The Heron is one of the moſt common birds that inhabit this kingdom: and there is ſcarcely any part of the globe that has been viſited by travellers, in which it has not been noticed. In Britain it was formerly held in high eſtimation, not only becauſe its fleſh was accounted a delicacy at the tables of the nobility^*: but becauſe Heron Hawking was a favourite diverſion, inſomuch that laws were enacted for the preſervation of the ſpecies, and any perſon by deſtroying the eggs incurred a penalty of twenty ſhillings.

The plumage of the male bird is remarkable for its elegance; per⯑haps we could with leſs propriety uſe the ſame expreſſion, if ſpeaking of its general appearance and proportions. Nature has not provided it with webbed feet to ſwim after its prey, which is almoſt wholly of the aquatic kind, but has furniſhed it with very long legs to wade after it, and theſe give it rather an aukward appearance when ſtanding on the land. The neck alſo is long and ſlender, but when it ſtands on the ſide of a ſtream or river waiting for the paſſing of a fiſh, its neck and head are drawn between the ſhoulders: in flying its neck is alſo crouched down, and the head almoſt concealed between the ſhoulders. The male is chiefly diſtinguiſhed from the female by having a fine creſt of black feathers; two in particular, in ſome ſpecimens, are eight [] inches in length. Mr. Latham believes that this appendage is found only in males of a full age, or perhaps very old birds. Mr. Pennant ſays that the long ſoft black feathers on the ſides were uſed in old times as egrets for the hair, or ornaments to the caps of knights of the garter; and the creſts of the males are now uſed as ornaments in the Eaſt.

The female has only a very ſhort plume of duſky greyiſh feathers, and the looſe feathers that hang over the breaſt are very ſhort, while thoſe of the other ſex are long. This has been generally ſuppoſed a diſtinct kind: the accurate Linneus deſcribed it as another ſpecies, under the ſpecific name cinerea, and many other naturaliſts have been of the ſame opinion, as appears by the ſynonyms: Mr. Pennant ob⯑ſerves this was formerly ſuppoſed; "but later obſervations prove them to be the ſame." Mr. Latham adopts preciſely the opinion of Mr. Pennant, but in neither of their accounts can we find the au⯑thority on which that opinion is founded. It is worthy of remark that Albin, who lived at a time when Heronries were far more nu⯑merous than at preſent (though even now they are very common in ſome parts ^*), in the firſt volume of his Birds, has figured the male, and in the third volume the female, yet gives not the ſmalleſt reaſon to conclude that he did not conſider them as diſtinct ſpecies.

In the breeding ſeaſon they unite in large ſocieties, and build on the higheſt trees. The neſt is made of ſticks, and lined with ruſhes, wool, feathers, &c. They lay four, five, or ſix eggs, of a pale green colour. They deſert the neſts in the winter, and are then found on the banks of rivers, or marſhy places.

The length is about three feet: breadth five feet; weight exceeds three pounds.

The length of this ſpecies is commonly about ten inches: breadth twenty-four: weight two ounces and a half. The male is known by a white ſpot under the chin. Mr. Latham mentions a variety, (Var A) in which the lower part of the breaſt, belly, thighs, under wing coverts and vent are white; and in ſome ſpecimens of the common kind the white at the vent is ſpread towards the thighs. The webs of the feet are depreſſed, and form a creſcent: the colour of the legs ſeem to vary; our bird had ſcarcely any of the red tinge in the black colour.

Theſe birds frequent our ſhores in ſummer. Latham ſays they are obſerved on the coaſts of Kent in a few days after the other terns; and, as they differ ſomewhat in their manners, do not aſſociate. They are found during ſpring and ſummer in vaſt numbers in the fens of Lincolnſhire. The eggs are three or four in number, of a greeniſh or olive colour, ſpotted with black, and have alſo a band of the ſame colour about the middle. Theſe eggs are depoſited among the reeds in fens and other marſhy places. The food is in⯑ſects and ſmall fiſh, which it procures by hovering over the water, and darting on its prey in the ſame manner as moſt other birds of the ſame genus.

[]It is an inhabitant of moſt of the northern countries of Europe: very common in Siberia, and about the ſalt lakes of the deſarts of Tartary. It is alſo ſuppoſed to be the ſpecies which was ſeen by Kalm in vaſt flocks, beyond lat. 41. north, long. 47. W. He ſays, "It was rather darker than the common ſea-ſwallow; the flocks conſiſted of ſome hundreds, and ſometimes ſettled on the ſhip^*."

The length of this ſpecies is commonly about ſixteen inches; breadth twenty-ſeven, and weight twelve ounces; but they are liable to conſiderable variation in weight and ſize, as well as colour: ſometimes they do not even exceed ſeven ounces.

It is very generally met with in Europe, and extends to Aſia and America. Mr. Latham ſays at Hudſon's Bay it is known by the name of Waſawuckapeſhew. Theſe Birds are found in England in the fens amongſt the Ruffs and Reeves one part of the year, but continues with us the whole winter, frequenting the open ſands like the Cur⯑lew, and feeding on Inſects.

