A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

American Avocet, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 74.

American Avocet, Recurvirostra Americana, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 168.

GENUS IX. HIMANTOPUS, Briss. STILT

Bill about twice as long as the head, very slender, roundish, tapering, slightly recurved; upper mandible with its outline slightly curved upwards, the ridge rather flattened, the sides convex, the edges inflected, the tip narrow and rather acute; nasal groove nearly half the length of the bill; lower mandible with the angle very long and narrow, the sides grooved as far as the angle. Nostrils linear, direct, subbasal. Head small, ovate, rounded above; neck very long and slender; body rather compact. Legs extremely elongated, slender; tibia bare for more than half its length, covered anteriorly with large curved scutella; tarsus very long, moderately compressed, scutellate before, reticulate on the sides; toes of moderate length, slender; first toe wanting; outer a little longer than inner, anterior toes webbed at the base. Claws small, nearly straight, moderately compressed. Plumage ordinary. Wings very long, of moderate breadth, acute, the first quill longest. Tail short, even, of twelve feathers.

356. 1. Himantopus nigricollis, Vieill. Black-necked Stilt. – Lawyer

Plate CCCXXVIII. Male.

Bill black; feet lake-coloured; upper part of head, fore part and sides of neck, and all the lower parts, together with the hind part of the back, rump, and tail, white, the middle feathers of the latter tinged with ash-grey; hind neck, fore part of back, scapulars, wings, and lower wing-coverts, bluish-black, glossed with green. Young individuals have only the forehead white, and the back greyish-brown.

Male, 141/2, 27. Female, 14, 253/4.

Rather common in Texas during spring. Breeds on different parts of the Atlantic coast, as far as Long Island. A few spend the winter about the mouths of the Mississippi. Migratory.

Long-legged Avocet, Recurvirostra Himantopus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 48.

Himantopus nigricollis, Bonap. Syn. p. 322.

Black-necked Stilt, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 8.

Black-necked Stilt, Himantopus nigricollis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 247.

GENUS X. NUMENIUS, Briss. CURLEW

Bill very long, slender, subcylindrical, slightly compressed, more or less arcuate or decurved; upper mandible with the ridge broad and flattened at the base, broad and rounded in the rest of its extent, a deep groove running from the nostrils to near the tip, which is decurved, enlarged so as to form an oblong obtuse knob, projecting beyond the point of the lower mandible, the edges rounded; lower mandible similar in its curvature to the upper, its angle extremely narrow, and extending to near the middle, the ridge rounded, the sides with a shallow groove to near the end, the edges directly meeting those of the upper, the tip obtuse. Head rather small, oblong, compressed; neck long; body compact. Feet long; tibia bare below; tarsus scaly above, scutellate for two-thirds; toes rather small, scutellate, first very small, lateral nearly equal. Claws small, compressed, blunted. Wings long, very acute, the first quill longest, some of the inner secondaries greatly elongated. Tail short, much rounded, of twelve rounded feathers.

357. 1. Numenius longirostris, Wils. Long-billed Curlew

Plate CCXXXI. Male and Female.

Bill more than four times the length of the head, nearly straight to the middle, beyond which it is slightly decurved, deep brown, toward the base dark flesh-coloured; feet light greyish-blue; general ground colour of the plumage light yellowish-red; the head marked with oblong spots; the back with spots and bars of brownish-black; alula and outer web of first four quills deep brown, the rest of the quills of the general colour, barred on both webs with dark brown, as are the tail-feathers; upper part of throat and lower eyelid whitish; neck marked with longitudinal lines of brownish-black; sides barred with the same, as are the lower larger wing-coverts; the rest of the lower parts unspotted, the sides and lower wing-coverts of a richer yellowish-red than the rest. The bill varies from seven to nine inches.

Male, 26, 40.

Resident, and breeds in the Texas and on the Islands off South Carolina. Stragglers go far north. Columbia River. Occasionally seen in the interior.

Long-billed Curlew, Numenius longirostris, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 23.

Numenius longirostris, Bonap. Syn. p. 314.

Numenius longirostris, Long-billed Curlew, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 376.

Long-billed Curlew, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 94.

Long-billed Curlew, Numenius longirostris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 240; v. v. p. 587.

358. 2. Numenius Hudsonicus, Lath. Hudsonian Curlew

Plate CCXXXVII. Male.

