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THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH BIRDS.

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THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH BIRDS; OR, A SELECTION OF THE MOST RARE, BEAUTIFUL, AND INTERESTING BIRDS WHICH INHABIT THIS COUNTRY: THE DESCRIPTIONS FROM THE SYSTEMA NATURAE OF LINNAEUS; WITH GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, EITHER ORIGINAL, OR COLLECTED FROM THE LATEST AND MOST ESTEEMED ENGLISH ORNITHOLOGISTS; AND ILLUSTRATED WITH FIGURES, DRAWN, ENGRAVED, AND COLOURED FROM FINE AND LIVING SPECIMENS.

BY E. DONOVAN, F. L. S.

IN FIVE VOLUMES. VOL. I.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR; AND FOR F. AND C. RIVINGTON, No. 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. 1799.

ADVERTISEMENT.

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THIS Work being now completed, we conceive our engagement with the Subſcribers, is, in every reſpect fulfilled, and that it only remains to embrace this opportunity, to repeat our thanks for their favours; and in particular, for the candour with which the Supplementary Part has been received.

But, in ſubmitting the work to the Public in general, as an illuſtration of an important branch of Britiſh Zoology, it is incumbent on us, to ſtate briefly, the nature, and extent of the undertaking, the information it contains, and its peculiar advantages. In this retroſpective ſurvey of the work, we muſt advert to our former obſervations; ſome ſimilar remarks appeared at the concluſion of the fourth volume, and we retrace thoſe, as they immediately relate to the outline of our deſign.

[]Ornithology, as a ſcience, has undergone various alterations and improvements: different authors have ſubmitted their ſyſtems to the world, and each has found its admirers and opponents; nor has the unrivalled genius of Linnaeus deviſed an arrangement in which thoſe oppoſite opinions may be reconciled. On the importance of Ornithology, in the great ſcale of animated nature, no difference of opinion can prevail. The beauty and elegance of the feathered race: their pleaſing and various melody; their ſagacity, and tractable manners, has been admired in every age and country; and their unerring oeconomy and inſtinct, has ever engaged the attention of the moral philoſopher. The Birds of this country are of plainer colours than thoſe of warmer climates, but they are not leſs intereſting to the Engliſh naturaliſt. If, in ſome inſtances, their beauty has little claim to our notice; in others it excites our admiration; and to the intelligent mind, their beauty, their ſingularities, peculiar manners, and oeconomy are equally engaging. They are the ſource of information and improvement to the practical Ornithologiſt, and of rational and agreeable amuſement to every common obſerver of nature.

At the commencement of this work, it was our intention to form a complete Hiſtory of Britiſh Ornithology, and to include figures of all the known Birds, amounting to more than two hundred and fifty ſpecies; but we have ſince conceived it would be adviſable to ſelect only the more beautiful [] Birds, in addition to thoſe which are intereſting to the naturaliſt: for a conſiderable number of the Britiſh ſpecies are ſo well known, that their hiſtory would be tedious, and the figures unneceſſary, in a work profeſſedly deſigned to treat of the moſt remarkable ſpecies only. Not that we have entirely overlooked the common Birds; in ſeveral inſtances ſome of theſe are introduced alſo, to point out their ſingular habits of life, and other intereſting peculiarities; but, in general, we have endeavoured to form an inſtructive as well as amuſing illuſtration of this department of Natural Hiſtory.

It will perhaps be contended, that a complete collection of figures and deſcriptions of all the Britiſh Birds, would be more acceptable than any partial ſelection, however comprehenſive. We admit the propriety of this objection; but muſt obſerve, that ſuch addition would conſiderably increaſe the expenſe to the purchaſer, and ſcarcely contribute to his information. On the other hand, this work, in its preſent limits, may aſſiſt the reſearches of the uninformed naturaliſt, and tend to promote a deeper and more extenſive enquiry into this branch of ſcience. It embraces in one view the whole of thoſe Britiſh Birds that are ſcarcely known, and of which the inquiſitive reader, under many circumſtances, may be deſirous of information. We have omitted many of thoſe Birds which conſtantly inhabit this country; but have included all local ſpecies, and in particular, thoſe, [] whoſe haunts and breeding places are difficult of acceſs, and the Birds in conſequence, little known. The extenſive marſhes and lowlands in ſome parts of the kingdom, are the retreats and breeding places of certain ſpecies. Thoſe ſolitary kinds, which retire to the depths, and gloomy receſſes of foreſts, are rarely obſerved; and many of thoſe which ſeek the open plain for ſecurity, elude our vigilance, and are not better known. But the rareſt of the local kinds, are of the rapacious and gallinaceous tribes, which never leave their dreary ſolitudes: their wilds and barren mountains in the north; to viſit the ſouthern parts of Great Britain. The migratory Birds are numerous, and include many well known ſpecies, with others that are uncommonly ſcarce. We have taken an extenſive variety of the beautiful Land Birds, that reſort to this country occaſionally from the ſouth of Europe; and of the aquatic or web-footed tribe, that are driven by the ſeverity of the winter in the Arctic regions to ſeek ſhelter on our ſhores. Hiſtory and tradition inform us of other Birds that formerly inhabited theſe kingdoms, but are now extirpated; and theſe form an intereſting ſequel to this ſelection. We cannot vindicate the propriety of introducing naturalized exotic ſpecies amongſt theſe, though they are arranged by our Naturaliſts in the Britiſh Ornithology; and in ſome inſtances we have followed their authority, for the ſake of embelliſhment and variety.

[]In the courſe of publication, we have been fortunate in procuring ſpecimens of many uncommon Birds. Among the moſt remarkable, are The Roſe-coloured Ouzel, Roller, Little Bittern, Waxen Chatterer, Black Woodpecker, and in particular that rare and almoſt unknown ſpecies, the Wood Chat.—The Red-necked Grebe, Dartford Warbler, Duſky Lark, Long-legged Plover, Egret and Cock of the Wood. We could enumerate many other ſpecies highly important to the uninformed naturaliſt; but, we refer our readers for the general detail, to the complete Syſtematic Arrangement annexed to this Advertiſement.

In this Syſtematic Arrangement we have followed the Syſtema Naturae of Linnaeus, though we totally diſſent from the opinion of that celebrated naturaliſt in his primary diviſions of Ornithology. In every ſyſtem, the Birds which inhabit the land only, are ſeparated from ſuch as frequent the water. This appears to be a natural method of forming two principal diviſions of Ornithology; it was adopted by Ray, and approved by Pennant and Latham. In the Linnaean ſyſtem, thoſe which inhabit the water are ſeparated from the reſt; but the Land Birds are divided into two parts, and the Water Birds are placed between them. To avoid confuſion we have adhered to this arrangement; but we have alſo placed an Index, in the manner of Pennant and Latham, at the concluſion of each volume.

[]Having endeavoured to explain the nature and extent of this undertaking, we ſubmit the whole to the candour of the Public; and, though not indifferent to the flattering teſtimony of approbation, it has received in the courſe of five years publication, we entreat indulgence for whatever may be thought exceptionable, either in the outline of our undertaking, the ſelection of ſpecies, or the manner in which they are illuſtrated. To our Subſcribers, we ſhall not preſume to addreſs any apology, as their opinion muſt be already decided. The progreſſive manner in which the work has appeared, has afforded every opportunity for critical examination, for detecting error, or diſcovering merit; and, we truſt, their continued patronage is ſome criterion of their approbation, and of the general utility of our deſign.

SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF SELECT BRITISH BIRDS.

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ORDER I.
ACCIPITRES

Includes the Falcon, Owl, and Shrike or Butcher Bird.

FALCON.
  • Falco Oſſifragus. Sea Eagle.
  • Haliaetus. Oſprey.
  • Apivorus. Honey Buzzard.
  • Milvus. Kite.
  • * Peregrinus. Peregrine Falcon.
  • Cyaneus. Hen Harrier.
  • Tinnunculus. Keſtril.
  • Subbuteo. Hobby:
  • * Aeſalon. Merlin.
OWL.
  • Strix Brachyotos. Short-eared Owl.
  • Flammea. White Owl.
  • Stridula. Tawny Owl.
  • Paſſerina. Little Owl.
SHRIKE.
  • Lanius Excubitor. Great cinereous Shrike.
  • Collurio. Red-backed Shrike.
  • * Rufus. Wood Chat.

ORDER II.
PICAE

Crow, Roller, Oriole, Cuckow, Wryneck, Woodpecker, King's-fiſher, Nuthatch, Hoopoe, Creeper.

CROW.
  • Corvus Cornix. Hooded Crow.
  • Glandarius. Jay.
  • var. white.
  • Pica. Magpie.
  • Caryocatactes. Nutcracker.
ROLLER.
  • Coracias Garrula. Garrulous Roller.
ORIOLE.
  • Oriolus Galbula. Golden Oriole.
CUCKOW.
  • Cuculus Canorus. Common Cuckow.
WRYNECK.
  • Yunx Torquilla. Common Wryneck.
WOODPECKER.
  • Picus Martius. Great Black Woodpecker.
  • Minor. Leſſer ſpotted Woodpecker.
  • Viridis. Green Woodpecker.
KING'S-FISHER.
  • Alcedo Iſpida. Common Kingsfiſher.
NUTHATCH.
  • Sitta Europaea. European Nuthatch.
HOOPOE.
  • Upupa Epops. Common Hoopoe.

ORDER III.
ANSERES

Duck, Merganſer, Auk, Petrel, Pelican, Diver, Gull and Tern.

DUCK.
  • Anas Aegyptatica. Egyptian Gooſe.
  • * Albifrons. White-fronted Gooſe.
  • Tardona. Shieldrake.
  • Hyemalis. Long-tailed Duck.
  • Querquedula. Garganey.
  • Boſchas. Mallard.
MERGANSER.
  • Mergus Merganſer. Gooſander.
  • Serrator. Red Breaſted Gooſander.
  • Albellus. Smew.
  • Minutus. Red-headed Smew.
AUK.
  • Alca Arctica. Puffin.
  • Torda. Razor-billed Auk.
DIVERS.
  • Colymbus Troile. Fooliſh Guillemot.
  • Glacialis. Northern Diver.
  • Immer. Imber Diver.
  • Septentrionalis. Red-throated Diver.
  • Criſtatus. Creſted Grebe.
  • Auritus. Eared Grebe.
  • Urinator. Tippet Grebe.
  • * Nigricans. Duſky Grebe.
  • * Ruficollis. Red-necked Grebe.
  • Minutus. Little Grebe.
GULL.
  • Larus Canus. Common Gull.
  • Hybernus. Winter Gull.
TERN.
  • Sterna Sandvicenſis. Sandwich Tern.
  • Hirundo. Common Tern.
  • Minuta. Leſſer Tern.
  • Fuſca. Black Tern.

ORDER IV.
GRALLAE

Heron, Ibis, Snipe, Sandpiper, Plover, Avoſet, Oyſter-catcher, Coot, Rail, Buſtard.

HERON.
  • Ardea Cinerea. Common Heron.
  • Garzetta. Egret.
  • Minuta. Little Bittern.
IBIS.
  • * Tantalus Igneus. Gloſſy Ibis.
SNIPE.
  • Numenius Phaeopus. Wimbrel.
  • Scolopax Aegocephala. Common Godwit.
  • Calidris. Redſhank.
SANDPIPER.
  • Tringa Pugnax. Ruff.
  • Vanellus. Lapwing.
  • Cinclus. Purre.
PLOVER.
  • Claradrius Pluvialis. Golden Plover.
  • Himantopus. Long-legged Plover
  • Hiaticula. Ringed Plover.
  • Morinellus. Dottrel.
AVOSET.
  • Recurviroſtra Avoſetta. Scooping Avoſet.
OYSTER-CATCHER.
  • Haematopus Oſtralegus. Pied Oyſter-catcher.
COOT.
  • Fulica Atra. Common Coot.
  • Chloropus. Water Hen.
RAIL.
  • Rallus Crex. Land Rail.
  • Aquaticus. Water Rail.
  • Porzana. Small ſpotted Water-Hen.

ORDER V.
GALLINAE.

[]

Pheaſant, Grous, Peacock.

PHEASANT.
  • Phaſianus Colchicus. Common Pheaſant.
GROUS.
  • Tetrao Urogallus. Cock of the Wood.
  • Tetrix. Black Game.
  • Logopus. White Game or Ptarmigan.
PEACOCK.
  • Pavo Criſtatus. Common Peacock, (variety.)

ORDER VI.
PASSERES.

Pigeon, Lark, Stare, Thruſh, Chatterer, Groſbeak, Bunting Finch, Fly-catcher, Warbler, Wagtail, Titmouſe, Swallow, Goat Sucker.

PIGEON.
  • Columba Oenas. Stock Pigeon.
LARK.
  • Alauda Oſcura. Duſky Lark.
STARE.
  • Sturnus Cinclus. Water Ouzel.
THRUSH.
  • Turdus Torquatus. Ring Ouzel.
  • Roſeus. Roſe-coloured Ouzel.
CHATTERER.
  • Ampelis Garrulus. Waxen Chatterer.
GROSBEAK.
  • Loxia Curviroſtra. Common Croſsbill.
  • Coccothrauſtes. Hawfinch.
  • Enucleator. Pine Groſbeak.
  • Pyrrhula. Bulfinch.
BUNTING.
  • Emberiza Frigida. Tawny Bunting.
  • Citrinella. Yellow Bunting.
  • Miliaria. Common Bunting.
FINCH.
  • Fringilla Montana. Tree Sparrow.
  • Montifringilla. Brambling.
  • Carduelis. Goldfinch.
  • Linaria. Leſſer Redpole.
FLY-CATCHER.
  • Muſcicapa Atricapilla. Pied Fly-catcher.
WAGTAIL, WARBLER.
  • Motacilla Alba. White Wagtail.
  • Flava, Yellow Wagtail.
  • Boarula. Grey Wagtail.
  • Luſcinia. Nightingale.
  • Phoenicurus. Redſtart.
  • Salicaria. Sedge Warbler.
  • * Dartfordienſis. Dartford Warbler.
  • Rubicola. Stone Chat.
  • Rubetra. Whin Chat.
  • Regulus. Gold-creſted Wren.
  • Trochilus. Yellow Wren.
  • * Sylviella. Leſſer White Throat.
  • Rubecula. Redbreaſt.
TITMOUSE.
  • Parus Major. Great Titmouſe.
  • Ater. Colemouſe.
  • Caeruleus. Blue Titmouſe.
  • Caudatus. Long-tailed Titmouſe.
  • Biarmicus. Bearded Titmouſe.
  • Criſtatus. Creſted Titmouſe.
GOAT SUCKER.
  • Caprimulgus Europaeus. European Goat Sucker.

THE LINNAEAN ARRANGEMENT OF THE ORDERS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS AVES.

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  • ORDER I. Acciptres. RAPACIOUS Birds; having the upper mandible of the beak furniſhed on each ſide with an angular proceſs; claws arched, ſtrong.
  • ORDER II. Picae. Pies; having the beak a little curved, and rather compreſſed on the ſides.
  • ORDER III. Anſeres. Web-footed; theſe have a beak ſomewhat obtuſe, and covered with a thin ſkin; at the baſe underneath gibbous, and wide at the end; the faux, or edges of the baſe, denticulated; the feet palmated, or webbed, and formed for ſwimming.
  • [4] ORDER IV. Grallae. Waders. Theſe have the beak ſubcylindrical, and ſomewhat obtuſe; the tongue entire, and fleſhy; the thighs naked for ſome ſpace above the knees; legs very long.
  • ORDER V. Gallinae. Gallinaceous. Birds having the upper mandible convex, or arched, and receiving the edges of the lower noſtrils, half covered by means of a convex membrane, rather cartilaginous; the rectrices, or tail-feathers, more than twelve; the feet cloven, but connected by a membrane as far as the firſt joint.
  • ORDER VI. Paſſeres. Paſſerine. Theſe have a conical acuminated, or pointed, beak; noſtrils oval, open, naked.
[figure]


[5]PLATE I. PARUS BIARMICUS. BEARDED TITMOUSE. PASSERES.

[]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſhort, ſtrong, entire, briſtles at the baſe. Tongue, blunt, with briſtles at the end.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, AND SYNONYMS. Bill ſhort, ſtrong, convex, yellow. Head grey. A black tuft, or beard, beneath each Eye. Plumage red yellow. Tail long. Legs black.