It ſeems undetermined whether we ought to conſider this as a diſ⯑tinct ſpecies, or only as a variety of the Sky Lark. Mr. Latham, in his Synopſis, conſiders it a variety, and obſerves that he is aware of this and other Birds becoming black by feeding on Hemp-ſeed, as was the caſe with a Goldfinch and Houſe Sparrow. It appears alſo liable to much variation of colours in different ſpecimens. One in [] the Britiſh Muſeum is of a full deep black throughout, and that from which the figure in our plate is copied, is of a lighter colour in many parts than that ſeems to have been from which Albin engraved his plate. The account which this Author has given is curious: "This Lark," ſays he, "was taken with a clap net by one of the Bird-catchers in a field near Highgate, and brought to me by Mr. Davenport, which I have taken care to draw exactly from the Bird, neither adding nor diminiſhing in the draught or colouring. This being a curioſity, I was deſired by one of my ſubſcribers to make a plate of it."

The name Albin has given it is ſcarcely juſtified by this deſcrip⯑tion which he has added. "The bill of this Bird was of a duſky yellow; the irides of the eyes yellowiſh: it was all over of a dark reddiſh brown, inclining to black, excepting the hind part of the head, on which was ſome duſky yellowiſh feathers; likewiſe ſome feathers with whitiſh edges on the belly."

Our ſpecimen was ſhot in Scotland by Mr. Agneau, Gardener to the late Ducheſs of Portland, ſeveral years ago. Its length rather exceeds ſeven inches.

The length of this bird is eighteen inches: breadth three feet ſix inches; weight ſeventeen ounces. It is a common bird in England, and frequents the inland rivers, fens, and moiſt meadows many miles diſtant from the ſea ſhore in winter.

Mr. Pennant obſerves, that the gelatinous ſubſtance, known by the name of Star Shot, or Star Gelly, owes its origin to this bird, or ſome of the kind; being nothing but the half digeſted remains of Earth-Worms, on which theſe birds feed, and often diſcharge them from their ſtomachs.

Mr. Morton in the Nat. Hiſt. Northampt. has given alſo the fol⯑lowing curious obſervation:—"In the courſe of my correſpondence with the late Mr. J. Platt of Oxford, I recollect his having men⯑tioned, that once meeting with a lump of this ſtar-jelly, on examina⯑tion he found the toes of a Frog or Toad ſtill adhering, and undiſ⯑ſolved; and from thence concluded it to be the remains of one of theſe, having been ſwallowed whole by ſome bird, and the indigeſti⯑ble parts brought up in the condition he found it."

This ſpecies breeds on the borders of lakes in the northern parts of Scotland, and very rarely migrates to the ſouthward but in ſevere winters. It is an inhabitant of many cold countries, ſuch as Ruſſia, Siberia, Kamtſchatka, Iceland, and Greenland; and is alſo found about the rivers in Hudſon's Bay. It breeds in Greenland in June. The neſt is compoſed of moſs and graſs, and is placed amongſt the ruſhes near the water: it contains two eggs of a more elongated form than thoſe of the common Hen: they are of an aſh colour, and are marked with a few black ſpots.

Theſe birds are more frequent about freſh waters than thoſe of the ſea, and are injurious to the fiſhermen by diving among the nets and devouring the fiſh; but they often entangle themſelves, and are by that means taken.

The weight of this Diver is three pounds, and the length two feet five inches.

It has been ſuppoſed by ſome authors that the Parus Ater, and Parus Paluſtris ^* of Linnaeus were not diſtinct ſpecies, but merely the two ſexes of one kind; and others have thought the latter only a variety of the firſt. Willughby is the firſt author worthy of con⯑ſideration who has noticed the preciſe difference between the two birds. He ſays the Marſh Titmouſe differs from the Colemouſe in theſe particulars: 1ſt, that it is bigger: 2d, that it wants the white ſpot on the head: 3d, it has a larger tail: 4th, its under ſide is white: 5th, it has leſs black under the chin: 6th, it wants the white ſpot on the covert of the wings. Mr. Pennant obſerves on this account given by Willughby, that the laſt diſtinction does not hold in ge⯑neral, as the ſubject figured in the Britiſh Zoology had thoſe ſpots; yet wanted that on the hind part of the head.

[]The opinion of Mr. Latham in this particular deſerves attention alſo; he ſays, "it is much to be feared that the Marſh Titmouſe is not a diſtinct ſpecies; moſt probably a mere variety of the Cole⯑mouſe." Gen. Syn. vol. 4.

In the Supplement to the General Synopſis of Birds, Mr. Latham has added the following account under the head MARSH TITMOUSE. "In my Synopſis it has not appeared clear to me, whether the Cole⯑mouſe and this were different ſpecies. I find it to be the opinion of Sepp, that they form but one, being both figured in the ſame plates as male and female. In one of them is a ſpot of white on the hind head, and the ſides of the head are white: the throat black. The other has the top of the head wholly black, and the black ſpot of the throat wanting. The neſt ſeems here compoſed of ſedge, mixed with large cat's-tail, lined with down and feathers: furniſhed with five white eggs, mottled with red brown.

The Colemouſe appears to be leſs injurious in gardens and orchards than others of the ſame genus: it is alſo leſs numerous, and generally inhabits woods. The length is four inches. It is found throughout Europe and in America.

The Nutcracker is ſo extremely rare in this Country, that Mr. Pennant has added it to his Britiſh Zoology, in the third plate of the Appendix of Vol. II. And as we are indebted to his authority for aſcertaining its being an Engliſh ſpecies, we have tranſcribed his account of it.

