FOREST AND STREAM 





Sttfawl §tetwg t 



THE BIRDS OF NEW YORK. 



MOST of your ornithological readers are doubtless already- 

 aware that the undersigned has, for some time past, 

 been engaged in the preparation of a work on the ornithology 

 of this State, but since they are probably unacquainted -with 

 its character and scope, and perhaps also with the fact that 

 the assistance of resident collectors is desired, the present op- 

 portunity is taken both for requesting their co-operation and 

 for presenting an 



CDTLINH OP PI..MJ OF OnNITHOLOar OF ITHW TORE. 



The work shall consist ol three distinct parts : 



(A .)— Introduction- 



(B,)— Systematic Btvieu 0/ Species, 



tpj—niblicgraphy. 



(A.) Tneflrat, or Introductory, chapter, Is to he devoted to the con- 

 sideration of the Distribution of Species, and will be subdivided Into 

 two portions : 



1st. General Distribution, under which head the Faunal Areas will 

 be di-ensaed, and the precise limits ot the Canadian, AlleghaMun and 

 Carolinian Fauna within our border?, will be defined with as much 

 exactness as the data on hand will permit. Moreover, the causes which 

 have to do with, and exert a controlling Influence over, the distribution 

 of characteristic species will here be considered at length, and to bring 

 the results more clearly before the eye it is proposed to publish several 

 charts of the State which shall show, in different colors, the position 

 and limitations at the Faunal Areas, and the conditions governing these 

 limitations— such, far example, as tbe temperature during tho breeding 



2d. Local Distribution, treating of the influence ot topographical and 

 other minor phyaicsl conditions (mountain.", river basins, swamps, 

 deep forests, hard-wood grove?, open (lets, etc.. for example,) npon 

 the local distribution of the various species mith/n tlia Faunal Areas 

 to which ihey severally pel tain, Ineind n;{ lists of .-pedes so Influenced. 



(B ) The second portion c.f t'ic wors will con-I=t of a Systematic Criti- 

 cal Review 0/ all species I; no, 1 a to fttoir within the Umiti of the State, of 

 Xew York. In treating oi each ancles it is prouo.ia J to adopt tho fol- 

 lowing scheme : 



(a) name 0/ Specie*. 



(b) Vernacular name, or nam's, by which It U known in different 

 parts of the U. S., and in other countries aiso, if occurring beyond our 

 limits. 



(c) Synonomy. This will be limited to the original describer of the 

 species, trie ftutho'ilty for the name adopted, the older and Btandnrd 

 worss on North American Ornithology, and complete only so far as 

 concerns this State. 



(d) Description of Species. This shall consist of: 1. The Diagnostic 

 character of trie tpectes— will ba brief. 2. The Sexual, Seasonal, age-al 

 and A inormal variations in plumage. 



(e) Habitat (universal ar.d local). 



(i) Biography. This will consist of a popular account of the natural 

 history of the species, and will ba subdivided into several minor sec- 

 tions, treating ot the migrations, general habits, nldiflcation, etc. 



(C.) Bibliography. Tflis shall be complete so far as it pertains to the 

 birds of New York State, and wUl be limited to this State. 



So much for the nature of the work. Its completion will 

 require at least three years. A large amount of material has 

 already been collected, and many local lists have been received 

 from various parts of the State. Miny more, however, are 

 desired, especially of the birds found breeding about the 

 point of which the list treats. The author is also desirous of 

 obtaining information concerning the time of arrival and de- 

 parture, time of nesting, period of incubation, time young 

 remain in nest, time required for completion of nest, and time 

 elapsing between its completion and deposition of first egg, 

 periods of song, food, etc., etc., of all our birds, and from as 

 many localities in, and contiguous to, this State as possible. 

 For all such information made use of in the work due credit 

 will be given. O. Hart Meeeiah, M. D., 



Locust Grove, Lewis Co., N. Y, 



DRUMMING OF THE RUFFED GROUSE. 



PiHEY FALLS, April 15, 1879. 

