Part 5

One of the most remarkable of these mysterious birds is the White Eagle, represented by Du Pratz as inhabiting Louisiana, of whose description of which the following is a translation: “The Eagle, the king of birds, is smaller than the Eagle of the Alps, but it is much handsomer, being _almost entirely white_, and having only the extremities of its wings black. As it is rather rare, this is a second reason for rendering it esteemed amongst the people of the country, who buy at a high price the feathers of its wings to make the ornament of the symbol of peace, and which is the fan of which I have spoken in giving a description of the Calumet.” Du Pratz, Histoire de la Louisiane, II. p. 109, Paris, 1758. On the faith of this description, the species supposed to be alluded to has been named _Falco candidus_ by Gmelin. If not an albino, there is a possibility that it is a species of a group of white hawks, of rather large size, which are principally found in South America, and one species of which (_Buteo Ghiesbrectü Dubus_,) is known to inhabit Mexico. The latter would agree very well with Du Pratz’s description, so far as it goes.

That excellent and reliable naturalist, the Prince Maximilian of Wied, whose Travels in the interior of North America contain much valuable information in nearly all departments of Zoology, mentions a “Grey Eagle of enormous dimensions,” I. pp. 203, 214, (Raise in das innere Nord-America, Quarto, Coblenz, 1839.)[2]

But there is no end to the accounts of strange Eagles given by travellers and naturalists. Some of them may have reference to peculiar species which have in later times escaped attention, but the probability is, that they more frequently allude to accidental varieties, or that the authors describe from such reports as they had heard at second hand, or fell into error from insufficient personal observation.

Several of the naturalists who have recently visited California have informed us that they saw occasionally large species of Eagles, or other large rapacious birds, of which they did not succeed in procuring specimens, nor in approaching within sufficiently short distance to be enabled to examine them satisfactorily.

We have introduced the extraordinary bird which is the subject of our present article, thus early into our work, for the purpose mainly of asking attention to a most remarkable and interesting species heretofore apparently entirely unknown to American Ornithological writers, and also on account of its similarity, in some respects, to one of the most important of Audubon’s discoveries, the Washington Eagle. This celebrated author was not acquainted with the bird now before us.

The specimen of the Washington Eagle, described and figured by Audubon, does not appear to have been preserved, or at any rate is not known to be extant, nor does it appear that he ever procured more than one. His drawing, however, with some others of species which he had met with but once, appears fortunately to have escaped the destruction of his collection of pictures of birds by rats, as described in his Ornithological Biography, Vol. I. Introductory Address, p. 13, (Edinburg edition, 1831.)

We have no doubt that such a species exists, or in other words, that Audubon is entirely correct in regarding his bird as a peculiar species; and we think it quite impossible for his description and history to apply to the young of the common White-headed or Bald Eagle, as has been supposed by some American, and by nearly all late European Ornithologists. But we are disposed, at present, to question the correctness of his plate, and also his statement that the bird represented was an “adult male” (Orn. Biog. I. p. 62). We are aware, of course, that the plate may not be a fair representation of the drawing, and in fact it has not been very carefully engraved. The tail appears to be unfinished. Having, however, quite sufficient knowledge of the difficulties in getting up correct plates of birds, we are enabled fully to appreciate the disadvantages under which this distinguished Ornithologist, with all his artistic knowledge and perseverance, must necessarily have laboured at the commencement of his great work, and his plate of the Washington Eagle is one of the earliest, being the eleventh of the series.

The bill, as represented in the plate, is shorter than we have ever seen in any adult Eagle of this group (the fishing Eagles), and above all the arrangement of the scales on the tarsi anteriorly, is such as we have never observed in any rapacious bird whatever.

