part i

. p. 25.

Adult Male. CXCII. Fig. 1.

Bill of moderate length, strong, compressed; upper mandible with the dorsal outline a little arched, the tip declinate, the edges sharp and inflected towards the strong process, which is separated from the tip by a deep sinus; lower mandible with the dorsal line convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the acute tip ascending. Nostrils basal, lateral, half closed by an arched membrane. Head large, neck short, body robust. Feet of ordinary length; tarsus rather short, compressed, anteriorly scutellate, sharp behind; toes five, the lateral ones nearly equal, the hind toe stouter; claws arched, compressed, acute.

Plumage soft, blended. Long bristles at the base of the bill. Wings of ordinary length, the fourth quill longest, third little shorter, second shorter than sixth, first about half the length of second; secondaries rounded, with a minute tip. Tail long, straight, graduated; of twelve rounded feathers.

Bill brownish-black at the end, paler towards the base, the edges of both mandibles and the basal part of the lower, flesh-colour tinged with yellow. Iris hazel. Feet brownish-black. The upper parts are light ash-grey, the ends of the scapulars, and the rump feathers and upper tail-coverts, greyish-white; a streak of the same colour over the eye; the lore and ear-coverts brownish-black. The first row of smaller wing-coverts, the primary and secondary coverts, and the quills, brownish-black; the latter, especially the secondary quills, as well as their coverts, tipped with white. Base of the primaries white, forming a conspicuous spot on the wing. Tail-feathers brownish-black; outer web of the outermost, with more than a third of the inner web from the tip, white; the extremities of all the rest, excepting the two middle, of the same colour, which gradually occupies less extent on the inner feathers. The whole under surface greyish white, tinged with brown on the fore part of the breast, which is transversely marked with faint undulating bars of dark grey, as are the sides.

Length 10¼ inches, extent of wings 14; bill along the back ¾, along the edge of lower mandible 1-2/12; tarsus 1-1/12.

Adult Female. Plate CXCII. Fig. 2.

The female differs from the male only in having the head and neck slightly tinged with brown, the band before the eye obscure, and the under parts with more numerous undulated lines.

Adult Male in summer. Plate CXCII. Fig. 3.

The grey of the upper parts tinged with brown, the white of the lower with yellowish-brown, in other respects the same.

Young bird. Plate CXCII. Fig. 4.

The bill greyish-blue, at the end brownish-black, the upper parts grey, deeply tinged with brown, with which the quills and their coverts are margined; the upper tail-coverts transversely barred; the whitish line over the eye less distinct, the ear-coverts dark brown, the lower parts pale grey, tinged with brown, and undulated all over; the four middle tail-feathers black.

The older the birds are, the more pure and pale does the grey of the upper parts become, while the undulations of the lower parts gradually disappear, although I have not seen an individual in which they were altogether obliterated.

On comparing this bird with the _Lanius Excubitor_ of Europe, I cannot perceive any differences that could induce me for a moment to conceive them distinct. The relative length of the quills, the length of the bill and tarsus, the general form, size, and colouring, differ in no essential respect. I am, therefore, decidedly of opinion that our Shrike is the same bird as that which occurs in Europe. The old female, as has been stated above, differs little in tint from the old male, the younger birds only (of both sexes) being deeply browned. A fine adult male which was shot near Edinburgh, and is preserved in the beautiful Museum of the University of that city, agrees in all respects with specimens from America in my possession.

CRATÆGUS APIIFOLIA, _Mich._ Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 287. _Pursh_, Fl. Amer. Sept. vol. i. p. 336.—ICOSANDRIA PENTAGYNIA, _Linn._ ROSACEÆ, _Juss._

This species of Hawthorn bears a great resemblance to that so common in Europe. It grows on the banks of rivers and in damp woods in several of the Southern States, and attains a height of twelve or fifteen feet. The leaves are somewhat triangular in their general outline, inciso-lobate, the lobes acute and deeply toothed; the flowers white, and the berries ovate or oblong, of a deep red colour.

