Body full and depressed. Feet placed far behind, extremely short; tibia
bare for a quarter of an inch; tarsus extremely short, much compressed,
anteriorly covered with a series of very small scutella, and another
row on the lower half externally, the sides reticulate. Hind toe very
small, with an inferior free membrane; anterior toes double the length
of the tarsus; the second shorter than the fourth, which is nearly
as long as the third; all connected by reticulated webs, of which
the outer is deeply emarginate. Claws short, considerably curved,
compressed, acute, that of the middle toe with a thin inner edge.
Plumage full, soft, and blended; feathers of the head and upper part of
the hind neck very slender, and elongated along the median line into
a narrow decurved crest; those of the shoulders obovate and abrupt,
of the rest of the upper parts ovate, of the lower elliptical. Wings
very short, narrow, curved, and pointed; primaries narrow, tapering,
the first scarcely longer than the second, the rest rapidly graduated;
secondaries short, narrow, rounded, the inner tapering to an obtuse
point. Tail short, graduated, of sixteen rather narrow, tapering
feathers.
Bill dark greyish-blue. Iris bright red. Feet livid blue, claws dusky.
The general colour of the plumage is pure white; a short band on each
side of the hind neck bordering the crest, duck-green; a broad patch
on the lore and below the eye, a narrow band across the lower part of
the hind neck, formed by single bars near the tips of the feathers,
the middle of the back in its whole length, a short transverse bar
under the fore edge of the wing, the anterior margin of that organ
to beyond the carpal joint, the outer edges of the scapulars, the
primary coverts, the secondary coverts, and the outer secondary quills,
excepting the tips of both, deep black. The quills are also black,
but of a less deep tint; the hind part of the back becomes tinged with
grey, and the rump and tail-feathers are dusky grey. The sides of the
body and rump are white, finely undulated with blackish-grey.
Length to end of tail 17-1/2 inches, to end of claws 18-1/4, to end of
wings 15-1/2; extent of wings 27; bill along the ridge 1-(3-1/2)/12,
along the edge of lower mandible 1-(7-1/2)/12; wing from flexure 7-3/4;
tail 3-1/2; tarsus 1-(1-1/2)/12; first toe 1/2, its claw 2/12; second
toe 1-1/2, its claw 4/12, third toe 1-11/12, its claw (4-1/2)/12;
fourth toe 1-10/12, its claw 5/12. Weight 1 lb. 8 oz.
Adult Female. Plate CCCXLVII. Fig. 2.
The Female is much smaller. The feathers of the hind part of the head
and neck are also elongated so as to form a crest. The bill, iris,
and feet, are coloured as in the male. All the lower parts are white,
excepting a broad band of light grey across the middle of the neck, and
a narrow portion of the sides, which are of a deeper tint. There is
a patch of brownish-black on the lore and beneath the eye; the upper
part of the head and half of the hind neck, are light reddish-brown;
the rest of the hind neck, and all the upper parts, bluish-grey, darker
behind, and in the middle of the back approaching to black. The wings
as in the male, that is black, with a large patch of white, and two
narrow transverse bands of the same; the tail dusky grey.
Length to end of tail 15-1/4 inches, to end of claws 16-1/2, to end of
wings 14-1/2; extent of wings 25. Weight 1 lb. 4 oz.
GADWALL DUCK.
_ANAS STREPERA_, LINN.
PLATE CCCXLVIII. MALE AND FEMALE.
I have met with this species along the whole of our Atlantic coast,
from Eastport in Maine to Texas. It is, however, more abundant in the
interior than in most of our maritime districts, and is particularly so
on the tributaries of the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi. In the early
part of autumn and late in spring many are found on the margins of our
great lakes. Yet the Gadwall has been represented as not plentiful
in the United States, probably on account of its being generally
dispersed, and not congregated in particular districts.
The Creoles of Louisiana name it “Violon,” on account of the whistling
sound of its wings. It arrives in the neighbourhood of New Orleans and
the mouths of the Mississippi along with the Widgeon, and is fond of
the company of the Red-head, to which it is about equal as an article
of food. The Gadwalls are usually seen in small flocks, and during
winter resort to the larger lakes and the pools in the interior of the
great marshes, adjoining the waters of the Gulf. In that part of the
country they feed on small fish, insects, and aquatic grasses. Fewer
of them are found in Massachusetts and the State of New York than
elsewhere, and this probably on account of these districts being more
elevated and less marshy than those farther south. My friend Dr BACHMAN
informs me that they are rather plentiful in South Carolina, where they
are considered good eating, and where they arrive in the beginning of
October, but are more frequently met with at that season, and in early
spring, than during winter, when a single individual may sometimes be
seen in a flock of other ducks.