Notices of the Washington Eagle having been captured, have appeared occasionally (as in Nuttal’s Manuel, I. p. 71, and the Boston Journal of Nat. Hist. III. p. 72), and we have seen numerous specimens of Eagles of a size so large that they could not, without much doubt, be referred to the common white-headed species. But we have never seen nor heard of a specimen which presented all the peculiar characters represented in Audubon’s plate, and especially the anterior scales of the tarsus continued transversely so far down to the toes. The pointed and slender feathers of the neck, the large size, and in one specimen of a young bird, the short bill we have seen, and there are specimens now in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy in which these characters will be found, but not the peculiar arrangement of the scales of the tarsus. All other species of fishing Eagles have the head more or less marked with white in their mature plumage. In Audubon’s plate of the Washington Eagle, the head is of the same deep brown as the other parts. From analogy, therefore, it may safely be presumed that he was mistaken in supposing his specimen to be that of an adult male bird.

An interesting feature in the large specimens to which we allude, is the fact that they almost invariably have the ends of their tails broken as though injured by alighting habitually on rocks, or on the ground, thus apparently confirming Audubon’s statements. Young birds are however peculiarly liable to such injury on account of their feathers not possessing the strength and rigidity of more mature plumage.

Respecting the Washington Eagle, our conclusion is, therefore, after many years of attention to American birds, and especially to obscure or little known species, that of the existence of such a species in North America as is described by Audubon, in Ornithological Biography, I. p. 58, there can be no reasonable doubt. But we are of opinion that when adult it is very probably a bird with the head more or less white, and tail of the same colour; and we are disposed to regard the plate in Birds of America as erroneous, for reasons above intimated, or for others not at present demonstrable, and at all events as representing a young specimen. Waiving the presence of the character of the scales of the tarsi as above stated, we think that we have several times seen the young of the Washington Eagle, and that specimens of it are now in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy. It is not, however, so large as the immense Eagle which in the present article, and accompanying plate, we have the pleasure of presenting to the American public for the first time, but it appears to us to be more nearly related to it than to any other species.

The Eagle mentioned in the History of the Expedition of Lewis and Clarke, as cited in a preceding page, we are inclined to suspect to be the present species, but should not be surprised if it should be ascertained by succeeding naturalists to be the adult of the Washington Eagle.

The great Eagle now before us has never been observed as yet by an American voyager, and few specimens only are contained in European museums. The only specimen in the United States is that in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy from which the drawing was made for the present plate.

We have added as a suitable conclusion of our present article a translation of the original account of this Eagle as given by Pallas, and which will be found in his Zoology of Asiatic Russia, as cited above:

“Steller, worthy of a better fate, first observed this remarkable species, and in his manuscripts briefly described it. Now, also, I have before me an elegantly prepared specimen from my friend Billings, who, with the last navigator, explored the ocean between Kamschatka and America. This very large bird is frequent in the islands between Kamschatka and the American continent, especially in the islands noted for the unfortunate shipwreck and death of Bering. It appears very rarely in Kamschatka itself. In the highest rocks overhanging the sea, it constructs a nest of two ells in diameter, composed of twigs of fruit and other trees, gathered from a great distance, and strewed with grass in the centre, in which are one or two eggs, in form, magnitude and whiteness, very like those of a Swan. The young is hatched in the beginning of June, and has an entirely white woolly covering. While Steller was cautiously viewing such a nest from a precipice, the parents darted with such unforeseen impetuosity as nearly to throw him headlong; the female having been wounded, both flew away, nor did they return to the nest which was watched for two days. But, as if lamenting, they often sat on an opposite rock. It is a kind of bird, bold, very cunning, circumspect, observant, and of savage disposition. Steller saw a Fox (_Vulpes lagopodus_) carried off by one and dashed upon the rocks, and afterwards torn in pieces. It lives also on dead substances cast up by the sea, and various offscourings of the ocean.”

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Haliaëtus. Savigny, Description of Egypt, Zoology, p. 85, (1809.)

Size, large. Bill, strong, straight at the base, hooked and very sharp at the point, sides of the bill compressed, margin of upper mandible, slightly festooned. Wings rather long and pointed, formed for rapid and vigorous flight; tail moderate. Tarsi short, very strong, and with the toes, covered with scales; claws very strong, curved and sharp. About ten or twelve species known, which are scattered throughout the surface of the globe.