"The ſpecimen we took our deſcription from, is the only one we ever heard was ſhot in theſe kingdoms: it was killed near Moſtyn, Flintſhire, October 5, 1753."

"It was ſomewhat leſs than the Jackdaw: the bill ſtrait, ſtrong, black: the colour of the whole head and neck, breaſt and body, was a ruſty brown: the other parts marked with triangular white ſpots: the wings black: the coverts ſpotted in the ſame manner as the body: the tail rounded at the end, black, tipt with white: the vent-feathers white: the legs duſky."

Mr. Latham mentions a ſecond inſtance: he ſaw the mutilated ſkin of one that was ſhot in Kent.

[]It appears from different authors, that this bird is moſt frequent in the pine foreſts in Ruſſia, Siberia, and Kamtſchatka: it is alſo found in Germany, where it is more common than in any other part of Europe, though it inhabits the mountainous parts of Sweden and Denmark: it ſometimes viſits France in flocks. Found alſo in North America.

In its manners it is ſaid to greatly reſemble the Jay. It feeds on the kernels of the pine, wild berries, and inſects; and makes its neſt in the holes of trees.

The Nuthatch is a ſmall bird: it weighs about one ounce, and is five inches and three quarters in length. The female differs from the male only in ſize; the weight ſeldom exceeding five or ſix drams.

It breeds in the hollows of trees, and lays ſix or ſeven eggs, of a dirty white colour, dotted with rufous; theſe are depoſited on the rotten wood, mixed with a little moſs. If the entrance to the neſt is too large, it cloſes up part of it with clay, leaving only a very ſmall hole to creep through. The neſt of this bird is ſeldom diſ⯑turbed, or the eggs taken away, when the female, is ſitting, for her hiſſing ſo nearly reſembles that of a ſnake, that few would venture to put their hands into the hole to ſearch for them; and it is ſaid, that the female will ſuffer her feathers to be plucked off rather than [] deſert her eggs or young. The male alſo ſhews the greateſt tender⯑neſs for them and its mate, during the time of incubation.

It feeds on all kinds of inſects, as well as nuts: of the latter, it lays up a conſiderable hoard in the hollows of trees, and brings them out when other food is ſcarce. The manner of its cracking the nut is curious, and has been noticed by ſeveral authors, and par⯑ticularly Willoughby: he ſays, "It is a pretty ſight to ſee her fetch a nut out of her hoard, when, placing it faſt in a chink, ſhe ſtands above it, with the head downwards, and, ſtriking it with all her force, breaks the ſhell, and catches up the kernel."

In its manners, it is not unlike the Woodpecker tribe. It is not ſuppoſed to ſleep perched; for, when confined in a cage, it would creep into a corner at night to ſleep. Dr. Plott ſays, "this bird, by putting its bill into a crack in the bough of a tree, can make ſuch a violent ſound as if it was rending aſunder, ſo that the noiſe may be heard at leaſt twelve ſcore yards."

It is not migratory, but changes its ſituation in winter. Pennant obſerves, that it makes a chattering noiſe in Autumn. Latham ſays, he has been informed, that it has, at times, a whiſtle like that of a man.

This pretty ſpecies is very common in the ſummer. It is migra⯑tory; viſiting this country in the ſpring, and departing again in autumn; but does not leave the warmer parts of Europe ſo early. The neſt is uſually made in the hollows of broken walls, or old trees: it is compoſed of moſs, with a lining of hair and feathers; and con⯑tains four, ſometimes five eggs, of a light blue colour; and in other reſpects reſembling thoſe of the Hedge Sparrow, except that they are rather more elongated at the ſmalleſt end. This bird is ſo very ſhy that if the eggs are only touched it forſakes the neſt entirely.

The Redſtart is rather ſmaller than the Redbreaſt; meaſuring about five inches. The male is known by the chin, cheeks, and throat being black: in the female the chin is white; and the red colour of the breaſt is paler than in the male. It has one very peculiar habit, [] when it ſhakes its tail it does not move it up and down like the Wag-tail, but horizontally, or ſideways, like a Dog when he is fawning. Its note is ſoft and pleaſing; but it will not bear confinement in a cage, unleſs when reared from neſtlings, when it requires the ſame treatment as the Nightingale. In the wild ſtate it feeds on every kind of Inſects.

The Wryneck is the only ſpecies of the genus (Yunx) yet deſcribed by any author; and ſeems to have given Linnaeus ſome trouble to determine to what genus he ſhould aſſign it; for though it has the tongue of the Woodpecker, as well as the ſituation of the toes, the bill is too weak for that genus. Linnaeus, in the former edition of the Fauna Suecica, placed it with the Cuckow; but it appears to be the opinion of later naturaliſts that it ſhould form a diſtinct genus, his new genus having been generally adopted. The Jyngi Congener ^* of Aldravendus is certainly no other than a variety.

The colours are altogether very plain, but are ſo beautifully varied and pencilled, that, as Mr. Pennant obſerves, Nature has made ample amends for their want of ſplendor. The colours are paler in the female than the male.

