VOCIFEROUS SEA-EAGLE.Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.VOCIFEROUS SEA-EAGLE.This is an African species.
Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.VOCIFEROUS SEA-EAGLE.This is an African species.
Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.
VOCIFEROUS SEA-EAGLE.
This is an African species.
IMPERIAL EAGLE.Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.IMPERIAL EAGLE.Occurs in Southern Europe and North-west Africa.
Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.IMPERIAL EAGLE.Occurs in Southern Europe and North-west Africa.
Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.
IMPERIAL EAGLE.
Occurs in Southern Europe and North-west Africa.
CRESTED EAGLE.Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.CRESTED EAGLE.A powerful and savage bird from South America.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.CRESTED EAGLE.A powerful and savage bird from South America.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.
CRESTED EAGLE.
A powerful and savage bird from South America.
CHILIAN SEA-EAGLE.Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.CHILIAN SEA-EAGLE.This bird feeds on carrion which it finds on the beach.
Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.CHILIAN SEA-EAGLE.This bird feeds on carrion which it finds on the beach.
Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.][Parson's Green.
CHILIAN SEA-EAGLE.
This bird feeds on carrion which it finds on the beach.
ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD.Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S., Regent's Park.ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD.Frequent in the British Islands.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S., Regent's Park.ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD.Frequent in the British Islands.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S., Regent's Park.
ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD.
Frequent in the British Islands.
The food of the kestrel appears to consist mainly of mice, but frogs, earthworms, grasshoppers, cockchafers, and other beetles are also taken. Kestrels will also eat dead animals, as is proved by the fact that they are not seldom found dead from eating poisoned rats laid out for magpies. One instance is on record where a kestrel was taken with its claws entangled in the fur of a stoat, which fiercely defended itself. It is an easy matter, for those who will take the trouble, to find out what is the staple diet of the kestrel; for if the nest and its neighbourhood be searched, numerous small rounded pellets of the size of a chestnut will be found, which, when broken up, will prove to be composed of the hard and indigestible parts of what has been swallowed. The majority of such pellets are made up of the fur and bones of mice.
MARTIAL HAWK-EAGLE.Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.][Regent's Park.MARTIAL HAWK-EAGLE.The Hawk-eagles show a marked preference for woody districts.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.][Regent's Park.MARTIAL HAWK-EAGLE.The Hawk-eagles show a marked preference for woody districts.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.][Regent's Park.
MARTIAL HAWK-EAGLE.
The Hawk-eagles show a marked preference for woody districts.
The littleAmerican "Sparrow-hawk,"which, as we have already pointed out, is really a species of kestrel, appears to be almost exclusively insectivorous during the summer months, preying mainly upon grasshoppers. An American ornithologist, Mr. Henshaw, writing on the subject, remarks that during a scourge of grasshoppers the sparrow-hawks assembled in hundreds; and although on this occasion, owing to the vast myriads in which these insects had collected, the birds could make no visible impression, yetthey must have done an immense amount of good. Ornithologists from all parts of the United States unanimously agree that grasshoppers form the staple diet of this hawk, though mice and gophers are also largely eaten, and especially during the winter months, when insect food is scarce.
PEREGRINE FALCON.By permission of Percy Leigh Pemberton, Esq.PEREGRINE FALCON.A favourite in falconry.
By permission of Percy Leigh Pemberton, Esq.PEREGRINE FALCON.A favourite in falconry.
By permission of Percy Leigh Pemberton, Esq.
PEREGRINE FALCON.
A favourite in falconry.
Of thePygmy Falconsthere are several species, ranging from the Eastern Himalaya, through Tenasserim and Burma, to the Malay Islands and the Philippines. The smallest is theRed-legged Falconetof Nepal, Sikhim, and Burma. It feeds largely upon insects, such as dragon-flies, beetles, and butterflies, hawking them with a swallow-like speed. Occasionally the members of this little group are said to hunt down and kill birds larger than themselves.
OWLS.
Few birds have been more misrepresented in literature than the Owls. For centuries they have been depicted as birds of ill omen, and accused of all kinds of diabolical practices. Shakespeare, for example, repeatedly makes the owl do duty for some evil sign, or fulfil some dire purpose. Thus inMacbeth, Act II., Scene ii.,
It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman,Which gives the stern'st good-night.
It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman,
Which gives the stern'st good-night.