  • Lin. Syſt. Nat. 342. edit. 12—1766.
  • Scop. ann. 1. No 241.
  • J. L. Friſch. t. 8.
  • PARUS BARBATUS. La Meſange barbue, ou le Mouſtache.—
    • Briſ. Orn. III. p. 567. No 12.
    • Buf. Oiſ. pl. 18. v. p. 418.
    • Pl. enl. 618. t. 1.2.
  • Pendulus. Kram. el. p. 373.
  • Beardmanica, Albin. 1. pl. 48.
  • Lanius Minimus, Leaſt Butcher Bird. Edw. pl. 55.
  • Bearded Titmouſe. Br. Zool. 1. No 167.
    • Arct. Zool.—Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
[6]

The Great Titmouſe, Colemouſe, and Marſh Titmouſe; with the Blue, Long-tailed, and Bearded, Titmice, are the only ſpecies of the tribe which inhabit this country: they are all very frequent excepting the latter; which however is not uncommon in certain ſituations, though formerly eſteemed as rare.

It was deſcribed by Aldrovandus in his Ornithology publiſhed in the years 1610—1613; and appears to be well known at that time in ſeveral parts of Europe, though unknown in Britain: more than a century after Aldrovandus, (1734), it was included in a Hiſtory of the Birds of Germany by J. L. Friſch; but even at that time, was ſo rare with us, that it was ſcarcely aſcertained to be a native of Britain; and Albin, who ſeems to have poſſeſſed ſome knowledge of Birds, determines it as a native, only on the authority of the information he received from others; his Hiſtory of Birds was publiſhed in 1738; therein he gives a figure of the Male Bird, and ſays in the Deſcriptions annexed, "Theſe two birds (male and female) I bought of Mr. Bland on Tower-hill, who told me he had them from Jutland: I have been ſince informed by Sir Robert Abdy, that they are found in the Saltmarſhes in Eſſex, and by others that they are likewiſe in the fens in Lincolnſhire."

He alſo obſerves that it receives the name Beardmanica from the black tuft reſembling a picked beard.

Edwards * refers it to the tribe of Butcher-birds, under the title of LANIUS Minimus, Leaſt Butcher-Bird; but Linnaeus, in his Syſtema Naturae, reduced it to the PARUS genus; and late writers have alſo determined it to the ſame family.

[7]Its length, from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, is ſix inches and a quarter: the bill is thick, and of a bright yellow colour, but fades immediately when the bird dies; in the female it is rather duſky; and the head, which is of a fine grey in the male, is of a browniſh ruſt colour, ſpotted with black, in the female: indeed, the female is immediately diſtinguiſhed by the plainneſs of her plumage, it neither poſſeſſing the beautiful purple colour on the breaſt, or the black tufts on the throat, which characterizes the male: the vent-feathers of the male are pale black; of the female light brown; as are the other parts of the belly.

Pennant, in the Britiſh Zoology, ſays, "This ſpecies is found in the marſhes near London: we have ſeen it near Glouceſter: it is alſo frequent among the great tracts of reeds near Cowbit in Lincolnſhire, where I ſuſpect they breed.

Latham, in his General Synopſis,—"Theſe birds are found in England, but have hitherto been obſerved only in marſhy ſituations where reeds grow, on the ſeeds of which it feeds, as well as ſmall inſects; both of which have been found in their ſtomachs. They are pretty frequent, and in not inconſiderable quantities, in the marſhes among the reeds between Erith and London, and are again met with in ſuch-like places near Glouceſter, as well as among the great tracts of reeds near Cowbit, in Lincolnſhire. In all theſe places I make no doubt of their breeding, as I know that they ſtay in the firſt-named parts the whole year. The neſt is not known for certain; but I have ſeen one, which was compoſed of very ſoft downy materials, ſuſpended between three reeds drawn together, thought to be the work of that bird."

"They are alſo common in Denmark; and Buffon ſuppoſes that a pair of theſe, having eſcaped from the cage of the Counteſs of Albemarle, [8] have founded this colony in England. This may have been the caſe in reſpect to thoſe of Erith, being on the borders of the Thames, but will not ſo well account for their being elſewhere; and I am inclined to think that they are indigenous to us, and have been ſo ab origine; and that it is merely owing to their frequenting ſuch places only where the reeds grow, that they have been ſo little known; for as thoſe birds never go farther than a few yards from the beds *, they have ſtood a greater chance, which has really happened, of not being earlier obſerved."

Kramer ſays the neſt is built among the willows, and is of the ſhape of a purſe, made of ſoft downy materials, ſuch as the down of the Greater Cat's-Tail , or that of the Aſp , hanging the neſt on a branch.

What new light Mr. Latham could throw on this ſubject, is given in the Supplement publiſhed in the year 1787.

"I have never yet been able myſelf to aſcertain the neſt and eggs. In Sepp's plate the neſt is placed on the ground among the ſedges. It is of a very looſe texture, compoſed of the tops of dry graſs, mixed with the ſeed-heads of ruſhes and reeds, with narrow leaves intermixed. The eggs four in number, of a reddiſh white, marked with ſmall brown ſpots."

[9]"This ſpecies is found in Schonen, in Sweden; but rarely. Is very common about the Caſpian Sea and Palus Moeotis, and among the ruſhes of the rivers which fall into them; but in no high latitudes in Aſia. None in Siberia *."

The male ſhews much tenderneſs and care for its young, and its mate partakes alſo of its affection: it is ſaid to be ever conſtant in its attachments; and at night, when at rooſt, the male protects the female, under the concave of his wing.

[figure]


[11]PLATE II. CORVUS GLANDARIUS. JAY. PICAE.

[]

Bill compreſſed, convex, or a little curved.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrong, conic, with briſtles at its baſe reflected downwards. Tongue bifid.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, AND SYNONYMS. Head covered with long feathers. Forehead white with black ſtrokes. From the angles of the mouth a broad ſtreak of black under each eye. The head, ſides, neck, breaſt, back and ſcapulars, vinaceous buff-colour. Coverts of the wings fine blue, barred with black. Rump white. Tail black-brown.

  • CORVUS glandarius. Lin. Syſt. 1. p. 156. No 7.
    • Scop. ann. 1. p. 36. No 39.
    • Mull. p. 12.
  • PICA glanduria. Geſn. av. 700.
  • Jay. Aldr. Ornith. l. 12. e. 14.
    • Will. Orn. p. 130. pl. 19.
    • Raii. av. 41. A. 2.
    • Alb. av. 1. p. 16. t. 16.
  • [12]Le Geay, Garrulus. Briſ. Orn. ii. p. 47. No 1.
    • Buf. ois. III. p. 107. pl. 8.—Pl. enl. 481.
    • Renel. 481.
  • Holtz-ſchreyer (Wood Cryer), Eichen-heher (Oak Jay), Nusheher, Friſch. t. 55.
  • Nus-heher, Kramer El. p. 335.
  • Ghiandaia, Zinan. 67.
  • Skoia, Schoga. Scopoli, No 39.
  • Screch y Coed. (Antient Britiſh.) Brit. Zool.

The Jay, though very frequent in every part of the country, evidently deſerves, for the ſingular beauty of its plumage, the firſt place in a collection of intereſting Britiſh Birds: it is a ſpecies, however, not merely confined to this kingdom; but generally diffuſed over the greater part of the continent of Europe.

Among the foreign birds which are referred to this genus, are ſeveral ſpecies eminently diſtinguiſhed for their rich and elegant colouring; but the European Jay is certainly ſuperior in this particular to many exotics of the ſame family.

Its habits are known, in a great degree, to reſemble thoſe of the Magpie, which alſo belongs to the ſame genus. It will devour with avidity cherries, gooſeberries, raſpberries, or other fruits; but in autumn and winter it feeds on acorns; whence it long ſince derived the name PICA Glandaria. It is not deſtitute of a carnivorous appetite, as it frequently combats, and devours, ſmall birds: it alſo feeds on worms and inſects.

[13]Ablin, in Plate 16. Vol. 1. very accurately deſcribes the Jay he took his figure from, which nearly correſponds with our ſpecimen.

"Its length, from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, was fourteen inches; its breadth, when the wings were extended, twenty-one inches and an half; its weight ſeven ounces; the bill dark aſh colour inclining to black, ſtrong, near an inch and an half long; the tongue black, thin, pellucid, and cloven at the tip; the irides of the eyes white. Near on the lower chap of the bill are two black ſpots, on each ſide one. The chin and lower part of the belly whitiſh, elſe the breaſt and belly are of a mixt cinereous and red; the rump above is white, the back red, with a mixture of blue; the feathers on the crown of the head variegated with black and white.

"The ſails of the wings are in number twenty, of which the firſt is ſhorter by half than the ſecond, the fourth the longeſt (being by meaſure ſix inches and a quarter); the firſt or outermoſt is black, the bottom or lower part white, which is proper to it alone; the ſix next following have their exterior vanes of an aſh colour, the three next likewiſe, but more obſcure, and mingled with blue, being alſo marked toward their bottom with tranſverſe black and white ſtrokes; the five ſucceeding have their exterior vanes half white, half black, viz. the lower half white, the upper black, but ſo that each extremity of the white is terminated with blue; the ſixteenth, in place of the white of the four precedent, hath tranſverſe blue, black, and white ſpots; the ſeventeenth is black, having one or two blue ſpots; the eighteenth is black with ſome little red; the nineteenth red with the tip black; the under ſides of all the feathers of the wing are of a dark or duſky colour; the covert-feathers of the fifteen exterior ſails are very beautiful, being variegated or chequered with black, white, and lovely ſhining blue lines, the reſt of the covert-feathers being black.

[14]"The tail is ſix inches and a quarter long, conſiſting of twelve feathers, wholly black except toward their roots: under the rump there is ſomething of a blue mingled with cinereous.

"The feet and toes are of a ferruginous duſky colour, the middle toe is the longeſt; the outmoſt is equal to the back toe; the lower joint of the outmoſt toe is joined to the middlemoſt; the back claw is the greateſt.

"The guts are twenty-four inches long; the blind guts but half an inch; it hath a gall and a long ſpleen: the ſtomach or gizzard not very fleſhy, and having its echinus, wherein were found acorns, &c."

He adds, "The female differs little or nothing from the male, either in bigneſs or colour, ſo that it is very difficult to know them aſunder:" but after the publication of his firſt Volume of Birds, he rectifies this error, in a ſupplement which is prefixed to the work. "The following obſervations," (ſays he) "I received from Dr. Derham, after the deſcriptions were printed. He hath obſerved the Cock Jay (Plate 16. Vol. 1.) to be ſomewhat bigger than the Hen, the feathers on the head to be blacker, the ſtripes longer, and the black and blue colours more elegant in the Cock than in the Hen."

Jays generally build in woods, preferring a ſituation near the ſkirts: the neſt is compoſed of fibrous roots, and young twigs, erected on a baſe of ſeveral large ſticks, and is placed on the top of a thorn-buſh, or other under-wood, or between the firſt branches of low decayed trees: the female lays five or ſix eggs, of the ſize of a pigeon's, of a cinereous olive colour, marked with very pale brown ſpots: the young Jays remain with their parents till the next ſpring; and at the pairing time they each chooſe his mate, to propagate their future progeny.

[15]It is a reſtleſs and very quarrelſome bird: makes a harſh, chattering and ſcreaming noiſe; and is ever at variance not only with its own ſpecies, but with every other inhabitant of the foreſt: when deprived of liberty, it may be taught to imitate the human voice; but the original appearance of its plumage is ſo altered by confinement, as ſcarcely to retain any of the beautiful colours, which are ſo eminently conſpicuous in the wild ſtate.

It is a native of Denmark, and of Ruſſia; of Scotland, and of England; but does not frequent the iſlands adjacent.

Latham ſays, "The Jay, I believe, is not ſpread ſo far as many others of the genus, as we do not hear of its inhabiting further ſouth than Italy and Greece.

"This ſpecies is common in the woods both of Ruſſia and Siberia, but none beyond the Lena *; Georgi mentions it as frequenting the Lake Baikal, and Ruſſel records it as an Aleppo ſpecies . I have a ſuſpicion alſo that it extends to China, as it is to be ſeen in the drawings of birds from that country.

"It is called by the name of Jay, about Arragon in Spain, as in England. In the laſt it is not eſteemed as food; but in the firſt it is expoſed to ſale along with other birds ." It is alſo eaten in Sweden . Supp. Gen. Syn. p. 79. No 19.

LE GEAY BLANC. WHITE JAY. Briſ. orn. II. p. 51. A.

[16]

Latham deſcribes this Jay, as only a variety of the common ſort, and ſays he had one which was taken in a neſt with four other Jays of the uſual colour; the ſpecimen he mentions, is at preſent in my collection; it is leſs than the common ſize, is wholly white, inclining to a cream colour in the ſhades; the legs and bill are white alſo: the irides red.

[figure]


[]PLATE III. TURRDUS ROSEUS. ROSE-COLOURED THRUSH OR OUZEL. PASSERES.

[]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, ſubulate, and ſomewhat angular.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, AND SYNONYMS. Bill at the baſe reddiſh, at the point black. A long pendent Creſt. Head, Creſt, Neck, Wings, and Tail, black, tinged with green-purple. Breaſt, Belly, and Back, pale roſe-colour with dark ſpots; Legs dirty orange.

  • Lin. Syſt. 1. p. 294. No 15.
    • Faun. Suec. 219.
    • Nov. Com. Ac. Petrop. XV. p. 478. t. 23. f. 1.
  • STURNUS Roſeus, Scop. ann. 1. p. 130. No 191.
  • TURDUS Seleucis. Faun. Arab. p. 6. a.—p. 5. No 16.
  • Le Merle couleur de Roſe. Briſ. orn. ii. p. 250. No 20.
    • Buf. Oiſ. iii. p. 348. t. pl. 22.—pl. enl. 251.
  • MERULA Roſea, Raii. Syn. p. 67. 9.
    • Aldr. av. II. 283.
  • Roſe, or Carnation-coloured Ouzel. Will. orn. p. 194.
    • Edw. pl. 20.
    • Br. Zool. App. No 5. pl. 5.
    • Ar. Zool.—Lev. Muſ.
[]

This ſpecies is very rare in every part of Europe; and eſpecially in this country: we have a figure of it in the Britiſh Zoology; but unfortunately, notwithſtanding Mr. Pennant's very laudable intentions, he had no opportunity of conſulting the original ſpecimen; he depended on a drawing done by his friend Mr. G. Edwards; and the copy is only a diſtant imitation of the bird; it is defective about the body, and exceedingly incorrect as to the circumference of the neck; the account ſays, "Mr. Edwards diſcovered this beautiful bird twice in our iſland, near London, at Norwood, and another time in Norfolk;" the figure of this was copied by permiſſion from his beautiful and accurate deſign, which we gratefully acknowledge, as well as every other aſſiſtance from our worthy friend; whoſe pencil has done ſo much honour to his country.

This bird is the ſize of a ſtarling; eight inches in length: bill three quarters of an inch, of a fleſh-colour, with the baſe reddiſh: irides pale: the feathers on the head long, they form a creſt which impends on the neck: the head, neck, wings, and tail, are black; the two latter are ſtrongly gloſſed with green; and in ſome parts with an inclination to blue and purple: the back, rump, breaſt, belly, and leſſer wing coverts, pale roſe colour, with a few irregular dark ſpots: legs pale red, or orange.

Ruſſell in his Hiſtory of Aleppo, calls our reſe a fleſh-colour; and in the Peterſburgh Tranſactions the name given to it is ſanguineous; we may then conclude that the bird varies much in its roſe, or pink colour; the female alſo is paler than the male.

Mr. Latham has added a farther proof of its being found in this country, one was ſhot at Grantham, in Lincolnſhire, and is now in the poſſeſſion of Sir Joſeph Banks, Bart.; and he ſays that he is aſſured of one, or more, being ſhot almoſt every ſeaſon about Ormſkirk in Lancaſhire.

[]It is more frequent in France; and is met with in Burgundy, in its paſſage to other parts: Aldrovandus mentions it as not uncommon in Italy, where it is called the ſea ſtare, and ſays its uſual haunts are among heaps of dung *: it is alſo found in Switzerland and Lapland, but it never paſſes the limits of that frozen region .

In ſome parts of Aſia it is common: "It comes in great numbers about Aleppo, in July and Auguſt, in purſuit of the ſwarms of locuſts ; whence it is held ſacred by the Turks, as great quantities are deſtroyed by this means: it is alſo ſeen in vaſt flocks, every year in the ſouth of Ruſſia; about the river Don; and in Siberia, about the Irtiſch; finding abundance of locuſts for food, and convenience for breeding between the rocks: it is alſo common on the borders of the Caſpian Sea; about Aſtrachan; and from thence all along the Volga." Latham Gen. Syn. 3. 50. 52.

It extends to India; Sir Joſeph Banks, has one in his collection which was received from Bombay.

[figure]


[]PLATE IV. MOTACILLA REGULUS. GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. PASSERES.

