Chapter VIII: Part 8

The most remarkable species are the Common Albatross, which frequents the seas washing the south of Africa; the Sooty Albatross which also inhabits the seas round the Cape of Good Hope; the Yellow-beaked Albatross which, like the preceding species, inhabits the seas of the South Pole.

THE GRALLATORES, OR WADING BIRDS.

Nearly all the Wading Birds have very long legs; in some species these are of such surprising dimensions that the Birds appear to be mounted on stilts. This peculiarity is well adapted to their modes of life. They inhabit river banks, lakes and marshes, in which they find their food; consequently they are fearless of water and ooze. Not all the birds classed with the Waders live near the water, however; the Runners, or such Birds as the Ostrich, Agami, Bustard Emu, etc., are usually classed with the same group because of the similarity of their long, strong legs and short wings.

The bills of the different Birds found in this group assume various forms. They are generally long, but according to the species, they may be thick or slender, tapering or flat, blunt or pointed, strong or weak, and in some kinds, such as the Flamingo, the Spoonbill, the Boatbill, etc., they really defy all description. The neck is always slender and in perfect harmony with the length of the legs.

Almost all the Waders are powerful Birds on the wing, and twice a year most of them emigrate like the Wild Ducks, Geese and Swans. There are exceptions to this rule, however. Some of them, like the Bustard, move through the air with difficulty; while the short winged species are unable to fly at all, their wings being only useful for helping them along in running, and thus assisted, they are remarkably swift.

The nature of their food varies with the form and strength of the bill, and the locality they inhabit. It consists generally of Fish, worms and insects, and sometimes of small animals and reptiles, as well as grasses and seeds.

The Waders are usually divided into six great families. These are classified under long Latin names descriptive of some peculiarity belonging to each, but which can be more easily remembered as: First, the Waders with united toes; second, the long-toed Waders; third, the Waders with long bills; fourth, the Waders with knife-shaped bills; fifth, the Waders with compressed bills; sixth, the short-winged Birds.

THE WADERS WITH UNITED TOES.

As the feet of these Birds are partly webbed, they seem to belong to the swimmers, but the arrangement of their toes is altogether different, and their unusually long legs would also place them in a different family. This is the smallest of the family of Waders. In fact only two varieties are usually found in it—the Avocet and the Stilt Bird.

THE AVOCET.

This Bird has a very curious bill—long, slender, flexible and curved upwards. It uses this strange instrument to rake up the sand and mud in order to catch the worms, small molluscs and Fish-spawn, which constitute its chief food. Its long legs enable it to travel in safety over swamps and lagoons; it also swims with great ease. It may often be seen looking for its food on the margins of lakes and ponds.

The Avocet stands about twenty inches in height, although its body is but little larger than a Pigeon’s. It is a pretty bird, of slender make; its plumage is black on the head and back, and white underneath. It is to be met with on both the Continents; the European species is common in Holland and on the French coast. Wild and shy in its nature, it is very difficult of approach, and is clever in avoiding snares and in escaping pursuit, either by flight or swimming. The nest of the Avocet is a very simple structure, generally made by placing a few blades of grass in a hole in the sand, where it lays two or three eggs, of which it is frequently robbed, for they are regarded as great delicacies. The flesh, however, is of little value.

THE STILT BIRDS.

The Stilt Birds obtain their name from the excessive length of their legs, which are also so slender and flexible that they can be bent considerably without breaking. Their feet are not so completely webbed as the species we have just mentioned; the two membranes which unite the toes are unequal in size. The bill is long, slender and sharp, like that of the Avocet, but straight; the wings are long and pointed; the tail small. They are about the size of the Avocet, and sometimes attain the height of twenty-six inches. They possess considerable powers of flight, but walk with difficulty; on the other hand, they are much at home on mud or in marshes and swamps, in which they bore with their long beaks for insects, larvae, and small molluscs, dainties to which they are very partial.

They are dull, shy birds, leading a solitary life, except at nesting time. At that period they assemble in great numbers, build their nests in the marshes, on little hillocks, close to one another, grass being the principal material employed. They lay four greenish colored eggs, with ash colored spots. The male bird watches while the females are sitting; and, at the slightest alarm, he raises a cry which startles the flock. The whole colony may then be seen on the wing, waiting for the danger to pass before settling down.

Stilt Birds are uncommon in Western Europe; they are principally to be met with in the Russian and Hungarian marshes. During the summer they occasionally visit the shores of the Mediterranean, but they are seldom seen on those of the Atlantic.

LONG-TOED WADERS.

The Birds forming this family are remarkable for the extreme length of their toes, which are entirely separate, or but slightly webbed; they are thus enabled to walk on the weeds growing on the surface of the water. In most instances the shortness of their wings limits their powers of flight.

This order includes the Gallinules, or Water Hens, Rails, Coots, Pratincoles, and Screamers.

The chief characteristics of the Reed Hen are a short and strong bill, thick at the base and sharp at the end, with a prolongation of it extending up the forehead; four well-spread toes, furnished with sharp claws—the three front toes united by a small and cloven membrane. Their favorite haunts are marshy places and the banks of lakes or rivers, where they feed on Worms, Insects, Molluscs, and the smaller Fish. The Pike is their greatest enemy.

