the several families and orders. (d). The song of the Redstarts is simple and pleasing, but constantly varied. Sometimes it is merely a rather shrill die- icee-o or che-wee-o-wee-o, at other times it is che-wee-see-wee-see- 85 1 have since observed that the female obtains much of the food for her young from the ground. 132 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS wee, or a soft wee-see-wee-see-wee, much like the song of the Yellow Bird (D. cestivd), and again a series or repetition of a few gentle notes, which form an indefinite song. The Redstarts have also a soft chip, which is often repeated in the manner of the Snow-bird, a loud chip, a chick, and a few minor notes of no importance. This species is the last of our numerous warblers (unless the chats), and I regret having already finished the biographies of these useful and charming birds. XIII. ICTERIA (A) VIRENS. Yellow-breasted Chat. Chat. (In New England of rare occurrence, and in the three south- ern States only.) (a). Seven inches long. Above, bright olive-green. Throat and breast, rich yellow. Belly, and superciliary line, white. Lore, black. (6). The nest is composed of leaves, grasses, strips of bark, etc., and is placed in a thicket, bush, or briar. The eggs aver- age about 1* X *80 of an inch, and are white, sometimes with reddish-brown and obscure lilac spots sprinkled over the sur- face (often more thickly about the crown), and sometimes with rather faint lilac blotches only (which are occasionally confined almost entirely to the smaller end) , these being the two ex- tremes of coloration. (c). Of the remarkable Yellow-breasted Chats I shall here make but brief mention, since they have never fallen under my personal observation, and because of their very rare occur- rence in New England. I have never seen them near Boston, and I know but two instances of their capture here. They reach Pennsylvania " about the first week in May," and inhabit " close thickets of hazel, brambles, vines and thick under- wood." During the mating-season they perform the most ex- traordinary antics in the air, and often at night. (d). While so doing, and at other times, they utter a great variety of extraordinary sounds, some of which are musical whistles, and others " like the barking of young puppies," " the OF NEW ENGLAND. 133 mewing of a cat," or equally peculiar noises. Wilson, from whom I have already quoted, says that "all these are uttered with great vehemence, in such different keys, and with such peculiar modulations of voice, as sometimes to seem at a con- siderable distance and instantly as if just beside you ; now on this hand, now on that." Wilson's biography of this bird is extremely interesting, but unfortunately too long for transcrip- tion. 10. The Tanagridae, or tanagers, form a brilliant group, intermediate between the finches and warblers (see fig. 5). They have nine primaries, and scutellate tarsi. All the North American species are characterized more or less plainly by a tooth in the middle of the commissure. The Scarlet Tanager may be considered a type. They have been called "dentiros- tral finches," but, on the other hand, are closely allied to the warblers through the chats. The Icteriince, however, are distinguished by the following features from the tanagers and all other warblers, except Geothlypes. Wings about equal in length to the tail. They differ from Geothlypes in having an unnotched, unbristled bill, which is not more than twice as long as high, if as much ; also in size, being larger than any of the true warblers. "They are represented in the United States, virtually by one species only." The Ampelidce ( 11) are in New England represented only by the Ampelince, or waxwings. This subfamily should, per- haps, stand near the Clamatores (to whom the Corvidce bear no direct affinity), but their true position has not yet been de- termined. They are usually placed next to the swallows, whom they resemble in the scutellate tarsi, and in the bill, which is broad, and only about half as long as the commissure. (See T, U, of the Introduction.) They have, however, ten prima- ries, of which the first is spurious, and a notch in the bill. They are also crested, and in full plumage have curious wax- like appendages to certain quills, "and sometimes the tail- feathers" (pi. 1, figs. 10 and 11). They show an affinity to 134 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the flycatchers, in their eminent skill in fly-catching, 36 as oc- casionally displayed, and in their want of musical powers, for, though absurdly called "chatterers," they are notably silent birds. Moreover, "their tarsus is not strictly oscine." They are, however, gregarious. The common Cedar-bird may be taken as a type. I. PYRANGA (A) RUBRA. Scarlet Tanager. (Though locally distributed, a generally common summer- resident in southern New England.) Fig. 5. Scarlet Tanager (|). (a). About 7^ inches long. ^, scarlet; wings and tail black. 9 , oliv.e-green above. Below, (greenish) yellow. (&). The nest is loosely constructed of straws, twigs, etc., and is usually placed from ten to thirty feet above the ground, generally in an oak-wood, but sometimes in an orchard or other place and in evergreens. Three or four eggs are here laid about the first of June, averaging '90X'65 of an inch 36 It is to be remembered, however, that the birds of many families are very skilful in preying upon insects in the air, scarcely less so than the true flycatch- ers. OF NEW ENGLAND. 135 (though I have a specimen measuring 1*10X*70 of an inch). They are strongly like the eggs of the Swainson's Thrush ( 1, I, D), being light greenish-blue, with usually rather faint (but sometimes thick and strong) markings of umber-brown, which is sometimes replaced by purplish. (c). The gaudy Scarlet Tanagers are summer-residents throughout the eastern United States, but are rare in northern New England and Canada, beyond which they never (?) go. They reach Eastern Massachusetts in the second or third week of May, and leave it in September, but during their stay here are rather confined to localities. They frequent orchards, and groves of chestnuts, oaks, and nut-trees, often showing a pref- erence for swampy woods if not too thick. They feed upon the larger winged insects, upon caterpillars, upon seeds and berries, and so never have occasion to be much on the ground. They often arrive in pairs, but at other times they appear in small parties of three or four, mating subsequently, after the males have fought the quarrels incident to the period of court- ship. In the latter part of May they build their loosely con- structed nests, and the females lay their eggs, the incubation of which occupies them about thirteen days, the usual period of incubation among a majority of the Insessorian birds. In this stage of their household duties, the wonderful wisdom everywhere displayed in nature is peculiarly noticeable. The brilliantly colored males carefully avoid the nest, and approach it, when necessary, with caution and stealth, fearful of be- traying its presence ; whereas the females, with their plain coloration assimilated to the surrounding foliage, sit upon it with safety, and care for their young. If, however, the nest is actually invaded or hostilely approached, the males show themselves, with their plumage in bold and rich contrast to the green leaves ; and I have known them to carry off the eggs, how, I cannot positively say. I have known several instances of birds removing even their young, though in many cases it seemed almost impossible for them to do so. In the case of the Scarlet Tanagers, to which I have just referred, one could plainly see their eggs from the ground through the bottom of 136 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the nest, which was frailly composed of straw. During my ascent of the tree, without disturbing the branch in which the nest was placed, I observed the parents several times returning to the tree, and, upon my arrival at a point, from which I could look into the nest, I found it empty. A careful search dis- closed no pieces of broken shell or traces of the yolk on the lower branches, or on the ground, directly below. The eggs were undoubtedly conveyed to a place of safety, but whether ever returned or successfully hatched, I do not know. (d). The Scarlet Tanagers have an agreeable song or whistle, which reminds one of the Robin's music, or the finer and delicious music of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, but it dif- fers from both in having a certain harshness. Their ordinary note is a pensively uttered chip-churr, which is often introduced so as to interrupt their warble. Such other notes as they may have, I do not now recall. (B) ^ESTIVA. Summer Red Bird. (Of very rare occurrence in Massachusetts, being for the most part an inhabitant of the Southern States.) (a). 7fj 8 inches long. $ , vermilion. $, like Maynard, Naturalist's Guide, p. 112. Gloucester is on the coast of Massachu- setts, north of Boston. 190 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (c). The Lark Finches, since but one specimen has been taken in this State, namely, at Gloucester, in 1845, have no more claim to be considered or treated as birds of Massachu- setts, than a Turk who passes a day and night at Paris to be called a Frenchman ; but, in conformity to the strict but not unreasonable demands of modern science, I shall give a brief account of its habits, formed from the observations of other naturalists. The ' Lark Finches feed principally upon seeds which they obtain upon the ground. The} r are most abundant in prairies and other open lands, though they also visit trees, or resort to their immecffate neighborhood. In general habits, they resemble the White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichioe^ next to whom they should properly stand). Mr. Ridgway considered their delightful song, which is usually delivered from a perch, as the finest belonging to the finches. IX. AMMODROMUS (A) MARITIMUS. Sea-side Finch. (Almost wholly absent from Massachusetts, though said by Dr. Coues to be, or to have been, abundant in New Hamp- shire.) (a). About six inches long. Tail-feathers narrow and pointed, as also in caudacutus. Superciliary line from bill to eye, and edge of the wing, yellow. Upper parts, and side- shading below, brown or gray, olive-tinted, the former more or less streaked. Under parts, white ; breast tinted with brown, and faintly or obsoletely streaked. Wings and tail, plain, scarcely marked. Side-markings on the head, vague. (6). "The nest is usually placed in a tussock of grass, in the fresh water marshes, or on the sea-shore beyond the reach of high-tide." The eggs measure about -80 X "57 of an inch, and are white, gray-tinged, thickly, finely, and most often evenly marked with brown, which is sometimes confluent or predominant at the crown. (c). I regret that I know nothing of the habits of the Sea- side Finches, and that I cannot add to what has appeared in the various meagre accounts of these birds already published. OF NEW ENGLAND. 191 Dr. Coues considered this species abundant on the coast of New Hampshire, but " Mr. Brewster * * * * has looked for it in vain at Rye Beach." Mr. Maynard doubts the occurrence of these birds on the coast of Massachusetts, but, says Mr. Allen, in his "Notes on the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts," " they were formerly known to breed in the Chelsea marshes, and probably do still." Wilson speaks of the Sea-side Finch as "keeping almost continually within the boundaries of tide water," and adds that " amidst the recesses of these wet sea marshes it seeks the rankest growth of grass, and sea weed, and climbs along the stalks of the rushes with as much dex- terity as it runs along the ground, which is rather a singular circumstance, most of our climbers being rather awkward at running." 60 (d). Their notes are said to be a chirp, and a song, hardly worthy of the name, which is somewhat like that of the Yel- low-winged Sparrow. (B) CAUDACUTUS. Sharp-tailed Finch. (A summer-resident in Massachusetts, but rare, being con- fined to a few marshes and other places.) (a). About 5-J inches long. Tail-feathers more sharply pointed than in maritimus. (Edge of the wing, yellowish.) Crown, brownish, black-streaked, and with a median line. Superciliary line, and sides of the head, orange-brown. Ear- patch, and back, brown or gray, olive-tinted ; the latter dark- streaked (with feathers pale-edged). Beneath, white; breast, brownish-yellow, black- streaked. (b). The nest and eggs resemble very exactly those of the Sea-side Finch, being found in marshes and on the sea-shore. The eggs measure about -77X*55 of an inch, and are white, gray-tinted, thickly, finely, and usually evenly marked with brown, which sometimes predominates about the crown, or is confluent. Mr. Brewster says that they are not laid here until the first week of July, but these may belong to a second set. (c). With the Sharp-tailed Finches I can claim no intimate Vol. IV, p. 68. 9 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS acquaintance. , They probably do not occur to the northward of Massachusetts, where they are chiefly confined to a few lo- calities, such as the salt-water marshes of Charles River, and those at Ipswich. These places they reach in April, and do not leave until October, or even the latter part of that month. They sometimes frequent the fresh-water marshes, but gener- ally prefer the sea-coast and its neighborhood. They run very nimbly, and make their way so cleverly among the rushes and tall grass that one cannot easily see them except by "flushing" them, when they take a short flight and immediately drop to conceal themselves. They are already very rare in this State, and, I fear, will be soon exterminated here, as, from their scarcity, they are unwisely persecuted every year by enter- prising naturalists. Their extermination is facilitated by their confinement to a few places, where they may be considered, in a broad sense of the term, colonial. Dr. Brewer says that their flight '" is quite different from that of any other bird," and as I* have myself observed, that " in flying they drop their tails very low." (d). Their single ordinary note is "rather more mellow than that of the Sea-side Finch," but their song has little or no merit, and consists of but a few notes. X. COTURNICULUS (A) PASSERINUS. Yellow-winged Sparrow. (A summer-resident in Massachusetts, but in many parts rare.) (a). About five inches long. Crown, very dark, with a brownish-3'ellow median line, and a lighter superciliary line. Jnterscapulars, dull bay, black-streaked, and edged with brown- ish-yellow. Rump, brown and gray intermixed. Beneath, brownish-yellow or buff (obsoletely streaked) ; belly, almost white. Wings edged with bright yellow, and with a patch (the lesser covert) yellowish ; otherwise corresponding to the back and tail. (6). The nest is usually placed on the ground, in a field or pasture, is often lined with hairs, and is here finished in the OF NEW ENGLAND. 193 last week of May. Four or five eggs are then laid, averaging 78X'GO of an inch, and normally are white, with a wreath of blended reddish-brown and obscure lilac spots about the greater end, and a few scattered spots of the former color elsewhere. In some cases the markings cover the greater end, so that there is no distinct ring. (c). My own observations have shown me that the Yellow- winged Sparrows are rare, at least in some parts of Eastern Massachusetts, though common in others, during their com- paratively brief residence here through May and the summer- months. Mr. Maynard, however, considers them as "not un- common" throughout this district, being "very numerous on Nantucket Island ;" but Mr. Allen is, I think, right in believ- ing them to be more abundant in the western than in the other portions of the State, as. for instance, near Springfield. To the northward of Massachusetts they perhaps do not occur. They frequent almost exclusively dry fields, particularly such as are sandy or do not contain a luxuriant vegetation, arid feed upon seeds and insects. They are rather shy, and often nimbly escape a near approach. They run with ease, and never leave the ground, except to take a short, low flight, or to perch upon the top ^ of some weed, or on some fence. Though often more or less collective, they are never strictly gregarious. (d) . Their ordinary notes are a chirr ^ much like the note of some insect, and an occasional chick. Their song is so pecul- iar as to be quite characteristic, and may be represented by the syllables "chick 1 , chick-a-see" with the chief accent on the last and highest of these. Wilson speaks of their "short, weak, interrupted chirrup." (B) HENSLOWI. Henslow's Bunting. Henslow's Sparrow. (A summer-resident in Massachusetts of rarity.) (). Five inches long (or less). Like passerinus (A, a) but "more yellowish above, and with sharp maxillary, pectoral and lateraUblack streaks below." (Coues.) (6). The nest, which is somewhat coarse, is built upon the H 194 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS ground. "The eggs," says Dr. Brewer, " five or six in number, somewhat resemble those of the C. passerinus. Their ground- color is a clear bright white, and they are spotted with well- defined reddish-brown markings and more subdued tints of purple. The markings, so far as I have seen their eggs, are finer and fewer than those of C. passerinus^ and are distributed more exclusively around the larger end. The eggs measure 78X'60 of an inch, and are of a more oblong oval than those of the common Yellow-wing." (c). The Henslow's Buntings are very rare in Massachu- setts, though said by Mr. Ma}'nard 61 to seem "more common at some localities in the State than" their immediate relations, the Yellow-winged Sparrows. Like these latter birds they fre- quent fields (and chiefly, so far as my observations prove, those which are dry or sandy), and are always on or near the ground. The}^ feed on seeds and insects, and easily secure the smaller beetles, etc., from the facility with which they run and make their way among the weeds and grass. Mr. Maynard 62 has recorded that he "took two males in a wet meadow on May 10, 1867," whose " song-note" was " like the syllables 'see-wick,' with the first prolongedly and the second quickly given." I have seen the Henslow's Sparrows here only in May and the warmer part of summer ; but, though Massachusetts is consid- ered as their northern limit, I have suspicions, upon which I / shall not here enlarge, that they occur in at least one spot among the White Mountains. I may add that this species was at first recorded in this State as Bachman's Finch (Peuccea cestivalis), an error afterwards corrected. (d). Mr. Ridgway, as quoted by Dr. Brewer, speaks of "the tail* being depressed, and the head thrown back at each utterance" of their notes. 61 As quoted by Mr. Allen in his "Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Mas- sachusetts." 62 In his "Naturalist's Guide," p. 117. OF NEW ENGLAND. 195 XI. PASSERCULUS (A) PRINCEPS. Ipswich Sparrow. (A northern species, but lately discovered, reaching New England in winter.) (a). Mr. Maynard describes as follows the first specimen obtained (though the italicizing is my own) : "Back grayish ; the middle of the feathers having a black centre edged with rufous. Top of head streaked with dusky and pale rufous, divided by a broad stripe of pale yellowish white. There is also a whitish superciliary stripe extending from the base of the bill to the back of the head. Ear-coverts grayish, with a rufous tinge." (Description of wings here omitted.) White wing-bars "rather indistinct." "Tail brownish, with the tips of the feathers and terminal half of the outer web of the outer tail- feathers pale yellowish white; the rest of the tail-feathers nar- rowly edged with the same. Under parts, including under tail-coverts, pure white. Feathers of the sides of the throat, with a broad band across the breast and sides, streaked with rufous, with dusky centres. The throat is indistinctly spotted with dusky. A triangular spot on the sides of the neck, below the ear-coverts, pale buff; ears dusky. Bill dark brown, with the base of the under mandible paler. Eyes and feet brown." Length, six inches (or more). (c). That I may do full honor to Mr. Maynard, as the dis- coverer of a bird, not before described, in a country well popu- lated by naturalists of all sorts, I shall here transcribe at length his own remarks about the Ipswich Sparrow, which he at first erroneously supposed to be the Baird's Sparrow, 63 Pro- fessor Baird having pronounced it to be that species. This mistake, however excusable on the part of the latter gentle- man, who is ranked as the foremost of American naturalists, 63 Until within the last two or three years this latter bird, a species confined to the western United States, was known to ornithologists by one specimen only, one of those shot by Audubon " upon the banks of the Yellowstone River, July 26, 1843." Lately others have been shot, and their habits studied in northern Dakota. 196 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS shows the necessity of strict accuracy and the utmost care in scientific investigation. Mr. Maynard says : " The Ipswich Sand-hills, where the specimen was procured, is a most peculiar place. I never have met with its equal anywhere. Years ago these Sand-hills, which are three miles long by three-fourths of a mile across, and contain about one thousand acres, were covered with a thick growth of pine-trees. Protected by these trees, and among them, dwelt a tribe of Indians, whose earlier presence is indicated, not only by tradition, but by numerous shell heaps scattered over the Sand-hills at irregular intervals. Indeed, even now the ashes of camp-fires may be seen, apparently fresh. Upon the advent of the white man, the usual event transpired, namely, the disappearance of the trees ; and to- day, with the exception of a few scattering ones at the south- easterly corner, near the house of the proprietor of the Sand- hills, Mr. George Woodbury, not a tree is to be seen. All is bleak and barren. The surface of the ground, once covered with a slight deposit of soil, has become a mass of shifting sands. Many times has the present owner had cause to regret the want of foresight in his ancestors in removing the trees, as the several acres of arable land around the house are now cov- ered with sand, including a valuable apple-orchard. Upon this orchard the sand has drifted to the depth of thirty feet. Some of the trees present the curious phenomenon of apples growing upon limbs that protrude a few feet only above the sand, while the trunk and lower branches are buried ! The Sand-hills, in places, are covered with a sparse growth of coarse grass, upon the seeds of which, as I have remarked elsewhere, thousands of Snow Buntings feed. There are, in some places, sinks or depressions with the level of the sea. In these sinks, which, except during the summer months, are filled with fresh water, a more luxuriant growth of grass appears. Walking, on De- cember 4, 1868, near one of these places, in search of Lapland Longspurs, I started a sparrow from out the tall grass, which flew wildly, and alighted again a few rods away. I approached the spot, surprised at seeing a sparrow at this late day so far OF NEW ENGLAND. 197 north, especially in so bleak a place. After some trouble I again started it. It flew wildly as before, when I fired, and was fortunate enough to secure it. It proved to be Baird's Sparrow. When I found I had taken a specimen which I had never seen before, although at that time I did not know its name or the interest attached to it, I instantlv went in search of more. After a time I succeeded in starting another. This one, however, rose too far off for gunshot, and I did not secure it. It flew away to a great distance, when I lost sight of it. After this I thought that among the myriads of Snow Buntings that continually rose a short distance from me I again detected it, but I was perhaps mistaken. I am confident of having seen it in previous years at this place, earlier in the season." **##*## u % * * As might be expected, I heard no song-note at this season, but simply a short chirp of alarm." The Ipswich Sparrows a/e now known to be regular winter- visitants from the North along the coast of New England. They also occur inland, as I observed two, who were extremely shy, in a sandy field at the distance of several miles from the sea. (B) SAVANNA. Savannah Sparrow. (A rather colonial species, locally common in the summer- season throughout New England.) (a). About 5 inphes long. With no bright tints (espec- ially about the interscapulars) , and rarely a prominent pectoral blotch, as in the Song Sparrow (XIII, A, who sometimes, however, lacks the latter feature), and never with a chestnut patch on the wing, or conspicuous white on the tail as in the Grass Finch (XII, A). Feathers above, brownish-gray, on the tail scarcely marked, but elsewhere pale-edged, and darkly streaked, most finely upon the crown. Superciliary line and edge of the wing, yellowish ; a faint line dividing the crown, whitish. Beneath white (or buffish), with dark streaks, brown- edged. A little bay is to be found on the wings, and among the interscapulars. 198 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (6). The nest is built on the ground, in the various summer- haunts of this bird. It is composed chiefly of dry grasses, and in Eastern Massachusetts is finished in the second week of May. Four or five eggs are then laid, averaging '75 X '55 of an inch, exhibiting great variation, and often approaching those of other sparrows. Some are dull white, faintly and minutely marked, most thickly at the crown. Dr. Brewer says : "In some the ground-color, which is of a greenish-white, is plainly visible, being only partially covered with blotches of brown, shaded with red and purple. These blotches are more numerous about the larger end, becoming confluent and forming a corona. In others the ground-color is entirely con- cealed by confluent ferruginous fine clots, over which are darker markings of brown and purple and a still darker ring of the same about the larger end." (c). The Savannah Sparrows show a marked preference for the sea-coast, and the islands near it, and are to be found much farther to the northward along the coast-line than in the inte- rior, where, however, they frequently occur to the southward of the mountain-chains in northern New England. To the inland, rather than along the shore, they are locally distributed, being the most colonial of all our sparrows. Though collective, they do not cluster as the swallows do, but many often pass the summer in one place, and several pairs frequent the same field, or the same strip of shore. They reach Eastern Massachu- setts, where they are particularly "abundant in the salt-water marshes and their neighborhood," in the second or third week of April, but many soon pass to the northward. They have a settlement, if I may so call it, at a place in the White Mountains, where I made the following observations. They there inhabited the fields and pasture-lands. In the earlier part of July they were seen in small flocks, or families, to visit gardens in the search of food ; and, even so late as the twenty-third of that month, a nest was found containing freshly laid eggs. As well-grown young were also then observed, they doubtless reared two broods ; and certainly until the latter part of August they remained in the fields where they had OF NEW ENGLAND. 199 built their nests. Although they were eminently terrestrial in habits, and fed and nested on the ground, yet they not unfre- quently alighted on the fences between the pastures, and by the roadsides, or rarely on the telegraph-wires. They were very nimble on the ground, often chasing the insects, which consti- tuted their chief food ; and usually, when frightened from their nests, they feigned lameness, and endeavored to lead one from the spot, whereas the Bay-winged Buntings generally flew at once to some near fence. Unlike these latter, they did not often venture to the roads, except when, autumn drawing near, they associated with the " Grass Finches," and followed their habits more closely than during the breeding-season. In Sep tember they seemed less numerous than in July, but wandered much more freely over the country. In Massachusetts, a few stay until November, but a majority pass to the southward earlier, and I have never known any to spend the winter in New England. There is nothing very characteristic in their flight, which is usually short and low. They are often shy, and can never be closely approached when on the ground, and though they sometimes feed in gardens near houses or barns, they commonly prefer the more remote fields, where civilization is not busy. (d). Their notes are interesting, as distinct from those of other birds, and so far as I know, are appreciably like only those of the Yellow-winged Sparrows. Besides a low chip (?) they have a peculiar chirp, which one might reasonably attrib- ute to some loud-voiced cricket or beetle, and which also bears resemblance to the Night "Hawk's" ordinary cry. Their song-notes are very characteristic, and are drawly but musical. They nearly resemble the syllables chip-chirr, sometimes ex- tended to chip-chee, chee-chee-chirr, or so varied as to be a song. In describing three common birds, frequently confused by the ignorant or inexperienced, namely : the Savannah Finch, the Bay-winged Bunting, and the Song Sparrow, I have en- deavored to mark the characteristic differences so as to render their identification a matter of no difficulty. These streaked species, as well as their ground-nesting relations, are often 200 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS indiscriminately called " Ground Sparrows ;" and likewise a sparrow's nest found in a bush is referred to the equally vague " Bush Sparrow." One may often hear it said that " the Ground Sparrow sings charmingly," but whether this refers to the Field, Song, or Bay-winged Sparrow, it is impossible to say, though doubts are lessened if the bird is described as streaked beneath. It is to be observed that the Savannah Sparrows (with generally dull tints) are most common near the sea, often frequenting marshes, and, like the Yellow-winged Sparrows (unstreaked beneath) who have a preference for dry and sandy fields, are quaintly but not sweetly musical. The Song Sparrows (with generally bright tints) to a certain extent, as the Swamp Sparrows (unstreaked beneath) do exclusively, pass their time in swamps and meadows, and are both sweet musicians, as the Bay-winged Buntings, characterized by their conspicuously white outer tail-feathers, also are. The little " Chippers " and Field Sparrows (unlike the above mentioned " Yellow-wings ") are brightly tinted above, and (like them) unstreaked below, the former having the breast light gray, the other pale brown or buff. The former is often found in the immediate neighborhood of man, and is unmusical, but the latter sings most charmingly from the fields, pastures, and bushy " scrub," which he is ever in. The little streaked female of the Purple Finch, a mellow warbler, should be kept distinct, as should the Lincoln's and the Henslow's Sparrows, who are, however, very rare in Massachusetts, especially the Lincoln's Finch. XII. POOCETES (A) GRAMINEUS. "Grass Finch" Bay-winged Bunting. Bay- winged Sparrow. Vesper Sparrow. (A common resident in New England, except in the winter- season.) (a) . About six inches long. A patch on the wing (the lesser covert), chestnut. The outer tail-feathers, white. Above, gray- ish-brown, darkly streaked, most finely on the crown, which is OF NEW ENGLAND. 201 not divided. Below, white (often buff-tinged) ; breast and sides streaked with brown or black. Wings marked with bay. Eye-ring white. (6). The nest is invariably placed on the ground, generally in a pasture or field. It is lined with fine roots, dried grasses, or horse-hairs. In Massachusetts two sets of eggs are laid, one in the last week of May or earlier, and the other a month or more later,, each containing four or five. These average -80 X '60 of an inch, but exhibit several variations in coloration. One specimen before me is white, irregularly spotted and blotched with a rather light reddish-brown and extremely faint lilac, and measures -87 X '65 of an inch. Another is dull livid white, with fine but almost invisible markings scattered over the egg, and a few large umber-brown spots, some of which are surmounted with black. These forms are almost two ex- tremes. A third has scrawls and vermiculations on it, and there are still others entirely distinct in character. (c). The Bay-winged Buntings, with the exception of the Song Sparrows and "Chippers," and perhaps the Goldfinches, are the most abundant members of their family to be found in New England, during summer. Though they sometimes reach Eastern Massachusetts in March, they more commonly appear in the second or third week of April, and become plenty before May. Usually a few only can be found here in November, the majority returning to the South in the preceding month. A very few may possibly spend the winter in this State, but I have never known such to be the case. In early spring, they are to be found in fields, pastures, vegetable-gardens, and ploughed lands, often in association with other species, or gathered by themselves. They are not so persistent in remain- ing on or near the ground as the Savannah Sparrows (being rather less nimble), are not so much confined as those birds are to certain localities, and are not, I think, usually so com- mon near the sea- shore as in the interior. They have, how- ever, a much more limited distribution, being found in summer neither so far to the northward or southward. The so-called Grass Finches, though they spend much of their 202 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS time on the ground, often alight on the ridge-poles of barns, and on fences, or on telegraph-wires, generally those by the roadside, where fields are near at hand. They often venture to the roads, where they pick up food, and sometimes dust themselves, generally being undisturbed by a near approach. When approached in the fields, they often run ahead, if a per- son walks behind, occasionally " squatting," so to speak, as if to rest. The whole or partial whiteness of their outer tail- feathers, noticeable as the birds fly, renders the Bay-winged Buntings easily recognizable. These finches build their nests in fields and pasture-lands, usually produce their first set of eggs in the early part of Ma}^, and raise two or even three broods in the course of one summer, so that their duties to their } r oung are often not completed until August. In the lat- ter part of that month, and later in the season, they are chiefly gregarious, and, perhaps associated with Song or Savannah Sparrows, frequent in large flocks the roadsides, and their other feeding-grounds. Their flights are less confined than those of the Savannah Finches, though they are not much on the wing. They are, however, bolder than those birds, though like them they avoid to a certain extent the neighborhood of houses. (d). The song of the Bay-winged Buntings is quite loud and clear, and resembles that of the Song Sparrow, but is en- tirely distinct, and rather sweeter though less lively. It often may be heard in the heat of a summer-noon, but is more often repeated towards dusk, whence the name of "Vesper Sparrow." It is my impression that I have heard it once or twice at night, and I have certainly heard it in October. Their ordinary note, a chip, is in no way characteristic. XIII. MELOSPIZA (A) MELODIA. Song Sparrow. (A resident in Massachusetts throughout the year. In sum- mer very abundant in all the New England States.) (a). 5| 6^- inches long. (Head-markings, never prominent, are as follows : crown bay, fiuety streaked with black ; me- OF NEW ENGLAND. 203 dian and superciliary stripes, impure white ; side-markings often vague). Inter scapulars, bright reddish-brown (or "bay"), pale-edged, and black-streaked. Tail brown, sometimes faintly barred. (Rump, brown with a few markings.) Under parts, white (shaded with brown behind), with black streaks, brown- edged, on the breast and sides, generally coalescing into a conspicuous blotch on the former (and into maxillary stripes). Wings in no contrast to the back. (b). The nest is composed of dried leaves, stalks, grasses and the like, and is often bulk} 7 . The lining consists of finer materials of the same sort, or of horse-hairs. The nest is most often placed upon the ground in fields and pastures, fre- quently under shelter of a bush or tussock ; less commonly in bushes and thickets on or near meadows, or in shrubbery and hedges near houses. Wilson speaks of one found in a cedar- tree, five or six feet from the ground ; and I have seen or heard of several peculiar specimens, such as one built in a broken jar. The eggs vary considerably in size, and greatly in colora- tion, often resembling those of other species. In Eastern Massachusetts two or three sets of four or five (rarely six) are usually laid in the course of the season, the first appearing about the first of May, or even earlier, when snow is on the ground. Several different specimens are now before me. The first measures -85 X ' 60 of an inch, and is dull white (perhaps green-tinged), faintly but thickly blotched with a purple-tinged brown. The second is elliptical, measuring *78 X '60 of an inch, and is dull white, thickly but irregularly marked with the same purple-tinged brown of a somewhat darker shade, and with traces of lilac. The third is almost elliptical, measures -80 X "58 of an inch, and is marked thickly but finely with brown and lilac. The fourth measures -78 X "55 of an inch, and is white, tinged with greenish gray, and minutely marked with sandy brown, a little lilac, and one or two black scrawls near the crown. The fifth is light blue, greenish- tinged, finely marked and also irregularly blotched, chiefly at the crown, with Vandyke-brown and a little lilac, and measures *78 X "58 of an inch. The sixth measures -77 X '55 of an inch, and is 204 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of a light but bright greenish blue, chiefly marked by cloudings of Vandyke-brown (in some places umber) and lilac, grouped in an irregular ring about the larger end. A seventh resem- bles strongly the ordinary egg of the Swamp Sparrow, and another is dull white, with markings so feeble as to be almost invisible. Still other forms exist, with various combinations, to detail all of which would be impossible. (c). On winter-days one may sometimes see certain small birds, skulking from thicket to thicket in the swamps, or other cheerless places, occasionally hopping on the ground to pick up the seeds which have fallen from the weeds upon the snow, now and then emitting a rather melancholy note ; and these are the Song Sparrows, for a few always pass the winter in Eastern Massachusetts, though strange to say much less common, at least in one township, during the past very mild winter than in the preceding one, an extraordinarily severe season. This was also the case with the Robins. Besides having seen the Song Sparrows, I have also heard their song near Boston, in every month of the year, 64 but in winter they are rare. About the middle of March they first practise their spring carols ; and those who have passed the colder weather in the South then return to their spring-haunts. During the latter part of March and early April they are extremely abundant, particularly in swamps and about vegetable-gardens, and in those places associate with other species, especially the Fox- colored Sparrows. They also become less shy than they are in winter, and some, to a certain extent, frequent shrubbery about houses, where, .however, I have known one to remain throughout the year. Wherever they may be, at this season, they are in full song, and their haunts resound with the confu- sion of a hundred melodies poured out by these birds and their associates. Though the Song Sparrows cannot properly be called gregarious, yet in spring they often collect in large 64 Mr. Maynard also says (in "The Naturalist's Guide," p. 118) : " Mr. Brewster informs me that he has taken it (i. e. the Song Sparrow) every month in the year; has even heard it sing in January." OF NEW ENGLAND. 205 numbers at their feeding-grounds ; but gradually many leave us to pass the summer in a more northern country, and others begin to build their nests here. During the breeding-season they occupy the neighborhood of these nests, the various situ- ations- of which have already been mentioned. In many locali- ties, other than those in which I have made my own observa- tions, such as the fields and pasture-lands of the interior, and those of New Hampshire or Maine, they perhaps pass the spring as they do the summer, in those fields and their imme- diate surroundings. In such places they are probably in the former season less common and less gregarious than ;n the ' country previously described. As they raise two or three . broods every year, it is not until August (or a little earlier) that they are freed from their household cares. Like several other birds, they divide the labors of rearing their young, and the males, while their mates rear one brood, often build the nest for another, and are busied until summer is well advanced. Later in the } 7 ear they collect at their feeding-grounds, but not so abundantly as in the spring, since the fall-migrations of this species extend through a greater length of time than the oth- ers. During the former the Song Sparrows are most common throughout a part of September and October, and associate with various other finches, rather preferring, at this season, dry grounds to the swamps. It is impossible, however, to exactly define the nature of the places in which they may then be usually found. After the middle of October, they appear and disappear until only those are left who pass the winter with us. At all times of the year, except during the mating-season, they are rather shy, and, when startled, almost invariably dive into some near brush-heap or thicket, where they are well concealed. They commonly prefer the neighborhood of the ground, running quite nimbly on it, but much more often perch in trees, even at a considerable height, than is commonly sup- posed. They have a gently undulating flight, flying low and never very far. In summer they are to be found throughout a greater part of northern North America, even so far to the southward as t 206 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the Gulf of Mexico (though in the West represented by several varieties), being abundant and well known in almost all parts of New England ; and, indeed, in a majority of places they are, with the exception of the Chipping Sparrows, the most com- mon of all the finches. It is impossible to define accurately all their haunts, since these vary according to the nature of the country, and somewhat according to the seasons ; but their haunts, and moreover all those minor habits which have not been fully detailed, may easily be learned by the ornithological experience of one or two years. (d). f The song of the Song Sparrow is sweet, lively, and poured out with an energy which doubles its charm. It has several variations, which might excusably be attributed to two or three species ; but the one most often heard is that which they give utterance to in the spring. This is an indescribable song, characteristic of itself. It usually begins with a thrice repeated note, followed by the sprightly part of the music, concluding with another note, which, like the first, is often tripled. 65 The Song Sparrows have also eccentric music, pecu- liar to the mating-season, and in autumn often soliloquize. In the earlier part of spring they sing most loudly, in summer they are much less often heard ; in fall they sing unfrequently, and in winter seldom. Occasionally they pour out their music, when dropping to the ground from some perch above the fields, with wings outstretched. Their ordinary notes are a charac- teristic, sharp chuck, or " hoarse clieep" as it variously sounds, and a chip, less often heard, which resembles that of several other sparrows. The Song Sparrows, regarding man's so-called "interests," are neutral, feeding principally upon seeds or small berries, but with those who know them are justly favorites, particularly on account of their sprightly song, which, if we except the Blue Birds' note, is the first to be heard in spring. es See account of the Red-winged Blackbird's notes (14, IV, A, OF NEW ENGLAND. -207 (B) LINCOLNI. Lincoln's Finch. Lincoln's Sparrow. (Of great rarity in Massachusetts, occurring as a summer- resident.) (a). 5^- inches long. Below, white ; dusky-streaked, except on the belly. Breast band (and side-shading), brownisli-yelloiv. Above, grayish-brown ; crown and back streaked with blackish, brownish, and paler ; tail scarcely marked. Wings with some bay and white. (Abridged from Cones.) (6). The nests hitherto found have all been placed upon the ground. An egg in my collection measures about -75 X '55 of an inch, and is light green, finely blotched all over with a medium brown, which is purple-tinged. Dr. Brewer describes others, having "a pale greenish-white ground," "thickly marked with dots and small blotches of a ferruginous-brown," etc. (c). The Lincoln's Finches are very rare in Massachusetts, a few specimens only having been hitherto obtained in this State. Their summer-habitat is an extensive one, "the United States from Atlantic to Pacific," including the North, for they were "first met with by Mr. Audubon in Labrador." As I have seen them but once, my brief description of their habits is gathered from Dr. Brewer's account of them. 66 The Lincoln's Finch is allied in habits to the Song Sparrow, singing 4 'for whole hours at a time " from the top of some shrub, often diving into thickets, and, when frightened, flying " low and rapidly to a considerable distance" (as the Song Sparrow does not) "jerking its tail as it proceeds, and throwing itself into the thickest bush it meets." Audubon found the Lincoln's Sparrows chiefly near streams ; and apparently these birds are often gregarious, at least during the migrations. (d). Their song is said to be a fine- one, and is described 1 ' as composed of the notes of a Canary and a Woodlark of Europe." They have also a " chuck." 66 My biography of this species was written before I had access to the worka of Audubon. 208 ' LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (C) PALUSTRIS. Swamp Sparroiu. (In Massachusetts, on the whole, a common summer-resi- dent.) (a). 5J--6 inches long. Crown, bay (in $ in autumn and $, black-streaked, and divided by a light line). Forehead ("and nuchal patch"?), often black. (Side-markings on the head not prominent.) Side of head, and the breast, warm gray or " ash." Latter sometimes marked with obsolete streaks, which become more distinct on the sides (which are often brown- washed). Chin and belly, almost white. Interscapulars, bay, boldly black- streaked (and pale-edged). Rump the same. Tail not strongly marked ; wings much edged with bay. (6). The nest is placed in swamps, and on or near meadows, usually in a tussock of grass, but sometimes in a low bush. It is much like that of the Song Sparrow, and is finished about the middle of May. The eggs of each set, two sets being often laid in the season, are four or five, and average about *80 X '60 of an inch. They are white, tinged with gray, green, or blue, finely marked with brown (and lilac), and irregularly blotched or even splashed, usually more thickly about the crown than elsewhere, with two or three shades of a brown, varying in tint from sandy-brown to umber. I have seen eggs, both of the Song and Tree Sparrows, very closely resembling them. (c). There are few things more charming in Nature than her first music in spring ; and the simple chant of the Song Sparrow in March makes the heart gladder than the melody of the Wood Thrush in June. Yet the cheerful song of the former, when first heard to ring through the meadows, inspires but delusive hopes of spring, and it is therefore that the sweet but more modest notes of the Swamp Sparrow, heard later, may afford to those who hear them a more lasting pleasure. But this bird is unfortunately almost unknown except to the student of birds, owing to his continual residence in swamps, meadow-thickets, or even marshes, his rareness in many places, and above all his shyness. It is, therefore, with pleasure that OF NEW ENGLAND. 