ridge, to the length of an inch and a half, light flesh-colour, and
a large elongated patch of light dull purple, on each side; the edge
of the lower mandible and the tongue dull yellowish flesh-colour. The
eye is dark brown. The feet dull yellowish-brown, tinged with olive;
the claws brownish-black; the webs blackish-brown. The upper part of
the head and the cheeks are light reddish-brown, each feather having
towards its extremity a small oblong whitish spot, narrowly margined
with dusky; the throat nearly white, as well as the edge of the
lower eyelid. The general colour of the other parts is greyish-white,
slightly tinged with yellow; the upper part of the neck marked with
spots similar to those on the head.
Length to end of tail 52-1/2 inches; extent of wings 91, wing from
flexure 23-1/4; bill along the ridge 4-3/8, from the angle of the eye
6, along the edge of the lower mandible 4-1/8; tarsus 4-1/2; hind toe
1-1/4, its claw 3/8; middle toe 6-1/4, its claw 1; inner toe 4-1/2,
its claw 10/12; outer toe 6-1/4, its claw 3/4. Weight 19 lb. 8 oz.; the
bird very poor.
SCOLOPACEOUS COURLAN.
_ARAMUS SCOLOPACEUS_, VIEILL.
PLATE CCCLXXVIL MALE.
This very remarkable bird appears to be entirely confined to that
section of the Peninsula of Florida known by the name of “Ever-glades,”
and the swampy borders of the many bayous and lagoons issuing from that
great morass. Few are found farther north than “Spring-garden Spring,”
of which I have given you an account. I have heard of its having been
in one instance procured on one of the Florida Keys, by Mr TITIAN
PEALE, whose specimen, which was a young male, has been described and
figured in the continuation of WILSON’s American Ornithology. None were
seen by me on any of these islands, and our worthy Pilot told me, that
in the course of the many years which he had spent in that country he
had never met with one off the main-land. It did not occur to me on any
part of the coast, while I was proceeding to the Texas, nor is it to be
found in that country, which seems very strange, when I look at this
bird, and compare it with the Rail family, which is so abundant along
the whole of that coast, and to which it is very nearly allied in some
of its habits, more especially to the Fresh-water Marsh Hen, _Rallus
elegans_.
The flight of the Scolopaceous Courlan is heavy and of short duration;
the concavity and shortness of its wings, together with the nature of
the places which it inhabits, probably rendering it slow to remove from
one spot to another on wing, it being in a manner confined among tall
plants, the roots of which are frequently under water. When it rises
spontaneously it passes through the air at a short distance above the
weeds, with regular beats of the wings, its neck extended to its full
length, and its long legs dangling beneath, until it suddenly drops
to the ground. Few birds then excel it in speed, as it proceeds, if
pursued, by long strides, quickly repeated, first in a direct course,
along paths formed by itself when passing and repassing from one
place to another, and afterwards diverging so as to ensure its safety
even when chased by the best dogs, or other not less eager enemies
inhabiting the half-submersed wilderness which it has chosen for its
residence. When accidentally surprised, it rises obliquely out of its
recess, with the neck greatly bent downward, and although its legs
dangle for a while, they are afterwards extended behind in the manner
of those of the Heron tribe. At such times these birds are easily shot;
but if they are only wounded, it would be vain to pursue them. Although
of considerable size and weight, they are enabled, by the great length
and expansion of their toes to walk on the broad leaves of the larger
species of Nymphæa found in that country. They swim with the same
buoyancy as the Coots, Gallinules, and Rails.
The nest of this bird is placed among the larger tufts of the tallest
grasses that grow at short distances from the bayous, many of which are
influenced by the low tides of the Gulf. It is so well fastened to the
stems of the plants, in the same manner as that of _Rallus crepitans_,
as to be generally secure from inundation; and is composed of rank
weeds matted together, and forming a large mass, with a depression
in the centre. The eggs, which rarely exceed five or six, are large
for the size of the bird. The young are hatched early in May, and
follow their parents soon after birth, being covered with coarse tufty
feathers, of a black colour.
The Ever-glades abound with a species of large greenish snail, on
which these birds principally feed; and, from the great number of
empty shells which are found at the foot of the nest and around it,
it is probable that the sitting bird is supplied with food by her
mate. Their notes, when uttered while they are on wing, are a sort
of cackle, but when on the ground, much louder, especially during the
pairing season, or when they are started by the report of a gun. The
flesh of the young is pretty good eating. Although it is alleged that
this bird occasionally alights on trees, I have never seen it in such
a situation.
ARDEA SCOLOPACEA, _Gmel._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 647.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 701.
