INTRODUCTION.

THE term Ornithology is derived from the Greek ὄρνις, a bird, and νοστεῖς, disfourse, and denotes that part of Zoology which treats of birds.

Birds are two-footed animals, covered with feathers, and furnished with wings. Like quadrupeds and the cetaceous tribe, they have warm blood, a heart with two ventricles, and two auricles, and lungs for the purpose of respiration; but they are distinguished from both by their feet, feathers, wings, and horny bill, as well as by the circumstance of their females being oviparous.

The elegant and beautiful colouring of many of the feathered race, the graceful ease of their flight, their various music, their tender solicitude for their offspring, their engaging instincts, their susceptibility of domestication, and their subservience to the sustenance of man, have, in all ages, contributed to interest the latter in the study of their history.

Of the naturalists, however, whose writings have descended to us from antiquity, Aristotle and Pliny are the only two who appear to have entered into any details on a subject so inviting and important. Though the former composed no particular treatise on birds, he brings them under review in different parts of his History of Animals. In the third chapter of the eighth book, for example, he enumerates the different sorts of nourishment adapted to different species, and their various modes of feeding. The ninth book contains his very imperfect nomenclature, his remarks on the diversified modes of nidification, and some valuable observations on the family of eagles. His notion of the organization and habits of birds are interperfed in the body of the work, and introduced in the way of comparative reference to the structure and manners of other animals. Pliny's enumeration of the feathered species, is extended over most part of his tenth book, but is deficient of precise description, and encumbered with absurdity and fable.

Of the numerous ornithologists of more modern date, some have chiefly directed their labours to method and classification, others have been more solicitous to describe and delineate; some have treated of the whole class, others of particular portions of it; while, lastly, some have been contented to define and describe, and others have illustrated and enhanced their text by more or less accurate designs from living or prepared specimens. This combination of the pen and the pencil, which has so eminently contributed, in our day, to the acquisition and diffusion of knowledge, seems to have been unknown to the ancients.

Although the unavoidable limitation of our plan precludes a minute and critical report of the works to which we have just alluded, we shall briefly advert to a few of the most conspicuous. Among the first who excited, on the continent, a taste for the study of ornithology, and for a methodical distribution of that portion of science, we may mention Belon. Aware that nature Belon is most successfully contemplated in her own works, he travelled from the laudable desire of collecting information, and communicated to the world the results of his enquiries. His History of Birds, a thin folio volume, divided into seven books, or parts, and illustrated by wooden cuts, was published at Paris, in 1555. His principle of classification being chiefly founded on the circumstances of habitation and food, and only occasionally on external forms and characters, is obviously very defective; his descriptions, though tolerably accurate, are, for the most part, too concise; and many of his plates are very inadequate representations of their originals. It must, at the same time, be allowed, that he frequently suggests judicious views of his subject; that he notes with ingenuity, the points of resemblance between the human skeleton and that of birds; that he has penned several passages which may still be perused with interest and instruction; that the naïveté of his manner is always pleasing, and that when we reflect on the period in which he flourished, he is entitled to no ordinary praise.

The celebrated Conrad Gesner, physician and professor at Zurich, and contemporary with Belon, has devoted the third volume of his History of Animals to the department of ornithology. It is an erudite, but ponderous tome, exhibiting alphabetical tables of the names of birds, in Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabic, Greek, Latin, and most of the spoken languages of Europe. His descriptions are compiled abridgements; but his references, at the close of each article, are very numerous; for if any author of his acquaintance happen to mention a bird, his name and the passage are duly commemorated. Gesner's arrangement differs in no respect from that of any common dictionary; and few of his engravings are executed with correctness. The curious reader will probably be gratified with the perusal of his account of the art of rearing birds for falconry, the diseases to which they are liable, and the remedies which the learned doctor prescribes.

The same topics are discussed by Aldrovandus, a physician of Bologna, who availing himself of the writings of the two preceding naturalists, added to their indigested stores, and compiled three folios, divided into 20 books, and illustrated by wooden plates. His catalogue, however, scarcely comprises any birds but such as are natives of Europe, and by no means all even of these. He too implicitly adopts the vague distinctions of Belon; and on various occasions, not only copies Aristotle with fertility, but overlays his borrowed materials with a mass of dark commentary. The motley complexion of the whole production, in fact, betrays the desire of accumulation rather than the exercise of taste and judgement.

Johnston, who published in 1657 a folio volume of 160 pages, did little else than greatly condense the heavy complements of Gesner and Aldrovandus. He divides the whole class into land and water birds, and deduces his subordinate divisions from the nature of their aliments. aliments. His descriptions are generally correct, but scanty; and even his figures, though traced with more character than those of his predecessors, bespeak a parsimony of engraving.

The next writer of eminence in this department, who merits particular quotation, is Francis Willoughby, Esq. an English gentleman, who laid the foundation of a more accurate arrangement. His work, which appeared in 1676, was revised and edited by his friend the celebrated Ray. It is divided into three books, of which the first is allotted to general views of the subject, and an explanation of the author's method. The first chapter treats of the form and external structure of birds, the second of their organization and internal structure. The sixth includes 24 queries, the answers to which, if founded on fact, would greatly contribute to the advancement of ornithology. Mr Willoughby formally recognizes the grand division of terrestrial and aquatic, comprising under the former those who live at a distance from water, and under the second, those which live on the margin or surface of that element. He then institutes his leading distinctions from the form of the bill and feet, and would doubtless have accomplished a more complete arrangement, had he uniformly adhered to the same principle; but in compliance with the prejudices of his time, he assumes the different kinds of food, the varieties of size, the nature of the flesh, and even moral qualities, as the grounds of subdivisions. At all events, however, he has the credit of having opened a career, which others have successfully pursued. His second and third books contain the description and history of the species, distributed according to the rules laid down in the first. To the exposition of each genus are prefixed two chapters of general observations; the first including the vague or fabulous accounts of the ancients, and the second such common properties as appertain to the genus. The author then proceeds to the specific details, stating the most important particulars with precision and neatness, and concluding with an account of peculiar habits.

Ray, in his Synopsis Avium, follows, with a few exceptions, the method of his friend, referring at the same time to the tail feathers, and some parts of the internal conformation. The latter, we need scarcely remark, cannot with any propriety be adopted as generic or specific characters.

The new method of classing birds proposed by Monsieur Barrere in 1745, implies either a total ignorance or blameable neglect of the writings of Willoughby and Ray. As its only tendency was to confound and perplex, we forbear noticing its details. Suffice it to remark, that it includes the peacock and man-of-war bird in the same family, and ranks the yellow hammer between the bustard and the ostrich. In his Essay on the Natural History of Guiana, the same author enumerates the birds in alphabetical order; but his catalogue has been more than doubled by subsequent travellers.

Jacob Theodore Klein, member of several learned academies, published at Lubeck in 1750 a quarto volume, entitled, Historiae Avium Prodromus, cum praefatione de ordine animalium in genere. In this work he divides birds into families, orders, and tribes. His eight families are distinguished by the conformation of the feet, his orders by the form of the bill, and his tribes, sometimes by the form and proportions of the head, sometimes by accidental differences of the bill, and sometimes by the author's own fanciful ideas. From too great an anxiety to simplify, this naturalist is generally too brief, and adds to his obscurity by an affectation of learned phraseology.

This last-mentioned quality likewise disfigures the scientific catalogue of Mahring, physician to the prince of Anhalt, which appeared in 1752. His classes, orders, and genera, are founded on the formation of the feet and bill; and his descriptions of birds examined by himself, are usually accurate; but he is often misled by the errors of others, and the method which he proposes is complex and inconvenient.

In this summary of celebrated systematic ornithology, we may assign to Linnaeus the date of 1766, when he published the 12th edition of his Systema Naturae. In so far as that astonishing body of arrangement respects the feathered tribes, it certainly manifests at once the extent and minuteness of the author's discriminating powers. As the same nomenclature and divisions are still the most familiar to British naturalists, we purpose to be chiefly regulated by them in the sequel, and consequently shall, for the present, wave any explanation of the Linnean arrangement.

M. Salerne physician at Orleans, left behind him a salerne MS. treatise on Ornithology, which was published by his friends in 1767. His method is that of Ray. The historical part is from the pen of Salerne himself; but the body of the text is a promiscuous and clumsy compilation. The typography is executed with neatness and elegance, and the plates, which are 31 in number, are engraved with uncommon skill; though the larger birds are for the most part represented on too small a scale.

M. Briffon of the Royal Academy of Sciences, published, in 1769, A System of Ornithology, in Latin and French, in fix quarto volumes. He distributes birds into 26 orders, instituted from the form of the feet, bill, &c. 115 genera, which are determined by the peculiarities of the bill or mandibles, and about 1300 species. Each article is preceded by a numerous and accurate list of references and figures; many species, till then undescribed, are particularized; and the work is illustrated by upwards of 220 excellent engravings. The principal merit of Briffon's plan consists in the adoption of external and permanent characters, which enable the student to assign the name and station of a bird which he sees for the first time. The descriptions are equally accurate with those of Willoughby, and more copious. Though not exempt from errors and defects, this work still holds a respectable rank in the library of the ornithologist.

The Natural History of Birds, by the Comte de Buffon and his learned associates, is too generally known to require our analysis or criticism. Its great defect is want of scientific arrangement, a want which is scarcely redeemed even by the popular, luminous, and elegant style of the descriptions, combined with the highly finished execution of the coloured plates. With the exception, however, to which we have just alluded, we feel no hesitation in adopting the language of the English translator. "The history of birds possesses every quality that could recommend it to the public: it exhibits a clear and comprehensive view of the knowledge acquired in ornithology, scattered through a multiplicity of volumes, and in various languages, it discusses and elucidates with critical accuracy, the numerous controverted points; it reduces the whole to simplicity, order, and elegance; and, by large additions of valuable matter, it greatly extends the bounds of the science."—"M. de Buffon was not to be deterred by the difficulty and extent of the undertaking. The correspondents of the king's cabinet continued to transmit numerous communications, and specimens from all parts of the world. Above eighty artists were, under the direction of the younger M. Daubenton, employed five years in the drawing, engraving, and colouring, of upwards of a thousand birds. But the commencement of the work which these were intended to illustrate was delayed two years, by reason of a severe and tedious indisposition, which during that space afflicted the excellent naturalist. And after he had recovered his health, he reflected that at his advanced period of life he could not reasonably expect to be able to accomplish the history of birds, and also that of minerals, in which he had already made some advances. He judged it expedient therefore to have recourse to the assistance of his friends; and he was peculiarly fortunate in the choice of the learned and eloquent M. Gueneau de Montbeillard, who cheerfully undertook the laborious task, and composed the greatest part of the two first volumes of the History of Birds, which appeared in 1771, under the name however of M. de Buffon. In his complexion of thought and mode of expression, M. de Montbeillard followed so closely his illustrious associate, that the public could not perceive any change. It was now proper to throw off the mask; and in the publication of the four subsequent volumes, each author prefixed his name to his own articles. The third volume was nearly printed when new assistance was received from the communications of James Bruce, Esq. of Kinnaird. That accomplished and adventurous traveller, in his return from Abyssinia, passed some days with M. de Buffon at Paris. The count was filled with admiration on seeing the numerous and elegant drawings which Mr Bruce had made of natural objects; and on several occasions he mentions the explorer of the source of the Nile in terms the most flattering and respectful. After the publication of the fifth volume in 1781, M. de Montbeillard was desirous of devoting the whole of his leisure in composing the History of Insects, which had become his favourite study. The three remaining volumes were therefore written by M. de Buffon himself; though he acknowledges that the Abbé Bexon had collected the nomenclature, formed most of the descriptions, and communicated several important hints. The work was completed in 1783; and as only a few copies of the illuminated plates were on sale, and these extremely costly, a small set of engravings were made, to accommodate ordinary purchasers."

Sonnini's recent edition of Buffon's Natural History contains many valuable additions; and forms, perhaps, one of the most complete works of the kind that has yet appeared. In the department of ornithology, it presents us with descriptions and figures of every bird to which the editors could have access, either in the living, or preserved state, or of which they could be favoured with drawings.

Mauduyt's Dictionary of Ornithology, which makes part of the Encyclopédie Méthodique, deserves to be particularly quoted, on account of the preliminary discourse, the accuracy of the descriptions and references, and the correct execution of the plates. The whole forms an excellent collection of the most important particulars which lay within the author's reach; and we have occasionally availed ourselves of his labours in the completion of the present article.

A series of splendid plates was executed at Florence, Gerini, in illustration of Gerini's Ornithology; but they betray, in general, a disregard of nature, and are, in many instances, merely copied from imperfect drawings or inaccurate engravings. Gerini's nomenclature is, likewise, very faulty, and too frequently confounds species and varieties.

In 1773, the ingenious and indefatigable Mr Pennant published a small volume, entitled, Genera of Birds. In his preface, he enters into a minute account of the external parts of birds, their feathers, flight, nidification, &c. In his selection of systematic arrangement, he gives the preference to that of Ray, whose plan appears to him to be so judicious, that it is scarcely possible to make any change in it for the better. At the same time, he admits, that later discoveries had made a few improvements on his labours. "My candid friend, Linnaeus," adds Mr Pennant, "will not take it amiss, that I in part, neglect his example; for I permit the land-fowl to follow one another, undivided by the water-fowl with pinnated feet, placing them between the waders or cloven-footed water-fowl, and the web-footed. The ostrich, and land-birds with wings useless for flight, I place as a distinct order. The trumpeters (Plophia Linnei) and the bustards, I place at the end of the gallinaceous tribe. All are land-birds. The first multiparous, like the generality of the gallinaceous tribe; the last granivorous, swift runners, avoiders of wet places; and both have bills somewhat arched. It must be confessed, that both have legs naked above the knees, and the last, like the waders, lay but few eggs. They seem ambiguous birds, that have affinity with each order; and it is hoped, that each naturalist may be indulged the toleration of placing them as suits his own opinion." Mr Pennant's grand divisions, then, are into land birds and water-fowl. The first he distributes into the fix following orders. 1. Rapacious, 2. Pies, 3. Gallinaceous, 4. Columbine, 5. Puffeine, and 6. Struthious. The second comprehends, 7. Cloven footed, or Waders, 8. those with Pinnated feet, and 9. the Web-footed.

In 1781, Dr Latham commenced his General Synopsis of Birds, a work of much accurate detail, and extending to three double quarto volumes, with two of supplement. Admitting the primary division of Ray, he adheres, with a few exceptions, to the Linnaean genera, which, as well as the species, his opportunities of research enabled him to multiply to a very considerable amount. Each genus is illustrated by one coloured copperplate at least, usually of some rare species. Of these plates, however, the execution is sometimes coarse or meagre; and candour will not permit us to compliment the author on the purity or correctness of his style. His volumes, nevertheless, constitute a precious repository of descriptions and facts, and must always hold a distinguished place in the library of the ornithologist. Dr Latham is likewise the author of an Index Ornithologicus, which forms a convenient compend of his larger work, being comprised in two quarto volumes. About two years ago, Sebastian Gérardin de Mirecourt published an "Elementary View of Ornithology, or the Natural History of those Birds which usually occur in France," &c. This gentleman appears to have been born and bred in the department of the Vôges, in which he discharged the duties of professor of natural history, and which is known to contain a greater diversity of the feathered race than almost any province in Europe. His preliminary discourse explains the general topics of ornithology in language at once succint and perspicuous. The five chapters of which it consists were submitted to the revision of the estimable Daudin, whose premature death his friends and science will long deplore. The arrangement of the work, which is limited to two octavo volumes, and a thin quarto volume of plates, has been chiefly regulated by that of Cuvier, in his Sketch of the Natural History of Animals; but M. Gérardin has ventured to introduce a few occasional alterations, which were suggested in the course of his teaching in the central school, and which he conceived would facilitate the progress of his pupils. His synonymy is that of Linnaeus and Brisson; and his descriptions are generally minute, distinct, and accurate. On the whole, however, the reader is entitled to expect more copious information relative to the manners and habits of many of the species, than will be found in these results of thirty years application to the subject, combined with many favourable opportunities. We have also remarked a want of uniformity and precision in some of the author's statements. The engravings are chiefly valuable on account of the correctness of their outlines.

Of the numerous writers who have treated of the birds of particular countries, we may observe, that Hernandez, a Spanish physician, has described those of Mexico. His work consists of 229 chapters, each of which, generally, treats of a single species. As they are, however, designed only by their Mexican names, and described with too much brevity, their precise stations in the Linnean arrangement are with difficulty ascertained. Similar objections apply to the work of Nieremberg, who has described the birds of the same country. From both we may infer, that the feathered tribes in Mexico are numerous, and diversified with the most brilliant colouring; and that the natives had made considerable progress in the study of their history.

Brazil presents a still more rich and splendid field to the researches of the ornithologist; but Marcgrave, who professes to delineate its natural history, and allotts his fifth book to the birds, is not less defective than the two writers whom we have just mentioned. His plates are not only wretchedly executed; but frequently do not correspond with the descriptions.

Sir Hans Sloane, in his History of Jamaica, has represented 44 species of birds, in 18 plates, annexed to the second volume; but it is seldom that the reader can rely on the accuracy of his delineations.

To Mr Catesby of the Royal Society, we are indebted for an excellent account of the birds of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama islands, in two volumes imperial folio, in French and English. The first volume, and part of the appendix in the second, are devoted to the birds. The descriptions are concise and perspicuous, and accompanied with some interesting notices relative to the manners and habits of the species described. The plates, which are numerous, are generally faithful representations of the originals, and admirably well coloured. The method followed in these splendid volumes, approaches somewhat to that of Willoughby.

Schwenckfeld a physician, who published in 1603 a schwenckfeld natural history of Siberia, in two quarto volumes, includes the birds in his fourth book. His enumeration and description of the parts which belong to birds in common with other animals, and of the appropriate parts of the organization of the former, are neat and accurate. His differences, founded on habitation, food, &c. are less valuable. The introduction is followed by the enumeration of birds, in alphabetical order, according to their Latin names. The descriptions, though accurate, are, for the most part, too short; and though adequate to recall a bird already known, are not sufficient to convey a precise notion of those which are described for the first time. The historical portion is too much condensed; and with facts which are calculated to excite interest, the author often blends such as are superfluous, or improbable.

M. Brunnich published in 1764, an account of the birds of Denmark, and the neighbouring islands and provinces. In most instances he follows the Linnean nomenclature, and sometimes the synonymy of Brisson. He chiefly dwells on the rare and non-descript species, but even then seldom enters sufficiently into detail, to enable the student to ascertain the species in question.

M. Sonnerat, corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, published, in 1776, an account of his voyage to New Guinea, the Molucca and Philippine islands, the isle of France, and some other islands, in the Indian ocean; and in 1783, he favoured the world with a relation of his second voyage, to several parts of the East Indies and China. Though this zealous and learned naturalist was prevented by want of time, from forming very extensive collections, his descriptions and designs manifest both accuracy and taste. Besides correcting the errors of former travellers and voyagers, he has noticed a considerable number of birds for the first time, and most of them remarkable either for their singularity or beauty. His account of the wild cock and hen, the origin of our common domestic fowl, will be perused with peculiar interest.

The splendid work of Frisch, a German naturalist, Frisch, chiefly consists of coloured plates of the birds of Europe, arranged in 12 classes according to distinctions which are sometimes vague and incommodious. The figures are, for the most part, accurate and lively representations from nature, though, in some instances, they are larger than the life. The author has bestowed particular attention on the different colourings of the two sexes of the same species.

M. le Vaillant, author of a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, and of the natural history of the birds of Africa, is eminently distinguished by the ardour and acuteness with which he has prosecuted his ornithological researches, and has availed himself with laudable diligence of his rare opportunities of collecting accurate details relative to every species which he undertakes to illustrate. His natural history of the birds of paradise, rollers, promeropes, toucans, and barbets, is perhaps the most highly finished and sumptuous publication that has appeared in any of the departments of ornithology. The figures, about one hundred in number, are engraved by Pérez, from the drawings of Barraband, coloured by Langlois, Langlois, and retouched by the pencil of the original designer; while the elder Didot has executed the typography, in his best style, on vellum paper. Each figure is as large as life, and is usually drawn from a specimen in the highest state of preservation; and in many cases, an exact representation of the female bird has also been obtained. Though the pre-eminent merit of the work consists in the figures and descriptions, it is in a few instances agreeably diversified by traits of character, which the author remarked in the living bird, and by some interesting hints of a more general complexion, which his accurate and extensive observation enabled him to collect. We cannot, however, refrain from expressing a wish, that he had been more liberal of his synonyms and references, and that he had treated systematic writers with a little more respect. We should not forget, that methodical nomenclature, though the result of art, and liable to many errors, is entitled at least to subordinate regard, and as an unspeakable aid to the memory. Even if we should concede to our innovating author the propriety of those more fanciful arrangements to which he manifests a predilection, it would still admit of doubt, whether, on the whole, they would more accord with gradations unequivocally indicated by nature. Are we certain that, amid her countless productions, nature recognizes a single line of demarcation? or, that the study of ornithology would be essentially promoted by classing the finlet with the jays, or every individual furnished with parade feathers among birds of paradise?

The natural history of tanagers, todies, and manakins by Anfeline Gaëtan Desmarest, with coloured engravings, from drawings by Paulina de Courcelles, pupil of Barraband, is another of those recent and splendid productions of the Parisian press, which reflect so much honour on the zeal, industry, and taste of the French naturalists. The paper, type, and figures, all bespeak the excellence of the respective artists who have produced them, as well as the love of chaste and elegant embellishment which has presided over the undertaking. The ornamental style of the work, however, is not its sole palliative to our favourable notice. The exposition of the three genera mentioned in the title, is a subject which calls for much critical research and laborious investigation. M. Desmarest, without presuming to extricate the whole nomenclature, lays down many important distinctions, and proceeds with circumspection, so far as his opportunities have enabled him to advance. "Before we enter," says he, "on the details of the species, it may be proper to mention, that we shall limit our descriptions to those which we have seen, and of which we have been enabled to exhibit figures. We shall, moreover, endeavour to analyse, and, if possible, to unravel the references of authors. Should success thus far attend us, we conceive that we shall have duly performed the part of zealous naturalists." Besides descriptions and plates of the male, the author has also, not unfrequently, represented the female, or young of the same species, or an individual as it appears in the moulting state. His pages will afford least entertainment to those, who delight to observe the instincts and economy of the feathered race; and who shrink from the minute adjustment of classification and synonymy. It ought, however, to be remembered that few authentic facts have been collected relative to the history of these foreign birds; and that though future travellers may increase the scanty stock of interesting notices, the exertions of the present author may not a little contribute to systematize and facilitate their observations.

The Natural History of Birds, by George Edwards, Edwards. in four quarto volumes, without any reference to country or method, contains many excellent coloured designs and correct descriptions; and the same remark applies to his Gleanings of Natural History, the most considerable portion of which relates to birds.

Several of his countrymen have expounded or delineated the birds of our own island with more or less felicity of manner. The ornithological part of Pennant's British Zoology, Hayes's Natural History of British Birds, with their portraits accurately drawn, and beautifully coloured from nature; Lord's Natural History of British Birds, Lewin's Birds of Great Britain, with their eggs, in three volumes quarto, Walcott's Synopsis of British Birds, two volumes 4to, Bewick's History of British Birds, with figures engraved on wood, &c. &c. are all entitled to critical notice; but the limitation of our plan forbids us to dwell on them. We shall, therefore, close this portion of our introduction by pointing to a work which seems not yet to have procured its due share of the public favour; we mean the Ornithological Montagu Dictionary, or Alphabetical Synopsis of British Birds, by George Montagu, F. L. S. &c. in two small octavo volumes. We are acquainted with few publications of the kind that contain a larger quantity of accurate and important information within such a narrow compass. As a book of reference and consultation, it is well calculated to suit the occasions of ordinary readers, and even to convey instruction to the learned student. The synopses and specific descriptions evince much diligence and accuracy; and various articles are enriched by the result of personal observation and extensive travel. Sufficiently aware of the fallible indications of plumage, the writer is more solicitous to reduce than to multiply distinctions; and in doubtful cases, has sometimes had recourse to the unequivocal test of diet. A few of the articles, however, are dismissed with too much brevity, and the style is very deficient in polish and correctness.

If any of our readers are desirous of procuring a more complete catalogue of works published on ornithology prior to the year 1760, they will find it in Gronovius's Bibliotheca regni animalis aique lapidei, ac recensu auctorum et librorum qui de regno animali et lapideo, methodice, physice, &c. tractant.

The structure of the feathered tribes, and their habits of life, are wonderfully adapted to the various functions which they are destined to perform. The pointed beak, the long and pliant neck, the gently swelling shoulder, the expansive wings, the tapering tail, conformable light and bony feet, are all wisely calculated to assist and accelerate their motion through the yielding air. Every part of their frame is formed for lightness and buoyancy; their bodies are covered with a soft and delicate plumage, so disposed as to protect them from the intense cold of the atmosphere through which they pass; their wings are made of the lightest materials, and yet the force with which they strike the air is so great, as to impel their bodies forward with astonishing rapidity, while the tail serves the purpose of a rudder to direct them to the different objects of their pursuit. The internal structure of birds is no less wisely adapted to the same same purposes; all the bones are light and thin, and all the muscles, except those which are appropriated to the movements of the wings, are extremely light and delicate. The lungs are placed close to the backbone and ribs. The air, entering into them by a communication from the windpipe, passes through, and is conveyed into a number of membranous cells which lie on the sides of the pericardium, and communicate with those of the sternum. In some birds, these cells are continued down the wings, and extended even to the pinions, thigh bones, and other parts of the body, which can be filled and distended with air at the pleasure of the animal. The feathers, too, and particularly those of the wings, contain a great quantity of air. The almost universal diffusion of this fluid in the bodies of birds is of infinite use to them, not only in their long and laborious flights, but likewise in preventing their respiration from being stopped or interrupted by the rapidity of their motion through a resisting medium. Were it possible for man to move with the swiftness of a swallow, the actual resistance of the air, as he is not provided with internal reservoirs similar to those of birds, would soon suffocate him.

Birds, like quadrupeds, may be divided into granivorous and carnivorous. The former are furnished with larger intestines than those of the latter. Their food, which consists of grain of various sorts, is conveyed entirely into the first stomach, or craw, where it undergoes a partial dilution by a liquor secreted from the glands, and spread over its surface. It is then received into another species of stomach, where it is farther diluted, after which it is transmuted into the gizzard, or true stomach, consisting of two very strong muscles, externally covered with a tendinous substance, and lined with a thick membrane of prodigious power and strength, in which organ the food is completely triturated, and prepared for the operation of the gastric juices. In order to ascertain the strength of these stomachs, Spallanzani had recourse to a great variety of ingenious experiments. Tin tubes, full of grain, were forced into the stomachs of turkeys, and, after remaining 20 hours, were found to be broken, compressed, and distorted in the most irregular manner. In the space of 24 hours, the stomach of a cock broke off the angles of a piece of rough jagged glass, though, on examining the gizzard, no wound or laceration appeared. In a ball of lead, were fixed 12 strong needles, with the points projecting about a quarter of an inch from the surface. Thus armed, the ball was covered with a case of paper, and forced down the throat of a turkey. The bird retained it a day and a half without manifesting any symptoms of uneasiness, and the points of all the needles were broken off close to the surface of the ball, except two or three, of which the stumps projected a little. The same interesting observer relates, that he fixed 12 small and very sharp lancets, in a similar ball of lead, which was given in the same manner to a turkey cock, and left eight hours in the stomach, at the expiration of which the organ was opened; but nothing appeared except the naked ball, the lancets having been broken to pieces, and the stomach remaining sound and entire. Hence we may infer, that the stones so often found in the stomachs of many of the feathered tribes, may powerfully contribute to the combination of grain and other hard substances which constitute their food.

Granivorous birds partake much of the nature and disposition of herbivorous quadrupeds, agreeing with them in the number of their stomachs, the comparative length and capacity of their intestines, the quality of their food, and the gentleness of their manners. Contented with the seeds of plants, with fruits, insects, and worms, their principal attention is directed to procuring food, hatching and rearing their offspring, and eluding the fates of men, and the attacks of predaceous animals. As they are generally tractable and easily domesticated, man has selected for his own advantage those which are most prolific and profitable. Of these the hen, goose, turkey, and duck, are the most considerable, and form a valuable store of rich, wholesome, and nutritious food.

Carnivorous birds are provided with wings of great length, the muscles which move them being proportionally large and strong, so that they are enabled to keep long on the wing, in search of their prey. They are, besides, armed with strong hooked bills, and sharp and formidable claws. They have large heads, short necks, strong and brawny thighs, and a sight so acute and piercing, as to enable them to view their prey from the greatest heights in the air, and to dart down on it with incredible swiftness and undeviating aim. Their stomachs are smaller than those of the granivorous kinds, and their intestines are much shorter. The analogy between carnivorous birds and quadrupeds, is too obvious to escape the notice of even the superficial observer. Both of them are provided with weapons which indicate destruction and rapine, their manners are fierce and uncivil, and they seldom congregate, like the inoffensive granivorous tribes; but, when not on the wing, retire to the tops of sequestered rocks, or to the depths of extensive forests, where they conceal themselves in full and gloomy solitude. Such of them as feed on carrion, have the sense of smelling so acute, that they can scent carcases at astonishing distances.

Without the means of conveying themselves with great swiftness from one place to another, birds could not easily subsist, the food which nature has provided for them being so irregularly distributed, that they are obliged to take long journeys to distant parts in order to procure the necessary supplies. Hence one cause of those migrations which are so peculiar to the feathered race. Besides the want of food, however, two other causes may be assigned, namely, the want of a proper temperature of air, and of a convenient situation for the important work of breeding and rearing their young. Such birds as migrate to great distances, are alone denominated birds of passage; but most species are more or less so, although they do not move to places remote from their former habitations. At particular periods of the year, most birds remove from one country to another, or from the more inland districts towards the shores, or vice versa. The seasons of these migrations are observed with the most astonishing order and punctuality; but the fecocity with which immense flocks take their departure, and the suddenness with which they reappear, are not easily explained. We are also apt to suppose, that, during long flights over immense tracts of water, the means of subsistence would inevitably fail, without reflecting on the superior velocity with which birds are carried forward in the air, and the ease with which they continue their exertions for a much longer longer time than can be done by the strongest quadruped. Our swiftest horses are supposed to go at the rate of a mile in somewhat less than two minutes; and there is one instance on record of a horse that went at the rate of nearly a mile in one minute, but only for one second of time. In such cases an uncommon degree of exertion has been attended with its usual consequences, debility, and a total want of power to continue that exertion; but the motions of birds are not impeded by similar causes, and they not only glide through the air with a quickness superior to that of the swiftest quadrupeds, but can continue on the wing with equal speed for a considerable length of time. Now, if we can suppose a bird to go at the rate of only half a mile in a minute, for the space of 24 hours, it will, in that time, have gone over an extent of more than 700 miles; which is sufficient to account for almost the longest migration; and, if aided by a favourable current of air, there is reason to believe, that it will perform the same journey in a much shorter space of time.

The wings of birds are so constructed, that, in striking downwards, they expand very considerably, and, except that they are somewhat hollow on the under side, they form, in this act, almost two planes. The muscles that move the wings downwards are very large, and have been estimated, in some instances, at not less than the sixth part of the weight of the whole body. When a bird is on the ground, and intends to fly, it takes a leap, stretches its wings from the body, and strikes them downwards with great force. By this stroke, they are put into an oblique direction, partly upwards, and partly horizontally forwards. That part of the force which tends upwards is destroyed by the weight of the bird, while the horizontal impulse serves to carry it forwards. The stroke being completed, it moves its wings; and they, being contracted, and having their edges turned upwards, meet with very little resistance from the air. When they are sufficiently elevated, it makes a second stroke downwards, and the impulse of the air again moves it forward. These successive strokes act as so many leaps taken in the air. When the bird wants to turn to the right or left, it strikes strongly with the opposite wing, so as to impel the body to the proper side. If it wants to rise, it raises its tail, and if to fall, depresses it. When in a horizontal position, the tail keeps the body steady. A bird, by spreading its wings, can continue to move horizontally in the air for some time, without striking, because it has acquired a sufficient velocity; and the wings, being parallel to the horizon, meet with but small resistance. On alighting, it expands its wings and tail full against the air, that they may meet with all possible resistance. The centre of gravity in birds is somewhat behind the wings; and, to counterbalance it, most of them may be observed to thrust out their head and neck in flying. This is very apparent in the flight of ducks, geese, and several species of water-fowl, whose centre of gravity is farther backwards than in the land birds. In the heron, on the contrary, whose long head and neck, although folded up in flight, overbalance the rest of the body, the long legs are extended, in order to give the proper counterpoise, and to supply what is wanting in the shortness of the tail.

The feathers of birds would constantly imbibe the moisture of the atmosphere; and, during rain, absorb so much wet, as would almost, if not wholly, impede their flight, had not the wise economy of nature obviated this by a most effectual expedient. They are furnished on the rump with two glands, in which a quantity of unctuous matter is constantly secreting. This is occasionally pressed out by means of the bill, and used for the lubrication of the feathers. The birds which share, as it were, the habitations of man, and live principally under cover, do not require so large a supply of this fluid, and, consequently, are not provided with such a large stock of it as those that rove abroad, and reside in the open element. Hence poultry, when wet, assume a ruffled and uncomfortable appearance.

As birds are continually palling among hedges and thickets, their eyes are protected from external injuries, as well as from too much light, when flying in opposition to the sun's rays, by a nictitating or blinking membrane, which can at pleasure be drawn over the whole eye like a curtain. This covering is neither opaque, nor wholly pellicid, but somewhat transparent. By means of it the eagle is said to gaze at the sun.

It appears from observations, founded on numerous experiments, that the peculiar notes, or song, of the different species of birds, are altogether acquired, and are no more innate than language is in man. The attempt of a nestling to sing, may be compared with the imperfect endeavour of a child to talk. The first essay seems not to possess the slightest rudiments of the future song; but, as the bird grows older and stronger, it is not difficult to perceive its aim. While the scholar is thus endeavouring to form his song, when he is once sure of a passage, he commonly raises his tone, which he drops again when he is not equal to what he is attempting. A common sparrow, taken from the nest when very young, and placed near a linnet and goldfinch, though in a wild state it would only have chirped, adopted a song that was a mixture of these two. Three netting linnets were educated, one under a lark, another under a wood-lark, and a third under a tit-lark; and, instead of the song peculiar to their own species, they adhered entirely to that of their respective instructors. A linnet, taken from the nest, when but two or three days old, and brought up in the house of an apothecary at Kensington, from want of other sounds to imitate, almost articulated the words "pretty boy," as well as some other short sentences. These and other well-authenticated facts seem to prove, that birds have no innate notes, but that the language of those to whose care they are committed at birth, will be the language which they adopt in after life. It may, however, appear somewhat unaccountable why, in a wild state, they adhere so readily to the song of their own species only, when so many others are to be heard around them. This arises from the attention paid by the nestling bird to the instructions of its own parent only, generally differing regarding the notes of all the rest. Persons, however, who have an accurate ear, and have studied the notes of different birds, can very often distinguish some that have a song mixed with those of another species; but these are in general so trifling as scarcely to be reckoned anything more than mere varieties of provincial dialects.

All birds are oviparous, or produce eggs, from which, after the process of incubation, the young are extruded. These eggs differ in different species, in respect of number, figure, and colour. They contain the rudiments of the future young, for the maturation of which a bubble of air is always placed at the large end, betwixt the shell and the infide skin. It is supposed, that, from the warmth communicated by the sitting bird to this confined air, its spring is increased beyond its natural tenor, and at the same time its parts are put into motion by the gentle rarefaction. Hence pressure and motion are communicated to the parts of the egg, and seem, in some unknown way, gradually to promote the growth of the young till the appointed time of exclusion. Honewives, when they suspect an egg is not good, put their tongue to the great end, to feel if it be warm. If that is not the case, it is considered a certain proof, that the air, having by degrees effected its escape, the egg is at length become putrid or added.

The nests of birds are, in general, constructed with astonishing art, and with a degree of skill and neatness that often defies the efforts of the human hands. Both the male and female generally assist in this interesting concern. They each bring materials to the place, as flicks, moss, straws, &c. for the foundation and exterior; and hair, wool, or the down of animals or plants, to form a soft and commodious bed for their eggs, and for the tender bodies of their young when hatched. The outside of the nest usually bears so great a resemblance in colour to the surrounding foliage or branches, as not easily to be discovered even by persons who are in search of them.

The term of life varies greatly in birds, and does not seem to bear the same proportion to the time of acquiring their growth as has been remarked with regard to quadrupeds. Most birds acquire their full dimensions in a few months, and are capable of propagation the first summer after they are hatched. In proportion to the size of their bodies, they possess more vitality, and live longer, than either man or quadrupeds. Notwithstanding the difficulties which arise in ascertaining the ages of birds, there are instances of great longevity in many of them, particularly geese, swans, ravens, and eagles, which have been known to attain the age of seventy, fourscore, or even a century. Pigeons usually live more than 20 years, and even linnets and other small birds have been kept in cages for nearly the same period.

The diseases to which birds, in their natural state, are incident, are probably neither numerous nor formidable; at least we seldom meet with individuals of the feathered race which seem to labour under sickness or infirmity. In our northern latitudes they are indeed frequently subjected to the prelure of cold and hunger; but the debility and other symptoms attendant on these external accidents, hardly deserve to be noticed in a nosophological point of view. Seclusion from the open air, and a total change of habits, induced by confinement and domestication, are usually accompanied by appropriate disorders, such as the pip, or swelling on the extremity of the tongue, a softening of the bill, a gradual decay of the feet, convulsions, and general pining. The moulting process, from which none of the species are exempted, may also be regarded, in some measure, as a diseased state of the animal. All birds moult, or cast their feathers once, and some twice, in the course of a year. This change takes place in autumn, or in the season which corresponds to it in different climates, and uniformly after the breeding season. Those which moult twice a year, also change their feathers in spring. Most of the young males, which bear originally the plumage of the mother, assume, at their first moulting, the colouring which they afterwards retain; but some species do not put on their characteristic garb till the end of the second, or even of the third year. Among those which moult twice a-year, both males and females change their plumage; but the latter retain the same markings, while the former exhibit a more gaudy covering in the season which precedes their pairing, and a more sober one, often similar to that of the female, after the period of breeding. In most cases, the feathers fall off in gradual succession; but in some species nearly the whole plumage comes off at once, and is speedily replaced. This periodical affection is always attended with more or less languor and depression.

For the anatomy of birds, we beg leave to refer to Anatomy, the article Comparative ANATOMY; and shall close this introduction by a brief explanation of some of the most important technical terms in ornithology, employed by Technical terms.

Fig. 1. Cere (Cera, Lin.),—the naked skin which covers the base of the bill in the hawk kind. 2. Capitulum,—a word used by Linnaeus to express the short feathers on the forehead just above the bill. In some birds, these feathers fall forward over the nostrils: they quite cover those of the crow. 3. Lore (Lorum, Lin.),—the space between the bill and the eye, generally covered with feathers; but, in some birds, as in the black and white grebe, naked. 4. Orbits (Orbita, Lin.),—the skin that surrounds the eye, which is generally bare, particularly in the heron and parrot. 5. Emarginated (Emarginatum),—said of a bill which has a small notch near the end, as that of the butcher bird, thrush, &c. 6. Vibrissae pectinate,—stiff hairs which grow on each side of the mouth, formed like a double comb, as in the goatfucker, flycatcher, &c. 7. Alula spuria, Sparious or bastard wing,—a small joint rising at the end of the middle part of the wing, or the cubitus, on which there are three or five feathers. 8. Tectrices primae, Lesser wing-coverts,—the small feathers which lie in several rows on the bones of the wings. The under coverts are those that line the inside of the wings. 9. Tectrices secundae, Greater coverts,—the feathers which lie immediately over the quill-feathers and the secondaries. 10. Primores, Quill-feathers or Primaries,—the largest feathers of the wings, or those that rise from the first bone. 11. Secundaries, Secondary feathers or Secondaries,—those that rise from the second bone. 12. Tail-coverts (Uropygium),—those which cover the base of the tail on the upper side. 13. Vent-feathers (Cristum),—those which lie from the vent to the tail underneath. 14. Rectrices, Tail-feathers. 15. Scapulaires, or Scapular feathers,—those which take their rise from the shoulders, and cover the sides of the back. 16. Nucha,—the hind part of the head. 17. Subulatum, Subulated or awl-shaped,—applied to a bill that is straight and slender, in the form of an awl.

18. Pes ambulatorius,—all the toes divided to the bottom.

19. Pes grefforius,—the outer toe more or less united to the middle one, particularly conspicuous in the feet of the king's fisher.

20. Pes scenarius,—formed for climbing, like the foot of the woodpecker.

21. Pes lobatus,—finned, or lobed, like those of the grebes.

22. Pes pinnatus,—pinnated, or scollopied. The webs indented in the sides, as in coots and sandpipers.

23. Pes tridactylus, or curforius,—wanting the back toe.

24. Pes didactylus,—composed of only two toes, as in the ostrich.

25. Pes semi-palmatus, Semi-palmated,—when the webs reach only half the length of the toes.

26. Ungue poftico fefili,—when the hind claw adheres to the leg without any toe, as in the petrels.

27. Digits quattuor omnibus palmatis,—all the four toes connected by webs, as in the corvorian.

Roftrum cultratum,—when the edges of the bill are very sharp, as in that of the crow.

28. Unquiculatum,—said of a bill furnished with a nail at the end, as those of ducks and goosanders.

29. Lingua ciliata,—a tongue edged with fine bristles, like that of the duck.

30. Integra,—plain, or even.

31. Lumbriciformis,—when the tongue is long, round, and slender, like a worm, as that of the woodpecker.

Pedes compedes,—when the legs are placed so far behind as to make the bird walk with difficulty, or as if in fetters, of which we have examples in the auk, grebes, and divers.

32. Nares lineares,—when the nostrils are very narrow, as in sea gulls.

33. Emarginatae,—with a rim round the nostrils, as in the stare.

Iris, is that part which surrounds the pupil of the eye.

Mandibles, denote the upper and under parts of the bill.

Compressed,—vertically flattened at the sides.

Depressed,—horizontally flattened.

Caruncula,—a fleshy excrescence on the head.

Hypochondria,—the hinder sides of the breast and abdomen.

Ocellated,—with roundish concentric spots, of different colours.

Phalanges,—the articulations of the toes.

SYSTEMATIC EXPOSITION OF THE CLASS.

ACCORDING to the Linnaean method, the class of Aves, or Birds, is distributed into six Orders, denominated Accipitres, Pice, Anferes, Grallae, Galline, and Passeres.

ORDER I. ACCIPITRES.

This natural order includes birds of prey, that have the bill somewhat hooked downwards, the upper mandible dilated near the point, or armed with a tooth, the nostrils wide, the feet short and strong, with four toes, three of which are placed forwards, and one behind; toes warty under the joints; claws hooked and sharp-pointed. They live on other animals alive or dead, and are themselves not eatable. They are monogamous, or live in pairs. The females are larger and more beautiful than the males, and generally lay about four eggs. This order includes vultur, falco, frix, and lanius.

Gen. 1. VULTUR, Vulture.

Bill straight, hooked at the point; head bare of feathers.

Birds of this genus are distinguished from eagles and hawks, by being gregarious, by the comparative heaviness of their flight, and by their living on carrion. The females, too, are hardly larger than the males. Unless pressed by hunger, they seldom attack living animals; they fly slowly, unless when very high in the air, and have an exquisite sense of smell. The tongue is large and fleshy; the legs and feet are strong, and mostly covered with scales; and the wings are lined, on the inside, with down.

Condor, condur, or cantur.—Very large, with a caruncle on the crown of the head, the whole of its length; the throat naked. Quills of the wings two feet and a half long, and an inch and a half thick; body black, back white; neck ruffed with long white feathers; throat red; head brown, and woolly; eyes black, irides chestnut; bill black, but tipped with white; feet black; claws straight; tail finnail.—The female differs from the male, in having a tuft on the neck, in its brown colour, and in having no ruff. Brisson, however, has properly remarked, that the plumage of this species varies in colour, a circumstance which will, in some measure, account for the discordant descriptions of different authors. At the same time, we must regret, that the history of this enormous bird is so imperfectly known. Its extent of wing is variously stated, from nine to eighteen feet; and, while Frezier ascribes to it sufficient strength to carry off sheep, and boys of ten years old, Marco Paolo fluidly affirms, that it can lift an elephant from the ground high enough to kill it by the fall. Though very rare, Buffon suspects that it is not confined to South America, and that it does not essentially differ from the roc of the eastern nations, so famous in the Arabian tales; nor from the laemmer geyer of the German Alps. A preferred specimen in the Leverian Museum measured ten feet, from the tip of one wing to that of the other. It is described and figured in the second supplement to Latham's Synopsis. In Chili, the condors make their nests among the most inaccessible rocks, and lay two white eggs bigger than those of a turkey. They feed on dead carcases, and sometimes prey on sheep, goats, or even young calves, when they stray far from their dams, falling on them in flocks, plucking out their eyes, and tearing them in pieces. The country people Accipitres, use every means to destroy such formidable invaders of their property, and seem to have succeeded in expelling them from the populous districts of both continents.

King vulture, or king of the vultures.—Caruncles on the nostrils; crown of the head and neck bare of feathers. The extreme length of the body does not exceed two feet three inches, and it is not thicker than the hen turkey. Its wings are short in proportion to the other vultures. The bill is thick and short, and begins its curvature only at the point; in some individuals it is entirely red, in others only red at the extremity, and black in the middle. In the cere, which is broad and orange-coloured, are placed the nostrils; and between them the skin projects like a loose jagged comb, falling indifferently on either side, according as the bird moves its head. Under the naked part of the neck is a collar, or ruff, composed of pretty long soft feathers of a deep ash colour, and so broad, that when the bird contracts itself, it can conceal the neck and part of the head like a cowl, whence some naturalists have given it the name of monk. The feathers on the breast, belly, thighs, legs, and the under surface of the tail, are white, slightly tinged with yellow; those of the rump and upper surface of the tail, are black in some individuals, and white in others. The other feathers of the tail are always black, and so are the great feathers of the wings, which are commonly edged with grey. The King of the vultures is a native of South America and the West Indies, and lives on carrion, rats, lizards, snakes, and excrements of all kinds, from which circumstance it has a most offensive odour.

Carrion vulture, or turkey buzzard (carrion crow of Jamaica).—Body gray brown; quill feathers black; bill white; the sides of the head warted; legs flesh-coloured. Common in the W. Indies, and in N. and S. America. Somewhat larger than the black eagle. Is protected in America for its use in devouring dead carcases and serpents, which it does, along with dogs, in the greatest harmony. It will seize meat from the hambles, breathes a most fetid odour, and, when taken, vomits up an intolerably tinkling matter. Roosts by night, in flocks, on the highest branches of trees. They are generally very tame in their wild state, probably owing to their being more careful than molested by man.

White, ash-coloured, or Angola vulture.—Body snowy; quill and tail feathers black; collar white; head and lower part of the neck covered with white down; middle toe covered with 11 distinct scales; claws black. About the size of a female turkey. The female exceeds the male in size, and differs chiefly in being less tinged with reddish. The young have the whole of the naked parts about the head covered with a grayish down.—This species is usually seen in pairs, and not in large flocks, like many of the genus; or, if 10 or 12 alight on one ear-nave, they are accidentally allured by the smell, which acts on their delicate organs at inconceivable distances. They feed on all manner of carrion, and on lizards, snakes, frogs, and even excrements. They build among the rocks, and lay four eggs. In some parts of Africa they are very common, and in others more rare. The natives tame and respect them, as they contribute to rid their grounds of nuisances. They likewise occur in Norway and Sardinia. Mr Latham supposes that this species is the vautour de Norvège of Buffon; the Sacre d'Egypte of the same author, perhaps the Angola vulture of Pennant, and the rachamah of Bruce. "When, Accipitres, however, (adds this celebrated ornithologist), the division of the vulture genus into real species may take place, is not for us to determine; the variety among individuals, from different periods of life, as well as the different appearances of those in a state of confinement, to what the plumage has, when at large, cannot fail to create no small difficulty; added to that, very few travellers are naturalists in a sufficient degree to discriminate one part of nature from another; besides, the subjects in question being mostly extra European, we cannot wonder at being so long in the dark."

Aguiline or Alpine vulture.—The male of this species Pernicopte is almost wholly white; quill feathers black, with hoary edges, except the two outermost, which are wholly black. The female is all over brown, with the four outer quills black. In both the bill is black; cere yellow; nostrils constantly dripping moisture; feet naked. Inhabit Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Persia. They fly in large troops, and are extremely useful in destroying mice, with which some countries, of which they are natives, are infested, such as Palestine. The same species, it is said, inhabits the Swiss Alps, where they are of an immense size. Some have been measured exceeding twelve feet from tip to tip of the wings.

Gen. 2. FALCO, Falcon.

Bill hooked, and furnished with a cere at the base; head covered with closo-fet feathers; tongue bifid.

Though the birds of this genus are all carnivorous, they seldom feed on carrion, except when pressed by hunger, which they can endure for a long time. They have a very acute sight, and pounce down on their prey with astonishing swiftness and force. From their great strength, they are capable of carrying birds nearly as heavy as themselves, to a great distance, for provision to their young. Their middle toe is slightly connected with the outermost.

A. Bill hooked only at the point, bearded at the base with extended bristles.

Snake-eater, or secretary vulture.—Body black; hind-head crested; tail feathers white at the tips, the two middle ones longest; legs very long. Bill black, cere white; orbits orange, and naked; irises pale cinereous; tail rounded; legs brownish; claws short, black, hooked, not very sharp; crest capable of being erected or depressed.—In seizing its prey, this bird makes use of its wings, with which it inflicts violent blows by means of a bony protuberance at the bend of the wing. It is also by its wings that it defends itself against the bites of venomous snakes, until the latter, tired with their efforts, or nearly bruised to death, are easily dispatched. This species likewise preys on turtles, lizards, and even grasshoppers and other insects. When in a domesticated state scarcely any kind of food comes amiss to it; and, if young birds are presented to it, it will take them by the bill foremost, and swallow them whole. One of those which Le Vaillant killed, had 21 young turtles, 11 small lizards, and three snakes, in his stomacch. Like other birds of prey, it is observed to bring up the undigested parts of its food, in the form of round pellets. In pairing time, two males will often be found engaged in a violent contest for a female. The secretary vulture Accipitres. is three feet high, remarkable for the length of its legs, and inhabits interior Africa and the Philippine islands. These birds make a flat nest, like that of the eagle, full three feet in diameter, lined with wool and feathers, in some high tuft of trees, and usually concealed from observation.

Crested or Oronooko eagle.—Head crested with long feathers; body beneath variegated; eyes with a nictitating membrane. Under the crop, white feathers, which, when the bird is irritated, fall to the ground. Erects the crest in the form of a coronet, is said to be able to cleave a man's skull at a stroke. Inhabits Mexico, Brazil, and other parts of South America, and is as large as a sheep.

Cinereous or white-tailed eagle: erne of the Scots.—Cere and feet yellow; tail feathers white, the middle ones tipped with black; head and neck pale cinereous; irides and bill pale yellow; nostrils, and the space between the eyes, bluish, with a few bristles; body and wings cinereous, mixed with brown; tail white; legs, below the knees, downy, glossy yellow; claws black.—Size of a turkey, feeds on birds and fish. Inhabits Europe, and frequently occurs in Scotland and the Orkney islands.

B. Feet generally feathered, of a large size.

Black eagle.—Cere yellow; feet yellow, and somewhat downy; body rufly black, with yellow streaks; bill horn colour, verging on blue; irides chestnut; external part of the tail white, with blackish spots, tipped whitish; legs dirty white; toes yellow, claws black. Two feet ten inches long. Inhabits Europe and America.

Osprey or sea eagle.—Cere and legs yellow; feet half covered with down; body of a rufly colour; inner vanes of the tail feathers white.—It is distinguished by the colour and figure of its nails, which are of a shining black, and form an entire semicircle; by its legs, which are naked below, and covered with small yellow scales; and by the beard of feathers which hangs from the chin, and which has occasioned its receiving the name of the bearded eagle. It measures, from the end of the bill to the point of the nails, three feet and a half, and its wings expand to between fix and seven feet. It loves to haunt the sea shore, and often frequents inland tracts, near lakes, marshes, or rivers that are stocked with fish; but, though it preys on the finny tribe, it also attacks game, and, being large and strong, seizes and carries off geese and hares, and sometimes even lambs and kids. It catches fish even during the night, when the noise of its plunging into the water is heard at a great distance. In attempting to lay hold of overgrown fish, it is sometimes dragged under water, being unable to disengage its talons. It inhabits Europe and North America, and was found by Captain Cook, in Botany island. It is not uncommon in Scotland and Ireland. "From the astonishing height (says Mr Montagu), these and some other birds fly, we are led to believe they are capable of living in a much lighter air than other animals. From the top of some of the highest mountains in Scotland we have seen several soaring together at so great a distance as to appear scarcely larger than a swallow."—The female sea eagle seldom lays more than two eggs, and sometimes produces only a single young one.

Golden eagle.—Cere yellow; feet downy, and rufly-coloured; body dark brown, irregularly barred; tail black, and covered with ash-coloured bars. It greatly resembles the preceding, but is distinguished from it chiefly by its legs, which are yellow, short, strong, and covered with feathers to the feet. The general length of this species is about three feet and a half; the breadth eight feet; and it usually weighs about twelve pounds. It breeds in the most inaccessible rocks, and lays three or four white eggs. It inhabits Europe and Siberia, and is said to be not unfrequent in the mountainous parts of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, though it has been frequently confounded with the sea eagle. It feeds on lambs, kids, and all kinds of game, and has been known to carry off infants to its nest. It is remarkable for its longevity and abstinence from food; some having been kept in menageries for upwards of a century; and Penranti records an instance of one which lived twenty-one days without any sustenance whatever. It flies high, during serene weather, and descends nearer the earth in storms.

Ring-tailed, white-tailed, black, or common eagle.—Fulvus. Cere yellow; feet downy, and of a rufly brown colour; back brown; tail with a white transverse band. In the bill, cere, irides, and legs, it resembles the preceding, to which it is also nearly equal in size; but the plumage is rather darker, and the tail is white for two-thirds of its length. It inhabits Europe, Asia, and America; and is trained by the Tartars to hunt hares, antelopes, and foxes. In Scotland, it is very destructive to deer, which it will seize between the horns; and, by incessantly beating it with its wings, foams makes a prey of the harassed animal. It likewise makes great havoc among the white hares and ptarmigans. It builds in high precipices and cliffs; and the nest of a pair has been observed in the same spot, in the Orkney islands, beyond the memory of man. Willoughby describes a nest of this species found in the Peak of Derbyshire, as composed of large sticks, lined with two layers of rushes, between which was one of heath. It contained one young, and an addle egg, and by them a lamb, a hare, and three heath pouts.—There is a variety, with a white tail, tipped with brown.

White eagle.—Entirely white. Inhabits the Alps; of Albus. the size of the golden eagle.

Fierce eagle.—Cere green; body brown above; back, belly, and tail coverts brown, variegated with chestnut spots; tail feathers equal, brown, with four paler bands; bill leaden black; eyelids blue; irides yellow; head and neck ferruginous, mixed with whitish; quill feathers twenty-fix, black above, white beneath, tipped with gray; tail feathers twelve, white beneath; claws sharp; upwards of two feet long; very rapacious; inhabits Russia, was found frequent near Afracan in the winter of 1769; will not touch dead animals.

Kite.—Cere yellow; tail forked; body brown; head Milvus. whitish or grey; back and wing coverts dusky, edged with ferruginous, the under parts more or less ferruginous, streaked with dusky, and lighted on the breast; quill feathers dusky black, with bars more or less obscure; tail bright ferruginous; legs yellow; claws black. But there are several varieties. The female is somewhat larger than the male, measuring in length two feet four inches, and five feet six inches of outstretched wing. It is readily distinguished from its congeners by the remarkable fisking of its tail, and by its smooth and even flight, which resembles a sailing or gliding through the air, air, without any apparent motion of its wings. It frequently, however, soars very high, and, though beyond the reach of human vision, will distinctly perceive its prey, and dart down on it with irresistible force. Its attacks are confined to such animals as are found on the ground, such as young rabbits, hares, game of all kinds, poultry, and young birds incapable of flying. It will also destroy young lambs, and feed greedily on carrion; but, in default of these, will readily devour mice, rats, worms, and even snakes.—The kite occurs as far north as Greenland, and as far south as Guinea and Senegal. It is common in England, where it continues the whole year; but from the more northerly latitudes, it retires to Egypt before winter, and is said to breed there, and returns in April to Europe, where it breeds a second time, contrary to the nature of rapacious birds in general. The nest is composed of sticks, and lined with wool, the inner bark of a tree, hair, and other soft materials, and is usually made in the fork of some large tree. The eggs are generally three, rarely four, somewhat larger than those of a hen, of a dirty white, with a few rufy spots at the larger end.

Bald-buzzard, of prey, fishing hawk, &c.—Cere and feet blue; body brownish above, white below; head whitish; a brown bar descends from each eye by the sides of the neck to the wings; legs naked, short, strong; claws remarkable long, hooked, and black. Inhabits Europe, Siberia, and America, frequenting marshy places, and the neighbourhood of large rivers and lakes, pouncing on fish with great rapidity and dexterity, and carrying them off in its talons to a small distance to feed on them. It builds its nest on the ground among reeds, and lays three or four eggs of an elliptical form, rather less than those of a hen. Mr Montagu found the nest of this bird on the top of a chimney of a ruin in one of the islands of Loch Lomond. The usual length of the bald buzzard is two feet, and its extent of wing five. The species is now rarely met with in England, but may be frequently seen near the lake of Killarney in Ireland. There are several varieties, among which may be included those of Carolina and Cayenne. Some of the ancient writers, and even Linnaeus, have very erroneously alleged, that the left foot of the bald-buzzard is subpalmated.

C. Legs naked, of a smaller size.

Buzzard, or Puttock.—cere and feet yellow; body brown; belly pale, with brown spots. Scarcely any two individuals of this well-known species are precisely alike. The ordinary length of the body is twenty inches, and the extent of wing four feet and a half. The buzzard is one of our most common species of falcon. It is remarkable for its sluggish, inactive disposition, seldom remaining long on wing, except in the breeding season, when it ascends spirally to a great height. It makes its nest in the fork of a tree, of large sticks, and lines it with wool, hair, and other substances, and sometimes takes possession of a deserted crow's nest, which it accommodates to its purposes. The eggs are two or three, rather larger than a hen's, of a dirty white, and, for the most part, with rufy-coloured spots at the larger end. It feeds and tends its young with great affluence; and Ray affirms, that, if the female be killed, the male takes charge of them, and patiently rears them till they are able to provide for themselves. This bird will continue for many hours perched on a tree or eminence, whence it darts on such birds, small quadrupeds, reptiles, or insects, as come within its reach.

Honey buzzard.—Cere black; feet half naked, and Apivorous; yellow; head ash coloured; tail with cinereous bands, and tipped with white; of nearly the same size as the preceding, and, like it, subject to considerable varieties in its markings. Its nest, in respect of form and materials, is similar to that of the buzzard, and it sometimes occupies that of other birds. Its eggs are of an ash-colour, with small brown spots. Mr White of Selborne found only one egg in the nest, smaller, and not so round as that of the buzzard. The name seems to have been given it from its feeding on the larvae of wasps; but it is also fond of various other insects and of field mice, frogs, and lizards. It occurs in all the northern parts of Europe, and in the open tracts of Russia and Siberia, but is far from common in England. Buffon observes, that it is frequently caught in the winter, when it is fat and delicious eating.

Moor buzzard, duck hawk, or white-headed harpy.—Arrogino-axillae, and feet, yellow. The colouring, however, is subject to considerable variety. Length twenty-one inches; weight twenty ounces. Preys on rabbits, young wild ducks, and other water fowl; and likewise feeds on fish, frogs, reptiles, and even insects; making its haunts in hedges and bushes near pools, marshes, and rivers. The nest is most frequently made on the ground, among thorn wood, furze, or fern, and sometimes, though rarely, in the fork of a tree. It is composed of sticks and rushes, or coarse grass. The moor buzzard is not a bird of rapid flight, but pounces its prey on the ground, and is generally seen skimming over the surface; but, in the breeding season, the male will sometimes soar to a considerable height, and remain suspended on wing for a great length of time. Inhabits Europe.

Goshawk.—Cere black; feet yellow; body brown; tail feathers barred with pale bands, a white line over the eye; bill blue, black at the tip; irises yellow; head brown; body beneath white, waved with black; tail long, cinereous, and white at the tip; claws black. The wing, when closed, does not reach near the end of the tail; of an elegant slender shape, twenty-two inches long. Inhabits Europe, Tartary, and America; is rarely found in England, but is not uncommon in the more woody districts of Scotland, where it breeds, and is a great destroyer of game. It feeds on small birds and mice, and eagerly devours raw flesh. It tears birds to pieces before it eats them, but swallows the pieces entire, and frequently digorges the hair and feathers, rolled up in small pellets. This species was formerly much prized in the sports of falconry, being used not only for partridge and pheasant, but also larger fowl, as geese and cranes, and sometimes for rabbits.

Gentil falcon.—Cere and feet yellow; body ash-coloured, with brown spots; tail with four blackish bands; somewhat larger than the preceding, though some ornithologists reckon it only a variety. It inhabits the Alps of Europe and North America. "In the days of falconry," observes the author of Elements of Natural History, "this species was in high esteem as a bold and spirited bird. It inhabits the north of Scotland. The king's falconer was anciently obliged to supply the court with hawks; and to this day the office is kept up Accipitres in Scotland; a nest of young birds being annually presented by the falconer to the barons of exchequer, who generally give them away in presents."

Peregrinus. Peregrine falcon.—Cere and feet yellow; body ash-coloured above with brownish bands, reddish white beneath, with blackish bands; tail spotted with white. Weighs between two and three pounds, is a bold and powerful bird, and inhabits Europe, and the north of Asia and America. It is not uncommon on most of our rocky coasts, usually frequenting such high cliffs as the guillemot and razorbill resort to for breeding. One that eloped from its master in the county of Forfar, on the 24th September 1772, with four heavy bells on its feet, was killed on the morning of the 26th of the same month, at Moslyn in Flintshire.

Spotted falcon.—Cere yellow; head and body above, white, with pale reddish spots, white beneath; breast a little spotted with ferruginous. Size of the buzzard. Inhabits England; but its history is little known.

Griffon. Gray falcon.—Cere and legs yellow; body dusky gray above, white with oblong black spots beneath; tail feathers long, the two middle ones uniform, the rest spotted. Bill blueish; irides red; head dusky brown before, white behind; sides and chin buff; quill-feathers spotted with white. Inhabits England; but is very rare, and by some esteemed only a variety.

Jer-falcon, gyr falcon, Iceland falcon, white jer-falcon, &c.—Cere and feet of a greenish ash-colour; body white, spotted with brown. Bill blueish-ash, black at the tip; claws lead colour. Larger than the goshawk, and subject to variety, from age, sex, and climate, some in the northern latitudes being found quite white, others brown above, white beneath, spotted with brown, and the tail gray, with transverse brown lines. Inhabits Iceland and the north of Scotland, is a very bold bird, and in the days of falconry, was used for the larger species of game, as cranes and herons.

Laughing falcon.—Cere and legs yellow; eyebrows white; body varied with brown and whitish; crown white, with a black ring. Back, wings, and rump brown; neck, chin, breast, belly, and under parts of the wings white; tail with yellow and black bands. Inhabits South America, and is said to laugh, when looked at.

Lanner.—Cere dull yellow; bill and feet blue; body marked with black longitudinal spots underneath. A white stripe over each eye; breast yellowish white, with brown spots; legs short; primary quill-feathers and tail dusky, with rufy oval spots: but there are two or three varieties. Rather less than the buzzard, has its name from tearing its prey into small pieces with its bill. The lanner is very bold, and was formerly used in falconry. It is found in many parts of Europe; inhabits Iceland and the Ferroe isles, Denmark, Sweden, and the Tartarian deserts. It is rare in England, but is said to breed in Ireland, and among the low trees and thubs in the deserts about Afracan.

Hen-harrier.—Cere white; legs tawny; body hoary blue; edges of the eye-lids yellow, with an arched line surrounding the throat; bill black; irides yellow; hind part of the head white, with pale brown spots; breast and belly white, the former streaked with dusky; two middle tail-feathers gray on both sides, the rest gray above, white beneath, and all streaked with dusky. These characters, however, are far from constant.

This species, in its most perfect state, weighs about thirteen ounces, and is eighteen inches and a half in length. It feeds on birds, lizards, and other reptiles, and is particularly destructive to poultry. It flies low, skimming along the surface in quest of prey. The female settles on the ground, and lays four eggs of a reddish colour, with a few white spots. Inhabits Europe and Africa. Wallis, in his Natural History of Northumberland, remarks, that it breeds annually on the Cheviot hills, and on the flady precipices under the Roman wall, near Craglake. Dr Latham and other eminent ornithologists have supposed that this and the following are male and female; but the repeated instances of hen-harriers of both sexes having been seen, leave it beyond all doubt that they constitute two distinct species.

Ring-tail, ring-tail harak, white-rumped bay falcon, Pygargus. &c.—Cere and legs yellow; body cinereous; belly pale, with oblong rufous spots; orbits of the eyes white. Bill pale; irides yellow; tail long, banded with dusky, and dotted with white, the male marked with transverse, and the female with longitudinal, spots beneath. Length 18 or 20 inches. Inhabits Europe, and the temperate parts of Siberia. Flies higher than the preceding, and sometimes perches on trees. Its eggs are white, much freckled with red.

