THE EDINBURGH 



JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



AND OF 



THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



FEBRUARY, 1838. 



ZOOLOGY. 



DESCIIIFTION OF THE PLATE THE BEARS. 



The genus Ursush composed of animals, generally of large size, which are for the most 

 part frugivorous, although some of them feed also on flesh, and all of them readily 

 become carnivorous when their ordinary food cannot be obtained. They belong to 

 the Plantigrade Tribe of the Carnivora, characterized by walking on the entire soles 

 of their feet, and by having five toes on the posterior as well as the anterior extremi- 

 ties. The Bears are of an apparently unwieldy form, with thick and muscular limbs. 

 a very short tail, rounded ears, and a rather sharp muzzle. They pass the wmter in 

 a semitorpid state, without food, in cavities dug by themselves, and lined with leaves. 

 Fi". 1. 2. The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus). The size and ferocity of this 

 species was greatly exaggerated by the older navigators, one of whom alleges that the 

 skin of a White Bear killed by him and his companions measured twenty-three feet 

 in length, while another states that the Bears frequently seized on the seamen, carried 

 them ofFwith the greatest ease, and leisurely devoured them within sight of the sur- 

 vivors. It appears, however, that the ordinary length does not exceed from seven to 

 eight feet, and that, although carnivorous, it is not essentially a predatory animal, but 

 prefers the carcases of whales and fishes. It also lies in wait for seals at the open- 

 ings of the ice, and seizes them with great dexterity. Dr Richardson states that, in 

 autumn, it searches the shores for berries and other vegetable substances. The Po- 

 lar Bear is of a more elongated form than tho species which livf in the forests, and 

 the outline of its forehead and muzzle is straight, without the indentation between the 

 eyes observed in them. Its neck is nearly twice as long .ns the head, its ears are very 

 short, and its feet are larger than those of the Brown Bear. The fur \i yellowish 

 white, short on the head, of moderate length on the back, long and woolly on the 

 sides, belly, hinder parts, and legs. It inhabits the shores and icebergs of the polar 

 seas, rarely extending its range beyond the arctic circle. The females retire to their 

 ■winter quarters in December, and come abroad with their young in March or April. 

 Fig. 3. 4. The Brown Bear of Europe {U. Arctos). This species formerly 

 inhabited the whole of Europe, as far south as the Alps ami Pyrenees ; but it has long 

 been extirpated in the interior of France, in Holland, Germany, and the British 

 Islands. It is plentiful in Siberia, extends as far eastward as Karatschatka and Ja- 

 pan, and occurs more sparingly in North America- Its usual length is about four 

 feet, its height two and a half, and it is covered with a long, soft, woolly fur, which, 

 in young individuals, is of a deep brown, while, in the older, it has a mixture of yel- 

 lowish-grey and reddish-brown. During the summer and autumn it lives chiefly on 

 roots, leaves, and fruits, occasionally also on small quadi upeds ; and at the approach 

 of winter betakes itself to the hollow of a tree, or a crevice in a rock, or a retreat 

 constructed by itself of branches of trees, and lined with muss, subsisting during the 

 winter by the absorption of the fat which it has accumulated. Towards the middle of 

 spring it again comes abroad, and at this period, being urged by hunger, is more 

 dan<^erous than at any other, although it never attacks man unless provoked. 



Fig. 5. Thi! Black Bear of America ( U, Americanus). The American 

 Black Bear differs from the Brown Bear of Europe, in havmg the forehead less ele- 

 vated, and the fur, which is of a glossy black, composed of soft smooth straight hairs. 

 It is abundant in Canada, the Rocky mountains, and most of the thinly peopled dis- 

 tricts of the United States, its food consists chiefly of vegetable substances, but it 

 also preys on animals of various species, sometimes makes great havoc among pigs, 

 and now and then seizes a calf or a sheep. The females always retire to their winter 

 quarters when the frost sets in, but, in the southern districts, the males often remain 

 abroad all winter. The flesh of this species, as well as that of the European, is con- 

 sidered good food, and the bear hams are said to be excellent. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE. THE MUFFLED COCKATOOS AND PARROTS. 



The Parrots, which Linnseus considered as constituting a single genus, have latterly 

 been constituted into a family, under the name of Psittacids, the varioxis subdivisions 

 of which it is unnecessary here to describe, as the subject will be resumed in another 

 part of our work. These birds may be briefly characterized by their short feet, of 

 which the toes are flattened beneath, two of them only directed forward, their compact 

 body, large rounded head, and short strong bill, of which the upper mandible is 

 hooked, while ;he lower is truncate at the extremity. Their wings are generally short, 

 and their tail exhibits a great variety of forms, being sometimes short and even, some- 

 times graduated and of extreme length. They are all frugivorous, and reside in the 

 33 



warmer regions of the globe, climbing among the branches by means of their feet 

 and bill. Their plumage is ornamented with the most gaudy colours, and as they 

 are easily kept in captivity, and may generally be taught to articulate words, they are 

 favourite domestic pets. 



