CHAPTER XVI.――ANIMALS.

I. QUADRUPEDS.

The _Black Bear_ (ursus Americanus) is found in considerable numbers

in the northern districts of America. In size and form he approaches

nearest to the Brown Bear; but his color is a uniform shining jet

black, except on the muzzle, where it is fawn colored; on the lips and

sides of the mouth it is almost gray. The hair, except on the muzzle,

is long and straight, and is less shaggy than in most other species.

The forehead has a slight elevation, and the muzzle is elongated,

and somewhat flattened above. The young ones, however, are first of a

bright ash color, which gradually changes into a deep brown, and ends

by becoming a deep black.

Illustration: Black Bear.

The American Black Bear lives a solitary life in forests and

uncultivated deserts, and subsists on fruits, and on the young shoots

and roots of vegetables. Of honey he is exceedingly fond, and as he

is a most expert climber, he scales the loftiest trees in search of

it. Fish, too, he delights in, and is often found in quest of it on

the borders of lakes and on the seashore. When these resources fail, he

will attack small quadrupeds, and even animals of some magnitude. As,

indeed, is usual in such cases, the love of flesh in him grows with the

use of it.

As the fur is of some value, the Indians are assiduous in the chase

of the creature which produces it. ‘About the end of December, from

the abundance of fruits they find in Louisiana and the neighboring

countries, the bears become so fat and lazy that they can scarcely run.

At this time they are hunted by the American Indians. The nature of the

chase is generally this: the bear chiefly adopts for his retreat the

hollow trunk of an old cypress tree, which he climbs, and then descends

into the cavity from above. The hunter, whose business it is to watch

him into this retreat, climbs a neighboring tree, and seats himself

opposite to the hole. In one hand he holds his gun, and in the other

a torch, which he darts into the cavity. Frantic with rage and terror,

the bear makes a spring from his station; but the hunter seizes the

instant of his appearance, and shoots him.’

The black bear, says Godman, like all the species of this genus,

is very tenacious of life, and seldom falls unless shot through the

brain or heart. An experienced hunter never advances on a bear that

has fallen, without first stopping to load his rifle, as the beast

frequently recovers to a considerable degree, and would then be a

most dangerous adversary. The skull of the bear appears actually

to be almost impenetrable, and a rifle ball, fired at a distance of

ninety-six yards, has been flattened against it, without appearing

to do any material injury to the bone. The best place to direct blows

against the bear is upon his snout; when struck elsewhere, his dense

woolly coat, thick hide, and robust muscles, render manual violence

almost entirely unavailing.

When the bear is merely wounded, it is very dangerous to attempt to

kill him with such a weapon as a knife or tomahawk, or indeed any thing

which may bring one within his reach. In this way hunters and others

have paid very dearly for their rashness, and barely escaped with their

lives; the following instance may serve as an example of the danger of

such an enterprise:

‘Mr. Mayborne, who resides in Ovid township, Cayuga county, between the

Seneca and Cayuga lakes, in the state of New-York, went one afternoon

through the woods in search of his horses, taking with him his rifle

and the only load of ammunition he had in the house. On his return home,

about an hour before dusk, he perceived a very large bear crossing his

path, on which he instantly fired, and the bear fell, but immediately

recovering his legs, made for a deep ravine a short way onwards. Here

he tracked him awhile by the blood, but night coming on, and expecting

to find him dead in the morning, he returned home. A little before

daybreak the next morning, taking a pitchfork and hatchet, and his

son, a boy of ten or eleven years of age, with him, he proceeded to

the place in quest of the animal. The glen or ravine into which he

had disappeared the evening before, was eighty or ninety feet from the

top of the bank to the brook below; down this precipice a stream of

three or four yards in breadth is pitched in one unbroken sheet, and,

forming a circular basin or pool, winds away among the thick underwood.

‘After reconnoitering every probable place of retreat, he at length

discovered the bear, who had made his way up the other side of the

ravine, as far us the rocks would admit, and sat under a projecting

cliff, steadfastly eyeing the motions of his enemy. Mayborne, desiring

his boy to remain where he was, took the pitchfork, and, descending

to the bottom, determined from necessity to attack him from below. The

bear kept his position until the man approached within six or seven

feet, when on the instant, instead of being able to make a stab with

the pitchfork, he found himself grappled by the bear, and both together

rolled towards the pond, at least twenty or twenty-five feet, the bear

biting on his left arm, and hugging him almost to suffocation. By great

exertion he thrust his right arm partly down his throat, and in that

manner endeavored to strangle him, but was once more hurled headlong

down through the bushes, a greater distance than before, into the

water. Here, finding the bear gaining on him, he made one desperate

effort, and drew the animal’s head partly under water, and repeating

his exertions, at last weakened him so much, that calling to his boy,

who stood on the other side, in a state little short of distraction

for the fate of his father, to bring him the hatchet, he sunk the edge

of it by repeated blows into the brain of the bear. This man, although

robust and muscular, was scarcely able to crawl home, where he lay

for nearly three weeks, the flesh of his arm being much crushed, and

his breast severely mangled. The bear weighed upwards of four hundred

pounds.’

_Grisly Bear._――This animal, like the species just described,

inhabits the northern part of America; but, unlike him, he is, perhaps,

the most formidable of all bears in magnitude and ferocity. He averages

twice the bulk of the black bear, to which, however, he bears some

resemblance in his slightly elevated forehead, and narrow, flattened,

elongated muzzle. His canine teeth are of great size and power. The

feet are enormously large; the breadth of the fore foot exceeding nine

inches, and the length of the hind foot exclusive of the talons, being

eleven inches and three quarters, and its breadth seven inches. The

talons sometimes measure more than six inches. He is, accordingly,

admirably adapted for digging up the ground, but is unable to climb

trees, in which latter respect he differs wholly from every other

species. The color of his hair varies to almost an indefinite extent,

between all the intermediate shades of a light gray and a black brown;

the latter tinge, however, being that which predominates. It is always,

in some degree, grizzled, by intermixture of grayish hairs, only the

brown hairs being tipped with gray. The hair itself is, in general,

longer, finer, and more exuberant than that of the black bear.

The neighborhood of the Rocky Mountains is one of the principal

haunts of this animal. There, amidst wooded plains, and tangled copses

of bough and underwood, he reigns as much the monarch as the lion is

of the sandy wastes of Africa. Even the bison cannot withstand his

attack. Such is his muscular strength, that he will drag the ponderous

carcass of the animal to a convenient spot, where he digs a pit for its

reception. The Indians regard him with the utmost terror. His extreme

tenacity of life renders him still more dangerous; for he can endure

repeated wounds which would be instantaneously mortal to other beasts,

and, in that state, can rapidly pursue his enemy. So that the hunter

who fails to shoot him through the brain, is placed in a most perilous

situation.

One evening, the men in the hindmost of one of Lewis and Clark’s

canoes, perceived one of these bears lying in the open ground about

three hundred paces from the river; and six of them, who were all good

hunters, went to attack him. Concealing themselves by a small eminence,

they were able to approach within forty paces unperceived; four of

the hunters now fired, and each lodged a ball in his body, two of

which passed directly through the lungs. The bear sprang up and ran

furiously with open mouth upon them; two of the hunters, who had

reserved their fire, gave him two additional wounds, and one breaking

his shoulder-blade, somewhat retarded his motions. Before they could

again load their guns, he came so close on them, that they were obliged

to run towards the river, and before they had gained it, the bear had

almost overtaken them. Two men jumped into the canoe; the other four

separated, and concealing themselves among the willows, fired as fast

as they could load their pieces. Several times the bear was struck, but

each shot seemed only to direct his fury towards the hunter; at last he

pursued them so closely, that they threw aside their guns and pouches,

and jumped from a perpendicular bank twenty feet high into the river.

The bear sprang after them, and was very near the hindmost man, when

one of the hunters on the shore shot him through the head and finally

killed him. When they dragged him on shore, they found that eight balls

had passed through his body in different directions.

On another occasion, the same enterprising travellers met with the

largest bear of this species they had ever seen; when they fired he

did not attempt to attack, but fled with a tremendous roar, and such

was his tenacity of life, that although five balls had passed through

the lungs, and five other wounds were inflicted, he swam more than half

across the river to a sand-bar, and survived more than twenty minutes.

Mr. John Dougherty, a very experienced and respectable hunter, who

accompanied Major Long’s party during their expedition to the Rocky

Mountains, several times very narrowly escaped from the grizzly bear.

