USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 1 > Part 40
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The Bat-This animal seems to form the link between qua- drupeds and birds. It is about two inches and a-half long, and about eight broad, when the wings are spread out. Its colour is very nearly like that of the house mouse. It lives on flies and insects, which it takes while on the wing. The bat is noc-
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turnal, and usually makes its appearance in the early part of the evening, entering houses and barns. It flies with consider- able rapidity, appearing somewhat like a house swallow.
Bats, in summer, congregate to the number of several hun- dred, in the hollows of trees, and between the bark and bodies of such as are dead. Of the latter, we have seen an instance, in which upwards of one hundred were between the loose bark and body of an old tree.
. Bats are hybernating animals. On the approach of cold weather, they retire to dens and caverns, where they pass into the torpid state, and continue till the following spring, when they are roused and resuscitated by the vernal heat.
There is but one species, and that is called the house bat. It is an inhabitant of every part of the State.
Mastodon .- This animal, which was once an inhabitant of this State, it is supposed, has no longer an existence on our globe. The bones have been found in a fossil condition in Orange and Ulster counties in this State, and in several of the other Fredish States. The race seems to have inhabited a large portion of North America, at some unknown and very distant period.
The bones of the same animal, or one bearing a strong re- semblance to it, have been found in several places in Europe and Asia, particularly in Siberia, and usually in situations si- milar to those places where they have been found in America. From these facts it appears to have been indigenous to the nor- thern parts of both continents, and to have been capable of en- during cold.
Dr. Mitchell, and some other naturalists, have enumerated four distinct species, which seem to have differed chiefly in size. These were all species of the genus mastodon. Some equalling, some surpassing, and others falling short of the magnitude of the elephant of India and Africa. The mastodon of New-York appears to have equalled the elephant in dimensions.
The celebrated naturalist, M. Cuvier, calls it the genus mas- todon, that is the American elephant.
The extinction of the race, it is probable, was occasioned by VOL. I.
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a deluge, which must have covered the greater part of the . globe. This deduction has been made, upon a very careful ex- amination of the bones, and all the facts presented by the differ- ent localities where the bones were found, and otherwise. We cannot do better than give the words of M. Cuvier on this higly interesting subject.
" These bones are buried almost every where, in nearly simi- lar beds ; they are often blended with some other animal re- mains, resembling those of the present day. The beds are ge- nerally loose, and either sandy or marly, and always neighbour- ing more or less to the surface. It is then probable that these bones have been enveloped by the last, or by one of the last catastrophies of this globe. That is, by an inundation, which . did not rise above the mountains. In a great number of places they are accompanied by the accumulated remains of marine animals ; but in some places, which are less numerous, there are none of these remains ; sometimes the sand or marl which covers them, contains only fresh water shells. No well authen- ticated account proves that they have been covered by regular beds of stone, filled with shells; and consequently, that the sea has remained on them, undisturbed for a long period .- The catastrophe which covered them was, therefore, a great but transient inundation of the sea. This inundation did not rise above the high mountains, for we find no analagous deposites covering the bones, nor are the bones themselves met with there, not even in the high vallies, unless in some of the warmer parts of America. These bones are neither rolled nor joined in a skeleton, but scattered, and in part fractured. They have not then been brought from afar by an inundation, but found by it in places where it has covered them, as might be expected, if the animals to which they belonged had dwelt in these places, and had there successively died. Before this catastrophe, these ani- mals lived, therefore, in the climates in which we now dig up their bones ; and as we no longer find them, it is evident that it has annihilated those species.
· " The northern parts of the globe, therefore, nourished for- , merly, species, belonging to the genus elephant, hippopotamus,
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rhinoceros and tapir, as well as the mastodon genera, of which · the four first have no longer any species existing, except in the torrid zone; and of the last, none in any part of the world.
" M. Cuvier, from the examination of the bones of these animals, and all the circumstances attending them, conceives we have a right to conclude, that the mastodon of North Ame- rica did not surpass the elephant in height, but was a little longer in proportion ; its limbs rather thicker, and its belly smaller. That it seems to have very much resembled the ele- phant in its tusks, and indeed in the whole of its osteology ; and that it also appears to have had a trunk. But that, not- withstanding its resemblance to the elephant, in so many par- ticulars, the form and structure of the grinders are sufficiently different from those of the elephant to demand its being plac- ed in a distinct genus. He supposes its food must have been similar to that of the hippopotamus and the boar, and that consequently it inhabited low, soft and marshy places."
