University of Virginia Library

[Rough notes by Lewis, apparently intended to be later
entered in his diary; found in Codex Q, pp. 4–56.—Ed.]

August 2ed 1804.

This day one of our Hunters brought me a white Heron. [Herodias
egretta— Coues] this bird as [is] an inhabitant of ponds and Marasses,
and feeds upon tadpoles, frogs, small fish &c. they are common to the
Mississipi and the lower part of the ohio. River, (ie) as high as the falls
of that river.

this bird weighed two Ib. s it's plumage is perfectly white and very thin from
extremity of beak to the extremity of toe [it measured] 4. F 7. 1/4 I from tipp to
tip of wing on the back 4 F. II. I.

it's beak is yellow, pointed, flated crosswise and 5. Inches in length.
from the upper region of the bill to the eye is one inch in length,
covered with a smoth yellow skin the plumage of the head projecting
towards the upper bill and coming to a point a[t] an Inch beyond the
eyes on the center of the upper bill. The mouth opens to distance of
the eyes. The eye is full and projecting reather, it is 7/10 of half an
inch, four joints in the wing

               

Ist joint from body in length	6. Inches
2.nd,	8 1/4;
3rd,	3 1/2;
4th	I
Ist Joint Number of feathers	7 Length of 3
2.nd	18
3.rd	6. from 10 to 12
4.th	5. 12

it's legs are black, the neck and beak occupy 1/2 it's length. it has
four toes on a foot, the outer toe on the right foot is from the joining
of the leg to extremity of toe nails 4 Inch. & 1/4 has four joints exclusive
of the nail joint, the next is 4 3/4 inches has three joints exclusive
of the nale joints. the next is 3 3/4 and has two joints, the heel toe
has one joint only and is 3 Inches in length. the nails are long sharp
and black. the eye is of a deep seagreen colour, with a circle of pole
yellow around the sight forming a border to the outer part of the eye
of about half the width of the whole eye. the tale has 12 feathers of
six inches in length. the wings when foalded are the same length with
the tale.

has 2 remarkable tufts of long feathers on each side joining the body
at the upper joint of the wing. these cover the feathers of the 1.st joint
of the wings when they are even extended

August 5th 1804.

Killed a serpent [Pityophis melanolenca— Coues] on the bank of the
river adjoining a large prarie.

       

Length from nose to tail	5 F 2. Inch
Circumpherence in largest part	4 1/2
Number of scuta on belly	221.
D.o on Tale	53

No pison teeth therefore think him perfectly inocent, eyes, center black
with a border of pale brown yellow Colour of skin on head yellowish
green with black specks on the extremity of the scuta which are
pointed or triangular colour of back, transverse stripes of black and
dark brown of an inch in width, succeeded by a yellowish brown of
half that width the end of the tale hard and pointed like a cock's spur
the sides are speckled with yellowish brown and black. two roes of
black spots on a lite yellow ground pass throughout his whole length
on the upper points of the scuta of the belly and tale 1/2 Inch apart
this snake is vulgarly called the cow or bull snake from a bellowing
nois which it is said sometimes to make resembling that anamal, tho'
as to this fact I am unable to attest it never having heard them make
that or any other nois myself.

I have frequently observed an aquatic bird [Sterna antillarum— Coues]
in the cours of asscending this river but have never been able to procure
one before today, this day I was so fortunate as to kill two of them,
they are here more plenty than on the river below. they lay their eggs
on the sand bars without shelter or nest, and produce their young from
the 15.th to the last of June, the young ones of which we caught several
are covered with down of a yellowish white colour and on the back
some small specks of a dark brown. they bear a great resemblance to
the young quale of ten days oald, and apear like them to be able to
runabout and peck their food as soon as they are hatched. this bird,
lives on small fish, worms and bugs which it takes on the virge of the
water it is seldom seen to light on trees an qu[i]te as seldom do
they lite in the water and swim tho' the foot would indicate that they
did it's being webbed I believe them to be a native of this country
and pr[ob]ably a constant resident. the weight of the male bird is
one ounce and a half, it[s] [l]ength from b[e]ak to toe 7 1/2 inches.
from tip to tip of wing across the back one foot seven inches and a half
[the beak.] is one 1/8 inch long, large where it joins the head flated on
the sides and tapering to a sharp point, a little declining and curvated, a
fine yellow, with a shade of black on the extremity of upper beak; the
eye is prominent, black and on a angular scale of 1/2 Inc; occupyse

