of our coast, wherever the shores are sandy or muddy, from Maine
to the mouths of the Mississippi; but I never found one far inland.
Sometimes they collect into flocks of several hundred individuals,
and are seen wheeling over the water near the shores or over the
beaches, in beautiful order, and now and then so close together as
to afford an excellent shot, especially when they suddenly alight
in a mass near the sportsman, or when, swiftly veering, they expose
their lower parts at the same moment. On such occasions a dozen or
more may be killed at once, provided the proper moment is chosen.
There seems to be a kind of impatience in this bird that prevents
it from remaining any length of time in the same place, and you may
see it scarcely alighted on a sand-bar, fly off without any apparent
reason to another, where it settles, runs for a few moments, and
again starts off on wing. When searching for food they run with
great agility, following the retiring waves, and retreating as they
advance, probing the wet sands, and picking up objects from their
surface, ever jerking up the tail, and now and then uttering a faint
cry, pleasant to the ear, and differing from the kind of scream which
they emit while on wing.
When I was in the Floridas in winter, I found this species abundant,
and my party shot a great number of them, on account of the fatness
and juiciness of their flesh. They all appeared to have their plumage
greyer than those shot in the Carolinas at the same season, and not
one exhibited the least redness on the back, although that colour
is so conspicuous in spring before they leave us for the north. They
usually take their departure from the south about the first of April,
reach the Middle Districts by the fifteenth of that month, and in a
few days assume their summer plumage. I have observed that at this
season the male birds are frequently in the habit of raising their
wings and running in that position for a few steps, when they close
them, and nod to the nearest female. None of the other sex, however,
seemed to take the least notice of this homage. On our way to Labrador
we saw flocks of these birds passing, but we found none breeding in
that country. My friend Mr MACGILLIVRAY has given me the following
account of the habits of this species during the breeding season.
“About the middle of April, the Purres betake themselves to the moors,
in the northern parts of Scotland, and in the larger Hebrides, where
they may be found scattered in the haunts selected by the Golden
Plovers, with which they are so frequently seen in company that
they have obtained the name of Plovers’ Pages. In the Hebrides, from
this season until the end of August, none are to be found along the
shores. The nest is a slight hollow in a dry place, having a few bits
of withered heath and grass irregularly placed in it. The eggs, four
in number, are ovato-pyriform, an inch and four-twelfths in length,
eleven-twelfths in breadth, oil-green or light greenish-yellow,
irregularly spotted and blotched with deep brown, the spots becoming
more numerous toward the larger end, where they are confluent. The
young, like those of the Golden Plover and Lapwing, leave the nest
immediately after exclusion, run about, and when alarmed, conceal
themselves by sitting close to the ground and remaining motionless.
If at this period, or during incubation, a person approaches their
retreats, the male especially, but frequently the female also, flies
up to meet the intruder, settles on a tuft near him, or runs along
and uses the same artifices for decoying him from the nest or young
as the Plover or Ring Dotterel. When the young are fledged, the birds
gather into small flocks, which often in the evenings unite into
larger, and join those of the Golden Plover. They rest at night on
the smoother parts of the heath, and both species, when resting by
day, either stand or lie on the ground. When one advances within a
hundred yards of such a flock, it is pleasant to see them stretch up
their wings as if preparing for flight, utter a few low notes, and
immediately stand on the alert, or run a few steps. At this season,
however, they are not at all shy. Towards the end of August, the
different colonies betake themselves to the sandy shores. On a large
sand-ford in Harris, I have at this season seen many thousands at
once, running about with extreme activity in search of food. This
place seemed a general rendezvous, and after a few weeks the host
broke up and dispersed, few if any remaining during the winter.”
TRINGA CINCLUS, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 251.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 335. Winter plumage.
TRINGA ALPINA, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 429.—_Lath._
Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 736.—Summer plumage.
TRINGA VARIABILIS, _Temm._ Man. d’Ornith. part ii. p. 612.
TRINGA ALPINA, _Ch. Bonaparte_, Synops. of Birds of the
United States, p. 317.
