mi THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID THE BIRDS OF THE AIR. BY ROBERT RAMBLE. PHILADELPHIA: CRISSY & MARKLEY, No. 4 MINOR STREET. 1849. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1840, by J. CRISSY, in the clerk's office of the district court of the eastern district of Pennsylvania. (6) CONTENTS. The Birds of the Air ....................... Page 9 The Ostrich .................................. 13 The Cassowary ............................... 16 The Dodo .................................... 21 The Condor .................................. 25 The Vulture .................................. 26 The Golden Eagle ............................. 30 The Osprey, or Fishing Eagle ................... 37 The Secretary Falcon .......................... 41 The Kite ..................................... 44 The Moor-Buzzard ............................ 48 The Sparrowhawk ............................. 53 The Owl .................................... 57 The Peacock ................................. 61 The Pintado, or Guinea Fowl .................... 65 The Bustard .................................. 66 The Wood-Grouse, or Cock of the Wood ..... ..... 70 The Black Grouse ............................. 74 JVJ348986 viii CONTENTS. The Partridge Page 79 The Wood Pigeon 83 The Carrier Pigeon 84 Great Crowned Pigeon , 89 The Parrot 93 The Macaw 96 The Hoopoe 100 The Bird of Paradise 105 The Toucan 109 The Great Auk 112 The Swan 116 Guinea, or Swan Goose 120 The Crowned Crane 124 The Bittern 128 The Heron 132 The Adjutant 137 The Spoonbill 138 The Ruff . .143 THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, IN a little book which I put forth, not long ago, called " VISIT TO THE MENAGERIE," I have given an account of the most interesting of the Quadrupeds. Some of my little friends, who have read that book, desire that it should be accompanied by another, in which the birds of the air are described and figured ; and it is in compliance with their wishes that I now commence this little Book of Birds. I will give in it an account of all the most remarkable birds, with well-drawn pictures, showing their form ; and I will tell such stories and anecdotes about them as may occur to me as I go on, (9) 10 THE BIRDS OF THE AIR. According to the Linnean system, which, however, I shall not rigidly follow in my ar- rangement, the Land Birds are divided into four classes ; the Rapacious Birds (accipitres) ; the Pies (pics)) ; the Passerine Birds (passeres) ; and the Gallinaceous Birds (galling) : the Wa- ter Birds consist of two classes, the Waders (grallse) ; and the Swimmers (anseres). Of the Rapacious Birds, the bills are hooked, and there is an angular projection on the upper mandible ; of the Pies, they are sharp-edged, compressed on the sides, and convex on the upper surface ; of the Passerine Birds, conical and sharp pointed ; of the Gallinaceous Birds, the upper mandible is considerably arched ; the Waders have a roundish bill, and a fleshy tongue ; and of the Swimmers, the bills are broad at the top, and covered with a mem- branaceous skin. THE OSTRICH. As in some measure connecting the class of quadrupeds with that of the feathered race, the Ostrich is, perhaps, the bird which is entitled to claim our attention first. In external ap- pearance it bears some resemblance to the camel; its internal conformation allies it to quadrupeds ; it grazes with animals ; and its plumage gives the idea rather of hair than of feathers. The Ostrich is generally seven some- times nine feet high, from the top of the head to the ground, but from the back it is only four; so that the head and neck are above three feet long. From the top of the head to the rump, when the neck is stretched out in a right line, the length is six feet, and that of the tail about a foot more. One of the wings, when stretched out, is about three feet ; and at the end of each wing there is a kind of spur, (13) 14 THE OSTRICH. almost like the quill of the porcupine. The pltimage is generally black and white ; the up- per part of the head and neck are covered with fine white hair, and in some places there are small tufts of it, which grow from a single shaft, about the thickness of a pin. The neck of this animal, which is of a livid flesh colour, seems to be more slender in proportion than that of other birds, from its not being furnished with feathers : the head and bill somewhat resemble those of a duck ; and the external form of the eye is like that of a man's, the upper eyelids being adorned with lashes which are longer than those on the lid below. The thighs are large, fleshy, and wrinkled in the manner of a net; the legs are covered before with large scales ; the foot is cloven, and has two toes of unequal sizes. These animals seem formed to live among the sandy and arid deserts of the torrid zone ; and in those regions they are seen in large flocks, which, to the distant spectator, appear like a regiment of cavalry, and have often THE OSTRICH. 15 alarmed a whole caravan. There is no spot, however sterile, but what is capable of supply- jng them with provision, as they are of all crea- tures the most voracious, and possess surprising powers of digestion. Hence they will devour leather, hair, stones, or any thing that is given to them \ and those substances which the coats of the stomach cannot soften, are excluded in the form in which they were swallowed. In Southern Africa they are exceedingly injurious to the farmers ; as they will destroy a field of wheat so effectually as not to leave a single ear behind. THE CASSOWARY. THE Cassowary of New South Wales is thus described by Latham: It is blackish; the crown flat ; its body bristly ; its head and neck planted with quills, and its legs serrated behind. The head and beak are much more like those of the Ostrich ; the tongue has a broad root, serrated sides, and pointed top. This bird is exceedingly swift of foot, and strikes severely with its heel when pursued. It frequently mea- sures nearly seven feet when standing erect. Its flesh is said to be similar in flavour to beef. The hen lays a number of eggs, which are rather less than those of the Ostrich ; they are nearly of an oval shape, and of a bottle-green colour. The principal material of the nest is dried fern: it is usually constructed on the ground, on the borders of a swamp. f (16) (17) THE DODO. THE wings of the Dodo are somewhat similar to those of the Ostrich and Cassowary : but, in its general appearance, it differs from these, and, indeed, all other known birds. We are, perhaps, incorrect in speaking of the Dodo in the present tense ; for, in all probability, it is now extinct. There is not even a perfect