Kefrirl, keftral, floegall, &c.—Cere and legs yellow; back purplish-red, with black spots; breast with brown streaks; tail rounded. Crown of the head of a fine cinereous gray; greater quill-feathers black, very slightly tipped with whitish. Bill lead colour, irides dusky and large. The male weighs about seven ounces, and measures 13 inches in length. The female is considerably larger, and distinguished from the other sex by the head and tail being of the same colour as the back, which is not so bright a red brown as the male. Feeds principally on mice, in search of which it is frequently seen hovering in the air and stationary for a great length of time. Preys also on small birds and insects, and was formerly used for catching game. Inhabits Europe, Siberia, and the more temperate parts of North America. One of our most common birds of prey, especially among the rocks and cliffs of the coast, which favour its breeding. The nest is of sticks, and lined with wool and other soft materials; but it sometimes builds on trees, or is contented with the deserted nest of a magpie or crow. The eggs are usually four or five, of a dirty white, blotched with ruff colour, of various shades.—It is a handsome bird, whose flight is acute, and whose flight is easy and graceful. It includes two or three varieties.

Fishing falcon.—Legs brown; head ferruginous, with Piscator. long feathers; body cinereous above, pale yellow with white beneath; tail pale brown above, blueish-ash beneath. Bill and irides yellow; margin of the upper feathers rufy brown, the under spotted in the middle with brown. Inhabits Senegal, where it is called tanas, preying chiefly on fish, which it takes out of the water, and retires to a convenient place to eat them piecemeal.

Sparrow-hawk.—Cere green; feet yellow; belly Nyja. white, waved with grey; tail with black bands. The weight of the male of this species is about five ounces, that of the female nine: the former measures in length about 12 inches, the later 15. The male is inclined to ruff colour on the breast, the female to whitish. On the back of the head, in both sexes, is an obscure broken patch of white. The quill feathers are dusky, bar- Accipitres. red with black on the outer webs, and spotted with white at the base of the inner. The legs are long, slender, and yellow. In some the back is spotted with white, and others have the body entirely of that colour. The sparrow-hawk is very common in our wooded and inclosed districts, but is less frequent in the more champaign parts. The female sometimes builds her nest in hollow trees, high rocks, or lofty ruins, but more frequently takes possession of that which has been deserted by a crow, laying four or five eggs, of a dirty white or blueish tinge, blotched at one of the ends with rust colour. It is very widely diffused over the world, from Russia to the Cape of Good Hope. It is bold and spirited, making great destruction among pigeons, young poultry, and small birds of all kinds, which it will attack and carry off in the most daring manner; at the same time, that it is obedient and docile, and can be easily trained to hunt partridges, quails, larks, &c.

Hobby.—Cere and feet yellow; back brown; neck white; belly pale, with oblong brown spots. Bill blue; orbits yellow; irides generally chestnut; lateral tail-feathers with blackish bars; primary quill-feathers with oval reddish spots; claws black. The male weighs about seven ounces, and the female nine, or more. Inhabits Europe and Siberia, breeds in Britain, but leaves us the latter end of October. It builds in trees, and sometimes takes possession of a deserted crow's nest, laying three or four eggs, which are said to be white. Though small, it is inferior to none of the falcon tribe in courage, and will frequently pounce a partridge; but its favourite prey is the lark, which it terrifies to such a degree, that it sometimes flies to man for protection, and will allow a net to be thrown over it.

Merlin.—Cere and feet yellow; head rufous; body above, of a bluish ash, with spots and rusty streaks; beneath, yellowish-white, with oblong spots. Bill blueish; irides dusky; tail alternately freckled with dusky and reddish; claws black; eggs brown red. There are several varieties. The merlin is a small species of falcon, being scarcely larger than the blackbird, but is very rapid on wing, and was esteemed for its courage in hawking. It flies low, and is generally seen skimming along the side of a hedge, or over the surface of the ground, in pursuit of small birds. Inhabits Europe; visits the south of England in October, about the time the hobby retires, but has never been observed to breed farther south than Cumberland, where it has been found more than once, with four young ones, placed on the ground.

Minute falcon.—Cere brown; legs yellow; body white beneath; tail-feathers brown, banded with black. About 11 inches long. Inhabits Malta; and occurs, though rarely, in England.

Tiny falcon.—Legs yellow; body brown-ash; beneath whitish, with blackish bars; crown whitish. Hardly fix inches long. Inhabits Cayenne.

Gen. 3. STRIX, Owl.

Bill hooked; no cere; nostrils oblong, covered with bristly recumbent feathers; head, eyes, and ears large; tongue bifid.

These are nocturnal birds, with the organs of vision so constructed as to see in the dark. Their sense of hearing is very acute, by means of a particular membrane at the opening of the external ear. They can move the outermost toe either backwards or forwards. Accipitres. They feed on carrion, living small birds, hares, mice, field-mice, lizards, &c. When they venture abroad in day light, they are chased, and insulted by smaller birds, especially by the crow. In their manner of life, round head, &c. they have some affinity to cats. During the winter, they live retired, fasting, or sleeping in towers and old walls.

A. Eared.

Great owl, great eared owl, great horned owl, &c.—Eubo. Body of a reddish or tawny colour; irides yellow; head and body variegated with black, brown, ash, and rufly spots and lines; claws large, much hooked, and dusky. Liable to considerable varieties. Nearly the size of an eagle, and very strong, preying on hares, rabbits, moles, rats, mice, and sometimes bats and reptiles. It inhabits Europe, Calmuc Tartary, and South America, haunting mountainous rocks and caverns. Its nest is nearly three feet in diameter, and composed of sticks bound together by fibrous roots, and lined with leaves. It generally lays two eggs, somewhat larger than those of a hen, and variegated, like the bird itself. The young are very voracious, and are plentifully supplied with food by the parents. This bird is by no means common in Great Britain, though it has been occasionally shot both in England and Scotland. It endures day light better than most of the genus, flies low in the day, but sometimes soars very high during the night.

Virginia eagle owl.—Size of the common eagle owl; ear feathers large, rile above the base of the bill which is black; irides golden yellow; upper part of the body brown, variegated with slender rufous and cinereous lines; under part pale-ash, transversely striped with brown; throat white; lower part of the neck and sides of the breast orange brown, spotted with darker brown; quills and tail banded with brown; legs and half the toes covered with cinereous feathers; claws horn colour. Inhabits America, Kamtchatka, and Afracan. Is a little smaller than the great horned owl, and is supposed by some to be only a variety.

Ceylonese eagle owl.—Bill horn colour; irides yellow; upper part of the body pale reddish brown, under part white; ears short, pointed; first quills and tail barred with black, white, and pale red; legs naked to the knees. Length 23 inches; weight two pounds and near 10 ounces. Native of Ceylon.

Long eared or horn owl.—Ears with fix feathers. Ears Otus. black and yellow; irises yellow; back and wing coverts dusky brown, gray, and yellowish-rufly; breast and belly pale yellow, with brown longitudinal lines; tail barred with ash-colour, and dusky; legs and feet feathered to the claws. About 14 inches long; but there is a variety that is much smaller, and another which is distinguished by the greater darkness of the body. Diffused over the four quarters of the globe, frequenting forests and wooded tracts, and manifesting a partiality to fir, box, or holly plantations, where it more readily conceals itself by day among the ever-green foliage. Its principal food is mice, and sometimes small birds taken at roost. It remains with us the whole year, and is frequently taken; yet little is known of its habits.

Short-eared owl, hawk owl, mouse hawk, &c.—Brachyotus. Ears short; body above brown, feathers-edged with yellow; beneath pale yellow, with longitudinal dusky streaks. streaks; head small and hawk-like; bill dusky; irides yellow. Length 14 inches, stretch of wing three feet. Inhabits Europe, Siberia, and America, chiefly in mountainous or wooded countries, and feeds principally on field-mice. Visits England in the latter part of the year, and disappears in spring. It flies by day, and is sometimes observed in companies. It is supposed to breed in the Orkneys, and probably in Norway, making its nest of dry grass, on the ground, and laying three or four white eggs.

Little horned owl.—Ears of one feather each. Gray, rufous, brown or blackish, according to age; legs spotted with brown; toes and claws brown. Between seven and eight inches long. Inhabits Europe, and preys on field mice.

B. Earless.

Snowy or great white owl.—Body whitish, with a few brown lunated spots. Bill black, and almost hid in the feathers; irides yellow; legs covered with white feathers to the toes; claws black. This species is sometimes quite white, and sometimes varies with very numerous spots. About two feet long; flies abroad by day; preys on herons, hares, mice, and sometimes carrion, but is particularly fond of ptarmigans. Makes a howling noise. Inhabits the northern parts of Europe and America, particularly Sweden, Iceland, and Hudson's Bay, and sometimes, though rarely, Pennsylvania.

Gray or barred owl.—Head, neck, breast, back, and wing-coverts brown, spotted with white; belly and vent dirty white, streaked with brown; tail with brown and whitish bands, tipped with whitish. Weighs about three pounds, is two feet long, and four in extent of wing. Feeds on hares, mice, and cranes. Inhabits Hudson's Bay and New York, and rarely occurs in England.

White or common owl.—Body pale yellow, with white spots; beneath whitish, with black spots. Bill white; irides dusky; tail feathers white within, with dusky lines on the outside; 14 inches long, and weighs about 11 ounces. This species is so well known, that we need not more minutely describe it. It inhabits Europe, America, and Northern Asia, and is by far the most common of British owls, being distinguished by various provincial appellations, as barn owl, gullihowlet, howlet, madge-howlct, church owl, hifling owl, screech owl, &c. It is partial to the habitations of man, and is rarely found in woods. Its ordinary haunts are barns, churches, old houses, and other uninhabited buildings, in which it continues during the day, but which it leaves in the evening, in quest of prey. Its flight is accompanied with loud and frightful cries, and its repose with a blowing noise, like the roaring of a man; when alarmed, it snaps its bill with great force. It makes scarcely any nest, but deposits five or fix whitish eggs in the holes of walls. It feeds on mice, and small birds, which it swallows whole, and afterwards discharges the bones, feathers, and other indigestible parts at its mouth, in the form of small round cakes, which are called eafings, and some butcher of which are sometimes found in the hollows of decayed trees, near farm-houses or villages, in barns, out-houses, &c. When a pair have young ones, they fall out alternately in quest of food for them, and generally return every five minutes, with a live mouse. Dr Latham mentions, that he received a specimen from Jamaica, which differed in no respect from our common owl.—The white owl is very susceptible of domestication, when taken young.

Tawney or brown owl, common brown or ivy owl, Strix aluco, houset, wood owl, &c.—Body ash-coloured, the third flag-feather the longest; plumage marked above with dusky spots and points; breast and belly yellowish, mixed with white; beneath with dusky streaks; irides dusky; tail with pale brown and black spots and lines. Fourteen inches long; stretch of wing two feet eight inches; weight of the female 19 ounces. Inhabits Europe and Tartary. This is another very common species. It resides chiefly in woods and plantations of fir; concealing itself in the thickest recesses; sometimes it settles on the ground, but if molested, takes shelter in a neighbouring tree. It is rarely seen on wing by day, except forced from its haunts, the light dazzling it to such a degree that boys hunt it down with sticks and stones. It breeds in the hollows of trees, and sometimes in barns, where it is protected by the farmer, as it is an excellent mouser. It lays two or three eggs of a roundish form, and dull white colour. It is the only species known to hoot, besides which, it makes a disagreeable forewarning noise. It is a great enemy to young pigeons, leverets, young rats, &c. but chiefly preys on mice.—"We have taken this bird," says Mr Montagu, "in its mature state, as well as young, and found no difficulty in either case of preserving them alive. They were never observed to drink; and indeed for many months together had no water offered them."—The alula of Linnaeus is now esteemed only a smaller variety of the stridula.

Little owl.—With white spots arranged in five rows Pofferina, on the flag-feathers; bill whitish brown; irides pale yellow; head, back, and wing coverts pale brown, with white spots; breast whitish, variegated with russet. Slightly larger than a blackbird, but varies considerably both in respect of size and markings. Inhabits Europe, North America, and the West Indies. Is very rare in England, though it has sometimes been found in Yorkshire, Flintshire, and the neighbourhood of London. It is said to frequent ruined edifices in France, and to build in chimneys, in Carniola; but it frequently settles in the holes of rocks and walls, and lays five or six eggs, spotted with yellowish and white. It can fly by day, and give chase to swallows and other small birds on wing, but mice are its principal food.

White-fronted owl.—Body rusity brown, paler be-Albifrons, neath; forehead white; quill feathers barred with black and white. Only five inches long. Native of North America.

Gen. 4. Lanius, Shrike. LANIUS.

Bill nearly straight, with a dent on each mandible, near Characters the end, naked at the base; tongue jagged at the point.

The birds of this genus form a connecting link between the falcons and pics, and have been differently classified by different ornithologists. Though comparatively small, they are very courageous, will attack birds much larger than themselves, and are called butcher birds, because they frequently kill several, before they begin to feed. They fix on their victims with their talons, split the skull with their bill, and then feed on them at leisure Accipitres. Collared jay, canary biter, or fiscul.—Tail wedged; body black, white beneath; first quill feathers white at the base; bill and head blackish; tail feathers, except the four middle ones, white at the tips. Very common at the Cape of Good Hope, also found in Senegal, and in the interior parts of Africa. Twelve inches long. Feeds on beetles, grasshoppers, and other insects, which it not only catches with great dexterity; but when it cannot consume them all, will stick them on the pales of farm yards, till it has occasion for them. It also feizes on sparrows and canary birds, of which it devours only the brains.

Cinerous jay, great cinereous jay, greater butcher bird, matagais, night far, &c.—Tail somewhat cuneiform, white on the edges; back gray; wings black, with a white spot; bill black, with bristles at the base; upper parts of the plumage of a pale blue ash, the under parts white; legs black. The female differs chiefly in the under parts, which are of a dirty white, marked with numerous semicircular brown lines. There is a variety, with the body white, legs yellowish, and bill and claws blackish; and another with lesser wing coverts and reddish shoulders. Inhabits Europe and North America. Is rather a scarce bird in England, but is said to breed among some of our mountainous situations; coming in May, and departing in September. It makes a nest of heath and moss, lined with wool and gossamer, and lays six eggs, of a dull olive green, spotted with black at the larger end. According to Buffon, it is common in France, where it continues all the year; it kills rats, mice, and small birds, affixing its prey to a sharp thorn, and tearing it in pieces with its bill; it is also said to imitate the notes of some other birds, by way of decoying them to their destruction. Mr Pennant observes, that when kept in a cage, it sticks its food against the wires before it will eat it.

Red-backed jay, lesser butcher-bird, or fluffer.—Tail somewhat wedged; back hoary; four innermost tail-feathers of one colour; bill of a leaden hue. Irides hazel; head and lower part of the back of a light gray, upper part of the back and wing-coverts of a bright rusity red; breast, belly, and sides of a fine pale rose, or bloom colour; a black streak passes from the bill through the eyes; legs black. Length about seven inches; weight eight drams. The female weighs two drams more, and has all the upper parts of a ferruginous brown. The manners of this species are similar to those of the last. It kills small birds by piercing the skull with its bill, and insects by transfixing them on the thorn of the floe-bush. It tears off the body of the chaffer, and leaves the elytra, wings, and head behind. It imitates the song of many of the sparrow tribe, and thus entices them within its reach. It chiefly haunts inclosed moist situations, makes its nest in some thick hedge, composing it very skilfully of moss and fibrous roots put together with wool and lined with hair, and lays five or fix eggs of a bluish-white colour, with a circle of brown near the broad end. It inhabits Europe and Africa, visits Britain in May, and departs to some warmer climate in September. Among its varieties Gmelin includes lonius rutilus of Latham, or woodchat, which is very rare in this country.

Tyrant jay.—Body cinereous, white beneath; crown of the head black, with a longitudinal tawney streak. Eight inches long. There are several varieties, all natives of America and the West Indies, and all of a fierce and audacious disposition, fixing on the backs of other predaceous birds, and making a continual chattering noise, till they force them to retire.

ORDER II. PICAE.

The distinguishing marks of this order are, a bill character somewhat compressed, more or less crooked, and always convex; toes divided, and adapted either for climbing (scamforial) or, for stepping, (gregorial). Some feed on insects, worms, and the flesh and offal of other animals, and some on the seeds and juices of plants. During the breeding season, they are monogamous, and make their nests on trees; and during incubation, the female is often fed by the male. There are a few genera, however, which do not exactly correspond with these characters.

Gen. 5. Psittacus, Parrot.

Bill hooked; upper mandible moveable, and, for the most part, covered with a cafe; nostrils rounded, and placed in the base of the bill; tongue fleshy, obtuse, entire; feet scamforial.

This very numerous genus, which contains upwards of 140 species, is peculiar to the warmer regions of both worlds. The birds which belong to it, resemble the accipitres in the form of the bill, but in their manners coincide with the other genera of this order. They feed on the seeds and fruits of various plants; are very docile, and by means of their obtuse tongue, may be taught to imitate human speech. They climb easily, assiting themselves with their bill. They associate in pairs, and attain to a great age. Some species equal the domestic fowl in size, while others are no larger than a sparrow. In Europe, they sometimes lay eggs, but seldom sit on them. In their native climates, the male and female fit on them alternately.

A. Tail long, and wedge-shaped.

Red and blue macaw.—Quill-feathers blue above, Macao rufous beneath, scapulars varied with blue and green; cheek naked, wrinkled. Body scarlet; upper mandible white, lower black; temples white; wing-coverts generally yellow; tail long and red; feathers blue at the sides. Two feet seven inches in length, size of a capon. Inhabits Brazil, Guiana, and other regions of South America, affecting swifl palm woods, and living on the fruit of the trees. When driven by hunger to feed on the manchineel apple, its flesh is poisonous, though the bird itself receives no injury. Makes its nest in decayed trees, enlarging the hole, if necessary, with its bill, and lining the inside with feathers. The female lays two eggs at a time, about the size of those of a pigeon, and spotted like those of a partridge. Breeds twice a year, the male and female fitting on the nest alternately, and reciprocally nursing and feeding the young birds. The latter are tamed with great ease, and may even be taught to speak, but the old birds are clamorous and unmanageable. Though the flesh is hard, black, and unfavourable, it makes good soup, and furnishes a great part of the food of the inhabitants of Cayenne, as well as other parts of South America. Like other parrots it is subject to fits when kept tame. The strength of its its bill is sufficient to break a peach-stone with great ease.

Red and yellow macaw.—Pale scarlet; scapulars yellow, tipped with green; quill-feathers blue above, rufous beneath; cheeks naked and wrinkled. Size of the preceding. Inhabits Guiana, Brazil, and Jamaica.

Tabuan parrot.—Head, neck, breast, and belly, purple; back and wing-coverts green; crown terminated by a lunular blue mark; first quill-feathers and greater part of the tail blue. Length, 19 inches. A beautiful species, found at Tonga Taboo, and the other Friendly isles in the South seas. The green variety, with the head, neck, breast, and belly, scarlet, occurs in New South Wales.

Beautiful parrot.—Head, neck, and body, red beneath, brown above; interscapulars pale blue, mixed with red; tail greenish-brown, tipped with white. Varies, with the wings, tail, and body green above. From 12 to 15 inches long. Inhabits the Molucca islands.

Pennantian parrot.—Scarlet; fore part of the back black, waved with scarlet; sides and throat blue; quill-feathers each with a white spot. There is a variety with a pale band in the middle of each wing. The female has the upper parts of the neck and body greenish, top of the head red, and a patch of the same colour under each eye; chin and throat blue; lower part of the neck and breast, as also the rump and vent, red; middle of the belly dusky green; tail dark blue, fringed with chestnut; shoulders blue, and the rest of the wing the same, but darker. Fifteen inches long. Inhabits New South Wales.

Splendid parrot.—Bright blood-red; back feathers edged with black; chin, wings, and tail blue. Sixteen inches long. Inhabits New Holland.

Orange-billed parrot, or long parrakeet.—Of a yellowish green colour; the hind part of the head, the throat, and breast red; crown of the head and cars blue, with alth-coloured orbits. Eight inches long. Inhabits India. Like other small species with long tails, is not easily taught to speak.

Gray-breasted parrakeet.—Olive; face, chin, and breast mouse-colour, quill-feathers green. Bill and legs gray; tail five inches long. About the size of a thrush. Tame and gentle, and easily taught to articulate. Common at Monte Video.

Horned parrot.—Green; head scarlet, with two long feathers standing out like horns; collar and rump straw-colour; outer edge of the quill and tail feathers blue. Bill and legs black blue; temples orange; irises golden; wing-coverts at the tips and within dusky; tail black beneath. Length 11 inches, size of a small dove. Inhabits New Caledonia. Figured in Latham's Synopsis.

Ground parrot, New Wales parrot, or black-spotted parrakeet of Van Diemen's Land. Green; four middle tail-feathers barred with green and black, the rest with black and yellow; bill and legs black; tail much wedged. This is a most elegant and beautiful species, about 12 inches long, inhabiting New South Wales, and other parts of New Holland, where it is known by the name of goodingnang. It is rarely seen, except on the ground, particularly in moist places. It is not known to perch on trees like other parrots, but rises from among the grass, and immediately alights in it again. The legs and toes are more slender than usual in this genus, and the claws more straight.

Otaheite parrakeet.—Blue; feathers of the head long; chin and throat white; bill and legs red. Tongue fringed at the end; only five inches long; inhabits Otaheite, and feeds on the fruit of the banana.

B. Tails short, and even at the ends.

Bankian cockatoo.—Splendid black; crest small; head Banki; and wing coverts dotted with buff; outer tail-feathers scarlet in the middle, barred and tipped with black. Nearly three feet long, but varies both in size and markings. Inhabits New Holland, and was brought to England by Sir Joseph Banks. Figured in Latham's first Supplement.

Great white cockatoo, or yellow-crested cockatoo.—Crisfatu. White; crest folding, and yellow. Bill, cere, irides, legs and claws black; orbits naked and white; quill and lateral tail feathers, from the base to the middle, sulphureous on the inside; feathers of the neck loosely flowing; crest five inches long, and erectile. Length 18 inches; size of a domestic ordinary fowl. This, and several other species, frequently repeat the word cockatoo. Inhabits the Molucca islands.

Afb-coloured or hoary parrot.—Bluish-gray; temples Erythacus. naked and white; tail scarlet. Bill black; cere white; irides yellowish white; legs cinereous; claws black. Subject to several varieties. About 20 inches long. Loquacious, and easily taught to speak. Inhabits Africa, and is sometimes called jaco from the sound which it commonly utters.

Ceram or purple parrot, Ceram lory, &c.—Red; or-Garrulus. bits alth-coloured; cheeks and wings green; hinder parts of the tail-feathers blue. There are three or four varieties. Size of a dove. Inhabits Ceram, and the other Molucca islands.

Purple or blue-cap lory.—Red; cap violet; wings Domicella green; shoulders and cheeks blue; orbits brown. There is a variety with a blue cap, black orbits, and yellow collar. According to some writers, these are male and female. They inhabit the East Indies, and are remarkable for speaking distinctly, and quickly learning their lesson. They are in general scarce, and fetch a high price.

Violet cup, or black-capped lory.—Purple; cap violet; Lory. wings green; breast, cheeks, and tail blue; orbits pale flesh-colour. Upwards of 10 inches long; inhabits the Philippine isles, particularly Yolo. It is so familiar and playful, that it is much to be regretted that its duration of life provos fo short in these colder regions.

Yellow-winged parrot, or yellow-headed creetine.—Ochro. Green; front and orbits whitish; crown, cheeks, chin, throat, and remoter wing-coverts, yellow. Thirteen inches long. Inhabits South America. A friend of the count de Buffon had one of this species alive, which seemed much attached to its master, and yet of a very capricious temper, expecting a return for every demonstration of civility. In its wantonness, it would sometimes bite a little too hard, and laugh heartily, as if pleased with the act; but if chafed for the offence, it became the more refractory, and could be reclaimed only by gentle treatment. It took great delight in tearing every thing to pieces, was dull and silent if confined in its cage; but when at large, chattered almost incessantly, and repeated every thing that was said to it. It was also, contrary to the disposition of many parrots, very fond of children. During the moulting season, it appeared dejected and uneasy for nearly three successive months. It was for the most part fed on hemp seed, nuts, fruits of all kinds, and bread soaked in wine, but preferred meat, if it could get it. It was observed, that if it fed on this last, it became dull and heavy, and soon lost its feathers. It was also remarked, that it kept its food for some time in its cheeks, whence it was gradually protruded by a sort of rumination.

Passepine parrot, or blue and green parakeet.—Yellowish-green, with a blue spot on the wings, which are blue below. Bill, cere, orbits, legs and claws, orange; primary wing-coverts blue. Inhabits Brazil and Guiana, and is the smallest of the genus, being only four inches in length, and of the size of the house sparrow.

Blue-collared parrot.—Yellowish-green, collar blue, rump red. Larger than a pigeon. Inhabits Chili, where it is called thecau, and where it often does much injury to the corn, flying in great flocks. When the troop settles, one of them acts as sentinel on a tree, and gives the alarm if any person approaches, from which circumstance it is difficult to flood them. This species breeds in the holes of rocks, laying two white eggs in the most inaccessible and craggy parts. From the tops of the cliff, the inhabitants let themselves down by ropes to take the eggs and young birds, which are reckoned delicate eating. If robbed of its young, this parrot will lay a second, and even a third, but rarely a fourth time. It is easily tamed, and learns to speak well.

White breasted parrot.—Green, yellow beneath, cap black, breast white, orbits flesh colour. Length nine inches and a half. Inhabits Mexico, Guiana, and the Caraccas in South America. Frequent woods, and seldom approaches inhabited districts. Its call is a thrill whistle, which it often repeats in its flight, nor does it learn to talk. "These birds," says Dr Latham, "fly in small numbers together, but are perpetually quarrelling with one another; and, if any one is taken, it refuses all food, till at last it is starved to death. Parrots of the most stubborn nature are often subdued by means of the smoke of tobacco; but this bird is only put into bad humour by the attempt. Whoever, therefore, would have these parrots must train them up young; and this would scarce be worth while, were it not for the sake of variety." Buffon has observed, that it is thicker and shorter-necked than most parrots, that its feathers are more stiffly set on, and that it is of a more dull and flippish disposition.

Senegal parrot.—Green, yellow beneath, head cinereous, orbits black and naked. Bill cinereous, cere blackish, irides yellow, legs reddish-ash. Size of a blackbird; length eight inches and a quarter. Plentiful in Senegal, where it flies in companies of five or six, and perches on the tops of the trees which are scattered in the sandy plains. Its cry is sharp and dissonant.

Ethiopian parrot, or red-headed Guinea parakeet.—Green; front red; tail tawny, with a black band, orbits cinereous. Size of a lark; length five inches and a half. Very common in Guinea, and also occurs in Ethiopia, the East Indies, and the island of Java.

Sapphire parrot, or sapphire-crowned parakeet.—Green; rump and breast scarlet, crown (of the male) blue. It sometimes occurs with the head yellowish blue, a transverse orange bar behind, and the front and under part of the throat and tail-coverts red. Five inches long. Inhabits the Philippine islands. Sleeps suspended by one foot, and is very fond of the fresh juice of the cocoanut tree. "If this is put in a cage (says Olbeek), it whistles very seldom, and commonly grows quite ill; it hangs itself with its feet fo, that the back is turned towards the earth, and seldom changes this situation: it is fed with boiled rice; in which manner in the year 1752, one was brought to Gottenburg.—We observed that their nests were remarkable for their exceeding fine texture; but we did not see the birds. If they had a different construction, the monkeys would be very mischievous to them; but now, before they can get to the opening, the lowest part, as the weakest, breaks in pieces, and the visiter falls to the ground, without any danger to the birds."

Gen. 6. RAMPHASTOS, Toucan.

Bill large, hollow, convex, and ferrated at the margins; both mandibles incurvated at the tips; nostrils behind the base of the bill long and narrow; tongue feathered at the edges; feet moffly scamfornial.

The birds of this genus seem to be limited to the tropical regions of South America, and are very impatient of cold. They feed on fruit, especially that of the palm trees. They are generally met with in small flocks of eight or ten, moving from place to place in quest of food, and advancing northward or southward as the fruits ripen, though they are not properly migratory. They make their nests in the hollows of trees abandoned by the woodpeckers, and not formed by themselves, the structure of their bill not allowing of the efforts necessary to make, or even enlarge a hole in the most tender wood, as it yields to the least pressure of the finger. They lay two eggs, and probably breed more than once in the year, as they are pretty numerous. If brought up young they are easily tamed, and become very familiar.

Green toucan.—Green, belly yellow, rump red. Upper mandible yellow, with red sides and a black line in the middle, the lower black; the base and space round the nostrils red, the teeth in both white, irides and orbits yellow, legs lead colour, claws black, tail wedged and inclining to ash beneath; head, chin, and throat in the male, black, in the female, bay, terminated by a black, narrow, transverse band. Fourteen inches long. Inhabits Cayenne. Its extraordinary large bill gives it a very singular appearance.

Pavonine toucan.—Green, feathers sprinkled with red Pavonine spots. Bill variegated with yellow and black, legs and claws black. Seventeen inches long. Inhabits the seacoasts of New Spain, and is said to feed on fish. This last circumstance, however, may admit of doubt. Most of the species will eat fish, and even fish, in a state of confinement; but their frequent proximity to the water in their natural state, is probably occasioned by the situation of their favourite fruit.

Brazilian toucan, or Brazilian pie.—Blackish, abdominal Picturatus band and vent red, rump white. Twenty-one inches long. long. Inhabits South America. The propriety of its Linnaean designation is somewhat doubtful.

Yellow-breasted toucan.—Blackish; abdominal band, vent, and rump yellow. Nineteen inches long. Inhabits South America.

White toucan.—Entirely white. No other particulars are known of this species.

Gen. 7. Momotus, Motmot.

Characters. Bill strong, slightly curved, serrated at the edges; nostrils feathered, tongue feathered, tail wedged, feet grefflorial.

Brazilian motmot, or Brazilian saw-billed roller.—Green, front bluish-green, hind part of the head violet, crown black. Variegated with green, tawney, blue and cinereous. Body olive-green above, rufly beneath; head large, bill black, legs black, claws hooked. About a foot and a half in length, and nearly equal to a magpie in size. Inhabits Brazil, Cayenne, Mexico, and other parts of South America. It is a solitary bird, frequenting thick forests; chiefly seen on the ground, or on some low branch of a tree, taking short flights when disturbed, and pronouncing the word hontoua. It makes a nest of dry grass and stalks on the ground, frequently in some hole deserted by an armadillo or other quadruped, and laying for the most part two eggs. It feeds on insects and raw flesh, the fragments of which it macerates in water. When taken, it strikes violently with its bill. Its voice is extremely harsh, weak, and tremulous.

Gen. 8. Scythrops, Channel-bill.

Characters. Bill large, convex, cultrated, furrowed or channelled on the sides, with the tip bent; nostrils round, naked, placed at the base of the bill; tongue cartilaginous and bifid at the end; toes placed two before and two behind; tail consisting of ten feathers.

New Holland channel-bill, pithecaceus or anomalous horn-bill.—Bill pale brown, tipped with yellowish, convex, keeled; nostrils surrounded with a red wrinkled skin; orbits naked; head, neck, and under parts of the body pale bluish-gray; back, wings, and tail cinereous, the feathers mostly with dusky blackish tips; tail long, wedged, its feathers barred with black near the end, and tipped with white; legs short, scaly, and with the hooked claws black. Size nearly that of a crow, and the total length 27 inches. Inhabits New Holland, though not plentifully, and is seldom seen unless in the morning and evening, sometimes in small groups of eight or ten, but frequently in pairs, appearing about Port Jackson in October, and departing in January, but to what country is not known. Both on the wing, and when perched, they make a strange, loud, screaming noise, not unlike that of the common cock and hen when they perceive a hawk or other bird of prey hovering over them. They are supposed to feed principally on the seeds of the red gum and peppermint trees, which they swallow whole. The tail is sometimes displayed like a fan, which gives the bird a majestic appearance.

Gen. 9. Buceros, Horn-bill.

Bill convex, curved, sharp-edged, large, serrated at the margins, with a horny protuberance on the upper characters, mandible near the base; nostrils behind the base of the bill; tongue short, sharp-pointed; feet grefflorial.

The birds of this genus are all inhabitants of the warmer regions of Asia and Africa, and seem to correspond to the toucans of the New World. According to Latham, the circumstance of their feeding on fish requires confirmation.

Philippine horn-bill.—Front bony, flat, and two-Bicornis. horned at the fore part. Varies with a vermilion bill, black belly, and the back and rump brown ash. Body black above, white beneath; quill feathers with a white spot; tail length and black; legs greenish. Size of a common fowl; inhabits the Philippine islands, and has a cry like the grunting of a hog. It lives in the woods, and feeds on fruits, such as the Indian fig, pistachio, &c. which it swallows entire; and after digesting the pulp, brings up the stones whole, and fill fit for vegetation. The Gentos rank it among their gods.

Abyssinian horn-bill.—Black; bony protuberance fe- Abyssinicus. micircular on the fore part; orbits, chin, and part of the throat naked, and irides brown. Greater quill feathers white. Total length, three feet ten inches; extent of wing, six feet. On the neck are several protuberances, as in the turkey cock, of a light blue colour, changing to red on various occasions. Occurs in Abyssinia, generally among the fields of taff, feeding on green beetles, which frequent that plant. It has a putrid smell, which has occasioned a supposition of its feeding on carrion. It has been seen with eighteen young ones, and usually runs on the ground; but when raised, flies both strong and far. It builds in large thick trees, and when it can, near churches; has a covered nest, like that of a magpie, but four times as large as an eagle's, placed firm on the trunk, at no great height from the ground, and the entry always on the left side.

Indian horn-bill.—Protuberance flattened forwards, Hydroco- belly tawny, neck with a white collar. Two feet four rax. inches long, rather bigger than a cock. Inhabits the Moluccas, and feeds chiefly on nutmegs, from which circumstance its flesh is very delicate, and has a fine aromatic flavour. In its native places, it is frequently tamed for the purposes of destroying rats and mice.

Rhinoceros horn-bill, rhinoceros-bird, or horned Indian Rhinoceros-raven.—The horny process on the upper mandible re-curved. Inhabits India. Three feet long, and nearly as big as a turkey. Feeds on flesh and carrion, and follows the hunters for the purpose of feeding on the entrails of the beasts which they kill. It is also said to feed on rats and mice, and after pressing them flat with its bill, to toss them up in the air, and swallow them whole, immediately on their descent.

Panayan horn-bill.—Greenish black; under part of Panayenius. the body dusky red; the prominence of the upper man-dible acute above and plane at the sides; bill very long, arched, dusky, having the sides marked transversely with orange-coloured furrows. Size of the raven. Na-tive of the isle of Panay. Gen. 10. Buphaga, Beef-eater.

Bill straight, squarish; mandibles gibbous, entire, more gibbous at the margins; feet greflorial.

African beef-eater.—Upper parts of the body gray-brown, under parts and rump yellowish; bill hardly an inch long, sometimes yellowish, tipped with red, sometimes black; tail wedged; legs and claws black. Eight inches and a half long. Inhabits Senegal, and other districts of Africa. Resembles the starling, in its manners, appearing in small troops of a dozen or more. Alights on the backs of oxen, antelopes, and other quadrupeds, and by prefling the elevated part of the animal's hide, which contains the larva of the cestus, forces it out, and regales on it. Is also said to feed on various kinds of insects. It has a sharp kind of cry, in no respect approaching to a song.

Gen. 11. Crotophaga, Ani.

Bill compressed, semi-oval, arched, carinated on the back; upper mandible angular at each edge; nostrils pervious, or going from one side of the bill to the other.

Leffer ani.—Blackish-violet; feet scurforial. Body black; tail long, and wedged; upper mandible incurved at the tip; nostrils oval; tongue fleshy, and entire; legs black. Length thirteen inches and a half; size of a blackbird; and sometimes known by the names of the razor-billed blackbird, or great blackbird. Inhabits South America and several of the West India islands. This species is gregarious to such a degree, that many females lay their eggs in the same nest, to make which they all unite in concert, and after depositing their eggs, fit on them close to each other, in order to hatch them, each striving to do the most for the general good. When the young are hatched, the parents exert themselves to feed the whole flock. It is still more remarkable, that as soon as the female has laid her eggs, she covers them with leaves, and repeats this operation as often as she is obliged to leave the nest for food. It generally breeds twice a year; and the eggs are about the size of those of a pigeon, of a sea-green colour, and spotted at the ends. The leffer ani feeds on worms, insects, fruits, and grain, according to the season. The other species resemble this in appearance and manners, but vary somewhat in size and colouring.

Gen. 12. Musophaga, Plantain-eater.

Bill strong, triangular, the upper mandible at the base elevated above the crown, both mandibles dentated on edges; nostrils in the middle of the bill; tongue entire and stout; toes placed three before and one behind.

Violet plantain-eater.—Bill one inch and a half; the upper mandible nearly triangular, loosing its attachment at the back part, and hanging over the crown; colour of the bill yellow, and reddish towards the end; irises brown; top of the head purple; neck, breast, body and wings violet; legs dusky-black, and very strong. This beautiful and rare bird is found on plains near the borders of rivers, in the province of Acre, in Guinea, and is said to live principally on the fruit of the plantain.

Its total length is nineteen inches, of which the tail is six inches and one-third. It is described and figured in Latham's second supplement.

Gen. 13. Glaucopis, Wattle-bird.

Bill incurvated, arched, the lower mandible shortest, with a caruncle below at the base; nostrils depressed, and half covered with a membrane nearly cartilaginous, cut at the point, and fringed; feet greflorial.

Cinerous wattle-bird.—Body, bill, and legs black; caruncle first blue, then orange; irides blue, and very large; tail long and wedged; legs long; hind claws longer than the rest. Fifteen inches long; about the size of a jay. Inhabits New Zealand, where it is often seen walking on the ground, and sometimes, though more rarely, perching on trees. It feeds on various kinds of berries and insects, and even, according to some, on small birds. Its note approaches to whistling, and sometimes to a sort of murmuring that is not unpleasant. Its flesh is eatable, and by some esteemed savoury.

Gen. 14. Corvus, Crow.

Bill strong, upper mandible a little convex, edges cultivated, and in most species, slightly notched near the tip; nostrils covered with bristles reflected over them; tongue divided at the end; toes three forward, one backward, the middle one joined to the outer as far as the first joint.

The greater number of this tribe are found in every climate. They are prolific, social, and clamorous; building on trees; laying six eggs; and living on grain, seeds, insects, &c. Some of them are apparently hurtful to agriculture; but their use in diminishing noxious vermin more than counterbalances the waste which they occasion.

Raven.—Black; back of a blueish-black; tail nearly rounded. Two feet two inches long. Varies with a few scattered white feathers, or is black and white, or entirely white. A well-known bird, a native of Europe, Asia, and America. Is hardy, cunning, voracious, and yet patient of hunger. Preys on young ducks and chickens, and even destroys young lambs and sickly sheep, by first picking out their eyes. Smells carrion at a great distance; gluts itself when an opportunity offers, retires to digest, and returns again to feed. Though easily domesticated, and taught to speak, it has a mischievous trick of purloining anything glittering, and concealing it. "We have been assured (says Mr Montagu), by a gentleman of veracity, that his butler having missed a great many silver spoons and other articles, without being able to detect the thief for some time, at last observed a tame raven with one in his mouth, and watched him to his hiding-place, where he found more than a dozen." The raven usually makes choice of the forks of the largest trees to build in; but many of them likewise breed on rocky coasts, and settle in the most inaccessible parts of them. At this time they are very bold, and will not allow even the falcon to approach their nest with impunity. The male and female pair for life, and drive their young from their haunt, as soon as they are able to provide for themselves. The female lays five or six eggs of a bluish-green ish-green colour, blotched and spotted with brown and ash-colour, and somewhat larger than those of a crow.

Carrion crow.—Bluish-black; tail rounded; tail feathers acute. Varied with spots of white, or entirely white; bill black, irides dusky, legs black. Distinguished from the rook by the bill, which is rather more convex towards the end, and by the reflected bristles at the base being always perfect. These marks, however, are obvious only in adults, and in young birds, the note is the only criterion, which in this is much more hoarse than that of the rook. This species weighs about nineteen ounces, and is eighteen inches long. It feeds on flesh, insects, and grain, but is particularly fond of carrion. It frequently attacks the eyes of dying animals, destroys weakly lambs, and when prelled with hunger, will even pursue birds on wing. It likewise makes havoc among young game and poultry. It will frequently hide its food till hunger becomes more urgent. With the lesser species of hawks it wages constant war; nor will it suffer the kite, the buzzard, or the raven, to approach its nest with impunity. Carrion crows keep in pairs all the year, and seldom congregate but to regale on some carcase, or to roost in winter. They build in woods, on the branches of trees, making a nest of sticks, plastered with earth, and lined with some soft materials, as wool and hair. The eggs are four or five in number, of a greenish colour, spotted with dusky and ash.

Rook.—Black; fore part of the head cinereous; tail somewhat rounded. Very like the preceding; but differs in its manners, being content with feeding on the insect tribe and grain. It is particularly fond of what is commonly called the grub-worm, which is the larva of the chafer. The rook is gregarious at all seasons, resorting every spring to breed on the same trees, where their nests may be seen crowded one over another, on the upper branches. It lays four or five eggs, much like those of the crow. After their young have taken wing, they all forsake their nest-trees, but return to them again in October, to roost. On the approach of winter, they usually seek some more sheltered situation at night, but generally assemble first in the usual place, and then fly off together. Rookeries are sometimes the scene of violent contests between the old and new inhabitants. An unfortunate couple of strangers will sometimes have their half-built nests torn in pieces, and be compelled to begin their work anew in some more undisturbed situation. "Of this (says Mr Bewick) we had a remarkable instance in Newcastle. In the year 1783, a pair of rooks, after an unsuccessful attempt to establish themselves in a rookery at no great distance from the exchange, were compelled to abandon the attempt. They took refuge on the spire of that building, and although constantly interrupted by other rooks, built their nest on the top of the vane, and brought forth their young, undisturbed by the noise of the populace below them; the nest and its inhabitants turning about with every change of the wind. They returned and built their nest every year on the same place till 1793, soon after which the spire was taken down." In England, rooks remain during the whole year; but both in France and Sicily, they migrate. It is a singular circumstance, that the island of Jersey should be entirely without rooks; particularly when we know that they frequently fly over from Britain to France. The young birds, when skinned, and made into pyes, are much in request at some tables, but are nevertheless coarse eating.

Hooded crow, or royston crow.—Ash-coloured; head, Cornus. throat, wings, and tail black. Length twenty-one inches. Visits the south of England in October, and retires north to breed, in the beginning of April. In the Hebrides, and some parts of Scotland and Ireland, it is resident throughout the year. In open champaign districts, it feeds on grain, worms, and carrion; but it often resorts to the neighbourhood of the sea coast, where the various animal matters thrown up by the tide, afford a constant supply of food. It not only picks out the eyes of lambs and diseased sheep, but of horses, when entangled in bogs. The nest and eggs are similar to those of the common crow. It is not uncommon in many parts of Europe and Siberia.

Jackdaw.—Brownish black; hind part of the head Monedula-hoary; front, wings, and tail, black. Its varieties are, a white collar round the neck; white, with a yellowish bill; bright black, and eyes surrounded with white dots; black, with bill and legs red; wings white, bill some what curved; brownish, with white shoulders, &c. Weighs about nine ounces; length near thirteen inches. This very common bird frequents old towers, ruined buildings, and high cliffs, where it builds, as well as in holes of trees. The nest is made of sticks, and lined with wool and other soft materials; the eggs are five or fix, and bluish, spotted with black. The jackdaw is gregarious, frequently flocks with rooks, and like the latter, feeds on grain and insects, is fond of cherries, and will devour carrion in severe weather. It is frequently seen to perch on the back of sheep, not only to rob that animal of its wool as a lining to its nest, but also to pick out the ticks with which it is infested. Though easily made tame, and taught to speak, it is mischievous, and full of tricks.

Jay.—Wing-coverts blue, with white and black transverse lines; body variegated with purple and gray. This beautiful bird is very common in Great Britain, and in various parts of Europe and Siberia; frequenting wooded tracts, but not in flocks. It weighs seven ounces, and measures nearly thirteen inches in length. The nest, which is commonly built in high coppice wood, or hedges, and sometimes against the side of a scrubby tree, is formed of sticks, lined with fibrous roots, and contains five or fix eggs, of a light brown colour, not very unlike those of the partridge, but smaller, and obscurely marked with a darker shade of brown. The jay is a great devourer of fruit and grain, particularly acorns, peas, and cherries; will frequently plunder the nests of smaller birds of their eggs and young, and sometimes pounce on the old birds, on which it preys, as well as on mice. Its common notes are various, but harsh, and manifest a singular propensity to imitation and mimicry, counterfeiting the bleating of a lamb, the mewing of a cat, the cry of a kite or buzzard, the hooting of an owl, the neighing of a horse, &c. It has even been known to imitate very exactly the sound made by the action of a saw.

Blue jay.—Blue; collar black; wing-coverts with Crijtatus. transverse black lines; crest blue; cheeks, chin, and belly, white; breast pale red; back pale purple; tail long, wedged, with black and blue lines, and tipped with white; legs black. Eleven inches long; inhabits North. North America; is gregarious; builds in marshy places; has a pleasant note; feeds on worms, serpents, chestnuts, &c., and is particularly destructive to the maize fields.

Nut-cracker.—Brown, dotted with white; wings and tail black; tail feathers black at the tip, the middle ones as if worn. Body with triangular white spots; vent white; crown and tail feathers without spots; feathers of the nostrils sometimes wanting; tongue bicuspidate. Length thirteen inches; size of a magpie. Inhabits Europe and Siberia, but is very rare in England. Its favourite food seems to be the kernels of nuts, which it backs or splits with its bill.

Magpie.—Variegated black and white; tail wedged. Subject to considerable varieties. About eighteen inches long, and weighs between eight and nine ounces. Too well known to require particular description, being a common inhabitant of many parts of Europe, Asia, and America. Generally continues in pairs through the year; is mischievous and clamorous, and has a very indiscriminate appetite, rejecting hardly any species of animal food, or fruits, and devouring grain, when nothing else can be got. Is crafty and familiar; may be taught to pronounce words, and even short sentences, and will imitate any particular noise which it hears. Like other birds of its kind, is addicted to pilfering, and will hoard its provisions. The female builds her nest with great art, leaving a hole in the side for her admittance, and covering all the upper part with thorny branches, closely entangled, so as to secure her retreat from the rude attacks of other birds. The inside is furnished with a sort of mattress composed of wool, and other soft materials. She lays seven or eight eggs, of a pale green colour, spotted with black. During winter nights, magpies assemble in great numbers in some coppice or thicket, to roost, but separate again in the day.

Mexicanus.—Entirely bluish black. Bill, legs, and claws black. Size of the jackdaw. Inhabits New Spain, frequenting the neighbourhood of towns, and perpetually chattering with a strong and sounding voice.

Alpine crow.—Blackish; bill pale yellow, legs black. Size of the jackdaw; length fifteen inches. Inhabits the Alps and Pyrenees; has a sharp, disagreeable voice; lives on seeds and grain, and is injurious to corn fields. Its flesh is reckoned good eating.

Red-legged crow, or Cornish chough.—Violet blackish; bill and legs red. Weighs about fourteen ounces; length nearly seventeen inches. Inhabits the Alps, Norway, England, Egypt, and Persia. In this island, it seems to be chiefly confined to Devonshire, Cornwall, and Wales. Mr Pennant observes, that it is also found in some parts of Scotland and the Hebrides. It is seldom seen at any great distance from the sea coast, where it breeds in the rocks and caverns, and not unfrequently in ruined towers. The nest is composed of sticks, and lined with a great quantity of wool and hair. The eggs are generally five, of a dull white, sprinkled with light-brown and ash-coloured spots, mostly at the larger end. The note of the Cornish chough is somewhat like that of the jackdaw, but more shrill. Its food is grain and insects, though, in a state of confinement, it will greedily feed on flesh. It is easily tamed, but crafty, and will hide not only part of its food, but things of value. It is even alleged, that housetops have been set on fire by its carrying off lighted sticks in its bill.

Gen. 15. Coracias, Roller.

Bill sharp edged, bent in at the point, base naked of coracian feathers; tongue cartilaginous, and bifid; legs short; feet gressifoliate; toes three before, and one behind, divided to their origin.

This genus is not confined to any particular region of the globe, as one or other of the different species may be met with in each of the four quarters of the world.

Common or garrulous roller.—Blue; back red; flag-feathers black.—The only species that has ever been met with in England, and that very rarely. Length twelve inches and a half; size of a jay. Vies with some of the parrots, in its shades of blue and green, mixed with white, heightened by the contrast of graver colours. It is wilder than the jay; frequents the thickest woods, and builds its nest chiefly on birch trees. It is plentiful in Germany, Sicily, and Malta, where they are sold in the markets and poulterers shops. It feeds on frogs, beetles, acorns, grain, and fruit, and in cases of necessity will even eat carrion. It is remarkable for making a chattering kind of noise. Its flesh tastes like that of a turtle.

Long-tailed roller.—Bill blackish, one inch and a half long; hind parts of the head green; upper parts of the back and scapulars fulvous glazed with green; lower part of the back, rump, and wing coverts, fine blue; upper tail coverts blue green; two middle feathers of the tail deep green, rest blue green; outer ones on each side twice the length of the others, and the projecting part deep blue; the shafts of all black; legs gray; claws blackish. Inhabits Angola.

Docile or tame roller.—White, interpered with red; bill, dih, bay beneath; legs yellow; tail feathers black, tipped with white; bill yellow; claws flesh-colour. Size of a jackdaw. Inhabits Persia; and has obtained its name from imitating the words and actions of those around it.

Noisy roller.—Black; patch on the wings; vent, base, and tip of the tail white. This species is very numerous at Norfolk island; and is very clamorous, especially at night. It is a very foolish bird; running after any person, and allowing itself to be knocked down with a stick. It is about nineteen inches long, and rather bigger than a jackdaw.

Gen. 16. Oriolus, Oriole.

Bill conical, convex, very acute and straight; upper mandible somewhat longer than the under, and slightly emarginated; tongue bifid and acute; feet gressiforial.

The birds of this genus are gregarious, noisy, numerous, voracious, and great devourers of corn. They chiefly inhabit America, and often build pendulous nests. The only European species, which also inhabits Asia and Africa, is the

Golden oriole, or golden thrush.—Pale yellow; lores and limbs black; outer tail feathers yellow on the hind part; bill and irises yellow; legs plumbeous. Nine inches and a half long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa; and is incident to several varieties. It is by no means uncommon in France, where it summerers and breeds. Its nest is in the shape of a purse, fastened to the extreme divarications of the outmost twigs of tall trees, and composed of fibres of hemp, or straw, mixed with fine dry stalks of grass, and lined within with moss and lichens. The female lays four or five eggs of a dirty white, marked with small brown spots. She sits three weeks, and will not unfrequently suffer herself to be taken with the eggs and nest, and continue to sit on them in a cage, till she dies. The golden oriole is partial to grapes, figs, cherries, berries, and insects. It has a loud cry. Its flesh is reckoned good eating.

Climbing oriole.—Tawney; head, neck, and breast spotted with white; tail rounded; bill yellowish gray; legs blackish. Seven inches long. Inhabits Guiana, among trees, which it climbs like a pie, and picks out insects from under the bark.

Icteris oriole.—Tawney; head, throat, back, quill and tail feathers, black; wings with a white spot; bill mostly black, with a brown base; irides yellowish; legs sometimes black and sometimes lead coloured, or gray white. Nine inches and a half long. Inhabits the warmer parts of America and the Caribbee islands. Domesticated for the purpose of killing insects. In its wild state it is very agile and bold. It builds a large cylindrical nest, suspended to the end of a twig of a tree, with a view to defend its young from the attacks of snakes and other animals. Of these nests several may sometimes be seen near to one another, and not far from housetops.

Phoenicurus. Red-winged oriole.—Black; wing coverts tawney. Size of a starling; length from eight to nine inches. Occurs in Mexico, the Carolinas, Virginia, and as far as New York. Builds a thick penile nest among reeds, or between the forks of trees, three or four feet from the ground, along with other birds, in the swamps, which are seldom accessible by man. In Louisiana these birds appear only in winter, and sometimes in such immense flocks, that three hundred or more are taken at one draught of the net. These nets are spread on some bare smooth path, at the side of a wood, with rice fired to decoy the birds. To secure the multitudes that are caught, it is often necessary to knock most of them on the head upon the spot. Their common name in America is maize-thief, which they have acquired from the circumstance of their pecking a hole in the plant when green, and so destroying it.

Red-breasted oriole, or mocking-bird of Guiana.—Black; chin, throat, breast, and upper corner of the wings red. Seven inches long, less than a blackbird. Inhabits Guiana and Cayenne; sings pleasantly, and imitates the notes of many other birds. The nest, which is built of hay, &c., is long, cylindrical, twelve or fifteen inches in circumference, and hangs from the high branches of the tallest trees.

Black and yellow oriole.—Black; hind part of the back, spot on the wing-coverts and base of the tail feathers, yellow. There are, however, several varieties. Bigger than a blackbird. Inhabits South America; forms a pendent nest, shaped like an alembic: four hundred of which may sometimes be seen together, hanging from the extreme branches of trees. The eggs are dirty white, with small pale brown spots.

Baltimore oriole, or Baltimore bird.—Blackish; the under parts of the body, and the band on the wings tawney; bill lead colour; greater wing coverts black, tipt with white; first quill feathers dirty white, edged with white; two middle tail feathers black, the rest black on the lower part, and orange above. These birds are found in many parts of America, the northern regions of which they occupy in summer, advancing even to Montreal in May, and returning southward in winter, which accounts for their appearance in Maryland and Virginia at that time. They make their nest of a soft downy matter, in the shape of a purse, tying it with threads to the extreme forks of the twigs of the tulip, plane, and hickory trees. The country people call them fire-birds; and indeed, when in high plumage, their motions from branch to branch not unaptly resemble a flash of fire.

Woven oriole.—Yellow; head brown, with a shade Textor. of golden; quill and tail feathers blackish, edged with orange. Inhabits near the Senegal; size of the golden oriole. "In the cage where these birds were kept (says Dr Latham), it was observed, that they entwined some of the stalks of the pimpernel, with which they were fed, in the wires; as this seemed to shew a disposition of making a nest, some rush-stalks were put into the cage; on which they presently made a nest large enough to hide one of them at least; but it was as often deranged as made, the work of one day being spoiled the next; serving to shew that the fabrication of the nest in a state of nature was the work of both male and female, and in all probability is finished by the last. They had a sharp but lively note.

"A friend of mine described a bird to me, which he saw at the house of an acquaintance, which seemed to be this very bird. By accident having got a bit of sewing silk, it wove it among the wires of the cage, on which, more being put to it, it interlaced the whole very confusedly, so as to hinder most part of that side of the cage from being seen through. It was found to prefer green and yellow to any other coloured silk."

Banana oriole.—Tawney; head and breast chestnut; back, quill, and tail feathers, black. Seven inches long. Inhabits South America and the West India islands. Makes a nest of a curious construction, composed of fibres and leaves, exactly in the shape of the fourth part of a globe, sewed with great art under a leaf of a banana tree, in such a manner that the leaf forms one side of the nest.

Hang-nest oriole, American hang-nest, Spanish night-tingale, &c.—Frontlet and wreath black; crown, neck, dulius, back, and tail, reddish-brown; breast and belly tawny yellow. Inhabits the woods in Jamaica; sings sweetly; and builds a pendulous nest of stalks or thready mols, on the extreme branch of a high tree.

Gen. 17. GRACULA, Grackle.

Bill convex, sharp-edged, somewhat naked at the base; tongue entire, somewhat sharp, flebby; feet formed for walking.

All the species are extra-European; have a thick bill, compressed at the sides, with small nostrils at the base, and sharp-hooked claws; the middle toe of the fore-feet connected at the base to the outer.

Minor, or religious grackle.—Violet black; spot on the wings white; hind-head with a yellow naked band. Size of a blackbird; length ten inches and a half. Inhabits habits various parts of the East Indies; is very fond of cherries and grapes; and can be easily trained to whistle, sing, or speak.

Boat-tailed grackle.—Grayish; shoulders blue; quill feathers green on the outside. Size of a cuckoo, nearly thirteen inches long. The folding up of the tail feathers, instead of forming a plane surface at top, sinks into a hollow, like a deep gutter, which singularity is manifest only when the bird is flying, or perched, for when on the ground, it always carries its tail expanded. It inhabits Jamaica and North America, keeping company with the maize-thief and red-winged oriole. It feeds on maize, the fruit of the banana, &c. as well as on beetles and other insects.

Purple grackle.—Violet black; tail rounded. Upwards of thirteen inches long, though the female measures only eleven and a half. Inhabits Mexico, the warm parts of America, and Jamaica; sings sweetly; feeds on all kinds of grain, and makes great havoc in the maize plantations. It lays five or fix bluish eggs, with black stripes and spots.

Gen. i8. PARADISEA, Bird of Paradise.

Bill covered with a belt of downy feathers at the base; feathers of the sides very long; two of the tail feathers naked. Legs and feet very large and strong; three toes forward, one backward, the middle connected to the outer one as far as the first joint.

The birds of this genus, till lately, were very imperfectly known, and had given rise to various idle tales, such as their never alighting on the ground from their birth to their death; their living entirely on dew; their being produced without legs, &c. The circumstance which led to the last-mentioned error, was merely accidental; the legs and coarser parts of the wings having been pulled off in the course of preparing the birds for an ornamental article of dress. Though the birds of paradise occur in Japan, China, Persia, and various parts of India, they are believed to be properly natives of New Guinea, where they breed. The Dutch get them chiefly from Banda, where the story of their want of legs has been propagated, in order to enhance their value.

Great bird of Paradise.—Feathers of the hypochondria longer than the body; the two intermediate tail feathers long and fetaceous; the size of the body scarcely exceeds that of a thrush, though the plumage would indicate a bird as large as a pigeon; the length from the end of the bill to that of the tail is twelve inches and a half; the bill is greenish yellow, and an inch and a half long; the eyes are very small; the head, which is also small in proportion to the bird, as well as the throat and neck are covered with very short, dense, stiff feathers, of which those on the head and hind part of the neck are of a pale gold colour; the base of the bill is surrounded with black feathers, appearing like velvet, and changing in different lights to green; the fore part of the neck is golden green; the lower part of the neck behind the back, wings, and tail, are chestnut; the breast is of a deep chestnut, verging to purple; from under the wings proceeds a great quantity of feathers, with the webs so loose, as to appear like a herring-bone, some of them nearly eighteen inches long, some chestnut and purplish, others yellowish, and a few almost white; from the rump arise two feathers without webs, except for four inches next the base, and the same at the tips; the legs are stout and of a brown colour. These birds are found in the Molucca islands, and those surrounding New Guinea, particularly in Aroo, where they arrive with the wetter or dry monsoon, and whence they return to New Guinea, when the easterly or wet monsoon sets in. They are seen going and returning in flights of thirty or forty, conducted by a leader, which flies higher than the rest. During this flight they cry like starlings. By a sudden shifting of the wind, their long scapular feathers are sometimes so dishevelled as to preclude flying, when they fall to the ground, or are lost in the water. In the former case they cannot rise again into the air, without gaining an eminence, and are secured by the natives, and killed on the spot, as they cannot be preserved alive by art. They are likewise caught with bird-lime, or shot with blunt arrows, or intoxicated with the berries of menispernum cucullus put into the water which they are accustomed to drink. Their real food is not known with certainty. According to some, they feed on the red berries of the waranga tree (Ficus benjamin), according to others, they are particularly fond of nutmegs; some assert that they live on large butterflies, and others, that they chase and devour small birds. It is only for ornament that they are coveted by such of the inhabitants of the east as are able to purchase them, the chiefs of the country wearing them constantly in their turbans. The grandees of Perfa, Surat, and the East Indies, use them as aigrettes, and even adorn their horses with them. There is a lesser variety of this species, found in the Papua islands.

King's bird of Paradise, or king's bird.—Chestnut Regia. purple, whitish beneath; two middle tail-feathers filiform, feathered, and semilunar at the tips; breast bluish; cirri of the tail very long; feathers under the wings longer than the rest; tail short, truncate; from five to seven inches long, and about the size of a lark. It is said not to associate with any other of the birds of paradise, but shifts solitary from bush to bush in quest of red berries, and never gets on tall trees. It occurs in the islands of the Indian ocean, and returns to New Guinea in the rainy season, but is much more scarce than the preceding.

Magnificent bird of Paradise.—Chestnut brown above; Magnifica chin green, with golden lunules; crown with a tuft of yellow feathers; first quill-feathers brown, secondary deep yellow; middle tail-feathers very long, with a very short fringe; legs and bill yellow, and the latter black at the tip and base. A singular and beautiful species, figured in Latham's Synops.

Gorget bird of Paradise.—Black, slight green beneath; hind head, nape, crown, and band on the middle of the belly fine green, a splendid gold-coloured crescent under the chin; tail feathers 12, unequal, the outer ones five inches long, and the two in the middle 22. Twenty-eight inches long. Figured in Latham's Synops.

Superb bird of Paradise.—Crested; head, crown, and Superba belly green; chin violet, silky; wings black; tail with a shade of green; bill black; legs brown; under the wings a tuft of loofe, black, silky feathers, as long as the wings when folded. Eight inches and eight lines long. Native of the northern parts of New Guinea. White bird of Paradise.—Entirely white. Inhabits the Papuan islands, and is very rare.

Gen. 19. TROGON, Curucui.

Bill shorter than the head, sharp-edged, hooked; mandibles serrated at the edge; feet scanorial; body long; nostrils covered with bristles; feet short, woolly; tail very long, consisting of 12 feathers.

The birds of this genus are all inhabitants of the tropical regions, and mostly inhabit South America. They live solitary, in the thickest recesses of moist woods, fitting and building on the lower branches of trees. They take but a short flight, and feed on insects and fruit. As they differ much in appearance, in different stages of life, a considerable degree of confusion has prevailed in the illustration of the species. They have the name of curucui from their note.

Red-bellied curucui.—Of a greenish-gold colour, tawney beneath; throat black; lateral tail feathers, with white and black bars, the middle ones tipped with black. Somewhat less than a magpie; length 10 inches and a half. Inhabits Mexico, Brazil, and Peru. There are two or three varieties. At pairing time, only two or three are found together; and the male has a kind of melancholy note, by which their haunts are discovered. They begin to pair in April, and build in the hole of a rotten tree, laying three or four white eggs, about as big as those of a pigeon, on the bare rotten dust. During the incubation of the female, the male takes care to provide food for her, and to beguile the time by his song. The parents feed the young with small worms, caterpillars, and insects; and, when their nurseries are able to shift for themselves, they forsake them, and return to their solitary haunts, till nature prompts them to produce their second brood in August or September. Various attempts have been made, but without effect, to domesticate this species, as it obstinately refuses food, when in confinement.

Gen. 20. BUCCO, Barbet.

Bill cultrated, compressed laterally; apex emarginated on both sides, and incurved, gape reaching below the eyes; nostrils covered with recumbent feathers; feet scanorial; bill strong, somewhat straight, almost covered with bristles; tail feathers usually ten.

The birds of this genus are all inhabitants of Africa, and the warmer parts of Asia and America, and are a dull and stupid race.

Spotted-bellied barbet.—Tawney brown, tawney white, spotted with black beneath; chin tawney; neck with a tawney lunule varied with black, a black spot behind the eyes; head very large; bill black; crown and front tawnyish; legs black. This bird occurs both at Cayenne and Brazil. It is clumsy, solitary, silent, and penive, affecting only such places as are farthest from habitations, generally in the woods, where it chooses some low branch, well covered with twigs and foliage, on which it perches, with its large head refting between its shoulders for a long time together, allowing itself to be shot at several times before it makes its escape. It feeds on insects, particularly large beetles.

Beautiful barbet.—Green; head and chin red, edged with blue; quill feathers brown, throat and breast yel- low, the latter spotted with red; belly yellow, spotted with green; bill, legs, and claws cinereous, the latter tipped with yellow; a blue streak on each side of the mouth; tail wedged; quill feathers edged with green. Size of a sparrow, nearly fix inches long. Inhabits the country of Maynas, on the borders of the Amazons, and is the most beautiful and active of the tribe.

Gen. 21. CUCULUS, Cuckoo.

Bill smooth, weak, a little curved; nostrils bounded by a small rim; tongue arrowed, short, and pointed; feet scanorial.

Of upwards of 50 species belonging to this genus, the first mentioned only is a native of Great Britain; and very few of the others are natives of Europe.

