"Ortyx. Quail. Outstretched feet reaching beyond end of tail. Bill black or blackish-brown. " Elliot Coues, 1884

Quail Foot and Bill

"Ortyx. Quail. Outstretched feet reaching beyond end of tail. Bill black or blackish-brown. " Elliot…

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat, white, bordered with black; crown, neck all round,and upper part of breast, brownish-red; other parts tawny-whitish, all with more or fewer doubly-crescentic black bars; crissum rufous; sides broadly striped with brownish-red; upper parts variegated with chestnut, black, gray and tawny, the latter edging in the inner quills, forming a continuous line when the wing in closed. Female: Known by having the throat buff instead of white, less black about the fore-parts, and general coloration subdued. The reddish of this bird is of a peculiar dull pinkish shade. The black crescents of the under parts are scarcely or not half the width of the intervening white spaces; the bill is not jet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Male and Female Bob-whites

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat,…

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat, white, bordered with black; crown, neck all round,and upper part of breast, brownish-red; other parts tawny-whitish, all with more or fewer doubly-crescentic black bars; crissum rufous; sides broadly striped with brownish-red; upper parts variegated with chestnut, black, gray and tawny, the latter edging in the inner quills, forming a continuous line when the wing in closed. Female: Known by having the throat buff instead of white, less black about the fore-parts, and general coloration subdued. The reddish of this bird is of a peculiar dull pinkish shade. The black crescents of the under parts are scarcely or not half the width of the intervening white spaces; the bill is not jet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bob-white Family

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat,…

"Bonasa umbella. Ruffed Grouse. "Partridge;" "Pheasant;" Above, variegate reddish- or grayish-brown, the back with numerous, oblong, pale, black-edged spots. Below, whitish, barred with brown. Tail brown or gray, numerously and narrowly black-barred, with a broad subterminal black zone, and tipped with gray. The neck-ruffle of the male mostly glossy black, and very full; of the female smaller and more brown. The colors are endlessly varied as well as blended, and the prevailing tone of the brown birds of the East shades insensibly into the Western varieties." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ruffed Grouse

"Bonasa umbella. Ruffed Grouse. "Partridge;" "Pheasant;" Above, variegate reddish- or grayish-brown,…

"Fig 64 - Skull of chick, fifth day of incubation, x 9 diameters. Seen from above, the membranous roof of the skull and the brain removed. cv1, anterior cerebral vesicle; e, eye; c, notochord, running through the middle of the basilar plate or parachordal cartilage, in which are already visible the rudimentary ear-parts, cl, the cochlea, hsc, the horizontal semicircular canal; pts, the pituitary space, bounded by tr, the trabeculae, which come together before it to form the fronto-nasal plate, fn, in fig. 65; lg, lingula or bridge connecting trabeculae with parachordal cartilage; 5 notch afterward becoming foramen ovale for passage of parts of the fifth (trifacial) nerve; 9, foramen for hypoglossal nerve; q, separate cartilage forming the future quadrate bone." Elliot Coues, 1884

Skull of a Chick

"Fig 64 - Skull of chick, fifth day of incubation, x 9 diameters. Seen from above, the membranous roof…

"Skull of a chick, but seen from below. cv1, anterior cerebral vesicle; e, eye; m, mouth; pts, pituitary space; fn, fronto-nasal plate; tr, ends of the trabeculae, free again after their union and bent strongly from the original axis of the trabeculae; n, external nostril; mxp, subocular bar of cartilage, or pterygo-palatine rod, to form pa, palatine, and pg, pterygoid bone, and other parts of the upper jaw, as the maxillary, jugal and quadrato-jugal; q, quadrate cartilage, same as seen in fig 64; mk, meckelian cartilage, to form lower jaw; these parts are in the first post-oral visceral arch; ch, cerato-hyal, and bh, basihyal, of second postoral arch; cbr, cerato-branchial, ebr-branchial, bbr, basi-branchial, of third post-oral arch; the parts of the second and third arch all going into the hyoid bone. 1, 2, 3, 1st, 2d, 3d, visceral clefts, whereof the 1st is to be modified into the ear-passages, and the others are to be obliterated." Elliot Coues, 1884

Skull of a Chick Below

"Skull of a chick, but seen from below. cv1, anterior cerebral vesicle; e, eye; m, mouth; pts, pituitary…

"Fig 66 - Head of a chick, second stage, after five days of incubation, section in profile; x6 diameters. cvl, cv2, cv3, first, second, and third cerebral vesicles; 1, place of the first nerve, the olfactory; 2, place of second nerve, the optic; ic, internal carotid artery, running into skull at what was originally the pituitary space, now an opening bounded in front by the anterior, acl, behind the posterior, pcl, clinoid walls; nc, notochord; oc, occipital condyle, thence to pcl being the original parachordal cartilage, here seen in profile; eo, exoccipital; eth, ethmoid, with ps, its presphenoid region posteriorly, and pn, pre-nasal part; this whole plate afterward developing into parts of the nose and the partition between the eyes; pa, palatine; pg, pterygoid region; pa and pg reference lines are in the chick's mouth; mk meckelian cartilage (lower jaw); ch and bh, ceratohyal and basihyal parts of the hyoid or tongue bone." Elliot Coues, 1884

Chick Head

"Fig 66 - Head of a chick, second stage, after five days of incubation, section in profile; x6 diameters.…

"Orortyx picta. Plumed Partridge. Mountain Quail. Back, wings and tail olive-brown, the inner secondaries and tertiaries bordered with whitish or tawny, forming a lengthwise border in single line when the wings are folded; the primaries fuscous, the tail-feathers fuscous, minutely marbled with the color of the back. Fore-parts, above and below, slaty-blue (above more or less glossed with olive shade of the back, below minutely marbled with black); the throat chestnut, immediately bordered laterally with black, then framed in the firm white line, broken through the eye, reappearing around base of under mandible. Extreme forehead whitish, The arrow-plumes black. Belly chestnut, the sides banded with broad bars of black and white, or rufous-white; middle of the lower belly, tibia, and flanks, whitish or rufous; crissum velvety-black, streaked with chestnut. Bill dusky, paler below; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Mountain Quail

