or Ardama,** in antiquity, a vessel of water placed at the door of a person deceased, till the time of burial, as a token that the family was in mourning, and to serve to sprinkle and purify persons as they came out of the house.

**ARDASSES,** in commerce, the coarsest of all the silks of Persia; and as it were the refuse of each kind. In this sense, they say, the legs, the houset, the choufs, and the payas ardaifes, to signify the worst of those four sorts of Persian silks.

**ARDASSINES,** in commerce, called in France ablaques; a very fine sort of Persian silks, little inferior in fineness to the fourbatts, or rather cherbaffs, and yet it is little used in the silk manufactures of Lyons and Tours, because that kind of silk will not bear hot water in the winding.

**ARDEA,** in ornithology, a genus of the order of grallae. The general characters of this order are these: The bill is straight, sharp, long, and somewhat compressed, with a furrow that runs from the nostrils towards the point; the nostrils are linear; and the feet have four toes. Under this genus Linnaeus comprehends the grus or crane, the ciconia or stork, and the ardea or heron, of other authors. See plates LIV. LV.

1. The first species is the pavonia, or crowned crane, which has an erect bristly crest, with the temples and two wattles naked. The head is black; the crest is yellowish, and tipped with black at the top; the wings are white; and the feathers of the tail black, and of an equal length. It is a native of Africa, particularly the coast of Guinea, as far as cape Verd; at this last place they are said to be exceedingly tame, and will often come into the court-yards to feed with the poultry. These birds are often kept in our menageries, and, with shelter of nights, live a good while. Their chief food is supposed to be worms, and such other things as the heron tribe usually feed on; also vegetables of all kinds. It often sleeps on one leg; runs very fast; and is said not only to fly well, but to continue on the wing for a long time together. The flesh is said to be very tough.

2. The virgo, with a straight greenish bill and crimson irides. The crown of the head is ash-colour; the rest of the head, the upper part of the neck behind, and all the under parts, to the breast, black; the back, rump, and tail, and all the under part from the breast, are of a bluish ash-colour: behind each eye springs a tuft of long white feathers, which decline downwards, and hang in an elegant manner; the quills and tail are black at the ends; the legs black. This species is found in many parts of Africa and Asia, where they frequent marshes and the neighbourhood of rivers, as their food is fish, like most of the heron genus. It is frequently kept in menageries, being endowed with great gentleness of manners, added to its being an elegant bird. At various times puts itself into strange and uncouth attitudes, especially those which imitate dancing; and Keyser mentions one in the Great Duke's gallery, at Florence, which had been taught to dance to a certain tune, when played or sung to it. The name this bird is known by in the east is kurki, or querky. Sometimes it will breed in confinement: one is recorded to have lived 24 years at Versailles, where it had been bred.

3. The leucogeranos of Pallas, or Siberian crane of Pennant, is four and a half feet when standing erect. The bill is of a red colour; the irides are white; the plumage is white as snow, except the 10 first greater quills, with the coverts of them, which are black; the legs are long and red. This species inhabits the vast marshes and lakes in Siberia, especially those about the Icchim, and along the rivers Ob and Irtysh. It makes its nest among the reeds, seldom accessible by man, upon rising green grassy tufts, made up of herbs and grass heaped together; and lays two ash coloured eggs, spotted with brown. They are shy birds, and always upon their guard against an enemy; having a sentinel to warn them of an approach: on the least alarm they cry aloud, not unlike the swan, and fly off directly. The sportsman finds, in course, much difficulty in approaching them within gun-shot; for, as they stand near five feet high from the ground, they are enabled to spy him at a greater distance. Sometimes indeed he approaches them under cover of a stalking-horse, or other object; at other times a small dog will divert their attention, as they will without fear attack the dog, while his master gets within reach. In breeding time, however, they are more bold, as they will defend their young even against men, so as to make it dangerous to come near their haunts. The male and female are said to guard the nest by turns.