While we were in the Texas, in the latter part of April and the
beginning of May, we found the Gadwall quite abundant on all the inland
ponds and streams, as well as on the brackish pools and inlets of
the islands and shores of Galveston Bay. Many of them had paired and
separated from the other ducks; and I was assured that this species
breeds there, as does the Dusky Duck, the Mallard, the Blue-winged
Teal, the Widgeon, and the Shoveller, the young of all these species
being plentiful in the end of June and beginning of July. I was
satisfied as to the truth of the repeated assurances I had received
on this subject, by observing the manners of individuals of all these
species before my departure from that country. After a continuance of
rainy weather, Gadwalls are found in great numbers on the vast prairies
of Oppelousas and Attacapas, where I have been told they continue until
very late in spring, and some remain to breed.
This species dives well on occasion, especially on being wounded. At
the appearance of danger, it rises on wing—whether from the ground or
from the water—at a single spring, in the manner of the Mallard, and,
like it also, ascends almost perpendicularly for several yards, after
which it moves off in a direct course with great celerity. I have never
seen it dive on seeing the flash of the gun; but when approached it
always swims to the opposite part of the pond, and, when the danger
increases, flies off. On being wounded, it sometimes by diving makes
its escape among the grass, where it squats and remains concealed.
It walks with ease, and prettily, often making incursions upon the
land, when the ponds are not surrounded by trees, for the purpose of
searching for food. It nibbles the tender shoots and blades of grasses
with apparent pleasure, and will feed on beech-nuts, acorns, and seeds
of all kinds of gramineæ, as well as on tadpoles, small fishes, and
leeches. After rain it alights in the corn-fields, like the Mallard,
and picks up the scattered grains of maize. The common notes or cry
of the female have a considerable resemblance to those of the female
Mallard; but the cry of the male is weaker as in that species.
It is by no means shy in the Western Country, where I have often found
it associating with other species, which would leave the pond before
it. Near the sea, however, it is much more wary, and this no doubt
on account of the greater number of persons who there follow shooting
as a regular and profitable employment. From the following note of my
friend Dr BACHMAN, you may judge how easily this fine species might be
domesticated.
“In the year 1812 I saw in Dutchess County, in the State of New York,
at the house of a miller, a fine flock of ducks, to the number of
at least thirty, which, from their peculiar appearance, struck me as
differing from any I had before seen among the different varieties of
the tame Duck. On inquiry, I was informed that three years before, a
pair of these ducks had been captured in the mill pond, whether in a
trap, or by being wounded, I cannot recollect. They were kept in the
poultry-yard, and, it was said, were easily tamed. One joint of the
wing was taken off, to prevent their flying away. In the following
spring they were suffered to go into the pond, and they returned
daily to the house to be fed. They built their nest on the edge of the
pond, and reared a large brood. The young were perfectly reconciled
to domestication, and made no attempts, even at the migratory season,
to fly away, although their wings were perfect. In the following
season they produced large broods. The family of the miller used them
occasionally as food, and considered them equal in flavour to the
common duck, and more easily raised. The old males were more beautiful
than any that I have examined since; and as yet domestication had
produced no variety in their plumage.”
The migration of this species extends to the Fur Countries, where it
is said to breed. The description of a male killed on the Saskatchewan
River, on the 22d of May 1827, is given in the Fauna Boreali-Americana;
and I have a fine male procured by Dr TOWNSEND on the Columbia River.
ANAS STREPERA, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 200.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 859.—_Ch. Bonaparte_, Synopsis of
Birds of United States, p. 383.
GADWALL, ANAS STREPERA, _Wils._ Amer. Ornith. vol. viii.
p. 120, pl. 71, fig. 1.—_Richards._ and _Swains._ Fauna
Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 440.
GADWALL or GREY, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. ii. p. 383.
Adult Male. Plate CCCXLVIII. Fig. 1.
Bill nearly as long as the head, deeper than broad at the base,
depressed towards the end, the sides parallel, the tip rounded. Upper
mandible with the frontal angles short and obtuse, the dorsal line
at first sloping, then slightly concave and direct, the ridge broad
and flat at the base, then broadly convex, the edges soft, with about
fifty internal lamellæ, the unguis roundish, curved abruptly at the
end. Nostrils sub-basal, lateral, rather small, oblong, pervious. Lower
mandible flattened, its angle very long and narrow, the dorsal line
very short, slightly convex, the edges soft, with about sixty lamellæ.
