66 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
of the Loggerhead Shrike. This bird has been represent- 
ed as very suspicious, shy, and watchful, but I found it 
quite the contrary; its nest was built on an orange tree in 
my friend’s yard, not more than nine feet from the 
ground, under which the family and servants passed 
hourly. This and the Blue-bird are the earliest which 
incubate in the southern states. Noticed other birds just 
building their nests, among which were the Mocking-bird 
and Yellow-throat Warbler. These sea islands abound 
with the ground Dove, sometimes to an injurious extent. 
5th. Entered a dark grove of pines, which were made 
more sombrous by being shrouded with moss, (Tillandsia 
Usneoides .) Here I very fortunately succeeded in shoot- 
ing a male and female Chuck-wills-widow, ( Caprimulgus 
Carolinensis ,) — birds hard to be procured, because they 
seclude themselves during the day time in the most dense 
and silent retreats, and only appear on wing at night. 
The mournful appearance of the woods in many parts of 
the south, occasioned by the vast quantities of moss ap- 
pended to every branch of the trees, affords but a gloomy 
aspect, and tends to impart melancholy feelings to a stran- 
ger travelling through these lonely parts. Nature seems 
enshrouded in eternal mourning, from which the eye can 
get no relief by resting on objects of a more enlivening 
kind. The moment you enter these almost endless depths, 
the mind is wrapt in solemnity, as though you were 
treading the mansions of the dead, and, as you proceed 
farther into these gloomy recesses, the feelings involun- 
tarily accord with the melancholy silence which every 
where surrounds you. No noise save that of your own 
footsteps, and the monotonous notes of the ivory-billed 
Woodpecker, break through the dreary silence, and no 
animated being disturbs the reigning solitude, but the 
Owl and the Chuck-wills-widow in their noiseless flight. 
The pendulous shreds of moss of . a dark grayish-olive co- 
lour, hang in dense masses, alike from the topmost, middle, 
and lowermost branches of the trees, until they trail the 
ground, and frequently form festoons from limb to limb of 
the same as well as the neighbouring trees. Such is the 
abode of the birds of night, and those timid animals which 
shun the face of man. 
Saw a Fish Hawk take its prey to a large dead tree for 
the purpose of devouring it, and with much caution suc- 
ceeded in shooting it. Before I had left the spot a large 
white-headed Eagle settled on the same tree, drawn thither 
no doubt by the appearance of the hawk, but it shared the 
same fate. Returned to the house, and prepared these two 
birds, and next morning departed for Savannah. 
On my passage between Savannah and Charleston, saw 
numbers of water birds, especially the Cormorants, which 
were arranged in multitudes on the sand-bars in the differ- 
ent sounds through which the steam-boat plyed her way; 
was more particularly interested by seeing several flocks 
of the Scarlet Ibis, ( Tantalus ruber,) which, while skim- 
ming the dark green wave, afforded a beautiful contrast 
between it and their brilliant plumage. 
The vicinity of Charleston affords a vast field for 
scientific research; and it is often explored by resi- 
dent naturalists, as well as those who are mere transi- 
tory visiters. Among the most scientific and enterprising 
of the former is the Rev. J. Backman, whose unceasing 
efforts in the cause of the natural sciences has done much 
to increase and sustain the love and pursuit of these studies 
in other members of that community. Mr. Backman has 
discovered several new birds and quadrupeds not hitherto 
known, and furnished details of their histories to some of 
the scientific journals now in course of publication. On the 
entrance of a stranger into Charleston, his attention will 
immediately be attracted by the number of the Black Vul- 
tures, ( Vultur jota,) which may be seen perched on 
the tops of the houses in different parts of the city. As far 
as my observation went, I did not discover a single Tur- 
key Buzzard, ( Vultur Aura,) in the thickly settled 
part of the city. Witnessed the actions of one in the out- 
skirts of the town, which convinced me, that these birds 
are not altogether dependant on sight to direct them to 
their food. I believe they are governed by both the 
senses, sight and scent, but more particularly by the for- 
mer in eight cases out of ten. In the instance above 
alluded to, I saw the bird skimming the surface of a mud 
flat, which the tide had left bare, and then rise and make 
a circle over the same spot for several minutes. At 
length the Buzzard descended, and settled within twenty- 
five yards of where I was standing, and drew from be- 
neath the surface of the mud the carcase of a cat. It was 
impossible that the bird could have been directed to this 
object by sight, as from the manner it was imbedded it was 
hidden entirely from view. 
While at Charleston, I procured several specimens of 
the great Crow Black Bird, the nest, and eggs. This bird, 
I believe, is never found north of the Roanoke; their song, 
when congregated, is not unlike that of the Purple Mar- 
tin, ( Hirundo Purpurea,) but much louder. The male 
bird is very shy, but the female manifests much concern 
when an enemy approaches her nest, and will at times 
settle on a limb of the same tree during this encroachment. 
The nest I procured was taken from the top of a wild 
orange tree, and contained five eggs; there were on this 
and five other adjoining trees, thirty-six nests, containing 
from one to five eggs each. 
