A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

American Bittern, Ardea minor, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 35.

Ardea minor, Bonap. Syn. p. 307.

American Bittern, Ardea lentiginosa, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 374.

American Bittern, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 60.

American Bittern, Ardea minor, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 296.

368. 4. Ardea exilis, Wils. Least Bittern

Plate CCX. Male, Female, and Young.

Bill rather slender; feathers on the crown and occiput somewhat elongated and loose. Male with the upper part of the head, back, and tail, glossy greenish-black, some of the lateral feathers edged with white; sides of head and hind part of neck light chestnut; wing-coverts brownish-yellow; quills purplish-grey, tipped with yellowish-brown, inner secondaries broadly margined with light chestnut, of which colour also are the secondary coverts and edge of the wing at the flexure; throat and fore neck reddish-white, with a series of reddish-brown spots; fore part of breast, under the elongated feathers, blackish-brown; the rest of the lower parts reddish-white; tibia reddish-brown in front. Female smaller, with the colours duller, the upper part of the head inclining to brown. Young with the upper parts light brownish-red, variegated with brownish-yellow; primary quills and tail black.

Male, 131/2, 173/4. Female, 12, wing 143/4.

Resident in Florida. Migrates in spring eastward as far as Maine, and throughout the Western Country, far up the Missouri. Retires southward in winter. Texas.

Least Bittern, Ardea exilis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 37.

Ardea exilis, Bonap. Syn. p. 308.

Least Bittern, Ardea exilis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 66.

Least Bittern, Ardea exilis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 77; v. v. p. 606.

369. 5. Ardea virescens, Linn. Green Heron

Plate CCCXXXIII. Male and Young.

Bill rather slender; feathers of the crown and occiput elongated, of the fore part of the back much elongated and acuminate. Upper part of the head and nape glossy deep green; neck purplish-red behind, with an anterior longitudinal band of white, spotted with dusky brown; elongated feathers of the back greyish-green, changing to bluish-grey, with the shafts bluish-white; scapulars, wing-coverts, and inner secondaries deep glossy green, bordered with yellowish-white; primaries and outer secondaries greyish-blue tinged with green; hind part of back and tail deep green; lower parts pale purplish tinged with yellow; lower tail-coverts greyish-white. Young in first plumage without the elongated feathers on the back, otherwise similar, but with the wing-coverts tipped with a triangular white spot, the lower parts chiefly white with brown streaks.

Male, 173/4, 27. Female, 17, 25.

Resident in the Floridas and along the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. In spring and summer disperses over the whole country as far as Maine, and up the Missouri. Returns southward at the approach of winter. Very common.

Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 97.

Ardea virescens, Bonap. Syn. p. 307.

Green Heron, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 63.

Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 274.

*** Bill much longer than the head, with its outline scarcely curved; legs very long, tibiæ bare to a great extent; feathers of the lower fore neck very long and tapering. Ardea and Egretta of authors.

370. 6. Ardea occidentalis, Aud. Great White Heron

Plate CCLXXXI. Male.

Bill, tibiæ, and hind part of tarsi yellow; anterior part of the latter and toes dull green; feathers of the head elongated, lanceolate, and loose, of the back not much elongated; plumage entirely pure white.

Male, 54, 83. Female, 50, 75.

Resident in the Southern Florida Keys. Texas. Never seen to the eastward of Cape Florida, nor on the mainland. Common.

Great White Heron, Ardea occidentals, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 542; v. v. p. 596.

371. 7. Ardea Herodias, Linn. Great Blue Heron

Plate CCXI. Male.

Bill dusky green above, yellow beneath; feet dull green, paler behind; feathers of the head long, tapering, decurved, two of them extremely elongated; very long, tapering, pointed feathers from the anterior part of the back; forehead pure white, the rest of the crest feathers bluish-black; throat white, neck pale purplish-brown, the elongated feathers beneath greyish-white, with part of the inner webs purplish-blue, forming a longitudinal band; upper parts light greyish-blue, the elongated tips of the dorsal feathers greyish-white; edge of the wing, some feathers at the base of the fore neck, and the tibial feathers, brownish-orange; two tufts of large curved feathers on the fore part of the breast bluish-black, some of them with a central stripe of white; lower surface of wings and sides light greyish-blue; elongated feathers of breast, white, their inner edge black, of the abdomen chiefly black; lower tail-coverts white, some of them with an oblique mark of black near the tip. Young in first plumage without the elongated dorsal feathers, the colours duller and tinged with brown; upper part of head streaked with white, as is the breast.

Male, 48, 72.

