B I R D S O F T H E W O R L D YO U NG PE O PL E CHARLES R KNIG HT E LLA H A R D C A S TL E WI TH F OR T Y ONE C OL 0 UR PL A TE S A ND NUME R OUS B LA CX -A ND WH I TE I LL US TR A TI ONS NEW YORK TOKE F REDE R I CK A . S S COMPA NY PUBLIS HER S C PYRI G HT 19 9 B Y O , 0 , F C STOK ES C OMPAN REDERI K A . Y A ll Rzgl m Ram m ed PREF ACE TH E obj ect in the present volume has been to give a brief description of such birds of the world as are o usually to. be seen in zo logical collections and in museums , together with some of the most significant - and striking facts in their life histories . To include even a very short account of each of the fourteen thou sand species known to exist , was clearly impracticable within the limits of a book of this size . It has been thought desirable , therefore , to give special attention to the birds of America , to corresponding species and allied forms found in Great Britain and on the Con tinent rem arka of Europe, and to certain of the more ble and interesting birds of other countries . P craft This work is based upon one by W . P . y , well known among ornithologists as a systematist and bird anatomist , and now in charge of the Department of Birds in the British Museum . Use has been made of a large part of his admirable Introduction, dealing with the evolution and structure of the bird . Portions of it that were considered too technical to be readily understood by young readers were simplified as much m as possible , other portions were o itted as being of a comparatively little value , and a few dditidns were 111 2 6 7 8 6 6 iv PREFACE h made . The general arrangement has been ad ered to throughout . The interest in birds is widespread and constantly n growi g, and it is hoped that the use of this volume as a reference - book will lead young readers to further study of this most fascinating subj ect . CONTENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION PUBLISHERS’ NOTE CHAPTER I OSTRICH LIKE BIRDS Orders—Casuaru Struth ones ter es ( , i , Ap yg , r ur C ypt i . CHAPTER II T K -B B CARINA E , OR EEL REASTED IRDS CHAPTER III D V G B A ND P G I IN IRDS , PETRELS , EN UINS Orders—P o odes Tub nares and Im ( yg p , i , e ne p n s. CHAPTER IV T P M B " S A ND OTI AL ATE IRDS HERONS , TORKS , FLAMINGOES Orders—St e ano o es Ardeaz Ciconze an ( g p d , , , d t ni O t ri C p e . CHAPTE R V D C K G SW U S , EESE , AND ANS Order— res ( Anse . ) vi CONTENTS CHAPTE R VI PAGE B F P Y " S C Y-B E G IRDS O RE E RETAR IRD , A LES , B ZZ W K U ARDS , HA KS , ITES , VULTURES , AND FAL CONS r — i res ( O der Acc pit . CHAPTE R VII FOWL- LIKE BIRDS r — form e ( O der Galli s. ) CHAPTE R VIII R B CRANES , AILS , AND USTARDS — f rm e ( Order Grul o s. ) CHAPTER IX V GU PLO ERS , —LLS , AND AUKS r m e ( Order Charad ufo r s. ) CHAPTE R X PIGEONS r r— o m ( O de C lu b ae . CHAPTER XI PARROTS AND—CUCKOOS ( Orders Psitt aci and Cuculi . CHAPTE R X II R M M K GF H BE E- OLLERS , OT OTS , IN IS ERS , EATERS , P B HOO OES , AND HORN ILLS Order— r ( Co aci a . ) CONTENTS vii CHAPTE R XIII M - GH jARS SW F , M G B NI T , —I TS AND HU IN IRDS Orders a r m u se . ( C p i lg i , Cyp li ) CHAPTE R XIV OWLS r — ( O der St rig es. ) CHAPTE R XV T G OU CA NS A ND P RO ONS , T , WOOD E CKERS Ordersw- ro ones and E ( T g d . ) CHAPTER XVI P B ASSERIN E —IRDS Order Passer form es ( i . ) INDEX LIS T COLOUR PLATES BALD EAGLE F ro ntispiece PLATE I F acing pag e 74 PLATE N F acing pag e 70 PLATE A F acing pag e 64 C 0 PLATE "- F acing pag e 6 I PLATE U F acing pag e 1 60 \ PLATE O F acing pag e 1 68 PLATE I\ F acing pag e 1 3 4 O PLATE O F acing pag e 1 3 8 P O F acin a e 1 LATE \ g p g 44 PLATE I