Common cuckoo.—Cinereous, whitish beneath, transversely streaked with brown; tail rounded, blackish, dotted with white; edges of the eyelids, opening of the mouth and palate saffron; when young, the whole body is brownish, the feathers edged with white; the upper part of the body is sometimes varied with reddish. It likewise occurs with wavings of gray; a double row of white dots on the middle tail feathers, and the bill, orbits, and legs of a sulphur colour. Size of the turtle dove; 14 inches long, and weighs about four ounces and a half. The female is rather less, and, in general, differs from the other sex, in the neck and breast being of a tawnyish brown, barred with dusky, and the wing-coverts marked with light ferruginous spots. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa.—This well-known bird comes to us early in the spring, and almost invariably leaves us by the first of July, though the females may sometimes remain a little later, till they have deposited all their eggs. Such as are seen about the latter end of September or beginning of October, are the young of that year, or stragglers which have been wounded. The singular note of the male has given rise to the name of this bird, in most languages; the female is either silent, or makes only a chattering noise. Cuckoos build no nest, and what is more extraordinary, the female deposits her solitary egg in the nest of another bird, by which it is hatched. The nest which she selects for this purpose is usually that of the hedge sparrow, though sometimes also that of the water-wagtail, tit-lark, yellow hammer, green linnet, &c. Dr Jenner, in his valuable communication to the Royal Society, published in the second part of the 78th volume of their Transactions, observes, that while the hedge sparrow is laying her eggs, which generally takes up four or five days, the cuckoo contrives to deposit her egg among the rest, leaving the future care of it entirely to the hedge sparrow. This intrusion often occasions some discomposure, for the old hedge sparrow at intervals, while he is fitting, not only throws out some of her own eggs, but sometimes injures them in such a way, that they become addle; so that it frequently happens that not more than two or three of the parent bird's eggs are hatched with that of the cuckoo: and, what is very remarkable, it has never been observed, that the hedge sparrow has either thrown out or injured the egg of the cuckoo. When the hedge sparrow has sat her usual time, and has disengaged the young cuckoo and some of her own offspring from the shell, her own young ones, and any of her eggs that remain unhatched, are soon turned out; the young cuckoo then remains in full possession of the nest, and is the sole object of the future care of its foster-parent. "The mode of accomplishing this (says the ingenious and interesting inquirer, in reporting his observations on a particular case), was curious; the little animal, with the assistance of its rump and wings, contrived to get the bird upon its back, and making a lodgement for its burden, by elevating its elbows, clambered backwards with it up the side of the nest till it reached the top, where, resting for a moment, it threw off its load with a jerk, and quite disengaged it from the nest. After remaining a short time in this situation, and feeling about with the extremities of its wings, as if to be convinced that the business was properly executed, it dropped into the nest again." Dr Jenner made several experiments in different nests, by repeatedly putting in an egg to the young cuckoo, which he always found to be duped of in the same manner. But we are reluctantly compelled to withhold various other interesting details relative to this subject, and to refer our readers to the original communication. The young birds are observed to be helpless and foolish for a great length of time, but are capable of being tamed, and, when in confinement, will eat bread and milk, fruits, insects, eggs, and flesh, either cooked or raw; but, in a state of nature, they live chiefly on caterpillars and insects.

Long-billed rain cuckoo.—Tail wedged; body brownish, testaceous beneath; eyelids red. Rather bigger than a blackbird. Inhabits woods and shrubberies in Jamaica, is easily tamed, flies short, sings before rain, and feeds on grains, insects, worms, small serpents, frogs, lizards, and small birds.

Rain cuckoo.—Olive ash, rufous beneath; chin and throat white; outer tail-feathers edged with white. From 16 to 17 inches long, like the preceding. Inhabits Jamaica, and sings before rain. Both species are familiarly known by the names of old man, and rain bird.

Laughing cuckoo.—Tawney; chin, throat, and breast cinereous; belly, thighs, and lower tail-coverts black; bill bluish black; irides white; tail half as long as the body. Sixteen inches long. Inhabits New Spain; has a voice like a man laughing, on which account it is dreaded by the Indians as ominous.

Coromandel crested cuckoo.—Upper parts of the body black; under part white; a white spot on the edge of the wing; tail wedge-shaped and tipped with white; head crested; bill black; legs brown. Length eleven inches. Inhabits the coast of Coromandel.

Pifan cuckoo.—Tail wedged; body above varied with white and black, white beneath; head black and crested; chin and breast rufous. Rather larger than the common species, and has its name from having been once caught in Pifa.

Bee cuckoo, honey-guide, moroc, &c.—Rufly gray, white beneath; eyelids naked, black; shoulders with a yellow spot; tail wedged, rufly; bill brown at the base, and surrounded with bristles, yellow at the tip; feathers of the thighs white, with a longitudinal black streak; quill-feathers brown above, gray brown beneath; first tail-feathers very narrow, rufly; the next footy, the inner edge whitish; the rest brown at the tip on the inner web. Somewhat larger than the common sparrow. Native of the interior parts of Africa. This bird is very fond of honey and bee maggots; but being unable, by its own efforts, to procure them from the hollow of trees, it points out to man and to the animal called ratel, the nests of wild bees. The morning and the evening are its principal meal times; at least it is then that it shews the greatest inclination to come forth, and with a grating cry of cherr, cherr, cherr, to excite the attention of the ratel, as well as of the Hottentots and colonists. Somebody then generally repairs to the place whence the found proceeds, when the bird, continually repeating its cry, flies on slowly and by degrees to the quarter where the bees have taken up their abode. The persons thus invited, follow accordingly, taking great care, at the same time, not to frighten their guide by any unusual noise; but rather to answer it now and then with a very soft and gentle whistle, by way of letting the bird know, that its call is attended to. When the bee's nest is at some distance, the bird often makes long stages, or flights, waiting for its sporting companions between each flight, and calling to them again to come on; but it flies to shorter distances, and repeats its cry more frequently, and with greater earnestness, in proportion as they approach nearer the nest. When the bird has sometimes, in consequence of its impatience, got too far a-head of its companions, but particularly when, on account of the unevenness of the ground, they have not been able to keep pace with it, it will fly back to meet them, and, with redoubled cries, denoting still greater impatience, upbraid them, as it were, for being too tardy. When it arrives at the nest, whether the latter is built in the cleft of a rock, or in a hollow tree, or in some cavity of the earth, it hovers over the spot for a few seconds, then sits in silence, and for the most part concealed, in some neighbouring tree or bush, in expectation of the result, and with a view of receiving its share of the booty. Nor is it disappointed; the hunters, by way of acknowledgement, leaving it a considerable portion of that part of the comb in which the bees are hatching. Mr Barrow corroborates these details, and adds, that the moroc intimates to the inhabitants, with equal certainty, the dens of lions, tigers, hyenas, and other beasts of prey, and noxious animals. Le Vaillant mentions that the Hottentots are very partial to this bird on account of its services, and that once when he was on the point of shooting one, they interceded him to spare its life. Mr Bruce, by confounding this species with another peculiar to Abyssinia, has indulged in some very misplaced strictures on the accounts of Sparrman and Lobo.

Gen. 22. Yunx.

Bill smoothish, cylindrical, pointed, a little curved, weak; nostrils concave, naked; tongue very long, smooth, worm-shaped, armed at the point; tail feathers 10, flexible; feet scanorial.

This genus consists of only one species, and has, by most authors, been held distinct; for, though allied to some other genera, it perfectly coincides with none. The tongue and disposition of the toes correspond to those of the woodpecker; but the weakness of the bill distinguishes it from that family. It seems also to be nearly related to the cuckoo, did not its length of tongue form a marked distinction.

Wryneck.—Gray, varied with brown, and blackish; Torquilla belly reddish, with blackish spots; tail-feathers waved with black spots, streaks, and bars. Description, however, is very inadequate to convey an accurate idea of the elegant markings of this little bird. Its name seems to have been given it from the singular manner of turning its head over its shoulder and perpetually looking about, when the black lilt on the back of the neck gives it a twifled appearance. The weight of this beautiful bird is about ten drams, and its length seven inches. It inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa, appearing in Britain about the same time with the cuckoo, and chiefly frequenting woods, or thickly inclosed countries, where trees or orchards abound. Its food principally consists of ants and other insects, of which it finds great abundance lodged in the bark and crevices of trees, and which it secures by a horny substance at the end of its long tongue. It likewise frequents ant hills, into which it darts its tongue, and draws out its prey. It is never seen with any other society than that of its female, and as soon as the domestic union is dissolved, which is in September, they retire and migrate by themselves. It makes an artless nest of dry grass, on duty rotten wood, in holes of trees, and lays nine or ten eggs, which are white and transparent. If surprised in its nest, it stretches itself at full length; and erecting the feathers on the crown of its head, suddenly rises, making, at the same time, a short hissing noise, like that of a turkey cock. In the beginning of spring, it very frequently repeats a noise like that of the smaller species of hawks.

Gen. 23. Picus, Woodpecker.

Bill angular, straight, wedged at the tip; nostrils covered with recumbent feathaceous feathers; tongue round, worm-shaped, very long, bony, muffle, daggered, beset at the point with reflexed bristles; tail feathers ten, hard, rigid, pointed; feet scanorial.

The birds of this genus climb trees, particularly those that are decaying or dead, in search of insects and their larvae. The bone of their tongue terminates in two long slender cartilages, which proceed from below upwards, and from behind forwards, over the whole skull, under the skin, and are attached to the forehead near the base of the bill. By means of these elastic cartilages, the woodpeckers thrust out their filiform tongue to catch insects. The feet are formed for climbing, their tail is fitted for resistance and support, and their sharp-pointed and barbed tongue enables them to extract insects from their lurking places in trees. They are therefore unjustly persecuted and driven from plantations. They make their nests in hollows of trees. They have a membranous stomach and want the cecum.

Great black woodpecker.—Black, cap vermilion. In the female the hind head only is red; length 17 inches and a half. Size of a jackdaw; bill nearly two inches and a half long, of a dark ash colour, and whitish on the sides; irides pale yellow. Has all the habits of the green woodpecker, and is a great destroyer of bees. Makes its nest deep in some tree, which it has excavated for the purpose, and lays two or three white eggs; a circumstance which seems peculiar to most of the genus. Occurs in Europe, Siberia, and Chili; but rarely visits England.

Red-headed woodpecker.—Head wholly red; wings and tail black; belly white. Eight inches and three quarters long, and weighs two or three ounces. This species inhabits Virginia, Carolina, Canada, &c.; but, on the approach of winter, migrates more or less to the southward, according to the severity of the season, from which circumstance the North Americans foretell the rigour or clemency of the ensuing winter. The red-headed woodpeckers are very destructive to maize fields and orchards, and are fond of acorns. During the winter they are very tame, and sometimes come into houses, as the redbreast with us. They are found chiefly in old trees; and the noise that they make with their bills may sometimes be heard at a mile's distance.

Gold-winged woodpecker.—Striated transversely with Auratus. black and gray; chin and breast black; nape red; rump white. Chin of the female cinereous; length 11 inches; weight five ounces. Inhabits North America; is almost continually on the ground; feeds on worms and insects; and, in default of these, on berries and grubs. When fat, is esteemed good eating.

Green woodpecker.—Green; crown of the head crimson; bill dusky, two inches long; inner circle of the irides reddish; outer white; temples blackish; quill feathers dusky, with whitish spots; tail blackish, obscurely barred with green, and tipped with white; legs greenish ash. Weighs about six ounces, and is thirteen inches long. Inhabits Europe, and is by no means uncommon in the wooded parts of England. It feeds on insects, and is particularly fond of bees. It is frequently seen climbing up a tree, or on the ground, in the neighbourhood of an ant hill. The hole which they make is as perfect a circle as if it had been described by a pair of compasses. It is curious to observe them try every part of a dead limb of a tree, till they have discovered the most sonorous, and then the strokes are reiterated with such velocity, that the head is scarcely perceived to move. The softer wood, such as the elm, ash, and alp, are, for the most part, attacked, for the purpose of nidification, and are perforated only where they exhibit symptoms of decay. The excavations are often deep, to give security to the eggs, which are generally four or five, and placed on the rotten wood, without any nest.

Downy woodpecker.—Back longitudinally downy; Pubescens. outer tail feathers white, with four black spots. Weighs an ounce and a half, and measures only five inches and a half in length. Inhabits Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, &c. and is a daring bird, and dangerous to orchards. As soon as it has pecked one hole in a tree, it makes another close to the first, in a horizontal direction, proceeding till it has made a circle of holes quite round the trunk, so that the tree frequently dries up and decays.

Hairy woodpecker.—Back somewhat downy, in a Villejus. longitudinal direction; outer tail feathers entirely white. From nine to twelve inches long. Like the former, is the pest of orchards. Inhabits North America, from Hudson's Bay to Carolina; and likewise occurs in the north of England.

Greater spotted woodpecker.—Variegated with black Major. and white; hind head and vent red. Female, without red on the hind head. The weight of this species is about two ounces and three quarters, and the length nine inches. The bill is dusky, and an inch and quarter long; the irides are reddish brown. Inhabits Europe, North America, and Siberia. Is less frequent in England than the green species, to which it is nearly allied. allied in manners and habits, except that it rarely descends to the ground in search of food. Lays four or five white and glossy eggs on the decayed wood, without any formal preparation of a nest.

Middle spotted woodpecker.—Variegated with white and black; vent and cap red; cheeks white; three lateral tail feathers, tipped with white. Supposed by some to be only the young of the preceding species.

Lesser spotted woodpecker.—Variegated with white and black; crown red; vent testaceous or brick-coloured. There are two or three varieties. The weight of this small species is not quite five drams; and the length is about five inches and a half. Inhabits Europe and Asia, and has the habits of the major; but is of more rare occurrence.

Minute woodpecker.—Cheesnut gray; whitish, waved with brown beneath; crown red; hind head black, spotted with white. Only three inches and a half long, the least of its tribe. Inhabits Cayenne.

Cardinal woodpecker.—Black; under part of the body white, spotted with black; crown and back part of the head red; wings spotted with white; legs and bill blackish. Inhabits the Isle of Luzonia.

Gen. 24. Sitta, Nuthatch.

Bill subulate, roundish, unbent, projecting straight forwards, and entire; the upper mandible somewhat longer than the under, compressed at the point; tongue notched, short, and horny at the apex; nostrils small, covered with bristles; feet gressorial.

The general manners of the whole of this genus are supposed to correspond with those of the ensuing species, which is the only one that is found in Britain.

European nuthatch.—Cinereous, reddish beneath; tail feathers black, the four lateral ones beneath tipped with white. A black line through the eyes and ears; rump white, varied with rufous; the first tail feather with a white bar, two with a white spot, three or four tipped with white, five colour of the back. Inhabits Europe and Asia. Remains in England the whole year; but is local, and chiefly affects wooded and inclosed situations, selecting the deserted habitation of a woodpecker for its nest. The hole is first contracted by a platter of clay, leaving only sufficient room for the bird to pass in and out. The nest is made of dead leaves, especially of those of the oak, which are heaped together without much order. The number of eggs is fix or seven, and they are scarcely to be distinguished from those of the great titmouse, in size and markings. If the platter at the entrance be destroyed when there are eggs in the nest, it is speedily replaced, to prevent the intrusion of the woodpecker and other birds of superior size which build in the same situation. No perfection will force this little bird from its habitation when fitting. It defends its nest to the last extremity, strikes the invader with its bill and wings, makes a hissing noise; and, after every effort of defence has been practised in vain, will suffer itself to be taken in the hand rather than desert its charge. The nuthatch is more expert in climbing than the woodpecker; for it runs in all directions up and down a tree. When employed in breaking a nut, its favourite position is with the head downwards. In the autumn it is no uncommon thing to find, in the crevices of the bark of an old tree, a great many bro- ken nut shells, the work of this bird, which repeatedly returns to the same spot for this purpose. When it has fixed the nut firm in a chink, it turns on all sides, to strike it with most advantage. This, with the common hazel-nut, is a work of some labour; but it breaks a filbert with ease. In default of nuts, this bird searches for insects and their larvae among the moss on trees and old thatched buildings. It is commonly met with among orchards, and is sometimes seen, in the cyder season, picking the seeds from the refuse of the pressed apples. In spring it has a remarkably loud, shrill whistle, which ceases after incubation, and gives place, in autumn, to a double reiterated cry. It deserves to be remarked, that the singular jarring noise produced by some species of woodpeckers, by repeated strokes of the bill against the decayed limb of a tree, has been erroneously ascribed to the nuthatch.

Surinam nuthatch.—Reddish cheesnut, dirty white beneath; middle of the back white; wings and tail black; wing and tail coverts tipped, and secondary quill feathers edged, with white. Only three inches and a half long. Inhabits Surinam.

Gen. 25. Todus, Tody.

Bill subulate, somewhat depressed, obtuse, straight, covered at the base with bristles; nostrils small, oval; feet gressorial.

These mostly inhabit the warmer regions of America, and are nearly related to the family of fly-catchers; but are distinguished from them by having the middle and outer toe much connected, which, in the fly-catchers, are divided to the base.

Green tody.—Green; yellowish rosy beneath; breast vivid red; upper mandible brown, lower orange; irides cheesnut; cheeks with a red spot; legs and claws gray. The male, according to Buffon, has the upper part of the body of a pale blue, the belly white, the breast and sides rose colour. This pretty species, which is about the size of a wren, and four inches long, occurs not only in the warmer parts of the American continent, but also in St Domingo, Jamaica, and other islands of the West Indies. The females are not uncommon in Jamaica. It is supposed to feed on soft insects, and is of a fly solitary disposition, frequenting the lonely parts of moist tracts of country, where it is observed to sit all of a heap, its head drawn in between its shoulders, and so stupid as almost to allow itself to be taken by the hand.

White-headed tody.—Black; subcrestled head and chin lencevic white; bill blackish; the lower mandible white, tipped with blackish; wings short; tail even. Less than the redstart. Inhabits America. Figured in Latham's Synopsis.

Obscure tody.—Olive brown, yellowish-white beneath; Obscurus crown, quill, and tail feathers blackish. Size of the hedge sparrow. Inhabits North America, where it feeds on insects. Frequent the decayed parts of trees, and has all the actions of the fly-catcher. It has an agreeable note, two or three times repeated, but not what can be called a song.

King tody.—Blackish brown, reddish beneath; crest cheesnut, spotted with white at the tip; chin and eyelids white; bill dusky brown; breast with transverse blackish lines; legs flesh colour. This singular and beautiful species species measures seven inches in length. Inhabits Cayenne, and is very rare.

Broad-billed tody.—Yellowish-brown, yellow beneath; chin and spot on the crown white; wings and tail brown; bill very large and broad. Size of the nightingale. Figured by Latham.

Crested tody.—Crest scarlet; body brown, spotted with white; wing coverts spotted with white; feathers of the crest tipped with black. Native of Guinea.

Gen. 26. Alcedo, King's-fisher.

Bill triangular, thick, straight, long, and acuminate; the tongue fleshy, very short, flat, and acute; feet, for the most part, grefflorial.

The birds of this genus are dispersed over the whole globe; though it is supposed that only one species inhabits Europe. Most of them frequent rivers and the vicinity of waters, and live on fish, which they catch with singular art and dexterity. Sometimes they hover over the water, where a shoal of small fishes is seen playing near the surface; at other times, they wait with attention on some low branch, hanging over the water, for the approach of a single one, which is so unlucky as to swim that way. In either case they drop like a stone, or rather dart with rapidity on their prey. They seize the latter, cross-ways in their bill, retire to a resting place to feed on it, devour it piecemeal, bones and all; and afterwards bring up the indigestible parts in pellets. The wings of most of this genus are very short; yet the birds fly rapidly, and with great strength. In their colours, blue of different shades predominates. Their nostrils are small, and generally covered.

Crested king's-fisher.—Bill black; an inch and a half long; crown feathers long, forming a crest, of a greenish colour, and barred with black; a fine blue stripe on each side of the neck; upper part of the body bright blue; upper wing coverts violet, and each feather tipped with a bright blue spot; legs and claws reddish; length nearly five inches. Inhabits Amboyna and the Philippine islands.

Splendid king's-fisher.—Tail short; body yellowish-green; shoulders, throat, and rump yellow; wings and crown of the head blue; bill yellowish-horn colour; head with a bright yellow stripe on each side; smaller wing coverts edged with yellow; legs reddish-brown. A beautiful species, which inhabits South America.

Common king's-fisher.—Tail short; body blue above, orange-coloured beneath; lores red; bill black; crown and wing coverts green, with blue spots; tail of a beautiful blue; irides and legs red. In the female the bill is not so long as in the other sex. Frequent running streams and rivers, in the banks of which it generally takes possession of a rat's hole to deposit its eggs. This hole is ascending, and generally two or three feet in the bank; at the end is scooped a hollow, at the bottom of which is a quantity of small fish-bones, nearly half an inch thick, mixed with the earth, and which are probably the castings of the parent birds, as they are found even before they have eggs. On this digested matter the female lays to the number of seven eggs, which are perfectly white and transparent, and of a short oval form. Before the young are able to fly, the hole becomes extremely fetid by the faeces of the brood, which cannot be carried away by the parent birds, as is common with most of the smaller species. As the old birds have nothing in their bill, when they go in to feed their young, it has been inferred, that they eject from the stomach for that purpose. When the young are nearly full feathered, they are extremely voracious, and may be discovered by their constant chirping. This species is reckoned the most beautiful of all the British birds, weighs one ounce and a quarter, and measures seven inches in length. It inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. It was formerly believed, that if the body of this bird was suspended by a thread, some magnetic influence always turned its breast to the north. This, however, is as fabulous as the tradition, that its stuffed skin will preserve woollen cloth from the depredations of moths. There is a variety found in Senegal, about six inches and a half long, blue green varied with brown above, tawny beneath, and chin yellowish.

Belted king's-fisher.—Tail long, crested, bluish; belly Alcyon-white; breast ferruginous; a white spot before and behind the eyes; bill black; chin white; breast with a ferruginous band on the fore part; thighs rufous; thighs very short; legs brown; outer toe connected with the middle toe. Eleven inches long. Inhabits Carolina, and feeds on lizards and fish. It is subject to several permanent varieties, which occur in different parts of America.

Amazonian king's-fisher.—Gloomy green; sides variegated with green; tail spotted with white; bill and legs black. Thirteen inches long. Inhabits Cayenne.

Respectful king's-fisher.—Tail long; body olive above, Tuta-white beneath; eyebrows white; collar greenish black. Bill black; lower mandible white. Legs black. Eight inches and a half long. Native of the Society islands, where it is held sacred by the inhabitants, as are the species denominated venerata and sacra.

Great brown king's-fisher.—Crested, olive above, whitish and obscurely fringed beneath; temples and hind head dirty white; tail rounded with rufus and steel-blue lines, and tipped with white. The female has no crest. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits New Guinea.

Crab-eating king's-fisher.—Tail long; body blue-green, yellowish-tawney beneath; band through the eyes; wing plaga. coverts and tips of the quill-feathers black. Twelve inches long. Inhabits Senegal, and feeds on crabs.

Egyptian king's-fisher.—Brown, with rufy spots; Egyptia-whitish, with cinereous spots beneath. Size of the Royton crow. Inhabits Lower Egypt, about Cairo; builds in lycaomore and date trees, and feeds on frogs, insects, and small fish, which last it meets with in the fields when they are flooded. Its cry approaches to that of the common crow.

Gen. 27. Galbulia, Jacamar.

Bill straight, very long, quadrangular, pointed; nostrils oval, at the base of the bill; tongue short, sharp-pointed; thighs downy on the fore part; feet scanorial.

This is much allied to the preceding; but the toes are differently placed, namely, two before and two behind. The food of the jacamar is likewise different, as it feeds on insects alone; and, for that purpose, frequents moist woods. woods. Only four species have been described, and scarcely any information has hitherto been obtained relative to their economy and manners.

Great jacamar.—Copper gold above, ferruginous beneath; head and limbs green gold; tail wedged, and longer than the body. Size of the green woodpecker. Native country unknown.

Paradise jacamar.—Two middle tail feathers very long; body golden green; throat and wings white beneath; bill and legs black; head violet brown; tail much wedged. Inhabits Cayenne and Surinam; is 11 inches and a half long; flies in pairs; is less solitary than its congeners, and feeds on insects.

Gen. 28. MEROPS, Bee-eater.

Characters. Bill curved, quadrangular, compressed, carinated, pointed; nostrils small, at the base of the bill; tongue slender, the tip generally jagged; feet gregarious.

The birds of this genus, with a few exceptions, inhabit the old continent. Their general food is insects, and they are particularly fond of bees and wasps. They have no note beyond a whistle, and that far from agreeable. Like the king's-fisher, they breed in holes in the banks of rivers.

Common bee-eater.—Back ferruginous; belly and tail bluish-green; two of the tail feathers longer than the others; chin pale yellow; bill black; irises red; front blue green; crown, hind head, and neck, bay; a black streak from the bill to the hind head; tail wedged, the feathers edged inwardly with cinereous; legs chestnut; claws reddish-black. A variety sometimes occurs with the bill convex and uncarinated, and the toes unconnected at the last joint. The common bee-eater measures 10 inches from bill to tail. It inhabits various parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa; and is very plentiful in the southern parts of Russia, particularly about the rivers Don and Wolga. In the third volume of the Linnaean Transactions an account is given of one of this species having been shot, for the first time, in Britain, near Mattifhall, in Norfolk, in July 1794. A flight of about 20 was seen in June; and the same flight, as was supposed, much diminished in number, was observed palling over the same spot in October following. They feed, on the wing, upon bees, gnats, flies, and other insects; or, in defect of these, upon seeds. Their nest is composed of moss, and the eggs, from five to seven, are perfectly white, and about the size of those of a starling. They are gregarious and migratory, quitting the colder latitudes, in great flocks, in autumn. When the sun shines on them, in their flight, they are a pleasing object, as they appear gilded. Kolben remarks, that they guide the Hottentots to the honey, which the bees lay up in the clefts of the rocks.

Indian bee-eater.—Green; band on the breast black; chin and tail blue; two of the tail feathers longer than the others; bill and band across the eyes black; legs brown. There are several varieties. Eight inches and a half long. Inhabits India.

Superb bee-eater.—Red; front, throat, and rump, blue; two middle tail feathers longer than the others. Nine inches long.

Wattled, or New Holland bee-eater.—Brown; belly yellow; wattles carunculated; tail wedged, tipped with white; bill black; nostrils pervious, and half covered with a membrane; crown blackish; a silvery stripe at the angle of the mouth; a long, orange, pendent caruncle behind the base of the lower mandible; legs brownish, the outer toe connected at the base to the middle one. Fourteen inches and a half long. Inhabits New Holland; is pretty numerous on the sea shores of that country; chatters incessantly; is very bold; feeds on insects, and sucks the honey from the different forts of Banfia.

Horned or knob-fronted bee-eater.—Brown; head Corniculatofenomewhat naked; under parts of the body and tips of the tail feathers whitish; a blunt short eminence, like the rudiment of a horn, on the fore head. Size of a miffel thrush. This singular species also inhabits New Holland, and is well figured in White's Journal.

Red-winged bee-eater.—Under part of the body of an Erythrob-olive or dirty-white colour; throat yellow; wings and stern tail red, tipped with black; bill one inch long, black; legs black. Six inches long. Inhabits Senegal.

Gen. 29. UPUPA, Hoop, or Hoopoe.

Bill arched, long, slender, convex, a little compressed, somewhat obtuse; nostrils small, at the base of the bill; tongue obtuse, entire, triangular, very short; feet gregarious.

Of the species included under this genus, the first only is found in Britain. They feed on insects, haunt dunghills, and are, in general, uncleanly in their manners.

Common hoop.—Variegated with blackish and rufous Epops white, beneath; crest pale orange, tipped with black; tail black, with a white band; bill and legs black; irides hazel; back and wings with black and white lines; neck reddish-brown; crest of a double row of feathers; tail feathers 10. The weight of this beautiful bird is about three ounces, and the length 12 inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa; but only visits this country, occasionally, in autumn, and is very seldom known to breed with us. The female is said to have two or three broods in the year. Seldom makes a nest; but lays her eggs, which are generally four or five, bluish-white, and marked with pale brown spots, in the hollow of a tree, and sometimes in a hole of a wall, or even on the ground. Its food consists chiefly of insects of the beetle tribe. It is a solitary bird, two of them being seldom seen together. In Egypt, where they abound, they are seen only in small flocks. Its crest usually falls behind on its neck, except when it is surprised or irritated, and then it stands erect; the tail, too, being, in that case, usually erected, and spread like a fan.

Grand hoop, or grand promerops.—Black; head, neck, Magma, and breast, gloomy green; scapular and lateral tail feathers falcated; tail very long. "This most extraordinary and beautiful bird (observes Dr Latham), is near four feet in length, from the top of the bill to the end of the tail; the body is the size only of a middling pigeon, though much elongated in shape. The bill is three inches long, pretty much curved, and black; the head, hind part of the neck, and upper part of the belly, are of a shining green; the fore part of the neck, and lower part of the belly, without glofs; the scapular feathers are of a singular construction; the webs on one side of the shaft being exceeding short, and on the other of a great length; the shape of them falciform: they are of a purplish black colour, with the ends, for three quarters of an inch, of a most brilliant gilded glofy green, though some of them, in a different light, reflect a blue glofs; beneath each wing arises a thick tuft of feathers, eight inches and a half in length, and of a texture resembling the herring-bone ones in the greater bird of Paradise; and, besides these, on each side of the tail are five or six falceiform feathers, with unequal webs, as the scapulars, though not half so much curved; the colour half dusky, half greenish brown; the last divided from the other colour, on each feather, in an oblique manner; the tail consists of 12 feathers, and is of an enormous length, the middle ones measuring no less than 28 inches; but each of the others shortens as it proceeds outwards, to the outer one of all, which is only five inches in length; the colour of all of them is blue black, with a polished steel glof in some lights; the legs are black." Dr Latham has annexed a coloured figure. Little else is known of this remarkable species, except that it inhabits New Guinea.

Red-billed hoop.—Black green; belly black; tail wedged; fix first quill and lateral tail feathers spotted with white; bill and legs red; feathers of the head and neck silky, and somewhat downy. Fifteen inches long. Inhabits Asia and Africa. Figured by Latham.

Gen. 30. Certhia, Creeper.

Characters. Bill arched, slender, somewhat triangular, pointed; tongue various, though generally pointed; feet formed for walking.

The birds of this genus are spread over the globe. They live chiefly on insects; their nostrils are small; their tail is composed of 12 feathers; their feet are large, with a large back toe; their claws are long and hooked. Most of them have an acute tongue; though in some it is flattened at the point, in others ciliated, in a few tubular. There are a considerable number of species, of which only one is a native of Britain.

Common creeper.—Gray; white beneath; quill feathers brown, ten of them with a white spot; head and neck brown, with black streaks; rump tawney; wing coverts varied brown and black; quill feathers dusky, tipped with white, edged and barred with tawney; breast and belly filivery; tail long, tawney, the feathers sloping off to a point. Weighs about two drams; length five inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Runs with great facility on all sides of small branches of trees, in search of insects and their eggs, which constitute its food. Except the crested wren, it is the smallest of British birds; and though pretty common, is not seen without difficulty, from the ease with which on the appearance of any one, it escapes to the opposite side of the tree. Its nest is composed of dry grass and the inner bark of wood, loosely put together, and lined with small feathers; and it is usually constructed in some hole, or behind the bark of a decayed tree. The eggs are from fix to eight, white, and minutely speckled with bright rust colour. During incubation, the female is fed by the other sex. The note of the common creeper is weak, monotonous, and deliberately uttered, but rarely heard in winter.—In North America, is found a variety of a considerably larger size.

Hook-billed red creeper.—Scarlet; wings and tail black; bill longer than the head, bent like a foimiter, legs and long claws blackish; tail feathers short, pointed; edges of the wings, and roots of the throat feathers, white. This beautiful species inhabits the Sandwich Islands, and is much used by the natives in their feathered dresses.

Mocking creeper.—Olive; crown inclining to violet; spot on the cheeks white; wings and subforked tail brown. Seven inches long. Inhabits New Zealand; has a very imitative voice, and sips the sweet moisture from the nectaries of flowers.

Cardinal creeper.—Black; head, neck, breast, and Cardinalia line down the middle of the back, red; tail even. Size of the common species. Inhabits the island of Tanna, and feeds the nectaries of flowers.

Wall creeper, or spider catcher.—Cinereous; wings Muraria with a tawny spot; bill subulate, sharp edged, longer than the head; neck whitish beneath; quill feathers black; wings with a rosy spot; tail feathers whitish; claws strong, particularly the hind one. The chin and throat of the female are white. Size of a sparrow, length fix inches eight lines. Inhabits southern Europe and Asia. Is solitary; feeds on insects, and has the same manners as the common creeper, except that it haunts ruined edifices, old walls, arches, &c. and is particularly fond of spiders. According to Scopoli, it migrates singly towards the end of autumn. Its flight is vague and uncertain, and it climbs by leaps. Builds frequently in holes of walls.

Little brown and white creeper.—Brown; white be- Puffia. neath; eyebrows white; tail feathers brown, the outer ones white at the tip; a black streak from the bill to the eyes; quill feathers edged with a brassy hue. Three inches and a half long. Inhabits India. Feeds on flies, and is fond of honey.

Blue creeper, or certhia of Guiana.—Blue; band Carulra. across the eyes, chin, wings, and tail, black. Four inches long, and somewhat bigger than the common creeper. Makes its nest of dried stalks or grass, in the form of a retort, and open beneath, suspending it from the slender and extreme branches of trees, and thus securing it against the attacks of the monkey, snake, and lizard.—Varies, in having the bill and legs sometimes red.

Collared creeper.—Glofy green; breast red, with a Chalybea. steel-blue bar on the fore-part. Four inches and a half long. Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope; feeds on insects and the nectar of flowers, and sings sweetly.

Black and yellow creeper, yellow-bellied creeper, &c. Flaveola. —Black; pale yellow beneath; eyebrows whitish; outer tail feathers tipped with white. The markings, however, vary considerably. From four to five inches long. Inhabits the West Indies, and feeds principally on the juice of the sugar cane, which it draws out by insinuating its bill into any crevice or crack of the stalk.

Braceletted creeper.—Green; wings, when folded, Armitiata. black above; beneath yellow; shoulders, bracelets on the thighs, and spots on the rump, sapphire blue; bill black; legs yellowish; body beneath whitish-green; vent yellowish; quill feathers black, inner edge yellow. Length five inches. Native of Surinam.

Orange backed creeper.—Bluish-gray; spot on the Cantillans. back, and under parts of the body yellow; bill and legs black; irides red. Three inches long. Inhabits China, and is remarkable for the sweetness of its song. Beautiful creeper.—Two middle tail feathers very long; body glossy green; breast red; bill, legs, and tail feathers, blackish, the latter edged with gold; belly whitish; wings and greater coverts brown. Seven inches long. Inhabits Senegal.

Famous creeper.—Two middle tail feathers very long; body glossy green; armpits yellow; lores black; bill, legs, claws, and tail black; a black line between the bill and eyes. Female green brown; yellowish beneath; breast green; two middle tail feathers shorter than in the male. Nine inches long. Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.

Loten's creeper.—Blue; bar on the breast gold-red; lores black; bill subulate, black, twice as long as the head; tongue compressed at the tip; head, neck, back, rump, and upper tail coverts, sometimes blue, sometimes gold-green; breast, belly, and vent glossy black; in the female dirty white, spotted with black; wings black; lesser coverts violet; middle green; greater black; tail even. Upwards of five inches long. Inhabits Madagascar and Ceylon. Makes a cup-shaped nest, like that of a chaffinch, of the down of plants. The female generally lays five or six eggs. This species is sometimes chased by a very voracious spider, as large as itself, which seizes on the whole brood, and sucks the blood of the young birds.

Gen. 31. Trochilus, Humming bird.

Bill subulate, filiform, tubular at the tip, longer than the head; upper mandible fleathering the lower; tongue filiform, the two threads coalescing, and tubular; feet gressorial.

The birds of this species are very small, and, with a very few exceptions, inhabit South America. Their bill and feet are weak, their nostrils minute, and their tongue is capable of being darted far out. They fly very rapidly, take their food on the wing, sucking the honey juice of flowers, and sometimes also swallowing insects, the fragments of which have been found in their stomachs. They are bold, pugnacious, and gregarious, and make a louder noise by the motion of their wings than by their voice. They construct an elegant hemispherical nest of the down of a species of thapus, and suspend it from the branches of trees, where it is hid by the leaves, the female laying two white eggs of the size of peas, which are hatched by the alternate incubation of the male and female. These minute birds are taken by affersing them with water from a syphon, as the finest shot would blow them to pieces. They are said to hibernate. The brilliancy of their colouring greatly exceeds the powers of painting and description. The green, red, and blue of their diminutive plumage is like beaten gold, and reflects the most beautiful splendour in sunshine.

A. Bill curved.

Paradise humming bird.—Red; wings blue; head crested; middle tail feathers very long; bill and legs black; wing coverts blue. Eight inches and a half long. Inhabits Mexico.

Little humming bird.—Greenish-brown, with a scarlet glost; wings and tail black; crest green at the base, tipt with gold; bill black. One inch and a half long. Inhabits Guiana.

Topaz humming bird.—Red; middle tail feathers very long; head brown; chin gold-green; rump green; bill, head, and neck black; breast rosy; back and wing coverts orange red; quill and middle tail feathers purple; the rest orange. Female almost entirely green gold. Six inches long. Inhabits Surinam.

Mango humming bird.—Glossy green; tail nearly equal, and ferruginous; belly black; bill and legs black; a blue line dividing the colours of the back and belly; vent white; two middle tail feathers black. Four inches long. Inhabits Mexico, Brazil, and St Domingo. According to Albinus, it is also found in Jamaica, building its nest of cotton in the physic-nut tree, and laying two white eggs as big as peas. There are several varieties. Under this species, Dr Latham relates the following interesting particulars.

"We have before related a circumstance of the possibility of keeping humming birds alive for some time, by means of sugar and water; but this was in their own country and climate. In addition to this, we have been informed, on undoubted veracity, of the following fact: A young gentleman, a few days before he set sail from Jamaica to England, was fortunate enough to meet with a female humming bird, fitting on the nest and eggs; when, cutting off the twig, he brought all together on board the ship; the female became sufficiently tame, so as to suffer itself to be fed with honey, and during the passage hatched two young ones; however, the mother did not survive long, but the young were brought to England, and continued alive for some time in the possession of Lady Hammond. Sir H. Englefield, Baronet, and Colonel Sloane, both witnesses of the circumstance, informed me that these little creatures readily took honey from the lips of Lady Hammond, with their bills: one of them did not live long, but the other survived at least two months from the time of its arrival."

B. Bill straight.

Red-throated humming bird.—Green gold; tail feathers black, the three lateral ones ferruginous, tipt with white; chin flame colour; bill black; chin scarlet, with a beautiful gold glost. The female brown above, whitish beneath; tail subequal, rusty at the base, and tipt with white. Three inches and one fourth long. Inhabits America, as far north as Canada. This beautiful little creature flies so swiftly, that the eye is incapable of pursuing it, and the motion of its wings is so rapid as to be imperceptible to the nicest observer. It never feeds but on the wing, suspended over the flower from which it extracts its nourishment. Like the bee, having exhausted the honeyed juice of one flower, it wanders to the next, in search of new sweets. It is most partial to those flowers which have the deepest nectaries: and, in the countries which these birds inhabit, whoever sets plants of this description before his window, may depend on being visited by multitudes of them. It is very entertaining to see them swarming-around the flowers, and trying every tube by thrusting in their bills. If they find that their companions have anticipated them, and robbed the flower of its honey, they will frequently, in a fit of rage, pluck it off, and throw it on the ground, or even tear it in pieces. Numbers will sometimes contend very fiercely for the possession of the same flower. During the conflict, they frequently pursue the fugitives into the apartments of those houses whose windows are left left open, take a turn round the room as flies do with us, and then suddenly regain the open air. When feeding, they will allow persons to come within two yards of them; but, on a nearer approach, they dart off with wonderful swiftness. The red-throated humming bird most frequently builds on the middle of a branch of a tree, and the nest is so small, that it cannot be seen by a person who stands on the ground. It is quite round, the outside, for the most part, composed of the green moss common on old pales and trees, and the inside of the softest vegetable down which the birds can collect. Sometimes, however, they vary the texture, using flax, hemp, hairs, and other similar materials. They are sometimes, likewise, known to fix it on some low bush, on a stalk of the tobacco plant, or even on the side of a pod of oeca (Hibiscus esculentus, Lin.). The female lays two eggs, which are white, and equal in thickness at both ends. When these birds observe any one climbing the tree in which they have their nests, they attack him in the face, attempting to strike him in the eyes, and coming, going, and returning, with such swiftness, that one would fearlessly credit it who had not seen it himself. This species, like the others of its genus, is seldom caught alive. A friend of Monsieur du Pratz had, however, this pleasure. He had observed one of them enter into the bell of a convolvulus; and, as it had quite buried itself to get at the bottom, he ran immediately to the spot, flut the flower, cut it from the stalk, and carried off the bird a prisoner. He could not, however, prevail on it to eat; and it died in the course of two or three days. "Charlevoix informs us, that he had one of them in Canada, for about twenty-four hours. It suffered itself to be handled, and even counterfeited death, that it might escape; but it fell a real sacrifice to a flight-frost during the night. "My friend Captain Davies informs me (says Dr Latham), that he kept these birds alive for four months by the following method:—He made an exact representation of some of the tubular flowers, with paper fastened round a tobacco pipe, and painted them of a proper colour. These were placed in the order of nature, in the cage in which the little creatures were confined: the bottoms of the tubes were filled with a mixture of brown sugar and water as often as emptied; and he had the pleasure of seeing them perform every action; for they soon grew familiar, and took their nourishment in the same manner as when ranging at large, though close under the eye."

Ruby-necked humming bird.—Green-gold; tail even and ferruginous, the two outer feathers tipped with brown; wings black; bill and legs blackish; crown, hind head, and neck ruby; body brown beneath. Female whitish gray beneath, with a gold spot on the breast and throat. Upwards of three inches long. Inhabits Guiana, Brazil, and Surinam. Reputed the most beautiful of the tribe.

White-bellied humming bird.—Tail feathers black, the lateral ones white; head blue; back green; belly white. Above four inches long. Inhabits Surinam. Edwards remarks, that the whole of the plumage, in the sun, seems as if mixed with threads of gold.

Leath humming bird.—Green; whitish beneath; lateral tail feathers white on the outer edge; bill and legs blackish; wings violet brown; tail feathers bluish-black, the primary totally gray; secondary gray from the middle to the tip. Female dirty greenish-brown, whitish beneath. Inhabits South America, and some of the West India islands. The least of all known birds; being hardly an inch and a quarter in length, and weighing from twenty to forty-five grains; thus being surpassed in weight and dimensions by more than one species of bee. The female is even less than the male.

ORDER III. ANSERES.

BILL somewhat obtuse, covered with a skin, gibbous at the base; mouth toothed; tongue fleshy; feet palmated, and formed for swimming.

Most of the birds belonging to this order dwell much in the water. Their feet and legs are short, concealed under the feathers, and placed more behind than in other birds. Their toes are short, and generally compressed, so that they easily cleave the water, and by means of their membranes or webs, form, as it were, broad oars. Their plumage is thicker, coarser, and better furnished with down than that of other birds. The gland which all birds have at the rump, and from which they express an oily matter to preserve their feathers moist, is most considerable in the anseres, and contributes to make their plumage impermeable to water. They feed on fish, aquatic animals, and plants. In general they are polygamous, and make their nests among reeds, or in moist places. The young are soon able to seek their own food; yet the mother leads and protects them for some time, and the male frequently kills them. For the most part they lay many eggs; and the flesh of many is eatable, though it frequently favours of oil, or of fish.

Gen. 32. ANAS.

Bill convex, obtuse, the edges divided into lamellated characters; teeth; tongue fringed and obtuse; the three fore toes connected, the hind one solitary.

This is a very numerous genus, and includes swans, geese, and ducks.

A. Bill gibbous at the base.

Wild swan, hooper, etc., whistling swan, &c.—Bill Cygnus. femicylindrical, and black; cere yellow; body white; eyelids naked, yellow; legs black; ribs eleven. This is obviously a distinct species from the common or mute swan, being of a smaller size, and having the windpipe differently constructed. It weighs from fifteen to twenty-five pounds, and measures nearly five feet in length. It inhabits Europe, Asia, and America, affecting chiefly the northern regions of the globe, and seldom appearing in England, except in hard winters. On the approach of spring, they quit their southern stations, and again retire northward to breed. A few indeed drop short, and perform that office by the way, halting in some of the Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetland, or some solitary island. But the great bodies of this species occur on the large rivers and lakes near Hudson's bay, and those of Kamchatka, Lapland, and Iceland. They are said to return to the latter place in flocks of about a hundred at a time, in spring; and also to pour in on that island from the north, in nearly the same manner, on their way southward, toward the close of autumn, flying very high in the air, and in such a compact body, that the bill of one touches the tail of another. The young, which Anseres. are bred there, remain throughout the first year; and in August, when they lose their feathers, and are unable to fly, the natives kill them with clubs, shoot, and hunt them down with dogs, by which they are easily caught. The flesh is highly esteemed, as are the eggs, which are gathered in the spring. The Icelanders, Kamtschatkaldes, and other inhabitants of the northern world, dress their fawns with the down on them, sew them together, and convert them into various sorts of garments. The northern American Indians have recourse to the same expedient for clothing themselves, and sometimes weave the down as barbers do the caws for wigs, and then manufacture it into ornamental dresses for the women of rank, while the larger feathers are formed into caps and plumes, to decorate the heads of their chieftains and warriors. They likewise gather the feathers and down in large quantities, and barter or sell them to the inhabitants of more civilized nations. Notwithstanding the fabulous accounts and poetical descriptions of the song of the dying swan, its voice is shrill, harsh, and piercing, not unlike the sound of a clarionet, when blown by a novice in music. It is asserted, however, by those who have heard the united and varied voices of a numerous assemblage of them, that they produce a more harmonious effect, particularly when softened by the murmur of the waters. At the setting in of frosty weather, wild swans are said to associate in prodigious multitudes, and, thus united, to use every effort to prevent the water from freezing; which they are enabled to accomplish for a considerable length of time, by constantly stirring and dashing it with their extended wings. The wild swan has been styled "the peaceful monarch of the lake," because, conscious of his superior strength, he fears no enemy, nor suffers any bird, however powerful, to molest him, at the same time that he preys on none of the feathered tribe. His vigorous wing shields him against the attacks even of the eagle, and his blows from it are so powerful, as to stun or kill the fiercest of his foes. His food consists of the grasses and weeds, and the seeds and roots of plants which grow on the margins of the water, and of the myriad insects which skim over or float on its surface; occasionally, too, of the flimsy inhabitants within its bosom. The female makes her nest of the withered leaves and stalks of reeds and rushes, and commonly lays fix or seven thick shelled, white eggs. The incubation is said to last fix weeks. Both male and female are very attentive to their young, and will suffer no enemy to approach them.

Tame swan.—Bill femicylindrical, black; cere black; body white. The plumage of this species is of the same snowy whiteness as that of the preceding, and the bird is covered next the body with the same kind of fine soft down; but it is of a larger size, and is furnished with a projecting, callous, black tubercle, or knob, at the base of the upper mandible. But the most remarkable distinction consists in the conformation of the windpipe, which, in the present species, enters at once into the lungs, so that the utmost noise the bird can utter, is a mere hiss: whereas, in the wild species, the windpipe first enters the chest a little way, is then reflected in the form of a trumpet; after which it enters a second time, when, dividing into two branches, it goes on to join the lungs. The manners and habit of both species in the wild state are very similar. The beauty, graceful motion, and majesty of this bird, when it is wafted along a piece of water, attract the admiration of every beholder: but, out of the liquid element, the elegance of its form in a great measure disappears. While the male and female are employed with the cares of the young brood, it is not safe to approach them; for they will fly on a stranger, and sometimes beat him to the ground by repeated blows. Notwithstanding, however, their great strength of wing, a flight blow on the head will dispatch them. Multitudes of this species are found in Russia and Siberia, as well as farther southward, in a wild state. They occur, without an owner, on the Trent, on the inlet of the sea near Abbotsbury in Dorsetshire, and on some other rivers and lakes, in different parts of the British isles. Those on the Thames have, for ages, been protected as royal property; and it is still reckoned felony to steal their eggs. In former times great numbers were reared for the table: but they are now reckoned by most a coarse kind of food. A fattened cygnet, however, is still accounted a great delicacy, and usually fetches upwards of a guinea in the poultry market. It is generally believed that the swan lives to a great age, though the term of three centuries, assigned to it by some authors, is certainly much exaggerated. The female nestles among the rough herbage near the water's edge, lays from fix to eight large white eggs, and sits on them about as many weeks before they are hatched. The young do not acquire their full plumage till the second year. If kept out of the water, and confined to a court-yard, the swan soon becomes dirty, dull, and spiritless. Its usual food consists of fish and water plants.

Black swan.—Black; wings edged with white; bill atrated; red; upper mandible blackish at the tip, a yellow spot near the lip; legs black; feet paler. Extent of wing four feet eight inches. Inhabits various parts of New Holland; but little is known respecting its manners.

Snow goose.—Body snow-white; front yellowish; ten Hyberbe-first quill feathers black; bill and legs red. Size of a rca goose; length two feet eight inches; extent of wing three feet and a half; weight between five and six pounds. Great numbers of this species occur about Hudson's bay; visit Severn river in May, and stay a fortnight, but go farther north to breed. They return to Severn Fort about the beginning of September, and stay till the middle of October, when they depart for the south, and are observed in immense flocks attended by their young. At this time many thousands are killed by the inhabitants, who pluck and evicerate them, and put them into holes in the earth, where they are preserved quite sweet by frost, throughout the severe season. These birds seem also to occupy the west side of America and Kamtschatka. In the summer months they are plentiful on the arctic coast of Siberia; but never migrate beyond 130° of longitude. They are supposed to pass the winter in more moderate climes, as they have been seen flying over Silesia; probably on their passage to some other country, as it does not appear that they continue there. Those of America, in like manner, winter in Carolina. The Siberians decoy them by a person covered with a white skin, and crawling on all fours, whom they are stupid enough to mistake for their leader, and whom they follow, when driven by men in their rear, till he entangles them in nets, or leads them into a sort of pond prepared for the purpose.

Antarctic goose.—Snowy; bill black; legs yellow. Antarctic The female has the tail flesh-coloured, and the body brown, with transverse white lines. From twenty four to twenty-six inches long. Inhabits Falkland islands.

Buff-bird goose.—White; two middle tail feathers, primary quill feathers, and greater wing coverts, black; nape, and upper part of the back, with numerous black lines; wings with a blunt spine at the flexure, and a dusky green spot; greater wing coverts tipped with white; secondary quill feathers half black, half white; legs black. This is the sea-goose of Clayton, and the white-winged antarctic goose of Brown. It measures from thirty-two to forty inches in length, stands pretty high on its legs, walks and flies with great ease, and has not that disagreeable cackling cry peculiar to the rest of its kind. It generally lays six eggs; and its flesh is reckoned wholesome, nourishing, and palatable. Inhabits the Falkland islands.

Loggerhead goose, or racehorse duck.—Cinereous; dusky beneath; vent white; wings and tail short and black; bill, irides, and tubercle on the wings and legs yellow. Length thirty-two inches; weighs from twenty to thirty pounds. Observed on Falkland islands, Staaten Land, &c.; mostly in pairs, though sometimes in large flocks. From the shortness of their wings, they were unable to fly, but they used them in the water as oars, and swam so rapidly, that it was very difficult to shoot them when on that element. In order to catch them, the sailors would surround a flock with boats and drive them on shore, where, unable to raise themselves from the ground, they ran very fast; but soon growing tired, and squatting down to rest, were easily overtaken and knocked on the head. Their flesh, however, was not much relished, being rank and fishy.

Sheldrake, or burrow duck.—Bill turning up at the point; forehead compressed; head greenish-black; body white and variegated; bill and legs red; head and neck violet; collar white; back white; breast brown; belly white, with a black line; first quill feathers black, the next violet, inner ones ferruginous, the last white; tail white, tipped with black. The female has less vivid colours. This elegant species of duck weighs about two pounds and a half, and measures about two feet three inches. It inhabits Europe and Asia, and is not uncommon on many parts of our coasts, remaining all the year. The female makes choice of a rabbit-burrow, wherein to deposit her eggs, which are numerous, amounting sometimes to fifteen, and which she covers with down from her own body. The nest is generally near the water, whither the female leads her young soon after they are hatched. This species is rarely met with remote from salt water; but if the eggs are taken and hatched under a hen, the young become tame, and may be kept in ponds. They very seldom breed when in a state of confinement. Their principal food consists of sea-weeds, small shell-fish, and marine insects. The flesh is rancid.

Velvet duck.—Blackish; lower eyelid, and spot on the wings, white; bill yellow, black in the middle, gibbous at the base; legs red. Female without the gibbosity on the bill, and body blackish. From 20 to 22 inches long. Inhabits Europe and South America. It is sometimes, though not often, seen on our coasts in winter. Frequents Hudson's bay, where it breeds in summer; and is not uncommon in Russia and Siberia. Lives on fuci and shell-fish. The female makes its nest of grass, and lays from four to 10 white eggs. The catching of this species is a favourite diversion of the Tunguhi, who dwell on the river Ochota, and who chase great numbers of these birds, during the moulting season, into shallow water, and then knock them down with clubs. They take many of them alive, and, thrusting a needle through their eyes, carry fifty or more on a string. It is alleged that the birds, thus treated, will live for two or even three days.

Scoter, or black diver.—Body quite black; bill gib-Nigra- bous at the base; head and neck sprinkled with purple; tail somewhat wedged. Female of a browner hue, and without the protuberance at the base of the bill. Length 22 inches; feeds on grass and shell-fish, and takes rancid. These birds inhabit Europe and North America, and mostly reside at sea, distant from the shore. With us they are seen only in the winter season, when they are plentiful on some parts of the coast of France. They are great divers, and abound in most of the northern regions of the world. They want the horny nail at the end of the bill, which is common to the rest of the genus. As they take strongly of fish, they are allowed by the Romish church to be eaten in Lent.

White fronted or laughing goose.—Brown; white, spotted with black beneath; front and rump white; bill and legs flame colour. Breast cinereous; tail dusky, edged with white. Two feet four inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America, and visits the feney parts of England, in small flocks, in winter. During severe weather it is killed on the coast as well as on rivers, and not uncommonly brought to market and sold for the common wild goose. It leaves us in the earliest spring, none being seen after the middle of March.

B. Bill equal at the base.

Scaup duck.—Black; shoulders waved with ash co. Maritae; belly and spot on the wings white; bill broad, bluish-ash; irises yellow; head and neck greenish black; back and wing coverts waved with black, and cinereous; legs and primary quill-feathers dusky; secondary white, tipped with black; tail coverts, and vent, black. Female brown; bill black, surrounded with a circle of white feathers; neck rusty; belly, and bar on the wings, white; legs black. From 18 to 20 inches long; feeds on shell-fish, and inhabits Europe, northern Asia, and America. It is found in Iceland, Lapland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, and Siberia, and as high as Hudson's bay in America. In England, it appears in the winter season, in small flocks, and is frequently observed in fresh waters. In October it begins to emigrate southward in flocks. It also frequently lives in holes under ground.

Gray lag goose, or wild goose.—Bill femi-cylindrical; Anfer. body cinereous above, paler beneath; neck striated; bill flesh-coloured and tipped with white; rump and vent white; legs flesh coloured; claws black; wants the wing spot. Weighs eight or nine pounds, and is about 33 inches long. Varies much in colour by domestication, in which state it is our common tame goose. Inhabits in flocks the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America; resides the whole year in the Lincolnshire fens, where it breeds, laying eight or nine eggs which are hatched in 28 or 30 days. Frequent lakes and rivers, and lives to a great age. The domestic goose is well known. It is bred in great multitudes in the fens of Lincolnshire, both on account of its flesh and feathers. The geese are there attended by a person called a gozzard, who drives them to feed and water. They are plucked five times a year, once for quills and feathers, and four times for feathers only. If the fowl prove cold, many of them die by this cruel operation. Tame geese have been known to live for 80 years. They generally retain the white rump and vent feathers of their original stock. They feed on water insects, worms, and plants; and by means of two rows of strong sharp teeth within their bills, they crop the herbage in meadows, and do much injury to young corn.

Red-breasted goose.—Black; white beneath; bill small, conical; neck rufous; spot between the bill and eyes white. Length 21 inches; weight about three pounds. Inhabits Russia and the northern parts of Siberia, but is very rarely found in England. In winter it migrates towards Persia. It is a beautiful species, and its flesh is in high request.

Bean goose.—Cinereous; dirty white beneath; bill compressed at the base; tail-coverts white; legs saffron; bill reddish in the middle, black at the base and tip; head and neck inclining to ferruginous; quill-feathers edged with black; tail with white; claws white. Measures from two feet and a half to three feet in length, and weighs from five to seven pounds. Inhabits Hudson's bay and the Hebrides, particularly the isle of Lewis, where it remains all summer and breeds. These birds migrate to England in autumn, and leave it again in May, lighting, on their passage, on corn fields, and feeding on the green wheat. In their migration they fly at a great height, sometimes in a straight line, and sometimes in the form of a wedge, cackling as they advance. This species is often killed, and sold for the common wild goose, with which it has been long confounded.

Garland duck.—Bill narrow; head green; breast and belly white. Inhabits the fens of Iceland, but is very rare.

Bernacle goose.—Ash-coloured; front white; body waved with black and white above; neck black; belly white; bill short, black, with a flesh-coloured spot on each side, a black spot between the bill and eye; tail white beneath; legs blackish. Twenty-five inches long. Inhabits the north of Europe and Hudson's bay, and appears in large flocks on the north-west coasts of Britain during winter. They are then very wild and fly; but, on being taken, become quite familiar in a few days. In February they quit our shores, and retire as far as Lapland, Greenland, and even Spitzbergen, to breed. In the darker ages this species was seriously believed to be produced from the lepas anatifera, a shell which is often found adhering by a pedicle to logs of wood that have lain long in the sea, from which circumstance it obtained the name of tree-geese and clairis.

Brent or brand goose.—Brown; head, neck, and breast, black; collar white; bill, wings, tail and legs, black; broad spot on each side of the neck; tail-coverts, and vent white; belly and shoulders cinereous; flanks streaked with white; considerably smaller than the preceding. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and North America. These birds appear on our coasts, particularly in the west of England, during winter, and in Shetland are called horra geese. But they are most plentiful in Ireland, where they are taken in nets placed across the rivers, especially in those which empty themselves into the northern parts of the Irish channel. Sometimes they appear in vast flocks on the coast of Picardy, destroying all the corn near the sea. They migrate northward in summer, and return south in autumn, flying high in wedge-shaped flocks. They feed on polygonum peripatrum, emperium nigrum, and other plants, but chiefly on aquatic plants and marine vermes. They are easily tamed, and reckoned good for the table.

Eider, eider, or Guthbert duck.—Bill cylindrical; cere wrinkled, and bifid on the hind part; bill, legs, Plate ocular band, breast, lower part of the back and belly black; middle of the head, upper part of the back, shoulders, and wing coverts white; a green blotch beneath the hind head. The female almost wholly obscurely ferruginous, with black lines; tail and primary quill-feathers dusky. The young are not mature in plumage till the third, or perhaps the fourth year. This species is nearly double the size of the common duck, and about 22 inches long. It inhabits the high latitudes of Europe, Asia, and America, and feeds chiefly on testaceous animals. It is rarely, if ever, seen in the south of England, but breeds in the north of Scotland, particularly on the Western isles, as also on the Farn islands, on the coast of Northumberland, in June and July. The nest is made on the ground, composed of marine plants, and lined with down of exquisite fineness which the female plucks from her own body. The eggs are usually five, and of a greenish colour. In Iceland the eider ducks generally build their nests on small islands not far from the shore, and sometimes even near the dwellings of the natives, who treat them with so much attention and kindness as to render them nearly tame. Two females will sometimes lay their eggs in the same nest, in which case they always agree remarkably well. As long as the female is fitting, the male continues on watch near the shore, but as soon as the young are hatched, he leaves them. The mother, however, remains with them a considerable time afterwards; and it is curious to observe her attention in leading them out of the nest almost as soon as they creep from the eggs. Having conducted them to the water's edge, she takes them on her back and swims a few yards with them, when she dives, and leaves them on the surface to take care of themselves. They are seldom afterwards seen on land. When the natives come to the nest, they carefully remove the female, and take away the superfluous down and eggs. They then replace the mother, and she begins to lay afresh, covering the eggs with new down; and when she can afford no more, the male comes to her assistance, and covers the eggs with his down, which is white. When the young ones leave the nest, which is about an hour after they are hatched, it is once more plundered. The best down, and most eggs, are got during the first three weeks of their laying; and it has generally been observed that they lay the greatest number of eggs in rainy weather. One female, during the time of laying, usually yields half a pound of down, which, however, is reduced one half after it is cleaned. When pure, it is sold in Lapland at the rate of two rixdollars a pound. It is extremely soft and warm, and so light and elastic, that a couple of handfuls, squeezed together, are sufficient to fill a covering like a feather bed, which is used in those cold countries instead of a common quilt or blanket. The Iceland company at Copenhagen, generally export every year year from 1500 to 2000 pounds weight of down, cleaned and uncleaned, exclusive of what is privately exported by foreigners. The Greenlanders kill these birds with darts, pursuing them in their little boats, watching their course by the air-bubbles when they dive, and always striking at them when they rise wearied to the surface. Their flesh is valued as food, and their skins are made into warm and comfortable under garments.

Mufcovy duck.—Face naked, with red caruncles; legs and orbits naked, and with the bill red; tip of the bill and space round the nostrils black; crown black; temples, chin, and throat white, varied with black; breast and lower part of the belly brown, mixed with white; back and rump brown, with a green gold glofs; upper part of the belly white; three first quill feathers white, the rest brown; tail feathers twenty, the outer white, the rest green gold. Two feet long: native of Brazil, and is domesticated in Europe. Has its name, not as vulgarly alleged, from the country of Mufcovy, but from the circumstances of its smelling of mufc, which arises from the liquor secreted in the gland of the rump. Like other domesticated fowls they are subject to great varieties. They are a thriving and prolific species, and not only afflicate, but sometimes breed with the common duck. Their flesh are much esteemed. Mr Pen- nant says they are met with wild about Lake Baikal in Asia; Ray, that they are natives of Louifiana; Mare- grave, that they reside in Brazil; and Buffon, that they occur in the overflowed savannas of Guiana, where they feed in the day time on the wild rice, and return in the evening to the sea. He adds, that they nestle on the trunks of rotten trees, and that after the young are hatched, the mother takes them, one after another, by the bill, and throws them into the water. Great numbers of the young brood are said to be destroyed by the alligators.

Shoveler.—Extremity of the bill dilated, rounded, with an incurved nail; bill black; irides yellow; head and neck violet green; breast white, and lunulated; back, wings, and wedged tail brown; belly chestnut; vent white; first and second wing coverts pale blue, greater brown, tipped with white, the rest edged with white; legs tawney. The female has a considerable resemblance to the common duck, but both sexes are very apt to vary in their colourings. This species inhabits Europe, Asia, and North America, but is by no means common in Britain. A few remain in France during the breeding season, making a nest of rushes, in which they lay 10 or 12 rufous-coloured eggs.

Red-breasted shoveler.—Brown; chin and breast chestnut; wings tipped with gray, wing-spot purple, edged with white; tail short, white; bill broad, brown with yellow; head large; eyes small; irides yellow; legs small, slender, and bay. Size of a tame duck. Sometimes found in the fens of Lincolnshire, but is rare, and little known.

Ural duck.—Waved with cinereous and yellowish, and spotted with brown; brown, speckled with gray beneath; throat brown-yellow, waved with black; tail long, black, wedged. Rather bigger than the common teal. Is not unfrequent in the greater lakes of the Ural mountains, and the rivers Oby and Irtich. Is not seen on the ground, being, from the situation of its legs, unable to walk; but it swims well and quickly, with the tail immersed in the water as far as the rump, and ser- ving as a rudder, contrary to the common method of a duck's swimming. The nest is formed of reeds.

Gadwall, or gray.—Wing-spot rufous, black, and white; bill flat, black; legs tawney; rump black; back brown, waved with paler; breast and belly gray, varied with white. Nineteen inches long. Inhabits Europe and Northern Asia. Visits Britain in winter, but not in great numbers. Supposed to breed in Sweden, and probably in Russia and Siberia. It is said to be a great diver, and to feed chiefly by night, concealing itself among the reeds and rushes during the day. It makes a noise not unlike that of the mallard, but louder. Its flesh is savoury.

Golden eye.—Black and white; head turned; violet; Clangula. a large white spot at each corner of the mouth; bill black; irides golden; lower part of the neck, breast, and belly, white; back and rump black; legs red. The markings of the female are, head red brown; neck gray; breast and belly white; wing coverts varied with dusky and cinereous; middle quill-feathers white; the rest and tail black; legs dusky. About 19 inches in length. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and North America.

Birds of this species do not assemble in large flocks, nor are they numerous on the British shores or on the lakes in the interior. They are late in taking their departure northward in the spring, and in their flight they make the air whistle with the vigorous quick strokes of their wings. They are excellent divers, and seldom let foot on shore; on which, it is said, they walk with great apparent difficulty, and, except in the breeding season, only repair to it for the purpose of taking their repose. They build in the hollows of trees, and prey on shell-fish, mice, fish, and frogs.

The anas glaucion, or moflion, seems to be only a variety of the golden eye in one stage of its plumage, before it arrives at maturity.

Bimaculated or clucking duck.—Subcreted; brown, Glochian, waved with black; head green; a ferruginous spot before and behind the eyes; breast with black spots; wing-spot green, edged with white. Length 20 inches; occurs along the Lena, and about Lake Baikal, and has been taken in a decoy in England. Has a singular note, somewhat like clucking.