[4]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, ſlender. Tongue jagged.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. AND SYNONYMS. Crown of the head bright yellow, with a longitudinal black margin on each ſide, which paſſes immediately above the eyes. Back greeniſh. Breaſt white with a dirty green tinge. Legs yellow-brown.

  • MOTACILLA REGULUS Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 338. No 48.
    • Muller, p. 33, No 280.
    • Georgi Reiſe, p. 175.
    • Friſch. t. 24.
  • GOLDEN-CROWNED WREN Raii. Syn. p. 79. A. 9.
    • Will. Orn. p. 227. pl. 42.
    • Albin. 1. pl. 53. A.
    • Edw. pl. 254. 1.
    • Cateſh. Car. App. 36. 37.
    • Br. Zool. 1. No 153.
    • Arct. Zool.—Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
    • Latham. Gen. Syn. IV. 508.
    • []Le Poul, ou Souci, ou Roitelet hupé, Calendula, Briſon, av. III. p. 579. No 17. Pl. enl. 651. fig. 3.
    • Le Roitelet. Buff. oiſ. V. p. 363. pl. 16. f. 2.
    • Fior rancio. Olina. pl. in p. 6.
    • La Soulcie. Belon av. 345.
    • Kongs fogel. Faun. Suec. ſp. 262.
    • Kratlich. Scopoli, No 240.
    • Sommer Zaunkoenig (Summer Wren.) Friſch, 1. 24.
    • Goldhannel. Kram. 378.
    • Fugle-Konge. Brun. 285.

The golden creſted Wren is the ſmalleſt bird yet diſcovered, in either of the Britiſh iſles; is common to France, Auſtria, Italy, and moſt other parts of Europe; and in thoſe countries, as with us, it appears to be the leaſt native ſpecies.

But diſcoveries in the interior parts of ſouth America, have verified, that it is not the leaſt kind exiſting; in that country where the Condor is found, the moſt diminutive ſpecies of the feathered tribe are alſo taken; and to thoſe the leaſt European bird bears a gigantic diſproportion; for inſtance, the length of the golden-creſted Wren is three inches and an half, its weight ſeventy-ſix grains: but the total length of the leaſt South-American Humming bird * is not more than an inch and a quarter, and its weight when freſh killed twenty grains ; the female is yet ſmaller .

[]The appellations Regulus, and Tyrannus, Little King, or Tyrant, have been given to the golden-creſted Wren by ſome authors: it has ability to conceal the orange band on the head; by corrugating the forehead, and drawing together the feathers, which form the black longitudinal band on each ſide.

The colour of the plumage of the female is paler, than of the male; the creſt or feathers on the crown of the head are yellow, but without the bright orange colour, which ſoftens into the creſt of the male.

It remains with us through the winter *; frequents woods; and builds its neſt, either in oak, fir, or yew trees, the neſt is of a roundiſh form, with an opening on one ſide; it is compoſed of moſs; and lined within with ſome downy ſubſtance, (perhaps cobwebs,) intermixed with ſmall filaments.

It lays ſix or ſeven eggs, which are no bigger than large peas .

Although the ſpecies is found in Europe, it is ſcattered throughout the other three quarters of the globe, with only ſome little variations which mark the influence of climate; Latham mentions a ſpecimen received from Cayenne with black legs.

It is a native of Ruſſia , Sweden, and Norway; and is found as far north as the Shetland iſles; but diſappears before winter; it bears cold extremely well, and therefore it may be rather the ſcarcity of inſects, on which it feeds; than merely the approaching ſeaſon, which induces it to take ſuch vaſt flights.

[]It is alſo found in the northern parts of America, Penſylvania *, and New-York .

"We have obſerved this bird ſuſpended in the air for a conſiderable time over a buſh in flower, whilſt it ſung very melodiouſly. The note does not much differ from that of the common Wren, but is very weak." Brit. Zool. 379. 153.

[figure]


[]PLATE V. MOTACILLA ALBA. WHITE WAGTAIL. PASSERES.

[5]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, ſlender. Tongue jagged.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. AND SYNONYMS. Bill dark brown. Head, Tail, and Legs, black. Breaſt, Belly, and ſides of the Tail, white. Upper parts of the Body, and Wing coverts cinereous, Tail and back claw long.

  • MOTACILLA ALBA. Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 331. No 2.
    • Geſner, av. 618.
    • Sepp. Vog. pl. in p. 119.—Faun. Arag. p. 88.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. IV. p. 395. No 1.—Arct. Zool. ii. p. 396. E.
  • WHITE WATER-WAGTAIL, Raii. Syn. 75. A. I.—Albin. I.
    • pl. 49. Will. Orn. p. 237.—Brit. Zool. 1.
    • No 142. pl. 55. Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • La Lavandiere, Briſ. Orn. iii. 461. No 38.
    • Buff. Oiſ. v. p. 251. pl. 14. f. 1.—pl. enl. 625. f. 1.— Variety. f. 2.
  • Ballarina, Cutrettola. Olina, 43.
  • Monachina. Zinan. 51.
  • Pliſka, Paſtaritra. Scopoli, No 224.
  • Arla. Sadeſarla. Faun. Suec. ſp. 252.
  • Danis Vip-Stiert, Havre Saeer.
  • Norvegis Erle, Lin-Erle.
    • Weiſs und ſchwartze Bachſteltze. Friſch. 1. 23.
    • Graue Bachſtelze. Kram 374.

[] This bird is very frequent in England, and is ſpread throughout the whole of the old Continent; Latham ſays he has more than once met with a repreſentation of it in Chineſe drawings: it extends as far as Iceland, the Feroe Iſles, and Drontheim; it is common in Ruſſia, Siberia, and Kamptſchatka; but is not found in the more northern regions.

It alſo inhabits India, a drawing which was done on the ſpot being in the collection of Lady Impey *.

It frequents the ſides of pools and ſmall rivulets; and feeds on inſects: it is often ſeen running on the ground with much celerity, or leaping up after flies: the tail is frequently in motion. Birds of this genus ſeldom perch; fly in an undulating manner, and have a twittering noiſe in flight.

Willughby obſerves, that this ſpecies ſhifts its quarters in the winter; moving from the north to the ſouth of England during that ſeaſon.

Latham ſuſpects that part of them migrate, as he does not recollect ſeeing ſo many in winter, as in the ſummer ſeaſon, and ſays, in Scotland, and in the north of England, it is ſcarce ever ſeen in hard weather.

This, and others of this claſs, are called, both by the French and Engliſh, Waſher-Women, or Diſh-Waſhers.

It is particularly ſerviceable to the farmer in Spring and Autumn, by attending the plough to devour the larvae of inſects, worms, &c. which are turned up; hence it is the intereſt of the farmer to diſcourage any attempt to deſtroy thoſe birds, and to this circumſtance they may owe much for their preſervation.

[]The marks and colours vary very conſiderably in different ſpecimens. Some have only a creſcent of black on the breaſt, the chin and throat being quite white, in others all the white parts are ſtrongly tinctured with yellow; in ſome the chin, fore part of the neck, and breaſt, are black; and in the Leverian Muſeum is a fine variety; white, except the hind parts, which are yellowiſh.

In the females, the top of the head generally inclines to brown. The uſual length of this ſpecies is ſeven inches from the bill to the extremity of the tail.

The neſt is built on the ground, is compoſed of dry graſs, fine fibres, and moſs; lined with hair, feathers, or ſoft dry graſs; the eggs are five in number; white, ſpotted with brown: for the moſt part they have only one brood in a year.

[figure]


[]PLATE VI. PODICEPS RUFICOLLIS. RED-NECKED GREBE. ANSERES.

[6]

Bill obtuſe, covered with a thin membrane, broad, gibbous below the baſe, ſwelled at the apex. Tongue fleſhy. Legs naked. Feet webbed, or ſinned.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtraight, ſlender, pointed. Noſtrils linear at the baſe of the Bill. Legs placed near the tail. Feet flat, thin, and ſerrated behind with a double row of notches.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, AND SYNONYMS. Bill black, with the baſe of each mandible fine yellow. Irides bright orange-yellow. Crown, and ſides of the Head above the Eyes black-brown, with the feathers a little elongated. The hind part of the Neck, Back, and Wings, dark brown; ſix of the middle ſecondaries white, a little mottled with duſky at the tips: the two or three next outward, are more or leſs white near the tips and inner webs. The Chin, ſides under the Eyes, and fore part of the Neck, for above an inch, pale aſh-colour; the reſt of the Neck ferruginous cheſnut, mottled on the Breaſt with duſky; thence to the Vent, white, like ſattin, mottled on the ſides with duſky irregular ſpots. Legs black.

  • COLYMBUS SUBCRISTATUS, Jacq. Vog. p. 37. pl. 18.
  • COLYMBUS PAROTIS, Sparrm. Muſ. Carls. pl. 9.
  • PODICEPS RUFICOLLIS. Lath. Gen. Syn. 5. 288-7.—Supp. 260. 7.
  • RED-NECKED GREBE. Lath.—Arct. Zool. p. 499. C.
  • Le Grebe à joues griſes, ou le Jougris, Buf. Oiſ. viii. p. 241. Pl. Enl. 931.
[]

Suppoſed to inhabit ſome parts of Denmark and Norway; has been diſcovered, though very rarely, near the Caſpian Sea; and was once received by Mr. Pennant, from Copenhagen.

It is probably a ſcarce bird in every part; in this country it has been only diſcovered by a few individuals, and that very lately; we believe the moſt perfect yet taken, to be that ſpecimen of which Mr. Latham has given a figure in the ſupplement to his General Synopſis; our figure is alſo copied from the ſame bird.

It is on the authority of this author, that we include it as a Britiſh bird; in his deſcription he ſays, "I received a perfect ſpecimen of the Male of this bird from Major Hammond, who informed me, that the end of April, the year 1786, two of them alighted in a farm-yard, near his houſe, in Eaſt Kent, and were taken alive."

"I have alſo met with two other ſpecimens; the firſt ſent to me January 28, 1786, by Mr. Martin, of Teignmouth, a gentleman to whom I owe many other obligations: his ſpecimen had not come to perfection, as the colours on the head and neck were much blended, and the ferruginous on the neck only juſt breaking forth. Mr. Boys, of Sandwich, alſo obliged me with a third, the beginning of laſt October, (1787): his bird, he informed me, weighed nineteen ounces and a half; the length twenty-one inches and a half; breadth eight. The bill yellow at the baſe, duſky olive towards the tip: lore duſky: irides pale brown: head quite ſmooth. The deſcription differed not much; but the ferruginous colour of the neck was much blended with duſky; the white on the under parts greatly mottled with the ſame: Legs duſky; within, greeniſh yellow. The middle toe united to the [] inner as far as the firſt joint; and to the outer, to the middle of the ſecond *."

"The two laſt mentioned are, no doubt, birds not in full plumage. That deſcribed by Dr. Sparrman is clearly under the ſame predicament; perhaps a ſtill younger bird than either of the others, as the cinereous parts on the throat appear white, with three or four lines of black, and acroſs the lower part of the neck is a band of white. The bird figured in Jacquin ſeems an adult."

That mentioned by Buffon was ſeventeen inches in length; had the breaſt mottled with ferruginous; and a white ſpot on the quills.

[figure]


[]PLATE VII. ORIOLUS GALBULA. GOLDEN ORIOLE. PIGAE.

[7]

Bill compreſſed, convex.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, conic, ſharp pointed; edges cultrated, inclining inwards; mandibles of equal length. Noſtrils ſmall; at the baſe of the bill, and partly covered. Tongue divided at the end. Toes three forward, one backward; the middle joined near the baſe to the outmoſt one.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, AND SYNONYMS. Bill browniſh-red. Irides red. General colour of the plumage fine golden yellow; between the bill and eye a ſtreak of black. Wings black, with a patch of yellow on the middle. Tail yellow except the two middle feathers; all the reſt black, from the baſe to the middle black, and thence to their tips yellow. Legs black inclining to a lead colour: claws black.

  • ORIOLUS GALBULA. Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 160. No 1.
    • Faun. Suec. No 95.
    • Georgi Reiſe. p. 165.
    • Sepp. Vog. pl. in. p. 19.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. ii. 449. 43.—Suppl. 89.
    • Pennant Brit. Zool. ii. 626. 4.
  • CORACIAS ORIOLUS. Scop. Ann. 1. p. 41. No 45.—Faun. arab. p. 7.
  • ORIOLUS. Geſner. av. 713.—Aldr. av. I. 418.
  • []GOLDEN ORIOLE. Latham.—Pennant.—Brit. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • GOLDEN THRUSH. Edw. pl. 185.
  • YELLOW BIRD from Bengal. Albin iii. pl. 19.
  • WITWALL. Will. orn. p. 198.
  • Le Loriot. Briſ. orn. ii. p. 320. No 58.
    • Buf. Oiſ. iii. p. 254. pl. 17.—Pl. enl. 26. the male.
  • Widewal, Pyrold, Friſch. pl. 31. the male and female.—Kram. el. p. 360.
  • Galbula, ſeu Picus nidum ſuſpendens, Raii. Syn. p. 68. No 5.

Size of a Blackbird. The body of the female is of a dull greeniſh colour; the wings are duſky inclining to green alſo; and the tail is nearly of the ſame obſcure colour, except the two middle feathers which are of a pale yellow.

But the male is evidently one of the moſt beautiful birds that has ever been diſcovered in this iſland: the whole of the body which is a dull green in the female, is a lovely golden yellow, inclining to an orange colour in the male; the wings are black and form a moſt ſtriking contraſt; and the black ſtripe from the beak to the eye is no inconſiderable addition to its beauty.

It is rarely met with in England: PENNANT obſerves in the Britiſh Zoology *, that he only knew one inſtance of its being ſhot in Great Britain, and that in South Wales: Latham ſays "it is now and then met with in England ;" and adds, in his Supplement, "Since the publication of my Synopſis , this bird has been twice ſhot in England. One of the ſpecimens is now in my collection."

[]It * is common in ſeveral parts of Europe, but ſuppoſed to be moſt frequent in France, where it ſpends the ſummer, and propagates its ſpecies. It is ſcarcely ever ſeen ſo far north as Sweden; and conſequently is rare in England; is mentioned as a bird of Ruſſia, though perhaps it only inhabits the warmer parts; comes twice in a year into Switzerland, and is found alſo in Carniola; obſerved in Malta in September on its paſſage ſouthward, and returns in ſpring to the north through the ſame track; comes into Conſtantinople in ſpring, and leaves it in September, but ſtays in Alexandria till the beginning of November, when it takes its leave; from this we muſt ſuppoſe that it winters in Africa and Aſia, eſpecially as this very bird has been brought from China and Bengal , as well as the Cape of Good Hope.

A variety of this ſpecies, with the head and throat of a full black colour, is common in India, where it is called the Mango-bird, as it appears firſt at the ripening of that fruit, and is at that ſeaſon in great plenty .

"The neſt is of a curious conſtruction, but perhaps not quite ſo as ſome of the Orioles, though built after the ſame faſhion. It is of 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 lined within with moſs and liverwort. The female lays four or five eggs, of a dirty white, marked with ſmall dark-brown ſpots, which are thickeſt about the largeſt end: ſhe ſits three weeks, and is obſerved to be very tender of her young, [] fearing nothing for their defence; not unfrequently will ſuffer herſelf to be taken with the eggs and neſt, and continue to ſit upon them till ſhe dies."

"The food which this bird is moſt fond of is grapes and figs, in the ſeaſon, alſo cherries, &c. but at other times is contented with inſects, and what elſe it can get."

"It has a loud cry that may be heard far off; but I do not hear it remarked by any one for the leaſt ſong, though Geſner ſays it whiſtles before rain." Latham, Gen. Syn.

"Its note is loud and reſembles its name," Brit. Zool.

Willughby ſaw thoſe birds expoſed for ſale in the poulterers ſhops in Naples, where the fleſh is eſteemed as delicate food.

It is ſuſpected that the yellow and buff Jay * of Ray are the male and female of the Golden Oriole.

[figure]


[]PLATE VIII. ALCA ARCTICA. PUFFIN AUK. ANSERES.

[8]

Bill obtuſe; covered with a thin membrane, broad, gibbous below the baſe. Swelled at the apex. Tongue fleſhy. Legs naked. Feet webbed, or finned.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrong, thick, convex, compreſſed on the ſides. Noſtrils linear, placed parallel to the edge of the bill. Tongue almoſt as long as the bill. Toes three in number, all placed forward.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill compreſſed, triangular, ſharp-pointed, red, baſe grey, furrows four, oblique. Noſtrils long and narrow. Eyelids callous; edges crimſon; on the upper eyelid is a protuberance of a triangular form which projects over the eye. Irides grey. Above black. Cheeks, chin, belly, white. Collar black. Legs orange and near the tail.