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long, slender.
Body elongated, slightly depressed. Feet very short; tibia bare for
about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed, anteriorly
with two series of scutella, the outer shorter, the rest covered with
reticulated angular scales; toes obliquely scutellate above; first
very small, free, with a narrow membrane beneath; third longest, fourth
considerably shorter, second shorter than fourth, their connecting webs
entire, on the edge crenate; the second or inner toe with a membranous
margin. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather acute, the
hind one very small and more curved, that of the middle toe with an
inner sharp edge.
Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the head short, of the
occiput and nape a little elongated, of the lower parts glossy with
the extremities of the filaments stiffish. Wings rather long, little
curved, pointed; the first quill longest, the rest rapidly graduated;
secondaries very broad, but pointed, the inner much elongated, and
tapering to a point. The tips of the filaments of the outer web of the
first primary are separated and curved a little forwards. Tail short,
rounded, of sixteen strong pointed feathers, of which the middle pair
project considerably.
Bill bluish-black. Iris reddish hazel. Feet dull orange-yellow, claws
brownish-black, webs dusky. Head light yellowish-red, the upper part
and nape much darker and barred with dusky; the rest dotted with the
same. The lower part of the neck, the sides of the body, the fore
part of the back, and the outer scapulars, undulated with dusky, and
yellowish-white, the bands much larger and semicircular on the fore
part of the neck and breast; the latter white, the abdomen faintly
and minutely undulated with brownish-grey; the elongated scapulars
brownish-grey, broadly margined with brownish-red; the hind part
of the back brownish-black; the rump all round, and the upper and
lower tail-coverts, bluish-black. The anterior smaller wing-coverts
are light grey, undulated with dusky, the middle coverts of a deep
rich chestnut-red; primary coverts brownish-grey, outer secondary
coverts darker and tinged with chestnut, the rest black, excepting
the inner, which are grey. Primaries and inner elongated secondaries
brownish-grey, of which colour also are the inner webs of the rest,
part of the outer webs of five of the outer black, and their terminal
margins white, of which colour are the whole outer webs of the three
next to the inner elongated quills. Tail brownish-grey, the feathers
margined with paler.
Length to end of tail 21-3/4 inches, to end of wings 19, to end of
claws 23-1/4; extent of wings 35; bill along the ridge 1-3/4, along the
edge of lower mandible 1-7/8; wing from flexure 11; tail 4-3/8; tarsus
1-1/2; hind toe and claw 1/2; second toe 1-5/8, its claw 4/12; third
toe 1-7/8, its claw 4/12; outer toe 1-(7-1/2)/12, its claw 2/12. Weight
1 lb. 10 oz.
Adult Female. Plate CCCXLVIII. Fig. 2.
The female is considerably smaller. Bill dusky along the ridge, dull
yellowish-orange on the sides. Iris hazel. Feet of a fainter tint than
in the male. Upper part of head brownish-black, the feathers edged
with light reddish-brown; a streak over the eye, the cheeks, the upper
part of the neck all round, light yellowish-red tinged with grey, and
marked with small longitudinal dusky streaks, which are fainter on the
throat, that part being greyish-white; the rest of the neck, the sides,
all the upper parts and the lower rump feathers brownish-black broadly
margined with yellowish-red. Wing-coverts brownish-grey, edged with
paler; the wing otherwise as in the male, but the speculum fainter.
Tail-feathers, and their coverts dusky, laterally obliquely indented
with pale brownish-red, and margined with reddish-white.
Length to end of tail 19-1/4 inches, to end of wings 18-3/4, to end of
claws 19-1/2; extent of wings 31; wing from flexure 8-1/4; tail 3-3/4;
tarsus 1-(4-1/2)/12; middle toe 1-(9-1/2)/12, its claw 4/12.
In a male, the roof of the mouth is deeply concave, with a prominent
median ridge, and oblique grooves toward the end. The tongue is 1
inch 10 twelfths long, fleshy, with a deep longitudinal groove, two
lateral series of filaments, and a thin broadly rounded tip, as in
other ducks. The œsophagus, _a_, _b_, is 10-1/2 inches long, 5 twelfths
in diameter for about four inches, then enlarged to 10 twelfths, and
again contracted as it enters the thorax. The proventriculus, _b b_,
is 1 inch and two twelfths long, its greatest diameter 8 twelfths.