Wigeon, wheeler, or whim.—Tail pointed; vent fea- Penelope. thers black; head bay; front white; back waved with black and white; bill plumbeous, with a black nail; head and upper part of the neck red, with blackish spots; breast claret; body above waved with cinereous and blackish; wing-spot blue green; black before and behind; wing-coverts varied brown and white; belly white; legs lead colour. Female waved with brown; breast paler. Twenty inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. Visits England in autumn, when great numbers are taken in decoys, being esteemed an excellent food. It likewise frequents our rivers and salt-water inlets in small flocks. It is remarkable for uttering a whistling or piping noise, which is frequently heard as it flies during the night. It lives on frogs, worms, insects, and water plants, and is sometimes domesticated. There is a variety with a silvery wing spot, and the throat waved with ash-colour.

Pin-tail duck.—Tail pointed, long, black beneath; hind Acuta. head with a white line on each side; back waved with cinereous; bill black, bluish at the sides; head ferruginous; throat white, a little spotted; body white be- Anseres.

Ferruginous duck.—Reddish-brown; bill dilated and rounded at the base; feet pale blue. Weight 20 ounces. Inhabits Denmark and Sweden, but very rarely occurs in this country.

Long-tailed duck.—Tail pointed, long; body black, white beneath; bill black, orange in the middle; head on the fore part and sides reddish-gray; hind part, breast, and belly, white; scapulars long and white; sides of the neck with a black spot; lower part of the breast, back, wings, and tail, chocolate; four middle tail-feathers black, two middle ones longer, the rest white; legs dusky-red, or blackish. The female has the tail shorter and wedged; the body varied with blackish, rufous, and gray; the back black; collar and lower part of the belly white. Of the size of a wigeon. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America, frequenting both the interior lakes and the sea shores of these quarters of the world. The birds of this species do not, in the winter, like many of the other tribes, entirely quit their northern haunts, but considerable numbers remain there, enduring the rigours of the season, and enjoying, in summer, the perpetual day of an unsetting sun. Numerous flocks, however, spread themselves southward in the winter, from Greenland and Hudson's bay, as far as New York in America, and from Iceland and Spitzbergen over Lapland, the Ruffian dominions, Sweden, Norway, and the northern parts of the British isles in Europe. The flocks which visit the Orkney isles appear in October, and continue there till April. About sunset they are seen in large companies going to and returning from the bays, in which they frequently pass the night, making such a noise, as in frosty weather may be heard some miles. They are rather scarce in England, to which they resort only in very hard winters, and even then in small straggling parties. They fly swiftly, but seldom to a great distance, making a loud and singular cry. They are expert divers, and supposed to live chiefly on shell-fish. The female makes her nest among the grass near the water, and, like the eider duck, lines it with the fine down of her own body. According to Latham, she lays five eggs, which are of a bluish white colour, and about the size of those of a pullet.

Pochard, or red-headed wigeon.—Waved with ash-colour; head brown; pectoral band; vent and rump black; bill broad, blue, tipped with black; irises tawny; head and neck bay; breast and upper part of the back black; scapulars and inner wing-coverts undulated with black and white; belly whitish, with dusky lines at the sides; legs plumbeous. Female darker; head pale reddish-brown; wing-coverts and belly cinereous. Nineteen inches long; weight 28 ounces. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. This species is frequently caught in the decoys in England, though it is not known to breed there. In some counties it is called poker, dunbird, or great-headed wigeon. It is of a plump round shape, walks with a waddling and ungraceful step, but flies rapidly, and in flocks of from 20 to 40, commonly in a compact body. It is much in request for the table, but is not easily domesticated. The male has a labyrinth, or enlargement of the trachea, near the junction with the lungs, a singular conformation peculiar to the male of several species of the duck tribe, but the use of which is still unknown. In winter the pochard migrates southward, as far, it is said, as Egypt.

Garganey.—Wing-spot green; a white line above the eyes; bill lead colour; crown dusky, with oblong streaks; cheeks and neck purple, with white streaks; breast light brown, with femoral black bars; belly white, lower part and vent speckled; first quill-feathers cinereous, outer webs of the middle ones green; scapulars long, narrow, fringed with white, all colour and black; tails dusky; legs lead-colour. Female, with an obscure white mark over the eye; plumage brownish-ash; wings without the green spot. Length 17 inches. Inhabits Europe and Asia. By some called pied swan, or summer teal. Frequent only the fresh waters, feeding on seeds and aquatic plants. Is not common in Britain, and is said to be impatient of cold.

Teal.—Wing-spot green; a white line above and beneath the eyes; bill black; irises hazel; head and neck bright bay; a broad green band behind the eyes to the nape, and terminating beneath in a white line; body whitish, with transverse blackish lines above; fore part of the neck and breast with round black spots; wing-spot green, edged beneath with white, obliquely black above; vent black in the middle. The female is distinguished by the head and neck varied with whitish and brown, and the vent totally white. There are two permanent varieties, of which the first is the wing-spot varying in colour; the body brown-ash above, rufous-white beneath, and black spots on the belly. The second has the cheek, chin, and under parts of the body white-rufous, and the wing-spot without black. Weight about 12 ounces; length 14 inches and a half. The smallest of the duck tribe, and in high request at the table. Inhabits Europe and Asia; visits us in winter, and frequents our fresh waters in small flocks. Many are caught in the decoys, and a few breed in Wolmer Forest, in the marshes about Carlisle, &c. The female makes a large nest composed of soft dried grasses lined with feathers, and cunningly concealed in a hole among the roots of reeds and bulrushes, near the edge of the water. The eggs are of the size of those of a pigeon, from fix to ten in number, and of a dull white colour marked with small brownish spots. The male has a bony labyrinth in the lower part of the windpipe.

Mallard, or wild duck—Cinereous; middle tail feathers (of the male) recurved; bill straight; collar white; bill greenish-yellow; head and neck glory-green; scapulars white, with waved brown lines; back brown; vent black-green; breast chestnut; belly gray; wing-spot violet-green, edged above with a black and white line; two middle tail feathers dark green, and recurved. Female reddish-brown, spotted with black. Very subject to vary, especially by domestication, when it is our common tame duck. About 23 inches long. Weight about two pounds and a half. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America; is very common in marshy places in ma- ny parts of this kingdom, but no where occurs in greater plenty than in Lincolnshire, where prodigious numbers are annually taken in the decoys. In only ten decoys in the neighbourhood of Wainfleet, as many as 31,200 have been taken in one season. There is a prohibition, by act of parliament, against taking them between the first of June and the first of October. They do not always build their nest close to the water, but often at a good distance from it, in which case the female will take the young in her beak, or between her legs to the water. They have sometimes been known to lay their eggs in a high tree, in the deserted nest of a magpie or crow; and an instance has likewise been recorded of one found at Etchingham in Sussex, sitting on nine eggs in an oak, at the height of 25 feet from the ground, the eggs being supported by some small twigs laid crossways. Like many of the tribe, the mallards, in vast numbers quit the north at the end of autumn, and migrating southward, arrive in the beginning of winter in large flocks, and spread themselves over the lakes and marshy wastes of the British isles. They pair in the spring, when the greater number of them again retire northward to breed, but many fraggling pairs stay with us; and they, as well as preceding colonists, remain to rear their young, which become natives, and remain with us throughout the year. The common domestic variety of this species assumes very different markings; but the male, even in its tame state, retains the curling of the feathers at the tail. Habits of domestication, however, have deprived the tame duck of that sprightly look and shape which distinguish the mallard, and have substituted a more dull and less elegant form and appearance in their stead. It is also deserving of remark, that ducks pair, and are monogamous in the wild state, but become polygamous when tame. The Chinese make great use of ducks, but prefer the tame to the wild. We are told that most of them in that country are hatched by artificial heat. The eggs being laid in boxes of sand, are placed on a brick hearth, to which is communicated a proper degree of heat during the time required for hatching. The ducklings are fed with cray-fish and crabs, boiled and cut small, and afterwards mixed with boiled rice; and in about a fortnight they are able to shift for themselves. The proprietors then provide them with an old flap-mother, who leads them where they are to find provender; being first put on board a boat, which is destined for their habitation, and from which the whole flock, amounting often to 300 or 400, go out to feed, and return at command. This method is commonly practised during the nine warmest months of the year, and especially during rice harvest, when the masters of the duck boats row up and down according to the opportunity of procuring food, which is found in plenty at the tide of ebb, as the rice plantations are overflowed at high water. It is curious to observe how these birds obey their masters; for some thousands belonging to different boats will feed at large on the same spot, and on a signal given will follow their leader to their respective boats without a single stranger being found among them. No fewer than 40,000 such boats are supposed to ply on the Tigris. When confined to dry situations, ducks degenerate in strength, beauty, and flavour. They feed on various animal and vegetable substances, for which they unceasingly search with their curiously constructed bills, sifting and separating every alimentary particle from the mud. When older, they also devour worms, spawn, water-insects, and sometimes frogs and small fishes, together with the various feeds of bog and water plants.

Black-billed whistling duck.—Brown; head somewhat Arborea-crested; belly spotted with white and black. Smaller than the preceding. Inhabits Guiana and Jamaica; winters in Carolina, and builds and sits on trees.

Red-crested duck.—Black; head and upper part of Rufina- the neck tectaceous; crown reddish, that of the male crested; wings beneath, and at the edges white; tail brown. Female brown, and wants the crest. Inhabits the Caspian sea, and the lakes of the Tartarian deserts; is sometimes also found in Italy and Barbary.

Tuffed duck.—Crest pendent; body black; belly and wing-spot white; bill broad, livid, tipped with black; irises golden; head greenish; shoulders blackish-brown, with pale straw-coloured dots; legs dusky-blue. Female brownish, wants the crest. Sixteen inches long. Inhabits Europe and Northern Asia. There are several varieties. It is not uncommon with us in winter, and is frequently seen in our fresh waters as late as near the end of March. It is often brought to market, and sold for wigeon. It lives not only in fresh water, but in the sea; dives well, and feeds on small fishes, crabs and shellfish, and likewise on the seeds of aquatic plants, particularly those of the common rush.

Gen. 33. MERGUS. Mergus.

Bill toothed, slender, cylindrical, hooked at the point; Characters. nostrils small, oval, in the middle of the bill; feet four-toed, outer toe longest.

The birds of this genus live on fish, and are very destructive in ponds.

Crested merganser.—Crest globular, white on each side; body brown above; white beneath; bill and legs black; irises golden; crest larger than the head, edged with black. Female brown; crest less and ferruginous. Length seventeen inches and a half; weight nearly 23 ounces. An elegant species, which inhabits North America, appearing at Hudson's bay about the end of May, and building, close to the lakes, a nest composed of grass, lined with feathers from its own breast.

Goosander.—A longitudinal crest, somewhat erect; the breast white, without spots; the tail feathers aft-coiled; shaft black; bill, legs, and irises red; greater quill-feathers black; lesser white. Weight about four pounds; length two feet four inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Sometimes visits our rivers and lakes in severe winters, but retires to the more northern latitudes to breed. It has been known to build on trees, but more frequently among rocks or stones, and lays 14 eggs, which, with the bird itself, are eagerly devoured by the weasel. It swims with only the head above the surface of the water; dives deep; remains a long time below, and rises at a considerable distance. Its flesh is rancid and scarcely eatable. In quest of fish, it dives with great celerity, and holds its slippery prey with great security by means of its toothed bill, so admirably adapted to the purpose.

Dun diver, or sparkling weasel.—Crested; cinereous; head and upper parts of the neck bay; chin, middle Cagar. quill feathers, and belly white; bill and irises red; belly sometimes flesh colour. Weighs about 38 ounces; measures 25 inches in length. Inhabits the same countries with the preceding, and by some naturalists is reckoned the female; but the labyrinth, or enlargement at the bottom of the windpipe, seems to prove it to be a male, and consequently a distinct species.

Red-breasted merganser.—Crest pendent; breast red-dish and variegated; collar white; tail-feathers brown, varied with cinereous; under part of the bill and legs red; feathers of the sides of the breast large, white, edged with black, covering the fore part of the folded wings. Female with scarcely any crest; head and beginning of the neck rufous. Twenty-one inches long. Inhabits the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America. Breeds in Greenland, Hudson's bay, Newfoundland, Siberia, the north of Scotland, &c. Makes its nest of withered grass, and down torn from its own breast, on dry land, and lays from eight to 13 white eggs, equal in size to those of a duck.

Smew, or white nern.—Crest pendent; hind head black; body white; back and temples black; wings variegated; bill and legs black; wing-spot white; nape, oval spot from the bill surrounding the eyes, back, and two arched lines on each side, near the beginning of the wings, black. Female has the head smoothe and gray; band across the eyes black, and under the eyes a white spot; body blackish brown above; white beneath; upper part of the head bay; chin white. From 15 to 17 inches long. Inhabits Europe and America. Breeds in the Arctic regions, and is driven to the south only by severe weather.

Minute smew, or tough diver.—Brown-ash; under parts of the body and chin white; head and upper part of the neck ferruginous; wing-spot white before and behind. Very much resembles the female of the preceding, but wants the black oval eye-spot. About 14 inches and a half long. Is rarely met with in the south of England, and only in winter when the weather is severe. It dives with great ease in pursuit of fish, and remains long under water.

Gen. 34. Alca, Auk.

Characters. Bill toothless, short, compressed, convex, often transversely furrowed; lower mandible gibbous near the base; nostrils linear; legs (in most cases) three-toed.

The birds of this genus are mostly inhabitants of the Arctic seas; are accounted stupid, breed in holes, which they themselves often dig, and in the caverns and fissures of rock, where they rest during the night. In respect of colour, they are generally uniform, being black above, and white beneath. They are shaped like a duck, with their feet placed behind the centre of gravity; their bills are large, having the surfaces crossed with furrows, and ending in an acute point. They lay but one egg, which is very large, considering the size of the bird.

Puffin.—Bill compressed, two-edged with two grooves; orbits and temples white; upper eyelid daggered or furnished with a pointed callus; body black; cheeks, breast, and belly white; bill red, with a black base; legs red. Weighs between 12 and 13 ounces; length upwards of 12 inches. Inhabits the northern seas of Europe, Asia, and America, in vast flocks. Appears on many parts of our rocky coast about the middle of April, and begins to breed about the middle of May.

On the Dover cliffs, and other such places, they deposit their single egg in the holes and crevices; in other places they burrow like rabbits, if the soil is light, but more frequently take possession of rabbit burrows, and lay their egg some feet under ground. On St Margaret's island, off St David's, the fishermen put their hands into the holes, and the puffins seize them so obstinately, that they allow themselves to be drawn out. In other places they are caught with ferrets, and the young are taken and pickled. About the latter end of August they retire from our coasts, and have all migrated by the beginning of September. Their principal food is small fish, particularly sprats, with which they feed their young.

Great auk, or penguin.—Bill compressed, edged; an impennis. oval spot on each side before the eyes. Bill black, with eight or ten grooves; wings short and imperfect; secondary quill feathers tipped with white; legs black. Three feet long. Inhabits Europe and America; occurs in the most northern parts of Britain, and breeds in the isle of St Kilda, appearing about the beginning of May, and retiring about the middle of June. The shortness of its wings renders them useless for flight, but of singular service in diving under water, where they act as fins, and thus enable it to pursue its prey with great velocity. It lays an egg fix inches long, white and marked with purple spots, close to the sea mark, being incapable of flying, and almost of walking.

Razorbill.—Bill with four grooves, and a white line on each side as far as the eyes. Bill black; the largest groove white; body black above, the under parts, from the middle of the throat, white; secondary quill feathers tipped with white; legs black. In the young bird the bill has but one groove, and, in the still younger, there is no line from the bill to the eyes. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits Europe and North America. The birds of this species associate with the guillemots, and also breed in the same places. About the beginning of May they take possession of the highest impending rocks, for the purpose of incubation, and on the ledges of these rocks they assemble in great numbers, sitting closely together, and often in a series of notes one above another. There they deposit their single large egg on the bare rock, and notwithstanding the multitudes of them which are thus mixed together, yet no confusion takes place; for each bird knows her own egg, and hatches it in that situation. The razorbill is provincially called auk, murre, fall, marrot, and scout.

Duy/auk.—Size of the miffel thrush; the length 11 inches. Upper mandible of the bill bent at the point; colour yellow brown; the ridge white; irises white, and surrounded with a black circle; forehead covered with downy feathers, which are reflexed, half one way, and half the other: behind the eyes a stripe of white; head and neck black; upper parts of the body black; legs livid; webs black. Inhabits Japan and Kamtschatka. Is sometimes seen at a great distance from land, when it is solitary, but on land is gregarious.

Perroquet auk.—Bill compressed, with a single groove in each mandible; a white spot on the upper eyelid, between and under the eyes. Inhabits the sea between Japan and Kamtschatka, and often intimates approaching land to mariners.

Tufted auk.—Entirely black; bill with three transverse grooves, 1 1/2 inch in length, scarlet; sides of the head, head, space round the eyes, and the angle of the throat white; a yellow tuft of feathers rises from the upper eyebrow and stretches to the neck; legs brownish orange; claws black; length 19 inches; female less; the tufts smaller, and the bill crooked only with two grooves. Inhabits Kamtschatka and the neighbouring islands.

Little auk, little black and white diver, Greenland dove, sea turtle, &c.—Bill without furrows and conical; the whole abdomen and tips of the flag feathers white; feet black. There is a variety that is totally white, and another with a rufous breast. Nine inches long. Inhabits Europe and America, particularly Spitzbergen, Greenland, and Newfoundland, where they are called ice birds; but they are rare visitants of the British Isles.

Pigmy auk.—Bill carinated, depressed at the base; body black above, cinereous beneath. Seven inches long. Inhabits the islands between Asia and America.

Gen. 35. APTENODYTES, Penguin.

Bill straight, a little compressed and sharp-edged; upper mandible longitudinally and obliquely grooved, the lower truncated at the tip; tongue with reflected prickle; wings fin-shaped, without quill feathers; feet placed behind, four-toed, and palmated.

The birds of this genus resemble those of the preceding in colour, food, habit, and apparent fluidity, as also in the situation of their feet, in their erect walk, in their nests, and in their eggs. They differ from them, however, in this, that they are all inhabitants of the South seas, from the equator to the Antarctic circle. They are quite incapable of flying, the feathers on their wings being so short as to resemble scales. They are fortified against cold by an abundance of fat; they swim very swiftly; on land they fit erect, in a singular manner and in vast multitudes, and they cackle like geese, only in a hoarser tone. Their nostrils are linear, and hidden in a furrow of the bill; their wings are covered with a strong dilated membrane, and their tail-feathers very rigid.

Crested penguin.—Bill reddish brown; legs reddish; frontal crest black, erect, auricular, sulphur colour, and shed on each side; body bluish black, white beneath; wings white beneath. Female with a yellowish stripe on the eyebrow. Twenty-three inches long. Inhabits the Falkland islands, and the southern parts of New Holland. Called hopping penguin and jumping jack, from its action of leaping quite out of the water, for three or four feet at least, on meeting with the least obstacle. Though more lively than its congeners, it is so foolish as to allow itself to be knocked on the head with a stick, or even to be taken by the hand. When irritated, it erects its crest in a beautiful manner. These birds make their nests among those of the pelican tribe, with which they live in tolerable harmony, and seldom lay more than one egg, which is white, and larger than that of a duck.

Patagonian penguin.—Bill and legs black; ears with a golden spot; lower mandible fawney at the base; irides hazel; head and hind part of the neck brown; back dark blue; breast, belly, and vent white. Four feet three inches long. Inhabits Falkland islands and New Guinea. M. Bougainville caught one, which soon became so tame as to follow and know the person who had the care of it; at first it fed on flesh, fish, and bread, but after some time, grew lean, pined and died. This species is not only the largest, but the fattest of its genus; and its flesh, though not very unpalatable, is black.

Cape penguin.—Bill and legs black; eyebrows and Demersa pectoral band white. Size of a large duck; length 21 inches. Inhabits the Atlantic and Antarctic seas, chiefly round the Cape of Good Hope. Lays two white eggs, which are reckoned delicious eating. Like all of the genus, swims and dives well, but hops and flutters in a strange awkward manner on land, and if hurried stumbles perpetually, or makes use of its wings instead of legs, till it can recover its upright posture, crying at the same time like a goose, but with a hoarser voice. There are two or three varieties.

Little penguin.—Bill black; legs white. Fifteen inches long. Inhabits New Zealand. Digs deep holes in the earth, in which it lays its eggs.

Gen. 36. PROCELLARIA, Petrel.

Bill toothless, a little compressed, hooked at the point; mandibles equal; nostrils cylindrical, tubular, truncated, lying on the base of the bill; feet palmated, hind claw scutile, and without a toe.

The birds of this genus all frequent the deep, where they endure the greatest storms, being hardly ever seen on shore, except at breeding time. They are, however, capable of walking, and their legs are bare of feathers a little above the knee. They feed on the fat of dead whales and fish, and have the faculty of spouting oil from their nostrils.

Pacific petrel.—Black, dusky beneath; legs spotted with black; bill plumbeous and much hooked; nostrils elevated, oval, distinct, obliquely placed; legs pale. Twenty-two inches long. Inhabits, in vast flocks, the islands of the Pacific ocean. These flocks disappear at once, dipping under water altogether, and then rise as suddenly.

Diving petrel.—Blackish brown; white beneath; bill and chin black; legs blue green, without the spur behind. Eight inches and a half long. Inhabits New Zealand in numerous flocks, and dives remarkably well, often rising at considerable distances, with surprising agility. They croak like frogs, and sometimes make a noise like the cackling of a hen.

Stormy petrel, Stormyfinch, Mother Carey's chicken, &c. Pelagica.

—Black, with a white rump. This species is about the size of a swallow, and in its general appearance and flight, not unlike that bird. Length about six inches. The stormy petrel is rarely seen on our shores, except in some of the northern islands, where it breeds in the holes of rocks, or under loose stones, in the months of June and July. At all other seasons it keeps far out at sea. Multitudes of them are seen all over the vast Atlantic ocean, especially before stormy weather. They often skim with incredible velocity along the hollows of the waves, and sometimes on the summits, braving the utmost fury of the tempest. As they appear to run on the surface of the sea, they have their name from an allusion to Peter's walking on the water. The inhabitants of the Faroe isles draw a wick through the body of this bird, which is so fat as to burn when lighted, and serve the purpose of a candle.—There is a variety with the body black; head and sides bluish; scrag green, and wing coverts and rump spotted with green. Both sorts are excellent divers, feed on small fishes, are mute during the day, and clamorous in the night.

Snowy petrel.—Snow white; shafts of the feathers and bill black; legs dusky blue. One foot long. Inhabits the colder parts of the Southern sea, especially in the neighbourhood of ice, the masses of which they often haunt in considerable flocks.

Fulmar petrel, or fulmar.—Whitish; back hoary; bill and legs yellowish; nostrils composed of two tubes, lodged in one sheath. About the size of the common gull, and 17 inches long. Inhabits the Northern and Southern seas; breeds in Greenland, Spitzbergen, St Kilda, &c. laying one large white egg. It is a bold and stupid bird, and very fat, living on fish, dead whales, and other carcases and filth, in quest of which it often follows ships for a great way. Its flesh, though rancid, is eaten raw, dried or boiled, by the Kurile islanders, the Greenlanders and St Kildians, and the oil when expressed is used both for food and lamps. The young are in fection about the beginning of August, when the inhabitants of St Kilda endeavour to surprize them in their nests, to prevent them from spouting out their oil, which they do by way of defence. This oil is there valued as a catholicon; and every young bird yields nearly an English pint of it, which is carefully preserved. When the thermometer is above 52 degrees, it is very pure, but at a lower temperature becomes turbid.

Giant petrel, or prey petrel, or break bones.—Brownish, spotted with white; white beneath; shoulders, wings, and tail brown; bill and legs yellow; a naked, wrinkled, yellow membrane at the angles of the mouth. Bigger than a goose; length 42 inches; expansion of the wings seven feet. Common in the high southern latitudes, and sometimes found, though more rare, in the Northern seas. Is often seen sailing with the wings expanded, close to the surface of the water, but without appearing to move them. At Christmas harbour, Kerguelen's land, &c. they were so tame, that they suffered themselves to be knocked on the head with a stick, by our sailors, on the beach. Though their chief food is fish, they also feed on the carcases of seals and birds. Many of the sailors confound them with the albatrosses, though such of them as are better informed, call them Mother Cory's geese. They are reckoned to be very good food. An individual of this species is figured in Latham's Synopsis.

Glacial petrel.—Bluish-ash; back blackish; chin, throat, and breast, white; bill yellow; legs blue. Nineteen inches long. Inhabits the icy seas.

Pintado, or pintado petrel.—Variegated with white and brown, and sometimes with yellowish and brown; bill and legs black; temples white and black. Size of the kittiwake; length 14 inches. This is the pintado bird of Dampier, the white and black spotted petrel of Edwards, and the Cape pigeon of our sailors. It is seldom seen much to the north of 30 degrees, and is most frequent about the Cape of Good Hope, and the neighbouring regions. It flies in very numerous flocks, which almost sweep the surface of the water. Our voyagers have traced them to New Zealand, Falkland islands, and various regions of the southern hemisphere. The sailors often catch them with some tarred string, or a bit of lard on a fitting rod. Sometimes they appear in such immense numbers, that 700 have been taken in one night. They feed on fish, but more frequently on the carcases of whales, &c.

Shearwater petrel, or shearwater.—Black above; white beneath; legs rufous; bill yellow, tipped with black; hind head whitish-ash; spurious wings spotted with black; first quill and tail feathers brown without and white within. Weight 17 ounces; is 15 inches long, and nearly the size of a pigeon. Inhabits the Southern and Arctic seas. Breeds in the isle of Man, and in the Orkneys, in the former of which it is called manks puffin, and in the latter lyre. It takes possession of a rabbit burrow or other hole, and lays one white egg, blunt at each end, which is hatched in August. Though the flesh is rank and fishy, it is much relished by some. Great numbers are killed and barrelled with salt. These the inhabitants boil, and eat with potatoes. There is a variety that is cinereous above, white beneath, and with a clear white tail.

Gen. 37. DIOMEDEA, Albatroses.

Bill straight, upper mandible hooked at the point, lower truncated; nostrils oval, wide, prominent, lateral; tongue very small; toes three, all placed forwards.

Only four species are known to belong to this genus.

Wandering albatross, or man of war bird.—White; back and wings with white lines; bill pale yellow; legs flesh-colour; quill feathers black; tail rounded, and lead coloured; bill grooved, dirty yellow; nostrils remote from the base, and rising out of the furrow; tail feathers fourteen; thighs naked. From three feet and a half to four feet long; bigger than a swan; weighs from twelve to twenty-eight pounds; and extends its wings from ten to thirteen feet. Inhabits most seas, but chiefly occurs within the tropics. It is frequent about the Cape of Good Hope, and towards the end of July appears in great numbers in Kamtschatka, and the seas which separate that part of Asia from America. It is very voracious, feeding on the salmon, which are found in shoals in the mouths of rivers, on the flying-fish, when forced out of the water by the coryphena, and on other fishes, which it devours whole, and in such quantities, as to be prevented by their weight from rising, though in general it fears very high. It likewise preys on mollusca, and is itself attacked by the sea-eagle, and the larus cataractae. On the shore of South America, it builds about the end of September, a nest of earth on the ground, from one to three feet high, and lays a number of eggs, which are four inches and a half long, and eatable, though the white of them does not coagulate with heat. Its voice resembles the braying of an ass, and its flesh is dry and hard.

Chocolate albatross.—Bill whitish; body deep chestnut-brown; belly pale; face and wings whitish beneath. Three feet long. Inhabits the Pacific ocean.

Yellow-nosed albatross.—White; bill black; keel of Chilchery the upper mandible and base of the lower yellow; body chest above black-blue, white beneath. Three feet long. Occurs in the Southern hemisphere, from 35° to 60°, all round the pole. Flies five or six feet above the water.

Sooty albatross.—Brown; head, bill, tail, quill feathers and claws footy brown; area of the eyes white. Three feet long. Inhabits the Southern ocean within the antarctic Gen. 38. Pelecanus, Pelican.

Bill straight, bent at the point, and furnished with a nail; the nostrils form an almost obliterated slit; face somewhat naked; legs balancing the body equally; the four toes connected by a membrane.

The pelicans are gregarious, fond of fish, and in general remarkable for their extreme voracity. For the most part they keep out at sea, but some of them are likewise found in the interior parts of continents. They have all a long bill, in a lateral furrow of which lie the nostrils. Several of the tribe are rendered useful to mankind by being taught to fish.

A. Bill without teeth.

White or common pelican.—White; gullet pouches; bill from fifteen to sixteen inches long, red; upper mandible depressed and broad, the lower forked; bag at the throat flaccid, membranaceous, capable of great distension; irides hazel; gape of the mouth wide; head naked at the sides, covered with a flesh-coloured skin; hind-head somewhat erected; body faintly tinged with flesh colour; spurious wings and first quill feathers black; legs lead colour. Larger than a swan, and about five feet long. Inhabits Asia, Africa, and South America. In fishing, this bird does not immediately swallow its prey, but fills its bag, and returns to the shore to devour at leisure the fruits of its industry. As it quickly digests its food, it has generally to fill more than once in the course of the day. At night it retires a little way on the shore to rest, with its head resting against its breast. In this attitude it remains almost motionless, till hunger calls it to break off its repose. It then flies from its resting-place, and raising itself thirty or forty feet above the surface of the sea, turns its head, with one eye downwards, and continues to fly in that posture till it sees a fish sufficiently near the surface, when it darts down with astonishing swiftness, seizes it with unerring certainty, and stores it up in its pouch. It then rises again, and continues the same manoeuvres, till it has procured a competent stock. Clavigero informs us, that some of the Americans, to procure a supply of fish without any trouble, cruelly break the wing of a live pelican, and after tying the bird to a tree, conceal themselves near the place. The screams of the wounded and confined bird attract others of its kind, which eject for it a portion of provisions from their pouches. As soon as the men observe this, they rush to the spot, and after leaving a small quantity for the bird, carry off the remainder. The female feeds her young with fish macerated for some time in her bag. The pelican is susceptible of domestication, and may even be trained to fish for its master. Faber mentions an individual of this species which was kept in the court of the duke of Bavaria above forty years, and which seemed to be fond of the company of mankind, and of vocal and instrumental music. When a number of pelicans and coryvants are together, they are said to practice a singular method of taking fish. They spread into a large circle, at some distance from land; the pelicans flapping on the surface of the water with their extensive wings, and the coryvants diving beneath, till the fish contained within the circle, are driven before them towards the land; and as the circle contracts by the birds drawing closer together, the fish at last are brought into a small compass, when their pursuers find no difficulty in filling their bellies. In this exercise they are often attended by various species of gulls, which likewise obtain a share of the spoil. The pelican generally builds in marshy and uncultivated places, particularly in islands and lakes, making its nest, which is deep, and a foot and a half in diameter, of carices, and lining it with grass of a softer texture. It lays two or more white eggs, which, when persecuted, it sometimes hides in the water. When it builds in dry and desert places, it brings water to its young in its bag. It walks slowly, flies in flocks, and lives in society with other birds.

Rufé-coloured pelican.—Rufé; gullet pouches; bill Rufé, and legs black; area of the eyes naked; pouch yellow. Size of a goose. Inhabits Manilla.

Frigate pelican, or frigate bird.—Tail forked; body Aquilus, and orbits black; bill red; belly of the female white. Three feet long; extent of the wings fourteen feet. Inhabits within the tropics. This is the frigate bird of Dampier and other navigators. From its great expanse of wing, it is capable of flying very smoothly, and so high as to be scarcely visible, remaining much in the air, and remote from land. It feeds on fishes, particularly flying fish, on which it darts with the greatest velocity. It not unfrequently likewise preys on other piscivorous animals. It builds in trees or on rocks, and lays one or two eggs of a flesh colour, and spotted with red.

Lesser frigate pelican.—Tail forked; body ferrugineous; bill and orbits red. Remembers the last, but less.

Corvorant.—Tail rounded; body black; head fomecarbo. What crested; bill blackish; the base of the lower mandible covered with a yellowish skin, extending under the chin, and forming a pouch; irides green; chin white, surrounded with a yellowish arch; tail long and lax, consisting of fourteen feathers; thighs with a white spot, dotted with black; legs black. Three feet long; size of a goose, but more slender, and weighs about seven pounds. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Common on many of our sea-coasts, building its nest on the highest parts of cliffs that hang over the sea, and laying three or more pale green eggs, about the size of those of a goose. In winter these birds disperse along the shores, and visit the fresh waters, where they commit great depredations among the fish. They are remarkably voracious, and have a very quick digestion. Though naturally extremely shy and wary, they are stupid and easily taken when glutted with food. Their smell, when alive, is more rank and offensive than that of any other bird, and their flesh is so disgusting, that even the Greenlanders will hardly taste it. It is not uncommon to see twenty of these birds together, on the rocks of the sea coast, with extended wings, drying themselves in the wind. In this attitude they sometimes remain for nearly an hour, without once closing their wings; and as soon as the latter are sufficiently dry to enable the feathers to imbib the oil, they press this liquor from the receptacle on their rumps, and dress the feathers with it. It is only in one particular state that the oily matter can be spread on them, namely, when they are somewhat damp; and the instinct of the birds teaches them the proper moment. Corvorants were formerly sometimes trained in this country, as they still are in China, for the purpose of catching fish for the table. With this view they were kept with great care in the house, and when taken out for fishing, they had a leathern thong tied round their neck, to prevent them from swallowing their prey.

Shag.—Tail rounded; body black, brown beneath; tail feathers twelve; head and neck black, with a green glost; back and wing-coverts purple black, glossy at the edges; middle of the belly dusky; legs black. Weighs about four pounds. Length twenty-nine inches. The female weighs about three pounds and a quarter; and is only twenty-seven inches long. Inhabits the northern seas of Europe. Swims with its head erect, and the body under water. On perceiving the flash of a gun, dives instantaneously, and rises at a considerable distance. Has the manners and habit of the preceding, and devours a prodigious quantity of fish. Near the Cape of Good Hope, a variety occurs with a yellow chin, and wedged tail. Another, which frequents the coasts of Cayenne and the Carribbee islands, is blackish above, brown beneath; and has the feathers above edged with black.

Dwarf shag.—Tail wedged; feathers twelve; body black, with a few scattered white spots. Female brown, without spots. Size of the garganey. Inhabits the Capian sea.

Crested shag.—Shining green, dusky beneath; bill and legs dusky; head crested. From two to three feet long. Inhabits the northern seas of Europe, occurs on our own coasts, and both in appearance and manners, resembles the graculus.

B. Bill serrated.

Saw-billed pelican.—Brown; tail rounded; gullet pouched, and covered with short cinereous feathers; bill one foot long; each mandible hooked; pouch very large; legs black. Size of a turkey; extent of wings nine feet. Inhabits Chili.

Gannet, or soland goose.—Tail wedged; body white; bill and quill feathers black; face blue; irides yellowish; tail feathers twelve; eyes surrounded with a naked skin of fine blue; legs black, and greenish on the fore part. Three feet long. Weighs seven pounds; and inhabits Europe and America. This species of pelican haunts the Bays island in the frith of Edinburgh, Ailsa, on the coast of Ayrshire, the island of St Kilda, and hardly any where else in Europe. It arrives at these spots in March, and continues till September. As it must let itself fall before it takes wing, it requires a steep and precipitous breeding station. It makes a rude nest of sticks, grass, sea-plants, &c. and lays one egg. While the female is occupied with incubation, the male brings her food, which consists almost entirely of herrings and sprats. In the bag under their bill they are able to fetch four or five herrings at a time, and a great number of sprats, which the young bird extracts from the mouth of the old one, with its bill, as with pincers. The young begin to be taken in August, and by some are relished as an exquisite morsel; but the old ones are tough and rancid. The fowler who seizes the young, is let down by a rope from the top of a cliff, and is sometimes stationed on the slippery projection of a rock, with the perpendicular precipice of four hundred feet or more beneath him. The young are of a dark-gray colour, and continue so for a year or more, when they gradually become white, except the tips of their wings, which are always black. In September and October the old birds leave their breeding places, and migrate southward, following, as is alleged, the shoals of herrings. In December they are often seen off Lisbon plunging for sardines; but after that period, it is not well known what becomes of them till March. They are common on the coasts of Norway and Iceland, and are said to be met with in great numbers about New Holland and New Zealand. They also breed on the coast of Newfoundland, and migrate southward along the American shores as far as South Carolina. Of this species there are two varieties. The first is brown, spotted with white, and white beneath, with naked and blackish. The second is brown, with triangular white spots, whitish, and spotted with brown beneath; the bill, wings, tail, and legs brown.

Lecher gunnet.—Tail wedged; body whitish; all the Piscator. quill feathers black; face red. Two feet and a half long. Inhabits the Chinese, Indian, and American seas.

Booby.—Tail wedged; body whitish; primary quill Sula. feathers tipped with blackish; face red; bill gray, brownish at the base; irides pale albi; chin bald, yellowish; body white beneath; tail brownish at the tip; legs yellowish. Has its name from being so foolish as to alight on one's hand, if held out to it, when tired. Builds in places bare of trees, making its nest on the ground. Its flesh is black and rancid.

Fishing corvortant.—Tail rounded; body brown, Sula. whitish, and spotted with brown beneath; throat white; bill yellow; irides blue. Inhabits China, where it is tamed for the purpose of catching fish.

Lecher booby.—Black, white beneath; face downy. Parus. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits Cayenne.

Gen. 39. Plotus, Darter. Plotus.

Bill straight, pointed, toothed; nostrils an oblong slit Characters near the base; face and chin naked; legs short; all the toes connected.

The birds of this genus have a small head, and long slender neck. They inhabit the southern and warmer latitudes, and live chiefly on fish, which they take by darting the head forwards, while the neck is contracted like the body of a serpent.

White-bellied darter.—Head smooth; belly white. Anhinga. Inhabits Brazil. Two feet ten inches long. Builds on trees, and is scarcely ever seen on the ground. When at rest, it fits with the neck drawn in between the shoulders. The flesh is oily and rancid.

Black-bellied darter.—Head smooth; belly black. gallar. About three feet long. Inhabits Ceylon, Java, &c. Plate cccxlvii. fig. 4.

Surinam darter.—Head crested; belly white. Thirteen inches long. Inhabits Surinam. Is domesticated, Surinamen. and feeds on fish and insects, especially flies, which it catches with great dexterity.

Gen. 40. Phaeton, Tropic Bird. Phaeton.

Bill sharp-edged, straight, pointed, the gape extending Characters beyond the bill; nostrils oblong; hind-toe turned forwards. The species of this genus inhabit the South sea, especially between the tropics. Their bill is compressed, and bent a little downwards; the lower mandible angulated. The feet have four toes, which are palmated. The tail is cuneiform, and distinguished by the great length of the two intermediate feathers.

Common tropic bird.—White; back, rump, and lesser wing-coverts streaked with white; two middle tail feathers black at the base; bill red. Two feet ten inches long; size of a wigeon. Flies very high, and at a great distance from land; feeds on young sharks, dolphins, and albicores. On land, where it is rarely seen except in the breeding season, it sits on trees, and builds on the ground, in woods. It is well known to navigators, to whom it generally announces their approach to the tropic, though this indication is by no means infallible, as the bird sometimes wanders to the latitude of 47°. It is subject to varieties. Its flesh is indifferent.

Black-billed tropic bird.—Streaked black and white, white beneath; bill black; quill feathers tipped with white; tail feathers with black. Nineteen inches and a half long. Inhabits Palmerston and Turtle islands.

Red-tailed tropic bird.—Rufy flesh colour; bill and two middle tail feathers red. Two feet ten inches long, of which the two middle tail feathers measure one foot nine inches. Builds in hollows in the ground, under trees, and lays two yellowish-white eggs, with rufous spots. Inhabits the Mauritius.

Gen. 41. COLOMBUS.

Bill toothless, subulate, straight, and pointed; throat toothed; nostrils linear, at the base of the bill; feet placed far behind.

The birds of this family walk on land with awkwardness and difficulty, but swim and dive with great dexterity. The guillemots chiefly inhabit the sea; have a slender tongue, of the size of the bill. The latter is compressed, and covered with short feathers at the base; the upper mandible a little bent; flesh tough, and, like the eggs, nauseous. The divers frequent also the northern lakes, have a strong bill, less pointed, cylindrical, the edge of the mandible turned in, and the upper longer than the under; the nostrils divided in the middle by a membrane; the tongue long, sharp, ferrated at the base on each side; legs slender, a black band between the thighs; tail feathers twenty. These birds are monogamous, fly with difficulty, and frequent fresh water in the breeding season. The grebes have no tail, a strong bill, lores naked, tongue a little cleft at the tip, body depressed, thickly covered with short shining plumage, wings short, and legs compressed. They are frequently found about the fresh waters of southern Europe.

A. Feet three-toed. Guillemot.

White guillemot.—Snowy; bill and legs brownish and flesh-coloured. Size of the garganey. Inhabits the Netherlands.

Black guillemot, spotted guillemot, Greenland dove, sea turtle, &c.—Body black; wing-coverts white. But these general markings are incident to great variety. The more special characteristics are; bill black, inside of the mouth and legs red; upper wing-coverts in the middle, and lower part of the belly, white. Weighs fourteen ounces, and measures nearly the same number of inches in length. Inhabits Europe and America. Frequents the Faroe islands, the Bays, St Kilda, &c. visiting these places in March, making its nest far under ground, and laying one egg of a dirty white, blotched with pale rust colour. Except at breeding time, it keeps always at sea, lives on fish, flies low, and generally in pairs. It cannot, without much difficulty, rise from the ground. In the Orkney islands, it is called tylle. The Greenlanders eat its flesh, and use its skin for clothing, and its legs as a bait to their fishing lines.

Lesser guillemot.—Black, with a narrow stripe across Minor. the wings, cheeks and under parts white. Weight eighteen or nineteen ounces; length about fifteen inches. Inhabits the northern seas of Europe, and in winter frequents the frith of Forth in vast flocks; where it feeds on sprats, and is called marrot, or morrot. Many doubts have been entertained with regard to this bird, Dr Latham and other ornithologists having considered it as the young of the succeeding species. It is to be observed, however, that besides the difference in size and plumage, this bird is rarely met with in the south till the month of November, whence it has been called the winter guillemot, whereas the other species always leaves us before September, and does not again appear till the ensuing spring; and that its young, when they depart, are exactly like the old ones.

Foolish guillemot, or scout.—Body black; breast and Troile. belly snowy; secondary quill feathers tipped with white; bill black; inside of the mouth yellow; legs and tail blackish. Seventeen inches long. Inhabits the northern seas of Europe, Asia, and America. This species is likewise called marrot in Scotland, and lave in St Kilda. In that island it appears about the beginning of February, and is hailed by the inhabitants as the harbinger of plenty. A St Kilda man descends in the night, by the help of a rope, to the ledge of a precipice, where he fixes himself, and tying round him a piece of white linen, awaits the arrival of the bird, which, mistaking the cloth for a piece of the rock, alights on it, and is immediately dispatched. In this way 400 are sometimes taken in one night, and at dawn the fowler is drawn up. The foolish guillemot lays but one egg, which is very large, unprotected by any nest, and has such a slender hold of the rock, that when the birds are surprised, and fly off suddenly, many of them tumble down into the sea. These birds seldom quit their eggs unless disturbed, but are fed with sprats and other small fish by the male. In places where they are seldom molested, it is with difficulty they are put to flight, and may sometimes be taken with the hand; others flutter into the water, appearing not to have much use of their wings.

B. Four-toed, and palmated. Diver.

Red-throated diver or loon.—A ferruginous shield-like Septentrion. spot beneath the neck; body brown, with minute white nalti. spots above, white beneath; bill black; head and chin cinereous, spotted with brown; neck with small white and brown lines above; legs dusky. Weighs about three pounds. Length near two feet and a half. Inhabits the north of Europe, Asia, and America, and is seldom seen far southward, except in very severe winters. In the breeding season it frequents the lakes, making a nest among the reeds and flags, and lays two eggs of an ash colour, marked with a few black spots. In Iceland it it is said to make its nest of mofs and grafs, lined with down, among the grafs of the shores contiguous to the waters. It breeds in the north of Scotland, but is seldom observed in the south of England. It lives on marine vermes, crabs, and the smaller fishes, with which it is sometimes taken in nets. It swims and flies swiftly; and when it screams in its flight it is said to preface a storm.

Black-throated diver.—Head hoary; neck violet black beneath, with an interrupted white band; bill black; body black above, white beneath; sides of the neck white, spotted with black; shoulders and wing-coverts with white spots, the former square, the latter round; quill feathers dusky. Two feet long. Inhabits the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America, frequenting both the sea and lakes. Before rain, it is restless and clamorous; occurs in Scotland, but is not common in England.

Speckled diver or loon.—White beneath; hind-head and quill feathers dusky; throat pale ash; back, flanks, rump, and tail spotted with white; bill horn colour; legs brown. The weight of this species is about four pounds, and the length 27 inches. It inhabits the north of Europe and America, and is among the most common of the diver tribe found in this country, being frequently seen in winter, in our bays and inlets, and sometimes in fresh-water rivers and lakes. From its attending the sprats in the Thames, it is called sprat loon by the fishermen. In the northern regions it lays two eggs, the size of those of a goose, dusky, and with a few black spots, in the grafs, on the borders of lakes.

Northern diver, or greatest speckled diver.—Head and neck purplish-black; chin and upper part of the neck with a white interrupted band; upper part of the body, bill, legs, and tail black; back with square white spots disposed in rows; wing-coverts with white dots. The largest of the genus; sometimes weighing fifteen or sixteen pounds, and measuring nearly three feet and a half in length. Inhabits the north seas, and breeds in the fresh waters, in Iceland, Greenland, &c. Frequent the seas about the Orkneys, all the year round, without breeding there. The skin, which is tough, and well covered with soft down, is dressed in some parts of Russia, &c., and used as clothing.

Immer, imber, or ember goose, or diver.—Body blackish and waved with white above, white beneath; feathers of the back, wings, and tail edged with white. Two feet long. Inhabits the Arctic ocean, and also, it is said, the lake of Constance, where it is called flader. Unless in severe winters, it is rare in England, but is more common on the Scottish and Orkney coasts. It makes its nest on the water, among reeds and flags. It feeds on fish, after which it dives with great celerity, and is sometimes taken under water, by a baited hook.

C. Feet four-toed, lobed. Grebe.

Crested grebe, gray or ash-coloured loon, &c.—Head rufous; collar black; secondary quill feathers white; bill flesh-coloured, brown at the tip; lores and irides red; body brown above, white beneath; head tumid, and varies in colour by age. During the first year, this bird has a smooth head, and a white spot on the wings; and during the second, a long downy tuft on each side of the throat. This is the largest of the grebes, weighing about two pounds and a half, and measuring twenty-one inches in length. It occurs in almost every lake in the northern parts of Europe, as far as Iceland, and southward to the Mediterranean, and is also found in various parts of America and Siberia. It is common in the fens and lakes in various parts of England, where it breeds. The female makes her nest of various kinds of dried fibres, stalks and leaves of water plants, as of the nymphaea, potamogeton, hottonia, &c., and the roots of menyanthes trifoliata, and conceals it among the flags and reeds which grow in the water, and where it is erroneously said to float. The young are fed on small eels. In some countries, ladies muffs and other ornamental articles of dress are made of the skin of the belly of this species, which has a fine down of a dazzling whiteness. It requires five skins to make a muff, which sells at four or five guineas. The tippet grebe is the female or young of this species.

Eared grebe, or dobbichick.—Blackish-brown above, white beneath; head black; ears crested, and ferruginous; bill and legs black; irises and lores red; primary quill feathers dusky, secondary white. There is a smaller variety, with a double crest, and the neck spotted with chestnut. This species is about twelve inches long, and inhabits the northern lakes of Europe and Siberia. It is also met with in southern climates, but is not numerous in England. According to Penant, it breeds in the fens near Spalding in Lincolnshire, and the female makes a nest not unlike that of the preceding, laying four or five small white eggs.

Horned grebe.—Head gloomy-green; a yellow tufted band through the eyes; neck and breast tawny. Size of the preceding. Inhabits North America.

Little grebe, or small dipper.—Of a reddish brown above, white, with spots beneath; head smooth; feathers of the body edged with reddish; lower part of the belly gray; upper wing-coverts, and first and last quill feathers blackish, rest of the quill feathers white; bill blackish; base of the lower mandible reddish; legs blackish-green. Inhabits Europe, North America, the Philippine isles, and the Delta in Egypt. The least of the grebe tribe, weighing only between fix and seven ounces, and measuring from the tip of the bill to the rump, ten inches. It seldom quits the water, and is a remarkable diver, feeding on fish, insects, and aquatic plants; constructing a large nest, a foot thick, of grafs and the stalks of aquatic plants, in the midst of the waters which pervade it, and laying five or fix whitish eggs, which it covers when it leaves the nest. In several parts of this country it is called didapper.

Red-necked grebe.—Subcrested, brown; chin, cheeks, and region of the ears cinereous; under part of the neck and breast rufy-red; belly, and secondary quill feathers white; bill black, the sides tawny at the base; irises tawny; legs dusky. Seventeen inches long; and weighs nearly nineteen ounces. Inhabits Europe, but is very rare in Britain.

Dusky grebe, or black and white dobbichick.—Head Ospreurus-smooth; body dark brown above; front, under parts of the body, and tips of the secondary quill feathers, white. Eleven inches long. Inhabits Europe and America. Breeds in the fens of Lincolnshire, and is found, in the winter, in our inlets on the coast, particularly in Devonshire, where it is by no means uncommon.

Black-chin grebe.—Head smooth; body blackish; chin black; throat ferruginous; belly cinereous, mixed with silvery. Somewhat larger than the little grebe. Inhabits Tiree, one of the Hebrides.

Gen. 42. Larus, Gull.

Bill straight, sharp-edged, a little hooked at the tip, and without teeth; lower mandible gibbous below the point; nostrils linear, broadest on the fore part, and placed in the middle of the bill.

The birds of this genus have a light smooth body; long wings; a strong bill; the tongue somewhat eleft; the feet short; bare of feathers above the knee; with a small back toe. They inhabit the north; feed chiefly on fishes, and even on those that are dead. When harassed, they throw up or discharge their food. As the young are sometimes spotted to their third year, the extrication of this species is attended with doubt and difficulty.

A. Nostrils without a cere.

Turnrock, or kittiwake.—Whitish; the back grayish; tips of the tail feathers, except the outermost, black; three toes. In maturer age, the characters are; back whitish hoary; quill feathers white; bill toe unarmed. Ornithologists, in fact, seem now to be agreed, that L. tridactylus and L. rissa, are only varieties of the same species. A third variety occurs, distinguished by an oblique black band on the wings, and white chin. About the size of a pigeon; about fourteen inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Breeds on the cliffs about Flamborough-head, the Bays, Isle of May, the rocks near Slains Castle, &c.; lays two eggs; feeds on fishes, and seeks its food in company of seals and whales. It swims and flies rapidly, and is often clamorous. Its flesh is much relished by the Greenlanders, who also make clothing of its skin. One that was kept and tamed, knew its master's voice at a distance, and answered him with its hoarse piping note. It had a voracious appetite, and, though plentifully fed on bread, would rob the poultry of their share.

Little gull.—Snowy; head and beginning of the neck black; back and wings russet; bill brown red; legs scarlet. Size of a thrush. Inhabits Russia and Siberia.

Common gull.—White; back hoary; primary quill feathers black at the ends, the fourth and fifth with a black spot at the tip, the outer one black without; bill yellow; irides hazel; legs greenish white. A variety is met with that has the head spotted with brown; neck brown above, and tail feathers white, with a black band. This is generally supposed to be the younger bird. Inhabits Europe and America. Seventeen inches long; of the size of a pigeon; and is seen in numerous flocks, continually feeding. Lives on fishes, vermes, and the larvae of insects; builds among rocks and stones, and is a foolish bird. The most common and numerous of all the British gulls, breeding on rocky cliffs, and laying two eggs, nearly the size of those of a common hen, of an olive brown colour, marked with dark-reddish blotches. At the mouths of the larger rivers they are seen in numbers, picking up the animal substances which are cast on shore, or come floating down with the ebbing tide. For this kind of food they watch with a quick eye, and it is curious to observe how such as are near the breakers will mount up the surface of the water, and run splashing towards the summit of the wave to catch the object of their pursuit. At particular seasons, this species also resorts to the inland parts of the country, to feed on worms, &c. Some persons who live near the sea, commonly eat this, as well as various other kinds of gulls, which they describe as being good food, when they have undergone a certain sweetening process before cooking; such as burying them in fresh mould for a day, or washing them in vinegar. This species breeds on the ledges of rocks, close to the sea shore, sometimes not far above the water. This bird is frequently seen in winter, at a considerable distance from the coast. It flocks with rocks in severe weather, and will follow the plough for the sake of the larve of the chaffier.

Black-backed gull, or great black and white gull.—Marinus. White; back black; bill yellow; lower mandible with a red spot near the tip and black in the middle; irides yellow; lower part of the back white; quill feathers black, tipped with white; legs flesh-coloured. The markings, however, vary considerably with the age of the bird. The weight of this species is four pounds and three quarters; and the length near thirty inches. It inhabits Europe and America. Though not very plentiful on our coasts, it is occasionally seen in small flocks of eight or ten, sometimes in pairs, but never associating with the other gulls. It catches like a goose, lives chiefly on fish, but also infests the elder duck, and even lambs. It has been known to tear and devour the largest fish on the hooks, when left dry by the ebbing tide. It breeds on the steep holmes, and Lundy island, in the Bristol channel, makes a nest in the clefts of the highest rocks, and lays three eggs of a blackish gray colour, with dark purple spots, and eatable. Its skin is used for clothing by the Eskimaux and Greenlanders; and the young not only affords a fine down, but an article of food.

Herring gull.—White; back brown; legs yellow; Fagus. bill yellow; irides straw-coloured; five first quill feathers black above. Weight about thirty-three ounces. Length twenty-three inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and North America, proceeding southward in winter as far as the Black and Caspian seas, Jamaica, and the islands on the shore of South Carolina. It lives on fish, especially herrings, which it seizes with great boldness, and the shoals of which it accompanies in flocks. It is sometimes observed to trample the soft sand, by moving its feet alternately in the same place, for the purpose, it is supposed, of forcing up sand eels, or some hidden prey. This species is very common on the British shores; makes its nest of dry grass on the projecting ledges of the rocks, and lays three eggs of a dull whitish colour, spotted with black. Fishermen describe it as the constant, bold, and intruding attendant on their nets, from which they find it difficult to drive it away.

Black-headed gull.—Whitish; head blackish; bill Atricilla. red; legs black. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits Europe and America. Flies about the shores in flocks, with a continual clamour; and builds in pine trees.

Laughing or black-headed gull.—Whitish; head black-ridibun- ish; bill and legs pale red. Eyelids red; irides hazel; dus- head and chin dusky brown; and in the full-grown bird black; first ten quill-feathers white-edged, and tipped with black, the rest cinereous, tipped with white; claws black. This species has its name from its singular cry, which resembles a horse laugh. It is fifteen inches long; inhabits Europe, America, and the Bahama islands; and breeds in the pools and fens of England, making its nest on the ground, with rushes, dried grass, &c. and laying three greenish brown eggs, spotted with tawney. "In former times (says Mr Bewick), these birds were looked upon as valuable property by the owners of some of the fens and marshes in this kingdom, who every autumn caused the little idles or hafts in those wastes, to be cleared of the reeds and rushes, in order properly to prepare the spots for the reception of the old birds in the spring, to which places at that season they regularly returned in great flocks to breed. The young ones were then highly esteemed as excellent eating; and on that account were caught in great numbers before they were able to fly. Six or seven men, equipped for this business, waded through the pools, and with long flaves drove them to the land, against nets placed upon the shores of these hafts, where they were easily caught by the hand, and put into pens ready prepared for their reception. The gentry assembled from all parts to see the sport."—"These were the sea-gullies of which we read as being so plentifully provided at the great feasts of the ancient nobility and bishops of this realm. Although the flesh of these birds is not now esteemed a dainty, and they are seldom fought after as an article of food, yet in the breeding season, where accommodation and protection are afforded them, they still regularly resort to the same old haunts, which have been occupied by their kind for a long time past."

B. Nostrils covered with a cere.

Parasiticus. Arctic gull.—Two middle-tail feathers very long; bill and legs dusky; body black above; temples, front, and under parts of the body white; breast with a dusky band. Female brown beneath; twenty-one inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Breeds in the Hebrides and Orkneys, among the heath, making its nest of grass and moss, in some marshy place, and laying two eggs, the size of those of a hen, ash-coloured and spotted with black. It is very rapacious, and pursues the lesser gulls, not for their dung, as some have asserted, but to make them disgorge what they have lately eaten, which it dexterously catches and devours before it reaches the water. It is to be remarked, that all this tribe are voracious, and if chased by a hawk, or other bird that creates alarm, readily disgorge, in order to lighten themselves, and thus escape by flight. It is no uncommon thing to see them bring up a large quantity of half digested food, when slightly wounded by shot; and tamed gulls will do the same, if driven by a dog. It may also be observed, that gulls float highly on the surface of the water by reason of the quantity of feathers in proportion to their weight, and seem to be incapable of diving. If they should be wounded ever so slightly, and fall into the water, they never attempt to dive like other aquatic birds.

Crepidatus. Black-toed gull.—Varied with dirty white and brown, paler beneath; two middle tail feathers a little longer; bill black; breast and belly white, with numerous dusky and yellowish lines; flanks and vent transversely black and white; wing coverts and tail black edged with white or brownish; legs bluish; toes and connecting membrane black. Weight about eleven ounces; length fifteen or sixteen inches. Inhabits Europe and America, but is not common on the British shores. Its habits nearly coincide with those of the preceding species. Its excrement is said to be red, from the circumstance of its feeding on the helix janthina.

Skua gull.—Grayish; quill and tail feathers white at the base; tail nearly equal; bill dusky, much hooked, upper mandible covered half way with a black cere; body brown above, ruly-ash beneath; legs blackish, rough, warty; claws hooked, black; hind-toe short, with a sharp-hooked claw; two feet long. Inhabits Europe and America. These fierce birds are met with by navigators in the high latitudes of both hemispheres, where they are much more common than in the warm or temperate parts of the globe. They are often mentioned in Captain Cook's Voyages, and, from their being numerous about Falkland islands, the seamen call them Port Egmont hens. They are also common in Norway, Iceland, the Shetland and Faroe isles, &c. They prey not only on fish, but also on the lesser fowls of water fowl, and are so courageous in defence of their own young, that they attack either man or beast, that dares to disturb their nest. They make their nests among the dry grass, and, when the young are reared, they disperse themselves commonly in pairs over the ocean. In the island of Foula, in Shetland, the skua gull is called bonzie, and is a privileged bird, there being a fine of 10l. Seoth for destroying its eggs, because it keeps off the eagle during the whole breeding season.

Gen. 43. Sterna, Tern.

Bill subulate, somewhat straight, pointed, a little compressed, without teeth; nostrils linear; tongue pointed; wings very long; tail generally forked.

The birds of this genus are mostly inhabitants of the ocean, and feed on fishes. They are seldom afraid of man.

Sooty tern.—Black above; upper parts of the body, cheeks, front and shafts of the quill and tail feathers white; sixteen inches long. Inhabits the Atlantic and Antarctic seas.

Noddy.—Body black; front whitish; eye-brows black; stolida. bill and legs black; hind-head cinereous; fifteen inches long; found chiefly within the tropics; is clamorous, seldom goes far from shore, and always rests there during the night. It builds on the rocks, and its eggs are reckoned excellent food.

Sandwich tern.—White; back and wings hoary; cantiace. cap black; front with white spots; quill feathers blackish, with a white shaft; bill black, yellowish at the tip; legs black; wings longer than the tail; egg olive-brown, with purplish and crowded spots; eighteen inches long. Inhabits the Kentish coast, generally appearing about Romney, in the middle of April, and departing in the beginning of September. It is not uncommon about Sandwich, where it was first particularly noticed by Mr Boys. The circumstance of its breeding in England has not been perfectly ascertained. The hævia of some authors, or the Kamchatkan tern of Pennant, appears to be only a variety, which is black, with paler colours above; white beneath; and bill and legs black.

Common or greater tern.—Two outer tail feathers Hiundo. half black, and half white; bill and legs crimson; the former tipped with black; crown and area of the eyes black; rest of the head, neck, tail, and body, white beneath; back and wings cinereous; outer tail feathers black on the outer edge. There is a variety with black legs, and the outer tail feathers entirely white. The weight of this species is about four ounces and a quarter; and its length fourteen inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. It frequents our flat, sandy, or shingly shores, and lays three or four eggs, of the size of a pigeon's, of an olivaceous brown, and spotted and blotched with dusky, among stones, without making any nest. It is noisy and restless, constantly on wing, in search of insects and small fish; in pursuit of which it darts into the water with great force, seizes its prey, and instantly returns; for, though web-footed, it is not observed to swim or dive. It is commonly known by the name of the sea-fowl, and, in some parts, by that of the gull teazer, from its persecuting the smaller gulls, and obliging them to disgorge. In New England it is called mackerel gull, and at Hudson's bay it is known by the name of black-head. The young birds are mottled with brown and white, and are, most probably, the brown tern described by Ray and other ornithologists.

White tern.—White; bill and legs black; length between two and three inches. Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.

Black-headed tern.—Body hoary; head and bill black; legs red; size of the preceding. Inhabits Europe.

Lesser tern.—Body white; back hoary; front and eye-brows white; bill yellow, tipped with black; irises brown; cap black; a black band through the eyes; legs yellow; eight inches and a half long. Inhabits Europe and America. It has the habits of the common species, but is far less numerous. It lays two eggs, of a very pale brown, spotted all over with cinereous and dusky, and placed in a small depression among the shingle, without any nest.

Black tern.—Body black; back ash-coloured; belly white; feet red; bill black; male with a white spot on the chin; wings and tail cinereous; vent and lower tail coverts white; length ten inches. Inhabits Europe and America, and has all the actions and manners of the other species, but seems to prefer fresh-water insects and fish to marine. It feeds on the verge of pools, in swampy places, and often remote from the sea. In the fenney parts of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire it is called ear-fallow. Though very plentiful about the reedy pools of the Romney marshes, it keeps to the edges of the stagnant water, and is rarely seen on the adjoining sea shore, till after the breeding season, and even then not very commonly. It lays three or four eggs about the size of those of a magpie, of an olive brown colour, blotched and spotted with brown and black.

Gen. 44. RYNCHOPS, Skimmer.

Bill straight; upper mandible shorter than the under, the latter truncated at the apex; tail forked and shorter than the wings; nostrils linear, and the back toe small.

Black skimmer, or cut-water.—Blackish; white beneath; bill red at the base; the lower mandible grooved; front and chin white; wings with a transverse white band; two middle tail feathers black, the next edged with white; legs red; twenty inches long. Inhabits Asia and America. This bird is ever on the wing, sweeping the surface of the water, dipping in its bill, or at least the under mandible, to scoop out the smaller fishes on which it feeds. In stormy weather it frequents the shores, and is contented with oysters and other shell-fish.

ORDER IV. GRALLÆ.

BILL subcylindrical, and somewhat obtuse; tongue entire and fleshy; legs naked above the knees; the characters feet are commonly furnished with four toes, of which three stand forwards, and one backwards, sometimes wholly unconnected, and at other times half connected by a web. Some species, too, have only three toes; their legs are long, that they may seek their food in marshy and swampy places, for which reason they have also a long neck, and, for the most part, a long bill. Their bodies are oval, and somewhat compressed, and their tail is generally short. They build chiefly on the ground and in marshy places, and feed principally on fishes and water insects. They are all more or less migratory, and such as inhabit the more northern countries of Europe, universally leave them at the approach of winter.

Gen. 45. PHÆNICOPTEROS, Flamingo.

Bill bare, toothed and bent as if broken; nostrils linear; the feet four-toed and palmated, the membranes semicircular on the fore part; hind toe not connected.

The birds of this genus combine the anerces with the grallæ. They have the neck and legs long; the bill strong and thick, the upper mandible carinated above, and denticulated at the margin, the under one compressed and tranversely falcated; the nostrils above covered with a thin membrane, and communicating with each other; the back-toe very small, and the web which connects the fore-toes, reaching to the nails.

Red flamingo.—Flag feather black. This singular bird is scarcely so big as a goose, but has the neck and legs in a greater disproportion to the body than any other bird; the length from the end of the bill to that of the tail being four feet, and two or three inches; but to the end of the claws, sometimes more than six feet; the bill is four inches and a quarter long, and of a structure different from that of any other bird, the upper mandible being very thin and flat, and somewhat movable, the under thick, and both bending downwards from the middle; the end, as far as the curvature, is black, and the rest reddish-yellow; a flesh-coloured cere extends round the base of the bill to the eye; the neck is slender and of an immoderate length; the tongue, which is large and fleshy, fills the cavity of the bill, has a sharp cartilaginous tip, and is furnished with twelve or more hooked papillae on each side, which bend backwards. The bird, when in full plumage, which it does not acquire till the third year, is of a most beautiful deep scarlet, except the quills, which are black. The flamingo affects the warmer latitudes; and, in the old continent, is not often met with beyond the 40th degree north or south. It is met with every where on the African coast and adjacent islands to the Cape of Good Hope, and sometimes on the coasts of Spain and Italy, and even on those of France that lie on the Mediterranean, having been found at Marseilles and for some way up the Rhone. It is seen also on the Persian side of the Caspian sea, and from thence along the western coast as far as the Wolga. They breed in the Cape de Verde islands, particularly in that of Sal, constructing a nest of mud in the shape of a hillock, with a cavity at top, in which the female generally lays two white eggs, of the size of those of a goose, but more elongated. The hillock is of a sufficient height to admit the bird's sitting on it conveniently, or rather standing, as the legs are placed one on each side at full length. Sometimes the female will deposit her eggs on the projecting part of a low rock, if otherwise adapted to the above-mentioned attitude. The young are not able to fly till they are grown, but they can previously run with amazing swiftness. In this immature state, they are sometimes caught and easily tamed. In five or fix days, they become familiar, and even eat out of the hand, and drink a great quantity of sea water. It is, however, difficult to rear them, as they are very liable to pine from want of their natural subsistence, which chiefly consists of small fish and water insects. These they take by plunging the bill and part of the head into the water, and from time to time trampling the bottom with their feet, to disturb the mud, and raise up their prey. In feeding they are said to twist the neck in such a manner, that the upper part of their bill is applied to the ground. Except in the breeding season, flamingos are generally observed in great flocks, and at a distance appear like a regiment of soldiers, being often ranged alongside of one another on the borders of rivers. When the Europeans first visited America, they found these birds on the shores tame and gentle, and no way distrustful of mankind. We learn from Catesby, that when the fowler had killed one, the rest of the flock, instead of attempting to fly, only regarded the fall of their companion in a kind of fixed astonishment; so that the whole flock were sometimes killed in detail, without one of them attempting to make its escape. They are now, however, extremely shy, and one of their number acts as sentinel, while the rest are feeding. The moment that this guard perceives the least danger, he gives a loud scream, like the sound of a trumpet, and instantly all are on the wing, and fill the air with their screams. The flamingo, when at rest, stands on one leg, the other being drawn up to the body, with the head placed under the wing on that side of the body on which it stands. Its flesh is esteemed tolerable eating, and that of the young has been compared to partridge. Pliny, Martial, and other writers of antiquity, have celebrated the tongue as a morsel of exquisite relish.