[]This bird builds in hollow trees: Latham ſays they make no neſt, but lay the eggs on the bare rotten wood. Pennant ſays it makes the neſt of dry graſs. The eggs, according to Buffon, are as white as ivory; and Pennant adds, that they are ſo thin that the yolk may be ſeen through them. The number of eggs ſeldom exceed nine.

The Wryneck is ſuppoſed to be a Bird of paſſage, appearing in the ſpring eight or ten days earlier than the Cuckow. It feeds on Inſects, and ſeems particularly fond of Ants; theſe the extreme length of the tongue enables it to pick out of the cracks where they are concealed. It takes its name from a habit it has of turning its head back to the ſhoulders when alarmed or terrified: it can alſo erect the feathers of the head like thoſe of a Jay.—Weight of this Bird is one ounce and a quarter: length ſeven inches: breadth eleven.

This Bird is found throughout Europe, and in many other parts of the world.

We have only three ſpecies of Butcher-birds, or Shrikes, in this country: the Great, Red-backed, and Wood Chat. The firſt is very ſcarce: the ſecond is not common; and the laſt is extremely rare: ſo that we have little opportunity to notice the ſingular manners of this tribe. Nature ſeems to have allotted more than an ordinary ſhare of courage to theſe little creatures: they equal the eagle in the fierceneſs of their attacks on ſmaller birds, and defend themſelves againſt thoſe they cannot overcome with the greateſt vigour and reſolution. Though in this reſpect they imitate the larger carnivorous birds, they have not, like them, claws ſtrong enough to tear their prey to pieces, but, to ſupply this defect, they faſten it on a thorn and pull it aſunder with their bill. Even when confined in a cage, it is ſaid that they treat their food in a ſimilar manner, ſticking it againſt the wires be⯑fore they eat it.

We now ſpeak of the manners generally peculiar to the tribe: how far thoſe of the Wood Chat accord with them, we can only preſume from being of the ſame genus; no Engliſh naturaliſt having yet been ſo fortunate as to meet with it ſince Willoughby and Ray. [] Pennant has not given a figure of it in the Britiſh Zoology; and it is a fact well known, that both Lewin and Walcot have given figures of it drawn from mere deſcriptions: this is the more to be regretted as no ſpecimen of it was either in the Leverian or Britiſh Muſeums: and that eminent ornithologiſt, Mr. Latham, with his accuſtomed candour acknowledges, in his account of it, that he has never ſeen it. "Mr. Pennant," ſays he, "does not deſcribe this bird from his own inſpection; and I muſt confeſs that it has never come under mine."— He alſo, ſays Buffon, does not ſpeak of it as uncommon, but gives it, as his opinion, that the red-backed Shrike is a variety of this ſpecies, as well as ſome other kinds he mentions; and adds, that from his own obſervation he cannot deny the fact. We have com⯑pared them, and do not heſitate to give them as two diſtinct ſpecies.

It is only the male bird that we have in our poſſeſſion. We muſt own ourſelves indebted for the following deſcription of the female to Pennant and Latham; nor are we certain that our ſpecimen was ſhot in England, but rather ſuſpect that it came from Germany.—The length is ſeven inches and three quarters. The female differs from the male: the upper part of the head, neck and body are reddiſh, ſtriated tranſverſely with brown: the lower parts of the body are of a dirty white, rayed with brown, marked near the end with duſky, and tipped with red.

This is not a very common bird in England. It is of the migra⯑tory kind and never builds here: is ſometimes ſeen in large flocks, or in company with the Chaffinches. The colours of the female are not ſo bright as in the male: in ſome ſpecimens of the latter the throat is black. Length rather exceeds ſix inches. They are found in vaſt abundance in France according to Buffon; and are ſaid to breed about Luxemburg, making the neſt on the tall fir-trees, com⯑poſed of long moſs without, and lined with wool and feathers within. The eggs are four or five in number, yellowiſh, and ſpotted: the young are fledged at the end of May. They are alſo found in the Pine foreſts of Ruſſia and Siberia.

This ſpecies has not been deſcribed by Pennant in his Britiſh Zoology, nor is it certain that any preceding author has noticed it as a Britiſh ſpecies. The Rev. Mr. Lightfoot found it near Bulſtrade, [] in Buckinghamſhire, in May and June, and it is from a ſpecimen found by him, and preſented to the late Ducheſs of Portland, that our figure is taken. The neſt on which the bird is placed is com⯑poſed of dry bents mixed with wool, and lined with a few hairs of ſome animal, probably of a Cow. There is at preſent only one egg in the neſt ^*; it is of a pale colour, with ſmall irregular ſpots of brown.

It was the opinion of Mr. Latham, to whoſe inſpection Mr. Light⯑foot ſubmitted this bird, that it was perhaps the Motacilla Sylvia of Linnaeus; or that certainly it differed very little from it. Mr. Pennant alſo ſeems undetermined whether the White Throat was the M. Sylvia of Linnaeus; though Berkenhout ^† gives it as that ſpecies without heſitation. The opinion of Mr. Latham is of the moſt importance; and, if it does not poſitively confirm our bird being the true M. Sylvia of Linnaeus, it proves, at leaſt, that the White Throat is not that bird as has been generally ſuppoſed ^‡.

The male and female are very much alike. The ſize is that of the Yellow Wren, length leſs than five inches.

