more than usually abundant in the province of Nova Scotia, being
driven, no doubt, from their customary places of resort by the cold
which was very intense at the commencement of the season. Large flocks
of the _Loxia Enucleator_ appeared in every part of the country, while
the _Fringilla Linaria_, of which we had not seen a single specimen
for upwards of two years, could be shot at almost any hour of the
day, in the streets of Pictou; and we were often told of birds being
seen, which from the description we could not recognise as belonging
to any species with which we were already acquainted. The first day
of the year having proved uncommonly mild, I went out, accompanied
by my father, with the expectation of obtaining something new for our
collection of birds. We had scarcely left our own door when we observed
a small flock alight in a thicket of evergreens a short distance from
where we stood. Thinking they were Pine Grosbeaks, we directed the
man who was with us to push on and obtain a shot. He did so, and we
just arrived in time to pick up a pair of birds which he had killed.
One glance was sufficient to shew us that they were not what we had
supposed, but a species we had never previously seen or heard of as
visiting that portion of the Continent. You, my dear Sir, have often
enjoyed such moments, and therefore can easily conceive the intense
delight with which we surveyed our prize, and how anxiously we watched
the progress of the remainder, as they flew to an adjoining thicket,
where one immediately disappeared, while the other took its station on
the top of a spruce, from which its simple _tze tze tze_ was uttered
with the greatest vehemence, as if calling on its companions to hasten
from the danger which it had recently escaped. Seeing the bird so
very watchful, we made a small circuit with the view of diverting
its attention, and at the same time of looking for the one by which
it was accompanied, as I conceived it to be severely wounded, from
the apparent difficulty of its flight. After a careful examination
of the bush we at length observed it upon a low twig, and from its
inattention to the calls of its mate, and the cowering position in
which it sat, I concluded that it was unable to make another attempt to
escape. Giving it an occasional glance, we turned towards the other,
which still retained its former station on the top of the spruce,
though its uneasiness seemed to increase at every step. While the
man was cautiously working his way through the thick alder, in order
to get within shot, I carefully examined the bird, which certainly
presented a very interesting object. It stood almost as upright as
the top on which it was perched, its height being much increased by
its long and graceful crest being quite erect, while at the same time
its wings were kept in a constant jerking motion, as if in readiness
to remove at a moment’s notice. Independent of the mere beauty of the
bird, there was something deeply interesting in the anxiety for the
safety of its mate, so touchingly displayed by the force and rapidity
of its simple but affectionate warning. The motion of the alders
frightened the bird, and I had the mortification of seeing it rise in
the air, as if about to commence a lofty and long-continued flight.
Unwilling to give it up, I watched its progress with longing eyes,
but at last, when about turning away in despair, it suddenly wheeled
about, dashed by with great velocity, gently brushed its companion,
and thus by dispelling its stupor induced it to make another effort to
escape the danger which threatened its destruction. Though surprised
and delighted with this singular display of fidelity and affection,
I felt not a little disappointed to see them both about to elude our
grasp. The weakness of the wounded bird, however, soon induced it to
seek concealment in another thicket, while the other, still faithful
to a friend in distress, alighted as formerly on a spruce top, whence
it could both see and warn it of approaching danger. As we again drew
near, its anxiety seemed to be redoubled, while its notes were uttered
with corresponding quickness and energy; but before we could get within
reach, it again launched into the air, and made off, calling on the
other to follow with all possible speed. After flying for some time,
and finding itself unattended, it again returned and alighted on a
top near the one it had just left. The opportunity was too good to be
lost, and notwithstanding our admiration of this additional instance
of its fidelity, we shot it down, affection for its species being the
occasion of its ruin. These, my dear Sir, are all the observations
I was enabled to make upon these interesting birds, during the short
and only time they ever came under my notice. From the man I learned
that before the first shot they were quite mute, and unsuspicious of
danger. Some days after these were obtained, a single one was observed
by my father repeatedly to come and sit for a considerable time on some
willows at the bottom of our garden, but not being accustomed to the
use of a gun, he did not procure it. Whether this was the wounded one
or not, we could not tell, but from the affection of the bird for its
kind, we thought that possibly it might be that one in search of its
lost companions.”
