very extensively dispersed in spring, summer, and early autumn. It
ranges along our many rivers to great distances from the sea, being
common on the Missouri and its branches, from which it spreads to
all such localities as are favourable to its habits. To the north of
the United States, however, it is very seldom seen, it being of rare
occurrence even in Nova Scotia. At the approach of winter it retires to
the Florida and Lower Louisiana, where individuals, however, reside all
the year, and many remove southward beyond the limits of our country.
I have observed their return in early spring, when arriving in flocks
of from twenty to fifty individuals. They would plunge downwards from
their elevated line of march, cutting various zigzags, until they would
all simultaneously alight on the tops of the trees or bushes of some
swampy place, or on the borders of miry ponds. These halts took place
pretty regularly about an hour after sun-rise. The day was occupied
by them, as well as by some other species, especially the Blue, the
Yellow-crowned, and Night Herons, all of which at this period travelled
eastward, in resting, cleansing their bodies, and searching for food.
When the sun approached the western horizon, they would at once ascend
in the air, arrange their lines, and commence their flight, which, I
have no doubt, continued all night. You may therefore, good Reader,
conclude that Herons are not only diurnal habits when feeding, but also
able to travel at night when the powerful impulse of migration urges
them from one portion of the country to another. But although on their
northward journey, the Green Herons travel in flocks, it is a curious
fact, that, unlike our smaller Waders, Ducks, Geese, and Cranes, they
usually return southward at the approach of winter, singly or in very
small flocks.
Stagnant pools or bayous, and the margins of the most limpid streams,
are alike resorted to by this species for the purpose of procuring
food. It is little alarmed by the presence of man, and you may often
see it close to houses, on the mill-dams, or even raising its brood
on the trees of gardens. This is often the case in the suburbs of
Charleston in South Carolina, where I have seen several nests on the
same live oak in the grounds of the Honourable Joel Poinset, as well
as in those of other cities of the Southern States. The gentleness,
or as many would say, the stupidity of this bird is truly remarkable,
for it will at times allow you to approach within a few paces, looking
as unconcernedly upon you as the House Sparrow is wont to do in the
streets of London.
Although they not unfrequently breed in single pairs; they also
associate, not only forming communities of their own kind, but mingling
with the larger species of their tribe, and with the Boat-tailed
Grakles, and other birds. On the 23d May 1831, I found two nests of
the Green Heron on one of the Florida Keys, close to some of _Ardea
rufescens_ and _A. cœrulea_. Now and then a dozen or more of their
nests are found on a bunch of vines in the middle of a pond, and placed
within two or three feet of the water; while in other cases, they
place their tenements on the highest branches of tall cypresses. In
our Middle Districts, however, and especially at some distance from
the sea, it is very seldom that more than a single nest is seen in one
locality.
The nest of the Green Heron, like that of almost every other species
of the tribe, is flat and composed of sticks, loosely arranged, among
which are sometimes green twigs with their leaves still attached.
The eggs are three or four, seldom more, an inch and three-eighths
in length, an inch and one-eighth in breadth, nearly equally rounded
at both ends, and of a delicate sea-green colour. According to the
locality, they are deposited from the middle of March to the beginning
of June. In the Southern States, two broods are frequently reared, but
in the Middle and Northern Districts, seldom more than one.
The young, which are at first of a deep livid colour, sparingly covered
here and there, and more especially about the head, with longish tufts
of soft hair-like down, of a brownish colour, remain in the nest until
nearly able to fly; but if disturbed, at once leave their couch, and
scramble along the branches, clinging to them with their feet, so as
not to be easily drawn off.
After the spring migration is over, the flight of this species is
rather feeble, and when they are passing from one spot to another, they
frequently use a stronger flap of their wings at intervals. On such
occasions, they scarcely contract their neck; but when travelling to
a considerable distance, they draw it in like all other species of the
tribe, and advance with regular and firm movements of their wings. When
alighting to rest, they come down with such force, that their passage
causes a rustling sound like that produced by birds of prey when
pouncing on their quarry, and on perching they stretch up their neck
and jerk their tail repeatedly for some time, as they are also wont to
do on any other occasion when alarmed.
The Green Herons feed all day long, but, as I think, rarely at night.
