CHAP. X. BUT let us again resume the subject of the rattle snake; a wonderful creature, when we consider his form, nature and disposition, it is certain that he is capable by a puncture or scratch of one of his fangs, not only to kill the largest animal in America, and that in a few minutes time, but to turn the whole body into corruption; but such is the nature of this dreaded reptile, that he cannot run or creep faster than a man or child can walk, and he is never known to strike until he is first assaulted or fears himself in danger, and even then always gives the earliest warning by the rattles at the extremity of his tail. I have in the course of my travels in the Southern states (where they are the largest, most numerous and supposed to be the most venemous and vindictive) stept unknowingly so close as almost to touch one of them with my feet, and when I perceived him he was already drawn up in circular coils ready for a blow. But however incredible it may appear, the generous, I may say magnanimous creature lay as still and motionless as if inanimate, his head crouched in, his eyes almost shut, I precipitately withdrew, unless when I have been so shocked with surprise and horror as to be in a manner rivetted to the spot, for a short time not having strength to go away, when he often slowly extends himself and quietly moves off in a direct line, unless pursued when he erects his tail as far as the rattles extend, and gives the warning alarm by intervals, but if you pursue and overtake him with a shew of enmity, he instantly throws himself into Page 267 [sic] the spiral coil, his tail by the rapidity of its motion appears like a vapour, making a quick tremulous sound, his whole body swells through rage, continually rising and falling as a bellows; his beautiful particoloured skin becomes speckled and rough by dilatation, his head and neck are flattened, his cheeks swollen and his lips constricted, discovering his mortal fangs; his eyes red as burning coals, and his brandishing forked tongue of the colour of the hottest flame, continually menaces death and destruction, yet never strikes unless sure of his mark. THE rattle snake is the largest serpent yet known to exist in North America, I have heard of their having been seen formerly, at the first settling of of Georgia, seven, eight and even ten feet in length, and six or eight inches diameter, but there are none of that size now to be seen, yet I have seen them above six feet in length, and about six inches in thickness, or as large as a man's leg, but their general size is four, five and six feet in length. They are supposed to have the power of fascination in an eminent degree, so as to inthral their prey. It is generally believed that they charm birds, rabbits, squirrels and other animals, and by stedfastly looking at them possess them with infatuation; be the cause what it may, the miserable creatures undoubtedly strive by every possible means to escape, but alas! their endeavours are in vain, they at last loose the power of resistance, and flutter or move slowly, but reluctantly towards the yawning jaws of their devourers, and creep into their mouths or lay down and suffer themselves to be taken and swallowed. Page 268 SINCE, within the circle of my acquaintance, I am known to be an advocate or vindicator of the benevolent and peaceable disposition of animal creation in general, not only towards mankind, whom they seem to venerate, but also towards one another, except where hunger or the rational and necessary provocations of the sensual appetites interfere. I shall mention a few instances, amongst many, which I have had an opportunity of remarking during my travels, particularly with regard to the animal I have been treating of, I shall strictly confine myself to facts. WHEN on the sea coast of Georgia, I consented, with a few friends, to make a party of amusement at fishing and fowling on Sapello, one of the sea coast islands; we accordingly descended the Alatamaha, crossed the sound and landed on the North end of the island, near the inlet, fixing our encampment at a pleasant situation, under the shade of a grove of Live Oaks and Laurels*, * Magnolia grandiflora, called by the inhabitants the Laurel. on the high banks of a creek which we ascended, winding through a salt marsh, which had its source from a swamp and savanna in the island: our situation elevated and open, commanded a comprehensive landscape; the great ocean, the foaming surf breaking on the sandy beach, the snowy breakers on the bar, the endless chain of islands, checkered sound and high continent all appearing before us. The diverting toils of the day were not fruitless, affording us opportunities of furnishing ourselves plentifully with a variety of game, fish and oysters for our supper. ABOUT two hundred yards from our camp was a cool spring, amidst a grove of the odoriferous Myrica; Page 269 the winding path to this salubrious fountain led through a grassy savanna; I visited the spring several times in the night, but little did I know, or any of my careless drowsy companions, that every time we visited the fountain we