AMPELIS GARRULUS, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 297.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 363.
BOMBYCILLA GARRULA, _Ch. Bonap._ Amer. Ornith. vol. iii. pl.
16, fig. 2.—Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 438.
BOMBYCILLA GARRULA, _Richards. and Swains._ Fauna
Bor.-Americana, vol. ii. p. 237.
EUROPEAN WAXEN-CHATTERER, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. ii. p. 579.
Adult Male. Plate CCCLXIII. Fig. 1.
Bill short, rather stout, straightish, broader than high at the
base, compressed towards the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line
convex and declinate towards the tip, which is deflected, narrow, and
rather acute, its sides convex, its edges sharp and overlapping, with
a distinct notch; lower mandible with the angle short and wide, the
dorsal line convex and ascending, the edges sharp and inflected, the
tip very small, acute, ascending, with a small sinus behind. Gape-line
nearly straight, the upper mandible having a wide festoon near the
base. Nasal membrane large, feathered; nostrils oval, partially
concealed.
Head ovate, of ordinary size; neck short; body full. Feet rather short;
tarsus short, rather stout, compressed, with six anterior scutella, and
two plates behind, meeting so as to form an edge, except at the lower
part; toes of moderate size, first stout, third and fourth slightly
connected at the base; inner toe a little shorter than outer; third
much longer. Claws rather long, arched, much compressed, acute.
Plumage blended, very soft, silky, but with little gloss. A tuft of
linear, oblong, erectile, decurved feathers on the head; no bristles
at the base of the bill. Wings rather long, broad, and pointed; first
quill longest, the second slightly shorter, the other primaries pretty
equally graduated; secondaries, excepting the inner two, broad and
abruptly rounded, with the shaft projecting and enlarged into a flat,
oblong, horny appendage, of the colour of red sealing-wax. Tail of
moderate length, even, or very slightly emarginate, the middle feathers
being shorter, by a twelfth of an inch, than the one next the lateral.
Bill black, the base of the lower mandible whitish. Iris hazel. Feet
and claws black. The general colour of both surfaces is ash-grey,
becoming more tinged anteriorly with brownish-orange, of which colour
are the forehead, a patch on each side of the throat near the base
of the bill, and the feathers under the tail. A band of deep black
from the nasal membrane, along the lore, and over the eye, to the
top of the head, where it is concealed by the crest; feathers at the
base of the lower mandible, and a narrow streak below the eye white;
the upper part of the throat deep black. Alula, primary coverts, and
quills greyish-black, the secondaries more grey; the primary coverts
largely tipped with white, the primary quills with a bright yellow, the
secondary with a white elongated spot at the end of the outer web. Tail
light grey at the base, gradually shaded into deep black, with a broad
terminal band of bright yellow.
Length to end of tail 9-3/4 inches; extent of wings 16-1/4; wing from
flexure 4-8/12; tail 3; bill along the ridge 6/12, along the edge of
lower mandible 9/12; tarsus (9-1/2)/12; hind toe 4/12, its claw 4/12;
middle toe (7-1/2)/12, its claw (3-1/2)/12.
Female. Plate CCCLXIII. Fig. 2.
The Female is similar to the male, but somewhat smaller.
The wax-like appendages vary from seven, which is the greatest number,
to four or three, and are sometimes wanting, especially in young birds,
of which, however, some possess them. In some specimens the yellow
tips of the tail-feathers and primary quills are very pale yellow or
whitish.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.
_LOXIA LEUCOPTERA_, GMEL.
PLATE CCCLXIV. MALE, FEMALE, AND YOUNG.