[]We have quoted the ſpecific definition of M. Sylvia for this bird with diffidence, for it clearly appears that the tail in our ſpecimen does not exactly agree with his character of that bird.

The Great Cinereous Shrike is uncommon in England. It is of the migratory kind, coming in May and departing in September. We learn from Buffon that it is not ſcarce in France. It is found in Germany, Ruſſia, and North America. In Ruſſia it is trained to catch ſmall birds; and the peaſants value it becauſe they believe that it deſtroys the rats, mice, and other vermin.

[]The ſavage peculiarities of this carnivorous tribe of birds have been already noticed in the account of the Wood Chat and Red-Back Shrike: it is only neceſſary to add that this is the largeſt kind found in this country, and is inferior to very few from foreign countries either in ſize or courage. Its conflicts with larger birds are ſome⯑times ſevere; but the ſmaller kinds it ſeizes by the throat and ſtrangles: from this circumſtance it is called, in Germany, the Warchangel, or Suffocating Angel.—The female differs from the male chiefly in the colour and markings of the breaſt, that part being of a duſky white, and marked with a number of tranſverſe, ſemicircular brown lines. She lays ſix eggs, of a dull olive colour, ſpotted at the thickeſt end with black. The neſt is compoſed of heath and moſs, lined with wool. In North America, at Hudſon's Bay, it is ſaid to build its neſt half way up a Pine, or Juniper-tree, in April, and that the hen fits fifteen days ^*.

This is rather ſmaller than the Houſe Sparrow. The female is duller in colour than the male; and has not the black marks on the ſide of the head and throat. In ſome ſpecimens the brown colour is more intermixed with black, or dark ſhades, than our bird; this change of colour has been often noticed in the Houſe Sparrow, which is ſometimes quite black.

We muſt conſider this as a local ſpecies; common in Lancaſhire, Lincolnſhire, and Yorkſhire on [...], in this country. It is very common in many parts of Europe: [...] Siberia it is more common than the Houſe Sparrow. It frequents trees, and, according to Sepp, builds its neſt in a hollow. It is compoſed of bents, mixed with feathers; and contains five eggs of a pale brown, with ſpots of a darker colour.

Albin ſcarcely knew this ſpecies, from which we may infer, that it has ſeldom been taken near the metropolis; he ſays, "This bird delights in mountainous woody places, not frequented. It was ſhot by a gentleman in the country, and ſent in a letter to me, by the name of the Mountain Sparrow." Vol. III. p. 62.

This noble bird was formerly an inhabitant of the woody and mountainous parts of Scotland ^† and Ireland ^‡. At this time it is ſuppoſed to be extinct in Ireland; and in Scotland is found only in the Highlands north of Inverneſs ^§. Mr. Latham ſays, the laſt bird [] of this kind found in Scotland was in Chicholm's great foreſt, in Strathglaſs.

Albin gave a figure of it in his Ornithology, publiſhed ſixty years ſince, and then he ſeems not to have known that it was a Britiſh ſpecies; he calls it the Mountain Cock from Muſcovy. From this we may infer that the breed was nearly extirpated half a century ago.

According to moſt authors it thrives beſt in cold countries. It is found in Italy, but only in the higher regions, where the air is bleak. In Ruſſia it is not uncommon, particularly in the Aſiatic part of that empire. There is a variety of this ſpecies much ſmaller than the common ſort, which is probably owing to the ſevere cold of the climate in which it lives, being found in Lapland and Norway, the fartheſt extreme of Europe towards the Icy Sea.

The male of this ſpecies is two feet nine inches in length, breadth four feet, and is as large as a Turkey ^*. The female is ſmaller, twenty ſix inches in length. The bill is duſky, throat red, neck and back marked with tranſverſe bars of red and black: a few white ſpots on the breaſt, the lower part of an orange colour, belly barred with pale orange and black, the tips of the feathers white; the fea⯑thers of the back and ſcapulars black, the edges mottled with black and pale reddiſh brown: the ſcapulars tipped with white, the inner webs of the quills duſky; the exterior mottled with pale brown: the tail of a deep ruſt colour, barred with black and tipped with white.

[]Theſe birds feed on many kinds of plants, and particularly on the tender ſhoots and ſeeds of the Pine and Fir trees, which are in the greateſt plenty in the foreſts they frequent. The males never aſſociate with the females, except from the beginning of February till the end of March: when the male perches on a tree, with his tail ſpread, the quills lowered to the feet, the neck protruded, and the feathers of the head ruffled. In this poſture it makes a loud and ſhrill noiſe, like the whetting of a ſcythe, and this it repeats till the females diſ⯑cover its haunts. They lay from eight to ſixteen eggs, of a white colour, ſpotted with yellow, and larger than thoſe of the common hen: theſe are depoſited upon moſs, on the ground ^*. The females only, ſit the whole time of incubation, and cover the eggs with dry leaves when ſhe is compelled to leave them. The young run after the mother as ſoon as hatched.

The fleſh of the Wood Grous is much eſteemed, except when it feeds on the berries of Juniper which communicates a very unpleaſant taſte to it.