And later on, in Act IV., it is an owl's wing which he makes the witches add to their caldron of noisome things, when brewing their deadly potion. In Spain the scops and tawny owls are believed to be devil's birds, and are accused of drinking the oil from the lamps suspended before the shrines of saints. The gamekeeper nails their bodies up on the barn door as offenders of the worst type, whilst the Malagasy believe owls to be the embodiments of evil spirits.
SPECTACLED OWL.Photo by Ottomar Anschütz][Berlin.SPECTACLED OWL.A South American bird with a somewhat remarkable coloration.
Photo by Ottomar Anschütz][Berlin.SPECTACLED OWL.A South American bird with a somewhat remarkable coloration.
Photo by Ottomar Anschütz][Berlin.
SPECTACLED OWL.
A South American bird with a somewhat remarkable coloration.
It is therefore a relief to find this unwarrantable prejudice is not absolutely universal, since amongst some people, at least, the owl has found some favour. The best-known instance of this is thecase of the Greeks, who made the owl the symbol of wisdom, and chose as an emblem, singularly enough, the species known as the Little Owl, a bird which is notorious for its ludicrous behaviour, so much so that it has earned for itself the reputation of being the veritable buffoon of birds. Its grotesque and ridiculous antics are utilised by Continental bird-catchers, who use it as a lure to attract small birds, tethering it for this purpose near nets, snares, or twigs smeared with bird-lime.
EAGLE-OWL.Photo by C. N. Mavroyeni][Smyrna.EAGLE-OWL.An occasional visitor to the British Isles.
Photo by C. N. Mavroyeni][Smyrna.EAGLE-OWL.An occasional visitor to the British Isles.
Photo by C. N. Mavroyeni][Smyrna.
EAGLE-OWL.
An occasional visitor to the British Isles.
Amongst other birds, strangely enough, the owl appears to be as much disliked as the fiercer and more dangerous members of the Hawk Tribe, and in consequence, should one venture abroad during the day or be discovered in its retreat, the alarm is given, and every small bird within call is summoned to take part in a general mobbing.
Although proverbially unpalatable, the Little Owl is said to be eaten in Italy, as are other species in the various countries in which they are found.
Varying considerably in size, the owls, nevertheless, present a very general uniformity in appearance. All are remarkable for the peculiar softness of their plumage, which imparts to the wings the almost unique power of absolutely silent flight, the sound being deadened or muffled, so that the prey can be approached suddenly, and seized before escape is possible. This is very necessary when hunting in twilight hours. The owls are almost the only birds in which the outer toe is reversible, or capable of being turned either forwards or backwards. Furthermore, the members of this group are remarkable for the fact that the eyes look directly forward, instead of outwards, as in other birds, and that the feathers of the face are arranged round each eye in the form of a disk, and thus impart the familiar owl-like visage, seen elsewhere only among certain of the Hawk Tribe known as "Harriers."
VIRGINIAN EAGLE-OWL.Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S., Regent's Park.VIRGINIAN EAGLE-OWL.A common North American species, feeding largely on small mammals.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S., Regent's Park.VIRGINIAN EAGLE-OWL.A common North American species, feeding largely on small mammals.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S., Regent's Park.
VIRGINIAN EAGLE-OWL.
A common North American species, feeding largely on small mammals.
Four species of owl are to be found sparsely distributed over Great Britain. We may regard as the typical owl the species known as theTawnyorWood-owl. It is the largest of the resident owls in England, and would be much more abundant but that it is subjected to a rigorous and foolish persecution, born of long-standing prejudice and ignorance; it stands accused of the heinous offence of eating game, a charge which has never yet been fully proved. The benefits it confers are great, but, unfortunately, unrecognised, for its chief food consists of rats and mice. This is the bird which gives utterance to that weird "hoo-hoo—hoo-hoo-hoo,"one of the most charming of the many delightful sounds that break the stillness of the summer nights. It is interesting to note that this species is unknown as a wild bird in Ireland.
AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL.Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt][Washington.AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL.This is a young bird which has not yet completely lost its down-feathers.
Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt][Washington.AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL.This is a young bird which has not yet completely lost its down-feathers.
Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt][Washington.
AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL.
This is a young bird which has not yet completely lost its down-feathers.