LINCOLN'S FINCH.

_FRINGILLA LINCOLNII._

PLATE CXCIII. MALE AND FEMALE.

We had been in Labrador nearly three weeks before this Finch was discovered. One morning while the sun was doing his best to enliven the gloomy aspect of the country, I chanced to enter one of those singular small valleys here and there to be seen. The beautiful verdure of the vegetation, the numerous flowers that grew sprinkled over the ground, the half-smothered pipings of some frogs, and the multitudes of mosquitoes and flies of various sorts, seemed to belong to a region very different from any that I had previously explored. But if the view of this favoured spot was pleasing to my eye, how much more to my ear were the sweet notes of this bird as they came thrilling on the sense, surpassing in vigour those of any American Finch with which I am acquainted, and forming a song which seemed a compound of those of the Canary and Wood-lark of Europe. I immediately shouted to my companions, who were not far distant. They came, and we all followed the songster as it flitted from one bush to another to evade our pursuit. No sooner would it alight than it renewed its song; but we found more wildness in this species than in any other inhabiting the same country, and it was with difficulty that we at last procured it. Chance placed my young companion, THOMAS LINCOLN, in a situation where he saw it alight within shot, and with his usual unerring aim, he cut short its career. On seizing it, I found it to be a species which I had not previously seen; and, supposing it to be new, I named it _Tom's Finch_, in honour of our friend LINCOLN, who was a great favourite among us. Three cheers were given him, when, proud of the prize, I returned to the vessel to draw it, while my son and his companions continued to search for other specimens. Many were procured during our stay in that country. They became more abundant and less shy the farther north we proceeded, but no longer sang, in consequence of the advance of the season. We did not, however, succeed in finding a nest.

The habits of this sweet songster resemble those of the Song Sparrow. Like it, mounted on the topmost twig of the tallest shrub or tree it can find, it chants for hours; or, diving into the thickets, it hops from branch to branch, until it reaches the ground, in search of those insects and berries from which it derives its support. It moves swiftly off when it discovers an enemy; and, if forced to take wing, flies low and rapidly to some considerable distance, jerking its tail as it proceeds, and throwing itself at the foot of the thickest bush it meets. I found it mostly near streams, and always in the small valleys, guarded from the cold winds so prevalent in the country, and which now and then nip the vegetation, and destroy many of the more delicate birds.

Like every other species of the genus, Lincoln's Finch is petulant and pugnacious. Two males often chase each other, until the weaker is forced to abandon the valley, and seek refuge in another. On this account I seldom saw more than two or three pairs in a tract seven or eight miles in extent.

On the 4th of July, the young were out of the nest, following their parents; and as, from that time, the old birds ceased to sing, I concluded that they raise only one brood each year. Before we left Labrador, these Finches had all disappeared. In what parts this species passes the winter is unknown to me; nay, I never met with it in any of the Southern States, although I saw several specimens in the collection of the learned WILLIAM COOPER, Esq. of New York, that had been procured in the vicinity of that city.

The plants represented along with a pair of these birds, grew in the little valley in which the first individual seen by us was procured. They were taken up with a spade from the midst of a rich broad bed of mosses, and may serve to convey an idea of the nature of the vegetation of those places.

LINCOLN'S FINCH, FRINGILLA LINCOLNII.

Adult Male. Plate CXCIII. Fig. 1.

Bill short, conical, acute; upper mandible almost straight in its dorsal outline, rounded on the sides; lower mandible slightly convex beneath, the sides rounded; edges of both sharp and inflected; gap-line deflected at the base. Nostrils basal, roundish, partially concealed by the feathers. Head rather large, neck short, body rather full. Feet of moderate length, slender; tarsus covered anteriorly with a few longish scutella; toes free, scutellate above, the lateral ones nearly equal; hind-toe not much stouter; claws slender, compressed, slightly arched, acute.