Chili flamingo.—Quill feathers white ; bill covered with a reddish skin ; head subcrestled ; measures five feet from the bill to the claws. Inhabits Chili ; frequents only fresh waters, and is extremely shy.

Gen. 46. PLATALEA, Spoonbill.

Bill long and thin, the tip dilated, orbicular and flat ; nostrils small at the base of the bill ; tongue short and pointed ; feet four-toed and semipalmated.

White spoonbill.—Body white ; chin black ; hind head somewhat crested. Bill black, brown or spotted ; tongue heart-shaped ; irides gray ; lores, orbits, and naked dilatable chin, black ; quill feathers sometimes tipped with black ; legs black. This species admits of two varieties, of which the first has the wings varied with black and white, and the legs yellowish ; and the second has the body all white, and the legs flesh coloured. The white or common spoonbill weighs about three pounds and a half, and measures two feet eight inches in length. It inhabits from the Feroe isles to the Cape of Good Hope, but rarely occurs in England. It lives on grats, carices, the roots of reeds, serpents, frogs, mullecs, and other shell-fish, but especially on fishes, which it often seizes from other birds. It makes its nest in high trees, near to the sea, and lays three or four white eggs, sprinkled with a few pale red spots. The flesh, especially of the young bird, tastes like that of goose.

Roseate spoonbill.—Body rose-coloured ; tail coverts scarlet ; bill cinereous white, with a furrow parallel with the edges ; face and chin naked and whitish ; legs gray. This species also frequently appears of a blood red hue ; the neck white ; collar black ; and tail feathers scarlet. Two feet three inches long. Inhabits South America and Jamaica. Figured in Latham's Synopsis.

Dwarf spoonbill.—Body brown above ; white beneath. Size of a sparrow. Inhabits Guiana and Surinam.

Gen. 47. PALAMEDEA, Screamer.

Bill conical, the upper mandible-hooked ; nostrils oval ; feet four-toed, cleft, a very small membrane connecting the toes at the root.

Horned screamer.—Wings with two spines at the curvature, front horned ; bill and legs black ; irides golden ; body blackish above, white beneath ; wings reddish beneath ; spine strong, sharp, horny, triangular, yellow ; horn on the front recurved, round, whitish, three inches long ; hind toe straight. Three feet four inches long. Inhabits the feney parts of South America ; making a large nest of mud, in the shape of an oven, on the ground, and laying two eggs the size of those of a goose. It is remarked, that they are always met with in pairs, and if one dies, the other mourns to death for the loss. On hearing the least noise, or seeing any one, even at a distance, they rise from the ground and make a loud screaming noise. They feed principally on herbs, seeds, and reptiles. The flesh of the old bird is tough and ill tasted ; but that of the young, though very dark, is frequently eaten by the natives.

Crested screamer.—Wings unarmed ; front crested. Size of a heron. Inhabits Brazil.

Gen. 48. MYCTERIA, Jabiru.

Bill a little bending upwards and sharp-pointed ; upper Character. mandible triangular ; front bald ; nostrils linear ; tongue small or wanting ; feet four-toed and cleft.

American jabiru.—White ; quill and tail feathers purplish-black ; bill long, stout and black ; head and neck bald, two-thirds of the neck blackish, the rest red ; hind head cinereous ; legs long, stout and blackish. Nearly fix feet long. Inhabits the savannas of South America ; is migratory and gregarious, makes its nest in large trees, lays two eggs, and tends the young till they can defend to the ground. The colour of the young birds is gray ; the second year it changes to rose colour, and the third to pure white. They are very wild and voracious, and destroy great quantities of fish. The flesh of the young birds is said to be good eating, but that of the old is hard and oily.

Indian jabiru.—White ; band over the eyes, lower part of the back, quill and tail feathers, black ; bill blackish ; blackish; upper mandible gibbous at the base; lower tumid beneath; legs flesh-coloured. Inhabits India, and feeds on shell-fish.

New Holland jabiru.—Body purplish-green above, under parts, neck and shoulders white; head purplish, spotted with white; neck feathered; irides yellow; first quill feathers white; tail black and white. Full fix feet long; is supposed to live chiefly on fish. Inhabits New Holland. Figured in Latham's Supplement.

Gen. 49. CANCROMA, Boatbill.

Bill gibbous, and shaped like an inverted boat; nostrils small, and placed in a furrow; tongue small; toes divided.

Crested boatbill.—Crested; cinereous; belly rufous; crown and lunule on the neck black; bill brown; lores naked and blackish; crest long, pendulous and pointed; leys yellowish-brown; toes connected at the base. The body is sometimes spotted with brown. Twenty-two inches long. Inhabits South America; perches on trees which overhang the water, and darts down on the fish as they swim underneath. It likewise feeds on crabs.

Gen. 50. SCOPUS, Umbre.

Bill thick, compressed, long and straight; nostrils linear and oblique; feet with four unconnected toes.

Tusited umbre.—With a crest; bill brown, with a longitudinal furrow on each side, in which are placed the nostrils; lower mandible narrower towards the end, and a little truncated; crest thick, tufted and lax; body brown; tail obscurely barred; legs length and brown. Female not crested. Twenty inches long. Inhabits Africa.

Gen. 51. ARDEA.

Bill straight, pointed, long; somewhat compressed, with a furrow from the nostrils towards the tip; nostrils linear; tongue sharp; feet four-toed, cleft; toes connected at the base.

The birds of this numerous genus have long feet and necks, and live on amphibious animals and fishes.

A. Crested, and bill scarcely longer than the head.

Crowned heron, or crown bird.—Crest bristly and erect; temples with two naked wattles; bill brownish; irides gray; crown covered with short silky feathers; crest circular, yellowish, tipped with black; temples and wattles red; body bluish ash; wing coverts white, the greater ones reddish, those next the body blackish; tail and greater quill feathers black, the secondary bay; legs dusky. The female is black, where the male is bluish-ash, has no wattles on the throat, and the long feathers on the breast less conspicuous. This beautiful species, the baleic crane of Ray, and the crowned African crane of Edwards, is two feet nine inches long; and inhabits Africa, particularly the coast of Guinea, as far as the Cape de Verd islands. At the latter it is said to be very tame, and so familiar as to come into the court-yards to feed with the poultry. It is supposed to feed chiefly on worms and vegetables, often sleeps on one leg, runs very fast, and not only flies well, but continues on wing for a long time together. The flesh is said to be very tough.

Demoiselle heron, demoiselle of Numidia, or Numidian crane.—A tuft of long, white, pendant feathers behind each eye; bill yellowish; the base greenish, tip red; irides red; head and tips of the primary quill feathers black; feathers of the breast long and pendulous; crest over the eyes turned back, and pendulous; body bluish-ash; crown cinereous; head, neck, throat, breast and legs black. The wind-pipe does not, as in the generality of birds, go straight forwards into the lungs, but first enters a cavity in the keel of the breast bone, for about three inches, when it returns, after making a bend forwards, and then passes into the chest. This elegant species is about the size of the common crane; and three feet three inches long. It is found in many parts of Africa and Asia, but most plentifully about Biddulherid, the ancient Numidia, and Tripoli. It also occurs at Aleppo, and in the southern plain, about the Black and Caspian seas, and not unfrequently beyond Lake Baikal, about the rivers Selenga and Argun, but never ventures to the northward. It affects marshes and rivers, subsisting chiefly on fish. In the Crimea it builds its nest in open plains, generally in the vicinity of the salt lakes. The young birds are brought to market by the Tartars, and are so susceptible of domestication, that they even afterwards breed in the farm yards. From the gentleness of its manners and the elegance of its form, it is often kept in menageries. In confinement, it often assumes strange and uncouth attitudes, and seems occasionally to imitate dancing; and Keyller mentions one in the gallery at Florence, which had been taught to dance to a certain tune, when played or sung to it.

B. Cranes; head bald.

Common crane.—Hind head naked and papillose; cap and quill feathers black; body cinereous; innermost tail feathers jagged; bill greenish-black; front covered with black down; hind head red, with a few scattered hairs, and a cinereous area beneath; temples and upper neck white; legs black. There is a variety with the body white; and the lower part of the neck and quill feathers black; bill greenish black; front covered with black down; hind head red, with a few scattered hairs, and a cinereous area beneath; temples and upper neck white; legs black. Weighs near 10 pounds; length five feet. Inhabits Europe and Asia, and annually migrates in flocks to the southern parts of Asia and Africa, in autumn. The course of their flight is discovered by the loud noise which they make; for they soar to such a height as to be scarcely visible to the naked eye. Like the wild geese, they form themselves into different figures, describing a wedge, a triangle, or a circle. It is said that formerly they visited the fens and marshes of England, in great numbers; but they seem now, in a great measure, to have forsaken our island. They are seen in France in the spring and autumn; but generally only as passengers. They make their nests in marshes, and lay two bluish eggs. They feed on reptiles of all kinds, and on several sorts of vegetables, particularly green corn; among which, if a flock alights, it makes great havoc. Like other large birds, the crane has much difficulty in commencing its flight.

Siberian crane.—White; temples and front naked, red, wrinkled; ten first quill feathers shining black; bill and legs red. Stands four feet and a half high. Inhabits the marshy flats of Siberia, and feeds on reptiles, worms, and small fish. C. Storks; orbits naked.

White stork.—White; orbits and quill feathers black; bill, legs and skin red; greater wing coverts black. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. Is about the size of a turkey; and measures three feet three inches in length. Feeds on fish and reptiles, and in several countries is protected for its use in destroying serpents. Vast numbers annually resort to some parts of Holland, and even as far north as Russia, to breed, but rarely visit England. They observe great exactness in the time of their annual departure from Europe to more favoured climes. They pass a second summer in Egypt, and the marshes of Barbary; pairing in the former country, and rearing a second brood. Before each of their migrations, they rendezvous in amazing numbers, and are for a while much in motion among themselves, till, after making several short excursions, as if to try their wings, they all on a sudden take flight with great silence, and with such speed, as in a moment to be out of sight. At Baghdad, hundreds of their nests are to be seen about the houses, walls, and trees; and at Persepolis, the remains of the pillars serve them to build on, every pillar having a nest on it. Shaw mentions flights of them leaving Egypt, and passing over Mount Carmel, each half a mile in breadth. The good-natured Hollanders provide boxes for them to build their nests in, on the tops of their houses, and resent any injury done to the birds as an offence committed against themselves. The stork is of a mild and affectionate disposition; and though it has a grave air, yet, when roused by example, is not averse from gaiety. "I saw", says Dr Hermann, "in a garden where children were playing at hide and seek, a tame stork join the party, run its turn when touched, and distinguish the child whose turn it was to pursue the rest, so well, as, along with the others, to be on its guard."—To this bird the ancients ascribed many of the moral virtues, as temperance, vigilance, conjugal fidelity, and filial and parental piety.

Black stork.—Brown; breast and belly white. Two feet nine inches long. Inhabits Europe and Asia. Feeds on fish and reptiles; is timid, and retires into thick woods and inaccessible dens.

D. Herons; middle claw inwardly serrated.

Gigantic heron.—Glaucous above; dirty white beneath; bill a little triangular. This is a large species, measuring from tip to tip of the wings, nearly 15 feet. The bill is of an enormous size, and 16 inches round at the base. The head and neck are naked, except a few straggling curled hairs. The feathers of the back and wings are of a bluish ash colour, and very flout; those of the breast long. The craw hangs down the fore part of the neck, like a pouch, thinly covered with down. The belly is covered with a dirty white down, and the upper part of the back and shoulders surrounded with the fame. The legs and about half of the thighs are naked, and the naked parts are full three feet in length. The gigantic heron inhabits Bengal, and is sometimes found on the coast of Guinea. It arrives in the interior parts of Bengal before the period of the rains, and retires as soon as the dry season commences. Though its aspect is far from inviting, it is one of the most useful birds of these countries, in clearing them of snakes and noxious reptiles and insects. They sometimes feed on fish; and one of them will generally devour as much as would Gralla serve four men. On opening the body of an individual of this species, a land tortoise, 10 inches long, and a large black cat, were found entire within it, the former in the pouch and the latter in its stomach. Being undaunted at the sight of mankind, they are soon rendered familiar; and when fish or other food is thrown to them they catch it very nimbly, and immediately swallow it entire. A young bird of this kind, about five feet in height, was brought up tame, and presented to the chief of the Bananas, where Mr Smeatham lived. It regularly attended the hall at dinner time, placing itself behind its master's chair, frequently before any of the guests entered. The servants were obliged to watch it carefully, and to defend the provisions by beating it off with sticks: yet notwithstanding every precaution, it would frequently snatch off something from the table, and one day purloined a whole boiled fowl, which it swallowed in an instant. It used to fly about the island, and roost very high among the silk cotton trees; from this situation, at the distance of two or three miles, it could see when the dinner was carried across the court; when darting down, it would arrive early enough to enter with some of those who carried in the dishes. When sitting, it was observed always to rest itself on the whole length of the hind part of the leg. Sometimes it would stand in the room for half an hour after dinner, turning its head alternately as if listening to the conversation. These birds are found in companies, and when seen at a distance, near the mouths of rivers, advancing towards an observer, it is said that they may be easily mistaken for canoes on the surface of a smooth sea, and when on the land banks, for men and women picking up shell-fish on the beach.—From their immense gape, they have obtained the name of large throats, and from their swallowing bones, that of bone eaters or bone takers.

Night heron.—Crest on the hind head white, horizontal, of three feathers; back black; belly yellowish. The female has the head smooth and brown; belly brownish and white beneath; and the first quill feathers with a white spot at the tip. About 20 inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Only one instance occurs of its having been met with in England. It is pretty common in Russia, particularly on the Don, where it builds in trees, and is also met with at Astracan during summer. It is said to lay three or four white eggs, and sometimes to build among the rocks. It has a very uncouth and rough voice, like that of a person training to vomit.

Crested purple heron.—Hind head black; crest pendant, and composed of two long feathers; body olive above, purplish beneath. Two feet 10 inches long. Inhabits Asia.

African heron.—Crested; body cinereous; neck, breast and belly, ferruginous; chin white; neck with three black lines; bill and legs yellow; crest of three long feathers; feathers of the breast and rump mixed with ferruginous; a broad black line from the nape to the back, and another on each of the sides. About three feet long; and smaller than the common heron. Inhabits Asia and Africa, and has been twice found in England.

Common heron.—Hind head with a pendant crest; body ash coloured; line on the neck beneath and pectoral bar black. The female has the hind head smooth and and black; back bluish and whitish beneath; and the breast with oblong black spots. Bill dusky; base yellowish beneath; area of the eyes naked and greenish; irises yellow; temples black; front, crown, and neck, white above; spurious wings and greater quill feathers black; fronspilers and feathers of the throat long, lax, and narrow; body white beneath; legs dirty green. The weight of this species is about three pounds and a half; and the length about three feet four inches. Inhabits almost every where in fenney places, and is common in England. It is a great destroyer both of sea and fresh water fish, being enabled, by the great length of its legs, to wade into some depth of water, where it stands motionless, till some of the finny tribe approach, when it darts its bill into them in an instant. Its digestion being as quick as its appetite is voracious, it commits great devastation in ponds and shallow waters. It will likewise eat frogs and vegetables. They are frequently observed to feed by moon light, when the fish come into the shallower waters. In the breeding season, herons are gregarious, and make their nests very near one another. Pennant mentions having seen eighty nests on one tree, and Mr Montagu once saw a heronry on a small island in a lake, in the north of Scotland, on which there was but a single scrubby oak, which not being sufficient to contain all the nests, many were placed on the ground. The nest is large and flat, made of sticks lined with wool and other soft materials. The eggs are four or five in number, of a greenish-blue, and about the size of those of a duck. Heronries were much prized in the days of falconry, and some are yet to be seen in several parts of the kingdom. In flying, this species hides its head between its shoulders and its legs hang down. When it flies very high it prelages a storm. If taken young, these birds may be tamed: but when the old birds are captured, they soon pine away, refusing every kind of nourishment. The body is very small and always lean, and the skin is scarcely thicker than membrane used by the gold beaters. Linnaeus had made the two sexes distinct species, and others were long of the same opinion: but later observations have corrected the mistake.

Egret, or little egret.—Hind head crested; body white; bill black; lores and legs greenish; irises yellowish; crest consisting of some short, and two long feathers; face naked and green; claws black. Nearly a foot long, and weighs one pound. Inhabits marshy places, in temperate regions, in the four quarters of the world. If we may judge from the bill of fare of the famous feast given by the archbishop Nevil, these birds were formerly plentiful in England; for no fewer than 1000 were in that lift. It is, however, now become a very rare bird in this kingdom. Its plumes were formerly used to decorate the helmets of warriors, but are now applied to ornament the head dresses of European ladies, and the turbans of the Persians and Turks. Its habits are analogous to those of the common heron.

Great egret.—Somewhat crested, white; legs black; feathers of the back and breast lax, narrow and very long. About two feet long. Inhabit South America. Is shy and solitary, lying hid among the tall reeds, and feeding by night.

Great heron.—Hind head crested; body brown; thighs rufous; breast with oblong black spots. Above five feet long. Inhabits the lakes and rivers of Virginia, and feeds on lizards, frogs, and fish.

Blue heron.—Hind head crested; body blue; bill and lores blue; legs green. In the female, the head and neck are dusky purple; the chin and middle of the throat white, and the back lead colour. There is a subcrested variety blue green, with the chin and throat white. Another is varied with brown, yellow, and cinereous; feet black above; white beneath; and wings and tail greenish. From 16 to 18 inches long. Inhabits America. Found in Carolina in spring, and in Jamaica, and other islands of the West Indies, in winter. It has also been met with at Otaheite, and other islands of the South seas, where it is much respected.

Squacco heron.—Ferruginous; white beneath; hind Comata. head with a long white pendent crest, edged with black. About 15 inches long. Inhabits Europe and Asia. A white variety, with a smooth head, the upper part, crown, breast and back reddish, and which inhabits Coromandel. Has been once shot in England.

Bitters; in provincial English, bittoor, bumpy coot, Stellaria, butter bump, and miredram.—Head smoothish; body testaceous above, with transverse spots; paler beneath, with oblong brown spots. About two feet and a half long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America, affecting the more temperate regions in winter, and migrating northwards in summer. Though not a plentiful species in Britain, it is occasionally found in the breeding season, in the less frequented reedy marshes, and swampy moors, well clothed with rushes, where it forms a nest on some stump, by collecting ledges or other coarse plants together. It lays four or five eggs of a light olive green colour, inclining to cinereous. At this season the male makes a singular bellowing noise, vulgarly supposed to be produced by the bird putting his bill into a reed. It is with difficulty roused from its lurking place, flies heavily, and frequently lights again at a small distance, so that it becomes an easy prey to the sportsman. About sunset, it sometimes soars to a great height in the air, with a spiral ascent, making at the same time a loud and singular noise. Its flesh is accounted a delicacy.

Greater bittern.—Head smoothish, black; body cine-Botaurus. rus brown above; rufous beneath; lores and naked orbits yellow; throat white, streaked with black and reddish. Three feet nine inches long. Inhabits Italy.

Great white heron.—Head smooth; body white; bill Aiba. tawny; legs black; bill fix inches long; irises yellowish; lores green. Three feet fix inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Is rare in England.

Wattled heron.—Back, wings, legs and crown black-Carunculata. blue; smooth head and neck white; body black be-ta-neath; bill and chin carunculated. Five feet long. Inhabits Africa.

Minute bittern.—Smooth head and upper part of the Exiliti. body reddish-bay; white beneath; sides of the neck rufous; wings and tail black. Twelve inches and a half long. Inhabits Jamaica.

Little bittern.—(Male). Head smooth; body brown; Minuta- reddish beneath; tail feathers greenish black; lores yellowish. (Female). Body brown; edges of the feathers reddish; reddish beneath; crown, back, wings and tail black; bill yellow-green; naked part of the face yellow; irises saffron; legs green brown. This beautiful species is scarcely larger than a fieldfare, and about 15 inches long, from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail. The female lays four or five white eggs, of the size of those of the blackbird, and which are placed on a few dried flags on the ground. Inhabits Europe and Asia, but is rare in England.

E. Bill gaping in the middle.

Pondicherry heron.—Gray-ash; quill feathers long and black; middle claw not ferrated; bill yellow, thick at the base, pointed at the tip, and a little bent in, gaping in the middle; space between the bill and eyes leathered; legs yellow. Fourteen inches and a half long. Inhabits India.

Coromandel heron.—White; back, wings and tail black; upper mandible ferrated from the middle to the tip; bill yellow, thick at the base, and pointed at the tip; legs reddish-yellow; upper part of the head with black lines; lores and chin naked and black; irides red; toes connected at the base. Inhabits Coromandel, and feeds on fish and reptiles.

Scopopaceg. Scopopaceg heron.—Brown; throat and breast streaked with white; chin and legs white; wings and tail copper-colour. Twenty five inches long. Inhabits Cayenne.

TANTALUS.

Gen 52. TANTALUS, Ibis.

Characters. Bill long, tubulated, roundish, somewhat arched; face naked; tongue short and broad; jugular pouch naked; nostrils oval; feet four-toed and palmated at the base.

Loculator. Wood ibis.—Face bluish; bill reddish; legs, quill and tail feathers black; body white; bill nine inches long, yellowish-brown; irides reddish. The male has the head and neck naked, wrinkled and black-blue; and the female has the neck gray and downy. Three feet long. Inhabits New Holland and the warmer parts of America. Is stupid and slow in flight, sitting on trees, and feeding on herbs, seeds, fruits, fish, and reptiles. The flesh is good. Of this species there are two varieties, the first having the head and neck white, blended with yellow, the body black, and belly cinereous; and the second distinguished by white wing coverts, with a black blotch in the middle.

Glossy ibis.—Head and neck black; legs green; body varied with glossy-blue, blackish, green and claret; dark rufous beneath; quill and tail feathers green-gold; bill green. Thirteen inches and a half long. Inhabits Russia, and was once shot in Cornwall.

Black ibis.—Face, bill, and legs red; body black. From 30 to 40 inches long. Inhabits Egypt.

Egyptian ibis.—Face red; bill pale yellow; quill feathers black; body reddish-white. This is a large bird, somewhat exceeding the stork, and measures from 30 to 40 inches in length. The bill is seven inches long, the colour yellow, growing reddish towards the tip, slightly curved, and ending in a blunt point. The fore part of the head, all round as far as the eyes, is naked and reddish. The skin under the throat, is also bare and dilatable; the plumage reddish white, most inclining to red on the back and wings; quills and tail black; the legs long; and the thighs bare for three parts of their length. Haffelquist adds, that the irides are whitish, and the end of the bill and the legs black; and that it is found in Lower Egypt, in great plenty, in places just freed from the inundations of the Nile. It lives on frogs and insects, and is seen in gardens morning and evening, and sometimes so abundantly, that whole palm trees are covered with them. When at rest they sit quite erect, Gralla. their tail touching their legs. The same author believes it to be the ibis of the ancients; first, because it is common in, and peculiar to Egypt; secondly, as it eats serpents; and, thirdly, because the urns which contain the remains of embalmed birds, found in the sepulchres along with the mummies, seem to contain birds of this size. Its figure represented Egypt, in the hieroglyphic writing of its inhabitants. In that country it is still called Pharaoh's bird, and builds in the palm trees.

Scarlet ibis.—Face, bill and legs red; body scarlet; Ruber, wings tipped with black. Twenty-one inches long. Inhabits South America. Sits on trees, but lays its greenish eggs on the ground. The young are at first black; then gray, whitish just before they fly, and afterwards grow gradually red.

White ibis.—This species is 22 inches long, and about the size of the whimbrel; the face, bill and feet reddish; body white; tips of the wings green; the male and female nearly alike. Native of Brazil, but towards the end of summer migrates to the north, and is found in great numbers in the marshy lands of Carolina, feeding on fish and aquatic insects. Here they remain for about six weeks: the fat and flesh of the white ibis are said to be of a saffron colour, but though not much esteemed, is sometimes eaten.

Gen. 53. CORRIRA, Courier.

Bill short, straight, toothless; thighs longer than the Characters. body; feet four-toed, palmated; hind toe unconnected.

Italian courier.—Ferruginous above; white beneath; Italic. two middle tail feathers white, tipped with black; bill pale yellow, black at the end, with a large gap; irides a double circle of bay and white. Less than the curlew. Inhabits Italy, and runs swiftly.

Gen. 54. SCOLOPAX.

Bill roundish, obtuse, and longer than the head; nostrils linear; face covered with feathers; feet four-toed; hind toe consisting of many joints.

The birds of this and of the succeeding genus are with difficulty ascertained, being subject to differ in appearance from sex and age, and their colours shading into one another. The markings of their feet, however, are pretty constant, and therefore afford one of the best criteria.

Pigmy curlew.—Arched bill, and legs black; body Pygmae. varied with ferruginous, brown, and white; white beneath; rump white; quill and outer tail feathers edged with white. Size of a lark. Inhabits Europe, and is very rare in England.

Common curlew.—Bill arched, blackish; legs bluish; Arquata. wings blackish, with snowy spots; lower mandible reddish at the base; body above, and breast, streaked with dusky brown; chin, rump, belly, and vent, white; quill feathers black, spotted with white within; legs bluish; toes flat and broad. This species is subject to vary considerably in size, weighing from 20 to upwards of 30 ounces; the length of the largest being about 25 inches. Inhabits the moist and fenny places of Europe, Asia, and Africa. A rufous and black variety, with a smaller body, and longer bill, occurs in America. The curlew curlew is common on most of our coasts, in winter, when it is gregarious, and feeds on small crabs, and other marine insects and worms. In the spring it retires inland, and commonly to the more northern parts of the kingdom, to breed, resorting to the most retired situations on the heath-covered mountains, or in extensive and unfrequented marshes. It makes no nest; but deposits among the heath, rushes, or long grass, four eggs, of a pale olive colour, marked with brownish spots. The young make use of their legs as soon as they are hatched, but cannot fly for a considerable time. The flesh of this species is eatable, but is best in summer, when the bird feeds on frogs, worms, and water insects. In winter it is rank and filthy.

Whimbrel.—Bill arched, and black; legs bluish; back with rhomboid brown spots; rump white; lower mandible reddish at the base; body above, and breast brownish, with dusky brown streaks; chin, rump, belly, and vent, white; tail brown, with dusky bars; quill feathers black, spotted with white on the inside. About half the size of the preceding; but agreeing with it in appearance and habits. It is also more scarce in this country.

Black snipe.—Bill and legs red; body black. Inhabits the islands between Northern Asia and America.

Nodding snipe.—Bill black; legs greenish; body cinereous; crown and upper part of the back dusky red, and streaked; the lower white, spotted with black. Size of the common snipe. Inhabits Labrador, and is constantly nodding the head.

Woodcock.—Bill straight, reddish at the base; legs cinereous; thighs covered; head, with a black band on each side; upper mandible longer, reddish at the base; front cinereous; lower eyelid white; crown, neck above, back, and wing-coverts, ferruginous, mixed with black and gray; chin pale ash; throat yellowish, with small dusky spots; body whitish beneath, with dusky lines; quill feathers dusky, with triangular rufous spots; tail rounded, cinereous at the tip; legs brownish. Length 15 inches; weight from 12 to 15 ounces. This well-known species is subject to great variety, and inhabits the northern countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa, migrating in winter to the more temperate regions. In Britain it seldom appears in numbers till about the middle of November; but some occasionally appear as early as the latter end of September, or beginning of October. They generally come to us with northerly or easterly winds, when the more northern countries become frozen; and if the frost in those parts where they breed is suddenly severe, large flights are sometimes met with on our coasts, where they remain for a day, to recruit their strength, and then disperse. In England they are not so plentiful as formerly, when the art of shooting flying was less practised. A great many, however, are yet to be found in the more uncultivated parts of Devonshire, Cornwall, and Wales, as well as in the north of Scotland; but they are nowhere so abundant as in the large tracts of woods in Ireland. In severe weather, they accumulate, from the moors and inland counties, to the woods in the west of England. It is one of the few winter birds that occasionally breed with us. It builds a nest of a few fibres, or dry leaves, on the ground, generally at the root of a tree, and lays four eggs, somewhat larger than those of a pigeon, of a yellowish-white, spotted and blotched with rufous brown and ash colour. Its usual food is insects and worms, for which it bores with its bill into moist places, feeding principally at night, when its call resembles that of the snipe. In some countries the woodcock remains the whole year, only moving, in the breeding season, from the plains to the mountains. In this country, it usually prepares for its departure about the middle of March, when flocks come down to the sea coast, and, if the wind is favourable, are soon out of sight; but if it be contrary, they linger till it change.

Little woodcock.—Bill straight; legs brownish; front Minor. cinereous; hind head black, with four transverse yellowish lines; chin white; body above black, waved with light tawny; yellow beneath. Eleven inches and a half long. Inhabits America. Its flesh is reckoned exquisite.

Great snipe.—Legs and crown black, the latter with a pale divided line down the middle, a pale streak above and beneath the eyes; body varied above, white beneath; bill like that of the woodcock; lower feathers of the body, except the middle of the belly, edged with black; quill feathers dusky; tail feathers reddish, and, except the two middle ones, with black lines. Weighs about eight ounces; length 16 inches. Inhabits Siberia, and very rarely England.

Common snipe.—Bill straight, tuberculated; legs Gallinago. brown; body varied with blackish and tawney, white beneath; front with four brown lines; crown, bill, ocular band, and wings, black; chin pale rufly; tail-feathers black at the base; rump variegated. The weight of this species is about four ounces, and the length nearly 12 inches. It is met with in marshy situations, in almost every part of the world, and is very plentiful in our own island. In very wet times it resorts to the hills; but more generally frequents the marshes of the plains, where it can penetrate the earth with its bill, in quest of worms. Some few remain with us the whole year, and breed in the more extensive marshes and mountainous bogs. The nest is made of the materials around it, as coarse grass or heath, and placed on a dry spot, near a splash or swampy place, the eggs, like that of the lapwing, being much pointed, and invariably placed with their smaller ends inwards. In the breeding season the snipe changes its note entirely. The male will keep on the wing for an hour together, mounting like a lark, uttering a thrill piping noise, and then descend with great velocity, making a bleating sound, like that of an old goat, which is alternately repeated round the spot possessed by the female, especially while she is sitting on her nest. The young ones run off soon after they are freed from the shell; but they are attended by the parent birds, until their bills have acquired a sufficient firmness to enable them to provide for themselves. When undisturbed in its retreats, the snipe walks leisurely, with its head erect, and keeps moving the tail at short intervals. But it is rarely observed in this state of tranquility, being extremely watchful, and perceiving the sportsman, or his dog, at a great distance, and either concealing itself among the variegated withered herbage, so similar in appearance to its own plumage, that it is almost impossible to discover it, or, as happens more frequently, springing and taking flight beyond the reach of the gun. When first disturbed it utters a kind of feeble whistle, and generally flies against the wind, turning nimbly in a zig-zag direction, and sometimes soaring almost out of sight. From its vigilance and manner of flying, it is very difficult to shoot; but some sportsmen can draw it within range of their fowling-piece, by imitating its cries, and others are contented to catch it in the night by springs. The snipe is much esteemed as a delicious and well-flavoured dish; and though it is very fat, it rarely disagrees even with the weakest stomach.

Jack-snipe, fudeock, or gid.—Bill straight, tuberculated; body variegated; legs greenish; lores brown; rump varied with violet; bill black; body variegated with tawnyous, black, violet, and glossy green; head with pale yellow and black lines, reaching from the bill to the hind head; breast spotted; belly and vent white. Eight inches and a half long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Is found in the same places with the preceding, but is more solitary and rare. It will lie among rushes, or other thick covert, till in danger of being trampled on, and, when routed, seldom flies far. It comes to us later than the common snipe, and is never known to remain in this country during the breeding season. It is as much esteemed as the snipe, and is cooked in the same manner.

Green/bank.—Bill straight, the lower base red; body beneath snowy; legs greenish; bill black; the lower mandible bending a little upwards; eyebrows and lower part of the back white; head, neck, and back, pale cinereous; shafts of the feathers spotted with brown; quill feathers dusky, spotted with white on the inside; tail white, with dusky lines; legs very long. Weight about fix ounces; length 14 inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Is sometimes seen, in small flocks, on our coasts, in winter; as also in the marshes and fens contiguous to the sea. Some few are supposed to remain with us all the summer, and to breed in our fens. The greater part, however, retire northward to breed, and are found in Sweden, Russia, and Siberia. Their flesh, like all the rest of this genus, is well-flavoured, and reckoned good eating.

Red/bank, or pool/snipe.—Bill straight, red; legs scarlet; secondary quill feathers white; bill black towards the tip; irides reddish-hazel; head and neck cinereous above; back and shoulders greenish-brown; wing coverts cinereous, mixed with dusky and brown, and spotted with whitish; secondary quill feathers, except the two inner ones, white towards the tip; primary dusky, the four or five inner ones tipped with white; line over the eyes white; a dusky spot between the bill and eyes; short dusky streaks on the chin and throat; under part of the body and rump white, with small dusky spots; each of the tail feathers with 12 or 13 transverse black lines. Weighs about five ounces, and is 12 inches long. Inhabits Europe and America. Is not uncommon in some parts of England, residing the greater part of the year in the fen countries, where it breeds and rears its young. It lays four eggs, which are whitish, tinged with olive, and marked with irregular spots of black, chiefly on the thicker end. When disturbed it flies round its nest, making a noise like a lapwing. It is not so common on the sea shores as several of its congeners, and is of a solitary disposition, being mostly seen alone, or only in pairs.

Spotted snipe, red legged godwit, or spotted red/bank.—Blackish, with white spots; white beneath; lines on the breast and bands on the lateral tail feathers blackish; legs red. Size of the greenbank. Inhabits Europe, frequenting the banks of rivers, and feeding on the smaller shell-fish and other vermes. Seldom visits Britain.

Lesser godwit, jadrela snipe, or stone plover.—Bill in climbing a little upwards at the point, red at the base; body gray brown, varied with rufous; white beneath; quill feathers white at the base, the four first without spots; tail white at the base; irides whitish; cheeks reddish; back brown; quill feathers blackish; feathers round the bill reddish white. Seventeen inches long, and weighs nine ounces. Inhabits the north of Europe, and is gregarious; but seldom occurs in Britain.

Red godwit, or red-breasted godwit.—Bill a little re-curved, yellowish; legs black; body reddish-rusty beneath; bill blackish at the tip; head, neck, breast and body, ferruginous above, and, except the neck, streaked with black; lower part of the back and rump rufous white; greater quill feathers black without, the base white within; secondary and tail feathers half black and half white. Weight about 12 ounces; length 18 inches. There is a variety with the head and neck cinereous, and the chin and belly white. Inhabits Europe and America, and is gregarious, but rarely seen with us.

Common or grey godwit.—Bill straight, reddish yel. Aguecephalow; legs greenish; head and neck reddish; three of the quill feathers black, with a white base; a broad white streak from the bill to the eye; body reddish-brown above; feathers with a dusky spot in the middle. Subject to very considerable variety both in size and plumage. In general, it weighs from seven to twelve ounces, and measures from 15 to 16 inches. It inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa; continues with us the whole year, and resorts to the fens in spring for breeding. In the winter it is found on our shores, particularly at the mouths of large rivers and inlets, where the mud and sand become bare at low water, and where it feeds on insects. It is much esteemed by epicures as a great delicacy, and sells very high. It is caught in nets, to which it is allured by a flake, or fluffed bird, in the same manner, and at the same season as the ruffs and reeves.

Godwit.—Brown, edged with whitish; neck whitish, with small brown spots; chin and belly white; quill feathers with black bands; bill a little turned up, brown, with a purple base; tail feathers white; the two middle ones wholly, the rest barred with brown on the outer side. Sixteen inches long. Inhabits Europe. Regarded by some ornithologists as only a variety of the ego-cephala.

Cinereous godwit.—Legs long, cinereous; head, neck, and back varied with cinereous and white; chin and breast white, spotted with ash; bill thicker than in the greenbank; tail with cinereous lines. Size of the greenbank. Inhabits Lincolnshire; but is very rare, and seems to be imperfectly known.

Cambridge godwit.—Legs orange; bill red; body Cantabrigi-brown ash above, white beneath; wing coverts and tail feathers barred with black; lesser wing coverts brown, edged with white and barred with black; quill feathers blackish, white within; the secondary barred with white. Larger than the red/bank. Was shot near Cambridge, and first described by Pennant. Gen. 53. TRINGA, Sandpiper.

Bill roundish, as long as the head; nostrils small, linear; tongue slender; feet four-toed; hind toe of one joint, and raised from the ground.

The birds of this genus frequent the plains and shores, and hardly touch the ground with their back toe.

Ruff and reeve.—Bill and legs rufous; three lateral tail feathers without spots; face with flesh-coloured granulations; bill sometimes black or yellowish; irides hazel; back of the neck with a large tuft of feathers, which fall off in moulting season. Female pale brown; back spotted with black; tail brown; the middle feathers spotted with black; breast and belly white. The ruffs, or males, are so very variable in their markings, that two are seldom found alike. Buffon mentions that Klein compared above 100 ruffs together, and found only two that were similar. About one foot long. Inhabits Europe and Siberia. The male does not acquire the ornament of his neck till the second season, and, before that time, is not easily distinguished from the female, except by being larger. After moulting, at the end of June, he loses his ruff and the red tubercles of his face; and from that time, till the spring of the year, he again, in plumage, looks like his mate. These birds leave our island in the winter, and are then supposed to associate with other congeners species. In the spring, as soon as they arrive again in England, and take up their abode in the fens where they were bred, each of the males (of which there appears to be a much greater number than of females) immediately fixes on a particular dry or grassy spot in the marsh, about which he runs round and round, until it is trodden bare, wishing, apparently, to invite the female to take joint possession, and become an inmate. As soon as a single female arrives, and is heard or observed by the males, her feeble cry seems to rouse them all to war; for they instantly begin to fight; and their combats are described as being both desperate and of long continuance, the female, at the end of the battle, remaining the prize of the victor. It is at the time of these battles, that they are caught in the greatest numbers in the nets of the fowlers. They are also at other times caught by day nets, and are drawn together by means of a stuffed reeve, which is placed in some suitable spot for that purpose. The ruff is much prized as a delicious dish, and is sought after with great eagerness by the fowlers who live by catching them and other fen birds, for the markets of the metropolis, &c. Before they are offered for sale, they are commonly put up to feed, for about a fortnight, on boiled wheat, and bread and milk, mixed with hemp-feed, to which sugar is sometimes added; in consequence of which mode of treatment they soon get very fat. In the beginning of May the female makes her nest in a dry tuft of grass; in the fens, and lays four white eggs, marked with rusly spots.

Lapwing, pewit, balford plover, &c.—Legs red; crest pendent; breast black; bill black; irides hazel; crown shining black; crest on the hind head four inches long; cheeks and sides of the neck white; a black line beneath each eye; throat black; hind part of the neck mixed with white, ash colour, and red; back and scapulars glossy green; some of the feathers with ferruginous tips; lesser wing coverts shining black, blue, and green; greater quill feathers black, the four first with a white spot at the end; lesser black on the upper half, white on the lower; belly white; vent and tail coverts orange; outer tail feathers white; the rest on the lower half black, tipped with dirty white; upper white. Weighs between seven and eight ounces. Is found in most parts of Europe, as far north as Iceland; and in the winter is met with in Persia and Egypt. The chief food of the lapwings is worms; and sometimes they may be seen in flocks nearly covering the low marshy grounds in search of these, which they draw with great dexterity from their holes. When the bird meets with one of those rolls of earth that are thrown out by the perforations of the worm, it first gently removes the mould from the mouth of the hole, then strikes the ground at the side with its foot, and steadily and attentively waits the issue; while the reptile, alarmed by the shock, emerges from its retreat, and is instantly seized. In the evening, the lapwings pursue a different plan, running along the grass, and feeling under their feet the worms, which now come forth, invited by the coolness of the air. Thus they obtain a plentiful meal, and afterwards wash their bill and feet in the small pools or rivulets. They remain in this country the whole year. The female lays four olive-coloured eggs, spotted with black, on the dry ground, near some marsh, on a little bed of dry grass which she prepares. She fits about three weeks, and the young are able to run within two or three days after they are hatched. The parent exhibits the greatest attachment to them, and has recourse to very amusing artifices to allure boys and dogs from approaching them. In place of waiting the arrival of the enemies at the nest, she boldly pushes out to meet them. When near as she dare venture, she rises from the ground with a loud screaming voice, as if just flushed from hatching, though, probably, at the same time, not within 100 yards of her nest. She then flies with great clamour and apparent anxiety, whining and screaming round the invaders, striking at them with her wings, and sometimes fluttering as if she was wounded. To complete the deception, she becomes still more clamorous as she retires from the nest. If very near, she appears altogether unconcerned; and her cries cease in proportion as her fears are increased. When approached by dogs, she flies heavily, at a little distance before them as if maimed, still clamorous and bold, but never offering to move towards the quarter where her young are rationed. The dogs pursue, in expectation every moment of seizing the parent, and by this means actually lose the young; for the cunning bird, having thus drawn them off to a proper distance, exerts her powers, and leaves her astonished pursuers to gaze at the rapidity of her flight. These birds, when tamed, clear gardens of worms and snails. Their flesh and eggs are both reckoned delicacies for the table. In winter they join in large flocks, but are then very shy.

Gambet, gambet sandpiper, or red-legged horseman.—Gambetta.

Bill and legs red; body variegated with pale yellow, and cinnereous; white beneath; bill tipped with black; irides yellow with green; wing-coverts and speculars cinnereous, and edged with yellow; first quill and tail feathers dusky, the latter edged with yellow. About the size of the greenhank. Inhabits the northern parts of Europe and America, but seldom occurs in France or England. Welsh sandpiper.—Blackish-ash; chin and middle of the belly white; base of the bill and legs red. Eight inches and a half long. Inhabits Glamorganshire and Caernarvonthire.

Turnstone, Hebridel sandpiper, or sea-dotterel.—Legs red; body black, varied with white, and ferruginous; breast and belly white; bill black, a little turned up at the tip; cheeks and neck black above; tail black in the middle, and white at the ends. Female more dusky; head varied with brown and whitish; neck blackish above. Though these are the usual characteristics, the species is very subject to varieties. About the size of a thrush; length nine inches and a half, and weight rather more than four ounces. Inhabits the sea coasts of Europe and America. Though not known to breed with us, it visits some of our shores in August, and departs in spring. The name has been given it from its manner of turning up the stones in search of worms and marine insects. It makes a slight nest on the dry ground or sand, and lays four olive-coloured eggs, spotted with black. This species is not uncommon in the north of Scotland.

Striated sandpiper.—Base of the bill and legs yellow; tail feathers white, barred with brown; most of the quill feathers white. Nearly 11 inches long. Inhabits Europe and North America. Feeds on shell-fish and mollusca, which it searches for at the ebb of the tides, and on insects which it catches, hanging over the water like a swallow.

Macularia. Spotted sandpiper.—Base of the bill and legs flesh colour; all the body spotted; eye brows and double band on the wings white; bill dusky; body above greenish-brown, white, with dusky spots beneath; two middle tail feathers greenish-brown, the rest white, with dusky lines. Female without spots beneath. About the size of a thrush, and eight inches long. Inhabits Europe and North America; is migratory, and is sometimes, though rarely, found in Britain.

Ash-coloured sandpiper.—Cinereous above, white beneath; legs dusky green; head spotted with black; neck with dusky streaks; back and wing coverts with concentric black semicircles, varied with cinereous and white; tail coverts black and white; tail cinereous, edged with white; breast spotted with black; membrane surrounding the toes narrow and toothed. Length about 10 inches; weight from four ounces and a quarter to five and three quarters. This species, like most of the tribe, is subject to considerable variety. It inhabits Europe and America; visits some parts of our coasts, in large flocks, in winter, and departs about the latter end of March or beginning of April.

Brown sandpiper.—Pale brown, spotted with black above, white beneath; fore part of the neck streaked with black; tail cinereous; wing-coverts edged with whitish; bill and legs black. Size of a jack-snipe. Inhabits England, but is very scarce.

Black sandpiper.—White, varied with gray and brown spots above, with oblong brown and black spots beneath; two middle tail feathers all black. Size of a thrush. Inhabits England, chiefly in Lincolnshire.

Gray phalarope, or great coot-footed tringa.—Bill subulate, and bent in at the tip; feet pinnate; breast waved with white; bill black; front white; crown dusky; neck pale ash above; back, rump, and shoulders dove-colour, with dusky spots; wing-coverts and quill feathers brown; breast and belly white; tail dusky, edged with cinereous; legs black; membrane round the toes indented. Size of the common purree; weight one ounce. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Congregates about the borders of the Caspian sea, and is not common in Britain. In stormy weather, it swims in numbers on lakes; but in fine weather, is solitary among the tens.

Red phalarope, or cock coot-footed tringa.—Bill subulated, bent in at the tip; feet pinnate; breast cinereous; sides of the neck ferruginous; bill black; band through the eyes blackish; bar on the wings white; rump with blackish bands. The female is gray above, rufous beneath, with the eyebrows and base of the tail reddish, and the rump white; bill yellowish; band above the eyes reddish; bar on the wings white, and the rump spotted with blackish. Eight inches long. Inhabits northern Europe and America; but is rarely met with in our own country. These birds go in pairs, and catch insects in the water with their bill. They do not dive, and are but bad swimmers. The female makes her nest on dry ground, and lays four eggs.

Alpine sandpiper, or dunlin.—Brown tealeaceous; breast Alpina. blackish; tail feathers whitish-ash; legs brownish; belly white; two middle tail-feathers a little longer. Weighs from nine to eleven drams; length of the largest eight inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America, and is not uncommon on our own coasts during great part of the year. The female lays four eggs, of a dirty white, blotched with brown round the thicker end, and marked with a few small spots of the same colour on the smaller end.

Green or wood sandpiper.—Bill dotted at the tip; Octopus. legs greenish; back brown green; belly and outer tail feathers white; bill greenish; crown and hind head dusky ash; rump variegated; eyebrows white. Inhabits Europe, North America, and Siberia. This elegant species weighs about three ounces and a quarter; length full 10 inches. It is by no means plentiful in Britain, and, except in pairing time, lives solitary. It is never seen near the sea; but frequents rivers, lakes, and other fresh waters. It runs on the shores, or skims the surface of the water. It utters a cry as it rises, and sometimes dives when pursued by the buzzard. It feeds on the fry of small fishes and worms. Though its flesh tastes somewhat of mukh, it is considered as a great delicacy. It comes to us about the middle of September, and leaves us as late as the end of April, when it departs northward to breed.

Shore sandpiper.—Smooth bill, and legs cinereous; Littoreus. quill feathers brown, the shaft of the first snowy. Near 11 inches long. Inhabits Europe; and is ranked by some ornithologists among British birds.

Greenwich sandpiper.—Body varied above; neck ci-Greenwich. nereous beneath; belly, vent, and sides of the rump cenis white; bill black; legs greenish; crown brown, streaked with black; neck ash-coloured beneath; back and wing-coverts brown ferruginous, edged with whitish; hind part of the back, rump, and lesser wing-coverts cinereous; tail cinereous, the feathers waved towards the tip, which is pale rufly. Size of the preceding, but very rare. The circumstance of one having been shot near Greenwich, has given rise to the trivial name.

Sea or selminger sandpiper.—Varied above with gray Maritima. and black, white beneath; legs yellow; middle of the back back violet; throat and tail dusky; four outer tail feathers very short, and edged with white. Size of a starle. Inhabits Norway and Iceland. A small flock of this species, consisting of 10 or 12, was once observed, some years ago, near Bexhill, on the 8th of December.

Common sandpiper.—Bill smooth; legs livid; body cinereous, with black stripes, white beneath; bill brown; irides hazel; head brown, with black streaks; eyebrows white; neck cinereous above; back and wings greenish-brown, with numerous, narrow, dusky lines; quill feathers brown, and, except the first, with a white spot within; tail rounded, and glossy-green brown. Weight about two ounces; length seven inches and a half. Inhabits Europe and America. Visits this country in the spring, chiefly frequenting our lakes and rivers, on the borders of which it makes a nest composed of moss and dried leaves, and most commonly placed in a hole in the bank. It lays four or five eggs of a dirty white, marked with dusky and cinereous spots, mostly at the larger end. When disturbed, it makes a piping noise as it flies; and, when running on the ground, the tail is constantly in motion. In autumn it is liable to be much infested with the hippopotamia hirundinis.

Knot.—Bill smooth; legs ash-coloured; primary quill feathers ferrated; outermost tail feather white, without spots; bill dusky ash; irides hazel; lores dusky; eyebrows and band on the wings white; body cinereous above, white beneath; lower wing-coverts tipped with white; chin and breast with minute spots; belly and vent with dusky lines; rump with brown semicircles. Nine inches long, and weighs four ounces and a half. Inhabits Europe and America. In Lincolnshire, and the other fenney districts of England, it is caught, in great numbers, by nets, into which it is decoyed by carved wooden figures to represent itself. It is also fattened for sale, and esteemed by many equal to the ruff in the delicacy of its flavour. The season for taking it is from August to November, after which the frost compels it to disappear. This bird is said to have been a favourite dish with Canute king of England; and Camden remarks that its name is derived from his.

Stint, purree, or fanderling.—Bill and legs black; lores white; body and rump gray and brown; head and neck pale cinereous above, with brown streaks; back and wing-coverts brownish-ash, the greater tipped with white; throat white, mixed with brown; breast and belly white; two middle tail feathers more dusky, the rest edged with white: the legs are sometimes brown. The country people frequently call it ox-bird, ox eye, leaf snipe, sea-lark, or vogtail. It is nearly eight inches in length, and weighs about an ounce and three quarters. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. During winter it is found on all our coasts, appearing in vast flocks, and especially affecting the flat sandy shores and inlets. They leave us in April, though it is suspected that some remain with us all the year. These birds run nimbly near the edges of the flowing and retiring waves, and are almost perpetually wagging their tails, while they are, at the same time, busily employed in picking up their food, which consists chiefly of small worms and insects. On taking flight, they give a kind of scream, and skim along the surface of the water with great rapidity, as well as with great regularity, not flying directly forward, but performing their evolutions in large semi-circles, alternately approaching the shore and the sea in their sweep, the curvature of their course being indicated by the flocks appearing suddenly and alternately in a dark or in a snowy-white colour, as their backs or their bellies are turned to or from the spectator.

Little sandpiper.—Bill and legs brown; body reddish beneath; outer tail feathers with a white shaft; rump variegated; bill tipped with black; greater wing-coverts and quill feathers brown, tipped with white; tail dusky; breast and belly white. About the size of a hedge-sparrow, and between five and six inches long. Inhabits Northern Europe and Nootka Sound; and has been once or twice killed in England.

Gray sandpiper.—Bill black; legs greenish; body Squatarola-gray, white beneath; head, back, and wing-coverts, edged with greenish-ash; cheeks and chin with oblong dusky spots, and with the belly and rump white; tail barred with black and white. Weight about 7 ounces; length 12 inches. Inhabits Europe and America. Is not plentiful on our shores, seldom more than fix or seven being seen in a flock, and all of them retiring northward to breed. In Siberia and Carolina, it is said to be found in large flocks.

Red or Aberdeen sandpiper.—Bill and legs brown; body ferruginous beneath; secondary quill feathers edged with white; body thickly sprinkled with black, and ferruginous above; wing-coverts white on the outer edge; rump and vent whitish, the former waved with black, the latter with a few black streaks; quill feathers black, with white shafts; tail feathers cinereous, with white shafts. From eight to ten inches long. Inhabits the north of Europe and America. Sometimes appears in great flocks on the coasts of Essex and the north of Scotland. In summer it frequents the neighbourhood of the Caspian sea, and also the river Don. It is perpetually running up and down on the sandy banks, picking up insects and small worms, on which it feeds.

Gen. 56. Charadrius, Plover.

Bill roundish, obtuse, straight; nostrils linear; feet formed for running, three-toed.

The birds of this genus frequent the mouths of rivers, and the neighbourhood of torrents, and seem to enjoy rainy weather. From this last circumstance is derived their French name pluvier, and the English plover.

Ring plover, ring dotterel, or sea lark.—Breast black; Haticula. front blackish, with a white band; crown brown; legs yellow; upper half of the bill orange, lower black; irides hazel; body gray-brown above, white beneath; eggs bluish-white, with small round purplish spots. Of this species there is also a gray variety, with the collar and belly white; and another gray-ash, with the front and collar white, and the lower half of the tail black, tipped with rufi; the former inhabiting Spain, and the latter America. The more common sort is a native of both Europe and America, and is a well known visitant of our shores in summer; usually arriving in spring, and migrating in autumn, or at least retiring to the more inland parts of the country. It weighs about two ounces, and is between seven and eight inches long. It pairs early in May, and makes no nest, but lays four eggs in a small cavity in the sand, just above high-water mark. They are of a cinereous brown, marked all over with small black and ash-coloured spots. It is to be remark- ed, that these and other birds which lay invariably only four eggs on the ground, place them so as to occupy the least possible space, that is, with the small ends touching each other as a centre. The ringed plover is greatly attached to its young, and will practise various deceptions to save them from men and dogs; sometimes fluttering along the ground as if crippled, and sometimes seeming to tumble head over heels repeatedly, till it has enticed its enemy to a distance from its young, and then it flies off.

Noisy plover.—Bands on the breast, neck, front, and cheeks white; tail pale yellow, with a black bar; legs yellow. Between nine and ten inches long. Inhabits America. Is very restless and clamorous.

Dotterel.—Breast ferruginous; band over the eyes, and line on the breast white; legs black; bill black, depressed in the middle; front mixed with dusky and gray; hind head black, temples and chin white; upper part of the neck, back and wings, gray-brown; line across the breast white; middle of the belly black, reddish-white below; greater quill feathers brown, and some of them edged with white; tail olive brown, with a dusky band near the end, and tipt with white. The female is distinguished by a dusky band over the eyes, and brown crown. The crown of this species is sometimes varied with white, gray-brown, and yellowish; the body beneath yellowish, mixed with white; the two middle tail feathers brown, and the lateral ones white. Weight between four and five ounces; length nearly ten inches. Inhabits Europe, and makes this island a resting place in its migratory flights to and from its breeding place. It is seen on some of our downs, heaths, and moors, from April to the beginning of June; returns again in September, and remains till November. On the Wiltshire downs, it resorts to the new sown corn or fallow-ground, for the sake of worms and beetles, its principal food. In the autumn it flies in flocks of five, six, or more. It is a stupid bird, and easily shot, but much esteemed for the delicacy of its flesh.

Long-legged plover, or long janks.—White; back and wings black; bill black, longer than the head; legs red, and very long; bill black, flender, tapering to a sharp point, the upper mandible a little longer than, and bent over, the lower; irides red; neck dusky spots above. There is a variety with white and black wings, and the tail feathers white. This extraordinary species is certainly the longest legged bird, in proportion to its bulk, hitherto known; the length from the apex of the bill to the end of the tail being thirteen inches, and from that to the end of the toes, five inches more. It is rare in Britain, and in many parts of Europe, so that its manners are very imperfectly known. According to Latham, it is common in Egypt, being found there in the marshes in October. Its food is said to consist principally of flies. It is likewise plentiful about the salt lakes, and often seen on the shores of the Caspian sea, as well as by the rivers which empty themselves into it, and in the southern deserts of Independent Tartary. It is also often met with in the warmer parts of America, and sometimes in Jamaica.

Hooded plover.—Bill and feet red; face naked, having a yellowish carunculated membrane; head and part of the neck black; hind head furnished with a few short pointed feathers hanging like a crest; beneath white; body above rufous gray; under part white. Gralls. Ten and a half inches long. Native of Senegal.

Gen. 57. Recurvirostra, Avocet.

Bill depressed, tubulated, recurved, pointed, flexible at the tip; feet palmated, four-toed, hind toe not connected, very short, and placed high up nostrils narrow, pervious; tongue short.

Of this singular genus there are only three species, of which the first inhabits Europe.

Scooping avocet.—In provincial English, butter-flip, scoopor, yelper, picarini, crooked bill, cobler's awl, &c. Variegated with white and black; bill three inches and a half long; irides hazel; crown black, a white spot behind and beneath the eyes; rest of the head, neck, back, exterior part of the wings, lesser quill feathers, tail, and under part of the body white; inner speculars and greater quill feathers without and at the tips black; legs bluish, and very long membrane connecting the toes indented. Resides in the temperate parts of Europe; weighing thirteen ounces, and measuring, from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, eighteen inches. It breeds in the fens of Lincolnshire, and on Romney Marsh, in Kent. The female lays two white eggs, tinged with green, and marked with large black spots. In winter these birds assemble in small flocks of six or seven, and frequent the shores, particularly the mouths of large rivers in search of worms and marine insects, which they scoop out of the mud or sand. They seem to be particularly fond of the cancer pulux, or locust. By means of their long legs, they run over shores that are covered five or six inches with water. In their movements they are lively, alert, volatile, and difficult to catch. When the female is frightened off her nest, the counterfeits lameness; and, when a flock is disturbed, they fly with their necks stretched out, and their legs extended behind, over the head of the spectator, making a thrill noise, and uttering a yelping cry of twit, twit, all the time.

American avocet.—Head and neck reddish; back black, white beneath. Fourteen inches long. Inhabits North America and New Holland.

White avocet.—White; lower wing coverts brownish; bill orange; legs brown. Fourteen inches and a half long. Inhabits Hudson's bay.

Gen. 58. Haematopus.

Bill compressed, the tip an equal wedge; nostrils linear; tongue a third part as long as the bill; feet formed for running, three toed, cleft.

Sea pie, or pied oyster catcher.—Bill, eyelids, and legs red, the former sometimes tipped with black; irides scarlet; body sometimes totally black; frequently the head, neck, and body above, black; white beneath; a small white spot under the eyes; breast with a white semicircular band; middle wing coverts at the tips, and greater, entirely white; quill feathers spotted with white on the inside; tail from the middle to the base white, lower half black; claws black. Weight seventeen ounces, length sixteen inches. Inhabits almost every sea shore, but seems never to quit the coast. Congregates in small flocks in winter, and chiefly subsists on marine in- Gen. 59. Glareola, Pratincole.

Bill strong, short, straight, and hooked at the tip; nostrils at the base of the bill, linear and oblique; gap of the mouth large; feet four-toed, toes long, slender, connected at the base by a membrane; tail forked, consisting of twelve feathers.

Auptria pratincola.—Gray-brown above; collar black; chin and throat white, breast and belly reddish-gray. Very subject to vary in its plumage. Inhabits the heaths of southern Europe. About nine inches long. Feeds on worms and aquatic insects; is very restless and clamorous, and lays about seven eggs.

Senegal pratincule.—Bill, legs, and whole body brown. Nine inches and a half long. Inhabits near the Senegal, and also Siberia.

Spotted pratincule.—Brown, spotted with white; lower part of the belly and vent reddish-white, with black spots; bill and legs black. Size of the auptria. Inhabits Germany.

Gen. 60. Fulica.

Bill convex; upper mandible arched over the lower at the edge; lower gibbous near the tip; nostrils oblong; front bald; feet four-toed and sub-pinnated.

Birds of this tribe frequent waters, and feed on worms, insects, and small fish. They have a compressed body; the bill thick, and bent in towards the tip; the upper mandible reaching far up the forehead, and the wings and tail short. They are divided into gallinules or water hens, and coots. The former have the feet cleft; the upper mandible membranaceous at the base, and the wings concave; while the latter have the toes surrounded by a scalloped membrane; the mandibles equal; nostrils oval, narrow and short.

A. Feet cleft. Gallinule.

Common gallinule, or moor hen.—Front tawney; bracelets red; body blackish; bill red, with a greenish tip; irides red; body footy above, mixed with olive; cinereous beneath; outer edge of the wings and lower tail-coverts white; legs greenish; toes flat and broadish. Weighs from 14 to 16 ounces; length 14 inches. Inhabits Europe and America, and is a very common species, being found in moist edgy and flow rivers, or streams of water, and frequently in ponds abounding in weeds, where it can lie concealed. It feeds principally on insects, seeds, and vegetable productions of various sorts, in quest of which it frequently quits the water. It runs fast, and is equally expert in swimming and diving, but flies heavily, and with its legs hanging down. As it runs or swims, it is continually flirting up the tail, when the white underneath is very conspicuous. The nest is made of flags or rushes, and placed near the surface of the water, on some branch of a tree or bush, and sometimes on the stump of an old willow. The eggs are commonly five or six, but sometimes nine or ten, of a light yellowish brown, marked with rufi-coloured spots. The young are hatched in about three weeks, and instantly take the water. This species breeds twice or thrice in the course of a season. Its flesh is reckoned delicious.

Purple gallinule.—Front red; bracelets many; body green; violet beneath. Fifteen inches long. Common in most temperate and warm countries. Is docile and easily tamed. Stands on one leg, and lifts the food to its mouth with the other. Feeds on fish, roots, fruits, and seeds.

B. Feet pinnated. Coot.

Common, black, or bald coot.—Front flesh-coloured; Atra. bracelets greenish-yellow, body blackish; bill yellowish-white; front, except in pairing time, white; legs yellowish-green; outer edge of the wings white. There are several varieties. Length 18 inches; weight from 20 to 30 ounces. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. It occurs in Great Britain at all seasons of the year, and is not supposed to migrate to other countries, but changes its stations, and to remove from the pools, where the young have been reared to the larger lakes, where flocks assemble in the winter. The female commonly builds her nest of a great quantity of coarse dried weeds, well matted together, and lined within with softer and finer grasses, in a bush of rushes surrounded by the water. She lays from 12 to 15 eggs at a time, and commonly hatches twice in a season. Her eggs are about the size of those of a pullet, and of a pale brownish-white colour, sprinkled with numerous small dark spots, which, at the thicker end, seem as if they had run into each other, and formed bigger blotches. As soon as the young quit the shell, they plunge into the water, dive, and swim about with great ease, but they still gather about the mother, and take shelter under her wings, and do not entirely leave her for some time. They are first covered with a footy-coloured down, and are of a shapeless appearance; and, while in this state, before they have learned by experience to shun their enemies, they are often sacrificed to the rapacity of the pike, the kite, moor-buzzard, &c. A female of this species built her nest in Sir William Middleton's lake at Belsay, in Northumberland, among the rushes, which were afterwards loosed by the wind, so that the nest was driven about, and floated on the surface of the water; notwithstanding which, she continued to fit as usual, and brought out her young on her moveable habitation. The common coot swims and dives with great ease, but is a bad traveller, and may be said not to walk, but to splash and waddle between one pool and another, with a laboured, ill balanced, and awkward gait. During the day it usually walks among the rushes or other water plants, rarely venturing abroad, except in the dusk, or at night, in quest of herbage, feeds, insects, and fishes. The sportsman and his dog can seldom force it to spring from its retreat, as it will rather bury itself in the mud than take wing, or, if it be very closely pursued, and compelled to rise, it gets up with much fluttering and apparent difficulty.

Greater coot.—Front white; bracelets red; body blackish. Has much the appearance and manners of the last, but is larger and blacker. It is found both in England and Scotland. The French eat it on meagre days.

Crested coot.—Blue black; naked front and crown red; caruncle red; bill; erect; bracelets red, green, and yellow; bill whitish, with a red base; legs dusky. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits China and Madagascar.

Gen. 61. VAGINALIS, Sheath-bill.

Bill strong, thick, conical, convex, and compressed; upper mandible covered above with a moveable horny sheath; nostrils small, placed before the sheath; tongue round above, flattened beneath, and pointed at the tip; face naked and papillose; wings with an obtuse excrescence under the flexure; legs strong; four-toed; naked a little above the knees; toes rough beneath; claws grooved.

White sheath bill.—Bill black at the base; sheath a horny yellow or black plate, nearly covering the nostrils; face naked; and in the adult bird, befit with white, or pale orange warts; a brown or blackish wart above the eyes, larger than the rest; feathers white; excrescence on the wings blackish; legs two inches long, and generally reddish. The only species of the genus; about the size of a pigeon. From 15 to 18 inches long; inhabits New Zealand and the South seas, and feeds on shell-fish and carcases.