Haliaëtus pelagicus. (Pallas.) Aquila pelagica. Pallas, Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, I. p. 343, (St. Petersburg, 1811, Quarto.) “Aquila marina. Steller, MSS.” Pallas _ut supra_. Falco Imperator. Kittlitz, Kupfertafeln zur naturg. der Vogel pt. I. p. 3, pl. 2, (Frankfurt, 1832.) Falco leucopterus. Temminck. Pl. col. I. pl. 489. Haliaëtus pelagicus. (Pallas.) Temm. & Schl. Fauna Japonica, Aves p. 10, pl. 4. Haliaëtus imperator. (Kittlitz.) Bruch in Isis XXV. p. 1102, (1832.)

Form. Very large and powerful, tail rather short, wedge shaped, the middle feathers being nearly four inches longer than the outer, which are shortest, all of the fourteen feathers somewhat pointed, but the central four lanceolate.

Bill strong, much compressed, very wide laterally or in altitude; upper mandible with a slight festoon; gape rather wide, extending so far back as to be immediately under the eye; cere large, in which at the distance of nearly an inch from the frontal feathers, the nostrils are obliquely inserted, large loral space bare, or with a few scattered bristles.

Wings rather short, third and fourth quills longest, but with the fifth little shorter; secondaries abruptly acuminated, and some of them with their shafts produced into filaments or thread-like appendages, exserted from the tips of the feathers; secondaries and greater coverts very broad and strong.

Legs and feet rather short, but strong; tarsus feathered below the joint for half its length, bare lower portion, with about five large frontal scales immediately succeeding the feathers; then to the toes in common with its entire posterior part, covered with numerous scales, which are rounded or hexagonal: the latter shape most readily observed behind; toes, with broad frontal scales; claws large.

Feathers of the head and neck, narrow and pointed, or acuminated; those on the breast and back, somewhat lanceolate, but broad, and sometimes abruptly pointed. Tail coverts, both above and below, ample—extending to half the length of the tail.

Dimensions of a skin from Behrings Straits. Total length from tip of bill to end of tail, about 3 feet 8 inches; wing, 2 feet 2 inches; tail, 1 foot 4 inches; bill, from tip of upper mandible to angle of the mouth, 3¾ inches; width of bill, laterally, at point of insertion of the nostrils, full 1¾ inches.

Colours. Female, nearly adult? Tail, white, the two external feathers having their outer webs, brownish black, mottled with white, and other feathers slightly spotted with the same brownish black. Entire other parts, above and below, very dark brownish black; lighter on the head and neck, and on which parts every feather is lighter in the middle.

Primary quills, shining black; secondaries and tertiaries, white at their bases, and brownish black at their ends; greater coverts narrowly tipped with brownish white; lesser coverts whitish on both margins, especially at their bases, terminated with brownish. Rump with the plumage white at the base.

Bill, yellow, (in skin,) feet, yellow.

Adult, as described by authors cited above. Large frontal space, commencing at the base of bill, white, which is also the colour of the greater wing coverts, the abdomen, and the tail. All other parts of the plumage blackish brown; bill, cere, legs and feet, yellow.

Hab. Russian possessions in Asia and America. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.

Obs. The largest of all known Eagles, and nearly related to _H. Washingtonii_ (Aud.). It differs from the latter, as described by Audubon, in being larger generally, but has the wing shorter and the tail wedge shaped, and containing fourteen feathers. We suppose _H. Washingtonii_ to be the young of a closely allied species, and that both are strictly congeneric with _H. leucocephalus_, _H. albicilla_, _H. vocifer_, and others known as Fishing Eagles.

CHAMÆA FASCIATA.—(Gambel.) The Ground Wren. PLATE VII.—Adult Male.