"Orortyx picta. Plumed Partridge. Mountain Quail. Back, wings and tail olive-brown, the inner secondaries…

"Lophortyx gambeli. Gambel's Partridge. Arizona Quail. Male: Without white loral line; forehead black with whitish lines; occiput chestnut; nuchal and cervical feathers with dark shaft lines, but few dark edgings or none, and no white specking. General color of upper parts clear ash, the edging of the inner quills white. Fore-breast like the back; other under parts whitish, the middle of the belly with a large jet-black patch; sides rich purplish-chestnut, with sharp white stripes; vent, flanks and crissum white with dusky streaks. Bill black, iris brown. Besides lacking the definite head-markings, the female wants the black abdominal area, where the feathers are whitish with dark lengthwise touches; crest dark brown, not recurved, and fewer-feathered than that of a cock. Top of had grayish-brown, nearly uniform from bill to nape; throat grayish-white with slight dark pencilling." Elliot Coues, 1884

Gambel's Partridge

"Lophortyx gambeli. Gambel's Partridge. Arizona Quail. Male: Without white loral line; forehead black…

"Lophortyx californica. Californian Partridge. Valley Quail. Male: With a small white line from bill to eye; forehead whitish with black lines; occiput smoky-brown; nuchal and cervical feathers with very dark edging and shaft-lines, and fine whitish speckling. General color of upper parts ashy, with strong olive-brown gloss, the edging of the inner quills brownish-orange. Fore breast slaty-blue; other under parts tawny, deepening centrally into rich golden-brown or orange-chestnut, all the feathers sharply edged with jet-black; sides olive-ashy like the back, with sharp white stripes; vent, flanks, and crissum tawny, with dark stripes." Elliot Coues, 1884

Californian Partridge

"Lophortyx californica. Californian Partridge. Valley Quail. Male: With a small white line from bill…

"Cyrtonyx massena. Massena Partridge. Male: Upper parts intimately waved with black and reddish-brown and tawny-brown, and marked with sharp buff or whitish shaft-lines; on the wings the irregular black variegation changing to black bars and round spots, in regular paired series on each feather. Outer quills fuscous, their outer webs spotted with white or buff. Under parts crowded with innumerable round white spots on a dark ground, several pairs on each feather; the middle line of the breast and belly mahogany-colored, the flanks, vent, and crissum velvety-black. Top of head black in front, with slight white touches, changing on the crest to brown. Sides of the head and throat fantastically striped with black and white; a broad black throat-patch; another on the cheeks, across lored alongside of crown; a third on the ear-coverts; a fourth bordering the white all around behind." Elliot Coues, 1884

Massena Quail

"Cyrtonyx massena. Massena Partridge. Male: Upper parts intimately waved with black and reddish-brown…

"Squatarola helvetica. Swiss Plover. Black-bellied Plover. Bull-head Plover. Whistling Field Plover. Ox-eye. Upper parts fretted with blackish and ashy-white, the feathers being basally, then black, tipped and usually scalloped with white. Upper tail-coverts mostly white, with few dark touches. Fore-head, line over eye and thence more broadly over side of neck, the lining of wings, tibiae, vent and under tail-coverts, white. Sides of head to an extent embracing the eyes, axillary plumes, and entire under parts (except as said), black. Tail closely barred with black and white. Primaries dark brown, blackening at tips, with large basal areas and a portion of their shafts, white. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-bellied Plover

"Squatarola helvetica. Swiss Plover. Black-bellied Plover. Bull-head Plover. Whistling Field Plover.…

"Squatarola. Four-toed Plover. A small but distinct hind toe, contrary to the rule in this family. Tail less than half as long as wing. Tarsus much longer than middle toe and claw. Tibia bare below, reticulate like the tarsus. Basal web between outer and middle toes. Upper plumage speckled, lower black or white; no rings or bars of color about head or neck. Legs dark-colored. Tail fully barred. Seasonal changes of plumage very; sexes alike." Elliot Coues, 1884

Four-toed Plover Bill and Hind Toe

"Squatarola. Four-toed Plover. A small but distinct hind toe, contrary to the rule in this family. Tail…

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections."The Renaissance style was not employed in Germany before the middle of the sixteenth century, and the most noteworthy instances of it are the Belvedere of Ferdinand I., on the Hradschin at Prague, and the so-called Otto Henry buildings at Heidelberg Castle (1556-1559) The Façade of the last-mentioned structure, of which [this image] represents [a portion], in peculiar for a richness and variety of details which almost border on excess. At the same time a certain heaviness prevails, which forms a contrast to the graceful elegance of the best Italian buildings in the same style: in fact these faults may be said to characterize the productions of the German Renaissance style in general."

Façade of the Otto Heinrich Building in Heidelberg Castle

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and…

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections."The Renaissance style was not employed in Germany before the middle of the sixteenth century, and the most noteworthy instances of it are the Belvedere of Ferdinand I., on the Hradschin at Prague, and the so-called Otto Henry buildings at Heidelberg Castle (1556-1559). The Façade of the last-mentioned structure" "in peculiar for a richness and variety of details which almost border on excess. At the same time a certain heaviness prevails, which forms a contrast to the graceful elegance of the best Italian buildings in the same style: in fact these faults may be said to characterize the productions of the German Renaissance style in general. A further instance of this is afforded by [this image], which represents a portion of the façade , though, properly speaking, it belongs to the Roccocco style."

