Cassell's book of birds; vol. 1

The nest of the Girlitz is not always very easily to be found, but if sought for carefully its situation will be betrayed by the female; the latter is fed by her mate during the...

Little is known of these birds in their natural state. "The Large-beaked Parrot," says von Rosenberg, "is not rare in the islands of Waigui, Misool, and Salawatti, and is found...

The birds belonging to this group are distinguished by an elongated, round, and somewhat blunt beak, a tarsus of moderate height, narrow and somewhat pointed wings, and a long a...

The CARMINE GROSBEAKS (_Erythrothorax_) differ from the preceding principally by reason of the smaller size, and consequently inferior strength of the beak, which is short, thic...

"Sometimes he would cry out, 'What are you shaking me for? What are you doing to me?' and scream for help, as though being shaken, and call out again, 'Don't shake me, you rasca...

We learn from Audubon that the Prairie Bunting Finch is one of the most beautiful and widely distributed of its kind. It is met with in the Northern States from October to April...

The nest, which is most artistically constructed, is usually suspended from a forked and slender branch; in shape it is like a deep basin. The walls are formed of blades of gras...

The call-note of the Pine-tree Cross-bill, common to both sexes, is "Gop, gop," "Gip, gip," "Yock, yock." This is uttered either whilst flying or when at rest; and so gentle is...

Le Vaillant says, in his "Natural History of Parrots," that the Araras are stupid birds, which do not fear the hunter's gun; but we must say from our own experience that in the...

These birds inhabit all the temperate portions of Europe and Asia, and are found in Sweden, also in the southern and western parts of Russia, and are amongst the summer visitors...

Many of these birds migrate during the winter months, and spend a great portion of their time in flying over the face of the country, sweeping along with astonishing strength an...

Should the Moro be separated from its species it will seek the society of other birds, and we have known a case in which a Desert Trumpeter mated with a small pigeon (_Columba p...

The Sparrow Parrot is very common in Brazil, and inhabits both the woodlands near the sea-coast and the bushes in dry districts, to which it is an admirable ornament. These bird...

Shaw was the first naturalist who became acquainted with and described the Waved Parrot, and Gould is the only traveller who gives us any information respecting its natural stat...

The LONG-TAILED PARRAKEETS (_Palæornithes_) inhabit the Old World, and notwithstanding the peculiarities whereby the different families are characterised, bear a common impress....

The Siskin seeks its mate in April, obtaining her favour by very much the same efforts as those practised by the Cross-bills, the male bird, at such times, looking much larger t...

This species appears to be spread over a considerable portion of the African continent, and travellers mention having seen it in Abyssinia, about the Blue River, and at the sour...

The MASKED PARROT FINCH (_Caryothraustes Brasiliensis_) is closely related to the last-mentioned bird. The formation of the beak is very similar to that above described, but it...

The RED-BEAKED BUFFALO WEAVER BIRD (_Textor erythrorhynchus_) is the species of this group with which we are most familiar. This bird is from eight and three-quarter to nine and...

These birds live upon insects of all kinds, as well as fruit, seeds, and berries; they do incalculable mischief in the fields, and destroy great numbers of eggs during the sprin...

Le Vaillant has noticed the silence of these birds at the approach of a suspicious-looking visitor, on the occasion of their mid-day assemblages. They will keep themselves so st...

The KING OF THE BIRDS OF PARADISE (_Cincinnurus regius_) may be selected as representing the SPIRAL TAILS (_Cincinnurus_), as the various species composing the second group of t...

In voracity the Raven has but few equals, for not only will it eat almost all kinds of food, including fruit, corn, and every description of insect, but it will seize upon and d...

When upon the ground, the movements of this species may be described as being more like a step than a hop; its flight is light and graceful, and its powers of climbing amongst t...

It is generally considered that the Social Weaver Bird never crosses the Orange river, though how far it may penetrate in a northerly direction has not as yet been ascertained....

We are indebted to the Prince von Wied for an exhaustive account of this species, from which we shall extract such particulars as our space will permit. This remarkable bird, he...

The order that we have thus thought it advisable to establish is, however, by no means limited to the parrots; it includes various other seed-eating birds, chiefly belonging to...

The PEREGRINE FALCON (_Falco peregrinus_) is the member of the family with which we are most familiar. The plumage of the old bird is light slate colour on the upper part of the...

The WANDERING MAGPIE (_Dendrocitta vagabunda_) is about sixteen inches in length, ten inches of which are included in the tail; the wing measures six inches. The entire head, na...

The Calandrelle is found in considerable numbers, inhabiting all the plains of Southern Europe, Central Asia, and Western Africa, where it frequents alike the barren wastes or c...

The Rice Birds are found all over Southern Asia, as also Java and Sumatra, and are very numerous on the former of these islands. Like our Field Sparrow, they inhabit the agricul...

The Marsh Sparrow inhabits such districts as are abundantly watered, and is found in Spain, Greece, Northern Africa, and the Canary Islands, as also in some parts of Asia. It is...

The KESTREL (_Tinnunculus cenchris_) is a species very similar to the bird above described, and likewise inhabits the southern countries of Europe. The male is twelve inches lon...

The ROSE STARLING, or SHEPHERD-BIRD (_Pastor roseus_), is another European species, nearly related to those last described, but having the beak somewhat more compressed at its s...

The GLOSSY CROW (_Anomalocorax splendens_) is an inhabitant of the East Indies, and one of the most elegant of the many representatives of the family met with in that part of th...

These birds are met with in considerable numbers throughout the whole of Soudan; they may usually be seen flying about in large flocks, sometimes, but rarely, in pairs. Heuglin...

The REED BUNTING (_Cynchramus Schoeniclus_) has been separated from the other members of its family on account of the peculiar formation of its beak, and though closely resembli...

The SENSE OF HEARING in birds is remarkably acute, as might be readily inferred from the vocal capabilities conferred upon many of these gifted songsters. Their music is certain...

When about to build, the little pair seek a quiet spot in which to make their nest, preferring a rock thickly covered with bushes; and there upon the ground they construct their...

The SKYLARK, or FIELD LARK (_Alauda arvensis_), is distinguished from its congeners by the slender formation of its body, its weak short conical beak, and its somewhat pointed w...

The mechanism whereby expiration is effected is equally simple; just as, when the upper board of the bellows is depressed, the air is forced out through the nozzle, so, by the r...

The BLACK-HEADED BUTCHER-BIRD TANGARA (_Lanio atricapillus_) is about five and a quarter inches long, and eight and a quarter across the wings; the tail measures two and a half...

The MAIDEN LORIKEET (_Coryphilus Tahitianus_), another member of this group, inhabits the islands of the Pacific Ocean, and principally Tahiti, from which it receives its name....

The _cervical region_, or that portion belonging to the neck (Fig. 12, _b_), is exceedingly variable in its proportionate length, and forms the only flexible portion of the spin...

THE LONG-TAILED PARROTS, OR PARRAKEETS (_Palæornithes_):--The Collared, or Rose-ringed Parrot--The Bettet. The SUPERB PARROTS (_Polytelis_):--The Scarlet-crested Superb Parrot--...

_Cassell's New Code Series_, comprising Works specially prepared for use in Elementary and other Schools in accordance with the provisions of the New Code. (_A detailed List of...