In early spring, Reed Hens return from the southern winter quarters and hunt up their summer pond. Like the Stork and the Swallow, they return from year to year to their chosen and beloved home. Among last year’s reeds and gray rushes, the pair bustle around hunting food and a suitable place for the cradle of their children. They are neat and graceful looking Birds, interesting in every movement, likewise in figure and coloring. The feathers are dark brown and slate gray, spotted white on the sides. The forehead is red and the glistening eyes are encircled with yellow, gray and red rings. The bill is yellow at the point and red at the roots. The long toes are edged with flaps for swimming and they glide easily and safely over the water.

They locate their nest on a down-trodden reed bush by the shore, a low decayed trunk of a tree or on the edge of an island of leaves. It is mostly hidden and presents little of beauty, but is suitable for its purpose. From six to twelve eggs are soon laid therein, which are large for the size of the Bird, and are spotted dark brown. The hatching lasts three weeks, then the young ones appear, cute little things who leave the nest the next day and follow the lead of the mother into the water.

A more delightful picture can hardly be imagined, than when the little chicks bustle around the parents, now here, now there, catching large flies, a worm, or a water insect. Swift as an arrow they shoot towards the mother when she has found a morsel for them. Alertly the old ones watch in every direction for possible danger. Now appears above them a dark circling dot. A short call, and swift as lightning the whole family disappears. Where to? One could hardly guess if not here and there a brown head peeps out from under the green leaf or blade in the water, or a yellow bill point appears on the mirrored surface. When the danger is over, all again appear.

These Birds are experts in hide and seek play. They dive and swim like a Fish under water, using their wings to row. It would appear as though no enemy could harm them. Mankind protects them. Dogs and Cats cannot pursue them into the water. Falcon, Hawk or Marshbirds cannot find their hiding places. Yet in the midst of the quiet, poetic, lonely pond, among blooming water-roses and lilies, treason and death lurks for them; and this enemy, knavish and frightful, the Reed Hen cannot escape. It is the Pike. His outward appearance shows what a bold robber he is. The trunk narrow and long, the flattened head with wide open, broad jaws lined with a terrible set of long, pointed, rake-like teeth. Anything they catch hold of is lost.

With strong strokes the pirate rows through his element. Nothing is safe from him. He feeds on the small Frogs and Snakes, Carp, Trout and White Fish. Like the Shark in the ocean, the blood-thirsty tyrant is master of the surroundings in every fresh water settlement. He snatches young Ducks, and often destroys whole broods. He is the destroyer of Pond Hens if they come within his reach. With brutal grip he drags the young Hen into the depths of the water, nor does he spare the old ones. Under the mirrory surface he chases the harmless family, until he has destroyed every one. The Reed Hen avoids the spot where the Pike is found.

If everything is favorable, young Reed Hen are able to take care of themselves after the first two or three weeks, and the old ones go about their second hatching. When these are hatched the picture is still more interesting, as the older children take care of the younger and help the parents feed them, making a picture of a prosperous, flourishing family. So they continue during the whole summer and by the beginning of autumn the whole pond is filled with the neat little Birds, until suddenly one morning they have all disappeared towards their winter quarters.

They return the next spring, intending to settle where they were born, but now circumstances are changed. Last year’s Chicks are able to take care of themselves and want to build in their own home, and naturally search for the old familiar pond, but here arises trouble. Only one pair is allowed in the old home. The parents jealously defend their chosen spot against all intruders; and as loving and kind as they nurse their young in childhood, now that they are grown up they see in them only intruders, whom they must disperse with force. This often causes bitter strife until the district has been cleared.

WADING BIRDS WITH LONG BILLS.

The Birds composing this family are characterized by a long and flexible bill, which is well adapted for boring in the mud and soft ground. They are usually found in the marshes or along the shore, yet some species spend the greater part of their time inland. Among them are found the Woodcocks, Snipes, Sandpipers, Turnstones, Ruffs, Knots, Godwits, Curlews and Ibis.

THE WOODCOCK.

The Common Woodcock has a very long, straight and slender bill, and a flattened head. These Birds live in the woods, and seldom frequent the shore or river banks. They differ from the Snipes in having a fuller body and broader wings. They are shy, timid Birds, and conceal themselves by day in the depths of the most retired woods. The brightness of daylight appears to dazzle them, and they do not seem to see clearly until evening when they leave their retreats to seek their food of worms and grubs in the cultivated fields, damp meadows or near springs.

The Woodcock lays four or five oval eggs rather larger than those of the Pigeon. The young Birds run about as soon as they are hatched, and the parent Birds guard them with great care. If any danger threatens, the old Birds catch up their little ones, holding them under their necks by means of their beaks, and thus carry them to a place of safety.

THE SNIPES.

These Birds closely resemble the Woodcocks, but are smaller and also different in their habits. They live in the marshes, feeding on grubs and aquatic plants. They are found in nearly all parts of the globe, and they make their nests among the reeds in muddy, boggy places, difficult of access to both man and beast; in which they lay four or five eggs. The young ones leave the nest as soon as they are hatched, but for a long time the parents feed them, as their long bills are not solid enough to bore for their own food.

WADING BIRDS WITH KNIFE-SHAPED BILLS.

