140 ANIMAL CARVINGS. 



" The paroquet is essentially a southern bird, and though common 

 along the Gulf, is of rare occurrence above the Ohio River." The above 

 language would seem to admit of no doubt as to the fact of the decided 

 resemblance borne by this carving to the paroquet. Yet the bird thus 



positively identified as a paroquet, upon 

 which identification have, without doubt, 

 been based all the conclusions that have 

 been published concerning the presence 

 of that bird among the mound sculpt- 

 ures is not even distantly related to the 

 parrot family. It has the bill of a rap- 

 torial bird, as shown by the distinct tooth, 



Fig. 19.— Paroquet of Sqnier antl Davis, gjjf^ j-jjig^ jq COUUectioU with the WCll 



defined cere, not present in the paroquet, and the open nostril, con- 

 cealed by feathers in the paroquet, places its identity as one of the hawk 

 tribe beyond doubt. 



In fact it closely resembles several of the carvings figured and iden- 

 tified as hawks by the above authors, as comparison with figures given 

 below will show. The hawks always appear to have occupied a prom- 

 inent place in the interest of our North American Indians, especially in 

 association with totemic ideas, and the number of sculptured represen- 

 tations of hawks among the mound relics would argue for them a simi- 

 lar position in the minds of the Mound-Builders. 



A word should be added as to the distribution of the paroquet. The 

 statement by Squier and Davis that the paroquet is found as far north 

 as the Ohio River would of itself afford an easy explanation of the 

 manner in which the Mound-Builders might have become acquainted 

 with the bird, could their acquaintance with it be proved. But the 

 above authors a])pear to have had a very incorrect idea of the region 

 inhabited by this once widely spread species. The present distribution, 

 it is true, is decidedly southern, it being almost wholly confined to lim- 

 ited areas within the Gulf States. Formerly, however, it ranged much 

 farther north, and there is positive evidence that it occurred in New 

 York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Nebraska. 

 Ul) to 1835 it was extremely abundant in Southern Illinois, and, as Mr. 

 Ridgway informs the writer, was found there as late as 18G1. Specimens 

 are in the Smithsonian collection from ijoints as far north as Chicago 

 and Michigan. Over much of the region indicated the exact nature of 

 its occurrence is not understood, whether resident or a more or less 

 casual visitor. But as it is known that it was found as far north as 

 Pennsylvania in winter it may once have ranged even farther north 

 than the lino just indicated, and have been found in Southern Wisconsin 

 and Minnesota. 



Occurring, as it certainly did, over most of the mound region, the pe- 

 culiar habits of the paroquet, especially its vociferous cries and manner 