spe- cimen to be found ,- still, no doubts are enter- tained of its having once been in existence. The only authentic original figure of the Dodo, is a painting in the British Museum, which is said to have been taken from the living bird, brought into Holland by the Dutch, soon after the discovery of the East Indies, by the way of the Cape of Good Hope. Beneath the paint ing is a Dodo's leg, in a fine state of preserva- tion, which is very thick, in proportion to its length, " and satisfies the eye of every orni- thologist, that it cannot belong to any other known bird." The Dodo must have been as (21) 22 THE DODO. incapable of running, with any degree of speed, as flying : it may be pronounced the most in- elegant, awkward, and clumsy-looking creature of the whole feathered tribes. In size, it ex- ceeds the turkey. The neck is thick and pursy ; the body heavy, lumpish, and nearly cubical ; the tail disproportioned, and not in the usual place. The plumage is represented as being a variegation of black and white, with a slight mixture of yellow; the immense mandibles open far back in the head, behind the eyes ; the up- per one is black, except at the hook, where there is a red spot ; the legs and feet are yel- low, and the nails black ; the toes are four in number, and one of them points backward. The Dodo was formerly found in the Isle of France ; but, for the last two centuries, not a single individual of the race has been met with. The Dutch called it Walgh Vogel, or the dis- gusting bird ; as well on account of its ugly figure as its offensive smell; the flesh, how- ever, is said to have been palatable and whole- some food. THE CONDOR. THE Condor is an inhabitant of South Amer- ica. It belongs to the vulture tribe, and in size considerably exceeds the largest eagle. The wings, when expanded, have sometimes been found to extend to eighteen feet ; but from ten to thirteen feet seems to be the usual measure. The great wing feathers, which are of a shining black, are two feet four inches long. The strength and size of its body, bill, and talons, are in proportion, and its courage equals its muscular powers. The throat is naked and of a red hue. A short down of a brown colour clothes the head, and its eyes are surrounded with a circle of reddish brown. The plumage on the breast, neck, and wings, is of a light brown; that on the back rather darker, and sometimes of a jet black. The legs, which are strong and large, are covered with black scales, and the toes are armed with claws of the same colour. (25) THE VULTURE. OF this class of birds the principal are the Golden or Carrion Vulture, the Aquiline or Egyptian Vulture, the Cape Vulture, and the Brazilian Vulture. In one point they all have a perfect resemblance ; they are filthy, indolent, and rapacious, and the smell of them is offen- sive. The Golden Vulture, which, if we except the Condor, seems to be at the head of the tribe, is about four feet and a half long, from the end of the beak to that of the tail, and gene- rally weighs about four or five pounds. The head and neck are only covered with a few scattered hairs, and the latter is covered with a red skin, which at a distance gives to the creature the look of a turkey ; and the eyes are more prominent than those of the eagle. The whole plumage is dusky, mixed with pur- ple and green ; the legs are of a dirty flesh co- THE VULTURE. 29 lour, and the claws are black. The male Aqui- line Vulture is entirely white, except the quill feathers, which are black, edged with hoary ; but the female is brown, with the same excep- tion of the quill feathers. The Cape Vulture bears a great similarity to the last species, but its head is of a bright blue colour, covered with a yellowish down, and its plumage is somewhat of a coffee colour. The Vulture is common in many parts of Europe ; and in Egypt, Arabia, and many other kingdoms of Africa and Asia, he is found in great abundance. In Egypt, and particularly in Grand Cairo, there are great flocks of them, which render a most important service to the inhabitants, by devouring all the filth and car- rion, which might otherwise render the air pes- tilential. The ancient Egyptians were so sensi- ble of the utility of this bird that they made it a capital crime to put one of them to death. THE GOLDEN EAGLE. AMONG birds, the Eagle is usually considered to hold the same place that the Lion does among beasts. Buffon has drawn between them a parallel w r hich displays his usual eloquence. " Magnanimity," says he, " is equally conspi- cuous in both ; they despise the small animals, and disregard their insults. It is only after a series of provocations, after being teased with the noisy or harsh notes of the raven or mag- pie, that the Eagle determines to punish their temerity or their insolence with death. Be- sides, both disdain the possession of that pro- perty which is not the fruit of their own indus- try; rejecting with contempt the prey which is not procured by their own exertions. Both are remarkable for their temperance. This spe- cies seldom devours the whole of his game, but, like the lion, leaves the fragments and offals to other animals. Though famished for want of (30) THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 33 prey, he disdains to feed upon carrion. Like the lion, also, he is solitary ; the inhabitant of a desert, over which he reigns supreme, ex- cluding all the other birds from his silent do- main. It is perhaps even more uncommon to see two pairs of eagles in the same tract of mountain, than two families of lions in the same part of the forest. They separate from each other at such wide intervals, as to afford ample range for subsistence; and esteem the value and extent of their domain to consist in the abundance of prey with which it is replen- ished. The eyes of the Eagle have the glare of those of the lion, and are nearly of the same colour ; the claws are of the same shape ; the organs of sound are equally powerful, and the cry equally terrible. Destined, both of them, for war and plunder, they are alike bold, fierce, and untractable. It is impossible to tame them, unless they be caught in their infancy." It may be allowed that this parallel holds good in all its points but one, that which respects the voice of the Eagle, which is a piercing treble, pos- 3 34 THE GOLDEN EAGLE. sessed of no grandeur, while that of the lion is a deep and dreadful bass. Of all his tribe, the Golden Eagle is the largest and most majestic. He measures three feet in length, seven feet and a half from tip to tip of the wings, and weighs fourteen pounds. The head and neck are clothed with narrow pointed feathers, of a deep brown colour, bor- dered