Gen. 62. PARRA, Jacana.

Bill tapering, somewhat obtuse; nostrils oval, in the middle of the bill; front covered with lobated caruncles; wings spinous.

Chilean jacana.—Claws moderate; legs brown; hind head subcrestled. Inhabits Chili. Size of a jay, but has longer legs; feeds on worms and insects; is noisy, and defends itself by the spurs on the wings. Builds in the grass, and lays four tawney eggs, speckled with black.

Cheesnut jacana.—Hind claws very long; legs greenish. Ten inches long; inhabits watery places in South America, and utters, almost unceasingly, a thrill disagreeable cry.

Faithful jacana.—Toes long; legs tawney; hind head crested; bill dirty white; upper mandible like that of the dunghill cock; a red membrane on both sides at the base of the bill extending to the temples, in the middle of which are the eyes; irides brown; hind head with about 12 blackish feathers; three inches long, forming a pendent crest; rest of the neck covered with thick black down; body brown; wings and tail blackish; wing-spurs two or three, and half an inch long; belly light black; thighs half bare; toes so long as to entangle each other in walking. About the size of a cock, and stands a foot and a half from the ground. Inhabits the rivers and inundated places near Cartagena in America; feeds on herbs; has a clear and loud voice, a low gait, and easy flight. The natives keep one of these birds tame to wander with the poultry, and defend them against birds of prey, which it does by means of the spurs on its wings. It never deserts the charge committed to its care, and brings them home at night. It will readily suffer itself to be handled by grown up persons, but not by children.

Gen. 63. RALLUS, Rail.

Bill thickish at the base; attenuated on the back towards the tip; compressed; a little incurved and pointed; tongue rough at the tip; body compressed; tail short; feet four-toed and cleft.

The birds of this genus have the bill a little inflected; small nostrils; tongue rough; and the tail very short.

Land rail, crake, corn-crake, daker hen, &c.—Wings crez. reddish-rusty; bill and legs brown ash; irides hazel; feathers of the body reddish-brown; the upper ones black in the middle; chin very pale; belly whitish-yellow. About nine inches and a half long. Inhabits the fedgey parts of Europe and Asia. From its appearing at the same time with the quail, and frequenting the same places, it is sometimes called king of the quails. Its well known cry is first heard as soon as the grass becomes long enough to shelter it, and continues till the grass is cut; but the bird is seldom seen, as it skulks in the thickest parts of the herbage, and runs so nimbly through it, winding and doubling in every direction, that it is difficult to come near it. When hard pushed by the dog, it sometimes stops short and squats down, by which means its too eager pursuer overshoots the spot, and loses the trace. It seldom frings but when driven to extremity, and generally flies with its legs hanging down, but never to a great distance. As soon as it alights, it runs off, and before the fowler has reached the spot, the bird is at a considerable distance. It is a migrative species, appearing with us about the latter end of April, and departing in October. On its first appearance, and till the female begins to sit, the male is frequently hard to make a singular kind of noise, much resembling that of a comb when the finger is drawn along the teeth of it, and which has been used as a decoy. When they first arrive, they are very lean, but before their departure, become excessively fat, and are much sought after for the delicacy of their flesh.

Water rail, brook ouzel, bilcock, velvet runner, &c.—Aquatic. Wings gray, spotted with brown; flanks spotted with white; bill orange beneath; bill black, reddish at the base; irides red; feathers of the upper part of the body olive-brown, and black in the middle; the lower ones cinereous; those of the lower part of the belly and vent edged with rufous; quill feathers dusky; lower tail-coverts white; tail feathers short, black; the two middle ones at the tip, the rest edged with ferruginous; legs dusky red. Length about 12 inches; weight four ounces. Inhabits watery places in Europe and Asia. Though not very plentiful, it is sometimes found in various parts of Great Britain, in low situations, about water courses and rivulets, where it seeks shelter among fedge-rushes, and reeds, and is seldom put to flight, depending chiefly on its legs for safety. When roused, it flies only a small distance, and that in a heavy and awkward manner, with its legs hanging down. It runs nimbly, and frequently flirts up its tail. The nest is made made of sedge and coarse grass among the thickest aquatic plants, or in willow beds. The female lays six or more eggs, rather larger than those of a blackbird, very smooth, and of a pure white. This bird continues with us all the year, and by many is erroneously believed to be the land rail metamorphosed in the autumn, without knowing perhaps that the latter leaves this country at that season, and that the difference of the bills alone constitutes an essential distinction.

Spotted gallinule, or spotted water-hen.—Two middle tail feathers edged with white; bill and legs pale olive; bill greenish-yellow; irides hazel; head brown, spotted with black; line over the eyes pale gray; neck above, and flanks brown-ash, with small white spots; back and wing-coverts olive, with black stripes, and near the edges of the feathers with white spots; the greater with white fringes and lines; cheeks, chin, and throat, pale gray, with brown spots; breast brown, with white spots; belly varied with cinereous and white; vent ochre-yellow. The weight of this elegant species is about four ounces; length nine inches. Inhabits Europe and North America; is migrative and scarce in England, and seems to have the manners and habits of the preceding.

Black rail.—Black; bill red at the base, brown at the tip; legs brown, or red. Nine inches long. Inhabits Africa.

Dwarf rail.—Striped with ferruginous and black; body black beneath, with narrow white bands; throat and breast bluish. Size of a lark. Inhabits near the salt lakes of Donria.

Gen. 64. PSOPHIA, Trumpeter.

Bill cylindrical, conical, convex, somewhat pointed; the upper mandible long; nostrils oval and pervious; tongue cartilaginous, flat, and fringed at the tip; feet four-toed and cleft.

Gold-breasted trumpet.—Black; back gray; breast glossy-green; orbits naked, red; bill yellowish-green; legs brown, tall, brownish-ash or green; the back toe a round protuberance beneath, at a little distance from the ground; tail very short; feathers of the head downy; of the lower part of the neck squamiform; of the shoulders ferruginous, lax, pendulous, and silky; scapulars long and hanging. The agami of voyagers and others. Nearly 22 inches long, and about the size of the common domestic fowl. Inhabits South America, particularly the interior of Guiana, in considerable troops. In its native haunts is not distrustful of man, and is susceptible of domestication in an eminent degree, acquiring many of the social habits of the dog. It emits from the lungs a harsh and uncommon noise, not unlike that of a child's trumpet. It stands on one leg, and sleeps with its neck drawn in between the shoulders.

Undulated or African trumpet.—Crest of the hind head short, whitish; that of the breast long, black, and pendent. Size of a goose. Inhabits Africa.

ORDER V. GALLINÆ.

Bill convex; the upper mandible arched and dilated at the edge over the lower; nostrils half covered with a convex cartilaginous membrane; tail feathers more than 12; feet cleft, but connected at the innermost joint; claws broad; toes feathrous below, and formed for scratching up the ground. In most species the males have spurs on the legs. They live chiefly on the seeds of plants, but likewise eat insects, grubs, and worms, which are macerated in their crop. They are polygamous, and build rude nests, for the most part, on the bare ground, the female laying many eggs at a time. They collect their young about them by a particular cry when they feed them, and lead and protect them till they moult. They are easily tamed, and are useful on account of their flesh, their eggs, and their feathers.

Gen. 65. OTIS, Bustard.

Bill somewhat convex; nostrils oval and pervious; tongue bifid, pointed; feet formed for running; three-toed; tall; naked above the thighs.

Great bustard.—Wave spotted, with black and rufous; whitish beneath; head (of the male) and each side of the throat crested; head and neck cinereous; quill feathers black; tail with rufous and black lines, and from 18 to 20 feathers; pouch beginning under the tongue, and reaching to the breast; long, capacious, and fit to hold near seven quarts of water; legs dusky. The male weighs from 20 to 30 pounds, and the female about 10 or 12; length about four feet. Inhabits the open plains of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is the largest of British birds, and is now almost extinct in our island. It makes no nest, but the female lays her eggs in some hole in the ground, in a dry corn field. The eggs are two in number, as big as those of a goose, and of a pale olive-brown, marked with spots of a deeper colour. If during her absence from the nest, any one handles, or even breathes on the eggs, she immediately abandons them. Bustards feed on green corn, the tops of turnips, and various other vegetables, as well as on worms; and they have also been known to eat frogs, mice, and young birds of the smaller kind, which they swallow whole. They are remarkably shy and timid, carefully avoiding mankind, and being easily driven away in whole herds by the smallest dog. They are slow in taking wing, but run with great rapidity; and the young are even sometimes coursed and taken by grehounds. Though not properly migratory, they leave their usual haunts in very severe winters, when the downs are covered for any length of time with snow, and repair to the more inclosed and sheltered situations in small flocks, and even stray to a great distance. In the Crimea they are seen in large flights, especially during winter, when the wings and crop feathers are sometimes so encumbered with ice, that the bird is unable, in the snow, to take the run previous to flying, in consequence of which many are caught by the hand, or by means of dogs, and brought to market alive. The flesh, particularly of the young, when kept a little time, is excellent.

Arabian bustard.—Ears with erect crests. Size of the preceding. Inhabits Asia and Africa.

Little bustard, or field duck.—Head and throat smooth; bill gray-brown; crown black, with rufous bands; temples and chin reddish white, with small dark spots; neck (of the male) black, with a white collar; body above varied with black, rufous, and white; beneath and outer edge of the wings white. About the size of a pheasant; length 17 inches. Inhabits Southern Europe and Asia. A few instances are on record of its having been found in England. In France, it is frequently served at table as a delicacy, though the flesh be blackish. In June it lays from three to five eggs, of a glossy green, and the young are able to fly in August.

White-eared bustard.—Black; back cinereous; ears white; in the male the bill and legs are yellow; the crown is cinereous, and the wings are marked with a large white blotch; the neck behind, and thighs above the knees, have a white collar; the tail feathers 14; the female is cinereous, and the thighs and belly black. Length 22 inches. Native of the Cape of Good Hope.

Ruffed bustard.—Yellowish, spotted with brown; feathers of the neck long, whitish, with black shafts; quill feathers black, with a white spot in the middle. Size of a capon. Inhabits Africa and Arabia.

Thick-kneed bustard, stone curlew, or Norfolk plover.—Gray; two first quill feathers black, white in the middle; bill sharp pointed; legs cinereous; bill black; legs greenish-yellow; lower eyelid naked, pale yellow; a yellow line above and beneath the eyes; a brown line from the bill, under the eyes to the ears; knees thick, as if swollen; belly and thighs white. Weighs about 17 ounces; length 18 inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. With us it is a migrative species, making its first appearance the latter end of April, or beginning of May, when the male is heard to make a very loud shrill noise, particularly in the dusk of the evening. It chiefly frequents large corn fields, heaths, or warrens, in open hilly situations; makes no nest, but lays two light-brown coloured eggs, blotched and streaked with dusky, on the ground. Its food chiefly consists of insects and worms, and sometimes also of mice, frogs, and toads. In the autumn, these birds assemble in small flocks preparatory to their departure, and are seldom seen after the beginning of October. When flying, they stretch out their feet straight behind, like the heron. The young are hardly to be distinguished from the stones in which they generally harbour.

Gen. 66. STRUTHIO.

Bill subconical; nostrils oval; wings short, unfit for flight; feet formed for running.

Black ostrich.—Feet with two toes; head small; bill horn-colour; irises hazel; eyelids fringed, head and greater part of the neck bald, flesh-coloured, with a few scattered hairs; feathers of the body lax, black, and decomposite; the webs on each side equal; quill and tail feathers snowy, waved, and long, with a sprinkling of black on the edge or tip; chest callous; wing spurs two, one at the end of the wing, and one on the spurious wing; thighs and flanks naked; feet strong, gray-brown; toes connected at the base, the outer very short, and unarmed. The ostrich stands to very high as to measure from seven to nine feet, from the top of the head to the ground; from the back, however, it is seldom more than three or four feet, the rest of its height being made up by its extremely long neck. In the sandy and burning deserts of Africa and Asia, the black ostriches are seen in such large flocks, as sometimes to have been mistaken for distant cavalry. Their strong jointed legs, and cloven hoofs, if we may use the expression, are well adapted both for speed and defence. Their wings and all their feathers are insufficient to raise them from the ground. Their voice is a kind of hollow mournful lowing; and they graze on the plain with the quacha and the zebra. In the interior parts of southern Africa they frequently make great havoc in the corn fields, destroying the ears of wheat so effectually, that in a large tract of land, it often happens that nothing but the bare straw is left behind. In running, they have a proud and haughty look, and even when closely pursued, never appear to be in great haste, especially when the wind is with them, and they can easily accelerate their progress by flapping their wings, so as to outflap the swiftest horse. But if the weather be hot and calm, or if the birds have by any accident lost a wing, the difficulty of outrunning them is not so great. The ostrich is one of the few polygamous birds found in a state of nature, one male being generally seen with two or three, and frequently with five females. It has been commonly believed that the female, after depositing her eggs in the sand, and covering them up, allows them to be hatched by the heat of the climate, and leaves the young to shift for themselves. Recent travellers have, however, assured us, that no bird whatever has a stronger affection for her offspring, and that none watches her eggs with greater fidelity. It is true, that during the intense heat of the day, when incubation is less necessary, she sometimes forsakes them, but the always carefully broods over them by night. Kolben affirms that this species sit on their eggs like other birds, and that the males and females take this office by turns, as he had frequent opportunities of observing. Nor is it more true, that they forsake their young as soon as excluded from the shell. On the contrary, the old ones are very assiduous in supplying them with grass and water, are careful to defend them from harm, and will even themselves encounter every danger in their defence. All the females which are attached to one male, deposit their eggs in the same place, to the number of ten or twelve each, about the size of a child's head. These they hatch all together, the male also taking his turn of sitting on them. Thus from sixty to seventy eggs have sometimes been found in one nest, and Linneus erroneously assigned them to one female. The term of incubation is fix weeks. The nest appears to be merely a hole in the ground, formed by the birds trampling the earth for some time with their feet. If the eggs are touched by any person in the absence of the parents, they immediately discover it by the scent, at their return, and not only desert from laying any more in the same place, but trample to pieces with their feet all those that have been left. On this account the Africans are very careful in taking part of the eggs away not to touch any of them with their hands, but always fetch them out of the nest with a long stick. Within the eggs are frequently discovered a number of small oval-shaped pebbles, of the size of a marrow-fat pea, of a pale yellow colour, and exceedingly hard. These eggs are reckoned a great delicacy, and are prepared in various ways. From their large size, one of them is sufficient to serve two or three persons at a meal. The ostrich itself is chiefly valuable for its plumage; and the Arabs have reduced the chase of it to a kind of science. They hunt it, it, we are told, on horseback, and begin their pursuit at a gentle gallop; for should they, at the outset, use the least rashness, the matchless speed of the game would immediately carry it out of their sight, and in a very short time, beyond their reach. But when they proceed gradually, it makes no particular effort to escape. As it does not go in a direct line, but runs first on one side, and then on the other, its pursuers save much ground by rushing directly onward. In a few days at most, the strength of the animal is exhausted, and it then either turns on the hunters, and fights with the fury of despair, or hides its head, and tamely receives its fate. Frequently, also, the natives conceal themselves in ostrich skins, and thus are enabled to approach near enough to surprise them. Some persons breed up these birds in flocks, for they are tamed with very little trouble, and may be rendered very useful in a domestic state. Besides the valuable feathers which they cast, the eggs which they lay, their skins, which are used by the Arabians as a substitute for leather, and their flesh, which many esteem excellent food, they are sometimes made to serve in place of horses. It is pleasant to observe with what dexterity they play and frisk about in a tame state, particularly in the heat of the day, when they will strut along the funny side of a house, with great majesty, perpetually fanning themselves with their expanded wings, and seeming, at every turn, to admire and be enamoured of their own shadows. They are very tractable and familiar towards persons who are acquainted with them, but are often fierce towards strangers, whom they frequently attempt to push down by running furiously on them, and when they succeed thus far, they not only peck at their fallen foe with their bill, but strike at him violently with their feet. While thus engaged, they sometimes make a fierce hissing noise, and have their throat inflated, and mouth open; and at other times, make a kind of cackling noise. During the night they often utter a doleful or hideous cry, somewhat resembling the distant roaring of a lion, or the hoarse tone of a bear or an ox, as if they were in great agony. They will swallow with the utmost voracity rags, leather, wood, iron, or stone, indiscriminately. "I saw one at Oran (says Dr Shaw), that swallowed, without any seeming uneasiness or inconvenience, several leaden bullets, as they were thrown upon the floor, scorching hot from the mould." Mr Adanson mentions two ostriches which afforded him a sight of a very extraordinary nature. They were so tame, that two little blacks mounted both together on the back of the largest. No sooner did he feel their weight, than he began to run as fast as possible, and carried them several times round the village, as it was impossible to stop him otherwise than by obstructing the passage. To try their strength, he directed a full-grown negro to mount the smallest, and two others the largest. This burthen did not seem at all disproportioned to their strength. At first they went at a pretty sharp trot, but when they became heated a little, they expanded their wings, as if to catch the wind, and moved with such fleetness that they scarcely seemed to touch the ground. "Most people (observes M. Adanson) have, one time or other, seen a partridge run, and consequently must know that there is no man whatever able to keep up with it: and it is easy to imagine, that if this bird had a longer step, its speed would be considerably augmented. The ostrich moves like the partridge, with this advantage; and I am satisfied that those I am speaking of would have distanced the fleetest race-horses that were ever bred in England. It is true, they would not hold out so long as a horse, but they would undoubtedly be able to go over the space in less time. I have frequently beheld this flight, which is capable of giving one an idea of the prodigious strength of an ostrich, and of shewing what use it might be of, had we but the method of breaking and managing it as we do a horse."

Emu, or cassowary.—Feet three-toed; helmet and Cassarion's dewlaps naked; bill and legs black; gape very large; irides topaz; eyelids fringed; nostrils nearly at the tip of the bill; eyes large; helmet horny, reaching from the base of the bill to the middle of the crown, three inches high, the fore part blackish, the hind part yellow; temples and neck bald, wrinkled, and reddish, with a blue or purple tinge, and covered with a few scattered hairs; two pendent caruncles, partly red and partly blue, on each side of the neck; chest on which it rests callous; feathers brownish-black, lax, generally two from one shaft; no tail; wings consisting of about five naked dusky shafts; claws straight. Five feet and a half long. Inhabits within the torrid zone in Asia; is a fierce and bold bird; kicks with its feet like a horse, grunts like a hog, feeds on vegetables, which it swallows whole; lays greenish eggs, more oblong than those of the black ostrich; runs very swiftly, and is incapable of flying.

New Holland cassowary.—Feet three-toed; crown Novae Hol- flat; thanks ferrated behind. Seven feet two inches landie. long. Inhabits New Holland.

American ostrich.—Feet three-toed, and a round cal- Rhea. lus behind. Nearly the height of a man. Inhabits South America; feeds on fruits, flesh, and flies, defends itself with its feet, and calls its young by a kind of hiss.

Gen. 67. DIDUS, Dodo.

Bill narrowed in the middle, with two transverse characters, wrinkles; each mandible bent in at the tip; nostrils oblique, near the edge of the middle of the bill; face naked beyond the eyes; legs short and thick; feet clefs; wings unfit for flight; no tail.

Hooded dodo.—Black, waved with whitish; head Ineptus. hooded; feet four-toed; bill strong, large, bluish, with a red spot; the upper mandible yellowish at the tip, the lower bulging near the tip; gape very large; irides whitish; plumage soft; belly whitish; head large, black, as if covered with a cap; feathers of the rump curled, inclining to yellow; legs yellowish; claws wanting. This uncouth species is rather bigger than a swan, and nearly three feet in length. It inhabits the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon in the Indian ocean. According to Herbert, it seldom weighs less than 50 pounds; has a slow pace; the body round and fat; and the stomach so strong as to digest stones. It is, however, so seldom met with that its true history is little known.

Solitary dodo.—Varied with gray and brown; feet Solitarius. four-toed; eyes black; spurious wings, terminating in a round protuberance. The female with a white protuberance, resembling a teat on each side of the breast. Size of a turkey. Inhabits the island of Rodriguez, where it is not uncommon, though seldom more than two are found together. It makes its nest in by-places, of leaves of the palm, a foot and a half in thickness, and lays one egg, bigger than that of a goose. The male sits in his turn, and does not suffer any bird to approach within two hundred yards of the spot when the hen is sitting. The incubation lasts seven weeks. Some months elapse before the young can shift for itself. The old ones in the mean time treat it with affection and tenderness, and are faithful to each other afterwards, though they may occasionally mix with others of their kind. The young bird, though timid, is stupid enough to allow a person to approach it; but when grown up, it is more shy, and will not be tamed. They are chased in the winter season, viz. from March to September, being then fat, and the young birds are much esteemed for the table.

Gen. 68. Pavo, Peacock.

Bill convex and strong; head with a crest of feathers turning forwards; nostrils large; rump feathers long, broad, expanse, and covered with eye-like spots.

Crested peacock.—Head with a compressed crest; spurs solitary. It is impossible to describe the beauties of this well-known species in adequate terms. Its matchless plumage, as Buffon observes, seems to combine all that delights the eye in the soft and delicate tints of the finest flowers, all that dazzles it in the sparkling lustre of the gems, and all that affinities it in the grand display of the rainbow. Its head is adorned with a tuft, consisting of 24 feathers, whose slender shafts are furnished with webs only at the ends, painted with the most exquisite green, mixed with gold. The head, throat, neck, and breast, are of a deep blue, glost with green and gold; the back of the same, tinged with bronze; the scapulars and lesser wing-coverts are of a reddish cream colour, variegated with black; the middle coverts deep blue, glost with green and gold; the greater coverts and spurious wing are of a reddish-brown, as are also the quills, some of which are variegated with black and green; the belly and vent are black, with a greenish line. But the distinguishing character of this bird is its train, which rises just above the tail, and when erected, forms a fan of the most resplendent hues. The two middle feathers are sometimes four feet and a half long, the others gradually diminishing on each side. The shafts, which are white, are furnished from their origin nearly to the end with parted filaments of varying colours, ending in a flat valve, which is decorated with what is called the eye. This is a brilliant spot, enamelled with the most enchanting colours, yellow, gilded with various shades, green, running into blue and bright violet, varying according to its different positions, the whole receiving additional lustre from the centre, which is a fine velvet black. When pleased or delighted, and in sight of his females, the peacock erects his tail, and displays all the majesty of his beauty, and he frequently turns slowly round, as if to catch the sunbeams in every direction, accompanied with a hollow murmuring voice. His cry at other times is very disagreeable, and often repeated. The peahen is somewhat less than the cock, and though furnished both with a train and crest, is destitute of those dazzling beauties which distinguish the male. She lays five or six eggs of a whitish colour, in some secret spot, where she can conceal them from the male, who is apt to break them; and she sits from 25 to 30 days, according to the temperature of the climate and the warmth of the season. Peacocks were originally brought from the distant provinces of India, and thence have been diffused over every part of the world. They are sometimes found in a wild state in many parts of Asia and Africa. The largest and finest are said to be met with in the neighbourhood of the Ganges, and on the fertile plains of India, where they grow to a great size. In colder climates, they require care in rearing; and do not acquire their full plumage till their third year. In former times they were considered as a delicacy, and made a part of the luxurious entertainment of the Roman voluptuaries. The females of this species, like the pheasant, have been known to assume the appearance of the male, by a total change of colour, which is said to take place after they have done laying. A white variety of peacock occurs not unfrequently, in which the eyes of the train are barely visible, and may be traced by a different undulation of shade on the pure white of the tail.

Iris peacock.—Brown; head subfertelled; spurs two; bill blackish; the upper mandible, from the nostrils to the tip, red; irides yellow; crown black; face naked; temples white; neck shining brown, with black lines; upper part of the back, shoulders, and wing-coverts brown, with yellowish stripes; the feathers near the tip with a large purple gold spot; lower part of the back and rump spotted with white; body brown beneath, with transverse black streaks; quill feathers dusky; legs brown. Larger than a pheasant. Inhabits China.

Gen. 69. Meleagris, Turkey.

Bill conical, and incurved; head covered with spongy caruncles; chin with a longitudinal membranaceous caruncle; tail broad, and expanse; legs spurred.

American or common turkey.—Front and chin carunculated; breast of the male tufted. Female without a spur. Upwards of three feet and a half long. Inhabits America; and is very generally domesticated. In a wild state it lives in woods, and feeds on nuts, acorns, and insects. It roots on the highest trees; is very irritable, and impatient of any thing red. The cock utters with an inflated breast, expanded tail, red face, and relaxed frontal caruncle, making a singular inward noise, which when it is uttered shakes the whole body. The eggs are numerous and white, with reddish or yellow spots. The females lay them in spring, generally in some retired or obscure place; for the cock, enraged at the loss of his mate while he is employed in hatching, is otherwise apt to break them. They sit on their eggs with so much perseverance, that if not taken away, they will almost perish with hunger before they will entirely leave the nest. In a wild state, turkeys are gregarious, and associate in flocks, sometimes of about five hundred. They are very swift runners, but fly awkwardly; and about the month of March they become so fat, that they cannot fly beyond three or four hundred yards, and are then easily run down by a horseman. The hunting of these birds forms one of the principal diversions of the Canadians. When the latter have discovered the retreats of the turkey, which in general are near fields of nettles, or where there is plenty of any kind of grain, they send a well-trained dog into the midst of the flock. The birds no sooner perceive their enemy than they run off at full speed, and with such swiftness that they leave the dog far behind; he, however, follows, and as they cannot go at this rate for any length of time, at last forces them to take shelter in a tree, where they fit, spent and fatigued, till the hunters come up, and with long poles, knock them down one after another. Turkey cocks, among themselves, are very fierce and pugnacious, and yet, against other animals, are usually weak and cowardly. The disposition of the female is in general much more mild and gentle than that of the male; and when leading out her young family to collect their food, though so large and apparently so powerful a bird, she gives them very little protection against any rapacious animal that comes in her way, but rather warns them to shift for themselves. It deserves to be remarked, that though this species is reared with some difficulty, yet in its wild state it is found in great plenty in the forests of Canada, that are covered with snow for more than three-fourths of the year. It is easily hurt by hunger or rain. They are bred in great numbers in Norfolk, Suffolk, and some other counties, from whence they are driven to the London markets in flocks of several hundreds. The drivers manage them with great facility, by means of a bit of red rag tied to the end of a long stick, which, from the antipathy that these birds bear to that colour, effectually answers the purposes of a scourge. We need scarcely notice, that the flesh of the turkey is reckoned a delicate food. The Indians make an elegant clothing of the feathers, by twisting the inner webs into a strong double string with hemp, or the inner bark of the mulberry-tree, and working it like matting, so that the whole appears rich and glossy, and as fine as silk flag. The natives of Louisiana make fans of the tail; and of four tails joined together the French used formerly to form a parafol.

Horned turkey.—Head with two horns; body red, with eye-like spots; bill brown; nostrils, front, and area of the eyes covered with black hair-like feathers; crown red; horns callous, blue, bent back; caruncle of the chin dilatable, blue, varied with rufous; legs whitish, spurred; tail feathers twenty. The female has the head covered with feathers, without horns or gular caruncle; feathers of the head and upper part of the neck black-blue, long, and decumbent; rest of the body, as in the male; red with eye-like spots; spurs more obtuse. Rather less than the preceding. Inhabits India.

Gen. 70. Penelope.

Bill naked at the base; head covered with feathers; chin naked; tail with twelve feathers; legs without spurs.

Guan.—Head with an erect crest; temples violet. Two feet fix inches long. Inhabits Brazil and Guiana, where it is frequently tamed, its flesh being reckoned very delicate. It frequently utters a sound like the word jacu.

Jacu or yacou.—Blackish; crest and first quill feathers white. Size of a hen turkey. Inhabits Cayenne and Guiana. It erects its crest, expands its tail, and cries in a mournful tone, like a young turkey. It builds on the ground, is easily tamed, and is often domesticated.

Marail turkey.—Greenish-black; naked orbits; and legs red; throat somewhat naked, speckled with white. Size of a common fowl, and not dissimilar in shape. Though not much known to naturalists, it is common in the woods of Guiana, at a distance from the sea. It is generally seen in small flocks, excepting at breeding-time, when it is only met with in pairs, and then frequently on the ground, or on low shrubs, at other times on high trees, on which it roosts during the night. The female makes her nest on some low bulky tree, as near the trunk as possible, and lays three or four eggs. When the young have been hatched for ten or twelve days, they defend with the mother, which scratches on the ground like a hen, and broods them, till they can shift for themselves. They breed twice a year. The young birds are easily tamed, and seldom forsake the places where they have been brought up. Their cry is not unharmonious, unless they be irritated or wounded, when it is harsh and loud. Their flesh is much esteemed.

Gen. 71. Crax, Curassow.

Bill strong and thick; the base of each mandible covered with a cere; nostrils in the middle of the cere; feathers covering the head, turned spirally forward; tail large, straight, and expanfile.

Crested curassow.—(Male). Cere yellow; body black; belly white; bill black or horny; cere reaching from the middle of the bill behind the eyes; crest erect, black, and three inches long; tail black and roundish, eleven inches long, feathers fourteen; spurs none. (Female). Red; head bluish; crest white, tipped with black; bill cinereous; irides red; legs brown. Subject to much variety. Three feet long. Inhabits the mountainous woods of South America. Lives on fruits, roots or trees, and is often domesticated on account of its white and delicate flesh. They are frequently kept tame in our menageries, and readily mix with other poultry, feeding on bread and grain, but they are unable to bear the dampness of the grass of our meadows, which renders their toes subject to rot off. Dr Latham mentions an instance in which the whole of one foot was gone, and but part of one toe left on the other, before the creature died.

Globice curassow, or curassow bird.—Yellow; gibbofity of the nostrils globular; body blackish-blue, lower part of the belly white; bill yellow, tipped with cinereous; gibbosity yellow, and very hard; irides red; orbits white; crest black, tipped with white; legs pale rufous. (Female). Bill and legs cinereous; head and crown black; crest black, with a white band; some of the feathers of the neck tipped with white; throat, breast, back, and wings brown; upper part of the belly white, and some of the feathers tipped with black; vent yellowish-brown; tail black, with four transverse white bands. Size of the preceding. Inhabits Guiana.

Gen. 72. Phasianus, Pheasant.

Bill short and strong; cheeks covered with a smooth naked skin; legs generally with spurs.

The females produce many young ones at a brood, and take care of them for some time, leading them abroad, and pointing out food for them. The young are at first clad with a thick soft down. The nests of the whole tribe are formed on the ground. Common cock, or wild cock.—Comb on the crown, and two wattles on the chin compressed; ears naked; tail compressed and erected; feathers of the neck linear, long, and membranaceous at the tips; body, when wild, less than the common cock; comb large, indented, shining-red; temples and line from the crest to the eyes naked and flesh-coloured, a clay-coloured spot of the shape of a man's nail, and covered with short feathers, behind the eyes; feathers of the rest of the head and neck long, narrow, gray at the base, black in the middle, and tipped with white; feathers of the upper part of the body grayish, with a white and a black streak; breast reddish; greater wing-coverts reddish-chestnut, with transverse black and white streaks; tail coverts glossy-violet; middle tail feathers long and falcated; spurs large and curved. The female without comb and wattles; head and neck gray; cheeks and chin whitish; body more dusky, and varied with brown gray and rufous; and wants the spurs. Inhabits India in a wild state, is everywhere domesticated, and subject to innumerable varieties in size and colour. His beautiful plumage and undaunted spirit, as well as his great utility, have rendered him a favourite in all countries into which he has been introduced. The cock is very attentive to his females, hardly ever losing sight of them. He leads, defends, and cherishes them, collects them together when they straggle, and seems to eat unwillingly till he sees them feeding around him. Whenever a strange cock appears within his domain, he immediately attacks the intruder, and, if possible, drives him away. The patience and perseverance of the hen in the hatching, are truly extraordinary, but are too familiar to most of our readers to require to be detailed. Though by nature timid, and apt to fly from the meanest assailant, yet, when marching at the head of her brood, she is fearless of danger, and will fly in the face of the fiercest animal that offers to annoy her. As the chickens reared by the hen bear no proportion to the number of eggs which she produces, many artificial schemes of rearing have been attempted. Chickens have long been hatched in Egypt by means of artificial heat. This is now chiefly practised by the inhabitants of a village called Berme, and by those who live at a little distance from it. Towards the beginning of autumn, these persons spread themselves all over the country, and each of them is ready to undertake the management of an oven. These ovens are of different sizes, each capable of containing from forty to eighty thousand eggs; and the number of ovens in different parts is about three hundred and eighty-fix. They are usually kept in exercise for about six months; and as each brood takes up twenty-one days in hatching, it is easy in every one of them to produce eight different broods of chickens in the year. The ovens consist only of a low arched apartment of clay. Two rows of holes are formed; and the eggs are placed on them in such a manner as not to touch each other. They are slightly moved five or six times in the course of twenty-four hours. All possible care is taken to diffuse the heat equally throughout, and there is but one aperture, just large enough to admit a man flopping. During the first eight days, the heat is rendered great, but during the last eight it is gradually diminished, till at length, when the young brood are ready to come forth, it is reduced almost to the state of the natural atmosphere. Every keeper of an oven obliges himself to deliver to his employer only two thirds of as many chickens as Gallins. there have been eggs entrusted to him; and he is a gainer by this bargain, as it always happens, except from some unlucky accident, that many more than that proportion of the eggs are productive. In this way it has been calculated that the Egyptian ovens give life annually to near a hundred millions of chickens. This useful and advantageous mode of hatching eggs was introduced into France by the ingenious and indefatigable Monieur de Reaumur, who, by a number of experiments, reduced the art to certain principles, and applied it to the production of all kinds of domestic fowls. The young brood are generally hatched a whole day before they taste food, and then a few crumbs of bread are given for a day or two, after which time they begin to pick up grain and insects for themselves. In order to save the trouble of attending them, capons are taught to watch them in the same manner as hens. M. de Reaumur informs us, that he has seen above two hundred chickens at once, all led about and defended by only three or four capons. It is asserted that even cocks may be taught to perform this office, which they will continue to do all their lives afterwards. Among the endless varieties of this species, the English game cock stands unrivalled by those of any other nation for its invincible courage, and on that account is made use of as the instrument of the inhuman sport of cock-fighting. The Athenians allotted one day in the year to this barbarous pastime; and the Romans are said to have learned it from them, and to have introduced it into this island. Henry VIII. was so fond of the sport, that he caused a commodious house to be erected for that purpose, which, though now applied to a very different use, still retains the name of the cock-pit. The Chinese, the Sumatrians, and others in the eastern parts of the world, are so addicted to this savage diversion, that, in the paroxysms of their frenzy, they will sometimes risk not only the whole of their property, but their wives and children, on the issue of a battle. The cock, it is well known, is a watchful bird, and crows clapping his wings. The hen will lay eggs the whole year, provided she has plenty of food and cold water, gravel, and a warm place. After laying she has a peculiar note of triumph and exultation. Her heat is increased while hatching, but if put into cold water, she ceases to sit.

Courier pheasant.—Tawney white; tail long, and shining green; a few white spots at the base of the tail. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits New Spain; is slow in flight, but so swift on foot as to outrun the fleetest horses.

Common pheasant.—Rufous, head blue; tail wedged; cheeks papillose; bill pale, horn colour; irises yellow; cheeks red, speckled with black; in the old birds wrinkled and pendulous; a greenish-black feathered line from the nostrils to beneath the eyes; rest of the head and neck green-gold, with a glofs of violet and blue; lower part of the neck, breast, back, and rump, shining tawney; quill feathers brown, with ochrous spots; belly and vent white; tail feathers eighteen, with transverse black bars; legs dusky, armed with spurs. Female lefs, varied with brown, gray, rufous, and blackish; cheeks feathered; and, after the has done breeding, puts on the appearance of the male. There are several varieties. This beautiful bird is about nineteen inches long, and weighs from two pounds twelve ounces to three pounds four ounces. It is said to have been brought from the island of Col- chis by the Argonauts; is a native of Africa, and very common in almost all the southern parts of the old continent, whence it was originally imported into Great Britain. Pheasants are much attached to the shelter of thickets and woods, where the grass is very long; but they also often breed in clover fields. They form their nests on the ground, and the females lay from twelve to fifteen eggs, which are smaller than those of the domestic hen. The nest is usually composed of a few dry vegetables put carelessly together, and the young follow the mother like chickens, as soon as they break the shell. The parents and their brood remain in the stubble and hedge rows, if undisturbed, for some time after the corn is ripe. If disturbed, they seek the woods, and only come forth in the mornings and evenings to feed in the stubble. Though very fond of corn, they are often obliged to content themselves with wild berries and acorns. In confinement, the female neither lays so many eggs, nor hatches and rears her brood with so much care and vigilance as in the fields. In a meadow will very rarely dispose her eggs in a nest, or sit on them at all; and the domestic hen is usually entrusted with the charge of incubation and rearing the young. The wings of the pheasant are very short, and ill adapted for considerable flights. As the cold weather approaches, these birds begin to fly at sunset among the branches of oak trees for roosting during the night; and this they do more frequently as the winter advances, and the trees lose their foliage. The male birds at these times make a note, which they repeat three or four times, and which the sportsmen call cocking. The hens on flying up utter one thrill whistle, and then are silent. Poachers avail themselves of these notes, and, unless the woods are strictly watched, secure the birds with the greatest certainty. The crowing of the males, which begins in the first week of March, may be heard at a considerable distance. During the breeding season, the cocks will sometimes intermix with the common hen, and produce a hybrid breed. The pheasant does not appear to pair, for the female carefully hides her nest from the male; and where they are in plenty, and food provided for them, the two sexes are laid in general not to feed together. In a domestic state, they are sometimes more or less mixed with white, and sometimes wholly so. A variety with a white ring round the neck, and thence called the ring pheasant, is not uncommon in some parts of England. This species rarely occurs in Scotland.

Argus pheasant.—Pale yellow, spotted with black; face red; hind head crested, blue; bill yellowish; orbits and whiskers black; front, chin, and throat red; hind-head and nape blue; wings gray, with eye-like spots; tail wedged, the colour of the wings; two middle feathers three feet long, with large eye-spots at the shaft; feet armed; size of a turkey. Inhabits Chinese Tartary and Sumatra. This is a most beautiful bird, though its colours are not brilliant. It is with great difficulty kept alive for any time after it has been caught in the woods. It seems to have an antipathy to the light, being quite inanimate in the open day; but when kept in a dark place, it appears to be perfectly at ease, and sometimes makes its call, which is rather plaintive, and not harsh like that of the peacock. The flesh resembles that of the common pheasant.

Impeyan pheasant.—Crested, purple, glossy green, black beneath; feathers of the neck with a changeable lustre of gold, copper, and green; tail entire, rufous; larger than a common fowl. Inhabits India, but not plentifully, being brought from the hills in the northern parts of Hindoostan to Calcutta, as curiosities. Lady Impey attempted, with great probability of success, to bring over with her some of them to England; but after living in health on board the ship for two months, they caught a disorder from the rest of the poultry, similar to the smallpox, and died in consequence. They bear cold, but are impatient of heat. The cock was never observed to crow, but had a strong hoarse cackle, not unlike that of a pheasant.—Described and figured by Latham.

Crested pheasant.—Brown above; beneath reddish-white; vent rufous; head crested; orbits red, naked; tail wedge-shaped, and tipped with yellow; bill and unarmed legs black; feathers of the crest whitish-brown; beneath black; feathers from the hind head to the lower part of the neck have a white streak down the middle; coverts of the wings at the tip and edge white; quill feathers rufous; tail ten inches long; length of the body 22 inches. Native of New Spain. Frequent trees in the neighbourhood of water, and feeds on worms, insects, and serpents.

Painted pheasant.—Crest yellow; breast scarlet; secondary quill feathers blue; tail wedged; bill, irides, and armed legs, yellow; feathers of the crest silky, and hanging backwards; cheeks naked and flesh coloured; feathers of the hind head tawny, with black lines, and beneath these green ones; back and rump yellow; upper tail coverts long, narrow, and scarlet; wing coverts varied with bay and brown; scapulars blue; quill feathers brown, with yellowish spots; tail feathers varied bay and black, and 23 inches long. Female reddish brown; yellowish brown beneath; legs unarmed; less than the common pheasants; length two feet nine inches and a half. The native country of this beautiful species is China, where it is called Kin-bi. It bears confinement well, and will breed readily in that state. The eggs are redder than those of the common pheasant, and somewhat resemble those of the Guinea fowl. An instance of their breeding with the common pheasant is mentioned by Buffon. Edwards informs us, that some females of this species, kept by Lady Essex, in the space of six years gradually gained the male feathers; and we are told, that it is not unusual for the hen birds, when about four or five years old, to be neglected by the cocks, and gradually to gain the plumage of the males.

Superb pheasant.—Unarmed; rufous, varied with green and blue; caruncles of the front rounded; wattles awl-shaped; bill and body red; each side of the neck with long feathers turned back; crown green; the hind part with a folding blue crest; shoulders green, spotted with white; primary quill feathers blue; tail long, wedged, the feathers varied with blue and red; coverts declined, and of various mixed colours; legs yellow. Inhabits China.

Gcn. 73. Numidia, Pintado, or Guinea Fowl. Bill strong and short; the base covered with a carunculated cere, receiving the nostrils; head horned, with a compressed coloured callus; tail short, bending down; body speckled. Common Guinea hen.—Caruncles at the gape double, and no gular fold; bill of a reddish horn colour; head blue; the crown with a conical, compressed, bluish red protuberance; upper part of the neck bluish ash, almost naked; lower feathered, verging to violet; body black, with round white spots; legs gray brown; gular caruncle of the male bluish; of the female red. There is a variety with the breast white, and another with the body entirely white; somewhat larger than the common hen. Inhabits Africa, and is domesticated in most parts of Europe, the West Indies, and America. It formed a part of the Roman banquets, and is now much esteemed as a delicacy, especially when young. The female lays a great number of eggs, which the frequently secretes till she has produced her young brood. The eggs are smaller than those of a common hen, and of a rounder shape, and are delicious eating. The Guinean hen is a restless and very clamorous bird, and has a harsh creaking note, which is peculiarly grating and unpleasant. Like the common domestic fowl it scrapes the ground, and rolls in the dust to free itself from insects. During the night it perches on high places, and, if disturbed, alarms the neighbourhood by its unceasing cry. In its natural state of freedom, it is said to prefer marshy places. It is easily tamed, but often abandons its young.

Gen. 74. Tetrao.

Near the eyes, a spot which is either naked, or papillous, or rarely covered with feathers.

The birds of this genus have a strong convex bill; grouse, partridges, and quails, agree in having a short convex bill. The grouse chiefly inhabits the colder regions, and is distinguished by small nostrils, hid under the feathers; an acute tongue; strong feet; and a pretty long tail. Partridges and quails are less in size; have a short tail; and their nostrils covered above with a callos prominent margin. They inhabit the temperate and even the warmer climates. The tinamous are a tribe peculiar to Guiana, and approach the pheasant in manners. Their bill is longer and obtuse at the apex; the nostrils are placed in the middle; their gape is very wide; the throat thinly covered with feathers; the tail very short; the back-toe short, and useless for running. The female is larger than the male.

A. Spot over the eyes naked; legs downy. Grouse.

Wood grouse, cock of the wood, or capercaillie.—Tail rounded; arm-pits white; bill horn colour; spot above the eyes scarlet; irides hazel; nostrils covered with short feathers; feathers of the chin black, longer; head and neck cinereous, with fine transverse black lines; body bay, with blackish lines above; breast blackish green; belly and vent black, varied with white; tail feathers 18, each side spotted with white; legs robust and brown; toes pectinated at the edge. Of the female the bill is dusky; chin red; body with alternate red and black transverse lines above; breast with a few white spots, the lower part orange; belly spotted with pale orange and black, the feathers tipped with white; shoulders black, the feathers edged with black and pale tawny, and tipped with white; tail rufy, barred with black, and tipped with white. In size, this species is little inferior to a turkey, and sometimes weighs 12 or 13, but more frequently seven or eight pounds. The male Gallinace is two feet nine inches, and the female two feet two inches long. Inhabits the mountainous and woody parts of Europe and northern Asia. It is not uncommon in the pine-forests of Normandy, in Russia and Siberia, in Italy, and several parts of the Alps. In Scotland and Ireland it is nearly extinct. It feeds on the berries of the juniper and vaccinium, and on the seeds of the pine tribe and other trees. It is a solitary bird, except in the season of love, when, in the beginning of February, perched on the top of a tree, it calls the females about it with a loud voice, its tail expanded, its wings hanging down to its feet, its neck stretched out, and the feathers of its head erected. The female builds on the ground among mosses, and lays from eight to sixteen eggs. The flesh of this species is much esteemed, and its eggs are accounted preferable to those of every other bird. They are white, spotted with yellow, and larger than those of the common hen. The young follow the hen as soon as they are hatched, and sometimes with part of the shell attached to them.

Black game, black grouse, or black cock.—Violet Tetris. black; tail forked; secondary quill feathers white towards the base; bill black; body fining glaucous-black; wing-coverts black brown; four first quill feathers black, the rest white at the base; tail feathers from 16 to 18, black; legs black brown; toes pectinated. Female less; the weight of an old cock is nearly four pounds, but that of the female is not often more than two. Length about 23 inches; there are several varieties. Inhabits mountainous and woody parts of Europe. In Britain it is chiefly confined to the northern parts of the kingdom, and especially to the Highlands of Scotland; population and culture having driven them from the south, except in a few of the more wild uncultivated parts, as in the New Forest in Hampshire, Dartmoor and Sedgemoor in Devonshire, and the heathy hills in Somersetshire contiguous to the latter. It also occurs in Staffordshire, North Wales, and the north of England. It feeds principally on the tops of heath and birch, except when the mountain berries are ripe, at which time it devours bilberries and cranberries with the greatest voracity. In the month of April the male places himself on an eminence, at morning dawn, and invites the females by crowing and clapping his wings. The males are polygamous, and fight desperately for the females. They afterwards associate peaceably in small packs, are fond of woody, heathy, and mountainous situations; but occasionally visit the corn fields in autumn, retiring wholly to woods in the winter, and perching on trees. It is somewhat remarkable that they are killed by eating cherries or pears. The female forms an artless nest on the ground, and lays six or eight eggs, of a dull yellowish white colour, marked with numerous very small ferruginous specks, and with blotches of the same towards the smaller end. The young are hatched very late in summer. The young males quit their parent in the beginning of winter, and keep together in flocks of seven or eight till the spring. They do not acquire their male garb till towards the end of autumn, when the plumage gradually changes to a deeper colour, and assumes that of a bluish-black, which it afterwards retains.

Ptarmigan, white grouse, or white game.—Cinerous; Lagopus. toes downy; quill feathers white; tail feathers black, tipt tipt with white, the middles ones white; body, in summer, cinereous, varied with white and brown, in winter nearly all white; but in all seasons the lateral tail feathers are black, tipt with white; legs and toes covered with a thick wool like a hare's. From 14 to 15 inches long. Inhabits the Alpine parts of Europe and Siberia. In this country it is met with only on the summits of our highest hills, chiefly in the Highlands of Scotland, and sometimes, but rarely, on the lofty hills of Cumberland and Wales. As the snow melts on the sides of the mountains, it constantly ascends till it gains the summit, where it forms holes, and burrows in the snow. These birds pair at the same time with the red grouse; the female lays eight or ten white eggs, spotted with brown, not in any regular nest but on the ground. In winter they fly in flocks, and are so little accustomed to the sight of man, that they are easily shot, or taken in a snare. They feed on the wild productions of the hills, as the buds of trees, the young shoots of pines, the heath, crow-berry, rhododendron, &c. They run swiftly, fly heavily, are impatient of the sun and wind, and are unsuceptible of domestication. The flesh of the young is accounted a great delicacy. That of the full-grown birds has sometimes a bitter, but not unpalatable taste: it is also dark coloured, and, according to Buffon, approaches in flavour to that of the hare.

White grouse.—Orange, varied with black bands and white blotches; toes downy; tail feathers black, tipt with white; the middle ones entirely white; bill black; belly and legs white; claws broad and flat. Upwards of 16 inches long. Inhabits the woods of Europe and Asia, and, like the preceding, grows white in winter.

Pinnated grouse.—Back of the neck with supplementary wings, which are wanting in the female. The male is smaller than a partridge. Inhabits North America; feeds chiefly on storms; and at sunrise erects his neck wings, and sings for the space of half an hour.

Hazel grouse.—Tail feathers cinereous, with black spots and a black band, except the two middle ones. Fourteen inches long. Inhabits the hazel woods of Europe; feeds on catkins; when terrified, erects the feathers of the crown.

Red grouse, or moorcock.—Transversely streaked with rufous and blackish; fix outer tail feathers blackish on each side; caruncle on the eyebrows lunated and scarlet; greater quill-feathers brown; tail feathers sixteen, the four middle ones the colour of the back, the rest blackish. Length fifteen inches; weight about nineteen ounces. This species is only to be met with in the extensive uncultivated wastes that are covered with heath, particularly the most mountainous situations, having been driven from the south by cultivation. It still occurs in the mountains of Wales, and in the moorlands of Yorkshire and the north of England, but is no where so plentiful as in the Highlands of Scotland, and in the waste moors of North Britain, in general. It is also found in the Western islands, and in the mountains and bogs of Ireland; but seems to be unknown on the continent of Europe, those mentioned by Buffon as natives of France, Spain, Italy, &c. either forming a distinct species, or at least a variety. Linnaeus did not seem to be acquainted with it, and Gmelin gave it as a variety of the ptarmigan. The red grouse never resort to woods, but confine themselves wholly to the open moors, feeding on the mountain and bog berries; and, in defect of these, on the tops of the heath. They pair in the spring; and the female lays from 8 to 14 eggs, much like those of the black grouse, but smaller, on the ground. The young keep with the parent birds till towards winter, and are called a pack, or brood. In November they flock together in greater numbers, sometimes to the amount of thirty or forty, and are then extremely shy and difficult to be shot.

B. Orbis granulated; legs naked.

a. Legs of the male armed with a spur. Partridge.

Greek or red partridge.—Bill and legs blood-red; rufus. chin white, surrounded with a black band, and spotted with white; feathers of the sides with a double black stripe; tail feathers fourteen, cinereous, the five outer rufous for the last half. Rather larger than the next species. Inhabits various parts of southern Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Greek islands. A variety, called the Guernsey or red legged partridge, has sometimes been found on the Suffolk or Norfolk coasts. It is distinguished by a single black stripe on the feathers of the sides, and sixteen tail feathers, of which the five outer are rufous on each side. The red partridge frequently perches on a tree, and will breed in confinement, which the common one is never known to do.

Common partridge.—A naked scarlet spot under the Perdix eyes; tail ferruginous; breast brown; legs white; face yellowish; cap and neck waved ash; quill feathers brown, with ferruginous bands; tail feathers eighteen, lower part of the breast with two chestnut spots. Several varieties of this species are enumerated by ornithologists, but most of them appear to be accidental. Length about 13 inches; weight 15 ounces. Inhabits Europe and Asia, though chiefly in temperate regions, the extremes of heat and cold being equally unfavourable to it. They are nowhere in greater plenty than in this island, where, in their season, they contribute to our most elegant entertainments. They haunt corn fields, and are never found at any distance from arable land. They pair early in the spring; and the female is very prolific, laying from 12 to 20 eggs. It makes no nest, but forages a small hole in the ground, and throws into it a few contiguous fibres, on which to deposit the eggs. The old birds sit very close on the latter when near hatching. The incubation lasts three weeks, and the young birds learn to run as soon as hatched, frequently with part of the shell sticking to them. It is no uncommon thing to introduce partridges eggs under the common hen, who hatches and rears them as her own; but, in this case, the young birds require to be fed with the larvae of ants, which are their favourite food, and without which it is almost impossible to rear them. They likewise eat insects, and, when full grown, feed on all kinds of grain and young plants. "The affection of the partridge for her young (says Mr. Bewick), is peculiarly strong and lively; she is greatly assisted in the care of rearing them by her mate: they lead them out in common, call them together, point out to them their proper food, and assist them in finding it by scratching the ground with their feet; they frequently sit close by each other, covering the chickens with their wings like the hen. In this situation they are not easily flushed; the sportsman, who is attentive to the preservation of his game, will carefully avoid giving any disturbance to a scene so truly interesting; but should the pointer come too near, or unfortunately run in upon them, there are few who are ignorant of the confusion that follows: the male first gives the signal of alarm by a peculiar cry of distress, throwing himself at the same moment more immediately into the way of danger, in order to deceive or mislead the enemy; he flies, or rather runs along the ground, hanging his wings, and exhibiting every symptom of debility, whereby the dog is decoyed, in the too eager expectation of an easy prey, to a distance from the covey; the female flies off in a contrary direction, and to a greater distance, but returning soon after by secret ways, she finds her scattered brood closely squatted among the grass, and, collecting them with haste, she leads them from the danger, before the dog has had time to return from his pursuit."

b. Legs without a spur. Quail.

Green quail.—Green; bill and legs reddish; wings chestnut, speckled with black; bill a little bent at the tip; hind toe unarmed; tail and vent black. Between 11 and 12 inches long.

California quail.—Lead colour; crown with an upright crest; throat black, edged with white; belly yellowish brown, with black crescents. The female wants the black throat and whitish margin. Larger than the common quail. Inhabits California.

Noisy quail.—Varied with yellowish, rufous, black, and gray; bill longer than in others of the genus. A very clamorous bird, which inhabits the woods in Java.

Chinese quail.—Body spotted with gray; throat black, with a white arch. From four to fix inches long. Inhabits China and the Philippine isles, and is carried alive by the Chinese, in the winter, between their hands, for the purpose of warming them.

Common quail.—Body spotted with gray; eyebrows white; tail feathers with a ferruginous edge and crescent; bill black; head black, varnished with rufous; a yellowish streak down the middle of the crown and neck; feathers of the neck rufy brown, varied with gray; the shafts with a longitudinal yellowish streak; body beneath dirty ochreous; throat and breast reddish; quill feathers gray brown, with rufous bars on the outside; tail feathers twelve, with reddish and black lines; legs brownish. Seven inches and a half long. Inhabit Europe, Asia, and Africa. When these birds migrate to and from the north, they are found in prodigious quantities in all the islands of the Archipelago. One hundred thousand, it is said, have been taken in one day on the west coast of the kingdom of Naples. A small portion only extend their flight to this country. With us they appear about the beginning of May, in our cultivated champaign districts, though not in such numbers as formerly. On their first arrival, the males are constantly uttering a whistling note, thrice successively repeated, which being imitated by a whistler or quail-call, they are easily enticed into a net. Before the revolution, great quantities used to be sent alive from France to the London market. In confinement they fatten, and seem to lose much of their fierce and pugnacious disposition. The female deposits eight or ten yellowish eggs, blotched, or spotted with dusky, on the bare ground, and usually with us among green wheat. The young birds follow the mother as soon as hatched, but do not continue long together; for they are scarcely grown up when they separate, or, if kept together, they fight obstinately, and frequently destroy one another. From this quarrelsome disposition it was, that the Greeks and Romans used them as game cocks; and that the Chinese, and some of the Italians are, at this day, addicted to the diversion of quail-fighting. After feeding two quails very highly, they place them opposite to each other, and throw in a few grains of seed between them, when the birds rush on each other with the utmost fury, striking with their bills and heels till one of them yields.

C. Orbits with a few feathers; legs naked, four-toed, and unarmed. Tinamous.

Cayenne tinamous.—Bill and legs brown; back ashly Guianensis brown, varied with blackish fringes; chin cinereous; belly pale orange. Eleven inches long. Inhabits Cayenne and Guiana.

Great tinamous.—Legs yellowish-brown; bill black; crown rufous; body olive; back and tail with black spots. Eighteen inches long. Inhabits the woods of South America; roosts on the lower branches of trees; feeds on worms, insects, seeds and fruits; builds twice a year, at the root of a large tree, and lays from twelve to fifteen green eggs.

Little tinamous.—Bill and legs yellow; head and neck black; body brown above, rufous beneath; chin mixed with white; quill feathers brown. Nine inches long. Inhabits Guiana. Builds an hemispherical nest in the branches of trees.

ORDER VI. PASSERES.

Bill conical, pointed; nostrils oval, pervious, and naked.

The birds of this order have the feet formed for walking or hopping. They live, some at the time of breeding, and others constantly, in monogamy. Some which feed on the seeds of plants have a short bill, others that live on insects and worms are generally furnished with a longer bill. They nestle on trees, in bushes, in housetops, and on the ground. They often build very artificial nests, and feed their young with their bill. This order includes all the singing birds; the males are the songsters. They are for the most part caudal.

Gen. 75. COLUMBA, Pigeon.

Bill straight, descending towards the tip; nostrils oblong, and half covered with a soft tumid membrane.

The birds of this genus have a weak and slender bill, short feet, and many of them red toes, divided to their origin. They extend their residence even to the arctic regions. They drink much, and not at intervals like other birds, but by continuous draughts like quadrupeds. Their note is plaintive or mournful. They form the connecting link between this and the preceding order; but are more nearly related to the passerine tribes, in being monogamous, in carefully each other by their bills, in the male and female alternately hatching, in both joining to feed the young, in laying but few eggs, and in their nidification. Of upwards of seventy species which belong to this genus, only five or six are natives ORNITHOLOGY.

Pigeons of Great Britain. The eggs of all the species are white.

A. Tail even and moderate.

Common or flock pigeon, or flock dove.—Bluish; neck above glossy green; double band on the wings, and tip of the tail blackish; throat and breast claret colour; claws black. Length 13 or 14 inches; weight 11 ounces. Inhabits Europe and Siberia; is wild in many places, but is kept in pigeon-houses every where, and is the parent stock whence all the varieties of the domestic pigeon are derived, and is on that account called the flock-dove. It builds in towers, in caverns of rocks, and in cliffs in unfrequented islands. On the approach of winter, it migrates southward. It is gregarious; lays two eggs, and breeds several times in the year.

Domestic. Domestic pigeon.—Cinerous; rump white; band on the wings, and tip of the tail blackish. The varieties are, however, very numerous, and not easily reducible to distinct descriptions. Some of the more remarkable are, the rock, Roman, Barbary, jacoline, foaker, tumbler, carrier, horsemen, and turner pigeons. From 14 to 15 inches long. Inhabits and is domesticated in almost every part of Europe and Asia, and lays from nine to 11 times a year. Though only two eggs are laid at a time, at the expiration of four years, the produce and descendants of a single pair may amount to nearly 15,000. A composition of loam, old rubbish and salt, will not only entice birds of this species to remain in a required spot, but will even decoy those belonging to other places, and is therefore prohibited by law. The carrier pigeon is easily distinguished from the other varieties, by a broad circle of naked white skin round the eyes, and by its dark blue or blackish colour. The bird is conveyed from its home to the place whence the information is intended to be sent; the letter is tied under its wing, and it is let loose. From the instant of its liberation, its flight is directed through the clouds, at an amazing height, to its home, and it darts onward in a straight line to the very spot from which it was taken, by virtue of some faculty or instinct which it is very difficult to explain. To measure their speed with some degree of exactness, a gentleman some years ago, on a trifling wager, sent a carrier pigeon from London, by the coach, to a friend at St Edmund's-bury, and along with it a note, requesting that the pigeon, two days after its arrival there, might be thrown up precisely when the town-clock struck nine in the morning. This was accordingly done, and the pigeon arrived in London, and flew into the Bull Inn in Bishop's-Gate Street, at half an hour past eleven o'clock of the same morning, having flown 72 miles in two hours and a half.

Great crowned Indian pigeon.—Bluish; cinerous above; orbits black; crest; shoulders ferruginous. Size of a turkey. Inhabits New Guinea.

Lesser crowned pigeon.—Eyelids white; hind head with a red gold crest; breast and belly violet; back, rump, and tail green; legs yellow; hind toe unarmed. Size of the common pigeon. Inhabits Malacca.

Ring dove.—Cinerous; tail feathers black on the hind part; primary quill feathers whitish on the outer edge; neck white on each side; bill yellowish; cere red and fleshy; irides yellowish; head, back, and wing coverts bluish; rump and throat pale ash; breast claret colour; belly and vent whitish; neck above and at the sides green gold, with a white crescent on each side; feet rough as far as the toes. Weighs about 20 ounces; length eight inches. Inhabits Europe, and rarely Siberia. From its living in woods, and building in trees, it is not uncommonly called wood pigeon. It seems to be originally a native of this island, and probably migrates no farther than from the northern to the southern parts of it. Early in spring it begins to pair, at which time the male is observed to fly in a singular manner, alternately rising and falling in the air. It forms a nest of a few small sticks loosely put together. Its common food is grain and seeds of all kinds, acorns and beech-nuts, and in default of these, turnip-greens, and young clover, or even green corn, and ivy berries. Various attempts to domesticate this species have proved unsuccessful.

Green turtle.—Bras green above, purple-violet beneath. Near eight inches long. Inhabits Amboina.

Turtle dove.—Tail feathers tipped with white; back gray; breast flesh coloured; a spot of black feathers, tipped with white, on each side of the neck; bill brown; irides yellow; crown olive-ash; front and chin nearly white; speculums and coverts reddish-brown, spotted with black; throat and breast claret-coloured; belly and vent white; two middle tail feathers dusky brown, the end and exterior side of the outermost feathers white. Subject to several varieties. About 12 inches long. Inhabits Europe, China, and India. Visits the southern parts of England in the spring, and leaves them in the beginning of September. Is very shy and retired, breeding in thick woods, and nesting on high trees. Is very destructive to fields of peas.

B. Tail long and wedged.

Passenger pigeon.—Orbits naked and farguine; breast Migratorius. From 15 to 16 inches long. Inhabits North America, migrating southward in December in quest of food. The multitudes which pass in hard winters are truly astonishing, as they fly by millions in a flock, and literally intercept the light of the sun. As soon as one flock has passed, another succeeds; and these movements sometimes continue for three days without intermission. Their favourite food is acorns; but they not only eat the fruit of various kinds of trees, but also corn and rice, of which they are very unparing in the course of their passage.

Black-winged pigeon.—Body livid; wings black. Inhabits Chili.

Margined turtle.—Breast red; tail feathers tipped with black, and edged with white; bill horny; irides white; hind head bluish-ash colour; a black spot under the ears; body above brown; shoulders spotted with black; rump cinereous; throat and breast rosy; two middle tail feathers blackish; the rest ash colour. Ten inches long. Native of America.

Bantam pigeon.—Orbits naked and flesh coloured; Bantam-neck, breast, and flanks, waved with black and white. Size of the wry-neck. Inhabits Java.

Gen. 76. ALAUDA, Lark. ALAUDA.

Bill cylindrical, subulated, straight; the mandibles equal, and a little gaping at the base; tongue bifid; hind claw straight, and longer than the toe. Field or sky lark.—Outer webs of the two middle tail feathers white, middle ones ferruginous on the inner side; body above varied with blackish, reddish-gray, and whitish; reddish-white beneath; bill and legs black; throat spotted with black. A variety sometimes occurs that is wholly white, another which is black-brown, and a third, which is found in Russia, and distinguished by its very long legs. This well-known species is about seven inches long, and inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is most common in the open and upland cultivated districts in which corn abounds, and is rarely seen on extended moors at a distance from arable land. The nest is placed on the ground, among grass or corn, and is formed of dry grass and other vegetable stalks, and lined with fine dry grass. The eggs are generally four, rather larger than those of a tit-lark, and of a dirty white, blotched and spotted with brown. The sky lark begins to breed in May, and will lay as late as September, if its first nests are destroyed. The incubation lasts a fortnight, and two broods are usually produced in the course of the year. When hatched, the mother watches over them with the most tender solicitude and affection. They are first fed with worms and insects; but after they are grown up, they live chiefly on seeds, herbage, and most other vegetable substances. They are easily tamed, and become so familiar as to eat off the table, and even alight on the hand. The lark becomes tuneful early in spring, and continues so during the summer. His song is chiefly heard in the morning and evening; and he is one of those few birds that chant their mellow notes on the wing. We need scarcely remark, that he mounts almost perpendicularly, 'and by successive springs into the air, where he hovers at a great height, and whence he descends in an oblique direction, unless threatened by some ravenous bird of prey, or attracted by his mate, when he drops down to the ground like a stone. When he first leaves the earth, his notes are feeble and interrupted, but, as he rises, they gradually swell to their full tone.' These birds cease their strains in winter, when they assemble in flocks, grow fat, and are taken in multitudes by the bird-catchers. Four thousand dozen have been taken in the neighbourhood of Dunstable, between September and February; and Kepler informs us, that the excise on larks alone produces about gool. a year to the city of Leipic, whose neighbourhood is celebrated for larks of a peculiarly delicate flavour.

Tit lark.—Greenish-brown, outer webs of the two outermost tail feathers white; eyebrows with a white line; bill black; body white beneath; breast ochreous yellow, with oblong black spots; legs yellowish. Length nearly five inches and three quarters. Inhabits Europe, and is very common in most parts of this island, though it seems partial to barren situations, and occurs both in mountainous and low swampy places. In Scotland, it is almost the only bird which frequents the extensive heath tracts on which it breeds. It has a fine note, and sings either sitting in trees, or on the ground.

Lesser field lark.—Reddish-brown, spotted beneath; chin and belly white; throat and breast obscure yellow; legs brownish; wing coverts edged with white; quill feathers dusky, the outer web of the first edged with white, the others with yellowish-green; hind claw short, and sometimes hooked. Somewhat larger than the preceding, with which it has been often confounded. It visits this country in spring, but is rarely seen till the beginning of May; is not plentiful, and chiefly affects enclosed situations. From the beginning of May till July, it may be seen mounting in the air in a fluttering manner, at the same time uttering a twittering note, and then descending to some neighbouring tree with motionless wing and the tail thrown up. It then sings sweetly, but never when rising. It generally nests in the high grass or green wheat, and lays four eggs of a dirty bluish white, thickly blotched and spotted with purplish brown.