Façade of the Building of Henry the Wise in Heidelberg Castle (1601-1607)

The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and…

"Charadrius dominicus. American Golden Plover. Field Plover. Bull-head Plover. Upper parts black, everywhere speckled with golden-yellow, and mostly also white, the brighter color in excess. The markings of individual feathers are a tipping and one or several paired scollops. Hind neck less strongly marked than crown or back. Forehead, and long stripe over eye snowy-white. Region immediately around bill, sides of head to include eyes, and entire under parts, glossy brownish-black. Lining of wings, and axillars, sooty-gray or ashy. Tail dusky grayish-brown, with numerous irregular pale gray bars, and reddish-brown shafts; upper tail-coverts and rump like back. Primaries fuscous, blackening at tips and whitening at bases of inner webs, though without definite white spaces; shafts white for space. Secondaries and many of the coverts, like the primaries, plain fuscous, without the golden and white fretwork of the back. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Golden Plover

"Charadrius dominicus. American Golden Plover. Field Plover. Bull-head Plover. Upper parts black, everywhere…

"Aegialites vociferus. Kildeer Plover. Above, grayish-brown, with an olive shade, and in high plumage a slight bronzy lustre. Rump and upper tail-coverts bright-colored, very variable in tint, from tawny or orange-brown to cinnamon-brown or chestnut. Forehead with a white band from eye to eye, more or less prolonged as a superciliary streak, and a black band above it. A white collar around hind neck, continuous with white of the throat. A black collar around back of neck, continuous with a black pectoral band. Back of the latter a black pectoral belt. Thus the fore-parts are encircled with one complete black ring, behind which is a black half-ring on breast, before which is a complete white ring. A white stripe over and behind eye; a dusky stripe below eye. Under parts entirely pure white, except the two pectoral belts. Primary quills blackish; a white space on the outer webs of the most of them, forming an oblique series, and a longer white space on their inner webs. Secondaries mostly white, but with black areas in increasing size from within outward. Long inner secondaries, or tertiaries, like the back. Tail-feathers singularly variegated; several inner pairs like the back, insensibly blackening towards ends, then lightning again, and usually with rusty tips; lateral ones gaining more and more of the bright color of the rump, with more definite black subterminal bars, and pure white tips; outermost pair mostly white, with the rufous shade, and several broken black bars. The effect of all this variegation is very striking when the pairs are displayed in flight. Bill black; eye black, with a bright ring around it; legs pale." Eliot Coues, 1884

Kildeer Plover

"Aegialites vociferus. Kildeer Plover. Above, grayish-brown, with an olive shade, and in high plumage…

"Haematopus. Oyster-catcher. Bill peculiar - longer than tarsus, twice as long as head, constricted near the base, much compressed, almost like a knife-blade toward end, and truncate, something like a woodpecker's (it is an efficient instrument for prying open shells of bivalve mollusks), hard, straight or or deflected sideways, highly colored. Nasal groove very short, broad, and shallow; grooving of lower mandible slight; interramal space very short, scarcely a third the length of the long ascending gonys. Nostrils remote from the feathers, linear, close to edge of bill." Elliot Coues, 1884

Oyster-catcher Bill

"Haematopus. Oyster-catcher. Bill peculiar - longer than tarsus, twice as long as head, constricted…

"Strepsilas interpres. Turnstone. Brant Bird. Calico-back. Pied above with black, white, brown, and chestnut-red; below, snowy, with jet breast. Top of head streaked with black and white. Forehead, cheeks, side of head and back of neck, white, with a bar of black coming up from the side of neck to below eye, then coming forward and meeting or tending to meet its fellow over base of bill, enclosing or nearly enclosing a white loral, and another black prolongation on side of neck; lower eye-lid white or not. Lower hind neck, interscapulars and scapulars, pied with black and chestnut; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, snowy-white, with a large central blackish field on the latter. Tail white, with broad subterminal blackish field, narrowing on the outer feathers and incomplete, widening to usually cut off white tips of central feathers. Wing-coverts and long inner secondaries pied like the scapulars with black and chestnut, the greater coverts broadly white-tipped or mostly white, the short inner secondaries entirely white, the rest acquiring dusky on their ends to increasing extent, with result of a broad oblique white wing-bar. Primaries blackish, the longer ones with large white fields on inner webs, the shorter ones also definitely white on outer webs for a space, the shafts white on the outer webs for a space, the shafts white unless at end; primary coverts white-tipped. Under parts, under wing-coverts, snowy-white, the breast and jugulum jet-black, enclosing a white throat-patch, and sending limbs on sides of head and neck as above said. Bill black; iris black; feet orange." Elliot Coues, 1884

Turnstone

"Strepsilas interpres. Turnstone. Brant Bird. Calico-back. Pied above with black, white, brown, and…

"Another small family, characterized by the extreme length of the slender legs, and the extreme slenderness of the long acute bill, which is either straight or curved upward. Recurvirostra is a 4-toed, and full-webbed; the bill is decidedly recurved, flattened, and tapers to a needle-like point; the body is depressed; the plumage underneath is thickened as in water-birds. The species swim well. Himantopus is 3 toes, semipalmate, the bill nearly straight, and not flattened; in relative length of leg it is probably not surpassed by any bird whatsoever. " Elliot Coues, 1884

Avocets Head and Foot

"Another small family, characterized by the extreme length of the slender legs, and the extreme slenderness…

"Himantopus. Stilts. Bill extremely slender, but not flattened, nor turned up, nor hooked; longer than head, rather shorter than tarsus. Wing long and pointed, folding beyond the short and square tail, which is less than half the wing. Legs of unique length and slenderness, the bare part about as long as the wing; tibiae denuded for a great distance; tarsus about twice as long as toes. Feet 3-toes, semipalmate; but the species scarcely swim. Sexes similar; young different." Elliot Coues, 1884

Stilt

"Himantopus. Stilts. Bill extremely slender, but not flattened, nor turned up, nor hooked; longer than…

The microgadus tomcod, also commonly known as tommy cod or tomcod (poulamon or petit poisson des chenaux in French), Atlantic tomcod or winter cod, is a type of cod fish found in North American coastal waters from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, St. Lawrence River and northern Newfoundland, south to Virginia.

Tomcod

The microgadus tomcod, also commonly known as tommy cod or tomcod (poulamon or petit poisson des chenaux…

The Stilt Sandpiper, Micropalama himantopus or Calidris himantopus, is a small shorebird. The Stilt Sandpiper breeds in the open arctic tundra of North America It is a very long-distance migrant, wintering mainly in South America. It occurs as a rare vagrant to western Europe.This species nests on the ground, laying three or four eggs. The male has a display flight. Outside the breeding season, this bird is normally found on inland waters, rather than open coasts.