  • ALCA ARCTICA. Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 211. 4.
    • Faun. Suec. No 141.
    • Brun. No 103.
    • Muller. No 140.
    • Friſch, t. 192.
    • Latham. Gen. Syn. 5. 314. 3.
  • PUPHINUS ANGLICUS. Geſner av. 725.
  • PICA MARINA. Aldr. av. III. 92.
  • ANAS ARCTICA. Cluſii Exot. 104.
  • []PUFFIN, COULTERNES. Raii. Syn. p. 120. A. 5.—Will. Orn.
    • P. 325. pl. 65.—Hiſt. Groenl. ii. pl. 1.—Albin. ii. pl. 78, 79.—Edw. pl. 358. fig. 1.—Brit. Zool. 11. No 232.—Arct. Zool. No 427.—Tour in Wales, pl. 20. Brit. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • Fratercula, le Macareux. Briſſ. av. VI. 81. Tab. 6. fig. 2.
    • Buf. Oiſ. IX. p. 358. pl. 26.—Pl. Enl. 275.
  • Ipatka, Hiſt. Kamts. p. 153.
  • See Papagey, or See Taucher. Friſch. II. 192.

Length from the point of the bill to the end of the feet twelve inches; breadth twenty-one. Weight twelve ounces. The bill is an inch and a quarter long, and of a very ſingular ſhape, much compreſſed on the ſides, and near an inch and an half deep at the baſe; from whence both mandibles tend to a point, which is a little curved; acroſs the upper are four oblique furrows; on the under three: half next the point is red; that next the baſe blue grey; and at the baſe is a cere full of minute holes: the noſtrils are a long and narrow ſlit on each ſide, near the edge of the upper mandible, and parallel to it: the top of the head, the neck, and upper parts of the body black; beneath white: legs orange.

The bill, which gives ſuch an appearance of novelty to this bird, varies conſiderably according to its age; in the firſt year it is ſmall, weak, deſtitute of any furrow, and duſky; in the ſecond year it is larger, ſtronger, of a paler colour, and diſcovers a faint veſtige of a furrow near the baſe; but thoſe of the third or more advanced years, have a bill of great ſtrength and vivid colours as before deſcribed. Thoſe birds are ſuppoſed to be imperfect until the third year; or at leaſt not [] to breed before that period: not a ſingle one has ever been diſcovered at Prieſtholm which had not the bill of an uniform ſize *.

The male very nearly reſembles the female: in the former the white cheeks are ſometimes obſcured with a mixture of dark feathers, and in others a patch of the ſame colour has been obſerved on each ſide of the under jaw.

This ſpecies is very common in ſeveral parts on the coaſts of England; they are ſeen in flocks innumerable at Prieſtholm Iſle off the coaſt of Angleſea; in great numbers about the Needles, in the Iſles of Wight, Man, Bardſey, Caldey, Farn, Godreve, and other ſmall, and deſert iſlands near the ſhore. A few about the rocks of Dover.

They are frequent in Ireland; on the iſland of Sherries, three leagues N. N. W. of Holyhead; and in the S. Stack, near Holyhead they breed in abundance. Inhabit Iceland and Greenland, and breed in the extreme part of the iſlands, eſpecially on the weſt part of Diſco, and the iſland Orpikſauk .

In the different parts it frequents, it has received a variety of appellations, but generally expreſſive of the ſingular ſhape of the beak; as Coulter-neb in the Farn iſles; Guldenhead, Bottle-noſe, and Helegug in Wales; at Scarborough, Mullet; at Cornwall, Pope , and in the Ferroe iſles, Lunda.

To what part thoſe birds emigrate on the approach of winter is very imperfectly known; it is probable when they retire from thoſe northern regions, their flight is directed to ſome more temperate climate; perhaps they live at ſea, and form thoſe multitudes of birds that navigators [] have obſerved in many parts of the ocean; they are always found there at certain ſeaſons, but retire at the breeding time to the northern latitudes, and during that time are found as near the Pole as navigators have ever penetrated *.

In America, they are ſaid to frequent Carolina; and have been met with in Sandwich Sound, by our late voyagers: the natives ornament the fore parts and collars of their ſeal-ſkin jackets with the beaks of them; and in Aoonalaſhka, they make gowns of their ſkins, along with thoſe of other birds.

On the coaſt of Kamtſchatka and the Kurilſchi iſlands they are very common, even on the Penſchinſki Bay, almoſt as far as Ochotka: the nations of the two firſt wear the bills about their necks faſtened to ſtraps; theſe are put on by their Shaman or Prieſt, for the people are perſuaded that by putting them on with a proper ceremony, they will procure good fortune to all their undertakings .

"About the fifth or tenth of April, they arrive in vaſt quantities at Prieſtholm iſle; but quit the place again, and return twice or thrice before they ſettle to burrow, which they do the firſt week in May, when many of them diſlodge the rabbits from their holes, by which they ſave themſelves the trouble of forming one of their own: in the laſt caſe, they are ſo intent on what they are about, as to ſuffer themſelves to be taken by the hand. It has been obſerved that this taſk falls chiefly to the ſhare of the males, and that theſe laſt aſſiſt alſo in incubation: this has been proved on diſſection. The female lays one white egg . The young are hatched the beginning of July: and about the [] eleventh of Auguſt they all go off, to a ſingle bird *, and ſo completely as to deſert the young ones that are late hatched; leaving them a prey to the Peregrine Falcon, who watches at the mouth of the holes for them, as they through hunger, are compelled to come out. Notwithſtanding the neglect of their young at this time, no bird is more attentive to them in general, as they will ſuffer themſelves to be taken by the hand, and uſe every means of defence in their power to ſave them; and, if laid hold of by the wings, will give themſelves moſt cruel bites on any part of the body they can reach, as if actuated by deſpair; and when releaſed, inſtead of flying away, will often hurry away into the burrow to their young." Lat. Gen. Syn. 5. 316.— Arct. Zool.

Their fleſh is exceſſively rank, as they feed on fiſh, particularly ſprats, or on ſmall crabs, ſea-weeds, &c. yet that of the young birds is often pickled and preſerved with ſpices, and is much admired by ſome for its peculiar flavor . Dr. Caius writes, that in his days the church allowed them in Lent, inſtead of fiſh; and alſo that they were taken by means of ferrets, as now they are by rabbits: at preſent they [] are either dug out, or drawn from their burrows by a hooked ſtick: they bite extremly hard, and keep ſuch faſt hold on whatever they faſten, that it is with difficulty they can be diſengaged; when they are taken, their noiſe is very diſagreeable, being like the efforts of a dumb perſon to ſpeak.

It flies with great ſtrength and ſwiftneſs when it gets on the wing, but meets with many falls before that can be effected: the legs are placed ſo far behind, that it cannot ſtand except quite erect; and at that time it reſts not only on the feet, but on the whole length of the legs alſo.

[figure]


[]PLATE IX. UPUPA EPOPS. COMMON HOOPOE. PICAE.

[9]

Bill compreſſed, convex.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill long, ſlender and bending. Noſtrils ſmall, placed near the baſe. Tongue ſhort, ſagittal. Toes three before, and one behind; the middle one connected at the baſe to the outmoſt.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, AND SYNONYMS. Bill black, ſlender. Tongue triangular; placed low in the mouth. Creſt compoſed of a double row of feathers; of a pale reddiſh brown. Breaſt and belly white. Back ſcapulars and wings, barred with black and white. Tail of ten feathers; black marked with white, in the form of a creſcent, with the horns pointing towards the end of the feathers. Legs ſhort and black.

  • UPUPA EPOPS. Lin. Syſt. Nat. 1. p. 183 No 1.
    • Scop. Ann. 1. p. 53. No 62.
    • Muller. p. 13. 103.
    • Brun. No 43.
    • Georgi. Reiſe. p. 165.
    • Sepp. Vog. pl. in. p. 129.
    • Faun Arag. p. 74.
    • Kolb. Cap. ii. p. 157.
  • UPUPA. Raii. Syn. p. 48. A. 6.
    • Geſner. av. 776.
    • Kramer. elen. p. 337.
  • []UPUPA; arquata ſtercoraria; gallus lutoſus. Klein Stem av. 24. tab. 25.
  • HOOP or COMMON HOOPOE. Will. orn. p. 145.
    • Albin. 2. pl. 42. 43.
    • Edw. 7. pl. 345.
    • Br. Zool. No 90.
    • Arct. Zool. ii. p. 283. A.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. ii. p. 687.—Supp. 122.
    • Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • DUNG BIRD. Charlton ex. 98. tab. 99.
  • La Hupe, ou Puput. Briſ. orn. ii. p. 455. No 1. pl. 43. f. 1.
    • Buff. ois VI. p. 439.—Pl. enl. 52.
  • La Huppe. Belon. Av. 293.
  • Bubbola. Olin. uccel. p. 36.
  • Wied-hopf. Friſch. t. 43.
  • Harfogel, Pop. Faun. Suec. ſp. 105.
  • Her-fugl. Brunnich. 43.
  • Smerda kaura. Scopoli. No 62.
  • Ter-chaous, or Meſſenger Bird. Pococke's Trav. 1. p. 209.

Linnaeus in the Fauna Succica * obſerves that this elegant bird receives its name from the ſound of its note; but by other naturaliſts it has been ſuſpected that its name was originally derived from the French huppè or creſted; as the creſt is of a very curious ſtructure, and alone is ſufficient to diſtinguiſh it from every other European bird. It is the only ſpecies of the Hoopoe genus that is peculiar to the continent of Europe.

[]It inhabits Aſia and Africa, and is ſaid to be met with in the large foreſts of Sweden *, and in Auſtria ; and has been found as far north as the Orknies and Lapland, as well as in many of the intermediate places between them; at the Cape of Good Hope on one hand, and quite to Ceylon and Java on the other. In Europe it is conſidered as a bird of paſſage, and is ſaid not to winter even in Greece §. In England it is far from common, being ſeldom ſeen, and at uncertain times: it has been obſerved in Kent, Surrey, Northumberland, and Moyſton in Flintſhire, as well as in ſeveral other counties. A gentleman of veracity in Eſſex informs us that one was diſcovered laſt year in a hole in his garden wall, but being frightened away did not return again to that place. Among other proofs of its migrating into, and even breeding in England, Mr. Latham has mentioned ſeveral. "The year 1783 ſeems to have been more abundant in theſe birds than any I have yet heard of; one being ſhot near Oxford, on the coaſt of Suffolk, in May, and another ſeen near the ſame place the 24th of June following: theſe no doubt had bred thereabouts. The place where theſe were ſeen was a remarkable barren ſpot. In the month of September of the ſame year two were ſhot at Holderneſs, and many were ſeen in various parts of Yorkſhire, and as far north as Scotland. One was ſhot the 10th of September at Cam in Glouceſterſhire, another on Epping Foreſt, and a third in Surrey. A few years ſince a pair had begun to make a neſt in Hampſhire; but being too much diſturbed, forſook it, and went elſewhere **. The laſt year (1786) a young bird was ſent to me, the 10th of May, full-ſledged, ſhot near South-fleet, [] in Kent *; but the old birds had not been obſerved."—It was well known, as a viſitor in England, at the time Albin publiſhed his Hiſtory of Birds; his obſervations deſerve notice. "The hen of this bird was ſhot in the garden of Mr. Starkey Mayos, at Woodford on Epping Foreſt, where they had obſerved it ſome time, and uſed all the means to take it they could; but it was ſo ſhy, that it avoided all their traps which were laid for it; which the gentleman obſerving, ordered it to be ſhot: it was ſent to me to be preſerved for him.

The cock of this kind I drew from a picture done in Germany, by a great maſter there, now in the poſſeſſion of Mr. Niſbet, a gentleman, who had it drawn from the bird when alive.

There is ſome difference in the colours of the hen, and this bird which was a cock, I was credibly informed by Robert Briſtow, Eſq who ſaw both the drawings of the cock and hen, and told me his ſon ſhot the cock, which was like the drawing at his ſeat at Micheler, near Wincheſter in Hampſhire.

Albin, Vol. II. 42, 43.

Latham obſerves, "it is a ſolitary bird, and ſeldom more than two are ſeen together; though it is ſaid that in Egypt it aſſembles in ſmall troops. It is very common in Cairo, where it builds in the ſtreets, on the terraces of houſes, &c. It is alſo common in the deſerts of Ruſſia and Tartary, though ſcarce beyond the river Ob; however ſome are found beyond the Lake Baikal. Dr. Pallas confirms the account of the filthy manners of this bird, as he met with an inſtance of a pair breeding in the privy of an uninhabited houſe in the ſuburbs of Tzaritzn .

"I am informed by colonel Davies, that they every year are ſeen in Gibraltar in March, in ſmall flocks of ten or twelve; hence are [] called there March Cocks. They are ſuppoſed to come from Africa, and to be on their paſſage north to ſome other place, as they only ſtay a few hours to reſt themſelves: and it is not uncommon to ſee five or ſix flocks in a week, during the time of their paſſage. He did not obſerve them to have any note; but that they had a dipping kind of flight not unlike a Woodpecker. I have obſerved this Bird to be among paintings both from China and India; it is therefore no doubt common to both thoſe parts." Lath. Gen. Syn.

In Sweden the appearance of this Bird is regarded as a preſage of war; and in England its viſits were formerly conſidered as ominous by the vulgar.

In Turkey it is called Tir Chaous, or the Meſſenger Bird from the reſemblance its creſt has to the plumes worn by the Chaous, or Turkiſh couriers.

Latham ſays, the female is like the male, and lays from two to ſeven eggs; but for the moſt part four or five. Theſe are ſomewhat leſs than thoſe of a Partridge, but longer and aſh-coloured. This Bird is ſaid to have two or three broods in a year, and to lay the eggs in the holes of trees, like the Woodpecker, but in general to make no neſt: notwithſtanding which, Buffon obſerved, that two out of ſix neſts, which were brought to him for inſpection, had a ſoft lining of moſs, wool, leaves, feathers, and the like; and he is of opinion, that when this is the caſe, the bird has made uſe of the old neſt of ſome other bird. It will alſo lay, and hatch the young in holes of walls, and even on the ground. The food of this bird is inſects; and it is the exuviae of the large beetles, and ſuch like, with which the neſt is crouded, that cauſe the neſt to ſtink ſo horribly; inſomuch that former writers aſſerted the neſt to be made of excrement.

[]In Sepp's plate the neſt is placed in the hollow of a tree; it is compoſed of ſoft bents, and ſmooth within. The eggs, four in number, of a blueiſh white, marked with pale brown ſpots.

Buffon mentions one of this ſpecies which lived with a lady for three months, ſubſiſting only on bread and cheeſe; and, contrary to the common opinion, drank frequently, and that by gulps. Another was kept for eighteen months on raw meat, and would not eat any thing elſe.

Olina ſays, that this bird lives three years.

In ſome countries it is eſteemed as good eating. It ſeldom perches on trees, unleſs they are very low. It does not erect its creſt, except when agitated by ſurprize: in a natural ſtate the creſt falling behind the neck *; but whenever it alights on the ground, it is ſaid to ſpread its creſt beautifully.

Some authors mention a variety of this ſpecies. Kolben mentions one at the Cape of Good Hope, which is ſmaller; the bill ſhorter in proportion; and the legs longer: the creſt is not ſo long, and has no trace of white in it throughout: and in general the plumage is leſs variegated. Another ſpecimen from the ſame place, had the upper part of the beak of a deep brown, and the belly varied with brown and white; but as this was leſs in every reſpect, it was probably a young bird.

Gerini mentions one which he ſaw at Florence, and again on the Alps, which had the creſt bordered with ſky-blue. Orn. Ital. Hiſt. des [...]is. VI. p. 462.

[figure]


[]PLATE X. SYLVIA DARTFORDIENSIS. DARTFORD WARBLER. PASSERES.

[10]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill weak, ſlender *. Noſtrils ſmall, a little depreſſed. Tongue cloven. The exterior toe joined at the under part to the baſe of the middle one.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, Bill black, with a white baſe; the upper mandible a little curved at the tip. Irides red; eyelids deep crimſon. The upper parts of the head, neck, and body, duſky reddiſh brown. Breaſt and belly deep ferruginous; middle of the belly white. Quills duſky edged with white. Baſtard wing white. Exterior web of the outer tail feather white; the reſt duſky. Legs yellow.

