KENTUCKY WARBLER— SANDWICH TERN— PAINTED BUNTINC— EIDER DUCK. 



93 



tree is chosen, and, varying from a few to thirty or forty feet in 

 height from the ground, a hole is bored ten or twelve inches in 

 depth, widening at the bottom, and at its mouth just large enough 

 to admit the occupant. The eggs are laid on the bare wood, and 

 vary from four to six in number. They are rounded oval in shape, 

 with a white ground, thickly sprinkled with fine reddish-brown 

 spots, and measure about .60 by .50 inches, being but very little 

 larger than those of the Humming Bird. They are said to raise 

 two and sometimes even three broods in a season. After the duties 

 of bird-raising are over, they congregate in flocks of fifty or more 

 and go roving through the pine forests the most joyous of trouba- 

 dours. They have little fear of man, pursuing their avocations 

 with but small regard for his presence. 



Kentucky Warbler. ( Oporomis formosus.) 

 Fig- 5 



The Kentucky Warbler is known throughout Eastern United 

 States, as far north as Connecticut, Cleveland, and Chicago, and 

 west to Kansas and the Indian Territory, breeding throughout its 

 United States range. It is a beautiful bird, very lively and sprightly 

 in its habits, frequenting low, damp places in the wood. Very 

 rarely is it found indulging in any elevated flight, but moving rap- 

 idly along dim forest paths, peering under leaves for some unfor- 

 tunate spider or bug, occasionally leaping a few inches in the air 

 to catch some dainty morsel screened in hanging leaves. Its song 

 is not prolonged, a sort of bell-like warble which has been variously 

 interpreted, as " whittishee, whittishee," by Dr. Hay; "tweedle, 

 tweedle, tweedle," by Wilson, and by Mr. Ridgeway as a sharp 

 "tship." The nest is built upon the ground under a tuft of grass 

 or an overhanging bush. It is usually too large for the bird, inele- 

 gant in shape, composed outwardly of loose leaves with a lining 

 of fine interwoven roots. The eggs are from four to six in number, 

 pure white in color, finely flecked with bright red dots, and meas- 

 uring about .68 by .55 inches. Wilson represents this bird as most 

 belligerent in its habits, always pursuing its fellows without mercy. 

 It winters in Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, and Cuba, arriving at 

 its more northern breeding places in May, and departing the last 

 of August. 



Sandwich Tern. {Sterna cantiaca.) 



Fig. 6. 



This Tern ranges all along the Atlantic coast of North America 

 to Southern New England, breeds as far south as Honduras, and 

 touches Brazil in its southern limit. It is also an inhabitant of the 

 coasts of England. Powerful in its flight, it darts down upon its 

 prey, which consists of small fish, with incredible rapidity, half or 

 wholly immerses its body in the water, and then rises again without 

 seeming effort. Its cries, according to Audubon, are sharp, grating, 

 and loud enough to be heard at the distance of half a mile ; are re- 

 peated at intervals when on the wing, and are used as a note of 

 warning to any one intruding on its breeding grounds. Such 

 grounds are usually the sandy beaches of the ocean, on which the 

 eggs are dropped at short intervals and without any particular ef- 

 fort at nest-building, the merest depression being scooped out for 

 the purpose of receiving the eggs, which vary from two to three in 

 number, and are of a yellowish gray in color, spotted and blotched 

 with different shades of red, pale blue, and umber, and measuring 

 about 2.13 by 1.20 inches. These eggs are eagerly sought after 

 by fishermen and hunters, furnishing, according to Audubon, capital 

 eating. 



Painted Bunting — Nonpareil. (Cyanospiza ciris.) 



Fig. 7. 



The range of this exquisite little bird is confined to the South 

 Atlantic and Gulf States, as far west as Texas, and south as far 



as Panama. It is also an inhabitant of Cuba, and has been observed 

 by Mr. Ridgeway in Southern Illinois. They commence house- 

 building early in May, constructing their habitations in the lower 

 branches of orange trees, though sometimes using low brambles 

 and berry bushes. The nest is composed outwardly of coarse 

 grasses, lined with hair and other equally soft material. The eggs 

 vary from four to five, are of a pearly bluish-white sprinkled with 

 black spots, and measuring about .80 by .65 inches. It flies only 

 at short distances, moves upon the ground with ease and grace, 

 and possesses a song of great sprightliness and grace. This song 

 resembles the Canary's, and is continued during the day. From 

 the beauty of its plumage, the sweetness of its melody, and the 

 docility of the bird, many of them are caught and confined in 

 cages. They take readily to captivity, breed in confinement, and 

 are, according to Audubon, exported in quite large numbers to 

 Europe. The bird-catchers take advantage of the pugnacious dis- 

 position of this bird to secure them. A stuffed male bird is set in 

 a trap, which is attacked by the first Bunting which may notice it, 

 who is at once caught; and it is said that even after being thus im- 

 prisoned it keeps up the assault. In confinement, a single pair 

 has been known to bring forth three broods in a season. 



PLATE LXV. 



Eider Duck. (Somateria mollissima^) 

 Fig. 1. 



This celebrated Duck, whose down is so greatly prized in com- 

 merce, is abundant throughout the Arctic and North Atlantic coasts, 

 migrating in winter south to New England, rarely reaching the 

 Middle States. They begin to make their nests about the last of 

 May, in sheltered places among rocks, in the midst of low bushes, 

 or under the spreading branches of stunted firs. These nests are 

 sunk as much as possible in the ground, formed of sea-weeds, 

 mosses, and twigs closely matted together ; and contain from four to 

 five eggs, which are of a pale green color, varied from . an ovate 

 to a sharply-pointed ovoidal, and measuring about 3. by 2.25 inches. 

 When the eggs are laid, the female plucks the down from her breast 

 and carefully places it beneath and around them, and, when she 

 leaves her nest for a moment, pulls this down completely over them 

 for the purpose of keeping them warm. 



When the nest has been despoiled of its eggs and covering, the 

 Duck immediately commences anew, plucking her breast a second 

 time, and if the robbery is again committed, the male bird's breast 

 is brought in requisition ; but if this is again taken, the birds seek 

 other and safer quarters. When the young are hatched, the mother 

 leads her brood to the water or carries them thither in her bill, 

 teaches them how to dive for their food, and by the first of August 

 leads them southward to a more genial clime. The Eider Duck 

 flies with great rapidity, rarely very far inland, keeping near the 

 water, is an expert diver, remaining a long time beneath the waves, 

 and feeds on the roe offish, mollusks, and Crustacea. It has been 

 reared in captivity and with little trouble can be domesticated, and 

 will, from the value of its feathers, down, eggs, and even flesh, 

 prove a valuable acquisition. 



In Iceland these birds are guarded with the most sedulous care, 

 whoever kills one being obliged to pay a fine of thirty dollars, and 

 even the secreting of an egg or the pocketing of a little down 

 being punishable by law. This down is very valuable, bringing 

 in market from three to four dollars per pound. The contents of a 

 nest, though bulky enough to fill a large hat, rarely weigh over an 

 ounce, however. Where the birds are guarded by law they increase 

 in immense numbers, breeding so thick that it is almost impossible 

 to walk without treading upon them, and so tame that they may be 