Stilt Sandpiper

The Stilt Sandpiper, Micropalama himantopus or Calidris himantopus, is a small shorebird. The Stilt…

"Stilt. Long-shanks. Lawyer. Adult. Mantle, constituted by the interscapulars, scapulars, and wings (above and below) glossy-black, prolonged up the back of the neck and on to[ and sides of head, embracing the eyes. A spot over and behind eye, one on under eyelid, forehead to opposite eyes, sides of head below eyes, sides of neck and entire under parts, together with the lower back, rump, and, upper tail-coverts, white; tail pearl-gray. In life the long black wings fold entirely over the white upper parts and tail, so that the bird looks entirely black above. Bill black; eyes and legs carmine, latter drying yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-necked Stilt

"Stilt. Long-shanks. Lawyer. Adult. Mantle, constituted by the interscapulars, scapulars, and wings…

"Steganopus wilsoni. Wilson's Phalarope. Bill and feet black. Crown of head pale ash, passing into white along a narrow stripe in the nape. A narrow, distinct, pure white line over the eye. Sides of neck intense purplish-chestnut, or dark wine-red; anteriorly deepening upon the auriculars into velvety-black; posteriorly continued, somewhat duller in tint, as a stripe along each side of the back to the tips of the scapulars. Other upper parts pearly-ash, blanching on the rump and upper tail-coverts. Wings pale grayish-brown; coverts slightly white-tipped; primaries dusky-brown, their shafts brownish-white, except at tip. Tail marbled with pearly-gray and white. All the under parts pure white, but the fore part and sides of the breast washed with pale chestnut-brown, as if with a weak solution of the rich color on the neck, and a faint tinge of the same along the sides of the body to the flanks. Bill and feet black. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wilson's Phalarope

"Steganopus wilsoni. Wilson's Phalarope. Bill and feet black. Crown of head pale ash, passing into white…

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a pale ochrey middle stripe. upper parts brownish-black, varied with bright bay and tawny, the scapular feathers smoothly and evenly edged with tawny or whitish, forming two lengthwise stripes on each side when the wings are folded. Quills and greater coverts blackish-brown, usually with white tips, and outer web of first primary usually white. Lining of wings and axillars white, fully and regularly barred with black. Rump black, the feathers with white tips. Upper tail-coverts tawny with numerous black bars, and tail-feathers black basally, then bright chestnut, with a narrow subterminal black bar, their tips fading to whitish; some of the lateral ones white, with little rufous tinge and several instead of one black nearly white; sides of body shaded with brown, and with numerous regular dusky bars throughout; crissum more or less rufous, with numerous dusky bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Wilson's Snipe

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a…

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray, and russet; below, pale warm brown of variable shade, not barred. A dark stripe from bill to eye. Crown from opposite eye with black and light bars; along the inner edges of the wings a bluish-ashy stripe; lining of wings rust-brown; quills plain fuscous; tail black, spotted, and tipped; bill brownish flesh-color, dusky at end; feet pale reddish flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Woodcock

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray,…

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a pale ochrey middle stripe. upper parts brownish-black, varied with bright bay and tawny, the scapular feathers smoothly and evenly edged with tawny or whitish, forming two lengthwise stripes on each side when the wings are folded. Quills and greater coverts blackish-brown, usually with white tips, and outer web of first primary usually white. Lining of wings and axillars white, fully and regularly barred with black. Rump black, the feathers with white tips. Upper tail-coverts tawny with numerous black bars, and tail-feathers black basally, then bright chestnut, with a narrow subterminal black bar, their tips fading to whitish; some of the lateral ones white, with little rufous tinge and several instead of one black nearly white; sides of body shaded with brown, and with numerous regular dusky bars throughout; crissum more or less rufous, with numerous dusky bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wilson's Snipe

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a…

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray, and russet; below, pale warm brown of variable shade, not barred. A dark stripe from bill to eye. Crown from opposite eye with black and light bars; along the inner edges of the wings a bluish-ashy stripe; lining of wings rust-brown; quills plain fuscous; tail black, spotted, and tipped; bill brownish flesh-color, dusky at end; feet pale reddish flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Probing American Woodcock

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray,…

"Philohela. American Woodcock. First three primaries emarginate, attenuate and falcate, abruptly shorter and narrower than the 4th. Wings short and rounded; when folded, the primaries hidden by the coverts and inner quills. Legs short; tibiae feathered to the joint; tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw, scutellate before and behind; toes long and slender, cleft to the base Bill much longer than head, perfectly straight, stout at base, where the ridge rises high, knobbed at end of upper mandible, very deeply grooved nearly all its length, the culmen and line of gonys also furrowed toward end; very soft and sensitive; gape very short and narrow. Head large; neck short; ear under the eye, which is very full, set in back upper corner of the head. Sexes alike; Female largest." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Woodcock Head

"Philohela. American Woodcock. First three primaries emarginate, attenuate and falcate, abruptly shorter…

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a pale ochrey middle stripe. upper parts brownish-black, varied with bright bay and tawny, the scapular feathers smoothly and evenly edged with tawny or whitish, forming two lengthwise stripes on each side when the wings are folded. Quills and greater coverts blackish-brown, usually with white tips, and outer web of first primary usually white. Lining of wings and axillars white, fully and regularly barred with black. Rump black, the feathers with white tips. Upper tail-coverts tawny with numerous black bars, and tail-feathers black basally, then bright chestnut, with a narrow subterminal black bar, their tips fading to whitish; some of the lateral ones white, with little rufous tinge and several instead of one black nearly white; sides of body shaded with brown, and with numerous regular dusky bars throughout; crissum more or less rufous, with numerous dusky bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Family of Snipes