Other and fairly common species in England are theLong-andShort-eared Owls, both remarkable for the fact that the aperture of the ear, which is of enormous size, is of a different shape on the right and left sides of the head. These owls, furthermore, are characterised by the possession of a pair of feathery tufts, or "horns," springing from the top of the head, which can be erected or depressed at pleasure. These horns are found in many species of owl not necessarily closely related. The species under consideration are of medium size, with large eyes of a most wonderful golden-yellow colour, standing in strong contrast with those of the tawny owl, which are nearly black. Like the tawny owl, these two species, and especially the short-eared, live largely on rats and mice. The last-named bird also devours great numbers of dor-beetles and cockchafers.
Amongst the largest of the tribe are theEagle-andSnowy Owls, both of which are occasionally met with in Great Britain. The eagle-owl may be described as a largely magnified long-eared owl in general appearance, though, as a matter of fact, the two are not very closely related. The snowy owl, as its name implies, is white in colour, the white being relieved by more or less conspicuous black markings. This white livery, assimilating with its snowy surroundings, allows the wearer to approach its prey unperceived on the snow. Whilst the snowy owl is confined to northern regions, the eagle-owl enjoys a wide distribution, and is represented by numerous species, one of which, as we have remarked, occasionally visits Great Britain. The larger species of eagle-owl are the most ferocious members of the order, and prey largely upon hares, rabbits, and the large game-birds; whilst the snowy owl, though selecting similar prey, does incalculable good by devouring those destructive little rodents known as the lemmings.
TAWNY OWL.Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.][Regent's Park.TAWNY OWL.One of the commonest British owls.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.][Regent's Park.TAWNY OWL.One of the commonest British owls.
Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.][Regent's Park.
TAWNY OWL.
One of the commonest British owls.
Solitary as owls usually are, some, as theAmerican Burrowing-owls, live in what may be called colonies; and, stranger still, they live in burrows, which they share with the original excavators. Occurring both in North and South America, it is not surprising to find that the creatures with whom the burrowing-owls elect to take up their abode are very varied, belonging for the most part to numerous groups of burrowing mammalia. In the prairies of NorthAmerica they appear to quarter themselves upon the prairie-dogs, ground-squirrels, and badgers; and in the pampas of South America upon the Patagonian cavy, the viscacha and armadillos, and occasionally lizards. It seems to be no unusual thing to find, in addition to the bird and mammal tenants of a single burrow, one or more full-grown examples of the much-dreaded rattle-snake—a truly wonderful happy-family, if all accounts are to be believed. But many competent to speak on the matter throw out dark hints which would appear to show that the owl quarters itself on the tenants of a burrow too weak to resist its intrusion upon their domicile, and that occasionally this most masterful bird renders itself still more objectionable by devouring the progeny of its hosts, and sometimes even the hosts themselves.
The species known asPygmy OwlsandLittle Owlswe mention here only on account of their small size, one member of the former group being little bigger than a lark. Thus they stand in strong contrast with the giant snowy and eagle-owls.
SCREECH-OWL.Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt][Washington.SCREECH-OWL.A common North American bird, feeding on small animals of all kinds.
Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt][Washington.SCREECH-OWL.A common North American bird, feeding on small animals of all kinds.
Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt][Washington.
SCREECH-OWL.
A common North American bird, feeding on small animals of all kinds.
Finally, we have theWhiteorBarn-owl, which with its allies forms a group distinguished from all the other owls by certain well-marked structural characters. The barn-owl is also to be found in Great Britain, but is growing, like all the other owls in this area, more and more rare every year, owing to persecution at the hands of gamekeepers. It is a handsome bird, of a pale buff-yellow, mottled with grey above to pure white beneath, and with the characteristic facial disk peculiarly well developed. It breeds in holes in trees, ruins, and church towers, and feeds almost entirely on mice and rats. From the piercing note which it occasionally utters, it is also known as theScreech-owl.
BARN-OWLPhoto by Frans Mouwen][Breda.BARN-OWLThis is a British owl, evincing a preference for church-towers in which to roost and breed.
Photo by Frans Mouwen][Breda.BARN-OWLThis is a British owl, evincing a preference for church-towers in which to roost and breed.
Photo by Frans Mouwen][Breda.
BARN-OWL
This is a British owl, evincing a preference for church-towers in which to roost and breed.
