Benjamin Smith Barton

“ The tail is very short, and the middle feather the longest: the others on each side shorten gradually, and are of the colour of the rest of the bird, only somewhat darker: the two shortest or outermost feathers arc perfectly white, which the bird has a faculty of flirting out on either side as quick as a flash of lightning, especially when he hears or sees any thing that disturbs him, uttering at the same instant an extreme harsh and loud shriek. ”

“ There is inhabiting the low shores and swamps of this river [1] , and the lakes of Florida, as well as Georgia, a very curious bird, called by an Indian name, (Ephouskyca [2] ,) which signifies in our language the Crying Bird. I cannot determine what genus of European birds to join it with. It is about the size of a large domestic hen. All the body, above and beneath, is of a dark lead colour, every feather edged or tipped with white, which makes the bird appear speckled on a near view: the eye is large, and placed high on the head, which is very prominent: the bill or beak is ”

“ There is no reason to believe that the Tantalus Ephouskyca has ever been seen in the United States, to the north of Georgia, or at least of the Carolinas. In page 293, Mr. Bartram mentions it as one of those birds which are natives of Carolina and Florida, and continue the year round in those countries. ”