The bones, found in the drowned lands, in the county of Orange, were enveloped in marl, eight or ten feet below the surface. They were in a remarkably high state of preservation. It is said that the bones of no less than nine of these animals have been dug up, in opening ditches in the swampy and marshy lands along Wallkill river, in Ulster and Orange counties. . All these bones were in, what might be called, a fossil state; that is, they were hardened, and charged with earthy matters to such an extent as to increase their weight, change their nature, and give them the appearance of stony substances.
The following are the dimensions of one of the skeletons, now in Mr Peal's museum, Philadelphia :- height eleven feet; length seventeen feet six inches ; width at the hips five feet eight inches ; width of the head three feet two inches ; the length of the longest rib four feet seven inches ; the diameter of the thigh bones and tusks six inches. The skeleton is entire, with the exception of two ribs. These remains were dug up on the farm of a Mr. Mastin, in 1801.
The mastodon is a new genus of quadrupeds, and hitherto
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unknown in any except the fossil state. It seems to have had a general resemblance to the elephant ; hence, many have con- founded it with that animal. The bones have been found in the State of Kentucky, at a place called Big-Bone Lick, in considerable numbers, and about six or seven feet below the surface, in a layer of red marl. Before the settlement of the country, deers, elks and buffaloes frequented this saline in large numbers, being attracted by the salt. At present, do nestic animals, of the herbiferous kind, repair thither. This has led some to suppose that these are the bones of such as died in the vicinity. This supposition does not appear to be well tounded-first, because the bones would have lain on the surface, where they would have entirely disappeared from con- stant exposure to heat and cold, moisture and dryness-second, because they have not elsewhere been found in numbers about salt licks. Bones do not become fossil that lie on the surface of the earth ; but decay, and absolutely disappear. They do not imbed themselves by lying on the surface, where they may sometimes be covered with leaves and alluvial matter. But those who have been pleased with an Indian story, related in the bombastic stile, have not informed us that these were covered in this way by alluvions. We have never heard of ele- phant's bones being found in a fossil state on the surface, al- though we have beneath the surface, and in situations not un- like "those where those of the mastodon have been found. The conjecture of Cuvier seems to be well founded. It derives addi- tional weighit, from the consideration, that the bones of other animals, whose races are extinct, have been found in the same countries, in the fossil state. Two species of fossil bears have been discovered, both of them distinct from the existing ones. They are distinguished by the title spelaus and arctoideus. The first is about the size of a horse, and the second is consider- able iss. They occur in limestone caves, in Germany and Hungary. In some of the same caves there have been found re- mains of many different animals, such as hyenas, lions or tigers, dogs or wolves, foxes, pole-cats and rhinoceroses. All these
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bones are intermixed with earth, containing much animal mat- ter. They are in general incrusted, but not mineralized.
The fossil remains of some species of the genus equus, and also of the genus bos, have been foun I in Europe, Siberia, &c. in the same situations where those of the elephant, mastodon, &c. have been discovered. They differ from the now known spe- cies. We miglit enumerate several other species and genuses of distinct animals, but it would' be a departure. No doubt seems ever to have been entertained of the extinction of most of the above races of animals, except that of the mastodon, and the best evidence we have of its existence, at this day, is an Indian story, well told, by a man who wanted to induce a belief, that nature was more bountiful in great productions, on the west, than on the east side of the Atlantic ocean. But taking his relation, and those of his credulous transcribers, who have clouded this subject with so much fiction-is it probable that none of the fur traders, and their servants, and the travel- lers, who have crossed the continent of America, in several places, should not have heard, and even seen those animals, did the race still exist ? Is it not probable that some of the numerous tribes, living in the interior, should not have seen or heard of them, did the race but exist ? We say it is not possi- ble, much less probable. A small animal might not excite cu- riosity, but one exceeding all others in size would, did such a one exist. Some of the Philadelphia compilers have expressed considerable dissatisfaction because the European literati have refused to credit this marvellous story which falsifies itself ; but these gentlemen ought to have examined the case before they lavished censure.
