The Penn's Grove record., 1886-05-01
SOMETHING ABOUT BIRDS.
Those That can Swim as Well as Fly.
The Curious Snake Bird.

Prof. Bickmoro began his lecture at
the Natural History Museum with a
few woIds about feathers, which he ex-
planned, were divided into contour or
outline feathers and down or the fluffy
protective feathers. Without further
introduction he plunged into a des-
cription OF the more prominent birds of
the class selected for discussion, each
n Of which was accurately reproduced
in It's natural colors by fine stereopticon
views thrown upon the wall.
One of the rarest birds of which a
specimen Is kept at the museum is the
great aux, which is about the size of a
| goose, is found north Of Cape Cod, and
is noted for its thin, grooved bill. These
birds were so plentiful in Nova Scotia
when the settlers first landed that they
were knocked over with sticks and
their breasts slit Off to extract oil, but
it is most di6lcult now to obtain it. or
the same general species is the putin,
large communities of which are found
in the rocky places on the east coast of
Maine. The putin has a thin, razor
like bill, so thin that you hardly see it
at a front view, but which appears
enormous from ne SIDE.
Among the group of birds all Of
whose toes are united by a web the
pelican is prominent. This genial
creature goes through the water scoop
ing into its large sack under the bill all
the fish which it can conveniently hold.
1t then rests until lunch time when it
tips back its head and allows such
quantity of fish as 1t wishes to drop
down its throat. Then there is the
snake bird, which travels long distances
apparently under water all the way,
but which In reality keeps the tip OF
one nostril Just above the surface. The
lite tropic bird, too, Is a curiosity.
Until lately his home was never known
and he was supposed to live and die a
wayfarer. But in reality the troplc
bird has very comfortable quarters in
the salt rock cliffs in Bermuda, where
the female deposits each year one egg.
The troplc bird has two long tail
feathers, which are many times the
length of his body, and ne Is credited
with a particularly sharp and discor-
dant cry. Like the gulls and Mother
Carey's chickens. the troplc birds are
met with at sea and follow vessels,
waiting for something to pick up.
These birds never appear to rest, as
they are generally on the wing, but
they do in reality, rest. Another bird of
this sort is the albatross, whose great ex-
tent of wing enables 1t to put out sails,
as it were, and ny without apparent
effort.
The cormorant, greyes, and morgan
sers are also sea-faring birds, living on
fish and eXhaling a very strong and I'M
pleasant odor. The greyes have their
toes lobed and separate, and the mer-
gansers have a popularity of bill, there
being a series of projections which ft
into each other and allow the bird to
slit Its food.
The professor next described the wild
ducks and geese, the pursuit of which
is the delight of sportsmen. The eye
of the canvas-back duck is very neaI
the top of its head, while the crest OF
the red-head makes it eye come about
In the middle of the head. The shell
drake is a very gayly appareled duck,
and the Labrador duck, twenty-five
years ago SO plenty, is now a rarer bird
than the great aux. The elder duck
has that beautiful down at her breast
which is much sought after for quilts.
When the first quantity of this is IN the
nest of the young 1t is stolen by natives,
the female detaches the down from her
breast to keep the young warm. This, |
too, is stolen, and the male detaches
his, and after this protection is afforded
the duck try law.