The stomach, _c d e_, is a very large and powerful gizzard, of an
elliptical form, compressed, 1 inch and 9 twelfths long, 2 inches in
its greatest breadth, or in the direction of the lateral muscles, of
which the right, _c_, is 10 twelfths thick, the left, _d_, 9 twelfths.
The epithelium is thick and rugous; much thickened and forming two
roundish, flat or slightly concave grinding surfaces, opposite the
muscles. The intestine, _e f g_, is 6 feet 10 inches long, wide, its
diameter for 2 feet being 4-1/2 twelfths, towards the rectum enlarging
to 6 twelfths. It forms first a very long duodenal curve, _c e f g_,
and is then convoluted or coiled in numerous folds. The rectum is 5-1/4
inches long; the cœca 11 inches, their greatest diameter 6 twelfths,
for 2 inches at the commencement 2 twelfths, towards the end 2-1/2
twelfths, their extremity rounded.
[Illustration]
The trachea, _h_, is 7-1/2 inches long; its diameter at the upper part
4 twelfths, gradually diminishing to 3-1/2 twelfths; it then enlarges
to 5 twelfths, and contracts to 3-1/2 twelfths at the commencement
of the dilatation of the inferior larynx, which is extremely similar
to that of the Widgeon, but larger; there being an enlargement, _i_,
formed by a number of the lower rings united, and to the left side a
rounded bony tympanum _j_; the greatest transverse diameter of this
part, from _i_ to _j_, is 1 inch 1 twelfth. The bronchi, _k k_, are of
moderate size, covered with a dense layer of adipose matter.
LEAST WATER RAIL.
_RALLUS JAMAICENSIS_, GMEL.
PLATE CCCXLIX. MALE AND YOUNG.
My knowledge of this pretty little species is altogether derived from
TITIAN PEALE, Esq., of Philadelphia, by whom, in October 1836, I was
favoured with the following letter:—
“I herewith send you the ‘Little Rail’ of which we were
speaking yesterday, and the letter of Dr ROWAN which relates
to it. The young died soon after I received them, but the old
one lived with me until the 26th of July (four days after
its capture), evincing considerable anxiety for the young,
as long as they lived. Both young and old partook sparingly
of Indian meal and water, or bread and water, and soon became
quite at home, and probably might have been domesticated, had
they been properly accommodated.
“The most remarkable part of the history of this individual
is, that after its death we should have discovered in
dissection that it was a male, rendering it singularly
curious that _he_ should have suffered himself to be captured
by hand while in defence of the young brood.
“There is now in the Museum a specimen of this species,
which has been in the collection for about thirty years, said
to have been caught in the vicinity of the city. It stands
labelled ‘Little Rail, _Rallus minutus_, Turton’s Linn;’ but
the authenticity of the specimen has always been disputed
by BONAPARTE and others, because none else had been found;
and the author just named expressed a belief that it was an
immature specimen of _Rallus (Crex) Porzana_ of Europe.
“I regret that I should have mislaid the measurements of
the specimen when recent, if any were taken, and cannot lay
my hands on them, or any thing more than the above notes.
Respectfully yours, &c.
TITIAN R. PEALE.”
Inclosed in Mr PEALE’s letter was the following note from Dr ROWAN “to
the Messrs PEALES.”
“On Saturday last I wrote to you of the Rail Bird breeding
near this place. I then described one that I caught last
summer, which was unlike the Rail in the fall season, and
I presumed that all in the wet ground were the same, but
this day my men mowing around the pond started up two of the
usual kind. The hen flew a few rods, and then flew back to
her young in an instant, when they caught her together with
her four young, which I herewith send you. Many more can be
caught. I have seen them in our meadow every month of the
year, but they never make a great noise except when very fat
on the wild oat’s seed. From the above you will conclude
that they do not migrate to the south, but breed here.
Respectfully,
THOMAS ROWAN.”
RALLUS JAMAICENSIS, _Brisson_ Sup. p. 140.—_Gmel._ Syst. Nat.
vol. ii. p. 718.—_Lath._ Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 761.
Adult Male. Plate CCCXLIX. Fig. 1.
Bill shorter than the head, rather stout, compressed, tapering. Upper
mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, being slightly convex
toward the end, the ridge narrow and convex in its whole length, the
sides convex towards the end, the edges sharp, the tip rather acute.