The Little Owl appears to be no where a common bird; in this country it is ſcarce, and in France, Buffon informs us, it is alſo rare. It is very ſeldom found in the woods, which others of the ſame tribe inhabit, but frequents ruined edifices, caverns in rocks, and other ſuch gloomy and ſolitary places. It lays five eggs, ſpotted with white and a yellowiſh colour. In England it has been chiefly found in Yorkſhire and Flintſhire.

This bird ſeems liable to much variation in colour. Buffon men⯑tions one from St. Domingo which had leſs white on the throat, and [] brown bands on the breaſt inſtead of longitudinal ſpots; and another variety from Germany, with the plumage darker than uſual and black irides. Friſch has a figure of this bird with irides of a dark blue colour. The length of this ſpecies is eight inches. Albin's figure is quoted in the Synonyms, but it is much more ſlender in its form than our ſpecimen.

The Hobby is found in the temperate parts of Europe. It was antiently uſed in falconry in this country, particularly in daring of Larks and other ſmall birds. It is ſaid, that the Larks never venture to take their flight in ſight of this bird; but that if it hovers over them, they will remain motionleſs on the ground while the fowler draws a net over them.

We find on comparing the different deſcriptions given by authors of this bird, with ſpecimens that have fallen under our obſervation, that few birds vary more, in the colours of their plumage, than the Hobby: in ſome the back is reddiſh, or deep brown; in others almoſt black with a bluiſh caſt. Again, we find ſome with the back throughout of a very deep lead colour; and others with the edges of the feathers of a pale yellow-brown. The breaſt is generally of a pure white with dark ſpots; but theſe alſo vary: the white is tinged with a faint dirty-brown in ſome; and the ſpots incline to brown, inſtead of black, in others. The irides are brown of every ſhade in different birds: [] one author^* ſays they are yellow. Some of theſe variations, we muſt preſume, depend on the age of the bird; but one circumſtance has been noticed in adult ſpecimens that deſerves particular notice, the vent and thighs, which are generally ferruginous or rufous, are ſometimes white. Mr. Latham, ſpeaking of this variation, ſays he has a ſpecimen, in which the thighs are duſky white, longitudinally marked with brown; and the vent of a plain white: one of our ſpecimens alſo preciſely agrees with this account.

The length of the male bird is twelve inches, breadth two feet and three inches, weight ſeven ounces: the female is larger.

The Stone-Chat is a conſtant inhabitant of this country. In Sum⯑mer it frequents heaths and commons: in Winter it retires to the marſhes, being the only places in which its favourite food, Inſects, is found in abundance.

The length of this bird is four inches and three quarters. The head of the female is ferruginous colour ſpotted with black; that of the male is entirely black: they differ very little in other reſpects, except that the colours of the former are more obſcure than in the other ſex.

Moſt authors agree that this is a noiſy and reſtleſs creature, inceſ⯑ſantly flying from buſh to buſh, and always carefully concealing the place where its neſt is depoſited; never alighting on the ſame ſpot, but creeping to it on the ground in an artful manner. The neſt is placed at the bottom of ſome buſh, or under a ſtone, and uſually con⯑tains five or ſix eggs, of a pale greeniſh colour with marks of rufous.

[]The trivial Engliſh name of this bird has been accounted for by Mr. Latham in a very curious manner; he ſays, he cannot find it remarked any where for its having any ſong. Buffon compares its note to the word ouiſtrata frequently repeated; but he has ever thought it exactly imitated the clicking of two ſtones together, one being held in each hand. If others, ſays he, have thought the ſame, it will eaſily account for the reaſon of its being called the Stone-Chatter.

Mr. Latham has given this ſpecies a place in his liſt of the Birds of Great Britain; and we cannot ſurely incur diſapprobation by follow⯑ing his example. If the authority of Mr. Latham is unſupported by the opinion of Mr. Pennant, we muſt recollect that the Zoology of the latter author appeared many years before the Synopſis of Mr. Latham; and probably the ſpecies was not ſo generally diffuſed and domeſticated in this country before the Britiſh Zoology was publiſhed, as ſince that period. It is impoſſible that we can account otherwiſe for what reaſon he excluded it, ſince he has given the Peacock, Phea⯑ſant, Guinea Hen, and other domeſticated Birds of foreign extraction, which certainly had no better claim to his attention, in that work, than the beautiful Bird before us.

This ſpecies is a native of Africa, particularly of the Cape of Good Hope: from the latter place vaſt numbers have been brought to this country; and the climate favouring their increaſe, the kind is not uncommon in many parts of the kingdom. It is rather an or⯑namental than uſeful ſpecies, and is generally kept in Gentlemen's ponds for pleaſure.

Albin publiſhed a figure and deſcription of this Bird from a ſpeci⯑men reared in this country ſixty years ago: he ſays it fed on graſs and corn like other Geeſe, and thus concludes his obſervations on the two ſexes, "The difference between the cock and hen could not be diſtinguiſhed neither by the colours or ſhape, but only by the cock's running to the hen with open wings, claſping or embracing her round with them. I could not find any other name for them from the Poulterers but that of Ganſer. This bird comes neareſt to Mr. Willoughby's Gambo Gooſe, the ſpan in the wings excepted, page 360. tab. 71."—Vide Albin. vol. ii. p. 84.