  • SYLVIA DARTFORDIENSIS. Lath. Gen. Syn. iv. p. 435. No. 27.
  • DARTFORD WARBLER. Suppl. p. 181.
    • Pennant. Brit. Zool. i. No 161. pl. 56.
    • Arct. Zool.—Lev. Muſ.—Berken. out. Nat. Hiſt. Vol. i. 52. 14.
  • Le Pitchou de Provence. Buf. ois. v. p. 158. Pl. enl. 655. 1.

[]This bird meaſures five inches from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail: it is of a lively appearance, though not very beautiful in the colours of its plumage; and deſerves our immediate attention as one of the leaſt known ſpecies we have in this country.

It is a native of France as well as of England. In Provence it is commonly found among cabbages: it feeds on the inſects that harbour among thoſe vegetables, and not unfrequently conceals itſelf under the ſhelter of the leaves during the night.

A friend of Mr. Latham's ſhot a pair of thoſe birds on Bexley Heath, near Dartford in Kent, April the 10th, 1773, as they were ſitting on a furze buſh: they fed on flies; ſpringing from the buſh every time one approached near, and returning to the ſame place repeatedly; thereby imitating, as he obſerves, the manners of our Cinereous Flycatcher.

This ſpecies reſides with us in the winter. Several ſpecimens, which are now preſerved in the Leverian Muſeum, were ſhot on a common near Wandſworth in Surrey, 1782.

Mr. Latham appears to entertain ſome doubt, whether this ſpecies ever breeds in France *. He ſays an intelligent obſerver of Engliſh Birds has informed him, that he never met with this ſpecies in the neighbourhood of London, except in winter; and that it diſappears before the end of April. Should this be the general fact, he can by no means reconcile the circumſtance of its breeding in France, as all migratory birds retire northward to breed, not to a warmer climate; and ſhould rather ſuppoſe, that if it does not quit England in ſummer, it will hereafter be found in the northern parts of it.

[figure]


[]PLATE XI. AMPELIS GARRULUS. WAXEN CHATTERER. PASSERES.

[11]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, convex, bending towards the point; near the end of the upper mandible a ſmall notch. Noſtrils hid in the briſtles. Tongue cartilaginous, bifid.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Length eight inches. Bill black, irides reddiſh: the feathers on the crown of the head elongated into a creſt: the head and upper parts reddiſh aſh colour. Rump fine cinereous. From the noſtrils over each eye, paſſes a ſtreak of black. Forehead cheſnut. Chin black. Breaſt pale purpliſh cheſnut; belly paler, inclining to white near the vent. Leſſer wing coverts brown; the greater, fartheſt from the body, black with white tips, forming a bar: quills black, the third and fourth tipped on the outer edges with white, the five following with yellow: ſecondaries aſh-colour, tipped on the outer edge with white; ſeven of the ſecondary feathers have the ends of their ſhafts continued into a flat horny appendage, of the colour of fine red ſealing-wax. Tail black, tipped with yellow. Legs black.

  • AMPELIS GARRULUS, Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 299. 1.
    • Faun. Suec. No 82.
    • Kram. el. p. 363. 1.
    • Friſch. pl. 32.
  • []LANIUS GARRULUS. Scop. Ann. 1. p. 20.
  • GARRULUS BOHEMICUS. Albin. 2. pl. 26.
    • Geſn. av. 703.
  • BOHEMIAN CHATTERER. Will. orn. p. 132. pl. 20.—Albin.
  • WAXEN CHATTERER. Latham. Syn. iii. 91. 1.
    • Pennant. Brit. zool. 1. 314.
    • Br. Zool. No 112. pl. 48. Arct. Zool.—Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • SILK TAIL. Raii. Syn. av. 85. A.
    • Phil. Tranſ. Vol. xv. p. 1165. pl. 1. f. 9.
    • Ray's letters 198. 200.
  • Le Jaſeur de Boheme.
  • Bombycilla Bohemica. Bris. orn. 11. p. 333. 63.
    • Buff. ois III. p. 429. pl. 26.—Pl. enl. 261.
  • Siden-ſuantz, Snotuppa. Faun. Suec. ſp. 82.
  • Sieden vel Sieben Suands. Brunnich. 25.
  • Zuſerl, Geidenſchweiffl. Kramer. 363.
  • Seiden-ſchwantz. Friſch. 1. 32.

This bird is ſuppoſed to breed in Bohemia and other parts of Germany, but its ſummer reſidence is perhaps more northward; it is ſeen in plenty both at St. Peterſburgh and Moſcow, in the winter; but comes from the north and departs again to the Arctic circle in ſpring; never known to breed in Ruſſia, is ſcarce in Siberia, and has not been obſerved-beyond the river Lena *.

All the birds of this genus are natives of America; this ſpecies excepted; they wander from their native place all over Europe, and at uncertain times viſit the Southern parts of Britain. They are obſerved in the Northern parts; about Edinburgh in February they come annually [] and feed on the berries of the mountain aſh: they alſo appear as far ſouth as Northumberland and Yorkſhire frequently, and like the fieldfare make the berries of the white-thorn their food *. They have alſo been met with ſeveral times near London . They diſappear in ſpring . In France and Italy they are not unfrequent.

The neſts of thoſe birds are ſaid to be conſtructed in the holes of rocks §, but as we can ſcarcely determine even their native country, we need not expect any ſatisfactory information relative to its eggs and neſt, until ſome future traveller ſhall be ſo fortunate as to diſcover them.

The general food is berries of all kinds, eſpecially grapes; in countries where they are plenty they are eſteemed good food.

It is ſaid that the females want the red appendages at the end of the ſecond quills , as well as the yellow marks on the back **.

A variety of this bird is alſo found in America from Carolina to Mexico, it is the AMPELIS GARRULUS of Linnaeus, Le jaſeur de la Caroline, of Briſſon and Buffon; Caquautototl, Raii; and Chatterer of Carolina, of Edwards, Cateſby, &c.

This bird is leſs than the European kind, is much like it, except that the belly is of a pale yellow inſtead of reddiſh; both ſexes have [] the wings of a plain colour without the marks of yellow: the female has no appendages at the ends of the ſecond quills, and the plumage is leſs lively than in the male.

This variety is called the Recollect at Quebec; our late voyagers met with this bird at Aoonalſhka *.

[figure]


[]PLATE XII. TETRAO LAGOPUS. PTARMIGAN GROUS. OR WHITE GAME. GALLINAE.

[11]

Bill convex: the upper mandible arched. Toes connected by a membrane at the bottom. Tail feathers more than twelve.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill convex, ſtrong, and ſhort, a naked ſcarlet ſkin above each eye *. Noſtrils ſmall, hid in the feathers. Tongue pointed at the end. Legs ſtrong, feathered to the toes, and ſometimes to the nails. Toes of ſome ſpecies pectinated on the ſides.

* With four toes.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER, Length fifteen inches. Bill black. Plumage pale brown or aſh-colour, croſſed or mottled with ſmall duſky ſpots, and minute bars: the head and neck with broad bars of black, ruſt colour, and white Wings white: Shafts of the greater quills black. Belly white. Winter dreſs pure white, except a black line between the bill and eye, and ſhafts of the firſt ſeven quills black, in the male. Tail of ſixteen feathers, the two middle ones aſh-coloured in ſummer, white in winter, two next ſlightly marked with white near the ends; the reſt entirely black. The upper tail coverts almoſt cover the tail.

  • TETRAO LAGOPUS. Lin. Syſt. i. p. 274. 4.
    • Suec. 203.—Scop. Ann. i. No 170.
    • Raii. Syn. p. 55. 5.—Baun. p. 59.
    • Phil. Tranſ. vol. lxii. p. 390.—Friſch.
    • pl. 110. 111.—Kram. el. p. 356.
    • Faun. Groenl. No 80.—Georgi. Reiſe. p. 172.
  • LAGOPUS. Geſner. av. 576.
    • Plinii. lib. x. c. 48.
  • Perdrix alba ſeu Lagopus, Perdice alpeſtre.
    • Aldro. av. 11. 66.
  • WHITE GAME *. Will. orn. p. 176. pl. 32.
  • PTARMIGAN. Br. Zool. 1. No 95.—Gent. Mag. 1772. pl. in p. 74.—Sib. Sect. 16.
    • Pen. Zool.—Arct.—Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.—Lath.
    • Gen. Syn. IV. 741. 10.
  • La Gelinote blanche. Briſ. orn. 1. p. 216. 12.—Pl. enl. 129.
  • (Winter dreſs).—Pl. enl. 494. (Summer dreſs).
  • La Perdrix blanche. Belon. av. 259.
  • Le Lagopède. Buff. ois. ii. p. 264. pl. 9.
  • Snoripa. Faun. Suec. ſp. 203.
  • Schneehuhn. Friſch. 1. 110.
  • Schneehun. Kram. 359.

This ſpecies meaſures fourteen or fifteen inches from the tip of the bill to the extremity of the tail: extent twenty three, weight nineteen ounces. Its ſummer dreſs varies exceedingly from that which it aſſumes in winter; in the former the general colour is pale brown, or aſh-colour, not inelegantly marked, or mottled with duſky bars, ſpots, [] ruſt colour, &c. in both ſexes, but in the latter, the female is entirely of a very beautiful white; the male of the ſame colour, but is diſtinguiſhed by a dark daſh, or line which paſſes from the bill to the eye, and by the ſhafts of the firſt ſeven quill feathers being black; the twelve extreme feathers of the tail are of the ſame black colour.

Our figure is copied from a male bird which has not wholly aſſumed its winter appearance, but is in the laſt ſtage of changing its ſummer dreſs, as appears from the ſlight intermixture of dark feathers on its breaſt and back.

It inhabits moſt of the northern parts of Europe, even as far as Groenland, in Ruſſia and Siberia it is very frequent; it is ſeen in plenty on the Alpine mountains of Savoy, on the Alps, and mount Cenis.

In Great Britain it is met with on the ſummits of the higheſt hills in the Highlands of Scotland. Hebrides, and Orknies, and a few yet inhabit the lofty hills near Keſwick in Cumberland, as well as Wales *. They live amidſt the rocks, and perch on the grey ſtones, the general colour of the ſtrata in thoſe ſituations.

Willughby has deſcribed the Ptarmigan under the name of the White Game. M. Briſſon joins it with the White Partridge of Edwards, but Pennant has given as his deciſive opinion that they are two diſtinct ſpecies. "I have received both ſpecies at the ſame time from Norway, and am convinced that they are not the ſame." Penn.

The female lays eight or ten eggs, ſpotted with red-brown, the ſize of thoſe of a Pigeon, on the earth, in a ſtony ſituation, about the middle of June .

[]Authors agree that they are ſtupid ſilly birds, and are ſo tame as to be drawn into any ſnare; or ſuffer themſelves to be taken by the hand; if the hen is killed the male will not forſake her. The Greenlanders take them with nooſes tied to a long line, which being carried by two men is drawn over their heads.

* Their food conſiſts of the buds of trees, young ſhoots of pine, heath, fruits, and berries which grow on the mountains: on the continent they feed on the Dwarf Birch and Black-berried Heath, or ſometimes on the various kinds of Liver-wort.

"They taſte ſo like a Grous as to be ſcarcely diſtinguiſhed; like the Grous they keep in ſmall packs; but never like thoſe birds take ſhelter in the heath; but beneath looſe ſtones."

In winter they lie in heaps, in lodges which they form under the ſnow.

[figure]


[]PLATE XIII. PICUS MARTIUS. GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER. PICAE.

[]

Bill compreſſed, convex.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, ſtrong, angular, and connected at the end. Noſtrils covered with briſtles reflected down. Tongue very long, ſlender, cylindric, bony, hard and jagged at the end. Toes two forward, two backward. Tail of ten hard, ſtiff, ſharp-pointed feathers.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill aſh colour, blending to black, whitiſh on the ſides. Irides yellow. Whole bird black except the crown on the head, which is vermilion. Legs lead colour; covered with feathers on the fore part half their length.

  • PICUS MARTIUS. Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 173. No 1.
    • Scop. Ann. 1. p. 46. No 51.
    • Brun. No 38.
  • Picus niger maximus. Raii. Syn. p. 42. 1.
  • GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER. Will. Orn. 135. pl. 21.
    • Albin. 2. pl. 27.
    • Amer. Zool.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. 11. p. 552. 1.
    • Arct. Zool. 11. p. 276. A.
  • []Le Pic Noir. Briſ. Orn. IV. p. 21. No 6.
    • Buf. Oiſ. VII. p. 41. pl. 2.—Male, Pl. enl. 596.
    • Orn. de Salern. pl. 10. f. 2.
  • Schwartz Specht. Friſch. t. 34.

This ſpecies is near ſeventeen inches in length; the plumage is entirely black, except the crown of the head, which is of a vermilion colour, rather inclining to crimſon; the bill, and claws, are of conſiderable ſtrength, particularly the latter, which are curved in a more formidable manner than thoſe even of many rapacious birds of equal magnitude.

The female differs from the male in the general colour of the plumage; that of the female, having a ſtrong caſt of brown on the back, and the vermilion coloured feathers, with which the whole crown of the male is inveſted, being only ſparingly diffuſed on the crown of the female, though they terminate in a rich tuft on the hind part of the head.

Both male and female are very liable to variations in the red on the crown; ſome are adorned with a profuſion of thoſe feathers, while others have ſcarcely any; and ſpecimens have been met with entirely black, without even a trace of the vermilion colour on their heads.

As an Engliſh Woodpecker it is the largeſt we have; it even conſiderably exceeds the ſize of the GREEN WOODPECKER, Picus Viridis. It is very rare in this country, and generally believed to have been only obſerved in the ſouthern parts, and in Devonſhire *.

[]It is found in almoſt every part of Europe, but is plenty only in Germany; it is rarely ſeen in France; never in Italy; and only during the ſummer in Sweden, Switzerland, and Denmark. Extends to Ruſſia, where it is common in the woods from St. Peterſburgh, to Ochotſk on the eaſtern Ocean, and to Lapmark on the weſt *.

"This ſpecies is ſo very deſtructive to Bees, that the Baſchirians in the neighbourhood of the river Ufa, as well as the inhabitants of other parts, (who form holes in the trees twenty-five or thirty feet from the ground, wherein the Bees may depoſit their ſtore), take every precaution to hinder the acceſs of this bird; and in particular are cautious to guard the mouth, of the hive with ſharp thorns; notwithſtanding which, the Woodpecker finds means to prove a very deſtructive enemy: and it is obſerved to be in moſt plenty where the Bees are in the greateſt numbers ." Latham.

Its food does not conſiſt entirely of Bees; Albin writes of the bird he has figured, "The guts are ſeventeen inches long, great and lax; the ſtomach alſo lax and membraneous, full of Hexapods and Ants. It wants the appendices or blind guts as the reſt of this tribe."

Its neſt is capacious and deep, and is ſaid to be uſually built in old Aſh or Poplar trees; Friſch obſerves, that they often ſo excavate a tree, that it is ſoon after blown down with the wind; and that under the hole of this bird may often be found a buſhel of duſt and bits of wood.

The female lays two or three white eggs; which colour, according to Willughby , is peculiar to the whole genus, or at leaſt to all thoſe which have come under his inſpection.

[figure]


[]PLATE XIV. MOTACILLA TROCHILUS. WILLOW WREN. PASSERES.

[14]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſlender, weak. Noſtrils ſmall, a little depreſſed: Tongue cloven. The exterior toe joined at the under part to the baſe of the middle one.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Upper parts pale olive green; under parts pale yellow. A ſtreak of yellow over the eyes. Wings and tail brown, edged with yellowiſh green. Legs yellowiſh.

  • MOTACILLA TROCHILUS. Linn. Syſt. I. p. 338. No 49.
    • Faun. Suec. No 264.—Scop. Ann. I. No 238.
    • Kram. el. p. 378. No 22.—Brun. No 286.—
    • Muller 281.—Friſch. t. 24. f. 2.
  • MOTACILLA HISPANICA. Haſſelq. Voy. 287. 52.
  • TROCHILUS. Geſner av. 726.
  • ASILUS. Aldrov. av. II. 293.
  • SMALL YELLOW BIRD. Raii Syn. p. 80. A. 10.
  • LITTLE YELLOWISH BIRD. Will. Orn. p. 228.
  • GREEN WREN.
  • Regulus non criſtatus. Albin. II. 59.
  • []YELLOW WREN. Latham Gen. Syn. IV. 512.
    • Penn. Brit. Zool. No 151.
    • Arct. Zool.—Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • Le Pouillot, ou Chantre. Briſ. Orn. iii. p. 479. No 45.
    • Buff. Ois. V. p. 344.—Pl. enl. 651. f. 1.
  • Chofti, ou Chanteur. Belon av. 344.
  • Schnee Rienig (Snow King). Friſch, I. 24.
  • Schmittl. Kramer. 378.