were in imminent danger, as I am going to relate; early in the morning, excited by unconquerable thirst, I arose and went to the spring, and having, thoughtless of harm or danger, nearly half past the dewy vale, along the serpentine foot path, my hasty steps were suddenly stopped by the sight of a hideous serpent, the formidable rattle snake, in a high spiral coil, forming a circular mound half the height of my knees, within six inches of the narrow path; as soon as I recovered my senses and strength from so sudden a surprise, I started back out of his reach, where I stood to view him: he lay quiet whilst I surveyed him, appearing no way surprised or disturbed, but kept his half-shut eyes fixed on me; my imagination and spirits were in a tumult, almost equally divided betwixt thanksgiving to the Supreme Creator and preserver, and the dignified nature of the generous though terrible creature, who had suffered us all to pass many times by him during the night, without injuring us in the least, although we must have touched him, or our steps guided therefrom by a supreme guardian spirit: I hastened back to acquaint my associates, but with a determination to protect the life of the generous serpent; I presently brought my companions to the place, who were, beyond expression, surprised and terrified at the sight of the animal, and in a moment acknowledged their escape from destruction to be miraculous; and I am proud to assert, that all of us, except one person, agreed to let him lay undisturbed, and Page 270 that person at length was prevailed upon to suffer him to escape. AGAIN, when in my youth, attending my father on a journey to the Catskill Mountains, in the government of New-York; having nearly ascended the peak of Giliad, being youthful and vigorous in the pursuit of botanical and novel objects, I had gained the summit of a steep rocky precipice, a-head of our guide, when, just entering a shady vale, I saw at the root of a small shrub, a singular and beautiful appearance, which I remember to have instantly apprehended to be a large kind of Fungus which we call Jews ears, and was just drawing back my foot to kick it over, when at the instant, my father being near, cried out, a rattle snake my son, and jerked me back, which probably saved my life; I had never before seen one, this was of the kind which our guide called a yellow one, it was very beautiful, speckled and clouded. My father plead for his life, but our guide was inexorable, saying he never spared the life of a rattle snake, and killed him; my father took his skin and fangs. SOME years after this, when again in company with my father on a journey into East Florida, on the banks of St. Juan, at Fort Picolata, attending the congress at a treaty between that government and the Creek Nation, for obtaining a territory from that people to annex to the new government. After the Indians and a detachment from the garrison of St. Augustine had arrived and encamped separately, near the fort, some days elapsed before the business of the treaty came on, waiting the arrival of a vessel from St. Augustine, on board of which were the presents for the Indians. My father employed this time of leisure in little excursions Page 271 round about the fort; and one morning, being the day the treaty commenced, I attended him on a botanical excursion, some time after we had been rambling in a swamp about a quarter of a mile from the camp, I being a-head a few paces my father bid me observe the rattle snake before and just at my feet, I stopped and saw the monster formed in a high spiral coil, not half his length from my feet, another step forward would have put my life in his power, as I must have touched if not stumbled over him; the fright and perturbation of my spirits at once excited resentment, at that time I was entirely insensible to gratitude or mercy; I instantly cut off a little sapling and soon dispatched him: this serpent was about six feet in length, and as thick as an ordinary mans leg. The rencounter deterred us from proceeding on our researches for that day. So I cut off a long tough withe or vine, which fastening round the neck of the slain serpent I dragged him after me, his scaly body founding over the ground, and entering the camp with him in triumph, was soon surrounded by the amazed multitude, both Indians and my countrymen. The adventure soon reached the ears of the commander, who sent an officer to request that, if the snake had not bit himself, he might have him served up for his dinner; I readily delivered up the body of the snake to the cooks, and being that day invited to dine at the governor's table, saw the snake served up in several dishes: governor Grant being fond of the flesh of the rattle snake; I tasted of it but could not swallow it. I however, was sorry after killing the serpent when cooly recollecting every circumstance, he certainly had it in his power to kill me almost instantly, and I make no doubt but that he was conscious of it. I promised myself that I would never again be accessary to the death of a rattle snake, which promise I have invaribly kept to. This dreaded animal