209 I shall endeavor, so far as possible, to introduce him to my readers. The Swamp Sparrows are locally common throughout New England, but most so to the southward and eastward. They reach the neighborhood of Boston in the earlier part of April, and remain there until October or even November. They inhabit exclusively wet lands, chiefly those which are rather secluded, or which contain bushes and the like. They are shy, and it is almost impossible to study their habits except by penetrating their haunts and resting there motionless. They may be there observed to move from bush to bush, but not " jerking their tails as they fly," or to run quite nimbly on the ground, where they find much of their food, which consists of seeds, berries, and insects. They are not so collective as the Song Sparrows often are, nor have I often seen them perched in trees. On the contrary, they are very terrestrial, often scratching like the Fox Sparrows, or wading in shallow water. (d). The Swamp Sparrows excel all our other finches in the variety of their distinct notes, and on this score are perhaps to be ranked as the first musicians of their family. Of these notes their mellow chuck, their harsh scold, and their song, bear a strong resemblance to the corresponding notes of the Cat- bird. This song is much less pleasing than the sweet, clear trill, much like that of the Pine Warbler or Snow-bird, which generally replaces it in spring, or their low warble occasionally to be heard in autumn. They have also a soft chip, a queru- lous note, and certain expressive twitters. Like the Song Spar- rows, who sing chiefly in the early morning and at dusk, they keep comparatively late hours, and often do not retire until it is almost dark. I remember to have seen one at evening in the eccentric expression of his passion during the season of love, dart from a thicket, mount in the air, and take quite a rapid, circuitous flight, continually uttering a fine, steady trill, until, having returned to the thicket, he dived into it, ejacula- ting a few broken musical notes, after which all was still. Song with birds is often a passion, or the effect of one, and the chaf- finches in France are said, when caged, and placed as rivals 15 210 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS near one another, to sing until one finally succumbs, often falling dead on the floor of his cage ! XIV. SPIZELLA (A) SOCIALIS. Chipping Sparrow. "Chipper." Etc. "Hair- bird" (A very common summer-resident in Massachusetts, and almost throughout the United States.) (a). About 5 inches long. Crown, chestnut; forehead, black (former in ck of gnats who are likewise hovering and swarming in the air. They bathe by plunging into the water, after which they fly to some twig, and dress their plumage. They perch rather erectly, and rarely alight upon the ground, unless to pick up something for their nests. (d). Their notes are shrill twitters, which often resemble those of the swallows. They are loud, sharp, and rather ve- hement. Among them may be heard the syllable king, which constantly recurs. Though the King-birds are plainly dressed-, and though they have no song, they are entitled to both our respect and affection. II. MYIARCHUS (A) CRINITUS. Great Crested Flycatcher. (In New England, a rather rare summer- resident.) (a). About nine inches long. Crown-feathers erectile, often forming a loose crest, and dark-centred. Above, " dull green- ish olive," inclining to dusky on the wings and tail. Beneath, pale 3 T ellow ; but throat gray (or "pale ash"). Tail-feathers, largely chestnut ; primaries edged with the same. (Rest of the wing with much white edging, forming two inconspicuous bars. Outer tail-feathers edged with yellow.) (I)}. The nest and eggs differ strikingly from those of all our other birds. The nest, which in New England is finished in the first or second week of June, may be found in woods or orchards. It consists of a few materials, placed in the hollow of a tree, among which cast-off snake-skins are almost inva- riably to be found. The eggs of each set are four or five, and average about l-OOX'75 of an inch. They are buff or creamy, spotted with lilac, and curiously streaked, or " scratched," with purplish and a winy brown. (c). The Great Crested Flycatchers are summer-residents in all the States of New England, but they are apparently no- where common. They reach Massachusetts about the middle of May, and ordinarily remain there four months, but once, so late as the first of November, I saw one not far from Boston, 276 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS who was fat and in excellent condition, .in spite of the cold season. The Great Crested Flycatchers for the most part fre- quent woods, though sometimes seen in orchards or in small groups of trees. They rarely enter the evergreens, but prefer some collection of hard-wood trees, where there are clearings and tracts of dead timber. In such a place they select their summer-home, over which they assume a despotic right, and from which they drive any other birds whom they may con- sider as intruders. They usually remain at a greater height than the King-birds, frequently perching near the tops of tall trees. Moreover, they often fly more rapidly and freely than those birds, though often with a striking similarity. They catch insects in the same manner, and feed upon them during spring and the early summer ; but, in autumn, unlike our other flycatchers, they seem to be almost wholly dependent upon various berries, among which may be mentioned huckleberries. In the latter season, they may occasionally be seen in family parties, but, in spring, I have never observed more than two together. (d). In regard to their notes, my experience obliges me to differ from other writers. Wilson and Audubon both speak of their note as a loud, harsh, disagreeable squeak, and subse- quent writers have repeated this statement. I have watched the Great Crested Flycatchers many times at all seasons, ex- cept in winter, for the express purpose of hearing this cr} r , but I have never heard them utter any sound to which the above description is applicable. On the contrary, I have at all times heard them utter a single loud, brusque note (not unlike the ordinary call of the Quail), which it is difficult to imitate well, though one may do so by whistling and suddenly drawing in the breath. These flycatchers have also a few low notes, which are likewise whistled. I do not wish to deny the accuracy of my predecessors, but merely to state that there is certainly one sound familiar to me, which seems to have escaped their attention, and that what they describe is very probably a querulous cry. OF NEW ENGLAND. 277 III. SAYORNIS (A) FUSCUS. Pewee (Flycatcher). Phoebe-bird. Bridge Pewee. (A common summer-resident throughout the cultivated parts of New England.) (a). Seven inches long or less. Tail, forked ; crown-feathers erectile, and very dark. Above, dark olive-brown, in autumn (after the moult) approaching olive-green. Sides always, and the breast often, shaded with the same. Under parts, other- wise white (or very pale yellow, chiefly behind, and brightest in autumn. Eye-ring, edging of the wings and of the outer tail-feather, inconspicuously white.) The throat is sometimes streaked. Bill wholly black. (b). The nest of the Pewee is most often built on a beam or pillar, or under the eaves of some building, occasionally those of a bridge. It was primitively attached to a wall of rock, either on a cliff, or in a cave, but, so far as I know, it is no longer often to be found in Massachusetts thus placed. It is rendered firm by mud, to which are added various materials, of which the most conspicuous is generally moss, and it is com- monly lined with horse-hairs. The eggs of each set are usu- ally five, average about -75 X *57 of an inch, and are pure white (rarely spotted?). Near Boston, one set is generally laid in the first or second week of May, and another in June. I have known a pair, who built in a shed partly surrounded by glass, to raise three broods in one season, of which the first was hatched about the fifth of May. An egg from the third set measures *65X'50 of an inch or less. (c). There are few birds dearer to an ornithologist than the Pewee, and no birds are better entitled to the affection of a friend, if usefulness, cheerfulness, familiarity towards man, and charm of manner, deserve our regard. In fact no bird is more home-like than this species, who is almost the first to announce spring at our very doors, and who is the foremost to establish his home where we have established ours, and who returns persistently, if unmolested, to the same shed or barn, 278 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS year after year. Audubon even proved in one case that the young returned with their parents, thus increasing the little colony which already existed on his plantation. No bird is more peaceable or less jealous than the Pewee, who looks hos- pitably upon all his neighbors, and it is common to find several pairs on the same estate, living in happiness and peace. As I sit down to write out of doors, I find that my attention is but little confined to my biographical labors. I have placed in the shrubbery around the piazza, several bits of cotton-wool, which readily attract the attention of the various birds who are now building. ' A male Redstart is singing in the oak on the bank, while his mate cautiousty approaches a vine, from which my chair is scarcely a yard distant, and, seizing several shreds of the wool, flies off. Eager to discover her home, just as I have already discovered those of nearly all her friends (and mine too), I step on the lawn to watch her motions. She flies to the nearest group of trees and disappears, while I fix my eyes upon the cotton-wool, to watch her return ; but, when some sound causes me to turn my head, I see her pulling at an- other piece, in the opposite direction. How cautious she is of betraying her purpose, and what a vacillating course she takes from tree to tree ! Is she not evidently an unusually cautious bird? A neighbor, one of her own species, without waiting for warmer weather, has already finished a nest, and laid eggs, in a birch on the edge of the swamp, and a " Black-throated Green," who built in the piazza-vines, last year, showed no hesitation in building while persons were near. But here is the Red- start again ; she is now refreshing herself by catching flies. It is after nine o'clock, and she has probably worked for sev- eral hours ; but she denies herself rest, and again approaches the vine, this time to gather several little strips of bark, with which she flies directly to the orchard. As she enters a pear- tree, pauses a moment, and then flies off, I feel sure that her nest is there, and so post myself close to the trunk of a neigh- boring apple-tree, motionless and silent, to await her return. She immediately reappears, and, apparently not realizing my presence, enters her nest, which is already shaped, and firmly OP NEW ENGLAND. 279 presses her materials into position with her bill. She next gathers something from a tree in the orchard, but, on seeing me as I move, she is frightened, and utters a chip, though her mouth is quite full. Just then a most familiar sound falls upon my ear, and recalls me to my biography. On looking up, I see two Pewees providing food, either for their own young, or for some helpless Cow-bird, who has been left to their care. What labor they are obliged to undergo ! Probably no less than a thousand insects must be procured each day for several weeks. One spring, when the season was backward, and the same pair were behindhand in building, they proceeded to con- struct, side by side in a shed, two nests, which were finished at the same time. While the male fed the young of the first brood in one nest, the female laid the eggs of a second brood in the other ; but, whether this was their original design or not, I cannot say. The Pewees reach Massachusetts about the first of April, and rarely, if ever, before the last week of March. They ar- rive singly, and the males seem quite dispirited until the appearance of their mates, when they at once assume their usual cheerfulness. The same pair return every year to the same spot, during their life-time, and, should one of them die, the other often finds a new mate, with whom, in the following spring, he returns to his old quarters. The Pewees arc sum- mer-residents in all the States of New England, but in the northern sections are not common, though elsewhere abundant and generally well-known. They frequent farms, and culti- vated or open lands. They are nowhere shy, but occasionally the rapidity with which they check their course on entering the building which contains their nest, and on seeing there some person, shows that they possess a share of the timidity natural to most birds. They are chiefly insectivorous, though they fre- quently feed upon berries, such as those of the poisonous "ivy." In hunting for their usual prey, they choose a perch in some open spot, and rarely at any great height from the ground. They then flirt their tails, or from time to time utter their notes ; but, on seeing an insect, they fly, and commonly seize it 280 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS instantaneously, though sometimes obliged to give chase, which they do most adroitly. They often resort to the edge of ponds or streams, where gnats or mosquitoes abound. In feeding from a swarm of very small insects, they frequently hover with the body almost erect, and sustained by a rapid beating of the wings. Their flight is quite characteristic, but cannot be well defined ; it is rarely protracted, unless directed toward their nest. They never alight on the ground, unless to pick up some material for building, or to perch upon a heap of earth. In autumn, they are not confined to their usual haunts, but wander quite freely about the country, though rarely to be found in woods. I have never seen them near Boston later than the sixteenth of October, and a majority pass to the southward much earlier. (d). The Pewees possess a greater variety of notes than a superficial observer would suppose. They have a loud chip (more or less characteristic), being, I believe, the only non- oscine (or unmusical) birds who possess this note. They have also a wliit, a single rather melancholy whistle, but seldom heard, and various twitters, of which some are querulous and others not unlike those of the King-bird. Besides these sounds, of which the latter are heard chiefly in spring, they utter quite constantly during the breeding-season, though much less often in summer, and rarely in autumn, their familiar and cheerful note, pee-wee, which is subject to ny>re or less modification. Occasionally, in April, a Pewee darts into the air, and, hover- ing or fluttering in a circle, repeats this note so rapidly and excitedly as to produce eccentric music, which might almost without impropriety be called a song. There is, I believe, nothing which I can say to endear these birds to the naturalist, more than they are now endeared to all who know them. IV. CONTOPUS (A) BOREALIS. Olive-sided Flycatcher. (A rather rare summer-resident.) (a). About ?i inches long. Tail considerably forked; crown-feathers erectile and dark-centred. Above, of an inde- OF NEW ENGLAND. 281 scribable " dark olive-brown ;" sides (almost meeting across the breast), shaded streakily with the same. Under parts, other- wise white or yellowish. Wings, with more or less obscure white edging. Bill black above only. (b). The nest is much less finished and artistic than that of the Wood Pewee, and is, moreover, nearly alwaj^s placed in an evergreen or orchard-tree. It is frequently built in a pine, from fifteen to even fifty feet above the ground, being placed in the fork of a horizontal limb. One before me is shallow, and is composed of twigs, fine strips of bark, stalks of field- weeds, and a little moss. The eggs of each set are usually five, average about -85X'65 of an inch, and are in Massachu- setts laid in the second week of June. They are white, or creamy, spotted with lilac and reddish-brown. (c). The Olive-sided Flycatchers may be classed among those birds, who are, at least in Massachusetts, neither rare nor common. They reach this State about the middle of May, and leave it in September. They may more often be found among evergreens than any others of their tribe, and most often occur in orchards or among pines. They are expert fly- catchers, and have the habit of selecting a post, frequently a dead stump or decayed limb, to which they continually return. In common with other members of their family, they have a quarrelsome disposition, in consequence of whicli they often engage in broils, even among themselves. They are, however, no more gregarious than other flycatchers. (d). Their notes possess the tone which largely character- izes this family of birds. Sometimes they are merely queru- lous whistles, like pu-pu-pu (often somewhat lengthened), and at other times form a distinct song-note, "eh phebee, or h'phe- bea, almost exactly in the tone of the circular tin whistle or bird call, being loud, shrill, and guttural at the commence- ment." (Nuttall.) These notes are subject to marked varia- tions, which I find it impossible to describe satisfactorily. (B) VIRENS. Wood Pewee. (In Massachusetts, a common summer-resident.) 282 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (a). Six inches long or more. Tail forked ; crown-feathers erectile. Bill black above only. Wings always with two nar- row whitish bars. Otherwise the coloration is essentially that of the Common Pewee (III). (See p. 273.) (6). The nest is artistic, and in its character quite unique, though in some respects not unlike that of the Hummingbird. It is composed chiefly of fine grasses, or weed-stalks, which are mixed with the silk of spiders or caterpillars. It is rather shallow, and, being thickly covered outside with lichens, seems a part of the moss-grown limb to which it is "saddled." It is usually placed on a horizontal branch of the oak, or some like tree, in a grove or rather lightly timbered wood, from ten to fort}" feet above the ground. Near Boston, four or five eggs are laid about the middle of June. They average -70 X '55 of an inch, and are buff or creamy, with a few large markings, at the greater end, of lilac and umber or reddish-brown. (c) . The Wood Pewee is one of the four common flycatchers in southern New England, and even in the northern parts is not a rare summer-resident. He is one of the latest migrants in spring, and does not reach Massachusetts until the third or often the fourth week of May. He announces his arrival by his plaintive notes, which lie utters in his favorite haunts, the woods and groves. These places he rarely leaves, for he is rather reserved and unsocial, having little to do with man or other kinds of birds, though very affectionate to his mate and young. There is sometimes an air of seeming melancholy about him which is quite touching, but undoubtedly he either takes a pleasure in sadness, or else he is not sad. He is not very often seen, but he may easily be observed from his habit of returning to one spot. I have known one to choose the dead limb of a pine, to which he resorted every evening for about an hour, and sometimes in the course of the day. There I often saw him with his mate, but since the building of their nest the place has been deserted. The limit of his wanderings from his nest seems to be about one-eighth pf a mile, and, to a certain extent, he may at certain hours be found at nearly the same place from day to day. OF NEW ENGLAND. 283 The Wood Pewees, when perching, do not flirt their tails in the manner of the Common Pewee, though they sometimes move them, when nervously quivering their wings. They usu- ally choose a perch between ten and forty feet above the ground, from which they sally, often snapping up a dozen insects at a time. Although they fly quickly, they are rarely on wing for more than a minute, unless playing together and chasing one an- other through the branches. They frequent almost exclusively woods and groves, either of pines or deciduous trees, either dry or swampy, and they rarely wander even to orchards. They resort to wet places, chiefly in the evening, when they are, perhaps, most active. The insects which abound near pools of stagnant water afford them rich repasts, and opportunities of displaying their adroitness to its best advantage. Audubon says that "this species, in common with the Great Crested Flycatcher, and the Least Wood Pewee, is possessed of a pe- culiarity of vision, which enables it to see and pursue its prey with certainty, when it is so dark that you cannot perceive the bird, and are rendered aware of its occupation only by means of the clicking of its bill." (d). The Wood Pewees possess a sufficient variety of notes to characterize several species. All these sounds are nearly whistles, uttered in a plaintive and often a drawly tone. None of them are loud, and many are audible only at a very short distance. The most characteristic of these notes is pee-u-ee, often abbreviated to pee-u, and this is frequently repeated. Other syllables, less often heard, are (c/i') pe-o-e, whit, whit-pee, and pu pu pu pu uttered very softly. In addition to these there arc certain querulous and guttural cries, which are em- ployed chiefly during the season of love. The Wood Pewees become more or less silent in autumn, but I have heard and seen them in the White Mountains so late as the 17th of Sep- tember. They usually leave Massachusetts about the middle of that month. 284 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS V. EMPIDONAX (A) TRAILLI. Traill's Flycatcher. (Rare in Eastern Massachusetts ; most common in the latter part of May.) (a). Six inches long, or less. Tail, even ; crown-feathers, erectile, dark-centred ; bill, not black. Above, dark olive- green, usually tinged with brown. Beneath, white, shaded with the color of the back on the sides, with grayish on the breast, and with yellow behind. Eye-ring, and two wing-bars, (yellowish) wh'ite. (&). The nest of this species is usually placed, not far from the ground, in a swamp or near a brook, and fre- quently in an alder-bush. It is composed of grasses, stalks of weeds, and nar- row strips of barks. Sev- eral eggs which I obtained among the White Moun- tains average about -65 X 50 of an inch, and are creamy, or pale buff, with a few dots of reddish- brown at the larger end. Dr. Brewer describes oth- ers as white, "marked al- most entirely about the larger end with larger and well-de- fined spots and blotches of purplish-brown." (c). The Traill's Flycatchers are common summer-residents in many parts of northern New England, and of Western Mas- sachusetts, but near Boston they are very rare. They are most common in the latter part of May, when they may occa- sionally be seen in copses, thickets, and swampy woodland. They are then migrating, and are often entirely silent. Nearly all pass on to the northward. Among the White Mountains, they frequent wet woodland, sheltered water-courses, and bushy, Fig. 15. Traill's Flycatcher OF NEW ENGLAND. 285 swampy fields. Unlike many other flycatchers, they are some- what shy of man's approach. They usually remain within fif- teen feet of the ground, but they sometimes take both higher and longer flights than I have ever known the Least Fly- catchers to take. ' They are in fact much less stationary than most of their relations, though their general habits are the same. They live much on the edges of the woods, and often occur along the roadsides, where, from the tops of the bushes and lower trees, they utter their peculiar notes. I have been led, partly from observations on this species, to believe that probably the line, separating two faunae (such as the Allegha- nian and Canadian 90 ), can never be precisely defined, since birds of the same district vary considerably in their latitudinal range. This is even the case in more or less restricted lo- calities. While walking southward through the Crawford Notch, I saw or heard Traill's Flycatchers from the Willey House to a point several miles nearer Conway, and beyond this point the Least Flycatchers (who are comparatively rare in the Canadian district) were soon heard. No more of the former were seen, but the latter were frequently observable down to North Conwa3 r , where (at least in one grove) the Swaiuson's Thrushes and Black-throated Blue Warblers were apparently common. The dividing line, already spoken of, must necestsa- rily be irregular, because affected by altitude as well as lati- tude. Among the White Mountains, one often finds it quite sharply defined by the general face of nature and by the atmosphere. The Traill's Ftycatchers do not, so far as I know, occur near Boston in the autumn, and it is probable that they return to the South by an inland route, as is the case with many other birds. (d). Their ordinary note is a slightly querulous pit, which is often repeated, and which recalls the voice of the Great Crested Flycatcher. Another note is pu-ee, which is uttered in a peculiar tone, very distinct from that of the Wood Pewee, o See 17, VI, A, (c). 286 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS though somewhat like that of the Goldfinch's plaintive note. Their song-note is delivered energetically and forcibly, the head being tossed or thrown back, and the tail depressed. It resembles the syllables che-bee-u, and is distinct from all other notes that I have ever heard. Nests of this species which I have lately examined are cup- shaped, but shallow. They are usually built very near the ground, and, according to Mr. Henshaw, in an upright fork. (B) MINIMUS. Least Flycatcher. Least "Pewee" "Chebec." (A common summer-resident throughout Massachusetts.) (a). Five inches long or more. Except in size, scarcely different from E. trailli (A), unless somewhat grayer. Notes and eggs, however, distinct. (b). The nest is placed from five to twenty feet above the ground, on a horizontal limb (frequently where it forks), occa- sionally one of a shade-tree, but more often one of a tree in some orchard or wood. It is sometimes built in a crotch, and then resembles the Goldfinch's nest. It is composed of fine grasses, rootlets (and pine-needles), firmly woven together with caterpillar's silk, cobwebs, cottony or woollen substances, and such accidental materials as thread or string. In Eastern Massachusetts, four or five eggs are usually laid in the first (or second) week of June ; occasionally others in July. They average -60 X *50 of an inch, and are white, or creamy. (c). The Least Flycatchers are common summer-residents almost throughout New England, though rare in some of the northern portions. They reach Massachusetts in the first week of Ma} T , and remain there until the middle of September. They frequent both woods and orchards, in cultivated districts rather preferring the latter, particularly if somewhat neglected and unfrequented. As a rule, they do not resort to pine-groves, or to very thick woods, as the Wood Pewees often do. They prefer woodland composed of birches, maples, and beeches, and do not show the fondness for low growth and wet lands, so often observable in Traill's Flycatcher. They generally return every year to their chosen home, and apparently, when once OF NEW ENGLAND. 287 mated, arc wedded for life. Occasional!}', however, an in- truder presents himself, in the hope of winning the affections of the female, and in these cases the male becomes irritated and furious. But ordinarily he is not very pugnacious, though of a rather jealous disposition. After becoming settled in their summer-homes, the Least Flycatchers often limit their movements, and confine themselves to some group of trees much more closely than I have observed any other birds to do. This may be due to a desire to project their homes. They are both less expert and less active than many other flycatchers, and sometimes remain for a considerable length of time on one perch, uttering their loud song-notes. They do not depend exclusively upon insects in the air, but occa- sionally pick them up in the foliage of trees, among which they pass their days, sometimes, however, alighting on a fence, or on the top of a weed. They flirt their tails, but never in the decided and continuous manner of the Common Pewee, and, on delivering their song-note, throw the body back, in the manner of Traill's Flycatcher. (cZ). This song-note is loud and emphatic, but wholly unmu- sical, and resembles the syllables clie-bec. It is frequently re- peated, occasionally at night, often for half an hour at a time, and sometimes so hurriedly as to become an unmusical song. The other notes are a single whit, and querulous exclamations (when, when, wheu) which are more or less guttural and sub- dued. The Least Flycatchers, though common and well character- ized by their striking notes, escaped the attention of Wilson, and apparently that of Audubon, until it was called to the then new species by Professor Baird. This is an excellent instance of the rule that the more one knows, the more one' sees, though it is natural to suppose that the reverse might be the case. Hence, " most discoveries are accidental, or, at least, indirect." Young students, on beginning to study birds, will almost invariably from year to-year discover species which they have never before observed, though they may often have seen them, and will find many species common which they 288 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS before considered rare. And this is not merely because begin- ners set too high a value on all common objects, but because their observation, on being cultivated, is greatly increased. It has, however, been said, somewhat sarcastically, that inexperi- enced students see more rare birds and nests than an expe- rienced naturalist can ever find. (C) FLAVIVENTRIS. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. (Not common in New England.) (a). About 5 inches long. Above, olive-green; sides, shaded with the same ; otherwise beneatJi, decided yelloiv. Lower mandible, eye-ring, wing-bars, etc., yellowish (or even yellow). Tail even or rounded. (b) . Dr. Brewer found a nest of this species which closely resembled that of the Indigo Bird, at Grand Menan, near the shore, "about two feet from the ground, placed in the fork of a bush." The eggs were white. "Those procured by Mr. Boardman were sprinkled with minute dots of reddish-brown. Their measurement is *68 X "52 of an inch." Two eggs in my collection measure about -75 X *55 of an inch, and are pure white, unmarked. (c). The Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are the rarest members of their family in New England, and, though their distribution is probably similar to that of Traill's Flycatcher, yet they are apparently in no district very common. I have rarely found them near Boston, and generally have seen only two or three in June or the latter part of May. There is little to. observe, other than their shyness, their fondness for shrubbery and wet lands, their low and characteristic note (approached only by one of the Goldfinches which is rarely heard), and the occa- sional flirting of their tail. Mr. Maynard's notes are very interesting. He says: "On May 31, 1869, I shot the first specimen I had ever seen living; the next day (June 1st) I took eight of both sexes in a few hours ! Between this time and the 10th I took two or three more. I do not doubt that it Jias occurred in previous seasons, but, being unaccustomed to its low note, which is like the syllable Pea very plaintively OP NEW ENGLAND. 289 and prolongedly given, and its retiring habits, I had not de- tected it before. The specimens captured were all, with the exception of the first, which was shot on a tall oak, taken in low, swampy thickets. It keeps near the ground, is rather shy, and upon the appearance of the intruder instantly ceases its song." (d). In his "Catalogue of the Birds of Coos Co., N. H., and Oxford Co., Me., etc.," Mr. Maynard says : " We found it in dark swamps at Upton. Here, for the first time, I detected this species with any other note than the low pea. It was like the syllable kil-lic very gravely given, with a long interval be- tween each utterance. The song was even less energetic than that of Traillii. 91 While singing, the birds were perched on low limbs. Both male and female used this note." Dr. Brewer sa3 r s that Mr. Boardman " has heard this bird give forth quite a pleasing, though somewhat monotonous trill. This, according to Dr. Hoy, resembles Pea-wdyk-pea-wdyk, sev- eral times repeated in a soft and not unpleasant call or song." (D) ACADicus. 92 Small Green-crested Flycatcher. Acadian Flycatcher. (Hardly to be ranked as a bird of New England.) (a). About six inches long. Tail even; crown-feathers erectile (as in all flycatchers), and dark-centred (?). Like E. flaviventris in coloration, but rather less bright above, with the yellow beneath very pale, or confined to th0 hinder parts. Eye- ring, etc., yellowish ; breast shaded with olive-green. (b). The nest is built in a tree, not very far from the ground. 81 1 do not know whether the song-note of Traill's Flycatcher, as described by this author, is one which I have already described, or one which I have never heard. I can hardly reconcile it to my own observations. He says: "This spe- cies has a most peculiar note like the syllables ke win'k; this is not so quickly given as the se wic'k of E. minimus, and is somewhat harsher. There is perhaps thirty seconds interval between each ke win'k." Mr. Brewster, likewise, in speak- iug of the male, says : '' His song consisted of a single dissyllabic strain, ke'wing, uttered in a harsh, peevish voice," etc. (Quoted by Dr. Brewer.) "This species is considered by some authors as probably identical with E. Trailli, next to which it should stand. As it is questionably a bird of New Eng- land, I have placed it at the end of the group. 20 290 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS An egg in my collection measures about *85 X "65 of an inch, and is white, with a few brown markings at the larger end. (c). Mr. Henshaw, in comparing this species with Traill's 93 says : " In New England, if the Acadian Flycatcher be found at all, it is in the character of a very rare visitant, and I am inclined to believe that all of the various quotations assign- ing this bird to a place in the New England fauna may be set down as instances of mistaken identification, not excepting the evidence of Mr. J. A. Allen, who states that E. acadicus is a rare summer visitant near Springfield, Mass. I am inclined to think that Mr. Allen's acadicus, were really Traillii, more es- pecially since, in recounting the habits, he says, ' it breeds in swamps and thickets, which are its exclusive haunts.' This accords perfectly with the habits of E. Traillii, and is utterly at variance with those of acadicus, as elsewhere shown.* u As at present made out the Acadian Flycatcher reaches no further along the coast than New Jersey. Nor in the interior does its range appear to extend much if any higher.'-' " * * * the nest is disposed in a horizontal fork." Dr, Wheaton "is of the opin- ion, that the eggs of acadicus average a little longer and slen- derer than those of Traillii, and have perhaps a yellower buff tinge." " * * * of the Acadian he says : ' It is never found in company with, or in such localities as are frequented by the Traill's. In all cases it is found in upland woodland, prefer- ably, and I might almost say as far as my observation ex- tends in beech woodland. I have never seen it even during the migration in otner places.' " NOTE. Empidonax pygmceus. Pygmy Flycatcher. (a). About five inches long or less. Crown-feathers erec- tile. Tail even. Coloration, so far as known, like that of other small flycatchers (Empidonactes) , but apparently with little olive tinting above, and no yellow beneath. [Moreover, 93 Quarterly Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, Cambridge, Mass. "* Since, penning the above I understand that Mr. Allen allows this view to be correct." OF NEW ENGLAND. 291 with no huffish suffusion, etc.?] Outer web of the outermost tail- feather (and possibly, but not probably, more of the tail), white. (c). On the twelfth day of May, 1875, whilst walking about my father's place near Boston, I caught sight of a small fly- catcher in some shrubbery which stood near an open field, and which consisted of barberry-bushes, a white birch, etc., while near this place were several apple-trees, pines, isolated oaks, and other trees. There, soon after noon, I saw the subject of this memoir. By his habits, his erected crown-feathers, and his style of coloration, I knew him to be a flycatcher ; on ob- serving his size and even tail, I ascribed him to the genus Empidonax (or a closely allied genus) ; and, on noticing that his tail was edged with white to the depth of an eighth of an inch or more, when closed, I believed him to be a new species. In Dr. Coues' " Key to North American Birds," but two fly- catchers, ever found in the United States, are mentioned, who have the outermost wet) of the tail white. Of these, Er/ipido- nax obscurus, Wright's Flycatcher (a bird of the south-western United States), is much larger than pygmceus for by chance a Pewee alighted beside the latter, and I noticed then that the Pewee seemed to be at least two inches longer, if not more. On the other hand, I did not observe in E. pygmceus the huffish suffusion, and yellow lower mandible, said to be the character- istics of Mitrephorus fulvifrons, var. pallescens, a bird of the same size, but belonging to a Mexican genus (though first called by Dr. Coues "Empidonax pygmceus, Buff-breasted Fly- catcher," when obtained by him at Fort Whipple, Arizona). It hardly seems possible that the Buff-breasted Flycatcher should have strayed to Massachusetts, though similar instances of wandering have occurred before among birds. I feel quite confident that the bird in question is a new species, probably belonging to the genus Empidonax, though possibly to Mitre- phorus, or even to a new genus (to be called Muscaccipiter). After tr} T ing to identify my bird, and having hurriedly, and yet with as much care as possible, endeavored to learn all the details of his coloration, I proceeded to study his habits. For about three minutes I watched the bird (for he was not 292 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS shy, and at. first allowed me a very near approach), as he flew from his perch into the air, and, in the manner of the true fly- catchers, caught the smaller insects, showing great dexterity during his aerial excursions, which were all short, so far as I observed. He returned each time to his former perch or to one near it, and then occasionally flirted his tail, in the manner of the Pewee, but with much less energy. Finally, either by an accidental sound I frightened him, or he cared no longer to stay, for he flew away to one of the higher branches of a neigh- boring oak, and so from tree to tree, until lost to sight. I suppose this Pygmy Flycatcher to have been a migrant, pass- ing through on his way to the northward with various other small birds, who were abundant at the time. Either owing to its great rarity, or its general likeness to other species (especially the Least Pewee), this species, if in- deed genuine, has hitherto escaped the notice of our natural- ists ; but it is hoped that, now being on their guard, these gentlemen will succeed in obtaining specimens, or that I myself may do so, for, on first meeting it, I had no gun. That this bird was a partially albino Least Pewee (E. minimus) seems wholly improbable. Even its general appearance and habits seemed distinct from those of that bird. I think, moreover, that I should have discovered a Least Pewee there earlier in the season, having been there every day previously, and the Least Pewees having arrived several days before ; for, as is well known-, these birds usually frequent their haunts pretty persistently ; finally, I have not seen my bird since. This matter must be left to the consideration of the public, until more satisfactory evidence can be produced. OF NEW ENGLAND. 293 CHAPTER II. SECOND ORDER. PICARI.E. THIS order is a " way-farer's home," established to receive those birds who do not belong elsewhere (in science, a poly- morphic group). The (North American) birds composing it are characterized by the combination of a bill without any cere or soft membrane, and one of the following features : tail- feathers ten ; foot syndactyle by the union throughout of the middle and outer toe ; front-toes two in number. There are also certain internal and, other features which are more or less characteristic. Either the bill or the toes always present cer- tain peculiarities. There is an important element in classification, which is often overlooked, that of latent features. These are frequently undeveloped. For instance, the chief, and let us momentarily suppose, the only, difference between the typical thrushes and mocking-thrushes is in the tarsus, or so-called "leg." In the latter group it is always scutellate (or divided into scales) at least, in front ; whereas in the former thrushes, when adult, it is " booted" (i. e. without scales, unless near the toes). Yet a young robin with scutellate tarsi is no less a typical thrush ; his tarsi are virtually u booted," and will become so upon normal growth. Those of a young Cat-bird never will. Is not ab- normal growth frequently due to the persistent latency of normal features? As another example, the females of two closely allied species may be exactly alike in coloration, size, and structure. They may differ, however,- in the latent power of producing distinct eggs ; they may differ less in the latent instinct of building different nests, or still less in the latent power of producing eggs, many of which contain the germs of very distinct male birds. Hence the freshly laid eggs of two species may be indistinguishable except in latent, undeveloped features, though, since like produces like, they may be identi- fied through the parent-birds. 294 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS NOTE. The third order, Psittaci (parrots and their allies) , is not represented in New England. Its members have toes in pairs, and an essentially raptorial bill. (See Chap. III.) 20. The Caprimillgidse (or goatsuckers, of which the American species are typical, and belong to the subfamily Caprimulgince) and the Cypselidce (or swifts, 21, pi. 1, fig. 23) form a natural group possessing the following features : gape extensive, and about six times as long as the culmen (or upper outline of the bill) ; feet small and weak ; primaries ten ; tail-feathers ten. The goatsuckers may be distinguished from the swifts by the more or less bristled bill, the feet slightly webbed at the base, and the elevated hind-toe. This last fea- ture, however, also belongs to the Chceturince, a subfamily con- taining the Chimney " Swallows," and differing further from the true swifts in having unfeathered tarsi. .The Chceturce (21, I) have mucronate tail-feathers, in which the shaft pro- jects beyond the webs. (PI. 1, fig. 22.) The swifts probably possess powers of locomotion superior to those of any other living creatures. With their long, pointed wings, they are said to fly sometimes at the rate of two hun- dred and fifty miles in an hour. They are strictly insectivo- rous and migratory, and more or less colonial. " They never perch, but many resort to hollows, as in trees, for the purpose of roosting and of nesting." Their nests are attached to some more or less perpendicular surface, and are constructed partly or even wholly of a gummy saliva. The eggs are white, and rather elongated. The goatsuckers are generally nocturnal or crepuscular, and, as a rule, do not fly .about in the day-time, unless when cloudy. When resting, they do so on the ground, or perch lengthwise on a bough or fence. They are insectivorous, capturing moths and smaller insects at some height in the air, also migratory and often gregarious. They are larger than the swifts, who are also somewhat crepuscular, and their plumage is much va- riegated. They build no nest, but lay two eggs on the ground, or near it. There are two American genera. OF NEW ENGLAND. 295 I. Antrostomus. Bristles very conspicuous ; tail rounded. Birds strictly nocturnal. II. % Chordicles. Bristles short ; tail forked ; wings very long. (Fig. 16.) I. ANTROSTOMUS (A) VOCIFERUS. Whippoorwill. "Night-jar." (A well known summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About 9 inches long. Tail rounded. Throat-patch, and tips of outer tail-feathers, in $ white, in 9 light brown. Crown, black-streaked. Otherwise indescribably variegated or mottled with several quiet colors. The Chuck-will* s-widow (A. Carolinensis) of the Southern States possesses a very similar coloration, but is a foot long. (6). The eggs are laid on the ground in some dry part of the woods, no nest being made, unless a slight hollow be scratched among the fallen leaves. They are elliptical, aver- age 1*25 X '85 of an inch, and are creamy, spotted rather sparsely, chiefly with lilac and lavender. In Massachusetts, two eggs are laid about the first of June. (c). The Whippoorwills, wherever known, are well-known, and yet by the common people they are rarely seen. Were it not for their loud and famous notes, they might well be con- sidered by collectors very rare. As it is, they are known to be common at various points throughout New England, as well as other parts of the country ; but their distribution is probably irregular and local. They reach the neighborhood of Boston in the latter part of May, and leave it before or soon after the arrival of autumn. They differ from the Night "Hawks" in habits very distinctly, though, according to Wilson, the two species were once confused even by naturalists. They are strictly nocturnal, unless occasionally active towards the end of a cloudy afternoon. During the day, they retire to some well shaded spot in the woods (or occasionally the "scrub"), and there repose, resting on the ground, or, more often, perched upon a limb. Their feet are so small and weak that they never (?) perch crosswise, but lie along the bough. I have but 296 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS rarely found them sleeping, but on such occasions I have always observed this peculiarity. Like most of thi owls, they are dazed by a strong light, and in the day-time usually allow a near approach. At evening they become active, and are said to continue so until dawn, particularly on moon-light nights. They are never, I believe, quite so gregarious as the Night "Hawks" very often are, though in spring there is often ri- valry between the males, who seem to challenge one another. The Whippoorwills also fly much lower, and prefer to fly near the ground, rather than among the clouds or at any great height. Hence their food must differ considerably from that of their relative. Audubon in speaking of this species says : "It passes low over the bushes, moves to the right or left, alights on the ground to secure its prey, passes repeatedly and in different directions over the same field, skims along the skirts of the woods, and settles occasionally on the tops of the fence- stakes or on stumps of trees, from whence it sallies, like a Fly- catcher, after insects, and, on seizing them, returns to the same spot. When thus situated, it frequently alights on the ground, to pick up a beetle. Like the Chuck-will's-widow, it also bal- ances itself in the air, in front of the trunks of trees, or against the side of banks, to discover ants, and other small insects that may be lurking there. Its flight is so light and noiseless, that whilst it is passing within a few feet of a person, the mo- tion of its wings is not heard by him, and merely produces a gentle undulation in the air. During all this time, it utters a low murmuring sound, by which alone it can be discovered in the dark, when passing within a few yards of one, and which I have often heard when walking or riding through the barrens at night." The young run about much like young partridges. (d). The most characteristic note of these birds is a loud whistle, which resembles more or less distinctly the syllables whip-poor-will. It is said to be never repeated, except after dark, and when the birds are perched, as on a fence or roof. It is most commonly heard in June, and is usually preceded by a click, as if produced by a snapping of the bill. The other notes of the Whippoorwills are low, sweet whistles (whit, whit, OF NEW ENGLAND. 297 whit) and occasionally a rather harsh and guttural chatter. Mr. Nuttall sa}^s that the }*oung have a low, mournful pe-ugh. It is probable, at least in New England, that few or no super- stitions are now attached to these birds. II. CHORDEILES (A) VIRGINIANUS. -Night "Hawk." "Bull-bat" (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About nine inches long. Tail forked. Variously mottled, or variegated. $ with a white, and 9 with a reddish, throat-patch. $ with both a white wing-patch and white tail-spots. (b). The eggs, of which two are here laid about the first of June, are dropped upon rocks, upon the ground, or occasionally upon a flat roof. They have been found vari- ously in cities, pastures, fields, and woods. They are elliptical, aver- age about 1-25 X '85 of an inch, and are light gra} r , or brown, thickly and finely marked with li- lac, dark brown, and sometimes slate-color. (c). The Night " Hawks " have not been named altogether appro- priately, for, though to a certain extent crepuscular (belonging to twilight or dusk), they are not nocturnal. There is, how- ever, a strong resemblance in their general method of flight to that of certain hawks, as well as to that of the swifts, and the latter part of their name is warranted by their general appear- ance at a distance. They fly with ease, and sometimes, when favored by a wind, with much rapidity. They often mount to a great height, so as to be fairly lost among the clouds, and* comparatively seldom skim over the earth, in the manner of Fig. 16. Night " Hawk 298 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the Whippoorwill. They move through the air very irregularly, and often change their course at nearly every flapping of their wings, as they dart about in the search of the winged insects upon which they feed. They fly about freely in the day-time, especially if it be cloudy, but they are generally rather silent in very sunny w r eather. They occasionally alight upon the ground, and move about, but whether in search of earth or insects I am uncertain, probably the former. The Night "Hawks" are common summer-residents through- out New England, but, according to Mr. Allen, 1 do not winter in Florida, as many Whippoorwills do. They usually reach Massachusetts in the earlier part of May, or sometimes, it is said, in April. Separate individuals or pairs are not uncom- mon, but they may often be seen migrating in companies, con- taining even two dozen, for the} 7 are more or less gregarious throughout the year. They show a fondness for pasture-land, and uncultivated districts, though quite common in Boston and other cities, where they have been found to lay their eggs on flat roofs. They are probably more abundant in northern New England than in Massachusetts, in some places forming large colonies. Near Wilson's Mills in Maine, says Mr. Samuels, " in the space of every four or five rods, a female was sitting on her eggs." Both Wilson and Audubon speak of the female's endeavors, when frightened during incubation, to lead the in- truder away by feigning lameness and distress. In this case, though less so than with many other birds who build no nest, it 'is difficult to find the eggs. If these latter be left undis- turbed when found, they are sometimes removed, very probably in the capacious mouths of their parents, as Audubon states to be the case with the Chuck- will's-widow. The Night "Hawks" like the Whippoorwills perch lengthwise, but unlike them fre- quently utter their notes on wing. (d). Their ordinary note is peculiar and indescribable, though I have heard it well imitated by the human mouth. It is usually called a loud, harsh squeak, but I know no sounds 1 " List of the Winter Birds of East Florida, with Annotations." J. A. Allen. OP NEW ENGLAND. 299 like it, except the notes of one or two other birds. It is very striking, and, if heard from a near standpoint, rather startling. The male Night "Hawk" produces an equally extraordinary sound, which is h^ard chiefly during the season of courtship. Mounting to some height, he falls, head foremost, until near the ground, when he checks his downward course, and then the "booming" is heard, a sound "resembling that produced by blowing strongly into the bung hole of an empty hogshead." I am uncertain as to what causes this noise, having found it impossible to make any close observations. Wilson thought it produced by the mouth, Audubon, by the concussion caused by a change of position in the wings. The Night "Hawks" all leave New England in September. 