Wood lark.—Head surrounded by a white annular Arborescens fillet; body varied like the arvensis; legs flesh coloured. Weighs about eight drams; length fix inches. Inhabits Europe and Siberia, and is met with, though sparingly, in various parts of Britain. It sings delightfully on wing, but rarely when sitting on the ground, though sometimes when perched on a tree. Its song is much more melodious than that of the sky lark, but does not consist of so great a variety of notes; but then it frequently sings in the night, and through most of the year, except in the months of June and July. It does not ascend in the air perpendicularly, and continue hovering and singing in the same spot, like the sky lark, but will sometimes soar to a great height, and keep flying in large irregular circles, singing with little intermission; and will thus continue in the air for an hour together. It is an early breeder, the eggs being sometimes found in the nest in the beginning of April.

Red lark.—Brown; orbits blackish; two outermost Rubra tail feathers white. About the size of the sky lark. Inhabits North America, and is sometimes found near London.

Malabar lark.—Wings and tail dirty brown colour, Malabarii with reddish edges; bill black; crest long, brown and ca. with white; chin and belly reddish white; feathers of the back, and coverts of the wings, brown; the edge reddish towards the tip, and marked with a white spot; legs red. Five inches and a half long. Native of Malabar.

Grasshopper lark, or grasshopper warbler.—Tail feathers brown, the outer one half white, the second with a white wedged tip; wings with two whitish lines; bill dusky; legs whitish; lores white; body greenish-brown above, feathers dusky in the middle, yellowish-white beneath; breast dirty white; tail longish, and somewhat wedged. Length five inches and a half; weight about three drams and a quarter. Inhabits Europe. Though not plentiful in Britain, it perhaps appears to be much less from its extreme shyness, and its habit of concealing itself among furze and thick hedges. Its singular note resembles the chirping of the larger species of crickets.

Rock lark—Olive brown, varied with blackish; yel- Oxyura. lowish beneath; sides of the neck and breast with brownish spots; outermost tail feathers obliquely half whitish, second whitish at the tip. Upwards of seven inches long. In its song, manner of flying, and general habits, is much allied to the tit lark. Inhabits some of the rocky shores of England, and seems to subsist chiefly on marine insects.

Lesser crested lark.—Tail feathers black, the two outermost white on the outer edge; head crested; legs red; body pale brown. Inhabits Europe and Siberia, and is common in Yorkshire. It is a solitary bird, and builds in woods and thickets.

Calandra lark.—Outermost tail feathers totally white without, second and third tipped with white; pectoral band brown. Seven inches and a quarter long. Inhabits Italy and Russia. Builds on the ground. Sings sweetly, and imitates the notes of other birds.

Gen. 77. STURNUS, Stare, or Starling.

Characters. Bill subulate, angular, depressed, somewhat blunt; the upper mandible entire, and somewhat open at the edges; nostrils surrounded with a prominent rim; tongue notched and pointed.

Common flaire, or flaring.—Bill yellowish; body black, with white dots; quill feathers and tail dusky; the former edged with yellow on the outer side, the latter with dirty green; lesser coverts edged with yellow, and slightly glossed with green; legs reddish-brown. Male shining with purple, green, and gold. There are several varieties. Weight about three ounces; length eight inches and three quarters. Found in almost every part of the old continent. It breeds in the hollows of trees or rocks, among rubbish, or in old towers, and sometimes appropriates the nest of another bird. Myriads of this species breed among the rocks in the Orkney islands, and in winter feed on the cancer pulv. Their general food is insects, earth-worms, seeds, berries, &c. They migrate in flocks, and are very noisy. In confinement it may be taught to mimic various sounds, and even to speak. So attached are they to society, that they not only join those of their own species, but also birds of a different kind; and are frequently seen in company with redwings, fieldfares, and even with pigeons, jackdaws, and owls. They chatter much in the evening and morning, both when they assemble and disperse.

Water-nestel, or crale.—Black; breast white; chin white; tail black; belly ferruginous; legs pale blue before, black behind. Length seven inches and a half. Inhabits Europe and northern Persia. Is shy and solitary, and rarely to be seen, except on the banks of rivers and streams of water. It is not unfrequent in the mountainous parts of Scotland and Wales, and in some districts in Devonshire. In these places it breeds, and continues the whole year. The nest is very large, formed externally of moss and water plants, and lined with dry oak leaves, resembling that of the wren, with a dome or covering. It is usually placed in some muddy bank, impending on the water, and contains five or fix eggs of a transparent white. "A pair of these birds, says Mr Montagu, which had for many years built under a small wooden bridge in Caernarvonshire, we found had made a nest early in May. It was taken, but had no eggs, although the bird flew out of it at the time. In a fortnight after they had completed another nest in the same place, containing five eggs, which was taken; and in a month after we took a third nest under the same bridge with four eggs; undoubtedly the work of the same birds, as no others were seen about that part. At the time the last was taken, the female was sitting, and the instant she quitted her nest, plunged into the water, and disappeared for a considerable time; at last she emerged at a great distance down the stream. At another time we found a nest of this bird in a steep projecting bank over a rivulet clothed with moss. The nest was so well adapted to the surrounding materials, that nothing but the old bird flying in with a fish in its bill would have led to a discovery. The young were nearly full feathered, but incapable of flight, and the moment the nest was disturbed, they fluttered out and dropt into the water, and to our astonishment, instantly vanished; but in a little time made their appearance at some distance down the stream; and it was with difficulty two out of five were taken, as they dived on being approached.—The aquatic habits of this bird have not escaped the notice of ornithologists, some of whom speak of their flying under water. If, indeed, the wings being in motion can be called flying, it certainly does; but this is no more than is common to all diving birds, which, in pursuit of fish, or to escape danger, always use their wings to accelerate their motion. In this case, however, the wings are not extended, for that would retard their progress; but it is affected by short jerks from the shoulder joint. Whether these birds can run at the bottom of the water, as some have asserted, is much to be doubted, as it is requisite all birds should use a considerable exertion to keep them under water, by reason of their specific gravity being so much less. It is certainly a most curious and singular circumstance, that a bird, not apparently in the least formed for diving, should pursue its prey under water, living chiefly on small fish and aquatic insects. It cannot, however, swim on the surface."

Green flaire.—Green above; bluish beneath; a tuft Viridia. of black and white feathers on the front and chin. In- habits China.

Wattled flaire.—Bill and legs black; a pendent Cartuncula- orange wattle at each angle of the mouth. Male black, tuft with the back and wing-coverts ferruginous. Female rusly-brown, with very small wattles. Ten inches long. Inhabits New Zealand.

Collared flaire.—Blackish-brown, spotted with brown; Collaris. flanks rufous; chin white, spotted with brown. Size of the fieldfare. Inhabits Switzerland and Italy. Is solitary, wags its tail, feeds on seeds, sings with a very weak voice, and builds in the ground, or in clefts of rocks.

Gen. 78. TURDUS, Thrush.

Turdus.

Bill somewhat straight; upper mandible a little bending and notched near the point; nostrils naked or half covered with a small membrane; mouth ciliated, with a few bristles at the corners; tongue jagged.

Most of the numerous species of this genus feed on: berries, especially those of the juniper; and many of them are excellent songsters.

Mistle thrush.—Back brown; neck spotted with white; bill yellowish; body whitish-yellow beneath, with spots brown on the chin and white beneath; quill and tail feathers brown, with paler edges; the three outermost tipped with white; legs yellow; claws black. Weight near five ounces; length 11 inches. Inhabits the woods of Europe. It is by no means plentiful in Britain, and appears to be less so in winter. It begins to sing in January if the weather is mild, but ceases as soon as the thermometer sinks below 40 degrees. A- about the middle of March it makes a nest in the fork of some tree, especially if covered with lichen, and seems partial to the apple tree, frequenting orchards more than other situations in spring, and never building in a bush. The nest is made of mosses, lichens, and dry leaves, lined with withered grass, and fortified on the outside with small sticks. The eggs are four or five, rarely six; of a flesh colour, and marked with deep and light ruff-coloured spots. The song of this bird is louder than that of the thrush, and superior to it. Perching on the uppermost branch of a tall tree, the millet thrush sings when its mate is making the nest, and during incubation; but becomes silent as soon as the young are hatched, and is no more heard till the beginning of the new year. If the young are taken, its song continues as before, and if the female is destroyed, it continues in song the whole summer. The millet is very bold during the breeding season, driving other birds from the neighbourhood of its nest, and even attacking the magpie and jay. Its food is insects and berries, particularly those of the millet-tree, which are frequently propagated after passing through the digestive organs of this bird.

Fieldfare.—Tail feathers black, the outermost at the inner edge tipped with white; head and rump hoary; bill yellowish, tipped with black; crown and neck olive ash above; body bay above; quill feathers cinereous; throat and breast yellowish-rufous; belly and vent whitish; legs blackish. Subject to three or four varieties. Length 10 inches; weight four ounces. Inhabits Europe, Syria, and Siberia. Arrives in Britain, in large flocks, about Michaelmas, and leaves us in March. It feeds on the berries of the holly, thorn, juniper, empetrum nigrum, arbutus alpina, &c. as well as on worms and insects. In very severe weather they migrate farther south, if not prevented by a sudden fall of snow. In 1798, when a very heavy snow fell on the northern and eastern parts of England, prodigious flocks of fieldfares appeared in the west; but as that part of the island also was soon covered with snow, which lay on the ground for a considerable time, they became too weak to advance farther south, and thousands were picked up, starved to death. Though it builds in trees, and sits on them in the day time, it always roosts on the ground. When a person approaches a tree that is covered with them, they continue fearless, till one at the extremity of the bush, rising on its wings, utters a loud and peculiar note of alarm, when they all immediately fly, except one other, which remains till the person approaches still nearer, and then it also flies off, repeating the note of alarm. Fieldfares were highly esteemed by the Roman epicures, who kept them in their aviaries, and fattened them with crumbs of bread, mixed with minced figs. According to Varro and Plutarch, the flesh was sometimes bitter.

Red wing, or wind thrush.—Wings ferruginous underneath; eyebrows whitish; bill blackish; legs pale gray; body gray-brown, whitish beneath, with brown spots; sides and inner coverts ferruginous; vent white. Weight nearly two ounces and a half; length eight inches and a half. Inhabits Europe, and is a winter guest with us, appearing a few days before the preceding, migrating in vast flocks. It breeds in Sweden, Norway, &c. where it inhabits the maple woods, and sings delightfully from their highest tops. It builds in hedges or thickets, and lays six bluish-green eggs, spotted with black. In the southern countries of Europe, it does great injury to the vineyards.

Thrush, or song thrush; nuavis of the Scotch.—Quill feathers ferruginous at the inner base. Resembles the millet in colour, but the inner wing coverts are yellow, irides hazel, bill brown, and the mouth yellow within. Inhabits the woods in Europe. Weight about three ounces; length nine inches. This well-known species is generally admired for its song. Every wood and grove re-echoes with its notes, which sometimes vie with those of the millet. The thrush frequently sings as early as February, if the weather is mild, and in March the female makes its nest, composed of dried grass and green moss externally, and plastered within with rotten wood, mixed with cow dung or clay, and so compactly as to hold water, a circumstance which, in a rainy season, sometimes proves fatal to the eggs. The latter are four or five, of a blue colour, and spotted with black at the larger end. The nest is sometimes placed on the stump of a tree, very near the ground, or against the side of a tree, and frequently in a hedge, or solitary bush. Though the thrush feeds on berries and insects in general, it is particularly fond of shelled snails, especially of the helix nemoralis, whose shell it breaks by repeated strokes against a stone. It is not uncommon to find a great many fragments of shells together, as if a number had been conveyed to one particular place for the purpose. This species breeds twice, and sometimes thrice in the year, and consequently continues long in song. Like the preceding, it is very hurtful to vineyards.

Mocking bird, or mimic thrush.—Dusky-ash above; Pogonias pale ash beneath; primary quill feathers white on the outer half; bill black; irides yellow; tail four inches long; legs cinereous. Nine inches and a half long. Inhabits the moist woods of Virginia, Carolina, Jamaica, &c. In the summer is seen much more to the northward than in winter. This singular species not only imitates musical and solemn notes of its own, but can at pleasure assume the tone of every other animal in the forest, from the humming bird to the eagle, and descending even to the wolf or the raven. One of them, confined in a cage, has been heard to mimic the meowing of a cat, the chattering of a magpie, and the creaking of the hinges of a sign-post in high winds. It is said to take a pleasure in archly deceiving other birds, alluring the smaller kinds, for example, with the call of their mates, and then terrifying them with the scream of an eagle. In the warmer parts of America, it sings incessantly from March to August, both day and night, beginning with its own compositions, and frequently finishing by borrowing from the whole feathered quire, repeating its tunes with such artful sweetness as to excite both pleasure and surprize. The female frequently builds her nest in the bushes or fruit trees about houses, but is so very shy, that if a person only looks at the nest, she immediately forsakes it. It feeds on grashoppers, different kinds of berries, &c. and is itself eaten by the Americans, who account it very delicate food.

Mocking thrush.—Back brown; breast and lateral Orpheus tail feathers whitish; eyebrows white. Eight inches and a half long; inhabits South America, and resembles the last in its fine song and imitative notes.

Pagoda thrush.—Black; back and rump gray; vent Pagoda-white; rum. white; head crested. Size of a finch. Inhabits Malabar and Coromandel, chiefly about the temples and pagodas.

Chili thrush.—Glossy black; bill somewhat striated; tail wedged; bill, eyes, legs, and feet black; tail five inches long. About the size of the miffel; is common in Chili, where it sings sweetly; imitates the notes of other birds, and, when tamed, the voice of man. Feeds on worms, seeds, and even on smaller birds, which it kills by perforating the skull with its bill. Congregates with starlings, and makes a nest of twigs and fibres, mixed with mud, and lined with hair. Lays three bluish-white eggs.

Rufé-coloured thrush.—Pale rufé; head, wings, and tail black; hind head crested. About eight inches long. Inhabits Europe and Asia, and has been found, though very rarely, in England. As it feeds chiefly on locusts, it is held sacred by the Turks.

Myzicet thrush.—Reddish-brown, varied with transverse dark streaks; whitish beneath; chin, cheeks, and throat reddish-orange; a black blotch spotted with white on each side of the neck. Four inches long. Inhabits the woods of Cayenne. Is solitary; feeds on ants and other insects, and is celebrated for its sweet and variable note.

Chiming thrush.—Brown above; under parts and rump reddish-tawny; chin white; cap and cheeks white, spotted with black; eyebrows and streaks behind the eyes black. Four inches long. Inhabits the woods of Cayenne and Guiana. Its note resembles the chiming of bells.

Alarum thrush.—Brown above; white beneath; breast spotted with black; tail even; bill black above, white beneath; legs pale plumbeous. Six inches and a half long. Inhabits Cayenne. Every morning and evening, for the space of an hour, cries with a harsh loud voice, like an alarm bell.

King thrush.—Reddish-brown above, paler beneath; hind head lead-coloured; front varied with white and brown. Seven inches and a half long. Inhabits South America, near the hillocks raised by the white ants, on which it feeds.

Blackbird.—Black; bill and eyelids yellow. Female, and the young male rufé black, and bill dark. There is a variety with the head white, another with the body white and black, and a third entirely white. Inhabits Europe and Asia. A well-known species, admired for its song, which is a thrill kind of whistle of various notes, enlivening the early days of spring. The nest is externally composed of green moss, fibrous roots, &c., having the inside plastered with earth, and then lined with fine dry grass. The female lays four or five blue eggs, thickly covered with pale ferruginous brown spots. The blackbird feeds principally on worms and shelled snails, but is also fond of insects and fruit in general. It breaks the shell of the snail with great dexterity on a stone. In confinement it readily eats crumbs of bread, and flesh either raw or prepared for the table. With us it is never observed to migrate or to congregate, but lives solitary in woods and inclosed situations. It is easily tamed, and imitates other sounds, even that of the human voice.

Ring ouzel.—Blackish; bill yellowish; collar white. Rather larger than the blackbird. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. Is migratory in some countries, but is known to remain and breed in the mountains of Scotland and Wales. When fattened, its flesh is much esteemed. In its habits it is nearly allied to the blackbird.

Reed thrush.—Rusty brown; white tectaceous beneath; quill feathers brown, tipped with reddish. Frequently varies in its markings. Inhabits the reedy marshes of Europe, builds a hanging nest among the reeds, and lays from five to fix yellowish-white eggs spotted with brown. The male sings while the female is sitting.

Songfier thrush.—Greenish-black, shining with blue Cantor, or violet; wings and tail black. Inhabits the Philippine isles in numerous flocks; sings very sweetly, and often lays in pigeon housetops.

Gen. 79. AMPELIS, Chatterer.

Bill straight, convex, somewhat incurved; each mandible notched; nostrils covered with bristles; tongue sharp, cartilaginous, and bifid; middle toe connected at the base to the outermost.

Waxen or Bohemian chatterer.—Hind head crested; secondary quill feathers tipped with red horny appendages; bill and legs black; irides bright ruby; cheeks tawny; throat black, with a small brittly tuft in the middle; head and body reddish-ash above; ocular line and chin black; breast and belly pale purplish bay; lesser wing-coverts brown; greater remote: from the body black, tipped with white; quill feathers black, three first tipped with white; six next with half an inch of the exterior edge yellow; inner white; tail black, tipped with yellow. Length about eight inches; size nearly that of a starling. Inhabits Europe, Northern Asia, and America. Occasionally visits this country, migrating in flocks. In the month of February, it frequents the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, where it feeds on the berries of the mountain ash. It is supposed to breed farther north, and to build in the holes of rocks. Its flesh is excellent.

The other species of this genus are all inhabitants of the warmer parts of America.

Gen. 80. COLIUS, Coly.

Bill short, thick, convex above, and flat beneath; upper mandible bent down at the tip; nostrils small at the base of the bill, and nearly covered with feathers; tongue jagged at the tip; tail long and wedged.

Cape coly.—Outermost tail feathers white on the outside; body cinereous; whitish beneath. Ten inches and a quarter long. Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.

Panayan coly.—Above yellowish-ash colour; beneath Panayensis rufous; breast freckled with black; head crested; bill black; legs pale flesh colour; tail very long, the feathers of which are of different lengths. Native of Panay, one of the Philippine islands.

Green coly.—Shining green; hind head and eyelids viridis; silky black; wings and tail blackish. Twelve inches long. Inhabits New Holland.

Indian coly.—Cinereous above; rufous beneath; hind Indicus head and chin yellow; lore and naked orbits yellow. Fourteen inches long. Inhabits India. Gen. 81. Loxia, Grosbeak.

Bill strong, thick, convex, and rounded at the base; lower mandible bent in at the edge; nostrils small, round at the base of the bill; tongue truncated.

Crosbill, or feld apple.—Mandibles croiling each other; body varying in colour; wings and forked tail brown; varies, with a reddish head and scarlet body. Male red, varied with brown and green. Female olive green, mixed with brown. Weighs about an ounce and a half; length near six inches and a half. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Is not known to breed with us, but is more or less found among fir plantations from June to the latter end of the year, feeding on the feed by dexterously dividing the scales of the cones, for which purpose the bill is admirably adapted. It is sometimes found in orchards in autumn, and will readily divide an apple to get at the kernels. Many are taken with a bird-call and birdlime; and others by a horse-hair noose fixed to a long fishing rod; for so intent are these birds on picking out the seeds of the cone, that they will suffer themselves to be taken by the noose being put over their head. The crosbill breeds in the northern countries early in the month of March, on the tops of the pine trees, making its hemispherical nest of twigs, and of the Sphagnum arboreum, two inches and a half thick, lining it with the lichen floridus, and stopping up the chinks with rosin. It is capable of being tamed, and in confinement climbs up the wires of a cage by the claws and beak.

Grosbeak, or hawfinch.—Chefnut ash; wings with a white line; middle quill feathers rhombic at the tips; tail feathers black at the base of the thinner web; orbits and chin black; tail spotted with white within. The length of this species is fix inches; weight about two ounces. The plumage is subject to great variety. It inhabits Europe, and usually appears in Britain in the autumn, continuing till April, and appearing in small flocks of four or five, but not commonly. It is more plentiful in France, and breeds in Burgundy in April. The nest is composed of dried fibres intermixed with liverwort, and lined with finer materials. The eggs are of a bluish green spotted with olive brown, with a few irregular black markings. This bird lives on the kernel of the almond, walnut, and cherry, breaking with the greatest ease their hard stones with its bill.

Pine grosbeak.—Wings with a double white line; tail feathers all black; head, neck, breast, and rump in the young bird, red; in the old yellow; female olive. Nine inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America, but is limited to the northern regions of these quarters of the globe, and especially to the pine forests. In this island it is only found in the north of Scotland, where it is also supposed to breed. It sings excellently, and during the night, but soon ceases. It builds in trees pretty near the ground a nest of small sticks, and lines it with feathers, laying four eggs. Its food is the seed of the pine.

Bullfinch.—Cinerous; head, wings, and tail black; coverts of the tail, and hindmost quill feathers white; crown black; breast cinerous; belly of the male red, of the female chefnut. Scarcely fix inches long, and liable to vary in its markings. Inhabits Europe and Siberia.

In summer it frequents woods, and in winter haunts orchards and gardens, where it preys on the young buds of the trees. It is not gregarious, but is usually observed in pairs, or in broods, and remains with us all the year, making a nest of small dry twigs, lined with fibrous roots, in some thick bush, either in woods or hedges, about the latter end of April or beginning of May, and laying four or five eggs of a bluish-white, speckled and streaked with purple, and rather larger than those of a linnet. The native notes of the bullfinch are few, but remarkably soft, and uttered in so low a tone as to escape a common observer; the call notes are simple, but more audible. In confinement it becomes very docile, and may be taught a great variety of tunes, and even to imitate human speech. But it also acquires harsh strains with equal facility. A friend of the Comte de Buffon saw one of this species that had never heard any person whistle but carters; and it whistled with their strength and coarseness. These birds are also susceptible of strong and durable attachments. Some have been known, after escaping and living a whole year in the woods, to recognise the voice of their mistress, and return to forsake her no more, and others have died of melancholy on being removed from the first object of their attachment.

Cardinal grosbeak.—Crested; red; frontlet black; Cardinalis bill and legs blood red; crest, when erect, pointed. Nearly eight inches long. Inhabits North America. From the melody of its song, some of the Americans call it nightingale. In spring, and during great part of summer, it fits on the tops of the highest trees, and makes the forests echo with its song. During summer, it lays up its winter provision of maize and buck-wheat. Nearly a bushel of the former grain has been found in the retreat of one of these birds, artfully covered with leaves and small branches of trees, and only a small hole left at which the bird enters. In cages it will sing with a very short interval of silence, through the whole year.

Molucca grosbeak.—Colour brownish; the head, Moluccan-throat, and tail feathers are black; beneath waved. Plate white and black; bill black; hindhead, wings and legs brown; rump waved white and black. Four inches long. Inhabits the Molucca islands.

Hamburgh grosbeak.—Head and neck chefnut above; Hambur- Plate gin, band in the middle of the white throat and round-gia. ed tail brown; back, breast, and rump yellowish-brown, spotted with black; belly, vent, and two bands on the wing-coverts white. Nearly fix inches long. Inhabits the neighbourhood of Hamburgh. Feeds on insects, and climbs trees like the creeper.

Greenfinch, or green grosbeak; provincially green Chieriu. kinnel.—Yellowish green; primary quill feathers edged with yellow; four lateral tail feathers pale yellow at the base; bill brownish; legs flesh coloured; female browner. Rather larger than the house sparrow; weight nearly eight drams; length fix inches and a half. Inhabits Europe and Kamtchatka; is very common in most parts of this country in summer; becomes gregarious in winter, and associates with chaffinches and yellow hammers; but in severe weather migrates from particular districts. It is rather a late breeder. The nest is composed of small dry twigs, bents, and mofs, interwoven with wool, and lined with hair and feathers. It is commonly placed among ivy surrounding a tree, or in some thick bush. The eggs are four or five; white, speckled with rusy red at the larger end, and much like those of the linnet, but larger. The principal food of this bird is seed and grain. It is easily tamed if held on one's fingers in the dark, and heated gently. Though its native song is thrilling, in confinement it will catch the notes of other birds.

Brinstone grosbeak.—Olive brown; throat and belly pale yellow; eyebrows yellow. Nearly fix inches long. Inhabits in flocks near the Cape of Good Hope, frequents the banks of rivers, and builds a pendulous nest, with a long neck beneath, in trees and shrubs.

Bengal grosbeak.—Gray; crown yellow; temples whitish; belly whitish, spotted with brown. "This bird (says Sir William Jones) is exceedingly common in Hindoostan; he is astonishingly sensible, faithful and docile; never voluntarily deserting the place where his young are hatched, but not averse, like most other birds, to the society of mankind, and easily taught to perch on the hand of his master. In a state of nature he generally builds his nest on the highest tree that he can find, especially on the palmrya, or on the Indian fig tree, and he prefers that which happens to overhang a well or a rivulet; he makes it of grafts, which he weaves like cloth, and shapes like a large bottle, suspending it firmly on the branches; but so as to rock with the wind, and placing it with its entrance downward to secure it from birds of prey. Its nest usually consists of two or three chambers; and it is popularly believed that he lights them with fire flies, which he is said to catch alive at night, and confine with moist clay or with cow dung. That such flies are often found in his nest, where pieces of cow dung are also stuck, is indubitable; but as their light could be of little use to him, it seems probable that he only feeds on them. He may be taught with ease to fetch a piece of paper, or any small thing that his master points out to him. It is an attested fact, that if a ring be dropped into a deep well, and a signal given to him, he will fly down with amazing celerity, catch the ring before it touches the water, and bring it up to his master with apparent exultation; and it is confidently affirmed, that if a house or any other place be shown to him once or twice, he will carry a note thither immediately on a proper signal being made. One instance of his docility I can myself mention with confidence, having often been an eye witness of it. The young Hindoo women at Benares, and in other places, wear very thin plates of gold called teera, slightly fixed, by way of ornament, between their eyebrows; and when they pass through the streets, it is not uncommon for the youthful libertines who amuse themselves with training these birds, to give them a signal which they understand, and send them to pluck the pieces of gold from the foreheads of their mistresses, which they bring in triumph to their lovers."

Brown-cheeked grosbeak.—Dirty greenish; cinereous beneath; cheeks brown, surrounded with a yellow fringe. Inhabits Mexico, and sings delightfully.

Philippina. Philippine grosbeak.—Brown; yellowish-white beneath; crown and breast pale yellow; chin brown. Inhabit the Philippine islands. A variety found in Abyssinia, has the tail and quill feathers greenish brown, and edged with yellow. Constructs a nest like the bengalensis.

Abyssinian grosbeak.—Yellowish; crown, temples, throat, and breast, black; shoulders blackish; quill and tail feathers brown, and edged with yellow; irises red; wing-coverts brown, edged with gray; legs reddish-gray. Size of the hawfinch. Inhabits Abyssinia. This bird forms a curious nest of a pyramidal shape, which is suspended from the ends of branches like the nests of some others of this tribe. The opening is on one side, facing the east; the cavity is separated in the middle by a partition of half its height; up this the bird ascends perpendicularly, and then descending on the other side, forms its nest in the further chamber. By this means the brood is defended from snakes, squirrels, monkeys, and other mischievous animals, besides being secured from the rains, which in that country fall sometimes for five or fix months together.

Penfille grosbeak.—Green; head and throat yellow; Penfille ocular band green; belly gray; vent rufous red; bill, legs, tail and quill feathers, black; the last edged with green. Size of a house sparrow. Inhabits Madagascar. Constructs a hanging nest of straw and reeds, shaped like a bag with an opening beneath, on one side of which is the true nest. The bird does not choose a new situation every year, but fastens a new nest to the end of the last, so that five may sometimes be seen hanging from one another. Builds in large societies, and produces three at each incubation.

Sociable grosbeak.—Rufous brown; yellowish be- Sociable neath; frontlet black; tail short; bill black; region of the ears yellowish; legs brown. Inhabits the interior parts of the Cape of Good Hope, where they were first discovered by Mr Paterfon. They build their nests in a species of mimosa, which grows to an uncommon size; and which, from its ample head and strong wide spreading branches, is well calculated to admit and support their dwellings. The tallness and smoothness of its trunk are also a perfect defence against the invasions of the serpent and monkey tribes. In one tree described by Mr Paterfon, there could not be fewer than from eight hundred to a thousand nests under one general roof. Mr Paterfon calls it a roof, because it resembles that of a thatched house, and projects over the entrance of the nest below in a very singular manner. "The industry of these birds (says this traveller) seems almost equal to that of the bee. Throughout the day they seem to be busily employed in carrying a fine species of grafts, which is the principal material they use for the purpose of erecting this extraordinary work, as well as for additions and repairs. Though my short stay in the country was not sufficient to satisfy me by ocular proof, that they added to their nest as they annually increased in numbers; still, from the many trees which I have seen borne down by the weight, and others which I have observed with their boughs completely covered over, it would appear that this is really the case. When the tree, which is the support of this aerial city, is obliged to give way to the increase of weight, it is obvious that they are no longer protected, and are under the necessity of building in other trees. One of these deserted nests I had the curiosity to break down, to inform myself of the internal structure of it, and found it equally ingenious with that of the external. There are many entrances, each of which forms a regular street with nests on both sides, at about two inches distance from each other. The grafts with which they build is called the Bohman's grafts; and I believe the seed of it to be their principal food; though, on examining their nests, I found the wings and legs of different insects. From every appearance, the nest which I dissected had been inhabited for many years; and some parts of it were much more complete than others. This, therefore, I conceive to amount nearly to a proof, that the animals added to it at different times, as they found necessary from the increase of the family, or rather of the nation or community."

Grenadier greybeak.—Gray; bill, front, and belly, black; neck and rump tawny; sometimes the wings are white, and the tail is brown. Size of a sparrow; inhabits Africa, and is found chiefly in marshy and reedy grounds. The nest is formed among the reeds with small twigs, so closely interwoven with cotton, as not to be penetrated by any weather. It is also divided into two compartments, of which the upper is for the male, and the lower for the female and the young.

Among various other species which we have not room to describe, there are two or three of a very small size, which inhabit Surinam.

Gen. 82. Emberiza, Bunting.

Characters. Bill conical; mandibles receding from each other from the base downwards, the lower with the sides contracted, the upper with a hard knob within.

Nivalis. Snow bunting, snow bird, or snow flake.—Quill feathers white, the primaries black on the outer edge; tail feathers black, the three lateral ones white; bill and legs brown. Besides the varieties induced by age, sex, and climate, there are others which seem to be more permanent. In winter, the whole body, except the back and middle coverts, often becomes nearly white. Somewhat larger than the chaffinch. In summer, inhabits in vast flocks, the north of Europe, Asia, and America. In winter, migrates to some warmer climate. Breeds in some of the mountains of Scotland, where it is sometimes mistaken for the ortolan. It builds in the fissures of rocks, constructing a nest of grass and feathers, lined with the hair and wool of the arctic fox or other quadruped, and lays five eggs. It sings well, sitting on the ground, feeds on grain, and is wakeful during the night. It is taken in great numbers in winter, when it is fat, and its flesh esteemed delicate.

Alugelina. Tawney bunting.—Quill feathers dusky, white at the base, the last wholly black; tail feathers black, the middle ones at the edge, and three lateral ones, white on each side, with a dusky spot without. Nearly seven inches long. Inhabits with the last; but is more rare. In some places it is called sea-lark and brambling.

Mountain bunting, lesser mountain finch or brambling.—Five first quill feathers blackish-brown, the rest white, spotted with brown at the tips; tail feathers brown, three lateral ones all white on each side; bill yellow, tipped with black; head chestnut; chin white; upper part of the neck and back cinereous; breast and belly with longitudinal flame-coloured spots. Found in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire, but is not common.

Montana. Common bunting.—Brown; spotted with black beneath; orbits rufous; bill and legs brownish; quill feathers dusky; outer edges pale yellow; tail a little forked, edged with white; legs yellowish. Weight nearly two ounces; length seven inches and a half. Inhabits Europe in large flocks during the autumn and winter.

Seems partial to champaign countries, abounding with corn, and is rarely found in uncultivated parts, or in grass fields remote from arable land. While the female is employed in incubation, the male sits on the branch of a neighbouring tree, and cheers her with his rude song. The nest is placed on the ground, formed externally of straw, lined with fibrous roots or dry grass, and sometimes finished with long hairs. The eggs are from four to fix, of a dirty white, spotted and veined with reddish-brown and ash colour. These birds are sometimes brought to market, and sold for larks, to which they are little or nothing inferior, but are easily distinguished by the form of the bill, and the tooth-like knob in the roof of the mouth, by the most common observer.

Ortolan.—Quill feathers brown, the first three whitish Hortulans. at the edges; tail feathers brown, the two lateral ones black on the outer side; bill, naked eyelids and legs yellowish; head and neck olive-ash; chin yellowish, surrounded with a cinereous line; feathers of the back and scapulars brownish-bay, black in the middle; body reddish beneath. The female is distinguished by the head and neck being cinereous, and each feather with a narrow blackish line. Somewhat less than the yellow hammer; length fix inches and a quarter. Inhabits several parts of Europe, but is not found in Britain. Ortolans are common in France, Italy, some parts of Germany, Sweden, &c. migrating in spring and autumn, when they are caught in great quantities, and fattened for the table. For this purpose, they are confined in a dark room, and fed plentifully with oats and millet. They are then killed for sale, and reckoned the most delicate of food. The ortolan will sometimes sing very prettily, its note being not unlike that of the yellow hammer, but finer and sweeter. In some parts, it makes its nest on a low hedge, in others on the ground, and constructs it carelessly, like that of the lark. The female lays four or five grayish eggs, and in general has two broods in the year.—There are five or six varieties.

Yellow hammer, or yellow bunting.—Tail feathers Citrinella. blackish, the two outer ones on the inner edge, with a pointed white spot; bill black; crown, cheeks and body beneath yellow; eyebrows brownish; nape greenish; feathers of the neck and back blackish down the middle, rufous at the sides, and edged with gray; rump pale tawny; wings chestnut, olive or black, mostly edged with gray; lateral ones olive without; the tip edged with white; legs yellowish-brown. The weight of this species is about seven drams: length fix inches. Inhabits Europe, and is one of the most common indigenous birds of this country. Its song is as little attractive as that of the common bunting, possessing only a repetition of the same note, five or fix times successively, and terminating in one more lengthened and thrill. It congregates in winter, approaching housetops, and picking up scattered grains. It does not breed till late in the spring. The nest is generally placed near the ground, in some low bush or hedge, and is composed of straw and various dried flaks, lined with fine dry grass, and finished with long hair. The eggs differ somewhat in colour and size, some being nearly white, and others having a purplish hue, but all more or less marked with hair-like streaks. The number is usually three, four, or five.

Foolish bunting, or foolish sparrow.—Reddish; head Citra. with a few blackish lines; eyebrows white. Size of the yellow yellow hammer. Inhabits Europe and Siberia. Is so tame as to be caught in any snare. Has a trilling note, like that of a yellow hammer.

Cirl bunting.—Brown; breast spotted; eyebrows pale yellow; two outmost tail-feathers with a white wedged spot; bill brown ash; head olive; temples yellow; a black spot between the bill and eyes; throat black, with a yellow band; body yellow beneath; tail slightly forked, the feathers edged with gray. Female freckled with brown beneath; chin and vent white. Length fix inches and a half; weight about seven drams. Inhabits France and Italy. "We first discovered this species," says Mr Montagu, near Kingsbridge in the winter of 1800, not uncommon amongst flocks of yellow buntings and chaffinches, and procured several specimens of both sexes, killed in different places six or seven miles from that place. They are indigenous to Devonshire, but seem to be confined to the southern parts of that county contiguous to the coast, having found them extending as far as Teignmouth, at both of which places we found their nests; but have never observed them far inland. It generally builds in furze or some low bush; the nest is composed of dry stalks, roots, and a little moss, and lined with long hair and fibrous roots. The eggs are four or five in number, cinereous white, with irregular long and short curved lines, terminating frequently with a spot at one end; size rather inferior to those of the yellow bunting, to which it bears great resemblance. These birds pair in April, and begin laying early in May.—The female might readily be mistaken for that sex of the yellow bunting at a little distance, but is materially different when compared, especially in the chestnut colour of the upper parts of this bird. The note is also similar to that of the yellow bunting, but shorter, not so shrill, and the latter part not drawn out to such a length.—It is remarkable, that so common a bird as the cirl bunting seems to be in the west of England, should have so long escaped the notice of British naturalists; but in all probability this has been occasioned by their locality. It is said to be only found on the continent in the warmer parts of France and Italy; so with us it seems confined to the mildest part of England; but the winter of 1800, which was severe in Devonshire, did not force them to seek a warmer climate, but, on the contrary, they continued gregarious with other small birds, searching their food among the ploughed lands."

Familiar bunting.—Cinereous, spotted with brown; tail feathers tipped with white; hind part of the back yellow. Size of a finch. Was found at Java by Obeck, and was so familiar, that if the cage door was opened, it would leap on the first person's hand that was offered; if any one whistled to it, it sang very sweetly in return, and if it saw a dish of water, it went immediately and bathed in it. It was fed with rice.

Rice bunting, or rice bird.—Black; crown reddish; belly black; tail feathers daggered. Six inches and three quarters long. Inhabits Cuba. These birds feed on the early crops of rice in the island of Cuba; but when the rice in Carolina begins to ripen, they quit the island, and proceed to Carolina, in amazing and destructive multitudes. They arrive there in September, while the rice is yet milky; and when it grows hard they return. The birds which thus migrate are all females; but both sexes make a transient visit to Carolina in the spring.

Reed bunting, or reed sparrow.—Head black; body gray and black; outmost tail feathers with a white wedged spot; bill brown; throat and breast black; belly white, streaked with black at the sides; wing coverts and quill feathers brownish red, black down the middle; tail feathers pointed, the eight middle ones black, two middle ones rufous on each edge, the rest on the outer only; legs brownish. Weight near five drams and a half; length fix inches. Inhabits the marshy and reedy districts of Europe and Southern Siberia. A brown variety occurs at the Cape of Good Hope, and a white one about Africam. "It is somewhat extraordinary," observes the intelligent ornithologist quoted above, "that the manners and habits of so common a bird should remain so long in obscurity; even modern authors tell us it is a song bird, that it sings after sunset; and describe its nest to be suspended over the water fastened between three or four reeds. There can be no doubt, however, that the nest, as well as the song, of the fedge warbler, have been taken and confounded for those of this bird; for as they both frequent the same places in the breeding season, that elegant little warbler is pouring forth its varied notes concealed in the thickest part of a bush; while this is conspicuously perched above, whose tune is not deserving the name of song, consisting only of two notes, the first repeated three or four times, the last single and more sharp. This inharmonious tune it continues to deliver with small intervals from the same spray, for a great while together when the female is sitting. The nest is most commonly placed on the ground near water; sometimes it builds in a bush some distance from the ground; at other times in high grass, reeds, sedge, or the like, and even in furze at a considerable distance from any water; in all these situations we have met with it, but never fastened or suspended as authors have related. The nest is composed of stalks of grass, or other dry vegetable substances, sometimes partly moss, and lined with fine grass; frequently finished with long hair. The eggs, which are four or five in number, weigh about 36 grains, and are of a dirty bluish-white or purplish-brown, with numerous dark-coloured spots and veins, much resembling those of the chaffinch.

Whitow bunting.—Black; breast red; four middle tail feathers long and pointed, two very long; bill black. The two middle tail feathers are four inches in length, very broad, and ending in a long thread; the two next are 13 inches or more in length, very broad in the middle, narrower at the end, and rather pointed; from the middle of the shaft of this last arises another long thread; the rest of the tail feathers are only two inches and a quarter long; the two middle long ones are placed somewhat vertically, appear undulated across, and are more glossy than the others; the legs are flesh-coloured. The female is wholly of a deep brown, approaching to black, but does not acquire its full plumage till the third year. This species inhabits Africa, particularly Angola. It moults in November, and also late in spring.

Shaft-tailed bunting.—Four middle tail feathers black, from nine to ten inches long, equal and feathered only at the tip; bill and legs red; body above, and vent, black; body beneath, and throat, temples, and orbits, rufous; neck above spotted with black. Native of Africa. Lefs than the linnet.

Green-headed bunting.—Brown; head and neck olive; Chloreec- back and wing coverts varied with brown and black; tail forked. Only two instances are recorded of this species having been found in England.

Gen. 83. TANAGRA, Tanager.

Characters.

Bill conical, pointed, notched, almost triangular at the base, and a little inclining at the tip.

Red-breasted tanager.—Black; front, throat, and breast, scarlet; bill black; lower mandible silvery, and convex on the hind part; front fountaines black; legs brown. Female purplish-brown; reddish beneath; wings and tail brown. Six inches and a half long. Inhabits South America, frequenting inhabited places, building a pendulous cylindrical nest, and feeding on fruits.

Bijhop tanager.—Cinerous; wings and tail blue without. Six inches and a half long. Inhabits Cayenne, especially about the skirts of the forests, and feeds on the lesser kinds of fruits. During night it roosts on the palm leaves.

Jucanari tanager.—Black violet; wings whitish beneath; tail divaricated and forked; bill and legs cinereous. Inhabits Brazil and Guiana. Is fond of newly cultivated land; haunts small trees, particularly coffee trees. The male frequently hops upwards from a branch, alighting again, first on one foot, and then on the other, accompanying each leap by a note, and spreading out the tail at the same time. The nest is hemispherical, about two inches in diameter, and composed of dried herbs of a gray colour. The eggs are two in number, of a greenish-white, marked with small numerous red spots, deepest and most in number at the large end.

Siberian tanager.—Black; tips of the intercubapular and rump feathers fringed with white; bill short, pale, tipped with brown; tail notched at the tip; legs black. Native of Siberia; size of a thrush.

The other species, which are numerous, and not very distinctly ascertained by authors, seem to differ from one another more in their markings than their habits.

Gen. 84. FRINGILLA, Finch.

Bill conical, straight, and pointed.

This is a numerous and active tribe of birds, very generally dispersed over the world, and feeding principally on insects and grain.

Lapland finch.—Head black; body gray and black; eyebrows white; outmost tail feathers with a white wedged spot. Six inches and a half long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Runs along the ground like a lark, and sings on the wing.

Chaffinch; provincially, beech finch, horse finch, pink, and twink.—Limbs black; quill feathers white on both sides, the three first without spots; two of the tail feathers obliquely white; bill white, but in spring and summer bluish, tipped with black; crown, nape, and sides of the neck hoary; temples and throat reddish; belly and vent reddish-white; wing coverts with a white blotch, the greater with a white band besides; quill feathers yellowish at the edge, and white at the base; tail a little forked; legs brown. The female wants the red on the breast and other parts. Rather less than the sparrow. Inhabits Europe and Africa. Continues with us the whole year; but the females migrate from Sweden to Holland in the autumn, leaving their mates behind, and return in the spring. This bird makes a most elegant nest of green moss, curiously studded with lichen, interwoven with wool, and lined with feathers and hair. It builds against the side of a tree, particularly in ivy, or in some forked branch of a bush; but particularly in apple trees overgrown with moss and lichen, and, like many other birds, adapts the materials of its nest to the surrounding colour. The eggs are four or five, larger than those of the goldfinch, of a dirty white, tinged with purple, marked with streaks and spots of dark purple. Its notes are few, and scarcely deserve the name of song. Both sexes have a monotonous call-note, which seems to express the word twink. This species is subject to several varieties.

Mountain finch, brambling, or bramble.—Base of the Montifring wings fine yellow beneath; bill yellowish, tipped with black; head, neck, and back black; in the female brown; the feathers edged with reddish-brown; rump lower part of the breast and belly white; throat and upper part of the breast reddish-tawny; in the female reddish-gray; lesser wing coverts reddish; middle ones reddish-white; greater black, tipped with white; those next the body reddish at the tip; quill feathers black, edged with yellowish; tail a little forked; legs gray. Rather larger than the preceding; length about six inches. Inhabits Europe and Asia, breeding in the northern regions. Is frequently seen in large flocks in the winter, on the coasts of Kent and Suffolk, when the weather is severe, when it is sometimes so exhausted as to suffer itself to be taken up. They are also found in the interior parts of the kingdom at that season, flying in company with chaffinches and yellow hammers. In hard winters, they are also frequently seen in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. They are partial to the pine forests in the Highlands, and live on beechnut and the seeds of other trees. They build in trees a neat formed of hyphums without, and of wool and feathers within, the female laying four or five yellowish spotted eggs. Their flesh is eatable, though sometimes bitter.

Goldfinch, or thistlefinch.—Quill feathers black; and Carduelis except the outmost marked with fine yellow in the middle; two outmost tail feathers in the middle, and the rest at the tips white; bill white, tipped with black; frontlet scarlet, in the female brown; cheeks, hind head, and belly white; top of the head black; wing coverts black, in the female brown; back, rump, and breast, chestnut-brown. This beautiful species, which is subject to great variety, is rather less than the chaffinch, and inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is gregarious in winter, lives to a great age, subsists chiefly on the seeds of the thistle, hemp, and capitated plants; is docile and easily tamed, and sings delightfully, even in confinement. It sometimes builds in hedges, but most commonly in trees, especially those that are evergreen. The nest is neatly constructed of bents, moss, and lichen, woven together with wool, and sometimes lined with wool, or hair covered with thistle down, or the papus of the willow. The eggs are four or five, of a bluish white, with a few small spots, chiefly at the larger end. The goldfinch readily breeds with the canary and other congeneric birds.

Lepid finch.—Greenish-brown; band above and beneath the eyes and chin orange; breast black. Only half the size of the canary bird. Inhabits the woods of Cuba, and sings with a weak, but very sweet note.

Ethiopian finch.—Deep black; irides rufous. Inhabits habits the woods of America, feeds on fruits and seeds, is easily tamed, and sings with the feathers of the head erected.

Calpa finch.—Reddish-gray; front and chin white; wings and tail black. Inhabits Barbary and Abyssinia, frequents granaries in large flocks, and excels the canary bird in its song.

Beautiful finch.—Green above; neck cinereous; breast yellow; frontlet, chin, rump, and tail red; belly with curved white spots; bill and legs red; rump and tail chestnut red. Five inches long. Inhabits Africa.

Canary bird, or canary finch.—Bill and body straw colour; quill and tail feathers greenish. Is now well known over Europe, into which it was brought from the Canary islands, about the beginning of the 16th century. It is somewhat longer than the siskin, and about five inches and a half in length. With us they are kept in a state of captivity, and partake of all the differences and varieties incident to that condition. Buffon enumerates 29 varieties, and more might probably be added to his list. "The breeding and rearing of these charming birds," says Mr Bewick, "form an amusement of the most pleasing kind, and afford a variety of scenes highly interesting and gratifying to innocent minds. In the places fitted up and accommodated to the use of the little captives, we are delighted to see the workings of nature exemplified in the choice of their mates, building their nests, hatching and rearing their young, and in the impassionate ardour exhibited by the male, whether he is engaged in afflicting his faithful mate in collecting materials for her nest, in arranging them for her accommodation, in providing food for her offspring, or in chanting his lively and amorous songs during every part of the important business. The canary will breed freely with the siskin and goldfinch, particularly the former; it likewise proves prolific with the linnet, but not so readily, and admits also the chaffinch, yellow bunting, and even the sparrow, though with still more difficulty. In all these instances, excepting the first, the pairing succeeds best when the female canary is introduced to the male of the opposite species. According to Buffon, the siskin is the only bird of which the male and female propagate equally with those of the male or female canaries." Great numbers of these birds are reared in the Tyrol. Four Tyrolese usually brought over to England about 1600 of them annually; and though they carried them on their backs 1000 miles, and paid 20l. for such a number, they were enabled to sell them at five shillings a-piece. It is not generally known, that the song of the canary bird is usually composed of the notes of the tit-lark or of the nightingale. Mr Barrington saw two of the species which were imported from the Canary islands, neither of which had any song; and he was afterwards informed, that a ship brought over a great many of them with the same defect. Most of those from the Tyrol have been educated under parents whose progenitors were instructed by a nightingale. Our English canary birds, however, have more of the tit-lark's than of the nightingale's notes. The canary bird lives chiefly on the seeds of phalaris canariensis, cannabis myagrum, brassica napus, avena, &c.

Siskin, or aberdevine.—Quill feathers yellow in the middle; the first four without spots; tail feathers yellow at the base, and tipped with black; crown black; body yellowish; greenish above, breast greenish; wings green; throat brown, of the female white; head and back, in the female, greenish ash, spotted with brown. Four inches and three-fourths long. Inhabits Europe, and is liable to several varieties. Though migratory in most places, it does not seem to observe any regular periods, as it is sometimes seen in large, and at other times in very small numbers. Buffon remarks, that the great flights happen only once in the course of three or four years. It conceals its nest with so much art, that it is extremely difficult to discover it. Kramer informs us, that in the forests bordering on the Danube, thousands of young siskins are frequently found, which have not dropt their first feathers, and yet it is rare to meet with a nest. It is not known to breed in this island; nor is it known whence they come over to us. In some parts it is called the barley bird, from its appearing when that grain is sown. Its song, though not so loud as that of the canary, is pleasing and various. It is docile and familiar in captivity, and will imitate the notes of other birds, even to the chirping of a sparrow. Like the goldfinch, it may easily be taught to draw up its little bucket with water and food. It drinks frequently, and seems fond of throwing water over its feathers. The male breeds freely with the hen canary, and is assiduous in his attention to her, carrying materials for the nest, and arranging them, and, during the time of incubation, regularly supplying her with food.

Bearded finch.—Pale yellow; wings green, spotted Barbata with black and red; chin bearded. Size of the canary bird. Inhabits the mountains of Chili, except in winter, when it descends into the plains. It is easily tamed, sings charmingly, and imitates the notes of other birds.

Greater redpole, or red-headed linnet.—Cheesnut brown; Canabinae reddish-white beneath; wings with a longitudinal white band; tail feathers edged with white on each side; bill black; head and neck cinereous; sides yellow; middle of the belly white; tail forked, dusky, both sides edged with white. Head of the female ash-colour, spotted with black; crown and breast without the red; breast dirty yellow with black lines. Subject to considerable variety in the markings. Five inches and a half long. Inhabits Europe and America. These birds fly in flocks during winter, at which time the males have little or none of the red markings, which in the return of spring they put forth. In many parts they haunt the sea shore, and, in the breeding season, often resort to fuzzy commons. The nest is composed of moss and bents interwoven with wool, and lined with wool and hair. The eggs are four or five, of a bluish-white, with purplish specks and short lines. The redpole sings nearly the whole year, is very familiar, and so easily tamed, as to be cheerful in five minutes after it is taken.

Common or brown linnet.—Cheesnut brown; whitish Linota beneath; wings with a longitudinal white band; tail feathers edged with white on each side. Though this is usually described as a distinct species, it seems to be only a variety of the preceding.

Lesser redpole lesser red-headed linnet.—Brown, varied Linariae with gray; reddish-white beneath; wings with a double white band; crown and breast red; bill and legs brown; back black, the feathers edged, with cheesnut; sides with narrow dusky lines; quill feathers dusky, edged with dirty white; legs dusky. Female with a saffron spot on the front. Weight about two drams and a half; length length five inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. It is gregarious in winter, when many are taken by the bird-catchers near London, &c. under the name of flore redpoe. It breeds in Scotland and the north of England; building in the trunk of the alder a nest of dry sticks and wool, lined with hair and feathers, or willow down. Lays four eggs of a light bluish-green, thickly sprinkled with reddish spots, especially at the larger end.

Mountain linnet, or twite.—Black, varied with reddish; whitish beneath; feathers of the lower part of the neck black in the middle; wings with a white band; rump red; feathers of the throat and breast black, edged with white; middle quill feathers edged; secondary tipped with white. Rather larger than the greater redpoe; length about fix inches and a half. Inhabits Europe. Is gregarious, and has much the habits of the other linnets, with which it associates.

Scarlet finch.—Bright orange; wings and even tail black; quill feathers orange at the outer edge, the primaries tipped with black; bill brownish; legs black. Four inches and a half long. Inhabits the Sandwich islands.

House sparrow.—Quill and tail feathers brown; body gray and black; wings with a single white band; bill black; crown gray; a black spot under each eye; a broad bay mark surrounding the hind part of the head; cheeks white; chin and under side of the neck black, the latter edged with white; lesser wing coverts bright bay; the last row black, tipped with white. The lower mandible of the female white, and a white line beyond each eye. The most remarkable varieties are, 1. white, 2. yellow, clouded with chestnut above, and 3. blackish. Weighs nearly seven drams; length about fix inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. This well known species inhabits the dwellings of the rich and the poor, and is rarely seen far from the habitation of man. It lives on seeds and fruits, and often cunningly avoids the snares that are laid for it. In autumn it is often gregarious, but more frequently so in winter. It does not sing, except when tamed, and then the male will imitate the song of a linnet, or other bird within hearing. It makes a nest conformable to the place which it chooses for incubation, whether in a hole of a wall, in thatch, under the tiles of a house, or in the nest of a martin, or other bird; but when it builds in a tree, the nest is of a large size, and covered at the top, composed of hay and straw, lined warmly with feathers and fragments of thread or worsted, bits of cloth, or any refuse material of that sort found about houses. The female lays fix eggs of a whitish colour, spotted with dusky and cinereous, and usually breeds thrice in the year. Mr Smellie relates a pleasing anecdote of the affection of these birds towards their young. "When I was a boy," says he, "I carried off a nest of young sparrows, about a mile from my place of residence. After the nest was completely removed, and while I was marching home with them in triumph, I perceived, with some degree of astonishment, both parents following me at some distance, and observing my motions in perfect silence. A thought then struck me, that they might follow me home, and feed their young according to their usual manner. When just entering the door, I held up the nest, and made the young utter the cry which is expressive of the desire of food. I immediately put the nest and the young in the corner of a wire cage, and placed it on the outside of a window. I chose a situation in the room where I could perceive all that should happen, without being myself seen. The young animals soon cried for food. In a short time both parents, having their bills filled with small caterpillars, came to the cage; and after chatting a little, as we would do with a friend through the lattice of a prison, gave a small worm to each. This parental intercourse continued regularly for some time, till the young were completely fledged, and had acquired a considerable degree of strength. I then took one of the strongest of them, and placed him on the outside of the cage, in order to observe the conduct of the parents after one of their offspring was emancipated. In a few minutes both parents arrived, loaded as usual with food. They no sooner perceived that one of their children had escaped from prison, than they fluttered about, and made a thousand noisy demonstrations of joy both with their wings and their voices. These tumultuous expressions of unexpected happiness at last gave place to a more calm and soothing conversation. By their voices and their movements it was evident that they earnestly entreated him to follow them, and to fly from his present dangerous state. He seemed to be impatient to obey their mandates; but, by his gestures, and the feeble sounds he uttered, he plainly expressed that he was afraid to try an exertion he had never before attempted. They, however, incessantly repeated their solicitations; by flying alternately from the cage to a neighbouring chimney top, they endeavoured to show him how easily the journey was to be accomplished. He at last committed himself to the air, and alighted in safety. Upon his arrival, another scene of clamorous and active joy was exhibited. Next day I repeated the same experiment, by exposing another of the young on the top of the cage. I observed the same conduct with the remainder of the brood, which consisted of four. I need hardly add, that not one either of the parents or children ever afterwards revisited the excavated cage."—Few birds are more persecuted by the farmers, and, perhaps, more unjustly so, than sparrows; as it has been proved, that they are more useful than noxious. Mr Bradley, in his Treatise on Husbandry and Gardening, shows, that a pair of sparrows, during the time that they have their young to feed, destroy, on an average, every week 3360 caterpillars. He discovered that the two parents carried to the nest 40 caterpillars in an hour. He supposed the sparrows to enter the nest only during 12 hours each day, which would cause a daily consumption of 480 caterpillars. This sum gives 3360 caterpillars extirpated weekly from a garden. But the utility of these birds is not limited to this circumstance alone; for they likewise feed their young with butterflies and other winged insects, each of which, if not destroyed in this manner, would be the parent of hundreds of caterpillars.

Tree or mountain sparrow, Hamburg grebeak of Montana. Latham, &c.—Quill and tail feathers brown; body gray and black; wings with a double white band; bill, chin, and spot on the ears black; head and nape bay; body above reddish-brown, spotted with black; whitish beneath; wing coverts black, edged with rufous; tail feathers blackish, edged with rufous; legs yellowish. Female without the black spots. Five inches and a half long, and rather smaller than the preceding. Inhabits Europe and North America, and is said to be very plentiful tiful in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Lancashire. It is local, and very gregarious.

Ultramarine Finch.—Blue; bill white; legs red. Size of a canary bird. Inhabits Abyssinia, and fings well.

Gen. 85. Phytotoma.

Bill conical, straight, ferrated; nostrils oval; tongue short, and obtuse; feet four-toed.

Rara phytotoma, or four-toed plant-cutter.—Bill thick, half an inch long, and toothed on each side like a saw; irides brown; body ash above; paler beneath; quill and tail feathers spotted with black; tail rounded; hind toe shorter than the fore ones. Inhabits Chili, where it is not uncommon. Has a rough voice, and utters at intervals, the syllable ru, ra, very distinctly. Feeds on vegetables, digging and cutting about their roots with its bill as with a saw, and thus making great havock in gardens. Builds in lofty trees, in retired situations.

Gen. 86. Muscicapa, Fly-catcher.

Bill nearly triangular, notched on each side, bent in at the tip, and beset with bristles at the root; toes in most cases divided to their origin.

The birds of this genus live on insects, particularly flies. Of 92 species, two only inhabit Britain.

Paradise fly-catcher, or pied bird of Paradise.—Crested; head black; body white; tail wedged; two middle feathers very long; head, neck, and chin greenish-black; back, rump, throat, and body white beneath; wing coverts and quill feathers black, edged with white; two middle tail feathers 1 5 inches long; legs lead-coloured. Eight inches and a quarter long. Of this species there are several varieties. Inhabits Asia and Africa.

Forked-tailed fly-catcher.—Tail very long and forked; body black; white beneath. Fourteen inches long. Inhabits Canada and Surinam.

Soft-tailed fly-catcher.—Brown; ferruginous beneath; throat of the male blue; tail long, wedged, with loose webbed feathers. Inhabits New Holland, being found about Sidney and Botany Bay, in marshy places, abounding with long grass and rushes, which afford it a hiding place, and where, like the bearded titmouse, it is supposed to make its nest. When disturbed, its flight is very short; but it runs on the ground with great swiftness. This singular bird, which is but three inches long, is well represented in the fourth volume of the Linnaean Transactions.

Dwarf fly-catcher.—Straw-coloured beneath; head and neck rufous, spotted with black; feathers of the back and wing coverts cinereous; edged with greenish; quill feathers black, edged with gray; tail black and short. Hardly three inches long. Inhabits Cayenne.

Purple-throated fly-catcher.—Black; chin and throat with a large purple red spot. Twelve inches long. Inhabits woods in South America, is gregarious, feeds on fruits and insects, and often associates with the toucan.

Pied fly-catcher.—Black above; under parts, spot on the front, and shield on the wings, white; lateral tail feathers white without; bill and legs black; tail coverts spotted with white. Female brown; white beneath, and wants the frontal spot. About the size of a linnet, and nearly five inches long. There are three or four varieties, and the young birds at first resemble the female. It is local, and by no means plentiful in this island, affecting wild and uncultivated tracts of furze. According to Dr Latham, it builds in some hole of a tree, not very near the ground, making a nest of a few fibres, mixed with moss, and laying fix eggs.

Chattering fly-catcher.—Green; yellow beneath; belly Viridis. and vent whitish; eyebrows and spot under the eyes whitish; tail brown. Seven inches and three quarters long. Haunts unfrequented places in Carolina; is very shy, and flies with its legs extended.

Azure fly-catcher.—Blue; hind head and breast with a black spot; belly and vent bluish-white; quill and tail feathers dusky-blue. Five inches long. Inhabits the Philippine islands.

Fan-tailed fly-catcher.—Olive above, ferruginous beneath; eyebrows, chin, throat, sides of the neck, and ra. lateral tail feathers white; middle tail feathers, head, and collar black. Six inches and a half long. Inhabits New Zealand. Flies with its tail expanded like a fan; and is easily tamed.

Black fly-catcher.—Totally black; bill, head, and Nigra. legs dusky black. Inhabits Society islands.

Active fly-catcher.—Olive-brown; whitish beneath; Agilis. quill and tail feathers black, and edged with olive-brown. Four inches and a half long. Inhabits Cayenne. Is continually hunting after insects, which it picks out from under the bark of trees.

Spotted fly-catcher.—Brownish, whitish beneath; neck Grifola. longitudinally spotted; vent pale-rufous; bill black, whitish at the base; inside of the mouth yellow; head large, brownish, and spotted with black; back monocoloured; wings and tail black; the former edged with white; chin spotted with red; legs black. About the size of the tit-lark; length five inches and a half. Inhabits Europe. This bird visits us in spring, and departs in September. It frequents orchards and groves, and will make its nest on the limb of some fruit-tree nailed against the wall, or in a hole, sometimes in outbuildings, on the end of a beam or rafter, and at other times against the body of a large tree, on the stump of a decayed branch. The nest is formed of bents, moss, and such materials, interwoven with spiders webs, and lined with feathers. The female lays four or five eggs, not much unlike those of the redbreast, but rather less, and the rust-coloured spots more distinct, and not so much confined to the larger end. Its food seems to be entirely winged insects, though it is said to be particularly fond of cherries, probably from the circumstance of its frequenting the cherry tree for the sake of flies that are attracted by the fruit. As soon as the young birds leave the nest, they are led by the old ones to some neighbouring wood or grove where insects abound, and where they may be seen darting in every direction in pursuit of flies, and frequently returning to the same station. The note of this species is a simple weak chirp, not frequently used till after the young are fled, so that the bird, though not uncommon, is not readily discovered.

Desert fly-catcher.—Body ferruginous and footy; Defertia. wings and tail blackish; bill yellowish. Inhabits the deserts of Arabia. Gen. 87. MOTACILLA.

Bill subulated, straight; the mandibles nearly equal; nostrils obvate; tongue lacerated at the end.

Most of this genus feed on insects; a few are gregarious; and on the approach of winter, migrate to warmer climates.

Nightingale.—Rufous ash, white ash beneath; tail feathers rubous-brown; bracelets cinereous; bill brown; head and back pale mouse-colour, with olive spots; tail red-mouse colour; legs and quill feathers brown-ash, the latter chestnut on the outer edge. About the size of the sky-lark, but of a more slender and elegant form. Weighs fix drams; and measures between fix and seven inches in length. There is a variety with the body somewhat larger, and another that is entirely white. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. Appears in England sometimes in April, but most commonly not till the beginning of May. The females do not arrive till a week or ten days after the males; so that on the first arrival of these birds none but males are caught, a circumstance which has given rise to the supposition, that the proportion of males exceeds that of females. The nightingale is said to be found as far north as Yorkshire, and certainly not farther west than the eastern borders of Devonshire; it is plentiful both in Somersetshire and Dorsetshire. This bird resides wholly in woods and thickets, and is seldom seen. About the latter end of May it prepares a nest of dry leaves, generally of the oak, and lined with dry grats, usually placed on the ground, among the fame materials of which it is composed, so that it is not readily discovered. The eggs are four or five, of an uniform brown colour, and rather larger than those of the hedge-sparrow. As soon as the young are hatched, the song of the nightingale ceases; and it is a mistaken notion that this, or any of the later breeding birds, have a second brood in the same season, except when some accident has befallen the first. The young are not easily reared in confinement. At first they are fed with meal-worms, and afterwards with boiled sheep's heart. The winter residence of this bird is said to be in Asia. The sweetness and variety of its notes have been universally admired, and the more so, perhaps, because they are uttered in the silence of night. In a wild state, it does not sing above ten weeks in the year, while those confined in a cage continue their song for nine or ten months. The honourable Daines Barrington once kept a very fine nightingale for three years, during which time he paid particular attention to its song. Its tone was infinitely more mellow than that of any other bird, though at the same time, by a proper exertion, it could be very brilliant. When it sang its song round, in its whole compass, he observed sixteen different beginnings and closings; at the same time that the intermediate notes were commonly varied in their succession with so much judgment as to produce the most pleasing variety. Sometimes it would continue its song twenty seconds without a pause; whenever respiration, however, became necessary, it was taken as skillfully as by an opera finger. Nightingales will also adopt the notes of other birds, may be instructed to sing by turns, with a chorus, and even to articulate words. The London bird-catchers take them by net traps, baited with meal-worms from the bakers shops. It is with great difficulty that the old birds are induced to sing after being taken; for a considerable time they refuse to eat; but by great attention to their treatment, and avoiding every thing that might agitate them, they at length resume their song, and continue it during the greater part of the year.

Hang-nest warbler.—Greenish-brown above, tawney Calidris beneath; ocular line, and one beneath, black. Size of a robin-redbreast. Inhabits Jamaica, and builds a hanging nest.

