British Birds in Their Haunts

Part 1

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BRITISH BIRDS IN THEIR HAUNTS

By the late REV. C. A. JOHNS, F.L.S. Author of Flowers of the Field

Edited, Revised, and Annotated by J. A. OWEN Author of Birds in their Seasons, etc. Collaborator in all Books by a 'SON OF THE MARSHES'

Illustrated with 64 Coloured Plates (256 Figures) by WILLIAM FOSTER, M.B.O.U.

WITH A GLOSSARY OF COMMON AND PROVINCIAL NAMES AND OF TECHNICAL TERMS

TWELFTH EDITION

LONDON

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LIMITED

NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.

+-----------------------------------------------+ | | | UNIFORM WITH THIS WORK. | | | | Each with a series of Coloured Plates and | | Text-illustrations. | | | | FLOWERS OF THE FIELD. By C. A. JOHNS, | | F.L.S., revised by CLARENCE ELLIOTT. | | | | BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. | | By Dr. W. E. KIRBY. | | | | BRITISH FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. | | By C. T. DRUERY. | | | | BRITISH FUNGI. By GEORGE MASSEE, | | of Kew Gardens. | | | | BRITISH TREES AND SHRUBS. | | By C. A. JOHNS. Edited by E. T. COOK. | | | | ILLUSTRATED NATURAL HISTORY OF THE WORLD. | | By ERNEST PROTHEROE, F.Z.S. | | | | ALPINE PLANTS OF EUROPE. By H. S. THOMPSON. | | With 64 coloured plates. | | | | -------------- | | GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD. | | | +-----------------------------------------------+

JOHN'S BIRDS, EDITED BY OWEN.

First Edition, February, 1909; Reprinted, July, 1910; Reprinted, December, 1915; Reprinted, November, 1917; Reprinted, June, 1919; Reprinted, January, 1921; Reprinted, October, 1922; Reprinted, March, 1925; Reprinted, August, 1928; Reprinted, December, 1931; Reprinted, January, 1935; Reprinted, January, 1938.

Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London

EDITOR'S PREFACE

This admirable work by the late Rev. C. A. Johns, F.L.S., which is now offered in a new form, has already proved the making of many a naturalist and it will be a delight and help to many more nature lovers who wish to determine a species without recourse to bulky scientific works.

In editing the present edition I have carefully preserved all Mr. Johns' delightful personal stories and his descriptions of the birds and their daily life in their haunts, but I have brought the scientific arrangement of the species up to date, as well as altered the nomenclature, in accordance with present-day knowledge and use.

We begin with the Passeres because modern ornithologists are now nearly all agreed that this order attains the highest Avian development.

I have rectified statements as to the local distribution of various species which, with the progress of time and local changes, no longer apply, and have added facts here and there which I considered of some value.

The faithful and beautiful presentments made by Mr. William Foster for this new edition have no need of our commendation to the public.

J. A. OWEN.

SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF THE GENERA OF BIRDS

(Numbered in accordance with the Plates and Descriptions in this Volume.)

ORDER PASSERES (PERCHING BIRDS)

Bill various; feet adapted for perching on trees or on the ground (not for grasping, wading, or swimming); toes four, all in the same plane, three before and one behind; claws slender, curved, and acute. Food, various; that of the nestlings, perhaps in all instances, soft insects.

FAMILY TURDIDÆ (THRUSHES)

Bill as long as the head, compressed at the sides; upper mandible arched to the tip, which is not abruptly hooked, notch well marked, but not accompanied by a tooth; gape furnished with bristles; feet long, with curved claws. Food--insects, snails and fruits.

SUB-FAMILY TURDIDÆ

Part 2

Young in first plumage differ from adults in having the upper and under parts spotted.

Genus 1. TURDUS (Thrush, Blackbird, etc.) Bill moderate, compressed at the point; upper mandible notched, bending over the lower one; gape furnished with a few bristles; nostrils basal, lateral, oval, partly covered by a naked membrane; tarsus longer than the middle toe; wings and tail moderate; first primary very short or almost abortive, second shorter than the third or fourth, which are the longest. Page 1

2. SAXÍCOLA (Wheatear). Bill straight, slender, the base rather broader than high, advancing on the forehead, compressed towards the point; upper mandible keeled, curved, and notched; gape surrounded by a few bristles; nostrils basal, lateral, oval, half closed by a membrane; first primary half as long as the second, which is shorter than the third, third and fourth longest; tarsus rather long; claw of the hind toe short, strong and curved. Page 10

3. PRATÍNCOLA (Chats). Bill shorter and broader than in Saxicola; bristles at the gape strongly developed. Wings and tail rather short. Page 12