21. Cypselidse. Swifts. (See 20.) I. CH^TURA (A) PELAGICA. Chimney Swift. Chimney "Swallow" (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About five inches long. Sooty-brown, glossed with green above ; throat, much paler. Lores and wings, black. (b). The Chimney "Swallows" soon after their arrival con- struct their curious nests, which are composed of twigs firmly glued together by " a fluid secreted with the birds." These nests are now placed in chimneys, almost universally through- out civilized parts of the country, but they have been found attached to boards, and the eggs were originally laid in hollow- trees or stumps. The eggs of each set are four, average '70 X 50 of an inch, and are pure white, unmarked. (c). The Chimney Swifts possess powers of flight which are probably unsurpassed by those of any bird not belonging to this family. It is almost certain that they often fly no less than a thousand miles in the course of twenty-four hours. When providing for their young, they are sometimes busy dur- ing a greater part of the day, and even continue their labors at night. Usually, they become active at a very early hour, sometimes even before dawn, and retire during the warmer part of the day, unless it be cloudy, when they continue their 300 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS exercise. At evening, they renew their activity and do not retire until a comparatively late hour. The Chimney "Swal- lows" are common summer-residents throughout New England. They reach Massachusetts in the first week of May, and leave it in August or September. They have altered their habits conformably to civilization, and here roost and nest exclusively in chimneys. Formerly they occupied hollow trees, and Au- dubon describes as follows a visit to one of their haunts, a large, hollow sycamore near Louisville, in Kentucky. " Next morning I rose early enough to reach the place long before the least appearance of daylight, and placed my head against the tree. All was silent within. I remained in that posture prob- ably twenty minutes, when suddenly I thought the great tree was giving away, and coming down upon me. Instinctively I sprung from it, but when I looked up to it again, what was my astonishment to see it standing as firm as ever. The Swallows were now pouring out in a black continued stream. I ran back to my post, and listened in amazement to the noise within, which I could compare to nothing else than the sound of a large wheel revolving under a powerful stream. It was yet dusky, so that I could hardly see the hour on my watch, but I estimated the time which they took in getting out at more than thirty minutes. After their departure, no noise was heard within, and they dispersed in every direction with the quick- ness of thought." Audubon estimated their number at nine thousand. The Chimney Swifts never rest except in their roosting-places, to the walls of which they cling, partly sup- ported by their stiff tail ; and, so great is their muscular vigor, that they never rest by perching. As has already been men- tioned, they often rest at noon, or seek refuge during violent storms. On this account, they are very abundant sometimes, and at other times are not to be seen. On entering a chimney, they fall boldly head-foremost in a very unconcerned way. Their general manner of flight is so varied that it is difficult to describe. It consists of rapid sailing, combined with quickly repeated strokes of the wings, and sudden turnings in every direction. Their flight possesses so much force that they break OF NEW ENGLAND. 301 off twigs for their nests without any diminution of speed. It is almost unnecessary to say that they feed entirely upon winged insects, the indigestible parts of which they are said to dis- gorge in pellets. The Chimney Swifts may easily be distinguished from the true swallows by their peculiar and more rapid flight, their long wings, and their apparent want of tail (as seen from a distance). They sometimes skim over water, but more often fly at a considerable or even a very great height. (d). Their only note is a loud chip, often repeated quickly and vehemently, so as to bear a resemblance to the twittering of the swallows. Their young, who are born blind, have a much feebler voice. 22. The TrochilidaB (or hummingbirds) are in North America represented only by the typical subfamily, Trochilinoe (while the other group, "Phcethornithince, representing about one-tenth of the whole, is composed of duller colored species especially inhabiting the dense forests of the Amazon"). The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is an excellent type of the group. The bill is very long and slender, being of a nearly equal depth throughout ; the feet are small ; the wings long and with ten primaries ; the tail is ten-feathered. The Alcedinidce (or kingfishers, 23) are in America repre- sented fragmentarily by the subfamily Cerylinoe. They differ strikingly from all the families to which they are allied by po- sition in classification. The common Belted Kingfisher is a good type. The bill is stout and pointed, about one-fourth as deep as long ; the tarsi are extremely short ; the feet small, and syndactyle from the union of the outer and middle toes nearly throughout (pi. 1, fig. 24) ; 2 primaries ten, but tail- feathers twelve. The Coccygince (or American cuckoos) form a distinct sub- family of the large and much varied family, Cuculidce (or cuckoos, 24). They are quite closely related to some of the *In many other birds the toes are partly united at the base. 302 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS woodpeckers, but show little affinity to the o.ther picarian groups. They are characterized as follows : bill deepest at the base (?), with upper outline convex, and the lower con- cave ; toes arranged in pairs ; tail-feathers ten ; feathers above the tarsus long and flowing. The cuckoos are insectivorous, and eat great numbers of caterpillars ; but unfortunately they often rob the nests of other birds, though not, like the European cuckoos, parasitic. On account of their peculiar notes, however, they have been called "Cow-birds." They are migratory but not gregarious. They build rude and frail nests, of sticks or the like, in a bush or tree, and lay several bluish or greenish eggs, often at irregular intervals. I. TROCHILUS (A) COLUBRIS. Riiby-tliroated Hummingbird? (A summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). About 3 1 inches long. Golden green above; white beneath. Wings and tail, brownish-purple. , with the sides green, and the throat metallic, reflecting ruby-red. Tail simply forked. 9 , with the tail slightly forked, and "double- rounded," more or less black-barred, and, on the outer feathers, white-tipped. (6). The Hummingbird's nest may be considered a perfect type of bird-architecture, and, as such, is one of the most beautiful objects in nature, though composed of simple mate- rials, gathered chiefly from weeds, and though constructed by but a single instrument. Had not man ideal in art, his w x orks could not be favorably compared with such a production as this. "What enlightened person," says an anonymous writer, whom I have already quoted, "can gaze upon this nest without regretting that man should in the progress of civilization so often forget nature, fail to appreciate her, or even wrong her?" 8 A "LinneVs Emerald" (Argytira maculata) "was captured by Mr. William Brewster, at Cambridge, in August, 1804; it was moulting, and apparently a female." Though this bird may actually have wandered here from its home in South America, yet such an incident is not likely to occur again. OF NEW ENGLAND. The Hummingbird's nest is usually placed on the limb of an orchard-tree or oak, though occasionally fastened to the stalk of a large weed. 4 Its depth is about half an inch, and its diameter inside is rarely more than twice that. The walls are thick, and are composed of plant-down, bits of fern, the silky busks of certain seeds, and other soft materials. These are so thickly coated with lichens as to closely resemble the branch to which they are attached. Near Boston, two eggs are laid in each nest, in the early part of June. They are white, ellipti- cal, and half an inch long or even less. (c). Our little Hummingbirds deserve renown, not only for their small size, exquisite colors, and eminently pleasing archi- tecture, but also for their hardiness, courage, and admirable flight. They are known in summer to occur so far to the northward (if not further) as the fifty-seventh parallel of lati- tude, which crosses Hudson's Bay and Northern Labrador. They are summer-residents throughout a larger portion of the eastern United States, and as such are common in New England. They reach Massachusetts in the second week of Ma}-, and I have seen them near Boston so late as the twenty- third day of September. 5 They generally arrive in pairs, and re- turn to the same home every year. The male protects his honor and rights with undaunted courage, and often teases very large birds in expression of his anger, though he may be " incom- petent" says Wilson "to the exploit of penetrating the tough sinewy side of a crow, and precipitating it from the clouds to the earth, as Charlevoix would persuade his readers to believe." He also finds occasion to battle with intruders of his own kind, but it is impossible to understand the details or result of such a duel, so confusing is the intense quickness of the combatants. In fact, the Hummingbirds are so small, and so extremely swift * Wilson says that he has "known instances where it was attached by the side to an old moss-gvown trunk; and others where it was fastened on a strong rank Etalk, or weed, in the garden." I have been told that the Hummingbirds were once very abundant on the Isle of Shoals, where there were no trees. 6 Coincidentally Mr. Maynard gives the same day as his latest date of observa- tion. 304 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS in all their movements, that it is as difficult to observe them, unless stationary or seemingly so, as to follow the course of a shooting star. So rapid is the beating of their little pinions, that they produce a loud humming whenever flying, and seem to be immovable, when pausing before a flower, while the pres- ence of their nearly invisible wings is scarcely indicated except by the constant buzz and whirr. The Hummingbirds have two distinct methods of feeding, easily observable upon studying their habits. They may be seen darting from flower to flower, and thrusting their long slender bills into the heart of the blossoms, not only to procure the honey, but to obtain the smaller insects which feed upon it. Of all the various flowers which they visit, they show a marked fondness for those which are trumpet-shaped, such as belong to the bignonia and honey- suckle. They do not frequent the lower and more humble kinds, but prefer those which are large and showy, and grow on shrubs, bushes, and vines. The taller garden-flowers also attract their attention. They are not wholly nectar-fed, as has poetically and popularly been supposed to be the case, but are chiefly insectivorous. They may be seen perched on some twig, from which they shoot into the air, and with great address seize the gnats and smaller irisects, many of which are invisible to the naked human eye. They sometimes perch as if merely to rest, the female especially. They never alight upon the ground, but they sometimes perch upon weeds, and have been known to perish from being caught in the burs of the burdock. 6 They choose for their haunts not only orchards, gardens, and groves near them, but also forests, as I have several times observed among the White Mountains. It is probable that they much more often frequent the woods in civilized districts than is commonly supposed. Though they are jealous, and e This fact has been communicated to the "Naturalist" by Mr. A. K. Fisher. The original discoverer of the dead bird (or rather its remains, a skeleton) ''found a live one on a plant near by." Mr. Fisher himself found a Yellow Bird (Cliryso- mitris tristis) thus caught, who " tore itself away, leaving a number of its feathers on the burs." He also found a Yellow-rumped Warbler "fastened to the same kind of plant." OF NEW ENGLAND. 305 daringly pugnacious, yet they are known to congregate occa- sionally in flocks, chiefty during the migrations. Though they are apparently very hardy, yet they have never, I believe, been successfully kept in confinement for a longer period than a few months. The principal obstacles in rearing them are the in- juries which they receive, if allowed to fly about a room, their suffering from cold, and the difficulty of providing proper food, since any prepared syrup apparently does not satisfy them ex- * cept when young. (d). Their only note is a c/tirp, which immediately suggests the voice of an insect. No birds are more generally beloved and admired than our Hummingbirds, and America may well boast of a treasure which no other country possesses. 23. AlcedinidSD. Kingfishers. (See 22.) I. CERYLE (A) ALCYON. Belted Kingfisher. Kingfisher. (A resident of New England in summer, and occasionally in winter.) (a). About 12J- inches long. Upper parts, sides, and a breast-band, ashy-blue. Head-feathers darker, forming a loose crest, and giving a rough outline to the hind-head. Wings and tail also partly darker, and white-spotted. Broad collar (in- terrupted behind), lower breast, etc., white. The latter in 9 with a band (often imperfect) of a chestnut-color, which ex- tends along the sides, and sometimes mixes with the band above. 7 (b). From the abundant evidence recently offered on the subject of the nest, and from my own limited experience, it may be gathered that it varies in length, though sometimes nine feet long, that it may be either straight or have a bend, and that it is rarely lined at the end, except with fish-bones, as is sometimes the case. That the Kingfishers always make '"Several specimens in the Smithsonian collection marked female (perhaps erroneously) show uo indication of the chestnut." 21 306 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a burrow in a bank of sand or gravel, in which to lay their eggs, and that they most often do so near water, and not far from the ground, are undisputed facts. The eggs of each set are six or seven, average 1-35X1*05 of an inch, and are pure white. (c). The Belted Kingfisher is well known, and " in the sum- mer is found in every portion of North America, to the Arctic Ocean on the north, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific." 8 In New England, this species is occasionally resident through- out the year, but more often appears about the first of April, and remains until late in the autumn. Near Boston it probably cannot be much longer ranked as a common bird, since, being naturally shy, unsocial, and averse to the intrusion of man, it prefers wilder and less cultivated portions of the country. Our common Kingfishers are more conspicuous than actually abundant, and two pairs are rarely found to occupy the same hunting-grounds. They may be found scattered throughout the State, and stationed at mill-ponds, lakes, rivers, and trout-streams. Such places are their chosen haunts, and there they search for their prey, while some neighboring sand-bank affords them a place to excavate their long burrows, which they do with both bill and feet. They are frequently obliged to wander in search of their food, as I have seen them in warm weather flying across the country at some distance from any Large body or stream of water. They fly rapidly, with an in- termittent beating of the wings. When watching for t fish, upon which they feed almost exclusively, they perch on a fence or tree which stands immediately next to or overhangs the water. From this post they regard the water closely, some- times flirting their tail or sounding their loud rattle. On see- ing a fish, they plunge, so as to be completely immersed, and seizing it with their sharply pointed beak, carry it to shore, where they quickly swallow it. Sometimes they hunt like hawks, and, flying over the surface of the ponds, hover before plunging. On the approach of man, they usually retreat to 8 Messrs. Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway's " North American Birds." OF NEW ENGLAND. 307 resume their occupation in a less disturbed quarter. They do not attack large fish, but prefer those which are collectively called u small fry." Audubon states that he has seen them plunge into the sea, but the ocean must ordinarily be too rough for them to detect easily the small objects for which they search. They frequently use their nest as a resort, probably making it regularly a retreat for the night. Gosse speaks of these birds as reaching Jamaica u about the beginning of Sep- tember." In speaking of a pair, which he afterwards obtained, he says : " Once both birds seized the same fish, nearly at the same moment, and rising with it into the air, each tugged in contrary directions, until the grasp of one gave way. At last my assistant Sam * * * shot them both. The first was only wounded, and falling into the water swam out sea-ward, strik- ing out boldly, the wings, however, partially opened. On being seized he proved very fierce, erecting the long crest, and endeavoring to strike with his pointed beak. He got hold of my thumb, and squeezed so powerfully, that the cutting edge of the upper mandible sliced a piece of flesh clean out. He was tenacious of life, for though I pressed the trachea until motion ceased, he repeatedly revived." (d). The only note of the Belted Kingfisher is loud and harsh, resembling the sound produced by a watchman's rattle. 24. CuCUlidae. Cuckoos. (See 22, adfinem.) I. COCCYGUS (A) AMERICANUS. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. (A summer-resident in Massachusetts, but rather rare.) (a). About twelve inches long. Lower mandible, almost entirely yellow. Above, drab, or u quaker " brown (with bronzy reflections). Wings edged with cinnamon. Outer tail- feathers, wholly black and white. Beneath, white. (6). The nest is hardly worthy of the name, but is generally a frail structure composed of a few twigs, and placed in a bush or low tree, not far from the ground. I have usually found it in dry places, such as dry woods, bushy pastures, and occa- sionally orchards, or even the "scrub." Near Boston, it is 308 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS built about the first of June ; " built," however, is not a term invariably applicable to this nest, as I have known it to con- sist of a cotton-rag, which was firmly caught in the thorns of a barberry-bush. The eggs, which in many cases are laid at ir- regular intervals, average 1*25 X '87 of an inch, and are light greenish-blue, but rarely or .never elliptical. Fig. 17. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (). (c). The Yellow-billed Cuckoos have evidently become very much less common near Boston than they once were, and are now considered rare in many if not all parts of New England. In general habits they are closely allied to the more common Black-billed Cuckoos, whose habits will be fulty detailed in the next biography. They differ chiefly in having a rather less rapid flight, a greater fondness for high, dry, and wooded lands, and a somewhat different diet. Their habit of laying eggs at intervals of several da} 7 s, also observable in the other species, is enough to distinguish them from nearly all our other land-birds. It is not rare to find their nest containing both young and eggs at very different stages of development. I once found a Robin's nest in the same condition, but such a case was wholly exceptional. The female Cuckoo, when ap- proached while on her nest, usually sits bravely, but finally throws herself upon the ground, and flutters away, uttering piteous and uncouth sounds, which can hardly fail to distract the attention of an egg-hunter ; but this device rarely succeeds, since it is resorted to too late. OF NEW ENGLAND. 309 (d). The notes of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo do not differ distinctly from those of the Black-billed species, though often harsher. (B) ERYTHROPTHALMUS. Black-billed Cuckoo. (A summer-resident of all the Eastern States, but more common to the southward.) (a). Nearly a foot long. Eye-ring, red. Above, drab or "quaker" brown (with bronzy reflections). Beneath, white, often slightly tinged. Outer tail-feathers white-tipped (and slightly sub-tipped with blackish). (b). The nest differs from that of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo in being most often built in wet lands, and in being less care- lessly constructed ; strips of bark, or leaves, are often added to the usual sticks and twigs. It is placed in a bush, low tree, or briar, not far from the ground, and here is finished in the first week of June. The eggs are darker and greener than those of the other species, and are elliptical. They average about 1-15 X '87 of an inch. (c). The Black-billed Cuckoos are moderately common sum- mer-residents in southern New England, but to the northward become rare. They reach Massachusetts in the third week of May, and leave it in the earlier part of September. They arrive singly or in pairs, and at once announce their arrival by their peculiar and characteristic notes. They frequent woods and shrubbery, particularly in low grounds or swamps, and visit orchards or cultivated lands. They fly rapidly, and often quite far, moving their wings with regularity. On alighting in a bush or tree (for they seldom alight on the ground), they choose a perch sheltered by the foliage, and often move their tail in an odd, deliberate manner, as if just about to fly off. They are eminently cowards, and rely much upon concealment, but, perhaps on this account, they ma} r often be closely approached by man. They feed partly upon berries, and also, it is said, upon "fresh-water shell fish and aquatic larvae," but they are chiefly insectivorous. They undoubtedly confer great benefits upon agriculturists, and are our principal birds to attack and 310 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS devour caterpillars in the nest. On the other hand, they do great mischief in destroying the eggs of other useful birds. Like arrant cowards, as they are, they take opportunities to approach stealthily the nests of many birds, whom they would be afraid to encounter, and then feast on the eggs of the absent parents, after which they hurry away. They are scarcely less destructive in this way than the Black Snakes, though I have never known them to kill young birds. In this connection, it maj 7 be remarked that the common red squirrels (often called red "ferrets") greatly check the increase of our birds, though the little "chipmonks" are, I believe, quite harmless in this respect. These latter, often called Striped or Ground Squir- rels, are much less adroit climbers than the former, and are comparatively seldom- seen in trees. Kecently, however, I observed one who was feeding at noon on a large stone, which he had established as his dining-table, and who, after his meal, climbed up a stump luxuriantly covered with the poisonous " ivy," evidently to enjoy a siesta. There, curled up on one of the branches, at some height from the ground, he rested for some while, occasionally allowing himself "forty winks," but usually keeping his eyes open to aid in the detection of danger. He was undoubtedly disturbed by his children at home ; but he must provide for them ; so he reluctantly descended, and, filling his pouches to an almost incredible extent, disappeared down his hole in the lawn. The red "ferrets" are said to throw young birds wantonly from the nest. This I have never observed, but I have frequently seen them apparently hunting for nests and actually robbing them of eggs. They climb clev- erly, leap without hesitation from bough to bough, or tree to tree, and scamper over the ground with rapidity, even doing so while carrying one of their young between their teeth. (d). The notes of the Cuckoo are all unmusical, and more or less uncouth and guttural. They are much varied, being sometimes cow-cow-cow-cow-cow, cow-cow, sometimes cuckoo- cuckoo-cuckoo, sometimes cuckucow', cuckucow 1 , and at other times low. Many of them are very liquid, but I have heard one cry which has an affinity to that of certain woodpeckers. The Cuckoos may sometimes be heard at night. OF NEW ENGLAND. 311 25. The Picid.89 (or woodpeckers) form a remarkably distinct group, characterized by having two toes in front, and two (or only one) behind ; ten primaries, of which the first is spurious, and a stiff tail of twelve feathers, of which the outer- most are also spurious. In Colaptes (standing at one end of the group, and next to the Cuckoos), the bill is three or four times as long as high, rather slender, pointed, and with the commissure, as well as the upper outline, convex ; the nostrils are exposed. In Picus (a genus near the other end, containing typical woodpeckers), the bill is stouter, the outlines nearly straight, the end blunted or truncate, and the nostrils concealed. In other genera, the bills are more or less intermediate. In this family, as in some others, it has not been thought advisable to present certain di- visions in classification, which have been recently established in scientific works. (See figs. 18 and 19, and pi. 1, fig. 25.) In Colaptes, the birds are largely terrestrial, feed much upon ants, and frequently perch on branches crosswise. In Spliyrapicus, the birds possess a peculiar tongue, and do mischief by stripping off bark, and feeding on the lining. In Picoides, the birds are three-toed, and boreal. In Hylotomus, the birds are crested and wholly (?) non- migratory. The woodpeckers are all more or less brightly colored, at least the males, and the sexes are differently col- ored. They are principally noted for hopping about the trunks and larger limbs of trees, supported by their tails, and rapidly hammering with their bills to extract the grubs, etc., upon which the}' feed, as well as on berries, or even sometimes grain. They are often social, but never strictly gregarious, so far as I have observed, partty, perhaps, because permanent residents in their summer-homes or only partially migratory. They fre- quent forests, woods, and orchards, where they build their nests by excavating a very neat hole in sound or decayed wood. In this, which contains no lining, from four to six very smooth white eggs are laid. The notes of the woodpeckers are un- musical, being variously screams, or rather shrill notes, pitched on a high key. 312 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS I. COLAPTES (A) AURATUS. Golden-winged Woodpecker. Pigeon Wood- pecker; " Flicker." " High-hole." " Yellow-shafted Wood- pecker." " Yellow-hammer." (Also eight other names.) (In Massachusetts, a common summer-resident, but much less abundant in winter.) (a). About inches long. Above, umber brown, black- barred ; tail and primaries, chiefly black ; rump, while. Crown and nape, dark gray, with a scarlet cres- cent behind. Throat, and upper breast, cinnamon or " lilac-brown ;" the latter with a black crescent, and $ with a black maxillary patch. Under parts, oth- erwise white, variously tinged, and black-spotted. Wings and tail, (chiefly) bright yelloiv beneath. (b). The nests of our various woodpeckers differ but little except in size or situation. They always consist of a hole, gener- ally excavated by the birds themselves in a tree, or rarely a post, which may be either sound or rotten. They are usually made more than six feet from the ground, and more often in a trunk than in a limb. The}'' vary in length from six to even forty inches, and are enlarged near the bottom, though rarefy or never lined. They are not always straight, but the entrance is almost invariably round, unless arched, as is often the case with those of the present species. No nests require more pa- tience in construction than these; yet they are, in their way, master-pieces, being smooth, symmetrical, and, as it were, highly finished. ' Fig. 18. Golden-winged Woodpecker OF NEW ENGLAND. 313 The nest of the " Flicker" may be found in maples, oaks, apple-trees, and occasionally pines or birches, but more often in some collection of trees than in an exposed place. In Mas- sachusetts, it is finished about the middle of May, or earlier. The eggs, like those of all woodpeckers, have a smooth, white, unspotted 9 shell, and are often elliptical. They average about 1-15 X '90 of an inch. (c). As is indicated by the great number of nick-names be- stowed upon them, the Golden-winged Woodpeckers are com- mon and well-known throughout a large tract of country. In fact, they may be found in summer from the Gulf of Mexico to Hudson's Bay, and in many places, inclusive of Massachu- setts, they may be found throughout the year. Near Boston, however, they are rather rare in winter. They usually become common between the middle of March and the first of April, and continue so until the approach of winter. Though social, and in autumn somewhat gregarious, they usually arrive in. pairs, who return every year to their former haunts, but who gen- erally build a fresh nest. 'JThis latter work they begin in April. Having chosen a suitable tree, by the roadside, in the orchard, or the woods, they proceed to excavate, the male and female laboring alternately. Observe one at work. Clinging to the trunk with his feet, but supporting himself by his rigid tail, he draws back his muscular head, delivers a vigorous stroke, and cuts a chip from the wood, which is generally dropped on the ground just outside. The hole (about three inches wide) is gradually deepened at the rate of between one-half and a whole inch each day, so that he can cling to the lower edge of the entrance while working. Finally he is lost to sight, and his operations can no longer be watched, for usually, if closely ap- proached, he ceases his labors and flies awa}^. Indeed, he is so suspicious as sometimes to be startled by the sdund of dis- tant foot-steps, and even to desert an unfinished nest if discov- ered. Moreover, he is fastidious, and often, displeased with There are frequently apparent markings, which can easily, however, be washed off. 314 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the result of his first efforts, he begins again in another place or a different tree. It is nearly or quite as common to find the uncompleted excavations of this species and the Downy Wood- pecker, as to find their finished nests. I have seen a tree with eight of the latter and three of the former. Immediately or soon after the middle of May (near Boston), six eggs are gen- erally laid, sometimes at irregular intervals. A dozen eggs or more, however, have been found in the same nest, but these had probably been laid by two or more females. The female sometimes continues to lay, if robbed of her eggs, or, after deepening the hole, lays another set. Even this is often taken by boys, to whom few birds are more familiar than these. The young at an early age scramble out to the fresh air, and about their native tree, until old enough to fly. The Pigeon Woodpeckers, as they are often called, frequent woods, orchards, pastures, fields, roadsides, and nearly all our kinds of trees, except the evergreens, for which they show no fondness. They may often be seen upon the ground, actively engaged in the destruction of antsj( which chiefly constitute their diet), or hopping over our lawns in search of other in- sects. Sometimes, fluttering before a vine, they seize its ber- ries ; sometimes they visit gardens not only for grubs but for grain, and sometimes, like true woodpeckers, they hop about trees in the search of insects, or of their larvae and eggs. They usually perch crosswise, which our other woodpeckers rarely do. They fly with ease, and often rapidity, moving through the air at a moderate height in gentle undulations, with an intermit- tent beating of the wings. They are naturally shy, and, though found in man's society, rather avoid his near approach. They are also affectionate, merry, and even noisy. Buffon supposed them to lead a dull, toilsome, and wearisome life, an idea which both Wilson and Audubon have indignantly refuted. (d). The three principal notes of the Pigeon Woodpeckers are: (1) A loud scream, wholly without the savageness ob- servable in those of many birds of prey, but, on the contrary, rather jovial, (2) the rapid repetition of another unmusical OF NEW ENGLAND. 315 though merry sound, and finally a lower note, chiefly of affec- tion, to which rnan} r of their names owe their origin, such as that of " flicker." This last cry is a series of dissyllabic notes, and sounds like wick'-a-wick'-a-wick'-a-wick'-a-wick'-a-wick'-a. This is rarely heard unless two birds are together. The Golden-winged Woodpeckers are undoubtedly less bene- ficial than many others of their tribe, but they never do enough injury to warrant their death at the hands of farmers. They are, however, but little molested, I believe, except by young sportsmen. II. MELANERPES (A) ERYTHROCEPHALUS. 10 Red-headed Woodpecker. (Scarcely now to be ranked as a bird of Massachusetts.) (a). About 9J inches long. Head, crimson. Interscapu- lars, wings, and tail, blue-black, highly glossed on the back and shoulders. Other parts (and the secondaries), whit6. (6). The eggs average about 1-10 X *85 of an inch. See I, A, b. (c). The Red-headed Woodpeckers were once common about Boston, but I have seen but one within the last five years. I know no part of New England where they are not rare, and I shall therefore quote a large part of Wilson's biography of this species. "There is perhaps no bird in North America more universally known than this. His tri-colored plumage, red, white, and black glossed with steel blue, is so striking, and characteristic ; and his predatory habits in the orchards and corn fields, added to his numbers and fondness for hover- ing along the fences, so very notorious, that almost every child is acquainted with the Red-headed Woodpecker. In the imme- diate neighbourhood of our large cities, where the old timber is chiefly cut down, he is not so frequently found ; and yet at this present time, June, 1808, I know of several of their nests within the boundaries of the city of Philadelphia. Two of 10 The Ked-bellied Woodpecker (Centurus Carolinensis, with the crown and nape bright red, or in the female partly so) may rarely occur in New England. 316 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS these are in Button-wood trees (Platanns occidentalis), and another in the decayed limb of a large elm. The old ones I observe make their excursions regularly to the woods beyond the Sclmylkill, about a mile distant ; preserving great silence and circumspection in visiting their nests ; precautions not much attended to by them in the depth of the woods, because there the prying eye of man is less to be dreaded. Towards the mountains, particularly in the vicinity of creeks and rivers, these birds are extremely abundant, especially in the latter end of summer. Wherever you travel in the interior at that season, you hear them screaming from the adjoining woods, rattling on the dead limbs of trees, or on the fences, where they are perpetually seen flitting from stake to stake on the road side, before you. Wherever there is a tree, or trees, of the wild cherry, covered with ripe fruit, there you see them busy among the branches ; and in passing orchards, you may easily know where to find the earliest, sweetest apples, by ob- serving those trees, on or near which the Red-headed Wood- pecker is skulking ; for he is so excellent a connoisseur in fruit, that wherever an apple or pear is found broached by him, it is sure to be among the ripest and best flavored. When alarmed, he seizes a capital one by striking his open bill deep into it, and bears it off to the woods. When the Indian corn is in its rich, succulent, milky state, he attacks it with great eagerness, opening a passage thro the numerous folds of the husk, and feeding on it with voracity. The girdled, or deadened timber, so common among corn fields in the back settlements, are his favorite retreats, whence he sallies out to make his depreda- tions. He is fond of the ripe berries of the sour gum ; and pays pretty regular visits to the cherry-trees, when loaded with fruit. Towards Fall he often approaches the barn or farm house, and raps on the shingles and weather boards. He is of a gay and frolicsome disposition ; and half a dozen of the fra- ternity are frequently seen diving and vociferating around the high dead limbs of some large tree, pursuing and playing with each other, and amusing the passenger with their gambols. Their note or cry is shrill and lively, and so much resembles OF NEW ENGLAND. 317 that of a species of tree-frog which frequents the same tree, that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the one from the other." Wilson eloquently defends this bird, proving his beneficial nature. He adds: "The Red-headed Woodpecker is, properly speaking, a bird of passage ; tho even in the eastern states individuals are found during moderate winters, as well as in the states of New York and Pennsylvania ; in Carolina they are somewhat more numerous during that season ; but not one tenth of what are found in summer. They make their appear- ance in Pennsylvania about the first of May ; and leave us about the middle of October." III. SPHYRAPICUS (A) VARIUS. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. 11 (In Massachusetts, chiefly a migrant.) (a). About 8 inches long. Wings and tail, black and white. Above, brownish or yellowish, marked with black. Be- neath, yellowish ; sides black-streaked. Crown-patch, scarlet ; throat-patch, scarlet, or in 9 whitish. Border of both patches, and eye-stripe, black. Head otherwise white or yellowish. (6). The nest is to be found in woods or sometimes or- chards. The eggs of each set are four or five, and average about -95 X '80 of an inch. See I, A, b. (c). The Yellow-bellied Woodpeckers probably occur in Eastern Massachusetts as migrants only, though summer-resi- dents to the westward ("beyond Springfield "), and to the northward, as in Canada, or the northernmost parts of New England, where they are quite common. Near Boston, I have seen them about the middle of April, and again in October,, but I have always found them rare. They are somewhat shy, and usually silent. They travel singly or in pairs, and fre- quent woods rather than orchards. I have seen a pair, how- ever, on a pine-tree, so near a house, that they were fired at with a parlor-rifle from the windows. As each bullet struck 11 A Mexican species, Centurua aurifrons, bears the same name. 318 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS the tree, near the spot where the male was at work, if he moved, it was only to return immediately. He escaped appar- ently uninjured and continued for some time to dig out a hole in the trunk, for what purpose I am uncertain, as this was on the 4th of October, and on the following day he disappeared. If any of our woodpeckers are injurious, this species (including the next variety) is the only one. The Yellow-bellied Wood- peckers are well known to strip off the bark of various trees, not to obtain insects so often as to feed upon the inner bark. Sometimes, like the Downy Woodpeckers, they bore deep holes, especially in orchard-trees, whence they have been called " sap- suckers." They feed upon berries, and quite often, in common with other members of their family, catch insects in the man- ner of flycatchers, by darting at them from a perch. Their tongue is peculiarly constructed, and they cannot obtain an abundance of food in the characteristic manner of their tribe. They do not, however, so far as I know, ever seek it on the ground, though they sometimes visit fallen logs. They fly in undulations and rarely very far. Among the White Moun- tains, they may be seen not only in the woods, where removed from civilization, but also not unfrequently along the road- sides. (d). Their ordinary note is an indescribable whine, like a puppy's moan, though Mr. Maynard thought that their alarm-note closely resembled that of the Blue Jay. But many of our woodpeckers delight in a music peculiarly their own, yet not unlike the drumming of the Ruffed Grouse. In spring, alighting on some tree, particularly one which is somewhat hollow and resonant, they rap loudly. The male and female often do this in response to one another, and it is, almost un- doubtedly, a love-note. It is the only music which our wood- peckers can produce, and it is for them by far the easiest way of expressing their affection. Shyrapicus varius var. nuclialis, so-called, the Red-naped or Red-throated Woodpecker, is probably an abnormal form, or a distinct species, or else its occurrence in New England must be quite accidental. The last is probably the case, as it is OF NEW ENGLAND. 319 said that only two specimens have been taken in this part of the country, and nuchalis may be treated as a western race. It differs from true varius in having a red patch on the hind-head or nape, and more or less red on the throat of the female. Yet, in Messrs. Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway's " North American Birds," it is stated that of true varius a female from Washing- ton, D. C., has red on the throat, and a male from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, has it on the nape. The habits and notes of the Red-naped Woodpeckers are described as similar to those of the Yellow-bellied kind, and the biographical details of one (ex- cept as regards migrations and distribution) are applicable to the other. IV. PICOIDES (A) ARCTICUS. (Northern or) Black-backed Three-toed Wood- pecker. (A resident of northern New England, but of accidental oc- currence in Massachusetts, in fall or winter.) (). About nine inches long. Wings and tail, black and white. Upper parts (and a maxillary line), glossy black. Be- neath, white, banded on the sides with black. $ , with a yel- low crown-patch. (6). The nest may be found in forests, chiefly in evergreens. The eggs seem to average about -90 X '75 of an inch ; but two in my collection measure 1-05 X "85. See I, A, b. (c). The subjects of this biography have been given a name, which is no less resounding than their rapping in the forests, namely : Northern Black-backed Orange-crowned Three-toed Woodpeckers. 12 These birds are extremely rare or accidental in Massachusetts, and in no part of New England are common summer-residents, unless far to the northward, where they are resident throughout the 3 T ear, though more common in winter. I have found the nest among the White Mountains, but I have not often seen the birds. They inhabit the extensive and thickly timbered forests, frequenting the evergreens rather 12 This full title has actually appeared in print. 320 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS more than other species (unless the next).- They lead an active life, and, like others of their tribe, are restless. They partly examine the trunk perhaps of a fine hemlock more than a hundred feet high, and then, as if dissatisfied, fly down to hop about a fallen log. They may occasionally vary this life by fly-catching, and in autumn undoubtedly feed on berries, in spite of the inexhaustible insect-wealth of the forests in which they live. They fly in undulations, but rather rapidly, often screaming as they do so. (d). Their loud, shrill notes cannot easily be described. Audubon considered them " like those of some small quadru- ped suffering great pain ;" but I have never heard the " shrill, harsh, rattling cry " which Dr. Cooper ascribes to this species. Authors must, however, necessarily differ in their descriptions of what it is nearly impossible to describe satisfactorily. (B) AMERICANUS. Banded Three-toed Woodpecker. (Much rarer in New England than the last species.) (a). Essentially like the Black-backed Woodpecker (A), but with the back banded by white. (6). "The nest and eggs do not differ from those of P. Arc- ticus." (c). The Banded Three-toed Woodpeckers have an Arctic (or circumpolar) distribution, and in New England are rarer than even the Black-backed Woodpeckers. They have not been captured in Massachusetts, except in a few isolated in- stances, of which I find only one recorded. They probably breed in northern New England to a limited extent, since "Mr. Brewster took two adult males at Gorham, July 30th, 1870, and one at Umbagog the first week in June, 1871." Mr. Maynard says: "I took a single specimen at Errol, October 31st, 1869. This species has a harsh, discordant note." Au- dubon never saw these woodpeckers, and drew his figures from specimens lent him by the Council of the Zoological Society of London. I have scarcel} r been more fortunate, having seen but one. This was on the roadside, not far from the Glen House in the White Mountains, and in August. During the OF NEW ENGLAND. 321 momentary glimpse which I then had, I observed nothing peculiar in his habits. I have never found their nest or seen their eggs. V. PICUS (A) VILLOSUS. Hairy Woodpecker. (Not common in Massachusetts, but abundant in the forests of northern New England, where it breeds.) (a). About 9 A inches long, g , with a scarlet patch on the hind- head. Under parts, central back, and outer tail-feathers, white. (Feath- ers about the nostrils, yellowish.) Otherwise black and white. [NOTE. There are Western va- rieties of this and the next species, with a soiling of gray on the breast, and without white spots on the wing-coverts.] (6). The eggs of each set are four or five, and measure '85 X '65 of an inch, or more. The nest is built in woods, or sometimes or- chards, and in Massachusetts is finished about the tenth of May. J Fig. 19. Hairy Woodpecker Q). (See I, A, 6.) (c). The Hairy \Voodpeckers are resident throughout the eastern United States, and in summer, if not also in winter, may be found from the Gulf of Mexico so far to the northward as forests extend. Yet they rarely breed in Eastern Massachu- setts, and are not even common in winter. The constant de- crease of woodland in this part of the State has caused them in a great measure to desert it, but in the forests of Maine and New Hampshire they are abundant throughout the year. Near Boston, they frequent orchards as much as the woods. Excepting in being much less familiar toward man, and more fond of solitude, they scarcely differ in habits from the com- 22 322 ' LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS mon little spotted or Downy Woodpecker. Audubon has repre- sented these birds in no less than six assumed species, so great is the variation in size, and in the colors of the young. He even undertook to point out differences in manner and voice, between those of New Hampshire and those of Maine. Here his imagination almost undoubtedly led him astray, so easy is it for man to deceive himself by seeing, as he thinks, what he is determined to see. (d). The Hairy Woodpeckers have both a loud, shrill cry, not unlike that of the "Flicker," and a sharp chuck, which re- sembles the characteristic note of the next species. Both of these notes, however, are somewhat peculiar, and need not often be confused with those of other species. (B) PUBESCENS. Downy Woodpecker. (A common summer-resident throughout New England, but less abundant in winter.) (a). About 6 inches long. Outer tail-feathers barred with black. Otherwise like P. villosus (A). (b). The nest is built in various trees, among which the apple-trees, birches, and poplars, are frequently selected. It has occasionally been found in a post. The entrance is two inches or less in diameter, whereas that of the "Flicker's" nest is usually from two to five inches high. The eggs, of which four or five are usually laid near Boston in the fourth week of May, measure -80 X '60 of an ineh, or less. (c). The Downy Woodpeckers, like Uieir near relations the Hairy Woodpeckers, are resident throughout the wooded por- tions of eastern North America, in many places being common and well-known, as is the case in Massachusetts, where, how- ever, they are less numerous in winter. In autumn they may be seen followed by titmice, creepers, nuthatches, and "wrens," whose society they seem to enjoy, though not themselves gre- garious. They are not only sociable, but are very familiar towards man, showing no alarm at his approach, and preferring orchards, roadsides, and woods about houses or barns, to the forests,. for which many of their relations have a marked fond- OF NEW ENGLAND. 323 ness. Except on these points, they are fair t}*pes of their whole family. They are only partially migratory, and are often resident in one locality throughout the year. They are usually mated for life, and on this account are frequently seen in pairs instead of singly. They are active or even restless. They sometimes eat berries, or catch insects on the wing, but I have never seen them on the ground. They generally pass the day in moving from tree to tree, from which they obtain insects, their larvae and eggs, in the bark or beneath it. They fly in undulations, rarely far or high, and alight with both feet, on the trunk or larger limbs. They hop about with great ease, but generally move with the head pointing upward. Sometimes they merely pick up their food from the crannies of the bark, but at other times they extract wood-borers and other insects from the wood. For this, purpose they dig out small circular holes of about the size made by a large awl, and with these often en- circle even a large tree. In forming these holes, which are healthful to the trees and not injurious, they draw back their muscular head, and deliver their blows so rapidly as to produce a tremulous sound or rattling, which I find it impossible to imitate even by drumming with all my fingers on a board. They seize their prey by thrusting out their long tongue, which is coated with a sticky fluid. They work at their nest for about a month, chiefly in the early morning and in the afternoon. The male and female incnbate alternately, and exhibit much alarm, if intruded upon after their young are hatched. They often fly above the heads of the men or dogs who may intrude, con- stantly uttering their loud note of alarm, and more often perching crosswise than at other times. They occupy their old nests or other cavities as retreats for the night or from very severe weather. They are very hardy, but not un fre- quently in winter, during a blinding snow-storm or a pelting rain, they may be started from some decayed tree, on shaking it, or rapping it with one's cane. Should they pass the winter to the southward and return in the spring, they immediately resort to their former lodgings, unless some rude blast has 324 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS destroyed these, in which case I have known them hurriedly to make an excavation in a neighboring stump. (d). Their ordinary note is a chink or chick, which they most often utter on alighting on some tree or fence. Occasionally they repeat this rapidly (as chick-a-chick-chick-chick-chick). These notes, unless uttered in anger, seem indicative of the little woodpecker's contented disposition and constant happi- ness. VI. HYLOTOMUS (A) PILEATUS. Pileated Woodpecker. Black " Log-cock." " Wood-cock." (In New England, almost entirely confined to the " timbered" districts of the North.