3̄. 3́. in width. the upper part of the head is black from the beak as
low as the middle of the eye and a little below the joining of the neck
except however some white which joins the upper part of the beak
which forks and passing over the sides of the forehead terminate above
each eye. the under part of the bird, that is the thr[o]at and cheeks
as high as the eye, the neck brest belly and under part of the wings and
tail are of a fine white, the upper part of the neck, back, and wings are
of a fine, quaker coulour, or bright dove colour with reather more of
a bluish tint—except however the three first or larger feathers in the
wing which on upper side are of a deep black. the wing has four
joints

         

No. Joint Length of joint No. of feathers. Length of do.
1	1 1/2	a Clump of feathers not strong but loosly connected with the flesh of the wing	1 1/4
2	2	16	2
3	1 1/2	7	from a 2 1/2 to 4 1/2
4	3/4	3	5 1/2

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 feathe[r]
is 2 3/4 that of the shortest 1 3/4. 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 that of the swallow and extend at least an
inch and a half beyond the tale. this bird is very noysey when flying
which it dose extreemly 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 higher 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 yellow [i]s [h] brown mixed
with dove colour

August 8.th 1804.

we had seen but a few aquatic fouls of any kind on the river since
we commenced our journey up the Missouri, a few geese accompanied
by their young, the wood duck which is common to every part of this
country & crains of several kinds which will be discribed in their respective
places this day after we had passed the river Souix as called by
Mr. Mackay (or as is more properly called the stone river, I saw a great

number of feathers floating down the river those feathers had a very
extraordinary appearance as they appeared in such quantities as to cover
prettey generally sixty or seventy yards of the breadth of the river.
for three miles after I saw those feathers continu[e] to run in that
manner, we did not percieve from whence they came, at length we were
surprised by the appearance of a flock of Pillican [Pelecanus erythrorhynchus]
at rest on a large sand bar attatched to a small Island the number
of which would if estimated appear almost in credible; they apeared to
cover several acres of ground, and were no doubt engaged in procuring
their ordinary food; which is fish; on our approach they flew and left
behind them several small fish of about eight inches in length, none of
which I had seen before. the Pellican rested again on a sand bar above
the Island which we called after them from the number we saw on it.
we now approached them within about three hundred yards before they
flew; I then fired at random among the flock with my rifle and brought
one down; the discription of this bird is as follows.

HABITS.

They are a bird of clime remain on the coast of Floriday and the borders
of the Gulph of mexico & even the lower portion of the Mississippi
during the winter and in the Spring (see for date my thermometrical
observations at the river Dubois), visit this country and that fa[r]ther north
for the purpose of raising their young. this duty seems now to have
been accomplished from the appearance of a young Pilacon which was
killed by one of our men this morning, and they are now in large flocks
on their return to their winter quarters. they lay usually two eggs only
and chuise for a nest a couple of logs of drift wood near the water's
edge and with out any other preperation but the thraught formed by the
proximity of those two logs which form a trought they set and hatch
their young which after [wards they] nurture with fish their common
food

MEASURE.

                         

	F	1
F[r]om beak to toe	5.	8
Tip to tip of wing	9	4.
Beak Length	1	3.
D.o Width from		2. to 1 1/2
	F
Neck Length	1	11.
1st Joint of wing	1	1.
2nd D.o	1	4.1/2
3.rd Do.	-	7.
4th Do.	-	2 3/4
Length of leg including foot		10.
Do. of thy		11.