HOOPOE FLYING.Photo by C. N. Mavroyeni, Smyrna.Printed at Lyons, France.HOOPOE FLYING.This photograph displays the crest fully elevated, and likewise shows the beautifully banded colouration of the under surface of the wing, as well as the position of the wings in flight.
Photo by C. N. Mavroyeni, Smyrna.Printed at Lyons, France.HOOPOE FLYING.This photograph displays the crest fully elevated, and likewise shows the beautifully banded colouration of the under surface of the wing, as well as the position of the wings in flight.
Photo by C. N. Mavroyeni, Smyrna.Printed at Lyons, France.
HOOPOE FLYING.
This photograph displays the crest fully elevated, and likewise shows the beautifully banded colouration of the under surface of the wing, as well as the position of the wings in flight.
NIGHT-JARS, SWIFTS, AND HUMMING-BIRDS.
Night-jars.
COMMON NIGHT-JAR.Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.COMMON NIGHT-JAR.Known also as Fern-owl and Goat-sucker.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.COMMON NIGHT-JAR.Known also as Fern-owl and Goat-sucker.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.
COMMON NIGHT-JAR.
Known also as Fern-owl and Goat-sucker.
It is probable that theNight-jarsare the nearest allies of the Owls. As pointed out in the last chapter, although the latter have acquired the habits of the Hawk and Eagle Tribe, they are not really connected with that group by descent.
Soberly clad, so as to be in complete harmony with its surroundings, with large eyes, huge mouth, and peculiarly short beak, beset with long bristles, the night-jar may be distinguished at once from all other British birds. By day it hides, squatting close to the ground, or perched on the thick branch of a tree; but when on the latter, it sits along and not across the bough, like other birds, the complete harmony between its plumage and the bark rendering it as invisible as when on the ground.
PENNANT-WINGED NIGHT-JAR (FRONT VIEW).Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.PENNANT-WINGED NIGHT-JAR (FRONT VIEW).The long and graceful plumes are much-lengthened quill-feathers, and by their resemblance to the waving grass in which the bird nests afford protection.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.PENNANT-WINGED NIGHT-JAR (FRONT VIEW).The long and graceful plumes are much-lengthened quill-feathers, and by their resemblance to the waving grass in which the bird nests afford protection.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.
PENNANT-WINGED NIGHT-JAR (FRONT VIEW).
The long and graceful plumes are much-lengthened quill-feathers, and by their resemblance to the waving grass in which the bird nests afford protection.
Not until the spring has far advanced does this bird leave its winter resort in Africa for Europe, making its presence known by its conspicuous habit of hunting its food (which consists of moths and beetles) after twilight has fallen. Later, its extraordinary churring note isheard—a note which has been likened to the noise made by a spinning-wheel, and so powerful as to be audible half a mile off. This note is made while on the ground: on the wing, while toying with its mate, another equally peculiar sound is made, which has been likened to the noise made by swinging a whip-thong through the air.
No nest is made by this bird; but the eggs, two in number and beautifully marked, are laid on the bare ground. The young are covered with down, and remain in the nest for some time.
Another very remarkable feature is the fact that the claw of the middle toe has its inner edge curiously serrated, forming a sort of comb, the function of which is unknown. This comb-like claw occurs also in some few other birds—bitterns, for instance.
A very remarkable kind is thePennant-winged Night-jar, in which one of the quill-feathers in each wing is produced into a "pennant" of some 17 inches in length. The shaft of the feather is bare for the greater part of its length, and terminates in a feathery blade. It is an Abyssinian species about which not much is known.
MORE-PORKS.Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.MORE-PORKS.So called from the note they utter.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.MORE-PORKS.So called from the note they utter.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.
MORE-PORKS.
So called from the note they utter.
Some of the night-jars, as the New WorldNight-hawkand the Old WorldEared Night-jars, are particularly owl-like, a resemblance imparted by long "ear-like" tufts of feathers which rise from the back of the head. Others, as theMore-porkof the Tasmanian colonist, or theFrog-mouth, as it is called in Australia, are remarkable for the huge size of the mouth, bounded, as it appears to be, by huge lips, represented by the short, round-edged beak.