Hedge-sparrow, or hedge-warbler.—Gray-brown above; wing-coverts tipped with white; breast bluish-ash; bill blackish; cheeks striped with white; feathers of the back and wing-coverts edged with chestnut; wings and tail dusky; rump greenish-brown; chin and breast cinereous; belly whitish; vent yellowish; legs flesh-coloured. Length five inches and three quarters; weight nearly fix drams. Inhabits Europe; and is one of the few of the warbler tribe that remains with us the whole year. It has a pleasing plaintive song, which it begins with the new year, if the weather is mild, breeds early, making, in March, a nest composed of green moss and wool, and lined with hair, which is placed in some low evergreen shrub, thick bush, or cut hedge, and sometimes in faggot piles. The female lays four or five blue eggs. In default of insects and worms, the hedge sparrow will pick up crumbs of bread, and seems to prefer situations near the habitation of man. The cuckoo frequently makes choice of this bird's nest for the purpose of depositing its egg.

Lesser petty-chaps.—Greenish-ash above, yellowish beneath; belly whitish; limbs brown; eyebrows whitish; upper mandible black, lower bluish; inside of the mouth red; a yellowish line above and beneath the eyes; quill and tail feathers mouse-coloured, and edged with greenish; the shafts black; lower wing-coverts yellow; belly silvery. Weight about two drams; length rather more than four inches and a half; size inferior to that of the yellow wren, which it much resembles in plumage, and with which, and the wood-wren, it has been often confounded. It is the first of the warblers that visits us in the spring, being generally heard on or before the first of April, repeating its song, if it may be called; for it consists only of two notes, which seem to express the words chip, chop, four or five times successively. It is a busy, restless bird, always active among the trees and bushes, in search of insects. The nest is oval, with a small hole near the top, composed externally of dry leaves and coarse dry grats, and lined with feathers. For the most part, it is placed on, or near the ground, frequently on a ditch-bank, or in a tuft of grass or low bush. The eggs are five or six, white, speckled with purplish-red at the larger end only, with here and there a single speck on the sides. This species is found in almost every part of the country where wood or hedges can shelter it. Its note is heard long after the yellow wren is silent; and it remains with us, not unfrequently, till the latter end of October.

Wood-wren.—Olive-green above; throat and cheeks yellow; belly and vent fine silvery; tail feathers brown, and, except the first, green on the outer webs, and white on the inner; bill horn-colour; irises hazel; breast pale-yellow; a yellow line through the eye; tail somewhat forked, and brown; under part of the shoulder bright yellow; legs horn-colour. Weight about two drams drams and forty grains; length five inches and a quarter. The female is rather larger. This is a migrative species, appearing about the end of April, and departing in September. The females arrive ten days or a fortnight after the males. From its great similitude to the yellow wren, it has been little noticed as a distinct species, but is far from uncommon in some parts of England. It seems partial to oak and beech woods, where it may be found by its singular note, expressive of the word twee, drawn out to some length, and repeated five or fix times in succession, terminating with the same notes, delivered in a hurried manner, and accompanied by a shaking of the wings. The nest, which is oval, with a small hole near the top, is constructed of dry grass, a few dead leaves, and a little moss, and is invariably lined with finer grass and a few long hairs. It is placed on the ground, and contains fix white eggs, sprinkled all over with purplish spots.

Petty-chapts, or greater petty-chapts.—Gray-brown above, white beneath; eyebrows whitish; quill feathers brown-ash, edged with gray, the outmost on the outer web, and near the tip on the inner, whitish; bill blackish; lateral tail feathers edged with gray-brown; legs brown. Length fix inches; weight about five drams. Inhabits Europe; and occurs during summer in Lancashire, and in some of the southern counties of England. It chiefly frequents thick hedges, where it makes a nest composed of goose-grass, and other fibrous plants, flimsily put together, with sometimes an addition of a little green moss externally. It usually contains four eggs, about the size of the hedge-parrow's, of a dirty white, blotched all over with light brown, especially at the larger end, where spots of ash-colour also appear. The song of this species is little inferior to that of the nightingale. Some of the notes are sweetly and softly drawn, others quick, lively, loud, and piercing, reaching the distant ear with pleasing harmony, not unlike the blackbird's whistle, but in a more hurried cadence. It frequently sings after sunset.

Sedge warbler.—Cinerous above, white beneath; eyebrows white; bill black; head brown, with dusky streaks; hind part of the neck and back reddish-brown; back spotted with black; tail coverts tawney; wing-coverts dusky, edged with pale brown; tail brown and wedged; legs dusky. Weight about three drams; length five inches and a half. Inhabits fenny situations in Europe. It comes to us about the middle of April, and leaves us again in September. It has a variety of notes, which it utters in a hurried manner, and which partake of those of the fly-lark and swallow, as well as of the chatter of the house-farow. It is frequent by the sides of rivers and watery places, where fedges and reeds grow, among which it makes a nest, composed of a little moss, intermixed with dry stalks, and lined with dried grass, and occasionally a few hairs, sometimes fastened between two or three reeds, sometimes placed on a tuft of rushes, and fastened round the bottom of them, and at other times, in a low bush, or on the trunk of a willow. The eggs are five or fix, of a light-brown colour, mottled with darker shades of the same. Various authors have erroneously ascribed the song of this warbler to the reed-bunting, which has no notes that deserve the name of song, a mistake which has originated from both species breeding in the same places, and the reed-bunting being conspicuous on the upper branches of a tree, while the little warbler, concealed in the thickest part, is heard aloud. It has been remarked, that if it be silent, a stone thrown into the bush, will make it begin singing instantly, and that it will also sing during a moon-light night.

White-throat.—Cinerous above, white beneath; first Sylvia. tail feathers longitudinally half-white, the second tipt with white; bill black, white at the base; head brown-ash; back reddish. Female, with the breast and belly snowy. There is a variety that is reddish-ash above, and reddish-white beneath, with the throat white; the outmost tail feathers on the upper part of the inner side, and whole of the outer side white. Weight about four drams; length five inches and three quarters. Inhabits Europe, and is very common in our inclosed countries. It arrives about the middle of April, and enlivens our hedges with its song, when it erects the feathers on the crown of the head. The nest is made of goose-grass, lined with fibres, and sometimes a few long hairs, but is of so flimsy a texture that it can afford little warmth to the eggs of young. It is generally placed in some low bush, among nettles or other luxuriant plants. The eggs are four or five, of a greenish-white, and speckled all over with light brown or ash-colour. The white-throat feeds on insects and berries, and frequents our gardens in the summer, for the sake of cherries and currants.

Lesser white-throat.—Brown-ash, dirty-white beneath; Sylvia. two middle tail feathers shorter and subulated; bill dusky, the base beneath yellowish; irides dusky; crown deeper than the body; legs brown. Scarcely five inches long. Though not so common as the preceding, it occurs in many of the hedges of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire; builds in low shrubs, and has a shrill whistling note.

Epicurean warbler.—Brownish, white beneath; breast Ficedula. spotted with cinereous. About five inches long. Inhabits Europe. Its flesh is reckoned delicious.

Darford warbler.—Chefnut above, ferruginous beneath; middle of the belly, edge of the quill feathers, liliporous wings, and outside of the outmost tail feather white; eyebrows red; bill black, the base beneath white; irides scarlet; tail black, and as long as the body; legs yellow. Inhabits Provence, and rarely England. A pair were shot on a common near Dartford in 1773, and others have since been observed about Falmouth, Wandworth, &c. As yet the nest and eggs are unknown. It is rather larger than the common wren, and five inches and a half in length. It is a shy bird, concealing itself among the thickest furze, on the leaf alarm, and creeping from bush to bush. The shortness of the wing and length of tail give it a singular manner of flying, which is in short jerks, with the tail thrown up. Its note is a weak but shrill piping noise, several times repeated.

Penfile warbler.—Gray, yellow beneath; belly and Penfils. eyebrows white; lores spotted with yellow; wing-coverts with alternate white and black bands. Nearly five inches long. Inhabits St Domingo, and some of the West India islands, where it feeds chiefly on insects and fruits; and has a very delicate song, which is continued throughout the year. "The facility displayed by this bird (says Mr. Bingley), in building and placing its nest, is truly remarkable. She does not fix it at the forking of the branches, as is usual with most other birds, but suspends it to binders hanging from the netting, which the forms from tree to tree, especially those which fall from branches that hang over the rivers and deep ravines. The nest consists of dry blades of grass, the ribs of leaves, and exceedingly small roots, interwoven with the greatest art; it is fastened on, or rather it is worked into, the pendent strings. It is in fact a small bed rolled into a ball, so thick and compact as to exclude the rain; and it rocks in the wind without receiving any harm. But the elements are not the only enemies against which this bird has to struggle; with wonderful sagacity it provides for the protection of its nest from other accidents. The opening is not made on the top nor side of the nest, but at the bottom. Nor is the entrance direct. After the bird has made its way into the vestibule, it must pass over a kind of partition, and through another aperture before it descends into the abode of its family. This lodgment is round and soft, being lined with a species of lichen, which grows on the trees, or with the silky down of plants.

White or water wagtail; provincially, diph/wa/ber, or wa/ber/woman.—Breast black; two lateral tail feathers obliquely half white; bill, hind head, nape, throat, and legs black; front, orbits, sides of the neck, and belly white; body cinereous above; greater quill feathers blackish; secondary, and wing coverts dusky, and edged with gray; middle tail feathers black, and edged with gray. Female with the crown brown. Weight nearly fix drams; length seven inches and a half. This species inhabits almost every where; is a very active bird, and continually in motion, running after flies. In this country, as the weather becomes severe, it is apt to haunt marshes that are subject to the flow of the tide. Early in spring they return to their usual summer situation; and from the number which are sometimes seen together at this time attending sheep-folds and newly ploughed fields, we may presume that they are gregarious in their flights. In the breeding season they seem to prefer pleasure grounds that are constantly mowed, on which they run unencumbered, and where the insects have not sufficient cover to evade their sight. The nest is found in various places, sometimes on the ground, in a heap of stones, the hole of a wall, or on the top of a pollard tree. It is composed of moss, dried grass, and fibres, put together with wool, and lined with feathers or hair. The eggs are four or five, white, and spotted all over with light brown and ash-colour; weighing about forty grains, and much resembling that of the cuckoo, which bird frequently makes choice of the wagtail's nest, in which to deposit her egg. It sings very prettily early in spring, and frequently gives the alarm on the appearance of a hawk, which it pursues in company with the swallows. The young birds have no black on the throat till the returning spring, and the old ones lose it in winter. In this state they have been erroneously described as a variety.

Yellow wagtail.—Breast and belly yellow; two lateral tail feathers obliquely half white; bill and legs black; hind claw very long; body olive above; band through, and one beneath the eyes, black; throat with a few black spots; middle and greater wing-coverts black, edged with yellowish; tail black. Female with whitish eyebrows. Length fix inches and a half. Inhabits Europe and Asia. Visits this country in April, and departs in September. It frequents arable land, especially in the more champaign parts, and sometimes uncultivated ground, interperforated with furze. It is also partial to bean fields; and breeds in all such situations, being more negligent of water than the white or gray wagtail. The nest is always placed on the ground, composed of dried stalks and fibres, and lined with hair. The eggs are four or five; not very unlike those of the fedge warbler. Its note is more shrill than that of the white, and less so than that of the gray wagtail.

Wheatear.—Back hoary; front, line above the eyes, Oenanthe, rump, and base of the tail white; a black band through the eyes; crown, neck, and back reddish-gray; eyebrows, rump, upper tail coverts, and upper half of the tail white; lower half, legs, and quill feathers black, the latter edged with reddish-brown; body yellowish-white beneath. The female wants the line over the eyes. There are, however, several varieties. Weighs about fix drams and a half; length near fix inches and a half. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. This bird visits England annually in the middle of March, and leaves it again in September. In some parts they are found in great plenty, and are much esteemed. About Eastbourne in Sufix, they are taken in snares made of horse-hair, placed beneath a long turf. Being naturally very timid, the motion even of a cloud, or the appearance of a hawk, will immediately drive them into the traps. These last are first set, every year on St James's day, the 25th of July; soon after which they are caught in astonishing numbers, considering that they are not gregarious, and that more than two or three are scarcely ever seen flying together. The number annually ensnared in the district of Eastbourne alone, is said to amount to nearly two thousand dozen. The birds caught are chiefly young ones; and they are invariably found in the greatest number when an easterly wind prevails. They are very fat in autumn, and esteemed a great delicacy, little inferior to the ortolan. They live chiefly on insects and earth worms, frequent open stony places, warrens, downs, &c. and breed in stone walls, old rabbit holes, or under stones, making a large nest of dry grass, rabbit's down, feathers, and horse-hair. The female lays five or six eggs, of a uniform pale blue colour. The wheatear sings prettily, and not unfrequently on wing, hovering over the female.

Whinchat.—Blackish; eyebrows white; wings with two white spots; chin and breast yellowish; bill and legs black; chin white; tail white; the lower third part blackish; two middle feathers all blackish. Weighs about four drams and a half; length full five inches. Inhabits Europe, and appears in this island about the middle of April, frequenting the same places with the stonechat, and corresponding with it in most of its habits.

Stonechat, or moor titling.—Gray, pale rufous beneath; throat with a white band; lores black; bill and legs blackish; head and neck nearly black; body above blackish, varied with pale rufous; breast and belly reddish-yellow; vent and rump white; tail feathers black, the two outmost, on the outer edge and tip, pale ferruginous; quill feathers black, edged with ferruginous; those next the body at the base, and wing-coverts, with a white spot. Female varied with blackish and reddish. Weight about five drams; length five inches and a quarter. Inhabits hedges and dry moors in Europe and Siberia. Feeds on insects and worms, and frequently ly sits on the uppermost sprays, darting at every fly that passes. The nest is placed on, or very near the ground, at the bottom of a furze bush, or some similar situation, is composed of moss and bents, lined with hair, and sometimes mixed with small feathers. The eggs are five, of a blue colour, with small rufous spots at the larger end. When the young leave the nest, the old birds are extremely bold and clamorous, and are as artful in enticing any one from their young as they are in concealing their nest. In the early part of the spring, the stonechat sings very prettily, springing into the air, and suspending itself for some time on wing. But as it breeds so early, its song is of short duration.

Blackcap.—Brick-colour above, cinereous beneath; cap dusky-black; bill brown; crown black, in the female chestnut; body greenish-ash above, gray beneath, gradually growing white; temples gray; quill and tail feathers brown-ash, edged with greenish-ash, the middle ones very short; legs lead-colour. Of this species there are at least three or four varieties. Length full six inches. Inhabits Europe. It is a migrative bird, visiting us early in the spring and retiring in September. It frequents woods and thick hedges, and seems very partial to orchards and gardens, where it delights us with its charming melodious song, which is very little inferior to that of the nightingale, except in variety of notes. It makes a nest in some low bush or shrub, composed of dried stalks, generally of goose-grass, put together with a little wool, and sometimes a little green moss on the outside, and lined with fibrous roots, on which are frequently placed a few long hairs. The eggs are four or five, of a pale reddish-brown, mottled with a deeper colour, and sometimes sprinkled with a few ash-coloured spots. On the first arrival of this bird it feeds greedily on ivy berries, but forakes that food as soon as the vernal sun has roufed the insect tribe.

Thorn-tailed warbler.—Chefnut, white beneath; crown spotted with yellow; face and eyebrows yellow; wing-coverts rufous, varied with brown; the greater and quill feathers brown; tail wedged, the feathers daggered. Four inches and a half long. Inhabits Terra del Fuego.

Leaft warbler.—Pale brown, whitish beneath; bill and very short tail yellowish. Three inches long. Inhabits New Holland.

Redstart.—Throat black; belly and tail rufous; head and back hoary; front white; bill, cheeks, and legs, black; belly white; rump, breast, and lateral tail feathers rufous; the middle ones brown; wings brown. Female with the crown and back gray-ash; and chin white. Five inches and a quarter long. Inhabits Europe. It is seen in this country only in spring and summer. It builds in holes of walls, or even of houses, or in hollow trees; and lays four or five eggs. It sings prettily, and imitates the notes of other birds. It is less than the redbreast, and moves its tail horizontally.

Blue-throated warbler.—Breast ferruginous, with a blue band; tail feathers brown, ferruginous towards the tip. Size of the redbreast. Inhabits Europe and Siberia. Sings sweetly, and does not migrate.

Superb warbler.—Black blue above, white beneath; feathers of the head long, lax, and turgid; front, cheeks, and lunate on the neck fine blue. Five inches and a half long. Inhabits New Holland.

Reed wren.—Olive-brown above, whitish beneath; lores and orbits whitish-brown; band in the middle of the wings tawny-yellow beneath; tail brown, slightly wedged; under part of the toes greenish-yellow. Upper mandible horn-colour, lower flesh-colour; mouth orange; irises brown; chin white; legs pale-olive. Length scarcely five inches and a half; weight nearly three drams. Has often been confounded with the fedge warbler, to which it is nearly allied in form, size, and habits; but it may at once be distinguished by the greater broadness of the base of the bill, by the want of a light stroke over the eye, and having the upper parts of one plain colour. The nest and eggs are also different. The former is composed of long grass, and the feed-branches of reeds, and lined with the finer parts of the latter. It is very deep, and is generally fastened by long grats to several reeds, which are drawn together for that purpose. The eggs are four or five, rather larger than those of the fedge-warbler, of a greenish-white, blotched all over with dusky brown. This species inhabits near Uxbridge, in the fens of Lincolnshire, and in many parts of the south of England and Wales; arriving about the end of April, or beginning of May, and departing again in September.

Redbreast, or robin redbreast.—Gray; throat and Rubecula-breast ferruginous; bill and legs dusky; tail feathers terminating in an acute angle; belly white; edges of the quill feathers inclining to yellow. There is a variety with a white chin; wing coverts varied with white, black, and rufous; quill and tail feathers black, and edged with rufous; and another that is entirely white. This well-known species is a constant inhabitant of most parts of the European continent, and appears about our dwellings in winter, when the woods and fields are deftite of insects. "When the cold grows more severe (says Buffon), and thick snow covers the ground, it approaches our houses, and taps on the window with its bill, as if to entreat an asylum, which is cheerfully granted; and it repays the favour by the most amiable familiarity, gathering the crumbs from the table, distinguishing affectionately the people of the house, and affluing a warble, not indeed so rich as that of the spring, but more delicate. This it retains through all the rigours of the season; to hail each day the kindness of its host, and the sweetness of its retreat. There it remains tranquil till the returning spring awakens new desires, and invites to other pleasures: it now becomes uneasy, and impatient to recover its liberty." The redbreast generally builds its nest by the roots of trees, in some concealed spot near the ground, composing it of dried leaves mixed with hair and moss, and lined with feathers. The female lays from five to seven eggs, which are whitish, and spotted with rust-colour, and cinereous. In order the more successfully to conceal its nest, we are told, that it covers it with leaves, suffering only a narrow winding entrance under the heap to be left. This bird feeds principally on insects and worms: and its delicacy in preparing the latter is somewhat remarkable. It takes a worm by one extremity, in its beak, and beats it on the ground, till the inner part comes away; then taking it in the same manner by the other end, it cleanses the outer part, which alone it eats. Besides insects, it is fond of the seeds of the spindle tree. It is a solitary and quarrelsome species, inofmouch that two are never seen on the same tree.

Wren.—Gray; eyebrows white; wings waved with Troglodyte-black black and cinereous; bill dark green; head and body deep reddish-brown above; quill feathers alternately barred with black and red; throat yellowish-white; belly and sides crossed with narrow, dusky, and pale reddish-brown lines; tail with dusky bars; legs brownish. Length nearly four inches and a quarter; weight about two drams and three quarters. Inhabits Europe and Asia. Its nest is curiously constructed, and not begun at the bottom, as is the case in most instances, but first traced, as it were, in oval frame-work, and equally fastened in all its parts to a tree, or other support, and afterwards inclosed on the sides and top, a small hole only being left near the latter, for entrance. If the nest is placed under a bank, the top is first begun, and well secured in some small cavity by which the fabric is supported. The materials are generally adapted to the place; if built against the side of a hay-rick, for example, the nest is composed of hay, if against the side of a tree covered with lichen, it is made of that species of moss, &c. The lining is invariably feathers. The eggs are seven or eight, and sometimes more, white, and sparingly marked with small reddish spots. The song of the wren is much admired, being, though short, a very pleasing warble, and louder than could be expected from the size of the bird. This it continues throughout the year; and it has been heard to sing, with apparent unconcern, even during a fall of snow. It also sings very late in the evening, though not like the nightingale, after dark. The wren feeds on insects, which it finds in sufficient abundance to support life, even in the severest winters.

Golden-crested wren.—Greenish; secondary quill feathers yellow on the outer edge, and white in the middle; crown orange; bill black; crest orange (of the female yellow), each side edged with black; body yellowish-green above, reddish-white beneath; wing-coverts dark brown, with two transverse white bars; legs yellow. Inhabits every quarter of the globe. This is the smallest British bird; its weight seldom exceeding eighty grains, and its length three inches and three quarters. It migrates from the Shetland islands in winter, but continues in the Orkneys the whole year. Its song is like that of the common wren, but its voice is weaker. It builds a nest nearly of a round form, with a hole in the side; and lays from fix to eight eggs. It erects or depresses the crest at pleasure. Though not uncommon, it often escapes observation, from the smallness of its size. It has also been remarked, that the female, from some cause which has not yet been discovered, is frequently destroyed during the time of incubation; and the nest, with the eggs, left to decay. Mr Montagu communicates the following interesting details relative to a young family of this beautiful species. "When first I discovered the nest I thought it a favourable opportunity to become acquainted with some of the manners of this minute species, and to endeavour to discover whether the male ever sung by way of instructing the young ones. Accordingly I took the nest when the young were about fix days old, placed it in a small basket, and by degrees enticed the old ones to my study window; and after they became familiar with that situation, the basket was placed within the window; then at the opposite side of the room. It is remarkable, that although the female seemed regardless of danger from her affection to her young, yet the male never once ventured within the room; and yet would constantly feed them while they remained at the outside of the window; on the contrary, the female would feed them at the table at which I sat, and even when I held the nest in my hand, provided I remained motionless. But on moving my head one day, while she was on the edge of the nest, which I held in my hand, she made a precipitate retreat, mistook the open part of the window, knocked herself against the glass, and laid breathless on the floor for some time. However, recovering a little, she made her escape, and in about an hour after I was agreeably surprised by her return, and would afterwards frequently feed the young while I held the nest in my hand. The male bird constantly attended the female in her flight to and fro, but never ventured beyond the window-frame; nor did he latterly ever appear with food in his bill. He never uttered any note but when the female was out of sight, and then only a small chirp. At first there were ten young in the nest, but probably for want of the male's affluence in providing food two died. The visits of the female were generally repeated in the space of a minute and a half or two minutes, or upon an average, thirty-fix times in an hour; and this continued full sixteen hours in a day, which, if equally divided between the eight young ones, each would receive 72 feeds in the day; the whole amounting to 576. From examination of the food, which by accident now and then dropped into the nest, I judged from those weighed that each feed was a quarter of a grain upon a medium; so that each young one was supplied with 18 grain weights in a day; and as the young birds weighed about 77 grains at the time they began to perch, they consumed nearly their weight of food in four days, at that time. I could always perceive by the animation of the young brood when the old one was coming; probably some low note indicated her near approach, and in an infant every mouth was open to receive the insect morsel. But there appeared no regularity in the supply given by the parent bird; sometimes the same was fed two or three times successively; and I generally observed that the strongest got most, being able to reach farther, the old one delivering it to the mouth nearest to her, and after each feed the waited a while to see if any waited."

Yellow wren.—Dusky green above, yellowish white beneath; wings and tail brown, and edged with green; eyebrows yellow. Four inches and a half long. Inhabits Europe and America. Frequent wooded and inclosed situations, especially where willows abound. Visits us early in April, and soon begins its usual song, which is short, with little variety. Makes an oval nest, with a small opening near the top, composed of moss and dried grass, and lined with feathers, either in the hollow of a ditch, or in a low bush, close to the ground. The eggs are fix or seven, white, and spotted with light rufi colour. Has often been confounded with the lesser pettychaps, and the wood wren.

Tailor warbler, or tailor bird.—Entirely yellow, and very small, scarcely exceeding three inches in length. Inhabits India. Its nest is composed of two leaves, the one generally dead, which it fixes, at the end of some branch, to the side of a living one, by sewing both together with little filaments (its bill serving as a needle), in the manner of a pouch or purse, and open at the top. Sometimes, instead of a dead and a living leaf, two living ing ones are sewed together, and, when thus connected, seem rather the work of human art than of an uninstruc- animal. After the operation of sewing is finished, the cavity is lined with feathers and soft vegetable down. The nest and birds are together so very light, that the leaves of the exterior and more slender twigs of the trees are chosen for the purpose; and, thus situated, the brood is completely secured from the depredations of every in- vader.

Gray wagtail.—Cinereous above, yellow beneath; first tail feathers entirely; second, on the inner side, white; bill and legs brown; chin and throat black; wing-coverts brown, and edged with ash; quill feathers brown, the secondaries white at the base; middle tail feathers black, and edged with greenish. Weighs about five drams; and measures seven inches and three quar- ters in length. This elegant species inhabits Europe; visits us about the latter end of September, and departs in April. It is much in motion, constantly flirts the tail, seldom perches, frequents waters, makes its nest on the ground, and sometimes on the banks of rivulets, and lays from fix to eight eggs, of a dirty white, marked with yellow spots.

Gen. 88. Pipra, Manakin.

Bill shorter than the head, hard, nearly triangular at the base, and slightly incurved at the tip; nostrils naked; feet gressorial; tail short.

Crested or rock manakin.—Crest erect, edged with purple; body saffron; tail coverts truncated.—Size of a small pigeon; from 10 to 12 inches long; is shy, but may be tamed, if taken young; feeds on small wild fruits, and builds in the clefts of the most remote rocks, laying two white eggs. Inhabits the rocky parts of South America.

Black-capped manakin.—Black above, white beneath; spot on the neck above, and on the wings, white; bill black; legs yellow. Inhabits the woods of Guiana. Is restless and gregarious.

Little manakin.—Gray; head black, speckled with white. Size of a small wren. Inhabits India.

Tuneful manakin.—Black above, orange beneath; front and rump yellow; crown and nape blue; chin and throat black. Four inches long. Inhabits St Domingo. Is very shy, and easily eludes the vigilance of such as attempt to take it. Its note is musical, and forms a complete octave, one note succeeding another.

Gen. 89. Parus, Titmouse.

Bill very entire, narrow, somewhat compressed, strong, hard, pointed, and covered at the base with bristles; tongue truncated, and bristly at the end; toes divided at the origin, the hind one large and strong.

This is a numerous and prolific tribe, some of the species laying from 18 to 25 eggs at a time. Most of them feed on seeds, fruits, and insects, and some on flesh. They are particularly fond of the brains of other birds, which they get at by cleaving the skulls of such as they find dead. They are restless, bold, cruel to birds less than themselves, and will attack such as are three times their own size. Their note is generally unpleasant.

Crested titmouse.—Head crested; collar black; belly white. Nearly five inches long. Inhabits Europe, chiefly in fir woods. Is solitary, and not easily tamed.

Great titmouse, or ox-eye.—Head black; temples white; nape yellow; bill, chin, and tail black; back and wings olive; rump blue gray; belly greenish-yellow, divided in the middle by a band of black, extend- ing to the vent; quill feathers dusky, edged partly with blue, partly with white; exterior fides of the outmost tail feathers white, of the others bluish; inner fides dusky; legs lead-coloured. This species weighs about 10 drams; length five inches and three quarters. It inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa; and is common in many parts of Britain, frequenting gardens and orchards, where it does much mischief by picking off the tender buds of trees. The nest is made of moss, lined with hair, and placed in the hole of a wall, or of a tree. The female sometimes lays eight or ten eggs, but more commonly fix, which are white, spotted with rust-colour, and so exactly like those of the nuthatch, as not to be distinguished from them. The common note of the great titmouse is a sort of chatter; but in the spring it assumes a greater variety, a thrill whistle, and a very singular note, something like the whetting of a saw: but these cease with incubation. A variety was once killed near Faverham in Kent, that had the bill crooked, as in Loxia curvirostra. Its characters were olive brown above, dirty yellowish beneath; head black; temples cinereous, and bill forked.

Creeping titmouse.—Bluish; temples, breast, and back yellowish; flanks purplish. Four inches and three quar- ters long. Inhabits Carolina and Canada. Is con- stantly running up and down trees in search of insects.

Blue titmouse, or tomtit.—Quill feathers bluish, the primaries white on the outer edge; front white; crown blue; bill blackish; line from the bill to the eyes, and one surrounding the temples black; back yellowish-green; wing-coverts blue; quill feathers black, with dusky edges; tail blue, the middle feathers longer; body whitish-yellow beneath; legs and claws black. Length about four inches and a half; weight three drams. Inhabits Europe. This species would proba- bly be more admired for its beauty, if it was less com- mon. In winter it frequents housetops for the sake of plun- der, and will devour flesh greedily, whether fresh or put- rid. It is also a constant attendant where horse-flesh is kept for hounds, and in the farm-yard, being partial to oats, which it plucks out, and retiring to a neighbour- ing bush fixes the grain between its claws, and hammers it with the bill, to break the husk. In summer, it feeds chiefly on insects, in search of which it plucks off a num- ber of young buds from the trees. The nest is always made in some hole, either of a tree or wall, composed of moss, and lined with feathers and hair. The eggs are white, and speckled with rust-colour at the larger end. The female is so tenacious of her nest, that she will often suffer herself to be taken, rather than quit it, and will frequently return again after being taken out. It menaces every intruder in a singular manner, hissing like a snake, erecting all its feathers, and uttering a noise like the spitting of a cat, biting at the same time, feverely, if handled. It has no song, but utters a thrill not quickly repeated.

Colemouse, or cole titmouse.—Head black; back cine- reous; hind head and breast white; bill and chin black; Pafferes. a broad black stripe beneath the eyes, from the bill to the neck; belly and vent reddish white; wing coverts gray, tipped with white; quill and tail feathers brownish-ash, edged with gray; legs and claws lead coloured. Weight about two drams and a quarter; length four inches and a quarter. Has frequently been confounded with the palustris; but it is not so plentiful a species; keeps more to woods; seems to live entirely on insects, and has also a different note.

Marjfo titmouse.—Head black; back cinereous; temples white. The markings are, however, very subject to vary; the length is about four inches and a half; and the weight two drams and a half. Inhabits Europe. With the blue species it partakes of flesh, and haunts the oat-ricks. It seems to be partial to low wet ground, where old willow trees abound, in the holes of which it frequently nests.

Long-tailed titmouse.—Crown white; tail longer than the body; weighs only two drams, and measures five inches and a quarter in length. This very elegant and singular species is confined chiefly to the woods and thickets of Europe and Siberia, where it makes a curious oval nest of lichens, firmly woven together with wool; and having only a small hole on the fide, placed in the fork of some bush or branch of a tree. The female lays from nine to seventeen eggs, which are white, and sparingly marked with small ruff-coloured spots towards the larger end.

Capeaft. Cape aft.—Gray ash; quill feathers black, edged with white; tail black above; bill and legs black. Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope. Constructs a luxurious nest of the down of a species of aclepias; near the upper end projects a small tube, about an inch in length, with an orifice about three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Immediately under the tube is a small hole in the fide, that has no communication with the interior of the nest. In this hole the male sits at night; and thus both male and female are screened from the weather.

Bearded tit-mouse.—Rufous; crown hoary; tail longer than the body; head bearded; vent black; bill pale orange; irides yellow; legs black; tail wedged; whiskers composed of long black feathers; three outer tail feathers black at the base, and whitish at the tips; middle of the breast flesh-coloured; sides and thighs pale orange; six inches and a quarter long. Inhabits marshy situations in Europe. Though it breeds with us, and continues the whole year, its history is little known; and authors differ not only with respect to the shape and composition of the nest, but even with respect to the place of nidification.

Penduline titmouse, or remiz.—Head ferruginous; ocular band black; quill and tail feathers brown, and edged on each fide with ferruginous; four inches and a half long. Inhabits Europe and Siberia, frequenting watery places for the sake of aquatic insects, on which it feeds. The most curious fact in the history of these birds is the exquisite art displayed in the construction of their nest. They employ the light down found on the buds of the willow, the poplar, and the aspen, on thistles, dandelion, &c. With their bill they entwine this filamentous substance, and form a thick close web, almost like cloth. This they fortify externally with fibres and small roots, which penetrate into the texture, and, in some measure, compose the basis of the nest. They line the inside with the same down, but not wo- ven, that their young may lie soft; they shut it above, to confine the warmth, and they suspend it with hemp, nettles, &c. from the cleft of a small pliant branch over some stream, that it may rock more gently, affixed by the spring of the branch. In this situation, the brood are well supplied with insects, which constitute their chief food, and are at the same time protected from their enemies. The nest sometimes resembles a bag, and sometimes a short purse. The aperture is made in the fide, and is almost always turned towards the water. It is nearly round, and only an inch and a half in diameter, or even less, and is often, though not always, surrounded by a brim. These nests are found in the fens of Bologna, Tuscany, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany. The peasants regard them with superstitious veneration, one of them being usually suspended near the door of each cottage, as a charm against lightning.

Languedoc titmouse.—Rufous gray; crown hoary; Narbonen wings and tail blackish, edged with rufous; primarys, quill feathers edged with white; four inches long. Inhabits France. Builds a strong pendulous nest on the forked branch of a tree.

Amorous tit-mouse.—Blackish blue; longitudinal spot Amatorian on the middle of the wings, half yellow and rufous; five inches and a half long. Inhabits Northern Asia, and is remarkable for the mutual affection of the sexes.

Gen. 90. Hirundo, Swallow. Hirundo.

Bill small, weak, curved, subulated, depressed at the base; gape larger than the head; tongue short, broad, clef; wings long; tail mostly forked.

The birds of this genus are readily distinguished, not only by their structure, but by their twittering voice, and their manner of life. They fly with great rapidity, seldom walk, and perform all their functions either on the wing or fitting. By means of their wide mouth they easily catch insects (their principal food) in the air, or on the surface of the water. Naturalists have been much divided in their opinions respecting the migration of the swallow tribe. The Hon. Daines Barrington and others have supposed that they do not leave this country, but that they lie concealed and torpid, during winter, under water, in crevices of rocks, holes in sand banks, &c. In confirmation of this opinion they quote instances which appear to be sufficiently well authenticated. But a migration of the greater part of the birds is not to be contradicted, by what seems to be rather the effect of chance than design. Those that have been hatched late, and have not acquired sufficient strength to accompany their companions in their journey, may alone have supplied the above-mentioned instances. Were all to remain, we should undoubtedly be furnished with more numerous and more generally known examples than have hitherto been recorded. The ingenious Mr John Hunter, on dissecting several swallows, observed in them nothing different from other birds in the organs of respiration, and hence inferred, perhaps too hastily, that none of them can remain, for any length of time, under water. That the migration of swallows does, however, really take place, appears to have been fully proved by a variety of well-attested facts, most of which have been observed by navigators, who were eye-witnesses of the flights of these birds, and whose ships have sometimes af- forsed to them resting places in the course of their toilsome progress.

A. Three toes before, and one behind.

Chimney or common swallow.—Front and chin chestnut; tail feathers, except the two middle ones, with a white spot; bill black; body blackish blue above, whitish beneath; tail very much forked; legs short and blackish; weight between five and fix drams; length fix inches and a half. Inhabits all the quarters of the world; visits us early in April, if the weather be mild, and retires about the end of September or beginning of October. It is supposed to winter in Senegal, and other warm countries. It has got the name of chimney swallow, from the circumstance of breeding in chimneys. It also nests on the beams or rafters of out-houses, and sometimes on rocks. The nest is made of mud, plastered together, and lined with feathers, and is open at top. The eggs are four or five, white, and speckled with rufous red. Its velocity of wing and quickness of flight are truly astonishing, and enable it to pursue its prey with precision and effect. When a fly is taken, a smart snap from the bill is to be heard, not unlike the noise of the shutting of a watch case; but the motion of the mandibles is too quick for the eye. Wonderful is the address with which this bird ascends and descends through the passages of a chimney. When hovering over the roof of the funnel, the vibrations of its wings acting on the confined air, occasion a rumbling like distant thunder. It is not improbable that the female submits to the inconvenience of having her nest low down in the shaft, in order to secure her offspring from the birds of prey, particularly from owls, which are frequently found to fall down chimneys, probably in their attempts to get at the nestlings. The progressive method by which the young are introduced to their proper habits, deserves to be noted. They first, though not without difficulty, emerge from the shaft, and, for a day or two, are fed on the chimney top; thence they are conducted to the dead leafless bough of some neighbouring tree, where, fitting in a row, they are attended by the parents with great affluity. In a day or two after this they are strong enough to fly, but continue still unable to take their own food; they therefore play about near the place where the females are watching for flies; and, when a mouthful is collected, on a certain signal, the dam and the nestling advance, rising towards each other, and meeting at an angle, the young all the while, uttering a short quick note of gratitude and complacency. As soon as the mother has disengaged herself from the first brood, she immediately commences her operations for a second, which is produced about the middle or latter end of August.

Efculent swallow.—Blackish, whitish beneath; all the tail feathers with a white spot; bill black; tail tipped with white; legs brown. Two inches and a quarter in length; in size rather less than the wren. Inhabits China and the islands of the Indian ocean. Many of our readers must have heard of the curious catable nests of this species. The following is the account given of them by Sir George Staunton. "In the Calis, a small island near Sumatra, we found two caverns, running horizontally into the side of the rock; and in these were a number of those birds nests so much prized by the Chinese epicures. They seem to be composed of fine filaments, cemented together by a transparent viscid matter, not unlike what is left by the foam of the sea upon stones alternately covered by the tide, or those gelatinous animal substances found floating on every coast. The nests adhere to each other, and to the sides of the caverns; mostly in rows, without any break or interruption. The birds that build these nests are small gray swallows, with bellies of a dirty white. They were flying about in considerable numbers; but were so small, and their flight was so quick, that they escaped the shot fired at them. The same sorts of nests are said to be also found in deep caverns at the foot of the highest mountains in the middle of Java, at a distance from the sea: from which source it is thought that the birds derive no materials, either for their food, or the construction of their nests; as it does not appear probable they should fly in search of either, over the intermediate mountains, which are very high, or against the boisterous winds prevailing thereabout. They feed on insects, which they find hovering over stagnated pools between the mountains, and for the catching of which their wide-opening beaks are particularly adapted. They prepare their nests from the best remnants of their food. Their greatest enemy is the kite, who often intercepts them in their passage to and from the caverns, which are generally surrounded with rocks of gray limestone, or white marble. The nests are placed in horizontal rows, at different depths, from 50 to 500 feet. The colour and value of the nests depend on the quantity and quality of the insects caught, and perhaps also on the situation where they are built. Their value is chiefly ascertained by the uniform fineness and delicacy of their texture; those that are white and transparent being most esteemed, and fetching often in China their weight in silver.—These nests are a considerable object of traffic among the Javanese, many of whom are employed in it from their infancy. The birds, after having spent nearly two months in preparing their nests, lay each two eggs, which are hatched in about 15 days. When the young birds become fledged, it is thought the proper time to seize upon their nests, which is done regularly three times a-year, and is effected by means of ladders of bamboo and reeds, by which the people descend into the caverns: but when these are very deep, rope-ladders are preferred. This operation is attended with much danger, and several perish in the attempt. The inhabitants of the mountains, generally employed in this business, begin always by sacrificing a buffalo; which custom is observed by the Javanese, on the eve of every extraordinary enterprise. They also pronounce some prayers, anoint themselves with sweet-scented oil, and smoke the entrance of the cavern with gum-benjamin. Near some of the caverns a tutelar goddess is worshipped, whose priest burns incense, and lays his protecting hands on every person preparing to descend. A flambeau is carefully prepared at the same time, with a gum which exudes from a tree growing in the vicinity, and which is not easily extinguished by fixed air or subterraneous vapours."—The nest of this species generally weighs about half an ounce; and is in shape something like a half lemon. The consistency of the several layers of component matter approaches to that of isinglass, or of fine gum-dragon. Such of these nests as are perfectly free from dirt, are dissolved in broth to thicken it, and are said to give it an exquisite flavour; or they are soaked in water to soften them, then pulled in pieces, and, after being mixed with ginseng, are put into the body of a fowl. The whole is then stewed in a pot, with a sufficient quantity of water, and left on the coals all night. On the following morning it is ready to be eaten.

Martin, marlet, martinet, or house martin.—Bluish-black above, white beneath; tail feathers without spots; bill black; mouth yellow; rump white; legs covered with a short white down. There is a variety that has the quill and tail feathers tipped with white. About five inches and a half, and rather inferior in size to the chimney swallow. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and North America. Visits Britain in spring, rather later than the common swallow, making its first appearance in low, warm situations, and if the weather is fine, beginning to build early in May. It builds a close nest, made of straw and clay, and lined with feathers, with a hole at top for admission, in windows, under the eaves of houses, the projecting ornaments of steeples and churches, &c. and sometimes against rocks or cliffs, contiguous to the sea. The eggs are four or five, and pure white. The manners and habits of this well-known species nearly resemble those of the common swallow.

Sand martin, bank martin, or shore bird.—Cinereous; chin and belly white; bill blackish; throat encircled with a mouse-coloured ring; legs black, and downy behind. Four inches and three quarters long. Inhabits Europe and America, in which last country it is called ground swallow. In this country it is not so plentiful as the preceding, with which it associates, and which in its manners it much resembles, except that it nestles in the banks of rivers or sand pits, and makes a nest of straw and dried fibres, lined with feathers.

Purple swallow.—Entirely violet; tail forked; bill black; legs blackish. Female brown. Seven inches and three quarters long. Inhabits Carolina and Virginia, during summer. Is much valued by the inhabitants for its use in alarming poultry on the approach of birds of prey, which it does not only by shrieking, but attacking them with the greatest fury.

Canada swallow.—Bluish black; beneath and mouth whitish-ash; belly white, clouded with brown; quill and tail feathers blackish, edged with brown; legs and claws dusky. Eight or nine inches long. Native of Hudson's bay.

Ambergris swallow.—Grayish-brown; bill blackish; legs brown. Five inches and a half long. Inhabits Senegal. Smells strongly of ambergris.

Red-headed swallow.—Dusky-black, the feathers edged with white; under part of the body white; head red. Size of the least humming bird. Inhabits India.

Black swallow.—Entirely black. Six inches long. Inhabits the interior parts of South America, and builds in a deep hole in the ground, with a long entrance.

Swift, black martin, &c.—Blackish; chin white. Weight nearly an ounce; length about eight inches. Inhabits almost every where. The swift makes its appearance with us later than any of the other species, being seldom seen till May. It frequents steeples, towers, and other lofty buildings, in the holes of which, or under the tiles of houses and barns, it makes a nest of dried grass, lined with feathers, which it collects on wing, sweeping them off the ground in a dexterous manner. Like the swallow, it dips the water, and at the same time, picks up flies as it skims over the surface. The female lays only two white eggs of an oblong shape, larger than that of the swallow; and while she is sitting, the male is continually flying to and from the spot, making a fretching noise, which is its only note. At night, both fit on the nest, or at least roost, in the same hole. In very warm weather, these birds soar to a great height; but in cold or moist weather, fly low in search of flies and other winged insects, which at that time cannot ascend. This species disappears about the middle of August, remaining here no longer than is necessary for its breeding. It is remarkable that it disappears soonest in the best and warmest weather; and that in the very inclement season of 1782, numbers of them were seen in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, so late as the 25th of August, flying about with their usual spirit and vivacity, when the thermometer stood at 36°. It is neither cold, therefore, nor the want of food, which disposes them to quit us so early. They have the process of moulting to undergo, which cannot be performed in a state of torpor. Their place of retirement, however, has not been ascertained.

White-collared swift.—Blackish-violet; head black; Cayenne-collar biiid; ocular band and thighs white. Five inches and one quarter long. Inhabits Cayenne. Builds a long conical nest, with a division in the middle.

Gen. 91. CAPRIMULGUS, Goatfucker. CAPRIMULGUS

Bill slightly curved, very small, tubulated and depressed at the base; mouth extremely wide, and furnished at the sides with a series of bristles; ears very large; tongue pointed and entire; tail unforked, with 10 feathers; legs short, middle claw with a broad ferrated edge.

The birds of this family seldom appear in the daytime, except they are disturbed, or in dark cloudy weather, but wander about in the evening, in search of insects. They lay two eggs on the naked ground. The lateral toes are connected to the middle one by a small membrane.

European or nocturnal goatfucker; provincially night or dorrhawk, churn or goatoval, wheelbird, nightjar, &c.—Black, varied with cinereous, brown, ferruginous and white; beneath reddish-white, with brown bands; irides hazel; legs short, scaly, and feathered below the knees. The male is distinguished from the female by a large oval white spot near the end of the three first quill feathers, and another on the outmost tail feathers. Inhabit Europe, Asia, and America. With us this bird is only a summer visitant, appearing about the middle of May, and departing again the latter end of September, or beginning of October. It makes no nest, but lays two eggs on the bare ground, among fern, heath, or long grass, sometimes in woods or furze, but at all times contiguous to woods, in which it chiefly conceals itself by day. The eggs are larger than those of a blackbird, oblong oval, whitish, and elegantly marbled with light brown and ash-colour. It generally fits on the ground, but if molested, frequently perches on the limb of a tree, most commonly lengthwise, and not across, as is common with most birds. In the dusk of the evening, it begins its flight in pursuit of the larger insects, particularly scarabaeus melolontha, and solitaria, which rise from their earthy abode about that time. It is also fond of the large-bodied moths, and indeed allows few winged winged insects to escape its wide extended gape. It makes a singular noise, like the sound of a large spinning wheel, and which it is observed to utter perched, with the head lowermost; besides which, it utters a sharp squeak, as it flies. It has its name from the ancient, but erroneous belief, that it sucked the teats of goats.

Great gouffucker.—Blackish, with small brown spots and streaks; area of the eyes yellowish; legs white; middle claw not ferrated. Nearly two feet long. Inhabits Cayenne. The gape of its mouth can readily admit a man's fist.

Crested gouffucker.—Waved with brown, black, and whitish; whitish beneath; neck and breast with dusky bands; crest on the front erect, and staccato. Nine inches and a half-long. Inhabits New Holland. No account has hitherto been procured of its manners, except that it appears about our settlement at Port Jackson in March.

Leone gouffucker.—Variegated gray; wings spotted with rufous and black; a very long naked-thafted feather on each shoulder. "This singular species," says Dr Latham, "is about the size of the European one, and not far different from it in the general markings: the length from the bill to the end of the tail is eight inches and a quarter; but the remarkable circumstance belonging to it, is the having a single feather springing out of the middle part of the coverts of each wing, full 29 inches in length: this continues as a plain unwebbed shaft for 14 inches and three quarters, having a few solitary hairs, on the inside only; from thence it expands into a broad web for the remaining five inches and a quarter of its length. This part is mottled, not unlike the darker part of the rest of the plumage, and crossed with five dusky bars; the web or blade has almost the whole of its breadth on the inner side, being there more than one inch broad, but very narrow on the outer part of the shaft; the legs are small. Inhabits Sierra Leone in Africa; several of them have been brought into England," &c.—The same bird is described by Dr Shaw in his Naturalists Miscellany.

We have purposely referred for an Appendix, the following description of menura superba, a bird of New South Wales, by Major general Thomas Davies, F. R. and L. S.

"Menura.

Char. gen. Rostrum validiusculum, convexo-conicum. Nares ovate in medio rostri. Rectrices elongatae, pinnulis decompositis; intermediae duae longiores angustae, exteriores ad apicem patulae, revolutae. Pedes validi ambulatorii.

Menura Superba.

"The total length of this singular bird, from the point of the bill to the end of the broad tail feathers, is 43 inches; 25 of which are in the tail alone. The bill rather exceeds an inch in length, is strong, formed much like that of a peacock, and black, with the nostrils, which are long open slits, rather large, placed near the middle of its length; the head, which is somewhat crested at the hind part, neck, shoulders, back, upper tail coverts, and upper surface of the tail-feathers, of a dark brownish-black; throat rufous, reaching some way down the middle of the neck; breast, belly, and vent gray; the feathers of the latter are long, very soft, and of a silky texture; thighs nearly of the same colour, rather long, and feathered down to the knee; scapulars of a brownish ting; uppertail coverts and prime quill feathers, which are somewhat curved at the ends, brown black; edges of the quills gray; the legs long and very strong, covered with large scales, especially in front; the feet, which are likewise large, and the nails, are black; the tail somewhat crooked, convex above and flat beneath; the hind nail near three quarters of an inch long.

"The tail consists in the whole of 16 feathers; all of which, except the two upper or middle ones, and the two exterior on each side, have long slender shafts furnished on each side with delicate long filaments, four inches or more in length, placed pretty close towards the rump, but more distant from each other as they approach the extremity, and resemble much those of the greater Paradise bird. The two middle or upper ones are longer than the rest, slender, narrow at the base, growing wider as they approach the ends, which are pointed; webbed on the inner edge all the way, and furnished with some distant hair-like threads near the end on the outer side, of a pale gray colour beneath, and brown black above, as is the rest of the tail. The two exterior feathers on each side are of an extraordinary construction, rather more than an inch wide at the base, and growing wider as they proceed to the ends, where they are full two inches broad and curve outwardly; the curved part is black with a narrow white border; the quills of these feathers are double for two-thirds down from the rump. The general colour of the under sides of these two feathers is of a pearly hue, elegantly marked on the inner web with bright rufous coloured crescent-shaped spots, which from the extraordinary construction of the parts, appear wonderfully transparent, although at first sight seemingly the darkest; they are also elongated into slender filaments of an inch or more, especially towards the extremities.

"The figure of the male, which accompanies this description, was taken from a specimen sent from New South Wales as a present to Lady Mary Howe. I have also seen two other specimens in the possession of the right hon. Sir Joseph Banks, which I believe have since been deposited in the British Museum.

"Since I had the honour of communicating to the Linnean Society the foregoing description of the menura, I have been favoured with both male and female of that extraordinary bird from my friend Governor King, by the Buffalo store ship; and I am thereby enabled to lay before the society a description of the different sexes. I find, indeed, that, with a little deviation, the same characters and colours will serve for both of them. The female, however, is somewhat smaller, being in length, from the crown of the head to the end of the tail, only 31 inches. The general plumage of the whole bird is of a dull blackish colour, a little rufous under the chin and throat, and of a brownish cast on the scapulars, as in the male. The plumage of the whole body, from the breast to the vent, and from the shoulders to the rump, is composed of long, slender, thread-like, silky feathers, resembling fringe, of a dull grayish-black; lighter on the breast, belly, and vent. The bill and legs, which are strong and furnished with large scales, as in the cock, are black. From the head to the rump Appendix. 14 inches; the tail 18 inches, also of a dull brown black colour above and gray beneath; the two upper tail feathers are sharp-pointed at the ends; the rest are rounded and darker in colour, and shorter by degrees, as they approach the rump, so as to appear cuneated; the two outer feathers are shorter than the rest, but in form like those of the male, brown black above, of a pearly gray beneath; and the crescents, which are of a deeper rufous colour, are not so visible nor so large, but more transparent, if possible, than those of the cock. They are about an inch and a half broad, and not black or longer at the ends as in the other sex.

"From these birds being found in the hilly parts of the country, they are called by the inhabitants the mountain pheasant. With respect to their food or manners, I have not as yet obtained any particular account. In my specimens, there is a nakedness round the eyes, but whether this is from the feathers having fallen off I know not. I rather think otherwise, and that it may be brightly coloured as in many other birds."

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.

Plate CCCXCIII. ACCIPITRES. Fig. 1. Vultur Percnopterus, Aquiline Vulture. 2. Falco Melanotus, Black Eagle. 3. Strix Zeylonensis, Ceylon Owl. 4. —— Virginiana, Virginian Owl.

Plate CCCXCIV. PICÆ. Fig. 1. Certhia Armillata, Braceletted Creeper. 2. Coracias Caudata, Long-tailed Roller. 3. Picus Cardinalis, Cardinal Woodpecker. 4. Cuculus Melanoleucus, Coromandel Crested Cuckoo.

Plate CCCXCV. PICÆ. Fig. 1. Merops Erythropterus, Red-winged Bee-eater. 2. Buceros Panayensis, Panay Hornbill. 3. Todus Crisflatus, Crested Tody. 4. Momotus Brasiliensis, Brazilian Motmot. 5. Alcedo Cristata, Crested Kingfisher.

Plate CCCXCVI. ANSERES. Fig. 1. Anas Mollissima, Eider Duck. 2. Mergus Serrator, Red-breasted Merganser. 3. Phaeton Aethereus, Common Tropic Bird. 4. Ploutus Melanogaster, Black-bellied Darter. 5. Diomedea Exulans, Wandering Albatross, or Man of War Bird.

Plate CCCXCVII. ANSERES. Fig. 1. Alca Cirrata, Tufted Auk. 2. —— Tetracula, Dusky Auk. 3. Procellaria Pelagica, Stormy Petrel. 4. Colymbus Auritus, Eared Grebe. 5. Sterna Minuta, Lesser Tern.

Plate CCCXC VIII. GRALLÆ. Fig. 1. Phoenicopterus Ruber, Red Flamingo. 2. Tantalus Albus, White Ibis. 3. Ardea Egretta, Great Egret. 4. Scopus Umbretta, Tufted Umbre.

Plate CCCXCIX. GRALLÆ. Fig. 1. Recurvirostra Americana, American Avocet. 2. Charadrius Pileatus, Hooded Plover. 3. Haematopus Ostralegus, Sea pic, or Pied Oystercatcher. 4. Fulica Atra, Common Coot.

Plate CCCC. GALLINÆ. Fig. 1. Otis Afra, White-eared Bustard. 2. Struthia Camelus, Black Ostrich. 3. Phasianus Cristatus, Crested Pheasant. 4. Crax Alector, Female Crested Curassow, Var. from Peru, Lath. Synop. 693.

Plate CCCCCI. PASSERES. Fig. 1. Columba Marginata, Marginated Turtle. 2. Losia Moluccensis, Molucca Grosbeak. 3. Alauda Malabarica, Malabar Lark. 4. Myiiscapa Pygmaea, Dwarf Fly-catcher. 5. Parus Cristatus, Crested Titmouse.

Plate CCCCCII. PASSERES. Fig. 1. Emberiza Regia, Shaft-tailed Bunting. 2. Colius Panayensis, Panayan Coly. 3. Hirundo Subis, Canada Swallow. 4. Pipra Rupicola, Rock Manakin. 5. Tanagra Siberica, Siberian Tanager.

INDEX.

A. ABERDEVINE, No 814 Accipitres, 50 Age of birds, 45 Alauda, characters and species of, 716—727 Albatross, 390—395 Alca, characters and species of, 303—372 Alcedo, characters and species of, 260—270 Ampelis, characters and species of, 254

Anas, characters and species of, No 316—354 Ani, characters and species of, 162—164 Anseres, order of, 314 characters, 315 Apiafler, 277 Aptenodytes, characters and species of, 373—378 Ardea, characters and species of, 494—523

Auk, characters and species of, No 363—372 Avocet, 588—592

B. Barbet, characters and species of, 219—222 Bee-eater, 275—282 Beef-eater, characters and species of, 159—161 Birds, general observations on, 36 ORNITHOLOGY. Explanation of Terms.

PLATE CCCXLII. ORNITHOLOGY. Accipitres. PLATE CCCXCIII.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2.

Fig. 3. Fig. 4. ORNITHOLOGY. Picæ. PLATE CCCXCIV.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4.

W. Archibald sculp. ORNITHOLOGY. Picæ. PLATE CCCXCV.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. ORNITHOLOGY. Anseus. PLATE CCCXCVI.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 4. Fig. 5. ORNITHOLOGY. PLATE CCCXCVII. ANSERES.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. ORNITHOLOGY. GRALLAE PLATE CCCXCVIII.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. ORNITHOLOGY. GRALLAE. PLATE CCCXCIX.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. ORNITHOLOGY. Gallinace. PLATE CCCC.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2.

Fig. 3. Fig. 4. ORNITHOLOGY. PASSERES. PLATE CCCCI.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. ORNITHOLOGY. Patseres.

PLATE CCCCHI.

Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5.

W. Archibald Sculp* Index.

Birds, nutrition of, flight and migration, 39 lubrication of the feathers, 40 nictitating membrane, 41 fong, 42 eggs, 43 nets, 44 agg, 45 difficale, 46

Bittern, 515—520 Blackbird, 750 Blackcap, 861 Boatbill, 488—490 Booby, 490 Bucco, characters and species of, 219—222 Bucerous, characters, 152 species, 154—158 Bunting, 781 Buphaga, characters and species of, 159 —161 Buttard, 631—638 Butcher bird, 105—110 Buzzard, 70—73

C. Canary bird, 813 Cancroma, characters and species of, 488 —490 Capercaillie, 681 Caprimulgus, 907 Carrion crow, 174 of Jamaica, 55 Cassowary, 642, 643 Certhia, characters and species of, 288 Chaffinch, 866 Channelbill, 149—151 Charadrius, characters and species of, 581 —587 Chatterer, 754 Cockato, 126, 127 Colemonse, 886 Colius, 757 Columba, characters and species of, 703 —715 Coly, 757 Colymbus, characters and species of, 422 Condor, 454 Coot, 666—669 Coracias, characters and species of, 185 —190 Corrira, characters and species of, 532 —534 Corvoran, 402 Corvus, characters and species of, 171 —184 Courier, 532—534 Cranes, 498—500 Cras, characters and species of, 661—664 Creeper, characters and species of, 288 —303 Croftbill, 705 Crotaphaga, characters and species of, 162 —164

Crow, characters and species of, 171 —184 Crown bird, 496 Cuckoo, characters and species of, 223—231 Cuculus, characters and species of, 16—18 Curassow, 661—664 Curlew, 537, 538 Curucui, characters and species of, 216 —218

D. Darter, characters and species of, 412—416 Didus, characters and species of, 645—648 Diomedea, characters and species of, 390 —395 Diseases of birds, 46 Diver, 430—434 Dodo, 645—648 Dotterel, 585 Duck, velvet, 326 Icaup, 329 cider, 336 Mufcovy, 337 wild, 351 red crested, 353 tufted, 354

E. Eagle, different species of, 61—68 Eggs of birds, 43 Egret, 510, 511 Ember goose, 434 Embertza, characters and species of, 781 —796

F. Falco, characters of, 58 species of, 60—90 Falcon, 75—80 Finch, 803 Flamingo, characters and species of, 470 —473 Flight of birds, remarkable, 39 Fly catcher, 827 Frigate pelican, 406 Fringilla, 803 Fulica, characters and species of, 601—609 Fulmar, 385

G. Galbulia, characters and species of, 271 —274 Gallinace, order and characters of, 629, 630 Gallinule, 603—605 Gannet, 407 Garganey, 349 Glareola, characters and species of, 590 —600 Glaucopis, characters and species of, 168 —170 Godwit, 549—555 Goldfinch, 808 Goose, snow, 321 antarctic, 322 buffard, 323 loggerhead, 324 gray or wild, 330 domefie, ib.

Goose, bean, 332 beracle, 334 brent, or brand, 335 Goafactur, 907 Goshawk, 74 Gracula, characters and species of, 203 —207 Grakle, characters and species of, 203 —207 Gralle, order and characters of, 468, 469 Grebe, 435—442 Groufe, 688—687 Grobek, 763 ingular nests of, 779 Guillemot, characters and species of, 424 —428 Guinea fowl, 675—677 Gull, characters and species of, 443—454

H. Haematopus, characters and species of, 593 —595 Helige-sparrow, 846 Hen-harrier, 82 Herons, 504—523 Hirundo, 894 Hobby, 87 Honey-guide, 231 Hoopoe, characters and species of, 283 —287 Horn-bill, 152—158 Humming bird, characters and species of, 304—313

I. Jabiru, 483—487 Jacamar, characters and species of, 271 —274 Jacana, 613—617 Jackdaw, 177 Jay, 178 Ibis, 524—531

K. Keftril, 84 King's-fisher, characters and species of, 260 —270 Kite, 69 Kinirwake, 445 Knot, 576

L. Lanius, characters of, 105 species of, 107—110 Lanner, 81 Lapwing, 559 Lark, 716—727 Larus, characters and species of, 443—454 Linnet, 816—819 Lory, 129—131 Loxia, 763

M. Macao, 115, 116 Magpie, 181 Mallard, 351 Manakin, 874 Man Man of war bird, No 392 Martin, or house martin, 898 Mavis, 740 Melocoris, characters and species of, 653—655 Menura, 913 Merganser, 358 red-breasted, 360 Mergus, characters and species of, 356—362 Merops, characters and species of, 276—282 Migration of birds, 39 Momotus, 146 characters, 147 species, 148 Motacilla, 842 Motmot, 146—148 Muscicapa, 827 Muspophaga, characters and species of, 165—167 Mysteria, characters and species of, 483—487 N. Nests of birds, 44 Nightingale, 844 Noddly, 458 Numidia, characters and species of, 675—677 Nuthatch, characters and species of, 248—251 Nutrition of birds, 38 O. Orders of birds, 49 Oriole, characters and species of, 191—202 Oriolus, characters and species of, ib.—ib. Ornithology, definition of, 1 writers on, 2—35 Ortolan, 787 Ostrich, black, 641 American, 644 Otis, characters and species of, 631—638 Owl, 91 eared, 93—98 earless, 99—104 Ox-eye, 883 P. Palamedea, characters and species of, 479 Paradise, birds of, 208—215 Paradicea, characters and species of, 208 Parra, characters and species of, 613—617 Parrot, 113—138 Partridge, 688 Parus, 880 Pafseres, order and characters of, 701 Pavo, 649—652 Peacock, ib. Pelican, 396—411 ib. Pelecanus, characters and species of, 656 Penelope, characters and species of, 660 Penguin, characters and species of, 373 or great auk, 366 Petrel, characters and species of, No 379 snowy, 389 stormy, 384 Petty-chaps, 847—849 Phaeopterost, characters and species of, 470—473 Phaeton, characters and species of, 417 —421 Phalarope, 568, 569 Phaeanus, characters and species of, 665 —674 Pheasant, 665—674 Phytotoma, 824 Pica, 111 characters of, 112 Picus, characters and species of, 235—247 Pied oyster-catcher, 595 Pigeon, 703—705 Pipra, 874 Platanin-eater, characters and species of, 165—167 Platalea, characters and species of, 474 Plates, explanation of, 914 Plotos, characters and species of, 412—416 Plover, 581—587 Pratincole, 596—600 Procellaria, characters and species of, 379 —389 Pittacus, 113 characters of, 114 species, 115—138 Pfophia, characters and species of, 625 —628 Ptarmigan, 683 Puffin, 365 Quail, 691 Rail, 618—624 Rallus, characters and species of, ib.—ib. Ramphastos, 139 characters of, 140 species, 141—145 Raven, 173 Razor-bill, 367 Recurvirostra, characters and species of, 588 —592 Redbreast, 868 Red-legged crow, 184 Reed wren, 867 Reeve, 558 Rice bird, 792 Robin redbreast, 868 Roller, characters and species of, 185—190 Rook, 175 singular history of, ib. Rouffon, or hooded crow, 176 Ruff, 558 Rynchops, characters and species of, 465 —467 Sandpiper, 556—580 Scolopax, characters and species of, No 535 Screamer, characters and species of, 479 Scopus, characters and species of, 491—493 Seythrops, characters of, 149 species of, 150 Sea swallow, 151 lark, 460 Shag, 403—405 Sheath-bill, 610—612 Sheldrake, 325 Shoveller, 338, 339 Shrike, 105—110 Sifkin, 814 Sitta, characters and species of, 248—251 Skimmer, characters and species of, 465 —467 Smew, 361, 362 Snipe, 540—549 Soland goose, 467 method of taking, ib. Song of birds, 42 Sparrow, house, 821 curious anecdote of, ib. mountain, 822 hawk, 86 Spoonbill, characters and species of, 474 —478 Starling, 728 Sterna, characters and species of, 455—464 Stonechat, 860 Storks, 501—503 Stormfinch, 383 Strix, 91 characters of, 92 species of, 93—104 Struthio, characters and species of, 639 —644 Sturnus, characters and species of, 728—734 Swallow, 894 migration of, 895 common, 896 eculent, 897 swift, nests, uses of, ib. Swan, wild, 318 tame, 319 black, 320 T. Tailor bird, 872 Tanager, 797 Tanagra, ib. Tantalus, characters and species of, 524 —531 Tarrock, 445 Teal, 339 Terms, technical, explanation of, 48 Tern, characters and species of, 455—464 Tetrao, characters and species of, 678—697 Thrush, 733 Thryile, 740 Tinamous, 697 Timoule, Index.

Timonuse, N° 880 Todus, characters and species of, 252—259 Tody, characters and species of, ib. Tomtit, 885 Toucan, 139 characters of, 140 species of, 141—145 Tringa, characters and species of, 556—580 Trochilus, characters and species of, 324 —313 Trogon, characters and species of, 216—218 Tropic bird, characters and species of, 417 —421 Trumpeter, 625—628 Turdus, 735 Turkey, 653—655 U. Umbré, characters and species of, 491—493

ORNITHOLOGY.

Upupa, characters and species of, N° 283—287 V. Vaginalis, characters and species of, 610—612 Vulture, see Vultur, king, 51 carrion, 54 W. Warbler, 850—855 Water ouzel, 731 wagtail, 856 yellow, 857 Wattle bird, characters and species of, 168 Wheat-eat, 858 Whimbrel, 539

Whinchat, N° 859 White grouse, 683 throat, 851 Wigeon, 344 red-headed, 348 Wings of birds, action of, 39 Woodcock, 542, 543 Wood grouse, 681 Woodpecker, characters and species of, 235—247 Wood wren, 848 Wren, 869 golden crested, 870 yellow, 871

Yellow hammer, 788 Yunx, characters and species of, 232—234

ORNO