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a…

"Macrorhamphus griseus. Red-breasted Snipe. Gray Snipe. Brown-back. Dowitcher. In summer:Under parts rich rust-red, paler or whitish on the belly; jugulum, breast, and sides fully speckled with dusky. Axillars and lining of wings white, with angular dusky markings. Wing-quills fuscous, the shaft of the 1st primary white, of the others brown; secondaries conspicuously tipped with white. Above, black, varied everywhere with reddish color of the under parts, and on the back and scapulars with white ; the rump snowy-white, unmarked, very conspicuous in flight. Tail and its upper coverts black, closely barred with white or rufous. A dusky line from bill to eye. Bill and feet greenish-black. In winter: Dark gray above, supercilliary line and spot on under eye-lid white; below, white, the jugulum, fore-breast, and sides heavily shaded with gray, leaving chin whitish; the flanks and crissum with wavy dusky spots or bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-breasted Snipe Head

"Macrorhamphus griseus. Red-breasted Snipe. Gray Snipe. Brown-back. Dowitcher. In summer:Under parts…

"Micropalama himantopus. Stilt Sandpiper. In summer: blackish, each feather edged and tipped with white and tawny or bay, which on the scapulars becomes scalloped. Auriculars chestnut; a dusky line from bill to eye, and a light reddish superciliary one; upper tail-coverts white with dusky bars. Primaries dusky with blackish tips; tail-feathers 12 ashy-gray, their edges and a central field white; under parts mixed reddish, black, and whitish, in streaks on the jugulum, elsewhere in bars; bill and feet greenish-black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Stilt Sandpiper

"Micropalama himantopus. Stilt Sandpiper. In summer: blackish, each feather edged and tipped with white…

"The post-oral arches of the house martin, at middle of period of incubation, lateral view, X14 diameters. mk, stumpof meckelian or mandibular rod, its articular part, ar already shapen; q, quadrate bone, or suspensorium of lower jaw, with a free anterior orbital process and long posterior otic process articulating with the ear-capsule, of which teo, tympanic wing of occipital, is a part; mst, est, sst, ist, sth, parts of suspensorium of the third post-oral arch, not completed to chy; mst, medio-stapedial, tp come away from teo, bringing a piece with it, the true stapes or columella auris; the oval base of the stapes fitting into the future fenestra ovalis, or oval window looking into the cochlea; sst, supra-stapedial; est, extra-stapedial; ist, infra-stapedial, which will unite with sth, the stylo-hyal; chy and bhym cerato-hyal and basi-hyal, distal parts of the same arch; bbr, br 1, br2, basi-branchial, epi-branchial and cerato-branchial pieces of the third arch, composing the rest of the hyoid bone; tg, tongue." Elliot Coues, 1884

House Martin Skull

"The post-oral arches of the house martin, at middle of period of incubation, lateral view, X14 diameters.…

"Skull of chick, second stage, in profile, brain and membranes removed to show cartilaginous formations, X4 diameters. eth, ethmoid, forming median nose-parts and inter-orbital septum; developing lateral parts, as ale, aliethmoid, als, aliseptum, aln, alinasal, pp, partition between nose and eye; pn, prenasal cartilage; ps, presphenoidal part of midethmoid; 2, optic foramen; as, alisphenoid, walling brain-box in front; pf, post-frontal, bounding orbit behind; pa, pg, palatine and pterygoid; q, quadrate; so, supra-occipital; eo, ex-occipital; oc, occipital condyle, borne upon basi-occipital, and showing nc, remains of notochord; these occipital bound the foramen magnum, and eo expands laterally to form a tympanic wing, circumscribing the external auditory orifice behind and below; hsc, psc, horizontal and posterior vertical semicircular canals of ear; fr, st, fenestra rotunda and fenestra ovalis, leading into inner ear, latter closed by foot of the stapes; mk, ch, bh, bbr, cbr, ebr, parts of jaw and tongue." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Skull of a Chick Stage Two

"Skull of chick, second stage, in profile, brain and membranes removed to show cartilaginous formations,…

"Skull of chick, third stage, viewed from below, x6 & 2/3 diameters. pn, prenasal cartilage, running behind into the septum nasi; on each side of it the premaxillary, px, of which the (inner) palatal and (outer) dentary processes are seen (the upper nasal process hidden); mx, the maxillary, developing inner process, the maxillo-palatine, mxp; pa, the palatal, well-formed, articulating behind with rbs, the sphenoidal rostrum, its thickened under border, the parasphenoid; this will bear the vomer at its end when that bone is developed; j, jugal, joining mx and qj, the quadrato-jugal, joining j and q, the quadrate; mx to q, the jugal bar or zygoma; pg, the pterygoid, making with pa the pterygo-palatine bar, joining q and px; bt, the basitemporal, great mat of bone from ear to ear, underflooring the skull proper, as rbs, a similar formation, does further forward; ic, outer end of carotid canal, to run between the bt plate and true floor of skull, and enter brain cavity at original site of pituitary fossa; ty, tympanic cavity - external opening of ear; as, alisphenoid, bounding much of brain-box anteriorly, and orbital cavity posteriorly; psc, posterior semicircular canal of ear, in opisthotic bone, which will unite with the spreading eo, exoccipital, which will reach the cobdyle shown in the middle line, above the foramen magnum, fm, completed above by so, supra-occipital; 8, foramen lacerum posterius, exit of pneumogastric, glosso-pharyngeal and spinall accessory nerve; 9, exit of hypoglossal nerve, in basi-occipital." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Skull of a Chick Stage Three

"Skull of chick, third stage, viewed from below, x6 & 2/3 diameters. pn, prenasal cartilage, running…

"Calidris arenaria. Sanderling. Ruddy "Plover". Adult in summer: Entire upper parts and neck all round variegated with black, light ashy and bright reddish; on the back and scapulars each feather having a central black field, and being broadly margined and tipped with ashy or reddish. Under parts white, immaculate. Outer webs an tips of primaries deep brownish-black, inner light ashy. A white spot at base of inner primaries. Secondaries mostly pure white; the outer vanes and part of inner on the latter half dusky. Greater coverts dusky, broadly tipped and narrowly edged with pure white. Rump, upper tail-coverts and central tail-feathers dusky, tipped and narrowly edged with ashy-white; lateral tail=-feathers very light ash, nearly white. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Sanderling