Their food consists of frogs, fishes, snails, tadpoles, water lizards,
crabs, and small quadrupeds, all of which they procure without much
exertion, they being abundant in the places to which they usually
resort. Their gait is light but firm. During the love-season they
exhibit many curious gestures, erecting all the feathers of their neck,
swelling their throat, and uttering a rough guttural note like _qua_,
_qua_, several times repeated by the male as he struts before the
female. This note is also usually emitted when they are started, but
when fairly on wing they proceed in silence. The flesh of this species
affords tolerable eating, and Green Herons are not unfrequently seen in
the markets of our Southern cities, especially of New Orleans.
The young attain their full beauty in the second spring, but continue
to grow for at least another year. The changes which they exhibit,
although by no means so remarkable as those of _Ardea rufescens_ and
_A. cœrulea_, have proved sufficient to cause mistakes among authors
who had nothing but skins on which to found their decisions. I have
given figures of an adult in full plumage, and of an immature bird,
to enable you to judge how carefully _Nature_ ought to be studied to
enable you to keep free of mistakes.
ARDEA VIRESCENS, _Linn._ Syst Nat. vol i. p. 238.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 684.—_Ch. Bonaparte_, Synopsis of
Birds of United States, p. 307.
GREEN HERON, ARDEA VIRESCENS, _Wils._ Amer. Ornith. vol.
viii. p. 97, pl. 61, fig. 1.—_Nuttall_, Manual, vol. ii. p.
63.
Adult Male. Plate CCCXXXIII. Fig. 1.
Bill longer than the head, straight, rather slender, tapering to a very
acute point, higher than broad at the base, compressed towards the end.
Upper mandible with its dorsal line very slightly arched, the ridge
broad and rather flattened at the base, narrowed towards the end, the
sides sloping, erect towards the edges, which are sharp and direct, the
tip acute. Nasal depression long, with a groove extending to near the
point; nostrils basal, linear, longitudinal. Lower mandible with the
angle very long and narrow, the dorsal line sloping upwards, the sides
sloping outwards and nearly flat, the edges sharp, the tip acuminate.
Head oblong, much compressed. Neck long. Body very slender, much
compressed. Feet rather long, moderately stout; tibia bare for about an
inch; tarsi of moderate length, covered with hexagonal scales of which
some of the anterior are much larger and scutelliform. Toes rather long
and slender, with numerous scutella above; hind toe stout, second and
fourth nearly equal, third much longer; claws rather long, slender,
arched, compressed, acute, that of middle toe expanded and serrated on
the inner edge.
A large space extending from the bill to behind the eye bare. Plumage
very soft, loose, and blended; feathers of the hind head elongated
and erectile, as are those of the neck generally, but especially of
its hind and lower anterior parts; of the fore part of the back much
elongated and acuminate, scapulars very large. Wings short, very broad,
rounded; second and third quills equal and longest, first and fourth
equal and but slightly shorter, the rest slowly graduated; secondaries
broad and rounded. Tail very short, even, of twelve, broad, soft
feathers.
Bill greenish-black above, bright yellow beneath. Iris and bare part
about the eye also bright yellow. Feet, greenish-yellow, claws dusky.
Upper part of the head and nape glossy deep green. Neck purplish-red,
tinged with lilac behind, and having anteriorly a longitudinal band
of white, spotted with dusky-brown; a similar white band along the
base of lower mandible to beyond the eye. Elongated feathers of
the back greyish-green, in some lights bluish-grey, with the shafts
bluish-white; the rest of the back similar; the upper tail-coverts and
tail bluish-green; the lateral feathers slightly margined with white.
Scapulars, wing-coverts, and inner secondaries, deep glossy green,
bordered with yellowish-white; primary quills and outer secondaries
greyish-blue tinged with green. Lower parts pale purplish-brown tinged
with grey; axillary feathers purplish-grey, as are some of the lower
wing-coverts; lower tail-coverts greyish-white.
Length to end of tail 17-3/4 inches, to end of wings 17-1/2, to end of
claws 24, to carpal joint 11-1/4; extent of wings 27; wing from flexure
7-5/8; tail 3-3/4; bill along the ridge 2-1/4, along the edge of lower
mandible 3-1/4; bare part of tibia 10/12; tarsus 2; hind toe 7/8, its
claw 1/2; middle toe 1-1/8, its claw (2-1/2)/8; inner toe 1-5/8, its
claw 1/4; outer toe 1-3/8, its claw 1/4. Weight 7-1/2 oz.
The Female is considerably smaller, but otherwise similar.