Discription of Colour &c. The beak is a whiteish yellow the under
part connected to a bladder like pouch, this pouch is connected to both
sides of the lower beak and extends down on the under side of the neck
and terminates in the stomach this pouch is uncovered with feathers,
and is formed [of] two skins the one on the inner and the other on the
outer side a small quantity of flesh and strings of which the anamal has
at pleasure the power of moving or drawing in such manner as to contract
it at pleasure. in the present subject I measured this pouch and
found it's contents 5. gallons of water The feet are webbed large and
of a yellow colour, it has four toes the hinder toe is longer than in
most aquatic fouls, the nails are black, not sharp and 1/2 an inch in
length. The plumage generally is white, the feathers are thin compared
with the swan goose or most aquatic fouls and has but little or no
down on the body. the upper part of the head. is covered with black
f[e]athe[r]s short, as far as the back part of the head, the yellow skin
unfeathered extends back from the upper beak and opening of the mouth
and comes to a point just behind the eye The large f [e] athers of the
wings are of a deep black colour the 1st. & 2.nd joint of [the wings]
from the body above the same is covered with a second layer of white
feathers which extend quite half the length of those large feathers of
the wing the thye is covered with feathers within a quarter of an inch
of the knee.

         

1st.	Joint of wing has feather [s]	N. o 21 Length.	9 Inch
			Black
2ed.	Do.	No. 17 Length	13 Inch
3rd.	Do.	No. 5 Length	18. Inch
4th.	Do	No. 3 Lenth	19. Inch

it has a curious frothy subs [t]ance which seems to divide its feathers from
the flesh of the body and seems to be composes of Glob[u]les of air
and perfectly imbraces the part of the feather which extends through
the skin. the wind pipe terminates in the center of the lower part of
the upper and unf [e] athered part of the pouch and is secured by an
elastic valve commanded at pleasure.

The green insect known in the U'States by the name of the sawyer or chittediddle, [Katydid—Coues] was first heard to cry on the 27th. of
July, we were then in latitude 41. some minutes.

The prarie hen or grouse, was seen in the praries betwen the Missouri
and the river platte

July the 30th.

this day Joseph Fields killed a Braro [badger] as it is called by the
French engages. this is a singular anamal not common to any part of
the United States, it's weight is sixteen pounds. it is a carniverous
anamal. on both sides of the uper jaw is fexed one long and sharp
canine tooth. it's eye is small black and piercing. [See description in
full, under date of Feb. 25, 1806.]

August the 25th.

on our return from the mound of sperits saw the first bats that we
had observed since we began to assend the Missouri.

also saw on our return on the Creek that passes this mound about
2 M. distant S. a bird of heron kind as large as the Cormorant short
tale long leggs of a colour on the back and wings deep copper brown
with a shade of red. we could not kill it therefore I can not discribe it
more particularly.

Sept 5th.

saw some wild goats or antelopes on the hill above the Glauber Salts
Springs they ran off we could not discover them sufficiently distinctly
to discribe even their colour. their track is as large as a deer reather
broader & more Wont at the point.

This day one of our hunters brought us a Serpent beautifully variagated
with small black spotts of a romboydal form on a light yellow
white ground the black p [r] edominates most on the back the whiteis [h]
yellow on the sides, and it is nearly white on the belly with a few party
couloured scuta on which the black shews but imperfectly and the colouring
matter seems to be underneath the Scuta. it is not poisonous
it hisses remarkably loud; it has 221 Scuta on the belly and 51 on the
tale, the eyes are of a dark black colour the tale terminates in a sharp
point like the substance of a cock's spur. Length 4 F. 6. I

Sept. 9th.

Capt. Clark found on the Lard shore under a high bluff issuing from
a blue earth a bittuminus matter resembling molasses in consistance,
colour and taste.

Sept. 10th.

On the Lard. side of the river about 2 miles from the river Sergt.
Pryor and Drewyer discovered a bold salt spring of strong water.

September 13th.

killed a bluewinged teal [Querquedula discors— Coues] and a Porcupine [Erethizon dorsatum]; found it in a Cottonwood tree near the river on
the Lard Shore. the leaves of the Cottonwood were much distroyed as
were those of the Cottonwood trees in it's neighbourhood. I therefore
supposed that it fed on the folage of trees at this season, the flesh of
this anamal is a pleasant and whoalsome food. the quills had not yet
obtained their usual length. it has four long toes, before on each foot,
and the same number behind with the addition of one short one on each
hind foot on the inner side. the toes of the feet are armed with long
black nails particularly the fore feet. they weigh from 15 to 20 lbs
they resemble the slowth very much in the form of their hands, or fore
feet. their teeth and eyes are like the bever

September 14th. 1804.

this day Capt. Clark killed a male wild goat [antelope] so called it's
weight 65 bs.

