A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 1

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Robert Ridgway. A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 1

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS

Family TURDIDÆ.—The Thrushes

Subfamily TURDINÆ

Subfamily MIMINÆ

Family CINCLIDÆ.—The Dippers

Family SAXICOLIDÆ.—The Saxicolas

Family SYLVIIDÆ.—The Sylvias

Subfamily SYLVIINÆ

Subfamily REGULINÆ

Subfamily POLIOPTILINÆ

Family CHAMÆADÆ.—The Ground-Tits

Family PARIDÆ.—The Titmice

Subfamily PARINÆ

Subfamily SITTINÆ

Family CERTHIADÆ.—The Creepers

Family TROGLODYTIDÆ.—The Wrens

Family MOTACILLIDÆ.—The Wagtails

Subfamily MOTACILLINÆ

Subfamily ANTHINÆ

Family SYLVICOLIDÆ.—The Warblers

Subfamily SYLVICOLINÆ

Subfamily GEOTHLYPINÆ

Subfamily ICTERIANÆ

Subfamily SETOPHAGINÆ

Family HIRUNDINIDÆ.—The Swallows

Family VIREONIDÆ.—The Vireos

Family AMPELIDÆ.—The Chatterers

Subfamily AMPELINÆ

Subfamily PTILOGONATINÆ

Family LANIIDÆ.—The Shrikes

Family CÆREBIDÆ.—The Creepers

Family TANAGRIDÆ.—The Tanagers

Family FRINGILLIDÆ.—The Finches

Subfamily COCCOTHRAUSTINÆ.—The true Finches

Subfamily PYRGITINÆ

Subfamily SPIZELLINÆ.—The Sparrows

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The class of Birds (Aves), as represented in the present age of the world, is composed of very many species, closely related among themselves and distinguished by numerous characters common to all. For the purposes of the present work it is hardly necessary to attempt the definition of what constitutes a bird, the veriest tyro being able to decide as to the fact in regard to any North American animal. Nevertheless, for the sake of greater completeness, we may say that, compared with other classes,1 Birds are abranchiate vertebrates, with a brain filling the cranial cavity, the cerebral portion of which is moderately well developed, the corpora striata connected by a small anterior commissure (no corpus callosum developed), prosencephalic hemispheres large, the optic lobes lateral, the cerebellum transversely multifissured; the lungs and heart not separated by a diaphragm from the abdominal viscera; aortic arch single (the right only being developed); blood, with nucleated red corpuscles, undergoing a complete circulation, being received and transmitted by the right half of the quadrilocular heart to the lungs for aeration (and thus warmed), and afterwards returned by the other half through the system (there being no communication between the arterial and venous portions); skull with a single median convex condyle, chiefly on the basi-occipital (with the sutures for the most part early obliterated); the lower jaw with its rami ossifying from several points, connected with the skull by the intervention of a quadrate bone (homologous with the malleus); pelvis with ilia prolonged in front of the acetabulum, ischia and pubes nearly parallel with each other, and the ischia usually separated: anterior and posterior members much differentiated; the former modified for flight, with the humerus nearly parallel with the axis of the body and concealed in the muscles, the radius and ulna distinct, with two persistent carpal bones, and two to four digits; the legs with the bones peculiarly combined, (1) the proximal tarsal bones coalescing with the adjoining tibia, and (2) the distal tarsal coalescing with three (second, third, and fourth) metatarsals (the first metatarsal being free), and forming the so-called tarsometatarsus; dermal appendages developed as feathers: oviparous, the eggs being fertilized within the body, excluded with an oval, calcareous shell, and hatched at a temperature of about 104° F. (generally by the incubation upon them of the mother).2

Such are some of the features common to all the existing species of birds.3 Many others might be enumerated, but only those are given which contrast with the characteristics of the mammals on the one hand and those of the reptiles on the other. The inferior vertebrates are distinguished by so many salient characters and are so widely separated from the higher that they need not be compared with the present class.

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The eggs are of a very light blue, paler than those of the other species. They measure .89 of an inch in length by .66 in breadth.

Mr. Ridgway states that he found the Rocky Mountain Bluebird nesting in Virginia City in June. Its nests were built about the old buildings, and occasionally in the unused excavations about the mines. At Austin he also found it common in July, in similar localities. On the East Humboldt Mountains it was very numerous, especially on the more elevated portions, where it nested among the rocks and, though more rarely, in the deserted excavations of woodpeckers in the stunted piñon and cedar trees. He describes it as generally very shy and difficult to obtain, seldom permitting a very near approach. In its habits it is much less arboreal than either S. mexicana or S. sialis, always preferring the open mountain portions in the higher ranges of the Great Basin.

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