4. RUTICILLA (Redstarts). Bill slender, compressed towards the point, a little deflected and very slightly emarginate; gape with tolerably large bristles. Nostrils basal, supernal, and nearly round. Wings moderate; the first quill short; the second equal to the sixth; the third, fourth and fifth, nearly equal, and one of them the longest. Legs slender, the tarsus longer than the middle toe, and covered in front by a single scale and three inferior scutellæ. Page 14

5. ERÍTHACUS (Redbreast). Bill rather strong, as broad as it is high at the base, where it is depressed, slightly compressed towards the tip; upper mandible bending over the lower and notched, nostrils basal, oval, pierced in a membrane, partly hid by bristles diverging from the gape; first primary half as long as the second, fifth the longest; tail slightly forked. Page 16

6. DAULIAS (Nightingale). Bill rather stout, straight, as broad as high at the base; upper mandible slightly bent over at the tip; gape with a few short bristles; nostrils basal, round, pierced in a membrane; first primary very short, second and fifth equal in length, third and fourth longest; tail somewhat rounded; tarsus elongated. Page 17

SUB-FAMILY ACCENTORINÆ

Bill strong and broad at base; upper mandible overlapping lower and slightly notched at tip.

7. ACCENTOR (Hedge-sparrow). Bill of moderate length, strong, straight, tapering to a fine point; edges of both mandibles compressed and bent inwards, the upper notched near the tip; nostrils naked, basal, pierced in a large membrane; feet strong; claw of the hinder toe longest, and most curved; first primary almost obsolete, the second nearly equal to the third, which is the longest. Page 20

SUB-FAMILY SYLVIINÆ

Young on leaving nest differ slightly in colour from adults.

8. SYLVIA (Whitethroats, Blackcap, Warblers). Bill rather stout, short, not very broad at base; upper mandible decurved towards point, which is slightly emarginate; nostrils basal, lateral, oval, and exposed; gape with bristles. Wings moderate, first quill very short. Tail with twelve feathers, generally rounded. Tarsus scutellate in front and longer than middle toe; toes and claws short. Page 21

9. ACROCÉPHALUS (Reed, Marsh, Sedge, and Aquatic Warblers). Bill nearly straight, with culmen elevated, wide at base, compressed towards tip, and slightly emarginate; edges of lower mandible inflected; nostrils basal, oblique, oval, and exposed; moderately developed bristles at gape. Forehead narrow, depressed. Wings rather short, first quill minute, third usually longest. Tail rounded, rather long. Legs long; feet large and stout, hind toe strong; claws long and moderately curved. Page 25

10. LOCUSTELLA (Grasshopper Warbler). Differs from other Sylviinæ chiefly in its more rounded tail and longer under tail-coverts. The late Professor Newton found the tendons of the tibial muscles strongly ossified in this genus. Page 28

11. PHYLLÓSCOPUS (Chiff-chaff, Willow and Wood-warblers). Bill slender, rather short; upper mandible decurved from middle and compressed towards tip, which is very slightly notched; nostrils basal, lateral, oblong, partly operculate, membrane clothed with small bristle-tipped feathers, internasal ridge very thin; gape beset with hairs. Wings rather long, first quill comparatively large, third or fourth longest. Tail slightly forked, twelve feathers. Tarsus scaled in front, rather long. Toes long, claws curved. Page 30

SUB-FAMILY REGULINÆ

Arboreal. Each nostril covered by a single stiff feather.

12. RÉGULUS (Gold and Fire-crested Wrens). Bill very slender, awl-shaped, straight, compressed; cutting edges bent inwards about the middle; nostrils partly concealed by small bristly feathers, directed forwards; first primary very short, second much shorter than the third, fourth and fifth longest; tail moderate; tarsus slender, rather long. Page 33

FAMILY PARIDÆ (TITS)

Bill short, straight, conical, sharp-pointed, destitute of a notch; nostrils basal, concealed by reflected bristly hairs. Small birds, remarkable for their activity, not highly gifted with musical power, constantly flitting and climbing about trees and bushes, which they examine for small insects, suspending themselves in all attitudes, feeding also on grains and fruits, and not sparing small birds when they are able to overpower them.

13. ACRÉDULA (Long-tailed Tit). Bill much compressed, both mandibles curved, upper considerably longer than lower. Eyelids with wide bare margins. Length of wing quills increases to fourth and fifth, which are longest. Tail very long, narrow, graduated, outer feathers one-third length of middle pair. Tarsus long, feet moderate. Page 35

14. PARUS (Great, Blue, Cole, Marsh, and Crested Tits). Bill slightly compressed, upper mandible hardly longer than lower. First wing quill short, fourth or fifth longest. Tail moderate, even or slightly rounded. Tarsus moderate, feet strong. Page 37

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