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Clark informing him of the occurrences which had taken place, recommending it to him to halt at this place untill my return and informing him of the rout I had taken which from the information of the men on their return seemed to be in favour of the S W or Left hand fork which is reather the smallest. accordingly I put up my note on a dry willow pole at the forks, and set out up the S. E. fork, after proceeding about 11/2 miles I discovered that the road became so blind that it could not be that which we had followed to the forks of Jefferson's river, neither could I find the tracks of the horses which had passed early in the spring along the other; I therefore determined to return and examine the other myself, which I did, and found that the same horses had passed up the West fork which was reather largest, and more in the direction that I wished to pursue; I therefore did not hesitate about changing my rout but determined to take the western road.
Musquetoes uncommonly large and reather troublesome. At 8 A.M. the sun made it's appearance for a few minutes and I took it's altitude but it shortly after clouded up again and continued to rain the ballance of the day I was therefore unable to complete the observations I wished to take at this place.
Labuish and Drewyer returned at sunset having killed one Elk only. they report that there are some scattering male Elk in the neighbourhood of the place they killed this one or about 5 miles up the Netul on this side. Bratton is much wose today, he complains of a violent pain in the small of his back and is unable in consequence to set up. we gave him one of our flanel shirts, applyed a bandage of flannel to the part and bathed and rubed it well with some vollatile linniment which I prepared with sperits of wine, camphor, castile soap and a little laudinum. he felt himself better in the evening. the large blue and brown herons, or Crams as they are usually called in the U States are found on this river below tidewater. they are the same with those of the U States. the fishing hawk with the crown of the head White and back of a mealy white, and the blue crested or King fisher are found on every part of the Columbia and it's waters and are the same with those of the U States. the fishing hawk is not abundant particularly in the mountains. there are four speceis of larus or gull on this coast and river, 1st a small speceis about the size of a pigeon; white except some black spots about the head and a little brown on the but of the wings, 2nd a speceis somewhat larger of a light brown colour with a whitish or mealy coloured back. 3rd the large grey gull, or white larus with a greyish brown back and a light grey belley and breast, about the size of a well grown pullet or reather larger. the wings are remarkably long in proportion to the size of the body and it's under chap towards the extremity is more gibbous and protuberant than in either of the other speceis. 4th a white gull about the size of the second with a remarkable beak; adjoining the head and at the base of the uper Chap there is an elivated orning of the same substance with the beak which forms the nostrils; it is some what in this forma the feet are webbed and the legs and feet of a yellow colour. the form of the wings body &c are much that of the second species. the large grey gull is found on the river as high as the entrance of the Kooskooske and in common with the other speceis on the coast; the others appear to be confined to tidewater; and the fourth speceis not so common as either of the others. the cormorant is a large black duck which feeds on fish; I perceive no difference between it and those found in the Potomac and other rivers on the Atlantic Coast. tho I do not recollect seeing those on the atlantic so high up the rivers as those are found here. we first met with them on the Kooskooske at the entrance of Chopunnish river. they increased in quantity as we decended, and formed much the greatest portion of the waterfowl which we saw on the Columbia untill we reached tidewater where they also abound but do not bear a similar proportion to the other fowls found in this quarter.
John Shields sick today with the rheumatism. Shannon killed a bird of the plover kind. weight one pound. it measured from the tip of the toe, to the extremity of the beak, 1 foot 10 Inches; from tip to tip of wings when extended 2 F. 5 I.; Beak 3 5/8 inches; tale 3 1/8 inches; leg and toe 10 Ins. the eye black, piercing, prominent and moderately large. the legs are Hat thin, slightly imbricated and of a pale sky blue colour, being covered with feathers as far as the mustle extends down it, which is about half it's length. it has four toes on each foot, three of which, are connected by a web, the fourth is small and placed at the heel about the 1/8 of an inch up the leg. the nails are black and short, that of the middle toe is extreemly singular, consisting of two nails the one laping on or overlaying the other, the upper one somewhat the longest and sharpest. the tale contains eleven feathers of equal length, & of a bluish white colour. the boddy and underside of the wings, except the large feathers of the 1st & 2cd joints of the same, are white; as are also the feathers of the upper part of the 4th joint of the wing and part of those of the 3rd adjacent thereto, the large feathers of the 1st or pinion and the 2cd joint are black; a part of the larger feathers of the 3rd joint on the upper side and all the small feathers which cover the upper part of the wings are black, as are also the tuft of long feathers on each side of the body above the joining of the wing, leaving however a stripe of white betwen them on the back. the head and neck are shaped much like the grey plover, and are of a light brickdust brown; the beak is black and flat, largest where it joins the head, and from thence becoming thiner and tapering to a very sharp point, the upper chap being 1/8 of an inch the longest turns down at the point and forms a little hook. the nostrils, which commence near the head are long, narrow, connected, and parallel with the beak; the beak is much curved, the curvature being upwards in stead of downwards as is common with most birds; the substance of the beak precisely resembles whalebone at a little distance, and is quite as flexable as that substance their note resembles that of the grey plover, tho is reather louder and more varied, their habits appear also to be the same, with this difference; that it sometimes rests on the water and swims which I do not recollect having seen the plover do. this bird which I shall henceforth stile the Missouri plover, generally feeds about the shallow bars of the river; to collect it's food which consists of , it immerces it's beak in the water and throws it's head and beak from side to side at every step it takes.