The fourth family of Wading Birds is classified by a Latin name meaning knife-shaped bill, although the different Birds found in this group have bills of many curious forms; they are all long, sharp-edged and very strong. These Birds live along the edges of marshes and the banks of rivers, and their long legs have great strength; so that many of them are able to stand on one leg for hours together. This faculty is said to be due to a curious arrangement in the knee—a sort of knot which stiffens the ligaments of the knee, forming a kind of catch similar to the spring of a knife.

The principal species of this family are the various Storks—including the Argala or Adjutant, the Marabou and Jabiru—the Spoonbill, Boatbill, Heron and the different Cranes—including the Egret and the Bittern.

THE STORKS.

The Common Stork has a long and straight bill, wide at the base, pointed and sharp-edged; the legs are long and slender; the tail is short. They are found in nearly all parts of the world. Some species migrate with regularity, being admirably constructed for traveling long distances; for, although their bulk seems great, their weight is comparatively small, as most of their bones are hollow. In their migratory journeys, which occur principally by night, they fly in continuous or angular lines.

Storks prefer moist swampy localities, as they feed principally on Reptiles, Batrachians and Fishes; but small Birds and Mammalia, Molluscs, Worms, Insects, even Bees are not refused by them, or carrion, and other impurities. Their manner is slow and grave; they never appear in a hurry. On the wing they resemble crosses, from their manner of carrying the head and neck. They have no voice, and the only noise they make is a cracking, which results from one mandible striking against the other, and which expresses either anger or love; it is sometimes very loud. They lay from two to four eggs. The duration of their life is from fifteen to twenty years.

There are several species of Storks, the most important being the White Stork. It measures about forty inches in height; its plumage is white; the wings are fringed with black. This is the species best known in Europe. Holland and Germany are its favorite residences. It is very common in the warm and temperate parts of Asia. In the month of August it leaves Europe to visit Africa, from whence it returns in the following spring. This migration is not caused by temperature, as the Stork can bear severe cold. No, it is a mere question of sustenance; for, feeding as it does principally upon reptiles which remain in a complete state of torpor during our winters, it is naturally compelled to seek its food elsewhere.

The Stork is of a mild nature, and is easily tamed. As it destroys a host of noxious creatures, it has become a useful helper to Man, who, not ungrateful, gives it protection. In ancient Egypt it was venerated on the same score as the Ibis; in Thessaly there was a law which condemned to death any one killing these Birds. Even at the present day the Germans and Dutch esteem it a fortunate omen when a Stork selects their house for its home, and they even furnish it with inducements to do so by placing on their roofs a box or wheel, which forms a foundation for the Bird to build a nest, which it constructs of reeds, grass and feathers.

The Black Stork is rather smaller than the White Stork; it is a native of eastern Europe. It feeds almost exclusively on Fish, which it catches with much skill. It is very shy; avoids the society of Man; and builds its nest in trees.

The Argala, also called the Adjutant, is characterized by its very strong and large bill, and the bareness of its neck, the lower part of which is provided with a pouch somewhat resembling a large sausage. According to Temminck, there is a notable difference between the Marabou and the Argala, the characteristic mark of the latter frequently hanging down a foot, while it is much shorter in the Marabou.

The Marabou inhabits India; they feed on Reptiles and all kinds of filth, and this fact has been the means of securing for them the goodwill of the people. In the large cities of Hindostan they are as tame as Dogs, and clear the streets of every kind of garbage which litters them. At meal times they never fail drawing themselves up in line in front of the barracks, to eat the refuse thrown to them by the soldiers; their gluttony is so great that they will swallow enormous bones. At Calcutta they are protected by law, which inflicts a fine on any one killing them.

The long white feathers, celebrated for their delicacy and airiness, which are known in commerce by the name of Marabou feathers, come from this Bird and the African Marabou. Consequently, in spite of their ugliness, a good many are reared in a domestic state.

There are several other species which are allied to the Storks, and are only distinguished from them by a slightly different form of the bill.

The best known among these are the Jabiru, which is a native of Australia; the curious Broad-billed Stork of Africa, as illustrated (with the White Storks and the Demoiselle Crane on the tree); the Bec-ouvert, which inhabits India and Africa; the Drome, which is met with on the shores of the Black Sea and Senegal; and the Tantalus, which lives in the warm regions of both the Old and New World.

THE SPOONBILL.

The Spoonbill is remarkable for the singular form of its bill, which is about four times the length of the head, straight and flexible. The upper part, which is about an inch and a quarter broad at the base, gradually narrows to three-quarters of an inch, and again increases to two inches at the point, causing a resemblance to a spoon, from which it takes its name.

It uses this bill for dipping into the mud and water, whence it extracts worms and small Fish, on which it principally feeds. It also eats water insects, which it catches by placing its bill, half open, on the surface of the water, permitting them to float on to the lower part of the bill, when it quickly closes the bill and makes them captive.

THE WADING BIRDS WITH COMPRESSED BILLS.

The Birds which belong to this family differ greatly in the length of their legs—which seems to be the main characteristic of the Waders. In fact, some of these Birds seem to form a sort of connecting link between the Waders and the Domestic Fowls, in the form of the bill as well as in the length of the leg. Among them are the Golden-breasted Trumpeter, the Cariama, the Oyster-catcher, the Plovers, the Lapwing, the Coursers, the Dotterel, and the Bustard.