I found this species quite common on the islands near the entrance
of the Bay of Fundy, which I visited early in May 1833. They were
then journeying northwards, although many pass the whole year in the
northern parts of the State of Maine, and the British provinces of
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where, however, they seem to have been
overlooked, or confounded with our Common American Crossbill. Those
which I met with on the islands mentioned above were observed on their
margins, some having alighted on the bare rocks, and all those which
were alarmed immediately took to wing, rose to a moderate height, and
flew directly eastward. On my passage across the Gulf of St Laurence
to Labrador, in the same month, about a dozen White-winged Crossbills,
and as many Mealy Redpolls, one day alighted on the top-yards of the
Ripley; but before we could bring our guns from below, they all left
us, and flew ahead of the vessel, as if intent on pointing out to us
the place to which we were bound. On the 30th of June, a beautiful male
was shot, on a bunch of grass growing out of the fissure of a rock,
on a small island a few miles from the coast of Labrador; and on the
23d of July, my young friend Dr GEORGE SHATTUCK, procured a fine adult
female on the Murre Islands, whilst she was feeding among the scanty
herbage.
Within the limits of the United States, I have obtained some during
winter along the hilly shores of the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania;
also in New Jersey, and in one instance in Maryland, a few miles from
Baltimore, beyond which southward I have never met with this species,
nor have I heard of any having been seen there. According to Dr
TOWNSEND, who resided about four years on the Columbia River, none are
met with in that region. As it appears that individuals accidentally
visit Europe, I am led to think that the true summer haunts of
this species are as yet not better known than those of the Bohemian
Chatterer and Common Crossbill. The latter has been shot in winter
by my son JOHN WOODHOUSE, within a few miles of Charleston in South
Carolina, where several were seen, and the specimen he procured there
is now in the collection of my friend the Reverend JOHN BACHMAN.
The southward migration of this Crossbill, as well as of the other, is
extremely irregular. Being evidently hardy birds, they appear to prefer
northern to temperate climates, and to shift their station only during
the most severe cold. The comparatively small number that spend the
year in Maine and the British Provinces adjoining, may be forced to do
so by wounds or other accidents, as in general I have found them moving
toward the north as soon as the chill blasts of winter were tempered by
the warmer rays of the vernal sun.
The habits of the White-winged Crossbill are in general similar
to those of our common species. Its flight is well sustained and
undulated; it is easily approached, is fond of saline substances, uses
its bill and feet in the manner of Parrots, and procures its food from
the cones of pines. Its song is at times mellow and agreeable, and in
captivity it becomes gentle and familiar.
Mr HUTCHINS says that this species reaches Hudson’s Bay in the month of
March, and breeds in May, forming a nest of grass, mud, and feathers,
about midway up pine trees, and laying five white eggs, marked with
yellowish spots. The young are abroad in the end of June, and the
species remains in that country until the latter part of November. Dr
RICHARDSON states that it “inhabits the dense white spruce forests
of the Fur Countries, feeding principally on the seeds of cones. It
ranges through the whole breadth of the continent, and probably up to
the sixty-eighth parallel, where the woods terminate, though it was not
observed by us higher than the sixty-second. It is mostly seen on the
upper branches of the trees, and, when wounded, clings so fast, that
it will remain suspended after death. In September it collects in small
flocks, which fly from tree to tree, making a chattering noise; and in
the depth of winter it retires from the coast to the thick woods of the
interior.”
LOXIA LEUCOPTERA, _Gmel._ _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 844.
LOXIA FALCIROSTRA, _Lath._ Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 371.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, LOXIA LEUCOPTERA, _Wils._ Amer.
Ornith. vol. iv. p. 48, pl. 41, fig. 4. Male.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, _Ch. Bonaparte_, Amer. Ornith vol.
ii. pl. 14, fig. 3. Female.
LOXIA LEUCOPTERA, _Ch. Bonaparte_, Synopsis of Birds of
United States, p. 117.
LOXIA LEUCOPTERA, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, _Richards. and
Swains._ Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 263.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. i. p. 540.