Length to end of tail 17 inches, to end of wings 17, to end of claws
21-3/4; extent of wings 25. Weight 6-1/4 oz.
Young fully fledged. Plate CCCXXXIII.
The bill dull greyish-green, the lower mandible lighter: bare space
around the eye greenish-blue, with the exception of a streak of
yellow at the upper part. Iris yellow. Feet greenish-yellow, duller
than in the adult. The hind neck light brownish-red, the fore part of
the neck and all the under parts white, longitudinally streaked with
brownish-red, some of the long feathers on the sides of the neck also
white. At this age there are no elongated feathers on the back, which
is greenish-blue, as well as the scapulars, and tail-feathers. Wing
as in the adult, but the smaller feathers on its anterior part more
red, the coverts with a small triangular tip of white, and the quills
narrowly tipped and margined with the same.
Length to end of tail 17-1/2 inches, to end of wings 17, to end of
claws 23; extent of wings 25. Weight 6-1/2 oz.
The roof of the mouth is anteriorly a little concave, with a median
prominent line; the palate convex; the lower jaw with a kind of joint
about an inch from the base, its intercrural membrane or skin very
extensile. The tongue is 1-7/12 inch long, very slender, trigonal,
emarginate at the base, with a groove along the middle, and pointed.
Posterior apertures of nares linear, 1/2 inch long. Œsophagus, _a_, _b
c_, 10 inches long, its walls delicate, its diameter at the upper part
1-1/4 inch, gradually contracting to 1/2 inch at its entrance into the
thorax. The lobes of the liver unequal, the right 1 inch 5 twelfths
long, the left 11 twelfths; the gall-bladder large, 7 twelfths long.
The stomach, _c_, _d_, is membranous, of an oblong form, 9 twelfths
long, 10 twelfths in breadth; its tendons elliptical, twelfths by 3
twelfths. The proventriculus, _c c_, 9 twelfths long, with a complete
belt of oblong glandules. There is a small roundish pyloric lobe _e_.
Intestine, _f_, _g_, 2 feet 11 inches long, its diameter uniform, 1
twelfth, or about the thickness of a crow’s quill. Rectum enlarged to 3
twelfths, and 3-1/4 inches long, its cœcal extremity rounded, and only
one-twelfth long.
The trachea is 7-1/4 inches long, of nearly uniform diameter, averaging
2 twelfths; the rings 160, nearly circular and ossified. The bronchial
half-rings about 18. The lateral muscles are very inconspicuous;
sterno-tracheals; and a pair of inferior laryngeal, going to the first
bronchial rings.
[Illustration]
The Herons generally differ from the other Grallæ in having the
œsophagus much wider and similar to that of the fish-eating palmipedes;
the stomach in a manner membranous, like that of the rapacious
land-birds, without lateral muscles or strung epithelium; the intestine
extremely slender, and the anterior extremity of the large intestine or
rectum furnished with a single cœcum, in place of two, as in almost all
other birds.
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER.
_CHARADRIUS HELVETICUS_, WILSON.
PLATE CCCXXXIV. MALE IN SUMMER, YOUNG, AND ADULT IN WINTER.
This beautiful bird makes its appearance on our southern coasts in
the beginning of April, as I had many opportunities of observing in
the course of my journey along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, in
the spring of 1837. Instead of being congregated in large flocks, as
is the case during their southward migration in autumn, they are seen
coming in small numbers, but at short intervals, so as almost to form
a continuous line. They travel chiefly by night, and rest for a great
part of the day along the margins of the sea, either reposing on the
sands in the sunshine, or searching the beaches for food. After dusk
their well-known cries give note of their passage, but by day they
remain silent, even when forced to betake themselves to flight. On such
occasions they generally wheel over the waters, and not unfrequently
return to the spot which they had at first selected. I have traced
this species along the whole of our eastern coast, and beyond it to
the rugged shores of Labrador, where my party procured a few, on the
moss-covered rocks, although we did not then find any nests, and where
some young birds were obtained in the beginning of August.
Individuals of this species spend the summer months in the mountainous
parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, where they breed. I
found their nests near the waters of the Delaware and the Perkioming
Creek, when I resided in the first of these States, and in the same
localities as those of _Totanus Bartramius_, as well as in ploughed
fields. The nest is merely a slight hollow with a few blades of grass.