Very nearly related to the night-jars is theOil-birdof South America, which lives in caves in Trinidad, Ecuador, and Peru, where it builds a nest which has been likened in appearance to a huge cheese, and in which are laid from two to four white eggs. Like the night-jars, these birds feed by night, emerging from their gloomy retreats at twilight with much noise and in great numbers. Their food, however, is entirely of a vegetable nature, consisting of oily nuts or fruits.
The young, soon after they are hatched, become perfect masses of fat, and on this account are much in demand by the Indians, who make a special business of killing them and extracting the oil.
Swifts.
In general appearanceSwiftsbear a strong superficial resemblance to Swallows; in reality they are related, not to those harbingers of spring, but to the Night-jars on the one hand and the Humming-birds on the other.
TheCommon Swiftarrives in England during the early part of May, and stays till the end of August, or sometimes till September has half run its course. Black in colour, relieved only by a white throat, it has little in the sense of beauty to recommend it; nevertheless, there are probably few who do not cherish tender feelings towards this bird. The swift has great buoyancy of spirits, as is manifested by the wild, exuberant bursts of screaming to which it gives voice as it rushes in small parties down the lanes or along the less-frequented thoroughfares of towns as morning breaks or evening falls, and occasionally throughout the day. The greater part of its life is spent upon the wing (indeed, it appears to rest only when incubating or sleeping), and of all the smaller birds it is the most graceful in flight, turning and twisting in fairy mazes high in the heavens for hours at a time.
MORE-PORK.Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.MORE-PORK.This is one of the most owl-like of the Night-jars.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.MORE-PORK.This is one of the most owl-like of the Night-jars.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.
MORE-PORK.
This is one of the most owl-like of the Night-jars.
SWIFT.Photo by J. T. Newman][Berkhamsted.SWIFT.A common British bird during the summer months.
Photo by J. T. Newman][Berkhamsted.SWIFT.A common British bird during the summer months.
Photo by J. T. Newman][Berkhamsted.
SWIFT.
A common British bird during the summer months.
The swift chooses for its nesting-place the eaves of houses and holes in church towers, and occasionally a crevice in the face of a quarry. The nest is formed of bits of straw, dry grass, and a few feathers, glued together by a secretion of the salivary glands into a compact crust; in this the bird deposits from two to four white eggs. The young, which are hatched naked and blind, never develop down-feathers, but soon become more or less imperfectly clothed in a mass of tiny spines, representing the budding feathers; these give the bird somewhat the appearance of a young hedgehog.
In adaptation to its remarkable powers of flight, the wing has undergone considerable modification in form, so that it differs from that of all other birds. On the other hand, the legs, being so little required, have diminished considerably, and are remarkable for their smallness—a fact which hampers the bird considerably, should it happen to alight on level ground, for, owing to the great length of the wings, it can arise only with considerable difficulty.
Nearly allied to the common swift isSalvin's Swift, remarkable on account of its nest, which has been described by Dr. Sharpe as the most wonderful in the world. About 2 feet long and 6 inches in diameter, it looks rather like the sleeve of an old coat than a nest. It is made entirely of the downy seeds of plants, which, floating through the air after the fashion of such seeds, are caught by the birds when on the wing, and, partly felted and partly glued by the salivary secretion, are woven slowly into the characteristic woolly domicile. The site and manner of fixation of the nest are scarcely less wonderful, for it is suspended from the flat surface of some projecting piece of rock on the face of a cliff, and is thus almost inaccessible; yet, as if to make assurance doubly sure, two entrances are made, one atthe bottom, which is really blind, and one at the top, near its foundation, if we may call it so, which leads into the nursery.
EDIBLE SWIFT.Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.EDIBLE SWIFT.The nests of this bird are used for soup; five are seen in this photograph.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.EDIBLE SWIFT.The nests of this bird are used for soup; five are seen in this photograph.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.
EDIBLE SWIFT.
The nests of this bird are used for soup; five are seen in this photograph.
Still more swallow-like in general appearance are the diminutiveEdible Swifts, so called, not on account of the palatability of the birds themselves, but of their nests, which are in great demand by the wealthy Chinese for conversion into birds'-nest soup. It has already been remarked that the salivary glands are unusually active in the swifts, their secretion bearing a very important part in the construction of the nest, and serving as a kind of cement. It is, therefore, not surprising that in some members of the group we find this secretion playing a still more prominent part, forming, at least in one species, the entire material of the nest. "With these nests," writes Dr. Sharpe, "a large trade is done with China from many of the Malayan Islands, over 3,500,000 nests having been known to be exported in a single year from Borneo to the latter country.... In Borneo and other places the caves in which the swiftlets build are leased to the collectors for a considerable sum; but it is only the white nests, made of the pure secretion, which are of any real value. The nests of those species which mix into their nests grass or feathers are not appreciated as an article of commerce."
