THE EDINBURGH 



JOURNAL OF NATUKAL HISTORY, 



AND OF 



THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



MARCH, 1837. 



ZOOLOGY. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE THE WOLVES AND FOXES. 



The Wolves of the American continent are generally supposed to be of the same 

 species as those of Europe ; and Dr Richardson, who has had ample opportunities of 

 observing them, although appearing to consider them as probably distinct, yet, in our 

 present state of knowledge, thinks it preferable to view them as races or varieties. 

 They are very numerous on the sandy plains between the sources of the Saskatchewan 

 and the Missouri, as well as in all the northern regions of America, burrowing Uke 

 the Fox, and bringing forth their young under ground. So strong a resemblance do 

 they bear to the domestic dogs of the Indians, that a band of them has often been 

 mistaken for the latter, and the howl of both species is so similar, that even an Indian 

 sometimes fails to distinguish the animal by it. Several varieties are met with, cha- 

 racterised by differences in size and colour ; of these, two are represented on the 

 Plate. 



Fig, 1. The Dusky Wolf, Canis lupus, ocddentaUs., nubilus. This variety is 

 of a greyish-black colour, more or less tinged with brown. 



Fig, 2. The , Prairie Wolf, Caiiis lupus, occidentalism latrans, of a light grey 

 colour, white beneath, may be considered as a variety of the common Wolf of Ame- 

 rica, although it differs considerably in voice, size, and manners. Dr Richardson states, 

 that on the banks of the Saskatchewan, these animals start from the earth in great 

 numbers, on hearing the report of a gun, and gather around the hunter, in expectation 

 of getting the offal of the animal he has slaughtered. They associate in greater 

 numbers than the grey Wolf, burrow in the open plains, hunt in packs, and excel 

 the other kinds in speed. 



Fig. 3. The European Wolf, Canis lupus, was formerly generally distributed 

 over the continent of Europe, but, owing to the progress of cultivation, is now con- 

 fined to the wilder, wooded, or mountainous regions. In Norway, Sweden, and 

 Russia, where they are still plentiful, and hunt the deer and other large animals in 

 packs, they are usually of a hght grey colour, and have a woolly fur, hke that of the 

 American Wolves; but in Germany and other parts they are generally brown, with 

 coarser and shorter hair ; while in the Pyrenees, a variety occm-s of a brownish-black 

 colour. The Wolf is, in all probabihty, the original of the Domestic Dog, of which 

 several races, especially those found with the wild tribes of our own species, so neai'ly 

 agree with it, that no real distinction can be pointed out between them. 



Fig. 4. The Common Fox of Europe, Catiis vulpes, generally of a yellowish-red 

 colour above, greyish-white beneath, also exhibits considerable diversity in size and 

 colour. Even in Britain, which, from its small size, might not be expected to be 

 favorable to the production of varieties, there may be distinguished the Mastiff Fox, 

 the Hound Fox, of which the figure is a representation, and the Cur Fox, the 

 smallest and darkest of the three. The Common Fox is so well laiown, on account 

 of his proverbial character of cunning and sagacity, as well as for the amusement 

 which his chase affords to the aristocratical part of the community, that it is unneces- 

 sary here to describe his manners. 



Fig. 5. The American Foxes exhibit neasdy as many varieties as the Wolves, but 

 are generally considered as belonging to a species distinct from that of Europe, and 

 named Canis fulvus. The variety represented is the Cross Fox, C. fulvus, decus- 

 satus, so denominated on account of having a dark hne down the back of the neck, 

 crossed by another on the shoulders. Individuals often occur, so similar on the one 

 hand to the Red Fox, and on the other to the Black, that the hunters are in doubt 

 how to name them. 



Fig. 6. The Black or Silver Fox, Canis fulvus, argentatus, is the rarest and 

 most prized of all the varieties; its fur, on account of its fineness and glossy black 

 colour, more or less tinged with grey or white, fetching six times the price of any 

 other fur produced in North America. It inhabits the same districts as the next 

 variety. 