ARAMUS SCOLOPACEUS, _Ch. Bonap._ Synopsis of Birds of United
States, p. 39.
SCOLOPACEOUS COURLAN, ARAMUS SCOLOPACEUS, _Ch. Bonap._ Amer.
Ornith. vol. iv. p. 111, pl. 26, fig. 2.—_Nuttall_, Manual,
vol. ii. p. 68.
Adult Male. Plate CCCLXXVII.
Bill long, being double the length of the head, rather slender,
but strong, much compressed, straight, its breadth less before the
nostrils than towards the point; upper mandible with the dorsal line
straight until towards the end, then slightly arcuato-declinate, the
ridge convex in its whole length, the sides nearly erect, more convex
towards the extremity, the tip blunted, the edges broad and obtuse for
half their length, sharp but thick in the rest of their extent; lower
mandible slightly ascending at the base, then direct, much compressed
towards the tip, which is acute, the angle long and very narrow, the
dorsal line slightly convex, the edges obtuse, becoming sharp towards
the end. Nasal groove nearly half the length of the bill; nostrils
direct, linear, long.
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Eyes rather large. Neck long
and slender. Body ovato-oblong, much compressed. Feet very long
and slender, rather stout; tibia bare in its lower half, which is
anteriorly covered with hexagonal scales, posteriorly with transverse
scutella; tarsus long, compressed, anteriorly with numerous broad
scutella, laterally with very small elongated scales, posteriorly with
large scutelliform scales, many of which are divided; toes long, rather
slender; hind toe small and elevated; fourth considerably longer than
second, middle toe nine-twelfths of an inch longer than the outer; the
anterior toes are divided to the base, compressed, scutellate above,
scaly on the sides, papillate beneath, compressed and not marginate.
Claws of moderate length, very slightly arched, compressed, tapering to
a point; that of the first toe smallest, of the third largest, without
serratures on the inner edge, which is thin and a little expanded.
Plumage of ordinary texture, rather compact and glossy on the upper
parts, blended on the lower; feathers on the head and neck short,
oblong; on the back ovate and very broadly rounded. Wings of moderate
length, very broad, concave, rounded; primaries broad, secondaries
very broad and rounded; first primary two-thirds of the length of the
second, which is ten-twelfths shorter than the third; the fourth, which
is longest, exceeds the third by one-twelfth, and the fifth by half a
twelfth; some of the secondaries reach to half an inch of the tip of
the longest primary when the wing is closed; the three outer quills
are narrower toward the base than toward the extremity, more especially
the first. The tail is short, broad, convex, rounded, of twelve broad,
rounded feathers.
Bill greenish-yellow, dusky toward the end of both mandibles, but
especially of the upper; iris hazel; feet lead-grey, claws dusky.
The general colour of the plumage is chocolate-brown, the upper parts
glossed, with purple and bronze reflections; the fore part of the head
paler, inclining to grey, each feather with a greyish-white central
line; the sides of the head and the throat are still lighter, and a
small portion of the throat is whitish, these parts being streaked
with greyish-brown and greyish-white; the lower eyelid white. The hind
part and sides of the neck are marked with elliptical spots of white in
regular series, there being one on each feather, some of them extending
forwards to the posterior angle of the eye. Some of the feathers on
the middle of the breast and the lower wing-coverts are similarly
marked with lanceolate white spots; the tail is more highly glossed and
coloured than the rest of the upper parts.
Length to end of tail 25-3/4 inches, to end of wings 25, to end of
claws 32, to carpal joint 13-3/4; extent of wings 41; wing from flexure
12-1/2; tail 5-1/2; bill along the ridge 4-7/12, along the edge of
lower mandible 4-3/4; bare part of tibia 2-1/2; tarsus 4-8/12; hind toe
1-1/12, its claw 7/12; second toe 2-4/12, its claw (3-1/2)/12 twelfths;
third toe 3-1/2, its claw 10/12; fourth toe 2-8/12, its claw 8/12.
The Female is somewhat less, but resembles the male.
Length to end of tail 25 inches, to end of claws 33-1/4; to end of
wings 24, to carpal joint 12-3/4; extent of wings 42; wing from flexure
12; tail 4-3/4; bill along the gape 4-3/8.
The young when fully fledged is of a much lighter tint; the head and
fore-neck brownish-grey, the lower parts greyish-brown. The bill is
yellowish-green, darker toward the end; the feet much darker than in
the adult. Excepting the quills, primary-coverts, tail-feathers, and
the rump, all the plumage is marked with spots of white, of which there
is one along the centre of each feather; those on the neck elongated,
on the back, wings, and breast lanceolate. In this state it is figured
in the continuation of Wilson’s American Ornithology, by the PRINCE of
MUSIGNANO.