with tawny : the whole body also is of a dark brown, the back being finely clouded with a deeper shade of the same : the tail is brown, irregularly barred with an obscure ash colour. The beak is of a deep blue, and the eye of a hazel colour. The legs are yellow, strong, and feathered to the very feet; and the toes are armed with formidable claws. THE OSPREY, OR FISHING-EAGLE THIS bird is nearly as large as the Golden Eagle, measuring in length three feet and a half, but its expanded wings do not reach above seven feet. Its bill is large, much hooked, and of a bluish colour : irides in some light hazel, in others yellow : a row of strong bristly fea- thers hangs down from its under bill next to its throat, whence it has been termed the Bearded Eagle : the top of the head and back part of the neck are dark brown, inclining to black : the feathers on the back are variegated by a lighter brown, with dark edges ; the scapulars are pale brown, the edges nearly white; the breast and belly whitish, with irregular spots of brown ; the tail feathers are dark brown, the outer edges of the exterior feathers whitish; the quill feathers and thighs are dusky; the legs and feet yellow; the claws, which are large and black, form a complete semicircle. (37) 38 THE OSPREY, OR FISHING-EAGLE. It is found in various parts of Europe and America. It is, however, wide dispersed, and was met with at Botany Island by Captain Cook. It lives chiefly on fish ; its usual haunts are by the sea shore; it also frequents the borders of large lakes or rivers, and is said to see so distinctly in the dark, as to be able to pursue and catch its prey during the night. The nest is built on the ground, among reeds, and the female lays three or four white eggs, which are rather smaller than a hen's. Fre- quent contests take place between the Bald Eagle and the Osprey ; the former endeavour- ing to deprive the latter of the prey which it has caught. THE SECRETARY FALCON. THIS curious bird resembles the common Falcon in its head, bill, and claws ; but its legs are so long that, when it stands upright, it is not much unlike the crane. When standing erect, it measures about three feet from the top of the head to the ground. It is a native of the interior of Africa, Asia, and the Philippine Islands. The general colour of the plumage is a bluish ash ; the tips of the wings, and the thighs, inclining to black. On the back of the head are several long dark-coloured fea- thers, hanging down behind, and capable of being erected at pleasure. This crest induced the Dutch colonists at the Cape to give it the name of the Secretary ; the Hottentots, how- ever, style it the Serpent-eater, from the avidity with which it catches and devours those nox- ious reptiles. The manner in which it seizes (41) 42 THE SECRETARY FALCON. them displays great intelligence. On approach- ing them it carries forward the point of one of its wings, in order to parry their venomous bites, and waits till it finds an opportunity of spurning or treading on its adversary, or taking him on his pinions and throwing him into the air. When he has at last thus wearied him out, he kills and devours him at his leisure. M. le Vaillant witnessed one of these com- bats. Finding itself inferior in strength, the serpent endeavoured to regain his hole, but the falcon, by a single leap, got before him, and cut off his retreat. On whatever side the reptile strove to escape, the enemy still faced him. The serpent then erected himself to intimidate thd bird, and, hissing dreadfully, displayed his menacing throat, inflamed eyes, and a head swoln with rage and venom. Sometimes this produced a momentary suspension of hostili- ties ; but the bird soon returned to the charge, and, covering her body with one of her wings as a buckler, struck her enemy with the bony protuberance of the other. The serpent at last THE SECRETARY FALCON. 43 dropped, and the bird laid open his skull with one stroke of her beak. This singular bird may easily be tamed, and it becomes very domestic and familiar. If se- verely pinched with hunger, it will then devour ducklings and chickens ; yet, if well fed, it will live with the poultry on amicable terms, and when it sees any of them quarreling, will run to part the combatants. Unlike all the rest of the feathered race, these birds always strike forward with their legs when they fight. THE KITE. OP the falcon tribe the Kite is the best known, and the most ignoble. He may be dis- tinguished from others of the same class, by his forked tail, and the slow circular eddies which he describes in the air previous to pouncing on his prey. He appears, indeed, to rest himself upon the air without making the smallest effort in flying. As, however, almost every bird of flight is able to elude his pursuit, he subsists only on accidental carnage ; and may be con- sidered as an insidious thief, who, on finding a small bird wounded, or a young chicken strayed from its mother, improves the moment of ca- lamity to his own advantage. Sometimes in- deed his hunger urges him to acts of despera- tion. One has been seen to fly round and round, for a while, to mark a clutch of chick- ens, and then suddenly dart upon the unresist- ing little animal, and carry it off; the parent (44) THE KITE. 47 hen in vain crying out, and the boys hooting and casting stones, to scare it from its plunder. This bird is common in England, where it continues the whole year. It is found in va- rious parts of Europe, in very northern lati- tudes, whence it retires towards Egypt before winter, in great numbers. In size the Kite is larger than the common buzzard : he has large eyes, yellow legs and feet, and black talons. The head and back are of a pale ash hue. His neck is reddish ; and the lesser rows of the wing feathers are party- coloured, black, red, and white. THE MOOR-BUZZARD. THIS bird is about twenty-one inches in tength, with a black bill, and yellow eyes. The whole crown of the head is of a yel- lowish white, lightly tinged with brown ; the throat is of a light rust colour : the rest of the plumage is of a reddish brown, with pale edges ; the greater wing-coverts are tipped with white ; the legs are yellow, and claws black. Rabbits, young wild ducks, and other water- fowl, are the prey of this bird : it will likewise feed on fish, frogs, reptiles, and even insects. Its haunts are in hedges arid bushes, near pools, marshes, and rivers that abound with fish. It builds its nest a little above the surface of the ground, or in hillocks covered with thick herb- age. Though smaller, it is more active and bold than the Common Buzzard, and when pur- sued, it faces its antagonist, and makes a vigorous