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Nearly black; a slight superciliary line, a broad stripe from the bill to the sides, wing- patch, etc., white. Crest, scarlet ; in 9 , black in front. < , with a scarlet cheek-patch. (6). "The eggs, which are six in number, average 1*25 X 1-00 of an inch, or more." See I, A, b. (c). The Pileated Woodpeckers are in New England the largest, most spirited, and wildest of their tribe, but to the southward they yield to the larger " Ivory-bill," and in Central America to the magnificent Campephilus imperialis. They live exclusively in heavily timbered countr} r , where they frequent the forests undisturbed by man, and the backwoods. There, solitarily or in pairs, they remain throughout the year, unless tempted by grain to wander to the fields. They are said to withstand alike the cold of Labrador and the heat of Florida, but in southern New England they are no longer found, though not rare in some parts of the White Mountains, and in like lati- tudes. They are rather shy, but they may sometimes be seen dexterously stripping off in large sheets the bark of decayed trees and logs, in order to lay bare the remains beneath. " If wounded on a tree, they cling desperately ; if shot while flying, they defend themselves with courage, often inflicting severe wounds with their powerful bills." They fly in undulations, OF NEW ENGLAND. 325 but rather laboriously, owing perhaps to their great size. They are probably the only members of their family in New Eng- land, whom the hawks never attack. One of our common woodpeckers may sometimes be seen adroitly dodging around some limb, while a disappointed hawk vainly endeavors to seize him. But should there be a pair of his enemies, he does not always escape, unless he can take refuge in a hole. (d). The Log-cocks, besides the loud rolling sound of their hammering (audible for even a mile), often produce a loud cackling, not wholly unlike that of a hen. Hence, a country- man, asked by a sportsman if there were woodcock in a cer- tain place, answered that he often heard " them hollering in the woods ! " 326 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS CHAPTER III. FOURTH ORDER. RAPTORES. THE birds of prey constitute this well-defined order. Their bill, like that of the parrots, is stout (about as deep as long), and strongly hooked ; it is likewise furnished with a true cere, often concealed by feathers, which contains the nostrils. The toes, however, are not arranged in pairs, but on the general plan of three in front and one behind ; the feet are highly muscular, and furnished with sharp, fully developed claws, called " talons." These are the principal external features. The birds of prey are noted for the strength, rapidity, grace, or ease, of their flight, and in many cases, for their extraordi- nary power of sailing. With the exception of the vultures, they are famous for their spirit, variously clispla3 T ed in energy, boldness, or courage, and for their carnivorous taste. For the most part, they feed upon smaller birds, quadrupeds, snakes, fish, or even insects, which ihey capture for themselves. They are hardy, being furnished with thick feathering, and an en- casement of fat, which enables them to withstand the cold, and to live without food much longer than human beings can. They are to a large extent non-migratory, and those that mi- grate probably do so in a great measure to follow the migra- tions of their prey rather than to avoid the winter-weather in their summer-homes. They have been known to travel in large flocks, and the Fish Hawks are said to build their nests often in communities, but as a rule they are eminently unsocial, though faithful to their chosen haunts. The vultures are gre- garious, cowardly, voracious, but rather slothful, and feed chiefly on carrion, which they frequently disgorge, when dis- turbed ; whereas both the hawks, and the owls especially, eject in pellets only what is indigestible. Their only notes are said to be hisses or grunts. The hawks, on the other hand, possess various screams or whining whistles, while the owls are famous OF NEW ENGLAND. 327 for their ludicrous or doleful cries, and for their hooting, so ill-boding to the superstitious. 26. There are many things which cannot be defined except in their typical states, and, in the classification of birds, the typical species often characterize a group by certain features, which evidently allied species may possess only in part. Thus the owls may be defined as " nocturnal birds of pre} T ," though some kinds hunt in daylight like the hawks. All our Strigidce, however, possess the following structural features (besides those which characterize all Raptores) : head large, and capable of being turned in every direction without any movement of the body ; e3 r es looking more or less directly forward ; ear-feathers often forming noticeable tufts or "horns ;" nostrils concealed ; tarsi feathered ; general plumage very soft and thick. The colors are sober and much variegated, but alike in both sexes. The female is generally larger than the male. The owls fly silently. Richard Hill, Esq., in Gosse's "Birds of Jamaica," says : " They search for their pre} T , as if they were pursuing it with the vigilance of the hound. They skiin along the surface of the earth,* glide among trees, explore ave- nues, sweep round, rise and fall, wheel short, and dart down, but never sail in circles. Their wide staring eyes are placed in what may be called their face, being right forward in front, and have scarcely any field of vision laterally. They there- fore hunt with a forward and downward gaze, like dogs over a field. The globe of the eye of these nocturnal raptores, being immovably fixed in the socket by a strong elastic cartilaginous case, in the form of a truncated cone, they have to turn their heads to view objects out of the path of flight, and their neck is so adapted for this exertion, that they can with ease turn round the head in almost a complete circle, withont moving the body." Some owls lay their eggs on the ground or in the hollows of trees, but most kinds build a rude nest of sticks, or select an old nest of a like nature. Their eggs are 3-6, subspherical, white or whitish, and usually without a very smooth shell. Their peculiar notes, or hootings, are elsewhere noticed. 328 LAND-BIRDS AKD GAME-BIRDS I. STRIX (A) FLAMMEA (var. PRATINCOLA). (American) Earn Owl. (This bird has not recently occurred in Massachusetts more than 'once or twice.) (a). "Tawny, or fulvous-brown, delicately clouded or mar- bled with ashy and white, and speckled with brownish-black ; below, a varying shade from nearly pure white to fulvous, with sparse sharp blackish speckling ; face, white to purplish-brown, darker or black about the e}'es, the disk bordered with dark brown ; wings and tail barred with brown, and finely mottled like the back; bill whitish; toes 3*ellowish. * * * * 9 17 long; wing 13; tail 5 ; < rather less. U. S., Atlantic to Pacific, southerly ; rare in the interior, rarely N. to New Eng- land." (Coues.) (b). "It is not uncommon in the vicinity of Washington, and after the partial destruction of the Smithsonian Building by fire, for one or two } T ears a pair nested on the top of the tower." " Its nests have been found in hollow trees near marshy meadows" (Brewer), and, in certain parts of the country, the Barn Owls make burrows. The eggs average 1-70 X 1*30 of an inch, and are bluish or dirty (yellowish) white. (c). The Barn Owls of America are much less well known than those of Europe, and no longer occur in New England, if, indeed, they ever have existed there except as stragglers. Mr. Allen, in his " Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Massa- chusetts," records the capture of one in this State, near Spring- field, in May, and that of two others in Connecticut. The Barn Owls are common in many places to the southward and westward. Says Dr. Brewer : " The propensity of the Cali- fornia bird to drink the sacred oil of the consecrated lamps about the altars of the Missions was frequently referred to by the priests, whenever any allusion was made to this Owl." Audubon says that " this species is altogether nocturnal or crepuscular, and when disturbed during the day, flies in an ir- regular bewildered manner, as if at loss how to look for a OF NEW ENGLAND. 329 place for refuge. After long observation, I am satisfied that our bird feeds entirely on the smaller species of quadrupeds, for I have never found any portions of birds about their nests, nor even the remains of a single feather in the pellets which they Regurgitate, and which are alwa} T s formed of the bones and hair of quadrupeds." (d). I can find no description of any note belonging to this species. II. OTUS (A) VULGARIS (var. WILSONIANUS). Long-eared Owl. (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the year.) (a). About fifteen inches long. Ear-tufts conspicuous. General colors, fulvous and dark brown or blackish. Above, finely variegated, and mixed with whitish. Breast, etc., streaked, and also barred below. Tail (like the primaries, etc.) mottled and barred. Eyes partly encircled by black. (b). The nest is most often that of a crow or hawk, slightly repaired. Sometimes, however, it is a fresh one, built by the birds themselves in some dark wood of evergreen, from ten to fifty feet above the ground ("on which," by the way, " the eggs are occasionally laid"). The eggs are pure white, as are those of most owls, and average about 1-60 X 1*35 of an inch. In Massachusetts, one set, varying in number from three to six, is laid about the middle of April. (c). The Long-eared Owls are perhaps the most numerous of American owls, and are common near Boston, where they remain throughout the 3 r ear. In spite of their comparative abundance, they are rarely seen, since they frequent the woods by day, and only fly abroad at night, unless, as often happens, they are driven out and rabbled by the Crows. They are easily approached in a strong light, as their vision is dependent upon darkness, but they usually roost in thick swamps, or dark and unfrequented woods of evergreen. At dusk they become active, and silently hunt for their prey, sometimes flying over fields and meadows, and sometimes perching to watch for it, with their keen eyes. Their hearing being no less acute than 330 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS their sight, the slightest movement of any unfortunate mouse near them attracts their attention, and, sailing down from their post, they pounce upon their victim. They feed upon small birds and quadrupeds, or even large insects. They are unso- cial, and generally lead a solitary life, though Wilson speaks of seven being found in one tree. (d). I have riever heard them utter any notes, and they are probably silent except during the season of love. Audubon, however, says : " When encamped in the woods, I have fre- quently heard the notes of this bird at night. Its cry is pro- longed and plaintive, though consisting of not more than two or three notes repeated at intervals." (B) BRACHYOTUS. Short-eared Owl. Marsh Owl. (A resident of Massachusetts, most abundant near the sea.) (a). About fifteen inches long. Ear-tufts inconspicuous. General colors, dark brown, and fulvous whitening beneath (on the belly, wings, etc.). Chiefly streaked, but on the tail, primaries, etc., barred (and slightly mottled). Eyes completely encircled by black. . (6). The nest is a rather slovenly structure, built on the ground, most often in rather wet places. The eggs of each set are usually four, averaging about 1-50X1*30 of an inch. They are white, and somewhat spherical. Several, taken from two nests not far from Boston, had apparently been laid about the middle of April. (c). The Short-eared Owls are much less common than some other species, though resident in Massachusetts throughout the year. They are generally considered more abundant near the seashore than elsewhere, and even resort to marshes. They usually rest during the day on the ground or near it, and, when flushed, fly as if dazed, and soon alight. I have seen them abroad, however, on cloudy da} r s. They sometimes occur in woods, particular^ such as are swampy, but, in hunting, they more often fly over meadows or fields, moving their wings silently, and often sailing directly forward for a consid- erable distance. They also perch to watch for their prey, which OF NEW ENGLAND. 331 seems to consist chiefly of mice and insects. Occasionally, when startled on the ground, they move off in leaps, more quickly than one might suppose them to be capable of doing, but they commonly take to wing. Audubon speaks of them as common in the Floridas during the winter, and sa}*s : " In- deed I was surprised to see the great number of these birds which at that period were to be found in the open prairies of that country, rising from the tall grass in a hurried manner, and zig-zagging for a few yards, as if suddenly wakened from sound sleep, then sailing to some distance in a direct course, and dropping among the thickest herbage." He adds : "I never started two birds at once, but alwa3*s found them singly at distances of from twenty to a hundred yards.; * * * ." The Short-eared Owls are partially migratory. (d). Their notes, if they have any, I have neither heard, nor seen described. III. SYRNIUM (A) CINEKEUM. Great Gray Owl. Cinereous Owl. (Very rare so far to the southward as Massachusetts, where it occurs in winter onty.) (a). Extreme length, thirty inches. General colors, cinere- ous or ashy-brown, and a paler shade. "Waved" above; streaked on the breast; barred on the belly, tail, primaries, etc. (b). One egg in Dr. Brewer's cabinet measures 2-25 X 1'78 of an inch. (c). The Great Gray Owls exceed in size all other American species, and stand no less than two feet high. They seem, however, to be much less spirited than many others of their tribe. Mr. Dal I considers them very stupid, and states that they may in daj'-time be caught by the hand. They are Arctic birds, and do not occur in New England except as very rare winter-visitors. I observed one in some pine-woods near Mil- ton, in the early part of 1875, towards the end of an excep- tion ally 'severe winter. He was roosting in a partially dead tree, at about thirty feet from the ground. He instantly per- ceived my approach, and watched me dreamily. He refused 332 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS to leave his perch until the tree was rapped violently, upon which he started with a few silent flaps and then sailed away. Owing to his great size, and his wings spread to their full ex- tent, he presented a formidable appearance. He did not seem to experience difficulty in finding his way among the trees. The Great Gray Owls, according to Mr. Ball's observations, " feed principally upon small birds, and he took no less than thirteen crania and other remains of ^Egiotlius linaria [or Lesser Red-poll] from the crop of a single bird." (d). Their notes have been described as tremulous, and not unlike those of the Screech Owl. (B) NEBULOSUM. Barred Owl. "Hoot Owl" (A resident in Massachusetts throughout the year.) (a). About eighteen inches long. General colors, brown (cinereous above), and white (or tawny). Chiefly barred, but on the belly streaked. Eyes, small, very dark, and bordered on the inner edge with black. (6). Evidence indicates that the Barred Owls usual ty build their own nests, choosing for a site some crotch next to the trunk of a pine or oak. The nests are finished in the latter part of April, and three or four eggs are then. laid. These latter are white, and generally measure about 2-00X1*70 of an inch. (c). The Barred Owls are apparently common residents in all the Atlantic States, but near Boston they have probably decreased in numbers proportionally to the decrease of wood- land. They may, however, not unfrequently be seen during the day, reposing in some thick wood of pines or hemlocks. On such an occasion, they watch your motions as j r ou approach, and should you walk from one side of the tree to the other, they follow you with their eyes, turning their head as if they must infallibly twist it off, but not moving the body. No crea- ture through solemnity and soberness could be better fitted for the office of judge, and I am sure that every culprit would quail before such a stern, unvaried, and unceasing gaze. The effect of their behavior in a dark wood, is not unlike that OF NEW ENGLAND. 333 of entering a darkened chamber, and observing the eyes of a grim ancestral portrait, as they everywhere follow one, as if to shame one out of some degeneracy. It is often diffi- cult to start these owls, but sometimes, if your back is turned, they take the opportunity to glide away silently, and I have observed that on such occasions they do not seern to be milch embarrassed by the light. They hunt at night, and are said to feed upon small birds, mice, snakes, frogs, and also larger game. I am inclined to believe that the males and females live apart except in the early spring-season, when their hoot- ings are heard, even during the day. (d). Their hootings are guttural, and rather startling, though ludicrous. Audubon thought that they might be com- pared to an affected burst of laughter. It has been asserted that the voice of the male is much weaker than that of his mate, as well as much less often heard. IV. NYCTALE (A) TENGMALMT (var. RICHARDSON!). American (Sparrow) Old. Richardson's Owl. (In Massachusetts, extremely rare.) (a). About 10 J inches long. Except in size, essentially like N. Acadica (B). (/>). Dr. Brewer describes one egg as measuring 1-28 XI '06 of an inch. (c). The American Sparrow Owl is another species, whose occurrence in Massachusetts, even as a winter-visitor, is quite accidental, and about \vhose habits not much is apparently known by modern ornithologists. I have never seen one alive, and I shall therefore quote the brief biography of Audubon, who in his turn is obliged to quote from Richardson. " I procured a fine male of this species at Bangor, in Maine, on the Penobscot, in the beginning of September, 1832 ; but am unacquainted with its habits, never having seen another individual alive. Mr. TOWNSEND informs me that he found it on the Malade River Mountains, where it was so tame and unsuspicious, that Mr. NUTTALL was enabled to approach within 334 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS a few feet of it, as it sat upon the bushes. Dr. RICHARDSON gives the following notice respecting it in the Fauna Boreali- Araericana : ' When it actually wanders abroad in the day, it is so much dazzled by the light of the sun as to become stupid, and it may then be easily caught by the hand. Its cry in the night is a single melancholy note, repeated at intervals of a minute or two. Mr. HUTCHINS informs us that it builds a nest of grass half way up a pine tree, and lays two white eggs in the month of May. It feeds on mice and beetles. I cannot state the extent of its range, but believe that it inhabits all the woody country from Great Slave Lake to the United States. On the banks of the Saskatchewan it is so common that its voice is heard almost every night by the traveller, wherever he selects his bivouac.' " (B) ACADICA. Acadian Owl. Saw-wliet Owl. (In Massachusetts, not common, unless in autumn.) (a). When erect, about six inches high. Above, chocolate- brown ; head streaked, back spotted, and tail barred, with white. Beneath, white, streaked (in blotches) with reddish chocolate. (Tarsal feathers, tawny.) Eyes encircled by black. Bill black. (In A, " bill yellow.") (b). " The eggs are generally laid in the hole of a tree, and are four to six in number." An egg, which was found in a pine-wood near Boston, about the first of May, evidently be- longed to this bird. It was lying on the ground (not far from a tree, in which an Acadian Owl had previously been seen), and to it was attached two feathers, which correspond exactly to those of a stuffed "Saw-whet." The egg was cold, and slightly cracked. It has a remarkably smooth, white shell, and measures about 1*00 X '90 of an inch. (c). The little Acadian Owls are residents throughout New England, but near Boston, so far as I have observed, they are very rare in summer, being most numerous in autumn. They are apparently more social than other species, as "they have been known to occur in small parties." I have, however, al- ways met them singly. During the day, they remain in woods OF NEW ENGLAND. 335 and swamps, often ensconced in the hole of a tree, though they sometimes perch on a bough. They may be closely approached on a bright day, and do not fly far if disturbed. Immediately after sunset, however, they become full of animation and cour- age, and even venture into open lands. One would suppose it difficult for them to find enough food, but they undoubtedly surprise small birds at roost, easily detect the slightest move- ment of any small quadruped in the grass, and readily pick up such insects as sing through the night, or indeed others. They probably do not often feed on reptiles. ((/). Their extraordinary love-notes are doubly deceptive, from their strong resemblance to the noise of a saw-mill, and from the ventriloquism with which they are uttered. I have, however, vainly tried to produce similar sounds through vari- ous combinations of files and saws. The Saw -whet Owls, as they are called on account of these notes, have also a single low cry. V. SCOPS (A) ASIO. Screech Owl. Mottled Owl. Red Owl. (A common summer-resident, but here rare, or absent, in winter.) () Averaging nine inches in length. Gray, or brownish- red, paler below ; variously marked, chiefly with black. (6). The eggs are laid in the hollow of a tree, an apple-tree being frequently selected, in which are often placed a few sim- ple materials, such as leaves or dry grass. The eggs, of which four are here laid about the middle of April, average 1'35 X 1*20 of an inch, though occasionally specimens measure 1*50 X 1'30 of an inch. They are white, and nearly spherical. . (r). The Screech Owls are probably the most well-known of the American Owls, owing to their general abundance in the United States, their frequent occurrence near the haunts of man, and their peculiar tremulous notes. During the day, they rest in the hollow of a tree, a thick evergreen, or even the hay- loft of a barn, but from these retreats they are sometimes driven by impertinent Jays and other tormentors. They seem 336 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS dazed by the light, and sometimes, when perched on a fence in the sunlight, as occasionally happens, they may easily be ap- proached and even captured. At dusk they become active, often uttering their cries, which may be heard at all hours of the night until early morning, though never, so far as I know, in the day. They search the woods, fields, meadows, and often the neighborhood of houses and barns, now gliding like a shadow near the ground, or among the trees, and now perching to call to their mates or companions. They feed upon mice, various insects (many of which they catch upon the wing), and occasionally small birds. They are probably beneficial to the farmer, like some other owls, who differ in this respect from the hawks. Our night-owls, though aided by very keen sight, and by a flight so silent that their presence is often indicated only by their shadow, undoubtedly find it more difficult to obtain birds at roost than other creatures who betray them- selves by moving. The Screech Owls as pets exhibit many of those traits, more or less characteristic of their whole family, which are less easily observed in the birds at liberty. I shall therefore quote from the "American Naturalist" an extremely interesting article b}^ Mr. Maynard, on " The Mottled Owl in Confinement," from which, however, I am reluctantly obliged to omit several passages. He says : " On June 15, 1867, I ob- served some boys around a small owl which was perched on a stick. On closer examination I found that it was a young Mottled Owl (Scops asio Bonaparte). It was staring about in a dazed manner and seemed half stupefied. I easily persuaded the boys to part with it for a trifle, and took it home. I should judge that it was about two weeks old. 1 It was covered with a grayish down. I put it in a large cage, and gave it some meat which it ate, but not readily, for it seemed frightened a,t the sight of my hand, and at my near approach would draw back, snapping its beak after the manner of all owls. It soon grew tamer, however, and would regard me with a wise stare, as if perfectly understanding that I was a friend. l This facb renders it probable that this species sometimes rears a second brood. OF NEW ENGLAND. 337 " In a short time it would take food from me without fear ; I never saw it drink, although water was kept constant!}' near it. Its food consisted of mice, birds, and butchers' meat, on which it fed readily. I kept the bird caged for about two weeks, during which time it became quite tame, but would not tolerate handling, always threatening me with its beak when my hands approached it. As the wires of its cage broke its feathers when moving about, and as it hardly seemed resigned to confinement, I opened its cage and gave it the freedom of the room, leaving the windows open night and day. About this time I gave it the name of 4 Scops,' to which in a little while it would answer, when called, with a low rattle, which sounded like the distant note of the kingfisher. *#**##* "When a bird is given it for food, it takes it in its claws, and with its beak invariably pulls out the wing and tail feath- ers first, then eats the head, then devours the intestines ; then, if not satisfied, it eats the remainder of the bird, feathers and all. " That this owl sees tolerably well in the daytime I have proved to my satisfaction. I caught a mouse and put it alive into an open box about two feet square. This I placed upon a bench near Scops, who was attentively watching my movements ; the moment it saw the mouse, the owl opened its eyes wide, bent forward, moved its head from side to side, then came down with an unerring aim, burying its talons deep in the head and back of the mouse. Looking up into my face, and uttering its rattling note, as if inquiring, 'Isn't that well done?' it flew up to its perch with its struggling prey grasped firmly in its talons, where it killed the mouse by biting it in the head and back. During the whole act it displayed considerable energy and excitement. * * * * * * * "Scops will, in taking birds from my hand, almost always look up in my face and utter its subdued rattle. In sleeping, it usually stands on one foot, both eyes shut, but sometimes stretches out at full length, resting on its breast. When sound 23 338 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS asleep it awakes instantly on its name being pronounced, and will answer as quickly as when awake. I have heard it utter its peculiar quavering note on one or two occasions, which, notwithstanding its reputed mournful ness, has much that sounds pleasant to my ears. When moving along a plane sur- face, Scops progresses, with a half walk, half hop, which is certainly not the most graceful gait possible. " When out at night among the trees Scops acts in much the same manner as when in the house, hopping from limb to limb, looking about with a quick, graceful motion of the head, sometimes turning the head around so that the face comes di- rectly behind. "When it returns to the house in the morning, daylight is often long passed, and even sunrise. The alarm note is a kind of low moan ; this was often uttered at the sight of a tamed gray squirrel (but with which it has now become better ac- quainted), and alwa3 r s at the sight of its old enem} r , the dog. u While flying, Scops moves through the air with a quick, stead}' motion, alighting on any object without missing a foot- hold. I never heard it utter a note when thus moving. When perching, it does not grasp with its claws, but holds them at some distance from the wood, clasping with the soles of the toes. When it has eaten enough of a bird, it hides the re- maining portions in any convenient place near by. * * ' "Sometimes in the daytime it will take a sudden start, flit- ting about the room like a spectre, alighting on different ob- jects to peer about, which it does by moving sideways, turning the head in various directions, and going through many curious movements ; but it always returns to its perch and settles down quietty. 1 " I once placed a stuffed owl of its own species near it, when it ruffled its feathers, gave a series of hisses, moans, and snappings of the beak, and stretched out one wing at full length in front of its head as a shield to repulse what it took to be a stranger invading its own domains. As the stuffed bird was pushed nearer, Scops budged not an inch, but looked fiercer than ever; its .ruffled back- feathers were erected high, its eyes sparkled, and its whole attitude was one of war. OF NEW ENGLAND. 339 " Some time since the building in which my pet was kept was torn down, and the bird was absent for two weeks ; but a new building has been erected near the site of the old one, and to-day I found Scops in the new cellar, sitting on a projecting stone of the -wall, as much at home as in the old place. From this it can be seen that its affection for locality is very strong. Notwithstanding Scops' long absence it is as tame as ever, taking its food from my hand, and behaving in the old man- ner. * * *" (d). The ordinary note of the Screech Owl is a tremulous, continued hooting, repeated at short intervals. Wilson has likened this to the " shivering meanings of a half frozen puppy ;" it resembles somewhat the distant baying of a fox- hound, though not so deep. In spring, it is varied to what is more like an unearthly laugh, and it is not surprising that by the superstitious this cry should be considered ill-boding; yet there is almost a fascination in listening to it. VI. BUBO (A) VIKGINIANUS. Great Horned Owl. (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the j'ear.) (d). Extreme length, twenty-seven inches. Plumage vari- able- ; but large ear-tufts and white throat-patch constant. A fine specimen before me is marked with dark brown, whitish, and tawny. Above, finely variegated ; tail, primaries, etc., distinctly barred. Beneath, more or less finely barred ; under tail-coverts, pale, with a few waves of dark brown. (b). The Great Horned Owls are said to sometimes lay their eggs in the hollow r of a tree, or even in the fissure of a rock. Usually, however, they build a large nest of sticks, at some height above the ground, next to the trunk of a pine or occa- sional ly a hemlock. For this purpose, they choose some dark and unfrequented 'wood, where in March, or even February, they lay their eggs, three or four in number. These measure 2"2f) X 1*90 of an inch, or more, and are white, or sometimes yellowish. (c). The Great Horned Owls are the most spirited and de- 340 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS strnctive of their tribe in North America, in many parts of which, including New England, they are not uncommon. They are resident in Massachusetts throughout the }*ear. They frequent the thick woods, from which they roam at night over the open country, and pay visits to the farm-yard. They usually roost among some clump of evergreens during the day, and occasionally may be closely approached before they take to flight. But on cloudy days, they see well, and, ex- ceptionally, even hunt for their prey, which consists of rab- bits, squirrels, skunks, .partridges, poultry, and the like. They fly with great strength and ease, often sailing, even in circles, like the buzzards. Apparently they inhabit the same neighbor- hood throughout the year, but lead a solitaiy life during the larger part of it. . Nothing can more gratify a romantic imagination than musings on the life of this owl. Imagine the scenes which characterize his existence. Fancy him perched on some tree : a silent watcher, he surveys the country shrouded in darkness, or fantastically lit by the moon, listens to the sighing of the breeze through the pines, and marks the waving of the nrys- terious shadows ; then, spreading his wings, he sails away with the silence of a spirit, ready to pounce upon his unsuspecting prey, and alights in some still more romantic spot, perhaps by a lonely river in the forest ; now, he wanders through a war of elements which man shrinks from, through darkness, cold, and falling snow, or goes abroad in a gloom impenetrable except to him and his fellow-wanderers, in furious winds, and in down-pouring rain ; at last, he pounces upon some poor animal, and, tearing him piece-meal, begins his nocturnal repast. Next, he startles some traveler by his unearthly cries, perhaps united to the quavering note of the Loon. What scenes he may have beheld, an unknown witness ; what deeds of darkness he might disclose. But all this he en-joys. His savageness and wildness of disposition are evident. No other word than "devilish" can describe the Great Horned Owl in confinement. Approach him in some corner, remark his unconquerable spirit, observe his glaring eyes, as he slowly OP NEW ENGLAND. 341 opens and shuts Ihem, and listen to his hisses. Approach him with a light, see him contract the pupils of his ej'es, and then, as 3'ou retreat, expand them until they seem like glowing orbs of fire. Approach him with food, and observe the eager fe- rocity with which he swallows it, doing so at a single gulp when possible. Approach him again, attempt to soothe him, and you cannot hesitate to pronounce him an irreclaimable savage. (d). His cries are all unearthly. Sometimes he utters a horrid scream, sometimes notes which suggest the strangula- tion of some unhappy person in the woods, and at other times his loud hooting, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo. Being, it 4s said, attracted by camp-fires, like other species, he often amuses the traveler with these agreeable and soothing sounds. In short, no bird has a Character less pleasant to contemplate than the Great Horned Owl. In the space left by a change in the text, it may not be amiss to give an amusing instance of the fictions credited by certain old writers. Charlevoix, says Wilson, wrote that cer- tain owls caught mice for their winter's store, and, confining them, fattened them on grain. VII. NYCTEA (A) NiVEA. 2 (American) Snowy Owl. (In Massachusetts, not uncommon in winter near the sea.) (a). About two feet long. Snowy white; more or less marked with brown or blackish. (b). The eggs are laid on the ground in Arctic countries. They are white, and nearly or quite 2^ inches long. (c). The Snowy Owls, as their very thick and white plumage suggests, are Arctic birds, though in winter they wander south- ward in considerable numbers, being then more common in Massachusetts than any other species of this family with so high a range. It is said that, though rare in the interior, they are of not un frequent occurrence along the coast, since they feed much upon fish, which they often catch for themselves. 2 The specific name has recently been established as scandiaca var. arctica. 342 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS They have several times been captured on the islands of Bos- ton Harbor, and I am quite confident of having seen one fly over the city. They may also be met with further inland, where they feed upon quadrupeds and birds. They hunt chiefly during the day, or just after sunset, and, instead of pouncing upon other birds, often pursue them on wing, thus resembling the hawks. As they feed upon grouse (or even, it is said, upon ducks and pigeons) r they evidently possess great speed of flight. Owing to their size and handsome plumage, they are striking objects in winter-scenery, though often rendered in- conspicuous by their likeness to the snow and ice. Though spirited, they exhibit much less ferocity than the Great Horned Owls, and are said to be more tractable as pets. (d). Wilson says of this species that "its voice is so dismal that, as Pennant observes, it adds horror even to the regions of Greenland by its hideous cries, resembling those of a man in deep distress." The same author, in describing the method of fishing pursued by this owl, says: "Unlike most of his tribe he hunts by day as well as by twilight, and is particu- larly fond of frequenting the shores and banks of shallow rivers, over the surface of which he slowly sails, or sits on a rock a little raised above the water watching for fish. These he seizes with a sudden and instantaneous stroke of the foot, seldom missing his aim." VIII. SURNIA (A) ULULA (var. HUDSONIA). (American) Hawk Owl. Day Owl (A winter-visitant to Massachusetts of rare occurrence.) (a). About sixteen inches long. General colors, dark brown and white, the former predominating above. Wings, tail, and under parts barred, but throat streaked. Face partly bordered by black, and narrow y approaching the hawk-t}-pe. (b). "The nest is built in trees. The eggs, six in number, are white, and average about 1*50 X 1 25 of an inch." (c). No other families of birds present such difficulties to the naturalist and biographer as the hawks and owls. Their OF NEW ENGLAND. O4J general scarcity and shyness, their life of solitude and retire- ment, their frequent residence in inaccessible or little frequented places, and their silence during the greater part of the year, render it difficult to become intimate with their habits or, in some cases, with their notes. Such is eminently the case with the Iliiwk Owl, of whom apparently no adequate biography has yet been written. I have seen it but once, and can add little or nothing to former accounts. These birds, like several other species, inhabit the Arctic regions, not only of America, but also of the Old World. They very rarely visit Massachusetts, though " not uncommon in northern New England in autumn or winter" and said to have even bred in Maine. They are noted, not only for their physiognomy, which corresponds to their mode of life, but for their habit of hunting during the clay like a hawk. It is probable, however, that they see well at night, as the one which I observed was active at dusk. His flight was much like that of a small hawk, and seemed' less absolutely noiseless than that of other owls. Mr. Dall, as quoted by Dr. Brewer, sa3's of this species u that it is very fond of flying, towards dusk, from the top of one small spruce to another, apparently swinging or balancing itself, calling to its mate at intervals, while chasing or being chased by it." Dr. Richardson says : u When the hunters are shooting Grous, this bird is occasional^ attracted by the report of the gun, and is often bold enough, on a bird being killed, to pounce down upon it, though it may be unable from its size to cany it off. It is also known to hover round the fires made l}y the natives at night." ^ (d). " Its note is said to be a shrill cry, * * * ." (Dr. Brewer.) IX. SPIIEOTYTO (A) CUNICULAKIA (vcir. HYPOf^EA). Burrowing Owl. Prai- rie Owl. (One shot in Massachusetts, at Newburyport, May 4, 1875. 3 ) 3 The authority for this statement is Mr. R. Deano. 344 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (a). " Above, grayish-brown, with white, black-edged spots ; below, tawny-whitish, variegated with reddish-brown, chiefly dis- posed in bars ; face and throat whitish ; crissum and legs mostly unmarked ; quills with numerous paired tawny-white spots, and tail feathers barred with the same ; bill grayish yellow ; claws black; 9-10 long, * * * . Prairies and other open portions of the United States west of the Mississippi, abun- dant ; lives in holes in the ground, in prairie-dog towns, and the settlements of other burrowing animals, using their de- serted holes for its nesting place. There is certainly but one species in this country ; it is a mere variety of the S. American bird." (Cones.) (6). The eggs are described by Dr. Brewer as white, and as averaging about 1-35 X 1*15 of an inch. (c). The peculiar Burrowing Owls habitually occupy the prairies and open lands to the westward of the Mississippi River, and there is but a solitary instance of their appear- ance in New England. They were formerly supposed to live habitually, as members of a " happy family," in the imme- diate company and dwellings of both the rattle-snakes and prairie dogs, but such a state of things has been shown to be fabulous. From the accounts furnished by Say to Bona- parte, the following facts may be gathered. The Burrowing Owls frequently occupy the villages of the marmots, whose deserted holes they use, instead of digging others for them- selves. They are abroad during the da}', and apparently feed chiefly on insects. " They manifest but little timidity, and allow themselves to be approached sufficiently close for shoot- ing ; but if alarmed, some or all of them soar awa}^, and settle down again at a short distance ; if further disturbed, their flight is continued until they are no longer in view, or they descend into their dwellings, whence they are difficult to dis- lodge." (d). " The note of our bird is strikingly similar to the cry of the Marmot, which sounds like clieh, clieli, pronounced sev- eral times in rapid succession ; * * * this cry is only uttered as the bird begins its flight." OF NEW ENGLAND. 345 27. The PalconidSD are the typical Raptores, charac- terized by not having the ear-tufts, forward-looking eyes, and concealed nostrils of the owls, or the naked head, elevated hind-toe, and slightly webbed front- toes of our vultures (Ca- thartidce, 28). "The eyes, as a rule (but not always), are sunken beneath a projecting superciliary shelf, conferring a decided and threatening gaze." The tarsus is either naked or feathered, but the feathers above it are long and flowing (with certain exceptions, as in the fish-hawks). The hawks and eagles are essentially diurnal birds of prey, not usually feeding on carrion. Some nest on cliffs, some on the ground, and others in the hollows of trees ; but most of them build nests in trees, chiefly of sticks. The eggs of each set are from two to six, and are laid early in the season. They are rarely subspherical like owls' eggs, but are for the most part whitish, and generally blotched. In this family there are several distinct groups. The harriers (Genus I). Face with a slight ruff, forming an imperfect disk (such as belongs to the owte). Flight usually low, somewhat irregular, but not rapid. Nest built on the ground. Our species is characterized by the white upper tail- coverts. The falcons (II). Upper mandible with a distinct pointed tooth behind the notch. 4 Highly raptorial birds of medium size. Flight in some respects inferior to that of The true hawks (III, IV). Tarsi not scutellate behind, or feathered to the toes, which are always webbed at the base. Birds of comparatively slender form, with a rapid, protracted flight, occasionally interrupted by straight sailing, even at short intervals. They capture smaller birds with rapidity and energy. The buzzards, including the eagles (V, VI, VII, VIII). Without the characteristics of the other groups. (In VI, VII, tarsus feathered to the toes.) Heavy and robust birds, with a 4 The birds of this genus have been distributed into several subgencra not here prescuted. See PI. 1, fig. 27. 346 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS beautiful and often sublime flight. They frequently sail up- wards or forwards without moving the wings, generally doing so in circles. They usually pounce upon their prey from above, and often perch long to watch for it. The fish-hawks (IX). ' k Plumage lacking aftershafts" and oily. Feet very large. See IX. i. emeus (A) CYANEUS (var. HUDSONIUS). Marsh Hawk. American Harrier. (A common summer-resident throughout New England.) (a). Upper tail-coverts, white. Mature $ , extreme length about eighteen inches. Above, bluish-gray, becoming white beneath ; often marked with brown. Wings tipped icit/i black. 9 , extreme length about twenty inches. Upper parts, and streaks beneath, dark brown. Markings above, under parts, and bands on the tail, soft reddish-rusty. (b). The nest, composed of grasses or occasionally sticks, is built, unlike thoSe of all our other hawks, upon the ground, usually in a meadow, or other wet place. The eggs, of which in Massachusetts four are laid about the tenth of May, average 1'80 X 1'35 of an inch, and are white, often tinged with blue, and often marked with brown. (c). The Marsh Hawks are among the least ambitious of their family, for the most part contenting themselves with such humble prey as mice, snakes, or frogs, and remaining near the ground. They may usually be seen flying low over meadows and fields, or wandering about the shores of some pond, but they also visit farms, and even molest poultry. Sometimes the} 7 beat about for their game ; at other times they perch upon some fence to digest their last meal or to watch for another. They generally fly irregularly and leisurely, with intermittent sailing, up or down, to the right or left. But occasionally they mount higher, and sail about with ease ; in autumn, when fol- lowing the migrations of smaller birds, they even pursue these on wing, and often with success. Customarily, however, they drop upon their prey on the ground, and, after hurriedly pois- OF NEW ENGLAND. 347 ing, fall with a very certain aim, immediately rising, should they fail, but, if successful, feeding upon the spot. Their motions are characterized by ease and lightness, but their wings seem too long for rapid motion. The Marsh Hawks generally leave New England in autumn, and return in April. In summer they are among the commonest of our hawks. (c7). Their love-note is an indescribable scream, which is not, however, wholly characteristic, though distinct from any of the buzzards. Their winter-notes, says Audubon, " are sharp, and sound like the s}*llables pee, pee, vee, the first slightly pronounced, the last louder, much prolonged, and ending plaintively." II. FALCO (A) GYiiFALCO. Gyrfalcon. Gerfalcon. (Jerfakon.) (In Massachusetts, an extremely rare winter-visitor.) (a). About twenty four inches long. Everywhere white, much marked with dark brown or black. Of several races, variety islandicus is said to be the only one which occurs in New England. In this form, white is especially predominant on the head. (l>). The eggs are said to measure about 2*40 X 1'70 of an inch, and to be much less darkly marked than those of the Duck Hawk. The nests are built on cliffs. (c). Audubon describes as follows their habits in Labrador: u Their flight resembled that of the Peregrine Falcon, but was more elevated, majestic, and rapid. They rarely sailed when travelling to and fro, but used a constant beat of their wings. When over the Puffins, and high in the air, they would hover almost motionless, as if watching the proper moment to close their pinions, and when that arrived, they would descend al- most perpendicularly on their unsuspecting victims. "Their cries also resembled those of the Peregrine Falcon, being loud, shrill, and piercing. Now and then they would alight on some of the high stakes placed on the shore as bea- cons to the fishermen who visit the coast, and stand for a few minutes, not erect like most other Hawks, but in the position 348 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS of a Lestris or Tern, after which they would resume their avo- cations, and pounce upon a Puffin, which they generally did while the poor bird was standing on the ground at the very entrance of its burrow, apparently quite unaware of the ap- proach of its powerful enemy. The Puffin appeared to form no impediment to the flight of the Hawk, which merely shook itself after rising in the air, as if to arrange its plumage, as the Fish Hawk does when it has emerged from the water with a fish in its talons." To this account I can add nothing, having never seen these birds, who are of accidental occurrence so far to the southward as Boston. I may here express my regrets at having had no opportunities of extending my researches to Labrador, from which a wealth of knowledge is undoubtedly to be obtained. Indeed, "an author should devote himself to travel and to one study," as has been said by a predecessor. (B) COMMUNIS (var. ANATUM). (American) Peregrine Fal- con. Duck Hawk. Great-footed Hawk. (Very rare in Massachusetts, though known to have bred on Mount Tom, near Springfield.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Above, dark ash (brown- ish or bluish, according to age), " waved" with a paler shade. Tail banded. Beneath, white or buffy ; breast spotted, and sides barred, with black. Forehead, whitish ; cheeks, black. (b). The nest, if any, is built on a cliff, in some spot not easily accessible. A set of four eggs, found in this State, was laid in the early part of April. The Duck Hawk's eggs aver- age about 2-20 X 1*70 of an inch, and are creamy, buff, red- dish, or even brick-red, blotched and clouded with (several shades of) dark brown, often of a reddish tinge. A specimen in my collection presents a form or appearance, frequently observable in other eggs, that of having had the upper and darker markings removed. (c). The spirited Duck Hawks (the American representa- tives of the famous Peregrine Game-falcons) belong to the highest nobility of their tribe, rarely descending from the dig-- OF NEW ENGLAND. 