conjugal fidelity, chastity, and gratitude--the ancients attributed to
them (among birds) the monopoly of filial piety. They believed that
these birds maintained and nourished their parents in their old age,
and devoted themselves to alleviating the trials of the last years of
their lives with the most tender care. Hence was derived the name of
the "Pelargonian Law" (from the Greek +pelargos+, a Crane), the name
given by the Greeks to the law which compelled children to maintain
their parents when old age had rendered them incapable of working.
This last feature in its character has not a little contributed to the
universal celebrity of the Stork.
The flesh of the Stork forms but a poor article of food; it is,
therefore, rather difficult to see why the sportsmen in our country
persist in shooting at it every time that they get a chance. The
reprehensible mania which our French Nimrods possess of indiscriminately
massacring everything which shows itself within reach of their guns is a
disgrace to those who practise it, and an injury to the community at
large. The result is that the Stork, meeting with nothing but
ill-treatment in return for its loyal and useful services, is gradually
retiring from France, and before long will have completely abandoned it.
The Black Stork (_Ciconia nigra_) is rather smaller than the one above
named; it is a native of Eastern Europe, and is rarely seen in France.
It feeds almost exclusively on fish, which it catches with much skill.
It is very shy, and avoids the society of man; it builds its nest in
trees.
The ARGALA, or MARABOUT, also called the Adjutant Bird, or Gigantic
Crane, is characterised by its very strong and large bill, and the
bareness of its neck, the lower part of which is provided with a pouch
somewhat resembling a large sausage; but, according to Temminck, there
is a notable difference between the African Marabout and the African
Argala, the characteristic mark of the latter frequently hanging down a
foot, while it is much shorter in the Marabout.
These birds are inhabitants of India; they feed on reptiles and all
kinds of filth, and this fact has been the means of securing for them
the good-will of the people. In the large cities of Hindostan they are
as tame as dogs, and clear the streets of every kind of rubbish which
litters them. At meal-times they never fail drawing themselves up in
line in front of the barracks, to eat the refuse thrown to them by the
soldiers: their gluttony is so great that they will swallow enormous
bones. At Calcutta and Chandernagore they are protected by the law,
which inflicts a fine of ten guineas on any one killing a Marabout.
[Illustration: Fig. 138.--Adjutant (_Ciconia argala_, Selby).]
The long white feathers, celebrated for their delicacy and airiness,
which are used in the adornment of ladies' bonnets, and known in
commerce by the name of Marabout feathers, come from this bird, and grow
under its wings. Consequently, in spite of their ugliness, a good many
Marabouts are reared in a domestic state in order that these lovely
feathers, on which our European fair ones place so much value, may be
plucked from them at the proper seasons.
[Illustration: Fig. 139.--The American Jabiru (_Mycteria americana_,
Linn.).]
There are several other species which are allied to the Storks, and are
only distinguished from them by a slightly different form of the bill.
We will confine ourselves to merely naming them and pointing out the
localities they inhabit. They are as follows:--The Jabiru (Fig. 139),
which is a native of South America; the Ombrette, which is found in
Senegal; the Bec-ouvert, which inhabits India and Africa (Senegal and
Caffraria); the Drome, which is met with on the shores of the Black Sea
and Senegal; and finally, the Tantalus, which lives in the warm regions
of both the New and Old World.
[Illustration: Fig. 140.--The Common Boatbill (_Cancroma cochlearia_,
Linn.).]
Whoever has once set eyes on the BOATBILL or SAVACOU (Fig. 140) will
never forget the bird, or confound it with any other. What, it will be
asked, is there so characteristic about it? Nothing else but its bill,
which certainly is the most singular implement one can well imagine.
Fancy two long and wide spoons, with their hollow sides placed one
against the other, the end of the upper spoon being furnished with two
sharp teeth, and we shall have some idea of this extraordinary
_storehouse_, as it may be called, for the proprietor can easily stuff
into it provisions for a whole day. If we add to this that the Savacou
possesses a beautiful black crest which hangs down behind its head, that
it is about the size of a Fowl, also that it has short wings, and rests
its four toes firmly on the ground, we shall then have a pretty exact
portrait of our subject. This bird inhabits the savannahs of Central
America, and occasionally the southern portion of the United States,
frequenting the banks of rivers, where it feeds on fish, mollusks, and
sometimes crabs. It makes its nest in the thick underbrush.
The HERONS (_Ardea_), which form a genus of birds of the order of
Cultrirostres, have the bill long, pointed, opening widely, and very
strong; their legs are in part bare of feathers; toes long, and
furnished with sharp claws, not excepting the back toe, the whole length
of which rests upon the ground; the neck is long and slender. Further,
the back of the head is adorned with a tuft of long feathers, which fall
over its shoulders like a plume, whilst those in front, which are narrow
and pendent, resemble a kind of beard at the bottom of the neck.
These birds lead a semi-nocturnal life, and frequent the margins of
lakes, marshes, and rivers, where they feed on reptiles, frogs, and
fish. They are generally of a shy nature, and live in solitude in the
most unfrequented portions of extensive woodlands. When they want to
seek their prey, they go into the water until it reaches half-way up
their legs, and with the neck doubled down over the breast, and the head
buried between the shoulders, they sometimes remain for hours together
immovable as statues. If any fish glides along within reach of them,
they suddenly stretch out their necks, as if impelled by a spring, and,
with a sharp movement of the bill, impale the unfortunate victim. When
their fishing is not very productive they dig into the mud with their
feet, to turn out the frogs and other reptiles that are concealed in it.
If compelled by hunger, they will attack rats, wood and field mice, and
if further pressed they show no repugnance to carrion. They can,
however, endure abstinence for a considerable time.
Most of the Herons are endowed with great powers of flight. When
compelled by unusually severe weather, they occasionally migrate, the
young and the old travelling separately. Nevertheless, as they can
accommodate themselves to almost any temperature, some species are
stationary, and they are to be met with all the year round in countries
the most dissimilar.
The principal species of Herons are the Ash-coloured or Common Heron
(Fig. 141), the Purple Heron, the White Heron, the Bittern, the Night
Heron, and the Crab-eater.
Every one knows the Grey Heron (_Ardea cinerea_), at least by
reputation, if only from La Fontaine's verse:--
"Heron with the long bill, fit handle of a longer neck."
Its height is about forty inches, and it is found in nearly all parts of
the globe. It is the most common of the French Herons, and the only one
which joins its fellows during the breeding season, in order to build
their nests and sit on their eggs, and rear their young in company. The
place appropriated for this assemblage is generally a clump of lofty
trees in the neighbourhood of some large lake or river. On the summits
of these trees, or in the angles formed by the branches, the Herons
build their nests, which are of very simple construction--a few boughs
interwoven together with smaller twigs, and without any additions, such
as moss, grass, &c., with which smaller birds love to line their
dwellings. In these nests the females lay three or four eggs, and the
males share with them the cares of incubation. After the eggs are
hatched, the male assists in the nourishment of the young family.
Frequently he disgorges into the bills of his young ones the frogs and
small fry he has just swallowed; sometimes he divides among them a large
fish which he brings from the adjacent lake or the more distant
sea-shore. Occasionally they undertake journeys in order to insure
abundance for their progeny, and their excursions often extend over a
very considerable tract of country.
When the young Herons are able to fly, they leave the nest and provide
for their own wants.