Plumage soft, blended, the feathers somewhat distinct on the back, slightly glossed. Wings shortish, curved, second and third quills longest, and equal, first almost as long as fifth; secondaries long and rounded. Tail rather long, graduated and emarginate, of twelve straight, narrow rather acute feathers.

Bill dark brown at the end, greyish-blue at the base. Iris brown. Feet yellowish-brown. The upper part of the head has a greyish-blue band in the centre, and two at the sides, the intermediate spaces chestnut, streaked with brownish-black. The general colour of the upper parts is yellowish-brown, with streaks of brownish-black. Quills and larger coverts deep brown, margined externally with yellowish-brown, and the latter slightly tipped with whitish. Tail yellowish-brown, the outer feathers paler. Cheeks of the same tint, tinged with grey, beneath which is a curved band of ochraceous yellow; throat white, streaked with dusky, and having a line of dusky spots on each side; fore part of the breast, and the sides pale greyish-yellow, streaked with dusky, the rest greyish-white.

Length 5¾ inches, extent of wings 8-2/12; bill along the ridge 5/12, along the edge 7/12; tarsus 10/12.

Adult Female. Plate CXCIII. Fig. 2.

The female differs from the male only in having the tints a little duller.

This species belongs to the same group as the Yellow-winged, the Savannah, Henslow's and Bachman's Finches.

THE SWEDISH OR DWARF CORNEL. Fig. 1.

CORNUS SUECICA, _Linn._ Sp. Pl. p. 171. _Willd._ Sp. Pl. vol. i. p. 660.—TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA, _Linn._ CAPRIFOLIA, _Juss._

A small herbaceous plant with stems from three to five or six inches high, with opposite, ovate, acute leaves, and two branches, between which is the involucrum of four large unequal white leaves, containing an umbel of dark purple flowers. The berry is red, and has a sweetish taste.

THE CLOUDBERRY.

RUBUS CHAMÆMORUS, _Linn._ Sp. Pl. p. 708. _Willd._ Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 1090. _Pursh_, Flor. Amer. Sept. vol. i. p. 349. —ICOSANDRIA POLYGYNIA, _Linn._ ROSACEÆ, _Juss._

A herbaceous bramble with simple, plaited, and lobed leaves; stem without prickles, undivided and single-flowered. The flowers are white, the berries large and of a yellowish-red colour. They are ripe in July, when they drop from the stalk at the slightest touch, make an excellent preserve, and are collected by Indians, fishermen, and eggers, in great quantities. In Newfoundland I found them larger and better than in Labrador. Their ripeness is a sure intimation of the arrival of the Esquimaux Curlew (_Numenius borealis_), which comes in clouds from the north, to feed upon them.

THE GLAUCOUS KALMIA.

KALMIA GLAUCA, _Willd._ Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 601. _Pursh_, Flor. Amer. Sept. vol. i. p. 296.—DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA, _Linn._

A small shrubby plant, with brown bark, opposite, sessile, ovato-oblong leaves, which have the margins revolute and the under surface glaucous; and terminal bracteated corymbs of beautiful rose-coloured flowers.

THE HUDSON'S BAY TITMOUSE.

_PARUS HUDSONICUS_, LATH.

PLATE CXCIV. MALE, FEMALE, AND YOUNG.

Nothing ever gave me more pleasure than the meeting with a bird long since discovered, at a time when I could fully study its habits. I had frequently searched for this interesting little Titmouse in the State of Maine, where it breeds, but always without success, nor was it until I visited Labrador, that I had an opportunity of seeing it.

On the 18th of July, after an early breakfast (at three o'clock), my party, accompanied by our captain and myself, left the Ripley in three boats for the main shore, distant about five miles. Although the fog was thick, the wind was fair, and we reached the land in safety, when we immediately commenced our search for birds. Having traversed an extensive marsh, without finding any thing of interest, the captain and I, fatigued and depressed by our want of success, retired to what in that country is called a wood, with the hope of mending our fortune. We separated and with great difficulty made our way among the stubborn tangled trees. Only a few minutes had elapsed when the report of my companion's gun reached my ear, and I at the same time heard him shout to me to come up as quickly as possible. This I managed to do after a while, and with much tugging and tearing; but as I approached him I heard with joy the notes of the Canada Titmouse. One had been shot, and a nest had been found. Securing both the parents and the young, which had leaped out on hearing the guns, we sat down to examine the curious fabric the birds had reared for their brood.