defence. (48) THE SPARROWHAWK. THIS bird is somewhat larger than a com- mon pigeon, the male being about twelve inches in length, and the female fifteen. It has a short hooked blue bill, slender reddish legs, and rather a long tail. The colour of the eye is a bright orange. The plumage on the wings and upper parts of the body is brown, spotted with a yellowish dun ; the lower parts in some are whitish, in others of a russet colour. The head is flat at the top, and above each eye is a strong and bony projection; a few scattered spots of white form a faint line run- ning backward towards the neck : the top of the head and all the upper parts of the body are of a dusky brow r n colour ; on the back part of the head there is a faint line of white ; the greater quill feathers and the tail are dusky, with four bars of a darker hue on (53) 54 THE SPARROWHAWK. each; the inner edges of all the quills are marked with two or more large white spots ; the tips of the tail feathers are white ; the breast, belly, and under coverts of the wings and thighs, are white, beautifully barred with brown ; the throat is faintly streaked with brown ; the legs and feet are yellow ; claws black. The Sparrowhawk is very numerous in va- rious parts of the world, from Russia to the Cape of Good Hope. The female builds in high rocks, lofty ruins, or hollow trees, but will sometimes condescend to take up with the old nest of a crow. THE OWL. OWLS may be divided into two classes ; viz. those with, and those without tufts of fea- thers growing up from the head, like ears, or horns. In the former class, the Great Horned Owl is most conspicuous : it is the largest of the genus, being nearly equal in size to an ea- gle : it builds in rocks, or mountains, and feeds on young hares, rabbits, and even pheasants and grouse. The Long-eared Owl is about fourteen inches in length : its plumage is marked with various shades of brown, yellow, and cream colour; the legs and feet are covered with feathers. It inhabits ruined buildings and hollow trees. The Short-eared Owl is nearly of the same size as the bird we have just noticed : its horns never consist of more than three feathers, while those of the Long-eared Owl are composed of six. The Short-eared Owl flies by day. The White Owl, Barn Owl, or Screech Owl, (57) 58 THE OWL. and the Brown Ivy Owl, are very common birds. The White Owl inhabits barns, out- houses, &c. Its food generally consists of mice. The Brown Owl frequents woods, and builds in hollows of trees. It feeds on mice, moles, &c. Some of this genus are remarkable for the smallness of their size : there is a Siberian spe- cies which barely exceeds a sparrow in bulk ; and another, the Little Owl, which is not much larger than the thrush, and sees better by day than night : it preys on small birds, mice, &c. The greater part of Owls are nocturnal birds, although some species prey during the day- time ; and these, it has been observed, bear a stronger resemblance to the hawks than the rest of the genus. Little Owl. THE PEACOCK. To describe, in adequate terms, the dazzling beauties of this elegant bird, would be a task of no small difficulty. Its head is adorned with a tuft, consisting of twenty-four feathers, whose slender shafts are furnished with webs only at the ends, painted with the most exquisite green, mixed with gold : the head, throat, neck, and breast, are of a deep blue, glossed with green and gold; the greater coverts and bastard wings are reddish brown, as are also the quills, some of which are variegated with black and green ; the under part of the body is black, with a greenish hue : but the distinguishing charac- ter of this singular bird is its train, which rises just above the tail, and, when erected, forms a fan of the most resplendent hues : the two mid- dle feathers are sometimes four feet and a half long, the others gradually diminishing on each side : the shafts, white, and furnished, from their origin, nearly to the end, with parted filaments (61) 62 THE PEACOCK. of varying colours, ending in a flat vane, which is decorated with what is called the eye. The real tail consists of short, stiff, brown feathers, which serve as a support to the train. When pleased or delighted, and in sight of his fe- males, the Peacock erects his train, and dis- plays all the majesty of his beauty; all his movements are full of dignity; his head and neck bend nobly back ; his pace is slow and solemn, and he frequently turns slowly and gracefully round, as if to catch the sunbeams in every direction, and produce new colours of inconceivable richness and beauty, accompa- nied at the same time with a hollow murmuring voice expressive of desire. The cry of the Peacock, at other times, is often repeated and very disagreeable. The plumes are shed every year, and, while moulting them, the bird, as if humiliated, retires from view. The Peahen is somewhat less than the male, and though furnished both with a train and crest, is destitute of those dazzling beauties which distinguish her consort. THE PINTADO, OR GUINEA FOWL. THIS bird is originally a native of Africa, but has been long naturalized in this country, and is considered as a delicacy. It is about the size of a common hen, but, being supported on longer legs, it looks much larger. Its head is covered with a kind of helmet ; the back is round ; and the tail turned downward, like that of a partridge. The whole plumage is black, or dark gray, diversified with white spots ; and the wattles, proceeding from the upper chap, give it a very peculiar aspect. All their habits resemble those of the poultry kind, and they agree in every other respect, except that the sex can only be distinguished by the colour of the wattles ; those of the male being of a blu- ish cast, while in the female they are more in- clining to red. The voice of the Guinea Fowl is extremely harsh and discordant. The eggs are smaller than those of the domestic hen, but have a harder shell. 5 <<*> THE BUSTARD. OF the Bustard tribe there are about twelve species, most of which are inhabitants of Eu- rope. They have bills somewhat convex, long legs, naked above the knees, and only three toes, all of which are placed forward. The Great Bustard is a native of England, and is the largest of the land fowls of that country, the male sometimes weighing upwards of twen- ty-five pounds. The male of this variety differs in one remarkable respect from the female ; which is, in being furnished with a pouch in the fore part of the neck, capable of containing above two quarts of water. This water the animal can eject with such violence as not un- frequently to baffle the attacks of birds of prey. The Bustard is nearly four feet in length, and nine in breadth. Its neck is a foot long, and its legs eighteen inches. The head and neck of the male are ash coloured; the back is (66) THE BUSTARD. 