4. The grus, or common crane of English authors, has a naked papillous crown; the prime feathers of the wings are black; the body is ash-coloured; the prime feathers of the tail are ragged. This species is far spread, being met with in great flocks throughout northern Europe and Asia; in Sweden, Russia throughout, and Siberia as far as the river Anadyr, migrating even to the arctic circle. In Kamtschatka they are only seen on the southern promontory; are migratory, returning northward to breed in the spring, and generally choosing the same places which had been occupied by them the season before. In the winter they inhabit the warmer regions, such as Egypt, Aleppo, India, &c.; they are also met with at the Cape of Good Hope, changing place with the season. In their migrations they frequently fly so high as not to be visible; their passing only being known by the noise they make, which is louder than any other bird. In France they are seen in spring and autumn; but for the most part are mere passengers.—This species seems to have been formerly a native of Britain; as we find in Willoughby, page 52, that there was a penalty of twenty pence for destroying an egg of this bird; and Mr Ray informs us, that in his time they were found during the winter in large flocks in Lincolnthire and Cambridgshire: but at present the inhabitants of those counties are scarcely acquainted with them; so that these birds seem now to have forsaken our island. We are told that they make their nest in the marshes, and lay two bluish eggs. The young birds are thought very good food. They feed on reptiles of all kinds, and in turn on green corn; of which last they are said to make so great havoc, as to ruin the farmers wherever the flocks of these depredators alight.

5. The Americana, or hooping crane of Edwards, is a native of America. The crown of the head and temples are naked and papillose; the forehead, nape of the neck, and prime wing-feathers, are black; but the body is white: The under part of the head, as far as the lower chap, is red; the beak is yellowish, and jagged at the point; the feet are red, and the prime tail-feathers white. This is an American species, often seen at the mouths of the Savanna, Aratamaha, and other rivers near St Augustine: in spring going to the north to breed, like the common crane, and returning, like that bird, to the south in autumn. In the summer they are found in Hudson's Bay, at which place they arrive in May, and retire in September; and are chiefly met with in unfrequented places, in the neighbourhood of lakes, where they breed. The nest is made on the ground, composed of grass and feathers. They lay two white eggs, like those of the swan, and fit 20 days; the young are at first yellow, changing to white by degrees. These birds have a loud long note, which may be heard at a great distance; their food is chiefly worms and insects, which it searches for at the bottom of ponds. The natives of Hudson's Bay call this species Wapaw-acheebouk.

6. The argil, or hurgil, of Ives, is a very large species; from tip to tip of the wings measuring 14 feet 10 inches; and from the tip of the bill to the claws seven feet and a half: the bill is 16 inches round at the base, of different colours, and nearly of a triangular shape; the feathers of the back and wings are very strong, and of an iron colour; those of the breast long; over the belly a great deal of down, of a dirty white; the legs and half the thighs are naked; the naked parts full three feet in length.

This monster, as Ives terms it, inhabits Bengal, and is also found at Calcutta; at the last place called Hur-gill, or Argill. It majestically stalks along before one, and appears at first like a naked Indian. The common opinion is, that the souls of the Bramins possess these birds. On opening one of these, a terapin, or land tortoise, 10 inches long, was found in its craw, and a large male black cat was found entire in its stomach. In Sumatra there is said to be a great variety of the stork kind; some of a prodigious size, and otherwise curious; as the Boorong Cambing, and Booringoolar.

The same species seems to have been remarked by Mr Smeathman in Africa, while resident there; an adult of one of which will often measure seven feet when standing erect. He describes the plumage much the same as Mr Ives's bird; adding, that the gape is monstrously wide: the head is covered with white down, thinly dispersed, appearing not unlike a grey-headed man: on the middle of the neck before, a long, conic membrane, like a bladder, sprinkled very thinly with short down, rising or falling as the animal moves the beak, and always appearing inflated. These birds are met with in companies. When seen at a distance, near the mouths of rivers, coming towards an observer, which they do with the wings extended, they may well be taken for canoes, upon the surface of a smooth sea: when on the land-banks, for men and women picking up shell-fish or other things on the beach.