Length to end of tail 23 inches.
This remarkable bird has exercised the ingenuity of the systematizing
ornithologists, some of whom have considered it as a Heron, others a
Crane, while many have made it a Rail, and many more a genus apart, but
allied to the Rails, or to the Herons or to both. It seems in truth to
be a large Rail, with the wings and feet approaching in form to those
of the Herons; but while frivolous disputes might be carried on _ad
libitum_ as to its location in the system of nature, were we merely
to consider its exterior; it is fortunate that we possess a means of
determining its character with certainty:—if we examine its digestive
organs, we shall at once see if it be a Rail, or a Heron, or anything
else. If a Heron, it will have a very wide œsophagus, a roundish,
thin-walled stomach, very slender intestines, and a single short obtuse
cœcum; if a Rail or Gallinule, or bird of that tribe, it will have a
narrow mouth, a narrow œsophagus, a very muscular stomach, intestines
of moderate width, and two moderately long, rather wide cœca. Here then
are two specimens, shot in Florida, and preserved in spirits.
The first, which is found to be a female, has the mouth narrow,
measuring only 7 twelfths across; the tongue very long and extremely
slender, trigonal, pointed, extending to within half an inch of
the tip of the lower mandible, being 3-7/12 inches in length. The
œsophagus, _a b c d_, which is 12 inches long, is narrow in its whole
length, its diameter at the upper part being 6 twelfths, below the
middle of the neck 8 twelfths. The proventriculus, _b c_, is nearly
1 inch long, 9 twelfths in its greatest diameter, bulbiform; its
glandules cylindrical, 1-1/2 twelfth long. Between the termination of
the proventriculus, and the commencement of the stomach, the space,
_c d_, is more elongated than usual, an inch and 2 twelfths, and
presents the appearance of a tube curved toward the left in the form
of the letter S. The circular fibres of this part are strong, and its
epithelium is very thick, soft, and raised into twelve very prominent
rounded longitudinal rugæ. The stomach, properly so called, _d e f g_
is an extremely powerful gizzard, of an orbicular form, compressed,
with its axis a little inclined toward the right side, its length 1
inch and 9 twelfths, its breadth 1 inch and 8 twelfths, its thickness
11 twelfths. The left lateral muscle, _d f_, is much larger than the
right, occupying nearly one-half of the organ; the muscles are thick,
but not very remarkably so, their greatest thickness being 4 twelfths;
the epithelium is very hard and rugous. The duodenum, _g h i_, curves
in the usual manner, folding back upon itself at the distance of 3
inches. The intestine, _g h i j k_, is of moderate length, 31 inches,
its greatest diameter 3 twelfths; the rectum, _k l_, 3 inches long,
including the cloaca, _l m_, which is globular, 1-1/2 inch in diameter;
the cœca, _n n_, of moderate size, 1-3/4 inch long, for nearly half
their length 2 twelfths in diameter, in the rest of their extent from
4 to 6 twelfths, obtuse; their distance from the cloaca 10 twelfths.
The trachea, _o p_, is 10 inches long, narrow, of nearly uniform
diameter, being narrowest in the upper third of its length, unless
for three-fourths of an inch at the commencement. Its rings 186 in
number, are ossified, and a little flattened. The contractor muscles
are slender, as are the sterno-tracheal; and there is a single pair of
inferior laryngeal. The bronchi, _p q_, are wide, tapering, of about 15
narrow cartilaginous half rings. The heart is of moderate size, 1-7/12
inch long, 1 inch in breadth. The liver is small, its lobes, which are
equal, being 1 inch in length.
The other individual, a male, has the œsophagus 12 inches long; the
distance from the proventriculus to the stomach 1-2/12 inch; the
stomach 1-8/12 inch long, and the same in breadth; the cœca 2 inches
long, the greatest diameter 5 twelfths; the intestine 32-1/2 inches in
length, their greatest diameter 3-1/2 twelfths.
Now, in all this there is nothing indicative of any affinity to the
Herons; the structure of the intestinal canal being essentially like
that of the Coots, Gallinules, and Rails. Even the external parts
sufficiently indicate its station, the bill; the plumage, and the
colouring being more like these of the Rallinæ than of any other
family.