This little bird was discovered in California, by William Gambel, M. D., an enthusiastic and highly talented young naturalist, who, during an overland journey across the North American Continent, made many discoveries, and added much valuable information to several departments of Natural History, and we regret to say, whose recent death, during a second expedition of the same character, occurring, as it did, so early, and thus terminating so prematurely a life of such promise, is to be deplored as a loss to science and to his country.

Dr. Gambel’s account of this bird in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, II. p. 265, and in the Journal of the same society, quarto, I. p. 34, which is the first and, as yet, the most satisfactory, is as follows: “For several months before discovering the bird, I was attracted in the fields of dead mustard stalks, the weedy margins of streams, low thickets and bushy places, by a continued loud, crepitant, grating scold, which I took for that of a species of Wren, but at last found it to proceed from this Wren-tit, if it may be so called. It was difficult to be seen, and kept in such places as I have described, close to the ground; eluding pursuit by diving into the thickest bunches of weeds and tall grass, or tangled bushes, and uttering its grating Wren-like notes whenever approached. But if quietly, watched, it may be seen, when searching for insects, mounting the twigs and dried stalks of grass sideways, jerking its long tail, and holding it erect like a Wren, which, with its short wings in such a position, it much resembles.

“Sometimes it utters a slow, monotonous, singing chicadee note, like _pee, pee, pee, pee, peep_; at other times its notes are varied, and a slow whistling continued _pwit, pwit, pwit, pwit_, is heard. Again, in pleasant weather, towards spring, I have heard individuals answering each other, singing in a less solemn strain not unlike sparrows, a lively _pit, pit, pit, tr, r, r, r, r, r_, but, if disturbed, they at once resumed their usual scold.”

Mr. Bell, whose collection contained numerous specimens of this bird, found it abundant in the neighbourhood of San Francisco, and has kindly allowed us to use his memoranda: “I observed this bird in bushes and briers every where along the roads, and in brush heaps on lands which had been recently cleared, though it appeared rather to prefer damp places. It was very pert, and not easily frightened, and as it moved about with its tail erect, uttered several rather peevish notes, unlike those of any other bird with which I am acquainted.

“The white iris of this bird, when in its native haunts, is quite readily observed, and with its manners and the localities which it frequents, reminded me, in some measure, of the white-eyed Vireo, (_V. noveboracensis_.) Its skin is unusually strong for such a small bird, and it has a remarkable development of the muscles of the thighs, and, in fact, unusual strength and firmness of the muscular system generally.”

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Chamæa. Gambel in Proceedings Acad. Philada. III. p. 154, Feb., 1847.

Bill short, slightly curved, rather acute, both mandibles entire, ridge of the upper curving nearly from the base, depression for the nostrils large, oval and exposed, nostrils opening beneath a membrane in the depression. Wings very short, rounded; tail long, and graduated; tarsi long, and rather slender.

One species only known.

Chamæa fasciata. (Gambel.) Parus fasciatus. Gambel, Proc. Acad. Philada., II. p. 265. August, 1845.

Form. Body rather short and robust; wings short and rounded, with the sixth and seventh primaries longest, and nearly equal; tail long and graduated, external feathers about an inch and a half shorter than those in the middle of the tail. Entire plumage of the body composed of long, silky, puff-like feathers.

Dimensions of a skin from California. Total length from tip of bill to end of tail, about 5½ inches; wing, 2½; tail, 3½ inches.

Colours. Male. Head very dark cinerous, lighter on the cheeks and sides of the neck; back, rump, external margins of the quills and tail feathers olive brown. Wings and tail dusky brown; the latter with many crimp-like transverse lines of darker, more distinct in some specimens than others; quills also with similar lines on their inner webs, but frequently very obscure.

Beneath, from the base of the mandible to the abdomen, pale reddish, running into olive on the flanks, and with many of the feathers on the throat and breast having longitudinal stripes of light cinereous olive; under tail coverts brown.

A distinct ring around the eye, and spot on the nares, whitish cinereous.

Bill and feet, dark brownish black.

Iris, white.