But the time for migration has arrived. About the beginning of August,
and always at the same date, the colony, then amounting to five or six
hundred individuals, range themselves in order and quit the heronry. The
following year they return thither, and their arrival, like their
departure, takes place on a regular day. It is remarked that the number
of couples is always nearly the same as that of the nests, so that each
couple may readily find a resting-place. The new generation must,
therefore, have gone to found a fresh colony in some other locality.
Heronries are becoming more and more rare. M. Toussenet states that he
has met with only one in all France, that at Ecury (Marne), between
Epernay and Châlons. They are not uncommon in England, where many
ancient families connect the heronry with their ancestral grandeur. Lord
Warwick's heronry, on the classic Avon, still maintains seventy or
eighty pairs of the noble birds.
The Grey Heron has enemies in the Eagle, the Falcon, and the Crows. The
latter combine to steal its eggs; the former aim at the Heron itself,
its flesh being much to their taste. When the Heron finds itself pursued
by a bird of prey, it immediately disencumbers itself of all unnecessary
ballast, and then endeavours to get the uppermost in flying; this plan
is nearly its only means of safety. Occasionally it succeeds, for the
Heron is able to attain immense altitudes. If it is close pressed, it
makes an admirable use of its bill as a means of defence, and has been
known to impale its adversary. Its usual tactics are, to wait for its
enemy, lance in rest, and to allow the latter to pierce himself through,
merely by his own impetuosity. If it has a chance to dart its bill into
the eye of its foe, it does not neglect so good an opportunity of
utilising its small endowments. This is, in fact, a private lunge, a
_coup de grâce_, and many a dog, hunting among the reeds, has felt the
poignancy of this offensive weapon. We must, however, allow that the
Heron is not always so fortunate, and that oftener than not he becomes a
prey to his eager adversaries--the Eagle and the Falcon.
The magnificent powers of flight possessed by the Heron, and his clever
devices in defending himself, gave rise, in days gone by, to the very
special regard with which he was honoured by kings and princes, who
hunted him with Falcons trained to the sport. The poor Heron was
doubtless not very gratified for these marks of high esteem, and it is
probable that, if he could be consulted at the present day, he would
bless the happy obscurity in which he is now allowed to vegetate. "It
costs too much to shine in the world," is the moral La Fontaine puts
into the mouth of his Heron.
Although its flavour is certainly as disagreeable as possible, the flesh
of the Heron was in the old time reckoned as a "royal dish," and was
only served upon the tables of the great and powerful of the earth. In
order to procure this supposed delicacy more easily, the idea arose of
artificially arranging a certain part of the forest so as to attract the
unhappy birds into a retreat which should realise all the
characteristics of the natural heronry. The birds here enjoyed all the
comforts of life up to the moment when they were ruthlessly torn from
them at the will and pleasure of their lord. We must add that they
adopted the plan of taking from them their progeny to assist the royal
treasury; for, as Pierre Belon tells us, "they were in the habit of
trading largely in the young ones, which brought considerable sums of
money." Francis I. caused heronries to be established at Fontainebleau,
which, as connoisseurs tell us, were everything that could be wished.
The Heron is quite susceptible of training when it is caught young; but
it must always be little else than a bird of ornament, as the service it
can render amounts to little or nothing. When adult at the time of
capture it is altogether intractable, entirely refusing food, and dying
at the end of a few days.
The Purple Heron (_Ardea purpurea_) has the same habits as the one just
spoken of, but it is a little smaller. It owes its name to the colour of
the numerous spots which adorn its livery. It is rarely met with in
France, but is pretty common at the mouths of the Danube and Volga, and
on the margins of some of the lakes in Tartary.
The White Heron (_Egretta alba_) is remarkable for its plumage, which is
entirely of a pure white. Two varieties of it are known--the larger,
generally called the Great Egret, is about the size of the Ashy Heron;
it is common in Eastern Europe, in the North of Africa and America, and
in the Malay Archipelago. The smaller kind is known by the name of the
Garzette Heron, or the Little Egret, and is no bigger than a Crow; it
inhabits the confines of Asia and Eastern Europe, and regularly visits
the South of France.
[Illustration: Fig. 141.--Common Herons (_Ardea cinerea_, Temm.).]
These two species are adorned, during the breeding season, with fine and
silky feathers, which spring from the shoulders, and, spreading out over
the back, fall on each side of the tail in elegant plumes. These are the
feathers with which European ladies are so fond of adorning themselves,
and from them the birds have derived their name.
Northern Africa presents us with a beautiful White Heron, about the size
of a Pigeon, the functions of which are extremely interesting; it is
called the Ox-keeper. In Morocco this bird is very common. It is in the
habit of accompanying the oxen into the fields, and takes the task of
relieving the latter from the numerous flies and insects with which they
are annoyed. In France it is met with only at the mouth of the Rhône.
The BITTERN (_Botaurus_) has both the neck and legs shorter than those
of the Grey Heron; its plumage is of a rich reddish yellow, boldly
variegated with dark markings. Districts intersected by marshes are the
chief places of its resort; in these it keeps itself hidden all day long
among the reeds, motionless and silent. Here, too, it makes its nest,
almost on the ground, and close to the water. It does not leave its
hiding-place until the evening, and then will fly up to so great a
height as to be lost to view. Its call to its mate is peculiar; it
resembles the bellowing of a bull, and can be heard more than
half a league away. For this reason the ancients called it _Bos
taurus_--whence, by corruption, comes the French _Butor_.
The Bittern is a very courageous bird; it will defend itself
energetically against any bird of prey, against dogs, and even man. It
is found all over Europe. Four British species are described--_B.
stellaris_, _B. lentiginosus_, _B. minutus_, and _B. comatus_.
The CRANE (_Grus_), which forms a genus among the Cultrirostres, is
characterised by a bill much longer than the head, stout, straight,
tapering, compressed, and pointed, but always slightly cleft; feet long;
tibia bare for a fourth of its length, covered with hexagonal scales;
toes, four; back toe short, which does not reach the ground; wings long
and pointed. The Cranes are essentially migratory birds, and possess
wonderful requisites; for, in addition to prolonged powers of flight,
they enjoy the valuable faculty of being able to endure total abstinence
from food for several days--a faculty which, we may remark, is common to
most of the Wader tribe, though in a less degree.
There are three species described--the Ash-coloured Crane, the Crested
Crane, and the Demoiselle Crane.
The Ash-coloured Crane (_Grus cinerea_), Fig. 142, is a fine bird,
attaining nearly five feet in height. With the exception of the neck,
which is black, all the rest of its body is of a uniform ashy-grey
colour. The carriage of the bird is noble and graceful, and the feathers
on its rump, which rise up in undulating clusters, add much to its
elegance.
These Cranes are periodical visitors to France; they arrive in Europe
in the month of April or May, passing the fine weather in more northern
countries. Towards the middle of October, on the arrival of the first
cold weather, they leave us, in order to winter in Egypt, Abyssinia, or
even Southern Asia. They travel in flocks, numbering sometimes as many
as three or four hundred birds; generally they arrange themselves in two
lines, so as to form an isosceles triangle, or a sort of wedge with the
point in front--the most convenient formation for cleaving the air with
the least amount of fatigue. From time immemorial people have been fond
of saying that these birds intrust the care of their guidance to a
chief, who, after having led the way for a certain time, and becoming
wearied, surrenders his charge to one of his companions and passes to
the rear of the band, where, like a new Cincinnatus, he resumes the
position of a simple citizen. The fact is, that the leader of the two
files changes perhaps ten times in a minute, and the apex of the angle
is occupied in succession by every Crane in the flock within a very
short space of time.