The Prince of MUSIGNANO, who first described this bird as a Rail,
_Rallus giganteus_, afterwards adopted for it VIEILLOT’s genus
_Aramus_, and considered it as belonging to the _Ardeidæ_, forming a
connecting link with them and the _Rallidæ_ and “aberrating somewhat
towards the _Scolopacidæ_, as well as tending a little towards the
_Psophidæ_, sub-family _Gruinæ_” and claiming “again a well-founded
resemblance to the most typical form of the genus _Rallus_.” Finally,
he reverts to his original idea, and places it at the head of the
_Rallidæ_. Mr SWAINSON refers it to the _Tantalidæ_, associating it
with _Anastomus, Tantalus_, and _Ibis_, to which it certainly has very
little affinity in any point of view.
The efficiency of the digestive organs as a means of determining
affinities in cases of doubt, is happily illustrated in this instance;
and any person who will make himself acquainted with them will easily
discover numerous false associations in all systems founded on the
external aspect alone.
[Illustration]
HAWK OWL.
_STRIX FUNEREA_, LINN.
PLATE CCCLXXVIII. MALE AND FEMALE.
It is always disagreeable to an author to come forward when he has
little of importance to communicate to the reader, and on no occasion
have I felt more keenly than on the present, when introducing to your
notice an Owl, of which the habits, although unknown to me, must be
highly interesting, as it seems to assimilate in some degree to the
diurnal birds of prey. I have never seen it alive, and therefore can
only repeat what has been said by one who has. Dr RICHARDSON gives the
following account of it in the Fauna Boreali-Americana:—
“It is a common species throughout the Fur Countries from Hudson’s Bay
to the Pacific, and is more frequently killed than any other by the
hunters, which may be partly attributed to its boldness and its habit
of flying about by day. In the summer season it feeds principally on
mice and insects; but in the snow-clad regions which it frequents in
the winter, neither of these are to be procured, and it then preys
mostly on Ptarmigan. It is a constant attendant on the flocks of
Ptarmigan in their spring migrations to the northward. It builds its
nest on a tree, of sticks, grass, and feathers, and lays two white
eggs. When the hunters are shooting Grouse, this bird is occasionally
attracted by the report of the gun, and is often bold enough, on a bird
being killed, to pounce down upon it, though it may be unable from its
size to carry it off. It is also known to hover round the fires made by
the natives at night.”
I lately received a letter from my friend Dr THOMAS M. BREWER of
Boston, Massachusetts, in which he informs me that “the Hawk Owl
is very common at Memphramagog Lake in Vermont, where as many as
a dozen may be obtained by a good gunner in the course of a single
day. Its nests in the hollow trees are also frequently met with.”
It is surprising that none should have been seen by Mr NUTTALL or Dr
TOWNSEND, while crossing the Rocky Mountains, or on the Columbia River;
especially as it has been found by my friend EDWARD HARRIS, Esq. as far
southward on our eastern coast as New Jersey.
The specimens from which the figures in the plate were drawn, were
given to me by THOMAS MACCULLOCH, Esq. of Pictou, who had a good number
of them. Two entire individuals preserved in spirits afford materials
for the following descriptions.
STRIX FUNEREA, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 133.—_Lath._
Ind. Orn. vol. i. p. 62.—_Ch. Bonaparte_, Synopsis of Birds
of United States, p. 35.
HAWK OWL, STRIX HUDSONIA, _Wils._ Amer. Ornith. vol. vi. p.
64, pl. 50, fig. 6.
STRIX FUNEREA, AMERICAN HAWK OWL, _Richards. and Swains._
Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 92.
HAWK OWL, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. i. p. 115.
Adult Male. Plate CCCLXXVIII. Fig. 1.
Bill short, strong, higher than broad; upper mandible with the dorsal
line declinate and decurvate, the ridge convex, the sides convex
toward the end, the edges nearly straight until toward the end, the
tip decurvate, trigonal, acute; the cere covered with stiff bristly
feathers directed forwards; lower mandible with the angle very wide,
the dorsal outline convex, the ridge broad and convex, the sides
convex, the edges sharp toward the end, the tip obtuse, thin-edged.
Nostrils roundish, in the fore part of the cere, concealed by the
feathers.
Head very large, roundish, convex above. Eyes very large. Neck very
short; body of moderate size. Legs very short, robust; tarsus very
short, feathered, as are the toes, of which the outer is reversible;
claws long, stout, compressed, tapering to a very acute point, that of
third toe with the inner edge considerably dilated.
Plumage full, very soft, blended; the cere covered with slender
stiffish reversed feathers, having their filaments disunited; the
facial disks incomplete above. Wings rather long, rounded; the third
primary longest, the fourth one-twelfth and a half shorter, the second
four and a half twelfths shorter than the third, the first intermediate
between the fifth and sixth; the first four cut out on the outer web
towards the end, the barbs on the greater part of the outer web of
the first, and the terminal portion of the second, thickened, and a
little separated, but not recurved; the secondaries of moderate length,
rounded. Tail rather long, much rounded, of twelve rather broad rounded
feathers, of which the lateral are two inches shorter than the middle.