is easily killed, a stick no thicker than a man's thumb is sufficient to kill the largest at one stroke, if well directed either on the head or across the back, nor can they make their escape by running off, nor indeed do they attempt it when attacked. THE moccasin snake is a large and horrid serpent to all appearance, and there are very terrifying stories related of him by the inhabitants of the Southern states, where they greatly abound, particularly in East Florida: that their bite is always incurable, the flesh for a considerable space about the wound rotting to the bone, which then becomes caros, and a general mortification ensues, which infallibly destroys the patient; the members of the body rotting and dying by piecemeal, and that there is no remedy to prevent a lingering miserable death but by immediately cutting away the flesh to the bone, for some distance round about the wound. In shape and proportion of parts they much resemble the rattle snake, and are marked or clouded much after the same manner, but their colours more dull and obscure; and in their disposition seem to agree with that dreaded reptile, being slow of progression, and throw themselves in a spiral coil ready for a blow when attacked. They have one peculiar quality, which is this, when discovered, and observing their enemy to take notice of them, after throwing themselves in a coil, they gradually raise their upper mandible or jaw until it falls back nearly touching their neck, at the same time slowly vibrating their long purple forked tongue, their crooked poisonous fangs directed right at you, gives the Page 273 creature a most terrifying appearance. They are from three to four and even five feet in length, and as thick as a man's leg; they are not numerous, yet too common, and a sufficient terror to the miserable naked slaves, who are compelled to labour in the swamps and low lands where they only abound. I NEVER could find any that knew an instance of any person's loosing their life from the bite of them, only by hearsay. Yet I am convinced it is highly prudent for every person to be on their guard against them. They appear to be of the viper tribe, from their swelling of their body and flattening their neck when provoked, and from their large poisonous fangs; their head, mouth and eyes are remarkably large. THERE is another snake in Carolina and Florida called the moccasin, very different from this, which is a very beautiful creature, and I believe not of a distructive or vindictive nature; these when grown to their greatest size are about five feet in length, and near as thick as a man's arm; their skin scaly but smooth and shining, of a pale grey and sky colour ground, uniformly marked with transverse undulatory ringlets or blotches of a deep nut brown, edged with red or bright Spanish brown; they appear innocent, very active and swift, endeavouring to escape from one; they have no poisonous fangs. These are seen in high forest lands, about rotten logs or decayed fallen limbs of trees, and they harbour about old log buildings. They seem to be a species, if not the very same snake which in Pennsylvania and Virginia, are called the wampom snake, but here in warmer Southern climes they grow to a much larger size, and from the same accident their colour may be more variable and deeper. They are by Page 274 the inhabitants asserted to be dangerously venemous, their bite incurable, &c. But as I could never learn an instance of their bite being mortal or attended with any dangerous consequence, and having had frequent opportunities of observing their nature and disposition, I am inclined to pronounce them an innocent creature, with respect to mankind. THE bastard rattle snake, by some called ground rattle snake, is a dangerous little creature, their bite is certainly mortal if present medical relief is not administered: they seem to be much of the nature of the asp or adder of the old world. THIS little viper is in form and colour much like the rattle snake, but not so bright and uniformly marked; their head is broader and shorter in proportion with the other parts of their body; their nose prominent and turned upwards; their tail becomes suddenly small from the vent to the extremity, which terminates with three minute articulations, resembling rattles; when irritated they turn up their tail which vibrates so quick as to appear like a mist or vapour, but causes little or no found or noise, yet it is the common report of the inhabitants, that they cause that remarkable vehement noise, so frequently observed in forests in the heat of summer and autumn, very terrifying to strangers, which is, probably, caused by a very sable, small insect of the genus cicadae, or which are called locusts in America, yet it is possible I may be mistaken in this conjecture. This dangerous viper is from eight to ten inches in length, and of proportionable thickness; they are a spiteful, snappish creature, throwing themselves into a little coil, swell and flatten themselves, continually darting out their head, and they seem capable of springing Page 275 beyond their length. They seem destitute of