o F aci ng pag e 1 82 PLATE I I F acing pag e 1 9 6 PLATE I 2 F acing pag e 2 0 0 PLATE I 3 F acing pag e 2 0 6 PLATE I 4 F acing pag e 2 1 2 PLATE I 5 F acing pag e 1 86 PLATE I 6 F acing pag e 2 2 0 PLATE I 7 F acing pag e 2 2 6 PLATE I 8 F acing pag e 2 1 6 PLATE 1 9 F acing pag e 1 76 PLATE 2 o F acing pag e 2 3 0 PLATE 2 1 F acing pag e 1 5 2 PLATE 2 2 F acing pag e 1 2 6 PLATE 2 3 F acing pag e 1 3 0 L I ST OF COLOR P LATES F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing ‘ pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F acing pag e F ULL - PAGE HALF - TONE PLATES F acing pag e 9 2 F acing pag e 9 8 INTRODUCTION HE study of birds, or Ornithology, began long T before the dawn of civilisation . At first , to primitive man the bird represented only a kind ’ of food , and the study of birds habits and peculiari ties must have had its beginnin g after pursuit had ' made birds wary and only to be caught b y some knowledge of their character and haunts . With bet n ter k owledge of birds , as of other animals , it was found that some species might be kept and bred in and captivity , thus giving a regular certain kind of food . With the keeping of fowls , of dogs , of cattle, Sheep , and horses , began the pastoral or shepherd ’ u stage of civilisation , which came earliest in man s p ward Al l ward progress tg a settled life . the complex comm unities of to - day may be traced back to such simple beginnings , and the domestication of animals ’ was by no means a small factor in man s progress . The freedom of birds , their mastery of the regions of — the air, their mysterious goings and comings some , or all , of these gave them a peculiar fascination and caused them from the earliest times to be regarded s with religiou awe as being closely allied to the gods , or with superstitious fear and reverence as partaking of the strange powers of the air . No doubt they seemed to be in some sense dwellers in lands of the xi xii INTRODUCTION gods . Whatever the reason, birds have been in every land connected with religious Observances or super stitious rites , and even chosen as symbols of power, authority, or wisdom . No doubt their expressive cries - contributed much to this result . The folk lore in every nation gives evidence of this feeling . It is found among the Hindus , the E g yptians , the Greeks , the Romans , and the European nations alike . But the scientific study of birds cannot be said to have begun until very recent times . The foundations of ornithology were laid by two Englishmen , Francis W illug hb y ( 1 63 5 - 1 672 ) and John Ray ( 1 628 - 1 705 ) to whom we owe the first attempts to classify birds upon right principles . Their good work was based upon practical observation combined with the ability - to rightly weigh and analyse . Though to day other ideas prevail in regard to the relationship and classify W illu hb Ra re ing of species , yet g y and y are still garded as pioneers in ornithology . In this chapter our purpose is to give a brief summary of the state of our knowledge of birds at this time, rather than to trace even in outline the progress of the science during the last two or three centuries . Let us begin with the question "What is a bird ? n Briefly, a bird is distinguished from all other livi g creatures by its covering of feathers . Not thus alone, f however, are birds distinguished , since they di fer almost as markedly in the matter of their skeletons . But it is not enough that we Shoul d be able to quote “ ” - so the hall mark, to speak, by which our favorites are to be recognised . At least it is not enough for those of us who are not content with mere facts .