CHAPTER V. 



BAY-BIRDS. 



ALTHOUGH a cursory account of the various bay-birds, 

 their habits and peculiarities, has been given in a 

 previous chapter, it seems desirable to add a more 

 complete, exhaustive, and specific description. This 

 is attempted in the following pages, and although 

 the ornithological characteristics are taken from 

 GiraucTs JSirds of Long Island, which seems to 

 have been the resource of all our sporting writers, 

 nothing else is derived from him; but the facts are 

 stated, either upon personal knowledge, which is 

 generally the case, or upon reliable information. 



As to the abundance or scarcity of any particu- 

 lar species, the experience of sportsmen will differ 

 according to the accident of flight, or the locality of 

 their favorite sporting-ground ; and in relation to 

 their shyness or gentleness, much depends upon the 

 time of year and the condition of the weather. In 

 consequence of the confusion of nomenclature, it has 

 been deemed advisable to give the scientific descrip- 

 tion of the common species, each one being placed 

 under its most appropriate name, and to collect 

 together as many designations as could be found to 

 have been applied to them respectively. Never- 

 theless, many names will no doubt be omitted, and 



