102 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part I, 



THE SPRUCE PARTRIDGE. 



THE SANDERLING PLOVER. 



History.— This bird, which is usually 

 known as the Partridge in New Eng- 

 land, is called the Pheasant in most 

 other parts of the United Slates, and by 

 ornithological writers is more commonly 

 distinguished as the Ruffed Grouse. It is 

 quite common and a permanent resident 

 in all parts of Vermont. The nest of the 

 Partridge is upon the ground by the side 

 of a bush or log, and is very simple, con- 

 sisting only of a few leaves. The eggs, 

 usually about 12, are of a yellowish white 

 color, and the young run about, like 

 chickens, after their clucking mother, as 

 fioon as they are hatched. They are ex- 

 ceeding wild and difficult to tame, and it 

 is amusing to see how quick they will 

 hide themselves under leaves and logs 

 whenever they are approached. The male 

 of this species is distinguished for his pe- 

 culiar dntvuning, which is performed, 

 standing upon a log in a thick part of the 

 woods, and rapidly beating his sides for 

 about half a minute at a time, with his 

 wings. This o])eration is repealed about 

 once in 8 or 10 minutes, and the sound 

 produced, somewhat resembling distant 

 thunder, is often heard at the distance of 

 half a mile. Their flesh is much esteem- 

 ed for food. 



THE SPRUCE PARTRIDGE. 

 Tetrao canadensis. — LisN. 



Description. — ^Upper parts marked 

 with semi-circular bars of Ijlack and yel- 

 lowish brown, the paler color always form- 

 ing the terminal bar; outer edge of the 

 wincTs, primary coverts and quills clove 

 brown ; tail black tipped with orange ; 

 breast and belly with feathers blackish 

 tipped with while ; cheeks and throat 

 barred and mottled with white ; bill and 

 nails black ; fringed comb over the eye 

 bright red ; toes pectinated. Length 17, 

 wing 7^. — R'ch. 



History. — This Grouse, which is called, 

 at different places, the Spruce, the Wood 

 or the Swamp Partridge, from its favorite 

 places of resort, is seldom seen in Ver- 

 mont excepting in the most northerly 

 parts, and there it is scarce, compared with 

 the preceding species. Its food in win- 

 ter is said to consist principally of the 

 leaves of the white spruce, and its flesh 

 has then a strong, disagreeable flavor. In 

 summer it is better, but still inferior to 

 the preceding. Its nest is upon the 

 ground, and the eggs, which are usually 

 not more tiian 5 or 6, are said to be va- 

 ried with yellow, white and black. It is 

 known to breed in several towns in Or- 

 leans county. 



WADING BIRDS. 



In this order the bill varies in form, 

 but is usually straight, and carried out 

 into a lengthened and compressed cone, 

 though rarely it is depressed, or flat. 

 The legs are long and usually naked some 

 distance above the knees ; toes usually 

 long and slender, three before and one 

 behind, the latter on a level, or a little 

 more elevated than the rest. Most of the 

 Waders are more or less nocturnal in 

 their habits. The sexes differ but little 

 in external appearance. They live along 

 the borders of seas, lakes and rivers, and 

 feed upon fish, reptiles and insects. 



Genus Calidris. — Illi. Temm. 



Generic Characters. — Bill of moderate size, 

 blender, straight, rather sofi, flexible in every 

 part, compressed from its base, wuh the point de- 

 prcs.sed, flattened and wider than the middle. Na- 

 sal groove elongated nearly to the point of iho 

 bill ; nostrils lateral. Feel slender, the 3 toes 

 all directed forward and almost entirely divided 

 to their base. Winjjs of moderate size ; the first 

 ((uill longest. 



THE SANDERLING PLOVER, 

 Calidris arenaria. — Illiger. 



Description. — Color above mottled 

 with black, white and yellowish ; wings 

 brownish black, with the shafts and tips 

 of the quills, and a broad band extending 

 across the whole wing, with the excep- 

 tion of the first 4 primaries, white. All 

 the under plumage white, excepting a 

 broad collar round the lower part of the 

 neck, which is grayish; bill, legs, feet 

 and nails black; iris hazel; two middle 

 tail feathers longest, brownish, and edged 

 with yellowish white. Folded wings a 

 little longer than the tail ; thighs feath- 

 ered more than half way down ; nails 

 short; upper mandible longest, and curv- 

 ed a little at the point. Winter plumage 

 nearly white. Length of the specimen 

 before me 7.^ ; folded wing 5 ; spread 14 ; 

 bill, along the ridge, 1. 



History.— This beautifnl species, ac- 