             

	F	1
length from point of nose to point of tail	4.	9.
hight to the top of the wethers	3.
Do. behind	3.
girth of the brest	3.	1.
girth of the neck close to the sholders	2.	2.
do. near the head	1.	7.

Eye deep see green, large percing and reather prominent, & at or near
the root of the horn within one 1/4 inches.

Sept. 14th. 1804.[2a]

Shields killed a hare of the prarie weight six pounds and 1/4

                   

	F.		1.
Length from point of hind to extremity fore feet	2.	.	11
hight when standing erect	1	.	1 3/4
length from nose to tale	2	.	1.
girth of body	1	.	2 3/4
length of tale		.	6 1/2
length of the year [ear]		.	5 1/2
width of do. do.		.	3 1/8
	.	F	1
from the extremity of the hip to the toe of the hind foot	1	.	3 1/2

the eye is large and prominent the sight is circular, deep sea green, and
occupyes one third of the width of the eye the remaining two thirds is
a ring of a bright yellowish silver colour. the years ar [e] placed at the
upper part of the head and very near to each other, the years are very
flexable, the anamall moves them with great ease and quickness and can
contra[c]t and foald them on his back or delate them at pleasure. the
front outer foald of the year is a redis [h] brown, the inner foalds or
those which ly together when the years are thrown back and w [h] ich
occupy two thirds of the width of the year is of a clear white colour
except one inch at the tip of the year which is black, the hinder foald is
of a light grey. the head back sholders and outer part of the thighs are
of a ledcoloured grey the sides as they aproache the belly grow lighter
becomeing greadually more white the belly and brest are white with a
shad [e] of lead colour. the furr is long and fine. the tale is white
round and blount[l]y pointed the furr on it is long and extreemly fine
and soft when it runs it carry's it's tale strait behind in the direction
of the body. the body is much smaller and more length than the
rabbit in proportion to it's height. the teeth are like those of the hair
or rabbit as is it's upper lip split. it's food is grass or herbs. it
resorts the open plains, is extreemly fleet and never burrows or takes
shelter in the ground when pursued, I measured the leaps of one
which I surprised in the plains on the 17th. Inst. and found them 21 feet
the ground was a little decending they apear to run with more ease
and to bound with greater agility than any anamall I ever saw. this
anamal is usually single seldom associating in any considerable numbers

Sept. 18th.

this day saw the first brant on their return from the north.

Sept. 17th.

one of the hunters killed a bird of the Corvus genus and order of the
pica [Pica pica hudsonica— Codes] & about the size of a jack-daw.
with a remarkable long tale. beautifully variagated. it[s] note is not
disagreeable though loud—it is twait-twait-twait, twait; twait, twait
twait twait.

         

	F		1
from tip to tip of wing	1	.	10
Do. beak to extremity of tale	1	.	8 1/2
of which the tale occupys		.	11
from extremity of middle toe to hip	5	.	5 1/2