"Calidris arenaria. Sanderling. Ruddy "Plover". Adult in summer: Entire upper parts and neck all round…

"Limosa fedoa. Great Marbled Godwit. Marlin. Feathers not extending on side of lower mandible to a point far beyond those on upper. no white anywhere; rump, tail, and its coverts barred throughout with blackish and the body-color. Lining of wings chestnut; axillars the same, more or less barred with black. General color rufous or light dull cinnamon-red, uniform and nearly uninterrupted on all the under parts, richer and more chestnut on the lining of the wings and axillars; somewhat marked with dusky on the sides of the breast and body; on the whole upper parts variegated with the brownish-black central field of each feather, the blackish predominating, leaving the rufous chiefly as scallops and tips of the feathers. This rufous very variable in intensity; usually paler on upper than on under parts, and strongest under the wings. Primaries rufous, successively darkening from the last to first, the outer webs and ends of the few outer ones blackish, the shaft of the first white. Bill livid flesh-colored, blackish on about terminal third; legs ashy-blackish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Marbled Godwit

"Limosa fedoa. Great Marbled Godwit. Marlin. Feathers not extending on side of lower mandible to a point…

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly speckled to greater or less extent with blackish; this sometimes giving the prevailing tone, but in lighter colored cases the blackish restricted to an irregular central field on each feather, throwing out angular processes and tending to become traverse bars. When such dark fields prevail, the upper parts become quite blackish, speckled with ashy-white, like Totanus melanoleucus, for example. Furthermore, there is often a slight rufescence. Under parts white, sometimes with a rufous or brownish tinge, the jugulum and breast spotted and streaked, the sides barred or arrow-headed, with brownish-black. Axillars and lining of wing, edge of wing and primary coverts, sooty-blackish. Primaries blackish, with a great space white at base, partly overlaid and concealed by the primary coverts, partly showing conspicuously as a speculum; shafts white along this space. Most secondaries white most upper tail-coverts white, the shorter ones dark like rump, the longer ones barred like tail. Tail ashy, incompletely barred with blackish; lateral feathers pale, or marbled with white. Bill dark; legs bluish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Willet Head

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly…

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly speckled to greater or less extent with blackish; this sometimes giving the prevailing tone, but in lighter colored cases the blackish restricted to an irregular central field on each feather, throwing out angular processes and tending to become traverse bars. When such dark fields prevail, the upper parts become quite blackish, speckled with ashy-white, like Totanus melanoleucus, for example. Furthermore, there is often a slight rufescence. Under parts white, sometimes with a rufous or brownish tinge, the jugulum and breast spotted and streaked, the sides barred or arrow-headed, with brownish-black. Axillars and lining of wing, edge of wing and primary coverts, sooty-blackish. Primaries blackish, with a great space white at base, partly overlaid and concealed by the primary coverts, partly showing conspicuously as a speculum; shafts white along this space. Most secondaries white most upper tail-coverts white, the shorter ones dark like rump, the longer ones barred like tail. Tail ashy, incompletely barred with blackish; lateral feathers pale, or marbled with white. Bill dark; legs bluish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Willets

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly…

"Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Tell-tale. Greater Yellow-shanks. Long-legged Tattler. Stone-snipe. Bill straight or slightly inclined upwards, not with regular curve, but as if bent near the middle, black or greenish-black. Legs very long and slender, chrome-yellow. Above, blackish, more or less ashy according to season, everywhere speckled with whitish, in a series on indentations along edge of each feather; the markings spottle on the back and wings, streaky on the head and neck. A slight white superciliary line. Upper tail-coverts mostly white. Under parts white, the jugulum and fore-breast streaked, the sides and flanks, lining of wings and axillars barred and arrow-headed with the color of the back. Tail like back,with numerous white bars, generally broken on the middle feathers. Primaries blackish, with black shafts, mostly with white tips; secondaries and their coverts the same, but their edges marbled, spotted, or broken-barred with white. The seasonal changes of plumage are inconsiderable, consisting chiefly in the tone of the upper parts, more blackish and white in summer, more gray and ashy in winter and in the young; and in the emphasis of the dark markings of the under parts." Elliot Coues, 1884

Greater Yello-shanks

"Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Tell-tale. Greater Yellow-shanks. Long-legged Tattler. Stone-snipe. Bill…

"Rhyacophilus solitarius. Solitary Tattler. American Green Sandpiper. Solitary Sandpiper. Above, dark lustrous olive-brown, streaked on the head and neck, elsewhere finely speckled, with white; no continuous white on rump or upper tail-coverts. Below, white; the jugulum and sides of neck shaded with brownish and streaked with dusky; sides, axillars, and `lining of wings regularly barred with dusky. Rump and upper tail-coverts like back; tail beautifully and regularly barred throughout with black and white; white prevailing on the outer feathers, where the dark bars may be broken, and white reduced to a series of marginal spots on the middle feathers. Primaries and edge of wing blackish, unmarked; secondaries like back, mostly unmarked, the inner ones gradually gaining white spots. Bill blackish; legs dull greenish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Solitary Sandpiper

"Rhyacophilus solitarius. Solitary Tattler. American Green Sandpiper. Solitary Sandpiper. Above, dark…

"Tringoides macularius. Spotted Sandpiper. Above, silken ashen-olive (quaker-color- as in our cuckoos) with a coppery lustre, finely varied with blackish, in streaks on head and neck, elsewhere in wavy or otherwise irregular cross-bars. line over eye, and entire under parts, pure white, with numerous sharp circular black spots, larger and more crowded in the female than in the male. Secondaries. and their coverts broadly white-tipped; some white feathers along bend of wing; axillars and lining of wings white, the latter with an oblique dusky bar. Primaries and most of the secondaries brownish-black, with brown shafts and large white basal spaces, concealed in the folded wing, conspicuous in flight. Upper tail-coverts and middle tail-feathers like back; lateral ones successively acquiring white tips; outer with several incomplete white bars. Feet pinkish-white, drying yellowish. Bill flesh-color, black-tipped; sometimes much of culmen dusky; sometimes much of under mandible orange." Elliot Coues, 1884