69 barred transversely with bright rust colour and black ; the belly is white, and the tail, which consists of twenty feathers, is barred with red and black. The female is little more than half as large as the male, and her colours are less bright. The top of her head is of a deep orange, and the remaining part is brown. She also varies from the male in not having a tuft on each side of the head. THE WOOD-GROUSE, OR COCK OF THE WOOD. THIS bird, which is nearly the size of a tur- key, often weighs twelve or fourteen pounds ; but the female is considerably smaller. The head and neck are ash coloured and crossed with black lines; the body and wings of a chestnut brown ; and the breast is of a black- ish glossy green. The female differs very much in her plumage. This bird is chiefly found in mountainous and wooded situations ; though in summer he occasionally ventures from his retreats, to make short depredations on the corn fields. While living in the recesses of the forest, he attaches himself principally to the oak and the pine tree; the cones of the latter serving him for food, and the branches affording him a habita- tion. He also feeds upon cranberries, ants (70) THE WOOD-GROUSE. 73 eggs, and insects; and his gizzard, like that of domestic fowls, contains a quantity of gra- vel, which is supposed to assist his powers of digestion. The Wood-grouse begins early to feel the genial influence of spring; and its courtship may be said to continue till the trees are en- tirely clothed with foliage and the forest is in full verdure; and as he now seems entirely deaf and insensible of danger, this is the time that sportsmen generally take to shoot him. Upon all other occasions he is the most timid and vigilant of birds. THE BLACK GROUSE. THE Black Grouse is about one foot ten inches in length, and weighs nearly four pounds. The general colour of the plumage is a rich black ; above each eye there is a dash of scar- let, and below the eye a spot of white ; the neck and rump are of a glossy blue ; the under tail coverts white ; the lesser wing coverts brown, and the greater ones white ; the wing is also barred with white : the feathers of the tail, when spread out, form a very singular curve on each side. The toes are toothed on the edges ; the eyes are a deep blue, and the bill black. These birds are common in cold countries ; they frequent the northern parts of Scotland, and feed on berries during the win- ter, and, in summer, on corn. They do not pair, but assemble in flocks. The hen makes a careless nest on the ground, and lays from five to eight yellowish eggs freckled with brown. (74) THE PARTRIDGE. THIS bird is about thirteen inches in length. The general colour of its plumage is brown and ash, elegantly mixed with black ; each fea- ther is streaked down the middle with buff co- lour; the sides of the head are tawny; the eyes are hazel, and under each eye there is a small saffron-coloured spot; between the eye and the ear is a naked skin of a bright scarlet, which is not very conspicuous but in old birds ; on the breast is a crescent of a deep chestnut colour : the tail is short ; the legs are of a greenish white, and are furnished with a small knob behind. The bill is of a light brown. The female has no crescent on the breast, and her colours in general are not so distinct and bright as those of the male. Partridges are found principally in temperate climates ; the extremes of heat and cold being unfavourable to them. Yet they exist in Green- (79) 80 THE PARTRIDGE. land, where, in winter, their plumage becomes white, and they acquire a thick and warm down. In Sweden they burrow under the snow to shelter themselves from the cold. They are no where in greater plenty than in England, where, in their season, they contribute to the gratification of the epicure, their flesh being delicious. THE WOOD PIGEON. ALL the numerous and beautiful varieties of this tribe derive their origin from the Stock- dove, or Wood Pigeon ; which is of a deep bluish ash colour; the breast dashed with a fine changeable green and purple; the wings marked with two black bars ; the back white, and the tail barred near the end with black. Such are the colours of the Pigeon in its na- tural state; and from these simple tints the effects of domestication have produced a va- riety that words cannot describe, nor even fancy suggest. The Stockdove usually builds in holes of rocks, or in excavated trees. Its murmuring note, at morning and dusk, is highly pleasing. (83) THE CARRIER PIGEON. THE Carrier Pigeon is distinguished from all others, by a broad circle of naked white skin which surrounds the eyes, and by the colour of the plumage, which is of a dark blue in- clining to black. From their attachment to their native place, these birds are employed in several countries as the most expeditious car- riers of letters ; and formerly they were com- monly used in conveying letters from place to place in time of war r and in case of sieges, when all other means of communication were intercepted, or cut off by the enemy. These birds have been known to fly at the rate of seventy-two miles in the space of two hours and a half. One of them will carry a letter from Babylon to Aleppo in forty-eight hours, though the journey generally occupies a man for thirty days. (84) GREAT CROWNED PIGEON. THERE are several minor varieties of Pi- geons, which it is neither necessary, nor suit- able to our limits, to notice. We cannot, how- ever, close our sketch of this beautiful order, without mentioning the most magnificent bird which it comprises, the Columba coronata of Linnseus, or Great Crowned Pigeon. In size it is nearly equal to the turkey : the greater part of its plumage is of a fine purple, or bluish ash colour ; the middle of the back, and the coverts of the wings, are of a dark reddish brick co- lour; these together, says Edwards, form a kind of saddle across the upper part of the bird : some of the first row of covert-feathers, above the quills, are white, with red tips ; the remainder of the row is ash coloured. The eye is of a beautiful red, and placed in the centre of a broad space of black, which passes backward from the upper mandible, and enJs 90 GREAT CROWNED PIGEON. in a point near the hinder part of the head. The head is adorned with a remarkably hand- some crest of a pale blue, or ash colour, similar to that of the lightest parts of the Common Pigeon, and composed of a number of fine fea- thers, with slender shafts and fine webs, which are usually