Bill little more than twice the length of the head, brownish-black, base of lower mandible flesh-coloured; upper part of head deep brown, with a central and two lateral lines of whitish; a brown line from the bill to the eye, and another behind the latter; neck all round pale yellowish-grey, longitudinally streaked with brown, excepting the upper part of the throat, which is greyish-white; upper parts in general blackish-brown, marked with numerous spots of brownish-white, there being several along the margins of each feather; wings and rump somewhat lighter; upper tail-coverts and tail barred with dark brown and olivaceous grey; primaries and their coverts blackish-brown, all with transverse yellowish-grey markings on the inner web, the shaft of the first quill white, of the rest brown; breast and abdomen greyish-white, the sides tinged with cream-colour and barred with greyish-brown.

Male, 18, 33.

Passes from Texas northward, returning in autumn. Abundant in the middle districts at both periods. Breeds at Hudson's Bay, and farther north.

Esquimaux Curlew, Scolopax borealis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 92.

Numenius hudsonicus, Bonap. Syn. p. 314.

Numenius hudsonicus, Hudsonian Curlew, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 377.

Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius hudsonicus, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 97.

Hudsonian Curlew, Numenius hudsonicus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 283; v. v. p. 589.

359. 3. Numenius borealis, Lath. Esquimaux Curlew

Plate CCVIII. Male and Female.

Bill half as long again as the head, slender, brownish-black, the lower mandible flesh-coloured at the base; upper part of head brownish-black, streaked with pale yellowish-brown, and having an indistinct central and two lateral lines of whitish; upper parts brownish-black, marked with numerous spots of light brownish-yellow, there being several along the margin of each feather; wing-coverts and secondaries of a lighter tint, similarly spotted; alula, primary quills, and coverts, dark brown, the shaft of the first quill white, of the rest brown; inner webs not barred as in N. Hudsonicus; tail barred with light greyish-brown and dark brown; sides of head and neck all round pale yellowish-grey, striped with dark brown; breast and sides greyish-yellow, with longitudinal and transverse dark markings; lower wing-coverts and tail-coverts similarly barred, axillars of a rufous buffy tint, regularly banded.

Male, 141/2, 273/8.

Passes in spring from Texas along the coast eastward to the Fur Countries, returning in autumn. Abundant at times in the Middle Atlantic Districts. Rarely seen in the interior. Breeds in the northern barren grounds.

Numenius borealis, Bonap. Syn. p. 314.

Numenius borealis, Esquimaux Curlew, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 378.

Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius borealis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 101.

Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius borealis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 69; v. v. p. 590.

FAMILY XXXVII. TANTALINÆ. IBISES

Bill very long, arcuate, rather stout at the base, obtuse. Nostrils basal, linear or oblong. Head bare in front, rather large or of moderate size; neck long and slender; body ovate. Legs long and rather stout; tibia bare to a large extent; tarsus reticulate, sometimes scaly in front; toes four, articulated on the same level, the anterior webbed at the base, the first more slender. Claws arched, compressed, rather obtuse. Wings long and very broad, with the second quill longest. Tail short, of twelve feathers. Tongue triangular, extremely short, flat, and thin. Œsophagus wide; stomach large, muscular, broadly elliptical, with the epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestines generally of moderate length and width, cœca very small; cloaca globular. Trachea without inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. IBIS, Cuv. IBIS

Bill very long, slender, higher than broad, compressed, tapering, arched, obtuse; upper mandible with the dorsal line arched in its whole length, the ridge convex, broader towards the end, the sides at the base erect, towards the end very convex and narrow, separated in their whole length from the ridge by a deep narrow groove, the edges inflected and sharp; lower mandible more slender, its angle very narrow, and protracted in the form of a groove to the tip. Nostrils basal, dorsal, linear. Head small, compressed, oblong, bare before the eyes; neck long and slender; body rather slender. Feet very long, slender; tarsi scutellate; anterior toes connected by membranes at the base. Claws rather small, slightly arched, pointed. Wings long, ample, with the second quill longest. Tail short, nearly even, of twelve feathers. Œsophagus wide, like that of a heron; stomach muscular.

360. 1. Ibis Falcinellus, Linn. Glossy Ibis

Plate CCCLXXXVII.