The eggs are four, an inch and seven and a-half eighths in length, an
inch and three-eighths in their greatest breadth; their ground-colour
yellowish-white, tinged with olivaceous, and pretty generally covered
with blotches and dots of light brown, and pale purple, the markings
being more abundant toward the small end. Their form is similar to
that of the egg of the Guillemot, that is, broadly rounded at the
large end, then tapering, with the sides nearly straight, and the
narrow end rounded. When sitting, these birds will remain until they
are almost trodden upon. On being started, they fly off a few yards,
alight running, and use all the artifices employed on such occasions
to induce the intruder to set out in pursuit. The young leave the nest
almost immediately after they are hatched, and should one approach
them the parents become very clamorous, and fly around until they are
assured of the safety of their brood, when they take a long flight,
and disappear for a time. Unless during the breeding season, they
are exceedingly shy; but their anxiety for their young renders them
forgetful of the danger which they incur in approaching man. The young,
when two or three weeks old, run with great celerity, and squat in
perfect silence when apprehensive of danger. When they are able to fly,
several families unite, and betake themselves to the sea-shore, where
other flocks gradually arrive, until at length, on the approach of cold
weather, almost all of them begin to move southward. Although the great
body of these Plovers pass beyond the limits of the United States, some
remain on the shores of the Floridas during winter. In their habits
they are more maritime than the Golden Plovers, which, when migrating,
generally advance over the land.
The flight of this bird is swift, strong, and well sustained. When
roaming over large sand-bars, they move in compact bodies, whirling
round, and suddenly veering, so as alternately to exhibit their upper
and lower parts. At this time old and young are intermixed, and many of
the former have lost the black so conspicuous on the neck and breast in
summer. During winter, or as long as they frequent the sea-shore, they
feed on marine insects, worms, and small shell-fish; and when they are
in the interior, on grasshoppers and other insects, as well as berries
of various kinds, on which they fatten so as to become tolerably good
eating.
This species is known in Pennsylvania by the name of Whistling Field
Plover, suggested by the loud and modulated cries which it emits during
the love-season. In the Eastern States, as well as in Kentucky, it
is called the Bull-head; but in the South its most common appellation
is Black-bellied Plover. I have seen it, though sparingly, along the
shores of the Ohio, probably during its passage from the north.
As its habits agree with those of the Plovers generally, and its
form is similar to that of the Golden Plover and other species, the
only difference being the presence of a rudimentary hind toe, it was
scarcely necessary to distinguish it generically from _Charadrius_, as
many recent authors have done.
TRINGA HELVETICA, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 250.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 728.
TRINGA SQUATAROLA, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 252.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 729.
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, CHARADRIUS HELVETICUS, _Wils._ Amer.
Ornith. vol. vii. p. 41, pl. 59, fig. 4. Summer.
CHARADRIUS HELVETICUS, _Ch. Bonaparte_, Synopsis of Birds of
United States, p. 298.
GREY LAPWING, VANELLUS MELANOGASTER, _Richards. and Swains._
Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 370.
BLACK-BELLIED or SWISS PLOVER, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. ii. p.
26.
Adult Male in summer. Plate CCCXXXIV. Fig. 1.
Bill as long as the head, straight, somewhat compressed, stout. Upper
mandible with the dorsal line straight and slightly sloping for more
than half its length, then bulging a little and arched to the tip,
which is rather acute, the sides flat and sloping at the base, convex
towards the end, where the edges are sharp and inclinate. Nasal
groove extended to a little more than half the length of the mandible;
nostrils sub-basal, linear, open and pervious. Lower mandible with the
angle rather long and narrow, the sides at the base erect and nearly
flat, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges sharp
and involute towards the narrow tip.
Head of moderate size, roundish, the forehead much rounded. Eyes large.
Neck rather short. Body ovate, rather full. Feet rather long, slender;
tibia bare for a considerable space; tarsus rather compressed, covered
all round with reticulated hexagonal scales; toes of moderate length,
slender; the first extremely diminutive, with an equally minute claw;
the second shorter than the fourth, which is much exceeded by the
third; the anterior toes are rather broadly marginate, the web between
the third and fourth extending to the second joint of the latter, that
between it and the second smaller. Claws small, compressed, slightly
arched, acute.
Plumage soft, blended, the feathers broad and rounded. Wings long
and pointed, primary quills tapering, the first longest, the second a
quarter of an inch shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries,
short, broad, obliquely rounded; the inner tapering and elongated. Tail
rather short, slightly rounded, of twelve rounded feathers.