Female. Similar to the male, but with the colours rather less vivid.

Hab. California. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.

Obs. We consider this bird as decidedly related to the Wrens, and as forming a well characterized genus, of which it is, as yet, the only known species. It is frequently brought in collections from Western America.

The plant represented in the plate is the _Eschscholtzia Californica_, a native of California.

The figure in our plate is about three-fourths of the natural size.

ICTERUS CUCULLATUS.—(Swainson.) The Hooded Oriole. PLATE VIII.—Male and Female.

Some of the most beautiful of the American Orioles are inhabitants of Mexico. Of these, we present, in the plate now before the reader, one of the smallest of the species, which, though it cannot compete with many others of its more richly coloured relatives, is still entitled to make considerable claims. The various shades of the richest yellow colours are almost exhausted in the splendid species of these birds which are found in Mexico, and in South America, and as an accompaniment to the luxuriant vegetation of those countries, they form, necessarily, a most agreeable and interesting feature.

The birds of this family represented in the northern portion of this continent, by the Baltimore Oriole, are remarkable for their skill in constructing elaborately formed and pendent nests, frequently of large size. Several of the South American species make them of grasses, intricately and substantially woven, and shaped like a purse or bag, with the entrance sometimes from the top, but more frequently ingeniously inserted in the side, near the lower end. They are usually suspended from the pendent branches of trees, and often near the habitations of men. The Baltimore Oriole builds a nest sufficiently similar to afford an idea of the general character of the nests of these birds, but those of several of the southern species are much more artfully and elaborately constructed.

The handsome little bird at present before us, was first described from Mexican specimens, by Mr. Swainson, in the Philosophical Magazine, 1827, p. 436, (London.) It is an inhabitant, also, of Texas, where it was repeatedly observed by our friends Col. McCall and Capt. McCown, the latter of which gentlemen has most kindly communicated the following with other valuable notices:

“This beautiful Oriole is quite common on the Rio Grande, where it raises its young. When met with in the woods, and far away from man’s abode, it is shy, and seems rather disposed to conceal itself, yet a pair were constant visitors, morning and evening, to the vicinity of my quarters (an unfinished building at Ringgold Barracks, Texas.) They became so tame and familiar that they would pass from some ebony trees that stood near by, to the porch, clinging to the shingles and rafters, frequently in an inverted position, prying into the holes and crevices, apparently in search of such insects as could be found there, which, I believe, were principally spiders. They would sometimes desist for a moment from this occupation, to observe my movements, and if I happened to be enjoying a cigar after dinner, seemed to watch the smoke with great curiosity. I often offered them such hospitality as was in my power, but could never induce them to touch any food, in which respect they were very different from the large black birds, whose acquaintance I also cultivated. I have seen the nests of this species, but never had an opportunity to examine them.”

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Icterus. Brisson Ornithologie, II. p. 85, (quarto, Paris, 1760.)

Bill, conic, straight, or slightly curved, and entering the frontal plumes, point acute, nostrils basal partly covered by a membrane. Wings, rather long and pointed; tail, long; tarsi moderate, slender, covered with scales. Colours, generally yellow and black. About twenty-five species known, all of which are natives of America.

Icterus cucullatus. Swainson in Philos. Mag., 1827, p. 486.

Form. Slender and delicate; bill, very acute, curved; wing, rather short, with the third quill longest; tail, rather long, graduated; tarsi and feet, slender.

Dimensions. Total length (of skin) from tip of bill to end of tail, about 7½ inches; wing, 3½; tail, 4 inches; female, slightly smaller.

Colours. Male. Narrow frontal band, throat and neck in front, and space extending to the eye, back, wings and tail, glossy black. External edges of the quills, and tips of wing coverts white, the latter forming two white bars on the wing. Upper part of the head and neck, rump and upper tail coverts, and all the under parts, fine golden yellow, paler on the abdomen. Inferior wing coverts, and tail feathers at their basis, pale yellow. Bill, bluish horn colour.