Colonel Legge gives some extremely interesting particulars concerning the nesting habits of these birds in Ceylon. "It is noteworthy," he writes, "that the partially fledged young—which were procured on this occasion for me, and which I kept for the night—scrambled out on to the exterior of the nest, and slept in an upright position, with the bill pointing straight up. This is evidently the normal mode of roosting resorted to by this species. The interior of this cave, with its numbers of active tenants, presented a singular appearance. The bottom was filled with a vast deposit of liquid guano, reaching, I was informed, to a depth of 30 feet, and composed of droppings, old nests, and dead young fallen from above, the whole mingled into a loathsome mass, with water lodged in the crevices, and causing an awful stench, which would have been intolerable for a moment even, had not the hundreds of frightened little birds, as they screamed and whirred in and out of the gloomy cave with a hum like a storm in a ship's rigging, powerfully excited my interest, and produced a long examination of the colony. This guano-deposit is a source of considerable profit to the estate, the hospitable manager of which informed us that he had manured 100 acres of coffee with it during that season."
Humming-birds.
It is generally admitted thatHumming-birdsare nearly related to Swifts, with which, however, they stand in the strongest possible contrast in the matter of plumage—the latter being always inconspicuously coloured, whilst the former are for the most part clad in vestments so gorgeous as to render it extremely difficult to describe them in sober language. Moreover, so great is the wealth of species—some hundreds in number—and so varied are the form and coloration, and so closely do the various types pass one into the other, that their classification is a matter of extreme difficulty.
Confined to the American Continent and certain islands adjacent thereto, humming-birds range from Canada to Tierra del Fuego in a horizontal direction, and rise vertically in the mountain-range of Chimborazo to a height of 16,000 feet above the sea-level—"dwelling," as Professor Newton describes it, "in a world of almost constant hail, sleet, and rain, and feeding on the insects which resort to the indigenous flowering plants."
RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRDS.Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRDS.About 500 distinct species of humming-birds are known.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRDS.About 500 distinct species of humming-birds are known.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Milford-on-Sea.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRDS.
About 500 distinct species of humming-birds are known.
Humming-birds surpass all others in the wondrous beauty of their plumage, which depends not so much on colour as metallic lustre reflecting all the hues of the most precious stones—amethyst, ruby, sapphire, emerald, and topaz gleaming and sparkling from their bodies with a fire and intensity truly marvellous. "In some cases," as Professor Newton aptly describes it, "this radiance beams from the brow, in some it glows from the throat, in others it shines from the tail-coverts, in others it sparkles from the tips of elongated feathers that crest the head or surround the neck as with a frill, while again in others it may appear as a luminous streak across the cheek.... The feathers that cover the upper parts of the body very frequently have a metallic lustre of golden green, which in other birds would be thought sufficiently beautiful, but in the [humming-birds] its sheen is overspread by the almost dazzling splendour that radiates from the spots where Nature's lapidary has set her jewels."
Besides this brilliancy of colour and variety in form—variety due to the development of these crests and frills, or to the forking and elongation of the tail-feathers—still further changes are brought about by the modification of the bill, which may be produced into a long straight style, longer than the body of the bird, or turned up like that of the avocet or down like that of the curlew. These changes are adaptations to the bird's methods of feeding, some seeking their food from the long tubular corollas of flowers, and requiring, therefore, very elongated beaks, others from more open and easily accessible flowers, whilst others hunt among leaves, especially the under-surfaces, the quarry consisting mainly of insects attracted by the honey secreted by the flowers, or those living on the leaves. Not only the beak but the tongue also has undergone great modification in this group, its outer sheath curling up on each side into a thin scroll, so as to form a pair of tubes, the exact use of which is unknown. The wings, like those of the swift, have undergone a certain amount of change in the relative proportion of the several regions, and in the form and number of the quill-feathers, whilst the legs have become considerably reduced in size. In some species each leg is surrounded by a little tuft of down, which may be black, brown, or snow-white in colour. In size these birds vary from 8 inches to scarcely more than 3 inches.