BIRDS.
The bald eagle measures from two feet six to two feet ten inches in length, and from seven to eight feet in breadth, and weighs from twelve to fifteen pounds. Its bill is short, thick and hooked, and is nearly three inches long. Its legs are short and thick, and its feet armed with four large sharp claws. The .
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colour of its head, neck and back, and the covert feathers of its tail is brown, and its breast and belly grey, intermixed with some white. Its sight and sense of smelling are extremely acute. It is a solitary bird, and is rarely seen, except among the moun- tains. It kills hares, rabbits, squirrels, lambs, fowls, serpents, &c. and devours them.
They go in pairs, and usually have two young at a time.
The eagle builds its nest on some inaccessible cliff, craggy steep, or on the top of some very small tree. The nost is constructed of limbs, brush; moss, &c. and exceeds three feet in diameter.
The bald eagle soars very high, and can remain a long time on the wing. It descends upon its prey with inconceivable velocity.
This eagle is adopted as the emblem of the United States. They occasionally show themselves on the Atlantic coast, and around the lakes. They continue here all the year.
The female is said to be larger than the male.
'The sea eagle, or osprey, as it is somtimes called, is found on the coast of the Atlantic ocean, and on the coasts of the , lakes. Its head, neck, back and wings are of a whitish colour, mottled with spots of an iron brown ; its breast and belly are white, with iron coloured spots. The covert feathers of the tail are of a whitish colour, with black at the ends. Its bill is short, crooked and thick ; its feet are armed with four large claws, and its legs are short, thick and muscular. A sort of beard, or tuft of feathers, depends from the base of the under mandible. It is nearly of the size of the bald eagle. It sub- sists principally upon fish, which it catches by plunging into the water. The sea eagle builds its nest on some tree, or on the cliff of some rock, neighbouring upon the ocean or some lake. It occasionally visits some of our lakes, where it takes up a temporary residence. The length of the male is about two feet six inches. The extent of the wings, when spread out, is about seven feet four inches.
The osprey, or fish hawk, frequents the shore of the Atlantic ocean, the shores of the lakes, and the Falls of Niagara.
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Fish constitute its principal subsistance. It is the most nu- mercus of the larger buds of prey. It darts upon its prey with quickness and precision. The fish hawk builds its nest on a tree. It is frequently seen about some of our inland lalies, particularly such as abound with fish.
The fishing hawk is brown above and white beneath, with a whitish head, and blue cere and legs. The minuter mark- ings vary considerably, according to age. The male is about twenty-two inches long-the female rather exceeds two feet, and measures five feet seven inches from the tip of one wing to the other wing. Its legs are short and strong ; the outer toe turns easily backwards, and the claw belonging to it is larger · than that of the inner one.
Great eagle hawk, or hen hawk, is nearly two feet in length, and about four feet six inches in breadth, when the wings are extended. Its head is large, its bill thick, short and crooked, its legs are bare, short and thick, and its feet furnished with long, strong and sharp claws. The head, neck, back and wings are brown; the covert feathers of the tail an iron brown, and the breast and belly grey, with some white. It inhabits the southern parts of the State. In Pennsylvania aud Ohio it is quite common. It is not migratory. It lives on small birds, chickens, squirrels, mice, snakes, &c.
The hen hawk inhabits every part of the State. It is not a bird of passage. . It is about twenty inches long, and nearly four feet broad, measuring from the tip of one wing to the other. Its bill is crooked and thick, its head large, its neck short, its legs thick and short, and without feathers, its feet are furnished with large, sharp elaws. The colour of the head, neck, back and wings is brownish, mottled with grey ; the co- vert feathers of the tail are brown, with some grey and white at the extremities ; the belly and breast are grey, with whitish spots, appearing speckled. Its lives on mire, squirrels, birds, chickens, &c. They go in pairs, and build their nest either in the hollow or top of some tree. They construct it with small limbs, twigs, leaves and grass, exhibiting little ingenuity ør taste.