THE FRIGATE BIRD AND FLAMINGOES.

Before passing on to the sixth family of Wading or Long-legged Birds, we must notice two curious types that seem to form distinct classes. The Flamingoes, which are certainly Waders and yet with webbed feet like the Swimmers, and the curious Frigate Bird about which so many strange tales are told of its wonderful power of flight.

The Flamingo is one of the most curious of the tribe of Waders. The most fanciful imagination would fail to picture to itself anything more odd than the conformation of this Bird. It has extremely long legs, supporting quite a small body; a neck corresponding in length with the leg, a rather long bill, sharply curved and apparently broken in the middle. Add to this a plumage of rose-color, warming into a bright red on the back and wings, and we have an object of both wonder and admiration.

Ancient writers, struck by the vivid coloring of its wings, called this the Fiery-winged Bird; this term was designated in France by the word flambert, or flamant; from which came the name Flamingo, by which the Bird is popularly known.

Flamingoes inhabit the margins of lakes and ponds, more rarely the seashore. They feed on Worms, Molluscs, and the Spawn of Fishes, which they capture by the following stratagem: Placing their long neck and head in such a position that the upper mandible of their bill is the lowest, they stir the mud about in every direction, thus easily succeed in disturbing the small Fish which have settled in it, and capturing them while blended with the thick sediment. They also use their feet for working the ooze and detaching the fry and spawn, to which they are partial.

They love company, and live in flocks, which are subject to strict discipline. When they are fishing they draw themselves up into long, straight and regular files, protected by sentinels whose office it is to give a signal of alarm on the approach of danger. If any cause for uneasiness should arise, the scout-birds give a piercing cry, not unlike the note of a trumpet, and the whole flock immediately wing their way to a place of safety.

Flamingoes are very shy and timid, and shun all attempts of Man to approach them; the vicinity of animals, however, they disregard. Any one who is acquainted with this fact can take advantage of it, for, by dressing himself up in the skin of a Horse or an Ox, he can effect immense slaughter among these beautiful creatures. Thus disguised, the sportsman may shoot them down at his ease, so long as their enemy is unrecognized; the noise of the gun only stupefies them, so that they refuse to leave, although their companions are dropping down dead around them.

Some authors have asserted that the Flamingo makes use of its long neck as a third leg, walking with its head resting on the ground like a foot. The fact that has doubtless given rise to this supposition is the position of the neck, necessitated by its peculiar method of seeking food. We are told about a Flamingo reared in captivity which, being accidentally deprived of one of its limbs, found out a remedy for its infirmity by walking on one leg and helping itself along by means of its bill, using the latter as a crutch; the master of the Bird, noticing this, fitted it with a wooden leg, which it used with the greatest success. But this story, which applies very well to a domesticated Bird which was maimed, and consequently under peculiar conditions, does not prove that this is a common practice.

The Flamingo makes itself a nest which is as original as its own personal appearance. It consists of a truncated cone, about twenty inches in height, and formed of mud dried in the sun. At the summit of this little hillock it hollows out a shallow cavity, in which two eggs are laid, rather elongated in shape, and of a dead white color. When hatching the eggs, the Flamingo sits astride on this novel imitation of a throne, with her legs hanging down on each side. The young ones run about very soon after they are hatched, but it is some time before they are able to fly—not, indeed, until they are clothed with their full plumage. At two years old they assume the more brilliant colors of the adult Bird.

The Flamingo is found in all the warm and temperate regions of the globe. On certain islands off the American continent they exist in such numbers that navigators have given them the name of the Flamingo Islands. In the Old World they are found spread over a region below the fortieth degree of latitude, principally in Egypt and the Nile tributaries; during the summer they seek a cooler climate. The height of these magnificent Birds reaches to about five feet; when they are flying, in the peculiar formation common to most aquatic Birds, with the neck stretched out and the legs projecting behind, they look, in the clear sky, like gigantic triangles of fire.

The ancients greedily sought after the flesh of the Flamingo, which they regarded as the most choice food. The tongue especially was thought to be an exquisite dainty. At the present day we no longer eat the Bird; to modern palates its flesh is disagreeable in flavor, and it retains a marshy smell which is far from being pleasant. With regard to the tongue, the Egyptians, it is said, are content with extracting an oil from it, which is used to flavor certain food.

THE FRIGATE BIRD.

The Frigate Bird is principally characterized by a strong, robust bill, longer than the head, with mandibles hooked at the point; the front of the neck bare of feathers; wings very long and narrow, first two feathers longest; tail lengthy and forked; feet short; toes united by a membrane deeply notched.

The Frigate Bird has a most expansive spread of wing; its power of flight is, therefore, very great. It inhabits the tropical seas of both the Old and New World; and navigators assure us that they have met with it many miles from any shore. When a hurricane arises they mount up far above the storm, and remain in those empyrean regions until it is again fine weather. In consequence of their almost disproportionate spread of wing, they can sustain themselves in the air for lengthened periods, without taking or requiring rest.