Once, while hunting with another person on one of the upper tributaries

of the Missouri, he heard the report of his companion’s rifle, and when

he looked round, beheld him at a short distance endeavoring to escape

from one of these bears, which he had wounded as it was coming towards

him. Dougherty, forgetful of every thing but the preservation of his

friend, hastened to call off the attention of the bear, and arrived

in rifle shot distance just in time to effect his generous purpose.

He discharged his ball at the animal, and was obliged in his turn to

fly; his friend relieved from immediate danger, prepared for another

attack by charging his rifle, with which he again wounded the bear,

and saved Mr. D. from further peril. Neither received any injury from

this encounter, in which the bear was at length killed.

_The Raccoon._――This animal continues to be frequently found even in

the populous parts of the United States. Occasionally their numbers are

so much increased, as to render them very troublesome to the farmers

in the low and wooded parts of Maryland, bordering on the Chesapeak

Bay. Being peculiarly fond of sweet substances, they are sometimes

destructive to plantations of sugar-cane, and of Indian corn. While

the ear of this corn is still young and tender, it is very sweet, and

at that time troops of raccoons frequently enter fields of maize, and

in a single night commit the most extensive depredations.

Illustration: Raccoon.

The size of the raccoon varies with the age and sex of the individual.

When full grown, the male is about a foot in length, or a few inches

longer; the highest part of the back is about a foot from the ground,

whilst the highest part of the shoulder is ten inches. The head is

about five inches, and the tail rather more than eight. The general

color of the body is a blackish gray, which is paler on the under

part. The feet have five toes each, terminated by strong curved and

pointed claws; and each foot is furnished with five thick and very

elastic tubercles beneath. The fur of the raccoon forms an article

of considerable value in commerce, as it is extensively used in the

manufacture of hats.

‘The raccoon,’ says Godman, ‘is an excellent climber, and his strong

sharp claws effectually secure him from being shaken off the branches

of trees. In fact, so tenaciously does this animal hold to any surface

upon which it can make an impression with its claws, that it requires

a considerable exertion of a man’s strength to drag him off; and as

long as even a single foot remains attached, he continues to cling with

great force. I have had frequent occasion to pull a raccoon from the

top of a board fence, where there was no projection which he could

seize by; yet, such was the power and obstinacy with which the points

of his claws were stuck into the board, as repeatedly to oblige me to

desist for fear of tearing his skin, or otherwise doing him an injury

by the violence necessary to detach his hold.’

‘Water seems to be essential to their comfort, if not of absolute

necessity for the preparation of their food. I have had for some time,

and at the moment of writing this have yet, a male and female raccoon

in the yard. Their greatest delight appears to be dabbling in water,

of which a large tub is always kept for their use. They are frequently

seen sitting on the edge of this tub, very busily engaged in playing

with a piece of broken china, glass, or a small cake of ice. When they

have any substance which sinks, they both paddle with their fore feet

with great eagerness, until it is caught, and then it is held by one,

with both paws, and rubbed between them; or a struggle ensues for the

possession of it, and when it is dropped the same sport is renewed. The

coldest weather in winter does not in the least deter them from thus

dabbling in the water for amusement; nor has this action much reference

to their feeding, as it is performed at any time, even directly after

feeding till satiated. I have frequently broken the ice on the surface

of their tub, late at night, in the very coldest winter weather, and

they have both left their sleeping place with much alacrity, to stand

paddling the fragments of ice about, with their fore legs in the water

nearly up to the breast. Indeed, these animals have never evinced the

slightest dislike to cold, or suffered in any degree therefrom; they

have in all weathers slept in a flour-barrel thrown on its side, with

one end entirely open, and without any material of which to make a

bed. They show no repugnance to being sprinkled or dashed with water,

and voluntarily remain exposed to the rain or snow, which wets them

thoroughly, notwithstanding their long hair, which, being almost erect,

is not well suited to turn the rain. These raccoons are very fond of

each other, and express the greatest delight on meeting, after having

been separated for a short time, by various movements, and by hugging

and rolling one another about on the ground.’

‘My raccoons are, at the time of writing this, more than a year old,

and have been in captivity for six or eight months. They are very

frolicsome and amusing, and show no disposition to bite or injure

any one, except when accidentally trodden on. They are equally free

from any disposition to injure children, as has been observed of

other individuals. We frequently turn them loose in the parlor, and

they appear to be highly delighted, romping with each other and the

children, without doing any injury even to the youngest. Their alleged

disposition to hurt children especially, may probably be fairly

explained by the fact above mentioned, that they always attempt to bite

when suddenly hurt, and few children touch animals without pinching or

hurting them. They exhibit this spirit of retaliation, not only to man,

but when they accidentally hurt themselves against an inanimate body;

I have many times been amused to observe the expression of spite with

which one of them has sprung at and bit the leg of a chair or table,

after knocking himself against it so as to hurt some part of his body.

‘These animals may be tamed while young, but as they grow to maturity,

most generally become fierce and even dangerous. I have had one so

tame as to follow a servant about through the house or streets, though

entirely at liberty; this was quite young when obtained, and grew so

fond of human society as to complain very loudly, by a sort of chirping

or whining noise, when left alone. Nothing can possibly exceed the

domesticated raccoon in restless and mischievous curiosity, if suffered

to go about the house. Every chink is ransacked, every article of

furniture explored, and the neglect of servants to secure closet doors,

is sure to be followed by extensive mischief, the evil being almost

uniformly augmented by the alarm caused to the author of it, whose

ill-directed efforts to escape from supposed peril, increase at the

same time the noise and the destruction.’

The _Puma_, or American Lion was once spread over the new world,

from Canada to Patagonia, but it is not now common in any part of the

United States, except the unsettled districts. It is usually called

the panther, or painter by the common people. It is also called the

catamount. The progress of civilization has, however, circumscribed

his range, and has rooted him out in many places. Notwithstanding his

size and strength, he is cowardly; and, like almost all cowards, he is

sanguinary. If he find a flock of sheep unprotected, he will destroy

the whole, merely that he may enjoy the luxury of sucking their blood.

He has a small rounded head, a broad and rather obtuse muzzle, and a

body which, in proportion, is slenderer and less elevated than that

of his more dignified namesake. ‘The upper parts of his body,’ says

Mr. Bennett, ‘are of a bright silvery fawn, the tawny hairs being

terminated by whitish tips: beneath and on the inside of the limbs he

is nearly white, and more completely so on the throat, chin, and upper

lip. The head has an irregular mixture of black and gray; the outside

of the ears, especially at the base, the sides of the muzzle from

which the whiskers take their origin, and the extremity of the tail,

are black.’ The fur of the cubs has spots of a darker hue, which are

visible only in certain lights, and disappear when the animal is full

grown. Both the sexes are of the same color.[42]

Illustration: The Puma, or Cougar.

_American Wild Cat._ This animal bears a strong resemblance to the

domestic cat, and its motions are very similar. It stands high upon its

legs, and has a short curved tail. Its principal food consists of birds,

squirrels, and other small animals which abound in the woody districts

it inhabits. Though common in the western states, the wild cat is

seldom found in New England.

_The Moose._――This animal, which in Europe is called the elk, is an

inhabitant of the northern parts of America, but is found in no part of

the United States excepting Maine, where it is now met with but seldom.

Its figure is ungraceful and clumsy. During summer, the moose frequents

swampy or low grounds, on the borders of lakes, in which it is fond

of bathing, and whose plants form a favorite article of its food. In

winter, the moose seeks the depths of the forest for shelter, and a

herd of fifteen or twenty take possession of a tract of about five

hundred acres, where they subsist on the tender twigs and the mosses of

the trees. To these places the Indians give the name of ‘moose-yards.’

Like other northern animals, the moose is much vexed by insects, which

deposit their eggs in different parts of his body, and at certain

seasons of the year render his skin worthless to the hunter. At other

times, the skin is very valuable, and serves the Indians for clothing

and tent covers. This species is much hunted, and has so rapidly

diminished within a few years, that there are fears it will become

extinct.

Illustration: Moose.

The moose is hunted generally in March, when the snow is of sufficient

depth and hardness to sustain the weight of a dog. Five or six hunters

generally join in the pursuit and carry provisions to last them nearly

a week. The chase is commenced at daybreak, when the dogs are set on,

and the hunters who wear snow-shoes follow as closely as possible.