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The kite, or large pigeon hawk, is distinguished from the ben hawk by its size, its forked tail, and its wings. 'The colour of its head, back and wings, and the upper feathers of its tail, is a ferruginous brown ; the feathers of the breast and belly are brown and grey, so intermixed as to appear mottled. Its head is large, its bill thick and hooked, its legs bare, short and muscular, its feet are armed with sharp claws, its wings are more pointed than those of the hen hawk, bearing a resemblance to those of the pigeon. On the wing it moves with great rapidity It descends from the greatest height, upon its prey, instantaneously, and with almost unerring aim. In length it is about eighteen inches, and in breadth about two feet and a-half. Its tail is long and forked. Like the preceding, it subsists on small birds, mice, &c. We are uninformed whether it is migratory or not. We have seen it in winter, although very rarely.
The small pigeon hawk resembles very much the hen hawk, in conformation, only it is less, and of a lighter colour. It is about thirteen or fourteen inches in length, and about two feet in width when the wings are stretched out. It remains here . the whole year. Its subsistence consists of small birds, mice, &c. It flies very fast, and often overtakes the pigeon. Its wings are more rounded at the extremity. than any other bird belonging to the hawk tribe.
The chicken hawk is less than the pigeon hawk, not surpass- ing the turtle dove in dimensions. Its shape is very much like that of the large pigeon hawk, only its tail is square and shorter. The colour of its head, neck, back, wings and tail, is a light brown, with some grey ; its breast and belly are spotted with grey, white and brown. It builds its nest in the hollow of a tree. 'T'he female has four or five young at an incubation.
They go in pairs. The chicken hawk is migratory. It de- parts in the early part of autumn, and returns in April or May. It is very swift on the wing. Its food consists of small birds, mice, snakes, &c. By some it is called the American merlin. It exhibits some diversity in the shades of its colour.
The owl, in natural history, a genus of birds of the order
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accipitres. Gencric character ; the bill is hooked, but not fur- nished with a cere ; the nostrils are oblong and covered with bristly feathers ; the head, eyes and ears are large ; the tongue . is bifed ; the claws hooked and sharp. Birds of this genus are . rapacious. They are seldom seen by day. At night they are active in quest of food.
The white owl cannot strictly be said to be an inhabitant of the State. It, however, occasionally comes among us, and takes up a temporary residence. It goes as far south as Pennsyl- vania and, Virginia. The whole plumage is of a snowy white- ness ; sometimes pure, but more frequently marked with dusky spots. Its head is less, in proportion, than that of other owls. The bill is black and the irides yellow. It measures about two feet in length. 'The distance from the point of one wing to that of the other, is from four feet eight inches to five feet. Its weight is from two to three pounds. It is capable of sustaining all the rigours of an arctic winter. Its food is birds, rabbits, and other small animals.
The great owl, great eared, or great horned owl, is about two feet and a-half in length, from the point of the beak to the extremity of the tail. The whole plumage is a mixture of brown fulvous and subrufous, disposed in spots and bands ; the brown of the upper parts and wings, is darker than that of the belly and abdomen, and the breast is whitish. But this general de- scription admits of considerable diversity. It can bear both heat and cold. It is common between the St. Lawrence river and Hudson's bay. They are seldom seen in this State. It haunts mountainous, rocky and desolate situations, remote from the habitation of man. It subsists on fowls, mice, and other small animals. Its arrival in the night is announced by its doleful cry.' The great owl may be domesticated. Formerly they were employed in falcony. It inhabits most of the conti- nent of North America. It is also found in Europe, Asia and Africa. The lugubrious clamour, and solemn aspect of this bird, contribute to associate it with ideas of gloom and repul- sion.
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The whooting, or large grey owl, is about twenty-two inches in length, and about four feet in breadth, from the extremity of one wing to that of the other. Its bill is thick, short and hook- ed ; its head and eyes are large. The latter are chatoyant, like those of the cat. Its legs are short, and armed with large sharp claws. Both the legs and feet are covered with feathers. The colour of the head, neck, back, wings, and upper feathers of its tail, is grey, interspersed with brown and some white ; the - neck, belly, legs and feet are mottled with grey and white. It is solitary, and inhabits dark and gloomy places, covered with evergreen trees. It is nocturnal, seldom showing itself in the day. They go in pairs, and subsist on small animals.