Their sight is so piercing that, at a distance far beyond that which would render them invisible to us, they can perceive their prey, the principal of which is the Flying-fish. From their elevated situation, they dart down upon their favorite food, which has relinquished its native element; and, keeping their neck and feet in a horizontal position, cleave asunder the air and grasp their victim, who little expected to meet with an enemy in the element which it sought for safety. It is no unusual thing for it to rob the Gannet of the Fish which it has just caught; the unfortunate Bird acting as purveyor to this sea-robber.

The Frigate Bird is of such a combative temperament, and has such an unbounded confidence in its strength, that it is not afraid of Man. It has been known to dash at a sailor, and to snatch at the Fish which he held in his hand. M. de Kerhoent, a French navigator, relates that, during a residence at the Island of Ascension, a perfect cloud of Frigate Birds surrounded his crew. They hovered about a few feet above the coppers of the open-air kitchen, in order to carry off the meat, without being intimidated in the least by the presence of his followers. Some of them approached so near, that M. de Kerhoent knocked down one of the impudent intruders with a blow of his stick.

They assemble in large flocks on the islands where they are accustomed to breed. In the month of May they begin to repair their old or construct new nests. They pluck off with their beaks from the bush small dry branches, and with these pieces of stick crossed and re-crossed, a foundation is formed. These nests are situated upon trees which hang over the water, or are placed on rocks overjutting the sea; in them they lay one egg of a pure white color.

THE SHORT-WINGED BIRDS.

The family of Short-winged Birds which is represented by the Ostrich, differs so greatly from all the other long-legged Birds that some Naturalists include them in a separate group, and call them Cursores or Runners. This is an arrangement that has much in its favor, but they seem to be more popularly grouped with the great order of Long-legged or Wading Birds.

All the Birds in this family have wings, but so slightly developed that they are entirely unfit for purposes of flight, and are only useful in increasing the speed of their limbs. Their legs are very long and powerful and capable of immense muscular effort, thus enabling them to run with extraordinary fleetness.

This group includes the Ostrich, Emu, Rhea, Cassowary and the Apteryx.

THE OSTRICH.

The head of the Ostrich is naked and callous, with a short bill, much depressed and rounded at the point; its legs are half naked, muscular, and fleshy; the feet are long and rough, terminating in two toes pointing forward, one of which is shorter than the other and has no claw; the wings are very short, and formed of soft and flexible feathers; the tail taking the form of a plume.

There is but one species of the Ostrich; it is sparsely diffused over the interior of Africa, and is rarely found in Asia except perhaps in Arabia. It is the largest member of the family, generally measuring six feet in height, and occasionally attaining nine feet; its weight varies from twenty to a hundred pounds.

The Ostrich has been known from the most remote antiquity. It is spoken of in the sacred writings, for Moses forbade the Hebrews to eat of its flesh, as being “unclean food.” The Romans, however, far from sharing the views of the Jewish legislator, considered it a great culinary luxury. In the days of the Emperors they were consumed in considerable numbers; and we read that the luxurious Heliogabalus carried his magnificence so far as to cause a dish composed of the brains of 600 Ostriches to be served at a feast; this must have cost an almost incalculable sum. In former days it was a favorite dish with the tribes of Northern Africa. At the present date the Arabs content themselves with using its fat as an outward application in certain diseases, especially rheumatic affections; and they derive from it, as they say, very beneficial effects.

The natives of Africa call the Ostrich “the Camel of the desert,” just as the Latins denominated it Struthio camelus. There is, in fact, some likeness between them. This resemblance consists in the length of the neck and legs, and in the form of the toes. In some of their habits they also resemble each other; the Ostrich lies down in the same way as the Camel, by first bending the knee, then leaning forward on the fleshy part of the sternum, and letting its hinder quarters sink down last of all.

That the Ostrich is extremely voracious is certain. Although the senses of sight and hearing are so highly developed that it is said to distinguish objects six miles off, and the slightest sounds excite its ear, the senses of taste and smell are very imperfect. This is the explanation given for its readiness to swallow unedible substances. In a wild state it takes into its stomach large pebbles, to increase its digestive powers; in captivity it gorges bits of wood and metal, pieces of glass, plaster and chalk, probably with the same object.

Herbage, Insects, Molluscs, small Reptiles, and even small animals, are the principal food of the wild Ostrich; when it is in a state of domesticity even young Chickens are frequently devoured by it. It is capable of enduring hunger and thirst for many days—about the most useful faculty it could possess in the arid and burning deserts which it inhabits—but it is quite a mistake to suppose it never drinks, for it will travel immense distances in search of water when it has suffered a long deprivation, and will then drink with evident pleasure.

The muscular power of the Ostrich is truly surprising. If matured it can carry a man on its back; and is readily trained to be mounted like a Horse, and to bear a burden. The tyrant Firmius, who reigned in Egypt in the third century, was drawn about by a team of Ostriches; even now the Negroes frequently use it for riding.

When it first feels the weight of its rider, the Ostrich starts at a slow trot; it however soon gets more animated, and stretching out its wings, takes to running with such rapidity that it seems scarcely to touch the ground. To the wild animals which range the desert it offers a successful resistance by kicking, the force of which is so great that a blow in the chest is sufficient to cause death.