Nasal groove extending to a little beyond the middle of the bill;
nostrils linear, lateral, submedial, pervious. Lower mandible with
the angle long and narrow, the sides erect, the dorsal line sloping
upwards, the edges a little inflected, the tip narrowed, the gape line
straight.
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck shortish. Body compact,
deeper than broad. Feet of moderate length, rather slender; tibia bare
a short way above the joint; tarsus of ordinary length, compressed
anteriorly covered with broad scutella, posteriorly with smaller, and
on the sides reticulated. Hind toe small and very slender; middle toe
longest, and longer than the tarsus; inner toe considerably shorter
than the outer; toes free, with numerous scutella above. Claws of
moderate length, compressed, slightly arched, acute.
Plumage blended, slightly glossy above. Wings short and broad;
tapering, rounded, the first and second nearly equal and longest. Tail
very short, much rounded, of twelve feeble rounded feathers; the upper
and lower tail-coverts nearly as long as the tail-feathers.
Bill black. Iris red. Feet bright yellowish-green, claws dusky. The
head and all the lower parts are very dark purplish-grey, on the upper
part of the head approaching to black, on the fore part of the neck
faintly undulated with paler, on the sides and hind parts barred with
greyish-white; the lower wing-coverts barred with grey and white;
the lower tail-coverts of the latter colour. The hind neck and fore
part of the back dark chestnut; the rest of the back and tail-coverts
greyish-black, transversely barred with white. Wing-coverts and inner
secondaries reddish-brown, with white spots; the other quills more
dusky. The tail-feathers also reddish-brown, barred with dusky and
marked with white spots.
Length to end of tail 6 inches; wing from flexure 3-7/8; tail 1-1/16;
bill along the ridge 1/2, along the edge of lower mandible (4-1/2)/8;
bare part of tibia 1/4; tarsus 1; hind toe and claw 1/2; middle toe and
claw 1, outer toe and claw 7/8; inner toe and claw 5/8.
Young a few days old. Plate CCCXLIX. Fig. 2.
While yet covered with down, the young is black all over; the bill
bright yellow, with the point of the upper mandible, and a band across
the middle of the lower, black; the feet dull yellowish-green, the
claws dusky.
Since the above was written, I have received a letter from my friend
J. TRUDEAU, M. D., in which he says that his father shot a considerable
number of these Rails last winter in the vicinity of New Orleans.
ROCKY-MOUNTAIN PLOVER.
_CHARADRIUS MONTANUS_, TOWNSEND.
PLATE CCCL. FEMALE.
For the following brief account of this bird, I am indebted to my
learned and obliging friend, THOMAS NUTTALL.
“This remarkable species, so much allied to the _Charadrius Wilsoni_,
was scarcely seen by us for more than one or two days, and then on
the central table-land of the Rocky Mountains, in the plains near the
last of the streams of the Platte, pursued in our western and northern
route. It being the month of July when we saw it, there is little doubt
but that it was breeding in this subalpine region. The only individual
shot, was seen skulking and running through the wormwood bushes which
so generally clothe those arid and dry wastes. After running some time,
it would remain perfectly still, as if conscious of the difficulty of
distinguishing it from the colour of the grey soil on which it stood.
All that we saw were similar to the present individual, and none,
however flushed, took to the wing. We do not recollect hearing from it
the slightest complaint or note of any kind, being intent probably on
concealing its young or eggs by a perfect silence.”
The skin from which I made my drawing was that of a female; and it is
my opinion, that the male, when found, will have as distinct markings
as those exhibited by _Charadrius melodus_ or _Ch. semipalmatus_.
CHARADRIUS MONTANUS, ROCKY-MOUNTAIN PLOVER. _Townsend_,
Journ. Acad. of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. vii.
p. 192.
Adult Female. Plate CCCL.
Bill shorter than the head, straight, somewhat cylindrical. Upper
mandible with the dorsal line straight to beyond the middle, then
bulging a little and curving to the rather acute tip, which projects
beyond that of the lower mandible, the sides flat and sloping at the
base, convex towards the end. Nasal groove extended to the middle of
the bill; nostrils basal, linear, open and pervious. Lower mandible
with the angle rather short, the sides at the base sloping outwards:
the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges sharp, the tip
rather acute.
Head of moderate size, oblong, the forehead rounded. Legs rather long
and slender; tibia bare half an inch above the joint; tarsus slender,
compressed, covered with angular scales, of which the anterior are much
larger; toes short, slender, with numerous scutella above, marginate,
the outer connected with the middle by a short membrane. Claws small,
compressed, slightly arched, rather acute.