the pacific disposition and magnanimity of the rattle snake, and are unworthy of an alliance with him; no man ever saves their lives, yet they remain too numerous, even in the oldest settled parts of the country. THE green snake is a beautiful innocent creature; they are from two to three feet in length, but not so thick as a persons little finger, of the finest green colour. They are very abundant, commonly seen on the limbs of trees and shrubs: they prey upon insects and reptiles, particularly the little green chameleon; and the forked tailed hawk or kite feeds on both of them, snatching them off the boughs of the trees. THE ribband snake is another very beautiful innocent serpent; they are eighteen inches in length, and about the thickness of a man's little finger; the head is very small; the ground colour of a full, clear vermilion, variegated with transverse bars or zones of a dark brown, which people fancy represents a ribband wound round the creature's body: they are altogether inoffensive to man, and are in a manner domestic, frequenting old wooden buildings, open grounds and plantations. THE chicken snake is a large, strong and swift serpent, six or seven feet in length, but scarcely so thick as a man's wrist; they are of a cinerious, earthy colour, and striped longitudinally with broad lines or lists, of a dusky or blackish colour. They are a domestic snake, haunting about houses and plantations, and would be useful to man if tamed and properly tutored, being great devourers of rats, Page 276 but they are apt to disturb hen roosts and prey upon chickens. They are as innocent as a worm with respect to venom, are easily tamed and soon become very familiar. THE pine or bull snake is very large and inoffensive with respect to mankind, but devour squirrels, birds, rabbits and every other creature they can take as food. They are the largest snake yet known in North America, except the rattle snake, and perhaps exceed him in length; they are pied black and white; they utter a terrible loud hissing noise, sounding very hollow and like distant thunder, when irritated, or at the time of incubation, when the males contend with each other for the desired female. These serpents are also called horn snakes, from their tail terminating with a hard, horny spur, which they vibrate very quick when disturbed, but they never attempt to strike with it; they have dens in the earth, whither they retreat precipitately when apprehensive of danger. THERE are many other species of snakes in the regions of Florida and Carolina, as the water snake, black snake, garter snake, copper belly, ring neck and two or three varieties of vipers besides those already noticed in my journal. Since I have begun to mention the animals of these regions, this may be a proper place to enumerate the other tribes which I observed during my perigrinations. I shall begin with the frogs (RANAE.) (1) THE largest frog known in Florida and on the sea coast of Carolina, is about eight or nine inches in length from the nose to the extremity of the toes; they are of a dusky brown or black colour on the upper side, and their belly or under side Page 277 white, spotted and clouded with dusky spots of various size and figure; their legs and thighs also are variegated with transverse ringlets, of dark brown or black, and are yellow and green about their mouth and lips: they live in wet swamps and marshes, on the shores of large rivers and lakes; their voice is loud and hideous, greatly resembling the grunting of a swine, but not near as loud as the voice of the bull frog of Virginia and Pennsylvania, neither do they arrive to half their size, the bull frog being frequently eighteen inches in length, and their roaring as loud as that of a bull. (2) THE bell frog, so called because their voice is fancied to be exactly like the sound of a loud cow bell. This tribe being very numerous, and uttering their voices in companies or by large districts, when one begins another answers, thus the sound is caught and repeated from one to another, to a great distance round about, causing a surprising noise for a few minutes, rising and sinking according as the wind sets, when it nearly dies away, or is softly kept up by distant disricts or communities, thus the noise is repeated continually, and as one becomes familiarised to it is not unmusical, though at first, to strangers, it seems clamorous and disgusting. (3) A BEAUTIFUL green frog inhabits the grassy, marshy shores of these large rivers. They are very numerous, and their noise exactly resembles the barking of little dogs, or the yelping of puppies; these, likewise make a great clamour, but as their notes are fine, and uttered in chorus, by separate bands or communities, far and near, rising and falling with the gentle breezes, affords a pleasing kind of music. Page 278 (4) THERE is besides this a less green frog, which are very common about houses: their notes are remarkably like that of young chickens; these raise their chorus immediately preceeding a shower of rain, with which they seem delighted. (5) A LITTLE grey speckled frog are in prodigious numbers