66 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 32, 1383, 



promoters of the game laws. To be able to handle the 

 Swift canoe, the well-poised rifle and that artistic thing of 

 beauty, the light lly rod, we thauk the constructive slsillQf 

 not mechanics merely, but genuine artists, bllt for super- 

 abundant health, love, of the Wild woods, and all the beauti- 

 ful things a trained eye perceives in nature's retired places, 

 we thank our Maker." 



Now I affirm, and "defy successful contradiction," as a 

 local blower is wont to say, that "all the world and the 

 rest of mankind in general," ought to be able to use n gun 

 skillfully, and a fly-rod artistically. In that case, the gun 

 works that "Nc«smuk" says have "got to go." would have 

 a chance to star and pay dividends. ' And '"the rod makers 

 anil a host of that ilk would "smile a ramie" all the year 

 round, too, and grow fat and sleek, sport side-whiskers, 

 part their hair in the middle and carry a cane. 



1 don't see for my part, why more of "you fellers" don't 

 take your wives to'the woods' with you. They enjoy trout 

 and venison as well as you. You don't own one, ha?" Well 

 then, I would take lime by the foretop, as the Calif ornian is 

 said to do: "My pet?" "Tou bet." And straightway 

 proceed to the nearest, minister who loves "to go a fishing," 

 hand him a shining piece of the needful and be put in pos- 

 session of the treasure who can cook your trout, make your 

 coffee, and perpetuate your name. 



Referring to Thoreau, I heard Dr. Collier say. a few 

 evenings ago, that had be lived in these days he would have 

 been honored with the appellation of "crank." Pshaw! 

 how that would sound ; "Henry I). Thoreau, crank." Well, 

 why not have "woods cranks""as well as any other cranky 

 To make a thing go well— just a little better' than the other 

 fellow — one must be something of a crank. TtiNxis, 



Fovekton. Com).. Feb, !!. 



^ntmiitl *t§i§torg. 



THE BIRDS OF MAINE. 



With Annotations of their Comparative Abundance, 

 Dates of Migration, Breeding Habits, etc. 



BY EVERETT SMITJT 



Family ScoMPAcro.*;: Tte Snipe, Sa-kdfipkhs, etc. 



179. Woodcock— Mkr»ptera americana And. j Philohda 

 minor Rid jr., 525, Cs. 605.— Abundant; arrives in March and 

 April. Breeds on the ground, lays four eggs (sometimes 

 five) dull cream color with brown blotches. "Commonly re- 

 mains until November (and in rare instances until Decem- 

 ber), wherever an abundance of food otters inducement. 

 The young birds pass through a partial moult the first year. 

 In Maine this moult usually occurs in Septercber and eariy 

 in October, and the moult of the adult birds occurs in 

 August and early in September. The eggs are usually laid 

 here in April and early in May. 



A remarkably early arrival was that of a woodcock, 

 picked up dead in Camden, Maine, February 25, 1SS2. For 

 the record of this fact I ain indebted to Mr. James Wight. 

 of Rockland. Since the summer shooting of woodcock has 

 been abolished in Maine these birds have much increased in 

 numbers. 



Formerly, when these birds were hunted by comparative- 

 ly few persons in Maine, large numbers were to be found 

 congregated in favorite places, just previous to their depart- 

 ure in the autumn. Now, the same places are so persistently 

 explored by very many spoilsmen during the season as to 

 prevent the assemblage of many birds together in any one 

 place; but the aggregate number of woodcock cow killed in 

 the State each year vastly exceeds that of former years. 

 While the number of these birds annually killed here has 

 been more than trebly increased, the number of persons pur- 

 suing them, and among whom those killed are divided, has 

 been move than tenfold increased. For these reasons it is 

 now rarely possible for a single person to killsoinanyiuone 

 season as formerly. During the season of courtship these 

 birds may be observed at dusk mounting high in the air and 

 circling about on whistling wings, pursuing one another, and 

 performing various interesting movements in the air, or i bey- 

 may be seen strutting upon the ground, with upturned tails 

 and drooping wings, much in the manner of a male tur- 

 key. 