[Illustration: Fig. 142.--Ash-coloured Crane (_Grus cinerea_, Temm.).]
Cranes almost always travel at night, and alight down on the ground
during daytime to seek their sustenance. Sometimes, however, they do not
stop, and continue to push on through space, giving utterance to
startling cries, which probably are intended as a rallying summons to
those of the band which seem tempted to linger on their journey. When
they perceive a bird of prey, or have to contend against a tempest, they
abandon their usual formation, and collect in a circular mass, so as
better to resist the enemy.
Cranes frequent large plains intersected with marshes and water-courses.
They feed on fish, reptiles, frogs, mollusks, worms, insects, and even
small mammals. Some kinds of grain have also attractions for them, and
they may not unfrequently be seen invading the newly-sown fields to
devour the seed which the farmer has just committed to the soil.
When the breeding season arrives, they break up their social compact,
and pair off for the purposes of reproduction and attending to the
rearing of their young.
Their nests are but roughly constructed, and are placed on any little
piece of rising ground in the midst of the marshes; in them they lay
usually two eggs, the male sharing with the female the cares of
incubation. Although these birds are ordinarily so timid, and are
alarmed at the least appearance of danger, yet, when they have their
young ones to defend, they become really courageous. In this case they
do not shrink from attacking man.
The Crane ought to have been the emblem of vigilance. When the flock go
to sleep, with their heads hidden under their wings, one of their number
is specially charged with the duty of watching over their common safety,
and of giving alarm on the approach of danger.
When caught young they are easily tamed, and in a very short time will
manifest considerable familiarity with their keeper. They are,
therefore, a good deal sought after in some countries, both on account
of their graceful shape, and also for the sake of the vigilance which
they exercise round about their home.
These birds were well known in ancient times; Homer, Herodotus,
Aristotle, Plutarch, Ælian, Pliny, and Strabo have noticed them and
their migrations. Unfortunately, not content with correct observations,
they have given credence to some most ridiculous fables, invented in
Greece and Egypt, the classic and fertile lands of the marvellous. Thus,
according to the Egyptian story, the Cranes made an expedition to the
sources of the Nile to fight against the Pygmies, who were, as Aristotle
says, "a race of little men, mounted on little horses, who dwelt in
caves." According to Pliny, these little men were armed with arrows, and
mounted on rams; they abode in the mountains of India, and came down
every spring to wage war against the Cranes, whose sole object was to
exterminate the Pygmies. The Roman naturalist fancies that they
succeeded in this destructive aim, for the town of Gerania, which even
in his time was ruined and deserted, was formerly, he asserts, inhabited
by a race of Pygmies, who were driven out by the Cranes. In the views of
modern commentators, these Pygmies were nothing but monkeys, which
assemble in large troops in the forests of Africa and India, and always
manifest hostility to birds.
The Greeks have also invented two stories about Cranes, which are
certainly very ingenious, but result from the error of attributing too
much importance to trifles. They say Cranes carry a pebble in their
mouths when they cross Mount Taurus, so that they are compelled to keep
mute; they thus avoid exciting the attention of the Eagles inhabiting
those districts, which birds are much disposed to do them mischief. In
the same way, the Crane which is placed as sentinel to watch over his
sleeping companions is bound to stand on one leg, and carry a stone in
the other claw, so that if he allows himself to be overtaken by slumber,
the fall of the pebble would wake him up. It was, as we are aware, the
expedient of the youthful Aristotle to hold an iron ball suspended over
a metal basin in order to wake himself if he succumbed to sleep. We
shall, I think, ascribe too much ingenuity to the Crane in imputing to
it an action of Aristotle's.
The members of this interesting feathered tribe were said to possess
certain virtues. The thigh bone of a Crane imparted to him who possessed
it remarkable vigour and elasticity of limb. Its brain also was a kind
of love-philtre; it transformed the ugliest man into a perfect Adonis,
and won for him the favour of the fair.
It is, moreover, to the Crane that the Greeks are indebted for one of
their favourite dances. Be it understood that we are now returning to
plain matter of fact. The games and dances which Cranes indulge in
amongst themselves are not mere idle stories; observers of our own day,
well worthy of credit, have proved their complete authenticity. It is
certainly true that these birds form groups in various fashions, advance
one towards another, make a kind of salutation, adopt the strangest
postures--in a word, indulge in pantomimes both burlesque and amusing.
This is, we must confess, a curious element in their character, and has
been made the most of by the Chinese, who are in the habit of teaching
Cranes to dance according to all the rules of art.
The ancients set a high value on the flesh of the Crane, which is,
nevertheless, anything but good. The Greeks especially showed a great
fondness for it; they used to fatten these birds after having put out
their eyes or sewed up their eyelids; this cruelty being necessary,
according to their idea, to cause a proper degree of plumpness.
In the fine old days of hawking, the Crane, as well as the Heron,
enjoyed the esteem of princes. Even in the present day, in Japan, it is
reserved for the sport of the _Taïcoun_ (king), and the common people
treat it with all the respect that is consequently its due.
We should certainly fall short in our traditionary lore if we failed to
relate the far-famed story of the Cranes of Ibycus. Ibycus of Rhegium
was a lyric poet, who enjoyed some reputation in his day. On one
occasion, when he was proceeding to the Olympic Games in order to
contend for the poet's prize, he lost his way in a forest, and fell into
the hands of two malefactors, who cruelly murdered him. Just as he was
dying he cast his eyes towards heaven, and perceiving a flock of Cranes
passing over, he cried out, "O ye bird-travellers, become the avengers
of Ibycus!" The next day the two robbers were quietly taking a part in
the Olympic contests, when the news of the murder, which arrived during
the day, excited some sorrowful emotion. All of a sudden a flight of
Cranes passed over the arena, uttering loud cries. "Do you see the
Cranes of Ibycus?" said one of the murderers to his comrade in a
humorous tone. This remark, being overheard by some persons standing by,
and commented upon by a thousand lips, became the ruin of the two
scoundrels. At once arrested and pressed with questions, they were
compelled to confess their crime, and were immediately put to death.
Thus was fulfilled the dying invocation of Ibycus.
The Demoiselle Crane (_Grus virgo_) is remarkable for two beautiful
clusters of white feathers, which are suspended behind its head, and for
a black, pendent tuft with which nature has adorned its breast. Its size
is about the same as that of the species just described, and its shape
is still more elegant. It also enjoys in a higher degree the gift of the
mimic art. Its slightest movements have an air of affectation and
mannerism, as if it desired, at any rate, to attract the attention of
the spectator; hence, in French, the name of _Demoiselle_ has been given
to it. It is found in Turkey and Southern Russia, in Northern Africa,
and in some parts of Asia adjacent to the latter region.
[Illustration: Fig. 143.--Demoiselle Crane (_Ardea virgo_, Linn.).]
The Crested Crane (_Grus pavonina_), or Royal Bird, has the top of its
head adorned with a tuft of feathers, which it has the power of
spreading out like a fan, so as to form quite a resplendent ornament.
