To sing the dirge of her approaching death.”
Further on (p. 26) he says, “There be likewise many Swannes which frequent the fresh ponds and rivers, seldome consorting themselves with Duckes and Geese; these be very good meate, the price of one is six shillings.” In his enumeration of birds of New England, Josselyn (Two Voyages, p. 100) mentions “Hookers or wild-Swans.” This bird is not included in Peabody’s Report on the Ornithol. of Massachusetts (1839).
[313] The Brant (Bernicla brenta), common at the present day.
[314] The Snow Goose (Anser hyperboreus), now rare in New England, although common throughout the West.
[315] The Canada Goose (Bernicla Canadensis).
[316] The Black Duck (Anas obscura), still abundant. The identity of the other two is doubtful: the Pide Duck may have been the Pied or Labrador Duck (Camptolæmus Labradorius), a species formerly common but now nearly if not wholly extinct; the Gray Duck is probably the Pintail (Dafila acuta).
[317] The Green-winged Teal (Querquedula Carolinensis) and the Blue-winged Teal (Querquedula discors), both noted for the delicacy of their flesh.
[318] Probably the American Widgeon, or Baldpate (Mareca Americana). The name Widgeon is sometimes applied to other species, however.
[319] Probably some species of web-footed bird, but exactly what is not clear. Mr. Merriam, in his Review of the Birds of Connecticut (pp. 104-5), identifies Morton’s Simpe as the American Woodcock (Philohela minor), but in this he is doubtless in error. In the first place, it is not likely that a keen sportsman like Morton would have shot woodcock merely out of curiosity, and “more did not regard them;” in the second place, Josselyn, in enumerating the different sorts of ducks, speaks of “Widgeons, Simps, Teal, Blew wing’d and green wing’d.” (Two Voyages, p. 101.) But for the reference in the next paragraph in the text, and the disparaging manner in which the bird in question is alluded to, it would be inferred that Simpes was a natural misprint for Snipes. That, however, is clearly not the case.
[320] The Sanderling (Calidris arenaria), a common Sandpiper, peculiar in lacking the usual hind toe. The context indicates that other shore birds were included under this name. “There are little Birds that frequent the Sea-shore in flocks called Sanderlins, they are about the bigness of a Sparrow, and in the fall of the leaf will be all fat; when I was first in the Countrie the English cut them into small pieces to put into their Puddings instead of suet. I have known twelve score and above kill’d at two shots.” (Josselyn’s Two Voyages, p. 102.) To precisely the same effect Wood says (Prospect, p. 27), “I myselfe have killed twelve score at two shootes.”