Fig. 7. The Red Fox, Canis fulvus , maybe considered as the principal, or most 

 common representative of the species, of which the two preceding are varieties. Its 

 size is somewhat less than that of the European Fox, its eyes nearer, its ears shorter, 

 its fur closer and finer, and its colour lighter. It burrows in summer, takes shelter 

 in winter under a fallen tree, preys on the smaller animals of the rat family, but re- 



jects no kind of animal food that comes in its way. It hunts chiefly by night ; but 

 is much inferior in speed to the English Fox, and is soon overtaken by a wolf or a 

 mounted horseman. The fur of all the varieties of this species is valuable as an 

 article of commerce, but more especially that of the Black Fox, 



DESCEIPTION OF THE PLATE THE GNAT-CATCHERS. 



The Gnat-catchers have been separated, by Blr Swainson, from the Fly-catcherg, 

 between which and the Warblers they seem to be intermediate. The group is pecu- 

 liar to America, and is composed of small birds, generally bright yellow beneath, and 

 green, blue, or dusky on the upper parts. 



Fig. 1. The Hooded Gnat-catcher, Sctophaga milrata, is very abundant in the 

 southern states of North America, where it prefers low situations covered with canes 

 or thick underwood, feeding on small winged insects, and returning southwards al'ter 

 the breeding season. 



Fig. 2. The Green Black-capt Gnat-catcher, Sctophaga pusilla, is an inhabitant 

 of the swamps of the southern states, whence it takes its departure early in October. 



Fig. 3. The Yellow-tailed Gnat-catcher, Setophaga Ruticilla, male ; Fig. 4. the 

 Female ; and Fig. 5. the Young, This species is found in the interior of the forests, 

 on the borders of swamps and meadows, and in deep wooded glens, in most parts of 

 the United States, which it visits early in summer, to return southward in autumn. 

 It bears a great resemblance to the Redstart of Europe, and exhibits nearly the same 

 habits, feeding on insects, which it pursues in the air, retiring to a tree or bush, and 

 frequently jerking out its tail. 



Fig. 6. Selby's Gnat-catcher, Setophaga Selhii. IVIale. This species was named 

 in honour of Mr Selby by its discoverer Jlr Audubon, who met with only three indi- 

 viduals, which occurred in Louisiana. Its habits are similar to those of the other 

 species. 



Fig. 7. Bonaparte's Gnat-catcher, Setophaga Bonapartii. This also was disco- 

 vered by Mr Audubon, and named in honour of the Prince of Music;nano. 



Fig. 8. The small Blue-grey Gnat-catcher, Setophaga cccrulea ; and Fig. 9. 

 the Female. The beautiful and diminutive species here represented is a very dex- 

 terous fly-catcher, and, moreover, somewhat resembles in its manners the Titmice, 

 with which it occasionally assocuites. Like all the rest, it is a summer visitant of the 

 United States. 



The Siskin foukd breedikc rs Scotland. — Mr Weir of Boghead, a most 

 zealous observer of the habits of bu:ds, has recently favored us with the following 

 accgunt of the breeding of the Siskin in the neighbourhood of Bathgate, in the 

 county of Linlithgow : '• About the end of May 1834, as I was returaing from 

 Bathgate, I was astonished at seeing, on the parish road between it and my house, 

 a pair of Siskins feeding very greedily on the ripe tops of the dandelion. The head 

 of the male was very dark, and the yellow on its wings uncommonly rich. I follow- 

 ed them for several hundred yards, being exceedingly ans'ious to discover their nest. 

 In this, however, I did not succeed, as they flew off to a considerable distance, when 

 I lost sight of thern. I again and again renewed my search, but without success. 

 A few days after this, two persons who were catching hnnets with bird-lime in a 

 small field belonging to me, were struck with the unusual chirping of young birds in 

 a spruce which was planted in the middle of a very strong hawthorn hedge. When 

 they were looking into the tree, in order to discover what kind of birds they 

 were, they immediately flew out of their nest. They appeared to have a resemblance 

 to the female Siskin ; but as they were ripe, it was found impossible to secure any 

 of them. The nest was small, built on two of the branches, one side of it resting 

 upon the trunk of the tree, at the height of about five feet and a half from the 

 ground, and within twelve yards of the North Glasgow road. It was one of the 

 best concealed nests I recollect of ever having seen; indeed, had it not been so, it 

 would not have so long eluded the notice of some of our most celebrated nest-hunt- 

 ing youths, who were almost in the daily habit of passing and repassing the place in 

 pursuit of their favorite amusement. The old Siskins, with their young, were 

 seen for two or three weeks afterwards in the immediate neighbouihood. IMr 