Bill black, bare part of head greyish-blue, feet greyish-black; upper part and sides of head dark glossy green, with purplish reflections; neck, part of the back anteriorly, breast, abdomen, and tibiæ, deep rich brownish-red or dark chestnut; part of the breast shaded with green, the sides dusky, tinged with green, as are the lower wing-coverts and lower tail-coverts; except the anterior edge of the wing, and the anterior scapulars, which are deep brownish-red, the upper parts splendent dark green, glossed with purple; primaries black, shaded with green; tail glossy, with purple reflection. Young, in its second plumage, with the head, neck, and lower parts greyish-brown, the head and greater part of the neck marked with small longitudinal streaks of white, of which there are two on each feather; all the upper parts blackish-green, glossy in a less degree than those of the adult.

Male, 25, 42; wing, 111/4.

Rare or accidental in the Middle Atlantic Districts; more common in South Florida and Texas, where it breeds. Rarely seen far inland. Migratory.

Ibis Falcinellus, Bonap. Syn. p. 312.

Bay or Glossy Ibis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 88.

Glossy Ibis, Ibis Falcinellus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 608.

361. 2. Ibis rubra, Linn. Scarlet Ibis

Plate CCCXCVII. Adult Male and Young.

Bill, feet, and bare parts of head, pale lake; plumage bright scarlet, excepting the quills, which are white, and the terminal portion of the outer four primaries, which are bluish-black. Young in first plumage with the bill and feet brownish-grey, the bare parts of the head pale flesh-colour; plumage of head, neck, and upper parts, brownish-grey, of lower, white.

Adult, 29; wing, 111/4.

Accidental. Three specimens seen by me in Louisiana.

Scarlet Ibis, Tantalus ruber, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 41.

Ibis rubra, Bonap. Syn. p. 311.

Scarlet Ibis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 84.

Scarlet Ibis, Ibis rubra, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 62.

362. 3. Ibis alba, Linn. White Ibis

Plate CCXXII. Adult and Young.

Bill and bare parts of the head light orange-red, feet paler; plumage pure white, excepting the ends of from three to five of the outer primaries, which are deep black, glossed with blue and green. Young with the bill greyish-yellow, the feet leaden-coloured, the plumage dull brown all over, excepting the rump, which is whitish, and the tail, which is tinged with grey. Young after first moult with the bill pale yellow, the feet pale blue; the plumage dull olivaceous brown, the quills dark, the tail lighter, the hind part of the back white, as are the breast and abdomen.

Adult, 241/2, 40.

Constant resident in South Florida, where it is abundant. Breeds along the coast to Texas, westward, and occasionally as far as New Jersey eastward, inland as far up the Mississippi as Natchez and Red River. Returns to the Floridas in autumn.

White Ibis, Tantalus albus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 43.

Ibis alba, Bonap. Syn. p. 312.

White Ibis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 86.

White Ibis, Ibis alba, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 173; v. v. p. 593.

GENUS II. TANTALUS, Linn. TANTALUS

Bill long, stout, at the base as wide as the face, deeper than broad, compressed, tapering towards the end, which is decurved; upper mandible with the ridge rather broad and flattened at the base, narrowed at the middle, convex towards the end, the sides sloping at the base, convex toward the end, the edges inflected and sharp, the tip declinate, rounded, with a notch on each side; nostrils basal, close to the ridge, direct, oblong; lower mandible with the angle rather wide, with a bare dilatable membrane, the edges erect and sharp, the tip blunted. Head of ordinary size, and with part of the hind neck bare and scurfy. Feet very long, like those of the Herons; tibia and tarsus reticulate; hind toe rather large, third longest; claws small, arched, that of the third toe not serrate. Wings long, ample, with the third quill longest. Tail of twelve broad rounded feathers.

363. 1. Tantalus Loculator, Linn. Wood Ibis

Plate CCXVI. Male.

Head all round, and hind neck half-way down, destitute of feathers, the skin wrinkled and covered with irregular scurfy scales; bill dusky yellowish-brown, sides of head dark bluish-purple, upper part of head horn-colour; legs indigo-blue; toes yellowish, with the scutella black; plumage white, tinged with yellow; alula, primary coverts, primary and secondary quills, excepting the inner, and tail, black, with green and purplish-blue reflections. Young dusky grey all over, the quills and tail brown and black, the head covered with down.

Male, 441/2, 62; bill, 9.