 Editor Foiibst and Stream: 



If the grouse question is not entirely exhausted, permit me 

 at least to express an opinion, founded on observation. There 

 seems to be a slight difference of opinion among some of your 

 correspondents concerning the nature and habits of the par- 

 tridge, or ruffed grouse. I know that this bird has many 

 cutious and interesting traits, only one of which I propose to 

 mention here, and that is concerning his drumming. During 

 my boyhood days in Western New York, I spent much time 

 creeping through brush, and crawling under logs, and worm- 

 ing my way through briers and ttiorns, for the purpose of 

 closely observing the partridge while drumming. I succeeded 

 in getting front, side and back views, and frequently at a dis- 

 tance that would enable me to observe accurately the manner 

 in which he performed this marvelous feat of drumming, the 

 sound of which I believe cannot he imitated either by man or 

 bird. It is i mmaterial whether he is on a hollow log, or a 

 sound log, or a rotten log, the sound is just the same. He 

 generally selects a mossy log or a log with rough bark. He 

 begins by taking two or three steps, neither forward nor back- 

 ward, spreads his tail to about half the full size, stretches his 

 neck upward and backward— similar to a barn-yard cock in 

 the act of crowing— inflates his crop or air-sac, and strikes 

 three or four measured blows, with Bbort intervals between, 

 and then begins again, repeating the same measured strokes, 

 only a little harder, and continuing more and more rapidly, 

 until it ends off in a miniature thunder. During this feat his 

 head has been gradually drawn down to his body, with his 

 eyes nearly or quite closed, and the whole time occupied may 

 be twenty seconds, more or less. The wings do not strike the 

 breast, as some have supposed, but the wings strike with such 

 a curve that I think it compresses the air in such a manner 

 that the inflated sac serves as a sounding-board. In all the 

 partridges that I have killed while drumming, I invariably 

 found little, if any, food in the crop, and I am of the opinion 

 that he never drums on a full crop of food, Have occasion- 



ally heard partridges drum all times In tbe day and all times 

 In the night ; but as a general rule he raouuts his log at dark 

 and commences drumming about three o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, and keeps it up until ten or eleven a, m. Antler. 



AN ARMADILLO IN TEXAS. 



New Eochelle, N. Y., March 23, 1879. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



I inclose you a clip from the San Antonio Express concern- 

 ing the armadillo : 



" One of the greatest curiosities ever opened to the free 

 gaze of the San Antonion public was an srmadillo, which 

 was hauled about the streets a few days ago on a country- 

 man's wagon. The gentleman found the animal while cut- 

 ting wood in Atascosa County, about thirty miles from San 

 Antonio, a few days ago, and brought it in upon a load of 

 wood, with the intention of selling it to some curiosity 

 seeker. The price demanded was fifty dollars. Hundreds 

 surrounded his wagon in different ports of the city to get a 

 view of the strange animal, whose business in this part of 

 the world, and how it came here, being questions excitive of 

 wonderment. The armadillo derives its name from being 

 armed with a bony shell, into which, when attacked or in 

 fear, it draws itself in the form of a ball, presenting an im- 

 penetrable armor to any assailant. The proper home of the 

 armadillo is South America, though in some portions of Mexi- 

 co it has been found. Burrowing in the earth, like most ani- 

 mals which do so, its travels are in the night, when it goes 

 forth in search of food, subsisting chiefly on fruits, roots and 

 insects. Ants are a delicacy to its taste. The people of South 

 America, in those regions where the armadillo abounds, use 

 the flesh of the animal as food, and hunt it for this purpose. 

 The specimen brought to this city was the first ever found in 

 Western Texas, so far as we know of," 



In so far as I know, he is the first stranger of the kind 

 which has been found within the limits of the United States. 

 I never heard of one in Texas during the many years I 

 roamed over her territory, nor in Florida while scouring that 

 country after the "red-skins." I think this lonely armor- 

 clad Don Quixote deserves a nook in your columns. Query : 

 How did he or his ancestors cross the Eio Grande ? Quien 

 *«*« ? H. W. Mbrbill. 



Herbinos.— " There are two species of alewives which we 

 have been confusing under the names Pomolobus pseudoha- 

 rengus," said Prof. Goode to us lately. The branch herring 

 of the Potomac, the alewife of New England, the gaspereau 

 (probably) of the Provinces, distinguished by its large eye, 

 high body, high fins and the white lining of the belly ; the 

 Clupea mmalis of MitchiJl (Pomolobus ozmalis (Mitchill) Goode 

 & Bean) is quite different from the glut herring of the Poto- 

 mac, the blue-back, kyack or saw-belly of New England, 

 the Clupea. astivalis of Mitchill (Pomolobus mstivalis (Mitchill) 

 Goode & Bean), which has smaller eyes, lower body and fins 

 and black peritoneum. The former comes before the shad ; 

 the latter a month or six weeks later. 