Reubin Field killed a bird of the Quail kind or Class which was whistleing near our Camp it is larger than the quail or partridge as they are Called Kentucky and Virginia. it's form is presisely that of our partridge tho its plumage differs in every part. the upper part of the head, Sides and back of the neck, including the Croop and about of the under part of the body is of a bright dove coloured blue, under neath the under beak, as high as the lower edge of the eye, and back as far as the hinder part of the eyes and thence comeing down to a point in the front of the neck about 2/3rd of it's length downwards, is of a fine dark brick red. between this brick red and the dove colour there runs a narrow Stripe of pure white. the ears are covered with some coarse dark brown feathers. just at the base of the under chap there is a narrow transvirce Stripe of white. from the crown of the head two long round feathers extend backwards nearly in the direction of the beak and are of a black Colour. the length of these feathers is 21/2 inches. one overlais and Conseals the other which is Somewhat Shorter and Seems to be raped in the plumage of that in front which folding backwards colapses behing and has a round appearance. the tail is composed of 12 dark brown feathers of nearly equal length. the large feathers of the wings are of a dark brown & are reather Short in purpotion to the body of the bird. in this respect very Similar to the partridge. the covert of the wings and back are of a dove Colour with a Slight admixture of redish brown. a wide Stripe which extends from Side to Side of the body and occupies the lower region of the breast is beautifully varigated with the brick red white & black which perdominates in the order they are mentioned and the Colours mark the feathers transversely. the legs are covered with feathers as low as the Knee; these feathers are of dark brown tiped with a dark brick red as are also those between and about the joining of the legs with the body. the foot is presisely that of the Common partridge except that they are as also the legs white. the upper beak is Short, wide at it's base, black, convex, curved downwards and reather obtusely pointed. it exceeds the under chap considerably which is of a white colour, also convex under neath and obtusely pointed. the nostrils are remarkably Small, placed far back and low down on the Sides of the beak. they are covered by a thin proterant elastic, black leather like Substance. the eyes are of a uniform pierceing black colour. this is a most butifull bird I preserved the Skin of this bird retaining the wings feet & head which I hope will give a just Idea of the bird. it's loud note is Single and Consists of a loud Squall, intirely different from the whistling of our partridge or quailes. it has a chiping note when allarmed like our partridge. to day there was a Second of those birds killed which presisely resembles that just discribed.
Clark and myself recollected having heard the hunters mention that the bottoms of the river some few miles above us were much better timbered than below and that some of the trees were large. the idea therefore suggested itself of building two other canoes sufficiently large to carry the surplus baggage. on enquiry of the hunters it seemed to be the general opinion that trees sufficiently a large for this purpose might be obtained in a bottom on the opposite side about 8 miles distant by land and reather more than double that distance by water; accordingly Capt.
the tail has eleven feathers the outer of which are an inch longer than those in the center gradually tapering inwards which gives the tale a forked appearance like that of the swally the largest or outer feather is 23/4 that of the shortest 13/4- the leg and thye are three inches long the leg occupying one half this length the thye is covered with feathers except about 1/4 of an inch above the knee the leg is of a bright yellow and nails long sharp and black the foot is webbed and has three toes forward; the heel or back toe is fixed to the leg above the palm of the foot, and is unconnected by a web to the other toes, it has no nail. the wings when foalded lap like those of the swallow and extend at least an inch and a half beyond the tale. this bird is very noysey when flying which is dose exttreemly swift the motion of the wing is much like that of kildee it has two notes one like the squaking of a small pig only on reather a high kee, and the other kit'-tee'- kit'-tee'- as near as letters can express the sound- the beak of the female is black and the black and quaker colour of the male in her is yellowish brown mixed with dove colour
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