Part 95

Bill bright yellow, the ridge of the upper mandible dusky. Iris pale yellow. Feet as in the adult. The upper part of the head blackish-grey, the hind neck, and the upper parts generally, of the same colour, but darker towards the rump; the edge of the wing and the outer secondaries greyish-white, the latter grey towards the end. The lower parts greyish-white.

THE DUSKY PETREL.

PUFFINUS OBSCURUS, CUV.

PLATE CCXCIX. MALE.

On the 26th of June 1826, while becalmed on the Gulf of Mexico, off the western shores of Florida, I observed that the birds of this species, of which some had been seen daily since we left the mouth of the Mississippi, had become very numerous. The mate of the vessel killed four at one shot, and, at my request, brought them on board. From one of them I drew the figure which has been engraved. The notes made at the time are now before me, and afford me the means of presenting you with a short account of the habits of this bird.

They skim very low over the sea in search of the floating bunches of marine plants, usually called the Gulf Weed, so abundant here as sometimes to occupy a space of half an acre or more. In proceeding, they flap their wings six or seven times in succession, and then sail for three or four seconds with great ease, having their tail much spread, and their long wings extended at right angles with the body. On approaching a mass of weeds, they raise their wings obliquely, drop their legs and feet, run as it were on the water, and at length alight on the sea, where they swim with as much ease as ducks, and dive freely, at times passing several feet under the surface in pursuit of the fishes, which, on perceiving their enemy, swim off, but are frequently seized with great agility. Four or five, sometimes fifteen or twenty of these birds, will thus alight, and, during their stay about the weeds, dive, flutter, and swim, with all the gaiety of a flock of ducks newly alighted on a pond. Many gulls of different kinds hover over the spot, vociferating their anger and disappointment at not being so well qualified for supplying themselves with the same delicate fare. No sooner have all the fishes disappeared than the Petrels rise, disperse, and extend their flight in search of more, returning perhaps in a while to the same spot. I heard no sound or note from any of them, although many came within twenty yards of the ship and alighted there. Whenever an individual settled in a spot, many others flew up directly and joined it. At times, as if by way of resting themselves, they alighted, swam lightly, and dipped their bills frequently in the water, in the manner of Mergansers.

I preserved the skins of the four specimens procured. One of them I sent to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, by Captain JOHN R. BUTLER, of the ship Thalia, then bound from Havannah to Minorca. Two others were presented to my excellent friend Dr TRAILL, on my first becoming acquainted with him at Liverpool.

I found the wings of this species strong and muscular for its size, this structure being essentially requisite for birds that traverse such large expanses of water, and are liable to be overtaken by heavy squalls. The stomach resembles a leather purse, four inches in length, and was much distended with fishes of various kinds, partially digested or entire. The œsophagus is capable of being greatly expanded. Some of the fishes were two and a half inches in length, and one in depth. The flesh of this Petrel was fat, but tough, with a strong smell, and unfit for food; for, on tasting it, as is my practice, I found it to resemble that of the porpoises. No difference is perceptible in the sexes.

While on board the United States’ Revenue Cutter the Marion, and in the waters of the Gulf Stream opposite Cape Florida, I saw a flock of these birds, which, on our sailing among them, would scarcely swim off from our bows, they being apparently gorged with food. As we were running at the rate of about ten knots, we procured none of them. I have also seen this species off Sandy Hook.

PROCELLARIA OBSCURA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 828.

PUFFINUS OBSCURUS, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 371.

DUSKY PETREL, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 416.—Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 337.

Adult Male. Plate CCXCIX.

Bill about the length of the head, straight, somewhat cylindrical, the tips curved. Nostrils tubular, separate, inclosed in a horny sheath, and dorsal, the outline straight, curved on the unguis, the sides nearly erect, convex, the edges sharp, hard, and inflected, the tip decurved, strong. Lower mandible straight, the angle very narrow and extending nearly to the tip, the dorsal line beyond it decurved, the sides convex and inclining inwards, the edges sharp and inflected.

Head of moderate size. Neck of ordinary length; body ovate. Feet stout; tibia bare a short way above the joint; tarsus of moderate length, rather stout, reticulate; hind toe a very slight knob, with a small conical claw; fore toes long, slender, connected by reticulated webs with concave margins, the outer toe slightly longer than the third. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed obtuse.

Plumage soft, full; the feathers rounded, those of the back and wings rather compact. Wings long; primaries tapering, rounded, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries of moderate length, rounded. Tail rather short, much rounded, of twelve feathers.

Bill light blue, the tips black, mouth light blue. Edges of eyelids light blue, iris bluish-black. Outside of tarsus and toes indigo-black, inside and webs pale yellowish-flesh-colour; claws bluish-black. The upper parts are sooty black, the lower pure white.

