Lewis: October 16, 1804
Lewis captured a small nocturnal bird of the goatsucker family, which appeared to be entering a dormant state. By the morning of October 18th, with the temperature at 30 degrees, the bird could barely move. Lewis stabbed it with his penknife, destroying its lungs and heart, yet it lived for over two hours, a phenomenon he speculated might result from poor blood circulation. The Arikara called the bird 'to-nah,' noting it sings only at night like a whippoorwill. It weighed one ounce and seventeen grains troy.
October 16th This day took a small bird alive of the order of the ____ or
goat suckers. it appeared to be passing into the dormant state. on the
morning of the 18th the murcury was at 30 above 0. the bird could scarcely
move.I run my penknife into it’s body under the wing and completely
distroyed it’s lungs and heartyet it lived upwards of two hours
this fanominon I could not account for unless it proceeded from the want
of circulation of the blood.the recarees call this bird to’-na it’s
note is at-tah-to’-nah’; at-tah’to’-nah’; to-nah, a nocturnal bird, sings
only in the night as does the whipperwill.it’s weights oz 17 Grains
Troy
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
October 16th. This day I took alive a small bird of the order of the ____, or goatsuckers. It appeared to be passing into a dormant state. On the morning of the 18th the mercury was at 30 above 0. The bird could scarcely move. I ran my penknife into its body under the wing and completely destroyed its lungs and heart, yet it lived upwards of two hours. This phenomenon I could not account for, unless it proceeded from the want of circulation of the blood.
The Arikaras (recarees) call this bird to'-na. Its note is at-tah-to'-nah'; at-tah'-to'-nah'; to-nah. It is a nocturnal bird, and sings only in the night, as does the whippoorwill. Its weight is 1 ounce, 17 grains Troy.
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