349 nit}- of open warfare, and pursuing birds on the wing with un- surpassed courage, speed, and skill. They are known to breed in several isolated parts of New England, where the}- are prob- ably resident throughout the year, but in Eastern Massachu- setts they are extremely rare, though they may occur along the coast in autumn or winter. Audubon, from his devotion to the pursuit of birds, was undoubtedly more familiar with the birds of prey than any other of our writers ; and, having had no opportunities to study the habits of the Duck Hawk, I shall therefore quote from him. "The flight of this bird is of astonishing rapidity. It is scarcely ever seen sailing, unless after being disappointed in its attempt to secure the prey which it has been pursuing, and even at such times it merely rises with a broad spiral circuit, to attain a sufficient elevation to enable it to reconnoitre a cer- tain space below. It then emits a cry much resembling that of the Sparrow Hawk, but greatly louder, like that of the European Kestrel, and flies off swiftly in quest of plunder. The search is often performed with a flight resembling that of the tame pigeon, until perceiving an object, it redoubles its flappings, and pursues the fugitive with a rapidity scarcely to be conceived. Its turnings, windings and cuttings through the air are now surprising. It follows and nears the timorous quarry at every turn and back-cutting which the latter at- tempts. Arrived within a few feet of the prey, the Falcon is seen protruding his powerful legs and talons to their full stretch. His wings are for a moment almost closed ; the next instant he grapples the prize, which, if too weighty to be car- ried off- directly, he forces obliquely toward the ground, some- times a hundred yards from where it was seized, to kill it, and devour it on the spot. Should this happen over a large extent of water, the Falcon drops his prey, and sets off in quest of another. On the contrary, should it not prove too heavy, the exulting bird carries it off to a sequestered and secure place. ' He pursues the smaller Ducks, Water-hens, and other swim- ming birds, and if they are not quick in diving, seizes them, and rises with them from the water. I have seen this Hawk 350 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS come at the report of a gun, and carry off a Teal not thirty steps distant from the sportsman who had killed it, with a dar- ing assurance as surprising as unexpected. This conduct has been observed by many individuals, and is a characteristic trait of the species. The largest duck that I have seen this bird attack and grapple with on the wing is the Mallard. "The Great-footed Hawk does not, however, content himself with water-fowl. He is sometimes seen following flocks of Pigeons and even Blackbirds. For several days I watched one of them that had taken a particular fancy to some tame pigeons, to secure which it went so far as to enter their house at one of the holes, seize a bird, and issue by another hole in an instant, causing such terror among the rest as to render me fearful that they would abandon the place. However, I fortu- nately shot the depredator. "They occasionally feed on dead fish that have floated to the shores or sand bars. * * * "Whilst in quest of food, the Great-footed Hawk will fre- quently alight on the highest dead branch of a tree in the im- mediate neighbourhood of such wet or marshy grounds as the Common Snipe resorts to by preference. His head is seen moving in short starts, as if he were counting every little space below ; and while so engaged, the moment he spies a Snipe, down he darts like an arrow, making a rustling noise with his wings that may be heard several hundred yards off, seizes the Snipe, and flies away to some near wood to devour it. "It is a cleanly bird, in respect to feeding. No sooner is the prey dead than the Falcon turns its belly upward, and begins to pluck it with his bill, which he does very expertly, holding it meantime quite fast in his talons ; and as soon as a portion is cleared of feathers, tears the flesh in large pieces, and swallows it with great avidity. If it is a large bird, he le-aves the refuse parts, but, if small, swallows the whole in pieces. Should he be approached by an enemy, he rises with it and flies off to the interior of the woods, or if he happens to bo in a meadow, to some considerable distance, he being more wary at such times than when he has alighted on a tree." OF NEW ENGLAND. 351 Andubon elsewhere adds : "I never saw one of them attack a quadruped, although I have frequently seen them perched within sight of squirrels, which I thought they might Easily have secured, had they been so inclined." He also says: " Man}* persons believe that this Hawk, and some others, never drink any other fluid than the blood of their victims; but this is an error. I have seen them alight on sand-bars, walk to the edge of them, immerse their bills nearly up to the eyes in the water, and drink in a continued manner, as Pigeons are known to do." The Duck Hawks are so destructive, and so much opposed to the interests of sportsmen, that, in spite of their admirable spirit and strength, it is not to be regretted that they are rare in Massachusetts. (C) COLUMBARIUS. Pigeon Hctwk. American Merlin. (Not very common in Massachusetts, though known to have bred here.) (a). About twelve inches long. Above, dark ashy-blue ; in the young (and 9 ) ashy-brown. Forehead, tip and narrow bands of the tail, and markings on the wing, white or whitish. Tail, in $ , also banded with black. Beneath, white, tinged with buff on the breast, with reddish behind, and marked with dark brown. (b). The eggs average 1-50 X 1'20 of an inch, but other- wise strongly resemble those of the Duck Hawk, unless more finely marked. James Gatle}', the so-called "Hermit of Hyde Park," obtained in that town, several years before his death, and before the pine-woods were extensively cut down, a small and neatly constructed nest of this species, together with the parents and young. I have another nest and five eggs, which were, found near Boston in the early part of May. The latter, which was built in a pine about twenty feet from the ground, is composed of sticks, together with dry grass, strips of cedar- bark, and a little moss. The eggs are abnormal, being buff, slightly clouded with a darker shade. (c). The Pigeon Hawks occur in the winter so far to the 352 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS southward as Florida, but at that season are rare in Massachu- setts, much more so than in spring or fall. They vary in num- bers ffom year to year, but occasionally breed here, and this I can from personal experience positively assert. They are probably more abundant as summer-residents to the northward, as I have observed them to be most numerous near Boston in fall, though never common. Occasionally they may be seen traveling, even in pairs, moving leisurely along at some height in the air. They do not sail so much as most of our hawks, but often perch on a tree to watch for their prey, which they pursue with indescribable speed and skill, and with a rapid beat- ing of the wings. They feed principally upon birds (even at- tacking those of their own size), pursuing them through thick and thin, and following every turn with surprising agility, un- til, overtaking their victim, they thrust their talons into its vitals, causing instant death. They generally begin their re- past upon the spot, and do not carry off their prey. They frequent the woods rather less than the Sharp-shinned Hawks, but more often occur in pastures with scattered trees, or about open lands. Their movements and haunts seem more or less dependent upon the progress of the smaller birds, whose mi- grations they often follow. They are somewhat shy of man, but are said to be so bold as to carry off chickens from the farm-yard. In summer, I have seen them among pines, where I have known them to build their nest. On consulting other authors, I find the following facts, which I have either not mentioned or never observed. Wilson says of this species: "Sometimes when shot at, and not hurt, he will fly in circles over the sportsman's head, shrieking out with great violence, as if highly irritated. He frequently flies low, skimming a little above the field." Samuels says : " The Pigeon Hawk, in alighting on a branch or other object, alwa} r s descends below the level of it, and rises up ; and usually turns abruptly about, and faces the direction from which it came, as soon as it has struck its perch. This habit is observable in many of the other hawks. u While perching, the tail is often flirted up and down, and OF NEW ENGLAND. 353 the wings are partially opened and shut in a nervous manner, as if the bird were anxious to be off again in the pursuit of game." Sa}*s Dr. Wood : " This bird when sitting on a tree so closely resembles a pigeon that it will oftentimes deceive the most expert hunter. One of the specimens brought me was shot for a pigeon, and the mistake was not discovered until the bird was picked up. It is from this striking singularity that I suppose it derives its name." (d). The notes of the Pigeon IIaw r k, heard chiefly in spring, are quite characteristic, but, nevertheless, are not easily de- scribed. In fact, it is almost or wholly impossible to know the cries of our hawks, unless learned directly from nature. (D) SPARVERIUS. (American) Sparrow Hawk. American Kestrel. (In New England, a summer-resident, locally distributed.) (a). About eleven inches long. Crown, ashy-blue, usually with a chestnut patch of varying size. Head, otherwise white, . with generally seven large black markings, including one on the nape. Tail, often surrounded by white ; and broadly (sub-) tipped with black. Primaries, etc., black, with imperfect white bars. Otherwise: 9? brown above, becoming chestnut on the tail, nearly everywhere black -barred. Beneath, white ; breast (often buffy or reddish, and) streaked with black (or dark brown). < , smaller, and with few or no black bars or streaks. Wing-coverts, ashy-blue (sometimes spotted with black). (6). The eggs arc generally deposited in the hollow of a tree, often of one rather isolated, a very rare circumstance in the case of other hawks. The eggs, four or five in number, or even more, are laid in Massachusetts about the middle of May. Two, taken from my cabinet, are fair specimens. One meas- ures 1-35X1*20 of an inch, and is very light brown, with small blotches of reddish "Vandyke." The other measures 1-35X 1-20 of an inch, is somewhat spherical and is finely freckled with two shades of russet, confluently so at the two ends. 24 354 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Other specimens exhibit great variation in ground-colors, but they rarely have the large and prominent markings, often seen on the eggs of the Sharp-shinned Hawk. (c). The Sparrow Hawks, though their flight is compara- tively weak, it being rarely or never much protracted, are none the less active and daring. Perched on some tree or fence, and occasionally flirting the tail, they eagerly watch for their prey, which consists of mice, small birds, and even insects. Then, as if restless and dissatisfied, they leave their post, and fly off along the roadsides, over the fields, through the or- chards, but less often among the woods than in open lands. Now pausing to reconnoitre, with a quivering of the wings, now sailing briefly but with eminent grace, they pass on swiftly, but not in the constant hurry which characterizes the Sharp- shinned Hawk. Sometimes they pounce upon a field mouse, which they often carry to a tree to eat ; sometimes their quick eye detects a poor sparrow or thrush, and they then dive into some thicket or chase on wing, generally with fatal success. Their motions are characterized by more grace, but less speed and fury, than those of the other small hawks. They are, how- ever, equally cruel and destructive, and the smaller birds find little or no protection in thickets or trees. They usually perch and fly not far from the ground, and never, so far as I have observed, mount to a great height. Several anecdotes serve to show that they are very scrupulous about their food, and do not like tainted flesh. They are the least shy of our hawks, and often exhibit a surprising degree of familiarity toward men. They are also rather social, and not uncommonly occur in family-parties or pairs. The Sparrow Hawks are distributed through New England rather locally, but apparently are nowhere common. They are especially rare in Eastern Massachusetts, so far as I have ob- served in confirmation of others, and, having never seen them in winter, suppose them undoubtedly to be migratory. Mr. Maynard, however, considers them as resident throughout the year, though rare in winter. In Florida they are "abundant," remaining there at all seasons, though known to occur in high OF NEW ENGLAND. 355 latitudes as summer-residents. They seem to have a marked fondness for home, and return to the same nesting-place, even several years, it is said, in succession. Wilson mentions a frequent circumstance in their life, which I have never ob- served, and says : u The Blue Jays have a particular antipathy to this bird, and frequently insult it b}* following and imitating its notes so exactly as to deceive even those well acquainted with both. In return for all this abuse the Hawk contents himself with, now and then, feasting on the plumpest of his persecutors ; who are therefore in perpetual dread of him ; and yet, thro some strange infatuation, or from fear that if they lose sight of him he may attack them unawares, the Sparrow Hawk no sooner appears than the alarm is given, and the whole posse of Jays follow." (d). The notes of this species are loud and rather shrill, but canrfot be t' jfined. It may be useful, However, for some person familiar with British birds, to know that they were thought by Audubon to strongly resemble those of the Eu- ropean Kestrel. III. ACCIPITER 5 (A) FUSCUS. Sharp-sliinned Hawlc. " Pigeon Hawk." (A common summer-resident in many parts of New Eng- land.) (a). About twelve inches long. Above, dark brown (be- coming ashier with age), with a few white spots, chiefly on the hind-head and .wings. Tail, lighter, with a few dark bands (which are more distinct than those of the wings), and tipped with pale brown or whitish. Beneath, white ; breast, closely barred with light rufous-brown, and throat pencilled, but under tail-coverts often unmarked. The shafts of the wing and tail have a faint reddish gloss, as have also the basal portion of the webs. (b). The nest is usually built in a pine, from twenty to forty feet above the ground. It is composed chiefly of sticks and 6 Nisus has been lately established in place of Accipiter, 356 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS twigs, placed in a fork or crotch next to the trunk. The eggs, about four in number, are laid near Boston, in the second week of May. They measure l-50Xl'2o of an inch or less, and are white (tinged with blue or green), sometimes unmarked, but more often with a few large and prominent markings of dark brown, chiefly near the crown. (c). The Sharp-shinned Hawks are common summer-resi- dents throughout New England, but near Boston, so far as I have observed, are extremely rare in winter, though I have seen one boldly perched on the shafts of a wagon in a shed. Though naturally shy, they are very impudent, and, trusting to the rapidity of their flight, often commit some daring rob- bery before the eyes of the farmer. They frequent the woods much more than the Sparrow Hawk, and lie in wait there for some unfortunate passer-by. Should a Robin make his ap- pearance, they give chase, and though he fly never so quickly, they soon overtake him. Sometimes, as they pass through the woods, they perceive some innocent bird feeding on the ground, whom they seize and bear off almost before the traveler can realize what has happened. So great is their eagerness and daring that their victims can hardly find any refuge from their fury. Nuttall says in illustration of their impetuous violence that " descending furiously and blindly upon its quariy, a young Hawk of this species broke through the glass of the green-house at the Cambridge Botanic Garden, and fearlessly passing through a second glass partition, he was only brought up by the third, and caught, though little stunned by the ef- fort. His wing-feathers were much torn by the glass, and his flight in this way so impeded as to allow of his being ap- proached." The Sharp-shinned Hawk characterizes all his movements with the same speed and continual apparent haste, the same restlessness and impetuosity. He often flies far, and even at a great height, but much less often straight forward or with a regular beat of the wings than the Pigeon Hawk. "When frying to a distance, his flappings are quick but some- what irregular, but, when hunting, he moves nervously, now bigh, now low, now to the right, now to the left, rarely having OF NEW ENGLAND. 357 the patience to sail protractedly. On following his prey, he does so as if attracted by an irresistible magnet, his move- ments being instantly simultaneous with those of his quarry. He generally carries off his food, and eats it in a tree. But his prowess in comparison with his size is astonishing, and he often pounces upon birds much larger or heavier than himself. I have seen him fall upon Pigeon Woodpeckers, and upon plump Quail. In such cases, he feeds upon the ground, but it is useless to rescue his victims, as they are almost invariably found to be dead or past all recoveiy. These Hawks are said by Audubon to act often in concert, but they usually hunt singly. I have seen the Goldfinches escape from their clutches by mounting above them, even until almost lost to sight, but most birds, terrified by the fury of their onslaught, instinctively dive into thickets or trees, which unfortunately afford them but little protection. Whatever feelings of anger and indefinite longings for revenge may be excited by the Sharp-shinned Hawks, one cannot but admire their intrepidity and spirit. Though they feed partly upon insects, yet they must be con- sidered eminently destructive, and be ranked among the auda- cious marauders who unhesitatingly plunder the farm. It is common to find traces of their murders in carefully picked bones or scattered f feathers, along the wood-paths where they have secured some prize. (d). Their notes are loud and shrill, but are not often heard except in spring. (B) COOPERI. Cooper's Hawk. " Chicken Hawk." (In New England, a summer-resident.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Tail slightly rounded. " Neck often marked with rufous." Otherwise like the Sharp- shinned Hawk (A). (b). The nest has a strong outward resemblance to that of the Crow, and sometimes an imperfect resemblance throughout. It is composed chiefly of sticks, which are neatly laid together near the top of a pine, a rather slender tree being not un fre- quently chosen. It is placed either in the topmost crotch, or 358 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS more often at the junction of two branches with the trunk, from forty to sixty feet above the ground. Such are the nests observed near Boston, where the eggs are laid in the first week of May. Of these, the usual set of three or four average about 1*90 X 1*50 of an inch, and are white, tinged with blue (some- times deeply), either unmarked, or with a few brown blotches. (c). The Cooper's Hawks are common summer-residents in all the States of New England, but in man}' places are much less numerous than other species. Their general habits and manners are essentially the same as those of the Sharp-shinned Hawks, but they have much less " dash," and are not so bold. They are easily distinguished by their size. They may usually be seen flying just above the trees with a flapping of the wings, then a straight and rather measured sail, for they rarely move in circles. They feed upon rabbits, squirrels, water-fowl, and other birds, but not often on the smaller kinds, as I have seen these near them, or about their nests, disregarded. They may be seen to pursue flocks of wild pigeons or other migrants with a beat of the wings as rapid as that of their victims, and seiz- ing one to bear it to some grove. Sometimes, in passing through the woods, they suddenly pounce upon the Ruffed Grouse, for the} r do not hesitate to grapple with creatures much larger than themselves. At other times, J-hey mark a Robin, and follow it wherever it goes, dashing between branches, through trees, and over the fields, rarely being disappointed in the end. If possible, the}- carry their prey to the woods, and I am inclined to think that during a continued residence in one place, they often resort to the same tree. They are well known to the farmers as "Chicken" Hawks. (t?). Their cries suggest the exclamation of an alarmed hen, and consist of several successive notes, which Audubon con- sidered similar to those of the Pigeon Hawk. IV. ASTUR (A) PALUMBARIUS (var. ATRiCApiLLUs). (American) Gos- hawk. l c Pa rtridge Hawk" (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the year, but very rare in the breeding-season and summer.) OF NEW ENGLAND. 359 (a). 20-24 inches long. Above, ashy or slate, becoming blackish on the head. Tail with dark bands and a white tip. Superciliary line and under parts, white ; the latter waved or barred, and finely streaked, with ashy-brown or slate. (6). The nest is usually built of sticks, etc., in a tall tree. The eggs measure about 2'25X1'75 of an inch, or more, and are white, strongly tinged with blue or green, and sometimes marked with brown. (c). The handsome Gos-hawks are constant residents in northern New England, and also in Massachusetts, where, however, they are so extremely rare in summer that I have found but one nest, and have seen only two pairs. In winter, they are seldom common near Boston, though their numbers vary from } T ear to }'ear. They are very spirited and de- structive, feeding principally upon rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, grouse, and ducks. They are also very active, perching and sailing comparatively little. They move, often at a consider- able height, with a regular beating of the wings, which is re- doubled, should they give chase to a flock of birds, when they move with a speed unsurpassed by that of any other hawk. I have seen one press into a company of Pine Grosbeaks and seize one in each foot. On perceiving a single bird of tempt- ing size, they sometimes secure it by diving from above, when, without a moment's pause, they carry it to a perch. In the woods they fly rather low, ready to drop upon their prey, but so rapidly that one might imagine that their sight would be blurred. I have been surprised to observe how easilv, when guiding themselves among the trees, they detect the presence of a partridge or squirrel. They are not, however, capable of constant activity, and occasionally, gracefully sailing up to some perch, they watch for their prey, sometimes doing so in open land. They stand with an erectness observable in other hawks, and are spirited even when at rest. (d). For a greater part of the } T ear they live singly and si- lently, but in spring I have heard them utter loud screams. 360 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS V. BUTEO (A) BOREALIS. Red-tailed Hawk (or Buzzard}. (Eastern) " Red-tail." " Hen Hawk." (In Massachusetts, a resident throughout the year, but less common than the next species.) (a). Extreme length, nearly two feet. Above, dark brown, marked with fulvous (chiefly on the head), and with white (chiefly behind). Tail, chestnut-red, tipped with white, and sub-tipped with black, but beneath of a uniform silvery gray. Under parts, white (or tinged), marked with a varying shade of brown, which generally forms an interrupted band across the lower breast. A fine immature specimen, now before me, is more than two feet in length. Above, dark umber, more or less interrupted by white, chiefly on the tail-coverts. Beneath, white; sides blotched with umber-brown, forming a dark zone across the lower breast. Feathers of the thigh spotted or im- perfectly barred with a lighter shade. Tail, medium brown (often tinged with gray, but here with chestnut), barred with blackish, tipped with whitish ; beneath, light gray, and faintly barred. (b). The nest does not differ from that of the Red-shoul- dered Hawk, unless in being sometimes less well lined, occa- sionally rather less accessible, and more often built in dry woods. For a description of the eggs, see B, b. (c). The Red-tailed Buzzards are the most majestic of our hawks, though surpassed by many in activity and speed. They are in southern New England resident throughout the year, but are said to occur to the northward only during the summer- season. Except in winter, they are much less common than the Red-shouldered Hawk, whose habits are so very similar, that I shall abbreviate this biography, and refer my readers to the next. They sometimes sail even a mile without moving the wings, or mount in circles till nearly lost to sight, but they are ordinarily dependent upon the impetus given by occasional flappings. They feed upon large birds, rabbits, squirrels, snakes, frogs, etc., and not unfrequently fall upon their prey OF NEW ENGLAND. 361 from an elevation of several hundred feet. They also often perch upon some tree, as in a meadow, and watch for move- ments in the grass. They are somewhat shy and difficult to approach, but they are bold enough to carry off poultry, and I have been told of one actually caught in a hen-house. (d). I can perceive no essential difference between their cries and those of the next species. (B) LINEATUS. Red-sliouldered Hawk (or Buzzard). "JF/en Hawk. 91 (In Massachusetts, a common resident throughout the }*ear.) (). Much less stout than the " Red-tail," and less in aver- age size, the female being rarely or never more than twenty- three inches long. The coloration is variable, but the follow- ing description of a fine mature specimen will answer for others. Above, dark brown. Head, streaked with rusty and white; back and rump marked with the same colors. .Tail, and quill-feathers, black ; the former tipped, and both barred, with white. Shoulders, rich rufous or pheasant-brown. Be- neath, white. Breast, etc., streaked, chiefly with fulvous, with which the belly, etc., is tinged and finely barred. Under tail- coverts, white ; tail the same, with bands of pearly gray. Im- mature birds have the white above and black impure, the rufous wanting or restricted. Beneath, white, streaked (and spotted) with dark brown. "Tail beneath silvery white." Under wing-coverts usually more or less fulvous as in the adult. (b). The " Hen Hawks" generally build a fresh nest every year, though they may occasionally occupy the same nest u for several seasons," as Mr. Samuels states to be the case. Should their home be destroyed during the season of incubation, they usually repair an old nest for a second brood, as they some- times do for their first. Their nest, when finished, is a large structure of sticks (from eighteen to thirty inches in diameter), and is commonly lined with small branches of hemlock, or with tree-moss. It may be found in rather secluded or unfre- quented woods and pine-groves, particularly those which con- 362 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS tain swamps, brooks, or ponds. It is placed next to the trunk of a pine, or sometimes an oak, from fifteen to seventy-five feet above the ground. It is seldom built in a young tree, or in one at all isolated, and is rarely concealed by surrounding foli- age. Near Boston it is finished between the first week and last day of April, and two, three, or four eggs, are then laid. These often exhibit great variation, even when taken from the same nest. Though varying in size and shape, some being elongated, or somewhat pointed at the smaller end, the}' aver- age about 2-20 X 1*70 of an inch. From a series in my cabi- net, recently collected near Boston, the following descriptions are taken. (1) White, evenly blotched and spotted with lilac. (2) White, evenly but coarsely marked with a pretty reddish brown. (3) White, with a few thin and vague markings of chocolate. (4) Dirty white, not appreciably marked. (5) Dirty white, with a very few fine scrawls at the smaller end. (6) Dirty white, blotched at the smaller end with umber. (7) Dirty white, clouded at the smaller end with several shades of brown. (8) Dirty white, fadedly blotched, chiefly at the smaller end. (9) Impure white, blotched with faint reddish brown chiefly at the smaller end, and with a few dark mark- ings. (10) Dirty white, faintly blotched all over, but with a few chocolate spots. (11) Dirty white, blotched faintly with purplish and reddish brown, but with dark blotches on the crown. (12) Impure white, with a ring of reddish brown blotches about the crown. Some specimens have reddish or buflfy ground-colors, and others are marked but little and faintly, or with a few isolated blotches. There is no salient point of difference between these eggs and those of the " Red-tail," of which several are now before me. (c). The Red-shouldered Buzzards, so far as I have ob- served, are the commonest hawks near Boston, where they are resident throughout the year. They breed from Florida nearly to Hudson's Bay. Their range is therefore much less exten- sive than that of the " Red-tails," but their habits and man- ners are very similar. The following biography is applicable OF NEW ENGLAND. 3C3 partly to both species, sometimes to one more than another, but it may be remarked that the " Red-tail" is more robust, spirited, and majestic. The " Hen Hawks," and their immediate relations, are best characterized by their flight and mode of hunting. Sometimes, propelled by an occasional and slight motion of the wings, they sail in circles to a great height, and, if favored by a breeze, even rise until lost to sight, without any perceptible exercise of muscular power. Again, they often circle without ascending, though at a considerable distance from the ground. Thus the range of their vision is much extended, while the keenness of their sight enables them to detect the motion of a squirrel in the trees, or of birds and snakes in the open lands over which they more often fly. On perceiving the object of their search, closing their wings and tail, they fall with a loud rustle until near the earth, when, checking their speed, they drop unawares upon their victim. Should they fail, they rise, and in a second attempt it frequently happens that not even the cunning Quail can escape. They sometimes fly lower, with more or less sailing, according to the breeze or motion in the air, and, diving down, seize a chicken, or even a hen, and bear it off with apparent ease. At other times, they perch in a tree in their hunting-grounds, and with an eager, intent expression, \vatch closely the surrounding grass, down into which they drop when occasion requires, or over which they again sail, instantly checking their course and again alighting, should anything attract their attention. Then facing about, they wait until an opportune moment, when, spreading their wings and for an instant hovering, they pounce upon their prey. They rarely catch birds on the wing, and never, so far as I know, pursue them. On the contrary, if undisturbed, they sometimes remain perched for hours, either waiting for the appearance of game, or digesting a meal. In the woods, they not unfrequently catch squirrels, diving at them when in some exposed situation. They usually sail up to their perch, and stand erectly, often far above the ground. Their ordinary fare is composed of hares, often called " rab- 364 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS bits," squirrels, minks, rarely rats or mice, snaJces (especially the striped kind or garter-snake), frogs, grouse, quail, and poultry. They do not, however, often catch our so-called par- tridges, owing to the latter's rapid flight and rather persistent occupation of the woods, and it is not uncommon to find these game-birds in groves where the " Hen Hawks" have their nest. It may be said that the natural home of the " Hen Hawks " is the woods (in our climate, particularly those of old pines, and such as are somewhat swamp} 7 ), but it must be added that during the day they are much away from home. Their favorite hunting-grounds are open places, especially farms and mead- ows, but there are few kinds of land over which they do not fly, including even our smaller cities. Occasionally they may be seen in roads or perched on roadsides. Towards man the " Hen Hawks " are naturally shy, though it is generally eas}" to approach them when gorged, or at other times to do so in a vehicle, or on horse-back. By this latter means, I have actually passed under one. They frequently leave their food when approached, instead of carrying it off in the manner of many hawks. Like other barbarians, they re- fuse to show signs of suffering, or to allow their spirit to become subdued, when shot and mortally wounded, they usually sail on unconcernedly while their strength lasts, until obliged to fall. If not dead, they turn upon their rump, and fight till the last, like others of their tribe. Their eyes gleam savagely, and they defend themselves with both bill and talons. With these latter they can inflict severe wounds, if incautiously treated, and they sometimes seize a stick with such tenacity that I have seen one carried half a mile through his persistent grasp. I have never known one to be tamed, but, on the contrary, they sometimes die from refusing to eat. This is in accordance with their natural pride, and their fond- ness for a wild life. In autumn and winter the " Hen Hawks" lead a solita^ life, but in summer, and more often spring, they may be seen in pairs. They then hunt together, or sail high i'n circles, as if to remove themselves from the common crowd of birds. Un- OF NEW ENGLAND. 365 less very seriously molested, they build their nest every year in nearly the same place. The females vary as regards cour- age or prudence, some leaving their nest on hearing one's approach, others waiting till the tree is rapped, and others until one has begun to climb or has even ascended several feet. I have never known them to attack man, when thus disturbed. The young are fed for several weeks after being hatched, and are often noisy. (d). The screams of our two u Hen Hawks" do not materi- ally differ, if at all. They are slightly prolonged, and are usually repeated several times at once, as kee-o, kee-o, kee-o. They are frequently heard, especially in spring, but are exactly imitated by the Blue Jays. (C) PENNSYLVANICUS. Broad-winged Hawk (or Buzzard). (To be seen in Massachusetts during summer, and occasion- ally winter, but more common as a migrant.) (a). Eighteen inches long or less. Above, umber-brown, with more or less pale Edging, and showing white on the hind- head. Tail banded and tipped with white. Under parts, white, variously streaked and barred with spots of medium or rufous brown, of which traces are often found above. Throat bordered on each side by a dark maxillary patch. Young with much white above, but that of the tail replaced by light brown. This species, like the other buzzards, has the outer primary (and others) emarginate, i. e. with the inner web rather ab- ruptly narrow towards the end. This buzzard has three, our others four emarginate. (b). The nest does not essentially differ, so far as I know, from that of the Red-shouldered Hawk. An egg, which I took from a nest with three young, found near Boston on the six- teenth of May, measures 2-10 X 1'80 of an inch, and is white, blotched and spotted with brown, chiefly of a purplish shade. (c). The Broad-winged Buzzards are reported as common summer-residents in many parts of northern New England. In Massachusetts, they are most common as migrants, but I have seen one in winter, and have found two nests near Boston, 3G6 LAND-BIRDS AND G4OIE-BIRDS in neither of which cases did the female offer any resistance, though Mr. Boardman considers them so spirited as to attack intruders. Dr. Brewer, in the "Birds of North America," says: " Mr. Mcllwraith, of Hamilton, Canada, has noted ex- tensive migrations of this Hawk in March of different years, as many as twent} T or thirty being in view at one time, passing at a considerable height, and moving in circles towards the north-west." These Buzzards, though readily distinguished by size from the " Hen Hawks," do not differ much in habits. In common with those birds, they are often teased by King- birds and Crows, but on such occasions they show a quiet dig- nity and unconcern, which is veiy striking. (d). The Broad-winged Hawks have a loud, whining whistle, not unlike the familiar cries of the "Hen Hawks." These may most often be heard in spring. VI. ARCHIBUTEO (A) LAGOPUS (var. SANCTI-JOHANNIS) . Rough-legged Hawk (or Buzzard). Black Hawk. (In Massachusetts, a winter-visitor of great rarity.) (a). Tarsus feathered to the toes. Extreme length, about two feet. Above, marked with various browns and white (or yellowish). Tail black-banded, but with the basal half white and unmarked. Under parts, white, variously marked with brown, which generally forms a broad band across the lower breast. There is a so-called melanotic race, with the plumage nearly uniform black or blackish, but with the forehead (throat), and more or less banding on the tail, white. This is the Black Hawk, supposed by some writers to be the adult of the other. (b). The eggs, as described by other authors, do not appar- ently differ from certain forms, found among those of the " Hen Hawks." See V, B, b. (c). The Rough-legged Buzzards occur in New England as winter-visitors only, and near Boston are rare, especially in black plumage. The}^ are noted for the following traits : gen- eral sluggishness, fondness for hunting in the evening or toward dusk, fondness for meadows, marshes, and low, wet lands, and OF NEW ENGLAND. 367 finallj' the simplicity of their fare, which consists chiefly of frogs and mice, but also, it is said, of wounded birds. They usually remain perched in their chosen haunts, regardless of weather, until some small quadruped attracts their notice, when, with the impulse received from a few beats of their wings, they drop down upon their prey. They may sometimes be seen sailing about with great ease and but little motion of the wings. They often stand motionless for a surprising length of time. I re- member passing over the Boston and Providence Rail-road in March, and remarking, at about eleven o'clock in the morning, a hawk of this species stationed on the Fowl Meadows beyond Readville. On returning, toward sunset, I saw him in the same tree, though it is probable that he had made several sallies during the day. Such is the characteristic life of the Rough- legged Buzzards, but, in so cold a winter-climate as that of Boston, Ihey are frequently obliged to resort to woods and higher grounds. I have seen one catch a squirrel, and another feed upon a Quail. (cZ). Wilson speaks of their "making a loud squeeling as they arise, something resembling the neighing of a young colt ; tho in a more shrill and savage tone." Dr. Cooper speaks of their "loud scream." VII. AQUILA (A) CIIUYSAETUS (var. CANADENSIS). Golden Eagle. Ring- tailed Eagle (young). (In Massachusetts, extremely rare.) (a). 30-40 inches long. Tarsus thickly feathered. Dark brown, varying from purplish to blackish, becoming rich ful- vous on the hind-head and neck. Young, with the tail partly white. (6). The nest is built on cliffs, or rarely in trees. The eggs are most often two in number, and are three inches long or more. They are white, usually blotched with brown. 6 c This description, as one or two of the others, is gathered from those of other writers. 368 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (c). Size has always a fascination for the world, The }*onng collector prizes a hawk's egg more than that of the rarest warbler. The egg is big, the bird that laid it is big, the nest in which it was laid is big, the tree in which the nest was built is big, and the wood in which the tree grows is big. In much the same spirit, the world has called the eagle and lion king respectively of birds and beasts, on account of their large size and carnivorous tastes. But modern writers have assured us that the lion is not a hero, that he is even a coward, that he does not deserve his title, which might better be bestowed upon the , Royal Bengal Tiger. The eagle, however, though inferior in activity, speed, and spirit, to the little Sparrow Hawk, better merits the distinction, from the majesty of his appearance and the sublimity of his flight. But he cannot justly be considered superior to all other birds, since he is merely a large " hen hawk," who does not hesitate in many cases to feed on carrion or on the spoils which he robs from more industrious laborers than himself. The Golden Eagles are extremely rare in Massachusetts, and are probably to be ranked as merely accidental winter-visitors. They are resident in mountainous and thinly populated districts of northern and possibly western New England. 9 Mr. Brewster says that " a pair have bred for years on the cliff directly over the Profile House. They could be seen at almost any hour of the day scaling about their eyrie, uttering loud screams, but were especially noisy and active from sunset to dark." The Golden Eag'es are so averse to the encroachments of man, that I can find no mention of their being common in any much inhabited district, but the immense tracts of forest, and the high mountain-ranges, in their usual haunts, enable them to live remote from civilization. I have occasionally seen them among the White Mountains. They may sometimes be ob- served sailing at a vast height in wide circles, but with no per- ceptible effort. I have watched them for hours, but only once have I seen them plunge. One, who had been sailing for a long while at the elevation of several hundred feet, suddenly closed his wings and dropped with astounding velocity, which OF NEW ENGLAND. 369 might well take one's breath away. In his fall he disappeared behind some woods, and I did not see him again. The keen- ness of vision which this species must possess is wonderful, but at how great a height they can distinctly perceive their prey is uncertain. I have seen one sail at some distance above the peak of Mount Lafayette, at least a mile above the sea- level, and, on crossing a valley beneath, suddenly descend, as if his attention had been attracted by an object four thousand feet beneath. Could man from the top of a monument twenty times as high as that of Bunker Hill distinctly see a cat di- rectly beneath, or a fawn at the distance of two or three miles, even if not running through grass or woods ? Yet man might distinctly see and recognize a tolerably small quadruped at the distance of a mile in a clear, level space, whence it seems possible that the powers of horizontal and perpendicular vision are somewhat distinct, even when the same surface of a body is seen. Audubon says^ of these birds that " } 7 oung fawns, racoons, hares, wild turkeys, and other large birds, are their usual food, and they devour putrid flesh only when hard pressed by hunger, none alighting on carrion at any other time." (rf). The screams of the Golden Eagle are loud, harsh, and rather savage, " resembling at times," says Audubon, " the barking of a dog, especially about the breeding season, when they become extremely noisy and turbulent, * * * ." VIII. HALIAKTUS (A) LEUCOCEPHALUS. " Bald " Eagle. White-headed Eagle. "Bird of Washington." (In some parts of New England not uncommon.) (a). 30-40 inches long. Tarsus naked. Dark brown. Head, tail, and tail-coverts, white. Young with little or no white. (b). The nest is much like that of the Fish Hawk in every ' respect. It is often, however, "partly composed of sods, and is commonly built in the top of a dead tree." The eggs, most often two in number, are laid in the early part of spring, or even in winter. They are nearly three inches long, or more, and are impure white or yellowish. 25 370 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (c). The "Bald" Eagles, unfortunately selected as emblems of their country, are residents, at least in summer, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. They are common in many parts of northern New England, particularly along the coast of Maine. In Massachusetts, they no longer breed, ex- cept in a few places to the westward, but they occasionally appear along the shore, even in summer, when they undoubt- edly often wander far in search of food. Wilson's picture of this bird is in spirit one of the finest portrait-paintings from nature, which it has ever been my good fortune to see, and, as his biography is scarcely less admirable, I shall quote several passages from it, adding a few observations not there recorded. u This bird has been long known to naturalists, being common to both continents, and occasionally met with from a veiy high northern latitude, to the borders of the torrid zone, but chiefly in the vicinity of the sea, and along the shores and cliffs of our lakes and large rivers. Formed by nature for braving the severest cold ; feeding equally on the produce of the sea, and of the land ; possessing powers of flight capable of outstripping even the tempests themselves ; unawed by any- thing but man ; and from the ethereal heights to which he soars, looking abroad, at one glance, on an immeasurable ex- panse of forests, fields, lakes and ocean, deep below him, he appears indifferent to the little localities of change of seasons ; as in a few minutes he can pass from summer to winter, from the lower to the higher regions of the atmosphere, the abode of eter- nal cold, and from thence descend at will to the torrid or the arctic regions of the earth. He is therefore found at all sea- sons in the countries he inhabits ; but prefers such places as have been mentioned above, from the great partiality he has for fish. " In procuring these he displays, in a very singular manner, the genius and energy of his character, which is fierce, con- templative, daring and tyrannical ; attributes not exerted but on particular occasions ; but when put forth, overpowering all opposition. Elevated on the high dead lirnb of some gigantic' tree that commands a wide view of the neighboring shore and ocean, he seems calmly to contemplate the motions of the vari- ous feathered tribes that pursue their busy avocations below OF NEW ENGLAND. 371 the snow white Gulls slowly winnowing the air; the busy Tringae coursing along the sands ; trains of Ducks streaming over the surface ; silent and watchful Cranes, intent and wa- ding ; clamorous Crows, and all the winged multitudes that subsist by the bounty of this vast liquid magazine of nature. High over all these hovers one, whose action instantly arrests all his attention. B} r his wide curvature of wing, and sudden suspension in the air, he knows him to be the Fish-Hawk, settling over some devoted victim of the deep. His eye kin- dles at the sight, and balancing himself, with half opened wings, on the branch, he watches the result. Down, rapid as an arrow from heaven, descends the distant object of his atten- tion, the roar of its wings reaching his ear as it disappears in the deep, making the surges foam around ! At this moment the eager looks of the Eagle are all ardor ; and levelling his neck for flight, he sees the Fish-Hawk once more emerge, struggling with his prey, and mounting in the air with screams of exultation. These are the signal for our hero, who, launch- ing into the air, instantly gives chace, soon gains on the Fish- Hawk, each exerts his utmost to mount above the other, dis- playing in these rencontres the most elegant and sublime aerial evolutions. The unincumbered Eagle rapid lj r advances, and is just on the point of reaching his opponent, when with a sudden scream probably of despair and honest execration, the latter drops his fish ; the Eagle poising himself for a moment, as if to take a .more certain aim, descends like a whirlwind, snatches it in his grasp ere it reaches the water, and bears his ill-gotten booty silently away to the woods." " When driven, as he sometimes is, by the combined courage and perseverance of the Fish-Hawks from their neighbourhood, and forced to hunt for himself, he retires more inland, in search of young pigs, of which he destroys great numbers. In the lower parts of Virginia and North Carolina, where the inhabitants raise vast herds of those animals, complaints of this kind are very general against him. He also destroys young lambs in the early part of spring ; and will sometimes attack old sickly sheep, aiming furiously at their eyes." " The appetite of the Bald Eagle, tho habituated to long 372 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS fasting, is of the most voracious and often the most indelicate kind. Fish, when he can obtain them, are preferred to all other fare. Young lambs and pigs are dainty morsels, and made free with on all favorable occasions. Ducks, Geese, Gulls and other sea fowl, are also seized with avidity. The most putrid carrion, when nothing better can be had, is accept- able ; and the collected groups of gormandizing Vultures, on the approach of this dignified personage, instantly disperse, and make way for their master, waiting his departure in sullen silence, and at a respectful distance, on the adjacent trees." "The flight of the Bald Eagle, when taken into considera- tion with the ardor and energy of his character, is noble and interesting. Sometimes the human eye can just discern him, like a minute speck, moving in slow curvatures along the face of the heavens, as if reconnoitring the earth at that immense dis- tance. Sometimes he glides along in a direct horizontal line, at a vast height, with expanded and unmoving wings, till he gradually disappears in the distant blue ether. Seen gliding in easy circles over the high shores and mountainous cliffs that tower above the Hudson and Susquehanna, he attracts the eye of the intelligent voyager, and adds great interest to the scen- ery. At the great cataract of Niagara, already mentioned, there rises from the gulf into which the falls of the Horse-shoe descends, a stupendous column of smoke, or spray, reaching to the heavens, and moving off in large black clouds, accord- ing to the direction of the wind, forming a very striking and majestic appearance. The Eagles are here seen sailing about, sometimes losing themselves in this thick column, and again reappearing in another place, with such ease and elegance of motion, as renders the whole truly sublime. High o'er the watery uproar, silent seen, Sailing sedate in majesty serene, Now midst the sprays sublimely lost, And now, emerging, down the rapids tost, Glides the Bald Eagle, gazing, calm and slow O'er all the horrors of the scene below; Intent alone to sate himself with blood, 1 From the torn victims of the raging flood." Wilson elsewhere says : " The Eagle is said to live to a OF NEW ENGLAND. 