Dr. Mbrriam's Proposed Work.— We take pleasure in 

 calling tbe attention of ornithologists and ornithological col- 

 lectors to Dr. Merrism's proposed work on the Birds of New 

 York, the plan of which we publish in our Natural History 

 columns. There is eminent and pressing need of just such 

 an ornithology, for, since the time of Dekay, no general work 

 on the birds of this State has been published. We are glad 

 too that the work is to be in such competent hands. Dr. 

 Merriam, who has lODg been known to working ornithol- 

 ogists, gained a wider circle of readers when he published 

 his admirable " Review of the Birds of Connecticut " in 1877, 

 which is a veritable model of its kind. We are sure that all 

 who are interested in birds will be glad to offer what help 

 they can in a matter of such general interest. 



The Last Snake Story.— Newspaper men, we believe, 

 always regard snake stories with a considerable degree of sus- 

 picion—and rightly so. It seems, however, as if there must 

 be some foundation for the most recent one^which appeared, 

 some time since, in the columns of " our esteemed contempo- 

 rary," the World. According to the account, as it appears in the 

 daily paper?, a gigantic snake, over twenty feet in length, had 

 for several years previous to 1875, inhabited a swamp near 

 South Canaan, Conn., and by its frequent appearances had 

 greatly excited the inhabitants of the vicinity. One or two 

 attempts were made to capture it, without success, and about 

 four years ago it disappeared. On Saturday, February 15, 

 however, its remains appear to have been found, and if they 

 have been preserved, as is said to be tho case, there will be no 

 difficulty whatever in deciding to what species the monster 

 belonged. We should be glad to know where the bones were 

 sent for identification. The account of its_^discovery is as 

 follows : 



On Saturday last two men named Kelly and Smith, both 

 well and favorably known in the neighborhood, went into 

 the swamp with a sled to get a load of wood. After a little 

 while they came to a large button wood tree which had fallen 

 to the ground. They discovered it was hollow, and in order 

 to handle it easily they attempted to saw it up. They had 

 sawed nearly through one part when suddenly the saw grated 

 as though it had struck a stone. Thinking that it was a 

 curious place to find a stone they at once went to work to in- 

 vestigate. They plied their axes, and by dint of hard labor 

 split the tree, when to their astonishment the obstacles which 

 the saw had struck proved to be bones. Then they opened 

 the tree as far as they could find bones, some twenty-one 

 feet, and the remains proved to be those of the monstrous 

 reptile so often seen but never captured. The tail of the 

 snake was found imbedded in the upper part of the tree, and 

 both men believed he went in backward. It is believed that 

 the last time he was chased, some four years ago, he sought 

 refuge in this tree and never came out again. The bones 

 and other remains have been preserved and will be sent to 

 the Society of Natural Science, together with a history of the 

 case. 



Fox Kirrsat— JtXtUfidtMi, N, 7,, May 6.— One day last 

 week I dug out, and have them now, eight young foxes from 

 one burrow. Is not this an unusually large litter ? They are 

 for sale. Cms. L. Febguson. 



Ans. Yes, the litter is large, but our old friend Wm. E. 

 8chaeffer, of Boston, showed us last week a litter of 10 fox 

 cubs which he had dug out of a hole. The little fellows 

 were very playful and cunning, and attracted much attention 

 at the Dog Show. She foxes usually bear four or five cubs 

 at a litter. 



Is ebraska Birds.— I send you to-day a couple of heads for 

 classification. The long-billed one, which I take to belong to 

 the curlew family, was the most beautifully marked bird that 

 I ever saw. Its wing primaries were a lovely bronze green ; 

 coverts, green, purple and damask; its back was a mixture 

 of black, green and purple, with an indescribable bronze 

 sheen when viewed in the sun ; its breast and whole under 

 parts were about the color of the head and neck of a canvas- 

 back ; and, to conclude, it was delicious eating. The other 

 bird was the same color as the head sent— slate on the back : 

 under pails white. They were shot by Mr. Brunton, super- 

 intendent of the mill and mines in this place, who is an en- 

 thusiastic and an experienced sportsman ; but he is unable to 

 name them, and it is chiefly at his solicitation that I forward 

 them to you. Hoping that you may " live a thousaud years 

 and your shadow never grow Jess," I remain, 



Silver Peak, Nevada, April 20, 1879. D. S. Libbex. 