The nest was placed at the height of not more than three feet from the ground, in the hollow of a decayed low stump, scarcely thicker than a man's leg, the whole so rotten that it crumbled to pieces on being touched. I cautiously removed the woody enclosure, and took possession of the nest, which I obtained in perfect order. It was shaped like a purse, eight inches in depth, two in diameter inside, its sides about half an inch thick. It was entirely composed of the finest fur of different quadrupeds, but principally of the great northern hare, so thickly and ingeniously matted throughout, that it looked as if it had been felted by the hand of man. It was quite elastic throughout, and rather wider at the bottom, probably in consequence of the natural growth of the young. The captain told me that he had seen the parents enter the stump, and that on his walking towards it he was immediately assailed, not only by the owners of the nest, but by several other pairs of the same species, all of which, however, had retired when I reached the spot. It is probable they had nests in the vicinity, but we did not succeed in finding any. The male, which was shot last, several times flew at me so close, that I attempted to catch it alive, but it always eluded my grasp with dexterity, perched on a low branch, and emitted its angry _te-te-te-tee_. The young I carried on board alive.

This hardy little bird resembles in its manners the other species of its interesting and beautiful tribe; but as the habits of our Titmice are so well known, and have been so frequently spoken of by me, I shall not here trouble you with unnecessary repetitions. Its notes resemble those of our southern Black-headed Titmouse, but are much weaker.

This species is much scarcer in those parts of Labrador which I visited than in Newfoundland, where I found it as abundant as our northern Black-headed Titmouse. The old and young birds were moving in groups in the direction of Nova Scotia, whither I suppose they all retire in the autumn, and where I have seen the species along the roads between Halifax and Windsor. Many breed in that province, as well as in New Brunswick, and, as I have said, in Maine, where my young friend LINCOLN has at times found them. None have ever been seen as far south as even Massachusetts.

I have represented the male, the female, and the young, in the plumage in which I found them. The brown of the head is much duller in winter than in summer. The young do not acquire it until towards the spring following their birth.

PARUS HUDSONICUS, _Lath._ Index Ornith. vol. ii. p. 566.

HUDSON'S BAY TITMOUSE, Phil. Trans. vol. lxii. p. 408.—_Penn._ Arct. Zool. vol. ii. No. 329.—_Lath._ Synops. vol. iv. p. 557. p. 24.

Adult Male, in summer. Plate CXCIV. Fig. 1.

Bill short, straight, of moderate strength, somewhat conical, compressed towards the end; both mandibles with the dorsal outline a little convex, the sides sloping and slightly convex, the edges sharp, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by the recumbent feathers. The general form is slender. Feet proportionally large; tarsus of moderate length, anteriorly covered with a few long scutella, and sharp behind; hind toe very large and strong, the two lateral nearly equal, the outer united at the base with the middle; claws large, arched, much compressed, very acute.

Plumage blended, tufty. Wings of moderate length, the fourth quill longest, fifth almost equal, third scarcely shorter than fourth, first very short. Tail long, much rounded, of twelve rather narrow, rounded feathers.

Bill black. Iris very dark brown. Feet lead-colour. The general tint of the upper parts is dull leaden, tinged with light brown, the head umber brown; primaries edged with pale greyish-blue. The throat and fore neck are deep black, that colour being separated from the brown of the head by a broad band of white running under the eye: The breast and belly greyish-white, the sides light yellowish-brown.

Length 5 inches, extent of wings 7; bill along the ridge 3½/12, along the edge 5/12; tarsus 7/12, middle toe with the claw 6/12, hind toe the same.

Adult Female, in summer. Plate CXCIV. Fig. 2.