Bill pale yellow; iris bright yellow; claws dusky. The facial disk is
greyish-white, the shafts black, at its anterior part intermixed with
black filaments. The upper part of the head brownish-black, closely
spotted with white, there being generally three roundish spots on each
feather. The hind part of the neck is brownish-black, with two broad
longitudinal bands of white spots; a semicircle of brownish-black
feathers margins the facial disk behind. The general colour of the
upper parts is chocolate-brown, becoming lighter behind; all the
feathers marked with white spots in pairs, larger and more conspicuous
on the scapulars, disposed in bars on the rump and upper tail-coverts.
On both webs of the quills are several transversely elliptical white
spots, the outer webs of the first two and five inner primaries
excepted; the tips of all brownish-white. The tail is marked with about
eight transverse bars of white, formed by narrow oblong alternating
spots on both webs, the feathers also tipped with white, the throat
is greyish-dusky, that colour being succeeded by a semi-circular band
of white, beneath which is an obscure brownish-black band; the rest of
the lower parts transversely barred with dusky and white; the dark bars
of a deeper tint anteriorly, approaching to chestnut on the sides and
legs, fainter on the abdomen and feet, and greyish-brown on the lower
tail-coverts.
Length to end of tail 15-3/4 inches, to end of wings 12-1/2, to end of
claws 11-1/2, to carpal joint 3-3/8; extent of wings 31-1/2; wing from
flexure 9-8/12; tail 7-1/2; bill along the ridge 1-2/12, along the edge
of lower mandible 1; tarsus 1; hind toe 3/12, its claw (10-1/2)/12;
middle toe 10/12, its claw 10/12; inner toe (8-1/2)/12, its claw 11/12;
outer toe 6/12, its claw 10/12.
Adult Female. Plate CCCLXXVIII. Fig. 2.
The Female is somewhat larger, and resembles the male, but is of
a lighter tint, especially on the wings and tail, where the white
markings are smaller and less decided.
Length to end of tail 17-1/2 inches.
An adult male, presented by THOMAS M. BREWER, Esq. of Boston, and
preserved in spirits.
The palate is concave, with two longitudinal, parallel, papillate
ridges. The posterior aperture of the nares is lanceolate, with an
anterior fissure, the space between which and the lateral ridge is
papillate. The tongue is short, fleshy, deeply emarginate and papillate
at the base, rounded and notched at the end; its length 7-1/2 twelfths,
its breadth 3-1/4 twelfths. The mouth is very wide, measuring 1 inch
1 twelfth across. The œsophagus, _a b c_, which is 4-3/4 inches in
length, is of nearly uniform diameter, its greatest breadth being 11
twelfths, and at its entrance into the thorax 10 twelfths. Its walls
are extremely thin; but its longitudinal and transverse muscular fibres
are distinctly seen. The proventricular glandules are very large and
cylindrical, forming a belt, _b c_, 1 inch 1 twelfth in breadth. The
stomach, _c d e_, is of moderate size, roundish, 1 inch 5 twelfths
long, 1 inch 1-1/2 twelfth broad; its walls very thin, the muscular
coat being composed of slender fasciculi converging toward two roundish
tendinous spaces; the inner coat or epithelium very soft and rugous,
but partially dissolved by the gastric juice. The pylorus has a
semilunar margin, but is otherwise destitute of valve. The contents of
the stomach are tufts of reddish hair, resembling that of some hare.
The duodenum, _e f g_, which is 3-1/2 twelfths in diameter, curves
backwards and upwards, running across to the left side, and returning
upon itself opposite the fifth rib; it then proceeds to the right
side under the liver, receives the biliary ducts, passes behind and
above the stomach, and forms three folds, terminating in the rectum,
which is laterally curved, and ends in a globular cloaca, _j k_, 10
twelfths in diameter. The entire length of the intestine, _e f g h
k_, is 18 inches, its diameter from 4 twelfths to 1-1/2 twelfth. The
rectum is 2 inches long. The cœca, Fig. 2, _a b_, _a b_, are 2-1/4
inches in length, for 1 inch and 2 twelfths very narrow, their diameter
varying from 1 to 2 twelfths, their greatest diameter 4 twelfths, their
extremity blunt.
The aperture of the ear, Fig. 3, although very large, is inferior
to that of many Owls of similar size. It is of an elliptical form, 5
twelfths in its greatest diameter, and 4 twelfths across.