When started and attacked by the dogs, the moose attempts to escape by

flight. The crust of ice covering the snow breaks at every step, and

the poor creature cuts his legs so severely that he is obliged to stand

at bay, and endeavors to defend himself against his assailants by means

of his fore feet. In this situation he is despatched by the rifle ball

of the hunter.

_The Elk._――The elk is still occasionally found in the remote and

thinly settled parts of Pennsylvania, but the number is small; it is

only in the western wilds that they are seen in considerable herds.

They are fond of the great forests, where a luxuriant vegetation

affords them an abundant supply of buds and tender twigs; or of

the great plains, where the solitude is seldom interrupted, and all

bounteous nature spreads an immense field of verdure for their support.

The elk is shy and retiring; having acute senses, he receives early

warning of the approach of any human intruder. The moment the air is

tainted by the odor of his enemy, his head is erected with spirit, his

ears rapidly thrown in every direction to catch the sounds, and his

large dark glistening eye expresses the most eager attention. Soon as

the approaching hunter is fairly discovered, the elk bounds along for

a few paces, as if trying his strength for flight, stops, turns half

round, and scans his pursuer with a steady gaze, then, throwing back

his lofty horns upon his neck, and projecting his taper nose forwards,

he springs from the ground and advances with a velocity which soon

leaves the object of his dread far out of sight.[43]

This animal appears to be more ready to attack with his horns than any

other species of deer. When at bay, and especially if slightly wounded,

he fights with great eagerness, as if resolved to be revenged. The

following instance from Long’s Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, will,

in some degree, illustrate this statement.

A herd of twenty or thirty elk were seen at no great distance from the

party, standing in the water or lying upon the sand beach. One of the

finest bucks was singled out by a hunter, who fired upon him, whereupon

the whole herd plunged into the thicket and disappeared. Relying upon

the skill of the hunter, and confident that his shot was fatal, several

of the party dismounted and pursued the elk into the woods, where the

wounded buck was soon overtaken. Finding his pursuers close upon him,

the elk turned furiously upon the foremost, who only saved himself

by springing into a thicket, which was impassable to the elk, whose

enormous antlers becoming so entangled in the vines as to be covered

to their tips, he was held fast and blindfolded, and was despatched by

repeated bullets and stabs.

_Black-tailed Deer._――The habits of this animal are similar to those

of its kindred species, except that it has a manner of bounding along,

instead of running at full speed. It is found in prairies and open

grounds, west of the Rocky Mountains, and but seldom in the woodlands.

It is larger than the common deer, and its flesh is considered inferior;

its eye is larger, and the hair coarse. The ears are very long, being

half the length of the whole antler. It was first observed by the

members of Lewis and Clarke’s expedition, and was described by Say.

_Common Deer._――This species, sometimes called the Virginia Deer, is

found throughout the United States, with such varieties in its size

and coloring, as naturally arise from variety of climate. Its form is

slender and delicate, and its whole appearance indicates a degree of

feebleness, which is counteracted only by the agility of its movements,

and the animation of its eye. Its sense of hearing and seeing is

wonderfully acute; and the hunter must approach his intended victim

with the utmost caution, for he is discovered by the slightest noise.

The resort of this species is in the forests and plains adjacent to

rivers, where they feed chiefly on buds and twigs, and sometimes on

grass. They are headed by one of the largest and strongest bucks,

who appears to be the guardian of the general safety and directs his

followers to combat or retreat. Though generally shy and timid, the

males are much disposed to battle during the season of the sexual

passion, and are almost always inclined to fight when wounded or

brought to bay. At this time they fight with their fore feet, as

well as their horns, and inflict severe wounds by leaping forward

and striking with the edges of their hoofs. If a hunter misses his

aim when attempting to despatch a wounded deer with his knife, he is

placed in great peril. To serpents, of every description, the deer is

particularly hostile, and it seems to have an instinctive horror of the

rattlesnake. To destroy this enemy, the deer leaps into the air, and

comes down on him with its four feet closed in a square, repeating its

violent blows until the reptile is killed.

Illustration: Virginia Deer.

The males frequently engage in combats, in which their horns sometimes

become so interlocked that neither can escape, and they then remain

engaged in fruitless struggles till they perish of famine, or become

the prey of the wolf or the hunter. Heads of deer which have thus

perished are frequently found, and there is scarcely a museum in this

country which has not one or more specimens. The following instance

is given by Say in Long’s Expedition to the Rocky Mountains. ‘As the

party were descending a ridge, their attention was called to an unusual

noise proceeding from a copse of low bushes, a few rods from the path.

On arriving at the spot, they found two buck deer, their horns fast

interlocked with each other, and both much spent with fatigue, one in

particular being so much exhausted as to be unable to stand. Perceiving

that it would be impossible that they should extricate themselves, and

must either linger in their present situations or die of hunger, or be

destroyed by the wolves, they despatched them with their knives, after

having made an unavailing attempt to disentangle them. Beyond doubt,

many of these animals must annually thus perish.’

_Prong-horned Antelope._――This species was first described by the

leaders of the first American expedition to the west of the Rocky

Mountains. It is shy and timorous, wonderfully fleet, and with great

acuteness of sight and smell. When once startled, they fly with the

rapidity of the wind, and baffle all pursuit. In one instance, captain

Lewis, after various fruitless attempts, by winding around the ridges,

succeeded in approaching a party of seven that stood upon an eminence

towards which the wind was unfortunately blowing. The only male of the

party frequently encircled the summit of the hill, as if to announce

any danger to the group of females which stood upon the top. Before

they saw captain Lewis, they became alarmed by the scent, and fled

while he was at the distance of two hundred yards. He immediately ran

to the spot where they had stood; a ravine concealed them from him, but

at the next moment they appeared on a second ridge, at the distance of

three miles. He could not but doubt whether these were the same he had

alarmed, but their number and continued speed convinced him they were

so, and he justly infers that they must have run with a rapidity equal

to that of the most celebrated race horse.

‘The chief game of the Shoshonees,’ say Lewis and Clarke, ‘is the

antelope, which when pursued retreats to the open plains, where the

horses have full room for the chase. But such is its extraordinary

fleetness and wind, that a single horse has no possible chance of

outrunning it, or tiring it down; and the hunters are therefore

obliged to resort to stratagem. About twenty Indians, mounted on fine

horses, armed with bows and arrows, left the camp; in a short time

they descried a herd of ten antelopes; they immediately separated into

squads of two or three, and formed a scattered circle round the herd

for five or six miles, keeping at a wary distance, so as not to alarm

them till they were perfectly inclosed, and usually selecting some

commanding eminence as a stand. Having gained their positions, a small

party rode towards the herd, and with wonderful dexterity the huntsman

preserved his seat, and the horse his footing, as he ran at full speed

over the hills and down the steep ravines, and along the borders of the

precipices.

‘They were soon outstripped by the antelopes, which, on gaining

the other extremity of the circle, were driven back and pursued by

the fresh hunters. They turned and flew, rather than ran, in another

direction; but there too they found new enemies. In this way they

were alternately pursued backwards and forwards, till at length,

notwithstanding the skill of the hunters, (who were merely armed with

bows and arrows) they all escaped; and the party, after running for

two hours, returned without having caught any thing, and their horses

foaming with sweat. This chase, the greater part of which was seen from

the camp, formed a beautiful scene, but to the hunters is exceedingly

laborious, and so unproductive, even when they are able to worry the

animal down and shoot him, that forty or fifty hunters will sometimes

be engaged for more than half a day, without obtaining more than two or

three antelopes.’

_Rocky Mountain Goat._――This species is nearly the size of a common

sheep, and has a shaggy appearance. Its hoofs and horns are black; the

latter project but little, and are slightly curved. Great numbers of

this goat are found about the head-waters of the north fork of Columbia

river, where they are much hunted by the natives, and form an abundant

though somewhat unsavory article of food. They are seldom seen far from

the mountains, and are more numerous on their western than on their

eastern slopes. The skin is thick and spongy, and is used for moccasins.

The fleece is said to be as fine as that of which the celebrated

cashmere shawls are manufactured.

Illustration: Rocky Mountain Goat.

_Argali._――The argali is found in the Rocky Mountains, from about

the fiftieth degree of north latitude to California. Here troops of

twenty or thirty are seen together, feeding on the most precipitous

tracts, and bounding with wonderful agility from rock to rock. During

the summer months, the color of this animal is a grayish fawn, with a

reddish line across the back. The male has very large twisted horns,

fixed near the eyes; its ears are straight, broad and pointed, and its

tail quite short. This is said to be the species from which all the

varieties of our domestic sheep are descended.