Adult Male. Plate CCCLXIV. Figs. 1, 2.
Bill rather long, stout at the base, where it is higher than broad,
extremely compressed toward the end, the mandibles towards their
extremity deflected to opposite sides, so as to cross each other. Upper
mandible with the dorsal line convex and deflected, the sides slightly
convex, the edges sharp, and towards the end united, as in _Rhynchops
nigra_ the tip excessively compressed, decurved, and extending far
beyond that of the other. Lower mandible with its angle very short
and broad, the dorsal outline ascending and convex, the edges sharp,
inflected, and approximated at the tip, which is extremely acute.
Nostrils small, basal, round, covered by the short, bristly feathers.
Head large, broadly ovate; eyes small; neck short; body compact. Feet
rather short, strong; tarsus short, compressed, with seven anterior
scutella, and two posterior plates meeting so as to form a thin edge;
toes of moderate size, the outer united at the base, the first strong,
the lateral toes nearly equal, the third much longer; the pads and
papillæ of the soles very large. Claws long, arched, very slender, much
compressed, tapering to a fine point
Plumage blended. Wings of ordinary length, pointed, the outer three
primaries longest (in one specimen the first longest, in three the
second); secondaries slightly emarginate. Tail of moderate length,
deeply emarginate, the feathers curved outwards at the point.
Bill dusky, tinged with greyish-blue, especially on the edges. Iris
hazel. Feet dark reddish-brown. The general colour of the plumage is
rich carmine, inclining to crimson; the feathers on the fore part and
middle of the back dusky, excepting the tips; the scapulars, wings,
upper tail-coverts, and tail black; two broad bands of white on the
wing, the anterior formed by the first row of small coverts and several
of those adjoining, the other by the secondary coverts, of which the
basal half only is black; the inner secondaries are tipped with white,
as are the tail-coverts, and the quills and tail-feathers are very
slightly margined with whitish. Bristly feathers at the base of the
bill yellowish-white; sides brownish, and streaked with dusky, axillar
feathers whitish; lower tail-coverts brownish-black, broadly margined
with reddish-white.
Length to end of tail 6-1/2 inches, to end of wings 5-1/4, to end of
claws 5; extent of wings 10-5/8; bill along the ridge (8-3/4)/12, along
the edge of lower mandible 7/12; wing from flexure 3-7/12; tail 2-7/12;
tarsus (7-1/2)/12; hind toe (3-1/2)/12, its claw 5/12; middle toe 5/12,
its claw 5/12.
Female. Plate CCCLXIV. Fig. 3.
The female has the upper parts dusky, the feathers margined
with greyish-yellow, the rump wax-yellow; the lower parts are
yellowish-grey, streaked with dusky, the fore part of the breast
wax-yellow; the wings and tail are as in the male, but paler, and with
the white bands on the former of less breadth. Bill and feet darker
than those of the male.
Length to end of tail 6-1/4 inches, to end of wings 5, to end of claws
5-1/4; extent of wings 10.
Young. Plate CCCLXIV. Fig. 4.
The young resemble the female, but the lower parts are dull
yellowish-grey, spotted and streaked with dark brown.
After the first moult the male still resembles the female, but is more
yellow. At the next moult it acquires the red colour, which becomes
richer and purer the older the bird.
In this species there are three longitudinal ridges on the roof of
the mouth, and the palate is bent in the same manner as in Buntings.