One of these, a young bird, about five feet in height, was brought up tame, and presented to the chief of the Bananas, where Mr Smeathman lived; and being accustomed to be fed in the great hall, soon became familiar; duly attending that place at dinner-time, and placing itself behind its master's chair, frequently before any of the guests entered. The servants were obliged to watch it narrowly, and to defend the provisions with switches in their hands; but notwithstanding this, it would frequently snatch off somewhat or other, and was known once to have purloined a whole boiled fowl, which it swallowed in an instant. Its courage is not equal to its voracity; for a child of eight or ten years old soon puts it to flight with a switch, though at first it seems to stand upon its defence, by threatening with its enormous bill widely extended, and crying out with a loud horrid voice like a bear or tyger. It is an enemy to small quadrupeds, as well as birds and reptiles, and destroys fowls and chickens, though it dare not attack a hen with her young openly: it preys also on rats, young kittens, and the like; and has been known to swallow a cat whole: a bone of a skin of beef being broken atunder, serves it but for two morsels. The individual above mentioned used to fly about the island, and roost very high among the silk-cotton trees; from whence, at two or three miles distance, it could spy the dinner carrying across the yard; when, darting from its station, it would enter promiscuously with the women who carried in the dishes. When sitting, it was observed to rest itself on the whole length of the hind part of the leg. It sometimes stood near, for half an hour after dinner, with the head turning alternately, as if listening to the conversation; and during this time would every three or four minutes void the excrements, which were liquid and whitish; and took care always to do this on his legs, by wheeling the back parts round over one or the other, and this regularly on different legs; for if he had mated on the left leg last, he would be sure to do the same on the right the next time, never making any mistake.

7. The ciconia, or white stork of Ray, has naked eye-balls, and black prime wing-feathers. The skin below low the feathers, as also the beak, feet, and claws, are of a blood colour. It is a native of Europe, Asia, and Africa; but is seldom or never to be met with in Italy. The ciconia feeds upon amphibious animals. It is such an enemy to serpents, that it is reckoned almost a crime to kill a stork. From this favourable treatment, they are seen in Holland and the Low Countries walking unconcerned in the middle of the streets. Storks are birds of passage; they spend the summer in Europe, and disappear all at once, and go off to Egypt, Ethiopia, &c., before winter, and do not return till about the middle of March.

8. The major, or common heron, has a black crest depending from the back part of the head, an ash-coloured body, and a black line and belt on the neck and breast. It is a native of Europe. This bird is remarkably light in proportion to its bulk, scarce weighing three pounds and an half: the length is three feet two inches; the breadth five feet four inches. The body is very small, and always lean; and the skin scarce thicker than what is called gold-beater's skin. It must be capable of bearing a long abstinence, as its food, which is fish and frogs, cannot be readily got at all times. It commits great devastation in our ponds; but being unprovided with webs to swim, nature has furnished it with very long legs to wade after its prey. It perches and builds in trees, and sometimes in high cliffs over the sea, commonly in company with others, like rocks. It makes its nest of sticks, lines it with wool, and lays five or fix large eggs of a pale green colour. During incubation, the male passes much of his time perched by the female. They desert their nests during the winter, excepting in February, when they return to repair them. It was formerly in this island a bird of game, heron-hawking being so favourite a diversion of our ancestors, that laws were enacted for the preservation of the species, and the person who destroyed their eggs was liable to a penalty of twenty shillings for each offence. Not to know the hawk from the heron-flaw was an old proverb*, taken originally from this diversion; but in course of time served to express great ignorance in any science. This bird was formerly much esteemed as a food; made a favourite dish at great tables, and was valued at the same rate as a pheasant. It is said to be very long-lived: by Mr Keyser's account it may exceed 60 years; and by a recent instance of one that was taken in Holland by a hawk belonging to the Stadtholder, its longevity is again confirmed, the bird having a silver plate fastened to one leg, with an inscription, importing it had been before struck by the elector of Cologne's hawks in 1735.—The cinerea of Linnaeus is the female of this species.