Resident from Texas to North Carolina, in deep woody swamps; or fresh-water lakes, not on the sea-shores; breeds on trees in swamps; moves in large flocks. Up the Mississippi to Natchez. Abundant in Florida and Lower Louisiana.

Wood Ibis, Tantalus Loculator, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 39.

Tantalus Loculator, Bonap. Syn. p. 310.

Wood Ibis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 82.

Wood Ibis, Tantalus Loculator, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 128.

GENUS III. PLATALEA, Linn. SPOONBILL

Bill very long, excessively depressed, being, when viewed laterally, very slender; but, when seen from above, nearly as broad as the head at the base, considerably contracted in the middle, and at the end expanded into a large obovate disk much broader than the head; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, at the tip decurved, the ridge extremely broad and flat, gradually widening beyond the nostrils, at the end terminated by the very small, decurved, blunt unguis, the sides declinate at the base, horizontally flattened towards the end, separated in their whole length from the ridge by a narrow groove, their margins soft and blunt; lower mandible with the angle very long, narrow, rounded, the coma narrow, and gradually flattened, the extremity expanded into a flattened disk, as in the upper; both mandibles covered with soft skin, which, for half their length, is rough, with roundish plates, having their anterior margin somewhat prominent. Nostrils basal, oblong-linear, of moderate size. Head of moderate size, flattened above; neck long and slender; body compact, ovate; legs long and rather stout; tibia bare in its lower half, and reticulate; tarsus rather long, stout, roundish, covered all round with subhexagonal scales; toes rather long, moderately stout, scutellate, at the base reticulate; first more slender, articulated at the same level, second considerably shorter than third. Claws moderate, arched, compressed, laterally grooved, rather obtuse. Head, gular sac, and a small part of neck, destitute of feathers. Wings long and very broad, the second quill longest. Tail short, even, of twelve rather broad feathers. Tongue extremely small, broader than long; gular sac dilatable; œsophagus wide, with a dilatation at the lower part of the neck; proventriculus bulbiform; stomach a powerful gizzard, roundish, with large muscular fasciculi not disposed into distinct muscles, the epithelium very thick, longitudinally fissured; intestine very long, of moderate width; cœca two slight knobs.

364. 1. Platalea Ajaja, Linn. Roseate Spoonbill

Plate CCCXXI. Male.

Bill greyish-blue, at the base mottled with dusky; feet pale lake; head yellowish-green; space around the eye and gular sac orpiment-orange; a band of black from the lower mandible to the occiput; feathers of the neck white; back and wings rose-coloured; lower parts of a deeper colour; tuft of recurved feathers on fore neck, a broad band across the wing, along the cubitus, and the upper and lower tail-coverts, rich carmine, with silky lustre; shafts of quills and scapulars light carmine; on each side of the lower part of the neck a patch of pale ochre; tail-feathers ochre-yellow, but at the base roseate.

Male, 303/4, 53. Female, 28, 48.

Constant resident in the Texas, South Florida, and as far eastward as North Carolina, where it is however very rare. Occasionally in summer up the Mississippi to Natchez. Breeds in flocks on trees, low bushes, or cactuses.

Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea Ajaja, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 123.

Platalea Ajaja, Bonap. Syn. p. 346.

Roseate Spoonbill, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 79.

Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea Ajaja, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 188.

FAMILY XXXVIII. ARDEINÆ. HERONS

Bill longer than the head, stout, tapering, compressed, pointed, its edges often irregularly serrate. Head oblong, compressed; neck very long; body much compressed. Eyes large or moderate. Nostrils basal, linear, longitudinal. Legs long, rather slender; tibia bare to a great extent; tarsus compressed, anteriorly scutellate; toes rather long, the first on the same place, of moderate size, the outer toe a little longer than the inner, and with a slight web at the base; all compressed and scutellate. Claws rather long, arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe larger and more curved. Plumage blended. Wings long, very broad, with the outer four quills longest, secondaries very long. Tail very short, nearly even, of twelve rather weak feathers. Œsophagus very wide, without dilatation; stomach small, very thin, with the inner coat soft and smooth; intestine very long and extremely narrow; no cœcal appendages, but the large intestine forming a small sac at its commencement; cloaca very large, globular. Trachea simple, generally cylindrical, with the bronchi wide, and a single pair of slender inferior laryngeal muscles. Nests large, flat, widely constructed, placed on trees, bushes, sometimes on the ground; eggs from three to four, oval, light blue. Young remain in the nest until fledged.