Resident from Texas to South Carolina. In spring migrates over the United States, and along the Atlantic coast to the Gulf of St Lawrence. Breeds everywhere. Retires southward in autumn. Common.

Great Heron, Ardea Herodias, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 106.

Ardea Herodias, Bonap. Syn. p. 304.

Great Heron, Ardea Herodias, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 42.

Great Blue Heron, Ardea Herodias, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 87; v. v. p. 599.

372. 8. Ardea Egretta, Gmel. Great American White Egret

Plate CCCLXXXVI. Male.

Feathers of the head scarcely elongated, those of the fore part of the back extremely long, slightly decurved, with loose filaments, and extending about ten inches beyond the tail; bill yellow; feet black; plumage pure white. Young white, the elongated feathers not fully developed until the second year, bill greenish-black.

Male, 37, 57.

Resident in Florida, and Galveston Bay in Texas. Migrates in spring sometimes as far as Massachusetts; up the Mississippi, to Natchez, Breeds in all intermediate districts. Returns south before winter. Very Abundant.

Ardea Egretta, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 629.

Great White Heron, Ardea Egretta, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 106.

Ardea alba, Bonap. Syn. p. 304.

Ardea Egretta, Wagler, Syst. Av.

Great White Heron, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 47.

Great American Egret, Ardea Egretta, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 600.

373. 9. Ardea rufescens, Gmel. Reddish Egret

Plate CCLVI. Adult and Young.

Feathers of the upper and hind part of the head and of the neck generally, much elongated, very narrow, loose, with linear-acuminate compact tips; of the back extremely long, slightly recurved, with loose filaments, and extending several inches beyond the tail; bill pale flesh-colour, with the terminal third black; feet ultramarine blue, the scutella bluish-black; plumage of the head and neck light reddish-brown; back and wings greyish-blue; long train-feathers yellowish toward the end; lower parts greyish-blue, paler than the upper. Young with the plumage white, the feet dusky green, the soles yellow.

Male, 31, 46.

Resident on the Florida Keys, and in Galveston Bay. Never seen inland. Extremely abundant.

Ardea rufescens, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 628.

Peale's Egret Heron, Ardea Pealii, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 96. Young.

Peak's Egret, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 49. Young.

Reddish Egret, Ardea rufescens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 411; v. v. p. 604.

374. 10. Ardea cœrulea, Linn. Blue Heron

Plate CCCVII. Male and Young.

Feathers of the upper and hind part of the head very long and linear; of the middle of the back extremely long, linear-acuminate, compact, their tips extending about five inches beyond the tail; bill blue; feet black; plumage of head and neck vinaceous purple, of the other parts deep greyish-blue. Young with the plumage white, becoming patched with blue as they advance in age.

Male, 241/2, 42.

Resident in Florida and Texas, where it breeds. In spring migrates as far as Long Island; up the Mississippi to a hundred miles above Natchez. Never seen far inland.

Blue Heron, Ardea cœrulea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 117.

Ardea cœrulea, Bonap. Syn. p. 300.

Blue Heron, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 58.

Blue Heron, Ardea cœrulea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 58.

375. 11. Ardea Ludoviciana, Wils. Louisiana Heron

Plate CCXVII. Male.

Feathers of the upper and hind part of the head elongated, tapering, curved, about six of them larger and much longer; of the back extremely elongated, with loose threadlike filaments, extending beyond the tail; bill brownish-black above, yellow beneath; feet light greenish-yellow, with the scutella dusky; general colour of upper parts light purplish-blue; elongated feathers of head and neck above, reddish-purple, as are those of the lower part of the neck; six longest feathers of head white; elongated loose feathers of back dull purplish-yellow; throat white, its lower part chestnut; a line of white down the fore neck; rump and lower parts pure white, except the anterior feathers of the breast, which have their inner webs dusky blue. Young with the neck and fore part of the back light brownish-red; throat and lower parts white, as is the hind part of the back; quills, larger wing-coverts and tail light purplish-blue. Plumage and colouring completed at the end of the second year.

Male, 27, 37.

Resident in the Floridas and Texas, where it is abundant. Migrates eastward to New Jersey, where it is rare; up the Mississippi to Natchez. Never seen far inland.

Louisiana Heron, Ardea Ludoviciana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 13.

Ardea Ludoviciana, Bonap. Syn. p. 305.

Louisiana Heron, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 51.

Louisiana Heron, Ardea Ludoviciana, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 136; v. v. p. 605.

376. 12. Ardea candidissima, Gmel. Snowy Heron

Plate CCXLII. Male.