During the migrations all birds are accustomed to signal 

 each other by calls, and the woodcock is not excepted from 

 this habit. It utters a quaint cry, somewhat like qxaia-k, 

 which is repeated while the bird is on the ground, as also 

 wheu upon the wing. By this cry passing birds are called 

 to tarry, or tarrying" birds are called to join those which are 

 journeying. Immediately after the moulting season, the 

 •woodcock begin to assemble at favorite feeding places, 

 families coining togclherfroin their various breeding resorts, 

 which are often in places not visited by sportsmen. The 

 movements of the woodcock in autumn arc quite similar to 

 those of nearly all of our native birds which are migratory. 

 During the period of moulting they are more secluded in 

 their habits than at other times, are 'timorous as if realizing 

 their weakness at that time, and will seek safety by running 

 and skulking noiselessy away from intrusion, rather than 

 by rising upon wing as at other times. When in the midst 

 of moulting these birds do not emit their ordinary scenl, 

 and the best dogs often fail to detect their presence, even 

 wheu in very close proximity. The birds then resort to the 

 warm, dry hillsides, but always near to suitable feeding 

 grounds. ' During the daytime they usually remain secreted 

 away from the coverts where they have been accustomed to 

 seek" their food, but as soon as the moulting process is so ad- 

 vanced as to render Ihern strong of wing, again the wood- 

 cock will be founel in the haunts where sportsmen are 

 accustomed to look for them, if there be food for them. 

 Sometimes their usual feeding places become dry early in 

 the. summer, and fail for a time to yield a supply of food. 

 The birds then, from necessity, go elsewhere. Bui they 

 will return to the. same haunts later if the season is favor- 

 able. 



The woodcock which breed east of Maine remain there 

 in autumn as late as, and often later than those in Maine, 

 but. when birds start on their migration to the South long 

 flights are made in a single night, so that only rarely do any 

 of these more Eastern birds tarry in Maine en touIc. Occa- 

 sionally a su Men change of weather, such as a snow fall. 

 willBtop the birds in their flight, but only for a d.r. dj un 

 til the first favorable weather occurs. The movements of 

 the native birds from the many secluded nooks where they 

 have been bred to the coverts where they are found con- 

 gregating in the autumn, form the preparatory assembling 



for migration. Such an assembling is common to birds of 

 other species, the warblers, sparrows, swallows, crows, etc., 

 etc.. and usually extends throughout a number of weeks. 

 These movements for assembling are local, and governed' 

 much by immediate local cause"; but the actual migration 

 occurs situullaneously over a large territory, the final de- 

 parture of the woodcock varying but little throughout 

 Maine. 



Woodcock are both diurnal and nocturnal in their habits, 

 feeding in dense cover! s and secluded places during the 

 dav, and going into the open fields, pastures, plowed 

 grounds and meadows in [he night. They are very active 

 during moonlight autumn nights, and oflen seek their food 

 far from any growth of trees or bushes, especially just after 

 a rainfall, which brings the earth worms in the fields to the 

 surface of the ground. 



180. Wilson's Snipe— Srahpa.r wikanii Aud. ; Gallinago 

 media wilsani Ridg. 526a; fhiltinngo ici/simi Cs. (308. — Com 

 mon. Arrives in April. Breeds on the ground, lays four 

 eggs, brownish yellow with blotches of light and dark brown, 

 in May. Abundant only during (he autumn migrations, 

 which occur in September and October. But few breed in 

 Maine as compared with She great numbers which breed 

 further east. This is the common snipe, sometimes locally 

 termed "English snipe." 



181. Red-breasted Snipe— Scolapa.r lan-ehorac-nm^ Aud,; 

 Macrarhamp/ms grissus Ridg. 527. Cs. 609. — Abundant along 

 the cost during migrations." The spring migration occurs 

 during the last two weeks of May, when" the birds pass by 

 on their northward journey in large flocks, after the man- 

 uer of sandpipers. At this time they are fat and delicious 

 for the table, but the flight is very brief and chiefly over the 

 sea, so that it is only in favorable places, such as the 

 marshes at Scarboro, and at some of the islauds on their 

 route, that many can be obtained. The males arrive the 

 third week of May, and the females a few days or a week 

 later, and all have passed by before the first week in June, 

 and usually before the first day of that mouth. Early in 

 July a few returning ones make' their appearance from the 

 far Northern breeding places. The first arriving from the 

 North are generally "adult males, which are billowed by 

 their relatives in straggling numbers, rarely in flocks of 

 more than a few individuals, throughout July. August and 

 September. These snipe are locally termed "hrownbai ks," 

 and are not commonly known here except along 'he coast. 