The tongue is of the same general form as that of the Pine Grosbeak,
3-1/2 twelfths long, compressed and slender at the base, with the
basi-hyoid bone of a similar form, concave above, dilated and rounded
at the end, so as to resemble a scoop or spoon. The œsophagus, _b c d
e_, is 2 inches and 8 twelfths long, when dilated forms a crop of vast
size, _c d_, which lies chiefly on the right side of the neck, but
also passes behind so as to appear on the left side. This form occurs
equally in the Common Crossbill, and seems to be peculiar to this
genus. The greatest breadth of the crop is 10 twelfths. On entering
the thorax, the œsophagus contracts to 2 twelfths. The proventriculus,
_e_, is bulbiform, with a diameter of 3 twelfths. The stomach, _f_,
is a strong gizzard of rather small size, somewhat bent in the same
manner as that of the Pine Grosbeak, 4-3/4 twelfths long, 6 twelfths
broad; its muscles distinct; the cuticular lining very firm but thin,
longitudinally rugous, and of a light red colour. The intestine, _g h
i j k_, is 10-1/2 inches long, its greatest diameter 2 twelfths, its
least 1-1/2 twelfth. The rectum, _j k_, is 1 inch 2 twelfths long,
including the cloaca. The cœca, _j_, are 1-1/4 twelfth long, and 1/4
twelfth broad.
[Illustration]
The trachea is 1 inch 9 twelfths long, 1-1/2 twelfth broad at the upper
part, gradually diminishing to 1 twelfth; its rings firm, and about 75
in number. The inferior laryngeal muscles are large. The bronchi are
formed of about 15 half-rings.
The twigs represented in the plate are those of a species of Alder
common in Newfoundland.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR.
_EMBERIZA LAPPONICA_, NILSSON.
PLATE CCCLXV. MALE AND FEMALE.
My first acquaintance with this species took place on the 15th of
February 1819. Walking with my wife, on the afternoon of that day,
in the neighbourhood of Henderson, in Kentucky, I saw immense flocks
scattered over the open grounds on the elevated grassy banks of the
Ohio. Having my gun with me, as usual, I procured more than sixty in a
few minutes. All the youths of the village turned out on this occasion,
and a relative of mine, in the course of the next day killed about six
hundred. Although in rather poor condition, we found them excellent
eating. Three days after they disappeared as suddenly as they had
arrived, for although on the previous evening they seemed as numerous
as ever, none but wounded birds were to be seen in the morning. Whilst
at Shippingport, near Louisville, in the same State, I found a good
number of these birds on the commons, feeding in company with Shore
Larks and Snow Buntings, and obtained some dozens. Among all the
specimens which I procured in that part of the country, none were in
perfect or summer plumage, most of them being in the garb of the male,
as represented by the second figure of my plate.
In their movements they resemble the Snow Bunting. They run and hop
on the ground with ease and celerity, many making towards a tuft of
withered grass at the same time, to search for the few seeds that may
yet be procured around or beneath it, and all the while uttering a
repetition of _chips_, in a rather low and plaintive accent. When on
wing, to which they resorted after each discharge of the gun, or when
nearly approached, they formed into compact bodies, wheeled and cut
to and fro through the air, now high, now low, in the manner of Larks,
alighting suddenly, and perhaps immediately flying off again to renew
their curious evolutions. At times flocks composed of hundreds would
settle on the top-rails of fences, or on the lower large branches of
the trees in the fields; but on such occasions they appeared as much
discontented as the Snow Buntings are, when they also alight on trees,
fences, or houses.
The Lapland Longspur visits the neighbourhood of Louisville in Kentucky
almost every year, but seldom appears when the weather is not intensely
cold. I found it also in the vicinity of St Genevieve in Missouri; and
it seems surprising that none were observed near the Columbia River by
Dr TOWNSEND.