Man succeeds in capturing the Ostrich only by stratagem. The Arab on his swiftest courser would fail to get near if he did not by his intelligence supply the deficiency in his physical powers. “The legs of an Ostrich running at full speed,” says Dr. Livingstone, “can no more be seen than the spokes in the wheel of a vehicle drawn at a gallop.” According to the same author, the Ostrich can run about thirty miles in an hour—a speed and endurance much surpassing that of the swiftest Horse.

The Arabs, well acquainted with these facts, follow them for a day or two at a distance, without pressing too closely, yet sufficiently near to prevent them taking food. When they have thus starved and wearied the Birds, they pursue them at full speed, taking advantage of the fact, which observation has taught them, that the Ostrich never runs in a straight line, but describes a curve of greater or less extent. Availing themselves of this habit, the horsemen follow the chord of this arc, and, repeating the stratagem several times, they gradually get within reach, when, making a final dash, they rush impetuously on the harassed Birds, and beat them down with their clubs, avoiding as much as possible shedding blood, as this depreciates the value of the feathers, which are the chief inducement for their pursuit.

Some tribes attain their object by a rather singular artifice. The hunter covers himself with an Ostrich’s skin, passing his arm up the neck of the Bird so as to render the movements more natural. By the aid of this disguise, if skilfully managed, Ostriches can be approached sufficiently near to kill them.

The Arabs hunt the Ostrich with Dogs, which pursue it until it is completely worn out. In the breeding season, having sought and found out where the Ostriches lay their eggs, another artifice is to dig a hole within gunshot of the spot, in which a man, armed with a gun, can hide himself. The concealed enemy easily kills the male and female Birds in turn, as they sit on their nest. Lastly, to lie in wait for them close by water, and shoot them when they come to quench their thirst is often successful.

The Ostrich, which is an eminently sociable Bird, may sometimes be seen in flocks of 200 or 300, mixed up with droves of Zebras, Quaggas, &c. They pair about the end of Autumn.

The nest of the Ostrich is more than three feet in diameter; it is only a hole dug in the ground and surrounded by a rampart composed of sticks, etc., and a trench scratched round it outside to drain off the water. The eggs weigh from two to three pounds, one of them being more than sufficient for the breakfast of two or three people.

The Rhea or South American Ostrich bears the greatest resemblance to the African Ostrich, of which it is the representative in the New World; but it is only about half the size of the African Bird, and has three toes instead of two. The color of its plumage is a uniform grey.

This Bird (called by the Brazilians Nhandu-Guacu) inhabits the Pampas of South America, the coolest valleys in Brazil, Chili, Peru, and Magellan’s Land. There they may be seen wandering over the open plains in flocks of about thirty, in company with herds of Oxen, Horses and Sheep. They browse on the grass like Cattle, at the same time searching for various seeds. They run nearly as swiftly as the Ostrich, so are well able, by speed, to escape the pursuit of their enemies. If a river interrupts their course, they do not hesitate to plunge into it, as they are excellent swimmers; indeed, so fond are they of water that they take pleasure in splashing and bathing in it.

The Rhea lays its eggs and hatches them in the same manner as the Ostrich. They are Birds of a gentle nature, and are tamed with the greatest ease, becoming very familiar in the house, visiting the various apartments, wandering about the streets, and even into the country; but they always return to their homes before sunset.

THE SCANSORES, OR CLIMBING BIRDS.

The family to which these Birds belong takes its name from the Latin words, scandere, scansum, meaning to climb; yet, strange as it may seem, there are many birds belonging to this family that cannot climb, and there are other Birds, especially some of those belonging to the Sparrow family, that can climb and are not classified in this group.

The peculiar characteristic of all the birds found among the Scansores is the formation of their feet. The toes are in pairs, two before and two behind, which enables them to cling to the branches, and climb all about the trees. All the different Birds who have their toes arranged in this peculiar manner are included in the family of Scansores; and although some of them do not climb so readily as others, they spend the greater part of their time perched in the trees instead of flying about in the air. Their flight is medium, not being so strong as that of the Birds of Prey nor so light as that of the Sparrow family.

The climbers do not form a very large family; the most familiar are the Parrots, Cockatoos, Cuckoos, Toucans, Jamicars, Woodpeckers, etc. They live chiefly in warm countries, and feed upon fruits and insects, and the majority are noted for their brilliant colors.

THE PARROTS.

The Parrots have large, strong, round beaks, with the upper part hooked and sharp at the tip, and the under part rather deeply hollowed. The tongue is thick, fleshy and movable, and the feet are perfected to such a degree that they really become hands, able to seize, hold and retain small objects. Their toes are supplied with strong and hooked claws, which make these birds pre-eminently climbers. The Parrots walk with difficulty, and with such trouble that they rarely descend to the ground in their native homes, and only under pressing circumstances. Besides, they find all the necessaries of their existence on trees. They are not more favored with regard to their flight; and we can understand that it should be so; for, living in thick woods, they only require to make trifling changes of place, such as from one tree to another. However, some species, especially the smaller, are capable of a prolonged and effective use of their wings. According to Levaillant, some even migrate, and travel hundreds of miles every year; but this is unusual. In general, Parrots remain in the localities where they are reared.