· Its notes are hedious, and rarely uttered, except by night. On such occasions, when several happen to meet, they utter doleful sounds, which fill the minds of those unaccustomed to them with horror.
The body is much smaller than that of the hen hawk. It remains here all the year.
The screech owl is nearly as large as the small pigeon hawk. Its colour is a rusty brown. It dwells in sequestered places, clothed with evergreen trees. It remains here all the year. Its food is small birds, mice, &c.
The cat owl, or small horned owl, is about as large as the chicken hawk. The colour of its head, back, wings, and the covert feathers of its tail, is brown, with some grey spots; its neck and belly are grey, with small white spots. Its head and eyes are large. It has a small bunch of feathers over each ear, which are about two inches in length. These it can erect and depress at pleasure.
They keep in pairs, and dwell in thickets and solitary pla- ces. Its habitudes are like those of the rest of the strix tribe. When roused in the day time, it flies low, and but a short dis- tance, and alights on some tree or bush near the ground. It is casily killed.
The small grey owl, or little owl, is of a subolivaceous brown, with whitish spots above, and whitish, with brown spots beneath. The wing feathers are crossed or barred with white. Its irides
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are yellow. It varies considerably in dimensions, being from six to eight or nine inches in length. The feet are feathered to the claws. It resides throughout the year, in this State.
: The barn owl, is so named from its residing, occasionally, in barns or deserted buildings. Its colour is subfulvous, with grey variegations ; black and white spots are down the shafts of the feathers. The breast and abdomen are white. It mea- sures about three feet when its wings are spread out. The length, from the end of the beak to that of the tail, is about fourteen inches.
The raven is the largest species of the genus corvous, and weighs three pounds, and measures in length about twenty-two inches, and in breadth nearly or quite three feet four inches. It inhabits all parts of the State. It subsists on carrion, small birds, chickens, and other small animals. Its smell is very acute, enabling it to discriminate its favourite repast, though at a great distance. It is extremely cautious, and rarely ventures within reach of a gun. It is long lived, having been stated to live from forty to sixty years. It is easily familiarized, and may be taught several things ; but it is very mischievous. It builds its nest in trees. It soars very high. They commonly go in pairs; at times, however, they assemble in flocks.
The raven is an inhabitant of every clime, from the arctic circle to the torrid zone. Its colour is black.
The crow inhabits every part of the State. It is about nine- teen inches in length, and about two feet and a-half in breadth, and weighs about two pounds and a-quarter. It is black, and very similar to the raven, in form, habits and disposition. It feeds on insects, young birds, chickens, carrion, fruit, &c. It . is mischievous, and commits depredations on the fariner, by pulling up his corn in the early part of the season. They usually go in pairs or small flocks. The young keep with their parents during the season. The number varies from three to five. "The crow is very shy, and can seldom be approached with a gun. It seems to understand the use of that instrument, and its deadly effects. It builds its nest in the top of some tree, remote from the habitation of man.
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The crow is very sagacious ; always, when several are in company, one stands as centinal to give the alarm on the ap- proach of danger. Crows, in autumn and winter, congregate in large flocks. In the latter season, they prefer a residence along the banks of a river, stream, or lake.
The blue jay is about one foot in length, and weighs seven or eight ounces. Its colour is blue, intermixed with some whitish and blackish feathers.' The head is crowned with a tuft of feathers. It is not migratory. They go in pairs; in autumn, however, it is not uncommon to see them in small flocks. The jay dwells in thickets and close woods near fields. In autumn' it feeds on corn, and frequently does considerable mischief. Its notes are harsh. It builds its nest in a tree, with sticks, small twigs, and grass. The young continue with their parents till the following season. Jays feed on almost all sorts of seeds and fruits, and on nuts and acorns. In winter they se- clude themselves in hollow trees, where they remain the greater part of the time. In general, they are seen in greater num- bers in beach woods than others, which is occasioned by the abundance of food afforded by these trees in autumn. .
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