Feathers of the upper and hind part of the head very long, loose, decurved; of the middle of the back very long, loose, decurved, with their extremities recurved; bill and legs black; toes yellow. Plumage pure white. Young white, with the legs and toes dull green.

Male, 221/2, 38.

Resident from Texas to Florida. Migrates in spring as far as Massachusetts. Breeds in all intermediate districts; up the Mississippi to Memphis. Abundant.

Snowy Heron, Ardea candidissima. Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 120.

Ardea candidissima, Bonap. Syn. p. 305.

Snowy Heron, Ardea candidissima, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 49.

Snowy Heron, Ardea candidissima, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 317; v. v. p. 606.

FAMILY XXXIX. ANATINÆ. DUCKS

Bill of moderate length, stout, straight, depressed toward the end, obtuse, covered with soft skin; upper mandible transversely convex, with the margins internally lamellate, the tip furnished with a decurved horny broad unguis; lower mandible with the angle long and narrow, the crura slender, flattened, the edges internally lamellate, the tip a flattened unguis. Nostrils elliptical, open, subbasal. Head of moderate size; neck long or of moderate length, slender; body full; legs generally short, stout, with little of the tibia bare; tarsus scutellate; toes four, first small; anterior three palmate. Claws moderate, arched, compressed, obtuse. Plumage very full, dense, soft. Wings of moderate length, curved, acute, outer two quills longest. Tail short, of twelve or more feathers. Tongue fleshy, with a median groove, lateral reversed papillæ, laminæ, or bristles, and a semicircular thin horny tip; œsophagus narrow, slightly enlarged at the lower part of the neck; stomach a transversely elliptical gizzard, of which the lateral muscles are excessively developed, the epithelium dense, with two concave grinding surfaces; intestine long and wide; cœca long, cylindrical, contracted at the base. Trachea various, generally much enlarged at the bifurcation, without inferior laryngeal muscles, or only with the slips of the lateral muscles prolonged. Nest generally on the ground; eggs numerous. Young clothed with stiffish down, and able to walk and swim from birth.

GENUS I. PHŒNICOPTERUS, Linn. FLAMINGO

Bill more than double the length of the head, straight and higher than broad for half its length, then deflected, and tapering to an obtuse point; upper mandible with its dorsal line at first straight, then convex, and again straight nearly to the end, when it becomes convex at the tip, the ridge broad and concave, on the deflected part expanded into a lanceolate plate, having a shallow groove in the middle, and separated from the edges by a narrow groove, its extremity narrow and thin edged, but obtuse, this part being analogous to the unguis of ducks; lower mandible narrower than the upper at its base, but much broader in the rest of its extent; its angle rather long, wide, and filled with bare skin; its dorsal line concave, but at the tip convex, the ridge deeply depressed, there being a wide channel in its place, the sides nearly erect and a little convex, with six ridges on each side toward the tip. Both mandibles internally lamellate, the edge of the lower much incurved. Nostrils linear, direct, and subbasal, operculate. Head small, ovate; neck extremely elongated, and very slender; body slender; legs extremely long; tibia bare for more than half its length, and with the long tarsus anteriorly scutellate; hind toe very small and elevated; anterior toes connected by emarginate webs, scutellate above, tesselate beneath. Claws oblong, obtuse, depressed. Space between the bill and the eye bare; plumage compact; wings long, very broad, pointed; second quill longest; some of the secondaries extremely elongated, so as to extend far beyond the primaries when the wing is closed. Tail very short. Tongue confined by the lower mandible, fleshy, compressed, decurved, with recurved conical papillæ; œsophagus extremely narrow, but at the lower part of the neck enlarged into a crop; proventriculus elliptical; stomach a very muscular, transversely elliptical gizzard, exactly resembling that of a goose or duck, with the epithelium dense, and longitudinally sulcate; intestine very long, and of considerable width; cœca rather long; cloaca globular.

377. 1. Phœnicopterus ruber, Linn. American Flamingo

Plate CCCCXXXI. Male.

Bill yellow tinged with bright orange, at the end black; feet lake; plumage scarlet, excepting the ten primaries, and twenty of the secondaries, which are black.

Male, 451/2, 66.

Rather rare, and only during summer in the Florida Keys, and the western coast of Florida. Accidental as far as South Carolina. Constantly resident in Cuba.

Red Flamingo, Phœnicopterus ruber, Wils. Amer. Orn, v. viii. p. 145.

Phœnicopterus ruber, Bonap. Syn. p. 348.

American or Red Flamingo, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 71.

American Flamingo, Phœnicopterus ruber, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 255.