RED-BACKED SANDPIPER, TRINGA ALPINA, _Wils._ Amer. Ornith.
vol. vii. p. 5. pl. 56. fig. 2. Summer.
PURRE, TRINGA CINCLUS, _Wils._ Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p.
39. pl. 57. fig. 3. Winter.
TRINGA ALPINA, THE AMERICAN DUNLIN, _Swains. and Richards._
Fauna Bor. Amer. part ii. p. 383.
DUNLIN OR OX-BIRD, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. ii. p. 106.
Adult Male in Summer. Plate CCXC. Fig. 1.
Bill longer than the head, slender, subcylindrical, nearly straight,
being slightly curved towards the end, compressed at the base, the
point rather depressed and obtuse. Upper mandible with the dorsal line
nearly straight, slightly sloping at the base, and slightly decurved
towards the end, the ridge narrow, towards the end flattened, at the
point convex, sides sloping, edges rather blunt and soft. Nasal groove
long, extending to near the point; nostrils basal, linear, pervious.
Lower mandible with the angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line
slightly concave, the sides sloping outwards, towards the end convex.
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Eyes rather small. Neck
of moderate length. Body rather full. Feet slender, of moderate
length; tibia bare a considerable way up, anteriorly and posteriorly
scutellate, as is the compressed tarsus; hind toe very small and
elevated, anterior toes of moderate length, slender; inner toe
slightly shorter than outer, middle toe considerably longer; all
scutellate above, marginate with prominent papillæ, and free. Claws
small, slightly arched, extremely compressed, blunt; edge of middle
claw dilated and thin.
Plumage very soft, blended; on the back the feathers rather distinct.
Wings long and pointed; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first longest,
the second a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries
rather short, obliquely cut at the end with a recurved blunt point,
the inner elongated and tapering. Tail rather short, even, but with
the two middle feathers considerably longer, of twelve feathers.
Bill and feet black. Iris dark brown. The upper part of the head, the
back and the scapulars, are chestnut-red, each feather brownish-black
in the centre, and the scapulars barred with the same colour. The wing
coverts greyish-brown, as are the quills, the bases and tips of the
secondaries and part of the outer webs of the middle primaries white.
Tail light brownish-grey, the two middle feathers darker. Forehead,
sides of the head and hind neck, pale reddish-grey, streaked with
dusky; fore neck and anterior part of breast greyish-white, streaked
with dusky; on the breast a large patch of brownish-black; abdomen
and lower tail-coverts white, the latter with dusky markings.
Length to end of tail 8-1/2 inches, to end of wings 8-7/12; extent of
wings 15, wing from flexure 4-10/12; tail 2-5/12; bill along the ridge
1-7/12, along the edge of lower mandible 1-6/12; tarsus 1; middle toe
10/12, its claw (2-1/2)/12. Weight 3 oz.
Adult in Winter. Plate CCXC. Fig. 2.
The bill, feet and eyes as above; the general colour of the upper parts
is brownish-grey, varying in different individuals in intensity of
tint. The wings and tail are as in summer. Throat greyish-white, sides
of the head and neck, and fore part of the latter, pale brownish-grey,
faintly streaked with darker, as are the sides; the rest of the lower
parts white, with a few streaks on the breast.
LABRADOR.
When I look back upon the many pleasant hours that I spent with the
young gentlemen who composed my party, during our excursions along the
coast of sterile and stormy Labrador, I think that a brief account of
our employments may prove not altogether uninteresting to my readers.
We had purchased our stores at Boston, with the aid of my generous
friend Dr PARKMAN of that city; but unfortunately many things necessary
on an expedition like ours were omitted. At Eastport in Maine we
therefore laid in these requisites. No traveller, let me say, ought
to neglect any thing that is calculated to ensure the success of his
undertaking, or to contribute to his personal comfort, when about to
set out on a long and perhaps hazardous voyage. Very few opportunities
of replenishing stores of provision, clothing or ammunition, occur
in such a country as Labrador; and yet, we all placed too much
confidence in the zeal and foresight of our purveyors at Eastport.