Spotted Sandpiper

"Tringoides macularius. Spotted Sandpiper. Above, silken ashen-olive (quaker-color- as in our cuckoos)…

"Tryngites rufescens. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Above, brownish-black with a greenish gloss, every feather broadly margined with tawny or yellowish-brown, the latter the prevailing tone. Under parts buff or fawn-colored, without markings except a few small blackish spots on sides of breast. Central tail-feathers greenish-brown, blackening at ends; others paler, often rufescent, with white or tawny tips and subterminal black bar; and usually, also, some black marbling or streaking/ Primaries and secondaries ashy-brown blackening at end, the extreme tip white - most of the inner webs of the primaries, and both webs of the secondaries pearly white, speckled and marbled with black. This curious tracery, best seen from below, is diagnostic; though the precise pattern varies interminably. The patch of under coverts at the bases of the primaries have the same character. Axillars white, lining of wings white or rufescent. Iris brown. Bill brownish-black; legs greenish or yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

"Tryngites rufescens. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Above, brownish-black with a greenish gloss, every feather…

"Numenius longirostris. Long-billed Curlew. Sickle-bill. Plumage very similar to that of the Godwit, Limosa faeda: prevailing tone rufous, of varying intensity in different specimens, usually deepest on the lining of the wings, which are little varied with other color. Primaries varied with rufous. Top of head variegated with blackish and rufous or whitish, without distinct pale median and lateral lines. Upper parts brownish-black, speckled with tawny or cinnamon-brown, each feather having several indentations or broken bars of this color; rufous prevailing on wing-coverts. Tail-feathers and secondaries cinnamon-brown, with pretty regular dark bars throughout. Under parts rufous or cinnamon of varying intensity, usually deepening to chestnut under the wings, fading to whitish on throat; the jugulum and fore-breast with dusky streaks which tend on the sides of breast and body to arrowheads or more or less complete bars; lining of wings, axillars, and crissum, mostly unmarked, though some spots may appear. No white on rump, tail, or wings. Bill black, much of under mandible pale-flesh-color or yellowish; legs dark. Little variation in plumage with sex, age, and season. Chicks hatch in whitish down, thickly blotched above with brownish-black; the bill straight, an inch long." Elliot Coues, 1884

long-billed Curlew

"Numenius longirostris. Long-billed Curlew. Sickle-bill. Plumage very similar to that of the Godwit,…

"Numenius hudsonicus. Hudsonian Curlew Jack Curlew. General tone of coloration scarcely rufous, the under parts, and the variegation of the upper, being whitish or ochraceous. No white on rump, tail, or lining of wings. Top of head uniform blackish-brown, with well-defined whitish median and lateral stripes (as in phaeopus, but neither longirostris nor borealis). Upper parts brownish-black, speckled with whitish, ochraceous or pale cinnamon-brown, in same pattern as in longirostris, but the dark in excess of the light colors, and these never strongly rufescent. Tail ashy-brown (not rufous), with numerous narrow blackish bars. Primaries fuscous, marbled or broken-barred with pale color (pattern as in longirostris, tone not strongly rufous). Lining of wings and axillars rufescent, but spotted or barred throughout with dusky. Under parts soiled whitish or somewhat ochraceous, only obscurely rufescent on crissum, if anywhere; the jugulum and fore-breast with dusky streaks which, as in other species, change to arrow-heads or incomplete bars on sides of breast and body. Bill blackish, some part of lower mandible pale; feet dark." Elliot Coues, 1884

Hudsonian Curlew

"Numenius hudsonicus. Hudsonian Curlew Jack Curlew. General tone of coloration scarcely rufous, the…

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle toe and claw. tarsus broadly scutellate in front. No crests or peculiar dorsal plumes; neck-feathers long and loose; plumage blended, spotty and streaky. Neck in part bare behind. Sexes and young alike." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bittern

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle…

"Tantalops loculator. American Wood Stork. Wood Ibis. Colorado Turkey. Plumage white, the wing-quills, primary coverts, alula, and tail, glossy black. The bald head livid bluish and yellowish. Bill dingy yellowish. Legs blue, becoming blackish on the toe, the webs tinged with yellow. Iris dark brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wood Ibis

"Tantalops loculator. American Wood Stork. Wood Ibis. Colorado Turkey. Plumage white, the wing-quills,…

"Ardea. Great Herons. Of largest size, former well feathered all around. Tibia extensively denuded below. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw. Outer lateral toe longer than inner. Bill shorter than tarsus, equal to or longer than middle toe and claw. Colors dark and varied, exceptionally white; back without lengthened loosened plumes; scapulars lanceolate, lengthened, but not loosened; lower fore-neck with lengthened feathers; head crested, in breeding season with two long, slender, flowing, occipital plumes. Sexes alike; young similar, but lacking all lengthened feathers." Elliot Coues, 1884

Heron

"Ardea. Great Herons. Of largest size, former well feathered all around. Tibia extensively denuded below.…

"Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. Of large size, and varied dark colors, not dichromatic. Back without peculiar plumes at any season, but scapulars lengthened and lanceolate; an occipital crest, two deciduous feathers of which in the breeding season are long and filamentous; long loose feathers on the lower neck. Adult: Bill yellow, more or less blackened on culmen; lores blue; iris chrome yellow; legs and feet blackish, the soles yellowish. Tibia the edge of wing chestnut-brown. Forehead and middle of crown white; sides of of crown and occipital crest black. Neck pale purplish-gray, with a mixed white, black, and rust throat-line, yielding to white on chin and cheeks. Plumes of lower neck, the breast, and belly, black, more or less interrupted with white streaks on the middle line; crissum white. Upper parts in general slaty-blue; tail the same; long scapular feathers more pearly-gray; wing-quills deepening from this color to the black primaries." Elliot Coues, 1884

Great Blue Heron

"Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. Of large size, and varied dark colors, not dichromatic. Back without…