it's head, beak, and neck are large for a bird of it's size; the beak is
black and of a convex and cultrated figure, the chops nearly equal, and
it's base large and beset with hairs. the eyes are black encircled with a
narrow ring of yellowish black it's head, neck, brest & back within
one inch of the tale are of a fine glossey black, as are also the short
f [e] athers of the under part of the wing, the thies and those about the
root of the tale. the belly is of a beatifull white which passes above
and arround the but of the wing, where the feathers being long reach to
a small white spot on the rump one inch in width. the wings have
nineteen feathers, of which the ten first have the longer side of their
plumage white in the midd[l]e of the feather and occupying unequal
lengths of the same from one to three inches, and forming when the
wing is sp[r]ead a kind [of] triangle, the upper and lower part of these
party coloured feathers on the under side of the wing being of dark
colour but not jut or shining black. the under side of the remaining
feathers of the wing are darker. the upper side of the wing, as well as
the short side of the plumage of the party-coloured feathers is of a dark
blackis [h] or bluish green sonetimes presenting as light orange yellow
or bluish tint as it happens to be presented to different exposures of
lig[h]t, the plumage of the tale consists of 12 feathers of equal
lengths by pair[s], those in the center are the longest, and the others on
each side deminishing about an inch each pair. the underside of the
feathers is a pale black, the upper side is a dark blueish green and
which like the outer part of the wings is changable as it reflects different
portions of light. towards the extremity of these feathers they become
of an orrange green, then shaded pass to a redish indigo blue, and again
at the extremity assume the predominant colour of changable green.
the tints of these feathers are very similar and equally beatiful and rich
as the tints of blue and green of the peacock. it is a most beatifull
bird. the legs and toes are black and imbricated. it has four long
toes, three in front and one in rear, each terminated with a black sharp
tallon of from 3/8ths to 1/2 an inch in length. these birds are seldom
found in parties of more than three or four and most usually at this
season single as the halks and other birds of prey usually are. it's
usual food is flesh. this bird dose not spread it's tail when it flys and
the motion of it's wings when flying is much like that of a Jay-bird.

The White turkey of the black hills from information of a french lad
who wintered with the Chien Indians About the size of the common
wild turkey. the plumage perfectly white this bird is booted as low
as the toes

October 16th.

This day took a small bird alive [Phalænoptilus nuttalli— Coues]
of the order of the [blank space in MS.] or goat suckers. it appeared
to be passing into the dormant state. on the morning of the 18th the
murcury was at 30 a. o. the bird could scarcely move. I run my
penknife into it's body under the wing and completely distroyed it's
lungs and heart yet it lived upwards of two hours this fanominon I
could not account for unless it proceeded from the want of circulation.
of the blo[o]d the recarees call this bird to'-na it's note is at-tah-to'-na'
at-tah'to'-na, to-nah, a nocturnal bird, sings only in the night as
dose the whipperwill. it's weight [is] 1 oz 17 Grains Troy

20th. October

Peter Crusat this day shot at a white bear he wounded him, but being
alarmed at the formidable appearance of the bear he left his tomahalk
and gun; but shortly after returned and found that the bear had taken
the oposite rout. soon after he shot a buffaloe cow broke her thy, the
cow pursued him he concealed himself in a small raviene.

May 1st. 1805.

Shannon killed a bird of the plover kind [avocet, Recurvirostra
americana— Coues]. the weight one pound. eye black percing and
prominent.[3]

MEASURE.

           

	F		Inches
from the tip of the toe to the extremity of the beak	1	.	10
from tip to tip of wing when extended	2	.	5.
length of beak	–	.	3 5/8
length of tale	–	.	3 1/8
length of leg and toe	–	.	10.

the legs are flat, of a pale skye blue colour and but slightly imbricated.
the second joint, as low as the mustle extends is covered with feathers
which is about half it's length. it has three toes on a foot connected by
a web. there is also a small toe on each foot placed about the eighth
of an inch up the leg behi[n]d. the nails are black and short and those
of the middle toes ar[e] singular—there being two nails on each the
one above the other the upper one the longest and sharpest. the tale
contains eleven feathers of the same length of a bluish white colour.
the body and under side of the wings except the large feathers of the 1
& 2ed. joints of the wings are white, as are also the feathers of the upper
part of the 4th joint of the wing. and some of those of the 3rd. adjoining.
the large feathers of the pinion or first & the second joint are
black; a part of the larger feathers of the third-joint on the upper side
and all the smaller feathers which cover the upper part of these joints
ar[e] 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
between them on the back. the head and neck are shaped much like
the grey plover, and is a light brick-dust brown. the beak is black and
flat, largest where it joins the head and from thence tapering every way
gradually to a very sharp point the upper beak being 1/8 of an inch the
longest turning down at the point. the nostrils are parallal with the
beak and are long narrow and connected. the beak is curvated and inverted;
the Curvature being upwards in stead of downwards as those
of most birds are the substance of the beak is as flexable as whalebone
and at a little distance precisely resembles that substance. their note is
like that of the common whistling or grey plover tho' reather louder,
and more varied, and their habits are the same with that bird so far as
I have been enabled to learn, with this difference however that this bird
sometimes lights in the water and swims. it generally feads about the
shallow bars of the river; to collect it's food, it immerces it's beak in
the water, and th [r] ows it's head and beak from side to side at every
step it takes.