We had abundance of ammunition, excellent bread, meat, and potatoes;
but the butter was quite rancid, the oil only fit to grease our guns,
the vinegar too liberally diluted with cider, the mustard and pepper
deficient in due pungency. All this, however, was not discovered until
it was too late to be remedied. Several of the young men were not
clothed as hunters should be, and some of the guns were not so good
as we could have wished. We were, however, fortunate with respect
to our vessel, which was a notable sailer, did not leak, had a good
crew, and was directed by a capital seaman.
The hold of the schooner was floored, and an entrance made to it from
the cabin, so that in it we had a very good parlour, dining-room,
drawing-room, library, &c. all those apartments however, being,
united into one. An extravagantly elongated deal table ranged along
the centre; one of the party had slung his hammock at one end, and
in its vicinity slept the cook and a lad who acted as armourer.
The cabin was small; but being fitted in the usual manner with side
berths, was used for a dormitory. It contained a small table and a
stove, the latter of diminutive size, but smoky enough to discomfit
a host. We had adopted in a great measure the clothing worn by the
American fishermen on that coast, namely, thick blue cloth trowsers,
a comfortable waistcoat, and a pea-jacket of blanket. Our boots were
large, round-toed, strong, and well studded with large nails to prevent
sliding on the rocks. Worsted comforters, thick mittens, and round
broad-brimmed hats, completed our dress, which was more picturesque
than fashionable. As soon as we had an opportunity, the boots were
exchanged for Esquimaux mounted mocassins of seal-skin, impermeable
to water, light, easy, and fastening at top about the middle of the
thigh to straps, which when buckled over the hips secured them well.
To complete our equipment, we had several good boats, one of which
was extremely light and adapted for shallow water.
No sooner had we reached the coast and got into harbour, than we
agreed to follow certain regulations intended for the general benefit.
Every morning the cook was called before three o’clock. At half-past
three, breakfast was on the table, and every body equipt. The guns,
ammunition, botanical boxes, and baskets for eggs or minerals, were
all in readiness. Our breakfast consisted of coffee, bread, and various
other materials. At four, all except the cook and one seaman, went off
in different directions, not forgetting to carry with them a store
of cooked provisions. Some betook themselves to the islands, others
to the deep bays; the latter on landing wandered over the country,
until noon, when laying themselves down on the rich moss, or sitting
on the granite rock, they would rest for an hour, eat their dinner,
and talk of their successes or disappointments. I often regret that
I did not take sketches of the curious groups formed by my young
friends on such occasions, and when, after returning at night, all
were engaged in measuring, weighing, comparing and dissecting the
birds we had procured, operations which were carried on with the aid
of a number of candles thrust into the necks of bottles. Here one
examined the flowers and leaves of a plant, there another explored
the recesses of a diver’s gullet, while a third skinned a gull or a
grous. Nor was our journal forgotten. Arrangements were made for the
morrow, and at twelve we left matters to the management of the cook,
and retired to our roosts.
If the wind blew hard, all went on shore, and, excepting on a few
remarkably rainy days, we continued our pursuits much in the same
manner during our stay in the country. The physical powers of the
young men were considered in making our arrangements. SHATTUCK and
INGALS went together; the Captain and COOLEDGE were fond of each
other, the latter having also been an officer; LINCOLN and my son
being the strongest and most determined hunters, generally marched
by themselves; and I went with one or other of the parties according
to circumstances, although it was by no means my custom to do so
regularly, as I had abundance of work on hand in the vessel.
The return of my young companions and the sailors was always looked
for with anxiety. On getting on board, they opened their budgets, and
laid their contents on the deck, amid much merriment, those who had
procured most specimens being laughed at by those who had obtained
the rarest, and the former joking the latter in return. A substantial
meal always awaited them, and fortunate we were in having a capital
cook, although he was a little too fond of the bottle.