About the same size as the two sister-birds, it is slender and graceful.
Its voice is very loud. It seeks the acquaintance of man, and readily
grows familiar with him. Its chief locations are the eastern and
northern coasts of Africa, and also some of the isles in the
Mediterranean: according to the ancients, it was formerly common in the
Balearic Islands.
The Agami, or Hooping Crane (_Psophia crepitans_, Latham), has a strong
and tapering bill, shorter than the head; long tarsi; and medium-sized
toes, the back toe touching the ground at the extremity only. Its wings
are short, and, in consequence, it flies with difficulty; but, to make
up for this deficiency, it can run very swiftly. This bird is but little
bigger than a domestic Fowl. It is in the habit of uttering at intervals
a piercing cry, which seems as if it did not proceed from the bird
itself; this cry has procured for it the name of the Trumpet Bird, and
has caused some to ascribe to it the talent of ventriloquism. It makes
its nest on the ground, in a hole scratched out at the root of a tree,
and feeds on grasses, seeds, and small insects. Shyness is not one of
its qualities, and it will submit to captivity without repugnance; it
forms an attachment to its master, and solicits his caresses, just like
a pet dog. The latter comparison is all the more just, as the bird
renders very much the same service to man as the animal. This bird is
intrusted with the care of the flocks out of doors, and in the evening
brings them back to the farm, where his activity finds plenty of scope
in the poultry-yard.
[Illustration: Fig. 144.--Crowned Crane (_Ardea pavonina_, Linn.).]
In its wild state the Agami inhabits the forests of South America. Its
flesh is agreeable in flavour, and is often eaten. It is easily
domesticated, and attaches itself to man, following its master about.
The CAURALE (Fig. 145), which forms a genus in the order we are now
considering, is a bird about the size of the Partridge, with a large and
fan-like tail. Its brilliant hues have obtained for it in Guinea the
name of the Little Peacock, or Sun Bird. It is very wild in its nature.
[Illustration: Fig. 145.--Caurale (Figuier).]
PRESSIROSTRES (COMPRESSED BILLS).
The birds which belong to the order _Pressirostræ_ are characterised by
a middling-sized bill--not, however, devoid of strength--and a back toe
which is altogether rudimentary; indeed, in some species entirely
wanting. They are mostly vermivorous; some, however, are granivorous or
herbivorous. In this order a number of rather dissimilar birds have been
reckoned, some of which belong decidedly to the Wader tribe, whilst
others, by their general habits, are more allied to the _Gallinaceæ_.
Among them are the Cariama (Fig. 146), the Oyster-catcher, the
Yellow-leg, the Stone Plover, the Lapwing, the Plover, and the Bustard.
The OYSTER-CATCHERS (_Hæmatopus_) are characterised by a long, pointed,
and powerful bill, which they use like a pair of pincers for opening
oysters, mussels, and other shell-fish left on the shore by the receding
tide, with the sole purpose of devouring their contents. Few things are
more interesting than to see them hovering over the retiring water,
alternately advancing and retreating with the waves. As their toes are
united at the base by a web or membrane, they enjoy the faculty of
resting on the water, although they do not actually swim. They utilise
this power in allowing themselves, every now and then, to be carried on
the waves to some distance from the shore. They fly well, and can run
with the greatest ease. Numerous flocks of them are found on almost
every sea-coast on the globe, making the neighbourhood ring with their
shrill cries.
[Illustration: Fig. 146.--Cariama (_Palamedea cristata_, Gmelin).]
In the breeding season they pair off; the hen birds lay from two to four
eggs, either in holes carelessly scratched out on the strand or in
clefts of the rocks, or sometimes in marshy meadows some distance from
the shore.
They assemble in considerable flocks for the purpose of migration--if
this term may be held applicable to the short journeys which they
annually undertake. They ought rather to be called pleasant little
jaunts--inspections, as it were, of their domains; something like the
circuit of his department made by a prefect, or the progress of a
sovereign through his country.
[Illustration: Fig. 147.--Oyster-catcher (_Hæmatopus ostralegus_,
Linn.).]
[Illustration: Fig. 148.--Runners (_Cursorius_, Figuier).]
There are three or four species of the Oyster-catcher, only one of which
is a native of Europe. The plumage of the latter is white and black,
which, joined to its noisy habits, has obtained for it the nickname of
the Sea Magpie. Its bill and feet are of a beautiful red colour; hence
the name of _Hæmatopus_ (feet the colour of blood) was given by Linnæus
to the whole genus, when the other varieties of it were yet unknown. It
is found at all seasons on most of our coasts. As an article of game it
is not all one could wish.
The RUNNERS (_Cursorius_) have slender and pointed bills, slightly bent
at the end; long tarsi; no back toe; wings much pointed; its plumage is
of a dove colour, and it is about eighteen inches in height. As its name
implies, it runs with surprising rapidity. It is a native of Asia and
the north of Africa, and only casually makes its appearance in Europe.
Nothing is known of its habits.
The LAPWINGS (_Vanellus_) have the bill enlarged on the upper side,
two-thirds of its length being filled up by the nasal channels; its back
toe is excessively short, and wings pointed. When flying, they make a
noise which is not unlike that of corn falling back on the
winnowing-fan; hence their French name, _Vanneau_.
These birds are essentially migratory, and come down from the high
northern latitudes in large flocks at the beginning of autumn, again
returning thither in spring. They frequent marshes and the margins of
lakes; in fact, all moist, soft districts which abound in earth-worms,
insects, slugs, &c. They may often be seen settling down on fields
recently ploughed, where they can find an ample supply of worms. They
are in the habit of employing a rather ingenious process to make their
victims emerge from the earth. They strike the ground with their feet,
and thus give the surface a slight shock, which the worm is tempted to
attribute to the proximity of a mole; and consequently it hastens to the
surface to escape its underground enemy, when it is immediately snapped
up by the bird.
The Lapwing is a model of cleanliness. After it has been feeding on the
ground for two or three hours, it washes its bill and feet; it repeats
these ablutions several times in the day. In this respect the most rigid
Mahommedan could scarcely find fault with it.
Lapwings live together in communities, except in the breeding season,
when they separate into pairs, to devote themselves to hatching and
rearing their young. The hen lays three or four eggs in the most simple
nest that can be imagined, placed in an exposed position on any little
rising ground in the marshes. These eggs are, it is said, of an
exquisite flavour, and in some countries, especially Holland, a large
trade is done in them.
The flesh of the Lapwing is only good eating during certain months of
the year. About All Saints' Day these birds acquire their finest
condition, when in some parts of France they are in great demand. In the
spring, as food, they are very indifferent, easily explaining why the
Church has allowed them to be eaten during Lent, for at that period
assuredly no food could be more _maigre_. There is an old saying which
celebrates, and also exaggerates, the culinary virtues of the Lapwing
and its brother bird, the Plover: "He who has never eaten either the
Plover or the Lapwing does not know what game is."
[Illustration: Fig. 149.--Pewit, or Crested Lapwing (_Vanellus
cristatus_, Temm.).]
The Lapwing might be ranked amongst the most useful auxiliaries of man;
it destroys a prodigious quantity of worms, caterpillars, and noxious
insects. After hearing this the reader might, perhaps, imagine that this
bird has found aid and protection from mankind. Nothing of the sort; it
is killed wherever and as often as possible; besides this, means are
discovered to set a limit upon its multiplication by stealing away its
eggs. We do not seem to perceive that this joyous, lively, and graceful
bird longs to conclude a treaty of friendship with mankind. When will
man make up his mind to understand his true interests?