The Yellow Wren ranks among the leaſt of the Britiſh Birds; it meaſures only four inches and three quarters from the tip of the bill to the extremity of the tail. The colours of its plumage are not attractive, neither do we introduce it as a rare bird, being one of our moſt frequent ſpecies; but it is a very delicately formed creature, exceedingly active, and by concealing itſelf immediately among the thickeſt of the foliage when any noiſe approaches, it may not be ſo generally known as ſome leſs timid birds.

It chiefly frequents large woods, which abound with willows; and builds its neſt at the roots of trees, or in the hollows of dry banks; it is conſtructed in the form of an egg, with a hole at the top for its entrance, the outſide is compoſed of moſs and hay, or ſtraw; and the inſide is lined with ſoft feathers, wool, or hair. It lays ſeven white eggs *, or, according to Latham and Albin, only five; they are freckled all over with reddiſh ſpots. Its note is low and plaintive, ſcarcely more than twit, twit , which it utters when it is running up and down the branches of trees in ſearch of inſects on which it feeds. It is ſaid that the male has a ſong during incubation, far from unpleaſing, and is ſoft, though weak. It is migratory, but viſits us early.

[] Albin ſays it ſings like a graſhopper, and frequents woods and ſolitary places, ſitting on the tops of oaks.

Pennant obſerves, that the breaſt, belly, and thighs, vary in colour in different birds; in ſome thoſe parts are of a bright yellow, in others they fade almoſt into white. The legs alſo appear to admit of variation, thoſe of our ſpecimens are yellowiſh in both ſexes, Albin deſcribes thoſe of his male ſpecimen to be pale amber colour, and thoſe of the hen to be black.

Latham, in his Gen. Syn. has given a deſcription of four other birds, which he conſiders only as varieties of the MOTACILLA TROCHILUS. Among thoſe are included the GREATER NON-CRESTED REGULUS of Willughby, and the MOTACILLA ACREDULA of Linnaeus. This latter bird appears in the Britiſh Zoology of Pennant as a new ſpecies, (the Scotch Wren;) it has been alſo conſidered as a diſtinct kind in the writings of ſome, and the ſynonymas of others, as Briſſon, Buffon, Ray, Sloane, Cateſby, and Edwards, but as it differed from our ſpecies only in the colour of the upper parts, inclining more to brown than to green, and the lower parts more to yellow, Mr. Latham concluded it was only a variety. It is a native of Jamaica, Carolina, and America; but one was communicated to Mr. Latham by E. S. Fraſer, Eſq. who informed him that it was ſhot in the Highlands of Scotland.

[figure]


[]PLATE XV. MOTACILLA FLAVA. YELLOW WAGTAIL. PASSERES.

[15]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill weak and ſlender; ſlightly notched at the tip. Tongue lacerated at the end. Legs ſlender. Tail frequently in motion, ſeldom perch; have a twittering noiſe in flight *.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill black: head and upper parts of the body olive green, rump paleſt: under parts from the throat bright yellow; on the throat a few black ſpots; above the eye a ſtreak of yellow; through the eyes another of duſky colour: beneath the eye alſo a ſtreak of duſky. Leſſer wing coverts as the back; the others duſky, edged with pale yellow: quills duſky. Tail black except two of the outer feathers, which are partly white. Legs dark brown; hind claw very long.

  • MOTACILLA FLAVA. Linn. Syſt. I. p. 331. No 12.
    • Faun. Suec. 253.
    • Scop. ann. 1. No 226.
    • Brun. No 273. 274.
    • [] Muller. No 273.
    • Kram. el. p. 374. 2.
    • Friſch. pl. 23.
    • Georgi Reiſſe. p. 174.
    • Sepp. Vog. pl. in. p. 103.
    • Faun. Arag. p. 88.
    • Geſner. av. 168.
  • YELLOW WATER WAGTAIL. Raii. Syn. 75. A. 2.
    • Will. Orn. p. 238. pl. 68.
    • Edw. pl. 158. (the female).—258 (the male).
    • Br. Zool. 1. No 143.
    • Arct. Zool.—Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
    • Latham Gen. Syſt. IV. 400. 6.—Suppl. 179.
  • La Bergeronette de Printemps. Briſ. Orn. iii. p. 468. No 40.
    • Buff. Oiſ. V. 265. pl. 14. f. 1.—Pl. enl. 674. No 2.
  • Suſurada. Belon. obſ. 11.
  • Codatremola. Zinan. 51.
  • Gelb-bruſtige. Bachſteltze. Friſch. 1. 23.
  • Gulſpink. Brunnich. 273.
  • Gelbe Bachſtelze. Kram. 374.

The Yellow Wagtail is not equal in ſize to the Common, or White Wagtail, it meaſures only ſix inches and a quarter in length. It is a bird of diſtinguiſhed beauty, particularly the male, whoſe plumage is for the moſt part of a very lovely yellow, by no means inferior to that of the male Golden Oriole; the yellow colour on the [] breaſt of the female is paler, the ſtreak over the eye whiter, and it wants the black markings on the throat.

It is uſually obſerved in moiſt meadows, and corn-fields in this country in the ſummer-time; but migrates, or ſhifts its ſituation in the winter: Pennant ſays it continues in Hampſhire the whole year.

It makes its neſt in the corn-fields on the ground, the outſide is compoſed of bents and fibres of the roots, the inſide is lined with hair. They are commonly found with five eggs in them, of a whitiſh colour, varied with red brown ſpots.

Is ſeen in France at all times of the year, except the winter is uncommonly ſevere. Is ſaid to inhabit Sweden, Ruſſia, Siberia, and Kamtſchatka.

Latham deſcribes the legs, black: thoſe of our ſpecimens are brown.

[figure]


[]PLATE XVI. PARUS CAUDATUS. LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. PASSERES.

[16]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, a little compreſſed, ſtrong, ſharp-pointed, briſtles reflected over the noſtrils. Tongue terminated by three or four briſtles. Toes divided at their origin; back toe very large and ſtrong.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill ſhort, thick, and black. Top of the head white, ſurrounded by a broad ſtreak of black, like a crown, it paſſes down the hind part of the neck, and back to the rump. Side of the head white. Sides of the back, the rump, belly, ſides, and vent, dull roſe colour. Wing black. Tail very long, feather of unequal lengths, ſome black, others black with white tips.

  • PARUS CAUDATUS. Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 342. No 11.
    • Scop. Ann. 1. p. 164. No 247.
    • Kram. el. p. 379. No 6.
    • Sepp. Vog. pl. in. p. 49.
    • Friſch. t. 14.
    • Raii. Syn. p. 74.
  • []LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. Will. Orn. p. 242. pl. 43.
    • Albin 11. pl. 57. f. 1.
    • Raii. Syn. p. 74.
    • Br. Zool. 1. No 166.—Arct. Zool.—Br. Muſ. —Lev. Muſ.
    • Latham. Gen. Syn. IV. 550. 18.—Suppl. 190.
  • La Meſange à longue queue. Briſ. Orn. III. 570. No 13.
    • Buff. Oiſ. V. p. 437. pl. 19.—pl. enl. 502. f. 3.
  • Monticola. Aldro. av. II. 319.
  • Pendolino, Paronzino. Zinan. 77.
  • Alhtita. Faun. Suec. ſp. 83.
  • Gaugartza. Scop. No 247.
  • Belzmeiſe Pfannenſtiel. Kram. 379.
  • Langſchwaentzige Meiſe. Friſch. 1. 14.

This bird is very common in England; is ſaid to inhabit Sweden, and thence to extend even to Italy; the fulneſs of its plumage enables it to bear the inclemencies of the northern regions in winter, but it admits of ſome ſurprize that ſuch as are found in warmer countries are not clothed with a plumage more adapted to the climate.

The length is five inches and a quarter, the breadth ſeven inches, the tail is remarkably long in proportion to the ſize of the body; in form it is like that of a magpie, conſiſts of twelve feathers of unequal lengths; thoſe in the middle are the longeſt, thoſe on each ſide grow gradually ſhorter. The legs are generally black, but of ſome ſpecimens are brown.

[]The form of the neſt is almoſt peculiar to this ſpecies only, it is of an oval ſhape, with a ſmall hole or entrance in the ſide; the materials of the external part are moſs, liverwort, and wool, curiouſly interwoven, the inſide is lined with a thick bed of the ſofteſt feathers. The neſt is not ſuſpended from a bough as is uſual with ſome of the tribe, but is built between the forked branches of low wood, about three feet from the ground: they generally contain from ten to ſeventeen or even twenty eggs of greyiſh colour, ſpeckled with pale red-brown.

Thoſe birds are moſt frequent in gardens and orchards, to which they do much injury by devouring the tender ſhoots; they are very active, and fly to and fro with great facility, or run up and down the branches in every direction. The parents and their offspring remain together the whole winter, but ſeparate in the ſpring *.

The male has more of the roſe colour than the female; in the former however it is ſubject to much variation.

[figure]


[]PLATE XVII. LOXIA ENUCLEATOR. PINE GROSBEAK. PASSERES.

[]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrong, convex above and below, very thick at the baſe. Noſtrils ſmall and round. Tongue as if cut off at the end. Toes placed three before and one behind.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtout at the baſe, the upper mandible hooked at the tip; Noſtrils covered with recumbent feathers. Head, neck, breaſt, and rump, roſe-coloured crimſon. Back and leſſer wing coverts black, edged with reddiſh; greater wing coverts black, tipt with white; quills black; ſecondaries have the outer borders white, primaries have grey. Belly and vent aſh-coloured. Tail rather forked. Legs brown.

  • LOXIA ENUCLEATOR. Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 299. No 3.
    • Faun. Suec. 223.
    • Brun. No 239.
    • Muller, No 246.
  • GREATEST BULFINCH, Edw. pl. 123, 124. M. & F.
  • PINE GROSBEAK, Arct. Zool. 2. No 209. Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
    • Latham's Gen. Syn. iii. p. 111. No 5.
    • Pennant's Brit. Zool. 1. No 114. pl. 49. fig. 2.
  • []Gros-bec de Canada, Briſ. Orn. iii. p. 250. No 15. pl. 12. f. 3.— Pl. enl. 135. 1.
  • Le Dur-bec, Buf. Ois. iii. p. 457.
  • Tallbit. Natt-waka. Faun. Suec.
  • Coccothrauſtes Canadenſis. Briſ.

The male Pine Groſbeak is certainly one of the moſt beautiful of the feathered tribe that inhabit either of the ſiſter countries of Great Britain. It meaſures nine inches from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, its weight two ounces; the general colour of its plumage is roſe-coloured crimſon, and black, elegantly marked with white on the edges of the feathers: the bill, which is remarkably ſtout, and curved at the tip, is well adapted for the purpoſe of dividing the cones of the pines to obtain the ſeeds.

The female has not the beautiful appearance of the male; the principal colour of her plumage is dirty green, inclining to brown, the crown of the head varied only with a few reddiſh or yellowiſh teints, and ſome feathers of the ſame colour ſlightly diſperſed over the back, breaſt, and belly.

In England this ſpecies is found only in the moſt northern parts, or is probably entirely confined to Scotland; like the Croſsbill it inhabits the pine foreſts in the Highlands; Pennant ſuſpects that they breed there, as he has obſerved them flying above the great pine foreſts of Invercauld, Aberdcenſhire, in the month of Auguſt.

[]It is found in the pine foreſts alſo of Sweden, the northern parts of Ruſſia *, of Siberia, and Lapland; they are alſo common in the northern parts of America: from April to September they are frequent at Hudſon's Bay; the ſouthern ſettlements are inhabited by them throughout the year. It has been met with at Aoonalaſhka , and in Norton Sound.

Latham obſerves, that at Hudſon's Bay it frequents the groves of pines and junipers in May; and makes a neſt in the trees with ſticks lined with feathers, at a ſmall height from the ground. The eggs are four in number, and white; the young are hatched the middle of June: he adds, "though this bird, when adult, is beautiful in colour, the young brood for ſome time remain of a plain dull blue." The natives of the Bay call it Wuſcunithow .

[figure]


[]PLATE XVIII. CHARADRIUS HIATICULA. SEA LARK, or RINGED PLOVER. GRALLAE.

[18]

Bill roundiſh. Tongue entire, fleſhy. Thighs naked. Toes divided.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, roundiſh, obtuſe. Noſtrils linear. Toes three in number, all placed forwards.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Length ſeven inches. Bill orange, black at the tip. From the baſe of the upper mandible to the eyes, a black line: another from one eye to the other. Crown of the head brown. Chin and throat white, paſſing round the neck in a broad collar: beneath this, on the lower part of the neck, is a ſecond line of black, encircling the neck behind, but becoming narrower as it paſſes backward. Breaſt and under parts white. Back and wing coverts pale brown. Two middle feathers of the tail greyiſh brown, growing almoſt black towards the ends; the three next on each ſide the ſame, with white tips; the laſt but one is white, with a brown band: the outer one white. Legs orange; claws black.

  • CHARADRIUS HIATICULA. Lin. Syſt. 1. p. 253. 1.
    • Faun. Suec. 187.
    • Scop. Ann. 1. No 147.
    • [] Brun. No 184.
    • Georgi Reiſe. p. 172.
    • Faun. Groenl. No 78.
  • SEA LARK. Raii Syn. p. 112. A. 6. 190, 13.
    • Sloan. Jam. p. 319. 13. pl. 269. fig. 2.
    • Albin. 1. pl. 80.
    • Will. Orn. p. 310. pl. 57.
    • Br. Zool. 11. 383.
  • RINGED PLOVER. Pennant's Br. Zool. No 211.
    • Arct. Zool. No 401.
    • Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. V. 201. 8.
  • Le petit Pluvier-à Collier, Briſ. Orn. V. p. 63. 8. pl. 5. fig. 2.— Pl. enl. 921.
  • Le Pluvier à Collier, Buff. Oiſ. viii. p. 90. pl. 6.
  • Grieſs hennl. Kram. 354.
  • Strandpipare, Grylle, Trulls, Lappis Pago. Faun. Suec. ſp. 187.
  • Bornholmis Praeſte-krave, Sand-Vrifter. Brun. 184. Friſch. 11. 214.

Thoſe Birds migrate to our ſhores in the ſpring, but are never very numerous; they remain with us during the ſummer, and depart in autumn. They run lightly, and with much ſwiftneſs, and when diſturbed take ſhort flights; at the ſame time they make a loud twittering noiſe.

The female makes no neſt, but depoſits four eggs on the ground, under ſome convenient ſhelter; the eggs are about one inch and an half in length, of a dull whitiſh colour, ſpotted and blotched with black.

[]The ſame ſpecies is found in ſeveral parts of the Continent; in Greenland, and in America. Latham obſerves that it viſits Hudſon's Bay the middle of June, and departs in September. He adds, "it is a ſolitary bird; and obſerved, on any one's approaching near the eggs, to uſe many ſtratagems to decoy the perſon from it, by drawing off its attention. Called at Hudſon's Bay, Kiſqua, the napi Shiſh."— Gen. Syn.

The ſame writer alſo mentions a variety which inhabits Cayenne; the length of this variety is ſix inches and an half. Bill black: forehead, and before as far as the breaſt, white, paſſing round the lower part of the neck as a collar: the reſt of the plumage pale duſky aſh-colour: the end half of the tail duſky black, the tip fringed with rufous: legs pale.

[figure]


[]PLATE XIX. TRINGA PUGNAX. RUFF. GRALLAE.

[19]

Bill roundiſh. Tongue entire, fleſhy. Thighs naked. Toes divided.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill roundiſh, ſtrait, about the length of the head. Noſtrils narrow. Toes four.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Feathers of the neck remarkably long. General colour brown, commonly marked with ſpots, or concentric circles of black. Legs dull yellow. Female has no ruff.

  • TRINGA PUGNAX. Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 147. 1.
    • Faun. Suec. 175.
    • Scop. Ann. 1. No 140.
    • Brun. 168. 169.
    • Kram. p. 352.
    • Friſch. t. 232. 235.
    • Georgi Reiſc. p. 172.
  • AVIS PUGNAX. Aldr. av. III. 167.
  • []RUFF and REEVE. Albin. 1. pl. 72. 73.
    • Penn. Brit. Zool. No 192. pl. 69.
    • Arct. Zool. p. 479. A.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. V. 159. 1.
    • Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • RUFFE. Raii Syn. p. 107. A. 3.
    • Will. Orn. p. 302. pl. 56.
  • Le Combattant, ou
  • Paon de Mer, Briſ. Orn. V. p. 240. 18. pl. 22. fig. 1. 2.
    • Buff. Oiſ. vii. p. 521. pl. 29. 30.
    • Pl. enl. 305. 306.
  • Kroſler. Kram. 352.
  • Bruſhane. Faun. Suec. ſp. 175.
  • Bruuſhane. Brunnick, 168.
  • Streitſchnepfe, Ramphaehnlein. Friſch. 11. 232. 235.