The best account of this species, as observed in the northern
latitudes of America where it breeds, is that given by Dr RICHARDSON,
in the Fauna Boreali-Americana. After stating that it is common in
the northern regions of both continents, he says:—“I never met with
this species in the interior of the Fur Countries during winter,
and I suspect that its principal retreats in that season are on the
borders of Lakes Huron and Superior, and in the country extending to
the westward on the same parallel. In the year 1827, it appeared on
the plains at Carlton House, about the middle of May, in very large
flocks, among which were many Shore Larks (_Alauda alpestris_) and a
few individuals of _Emberiza picta_. During their stay of ten or twelve
days, they frequented open spots, where recent fires had destroyed
the grass. They came to Cumberland House a few days later in the same
season, and there kept constantly in the furrows of a newly ploughed
field. In the preceding year they were seen, though in smaller flocks,
in the vicinity of Fort Franklin (lat. 65-1/2°) in the beginning of
May; and the crops of those that were then killed were filled with
the seeds of the _Arbutus alpina_. They breed in the moist meadows on
the shores of the Arctic Sea. The nest, placed on a small hillock,
among moss and stones, is composed externally of the dry stems of
grass, interwoven to a considerable thickness, and lined very neatly
and compactly with Deer’s hair. The eggs, usually seven, are pale
ochre-yellow, spotted with brown.”
The figure of the male in summer plumage represented in my plate,
was drawn from a beautiful specimen in the collection of my esteemed
friend, Captain JAMES ROSS of the British Navy.
FRINGILLA LAPPONICA, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p.
317.—_Lath._ Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 440.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR, EMBERIZA LAPPONICA, _Ch. Bonaparte_. Amer.
Ornith. vol. i. p. 53, pl. 13, fig. 2, Male, fig. 3, Female.
EMBERIZA LAPPONICA, _Ch. Bonaparte_, Synopsis, p. 440.
EMBERIZA (PLECTROPHANES) LAPPONICA, LAPLAND BUNTLING,
_Richards._ and _Swains._ Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 248.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. i. p. 463.
Adult Male in Summer. Plate CCCLXV. Fig 1.
Bill short, robust, tapering, somewhat compressed; the upper mandible
nearly as large as the lower, its dorsal outline very slightly convex,
the sides rounded, the sharp edges inflected, the marginal outline
slightly angulate; lower mandible broader, with involute sharp edges.
The palate with a prominent knob. Nostrils basal, round, partly
concealed by the feathers.
Head of moderate size, ovate; eyes rather small; neck short, body
compact. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus compressed, anteriorly covered
with seven large scutella, sharp behind; toes of moderate size; the
lateral toes equal, the hind toe stout. Claws long, slightly arched,
laterally grooved, compressed toward the end, very acute, that of the
hind toe much elongated.
Plumage soft and blended, the feathers somewhat distinct on the back
and wings. Wing long, pointed; first quill longest, second scarcely
shorter; secondaries emarginate. Tail rather long, deeply emarginate.
Bill yellow tipped with dusky; iris hazel; feet and claws black. The
head and fore part of the neck are black; a band of white passes from
the base of the upper mandible over the eye, becomes broader, and,
descending on the neck, margins the black of that part. The lower parts
are white, the sides streaked with black. A brownish-red crescent on
the hind neck; the feathers of the upper parts black, broadly margined
with yellowish-red; the first row of smaller wing-coverts margined with
white, the secondary coverts tipped with the same; the primary quills
narrowly edged with reddish-white, the secondary with yellowish-red; as
are the tail-feathers, of which the two outer have a wedge-shaped white
spot at the end.
Length to end of tail 6-3/12 inches; wing from flexure 3-10/12; tail
2-1/12; bill along the ridge 6/12, along the edge of lower mandible
8/12; tarsus 9/12; hind toe 4/12, its claw 7/12; middle toe (7-1/2)/12,
its claw 4/12.
Male in winter. Plate CCCLXV. Fig. 2.
Bill dull yellow, tipped with dusky; feet and claws black. Upper part
of the head black, the feathers edged with brownish-red; the cheeks
greyish-brown; the throat, and fore part of the neck, greyish-white,
a reddish-white band from the bill, over the eye, and down the side of
the neck; the upper parts light brownish-red with black spots. The tips
of the first row of small coverts, and of the secondary coverts, white;
the quills and coverts blackish-brown, edged with light red; the tail
brownish-black, the feathers edged with reddish-grey.
Female in summer. Plate CCCLXV. Fig. 3.