There are in Europe two species of this genus--the Crested Lapwing and
the Swiss Lapwing, or Squatarole.
The Crested Lapwing (_Vanellus cristatus_), Fig. 149, is about the size
of a Pigeon; its belly is white, and its back black, with a metallic
lustre. It is furnished with a crest, which coquettishly adorns the back
of its head. It is tolerably abundant in France, but seems more
especially partial to Holland. The Swiss Lapwing is distinguished from
the last by a lighter-coloured plumage, and by the absence of the crest.
The PLOVERS (_Pluvialis_) have a bill closely resembling that of the
Lapwing, and differ from it chiefly in the latter having a back toe,
which is absent altogether in the Plovers. They are, however, connected
by several ties of kindred. Like the Lapwing, they live in moist places
and in numerous flocks; like them, they feed on worms, which they catch
much in the same way; like them, too, they make frequent ablutions;
finally, they are always close neighbours, and unite in migration. But
they do not follow out the resemblance with the Lapwings so far as to
imitate them in behaving as good fathers of families, and in living as
good citizens with one wife chosen once for all. Plovers understand life
in quite another fashion; they have other aspirations and other desires;
fidelity in love is not a quality which suits them, and they practise
polygamy on the very largest scale.
One might well fancy that a bird of such low morality would not be
easily affected by the misfortunes of its fellows, and that it would be
endowed with no feelings but those of utter selfishness. But nothing of
the sort. If you knock down a Plover flying in company with others, you
may notice the whole flock coming back to it to render the disabled one
all the help they can; and if you are not too much of a novice, you will
find no great difficulty in turning this circumstance to your profit by
filling your game-bag.
The Plover migrates from the North of Europe to Africa, and _vice
versâ_; it thus visits France twice a year, in spring and autumn. It is
their appearance at these usually rainy seasons which has given them the
name they bear. There are five principal species--the Great Land Plover,
the Dotterel, the Ringed Dotterel, the Kentish Plover, and the Golden
Plover.
The Great Land Plover (_Oidicnemus Bellonii_, Fleming) is about the size
of a Crow; it is very uncommon, very active, and very suspicious in its
nature. The only chance of shooting it is in the evening, at the moment
when it comes to wash itself on the edges of lakes and rivers. Its flesh
is not much valued.
The Dotterel (_Pluvialis morinellus_) is a little larger than a
Blackbird. It visits us in March and September, and numerous flocks of
these birds frequent the vast plains of the beautiful country of France.
This is the bird which persists in sacrificing itself to the sportsman's
gun when its companion has fallen a victim before the murderous weapon.
It also shows the simplicity of believing that drunken people must be
animated with the kindest feelings towards it; so much so, that it is
only requisite to exhibit the outward signs of bacchanalian excitement,
and the birds will be filled with a sense of false security, so that you
may approach within a few yards of them.
The Dotterel has been the means of founding the reputation of the _Pâté
de Chartres_: the bird's own personal experience must long ago have
convinced it how heavy the burden of renown sometimes proves. They have,
in fact, found themselves so much relished, that they have been tracked
and hemmed in on all sides by eager pie-makers. The only chance for the
poor creature is to seek safety in flight, and abandon a country where
it is decidedly _too much_ loved. Without either regret or envy it must
have seen that Larks and Quails have usurped its place in popular favour
for filling _pâtés_.
The Ringed Dotterel (_Charadrius hiaticula_), Fig. 150, is about half
the size of the last bird. It is distinguished by its black collar, and
also by its extraordinarily brilliant and gold-coloured eyes. In former
days this bird had the credit of being able to cure the jaundice. All
that was necessary was for the sick person to look fixedly at the bird's
eyes, with a firm faith in the success of the experiment; under these
conditions the bird was obliging enough to relieve him of his malady.
This superstitious idea has departed to join all the rest of the medical
opinions of the middle ages.
[Illustration: Fig. 150.--Ringed Dotterel (_Charadrius hiaticula_,
Selby).]
[Illustration: Fig. 151.--Golden Plover (_Charadrius pluvialis_,
Linn.).]
The Kentish Plover (_Charadrius cantianus_, Latham) is thus named on
account of its collar being divided into two parts; it is rather smaller
than the last-named bird, and is found in Europe and Asia.
The Golden Plover (_Pluvialis aurea_), Fig. 151, is the size of the
Turtle Dove; the ground of its plumage is of a yellow colour, speckled
over with brown spots. In winter it is always numerously represented in
our markets: this is occasioned by the ease with which it can be either
shot or netted.
The PLUVIAN may be considered as belonging to the Plovers, as the
difference between them is altogether insignificant. We wish to mention
it on account of its very curious habits, to which we previously called
attention when speaking of Reptiles. This bird is a native of Egypt and
Senegal, and has concluded a friendly treaty with the Crocodiles of the
Nile, which must force itself on the meditations of philosophers. The
Pluvian does the Crocodile the service of picking the latter's teeth.
This assistance rendered by the little bird to the terrible reptile of
the Nile is really rather touching, and has somewhat the appearance of
having inspired La Fontaine with his fable of the "Lion and the Mouse."
The BUSTARDS (_Otis_) are allied to the _Gallinaceæ_ by their short
back, their thick-set shape, and the general character of their habits;
but their elongated tarsi, and their legs partly bare, give them a
position among the _Grallæ_. They have short toes, and no back toe; they
run with extreme rapidity, assisted by their wings. Their flight is
heavy and awkward. They frequent dry and open plains, and make their
nests on the ground. Their food consists of worms, insects, grasses, and
even seeds; and they move about in large droves, although their range is
rather restricted. The male birds being less numerous than the females,
they are generally polygamous. These birds are shy and timid, and their
flesh constitutes an excellent article of food.
There are three species of the Bustard--the Great Bustard, the Little
Bustard (Fig. 152), and the Oubara Bustard (_O. Denhami_).
The Great Bustard (_Otis tarda_) is the largest of all European birds;
its weight sometimes attains to sixteen kilogrammes. It is yellow on the
back, with black streaks, and in front it is a greyish white. The head
of the male bird is ornamented on both sides with curled feathers, which
look something like moustaches, and have obtained for it the name of the
Bearded Bustard. It flies with great difficulty, and will never make up
its mind to take wing except in cases of absolute necessity. Its eggs,
two or three in number, are laid in the corn or grass; the nest is
nothing more than a hole scratched out in the earth, and with scarcely
any lining on the inside.
[Illustration: Fig. 152.--Little Bustard (_Otis tetrax_, Gould).]
The Great Bustard was formerly very common in Champagne, but has now
become extremely rare. Nevertheless, it is the only province in France
in which this bird is to be met with, and we might almost say that it
has completely disappeared from French soil. Innumerable troops of them
are to be seen in the steppes of Tartary and Southern Russia.
BREVIPENNES (SHORT-WINGED BIRDS).