373 great age, sixty, eight}', and as some assert, one hundred years. This circumstance is remarkable, when we consider the seem- ing intemperate habits of the bird. Sometimes fasting, through necessity, for several days, and at other times gorging itself with animal food till its craw swells out the plumage of that part, forming a large protuberance on the breast." The Bald Eagles do not invariably sail when ftying, but often progress by a continuous beating of the wings. They also oc- casionally plunge through the air, even doing so, it has been stated, from a height of several thousand feet, with a loud rustle, which may be heard at a considerable distance. Though notorious for .their robbing of the Fish Hawks, they sometimes condescend to fish for themselves in the manner of those birds. This fact I have personally witnessed, and it has been corrobo- rated by other naturalists. They also attack wild-fowl, espec- ially if wounded, and have been known, on finding a crippled Brant, to plant themselves upon it, and, spreading their wings, to sail to shore. (d): The Bald Eagles are usually silent. A yoiing one, which I observed in confinement, snored when sleeping, and, when awake, frequently hissed or uttered extraordinary sounds, suggestive of the pig-sty, though not unlike disagreeable laugh- ter. These are the chief items of interest which I can add to Wilson's account. IX. PANDION (A) HALIAETUS (var. CAROLiNENSis). Fish Haivk. (Ameri- can) Osprey. (In New England, a summer-resident, but very rare in Mas- sachusetts. (a). About two feet long. Under parts, and the head, white. Eye-stripe, and the upper parts, dark. Tail, banded. Breast, spotted or streaked with brown. Feet, large and stout, pre- senting, as does the plumage, certain peculiarities. (6). The nest is extremely large, being usually repaired and added to from year to year. It is composed of sticks, of which there is often a cart-load, and is lined with sea-weed, or other 374 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS coarse materials. It is built in a tree, near some body of water, sometimes several being near together. It is placed at various heights above the ground, but often near the top, even of a dead tree. In New England, two, three, or four eggs are laid about the first of May, or sometimes later. They average 2'40 X 1*70 of an inch, and are usually creamy, buff, or red- dish, thickly spotted and blotched with rich brown of several shades, some of which are dark and others reddish. Occasion- ally the eggs are white, with a few large markings of umber- brown. (c). The Fish Hawks, like their tormentors the "Bald" Eagles, are summer-residents in Florida, Arctic countries, and the lands between, but, unlike them, are very migratory, and do not winter in New England, where from April until late in the autumn they are common. They are rare, however, in Massachusetts, except during the migrations, and are said to breed no longer along the coast of this State, though a few undoubtedly do so in the interior, of which I have had satis- factory evidence. They are everywhere most numerous on the sea-shore (as is observable in 'Maine), but they also resort to the neighborhood of rivers and large inland bodies of water. They are everywhere characterized by their sociability and af- fection, their perseverance and industry. The} r are well known frequently to migrate and build their nests in companies, to remain mated for life, and to feed their young longer, even more abundantly, than any other hawks. Though repeatedly robbed by the tyrannical eagles, they continue to fish undis- heartened, and are said never to feed in any other way. Their method of obtaining their prey is so interesting, that were it not known even to children, from being frequently de- scribed in books, it would daily excite wonder. It cannot, however, fail to hold the attention of any one who may see it for the first time, and I have never looked upon one of these birds without instinctively watching his motions. The flight of the Fish Hawk is much varied, but he may always be recog- nized by the prominent bend of his wings. When traveling directly forward, he flies with rather heavy flappings, not un- OF NEW ENGLAND. 375 like those of a heron, which are relieved by sailing. When hunting, he more often moves in circles, and frequently at a considerable height. He often deceives some eager spectator by diving, as if to make a plunge, but he suddenly resumes his course, and continues to sail quietly. Finally he becomes absorbed in gazing at the movements of his prey ; then, hov- ering for a moment, plunges head-long, and, disappearing be- neath the surface, dashes up the foam. Sometimes he seizes so large a prize that a desperate struggles ensues, in which now the fish and then the bird appears out of his element, and it is said that he occasionally loses his life through being im- prudent or too ambitious. Generally, however, he at once rises, and with his prey in his talons, flies to the shore, where, if not molested by robbers, he feeds in some tree upon his well earned meal. He is either no glutton, or has an insatiable appetite, for he is seldom or never seen gorged, but, when not eating, or necessarily at rest, he continues his active search. I do not know what are the largest fish that he catches, but I have been assured that one, which a bird dropped upon being frightened, weighed fully six pounds. The Fish Hawks are very spirited, and have been known to wound seriously in- truders upon their nests, which, by the way, they are said by Wilson to repair in autumn to withstand the winter. (d). Their notes are various, being sometimes piercing screams, but at other times a succession of agreeable whistles. 28. The American vultures (CATHARTIDJE) have the head chiefly naked, and the hind-toe not on a level with the others, which are slightly webbed. Two southern species, the Turkey "Buzzard" 7 (Cathartes aura) and the Carrion "Crow" (C. atratus), have accidentally occurred in Massachusetts once or twice. The former is very dark ; " head red ; feet flesh- colored ; bill white. * * * * ; tail rounded. Length about 2 feet; extent 6 % ; wing 2; tail 1. U. S., from Atlantic to 7 See, for authority, " The Naturalists' Guide," of Mr. Mayiiard, p. 137, IGOth species. 376 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS Pacific, and somewhat northward ; abundant in more southern portions ; resident as far north as New Jersey. Nests on the ground, or near it, in hollow stumps and logs, generally breed- ing in communities ; eggs commonly two, creamy white, blotched and speckled, 2J X 1|." Coues. The Carrion " Crow," or Black Vulture, has the wings paler beneath, and the hind- head feathered ; " head dusky ; bill and feet grayish-yellow. * * * ; tail square. Smaller than aura, in linear dimensions, but a heavier bird ; length about 2 feet ; wing 1 ; tail -. The difference in size and shape between this species and aura is strikingly displayed when the birds are flying together, as con- stantly occurs in the Southern States ; there is also a radical difference in the mode of flight, this species never sailing for any distance without flapping the wings. Nesting the same : eggs similar, but larger, or at any rate more elongate ; 3^ X 2. Chiefly South Atlantic and Gulf States, there very numerous, far outnumbering the tuikey buzzard, and semi-domesticated in the towns ; N. regularly to North Carolina, thence strag- gling even to Massachusetts and Maine ;" etc. (Coues.) As the vultures are of wholly accidental occurrence in New England, and as their more characteristic habits are well known, I shall not here present their biographies, which I should be obliged to borrow from other writers. Some remarks as to their prominent peculiarities have already been presented among those on the birds of prey, at the beginning of this chapter. OF NEW ENGLAND. 377 CHAPTER IV. FIFTH ORDER. " AN essential character," says Dr. Coues, " of birds of this order is seen in the structure of the bill : horny and convex at the tip, somewhat contracted in the continuity, furnished at the base with a soft swollen membrane in which the nostrils open. There are four toes, three anterior, generally cleft, but occasionally with a slight basal web, and one behind, with a few exceptions perfectly insistent or not obviously elevated. The feet are never lengthened ; the tarsus is commonly shorter than the toes, either scutellate or extensively feathered anteri- orly, reticulate on the sides and behind, the envelope rather membranous than corneous. The plumage is destitute of after- shafts. * * * ." As this order is in North America repre- sented but by one family, the well-known pigeons (including the doves), it is unnecessary to detail further its peculiar features. The two species of New England are excellent t}'pes. Their habit, however, of feeding their young by regur- gitation from the crop may here be remarked. The true "Game-birds" (Chapter V), all belong to the subclass, Cursores, or " terrestrial birds," and to the two orders, GalUnce and Grallatores. The Gallince include the grouse, with the tarsi more or less feathered, and the par- tridges or quail, with naked tarsi. Dr. Coues ranks these as subfamilies, dividing our species into Tetraonince, or true grouse, and Odontophorince, or American partridges. The Grallatores include the Snipe and Woodcock, who both belong to the same family of the suborder Limicolce. or shore-birds. (It may be added that the Odontophorince, or Ortygince, are usually ranked as subfamilies of the Perdicidce, or partridges, while the grouse are ranked separately as Tetraonidce. This latter arrangement has been followed -in this volume.) It is to be remarked that the pigeons (Columbidce, 29) 378 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS show an affinity in several ways to the Raptores, or birds of prey, as well as in structure to the Gallince. I. ECTOPISTES (A) MIGRATORIUS. Wild Pigeon. Passenger Pigeon. (In Massachusetts, most common as a migrant). (a). About sixteen inches long. Tail-feathers twelve. , above, dull-blue ; beneath, dull red, paler behind. Sides of the neck highly metallic. Back, and part of the wings, olive- tinged. Shoulders black-spotted. Primaries, and long middle tail-feathers, black (or dark) ; the former variously edged. Outer tail-feathers white or bluish ; their inner webs black, and chestnut, at the base. 9 , much duller above, and blue or gray beneath. (6). The nest, a frail structure of twigs, is built on some branch in the woods. In April or May, according to latitude, one or two eggs are laid. These are elliptical, and pure white, and measure about 1'50 X 1*10 of an inch. (c). No birds could more appropriately be chosen as em- blems of their country than the Wild Pigeons. They occur throughout a large part of North America, and often in such prodigious numbers, that single companies have been estimated to contain fifty times as many pigeons as there are now inhab- itants in the United States. They wander almost continually in search of their food, which consists chiefly of grain, seeds, beech-nuts, acorns, and berries. They possess great power of flight, and move with a rapid beating of the wings at the rate of sixty miles an hour or often more. On alighting, they flap the wings violently, as if to break the force of their impetus. If frightened from their roosts (to which they frequently resort several nights in succession), the} 7 " rise with a loud roar. When on the ground, they invariably walk, but with no little grace. Many of their habits may be traced in those of tame pigeons, and in the appearance of a single individual there is often a striking analogy to that of a hawk. In many places they have become comparatively rare through the excessive persecution of man, in addition to the raids made upon them by birds of OF NEW ENGLAND. 379 prey. This is eminently the case in New England, where they were once abundant. In summer they are now chiefly confined to the northern and wilder districts, but in winter they may occasionally be seen in more southern portions. They are most abundant near Boston as migrants in April and October. There is a low pine-wood within the present limits of the city, in which I have known flocks of several hundreds to roost every year, but I have never known them to be disturbed. The Wild Pigeons are still wonderfully numerous in many parts of the Western States, and it was there that Wilson made such observations as can no longer be repeated in any place, where I have seen these birds. Though toward the latter end of my work obliged to quote more often than I had hoped would be necessary, I do not hesitate to present to my readers several extracts from Wilson's extremely interesting biography. After speaking of their range, he says: "But the most remarkable characteristic of these birds is their associating together, both in their migrations and also during the period of incubation, in such prodigious numbers as almost to surpass belief ; and which has no parallel among any other of the feath- ered tribes, on the face of the earth, with which naturalists are acquainted. " These migrations appear to be undertaken rather in quest of food, than merely to avoid the cold of the climate ; since we find them lingering in the northern regions around Hudson's Bay so late as December ; and since their appearance is so casual and irregular ; sometimes not visiting certain districts for several years in any considerable numbers, while at other times they are innumerable. I have witnessed these migra- tions in the Genessee Country often in Pennsylvania, and also in various parts of Virginia, with amazement ; but all that I had then seen of them were mere straggling parties, when compared with the congregated millions which I have since be- held in our western forests, in the States of Ohio, Kentucky, and the Indiana territory. These fertile and extensive regions abound with the nutritious beech nut, which constitutes the 380 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS chief food of the Wild Pigeon. In seasons when these nuts are abundant, corresponding multitudes of Pigeons may be confidently expected. It sometimes happens that having con- sumed the whole produce of the beech trees in an extensive district, they discover another at a distance perhaps of sixty or eighty miles, to which they regularly repair every morning, and return as regularly in the course of the day, or in the evening, to their general place of rendezvous, or as it is usually called, the roosting place. These roosting places are always in the woods, and sometimes occupy a large extent of forest. When they have frequented one of these places for some time the appearance it exhibits is surprising. The ground is covered to the depth of several inches with their dung ; all the tender grass and underwood destroyed ; the surface strewed with large limbs of trees broken down by the weight of the birds cluster- ing one above another ; and the trees themselves, for thousands of acres, killed as completely as if girdled with an axe. The marks of this desolation remain for many years on the spot ; and numerous places could be pointed out where for several years after scarce a single vegetable made its appearance." In speaking of their breeding-places, Wilson sa} T s : "In the western countries above mentioned, these are generally in beech woods, and often extend in nearly a straight line across the country for a great wa3 r . Not far from Shelbyville in the state of Kentucky, about five years ago, there was one of these breeding places, which stretched through the woods in nearly a north and south direction ; was several miles in breadth, and was said to be upwards of forty miles in extent ! In this tract almost every tree was furnished with nests, wherever the branches could accommodate them. The Pigeons made their first appearance there about the tenth of April, and left it alto- gether, with their young, before the twenty-fifth of May. "As soon as the young were fully grown, and before they left their nests, numerous parties of the inhabitants, from all parts of the adjacent country, came with waggons, axes, beds, cooking utensils, many of them accompanied by the greater part of their families, and encamped for several days at this immense OF NEW ENGLAND. 381 nursery. Several of them informed me, that the noise in the woods was so great as to terrify their horses, and that it was difficult for one person to hear another speak without bawling in his ear. The ground was strewed with broken limbs of trees, eggs, and young squab Pigeons, which had been precipitated from above, and on which herds of hogs were fattening. Hawks, Buzzards and Eagles were sailing about in great numbers, and seizing the squabs from their nests at pleasure ; while from twenty feet upwards to the tops of the trees the view through the woods presented a perpetual tumult of crowding and flut- tering multitudes of pigeons, their wings roaring like thunder ; mingled with the frequent crash of falling timber ; for now the axe-men were at work cutting down those trees that seemed to be most crowded with nests, and contrived to fell them in such a manner, that in their descent they might bring down several others ; by which means the falling of one large tree sometimes produced two hundred squabs, little inferior in size to the old ones, and almost one mass of fat. On some single trees upwards of one hundred nests were found, each contain- ing one young only, a circumstance in the history of this bird not generally known to naturalists. It was dangerous to walk under these flying and fluttering millions, from the frequent fall of large branches, broken down by the weight of the multitudes above, and which in their descent often destroyed numbers of the birds themselves ; * * *." "I had left the public road to visit the remains of the breed- ing place near Shelbyville, and was traversing the woods with my gun, on my way to Frankfort, when about one o'clock the Pigeons, which I had observed flying the greater part of the morning northerly, began to return in such immense numbers as I never before had witnessed. Coming to an opening by a side of a creek called the Benson, where I had a more uninter- rupted view, I was astonished at their appearance. They were ftying with great steadiness and rapidity, at a height beyond gun shot, in several strata deep, and so close together that could shot have reached them, one discharge could not have failed of bringing down several individuals. From right to left 382 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS far as the eye could reach, the breadth of this vast procession extended ; seeming everywhere equally crowded. Curious to determine how long this appearance would continue, I took out my watch to note the time, and sat down to observe them. It was- then half past one. I sat for more than an hour, but in- stead of a diminution of this prodigious procession, it seemed rather to increase both in numbers and rapidity ; and, anxious to reach Frankfort before night, I rose and went on. About four o'clock in the afternoon I crossed the Kentucky river, at the town of Frankfort, at which time the living torrent above my head seemed as numerous and as extensive as ever. Long after this I observed them, in large bodies that continued to pass for six or eight minutes, and these again were followed by other detached bodies, all moving in the same south-east direc- tion till after six in the evening." "* * * To form a rough estimate of the daily consumption of one of these immense flocks, let us first attempt to calculate the numbers of that above mentioned as seen in passing between Frankfort and Indiana territory. If we suppose this column to have been a mile in breadth (and I believe it to have been much more) and that it moved at the rate of one mile in a minute ; four hours, the time it continued passing, would make its whole length two hundred and forty miles. Again, suppos- ing that each square yard of this moving body comprehended three Pigeons ; the square yards in the whole space multiplied by three, would give two thousand two hundred and thirty millions, two hundred and seventy-two thousand pigeons ! An almost inconceivable multitude, and yet probably far below the actual amount. Computing each of these to consume half a pint of mast daily, the whole quantity at this rate would equal seventeen millions, four hundred and twenty-four thousand bushels per clay ! Heaven has wisely and graciously given to these birds rapidity of flight arid a disposition to range over vast uncultivated tracts of the earth ; otherwise they must have perished in the districts where they resided, or devoured up the whole productions of agriculture as well as those of the forests. OF NEW ENGLAND. 383 "A few observations on the mode of flight of these birds must not be omitted. The appearance of large detached bodies of them in the air, and the various evolutions they display, are strikingly picturesque and interesting. In descending the Ohio by myself in the month of February, I often rested on my oars to contemplate their aerial manoeuvres. A column, eight or ten miles in length, would appear from Kentucky, high in air, steering across to Indiana. The leaders of this great body would sometimes gradually vary their course, until it formed a large bend of more than a mile in diameter, those behind trac- ing the. exact route of their predecessor*. This would continue sometimes long after both extremities were beyond the reach of sight, so that the whole with its glittery undulations, marked a space on the face of the heavens resembling the windings of a vast and majestic river. When this bend became very great, the birds, as if sensible of the unnecessary circuitous course they were taking, suddenly changed their direction, so that what was before in column became an immense front, straight- ening all its indentures, until it swept the heavens in one vast and infinitely extended line. Other lesser bodies also united with each other, as they happened to approach, with such ease and elegance of evolution, forming new figures, and varying these as they united or separated that I was never tired of con- templating them. Sometimes a Hawk would make a sweep on a particular part of the column, from a great height, when, almost as quick as lightning, that part shot downwards out -of the common track ; but soon rising again, continued advancing at the same height as before ; this inflection was continued by those behind, who on arriving at this point dived down, almost perpendicularly, to a great depth, and rising followed the exact path of those that went before. * * *." u Happening to go ashore one charming afternoon, to pur- chase some milk at a house that stood near the river, and while talking with the people within doors, I was suddenly struck with astonishment at a loud rushing roar, succeeded by instant darkness, which, on the first moment, I took for a tornado about to overwhelm the house and every thing around in de- 384 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS struction. The people observing my surprise, cooll} T said, * It is only the Pigeons ;' * * * ." (d). The Wild Pigeons have a cooing not unlike that of the domestic birds. This is a love-note, and may be heard in spring. Audubon says : " The common notes resemble the monosyllables kee-kee-kee-'kee, the first being the loudest, the others gradually diminishing in power." II. ZEN^EDURA (A) CAROLINENSIS. Carolina Dove. "Turtle Dove." Mourn- ing Dove. (In New England, a summer-resident.) (a). About twelve inches long. Tail- feathers fourteen, and bluish ; the outer ones singly black-barred and white-tipped. Feet carmine (and not yellow). Otherwise essentially like the Wild Pigeon (I), but more brownish, and with a black spot on the side of the head. (6). The nest is a frail structure of twigs, built in the woods or sometimes in orchards. Two white and (nearly) elliptical eggs, measuring about 1 % 10 X '80 of an inch, are laid in May. (c). The Carolina Doves differ distinctly from the Wild Pigeons in being regularly migratory, very much less grega- rious, only small flocks being ever seen in" New England, in not roosting closely together in trees, and in flying with a loud whistle of the wing, and seldom at a great height. They do not occur to the northward of Southern New England, where they are summer-residents of great rarity in many places, though common, according to Mr. Maynard, on Cape Cod. I have seen them from March until October. They frequent open woods and grounds, grain-fields, pastures, and even, it is said, barn-yards. There they may be seen, often in companies, now walking sedately, now more rapidty, and picking up the seeds, grain, berries, etc., upon which they feed. Occasionally they alight on fences, and flirt their long and handsome tails.. They are eminently affectionate toward one another, but toward man they are often shy. (d). Besides a low chuckle, they have a peculiar and very OF NEW ENGLAND. 385 striking cooing, one of the saddest sounds in nature, though sweet, and wholly inexpressive of the true feelings of the doves. It usually consists of four notes, which suggest the sobs and moans of a most disconsolate lover, or of a person in. the deepest distress. The briefness of this last biography will, it is hoped, be excused. The author approaches the end of his long though pleasurable labors with a certain feeling of eager- ness and relief, though glad to have paid even a slight tribute to nature, science, and the inauguration of a second centuiy in the life of his country, for, through an unforeseen coincidence, as he writes these last words, the distant boom of cannon on Boston Common announces the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. 26 386 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS CHAPTER V. THE GAME-BIRDS. (SEE 29.) 30. Tetraonidao. Grouse. I. TETRAO (CANACE) (A) CANADENSis. 1 Canada Grouse. " Spruce Partridge." (A resident of northern New England, but in Massachusetts accidental.) (a). About sixteen inches long. <, black; waved with a paler shade above, and extensively edged on the breast and sides with white. "Eye-brow" red. Head and wings with a few white markings. Tail, usually of sixteen feathers, and broadly tipped with orange-brown. Brown markings sometimes occur elsewhere in the male, and in the female are persistently numerous. (b). The eggs, which are laid upon the ground, are described by Mr. Samuels as " of a beautiful yellowish-buff color, with spots and blotches of two shades of brown : one a purplish- brown ; the other, a burnt sienna." In size they differ but little from those of the Ruffed Grouse. (c). The Canada Grouse are common residents in many parts of northern New England, especially Northern Maine, but in Massachusetts they are of accidental occurrence, and I find records of only two captures in this State, one u in the hemlock woods of Gloucester, in September, 1851, another at .Roxbury." These birds are rare among the White Mountains, so far as I know, as I have but occasionally seen them there. 1 The White or Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus oftws) is said to occur as a winter visitant in Northern New England. At this time it is characterized by the pure white plumage, and its black confined to the tail. In summer it is marked with black and browns. It is about sixteen inches long. An allied but "rather smaller " species, confined to Arctic America, has a slenderer bill, and, in the male, a black eye-stripe. The ptarmigans have feathered toes. N. B. The Wild Turkey has for many years been exterminated in New Eng- land. OF NEW ENGLAND. 387 Their chief haunts are evergreen-swamps, where, if approached by man, they sometimes exhibit a surprising tameness, the mother of a young brood not hesitating boldl} 7 to defend her charge. Their habits are essentially like those of our u Par- tridges," who likewise, in wild places, if disturbed while with their young, often fly at the intruder, generally attacking his feet, after which they immediately retreat to collect the little ones, who have meanwhile hidden. (d). The Canada Grouse, like their better known relatives, drum loudly ; at least I have strong reasons to believe so, with- out having seen them in the act. Their ordinary note is a chuck. II. CUPIDONIA (A) CUPIDO. Pinnated Grouse. "Prairie lien." (In New England, formerly somewhat common, but now almost or quite extinct.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Above, marked trans- versety with black, white, and brown. Beneath, tawny, whiten- ing behind. Throat often unmarked, but breast, etc., barred with white (and brown). Wings and tail, dull brown, generally marked with white. $ , with long feathers on the neck, which when erected, form two prominent "wings," also with red "eye- brows," and beneath the "wings" a piece of skin, which can be distended so as much to resemble a half-orange. (6). The eggs, which are laid on the ground, are brownish- drab or lighter, and average about 1*65 X 1*35 of an inch. (c). The celebrated '* Prairie Hens" are here included among the birds of New England, only on account of their possible presence on a few islands off the South-eastern Coast. I am informed, however, that they no longer exist on Naushon, where they are not known to have ever been indigenous, and that they are probably extinct on Martha's Vine} r ard. Having never seen these birds alive, I am obliged to draw my account from other authors. The Pinnated Grouse show a marked dislike for water, and choose dry, wooded soils for their haunts, such as are called "barrens." They feed chiefly upon berries, and 388 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS also acorns. They usually roost upon the ground, but often resort to trees, especially in cold weather, during which they continue to reside in their summer-haunts. They fly less rap- idly and with less whirr than the Ruffed Grouse, and walk rather less gracefully. At the mating-season, the males become very pompous and pugnacious. They meet in the morning at an early 4iour, and engage in fierce combat. (d). It is at this time that they produce their peculiar boom- ing, or "tooting," which is so loud that it may be heard at the distance of several miles. Their ordinary note is the chucking which belongs to other grouse. The " Prairie Hens " are still abundant in the West, whence thousands are forwarded to Eastern markets. Their gradual extermination is greatly to be regretted. III. BONASA (A) UMBELLUS. Ruffed Grouse. "Partridge" "Pheasant" (In many parts of New England, a common resident throughout the year.) (a). About eighteen inches long. Above, reddish-brown, with numerous gray edgings. Erectile crown-feathers, and in- terscapulars, marked with black. Ruff-feathers on the sides of the neck, dark brown or black, with two or three metallic bars. Back, minutely speckled with black, and streaked with light grayish spots, which are black-edged. Tail, gra}', with a broad subterminai black band ; elsewhere paler, or reddish, barred and finely vermiculated with black. Primaries marked with whitish on the outer webs. Under parts, tawn}^ becoming white behind. Throat, unmarked or slightly waved ; breast, with dull brown bars, dark-edged above ; sides, with umber bars. The tail usually has eighteen feathers, arid is rounded, as in the " Prairie Hen," but is considerably longer. The auriculars (or ear-feathers) are long and loose. (6). The eggs average 1-65 X 1 '25 of an inch, vary from drab-buff to rich reddish buff, and are sometimes spotted. From eight to fifteen are laid together in the latter part of May. The nest consists of a few leaves and grasses placed MAILED Jt^is\ <7 / a OF NEW ENGLAND. 389 on the ground, beside a log, rock, or tree, in the woods. It is most often to be found in or near swampy lands. The last which I examined, which contained eight fresh eggs about the twenty-fifth of May, was placed in the " scrub," beneath an interlacing of fallen switches. It was a hollow, about nine inches in diameter, and was lined chiefly with bits of dry fern. Fig. 20. Ruffed Grouse (). (c). 2 Had our forefathers been as intolerant of error in matters of science as in matters of faith, and had they wished, in npplj'ing familiar names to common objects, that the Eng- lish should obtain by comparison an accurate impression of what was found here, our Ruffed Grouse would have been 9 This biography, and the three following, have been contributed by a friend. ' 390 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS called " Wood Grouse," and not " Partridges," for they are grouse, though they differ strikingly from the English birds of that name, as well as from our own " Pinnated Grouse," in frequenting the woods, in the whiteness of their meat, in their want of sociability, and finally in their markings. The three birds differ but little in size. The Ruffed Grouse have in common with their English rela- tives an indifference to danger early in the season, and, a little later, cunning and wariness, combined with swiftness on the wing. They resemble in habits the British Pheasants, whence the name given to them in the South and parts of the Middle States ; and, since the English partridges scarcely re- semble at all their name-sakes in New England, it must be con- fessed that the "Southerners" have come nearer the mark, in calling the present species a pheasant. The Ruffed Grouse, or "Partridges," are very hardy, and, though not migratory, may be found from Newfoundland and the western British possessions to Georgia and New Mexico on the South and West. We shall here describe their habits in New England. In the spring and early summer may be heard that remark- able sound called " drumming." Whoever is fortunate enough to approach closely an old cock in the act of drumming, will be well rewarded for the trouble that he may have taken in so doing. Generally on a log or broad stump, or in a cleared spot, the bird will be seen, puffed like a turkey to twice his natural size, with his crest erect, his ruffs extended (as in the cut, fig. 20), and his tail spread, strutting about, lowering or twist- ing his neck and head, and then suddenly beating violently with his wings his inflated body. This causes a sound, which on a favorable day may be heard for a mile or two, and which is often repeated at intervals for some time. One can appreciate the muscular vitality of the wings and the rapidity of their motion, by endeavoring to imitate the sound on a cushion (or other surface) with the hand. It will be found impossible to equal or even to approach the rapidity of the repeated strokes. The eggs, deposited from day to day, are generally laid be- OF NEW ENGLAND. 391 fore the first of June, and mature in about eighteen days. The young leave the nest immediately, and find the greater part of their own food, though the hen sometimes offers them a few morsels. At this time, the latter part of June, and indeed through the rest of the summer, the young broods commonly frequent low, moist grounds in thick coverts, where food is abundant and water at hand, and there they are sure to be met with in a search for summer Woodcock. Should a brood be disturbed, while still with the hen, the latter feigns lameness, and decoys the intruder awa}-, suffering him to put his hand almost upon her, uttering a clucking of anxiety, until she thinks him at a safe distance from her young, when she darts off on the wing, her chicks having meantime hidden, and leaves the deluded victim of this pretty ruse to wonder alone. Some- times, she even bristles up and attacks the offender, as well as she can, and much like a brooding hen. If the first nest be destroyed, a second hatching is often en- tered upon. The } T oung increase rapidly in size, and by the first of September are two-thirds grown. Until then they re- main more or less together in a covey, and, if undisturbed, even do so until the following spring. While young, they suffer severely from exposure to unusual weather, especially to cold and heavy rains, which are very destructive. Moreover, a species of wood-tick attacks them in summer, inserting its tri- angular head beneath the skin. It is said to be especially dan- gerous, when it attaches itself to the bird's head or neck, but, at all events, many birds suffer from it. They are also often infested with lice, and are occasionally troubled by a kind of bott-worm, which resembles a large maggot, and which must be fatal, since it reaches the flesh. In the first part of the shooting-season, whether it be Sep- tember or October, tolerable sport may be had with the birds over a gun, if they have not been disturbed previously, and if they are abundant and in passable woods, though in the wilderness or rough forest they can only be shot while sta- tionary, as the woods are usually too thick and encumbered to allow of shooting at them on the wing. In such places, or 392 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS wherever the birds are not suspicious of man, they often take to a tree, if pursued by a yelping cur or spaniel, and, appa- rently in a state of stupid wonder, allow the sportsman to walk up and shoot them. Except in the wilderness, however, it has never been my good fortune to have a covey wait, while, be- ginning with the lowest on the tree, I might shoot them one by one. This undoubtedly is and can be done, if the birds are wholly unsophisticated, but I caution young sportsmen against too firm a belief and too high hopes founded on such reports. Even with the very best of dogs, the newest kind of breech- loader, the very acme of skill, and an abundance of birds, it is very rarely the case that a good bag is made. The birds seldom lie well to a dog, but steal away so rapidly on foot, that, if the dog is slow and staunch, they get away altogether, or, if the dog follows at an equal pace, it is generally impossible, owing to the thickness of the cover, for you to follow at the same rate. Again, half of the birds, when startled, get into a tree, and one can see them neither in the tree nor when they leave it. So on with one vexation after another throughout the early season. As the leaves drop, the birds become more shy and wary, getting up, often silently, instead of with their usual whirr, at long distances, and often flying with immense rapidity. Yet it is a pleasure to kill them. They fall with a satisfactory thud, they fill up one's bag, and are a very good addition to the larder. A few lucky chances at these seduc- tive birds often inveigle the old and sagacious sportsman into trying them once more, though they all declare that the " Par- tridges " ought not to be ranked among game-birds. Sometimes, after a fall of light snow, the sportsman may pursue them suc- cessfully without a dog. He may also occasionally have good luck with a dog, on an exceptionally cold autumn morning, when the birds are more sluggish than usual. The Ruffed Grouse feed throughout the summer on various email fruits and berries, and upon such insects as come in their way. They eat also small acorns, blackberries, grapes, and beech-nuts. On the arrival of snow, they begin to feed on the buds of various trees and shrubs ; among others upon one or OF NEW ENGLAND. CV6 more kinds, which often render their flesh unwholesome and poisonous. As spring opens, the} 7 often eat the buds of apple- trees and birches, of both of which they are particularly fond. They are able to endure an excessive degree of cold, and, so long as they can find sufficient food, they do not apparently suffer from severe winters ; but some perish, like the Quail, from being caught beneath the crust of the snow, under which, as it falls, they frequently lie, contrary to their habit of roost- ing in trees. The flight of the Ruffed Grouse, when well under way, is very rapid, and undoubtedly these birds sometimes accomplish even the first forty yards of their flight in a second. They usually rise rather slowly, especially in thick woods, and at first afford an easy mark, unless late in the season, when, with a clear path, they go off with great speed. Having reached the level of the tree-tops, a few yards suffice for headway, and the latter part of their flight, extended sometimes to several hun- dred yards, is usually made with very little motion of the wings. (d). The ordinary note of the "Partridges" are a chuck or clucking, and the whining call of the hen to her young. 31. Perdicidse. Partridges. (See 29.) I. ORTYX (A) VIRGINIANUS. Quail. Partridge. "Bob White" (In south-eastern New England, a common resident.) (a). About nine inches long. ^ , with the crown-feathers somewhat erectile. Chief tint, reddish or chestnut-brown, some- . what restricted on the head, wanting on the tail and middle of the under parts, but becoming chestnut-red on the sides. Head,, with much black, but with the throat, forehead, superciliary line, and edging of the lower feathers, white. Upper parts marked with black, gray, and tawny. Tail gray, scarcely marked ; quills browner, slightly mottled with tawny. Breast, etc., waved or barred with black ; belly, chiefly white, and less marked. $ , with tints less bright, etc. ; the throat, etc., buff. (6). The nest is not unlike that of the Ruffed Grouse, but 394 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS it is more neatly constructed, being frequently lined with strips of bark, and is often built in more open or bushy places. The eggs average about 1*20 X 1*00 of an inch, are somewhat pointed, and are white (often slightly stained but not strictly spotted). They are laid in the latter part of May, and there are sometimes, according to Wilson, twenty-four in the same nest, in which case two or three females probably contribute to the laying. (c). The Quail are abundant in the three Southern States of New England, except in the colder and more hilly portions. They are not found much to the north or east of Boston, in the neighborhood of which, however, they are resident throughout the year. Our observations on them natu- rally begin at that season of the 3*ear when they re- linquish their habits of ex- treme cunning and vigil- ance for those of confi- dence in man's respect for domestic life, that is in the early part of summer. Though among the hardiest and most active of feath- ered creatures, they are prudent in spring, and do not commit themselves to the risks of incubation until they have received full assurance of fitting weather. In this respect they differ from the feebler but more venturesome Woodcock, whose premature en- deavors, founded upon the first deceptive smile of spring, to raise a family, are often defeated by an unexpected snow-storm. The Quail do not begin until May, when they announce the fact to all their neighbors within half a mile by their loud, frank, and cheery whistle, which is generally translated into Fig. 21. QuaU OF NEW ENGLAND. 395 our uncouth language as "Bob White." The male is not now constrained by fear, and, instead of any false pride, he has a proper sense of his own comely appearance. He knows that he is attending adequately to his department in the great busi- ness of nature, and is entirely willing that any one should see him. He has no fear of man, but he keeps an eye to the hawks, cats, and those other predatory enemies, who respect neither time, place, nor season. He is willing to take any amount of the family responsibility ; Nature cannot, ask too much of him ; he will whistle to two or three wives if necessary ; and he will even accept the law of Moses, and assume the part of husband towards his brother's widow. Should his wife pro- pose a family of fifteen instead of nine, he does not complain ; ancf, moreover, having escorted his young family about for a short time, he is ready to go through this once or even twice more. In fact, he carries his amiability and industry so far as often to introduce a half-grown family to the rigors of winter, so that it is not uncommon to find a covey of these little "cheepers," when hardly able to fly, even in November. A successful pair of Quail often turn out twenty-five young in a season. During the period of incubation, the Quail often ap- pear on our lawns, or on the walls and fences by the roadside. Though their bills are especially adapted to crushing, and their crops to dissolving small grains and seeds, they are also fond of grubs, worms, and other insects, and are thus useful in de- stroying the farmer's pests. When the armistice granted by law and custom is over, the male, with his family, seeks securer spots, becoming restless and active. From this time forward, he seeks safety in con- cealment and silence, and only betrays his presence by 'the plaintive call which his social instincts compel him to utter when separated from his companions, or by the treacherous scent of his body, which he cannot retain. Besides being very uncertain in his daily wanderings, especially to those who are unfamiliar with the locality, he is to a certain extent migratory ; but his migrations, unlike those of the true Quail of Europe, are always performed on foot, so far as possible. We believe that 396 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS this is not much the case in New England ; though, from the accidental appearance of a covey in the Berkshire hills, and in those of New Hampshire beyond the isothermal lines which mark the northern range of these birds, it may be inferred that they are very vagrant in their disposition. In Delaware and Maryland, however, coveys of Quail often appear, who are dis- tinctively called by the sportsmen there " runners." On the western side of the Chesapeake, an old sportsman assured me that covey after covej 1 ' passed through the country, where food and shelter were abundant, crossing the peninsula on foot, but often perishing by the wholesale in attempting to pass the wider inlets, and he added in proof of this that he had taken as many as forty at a time from the middle of the river near his house. To return to their habits here : At night, for at least many days in succession, the Quail select the same spot to sleep in, more usually in low ground, where the long grass affords shel- ter and warmth. There they encamp, not huddled together promiscuously and unadvisedly, but shoulder to shoulder in a circle, with their heads out, so that in the event of a sudden surprise they escape rapidly, and in every direction, without difficult}^. Such roosting-places may very often be found self- attesting, from the arrangement and accumulation of hard, round faeces. Though they rarely take to wing except when surprised, they almost invariably do so on leaving their roost in the morning, which they do at an early hour. Let us suppose ourselves to be accompanying Quail on a day's ramble. They first fly from the swamp, perhaps four or five hundred yards, to some copse adjoining a stubble-field. After a little toilet and a few sips of dew, they breakfast on the edge of the grain- field, keeping somewhat together, though each seeks for him- self, making an occasional demand for halves upon the lucky finder of some luscious morsel. Half an hour after sunrise, the birds have passed through the long field more rapidty than usual, since the dew is not heavy, owing to a breeze in the night. Otherwise, they might have skirted the field to avoid getting wet, which they much dislike. Having reached a fal- OF NEW ENGLAND. 397 low field, the old cock suddenly squats ; then, with wonderful rapidity and steps nearly eighteen inches long, he runs across this land, the others following. He passes through a dry oak- wood, halts a moment for the stragglers, takes breath, and then flies silently from the crest of the hill across the little valley below. These hurried movements are due to a lad with a gun and an old dog. The latter of these new comers stops suddenly as if paralyzed, and then steps along slowly and stealthily to that part of the stubble-field where the birds left it, stopping from time to time for his master to come up. Puz- zled, he now returns more rapidly, but circumspectly, to the point of the birds' entrance on the field, and there he is again puzzled. His master, after obliging him to go all through the stubble, after tramping himself all over this, as well as the adjoining woods, shoulders his gun and goes off. Meanwhile, our former companions have wandered half a mile further, and, after drinking in a lively little brook, have again taken a short flight. They are now sitting half asleep in the sunshine on a dry, sandy bank, though some are dusting themselves in littlo hollows which they have scratched out, just as hens do. In the latter part of the afternoon they return, perhaps by very much the same route, and reach the old stubble-field ; but, just when they are in the middle of this, a hawk appears, and the whole covey instantly squat. Should the marauder detect them, not- withstanding the assimilation of their coloring to that of the mould and dead vegetation, one must perish. The danger is soon past, however, and the birds are feeding again ; but they squat a second time, because our friend with the gun has re- appeared. His dog soon ascertains their position and stops again, while the lad advances beyond him. The birds sud- denly spring up with a startling wJiirr, which is immediately followed by the bang, bang, of two gun-barrels, which prove harmless. The old? cock and one or two more go to a patch of scrub-oaks, the old hen and" three others to a grove of maples ; no, they have gone into a nasty swamp. The others have flown straight to a pine-grove. The old cock and- his compan- ions race over the dry leaves through the scrub oaks, at the 398 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS rate of a hundred and fifty yards in a minute, so that one must trot to go as fast. The young do the same over the smooth, dr} T carpet of pine-needles. They pass along so rapidly, and the ground is so free from grass and undergrowth, that no scent is left behind. Two or three birds are in the pines, sit- ting close to the trunks or along the boughs. Two others have dropped into a bunch of briars, and the rest into bushes near by. Our friend has now passed through the intervening copse ; he has reached the swamp, and has hunted over it thoroughly but without success. His fine-haired pointer has refused to go among the briars. Had our friend waited half an hour until the scent of the birds had become stronger through grad- ual dissemination, his dog would have found them easily. Tired and disappointed, he sits down to consider, when sud- denly two of the Quail whirr almost at his feet. Meanwhile, the young birds have run half a mile, leaving no scent, and those who were in the trees have silently flown on to join their companions. Bye and b} r e } T OU may be surprised to hear them calling each other together near the old field, and apparently on the very ground which our friend has searched so carefully. At last they will be back again at their roosting-place safe and sound, even if pursued until after dark. Now the lad also re- turns home, and explains his ill luck by an extraordinary the- ory, read of in books, and verified by his own experience, that our Quail have a wonderful power of retaining their scent. The only sound argument to prove this statement is that our game-birds, when very young, by a thoughtful provision of nature, emit little or no scent. 3 Though the Quail are very hardy, and can probably endure very severe cold, they often perish in the snow. In winter, they lie on the ground as usual, always allowing the snow to 3 Among the very numerous writers on this subject, none, so far as we have observed, have claimed to possess that scientific and exact knowledge of the Quail's physiological structure and functions, without which it is idle to argue the question. When game-birds drop suddenly to the ground and remain motionless, the dog does not perceive them. Quail most frequently alight in this way, but, as Boon as they begin to move, the effluvia escapes and is disseminated. OF NEW ENGLAND. 399 accumulate, until morning, when they free themselves by united effort. Should a crust be formed, they frequently find it im- possible to escape, and so perish. The haunts and habits of our Quail of course vary much in different localities. In the South and West they are accounted easy to shoot, but, being very abundant there, they are less often followed into the "thick." In the wooded parts of New England, on the other hand, a good bag of Quail is the best test of a sportsman's skill. A successful pursuit of them re- quires the utmost vigilance and activity, a sure hand, strong nerves, and -great quickness together with nice observation. Their flight, late in the season, is much more rapid than that of the Woodcock or Snipe. They are, moreover, exceedingly tenacious of life. Their habits of capricious wandering, of rapid running, of dropping suddenly like stones, of resorting to trees, and of seeking covers which are thick or rendered im- penetrable by briars, necessitate vigor, a certain aim, and a familiarity with their habits. (d). The principal notes of the Quail, which we have already spoken of, are both whistles. One (which is somewhat like the whistle of the Great Crested F^-catcher) is a single call-note, uttered as if the breath were drawn in at the latter part, and is emplo}'ed at all times of the year. The other is heard in spring and summer, and consists of two or three loud notes, of which each is higher than the preceding. This latter is very well known, and is familiar to nearly all persons who live in the country. The Quail have also a few low twitterings, not audible at any great distance, and a okuck. 