elevated. The bill is black ; and the end of the upper mandible overhangs the point of the lower. The legs and feet are of a whitish colour, spotted with red. This splen- did bird is a native of the East India Islands : it coos, and has the peculiar actions and man- ners of other pigeons. THE PARROT. THE Parrot, of which there are many spe- cies, is said to have been first introduced into Europe by Alexander the Great. Of foreign birds it is the one with which we are best ac- quainted, and is likewise one of the most beau- tiful of the feathered race, its plumage being exceedingly varied and of the most vivid hues. But its chief attraction is to be found in its ability to utter articulate sounds, a gift which it possesses in far greater perfection than any other bird. Its voice also is more like a man's than any other : its note is of the true pitch, and capable of a variety of modulations. For this it is indebted to the form of its bill, tongue, and head. In addition to the talent of speech, the Parrot is endowed with a strong memory, and w r ith more sagacity than is the lot of most other birds. In their native woods, these birds live to- (03) 94 THE PARROT. gether in flocks, and generally breed in hollow trees, where they make a round hole for the accommodation of their young; but do not take the trouble of lining it within. The fe- male lays two or three eggs, about the size of those of a pigeon, and marked with little specks. The natives are very assiduous in seeking out their nests, and usually take them by cutting down the tree. By this means, in- deed, the young Parrots are liable to be killed ; but if one of them survive, it is considered as a sufficient recompense. The old ones are shot with heavy arrows headed with cotton, which knock them down without killing them. The facility with which the Parrot is taught to speak, and the great number of sentences it is capable of repeating, are equally surprising. But its agreeable qualities are counterbalanced by the mischievous inclination it has to gnaw whatever it can reach. The food commonly given to these birds consists of hemp seed, nuts, fruits of every kind, and bread soaked in wine ; they would THE PARROT. 95 prefer meat, but that kind of aliment has been found to make them dull and heavy, and to cause their feathers to drop off after some time. It has been observed, that they keep their food in a kind of pouch, from which they afterwards throw it up in the same manner as ruminating animals. THE MACAW. IN this genus are found the gorgeous Ma- caws, the largest of the parrot kind, which, for splendour of plumage, may claim precedence of nearly all the feathered tribe. One of the finest of the group is the Blue and Yellow Ma- caw : the upper parts of its body are of a most exquisite glossy and sparkling azure ; the un- der parts are of a rich and vivid yellow ; the cheeks are marked with three lines of small black feathers, on a white ground, and tinted with flesh colour; the throat is ornamented with a fine stripe, or collar, of a greenish black ; and the feathers on the head are of a green hue, partaking, in a considerable degree, of yellow. The Great Green Macaw, and the Deep Blue Macaw, are scarcely less beautiful ; and even some of the Common Parrots, al- THE MACAW. 99 though inferior to the magnificent Macaws in size, are certainly not so in splendour of plumage. Some very beautiful specimens of the blue and yellow Macaw are to be seen in the Phila- delphia Museum. THE HOOPOE. THE length of this bird is twelve inches, and the breadth nineteen. The bill is above two inches long, black, slender, and somewhat curved ; the tongue very short and triangular ; the eyes are hazel ; the head is ornamented with a crest, consisting of a double row of fea- thers, of a pale orange colour, tipped with black, the highest about two inches in length ; this, which reaches from the bill to the top of the neck, the animal can raise or let fall at pleasure ; the neck is of a pale reddish brown ; the under part of the body is white, and, in the young ones, marked with dusky lines, pointing downwards ; the back, scapular, and wings, are crossed with broad bars of black and white ; the lesser coverts of the wings, light brown : the tail consists of ten feathers, each marked with white, which, when closed, assume the form of a crescent, the horns pointing down- wards : the legs are short and black. (100) (101) (104) THE BIRD OP PARADISE. THE name of this beautiful creature, we may fairly suppose, was given to him on account of his being generally seen on the wing, and flying in the tropic zone at a small distance from the land. Its appearance, being most welcome to the tired sailor and longing passenger, gene- rally causes much happiness by its foretelling the vicinity of terra firrna. The head is small, but adorned with colours which can vie with the brightest hues of the peacock's embellish- ments ; the neck is of a fawn tint, and the body very small, but covered with long feathers of a browner hue, tinged with gold ; two feathers issue from the rump, and constitute the tail. These volatiles, whose beauty exceeds that of all others, are natives of the Molucca Islands, and are frequently seen in large flocks among the delightful and spicy woods of that country. (105) 106 THE BIRD OF PARADISE. The Greater Bird of Paradise, of which there are two varieties, breeds in New Guinea, and lives there during the wet monsoon, but during the dry monsoon it inhabits the islands of Ar- rou, about a hundred and forty miles eastward. They migrate in flocks of thirty or forty, and have a leader which the Indians call the King. He is described as being black, with red spots, and as soaring far above the flock, which never quit him, but always settle where he does. (108) THE TOUCAN. THIS curious bird is almost twenty inches in length ; the bill is six inches long, and near two inches thick at the base, being of a yellowish green colour, reddish at the tip. The nostrils are at the base of the bill. The principal up- per parts of the body, and the breast and neck, are of a glossy black, with a tinge of green ; the lower part of the back, upper part of the tail, and small feathers of the wings, are the same, with a cast of ash colour ; the breast is of a fine orange. The under part of the body, the sides, thighs, and short feathers of the tail, are a bright red ; the remainder of the tail is of a greenish black, tipped with red. The legs and claws are black. This bird is easily tamed, and will become very familiar, and eat almost any thing offered to it ; in general it feeds on fruits. In its wild state it is a noisy bird, and is perpetually moving from place to