182. Long-legged "Sandpiper— 7'miew fihwi7,lapi,.i Aud.; 

 Mkropalttma hiaandopus Ridg, 528. Cs. Oil.— Not com- 

 mon, but apparently a regular autumn migrant. No record 

 of its appearance here in spring, and probably il is one i f 

 those species which chiefly follow the valleys of the .Missis- 

 sippi River and its tributaries during the northward migra- 

 tion in spring, but during the less hurried migration of 

 autumn a portion of their numbers return along the Atlantic 

 coast. 



I append a record of specimens shot in Cumberland coun- 

 ty, Maine, all in the Scarboro marshes, excepting one at 

 Cape Elizabeth, and possibly the one recorded for 1850, as 

 the locality is given for thai specimen in notes ((noted. 



1845, three specimens; 1849, one; 1850, one; 1851, eight 

 (possibly three of these were noted in two of the records 

 quoted," aud if so, the number for 1851 should be given as 

 five); 1858, two. August 9; 1854. two; 1850, four; 1860, 

 one, September 18; 186.. one, September 21, one September 

 28: 1868. one, August 14; 1864. one, August 14, one. Au- 

 gust 81; 1865. one." September 10; 1860, one, September 10 

 1872, one, August 12. 



Thirty specimens in a period of twenty-eight years. Of 

 course many others nun have been shot in the same locality 

 aud not recognized nor" recorded. Mv friend Nathan Clif- 

 ford Brown has given me. the record of the captures of sev- 

 eral specimens. In 1875, July 19. at Chebeague Island, 

 Casco Bay, and one August 14 at Capo Elizabeth; one 

 August 24, 1877, at Scarboro; one September 10. 1S7S, at 

 Sca;boro; one July 25, 1879, at Scarboro. At Scarboro, 

 July 30, 1879, two 'flocks (four and five to each flock) of 

 these birds came to the decoys of Mr. 1. W. Pillsbury, and 

 all but two were shot. Afterward a single one was shot 

 at the same locality of the marsh at Scarboro. One shot at 

 Scarboro September 1, 1882. 



183. Bemipalmated Sandpiper — Tringa semipalmata And. ; 

 Ereuneles pudllus Ridg. 541, ; Cs. 612.— Abundant during 

 spring and autumn migrations, especially along the coast. 

 Arrives during the latter part of May and early in June. 

 One of the "peeps," and locally known as "black-legged 

 peep"; also "winter peep" on account of its presence here 

 in the autumn long after the disappearance of the next 

 named species. 



184. Least Sandpiper— Trimja piisilla Aud.; Arto(lvw>«H 

 ■minutitta Ridg. 538, Cs. 614.— Abundant during spring and 

 autumn migrations, and frequents the marshes in preference 

 to beaches." Arrives in May. This is the smallest of the 

 "peeps," aud arrives here in advance of the next preceding 

 named species, in spring. 



185. Whitcrumped Sandpiper— THnga vhimii Aud.; 

 Aetodromaa pusrk'Aiis Ridg. 580; Actodromim bn„n partii Cs. 

 017. Common in autumn along the coast. Regular autum- 

 nal migrant, yet the species is not abundant here. L'neom- 

 mon in spring. The autumn migration extends from the 

 last of July into October. Messrs. Harry .Merrill and N. A. 

 Eddy inform me that they procured several specimens near 

 Bangor, October 23. 1881— a noteworthy occurrence on ac- 

 count of the late date in the year, and the species is rarely 

 found here far from the coast, although Bangor is on tidal 

 water. I am indebted to my friend, Nathan Clifford Brown, 

 for the sole record 1 have of other specimens procured in- 

 land in Maine. Three were shot at Lake Umbagog in 

 October. 1876— two of them October 14, aud one previous 

 to that date. Mr. Brown has also given me the record of a 

 specimen shot at Scarboro. May 30, 1881. The only other 

 record 1 have of ils occurrence here in spring is that of a 



',,,!,.,, (in , shot at Scarboro, May 20. 1882. Probably 



it,, -piing migration is over the ocean, whin passing Maine, 

 in company with other shore birds, such as habitually make 

 their spring migration bv such a route, and are never seeu 

 on our shores at this season except in rare individual in- 

 stances, .v,., „~ n 



186 Gaird's Sandpiper— A'-tudraaaLilmrdi Ridg. o3i ; Cs. 

 615 —""his sandpiper is a common Western "peep" and is 

 accorded a rank as a species distinct from the whlte-rmnped 

 sandpiper, which it much resembles. But few S] tin) 