Sociable in their dispositions, they assemble in more or less numerous bands, and make the forests re-echo with their loud cries. To some species it is such an imperative necessity to be near each other and live in common, that they have received from Naturalists the name of “inseparables.” They deposit their eggs in the hollows of trees and in the crevices of rocks. The young birds are quite naked when hatched; it is not till the end of three months that they are completely covered with feathers. The parent birds wait upon them with the greatest care, and become threatening when approached too closely by intruders.

Parrots prefer the fruits of the palm, banana, and guava trees. They may be seen perched upon one foot, using the other to bear the food to their beaks, and retain it there till eaten. After they have extracted the kernel they free it from its envelope, and swallow it in particles. They often visit plantations, and cause great devastation. In a domestic state they eat seeds, grain, bread, and even raw or cooked meat, and it is with pleasure that they receive bones to pick; they are also very partial to sugar. It is well known that bitter almonds and parsley act upon them as violent poisons. They drink and bathe frequently; in summer they show the greatest desire for plunging and splashing in water.

They climb in a peculiar manner, which has none of the abruptness displayed by other Birds of the same order. This they accomplish with slow and irregular movements, helped by their beak and feet. Like almost all birds of tropical regions, these Birds are adorned with most beautiful colors, green and red being the most prominent, with occasional markings of yellow and even blue; and some kinds of Parrots have very handsomely developed tails.

The Parrots are the favorites of the human family because of their remarkable talent of imitation. They retain and repeat words which they have heard by chance, or sentences which they have been taught, and also imitate the cries of different animals, and the sounds of musical instruments, etc. The species most remarkable for their talking and imitating are the Grey Parrot or Jaco, a native of Africa, and the Green Parrot from the West Indies and tropical America.

The Macaws—the largest of the Parrots—are recognized by their bare cheeks and long tapering tails. They inhabit South America and are arrayed in the most brilliant colors. The principal species are the Ara or Blue and Yellow Macaw.

The Parrakeets are much smaller than the Macaws, and like them, have long tapering tails, but their cheeks are feathered. What are known as the “Love-birds” are the rarest and smallest of this group. They make their home in America and Southern Africa.

What are known as the “Parrots proper” are distinguished from other groups of the same family by their short, square tails. They have feathered cheeks like the Parrakeets, and are between these and the Macaws in size. They are appreciated on account of their memory and their habit of repeating what they hear without any special teaching. These Parrots are divided into several groups, and species according to their size and color. Among them we find the Grey Parrot or Jaco, a native of the West coast of Africa, the Festive Green Parrot, and the Amazonian Parrot, which is remarkable for its power of imitating, and the richness of its green plumage.

THE COCKATOOS.

These Birds are very handsome members of the Parrot family, especially the ones that are crowned with very full tufts of feathers about the head. Some have the head entirely surmounted by a white, yellow or pink tuft, which they can raise or lower at will. Their tails are short, and their cheeks feathered. They are the largest among the race of Parrots of the old continent. They inhabit the Indies; and, although they are pretty, graceful, and very docile and caressing when tamed, they do not talk so well as some of the other Parrots.

There is one remarkable species of the Cockatoos, sometimes called the Trumpet Cockatoo, because of the formation of the tongue. This is cylindrical and terminated by a little gland slightly hollowed at the end. In eating, this Bird takes the kernels of the fruits which form its food, crushes them by the help of its jaws, then seizes the food by means of the hollow which terminates the tongue, projects the trumpet in front, and makes it pass to the palate which causes it to fall into the throat. As this peculiarity of the trumpet-like tongue has never been noticed in any other Bird, it has made this species quite as noted as the Great White Cockatoo, and Leadbeater’s Cockatoo, which have long been known as the handsomest species of this family.

THE CUCKOOS.

The Cuckoos are about the size of a Turtle Dove. They have beaks about as long as the head, slightly curved and compressed, and rather long and rounded tails, and long pointed wings. There are several kinds of Birds belonging to this group, some of which differ from the Cuckoos proper, in having short wings and long tapering tails. Among these are found the Trogons, Honey-guides, Anis or Annos, Barbets and the Touracos or Plantain-eaters. These different species belong to all the countries of the old continent.

Only one species is found in Europe—the Grey, or European Cuckoo. These are migratory Birds; they pass the warm season in Europe, and the winter in Africa, or in the warm parts of Asia.

Cuckoos are celebrated for the peculiar manner in which they raise their young. They do not build a nest, nor cover their eggs, neither do they take care of their young. They place their eggs in the nests of other Birds, such as the Lark, the Robin, the Hedge Sparrow, the Thrush, Blackbird, etc. They leave the care of hatching their eggs, and even the care of the young Birds to these strangers. Cuckoos lay eight to ten eggs in the space of a few weeks. When an egg has been laid the Bird picks it up in her beak, and carries it to the first unoccupied nest that she can find, and there deposits it when the owner of the nest is away. The next egg is placed in a neighboring nest, but never in the same as the first. The mother shows great intelligence in this, for by placing two eggs in the same nest of a smaller Bird, the greater size of her little ones would crowd the space intended by the builder, for smaller Birds of her own. And two Robins or Hedge-sparrows would be kept very busy feeding such great hungry Birds as would hatch from the Cuckoo’s eggs.