May 9th 1805.

I killed four plover this evening of a different kind [Symphemia semi-palmata
—Coues] from any I have yet seen.[4] it resembles the grey or
whistling plover more than any other of this family of birds, tho' it is
much larger. it is about the size of the yellow leged plover common to
the U'States, and called the jack curloo by some. the legs are of a
greenish brown; the toes, three and one high at the heel unconnected
with a webb, the breast and belly of a brownish white; the head neck
upper part of the body and coverts of the wings are of a dove coloured
brown which when the bird is at rest is the predomanent colour. the
tale has 12 feathers of the same length of which the two in the center
are black with transverse bars of yellowish bron, the others are a brownish

white. the large feathers of the wings are white tiped with black.
the eyes are black with a small ring of dark yellowish brown the beak
is black 2 1/2 inches long, cilindrical, streight, and roundly or blountly
pointed. the notes of this bird are louder and more various than of any
other species which I have seen.

May 26th. 1805.

One of the party killed a bighorned [Ovis montana], the head and
horns of which weighed 27 lbs. a hare was also killed which weighed
8 1/2 lbs. the hare are now of a pale lead brown colour

Discription of the blue Crested corvus bird [Cyanocitta stelleri— Coues] common to the woody and western side of the Rockey mountains,
and all the woody country from thence to the Pacific Ocean It's
beak is black convex, cultrated, wide at its base where it is beset with
hairs, and is 1 1/4 inches from the opening of the chaps to their extremity,
and from the joining of the head to the extremity of the upper chap
1 1/8 inches, the upper exceeds the under chap a little; the nostrils are
small round unconnected and placed near the base of the beak where
they lye concealed by the hairs or hairy feathers which cover the base
of the upper chap. the eye reather large and full but not prominent
and of a deep blueish black, there being no difference in the colour of
the puple and the iris. the crest is very full the feathers from 1 to 1 1\2
Inches long and occupye the whole crown of the head. the head neck,
the whole of the body including the coverts of the wings, the upper disk
of the tail and wings are of a fine g [1] ossey bright indigo blue Colour
the under disk of the tail and wings are of a dark brown nearly black.
the leg and first joint of the thye are 4 1/4 In. long, the legs and feet are
black and the front covered with 6 scales the hinder part smothe, the
toes are also imbrecated, four in number long and armed with long
sharp black tallons. the upper disk of the first four or five feathers of
the wing next to the boddy, are marked with small transverse stripes of
black as are also the upper side of the two center feathers of the tail;
the tail is five inches long & is composed of twelve feathers of equal
length. the tail 1 & 1/2 as long as the boddy. the whole length from
the point of the beak to extremity of the tail 1 Foot 1 Inch; from the
tip of one to the tip of the other wing 1 Foot 5 1/2 Inches. the size &
the whole Contour of this bird resembles very much the blue jay or jay
bird as they are called in the U'States. like them also they seldom rest
in one place long but are in constant motion hoping from spra to spray.
what has been said is more immediately applicable to the male, the
colours of the female are somewhat different in her the head crest

neck half the back downwards and the coverts of the wings are of a
dark brown, but sometimes there is a little touch of the Indigo on the
short feathers on the head at the base of the upper chap. this bird
feeds on flesh when they can procure it, also on bugs flies and buries.
I do not know whether they distroy little birds but their tallons indicate
their capacity to do so if nature, has directed it. their note is
loud and frequently repeated châ′-â′ châ′-â′. &c. also twat twat twat,
very quick.

[The rest of Codex Q, consists of Clark's copies of Lewis's
notes.—Ed.]