9. The garzetta, or egret, is crested behind; the body is white, the beak black, and the feet greenish. It is a most elegant bird. It weighs about one pound; and the length is 24 inches, to the end of the legs 32. It is a native of the east. But that formerly it was very frequent in Britain, appears by some of the old bills of fare: in the famous feast of Archbishop Neville, we find no less than a thousand alterations, egrets or egrittes, as it is differently spelt. Perhaps the esteem they were in as a delicacy during those days occasioned their extirpation in our islands; abroad they are still common, especially in the southern parts of Europe, where they appear in flocks. The seapullars and the crests were formerly much esteemed as ornaments for caps and head-pieces; so that aigrette and egret came to signify any ornament to a cap, though originally the word was derived from aigre, a cause de l'aigreur de fa voix.

10. The herodias or cristata maxima of Catsby, is crested behind, has a dusky-coloured back, reddish thighs, and the breast speckled with oblong black spots. It is four feet and a half when erect; the bill is about eight inches from the angle of the mouth to the end of it; and the crest is made up of long, narrow, brown feathers, the longest being five inches in length, which it can erect and let fall at pleasure. It is a native of Virginia, and feeds not only upon fish and frogs, but on lizards, etc., &c.

11. The sculloris, or bittern, has a smooth head; it is variegated through the whole body with dark-coloured spots of different figures and sizes. It is a native of Europe, and inhabits chiefly the fen-countries. It is met with skulking among the reeds and sedges; and its usual posture is with the head and neck erect, and the beak pointed directly upwards. It will suffer persons to come very near it without rising; and has been known to strike at boys and at sportmen, when wounded and unable to make its escape. It flies principally about the dusk of the evening, and then rises in a very singular manner, by a spiral ascent, till it is quite out of sight. It makes a very strange noise when it is among the reeds, and a different and very singular one as it rises on the wing in the night. It builds its nest with the leaves of water plants on some dry clump among the reeds, and lays five or six eggs of a cinereous green colour. This bird and the heron are very apt to strike at the fowler's eyes when only maimed. The food of the bittern is chiefly frogs; not that it rejects fish, for small trouts have been met with in their stomachs. In the reign of Henry VIII. it was held in much esteem at our tables, and valued at one shilling. Its flesh has much the flavour of a hare, and nothing of the fishiness of that of the heron.

12. The violacea, or crested bittern of Catsby, has a white crest; the body is variegated with black and white, and bluish below. These birds are seen in Carolina in the rainy seasons; but in the Bahama Islands, they breed in bullocks growing among the rocks in prodigious numbers, and are of great use to the inhabitants there; who, while these birds are young and unable to fly, employ themselves in taking them for the delicacy of their food. They are, in some of these rocky islands, so numerous, that in a few hours two men will load one of their calapatches, or little boats, taking them perching from off the rocks and bushes, they making no attempt to escape, though almost full grown. They are called by the Bahamians crab-catchers, crabs being what they mostly subsist on; yet they are well-taught, and free from any rank or fishy flavour.

There are 67 other species enumerated by ornithologists.

Ardea (anc. geog.), a town of Latium, the royal residence of Turnus' king of the Rutuli, (Livy); so called, either from the augury of the heron, (Hyginus); or from the excessive heat of the country, (Martial). It was a marshy, sickly situation, (Strabo, Seneca). It was built by Danaë, the mother of Perseus, (Virgil); ARD

Ardebil, (Virgil); about five miles distant from the sea, and 20 from Rome; now a hamlet. It was a Roman colony, (Livy); the inhabitants called Ardeates. E. Long. 17° 49'. Lat. 41° 30'.