Our “fourth of July” was kept sacred, and every Saturday night the
toast of “wives and sweethearts” was the first given, “parents and
friends” the last. Never was there a more merry set. Some with the
violin and flute accompanied the voices of the rest, and few moments
were spent in idleness. Before a month had elapsed, the spoils of
many a fine bird hung around the hold; shrubs and flowers were in
the press, and I had several drawings finished, some of which you
have seen, and of which I hope you will ere long see the remainder.
Large jars were filling apace with the bodies of rare birds, fishes,
quadrupeds, and reptiles, as well as molluscous animals. We had
several pets too, Gulls, Cormorants, Guillemots, Puffins, Hawks, and
a Raven. In some of the harbours, curious fishes were hooked in our
sight, so clear was the water.
We found that camping out at night was extremely uncomfortable, on
account of the annoyance caused by flies and musquitoes, which attacked
the hunters in swarms at all times, but more especially when they lay
down, unless they enveloped themselves in thick smoke, which is not
much more pleasant. Once when camping, the weather became very bad,
and the party was twenty miles distant from Whapatiguan as night threw
her mantle over the earth. The rain fell in torrents, the north-east
wind blew furiously, and the air was extremely cold. The oars of the
boats were fixed so as to support some blankets, and a small fire
was with difficulty kindled, on the embers of which a scanty meal was
cooked. How different from a camp on the shores of the Mississippi,
where wood is abundant, and the air generally not lacking heat, where
musquitoes, although plentiful enough, are not accompanied by carraboo
flies, and where the barkings of a joyful squirrel, or the notes of
the Barred Owl, that grave buffoon of our western woods, never fail
to gladden the camper as he cuts to the right and left such branches
and canes as most easily supply materials for forming a lodging for
the night! On the coast of Labrador there are no such things; granite
and green moss are spread around, silence like that of the grave
envelopes all, and when night has closed the dreary scene from your
sight, the wolves, attracted by the scent of the remains of your
scanty repast, gather around you. Cowards as they are, they dare not
venture on a charge; but their howlings effectually banish sleep. You
must almost roast your feet to keep them warm, while your head and
shoulders are chilled by the blast. When morning comes, she smiles
not on you with rosy cheeks, but appears muffled in a grey mantle of
cold mist, which shews you that there is no prospect of a fine day.
The object of the expedition, which was to procure some Owls that had
been observed there by day, was entirely frustrated. At early dawn,
the party rose stiffened and dispirited, and glad were they to betake
themselves to their boats, and return to their floating home.
Before we left Labrador, several of my young friends began to
feel the want of suitable clothing. The sailors’ ever-tailoring
system was, believe me, fairly put to the test. Patches of various
colours ornamented knees and elbows; our boots were worn out; our
greasy garments and battered hats were in harmony with our tanned
and weather-beaten faces; and, had you met with us, you might have
taken us for a squad of wretched vagrants; but we were joyous in the
expectation of a speedy return, and exulted at the thoughts of our
success.
As the chill blast that precedes the winter’s tempest thickened the
fogs on the hills and ruffled the dark waters, each successive day
saw us more anxious to leave the dreary wilderness of grim rocks and
desolate moss-clad valleys. Unfavourable winds prevented us for a
while from spreading our white sails; but at last one fair morning
smiled on the wintry world, the Ripley was towed from the harbour,
her tackle trimmed, and as we bounded over the billows, we turned our
eyes toward the wilds of Labrador, and heartily bade them farewell
for ever!
THE HERRING GULL.
_LARUS ARGENTATUS_, BRUNN.
PLATE CCXCI. MALE.
On the 22d of May 1833 I was kindly received with my party on board
the United States revenue-cutter the Swiftsure, commanded by Captain
COOLEDGE, and on the morning of the next day was landed on White
Head Island, at the entrance of the Bay of Fundy. This island is
the property of a worthy Englishman of the name of FRANKLAND, who
received us with great hospitality, gave us leave to ransack his
domains, and invited us to remain as long as we pleased. The Herring
Gulls, he said, were breeding in great numbers, and we might expect
good sport. We immediately set out in search of them, directing our
course toward the pine woods, in which we were informed we should
find them, and in approaching which we passed over an elevated marsh
of great extent. As we came up to the place I observed that many of
the Gulls had alighted on the fir-trees, while a vast number were
sailing around, and when we advanced nearer, the former took to wing,
abandoning their nests, and all flew about uttering incessant cries.