Mr. Pennant, and other writers on the Zoology of this country, ſuppoſed the Merlin never bred here, till Dr. Heyſham met with two neſts in Cumberland: they were placed on the ground like that of the Ringtail; and in each were four young. The egg, formerly in the Portland Muſeum, was of an uniform purpliſh brown colour, round⯑iſh, and one inch and a quarter in length. The Merlin appears in England when the Hobby diſappears, which happens in October.

This ſpecies, like the Hobby, ſeems to vary exceedingly in colour in different ſpecimens; in ſome the back and wings are bluiſh aſh-colour^*, in others ferruginous: the bars of clay-colour and duſky on the tail, are from thirteen to fifteen in moſt birds; but Mr. Pennant ſays, one he examined had only eight; our ſpecimen has twelve bars acroſs.

The length of the Merlin is twelve inches: though ſmall, it was formerly trained for hawking, particularly for taking partridges, which ſome authors ſay, it could kill by a ſingle ſtroke on the neck. The Merlin flies low, frequents the ſides of roads, and ſkims from one part to another in ſearch of prey. It is deſcribed as a bird wanting neither cunning nor ſpirit. It is at this time very ſcarce in England, and ſeems to be uncommon in every part of Europe.

The beautiful combination of vivid gloſſes with which the plumage of this common bird is enriched, has been ſo little attended to in paintings of it, that we are afraid we ſhall be accuſed of flattering its appearance, by a gaudy introduction of unnatural tints in the annexed figure: to avoid ſuch imputation we have ſtrictly obſerved, and ac⯑curately expreſſed the colours from a ſpecimen, in our collection, that had been taken in a ſtate of nature. We are aware that the colours will vary in different ſpecimens of every ſpecies, but by cor⯑rectly repreſenting one that is perfect, it will convey a better idea of the bird than any of the mutilated creatures kept in cages for amuſement.

The tail of the Magpie is particularly remarkable: its colours are more ſplendid than any other part of the bird: its form is like a wedge; the two middle feathers eleven inches long, the reſt decreaſe gradually, the outermoſt being only five inches and an half. The principal colour produced by reflection on the black part of the body is fine blue, or purple; the firſt tint is very vivid on the wings. The [] fineſt green is the predominant colour of the tail, which changes in the folds to reddiſh yellow, with a gilded hue, fine brown, blue, purple, and ſhades of gloſſy black throughout. Theſe colours cannot be ſeen at a diſtance, becauſe they are produced only by the light falling in a particular direction, and all the bright gloſſes aſſimilate with the blacker hues when the bird is removed far from the eye of the ſpectator.

It would be tedious to enlarge on the pecular habits of a bird, that is familiar to every ruſtic inhabitant in the kingdom. In all its actions it diſcovers a degree of inſtinct ſuperior to moſt birds. In many reſpects it reſembles the crow; like that creature, it feeds in⯑diſcriminately on every kind of food, Inſects, grain, ſmall birds, or their eggs, carrion, and even young poultry. Sometimes it procures its food by ſtratagem, at others by annoying larger animals when it has no danger to apprehend from them. It is often ſeen perched on the back of a Sheep or a Cow, picking off the Inſects that infeſt them. In this reſpect we allow them to be uſeful; but if they re⯑lieve the poor animals from their ſmaller enemies, they ſubject them to their own uncontroulable inſolence, and ſometimes pick out the eyes of animals that attempt to reſiſt them. In a domeſtic ſtate it is often taught to repeat words, or ſentences. It does not imitate the human voice with the ſame facility and propriety as the parrot, but ſufficiently diſtinct to be underſtood.

Its great ſhare of inſtinct is clearly demonſtrated by the ſituation and manner in which the neſt is built: it is placed conſpicuouſly on the top of ſome tree, or in a hawthorn buſh, but is always fenced below by brambles and other thick buſhes, that make it difficult of acceſs. The neſt is compoſed of thorny twigs well interwoven, and has the [] thorns ſticking outwards: it is lined with wool, feathers and roots, and is plaiſtered within with fine mud. It is defended above by a thorny covering, and has an entrance juſt large enough to admit the bird. The Magpie lays ſix or ſeven eggs of a greeniſh colour, ſpotted with black.

Five ſpecies of this tribe of birds are natives of this country, if we include the Brown Tern mentioned by Mr. Latham as a doubtful kind, and not noticed by Mr. Pennant. The three Terns deſcribed in the Britiſh Zoology are the Greater or Common ^*, Black ^†, and Leſſer Terns: the two former being in the early part of this work we deem it unneceſſary to deſcribe them in this place: the latter, which is the ſubject repreſented in the annexed plate, is rather ſmaller than the Brown Tern: the body is conſiderably leſs; but the wings are nearly as long, meaſuring between the tips when expanded twenty inches: the length is about eight inches and an half.

The haunts and manners of this bird are nearly the ſame as thoſe of the Common Tern; it feeds on ſmall Fiſh and Inſects, lives on the ſides of rivers, or on the ſea coaſt, and breeds amongſt the ruſhes. The egg is about an inch and a half in length, of an olive colour with reddiſh blotches. They leave their breeding-places at the approach [] of winter. This bird is found alſo in the ſouthern parts of Ruſſia, and in America.

Albin has given this ſpecies and the Black Tern, or a variety of it, as male and female, in Plate 89 and 90, Vol. II.