in and about the ponds and savannas on high land, particularly in Pine forests; their language or noise is also uttered in chorus, by large communities or separate bands; each particular note resembles the noise made by striking two pebbles together under the surface of the water, which when thousands near you utter their notes at the same time, and being wafted to your ears by a sudden flow of wind, is very surprising, and does not ill resemble the rushing noise made by a vast quantity of gravel and pebbles together, at once precipitated from a great height. (6) THERE is yet an extreme diminutive species of frogs, which inhabits the grassy verges of ponds in savannas: these are called savanna crickets, are of a dark ash or dusky colour, and have a very picked nose. At the times of very great rains in the autumn, when the savannas are in a manner inundated, they are to be seen in incredible multitudes clambering up the tall grass, weeds, &c. round the verges of the savannas, bordering on the higher ground, and by an inattentive person might be taken for spiders or other insects. Their note is very feeble, not unlike the chattering of young birds or crickets. (7) THE shad frog, so called in Pennsylvania from their appearing and croaking in the spring season, at the time the people fish for shad: these are a Page 279 beautiful spotted frog, of a slender form, five or six inches in length from the nose to the extremities; of a dark olive green, blotched with clouds and ringlets of a dusky colour: these are remarkable jumpers, and enterprising hunters, leaving their ponds to a great distance in search of prey. They abound in rivers, swamps and marshes, in the Southern regions; in the evening and sultry summer days, particularly in times of drought, are very noisy, and at some distance one would be almost persuaded that there were assemblies of men in serious debate. These have also a sucking or clucking noise, like that which is made by sucking in the tongue under the roof of the mouth. These are the kinds of water frogs that have come under my observation, yet I am persuaded that there are yet remaining several other species. (8) THE high land frogs, commonly called toads, are of two species, the red and black. The former, which is of a reddish brown or brick colour, is the largest, and may weigh upwards of one pound when full grown; they have a disagreeable look, and when irritated, they swell and raise themselves up on their four legs and croak, but are no ways venomous or hurtful to man. The other species are one third less, and of a black or dark dusky colour; the legs and thighs of both are marked with blotches and ringlets of a darker colour, which appear more conspicuous when provoked: the smaller black species are the most numerous. Early in the spring season, they assemble by numberless multitudes in the drains and ponds, when their universal croaking and shouts are great indeed, yet in some degree not unharmonious: after this breeding time they crawl out of the waters and spread themselves Page 280 all over the country. Their spawn being hatched in the warm water, the larva is there nourished, passing through the like metamorphoses as the water frogs, and as soon as they obtain four feet, whilst yet no larger than crickets, they leave the fluid nursery-bed and hop over the dry land after their parents. THE food of these amphibious creatures, when out of the water, is every kind of insect, reptile, &c. they can take, even ants and spiders, nature having furnished them with an extreme long tongue, which exudes a viscid or glutinous liquid, they being secreted under covert, spring suddenly upon their prey, or dart forth their tongues as quick as lightning, and instrantly drag into their devouring jaws the unwary insect. But whether they prey upon one another as the water frogs do, I know not. THERE are several species of the lizard kind besides the alligator, which is by naturalist allowed to be a species of that genus. THE green lizard or little green chameleon is a pretty innocent creature; the largest I have seen were not more than seven inches in length; they appear commonly of a fine green colour, having a large red gill under their throat; they have the faculty of changing colour, which, notwithstanding the specious reasoning of physiologists, is a very surprising phenomenon. The striped lizard, called scorpion, and the blue bellied squamous lizards I have already mentioned. There is a large copper coloured lizard, and a very slender one of a fine blue colour, and very swift; the tail of this last, which is very long and slender, is as subject to be broken off as that of the glass snake. These two Page 281 last are become very scarce, and when seen are discovered about old log buildings. HERE are several species of the tortoise, besides those already mentioned; as the small land tortoise, already described by every traveller. There is a good figure and description of him in G. Edwards's Gl. Nat Hist. vol. II. p. 205. There are two species of fresh-water tortoises inhabiting the tide water rivers, one of which is large, weighing ten or twelve