The birds belonging to this family are distinguished from the rest of
the _Grallæ_ by such decisive characteristics that some naturalists have
proposed to include them in a separate group, to be called _Cursores_,
or Runners; an arrangement which has much in its favour, although the
simpler arrangement of Cuvier best suits our purpose. In certain
anatomical points, and especially in their habits, the Brevipennæ
differ greatly from the other Grallatores. They have wings, it is true,
but they are so slightly developed that they are entirely unfit for
purposes of flight, and are only useful in accelerating the speed of
their limbs. On the other hand, their legs are long and powerful, and
capable of immense muscular effort, thus enabling them to run with
extraordinary fleetness.
The deduction to be drawn from these facts is, that the Brevipennes are
essentially land-birds. This limitation of their habitat necessitated
certain modifications in the sternum, which, instead of a prominent edge
of bone in the centre, as in other birds, only presents one uniform
breast-plate. Again, most of the Brevipennes are birds of large size,
and, in certain circumstances, manifest remarkable vigour.
This group comprehends the Ostrich (_Struthio camelus_), the American
Nandou (_Rhea americanus_), the Cassowary (_Casuarius emu_), and the
Apteryx.
The head of the OSTRICH (_Struthio camelus_), Fig. 153, is naked and
callous, with a short bill, much depressed and rounded at the point; its
legs are half naked, muscular, and fleshy; the tarsi are long and rough,
terminating in two toes pointing forward, one of which is shorter than
the other, and has no claw; the wings are very short, and formed of soft
and flexible feathers; the tail taking the form of a plume.
There is but one species of the Ostrich; it is sparsely diffused over
the interior of Africa, and is rarely found in Asia, except, perhaps, in
Arabia. It is the largest member of the Grallatores, generally measuring
six feet in height, and occasionally attaining nine feet; its weight
varies from twenty to a hundred pounds.
The Ostrich has been known from the most remote antiquity. It is spoken
of in the sacred writings, for Moses forbade the Hebrews to eat of its
flesh, as being "unclean food." The Romans, however, far from sharing
the views of the Jewish legislator, considered it a great culinary
luxury. In the days of the emperors they were consumed in considerable
numbers, and we read that the luxurious Heliogabalus carried his
magnificence so far as to cause a dish composed of the brains of six
hundred Ostriches to be served at a feast: this must have cost some
hundreds of thousands of francs. In former days it was a favourite dish
with the tribes of Northern Africa. At the present date the Arabs
content themselves with using its fat as an outward application in
certain diseases, especially rheumatic affections; and they derive from
it, as they say, very beneficial effects.
The natives of Africa call the Ostrich "the Camel of the Desert," just
as the Latins denominated it _Struthio camelus_. There is, in fact, some
likeness between them. This resemblance consists in the length of the
neck and legs, in the form of the toes, and in the callosities which are
found on the lower stomach of both. In some of their habits they also
resemble each other; the Ostrich lies down in the same way as the Camel,
by first bending the knee, then leaning forward on the fleshy part of
the sternum, and letting its hinder quarters sink down last of all.
An entire volume might be filled with the fables recorded about the
Ostrich. In the first place, according to the Arabs, it is the issue of
a bird and a camel. One Arabian author states that it is aquatic in its
nature, another maintains that it never drinks. They still assert that
its principal food consists of stones and bits of iron. Buffon himself
does not deny that it _might_ swallow red-hot iron, provided the
quantity was small. Pliny and (following him) Pierre Belon, the
naturalist of the Renaissance, state that when the Ostrich is pursued it
fancies itself safe if it can hide its head behind a tree, caring little
about the remainder of its body; and some of these absurd ideas are
still deeply rooted in the minds of the public.
It is certain, however, that the Ostrich is extremely voracious.
Although the senses of sight and hearing are so highly developed that it
is said to make out objects two leagues off, and the slightest sounds
excite its ear, the senses of taste and smell are very imperfect. This
is the explanation given for its readiness to swallow unedible
substances. In a wild state it takes into its stomach large pebbles to
increase its digestive powers; in captivity it gorges bits of wood and
metal, pieces of glass, plaster, and chalk, probably with the same
object. The bits of iron found in the body of one dissected by Cuvier
"were not only worn away," says the great naturalist, "as they would
likely be by trituration against other hard bodies, but they had been
considerably reduced by some digestive juice, and presented all the
evidence of actual corrosion."
Herbage, insects, mollusks, small reptiles, and even small mammalia are
the principal food of the Wild Ostrich; when it is in a state of
domesticity even young chickens are frequently devoured by it. It
endures hunger, and especially thirst, for many days--about the most
useful faculty it could possess in the arid and burning deserts which it
inhabits; but it is quite a mistake to suppose it never drinks, for it
will travel immense distances in search of water when it has suffered a
long deprivation, and will then drink it with evident pleasure.
The muscular power of the Ostrich is truly surprising. If matured it can
carry a man on its back, and is readily trained to be mounted like a
horse, and to bear a burden. The tyrant Firmius, who reigned in Egypt in
the third century, was drawn about by a team of Ostriches; even now the
negroes frequently use it for riding.
When it first feels the weight of its rider, the Ostrich starts at a
slow trot; it, however, soon gets more animated, and stretching out its
wings, takes to running with such rapidity that it seems scarcely to
touch the ground. To the wild animals which range the desert it offers a
successful resistance by kicking, the force of which is so great that a
blow in the chest is sufficient to cause death. M. Edouard Verreaux
states that he has seen a negro killed by such a blow.
Man succeeds in capturing the Ostrich only by stratagem. The Arab, on
his swiftest courser, would fail to get near it if he did not by his
intelligence supply the deficiency in his physical powers. "The legs of
an Ostrich running at full speed," says Livingstone, the traveller, "can
no more be seen than the spokes in the wheel of a vehicle drawn at a
gallop." According to the same author, the Ostrich can run about thirty
miles in an hour--a speed and endurance much surpassing those of the
swiftest horse.
The Arabs, well acquainted with these facts, follow them for a day or
two at a distance, without pressing too closely, yet sufficiently near
to prevent them taking food during the time. When they have thus starved
and wearied the birds, they pursue them at full speed, taking advantage
of the fact which observation has taught them, that the Ostrich never
runs in a straight line, but describes a curve of greater or less
extent. Availing themselves of this habit, the horsemen follow the chord
of this arc, and repeating the stratagem several times, they gradually
get within reach, when, making a final dash, they rush impetuously on
the harassed birds, and beat them down with their clubs, avoiding as
much as possible shedding their blood, as this depreciates the value of
the feathers, which are the chief inducement for their chase.
Some tribes attain their object by a rather singular artifice. The
hunter covers himself with an Ostrich's skin, passing his arm up the
neck of the bird so as to render the movements more natural. By the aid
of this disguise, if skilfully managed, Ostriches can be approached
sufficiently near to kill them.
The Arabs also hunt the Ostrich with dogs, which pursue it until it is
completely worn out. In the breeding season, having sought and found out
where the Ostriches lay their eggs, another artifice is to dig a hole
within gunshot of the spot, in which a man, armed with a gun, can hide
himself. The concealed enemy easily kills the male and female birds in
turn as they sit on their nest. Lastly, to lie in wait for them close by
water, and shoot them when they come to quench their thirst, is often
successful.
The Ostrich, which is an eminently sociable bird, may sometimes be seen
in the desert in flocks of two or three hundred, mixed up with droves of
Zebras, Quaggas, &c. They pair about the end of autumn.