GENUS II. ANSER, Briss. GOOSE

Bill shorter than the head, rather higher than broad at the base, somewhat conical, depressed toward the end, rounded at the tip; upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping, the ridge broad and flattened, the sides sloping, the edges soft and obtuse, internally with numerous oblique marginal lamellæ, the unguis obovate, convex; nasal groove oblong, filled by the soft membrane of the bill; nostrils medial, lateral, longitudinal, narrow-elliptical, open, pervious, lower mandible straight, with the angle very long, narrow, and rounded, the edges soft and obtuse, with numerous oblique lamellæ, the tip broadly convex. Head small, oblong, compressed; neck long and slender; body very full, slightly depressed. Feet short, stout; tibia bare for a short space below; tarsus short, a little compressed, covered all round with angular scales; hind toe very small and elevated, third toe longest, fourth longer than second; all reticulated at the base, scutellate toward the end, the anterior webbed. Claws small, arched, rather compressed. Plumage close, compact above, blended beneath. Wings long, convex, the second quill longest, the first and third nearly equal. Tail very short, of sixteen or more feathers.

378. 1. Anser Canadensis, Linn. Canada Goose

Plate CCI. Male and Female.

Tail of eighteen feathers; bill, feet, and claws black, head and two upper thirds of neck glossy black; forehead, cheeks, and chin, tinged with brown; lower eyelid white; a broad band of white across the throat to behind the eye; rump and tail-feathers black; general colour of the rest of upper parts greyish-brown, wing-coverts shaded into ash-grey, all the feathers terminally edged with very pale brown; lower part of neck passing to greyish-white, which is the general colour of the lower parts, unless in old birds where it is buff, with the exception of the abdomen, which is pure white, the sides, which are pale brownish-grey, the feathers tipped with white, and the lower wing-coverts, which are also pale brownish-grey; margins of rump and upper tail-coverts pure white. Female with the tints somewhat duller.

Male, 43, 65. Female, 41.

Breeds sparingly from the Mississippi to Nova Scotia; abundantly in Labrador, and farther north. In the interior, on the Missouri, and across to the Columbia River. Abundant. Migrates far south in winter.

Canada Goose, Anas canadensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 52.

Anser canadensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 377.

Anser canadensis, Canada Goose, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 468.

Canada Goose, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 349.

Canada Goose. Anser canadensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 1; v. v. p. 607.

379. 2. Anser Hutchinsii, Richardson. Hutchins's Goose

Plate CCLXXVII. Adult.

Tail of sixteen feathers; bill, feet, and claws black; head and two upper thirds of neck glossy black; a large subtriangular patch of white on each side of the head and neck; general colour of the upper parts brownish-grey, the feathers margined with paler, of the lower parts pale greyish-brown, margined with yellowish-grey; abdomen and lower tail-coverts white; hind part of back brownish-black; primary quills and tail-feathers deep brown.

Adult, 25, 50.

From New Jersey to Maine, during winter. Breeds in the Arctic Regions. Columbia River. Abundant.

Anser Hutchinsii, Hutchins's Bernacle Goose, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 470.

Hutchins's Goose, Anser Hutchinsii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 526.

380. 3. Anser leucopsis, Bechst. Bernacle Goose

Plate CCXCVI. Male and Female.

Tail very short, rounded, of sixteen feathers; bill, feet, and claws black; anterior parts of head, including a broad space above the eye, the sides of the head and the throat, white; feathers margining the bill, and a line from the bill to the eye, curving beneath the lower eyelid, and running along the upper, brownish-black; neck all round glossy bluish-black, of which colour are the anterior feathers; the scapulars, and the wing-coverts, towards their extremities, while the bases are ash-grey, and their terminal margins white; rump and tail-feathers deep black; quills greyish-black, darker towards the tips, the outer webs more or less tinged with ash-grey; upper and lower tail-coverts, and sides of rump, pure white.

Male, 27, 56. Female, 231/2, 52.

Accidental in North America.

Anser leucopsis, Bonap. Syn. p. 377.

Bernacle Goose, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 355.

Bernacle Goose, Anser leucopsis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 609.

381. 4. Anser Bernicla, Linn. Brent Goose

Plate CCCXCI. Male and Female.

Tail of sixteen feathers, rounded; bill and feet black; head and neck all round black, glossed with blue; a small streak under the eye, a spot on the chin, and patch on each side of the neck, white; general colour of upper parts brownish-grey, the feathers margined with light greyish-brown; quills and primary coverts greyish-black; upper tail-coverts white; tail greyish-black; fore part of breast light brownish-grey, the feathers terminally margined with greyish-white; abdomen and lower tail-coverts white; sides grey, the feathers broadly tipped with white; axillar feathers and lower wing-coverts grey.