pounds, the back shell of nearly an oval form, and raised very high, the belly shell flat and entire, but deeply scolloped opposite their legs. The other species are small comparatively, and the back shell lightly raised; both species are food for mankind and esteemed delicious. OF beasts the otter (lutra) is common, but more so in West-Florida, towards the mountains. The several species of mustela are common, as the mink, weasel and polecat; (putorius) racoons and opossums, are in great abundance, these animals are esteemed delicious and healthy food. There are two species of wild-rats, but neither of them near as large as the European house-rat, which are common enough in the settlements of the white people: here are very few mice, yet I have seen some, particularly in Charleston; I saw two in a little wire cage, at a gentleman's house, which were as white as snow, and their eyes red. There are yet a few beavers in East-Florida and Georgia, but they abound most in the north of Georgia, and in West-Florida, near the mountains. But the muskrat (castor cauda lanciolata) are never seen in Carolina, Georgia or Florida, within one hundred miles of the sea coast and very few in the most northern parts of these regions; which must be considered Page 282 as a most favourable circumstance, by the people in countries where there is so much banking and draining of the land, they being the most destructive creatures to dykes. THE roe-buck I have already mentioned. The bears are yet too numerous: they are a strong creature, and prey on the fruits of the country, and will likewise devour young calves, swine and sheep, but I never could learn a well attested instance of their attacking mankind; they weigh from five hundred to six hundred weight when full grown and fat, their flesh is greatly esteemed as food by the natives. THE wild-cat, felis cauda truncata, (lynx) are common enough; they are a fierce and bold little animal, preying on young pigs, fawns, turkies, &c. they are not half the size of a common cur dog, are generally of a greyish colour, and somewhat tabbied; their sides bordering on the belly is varied with yellowish brown spots, and almost black waved streaks, and brindled. I have been credibly informed that the wolves here are frequently seen pied, black and white, and of other mixed colours. They assemble in companies in the night time, howl and bark altogether, especially in cold winter nights, which is terrifying to the wandering bewildered traveller. THE foxes of Carolina and Florida are of the smaller red species; they bark in the night round about plantations, but do not bark twice in the same place; they move precipitately and in a few minutes are heard on the opposite side of the plantation, or at a great distance: it is said that dogs are terrified at the noise, and cannot be persuaded Page 283 or compelled to pursue them, they commit depredations on young pigs, lambs, poultry, &c. THE mole is not so common here as in the northern states. THE bats of Florida seem to be the same species of those in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and very little different from the European. HERE are several species of squirrels, (sciurus) peculiar to the lower countries, or maritime parts of Carolina and the Floridas, and some of them are very beautiful creatures. THE great black fox squirrel is above two feet in length from the nose to the end of the tail, which for about two inches is milk white, as are the ears and nose. The red fox squirrel is of the same size and form, of a light reddish brown upper side, and white under side, the ears and tip end of the tail white. The grey fox squirrel is rather larger than either of the foregoing, their belly white, as are the ears, nose, and tip of the tail: these three seem to be varieties of the same species. THE common grey squirrel is about half the size of the preceding. THE black squirrel is about the same size, and all over of a shining jet black. THE little grey squirrel is much less than either of the preceding species, they are of a brownish grey upper side, and white belly. Page 284 THE ground squirrel, or little striped squirrel of Pennsylvania and the northern regions, are never seen here, and very rarely in the mountains northwest of these territories; but the flying squirrel, (sciurus volans) are very common. THE rabbit (lepus minor, cauda abrupta, pupillis atris) are pretty common, and no ways differing from those of Pennsylvania and the northern states. HAVING mentioned most of the animals in these parts of America, which are most remarkable or useful, there remains however yet some observations on birds, which by some may be thought not impertinent. THERE are but few that have fallen under my observation but have been mentioned by the zoologists, and most of them very well figured in Catesby's, or Edwards's works. BUT these authors have done very little toward illucidating the subject on the migration of birds, or accounting for the annual appearance and disappearance, and vanishing of these beautiful and entertaining beings, who visit us at certain stated seasons; Catesby has