"The beautiful nests of humming-birds," writes Professor Newton, "than which the fairies could not have conceived more delicate ... will be found on examination to be very solidly and tenaciously built, though the materials are generally of the slightest—cotton-wool, or some vegetable down, and spiders' webs. They vary greatly in form and ornamentation—for it would seem that the portions of lichen which frequently bestud them are affixed to their exterior with that object, though probably concealment was the original intention. They are mostly cup-shaped; and the singular fact is on record, that in one instance, as the young grew, the walls were heightened by the parents, until at last the nest was more than twice as big as when the eggs were laid and hatched."
PARROTS, CUCKOOS, AND PLANTAIN-EATERS.
Parrots.
"The art of taming wild animals," writes Mr. Jenks in his "History of Politics," "and making them serve the purposes of man, is one of the greatest discoveries of the world." He holds—and there can be little question as to its reasonableness—"that the domestication of animals converted the savage pack into the patriarchal tribe," and that the earliest domesticated animals were pets. How great a share, then,Parrotsmay have had in this civilisation and advancement no man can tell, for it is impossible to say how long these beautiful birds may have been esteemed as pets, or how early they were introduced to the notice of the civilised peoples of past generations. Certain it is, however, that for more than 2,000 years they have been held in the highest esteem.
Modern discovery has added enormously to the list of known parrots, so that to-day more than 500 different species have been described, and these may be divided intoNestors,Lories,Cockatoos,Cockateels,Macaws, andKakapos.
KEAPhoto by W. Reid][Wishaw, N.B.KEAAlso known as the Mountain-nestor.
Photo by W. Reid][Wishaw, N.B.KEAAlso known as the Mountain-nestor.
Photo by W. Reid][Wishaw, N.B.
KEA
Also known as the Mountain-nestor.
NEW ZEALAND KEA.Photo by D. Le Souef][Melbourne.NEW ZEALAND KEA.The kea frequents the slopes of lofty snow-covered mountains.
Photo by D. Le Souef][Melbourne.NEW ZEALAND KEA.The kea frequents the slopes of lofty snow-covered mountains.
Photo by D. Le Souef][Melbourne.
NEW ZEALAND KEA.
The kea frequents the slopes of lofty snow-covered mountains.
Of the first named, the best known is theKea, orMountain-nestor, of the South Island, New Zealand. Dull in coloration, and not striking in appearance, it has earned an unenviable notoriety, which appears to rest as much upon fable as upon fact. It seems that, since the introduction of sheep into this part of the world by the settlers, this bird has found a diet of flesh more stimulating than one of fruit. Exactly how this came to be is not known. Two explanations have been advanced. The first has it that the birds settled on the skins of the sheep slaughtered for their wool, and picked off pieces of fat therefrom, as well as various tit-bits from the carcases of the same, and thus found out how toothsome—or beaksome—mutton was. From this they went a step further, and did the slaughtering for themselves. Parties of them now go a-hunting, worry a sheep till exhausted, then dig down through the back, and so wound the intestines that death results. Another explanation is that the birds in the original instance mistook the sheep's backs for the huge masses of lichen common to this region, of which the birds are very fond. Not finding it to their taste at the top, they dug deep, and soon came to the flesh, which, like the forbidden fruit, proved more palatable than that which was provided for them by a bountiful Nature. The result is, that they have become a menace to sheep-farmers, and are on this account in danger of extermination. It has, however, been denied recently that the damage inflicted is anything like so serious as was at one time reported, since on one run, where the damage was unusually large, only 1 in 300 sheep was so attacked. This bird has also been said to attack horses.
Very different, in general appearance and in esteem, are theLories. Like the Nestors, the tip of the upper jaw, or beak, is smooth, or nearly so; and in this respect these two groups are to be distinguished from all the other parrots; but in the gorgeousness of their plumage they far eclipse their congeners. Absent in New Zealand, they are found elsewherethroughout the Australasian region, inclusive of Polynesia, and are highly esteemed as pets, combining great beauty with a very docile disposition and considerable talking powers.
NEW ZEALAND KAKA.Photo by D. Le Souef][Melbourne.NEW ZEALAND KAKA.The Maoris keep this bird as a lure.