The nest of the Ostrich is more than three feet in diameter; it is only
a hole dug in the sand, and surrounded by a kind of rampart composed of
the _débris_; a trench is scratched round it outside to drain off the
water. Each hen bird lays from fifteen to twenty eggs, according to
circumstances. The eggs weigh from two to three pounds, and are each of
them equal in contents to about twenty-five Hen's eggs. They are of a
tolerable flavour, and are often a very seasonable help to travellers,
one of them being more than sufficient for the breakfast of two or three
persons.
[Illustration: Fig. 153.--The Ostrich (_Struthio camelus_, Linn.).]
Incubation usually takes six weeks, and is shared by both male and
female birds: several of the latter often lay in the same nest, and live
together on the best terms, under the control of one male. Levaillant
remarked four females taking turns in sitting on thirty-eight eggs laid
in the same nest: they sat during the night only, the burning heat of
the sun during the day being sufficient to maintain the necessary degree
of warmth. He also observed that a certain number of the eggs were not
sat upon, but were put aside to serve as nourishment for the young ones
after they were hatched.
It is a strange circumstance that the cry of the Ostrich so much
resembles that of the Lion when in search of his prey, that they are
often confused. Dr. Livingstone says that with all his experience he has
been frequently deceived, and that only the quick ear of a native can
detect the difference.
It was long a subject of reproach to the Ostrich that she was wanting in
affection for her progeny. She was looked upon as the most striking
example of the hard-hearted mother. Thus, the Hebrews accepted the
Ostrich as the symbol of insensibility, because she left her eggs upon
the sand, without troubling herself, as Job says, about the dangers to
which they might be exposed. Jeremiah, too, laments over her that she is
devoid of family affection. All these accusations are quite unfounded:
as we have already seen, the Ostrich does not abandon her eggs, neither
does she desert her young, although they are well covered at their birth
with a thick, warm down, and can from the first run about and provide
for their own wants. On the contrary, she keeps them near her until they
are almost full grown, and defends them against every enemy. Mr. Cumming
came suddenly one day on a dozen young Ostriches no larger than
full-grown Grouse. "The mother," he says, "tried all she could to
deceive us, just like a Wild Duck; first she ran away, extending her
wings; then she threw herself on the ground as if she was wounded;
whilst the male bird cunningly enough conducted the young ones in an
opposite direction."
Livingstone on several occasions met with broods of young Ostriches led
by a male bird, which pretended to be lame, in order to monopolise the
attention of the sportsmen.
Both the male and female birds afford one another mutual assistance, as
is proved by the following fact, which was related in a report addressed
to the Société d'Acclimatation:--"Si-Djelloul-Ben-Hamza and his brother,
Si-Mohammed-Ben-Hamza, were one day hunting Ostriches, and came upon the
tracks of a family led by a male and two females. Si-Mohammed arrived
first in sight of the birds, and firing, wounded one of the females. The
male bird at once darted at him, and struck with its feet at the breast
of his horse, which from fright threw its rider and ran away. The
Ostrich then turned upon Si-Mohammed, kicked him repeatedly, and did not
quit him until he had lost all consciousness, and his brother
Si-Djelloul had come to his assistance."
All these facts abundantly prove that the Ostrich is not so unnatural a
parent as it has been thought, and at the same time give a complete
denial to the accusation of stupidity which has also been made.
In spite of its great strength--perhaps even on account of it--the
Ostrich, when unmolested, is the most peaceable creature in the world;
and owing to its inoffensive nature, it readily becomes domesticated. If
captured young, it can be tamed in a very short time. General Daumas
asserts that they play with the children, and frolic with the horses and
dogs, &c. In the district of Sennaar they are reared as we do Fowls;
they are left to wander about as they choose, and one of them attempting
to escape is a thing quite unheard of. They accompany the herds to
pasture, and return again to their home at meal-times. Kindness and
caresses are sufficient to attach them to any one; but care must be
taken never to strike them. They have but one fault, which arises from
their voracity,--they are dreadful thieves, and devour everything they
can steal. The Arabs, therefore, always look out when they are counting
their money, otherwise the Ostriches might snatch some of the coin.
In all ages the feathers of the Ostrich have been the object of
considerable trade: the birds are hunted and reared in a domestic state,
not so much for their flesh, grease, or eggs, as for these plumes. Each
bird produces about half a pound of white feathers and three pounds of
black. These delicate, wavy, and flexible ornaments, so sought after by
the fair sex, are found on the Ostrich's tail and wings; they have been
used from time immemorial for the adornment both of man and woman. The
Roman soldiers decked their helmets with them, and the Janissaries their
turbans, when they had distinguished themselves by any glorious deed. At
the present day there is a large demand for them. The plumes of the male
bird are more highly valued than those of the female, and all are
superior when plucked from the living bird.
Several Libyan nations in former days used the skin of the Ostrich for a
cuirass, and even at the present time some Arabian tribes put it to the
same use. The shells of Ostrich eggs, which are very hard, are also
utilised; they are made into beautiful cups, which much resemble vases
of ivory. The Africans annually destroy a large number of these birds;
yet their race does not appear to diminish. It is a most useful
creature, and too much encouragement cannot be given to the trials which
have been made in Algeria and elsewhere to rear the Ostrich in flocks on
an extensive scale.
The NANDOU, RHEA, or AMERICAN OSTRICH (Fig. 154), bears the greatest
resemblance to the Ostrich, of which it is the representative in the New
World; but it is only about half the size of the African bird, and has
three toes in front instead of two. The colour of its plumage is a
uniform grey.
The Nandou (called by the Brazilians _Nhandu-Guaçu_) inhabits the Pampas
of South America, the coolest valleys in Brazil, Chili, Peru, and
Magellan's Land. There these birds may be seen wandering over the open
plains in flocks of about thirty, in company with herds of oxen, horses,
and sheep. They browse on the grass like grazing animals, searching at
the same time for various seeds. They run nearly as swiftly as the
Ostrich, and are well able, by speed, to escape the pursuit of their
enemies. If a river comes in their way, they do not hesitate to plunge
into it, as they are excellent swimmers; indeed, so fond are they of
water that they take a pleasure in washing and bathing.
The Nandou lays its eggs and incubates them in the same manner as the
Ostrich. They are birds of a gentle nature, and are tamed with the
greatest ease, becoming very familiar in the house, visiting the various
apartments, wandering about the streets, and even into the country; but
they always return to their homes before sunset.
[Illustration: Fig. 154.--The Nandou, or Rhea (_Struthio Rhea_, Linn.).]
The flesh of the adult Nandou is by no means agreeable; that of the
young, on the contrary, is tender and sweet, and forms excellent food.
Its skin, when properly dressed, is used for bags, purses, &c., and
their feathers serve for plumes and light dusting brooms. We owe the
perfect knowledge of a second species of Rhea to Mr. Darwin, who has
given a figure and ample descriptions of the bird and its habits in "The
Voyage of the _Beagle_;" it has been named in consequence _Rhea
Darwinii_. There is every reason for thinking that these birds might be
successfully acclimated in Europe.
[Illustration: Fig. 155.--Cassowary (_Struthio casuarius_, Linn.).]
The CASSOWARIES form a genus of birds allied to the Ostrich, although
they differ from it in some particulars--their shape is not so elegant,
and their wings are even less adapted for flight; for so short are they,
that they are perfectly useless even to assist in running. Their long
blackish feathers are almost devoid of side fringes, which gives them a
resemblance to coarse hair; their feet are provided with three toes.