Length to end of tail 11 inches, to end of wings 10-1/2, to end of claws 11-1/4; extent of wings 26-1/2; bill along the back 1-4/12, along the edge of lower mandible 1-3/4; tarsus 1-1/2; outer toe 2, its claw (2-1/2)/12.

THE GOLDEN PLOVER.

CHARADRIUS PLUVIALIS, LINN.

PLATE CCC. ADULT IN SPRING AND IN WINTER, AND VARIETY.

The Golden Plover spends the autumn, winter, and part of the spring, in various portions of the United States, appearing in considerable numbers both along the coast and in the interior, and not unfrequently on our highest grounds. A much greater number, however, proceed in severe winters beyond the limits of our Southern States, and the partial migrations of this species are much influenced by the state of the weather. They are more abundant along the sea shores of the Middle and Eastern Districts, from the middle of April to the beginning of May, whereas in autumn they range over the interior, and more especially the western prairies. In the early part of May they congregate in immense flocks, and commence their journey toward more northern regions, where they are said to breed.

The account which WILSON gave of this species refers in part to the “Bull-headed Plover,” Charadrius helveticus, although his figure cannot be mistaken for that of the latter, even in its first autumnal dress. But the Editor of the second edition of WILSON’s work has rejected the Golden Plover as an American Bird, although he might have frequently seen it in the very markets of Philadelphia. The Prince of Musignano corrected this error, in his valuable “Observations on the Nomenclature of WILSON’s Ornithology.” Mr SELBY, in speaking of the Golden Plover, gives it as his opinion, that the bird so called in America, differs from that of Europe. This opinion, however, I cannot consider as correct, as I have seen and examined the Golden Plovers of both countries, and have found their manners, tone of voice, and appearance, precisely similar.

This bird moves on the ground with sprightliness. When observed, it often runs with considerable rapidity to some distance, suddenly stops short, nods once or twice, vibrating its body at the same time, and if it should imagine itself unnoticed, it often lies down and remains crouched until the danger is over. At the time of their departure from the north, and while on the sands or mud-bars on the sea shore, they often raise their wings as if to air them for a few moments. While searching for food, they move in a direct manner, often look sideways toward the ground, and pick up the object of their search by a peculiar bending movement of the body. They are frequently observed to pat the moist earth with their feet, to force worms from their burrows. In autumn they betake themselves to the higher grounds, where berries as well as insects are to be met with, and where they find abundance of grasshoppers.

When travelling to a considerable distance, the Golden Plover flies at the height of from thirty to sixty feet, in a regular manner, with considerable velocity, the flock, when large, forming an extended front, and moving with regular flappings, an individual now and then uttering a mellow note. Before alighting they often perform various evolutions, now descending and flying swiftly over the ground, then curving upwards or sidewise, closing and extending their ranks, until the sportsman is often tired of watching them, and, after all, the flock, just when he expects it to alight, may suddenly shoot off and fly to a distance. When they alight within shooting distance, the moment their feet touch the ground is the critical one, for they are generally in a compact body, and almost immediately afterwards they disperse. I have often observed them while flying from one place to another, suddenly check their course for a moment or two, as if to look at the objects below, in the manner of Curlews.

While at New Orleans, on the 16th of March 1821, I was invited by some French gunners to accompany them to the neighbourhood of Lake St John, to witness the passage of thousands of these birds, which were coming from the north-east, and continuing their course. At the first appearance of the birds early in the morning, the gunners had assembled in parties of from twenty to fifty at different places, where they knew from experience that the Plovers would pass. There stationed, at nearly equal distances from each other, they were sitting on the ground. When a flock approached, every individual whistled in imitation of the Plover’s call-note, on which the birds descended, wheeled, and passing within forty or fifty yards, ran the gauntlet as it were. Every gun went off in succession, and with such effect that I several times saw a flock of a hundred or more reduced to a miserable remnant of five or six individuals. The game was brought up after each volley by the dogs, while their masters were charging their pieces anew. This sport was continued all day, and at sunset, when I left one of these lines of gunners, they seemed as intent on killing more as they were when I arrived. A man near the place where I was seated had killed sixty-three dozens. I calculated the number in the field at two hundred, and supposing each to have shot twenty dozen, forty-eight thousand Golden Plovers would have fallen that day.

On inquiring if these passages were of frequent occurrence, I was told that six years before, such another had occurred immediately after two or three days of very warm weather, when they came up with a breeze from the north-east. Only some of the birds were fat, the greater number of those which I examined being very lean; scarcely any had food in their stomach, and the eggs in the ovaries of the females were undeveloped. The next morning the markets were amply supplied with Plovers at a very low price.

I have again applied to my friend WILLIAM MACGILLIVRAY for an account of the manners of this species during the breeding season, which I now lay before you.