The length of the male is twelve inches, of the female ten inches; the bill of the former is yellow in ſome, in others black, or dark brown; the face is covered with yellow pear-ſhaped pimples; the back part of the head and neck are furniſhed with long feathers, which expand in a very ſingular manner on each ſide of the neck, and impend looſely over the breaſt, like the ruff anciently worn in this country. A portion or tuft of thoſe feathers project alſo juſt beyond each eye, and have the appearance of long ears.

As the moſt remarkable peculiarity of thoſe birds are that no two ſpecimens are ever found to agree in the colours of the plumage, it is impoſſible to give any deſcription, except of its form, that may aſſiſt the unſkilful ornithologiſt to determine the ſpecies, when it [] has attained the ruff; it cannot, however, be miſtaken, as no Bird of this country reſembles it in the ſmalleſt degree. The ground colour is generally brown, but it varies in different Birds to every hue between the lighteſt teint that can deſerve that name, and the deepeſt chocolate colour; ſometimes we find the ruff of a fine tender buff colour, without the ſlighteſt appearance of ſpots, except on the breaſt and back, which may be of a deep black, intermingled with a few white feathers, and gloſſed with ſhining purple; others we find that have the ruffs of a deep brown, barred with black; ſome with white ruffs ſpotted with brown, or brown ſpotted with white; and indeed with every variation that it is poſſible to deſcribe.

The females, or Reeves, Pennant aſſerts, never change their colours, which he ſays are pale brown; the back ſpotted with black, ſlightly edged with white; the tail brown; the middle feathers ſpotted with black; the breaſt and belly white; the legs of a pale dull yellow: but I have two ſpecimens that do not well agree with his deſcription, or correſpond with each other; and in the Leverian muſeum a variety of that ſex is preſerved that is wholly white, except the wings, on which the uſual markings are viſible in a very pale colour.

The female has no ruff, and the male does not attain that appendage until the ſecond ſeaſon; at the time of incubation the plumage of the latter is in the full perfection, and the pimples break out on his face: but after that time they ſhrink beneath the ſkin, the long feathers of the ruff fall off, and he again aſſumes the plain appearance of the female.

Theſe Birds inhabit the North of Europe in ſummer, as far as Iceland, as well as the northern marſhes of Ruſſia and Siberia. In this country they are found in Lincolnſhire, the Iſle of Ely, and in the eaſt [] riding of Yorkſhire *; they arrive at thoſe places early in the ſpring, and diſappear about Michaelmas.

The Reeve lays four eggs in a tuft of graſs the beginning of May; they are white, marked with large ruſty ſpots.

Soon after their arrival, the males begin to hill; that is, to collect on ſome dry bank near a ſplaſh of water, in expectation of the females. Each male keeps poſſeſſion of a ſmall piece of ground, round which it runs ſo often as to form a bare circular path; the inſtant a female alights among them, the males are in motion; a general battle enſues, and the fowlers, who have been waiting for the advantage of ſuch an event, catch them in their nets in great numbers .

In the fens each male remains within his circle, and defends himſelf againſt every invader with much reſolution; the leaſt infringement on his poſſeſſion by another male is reſented with the greateſt violence; and if any farther attack is made, a battle is the conſequence: in fighting they have the ſame action as a cock, ſpread their ruffs, and place their bills to the ground.

"It is uſual to ſat theſe birds for table by means of bread and milk mixed with hemp-ſeed, and ſometimes boiled wheat; to theſe by many ſugar is added; which laſt in a fortnight's time will cauſe them to be one lump of fat, when they will fetch from two ſhillings to half a crown each."—Lath. Gen. Syn.

[figure]


[]PLATE XX. MERGUS ALBELLUS. SMEW. ANSERES.

[20]

Bill obtuſe, covered with a thin membrane, broad, gibbous below the baſe, ſwelled at the apex. Tongue fleſhy. Legs naked, feet webbed, or finned.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſlender, a little depreſſed, furniſhed with a crooked nail; edges of the mandibles very ſharply ſerrated. Noſtrils near the middle of the mandible, ſmall and ſubovated. Feet furniſhed with four toes; three forwards, and one behind; the outer toe before longer than the middle one.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill lead colour. General colour of the plumage white. Head creſted at the back part; on each ſide of the head an oval black ſpot, beginning at the bill, and encircling the eye. On the lower part of the neck, on each ſide, are two curved black ſtreaks, pointing forward. Inner ſcapulars, back, coverts on the ſide of the wing and the greater quill feathers, black. Tail cinereous. Legs grey.

  • MERGUS ALBELLUS. Lin. Syſt. 1. p. 209. 5.
    • Faun. Suec. No 137.
    • Brun. No 97.
    • Kram. El. p. 344. 3.
    • Friſch. t. 172.
  • []MERGUS ALBULUS. Scop. Ann. 1. No 91.
  • MERGUS RHENI. Raii Syn. p. 135. 5.
    • Will. Orn. p. 337.
  • MERGUS RHENANUS. Geſner. av. 131.
  • SMEW. Albin. 1. pl. 89.
    • Penn. Brit. Zool. ii. No 262.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. 6. 421. 5.
    • Arct. Zool. No 468.
  • WHITE NUN. Will. Orn. 337. pl. 64.
    • Raii Syn. p. 135. A. 3.
  • WEESEL COOT. Albin. 1. pl. 88.
  • RED-HEADED SMEW. Br. Zool. 11. 263.
    • Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • Le petit Harle huppé, ou la Piette, Briſ. Orn. vi. p. 243. 3. pl. 24. fig. 1.
    • Buf. Ois. viii. p. 275. pl. 24.— Pl. enl. 449.
  • L'Harle étoilé, Briſ. Orn. vi. p. 252. 6.
    • Brun. No 98.
  • Kreutz-Ente, (Croſs-Duck) Friſch. 11. 172.

The Smew is about ſixteen inches in length, and twenty-four inches in breadth; its weight thirty-four ounces; our figure is copied from a ſpecimen of the male. The colours of the female do not exactly correſpond with thoſe of the male; the head of the former is ferruginous, and ſlightly creſted; cheeks, chin, and throat, white; between the bill and the eye the ſame oval ſpot as in the male; breaſt clouded with grey; belly white; legs pale aſh. It is generally called the Lough Diver.

[]It viſits this country only in the winter; on the Continent it is found as far ſouth as Carniola; is alſo found in Iceland, and is ſuppoſed to breed and remain there during the winter; or that it paſſes to ſome other arctic region. It has been obſerved with the Merganſers, Ducks, and other Water Birds in their migratory courſe up the Wolga in February *.

It alſo inhabits America, having been ſent from New-York .

Latham, in his ſupplement, ſays that he once diſcovered a few ſhrimps in the belly of one of thoſe birds, and ſuppoſes them to be its chief food.

[figure]


[]PLATE XXI. ANAS QUERQUEDULA. GARGANEY. ANSERES.

[21]

Bill obtuſe, covered with a thin membrane, broad, gibbous below the baſe, ſwelled at the apex. Tongue fleſhy. Legs naked. Feet webbed or finned.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill convex above, flat beneath, hooked at the apex with membranous teeth.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill lead colour. Head duſky with oblong ſtreaks. From the corner of each eye a white line paſſes to the back of the neck. Cheeks and upper part of the neck, brown-purple, marked with minute oblong white lines, pointing downwards. Breaſt light brown, with ſemi-circular bars of black. Belly white. Wing coverts grey; firſt quills aſh coloured, exterior webs of the middle quills green. Legs lead colour.

  • ANAS QUERQUEDULA. macula alarum viridi, linea alba ſupra oculos.
    • Fn. Sv.—Linn. Syſt. 1. p. 203.
    • Scop. Ann. 1. No 75.
    • Brun. No 81.
    • Muller, No 125.
    • Kram. El. p. 343. 18.
    • Friſch. pl. 176.
  • QUERQUEDULA Varia. Geſner. av. 107.
  • QUERQUEDULA Prima. Will. Orn. 291. t. 74.
    • Raj. av. 148. 8.
  • GARGANEY. Ditto.
    • Br. Zool. No 289. pl. 101.
    • Arct. Zool. p. 576. O.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. 5. 550. 87.
    • Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • La Sarcelle Briſ. Orn. VI. 427. tab. 39. 1. 2.
    • Buff. Oiſ. 9. p. 260.—Pl. enl. 946. (male)
    • Belon. av. 175.
  • Scavolo, Cervolo, Garganello. Aldr. av. 3. 89. 90.
  • Krickantl. Kramer. 343.
  • Kriech-Ente. Friſch. 2. 176.
  • Norvegis Krek-And. Quibuſd. Saur-And. Brunnich, 81.

This ſpecies is found in England in the Winter; at that time alſo it is ſeen in France. In April it departs, and migrates to the North as the Summer advances, to breed.

[]In Europe it is found as far as Sweden; it is very common throughout Ruſſia and Siberia, and as far as Kamtſchatka.

Our figure is of the male bird; the female has an obſcure white mark over the eye, the reſt of the plumage is of a browniſh aſh colour.

[figure]


[]PLATE XXII. MUSCICAPA ATRICAPILLA. PIED FLYCATCHER. PASSERES.

[22]
  • Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill flatted at the baſe; almoſt triangular; notched at the end of the upper mandible, and beſet with briſtles. Toes divided as far as their origin.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill black. Upper parts of the body, wings, and tail, black. Forehead and under part white. Several white feathers in the Wing. Upper tail coverts black and white mixed. Legs black.

  • MUSCICAPA ATRICAPILLA. Lin. Syſt. 1. p. 236. 9.
    • Friſch. pl. 24.
    • Kram. El. p. 377. 16.
  • Atricapilla five ficedula. Aldr. av. II. 331.
  • COLDFINCH. Raii Syn. p. 77. A. 5.
    • Will. Orn. p. 236.
    • Edw. pl. 30.
    • Br. Zool.—Lond. 1766.
  • []PIED FLYCATCHER. Penn. Brit. Zool. 1. No 135. Lond. 1776.
    • Arct. Zool.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. III. 324. 2.
  • Le Traquet d'Angleterre. Briſ. Orn. iii. p. 436. 27.
  • Rubetra Anglicana. Buff. Ois. V. p. 222.
  • Meerſchwartz puffle. Kram. Auſt. 377.

The Coldfinch, or according to Latham and Pennant, the Pied Fly-catcher, is found in Yorkſhire, Lancaſhire, and Derbyſhire; in thoſe parts of the kingdom it is not very frequent, in every other it is extremely rare.

It is unneceſſary for us to deſcribe the many varieties that are known of this ſpecies; in England the colours of its plumage varies conſiderably at different ſeaſons of the year; but ſuch as are natives of foreign countries, are again ſo diſſimilar to ours, that different authors have alternately deſcribed them as varieties, or new ſpecies.

The bird that Latham deſcribes, was white on the outer web of the exterior tail feather; the two exterior tail feathers of Willoughby's bird was marked with white; and on the contrary, we have a ſpecimen which does not exhibit the leaſt trace of white on either. The upper tail coverts are black and white mixed, in ſome ſpecimens; in others they are wholly black; and Le Gobe-mouche noir of Briſſon, which is only another variety, differs in having a mixture of grey on [] the upper parts, the thighs brown and white, and three of the exterior tail feathers white on the margins.

A more pleaſing variety than either, is found in Lorraine and Brie; it correſponds in ſize with thoſe found in England; but the white of the breaſt which terminates under the cheeks in the latter, paſſes quite round the neck like a collar in the former *.

The plumage of the female is brown in thoſe parts where the male is black; it has no white on the forehead; the white ſpot on the wing is more obſcure; and the under parts of the body is of a duſky white. The male poſſeſſes only the full black during the ſummer; as that ſeaſon declines, its plumage alters, and it gradually aſſumes ſo perfectly the appearance of the female, that he cannot be diſtinguiſhed from her.

The neſt is uſually built in the hole of a tree, not very near the ground; it is compoſed of fibres, mixed with moſs, and contains ſix eggs. It feeds on Inſects.

[figure]


[]PLATE XXIII. STERNA HIRUNDO. COMMON TERN. ANSERES.

[23]

Bill obtuſe, covered with a thin membrane, broad gibbous below the baſe, ſwelled at the apex. Tongue fleſhy, legs naked. Feet webbed or finned.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, ſlender, pointed. Noſtrils linear. Tongue ſlender and ſharp. Wings very long. Tail forked, back toe ſmall.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill and feet red. Crown and tip of the bill black. Neck, and underſide white. Back and wings fine grey.

  • STERNA HIRUNDO. Linn. Syſt. Nat. 1. p. 227. 2.
    • Faun. Suec. No 158.
    • Haſſelq. p. 272. No 40.
    • Scop. Ann. 1. No 111.
    • Brun. No 151. 152.
    • Mull. p. 21.
    • Faun. Groenl. No 69.
    • Kram. El. p. 345. (Larus).
    • Friſch. 2. 219.
  • []THE SEA-SWALLOW. Raii. Syn. p. 131. A. 1. 191. 7.
    • Will. Orn. p. 352. pl. 68.
    • Albin. 11. pl. 88.
  • COMMON TERN. Lath. Gen. Syn. 6. 361. 14.
  • GREAT TERN. Br. Zool. No 254. pl. 90.
    • Lev. Muſ. Br. Muſ.
  • THE KERMEW. Marten's Spitzberg. 92.
  • Le Grande Hirondelle-de-Mer. Briſ. Orn. VI. p. 203. 1. pl. 19. fig. 1.
    • Buff. Oiſ. 8. p. 331. pl. 27.—Pl. Enl. 987.
  • Tarna. Faun. Suec.
  • Sterna (Stirn, Spyrer, Schnirring). Geſn. av. 586.
  • Grauer fiſcher. Kram. 345.
  • Iſlandis Kria. Norvegis Tenne, Tende, Tende-lobe, Sand-Tolle,
  • Sand-Taerrne. Danis Taerne. Bornholmis Kirre, Krop-Kirre.
  • Brunnich. 151. Makauka. Scop. No 3.
  • Schwartz plattige Schwalben Moewe. Friſch. 11. 219.

The length of this ſpecies is fourteen inches; its breadth thirty; and its weight four ounces and a quarter. It is very common on the ſea-coaſts, banks of lakes and rivers in this country during ſummer; it quits the breeding places at the approach of winter, and returns in ſpring.

It is found in various parts of Europe and Aſia; in the ſummer as far as Greenland and Spitzbergen. It is alſo found in America; arrives at New England in May, and diſappears in Autumn. At Hudſon's Bay it is known by the name of Black-head *.

[]Dr. Forſter mentions a variety at Hudſon's Bay, having the Legs black; Tail ſhorter and leſs forked; and the outer feathers wholly white *: The Bird Albin has figured in his plate 88, vol. 2. appears alſo to be a variety; the legs are black, and the bill is of the ſame colour, except the tip, which is red.

Theſe Birds breed among tufts of ruſhes, graſs, or moſs near the water ſide; they lay three or four eggs, about an inch and three quarters in length, of a dull olive colour, marked with irregular black ſpots, and ſprinkled with ſpecks of an obſcure brown in June; the young birds are hatched in July, and quit the neſt ſoon after.

They feed on ſmall fiſh and water inſects; are very clamorous and daring; and during the time of incubation, will dart on any perſon who may paſs by their neſt, though they ſhould neither provoke nor diſturb them.

It appears to have all the actions over the water which the Swallow has on land, ſkimming and deſcribing vaſt circuits over the ſurface of the waves when ſeeking its prey, diving with intrepidity the inſtant it diſcovers it, and inſtantly appearing again on the wing with the fiſh in its mouth. Notwithſtanding the affinity of its actions with thoſe of the Swallow, Pennant, in the Britiſh Zoology, has altered the name to Tern, "a name," he obſerves in a note, "theſe birds are known by in the North of England; and which we ſubſtitute inſtead of the old compound one of Sea-Swallow; which was given them on account of their forked tails."

[figure]


[]PLATE XXIV. STURNUS CINCLUS. WATER-OUZEL. PASSERES.

[24]

Bill conic, pointed. Noſtrils oval, broad, naked.

GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill ſtrait, ſubulate, and ſomewhat angular.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Bill compreſſed on the ſide, black. A white ſpot above and another beneath the eye. Upper part of the head and neck deep brown. Back, Wings, Tail, black; feathers with browniſh edges. Chin, fore part of the breaſt pure white, Belly rufous brown; next the tail black. Legs black.