said very little on this curious subject, but Edwards more, and perhaps all, or as much as could be said in truth, by the most able and ingenious, who had not the advantage and opportunity of occular observation, which can only be acquired by travelling, and residing a whole year at least in the various climates from north to south to the full extent of their peregrinations, or minutely examining the tracts and observations of curious and industrious travellers who have published their memoirs on this subject. There may perhaps be some persons who consider this enquiry not to be Page 285 productive of any real benefit to mankind, and pronounce such attention to natural history merely speculative, and only fit to amuse and entertain the idle virtuoso; however, the ancients thought otherwise, for with them, the knowledge of the passage of birds was the study of their priests and philosophers, and was considered a matter of real and indispensable use to the state, next to astronomy, as we find their system and practice of agriculture was in a great degree regulated by the arrival and disappearance of birds of passage, and perhaps a calender under such a regulation at this time, might be useful to the husbandman and gardener. BUT however attentive and observant the ancients were on this branch of science, they seem to have been very ignorant, or erroneous in their conjectures concerning what became of birds, after their disappearance, until their return again. In the southern and temperate climates some imagined they went to the moon: in the northern regions they supposed that they retired to caves and hollow trees, for shelter and security, where they remained in a dormant state during the cold season; and even at this day, very celebrated men have asserted that swallows (hirundo) at the approach of winter, voluntarily plunge into lakes and rivers, descend to the bottom, and there creep into the mud and slime, where they continue overwhelmed by ice in a torpid state, until the returning summer warms them again into life, when they rise, return to the surface of the water, immediately take wing, and again people the air. This notion, though the latest seem the most difficult to reconcile to reason or common sense; that a bird so swift of flight that can with ease and pleasure move through the air Page 286 even swifter than the winds, and in a few hours time shift themselves twenty degrees from north to south, even from frozen regions to climes where frost is never seen, and where the air and plains are replenished with flying insects of infinite variety, their favourite and only food. PENNSYLVANIA and Virginia appear to me to be the climates in North-America, where the greatest variety and abundance of these winged emigrants choose to celebrate their nuptials, and rear their offspring, which they annually return with, to their winter habitations in the southern regions of N. America; and most of these beautiful creatures who annually people and harmonize our forests and groves in the spring and summer season, are birds of passage from the southward. The eagle, i. e. falco leucocephalus, or bald eagle, falco maximus, or great grey eagle, falco major cauda ferruginio, falco pullarius, falco columbarius, strix pythaulis, strix acclamatus, strix assio, tetrao tympanus, or pheasant of Pennsylvania, tetrao urogallus, or mountain cock or grous of Pennsylvania, tetrao minor sive coturnix, or partridge of Pennsylvania, picus, or woodpeckers of several species, corvus carnivorus, or raven, corvus frugivora, or crow, corvus glandarius f. corvus cristatus, or blue jay, aluda maxima, regulus atrofuscus minor, or marsh wren, sitta, or nuthatch, meleagris, are perhaps nearly all the land birds which continue the year round in Pennsylvania. I might add to these the blue bird, motacilla fialis, mock bird, turdus polyglottos, and sometimes the robin readbreast, turdus migratorius, in extraordinary warm winters, and although I do not pretend to assert as a known truth, yet it may be found on future observation Page 287 that most of these above mentioned are strangers, or not really bred where they wintered, but are more northern families, or sojourners, bound southerly to more temperate habitations; thus pushing each other southerly, and possessing their vacated places, and then back again at the return of spring. VERY few tribes of birds build, or rear their young, in the south or maritime parts of Virginia and Carolina, Georgia and Florida; yet all these numerous tribes, particularly of the soft billed kinds, which breed in Pennsylvania, pass in the spring season through these regions in a few weeks time, making but very short stages by the way; and again, but few of them winter there, on their return southerly; and as I have never travelled the continent south of New Orleans, or the point of Florida, where few or none of them are to be seen in the winter, I am entirely ignorant how far southward they continue their route during their absence from Pennsylvania, but perhaps none of them pass the tropic. WHEN in my residence in Carolina and Florida, I have seen vast residence