The Black Cock, like the Cock of the Wood, is ſeldom found, except in northern countries; in thoſe near the ſouth, which it ſometimes inhabits, it prefers the coldeſt ſituations amongſt woods and mountains: it feeds on the birch trees and mountain fruits. In Ruſſia and Siberia, they are very abundant, as they were formerly in Scotland, Wales, and the north of England; at preſent they are much diminiſhed in this country, and, perhaps, may become as ſcarce as the Cock of the Wood is at preſent, the fleſh being much eſteemed, and therefore eagerly ſought for.

It ſeems to partake greatly of the habits of the Cock of the Wood; it frequents the ſame ſituations, and ſubſiſts on the ſame kind of food. It never pairs with the females; but, in the ſpring, the male aſcends ſome eminence, crows, and claps his wings, and the females, attentive to his note, reſort to the ſpot.

[]The female is much ſmaller than the male. Its length is eighteen inches, weight two pounds; the colours are red, black, and duſky white, which are diſpoſed in alternate bars and ſpots, in different directions. The moſt remarkable part of the male bird is the tail, which conſiſts of ſixteen feathers; the exterior ones curve very much outwards, and give it a forked appearance; but when the tail is expanded, it reſembles a large fan. Length of the male is twenty-one inches.

The female lay ſix or eight eggs, of a yellowiſh colour, ſpeckled with ferruginous, and blotched at the ſmall end with the ſame colour. The young males leave the female parent in the beginning of winter, and keep in flocks, of ſix or eight, till ſpring. They are very quarrelſome, and fight like game-cocks.

Amongſt the number of curious and elegant ſpecies that have been extirpated in this country, the Engliſh Naturaliſt will moſt regret the loſs of this bird. It was formerly very common, and its fleſh much admired. It formed a part of many of the old Engliſh feaſts; and, amongſt others, that recorded by Leland, which was given by George Nevell, archbiſhop of York, in the reign of Edward the Fourth, alone included "one thouſand Egrittes." At this time it is conſi⯑dered ſuch a rarity, that Mr. Pennant obſerves, in his Appendix to the Britiſh Zoology, "We once received out of Angleſea the feathers of a bird ſhot there, which we ſuſpect to be the Egret; this is the only inſtance, perhaps, of its being found in our country." The ſame author adds, in another part, "We have never met with this bird, or the Crane, in England, but formed our deſcriptions from ſpecimens in the elegant cabinet of Dr. Mauduit, in Paris."

In ſome foreign countries it is ſtill very common: is found in ſeveral parts of Europe and Aſia: it is alſo ſaid to be found in Africa, and on the American continent.

The weight of this bird is one pound, the length about eleven inches; the appendage of looſe feathers, which is ſituated on the back, and hang over the rump, were anciently uſed to decorate caps, or head pieces; and hence the ornament to a cap, in later times, was called an aigrette.

The Imber Diver inhabits the ſeas about the Orkney and Ferroe Iſlands, and never viſits the ſouthern parts of Great Britain, except in ſevere winters. Living chiefly at ſea, it is taken with much dif⯑ficulty. If purſued when ſwimming, it dives under the water, and does not appear again till it is at a conſiderable diſtance from its purſuers. It is often caught under water by a hook, baited with ſmall fiſh. Willoughby ſays, they are ſometimes taken in this manner ſixty feet under water.

Being rarely ſeen on land, it has been believed that it never quitted the water, and that it hatched its young in a hole formed by nature under the wing. Naturaliſts have diſcovered its neſt among reeds and flags in the water, where it is kept continually wet, as in ſome of the Grebe genus.

This ſpecies is larger than the common gooſe: the length is about twenty-five inches. The male is ſaid to be diſtinguiſhed by a few brown ſpecks on the ſide of the neck, and by having the colours throughout more defined than in the female: ſome authors have, however, conſidered the ſuppoſed females as birds not in an adult ſtate.

The Kingsfiſher is ſeven inches in length; its weight is one ounce and a quarter. It is almoſt needleſs to remark, that this bird is eſteemed the moſt beautiful of the feathered race that inhabits the ſouth of Europe. In its form it is rather inelegant; but its colours are fine throughout: the azure of its back is exceedingly bright; and when the creature is hovering in the air, in a fine day, it appears reſplendent in the higheſt degree.

The abſurd fictions that poets, in the vigour of their imagi⯑nation, have formed concerning this bird, have particularly in⯑clined naturaliſts to examine its manners of life with attention. The poets placed it in a floating neſt, during the time of incubation, and endowed it with power to calm the adverſe winds and ſeas. Ariſtotle and Pliny tell us, that this bird is moſt common in the ſeas of Sicily: that it ſat only a few days, and thoſe in the depth of [] winter, and during that period the mariner might fail in full ſecu⯑rity, for which reaſon they were ſtyled Halcyon days ^*. Among the moderns, its fleſh has been thought unperiſhable, and capable of preſerving woollen and other veſtments from decay; and it has alſo been ſuppoſed to turn its breaſt to the north when hung up dead.

Specimens of this bird are brought from almoſt every part of the world: in England it is not uncommon: it frequents the ſides of running ſtreams, and takes its prey, which conſiſts entirely of fiſh, by darting on it in the water. It makes no neſt, but lays ſeven or more, beautiful tranſparent white eggs, in a large hole in the bank of a river or ſtream.