The female resembles the male, but the upper parts are deeply tinged with brown, and the head and throat are of a lighter tint.

Young fully fledged. Plate CXCIV. Fig. 3.

Bill greyish-blue. Upper parts of a dull greenish-grey. The throat marked as in the adult, the under parts pale greyish tinged with brown.

The plant represented in this plate is abundant in Labrador, Newfoundland, and our Northern States. It is a species of _Prunus_, and attains a height of eight or ten feet.

THE RUBY-CROWNED REGULUS.

_REGULUS CALENDULA_, STEPHENS.

PLATE CXCV. MALE AND FEMALE.

The history of this diminutive bird is yet in a great measure unknown; and, although I have met with it in places where it undoubtedly breeds, I have not succeeded in finding its nest.

On the 27th June 1833, while some of my party and myself were rambling over the deserts of Labrador, the notes of a warbler came on my ear, and I listened with delight to the harmonious sounds that filled the air around, and which I judged to belong to a species not yet known to me. The next instant I observed a small bird perched on the top of a fir tree, and on approaching it, recognised it as the vocalist that had so suddenly charmed my ear and raised my expectations. We all followed its quick movements, as it flew from tree to tree backwards and forwards without quitting the spot, to which it seemed attached. At last, my son JOHN raised his gun, and, on firing, brought down the bird, which fell among the brushwood, where we in vain searched for it.

The next day we chanced to pass along the same patch of dwarf wood, in search of the nests of certain species of ducks, of which I intend to speak on another occasion. We were separated from the woods by a deep narrow creek; but the recollection of the loss of the bird, which I was sure had been killed, prompted me to desire my young friends to dash across and again search for it. In an instant six of us were on the opposite shore, and dispersed among the woods. My son was so fortunate as to find the little Regulus among the moss near the tree from which it had fallen, and brought it to me greatly disappointed. Not so was I; for I had never heard the full song of the Ruby-crowned Wren, and as I looked at it in my hand, I could not refrain from exclaiming—"And so this is the tiny body of the songster from which came the loud notes I heard yesterday!" When I tell you that its song is fully as sonorous as that of the Canary Bird, and much richer, I do not come up to the truth, for it is not only as powerful and clear, but much more varied and pleasing to the ear. We looked for its mate and its nest, but all around us was silent as death, or only filled with the hum of millions of insects. I made a drawing of it in what may be truly called its full spring plumage. A month later, the young of this species were seen feeding among the bushes.

The Ruby-crowned Wren is found in Louisiana and other Southern States, from November until March. Near Charleston, in January last, they were very abundant. The old birds were easily distinguished from the young, without shooting them, on account of the curious difference in their habits, for while the latter kept together among the lowest bushes, the former were generally seen on the top branches of high trees. I have not observed a similar difference in _Regulus tricolor_. The rich vermilion spot of the head in the present species was wanting in the young, that part being of the same plain colour as the back. I have found this bird in Kentucky also during winter, but generally in southern exposures, and usually in company with the Brown Creeper and the Titmouse.

The little bird of which I speak appears to feed entirely on small insects and their larvæ; and I have often thought it wonderful that there should seem to be no lack of food for it even during weather sometimes too cold for the birds themselves. It appears to migrate during the day only, and merely by passing from one bush to another, or hopping among the twigs, until a large piece of water happens to come in its way, when it rises obliquely to the height of above twenty yards, and then proceeds horizontally in short undulations. It emits a feeble chirp at almost every motion. So swiftly, however, does it perform its migration from Louisiana to Newfoundland and Labrador, that although it sometimes remains in the first of these countries until late in March, it has young in the latter by the end of June; and the brood is able to accompany the old birds back to the south in the beginning of August.

The pair before you are placed on a plant which occurs in abundance from Maine to Labrador.

REGULUS CALENDULA, _Ch. Bonaparte_, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 91.

RUBY-CROWNED WREN, SYLVIA CALENDULA, _Wils._ Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 83. pl. 5. fig 3.—_Nuttall_, Manual,