  • STURNUS CINCLUS, niger, pectore albo. Linn. Syſt. Nat. 2. 168. 4. editio Decima.
  • MOTACILLA pectore albo, corpore nigro. Fn. Suec. 216.
  • MOTACILLA CINCLUS. Scop. Ann. 1. No 223.
    • Kram. el. p. 374. 3.
  • []MERULA AQUATICA. Geſn. av. 608.
  • WATER-OUZEL, or
  • WATER-CRAKE. Will. Orn. 149.
    • Raii. Syn. p. 66. A. 7.
    • Albin. 2. pl. 39.
    • Br. Zool. 1. No 111.
    • Arct. Zool.
    • Lath. Gen. Syn. 3. 48. 50.
    • Br. Muſ.—Lev. Muſ.
  • WATER-CRAW. Turner.
  • Le Merle d'Eau. Briſ. Orn. V. p. 252. 19.
    • Buff. oiſ. 8. p. 134. pl. 11.—Pl. enl. 940.
  • Watnſtare. Faun. Suec. ſp. 214.
  • Merlo Aquatico. Zinan. 109.
  • Providni Koſs. Scop. No 223.
  • Norvegis Foſſe Fald, Foſſe Kald, Quaern Kald, Stroem-Staer, Baekke Eugl. Brun. 203.
  • Waſſer-amſel, Bach-amſel. Kra. 374.
  • Lerlichirollo. Aldr. av. 3. 186.

The Water-Ouzel is a very ſhy and ſolitary bird, and though well known as a Britiſh ſpecies, is generally confined to ſuch parts as abound with ſmall rivulets, or with waters that courſe between the craggy fragments of mountains; it is therefore that we find it plenty only in Wales, Cumberland, Yorkſhire, and Weſtmoreland.

[]It feeds on ſmall fiſh and inſects: its neſt is built among the ſtones on the ground near the water ſide; beneath the ſmall ſhelving rocks that over-hang the ſtreams it frequents; or in holes contrived in ſteep and perpendicular banks; it is compoſed of hay and fibres of roots, is lined with dead oak leaves, has a covering of green moſs, and contains five eggs of a white colour with a bluſh of red. In young birds the belly is wholly white.

Moſt authors have noticed the very ſingular manner in which it ſearches for its prey, it not only dives under the water, but will fly and run after them at the bottom in the ſame manner as on land *: Kramer ſays, that one of them had been caught under water by means of a line and hook, which had been baited to catch fiſh .

Theſe birds are ſmaller than the Ring-Ouzel, their length is ſeven, and breadth eleven inches, weight two ounces and an half; they are found in Europe as high as Feroe and Finmark ; as far as Kamtſchatka in the Ruſſian dominions; in Chriſtianſoe and Norway.

Appendix A INDEX TO VOL. I. ARRANGEMENT ACCORDING TO THE SYSTEM OF LINNAEUS.

[]
ORDER II. PICAE.
  • CORVUS GLANDARIUS Plate 2
  • Oriolus Galbula Plate 7
  • PICUS MARTIUS Plate 13
  • UPUPA EPOPS Plate 9
ORDER III. ANSERES.
  • ANAS QUERQUEDULA Plate 21
  • MERGUS ALBELLUS Plate 20
  • ALCA ARCTICA Plate 8
  • PODICEPS RUFICOLIS Plate 6*
  • STERNA HIRUNDO Plate 23
ORDER IV. GRALLAE.
  • TRINGA PUGNAX Plate 19
  • CHARADRIUS HIATICULA Plate 18
ORDER V. GALLINAE.
  • TETRAO LAGOPUS Plate 12
ORDER VI. PASSERES.
  • STURNUS CINCLUS Plate 24
  • TURDUS ROSEUS Plate 3
  • AMPELIS GARRULUS Plate 11
  • LOXIA ENUCLEATOR Plate 17
  • MUSCICAPA ATRICAPILLA Plate 22
  • MOTACILLA SYLVIA Plate 14
  • — ALBA Plate 5
  • — FLAVA Plate 15
  • — DARTFORDIENSIS Plate 10
  • — REGULUS Plate 4
  • PARUS BIARMICUS Plate 1
  • — CAUDATUS Plate 16

Appendix B VOL. I. ARRANGEMENT ACCORDING TO LATHAM's SYNOPSIS OF BIRDS.

[]

Appendix B.1 DIVISION I. LAND BIRDS.

ORDER II. PIES.
  • GENUS IV. JAY Plate 2
  • GENUS XIV. GOLDEN ORIOLE Plate 7
  • GENUS XXI. GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER Plate 13
  • GENUS XXVII. COMMON HOOPOE Plate 9
ORDER III. PASSERINE.
  • GENUS XXXI.
    • WATER OUZEL Plate 24
    • ROSE-COLOURED THRUSH Plate 3
  • [] GENUS XXXII. WAXEN CHATTERER Plate 11
  • GENUS XXXIV. PINE GROSEEAK Plate 17
  • GENUS XXXVIII. PIED FLYCATCHER Plate 22
  • GENUS XL.
    • WHITE WAGTAIL Plate 5
    • YELLOW WAGTAIL Plate 15
  • GENUS XLI.
    • SEDGE WREN, or Warbler Plate 14
    • DARTFORD WARPLER Plate 10
    • GOLD-CRESTED WREN Plate 4
  • GENUS XLIII.
    • LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE Plate 16
    • BEARDED TITMOUSE Plate 1
ORDER IV. GALLINACEOUS.
  • GENUS LIII. PTARMIGAN Plate 12

Appendix B.2 DIVISION II. WATER BIRDS.

[]
ORDER VII. WITH CLOVEN FEET.
  • GENUS LXIX. RUFF Plate 19
  • GENUS LXX. RINGED PLOVER Plate 18
ORDER VIII. WITH PINNATED FEET.
  • GENUS LXXIX. RED-NECKED GREBE Plate 6
ORDER IX. WEB-FOOTED.
  • GENUS LXXXIV. PUFFIN Plate 8
  • GENUS LXXXVIII. COMMON TERN Plate 23
  • GENUS XCI. SMEW Plate 20
  • GENUS XCII. GARGANEY Plate 21

Appendix C VOL. I. ARRANGEMENT ACCORDING TO PENNANT's BRITISH ZOOLOGY.

[]
  • GENUS I. JAY Plate 2
  • GENUS VIII. GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER Plate 13*
  • GENUS X. HOOPOE Plate 9
  • GENUS XII. PTARMIGAN Plate 21
  • GENUS XVI. WATER OUZEL Plate 24
  • GENUS XVII. WAXEN CHATTERER Plate 11
  • GENUS XVIII. PINE GROSBEAK Plate 17
  • GENUS XXI. PIED FLYCATCHER Plate 22
  • [] GENUS XXIII.
    • WHITE WAGTAIL Plate 5
    • YELLOW WAGTAIL Plate 15
  • GENUS XXIV.
    • GOLDEN CRESTED WARBLER Plate 4
    • SEDGE WARBLER Plate 14
    • DARTFORD WARBLER Plate 10
  • GENUS XXV.
    • LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE Plate 16
    • BEARDED TITMOUSE Plate 1
  • GENUS XXXI. RUFF Plate 19
  • GENUS XXXII. RINGED PLOVER Plate 18
  • GENUS XXXVIII. RED-NECKED GREBE Plate 6*
  • GENUS XL. PUFFIN Plate 8
  • GENUS XLIV. GREAT TERN Plate 23
  • GENUS XLVI. SMEW Plate 20
  • GENUS XLVII. GARGANEY Plate 22
  • APPENDIX.
    • ORIOLE Plate 7
    • ROSE-COLOURED OWZEL Plate 3

Appendix D VOL. I. ALPHABETICAL ARRANGEMENT.

[]
  • Chatterer, Waxen, Plate 11
  • Flycatcher, Pied, Plate 22
  • Garganey, Plate 21
  • Grebe, Red-necked, Plate 6
  • Groſbeak, Pine, Plate 17
  • Hoopoe, Plate 9
  • Jay, Plate 2
  • Oriole, Plate 7
  • Ouzel, Water, Plate 24
  • — Roſe-coloured, Plate 3
  • Plover, Ringed, Plate 18
  • Ptarmigan, Plate 12
  • Puffin, Plate 8
  • Ruff, Plate 19
  • Smew, Plate 20
  • Tern, Greater, Plate 23
  • Titmouſe, bearded, Plate 1
  • —, long-tailed, Plate 16
  • Wagtail, Yellow, Plate 15
  • —, White, Plate 5
  • Warbler, ſedge, Plate 14
  • —, Dartford, Plate 10
  • —, Golden-creſted, Plate 4
  • Wood pecker, Great black, Plate 13
Notes
*
Thoſe marked with a ſtar are not deſcribed by Linnaeus.
*
Thoſe marked with a ſtar are not deſcribed by Linnaeus.
*
G. Edwards's Nat. Hiſt. of Birds, Vol. 7. 4 to. London, 1743, &c.
*
"The reed-beds frequently cover many acres of ground; theſe grow in the water, ſo as to be overflowed at every tide; and few perſons ever go near them, except in the time of cutting, which they do in boats, as, except at very low tides, one can ſcarce ſet a footſtep within their boundaries."
Typha latifolia. Lin.
Populus tremula. Lin.
Sepp. V [...]g. pl. in p. 83.
*
Arct. Zool.
*
Arct. Zool.
Hiſt. Alepp. p. 69
Faun. Arag.
Mr. Swederus.
*
Aldr. Av. II. 283.
Linnaeus.—Mr. Ekmarck.
Hence called the locuſt bird. Ruſſell. Hiſt. Allep.
*
Trochilus minimus Lin. Syſt. 1. p. 193. No 22.
Sir Hans Sloane. Jam. ii. p. 307.
Brown. Jam. p. 475.
*
Latham. IV. 509. 145.
Albin Orn. 1. 51. 53.
Georgi.
*
Edwards.
Colonel Davies.
*
Latham Supp. Gen. Syn. 178.
*

This ſpecies was unknown to Linnaeus, but according to his definition,evidently belongs to the genus COLYMBUS: Latham obſerves, that Linnaeus has erroneouſly included the Grebes, Divers, and Guillemots into that genus without even a diviſion, though they very materially differ from one another; eſpecially in the legs: thoſe of the Grebes are not webbed; the Guillemots, though web-footed, have only three toes, all placed forwards; and the Divers have three toes before, and one behind.

He therefore thinks that they ſhould be ſeparated; and as the form of the feet of this ſpecies appears to prevail throughout the genus, recommends its being included with the other parts of its eſſential character; he has named his new genus PODICEPS.

Pennant has alſo ſubmitted to a diviſion of the Linnaean genus. "The Grebes and Divers are placed in the ſame genus, i. e. of Colymbi, by Mr. Ray and Linnaeus; but the difference of the feet forbade our judicious friend, M. Briſſon , from continuing them together; whoſe example we have followed." Brit. Zool. 2.496.

See Briſ. Orn. vol. vi. p. 33. 70. 104.
*
1776.
Liſt of the Birds of Great Britain. Supp.
1782.
*
Latham. Gen. Syn.
This bird muſt have been very little known in England at the time Albin publiſhed his Hiſtory of Birds (1740) for he ſays in the deſcription annexed to his figure "a drawing from the life of this curious bird was brought from Bengal to Mr. Dandridge, who was pleaſed to let me have a drawing from it."
Lady Impey.
*
Raii Syn. av. p. 194. No 7, 8.
*
See Tour in Wales, p. 252; and figures of the different growth of the bill in pl. 20.
Latham V. p. 316.
Will. orn.
*
Pen. Brit. Zool.
Hiſt. Kamtſch.

Albin obſerves "they build no neſt, but lay their eggs on the bare ground"—"They lay but one egg apiece (which is eſpecially remarkable)" "The eggs are very large for the bigneſs of the bird, even bigger than hens or ducks, of a reddiſh or ſandy colour, much ſharper at one end than hen's eggs, and blunter at the other." vol. 2. p. 78, 79.

But it appears very probable that Albin was miſtaken as to the colour of the eggs, if we may judge by the concurrence of the beſt informed naturaliſts of the preſent time; "I muſt add," ſays Pennant, "that they lay only one egg, which differs much in form; ſome have one end very acute; others have both extremely obtuſe; all are white. Brit. Zool.

*
"The Reverend Mr. Hugh Davies, of Beaumaris, informed me, that on the 23d of Auguſt (1776) ſo entire was the migration, that neither Puffin, Razor-Bill, Guillemot or Tern was to be ſeen there." Brit. Zool. 2. 515.
"They are potted at St. Kilda and elſewhere, and ſent to London as rarities. The bones are taken out, and the fleſh wrapped in the ſkin; are eaten with vinegar, and taſte like baked herrings. Lat. Gen. Syſt.
*
2d edit. 37.
*
Fauna Suecica, p. 37.
Scopoli.
Edwards.
§
The Hoopoe and Roller are ſaid to come into Conſtantinople in Auguſt, from the north, to return in ſpring. Faun. Arab. p. 7. —"The Hoopoe and Bee-eater come in the ſpring, and remain all the ſummer and autumn." Ruſſel. Alep. p. 70.
Latham, Gen. Syn. 688. 1.
Mr. Turnſtall.
**
Di [...]s.
*
By Mr. G [...]dden of that place.
Arct. Zool.
*
[...].
K [...]l [...]en. Hiſt. du Cap. I. p. 152.
*
The Linnaean genus Motacilla has been ſeparated by Pennant, and his method adopted by Latham; by this ſeparation the Wagtails conſtitute one genus; and the Warblers another: the latter are diſtinguiſhed from the former in ſeveral reſpects; they perch on trees, proceed by leaps, not running, and ſeldom emit any noiſe in flight.
*
Hiſt. des Ois. v. p. 158.
Mr. Green.
*
Pennant.
*
Pennant Br. Zool. 11. 314.
One was ſhot at Eltham, in the winter 1781, and was in the collection of Mr. T. Latham, of Dartford.
Br. Zool.—Flor. Scot.
§
In Tartary. Friſch.
This is probable, ſince it is certainly ſo in the American ſpecies. But theſe birds vary much in this characteriſtic; for I have obſerved ſo few as five in ſome ſpecimens; and Buffon mentions having ſeen a bird with ſeven on one wing, and five on the other, as well as others with three only." Latham.
**
"This is not clear to me. The American ſpecies has no yellow on the wings in either ſex. I have never met with one of theſe without." Latham.
*
Ellis's voyage II. p. 15.
*
Three or four ſpecies excepted.
*
Three or four ſpecies excepted.
*
Erroneouſly called the White Partridge
*
Latham—Pennant.
Tom. 1. p. 216.
Latham.
*
Pennant.
*
Mr. Latham writes, "Mr. Tarſiall tells me, that he has been informed by a ſkilful Omithologiſt, of its being ſometimes ſeen in Devonſhire." Gen. Syn.
*
Arct. Zool.
Dec. Ruſſ. IV. p. 9. 17.
Zool. Danic.
*
Pennant Br. Zool. 1. 151.
Latham.
*
Vide Latham's diviſion of the Motacilla genus.
*
"The young follow the parents the whole winter; and from the ſlimneſs of their bodies, and great length of tail, appear, while flying, like ſo many darts cutting the air," Pennant.
*
"Common about St. Peterſburgh in autumn, and is caught in great plenty at that time for the uſe of the table, returning north in ſpring." Pennant.
Ellis's Narr. vol. ii. p. 15.
Mr. Hutchins.
*
Brit. Zool.
They viſit a place called Martin-mere in Lancaſhire, the latter end of March, or beginning of April, but do not continue there above three weeks.—Brit. Zool.
*
Dec. Ruſſ. ii. p. 145.
Arct. Zool.
*
This variety is called by Buffon Le Gobemouche noir à Collier. Hiſt. des Oiſ. 4. p. 520. pl. 25. f. 1.
*
Lath. Gen. Syn.
*
Phil. Tranſ. vol. lxii. p. 421.
*
Hiſt. deſ. Oiſ.—Dacouv. Ruſ. vol. i. p. 307. 314.
Albin ſays, "it feeds on fiſh, yet refuſeth not inſects; ſitting on the banks of rivers it now and then flirts up its tail; although it be not web-footed, yet it will ſometimes dive or dart quite under water. It is a ſolitary bird, accompanying only with its mate in coupling and breeding time."
Arct. Zool.
*
Not deſcribed by Linnaeus.
*
Not mentioned by Pennant as Britiſh Birds.
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TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 4848 The natural history of British birds or a selection of the most rare beautiful and interesting birds which inhabit this country the descriptions from the Systema naturà of Linnà us with general. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-5B62-0