of the house swallow (hirundo pelasgia) and bank martin (hirundo riparia) passing onward north toward Pennsylvania, where they breed in the spring, about the middle of March, and likewise in the autumn in September or October, and large slights on their return southward; and it is observable that they always avail themselves of the advantage of high and favourable winds which likewise do all birds of passage. The pewit, or black cap flycatcher, of Catesby, is the first bird of passage which appears in the spring in Pennsylvania, which is generally about the first, or Page 288 middle of March, and then wherever they appear, we may plant peas and beans in the open grounds, (vitia sativa) French beans (phaccolus) sow raddishes, (raphanus) lettuce, (lactuca) onions, (cepa) pastinaca, daucus, and almost every kind of exculent garden seeds, without fear or danger from frosts; for although we have sometimes frosts after their first appearance for a night or two yet not so severe as to injure the young plants. IN the spring of the year the small birds of passage appear very suddenly in Pennsylvania, which is not a little surprising, and no less pleasing: at once the woods, the groves, and meads, are filled with their melody, as if they dropped down from the skies. The reason or probable cause is their setting off with high and fair winds from the southward; for a strong south and south-west wind about the beginning of April never fails bringing millions of these welcome visitors. BEING willing to contribute my mite towards illustrating the subject of the peregrination of the tribes of birds of N. America, I shall subjoin a nomenclature of the birds of passage, agreeable to my observation, when on my travels from New-England to New-Orleans, on the Missiippi, and point of Florida. LAND birds which are seen in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, N. and S. Carolina, Georgia and Florida, from the sea coast Westward, to the Apalachian mountains, viz. * THESE arrive in Pennsylvania in the spring season from the South, which after building nests, and rearing their young, return again Southerly in the autumn. Page 289 ** THESE arrive in Pennsylvania in the autumn, from the North, where they continue during the winter, and return again the spring following, I suppose to breed and rear their young; and these kinds continue their journies as far South as Carolilina and Florida. *** THESE arrive in the spring in Carolina and Florida from the South, breed and rear their young, and return South again at the approach of winter, but never reach Pennsylvania, or the Northern States. ****THESE are natives of Carolina and Florida, where they breed and continue the year round. ***** THESE breed and continue the year round in Pennsylvania. STRIX. The OWL. ** Strix arcticus, capite levi corpore toto niveo, the great white owl. ***** Strix pythaules, capite aurito, corpore rufo, the great horned owl. ** Strix maximus, capite aurito, corpore niveo, the great horned white owl. ***** Strix acclamator, capite levi, corpore grisco, the whooting owl. ** Strix peregrinator, capite aurito, corpore versicolore, the sharp winged owl. ***** Strix assio, capite aurito, corpore ferruginio, the little screech owl. VULTUR. The VULTURE. **** Vultur aura, the turkey-buzzard. **** Vultur sacra, the white tailed vulture. **** Vultur atratus, black vulture, or carrion crow. Page 290 FALCO. Eagle and Hawk. ***** Falco regalis, the great grey eagle. ***** F. leucocephalus, the bald eagle. * F. piscatorius, the fishing eagle. ***** F. Aquilinus, cauda ferrug. great eagle hawk. ***** F. gallinarius, the hen hawk. ***** F. pullarius, the chicken hawk. * F. columbarius, the pidgeon hawk. ***** F. niger, the black hawk. * F. ranivorus, the marsh hawk. * F. sparverius, the least hawk or sparrow hawk. a MILVUS. Kite Hawk. a Kite hawks These are characterised by having long sharp pointed wings, being of swift flight, sailing without flapping their wings, lean light bodies, and feeding out of their claws on the wing, as they gently sail round and round. Pica glandaria cerulea non cristata, the little jay of East Florida. **** Falco furcatus, the forked tail hawk, or kite. **** F. glaucus, the sharp winged hawk, of a pale sky-blue colour, the tip of the wings black. **** F. subcerulius, the sharp winged hawk, of a dark or dusky blue colour. **** Psitticus Caroliniensis, the parrot of Carolina, or parrakeet. CORVUS. The Crow kind. * Corvus carnivorus, the raven. **** C. maritimus, the great sea-side crow, or rook. ***** C. frugivorus, the common crow. ***** C. cristatus, f. pica glandaria, the blue jay. ***** C. Floridanus, pica glandaria minor, the little jay of Florida. ***** Gracula quiscula, the purple jackdaw of the sea coast. Page 289 [sic] * Gracula purpurea, the lesser purple jackdaw, or crow blackbird. * Cuculus Caroliniensis, the cuckoo of Carolina. PICUS. Woodpeckers. ***** Picus principalis, the greatest crested woodpecker, having a white back. * P. pileatus, the great red crested black woodpecker. * P. erythrocephalus, read headed woodpecker. * P. auratus, the gold winged woodpecker.