32. Scolopacidao. Snipe, etc. (See 29.) I. PHILOHELA (A) MINOR. 4 (American) Woodcock. 4 The larger European Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) is said to have occurred in New England as a straggler. In this species, only the outer wing-fealher (or first primary) is attenuate, i. e. extremely narrow. In the American species, three of the pr.maries present this appearance. 400 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS (In New England, most abundant as a migrant, but locally common as a summer-resident.) Fig. 22. Woodcock (). (a). About eleven inches long. Beneath, varying from (very) pale reddish buff to ruddy chestnut, darkest on the sides, whitening on the chin and cheeks. Above, varied with the same tint, with black, and with grayish. Forehead scarcely marked, but bordered by a dark, irregular (and often indistinct) line from the bill to the *ye. Immature specimens are paler and grayer above, and have several white markings. (6). The eggs average about 1-50 X 1'20 of an inch, though variable in size and shape, and are creamy, brownish, or clay- color, spotted and blotched with lilac and rather dull or indis- tinct browns. In Massachusetts, a set of four is usually laid about the middle of April. The places chosen are swampy groves, especially of alders or birches, and sometimes pastures or clearings. There is but little or no nest. (c). A "game-bird," though exceptions may be taken to al- OF NEW ENGLAND. 401 most any definition of this term, is generally understood to be a bird that lies to a dog, and that can be shot only when on the wing. This definition, however, excludes, and we think rightly, the " Partridge" or Ruffed Grouse, who will not lie to a dog, but who on the contrary often takes to a tree, thus causing to the scientific sportsman constant annoyance. But the Woodcock is par excellence a game-bird, and, though he may play in a game of life ancUdeath to him, he adheres as scrupulously to rules of honor as any Knight-Errant of old. He may have his cunning devices, but he does not sneak or hide in trees. This conduct, however, finds no corresponding sentiment in his rapacious and improvident pursuer, to whose reckless cravings for sport or gain, we in New England are indebted for the present scarcity of the luscious Woodcock. Unless the laws, and general feel- ings on the subject, are greatly modified, comparatively few more years will suffice to nearly exterminate them. The Woodcock are almost universally distributed over North America, both as residents and birds of passage. We shall speak here of their habits in New England only. Though a friend once showed the writer a record of one or more Wood- cock killed in Massachusetts during every month of the year, these birds are migratory, and, though apparently often soli- tary in their flights, find their way, by an admirable instinct, through " the illimitable waste of air," at least as far as from Labrador to Maryland. Many breed in the Southern States, even as far South as the Gulf, while others breed to the north- ward of Canada ; but all pass the winter in the South, their northern range at that season being, it is believed, Maryland. They reach the neighborhood of Boston as early as March, and then, or more often early in April, they may be found on those dry hillsides, which were their last resorts in autumn. Almost immediately after their arrival, they begin to mate, and they may be observed in the dusk of evening to mount high in the air, going through a 'variety of eccentric motions, and from time to time darting suddenly down with great velocity. The eggs are laid early in April, sometimes on a warm knoll, some- times on a high, bare hillside. After incubation has begun, it 27 402 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS is extremely difficult to find the birds ; a few days later the sportsman may easily find three or four broods of young with one or both parents, where he may before have hunted by inches without flushing a bird. Should he, however, patiently search with his dog the dry grounds, he may find them, per- haps ten yards, perhaps half a mile, from the wet swale which he knows to be their favorite feeding-ground. The same is the case in August ; also in winter (in districts of the South, where in many localities which the writer has visited the birds may be found in the ratio of ten to a township). In no part of the country are there Woodcock enough to occupy the whole of it ; they may resort to any part of the many thousand acres out- side of the particular spot to which at particular times they resort. While the young are feeble on the wing and their pa- rents are with them, twelve birds may be found in summer in a swale of two acres, but later they may be dispersed over many hundred times that space. Their " borings " (small, clean-cut holes made in soft earth by their bills) may still, however, be seen in the same swale ; moreover, by patient watching at evening, their shadowy forms may be detected, as they pass to the swamp, or cross the roadway, and, by patient search, the same twelve birds may be picked up one by one in odd places. This fact the author has verified by experience, when the temporary laws forbade the killing of the birds before August fifteenth. Will any one who cannot gainsay these facts still uphold the absurd old theory that Woodcock migrate in summer? Since this so-called disappearance is a notorious fact from Canada to the far South and West, we venture to ask to what place the birds migrate ? To this there is no answer. The period of incubation is supposed to be sixteen days, but it may be longer. As soon as the young are hatched, it be- comes convenient and necessary that the whole family should be in the immediate vicinity of a feeding-ground, and it is asserted that the old birds frequently carry their young thither in their bills. Their food now consists of various earth-worms, which they obtain by probing the ground with their bills, evi- dence of which may often be .found, usually in soft, black OF NEW ENGLAND. 403 ground. Their borings are certain signs, which are eagerly looked for by the sportsman. They also glean among decay- ing leaves and logs, and in low, moist, vegetable growth ; but from a peculiarity of structure or habit, their soft animal food is so compressed and macerated in the swallowing that the species eaten becomes indistinguishable, even when the bird is shot just^after eating. Rich, soft earth, running water, and abundant shelter, are the most usual and certain conditions for a summer cover. The young birds mature very rapidly, but are usually only two-thirds grown in July. From the fact that often neither parents, or at most only one of them, are to be found with the young in their summer cover, and that birds only half grown are frequently shot in September or late in October, it may be inferred that two broods are raised in a season. It is certain that a second set of eggs is laid, when those of the first nest are destroyed, either by accident or by the common vicissitudes of our climate, such as early snows, or long continued wet and cold. There are great differences in the productiveness of different seasons. The writer recalls one within a few years when there was a heavy snow-storm in the middle of April, and afterwards floods caused by northeasterly rains ; the same extensive grounds, over which he had been accustomed to get three or four dozen birds in the course of July, contained that year just seven old birds, while a large portion of the few Woodcock found in September were mere fledglings. Others made similar observations during the same year. By the first of August a majority of the Woodcock desert the low, wet grounds, and scatter themselves all over the country, generally choosing, however, some dry spot, protected by a dense second growth. The sportsman may chance to find them, however, in the long grass of a meadow, and in a variety of such places as corn-fields, pine-groves, bunches of dry alders, knolls of cedar, hillsides of birch, woods of chestnuts, thickets of briars, etc. They are now moulting and half-naked, and they can no longer make that peculiar whistle which at all other times warns the sportsman. Though they sometimes 404 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS labor with their wings, as they heavily flutter up, they as often fly off silently like an owl, stealing along close to the ground. They are usually found too upon very dry land holding no scent, where they come merely to rest, and upon which they have dropped without running about. If disturbed, however, they occasionally steal away from the dog on foot, running over the parched ground, and thus elude him altogether, or get up out of shot or unperceived. On this account, a pursuit of them at this time is unsatisfactory, requiring for a good bag hard fagging, thorough knowledge of the ground, great obser- vation and vigilance. In September, the Woodcock are again in better condition. They are now less capricious, and are more easily found, fre- quenting, for the most part, drier grounds. In October, the birds are not only in prime condition, but they afford to sports- men the most enjoyable and eagerly sought-for shooting. They are found again in localities which may easily be ascertained. The sportsman may always hope for the abundant sport which follows a flight, for it is in October that those remarkable movements of the birds occur. There is in flight- time an un- certainty as to when and where the birds may be found, which gives in the highest degree that element of chance, without which the sportsman's life would lose half its charm. Every one must form his own theories from his own experience and knowledge of the grounds, but certain it is that sometimes the lucky or sagacious sportsman may reach a spot in which the birds are almost literally swarming. Suddenly and inexplicably the cover becomes full of them ; then as mysteriously it be- comes vacant. One would suppose that birds apparently so feeble on the wing must perform these long journeys by short stages; but, though the Woodcock undoubtedly travel about much more actively than is commonly supposed from one part of a district to another, so that there are often local flights, yet it is well known that they very often appear simultaneously over wide areas. The writer himself has seen one in the gray of morning, a mile or two from land on the open ocean, flying in as if from sea. This bird was solitary, but in the afternoon OF NEW ENGLAND. 405 of the same day we found six or eight birds in a bit of wood where we had never seen Woodcock before, and no doubt the morning's bird was among them. It is quite evident that Woodcock do not fly in flocks, like plover or wild fowl, compactly and under the direction of a leader, but that each travels independently, coming in contact with his companions through their common tastes. Yet it is said to be wise to leave a bird or two in every cover as " tollers." Twice when the writer has met a flight, both occasions being late in the afternoon, he has gone through the cover once, thought it shot out, returned over the same ground as it was growing dark, found half as many more, and still, as he has stood after dark on the edge of the cover and has walked away, he has perceived the birds dropping in one by one. The next day scarcely a bird could be found there. The Woodcock pretty generally disappear (near Boston) by the twenty-fifth of October, though it is not uncommon to have good shooting a fortnight later. It seems that the old birds sometimes precede the young in their flights, as is the case with the Sea Coot and Golden Plover. The writer once weighed eighteen, shot on the second of October, whose aver- age weight was seven ounces. This may have been owing to some extraordinary combination of accidents ; but every sportsman is familiar with those very small, wiry, compactly feathered, weather-tanned birds, who appear in October, and who are called, perhaps locally, " Labrador twisters." The influence of weather upon the birds is an interesting but puzzling study. A heavy rain or frost causes them to shift their quarters from swamps to hillsides or vice versa; a drought or heavy flood drives them away altogether. In autumn, just before a northeast storm, birds that have been on a ground the whole season sometimes seem very nervous and restless, jump- ing up wildly and flying far ; in the same cover, after the st6rm, no birds can be found. The flight of the Woodcock, when first flushed, is short and very slow. In summer, the same bird may often be shot at eight or ten times, by persistent and thorough searching. He 406 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS lies with his head dropped on his shoulders, and on rising makes one or two sharp whistles with his wings. It often hap- pens, however, especially if the bird goes on to dry ground or into long grass, or if he drops, as he often does, like a stone, without running, that the best dog cannot find him by scent. Many and many a time in summer the bird may be marked down accurately, and may be found only by actually kicking him up. A little study shows this to be quite accidental, de- pending upon the condition of the ground, upon the kind of cover, and upon whether the bird runs or not. It is a fact which has some bearing on the vexed question whether or not the Quail voluntarily withhold their scent. The structure of Woodcock's eyes is very peculiar, being adapted to their habits of moving and feeding at night ; and the birds not unfrequently run against telegraph-wires in the day-time, and are thus killed. Our species differs radically from the European. The general appearance and markings of the latter are wholly different, especially in his being waved beneath. He is a third larger, two-thirds less luscious, much more indo- lent, and wholly silent on the wing. He may be described generally as a cross between a curlew and an owl. Our Wood- cock is not a warbler, and does not alight on trees, the asser- tions of our farmers to the contrary notwithstanding. (d). His notes are few and unmusical. In spring, at the time of his antics in the air, he utters a series of peculiar, and rather harsh but not very loud notes. Wilson speaks of his *' sudden quack" and says that " when uttering his common note on the ground, he seems to do it with difficulty, throwing his head towards the earth and frequently jetting up his tail." The young have a feeble " peep." II. GALLINAGO (A) WILSONI. (American) Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. (A common migrant through Massachusetts.) (a). Average length, ten inches. Bill essentially like that of the Woodcock, and about as long. Head much less stout, and tail longer, than the corresponding parts of that bird. OF NEW ENGLAND. 407 Crown, dark, with a light median stripe. Back, etc., varied with black, brown, and a tint varying from chestnut to whitish. Belly, etc., white ; generally unmarked, but with the sides darkly barred. Breast, etc., somewhat tawn} r , and streaked or mottled with brown. (&). The eggs have about the same measurements as those of the Woodcock, but are much more pointed or " pyriform." They are drab, often tinged with olive, and are blotched with brown. "The loosely constructed nest is built on the ground in various wet places." (c). The Snipe, more particularly designated as Wilson's Snipe or the " English" Snipe, differ so slightly from the latter as to be substantially the same, if not wholly so. In New England, they are birds of passage, breeding here but rarely. Near Boston, they appear from the South as soon as the frost is well out of the lowlands, where they feed, and where they may be looked for as soon as the Blue Bird enters seriously upon her preparations for summer housekeeping, or when the shad-bush is in bloom. Though' they do not regulate their movements by the calendar, the sportsman will find that in a series of years the most favorable season for spring snipe- shooting is that between April tenth and twenty-fifth. Strag- glers and small "wisps" may be found sometimes in March, often in May, and occasionally in early June. But at this time of year they are uncertain and capricious in their habits, ap- pearing and perhaps in a few hours disappeaing so suddenly and mysteriously, as to cause the formation of very different theories and speculations, as to what are the favorable condi- tions for a " flight," and to make it impossible for any person not living in the immediate vicinity of the grounds, to count surely upon finding birds. As to the flights, some say u clear warm weather with light westerly winds," others " thick weather and southerly winds ;" some look for snipe after, and some before, a northeast rain-storm ; and so on. Some say that thick weather makes them stop here, others that clear weather helps them to get here. Each theorist rejoices in his own wisdom, and there is not only this uncertainty as to the 408 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS time of arrival, but also an equally trying one as to the locality in which the birds may be found. Like Woodcock, the Snipe use their long and sensitive bills for probing the mud or soft earth, and the perforations which they make are often tantalizing evidences of their recent occu- pation of the grounds ; but, unlike them, they are usually, though not invariably, found and shot in the " open." Like Woodcock, again, they are nocturnal birds, though the modified arrangement and structure of their eyes enable them to show greater observation and vigilance, to make long flights, and to feed, as they frequently do, by daylight. It is during the season of mating in spring that the actions of the male birds are so remarkable and interesting. Rising in the air to a great height, they dart and twist about with wonderful agility, dropping plumb down from time to time in the midst of these eccentric gyrations, and producing, as they descend, a thrumming noise, possibly caused by forming the wing into a sort of -ZEolian hftirp. The sound is peculiar and unmistakable, resembling somewhat that made by throwing a nail held crosswise in the hand, but it is much louder and more full. It is said that at such times they will sometimes alight temporarily on a tree or fence, but this observation the author has never had the good fortune to verify, though he once saw one alight upon a fence-post for a moment, not, however, dur- ing an " exhibition." The Snipe breed in the far North, and return to us in autumn, when they will, if permitted, remain on that ground which is to their liking for several weeks. But though they have been found and shot as early as August, and as late as December, the most favorable time is between September 10th and October 25th, and of this period the last fortnight is the best portion. In all the accounts of these birds which are accessible to him, the author finds the ancient, time-honored tradition, that the Snipe always begin their flights by rapid zigzags, so that it behooves the shooter either to fire at the instant when the birds attain the height of their first spring, or to wait till they have OF NEW ENGLAND. 409 completed their zigzags and begin their steady flight. The beginner, deeply impressed by these statements, his mind filled with the idea that the flight of the Snipe is much like that of a tortuous lightning flash through a cloud, sets out, and, adopting one or the other of these absurd rules, is sure to miss. Inasmuch as the Snipe, five times out of six, in most weather does not spring at all, to fire at the height of the first spring means to the beginner to fire as soon as he can, that is as much as possible before lie gets his aim. On the other hand, to wait until the bird is done with zigzagging necessitates waiting until he has begun zigzagging, and, as he generally does not zigzag at all, this involves waiting some time. From the expression, " zigzag flight/' would not the natural impression be that the bird kept darting rapidly with sharp, quick, short turns from side to side ? That such is the Snipe's usual flight is certainly not true, though it is undoubtedly often rapid and sometimes eccentric. The author's experience is for these days of rapid travel limited, but after shooting snipe at dif- ferent seasons in the British Provinces, in Maine, Massachu- setts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina, he ventures to assert that they almost never "zigzag" in their flight. Unless there is a high wind, or the birds have been very much persecuted, they fly off, four times out of five, more or less rapidly in a direct line, and near the ground. On a bright, warm, quiet day, with a gentle breeze, they afford the sports- man more easy shots in succession than any other game-bird of New England, and, indeed, frequently flutter off so indo- lently that to shoot them is a mere bagatelle even for the most indifferent shot. Snipe usually start up the wind, and, if the wind is high, often dart away fifteen or twenty yards, gradually ascending, and then either fall away gradually before the wind till they cross it with a circumlinear flight, or, by throwing up one wing, make a sharp angle in the direction of their motion. But the abrupt change of direction is not common, and a rapid repetition of it rare. Sometimes, again, they go off up wind, bearing first more strongly on one wing than on the other, thus 410 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS producing a sinuous motion in regular curves, varying a few feet on either side from a right line, and crossing it, perhaps, every thirty or forty feet. Sometimes, again, they start by a rapid and almost perpendicular ascent, and then sag away from the wind. The mode of flight depends of course on certain conditions : the state of the atmosphere, the force of the wind, the nature of the ground, the season, the bird's condition of bod}*", etc. Snipe almost invariably fly into the wind ; if a bunch of high reeds, a fence, or a line of trees, is in the way, or if for any other reason they ascend rapidly, they must after- ward either fall off, flying across or down the wind, or else tack up into it to get headway. Since no bird can with rapid- idity start from a stationary position in the air against a strong wind, the more nearly stationary that a bird is, so is his diffi- culty the greater. If, on the contrary, there are no obstruc- tions, and the birds jump at once from the ground into the teeth of the wind, taking a nearly horizontal line, there is less likelihood of their tacking or falling away, for it is not so neces- sary. In spring, the shooting is often more difficult, for the birds are light weights, and in great training when they reach us. They are both migrating and mating, and often seem to be in a state of restless activity and nervous excitement, which makes it very difficult to kill or even to approach them. So it is also in autumn, when the birds first appear ; they are fre- quently wild and active, so much so as to make the pursuit of them a series of vexations ; and yet, two days afterwards, the very same birds, having got fat and a little more lazy, afford delightful sport. After hearing the accepted rules condemned, the reader may well ask for some substitute, but such rules are like rules of gram- mar ; a man may shoot well, and speak grammatical^, knowing no rules ; he may know all rules and yet be able to do neither. Yet to know what others have learned is often useful. The success of sportsmen is more often due to their manner of getting shots than to their manner of making them. The chief difficulty in Snipe-shooting is the sudden and unexpected way in which the birds often jump, on either side or behind ; but OF NEW ENGLAND. 411 they may usually be marked down with accuracy, as they throw up their wings to alight, and they should then, as always, be approached down wind, no matter how great a detour is neces- sary. By a study of their habits the sportsman will soon find upon what days and in what places they may be most easily and successfully shot. More may generally be killed by a vigor- ous walker without a dog than with one, if one prefers birds to pleasure. As to the shooting, as in all shooting on the wing, you cannot shoot too quickly or too deliberately ; when to fire quickly and when deliberately is to be learned by practice only. As for a precise rule, an old friend used to say : "Pull, as soon as the gun touches the shoulder, if not sooner." There is humor in all wisdom, but perhaps an undue proportion in this advice for practical use. All that can be said is : " Shoot as soon as you know that the gun is right ; the sooner, the better." After blowing a few birds to pieces, you will learn how far to modify this rule. Many birds will be missed by being under- shot, and many by not being shot at well ahead. Some sports- man use number 8 shot ; some number 12 and intermediate sizes. Number nine does very well. Autumn is the proper season for Snipe-shooting, both be- cause the birds are then more certainly found and because they are then very delicious morsels for the table. With us, when they arrive in spring, they are lean, dry, and sinewy, from long and hard exercise ; the period of breeding has already begun, and well-developed eggs may often be found in the females. There is as much difference between the rich, tender, and juicy meat of the well-fed, lazy, autumn bird, and the meagre, dry, and sinewy flesh of the spring traveler, as between that of a stall-fed ox and that of a dray-horse. Yet there are many to whose coarse palates no difference appears. No doubt, it is hard to relinquish all field-sports in the spring ; without such relief the period of inaction is long and tedious ; one's fingers itch for the trigger. Yet spring Snipe-shooting is a sorry pastime, and a wasteful one, unworthy of the true sportsman. (d). The notes of the Snipe are not susceptible of satisfac- tory description ; their common note being a peculiar squeak, while their extraordinary love-note is usually called " bleating." APPENDIX. 413 APPENDIX. A. Ornithological Calendar for Eastern Massachusetts. (Notes on the Insessores, or land-birds, only, excluding game-birds, shore-birds, and waders.) I. JANUARY. Visitants and residents (those in brackets being always very rare, those italicized being (rare or) absent during many winters, and those marked with an asterisk (*) spending the winter, for the most part, more to the southward). [Black Hawks], Blue Jays,* "Butcher-birds," Cedar-birds,* " Chickadees," Crossbills, Crows, Downy Woodpeckers, Golden- crowned "Wrens," Golden-winged Woodpeckers,* Goldfinches, Goshawks, 1 [Great Gray Owls], Great Horned Owls, Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 [Hawk Owls], hawks (several, which are sum- mer-residents), [Ipswich Sparrows] ? , [Jerfalcons], Kingfish- ers,* ? Lapland Longspurs, 1 Meadow Larks,* nuthatches, owls (several, which are summer-residents), Pine Finches, Pine Grosbeaks, Purple Finches,* ? Red-bellied Nuthatches,* Red Crossbills, Red-polls, Red-tailed Hawks, Robins,* [Rough- legged Hawks], Ruby-crowned Wrens,* Shore Larks, (G.N.) Shrikes, Snow-birds, Snow Buntings, Song Sparrows,* [Three- toed Woodpeckers], Tree Sparrows, White-bellied Nuthatches,* White-winged Crossbills, Wild Pigeons,* woodpeckers (see above), Winter Wrens,* ? and various sea-birds, etc. NOTE. The Black-throated Blue and Yellow-rumped War- blers, and also the Red-winged Blackbirds, have been known exceptionally to pass the winter here, and the Blue Birds are said to have been seen here in January. II. FEBRUARY. The same birds may be found here in Feb- ruary as in January. In the latter part of this month, the Blue Birds, or even the Red-winged Blackbirds, sometimes come ; and the Great Horned Owls sometimes lay their eggs. III. MARCH. lst-15th. The Song Sparrows and Snow-birds sing. The Blue Birds and Blackbirds usually arrive from the South ; the Song Sparrows, and Robins (?), become more abundant. * Rare. 414 APPENDIX. 15th-31st. The Robins, Cedar-birds, Meadow Larks, (and Golden-winged Woodpeckers) become more abundant. The Rusty Blackbirds, Fox Sparrows (20-25), Bay-winged Bunt- ings ? (25-31), Cow-birds (25-31, ?) and Pewees? (25-31), ap- pear. Many winter-birds move to the northward. IV. APRIL. During this month, the Screech Owls and others lay their eggs, as do the Duck Hawks. The [Titlarks], Yellow-bellied Woodpeckers, Winter Wrens, Night " Hawks," [Wild Pigeons], Carolina Doves, Crow Blackbirds, and [Purple Finches] appear ; but with great irregularity. Those inclosed in brackets are said often to pass the winter here ; those italicized to often arrive in March, but the Night "Hawks" frequently do not come until May. Many winter-birds move to the northward in April, and other birds come from the South with more or less regularity at about the following dates. 1st. (Pine Warblers, usually later), Bay-winged Buntings, Cow-birds, Kingfishers, and Pewees. 10th (or earlier). Whi,te-breasted Swallows and Swamp Spar- rows. 15th. Chipping Sparrows and Field Sparrows (usually not until the 20th), also Hermit Thrushes, Pine Warblers, Red-poll Warblers, Ruby-crowned "Wrens," Savannah Sparrows (Sea- side and Sharp-tailed Finches ?). The Crows, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, sometimes lay their eggs. 20th. Chipping, Field, (and Savannah ?) Sparrows usually arrive. In the latter part of this month, the Crows, and many birds of prey, may lay their eggs. The following birds may arrive at this time, though often not until May, viz. : Barn Swallows, Black and White "Creepers," Brown Thrushes, Least Fly- catchers, Purple Martins, Solitary Vireos, Towhee Buntings, White-throated Sparrows (sometimes on the 20th), and "Yel- low-rump" Warblers. NOTE. The dates of arrival can only be approximately given, and it is to be remembered then the males of many birds arrive before the females. V. MAT. About the 1st, the Barn Swallows, Black and White "Creepers," Brown Thrushes, Cliff (or Eave) Swallows, Least Flycatchers, Night "Hawks," Purple Martins, Solitary Vireos, Towhee Buntings, White-throated Sparrows, "Yellow-rump" Warblers, and Yel- APPENDIX. 415 low-winged Sparrows often arrive, though sometimes earlier or later. 5th, the Baltimore Orioles (?), Black and White Creepers, Black-throated Green Warblers, 2 Brown Thrushes, Cat-birds, Chimney Swifts, Toivhee Buntings, (Wilson's Thrushes, Yellow Warblers, usually about the 8th), and " Yellow-rump" Warblers arrive, those italicized (at least the B. T. and T. B.) generally corning earlier. 10th, the loitering Fox Sparrows, and various winter-birds, such as the Golden-crowned " Wrens," Snow-birds, and Tree Sparrows, finally disappear ; the Blue Birds, Robins, Song Spar- rows, Bay-winged Buntings or Grass Finches, Kingfishers, and Pewees often lay their eggs, chiefly the first three ; and the Baltimore Orioles, Blackburnian Warblers, "Black-cap" Warblers, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Blue Yellow-backed Warblers, Bobolinks, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Connecticut Warblers, Golden-crowned "Thrushes" (or "Oven-birds"), Golden-winged Warblers, House Wrens, Hummingbirds, King- birds, Maryland "Yellow-throats," Nashville Warblers, Red- starts, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Warbling Vireos, Water "Thrushes," Wilson's Thrushes (usually earlier), Wood Thrushes, Yellow Warblers, and Yellow-throated Vireos arrive. (See loth ad fin.) 15th, the Pine Warblers and Swamp Sparrows lay their eggs (the former usually later) ; the Bank Swallows, Black and Yel- low Warblers, Black-billed Cuckoos, Cape May Warblers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Indigo Birds, Prairie Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, Scarlet Tanagers, Swainson's Thrushes, Whippoor- wills, White-eyed Vireos, and Yellow-billed Cuckoos arrive. At this time, or more often earlier, Cooper's Hawks, Marsh Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and Sparrow Hawks lay their eggs. Swainson's Thrushes often come earlier. 20th, the Bay-breasted, and B and Y, Warblers, " Black- polls," Canada "Flycatchers," Mourning Warblers, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Orchard Orioles, Tennessee Warblers, Trailll Fly- catchers (and White-crowned Sparrows 2 ?) arrive. About this time (earlier or later), the (Red-winged) Blackbirds, Blue Jays, Pewees, Field and Savannah Sparrows, Downy and Golden- winged Woodpeckers, lay their eggs. 25th, the Canada " Flycatchers" or Warblers, Wood Pewees, and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers usually arrive. The Wood Thrushes (sometimes, also the Wilson's Thrushes?), the These birds sometimes appear in April. 416 APPENDIX. Barn Swallows, Brown Thrushes, Chickadees, Cliff Swallows, Crow Blackbirds, Meadow Larks, Pine Warblers, Towhee Buntings, and White-breasted Swallows lay their eggs. VI. JUNE. About the 1st, the last migrants are seen, such as the "Black-polls" and Canada "Flycatchers ;" and at this time (or later, particu- larly in the case of the flycatchers, except the Pewee, the Hum- mingbirds, vireos, Bank Swallows, and many warblers), the Baltimore Orioles, Black-billed Cuckoos, Bobolinks, Cat-birds, Chimney Swifts, Chipping Sparrows, Golden-crowned "Thrush- es" (or "Oven-birds"), Indigo Birds, (Marsh Wrens ?), Night " Hawks," Purple Finches, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Whippoor- wills, Wilson's Thrushes, Wood Thrushes, Yellow-billed Cuck- oos, Yellow-winged Sparrows, the flycatchers (except the Common Pewee), the vireos, Tanagers, Hummingbirds, and most of the warblers, lay their eggs. The Cedar-birds, Gold- finches, Orchard Orioles, Wood Pewees, and perhaps other birds (inclusive of the Marsh Wrens ?) rarely lay their eggs before the middle of the month, the first two sometimes not until July. NOTE. The above dates, given for the neighborhood of Boston, bear no reference to second broods. The names of sev- eral birds have been purposely omitted, chiefly from difficulty in satisfactorily stating or approximating the dates. VII. JULY. The following (insessorian) birds are summer- residents of Massachusetts, who have been known to breed here since 1870. Acadian Owls, 3 Baltimore Orioles, Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows, Barred Owls, Bay-winged Buntings, Black and White " Creepers," Black-billed Cuckoos, Blackburnian Warblers, 3 Black-throated Blue Warblers 3 ?, Black-throated Buntings, 4 Black-throated Green Warblers, Blue Birds, Blue Jays, Blue Yellow-backed Warblers, 3 Bobolinks, Broad-winged HawKs, 3 Brown Creepers, Brown Thrushes, Canada "Fly- catchers," Carolina Doves, Cat-birds, Chestnut-sided War- blers, Chickadees, Chimney Swifts, Chipping Sparrows, Cliff Swallows, Cooper's Hawks, Cow-birds, Crows, Crow Black- birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Duck Hawks, Field Sparrows, Fish Hawks, Golden-crowned " Thrushes," Golden-winged Warblers, Golden-winged Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Gos- 3 (Very) rare in summer so far to the southward. * Very much more common to the southward of New England. APPENDIX. 417 hawks, 3 Great-Crested Flycatchers, Great Carolina Wrens? (just discovered), Great Horned Owls, Hairy Woodpeckers, 3 Henslow's Buntings, 4 Hermit Thrushes', 3 House Wrens, Hum- mingbirds, Indigo Birds, King-birds, Kingfishers, Least Pewees, Lincoln's Sparrows, Long-billed Marsh Wrens, Long-eared Owls, Marsh Hawks, Maryland " Yellow-throats," Meadow Larks, Nashville Warblers, 3 Night " Hawks," Olive-sided Fly- catchers, 3 Orchard Orioles, 4 Pewees, Pigeon Hawks, 3 Pine Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Purple Finches, Purple Martins, Red-bellied Nuthatches?, 3 Red-eyed Vireos, Red-shouldered Hawks, Redstarts, Red-tailed Hawks, Redrwinged Blackbirds, Robins, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Savannah Sparrows, Scarlet Tanagers, Screech Owls, Sea-side Finches, 4 Sharp-shinned Hawks, Sharp-tailed Finches, 4 Short-billed Marsh Wrens, Short- eared Owls, Snow-birds, 3 Solitary Vireos, 3 Song Sparrows, Sparrow Hawks, Swamp Sparrows, Towhee Buntings, Traill's Flycatchers, 3 Warbling Vireos, Water " Thrushes," 3 Whippoor- wills, White-bellied Nuthatches, White-breasted Swallows, White-eyed Vireos, Wild Pigeons, Wood Pewees, Wood Thrushes, YeUoiv-bellied Flycatchers?, Yellow-bellied Woodpeck- ers, 5 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Yellow- breasted Chats?, 4 Yellow- throated Vireos, Yellow Warblers, and Yellow-winged Sparrows (108). The following other birds (of whom the list is probably incomplete) also breed here : Arctic Terns, Bitterns, Black (or Dusky) Ducks, Carolina Rails, Coot 4 (Fulica Americana), Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, "Killdeer" Plover, Laughing Gulls, Least Bitterns, 4 Least Terns, Little Blue Herons?, 4 Loons, 5 Night Herons, Pinnated Grouse 6 (or Prairie Hens), Piping Plover, Quail, Ruffed Grouse (or "Partridges" of N. E.), Roseate Terns, Solitary Sandpipers, 3 Spotted Sandpipers, Summer (or Wood) Ducks, Summer * 4 Yellow-legs," Teal?, 5 Upland Plover, Virginia Rails, u Wiilets," Wilson's Terns, and Woodcock (28). (Those italicized are very rare, at least as summer-residents.) NOTE. The eggs of all the above birds form a nearly or quite complete collection of the birds' eggs of Massachusetts. The Pine Finches and Snow Buntings have been known to breed (altogether exceptionally) at Cambridge and near Springfield respectively ; several birds, such as the Bald Eagles and Pil- eated Woodpeckers, have been so far driven from the State, as probably to breed here no longer. In regard to the dates c Confined in summer to Western Massachusetts. See p. 387. 28 418 APPENDIX. already given, there is apparently evidence -that our summer- residents may have formerly arrived and laid their eggs some- what earlier than they do now. In Juty, singing is much less constant than in May or June, decreasing as summer advances, though occasionally heard in autumn (chiefly from the finches), and rarely in winter (from the Song and Tree Sparrows). VIII. AUGUST. During this month, many birds leave their summer-haunts, and even become gregarious, and some journey to the southward, as is occasionally observable even in the latter part of July. The Goldfinches, however, sometimes lay their first set of eggs after July, during *which month many other birds have their second or even third broods. IX. SEPTEMBER. During this month, the (smaller) hawks are often abundant, many migrating, but the migrations of our birds of prey cannot be easily determined as regards the dates. The Balti- more Orioles, Bobolinks, Chimney Swifts, cuckoos, flycatchers (except the Pewees and occasionally the Great Crested Fly- catchers), Henslow's Buntings, House Wrens, Hummingbirds, Indigo Birds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, swallows (of whom some go in August), Tanagers, vireos, warblers (or most of them: see October), Wilson's Thrushes, and Yellow-winged Sparrows finally disappear, many occurring as migrants. Some are to be seen only in the first week, but others may occur up to late dates, as the Black-throated Blue Warblers (30th), Golden-crowned u Thrushes" (26th), Hummingbirds (23rd), and White-bellied Swallows (28th). The Red-winged Black- birds generally leave the meadows, and associate in the grain and stubble-fields, etc. ; the Wild Pigeons appear in large flocks ; and a majority of birds are gregarious, particularly the White-bellied Swallows, who, previous to their departure, often gather "upon the salt marshes" " literally by millions." Even hawks occasionally travel in companies. In September, White- throated Sparrows and other birds appear from the North. NOTE. It has generally been in autumn that accidental stragglers, whose usual habitat is more than a thousand miles away, have occurred in Massachusetts. X. OCTOBER. During this month, the " Black-poll" Warblers, Brown Creep- ers, Golden-crowned " Wrens," nuthatches, Ruby-crowned APPENDIX. 419 "Wrens," Rusty Blackbirds, Titlarks, Winter Wrens, and " Yellow-rump" Warblers, are generally abundant; and many winter-birds arrive from the North, 'in the latter part, the Sharp-tailed Finches and many Song Sparrows finally disap- pear, and the Fox Sparrows come from the North. About the 1st, the Brown Thrushes, Red-eyed Vireos (latest date, Oct. 3rd), and Towhee Buntings disappear, the Olive-backed Thrushes arrive from the North, and the Crow Blackbirds (as well as the variety of Bronzed Blackbirds) wander about in large flocks. 5th, the last Black- throated Green Warblers depart. 10th, the last Pine Warblers (latest date, however, Oct. 16th) and Cat-birds depart. 15th, the "Chippers," Field Sparrows, Pewees- (latest date, Oct. 16th), Wood Thrushes, and most of the Blue Birds, Cow- birds, Meadow Larks, Purple Finches, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Robins disappear. XI. NOVEMBER. During this month, many winter-birds usually come from the North, and, as in spring, u bird-waves" may occur; Fox Spar- rows are common, and Hermit Thrushes finally disappear. In the early part of November, the last Bay-winged Buntings, Blackbirds, Blue Birds, Savannah Sparrows, and Swamp Spar- rows, move to the southward. I have seen Great-crested Fly- catchers so late as Nov. 1st, and White-throated Sparrows on the 14th. XII. DECEMBER. I have seen Fox Sparrows, the last loiterers among our fall- migrants, so late as the 9th of December. During this month, additional winter-birds may arrive from the North ; and the same birds generally occur here as in January ( I). B. Distribution of the Birds of Neio England. A list of the birds of New England, confined in the breed- ing-season principally or wholly to the district of the Allegha- nian Fauna (southward of the 44th parallel of latitude), or Southern New England. Wood Thrush, (Mocking-bird), Cat- bird (?), Brown Thrush, Long-billed Marsh Wren, Short-billed Marsh Wren, Golden-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, (Yel- low-breasted Chat), Yellow-throated Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, 420 APPENDIX. I (Summer Red Bird), Scarlet Tanager, Henslow's Bunting, Yel- low-winged Sparrow, (Sea-side Finch), Sharp-tailed Finch, Field Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Black-throated Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, (Cardinal Grosbeak), Towhee Bunt- ing, Meadow Lark, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Purple Grakle (?), Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, (Red- headed Woodpecker), (Barn Owl), Carolina Dove, (Prairie Hen), and Quail (also several water-birds, etc.). A list of the birds of New England, confined in the breed- ing-season principally or wholly to the district of the Canadian Fauna (northward of the 44th parallel of latitude) , or Northern New England. Hermit Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Water " Thrush," Golden-crowned " Wren," Brown Creeper, Red- bellied Nuthatch, Winter Wren, "Blue Yellow-back," Mourning Warbler, Nashville Warbler (?), Tennessee Warbler, "Black- throated Blue," " Yellow-rump," Bay-breasted Warbler, Black- burnian Warbler, "Black-poll," 1 Black and Yellow Warbler, Cape May Warbler, (" Black-cap"), Canada " Flycatcher," Sol- itary Vireo, Great Northern Shrike, 1 (Common Crossbill), (White-winged Crossbill), White-throated Sparrow, Snow-bird, Rusty Blackbird, (Bronzed Grakle), Canada Jay, 1 Traill's Fly- catcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Hairy Woodpecker, Yel- low-bellied Woodpecker, " Log-cock," Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker, Banded Three-toed Woodpecker, (Acadian Owl), Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Fish Hawk, Goshawk, (Pigeon Hawk), Broad-winged Hawk, Wild Pigeon, and Spruce Part- ridge ; also several water-birds, etc. A list of the birds hitherto known in New England, only as migrants or winter-visitants (the latter in brackets). Gray- cheeked Thrush, Ruby-crowned " Wren"(?), Titlark, 2 Connect- icut Warbler, Red-poll Warbler, White-crowned Sparrow, and Fox Sparrow. [Also (Varied Thrush), Hudsonian Titmouse (?), (Bohemian Waxwing), Butcher-bird (?), Pine Grosbeak, Red-poll, Snow Bunting, 3 Lapland Longspur, Ipswich Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Shore Lark, Great Gray Owl, Snowy Owl, Hawk Owl, Richardson's Owl, Gyrfalcon, Rough-legged Hawk, and Black Hawk.] To the above list are to be added the names of many water-birds, shore-birds, etc. 1 These birds scarcely breed except in the most northern and eastern portions. A few may sometimes winter. With one extraordinary exception. See p. 185. APPENDIX. 421 C.D. The Use of the Keys. It is impossible, so far as is known, positively to identify many eggs, without some knowledge of the nest and parent- birds. In the following "Key to the Eggs of Massachusetts" (C), the position, and sometimes the structure, of the nest is the chief point dwelt upon ; the colors of the parent-birds be- ing mentioned, only when the best means of identification. On observing a bird for the purposes of this Key, note the gen- eral coloration (as in the Downy Woodpecker, black and white), particularly above, the color of the breast, whether streaked (spotted} or not, the color of the crown and throat, or of the entire head, and the color of the tail, whether the outer feathers are white or not (best observed as the bird flies). Observe any prominent markings, and, in large hawks, the coloration of the tail beneath. Eggs plainly colored belong to I ; eggs which are marked (not stained) to II. In the former, the uniform color (as white) leads to the sections let- tered A, B, C. In the latter, the ground-color leads to similar divisions. The subsections, (a) etc., are arranged according to the position of the nest. Under each subsection, the list- numbers run continuous!}'. Glance down the column of the next figures (the extreme length and breadth of the eggs expressed in hundredths of an inch), until you find a size apparently corresponding to that of the egg in hand. If there are several eggs together in the Key of nearly the same size, read across the page until the right description is reached. You will often find some characteristic or means of distinction in the names of the birds. The figures at the end refer to the main work. List-numbers (to the extreme left) in parenthesis indicate rarity of the corresponding nest in Massachusetts, or at least rarity under the circumstances mentioned. ^> means more than; <^ means less than. Before two numbers connected by a cross (X), these signs affect both. means male; 9 means female. Occasional^, as is the case with the Bald Eagles, birds breed before attaining their full dress. The " Key to the Land-birds of New England " (D) has been arranged as much by the coloration of birds as possible, but it cannot be used without having the bird in question at hand. On the first page, follow the lines of the table, and also the divisions (beginning at the right), until a reference is reached. These references are to sections of the main work, unless stated to be to those of the Key. The former are in Arabic, the other in Roman, numerals. On reaching the Key-section referred to, find (if it is divided) the right division marked with a capital 422 APPENDIX. letter, or even the subdivision, if any, which is marked by a small letter. Glance down the column at the left (not ruled off), which gives the chief color, the most conspicuous, or the one best characterizing the species, until you find the color which applies to the bird in hand. (This column is in many places wanting, or mentions some other characteristic than the chief color.) Work to the right until a satisfactory name or reference is reached. A glance at the size-column, giving the length in inches, will often be an assistance, or one at the list of birds, in whose names you may find expressed some characteristic. To measure a bird, refer to V of the Intro- duction. Any characteristic written on a line is supposed to be also written on all the lower lines, so far as empty directly beneath, until a line is reached containing words to the left of that space. Observe carefully all foot-notes, and refer to T of the Introduction for any descriptive terms not understood. $ means male; 9 means female. ^> means more than; <^ means less than. Other abbreviations or abbreviated expres- sions will be easily understood (as yg. for young, wh. for white, head-sides for sides of the head). frequently is employed to mean ditto. The general plan is one of reduc- tion to a limited choice by the use of various divisions, of working from the beginning toward the end, of following cer- tain alternations, and of working from left to right. APPENDIX. 423 C. A KEY TO THE EGGS OF MASSACHUSETTS. This list, limited to the eggs previously described in this volume, is not wholly reliable, since several birds, not yet known to have actually bred in Massachusetts, may do so occasional!} 7 , and since eggs vary greatly, often presenting abnormal forms, or forms like those of other kinds. 1. Eggs Unmarked. A. Color, white.i (a). Laid in holes of trees (or posts and stumps). 1. > 1-25X1-00. Screech Owl. 26, V. (2). Av. l-OOX'90. Bird entirely brown and white. Acadian Owl. 26, IV. 3. > 1-00X80, < 1-25X1-00. Bird not red-headed. Pigeon Woodpecker. 25.1, (4). >rOOX-80,Xl-00. Bird red-headed. Red-headed Woodpecker. 25,11. (5). Av. -95X-80. Bird; crown scarlet, upper breast black. Yellow-bellied Wood- pecker. 25, III. (6). Generally > -80X 65. Bird > 9 in., (chiefly) black and white. Hairy Wood- pecker. 2.%V, A. 7. Generally < -80X'65. Bird < 7 in., r (chiefly) black and white. Downy Wood- pecker. 25, V, B. (8). Av. -75X-55. Bird tretallic green above. White-bellied Swallow* 12, III. (9). Av. -80X60, usually blue. Bird with chestnut breast. Blue Bird.* 2,1. [The Martins and Chimney Swifts no longer ( ?) build in stumps (etc.), in N. E.] (6). Nests built in trees (or bushes), but not in holes. (1). > 2-75X2 25. White, very impure or dirty. Bald Eagle. 27, VIII. 2. 2-25 long (or more). Not often pure white. Great Horned Owl. 3 26, VI. 3. 2-00 long or less; subspherical. Barred Owl. 26, III, B. 4. Av. 1-90X1-50. Not spherical. Generally bluish; often marked. Cooper'* Hawk. 27, III, B. 5. Av. 1-60X1-35. Nearly spherical. Long-eared Owl. 26, II, A. 6. Av. 1-45X1-20. Generally marked. Sharp-shinned Hawk. 27, III, A. 7. Av. 1-50X1-10; elliptical. Nest loose and frail. Wild Pigeon. 29,1. 8. Av. I-IOX'80. Nest loose and frail. Carolina Dove. 29,11. 