Another way in which the Mother Cuckoo shows her intelligence is her plan of breaking an egg in the nest in which hers is to be placed. If she finds one or more eggs in the nest, after she has placed hers in position she will take one of the others out, break it with her beak and scatter the shell, so that when the other Bird returns to her nest she will find the same number of eggs that she left. The Cuckoo has often been considered a very mean Bird, and a hard-hearted mother, because of this practice of imposing on other Birds, yet Naturalists excuse them by explaining that as the Cuckoo lays her eggs at considerable intervals she would find that she could not cover them and raise a family at the same time, for while some were hatching and the young Birds requiring constant attention, the other eggs would require her sitting upon them and keeping them warm for hatching later; so perhaps after all, the poor, misjudged Bird is simply following instinct without any thought of meanness.

HONEY-GUIDES OR INDICATORS.

The Honey-guides or Indicators which stand nearest to the Cuckoos in this group, take their name from their unusual habit of guiding the natives of the countries in which they are found to hives of wild honey bees. They feed on insects and are especially fond of the pupae of bees. So while the natives (who have been attracted by the cries of the Bird to the hive of the bees) are taking out the honey, the Bird remains in a tree nearby watching the process, and when the honey is all removed they approach to reap the fruits of its trouble.

ANIS AND BARBETS.

The Anis and the Barbets also belong to the group of Cuckoos. The Anis have bulky, short beaks surmounted by a sharp crest. They live in the hot regions of South America and feed upon Reptiles and Insects. The two principal species of this genus are the Razor-bill of Jamaica, and the Savannah Blackbird of America.

The Barbets owe their name to a number of straight hairs which they have upon their beak. They are massive in form, and their flight is heavy. They inhabit the warm countries of both continents, and feed upon fruits, berries and Insects. The best known of this genus is the Collared Barbet, with a distinct collar of white feathers about the throat. The Barbets have a curious habit of raising all their plumage till they look like a ball of feathers; from this peculiarity they have gained the name of Puff-birds.

TROGONS AND TURACOS.

The Trogons, like the Barbets, have the bases of their beaks covered with hair. Their soft and silky plumage glitters with the most brilliant hues, and their tails are extremely long and in some instances very beautifully formed. They are sometimes called Couroucous because of their peculiar cry or call to each other. The most remarkable species is the Resplendent Trogon, which is found both in Mexico and Brazil. The plumage of this Bird is a magnificent emerald green, frosted with gold; its breast is red, and its head is surmounted by a beautiful tuft of the green color.

The Turacos or Plantain-eaters are African Birds which closely resemble the Curassows. They live in forests and perch upon the highest branches of trees; their flight is heavy and awkward.

THE TOUCANS.

An immense beak is the first thing to attract attention to any member of the Toucan family. This group is divided into the Common Toucans and the Aracaris. The Aracari are not so large as the other Toucans, and they have a more solid beak and a longer tail. The Curl-crested Aracaris is noted for its beautiful variegated plumage.

Some of the Common Toucans also have handsome markings about the throat; but the enormous beak is their principal characteristic, and it is much the same in all the different members of the family.

It is much longer than the head, is curved at its extremity and dented at its edges. It is not so heavy to bear, and incommodes the movements of the Birds less than might be supposed, for it is formed of a spongy tissue, the numerous cells of which are filled with air. Thus it is very weak, and does not serve to break or even to bruise fruits, notwithstanding the idea one forms at first sight of its strength, for it is not even capable of breaking off the bark of trees, as certain authors have claimed. This wonderful bill encloses a still more strange tongue; very straight and as long as the beak, which is covered on each side with closely packed barbs, similar to a feather, the use of which remains to us a complete mystery. This curious instrument so struck the Naturalists of Brazil, where many Toucans are found, that it furnished them with a name. In Brazilian toucan means “feather.”

Toucans feed on fruits and insects; they live in bands of from six to ten in damp places where the palm tree flourishes, for its fruit is their favorite food. In eating they seize the fruit with the extremity of the beak, make it bounce up in the air, receive it then into the throat, and swallow it in one piece. If it is too large, and impossible to divide, they reject it. They are rarely seen on the ground, and although their flight is heavy and difficult, they perch on the branches of the highest trees, where they remain in ceaseless motion. Their call is a sort of whistle, frequently uttered.

They build their nests in holes hollowed out by Woodpeckers or other Birds. They all have very brilliant plumage, and inhabit Paraguay, Brazil and Guiana.

THE WOODPECKERS.

The Birds which comprise this group have long conical pointed beaks, and a very extensible tongue. They form two genera—the Woodpeckers and the Wry-necks.

Woodpeckers excel in the art of climbing, but they do not perform it in the same manner as the Parrots. They climb by extending their toes supplied with bent claws, upon the trunk of a tree and maintain themselves hanging there. Then they move themselves a little further by a sudden and jerked skip, and so on. They are helped in these movements by the disposition of the tail, formed of straight resistant feathers, slightly worn away at the ends, which pressed against a tree serve as a support to the Bird. By means of these peculiarities in their feet and tail feathers, the Woodpeckers traverse the trees in every direction—upwards, downwards or horizontally.