FORSTER'S TERN-BIG BLACK-HEAD— WARBLERS. 



99 



any other of our aquatic birds ; for, traversing the air in all di- 

 rections, as soon as it discovers the fish, it rises to such a height as 

 experience shows best calculated to carry it by a downward motion 

 to the required depth, and then, partially closing its wings, it falls 

 perpendicularly upon the prey, and rarely without success; the 

 time between the plunge and immersion being about fifteen seconds." 

 This species is from thirty to thirty-three inches long, and from 

 seventy-two to seventy-four inches broad. The wing measures 

 twenty-one, and the tail ten inches. The female is somewhat 

 smaller than her mate. 



I Forster'sor Havell's Tern. (Sterna forsteri.) 



Fig. 2. 



This bird has often been taken to be the common Tern, which 

 is a mistake. The late authorities all agree that it is a distinct and 

 separate species. 



Dr. Coues says : " No Tern of this country is more widely and 

 generally distributed than this one. It may be found in every part 

 of the country, at one season or another, and in the interior, es- 

 pecially, almost replaces the common Tern, being in fact the most 

 characteristic of the species. Doubtless some of the local quotations 

 of ' the common Tern' from interior States really refer to this species. 

 It appears to be hardier than some of its allies, as it winters on 

 our Atlantic coast north of Long Island, while most others proceed 

 further south at this season. It is the commonest Tern, in winter 

 and during the migrations, in the harbor of Baltimore. Neverthe- 

 less its wanderings at this season are pushed to South America. 

 On the Carolina coast it is chiefly a migrant, but also a winter res- 

 ident. Comparing it with the common Tern, it is there seen to be 

 the more northerly species of the two, migrating earlier in the 

 spring and later in the fall, besides wintering where the common 

 Tern does not. A few of Forster's Terns come back to the Carolinas 

 in August; they become abundant the following month, and there 

 is little or no decrease of their numbers until December, when a part 

 go further south, to return the latter part of March, and the rest 

 remain. It is one of the most plentiful Terns on the harbor of 

 Beaufort in October and November, when it may be distinguished 

 at any reasonable distance with ease, Wilson's Tern being the only 

 one at all resembling it, and this being differently marked about the 

 head at this season. Quite early in the spring it leaves for its nor- 

 thern breeding-grounds, generally acquiring its complete plumage 

 before it leaves the United States. It breeds in the interior of 

 British America." The general habits of this bird agree entirely 

 with the other well known species of Terns. 



Big Black-head— Greater Scaup Duck— Blue Bill— Broad Bill— Shuffler. 



(Fuligula marilla.~) 



Fig. 3- 



Nuttall says: " This species, better known in America by the 

 name of the Blue Bill, is another general inhabitant of the whole 

 Northern Hemisphere ; passing the period of reproduction in the re- 

 mote and desolate hyperboreal regions, from whence, at the ap- 

 proach of winter, they issue over the temperate parts of Europe 

 as far as France and Switzerland ; and in the United States are ob- 

 served to winter in the Delaware, and probably proceed as far as 

 the waters of the Southern States. . . . Their breeding-places, 

 according to the intelligent and indefatigable Richardson, are in 

 the remote fur countries, from the most southern point of Hudson's 

 Bay to their utmost northern limits. The present species is said to 

 derive its name from feeding on scaup, or broken shell-fish, for 

 which, and other articles of subsistence, such as marine insects, fry, 

 and marine vegetables, it is often seen diving with great alertness. 

 It is a common species here, both in fresh waters and bays. They 



particularly frequent such places as abound in their usual fare, and, 

 like most of their tribe, take advantage of the accommodation of 

 moonlight. They leave the Middle States in April, or early in 

 May. 



" Both male and female of the Scaup make a similar grunting 

 noise, and have the same singular toss of the head, with an opening 

 of the bill, when sporting on the water in the spring. While here, 

 they are heard occasionally to utter a guttural quauck, very dif- 

 ferent from that of the common Ducks. In a state of domestica- 

 tion, during the summer months, when the larvas of various insects 

 are to be found in the mud at the bottom of the pond they frequent, 

 they are observed to be almost continually diving. They feed, 

 however, contentedly on barley, and become so tame as to come to 

 the edge of the water for a morsel of bread. Mr. Rennie adds : 

 ' Of all the aquatic birds we have had, taken from their native 

 wilds, none have appeared so familiar as the Scaup. The flesh of 

 this species is but little esteemed, though the young are more tender 

 and palatable.' " 



PLATE LXX. 



Audubon's Warbler. (Dendroeca audubonii.) 



Fig. 1. 



This, in some localities, from the Rocky Mountains to the 

 Pacific, is a common species. In the spring it may be found in 

 company with the Yellow Warbler, occupying the undershrubbery, 

 occasionally venturing into the open fields and clearings. It was 

 discovered by Mr. Townsend, who named it after Mr. Audubon. 

 He states that " the Chinock Indians know it by the name of 

 i Fout-sah' and that it is very numerous about the Columbia River." 

 Audubon says : "Its voice so nearly resembles that of the Chestnut- 

 sided Warbler as to render it difficult to distinguish them." Mr. 

 Nuttall gives the following account of this Warbler: "This ele- 

 gant species, one of the beautiful and ever welcome harbingers of 

 approaching summer, we found about the middle of April accom- 

 panying its kindred troop of warblers, enlivening the dark and 



dreary wilds of the Oregon Nothing contributes so 



much life to the scene as the arrival of those seraphic birds, the 

 Thrushes and Warblers, which, uniting in one wild and ecstatic 

 chorus of delight, seemed to portray, however transiently, the real 

 rather than the imaginary pleasures of Paradise. . . . The 

 harmonies of nature are not made to tire, but to refresh the best 

 feelings of the mind, to recall the past, and to make us dwell with 

 delight upon that which best deserves our recollection. But what 

 was my surprise to hear the accustomed note of the summer Yel- 

 low Bird delivered in an improved state by this new warbler, clad 

 in a robe so different but yet so beautiful. Like that species, also, 

 he was destined to become our summer acquaintance, breeding 

 and rearing his offspring in the shady firs by the borders of the 

 prairie openings, where he could, at all times, easily obtain a sup- 

 ply of insects or their larvae." 



Townsend's Warbler. (Dendroeca townsendii.) 



Fig. 2. 



This species is met with from the Rocky Mountains to the Pa- 

 cific, but is nowhere abundant. Nutall says : " Of this fine species 

 we know very little, it being one of those transient visiters, which, 

 on their way to the north, merely stop a few days to feed and re- 

 cruit, previous to their arrival in the higher latitudes, or afterward 

 disperse in pairs, and are lost sight of till the returning frosts and 

 famine of the season impel them again to migrate, when, falling 

 on the same path, they are seen in small, silent flocks advancinu 