This bird was called the Emu by early Portuguese navigators. It is the
_Struthio casuarius_ of Linnæus, the _Casuarius galeatus_ of Vieillot,
and the Cassowary of British naturalists.
The Cassowary has a kind of helmet on its head, produced by an
enlargement of the bone of the skull, and covered with a horny
substance. It is a massively-made bird, in size between the Ostrich and
the Rhea, and is a native of the islands of the Indian Archipelago, the
Moluccas, Java, and Sumatra. It is especially plentiful in the vast
forests of the island of Ceylon. The first bird of this species which
was seen in Europe was brought from Java by the Dutch in 1597. It is a
stupid, quarrelsome, and gluttonous creature, feeding on plants, fruits,
and sometimes small animals. Possessed of considerable strength, and
being wild and fierce in nature, its anger cannot be provoked without
danger; for, although its wings are short, each is furnished with five
pointed spines, the middle one of which is a foot long, and which are
employed with adroitness as weapons of defence. Its habitual cry
consists of a low grumbling, which, when the bird is angry, is changed
into a sonorous humming noise, not unlike the sound of carriage-wheels
or of distant thunder.
The menagerie of the Museum of Natural History at Paris was in
possession of a Cassowary which devoured everything that was given
it--bread, fruit, vegetables, &c., and drank seven or eight pints of
water daily. In the London and the Paris Zoological Gardens there are
generally several to be seen.
The Cassowary runs very swiftly, and in a way quite peculiar, for it
kicks up its heels at every step. They live in pairs, and during the
breeding season the male bird shows a degree of violence which renders
him very formidable. The female lays three or four eggs in the dust, and
sits on them alone for about a month. The young birds, when first
hatched, are covered with a light down, and are without the helmet,
which it acquires as it approaches maturity.
The wild nature of these birds renders them but little fitted for
domestication: this is a fact not much to be deplored, as their flesh is
of an unpleasant flavour, and in no other respect than as food could
they be of any service to us.
The EMU, or AUSTRALIAN CASSOWARY (_Dromiceius australis_), Fig. 156, is
distinguished from the last-named bird by its larger size, and also by
the absence of the helmet, the caruncles, and the pointed spines on the
wings. It was formerly common in the great forests of the Eucalyptus, in
Australia, but the clearings of the colonists have now driven it back
beyond the Blue Mountains. Being very powerful, it offers a stout
resistance to dogs, with which it is hunted. It can be tamed much more
easily than the last-mentioned bird, and manifests some attachment to
its master. It is an excellent and useful acquisition to man, for its
flesh being of an agreeable flavour, is much esteemed. The few specimens
which have been brought to Europe seem to have been readily acclimated,
for they have bred.
[Illustration: Fig. 156.--The Emu, or Australian Cassowary (_Dromiceius
australis_, Swainson).]
[Illustration: Fig. 157.--Kivi-kivi, or Apteryx (_Apteryx australis_,
Gould).]
KIVI-KIVI, or APTERYX (Fig. 157), so called from the Greek +apteron+,
"wingless," is a singular bird, bearing but little resemblance to the
other members of the class. It is no larger than a Fowl, and combines
the bill of the Woodcock with the feet of the Gallinaceous tribe. The
shortness of its wings, which are entirely unfit for flight, is the
sole characteristic which entitles it to rank with the group in which
it is placed.
The plumage of the Apteryx is brown; it has no tail, and its mere stumps
of wings are provided with strong and curved claws. It is a native of
New Zealand, and keeps in the marshes, where it feeds on worms and
grubs: being nocturnal, it does not leave its retreat until the evening.
In spite of its short legs, it runs very fast, but if overtaken does not
yield without an effort, using either its feet, armed as they are with
long and sharp claws, or the points at the end of its wings, as weapons
of defence. It builds a very rough nest among the roots of marsh-growing
shrubs, and lays a single egg, excessively large in proportion to the
size of the producer. The natives call the bird _Kiwi_. They used at
one time to hunt them very perseveringly, as much for their flesh as for
their feathers, which they used in making mats. Now they have renounced
this work, the profits not compensating for the fatigue which it
entailed. Day by day it is becoming more rare and difficult to procure.
The Zoological Society of London has three specimens.
EXTINCT BREVIPENNÆ.
The order of the _Brevipennæ_ may be held to embrace some birds which
have now disappeared from the surface of the globe, but which are
supposed to be contemporaneous with Man. The remains which are met with
in quite modern alluvium scarcely admit of any doubt in this respect.
In the first rank of extinct birds we may place the Dodo (_Didus
ineptus_, Linn.), Fig. 158, which was indigenous to the Mauritius and
the Isle of France, where it used to be abundant, if we may believe the
testimony of the companions of Vasco de Gama, who visited there in 1497.
At the end of the seventeenth century some of them still existed. Former
travellers have described them; and these accounts, with skeletons and
an oil-painting in the British Museum, are the only items of information
which we possess.
The Dodo was a fat and heavy bird, and weighed not less than fifty
pounds. This portly body was supported on short legs, and provided with
ridiculously small wings, making it equally incapable of running and
flying, dooming the bird to a rapid destruction. Lastly and principally,
it had a stupid physiognomy, but little calculated to conciliate the
sympathies of the observer. Its rear was decorated with three or four
curly feathers, making a pretence of a tail, whilst in front it
presented an enormous curved bill, which occupied nearly the whole of
the head.
The Dodo did not even possess the merit of being useful after its death,
for its flesh was disagreeable and of a bad flavour. On the whole, there
is not much reason to regret its extinction.
In the island of Madagascar fossil eggs and bones were found of a bird
belonging to a species probably extinct, the proportions of which must
have been truly colossal. One of these eggs was equal to at least six
Ostrich's eggs, and its capacity more than fifteen pints. M. Isidore
Geoffroy de Saint-Hilaire, who gave it the name of _Epiornis_, reckoned
that its height could not be less than ten or twelve feet.
[Illustration: Fig. 158.--The Dodo (_Didus ineptus_, Linn.).]
In 1867, M. Joly, Professor of the Faculty of Sciences at Toulouse,
published some very interesting observations on the structure and
probable habits of this gigantic bird.
It cannot yet be asserted that this bird has altogether disappeared. The
Malagashes state that, although very rare, some few representatives of
it still remain. There is an ancient tradition among this people
relative to a colossal bird which could knock down an ox, and then make
a meal of it. This tradition, however, is deficient in anything like
evidence of its correctness, for an examination of the pieces of bone
found proves that the _Epiornis_ possessed neither talons to seize, nor
wings with which to pursue its prey; it must, therefore, have fed
chiefly upon vegetable diet.
In New Zealand also some bones have been lately brought to light, which
must have belonged to a species of bird allied to the Ostrich, but
superior to it in size, which attained some thirteen feet in height.
This bird has been designated _Dinornis_. Some of them probably still
exist in that country; at all events, its disappearance must be very
recent, for the bones which were discovered still contained a large
proportion of gelatine. Rumour states that a Dinornis, more than
thirteen feet in height, was seen by two Englishmen in one of the marshy
forests; but they did not venture to approach near enough to kill it. We
give this tale with all due reserve, as its authenticity does not appear
to be satisfactorily established.