_Bison._――This animal is found in herds in the prairies in the

neighborhood of the Rocky Mountains: it is continually receding before

the advance of man, and will soon be entirely banished to the far west.

Schoolcraft says that the species is confined to the regions situated

between the thirty-first and forty-ninth degrees of north latitude,

and west of the Mississippi river. The only part of the country east

of this river, where the bison now remains, is that included between

the falls of St. Anthony and Sandy Lake, a range of about six hundred

miles.

‘Being now in the region of buffalo,’ says Mr. Schoolcraft, ‘we

concluded to land, in the course of the day, at some convenient place

for hunting them. This we were soon invited to do by seeing one of

these animals along the shore of the river, and on ascending the bank,

we observed, upon a boundless prairie, two droves of them, feeding upon

the grass. All who had guns adapted for the purpose, sallied forth in

separate parties upon the prairie, while those who felt less ambition

to signalize themselves upon the occasion, or were more illy accoutred

for the activities of the chase, remained upon an eminence which

overlooked the plain, to observe the movements of this animal while

under an attack of musketry, and to enjoy the novel spectacle of a

buffalo-hunt. The grass was so tall as to allow an unobserved approach

towards the spot where they remained feeding, but the first fire proved

unsuccessful, at the same time that it scattered the herd, which were

now seen running in all directions across the prairie, and an incessant

fire of random shots was kept up for about two hours; during which

three buffaloes were killed, and a great number wounded, which made

their escape.

‘While thus harrassed, they often passed within a few yards of us,

and we enjoyed a fine opportunity of witnessing their form, size,

color, and speed. The buffalo has a clumsy gait, like the domestic ox,

which it also resembles in size and general appearance. Unlike the ox,

however, this animal exhibits no diversity of color, being a uniform

dark brown, inclining to dun. It is never spotted, with black, red, or

white. It has short black horns growing nearly straight from the head,

and set at a considerable distance apart. The male has a hunch upon its

shoulders, covered with long flocks of shaggy hair, extending to the

top of the head, from which it falls over the eyes and horns, giving

the animal a very formidable appearance. The hoofs are cloven like

those of the cow, but the legs are much stouter, and altogether, it is

more clumsy and ill-proportioned. The tail is naked till towards the

end, where it is tufted, in the manner of the lion.

‘The general weight of this animal is from eight hundred to a thousand

pounds; but they sometimes attain an enormous size, and have been

killed upon the Mississippi prairies weighing two thousand pounds. The

skin of a buffalo bull, when first taken off, is three fourths of an

inch in thickness, and cannot be lifted by the strongest man. A hundred

and fifty pounds of tallow have been taken from one animal, and it is

highly esteemed by the Indians in preparing their hommony. Instances of

excessive fatness are, however, rare, and such over-fed animals become

so unwieldy that they often fall a prey to wolves; particularly if they

happen to stray a distance from the herd. The buffalo is a timid animal,

and flies at the approach of man. It is however asserted by the hunters,

that when painfully wounded, it becomes furious, and will turn upon its

pursuers.

‘There is a particular art in killing the buffalo with a rifle, only

known to experienced hunters, and when they do not drop down, which is

often the case, it requires a person intimately acquainted with their

habits, to pursue them with success. This has been fully instanced

in the futile exertions of our party, upon the present occasion; for

out of a great number of shots, few have reached the object, and very

few proved effectual, and the little success we met with is chiefly

attributable to the superior skill of the Indians who accompanied

us. Unless a vital part is touched, the shot proves useless. It also

requires a larger ball than the deer and elk. Lieutenant Pike thinks

that in the open prairies, the bow and arrow could be used to better

advantage than the gun, particularly on horseback, for you might ride

immediately along side the animal and strike it where you pleased.

The Indians employ both the rifle and arrow, and in the prairies of

Missouri and Arkansas, pursue the herds on horseback; but on the upper

Mississippi, where they are destitute of horses, they make amends for

this deficiency by several ingenious stratagems.

‘One of the most common of these is the method of hunting with fire.

For this purpose, a great number of hunters disperse themselves around

a large prairie where herds of buffalo happen to be feeding, and

setting fire to the grass encompass them on all sides. The buffalo,

having a great dread of fire, retire towards the centre of the prairie

as they see it approach, and here being pressed together in great

numbers, many are trampled under foot, and the Indians rushing in

with their arrows and musketry, slaughter immense numbers in a short

period. It is asserted that a thousand animals have been killed by

this stratagem in one day. They have another method of hunting by

driving them over precipices, which is chiefly practised by the bands

inhabiting the Missouri. To decoy the herds, several Indians disguise

themselves in the skins of the buffalo, taken off entire, and by

counterfeiting the lowing of this animal in distress, they attract the

herds in a certain direction, and when they are at full speed, suddenly

disappear behind a cleft in the top of a precipice, when those animals

which are in front on reaching the brink, are pushed over by those

pressing behind, and in this manner great numbers are crushed to death.

These practices are less common now than formerly, the introduction

of fire arms, among most of the tribes, putting it into the power

of almost every individual to kill sufficient for the support of his

family.

‘By a very bad policy, however, they prefer the flesh of the cows,

which will in time destroy the species. Few of the native animals of

the American forest contribute more to the comforts of savage society

than the buffalo. Its skin, when dressed by a process peculiar to

them, forms one of the principal articles of clothing. The Sioux tribes

particularly excel in the method of dressing it, and are very much

in the habit of ornamenting their dresses with porcupine quills, and

paints. The skin, dressed with the hair on, supplies them with blankets,

and constitutes those durable and often beautiful sleigh-robes which

are now in such universal use in the United States and the Canadas. The

tallow of this animal, as well as the beef, has also become an article

of commerce, particularly in the south-western states and territories,

and its horns are exported for the manufacture of powder-flasks. The

tongue is considered superior in flavor to that of the domestic cow,

and the animal is often hunted for no other purpose. I have seen

stockings and hats manufactured from its wool, with a little addition

of common wool, or of cotton. This practice is very common among the

white hunters of Missouri and Arkansas. The flesh of the buffalo is not

equal, in its fresh state, to that of the cow or ox, but is superior

when _dried_, which is the Indian mode of preserving it.

‘The attempts which have been made to domesticate this animal, have not

been attended with success. Calves which have been taken in the woods

and brought up with the tame breed, have afterwards discovered a wild

and ungovernable temper, and manifested their savage nature by breaking

down the strongest enclosures, and enticing the tame cattle into the

woods. The mixed breed is said to be barren, like the mule. The period

of gestation is ascertained to be twelve months, whereas that of the

cow is nine. A remarkable proof of the little affinity existing between

it, and the domestic breed of cattle, was exhibited a few years ago in

Canada, where the connexion resulted in the death of the cows submitted

to the experiment.’

_American Wolf._――The common wolf of America is considered as the

same species with the wolf of Europe. Richardson remarks that he has

travelled over thirty degrees of latitude in America, and has never

seen there any wolves which had the gaunt appearance, the comparatively

long jaw and tapering nose, the high ears, long legs, slender loins,

and narrow feet of the Pyrenean wolf. He adds, that the American animal

has a more robust form than the European wolf. Its muzzle is thicker

and more obtuse, its head larger and rounder, and there is a sensible

depression at the union of the nose and forehead. He notices six

varieties of the wolf in North America: common gray wolf, white, pied,

dusky, black, and prairie. There is little reason to doubt that all the

wolves of America are of one species; and the variations of size, color,

and habits, are to be referred to diversities of climate which have

been gradually impressed upon these animals.

_Prairie Wolf._――This species is found in large numbers in the prairies

to the west of the Missouri, and also occurs in the vicinity of the

Columbia river. Its general color is gray, mixed with black; the ears

are erect, rounded at the tip, and lined with gray hair. It is about

three feet and a half in length, and bears a very strong resemblance

to the domestic dog, so common in the Indian villages. Its bark is also

similar to that of the dog. It resembles the other species of wolves

in rapacity and cunning, being very suspicious and mistrustful and

shunning pitfalls and snares with intuitive sagacity.[44]

_Horses._――The number of horses among the various tribes on the

Columbia, and its tributary streams, differs with the circumstances of

the country. Among the Flat-heads, Cootonais, and Spokans, whose lands

are rather thickly wooded, there are not more than sufficient for their

actual use, and every colt, on arriving at the proper age, is broken in

for the saddle. But in the countries inhabited by the Wallah Wallahs,

Nez Percés, and Shoshonés, which chiefly consist of open plains, well

watered and thinly wooded, they are far more numerous, and thousands

are allowed to go wild. Their general height is about fifteen hands,

which they seldom exceed; and ponies are very scarce. Those reared in

the plains are excellent hunters, and the swiftest racers; but are not

capable of enduring the same hardships as those bred in the vicinity of

the high and woody districts. Seven hundred or a thousand wild horses

are sometimes seen in a band; and it is said that in parts of the

country belonging to the Snake Indians, bands varying from three to

four thousand are frequently seen; and further to the southward, they

are far more numerous.