9. Av. -75X'55, often bluish. Nest in bush or shrubbery. Indigo Bird. 15, XX. 10. Av. -63X-50, bluish. Nest in bush or shade-tree. Goldfinch. 15, IV, A. (11). Av. -70X'55. Pure wh. Nest in woods ( ?). Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. 19,V, C. 12. Av. -62X'50. Nest in (woods) orchard or shade-tree. Bird olive-gray above. Least Pewee. 19, V, B. 1 Many water-birds lay large white eggs, some in hollow trees, but these are all tinged with blue, green, or buff. Some of the petrels, however, lay a single small pure white egg, but none do so here. 2 The nests of these birds are usually well lined, the Blue Bird's generally most warmly; those of the woodpeckers are rarely so. 8 See B, (a), (1). 424 APPENDIX. 13. ) '50 long. Hummingbird. 22,1. [The eggs of the buzzard-hawks and of Traill's Flycatcher may sometimes be white. See 11, A, d.} (c). Nest on the ground, or very near it. 1. Av. 1-80X1'36. Occasionally marked. Marsh Hawk. 27,1. 2. Av. 1-50X1-30. Normally, almost spherical. Short-eared Oivl. 26, II, B. (3). Av. 1-20X'90. Blue-tinged, and nearly elliptical. Least Bittern. 4. Av. l-20Xl'00. White, often stained, and almost pointed at one end. Quail. 31. 5. Av. -70X'55, usually marked. Nest built near water. Yellow Throat. 9, II, A. (d). Nest about buildings (2, 3, 6, usually in bird-boxes, 4 in chimneys). (1). >1-50X1'25. Impure white. Barn Owl. 26,1. 2. >-85X'65. Purple Martin. 12, V. 3. < -80X60. White-bellied Swallow. 12,111. 4. Av. -70X'40. Chimney Swift. 21,1. 5. Av. -75X'57. Nest built on beam, or under eaves. Pewee. 19,111. (6). Av. -80X'60, usually blue. Bird with chestnut breast. Blue Bird. 2,1. (e). Eggs laid in a burrow in a bank of sand or sometimes gravel. 1. > 1-25X1-00. Kingfisher. 23,1. 2. < l-OOX-75. Bank Swallow. 12, IV. (/). Nest built among reeds, or in tall meadow-grass. 1. Eggs small and brittle. Short-billed Marsh Wren. 7, II, A. (g). Nest very bulky, and built of sticks on cliffs. (1). > 3-00X2-25. Impure white; usually marked. Golden Eagle. 27, VII. B. Color, blue, bluish-green, or greenish-blue, dark in "5 " only, (a). Nest made in trees (or bushes). (1). 2-25Xl'75 or more. Extremely light. Occasionally marked. Goshawk. 27, IV. 8. Av. 1-15X'85. Bird with reddish or dun breast, unmarked. Robin. 1, 1, F. 3. 1-00X70 or more. Bird's breast thickly spotted. Tail, dusky-olive. Wood Thrush. 1, 1, A. 4. Av. -85X'60. Bird, soft reddish-brown above, slightly spotted beneath. Wilson's Thrush. 1, 1, B. (Nest generally on the ground.) 5. Av. -90X'65. Dark emerald green. Nest often in thicket. Cat-bird. 1, II, B. (6). -95X65, light blue, rf, dark blue; ? , warm brown and flaxen. Blue Grosbeak. 15, XXI. 7. 1-15X-87, usually dull. ( Nest loose and frail, j Black ( -billed j24,I,B. 8. Av. 1-25X'87, rather light. ( Eggs long or elliptical, i Yellow ( Cuckoo. 24, 1, A. (6). Eggs laid in a hollow tree or post, or in a bird-box. 1. Av. -80X60. Blue Bird. 2,1. (c). Nest made on the ground. (1). Av. < -75X'55 ? Nest made in dry fields. Black-throated Bunting. 15, XIX. 2. > -75X-55. Nest made in wet woods, etc. Wilson's Thrush. 1, 1, B. (d). Nest about buildings. 1. Av. I-ISX'85. Robin. 1,1, P. APPENDIX. 425 [NOTE. There are many herons' eggs of the above color, but they are all > 1-25 long. There are also many white eggs, tinged with blue (or green), and perhaps among them should be included those of the Goshawk and Cooper's Hawk. Many ducks' eggs are strongly tinged with blue, green, drab, or yellowish. Most of them are laid on the ground or in hollow trees, but all are more than an inch and three- fourths long. The only ducks commonly breeding in Massachusetts are the Dusky Ducks, who build on the ground, and the Wood Ducks, who build in hollow trees.] C. Color, brown, drab, or buff. (a). On the ground, except the last, and sometimes "3." 1. Av. 1-65X1-25, pale drab buff to rich reddish buff.* Partridge. 30, III. (2). Av. 1-65X1'35, brownish drab or paler.* Nest where dry. Prairie Hen. 30,11. 3. Av. 1-90X1' 50 . drab. Birds usually colonial in swamps. Bittei-n. 4. <-75X'55; usually marked. Nest among reeds. L-b Marsh Wren. 7, II, B. (6). In the holes of trees, or rarely in a nest made in a fork. 1. About 2'OOX1'50. Yellowish-white, or very pale drab. Summer Duck. * Often somewhat marked. For II of this Key, see the next page. P .H PH i< "* S || W =; 8 . El 151. I ^5? 5 JS*-. jth wfcttu' 1 - 6 "* 11 , til ** i-i^llilfeni^ ipilililiililii ^fe^^^^^Cl^ k <^!^^^ 3 S O O < t 5 II 1. sg Si 12 ll III rtrt 3 SS3 f i [ Illli '^a^^.ji^SBgf *^^^ 55^^^^| ^ a" |S| jlisil 4 !! ^^^S e J S. >:aiAa^Sj,j OJCCcOCOcO^ggQ ^fl 11 (S^ -gCQ OO l O fc o-,, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx o ^ S'M ^ 5" i =; i~ x ^ =; x x K s& os 57^ ?.-^ g K'a gra'j.s S3 cT;:^-" sts-U j= Z F ls olHIii 1^1 |||||as ^.s'Si.s.s m 1-1, fefc -= JJJ ili>-it sss -MOO j2;;p ^piqp.xSS .SSSggS^S^S :xx xxxxxxx =xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx SS S|i3fi J^f-f'T^'f-r? SSSPSSPfS? cp3R|^^p|S s * .9 oS .S f ~ (V i! I 1 S3 S 3-3 -s sg = s s ~ IS .55 SI 111 0-, II s&n5 i i E E H S o ^5*3 .> . ^S'Tt-.^ >% ! g S * >i 02:3 . >gs^ s S ,>.^.3 S ^. >22li 2 H g e8 '? g rf 5 S .S 05 S3C5C5MSS O 050 lllllllg Si 11 LJ cs 5c. II C S 13 r3TS . a 111 ^5?5tt - I Sfsl a " jq a 1 n -r 5 -^ o ^3 2^2 .'q bo S < 05 I i~!I OQ G >~>O 05 a a * "3 a-^ II! ^ ss " iMM g . bog P30 ' C 1 o" 3 3 ^ IS ES C'OiO C*CiO >^ -OiCO*CiO l O *O OOOOOO .tpo QG^t- o ^or-cSr-i^o t- oico;pp^> |^ IS "? i^^^ x ^JQ^-QO ^ < ? 1 ^ a CiCOclOOwi O lAV 2lAA>>> > > > >V> ^2 gS S'c3 ^SJJSsg S^' d, w -" .. < . Mlf II fe 53 S * S 3 " o r > > | 5S t ;>-* C) s i ;5 4 '* * ! ! Sj=- 2 ~' i:r; C> -= W H tHawen>>>> V V ggg^VooJo q on breed h uishing husetts. England ally bree tc. col er' *21;l 1 8" li!xii 1 S fl f o ^ g.Sflfeo c 53<} 8 S g 3 g "i s rf . n s O !! ^ 'ti 111 = 1111. Is gwbc^^^S | i2| | It-Is c a ? S ^ - - M o t* 'a w 00 '^' ^gS^S^,.^^ tst-^o ^roi-S OOOHO ^rtco Menia ? S - 5 -I 430 APPENDIX. a 8 ^ * O t-> sL <3> CD *a o a a s i 3 bD co a o I g 1 rt ^H * 5 s 8 1 | pq g -g 5 P 13 > ^ of S CO ^ $ O "j^ o3 _. 53 co 2 K! c -C3 S 03 ^ ^ iS ^ a ~ -S ^ X v ^ g 03 y co ^ 1 .S i ! T5 O a o c3 O CO 5 s o - *a O Q^ t^ ^5 -^ ^2 M :: ^11 ^* 5 -s 8 O a 3 APPENDIX. 431 s . jl 8 - sf 11 ? 1 a & 3 go a -o i 3 >.H W co .3 432 > g 1 A-frSl* I 3 '5 o > 8 | S | | - - -I , " ^ ^> g. V ide-streaks i s * s a! ^^ > ^ " T3 ""S -> ^ ocTar^r-. r-^t^ -Tt * K 3%^* Z '3 ~ "i - O) P J2> kc 48 e3 ten to? to? to? toiio? .<>> ^ . S 1 1 ^Ilf a g, .|^| 3 8 f fe fc I a sill's 1 - Jlf*} ^ ' g =o S g ~ # 'Z a S S s 1 ^ '^ 1 I ^>> "5 a NAME OF BIRD. especially 27, 28, 62.) Raven Crow. (See 720^6 to * 3 ^^ s_, O ^ .g* W 'S O^g^-g ** c. fl n ^ 42 s I I i 1 1 gj? oil: ! Ix o H || :::::::: ^ M : :? ? i }L CLAMATOEES (flycatchers). ^"S 4 - s I 3 S* 'Z'-*? ** 5, H & S 'S Hi ^lljL *H-^ g =3 .1^,- loi ihti fe . ||l |f I! 80 H|| fe.lrifs . s- 'g-isiar bJO o c3 o> <^ra) Soo^l^.-gos ^11- : = i I a | H " |:5 -s l * i If jSl^l-sf 8, iSHjiiU* . " .o^^^^s^ ^^ (~o ^< rs CJ H o -*> II. OSCINES. A. Birds wholly unstreaked and unspotted (including patches above, etc. For birds waved or finely barred COLOR. 1 Black, (if confined to the crown and throat, see A, 8? lustrous. \ acute, lengthened, disconne* " throat-feathers } oval and blended " irridescent very highly ) chiefly purple, violet, blue.. . irndescent with { metallic bronze, olive, etc glossy. Often with green reflections or brown lustrous; (approaclling?) steel-blue >H S ^ ci ^^ o s 3 ^ ^ 5 S -S ^ eO9 ; rH 00 OS APPENDIX. 433 ao oo to eo t- 000C5"*tf5iOiOWrtOtO*l V VA VAVA W AV AWWA A VWA s-g :-*ijfil i .issss 83 IfllafllZ S*1 C |*3S fLn"j~& < 3 l^-pl g ili illllSs'alS II hl^ilSfl! ls?o^* E g 05 lrs^ "Jfl !!1 if til ;! f- -s ! I" 3 29 434 APPENDIX. tf, in pfsiii a a i; *<5sA;|>g i-5 * w D APPENDIX. 435 da M Si4MK3SM^H NMM MM S S G; cTc; t^r~ ^rorcTic'irri-'f o"r-T itfirri^iffio't^'t^ toO^SS^t: ^S = --2e ffS-S -^=^s=io C "a ? -^>Sbh^-y^si fs 11 booo "D'b'D *D r-H SO (O V t- t- I- O t- t- V VA :>. :3 . : o> 13 : S " ^5 :S-!5 o-d .eS :||S*J?1S * ilN !!ill J= .0 _, > oE OS F^x i|Rlr fli "* If irlli 2^5 S t* 00 C5 O 1-1 (M M * U ss^sss^sssssa^aassa 436 APPENDIX. io'io'oo'in'u^ toiQieitG inint^ lo'irTo' o"osio~c'io'orcr'Kr AA SSS5.33S O 53 *> 3 X ~ "Sjrt x3 B w ^b^SiiL^ ^ oo o> d i-5 V BM . 33 if ? . . . < g : : j : :5 s B :S ill ilriilirll :MZ :Sx3iifWui! 43 3 e-S ^" Is I Hi! = 0^5 ft _;- -.* ^ Sils p O Ol, 438 APPENDIX. l d "S; & "*s"gg *: Uii! I II Illp 8&fi * $S o^g Ifll^l Hut | si esi mil "till 1 i| -Sill fe t fe t sllfl s il isl| tifll si *&& '&*** ^ Sj& :Q , ?{H o*b b'b ". A ~~ - W 1-- g O5QD>OeOSO sr " a t\ c ^ tr-O so? c r. fcTS-Tc^ I.s I] jl] ' ' *'S c o-^ ..... I|H : i : : : : : j :| \ \*3 COLOR. 1 Conspicuous broad dark line bort No broad dark line bordering the Tarsi not scutellate behind. See V. " STRISORES." Chiefly variegated. Tail forked Chiefly variegated. Tail rounded Chiefly sooty-brown Golden-gi-een above; tail marked with black and white... throat glittering ruby-red VT. "SCANSORES." (Parrots), cuckoos, woodpeckers.. Beneath white, (tinged ?) but wholly unmarked. Rvfi-rinsr red. . Middle pair only of tail-feathers drab or brown >15 inches long. With scarlet crest (in $ half black) Whole head crimson. . Crown crimson; throat-patch in $ crimson, in 9 white (for variety of "3" with nape scarlet, see 25, 111, A, adfii Black and white ) . . / I C > 1 'c- '-V ~ 'Z. With scarlet nuchal patch, ) i.e. on hind-head or nape. \ Black crescent on breast. Rump white in contrast to back i ^ CO h* toorH ffl CO -^ O ^> H J|| tt '~'.'2 ; w g^- d I 1^4 es ^ 2 s. j Ills i * rso % tt % e Philadel |i!>: H^-=S S3 >><*, * SS % P< 2 ^ S 1 ,tl i i C 03 .^2- *j OB CC^Ci CC- ^|i S " ^==c = ^^53 g2=M *&$? RJ?-! s^sa. c|^c.^go32- Usa S'^o^'^^^'O ^c^ai^ Fl|>sssll=7^ APPENDIX. 439 E. Coloration peculiar to young birds, or to mature birds in the ivinter-season. Young birds are so called from the time of first being fully feathered until the acquirement of all the characteristics of maturity. They are for the most part more or less distinct from their parents in general appearance, though often closely alike among themselves in different species. But, since they are known on attaining their full growth, but before attaining their full coloration, often to be larger than their parents (owing to their long feathers), they in some cases, particularly among the hawks, seem mature before being so. Young birds may be classified in three divisions. (1). Those with the male-parents strikingly different from the females, as in the Scarlet Tanagers, or Orchard Orioles. These at first resemble the females, but afterwards, if males, assume gradually, but often slowly, the characteristic colora- tion of their sex, and in this way sometimes pass through con- fusing changes. (2). Those differing from their parents, who are essentially alike, as in the Robins. (3). Those -who essentially resemble both their parents, as in the Crows. Young birds do not generally differ from their parents, except in size and coloration, but those of all species with " booted" tarsi, are said to have scutellate tarsi. (See T of the Intro- duction, etc.) The following is a synopsis of the Insessorian families. Turdidcc, or thrushes ( 1). Young easily recognized, but often more or less abnormally 1 spotted. Saxicolidce or bluebirds ( 2). Young essentially like the female ; when very young, spotted. Regulince, " wrens," or "kinglets" ( 3). Young essentially like the female. 2 Paridce or titmice ( 4). Class third. Sittidce or nuthatches ( 5). Young like the females or less distinctly marked. Certhiidce or creepers ( 6). Class third. Troglodytidce, or wrens ( 7). Class third. Anthince or titlarks ( 8). Class third. 1 i. e. Abnormally in respect to maturity. >. if without crown- markin leather overlying the nostrils; this ia wanting* in calendulut." * Young sfitrapn, if without crown-markings, may be known by the " presence of a tiny bristly featl: (Coues.) 440 APPENDIX. Sylvicolidce or warblers ( 9). Young students will find the young of this family very confusing, from their frequent simi- larity one to another, and their abundance during the fall-mi- grations. It is best to study warblers in the spring, and to avoid immature birds until the differences between their parents are mastered. The young of those species, not further men- tioned, either resemble the females or the males also, or are characterized by indistinct markings and impure colors, such as greenish-blue, yellowish-white, etc. Helminthophaga celata is " often difficult to distinguish in immature plumage ; but a general oliveness and yellowness, compared with the ashy of some parts of ruficapilla, and the different color of the crown- patch in the two species, will usually be diagnostic." (Coues.) The young male of the " Black- throated Blue" (Dendrceca ccerulescens) resembles the adult male, but the colors are im- pure, and the black restricted. The immature 4 ' Yellow-rumps " (D. coronata) are common during both migrations. Their col- oration varies from an imperfect full dress to the following ex- treme. Beneath, white or whitish, with slender streaks ; above, chiefly brown, with more or less yellow, especially on the rump (which is concealed by the wings when closed). The other young Dendrcecce with yellow rumps are maculosa (Black and Yellow Warbler) and tigrina* (Cape May Warbler). The former have more or less distinct (and pure ?) yellow beneath, " small tail-spots near the middle of all the feathers except the central ;" and are rather gray above. The latter are greenish above. The young Yellow " Red-poll " (D. palmarum), with a yellowish rump, has the " tailspots at very end of inner webs of two outer pairs of tail feathers only, and cut squarely off a pecu- liarity distinguishing the species in any plumage." (Coues.) Of the Bay-breasted Warbler (D. castanea) the young " so closely resemble young striata ["Black-poll"], that it is some- times impossible to distinguish them with certainty. The upper parts, in fact, are of precisely the same greenish-olive, with black streaks ; but there is generally a difference below casta- nea being there tinged with buffy or ochrey, instead of the clearer pale yellowish of striata; this shade is particularly ob- servable on the belly, flanks and under tail coverts, just where striata is whitest ; and moreover, castanea is usually not streaked on the sides at all." (Coues.) The young Blackburnian War- bler is not unlike these, though sufficiently like the female to be distinguishable. The other species require no notice, unless 8 Properly Peritsoglossa tigrina. APPENDIX. 441 the young Mourning Warblers (Geothlypis Philadelphia), who have no gray ( ?) or black, though recognizable from their shape and proportions, unless confused with the " Yellow- throats." Tanagridce or tanagers ( 10). Class first. Ampelidaz or waxwings (11). J The young of these fami- Hirundinidce or siuallows ( 12). f lies are recognizable from Vireonidce or vireos ( 13). ( their likeness to their pa- Laniidce or shrikes ( 14). ) rents. Fringillidce or finches ( 15). The young Pine Finch (Chry- somitris pinus) often resembles the young " Red-polls " (^Egi- othi), but these species, unless very young, show respectively more or less 3 r ellow or carmine. Our sparrows are separable into two groups, with the wings decidedly longer than the tail (genera Ammodromus, Coturniculus, Passerculus, and Pooe- cetes), and with the wing equal to or shorter than the tail (genera Melospiza, Spizella, and Zonotrichia) . The young Yel- low-winged Sparrow (C. passerinus) is spotted, but never streaked, beneath. In the second group, the Spizellce are char- acterized by their forked tails. The j'oung >f pusilla maybe told from that of social-is by the reddish bill, and (faint) streaks on the crown, instead of on the rump (?). Young monticola has the " breast, throat, and crown, streaked." Young Melo- spiza palustris (or Swamp Sparrow) is also streaked beneath. Other young finches are more easily recognized. In the Tow- hee Bunting (Piftilo erythropthalmus) " very young birds are streaked brown and dusky above, below whitish tinged with brown and streaked with dusky ; but this plumage, correspond- ing to the very early speckled condition of thrushes and war- blers, is of brief duration ; sexual distinctions may be noted in birds just from the nest, and they rapidly become much like the adults." (Cones.) Alaudidoe, or larks ( 16). Young easity recognized. Icteridce or starlings ( 17). Young like the females, but, in the Cow-bird, streaked. Corvidce, or crows and jays ( 18). Class third (?). In the Canada Jay (Perisoreus Canadensis), the young are said to be quite distinct, being much darker, duller, and browner. Tyrannidce or flycatchers (19). In many species, the young have rufous or ochrey edgings, especially on the wings. The young of all our picarian birds ( 20-25) are easily identified, except those of certain woodpeckers (Picidw, 25). In our 'species of Picus, "young with the crown mostly red or bronzy, or even yellowish." (Coues.) Young Sphyrapici have 442 APPENDIX. at first no distinct markings, but are easily recognized. The crown shows black, and then scarlet, very early. In Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Red-headed Woodpecker), at first "young 1 without any red, the head and neck being grayish streaked with dusky ; breast with an ashy tinge, and streaked sparsely with dusky ; secondaries with two or three bands of black ; dorsal region clouded with grayish." (B. B. and R.) The owls (Strigidce, 26) belong more or less distinctly to the third class. The young of Nyctale are described as more or less brown beneath, where they are unmarked. Descriptions of the young hawks who are much unlike their parents (Falcon- idee, 27) may be found with those of the adults. The young of our two pigeons (Columbidce, 28) resemble at first the females. The adult birds of many species change their dress for the autumn and winter, so that the coloration is materially altered. During the winter-season (only), the males resemble the fe- males in the Blue Birds (Sialia sialis), a majority of our war- blers (several of whom lose an ashiness or grayness, observable above in spring), the tanagers (?), many of the finches (even several plainly-colored kinds), and some of the starlings, not- ably the Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). The male "Yel- low-rump" (Dendroeca coronata) and Goldfinches (Chrysomi- tris tristis) become in autumn more or less brown, and remain so throughout the winter. I have now detailed the most important seasonal changes observable in the (insessorian) birds of New England. I have often quoted Dr. Coues, on account of his rank as an authority, and the, frequent terseness of his descriptions. APPENDIX. 443 F. Additions and Corrections. Add to the list of books given in foot-notes to the Preface, " Studer's Ornithol- ogy," "the Birds of North America, drawn, engraved, and colored from life by Theodore Jasper, A.M., M.D." This is to be published (by subscription, at one dollar for each number) in about forty parts, many of which have already been is- sued. Each part contains one uncolored, and three colored lithographic plates, in which the figures of the larger birds are often admirable, while those of the smaller kinds are genei-ally very much less successful. The letter-press consists of short biographical sketches, and synopses of classification. Add to S of the Introduction, on the study of birds' habits, the following: It will be found very advantageous to make observations continuously from day to day, as one will not only see many birds who otherwise would escape him, but will ac- quire an invaluable familiarity with their little characteristics (which one may often think insignificant) and so an intimacy with the birds themselves, which will enable him, for instance, to detect the presence of the Brown Creepers by their shrill and slightly tremulous tsip, where another person might require more certain indica- tions, or more impressive evidence. Moreover, one will find that intimacy suffers from interruption, and that knowledge is easily lost, however thoroughly gained. Therefore, one may chance to find a familiar song no longer associated with any bird. On the other hand, those who in studying nature are obliged to do so at in- tervals will be surprised at the amount of pleasurable acquaintance which they can form with her at odd moments. There are few places where birds cannot be studied to advantage, not excluding the hearts of our cities, where may be found creepers, nuthatches, titmice, warblers, vireos, flycatchers, shrikes, etc.,' some- times even hawks. Finally, it is to be remembered that birds are frequently er- ratic, and that observations on their abnormal habits are, as a rule, interesting observations rather than important discoveries. The Hermit Thrushes are said occasionally to catch flies in the manner of Swainson's Thrushes, who perhaps are more common migrants through southern New England than I have indicated in my biography of those birds. The Hudsonian Titmice probably breed in several parts of northern New Eng- land, and in the Adirondacks. They wander in winter so far to the southward as Connecticut, and more than one has been obtained in Massachusetts. The Crested Tomtit (Lopophanes bicolor), is said to have occurred in New England. To the accounts of the warblers, it may be added that several Orange-crowned Warblers have now been obtained in Massachusetts (for which information I am chiefly indebted to Mr. H. A. Purdie); that the Blackburnian Warblers are con- sidered by a friend, rather to the contrary of my own observations, to be very ex- pert flycatchers, and that I have seen them near Boston on the tenth of October ; that the Prairie Warblers sometimes feed upon the ground, and, moreover, have been foundjexceptionally among the White Mountains, at Bethlehem ; that the Hooded Warbler has been definitely reported from Connecticut ; and that the Yellow-breasted Chats are reported to be common summer-residents at Oyster Bay, Long Island, where Blue Birds winter, and where Cedar-birds have been seen in autumn in flocks of more than a hundred. Mr. Ridgway has suggested that the anecdote quoted from the " Naturalist," pp. 141, 142, of this book, is probably referable to the Roughrwinged Swallow, a bird closely resembling the Bank Swallow, and common in that section of the country, where the circumstance quoted is reconcilable to the usual habits of this species. On p. 257, it should have been mentioned that the Adirondacks belong to the Canadian faunal district. 444 APPENDIX. To my biography of the Hummingbird I will here add that one fluttered about the artificial flowers on the hat of a young lady sitting out of doors, and that another, haying become entangled in cobwebs, so that he could ,not see, remained on the twig of a piazza-vine, the twig having been cut off by scissors, while carried through the house, and until his plumage was cleared of the web, and his sight restored, when he at once became active. By my description of the Fish Hawk's notes, I did not wish to imply that those notes were ever musical, but merely that they were not always harsh or piercing. The coloration of the Ruffed Grouse is variable, the tints varying from reddish to grayish. So in the Quail, the chestnut is often restricted, particularly in the females. In reference to the first line of p. 390, it is to be remarked that the Scotch Capercailzie is called the " Wood Grouse." The specimen, frorii which the figure of the Winter Wren was drawn (p. 71), had an unusually short tail, in consequence of which the figure must be considered in- accurate in regard to that feature. p. 56, 5th line, for bird read birds. pp. 71 and 75, for cedon read aedon. p. 181, foot-note, for wilder read milder. I take the last opportunity offered to record an observation which I have just made (Nov. 19th, 1876), that of a Black-throated Blue Warbler busied in catching insects among weeds, and also in some trees, where were several Chickadees. From other observations made near Boston, I am inclined to believe that this spe- cies is always a rather late migrant in fall, and that individuals may occasionally pass the winter in New England. The reference to Psittaci, given in the opening table of the Key to birds, is owing to their bill, which has a true cere. The reference is improper, inasmuch as the parrots have their toes in pairs. I have just learned, from the fourth number of the Nuttall Ornithological Club Bulletin, that the nests of our kinglets had been found previously to my discovery. G. ABSTRACT OF THE GAME-LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS. Extract from Chap. 304, Statutes of 1870, as amended. Whoever takes, kills, sells, buys, has in possession, or offers for sale any WOOD COCK, from January 1st till July 4th, any PARTRIDGES, from January 1st till Sep- tember 1st, any QUAIL, from December 15th till October 15th, shall forfeit for every such Bird TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS. Whoever takes or kills ANT WILD BIRD, AT ANT SEASON OF THE TEAR, or wilfully disturbs or destroys their nests and eggs, shall forfeit for each offence Ten Dollars. The following are exceptions : Marsh, Shore, and Beach Birds, such as Plover and Sandpipers, may be killed after 15th of July ; Black Duck, Summer Duck, Teal and Wild Pigeons after September first; other fresh water Ducks, Geese, all Sea Ducks, Birds of Prey, Crow Blackbirds, Crows, Herons, Bitterns, Wilson's Snipe, Black Breast and Red Breast Plover at any time of year. Possession, by any person, of Birds mentioned as protected in this Act shall be prima facie evidence to convict under the same, and one half of all forfeitures shall be paid to the informant or prosecutor. The attention of the public is respectfully invited to these laws, which will be enforced. Their co-operation is requested by the SOCIETT FOR PROTECTION OF USEFUL BIRDS. INDEX. 445 INDEX TO ENGLISH NAMES. (For the terms used in descriptions, see T of the Introduc- tion. No references are here made to works consisting of a single volume. In other cases, the volume only is indicated, unless a species is referred to under different names. The first number after each name usually refers to a page of this work. A stands for Audubon's " Ornithological Biography," AA for Audubon's "Birds of America," B for Bonaparte's "American Ornithology," BB for Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's " Birds of North America," N for Nuttall's "Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and Canada," W for Wilson's "American Ornithology," C for Dr. Coues' " Check List," 1 and S for " Smithsonian Catalogue," 1 first 8vo edition.) (1) Acadian Flycatcher. 289; A, 2; A A, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; C, 266; S, 143. (2) Acadian Owl. 334; A, 2; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 4, p. 66; C, 328; S, 57. (3) Alice' t (or Arctic} Thrush. 39; BB, 1; C, 5a; S, 154. (4) American Barn Owl, or the like. See Barn Owl, etc. (5) Autumnal Warbler. N, 1; W, 3. See young of the Bay-breasted (or " Black poll"?) Warbler. (6) Bald Eagle. 369; A, I; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 4, and 7, p. 16; C, 362; S, 43. (7) Baltimore Oriole. 252 ; A, 1 ; A A, 4 ; BB, 2 ; N, 1 ; W, 1, and ? , 6 ; C, 216 ; S, 415. (8) Banded Three-toed Woodpecker. 320; A, 5; A A, 4; BB, 2; N,l (2d ed.) ; C, 301; 8,83. (9) Bank Swallow. 148; A, 4; A A, 1 ; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 5; C, 115; S, 229. (10) Barn Owl. 328; A, 2; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, ;; W, 6; C, 316; S, 47. (11) Barn Swallow. 142; A, 2; AA, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 5; C, 111; S, 225. (12) Barred Owl. 332; A,l; AA, 1; BB,3; N, 1; W,4; C,323; S, 54. (13) Bay-breasted Warbler. 108; A, 1; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 82; S, 197. (14) Bay-winged Bunting. 200; A, 1; AA, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W,4; 0, 161; S, 337. (15) Bee " Martin." 273. See (158). (16) Belted Kingfisher. 305; A, 1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 286; S, 117. (17) Birds of prey. Chap. Ill, p. 326; A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 316-366; S, l-2. (18) Black Hawk. 366; BB, 3; W, 6. C, = 356; S, 31. (19) Black "Log-cock "(or Woodpecker). 324. See (224). (20) Black and White " Creeper." 97 ; A, 1 ; A A, 2 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 3 ; C, 57 ; S, 167 . ^21) Black and Yellow Warbler. 126; A,l; AA,2; BB,1; N, 1; W,3; 0,84; S, 204. (22) Black-backed Woodpecker. 319; A, 2; AA, 4; B, 1; BB, 2; N, 1 (2d ed.); C, 800; S, 82. (23) Black-billed Cuckoo. 309; A, 1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 4; C, 290; S, 70. (24) Blackbirds. 17, VI, VII, etc.; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1. (25) Blackburnian Warbler. 112; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3; C, 80; S, 196. (26) Black-capped Chickadee. 59. See (68). 1 The author has carefully revised these numbers, so that they may be taken from the Index without hesitation. 446 INDEX. (27) " Black-cap (Warbler, or Flycatcher ) 129 ; A, 2 ; AA, 2 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 3 ; C, 102; 8,213. (28) "Mack-poll" Warbler. 110; A, 2; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 4 (and 6, p. 101); C, 81 ; S, 202. (29) Black-throated Blue Warbler. 115; A, 2 (and p. 279); A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1 (and p. 406) ; W, 2 (and 5, p. 100) ; C, 76 ; S, 193. (30) Black-throated Bunting. 228; A A, 3; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 191; S, 378. (31) Black-throated Green Warbler. 117 ; A, 4 ; A A, 2 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 , W, 2 ; C, 71 ; S, 189. (32) Blue Bird. 50; A, 2; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1 ; C, 16; S, 158. (33) Blue Grosbeak. 231; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 195; S, 382. (34) Blue Jay. 266; A, 2; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1 ; W, 1; C, 234; S, 434. (35) " Blue" Snow-bird. 223; A, 1; A A, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 174; S, 354. (36) Blue Warbler. 114 (G); A, 1, pp. 255 and 258; AA, 2; B, ?,2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2 (p. 141, and 3, p. 119); C, 77; S, 201. (37) Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. 99 : A, 1 ; AA, 2 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 4 ; C, 58 ; S, 168. (38) Blue-eyed Yellow Warbler. 103. See (350). (39) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. 58; A, 1; AA, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 23; S, 282. (40) Blue-headed Vireo. 152. See (287). , (41) Blue-winged Yellow Warbler. 91 ; A, 1 ; AA, 2 : BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 2 ; C, 62 ; S, 180. (42) Bobolink. 243; A, 1; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; C, 210; S, 399. (43) Bohemian Waxwing. 139; A, 4; AA, 4; B, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 118; S, 232. (44) Brewster's Linnet. 185; BB, 1; C, 147; S, . (45) Broad-winged Hawk. 365. A, 1; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6; C, 355; S, 27. (46) Bronzed Blackbird. 261; BB, 2; C, ; S, . (47) Brown Creeper. 68; A, 5; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 42; S, 275. (48) Brown Thrush. 48; A, 2; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 10; S, 261. (49) Buntings. 15, 17, passim. (49a) Burrowing Owl. 343; A, 5; AA, 1; B, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 332; S, 58. (50) Butcher-bird. 161. See (126). (51) Buzzards. 27, V, VI. A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6. See (318). For " Amer- ican Buzzard " (see (251). (52) Ccerulean Warbler. 114. See (36). (53) Canada " Flycatcher." 127; A, 2; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, I; W, 3; C, 103; S, 214. (54) Canada Grouse. 386; A, 2; A A, 5; B, 3; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 380; S, 460. (55) Canada Jay. 268; A, 2; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 239; S, 443. (56) Canada " Robin." 137. See (60). (57) Cape May Warbler. 102 ; A, 5 ; AA, 2 ; B, ? , 1 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 6 ; C, 85 ; S, 206. (58) Cardinal Grosbeak. 234; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; C, 203; S, 390. (59) Carolina Dove. 384; A, 1; AA, 5; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 5; C, 371; S, 451. For C. Wren, ( 7, 1, NOTE), see (123). (60) Carrion " Crow." 375; A, 2; A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 9; C, 366; S, 3. (61) Cat-bird. 46; A, 2; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 9; S, 254. (62) Cedar-bird. 137; A, 1; AA,.4; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 119; S, 233. (63) Chat. 132; A, 2; AA, 4; BB, 1 ; N, 1; W, 1; C, 100; S, 176. (64) " Chatterers." 11; AA, 4; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 118-121 ;S, 232-235. (65) Cherry-bird. 137. See (62). (66) Chestnut-sided Warbler. 106; A, 1; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 83; S, 200. (67) " Chewink." 226; A, 1; AA, 3; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2 C, 204; S, 391. (68) Chickadee* 59; A, 4; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 31; S, 290. . (69) " Chicken Hawk." 357; etc. See (75). 8 Other allied titmice are called "Chickadees," but always with a prefix. INDEX. 447 (70) Chimney (" Swallow or) Swift. 299; A, 2; AA, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 5; C, 271; S, 109. (71) " Chipper" or Chipping Sparrow. 210; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; 0, 178; S, 359. (72) Cliff Swallow. 144; A, 1; AA, 1; B, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 114; S, 226. (73) Common Crow, or the like. See Crow, etc. (74) Connecticut Warbler. 88; A, 2; AA,2; BB, 1; N, 1; W,5; C,95; 8,174. (75) Cooper's Hawk. 357; A, 1; A A, 1; B, 2; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 339; S, 15. (76) Cow-bird. 246; A, 2; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; C, 211; S, 400. (77) Creepers. 6. See (47), and, if necessary, (20). (78) Crossbills. 15, 1; AA, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 4; C, 142-143a; S, 318-319. (79) Crow. 262; A, 2; A A, 4 ; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 4; C, 228; S, 426. (80) Crows. 18,1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 226-231; S, 423-131 (?). (81) Crow Blackbird. 258; A. 1; AA, 4; B, $, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 225; S, 421. (S2) Cuckoos. 24. A, 1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 4; C, 288-292; 8,67-71. (83) Cuvier's Kinglet. 57; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; C ; S, 163. (84) Day Owl. 342. See (140). (85) Doves. 29, II; AA, 5 ; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 371-377; S, 449-455. (86) Downy Woodpecker. 322; A, 2; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 1; C, 299; S, 76. (87) Duck Hawk. 348; A, 1; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 9; C, 343; S, 5. (88) Eagles. 27, VII, VIII ; AA, I; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 361-362 (and 363?); S, 39-43. (89) Eastern Blue Bird, or the like. See Blue Bird, etc. (90) Eave Swallow. 144. See (72). (91) " English" Sriipe. 406. See (335). (92) "English Sparrow." 235; C, 187. (93) English Tree Sparrow, etc. 236, and note. (94) Falcons. 27, II; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 341-347; S, 5-13. (95) Ferruginous Thrush. 48. See (48). (96) Field J.ark. 241; A, 2; A A, 4; BB,2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 214; S, 406. (97) Field Sparrow. 215; A, 2; A A, 3; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; C, 179; S, 358. (98) Finches. 15; A A, 3; BB, 1 and 2; N, 1; C, 136-209; S, 303-398. (99) Fire-bird. 252. See (7). (100) Fish Crow. 262, NOTE; A, 2; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 5; C, 229; S, 429. (101) Fish Hawk. 373; A, 1; A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 5; C, 360; 8, 44. (102) " Flicker." 312. See (117). (103) Flycatchers. 19; AA, 1 and 7; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; C, 240-263; S, 120-147. (104) " Flycatchers." 13. Also 9, XI. (105) Fly catching warbler 8. 9, XI and XII; AA,2;BB.l; N,1;C, 101-105; S, 211-219. (106) Fox Sparrow. 221; A, 2; AA,3; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 188; S, 374. (107) Game-birds. Chap. V., p. 386; AA, chiefly 5; W, chiefly 6. (108) Gerfalcon. See Gyrfalcon. (109) Gnatcatchers. 3, If; C, 23-25; S, 282-284. See (39). (110) " Goatsuckers." 20; AA, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 264-268; S, lll-116a. (111) Golden Eagle. 367; A, 2; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 7; p. 13; C, 361; S, 39. (112) Golden " Robin." 252. See (7). (113) Golden Warbler. 103. See (350). (114) Golden-crowned " Thrush." 84; A, 3; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 92; S. 186- (115) Golden-crowned " Wren" or Kinglet. 55; A, 2; AA,2; B, ?, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; W.I; C,22; 8,162. (116) Golden-winged Warbler. 91; A, 5; AA,2; B, ?, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 63; S, 181. (117) Golden-winged Woodpecker. 312 ; A, 1 ; AA, 1 ; BB, 2 ; N, 1 ; W, 1 ; C, 312 ; S, 97. (118) Goldfinch. 176; A, 1; AA, 3; B, ?, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 149; S, 313. 448 INDEX. (119) Goshawk. 358; A, 2; A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6, p. 80; C, 340; S, U. (120) Grass Finch. 200. See (14). (121) Gray-cheeked Thrush. 39; BB, 1; C, 5a; S, 154. (122) Gray King-bird. 273, (a), note; A A, 1; BB, 2; C, 243; S, 125. (123) Great Carolina Wren. 74; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 47; S, 265. (124) Great Crested Flycatcher. 275 ; A, 2 ; AA, 1 ; BB, 2 ; N, 1 ; W, 2 ; C, 247 ; S, 130. (124a) Great (Cinereous or) Gray Owl. 331; A, 4; A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 322; S, 53, (125) Great Horned Owl. 339; A, 1; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6; C, 317; S, 48. (126) Great Northern Shrike. 161; A, 2; A A, 4; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 134; S, 236. (127) Green Black-capped " F,ly catcher." 129. See (28). (128) Green-crested Flycatcher. See (1). (129) " Greenlets = vireos, 13. (130) Grosbeaks. 15, XXI, XXII, and XXIII. (131) " Ground Robin." 226. See (67). (132) " Ground Sparrow." 15, passim (especially XIII, A). (133) Grouse. 30; A A, 5; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 380-388; S, 459-470. (134) Gyrfalcon. 347; A, 2 and 4; AA, 1; BB, 3; C, 341 &341a; S, 11 and 12. See 27, II, (A). (135) " Hair-bird." 210. See (71). (136) Hairy Woodpecker. 321 ; A, 5; AA, 4 ; BB, 2; N, 1 ; W, 1 ; C, 298; S, 74. (137) ' Hang-nest." 252. See (7). (138) Harriers. 27, 1. See (179). (139) Hawks. 27, (especially III and IV); A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 333-363; S, 5-46. (140) Hawk Owl. 342; A, 4; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6; C, 326; S, 62. (141) Hemlock Warbler. 112; A A, 2; N, 1; W, 5. See (26). (142) Hen Hawks. 27, especially V, (A) and (B); AA, 1 ; BB, 3; N, 1 ; W, 6. (143) Henslow's Bunting (or Sparrow). 193 ; A, 1 ; AA, 3 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 (2d ed.) ; C, 163 ; S, 339. (144) Hermit Thrush. 34; A, 1; A A, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 5; C, 4; S, 149. (145) " High-hole," etc. 312. See (117). (146) Hooded "Flycatcher " (or Warbler) . 129, NOTE ; A, 2 ; A A, 2 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 3 ; C, 101; 8,211. (147) Horned Lark. 237. See (274). (148) Horned Owl. 339. See (125). (149) House Sparrow. 235; C, 187. (150) House Wren. 75. A, 1; A A, 2; BB, 1; N. 1; W, 1; C, 49; S, 270. (151) Hummingbird. 302. See (261). (152) Hummingbirds. 22; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 273-283: S, 100-106. (153) Indigo Bird. 229; A, 1; AA, 3; B, $, 2; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 1; C, 199; S, 387. (154) Ipswich Sparrow. 195; BB, 1; C, 158; S, . (155) Jays. 18, II and III; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 232-239; S, 432-444. (156) Jerfalcon. 347. See (134). (157) Kentucky Warbler. 88, NOTE; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3; C. 96; S, 175. (158) King-bird. 273; A, 1; A A, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2, p. 66; C, 242; S, 124. (159) Kingfisher. 305; A, 1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 286; S, 117. (160) Kingfishers. 23; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 286-287; S, 117-118. (161) " Kinglets." 3, 1; A, 2; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 21-22; S, 161-163. (162) Lapland Longspur. 188; A, 4; AA, 3; B, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 153; S, 326. (163) Large-billed Water " Thrush." 83 ; A , 1 ; AA, 3 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 3, pi. 23 ; C, 94 ; 8 I am inclined to decide that fig. 2 of pi. 45 is that of the Hermit Thrush, whereas confusion with the Olive-backed Thrush occurs in the text. INDEX. 449 (164) Lark Finch. 189; A, 5; A A, 3; B, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 186; S, 344. (165) Larks. 16 (also 17, 1, and 8). (166) Least Flycatcher (or L. " Pewee.") 288; AA, (1 ?) 7; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 258; S, 142. (167) Lesser "Red-poll." 182; A, 4; A A, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 4; C, 146; S, 320. (168) Lincoln's Finch. 207; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 2; N, 1 (2d ed.)j C, 167; S, 368. (169) Linne's Hummingbird. 302, NOTE; C, 283; S, - . (170) " Linnet." 174. (Also, 15, IV, B, and V.) See (234). (171) " Log-cock." 324. See (224). (172) Loggerhead Shrike. 165; A, 1 ; AA, 4; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3; C, 135; S, 237. (173) Long-billed Marsh Wren. 78; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 51; S, 268. (174) Long-eared Owl. 329; A, 4; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6; C, 320; S, 51. (175) Longspur. 188. See (162). (176) Louisiana " Thrush." 83. See (163). (177) Magnolia Warbler. 126. See t21). (178) Marsh Blackbird. 249. See (252). (179) Marsh Hawk. 346; AA, 1; B, 2, p. 30; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6; C, 333; S, 38. (180) Marsh Owl. 330. See (276). (181) " Marsh Robin." 226. See (67). (182) Marsh wrens. 7, II, especially (B) ; AA, 2; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; C, 51-52; S, 268-269. (183) Martins. 12, V. See (236). (184) Maryland " Yellow throat." 85; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1, and $,2; C, 97; 8,170. (185) Maynard>s Sparrow. 195. See (154). (186) Meadow Lark. 241; A, 2; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 3; C, 214; S, 406. (187) Meadow Wren. 77. See (275). (188) Mealy " Red-poll." 182, V, (a), NOTE; A, 5; AA, 3; BB, 1; C, 1466; S, 321. (189) Migratory Thrush = Robin. See (257). (190) Mocking Bird. 45; A, 1; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 8; S, 253. (191) Mocking thrushes. 1, II (and III?); AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 7-14; S, (192) Mottled Owl. 335 ; A, 1 ; AA ? 1 ; BB, 3 ; N, 1 ; W, 3 ; C, 318 ; S, 49. (193) Mourning Warbler. 87; A, 5; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, S8; S, 172. (194) " Mouse Hawk." 346. See (179). (1!)5) -Myrtle-bird." 124. See (356). (196) Nashville Warbler. 94; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3; C, 67; S, 183. (197) New York Thrush." 83. See (163). (198) Night "Hawk." 297; A A, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 5: C, 267; S, 114. (199) " Nightingale." A name applied to several American birds, as (344), (350), etc. (200) "Night-jar." 295. See (336). (201) Nuchal Woodpecker. 318 at bottom; BB, 2; C, 302a; S, 86. (202) Nuthatches. 5; A, 2; A A, 4; BB, 1; N. 1; C, 38-41; S, 277-281. (203) Olive-backed Thrush. 36; AA, "III, pi. cxlvii; not the text"; BB, 1; W, 5, pi. 45, flg. 2 ( ?) ; C, 5 ; S, 153. (204) Olive-sided Flycatcher. 280; A, 2; A A, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; C, 253; S, 137. (205) Orange-crowned Warbler. 95; A, 2; A A, 2; B, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 68; S, 184. (20!5) Orchard Oriole. 255; A, 1, A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 1; C, 215; S, 414. (207) Orioles. 17, V; A, 1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 1; C, 215-220; S, 408-416. (208) Osprey. 373. See (101). (209) " Oven-bird." 84. See (114). * The Musctcapa pusilla of Swainson is either this species or a variety of Traill's Flycatcher. 30 450 INDEX. (210) Owls. 26; A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 316-332; S, 47-62. (211) Pallas' Thrush, 34. See (144). (212) Palm Warbler. 122 ; B, 2. See (248). (213) " Partridge" = Quail, p. 393, and Ruffed Grouse, p. 388. See (237) and (262). (214) Passenger Pigeon. See (346). (215) " Peabody-bird." 217. See (344). (216) Peregrine Falcon. 348. See (87). (217) Pewee (or Phoebe.") 277; A, 2; AA, 1; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 2; C, 252; S, 135. (218) " Pheasant." 388. See (262). (219) Philadelphia Vireo. 159; BB, 1; C, 124; S, 244. (220) Pigeons. Chap. IV; AA, 4 and 5; BB, 3; N, 1; C, 367-370; S, 445-448; inc. doves, C 377; S 455. (221) Pigeon Haiok. 351; A, 1; A A, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 2; C, 344; S, 7. (222) " Pigeon Hawk." 355. See (272). (223) Pigeon Woodpecker. 312. See (117). (224) Pileated Woodpecker. 324; A, 2; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 4; C, 294; S, 90. (225) Pine Finch (or P. Linnet). 180; A, 2 ; AA, 3; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 2 ; C, 148; S, 317. (226) Pine (Bullfinch or) Grosbeak. 172; A, 4; A A, 3; B, ?, 3; BB, 1: N, 1; W, 1; C, 137; S.304. (227) Pine Warbler. 120; A, 2; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3; C, 91; S, 198. (228) Pinnated Grouse. 387; A, 2; A A, 5; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 3; C, 384; S, 464. (229) " Pipit ." 79. See (312). (230) " Politician." 160. See (328). (231) Prairie Warbler. 105; A, 1 ; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3; C, 86; S, 210. (232) " Prairie Hen " (or " Prairie Chicken"). 387. See (228). (233) Prothonotary Warbler. 90; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 3; C, 59; S, 169. (234) Purple Finch. 174; A, 1; AA, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1 (and yg. 5); C, 139; S, 305. (235) Purple GraUe. 258. See (81). (236) Purple Martin. 150; A, 1; A A, 1; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 5; C, 117; S, 231. (237) Quail. 393; A, 1; AA, 5; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6; C, 389; S, 471. (238) Eaven. 262, NOTE ; A, 2; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1 ; W, 9; C, 226; S, 423. (239) Red Crossbill. 168; A, 2; A A, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 4; C, 143; S, 318. (240) Red Owl. 335; W, 5. See (192). (241) Red-bellied Nuthatch. 66; A, 2; AA, 4; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 39; S, 279. (242) Red-bellied Woodpecker. 315, NOTE ; A, 5 ; A A, 4 ; BB, 2 ; N, 1 ; W, 1 ; C, 306 ; S, 91. (243) Red Bird = Summer Red Bird; 136; = Cardinal Grosbeak, 234. (244) Red-eyed Vireo. 155; A, 2; AA, 4; BB, 1; N, 1 ; W, 2; C, 122; S, 240. (245) Redheaded Woodpecker. 315; A, 1; AA, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 1; C, 309; S, 94. (246) Red-naped for Red-throated) Woodpecker. 318 at bottom ; BB, 2. See (201). (247) " Red-polls." 15, V, p, 182; AA, 3; BB, 1 ; N, 1. See (167). (248) " Red-poll" Warbler. 122; A, 2; AA, 2; B, 2, p. 12; BB, ] ; N, 1; W, 4; C, 90; S, 208. (249) Red-shouldered Hawk. 361; A, 1; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W. 6, and 4, p. 73; C, 352; S, 25. (250) Redstart. 130; A, 1; AA, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1 and 5; C, 104; S, 217. (251) Red-tailed Hawk. 360; A, 1; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6 (pi. 52, fig. 1, 2); C, 351; S, 23. (252) Red-toinged Blackbird, 249; A, 1; A A, 4; BB, 2; N, 1; W, 4; C, 212; S, 401. (253) Reed-bird (or Rice-bird). 243. See (42). (254) "Republican" Swallow. 144. See (72). (255) Richardson's Owl. 333; A, 4, p. 559; A A, 1, p. 122; BB, 3; C, 327; S, 55. (256) Ring-tailed Eagles Golden Eagle. 367. See (111). (257) Robin. 41; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 1; S, 155. INDEX. 451 (258) Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 232 ; A, 2 ; A A, 3 ; B, $ , 2 ; BB, 2 ; N, 1 ; W, 2 ; C, 193 ; 8,380. (259) Rough-legged Hawk. 366; A, 2; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1, pp. 97, 98; W, 4; C, 356; S, 30. See (18). (260) Ruby-crowned " Wren" (or Kinglet). 53; A, 2; A A, 2; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 21; S, 161. (261) Ruby-throated Hummingbird. 302 ; A, 1 ; AA, 4 ; BB, 2 ; N, 1 ; W, 2 ; C, 275 ; S, 101. (262) Ruffed Grouse. 388; A, 1; A A, 5; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 6; C, 385*; S, 465. (263) Rusty Blackbird (or Grakle). 256 ; A, 2 ; AA, 4 ; BB, 2 ; N, 1 ; W, 3 ; C, 221 ; S, 417 . (264) Sand " Martin" 148. See (9). (265) " Sapsucker." 25, passim. (266) Savannah Sparrow. 197 ; A, 2 ; AA, 3 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 3 and 4 ; C, 159 ; S, 332. (267) " Saw-whet " Owl. 334. See (2). (268) Scarlet Tanager. 134; A, 4; AA, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 107; S, 220. (269) Screech Owl. 335. See (192) and*(240). (270) Sea-side Finch. 190 ; A, 1 ; AA, 3, pp. 103, 106 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 4 ; C, 165 ; S, 342. (271) Serin Finch. 236, NOTE. (272) Sharp-shinned Hawk. 355 ; A, 4 ; A A, 1 ; BB, 3 ; N, 1 ; W, 5, and 6, p. 13 ; C, 338 ; S, 17. (273) Sharp-tailed Finch. 191; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 4; C, 166; S, 341. (274) Shore Lark. 237; A, 2; AA, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 1; C, 53; S, 302. (275) Short-billed Marsh Wren. 77; A, 2; AA, 2; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; C, 52; S, 269. (276) Short-eared Owl. 330; A, 5; AA, 1; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 4; C, 321; S, 52. (277) Shrikes. 14; AA, 4; BB, 1; N, 1; C, 134-135a; S, 236-239. (278) Siskin. 180. See (225). (279) Sky Lark. 237, and note ad fin. of 16; BB, 1. See (274). (280) Slate-colored Hawk (of Wilson). 355; N, 1; W, 6. See (272). (281) Small-headed Flycatcher. 129, NOTE ; AA, 1 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 6 ; C, ; S, 212. (282) Snipe. 406; A A, 5 and 6; BB, 4; N, 2. See (349). (283) Snotv-bird. 223; A, 1 ; A A, 3; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 174; S, 354. (284) Snow Bunting (or " Snow-flake"). 185 ; A, 2 ; AA, 3 ; BB, 1 ; N, 1 ; W, 3 ; C, 152 ; S, 325. (285) Snowy Owl. 341 ; A, 2; AA, 1 ; BB, 3; N, 1; W, 4; C, 325; S, 61. (286) Social Sparrow. 210. See (71). (287) Solitary Vireo. 152; A, 1; AA, 4; BB, 1; N, 1; W, 2; C, 127; S, 250. (288) Song Sparrow. 202; A, 1; AA, 3; BB, 1; N. 1; W, 2; C, 169; S, 363. (289) Song Thrush. 48; also 29; See (48) and (341). (290) Sparrows. 15, IX-XV (English, XXIV, XXV); AA, 3; BB, 1 and 2; N, 1; C, 157-189a; S, 331-376a. (291) Sparrow Hawk. 353 ; A, 2 ; A A, 1 ; BB, 3 ; N, 1 ; W, ? , 2, and