I was greatly surprised to see the nests placed on the branches,
some near the top, others about the middle or on the lower parts of
the trees, while at the same time there were many on the ground. It
is true I had been informed of this by our captain, but I had almost
believed that, on arriving at the spot, I should find the birds not to
be gulls. My doubts, however, were now dispelled, and I was delighted
to see how strangely Nature had provided them with the means of
securing their eggs and young from their arch-enemy man. My delight
was greatly increased on being afterwards informed by Mr FRANKLAND
that the strange habit in question had been acquired by these gulls
within his recollection, for, said he, “when I first came here, many
years ago, they all built their nests on the moss and in open ground;
but as my sons and the fishermen collected most of their eggs for
winter use, and sadly annoyed the poor things, the old ones gradually
began to put their nests on the trees in the thickest parts of the
woods. The youngest birds, however, still have some on the ground, and
the whole are becoming less wild since I have forbidden strangers to
rob their nests; for, gentlemen, you are the only persons out of my
family that have fired a gun on White Head Island for several years
past, and I daresay you will not commit any greater havock among them
than is necessary, and to that you are welcome.”
I was much pleased with the humanity of our host, and requested him
to let me know when all the Gulls, or the greater part of them, would
abandon the trees and resume their former mode of breeding on the
ground, which he promised to do. But I afterwards found that this was
not likely to happen, because on some other islands not far distant,
to which the fishermen and eggers have free access, these Gulls breed
altogether on the trees, even when their eggs and young are regularly
removed every year, so that their original habits have been entirely
given up. My opinion that, after being thus molested for some time
longer, they may resort to the inaccessible shelves of the high rocks
of these islands, was strengthened by Mr FRANKLAND’s informing me
that many pairs had already taken refuge in such places, where they
bred in perfect security. The most remarkable effect produced by
these changes of locality is, that the young which are hatched on
the trees or high rocks, do not leave their nests until they are able
to fly, while those on the ground run about in less than a week, and
hide themselves at the sight of man among the moss and plants, which
frequently saves them from being carried away. The young on the trees
are shaken out of their nests, or knocked down with poles, their
flesh being considered as very good by the fishermen and eggers, who
collect and salt them for winter provision.
Some of the nests which I saw were placed at a height of more than
forty feet on the trees, others, seen in the thickest parts of the
woods, were eight or ten feet from the ground, and were placed close
to the main stem, so as to be with difficulty observed. It was truly
curious to see the broad-winged birds make their way to and from
them in these secluded retreats. The nests placed on the ground were
several yards apart, and measured from fifteen to eighteen inches
in diameter, their cavity being from four to six. The lower stratum
consisted of grass, plants of various kinds, moss, and grey lichens,
and the whole was lined with fine bent, but without any feathers.
Those on the trees measured from twenty-four to twenty-six inches in
diameter externally, and were composed of the same materials, but in
greater quantity, the object of which I thought might be to allow
more space to the young while growing, as they could not enjoy the
pleasure of running about like those hatched on the ground. Perhaps,
however, the smaller size of the nests placed there may be owing to
their belonging to the younger Gulls, as I have often observed that
the older the individual the larger is its nest. Mr FRANKLAND informed
me that they frequently repair the old nests at the commencement
of the breeding season, and I found the assertion proved by my own
observation. The eggs, which are three, measure three inches in
length, by two in breadth, have an oval somewhat pyriform shape,
are rough though not granulated, and are of a dull yellowish earthy
colour, irregularly blotched and spotted with dark umber. They are
nearly as large as those of the Great Black-backed Gull; but they
differ considerably in size as well as in colour, some being more
or less rounded or elongated. The yolk is bright orange, the albumen
bluish-white; and they are excellent eating.