Male, 241/2, 48. Female, 23, 441/2.

Abundant along the coast of the Atlantic, from Maine to Maryland, during winter. Never seen far inland. Breeds from Labrador northward. Columbia River.

Brant, Anas Bernicla, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 131.

Anser Bernicla, Bonap. Syn. p. 378.

Anser Bernicla, Brent Goose, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 469.

Brant or Brent Goose, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 358.

Brent Goose, Anser Bernicla, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. pp. 24, 610.

382. 5. Anser albifrons, Bechst. White-fronted Goose

Plate CCLXXXVI. Male and Female.

Tail of sixteen feathers, rounded; bill carmine-red, with the unguis white; feet orange, claws white; head and neck greyish-brown; a white band, margined behind with blackish-brown on the anterior part of the forehead along the bill; general colour of back deep grey, the feathers of its fore part broadly tipped with greyish-brown, the rest with greyish-white; hind part of back deep grey; wings greyish-brown, toward the edge ash-grey, as are the primary coverts, and outer webs of the primaries; the rest of the primaries and secondaries greyish-black, the latter with a narrow edge of greyish-white, the former edged and tipped with white; breast, abdomen, lower tail-coverts, sides of rump, and upper tail-coverts, white; the breast and sides patched with brownish-black, on the latter intermixed with greyish-brown feathers.

Male, 271/4, 60.

Through the interior of the Western and Southern States during winter, as well as along the coast, from Massachusetts to Texas. Columbia River. Breeds in the far north.

Anser albifrons, Bonap. Syn. p. 376.

Anser albifrons, Laughing Goose, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 456.

White-fronted Goose, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 346.

White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 568.

383. 6. Anser hyperboreus, Gmel. Snow-Goose

Plate CCCLXXXI. Adult Male and Young Female.

Bill and feet carmine, unguis white, claws dusky; plumage pure white, fore part of head tinged with yellowish-red; primaries brownish-grey, toward the end blackish-brown, their shafts white, unless toward the end. Young in its second plumage, with the bill yellow, or flesh-coloured, the feet lake; head and upper part of neck, with the wing-coverts, greyish-white; lower part of neck all round, fore part of back, scapulars, fore part of breast and sides blackish-grey; hind part of back and upper tail-coverts, ash-grey; quills greyish-black, secondaries margined with greyish-white; tail-feathers dusky grey, margined with greyish-white; breast and abdomen greyish-white.

Male, 313/4, 62. Female, 26, 55.

Western and Southern States, in autumn and winter. Breeds in the Arctic Regions. Abundant.

Snow Goose, Anas hyperborea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 76.

Anser hyperboreus, Bonap. Syn. p. 376.

Snow Goose, Nutt. Man. p. 344.

Anser hyperboreus, Snow Goose, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 467.

Snow Goose, Anser hyperboreus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 562.

GENUS III. CYGNUS, Meyer. SWAN

Bill longer than the head, higher than broad at the base, depressed, and a little widened toward the end, rounded; upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping, the ridge very broad at the base, with a large depression; narrowed between the nostrils, convex toward the end, the sides nearly erect at the base, gradually becoming more horizontal and convex toward the end, the sides soft and thin, with numerous transverse little elevated internal lamellæ, the unguis obovate; nasal groove elliptical, subbasal, covered by the soft membrane of the bill; lower mandible flattened, with the angle very long, and rather narrow, the sides convex, the edges with numerous transverse lamellæ. Nostrils submedial, longitudinal, placed near the ridge, elliptical. Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed; neck extremely long and slender; body very large, compact, depressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little behind the centre of the body; tibia bare for a very small space; tarsus short, a little compressed, covered all round with angular scales; hind toe extremely small, with a very narrow membrane; third longest, fourth very little shorter; anterior toes covered with angular scales for nearly half their length, then scutellate, and connected by broad reticulated entire membranes. Claws rather small, strong, arched, compressed, rather obtuse. Space between the bill and eye bare; plumage dense and soft. Wings long, broad; primaries curved, stiff, the second longest. Tail very short, graduated, of twenty or more feathers. Œsophagus very slender, at the lower part of the neck a little dilated; stomach transversely elliptical, with the lateral muscles extremely large, the epithelium dense, with two concave grinding surfaces; intestine long, and of moderate width; cœca rather large, narrow; cloaca globular. Trachea generally enters a cavity in the sternum, whence it is reflected, before it passes into the thorax; no inferior laryngeal muscles.