History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804-5-6 by order of the government of the United States; Volume 2

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186 13. 'l'he ]at'k, whieh is found in the plains only, and i1• nut unlike wlmt is called in Vi•·ginia., the old field lark, iFi the same with those already dcscrH)Cd as seen on the ~1is. . SOUl' I. 1 ·~. The ny<>atrhrr is of two spccirs. 1,1w fil'!:it is or a small body, of a reddish brown colour: t.llC tail and neck sho•·t, aml the beak point.c•tl: some finu black specks arc intermingled with the rrdllish ht·owu. This is of the same species with that w ltieh remains all \\iu~ tcr in Yiq;inia. where it is so mel imcs called the wreu. The s •con(\ pccirs has recently rdurncd, and emigrates dul'in..,. the winter. 'l"hc colours of this hit·d arc, a ycllow- M h;h bt·own, on the back, ht'ad, nrck, w iug anti tail; Ow breast and helly arc of a. yellowish white; the tail is in OIC same propo1·tion as that of the wren, hut the~ hi l'tl itscH' is ora si~c small(~r than the WI'Cu: the bra.k is st1·ai1;ht, pointed, con­, ·cx, rather Ja .. gc at the hasc, and t.he chops are or equal Iengt h. The Jirst species is smaller, and jn fact the small­est bird which captain Lewis hatl ever scrn cxcf'pting tl1e humming IJird. Jloth of this SllCCies 3.l'C found exclusive))" in the woody country. 15. Corvus. 'l'hc blue-crested, ancl the small wlaite· (,rcaste<l corvus, at·e both natives of the piny country, and at·e inval'iably fo11nd as well on tho Rocky mountains as on this coast. They have ah·eady been described. 16. 'rhc snipe, &c. The common snit•e of the rna•· hes, and the eornmon sand snipe, at·c of t IJe s:unc RJ)CCics aR those so well known in the United States. rrhey are by no means found in such abundance het·c as they arc on the coast of the Atlantic. 17. rrhc lrathern winged hat, 80 familiar to the native. or the U nitctl States, is likewise found on this side of tba Rocky mountains. 18. 'rhe white wool1pecker. likewise fr<>(}tH~ nts these re­~ tons, and rcmincls om· party of the it· nath·c country, by his ap1woaches. The head of this bit·d is of a tleep red colour·, Ujl tht .JJii. SOlll't. 18/ lil{c t.ha.t ol'tho Unit(~d States. 'Ve have conjccturc(l that he has lately retu•·ncd, as he does not abide in this countr~ during the winter. The large WQOllpeckct·, aml the larl~ woodpcckCI·, arc fouud in thjs count.•·y, and resemble those of the United States. 19. 'rhe black WOUcll}(.'(.•.kcr is found in most parts of tlw Roeky mountains, as well as in the \n:stc•·u ami south­w •stern mountains. lie is ahout the size or the la.l'l~ woou peeker, or tm·tle-doyc, aHbough his wings a1·c longer than the wings of either of those biL·ds: the beak is OUC inch in length, bl:wk, cut·ved at the base, and slm•·ply 11ointed: the chO(lS 1U'e the same in length; al'OLIOd the base of the beak, including the oyt• and a small pa1·t of the throat, thcl'e is a fine <wimson t·cd: the neck, as low down as the eruok in front, is of an iron ga·ay: the belly aud breast present a cul'ious mixture of white and blood-red, whieh l~as much the a}lpcarance of }laint, where the red Il•·el1ominates: the top of the head, back, sides, and upllcr surf~tcc of the wings and tail, exhibit the appearance or n r;los y g••een, in a certain exposm·c to the light: the under side ol" the wings and tail, is or a sooty black: the tail is equipped with ten fcalhcrs, sllarpJy pointed, ami tlwsc in the ccnt•·c the longest, lwiug ahont two and a. ha.lf inches in length: the tongue is barbed nud pointed, aud of an da!)tie and cartila­genous substance: t.hc eye is t'athcl' hu·ge, t.Jae pupil black1 and the il·is of a <lark ami yellowish [,•·own: the LiL·d in its actions when flying, resembles the small •·ed-headcd wood­} l(•ckcJ' common to the Uuitt~d States, and likewise in its notes: the pointed tail rend en; essential st·•·vice '~ heu the bh·d is sittiug and retaining his •·estiug po!:!Hion against the peq>cndiculat· sides of a t l'ec: the l<'gs and feet al'c black, aml covc•·c(] with wiclc imht'icatcd scales: lie has fout• toets on each foot, two iu the J't~aa· and two in Jhmt, t.lw nails of \vhich arc mucl. ctu·vcd all() pointed t·emad:.auly sha1·p: he iceds on bugs an<l a. vari ·ty or insect ~