 have been recorded as taken in Maine, and referred to this 

 species. One September 1, 1875, at Umbagog I,nk< , I PI a 

 Brewster in Null. Bull. No, 1. April. 1876;; one shot by Mr. 

 Philip G. Brown at Scarboro, September 9, 1875, (N. C. 

 Brown in Nutt. Bull.. Jan, 187;;; one September 4, and two 

 Sep! mber 5, 1880, at Lake Umbagog iWm. Brewster in 

 Nutt. BuU). 



If the. many "peeps" shot here yearly were carefully ex- 

 amined, probably many more would be found leiimiiii to 

 this form. 



187. Pectoral Sandpiper— Trim/a ptdaraKu And.; Aetth 

 dramas Wmeufcfo Hidg. 584. Cs. GIG. — Abundant, il] flocks, 

 during autumn migrations. Commonly known as "grass- 

 bird," by local spoilsmen. This species is so viry rarely 

 seen here in spring that I cite Ihe only instances of which '1 

 have any records. Locality of observations, Scarboro. Sev- 



; May 11, 1858; one April 30, 18*11; 



first, arrivals of the southward 



fore August. Dining September 



inn" inure abundant about, the 



few linger here info the month 



eral seeii May 1 



one April 13, 1S71. Th 



migration are ran H ■-.■, i; 

 and October these birds 

 marshes, aud occasional!; 

 of November. 



18S. Purple Sandpiper — Trinr/n marih'mii And. ; Argute 

 kiln maritima Ridg. 530. Cs. 62u'.— Abundant in November 

 and throughout the winter about the outer islands of the 

 coast, more especially of the easternmost porlion of the 

 State. Exclusively a maritime species. Locally termed 

 "rock plover" aud "rock snipe." But few of these sand- 

 pipers proceed further south than Cape Cod in Massachu- 

 setts, and no other sandpipers pass the winter so far north. 

 Their summer homes and breeding places are in Arctic re- 

 gions. 



187, Red-backed or Black-bellied Sandpiper. American 

 Dunlin — Triip/a nlpinn Aud.; [\lidua alpinci uaarka,,a 

 Ridg. 539a, Cs. 624.— Abundant ou the coast late in the 

 autumn, but, very larch seen lure in spring. May :;7. 1879, 

 1 shot a single specimen. Which was detected in association 

 with a Hock of "peeps" aud "ringnneks," at, Seurboro. 

 This was an adu 



the belly black. Th 

 to the bird only on 

 plumage. Like' the 

 the coast and rock 

 and "fall 

 which th 



npe 



II pic 





upper port 

 pleted the 

 presence s 



or the st. rji 



f this temporary pha 

 " ofes, 1hese birds frequent 

 id are termed "rock snipe" 

 ) resort to the sand beaches, 

 arely. if ever, frcquenl, and 

 the marshes. I once shot a 

 a one of the marshes of the 



(Hver, which had not coni- 

 This fact and its 



form, the' dunlins difl'et 

 upon our coast do 

 and go beyond tin 

 have observed the 

 early iu May, as tl 

 ably the greater pi 

 to the breeding pl- 

 ot. Liimi-imi a ii 

 Atlantic coast iu b 

 and pass by Main 

 easterly storms p" 

 duriug Iheir migia'ii 



P,li,!aa 





unta Ridg. 



Cs. 025. 



— Aoei 



leutal. & 



in Ami 



rico o 



lly as a st 



found b 



it thre 



■ specimens 



Mr. Bo; 



I'diiian 





three aj 





s near the 



uoult of its summer pli 



far from the coast led melo suspect tuul pos iblj 

 ii few of the species may occasientdly breed in that region. 

 This is not probable, however. 