Illustration: Wild Horses.

The Indian horses are never shod; and owing to this circumstance,

their hoofs, particularly of such as are in constant work, are nearly

worn away before they are ten or eleven years old, after which they are

unfit for any labor except carrying children. They are easily managed,

and are seldom vicious. An Indian horse is never taught to trot. The

natives dislike this pace, and prefer to it the canter or light gallop.

They are hard taskmasters; and the hair-rope bridles, with the padded

deer-skin saddles which they use, lacerate the mouths and backs of

the unfortunate animals in such a manner as to render them objects of

commiseration. In summer they have no shelter from the heat, in winter

no retreat from the cold; and their only provender throughout the year

is the wild loose grass of the prairies, which, in the latter season,

is generally covered with snow, and in the former is brown and arid,

from the intense heat of the sun.

_Foxes._――The Gray Fox is found in great numbers throughout the country,

and ventures more boldly than any other species into the neighborhood

of human habitations. It exhibits different colors at different seasons

and ages; its general color is grizzly, growing gradually darker from

the fore shoulders to the hinder part of the back. The inferior parts

of the body are white, tinged slightly with faint reddish brown. The

tail is thick and bushy. The _Red Fox_ is a very beautiful species,

and abounds in the middle and southern states, where it proves very

troublesome to poultry-yards. In summer, its fur is long, fine, and

brilliant; in winter, it becomes longer and more thick. The length of

this species is about two feet, and of its tail, nearly a foot and a

half. Its fur is valuable, and much used. When caught young, the red

fox is very playful, and may be domesticated to a considerable degree;

we have known it to live in perfect friendship with a number of dogs,

and to take much pleasure in tumbling about and sporting with them.[45]

The _Black Fox_ bears a striking resemblance to the common fox, from

which it has nothing to distinguish it but its abundant and beautiful

black fur. Its color is rich and lustrous, having a small quantity

of white mingled with the prevailing black on different parts of its

body. It is found throughout the northern parts of America, but no

where in great numbers. The _Swift Fox_ is a very interesting species,

inhabiting the open plains which stretch from the base of the Rocky

Mountains towards the Mississippi.

Illustration: Black Fox.

_Opossum_.――This animal is found in the southern parts of the

United States, and is easily distinguished from all others by two

peculiarities: the first is that the female has a cavity under the

belly in which she receives and suckles her young; the second is, that

the male and the female have no claws on the great toe of the hind feet,

which is separated from the others as a man’s thumb is separated from

his fingers. The opossum produces often, and a great number of young at

a time. It walks awkwardly, and seldom runs; but it climbs trees with

great facility, and hangs from the branches by means of a very flexible

and muscular tail. Though voracious and greedy of blood, it also feeds

on reptiles, insects, sugar-canes, potatoes, and even leaves and bark

of trees. It may be easily domesticated; but its smell is strong and

offensive, though its flesh is eatable, and much liked by the Indians.

So tenacious is it of life, that it has given rise to a saying in North

Carolina, that if a cat has nine lives, an opossum has nineteen. The

general color of the opossum is a whitish gray; the tail is thick and

black, for upwards of three inches at its base, and is covered by small

scales, interspersed with white, short, rigid hairs. It is a timid

and nocturnal animal, depending for its safety more on cunning than

strength.

Illustration: Virginia Opossum.

_American Hare._――This species, improperly called rabbit, is found

throughout the states, and in some parts is exceedingly common. Its

flesh is much esteemed as an article of food. During the summer it is

tough, but after the first frosts of autumn, it is fat and delicate. In

the north, during winter the hare feeds on the twigs of pine and fir,

and is fit for the table during the season. It never burrows in the

ground, but in the day time remains crouched, within its form, which is

a mere spot of ground cleared of grass and sheltered by an overhanging

plant. Sometimes it lives in the trunk of a hollow tree, or under a

pile of stones. It wanders out at night, and makes sad havoc among the

turnip and cabbage fields, and the young trees in nurseries. It is not

hunted in this country as in Europe, but is caught in a trap, or roused

by a dog and shot.

_Varying Hare._――This animal appears to inhabit a great portion of

North America, as it has been found in Virginia, and as far north as

fifty-five degrees, whilst eastward it is found on the great plains of

the Columbia. It appears generally to frequent plains and low grounds,

where it lives like the common hare, never burrowing, but not resorting

to the thick woods. The _variabilis_ of Europe, on the contrary,

is described as always inhabiting the highest mountains, and never

descending into the plains, except when forced to seek for food,

when the mountains are covered with snow. The American species is

remarkably swift, never taking shelter when pursued, and capable of

most astonishing leaps; Captain Lewis measured some of these, and found

their length to be from eighteen to twenty feet. From the middle of

November to the middle of April, this animal is of a pure white, with

the exception of the black and reddish brown of the ears. During the

rest of the year, the upper parts of the body are of a lead color; the

under parts white, with a light shade of lead color.

_Beaver._――The general appearance of the beaver is that of a large rat,

and seen at a little distance, it might be readily mistaken for the

common musk-rat. But the greater size of the beaver, the thickness and

breadth of its head, and its horizontally flattened, broad, and scaly

tail, render it impossible to mistake it for any other creature when

closely examined. In its movements, both on shore and in the water, it

also closely resembles the musk-rat, having the same quick step, and

swimming with great vigor and celerity, either on the surface or in the

depths of the water.[46]

Illustration: Beaver.

_Musk-Rat._――This animal is closely allied in form and habits to the

beaver, and is found in the same parts of America as that animal, from

thirty to sixty-nine or seventy degrees of latitude. But it is more

familiar in its habits, as it is to be found only a short distance from

large towns. The musk-rat is a watchful, but not a very shy animal. It

may be frequently seen sitting on the shores of small muddy islands,

not easily to be distinguished from a piece of earth, till, on the

approach of danger, it suddenly plunges into the water. It forms

burrows on the banks of streams and ponds, the entrance to which is in

deep water. These burrows extend to great distances, and do extensive

injury to the farms, by letting in the water upon the land. In some

situations, these animals build houses of a conical form, resembling

those of the beaver, formed of mud, grass and reeds, plastered together.

They feed upon the roots and tender shoots of aquatic plants and on

the leaves of grasses. They are excellent swimmers, dive well, and can

remain for a long time under water. It is rare to have an opportunity

of seeing the animal during the day, as it then lies concealed in its

burrow, and it is not till night, that it issues forth for food or

recreation. It does not, like the beaver, lay up a store of provision

for the winter; but it builds a new habitation every season.

This animal is common in the Atlantic states, and its fur being

valuable for hats, it is much hunted. The Indians kill them by spearing

them through the walls of their houses. Between four and five thousand

skins are annually imported into Great Britain from North America.

_The American Badger_, as compared with the European, is smaller and

lighter, with different markings on its fur, and with a head less sharp

towards the nose. It frequents the prairies and sand plains at the base

of the Rocky Mountains, as far north as latitude fifty-eight degrees.

It abounds on the plains watered by the Missouri. Timid and slow, the

badger, on being pursued, takes to the earth like a mole, and makes

his way with great rapidity. It is caught in spring, when the ground

is frozen, by filling its hole with water, when the tenant is obliged

to come out.

_The Ermine Weasel_ is known in the middle and eastern states, by

the name of weasel: farther north, it is called stoat in summer, and

ermine in its winter dress. In its habits it resembles the common

weasel of Europe. It is courageous, active, and graceful. His long

and slender body, bright and piercing eye, sharp claws and teeth, and

great strength, indicate that he is dangerous and destructive to the

smaller animals, which he can follow into their smallest hiding places,

from his peculiar flexibility of body. This animal frequents barns and

out-houses, and is the particular enemy of mice, and other depredators

upon the granary. To compensate for the service he thus renders the

farmer, he helps himself without ceremony to a number of his fowls, and

the henroost sometimes exhibits a sad proof of the value he sets upon

his labors, in exterminating the mice. In winter, the fur of the weasel

is much longer, thicker and finer, than in summer.

