WOOD ENGRAVINGS.
| FIG. | PAGE | |
| 1. | Bustards (Otis tarda) | [4] |
| 2. | The Little Bustard (Otis tetrax, or Tetrax campestris) | [5] |
| 3. | The Trochilus, or Crocodile Watcher (Hyas Ægyptiacus) | [9] |
| 4. | The Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) | [12] |
| 5. | The Common Thick-knee, or Stone Curlew (Œdicnemus crepitans) | [13] |
| 6. | The Golden Plover (Charadrius auratus), and the Dotterel (Eudromias Morinellus) | [17] |
| 7. | The Lapwing, or Peewit (Vanellus cristatus) | [21] |
| 8. | The Spur-winged Lapwing (Hoplopterus spinosus) | [24] |
| 9. | The Turnstone (Strepsilas interpres) | [25] |
| 10. | The Pied Oyster-catcher, or Sea Pie (Hæmatopus ostralegus) | [28] |
| 11. | The Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) | [32] |
| 12. | The Sanderling (Calidris arenaria) | [37] |
| 13. | The Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) | [40] |
| 14. | Ruffs Fighting | [41] |
| 15. | The Scooping Avocet (Recurvirostra avocetta) | [52] |
| 16. | The Great Curlew (Numenius arquatus) | [53] |
| 17. | The White or Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis religiosa) | [57] |
| 18. | The Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) | [60] |
| 19. | The Whale-headed Stork, or Shoe-beak (Balæniceps rex) | [61] |
| 20. | The Savaku, or Boat-bill (Cancroma cochlearia) | [64] |
| 21. | The Hammer-head, or Shadow-bird (Scopus umbretta) | [65] |
| 22. | The Ibis-like Tantalus (Tantalus ibis) | [66] |
| 23. | Adjutants | [68] |
| 24. | The Simbil (Spenorhynchus Abdimii) | [69] |
| 25. | The Senegal Jabiru (Mycteria Senegalensis) | [72] |
| 26. | The Marabou (Leptoptilos crumenifer) | [73] |
| 27. | The African Clapper-bill (Anastomus lamelligerus) | [76] |
| 28. | Group of Herons | [77] |
| 29. | The Giant Heron (Ardea Goliath) | [79] |
| 30. | The Great White Heron (Herodias alba) | [80] |
| 31. | The Lesser Egret (Herodias garzetta) | [81] |
| 32. | Day and Night Herons | [84] |
| 33. | The Common Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) | [85][Pg viii] |
| 34. | The Sun Bittern, or Peacock Heron (Eurypyga helias) | [88] |
| 35. | Crowned, Demoiselle, and Common Cranes | [92] |
| 36. | The Cariama, or Crested Screamer (Dicholophus cristatus) | [93] |
| 37. | The Gold-breasted Trumpeter (Psophia crepitans) | [96] |
| 38. | The Aniuma, or Horned Screamer (Palamedea cornuta) | [97] |
| 39. | The Golden Rail, or Painted Cape Snipe (Rhynchæa Capensis) | [100] |
| 40. | The Jacana (Parra Jacana) | [104] |
| 41. | The Hyacinthine Porphyrio (Porphyrio hyacinthinus) | [108] |
| 42. | Home of the Moor-hens (Gallinula chloropus) | [109] |
| 43. | The Stilt Bird (Charadrius himantopus) | [113] |
| 44. | The Flamingo (Phœnicopterus roseus) | [116] |
| 45. | The Whistling Swan (Cygnus musicus) | [124] |
| 46. | Black-necked Swans (Cygnus nigricollis) | [128] |
| 47. | The Black Swan (Cygnus or Chenopsis atratus) | [129] |
| 48. | The Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus Gambensis) | [132] |
| 49. | The Grey or Wild Goose (Anser cinereus) | [133] |
| 50. | The Brent Goose (Bernicla torquata) | [137] |
| 51. | The Nile Goose (Chenalopex Ægyptiacus) | [140] |
| 52. | Cereopsis Geese | [141] |
| 53. | The Ruddy Sheldrake, or Brahminy Duck (Casarca rutila) | [144] |
| 54. | The Sheldrake (Vulpanser tadorna) | [145] |
| 55. | The Widow Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) | [149] |
| 56. | The Wild Duck (Anas boschas) | [152] |
| 57. | The Wood or Summer Duck (Aix sponsa) | [153] |
| 58. | The Shoveler Duck (Spatula clypeata) | [157] |
| 59. | Eider Ducks at Home | [161] |
| 60. | The Eider Ducks (Somateria mollissima) | [164] |
| 61. | The Green-headed Goosander (Mergus merganser) | [173] |
| 62. | The Caspian Tern (Sylochelidon Caspia) | [177] |
| 63. | Terns and their Nests | [180] |
| 64. | Black-backed and Herring Gulls | [189] |
| 65. | The Laughing Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) | [196] |
| 66. | The Common Skua (Lestris catarractes) | [200] |
| 67. | The Rosy Gull (Rhodostethia rosea) | [204] |
| 68. | The Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) | [205] |
| 69. | The Giant Petrel (Procellaria or Ossifragus gigantea) | [208] |
| 70. | The Fulmar Petrel (Procellaria glacialis) | [209] |
| 71. | The Cape Petrel (Procellaria or Daption Capensis) | [212] |
| 72. | Storm Petrels | [213] |
| 73. | The Storm Petrel (Thalassidroma pelagica) | [216] |
| 74. | The White-tailed Tropic Bird (Phaëton æthereus) | [221] |
| 75. | The Frigate Bird (Tachypetes aquila) | [225] |
| 76. | Le Vaillant's Snake Bird, or Darter (Plotus Levaillantii) | [229] |
| 77. | The Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) | [233] |
| 78. | The Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) | [237] |
| 79. | The Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) | [244] |
| 80. | The Common or Foolish Guillemot (Uria troile) | [253] |
| 81. | An Assemblage of Auks | [256] |
| 82. | The Great Auk, or Giant Penguin (Alca pinguinus) | [257] |
| 83. | Giant Penguins | [260] |
| 84. | The Coulterneb, or Arctic Puffin | [265] |
| 85. | The Golden Penguin (Chrysocome catarractes) | [267] |
[Pg 1]
CASSELL'S
BOOK OF BIRDS.