place, in (109) 110 THE TOUCAN. quest of food, going northward or southward, as the fruits ripen. It is very fond of grapes. The Toucan builds its nest in the holes of trees, that are either formed by itself, or that from accident it meets with ; and no bird better secures its young from external injury. It has not only birds, men, and serpents, to guard against, but a numerous train of monkeys, still more prying, mischievous, and hungry, than all the rest. The Toucan, however, sits in its hole, defending the entrance with its great beak ; and if the monkey venture to offer a visit of curi- osity, the Toucan gives him such a welcome, that he is soon glad to make his escape. This bird is a native of Guiana and Brazil, and is said to be in great request in South America, both from the delicacy of its flesh, and on account of the beauty of its plumage, particularly the feathers of the breast. The skin of this part, the Indians pluck off, and, when dry, glue to their cheeks, and this they consider as an irresistible addition to their beauty. THE TOUCAN. Ill These birds, when in flocks, on retiring to rest, generally appoint one to watch during the night. While they are asleep, he sits perched at the top of a tree, above them, and makes a continual noise, resembling ill-articulated sounds, moving also his head, during the whole time, to the right and left. For this rea- son, the South Americans give to the Toucan the name of Preacher Toucan. The cut below gives an idea of the odd po- sitions the Toucan assumes when asleep. THE GREAT AUK. THIS bird is of the size of a goose ; its bill is black, and covered at the base with short velvet-like feathers. The upper parts of the plumage are black, and the lower parts w r hite, with a spot of white between the bill and the eyes, and an oblong stripe of the same on the wings, which are too short for flight. It is a very bad walker, but swims and dives well. It is, however, observed by seamen, that it is never seen out of soundings, so that its ap- pearance serves as an infallible direction to land. It is frequently seen on the coasts of Norway, Greenland, Newfoundland, &c. There is another bird of this description, called the Penguin, of which there are several varieties, which seems to hold the same place in the southern parts of the world, that the Auks do in the northern ; being only found in the temperate and frigid zones of the southern (112) (113) THE GREAT AUK. 115 hemisphere. It resembles the former in almost all its habits ; walking erect, and being very stupid : it also resembles it in colour, shortness of wings, rapidity of swimming, mode of feed- ing, and of making its nest. These birds hatch their young in an erect position, and cackle like geese, but in a hoarser tone. The most remarkable kind is the Crested Penguin, which inhabits several of the South Sea islands, and which is sometimes called the Hopping Pen- guin, or Jumping Jack, from the circumstance of its leaping quite out of the water, some- times to the height of three or four feet, when it meets an obstacle in its course. THE SWAN. So much difference is there between this bird when on land and in the water, that it is hardly to be supposed the same, for in the latter, no bird can possibly exceed it for beauty and ma- jestic appearance. When it ascends from its favourite element, its motions are awkward, and its neck is stretched forward with an air of stupidity ; it has, indeed, the appearance of being only a larger sort of goose ; but when seen smoothly gliding along the water, display- ing a thousand graceful attitudes, and moving at pleasure without the smallest apparent effort, there is not a more beautiful figure in all na- ture. In its form, we find no broken or harsh lines; in its motions, nothing constrained or abrupt; but the roundest contours, and the easiest transitions ; the eye wanders over the whole with unalloyed pleasure, and with each change of position every part assumes a new (117) THE SWAN. 119 grace. It will swim faster than a man can walk. This bird has long been rendered domestic ; and it is now a doubt whether there be any of the tame kind in a state of nature. The colour of the tame Swan is entirely white, and it generally weighs full twenty pounds. Under the feathers is a very thick soft down, which is made an article of commerce, for purposes of both use and ornament. The windpipe sinks down into the lungs in the ordinary manner; and it is the most silent of all the feathered tribes ; it can do nothing more than hiss, which it does on receiving any provocation. In these respects it is very different from the wild or whistling Swan. GUINEA, OR SWAN GOOSE. OP the Goose tribes we shall select, for de- scription, only the Barnacle Goose, and the Guinea, or Swan Goose. Various fabulous ac- counts are given of the Barnacle Goose. Some authors have asserted, that the birds are pro- duced from shells which grow on the bottoms of ships that have been long at sea, and on wood that has remained for a considerable time in the water : others have stated, very gravely, that the Barnacle Goose grew on trees ; that the fruit fell into the water, when ripe, and be- came living birds. Barnacle Geese are found in the temperate regions in hard winters ; but they depart, with numbers of other water-fowl, at the approach of spring, to breed in more northern latitudes. The Guinea, or Swan Goose, is remarkable for the proud and erect carriage of its body. It has a knob of considerable size on the base (120) (121) GUINEA, OR SWAN GOOSE. 123 of its upper mandible, and, generally speaking, a loose bare pouch under its throat. It is sup- posed that the Swan Geese were originally brought from Guinea : they are now scattered over various parts of the world, and kept, by the curious, with other domestic water-fowl, which they very much resemble in their habits. The plumage of the Swan Goose varies, like that of all other tame fowls ; but the general colour of the feathers is brownish, with light edges of a fainter hue on the under parts than on the back and wings. Barnacle Goose. THE CROWNED CRANE. AMONG the various species of Cranes, the Crowned Crane, which is about the size of the Common Crane, is conspicuous : its head is or- namented with a fine crest, composed of a sort of feathers, each of which is barbed, or bris- tled, in a singular manner, throughout its whole extent. The plumage of this Crane is of a dark greenish grey. It is a native of Africa, and the Cape de Verd Islands. Cranes are migratory; and in winter, quit the northern parts of the world for more southern and warmer countries. They are very easily tamed, and have been known to attain a great age in a domesticated state. A singular instance of the attachment of a Brown Crane to its com- panion, has been recorded by the talented Mrs. Bowdich. One of a pair, which were kept by a gentleman in England, having died, the other was, apparently, so affected by the loss of its fellow-prisoner, that but little hope was enter- (124) (125) THE CROWNED CRANE. 