_Pennant’s Marten_ is found in various parts of North America, from

the state of Pennsylvania, to as far north as the Great Slave Lake,

where it was seen by captain Franklin. It is easily domesticated,

becomes fond of tea leaves, is very playful, and has a pleasant musky

smell. This species is not very scarce, as Pennant says that five

hundred and eighty skins were sent in one year from the states of New

York and Pennsylvania; and Sabine remarks that the Hudson’s Bay Company

sent eighteen hundred skins to England in one year.

The length of this marten is from twenty-four to thirty inches without

the tail, which is from thirteen to seventeen inches long. The feet are

very broad, and covered with hair, which conceals the sharp, strong,

white claws. The fur on the head is short, but gradually increases

in length towards the tail, and its color changes, losing much of the

yellowish, and assuming a chestnut hue. The tail is full, bushy, black

and lustrous, being smallest at the end.

_The Maryland Marmot_, or _Woodchuck_, is common in all the temperate

parts of America. It does great injury to the farmers, as the quantity

of herbage it consumes is really surprising. It burrows in the ground

on the sides of hills, and these extend to great distances under ground,

and terminate in various chambers. Here the marmot makes himself a

comfortable bed of dry leaves, grass, and any soft rubbish, where he

sleeps from the close of day, till the next morning is far advanced.

The Maryland marmot eats with great greediness, and in large quantities.

It is fond of cabbage, lettuce, and other garden vegetables. When in

captivity, it is exceedingly fond of bread and milk.

At the commencement of cold weather, the marmot goes into winter

quarters, blocks up the door within, and remains torpid till the warm

season. It is about the size of a rabbit, and of a dark brown color.

_The Prairie Marmot_, commonly called Prairie Dog, builds his

dwelling in the barren tracts of the western country, and may often be

seen sitting by the small mounds of earth, which indicate his abode,

in an attitude of profound attention. Whole acres of land are occupied

by these little tenants, and villages are found, containing thousands

of inhabitants. Near the Rocky Mountains, these villages are found

to reach several miles. The burrow extends under ground, but to what

distance has not been determined.

This marmot, like the rest of the species, remains torpid during the

winter. It is very much annoyed in its habitation by owls, rattlesnakes,

lizards, and land tortoises, who appropriate these comfortable

dwellings for their own use, and frequently destroy the young marmots.

The _Fox Squirrel_ is found throughout the southern states, where it

frequents the pine forests in considerable numbers, and derives its

principal subsistence from the seed of the pine. Its color varies from

white to pale gray and black, and is sometimes mottled, with various

shades of red. The _Cat Squirrel_ is one of the largest species, and is

found in great abundance in the oak and chesnut forests of this country.

It is a very heavy animal, and is slow in its movements, seldom leaping

from tree to tree, unless it is alarmed or closely pursued. It is found

of almost every variety of color. The _Black Squirrel_ is very common,

but is often confounded with the black varieties of the squirrels

before described. In the winter, this animal is of a pure black; in

the summer, it is of a grayish black, intermingled with a dark reddish

brown. It is found in the United States, and inhabits the northern

shores of Lakes Huron and Superior.

Illustration: Black Squirrel.

The _Common Gray Squirrel_ is remarkable for its beauty and activity,

and is common throughout the United States. It is generally found in

hickory and chesnut woods, where it feeds on nuts, and lays up a hoard

for the winter. It is very easily domesticated, and in captivity is

very playful and mischievous. The _Great-tailed Squirrel_, so called

from the length of its tail, is common on the Missouri. It is of a

grayish black color, and is very graceful and active. The _Line-tail

Squirrel_ inhabits the Missouri country, where it builds its nest

in the holes and crevices of rocks. It is fond of the naked cliffs,

where there are but few bushes, and very rarely ascends a tree. It

feeds on the buds, leaves, and fruits of plants. It is of an ash

color, intermixed with white hairs. Its fur is coarse, and the tail,

which is very long, is marked with three black lines on each side.

The _Four-lined Squirrel_ is found on the Rocky Mountains. Its nest

is composed of a great quantity of the branches of different kinds of

trees, and of other vegetable productions. It does not ascend trees by

choice.

The _Columbian Pine Squirrel_ was seen by Lewis and Clarke on the banks

of the Columbia river, but is supposed by Richardson to be a variety of

the Hudson’s Bay Squirrel, its habits being similar.

The _Common Red Squirrel_ is abundant in most parts of North America.

It is one of the most lively and nimble of the squirrel race. It digs

burrows at the roots of large trees, to which it forms four or five

entrances. It does not leave its tree in cold and stormy weather, but

when it is sporting in the sunshine, if any one approaches, it conceals

itself, and makes a loud noise, similar to a watchman’s rattle. From

this circumstance it has received the name of Chickaree. When pursued,

it makes long leaps from tree to tree, and seeks for shelter as soon

as possible in its burrow. The skin of this animal is of no value. It

is of a reddish brown color, shaded with black. The tail is long and

beautiful.

The _Ground_ or _Striped Squirrel_ is abundant in all our woods. It is

sometimes called Harkee, and, in New England, is usually denominated

the Chip Squirrel. It differs very much from other squirrels in its

habits. It never makes its nest in the branches of trees, but burrows

in the ground near the roots. These burrows extend a considerable

distance under ground, and are always provided with two openings.

The general color of this animal is of a reddish brown. The _Common

Flying Squirrel_[47] is very abundant in the United States, and is

much admired for the softness of its fur, and the gentleness of its

disposition. The skin of the sides is extended from the fore to the

hind limbs, so as to form a sort of sail, which enables it to descend

swiftly from a great height, in the easiest and most pleasant manner,

often passing over a considerable space. This squirrel is small, of

an ash color above, and white beneath, with large, prominent black

eyes. It builds its nest in hollow trees. The _Rocky Mountain Flying

Squirrel_ lives in thick pine forests, and seldom leaves its retreats

except at night.

The _Urson_, or _Canada Porcupine_, exhibits none of the long and

large quills which are so conspicuous and formidable in the European

species, and the short spines or prickles which are thickly set over

all the superior parts of its body, are covered by a long coarse hair,

which almost entirely conceals them. These spines are not more than

two inches and a half in length, yet form a very efficient protection

against every other enemy but man. This animal dislikes water, sleeps

very much, and chiefly feeds upon the bark of the juniper. His flesh

is eaten by the savages and American traders. He is still found in the

remote and unsettled parts of Pennsylvania, but south of this state is

almost unknown. It was formerly found, but very rarely, in Virginia.

The porcupine is much prized by the aborigines, both for its flesh,

and quills, which are used as ornaments to their pipes, weapons, and

dresses. A large collection of dresses, thus ornamented, is exhibited

in the Philadelphia Museum.

The _Mink_ is found throughout the country, from Carolina to Hudson’s

Bay, and in its habits and appearance strongly resembles the otter. It

lives in the neighborhood of mill-seats, or farm-houses, frequenting

holes near the water, or in the ruins of old walls. It feeds upon frogs

and fish, and, like the weasel, sometimes pays an unwelcome visit to

the poultry-yard. The length of this animal is about twenty inches; its

feet are broad, webbed, and covered with hair. Hats are made of its fur.

The _Skunk_ is of a brown color, marked sometimes with two white

stripes. The faculty this animal possesses, of annoying its enemies

by the discharge of a noisome fluid, causes it to be rather shunned

than hunted, which the value of its skin would otherwise be sure to

occasion. The smallest drop of this fluid is sufficient to render a

garment detestable for a great length of time. Washing, smoking, baking,

or burying articles of dress, seems to be equally inefficient for its

removal. The skunk is generally found in the forests, having its den

either in the stump of an old tree, or in an excavation in the ground.

It feeds on the young of birds, and upon small quadrupeds, eggs, and

wild fruits. It also does much mischief in the poultry-yard.

The _American Otter_ is about five feet in length, including the tail,

the length of which is eighteen inches. The color of the whole of the

body, (except the chin and throat, which are dusky white) is a glossy

brown. The fur throughout is dense and fine. The differences between

this species and the European otter, are thus pointed out by Captain

Sabine: ‘The neck of the American otter is elongated, not short, and

the head narrow and long in comparison with the short, broad visage of

the European species; the ears are consequently much closer together

than in the latter animal. The tail is more pointed and shorter, being

considerably _less_ than one half of the length of the body, whilst the

tail of the European otter is _more_ than half the length of its body.’