—♦—
THE STILT-WALKERS (Grallatores).
THE birds belonging to this order have unusually long legs, formed in such a manner as to enable many of them to seek their food at a certain distance in the water; and are further characterised by their long thin neck, slender high tarsi, bare thighs, three or four toed feet, and fully-developed wings; but the construction of the bill, wings, and tail, and the coloration of the plumage is so various, as to render a general description almost impossible. The Grallatores are met with in every portion of our globe, and alike occupy open plains, mountain ranges—even as high as the snow-line—fertile valleys, or arid deserts, contesting possession of the sea-shore or river banks with the True Swimming Birds, and that in such extraordinary numbers, as often to render it a matter of wonder whence a sufficient supply of food can be obtained. During a three days' passage into the White Nile we have seen an almost uninterrupted line of birds of this description, numbering some fifty different species, running, fishing, and bathing, in thousands and tens of thousands, upon each side of the stream, and literally swarming in every lake, pond, or ditch in the vicinity. In Southern Asia and some of the islands of Southern and Central America they are equally numerous, and overspread the sea-shore for miles. Travellers in Southern India tell us that it is not uncommon to see them perched so thickly on the trees as to give these the appearance of being covered with magnificent white blossoms. Insects, worms, spawn, fishes, and various small animals and reptiles, constitute the principal food of these voracious birds; some also consume seeds, leaves, and tender shoots of plants. As regards their powers of locomotion considerable difference is observable, according to the situations which the various species have been created to occupy; for while some run with the utmost swiftness, and fly with an energy scarcely inferior to that displayed by the Raptores, others move but slowly over the surface of the ground, and make their way through the air with comparative labour and difficulty. Some few frequent the branches of trees, and only take to the water in emergencies; but, for the most part, they both dive and swim with extraordinary facility. The vocal powers of the Grallatores are extremely limited; indeed, some species are capable of producing nothing more than a hoarse, hissing note, while others endeavour to make up for their deficiency in this respect by clapping with their mandibles. No less various is the development of the senses, or the peculiarities of disposition observable in the members of this extensive section, and to these we must therefore allude more particularly when describing the different groups under which they have been classified. All such as inhabit the temperate zones migrate, whilst those occupying warmer regions make excursions with great[Pg 2] regularity at certain seasons, but probably do not venture to any great distance from their native haunts. Of the incubation of these birds it is impossible to speak in general terms.
The BUSTARDS (Otides) [Coloured Plate [XXXII.]] are of large size, with a heavy body, thick neck, moderately large head, and a powerful beak, almost as long as the head; this beak is of conical form, but compressed at its base, and slightly arched at the ridge of the upper mandible. The tarsi are high and strong, the feet furnished with three toes, the wings wedge-shaped, and formed of well-developed quills, of which the third is the longest; the tail is composed of twenty broad feathers; and the plumage is thick, smooth, and compact: in some instances, the feathers on the head and nape are prolonged or very brilliantly coloured. The male is recognisable from his mate by his superior size and brighter hues. The young resemble the mother after the first moulting. These birds are represented in every division of our globe, with the exception of America, and are especially numerous in the grassy steppes and barren tracts of Asia and Africa. In Europe they occupy the open cultivated country, but are never so numerously met with as in other parts of the Old World. They entirely avoid large forests, but occasionally take up their abode in woodland districts. Such as occupy warm latitudes do not migrate, whilst the natives of temperate zones either go south at the approach of winter, or at least wander forth and sweep the surrounding country. During the breeding season they live in small parties, but afterwards associate in large flocks, often numbering some hundreds. They are remarkably shy and wary, usually keeping to open ground, and in the summer endeavour to elude pursuers by their wonderful rapidity of foot, which enables them to scud along at a most extraordinary pace. At this season, if alarmed, they run for some distance before rising, but once on the wing, fly with strength and rapidity, always keeping near the ground. In the autumn, on the contrary, they rise with facility, and fly to a great distance. Some species of Bustards are capable of uttering clear resonant notes, while others are so deficient in this respect as to produce nothing more than an occasional dull and toneless sound. As regards the development of their senses, with the exception probably of that of smell, they are highly endowed, and in their intercourse with their feathered companions, or even with man himself, exhibit no slight degree of intelligence and courage.