GENUS I. ARDEA, Linn. HERON

* Night Herons. Bill slightly longer than the head, stout, tapering, compressed, with the upper outline somewhat curved; legs of moderate length, bare part of tibia short; neck thick; body full; feathers of the neck elongated and curved backwards.

365. 1. Ardea Nycticorax, Linn. Black-crowned Night Heron. – Qua-Bird

Plate CCXXXVI. Adult and Young.

Male with the feathers of the upper and hind part of the head elongated and loose, three or four very long linear, incurved occipital feathers, not present in winter; upper part of the head and back glossy blackish-green; anterior part of forehead and elongated occipital feathers white; neck anteriorly yellowish-white, on the sides and behind shaded into pale lilac, the lower elongated feathers tinged with cream-colour; breast and abdomen white; wings, rump, and tail light greenish-blue, tinged with lilac. Female similar. Young, when fledged, with the upper parts pale purplish-brown, streaked and spotted with yellowish-white; lower parts yellowish-white, streaked with light purplish-brown. Young after first moult purplish-brown, tinged with grey above, brownish-white beneath, the upper part of the head dull greenish-black.

Male, 257/12, 44.

Resident in the Floridas and Texas, where it breeds. Migrates in spring eastward as far as Maine, up the Mississippi to Memphis. Occurs one hundred miles inland. Rather common. Returns southward early in autumn.

Night Heron or Qua-Bird, Ardea Nycticorax, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 3.

Ardea Nycticorax, Bonap. Syn. p. 306.

Qua-Bird or American Night Heron, Ardea discors, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 54.

Night Heron, Ardea Nycticorax, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 275; v. v. p. 600.

366. 2. Ardea violacea, Linn. Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Plate CCCXXXVI. Male and Young.

Male with the feathers on the upper part of the head lanceolate and acuminate, those on the occiput very long and linear; between the scapulæ two longitudinal series of very elongated feathers with loose margins, the longest extending far beyond the tail; occipital and dorsal plumes not present in winter; head and throat greenish-black, crown and band on each side below the eye white, the former tinged with reddish-yellow; general colours light greyish-blue; the feathers of the fore part of the back and wings with their central parts bluish-black, margined with bluish-white; quills and tail dark greyish-blue; edge of wings white. Female similar. Young in its first plumage dark greyish-white, beneath dull yellowish-white, streaked with dark brown.

Adult, 231/2, 431/2. Young in October 231/2, 40.

A few spend the winter in Florida. Migrates in spring as far as New Jersey, up the Mississippi to Natchez. Never goes far inland. Not very abundant. Migratory.

Yellow-crowned Heron, Ardea violacea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 26.

Ardea violacea, Bonap. Syn. p. 306.

White-crowned Heron, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 52.

Yellow-crowned Heron, Ardea violacea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 290.

** Bitterns. Bill considerably longer than the head, stout, tapering, compressed, with the upper outline slightly curved; legs of moderate length, bare part of tibia short; neck thick; body exceedingly compressed; feathers of the neck elongated and curved backwards. Trachea and bronchi wider.

367. 3. Ardea lentiginosa, Swains. American Bittern

Plate CCCXXXVII. Male and Female.

Feathers of the head and occiput elongated and loose; tail of ten feathers; bill and feet dull yellowish-green; upper part of head brownish-grey; a streak of pale buff on the eye; cheek and an oblique band to the middle of the neck light brownish-yellow, beneath which a dusky brown band from the base of the lower mandible, continuous with a gradually enlarged band of black running along the sides of the neck; upper parts yellowish-brown, patched, mottled, freckled, and barred with dark-brown; most of the quills deep greyish-blue, tipped with light reddish-brown; fore part of neck white above, yellowish-white beneath, the throat with a middle longitudinal line of yellowish-brown spots; on the rest of the neck each feather with a light brown central mark edged with darker; the rest of the lower parts dull yellowish-white, most of the feathers marked like those on the neck. Female similar, but with the upper part of the head reddish-brown.

Male, 27, 45. Female, 261/2, 421/2.

Winter resident in the Floridas. Migrates over most part of the United States. Not seen in Kentucky. Abundant in Texas. Migratory.