The fur of the otter is much valued by the hatters and other consumers

of peltries, and this animal must ultimately become as rare in North

America as the kindred species has long since become in Europe.

II. BIRDS.

The Ornithology of the United States is exceedingly rich and

interesting. For their beauty of plumage, variety and melody of song,

diversity of form, habits, disposition and faculties, our birds well

merit the industrious observation which has been bestowed upon them.

They have been highly fortunate in their historians, for no department

of our animal kingdom has been so thoroughly investigated as this;

and the indefatigable labor, science and genius of such men as Wilson,

Audubon, Bonaparte, and Nuttall, have left us but little to expect from

future researches.

The vulture called _Turkey Buzzard_, is found in large numbers in

the southern states, where he is protected by law, on account of his

services in the removal of carrion. This bird has never been known

to breed in any of the Atlantic states north of New Jersey. In the

southern cities, during the winter, they pass the night on the roofs

of houses, and are fond of warming themselves in the smoke that issues

from the chimneys. This bird is about two and a half feet in length,

and six in breadth; the upper plumage is glossed with green and bronze,

the fore part of the neck is bare. The _Black Vulture_ is smaller,

and flies in flocks; the range of this bird is confined by very narrow

limits to the southern states. The _Condor_ is not uncommon in the

Rocky Mountains; but his peculiar residence is among the precipitous

cliffs of the majestic Andes.

The _Common_ or _Wandering Falcon_ lives along the seacoast of the

country, and is said to breed in the cedar swamps of New Jersey. The

_American Sparrow Hawk_ is found principally in the warmer parts of

the states, and builds its nest in a hollow or decayed tree, on some

elevated place. In the winter it becomes familiar, and approaches to

the neighborhood of man; at this time it lives on such small game as

it can find in the way of mice or lizards. The flight of this bird is

irregular. It perches on the top of a dead tree or pole in the middle

of a field, and sits there in an almost perpendicular position for

an hour together, reconnoitering the ground below in every direction

for the favorite articles of its food. The bluejays have a particular

antipathy to this bird, who punishes their enmity by occasionally

making a meal of one of them.

Illustration: American Sparrow Hawk.

The _American Fish Hawk_ is a formidable, vigorous-winged, and

well-known bird, which subsists altogether on the fishes that swarm

in our bays rivers, and creeks. It is doubtless the most numerous of

its genus in the United States, and besides lining our seacoast from

Georgia to Canada, it penetrates far into the interior.

Illustration: Fish Hawk.

‘The motions of the fish hawk,’ says Mr. Audubon, ‘in the air are

graceful, and as majestic as those of the eagle. It rises with ease

to a great height by extensive circlings, performed apparently by mere

inclinations of the wings and tail. It dives at times to some distance

with the wings partially closed, and resumes its sailing, as if these

plunges were made for amusement only. Its wings are extended at right

angles to the body, and when thus flying, it is easily distinguishable

from all other hawks by the eye of an observer, accustomed to note the

flight of birds. Whilst in search of food, it flies with easy flappings

at a moderate height above the water, and with an apparent listlessness,

although in reality it is keenly observing the objects beneath. No

sooner does it spy a fish suited to its taste, than it checks its

course with a sudden shake of its wings and tail, which gives it the

appearance of being poised in the air for a moment, after which it

plunges headlong with great rapidity into the water, to secure its

prey, or continue its flight, if disappointed by having observed the

fish sink deeper.

‘When it plunges into the water in pursuit of a fish, it sometimes

proceeds deep enough to disappear for an instant. The surge caused

by its descent is so great as to make the spot around it present the

appearance of a mass of foam. On rising with its prey, it is seen

holding it in the manner represented in the plate. It mounts a few

yards into the air, shakes the water from its plumage, squeezes the

fish with its talons, and immediately proceeds towards its nest, to

feed its young, or to a tree, to devour the fruit of its industry in

peace. When it has satisfied its hunger, it does not, like other hawks,

stay perched until hunger again urges it forth, but usually sails about

at a great height over the neighboring waters.

‘The fish hawk has a great attachment to the tree to which it carries

its prey, and will not abandon it, unless frequently disturbed, or shot

at whilst feeding there. It shows the same attachment to the tree on

which it has built its first nest, and returns to it year after year.’

_The Swallow-tailed Hawk._――This beautiful kite breeds and passes the

summer in the warmer parts of the United States, and is also probably

resident in all tropical and temperate America, migrating into the

southern as well as the northern hemisphere. In the former, according

to Viellot, it is found in Peru, and as far as Buenos Ayres; and though

it is extremely rare to meet with this species as far as the latitude

of forty degrees in the Atlantic states, yet, tempted by the abundance

of the fruitful valley of the Mississippi, individuals have been

seen along that river as far as the Falls of St. Anthony, in the

forty-fourth degree of north latitude. Indeed, according to Fleming,

two stragglers have even found their devious way to the strange climate

of Great Britain.

Illustration: Swallow-tailed Hawk.

They appear in the United States about the close of April or beginning

of May, and are very numerous in the Mississippi territory, twenty

or thirty being sometimes visible at the same time, often collecting

locusts and other large insects, which they are said to feed on from

their claws while flying; at times also seizing upon the nests of

locusts and wasps, and like the honey-buzzard, devouring both the

insects and their larvæ. Snakes and lizards are their common food in

all parts of America. In the month of October they begin to retire to

the south, at which season Mr. Bartram observed them in great numbers

assembled in Florida, soaring steadily at great elevations for several

days in succession, and slowly passing towards their winter quarters

along the Gulf of Mexico.[48]

Other hawks in the United States are the _Sharp-shinned_, the

_Great-footed_ or _Duck_, the _Pigeon_, _Cooper’s White-tailed_,

_Red-tailed_, _Broad-winged_, _Mississippi Kite_, _Black_, _Marsh_,

_Stanley’s_, _Red-shouldered_, _Ash-colored_, and _Slate-colored Hawks_.

_Washington Eagle._――For the first accurate observation of this bird,

we have been indebted to the untiring study and genius of Audubon, who

first noticed it in the year 1814. He is three feet and seven inches

long; the extent of his wings is ten feet two inches. His plumage is

compact and glossy, the upper parts being of a dark, shining coppery

brown; the throat, breast and belly of a bright rich cinnamon color.

He lives in the neighborhood of the seashore, lakes and rivers, and

subsists chiefly on fish. ‘The name which I have chosen for this new

species of eagle,’ says its great discoverer, ‘the “Bird of Washington,”

may, by some, be considered as preposterous and unfit; but as it is

indisputably the noblest bird of its genus that has yet been discovered

in the United States, I trust I shall be allowed to honor it with the

name of one yet nobler, who was the savior of his country, and whose

name will ever be dear to it. To those who may be curious to know

my reasons, I can only say, that, as the new world gave me birth and

liberty, the great man who insured its independence is next to my

heart. He had a nobility of mind and a generosity of soul, such as

are seldom possessed. He was brave, so is the eagle; like it, too, he

was the terror of his foes; and his fame, extending from pole to pole,

resembles the majestic soarings of the mightiest of the feathered tribe.

If America has reason to be proud of her Washington, so has she to be

proud of her great eagle.’

Illustration: Washington Eagle.

_White-headed_ or _Bald Eagle_.――This bird is abundant in all the

latitudes of the United States, but shows a predilection for the warmer

climates. He lives near the seacoast, where he usually selects some

lofty pine or cypress for his eyry, which he builds of large sticks,

sods, moss, reeds, pine tops and other coarse materials, arranged in a

sort of level bed. This breeding place is never deserted as long us the

tree lasts. Fish constitutes the chief article of food of this bird,

and he usually obtains it by cunning and rapine, seldom by the exercise

of honest industry. His principal occupation is to rob the osprey of

the fruits of his labor, and he has sometimes been known to attack the

vulture, and oblige him to disgorge his carrion.[49]

Illustration: White-headed or Bald Eagle.