Photo by D. Le Souef][Melbourne.NEW ZEALAND KAKA.The Maoris keep this bird as a lure.
Photo by D. Le Souef][Melbourne.
NEW ZEALAND KAKA.
The Maoris keep this bird as a lure.
The birds of this section are also known asBrush-tongued Parrots, from the presence of a remarkable "brush" borne on the end of the tongue. This is a special adaptation, enabling the birds to feed upon honey; some, indeed, have this brush particularly well developed, and are almost entirely honey-seekers, whilst others, wherein the brush is less developed, live largely on fruits. Professor Moseley tells us that honey literally poured from the mouths ofBlue Mountain-lorieswhich he shot at Cape York.
TheCockatoosare abundant in the Australian region, but have their headquarters in the Malay Archipelago. Besides the familiar white-crested form so commonly kept in England, the group includes an iron-grey coloured bird with a bright red head, and a huge black species, which represents the giant of the order. It is a funereal-looking bird, the largest specimens inhabiting New Guinea. One of its most striking features is the beak, which is of enormous size. Its tongue differs from that of other parrots in that it is slender and cylindrical in shape, and of a deep red colour, instead of thick, fleshy, and black. It frequents, Mr. Wallace tells us, the lower parts of the forest, feeding upon various fruits and seeds, but displaying a marked partiality for the kernel of the canary-nut, which grows on a lofty forest-tree; "and the manner in which it gets at these seeds," writes Mr. Wallace, "shows a correlation of structure and habits which would point to the canary as its special food. The shell of this nut is so excessively hard that only a heavy hammer will crack it; it is somewhat triangular, and the outside is quite smooth. The manner in which the bird opens these nuts is very curious. Taking one end-ways in its bill, and keeping it firm by a pressure of the tongue, it cuts a transverse notch by a lateral sawing motion of the sharp-edged lower mandible. This done, it takes hold of the nut with its foot, and, biting off a piece of leaf, retains it in the deep notch by the upper mandible, and again seizing the nut, which is prevented from slipping by the elastic tissue of the leaf, fixes the edge of the lower mandible in the notch, and a powerful rip breaks off a piece of the shell. Again taking the nut in its claws, it inserts the very long and sharp point of the bill, and picks out the kernel, which is seized hold of, morsel by morsel, by the extensile tongue."
Of the typical parrots, the best known is the commonGrey African Parrot, with a red tail, so valued on account of its great talking powers. Other species of this section which should be mentioned here are thePygmy Parrots,Macaws,Hawk-billed Parrot,Budgerigars, andOwl-parrot.
The first named are the smallest of all the tribe, remarkable as well for the splendour of the plumage as their size, which is less than that of the common sparrow.
TheLong-tailed Macaws, representing the most showy and gaudily coloured of all the Parrot Tribe, inhabit the tropical forests of South America. Mr. Bates describes a flock of scarlet-and-blue macaws, which he came across one day, as looking like a cluster of flaunting banners among the crown of dark green leaves of a bacaba-palm.
The superbHyacinthine Macawis one of the rarest of the Parrot Tribe, and was foundby Bates in the interior of Brazil. As its name implies, it is of a deep hyacinthine colour, relieved by a bare patch of pure white skin round the eyes. It feeds on the nuts of several palms, especially those of the macuja. These nuts, which are so hard as to be difficult to break without a heavy hammer, are crushed to a pulp by the powerful beak of this macaw.
BLACK COCKATOO.Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Midford-on-sea.BLACK COCKATOO.Found in pairs in thick forests.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Midford-on-sea.BLACK COCKATOO.Found in pairs in thick forests.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.][Midford-on-sea.
BLACK COCKATOO.
Found in pairs in thick forests.
Crests among parrots are common enough, but only one species wears a frill; this is theHawk-billed Parrotof the Amazon Valley. It is closely related to the large and well-knownAmazon Parrots, and has been aptly described as a most extraordinary bird. Its coloration is striking—green above, with a brown head; the frill or ruff around the neck shows up in strong contrast, being dark red, with blue edges, and barred with blue. The feathers of the breast and abdomen, like the frill, are also red and blue, whilst the under-surfaces of the tail and wings are black. It is only when the bird is excited or angry that the ruff is raised.