Although somewhat resembling the purple sandpipers in 

 much iu iheir habits. None remain 

 ,'inler, but, great numbers pass by 

 lerri limits i.f the United States, 1 

 .0 sand islands it, the Gulf of Mexico 

 ire returning to the North. Prob 

 of their numbers wend their way 

 i the North, via the Mississippi anil 

 ■)s Those Which come along the 



leave the shores of Msasacl - 



from land over the ocean Cold 

 3d on Ihe coast of New l@ugift.nrj 

 in May, i8S2, and dunlins, as also 

 many other shore birds, were driven out of their u mil 

 course. At Scarboro tWo dunlins were shot May 28, live 

 May 30. one .May Ml, and one June 2, a total of ran 

 mens, all were in ftnesummer-plumage 



190. Curlew Sandpiper.— 77,'., s' ; ,.,,,■ , Ami; 



"i-lii; . I m ,'■."■'■ . lit irguatus 

 :remi.ly rare. ApjVirf -iit.lv occurs 

 aggler from Europe. Audubon 

 in A in> ric.-i in all his explorations 

 Oini: years since Die capture of 

 mouth of the St. Croix River. 

 A single specimen was shot, at Scarboro, Maine, Septem- 

 ber 15, t88<>, and its skin is preserved and in the possession 

 of Mr. C. 11 Chandler, of Cam!. ridge, Mass., who obtained 

 the bird at Scarboro. By the courtesy of Mr. If. A. Pur- 

 die, who litis examined this specimen, I am assured of ils 



identity, 



lOl.'Reil-breasled Sandpiper— Tnngu in'niatka mi 



,:„7(/s Ridg. 520, Cs. 026. — Common mi the coast 

 dniing migrations. Arrives in latlerpart of May. With 

 various ol in i- birds of the same family, this sandpiper ex- 

 b nils its migration to extreme northern regions, I have 

 seen a specimen of Tringa aun-uka in the ornithological col- 

 lection of the British Museum Fit London licit wis "killed at 

 "S2 north latitude." The red coloration ol I he breast and 

 lower parte to WhiOh is due th. name Of this sandpiper, is 

 peculiar to the plumage of spring and summer. B] ' 

 iu this phase of coloration arc obtained in Maine during ihe 

 last of May and first of June. When next seen here upon 

 Iheir autumnal migration the plumage appears <<., 

 ent, aud the birds are Iheu sometimes termed "blue plover." 

 the upper parts being bluish gray, and lo.ver parts white. 

 [to Ba com'R?nfe».] 



THE HORNED LARK. 



UY KEV. J, U, LASOini.E. 



IT wasearly. winter. The ground wascovered with.siiow, 

 but the atmosphere had been laden with a dense falling 

 mist. The temperature fulling below the fre, .. . 

 throughout the night, a zephvr-hke wind Eratn the north- 

 east continued to crystallize the moisture on ever, 

 arraying the landscape in a most mflgniflci ut hoar-frost. 

 The" delicate plumose or spinulose ornaments increased 

 everv IwU and spear of giass lo many limes its sine. The 

 spray of trees and shrubs seemed ulin'bSI 8 ! " -e as when 

 arrayed in a young foliage; telegraph wires were as thick as 

 cables, aud the delicate" array of spinulose plunn s on the 

 evergreens wSs of greater magnitude: than their own dark 



covering. The. exquisite delicacy and beauty of Ihe pattern 



of Crystallization were indescribable. The whole landscape 



was a charming fairyland The genius of a Greek mind 



might well Inc.- i o that all the hosts of rural antl 



sylvan deities had L"-en at work; while in thi.- inimitable 

 robe of snow-white purity the Christian tiei-l mlghl lead 



the thoughts of Him who is the author of the be; Eu y 



,, l ,,i the true aud good. 



iiu - ..:_■■■■ c The slight e,t sound was awiik 

 ening What could ileo dug to the lover of nature 



at smsiiR time. than, the graceful flight and tht tno teal - 



f bird's? i ■ ■ ■' ■ (nail loose flocks of hois 



(h'ftmop/ii'" ,',„ ,',,..: aopi.-ared, alighting ill 'In M'. 

 along the highway, and tin- I: and 



so many Frenchmen, as they dew- and ran, and squ 



hopped* vicing with each other in their sol r conversational 



tseep, to i pi r 



This is one of the most characteristic birds of Western 

 New York. In Orleans county and westward, Ihrougin.u 