The head first mentioned is that of the glossy ibis, appa- 

 rently, (Ibis fahinellus var. ordii), the other that of a night 

 heron (JVyc-tiardea grisea var. ntevia). 



Unusual in Vermont.— Ferris burg, Vt., May 5.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream : One of our trappers, B. N. Preston, 

 caught in one of his muskrat traps in Little Otter Creek, on 

 the 38th of April, a Florida gallinule, answering exactly to the 

 description given in Wilson and Buonaparte's ornithology, ex- 

 cept that it was two inches shorter, had not tho conspicuous 

 white on the flank, nor the frontal plate so wide, it being less 

 than } s inch in width. As it seems rather uncommon to find 

 this bird so far North, I thought this instance of its capture 

 here might be of interest, to some of your ornithological read- 

 ers. I heard of one similarly taken here a few years ago, but 

 never saw one before. The purple gallinule is not uncommon 

 here. The work above named says that the Florida gallinule 

 ( OaUimtla galeata) is sometimes found as far North as Albany, 

 N- Y- B. E. Bobinson. 



Ants as Weather Prophets.— Editor Forest and Stream : 

 This country is wonderfully productive of insects, especially 

 red or brown anls, and in many places the ground seems to 

 be full of these indefatigable little workers. Near our resi- 

 dence is a small piece of low, boggy ground, which is gener- 

 ally dry except during heavy rains, and I have frequently seen 

 these little bogs literally swarming with ants. While passing 

 over this ground one warm, p.easint morning, I observed 

 what appeared to be a reddish streak or stripe, not unlike a 

 two-inch wide ribbon, lying close to the ground, having 

 several crooks and curves, and leading from the bog to higher 

 ground, ending in a heap of rubbish a distance of perhaps 

 twenty feet. On a close examination this dark stripe proved 

 to be a moving mass of small red ants, all hurrying one way 

 and making all possible speed ; no stragglers seen out of this 

 uniform strip, which seemed to contain millions. After 

 watching this extraordinary exodus for hnlf an hour, the rear 

 end began to shorten until tbe last travelers disappeared in the 

 heap of rubbish, at which time large drops of rain began to 

 fall, although a half-hour before tne sky was clear and no 

 visible signs of rain. But it had now become clouded, and 

 the rain soon fell in torrents, and in two hours the bog was 

 mostly submerged. Antler. 



Piney Falls, Tenn., April 13. 



A Pteeopod.— I have found specimens on the beach at low 

 water of a curious marine animal, shaped like a violet leaf ; 

 rather thick, and covered with small tubercles : it is rooted 

 to the mud by a stalk, like that of a plant, but it has evident 

 animal life ; size, from one to two inches in diameter ; color, 

 reddish brown. The most curious quality, however, is that 

 the creature, while alive, possesses the power of giving out in 

 the dark when touched or irritated, flashy or phosporesent 

 light, like that of a fire fly. Perhaps some "of your scientific 

 correspondents can give the name of this animal. S, C. C. 



Halifax Inlet, Fla., March 28. 



THE BOSTON DOG SHOW. 



THE time of our going to press last week permitted us only 

 to allude briefly to the opening of the second annual 

 dog show held by the Massachusetts Kennel Club. The show 

 was in many respects superior to that of tho previous year. 

 In the first place, instead of a building intended for business 

 purposes, and reached through a dingy alley, the committee 

 had secured the Music Hall, one of Boston's favorite places of 

 resort. The building itself is well adapted for the purpose of 

 a dog show, having a wide stage and galleries for the display 

 of sportsmen's goods and small dogs, and a hall beneath, 

 where the judging was done in public. The judges for sport- 

 ing dogs were Messrs. Chas. H. Raymond, J. M. Taylor and 

 Dr. Wm. Jarvis, and for non-sporting uogs, Mr. Jas. D. Eng- 

 land, of Philadelphia. Of course there was the usual amount 

 of dissatisfaction at some of , the decisions made, particularly 

 in the sporting classes, but this is a matter inseperable from 

 dog shows. In some cases our sympathies were with the ex- 

 hibitors, and in some they were not, as will be seen by our 

 synopsis of the judging. We think the practice adopted at 

 this show of ignoring a dog's European record, and confining 

 the champion classes to previous winners of two first prizes in 

 this country, a wrong one, as was shown in the fact that in 

 no champion class were there more than three competitors, 

 and in most of them only two. The details of the show were 