127 tained of its surviving. At length, and as a forlorn hope, a large looking-glass was placed in the aviary : the bird no sooner beheld the reflection of his own image, than probably conceiving it to be his companion, he smoothed his ruffled plumes, assumed an air of joy, regained his strength, and lived some years after, perfectly contented, and passing much of his time before the glass. Bartram gives a singular account of the manner in which the Savannah Cranes make their nests. They collect a quantity of dry grass on a little hillock, which is nearly as high as their bodies ; and in incubating, they stand with one leg on each side of the hillock, so that the breast only touches the eggs. THE BITTERN. THE Bittern is stouter than the Common Heron, but not quite so large as that bird : the greater part of its plumage is marked with a multitude of small streaks and specks of black, on a rust-coloured ground. The beak is very strong at the base, and tapers gradually to a very sharp point ; the mandibles open behind the eyes ; the top of the head is covered with a kind of crest of long feathers, which the bird can raise at will ; the legs are of a palish green colour ; the claws are long and sharp, and the middle one serrated. Bitterns, in the manner of taking their food, and in their general habits, very much resemble the Common Heron ; but they are by no means deficient in courage. When attacked by a bird of prey, the Bittern bravely defends itself, and frequently repulses its assailant ; and if wounded, so as to be in- capable of flying, it will not scruple to attack (128) (129) THE BITTERN. 131 the sportsman, and often inflicts rather severe wounds with its keen and powerful bill. The Bittern usually constructs its nest of rushes and withered water-plants, among the sedges which clothe the banks of pools. It is said, that the hen feeds the young ones for three days in the nest, and then leads them forth in quest of food. The Bittern is remark- able for uttering a very peculiar, coarse, hollow note, at certain times, which may be heard at a great distance. THE HERON. THE Common Heron measures about three feet in length, and rarely weighs more than as many pounds. Although rapacious iu the ex- treme, it is cowardly in its disposition : it will fly from the Sparrow-Hawk ; and, in those days when falconry was one of the principal diver- sions of the great in England, the Heron was ranked among the royal game : a penalty of twenty shillings (an important fine in those times) was attached to the offence of destroy- ing its eggs. For hours together this bird will stand motionless in the water, watching its prey, and appearing more like the stump of a tree than a living creature. It will traverse im- mense distances in quest of waters in which its food abounds, and soars so high in its flights as scarcely to be visible to the naked eye. Its plumage is principally white, black, grey, and ashy. The nests of these birds are often built on the tops of high trees. (132) (133) (136) THE ADJUTANT. THIS bird is of the Heron tribe, and, accord- ing to the Linnsean system, belongs to the order of Waders. In its appearance there is some- thing singular. Under the chin is a kind of purse or bag, which seems adapted to receive the water that they swallow with their food. This connects it, in some degree, with the peli- can. There is neither hair, feather, nor down, on the head, which looks as if it were made of \vood, - and this oddity is heightened by the eye seeming to be set in it, as if withput lids or any cartilaginous appendages. The beak is equally anomalous ; it is composed of two long sticks, having the appearance of wood, with which the bird makes a loud chattering noise, when cleaning them. The covert of the wings and back is black, with a bluish tint ; the under part of the body is whitish ; the legs and thighs are long, unfeathered, and of a greyish hue ; the neck also is devoid of feathers. (137) THE SPOONBILL. OF the Spoonbill, which has sometimes erro- neously been called the Shoveller (the real Sho- veller being a bird of the duck tribe), there are three species. The first of these is the Roseate Spoonbill, which has beautiful red plumage, with a collar of black at the lower part of the neck. The second is called the Dwarf Spoon- bill, and is about the size of a sparrow. Its body is brown above, and white beneath. The most cpmmon species, however, is that which bears the name of the White Spoonbill, from its plumage, except in some rare instances, be- ing entirely white. This bird is about the size of a heron, but somewhat shorter in the neck and legs. The bill is more than half a foot in length, and has the shape of a spoon. Their food is fish, which they often take from other birds, in the manner of the bald eagle ; also mussels and other shell fish, and they will also destroy frogs and snakes. (138) (142) THE RUFF. THE Ruff is about a foot in length, with a bill of about an inch. The face is covered with yellow pimples ; and the back part of the head and neck are furnished with long feathers, standing out somewhat like the ruff worn by our ancestors; a few of these feathers stand up over each eye, and appear not unlike ears. The colours of the Ruffs are in no two birds alike : in general they are brownish, and barred with black ; though some have been seen that were altogether white. The female, which is called the Reeve, is smaller than the male, of a brown colour, and destitute of the ruff on the neck. The Ruffs are much more numerous than the Reeves, and they have many severe contentions for their mates. The male chooses a stand on some dry bank, near a splash of water, round which he runs so often as to make a bare circular path: the moment a female comes in sight, all the males within a certain (143) 144 THE RUFF. distance commence a general battle, placing their bills to the ground, and spreading their ruff; and this opportunity is seized by the fowlers, who, in the confusion, catch them, by means of nets, in great number ; yet even in captivity, their animosity still continues : when kept in a room, each bird takes its stand, as in the open air, and if another intrudes on this chosen domain, a conflict ensues. If the pan from which they feed be not large enough to allow of their not touching each other, they instantly commence a contest.