Bill and claws black. Iris and feet greyish-black. Forehead
yellowish-white, the rest of the head and the hind neck greyish-white,
spotted with dusky. The upper parts are variegated with black,
yellowish-brown, and white, the feathers being tipped with the
latter. The hind part of the rump, the upper tail-coverts, and the
tail-feathers, white, transversely barred with brownish-black, the tail
tipped with white, and having four dark bars on the middle feathers,
and seven or eight on the outer webs of the rest. Alula, primary
coverts, and primary quills brownish-black, the coverts terminally
margined with white; shafts of the primaries about the middle, and
part of the inner web towards the base, white; the inner six with a
white patch on the outer web towards the base, and margined with white
externally; the outer secondary feathers white at the base and margined
with the same; the inner dusky, with marginal white triangular spots.
A narrow ring round the eye, and a broad longitudinal band on the side
of the neck white; loral space, cheeks, fore part of neck, breast, and
axillar feathers, black; the rest of the lower parts white, the lower
primary coverts grey towards the end.
Length to end of tail 11-3/4 inches, to end of wings 12-1/2, to end of
claws 14; extent of wings 25; wing from flexure 8-1/4; tail 3-1/4; bill
along the ridge 1-1/4, along the edge of lower mandible 1-1/4; bare
part of tibia 3/4; tarsus 2; hind toe (1-1/2)/8; middle toe 1-1/8, its
claw 1/4; outer toe and claw 1-1/8; inner toe 1. Weight 6-1/2 oz.
The Female resembles the male, but has the black of the lower parts of
a less deep tint.
Young about a week old. Plate CCCXXXIV. Fig. 2.
Bill and feet dull greenish-brown. Iris brown. The general colour is
pale brownish-yellow, mottled with dusky; a whitish ring round the eye;
tail with a black band, rump whitish, primary quills dusky, the outer
edges of the secondaries whitish.
The young in autumn.
Bill greyish-black; feet bluish-grey. The upper parts brownish-black,
spotted with white, some of the spots yellow; the wings and tail as
in the adult, but the latter tinged with grey, and having eight dark
bars on all the feathers. The fore part and sides of the neck, and the
sides of the body, greyish-white, mottled with brownish-grey; axillary
feathers brownish-black; the rest of the lower parts white.
Adult in winter. Plate CCCXXXIV. Fig. 3.
The adult in winter has the upper parts light greyish-brown, the
margins of the feathers much lighter; the sides and fore parts of the
neck pale grey, with dark grey streaks and spots; lower parts white. In
other respects the colours are as in summer.
In an adult male of this species, there is a double row of papillæ on
the roof of the mouth. The tongue is 1 inch long, slender, tapering,
emarginate and papillate at the base, grooved above, horny on the back.
The œsophagus _a_, is 5 inches long, at its upper part 4 twelfths in
diameter, enlarged to 1/2 inch on the lower part of the neck. The
proventriculus, _b_, oblong, its greatest diameter 8 twelfths, its
glandules oblong and about a twelfth in length. The stomach, _c_, _d_,
_e_, _f_, is a very powerful gizzard of an irregular roundish form, 1
inch 5 twelfths long, 1 inch 3-1/2 twelfths in breadth; its lateral
muscles very large and distinct, the right _d_, 4 twelfths thick,
the left, _e_, 3 twelfths, the tendons large; the epithelium thick,
longitudinally rugous, and of a reddish colour. The intestine _g_, _h_,
_i_, is 2 feet 2 inches long, its diameter about 2 twelfths; the cœca
2 inches 2 twelfths long, their diameter at the base half a twelfth,
toward the end 2 twelfths; the rectum 3 twelfths in diameter, and 2-1/2
inches long.
[Illustration]
In the stomach were several shrimps. The lobes of the liver very
unequal, the right being 2-1/4 inches in length, the other 1-4/12. No
gall-bladder.
The trachea is wide, flattened, membranous, 4 twelfths broad at the
upper part, gradually diminishing to 2 twelfths, its rings which are
very slender, about 100. The lateral muscles exceedingly thin, but
becoming more distinct towards the lower part; the sterno-tracheal
slender. Bronchi of moderate length, of about 20 half-rings.
RED-BREASTED SNIPE.
_SCOLOPAX NOVEBORACENSIS_, GMEL.
PLATE CCCXXXV. ADULT IN SUMMER AND WINTER.