"Nyctiardea grisea naevia. Black-crowned Night Heron. Qua-bird. Squawk. Crown, scapulars and interscapulars very dark glossy green; other upper parts, wings and tail, pale bluish-gray with a lilac or lavender tinge, most decided on the neck. Forehead and throat-line white, shading into the lilaceous of the neck; under parts whitish,tinged with lilac. The long occipital plumes white. Eyes red; lores greenish; bill black; legs yellow; claws brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Night Heron

"Nyctiardea grisea naevia. Black-crowned Night Heron. Qua-bird. Squawk. Crown, scapulars and interscapulars…

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle toe and claw." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Bill of a Bittern

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle…

"Botaurus mugitans. American Bittern. Indian Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-Bull. Plumage of the upper parts singularly freckled with brown of various shades, blackish, tawny, and whitish; neck and under parts ochrey or tawny-white, each feather marked with a brown dark-edged stripe, the throat-line white, with brown streaks. A velvety-black patch on each side of the neck above. Crown dull brown, with buff superciliary stripe. Tail brown. Quills greenish-black, with a glaucous shade, brown-tipped. Iris yellow. Bill on the ridge brownish-black, the rest pale yellowish; a dark brown loral strip. Legs dull yellowish-green; claws brown.

American Bittern

"Botaurus mugitans. American Bittern. Indian Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-Bull. Plumage of the upper parts…

"Parra. Jacanas. Bill plover-like, contracted in continuity, enlarged terminally; with culmen depressed to end of nasal groove, then convex and decurved; outline of mandibular rami about straight to the gonys, which is ascending; commissure about straight to the decurved end. Nasal grooves along the contracted portion of the bill; nostrils small, elliptical, situate in advance of the base of the bill. Angle of mouth with a leaf-like lobe of skin (rudimentary in our species). Forehead with a large leaf-like lobe of skin, with free lateral and posterior edges, adherent centrally and anteriorly where reaching base of upper mandible. A sharp horny spur on bend o wing Primaries 10, not peculiar in structure; outer 3 about equal and longest, overlaid by the inner quills in the closed wing. Tail very short, with soft rectrices concealed be the coverts. Tibia bare below, and with the tarsus scutellate before and behind, the scutella tending to become confluent in a continuous sheath. All the toes, claws included, longer than tarsus; middle toe alone nearly as long as tarsus; outer toe alone about as long as middle, its claw shorter than that of middle toe; inner toe a little shorter than outer, its claw longer; hind toe only about as long as basal joint of middle toe, but its claw much longer than itself; all the claws slender, about straight, very acute." Elliot Coues, 1884

Parra Jacana

"Parra. Jacanas. Bill plover-like, contracted in continuity, enlarged terminally; with culmen depressed…

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with numerous sharp white streaks and specks; flanks, axilars and lining of wings, barred with white and blackish; belly whitish; crissum rufescent. Face and central line of throat black, the rest of the throat, line over eye, and especially the breast, more or less intensely slate-gray, the sides of the breast usually also with some obsolete whitish barring and speckling." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Carolina Rail

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with…

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with numerous sharp white streaks and specks; flanks, axilars and lining of wings, barred with white and blackish; belly whitish; crissum rufescent. Face and central line of throat black, the rest of the throat, line over eye, and especially the breast, more or less intensely slate-gray, the sides of the breast usually also with some obsolete whitish barring and speckling." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carolina Rail

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with…

"Rallus longirostris crepitans. Clapper Rail. Salt-water Marsh-hen. Mud-hen. Above, variegated with olive-brown and pale olive-ash, the latter edging the feathers, the variegation dull and blended. Below, pale dull ochrey-brown, whitening on the throat, frequently ashy-shaded on the breast, without decided cinnamon-brown shade. Flanks, axillars, and lining of wings, fuscous-gray, with sharp narrow white bars. Quills and tail plain dark-brown, without chestnut on the coverts. Eyelids and short superciliary line whitish. The general tone is that of a gray bird, without any reddishness." Elliot Coues, 1884

Clapper Rail

"Rallus longirostris crepitans. Clapper Rail. Salt-water Marsh-hen. Mud-hen. Above, variegated with…

"Gallinula. Gallinules. Water Hens. Mud Hens. Bill not longer than head, stout at base, tapering, compressed, the culmen running directly up on the forehead and expanding into a frontal plate of different shape in different species. Nostrils near middle of bill, linear. Feet large and stout; tibia naked below; tarsus moderately compressed, scutellate; toes very long, the outer longer than the inner, with an evident though slight marginal membrane; claws long, slender, little curved, acute. Wings short and rounded, but ample. Tail very short, of 12 weak feathers, with long ample under coverts, as in Rails. Plumage not rich blue." Elliot Coues, 1884

Gallinule

"Gallinula. Gallinules. Water Hens. Mud Hens. Bill not longer than head, stout at base, tapering, compressed,…

"Fulicia. Coot. Bill and frontal plate much as in the Gallinultes. Body depressed; the under plumage thick and duck-like, to resist water. feet highly natatorial' toes, including the hinder, lobate, being furnished with large semicircular membranous flaps. The Coots are eminently aquatic birds, swimming with ease, by means of their lobate feet, like phalaropes and grebes; but this ability results from very slight modification of a structure shared by the Rails and Gallinules. There are about ten species, of both hemispheres, distinguished, among other characters, by the size and shape of the frontal shield. That, for instance, is of an exotic species, much larger than that of Fulica americana, and differently shaped. One species is remarkable for having the forehead singularly carunculate; the others closely resemble our common species." Elliott Coues, 1884

Coot Head

"Fulicia. Coot. Bill and frontal plate much as in the Gallinultes. Body depressed; the under plumage…

"Phoinikopteros ruber. American Red Flamingo. Adult: Plumage scarlet, the primaries and most of the secondaries black. Legs lake-red. Bill black on the terminal part, orange in the middle, the base and bare skin of head yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Flamingo

"Phoinikopteros ruber. American Red Flamingo. Adult: Plumage scarlet, the primaries and most of the…