_Royal_ or _Golden Eagle_.――This bird is found in all the cold

and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. It is supposed to

live for a century, and is about three years in gaining its complete

growth and permanent plumage. The neighborhood of Hudson’s Bay is more

frequented by this eagle than any part of the United States, but it

is not uncommon in the great plains of the larger western rivers. ‘The

lofty mountains of New Hampshire,’ says Mr. Nuttall, ‘afford suitable

situations for the eyry of this eagle, over whose snow-clad summits

he is seen majestically soaring in solitude and grandeur. A young bird

from this region, which I have in a state of domestication, showed

considerable docility. He had, however, been brought up from the nest,

in which he was found in the month of August; he appeared even playful,

turning his head about in a very antic manner, as if desirous to

attract attention; still his glance was quick and fiery. When birds

were given to him, he plumed them very clean before he began his meal,

and picked the subject to a perfect skeleton.’

The _Ring-tailed Eagle_ is now found to be the young of this bird,

as has been long supposed. Its tail feathers are highly valued by the

aborigines as they serve for ornamenting their calumets.

Illustration: Ring-tailed Eagle.

_Owls._――One of the most common species of this bird in the United

States is the _Little Screech Owl_, which is found throughout the

country. It is noted for the melancholy wailing, which is heard in the

evenings in autumn and the latter part of summer. On clear moonlight

nights, they answer each other from the various parts of the fields or

orchards, roost during the day in thick evergreens, and are rarely seen

abroad during the sunshine. They construct their nests in the hollow of

a tree, frequently in an orchard.

The _Great-horned Owl_ is also an inhabitant of every part of the

country. ‘All climates are alike,’ says Mr. Nuttall, ‘to this eagle

of the night, the king of the nocturnal tribe of American birds. The

aboriginal inhabitants of the country dread his boding howl, dedicating

his effigies to their solemnities, and, as if he were their sacred

bird of Minerva, forbid the mockery of his ominous, dismal, and almost

supernatural cries. His favorite resort, in the dark and impenetrable

swampy forests, where he dwells in chosen solitude secure from the

approach of every enemy, agrees with the melancholy and sinister traits

of his character. To the surrounding feathered race he is the Pluto of

the gloomy wilderness, and would scarcely be known out of the dismal

shades where he hides, but to his victims, were he as silent as he is

solitary. Among the choaking, loud, guttural sounds which he sometimes

utters, in the dead of night, and with a suddenness which always alarms,

because of his noiseless approach, is the _’waugh ho! ’waugh ho!_ which,

Wilson remarks, was often uttered at the instant of sweeping down round

his camp fire. Many kinds of owls are similarly dazzled and attracted

by fire-lights, and occasionally finding, no doubt, some offal or flesh,

thrown out by those who encamp in the wilderness, they come round the

nocturnal blaze with other motives than barely those of curiosity.’

The _Burrowing Owl_ differs essentially from all others in his habits

and manners. Instead of hiding his head in the daylight, he fearlessly

flies abroad in search of prey, in the broadest glare of the sun; and

far from seeking abodes of solitude and silence, he lives in company

with animals in the recesses of the earth, where they all enjoy the

pleasures of fellowship and good harmony. The mounds of the prairie dog

or marmot, which are thrown up in such numbers near the Rocky Mountains,

are about eighteen inches in height. The entrance is by a passage

two feet in length, which terminates in a comfortable cell composed

of dry grass, where the marmot takes up his winter abode. Around these

villages, the burrowing owls may be seen moving briskly about, singly

or in small flocks. They seem to have very little fear of man; either

soaring to a distance when alarmed, or descending into the burrows,

where it is very difficult to come at them. In countries where the

marmot is not found, this owl is said to dig a hole for himself. Their

food appears to consist entirely of insects. Its note is similar to the

cry of the marmot, which sounds like _cheh, cheh_, pronounced in rapid

succession.

The burrowing owl is nine inches and a half long. The general color

of the plumage is a light burnt umber, spotted with whitish. The under

parts are white, banded with brown.[50]

Other birds of this species found in the limits of the states are the

_Great Gray_ or _Cinereous Owl_, the _Long-eared Owl_, the _Short-eared

Owl_, the _Acadian Owl_, and the _White_ or _Barn Owl_.

The _Baltimore Oriole_ is a gay, lively, and beautiful bird, which

passes its summers among us, but retreats for the winter to South

America. The most remarkable instinct of this bird is the ingenuity

exhibited in building its nest, which is a pendulous cylindric pouch,

from five to seven inches in depth, and usually suspended from the

extremities of high and drooping branches of a tree. The leaves, as

they grow out over the top, form a protection from the sun and rain

for the young. Though naturally shy and suspicious, this bird usually

selects his building place in the neighborhood of farm-houses, and

along frequented roads. He is easily domesticated, becomes playful and

attached, and sings in confinement.

Illustration: The Baltimore Oriole.

The _Orchard Oriole_ is a smaller and plainer species, of similar

habits. The _Red-winged Blackbird_ is an inhabitant of all North

America, but is migratory in the northern states. This bird commits

great depredations on the unripe corn, and on the rice fields. He

is known by a variety of names. His flesh is tough, and but little

esteemed. The _Cow Blackbird_ is passing from one part of the states to

another, and lives in winter in the warmer parts. In the latter part of

March, he appears in Pennsylvania, and as the weather becomes milder,

he gradually advances into Canada.[51] The _Rice Bunting_ is a small

bird of beautiful plumage and musical song, and as much of a favorite

with the sportsman and gourmand, as of an enemy to the farmer and

planter. They are found in immense numbers in the middle states, where

they do great damage to the barley, Indian corn, and early wheat.

Illustration: The Rice Bunting.

_Blackbirds._――The _Great Crow Blackbird_ is found only in the

southern parts of the union, where it appears early in February. It is

gregarious, omnivorous, and its note is said sometimes to resemble a

watchman’s rattle. The _Common Crow Blackbird_ appears in every part

of the country, at different seasons, and commits great havoc among

the fields of maize. It is easily domesticated, and may be taught to

articulate a few words. The numbers in which this species are found

are almost beyond belief; and the damage they do to the crops is

astonishing. Other birds of this genus are the _Slender-billed_ and

the _Rusty Blackbird_.

The _Raven_ is found in greater numbers in the western than in the

eastern part of the union; it is a resident, however, in almost every

country in the world. He has been too often described to require

extended notice. The _Crow_ is also an inhabitant of nearly every

region. In most of the settled districts of North America, he is

frequently met with, and is as little liked as he is often seen. He is

smaller than the raven, and is of a deep black color, with brilliant

reflections. Easily domesticated, and quite intelligent, he becomes

attached to his master, and learns a variety of amusing tricks, though

he is apt to be thievish, and is sometimes noisy and disagreeable. The

_Fish Crow_ resembles the rook; it is peculiar to this country, and is

met with along the coast of Georgia, and as far north as New Jersey.

The _Columbian Crow_ is another variety frequenting the shores of

Columbia river.

The _Magpie_ is found in the western parts of America, and is very

numerous to the west of the Rocky Mountains. He is a restless, active,

and impudent bird, bold, and easily domesticated. Like the crow, he is

artful and thievish. His nest is built with great ingenuity and labor,

in a place inaccessible to man. The body of it is composed of hawthorn

branches, the thorns sticking outwards; it is lined with fibrous roots,

wool, and long grass, and then nicely plastered with mud and clay. A

canopy of sharp thorns is then built over the nest, so woven together

as to deny all entrance except at the door. Here the male and female

bring up their young brood in perfect security.

Illustration: Magpie.

The _Blue Jay_ is peculiar to North America, and is distinguished

as a kind of beau among the feathered tenants of our woods, by the

brilliancy of his dress, and, like most other coxcombs, makes himself

still more conspicuous by his loquacity and the oddness of his tones

and gestures. He is an almost universal inhabitant of the woods,

frequenting the thickest settlements as well as the deepest recesses

of the forest, where his squalling voice often alarms the deer, to the

great disappointment of the hunter. He appears to be among his fellow

musicians, what the trumpeter is in a band, some of his notes bearing

no distant resemblance to the tones of that instrument. These he has

the faculty of changing through a great variety of modulations. When

disposed for ridicule, there is scarcely a bird to whose peculiarities

of song he cannot tune his notes. When engaged in the blandishments

of love, they resemble the soft chatterings of a duck, and are scarce

heard at some paces distant; but no sooner does he discover your

approach, than he sets up a sudden and vehement outcry, flying off

and screaming with all his might. His notes a stranger might readily

mistake for the repeated creakings of an ungreased wheelbarrow. All

these he accompanies with various nods, jerks, and other gesticulations,

for which the whole tribe of jays are so remarkable.[52] Other jays are

the _Columbia_, _Canada_, and _Florida_.