Fig. 1. The Rose Muffled Cockatoo (^Calyptorhynchvs Eos) has the head, 

 neck, and all the lower parts, rose coloured, the rest of the plumage grey. It in- 

 habits Malacca. 



Fig. 2. The Racket-tailed Parrot {Psittacus setarius) is so named on ac- 

 count of the elongated shafts of the two middle feathers. It is of a bright green 

 colour, with a red spot on the bead, and a band of red and yellow across the hind 

 neck. 



Fig. 3. Huet's Parrot (P. Heutn). Light green, the head yellow, the edge of 

 the wing and the tail feathers bright red, the latter tipped with green. 



Fig. 4. Pretres' Parrot (P. Pretrii). Light green, the forehead and sides of the 

 head, with the edge of the wing, the alnea and primary coverts carmine red. 



Fig. 5. The Mitred Parrot (P. mitratiis). Bright green, with the upper part 

 of the head rose coloured. 



BIRDS ODSERVED ON THE FRITH OF FORTH IN DECEMBER 1837. 



On the 27th December, accompanied by a young friend, I crossed by the ferry-boai 

 from Trinity to Kirkaldy. The water was exceedingly smooth, for although fleerv 

 clouds drifted rapidly eastward, it was calm below, and the sun emerging from the 

 clouds gave promise of a fine day. At first, no birds were to be seen, excepting one 

 or two wandering Gulls, which hovered and wheeled in silence over the water; but 

 when we had proceeded abour a mile, small parties of Tarrocks, Lartis ridibundus, 

 advanced, screaming, and now and then dipping in pursuit of their prey. Farther on, 

 numerous little bands of Guillemots and Auks, Uria Troile and Alca Torda, were 

 seen flying up the Frith, or floating on the water. These birds, which are precisely 

 similar in their manners, and differ very little In appearance, float lightly, with erect 

 necks, dive with rapidity, partially opening their wings as they plunge headlong into the 

 water, and fly in strings, at the height of two or three feet from the surface, with a 

 direct and rapid motion, simultaneously inclining themselves alternately to either side. 

 Six large Cormorants, Phalacrocorax Carbo, with sedately flapping wings and long 

 outstretched necks, presented an interesting sight, as they flew past in a line, almost 

 touching the smooth water. Small groups of Red-throated Divers, Cohjinhus Septeii- 

 trionalisy composed of from two to four or five individuals, now and then shot past in 

 rapid flight, and scarcely at a greater height than the Guillemots, although on many 

 occasions I have seen them fly at a great elevation, especially in rough weather. A 

 few Great Northern Divers, Colymbus glaciaUsj also made their appearance, flying 

 precisely in the same manner as the red-throated species, but with somewhat less 

 rapid motions of the wings. A single Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus, 

 sailed quietly along at a considerable height, and now numerous groups of the Black- 

 headed Gulls, at this season of the year however unhooded, danced buoyantly and 

 gaily at the distance of a few yards from the water, often wheeling, and occasionally 

 stooping to pick up some small flsh. 



The tide was rising, and almost all the birds were advancing in the same direction 

 toward the entrance of the inner Frith or estuary. Passing Kinghorn, and entering 

 the Bay of Kirkaldy, we found the number of Guillemots and Auks diminished, 

 while the Gulls had disappeared ; but bore vast numbers of Velvet Ducks, Oidemia 

 fusca, were dispersed over the waters in groups of from two to fifteen or twenty. In 

 a flock that rose before us, however, I counted thirty-eight individuals. These birds, 

 on account of their black colour, and large size, have a remarkable appearance, which 

 is rendered still more so when they are on wing, as then the white patch across that 

 organ becomes exceedingly conspicuous. They swim lightly, and fly with moderate 

 speed, at the height of three or four feet. In rising from the water, they ascend very 

 gradually, striking it with their wings along a distance of two or three yards, and in 

 alighting they settle as it were upon their hinder part, and then fall forward. Inter- 

 spersed among them in smaller numbers were groups of the Black Duck, Oidemia 

 nigra, a species very similar, but inferior in size, and destitute of white on the wing. 

 It exhibited precisely the same modes of flying and swimming. A shot fired by a per- 

 son on board at the ducks, started from a rock off Seafield Tower, a large flock of 

 Turnstones, Strepsilns Interpres, and from another in its vicinity, a smaller flock of 

 what seemed to be Dunlins, Tringa alpina. Finally, on approaching the harbour of 

 Kirkaldy, we saw a single beautiful Long-tailed Duck, Amis glacialis. 



